The Pampered Cruiser

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The Pampered Cruiser

Sue & Bob Bradley: Travel agency owners specializing in river cruises & small ship ocean cruises.
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11/21/2024

BUCHAREST is quite probably overlooked as one of Europe’s great cities. It is called the “Paris of the East”, and the mix of landmarks and architecture provides a good hint as to why. Much like Paris, there is a lively street-scene here with restaurants, coffee shops, pedestrian malls and entertainment. They also have their own Champs Elysse, and a Boulevard of Fountains. You won’t get bored walking around this place.

The other (really) big monument is the Romanian Parliament Building. It is the second largest building in the world (with the Pentagon taking top spot). It was a vanity project commissioned by Romania’s last dictator, Nicolai Ceausescu, and is now used as the seat of the Romanian Government. Because of the ridiculous scale of the building, only a small fraction of it is required for the Parliament and Senate, so if you’re looking for a place for wedding reception (and you’re ready to fly to eastern Europe), I’ve got a suggestion for you.

11/20/2024

TRANSYLVANIA -- Today we left the AMA Bella in Giurgiu, but we’re still in AMA Waterways’ expert care as we do a four-day post trip extension with them. Our first stop in ROMANIA is the mythical Province of Transylvania. Irish writer, Bram Stoker, made the region famous in the 19th century when he created the legend of Count Dracula. Interestingly Stoker never set foot inside Transylvania (or anywhere else in Romania), but based his story on Vlad the Impaler, and set the story at Bran Castle. We were able to visit both the castle, and Vlad’s birthplace at the walled village of Sighisoara (also a UNESCO site).

We have lots to see while in the Transylvania Province, and we stopped in the mountain village of Sinaia that doubles as a ski resort, AND the location of Peles Palace – the former summer residence of the Romanian royal family. Whatever image you have of how royal families live is manifested here at Peles Palace.

11/19/2024

BULGARIA – of the 6 countries on our journey, this is one I knew the least about, so I’m happy to be getting a crash course. Our first stop is Vidin, where we visit a local family home and get a cooking demonstration of BANITSA PASTRY – a local dish made with phyllo, eggs, butter and cheese (so you know it is delicious). The AMA Bella crew was quite excited for us to bring back some samples of our demonstration.

Our other Bulgarian stop is at Rousse, that is the jumping off point to visit Veliko Tarnovo – the historical capital of Bulgaria and (another) well-preserved fortress. This one required a bit of walk to get to the top, but from there you could see the entire river valley, and also exactly how well this fortress would have functioned for defense purposes.

Also nearby is Arbanassi Village – a charming mountain hamlet that has been inhabited for centuries, and well worth a wander around by foot.

11/17/2024

IRON GATES GORGE-- When you see the photos of the Lower Danube River, and the rock sculpture of King Decebalus – that is the Iron Gates Gorge, and it is spectacular. Perhaps it’s because all the autumn colors are on full display, but I think these are the most scenic vistas I’ve ever seen on a European river boat. The weather gods are cooperating too – it’s a bit cool, but bright and sunny, with the light hitting the Carpathian Mountains on the Romanian side, and the Balkan Mountains on the Serbian side. The river is little more than a football field wide here, and the cliffs rise 300 meters right out of the river. We’re all on the top deck today to take in this natural spectacle, with the castles and small townships visible up close. This is scenic cruising at its best.

11/17/2024

BELGRADE is the largest city in Serbia, and is mix of ancient churches, Soviet-era buildings (in the Brutalist style), and modern buildings and amenities. The Serbians use the Cyrillic alphabet, so it is less navigable than Western Europe. We visited the impressive St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church (that feels more like a Turkish mosque), the Nikola Tesla Museum (his remains are here, as well as an impressive display of some of his work), and the Kalemegdan Fortress. It seems the constant occupation by various groups of this part of Europe has necessitated big, impressive fortresses seemingly at every turn.

