October 25, 2025 • 53 mins
The Wishing Well's Terrie Dean and Harry Reif discuss this week's travel news and Hot Deals!
In Rollin’ on the River — Part 2, we dive deeper into the world of river cruising. Learn what sets Uniworld, Avalon Waterways, and Tauck apart—from boutique ships and gourmet dining to immersive excursions along Europe’s most iconic rivers. Whether you’re planning your first cruise or looking for insider tips, this episode is your ultimate guide to choosing the perfect river cruise experience.
In Rollin’ on the River — Part 2, we dive deeper into the world of river cruising. Learn what sets Uniworld, Avalon Waterways, and Tauck apart—from boutique ships and gourmet dining to immersive excursions along Europe’s most iconic rivers. Whether you’re planning your first cruise or looking for insider tips, this episode is your ultimate guide to choosing the perfect river cruise experience.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is a Lifeless Ordinary to 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 podcast 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 and say hello.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Hey, Chris, how are you excellent?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
It's good to be It's always fun to beat her
on a Saturday morning with you and with Harry from
the wishing Well.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yes, sir, we are here, we are on, we are ready.
Harry's say good morning, beautiful Chris morning.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
I'm waiting for you. Guys, give me a pause. So
we got a beautiful fall morning. And every Saturday morning
we sit down we talk travel here on a Lifeless Ordinary.
If you're new to the show, sort of, the concept
behind this show is to find those moments in world
through travel that remind us that this is not just
(01:06):
a normal ordinary life. It is a life less ordinary.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
It is, Chris, and it's where we help you imagine
a world kind of filled with travel that we hope
inspires you, delights you. Maybe in spoils you just a
little bit. That would be so bad.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
I'm all in favor of being spoiled.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Absolutely. This is one of those things. If you try it,
you like it. The memories and the experiences that we
talk about, I hope people get excited. At least that's
what they tell me when they call in. They say,
we love listening to the three of you chatter on
Saturday mornings, and the things that you talk about do
give me, you know, inspiration to want to do something.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
And that's great.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I love hearing that. So let's get caught up on
some travel news.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Yeah, there's been some news this week, Chris, and interestingly enough,
it all kind of centers around the airlines. Imagine that.
But my first news story today is about Jet Blue
and Unanit Airlines. They are rolling out a collaborative loyalty program,
and the airlines announced actually just this past Thursdays that
(02:06):
passengers can now earn and redeem points and miles on
flights across each of the carrier's networks. Jet Blue and
United announced this loyalty program partnership earlier this year that
would allow frequent passengers of both airlines to access reciprocal
benefits when they fly with each carrier. The partnership, dubbed
(02:30):
Blue Sky, is one of the most consequential loyalty collaborations
between US carriers in recent years. Now, the ability to
earn and redeem on both airlines flights is a significant
milestone in this loyalty partnership, and there's still more reciprocal
benefits to come. Starting in early twenty twenty six, passengers
(02:52):
can expect to see each airline honor elite status perks
like priority boarding, preferred an extra leg, rooms, and same
day standby and flight changes, and the airlines also planned
to roll out the option for revenue booking, including the
ability to book itineraries on either airline using cash or
(03:15):
points and miles, in the first quarter of twenty twenty six.
Now down the line, Jet Blue says they will also
support United's expansion at New York JFK, sharing access to
its slots in Terminal six for up to seven daily
round trip flights as soon as twenty twenty seven. This
loyalty collaboration was first announced in May, and it received
(03:39):
government approval in July of twenty twenty five. So interesting
things going on there between Jet Blue and United Airlines.
American Airlines also came out with a announcement of raising
profit forecast amid what they call stronger travel demand. On
(04:00):
its third quarter earnings call on this past Thursday. American
Airlines says that it expects to report a higher annual
profit for twenty twenty five after a somewhat bumpy financial
start to the year. The airline also reported a record
setting third quarter revenue of get this, thirteen point seven
(04:22):
billion dollars. In keeping with an industry wide ride trend,
American also reported that premium products continue to outperform main
cabins in certain terms of revenue growth. The carrier has
leaned into demand for more premium experiences across the air
travel journey, and it has plans to build new flagship
(04:44):
lounges in Miami and Charlotte. And by the way, just
as a note of explanation for those of you listening
to us this morning, when they refer to premium products
or premium experiences, they are referring to the upfront cabins
of the plane. They're talking about first class, business class,
and premium economy seats, so this is where they have
(05:07):
seen the greatest amount of interest and growth from travelers.
I think that's exciting.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
It is exciting, and it reminds me of what I
experienced back in the I feel like my dad now
back in the eighties when there were airlines that flew
nothing but premium class airplanes. Air Atlanta was one that
comes to mind.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
And what I.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Expect that you'll see is you'll start to see the
seats start to grow in these premium cabins, and the
plane economy seats will shrink because demand is there. Terry's
right on in the industries noticing.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
I feel like that some of the demand is because
all of the economy seats are so small.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Well, and that could be and I mean people these days,
and actually I just read a report today, Chris that
talked about what's going to be happening in the year
ahead in twenty twenty six. People want what they want,
when they want it, and how they want it, and
that's going to be some of the most accelerating trends
for twenty twenty six We're going to talk a lot
(06:10):
about that here on a Lifeless Ordinary as we continue
to grow our information in this podcast. And I think
that's a very exciting topic.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Now.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
I like what Harry's talking about playing with just first
class on it.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
That sounds nice. Yeah, yeah, there are already some of
those actually out there, but that be.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Like Emirated Air and things, or do they still have economy.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
No, but La Concierge out of New York that flies
direct NonStop to Nice and several other places. They are
a holy first class carrier.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
And yeah, you know, it's a very attractive thing when
you start thinking about taking flights that are four, five,
six and more hours long. It's smart to have a
little more room in the seat. Not just comfortable, it's
smart because you want to be able to move around
and stretch a little bit. You want to you don't
want to feel like at proverbial starting in a can.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Yeah, So Americans, you know, they're they're dead serious about this.
They're going to build new flagship lounges in Miami and Charlotte.
They're going to expand their new flagship suite business class
seats to transcontinental flights, and they're going to revamp their
regional aircraft for a more premium experience similar to their
(07:26):
mainline planes. So I think that means growth the way
I read that, that is all about growth and demand
for domestic leisure travel also continue to rebound throughout the year,
with the US Travel Association forecasting one point nine percent
growth total for twenty twenty five in our domestic region.
(07:47):
That's for American airlines alone. So all of that really
points to what I think is a healthy looking travel industry. Now, next,
more news on the airline front, and that is Southwest
is back with record third quarter revenues. I mean, And
the reason that this is really hitting a lifeless ordinary
(08:09):
today in our news portion of our show is because
this is when a lot of these airlines come out
with their third quarter pieces of information. So that's why
we're getting kind of bombarded with all of this. But
it's really good news. I was happy to see. It
doesn't look like anybody lost money. Southwest back again, like
(08:30):
I said, with their third quarter revenues. They've reported a
very successful third quarter, exceeding expectations in unit revenues, costs,
and net income after what they described was a difficult
period last year, the airline reported a net income of
fifty four million dollars fifty eight million excluding special items,
(08:54):
and record third quarter operating revenues of six point nine
billion dollars. When we get into the bees as far
as money goes with the airlines, we're in a healthy economy,
whole lot of zero exactly.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
This I was going to say, this is consistent with
what you've been sharing. Also, it is not just airline,
but as we look at the cruise industry, they're introducing
ships and more ships and more ships. I know Vikings
just passed a milestone for number ships in the water.
