October 18, 2025 • 53 mins
The Wishing Well's Terrie Dean and Harry Reif discuss this week's travel news and Hot Deals!
Ready to trade the open seas for scenic waterways? In this episode, we dive into the world of river cruises—what makes them unique compared to ocean voyages, what you can expect onboard, and why they’re becoming a favorite for travelers seeking culture and comfort.
We also break down two of the biggest names in the industry: Viking River Cruises vs. AMA Waterways. Which one offers the best experience for your next adventure? We've got insider tips, comparisons, and everything you need to know before booking your river cruise.
Ready to trade the open seas for scenic waterways? In this episode, we dive into the world of river cruises—what makes them unique compared to ocean voyages, what you can expect onboard, and why they’re becoming a favorite for travelers seeking culture and comfort.
We also break down two of the biggest names in the industry: Viking River Cruises vs. AMA Waterways. Which one offers the best experience for your next adventure? We've got insider tips, comparisons, and everything you need to know before booking your river cruise.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is a Lifeless Ordinary, the travel show and podcasts
from your friends at the wishing Well two forty three
f Avenue in Harsmert and online at the wishing Well
dot this. The wishing Well is your ultimate luxury concierge,
travel agency and a Lifeless Ordinary is a travel show
and podcasts hosted by Terry Dean, bringing her over forty
years of experience in the travel industry to help guide
(00:21):
you to great experiences in your travel, whether it be
around the block, around the country, or around the world.
Let's bring in Terry Dean.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
And say hello, Chris, how are you this wonderful Saturday?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You know what wonderful? Thank you for asking him about yourself.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I love this time of year. This is actually my
favorite time of the year. There's beautiful weather for the
most part. There's lots of events and festivals and things
going on. I love it. That's great.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
I concur Yeah, I like spring and I like fall.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, it's pleasant to be outside, you know, I mean
through the summer in triple digits. I'm sorry, I'm not
going to be outside. I'm inside in the cour air
conditioning where it's cool and dry. You know, I loved
that I'm laughing.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Because I love your saying about licking.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Was it looking so hot, you might as well lick
the sun?
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Lick the sun. Yes.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
And then in the wintertime, especially the bitter winter we
had last year, remember that, Yeah, it was so cold
you didn't want to go outside. So spring and fall
represent in my mind the best times to really get
outside and soak in the world around you. It's wonderful.
(01:32):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
I agree. And we need to say hi to Harry.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
We did. He's here, Harry's here.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Yeah, we almost made it through another week, haven't we.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Yeah, Well, you know, it's always good to see you, Harry.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Oh, thank you, Sam to you.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Yeah, and I'm looking forward to today's show. But before
we get to it, we got to get caught up
on what's happened in travel news and probably some hot
deals I guess too.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Absolutely. And you know I always I love it. I
love it, love it, love it, Chris, when I'm able
to come in on Saturday morning. And for those of
you listening to us at home, first of all, thank
you for your faithfulness, Thank you for being there with
us every Saturday. I have met many of you now
in the course of us recording a lifeless ordinary, And
(02:15):
I have to tell you, you really do inspire me.
When I sit down here in front of this mic,
I can see your faces. So I love that. It's wonderful.
But I also love it when I'm able to sit
down in front of this mic and start out on
Saturday mornings with some good news. And this is good news.
Air ticket sales reached a record eight point seven bill
(02:40):
young dollars in September. US based travel agency air ticket
sales totaled eight point seven billion for September, recording the
highest monthly sales total for any month and marking an
eight percent increase from twenty twenty four. That's according to
(03:01):
the Airline Reporting Corporation. Third quarter ticket sales and passenger
trips increased four percent, reaching twenty five point one billion
dollars in ticket sales and seventy four point seven million trips,
showing the demand for travel increasing into the off season.
(03:22):
When pre pandemic back to school season historically decreased travel,
that is not the case anymore. This trend underscore sustained
traveler confidence as well as the expanding vacation travel window
into the fall. As the industry prepares for the busy
holiday travel season. Air travelers took a combined sixteen point
(03:46):
three million domestic trips in September, a four percent increase
from August and a six percent increase from last September.
International trips totaled eight point nine million dollars, for a
seven percent year over year increase. Now, why is this
(04:08):
news important? It's important because I once upon a time
worked for a company that used to say that as
the travel industry goes, so goes our economy. And I
have to tell you this is a great pointer in
my mind for how things are going to go.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Yeah. My guess is that for every one of those
airline tickets, there's a vacation associated with, no kidding, whether
it be visiting family or a new destination, a new experience,
a new set of memories.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yeah, no kidding. And you know, I absolutely will not
ever make this show about politics, but I will say this,
good news can be found, and it's out there, and
when it comes to the travel industry, I think we
are seeing some of the information that would actually point
(05:00):
away from some of the rhetoric that you kind of
hear today about how things are not going so well.
This says differently, and that points to my next story,
which is Americans, they predict, are going to spend an
estimated you ready for this, three hundred and eleven billion
dollars on flights and hotels this holiday season. A handful
(05:25):
of recent reports have indicated that Americans might be reeling
in spending this holiday season amid inflation, the rising costs
of living, and general economic uncertainty. A new fall consumer
trends report from the consumer data company Resonate, for example,
stated that when it comes to Americans holiday plans and
(05:45):
priorities for twenty twenty five, fifty five percent don't plan
to travel at all. That's what their report said, and
those who do plan to travel are slashing their budgets,
limiting spending to less than five thousand dollars, while thirteen
percent are budgeting less than a mere five hundred dollars
for a holiday trip this year. I want to say
(06:06):
this in big, bold, underlined letters. However, a new report,
this one from Nerdwallet, seems to fly in the face
of all of that. The publication's twenty twenty five holiday
spending report says Americans are gearing up to spend, adding
that US adults will spend a collective two hundred and
(06:28):
forty two billion dollars on holiday gift shopping and nearly
three hundred and eleven billion dollars on flights and hotels
this holiday season. Moreover, nearly half of Americans, that's forty
eight percent, our planning to travel regardless of costs. Let's
state that, again, shall we cost does not matter to
(06:50):
nearly half of Americans when it comes to pursuing their
holiday travel plans and goals. Based on a survey of
more than two thousand US adults and conducted online by
the Harris Pole, the report also found that forty five
percent of Americans plan to spend money on flights or
hotels this holiday season and will shell out an average
(07:14):
of twenty five hundred and eighty six dollars for those expenses. So, again,
I think a lot of good news for the travel industry.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
I think the travel industry is really buoyant, and I
think that what we're seeing at the Wishing Well mirrors
what you're talking about, Terry. We've seen increases. We've talked
about this several times on this show. What we're seeing
increases year over year. For sure, we're also seeing increases
in the size and the cost of vacations that people
(07:46):
are taking. And we're also seeing a big uptake uptick
in families traveling absolutely together and absolutely to me is
it makes me smile because if you talk about families
and you talk about travel, you're talking about some of
the best kind of travel you can do, in the
best kind of experiences you can do, and the best
(08:07):
kind of time that you can spend.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
So if you tune in on Saturdays to a Lifeless
Ordinary for good News this morning, you're welcome. We love it.
Another good news story is regarding a new mode of
transportation that has come to Mexico. It's called the New
Mayan Train. The trend Maya is a new train service
(08:30):
in Mexico. It's providing an accessible, safe way for tours
to explore the Yucatan Peninsula. The train, a thirty billion
dollar project, is expected to stimulate tourism and economic growth
in the southeastern region of Mexico. It features air conditioned compartments.
I actually watched a video on this is kind of cool,
(08:50):
waiter service and onboard security. The trend Maya offers a
comfortable and secure travel experience first class tickets. This is
great are only ranging from ten dollars to thirty five dollars.
That's first class ticket, y'all, depending on the route, with
travel packages and group discounts available for purchase. It's brand new, beautiful,
(09:14):
it's cool, it's instagrammable, it's fast, it's easy and fun,
and it's safe and affordable, and you can ride it
from the airport to your hotel. But best of all,
it makes it possible to get out of your all
inclusive in Cancun and kind of take a quick day
trip into the real Mexico for about sixty bucks.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Oh I did that by mistake.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Indeed you did. And that's a whole nother story for
a whole nother broadcast.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Cris you can take this train train around the yucatamp
I was like, Yeah, that's the way I should have
done it.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
That's the way you should have done it. You are
so right if.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
You're new to the show. I decided to take a
bus and went into real Cancri.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
It went badly.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
It went badly, but I survived and I had a
great time.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
And in short, this new trend Maya, which they're just
referring to as the Mayan Train, is delivering on its
promise of offering an accessible and safe way. I want
to underscore that for tourists to move independently out of
the hotel zone and into the ancient ruins, which actually
are some of the most wonderful parts of Mexico. Actually,
(10:17):
and the small towns of the magical Yucatan Peninsula, the
beaches of Quintana Rue and also into Tabasco. So those
are some great I think that's great news for Mexico
and for tourist who are going to Mexico.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
I love the train travel isn't out of fashion.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Man, I do too, because you know I've talked about
that here before. It is one of my personal favorite
I get really excited about train travel.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Yes, train travel is experiencing a tremendous resurgence. I mean,
the Europeans have known train travel for years and years
and years, and I think I think America is waking
up to the convenience, the ease, the comfort of train travel.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Yeah, oh yeah, I think so too. I've got one
more news story to share, and then, Harry, I'm going
to hand it over to you to talk to our
audience today about some deals. But this one is actually
pretty pointed and it is because of exactly what our
topic is for today's show. Chris is going to share
more with you about that before we go in to
(11:19):
break after sales, Harry does sales. But Ozamara Cruise Line
is sharing details about their upcoming Black Friday Sale. We're
already talking about that. Can you believe that? I mean,
here we are, what not even Halloween yet, and we're
already talking about Black Friday.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Say, it's only a couple of weeks away.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
I know it really is. I mean, when you think
about it, it is. But it doesn't seem possible.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
He doesn't seem to work on the same schedule.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
He does not.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
But I want to stay warm, guys.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
But Ozamara, they're preparing to launch their biggest sale of
the year. Now. Usually this happens in January, which is
important because I always tell folks, you know, if you're
looking for one of the best cruise deals, January is
the time that usually houses that, and that is because
that is called wave month. Well, Azamara got a little
(12:10):
antsy this year, and their Black Friday Flash sale includes
savings up to I feel like I need a drum
roll here, up to four thousand dollars on select sailings
plus up to five hundred dollars in on board credits
per state room. Now, this deal is going to run
from November the eighteenth until December the second, but this
(12:33):
is your time to get a jump on that information
so you know what they're going to offer, and travelers
can take advantage of savings on select sailings, including a
fourteen night voyage to the Eastern Caribbean departing December the
twenty third. You know, I've got a lot of people
who are actually spending Christmas traveling this year. Instead of gifts,
(12:55):
people are going, let's do some memories. Let's do that.