In the afternoon, we made a pilgrimage to sample the local moonshine. We would call it “brandy” -- the Serbians call it “Rakija”. There are several variations of this local drink, and we visited a tasting room that looks much like a wine cellar or a craft brewery.

11/15/2024

We’re just winding up a trip in Eastern Europe, and much like many of you, we didn’t previously have much experience travelling this part of the world. For some of you, it might not even be on your radar, so here are some reasons to consider Europe’s Eastern countries:

You haven’t been here – When you travelled in Europe as a younger person, these countries were behind the iron curtain, and not available to you. They are every bit as rich in history, culture, music and food as Western Europe, just not as well known.

The history of conquer and occupation – All of Europe has a violent history, but the countries of Eastern Europe have been conquered, occupied, and reconquered for centuries. Given the closer proximity of Eastern Europe to Asia and Africa, there are many more influences here. Each of those invaders left evidence of their time in the region.

Optimism and Hope – In the 1980s, these countries were falling apart as the Soviet Union was collapsing. There is lots of work yet to do, but the progress made in these countries in a relatively short period of time is inspiring.

Fewer Tourists – I wouldn’t call it “quiet” in Eastern Europe, but the crowds aren’t as overwhelming as London, Paris or Rome.

Scenery – The Iron Gates Gorge on the Lower Danube rivals the Wachau Valley or the Rhine Gorge in terms of scenery. At its most narrow point, the river is only a bit wider than a football field, so you’re up close.

What we can learn from the people here – Many of the people you’ll meet in Eastern Europe remember the “Communist Times” and the Balkan wars. If we’re willing to learn, they have much to teach us about protecting freedom, healing, forgiveness, and co-existing with others whose opinions may differ from our own.

Food – particularly if you like perogies or yogurt.

Castles and Fortresses – Europe’s full of palaces (a place where sovereigns live/lived), but there are many more castles (places that were built for defence), and fortresses (large fortifications with thick walls, moats, and drawbridges) in Eastern Europe. If you really want immerse yourself in the remnants of the medieval feudal period, there’s no shortage of this in Eastern Europe

[CLICK for the full article]
https://pamperedcruiser.com/destination-eastern-europe/
P.S. Give us a call at 800-876-0168 to book your next trip.

11/14/2024

SERBIA: Our first stop in Serbia is at Novi Sad, also known as the Athens of Serbia. I’m having a hard time making the comparison, although the old town here is charming. After dinner, we did a tour of the Petrovaradin Fortress – one of several we will visit this week. It seems that this corner of Europe has spent the last couple of thousand years being conquered, occupied, and reconquered, so castles and fortresses here are standard equipment.

We also visited the Golubac Fortress – a well preserved historical site with stunning views on the shore of the Danube.

11/14/2024

CROATIA: The Adriatic Coast of Croatia is the most visited part of the country, and we help lots of our clients get there. In this northeastern part of the country, it's not as naturally stunning as the coast, but this enabled us to get into the history and culture of Croatia more. Our stops in Croatia are Vukovar and Ilok -- both of which were largely destroyed in the 1990s because of the war with Serbia. There is still evidence of that conflict around, but Croatia has come a long way. They are now part of the European Union, use the Euro as their currency, and are NATO members.

Each of the former Yugoslavian nations has had its own triumphs and tragedies, but given that many today can remember that conflict (from 1991 to 2001), they seem to co-exist relatively well – except when they are cheering for their favorite football team.

11/12/2024

HUNGARY: There’s more to Hungary than Budapest, and we got a taste of that today in Mohacs and Pecs. Pecs is a city of about 100,000, and was once a walled city, with some of the wall and tower remaining. Like seemingly all European cities, there are ornate churches on every corner, and we visited a few of them. There is also a Jewish Synagogue and a Mosque. There were several thousand practicing Jews here prior to the Holocast, but now there are only a few dozen. It gives you an idea of the scale of the genocide. There are also Roman Ruins.

