Latest News from our Partners

There’s Christmas Breaks and New Year Breaks, but how’s about a Twixmas Break to give you time to recover after the busy Christmas time and get geared up for 2020? Our friends at Warner Leisure Hotels offer all three types of breaks at their lovely country and coastal hotels. They are selling out fast however, so act now to book your escape and quote discount code PHCSILVER.

Christmas Breaks run from 23 – 27 December. Let someone else deck the halls, dress the tree, and peel the sprouts while you relax, have a spa treatment or take a country/coastal walk.

Twixmas Breaks run from 27 – 30 December giving you some much needed R&R after the busy Festive time.

New Year Breaks run from 30 December – 2 January 2020 allowing you to welcome in the New Year in style with fireworks and a New Year’s piper!

Holland America Line have some great deals on their website. Have a look at the Alaska cruise of the week on Koningsdam.
In fact you can explore Alaska, Europe or Canada & New England in summer 2020.
Book today with a £100 deposit and get FREE drinks on board! Plus, get offers valued at up to US$1,400 on select Alaska cruises, including a FREE White Pass Summit Scenic Railroad Excursion & more. The offer ends 3rd December.
Holland America Line offer more than 125 exciting itineraries covering Alaska, The Amazon, Asia & the Pacific, Canada & New England, the Caribbean, Europe, the British Isles, Hawaii & Tahiti, Mexico, the Panama Canal and South America – plus full round the world sailings.

To help increase visitors to this warm and welcoming country our friends at Selective Asia have arranged a 20% discount on all new bookings for their holidays to the country taken prior to 30 June 2020 (T&Cs apply).
Feedback from clients who have toured Sri Lanka over the past few months has been better than ever. "I just wanted to thank you again for helping with our dream holiday to Sri Lanka. We all had the most amazing time and I can honestly say that it was one of the best trips I have ever been on. We fell in love with Sri Lanka and could easily have spent another two weeks continuing to explore. The organisation was seamless and we really felt very well taken care of. Special thanks to our driver Chaminda who was always there on time with a warm welcome” says Kirsty who travelled in July 2019.

India assaults your senses and CroisiEurope has introduced a fascinating new cruise between Chennai, Sri Lanka and Mumbai allowing guests to discover Tamil Nadu and its old trading posts, Kerala with its backwaters, Goa with its many places of worship and finally, one of the richest states—Maharashtra, with its vibrant capital city Mumbai and the museum dedicated to Gandhi, known as the Father of the Nation.
The 10-night cruise onboard CroisiEurope’s 124 passenger new ocean ship, La Belle Des Océans, starts with an overnight in Chennai on 11th January 2020 and calls at Trincomalee, Colombo, Kochi and Goa before finishing with an overnight in Mumbai.

Discover the world with our award winning partner, Riviera Travel. Their exciting new collection of long-haul tours for 2020 includes North Japan – the Scenic Wonders of Hokkaido, a photographer’s dream with breathtakingly serene lakes, majestic mountains, striking waterfalls, lush forests and exceptional wildlife – 14 days from £4499 pp. You can also visit three of Central Asia’s most extraordinary cities: Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand on an 11-day Silk Road tour – from £2,299 pp. Request your free brochure.

Our partner Pettitts Travel offer a fabulous range of Asian River Cruises that provide the unique opportunity to visit special, remote or inaccessible places, retracing pioneering routes or navigating historic waterways in a comfortable and relaxed environment. Depending on your interests and the time you have available, the options are almost endless with journeys ranging from short cruises linking key sites or cities to longer more adventurous routes that travel to isolated regions. Whether wildlife viewing in North East India, visiting riverside villages in Cambodia and Laos or navigating Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, experiencing the Irrawaddy in Burma, relaxing on Kerala’s backwaters or exploring the upper reaches of the Chindwin, Pettitts Travel can help find you the perfect Asian river cruise.

If you love walking but are not so keen on venturing out during the chilly, damp winter days why not try one of these beautiful destinations? Our friends at Sherpa Expeditions have some great suggestions for winter walking trips in warmer climes:

A new destination is La Palma, the most north-westerly and the fifth largest of the Canary Islands, is a fascinating volcanic island. Madeira is a popular year-round destination with its lush levada walking trails. The Mediterranean island of Cyprus also offers some lovely winter walking.
Read more and learn about the special discounts for silver traveller club members.

Cyprus Delights, an 8-day tour from our partner Titan explores the island’s lovely beaches, delicious food, and impressive Roman remnants. Based on the scenic south-eastern coastline, you’ll discover a heritage of age-old crafts, from embroidery to beekeeping and olive oil production. You’ll also enjoy a meal in a traditional Cypriot taverna off the beaten tourist track. Departing 18 March 2020, the cost includes flights from London, 15 meals, excursions, visits and Titan’s VIP door-to-door tarvel service.Click here to see all Titan’s special offers.

