From Irish diamond deals to Algarve boot camps, Joan Scaleshas the best of the week's offers
OVERSEAS BREAKS:
Cruise the Caribbean: from €999 per person sharing
Find the winter sun on a cruise of the eastern Caribbean on Holland America's newest liner, Eurodam, which carries 2,000 passengers. During February and March the ship will be sailing each week from Fort Lauderdale, in Florida, visiting the Turks and Caicos Islands (above), St Thomas, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. One of the liner's unique features is the Culinary Arts Centre, with a show kitchen for cookery displays, a must-see for food and wine lovers. Prices are from €999pps, including flights from Ireland and a night in Fort Lauderdale. www.e-travel.ie, 01-4081999.
Put the healthy boot in: €950
Spring boot camps with Free Range Holidays should chase away winter blues and ensure you get into shape by pushing yourself to the limit each day. Combining yoga, hiking, resistance training and gourmet vegetarian food, the five-day camps take place in the Algarve, in Portugal. Prices start at €950. www.freerangeholidays.com, 086-8377171.
Escorted tour of Norway: €2,349
Project Travel has designed an escorted tour of Norway for a week in July. The tour begins in Oslo, the capital, then continues by rail, road and ferry to the country's second-largest city, Bergen, on the southwest coast, to explore some of Norway's fjords. A night on a Hurtigruten coastal ship will give you an opportunity to explore from the sea. Prices from €2,349. www.project-travel.ie, 01-2108391.
Chicago return: from €285
American Airlines' January sale, which runs until the end of the month, has offers to six American cities. Prices for return flights from Dublin are Chicago for €285, New York for €289, Orlando for €349, San Francisco for €359, Los Angeles for €509 and Miami for €557. Fares include taxes and charges and are valid for travel from now until June 30th and from September 1st to 30th, excluding April 1st-10th, for Easter. www.aa.com, 01-6020550.
Sydney by Airbus: €919
Be among the first to experience the new Airbus 380, the biggest and most comfortable way to travel to Australia with Singapore Airlines. Australian Holidays has a fare of €919, including taxes and charges, to Sydney for travel between April 12th and June 15th. www.australianholidays.ie, 01-4350019.
BMI business fares: from €281
Better for Business fares from BMI mean you can travel from Dublin via London Heathrow to Moscow from €281, Cairo from €424, Amman from €612 and Los Angeles from €422. Prices include taxes and charges and a 20kg luggage allowance. www.flybmi.com.
Week in Europe: from €359
The snow is falling all over Europe, and Crystal Holidays promises to help you beat the January blues with a week in La Plagne, in France, Sauze d'Oulx, in Italy, or Mayrhofen, in Austria, from €359. Flights from Dublin and Cork. www.crystalholidays.ie, 01-4331080.
HOME BREAKS
Book a break and win a €7,500 rock
With St Valentine's Day barely a month away, the Meyrick Hotel, in Galway, is one of several hotels giving away diamonds. The Meyrick has teamed up with A Hartmann Son to offer the chance to win a €7,500 diamond to be set in a ring or pendant. Each couple that books a Valentine's package will receive a key to a box at Hartmann's jewellery store. The package, including wine and chocolates, dinner and a spa treatment, costs €239pps. www.hotelmeyrick.ie, 091-564041.
Diamond break for Valentine's
In Westport, Co Mayo, couples spending St Valentine's weekend at the Castlecourt and Westport Plaza hotels will receive a piece of jewellery from Murtagh's Jewellers, and one lucky person will win a diamond ring. Two nights' BB, with dinner one night, costs €199 at the Castlecourt and €219 at the Westport Plaza. www.westporthotelsresort.ie, 098-55088.
Go Off the Rails in Co Wicklow
Marriott Druids Glen Hotel, in Co Wicklow, is hosting a wedding evening with fashion shows compered by Brendan Courtney of Off the Rails. There will be style tips, bridal wear by Anne Gregory and hair, make-up and spa tips from the Powder Room. You can make a night of it and stay over from €50 per person sharing, including breakfast. Tickets from Nessa Kearney on 01-2870811.
Cooking up some beauty products
Ballyknockan House and Cookery School in Glenealy, Co Wicklow, is running a course on how to make beauty and spa products. Emma Arkley, director of Therapy Aroma, will show you show to whip up your own skincare lines and pampering treatments. The course, on March 5th, costs €110. Stay overnight and enjoy the Ballyknockan experience for €63 per person sharing. www.thecookeryschool.ie, 0404-44627.
Seal the deal at Dublin's Dylan
The five-star Dylan hotel, in Dublin, has business packages with a choice of additions to make your day run more smoothly: complimentary wireless broadband, laptop hire, shirt and blouse pressing, shoe shining, newspaper and orange juice. From €209 per room per night. www.dylan.ie, 01-6603000.
Please bear in mind that offers are subject to availability