We don't even have to wrap that up, but we
get to keep them forever.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
And you can let somebody else do the decorating, I.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Know, right. And then they also have a fourteen night
sailing around Japan starting which is actually what did we
learn in last week's show the number one country to
be visited, absolutely departing March the thirteenth, twenty twenty six.
And then there's an eight night cruise in Italy departing
April the ninth, twenty twenty six, and a fourteen night
(13:27):
river boat and train cruise tour journey in Alaska departing
June the first. I will tell you that is prime
time folks, just to name a few. And again this
is their Black Friday flash sale that is going to
include savings up to four thousand dollars plus five hundred
(13:48):
dollars in on board credits. Again, that deal runs November
the eighteenth to December second on Azamara, one of my
favorites when it comes to river cruising. So that's it
for news. I think I'm going to hand it over now,
Harry to you. I think you've got some deals to
share with our audiences.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Boy do I Terry good. We've been talking about trains
in the convenience of train travel. The thing that ranks
high on my list of convenient travel our cruises. Because
you get on board, you have a place to sleep,
you get to see a lot of different countries, a
lot of different locations. They give you a little bit
to eat on cruise ships. If you have never spoken
(14:30):
to somebody about a cruise ship and dining, let me
tell you you can gain more weight than a freshman
their first year at college. I'm a good cruise ship
and our great friends at Celebrity one of the cruise
lines that we've been using more and more have a sale.
I was talking about families earlier, Terry and the experiences
(14:50):
that families have traveling together. Well, how about this. This
sale covers up to five guests and they have a
number of sailings starting right now in September and this
month in October. I'm a month behind, Chris said, I
was behind, right, So I am starting this month all
the way through to twenty twenty eight. Okay, but the
(15:13):
booking window is only through November six for this deal.
So if you like this, remember you got to do
something between now and November six. They have on a
number of sailings seventy five percent off the second guest,
which is a tremendous deal. They have free third, fourth,
and fifth guests in the same room. That's something that
(15:35):
we don't see very often, right, Terry, not.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Very often, but they are a great cruise line for family,
multi gen type cruises, so this is an opportunity. And
some of these brand new ships actually do include space
for up to five people in one family type suite.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Yeah, the new cruise ships recognize that families want to
travel together. So this is a tremendous deal. Besides the
dollars off, they're also having some reduced fares on the
state rooms too. You're talking maybe as much as five
hundred dollars off of the base fare on the state room,
plus again seventy five percent off the second guest and third,
(16:16):
fourth and fifth guests are traveling free. Those are select cruises.
Let us know that booking is good through November sixth,
so you have a few weeks on that. Our friends
at Celebrity I talked about families. There's a lot of
people Chris and Terry that we know and we talk
about that want to travel as singles, and it can
be difficult to find great cruise fares. But our friends
(16:38):
at Regent have stepped up. They've added a number of
sailings where they are having reduced or zero level single supplements.
That's reduced or zero level single supplements. Regent one of
the higher end cruise lines. If you want a luxury cruise,
you won't find many kids running around on a Regent cruise.
(16:59):
They allow them, but you will see mostly adults, mostly
mature adults, seniors, a very luxury experience and single supplement
that's through the end of this year through December thirty first,
and one of the things that they're also doing right
now on select cruises, they're offering free that's free first
class airfare. You can't beat.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
That, and that usually is also something that only rolls
around in January during wavemonth, but right now to get
free free first class airfare, folks, that right there could
be as much as an eight thousand dollars savings per
person and it's free, and it also includes many of
their sailings to Alaska. I actually have had the opportunity
(17:43):
to steer some people toward Regent just because of that,
and that was a big selling point, was having free
first class airfare to Alaska.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
It really is a good deal. And besides Region, another
cruise line that we like a lot is Seaborn. Seaborn
has a special deal going on and it's a short deal.
It's a deal that runs through this coming week. They
call it the Flight East program that gives you transfers
between the airport and the ship. They're giving you credits
(18:14):
up to two thousand dollars a room on some special
offers that they have. And they are a great cruise line,
especially if you're looking at some of the unusual destinations.
You're talking about destinations like Tokyo, you're talking out Dublin places, Sydney, Australia.
(18:36):
That's a great cruise line to look at. If you're
not familiar with them, take a look at Seaborn and.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Yeah, they are your small ship luxury yacht sailing type experiences.
So if you're not familiar with Seaborne, let me just
tell you that is who they are. They are the
small ship yacht luxury type sales.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
Yeah, you'll know everybody on the cruise and you'll know
and all of the staff will know you by the
end of the first day on a Seaborn cruise and
likely on a Regent cruise as well. Those are both
smaller ships. So if that's your thing, consider them. And
then lastly, I'm going to move out a cruising and
give one last deal that I think is out there
(19:19):
that you should be looking at. We've had several people
looking at the World Cup. You're talking about forty eight teams,
one hundred and four matches, sixteen incredible cities across the
United States, Mexico and Canada. This is the biggest World
Cup to date and at the Wishing Well we're very
proud to have available some special special packages. You can
(19:42):
still get tickets for many, if not all, of the
games that are out there, but the availability is starting
to shrink on that.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Yeah, we've got a great company that we're currently working
with who can curate a great, personalized, customized experience for
you and your family member. Folks, the FIFA this year
World Cup is actually taking in three countries, Canada, the US,
and Mexico. So it is the largest World Cup to date.
(20:11):
So if you are interested in this, do not hesitate.
If you wait, you will lose out because these are
in some of the most popular cities across So seek
three countries that I mentioned.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
And when you talk about an experience, an experience in
the wishing Wells jargon means we're going to worry about
getting you there, finding you a place to stay while
you're there, and getting you tickets, and getting you tickets
that are authentic tickets because there's a lot of scams
and kind of shenanigans going on out there. So if
you're looking at an event like that, whether or not
(20:44):
you choose us, please please please be very careful to
make sure that you get tickets that are really going
to be usable when you go to enter that event.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
If you want to take advantage of any of these
hot deals that Harry was just talking about. Let me
give you the phone number. It's five four h nine
toh eight three thirty three. You can also find information
online at the wishing well dot biz or stop by
you can see him in person. They're on ne f
Avenue in Harrisonburg. Now, our show today is called Rolling
on the River Part one. It's gonna be a two
(21:16):
part series as we're going to talk about what we've
already talked a little bit about, and that's river cruise,
and we want to find out sort of what's the
difference between when we talk about going on a cruise
or we're talking about going on a river cruise and
there are a couple of different companies you can choose
if you're going to do that kind of travel, and
what's the differences between them. Absolutely, so we want to
(21:37):
dig into this and we're gonna hop on our river
cruise as we're rolling on the river next here on
a life less ordinary.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Haven't taken your summer vacation yet or do you need
just one more Let the wishing Wells experts help We
offer fee free travel planning with built in expertise. Listeners
voted us Valley's best. Check out our group trips tab
on our website, The wishing Well dot biz, or let
us create trip just for you. Stop by two forty
three nip Avenue, visit us at the Wishing World ibiz,
(22:05):
or call us at five four zero nine zero eighth
two three three three five four zero nine zero eight
two three three three.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
Hey, welcome back to a life less ordinary. Every Saturday morning,
we talk travel, we do and it's always fun to
have Terry, Dean and Harry right from the Wishing Well
join us for this conversation. I guess I'm joining you
for the conversation. It's your show.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
We couldn't do it without you, Cris.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
Our show today is called Rolling on the River and
we are talking about river cruising. I thought you were
going to sing the Tina Turner song, yeah, but I'm not. Okay,
So our show is going to be broken down into
a couple of different segments. We want to talk about
the difference between what most people consider cruising and what's
(22:52):
really hot now river cruising. Yeah, and then we're gonna
do a little bit of comparison between some of your choices.
Help if you're thinking river cruising for me, how do
you know who to pick? We're going to get answers
for all that this is only part one. We're going to
talk more about it in the next episode too.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
We are, indeed, and for those of you listening along
with us, I want to give you some sort of
a lay of the land and how today's show is
going to actually wrap up for you. But we're going
to first of all talk about what exactly river cruising is.
And the whole reason I decided to do this show
today Chris on river Cruising and actually make it kind
(23:27):
of a two part series is because I've had clients
in recently who said, we've heard about river cruising, we're interested,
but we don't know anything about it. We know what
our friends have told us, but we don't really know
what river cruising is. So we're going to talk about that.
We're going to address that in the first part of
today's show. What exactly is river cruising? Then what can
(23:50):
you expect on almost every river cruise? And then we'll
probably take a break in the show, we'll come back
and we'll talk about comparing two particular very popular river
cruise lines. We'll hear a little bit about that, and
then we're going to wrap it all up by helping
you find your perfect river cruise if you're looking especially
(24:13):
at these two that we want to talk about today.
So first of all, we're going to jump in and
talk about what exactly is river cruising and river cruising.
If you're picturing a great, big, giant ocean ship with
thousands of passengers, maybe some neon lights pull side movies,
(24:36):
yeah don't, because it's not that. River cruising is a
completely different experience. I want you to imagine instead, floating
along in sort of a boutique type hotel, maybe a
hotel that drifts quietly through the heart of Europe. Every morning,
you're going to wake up in a new city, a
(24:58):
new country. You'll have a new view without ever having
to pack or unpack a suitcase. You will do that
one time. There's something mesmerizing about river cruising. The pace
is really gentle, The scenery is intimate. You have vineyards
and castles and cathedrals that you pass along the way,
(25:22):
and that's just feet from the balcony cabin that you're in.
These are the same waterways that actually shaped Europe's history.
