Archive for the ‘River Cruises’ Category

Spring is in the Air – What’s in Bloom for Travel?

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

Spring is a magical time for flower lovers – all the fields of color and beauty are just around the corner. There are so many spectacular places to see the best of Spring. Here are just a few highlights around the world:

  • Keukenhof Spring Gardens, Netherlands – Open from March 18th -May 16th to view the stunning displays of Dutch Tulips. Each year hundreds of thousands of people visit this magical garden from all over the world. A river cruise is a great way to see the tulips.  Mark your calendars! In 2012 the Netherlands will be hosting their Floriade, an International exhibition of flowers and gardening, held only once every 10 years.
  • The Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, Florida – is filled with a colorful array of flowers, gardens, topiaries, and educational events. Guests of all ages will enjoy the beauty of millions of blooming flowers. On the weekends, you can learn helpful gardening tips and see demonstrations of advanced gardening techniques from around the world.
  • Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, CA – Starting March 1 through the end of May, the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve comes alive with the seasonal surprises of the Mojave Desert Grassland habitat. The park is open from sunrise to sunset for the best Poppy viewing.
  • Butchart Gardens, Vancouver Island, Canada – Open year round, these gardens offer 5 seasons, The spring flower season is from March 21st – June 14th and displays a spectacular variety of bulbs in bloom.  Several Canada tours and Alaska cruises include Vancouver Island.
  • Huntington Gardens, Pasedena, CA – Covers 207 acres with more than 14,000 different varieties of plants showcased in more than a dozen principal garden areas.
  • National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kauai Island, HI – Houses four gardens in Hawaii. The property on Kauai, the McBryde Garden in Lawai Valley, covers 252 acres and is home to the largest collection of native Hawaiian floras and many other plants from the tropical regions of the world.
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Short on Time? Here’s a Recap of Travel in the News

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010
  • Virgin America announces bag fee change – the airline has changed its baggage fee to a flat $25 rate (up from $20,) for all checked items (excluding the first and second bag for First Class travelers; and the first bag for Main Cabin Select and Main Cabin Refundable Fare travelers).
  • Princess Cruises 3 day sale begins tomorrow. Offers includes low fares, cash back and FREE upgrades on over 75 sailings.
  • Norwegian cruise line to begin sailing year round out of New Orleans. The NCL Spirit will move there this November. Ports of call will include Costa Maya, Cozumel, Roatan and Belize city.
  • Several trips that include the 2010 Oberammergau Passion Play are now sold out. 
  • Travel & Leisure’s list of the World’s strangest Olympic souvenirs. 
  • NCL Epic returned from a 4 day sea trail February 14th – NCL stated that everything was a success and the ship remains on schedule. The NCL Epic will be the line’s largest and most innovative ship.
  • Travelers seeking a leisurely way to travel through Europe are choosing a river cruise. We have seen a surge in bookings this month. Avalon Waterways, Uniworld river cruises and Viking all have new ships for 2010.
  • PGA National Resort & Spa Named on of the Top 100 Resorts in America and one of Top 10 “Green” Resorts by GOLF Magazine.
  • Tauck Culturious program doing well with repeat passengers. Culturious is a new approach to guided travel that takes small groups of like-minded people on trips where they become completely engaged in the places they’re visiting.
  • Marriott’s newest brand, the “Autograph Collection,” will feature upscale and luxury properties with distinctive personalities. Marriott announced it’s first 7 hotels in the collection: El Monte Sagrado, Taos, New Mexico; the Grand Bohemian Hotel, Asheville, NC; Mansion on Forsyth Park, Savannah, GA; Bohemian Hotel Riverfront, Savannah; Casa Monica Hotel, St. Augustine, Fl; the Grand Bohemian Hotel and the Celebration Hotel, Orlando, Fl.
  • A woman hits the raceway in the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on February 27th! NASCAR fans following Danica Patrick can enter the Win-Ten-Ten sweepstakes. If Danica finishes in the top 10, one lucky winner will receive $10,010.  Click here to enter
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    Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

    Monday, February 8th, 2010

    For nearly four decades, Uniworld has taken guests to the world’s greatest destinations—Europe, Russia, China and Egypt. Since 2006, when Uniworld was purchased by Travel Corporation, parent company of many popular travel companies such as Trafalgar, Insight, Brendan, and Contiki, as well as Red Carnation Hotels – the award-winning five-star luxury hotel collection – Uniworld has made major investments in its ships and its people. The ultimate goal of these investments—a first-class European River Cruise boutique, hotel-style experience. The winning combination of Uniworld’s sister companies’ expertise in tour planning and in first-class hotel management coupled with Uniworld’s decades of superior nautical experience has created a new dimension in river cruising.