11/11/2024

BUDAPEST by some measures is the busiest river cruise port in Europe. Most of the ships from here sail westbound to Bavaria (through Slovakia and Austria). We’re going the other way towards the Black Sea (through Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania). Budapest is worth a day or two if you’ve not been previously. The collision of cultures between the West (represented by all the same chain stores and brands you have at home), and the East (represented by big, Soviet-era infrastructure), makes this place a living testament to the Cold War period.

The historical Buda Castle that sits perched over the Danube, the iconic Hungarian Parliament Buildings, and the Szechenyi Thermal Baths are the must-see attractions here. If you have more time, there are tons of museums and historical sites.

11/10/2024

WARSAW is big (about 3 million) and modern (it was almost completely rebuilt after WW2). Like most European cities, there is a scenic old town here that is worth exploring as a visitor. The locals described it to us as “Disneyfied”, as it is all a reconstruction.

Chopin grew up here in Warsaw, so there is a strong focus on his music here, and there is also an active foodie scene.

Given Poland’s long history of being occupied by others – most recently the N***s followed by the Soviets, it is humbling to see how much progress has been made in only 30 years.

We're off to Budapest tomorrow to board the AMA Bella for a river cruise through Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania.

11/09/2024

AUSCHWITZ & BIRKENAU
Visiting the N**i death camps is emotionally challenging but necessary. We all know the story, but walking the same ground where these atrocities took place, and seeing both the scale of the death, and the systematic and ruthless efficiency by which it was carried out is life changing. The memorials here were created with the input and consent of the survivors and their families, and are moving and unforgettable. The reason to visit here? Quite simply, those that do not understand history are condemned to repeat it… and that must not be allowed to happen.

11/08/2024

Bob speaking…. If you follow us on Facebook, you know that Sue and I are on a swing through Eastern Europe right now. I want to share a personal experience that is somewhat appropriate with Veterans’ Day coming up Monday.

The photo collage above tells well more than a million words, but I’ll keep it short. The fellow on the left is my Uncle Bill (actually my mother’s Uncle). He passed away in 2009, but this photo was when he was 20 years old. Like other young Canadians of his generation, when the war in Europe broke out in 1939, he was drafted into the Canadian Air Force, and spent the next three years flying missions over occupied France.

In September of 1942, his luck ran out, and he was shot down over Dieppe. He parachuted out, and eluded capture for two weeks in enemy territory. Desperate for something to eat, he knocked on the door at a French Catholic Church, who fed him and then promptly turned him over to the Gestapo.

He was transported to Stalag 344 in Lamsdorf, where he spent the next two plus years, before being walked at gunpoint westward across Europe (on the “Death March”) in January of 1945 with the Soviet army advancing from the east.

My earliest memory of this incredible man is walking down the street with him, and running into some tourists that he had guided the day before around his home town of Banff. He wasn’t speaking to them in English or French, so I asked him what language it was, and where he learned to speak it. He told me he had been a “guest” of the Germans in the 1940s, and while he was there, learned their language.

Now (in the 1970s), his retirement job was offering German tourists guided tours of Banff. If you ever wondered why they are called the Greatest Generation, this story must answer the question.

The middle photo is me visiting the remains of his German “home” at Stalag 344 this week in what is now Lambinowice, Poland. I was able to walk the same ground my great-uncle walked more than 80 years ago, although where he had machine guns pointed at him, there wasn’t even so much as a ticket booth obstructing my visit.

I imagined walking with the 20-year-old version of my uncle, and telling him he would survive this ordeal, and go on to live a long, full life, and be a pillar of his community. I told him that the atrocities of this war were far worse than he could have imagined during his time there. I then told him that Poland was now a model of democracy with a strong, independent and free people. I let him know that thanks to him, that Europe was mostly united as another model of freedom and democracy. France and Germany now don’t have a border and share a currency.

I finally told him about my son… who is now 20-years-old (the right picture above with Sue and me in Bosnia last year). My son, who has travelled all over the world, and backpacked with his friends through Europe at the same age that Bill was when he was a prisoner of war.

