Recommend August 2013 - (Page 18)

cruising the rivers of southeast asia continued from page 16 Left: Viking River Cruises currently sails the Mekong and will begin sailings on the Irrawaddy in 2014. Opposite page: Accommodations aboard Orient-Express’ Orcaella (top) and the sun deck on the Sanctuary Ananda (bottom). heads to Yangon, the former Burmese capital; clients board the newly refurbished 30-stateroom, 60-guest Viking Mandalay in Pyay on day ﬁve of the 16-day itinerary. Most departure dates are sold out, except for some in August and September 2014; rates for those dates start at $5,000 pp. So what sets the Viking experience apart from its competitors? According to Marnell, Viking—which also plies the Mekong with two ships for the line’s 15-day Magniﬁcent Mekong itinerary—the company provides “our passengers with carefully curated itineraries that spotlight the art and architecture, history and culture of the people in our Asia destinations. Our Cultured Curriculum programming offers passengers an in-depth under-  WHAT TRAVEL AGENTS ARE SAYING... When we asked Carol Dougherty of Horizons Travel & Cruises in Rochester, MN, and an afﬁliate of TRAVELSAVERS, why she thought river cruising on the Southeast Asia rivers was gaining in popularity, she had an interesting point of view. “Many of us grew up in the Vietnam War era and are curious about how the area has recovered from the war time. The age group most interested corresponds with that time in our history. It’s also a relatively safe area compared to other parts of the world,” she points out. She says she targets “adventure-minded seniors (55+), because usually retirees have the time and money to participate in this type of cruise experience.” 18 august 2013 14-19 CRAS Asiacruise.indd 18 standing of the places they visit through enrichment such as language lessons, performances, traditional art demonstrations and more. For example, in Myanmar, our guests can watch local craftsmen create tapestries and woodcarvings and wander through local marketplaces. These experiences can only be found on a Viking river cruise.” You might also want to let your culinary-inclined clients know that Viking offers culinary experiences “designed,” points out Marnell, “to immerse guests in their destination and foster greater cultural understanding.” As such, the onboard offerings reﬂect traditional local cuisine and the Viking concierge service can help connect passengers with local restaurants. Marnell points out that the popularity in Asia river cruising has exploded because river cruising offers travelers in Asia “a chance to explore many aspects of every country, from cosmopolitan cities to ancients towns rich with history and traditional small villages. It’s a convenient, relaxing and highly scenic way to travel.” That belief, that the Asia river cruise product really allows travelers to immerse themselves in the destination, is one echoed by other river cruise line principals and, as such, lines are constantly adding experiential excursions. For example, as in AmaWaterways’ school visit, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection supports an Apsara dance school in Siem Reap, and Uniworld guests, says president & CEO Guy Young, “have the opportunity to visit the dance school during the line’s 14-night Timeless Wonders of Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong cruise/ tour. Guests learn about the history and signiﬁcance of the Apsara dances and dancers.” Other unique aspects of this journey, the company points out, are that guests travel to ﬂoating villages and sites by way of a luxurious sampan, while the cruise itself is aboard the 58-passenger River Orchid, which, according to Young, “offers spacious staterooms and inviting public areas, and has a recommend.com 7/23/13 7:31 AM http://www.recommend.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend August 2013

Editor's Notes
Hotel Desk: Dan Hotels, Israel
Tour Talk: Jacada Travel
Avalon Expression
Cruising the Rivers of Southeast Asia
Girls & Guys Getaways in Las Vegas
Kimpton Takes Center Stage in San Francisco
South Africa: Bicycles, Horses & Wonderful Experiences
A French Twosome with SLH
Bogota, Colombia
Hard Rock Hotel Vallarta
Villa del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto
Westin Grand Cayman
Grand Case Beach Club, St. Martin
Aruba Marriott Resort

Recommend August 2013