From sailing to Iceland to a Dublin musical break, JOAN SCALEShas the week's best offers
DEAL OF THE WEEK
11-night cruise to Iceland: from €1,505pps
You might be inspired by two cruises on Spirit of Adventure in May and June. Fly to Malaga, in Spain, on May 12th to join the ship for the eight-night Celtic Odyssey, travelling around the Iberian peninsula, Brittany, the Isles of Scilly and the Waterford coast before docking in Dublin. Prices are from €1,362pps, including flight. In June the ship will pick passengers up in Dublin for an 11-night trip to Iceland (above) from €1,505pps. Events include a lecture programme and shore excursions that delve into the heritage of each destination. www.jgt.ie, 01-2076555.
OVERSEAS DEALS
Easter airfares: from €80
If you decide to head off for Easter at the last minute, then there are still some great deals out there. Aer Lingus and Ryanair have good value on routes to numerous cities. Fares to Glasgow, London Gatwick, Aberdeen, Manchester, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Newcastle, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Tampere, in Finland, cost between €80 and €200. Combine a flight with Lastminute.com's Big Spring Sale and you could stay in a lovely hotel for half-price.
Self-catering: from €360
Trident Holiday Homes, with 60 locations around the country, still has properties available for Easter weekend. Three bedrooms self-catering from €390; two bedrooms from €360. 01-2018464, www.tridentholidayhomes.ie.
Beautiful Lake Bled: from €569
Crystal Holidays has a trip to magical Lake Bled, in the Julien Alps in Slovenia. The trip includes flights to Ljubljana and lakeside accommodation at the Park Hotel, departing on June 3rd, from €569pps. You'll also get afternoon tea each day, an excursion to the mountains, a boat trip on Lake Bohing and entrance to Bled Castle. 01-4331080,
www.crystalholidays.ie.
Camp in France: from €613
Siblu Holidays, a French campsite specialist, says it is making it easier for families to book a break with its "total confidence" guarantee. Deposits are from €25, with the option to pay the balance monthly. Redundancy insurance is included. Prices in July for a family at a Siblu resort start at €613 for a week. 0818-274097, www.siblu.ie.
Kids fly free with Malev
Malev Hungarian Airlines is including free tickets for children with bookings made until April 15th. Two children under 12 can fly free with an adult. www.malev.com.
London living: from €197
Phoenix House, which offers luxury serviced apartments and studios in Chelsea in London, has reduced its April rates to £178.25 (€197) per night, with an organic welcome hamper, free Wi-Fi and a 20 per discount at Le Cercle restaurant. www.chevalgroup. com, 00-44-20-72598222.
Fly to Jo'burg: from €528
April specials from Swiss, flying from Dublin via Zurich, include flights to Mumbai from €455, Johannesburg from €528, Hong Kong from €582 and Tel Aviv from €397. Fares are for travel until September 5th. www.swiss.com.
Spanish break: from €249
Short breaks over the May bank holiday with Budget Travel include five nights from April 29th to Salou, in Spain, and four nights from April 30th for €249pps. www.budgettravel.ie.
Costa sale: from €189
Falcon Holidays is having a sale over Easter for departures in May and June. The offer, which runs until April 17th, includes packages to two-star self-catering and four-star all-inclusive hotels. A week on the Costa Dorada, in Spain, in May costs from €189. 1850- 946164, www.falconholidays.ie.
HOME DEALS
Disney stay and play: from €330
Fancy bringing the children to Dublin over the Easter holidays to see Disney’s High School Musical at the Gaiety Theatre? The Fitzwilliam Hotel, around the corner on St Stephen’s Green, has family rooms that sleep four from €330 per night, including tickets for the show. Dinner at the Fitzwilliam costs €25 per person for three courses. 01-4787000, www.fitzwilliamhotel.com.
Belfast W5 package: €330
Take the family to Belfast between next Friday and April 16th for two nights and the Malone Lodge Hotel will include a family ticket to visit the W5 science museum. It will also add hide Easter eggs in its two-bedroom apartments. The price of £298 (about €330) for two nights includes a two-course meal in Macklin’s Bar. 048-90388060, www. malonelodgehotelbelfast.com.
Easter night: from €39
Tower Hotels has an Easter offer of rooms from €39pps in its four hotels in Dublin and Waterford. www.towerhotel group.ie.
Artistic Mayo: from €275
From April 24th to 26th, the Ice House Hotel, in Ballina, Co Mayo, and Ballina Arts Centre will showcase the best of local art and architecture. Works by Charles Tyrrell, Martin Gale and John Devlin will be on view at the Ice House. During the weekend there will be a tour of the Ice House, sketching lessons at the arts centre and a tour of the Foxford Woollen Mills. The price of €275pps also includes a dinner at the Pier Restaurant. 096-23500, ww.theicehouse.ie.
Bubbly break: from €399
Tankardstown House, in Co Meath, has made it on to Condé Nast Traveller’s list of the best houses to rent in the UK and Ireland. To celebrate, it has a champagne break, with two nights’ bed and breakfast, dinner one evening, a half-hour back massage or mini-facial and a bottle of bubbly for €399 for two sharing. 041-9824621, www.tankardstown.ie.
Cork city stay: from €25
Fitzgeralds Vienna Woods Hotel, in Cork, is offering Sunday nights for €25pps until May 31. 021-4556800, www.viennawoodshotel.com.
Please bear in mind that all offers are subject to availability