There are some very good offers on the Avalon Waterways site at the moment including Late Availability and No Single Supplements so you can benefit from the great discounts available right now.
Prefer to do your research on paper, and leave notes in the margins? Order their latest brochures from the same page!.
Their private pick-up service arrives at your home to take you to your UK departure point and everything is included – right down to on-board gratuities.

Celebrate the 250th anniversary of the L’Opera Royal at Versailles next June with very special tour from our friends Travel for the Arts and save £100 with our exclusive offer. Their 4-night no-fly break includes:
Travel by Eurostar and coach transfer to your hotel in Versailles, just steps from the Palace
Walking tour of the city of Versailles
Visit to Monet’s Garden at Giverney
Opera and two recitals at the Palace.

Dates: 30 June – 4 July 2020. Limited availability so book your place now and quote ’Silver Travel Offer ’when booking to get your discount :

Hurtigruten’s new hybrid powered expedition cruise ship MS Roald Amundsen has once again made history – as the first ship ever named in Antarctica.

MS Roald Amundsen was officially named in spectacular surroundings in Chiriguano Bay on Brabant Island, Antarctica at 10am local time.
Hurtigruten, specially designed MS Roald Amundsen for exploring some of the most spectacular waters of the planet. The hybrid powered expedition ship honors her namesake’s legacy by taking guests to destinations such as Antarctica, Alaska and the Northwest Passage. Now she’s also the first ship in history named in Antarctica!

If the current Sir David Attenborough TV series inspires you to visit all seven continents, our partner G Adventures have the perfect tour. G Adventures is an adventure travel pioneer offering the widest selection of affordable small group tours, safaris and expeditions to more than 100 countries on all continents. Their Classic tours combine the support and security of group travel, unbeatable variety, and the flexibility to go off-script if the opportunity arises. If the Galapagos have always been on your wish list but you don’t fancy a cruise, take a look at their Upgraded Land Galapagos tour now priced from just £1,614 pp for a 20 January 2020 departure. Visit a giant tortoise breeding centre and explore the region’s colourful marine creatures with multiple snorkelling opportunities. Private speedboats, upgraded land accommodations, and a CEO/Naturalist Guide at the helm of the journey help your adventure run seamlessly.

Book an accessible holiday from Enable Holidays Early Bird Brochure by 30 November and as well as saving £100, you’ll have the chance to win one of five Christmas Hampers.

Their range of holiday destinations and city breaks worldwide include Madeira which, despite its mountainous persona, is full of accessible activities and attractions. Places of interest in Funchal, the island’s capital, include the ancient cathedral, theatre, town hall and attractive waterfront. The island’s cable car has been fitted with wheelchair access facilities, so you can take in some of the island’s most amazing views.

Enable Holidays are also able to provide many accessible tours, including the incredible Laurissilva Forest, where the wheelchair-friendly trail leads you to views of some of the most stunning landscapes on the island.

Accessible hotels include the delightful 4-star Porto Mare, surrounded by glorious subtropical gardens, with over 500 unique botanical species found and identified, as well as a beautiful orchid corner. Beside the lush greens of the hotel gardens, guests can enjoy the seaside promenade that connects the Lido area to the Câmara de Lobos town. There is also the Pestana Casino Park – a sophisticated oceanfront spa hotel close to the port. Get your brochure now.

Our partner Travel Editions understand that many silver travellers seek more from their holidays than a simple ‘fly and flop’. Their latest brochure of Special Interest tours is packed full of fabulous opportunities to explore the cuture and history of destination, sample and learn to cook local cuisine, spot and identify wild flowers on walks through stunning scenery, and much more.
For example, their 7-night Sicilian Culinary Experience includes three hands-on cookery lessons, wine-tasting, a visit to see Greek ruins, a cake-making demonstration and a relaxing afternoon at the seaside.
Their Wildflowers of the Peloponnese is a two-centre holiday that explores areas steeped in myth and legend with botanist Dr Alan Harrington. During spring the Peloponnese bursts into life in spring, its landscapes awash with colourful wild flowers and orchids including the tongue, bee, giant, provence and naked man! Order your brochure here.

