Posted by David Porter on August 23, 2019 · Leave a Comment
Taste the World. Epic Journeys for Epicures
One of the pleasures of travel is sampling the food and wine of a region.
The limoncello in Sorrento, the bouillabaisse in Marseille, the wiener schnitzel in Vienna, the blue martinis in Aruba. Within this connoisseur’s guide, you’ll find countless opportunities to indulge the bon vivant in you – everything from complimentary cooking demos on the Danube to a three-day foodie experience in Paris.
To further whet your appetite: Each vacation features an exclusive amenity or event – your reward for booking through Roaming Boomers Travel, your Virtuoso travel advisors.
To explore these delectable offers, CLICK HERE.
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
Posted by David Porter on August 21, 2019 · Leave a Comment
AmaWaterways Prepares to Debut 24th Ship, AmaSiena; Year Ahead to Feature Unique Itineraries and New Land Extensions, Providing Unforgettable River Cruise Vacations
CALABASAS, CA – (August 20, 2019) – Highly acclaimed, award-winning luxury river cruise line AmaWaterways today launched its 2020 Europe, Asia & Africa Extensive Brochure. Following a record-breaking year in 2019, the company continues to innovate with another new ship, AmaSiena, along with the addition of unique itineraries and new land extensions – including an itinerary specifically curated for the revolutionary AmaMagna.
“We are always looking to innovate and add new offerings and experiences to surpass the expectations of our guests, and 2020 will be yet another amazing year,” said Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-founder of AmaWaterways. “With a new ship, new itineraries and a continued focus on personalizing our guest experience, our loyal returning guests and first-time river cruisers have even more ways to explore the fascinating regions along some of the most iconic rivers in Europe, South East Asia, and Africa!”
New Ship, AmaSiena, Launching July 2020
AmaWaterways will expand its fleet with the addition of its 24th ship arriving in July 2020, the elegant 156-passenger AmaSiena. Set to sail along the legendary Rhine, breathtaking Moselle and peaceful Main rivers, AmaSiena will be a warm, inviting ship offering plenty of space for guests to unwind. Sister ship to AmaMora (2019) AmaLea (2018) and AmaKristina (2017), AmaSiena will feature AmaWaterways’ signature twin-balcony staterooms, a choice of dining venues including the intimate Chef’s Table Restaurant, a Sun Deck walking track, a pool with swim-up bar and a fitness room. As part of AmaWaterways’ popular Wellness Program, guests will also be able to join group exercise classes – including morning stretches, core strengthening and resistance band workouts – led by a professionally trained onboard Wellness Host.
“The diversity of countries and iconic cities visited during our Danube and Rhine itineraries attract many first-time river cruisers and I am pleased we have another beautiful new ship, AmaSiena, launching in 2020 to keep up with the growing demand,” said Rudi Schreiner president and co-founder of AmaWaterways. “Destinations like Portugal, Bordeaux and Vietnam and Cambodia are particularly appealing to past guests who appreciate the cruise experience as well as the pre- and post-cruise land programs we offer. Launching a new ship on the Douro last year has helped us better meet their travel wishes in 2020.”
Three New Itineraries, Including Sailings on the Revolutionary AmaMagna
In 2020, AmaWaterways will offer new opportunities for travelers to explore the historical landmarks, breathtaking sceneries and culinary delights along some of the most beautiful rivers in Europe with the addition of three new itineraries, including:
· A seven-night Magna on the Danube itinerary specifically designed for the revolutionary AmaMagna, which made her anticipated debut in 2019. This beautifully curated itinerary will indulge guests’ passion for awe-inspiring architecture, timeless music, stunning landscapes and culinary excellence. Unique aspects of this itinerary include daytime cruising through the Danube Bend, an included excursion at Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens in Vienna and an exclusive wine festival in Spitz, Austria (pictured right). In addition, AmaMagna will offer four departures to the lower Danube sailing between Budapest, Hungary and Giurgiu, Romania with a land program extension to Bucharest and Istanbul.
