Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours has kicked off its 2020 river cruise season with a host of new opportunities, free air deals and the best prices available.

Leading the news items are two new sailings – 12-day Spectacular South of France and eight-day Lower Danube Explorer. The South of France adventure focuses on food, wines and iconic sights – guests visit the estate of Château Meursault to enjoy some of its acclaimed wines; shop with the chef at a local Avignon food market followed by a cooking class in the ship’s Culinaire; take an e-bike ride through the countryside from Andance to Tournon; and enjoy a private classical concert in the historic Palais des Papes. April through Oct. departures start at CAN $7,825 per person, double.

Guests on the Lower Danube Explorer enjoy a leisurely sailing that connects two of Europe’s grandest capital cities – Budapest and Belgrade. City tour highlights include the Hospital in the Rock in Budapest and Tito’s Memorial and bicycle tour along the Danube in Belgrade. In between, guests will take in a traditional Puazta horse show in Kalocsa, a home-cooked meal in the home of a local family in Osijek, a hike to Novi Sad’s Petrovaradin Fortress, and an exclusive classical concert in one of Novi Sad’s most impressive venues. The two October sailings start at $4,575.

Scenic is also offering several incentives for those who plan early – available in limited quantities through May. The fares will be at their lowest until the full brochure comes out in May. Free roundtrip airfare or a $1,000 per person air credit is available on Rhine, Main and Danube cruises as well as the 12-day Spectacular South of France and Breathtaking Bordeaux itineraries. Flights for either of the two Portugal cruises on the Douro are $295 or a $550 air credit, and flights for the 11-day Normandy & Gems of Seine and nine-day Bordeaux Sojourn are $495 or an air credit of $450.

Celebrating the decennial performance of the Passion Play, which began in Oberammergau, Germany in 1633, Scenic is offering a series of six- to eight-day touring itineraries between May 20 and Sept 21, 2020, which include tickets to the play and seamless link to a selection of river cruise itineraries.

Scenic also offers land extensions on many of their sailings. New in 2020 is Basque Highlights – a four-day exploration of Spain’s Bay of Biscay coastline that takes in Biarritz in France and Spain’s San Sebastián and thriving city of Bilbao, that can be added to the Bordeaux river cruises. Other possibilities include Paris, Prague, Transylvania, Monte Carlo, Turkey, Switzerland, Madrid, Berlin and Lisbon.

Additional information on these and other cruises, brochures and reservations can be obtained www.scenic.ca; phone (866) 689-8611; or email: info@scenic.ca. Brochures can also be downloaded directly from the website.