Travel Unpacked: Etihad's flight sale, new cruises from Dubai and Pan Am's golden return

Now may be a good time to start planning a trip from the UAE. Etihad Airways revealed its seasonal sale, which runs until Friday, with reduced airfares to several destinations. And from Dubai, there's a new set of cruise itineraries to choose from. In other aviation news, Pan Am will take to the skies again next year in a bid to revive the golden age of air travel and Qantas is now flying non-stop to Paris, just in time for the Summer Olympic Games . Here's a round-up of recent travel and tourism news – in case you missed it. With summer already in full swing, it might be time to turn your focus to next season. Etihad is doing exactly that with the launch of a five-day autumn flight sale. Running until Friday, the promotion from the UAE’s national airline offers cut-price airfares on tickets to several destinations including the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Greece, India and the UK. Valid for travel between September and November, the sale applies only to flights booked online directly with Etihad. Travellers in the mood for a tropical escape can find bargain airfares to Male in the Maldives. Fares for the four-hour flights start at Dh850, return. Autumn is the perfect season to visit Jordan’s treasures and return flights to Amman in the sale start at Dh750. The recent buzz around the Ambani wedding in Mumbai is likely to encourage more travellers to visit the colourful city and return fares from Abu Dhabi start at Dh1,130. To Ireland, cut-price fares to Dublin are available from Dh3,370 and travellers hoping to explore the UK can opt to skip London and fly instead to Manchester where Etihad economy airfare tickets start at Dh3,350. The US is also included in the flash sale with return fares to Boston , Etihad’s newest North American destination, starting at Dh4,720. Flights to Washington DC and New York are also part of the promotion. Travellers hoping to take to the Arabian Gulf this year will now be able to do so with Resort Worlds Cruises. The Asian luxury cruise brand is bringing its 13-deck Resorts World One cruise ship to the region for the first time. Starting on October 18 and running until April next year, the 268-metre-long ship will make Dubai its home port for round-trip cruising adventures to Sir Bani Yas Island , Doha, Khasab and Muscat. Operating in Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Indonesia, Resorts World Cruises introduces its 1,854 capacity ship to Dubai. With several restaurants, a Roman-themed pool deck and water park, a children’s club, VR Park and Zodiac theatre hosting live performances, the ship can accommodate about 150,000 passengers in its first sailing season in the Gulf. Travellers can book a suite at The Palace – the largest ship-within-a-ship at sea that comes with VIP boarding, 24-hour butler service, an exclusive restaurant and a private sundeck and swimming pool. From Dubai, seafarers can head off on a two-night weekend cruise to Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, where tourists can see a host of wildlife and enjoy untouched beaches. Discovering the sultanate is also on the agenda on the ship’s three-night Oman cruise that takes in the cultural gems of Khasab and Muscat. Neighbouring Qatar can be visited on a two-day itinerary to Doha where excursions include visits to some of the city’s most renowned attractions. Passengers can also combine two or all three itineraries for a four, five or seven-night cruise . “As Resorts World Cruises embarks on this special journey, we envision a fusion of cultures, where discerning luxury travellers from the Middle East connect with the vibrant charm of some of the most prominent landmarks within the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman,” said Michael Goh, president of Resorts World Cruises. On board, there is a host of entertainment including live music, Bollywood DJs and foam parties. Travellers will have access to halal dining offerings and no pork is served. Bookings can be made in advance for travellers who wish to have spa services with crew members of the same gender. There will also be a choice of vegetarian and Jain cuisine on board. One of the greatest symbols of the golden age of commercial aviation is set to take to the skies again. Next year, after more than three decades, Pan American World Airways will set off on a special journey, flying to destinations around the globe to commemorate the airline's first transatlantic voyage. Commonly known as Pan Am, the airline was an early adopter of first-class travel, offering multi-course meals and open bars. Operational from 1927 to 1991, the carrier was known for its immaculate stewardesses in sky-blue uniforms and dapper captains. Offering passengers a taste of the literal high-life, in its heyday, Pan Am was the airline of choice for celebrities and wealthy travellers. The Tracing the Transatlantic Voyage aims to recreate that era. Departing from New York City, a privately chartered Boeing 757 will set off on a 12-day trip that closely follows the original route of Pan Am's flying boats with stops in Bermuda, Lisbon, Marseille, London and Ireland. Up to 50 passengers can be part of the voyage and bookings are open. Running from June 27 until July 9, the trip will give passengers a taste of the glamorous days of jet travel. Tickets for the experience start at just under Dh60,000 and include flights, accommodation, meals, beverages and branded Pan Am merchandise. For that sum, air passengers will enjoy lie-flat beds, Pan Am-inspired service on board and expedited customs and immigration services at each destination. When on the ground, travellers will stay in some of the world's finest hotels including the Waldorf Astoria New York and London's The Savoy. Excursions include a day's sailing in Bermuda, a private visit to Kensington Palace in London and a private dinner at Foynes Museum in Ireland, home to the only B314 flying boat replica in existence. Passengers will be accompanied on the trip by Craig Carter, chief executive of Pan American World Airways. The voyage is “the first of many exclusive themed flights back into the luxury travel space”, said Carter. Qantas has launched non-stop flights from Australia to France. Departing from Perth and landing in Paris 17 hours and 20 minutes later, the new route is the longest non-stop flight to France from anywhere in the world and is about three hours faster than the current fastest Perth-to-Paris service. Launching just in time for the Olympics, Qantas' flight travels 14,264km and will operate four times per week over the summer season. From mid-August, the schedule will change to three times per week. “In recent years, we have seen a significant increase in customers wanting to fly direct on long-haul routes and avoiding stopovers wherever possible,” said Vanessa Hudson, chief executive of Qantas Group. “Our direct flights from Perth to London and Rome have some of the highest customer satisfaction on our international network. “With these new flights, our customers can depart Perth in the evening and arrive in Paris in time to enjoy brunch overlooking the Eiffel Tower.” Operated via the airline’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, the flights offer passengers large windows, high cabin humidity and relaxed mood lighting that has been designed to help beat jet lag symptoms. There are three classes of travel including premium economy, and travellers can get into the mood for Paris with a selection of French cinema movies on the in-flight entertainment systems. Premium travellers will also be offered French-inspired dining with dishes such as bouillabaisse of snapper and Skull Island prawns. Qantas' new route adds an extra 75,000 seats annually between Australia and Europe.

Travel Unpacked: Etihad's flight sale, new cruises from Dubai and Pan Am's golden return

The National rounds up the most interesting tourism news you might have missed