We see this from the hotel industry as well. So
this is not just airlines, but airlines are the ones
(09:30):
that really hit the radar this week, I think.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah. And if you remember just a year ago, Southwest
Airlines was reporting dismal financial numbers and was under threat
of takeover by investors disappointed in its performance. Do you
remember us talking about that right here on a lifeless Ordinary.
But for the third quarter of this year, after making
major changes in its strategy and their executive team, Southwest
(09:56):
is up, you guys, and CEO Bob George and credits
this success he says, to substantial progress in the company's transformation,
strong operational performance, and team dedication. That's what what do
they say, the teamwork makes the dream work, right, That's true.
That's also they let you select seats now too.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
I think that was really important to a lot of
the business travelers out there and the family travelers that
you can do seats selection. In Southwest finally kind of
fell into that too, and they're walking lockstep. Yeah, and
a lot of the rest of the airlines now.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Absolutely true. And one of the things that I've learned
Harry and Chris in this industry as long as I've
been in it is that you better be flexible and
you better be ready to and willing to make changes
when things don't go exactly like you think they should
or you want them to. There's got to always be
(10:53):
a plan B, and you've got to have it at
your fingertips or you collapse. I mean, we've seen that happen.
We've seen that happened just recently with some of the
low cost carriers out there. But you know, Southwest said
not today, not today. I thought this would be a
fun piece of news. We want to look at the
top destinations where travelers are thinking about going for this
(11:17):
Thanksgiving year. We were talking about that before we went
on the air, how we can't believe how close we
are to these holidays. Well, Thanksgiving travel is on the
rise once again, and with more Americans eager to reunite
with their loved ones and explore both domestic and international
destinations this holiday season. Most of the Thanksgiving travelers surveyed
(11:39):
are staying state side, with eighty two percent of itineries
book for domestic destinations and eighteen percent for international. Travelers
also are thinking ahead, as about forty one percent reported
booking their Thanksgiving travel one to three months in advance,
so a lot of you guys out there, if you're
going somewhere, you've probably already booked, and another thirty one
(12:01):
percent secure their plans four to six months out, an
indication that Americans were prioritizing both cost savings and the
ability as the holiday season approaches. Flying remains the dominant
mode of transportation for Thanksgiving, with seventy four percent of
the survey respondents saying they're going to take to the skies,
(12:24):
eight percent are going to rent a car, two percent
are going to drive their own cars, and six percent
intend to travel by train, and those remaining ten percent
of responders noted that they're going to be traveling by
other modes of transportation. Is that a broom? No, that's
hitch hiking. Okay, okay, either a broom or hitch hiking. Okay.
So let's talk about destinations. Don't judge me, Chris. Let's
(12:49):
talk about destinations. Could bus you know, it could be Chris,
I like my idea, a coven of wishes me. So
the number one destination domestically that people are traveling to
is anybody guess? I mean, it's number one year after
year after year for one big reason. Does they have
(13:10):
anything to do with mouse ears? It has everything to
do with Macy's Thanksgiving data. New York City is correct,
and then Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles round out the top five.
Then you've got Orlando, Boston, Miami, Chicago. Those continue to
draw crowds eager to feast, shop, and soak in the
holiday spirit from coast to coast. If you want to
(13:32):
look at international with a five year streak in a row,
Mexico's can Coon, San Jose del Cabo and Porto Velliarto
were once again named the top three most popular international destinations.
People must love that sunshine. Meanwhile, Americans are also catching
longer flights as they head across the Atlantic to London
(13:56):
and Paris. So that's it for our news segment of
a Lifeless Ordinary today. I wanted to if we can
head us into some sale fares that are going on
for a brief moment, if I could, before we head
into today's show. And interestingly enough, some of these, well
at least one of these, two of these are going
(14:18):
to hit on exactly what our topic is today. So
I'm going to save those two and talk first of
all about one, which is a land based trip from
our friends at Globus Gateway Vacation Sales. They really are
sort of a family of brands. You've got Globus, You've
(14:38):
got Cosmos, and you've got Avalon Cruises, all under one umbrella.
This one is for their land based tours. You can
save five hundred dollars right now. And what's really special
about this deal with Globus is that for all of
you out there who listen to us week after week,
going Terry just once, just once offered me single supplement
(15:01):
where I don't have to pay extra. Well, this is it,
this is your moment. Say five hundred dollars per person
and no single supplement on Select twenty twenty six Globus
Escapes tours, so you can go to Europe. You can
say bye to single supplements. They are waiving the single
supplement on their tours to Europe and that's saving anywhere
(15:25):
from three hundred and fifty dollars and above. Just as
an example, the Scottish Highlands Escape which is six day
tour offered by Globus, it is starting from six hundred
and sixty nine dollars per person. An Irish Escape for
seven days is starting from only seven hundred and ninety
nine dollars per person. So good deals from our good
(15:47):
friends at Globus. Next on our list of specials today
and sale faares come to us from our friends at
Emerald Cruise Line. These are another great cruise company for
river cruises. You can discover the exceptional experience of luxury
cruising and book your next journey while you enjoy up
(16:08):
to one thousand dollars in bonus savings on their Selects
sailings with two for one fares and free air when
you pay in full now I've said this before, I
will say it again. I say this to my clients
all the time. I can't beat free, can't do it.
I don't have a deal that's better than free, but
this includes it already. So you can sail the Story
(16:31):
Danube or the Rhine Rivers and uncover Europe's iconic landmarks
on these luxury yacht cruises or river cruises from our
good friends at Emerald Cruise Line. If you're interested in
that one, be sure to give us a call at
the Wishing Well. I'll give you that contact information here
in just a minute. But our last one is one
we're going to actually be talking about today on our
(16:53):
part two of our first part series that we talked
about last week, which was rolling on a river, And
this has come to us from our friends at Uniworld.
Time is running out. You guys to save up to
twenty five percent on their twenty twenty six sailings. You
can secure your spot aboard of boutique river cruise on
Uniworld for the next year as long as you are
(17:15):
booking by the end of this month. So the clock
is really ticking. I'm not lying. October the thirty first
is the last time that you can save up to
twenty five percent on these all inclusive luxury plus cruises.
They also have waived or reduced single supplements on their
solo cruises, so if you're interested in that, this would
(17:37):
be the time to jump on that. But another very
special treat for their previous sailors people who are part
of their River Heritage Club. You can actually save up
to two thousand dollars per person on any of those offers.
So again, if you're interested, please do reach out to
us at the Wishing Well. We are easy to find Chris.
(17:57):
You want to give them the contact information.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Sure you call them at five four Oho nine oh
eight twenty three thirty three. They're on f Avenue in Harrisonburg.
You can also find them online at the wishing Well
dot biz. And while you're on the website in the
upp right hand corner, click on that Hamburger menu. That's
where you're going to find the link for a Lifeless Ordinary.
So you can listen to the podcast from past episodes.
