A Spot of Cricket

Do you enjoy watching or playing cricket? Are you looking for a rather unusual vacation that combines exotic locales with world-class cricket?

If you can answer either of the above questions with a ‘yes,’ why not book cricket holidays for your next vacation?  There are still opportunities for summer and fall 2012, as well as the full 2013 cricket season.

Cric Tours specializes in following England around the world.  Their tours are small (40 persons maximum) and luxurious.  They generally provide 5 star hotels, luxury transportation, and the best available match tickets.  Current bookings include England in India in November and December 2012 (they are offering escorted tours to the second Test match in Mumbai and/or the third Test match in Kolkata), England in New Zealand in February and March 2013, and of course the Ashes in Australia in 2013-2014.

ITC Sports offers anything from a one-week holiday to a full six-week touring itinerary. They are currently booking for England in India (November and December 2012), India v England from November 2012 through January 2013, and New Zealand v England from January 2013 through April 2013.  Their accommodations range from good three-star hotels to luxurious five-star hotels, and their viewing options for the matches range from grandstand seating to private hospitality boxes.

Gullivers Sports Travel is a UK based tour and package provider that is the UK’s longest established cricket tour operator.  They organized their first cricket tour (to the Ashes) in 1982. Their pacakages include guaranteed match tickets, tours led by cricket greats, tour managers who are cricket enthusiasts themselves, cricket forums and events, and optional excursions to take in the local sights and cultures.  They are currently booking for the ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka (September 18 2012 through October 7 2012).  These packages include flights from the UK to Sri Lanka (in economy), four-and-five star accommodations, daily breakfasts, return airport/hotel transfers, guaranteed match tickets, welcome drinks reception, and Gullivers tour merchandise. They are also currently booking for India v England (November 2012 through January 2013) as well as New Zealand v England (January 2013 through April 2013).

The Sporting Traveller offers  cricket tours and travel that include flights, four-and-five star hotels, daily breakfasts (some tours offer full-board meal plans), airport and match transfers, welcome drinks, cricket forums, and celebration dinners, guaranteed match tickets, celebrity hosts, local professional tour managers, and tour merchandise.

Rugby For You?

Have you considered something a bit out of the box for your next vacation? Can you see yourself watching rugby matches throughout the world? Do you want to combine heart-stopping rugby action with world-class locations, shopping, sightseeing, or just relaxing with a cool drink?

Have you thought about booking rugby supporters tours? These are offered by several tour and travel operators and combine rugby with anything else you might like to do when not matching a rugby match.

Gullivers Sports Travel has several rugby supporters’ tours on offer, from the British & Irish Lions 2013 to the HSBC Sevens World Series 2012/2013 to the RBS 6 Nations 2013 to the England Rugby Tour to South Africa 2013 or the Rugby World Cup in 2015 in England. Unfortunately you’ve already missed the Heineken Cup Finals (May 2012), and the England Rugby Tour to South Africa 2012, but you can make plans for 2013 rugby tours.

Past British & Irish Lions tours have included exploring the Great Barrier Reef, visiting Uluru (otherwise known as Ayers Rock), feeding dolphins at Monkey Mia, and climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The HSBC Sevens World Series travels to Dubai, Las Vegas, Hong Kong, and Tokyo for 2012/2013. In December 2012 enjoy virtually guaranteed sunshine at the Dubai Sevens. Go to Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) for the USA Rugby Sevens in February 2013, or choose Hong Kong for the Rugby Sevens matches in March 2013.  Tokyo was reintroduced to the Sevens World Series in 2012, and is looking to pull out all the stops for the Sevens in 2013 as a lead up to the Rugby World Cup which will be played in Japan in 2019.

RBS 6 Nations matches in 2013 include France v Wales (in Paris, France), Ireland v England (in Dublin, Ireland), Italy v Wales (at Stadio Olimpico in Rome, Italy), and Scotland v Wales (in Edinburgh, Scotland). Gullivers Sports Travel has been operating 5 and 6 Nation packages for 36 years. During those 36 years they have developed and maintained good relationships with hotels, airlines, and other suppliers so that your touring experience will be as smooth and painless as they can possibly make it.

The ICC World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka is scheduled for mid-September to early October 2012 and Gullivers Sports Travel is offering a 7 night fully escorted package that includes flights, five-star accommodations, daily breakfasts, guaranteed match tickets, tour merchandise, and return airport/hotel transfers.