APT today confirmed that it will build its own cruise ship for the Mekong River in Indochina, in partnership with Amawaterways.

The new vessel, to be called the ms Amalotus, is due for launch in September 2011 and will incorporate similar features to those available in APT's European vessels including its "revolutionary twin balconies".

The 124-passenger Amalotus will operate week-long voyages between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap with APT's packages also featuring fully inclusive touring, all meals, tipping and alcoholic beverages.

Details of the expansion were released today at the Travelscene American Express National Consultant Conference in Cairns, with the move confirming a further ramp-up in APT's Indochina offerings.

Eight staff from APT's sales, marketing and reservations recently experienced APT's 8-day Mekong Delights River Cruise, travelling on the MS la Marguerite from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

According to APT General Manager Marketing, Deb Fox, highlights included experiencing Vietnam and Cambodia from the waters of the Mekong ... "you miss so much if you fly into Siem Reap from Vietnam and don't choose to travel through the country," ... immersing in remote communities that are only accessible by the waterways, the amazing local people and their culture by day and the luxury of the ship by night, and to finish with a couple of days exploring the Angkor archaeological site.

During the 13-day trip, the group used thirteen modes of transport, from ox carts to sampans and everything in between!

"This is really the best product on the market and we are now well equipped to support agents in promoting these sensational packages," said Deb.

There's a whole world of destinations and experiences that are perfect for baby boomers
AUSTRALIA'S over-55s are a well-travelled lot.
Baby boomers are out there experiencing the world in force, cruising Europe's waterways, gazing at breathtaking views from the Rocky Mountaineer or driving around Australia in a caravan.
Italy, Alaska, Tasmania and Britain. Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick.
What's next? Here are some suggestions to capture the imagination.

River cruising
Been there For the past few years, European river cruising has been riding a wave of popularity. And the cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest is a favourite among over-55s.
What's next? As the idea of unpacking once and exploring a different place each day is irresistible to mature travellers, the demand for new river cruising destinations is sky-high. The Mekong River is a hot favourite, with luxury vessels such as The Jayavarman and MS La Marguerite cruising between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Riep. Interest in cruising is also high in India along the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. River cruising specialist APT is turning its attention to Russia, with the 212-passenger MS AmaKatarina to be launched next year.
APT, ph 1300 229 804 or see www.aptouring.com.au

Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express
Russia
The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express is the world's longest train journey, stretching for almost 10,000km, from Moscow to Vladivostok, and passes through eight time zones. The journey begins in vibrant Moscow. Highlights of the two-week trip include visits to the Uspensky Cathedral in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Vladimir, Yekaterinburg, where the Romanovs were executed, Kazan, with its beautiful Kremlin and the Paris of Siberia at Irkutsk.
There are three cabin classes: Heritage, Silver and Gold. Gold Class cabins have power showers, underfloor heating, DVD/CD players and LCD screens.
APT (ph: 1300 229 804, www.aptouring.com.au) has a 15-day Trans-Siberian Adventure from $9740.

The iconic 'Golden Eagle' trans-Siberian Express rail journey has been added to APT's stand-alone Russia and Scandinavia brochure for 2010.
The new brochure now covers a range of experiences including rail, luxury Russian river cruising, Baltic ocean cruising and combinations with Baltic and Scandinavia land touring.
APT general manager marketing, Debra Fox, said the addition of the 'Golden Eagle' provided APT with greater depth to its Russia program, with the new rail-cruise combinations expected to sell well in Australia.
The 'Golden Eagle' joined APT as a result of APT purchasing a major interest in GW Travel which holds an exclusive lease on the train. The Golden Eagle trans-Siberian Express is Russia's only private luxury train which has become synonymous with the world's most iconic rail journey.
The Trans-Siberian Express crosses eight time zones on its 10,000 kilometre journey across a diverse range of landscapes. During the journey passengers explore at least nine cities, towns and villages, enjoying such experiences as a traditional Mongolian meal in SukhBaater and a picnic barbecue of freshly smoked fish on the shores of Lake Baikal.
The brochure offers 14 packages including a 26-day trip combining the Golden Eagle with Russian river cruising on the 'ms Tolstoy'. The brochure is designed for agents and travellers seeking only Russia and Scandinavia cruising, with several itineraries under exclusive APT private charter.

APT has free flights to China and Vietnam for some of its tours departing in 2010.
The air deal is for China tour departures April 21-May 5 while Vietnam tour departures December 14-September 27 are covered by the offer.
Prices cover touring, cruising, accommodation, local flights, most meals, sightseeing and airport transfers.
The China air deal applies to departures with Cathay Pacific Airways from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Cairns and Perth while the Vietnam deal is linked to Malaysian Airlines departing from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.
Contact: call 1300 229 804.

APT - Trans-Siberian Express & River Cruising. This brochure is APT's first program for the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express which it acquired in Jun this year. The Vladivostock-St Petersburg trip is packaged in a 14-day Trans-Siberian Winter
Wonderland package (18 Feb), a 15-day Trans-Sib.Adventure, and a 26-day rail-cruise journey that links with a 12-night Russian River Cruise aboard the Tolstoy, sailing from Moscow. For full details see www.aptgroup.travel.

APT is offering free airfares to Russia for guests booking on itsTrans-Siberian Winter Wonderland tour departing 18 Feb 2010, excluding air taxes. The deal applies to the 14-day 10,000km journey aboard the Golden Eagle, operating from Vladivostock to St Petersburg.

APT is offering a fly free deal with Malaysian Airlines on its 15-day Indochina Adventure for dates between 14 Dec 2009 - 27 Sep 2010. This promotion is available from MEL, SYD,BNE and ADL.

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The Eurostar at St Pancras International station in London. Photo: AFP
Jump aboard a train and be part of one of the fastest-growing trends in travel, writes Jane E. Fraser.
Rail travel is on a determined upward curve thanks to new services, faster travel times, improved on-board comforts and environmental benefits. In Europe in particular, trains are increasingly replacing flights as the preferred method of travel for both business and leisure travellers.
Train travel times have been significantly reduced by the introduction of more high-speed services - at a time when airline check-in times have increased due to security measures - and travellers have made the switch to the extent that flights have been withdrawn from key routes such as Paris-Brussels.
Click for more photos
Faster than a speeding plane ... about 90 per cent of people travelling between Paris and London now take the Eurostar. Photo: AFP
"Once you start getting under 3 hours (by train), you're really making flying obsolete," says the chief executive of Rail Plus, David Stafford. "Madrid-Barcelona is now two hours and 40 minutes - that's killing off the flights. "From December, the Paris-Amsterdam route comes down to three hours and 18 minutes, and that's going to put a huge amount of pressure on airlines that fly that route."
Rail Plus and other rail specialists are reporting sales are up on last year, at a time when many other tourism sectors are feeling the crunch. And while Europe is spearheading the growth, other areas such as Japan and Canada are pulling their weight.
Stafford says Japan "has gone absolutely ballistic for us this year", with bookings for the 2009 calendar year expected to exceed the $2 million mark.
He says the US remains a small market for leisure train travel but Canada is popular, with bookings split about 50-50 between the scenic Rocky Mountaineer journey and point-to-point travel.
Rail Europe, which has 95 per cent market share in European rail, is set to play a much bigger role on the Australian scene, with plans to become a one-stop shop for rail journeys around the world. It is about to open bookings for the US's Amtrak system and will expand over coming months to include Japan, Canada, India and Trans-Siberian journeys.
Coach and cruise holiday operator APT is also banking on rail, having acquired a majority stake in the British-based GW Travel (GWT) rail touring company earlier this year.
GWT specialises in long-distance, luxury tours by private train, with its flagship being the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express in Russia. Another Australian company, Tempo Holidays, has added Indian luxury train Maharajas' Express to its offerings, with journeys available from January.
The train travels on seven- and eight-day itineraries between Mumbai and Delhi and between Delhi and Kolkata, with all-inclusive prices starting at $5938 a person.
The US's Amtrak system has traditionally had a bad name among travellers but it has recorded six consecutive years of growth, and now carries more than 28 million passengers a year.
The figures include commuter traffic but Amtrak now services more than 500 destinations; many of these routes are used by tourists. The north-east corridor, including Boston, New York and Washington DC, is the busiest route, followed by the Pacific Sunliner service, which carries passengers from San Diego to Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo.
Rail Europe employee Richard Leonard says improved technology has played a role in the growth of rail travel, allowing agents to make live bookings rather than emailing requests and going back and forth to find availability. E-ticketing, available now on only a handful of routes, will also be rolled out to the Australian market next year.
Stafford says there has been a strong trend towards late bookings, with 70 per cent being made for travel within the next month.
There has also been a trend away from rail passes and towards point-to-point tickets, due to a requirement for seat reservations on high-speed trains. "The railways got much smarter in making reservations compulsory for the high-speed lines," Stafford says. "In the past, it was a case of buying your pass and jumping on any train you felt like."
However, rail passes continue to represent the best value in some countries, such as Spain, Germany and Scandinavia, where point-to-point tickets are expensive. Leonard says Australian travellers can pick up great deals for European trains in July and August, due to business travel dropping off during the northern summer holiday period.
Travellers can often pick up the rail equivalent of a business-class ticket for only a few dollars more than a standard one.
Next plane leaves from Platform 26
EXPECT cheaper rail travel and more options in Europe from 2011, when the market will be deregulated and opened up to competition. Rail Plus chief executive David Stafford says the first route likely to see significant changes is London-Paris, on which Eurostar has 80 per cent market share of all forms of transport on the route.
Air France has indicated its interest in operating a competing train on the route and Stafford says we can expect to see a lot more "airline trains", such as those operated by Lufthansa in Germany.
This development will almost certainly bring down fares.
"If you look at when the low cost carriers came into the market, and brought extra competition to the routes, the first thing that happened was fares came down," says Stafford.

APT strengthen economic safety mechanisms for consumer protection
Friday, October 17, 2008

In a bid to reassure consumers while the dollar plummets and the credit crisis reigns supreme, Australian travel company APT have increased their AU$5 million protection plan to S10 million.

Furthermore, the travel company has maintained its brochured price guarantees.

The $10 million protection plan will allow the 81-year old travel pioneers to reimburse customers if faced with the fear of insolvency.

The General Manager of APT, Chris Hall, maintains that APT is stable and reputable, and despite the difficult economic situation, will remain reliable to its customers.

APT have issued a flyer to travel agents entitled APT Peace of Mind Guarantee, which advises that all APT, Travelmarvel, Newsmans Escorted Tours and Botanica World Discoveries prices will be guaranteed following deposits.

This guarantee does not extend tor air and third party operators.

APT have also decided to decrease deposits for trips to Europe, Canada and Alaska, asking only for $1000 per trip for most departures.

The cancellation cover provided by APT allows customers to cancel their travel plans up to the final payment date, without any cancellation charges or penalties excluding airfares and third party operators.

However, to utilize this benefit, a non-refundable cancellation cover of approximately $55 per person must be paid at the time of the holiday deposit for new bookings.

The intention of the increased guarantees and protection plan are, according to Mr Hall, to provide travel agents and consumers alike 'peace of mind,' that their funds will be secure with APT.

In a time of decreased consumer confidence, these initiatives are aimed at maintaining faith in APT and its operations.

Coastal Explorer
An 11-day small group tour priced from A$4775 per person, twin share, land only.
Furthermore, if you buy one airfare to Western Australia you will get one free.
The tour includes travel in a custom-built 4WD vehicle plus two nights at Karijini Eco
Resort as well as a visit to Cape Range National Park, a chance to relax by tranquil Hamersley Gorge, Shell Beach, and cruise World Heritage listed Ningaloo Reef. Meet the dolphins of Monkey Mia and a whole lot more. The tour also includes 25 meals including a Seafood Feast at Monkey Mia.
A few conditions do apply and travel must be booked with APT by May 31 this year.

FREE FLIGHTS: APT has a fly free deal for its 20-day West Coast Discovery tour, and a buy-one-airfare-get-one-free deal for seven other West Australian tours between April and October. Bookings must be made before May 31. Air taxes are included in the free airfares offers. The 20-day package is from $A7595 per person twin share, including touring, accommodation, 38 meals, cruises at Ningaloo Reef and Katherine Gorge and key sights between Perth and Darwin.

APT's exclusive use of Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge and Hawk Dreaming Wilderness Camp in Kakadu National Park are the drivers of APT's new Northern Territory Short Breaks 2010-11 brochure.

Hawk Dreaming Wilderness Camp is the stand-out new feature of this brochure. The camp is on Aboriginal land in Kakadu National Park and is available to APT May to October as an accommodation option.

APT also has exclusive use of Mitchell Falls Wilderness Lodge and Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge for several Kimberley packages included in the brochure.

APT is launching the brochure with a 30% discount on a companion's tour price for any package land only (excluding day tours, rail & air). Bookings must be made before 30 April 2010 for travel prior to 30 June 2010.
The 64-page brochure lists over 100 tours, ranging from half day to 14 days, covering Alice Springs, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon), Nitmiluk National Park (Katherine), Darwin, Kakadu National Park, Litchfield National Park, The Ghan, 4WD touring in the Kimberley to Mitchell Falls and Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) National Park and Bungle Bungle Wilderness Lodge.
Northern Territory Short Breaks have been developed for those seeking more independence on their holiday, combining increased flexibility with the security of
pre-planned arrangements. Most tours offer a choice of accommodation, in some cases six styles.

APT has added a five-day Central Australian Getaway ex-Alice Springs which includes a two-night stay at Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge, and a new itinerary for the three-day Top End Highlights will operate in a 26-seater 4WD and now incorporate three national parks - Kakadu, Nitmiluk and Litchfield.

APT's General Manager Marketing, Debra Fox, said the brochure offered module flexibility so agents could easily combine tours to suit the specific needs of their clients.
"It is certainly one of the most comprehensive brochures in the market," she said.

A glass of wine and nibbles at Window On The Wetlands when returning from Kadadu to Darwin is a value-add experience that typifies the standards presented by APT in this program, she said.

APT Wilderness Lodge Wins NT Brolga Award

APT's Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge won the hosted accommodation category at the 2009 Brolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards.

Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge - recently awarded Eco Accreditation - is located on a secluded area of Kings Creek Station near Kings Canyon.

A joint venture between APT and the Conway family, the lodge comprises ten deluxe cabins with ensuite bathrooms, and provides lodge-environ nature tours, three-course campfire dinners and full breakfast service in the Mort Conway Homestead - all in the shade of a majestic stand of ancient Desert Oaks.

APT Central Australia Operations Manager, Myles McClure, who directed the establishment of the lodge 3-years ago, accepted the award.

He said great care had been taken to ensure lodge guests - APT tour and adventure passengers as well as self-drive travellers - were able to stay in absolute comfort in a wonderful natural environment.

"This award is an acknowledgement of the vision of Ian and Lyn Conway and Geoff McGeary and is a credit to lodge staff who have consistently delivered professional high levels of customer service to our guests," he said.

Winners of the 2009 Brolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards automatically become finalists in the 2009 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards.

APT's Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge on Saturday night won the hosted accommodation category at the 2009 Brolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards.

Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge - recently awarded Eco Accreditation - is located on a secluded area of Kings Creek Station near Kings Canyon.

A joint venture between APT and the Conway family, the lodge comprises ten deluxe cabins with ensuite bathrooms, and provides lodge-environ nature tours, three-course campfire dinners and full breakfast service in the Mort Conway Homestead - all in the shade of a majestic stand of ancient Desert Oaks.

APT Central Australia Operations Manager, Myles McClure, who directed the establishment of the lodge 3-years ago, accepted the award.

He said great care had been taken to ensure lodge guests - APT tour and adventure passengers as well as self-drive travellers - were able to stay in absolute comfort in a wonderful natural environment.

"This award is an acknowledgement of the vision of Ian and Lyn Conway and Geoff McGeary and is a credit to lodge staff who have consistently delivered professional high levels of customer service to our guests," he said.

Winners of the 2009 Brolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards automatically become finalists in the 2009 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards.

Escape the summer heat on a 12-day Royal Tasman coach tour of Tasmania offered by APT. This tour ex-Launceston, includes 21 meals and quality hotel accommodation and sightseeing in places such as St Helen's, Bicheno, Freycinet National Park, Port Arthur, Hobart, the Gordon River and Cradle Mountain.

APT - 2010 Queensland
APT's Queensland 2010-11 brochure offers a wide range of Cape York, Great Barrier Reef, Frasier Island, Hamilton Island and Outback adventures. The brochure also introduces two new levels of touring, Premier Plus Escorted and Premier Escorted and features earlybird discounts of up to $550.
APT - 2010 Western Australia
The APT WA brochure features 17 tours in Premier Escorted, Small Group Adventurers and Kimberley Extensions categories, and five Kimberley coast cruises. New itineraries include the 11-day Coastal Explorer/Western Frontier. See aptgroup.travel.

APT has reported strong pre season booking interest for its Cape York touring options,
available in its newly released 2010-11 Queensland brochures.
"We take the 'rugged' out of the travel experience...customers realise when we arrive into the region they would have difficulty doing the trip on their own," said APT's gm marketing Debra Fox.
The 13-day Cape York tours are priced from $5,745 per person twin share

.

APT's Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge has been granted EcoTourism Australia accreditation which recognises economic, environment and socially sustainable practices in tourism. APT's small group wilderness adventures in the Northern Territory and Western Australia and APT Kangaroo Island Odyssey 4WD tours are already certificated EcoTourism operations. APT Operations Manager Myles McClure who oversaw the development of the lodge 3-years ago said the certification, which began in 1996, provides travel agents and consumers alike with an assurance that a nature tourism or ecotourism product will be delivered with a commitment to environmental, economic and social sustainability."It stands for sound business management practices and operational procedures, best practice environmental management and the provision of quality experiences," said Mr McClure.Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge is an APT partnership with Kings Creek Station, 34 km from Kings Canyon. It features 10 deluxe tented cabins with full en-suite (hot showers) and 4-Star appointment, a dining/lounge area plus an outside dining area. Construction costs were $500,000.Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge is used by APT tour groups, as well as self-drive independent travellers, subject to availability. The lodge is in a unique environment, amongst a "forest' of Desert Oaks trees. The Desert Oak is found only in this region of Central Australia. Some of these trees are up to 800 years of age.