The Danube, the Rhine, the Seine, the Door. Oh, it's
the life blood of civilization itself in Europe. This is
(25:42):
what you're going to see now. What I love most
about river cruising is how it actually connects you directly
with the soul of a place. You're not out at sea,
you're in the story. You're docking in city centers. You're
walking off the shop ship right out onto a village
(26:02):
square or a medieval market. It's immersive, it's cultural, and
it's personal. And I will tell you I had the
opportunity to experience this. Harry and I took a group
down the Rune on a very popular cruise line. Had
actually fifty four of our closest personal friends with us
(26:24):
on this trip. It was a lot there, there were
a lot of people. We had a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Though there were only one hundred and ninety nine people
on the ship, and fifty four.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
Was us exactly exactly. But I will tell you the
first part of what I've described to you here I
wrote from my heart because this is exactly what we experienced.
This is what it was all about to me, and
I will tell you I had not experienced river cruising
like this before. I had done smaller versions of river
(26:54):
cruising in Europe, but never like this, and it was
fantastic And unlike ocean voyages that might have entire days
at sea, for example, a river cruise kind of unfolds
like a living film real It's constant discovery, no waste
of time. It's perfect for travelers who crave depth, not
(27:18):
just distance. That's another thing I love about river cruising. Now,
who's it right for? Well, just about anybody who loves
effortless exploration. It's kind of ideal for couples because it's
very romantic, small friend groups. I've had a lot of
gal groups who love river cruising, even solo travelers. I've
(27:39):
even done a lot of that recently, folks who want
that warm, communal atmosphere with others. And in our upcoming
episodes of a Lifeless Ordinary, we're going to take a
deeper look into a few more of these river cruise lines.
We're going to look at two today. But I want
to mention that while ocean cruises can be about entertainment
(28:01):
and spectacular things, river cruises are about connection with people,
with places, with moments that kind of stay with you
long after you've returned home. And I still have those
feelings about that river cruise down the run that we did.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
The river cruise reminds me of a slow Sunday drive
through town exactly. Nobody that's ever gotten seasick on a
river cruise. It's there's, you know, about the same motion
as there is, you know, walking down the street, because
they move slowly, they move you know, through waters that
are that are not turbulent. There's it's just a very calming,
(28:42):
peaceful experience. And it's also, I think you point this
out already, it's an intimate experience because these cruise ships
are small. Couple hundred people is you know, is average
for a river cruise ship.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Some are smaller exactly. And what I want to talk
about now is kind of going into our second segment
here of what you can expect on almost every river
cruise that you're on, because there are some similarities. As
much as they can be different sometimes in the onboard
experience or what you experience with the shore excursions, they
(29:21):
are very similar in certain aspects of what they do
offer to a paying customer paying guests. So first, the
beauty of river cruising is how easy it is, that's
kind of a given. I mean, all of them are
going to provide that. The booking process, especially if you're
booking at the Wishing Well, it is pretty seamless, and
(29:42):
once you're booked, nearly everything is taken care of for you.
You've got most major river cruise lines in this category
of that ease factor. You've got Viking, You've got Almah,
Waterways avalon you in a world. They all are going
to incline food, airport transfers, daily excursions, Wi Fi. They
(30:05):
have wine and beer with your meals, and wonderful regional
dining experiences. And actually, I want to stop here and
say that during some of the promotional periods that a
lot of these cruise lines offer, they even give you
free airfare, like Harry was talking about a while ago
with a mega cruise line Regent, one of our partners,
(30:28):
some of these river cruise lines will also offer us
free airfare and even sometimes a twenty five dollars deposit
just to hold the space. Harry, I want you to
take us through, if you will, what it might look
like with one of these cruise lines with air sure.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
I'm going to talk about Alma Waterways if that's okay,
Terry and every one of the cruise lines does have
an air department, as does AMA. You can book your
airfare directly with AMA. Some people book it independently. A
lot of times we like to book it with the
cruise line because that packages things together. It protects travelers
in case something goes wrong with the air. The cruise line,
(31:10):
the river cruise line will have some responsibility to make
sure you get to wherever the ship is. So they
have different kinds of programs. A lot of times when
they give you the free air, they will decide the
air Many of the cruise lines also have what's called
an air Plus program or something like that, where you
get some flexibility on choosing your flights because you may
(31:31):
want direct flights, or you may want a certain city routing.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
Or a higher level of category. You might want to
not use economy, you might prefer Premium economy or business
class exactly.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
And the airport transfers you already spoke about. The airteam
worries about all that. They worry about your air they
worry about your transfers, they worry about your class of service,
and they're going to assist and coordinate alongside the wishing well.
The packages are nice because that puts everything together. The
(32:05):
rates are real good because you book sometimes a year
in advance for river cruise. I just have this week.
I have a group of six couples going on a
river cruise and they are going next summer in June.
I've already got their air locked in with the cruise
line at the rates. I don't know the flights yet
(32:26):
because it's that far in advance, but I know what
the rates are going to be. And that's a nice
thing when you're traveling and planning for a trip, is
to fix all those kinds of costs. They use trusted airlines,
so you're going to be on a major airline. You're
not going to be on you know, Terry and Harry's
Air or Chris's Air or anything like that. You're gonna
be on a major airline so you have a reliable service.
(32:49):
And when you look at the different cruises that are available,
you'll see that the price comparison are somewhat similar with them.
We're going to go into that a little bit more,
but that's where the levels of service start to change.
But as far as the booking and airfare. It's very
(33:10):
smart to book with the cruise line.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
Yeah, and one of the things that I wanted to
mention too is that booking through the river cruise lines
or even any cruise line, may not always be in
your best interest. Remember that these folks contract for air
sometimes a year, sometimes a year and a half in
advance in order to solidify space because they need space
to run their product. So it's not necessarily going to
(33:36):
be once airfares are actually redetermined or tariffed for the
time that you're going to be going, it's not necessarily
going to be that particular vendor that's going to offer
you the lowest fare. So sometimes it's a smart thing
to shop that. But if you do book your airfare
through the cruise line, somebody's going to meet you right
at the airport. That's also something very consistent. They're going
(33:59):
to whisk you and your luggage right straight to the ship,
no confusion, no stress, and when your trip ends, that
same smooth service takes you back. It's door to door simplicity. Now,
once you're on board again, we're talking about what you
can expect on almost every river cruise. Once you're on board,
you can discover that those ships are small. They're usually
(34:22):
under two hundred passengers. It's rare that there are more
people on board than that. Think of it as the
perfect balance between luxury and intimacy. You're known by a name,
not a cabin number. Crew members remember your favorite wine,
your preferred breakfast, and even whether you take one or
two sugars in your morning cappuccino. Now, I have a
(34:45):
very personal story to share because this actually did happen
on the second day on board my river cruise experience.
I have a very unique palate for breakfast and if
I have eggs, I'm one of those rare individuals. This
is very European, by the way, I've learned, since most
(35:05):
people want ketchup on their eggs. I cannot fathom the
idea of ketchup on eggs. But I love mustard. I
love mustard on your leggs for reason. That is what
I love it. I love it. And so the very
first morning that I had my first breakfast on board
my river cruise, I actually asked my weight person if
(35:31):
they had any mustard on board, and they looked at
me about like you all did, like I had three heads,
but graciously brought me my own little personal jar of mustard.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
Took about five minutes for him to find it because it.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Was a breakfast However, however, this is the important part
of this story. The next morning, without asking, at my
place setting, there appeared a little jar of mustard. They knew,
they instinctive and guess what, it wasn't even the same server. Now,
how they do that magic astounds me. But I was
(36:09):
so grateful that I didn't have to ask for it
a second time. They just knew that that's what I wanted.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
It was only one person on the whole ship. It's
easy to pick you out, terry.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Yes, I'm sure she's not the only one with odd requests.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
No, no, and I mean that. Actually, mustard with eggs
is a very European thing. I just got back from Barcelona.
It was on the buffet. It was on the breakfast
buffet every day, mustard right beside the eggs.
Speaker 1 (36:35):
Am I using like a yellow mustard or a desi
It doesn't matter.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
You can use anything. You can use the stone ground mustard,
you can use yellow mustard or none at all, Dejon
mustard or none at all.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
My wife, I think I'm disgusting because I pour ketchup
all over my scramble.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
Oh see, yeah, you're that ketchup person. Yeah, how I
grew up and exactly, I mean, this is all about
sometimes how we did grow up. You know, I came
from German folks, so that's not unusual that we have
we sour up everything.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
Salsa and cheese, ladies and gentlemen. Salsa and cheese are
the best on eggs.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
But these are great stories and memories for me of
my experience, which said I mattered, I was important. What
I wanted was not trivial, and it wasn't taken for granted.
So let's talk dinning because River Creuse cuisine is kind
of a revelation. Every meat showcases local flavors and regional wines.
(37:31):
And if you're sailing through Austria, you should be able
to expect schnitzel and strudel. I mean, why not, you know,
And on the own you're going to savor French cheeses
and provocol sauces. And don't forget those irresistible coffee stations
that are on board, remember those, Harry. Our group would
(37:53):
gather there just about every time, night or day, cappuccinos,
cookies and conversation like at a cooler, available all day long.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
What about the Bretzels, Oh yes absolutely, let'stle with a
bee here in Germany.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Now, your daily excursions are another highlight, but something again
you're going to expect on almost every river cruises. And
remember these are complementary at every port of call. And
that's pretty much consistent with every one of the river
cruise companies that explore these waterways. Every morning, your ship's
(38:28):
going to dock in a new port and a guided
tours included. It's often led by some local experts, if
not historians, who know the stories behind every cobblestone they're
taking you on. Now, whether it's wandering through a twelfth
century abbey or visiting a winemaker seller or shopping at
a farmer's market, these excursions are what let you experience
(38:51):
each and every destination from the inside out. And because
river cruising is always so all inclusive you want, I
don't constantly be pulling out your wallet. There's no surprise charges,
no fifteen dollars cocktails. It's travel made simple and smart. Now,
let's be real, there are a few trade offs. Space.
(39:15):
Let's talk about that space on board river cruises is
a wee bit limited than what you have on the megaships.
These aren't ships with climbing walls or sprawling gems. Wi
Fi can be spotty, and yes, you're going to meet people,
lots of them, but that's part of the charm. By
(39:35):
the second night, you're gonna find yourself laughing with a
few fellow travelers who already feel like old friends. And
we found that to be the case. Even though our
group was made up of fifty four, the rest of
the folks that were on board the river crews actually
were so pleased to mix in with us that they
felt like part of our group.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
They were social climbers. They wanted to be part of
our group, wasn't that is?