· A seven-night Treasures of the Main & Rhine itinerary on board AmaDante and the new AmaSiena sailing from Nuremberg to Amsterdam taking guests through storybook scenery and iconic landmarks as well as through the locks of Main-Danube Canal. This new itinerary will be perfectly packaged with an optional three-night pre-cruise land program in Prague, the “Golden City of a Hundred Spires.”
· A Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle itinerary on board AmaDante and AmaSiena sailing from Amsterdam to Luxemburg. Guests can add a two-night stay in Amsterdam before embarking on a seven-night cruise through the UNESCO-designated Rhine and vineyard-clad Moselle valleys. Other scenic stops include the charming villages of Rüdesheim, Cochem and Bernkastel before ending the cruise with an optional three-night extension in Paris, the “City of Lights.”
To meet the growing demand for its popular Specialty Wine Cruises, AmaWaterways has announced more than 65 hosted wine-themed cruises for 2020, including sailings on the new Magna on the Danube, Treasures of the Main & Rhine and Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle itineraries. On all these special cruises, guests will enjoy onboard lectures and wine tastings led by celebrated wine experts and shore excursions with engaging epicurean experiences allowing guests to forge a deep personal connection with the distinctive flavors of Europe.
New Land Extensions Offering Further Personalization of River Cruising
Furthering its commitment to giving guests the opportunity to personalize their luxury river cruise vacation, AmaWaterways will yet again enhance its pre- and post-cruise land programs in 2020, offering truly immersive experiences escorted by AmaWaterways’ Cruise Managers and including accommodations in top-rated hotels. New 2020 land extensions include:
· Istanbul, Turkey – Those on board the Gems of Southeast Europe and Grand Danube itineraries will now have the choice of a new three-night land extension in Istanbul, Turkey as an alternative to a four-night land extension in Bucharest and Brasov. The new extension in Istanbul takes guests through the cultural landscape highlighting the most iconic spots and the history behind the city, as well as a tour of the legendary Topkapi Palace.
· Nice, France – On the Colors of Provence and Spain itinerary, a new three-night land extension in Nice, France will also be offered as an alternative to a three-night land extension in Barcelona. With the Nice extension, guests can explore the French Riviera, including visits to the stunning Aix-en-Provence, Monaco and Monte Carlo.
· Bangkok, Thailand – Available on both the Riches of the Mekong and Charms of the Mekong itineraries, travelers will also be able to take advantage of a new three-night land extension in Bangkok, Thailand. After discovering Vietnam and Cambodia, this unforgettable land program in Thailand’s capital, allows guests to discover architectural riches from the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha, as well as incredible museums and colorful markets.
Choose Up to $2,000 Savings Per Stateroom or Free Air for Booking Early
Travelers wishing to get the itinerary, ship, stateroom category, and departure date of their choice are encouraged to book their 2020 river cruise vacations now for a savings of up to $2,000 per stateroom on select departures. AmaWaterways is also offering free roundtrip airfare to Europe on select 2020 sailings. Both offers* are combinable with Past Guest Savings and must be booked by September 30, 2019. To see the current sailing available with FREE air, CLICK HERE.
To view the AmaWaterways’ 2020 Extensive Brochure, CLICK HERE.
*see website for full terms & conditions.
About AmaWaterways
A family-owned company celebrating 17 years on the river, AmaWaterways offers unforgettable river cruises with 24 ships sailing Europe’s Danube, Rhine, Moselle, Main, Rhône, Seine, Garonne, Dordogne, Dutch and Belgian Waterways and Douro Rivers, Southeast Asia’s Mekong and Africa’s Chobe River. Led by experienced river cruise co-founders Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst, the company is renowned for its innovative stateroom design featuring unique “twin balconies”; its wellness activities including a wide choice of included shore excursions featuring biking and hiking options for the active traveler; and its award-winning dining—including The Chef’s Table specialty restaurant as well as complimentary fine wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. Modern, spacious and tastefully decorated, each ship features onboard amenities such as hair and massage salons and a fitness room, and many have heated outdoor swimming pools with swim-up bars. AmaWaterways leads the river cruise industry in innovation highlighted with the launch of AmaMagna – at twice the width of traditional river ships, this revolutionary ship offers a new dimension in luxury river cruising. The company also offers a variety of themed sailings and brand relationships, with sailings geared towards active travelers and families as well as group and charter options.