Tour operators are moving away from one-size-fits-all programs to be spoke agendas with multiple options. Tour operators have begun to offer multiple options instead of sticking to rigid itineraries.The thought of joining a group tour and being stuck with the same people day after day is enough to send many a traveller sprinting for the hills. All those group meals and guided tours - and listening to the moans and groans of others for hours on end. Many travellers, however, don't realise that group touring has matured; tour operators now recognise passengers need to find their own space.
Rather than herding 40-plus people to the same restaurants and attractions, operators are increasingly providing choices that cater for different interests.For example, if you tour Broome in Western Australia with coach operator APT, you might have a choice of taking a hovercraft ride across the tidal flats, visiting the Pearl Lugger Museum or taking a sunset camel ride. For those hovering between independent travel and group touring, increased flexibility may tip the balance in favour of the latter. While the downside of group touring is much joked about, there are many benefits, including having someone else do all the planning and negotiating. When looking at flexible touring options, it's important to check whether the elements are listed as optional extras or included in the program. Freedom of choice has also been applied by many operators to meal times, too. Rather than forcing the whole group to sit down together and eat from a set menu, a company might now offer a choice of restaurants.Not only does this allow people to escape the group and choose whom they dine with, it helps cater for different menu preferences and eating times. APT spokesman Scott Ellis says flexible sightseeing and dining can help people maximise the social benefits of group touring by encouraging people to mingle and bringing like-minded people together. "We quite often get couples who split up for the day, where one will go off to do one thing and the other will go off to do another," he says.Ellis believes having all the activities included in the tour price makes a big difference to travellers. For example, a golfer might fit in a couple of rounds during the holiday, at no extra cost. "We don't want to be offering people optional extras, just options," Ellis says.

APT offers free flights to New Zealand including air taxes to join October 2009 to March 2010 departures of its 18-day Royal Tourer Premier coach tour and 21-day Great New Zealand Experience Premier Plus small group tour. Flights are return from Brisbane and bookings must be made by December 31st 2009. Tour includes touring, accommodation, meals and cruises.

This colourful canyon in Australia's red heart is well worth the effort. In fact, it's an experience fit for a king.

Rising out of a vast landscape scarred by 400 million years of erosion, Kings Canyon in Central Australia's semi-arid heartland is a gorge with a glamorous past. There's the crag where Priscilla and those queens of the desert stood, the plateau where the Kings Choir warbled Peter Allen's Australian ode to Qantas and the rich ochre cliff-face where Jedda perished in Australia's first colour feature film released in 1955.

"It's a destination you have to put the effort in to get there," says our tour guide, Myles McLure, who's leading the charge to the canyon's rim. I'm certainly putting plenty of effort into the steepish climb up the rough hewn rock face that gives me the occasional 'what am I doing here' moment. Ascending the rim, silver-tipped spinifex gleams in the morning light, prickly friends whose fine roots bind sand and soil as we set out to explore the 6km loop track, one of three treks in Watarrka National Park.

Jagged rock faces are washed with spicy shades of ochre, burnt orange and saffron. Weathered sandstone columns thrust up from an ancient sea floor where wave imprints are etched onto smooth stones. Stairs and boardwalks thread down to the Garden of Eden, a lush oasis of waterholes and riverine vegetation where I feel the warmth at my back and breeze in my face.

A classic landscape of desert oaks and ghost gums reflects in still pools. This is where wild fig, leathery cycads, aromatic mint and parchment lemongrass attract zebra finches, willy wagtails, thrushes and bower birds who lure the ladies into the nest by placing bright shiny objects around the perimeter. An old trick that works for me every time!

To use his vernacular, Myles is feeling "like a dog off a chain", as are a group of young American tourists who plunge squealing into the waterhole's cool depths. Looking across the canyon's broad chasm, people sit quietly contemplating the immense forces that sculpted dry creeks and domed outcrops, vivid images within a vast arid plain.

This is the land that Ernest Giles, possibly Australia's first travel writer, captured in his journals when describing the arduous crossing of this great frontier land from Adelaide. He attempted the journey to Kings Canyon on three occasions during the 1870s, on one trip losing his great friend Alfred Gibson, after whom the desert takes its name.

Giles belonged to a small coterie of mavericks drawn to Kings Canyon. Scotsman William Liddle was another and a satisfying continuity to his pioneering efforts can be found at the 1800km² Kings Creek Station 40 minutes from the canyon. Owner Ian Conway is Liddle's grandson whose paternal link to the land is fused with the blood of its traditional owners; his mother was an Arrante woman from the Western Macdonnells.

"Visitors are hungry for knowledge about Aboriginals, it's the most sought-after experience by international visitors to Australia," says Ian. Akaka is the nearest Aboriginal settlement 70km away and is home to 60 people. "I'm planning to incorporate opportunities for travellers to visit my people in Akaka," Ian adds. "They may not be able to run a business yet but they know everything about the bush."

Blood-red dust dances with the evening breeze as we yarn on his back porch. This is cowboy country of sharp ridge lines, armour-plated hillsides and spectacular sunsets. As the heat of a sky shot with golden fire is extinguished, a squadron of mosquitoes take off, changing gear as they follow their flight plan.

Giving ourselves time to experience Australia's heartland,we've definitely slipped into low gear. Eating campfire comfort food under the stars, we gather around an open hearth tailor-made for port and a serving of apple pie.

While most of the road back to Alice Springs is sealed, there's still some stretches of rutted ochre that keep the Outback vibe alive as we journey through a timeless landscape. Bloodwoods, river and ghost gums sprout out of ancient gray dolomite rock in a terrain thatwould have yielded slim pickings for hunter/gatherers.

After its spectacularly noisy creation, there's an eerie silence as we drive into Tnorala or Gosse Bluff. The result of an extra-terrestrial object crashing into Missionary Plain 140 million years ago, the blast that created this spectacular comet crater affected global weather patterns for several years. Our intrepid explorer Ernest Giles named it Gosse Bluff when he encountered it in 1871.

From comet craters to Aboriginal pictographs, florid escarpments and undertaking one of Australia's great walks, Kings Canyon is Australia at its most enigmatic.

Getting There - Kings Canyon is about 310km west of Alice Springs.

Staying There - Set within Kings Creek Station, Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge is a compound of 10 comfortably appointed tented cabins with private ensuite facilities, heating and air-conditioning. See further information on:

Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge - The exclusive tented cabins offer the ultimate Outback accommodation.

Kimberley Wilderness Lodges and Camps - Our exclusive and strategically located permanent wilderness camps and lodges allow you to discover the best of the Kimberley, with the welcome of the traditional land owners.

The Top 5
1. View the variety of colours in the stones that once formed the sea floor.
2. East campfire-cooked food under the stars.
3. Take a cooling dip in the Garden of Eden's waterhole.
4. Visit the comet crater at nearby Gosse Bluff.
5. Walk the 6km loop around the canyon - but avoid the midday heat.

Fast Fact
Watarrka National Park, which contains Kings Canyon, is home to more than 600 plant species.

Ride the historic Puffing Billy Steam Train through the Dandenong Ranges, enjoy lunch in the wine region of the Yarra Valley then wander amongst the Australian wildlife at Healesville Sanctuary.

Discover the Northern Territory with APT!

Visit the Red Centre and explore the awesome Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (Olgas) then walk into Kings Canyon with its towering walls of rock. Finish your adventure in the famous outback town of Alice Springs. Find out more about our tour of Uluru, Alice Spring and Kings Canyon.

Start this unforgettable journey by cruising Australia’s spectacular east coast from Sydney to Tasmania. Aboard your luxury ship, cross the waters of the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, exploring the mighty fiords of the South Island before cruising to the North Island and discovering its wonders. Then join a luxury coach and travel through the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, exploring true inland beauty and a country rich in culture.

Our most popular tour, ‘Kimberley Complete’ is a thorough exploration of the region by 4-wheel drive. Discover the gorges of the Gibb River Road, the vibrant Aboriginal culture of the Mitchell Plateau and the spectacular Bungle Bungle domes in Purnululu National Park. Experience a special Aboriginal-guided cruise through Geikie Gorge and enjoy an extra day touring Kununurra and the Ord River. It’s no wonder we call this 13 day tour the ‘Kimberley Complete’.

APT strengthen economic safety mechanisms for consumer protection
Friday, October 17, 2008

In a bid to reassure consumers while the dollar plummets and the credit crisis reigns supreme, Australian travel company APT have increased their AU$5 million protection plan to S10 million.

Furthermore, the travel company has maintained its brochured price guarantees.

The $10 million protection plan will allow the 81-year old travel pioneers to reimburse customers if faced with the fear of insolvency.

The General Manager of APT, Chris Hall, maintains that APT is stable and reputable, and despite the difficult economic situation, will remain reliable to its customers.

APT have issued a flyer to travel agents entitled APT Peace of Mind Guarantee, which advises that all APT, Travelmarvel, Newsmans Escorted Tours and Botanica World Discoveries prices will be guaranteed following deposits.

This guarantee does not extend tor air and third party operators.

APT have also decided to decrease deposits for trips to Europe, Canada and Alaska, asking only for $1000 per trip for most departures.

The cancellation cover provided by APT allows customers to cancel their travel plans up to the final payment date, without any cancellation charges or penalties excluding airfares and third party operators.

However, to utilize this benefit, a non-refundable cancellation cover of approximately $55 per person must be paid at the time of the holiday deposit for new bookings.

The intention of the increased guarantees and protection plan are, according to Mr Hall, to provide travel agents and consumers alike 'peace of mind,' that their funds will be secure with APT.

In a time of decreased consumer confidence, these initiatives are aimed at maintaining faith in APT and its operations.

APT strengthen economic safety mechanisms for consumer protection
Friday, October 17, 2008

In a bid to reassure consumers while the dollar plummets and the credit crisis reigns supreme, Australian travel company APT have increased their AU$5 million protection plan to $10 million.

Furthermore, the travel company has maintained its brochured price guarantees.

The $10 million protection plan will allow the 81-year old travel pioneers to reimburse customers if faced with the fear of insolvency.

The General Manager of APT, Chris Hall, maintains that APT is stable and reputable, and despite the difficult economic situation, will remain reliable to its customers.

APT have issued a flyer to travel agents entitled APT Peace of Mind Guarantee, which advises that all APT, Travelmarvel, Newsmans Escorted Tours and Botanica World Discoveries prices will be guaranteed following deposits.

This guarantee does not extend tor air and third party operators.

APT have also decided to decrease deposits for trips to Europe, Canada and Alaska, asking only for $1000 per trip for most departures.

The cancellation cover provided by APT allows customers to cancel their travel plans up to the final payment date, without any cancellation charges or penalties excluding airfares and third party operators.

However, to utilize this benefit, a non-refundable cancellation cover of approximately $55 per person must be paid at the time of the holiday deposit for new bookings.

The intention of the increased guarantees and protection plan are, according to Mr Hall, to provide travel agents and consumers alike 'peace of mind,' that their funds will be secure with APT.

In a time of decreased consumer confidence, these initiatives are aimed at maintaining faith in APT and its operations.

Explore the wonders of the Northern Territory, including the unique wilderness regions of Palm Valley, Kakadu and Mt Borradaile, combined with a memorable journey aboard The Ghan.

Enjoy 13 days to discover the beautiful island of Tasmania. Learn of Australia’s rich, and often brutal, early convict history and heritage at Port Arthur, visit the wilderness Cradle Mountain National Park and indulge in the delicious gourmet food and fine wines.

Enjoy 13 days to discover the beautiful island of Tasmania. Learn of Australia’s rich, and often brutal, early convict history and heritage at Port Arthur, visit the wilderness Cradle Mountain National Park and indulge in the delicious gourmet food and fine wines.

Explore the wonders of the Northern Territory, including the unique wilderness regions of Palm Valley, Kakadu and Mt Borradaile, combined with a memorable journey aboard The Ghan.

Stay at Broome's stunning Cable Beach Club Resort on our Bungle Bungle & Kimberley Explorer Tour. From the coastal charm of Broome, experience the adventure of a lifetime in the Kimberley, where beautiful gorges, Outback landscapes and the unique beehive domes of Purnululu National Park await your discovery. Explore this spectacular wilderness of Australia in a wonderful variety of ways - hike into gorges, cruise along magnificent waterways and see it from a bird’s eye view on two scenic flights. View Lake Argyle, explore Darwin and spend time around the campfire with your travelling companions.

Enjoy 13 days to discover the beautiful island of Tasmania. Learn of Australia’s rich, and often brutal, early convict history and heritage at Port Arthur, visit the wilderness Cradle Mountain National Park and indulge in the delicious gourmet food and fine wines.

Take a sneak preview of the next step in Steve Irwin's conservation dream.

Prehistoric footprints believed to have been left by a 2.5 tonne wombat the size of a truck have been found in western Victoria in what could be the most significant find of its kind in Australia.

Not anything to do with any of our tours - but a very interesting read!

Today, researchers from the Australian National University are working with the local Martu people to document the rich indigenous heritage of the Canning Stock Route, inhabited for the past 25,000 years.

Our most popular tour, ‘Kimberley Complete’ is a thorough exploration of the region by 4-wheel drive. Discover the gorges of the Gibb River Road, the vibrant Aboriginal culture of the Mitchell Plateau and the spectacular Bungle Bungle domes in Purnululu National Park. Experience a special Aboriginal-guided cruise through Geikie Gorge and enjoy an extra day touring Kununurra and the Ord River. It’s no wonder we call this 13 day tour the ‘Kimberley Complete’. Find out more about this tour.

Discover the untamed beauty of Tasmania’s pristine World Heritage wilderness such as Cradle Mountain National Park while savouring the delights of delicious gourmet food and fine wines. Learn of Australia’s rich, and often brutal, early convict history and heritage at Port Arthur and Sarah Island. Absorb the awe-inspiring scenery, relax with the tranquil sounds and be revitalised by the crisp forest scents. See itinerary for this tour

As the sun sinks behind the domes of Kata Tjuta (Olgas) enjoy a gourmet desert dining experience with a selection of fine beverages while viewing the stunning Outback stars. Discover more about this experience.

Visit the Red Centre and explore the awesome Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (Olgas) then walk into Kings Canyon with its towering walls of rock. Finish your adventure in the famous outback town of Alice Springs. See full itinerary for this tour.

Discover the fascinating heritage of Queensland’s outback on this 14 day tour as you travel from Sydney to Tamworth then inland to Winton and Mt Isa before arriving in the tropical Atherton Tablelands and Cairns. Find out more about this tour.

Discover the untamed beauty of Tasmania’s pristine World Heritage wilderness such as Cradle Mountain National Park while savouring the delights of delicious gourmet food and fine wines. Learn of Australia’s rich, and often brutal, early convict history and heritage at Port Arthur and Sarah Island. Absorb the awe-inspiring scenery, relax with the tranquil sounds and be revitalised by the crisp forest scents. View full itinerarty for this tour.

Glimpse rail travel in Australia aboard The Ghan or the Indian Pacific. Journeys to remember.

Delilah, the Tasmanian Devil sponsored by Australian Pacific Touring at East Coast Natureworld at Bicheno on Tasmania's east coast is progressing well and is expected to be mated early next year.

APT's support for baby Delilah and the Tasmanian Devil Breeding Program in partnership with East Coast Natureworld comes through the APT Conservation and Charitable Foundation established in 2003 to support the protection of endangered species around Australia.

APT's sponsorship is supporting the devil's feeding, keeping, health and breeding program to ensure the species' population is encouraged in a protected environment.

Park owner, Bruce Englefield reported to APT that Delilah was "going well" and had become a crowd pleaser at the park.

"Next February-April we shall be mating her and although we don't have a male named Samson we do have some handsome boys available," said Mr Englefield. "Young females prefer the older males and will select the one they think will make the best mate."

Any offspring that Delilah has will be used to stock the Devil Island Project with young devils to increase the genetic diversity as much as possible. At the park, they will be able to learn the wild behaviour necessary to survive in the wild before being released, if needed to restock a wild population.

The APT Charitable and Conservation Fund is also contributing to conservation work in Queensland and in the Kimberley, Karakamia and Swan regions of Western Australia. The work is undertaken by Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC), an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation of Australia's wildlife.

Australia is filled with awe-inspiring natural phenomena that draws tourists from around the world. The Sunday Herald Sun asked readers to nominate Australia's greatest natural wonders, and why. Read the complete article from the link below.

Their Readers' Choice top 10 can all be visited on an APT tour.

1. Phillip Island Penquin Parade, Victoria
2. Uluru (Ayers Rock), Central Australia, Northern Territory
3. Purnululu (Bungle Bungle) National Park, Western Australia
4. Twelve Apostles, Great Ocean Road, Victoria
5. Monkey Mia, Western Australia
6. Rainforests of North Queensland
7. Coles Bay, Freycinet National Park, Tasmania
8. Kings Canyon, Central Australia, Northern Territory
9. Broome, Western Australia
10. Franklin River, Tasmania

APT's Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge wins Award "New Industry Innovation" Award

Australian Pacific Touring's Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge won the category "New Industry Innovation" at the recent inaugural Central Australian Industry Awards.

Over 300 people from the local tourism industry attended the event, which was designed to recognise and encourage excellence as well as foster a high level of pride in what tourism has achieved in Central Australia.

The lodge is located amongst Desert Oak trees in a remote part of Kings Creek Station, 35 kilometres from Kings Canyon.

The lodge site has 10 deluxe tented cabins with full en-suite (hot showers) and private decking looking into the bush and a separate 70 sqm dining/lounge facility and outside dining-campfire area 50-150m away from the cabins.

It opened in April.

Warwick Rock, APT's Regional Manager - Central Australia paid tribute to APT's Myles McClure for his work in establishing the lodge, the Conway family (owners of Kings Creek station) and lodge hosts Jacinta and Rowan Wilson who were and continue to be an integral part of this projects success.

"These people deserve the highest level of thanks and recognition for all their efforts in achieving this award and hopefully many more to come in the future," he said.

Other APT nominations included Young Achiever Award - Jordan Bell (Connections Safaris Crew), Barry Bucholtz Award for Excellence - Eric Noel (Connections Safaris Operations Manager) and Primary Tourism Operator Award - Australian Pacific Touring.

The evening raised just over $10,000 for the Leukemia Foundation.

Take a winter break down the Great Ocean Road and discover the splendour of the Shipwreck coast.

Red Centre icon, Kings Canyon, is even more appreciated as part of a luxury adventure holiday.

There is a superb cool weather break just down the road. Victoria's Great Ocean Road becomes spectacular in winter. . .

Camping in the red centre always evokes childhood memories of punctured air beds, gritty teeth and flies in my cornflakes.

The first time I ventured into the Northern Territory's rugged outback I was sandwiched between two squabbling siblings in the backseat of a clapped-out old Falcon.

There was no airconditioning, the road was mostly unsealed and by the time we reached Ayers Rock the muffler was hanging by a thread, as were my parents' nerves.

Fast forward a couple of decades and not even a pesky mozzie could rile my contentment as I quaffed a cheeky glass of shiraz under a diamond-speckled sky.