If you’re organising a group party or day out for friends, family, work colleagues or hobby group, our partner Greatdays Travel Group can help. They have some fabulous lunch entertainment events planned across England for 2020 with singing, dancing, lots of laughter and some great food. These include Don’t Panic! A Dad’s Army themed lunch which is a light-hearted, sing-along, slapstick comedy show that’s guaranteed to have your group laughing all the way. Other events include Yesterday Once More – a tribute act to the Carpenters with a 3-course lunch and all their favourite hits such as Close to You, We’ve Only Just Begun and more. If you’re planning ahead to next Christmas there’s
The 70’s Snow Ball Christmas Party lunch. Put on your flares and platforms, and boogie to the Bay City Rollers, Queen, the Rolling Stones, and a whole host of your favourite 70’s hits at the Greatdays 70’s themed Christmas party lunch.
They also still have spaces available on their 2019 Christmas Beatles Show Parties in various destinations in November/December so if you’re planning a last minute fun get together, check out their availability.

As interest in sustainable travel rises, we’ve noticed that our clients are increasingly concerned with ways in which they can leave a lighter footprint on the environment while travelling, says Alastair McLean, MD of The Aurora Zone. Their new Pyhä – Tailor Made trip to Finland includes accommodation at the carbon-neutral Sunday Morning Resort and offers eco activities, such as electric snowmobiling and fatbiking (extra cost).

Sunday Morning Resort is in the most beautiful location next to the Pyhä-Luosto National Park on the shores of Lake Pyhä away from light pollution. This rustic lodge has only 4 double/twin rooms and 4 apartments, allowing you to have the perfect escape from day to day life while in Finland. And to top it off, it truly is a foodie’s paradise with their head chef cooking up all sorts of culinary delights while you wait for hopefully an aurora appearance.

The trip costs from £1,265 pp (two sharing), including direct flights (Gatwick), transfers, three nights’ half-board accomodation, cold weather clothing and an Aurora alert system.

The Principality of Andorra is a paradise for shoppers and fans of après-ski with an extensive choice of outdoor activities for all ages. Our partner Pierre & Vacances has some fabulous discounts this winter ski season in Andorrra. The Hotel Grand Pas in Andorra, just 50 metres from Grandvalira’s ski slopes – the largest skiable area in the Pyrenees.
The Residence Pas de la Casa Alaska is ideally located in the heart of El Pas de la Casa, a shopping and après-ski paradise, just 100 m from the ski lifts to Grandvalira.
The Residence Andorra Alba El Tarter, in the centre of the traditional village of El Tarter has 219 studios or apartments, contemporary in style and newly equipped to provide all the comforts you need for a pleasant stay. As an added bonus, some of them have a balcony.

Did you know that shopping on Guernsey is VAT-free? They also have a fantastic selection of jewellers offering unique pieces that make ideal gifts. Operating out of the Old Mill on the edge of St Peter Port, Catherine Best creates stunning jewellery often seen on the red carpet and Martyn Guille Silversmiths, situated by the famous Little Chapel, creates pieces that replicate the Guernsey ormer – a rare local shellfish.
Guernsey’s magical Christmas Market in St Peter Port also offers great opportunities for original gifts and hampers, and there is late night shopping in St Peter Port on Thursdays throughout December.
Plan your perfect festive shopping break on Guernsey with VisitGuernsey.

Enjoy a free 8 Bottle Luxury Mixed Wine Selection when you book a trip from Headwater Holidays’ new walking brochure by 22nd November 2019. Their new walking tours include delightful itineraries in the UK and Europe such as Walking in Mozart’s Lake District exploring ‘chocolate box’ villages in Austria’s Lake District with snow-capped peaks as a backdrop, crystal-clear lakes, babbling streams, tranquil shores and secluded bays
Luxury 4 star hotels throughout; swimming opportunities every day. Closer to home you can enjoy a Best of Cotswolds Walk visiting some of the finest North Cotswold villages with shorter walking days allowing you the maximum time needed to explore the villages and walk at a relaxed pace.
Learn more about Headwater here and simply quote VIRGINWALK20 at time of booking to enjoy your free case of wine Terms & Conditions apply.)

If you’d like to join a river cruise and are traveling solo, take a look at our partner One Traveller Holidays new brochure. You’ll enjoy 4 or 5 star cruise ships with sole occupancy of a double cabin. Prices include flights, all meals and drinks, and all excursions and tips.
Their current river cruise collection includes the Rhine, Moselle, Danube, Nile and Yangtze. Their fabulous Shanghai, Yangtze Cruise and Hong Kong spends 16 days covering a memorable itinerary through China to Hong Kong. Closer to home their Rhine, Moselle & Bulbfields cruise takes you through stunning European countryside. They mostly charter ships solely for use by their mature solo guests so you can be sure of being in like-minded company. Request your brochure.