small ship cruise around Japan

Windstar is one of my favorite cruise lines. Two things I loved about my Windstar experience — and what keeps Windstar guests returning for more: (1) the luxury small ship experience and (2) the creative itineraries.

Each week there's a special sale on seven selected cruises — and the sale lasts just seven days. This week's specials include an 11 day tour of Japan aboard the Star Breeze that really appeals to me. Passengers will have opportunities to...

• Discover the beauty of UNESCO site Mount Fuji, Japan's highest mountain, when you get to Shimizu
• Take in the scenery as you cruise around the abandoned island of Hashima, near Nagasaki
• Explore Shingu's UNESCO site Makimura-jinja Shrine, part of the Sacred Sites of Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range
• Respectfully remember "Never Again" at the Peace Memorial Parks of Nagasaki and Hiroshima
• Enjoy the cuisine of Hiroshima, with not-to-be-missed Okonomiyaki savory pancakes
• See the 16th century Osaka Castle, the city's main historic landmark

On sale is the September 20, 2020 sailing. Sale prices begin at $3299 per person for a Porthole Suite ... or, for just $100 more, I recommend you upgrade to an Ocean View Suite. And for an even better value, you can choose an additional perk — either a shipboard credit, an air credit, or unlimited WiFi.

Is there a cruise around Japan in your future? You'll need to book this special fare by Christmas — reach out to Team@OurismanTravel.com and we'll be happy to help.

copyright (c) 2019 by Ourisman Travel LLC. All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.

Le Meurice | Paris on sale in March and April

Le Meurice is my favorite hotel in Paris. It enjoys the perfect location for sightseers, right on the rue de Rivoli, overlooking the Tuilleries. You can cross the street to stroll in the park, and you're an easy walk from the Louvre, the musée d'Orsay, the place de la Concorde, and world-class shopping. I've always said that Le Meurice offers the best location in the heart of Paris.

And Paris is on sale, a casualty of the current financial recession. A Superior Room (375 square feet) at Le Meurice is just 345€ (about $438) during March and April, and that rate comes with these added-value amenities just by booking through a Virtuoso luxury travel consultant:

• daily Full Breakfast in the hotel's three-star Michelin restaurant
• upgrade on check-in to a Deluxe Room (430 square feet) if available
• a complimentary extra bed for a child under 14
• early check-in and late check-out if available
• exclusive welcome amenities

There are no catches to this sale, no pre-payment or deposit required, no rigid cancellation deadlines. You can cancel anytime up until 3 p.m. the day before your arrival, and you pay the hotel when you check out. These are unheard-of values for one of the great palace hotels in Paris, and these fabulous rates are currently available for March and April. Does this sound too good to be true? Just check it out and let me prove it to you.


Le Meurice (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2009 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
.