Here are some seemingly random bits of news that have come across my desk this week, that I thought I would share:
Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection:
- Uniworld has acquired 2 new ships that formerly belonged to Crystal Cruises. This is a very big deal for fans of Crystal Cruises, and those ships will be in very good hands at Uniworld. The ships will be renamed Victoria and Elisabeth, and will operate on the Rhine and Moselle Rivers.
- Uniworld is continually innovating its product offering and the latest one is a cycling trip where you will be fully escorted with guides and support vehicles, with a tablet attached to your handle bars with a GPS unit. Best part is you only have to unpack once, as the Uniworld ship will follow you on your bike ride through Europe. These trips will operate on the Rhine and Danube Rivers. And no… you DON’T have to be an Olympic athlete to enjoy this trip.
Paris in Summer 2024
- Speaking of Olympic athletes… the 2024 Summer Olympic Games will take place in Paris from July 26 to August 11. If you have plans in France around this time, make sure you’re aware of what disruptions the Olympic Games will have on public venues and transportation.
Explora Journeys
- We just finished a trip through Quebec and New England with this new brand. You can see some of our posts on our Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/pamperedcruiser
- They offer a great experience, and one thing I think will be a game-changer is their ANTHOLOGY restaurant. This is where a celebrated chef does a residency on board the ship, offering their tasting menu for a period of several weeks or months. On our cruise, Emma Bengsston – the 2-star Michelin Chef behind Aquavit in New York was featured. This is a great opportunity if (like us) you would probably never go to such a restaurant on shore.
Viking Cruises
- A 2023 survey of over 525,000 Conde Nast Traveler readers named Viking #1 in River, Ocean, and Expedition categories. This is the first time any one brand has taken the top spot in all 3 categories.
- To add to the accolades, Travel & Leisure readers also rated Viking #1 in all three categories in 2023. Viking has some fans!
Oceania Cruises
- Oceania’s new ship, Vista (we participated in her christening in May), made her first port stop in the United States a bit earlier this year, and scored 100% on the USPH Vessel Sanitation Checklist. Any vessel that calls in at US ports is inspected twice yearly, and the criteria is rigorous. So this is quite an accomplishment. Imagine if hotels were subject to the same scrutiny… probably wouldn’t have as many headlines about bed bugs.
- Oceania is launching Vista’s sister ship ALLURA in 2025, and that ship is now open for bookings.
Seabourn Expedition
- Seabourn now has two expedition ships, and both were in North America in September. Seabourn Venture was in Vancouver after a Northwest Passage Cruise, and the brand new Seabourn Pursuit was in Florida on the same day making her North American inaugural.
- Seabourn will be doing an itinerary on the Kimberley Coast in Western Australia. This area is remote, but stunningly beautiful, if you’d like to do an Expedition trip, but perhaps in warmer climates.
Today’s Travel Opportunities
Viking Free Flights available until October 31:
Buenos Aires to Barcelona departing March 17 for 22 days
- Visit Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Cape Verde, Casablanca, Granada, Barcelona
- $4999 per person.
Antarctica departing January 20 or 29 for 13 days
- Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
- $9995 per person – Including round-trip air from the US, and the flight between BA and Ushuaia.
- Includes kayaks, zodiacs, special operations boats, Expedition gear, and an expedition jacket you get to keep.
- See our ship tour video of Viking Polaris: https://youtu.be/izwAZ6NdFOo?si=K4Qk4JGgMPve_GZA
Mississippi River New Orleans round-trip departing November 23, 30, or Dec 7, 2024 for 8 days
- Visit New Orleans, Darrow, St. Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Baton Rouge
- $4299 per person with free round-trip air
All the above Viking fares include round-trip air, all taxes and fees, a shore excursion in every port, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship.
Oceania Cruises Exotics in Asia
Oceania Japan, China & Korea departing February 26 for 12 days
- Visit Hong Kong, Kaohsiung (Taiwan), Hualien (Taiwan), Ishigaki, Shanghai (overnight), Kagoshima, Nagasaki, Seoul.
- Verandas from $5999 with $1300 optional air add-on
Oceania Singapore to Cape Town departing April 11 for 28 days
- This is a great opportunity to visit several countries that are hard to get to. Tick off a bunch of bucket-list destination in one trip!
- Visit Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, Seyschelles, Mozambique, South Africa. 5 overnight stays.
- Fares from $8799 with a $1500 optional air add-on.
AMA Waterways 20% off Sale
Our friends at AMA are offering 20% a list of river cruises in Europe and the Mekong for a limited time. Here’s a link to their list of cruises:
https://www.amawaterways.com/agent/pamperedcruiser/save20-2024#sailings
Tauck Southeast Exploration
For those looking for a land-cruise closer to home:
- Visit Savannah, the coastal Low Country, Fort Pulaski, Hilton Head, Beaufort, and Charleston. Tour the islands off Beaufort SC, see Savannah’s beloved Madeira traditions at the Davenport House Museum. Have dinner at 45 Bistro in Savannah’s oldest hotel – The Marshall House.
- 8-day inclusive packages with departures in April, May, and September, October from $5290 per person.
Recently booked a Viking Cruise?
Viking makes it really easy to book direct, either online or by phone. Our clients worry that if they book on-line, that they’re cutting us out, but if you let us know after you’ve booked, then we can still help you with your reservation.
We’ll check over your reservation to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal, and we will also add some onboard credits that are not available on direct bookings.
We can add at least $100 per person onboard credit to any direct Viking reservation made in the last 60 days.There is never a situation where you’ll get a better deal by booking directly with Viking (or any other cruise line).
Have something to say about this?
Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/pfbid02ThJ9MUoqAyHK2vZRPkUt9xjaED6cdQfeGC53HqGFxXLwJFKWp44VCqBAeRrC3Ykzl
If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
