1 Win a cruise across the Med*
The prize: A luxury 10-night Mediterranean cruise for two people with Celebrity Cruises (0800 018 7070; www.celebritycruises.co.uk), which is celebrating winning the Best Cruise Line category for the first time. The winner and guest will fly to Italy and join the five-star ship Galaxy. After the chance to enjoy the history and grandeur of Rome, the Galaxy will call at Naples, before sailing to Mykonos and then Santorini in Greece for perfect beaches, clear blue seas and fashionable nightlife. The ship will call at Sicily, where the Observer travel awards took place last weekend, and let the winners experience the glamour of Nice, Monte Carlo and the French Riviera before returning to Italy. Onboard there is the chance to enjoy the spa and fitness centre as well as numerous dining options including the Metropolitan Restaurant with menus created by Michel Roux. The prize includes flights, accommodation in an Ocean View Stateroom, all meals, entrance to the onboard AquaSpa, and transfers. The prize should be booked by the end of 2005 and taken between June and November 2006.
2 Win a safari in Namibia
The prize: a trip for two to Namibia with Rainbow Tours (020 7226 1004; www.rainbowtours.co.uk), which won the Best Tour Operator award for the second year running. The company is a specialist in tailor-made trips to Africa and the Indian Ocean, and boasts many unique destinations. This camping safari holiday starts with a visit to Okonjima, home to the Africat Foundation which is reintroducing cheetah and leopard to the wild. It then takes in Etosha National Park, an overnight stay with the Ovahimba people in Damaraland, the Skeleton coast, Swakopmund and Windhoek. The prize includes flights with Air Namibia from London or Manchester, all transport and meals (except in Windhoek), camping equipment and fees, park entrance fees and the services of a professional guide throughout.
3 Win a luxury spa break
The prize: a two-night break at Ragdale Hall Health Hydro, Leicestershire (01664 434831; www.ragdalehall.co.uk), this year's Best Spa Break award winner. Set in acres of landscaped garden, Ragdale Hall has indoor and outdoor swimming pools, one with a waterfall, and whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms and plunge pools. There are more than 100 spa treatments for men and women, plus exercise classes, gymnasium and a restaurant specialising in healthy cuisine. The prize is for two people and must be taken midweek. It includes all meals, use of all facilities and two 25-minute treatments (massage or facial) for each person.
4 Win a ski trip in Lapland
The prize: Inntravel (01653 617922; www.inntravel.co.uk) won an incredible three awards this year - best short break company, best ski company and best tour operator website. The winner of this prize will get the chance to spend a week in Lapland for two. You will stay in Ylläs (pronounced oo-las), a mecca for cross-country skiing with over 320km of trails for both beginners and experts. It is also home to the hotel Ylläshumina, overlooking a frozen lake, where you will stay and meet Toivo Qvist, the owner and a former member of the Finnish cross-country skiing team. If you don't like cross country skiing, there are lots of optional activities like snow-shoeing, husky and reindeer safaris, ice fishing or snowmobile excursions and a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights. The prize includes seven nights' accommodation with dinner and breakfast, flights (from Gatwick to Kittila) and transfer to the hotel. Departures are between 15 January and 19 March 2006.
5 A guidebook of your choice
The prize: Dorling Kindersley is giving away 25 of its Eyewitness Travel Guides, winners of this year's Best Guidebook award. Go to www.dk.com/travel, choose the guide you would like to win, and note this on your entry.
The publisher is also giving Observer readers an exclusive 30 per cent discount off the RRP of any of its Eyewitness Travel Guides. To order, call the DK Bookshop on 08700 707717 or email dkbookshop@sparkledirect.co.uk. Please quote the offer reference DKTG/Observer. There are over 100 destinations available. Offer is subject to availability. Post and packing is free for UK residents but please allow up to 28 days for delivery.
How to enter
Send a postcard, or an email, enclosing your name, address and daytime phone number to Escape Competition, Travel Desk, The Observer, 3-7 Herbal Hill, London EC1R 5EJ, or escape.competition@observer.co.uk. You must choose which competition you want to enter by marking your postcard 'spa', 'safari', 'ski', 'cruise' or 'book' (if using email, write this in the subject field). You can enter all five of the competitions, but can enter only once for each prize.
Terms and conditions
All entrants must be aged 18 or over. Open to all UK residents, excluding employees of Guardian Media Group plc, their agencies, families or anyone else connected with this competition. Closing date for entries is 10 October 2005, and winners will be notified within four weeks of this date. Guardian Newspapers Ltd accepts no responsibility for entries lost in the post. The winners will be chosen at random by Guardian Newspapers Ltd. The judges' decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Prizes are non-transferable and there is no cash alternative. All prizes are subject to availability and, at their discretion, operators may not allow the prize to be taken at key peak times such as Christmas and Easter. All prizes are for two people, and must be taken before the end of 2006 (or earlier where stated). They do not include travel insurance (which you should take out), spending money, clothing or camping gear, meals or transport apart from those stated. Where meals are included, this does not include drinks. Further conditions apply for the Celebrity Cruises prize, and can be seen at www.observer.co.uk/travel.
*Further conditions relating to the Celebrity Cruises prize:
1.The prize includes Ocean View Stateroom Accommodation onboard the ship Galaxy, all meals on board (although a cover charge is applicable for speciality restaurant dining), AcquaSpa, fitness centre and classes (a charge is applicable for treatments and some classes), return flights, transferes where applicable.
2. Prizes are non-transferable and participants must be at least 21 years of age.
3. The cruise prize is applicable to a 10-night Best of the Mediterranean fly/cruise onboard Galaxy and is subject to space and availability.
4. The prize is for two people sharing an Ocean View stateroom.
5. Prize excludes personal expenses such as travel insurance, shore excursions, on board tips and drinks etc.
6. No proofs of purchase required.
7. No cash alternative.
8. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line A/S holds an Air Travel Organisers Licence (ATOL) issued by the Civil Aviation Authority. This mean you will be repatriated if already on holiday in the unlikely event that your confirmed holiday cannot be provided due to the company's insolvency.
9. Royal Caribbean reserves the right to change the published itinerary at any time.
10. Prize to be taken between June and November 2006.
11. Prize excludes festive sailings.
12. Employees, their families and suppliers of Royal Caribbean International are not eligible for entry.
13. Full terms and conditions are available from: The Promoter, Royal Caribbean International, RCI House, Addlestone Road, Weybridge, Surrey. KT15 2UE.