With the highest-rated ships in Europe according to the third edition of Berlitz: River Cruising in Europe & the USA, AmaWaterways has received countless honors and accolades including Cruise Critic’s Editor’s Pick Award for “Best for Active Cruisers” and 2018 AFAR Reader’s Choice Award for “Best River Cruise Line.”
For more information or to book an AmaWaterways river cruise, please call Roaming Boomers Travel Services at (480) 550-1235 or use our convenient online information request (click here) and we’ll reach out to you.
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
Posted by David Porter on August 21, 2019 · Leave a Comment
Panama Canal Cruise Search
Panama Canal Cruises are a popular ocean cruise option.
To help you find the perfect Panama Canal cruise that meets your travel desires, we have created this custom cruise search using our cruise search tool: CLICK HERE.
For more information or to book a fun Panama Canal cruise, please call Roaming Boomers Travel Services at (480) 550-1235 or use our convenient online information request (click here) and we’ll reach out to you.
If you enjoyed this article, sign up for our travel newsletter to keep abreast of our best travel tips, on-location reviews, exclusive travel offers, group travel events, and much more.
Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
Posted by David Porter on August 20, 2019 · 4 Comments
How to Use Wi-Fi Safely While Traveling Overseas
Your cell phone provides you with some of the best security protections for using the Internet while traveling.
However, if you’re traveling overseas, on an ocean or river cruise, or perhaps in a remote destination, Wi-Fi might be your only option. And frankly, with some Wi-Fi connections, you’d have more privacy running down the street naked than you would by connecting to some of the Wi-Fi networks out there.
So, what is a traveler to do?
Free Wi-Fi has become relatively ubiquitous. But we have always had a rule in our house to never connect to free Wi-Fi as many of these systems are easily hacked. And so, we’ve often found ourselves unable to connect to the Internet because we had a weak cellular signal and didn’t trust the free Wi-Fi.
To solve this problem, I have been testing the use of a VPN over the course of the last month.
A VPN, or virtual private network, is a secure tunnel between your device and the internet. VPNs are used to protect your online traffic from snooping, interference, and censorship.
6 Benefits of Using a VPN
- Hide your IP and location: If you don’t want snoopy folks to know where you are, then a VPN can mask your location. Carol and I might be in France, but we can connect to a VPN server here in Phoenix and no one would know that we are half a world away.
- Encrypt your communications: A good VPN will use strong 256-bit encryption to protect your data. So, browsing the Internet from airport Wi-Fi spots is totally secure and will protect your valuable passwords, emails, photos, and other sensitive information.
- Watch your favorite content anywhere in the world: Carol and I were on a river cruise and I decided that I would like to watch a movie using our Netflix account. When I tried to connect, Netflix said, “sorry Charlie”, your account isn’t available outside of the U.S. With a VPN, I could have connected to a U.S. VPN server and watched my movie.
- Unblock censored websites: Some countries block sites like Facebook and Twitter. If you use a VPN, you can mask your location to nearly anywhere in the world. If you’re headed to China, a VPN is nearly a must if you desire to use the Internet and connect by Wi-Fi.
- Avoid spying and throttling: With a VPN guarding your online activity, no one can read your data, see which sites you visit, or restrict certain kinds of traffic, like streaming video.
- Find deals and fight ads: When you’re shopping on the Internet, hiding your IP address and location will help prevent targeted advertising based on location. With a VPN, if you don’t like the price of airline tickets in your location, log on to a VPN server in another location and see if you get a better price. It’s a fairly well-known fact that if you live in a prosperous zip code, you are going to pay more for many things while shopping on the Internet.
- Bonus Tip: Consider using a web browser that is also dedicated to protecting your identity. I am writing this article using Google Chrome as my browser. However, I know darn well that if were to open another tab and look for a pair of shoes, I am going to immediately see shoe ads all over the place because Google has sold my Internet search. So, I have Firefox and DuckDuckGo on my computer to use when I’m shopping in conjunction with my VPN. That way, I’m nearly invisible and no ads.
