See action on WWII cargo ship

CALIFORNIA

Sail into battle aboard the World War II ship Lane Victory on daylong cruises to Catalina Island.

The San Pedro-based cruises, planned Aug. 14 and 15, and Sept. 11 and 12, include an aerial dogfight, a tour of the engine room and wheelhouse, and a water display by a harbor fireboat. A Navy sea cadet honor guard will participate in a memorial service honoring a ship and crew lost at sea during battle.

Lane Victory was a working cargo ship during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars. It hauled munitions, ferried troops and evacuated civilians threatened by war. In 1989, the ship was deeded to the U.S. Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II and towed to San Pedro, where a volunteer group restored it.

The ship has been featured in several films and TV shows, including “Titanic,” “The Thin Red Line” and “Jag.” The summer trips give the public a chance to see it in action.

“They’re unique cruises,” said volunteer Jan Michaelis. “We steam across to Catalina, where there’s a beautiful view of Avalon north to the isthmus. Then on the way back, we’re attacked by enemy planes, weather permitting.”

Five or six planes usually participate in the mock aerial battle, she said.

The ship is not accessible to wheelchairs or baby strollers.

Cost: $100 for adults, $60 for 15 and younger, including cruise, breakfast, lunch, live music and other entertainment.

Contact: S.S. Lane Victory, San Pedro; (310) 519-9545, www.lanevictory.org.

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FRANCE

Fall sampler of Provencal cuisine, sights

TASTE French joie de vivre on a 10-day fall tour of Provence.

The Nov. 3 trip, which will include wine tasting and a cooking class, will visit villages and cities, museums and palaces. Among the highlights will be stops in Arles, Avignon, Vaison-la-Romaine, the perched villages of the Luberon region and Aix-en-Provence.

Tour members will taste the wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and chocolates from De Castelain. They will take a cooking class that will teach the secrets of Provencal cuisine.

Cost: $3,900 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $600), including accommodations with first and last night in Paris, most meals, tour leader, transfers, museum entry fees. Round-trip airfare from LAX is not included.

Contact: Enchanted France, Los Angeles; (866) 313-2856, www.enchantedfrance.com.

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BRAZIL

Get a picture of life along the Amazon

Picture yourself in the Amazon jungle on a 19-day cultural tour of Brazil led by a photography instructor.

The Sept. 14 trip will begin in Manaus and move into the Amazon on a chartered riverboat. Other highlights include visits to the former Brazilian capital of Bahia, Rio de Janeiro and Iguacu Falls, on the border of Argentina and Brazil.

“This is a great trip, whether you are a photographer or simply a tourist looking for a great cultural experience,” said Atlanta photographer Stephen Grote, who will lead the tour.

Cost: $3,990 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $880), including round-trip airfare from LAX, accommodations, most meals, ground transportation and an English-speaking tour guide.

Contact: University Educational Travel, Simi Valley; (800) 525-0525, www.uet.com/brazil.html.

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ITALY

A chance to eat like the Romans do

Break bread in Tuscany on a 10-day fall wine and food tour.

The Sept. 14 trip, which begins in Florence and ends in Rome, will include cooking demonstrations in Florence and Tuscany, wine tasting at vineyards in Siena and dinner at a Roman trattoria.

There also will be visits to many of Italy’s architectural and artistic landmarks.

Cost: $3,039 per person, double occupancy (single surcharge $624), including round-trip airfare from LAX, accommodations, land transportation and transfers, and 15 meals.

Contact: Automobile Club of Southern California; (888) 874-7222, www.aaacalif.com.

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The Times is not responsible for changes in prices, dates or itineraries. Send information to Tours & Cruises, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 or write via e-mail to travel@latimes.com.