GOLF CRUISE
Trip Highlights
- 12 unique ports plus a late-night departure from Valletta, Malta
- Tee off at the top course on the Greek Islands, Crete Golf Club
- Play one of the world's oldest golf clubs, Royal Malta
- Explore 7 captivating islands in the Mediterranean
- Wander through Sicily's most remarkable archaeological site, the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis
- Discover historic sights on the 5th largest Mediterranean island, Crete
Itinerary
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Tues, Apr 28Embark Nice, France
Embark Azamara Journey beginning at 1:00PM. All aboard by 4:30PM.
Welcome Cocktails & Briefing this evening. Meet your fellow participants and PerryGolf staff.
At Sea
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Wed, Apr 29Portoferraio
Napoleon was once exiled to the island of Elba along with his household staff. Thanks to his little time-out here, the island enjoyed a golden age in the 1800s, when it was recognized as a prime location for the iron mills that brought prosperity to the area. Climb to the top of Medici Fortress, which was built in 1474, and you will be rewarded with sweeping views of the sea and the town below. Or take an open cable car to the peak of Mount Capanne for even more breathtaking views of the entire island, the Tuscan Archipelago, and the Mediterranean Sea.
Enjoy Portoferraio on your own or via Azamara Shore Excursions®.
At Sea
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Thurs, Apr 30Porto-Vecchio Sperone
The birthplace of Napoléon Bonaparte is also home to Sperone Golf Club, a Cabell B. Robinson (for Robert Trent Jones) design opened on the southernmost tip of Corsica in 1990. Many compare the setting to Pebble Beach and Cypress Point. In several very memorable spots, Sperone is that good. The solid front nine winds through rugged Corsican undergrowth to a number of small raised greens. Eleven plays down toward the ocean and a slender ledge green sandwiched between large boulders. Twelve is a testy 3 par across a rocky canyon to an elevated cliff-top green. It’s not a long layout so the round can be enjoyed with equal parts fun and photos!
Dating back to the 16th century, the fortified port town of Porto-Vecchio is now a Corsican resort destination. The Old Town district — with its cobblestone streets, charming buildings, and ruins of the ancient citadel — features fashionable shops, boutiques, and cafés while Porto-Vecchio’s modern marina offers ferry rides to Bonifacio and the Lavezzi Islands nature reserve, plus a variety of places to enjoy a local beverage harborside. Visit the Church of Saint Jean-Baptiste, the Bastion San Antonia, and the Porte Genoise Gate for panoramic views of the sea, mountains and surrounding valley, or enjoy an afternoon at one of Corsica's two most famous beaches, Palombaggia and Santa Guilia, located just south of Porto-Vecchio. As dusk settles, head to the Old Town’s Place de la République (main square) for its lively nightlife, bars, and restaurants.
Enjoy Porto Vecchio on your own or via Azamara Shore Excursions®.
At Sea
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Fri, May 1Cagliari
Enjoy a leisurely morning at sea.
Cagliari is the capital city of the Italian island of Sardinia. It’s known for the hilltop Castello, a medieval walled quarter situated high over the rest of the town. Architectural highlights include the 13th-century Cagliari Cathedral. Housed in a former arsenal, the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari displays bronze objects, Roman ceramics and artifacts from the Nuragic age to the Byzantine era.
Enjoy Cagliari on your own arrangements or via Azamara Shore Excursions®.
At Sea
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Sat, May 2La Goulette
Tunis is the sprawling capital of Tunisia, a country in North Africa. It sits along Lake Tunis, just inland from the Mediterranean Sea’s Gulf of Tunis. It’s home to a centuries-old medina and the Bardo, an archaeology museum where celebrated Roman mosaics are displayed in a 15th-century palace complex. The parklike ruins of ancient Carthage sit in the city’s northern suburbs.
Enjoy Tunis on your own or via Azamara Shore Excursions®.