My imaginary conversation with my great uncle Bill ended with me thanking him for fighting for all of us for 6 years, with 3 of those years that could only have been a living hell as prisoner of war. I told him I can’t pretend to understand his sacrifice but have immense gratitude for it. I told him I was worried that we have not learned the lessons we should have from his experience. That I was embarrassed by the anger and entitlement our current society seems to embrace. What can we possibly be angry about, if he was touring his captors around his home town only a few years after his incarceration?

Finally, I told him that the ONLY reason I am able to travel the entire world (and help others do likewise), and the only reason my 20-year-old son can run around Europe under MUCH different circumstances is because of the sacrifice he made at Stalag 344.

Bill is one of millions of veterans from many countries with similar stories. The ONLY appropriate tribute to these incredible people is to remember what they fought for, what they fought against, and just how fortunate we truly are, and that ALL of our current grievances are petty and shallow by comparison.

[CLICK for the full article]
https://pamperedcruiser.com/on-veterans-day/
P.S. Give us a call at 800-876-0168 to book your next trip.

11/07/2024

KRAKOW is the historical capital of Poland (although the seat of government is now in Warsaw). This place was minimally damaged in WW2, so the buildings, monuments, and sites are NOT reconstructions like other parts of the Europe. We’ve been busy here – a visit to the Salt Mines (far more interesting than it sounds – there’s a whole subterranean city here!). We visited Oskar Schindler’s Factory – not much of the factory itself left, but you can visit his office, and there is a very informative display of the N**i presence in Poland, and of Schindler’s role in Krakow. Much of SCHINDLER’S LIST was filmed here, so movie fans should definitely make an effort to get here. Finally – the street life here in Krakow, even with the cool nights of mid-autumn is definitely an experience. Like most European cities, there is a main square, and Krakow has Europe’s largest – over 5 acres – all lined with restaurants, bars, and shops for the locals, and for visitors.

11/05/2024

EASTERN EUROPE
We’re doing a Lower Danube River cruise with our friends at AMA Waterways, with some pre and post in Poland and Romania. We’ll start in Poland, then board the AMA Bella in Budapest, Hungary, and sail south (and then east) towards Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and then disembark in Romania to explore Transylvania and Bucharest.

The most frequent question we’re asked is whether we’re nervous travelling this close to Ukraine. NO…Poland, Hungary, and Romania all share a border with Ukraine, but all three of those countries are NATO members, so if fighting spreads, we’ll be in the middle of WW3 anyway, and we’d prefer to be out doing what we love, rather than be hiding in our basement, living in fear.

We’ll make daily posts on our journey… follow along.

11/01/2024

You’ve seen the headlines of locals protesting tourism or about cruise ship ports closing or at least restricting traffic. If you’re like me, you’re wondering where it will all end.

Yes… there is a backlash to tourism:

Several cruise ship ports HAVE taken steps to reduce ship traffic: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dubrovnik, Palm Beach, Juneau, Santorini, and Venice (to name a few). Some limit the number of ships or guests. Others are adding taxes or fees to either discourage traffic.

Under Tourism?

What is talked about less is that in many of these destinations a substantial portion of the economy is driven by tourists, and (as we learned during the pandemic) UNDER-tourism is also a problem. So it’s not an effort to eliminate tourism, but rather to reach a better balance.

What’s Happening in Juneau, Alaska?

This is an instructional example. Juneau has a permanent population of about 30,000 (and many of those are in the tourist trade). On a busy day in summer, there might be six ships in port, each carrying 3000 or 4000 people. You can imagine what 20,000 tourists can do to a town that size!

The discussion has been happening in Juneau about what to do about visitors, and how that might impact the 3000 local residents directly involved in the tourist trade. Not surprisingly, the highest proportion (46%) of surveyed residents felt tourism was a mixed blessing. Thirty percent viewed it as entirely positive, and only 11% viewed it as entirely negative. Similar dynamics are undoubtedly in place in busy cruise ship ports around the world.

It's also worth noting that outside of North America, Europe and Australia/New Zealand, many cruise ship ports are in emerging economies, and tourist dollars are an effective way to redistribute wealth (by supporting local businesses and jobs).

