Of course we are referring to river cruising. . . .especially Viking River cruising.
In the past 5 years, that company has brought more visibility to that cruising genre than any other, primarily because of their barrage of brochures to potential and past passengers, and the beautiful television ads which initially appeared during “Downton Abbey”, but also began appearing during pro football games this past year.
Viking’s competitors are really not too upset with all the promotion that Viking is presenting because it gets travelers to thinking this “river cruise” might not be such a bad idea. . .and the competitors are not having to pay for all those promotion dollars while still getting the benefit of the idea of river cruising being advertised.
As I have reported in previous programs, Viking and other river cruise companies have been very active in bringing new builds into their fleet. Every year for the past 4-5 years Viking has added 5-10 new ships each year, and of course with each new production there are fabulous new features that have been added that make them a much more attractive option for some travelers, such as the balcony suites and on-board green house where they grow their own herbs.
We’ve been selling river cruises for several years now, and based on past passengers and experienced river cruisers, they have all had very positive experiences. It is quite different from the ocean cruises, but in a positive way. The ports along the river typically dock in the city center and the cruise cost includes a shore excursion at each stop. Meal time is quite different too. The quality of the meal is still the same or better, but there is a more intimate setting on the river cruise. That would have to be so since the river cruise is feeding 150-190 passengers while the ocean cruises are attending to 2000-3000. Another negative for some is the absence of a casino; for some, that’s a positive!!
Because there are so few staterooms available, another difference is that the river cruises book up a lot quicker. For example, on our group river cruise on the Rhine River last November,’13 the individuals on that group had paid in full by the previous December, ‘12. The advantage of that was that they were able to lock in 2012 rates for a 2013 cruise.
We are planning another river cruise on the Romantic Danube for Nov. 14-21, 2015, so NOW is not too soon to get those arrangements reserved. From the intriguing city of Budapest, with stops in Vienna, Melk, Passau, and it terminates in Nuremberg, you would not be disappointed. . .and they will no doubt be getting ready with holiday decorations and European specials. . . .just for our Abilene Gang!!
Contact The Travel Factory and let us guide you to a fantastic vacation. We are at 698-1421 or visit us at 4150 Southwest Drive, Suite. 120.