Is a river cruise right for your group?

River cruising is ideal for families or friends and groups with shared interests.You can select a cruise suited towards your group’s special interest, such as a wine and culinary cruise or a cultural event.

Or pick an itinerary that will include stops that appeal to your group. Mozart or opera aficionados? Try a Danube cruise that includes Vienna, Salzburg, and Prague. Gardening enthusiasts? Maybe a tulip cruise in The Netherlands. Additionally, your group can enjoy private excursions and activities tailored exclusively for you.

If you’d prefer, you can easily separate during the day for activities and tours that appeal individually, and then meet up again later for dinner or evening relaxation to share experiences.

River cruising has some of the advantages of larger ship cruising such as moving from one location to another without unpacking, but the ships are smaller and go to villages and cities a large vessel would never make. Riverboats dock right in town. No tendering or long road trips to get to the main city. Step off the ship and you’re off and discovering immediately. You’ll be able to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations, participate in authentic experiences, and have more free time to check out local cafes, markets, and sites

Most riverboats hold 150-160 guests and can handle group sizes from 10 to a full ship charter. No lines getting on/off the ship. On-board entertainment includes local performers, artists, lecturers, culinary lessons, and wine and beer tastings. There are special interest cruises with added focus for art, history, food, and holidays of various regions throughout the world.

River cruising is best known for the rivers and canals of Europe – Danube, Rhine, Seine to name a few. But, the convenience combined with the ability to immerse culturally in destinations has broadened river cruising’s appeal to other regions of the world. Indochina, the Amazon, Africa, Russia, China all have well-established river cruise offerings.

Which river cruise is right for your group? Give me a call, I’d love to help you choose the perfect ship and itinerary. 888-429-1929

Holiday Travel Survival Guide

Can you name the three busiest travel days of the year, in order? (Answers are below)

It’s that most wonderful time of the year. Sleigh rides, mistletoe, pumpkin pie, roasting turkey, family reunions, and….. holiday travel. Gulp.

Thanksgiving to New Year is the busiest travel stretch of the year. And the week of Thanksgiving is unrivaled for the number of people taking to the skies. But, holiday travel doesn’t have to turn you into a Scrooge. With a little planning and the right attitude, you can survive any crowded airport or travel delay the season brings your way.

Early, early, early to the airport. There is no such thing as too early for holiday travel. If all is seamless, you’ll enjoy a croissant and coffee as you watch fellow passengers stress out. If the security line is longer than expected or you run into a traffic delay en-route to the airport, you’ll have a safety cushion built in.

Take advantage of all possible shortcuts. Check in on line – and make sure your cell number is in your ticketing record. Print your boarding pass or download it to your phone. Avoid parking at the airport – taxi, Uber, or have a friend drop you off. Pre-program necessary numbers into your phone so they are handy - airline, car rental, hotels, family/friends. Download the airlines’ app - there isn’t a faster way to get updates if you are delayed.

Pack light. Ship the gifts ahead; don’t bring them with you. If you only have a carry-on, you’ll save the time and cost of luggage check and collection. You’ll avoid the stress of a misplaced bag. And, you won’t worry about what the luggage handlers broke when they dropped a bowling ball on your bag.

Stay well-fed. Low blood sugar will make you cranky and stress you even more. Bring some nutritious snacks (no – gummies and goldfish crackers do not qualify) to munch on. Enjoy a meal during that long layover I recommended you build into your holiday flight schedule!

Keep your sense of humor. It’s crowded, flights are full, delays are inevitable, tempers are short. But, hey, it’s the holidays. Smile. Take a deep breath. Relax. Enjoy.

Answers, in order:

1. Sunday after Thanksgiving (Nov 26)
2. Wednesday before Thanksgiving (Nov 22)
3. Friday before Thanksgiving (Nov 17)

Are you planning to travel during the holiday season this year?

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Where is Bratislava?

Do you know where to find Bratislava? Here is a mini quiz to test you!

Question - Bratislava is:

1. A European capital city
2. A small island in the Mediterranean
3. A volcano in Southeast Asia
4. A tasty sausage popular in Germany

Answer: 1. The capital of Slovakia, or more correctly the Slovak Republic, has a long and storied history. One of the Imperial cities of the Hapsburg and Austro-Hungarian empires, it was also a regional capital of Czechoslovakia before its dissolution into the Czech and Slovak Republics in 1993.

A determined and planned renaissance has been in force since the re-establishment of Slovakia’s independence. After years of communist indifference, restoration of historical buildings, new and creative architecture and artworks, as well as a teeming nightlife have turned the city into a popular destination.

Aside from being a fun city with a thriving night scene, there are many historical and cultural things to see and do.

Bratislava’s Old Town is an attractive place to visit and stroll. Charming cobblestone streets full of shops, restaurants, and cafes. Musicians, artists, and street vendors abound. But, the quirky sculptures throughout the city are one of most fun public art displays around. Scattered throughout Old Town, they appear with no rhyme or reason. Just fun.

Old Town Hall, the former seat of government is home to the Bratislava City Museum. And don’t miss Maximilian’s Chocolate Shop for a break. Schokocafe Maximilian has, arguably, the best hot chocolate anywhere. It is so thick, you can eat it with a spoon. Mmm it was yummy. We went back twice!

Bratislava Castle sits high above the city – once the coronation castle of the Hapsburgs and Austro-Hungarian empires and home to the coronation jewels. The spectacular view is not just of the city, but three countries: Austria, Hungary, Slovakia.

For modern art aficionados, the Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum rests on a peninsula on the Danube and houses a new collection of Dutch and Slovak masterpieces, as well as a sculpture garden.

Devin Castle is a great place to enjoy a picnic, hike or bike after exploring the ruins of this strategically located fortress that has been controlled by Hapsburgs, Napoleon, Nazis, Soviets, and numerous medieval forces.

Now you know not only where to find Bratislava, but you have an introduction for your visit!

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European River Wine Cruises

Cruising, whether ocean or river, is becoming more and more niche based.

The niche size varies from huge demographic groups (think family targeted mass-market cruising such as Carnival or Royal Caribbean) to very specific such as yachting the Galapagos Islands. Some niches are voyage or itinerary specific, such as the Christmas Markets or Tulip river cruises.

Today I’d like to focus on European River Wine Cruises. The combination of medieval Europe exploration with the history and atmosphere of European wine-making is captivating. This growing specialty of river cruising is increasing in popularity and appeals to all levels of wine “connoisseurs”.

I mean, really. How expert do you need to be to enjoy biking through French vineyards, going on a “truffle treasure hunt”, or learning the ideal pairing of French chocolate and a Bordeaux wine at a chocolatier's shop? Just a few examples of some of the activities available with these wine focused river cruises.

But, on the other hand, if you are a wine aficionado, imagine sampling Bordeaux wines in a wine cellar in Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux or a Moselle wine while admiring the turrets of a Rhineland castle?!

And it’s not just the traditional wine regions of France and Germany that have wine focused agendas. Cruise the Douro River and enjoy Spanish and Portuguese wines, as well as learning more about Port making in Porto. Or navigate the Po River from Venice to Bologna while indulging in Italian wines and delicacies.

Some wine cruises are itinerary specific such as cruising thru Burgundy from Avignon to Lyon or exploring the Bordeaux region winding along three different rivers in the valley. Alternatively, traditional itineraries with an added wine and culinary focus and including a guest expert such as a winery owner vineyard manager on board are also available.

These specialized wine cruises are fabulous for small to medium groups. Whether your group is expert or a new-to-wine experiment, these are a great way to experience the sights, sounds, and tastes of old-world Europe.