What can YOU do?

- First… don’t pay too much attention to the tourism protests that you see on the news. They are not particularly widespread, and if you get into the details, I’m sure you’ll see something similar to Juneau with residents viewing tourism as a mixed blessing.
- Be somewhat patient: each jurisdiction is going to have to find an equilibrium that works for both the people that live there, and for visitors. Venice has been working on this for several years, and they still don’t entirely have it sorted out.
- Visit in the off-season. Visiting the Mediterranean in the winter, for example, is a great way to see cultural and historical sites without all the crowds.
- Go on a small ship. I’ve been to Juneau on a mega ship (that all dock there mid-week), and I’ve also been there with Seabourn with 450 guests, and no other ships in port (because Seabourn visits on the weekend). Juneau is pristine and charming when there’s only a handful of people there.

Equilibrium will be achieved… it’s just that different jurisdictions are in a period of trying to figure it out.

[CLICK for the full article]
https://pamperedcruiser.com/how-do-we-deal-with-over-tourism/
P.S. Give us a call at 800-876-0168 to book your next trip.

10/25/2024

When you ask AI for an illustration of “Canada”, and it gives you a hybrid of the Toronto and Vancouver skylines in front of the Rocky Mountains, it probably means AI is as confused about Canada as the rest of us.

It’s right next door, but you probably don’t think about it much… until lately. It seems that Canada is hot. It is the fastest growing destination for American tourists, and visits in 2024 are up 168% over 2023.

Many of you know that Bob was born in Canada, and has lived in both countries, so I asked him for some tidbits of trivia that might not generally be well known by Americans:

- MOST Canadians don’t speak English (or French) at home. Those are the two largest minorities, but less than 50% of Canadians speak English as their first language.
- Less than half the residents of both Toronto and Vancouver are of European descent. Vancouver is predominantly Asian, and Toronto has people from all over the world.
- There are 7 time zones, and it’s the world’s 2nd largest country by area (Russia’s first). It has the world’s longest coastline, and shares the world’s longest border with the US.
- It has the world’s 2nd largest French speaking population (mostly in Quebec).
- It’s a member of seemingly every international order: The Commonwealth, the Organization of American States, La Francophonie, APEC, the G7, NATO (to name a few).

The Regions, and How to Visit:

- The Pacific. Vancouver is a busy cruise ship port, and most people stay in Vancouver pre or post cruise, to enjoy the city, or maybe to visit Whistler, Victoria or Seattle.
- The Rockies. Calgary is the gateway to Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, and the Icefields Parkway. The 600 miles between Vancouver and Calgary is full of mountains, volcanoes, wineries, lakes, waterfalls and wildlife. It’s incredibly scenic!
- Toronto & Niagara Falls. Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world, and the cultural, culinary, and entertainment options reflect that diversity. Niagara Falls is about 90 minutes away, and attracts more than 12 million people every year.
- Quebec. This is Canada’s largest Province (about 2.5 times larger than Texas), and is a “Country of its own inside Canada”. It is certainly different than other parts of Canada, and not only because of the predominance of French. Montreal is the big city there, and has lots to offer, but Quebec City is truly unique. Pre/Post cruise is a must in Quebec City.
- Atlantic Canada. These are the Provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. These are common port stops for cruise ships, and offer charming townships, spectacular scenery, and friendly people.
- Newfoundland. This is like an entirely different country in many respects, and has only been part of Canada since 1949. If you go there, make sure you visit Gander Airport, where there is a 9/11 tribute to this small town that landed so many planes that day.
- The Far North. There are cruises between Alaska and the Atlantic every summer that travel the Northwest Passage, and call in at the remote villages in the Arctic. This truly is the last frontier on the planet, and is like doing a safari by boat.

[CLICK for the full article]
https://pamperedcruiser.com/destination-canada/
P.S. Give us a call at 800-876-0168 to book your next trip.