Speaker 2 (39:58):
And for me, one of the greatest always of river
cruising is that sense of community. You're traveling among like
minded people who love stories, culture, these shared experiences we
talk about now, whether you're a season traveler or you're
taking your first trip abroad, it feels like you belong
to a special club of explorers who appreciate the finer,
(40:22):
slower movements of life.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
Terry, I'm really enjoying today's show. This is really informative.
If you've been thinking about river cruising. I love Harry's
statement that it's like a Sunday drive.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
Huh exactly.
Speaker 1 (40:36):
I'm picturing this meandering down the river exactly, taking in
the sites with some great company. I'm really enjoying it.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
You won't see the waves behind the boat.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
I'm sure we leave a little bit of a wake,
a little wake. Let's get back into this after we
take a quick break. We're rolling on the river on
a lifeless ordinary.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
Haven't taken your summer vacation yet or do you need
just one more? Let the wishing Wells experts help. We
offer fee free travel planning with built in expertise. Listeners
voted us Valley's Best. Check out our group trips tab
on our website, The Wishingwell dot biz, or let us
create a trip just for you. Stop by two forty
three nef Avenue, visit us at the Wishingwell dot biz,
(41:18):
or call us at five four zero nine zero eight
two three three three five four zero nine zero eight
two three three three.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
Welcome back to a Lifeless Ordinary. This is your travel
showing podcasts from your friends at the wishing Well on
nef Avenue in Harrisonburg. Online at the wishing Well dot
biz or you can give them a call at five
four oh nine oh eight twenty three thirty three. Our
show today is Rolling on the River. This is part
one of a two part series. As we're talking river cruises,
(41:45):
I there's confusion because you've got ocean liners and you've
got your riverboats. I think these should be called river voyages,
not river cruises to simplify. But then you refer to
the voyage on a seat. I'm sure and alert the
media Krins, somebody needs to take control of this. Before
we went to break, we were talking about what a
(42:08):
river cruise experience is like.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
Yeah, and all of that information that we just shared
with you previously. If you're just joining us, do go
back and listen to the first part of our show
because it's paramount to understanding what the basic river cruising
is all about and what you can expect to have
included in a river cruise. But now we're going to
(42:31):
talk about the comparison between to what I'm going to
call mega cruz river cruise lines, and that is Vice
Viking and the other one is Alma Waterways. The Great
River Cruise Showdown. We're going to dive into two of
these most popular. And if cruising were I'm going to
(42:52):
say a luxury neighborhood, Viking would be the elegant Scandinavian
townhouse on the corner. They're sleek, they're polished, and they're timeless.
And I have a real saying about folks who love Viking.
It's almost a cult, like following Alma. Waterways would be
the warm European villain next door, kind of colorful, inviting
(43:18):
and full heart. And we're going to start with Viking here.
They were founded in nineteen ninety seven, so really they
haven't been around that long. Viking has become one of
the world's largest river cruise lines, sailing everywhere from Europe
to Asia to Egypt and now even the Mississippi, and
(43:39):
their ships are called long ships. They're known for their
modern design, kind of an airy interior, signature, terraces, an
indoor outdoor dining space. That's one of my personal favorites.
And Viking's design aesthetic is pure Scandinavian. That's what struck
me when I first got on. I walked into my
(44:01):
cabin and I went, wait, what where's all my closets?
Where am I going to put my shoes, but it
really isn't like that. It's very Scandinavian, but it's very efficient,
actually clean lines, natural light. You've got a lot of
blonde woods and an understated luxury that really just feels peaceful.
(44:23):
And every cabin, even the smallest of them, feel functional
and refined. There's smart storage is what I would call it,
because I thought I was going to run out of
storage room, but I didn't. I actually had more than enough.
You have something that I had just about forgotten about
until I started doing some notes for the show, and
(44:45):
that was the heated bathroom floors. O MG, did I
love that? And you've got big windows that just make
your room positively glow. Vikings inclusions are generous. They have
beer and wine with meals. They do have a full
cocktail plan as well. If they have a promotion, sometimes
(45:09):
you can get that for free, otherwise there's a charge
for it. Daily excursions are always one included at every port,
and they have a menu that changes with the regions
that you sail through. They have that beverage package I
was talking about, which is a full cocktail array, and
that's called Silver Spirits, and that allows you to have
(45:30):
unlimited premium drinks, but that's not usually included on the norm.
That's something that's either done as a promotion or you
buy it. Now, where Viking really shines is in their
cultural access. Their privileged access experiences are extraordinary. They can
take you through private museum tours, do after our castle visits,
(45:53):
even behind the scenes time with the Vienna Boys Choir.
That's amazing. And for travelers who crave his and elegance
and authenticity, Viking delivers in spades. So some of these
excursions that I'm talking about, the more exclusive ones, those
would be a charge for those. Viking does, as I said,
(46:14):
offer complementary ones, but some of them there's a charge for.
Speaker 3 (46:18):
Yeah, there's a complementary one in every port. If I'm
not mistaken, I can't think of a reception right now.
So there's always a complementary excursion in the port. And
the other thing I like about Viking is they have
some of the best i'll call them parking spots in
the port. They're the big dog, so they've got some
of the best spaces too.
Speaker 2 (46:37):
That's crue. Now I'm a waterways. Their story a little different.
They're family owned and operated and they were founded even
later than Viking in two thousand and two. Can you
believe that that they are that new of a cruise
ship line and their approach is all about heart and hospitality.
Those are kind of their taglines, and their ships are
(47:00):
a touch smaller than Viking. There decorps a little brighter
and a little more personal, and their onboard service has that,
as I said before, kind of that welcome home feeling,
and Alma is the line for travelers who want more
activity and flexibility. Viking is a little more rigid. Okay,
they're Scandinavian, so they are, and they are crucured. Yeah,
(47:24):
they're structured. And Ama offers three excursion levels at every report.
They have gentle, regular, and active. So if you'd rather
take a brisk hike through these vineyards than a walking
tour of the cathedral, you can do that. They offer that.
They even have complementary bicycles on board for solo exploring
(47:45):
or guided tours through the European countryside, which is why
a lot of people, and I will tell you quite frankly,
my more active crowd, they will choose Alma for that
reason because they give them complementary bicycles. Viking just so
that's one thing to be aware of. One of the
most innovative ships in the Alma fleet is the Alma Magna.
(48:07):
They're double the width of traditional river ships. They're stunning.
Four restaurants instead of just one for a lot of
the longboats. Even with Viking you only have one restaurant
and you dine at one particular time. With Ama, you
have four restaurants, a wellness studio, and even a pickleball court.
(48:27):
Remember our show about how popular pickleball was. People really
train do their entire trips around that. It's perfect for
families or travelers who want a bit more space without
losing intimacy. And during an Alma Waterways event itself, every
sailing includes a dinner at the chef's table. Now, where
(48:49):
Viking leans toward minimalistic sophistication or Viking, I'm sorry leans
toward minimalistic sophistication, Ama leans into warmth and celebration their
decorp pops with color. Their staff often join in evening
entertainment events, and their ships even feature heated pools none
on Viking, and small spas also not on Viking, and
(49:13):
some luxuries that make days on your days on board
feel just a little bit more indulgent. So how do
you choose? Let me tell you. If you want, you
can pick Viking if you're a refined, adults only experienced
looker with more structure and cultural depth. Viking does not
allow children under eighteen on board. Alma Waterways, you're going
(49:38):
to want to choose them. If you love culinary adventures,
active exploration and a more personal, family like atmosphere. Both
are incredible. It's a simple matter of personality. Viking whispers,
Alma sings, So it really depends on what you're looking
for as to whether or not which one of these
(49:59):
is going to be your choice. So, friends, whether you're
dreaming of gliding past the castles in the Rhine, if
you're sipping port wine along Portugal's door row, or you
want to wonder the Christmas markets, those are also very
popular with Viking and Amah. Your next river cruise offers
a window into that world like none other. So if
(50:20):
you've been curious about river cruising, this is a great
show to start with and actually listen again. Next week
we're going to compare two other of the river cruise lines,
and I'm not going to tell you which ones just
yet because I do want you to step back in
and listen with us here on a lifeless ordinary.
Speaker 3 (50:40):
Yeah. One of the things that I think we should
mention also about the cruise lines that we kind of
glossed over is itineraries. As we're talking about comparing the
cruise lines, one of the things that you're you will
find as you're moving along the rivers, the stops between
the different cruise lines terry are very very similar. The
itineraries are very very very similar. To you said, it's
(51:02):
the personalities of the ship. It's the decora of the ship.
It's whether you want a family and a little bit
more noise and activity versus a little more serene and structured.
Those are the kinds of things that go into that
selection that make you any choice a good choice, but
make the one that's best for your family, your personality.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
Yeah. And I'll tell you another thing that we often
get asked about, and this is pretty consistent with all
of them. You're not going to find ada compliances on
a lot of these river cruises because they are very
European structured in nature, and even when you go into Europe,
so you're going to be walking on a lot of
cobblestones and that kind of thing. So these really are
(51:46):
not wheelchair accessible type of experiences, and I want to
make sure that people know that you're aware of that.
If you are somebody who have needs like that, we
can probably work with you to find an alternate to
buy or amah, but these wouldn't be too I would
choose for that reason.
Speaker 3 (52:03):
Yeah, we're going to be talking about some more and
that's what's exciting. We've got another week ahead, right, Chris,
that we can look forward to and learn two more
personalities of river cruise lines.
Speaker 1 (52:12):
Yeah. So our show is called Rolling on the River.
This is part one of our two part series. I
would encourage if you just came into the tail end
of this show to either go to the iHeartRadio app
or go to the wishing Well Biz and listen to
the podcast. You can re listen to this episode. And
when you listen to it, I'm sure you're gonna have
(52:34):
some questions. Email the Wishing Well. You can email Terry
or Harry those questions and we can address to those
and answer them in next week's episode as we compare
two more of the river cruise lines.
Speaker 2 (52:46):
Absolutely, we are easy to find too, Chris, We are
located at two forty three f Avenue in the Valley
Center located in Harsonburg, Virginia, which is beautiful by the way.
Right now it's all fall and it looks great. You
can call us at five four oh nine oh eight
two three three three or look us up on the web.
We are at the Wishingwell dot biz.