(18:22):
You can listen to last week's episode of Rolling on
the River. As we were talking about river travel, river
cruises to be most specific, and we compared a couple
of different cruise lines and the experiences that you'd have,
and we're going to continue that this week here on
a Lifeless Ordinary, we get into Rolling on the River
(18:43):
Part two. Next.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
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 neph Avenue, visit us at the Wishingwell dot biz,
(19:06):
or call us at five four zero nine zero eight
two three three three five four zero nine zero eight
two three three three yea.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Welcome back to a Life Less Ordinary. Every Saturday morning,
we sit down together and we talk travel. This is
your podcast and travel show from your friends at the
wishing Well on Neph Avenue and Harrisonburg online at the
Wishingwell dot biz. You can give them a call at
five four oh nine oh eight twenty three thirty three.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Our show this.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Week, Rolling on the River Part two, Terry, We're going
to talk about river cruises again.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
We are and I want to stay away from the
word comparisons because I don't think that's really fair. We're
gonna do evaluations. How about that? Is that better? Yeah?
And this week we're going to look Chris at Uniworld,
TALC and avalon river cruises. We're not going to go
by plane or train, but by river, and we're talking
(20:00):
cruises really one of the most elegant, I think, immersive
and surprisingly personal ways to kind of explore the world. Now,
choosing the right river cruise line can feel a little
bit like choosing between a Ritz Carlton and a four Seasons,
or maybe a Mercedes and a BMW. Sounds like a
(20:22):
nice problem to have, doesn't it. Both are luxurious, but
they each have their own personality and doesn't make one
better than the other. Because I've stayed in four Seasons,
I've stayed in Ritz. I love them both, and they
both do have that very elevated experience for their customer.
I drive a BMW, I've written in a Mercedes. I
(20:46):
like them most, you know, and I would. I don't
know how you could effectively say one is better than
the other. So that's why I wanted to use the
word evaluation here instead.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Yeah, I think the cruise lines have personality, and we
know the personalities when we meet with the marketing reps.
They have personalities that also, you know, show what the
cruise line is about, in the kind of activities you
can expect, the kind of atmosphere you can expect, the
kind of familiarity on board. How quickly will they learn
(21:17):
your name, how often will they come up to you
and ask how your day is going? And you know,
the kinds of little different preferences that your personality has
is how you choose which cruise line will fit you
the best.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
And that's a great point here because you know, by
the same token, you know, as we're talking about evaluations here,
I've been on a river cruise, and I've been on
a mega cruise ship, and I've been on a mega
cruise ship that held over sixty five hundred people. Being
able to get that personalized attention like you get on
(21:54):
a river cruise is a little bit of a stretch.
I mean, it doesn't mean that the services good on
one of those mega cruises that have sixty five hundred
dollars sixty five hundred passengers. It's just a different experience, okay,
And what we're talking about here is something a lot
more refined. It is it is last week.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
We just for those of you who didn't listen last week,
and you're going to go back and listen. I know
you will, especially after hearing what we're talking about today.
One of the differences was, you know, are there kids
on board or not. Some people don't like to be
around children, particularly young children, so that might affect which,
you know, river cruise you would take. That's just one
(22:37):
of those nuances that makes a difference between your experience
and the best experience for you.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
So today we're going to dive into three of the
best in the river cruise options. I think it is
tauc Uni World, Boutique River Cruises, and avalon Waterways. Now
we're going to talk decorps, and we're going to talk
excursions and inclusions, and by the end, I promise you're
(23:05):
going to know which river experience fits your style of
living a life less ordinary. So I want to start
with Uniworld Boutique river cruises. They're often called the boutique
hotel collection on water and each of Uniworld's vessels is
(23:26):
individually designed, not cookie cutter. Think of them as the
four Seasons of the river world, and I would say
that's probably pretty accurate. Each ship reflects the culture and
the charm of the region it's representing. You step aboard
the SS Catherine in France, for example, and you're going
(23:47):
to be surrounded by French art and chandeliers. That's what
it looks like. You board the SS Maria Theresa along
the Danube and you're transported into a floating Viennese palace instead.
So I'm truly talking about these very specific, curated, intentional
(24:07):
differences of these ships. And you get that Viennese palace,
You've got brocade, gilted mirrors and almost a royal glow
inside on those ships. And that's what I'm talking about
when I refer to vessels that reflect the culture and
the charm of their region. And when you talk.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
About those ships, I think an important fact to share
with listeners also, Terry, is you move room to room
on those ships, they're different. They're not all alike as
they are on some of the other cruise lines. Every
room looks identical, and you wouldn't know which room you're
in other than looking at the number on the door.
On these ships, you're going to see a different decor
in each room, and one of the procedures we go
(24:49):
through when we board is we might look at different
rooms to help you select the particular room that you
want to have for your cruise. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
UNI World's tagline, as a matter of fact, could easily
be no two ships are ever alike. They cater to
travelers who really love finer things. I mean, if you're
somebody who likes polished silverware, white gloves service, and I
mean white glove service, I mean the servers wear white gloves.
(25:19):
I like that. I mean I can remember the very
first time I went over to Europe and I ate
in a four star restaurant. I was so blown away
by that little nuance of service. I just thought it
was really special when I was a very young girl
when I saw that for the first time, and today
it still impresses me. If a waiter walks over with
(25:42):
my food and he's got on or she's got on
white gloves, I love that. It just feels elevated. You know,
it's just a nice experience. You know you're doing something
very special. The decorps so elegant on you. In a
world you're going to want to dress for dinner, not
everybody does, so that's something to know about Uniworld. This
(26:05):
is the kind of cruise experience. If you're one of
those people I'm talking about and you enjoy actually dressing
for dinner, this is the one you want to be on. Okay,
not everybody wants that, so you might not want you
in a world. You might want to choose someone else
if this isn't your thing. But let's talk cabins a minute, Harry,
you started that conversation. Or state rooms as UNI World
(26:27):
prefers to call them. Many of them are going to
offer these French or full balconies, though the rooms themselves
can run a little bit smaller than talks, and we'll
talk about talc in a minute, but that's part of
the charm. They've got these cozy, romantic, perfectly European state
rooms and Uniworld River cruise bedding. I have to talk
(26:51):
about that. It's luxurious. It features these handcrafted sovre beds,
high quality European sorry Egyptian cotton sheets, doveys, and your
choice of pillow Menus and guests can expect plush duvets,
soft one hundred percent Egyptian combed cotton sheets and one
(27:15):
hundred percent Egyptian combed cotton duvets. These sweets may have
additional amenities also, like butler service and fully stocked bars,
something that a lot of people who again love that
elevated experience are going to appreciate. They're going to like
the Egyptian cotton sheets. They're going to like the Egyptian
(27:36):
cotton duvets.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Every time that my wife and I talked about travel,
she's like, we've got to find one where we can
just sort of sink into into the bid. When you're
describing the Egyptian cotton for the sheets and the dovey
and the pillow options that I'm thinking, it's going to
hug me.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
It is is it's going to make you feel special.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
And people say, well, that's a little you know, you're
feeling to your lane a little bit.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Guess what, it's a vacation. You're going to do this
for a week.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
You're going to do this for two weeks, and after all,
we are talking about a life less ordinary. Have a
life less ordinary for a week. See how that feels.
