Ocean & River Cruises Travel

01/09/2025

As we move into 2025, there's much to anticipate and be excited for the year ahead, including the opening up to travellers of new destinations, and new ship experiences. These range from the new Magdalena River cruise options in Colombia aboard AmaWaterways, to the most sophisticated and advanced ice-breaking passengers ship in the world Commandant Charcot with Ponant and which can offer explorations of Quebec and the St Lawrence river in the Boreal Winter!

There also continues to be important changes for travellers in terms of advance documentation required to visit many destinations, including the United Kingdom where travellers from the US, Canada (and most other non-European countries) will now be required to secure an Electronic Travel Authorisation prior to travel.

Effective immediately an ETA is required for travel to the UK, including those just in-transit during a flight connection. Airlines will deny check-in to folks that do not have this important advance approval to travel.

Additional details:

Information on who can get an ETA and how to apply before coming to the UK.

09/09/2024

Flying with Air Canada in next two weeks? The potential for labour action could cause significant disruptions, starting as soon as this Friday, 15/Sep. Here is the official update as of today Monday, 9/Sep:

On Friday, September 13, 2024, if agreement is not reached with ALPA by then, Air Canada will need to start some winddown activities, including the cancelation of some holiday packages and the grounding of some aircraft.

On Sunday, September 15, 2024, at 00h01 EDT, ALPA and Air Canada will be in a legal position to serve a 72-hour notice of strike or lock-out. If such notice is served, Air Canada would begin an orderly winddown of its operations.

Wednesday, September 18, 2024 is the earliest day when a strike or lock-out could begin.



https://media.aircanada.com/Air-Canadas-statement-in-response-to-ALPAs-notice-to-bargain

06/25/2024

After serving several years over two terms on the Virtuoso Travel Global Cruise Committee, I'm thrilled to embark on a new challenge, moving this year to represent our Canadian members on the Virtuoso Technology Committee, while remaining on our Canada Regional Member Advisory Board.

It's been a privilege to work with so many talented folks on our Committee and in the Virtuoso cruise team. I'm also feeling extremely honoured to have been given the support by my fellow Canadian members in the recent elections to continue to represent Canada - on our Tech Committee!

06/17/2024

Our association with the Virtuoso network allows us to access preferred rates and benefits at some of the best places to stay, whether it’s a vibrant city break in New York, a boutique hotel in Madrid, or an overwater bungalow in Moorea!

My overnight stay here at the Sofitel Kia Ora Moorea Beach Resort came with Virtuoso exclusive extras including over $200 USD in Food & Beverage credits, fee-waived early check-in and late check-out, a welcome gift of a bottle of French Champagne, and a fantastic upgrade from the Beach Bungalow to the Horizon Overwater Bungalow. This is truly a spectacular property with stunning beauty and heartfelt hospitality from the amazing team here.

Samuel/Ocean & River Cruises

06/14/2024

Feel-good Fridays!

Our Virtuoso Travel partner Delfin Amazon Cruises - Relais & Châteaux shared this amazing rescue video of a rare Two-toothed mother sloth and her cub by the onboard naturalists and paramedic from the small Amazon river boat Delfin I.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8K9V3FPldv/

05/04/2024

So I will be honest folks, it was the fact I had to pay a mandatory $100 USD resort fee for my 36 hour stay that made me say, heck, I am going to force myself to do one of these included resort fee activities dammit.

And so thus Evan Sauter and I found ourselves at 09:30am ready and waiting to learn how to do Hawaiian Lei Ribbon Weaving. And I will say that the next hour of carefully threading and adjusting our weaves - under the guidance of our lovely Hawaiian hostesses - and out on the patio with the waves crashing and the pacific breeze blowing - wow that was so calming and relaxing as we focused in on our attempts to tighten and straighten our Lei Ribbon weaves... I have a new appreciation for the calming effect of meditative focus with arts and crafts!

04/18/2024

With the explosion in global travel over the last few decades, sustainability in travel and avoiding over-tourism is a key concern as traveller numbers continue to rise around the globe.

Investing in the local communities and economies of the places we visit is also at the heart of travel sustainability, and this long-term initiative by small-ship operator Seabourn sees significant investment in both local housing and infrastructure for the Wunambal Gaambera people - the Traditional Owners of a region in the Kimberleys in Australia - as well as year-round art initiatives that helps support long term employment opportunities.

https://www.seabourn.com/en/ca/cruise-ships/seabourn-pursuit/godparents

Virtuoso Travel

03/11/2024

She might be the (second, thanks to Jeff Bezos) largest sail ship in the world, but Sea Cloud Cruises Spirit delivers a very yacht like experience in her intimate and off the beaten path ports of call.

Think landings in luxe yacht marinas, rather than massive mega ship port shopping malls. Sometimes a local boat will take you directly over to a small desert island beach, or perhaps it’s a white night party at a grand resort. But that contrasts nicely with rustic, local and authentic activities like our BBQ lunch today at a locals favourite beachside restaurant.

And yes, we swam with the pigs - the original site of a colony of around 25 feral and now largely humanized pigs that live on their own island - and as lore has it, originally from local farmers on the next island over whom wanted the smelly pigs to be downwind and not rampaging around their homesteads!

03/08/2024

Yesterday Sea Cloud made arrangements to use the facilities of an upscale yacht marina including their pool, beach, and rum cocktails around a beach bonfire.

Today, 20 of us enjoy a private island beach escape for a couple of hours at Schooner Cay, with water transport here directly from Sea Cloud Spirit at anchor. Certainly a side of the beautiful Bahamas I’ve never seen before.

03/06/2024

And we’re off sailing! Sea Cloud Cruises Spirit is just pipped to be the second largest sailing ship in the world, and operated completely by hand sail.

This three masted fully rigged sail ship has no less than 28 sails spanning over 44,000 square feet! She typically sails under wind power only for 3 or 4 days per voyage such as today! While she can sail up to 14 knots in perfect wind and sea conditions, she does have two small engines to provide up and 6 knots of engine assisted speed.

With 85 crew and sailors, and a typical guest capacity of 90-120 guests per voyage, this is a very different oceangoing experience!

03/04/2024

And off again, working on the road (and the high seas) is definitely easier with Starlink!

And wow what amazing pictures this iPhone 15 Pro can snap without any real manual adjustment… Cleveland from 35,000 feet on this clear night enroute to Newark, and tomorrow Nassau where I’ll board the world largest sailing ship - Sea Cloud Spirit.

02/28/2024

Such an honour to work alongside these talented owners and managers serving on the Regional Member Advisory Board, as well as the awesome Virtuoso Canada management team!

Virtuoso Travel Canada Forum at the Four Seasons Hotel Toronto delivers insightful impacts, promotes human connection and meaningful connections with our preferred partners and ultimately great experiences we can share with our clients!

02/13/2024

Thank you Seabourn Venture team - from the housekeepers to the dining staff to the chefs and the most excellent bar team that kept us refreshed every step of the way. And of course a special shout out to the Captain Simon and all his officers, nautical team, and last but not least our outstanding Expedition Team that made Antarctica come to life with insights, storytelling and their knowledge of the local wildlife.

Collectively, this team delivered and extraordinariy experience and a true expedition adventure to the most Southerly shores of our planet.

02/12/2024

And just like that… A gorgeous sunrise in Ushuaia, at the very most extreme south of Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia region, and a busy day in port with Regent Seven Seas Cruises Voyager, Holland America Line Oosterdam in port with us here disembarking Seabourn Venture.