The place was Kings Canyon, the time didn't matter and the point was only just starting to sink in. Things here have changed.

Kings Canyon, about 300km north of Uluru, is a geological marvel of gaping sandstone cliffs carved 400 million years ago by the earth's shifting plates.

The jewel of the Watarrka National Park, the canyon is a magnet for campers and sightseers quenching their thirst for adventure in the central Australian desert.

My adventure started at Yulara, the township of Uluru, where the domestic airport spares interstate travellers a long overland journey.

From the air, the desert opens up like an unending Tandoori dinner, the rich red plains garnished with coriander leaves. Uluru is the succulent shish kebab and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), dumplings on the side.

Soon both landmarks dissolved into the rear vision mirror and we were barreling along the Lasseter Highway - named after eccentric gold prospector Lewis Lasseter, who perished in the desert in 1931 searching for an elusive fortune.

Our priceless find came in the form of a standoff with wild camels, who parked their substantial frames in the middle of the road, eyeing our 4WD with disdain before their gangly legs carried them away.

A chance encounter with a thorny devil lizard and glimpses of vast salt lakes, roaming cattle and soaring wedge-tail eagles punctuated the three hour drive. Then came the remarkable insights from our affable guide Myles, a veritable bush-tucker man and walking encyclopedia on all things history, geology, botany and fauna.

By the time we arrived at Kings Canyon a cold beverage was in order and we washed the day's dust down with an icy beer atop a remote spinifex prickled sand dune. As the sun sunk, the skyline turned into a swirling wound of crimson and bruised purple hues and the flies, plague pests that buzz in unrelenting swarms in daylight, deserted us for the first time.

On to "camp" and the Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge was anything but.

Set among singing Desert Oaks, the lodge's 10 rooms are tents by name only.

Each is canvas-built and adorned with king-size beds, sparkling ensuites and a private decking; bringing the outback to visitors who fancy home comforts over a swag.

But the real charm is outside, where guests feast under the stars on gourmet tucker, including Balmain bug tails with bush spices, prosciutto-wrapped camel steaks and kangaroo.

I can't say they were on the menu when I was a youngster.

Nor was there a telescope stashed in the Falcon for star gazing, or bountiful wine, enjoyed around the campfire to the hypnotic tune of a didgeridoo and tall outback tales.

The lodge is the latest tourist offering at Kings Creek Station, under a partnership between Australian Pacific Touring and station owner Ian Conway, who built his empire off the camel's back.

The Alice Springs-born Aboriginal descendant took over the station back in 1981, living in a primitive shed with his young family.

His dream was to rear cattle but he quickly learned there was a better living to be made from tourism and turned his hand to catching and exporting wild camels to bankroll the tourist park.

Today Kings Creek Station, 34km from the canyon entrance, has camping facilities catering to up to 500 people, and offers camel, helicopter and quad bike rides.

The 190,000 hectare property also contains relics of Australia's ancestral past. Ancient Aboriginal etchings, tools and grinding rocks can be found via a maze of dirt tracks, some lined with fencing oddly adorned with beer cans - to keep the poor-sighted camels out, of course.

To Conway it's home. The desert is his identity and the solitude irreplaceable.

"It's like coming home to your dog at night," he says.

Husband and wife team Rowan and Jacinta Wilson manage the wilderness lodge, consolidating years of experience running tourist ventures in northern Queensland.

Jacinta has a masters in tourism but her best credentials are her cheery manner and rapturous cackle, while chef extraordinaire Rowan will happily demonstrate how to poach the perfect egg.

The protein comes in handy before tackling the spectacular 6km rim of Kings Canyon.

Wedged in the southern foothills of the McDonnell Ranges, the jaws of Kings Canyon rise out of the ruddied landscape astride a tongue of remarkably lush vegetation.

At its highest point, the sheer cliff faces stand 150 metres tall, providing an unnerving view down to the base of the canyon, where ghost gums and fern-like cycads proliferate.

In summer the walk can be stifling hot and busy but the afternoon of our hike there was a pleasant autumn breeze and we almost had the trail to ourselves as we explored water holes, rock art, eroded sandstone domes of the "lost city" and other geological quirks.

When we returned to camp, a cold beer was waiting and I couldn't help thinking how it tasted better in the desert.

But don't take my word for it.

Take the plunge. And tell the locals the poached egg protege sent you.

IF YOU GO:

Kings Canyon Wildlife Lodge is located in central Australia about 300km north of Uluru.

The lodge opened in April at Kings Creek Station and is managed by Australian Pacific Touring (APT).

Visitors can stay as part of an APT tour, or independently. Bookings are essential

Fifteen APT tours have options for overnight stays at the lodge.

See our tours that stay at Kings Canyon Wilderness Lodge.

For bookings, contact your nearest APT office.

_{The writer was a guest of APTouring.}

Whether it's a sprawling acreage or a tiny courtyard, your garden is where you can escape to relax, replenish your reserves and regenerate. And, says Teena Crawford, visiting other people's gardens can be a similarly uplifting experience.

Have you ever walked past a tall fence and been intrigued as to what lies beyond? Visiting private gardens when they are opened for public viewing is an enjoyable and relaxing pastime, providing the opportunity to see, and often be surprised by, what's behind the front fence.

Gardens come in all shapes and sizes, reflecting the owner's particular taste and garden style. Spending time in someone else's garden and chatting to the owner or other garden visitors is a very social activity, with benefits that include the joy of simply being in a beautiful place or being inspired and motivated to broaden your vision for your own garden. There are gardens open in all areas of Australia throughout the year, but particularly during spring and autumn when the gardens look their best. If you have a few days or more to spare, you might even choose to join a formal 'garden tour'.

Organised tours have the benefit of eliminating most of the guesswork from your visiting. A well-balanced touring program will show you a selection of public and private gardens; Mother Nature's 'gardens' will often be included, plus other local sights and attractions of the region. You will also have the opportunity to meet many of the garden owners or creators, and gain insight into the gardens' history and the gardening challenges they pose, besides asking questions and comparing your own experiences. I recently enjoyed a four-day garden tour called Victorian Fork to Fork!
by Botanica World Discoveries.

Escorted by our very capable botanical guide, Talei Kenyon, the group, which had gathered from all over Australia, headed off first to the Macedon region north of Melbourne, where our first stop was Woodend for a 'Potager to Plate' cooking demonstration class hosted by Diana Marsland. A tour of the produce garden, some cooking lessons and a delicious lunch accompanied by local wines made for a great start to the tour.

Next came Tugurium, a garden in nearby Macedon brimming with unusual plants. Following a personally-conducted tour, owner Stephen Ryan entertained us with his gardening philosophy and wisdom; a visit to his nursery, Dicksonia Rare Plants, was testimony to his commitment to plant diversity. Then it was on to a local winery for sampling and enjoying the views from the terrace until we headed back to Woodend and beautiful Campaspe House.

Nestled in the middle of Edna Walling gardens and natural bushland, this was our destination for an evening that included a hearty dinner with a focus on local produce. A cosy sleep and a hearty breakfast under our belts, and it was off to the Garden of St Erth, Blackwood. A booming gold-mining town in the 1850s, St Erth now boasts a single remaining stone cottage: it forms the centre of this beautiful cool-climate garden nestled in the bush. The near-freezing conditions that greeted us - rain, sleet and snow - only added to the experience! The head gardener told us the history and future plans for this attractive garden, giving us inspiration and ideas to incorporate at home.

After a lunch stop in Ballarat we visited a private garden at Toora West where host Caroline Kimpton explained how she created her oasis in the middle of windswept pastures. It was amazing to see the types of plants flourishing in such a remote place. We then hit the road for our evening destination, the Royal Mail Hotel at Dunkeld, with its coveted Australian native gardens designed by Paul Thomson. We were given some insight into the gardens and the owners' philosophy on the Dunkeld District and enjoyed a guided tour of the nearby historic farming estate, Mt.Sturgeon, one of the region's extensive sheep-farming enterprises, with a tour of the interiors of the 1860s homestead and woolsheds as a bonus.

The evening's dinner in the hotel's restaurant consisted of local produce, seasoned with great conversation with my fellow travellers. To wake up in the morning to the arresting view of Mt Sturgeon and Mt Abrupt, at the southernmost end of the famous Grampians Range, augured well for another exciting day of touring, this time in what is known as the Western District. We first stopped at Green Hills, an impressive garden that surrounds a historic bluestone residence and features an extensive collection of roses.

Then it was on to Noorat and Dalvui, a grand English garden. I had read about Dalvui on many occasions, so it was a real treat to experience it first hand. After a stroll along the pathways winding between mature trees and plantings, a picnic lunch in the grounds was the perfect way to absorb and appreciate the magic of this amazing garden. It was inspiring to hear the passion in the owner's voice as she spoke about caring for and improving the garden.

Our next stop, William Martin's garden, Wigandia, also in Noorat, was equally beautiful and inspiring, but in a totally different way. An award winner and internationally recognised, Wigandia is a contemporary garden consisting of terraced beds on the side of a hill filled with an array of plants with strong architectural forms (such as yuccas) and sweeps of perennial plants, all chosen for their low water requirements.

Geelong was our destination for the evening. Before arriving at our hotel we had a guided tour of the Geelong Botanic Gardens with a special focus on the new 21st Century Garden, a dry-tolerant garden showcasing plants from around the world. Another delicious dinner followed, with some lively debate about the virtues of the diverse gardens we'd visited that day - although we each agreed all had been 'interesting' at the very least.

The final day started with a short ferry ride across Port Phillip Bay to Sorrento, then a 10- minute drive to Heronswood in Dromana, the home of The Diggers Club (Australia's largest garden club). The head gardener provided us with insight into their garden - also dry-tolerant - which is planted to be interesting all year. The vegetable garden is both decorative and functional, yielding most of the produce for their café, where we enjoyed a special 'fork to fork' lunch. The menu is created daily, dictated by what produce is available for harvesting from the garden. It was a fitting celebration to end a wonderful few days packed full of stunning scenery, great food, good company and some magnificent gardens.

After completing this, my third tour, I can confidently recommend organised tours as the perfect way to see gardens whether you are on you own, with your partner or with a group of friends. Along the way you get to know other tourers; there is always lively chatter about your adventures; and it makes garden visiting so much more interesting when you can exchange your thoughts and ideas with others enjoying the same experiences.

Join Teena for a 14-day tour of China departing 12 May 2007. We'll visit fascinating ancient gardens and iconic sights and enjoy Chinese culture and cuisine. For further information contact Botanica World Discoveries.

Question and Answer

Q. Are there any rules or guidelines to follow when visiting gardens?

A. Not so much rules as 'etiquette'. Flowers, leaves, seeds or any other parts of plants should not be picked. Keep to the paths and do not walk on the garden beds. Follow the signs or directions in the garden. Ask for permission to take photographs. Respect the privacy of the garden owner: do not enter the house uninvited or peer through windows or doors. Only visit during the designated opening times.

Q. I saw a fantastic plant in a garden I visited. How can I identify it, and where can I buy one for my own garden?

A. Often the garden owner will know the name. Alternatively, ask if it is OK to take a photograph of the plant. Take the information to your garden centre. They will identify the plant. If they do not have the plant in stock they will order it for you.

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More
Teena Crawford travelled as a guest of Botanica World Discoveries, who specialise in small group garden and gourmet tours around the world.

Melbourne is Australia's favourite short - break destination according to a survey of 1000 people around the country.

A successful partnership between a small Kimberley-based Aboriginal Foundation and a large travel company is reaping benefits for all, especially travellers.

Before it joined forces with Australian Pacific Touring (APT) two years ago, Kimberley Wilderness Adventures was fully owned by the Wunan Foundation, a collective of Aboriginal people from the Kimberley region in the rugged north-west of Western Australia. Geared to self sufficiency, it offered travellers the rare privilege of access to Aboriginal land and a close-up of the life of the land's traditional owners.

Paul Davis, business development manager of the Wunan Foundation, explains that Kimberley Wilderness Adventures worked well for its first three years and had evolved to the stage where it needed marketing "with a wider reach" to support the venture. By its nature, he says, any tourism operation in a remote area is very capital intensive. The Foundation decided it needed a partner with deeper pockets. It also wanted a partner who would respect what the Foundation was doing. In APT, the Foundation found a company which it says showed a "real understanding" of Indigenous issues in the region.

Kimberley Wilderness Adventures now works under the umbrella of APT, an Australian family-owned company founded in 1927 by Bill McGeary. These days the company is owned by his son Geoff who, in 2003, was recognised by the National Travel Industry Awards for his 40-year contribution to Australian tourism.

Wunan Foundation has a 40% stake in the operation, and after its second season, the venture is working well. APT regional manager Philip Cox says that three of the company's four standing wilderness camps, at Iminitji, Marunbabidi and Ungolan, are sub-leased to local communities.

Kimberley Wilderness Adventures also has a state-of-the-art facility in the Bungle Bungles. Where possible, it engages Aboriginal tour guides and helps local communities generate additional income from the services they supply, such as collection of firewood and rubbish removal.

A key ingredient in the success of the joint operation is the selection of camp hosts -two people, usually partners, who stay on-site at each camp for six months of the year and are responsible for its entire management.

Each camp has its own profit centre, and when an individual camp makes a profit, a proportion is ploughed back into that particular community. This form of funding has enabled the purchase of computers for a community school and 2,000 extra litres of fuel to keep facilities such as cool rooms running during the wet season.

Camp hosts become closely involved with the communities before the visitors come, and it is their relationship which lays the groundwork for the camp. When travellers arrive, they are briefed on various aspects of Aboriginal life by the camp hosts.

For its part, APT is meticulous about its own role in the education of visitors. Cox says that information about respecting Aboriginal culture is communicated by the tour guides in their commentary. "And when there's the opportunity for Aboriginal people to act as tour guides, this adds immensely to the depth of experience for visitors. We feel privileged being able to get to know their culture and to learn something from them."

One delightful aspect welcomed by communities and visitors alike is the visits by Aboriginal children to the camps. "They have made friends with the camp hosts and drop in quite freely," Cox says. "It's a very successful way of increasing direct involvement with the camp and one that everyone enjoys."

While camp hosts, who Cox describes as "special people", are crucial to relationships with communities and have impressive management and catering skills, APT tour guide/drivers are also a rare breed. Cox says the interview process for them is rigorous but "you know when they walk in the door if they're going to be right for the job." There are six on staff, with one driver accompanying each tour. They are much more than drivers. Cox describes their role as "counsellor, nurse, psychologist, tour guide and mechanic -- and that's only the start."

Last year, 5,000 people, mainly babyboomers, took the tour, which Cox describes as "soft adventure", with plenty of excitement during the day but with creature comforts in the evening, including a good meal and a sleep in a real bed with sheets. The travel experience itself is based on small-group touring, each group limited to a maximum of 20 travellers.

Travel in the Kimberley is by road, in what Cox says firmly is "a truck". Specially built to APT specifications by Perth company, Able Bus and Coach, the vehicles combine the sturdy chassis of a truck built to negotiate the hazards of outback driving with the comfort of a "pod", a dustproof interior with well-sprung comfortable cloth-covered seats, that is dropped onto the chassis.

Cox is proud that the company was awarded ECO certification by Eco-tourism Australia, a non-profit organisation formed in 1991 and the peak national body for the ecotourism industry.

"We aim at minimising any trace of visitors out here," he says. "We brush the dust from the floor of the trucks into containers, we take all our rubbish back with us, we use special environmentally-friendly soaps manufactured by Enviro in Queensland, and we use solar power backed up by a generator."

He describes the partnership between APT and the Wunan Foundation as one where a small business has kept its heart, while taking on a larger partner to enable it to stay viable.

"It's a huge logistical effort to keep this going. It's seasonal, and there are enormous challenges. It's all about a small local business bringing a large family-owned business on board, and having the potential for capital growth. Small business often thinks that big business will just take over.

"What both sides want to happen here is that we enable growth to take place without destroying what was already there -- and that should happen," he adds. "After all, both partners have the region at heart."

This article comes from Country Biz, the leading regional Australian business magazine for the proactive business person.

The Grampians region retains it's status as one of the state's most stunning natural wonderlands, despite the 2006 bushfires...

More than 100 tours are featured in Australia Pacific Touring's Northern Territory Short Breaks brochure for 2007 - 08...

APT's Conservation Foundation protects endangered species around Australia. Delilah is one lucky little devil!

Touring the rugged Kimberley takes on a whole new meaning with APT Kimberley Wilderness Adventures.

The Kimberley is Australia's hottest destination. Find out why!

The history of West Australia's northwest coast comes to life in Broome.

Since APT introduced European river cruising to the Australian market back in 2007, it's become a phenomenally popular holiday choice.

In part, this popularity is due to the sheer convenience of checking in and unpacking just once, and the blissful simplicity of drifting into the heart of each charming town, city and village.

Most significantly though, this popularity is due to the fact that APT - Australia's only true European river cruising experts - continue to set a benchmark that other companies can only dream of following.

From the groundbreaking elegance of APT's six custom-built Aria Class river ships to the revolutionary design of its two Concerto Class ships, the APT fleet is universally recognized as the most modern and innovative in Europe. Testament to this is the fact that just last year, the very first ship in the fleet - the ms Amadagio - was voted Best River Cruise Ship at Cruise Passenger Magazine's Reader's Choice Awards.

Like all Aria Class ships, the ms Amadagio is a stylish and sophisticated vessel that, among other exclusive features, boasts all-weather AMA Private Balconies in over 80% of suites; more space per guest in public areas than any vessel of its type; and has a much higher staff-to-guest ratio than was previously thought possible.

Never ones to rest on their laurels, 2011 will see APT launch two Concerto Class ships on the water. Presenting the same exceptional attributes of Aria Class ships, these slightly larger vessels introduce a host of exclusive design initiatives that are certain to appeal. The majority of suites, for instance, contain both an AMA Private Balcony, which creates a cosy conservatory-style area, as well as a spacious Outside Balcony.

When it comes to dining, guests are presented with no less than seven different experiences, utilising three specialty restaurants, including the remarkably intimate Erlebnis Chef's Table Restaurant.

On shore, guests of APT in 2011 are set to enjoy the most comprehensive and personalised exploration of Europe's iconic attractions and hidden secrets. Included at no extra cost on APT Exclusive Sailings are a greatly enhanced range of locally-guided Freedom of Choice Touring options, Small Group Shore Excursions and APT Signature Experiences - unique or exclusive activities that are featured specifically for APT's valued travellers.

APT's Europe River Cruising 2011 brochure details 119 itineraries that cover 35 different countries and countless once-in-a-lifetime moments, ensuring there's a holiday that will capture the imagination of even the most seasoned traveller.

APT has appointed Chris Hall as Chief Executive Officer reporting to Barry Matters APT Group Managing Director.

