Titan HiTours launches escorted river cruise brochure

Titan HiTours, the escorted tours specialist, has unveiled its first brochure totally dedicated to escorted river cruises.

This constitutes the company's widest ever choice of escorted river cruises and features an enticing range of upmarket options on some of the world's grandest and most scenic waterways, including the Nile, the Danube and the mighty Yangtze, including ten brand new itineraries.

Each itinerary makes use of well-appointed river cruisers from a range of operators including Uniworld, Lüftner, Nicko Tours, Orthodox Cruises in Russia, Presidential Nile Cruises, Movenpick Nile Cruises, Victoria Cruises in China and St Lawrence Cruise Lines in Canada, offering comfortable staterooms, sumptuous cuisine and first-class entertainment along with the attentive services of knowledgeable, English-speaking Titan HiTours’ tour managers from start to finish.

Every Titan HiTours holiday is guaranteed to offer exceptional value for money, and the company's selection of escorted river cruises is no exception. Prices include flights, meals, a fantastic array of shore-based excursions and even door-to-door transfers from customers' own homes to their nearest airport. This VIP Home Departure Service is available for all passengers living in mainland England, Scotland and Wales (plus Northern Ireland, the Isle of Wight, Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man), meaning that Titan HiTours guests can enjoy complete convenience and peace of mind no matter where they live in the United Kingdom. In addition, early-booking discounts are available on several cruises within the brochure, providing even better value for money for those customers reserving their holidays in good time.

Although the Escorted River Cruises brochure features holiday options as far afield as Canada, China, Russia and Egypt, the widest choice of cruises is to be found on European waterways. In fact, Europe is the destination for all ten of the brand new itineraries. No less than four of these new additions incorporate a sailing on the River Danube, such as the 8-day Jewels of the Danube cruise that takes in the capital cities of Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest alongside monuments, castles and some truly stunning riverside scenery. The itinerary includes five shore excursions, of which a particular highlight is the tour of the Wachau Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage cultural landscape that represents one of Europe's most beautiful river valleys. This holiday costs from £1,295 per person, to include flights, transfers, full-board accommodation, sightseeing tours as detailed in the itinerary, port taxes and the VIP Home Departure Service. Customers who book this cruise before 30th November 2010 can enjoy an additional saving thanks to the early-booking discount of £100 per person, bringing the price down to £1,195 per person.

Also incorporating the Danube is the brand new, 15-day Grand European Voyage, which takes in the rich history and scenic splendour of both the Danube and the Rhine as they pass through five different countries and some of central Europe's most captivating cities and timeless countryside. Starting in Hungary, the cruise moves on through Slovakia, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands, stopping in Vienna, Bratislava, Nuremburg, Cologne and a host of other cities along the way. Particular highlights include walking tours of Regensburg (one of Germany's best-preserved medieval towns) and Amsterdam, which is the cruise's final port of call. There are three possible departure dates (in May, August and September), with prices starting at £2,295 per person (to include flights, transfers, full-board accommodation, sightseeing tours as detailed in the itinerary, port taxes and the VIP Home Departure Service).

Elsewhere in Europe, the Delights of Portugal's Douro River can be enjoyed on an 8-day voyage which travels upriver (and back) from Porto in Portugal to the Spanish boarder at Vega de Terron, and includes an overland excursion to the historic city of Salamanca. The Douro Valley possesses some breathtaking scenery and fascinating sights, from Porto’s ancient city centre (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) to the 14th Century monastery in Bitetos and the pretty little town of Pinhao, the epicentre of the Port winemaking industry. The holiday costs from £1,695 per person, to include flights, transfers, full-board accommodation, sightseeing tours as detailed in the itinerary, port taxes and the VIP Home Departure Service. There are four possible departure dates between April and September.

Customers looking to combine their cruise with a city-break stay might enjoy another new addition for 2011, the Images of the Elbe itinerary. Here, a seven-night river cruise is preceded with a two-night stay in Berlin, complete with city tour to uncover the key sights and monuments. The cruise then sets sail along the German Elbe, via Magdeburg and Dresden to the Czech Republic and on to the fascinating city of Prague. This holiday offers four possible departure dates and costs from £1,795 per person, to include flights, transfers, most meals (full-board on the cruise), sightseeing tours as detailed in the itinerary, port taxes and the VIP Home Departure Service. The price is also subject to an early-booking discount, with customers who book by 30th November 2010 enjoying a £100 per person discount, bringing the price down to £1,695 per person.

Those looking to travel a little further afield have a fantastic choice of cruise options on such legendary waterways as the Volga, Nile, Yangtze and St Lawrence Rivers. The Escorted River Cruises brochure offers outstanding value, leading in at £995 per person for the 8-day Egypt's Timeless Riches itinerary, which takes in the heartland of the Pharaohs on a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan. Highlights include visits to the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Karnak and the Aswan High Dam, while optional excursions include a tour of Abu Simbel, the magnificent temple that was painstakingly relocated stone-by-stone so as to save it from flooding following the construction of the Aswan dam. Departures are available in all but the hottest months of the year, with the price including flights, transfers, full-board accommodation, sightseeing tours as detailed in the itinerary, port taxes and the VIP Home Departure Service.

Commenting on the launch of the brochure, Marketing Director, Dan Whitehouse said, "Cruising is one of the fastest growing sectors of the UK travel market and our decision to launch this dedicated escorted river cruise brochure very much reflects the burgeoning demand for holidays afloat. With Tour Managers accompanying each group for the duration of the holiday, our escorted river cruise customers can sit back, relax and enjoy a hassle-free experience throughout - and as with every Titan HiTours holiday, value for money is absolutely guaranteed."

For details or to book, visit the website: titanhitours.co.uk