This elegant river cruiser caused a bit of a buzz long before her launch in Mainz, Germany. The main reason was a new concept in river boat design - 64 Panorama Suites, which transform into an open-air balcony thanks to a three-metre wall of floor-to-ceiling sliding windows.......
I got well behind in wrapping up my blog from this amazing cruise….and for good reason. For one, after our long day excursion to Paris we were pretty tired….we also had to go back to Jacques for dinner, start packing, explore Copenhagen in a day, go back to Red Ginger for dinner, finish packing and leave the ship!
Since my last blog we've visited the famous port city of St. Malo, the historic village of Dinan, the French capital of Paris....and had a bit of a high seas drama. Not bad in a couple of days, eh?
It's a typical start to a European summer - one day hot, the next day wintry. It feels as though we are meandering through the seasons, but fortunately the changeable weather hasn't hampered our explorations of western France.....
Many cruises have music aboard, or offer fine dining, or invite distinguished guest lecturers to speak. Others go further and devote whole cruises to a theme, attracting like-minded devotees from around the world.
In a move which must have left many travel operators concerned, last week the US government issued a general travel alert to Americans with plans to travel to Europe.
As of Friday, the enforced gratuity charge of $7.50 per adult per day won’t be charged to your shipboard account; if you want to tip any a member of crew for exceptional service, it will be a matter of choice.
Cruising in Asia and the Pacific offers the chance to explore a rich array of native folklore and art. Indigenous culture is in vogue and interest shows no sign of abating. The movie Avatar, in which audiences side with the indigenous blue-skinned Na’vi people on fictional planet Pandora, was simply highlighting a trend.
Ever wondered where those obliging staff mostly come from, where they learned their craft, and what they like – and don’t like – about the business of serving you on board?
Further moves to keep passenger numbers in check and protect the environment mean this spectacular but vulnerable continent can be experienced only by a fortunate few.
As Canada settles down after the 2010 Winter Olympics in British Columbia we have a look at the sites of Winter Olympics around the world, for a side-trip on your next cruise.
She's the most specious ship yet from luxury line Oceania Cruises. James Sitters tells Rose Kelly and Peter Lynch what's on board the new class of ship, including restaurants, spas and suites.
