Cruise
Travel Leaders Network Ready For NCL’s NCFs
Travel Leaders Network is taking steps to ensure that its North American members will qualify for a new Norwegian Cruise Line initiative that will pay travel advisors a commission on non-commissionable fares (NCFs). NCL recently announced that as part of a strong commitment to its travel advisor partners, it will offer them compensation on NCFs for reservations made outside of final payment (120 days prior to sailing). Payments will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2023 for sailings departing May 1, 2023 and forward. To qualify, travel advisors must submit a marketing plan through...
Olympian Simone Biles Officially Names Celebrity Beyond
With 19-time World Champion Simone Biles taking on godmother duties for Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Cruises changed up its traditional naming ceremony, reports PressToday's Ann Ruppenstein, who was on board for the festivities. After the seven-time Olympic Medalist officially named Celebrity Beyond in Fort Lauderdale, Jason Liberty, president and CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company of Celebrity Cruises, revealed that Biles would be pushing a giant gold medal to release the bottle of champagne against the ship instead of the traditional push button. “It is an honour...
AmaWaterways Taking Reservations For 2024 Season
AmaWaterways is now taking reservations on all of its 2024 itineraries on rivers in Europe, Africa, Egypt and Asia. With an added reward for early bookings and extended seasons on the Rhine, Danube and Douro rivers, guests have the opportunity to save now when reserving their much-anticipated journeys. Kristin Karst, executive vice president and co-founder of AmaWaterways, said: “With an increased demand for intimate travel experiences, we knew how important it was to our guests, particularly those traveling with a group of friends or family, to confirm their 2024 travel plans and...
Gabaldon To Host Avalon Waterways’ Storyteller Cruise
Avalon Waterways has announced plans to bring back Diana Gabaldon, author of the OUTLANDER series to personally host a Storyteller cruise on the Danube River in 2024. For a week, aboard a Suite Ship, a small group of fans will have the opportunity to enjoy OUTLANDER insights with their favourite author while sailing through the storybook settings of Central Europe. Pam Hoffee, president of Avalon Waterways, said: “In April 2024, guests are invited to join Diana in Prague for a memorable two-night stay – including visits to OUTLANDER film sites from Season 2 of the STARZ...
European Waterways Welcoming Solo Travellers
While solo travel was once considered a niche market, it’s quickly becoming an industry phenomenon that today accounts for over 25% of travellers worldwide. But “going solo” doesn’t necessarily mean going it alone. This is especially true on luxury hotel barge cruises with European Waterways, where solo travellers can often be found among the guests. Because European Waterways vessels hold a maximum of just 20 passengers, solo travellers are quickly made to feel “part of the family” by the like-minded passengers and friendly crew. To welcome this “singular” segment...
Holland America Makes It Even Simpler
Holland America Line is further simplifying the protocols for guests to travel. The latest update to the line’s “Travel Well” COVID-19 protocols removes the need for guests on most voyages to take a pre-cruise COVID-19 test, regardless of their vaccination status. Effectively immediately, unvaccinated guests sailing on “Standard Protocol” voyages will no longer need a test prior to sailing. Checks of individual guest vaccination status will be discontinued on Standard Protocol voyages as well -- unless required by destinations. Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America...
Explore The Extraordinary With Emerald Cruises Canada
Emerald Cruises Canada is making waves with its new ‘Explore the Extraordinary’ campaign. Getting an early start on Wave Season, the campaign runs through Dec. 31, 2022, offering Canadians plenty of travel inspiration across two continents in addition to sizeable savings on most of the lines’ 2023 and 2024 small ship river cruises Canadian guests booking 2023 Europe river cruises during the wave campaign will receive up to free, round-trip air and up to $600 savings per couple depending on length of sailing. Additionally, guests who pay in full either at time of...
AmaWaterways Sets Sail With New Offer
In response to the demand for longer more immersive vacations, AmaWaterways unveiled complimentary pre- or post-cruise land packages as add-ons to select Europe, Egypt and Mekong River cruises for groups and FIT travellers in 2023* and exclusively for groups in 2024**. Now available for new reservations made until Dec. 31, 2022, this offer provides guests a variety of complimentary two-, three- or four-night land packages as an extension to their river cruise vacation, allowing further exploration of the surrounding destinations where their river cruise begins or ends. AmaWaterways...