What's the Deal?

The week's best travel bargains around the globe, by land, sea and air.

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LAND

* Bolongo Bay Beach Resort on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands has a five-night holiday package for travel through Dec. 25. Package starts at $875 for room only (a savings of $120) and $1,875 per couple for all-inclusive plan (a savings of $275), which includes three meals a day and all beverages. Taxes and resort fees are an extra 15 percent on room-only package; energy surcharge is $2 per room per day on room-only and all-inclusive deals. Info: 800-524-4746, http://www.bolongobay.com/html/deal.html.

* The Ritz Carlton, New Orleans, which reopened last week after a $100 million renovation, has introductory rates starting at $169 weekdays, $209 weekends through Dec. 30 (discounted rates will start at $259 in January). Renovations at the French Quarter hotel include an upgraded spa and a new restaurant. Taxes of 13 percent and a $2-per-night occupancy fee are extra. Info: 800-241-3333, http://www.ritzcarlton.com/.

* Save $600 per couple on a trip that includes two weeks in an apartment in Nafplio, Greece, a harbor town on the Peloponnese. The Untours package includes a two-week car rental with insurance, arrival transfers and on-site English-speaking support. Deal is good on select departures in January and February. Price now starts at $959 per person double including taxes. Info: 888-868-6871, http://www.untours.com/.

SEA

* Windstar is discounting several spring Mediterranean cruises aboard the 312-passenger Wind Surf. The starting price is now $1,999 per person double (a savings of at least $400) on a seven-night Rome-to-Barcelona cruise departing May 6 and a seven-night cruise from Barcelona to Nice departing June 3. A six-night itinerary from Nice, France, to Barcelona departing May 28 is now $1,799, a savings of $500. Also, the rate for the May 28 and June 3 cruises starts at $3,499 per person double for the 13-night itinerary, a savings of $1,130 per person. Taxes vary, but they run about $69 on a seven-night cruise. Info: 800-258-7245, http://www.windstarcruises.com/.

* Seabourn, which has canceled its Libya calls in 2007 "due to that country's refusal to permit entry for guests traveling on U.S. passports," is discounting the affected cruises. The 12-day Seabourn Spirit cruise from Alexandria, Egypt, to Rome departing May 7, for example, has been discounted by 50 percent, with prices starting at $5,258 per person double; three days in Libya will be replaced with calls in Turkey and Greece. Info: 800-929-9391, http://www.seabourn.com/.

* Windjammer is discounting its "Treasure Isles" Caribbean itinerary aboard the Legacy for January departures. The six-night cruises, which depart from either St. Maarten or Tortola, start at $799 per person double; price usually starts at $1,300. The cruise stops in Anguilla and at several destinations within the British Virgin Islands, including Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Norman Island. Info: 800-327-2600, http://www.windjammer.com/.

AIR

* Cathay Pacific's"Deal of the Month" is an $899 round-trip fare ($959 with taxes) from New York to Bangkok. The fare must be purchased at http://www.cathay-usa.com/dotm by Dec. 31 and is good for travel Jan. 1-March 31. The fare on other airlines starts at about $1,082 round trip.

* Lufthansa has sale fares from Washington Dulles to Frankfurt, Germany. The round-trip price is $318 (plus about $140 taxes). Buy tickets by Dec. 19. Cheapest fares available for midweek travel. Depart by March 24 and return no later than March 31. Seven-day advance purchase is required. Details: 800-399-5838, http://www.lufthansa.com/.

PACKAGES

* Tourcrafter's "Estruscan Trail" package starts at $860 per person double plus $266 taxes and fuel surcharge for travel through Dec. 25, or from Jan. 11 to March 31. The six-night trip includes round-trip airfare from Washington to Rome, three nights at the four-star Hotel Beverly in Rome, three nights at the Arco Naturale Country House in Cetona, three-day car rental and breakfasts. Upgrade to the five-star Regina Baglioni in Rome and the four-star Villa II Patriarca in Chiusi for $286 extra per person. Book by Dec. 15 for lowest prices. Priced separately, the tour in March, for example, would start at about $638 for airfare, $1,255 for the hotels and $224 for the car, for a savings of about $504 per couple. Reservations: 800-482-5995, http://www.tourcrafters.com/.

* Funjet Vacations has a "Free Flights, Free Nights" sale to destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico. The deal, which must be booked by Dec. 21, is good for travel in January. For example, a package to Cancun with nonstop airfare from Dulles on United and three nights at the all-inclusive Hotetur Beach Paradise is $615 per person double. Priced separately, air would cost about $420 and the hotel about $622, for a savings of about $232 per couple. Book through a travel agent or at http://www.funjet.com/.

-- Carol Sottili

Prices were verified and available on Thursday afternoon when the Travel section went to press. However, deals sell out quickly and are not guaranteed to be available. Restrictions such as day of travel, blackout dates and advance-purchase requirements sometimes apply.

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