Speaker 1 (53:09):
This has been a life less Ordinary the travel show
from your friends at the wishing Well at two forty
three nef Avenue in Harrisonburg. If you have any questions
on topics discussed today, please reach out to the wishing
Well online at the Wishingwell dot biz or five four
oh nine oh eight twenty three thirty three. Eight Past
episodes are available on the iHeartRadio app. And we'll see
again next Saturday morning at ten for a life Less
(53:31):
Ordinary from the wishing Well
This is a Lifeless Ordinary, the travel show and podcasts
from your friends at the wishing Well two forty three
f Avenue in Harsmert and online at the wishing Well
dot this. The wishing Well is your ultimate luxury concierge,
travel agency and a Lifeless Ordinary is a travel show
and podcasts hosted by Terry Dean, bringing her over forty
years of experience in the travel industry to help guide
(00:21):
you to great experiences in your travel, whether it be
around the block, around the country, or around the world.
Let's bring in Terry Dean.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
And say hello, Chris, how are you this wonderful Saturday?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You know what wonderful? Thank you for asking him about yourself.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
I love this time of year. This is actually my
favorite time of the year. There's beautiful weather for the
most part. There's lots of events and festivals and things
going on. I love it. That's great.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
I concur Yeah, I like spring and I like fall.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, it's pleasant to be outside, you know, I mean
through the summer in triple digits. I'm sorry, I'm not
going to be outside. I'm inside in the cour air
conditioning where it's cool and dry. You know, I loved
that I'm laughing.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Because I love your saying about licking.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Was it looking so hot, you might as well lick
the sun?
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Lick the sun. Yes.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
And then in the wintertime, especially the bitter winter we
had last year, remember that, Yeah, it was so cold
you didn't want to go outside. So spring and fall
represent in my mind the best times to really get
outside and soak in the world around you. It's wonderful.
(01:32):
I love it.
Speaker 1 (01:32):
I agree. And we need to say hi to Harry.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
We did. He's here, Harry's here.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
Yeah, we almost made it through another week, haven't we.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
Yeah, Well, you know, it's always good to see you, Harry.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Oh, thank you, Sam to you.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Yeah, and I'm looking forward to today's show. But before
we get to it, we got to get caught up
on what's happened in travel news and probably some hot
deals I guess too.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Absolutely. And you know I always I love it. I
love it, love it, love it, Chris, when I'm able
to come in on Saturday morning. And for those of
you listening to us at home, first of all, thank
you for your faithfulness, Thank you for being there with
us every Saturday. I have met many of you now
in the course of us recording a lifeless ordinary, And
(02:15):
I have to tell you, you really do inspire me.
When I sit down here in front of this mic,
I can see your faces. So I love that. It's wonderful.
But I also love it when I'm able to sit
down in front of this mic and start out on
Saturday mornings with some good news. And this is good news.
Air ticket sales reached a record eight point seven bill
(02:40):
young dollars in September. US based travel agency air ticket
sales totaled eight point seven billion for September, recording the
highest monthly sales total for any month and marking an
eight percent increase from twenty twenty four. That's according to
(03:01):
the Airline Reporting Corporation. Third quarter ticket sales and passenger
trips increased four percent, reaching twenty five point one billion
dollars in ticket sales and seventy four point seven million trips,
showing the demand for travel increasing into the off season.
(03:22):
When pre pandemic back to school season historically decreased travel,
that is not the case anymore. This trend underscore sustained
traveler confidence as well as the expanding vacation travel window
into the fall. As the industry prepares for the busy
holiday travel season. Air travelers took a combined sixteen point
(03:46):
three million domestic trips in September, a four percent increase
from August and a six percent increase from last September.
International trips totaled eight point nine million dollars, for a
seven percent year over year increase. Now, why is this
(04:08):
news important? It's important because I once upon a time
worked for a company that used to say that as
the travel industry goes, so goes our economy. And I
have to tell you this is a great pointer in
my mind for how things are going to go.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Yeah. My guess is that for every one of those
airline tickets, there's a vacation associated with, no kidding, whether
it be visiting family or a new destination, a new experience,
a new set of memories.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yeah, no kidding. And you know, I absolutely will not
ever make this show about politics, but I will say this,
good news can be found, and it's out there, and
when it comes to the travel industry, I think we
are seeing some of the information that would actually point
(05:00):
away from some of the rhetoric that you kind of
hear today about how things are not going so well.
This says differently, and that points to my next story,
which is Americans, they predict, are going to spend an
estimated you ready for this, three hundred and eleven billion
dollars on flights and hotels this holiday season. A handful
(05:25):
of recent reports have indicated that Americans might be reeling
in spending this holiday season amid inflation, the rising costs
of living, and general economic uncertainty. A new fall consumer
trends report from the consumer data company Resonate, for example,
stated that when it comes to Americans holiday plans and
(05:45):
priorities for twenty twenty five, fifty five percent don't plan
to travel at all. That's what their report said, and
those who do plan to travel are slashing their budgets,
limiting spending to less than five thousand dollars, while thirteen
percent are budgeting less than a mere five hundred dollars
for a holiday trip this year. I want to say
(06:06):
this in big, bold, underlined letters. However, a new report,
this one from Nerdwallet, seems to fly in the face
of all of that. The publication's twenty twenty five holiday
spending report says Americans are gearing up to spend, adding
that US adults will spend a collective two hundred and
(06:28):
forty two billion dollars on holiday gift shopping and nearly
three hundred and eleven billion dollars on flights and hotels
this holiday season. Moreover, nearly half of Americans, that's forty
eight percent, our planning to travel regardless of costs. Let's
state that, again, shall we cost does not matter to
(06:50):
nearly half of Americans when it comes to pursuing their
holiday travel plans and goals. Based on a survey of
more than two thousand US adults and conducted online by
the Harris Pole, the report also found that forty five
percent of Americans plan to spend money on flights or
hotels this holiday season and will shell out an average
(07:14):
of twenty five hundred and eighty six dollars for those expenses. So, again,
I think a lot of good news for the travel industry.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
I think the travel industry is really buoyant, and I
think that what we're seeing at the Wishing Well mirrors
what you're talking about, Terry. We've seen increases. We've talked
about this several times on this show. What we're seeing
increases year over year. For sure, we're also seeing increases
in the size and the cost of vacations that people
(07:46):
are taking. And we're also seeing a big uptake uptick
in families traveling absolutely together and absolutely to me is
it makes me smile because if you talk about families
and you talk about travel, you're talking about some of
the best kind of travel you can do, in the
best kind of experiences you can do, and the best
(08:07):
kind of time that you can spend.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
So if you tune in on Saturdays to a Lifeless
Ordinary for good News this morning, you're welcome. We love it.
Another good news story is regarding a new mode of
transportation that has come to Mexico. It's called the New
Mayan Train. The trend Maya is a new train service
(08:30):
in Mexico. It's providing an accessible, safe way for tours
to explore the Yucatan Peninsula. The train, a thirty billion
dollar project, is expected to stimulate tourism and economic growth
in the southeastern region of Mexico. It features air conditioned compartments.
I actually watched a video on this is kind of cool,
(08:50):
waiter service and onboard security. The trend Maya offers a
comfortable and secure travel experience first class tickets. This is
great are only ranging from ten dollars to thirty five dollars.
That's first class ticket, y'all, depending on the route, with
travel packages and group discounts available for purchase. It's brand new, beautiful,
(09:14):
it's cool, it's instagrammable, it's fast, it's easy and fun,
and it's safe and affordable, and you can ride it
from the airport to your hotel. But best of all,
it makes it possible to get out of your all
inclusive in Cancun and kind of take a quick day
trip into the real Mexico for about sixty bucks.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Oh I did that by mistake.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Indeed you did. And that's a whole nother story for
a whole nother broadcast.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Cris you can take this train train around the yucatamp
I was like, Yeah, that's the way I should have
done it.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
That's the way you should have done it. You are
so right if.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
You're new to the show. I decided to take a
bus and went into real Cancri.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
It went badly.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
It went badly, but I survived and I had a
great time.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
And in short, this new trend Maya, which they're just
referring to as the Mayan Train, is delivering on its
promise of offering an accessible and safe way. I want
to underscore that for tourists to move independently out of
the hotel zone and into the ancient ruins, which actually
are some of the most wonderful parts of Mexico. Actually,
(10:17):
and the small towns of the magical Yucatan Peninsula, the
beaches of Quintana Rue and also into Tabasco. So those
are some great I think that's great news for Mexico
and for tourist who are going to Mexico.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
I love the train travel isn't out of fashion.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Man, I do too, because you know I've talked about
that here before. It is one of my personal favorite
I get really excited about train travel.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Yes, train travel is experiencing a tremendous resurgence. I mean,
the Europeans have known train travel for years and years
and years, and I think I think America is waking
up to the convenience, the ease, the comfort of train travel.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
Yeah, oh yeah, I think so too. I've got one
more news story to share, and then, Harry, I'm going
to hand it over to you to talk to our
audience today about some deals. But this one is actually
pretty pointed and it is because of exactly what our
topic is for today's show. Chris is going to share
more with you about that before we go in to
(11:19):
break after sales, Harry does sales. But Ozamara Cruise Line
is sharing details about their upcoming Black Friday Sale. We're
already talking about that. Can you believe that? I mean,
here we are, what not even Halloween yet, and we're
already talking about Black Friday.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
Say, it's only a couple of weeks away.
Speaker 2 (11:37):
I know it really is. I mean, when you think
about it, it is. But it doesn't seem possible.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
He doesn't seem to work on the same schedule.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
He does not.
Speaker 3 (11:44):
But I want to stay warm, guys.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
But Ozamara, they're preparing to launch their biggest sale of
the year. Now. Usually this happens in January, which is
important because I always tell folks, you know, if you're
looking for one of the best cruise deals, January is
the time that usually houses that, and that is because
that is called wave month. Well, Azamara got a little
(12:10):
antsy this year, and their Black Friday Flash sale includes
savings up to I feel like I need a drum
roll here, up to four thousand dollars on select sailings
plus up to five hundred dollars in on board credits
per state room. Now, this deal is going to run
from November the eighteenth until December the second, but this
(12:33):
is your time to get a jump on that information
so you know what they're going to offer, and travelers
can take advantage of savings on select sailings, including a
fourteen night voyage to the Eastern Caribbean departing December the
twenty third. You know, I've got a lot of people
who are actually spending Christmas traveling this year. Instead of gifts,
(12:55):
people are going, let's do some memories. Let's do that.
We don't even have to wrap that up, but we
get to keep them forever.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
And you can let somebody else do the decorating, I.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
Know, right. And then they also have a fourteen night
sailing around Japan starting which is actually what did we
learn in last week's show the number one country to
be visited, absolutely departing March the thirteenth, twenty twenty six.
