Early-booking savings on Red Sea with Elegant Cruises

You can save $300 per passenger off the regular rates on Elegant Cruises' new Red Sea cruise and land tours of Egypt and Jordan by booking by May 31, 2008.

Elegant's "Monasteries of the Lonely Desert" two-week cruise tours are offered in late December 2008 and in January and February 2009, with 10 departures either from Cairo or Amman, Jordan, aboard the 62-passenger M.S. Monet.

Egypt's Cairo, Luxor and Sharm El Sheikh and Jordan's Petra and Amman are all on the itinerary, which includes six nights aboard the Monet cruising the Gulf of Suez and Red Sea and a five-night land program. Excursions include visits to Egyptian monasteries, the temples at Luxor, a Bedouin village, and the ancient rock city of Petra, among others.

Prices (for bookings after May 31) start at $3,512 per passenger in double occupancy, or, for early bookings, $3,212 per passenger. If you'd like to take the cruise only, without the land portion, prices start at $2,706 per person, or $2,406 with the early-booking discount.

Unlike many cruises, these prices include all excursions -- a great deal.

You can also opt for a two-night pre- or post-cruise extension (with hotel, tours, and some meals) to Cairo for $560 per person double occupancy; you can take a $350 per person discount off the Cairo extension in lieu of the other early-booking discount if you wish.

Having experienced one of Elegant's M.S. Monet cruises down the coast of Croatia in the Adriatic, I can vouch for the quality of these voyages, from the excellent onboard accommodations and food to the historical and cultural lectures and friendly crew. The Monet's intimate size provides an opportunity to get to know everyone on board.

For more information or bookings, go to Elegant's website or call 800/683-6767 (e-mail info@elegantcruises.com).

Egypt photo courtesy of Elegant Cruises.