That may affect your next choice on hun Cruz. Or
you may go home and say, I got to have
some of those from my bed.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
You too, Yeah, and then I want to talk about
the dining experience on You World. It's a celebration, it's formal, yes,
it's flavorful, and it's designed for people who appreciate a
good Bordeaux as much as those who just appreciate a
good story. You know, you can expect locally inspired menus
(28:40):
es cargo for example in France, schnitzel in Austria, and
Hungarian paprika stew. If you're on the Danube, and I know, Harry,
that probably speaks to you. You've got Hungarian background. So
when you are sailing or you are experiencing a new
or a different country, don't you want that experience in
(29:02):
your cuisine as well? I do? And you know, I
can't say that I am a over the top fan
of s cargo, but as they say, when in Rome,
you know exactly.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
Yea, And if you're going to try it, what better
place Exactly? If you want lobster, go to Maine. If
you want to ask cargo, go to France. If you
want schnitzel, be in Germany.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
And when it is fixed by some of the top
chefs on rivers these days, like UNI World has yes,
please you know, that's what I would say. So what's
exactly included in a UNI World experience, Well, almost everything,
your gratuities, your transfers, Wi Fi service, although we talked
(29:44):
last week about how that can be spotty on river cruises.
Sometimes that's just the nature of the beast. Beverages are included.
You've got premium spirits and champagne also along with wine
and beer on Uniworld. Now the two that we talked
about last week, Viking in Amah, if you'll remember, only
beer and wine with dinner. But with Uniworld you have
(30:07):
a full beverage menu, including those premium spirits and champagne
and your excursions. But here's where you need to pay attention.
While most excursions are complementary, there are some premium ones
that do carry a small fee, and quite honestly, that's
the same in the case with Viking and ama as well.
(30:29):
You might remember that we talked about that too. So
there are free excursions, or I don't like the word free,
complementary excursions in every port of call, even on Uniworld,
but they do have some that are more elevated, more
curated type of experiences that people will and want to
pay more for. That's pretty usual occurrence. And still Uniworld
(30:53):
travelers love the freedom to choose perhaps maybe a private
concert and a power one afternoon, and a guided e
bike tour the next day. And the reason that that
e bike tour might be an elevated price point is
because the bike is included, so as opposed to whatever
you might be doing that wouldn't require that piece of equipment.
(31:16):
Now you and a World even gives you free self
service laundry. Okay, yeah, now that's a very rare treat
in the luxury cruise world. And let's be honest, I'll
tell you, on a long European sailing, some of these
go fourteen to twenty one days and more. That's worth
its weight in gold. Who doesn't want to return home
with clean, not dirty laundry? Yeah? Hello, me, thank you?
(31:40):
So who is you?
Speaker 1 (31:42):
We learned a couple of weeks ago Harry just buys
new stuff and leaves his clothes behind.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
You're right, I forgot that. I'm sorry, we do have Harry, why,
which I must say, anybody listening raise your hand, but yes,
me too. Yeah, so I want to talk about who
is the perfect UNI World customer. Okay, these are going
to be travelers who want style with substance, and they're
(32:06):
going to be those who appreciate artistry, impeccable decor, and
those Michelin level designed dinners that are delivered white glove style.
That's who your client is going to be. That's who
Uniworld's client is going to be, because the food really
is top notch. The other folks are going to be
(32:30):
people who want a sense of individuality because remember I said,
no two ships are the same, and truly, no two
days feel quite the same. And guess what, there's no
two cabins on Uni World that are the same. They
are all curated just a little bit differently. They might
(32:50):
have just a different type of decor that I had.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
A family that traveled last year, multi generation family, and
they weren't young people. They were all young adults in
their twenties and all the way up to you know
grandma and their you know where grandma's are up on
that end of the scale. And they came back and
they talked about how they went and visited each other's
rooms and were just amazed at the difference in the decor,
(33:18):
and it gave them something to talk about.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
It gave them It is very interesting and do.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
And they were very engaged in understanding the differences and
understanding the story behind each room because, as you said, Terry,
each room is themed, not just a collection of things,
it's themed after something.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Yeah, and they do have a catered audience. They do
cater to a more mature audience, I'd say, so you'll
likely not see a lot of small children on board
of Uniworld crews, or even those between eighteen to forty five.
That's rare unless you have a situation like we had
at the Wishing Well where Harry booked the multi gen family.
(33:56):
The average age traveler on Uni World is about fifty
and up. Okay, so that's where you're going to be
with Uni World. But I think if we've set the
stage and painted the picture on the canvas appropriately, you
have a picture in your mind of really what Uni
World is. It's an elevated, very fourth seasons type of
(34:17):
curated river cruise experience.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Now let me ask, for someone who hasn't traveled a
lot like myself, Am I going to be intimidated by
that experience if I choose that?
Speaker 2 (34:28):
You know, that's a great question one that I get
a lot, Chris. When people sit across and look at me,
and they really they can afford these opportunities, but they
want to know am I going to fit in? The
answer is yes, because we live in a world today
that's a bit like a melting pot. We kind of
all are very interested in each other and we love
(34:52):
to sort of collaborate with like minded people on things
that we're doing, especially vacations. And the river cruises command
such a small number of people that you get to
know people very quickly, very easily. And what I will
tell you that has been my experience with river cruise
clients is that they are very nice people. They're all
(35:16):
looking for the same thing, and you're all going after it,
in many cases for the first time, so you're sharing
that experience together.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
And I would add to that, Terry and say that
part of our job as travel advisors is to sit
with you, Chris and talk a little bit. If we
you know, if we have more time, we could do
this on air, but we don't. But we talk with
you a little bit, talk with you and your spouse
and whoever else is going, you know, as part of
your trip, and get to know you a little bit,
get to know things you like, talk about what you
(35:44):
do for eating, For example, how do you like to dine?
Because that dining experience that Terry's just you know, described
may not be right. I say, s cargo, and I
watch your face. I don't know if that's something you'd
be willing to try. Yet that's a highlight on this cruise.
So it's our job to get to know you as
a traveler and then help guide you so that you
(36:05):
make the best choice, knowing what we know about the differences.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
And for the record, s cargo delicious.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
Yeah. You know what comes to my mind. I have
to tell you whenever I talk about that and we
talk about what I fit in on a cruise like
you in the world. Do you know what comes to
my mind is the movie Pretty Woman, okay, where Julia
Roberts is sitting there eating escargo for the first time
and she tries to use the proper utensil to hold
(36:31):
it and it goes flying in the air, and do
you remember her remark, slippery little suckers. Yeah. So you know,
the point is this particular cruise line could be for anybody.
But we're going to explore two more and by the
end of today's show, like I said, I promise you'll
(36:52):
find your niche terry.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
I think we've already found mine, but I'm looking forward
to finding more about avalon waterways and talk. We'll be
talking about that next here on A life Less Ordinary.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
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 Thwishingwell dot biz, or let.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
Us create a trip just for you.
Speaker 3 (37:22):
Stop by two forty three Neff Avenue, visit us at
the Wishingwell dot biz, 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 (37:33):
And welcome back to a Lifeless Ordinary, your travel showing
podcast from your friends at the wishing Well. They're located
on nep Avenue in Harrisonburg. They're also online at the
Wishingwell dot biz, where you can find past episodes of
A Lifeless Ordinary and you can give them a call.