At Sea
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Sun, May 3Valletta Royal Malta
The Royal Malta Golf Club is one of the world’s oldest, founded in 1888 by Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Torrens who took golf with him in his travels around the world with the army, having also set up Cape Golf Club in South Africa some years earlier. The club moved to its present location in 1904. The course is set in historical and landscaped grounds in the very heart of Valletta. The old Turkish cemetery which lies across the road is a reminder of the Great Siege of Malta by Ottoman troops in 1565. The apparent simplicity of the course is deceptive, as narrow fairways demand accuracy off the tee and its small and well bunkered greens require controlled approach shots.
The Lilliputian capital of Malta, Valletta, is one of the most concentrated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. But despite its small size (less than half a square mile!), we expect you’ll appreciate the extra time provided by this late departure to see everything the city has to offer. Head to Triq ir-Republika for shops, cafés, and bakeries serving up can’t-miss treats like pastizzi (filo pastry with ricotta) and ftira, a savory flatbread. St. John’s Co-Cathedral has an exterior that belies a stunning vaulted interior considered to be one of the finest examples of high Baroque architecture in Europe along with “the most beautiful floor in the world”. Thanks to the recent work of renowned architect Renzo Piano, including the City Gate and the Parliament House, the old city now exists in spectacular juxtaposition with the new.
Enjoy Valletta on your own or via Azamara Shore Excursions®.
At Sea
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Mon, May 4Mgarr
Mgarr is the main farming village in Malta, offering a traditional village centre with genuine local eateries, vast countryside with some spectacular views, and some of the best coastline on the island.
Mgarr is famous with the Maltese for being one of the best places to enjoy typical Maltese specialities such as 'stewed rabbit' and 'snails in garlic' in a more rural environment. If you are feeling adventurous enough to try these typical delicacies, dine at one of the small bars around the Parish Church of St Mary which serve typical Maltese food with no frills. For contrast, take a brief walk to Castello Zamitello on the road towards the picturesque Gnejna Bay.
Enjoy Mgarr on your own or via Azamara Shore Excursions®.
At Sea
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Tues, May 5Siracusa
The entire city of Siracusa (Syracuse), along with the Necropolis of Pantalica, was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005. The decision valued the monuments and archaeological sites here that are some of the finest examples of several cultural aspects; Greek, Roman and Baroque. The city was once one of the largest and most important in Western Civilization, rivalling Athens and Corinth in terms of size, trade and culture. Today it is a walkable wonderland of churches, amphitheaters, piazzas, shops and cafes. Be sure to visit Ortigia (Ortygia), the island settled by Corinthian colonists in 734 BC four years before the current city. It is Siracusa at its most charming, highlighted by the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, one of Sicily's greatest archaeological sites.
Enjoy Siracusa on your own or via Azamara Shore Excursions®.
At Sea
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Wed, May 6Taormina Il Picciolo
The highly scenic Il Picciolo course at the Mount Etna Golf Resort is the oldest course in Sicily, sitting in the shadow of Mount Etna. It was designed by renowned architect Luigi Rota Caremoli and is fashioned from the characteristic lava stone of Mount Etna. It has been a regular host to events on the Ladies European Tour and Men’s Senior European Tour.
The island of Sicily, just off the tip of the Italian boot is the largest in the Mediterranean. Mountainous and rugged, its highest point is the tip of that infamous firebrand, the still active Mt Etna at 10,900 feet. Farmland, enriched by volcanic soil, produces lush crops of olives, citrus, and grapes. Climbing higher, you’d find forests, the scars left by old lava flows, and eventually the crater where smoke and simmering lava is sometimes visible. Taormina is a lovely small medieval town perched on high cliffs, with spectacular views over the bay and rugged coastline below.
Enjoy Taormina on your own or via Azamara Shore Excursions®.
At Sea
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Thurs, May 7At Sea
Today it’s time to relax and reset. Make your reservations early for The Sanctum Spa, a world-class wellness facility offering a full range of health, beauty and restorative treatments. Complimentary fitness and nutrition classes are available along with a fully equipped gym on Deck 9 offering magnificent sea views. There’s room for everyone on the Pool Deck both in and out of the sun. Service to your lounge chair is available from The Pool Bar where the attentive staff is always ready to offer an inclusive cocktail, beer, bottled water, soft drink or fresh towel. The Patio restaurant serves casual fare during the day then completely transforms itself into a sit-down al fresco dining experience at night with table linens and candles. Elegant specialty dining is available for beef at Prime C and Italian at Aqualina. Windows Café serves casual buffet dining with every imaginable choice indoors and out at the sensational Sunset Bar.