And then there's an eight night cruise in Italy departing
April the ninth, twenty twenty six, and a fourteen night
(13:27):
river boat and train cruise tour journey in Alaska departing
June the first. I will tell you that is prime
time folks, just to name a few. And again this
is their Black Friday flash sale that is going to
include savings up to four thousand dollars plus five hundred
(13:48):
dollars in on board credits. Again, that deal runs November
the eighteenth to December second on Azamara, one of my
favorites when it comes to river cruising. So that's it
for news. I think I'm going to hand it over now,
Harry to you. I think you've got some deals to
share with our audiences.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
Boy do I Terry good. We've been talking about trains
in the convenience of train travel. The thing that ranks
high on my list of convenient travel our cruises. Because
you get on board, you have a place to sleep,
you get to see a lot of different countries, a
lot of different locations. They give you a little bit
to eat on cruise ships. If you have never spoken
(14:30):
to somebody about a cruise ship and dining, let me
tell you you can gain more weight than a freshman
their first year at college. I'm a good cruise ship
and our great friends at Celebrity one of the cruise
lines that we've been using more and more have a sale.
I was talking about families earlier, Terry and the experiences
(14:50):
that families have traveling together. Well, how about this. This
sale covers up to five guests and they have a
number of sailings starting right now in September and this
month in October. I'm a month behind, Chris said, I
was behind, right, So I am starting this month all
the way through to twenty twenty eight. Okay, but the
(15:13):
booking window is only through November six for this deal.
So if you like this, remember you got to do
something between now and November six. They have on a
number of sailings seventy five percent off the second guest,
which is a tremendous deal. They have free third, fourth,
and fifth guests in the same room. That's something that
(15:35):
we don't see very often, right, Terry, not.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Very often, but they are a great cruise line for family,
multi gen type cruises, so this is an opportunity. And
some of these brand new ships actually do include space
for up to five people in one family type suite.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Yeah, the new cruise ships recognize that families want to
travel together. So this is a tremendous deal. Besides the
dollars off, they're also having some reduced fares on the
state rooms too. You're talking maybe as much as five
hundred dollars off of the base fare on the state room,
plus again seventy five percent off the second guest and third,
(16:16):
fourth and fifth guests are traveling free. Those are select cruises.
Let us know that booking is good through November sixth,
so you have a few weeks on that. Our friends
at Celebrity I talked about families. There's a lot of
people Chris and Terry that we know and we talk
about that want to travel as singles, and it can
be difficult to find great cruise fares. But our friends
(16:38):
at Regent have stepped up. They've added a number of
sailings where they are having reduced or zero level single supplements.
That's reduced or zero level single supplements. Regent one of
the higher end cruise lines. If you want a luxury cruise,
you won't find many kids running around on a Regent cruise.
(16:59):
They allow them, but you will see mostly adults, mostly
mature adults, seniors, a very luxury experience and single supplement
that's through the end of this year through December thirty first,
and one of the things that they're also doing right
now on select cruises, they're offering free that's free first
class airfare. You can't beat.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
That, and that usually is also something that only rolls
around in January during wavemonth, but right now to get
free free first class airfare, folks, that right there could
be as much as an eight thousand dollars savings per
person and it's free, and it also includes many of
their sailings to Alaska. I actually have had the opportunity
(17:43):
to steer some people toward Regent just because of that,
and that was a big selling point, was having free
first class airfare to Alaska.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
It really is a good deal. And besides Region, another
cruise line that we like a lot is Seaborn. Seaborn
has a special deal going on and it's a short deal.
It's a deal that runs through this coming week. They
call it the Flight East program that gives you transfers
between the airport and the ship. They're giving you credits
(18:14):
up to two thousand dollars a room on some special
offers that they have. And they are a great cruise line,
especially if you're looking at some of the unusual destinations.
You're talking about destinations like Tokyo, you're talking out Dublin places, Sydney, Australia.
(18:36):
That's a great cruise line to look at. If you're
not familiar with them, take a look at Seaborn and.
Speaker 2 (18:42):
Yeah, they are your small ship luxury yacht sailing type experiences.
So if you're not familiar with Seaborne, let me just
tell you that is who they are. They are the
small ship yacht luxury type sales.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
Yeah, you'll know everybody on the cruise and you'll know
and all of the staff will know you by the
end of the first day on a Seaborn cruise and
likely on a Regent cruise as well. Those are both
smaller ships. So if that's your thing, consider them. And
then lastly, I'm going to move out a cruising and
give one last deal that I think is out there
(19:19):
that you should be looking at. We've had several people
looking at the World Cup. You're talking about forty eight teams,
one hundred and four matches, sixteen incredible cities across the
United States, Mexico and Canada. This is the biggest World
Cup to date and at the Wishing Well we're very
proud to have available some special special packages. You can
(19:42):
still get tickets for many, if not all, of the
games that are out there, but the availability is starting
to shrink on that.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Yeah, we've got a great company that we're currently working
with who can curate a great, personalized, customized experience for
you and your family member. Folks, the FIFA this year
World Cup is actually taking in three countries, Canada, the US,
and Mexico. So it is the largest World Cup to date.
(20:11):
So if you are interested in this, do not hesitate.
If you wait, you will lose out because these are
in some of the most popular cities across So seek
three countries that I mentioned.
Speaker 3 (20:22):
And when you talk about an experience, an experience in
the wishing Wells jargon means we're going to worry about
getting you there, finding you a place to stay while
you're there, and getting you tickets, and getting you tickets
that are authentic tickets because there's a lot of scams
and kind of shenanigans going on out there. So if
you're looking at an event like that, whether or not
(20:44):
you choose us, please please please be very careful to
make sure that you get tickets that are really going
to be usable when you go to enter that event.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
If you want to take advantage of any of these
hot deals that Harry was just talking about. Let me
give you the phone number. It's five four h nine
toh eight three thirty three. You can also find information
online at the wishing well dot biz or stop by
you can see him in person. They're on ne f
Avenue in Harrisonburg. Now, our show today is called Rolling
on the River Part one. It's gonna be a two
(21:16):
part series as we're going to talk about what we've
already talked a little bit about, and that's river cruise,
and we want to find out sort of what's the
difference between when we talk about going on a cruise
or we're talking about going on a river cruise and
there are a couple of different companies you can choose
if you're going to do that kind of travel, and
what's the differences between them. Absolutely, so we want to
(21:37):
dig into this and we're gonna hop on our river
cruise as we're rolling on the river next here on
a life less ordinary.
Speaker 3 (21:43):
Haven't taken your summer vacation yet or do you need
just one more Let the wishing Wells experts help We
offer fee free travel planning with built in expertise. Listeners
voted us Valley's best. Check out our group trips tab
on our website, The wishing Well dot biz, or let
us create trip just for you. Stop by two forty
three nip Avenue, visit us at the Wishing World ibiz,
(22:05):
or call us at five four zero nine zero eighth
two three three three five four zero nine zero eight
two three three three.
Speaker 1 (22:12):
Hey, welcome back to a life less ordinary. Every Saturday morning,
we talk travel, we do and it's always fun to
have Terry, Dean and Harry right from the Wishing Well
join us for this conversation. I guess I'm joining you
for the conversation. It's your show.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
We couldn't do it without you, Cris.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (22:30):
Our show today is called Rolling on the River and
we are talking about river cruising. I thought you were
going to sing the Tina Turner song, yeah, but I'm not. Okay,
So our show is going to be broken down into
a couple of different segments. We want to talk about
the difference between what most people consider cruising and what's
(22:52):
really hot now river cruising. Yeah, and then we're gonna
do a little bit of comparison between some of your choices.
Help if you're thinking river cruising for me, how do
you know who to pick? We're going to get answers
for all that this is only part one. We're going to
talk more about it in the next episode too.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
We are, indeed, and for those of you listening along
with us, I want to give you some sort of
a lay of the land and how today's show is
going to actually wrap up for you. But we're going
to first of all talk about what exactly river cruising is.
And the whole reason I decided to do this show
today Chris on river Cruising and actually make it kind
(23:27):
of a two part series is because I've had clients
in recently who said, we've heard about river cruising, we're interested,
but we don't know anything about it. We know what
our friends have told us, but we don't really know
what river cruising is. So we're going to talk about that.
We're going to address that in the first part of
today's show. What exactly is river cruising? Then what can
(23:50):
you expect on almost every river cruise? And then we'll
probably take a break in the show, we'll come back
and we'll talk about comparing two particular very popular river
cruise lines. We'll hear a little bit about that, and
then we're going to wrap it all up by helping
you find your perfect river cruise if you're looking especially
(24:13):
at these two that we want to talk about today.
So first of all, we're going to jump in and
talk about what exactly is river cruising and river cruising.
If you're picturing a great, big, giant ocean ship with
thousands of passengers, maybe some neon lights pull side movies,
(24:36):
yeah don't, because it's not that. River cruising is a
completely different experience. I want you to imagine instead, floating
along in sort of a boutique type hotel, maybe a
hotel that drifts quietly through the heart of Europe. Every morning,
you're going to wake up in a new city, a
(24:58):
new country. You'll have a new view without ever having
to pack or unpack a suitcase. You will do that
one time. There's something mesmerizing about river cruising. The pace
is really gentle, The scenery is intimate. You have vineyards
and castles and cathedrals that you pass along the way,
(25:22):
and that's just feet from the balcony cabin that you're in.
These are the same waterways that actually shaped Europe's history.
The Danube, the Rhine, the Seine, the Door. Oh, it's
the life blood of civilization itself in Europe. This is
(25:42):
what you're going to see now. What I love most
about river cruising is how it actually connects you directly
with the soul of a place. You're not out at sea,
you're in the story. You're docking in city centers. You're
walking off the shop ship right out onto a village
(26:02):
square or a medieval market. It's immersive, it's cultural, and
it's personal. And I will tell you I had the
opportunity to experience this. Harry and I took a group
down the Rune on a very popular cruise line. Had
actually fifty four of our closest personal friends with us
(26:24):
on this trip. It was a lot there, there were
a lot of people. We had a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
Though there were only one hundred and ninety nine people
on the ship, and fifty four.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
Was us exactly exactly. But I will tell you the
first part of what I've described to you here I
wrote from my heart because this is exactly what we experienced.