They'd love to talk to you about what your travel
(37:54):
plans are or could be. You give a call It
five four Oho nine oh eight twenty three thirty three
our show the week Rolling on the River. This is
part two of our series. Last week we described a
couple of different travel options and what might be right
for you. This week we're talking about Uniworld, Avalon Waterways,
(38:14):
and tuc Cruise Line. Is it cruise Line?
Speaker 2 (38:18):
River Cruise Line? Yeah, I mean all of that's appropriate, Chris,
So you're right.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
We talked about un A World, and we talked about
White Glove dinner service, absolutely and what just sounds like
my dream vacation. Now we're going to move on and
talk about Avalon and talk.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
We are and TALC is going to be the next
one that we're gonna glide over to see what I
did there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. These are the grand masters,
I would say, of that seamless, kind of worry free
sort of travel. So I did some relating to Uniworld
being the four seasons. Well, if Uni World is four seasons,
(38:57):
TALC is the Ritz Carlton refined, They're polished, They're impeccably consistent.
TALC is one of the oldest names in guided travel.
And by the way, I happen to be a certified
TALC Travel agent only about five percent of us in
(39:18):
the nation, and I am a TALC certified agent, so
I'm very proud of that. They have over ninety years
of experience, and their river cruises are built on that
same foundation, which is precision, polish and peace of mind.
They call it the three piece right, precision, polish and
(39:40):
peace of mind. Their ships all have a signature, kind
of modern ascetic where I think you in the world
really captures the essence of everywhere they go. TALC really
has that modern ascetic I want you to think warm tones,
sort of those brushed metals, understated elegance, I would say.
(40:01):
And they're also luxurious without shouting it from the rooftops
and the cabins or the state rooms. They're generally larger
than UNI Worlds. I mentioned that before, although you're going
to see fewer balconies than you do on UNI World,
So if balconies are really important to you, you might
want to steal cast your glance toward Uniworld.
Speaker 1 (40:24):
So on a ocean cruise, huh, I don't think that
a balcony would matter to me because there's so many
things happening on the ship.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
Yeah, and water to look out exactly.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
A river crews, though, in't that part of the experience
is just being able to sit there and watch the
scenery go past you.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
It can be. But here's where a travel advisor really
comes into play, Chris, and that is what's really important
to you. You're the buyer, you're the driver in the
driver's seat. We need to kind of come to have
a come to Jesus meeting and find out what really
(41:05):
is important to you, because, like you mentioned, even on
a mega cruise ship, where balcony might not be so
important to you, for some people it's the end all
be all. If they don't have a balcony, they don't
want to go. You know, they really want that balcony.
They've experienced it, they've had that as part of their
experience before, and they just don't want to live without it.
(41:28):
On river cruises, balconies are nice. You can go out
in the morning with your coffee on the balcony and
you can actually watch the river cruise as it comes
into its port.
Speaker 1 (41:38):
Would it be wrong for me? As I'm trying to
picture this, I kind of have combined. If you've listened
past episode when we talk about the Rocky Mountaineer, and
it's like sitting there and watching just the beautiful scenery.
Speaker 3 (41:53):
Is that part of it exactly like that? Yeah, that
is what I like. I stay up late at night
and I get up in the morning. I don't sleep
a lot because I like to just watch things happen.
And as you move into a town, you start to
read the personality on the river, especially Chris, as you
start to move into a small town, as you approach it,
(42:15):
you start to see the personality. You see what that
town is doing. What you know, maybe they're shipping commercial
goods at the edge of town, and you kind of
get the sense what goes on in this small place.
And having that balcony lets me do that from the
leisure of my room. But as Terry's saying, on some
of these other cruise lines, when you get on board
(42:36):
a talkship, they're going to have some pretty nice, luxurious
areas where you can sit that are community areas, but
they are nice community areas.
Speaker 1 (42:49):
Like how Harry brings me from the edge and sets
me straight, Well, it just goes back to what we
were saying earlier.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
And the point is, you know, it's really important for
you to have that conversation. You ask some great questions
to bring out some of the differences between the products
that someone says river cruise river cruises, or river cruises
a river cruise not exactly right.
Speaker 2 (43:13):
Yeah, and TALC actually believes in using the ship as
sort of your floating hotel and spending a little more
time exploring ashore. What really, though, sets TALC apart is
the completeness of their all inclusive model. And when I
say everything is included on this one, I mean it gratuities, drinks, transfers, excursions,
(43:40):
even little surprises along the way. They are famous for
what they call the TALC inclusive experience, like private dinners
in a Viennese palace or a concert in a century's
old cathedral that no other line has accessed too. And
(44:01):
when talk says all inclusive, they mean all inclusive. There's
no upselling, no optional tour for eighty nine or seventy nine,
or this picture is going to cost you this everything's included,
even the twenty pound note they hand you in port
to cover your lunch while you are out and about,
(44:24):
or they even cover the restroom fees. In Europe, they
literally hand you money when you get off of their
vessel to cover restroom facilities in the port where you are,
should you happen.
Speaker 1 (44:39):
To need them, Yes, please.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Absolutely, And dining on Talk literally a dream, locally sourced ingredients,
regional wines, multiple venues including the casual Arthurs bistro if
you want some lighter fare. Talk is also deeply respected
for their time directors, and I will tell you this
(45:02):
is something that they are probably the most proud of.
These are not your standard tour gods. In many cases,
they have PhDs. They are PhD historians. They are the
best of the best when it comes to tour directors.
They're professionals. They handle every single detail from your baggage
(45:24):
to your dinner reservations, so you don't ever have to
worry about logistics. So who are the best Talk customers?
Speaker 1 (45:33):
Sounds like anyone.
Speaker 2 (45:34):
Well would be, yeah, I would think, But they are
specifically travelers who want that effortless luxury. I mean, they
don't want to worry about a thing. I can think
right now, in my mind, I am picturing the busiest CEOs,
people who operate maybe multiple companies, who really when they
go on vacation, they want to go Please take care
(45:57):
of me. I don't even want to think about the
chains I need in my pocket if there's a restroom
that I need while I'm out in this port, I
don't want to think about that. Guests who prefer organization
and comfort and no surprises at all at checkout, and
those who want every excursion, not just those that they
(46:18):
say are complementary, but I'm talking about every excursion. There
are no up charges for any sure excursion on TALC.
When they say everything is included, pick what you want,
it's all a part of the cost you paid, and
every glass of wine included. So it's a line for
people who want to see the world without ever opening
(46:43):
their wallet, and they're willing to make some sacrifices. As
I said, staterooms might be a little bit smaller than
they are on you in a world, but that's a
trade they're eagerly going to make, you know, because of
the ease of everything else, and they want to know
that when they take their family. These are busy people,
(47:03):
busy lives. They've made decisions up until this point. They
get on vacation and this is the moment where they
don't have to make another decision. All they have to
do is float and enjoy.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
Sounds like a dream, I know.