What a way to spend a day!
At Sea
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Fri, May 8Heraklion Crete Golf Club
Golf remains an unusual sport in Greece, Crete Golf Club is the only 18-hole course on the island built to USGA specifications. And what a golf course it is. Designed by Bob Hunt from PGA Design Consulting in the UK, the 6,430-yard layout was carved out of difficult, mountainous terrain at a cost of €16.2 million! It’s a par 71 with five sets of tees and generous fairways. You’ll remember the par 3s, particularly No. 6 which plays over a deep gorge to a two-tiered green cut into the foot of a hillside.
Crete is the fifth largest Mediterranean island, located 160 miles south of the Greek mainland. Humans have inhabited the island for approximately 130,000 years. It was here in the Bronze Age around 2,000 BC where Europe’s first advanced civilization was developed by the Minoans. Their largest and most sophisticated settlement was Knossos, a palace located just 20 minutes outside of Heraklion, the largest city and capital of Crete, and one of Azamara’s newest ports of call. Along with Knossos, be sure to include a visit to the Archaeological Museum, regarded as one of the most important museums in Greece. The pedestrian only Daidalou Street is where you’ll find trendy shops boutiques and the chance to sample outstanding Greek cuisine like kaltsounia (sweet and savory cheese pie) plus and lamb with stamnagathi (a type of wild chicory).
Enjoy Heraklion on your own or via Azamara Shore Excursions®.
At Sea
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Sat, May 9Santorini
Santorini is the rock star of the Greek islands in the Mediterranean, or more specifically the Aegean Sea. As Azamara Journey approaches for her early morning arrival, you will no doubt recognize the preponderance of whitewashed clifftop structures perched along the top of this croissant-shaped island overlooking the massive caldera, or crater, created by one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history now filled with water. Fira and Oia are home to equally exceptional shops and cafes. Fira is famous for its donkey climb up 588 steps from the sea. Oia is where you’ll find Santorini’s trademark blue domed churches. Both boast some of the most striking vistas in the world.
Enjoy Santorini on your own or via Azamara Shore Excursions®.
At Sea
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Sun, May 10Disembark Athens, Greece
Disembark Azamara Journey 9:00AM.
Athens has quite a reputation to live up to. Named for Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, the city is credited with being the cradle of European civilization and birthplace of democracy. Ruins and relics of its glory days are scattered throughout the modern city, popping up where you least expect them. Its crowning glory is the Acropolis, perched atop a hillside, and covered in carved and columned temples of varying degrees of antiquity. Not quite so old is the Plaka, an appealing neighborhood for a stroll down cobblestone streets, past old mansions and a plethora of outdoor tavernas ideal for watching the world go by, while munching tasty Greek snacks.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Please note: Golf Cart supply is limited at Royal Malta Golf Club. Guests should be prepared to walk the course with pull trollies. Golf carts are allocated to those players in most need, that would not be able to play with the use of a cart. If you require a golf cart, please discuss with your Golf Travel Expert prior to booking.
Please note: Golf Cart supply is limited at Royal Malta Golf Club. Guests should be prepared to walk the course with pull trollies. Golf carts are allocated to those players in most need, that would not be able to play with the use of a cart. If you require a golf cart, please discuss with your Golf Travel Expert prior to booking.