The company has also appointed David Cox as General Manager Commercial.

Mr Hall, previously APT General Manager, will oversee the APT Business Unit that comprises the brands APT, Travelmarvel, Botanica World Discoveries and VIP Touring.

The APT Business Unit operates fully-inclusive touring and cruising in Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, Egypt, Canada-Alaska, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Mr Hall said recent sales on all brands were "extraordinary", at a scale never experienced before by the 83-year-old McGeary family-owned company.

APT expects the sales growth to continue and is structuring the business accordingly, hence the introduction of Mr Hall's role as CEO and the focus of the Executive Team on the key areas of the organisation.

Russian Waterways
To Cruise along Russia's rivers is to glimpse the country's intriguing past and present. The MS Amakatarina, exclusive to APT next year, is the most stylish and spacious river ship in Russia. Thanks to a $14 million reconstruction and renovation this year, it easily exceeds the modern traveller's expectations. Cruise on the Amakatarina for 12 magical days between Moscow and St Petersburg, gliding along the Volga, Svir and Neva rivers. Book by September 30 for a free return economy airfare from Australia. Just pay air taxes from $700 a person. The 12-day cruise is priced from $5495 a person, twin share, including all meals, excursions and entertainment, tipping and airport transfers. Conditions apply.

Call 1300 229 804, visit www.aptouring.com.au or see your travel agent.

APT has eight Europe river cruise itineraries next year, which include reserved concert seats for performances by master musician Andre Rieu, have been launched with offers of free return airfares and dollar savings (up to $1800 per couple) for pre-September 30, 2010 bookings.

The APT Andre Rieu Europe River Cruise 2011 stand-alone brochure has concerts linked to departures on June 18 and 21 and July 1 and 14 with performances in the musician’s home town of Maastricht or at Vienna’s Schrönbrunn Palace.

The Andre Rieu cruises – ranging from 15 to 23 days -- utilise APT’s 15-day Magnificent Europe river cruise, which operates between Amsterdam and Budapest, and includes extensions to Paris for those wishing to see Andre Rieu perform live with the Johann Strauss Orchestra at Vrijthof in Maastricht.

Lead-in package is 15-day Magnificent Europe and Andre Rieu Live in Concert, departing Amsterdam on June 21.

It is priced from $7475 per person twin share which includes14 nights cruising aboard APT's luxurious ms Amaverde (to be launched in 2011), Andre Rieu live at World Heritage-listed Schönbrunn Palace, Freedom of Choice Touring in Amsterdam, Wertheim, Nuremberg, Passau, Durnstein, Vienna and Bratislava, all meals, local wines/beers with lunch and dinner, and champagne served with breakfast, services of an APT Cruise Director, port charges valued at $380 per person, tipping valued up to $700 per couple and free airport transfers on first and last day of tour, valued up to $320 per couple.

The free airfare offer also includes airline taxes of about $700 per person.

Agent: call 1300 278 278 or visit www.aptgroup.travel

*Note: Prices in AUD

Conductor, composer, violinist – André Rieu has thrilled audiences world-wide with his unique and energetic interpretation of classical music. In 2011, APT - the European River Cruising experts, present the opportunity to witness this master musician live in Europe.

Fans will enjoy the unique opportunity of attending an Andrè Rieu concert to see the master violinist perform live in his hometown of Maastricht or in Vienna at Schonbrunn Palace.

The Andrè Rieu cruises utilise APT’s now legendary Magnificent Europe river cruise, which operate between Amsterdam and Budapest, and include extensions to Paris for those wishing to see Andrè Rieu perform live with the Johann Strauss Orchestra at Vrijthof in Maastricht.

Your two-night stay at the Crowne Plaza in Maastricht includes a sightseeing tour of Andre’s hometown, seeing sights such as his castle, the lovely Maas River, hosting a plethora of cafés and restaurants and cobblestone streets.

Should you wish to see him perform at the World-heritage listed Schonbrunn Palace in Vienna, your unique cruise will commence with two nights in Vienna, where you will take a tour of Vienna’s Old Town, visit the Spanish Riding school and enjoy free time, before visiting Schonbrunn Palace to see the famous Dutch violinist and composer perform.

On day three your tour commences by travelling to Prague and onto Budapest to commence your 15 Day European River cruise. Paris or Prague extensions are available on all three departure dates.

Guests will be treated to the finest in river cruising aboard APT’s brand new river ship the ms Amaverde, built by AMAWATERWAYS, APT’s long time river cruising partner.

When the ms Amaverde is launched in 2011 it will join APT’s ms Amabella, which raised the bar in what clients now expect in a river ship, following its successful launch in May 2010. These two vessels feature a wealth of unique and exclusive public areas, such as a Sun Deck heated pool offering 360° views, up to seven different dining experiences and outstanding service.

With more than 15 years experience cruising the waterways of Europe, APT and AMAWATERWAYS have drawn on the needs and wishes of their guests in designing the all-important suites. Passengers have the choice from a truly innovative range of suites.

Whether it be the entry-level twin window suite through to an Owners Suite+ featuring APT’s revolutionary twin balcony with both an AMA Private Balcony and an Outside Balcony and 350 sq ft of space, APT offer a suite to suit all budgets and taste.

Contact APT on 1300 229 804, visit www.aptouring.com.au or see your travel agent for further details.

*(Prices in AUD)

APT has produced its first brochure combining White Christmas tours for Europe and Canada/Alaska.

APT’s Debra Fox said the combined brochure meets the demand from customers exploring the idea of a white Christmas in the northern hemisphere.

“This one brochure covers two of the most popular destinations for fully-inclusive packaged white Christmas experiences,” she said.

The brochure launches the 15-day river cruises between Amsterdam and Budapest, featuring Europe’s Christmas markets.

When ms Amabella began her maiden voyage from Amsterdam to Budapest on May 9, she became the 7th vessel in Australian company APT’s Europe river cruising fleet.

  While APT introduced European river cruising to the Australian market in 1999, ms Amabella presents a new ship design, the first of its kind.

It has cabins with twin balconies (earlier ships have one), the largest suites on the rivers, swimming pool, fireside library and an intimate chef’s table restaurant seating only 24 people, complete with private chef.

ms Amaverde, which is scheduled to enter service next year, has the same, innovative design.

The Australian family-owned APT in conjunction with Amawaterways operates cruises between Amsterdam and Budapest on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers with some packages including extensions to Paris, Prague, Edinburgh and London.

APT and Amawaterways have made an investment of $180-million in the construction of the eight river ships.

The fleet is: Amadagio (launched 2006), Amalegro (2007), Amacello (2008), Amadante (2008), Amalyra (2009), Amadolce (2009), Amabella (2010) and Amaverde (2011).

APT General Manager Marketing, Debra Fox said at the ms Amabella blessing cruise in Volendam that European river cruising had captured the imagination of the Australian traveller.

“Exposure to Europe’s fabulous history, cultures and scenery, unpacking just the once, cruising in absolute comfort and with everything included in the price, has proved very appealing to the discerning traveller market in Australia and New Zealand,” she said.

APT will operate 50 departures of its main 15-day Magnificent Europe cruise this year (and 64 departures in 2011).

While most have been sold out, there are some Category D and E cabins still available. Bookings are strong too for 2011, generated by general demand and by earlybird deals.

(Graeme Willingham Public Relations Pty Ltd)

Bratislava

If you asked most of us the question “what is the capital of Slovakia?” the most common answer would be “where?” In fact, the smallish city of Bratislava 400,000 population became the population of the new country when Czechoslovakia split both its name and nation after the Iron Curtain collapsed and the Czechs took Prague as their capital.

After a morning cruising along the Danube, coming to terms with waving to fishing folk from our bedroom, we docked within the old city and headed out for a walk. While some of the old Eastern Bloc cities like Prague and Budapest (and Moscow) have embraced capitalism, Bratislava is still somewhere in between. There are shops but their range is limited and buying something is the old multistage process of selecting and paying and collecting.

We did our first guided tour with discrete earpieces today – our guide looked severe but she had a delightfully dry sense of humour. “We are really happy to have endured decades under socialism only to find we need to give our new money to the Greeks so they can stay on holiday” was one gem.

A quirky feature of the city is the array of street sculptures. So you have a man forever half out of a manhole, a bronze Andy Warhol sipping coffee in a square, or Napoleon leaning over you at a park bench.

It was with some reluctance that we said goodbye to Bratislava – but tomorrow Vienna beckons.

Vienna

The first time I was in Vienna was decades ago and it seemed a very boring city living on past glories such as palaces, fusty coffee shops and Lippizaner horses. But over the years I’ve returned on several occasions and found the city has developed a vibrancy. However, the “must see” list for the venerable city is largely the same as it was a century ago.

So, in keeping with tradition, we started our very full day in Vienna with a tour of Schonrunn Palace where the regal excess on display would inspire the most equable commoner to revolution. But then we wandered into the shopping area where the real, modern, Vienna was evident. When we could strike our own balance Vienna became a charming blend of old and new. So we explored the gourmet Aladdin’s cane of the Kaufhof’s supermarket where exotic products were lifted by wonderful display. Then we took a break for coffee at the venerable Café Central where Trotsky used to hang out. One very appealing Viennese tradition does continue – there was a selection of newspapers in a variety of languages, on wooden poles for us to read as we sipped some excellent Viennese coffee.

The Amabella was tied up a distance from the centre so we had to use shuttle buses. After dinner, we bussed back to the expansive Hofburg Palace for an entertaining concert of Mozart and Strauss. It may have been clichéd but I defy anyone to hear the first notes of the Blue Danube in Vienna without drawing a deep sigh of contentment.

Durnstein and Biking

When discussing how river cruising is attracting a more active clientele these days, the constant example given is that the boats today carry bicycles for guests to use along the banks of the river. That’s true – and the Amabella has brand new bikes with the easiest gear change I’ve ever encountered. For those of you who biked to school it’s the treadly equivalent of an automatic transmission.

The bit that isn’t mentioned so much is that there are very few days when cycling is practical. Some excursions are too short or too far away from the river or city traffic is just too scary for an antipodean cyclist. Cycling alongside the river, preferably while wearing a beret and carrying a fresh baguette in the non-existent carrier basket and waving gaily to locals, was a long held fantasy of mine that remains unsatisfied. The boat often cruises through the night so cycling from stop to stop would largely be cold, long and dark.

However, today we stopped in the pretty Danube-side village of Durnstein and had the chance to cycle through the afternoon to meet the boat 32 km further along, where it’d stop for a late afternoon excursion to Melk Abbey. With usual APT polished planning we didn’t even have to miss lunch. To my limited understanding rivers are flat, with a gentle tilt downstream. We were heading upstream so I had to expect some elevation gained as we pedalled. It was with some surprise I found that the cycle path by the side of Danube swooped up and down from river bank to a seemingly endless bunch of perfectly maintained, unbearably cute villages. Despite the fact it was a work day I saw no sign of anyone working (except road workers installing detours up every available hill and mountain).

We’d set off before the Amabella so each drink break increased the anxiety that the boat would pass us and continue to Amsterdam without us. However, we all arrived at the port together and set off for Melk, a gilt-covered fantasy with far too many stairs for the occasional cyclist’s trembling legs.

Slept very well tonight

Salzburg

Today we had our first argument of the cruise. It’s with regret that I report it was over the lyrics of “The Lonely Goatherd” She claimed it was “The Lonely Goat” while I said that didn’t make sense when other lyrics included:

“Folks in a town that was quite remote heard

Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo

Lusty and clear from the goatherd’s throat heard

Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo”

Thank goodness for Google and a vessel with unlimited free internet (limited only by bridges and locks). I won. You may be surprised to find we were heading for Salzburg today – it’s not on the Danube but it’s only a few hours by coach through some beautiful green countryside.

Why do Australian farms feature abandoned cars and lopsided sheds when their Austrian equivalents look preened for a Sound of Music remake? I presume urban litterers would be gaoled, if any Austrian could dream of such an offence. Perhaps untidy farmers are deported to the other side of the world?

Salzburg was pretty with the castle looming above. And “Sound of Music” scenes were everywhere. We took the time to visit another world renowned Salzburg icon – Hangar 7 where Red Bull displays some of its extensive collection of race cars, race bikes and aircraft.

Of course we ate Mozart Chocolates, a local diet buster. A few days later a very funny German glassblower (an unusual concept, I know) declaimed “The Austrians always try to make out that Beethoven was Austrian and Hitler was German – when the truth is that it’s the other way around?” Good point!

David McGonigal blog:

While it’s said that the benefit of a river cruise vessel is that it’s like staying in a good hotel in the heart of the city, I didn’t know how true I’d find that immediately. But we came on board in Budapest on Sunday, unpacked for two weeks, then had most of the next two nights in Budapest.

The locale could not have been better. We were tied up only a few metres from the main sights of the city along the Danube – and that’s most of them. So we finished dinner and walked up to the ramparts in Buda that overlook the decorative business centre in Pest. The next day we did a city tour that included the State Opera, where a couple of opera singers performed both individually and jointly for us.

At 9pm on that second night we sailed. I think each of the passengers with sailing knowledge was waiting to see how that’d work out. The Danube flows west to east – and we were heading west. The river really rips along at about seven knots (I’d estimate) so we saw other vessels really battling to make any headway at all.

True to form, a thunderstorm hit about 15 minutes before we dropped the lines. So we were seeing the city under dramatic lighting from the heavens. The captain, with 25 years experience, has so much faith in his craft that he ran a distance downstream so we could power past the whole city and see it at its illuminated best. At 13 knots we effortlessly powered into the current.

As the city lights dropped behind and it was just us and the freight barges in the darkness, we fell into our queen sized bed, pulled the fluffy doona up, snuggled into our gigantic European pillows and fell asleep.

Australian Pacific Touring has just announced that the newest member of its river cruising fleet is just about to wrap up its maiden voyage from Amsterdam to Budapest.

MS Amabella has become the seventh ship in APT’s European river cruising fleet, introducing a brand new design which features cabins with two balconies and some of the largest suites on the rives between Amsterdam and Budapest.

“Exposure to Europe’s fabulous history, cultures and scenery, unpacking just the once, cruising in absolute comfort and with everything included in the price, has proved very appealing to the discerning traveller market in Australia and New Zealand,” said Debra Fox, APT General Manager Marketing.

Sister ship MS Amaverde will enter into the fleet later next year.

APT is classifying its Europe river cruise ships as “Aria” and “Concerto” to distinguish its different vessel types.

APT’s second edition Europe River Cruising 2011 brochure due late this week will launch the Aria class for the 148-passenger vessels and Concerto class for the 162-passenger ms Amabella (launched in May) and Ms Amaverde (due next year), the latter two equipped with APT’s revolutionary twin balcony suites.

Next year, there will 39 Concerto departures and 25 on Aria class ships.

APT General Manager Marketing, Debra Fox said prices were the same for both types which reflects APT’s view that while there may be some physical differences, each type will deliver the same high level of APT service and comfort and operate the same itineraries.

“Each class of ship though has different advantages and selling features,” she said. “For instance, Aria passengers receive a ship credit on select suites, while Concerto class offers butler service, on Concerto there’s more dining options, such as the Chef’s Table, while Aria class ships have different lounge options and are more intimate with only 148 guests.”

“The brochure clearly sets out the features of both classes so it will be easy for agents and their clients to choose,” she said.

Agent: call 1300 278 278 or visit www.aptgroup.travel

APT has hit back at implications that it copied competitors and exaggerated the size of its cabins.

On the eve of the release of its full-edition 2011 brochure, APT wants to set the record straight about its two new river cruise ships. In last week’s issue (CW, 27 May) rival Avalon Waterways claimed its new Avalon Panorama was “Europe’s first Suite Ship” and offered “30% more cabin space than the average competitor”. This was soon followed by advertisements from APT declaring its two newbuilds, Amabella and Amaverde, had the “largest suites on Europe’s waterways” at an average of 212 square feet. According to Debra Fox, APT was the first line to market its European river ships as “all suites” in 2009, and this year was the first to release details about having the largest suites in the region in 2011 – APT’s preview brochure was released in April. It was a coincidence that last week’s teaser ads came out within hours of Avalon’s campaign, Fox said. “We started booking the teaser ad space on 17 May, and on 21 May we brought the booking forward by three days.” “We started booking the teaser ad space on 17 May, and on 21 May we brought the booking forward by

three days when we received confirmation our new brochure was due into the office a couple of days earlier than scheduled.” Also, Fox said, only “a few” of the new ships’ cabins were 170 square feet cabins, with the majority of onboard accommodation measuring more than 200 square feet. The 162-pax Amaverde and Amabella have 81 suites including 19, with a “twin window” design, measuring 170sq feet; 10 “AMA Private Balcony” design suites, also 170sq feet, where the doors of the full length balconies open completely along the outside of the ship, “without compromising any internal cabin space”, Fox said. The two new ships also have ‘twin balcony’ suites – 16 measuring 210 sq feet, and 31 at 235 sq feet – which feature both a private balcony and an outside balcony. Five owners suites (four at 350 sq feet and one 255 sq feet) also have twin balconies, as well as a large sitting area, spa bath and double-vanity marble bathrooms. “This provides an average suite size of 212 sq ft across both of these two ships,” Fox said.

The Amabella and Amaverde are fully scheduled next year on APT’s most popularitinerary – the 15-day ‘Magnificent Europe’ cruise. “These two ships also make up a large portion of our 2011 inventory for our 64 APT exclusive sailings of the Magnificent Europe.

Words by David McGonigal.

Despite what has often been months of preparation, there’s nothing like the moment you step aboard a new vessel. In this case, APT’s AMABella is a very new ship –it has just completed its inaugural voyage and the garland of leaves is still around the bow.

The location is Budapest and I’m impressed to find the boat tied up almost under Fishermans Bastion and within a couple of minutes of the Chain Bridge. Next door, a ferry offers free shuttles across the Danube to the city centre and near the bridge a funicular transport you to the castle ramparts with views across to the houses of parliament that look like Westminster on steroids.

Like all Australians we’ve come the long way around. A few days in London – thank you The Milestone Hotel for some great hospitality, good views across the park to Kensington Palace, and for the welcome surprise of the best fresh orange juice in the world. In London! The Eurostar to Paris revealed how much more relaxing a train can be compared to any flight. And Le Hotel Maurice, opposite the Louvre gave us a taste for palace hotel living. Parisian food and wine battled it out with Parisian shopping to see what would result in excess first – us or our luggage?

From Paris, the TGV whisked us across Europe to Germany, in time to deposit us in Munich on a Saturday night after Bayern Munchen had just lost a soccer match. The Rathaus was as impressive as I remember, the Hofbrauhaus as scary (and not only for the size of the beer glasses) and the Hauptbahnhaus as cavernous. But at midnight we piled into our sleeper carriage for the overnight journey to Budapest. Were railway sleepers always so narrow? Have railways stations always been so plentiful – and brightly lit?