Speaker 2 (47:18):
I love that. Now. I want to talk next about
another one of these cruise lines, and that's Avalon. They
are kind of the modern, active, flexible choice, i'd say,
and they're just a little more useful, I would say,
(47:39):
a little more flexible and absolutely brimming with personality. As
a matter of fact, we've been selling a lot of
Avalon cruises lately. Avalon could easily be described as the
younger sibling of these luxury river cruise world ships. And
I mean that in the best possible way. I don't
(47:59):
mean that in a derogatory way at all, but they
are kind of the younger guy on the block. And
if TALC and Uni World are dressing for dinner in
elegant attire, Avalon, if you can imagine, this is probably
a crisp linen shirt, a cocktail in hand with sandals
and a smile. Okay, So I think in years past,
(48:20):
didn't we describe that as kind of a yuppie look,
maybe a sophisticated yuppie look. Maybe your graduate students that
kind of thing still sophisticated, just more relaxed and modern.
Their ships are all about space and scenery. As a
matter of fact, the award winning Panorama suites. A big
(48:41):
selling point for Avalon features wall to wall, floor to
ceiling windows that literally turn your entire stateroom into a
floating observation deck. And here's the genius part. The beds
face the river. You might not think that's a big deal.
That's a big deal. So you wake up every morning
(49:02):
to the castles and the vineyards and those charming little
villages just drifting by you. Avalon coined the term open
air balcony, and once you experience it, there's no turning back.
They also pioneered active and discovery cruises where travelers can
go beyond the bus tour. You can bike along the Rhine,
(49:25):
kayak in Austria, hike up to a medieval castle, or
learned to cook strudel with a local chef. These are
part and parcel of the things that they offer you
as part of that more active experience. And then they
have a flex dining concept that gives you more freedom
to don whenever and wherever you like, in the main
(49:46):
dining room or the sky deck or even with room service.
It's the ultimate in personalization. And I will tell you
this is a feature that's overlooked or just simply not
offered by all river cruise companies. Harry can tell you
the ones that we've booked. They kind of have a
lock on when you eat and what dining rooms you
eat in and what time not With Avalon, it's pretty flexible.
(50:10):
Avalon guests are typically active professionals or younger retirees who
value their freedom over formality. Now, what's included wine and
beer with meals. Just like Viking and Ama Wi Fi.
They have a fitness center that's new and curated excursions
at every stop. But what makes Avalon different is choice.
(50:32):
You can join a guided hike, a painting workshop, or
simply stroll through town with a gelato in your hand
if that's what you want to do. It's a more
flexible luxury. Think of it as the choose your own
adventure version of river cruising. So they're perfect for travelers
who love movement, authenticity, more of a laid back kind
(50:54):
of atmosphere, those who want luxury without the formality. I
said that, and guests who want to connect deeply with
their destination and maybe don't mind getting a little dirt
on their hiking boots along the way.
Speaker 3 (51:08):
They're just super flexible. I guess they are word that
I'd use to describe them. And that's again part of
that personality that you're talking about, Terry.
Speaker 2 (51:15):
Yeah, so if we were to sum this up today, Chris,
I would say, let's talk about which one is right
for you. And Chris, I want you to think about
yourself right now, so you in a world I would say,
that's for a lot of those people who really love art,
elegance and individuality. Talk is going to be for travelers
who crave effortless luxury with every detail handled and avalon.
(51:38):
That's perfect for those who prefer flexibility, activity and a
sense of freedom. And here's the best part. No matter
which one you choose, you're going to sail through the
heart of Europe and many of the other places that
they go, docking in some fairytale villages of vibrant cities.
You're going to wake up every morning to a brand
(51:58):
new postcard.
Speaker 1 (52:01):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (52:01):
Yeah, that's not terrible.
Speaker 3 (52:03):
Yeah, the itineraries are the same. It's it's almost like,
you know, what's the complexion, what are you gonna wear today?
You're going to go see the same things, but it
depends on who you are. That's what's so, so so
important with River cruising find your fit.
Speaker 1 (52:19):
Out of those three options, I would think Avalon sounds
more like me. I like the talk option, but I
think that might be a little too much for me.
Speaker 2 (52:30):
Well, that's so funny because at the beginning, after I
finished Junior World, that was the right one.
Speaker 1 (52:34):
For you, because they're all amazing. It's like, come on,
this is every person's dream vacation.
Speaker 2 (52:40):
Absolutely. So the good news is at the wishing Well,
we're gonna help you find that perfect fit because we
have a real wonderful vetting process and whether you want
baroque beauty, seamless luxury, active exploration, We're gonna tailor these
journeys for you that feel like your version of a
lifeless ordinary. That's why I love my job so much.
Speaker 1 (53:05):
If you want to continue this conversation with Terry or
Harry and discover your perfect fit, how do we get
in touch.
Speaker 2 (53:12):
We are easy to find, Chris. We're located at two
forty three neph Avenue in Harsonburg in the Valley Center.
You can call us, of course 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 (53:29):
This has been a Life Less Ordinary the travel show
from your friends at the wishing Well at two forty
three nef Avenue in Harsonburg. If you have any questions
on topics discussed today, please reach out to the wishing
Well online at the wishing Well dop biz or five
four oh nine oh eight twenty three thirty three.
Speaker 2 (53:45):
Eight.
Speaker 1 (53:46):
Past episodes are available on the iHeartRadio app. And We'll
see again next Saturday morning at ten for a Life
Less Ordinary from the wishing Well
This is a Lifeless Ordinary to 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 podcast 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 and say hello.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Hey, Chris, how are you excellent?
Speaker 1 (00:30):
It's good to be It's always fun to beat her
on a Saturday morning with you and with Harry from
the wishing Well.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yes, sir, we are here, we are on, we are ready.
Harry's say good morning, beautiful Chris morning.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
I'm waiting for you. Guys, give me a pause. So
we got a beautiful fall morning. And every Saturday morning
we sit down we talk travel here on a Lifeless Ordinary.
If you're new to the show, sort of, the concept
behind this show is to find those moments in world
through travel that remind us that this is not just
(01:06):
a normal ordinary life. It is a life less ordinary.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
It is, Chris, and it's where we help you imagine
a world kind of filled with travel that we hope
inspires you, delights you. Maybe in spoils you just a
little bit. That would be so bad.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
I'm all in favor of being spoiled.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Absolutely. This is one of those things. If you try it,
you like it. The memories and the experiences that we
talk about, I hope people get excited. At least that's
what they tell me when they call in. They say,
we love listening to the three of you chatter on
Saturday mornings, and the things that you talk about do
give me, you know, inspiration to want to do something.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
And that's great.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
I love hearing that. So let's get caught up on
some travel news.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Yeah, there's been some news this week, Chris, and interestingly enough,
it all kind of centers around the airlines. Imagine that.
But my first news story today is about Jet Blue
and Unanit Airlines. They are rolling out a collaborative loyalty program,
and the airlines announced actually just this past Thursdays that
(02:06):
passengers can now earn and redeem points and miles on
flights across each of the carrier's networks. Jet Blue and
United announced this loyalty program partnership earlier this year that
would allow frequent passengers of both airlines to access reciprocal
benefits when they fly with each carrier. The partnership, dubbed
(02:30):
Blue Sky, is one of the most consequential loyalty collaborations
between US carriers in recent years. Now, the ability to
earn and redeem on both airlines flights is a significant
milestone in this loyalty partnership, and there's still more reciprocal
benefits to come. Starting in early twenty twenty six, passengers
(02:52):
can expect to see each airline honor elite status perks
like priority boarding, preferred an extra leg, rooms, and same
day standby and flight changes, and the airlines also planned
to roll out the option for revenue booking, including the
ability to book itineraries on either airline using cash or
(03:15):
points and miles, in the first quarter of twenty twenty six.