Golf Courses
Ship
Azamara Journey
Specialty Restaurants
The Sanctum Spa
The Sunset Bar
Life Onboard
Owners Suite
Club Spa Suite
Azamara Cruises Ships
Click here to view more information about the intimate-sized ships of Azamara Cruises
Inclusions
Cruise Fare
- Accommodation in the suite or stateroom of your choice subject to availability
- All onboard meals, soft drinks, tea, coffee, and select standard spirits, beers, and wines in a variety of restaurants, cafes and bars
- An option to dine, at a modest supplement in either of the ship's two speciality restaurants, The Prime C Restaurant and the Aqualina Mediterranean Restaurant (complimentary for suite guests)
- Gratuities for housekeeping, dining and bar staff
- Shuttle service to and from port communities where available
- AzAmazing EveningsSM event
Golf Package
- Green fees and starting times for number of rounds as indicated and shared use of golf cart and/or caddies where available (refer to Itinerary for cart & caddie availability by course)
- All transfers to and from the scheduled golf courses in luxury air conditioned coaches
- Practice range facilities and golf balls where available
- Transportation, handling and cleaning of golf equipment for duration of voyage
- Welcome & Farewell cocktail parties onboard plus “Golfers Social” gatherings onboard where scheduling permits
- Light lunch at each golf course plus open bar for select standard beers, wines and spirits
- Casual tournament format with awards on one day
- All gratuities for golf related staff including drivers and golf bag handling staff
- Full-time PerryGolf program manager onboard and onsite at each golf venue
Important Information
- Golf Handicap Limit: Our golf tours and cruises visit courses with varying challenges, requiring players to meet a certain standard. To ensure an enjoyable experience among like-minded golfers, we set maximum handicaps of 28 for men and 36 for women.
- Golf Courses: Course lineup may be subject to change if a club hosts a conflicting event or for other reasons. In such cases, PerryGolf will endeavor to arrange a comparable course and notify guests promptly.
Not Included
- Airfare to/from destination
- Travel protection
Pricing (USD)
Select your cruise cabin and golf package to instantly view your total trip price in USD.
1. Select number of travelers
Pricing tool is for single cabin purposes only. Please select a maximum of two travelers.
2. Select cabin
Cruise fares reflect any current offers from Azamara Cruises that may be applicable to this departure.
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Suite 1 option from $13,609 per person
StateroomCategoryAvailabilityRate/personClub World Owners SuiteCWAvailable$13,609Club Ocean SuiteCOSold outClub Spa SuiteSPSold outClub Continent SuiteN2Sold outClub Continent SuiteN1Sold out
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Veranda 2 options from $6,069 per person
StateroomCategoryAvailabilityRate/personClub Veranda PlusP1Sold outClub Veranda PlusP2Sold outClub Veranda PlusP3Sold outClub VerandaV1Available$6,239Club VerandaV2Available$6,069Club VerandaV3Sold out
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Oceanview 2 options from $5,229 per person
StateroomCategoryAvailabilityRate/personClub Oceanview04Sold outClub Oceanview05Sold outClub Oceanview06Available$5,379Club Oceanview08Available$5,229
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Interior Sold out
StateroomCategoryAvailabilityRate/personClub Interior09Sold outClub Interior10Sold outClub Interior11Sold outClub Interior12Sold out
3. Select golf package
Not required for non-golfers.
4 Round Program
Royal Malta, Il Picciolo Golf Resort, Crete Golf Club, Sperone
$2,595 / Golfer
Total Package price: Select options above
Your Selections
- Please select from the options above.
Please refer to the Reservation Form for details regarding Deposit, Payment, Cancelation and Travel Insurance.
Book early: Secure the best suites and staterooms at best price. Cancellation fee is only $200 per person up to 300 days before departure.
FAQs
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What is PerryGolf's Golf Cruise background?
We have operated golf cruises since 1997 on a variety of vessels with the expertise developed providing custom land tours since 1984. In 2011 we offered our first golf cruises with Azamara Cruises whose fleet of 4 ocean liners have proven ideal for the purpose. Their fleet of boutique hotels at sea for less than 700 guests are large enough to offer every amenity yet small enough to navigate smaller harbors for premium docking space. Today we are delighted to partner exclusively with Azamara Cruises for our year-round schedule of worldwide golf cruises.
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Where do the golf cruises operate?
Our current portfolio includes voyages to the British Isles, the Baltic Sea, Norway, the Mediterranean, Australia & New Zealand plus South Africa.
The highest profile of these is our annual British Isles Cruise which combines attendance to the final weekend of The Open with play at collection of the finest and most revered golf courses of the British Isles.
