River Cruises

River cruises are becoming very popular and are available in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. There are several companies which supply these travel experiences and each line has its own character and pricing point. Part of the appeal of these vacations is that passengers do not experience the motion that is normal on a larger body of water. Many tourist attractions are located on major rivers because traditionally goods and people were transported by water.

Similarly to Ocean Cruises, River Cruise Lines offer port tours but passengers have the opportunity to step off their ship and be within walking distance of historic attractions. When not in port you get to witness transitioning landscapes from wilderness to metropolis.

Search Engines

Yesterday I saw an interesting e card on a friends website:

I use a variety of websites for booking flight, hotels, cars and often have to weigh the results against the reliability of the source. Many sites are based in countries where there is no consumer protection or venue of recourse should the product not be represented correctly. This is what I look at first when reviewing the components of a trip. We all hear stories about hotels that misrepresent their facilities, car rental companies that add extra charges or airlines that cancel flights without advising passengers. Simply dealing a responsible individual or organization can help you avoid problems or compensate you if they occur.

March 9, 2014

Yesterday I attended a Sales Discussion about specialization in your field and it lead me to think about the areas of specialization. My first thought went to destination which would be straight forward then there is the ability to help clients mark milestone life events. I then considered why most of my customers speak to me and recognized that they value my attention to the fine print. "We cannot match you to this insurance product but if we shorten your trip duration you will be eligible for another product that will protect you from risk" or "that car rental company is notorious for not honouring quotations". Those are insights that I have gained through hands on experience with the product as a travel broker and administrator.

Amsterdam, December 9

Hi John, I am presently staying on a houseboat located off the Ijburg southeast of Amsterdam. My rental unit includes the boat’s wheel house and I have phenomenal views of the Amsterdam Rijnkanaal. While it takes twenty minutes to walk to the tram once I am on the bus it only takes fifteen minutes to get downtown. I find that the transit system is easy to use however I buy my train tickets separately from my transit pass because point to point tickets are cheaper. While I enjoy the natural surroundings of the area the houseboat is moored in I have been able to appreciate the art galleries, museums and history. Everyone here is extremely fit and they dress fashionably. This is the country to buy fantastic boots! -Therese

November 21, 2013

Yesterday we toured Caesar's Palace and the MGM Grand Hotel. Our lunch was at the "Gordon Ramsey" restaurant in the casino at Caesars. Before dinner I went up to the Mandalay Bay Hotel and visited "Shark Reef". It blows me away that you can view sharks, rays, squid and other marine life in the desert.
On the way home from dinner I was able to score a ticket for "Äbsinthe" which plays in a circus tent located in front of Caesars.

November 20, 2013

November 20, 2013 The Venetian changes their décor and employ themes to their events for Christmas. Last night there were concerts in the different squares as well as seasonal menus at a couple restaurants.

 

November 19, 2013 Las Vegas

I flew into Las Vegas this morning with Air Canada Rouge and got to sample their inflight meal and entertainment services. Our first stop after leaving the airport was the Tropicana Hotel where we I a site inspection and were treated to lunch in their café. The rooms were really big and the property was very clean. They have beautiful loft suites which have in an in room bar, sauna and whirlpool tub. After lunch we transferred to The Venetian Hotel and toured the suites at the Palazzo and Venetian. This evening the group had tickets to see Zarkana by Cirque du Soleil. The show had a gigantic cast an there was always something happening on the stage.