Love is in the air: Consumers have been rushing to claim cheap travel vouchers being offered in the We Love HK campaign created by the newly formed Tourism Coalition of Hong Kong. According to Cathay Pacific, 200 of its 2,000 return tickets to Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul and Denpasar, costing $1,000, have already been snapped up.
Meanwhile, Star Cruises has discounts of up to 50 per cent on certain packages, including day cruises and weekend trips. To qualify for these you need to spend at least $1,000 at 'Participating Merchants' - which include 80 local hotels, 1,300 travel agents, 38 restaurants, 30 retailers and all taxis - before the end of May (a maximum of $300 out of the $1,000 must be retail spend), then bring your receipts to the respective Award Merchant redemption counters. Participants include Ocean Park, which is offering 50 per cent off entry fees to mothers accompanying their children; Esprit, which will give a 90 per cent discount on any second item purchased; and TGI Friday, which is offering a 30 per cent discount on all bills (excluding set menus).
Cruise news: Silversea, ranked the world's best small ship cruise line last year for the fourth time by Travel + Leisure magazine, for seven consecutive years by Conde Nast Traveler (US) and for the fourth consecutive year by Conde Nast Traveller (UK), has offers of between 55 and 60 per cent off its usual rates. Discounts are available on voyages between Athens and Monte Carlo (May 3-Jun 8); Monte Carlo and London (Jun 23-Jul 5; Sep 4-16); London and Monte Carlo (Jul 26-Aug 7; Sep 16-28); and Bordeaux and Dublin (Aug 24-Sep 1). For example, prices for its 12-day voyage between London and Monte Carlo (docking in St Malo, Lisbon, Cadiz, Malaga, Barcelona and Marseille), start at $27,596 a person down from $65,481, based on double occupancy.