While our golf cruise roster varies, as do the golf courses we visit, guests can expect to play many of the finest and best known courses around the world. Some of the venues which regularly feature in our cruises include:
- Portmarnock
- Royal Birkdale
- Gleneagles
- Royal Portrush
- Royal County Down
- Ailsa Course Turnberry
- Royal Dornoch
- Bro Hof Slot
- The Estonian
- Gorki Golf Club (Russia)
- Valderrama
- PGA Catalunya
- Terre Blanche
- Pevero
- Yas Links
- The Emirates
- Kauri Cliffs
- Cape Kidnappers
- Jacks Point
- New South Wales
- Fancourt
- Leopard Creek
- Buenos Aires Golf Club
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What format do the golf cruises follow?
Our golf cruises are a fully managed all-inclusive experience, delivered in a way that ensures exceptional guest satisfaction. All golf related arrangements and logistics are managed in advance and onsite by PerryGolf. Typically (although it varies dependent on individual itineraries), the golf cruise program will schedule golf on just over half of shore days, allowing golfers a balance of golf and sightseeing activities. Beyond golf, guests are free to explore on their own arrangements or via a variety of excellent shore excursion programs provided by our cruise partners. The ethos of the golf cruise program is to ensure the high level of service which guests enjoy onboard is extended to the golf experience off the ship. The program creates a stress free environment, allowing guests to relax and enjoy their cruise and the opportunity of playing some of the world’s finest and most memorable golfing venues, and to do so in the company of existing or like minded new found friends.
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What is included in the price of the Golf Cruise?
Our golf cruises are as all-inclusive as it is possible to be. Onboard, all accommodations, meals, entertainment, open bar (selected beers, wines, spirits and soft drinks) and gratuities are included. Off the ship, all greens fees, cart fees (or caddies at certain venues – excludes caddie gratuity), ground transportation, range balls, box lunch, open bar at respective clubhouses and gratuities are included.
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Should I take out travel insurance?
PerryGolf strongly recommends that you have luggage, accident and trip cancellation insurance. It is important for your own self-interest and protection that you make certain you have adequate coverage. Full details of the Travel Insurance that PerryGolf can make available to you is available here.
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What is a typical golf cruise group size?
The typical group size is approximately 40 golfers, with on average a further 10 non-golfing spouses.
Our cruises that include attendance to The Open are larger with approximately 150 golfers and a further 50 non-golfing spouses.
Some guests join our cruises as relatively self contained groups, eg 2 or 4 couples who know each other, and they will have their own golfing partners already arranged. Other guests travel as individual couples or single travelers and are seeking to meet and play golf with other guests. We will arrange golf pairings for these guests and through this a great many friendships are born. Non-golfing spouses are also perfectly catered for with a range of shore excursions available.
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What is a typical golf day?
We manage each guest’s golf equipment from start to finish. The equipment will be taken to the course in advance, loaded onto a golf cart (or be waiting with a caddie at certain venues) and be ready for each guest’s arrival.
Transfers from the ship are coordinated to ensure that each guest arrives at the golf course with ample time to warm up before play. A sandwich lunch is provided on the golf course, sometimes as a box lunch from the ship, or alternatively provided by the club. An open bar with snacks, soft drinks, beer or wine is always available during play, and the clubhouse bar operates similarly following play.
Following golf, guests are free to relax in the clubhouse to chat about their round and to experience the particular ambience before transferring back to the ship.
On one golf day during each cruise an informal competition will be held with prizes to be awarded in a ceremony taking place later onboard the ship.
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Tell me more about the golf program.
Every aspect of the golf program is fully managed by PerryGolf staff onboard and ashore. Your clubs will be ready and waiting at each venue. Tee times and pairings arranged and posted in advance. A convenient transportation schedule affords suitable time to warm up at the range, and to make the almost inevitable pro shop merchandise purchase. Where available by the venue – refer to the Itinerary for details – caddies are included (excluding caddie gratuity) for all our guests. A friendly competition is staged at a selected course, with prizes awarded at our farewell gathering. A snack lunch is included on-course plus an open bar operates in the clubhouse at the conclusion of the round. Our typical British Isles Golf Cruise guest list which brings together like-minded individuals generally numbers around 120 (split over two golf courses at each port), with new friendships invariably formed during each cruise. Many guests are golfing couples but an equal number are golfers travelling with a non-golfing spouse. Specially arranged onboard golf group social functions, to which all accompanying non-golfing spouses are most warmly welcomed, further enhances the club-like environment. The award winning Azamara Cruises Shore Excursions® program, offering a wide variety of off ship excursions, also caters beautifully to our non-golfing guests during days when our golfing excursions are underway.