This is what it was all about to me, and
I will tell you I had not experienced river cruising
like this before. I had done smaller versions of river
(26:54):
cruising in Europe, but never like this, and it was
fantastic And unlike ocean voyages that might have entire days
at sea, for example, a river cruise kind of unfolds
like a living film real It's constant discovery, no waste
of time. It's perfect for travelers who crave depth, not
(27:18):
just distance. That's another thing I love about river cruising. Now,
who's it right for? Well, just about anybody who loves
effortless exploration. It's kind of ideal for couples because it's
very romantic, small friend groups. I've had a lot of
gal groups who love river cruising, even solo travelers. I've
(27:39):
even done a lot of that recently, folks who want
that warm, communal atmosphere with others. And in our upcoming
episodes of a Lifeless Ordinary, we're going to take a
deeper look into a few more of these river cruise lines.
We're going to look at two today. But I want
to mention that while ocean cruises can be about entertainment
(28:01):
and spectacular things, river cruises are about connection with people,
with places, with moments that kind of stay with you
long after you've returned home. And I still have those
feelings about that river cruise down the run that we did.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
The river cruise reminds me of a slow Sunday drive
through town exactly. Nobody that's ever gotten seasick on a
river cruise. It's there's, you know, about the same motion
as there is, you know, walking down the street, because
they move slowly, they move you know, through waters that
are that are not turbulent. There's it's just a very calming,
(28:42):
peaceful experience. And it's also, I think you point this
out already, it's an intimate experience because these cruise ships
are small. Couple hundred people is you know, is average
for a river cruise ship.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Some are smaller exactly. And what I want to talk
about now is kind of going into our second segment
here of what you can expect on almost every river
cruise that you're on, because there are some similarities. As
much as they can be different sometimes in the onboard
experience or what you experience with the shore excursions, they
(29:21):
are very similar in certain aspects of what they do
offer to a paying customer paying guests. So first, the
beauty of river cruising is how easy it is, that's
kind of a given. I mean, all of them are
going to provide that. The booking process, especially if you're
booking at the Wishing Well, it is pretty seamless, and
(29:42):
once you're booked, nearly everything is taken care of for you.
You've got most major river cruise lines in this category
of that ease factor. You've got Viking, You've got Almah,
Waterways avalon you in a world. They all are going
to incline food, airport transfers, daily excursions, Wi Fi. They
(30:05):
have wine and beer with your meals, and wonderful regional
dining experiences. And actually, I want to stop here and
say that during some of the promotional periods that a
lot of these cruise lines offer, they even give you
free airfare, like Harry was talking about a while ago
with a mega cruise line Regent, one of our partners,
(30:28):
some of these river cruise lines will also offer us
free airfare and even sometimes a twenty five dollars deposit
just to hold the space. Harry, I want you to
take us through, if you will, what it might look
like with one of these cruise lines with air sure.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
I'm going to talk about Alma Waterways if that's okay,
Terry and every one of the cruise lines does have
an air department, as does AMA. You can book your
airfare directly with AMA. Some people book it independently. A
lot of times we like to book it with the
cruise line because that packages things together. It protects travelers
in case something goes wrong with the air. The cruise line,
(31:10):
the river cruise line will have some responsibility to make
sure you get to wherever the ship is. So they
have different kinds of programs. A lot of times when
they give you the free air, they will decide the
air Many of the cruise lines also have what's called
an air Plus program or something like that, where you
get some flexibility on choosing your flights because you may
(31:31):
want direct flights, or you may want a certain city routing.
Speaker 2 (31:35):
Or a higher level of category. You might want to
not use economy, you might prefer Premium economy or business
class exactly.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
And the airport transfers you already spoke about. The airteam
worries about all that. They worry about your air they
worry about your transfers, they worry about your class of service,
and they're going to assist and coordinate alongside the wishing well.
The packages are nice because that puts everything together. The
(32:05):
rates are real good because you book sometimes a year
in advance for river cruise. I just have this week.
I have a group of six couples going on a
river cruise and they are going next summer in June.
I've already got their air locked in with the cruise
line at the rates. I don't know the flights yet
(32:26):
because it's that far in advance, but I know what
the rates are going to be. And that's a nice
thing when you're traveling and planning for a trip, is
to fix all those kinds of costs. They use trusted airlines,
so you're going to be on a major airline. You're
not going to be on you know, Terry and Harry's
Air or Chris's Air or anything like that. You're gonna
be on a major airline so you have a reliable service.
(32:49):
And when you look at the different cruises that are available,
you'll see that the price comparison are somewhat similar with them.
We're going to go into that a little bit more,
but that's where the levels of service start to change.
But as far as the booking and airfare. It's very
(33:10):
smart to book with the cruise line.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
Yeah, and one of the things that I wanted to
mention too is that booking through the river cruise lines
or even any cruise line, may not always be in
your best interest. Remember that these folks contract for air
sometimes a year, sometimes a year and a half in
advance in order to solidify space because they need space
to run their product. So it's not necessarily going to
(33:36):
be once airfares are actually redetermined or tariffed for the
time that you're going to be going, it's not necessarily
going to be that particular vendor that's going to offer
you the lowest fare. So sometimes it's a smart thing
to shop that. But if you do book your airfare
through the cruise line, somebody's going to meet you right
at the airport. That's also something very consistent. They're going
(33:59):
to whisk you and your luggage right straight to the ship,
no confusion, no stress, and when your trip ends, that
same smooth service takes you back. It's door to door simplicity. Now,
once you're on board again, we're talking about what you
can expect on almost every river cruise. Once you're on board,
you can discover that those ships are small. They're usually
(34:22):
under two hundred passengers. It's rare that there are more
people on board than that. Think of it as the
perfect balance between luxury and intimacy. You're known by a name,
not a cabin number. Crew members remember your favorite wine,
your preferred breakfast, and even whether you take one or
two sugars in your morning cappuccino. Now, I have a
(34:45):
very personal story to share because this actually did happen
on the second day on board my river cruise experience.
I have a very unique palate for breakfast and if
I have eggs, I'm one of those rare individuals. This
is very European, by the way, I've learned, since most
(35:05):
people want ketchup on their eggs. I cannot fathom the
idea of ketchup on eggs. But I love mustard. I
love mustard on your leggs for reason. That is what
I love it. I love it. And so the very
first morning that I had my first breakfast on board
my river cruise, I actually asked my weight person if
(35:31):
they had any mustard on board, and they looked at
me about like you all did, like I had three heads,
but graciously brought me my own little personal jar of mustard.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
Took about five minutes for him to find it because it.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Was a breakfast However, however, this is the important part
of this story. The next morning, without asking, at my
place setting, there appeared a little jar of mustard. They knew,
they instinctive and guess what, it wasn't even the same server. Now,
how they do that magic astounds me. But I was
(36:09):
so grateful that I didn't have to ask for it
a second time. They just knew that that's what I wanted.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
It was only one person on the whole ship. It's
easy to pick you out, terry.
Speaker 1 (36:19):
Yes, I'm sure she's not the only one with odd requests.
Speaker 2 (36:23):
No, no, and I mean that. Actually, mustard with eggs
is a very European thing. I just got back from Barcelona.
It was on the buffet. It was on the breakfast
buffet every day, mustard right beside the eggs.
Speaker 1 (36:35):
Am I using like a yellow mustard or a desi
It doesn't matter.
Speaker 2 (36:38):
You can use anything. You can use the stone ground mustard,
you can use yellow mustard or none at all, Dejon
mustard or none at all.
Speaker 1 (36:46):
My wife, I think I'm disgusting because I pour ketchup
all over my scramble.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
Oh see, yeah, you're that ketchup person. Yeah, how I
grew up and exactly, I mean, this is all about
sometimes how we did grow up. You know, I came
from German folks, so that's not unusual that we have
we sour up everything.
Speaker 3 (37:05):
Salsa and cheese, ladies and gentlemen. Salsa and cheese are
the best on eggs.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
But these are great stories and memories for me of
my experience, which said I mattered, I was important. What
I wanted was not trivial, and it wasn't taken for granted.
So let's talk dinning because River Creuse cuisine is kind
of a revelation. Every meat showcases local flavors and regional wines.
(37:31):
And if you're sailing through Austria, you should be able
to expect schnitzel and strudel. I mean, why not, you know,
And on the own you're going to savor French cheeses
and provocol sauces. And don't forget those irresistible coffee stations
that are on board, remember those, Harry. Our group would
(37:53):
gather there just about every time, night or day, cappuccinos,
cookies and conversation like at a cooler, available all day long.
Speaker 3 (38:02):
What about the Bretzels, Oh yes absolutely, let'stle with a
bee here in Germany.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
Now, your daily excursions are another highlight, but something again
you're going to expect on almost every river cruises. And
remember these are complementary at every port of call. And
that's pretty much consistent with every one of the river
cruise companies that explore these waterways. Every morning, your ship's
(38:28):
going to dock in a new port and a guided
tours included. It's often led by some local experts, if
not historians, who know the stories behind every cobblestone they're
taking you on. Now, whether it's wandering through a twelfth
century abbey or visiting a winemaker seller or shopping at
a farmer's market, these excursions are what let you experience
(38:51):
each and every destination from the inside out. And because
river cruising is always so all inclusive you want, I
don't constantly be pulling out your wallet. There's no surprise charges,
no fifteen dollars cocktails. It's travel made simple and smart. Now,
let's be real, there are a few trade offs. Space.
(39:15):
Let's talk about that space on board river cruises is
a wee bit limited than what you have on the megaships.
These aren't ships with climbing walls or sprawling gems. Wi
Fi can be spotty, and yes, you're going to meet people,
lots of them, but that's part of the charm. By
(39:35):
the second night, you're gonna find yourself laughing with a
few fellow travelers who already feel like old friends. And
we found that to be the case. Even though our
group was made up of fifty four, the rest of
the folks that were on board the river crews actually
were so pleased to mix in with us that they
felt like part of our group.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
They were social climbers. They wanted to be part of
our group, wasn't that is?
Speaker 2 (39:58):
And for me, one of the greatest always of river
cruising is that sense of community. You're traveling among like
minded people who love stories, culture, these shared experiences we
talk about now, whether you're a season traveler or you're
taking your first trip abroad, it feels like you belong
to a special club of explorers who appreciate the finer,
(40:22):
slower movements of life.
Speaker 1 (40:25):
Terry, I'm really enjoying today's show. This is really informative.