By 9am the taxi had deposited us on the banks of the Danube River and eager officers and crew risked the traffic to get our overflowing bags safely on board. Despite the fact that passengers from the last voyage were still leaving, everyone was welcoming and helpful. After a cup of tea and a walk around the spacious top deck we headed into town, with a few hours to kill before our cabin was available.

First impressions of the Amabella. It really does seem much more modern than the many other river cruise vessels tied up in Budapest. Tastefully decorated, spacious and very much catering to Australians with all the European staff showing friendliness and good humour. We were given passwords to access the internet before we even got our first cup of tea. The lounge is large and has enough nooks and crannies that it certainly doesn’t feel like a barn. The gym has enough equipment to be useful and the shop has maps and products I haven’t been able to find anywhere else.

In town it’s Sunday on a holiday weekend so it’s hard to find a café not geared specifically for tourists. We have a look inside the Four Season Hotel just opposite our dock. It was once the Gresham Insurance Company offices and has been restored to rococo luxury. It would be hard to go past if we needed a hotel in Budapest.

But now we’ve finished our schnitzels and beer and it’s time to get the ferry back to our boat. The voyage from Budapest all the way across Europe to Amsterdam awaits.

When ms Amabella began her maiden voyage from Amsterdam to Budapest on May 9, she became the seventh vessel in Australian company APT’s Europe river cruising fleet.

While APT introduced European river cruising to the Australian market in 1999, ms Amabella presents a new ship design, the first of its kind. It has cabins with twin balconies (earlier ships have one), the largest suites on the rivers, swimming pool, fireside library and an intimate chef’s table restaurant seating only 24 people, complete with private chef.

ms Amaverde, which is scheduled to enter service next year, has the same, innovative design.

The Australian family-owned APT in conjunction with AMAWATERWAYS operates cruises between Amsterdam and Budapest on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers with some packages including extensions to Paris, Prague, Edinburgh and London. There are special extensions this year for golf enthusiasts. Packages range from 15 days to 24 days.

APT and AMAWATERWAYS have made an investment of $180m in the construction of the eight river ships. The fleet is: Amadagio (launched 2006), Amalegro (2007), Amacello (2008), Amadante (2008), Amalyra (2009), Amadolce (2009), Amabella (2010) and Amaverde (2011).

APT General Manager Marketing, Debra Fox said at the ms Amabella blessing cruise in Volendam that European river cruising had captured the imagination of the Australian traveller.

“Exposure to Europe’s fabulous history, cultures and scenery, unpacking just the once, cruising in absolute comfort and with everything included in the price, has proved very appealing to the discerning traveller market in Australia and New Zealand,” she said.

APT will operate 50 departures of its main 15-day Magnificent Europe cruise this year (and 64 departures in 2011). While most have been sold out, there are some Category D and E cabins still available. Bookings are strong too for 2011, generated by general demand and by earlybird deals

Rounds of golf at three Germany courses and one in Austria have been incorporated in an APT 15-day Magnificent Europe river cruise.

The golf cruises departing Budapest to Amsterdam on October 10, 2010 and April 26 and Amsterdam to Budapest on October 25, 2011 and are hosted by golf professionals Lucas Parson, Mark Gibson or Mark Allen.

APT General Manager Marketing, Debra Fox said the golf cruises emerged from on-board passenger research last year.

“There were a lot of golfers on the cruises so it was no surprise we got a really good response to the idea,” she said.

Golf is played at Cologne (Koln Golf Course), Wurzburg (Wurzburg Golf Course), Haarbach (Brunnies Golf Course at Hartl Golf Resort) and at Vienna (Fontana Golf Course).

Golfers can take their own set of clubs or rent them, they must wear normal club golf attire and produce a valid handicap card and play to the minimum handicaps set by each club.

The trip includes cruising on board APT’s own ship (the new twin balcony ships ms Amabella or ms Amaverde), 41 meals (complimentary local wines served with dinner), excursions/golf, airport transfers, cruise tipping and port charges.

It is hard to imagine anything more pleasant than exploring Europe from the comfort of a floating boutique hotel. Winding through the waterways, passing castles, vineyards, villages and cities without ever having to fight a crowd, stare confusedly at a map, negotiate a train station, or even repack your bag.

So it is no surprise that Australians are turning to river cruising in increasing numbers. In fact, according to new figures from International Cruise Council of Australasia, those numbers have more than doubled since 2007. And that popularity is driving an evolution in the cruising industry.

Every year more opulent ships are built and more varied itineraries are crafted.

Australian Pacific Touring was one of the first Australian players on the river cruising scene and next year will launch its eighth new ship in five years.

APT marketing manager Debra Fox says two-week tours from Amsterdam to Budapest remain the favourite with first-time Australian cruise passengers but the industry is growing to meet the demands of more adventurous repeat travellers.

"Down to the Black Sea, near Bucharest is an increasingly popular itinerary," she says. "And a couple of the other areas that are becoming more popular are the Douro in Portugal and through Provence."

Each season APT offers a range of special-interest tours. This year it has been the inclusion of Andre Rieu recitals in Vienna on some of their itineraries. Next year they have a golf cruise where devotees of plaid socks get to sample some of Europe's better-known courses while cruising in leisurely style.

JOIN an APT 15-day Magnificent Europe river cruise between Amsterdam and Budapest next year.

The cruise price includes 14 nights aboard an APT luxury river ship, all shore excursions, airport transfers on first and last day, cruise and land staff gratuities, Freedom of Choice touring, all meals, quality wine with dinner, private music recital at the Hungarian State Opera House and complimentary use of bicycles.

Visit www.aptouring.com.au.

APT has launched its 2011 cruise schedule with a 23-day Budapest to Paris tour-cruise which includes the Anzac Day dawn service at Anzac Cove.

Travellers stay overnight at Gallipoli Peninsula and attend the dawn service before joining a luxury 14-night river cruise through the heart of Europe and on to Paris for the final three nights.

The 23-day tour includes four nights in the heart of Istanbul at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, the cruise on the boutique ms Amabella (to be launched this May), a stay in Paris at the luxury Hotel Lutetia, 55 meals, shore excursions, a short opera recital at the Hungarian State Opera House with a glass of champagne, and a complimentary drink at a traditional Beer Haus in Bamberg.

The trip concludes with a farewell dinner in Paris.

http://www.aptouring.com.au

Following a sell-out this year, APT has launched its special 2011 23-day Budapest to Paris tour-cruise which includes the Anzac Day dawn service at Anzac Cove.

Travellers stay overnight at Gallipoli Peninsula and attend the emotive dawn service before joining a luxury 14-night river cruise through the heart of Europe and on to Paris for the final three nights.

As well as Anzac Day, four nights in the heart of Istanbul at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, the cruise on the boutique ms Amabella (to be launched this May) and staying in Paris at the luxury Hotel Lutetia, the 23-day tour includes 55 meals, shore excursions, a short opera recital at the Hungarian State Opera House with a glass of champagne, and a complimentary drink at a traditional Beer Haus in Bamberg.

All cruise meals as well as sumptuous local wines with dinner are included on board where guests can take part in wine tastings and traditional theme dinners. The trip concludes with a farewell dinner in Paris.

The special brochure also carries a 20-day variation – starting in Istanbul and then cruising Budapest to Amsterdam.

Michael Bruce APT has continued to build on its successful 2009 European river cruising campaign, with the operator reporting strong forward sales as details of its newest ship
were finally revealed. The level of awareness has grown, they (agents) really need to be getting on board Chris Hall

APT will launch its eighth river cruising ship, the MS Amaverde, in 2011. The operator's seventh ship, MS Amabella, will be christened on May 9, continuing strong capacity growth for the operator. Both of the vessels feature twin balconies, which are acombination of a French balcony and outdoor balcony. The Amabella will have 82 cabins, as opposed to the typical 75 cabins. APT general manager Chris Hall said sales for 2010 were up nearly 100% on last year, albeit with the addition of extra capacity. "It has been very strong. It has been challenging dealing with all the phone calls," Hall said. APT's European river cruises have sold out in April, May and June, with pockets of availability
still available in March, July and August. Awareness was growing in the agencycommunity, with the International Cruise Council Australasia responsible for driving awareness. "The level of awareness has grown, the agents really need to be getting on board," he added.

Amaverde will be the name of the eighth ship to join the APT fleet cruising the European rivers, APT announced today.The ship will enter service in 2011 as a sistership of Amabella, to launch on schedule on May 9 this year.These two vessels introduce APT's new ship design created in partnership with European rivership experts AMA Waterways.They feature twin balconies, a swimming pool and what are the largest suites on the rivers, ranging from 170 to 350sqft (average size of 214 sqft).The Australian family-owned APT in conjunction with AMA Waterways operates these vessels on cruises between Amsterdam and Budapest on the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers with some packages including extensions to Paris, Prague, Edinburgh and London.

APT General Manager Marketing, Debra Fox said APT and AMA

Waterways have made an investment of $180-million in the construction of the eight river ships including the Amaverde."Our ships are heavily booked for this year and we're taking registrations for 2011, such is the market demand for this cruise product," she said.The fleet is: Amadagio (launched 2006), Amalegro (2007), Amacello (2008), Amadante (2008), Amalyra (2009), Amadolce (2009), Amabella (2010) and Amaverde (2011).
(Graeme Willingham Public Relations Pty Ltd)

River cruising is a great way to discover Europe and is the most luxurious ways to visit countries which were once ruled by strict communist regimes. My stateroom has a queen-sized bed, lounge chair, flat-screen TV and writing desk.There are designer toiletries in the
ensuite bathroom, thick white bathrobes and bedtime chocolates placed on my pillow each night. Staterooms are serviced twice daily; in the morning and a turn-down
service each evening. Days are filled with meals with new friends, cocktail-making lessons, attending wine appreciation classes and listening to informative talks about the regions we pass through. Or simply watching the landscape float past. Each evening enthusiastic local performers bring a strong cultural aspect to the ship; most popular are delightful Bulgarian children's choir, an energetic Serbian dance troupe anda classical string quartet.The menu changes daily and offers contemporary cuisine as well as regional fare that reflects the food of the countries we are in each day. And the qualitywine gets better and better as we cruise towards Budapest. But the real highlight is the daily off-the-beaten-track tours to cities and towns which, not so long ago, were impossible for ordinary travellers to visit. At some destinations, the ports are located so close to the towns that the ship is only a short stroll to the sights. While at other ports we bus through the countryside to our destinations. On our second day, we travel in buses from Giurgiu in Romania to the capital, Bucharest. Glimpses of elegant French Baroque palaces flash by from behind rows of stark soviet multi-level housing blocks. We visit the Palace of Parliament, the second largest building in the world (after the Pentagon).Romania's communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu razed one sixth of Bucharest, 30,000 homes, to build this white elephant. The next day, the buses brush beneath low-hanging tree branches and crooked telegraph poles in Vidin's narrow streets. Thousands of years of Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Bulgarian culture has left Vidin with a potpourri of architectural styles and fine churches. At the 14th Century Bada Vida Fortress, we are treated to a performance by a local theatre group dressed in colourful historic costumes.The actors bring the story of the Ottoman conquest of the fort to life with a short Bulgarian play. After a relaxing day of cruising through the Iron Gates we arrive at Belgrade, Serbia's capital. Not so long ago (1999) the former Yugoslavia regularly made world news as a war zone.These days symbols of capitalism are everywhere. Advertising billboards with glamorous high cheek-boned models push western cosmetics and chic boutiques sell the latest European fashions. Many ports offer insights into the region's war history. In Vukovar in Croatia, the guides share stories about their personal war-survival
experiences as we walk past bulletridden buildings. In another Serbian city, Novi Sad, we visit the Petrovaradin Fortress where Europe's coolest bands draw 50,000 visitors a day to the Exit summer music festival. We cruise to the Hungarian port of Mohacs and bus through the countryside to Pecs. Here the mood is upbeat with dances, concerts and plays organised for the 2010 European Culture Capital celebrations. On our final day, I stand on the ship's deck gazing at Budapest's fairytale spires reflecting at howmy cruise through Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Hungary has opened my eyes to a whole new Europe.
*Christina Pfeiffer was a guest of APT and Korean Air.

John Burgess and Denise Drysdale have been enlisted by APT to host two separate
river cruises in September this year. John 'Burgo' Burgess will accompany APT's 18-day Magnificent Europe with Prague river cruise departing from Amsterdam on 28 September; whilst variety entertainer Denise Drysdale will lead APT's lively 15-day Magnificent Europe river cruise which departs Budapest for Amsterdam on 27 September. APT has told reporters that in securing the services of both Drysdale and Burgo it hopes to create an extra friendly ambience onboard its September sailings. Tour/cruise pricing includes most meals, Prague accommodation, tips, sightseeing, private music recital at the Hungarian State Opera House and port charges.

APT has long been recognised as a leader in luxury river cruising. For more than 15 years we have been taking travellers through some of Europe’s most exciting destinations. Reflecting our commitment to providing travellers with the experience of a lifetime, two stars of the Australian entertainment industry will be exclusively hosting two of our cruises along Europe’s waterways this September.

Denise Drysdale - 15 Days Budapest to Amsterdam, departing 27 September. Cruise with Australia's star of stage and screen. From $6875 per person, twin share. Find out more here.

John Burgess - 18 Days Amsterdam to Prague, departing 28 September. Join the Australian Gameshow Legend. From $8425 per person, twin share. See all the details here.

Many know John Burgess from Burgo’s Catchphrase or Wheel of Fortune; but now APT passengers have the opportunity to get to know this game show legend in person. Hosting our 18 Day Magnificent Europe cruise from Amsterdam to Prague departing on 28 September 2010, John will be mixing and mingling with our passengers and sharing in their exploration of Europe. John has worked on a variety of different radio and television shows over the years, and no doubt will provide much fun and entertainment ensuring a truly memorable cruise.

Our other special host has graced the Australian entertainment industry with many different roles over the past 50 years, and is none other than Denise Drysdale. She has entertained audiences with her infectious sense of humour through radio and television programs, as well as through her movies and stage shows. Providing a unique opportunity for our passengers to get to know an Australian icon, Denise is hosting our 15-Day Magnificent Europe Cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam departing on 27 September 2010.

These two exclusive tours offer a unique opportunity to cruise Europe’s waterways and explore Europe’s cities, villages and towns with an Australian celebrity. Highlighting the APT difference, both Denise and John are renowned for their fun-loving, energetic personalities and will no doubt have some surprises in store to make our passengers’ river cruise even more special.

APT's ms Amadagio was judged the best river cruise ship by readers of Cruise Passenger magazine.

Ms Amadagio is a 75-cabin boutique river ship launched in 2006 and is one of seven APT will have on the European rivers next year.

"This is a premier award to win because it is judged by consumers, therefore reinforcing our commitment to delivering exceptional holidays for our customers through both ship design and onboard service," said Debra Fox, APT General Manager Marketing.

Boomers Travel trends
When making plans for 2010, choosing the right kind of trip is the key to an unforgettable holiday, writes Christina Pfeiffer

Share portfolios and superannuation fund balances are on the rebound. Despite swings in the market, the doldrums of the global financial crisis appears to be lifting. Over the past 12 months many travellers in the 50-plus age group put their travel plans, especially the big overseas trips, on hold. But it looks like over-50s are on the move again.
Cheap overseas flights, great deals on tours and the added incentive of a remarkably strong Aussie dollar makes this an excellent time to lock in those travel plans for 2010.

Here are some ideas for 2010.

Canada and Alaska

With the growing excitement of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, there has never been a better time to see the glaciers and snow-capped peaks of British Columbia. A popular way to travel is on an escorted tour of the Rocky Mountains visiting Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper. Most tours include a two-day train journey in the glass-domed GoldLeaf carriage on the Rocky Mountaineer followed by a cruise to Alaska.
Europe River cruising
The idea of unpacking once and waking up in a different port each day is irresistible to mature travellers. River cruising offers the camaraderie of group travel with plenty of opportunities for independent travellers to explore freely. And the all-inclusive price tag for the stateroom, meals, drinks, sightseeing and tipping makes it easy to keep check on the budget. Some companies such as APT which owns seven ships and offers a range of cruises designed for the 50-plus market are structuring deals to offer the best discounts and free flights to customers who book well in advance.
Asian river cruising
``Luxury river cruising in Asia is the big trend for 2010,'' Craig Bowen, managing director of boutique cruising company Cruise Traveller, says. APT's La Marguerite cruises the Mekong River between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Riep.

A journey by train is a romantic and leisurely way to see the world, writes Christina Pfeiffer. From snow-capped mountains to lush tropical jungles, dusty deserts to misty moors, a journey by train is a relaxing way to discover some of the world's most beautiful landscapes. And for many travellers, the train journey itself becomes the very heart of the adventure. Here are three unforgettable trips.

The Rocky Mountaineer Canada
Majestic snow-covered peaks, scenic valleys and dramatic canyons; the Rocky Mountaineer winds its way through British Columbia and Alberta following the historic train routes built more than 100 years ago through Canada's west and the Canadian Rockies. Routes include the Yellowhead Route, connecting Vancouver to Jasper, with views of scenic valleys, dramatic canyons and majestic Mt Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The Kicking Horse Route to Banff passes through the Spiral Tunnels and traces the historic transcontinental rail line that united Canada. And the Fraser Discovery Route from Whistler to Jasper offers vistas of stunning lakes, canyons and the Cariboo Plateau. The two-day daylight journeys include overnight stays in either Kamloops or Quesnel. Choose from two classes of service: RedLeaf, which has reclining seats, large picture windows and meals served at your seat, or GoldLeaf, with two-storey glass-domed coaches that offer panoramic views on the upper level and an elegant private dining room below.

The Ghan, Australia
Celebrating its 80th birthday this year, The Ghan is the ultimate journey through the centre of Australia. It's named after the Afghan camel trains, which once carried goods to far-flung and remote parts of the country and travelling on The Ghan is a relaxing way to see diverse landscapes such as the South Australian countryside, the dry Red Centre and the lush tropical Top End.
The two-night trip between Adelaide and Darwin has three service levels, Red, Gold and Platinum. Platinum cabins come with double beds, spacious ensuite bathrooms and room service. Gold and Platinum passengers dine in the Queen Adelaide restaurant where freshly prepared meals are matched with premium Australian wines.
For a family gathering or special anniversary, consider a private carriage, such as the historic Prince of Wales carriage originally built in 1919 to accommodate a royal visit from Edward, Prince of Wales.

Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express, Russia
The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express is the world's longest train journey, stretching for almost 10,000km, from Moscow to Vladivostok, and passes through eight time zones. The journey begins in vibrant Moscow. Highlights of the two-week trip include visits to the Uspensky Cathedral in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Vladimir, Yekaterinburg, where the Romanovs were executed, Kazan, with its beautiful Kremlin and the Paris of Siberia at Irkutsk.There are three cabin classes: Heritage, Silver and Gold. Gold Class cabins have power showers, underfloor heating, DVD/CD players and LCD screens.


l

Boomers Travel trends
When making plans for 2010, choosing the right kind of trip is the key to an unforgettable holiday, writes Christina Pfeiffer

Here are some ideas for 2010.

Europe river cruising
The idea of unpacking once and waking up in a different port each day is irresistible to mature travellers. River cruising offers the camaraderie of group travel with plenty of opportunities for independent travellers to explore freely. And the all-inclusive price tag for the stateroom, meals, drinks, sightseeing and tipping makes it easy to keep check on the budget. Some companies such as APT which owns seven ships and offers a range of cruises designed for the 50-plus market are structuring deals to offer the best discounts and free flights to customers who book well in advance.
Asian river cruising
``Luxury river cruising in Asia is the big trend for 2010,'' Craig Bowen, managing director of boutique cruising company Cruise Traveller, says. New luxury vessels Jayavarman (launched in September) and APT's La Marguerite cruise the Mekong River between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Riep; the Pandaw ships allow travellers to explore difficult-to-reach villages along the Rajang River in Borneo and the Ganges River in India.

Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express
Russia
The Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express is the world's longest train journey, stretching for almost 10,000km, from Moscow to Vladivostok, and passes through eight time zones. The journey begins in vibrant Moscow. Highlights of the two-week trip include visits to the Uspensky Cathedral in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Vladimir, Yekaterinburg, where the Romanovs were executed, Kazan, with its beautiful Kremlin and the Paris of Siberia at Irkutsk.
There are three cabin classes: Heritage, Silver and Gold. Gold Class cabins have power showers, underfloor heating, DVD/CD players and LCD screens.
APT (ph: 1300 229 804, www.aptouring.com.au) has a 15-day Trans-Siberian Adventure from $9740.

The iconic 'Golden Eagle' trans-Siberian Express rail journey has been added to APT's stand-alone Russia and Scandinavia brochure for 2010.
The new brochure now covers a range of experiences including rail, luxury Russian river cruising, Baltic ocean cruising and combinations with Baltic and Scandinavia land touring.
APT general manager marketing, Debra Fox, said the addition of the 'Golden Eagle' provided APT with greater depth to its Russia program, with the new rail-cruise combinations expected to sell well in Australia.
The 'Golden Eagle' joined APT as a result of APT purchasing a major interest in GW Travel which holds an exclusive lease on the train. The Golden Eagle trans-Siberian Express is Russia's only private luxury train which has become synonymous with the world's most iconic rail journey.
The Trans-Siberian Express crosses eight time zones on its 10,000 kilometre journey across a diverse range of landscapes. During the journey passengers explore at least nine cities, towns and villages, enjoying such experiences as a traditional Mongolian meal in SukhBaater and a picnic barbecue of freshly smoked fish on the shores of Lake Baikal.
The brochure offers 14 packages including a 26-day trip combining the Golden Eagle with Russian river cruising on the 'ms Tolstoy'. The brochure is designed for agents and travellers seeking only Russia and Scandinavia cruising, with several itineraries under exclusive APT private charter.

APT - Trans-Siberian Express & River Cruising. This brochure is APT's first program for the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express which it acquired in Jun this year. The Vladivostock-St Petersburg trip is packaged in a 14-day Trans-Siberian Winter
Wonderland package (18 Feb), a 15-day Trans-Sib.Adventure, and a 26-day rail-cruise journey that links with a 12-night Russian River Cruise aboard the Tolstoy, sailing from Moscow. For full details see www.aptgroup.travel.

APT is offering free airfares to Russia for guests booking on itsTrans-Siberian Winter Wonderland tour departing 18 Feb 2010, excluding air taxes. The deal applies to the 14-day 10,000km journey aboard the Golden Eagle, operating from Vladivostock to St Petersburg.

APT Cruises is offering a free Andre Rieu concert in Vienna on the May 23 and May 25 departures of its 15-day Magnificent Europe river cruise from Budapest to Amsterdam. The cruise is rated ``Exclusive Departures'' by APT which means you can choose from optional tours and excursions in Bratislava, Vienna, Linz, Nuremberg and Amsterdam. It also includes a private music recital at the Hungarian State Opera House. Includes all meals, quality wine with dinners, the Rieu concert, cruise and land gratuities, Freedom of Choice excursions, use of bicycles and local airport transfers.

Please note the cruise featuring Andre Rieu has sold out.

A holiday that lives up to the brochure --- Cruise - Europe
By Paul Maughan

A river cruise is a relaxing way to explore central Europe, writes Paul Maughan

I'm naked, except for a skimpy towel, as I've jumped out of the shower to open my cabin door. The woman standing there is shocked (disappointed too judging by the expression on her face). Well, I've never claimed to be a pretty sight but my ego still takes a bruising. Seems she has confused her cabin number with mine. This could be an interesting cruise.
My wife and I are on APT's magnificent new river ship, the MS Amadolce, the pride of its boutique fleet. Long, slim, sleek, gleaming in white and blue livery, she sits low, dockside in Budapest, Hungary, awaiting her maiden return voyage to Amsterdam.
Ahead of us is a two-week, 2000km epic voyage through five countries along three of the continent's most romantic rivers: the Danube, the Main and the Rhine, a stupendous ribbon of canal-connected water that, like a massive zipper, unlocks central Europe to trade and travel.
During our voyage, the most popular of all European river cruises, we will visit seven grand cities; trawl through countless fairytale villages and vibrant market towns; pop into a host of churches, cathedrals and castles; examine a millennium of exquisite art and architecture; gape at scenery that grabs you by the lapels; feast on mountains of gourmet food and generally be indulged like pampered pets all this while negotiating 68 locks as we rise and fall over Europe's continental divide. No wonder the cruise is popular.
Tourists worldwide are today flocking to Europe to cruise its waterways following a revolution more than a decade ago that marked the emergence of river cruising as a hassle-free alternative to road or rail touring. As a result it's now the fastest-growing segment of the travel industry and Aussies have taken to it with gusto.
Certainly there are few better, easier, or more luxurious ways of discovering a country's charm and character than from the deck of a river ship. My experience is that this is indulgent travel at its finest. Everything is geared for your comfort and pleasure aboard these five-star floating hotels: they are comfortable, safe and, because of their unique construction, every cabin is ``outside'', with a coveted river view and what a view. Calm-water cruising ensures no sea sickness either.
Generally, cabins on river ships are compact but they lack nothing in sophistication or amenities: elegant decor, individual climate control, deluxe beds, flat-screen TVs, in-room safes, hair dryers, fluffy robes and slippers, even complimentary bottled water.
Public areas are limited but spacious nonetheless. Usually there's a stylish panoramic restaurant, an equally plush entertainment lounge, multiple outdoor sun decks, a small shop and library and often a beauty salon or fitness centre.
Life aboard is like a dream come true, it's a premium holiday experience. The vessel is your accommodation, restaurant, transport and entertainment centre all in one and of course you only unpack once. How good is that.
We cruised with APT whose boutique ships are reputedly among the finest on the European waterways. Interestingly, APT offer exclusive sailings for Australians and Kiwis on several of their ships. Here all gratuities for cruise staff and land touring are included, as are local wines at dinner, unique personal choice shore excursions and pre and post-voyage transfers.
The MS Amadolce took things a step further by having complimentary internet facilities (including wi-fi) available in every suite, while offering its passengers free use of classy bicycles to enhance personal touring freedom ashore. Both were a huge hit on our cruise.
Activity while aboard the Amadolce is centred on dining, sundeck sightseeing, reading, resting and convivial fellowship. It's all very carefree and uncomplicated. So too is dress and dining; both are informal.
All meals are open seating so it's easy to meet and mix with the other 150 passengers aboard.
Gourmet meals, invariably themed to the areas travelled, are paired with complimentary local wines. Most of us on the Amadolce disembarked in Amsterdam several kilograms heavier. Forget seasick medication, pack diet pills for this cruise.
Up on the sundeck, life is fascinating; this is where you watch the world glide gently by. Head-turning 360 degree views of the changing landscape are unique and spectacular, guaranteeing your camera will be in meltdown mode daily. French balconies on the Amadolce, with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors, ensure that this spectacle continues even when you're confined to your suite.
Exploring the regions along the waterways is probably the blockbuster attraction for most passengers and this is covered seamlessly within the cruise itinerary. Convenient central dockings, coupled with low passenger density, allow you to walk straight off your ship and into the action no waiting, no queuing, no long drives, no hassles.
Once ashore, competent, friendly local guides take over so that you can zero in on major attractions quickly. Of course if you want to split and do your own thing then that's fine too.
Some nights, after dinner, local celebrities boarded the Amadolce to entertain us. As good as they were though, for us the act that brought the house down was our crew's own side-splitting concert extravaganza.
It was the crew that really set our ship apart. We wanted for nothing at their hands, resulting in a holiday that actually delivered everything the glossy tour brochure promised.
The laid-back atmosphere and gentle nature of river cruising seems to appeal strongest to the over-50 brigade, but by no means is it, or should it be, limited to this group.
Most adults would come away happy and very satisfied with this relaxed, value-for-money holiday option.
So if you thought the only way to explore central Europe was by road, or maybe rail, then think again think river cruising. It's in a league of its own: comfortable, relaxing, economical, satisfying and hassle-free.

The writer was a guest of APT.

The Eurostar at St Pancras International station in London. Photo: AFP
Jump aboard a train and be part of one of the fastest-growing trends in travel, writes Jane E. Fraser.
Rail travel is on a determined upward curve thanks to new services, faster travel times, improved on-board comforts and environmental benefits. In Europe in particular, trains are increasingly replacing flights as the preferred method of travel for both business and leisure travellers.
Train travel times have been significantly reduced by the introduction of more high-speed services - at a time when airline check-in times have increased due to security measures - and travellers have made the switch to the extent that flights have been withdrawn from key routes such as Paris-Brussels.
Click for more photos
Faster than a speeding plane ... about 90 per cent of people travelling between Paris and London now take the Eurostar. Photo: AFP
"Once you start getting under 3 hours (by train), you're really making flying obsolete," says the chief executive of Rail Plus, David Stafford. "Madrid-Barcelona is now two hours and 40 minutes - that's killing off the flights. "From December, the Paris-Amsterdam route comes down to three hours and 18 minutes, and that's going to put a huge amount of pressure on airlines that fly that route."
Rail Plus and other rail specialists are reporting sales are up on last year, at a time when many other tourism sectors are feeling the crunch. And while Europe is spearheading the growth, other areas such as Japan and Canada are pulling their weight.
Stafford says Japan "has gone absolutely ballistic for us this year", with bookings for the 2009 calendar year expected to exceed the $2 million mark.
He says the US remains a small market for leisure train travel but Canada is popular, with bookings split about 50-50 between the scenic Rocky Mountaineer journey and point-to-point travel.
Rail Europe, which has 95 per cent market share in European rail, is set to play a much bigger role on the Australian scene, with plans to become a one-stop shop for rail journeys around the world. It is about to open bookings for the US's Amtrak system and will expand over coming months to include Japan, Canada, India and Trans-Siberian journeys.
Coach and cruise holiday operator APT is also banking on rail, having acquired a majority stake in the British-based GW Travel (GWT) rail touring company earlier this year.
GWT specialises in long-distance, luxury tours by private train, with its flagship being the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express in Russia. Another Australian company, Tempo Holidays, has added Indian luxury train Maharajas' Express to its offerings, with journeys available from January.
The train travels on seven- and eight-day itineraries between Mumbai and Delhi and between Delhi and Kolkata, with all-inclusive prices starting at $5938 a person.
The US's Amtrak system has traditionally had a bad name among travellers but it has recorded six consecutive years of growth, and now carries more than 28 million passengers a year.
The figures include commuter traffic but Amtrak now services more than 500 destinations; many of these routes are used by tourists. The north-east corridor, including Boston, New York and Washington DC, is the busiest route, followed by the Pacific Sunliner service, which carries passengers from San Diego to Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo.
Rail Europe employee Richard Leonard says improved technology has played a role in the growth of rail travel, allowing agents to make live bookings rather than emailing requests and going back and forth to find availability. E-ticketing, available now on only a handful of routes, will also be rolled out to the Australian market next year.
Stafford says there has been a strong trend towards late bookings, with 70 per cent being made for travel within the next month.
There has also been a trend away from rail passes and towards point-to-point tickets, due to a requirement for seat reservations on high-speed trains. "The railways got much smarter in making reservations compulsory for the high-speed lines," Stafford says. "In the past, it was a case of buying your pass and jumping on any train you felt like."
However, rail passes continue to represent the best value in some countries, such as Spain, Germany and Scandinavia, where point-to-point tickets are expensive. Leonard says Australian travellers can pick up great deals for European trains in July and August, due to business travel dropping off during the northern summer holiday period.
Travellers can often pick up the rail equivalent of a business-class ticket for only a few dollars more than a standard one.
Next plane leaves from Platform 26
EXPECT cheaper rail travel and more options in Europe from 2011, when the market will be deregulated and opened up to competition. Rail Plus chief executive David Stafford says the first route likely to see significant changes is London-Paris, on which Eurostar has 80 per cent market share of all forms of transport on the route.
Air France has indicated its interest in operating a competing train on the route and Stafford says we can expect to see a lot more "airline trains", such as those operated by Lufthansa in Germany.
This development will almost certainly bring down fares.
"If you look at when the low cost carriers came into the market, and brought extra competition to the routes, the first thing that happened was fares came down," says Stafford.

A river cruise is a relaxing way to explore central Europe, writes Paul Maughan

I'M naked, except for a skimpy towel, as I've jumped out of the shower to open my cabin door. The woman standing there is shocked (disappointed too judging by the expression on her face). Well, I've never claimed to be a pretty sight but my ego still takes a bruising. Seems she has confused her cabin number with mine. This could be an interesting cruise.
My wife and I are on APT's magnificent new river ship, the MS Amadolce, the pride of its boutique fleet. Long, slim, sleek, gleaming in white and blue livery, she sits low, dockside in Budapest, Hungary, awaiting her maiden return voyage to Amsterdam.

Ahead of us is a two-week, 2000km epic voyage through five countries along three of the continent's most romantic rivers: the Danube, the Main and the Rhine, a stupendous ribbon of canal-connected water that, like a massive zipper, unlocks central Europe to trade and travel.

During our voyage, the most popular of all European river cruises, we will visit seven grand cities; trawl through countless fairytale villages and vibrant market towns; pop into a host of churches, cathedrals and castles; examine a millennium of exquisite art and architecture; gape at scenery that grabs you by the lapels; feast on mountains of gourmet food and generally be indulged like pampered pets all this while negotiating 68 locks as we rise and fall over Europe's continental divide. No wonder the cruise is popular.
Tourists worldwide are today flocking to Europe to cruise its waterways following a revolution more than a decade ago that marked the emergence of river cruising as a hassle-free alternative to road or rail touring. As a result it's now the fastest-growing segment of the travel industry and Aussies have taken to it with gusto.

Certainly there are few better, easier, or more luxurious ways of discovering a country's charm and character than from the deck of a river ship. My experience is that this is indulgent travel at its finest. Everything is geared for your comfort and pleasure aboard these five-star floating hotels: they are comfortable, safe and, because of their unique construction, every cabin is ``outside'', with a coveted river view and what a view. Calm-water cruising ensures no sea sickness either.

Generally, cabins on river ships are compact but they lack nothing in sophistication or amenities: elegant decor, individual climate control, deluxe beds, flat-screen TVs, in-room safes, hair dryers, fluffy robes and slippers, even complimentary bottled water.

Public areas are limited but spacious nonetheless. Usually there's a stylish panoramic restaurant, an equally plush entertainment lounge, multiple outdoor sun decks, a small shop and library and often a beauty salon or fitness centre.

Life aboard is like a dream come true, it's a premium holiday experience. The vessel is your accommodation, restaurant, transport and entertainment centre all in one and of course you only unpack once. How good is that.

We cruised with APT whose boutique ships are reputedly among the finest on the European waterways. Interestingly, APT offer exclusive sailings for Australians and Kiwis on several of their ships. Here all gratuities for cruise staff and land touring are included, as are local wines at dinner, unique personal choice shore excursions and pre and post-voyage transfers.

The MS Amadolce took things a step further by having complimentary internet facilities (including wi-fi) available in every suite, while offering its passengers free use of classy bicycles to enhance personal touring freedom ashore. Both were a huge hit on our cruise.
Activity while aboard the Amadolce is centred on dining, sundeck sightseeing, reading, resting and convivial fellowship. It's all very carefree and uncomplicated. So too is dress and dining; both are informal.

All meals are open seating so it's easy to meet and mix with the other 150 passengers aboard.

Gourmet meals, invariably themed to the areas travelled, are paired with complimentary local wines. Most of us on the Amadolce disembarked in Amsterdam several kilograms heavier. Forget seasick medication, pack diet pills for this cruise.

Up on the sundeck, life is fascinating; this is where you watch the world glide gently by. Head-turning 360 degree views of the changing landscape are unique and spectacular, guaranteeing your camera will be in meltdown mode daily. French balconies on the Amadolce, with floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors, ensure that this spectacle continues even when you're confined to your suite.

Exploring the regions along the waterways is probably the blockbuster attraction for most passengers and this is covered seamlessly within the cruise itinerary. Convenient central dockings, coupled with low passenger density, allow you to walk straight off your ship and into the action no waiting, no queuing, no long drives, no hassles.

Once ashore, competent, friendly local guides take over so that you can zero in on major attractions quickly. Of course if you want to split and do your own thing then that's fine too.

Some nights, after dinner, local celebrities boarded the Amadolce to entertain us. As good as they were though, for us the act that brought the house down was our crew's own side-splitting concert extravaganza.

It was the crew that really set our ship apart. We wanted for nothing at their hands, resulting in a holiday that actually delivered everything the glossy tour brochure promised.
The laid-back atmosphere and gentle nature of river cruising seems to appeal strongest to the over-50 brigade, but by no means is it, or should it be, limited to this group.

Most adults would come away happy and very satisfied with this relaxed, value-for-money holiday option.

So if you thought the only way to explore central Europe was by road, or maybe rail, then think again think river cruising. It's in a league of its own: comfortable, relaxing, economical, satisfying and hassle-free.

The writer was a guest of APT.