10/18/2024

Comparing ocean cruise lines is easy. For example, if you’re choosing between Carnival and Holland America, you’ll be really happy on one of those cruise lines and extremely unhappy on the other (depending on your age, and what you want to get out of the trip).

River cruise lines are far less differentiated – so the conversation is less definitive.

All the river cruise lines we work with provide an elevated level of food quality, service, and amenities. In many regards, they are all very similar. However, there is certainly differentiation amongst them, so here’s a crack at defining what is different about the river cruise lines our clients book most frequently.

Note that ALL these cruise lines include a shore excursion in each port of call, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship. Additional inclusions are noted under each.

AMA WATERWAYS

- A Wellness Coordinator offering fitness and yoga classes, more active shore excursions.
- Happy Hour where your drinks are included every night for an hour or so before dinner.
- A choice of several included Shore Excursions at each port.
Gym and pool on board the ship.
- Trip Extensions – AMA offers some unusual extensions, and the cruise manager from the ship also travels with you pre/post cruise.
Final payment due 90 days prior to departure.
- More on AMA: https://pamperedcruiser.com/ama-waterways-pay-for-your-river-cruise-90-days-before-departing/

IF YOU WANT TO TRAVEL IN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS IN EUROPE, AMA HAS SOME APPEALING FARES WITH EXTRA PERKS. CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS.

UNIQUE ITINERARIES:

- COLUMBIA: Barranquilla to Cartagena for 7-nights departing June 11
- Visit a Carnaval celebration, take a stilt-house Village tour, enjoy a Jazz street performance, and San Felipe Castle and Walled city tour. Enjoy the latin music, sample the famous coffee, and take in the tropical rainforest.
- Pre/post available to Medellin and/or Panama.
Fares from $3755

SOUTHERN AFRICA:

- Start in Capetown for 3-nights, then board your ship, and spend the next 4 days on Safari both by riverboat and 4 X 4. Spend 2 nights in Victoria Falls, before finishing in Johannesburg for the trip home.
- Fares from $12,045 with departures March through November.

AVALON

- Rooms – Avalon orients the beds to face out the window.
- Shorter itineraries – Avalon is the only one of these cruise lines to offer itineraries of less than a week. This could work well if you want to combine a river cruise with another vacation in Europe.
- Land tours – Avalon is part of the Globus family of brands, so it’s easy to connect a river cruise to a Globus or Monograms trip.

UNIQUE ITINERARIES:

- Oltenita to Vilshofen for 16-days
- Board in Oltenita (Romania), and make daily port stops while travelling through Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, then finishing in Bavaria.
- Depart May 29 or October 26 from $8398

Budapest to Vienna (6 days)

- Visit Budapest (overnight), Bratislava, Melk, Vienna (overnight)
- Depart November or December 2025 from $2149

TAUCK RIVER CRUISES

- Land extensions – Tauck is originally a luxury land-tour operator and have only gotten into the River Cruise business with their own ships in the past few years. If you’re looking for high-end land tours, Tauck certainly offers this.
- Inclusions – Tauck has all the standard river cruise inclusions and also include beverages at ALL times, as well as gratuities for both onboard staff and local guides.
- Exclusive experiences – Tauck puts their extensive experience on land to good use when planning exclusive shore events for river boat guests.
- Family Departures. During school breaks, there are designated voyages if you want to take children or grandchildren on a river cruise in Europe with shore excursions and activities designed for younger people.