    Uniworld’s company-owned boutique hotel-style ships
    Boutique hotel designers often invest a lot of thought, time and resources into an interior decor reflective of a destination, as well as the amenities that assure an elegant, relaxed and intimate experience. This is apparent on each of Uniworld’s ten company-owned ships! Over the course of the last couple of years, Uniworld’s ships have been completely refurbished to the highest standard of comfort, so guests travel from one exciting destination to the next with access to stylish lounges, cozy libraries, panoramic restaurants offering sumptuous cuisine and inviting riverview staterooms.

    Expect more personalized attention with Uniworld
    Uniworld employs an all English, professionally trained staff, so there are no language barriers and no problems with understanding what is being said or going on. All announcements are made only in English. Unlike many companies offering river cruise programs in Europe and elsewhere, Uniworld is an American company focused on North American travelers, or at least English-speaking clientele (the trips are popular with Canadians and folks from Down Under as well).

    Early Booking Discount – SAVE up to $600 per couple (Europe)

    BOOK AND DEPOSIT on or before February 28, 2010 to SAVE up to $600 per couple ($300 per person) off select 2010 Europe river cruises.

    SAVE $600 per couple on select 2010 Cruises

    BOOK AND DEPOSIT on or before February 28, 2010 to SAVE $600 per couple ($300 per person) off select cruise itineraries.

    This offer is available on the following itineraries:

  •  Grand European Serenade (2010)
  • Grand European Explorer (2010)
  • Paris & Grand European Waterways (2010)
  • SAVE $500 per couple on select 2010 Cruises

    BOOK AND DEPOSIT on or before February 28, 2010 to SAVE $500 per couple ($250 per person) off select cruise itineraries.

    This offer is available on the following itineraries:

  • Legendary Rhine & Moselle (2010)
  • European Serenade (2010)
  • Eastern Europe Explorer (2010)
  • European Jewels (2010)
  • Grand European Discovery (2010)
  • Paris & the Heart of Europe (2010)
  • Grand France (2010)
  • Grand Christmas & New Year’s Cruise (2010)
  • SAVE $400 per couple on select 2010 Cruises

    BOOK AND DEPOSIT on or before February 28, 2010 to SAVE $400 per couple ($200 per person) off select cruise itineraries.

    This offer is available on the following itineraries:

  • Tulips & Windmills (2010)
  • SAVE $300 per couple on select 2010 Cruises

    BOOK AND DEPOSIT on or before February 28, 2010 to SAVE $300 per couple ($150 per person) off select cruise itineraries.

    This offer is available on the following itineraries:

  • Castles Along the Rhine (2010)
  • Learn more about Uniworld River Cruises

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    Wonders of China

    Monday, January 18th, 2010

    The magnificence of China awaits you.  With its fascinating history, breathtaking scenery and exotic cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Hong Kong, the stage is set for you to enjoy a cultural rich adventure of a lifetime. 

    Whether you wish to tread the same footsteps of past emperors on the man-made wonder, the Great Wall, explore the incredible excavations of the 7,500 strong Terra Cotta Warriors, discover the ancient Ming Tombs and tour Beijing’s Forbidden City, or admire the stunning views of Guilin’s landscapes, we will ensure you experience the perfect dream vacation. 

    Discover the Yangtze River, running through the heart of China.  Cruise on the most luxurious ships and be awe-inspired by the dramatic and beautiful panoramas of this alluring region.  Get up close and personal with some of the world’s rarest wildlife, like the giant panda.  Allow your expertly planned itinerary to take you on a trip through Wu Gorge, which is flanked by the world famous, dramatic Twelve Peaks. 

    Whatever you choose to do, we promise you the vacation of a lifetime, far better than anything you could have ever imagined.

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    Nile River Cruises : Journey Along the Lifeline of Egyptian Civilization

    Friday, December 18th, 2009

    Journey along the lifeline of Egyptian civilization, sightseeing ancient temples, tombs, local villages, and farms. Located in Africa’s northeast, the Nile is the longest river in the world!  The mysterious Nile River, the world’s longest river, flows from Lake Victoria in East Africa to its mouth at the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt. It passes through rainforest, mountain, savanna, and swamp until, on the final leg of its journey, it winds its way through Egypt like a giant snake, passing through some of the driest desert on earth. With a name from a Greek word meaning “river valley,” the Nile River played a crucial role in the founding of Egyptian civilization.  We invite you to view our selection of Nile River cruises.