Now down the line, Jet Blue says they will also
support United's expansion at New York JFK, sharing access to
its slots in Terminal six for up to seven daily
round trip flights as soon as twenty twenty seven. This
loyalty collaboration was first announced in May, and it received
(03:39):
government approval in July of twenty twenty five. So interesting
things going on there between Jet Blue and United Airlines.
American Airlines also came out with a announcement of raising
profit forecast amid what they call stronger travel demand. On
(04:00):
its third quarter earnings call on this past Thursday. American
Airlines says that it expects to report a higher annual
profit for twenty twenty five after a somewhat bumpy financial
start to the year. The airline also reported a record
setting third quarter revenue of get this, thirteen point seven
(04:22):
billion dollars. In keeping with an industry wide ride trend,
American also reported that premium products continue to outperform main
cabins in certain terms of revenue growth. The carrier has
leaned into demand for more premium experiences across the air
travel journey, and it has plans to build new flagship
(04:44):
lounges in Miami and Charlotte. And by the way, just
as a note of explanation for those of you listening
to us this morning, when they refer to premium products
or premium experiences, they are referring to the upfront cabins
of the plane. They're talking about first class, business class,
and premium economy seats, so this is where they have
(05:07):
seen the greatest amount of interest and growth from travelers.
I think that's exciting.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
It is exciting, and it reminds me of what I
experienced back in the I feel like my dad now
back in the eighties when there were airlines that flew
nothing but premium class airplanes. Air Atlanta was one that
comes to mind.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
And what I.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
Expect that you'll see is you'll start to see the
seats start to grow in these premium cabins, and the
plane economy seats will shrink because demand is there. Terry's
right on in the industries noticing.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
I feel like that some of the demand is because
all of the economy seats are so small.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Well, and that could be and I mean people these days,
and actually I just read a report today, Chris that
talked about what's going to be happening in the year
ahead in twenty twenty six. People want what they want,
when they want it, and how they want it, and
that's going to be some of the most accelerating trends
for twenty twenty six We're going to talk a lot
(06:10):
about that here on a Lifeless Ordinary as we continue
to grow our information in this podcast. And I think
that's a very exciting topic.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Now.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
I like what Harry's talking about playing with just first
class on it.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
That sounds nice. Yeah, yeah, there are already some of
those actually out there, but that be.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Like Emirated Air and things, or do they still have economy.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
No, but La Concierge out of New York that flies
direct NonStop to Nice and several other places. They are
a holy first class carrier.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
And yeah, you know, it's a very attractive thing when
you start thinking about taking flights that are four, five,
six and more hours long. It's smart to have a
little more room in the seat. Not just comfortable, it's
smart because you want to be able to move around
and stretch a little bit. You want to you don't
want to feel like at proverbial starting in a can.
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Yeah, So Americans, you know, they're they're dead serious about this.
They're going to build new flagship lounges in Miami and Charlotte.
They're going to expand their new flagship suite business class
seats to transcontinental flights, and they're going to revamp their
regional aircraft for a more premium experience similar to their
(07:26):
mainline planes. So I think that means growth the way
I read that, that is all about growth and demand
for domestic leisure travel also continue to rebound throughout the year,
with the US Travel Association forecasting one point nine percent
growth total for twenty twenty five in our domestic region.
(07:47):
That's for American airlines alone. So all of that really
points to what I think is a healthy looking travel industry. Now, next,
more news on the airline front, and that is Southwest
is back with record third quarter revenues. I mean, And
the reason that this is really hitting a lifeless ordinary
(08:09):
today in our news portion of our show is because
this is when a lot of these airlines come out
with their third quarter pieces of information. So that's why
we're getting kind of bombarded with all of this. But
it's really good news. I was happy to see. It
doesn't look like anybody lost money. Southwest back again, like
(08:30):
I said, with their third quarter revenues. They've reported a
very successful third quarter, exceeding expectations in unit revenues, costs,
and net income after what they described was a difficult
period last year, the airline reported a net income of
fifty four million dollars fifty eight million excluding special items,
(08:54):
and record third quarter operating revenues of six point nine
billion dollars. When we get into the bees as far
as money goes with the airlines, we're in a healthy economy,
whole lot of zero exactly.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
This I was going to say, this is consistent with
what you've been sharing. Also, it is not just airline,
but as we look at the cruise industry, they're introducing
ships and more ships and more ships. I know Vikings
just passed a milestone for number ships in the water.
We see this from the hotel industry as well. So
this is not just airlines, but airlines are the ones
(09:30):
that really hit the radar this week, I think.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Yeah. And if you remember just a year ago, Southwest
Airlines was reporting dismal financial numbers and was under threat
of takeover by investors disappointed in its performance. Do you
remember us talking about that right here on a lifeless Ordinary.
But for the third quarter of this year, after making
major changes in its strategy and their executive team, Southwest
(09:56):
is up, you guys, and CEO Bob George and credits
this success he says, to substantial progress in the company's transformation,
strong operational performance, and team dedication. That's what what do
they say, the teamwork makes the dream work, right, That's true.
That's also they let you select seats now too.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
I think that was really important to a lot of
the business travelers out there and the family travelers that
you can do seats selection. In Southwest finally kind of
fell into that too, and they're walking lockstep. Yeah, and
a lot of the rest of the airlines now.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
Absolutely true. And one of the things that I've learned
Harry and Chris in this industry as long as I've
been in it is that you better be flexible and
you better be ready to and willing to make changes
when things don't go exactly like you think they should
or you want them to. There's got to always be
(10:53):
a plan B, and you've got to have it at
your fingertips or you collapse. I mean, we've seen that happen.
We've seen that happened just recently with some of the
low cost carriers out there. But you know, Southwest said
not today, not today. I thought this would be a
fun piece of news. We want to look at the
top destinations where travelers are thinking about going for this
(11:17):
Thanksgiving year. We were talking about that before we went
on the air, how we can't believe how close we
are to these holidays. Well, Thanksgiving travel is on the
rise once again, and with more Americans eager to reunite
with their loved ones and explore both domestic and international
destinations this holiday season. Most of the Thanksgiving travelers surveyed
(11:39):
are staying state side, with eighty two percent of itineries
book for domestic destinations and eighteen percent for international. Travelers
also are thinking ahead, as about forty one percent reported
booking their Thanksgiving travel one to three months in advance,
so a lot of you guys out there, if you're
going somewhere, you've probably already booked, and another thirty one
(12:01):
percent secure their plans four to six months out, an
indication that Americans were prioritizing both cost savings and the
ability as the holiday season approaches. Flying remains the dominant
mode of transportation for Thanksgiving, with seventy four percent of
the survey respondents saying they're going to take to the skies,
(12:24):
eight percent are going to rent a car, two percent
are going to drive their own cars, and six percent
intend to travel by train, and those remaining ten percent
of responders noted that they're going to be traveling by
other modes of transportation. Is that a broom? No, that's
hitch hiking. Okay, okay, either a broom or hitch hiking. Okay.