UNIQUE ITINERARIES:

- Montreux to Brussels for 11-days
- Visit Geneva, Montreux, Lavaux Vineyards, Glacier 3000, Basel, Strasbourg, Middle Rhine Valley, Dusseldorf, Gorinchem, Antwerp, Brussels
- Departures April through October from $7990

Family Bridges Travel for 8-days during school holidays

- Amsterdam to Basel from $5690
- Budapest to Vienna from $5190
- Paris to Normandy from $5490
- Paris to Marseille from $5590

UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER COLLECTION

- Boutique ships – Uniworld positions itself as a floating boutique hotel. Each ship is unique and decorated to reflect the region in which it sails. The Tollman family’s personal art collection is on board the ships as well, so each river boat is a bit like a floating museum.
- Trains – on some voyages, Uniworld allows guests to do pre/post trips by luxury train. There are some very interesting itinerary options.
- Inclusions – Much like Tauck, everything is included in the fare (open bar, all gratuities)
- “Other” Rivers – Uniworld operates on all the standard European rivers, and also travels to a few spots others don’t go: The Venetian Lagoon in Northern Italy; the Ganges River in India; and the Amazon headwaters in Peru (with extensions to Machu Picchu).
-There is gym and a spa on board Uniworld ships
- More info on Uniworld: https://pamperedcruiser.com/who-is-uniworld-and-why-sail-with-them/

UNIQUE ITINERARIES:
- VENICE & Northern Italy for 7-nights
- Visit Venice (several spots), Mazzorbo, Burano, Chioggia.
- Departs every Sunday from April – October from $3509. This is far more cost-effective than staying in a hotel in Venice for a week.

There are a number of add-ons you can make to this cruise:

- ADD: 2-nights in Milan to see Davinci’s Last Supper (after hours access), and a City Tour of Milan. Stop in Verona and Valpolicella Wine Cellar en route to Venice.
- ADD: Lugano (Switzerland) & Lake Como
- ADD: Train to Istanbul. If you want to add to your country-count, then transfer from the ship to board the train in Venice and stop in Trieste, Ljubljana (Capital of Slovenia), Belgrade (Capital of Serbia), Montenegro (beaches every bit as spectacular as Greece, but undiscovered), Bulgaria, and 2 nights in Istanbul.
- ADD: Rome 3-nights. Includes a city tour, and a tour of the Vatican.
- ADD: Train from Budapest. Board in Budapest, then visit Vienna, Innsbruck, Zurich, Lake Como, Verona, Trieste, Lake Bled, Ljubljana, then disembark train in Venice to board the ship.

Here’s a link to our video blog when we did this cruise: https://youtu.be/QRIHi6SED6g?si=IJvnYEJlqJt_iV4n

INDIA: Ganges River Cruise for 13-days between New Delhi and Kolkata

- Few countries simultaneously fascinate and frighten travellers as much as India, so why not visit it in comfort while still being exposed to the things that make this country so unique.
- Visit New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra (Taj Mahal), Kolkata, Cruise the Ganges, Kalna, Matairi, Murshidabad, Baranagar, Khusbagh,, Mayapur, Chandannagar.
- Includes 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and internal flights.
- Depart January 13 for $6559. Depart October or November from $7379

VIKING RIVER CRUISES

- Scale – Viking is larger than everyone else combined, and in many cases this gives them a price/cost advantage.
- Air Program – Viking’s extensive air program makes the value that much more compelling. The air add-ons give people cost certainty for air travel – a big advantage.
- Departure Dates – Viking has about 80 ships in Europe, so on many itineraries, there are more than 20 departures per month. If your dates are tight, Viking probably has a sailing within a day or two of your preferred departure.

UNIQUE ITINERARIES:

- BERLIN TO PRAGUE for 10-days on the Elbe River
- Visit Berlin (overnight), Potsdam, Wittenberg (overnight), Meissen, Dresden, Bad Schandau, Decin, Prague (2-nights).
- Departures March through November from $3499

MISSISSIPPI RIVER from New Orleans to Memphis for 8-days

- Visit New Orleans, Darrow, St. Francisville, Baton Rouge, Natchez, Vicksburg, Greenville, Memphis
- Departures January through June from $3799. October to December from $3999

The above river cruise lines account for the majority of the North American market, but there are several other more minor players out there as well. The biggest mistake people make when assessing a river cruise line is comparing to their ocean cruise experiences – the two have very little in common.

[CLICK for the full article]
https://pamperedcruiser.com/how-do-you-choose-a-river-cruise-line/
P.S. Give us a call at 800-876-0168 to book your next trip.