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    Douro River Voted One of the World’s Greatest Places

    Tuesday, December 8th, 2009

    National Geographic Traveler recently released their sixth annual “World’s Great Places: 133 Destinations” survey, and Portugal’s Douro Valley rated Seventh on the list. Further, in 2001, UNESCO rated the Douro River Valley as a World Heritage Site. What makes this region so special and worthy of various honors? Perhaps it is their wine heritage – Port – that dates back over 2,000 years. Or perhaps it’s a cultural landscape of exceptional beauty with rambling vineyards and charming native farms, quintas, clinging to the steep sides of the Douro River Valley, creating an incomparable backdrop to one of Europe’s most unspoiled regions and to Port country – the oldest demarcated wine region in the world.

    It’s both! And this is what you can expect to see and experience from your Uniworld River Cruise ship. Travel Europe’s most unspoiled UNESCO World Heritage river valley through Portugal and Spain. Before your cruise explore the seven hills of cosmopolitan Lisbon, uncovering a treasure trove of old world architecture. Visit Coimbra, the “Birthplace of Kings;” Porto, the beautiful “City of Bridges” with its UNESCO World Heritage-designated Medieval city center; and Salamanca, Spain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Taste wonderful local wines from village vineyards, including the famed Port wine. Feast on a traditional meal at the Alpendurada Monastery; enjoy an authentic Spanish-style lunch complete with a flamenco show; and dine at the Vintage House Hotel, a magnificent18th-century wine quinta overlooking the Douro River. And all along the way, uncover a land of genuine beauty and breathtaking charm, as well as meet warmhearted, friendly people.

    Uniworld’s Douro River Valley package with three nights in Lisbon is priced from $2,099 per person, exclusive of airfare; without Lisbon from $1,699 per person, exclusive of airfare. No matter which option you choose, you’ll enjoy a seven-night cruise in a river view stateroom, many with balconies, onboard the Douro Queen; all meals with fine wine, beer, and soft drinks served during dinner; exciting excursions led by English-speaking guides; and all transfers on arrival and departure days. And, for additional savings, double Uniworld’s Early Booking Discount with a savings of $600 per couple by paying in full by December 31, 2009.

    About Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
    Los Angeles-based Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, the premier river cruise company, was named to Travel+Leisure’s World’s Best Top 10 Small Cruise Lines; Condé Nast Traveler’s 2009 Gold List, their Readers’ Poll for Top 50 Small Ships, and their Readers’ Choice Awards for World’s Top 10 Small Ship Cruise Lines; and Cruise Critics Editor’s Pick 2009 for Best River Cruise Line, and Best New River Cruise Ship, River Beatrice. Uniworld features intimate, elegant boutique, hotel-style cruise ships with an average capacity of 134 guests, an award-winning staff with a ratio of one staff member for every three guests, world-class cuisine, and expertly planned itineraries with custom-blended shore excursions. The company offers over 500 departures on more than 30 itineraries sailing on 11 rivers in over 20 countries throughout
    Europe, Egypt and China.

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    Prague: City of 1000 Spires

    Friday, October 16th, 2009

    My husband and I just returned from a river cruise which included Prague; a city in which I had little interest.  Imagine my surprise to find a charming and colorful city with such varied history.  We took over 80pictures in two days!  Prague is divided by the Vltava River into Old Town and New Town.  New Town is where the fabulous Hradcany – Castle Quarter – is located.  The Castle and the surrounding town within its walls date back to the 16th Century.  And that’s new town!   The Castle Quarter is surrounded by what used to be a moat and  the famous Charles Bridge (named for King Charles IV)  leads to the Castle from the Old Town.  It’s a pedestrian bridge which affords marvelous views of the Castle and the gothic Cathedral.   Old Town, dating back to the 13th century, is home to the famous Astronomical Clock and city hall in the Old Town Square, and the historic Jewish Quarter and Old Jewish Cemetery.   After our tour of the Castle and the Old Town Square, we took a guided tour of the Jewish Quarter which encompasses several synagogues that are now museums and one active Sephardic (Spanish) synagogue that is still in use.  The Sephardic temple looked like the Alhambra in Granada.  Just gorgeous.   Prague’s  Favorite Son is the author Franz Kafka and their favorite local product is beer.  Lots of it. 

    My only regret is that we couldn’t capture a photo from the Castle hill showing the 1000 spires as it was too overcast.  It really was a delightful visit.

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    European Waterways Cruises

    Thursday, September 10th, 2009

    River cruising has always been thought of as something that could only be enjoyed by older people. Newer ships with upgraded amenities have prompted new interest in what river cruising is all about. As you cruise along the rivers, you’ll see castles and bridges that were built to impress royalty, as the rivers were the main method of transportation.

    Travelers are realizing that river cruises offer comfort, convenience and variety. The ship is both a hotel and a means of transportation. You don’t have to get up early like you do when on a traditional tour or cruise to see the sites. Your ship will be in a new and exciting place every day.  Ranging from picturesque villages, breathtaking riverbanks with castles, colorful fields with windmills or vibrant capitals, every day will be a unique experience on your European waterways cruise.

