Information supplied by Willingham PR
Exclusive use of Russia’s most modern and comfortable river ship, the rebuilt ms AmaKatarina in its first full season of service and extra premium Golden Eagle rail journeys are the core of APT’s 2012 Russian River Cruising brochure released to agents this week.
With four new Golden Eagle itineraries (Trans Mongolian Moscow-Beijing, the Crimean Express St Petersburg-Yalta, Opera & Ballet Moscow –St Petersburg and Arctic Circle) APT also launches the train’s new and luxurious Imperial Suites, the most spacious cabins on board the Golden Eagle, featuring a fixed double bed, lounge area with dressing table, private ensuite bathroom, underfloor heating, large picture windows and a butler service.
APT has a majority interest in GW Travel which has an exclusive lease on the famous Golden Eagle 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 212-passenger, four-deck, two-restaurant ms AmaKatarina boasts the most spacious accommodation on Russia’s waterways and is the first of its kind to introduce Outside Balconies, which are a feature of over 70% of staterooms.
APT General Manager Marketing Debra Fox said that with the new rail features and the river ship in full service next year, APT has cemented its presence as the specialist for really stylish travel in Russia, to the Arctic Circle and across the Baltic countryside.
“The new ship offers 10 accommodation categories to suit all budgets and tastes, so it raises the benchmark in Russia when it comes to space, choice, and comfort,” she said.
The ms AmaKatarina is scheduled for 7 APT river cruise trips next year between St Petersburg and Moscow, cruising is along the Volga, Svir and Neva rivers, exploring the forested islands, vast lakes and quaint lifestyles of rural Russia.
The 76-page brochure carries a choice of 13 itineraries, covering Russian river cruising, train journeys and a combination of them both as well as combining Scandinavia and Baltic tours with APT’s Magnificent Europe cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest.
APT is offering free return flights to Europe when booking a Magnificent Europe cruise in conjunction with a land touring itinerary, free companion flights for booking a holiday that includes a 12-day Russian Waterways cruise (including air taxes) and SuperDeals worth up to $2600 a couple. All deals apply to bookings made before November 30, 2011.
Among other new brochure features are an excursion to the Moscow Circus in the Russian Waterways cruise, three nights are spent in Helsinki (giving all travellers the ability to do a city sightseeing tour as well as a Freedom of Choice activity), Freedom of Choice Tours and Dine Around Dinners in the Baltics and Russian Waterways and Scandinavia & Russian Waterways itineraries and a train trip from Berlin to Warsaw in the Eastern Bloc and Russian Waterways itinerary.
Lead-in itinerary is the 12-day Moscow to St Petersburg Russian Waterways, priced from $5695 per person, twin share, which includes 11-night cruise on the ms AmaKatarina, 32 meals, wine and beer with dinner, sightseeing excursions, tipping and transfers.
Among the activities are the APT Signature Experiences of visiting a local home for a traditional Russian meal and an insight into the culture of Uglich, a ballet performance at the Hermitage Theatre in St Peterburg, a Moscow Circus show and Russian language lessons.
Contact: call 1300 278 278 or visit www.aptgroup.travel