I haven’t personally used our VPN outside of the country yet, but so far, I’m very happy with this service as we’ve been traveling around the U.S.
Carol and I are using a company called ExpressVPN for our service. If you’re so inclined, use this link to get a free 30-day trial and try it out for yourself.
Disclosure: if you use that link, we will benefit with some free time on the service for ourselves as well. Just keeping it real and upfront. 🙂
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
Posted by David Porter on August 1, 2019 · Leave a Comment
How to Shop for the Best Deal on an Ocean or River Cruise
Every day, I get an email very similar to this:
“I’m looking for a river cruise on the Danube in September. Please send me your very best deal and do not call. For your information, I have also sent this email to several other websites.”
Now, if you’re shopping for a tube of Crest toothpaste, this approach is just fine. Presumably, one tube of like-kind Crest toothpaste is the same as another and looking for the lowest price for the same tube of toothpaste is a reasonable thing to do.
However, this approach, when considering a travel experience is frankly a horrible idea.
To take my reasoning to the extreme, if you were wrongfully accused of murder, you probably wouldn’t be looking for the lowest priced attorney. If you were facing a severe health condition, you aren’t likely going to shop for the lowest priced physician.
You would want the very best practitioners. Right?
Now, I understand that planning a travel experience isn’t a life or death thing. However, the chances are very high that you don’t know what you don’t know, and if you’re going to spend many thousands of dollars for a fabulous journey, why would you be looking for the bottom of the barrel travel advisor willing to sell his/her soul for the next deal?
If we go back to my example above, the person simply looking for the lowest price will probably never consider the following items:
- What are the available cruise lines offering river cruises and how do they differ?
- What is the best time of year for a river cruise?
- Should I sail upstream or downstream on a river cruise?
- I hear that river cruises sometimes run into problems with high and low water issues. How can I attempt to avoid this? Or, how can I protect my investment if this does happen?
- What is the optimal stateroom type for my style of travel?
- I understand that ocean and river cruise companies don’t allow anyone to discount their fares. So, how might I get the best bang for my buck?
- What is the best river for a first-time river cruise?
- How might the rivers be different in the sights and experiences available on each of them?
- I’ve heard horror stories about flights getting canceled or missed flights because of improperly structured fight packages. How can I avoid this?
- Who do I call if something goes wrong during my travel experience?
- Hey travel advisor, how many river cruises have you personally experienced? What rivers have you personally sailed on? You wouldn’t want a heart surgeon who has never performed heart surgery, right? Insist on finding an experienced travel advisor who is also a veteran traveler.
- And lastly, would you rather call into a large call center full of very nice 25-year-olds and have to explain your situation over and over to different people? Or, would you rather work with a team of 4 professionals all dedicated to assuring that you have the best possible experience? After all, remember, you are buying an experience, not a tube of toothpaste. 🙂
I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Right? There are many moving pieces in putting together an international travel experience and you deserve and should desire a very experienced travel advisor to help you.
Plus, despite all of the hype on the Internet, travel advisors are not allowed to discount ocean and river cruises. Sure, there may well be perks added, but if everyone takes truth serum, you will quickly learn that you want an expert and experienced travel advisor on your side and not the person saying this or that and offering you “the best deal”.
We have grown to become one of the nation’s largest producing travel advisors. We have relationships with the world’s largest and most respected travel brands, and because of this, we have the ability to help you find a fabulous offer.
But most important of all, we are going to help you avoid hassles and problems; we are going to save you a lot of time and worry, and when we accomplish all of this, we hope to become your trusted travel advisor.
Let’s have a conversation on the phone and discuss this further. Sound fair?
To learn more about our travel services, please call Roaming Boomers Travel Services at (480) 550-1235 or use our convenient online information request (click here) and we will reach out to you.
You might also enjoy this article: Best Way to Book an Ocean or River Cruise
If you enjoyed this article, sign up for our travel newsletter to keep abreast of our best travel tips, on-location reviews, exclusive travel offers, group travel events, and much more.
Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
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