"Euro-Stretcher" Special Offers for Barges in France
(... and England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Germany, Italy, too!)

"EURO-STRETCHER" SPECIAL OFFERS for the 2008 season are detailed in the listing, below. Call or email us for personal assistance in selecting the hotel barge that best matches your interests, needs, and price. You can rely on our eleven years of experience and thousands of hours aboard all of the barges in France and the rest of Europe to give you candid, honest and thorough answers to all of your questions, and to guide you to the experience of a lifetime.

"Two-for-One" Special is offered aboard the six passenger Meanderer, cruising in the Upper Loire region of Burgundy, for the cruise week of May 25-31, 2008. Click here for further details.

Just released cabins! Note that the 20-passenger LITOTE, cruising the rural Burgundy Canal in France, has just opened up one double cabin and two twin cabins on the upper deck of the May 24-30, 2008, cruise week. Great opportunity for a biking, walking and relaxing cruise at $2,415 per person, based on double occupancy.

Note: All prices are quoted and payable in US Dollars.

ELISABETH: New cabins! Chocolate and Wine Cruise!

The hotel barge ELISABETH, cruising on the beautiful Canal de Bourgogne and Canal du Nivernais for the 2008 season, completely rebuilt all of the cabin and salon space early this year so that all cabins are now equal size and more spacious compared with Elisabeth's previous layout. As a result, all cabins are new and roomier, and allow side-by-side twin or double (queen) bed configuration. Combined with ELISABETH's outstanding reputation for great cuisine, and exceptional guiding of excursions, including cave painting excursions in France, this transformation makes Elisabeth all the more appealing! May 2008 cruise weeks feature a "Chocolate and Wine Cruise in Burgundy." For full details Click here for Elisabeth's Chocolate and Wine Itinerary.

Tulip Cruises in Holland: If you've not experienced the Keukenhof in Holland in the Springtime, with hundreds of thousands of tulips, book now for your Tulip Cruise in 2009. Most cruise weeks are still available for NEXT YEAR's tulip cruise season (mid March to mid May), but call or email us soon to ensure that your desired dates are available. Select from the following luxury hotel barges: 8-passenger Absoluut2 12-passenger Marjorie II 8-passenger Nouvelle Etoile 12-passenger Savoir Faire Don't miss the amazing display of thousands of tulips at Keukenhof (which is open the third week of March through the third week of May each year), the Aalsmeer flower market with up to a million flowers auctioned daily, up-close-and-personal encounters with the art works of the Dutch masters, the town of Gouda and cheesemakers, and the classic artistry of Delft's pottery works where porcelain is still handmade and painted. Priceless memories! Prices include Amsterdam transfers, all meals, guided excursions, wines with meals, and bar drinks. Call or email now to book your 2009 Tulip Cruise.

Open 7 days a week! Call 1-877-642-2743 (outside US/Canada: phone 001.443.321.3614)

Go Barging in France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, Germany, or Italy to see why everyone says this is the most pampered experience along waterways of incredible beauty. MOST BARGE CRUISES ARE ALL INCLUSIVE: Unless noted, all canal and river cruises are seven days and six nights. The majority start their cruise on Saturday or Sunday afternoon. The all-inclusive trip price includes all meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), alcoholic beverages, transfers, and excursions, except where noted. Most French barge cruises in Burgundy include transfer from and to Paris in their price (some even on the TGV train), whereas barges in the Canal du Midi, for example, typically don't include transfers from Paris. In Ireland, Scotland, England, Holland, Belgium, Germany, and Italy, prices usually include transfers from and to the major gateway airport or hotel or train station. "Value season" is typically early April and end of October, and July and August for some barges; "regular season" is all the remaining months. Call or email.

MORE ABOUT BARGES and SPECIAL OFFERS: While most barges have increased prices for 2008 compared with the last two years, most hotel barge prices have increased modestly in comparison with the euro-dollar exchange rate and hotel barges are still are one of the best values in European travel, helping to insulate you from the US dollar vs. Euro exchange rate gap and gas price increases!

This edition of our specials page highlights offers for the 2008 season and provides additional suggestions for special cruises -- including Spring Tulip Cruises in Holland, a fabulous cruise in Burgundy for chocolate and wine lovers, and cruises for runners, walkers, cyclists, golfers, antique-hunters, as well as cruises with emphasis on special interests, including garden cruises, archaeology, history, etc. If you've never cruised aboard a hotel barge, now is the time to discover why hotel barges are the best kept secret in travel!

If you've ever thought about cruising the canals of France (or waterways in England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Germany, and Italy) and being pampered like you've never imagined -- call toll-free from US/Canada at 1-877-642-2743, or email us at info@SpecialPlacesTravel.com to discuss "the best kept secret in travel" -- a vacation experience like no other! (Outside US/Canada, call 001.443.321.3614 or email.) We suggest you call early, since 2008 and 2009 season bookings are strong ... while most of the most popular weeks are already sold out on some barges -- though there are still many openings. So if you are considering cruising in 2008 or 2009 or beyond contact us soon!

All special price offers apply only to new bookings, and are subject to availability. Unless otherwise noted, all prices are in US Dollars. For a full description of each hotel barge listed on this page, click on the barge name.

Are you thinking of planning a family reunion, high school or college reunion, family celebration of a special anniversary or birthday? We will work with you to make the most memorable lifetime event for groups of 4 to 50. Do you have at least nine people who MIGHT go, but the group may expand to more, where you would like flexibility to eventually accommodate, 14, 16, even 18 total passengers? If so, call or email us soon, and we will work with you to create the most perfect imaginable reunion or family/group celebration for anytime in the 2008, or 2009 season! Group sizes from 4 to 50!

Hotel barging offers something for everyone:

• Garden Tours/Tulip Cruises, especially springtime in Holland with visits to Keukenhof!
• Barge Cruises for Walkers -- featuring casual or vigorous walking programs
• Golf and Tennis Cruises -- the most memorable golf or tennis cruise you'll ever experience.
• Running and Cycling Cruises -- create your own runners or cycling barge week, or join a formal cycle tour. For details, see http://www.bargecycle.com: Cycle Tour Ideas: Barges in France and elsewhere in Europe
  Cycling can be as vigorous or as easy as you want -- and there are a lot of possibilities from formal cycle tour weeks, to creating impromptu cycling on your own. Call or email to help decide.
• Gourmet cuisine showcase weeks -- All barges provide exceptional dining experiences from on-board chefs, and some barges offer restaurant touring as well. Special gourmet cruise weeks on some barges raise the gourmet emphasis to an even higher level. Special cooking classes can also be hosted on some barges either for on-board demonstrations, or visiting local chefs in local chateaus or restaurants. Call or email to set up your Gourmet Cruise week.
• Wine connoisseurs go barging! -- All the hotel barges in France and elsewhere in Europe feature excellent wines through the cruise week, and most offer visits to wineries. A few barges offer special wine cruises with premier cru and grand cru tastings and winery visits. Call or email for information.
• Antique hunters cruise weeks -- A few barges offer special antique cruise weeks with outstanding opportunities to discover a wide range of antique items, led by a veteran antique shopper. Call or email to arrange!

Special Places Travel, LLC "Barges in France (and the rest of Europe) ... for the experience of a lifetime!" ™ For booking information, Phone (toll-free): 1-877-64-BARGE (1-877-642-2743) Outside of the U.S.: 001.443.321.3614 or E-mail: info@specialplacestravel.com

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