    Over the years, we have found that consumers desire more choices when traveling. Cruise lines responded with open dining, tour operators with more leisurely trips, but until recently, the river cruise industry did not offer the choices that seem to attract new clientele. Now the newer river cruise ships with modern decor, larger cabin options and added amenities have helped the river cruise industry experience considerable growth in a short amount of time. In the age of technology, we also find more clients asking for WiFi, which is not available on many of the older ships.   You now travel in more style and comfort than with the older riverboats. Staterooms are spacious and most include floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with French balconies. You can enjoy fine linen on your hotel-style beds, flat screen satellite TV and radio, safes, hairdryers and many other amenities that make you feel at home. On many ships you even have the convenience of elevators. 

    From the time you arrive to your first destination you are escorted, guided and waited on by English speaking staff. Once you unpack you are ready to enjoy your wonderful adventure. From medieval castles, to Monet’s Giverny gardens or perhaps Egypt’s Mysterious Nile, you will not only be awed by the sights but you will also have qualified tour directors and specialist to guide you during your excursions. Many ships also offer theme departures that provide you with a unique opportunity to experience a destination focusing on its music, food and wine, to enrich your subject knowledge by including expert presentations, special concerts and top chefs. 

    All meals on board are carefully chosen to give you the variety of the region you are visiting along with many of your favorites. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included daily. The meal presentation is outstanding as is the service.  You can also enjoy the complimentary wine with dinner along with coffee or tea. After dinner you will be pleasantly surprised by the on board entertainment provided by both local entertainers and the crew. 

    It is small ship cruising at its best. It provides you with the opportunity to experience history, art and culture unhurried and at a relaxed pace. Rather than having to take a bus to see the sites, in most cases you walk right off of the river cruise and you are already in the center of it all.

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    Things to Do in Holland

    Friday, September 4th, 2009

    Outdoor cafés for people-watching, inviting restaurants, markets, and alehouses line picturesque streets. You can shop to your heart’s content in exclusive boutiques, trendy shops and antique stores. There is no shortage of activities for children either. Dozens and dozens of attractions are available for children and families – including ” a land where children are in charge. ” Don’t miss Keukenhof Gardens, the worlds’ largest tulip gardens.  And if you want to see nature at its best – then explore Holland by foot or bike. Holland is the ultimate biking and hiking country with a network of paths that make it all quite easy and enjoyable.  We feel the best way to experience the area is on a river cruise.

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    Cruising the Danube River

    Friday, July 31st, 2009

    One of the most popular rivers in Europe is the Danube. As you cruise along the Danube, you will see rolling hills,  medieval towns, castles and vineyard lined valleys. The Danube is Europe’s second largest river and extends through eight countries.  You can sail the entire river, or you can focus on the area between Melk and Krems which many agree is the most beautiful region off of the Danube.

    River cruises that included the Danube normally ranged from 8 days to 25 days if combined with the Rhine or Black Sea. New for 2010, you can take a cruise as short as 5 days along the Danube. To maximize the amount of sightseeing included, we suggest an 10 to 12 day cruise. However we also realize that some people don’t have that much time to vacation, or they do not want to spend their entire time aboard a ship. For those customers, there is a new cruise for 2010 called a Taste of the Danube. The cruise begins in Vienna and visits Melk, Durnstein, Bratislava, Slovakia and ends in Budapest, Hungary.

    It is an ideal package for those that want to add a couple of nights in Vienna and a couple of nights in Budapest, and be able to explore the region by land and by sea in 9 or 10 days, including the overnight flight from the U.S. There are only 5 departures in 2010, so this is expected to sell out early.

    Vienna is the capital of Austria, and lies along both sides of the Danube at the foot of the Alps.  No sightseeing is included on this short cruise, which is why we recommend you spend one or two nights in the city before embarking on your cruise. You can purchase the land package with the cruise, or make your own arrangements. If time permits, we suggest that you see the Vienna Opera House, the Spanish Riding School, the Vienna Boys Choir and Schonbrunn Palace.

    Melk is perched on a bluff over the Danube. While in Melk, the excursions from your cruise includes the Benedictine Abbey which has a beautiful Baroque library and 365 windows, one for every day of the year. In Durnstein, see the magnificent baroque STIFTSKIRCHE, lying in the heart of the Wachau wine region.

    Budapest is the point where you disembark the ship, but again no accommodations or sightseeing is included. Some of the highlights in Budapest include the National Opera House and historic Heroes’ Square. Walk along Fishermen’s Hill to Fishermen’s Bastion and Matthias Church.

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