What did I expect from Poland? I’m not sure; I was just excited to go somewhere new and unexpected. What I brought home from Poland were stories of her extended history, images of her glories and pain, glimpses of her future. We easily could have spent several additional days in each city. With even more time we could have made side trips to Poland’s smaller cities, to the countryside, or to the Tatra Mountains. There was so much to see and learn that I had trouble deciding what to write about for this blog. Picturesque. Modern. Medieval. Poignant. Political. Pragmatic. This old, yet new, country left a deep impression. This newbie to Poland is now hoping to return to discover more about this resilient country.
We recently had the opportunity to experience what it’s like to travel with UnCruise Adventures, the small-ship expedition cruise line based out of Seattle, Washington. It was truly an all-encompassing way to see Hawaii and unlike any other cruise line we’ve traveled on before.
It’s always been a dream of ours to experience Machu Picchu and combine it with a visit to the Galapagos. Recently, this dream came to fruition. Sherri and I just returned from a two-week journey to Peru and Ecuador to visit these magical destinations. Some say it is the “journey” that counts, in our case, it is all about the destination!
Last month, Cruises & Beyond had the priviledge to attend an inaugural preview of the Norwegian Bliss. NCL gave travel agents and consultants alike an opportunity to experience their newest ship shortly before her first sailing to Alaska amidst a two night foray into international waters from Los Angeles. With such little time, it was nearly impossible to check out every corner of the ship, but we saw enough to give you our initial impressions of this unique vessel.
There’s a reason why we like to sell Crystal Cruises to our clients. That’s because we strongly believe Crystal is the top luxury cruise line of them all. You’ll pay a premium to sail on one of their ships, but that’s what helps make Crystal’s all-inclusive splendor happen. From 5-star culinary experiences to the unmatched personal service provided by all staff members aboard their ships, Crystal offers the best there can possibly be. It goes without saying that we love Crystal and our clients do too.
It’s amazing to reflect on how far cruising has come in the past 50 years. The shift in focus from transportation to destination cruising in the 1950s and 60s during the age of booming air travel symbolized the first major evolution. The second evolution came when cruise ships seemingly doubled in size every 10 years while packing even more amenities on board. And now it appears the industry is entering it’s third evolution.
For many years, Crystal Cruises has been at the pinnacle of the luxury cruising market, delivering exceptional class and comforts to its esteemed seafaring clients. Not too long ago, Crystal decided to expand their fleet and bring their brand to more travellers, a decision that coincided with the company’s purchase by Genting Hong Kong. With a new parent company at the helm, Crystal successfully expanded into the luxury yacht market, the luxury air market and the luxury river cruise market. With this expansion, Crystal continues to deliver on the quality they have come to be known for. For them, luxury continues to be personal.
Cruises & Beyond has consistently worked with Crystal since our founding in 2003. Many of our clients have sailed with Crystal in the past and have even tried out the new river cruises. So from their perspective and ours, we have to ask the question: does Crystal Cruises still live up to its 5-star luxury service? The answer is a resounding yes. Here are our 5 reasons why cruising with Crystal will change the way you think about hospitality/travel, and why you should consider travelling with them despite the premium cost.
Azamara Club Crusies has officially established itself as the premiere destination immersion cruise line after announcing that it will be delivering more than 1,700 land programs. In the same manner, the cruise line has also officially rebranded itself Azamara, dropping the “Club Cruises” portion of its name. Azamara has said the rebranding will reflect the company’s focus on its passengers’ immersion within port destinations.
After being hit with seemingly endless problems at the shipyard, Scenic Cruises can at last breathe a deep sigh of relief. Yesterday, the Scenic Eclipse, what the company calls the world’s first Discovery Yacht, completed its ever important sea trails with flying colors. This news comes amidst a year of setbacks, as construction delays and strikes at the Croatian shipyard where the Eclipse was being built forced Scenic to delay the ships launch date. Now, it appears the August 15, 2019 official launch date will become reality, which should please some disgruntled Scenic patrons.
The Seven Seas Splendor of Regent Seven Seas has officially entered its final construction phase after being floated out from drydock at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Ancona, Italy. For the final stage of her development, workers will focus on her interior spaces, which includes 375 luxury suites, lounges and gourmet restaurants. When the Seven Seas Splendor sets sail in February 2020, she will bring about an impressive take on the modern definition of luxury cruising.
On February 9, 2019, Celebrity Cruises began its monumental revamp to its fleet of Millennium and Solstice Class ships. This revamp will bring the entire Celebrity fleet into the design and experiential standard of its new Edge class vessels, with an emphasis on modernization and innovative, outward-facing design that connects you to the sea like never before.
It looks like Blue World Voyages is on schedule to debut there one-of-a-kind sports and wellness ship on time for the summer of this year.
Tauck, the family-owned travel company offering over 140 different all-inclusive guided journeys worldwide, will be introducing a new river ship that will navigate the Douro River in Portugal and Spain. This is its first river cruise offered on the Douro River.
When Crystal launched their river cruise arm in 2016 with the introduction of the Crystal Mozart, we wondered whether Crystal would successfully carry over their legendary reputation to this new experience. After a couple of years of pleasing river cruise customers and five new river vessels later, it’s safe to say that Crystal has not only pleased their existing customer base, but has also inserted themselves in the conversation for best river cruise line in a congested river cruise market.
The iconic Fairmont Le Château Frontenac emblazons the Quebec City skyline with august and dignity. It is indeed many a traveler’s romantic fairy tale dream, and how could it not be with its Châteauesque architectural style and mythical presense? The main attraction for those making their way to Quebec City, the Frontenac not only adds immensely to the already historical richness of one of North America’s oldest cities but also to a travelers experience. So if you ever plan a vacation to Canada’s Quebec region, or find that your north eastern cruise embarks or disembarks in Quebec City, the Frontenac is a no-brainer must stay for various reasons.
Cruises & Beyond
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Phone Number: 415-753-2189 800-603-8838
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