THE $299 DEAL

For cheap travel to Ireland, or nearly anywhere in Northern Europe, go in winter. At these prices, you might not mind the cold. And if you do, just duck into the local pub.

The deal: The Dublin City Package from Sceptre Tours comes with round-trip airfare between New York and Dublin, four nights at the Regency Hotel and a full Irish breakfast each day. Prices start at $299 per person, double occupancy, from New York and $459 from Los Angeles, plus up to $175 total per person for air taxes, fees and fuel surcharges. A trip protection plan, automatically included in the package’s online quotes, is optional; cost varies. For $50 per person, you can upgrade to the Maldron Hotel Cardiff Lane, nearer the city center. For $50 per person per night, you can extend your stay. The package, subject to availability, is good for travel from Nov. 1 to March 31. The price varies by date, as may the airlines used.

Info: Sceptre Tours, (800) 221-0924, www.sceptretours.com.

-- Jane Engle