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Tell me more about the ship.
The ship serves as our perfect floating boutique hotel and clubhouse, is a small-sized luxury vessel nimble enough to access smaller ports yet large enough to provide every amenity you would expect, from a choice of fine dining and live entertainment, to a well-equipped gym and full-service spa. Forty-four suites are available with English butler style service which routinely book early. Sailing schedules often include extended stays in port plus the occasional overnight which allows for a truly immersive experience. Better still, these cruises are inclusive of a selection of beers, spirits, soft drinks, bottled water, specialty coffees plus wine with lunch and dinner along with gratuities for housekeeping, dining and bar staff. Azamara Cruises also proudly boasts two unique signature events on each cruise – an AzAmazing Evening℠ and the White Night party – complimentary to all guests and consistently well received.
Learn More -
What is the dress code onboard?
Azamara Cruises is nicely relaxed, a “resort casual” dress code is acceptable ship wide. During the day sportswear, shorts, sundresses, etc for ladies; shorts, sportswear, polo shirts, tee shirts for men. There are no formal evenings on either vessel. Some guests chose to dress up in the evening but the norm is simply collared shirt and pants for men and long skirts and tops or dress pants for ladies.
At the golf courses, normal golf resort attire is required.
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What level of fitness & mobility is required?
Aspects of PerryGolf trips may require a certain level of fitness and mobility in order for a guest to participate fully. Activities may include walking over uneven or rough surfaces, stepping on/off buses, walking up/down stairways where elevators do not exist, stepping in/out of tender boats or occasionally smaller boats, this list is intended as representative but is not exhaustive. If a guest has any concerns over their fitness or mobility levels they should discuss this in advance of any trip with a PerryGolf golf travel specialist and they will provide further information with regard to the activities that you are concerned about, but in general, PerryGolf activities are not designed or intended to be overly strenuous.
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Can I ship my golf clubs ahead of me to my destination?
Yes you can send your golf clubs, and indeed any luggage in advance to your destination to avoid checked baggage hassles. For more information click here.
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Can PerryGolf assist with my air travel arrangements?
PerryGolf can provide comprehensive assistance with your air travel arrangements for your PerryGolf trip. We enjoy attractive premium cabin fares with our Preferred Carriers who serve our destinations. These fares are bundled with our land arrangements. For more information click here.
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What are the key services PerryGolf provides?
PerryGolf is luxury golf tour operator with a unique portfolio of worldwide travel experience and is uniquely qualified to arrange every aspect of a luxurious, international golf vacation. Learn more here.
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Are there testimonials from past travelers?
We have lots of testimonials from our gracious clients - too many to show them all. But you can view some here.
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Are there more photos from past trips?
You can view photo albums from various destinations from some of our past trips here.
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Who should I contact for further assistance or to book a PerryGolf Golf Cruise?
Enquiries should be directed to our dedicated team of Golf Travel Experts at Expert@PerryGolf.com or 800.344.5257. Our experts are all golfers who understand the needs of golfers. They know the venues, all the details of the programs, and have also sailed onboard the vessels of Azamara Cruises. They are ideally placed to provide the best assistance and guidance.
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Do you have any booking tips?
Simply we encourage guests to book as far in advance as possible as soon as a cruise or program launches …. doing so ensures guests can access the best selection of staterooms and suites (particularly suites with their limited availability on Azamara Cruises) and the very best prices …cancellation penalties for cruise and golf package are extremely low.
We hope these questions and answers assist you.
Should you have any additional questions please feel free to ask your PerryGolf Travel Expert at Expert@PerryGolf.com or 800.344.5257.
