DEILMANN EXPANDS GARDEN CRUISE PROGRAMS ON EUROPEAN RIVER AND OCEAN SAILINGS


PROVENCE, NORMANDY, DANUBE REGION GARDENS ON RIVER ITINERARIES, ENGLAND, IRELAND, FRANCE, MEDITERRANEAN ON OCEAN SAILINGS

NEW YORK, Feb. 24, 2006 – Peter Deilmann Cruises is expanding its European garden theme cruises this year on its river ships sailing the Danube, Dutch and Belgian Canals, Seine, Rhone and Elbe rivers and on the ocean liner Deutschland sailings on Atlantic, Mediterranean and Baltic seas. The five Deutschland garden theme cruises offer free air from 16 U.S. gateways and the gardens visited are some of Europe’s most renowned in countries from the Baltic to the Mediterranean.

Travelers can select from six river cruises, including two on the five-star Mozart sailing the Danube, April 16-23 and Sept. 24-Oct. 1. French gardens are visited on two river cruises – the Seine on the Cezanne, June 17-24, and the Rhône and Saône rivers on the Princesse de Provence, June 24-July 1. Participants on the five-star Heidelberg cruise roundtrip from Amsterdam on the Rhine, July 22-29, visit Dutch and Belgian cottage gardens, while those on the five-star Dresden tour classic gardens in Germany’s Saxony and Elbe River regions, Sept. 23-30.

River ships dock right in the heart of town and Deilmann pre-arranges all aspects of the gardening shore excursions – transfers, entrance fees, meals or snacks, local guides, etc., together with the services of an experienced gardening escort. The seven-night garden cruise packages start at $1,945 per person for an outside twin cabin. Air fare is additional.

There are five gardening theme voyages on the five-star Deutschland with the first one to Italy and Sardinia, April 11-24. A Mediterranean and Atlantic sailing from Malaga to Hamburg, May 5-18, visits gardens in Spain, Morocco, Portugal and France. Other sailings feature gardens in England, Ireland and Scotland, May 25-June 9, Germany England and Ireland, Aug. 11-25, and the German Isle of Rugen, St. Petersburg, Tallin, Stockholm, Riga and Copenhagen, Aug. 27-Sept. 10. The programs include garden shore excursions, the services of a gardening escort and onboard gardening seminars. Rates for a 12-night garden ocean cruise start at $4,752 per person, twin occupancy, including free air.

Gardens along the Seine

The “Gardens Along the Seine” river cruise tour on the Cezanne, roundtrip from Paris, June 17-24, explores the Royal Gardens at Versailles, the terrace garden of Chateau de Filiere with its canals and parks, the abbey garden of the Cloister of Saint-Wandrille, the private garden d’Angelique at Montmain, the French garden of Saint-George Abbey and Monet’s garden in Giverny. The five-star Cezanne is participants’ hotel in Paris for two nights and then sails on to Les Andelys, Le Havre, Caudebec en Caux, Rouen and Vernon. The eight-day garden cruise package rate starts at $2,745 per person for an outside twin and $3,375 for a single in a twin cabin.

On the Provencal “Gardens Along the Rhône and Saône Rivers” cruise tour, June 24-July 1, the four-star Princesse de Provence sails roundtrip from Lyon and excursions include the rose garden of Saint Nicolas in full bloom; the formal garden of Chateau de la Chaize; the Jardin de la Maison de Sante painted by Van Gogh; the Italian-style country estate garden of the Chateau de Brantes and a private garden at Sainte Andre-Abbey. Prices for this eight-day garden cruise tour start at $2,020 per person for an outside twin.

Depending on the itinerary, non-gardening river cruise companions deduct between $450 and $650 from the garden cruise price. Deilmann arranges hotel stays, other shore excursion packages, air transportation, meet and greet service and transfers between airports and ships for all river cruises.

Summer Gardens in England and Ireland

The “Summer Gardens in Southern England and Ireland” theme cruise on a 14-day Deutschland sailing roundtrip from Hamburg, Aug. 11-25, features on board morning seminars, Sissinghurst Castle Gardens, Thames River gardens and parks, subtropical gardens on Garinish Islands, the forest landscape garden of Ardnamona, 18th century Castle Ward Garden of Belfast and the baroque Dillon villa garden in Dublin. Package prices start at $5,505 per person twin for this 13-night cruise including free air transportation from New York and 15 other U.S. cities.

Air supplements cost just $60 to $70 from 19 Midwest cities and $150 to $170 from 13 cities in the West. For those passengers arranging their own air, there is a $750 reduction from the cruise fare. In addition to the free and low-cost air transportation, the Deutschland gardening theme cruises include the cruise, airport transfers, local transportation, entrance fees, meals and snacks, if applicable, local guides and a noted landscape architect as tour escort. Non-gardening companions deduct between $700 and $800 from these garden theme ocean cruises.

Other Deilmann theme cruises this year offer golf, music, equestrian and cycling tours. Gardening buffs can view and download the day-by-day itineraries of each gardening program and cruise in the 2006 Garden Programs brochure by logging on to www.deilmann-cruises.com. Full details are available from travel agencies or Peter Deilmann Cruises at 1-800-348-8287 or by e-mail at pdcmail@deilmann-cruises.com.