Seeing the sights without the queues is the way to go, writes Belinda Jackson.
Berlin, Germany LUXE The remains of the Berlin Wall are a major drawcard 20 years after it was pulled down and the city reunified. Taking a 21-day private train tour from Russia to Germany via Lithuania, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic will see you tossing back vodka and caviar at Moscow'sSt Basil's, revelling in a Chopin recital in Warsaw and dining in the Wieliczka salt mines. The tour takes up to 130 guests, split into smaller groups for sightseeing, with accommodation in luxury hotels. Includes all meals, wine, tips, travel insurance and flights from Australia (a land-only option is available), as well as most personalised activities. There are two departures annually - on July 2 next year. Phone 1800 622 628, see captainschoice.com.au.
LESS Make friends on your coach by playing "where were you when ..." as you head to the Berlin Wall on this 10-day Bohemia Highlights tour, which traverses the Czech and German countrysides and on into Poland. The tour spends two nights in Berlin, also visiting the Reichstag, Brandenburg Gate, Berlin State Opera House and Alexanderplatz. You'll also spend three nights in Prague and two days in both Warsaw and gorgeous Krakow, southern Poland. Also on the itinerary is the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Czestochowa's Black Madonna. Four Bohemia Highlights departures take place next year. Phone 1300 656 985

Buy two of the following Botanica European garden tours and save . The tours are the 10-day Chelsea Flower Show, UK and Wales Gardens. The 16-day French and Italian Gardens in Spring, the seven-day The French Table at Chateau Bosgouet and the 12-day Greece and Turkey Wildflowers.

Prices are land content only and include all sightseeing, accommodation, most meals, cruises, some transfers, porterage, entrance fees, hotel and restaurant tipping. Must be booked by October 31 and applies to departures next April and May. Botanica tours are for groups of 10 to 30. It is a member of the APT Group of companies.

APT has acquired a majority stake in UK-based GW Travel (GWT), the world leading operator of long-distance luxury rail tours by private train.

GWT's flagship train, the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express, is Russia's only private luxury train which has become synonymous with the world's most iconic rail journey.

APT's premium tour brand, The Captain's Choice, is already a leading customer of GWT and so APT has a thorough understanding of the attractions of luxury rail travel and the potential for growth, according to Geoff McGeary, APT's founder and owner.

"The success of APT's growth strategy has centred on investing in iconic partnerships with leaders in their field who have created unique and exclusive touring experiences," he said. "This approach has worked exceptionally well for us through our partnership with AMAWaterways for our growing presence in Europe river cruising."

"APT is the Australian/NZ market leader in cruising in Russia," said Mr McGeary. "The Golden Eagle train will be the perfect accompaniment."

The day-to-day management of the 20-year-old business will stay with the current directors, headed by Tim Littler (Founder), Iain Dacre (Managing Director) and Marina Linke (Operations Director) who will remain fully involved with the business and retain a substantial shareholding.

Mr McGeary said he was proud to be a partner with Tim Littler and his team in the luxury long-distance rail operation of GWT and looked forward to the future success of the Golden Eagle.

He said luxury long-distance rail travel offered discerning and adventurous travellers unique opportunity to visit some of the world's most fascinating places in comfort and style, hallmark standards of The Captains Choice and APT's premier tours in Europe, Canada, Alaska, China, Vietnam, New Zealand and Australia.

APT's acquisition will create a considerable synergy between the organisations.

GWT's operational expertise, global agency network and unique product offering, coupled with APT's extensive customer-base, distribution capabilities and world-wide reputation, augurs well for a future of long term success, said Mr McGeary.

Mr Littler said: "I am very pleased to be announcing the partnership with APT, a family company who share our vision for the growth of luxury rail journeys throughout the world. This exciting new stage in GWT's development will leave us well placed to introduce new 'Voyages of a Lifetime by Private Train' as the travel market rebounds over the coming years."

GWT's fully-escorted Voyages of a Lifetime by Private Train™ offers guests first-class customer service, a romantic exploration of the world's most remarkable regions and the 'widescreen immediacy' of an ever-changing landscape seen from a train. Their 'hotels on wheels' go where roads cannot and provide guests with a luxurious safe haven to which to return at the end of each day.

Currently one of APT's most popular trips is the 15 Day Magnificent Europe river cruise - from Amsterdam to Budapest.

On APT’s inimitable 15 day Magnificent Europe tour, relax in the sunshine as lush fields, towering mountains and medieval ruins drift gently by. Leave your cares behind as you bask in the subtly decadent surroundings of our custom-designed river ship. Weave your way from Amsterdam through five countries to Budapest, sailing down the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, stopping to take in the iconic attractions and charming secrets of Europe’s heartland.

APT strengthen economic safety mechanisms for consumer protection
Friday, October 17, 2008

In a bid to reassure consumers while the dollar plummets and the credit crisis reigns supreme, Australian travel company APT have increased their AU$5 million protection plan to S10 million.

Furthermore, the travel company has maintained its brochured price guarantees.

The $10 million protection plan will allow the 81-year old travel pioneers to reimburse customers if faced with the fear of insolvency.

The General Manager of APT, Chris Hall, maintains that APT is stable and reputable, and despite the difficult economic situation, will remain reliable to its customers.

APT have issued a flyer to travel agents entitled APT Peace of Mind Guarantee, which advises that all APT, Travelmarvel, Newsmans Escorted Tours and Botanica World Discoveries prices will be guaranteed following deposits.

This guarantee does not extend tor air and third party operators.

APT have also decided to decrease deposits for trips to Europe, Canada and Alaska, asking only for $1000 per trip for most departures.

The cancellation cover provided by APT allows customers to cancel their travel plans up to the final payment date, without any cancellation charges or penalties excluding airfares and third party operators.

However, to utilize this benefit, a non-refundable cancellation cover of approximately $55 per person must be paid at the time of the holiday deposit for new bookings.

The intention of the increased guarantees and protection plan are, according to Mr Hall, to provide travel agents and consumers alike 'peace of mind,' that their funds will be secure with APT.

In a time of decreased consumer confidence, these initiatives are aimed at maintaining faith in APT and its operations.

Bucharest offers visitors a uniquely Eastern European viewpoint on history, writes Christina Pfeiffer.

Although Bucharest's early 20th century architects drew inspiration from France, the reason it's sometimes called the Paris of the East is not immediately apparent. As my bus rolls through the streets of Romania's capital, I catch glimpses of Parisian architecture peeping from behind box-like apartment blocks.

There are elegant French baroque buildings such as the Romanian Athenaeum, the George Enescu Museum and the Triumphal Arch, which was designed to replicate Paris's monument of the same name. But Bucharest's Parisian architecture is intermingled with more than four decades of stark communist-era buildings.

In 1984 one sixth of Bucharest, including churches, synagogues, and more than 30,000 homes, was demolished to make way for the extravagant Palace of the Parliament. The building is massive, second only in size to the Pentagon. It has 12 storeys, 3100 rooms, 64 reception halls, a nuclear bunker 20 metres underground, and covers more than 330,000 square metres.

The then leader of Romania's Communist Party, Nicolae Ceausescu, drained the country's coffers to build this communist place of worship. He intended the building to house the Central Committee of the Communist Party, presidential office and state ministries but at the time of his execution in 1989, it still had not been completed. It now houses the Romanian Parliament and the National Museum of Contemporary Art.

The museum is in a glass-covered wing and has four floors of contemporary installations and video art by artists from across Europe.

Another throwback from the communist era is the InterContinental Hotel, or the "Inter", which was a bastion of Western capitalist democracy that ordinary Romanian citizens, who were banned from entering, revered as a symbol of freedom.

Ironically, Communist Party authorities allowed the hotel to operate because its visiting businessmen and politicians made money for the government. The hotel's Luna Bar was a gathering spot for secret agents and spies.

Some rooms have balconies overlooking Piata Universitatii where, in 1989, television crews filmed tanks rolling over freedom fighters and soldiers shooting into crowds during the revolution which overthrew the regime.

The city has several good museums. We stroll around the outdoor National Village Museum, a fascinating collection of Romanian design and rural architecture including peasant homes, barns, wooden churches and Transylvanian houses relocated from regions around Romania to the shores of Lake Herastrau.

The best time to visit is in summer when artisans in traditional costume demonstrate rural trades such as painting, weaving and pottery. Another good museum is the Museum of the Romanian Peasant, which was European Museum of the Year in 1996.

As its name implies, the aim of the museum is to preserve and exhibit the culture and history of Romania's peasants. It has more than 100,000 folk costumes, ceramics, textiles, furniture and crafts on display.

The Jewish History Museum is dedicated to Romania's 800,000 Jews who suffered during the Holocaust. About half of them became casualties of war. The Holocaust Room has thought-provoking photographs of atrocities committed in the concentration camps where 150,000 Romanian Jews were deported to Transdniestr in Moldova and 200,000 died in Auschwitz in Poland. Today there are less than 10,000 Jews living in Romania.

The National Art Museum is housed in the former royal palace, once the official residence of the kings of Romania.

Romania's last king, Michael I, was forced by the Romanian Communist Party to abdicate in 1947.

The museum has displays of Romanian oil paintings, along with carved icons and wood altars saved from churches destroyed by the communists. The European art section has Italian, Dutch and French masters ranging from Rubens to Rodin. Although many historic buildings in Bucharest were demolished by the communist regime to make way for drab cement structures, it's somewhat miraculous that a number of religious buildings survived intact.

We visit the tranquil Romanian Patriarchal Cathedral. Completed in 1658 the cathedral is the heart of the Romanian Orthodox faith. The only original icon remaining is that of Constantin and Helen, the cathedral's patron saints. The elaborate frescoes inside the church were painted much later in 1923.

A small chapel links the cathedral to the Patriarchal Palace, home of the church's patriach and leader of the Roman Orthodox Church.

A woman stops outside the cathedral's entrance and wraps her head with a dark scarf. I follow her inside, watching as she kneels in front of the shining golden altar. To me, this is a scene which typifies Romania.

But now that Romania is one of the newest members of the European Union (they were accepted on January 1, 2007) Bucharest is fast becoming a centre for culture and entertainment.

The streets are alive with people scurrying to theatres, concert halls and museums. Restaurants are bursting with patrons. In art and music circles, Bucharest is being branded the "new Berlin" where one of the highlights is the Rokolectiv Festival for electronic music. In the next few years, this is one capital to watch.

The writer was a guest of APT World Discoveries.

Spend two nights in Budapest, straddling the banks of the River Danube, then embark on a deluxe seven night cruise to Nuremberg, including cultural highlights such as Bratislava, Vienna and Passau. Your wonderful holiday finishes with three nights in Prague, the Golden City.Find out more about this tour.

There's still a role for brochures; people like to see the pricing and have something to hold but videos are going to be a much bigger trend. See our selection of APT DVDs.

Cruise for 13 days between the vibrant cities of Moscow and St Petersburg along the Volga, Svir and Neva rivers, exploring the forested islands, vast lakes and quaint lifestyles of rural Russia. Find out more about this tour.

Take the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pay tribute to our proud heritage, the courage of our forefathers and the ANZAC spirit itself at this emotive and poignant service. Join the Dawn Service at ANZAC Cove before embarking on a luxury cruise from Rousse in Bulgaria to Trier in Germany. Travel on board the newly built ms Amalyra along the Danube, Main and Rhine rivers, completing your holiday with three indulgent nights in romantic Paris. See full cruise and tour details here.

On APT’s inimitable 15 day Magnificent Europe tour, relax in the sunshine as lush fields, towering mountains and medieval ruins drift gently by. Weave your way from Budapest through five countries to Amsterdam, sailing down the Danube, Main and Rhine rivers, stopping to take in the iconic attractions and charming secrets of Europe’s heartland. See itinerary for this tour.

On APT’s inimitable 15 day Magnificent Europe tour, relax in the sunshine as lush fields, towering mountains and medieval ruins drift gently by. Leave your cares behind as you bask in the subtly decadent surroundings of our custom-designed river ship. Weave your way from Amsterdam through five countries to Budapest, sailing down the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers, stopping to take in the iconic attractions and charming secrets of Europe’s heartland. Find out more about our tour to Budapest.

Christina Pfeiffer delights in European Yuletide from the vantage of a luxury Danube cruise.

"Going on a cruise through Austria and Germany a few weeks before Christmas has its advantages. Besides stunning autumn scenery, there's the added bonus of Christmas shopping in a land where many familiar Christmas traditions began.

My cruise along the Danube starts in Budapest and meanders along the river through four countries - Hungary, Slovak Republic, Austria and Germany - ending in Nuremberg. But most of our time is spent cruising through and exploring cities and villages in Austria and Germany, where tree ornaments, Christmas toys, gingerbread men, nutcrackers and Saint Nicholas folklore were invented.

Our tour director, Nancy, has just delivered the news that the following day is a public holiday in Germany and all the shops in Passau are shut. There are groans of disappointment from the ladies in the room. Shops shut? Outrageous! How on earth are we going to finish our Christmas shopping? It's only weeks away to Christmas and by the time we arrive home from cruising and touring, there will barely be enough time to decorate Christmas trees and plan family gatherings.

Many of the ladies on board are intent on returning to Australia with bulging bags filled with unique Christmas goodies from Europe. Where shopping in Europe was once unaffordable for most Australians, the strong Aussie dollar means that prices are now extremely reasonable (for example, a cappuccino and a large slice of cheesecake in a cafe in Nuremberg's old town costs around $5).

A public holiday in Passau is an unwelcome setback as we have loads of Christmas shopping to complete. Of course, it doesn't help that we're eating our Christmas gifts almost as fast as we're buying them. Who can resist a mouthful of fine Viennese chocolates or a nip or two of apricot schnapps?

Don't get me wrong. It's not that the MS Amalegro's kitchen is starving us, far from it. We're being feasted like royalty three times a day. The menus change each day with regional specialties and fine wines that reflect each region we cruise through. There are appetisers like pear cocktail with schnapps, entrees such as fresh trout on beetroot sauce with celery fennel ragout and sepia noodles, and desserts such as Austrian Germknoedel (delicious yeast dumplings served with a good dollop of plum compote with sweet poppyseed butter).

I had not actually booked this cruise with the intention of shopping but there are so many nice things to buy that I simply can't help myself.

It all began in Budapest where we boarded the ship laden with presents - Hungarian dolls, a delicate Zsolnay handpainted vase and a bottle of Tokaj wine - all destined for family members at home.

I don't usually purchase lots of gifts while travelling overseas as it's surprising how just a few extra things can fill up your bag really quickly. But this time it's different. "We're on a ship where you unpack once and sleep in the same room each night," I point out to my husband who is surveying my growing collection of presents with dismay as I pack them away in the roomy closet of our stateroom.

The stateroom is big enough to fit a king-sized bed, bedside tables, a lounge chair, a flat-screen television and a writing desk. At 16 square metres, it's smaller than you would expect on a large ocean-going cruise ship. The room and en suite bathroom is luxuriously appointed and serviced twice daily. There are nice little extras such as free in-room internet, fluffy white bathrobes and toiletries.

Day two brings us to Bratislava, the capital of the Slovak Republic. After a short walking tour of the old town (most of the walking tours and excursions are included in the cruise fare), I drag my reticent husband through fashion, shoe and accessory shops. He looks so glum that we abandon the shopping and end up huddled in a cosy cafe sipping mugs of hot chocolate. There we nibble on dainty Slovak handmade pralines which are so delicious that a box finds its way into my shopping bag.

On our third day, which is in Vienna, we forgo the sightseeing excursion arranged by the cruise company in favour of scouring the city for hand-made cakes, for which Vienna is famous. Vienna is already in the festive swing with twinkling lights decorating its grand buildings and plazas. Cafes and restaurants are packed with early merrymakers. My shopping bag fills up with dainty miniature chocolates wrapped in colourful boxes, chocolate cigars, gaily decorated cakes and even a Viennese cookbook.

The next day we stop at the quaint cobblestone village of Durnstein in the Wachau Valley where England's Richard the Lion Heart was held captive by Duke Leopold V in 1193. After a tour of the village and castle, the serious business of shopping begins. I pop in and out of narrow shops examining Austrian dolls, scarfs, knits and Christmas baubles. The schnapps shops are the most popular. The Austrian liquor comes in every imaginable flavour from apricot to rose and cherry to plum. It's a cold day and the small hip-flask sized bottles are flying out the door like hot cakes.

In Germany, Regensburg and Nuremberg are filled with stores entirely dedicated to selling Christmas decorations. Regensburg is full of colourful stucco facades and is an architectural melange of medieval Gothic, Romanesque and Baroque buildings. Fortunately, most of Regensburg's old city escaped damage from the bombs of World War II.

The warren of cobblestone streets in Regensburg's well-preserved medieval centre is bustling with shoppers. There are boutique shops that sell unique, high-quality handmade goods from local artists such as pottery, whimsical metal sculptures, soaps and beeswax candles. Shops specialising in expensive, high quality, handmade German Christmas decorations are already on sale. There are carousels and music boxes decorated with reindeer, miniature Santas and figures from biblical times.

Bavaria's second largest city, Nuremberg, was completely destroyed during World War II and the historic buildings rebuilt using the same stone. A brief bus tour whizzes us past the Nazi Party Rally Grounds, Congress Hall and the Hall of Justice. It provides us with a basic overview of Nuremberg's history; Hitler chose the city as the site for his annual Nazi party rallies and later it became the location for the Nuremberg Trials.

Nuremberg is equally as famous for gingerbread, toys and angels. Angels were designed and sold at Nuremberg's Christmas market more than 400 years ago by a local doll maker who had lost his beautiful daughter.

A walk through the old town into the city centre (or Hauptmarkt) brings us to the beginnings of Germany's largest Christmas market. The aroma of roasted almonds and chestnuts, gingerbread (a local specialty) and smoked sausages wafts through the air. When the market is in full swing, there are more than 100 brightly lit stalls here.

We make a beeline for a well-known Christmas ornament store - Kathe Wohlfahrt - and leave with bulging bags filled with colourful Christmas baubles. Even my shopping-averse husband gets into the Christmas spirit by buying a traditional wooden German nutcracker soldier as a fond memory of our Christmas shopping cruise.

The shops being shut in Passau proved to be no problem after all."

The writer was a guest of Korean Air and APT World Discoveries.

TRIP NOTES

* Cruising: Visit some of Europe's best Christmas markets with APT World Discoveries' eight-day Christmas season cruise from Budapest to Nuremberg

New peak season 2008 Europe River Cruise departures

Finding it difficult to secure a departure date for your 2008 European River Cruise? Look no further! Due to popular demand, APT World Discoveries has secured three extra river ships for eight new, peak-season departures of its leading 15-day Magnificent Europe cruise in 2008.

