Adventure Canada Releases 2021 Lineup

Cruise ship on the waterIf you want to circumnavigate Newfoundland, like Amy did on one of her most memorable trips in 2018, this expedition cruise is one of many Arctic and Atlantic Canada itineraries Adventure Canada is now rolling out for 2021. The Newfoundland cruise is happening October 1-11, 2021, and if you book before October 31, 2020, you’ll receive a 15% discount. Other 2021 trips include Iceland to Greenland in the Wake of the Vikings July 13-24; High Arctic Explorer August 5-16; Into the Northwest Passage August 16-September 1; Out of the Northwest Passage September 1-17; and Greenland and Wild Labrador September 17-October 1. If you want to learn more about the Adventure Canada experience and to perhaps cruise with Amy in 2021, please contact her at amypb@activetravels.com.

I’m off to Austin and San Antonio this week for a wedding, back next Wednesday, March 11th.

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What’s New at Hurtigruten

Lisa and I went to an all-day seminar on Monday with Tourism Norway to meet with a dozen travel reps from all over this Scandinavian country. I’ll probably write a longer piece on Norway for the newsletter, but I wanted to report on all the exciting new developments at Norway’s signature cruise line, Hurtigruten. They will debut a new hybrid vessel, the MS Roald Amundsen, this coming July. Not only will it cut fuel by 20 percent, but they can turn off the engines off when coasting within the fjords and you’ll won’t hear a sound. The interior was designed by Rolls Royce so expect the finest details. The ship will be heading along the Norwegian coast late May 2019 on a glorious 15-day cruise that starts and ends in Hamburg, Germany. We just booked it today for two of our clients. Already sold out in 2019 is the 14-day Northwest Passage cruise that starts in Greenland before crossing the Davis Strait and venturing into the Canadian Arctic Archipelago of Nunavut. If interested, ActiveTravels will be happy to look into the 2020 voyage. Lastly, Hurtigruten cruises run year-round in Norway and they mentioned that one of the best times to see the fjords is in the October/November months, when the mountains are snowcapped and you have a good chance of viewing the Northern Lights. In fact, Hurtigruten will guarantee you see the Northern Lights on one of their 12-day itineraries from October 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019 or receive another weeklong cruise for free!  
 
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Final Thoughts, Backroads Danube River Cruise Full Ship Celebration

Biking the Danube RiverOn Days 3 and 5, we took early morning rides before seeing the fairytale city of Český Krumlov and bustling Vienna. That’s the beauty of this Danube River itinerary. Sandwiched between the starting point of Prague and the end in Budapest, you can spend time in world-class cities, yet the bulk of the biking is in the countryside, pedaling through farmland or vineyards. It’s a fantastic combination and you cover so much ground, 5 countries in 8 days.

Backroads took over the entire AmaWaterways ship on this cruise. Translation: Only bikers were allowed on the ship. It also means that the Backroads trip leaders run the show and they were phenomenal. Malcolm has 23 years of Backroads experience under his belt and I was amazed at his ability to change the itinerary, even at the last moment. When water levels were too low to go further east on the Danube past Budapest, we had to skip our last morning of biking and, instead Malcolm had buses and guides waiting for us to tour Budapest. He was also a fantastic DJ, leading two epic dance parties during the week, featuring the best of 70s and 80s music. Lee should be in stand-up comedy, every line out of his mouth a witty joke. Loved the whimsy and sheer joy of Alex, especially when dancing. Stephan knew every bike route like the back of his hand and was often cheering me on during those hard uphill climbs. If it wasn’t for Jenn, I’d still be biking in Austria, lost on some route. She was always there to direct me in the right direction and answer all my questions. Fantastic group of trip leaders, the crème de la crème at Backroads!

More than half of the passengers on the cruise used e-bikes, which really wasn’t necessary after Day 2, when we had few uphill climbs unless you craved them. Most of the biking along the Danube River was relatively flat on bike trails.

Biking the Danube River My kids, Jake and Mel, ages 26 and 24 respectively, loved the cruise. The biking was challenging, the rural landscape was stunning, and the sightseeing and dining in the cities exceptional. Unfortunately, there was just one other family with kids their age aboard the ship. There was a younger group of 35 who pulled out at the last minute due to the war in Ukraine, but tourism was thriving in all cities, including Budapest. The only signs of the war were some refugees we met from the Ukraine. That left the average age aboard the cruise in the early 60s, which is not far from the usual demographic aboard a river cruise. My hope is that a younger generation will sample these Backroads itineraries because it’s really a wonderful bike cruise. You’re rarely on the boat, except for cocktail hour, dinner, dance parties, and sleeping. The rest of the time you’re meeting up with the ship after your bike ride. It’s an exciting way to see a good chunk of Europe.

If interested in discussing any Backroads trip, please contact ActiveTravels and we’ll go over all the options.

Cruises That Will Get You Excited to Get Back on the Water: Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer Cruise to Japan and South Korea

Regent Seven Sea Cruise to Japan and Korea 2023Crystal’s Asian itineraries have been usurped by other high-end cruise lines, like the magnificent 14-Night Regent Seven Seas Cruise to Japan and South Korea March 2023. Some 750 fortunate passengers will start this cruise in Tokyo, before stops at Kyoto, Busan and Jeju, Korea, Okinawa, and Nagasaki. The cruise includes free unlimited shore excursions in each port as well as a complimentary three-night pre or post cruise land program in Tokyo.

If you want to return to cruising, please let ActiveTravels know and we’ll find the best destination, itinerary, and cabin for your dates and budget. We can also help with pre- and post-cruise hotels and itineraries, and work on flights. As cruise writer Fran Golden notes in one of her latest stories, it’s always best to book your cruise with a travel advisor.

