CRYSTAL CRUISES EXPANDS ITS LUXURY OFFERINGS

I have been fortunate to sail twice on Crystal Cruise Lines, once in the 90’s and again last year. Their service and food have always set them head and shoulders above other cruise lines since their inception in 1988. With other lines building larger and larger ships each year with waterslides and flashy decor, there will always be savvy passengers looking for a more refined and luxurious way to travel.

Crystal Yacht Cruises - Book your vacation today at Kingsbridge Travel

Crystal Cruises has been at the forefront of innovative travel options to travelers wanting to see the world in a more luxurious setting. Acquiring multiple awards in the past years for providing outstanding experience, Crystal Cruises has reason to expect many more awards in its future with the welcoming of new luxury offerings in river cruises, yacht cruises, and even air travel. 

BOOK YOUR CRYSTAL LUXURY VACATION AT KINGSBRIDGE TRAVEL

So if you’re looking to travel in a relaxed but luxurious style, look to Crystal with their ocean cruises, river cruising, yacht cruising and air travel. To find out more about Crystal and other luxury vacations call: Diane Ross at Kingsbridge Travel 813-972-3400 or toll free at 877-223-4030

 

What is river cruising?

River cruising has been an increasingly popular form of leisure travel in recent years. River cruises are one-week or longer, overnight passenger cruises on vessels that range in size from a small four-passenger canal barge to the largest passenger river vessel afloat, the 396-passenger Victoria Jenna, which operates on the Yangtze River in China.European river cruising takes place in what is, at maximum, a 38-foot-by-410-foot vessel, dimensions dictated by the locks and bridges that the vessels must past through and under. European river cruisers generally range from between 100 and 200 passengers.

Where do river cruises go?

 

River cruises travel along many of the major rivers in the world. In Europe, the Danube River is second in length only to the Volga River in Russia. The Danube is one of the most popular rivers to cruise along, and many river cruises include the Danube as part of their itinerary.The Main, Rhine, Moselle, Elbe, Rhone, Saone and Seine are also popular rivers in Europe for river cruising. Elsewhere in the world, the Amazon River in Peru and Brazil, the Nile River in Egypt, the Yangtze River in China and the Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia are also popular river cruise destinations.

Book your River Cruise at Kingsbridge Travel

Wherever you wish to travel, Kingsbridge Travel will make sure your vacation is the perfect fit for you. 

AMSTERDAM IS FOR EVERYONE

My husband and I recently spent a few days in Amsterdam after a river cruise. I had forgotten what a beautiful and delightful city it is. I was struck by the fact that there is something there for everyone and recommend a visit.

 

AMSTERDAM IS FOR LOVERS

Amsterdam is often called the “Venice of the North” because it is built around 165 canals. For a night of romance, stroll around the city admiring the canals or take a canal boat tour. Many are familiar with the love locks in Paris and around the globe, but few are aware that this trend started in Amsterdam. Though a lovely initial idea, I recommend against giving in to the trend as the locks in many cities are causing the bridge to collapse. But to take a photo, head over to the Groenburgwal with the Zuidekerk tower in the background.

AMSTERDAM IS FOR NATURE LOVERS

By far the most beautiful gardens I’ve ever seen is at Keukenhof. Only open for 2 months (March to May – check for exact dates each year). I planned our trip during this time to experience the tulip fields and numerous flower displays. This is the largest and most spectacular flower gardens anywhere in the world.
If you’re not there during that time, there are still over 30 beautiful parks to visit. The largest of these is Vondelpark, popular for jogging, dog walking and just taking in the view. Free concerts are offered during the summer in its open air theatre.
Amstelpark is great for families with its playgrounds, mini golf and pony rides.
With more bikes than people (1.4 million), Amsterdam is wonderful to explore by bicycleand rentals are readily available. There are even special bike lanes.

SPECIAL INTEREST TRAVEL AT KINGSBRIDGE TRAVEL

Cruise lines aren’t the only ones taking advantage of current interests. With the popularity of Downton Abbey, visits to Highclere have become increasingly popular.

Tourism Ireland has partnered with HBO to showcase “Game of Thrones” locales for the second year in a row. In addition to cheeky promotions (“dragon’s eggs” at local markets), official signage points the way to filming locations throughout Northern Ireland.

SPECIAL INTEREST TRAVEL AT KINGSBRIDGE TRAVEL

Which special interest travel would appeal to you the most? Whatever your special interests are, you can find a cruise or tour to help you enjoy it more thoroughly.

Call Diane Ross at Kingsbridge Travel to plan your next adventure.