The ships are the ms Excellence, ms Serenade 1 and ms Serenade 2. They will sail from Budapest to Amsterdam on July 8, April 17, July 12 and August 9 2008 and Amsterdam to Budapest on July 22, May 1, June 28 and July 26, 2008.

For cruises starting in Budapest, there's no better introduction to this grand city than to sail right into its town centre. Discover and appreciate the beauty of Hungary's capital, situated on both sides of the River Danube and regarded as a lively centre of culture where north meets south and east meets west. The majestic Danube connects Hungary and seven other countries from the Black Forest to the Black Sea and - with a length of 2850 km - is Europe's second longest river. Get the camera out for perfect photo opportunities of imposing Gothic cathedrals and ancient castles rising between lush vineyards and ornate medieval villages.

Your ship travels further along the Rhine and stops in Regensburg where you can take a walking tour of one of Germany's best-preserved medieval cities with gothic churches and the country's oldest bridge. These tours are accompanied by professional guides who are there to give you all the intriguing and historical facts. If you prefer to take on a little exploration of your own, hop on one of your ship's complimentary bicycles. Ride along cobblestone streets, stop in for coffee at a local patisserie and a chat with the locals and perhaps even a quick language lesson in German, French or Danish! The legendary Rhine is fed by glacial alpine springs, winding from its origins in Switzerland through the French Alps, Germany, the Netherlands and out to the North Sea. Aboard your river ship, you can trace the Rhine's fluid history, dating back to Germanic and Celtic tribes settling on both sides of the river.

After all that sightseeing, photo snapping and chats with the locals, you can wind down and rest in the comforts of your river ship. Your suite is complete with plush bedding, a flat-screen TV, large en-suite bathroom and minibar. Relax in your very own all-weather French Balcony (in over 90% of suites) and watch Europe glide by. The ship's public areas including the sun deck, bar, lounge, restaurant and library are spaciously designed with your comfort in mind.

The new departures are APT Exclusive sailings, which means that they include all meals, transfers, tipping, wine with dinner, Freedom of Choice touring and an exclusive visit to Budapest Opera House.

It's amazing how a glass of champage can lift your mood. My wife and I were on the first day of our European holiday, but we weren't at our happiest. No doubt there are more infuriating things in this world than having your luggage fail to appear when you arrive at an airport but, off the top of my head, none spring to mind. The fact it was a cold winter's day in Amsterdam, and that we were shortly scheduled to set off on a ship - a river cruiser, to be exact - and head down the river into Belgium only made our mood blacker.

It was the inaugural journey of the newest, ritziest ship on Europe's river cruising scene, the MS Amadagio and we'd been eagerly looking forward to it. ``Leave it to me, I'll get it organised,'' said Wade, our cruise director, when we boarded and informed him of our situation. ``Here's a glass of champagne, now sit down and relax. Take a shower and freshen up if you like.'' Which we did. The champagne, I mean. Two glasses each. I had my eye on one for the road when my wife suggested that we should take Wade's advice and head to our cabin to freshen up. We had no sooner finished showering when there was a knock on the door and ... voila! Wade with our bags. This guy's a genius, we thought. Let the holiday begin. Half an hour later, feeling refreshed and relaxed, we were on our way, watching the river meander by through our floor-to-ceiling cabin window.

I probably should fill you in about the Amadagio at this point. It's a state-of-the-art 75-cabin ship that features a restaurant, two lounges, a small library and a gym. It will cruise the rivers of Europe, tapping into the burgeoning river cruise holiday market - one of the fastest growing holiday types in Europe. The Americans, in particular, are flocking to it. The cabins are comfortable, and, aside from their fabulous windows which offer spectacular vistas, they also feature an ensuite and a high-tech entertainment system that includes television, music, movies and internet all rolled into one. For about A$300 a day per person, which includes all meals and most excursions, it's top end luxury at an affordable price. Our trip was a seven-day adventure, from Amsterdam down through the rivers and locks into Belgium taking in places such as Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, Arnhem and Volendam. This is just one of a wide range that Australian Pacific Touring (which part owns the Amadagio) offers. It even has another ship hitting the water next year to help keep up with demand. You may prefer to cruise the Scandinavian fjords, for example, or maybe the Nile River in Egypt to check out the Pyramids. The appropriately named MS Tolstoy specialises in Russian cruises, the big one being a 29-day Istanbul to Paris trip. Maybe you'd prefer to cruise down the Rhine and Mosel rivers, renowned for their spectacular scenery, past medieval castles and stunning Riesling vineyards. Whatever your fancy, there's a cruise for you.

Our little seven-day journey would take us 700 kilometres and through 14 locks. As a debutant of river cruising, I love the flexibility it offers and the fact that every time you look out the window, there's something different to see - people walking their dogs, fishermen, barges loaded with cargo, quaint villages or thatch-roofed houses. On top of that, you get off the boat every day. Sometimes you might stay in a town until midnight so you can eat at a local restaurant or enjoy a drink with the locals, before returning to the ship to resume your voyage. The ship is incredibly stable, so sleeping as you go is easy. Besides, if you're struggling for sleep you can always head to the lounge for a late night drink. The piano player is on hand till the wee small hours. Well, so I was told. At other times you might sail through the day to take advantage of a more scenic section of the river.Guided tours are part of the package, but they are not compulsory. If you feel you need a lazy day to recharge the batteries, no problem, head to the lounge and take a good book. In every case, the tours are relatively short and informative, leaving you time on your own to wander around or go shopping. One of the unique aspects of the Amadagio is that it also has pushbikes on board for those, unlike myself, who feel the need to burn up calories while on holiday. Others did though, because the bikes were certainly in demand. We had some wonderful excursions.

The quaint village of Volendam, where the main street runs along the top of the massive sea wall, was fabulous, as was Edam where we tasted the world renowned cheese. I loved the Belgian canal towns of Bruges and Ghent not only for their beauty and history - but also because Belgium makes 700 varieties of beer. Well, depends on who you talk to. The most conservative estimate was 300 varieties, although some insisted there were 800. Either way, it's a lot. Great beer and great scenery, it's an intoxicating mix (okay, I'm sorry).

For people with an interest in history, Arnhem was one of the highlights of the trip. If the name sounds familiar it's probably from the 1977 movie A Bridge Too Far - the true story of a failed bid by Allied troops to destroy a number of key bridges in the Netherlands, the main target being the Arnhem bridge, during the latter days of World War II. Without wanting to give too much away, the daring plan failed miserably and thousands of lives were lost. Arnhem also features the Airborne Museum and Cemetery in memory of the bloody battle. My wife is a history buff and she had the agonising decision of seeing the museum or going shopping - Arnhem is renowned for its quality shopping. In the end the museum won out. Those poor shopkeepers don't know what they missed.

On the last day we visited the renowned Keukenhof Gardens,18 kilometres outside Amsterdam. If you time it right you'll see the dazzling tulip display in full swing. Our timing was spot-on under normal conditions, but due to the unseasonally cold - read freezing - winter, many of the tulips had not yet bloomed. Not that it mattered. The big glasshouses gave us an idea of what we could expect and it was stunningly beautiful anyway. A quick detour on the way back took us to Kinderdijk, the most densely concentrated area of 18th century windmills in The Netherlands today. We did a tour of one and alI can say is you wouldn't have wanted to have had dicky knees. Those stairs are hard work - and extremely steep. World renowned gardens, windmills ... now, what could I do to top off the day? Go back to the ship, enjoy a four course meal and have quiet drink afterwards in the lounge, of course. Yes sir, there's a lot to be said for this river cruising caper. Now, if only I can can get my bags to turn up on time.

Discover the romance and beauty of the Czech Republic capital of Prague.

Prague remains one of the best-for-your-buck European tourist cities.

A successful partnership between a small Kimberley-based Aboriginal Foundation and a large travel company is reaping benefits for all, especially travellers.

Before it joined forces with Australian Pacific Touring (APT) two years ago, Kimberley Wilderness Adventures was fully owned by the Wunan Foundation, a collective of Aboriginal people from the Kimberley region in the rugged north-west of Western Australia. Geared to self sufficiency, it offered travellers the rare privilege of access to Aboriginal land and a close-up of the life of the land's traditional owners.

Paul Davis, business development manager of the Wunan Foundation, explains that Kimberley Wilderness Adventures worked well for its first three years and had evolved to the stage where it needed marketing "with a wider reach" to support the venture. By its nature, he says, any tourism operation in a remote area is very capital intensive. The Foundation decided it needed a partner with deeper pockets. It also wanted a partner who would respect what the Foundation was doing. In APT, the Foundation found a company which it says showed a "real understanding" of Indigenous issues in the region.

Kimberley Wilderness Adventures now works under the umbrella of APT, an Australian family-owned company founded in 1927 by Bill McGeary. These days the company is owned by his son Geoff who, in 2003, was recognised by the National Travel Industry Awards for his 40-year contribution to Australian tourism.

Wunan Foundation has a 40% stake in the operation, and after its second season, the venture is working well. APT regional manager Philip Cox says that three of the company's four standing wilderness camps, at Iminitji, Marunbabidi and Ungolan, are sub-leased to local communities.

Kimberley Wilderness Adventures also has a state-of-the-art facility in the Bungle Bungles. Where possible, it engages Aboriginal tour guides and helps local communities generate additional income from the services they supply, such as collection of firewood and rubbish removal.

A key ingredient in the success of the joint operation is the selection of camp hosts -two people, usually partners, who stay on-site at each camp for six months of the year and are responsible for its entire management.

Each camp has its own profit centre, and when an individual camp makes a profit, a proportion is ploughed back into that particular community. This form of funding has enabled the purchase of computers for a community school and 2,000 extra litres of fuel to keep facilities such as cool rooms running during the wet season.

Camp hosts become closely involved with the communities before the visitors come, and it is their relationship which lays the groundwork for the camp. When travellers arrive, they are briefed on various aspects of Aboriginal life by the camp hosts.

For its part, APT is meticulous about its own role in the education of visitors. Cox says that information about respecting Aboriginal culture is communicated by the tour guides in their commentary. "And when there's the opportunity for Aboriginal people to act as tour guides, this adds immensely to the depth of experience for visitors. We feel privileged being able to get to know their culture and to learn something from them."

One delightful aspect welcomed by communities and visitors alike is the visits by Aboriginal children to the camps. "They have made friends with the camp hosts and drop in quite freely," Cox says. "It's a very successful way of increasing direct involvement with the camp and one that everyone enjoys."

While camp hosts, who Cox describes as "special people", are crucial to relationships with communities and have impressive management and catering skills, APT tour guide/drivers are also a rare breed. Cox says the interview process for them is rigorous but "you know when they walk in the door if they're going to be right for the job." There are six on staff, with one driver accompanying each tour. They are much more than drivers. Cox describes their role as "counsellor, nurse, psychologist, tour guide and mechanic -- and that's only the start."

Last year, 5,000 people, mainly babyboomers, took the tour, which Cox describes as "soft adventure", with plenty of excitement during the day but with creature comforts in the evening, including a good meal and a sleep in a real bed with sheets. The travel experience itself is based on small-group touring, each group limited to a maximum of 20 travellers.

Travel in the Kimberley is by road, in what Cox says firmly is "a truck". Specially built to APT specifications by Perth company, Able Bus and Coach, the vehicles combine the sturdy chassis of a truck built to negotiate the hazards of outback driving with the comfort of a "pod", a dustproof interior with well-sprung comfortable cloth-covered seats, that is dropped onto the chassis.

Cox is proud that the company was awarded ECO certification by Eco-tourism Australia, a non-profit organisation formed in 1991 and the peak national body for the ecotourism industry.

"We aim at minimising any trace of visitors out here," he says. "We brush the dust from the floor of the trucks into containers, we take all our rubbish back with us, we use special environmentally-friendly soaps manufactured by Enviro in Queensland, and we use solar power backed up by a generator."

He describes the partnership between APT and the Wunan Foundation as one where a small business has kept its heart, while taking on a larger partner to enable it to stay viable.

"It's a huge logistical effort to keep this going. It's seasonal, and there are enormous challenges. It's all about a small local business bringing a large family-owned business on board, and having the potential for capital growth. Small business often thinks that big business will just take over.

"What both sides want to happen here is that we enable growth to take place without destroying what was already there -- and that should happen," he adds. "After all, both partners have the region at heart."

This article comes from Country Biz, the leading regional Australian business magazine for the proactive business person.

River fleet takes the hassle out of Europe...

In the current climate of consolidation in the travel industry, the number of family - owned tour operators and wholesalers is steadily declining. APT, however, has bucked the trend, and stands out as a shining example of a successful family company that continues to diversify and expand,

Enchantment surrounds you on a cruise down Europe's great rivers...

APT strengthen economic safety mechanisms for consumer protection
Friday, October 17, 2008

In a bid to reassure consumers while the dollar plummets and the credit crisis reigns supreme, Australian travel company APT have increased their AU$5 million protection plan to $10 million.

Furthermore, the travel company has maintained its brochured price guarantees.

The $10 million protection plan will allow the 81-year old travel pioneers to reimburse customers if faced with the fear of insolvency.

The General Manager of APT, Chris Hall, maintains that APT is stable and reputable, and despite the difficult economic situation, will remain reliable to its customers.

APT have issued a flyer to travel agents entitled APT Peace of Mind Guarantee, which advises that all APT, Travelmarvel, Newsmans Escorted Tours and Botanica World Discoveries prices will be guaranteed following deposits.

This guarantee does not extend tor air and third party operators.

APT have also decided to decrease deposits for trips to Europe, Canada and Alaska, asking only for $1000 per trip for most departures.

The cancellation cover provided by APT allows customers to cancel their travel plans up to the final payment date, without any cancellation charges or penalties excluding airfares and third party operators.

However, to utilize this benefit, a non-refundable cancellation cover of approximately $55 per person must be paid at the time of the holiday deposit for new bookings.

The intention of the increased guarantees and protection plan are, according to Mr Hall, to provide travel agents and consumers alike 'peace of mind,' that their funds will be secure with APT.

In a time of decreased consumer confidence, these initiatives are aimed at maintaining faith in APT and its operations.

APT recently presented awards to recognise its top New Zealand suppliers, based on surveys of APT passengers, tour managers, drivers and key company staff and management.

Lindsay Cowan, APT's Operations Manager in NZ presented the awards.

The winners are ...

* Hotel Awards: Premier Plus Series - Intercontinental Wellington; Premier Series - Heritage Hotel Rotorua; Affordable Series - Lake Ohau Lodge.

* Operator Award: Guided Nature Walks, Queenstown.

* Tour Manager Award: Neville Johnson.

* Tour Driver Award: Mark Johnson.

APT offers free flights to New Zealand including air taxes to join October 2009 to March 2010 departures of its 18-day Royal Tourer Premier coach tour and 21-day Great New Zealand Experience Premier Plus small group tour. Flights are return from Brisbane and bookings must be made by December 31st 2009. Tour includes touring, accommodation, meals and cruises.

Start this unforgettable journey by cruising Australia’s spectacular east coast from Sydney to Tasmania. Aboard your luxury ship, cross the waters of the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, exploring the mighty fiords of the South Island before cruising to the North Island and discovering its wonders. Then join a luxury coach and travel through the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, exploring true inland beauty and a country rich in culture.

APT strengthen economic safety mechanisms for consumer protection
Friday, October 17, 2008

In a bid to reassure consumers while the dollar plummets and the credit crisis reigns supreme, Australian travel company APT have increased their AU$5 million protection plan to $10 million.

Furthermore, the travel company has maintained its brochured price guarantees.

The $10 million protection plan will allow the 81-year old travel pioneers to reimburse customers if faced with the fear of insolvency.

The General Manager of APT, Chris Hall, maintains that APT is stable and reputable, and despite the difficult economic situation, will remain reliable to its customers.

APT have issued a flyer to travel agents entitled APT Peace of Mind Guarantee, which advises that all APT, Travelmarvel, Newsmans Escorted Tours and Botanica World Discoveries prices will be guaranteed following deposits.

This guarantee does not extend tor air and third party operators.

APT have also decided to decrease deposits for trips to Europe, Canada and Alaska, asking only for $1000 per trip for most departures.

The cancellation cover provided by APT allows customers to cancel their travel plans up to the final payment date, without any cancellation charges or penalties excluding airfares and third party operators.

However, to utilize this benefit, a non-refundable cancellation cover of approximately $55 per person must be paid at the time of the holiday deposit for new bookings.

The intention of the increased guarantees and protection plan are, according to Mr Hall, to provide travel agents and consumers alike 'peace of mind,' that their funds will be secure with APT.

In a time of decreased consumer confidence, these initiatives are aimed at maintaining faith in APT and its operations.

Spend Christmas in the Rockies.

The 13-day White Christmas package includes a rail trip from Vancouver to Jasper, 20 meals, hotels, a gondola ride and activities such as a sleigh ride along Lake Louise. It leaves Vancouver on December 22.

Visit aptouring.com.au

Spend Christmas Day at Whistler, the host city of the 2010 Winter Olympics, and New Year's Eve in Vancouver with an APT 13-day White Christmas package. Departing from Vancouver on December 22, the trip includes train travel from Vancouver to Jasper, 20 meals, hotels and activities.

SPEND a memorable Christmas Day this year at Whistler, host city of the 2010 Winter Olympics, and a festive New Year’s Eve in cosmopolitan Vancouver in an APT 13-day White Christmas package.

Departing from Vancouver on December 22, the trip also includes VIA Rail train from Vancouver to Jasper, 20 meals, hotels, Banff Gondola ride, the Canyon Lights at the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Freedom of Choice activities like an ice walk in Johnston Canyon (Banff), sleigh ride along Lake Louise and snowshoeing along the Great Divide.

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Start this unforgettable journey by cruising Australia’s spectacular east coast from Sydney to Tasmania. Aboard your luxury ship, cross the waters of the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, exploring the mighty fiords of the South Island before cruising to the North Island and discovering its wonders. Then join a luxury coach and travel through the heart of New Zealand’s North Island, exploring true inland beauty and a country rich in culture.

Lakes, mountains and wildlife abound on this 19 Day exploration of the Canadian Rockies and Alaska. Arrive in Vancouver and enjoy time to relax and discover the sights of this picturesque city, before boarding the world renowned Rocky Mountaineer Train for an unforgettable journey through incredible landscapes to Banff. After exploring the alpine towns of Jasper, Sun Peaks and Whistler and seeing highlights such as Lake Louise and the Athabasca Glacier, complete your journey with a premium Holland America Line cruise through Alaska’s Inside Passage. Get up close to calving glaciers, wildlife and fjords and stop in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan before disembarking back in Vancouver.

Niagara Falls is an exhilarating stopover.