The World is Your Oyster: Liz Coleman of Paul Gauguin Cruises

Paul Gauguin Cruises to French PolynesiaActiveTravels is excited to announce our new web series, The World is Your Oyster! As the world begins to open up and the pandemic starts to fade in the rear-view mirror, let’s look forward to rediscovering new and exciting destinations across the globe. We have been pent up too long!

To inaugurate the first episode, we speak to one of our favorite people in the travel industry, Liz Coleman of Paul Gauguin Cruises. She tells us all about experiencing the beauties of French Polynesia on a Paul Gaugin Luxury Cruise. If you are celebrating a honeymoon or an anniversary, Liz explains the romantic Tahitian Blessing Ceremony you can enjoy with your loved one while cruising.

Liz also informs us about a very special promotion happening right now, their Two Week Sale, where you can save up to $3,350 per person on a 2021 sailing. This includes roundtrip airfare from LA, an all-inclusive cruise experience including all meals and alcohol and so much more. If you’re not ready to sail right now, rates are very good for their 2022 cruises as well.

If you have a group of people you’d like to travel with and can book 5 rooms or more, we can get you their group rate, a 30% discount!

Have a listen to the video below to hear all about the Paul Gauguin Cruise experience. If nothing else, it will take you away for a few minutes outside of your homes to the wild blue yonder of French Polynesia.

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Come Away to Newfoundland with Amy

Guest Post by Amy Perry Basseches
 
The Broadway show Come From Away was nominated for seven Tony nominations in 2017; it won a Tony for best direction, and a Drama Desk Award for outstanding musical. If you haven’t heard about it yet, Come From Away depicts the immediate aftermath of 9/11 in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland — the remote village which saw its population double in size, as it provided refuge to 6,579 passengers and crew from 38 planes, diverted when U.S. air space was closed. The airport in Gander was at one time the largest in the world, serving as an important refueling stop for cross-Atlantic flights, thus it could handle the traffic. Newfoundlanders call visitors those who "come from away," and that’s what happened. 
 
As I’m now living much of the time in Canada, eager to explore, and inspired by Come From Away, I’m going to Newfoundland in October 2018 with a wonderful group called Adventure Canada (a family-owned and operated expedition travel company since 1987). The trip is a circumnavigation of Newfoundland over the course of 10 days. Anyone interested in joining me gets 15% off, if you book by April 15. Adventure Canada trips are best suited for people with an adventurous spirit, who still want comfortable accommodations and good food. Sounds pretty good! 
 
Adventure Canada explains: Starting and ending in historic St. John’s, we will experience Newfoundland’s lively culture and dramatic scenery via daily expedition stops and community visits. Famed for its music and stories, Newfoundland is also incredibly picturesque, with a rugged coastline rendered spectacular by autumn foliage and light. We will visit Red Bay’s Basque Whaling Station (Unesco World Heritage Site), explore and hike the landscapes of Gros Morne National Park, learn about Viking history in North America at L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site, enjoy a taste of the Mi’kmaq culture in Miawpukek First Nation (Conne River), and visit to the French island of Saint-Pierre. Experience legendary music, food, and hospitality in true Newfoundland fashion: by sea, on the 137 metre Ocean Endeavor (Capacity: 198), with a team of naturalists and artists.
 
I’m also excited because Adventure Canada is partnering with Slow Food USA on the journey. That’s a topic for another day, but I am passionate about local food which is sustainably, humanely and fairly sourced. Seems like we’ll have plenty of that on the trip as well. Slow Food seeks to "connect the pleasures of the table with a commitment to the communities, cultures, knowledge, and environment that make this pleasure possible."
 
Finally, a personal note: My father worked as a lawyer for Allied Maintenance back in the 1960s- 1970s, when Allied played a large role at the Gander Airport, providing all ground handling and passenger services, plus aircraft maintenance. Dad also spent time at the Newfoundland fishing camp Allied’s CEO owned on the Gander River. I guess Gander and Newfoundland have re-entered my life in 2018.
 
Please contact ActiveTravels if you are interested in joining me in Newfoundland. 
 
 
 
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A Stop at Saint-Pierre with Adventure Canada

Guest Post and Photo by Amy Perry Basseches

Six thousand French citizens on an island 2,600 miles from the coast of France? And only 12 miles from the coast of Canada? Yes, that’s right. I was recently in Saint-Pierre (often discussed with its less-populated neighbor, Miquelon), all that still belongs to France from "New France," the colonies in North America starting with Jacques Cartier in 1536. The French have retained Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, and associated fishing rights, since 1816. 

When travelling to Saint-Pierre, you’ll go through customs (don’t forget your passport), you’ll use the Euro, and you’ll experience French food, wine, and, of course, the language. It was a fun stop on my Adventure Canada expedition. I opted for a hike in the morning on the Anse à Henry trail, then a short bus tour to make sure I could see as much as possible. This put my time in the charming town center right around midday, exactly the time of day when all the shops close (between 12 and 2 pm). Les Delices de Josephine cafe opened for us and the quiche was great, which I washed down with one of the only products made in Saint Pierre and Miquelon, beer from the new micro-brewery Miqu’ale (Brasserie Artisanale de l’Anse). 

If I ever get there again, I’d make sure to walk around town more in the morning or late afternoon, exploring the windy roads and small shops, and then spend the time in between hiking or exploring the now uninhabited L’Île-aux-Marins, just a stone’s throw from Saint-Pierre (several unique buildings still stand even though no one lives there year-round). Au revoir!
 

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