If you've been thinking about river cruising. I love Harry's
statement that it's like a Sunday drive.
Speaker 2 (40:35):
Huh exactly.
Speaker 1 (40:36):
I'm picturing this meandering down the river exactly, taking in
the sites with some great company. I'm really enjoying it.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
You won't see the waves behind the boat.
Speaker 1 (40:47):
I'm sure we leave a little bit of a wake,
a little wake. Let's get back into this after we
take a quick break. We're rolling on the river on
a lifeless ordinary.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
Haven't taken your summer vacation yet or do you need
just one more? Let the wishing Wells experts help. We
offer fee free travel planning with built in expertise. Listeners
voted us Valley's Best. Check out our group trips tab
on our website, The Wishingwell dot biz, or let us
create a trip just for you. Stop by two forty
three nef Avenue, visit us at the Wishingwell dot biz,
(41:18):
or call us at five four zero nine zero eight
two three three three five four zero nine zero eight
two three three three.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
Welcome back to a Lifeless Ordinary. This is your travel
showing podcasts from your friends at the wishing Well on
nef Avenue in Harrisonburg. Online at the wishing Well dot
biz or you can give them a call at five
four oh nine oh eight twenty three thirty three. Our
show today is Rolling on the River. This is part
one of a two part series. As we're talking river cruises,
(41:45):
I there's confusion because you've got ocean liners and you've
got your riverboats. I think these should be called river voyages,
not river cruises to simplify. But then you refer to
the voyage on a seat. I'm sure and alert the
media Krins, somebody needs to take control of this. Before
we went to break, we were talking about what a
(42:08):
river cruise experience is like.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
Yeah, and all of that information that we just shared
with you previously. If you're just joining us, do go
back and listen to the first part of our show
because it's paramount to understanding what the basic river cruising
is all about and what you can expect to have
included in a river cruise. But now we're going to
(42:31):
talk about the comparison between to what I'm going to
call mega cruz river cruise lines, and that is Vice
Viking and the other one is Alma Waterways. The Great
River Cruise Showdown. We're going to dive into two of
these most popular. And if cruising were I'm going to
(42:52):
say a luxury neighborhood, Viking would be the elegant Scandinavian
townhouse on the corner. They're sleek, they're polished, and they're timeless.
And I have a real saying about folks who love Viking.
It's almost a cult, like following Alma. Waterways would be
the warm European villain next door, kind of colorful, inviting
(43:18):
and full heart. And we're going to start with Viking here.
They were founded in nineteen ninety seven, so really they
haven't been around that long. Viking has become one of
the world's largest river cruise lines, sailing everywhere from Europe
to Asia to Egypt and now even the Mississippi, and
(43:39):
their ships are called long ships. They're known for their
modern design, kind of an airy interior, signature, terraces, an
indoor outdoor dining space. That's one of my personal favorites.
And Viking's design aesthetic is pure Scandinavian. That's what struck
me when I first got on. I walked into my
(44:01):
cabin and I went, wait, what where's all my closets?
Where am I going to put my shoes, but it
really isn't like that. It's very Scandinavian, but it's very efficient,
actually clean lines, natural light. You've got a lot of
blonde woods and an understated luxury that really just feels peaceful.
(44:23):
And every cabin, even the smallest of them, feel functional
and refined. There's smart storage is what I would call it,
because I thought I was going to run out of
storage room, but I didn't. I actually had more than enough.
You have something that I had just about forgotten about
until I started doing some notes for the show, and
(44:45):
that was the heated bathroom floors. O MG, did I
love that? And you've got big windows that just make
your room positively glow. Vikings inclusions are generous. They have
beer and wine with meals. They do have a full
cocktail plan as well. If they have a promotion, sometimes
(45:09):
you can get that for free, otherwise there's a charge
for it. Daily excursions are always one included at every port,
and they have a menu that changes with the regions
that you sail through. They have that beverage package I
was talking about, which is a full cocktail array, and
that's called Silver Spirits, and that allows you to have
(45:30):
unlimited premium drinks, but that's not usually included on the norm.
That's something that's either done as a promotion or you
buy it. Now, where Viking really shines is in their
cultural access. Their privileged access experiences are extraordinary. They can
take you through private museum tours, do after our castle visits,
(45:53):
even behind the scenes time with the Vienna Boys Choir.
That's amazing. And for travelers who crave his and elegance
and authenticity, Viking delivers in spades. So some of these
excursions that I'm talking about, the more exclusive ones, those
would be a charge for those. Viking does, as I said,
(46:14):
offer complementary ones, but some of them there's a charge for.
Speaker 3 (46:18):
Yeah, there's a complementary one in every port. If I'm
not mistaken, I can't think of a reception right now.
So there's always a complementary excursion in the port. And
the other thing I like about Viking is they have
some of the best i'll call them parking spots in
the port. They're the big dog, so they've got some
of the best spaces too.
Speaker 2 (46:37):
That's crue. Now I'm a waterways. Their story a little different.
They're family owned and operated and they were founded even
later than Viking in two thousand and two. Can you
believe that that they are that new of a cruise
ship line and their approach is all about heart and hospitality.
Those are kind of their taglines, and their ships are
(47:00):
a touch smaller than Viking. There decorps a little brighter
and a little more personal, and their onboard service has that,
as I said before, kind of that welcome home feeling,
and Alma is the line for travelers who want more
activity and flexibility. Viking is a little more rigid. Okay,
they're Scandinavian, so they are, and they are crucured. Yeah,
(47:24):
they're structured. And Ama offers three excursion levels at every report.
They have gentle, regular, and active. So if you'd rather
take a brisk hike through these vineyards than a walking
tour of the cathedral, you can do that. They offer that.
They even have complementary bicycles on board for solo exploring
(47:45):
or guided tours through the European countryside, which is why
a lot of people, and I will tell you quite frankly,
my more active crowd, they will choose Alma for that
reason because they give them complementary bicycles. Viking just so
that's one thing to be aware of. One of the
most innovative ships in the Alma fleet is the Alma Magna.
(48:07):
They're double the width of traditional river ships. They're stunning.
Four restaurants instead of just one for a lot of
the longboats. Even with Viking you only have one restaurant
and you dine at one particular time. With Ama, you
have four restaurants, a wellness studio, and even a pickleball court.
(48:27):
Remember our show about how popular pickleball was. People really
train do their entire trips around that. It's perfect for
families or travelers who want a bit more space without
losing intimacy. And during an Alma Waterways event itself, every
sailing includes a dinner at the chef's table. Now, where
(48:49):
Viking leans toward minimalistic sophistication or Viking, I'm sorry leans
toward minimalistic sophistication, Ama leans into warmth and celebration their
decorp pops with color. Their staff often join in evening
entertainment events, and their ships even feature heated pools none
on Viking, and small spas also not on Viking, and
(49:13):
some luxuries that make days on your days on board
feel just a little bit more indulgent. So how do
you choose? Let me tell you. If you want, you
can pick Viking if you're a refined, adults only experienced
looker with more structure and cultural depth. Viking does not
allow children under eighteen on board. Alma Waterways, you're going
(49:38):
to want to choose them. If you love culinary adventures,
active exploration and a more personal, family like atmosphere. Both
are incredible. It's a simple matter of personality. Viking whispers,
Alma sings, So it really depends on what you're looking
for as to whether or not which one of these
(49:59):
is going to be your choice. So, friends, whether you're
dreaming of gliding past the castles in the Rhine, if
you're sipping port wine along Portugal's door row, or you
want to wonder the Christmas markets, those are also very
popular with Viking and Amah. Your next river cruise offers
a window into that world like none other. So if
(50:20):
you've been curious about river cruising, this is a great
show to start with and actually listen again. Next week
we're going to compare two other of the river cruise lines,
and I'm not going to tell you which ones just
yet because I do want you to step back in
and listen with us here on a lifeless ordinary.
Speaker 3 (50:40):
Yeah. One of the things that I think we should
mention also about the cruise lines that we kind of
glossed over is itineraries. As we're talking about comparing the
cruise lines, one of the things that you're you will
find as you're moving along the rivers, the stops between
the different cruise lines terry are very very similar. The
itineraries are very very very similar. To you said, it's
(51:02):
the personalities of the ship. It's the decora of the ship.
It's whether you want a family and a little bit
more noise and activity versus a little more serene and structured.
Those are the kinds of things that go into that
selection that make you any choice a good choice, but
make the one that's best for your family, your personality.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
Yeah. And I'll tell you another thing that we often
get asked about, and this is pretty consistent with all
of them. You're not going to find ada compliances on
a lot of these river cruises because they are very
European structured in nature, and even when you go into Europe,
so you're going to be walking on a lot of
cobblestones and that kind of thing. So these really are
(51:46):
not wheelchair accessible type of experiences, and I want to
make sure that people know that you're aware of that.
If you are somebody who have needs like that, we
can probably work with you to find an alternate to
buy or amah, but these wouldn't be too I would
choose for that reason.
Speaker 3 (52:03):
Yeah, we're going to be talking about some more and
that's what's exciting. We've got another week ahead, right, Chris,
that we can look forward to and learn two more
personalities of river cruise lines.
Speaker 1 (52:12):
Yeah. So our show is called Rolling on the River.
This is part one of our two part series. I
would encourage if you just came into the tail end
of this show to either go to the iHeartRadio app
or go to the wishing Well Biz and listen to
the podcast. You can re listen to this episode. And
when you listen to it, I'm sure you're gonna have
(52:34):
some questions. Email the Wishing Well. You can email Terry
or Harry those questions and we can address to those
and answer them in next week's episode as we compare
two more of the river cruise lines.
Speaker 2 (52:46):
Absolutely, we are easy to find too, Chris, We are
located at two forty three f Avenue in the Valley
Center located in Harsonburg, Virginia, which is beautiful by the way.
Right now it's all fall and it looks great. You
can call us at five four oh nine oh eight
two three three three or look us up on the web.
We are at the Wishingwell dot biz.
Speaker 1 (53:09):
This has been a life less Ordinary the travel show
from your friends at the wishing Well at two forty
three nef Avenue in Harrisonburg. If you have any questions
on topics discussed today, please reach out to the wishing
Well online at the Wishingwell dot biz or five four
oh nine oh eight twenty three thirty three. Eight Past
episodes are available on the iHeartRadio app. And we'll see
again next Saturday morning at ten for a life Less
(53:31):
Ordinary from the wishing Well
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