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THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS IN LYON Or in French: LA FETE DES LUMIERES. This four-day event takes place every December in Lyon and an expected 4 million people attended this year. What started with locals placing a candle in their windows to thank the Virgin Mary for sparing the region from the Plague, has evolved into a multi-venue, outdoor celebration of light, laser projection, music and visual effects. Think of it as a more interesting and more creative variation of fireworks, that lasts for several days. You (and several thousand of your closest friends) walk around to dozens of outdoor exhibits around the city-center, and witness the spectacle of projection and light onto buildings or sometimes Christmas lights with accompanying music and sound effects. It’s like a less-tacky version of the Las Vegas strip. If you’re thinking of a Christmas Markets experience in Europe next year, you may want to add this onto the trip. Of course, my iPhone video clips won’t do this justice… Farm to table cuisine, wine, Roman ruins, history, scenery – it’s all here in Provence, and #AMAWaterways is the perfect way to experience it all.

ENTERTAINMENT IS THE BEST AT SEA We’re on board Explora I, and the entertainment is like nothing I’ve seen elsewhere. Most cruise ships have good entertainment. Most often this is in the form of produced Vegas-type shows, with an on board band, and a DJ for later at night. Explora Journeys surveyed 20,000 travellers as part of the conception of the brand, and decided to take a different direction with the on board entertainment and enrichment: STEINWAY PARTNERSHIP: There are 3 Steinway pianos on board every ship, and this allows Explora to attract artists that want to play these incredible instruments. DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS: Imagine having more than a dozen skilled and versatile musicians on board that meet in different configurations and different venues for completely different experiences. That is here! NO SET SCHEDULE: Much like a luxury urban stay, you enjoy your dinner, have dessert, and then go see live music at your leisure. This is much better than setting your watch to get to the production show at a certain time. REQUESTS? The difference between real musicians making real music in real time, and production shows, is that the audience’s preferences, tastes, and requests can be accommodated. Here’s more information on Explora Journeys: https://pamperedcruiser.com/explora-journeys-luxury-cruise/ Today’s Sample Cruise: Greece & Croatia: Athens to Venice for 7-nights departing August 2 • Visit Athens, Patmos, Kefalonia (Greece), Dubrovnik, Zadar, Rovinj, Venice • $5250 per person is the book price. Get up to 15% off, and a €150 per person experience credit when booking with us. These “Book on Board” goodies are available through October 27. #ExploraJourneys

Walk-about Explora OT suites.

EXPLORA I: THE SUITES ARE SWEET If you’re following along, you’ll know we’re travelling from Quebec to New York with Explora Journeys, and we are able to get you the book on board goodies, because we’re on board. Here’s some info about the rooms on Explora I: The entry-level (translation: “best priced”) rooms on Explora I, are the equivalent to a mini-suite on many of the other cruise lines. These suites are 302 square feet, with an additional 75 square foot veranda – large enough for a table, 2 chairs and a daybed. There’s a sitting area, a walk in closet, and a King Bed in the OT rooms. So, if you’re one of those that has been disgruntled with cramped spaces on board cruise ships, then you’ll want to take a serious look at Explora Journeys. BOOK ON BOARD INCENTIVE: Between now and October 27, we can get you up to 15% off the price you see on the Explora website, AND a €150 per person experience credit. Here’s more information on Explora Journeys: https://pamperedcruiser.com/explora-journeys-luxury-cruise/ Today’s Sample Cruise: Barcelona to Athens for 8-nights departing June 19. • Visit Trapani (Sicily), Malta, Taormina (Italy), Chania (Greece), Naxos (Greece) • $5550 per person is the book price. Get up to 15% off, and a €150 per person experience credit when booking with us. #ExploraJourneys

Travel by train? That's what we did when we went to Memphis. Amtrak is certainly not very luxurious, but we still saw beautiful scenic views than if we were to travel on the highway via a rental car. Have you traveled by train and if so, where was your favorite place you have visited? Share in the comments.