813 972-3400 in Tampa and toll free at 877 223-4030

Luxury River Cruises

Luxury cruise lines are more exclusive than others and cater to the well-educated and sophisticated person. Travelers on luxury lines typically like experiencing foreign cultures and places with historical significance. On board luxury ships, you will find elegant suites, butler service, and exclusive amenities along with enrichment programs in the culinary arts, music, and foreign languages. Though the price is quite a bit higher, the value received often compensates for the cost.

Book your Luxury Cruise with Kingsbridge Travel Tampa Agency

In addition to helping you find the best cruise for you, Kingsbridge Travel will co-ordinate and book pre and post extensions, arrange transfers and excursions, and advise you on the best travel insurance.

PLANNING A SPECIAL OCCASION TRIP

When my sister Gail turned 50, I decided a surprise getaway would be the perfect gift for my Mom, sister Ilyse and me to give her.  And thus a tradition was born.  Now we go away for each milestone birthday.  I was always the member of the family who came up with the idea of making an album (before everyone was into “scrapbooking”), planning a surprise or putting on a show. After becoming a travel agent, my creativity had new horizons to explore.

Over the years our birthday trips have become more elaborate because we are a family of creative souls- each lending their own particular talent.  But special occasion travel can be enjoyed by everyone.

Here are some key points for planning a special occasion trip or the perfect milestone birthday—

WHO IS TRAVELING?

Our milestone birthdays consist of just 4 people- me and my two sisters and our mom.  We have similar interests so it’s easy to plan.  If you have a larger family or group of friends, you will have to take into consideration the needs of the group.  If multi-generational, children’s facilities and activities come into play.  Many tour operators offer trips for multi-generational families.  Also, if different ages and levels of activity are required, consider an all-inclusive or a cruise where there will be something for everyone.

WHEN ARE YOU TRAVELLING?

If you’re planning a special occasion trip in the winter, you won’t be doing a cruise in the Mediterranean or Alaska.  If going during the summer, you might need to be aware of anyone sensitive to heat.  Depending on what you’d like to do, consider the best time of year to do it.  Also, always consider “shoulder” season as a means of saving money and not going at the most popular time of year.  Be aware that major holidays and often summer vacations may cost more because more people are traveling.  We took my sister to Scottsdale Arizona during the summer because that is where she was born.  It was hot, but we able to rent a beautiful casita at a luxury resort for a song because it was low season.

WHERE WILL YOU GO?

In addition to weather, you must consider interests and ability of passengers and of course, budget.  Our trips have run the gamut from local day trips to a river cruise through France.  As Mom has aged we like to keep air travel to a minimum.  For her 90th, we drove to the mountains and enjoyed a hayride, a trip to a Magic Museum and a campfire.  Her fondest memories from childhood were of her one summer at overnight camp so we recreated it for her.  It was every bit as special as our trip to France.

WHAT ARE THE GROUP’S INTERESTS?

Though the birthday person or anniversary couple are the most important to consider, other participants must be taken into account.  While planning our trips shopping, fine food (with an emphasis on dessert), art and theater are always at the top of the list.  In Paris, I arranged a chocolate tour and a concert in Sainte Chappelle.  But the personality of each group varies.  Are they into sports?  Or maybe music?  The more information you have the more memorable the trip will be.

SPECIAL ACTIVITIES.

When planning a special occasion trip always try to plan at least one memorable component that distinguishes this trip from any other.  We’ve done hot air ballooning, a helicopter ride over Niagara Falls and a ballet performance at Lincoln Center.  It can be a “bucket list” item or simply a poem or song performed by a grandchild.  For one of my Mom’s birthdays I created a book of family traditional and stories related to food with recipes at the back.

TAP INTO THE TALENTS OF THE PARTICIPANTS.

My sisters are clever with words.  They are tasked with writing poems.  Some are sent to pique curiosity and get the birthday girl excited about her upcoming trip.  Others are delivered during the vacation highlighting the day’s activities.  I put together scrapbooks after the trip as a memento. Do you have someone who is good at photography? Or who sings?  Put their talents to work.  If you’re not creative, enlist the services of someone who is.  I have found great ideas on Facebook and Pinterest.  You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

DOCUMENT.

Take lots of pictures and if possible, make a scrapbook after you return.  Half the fun is reliving your wonderful adventures.  If you don’t have the talent or time, there are many companies who will do it for you.  For Mom’s last birthday we videotaped her talking about her reminiscences of her childhood, growing up, meeting our Dad, and our early years.  This will become a family treasure not just for us, but for future generations.

USE A TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL.

