Sunday, April 6, 2008

LAND

· Bolongo Bay Beach Resort in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, is offering special rates during Carnival today through April 26. Daily room rates are discounted by 20 percent, now starting at $240 (plus 15 percent tax and service charges, and $5 per-day energy surcharge). All-inclusive stays are discounted by 10 percent. Info: 800-524-4746, http://www.bolongobay.com.

· A Family Spring Fling package at Marina Inn at Grande Dunes in Myrtle Beach, S.C., is available through April 30. For $697, including $99 taxes, a family of four receives a two-bedroom suite for two nights, breakfast, four tickets to Brookgreen Gardens and four tickets to a choice of attractions, including NASCAR SpeedPark. Priced separately, the deal would cost about $870. Two-night minimum required. Info: 877-913-1333, http://www.marinainnatgrandedunes.com.

· Five Apple Core hotels in Manhattan are offering a Circle the Big Apple package through April 30. Deal for two starts at $228 per night (plus about $34 taxes) and includes accommodations, breakfast and two-hour Circle Line cruise. Priced separately, room alone (before taxes) starts at $225 to $295 per night, depending on property, and cruise is about $27 each. Info: 800-567-7720, http://www.applecorehotels.com/promos/circle.

· Celebrity Cruises is offering shipboard credits of $200 per cabin on all European cruise tours in 2008, and $300 per cabin on seven South America and 12 Australia/New Zealand cruise tours in 2008 and 2009. Prices vary by itinerary. For example, a 14-night Mediterranean tour, which includes three nights' hotel in Rome and Florence and an 11-night cruise round trip from Rome departing Nov. 21, starts at $6,134 per couple, including taxes and fuel surcharges. Book by April 30. Info: 800-647-2251, http://www.celebritycruises.com.

· Rent a 59-foot deluxe houseboat (sleeps 10) for five days from Forever Resorts at a discounted rate of $1,195 (plus 7.75 percent sales tax and $500 refundable security deposit), a savings of $1,600 to $2,000. Deal is good through Dec. 31 at lake destinations in Arizona, Nevada, California and Missouri. Book by April 30. Info: 800-255-5561, http://www.foreverhouseboats.com.

· Cruise Holidays of Alexandria is offering $300 per-person discounts, plus $300 per-cabin shipboard credits, on the Jan. 7 Oceania Cruises' Nautica voyage from Sydney to Auckland, New Zealand. After discount, the 15-night cruise starts at $4,299 per person double (plus $390 port charges and ship fuel surcharge, and $425 air taxes and air fuel surcharge) and includes round-trip airfare from Washington Dulles. Info: 866-368-7327, http://www.yourcruisesource.com.

· Virgin America is offering introductory fares on its new service to Seattle. Round-trip fare from Washington Dulles (connecting in Los Angeles) is $320, including $42 taxes, for travel through June 11. A 21-day advance purchase is required; purchase by April 8. Fare on other airlines starts at about $350. Info: 877-359-8474, http://www.virginamerica.com.

· Expedia is holding a Tax Rebate Incentive sale, offering $200 savings on spring trips to U.S. cities and hotel discounts of up to 30 percent. For example, a week-long package to Las Vegas in mid-May, with nonstop flights from BWI and accommodations at the Hotel at Mandalay Bay, is $1,016 per person double after discounts. Priced separately, the package would cost $1,318. Book by April 21, and travel by May 31. Log in at http://www.expedia.com and request code TAX200 to receive the discount; trip must cost at least $1,800 per booking, with a five-night minimum stay. Info: 800-551-2534.

· Azores Express has discount packages to the Azores, a group of islands about 1,000 miles off the coast of Portugal. A six-night trip with round-trip nonstop airfare from Boston and accommodations at the Hotel do Colegio on the island of Sao Miguel costs $1,259 per person, including taxes. Priced separately, package would cost about $1,413. Deal is good through June. Info: 800-762-9995, http://www.azores-express.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.