New 46 Night River Cruise!

AmaWaterways has announced the river cruise industry's longest itinerary—a new, 46-night  "Seven River Journey Through Europe" on four ships, departing June 1, 2023. 

Curated by Rudi Schreiner, president and co-founder, AmaWaterways, this new, grand experience will take 144 guests through 14 European countries. Guests will receive a choice of more than 130 complimentary excursions plus new tours and exclusive experiences. 

This new concept is akin to the lengthy, all-encompassing itineraries that ocean lines operate as grand voyages or World Cruises; those have proven extremely popular in late 2020 and early 2021 with many of those selling out immediately.

Reservations will open to the general public on March 15. "Seven River Journey through Europe" fares will start at $25,999 per person, based on double occupancy Category E accommodations. Port charges are additional. Fares will include transfers between ships; complimentary laundry and portage service; all gratuities onboard and for shore excursions; and a dedicated cruise manager. 

Four Different Vessels

Guests booking this itinerary will sail on four different AmaWaterways' river vessels during the five-week journey.

Here's the line-up of voyages in this 46-night adventure: 

June 1 - 8, 2023: AmaLyra will sail roundtrip from Paris, France on the Seine River

June 8 - 13: AmaKristina will sail from Lyon to Tarascon, France on the Saône and Rhône Rivers

June 13 - July 4: AmaPrima will sail the Rhine, Moselle and Main Rivers from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, the Netherlands to Vilshofen, Germany

July 4 - 17: AmaVerde will sail the Danube River from Vilshofen, Germany to Giurgiu, Romania.

Guests will have the opportunity to visit 17 UNESCO World Heritage sites and enjoy local epicurean experiences. Highlights will include sailing through romantic Paris, visiting Normandy's D-Day landing beaches, enjoying an exclusive visit to Germany's Lahneck Castle and visiting off-the-beaten-path sites in Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania, among other countries.

"With the pent-up demand for travel we are seeing and the increase in requests for our longer cruises, we feel this is the perfect time to introduce our incredible, all-new Seven River Journey,” said Schreiner in a press statement. “The initial response has been remarkable since we first teased the news of this experience, and I am confident that we will exceed expectations when we set sail in June 2023."

Onboard, guests can expect fine dining and wines at every meal in multiple onboard venues. An onboard wellness host also will offer such classes as core strengthening, stretching and yoga. 

For information on this voyage or any other you might be contemplating please contact me at francine@grandexplorer.com or 800-903-5750

Reminiscing of Lyon!

Since we have been cooped up for so long and can't travel I have been passing the time in drooling over my pictures and reminiscing about visiting my favorite cities. One of my top favorite European cities is Lyon, France. This was a fabulous surprise the first time I discovered it.

Lyon is the ancient capital of Gaul with a rich history of more than 2000 years. There still exists today evidence of its long past, in landmarks such as the Gallo-Roman Amphitheatre and its 15th century cathedral at Saint-Jean.

People lived on the banks of the Saone River for several centuries before the city was officially founded by the Romans in 43 BC. Lyon served as their capital and nearly became the capital of France!

I was not aware before I went there that Lyon is the number 1 gastronomic city in France! Who knew? I always thought it was Paris, but Paris is actually third after Lyon and Marseille. It only took me one meal in Lyon to see how it got that reputation!

Walking around the town you're stirred by the wonderful smells of this city. Baked goods shops are everywhere and as you pass them you get whiffs of fresh bread mixed with ginger and cinnamon as well as the aroma of crepes being made in a kiosk by the side of the street accompanied by the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee.

I stayed in the old-town at the gorgeous "Cours Des Loges" hotel which is a medieval treasure. The old-town is filled with tons of small restaurants, most with an open frontage exposing maybe only 8 tables. They have cute names and ornate decorations with incredible delicious food which I indulged in for three days.

Here are some photos of this wonderful French find:

They have a section of the city which has trompe-l'oeil murals such as these ones, they are all painted on flat walls but look so real! 

   Can't wait to be there again!

Update on Canadian Port Ban

U.S. Congressional Committee Asks Canada To Reconsider Cruise Ban

As each day passes, hope for salvaging part of the 2021 Alaska cruise season becomes more challenging—given the combination of current U.S. law and Canada's recent decision to ban all cruising from its waters through February 28, 2022.

The latest? The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently sent a letter about the negative impact of that ban to Canada’s ambassador to the United States. That bipartisan letter was signed by U.S. Congressional representatives Peter DeFazio, Bob Gibbs, Sam Graves, Salud Carbajal and Don Young.

Finding a Solution 

Current U.S. law does not permit foreign-flagged ships (most of the global cruise fleet) to sail between U.S. ports without a foreign port call. So, port calls at such Canadian destinations as Victoria and Vancouver, B.C., are essential during the Alaska season.

It's also expected that the current Canadian cruise ship ban (if that continues) will adversely impact the fall New England/Canada season. 

The committee's letter encouraged the Government of Canada to work together with U.S. officials and cruise and travel stakeholders to find “a mutually agreeable solution.” It suggested that Canada could permit ships to make a “technical stop” in Canada with those ships not letting any passengers go ashore. 

"It is our hope that this solution would both address the important health concerns of Canadian authorities and allow cruises to resume with the approval of U.S. government authorities when it is deemed safe to do so," the letter stated. 

In a statement, Zane Kerby, president and CEO of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), said: “Government action—here and abroad—has played a key role in the decimation of our industry, the most recent example being the Canadian government’s announcement that it is closing its ports to cruise ships through early 2022."

Given U.S. law, "Canada’s decision (unless soon reversed) imperils any chance to execute the 2021 Alaska and Canada/New England cruise seasons," Kerby added. 

ASTA said it's seeking a solution to the impasse whether that be legislative, regulatory or diplomatic: "With the vaccination rollout underway and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention working with cruise lines to resume cruising from U.S. ports, there is promise for the summer and fall seasons. Government and industry must work together, find a solution and keep that promise.”

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the cruise industry’s trade association, thanked the House members for their leadership in facilitating dialogue with the Canadian government. In a statement, CLIA said that it "looks forward to working with the Canadian and U.S. authorities on a solution that addresses the public health needs of Americans and Canadians alike, while responsibly restarting a critical economic driver for the Pacific Northwest and Alaska."

 Re-Posted from Travel Agent Central