When planning a special occasion trip your travel agent can find the perfect trip and arrange all the components for a seamless and stress-free vacation.  With everything planned in advance, everyone can relax and enjoy the trip.  Remember- the more information you give to your travel agent regarding the participants, their interests and your budget, the more successful your trip will be.

WRITTEN BY DIANE ROSS. CO OWNER OF KINGSBRIDGE TRAVEL, A TAMPA TRAVEL AGENCY, SERVING THE WHOLE COUNTRY. SHE CAN BE CONTACTED AT DIANEROSS@KINGSBRIDGETRAVEL.COM

WHAT’S NEW IN RIVER CRUISES FOR 2015?

I get more questions and inquiries about river cruising than any other segment of travel. My friends, family and clients are increasingly intrigued about floating down a river, admiring the scenery from their cabin or the top deck, and finding new and charming towns to explore each day.
They are not the only ones. River cruising has exploded in popularity and the cruise lines have responded by adding new ships with new features every year.

2015 RIVER CRUISE TRENDS: NEW SHIPS

Leading the way is Viking cruises with 12 new ships this year; 10 of the popular longships and 2 that carry only 98 passengers on the Elbe.
Though Viking is the best known because of their beautiful ad campaigns, I much prefer other companies that have less dense passenger loads, leading to better service. All of the ships plying the rivers are limited in size, leading to most having small cabins. In order to compete with ocean cruising, many have added balconies. Unfortunately this takes away from the already limited cabin size.

AVALON WATERWAYS RIVER CRUISE SHIPS

Several years ago, Avalon turned the industry on its side by slanting one wall and placing the bed on it to face the window. In addition, the outside wall is entirely made of sliding glass. By opening the sliding doors, you have made your cabin an open air balcony. Brilliant! To date this is still the best use of space I have seen. These panorama ships feature cabins that are 200 square feet. 2015 will bring two more of these panorama ships that will ply the rivers of France.

TAUCK 2015 RIVER CRUISE SHIPS

If you still require more space, Tauck has several new ships out this year that have 14 suites with 300 square feet each. Though all of the lines have a few suites, they go quickly and none of the others have as many as Tauck.

AMAWATERWAYS RIVER CRUISE SHIPS

Another innovation comes from AMA Waterways. Their 2 new ships have connecting cabins for families and groups travelling together. AMA’s new ships also have heated pools with swim-up bars.

UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE SHIPS

Uniworld has always been a favorite of mine. Their beautiful and unique décor is like staying in a boutique hotel. But a challenge with their older ships has been small cabin size. Their newest ships, called “super-ships” have larger cabins, a heated pool and Viennese Café.

Uniworld’s SS Antoinette

SCENIC LUXURY RIVER CRUISES

Scenic is one of the newest entrants into this market. Their ships have beautiful contemporary staterooms. Their 2 new “space ships” are all-inclusive with complimentary beer, wine and spirits, butler service, transfers and gratuities.

2015 RIVER CRUISE TRENDS: NEW DESTINATIONS

The most popular rivers continue to be the Rhine, the Danube, and the Seine. However, previous cruisers are always looking for new adventures. Most of the cruise lines have cruises on the Douro in Portugal. Uniworld and Viking both do cruises through Russia; AMA has suspended these cruises due to the tension in the Ukraine. Cruising on the Mekong for Viet Nam and Cambodia is getting more popular. Myanmar (formerly Burma) is one of the newest destinations.

Avalon’s Myanmar Panorama Suite

Uniworld leads the way in developing new areas. They are currently the only company that cruises the Po River in Italy. They recently announced that they will debut “India’s Golden Triangle and the Sacred Ganges” in January of 2016.

2015 RIVER CRUISE TRENDS

River cruises have mostly appealed to the older demographic. But that is changing. Familiesare now starting to travel the river. Tauck extended its popular Bridges tours for families to river cruising. Uniworld also has several itineraries and dates specifically for families.
At the other end of the spectrum, many singles love all kinds of cruising. It has been expensive, as single supplements lead to almost double the price. Most of the river cruise lines are now waiving single supplements for specific dates, making it more economical to travel as a single.

2015 RIVER CRUISES TREND: THEME CRUISES

Theme river cruises are getting more popular. Avalon has always led the way here with the most themed sailings. Wine, wellness, Jewish heritage, and art are typical themes being adopted by many of the river cruise lines. AMA recently announced a beer river cruise and Avalon has a sailing with Patricia Schulty, author of 1000 Places to See Before You Die.
As river cruising continues to gain in popularity, more destinations, enhanced ships, and appeal to all generations will also grow.