Recommend January 2016 - (Page 11)

A city tour in Bratislava. onsitereview AMASERENA voyage also takes place in June 2017 with a 14-night itinerary that includes Amsterdam, Basel, and Ruedesheim, Germany as it travels along the Rhine and Moselle rivers. The 84-guest Crystal Ravel sets off in August 2017 exploring the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, as well as the Gironde Estuary on a 7-night cruise. The longest of Crystal River Cruises' itineraries take place on board the Crystal Mahler, whose maiden voyage is set for August 2017. The 16-night Grand Europe itinerary sails along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers. Viking River Cruises is holding its own in Europe's river cruise marketplace with the launch of six new river ships: five Viking Longships-Alruna, Egil, Kadlin, Rolf, and Tialfi-and a smaller, custom-built ship for the Douro River, Osfrid, bringing Viking's total number of ships on that river in Portugal to three. The line has also launched several cruise and cruisetour itineraries for 2016, many of which expand on Viking's most popular routes, including the 8-day Lyon & Provence cruise that sails from Lyon to Avignon, and the 16-day Poland, Prague & the Elegant Elbe cruisetour that departs from Berlin and concludes in Warsaw. contact information Adventures by Disney: disneytravelagents.com Avanti Destinations: avantidestinations.com Crystal River Cruises: crystalcruises.com Heritage Line: heritage-line.com Mayflower Tours: mayflowertours.com Pandaw River Adventures: pandaw.com Scenic: scenicusa.com/agent-portal Viking River Cruises: vikingrivercruises.com hal herman There were smiling faces and appreciative applause when the champagne bottle smashed against the hull of the vessel and the AmaSerena was officially christened last August. The new and well-crafted rivership had some months earlier been added to AmaWaterways' fleet and had just concluded a 7-day cruise on the Danube River from Budapest, Hungary to Vilshofen, Germany. Another rivership's christening may not be fascinating news, but it underscores the growing market in river cruising both in itineraries and potential first-time river cruise clients. According to Rudi Schreiner, AmaWaterways' president and co-owner, the Danube River cruise offers one of the best experiences for the first-time river cruiser because it features interesting small towns and villages in addition to well-known European cities such as Vienna and Budapest. Schreiner makes a good point. The balanced mix of villages, towns and major cities, plus the various options to explore them, is a major highlight. Rhine and Rhone rivers are also viable recommendations for an initial river cruise, he adds. Schreiner feels that besides the destinations, the amenities of the rivership, creative culinary offerings and personalized service give travel agents an attractive package to sell "first-timers" and retain clients. the itinerary Embarking from Budapest after a day-and-a-half of exploring that fascinating Hungarian city- the castle grounds alone are enough to make one weak in the knees for their tremendous beauty-the christening cruise's first stop was Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, with its Gothic churches and monasteries, Baroque and Rococo palaces, and serene parks. Then it's on to Vienna, probably one of Europe's most interesting and memorable destinations-a perfect blend of the present and the past. Architectural wonders of palaces, churches, government buildings and historical sites abound. And, after a day of sightseeing awe, what could be more memorable of both Vienna and the Danube than an evening concert featuring the music of Mozart and Strauss. Next stop is a morning visit to Durnstein. It's a small Austrian town worthy of a leisurely stroll through its tranquil streets or a visit to the ruins of Durnstein Castle, which once held England's Richard the Lionheart as its prisoner. Nestled in the country's Wachau Valley-a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for producing some of Austria's renowned white wines- Durnstein was the starting point for approximately two dozen cycling enthusiast passengers, who hopped on the two-wheelers for a 3-hour bike ride to Melk, where they met the ship that same afternoon. The availability of bikes for tours is part of river cruising sightseeing flexibility. In addition to cycling, there are bus tours in the larger cities, walking tours with knowledgeable guides, or leisure walks for those who want to venture on their own. january 2016 11 http://www.disneytravelagents.com http://www.avantidestinations.com http://www.crystalcruises.com http://www.heritage-line.com http://www.mayflowertours.com http://www.pandaw.com http://www.scenicusa.com/agent-portal http://www.vikingrivercruises.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recommend January 2016

Editor’s Notes
Hotel Desk: On Your 2016 Radar
Tour Talk: Travel Impressions
River Cruising: What’s Hot Now
AmaSerena
2016 Delta Air Lines Caribbean, Mexico & Latin America Guide
5 Places to Hang in Tokyo
The National Parks: Centennial Celebration
Universal Orlando
Value Travel
Egypt is Hot!

Recommend January 2016