So let's talk about destinations. Don't judge me, Chris. Let's
(12:49):
talk about destinations. Could bus you know, it could be Chris,
I like my idea, a coven of wishes me. So
the number one destination domestically that people are traveling to
is anybody guess? I mean, it's number one year after
year after year for one big reason. Does they have
(13:10):
anything to do with mouse ears? It has everything to
do with Macy's Thanksgiving data. New York City is correct,
and then Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles round out the top five.
Then you've got Orlando, Boston, Miami, Chicago. Those continue to
draw crowds eager to feast, shop, and soak in the
holiday spirit from coast to coast. If you want to
(13:32):
look at international with a five year streak in a row,
Mexico's can Coon, San Jose del Cabo and Porto Velliarto
were once again named the top three most popular international destinations.
People must love that sunshine. Meanwhile, Americans are also catching
longer flights as they head across the Atlantic to London
(13:56):
and Paris. So that's it for our news segment of
a Lifeless Ordinary today. I wanted to if we can
head us into some sale fares that are going on
for a brief moment, if I could, before we head
into today's show. And interestingly enough, some of these, well
at least one of these, two of these are going
(14:18):
to hit on exactly what our topic is today. So
I'm going to save those two and talk first of
all about one, which is a land based trip from
our friends at Globus Gateway Vacation Sales. They really are
sort of a family of brands. You've got Globus, You've
(14:38):
got Cosmos, and you've got Avalon Cruises, all under one umbrella.
This one is for their land based tours. You can
save five hundred dollars right now. And what's really special
about this deal with Globus is that for all of
you out there who listen to us week after week,
going Terry just once, just once offered me single supplement
(15:01):
where I don't have to pay extra. Well, this is it,
this is your moment. Say five hundred dollars per person
and no single supplement on Select twenty twenty six Globus
Escapes tours, so you can go to Europe. You can
say bye to single supplements. They are waiving the single
supplement on their tours to Europe and that's saving anywhere
(15:25):
from three hundred and fifty dollars and above. Just as
an example, the Scottish Highlands Escape which is six day
tour offered by Globus, it is starting from six hundred
and sixty nine dollars per person. An Irish Escape for
seven days is starting from only seven hundred and ninety
nine dollars per person. So good deals from our good
(15:47):
friends at Globus. Next on our list of specials today
and sale faares come to us from our friends at
Emerald Cruise Line. These are another great cruise company for
river cruises. You can discover the exceptional experience of luxury
cruising and book your next journey while you enjoy up
(16:08):
to one thousand dollars in bonus savings on their Selects
sailings with two for one fares and free air when
you pay in full now I've said this before, I
will say it again. I say this to my clients
all the time. I can't beat free, can't do it.
I don't have a deal that's better than free, but
this includes it already. So you can sail the Story
(16:31):
Danube or the Rhine Rivers and uncover Europe's iconic landmarks
on these luxury yacht cruises or river cruises from our
good friends at Emerald Cruise Line. If you're interested in
that one, be sure to give us a call at
the Wishing Well. I'll give you that contact information here
in just a minute. But our last one is one
we're going to actually be talking about today on our
(16:53):
part two of our first part series that we talked
about last week, which was rolling on a river, And
this has come to us from our friends at Uniworld.
Time is running out. You guys to save up to
twenty five percent on their twenty twenty six sailings. You
can secure your spot aboard of boutique river cruise on
Uniworld for the next year as long as you are
(17:15):
booking by the end of this month. So the clock
is really ticking. I'm not lying. October the thirty first
is the last time that you can save up to
twenty five percent on these all inclusive luxury plus cruises.
They also have waived or reduced single supplements on their
solo cruises, so if you're interested in that, this would
(17:37):
be the time to jump on that. But another very
special treat for their previous sailors people who are part
of their River Heritage Club. You can actually save up
to two thousand dollars per person on any of those offers.
So again, if you're interested, please do reach out to
us at the Wishing Well. We are easy to find Chris.
(17:57):
You want to give them the contact information.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Sure you call them at five four Oho nine oh
eight twenty three thirty three. They're on f Avenue in Harrisonburg.
You can also find them online at the wishing Well
dot biz. And while you're on the website in the
upp right hand corner, click on that Hamburger menu. That's
where you're going to find the link for a Lifeless Ordinary.
So you can listen to the podcast from past episodes.
(18:22):
You can listen to last week's episode of Rolling on
the River. As we were talking about river travel, river
cruises to be most specific, and we compared a couple
of different cruise lines and the experiences that you'd have,
and we're going to continue that this week here on
a Lifeless Ordinary, we get into Rolling on the River
(18:43):
Part two. Next.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
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 neph Avenue, visit us at the Wishingwell dot biz,
(19:06):
or call us at five four zero nine zero eight
two three three three five four zero nine zero eight
two three three three yea.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Welcome back to a Life Less Ordinary. Every Saturday morning,
we sit down together and we talk travel. This is
your podcast and travel show from your friends at the
wishing Well on Neph Avenue and Harrisonburg online at the
Wishingwell dot biz. You can give them a call at
five four oh nine oh eight twenty three thirty three.
Speaker 2 (19:31):
Our show this.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Week, Rolling on the River Part two, Terry, We're going
to talk about river cruises again.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
We are and I want to stay away from the
word comparisons because I don't think that's really fair. We're
gonna do evaluations. How about that? Is that better? Yeah?
And this week we're going to look Chris at Uniworld,
TALC and avalon river cruises. We're not going to go
by plane or train, but by river, and we're talking
(20:00):
cruises really one of the most elegant, I think, immersive
and surprisingly personal ways to kind of explore the world. Now,
choosing the right river cruise line can feel a little
bit like choosing between a Ritz Carlton and a four Seasons,
or maybe a Mercedes and a BMW. Sounds like a
(20:22):
nice problem to have, doesn't it. Both are luxurious, but
they each have their own personality and doesn't make one
better than the other. Because I've stayed in four Seasons,
I've stayed in Ritz. I love them both, and they
both do have that very elevated experience for their customer.
I drive a BMW, I've written in a Mercedes. I
(20:46):
like them most, you know, and I would. I don't
know how you could effectively say one is better than
the other. So that's why I wanted to use the
word evaluation here instead.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
Yeah, I think the cruise lines have personality, and we
know the personalities when we meet with the marketing reps.
They have personalities that also, you know, show what the
cruise line is about, in the kind of activities you
can expect, the kind of atmosphere you can expect, the
kind of familiarity on board. How quickly will they learn
(21:17):
your name, how often will they come up to you
and ask how your day is going? And you know,
the kinds of little different preferences that your personality has
is how you choose which cruise line will fit you
the best.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
And that's a great point here because you know, by
the same token, you know, as we're talking about evaluations here,
I've been on a river cruise, and I've been on
a mega cruise ship, and I've been on a mega
cruise ship that held over sixty five hundred people. Being
able to get that personalized attention like you get on
(21:54):
a river cruise is a little bit of a stretch.
I mean, it doesn't mean that the services good on
one of those mega cruises that have sixty five hundred
dollars sixty five hundred passengers. It's just a different experience, okay,
And what we're talking about here is something a lot
more refined. It is it is last week.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
We just for those of you who didn't listen last week,
and you're going to go back and listen. I know
you will, especially after hearing what we're talking about today.
One of the differences was, you know, are there kids
on board or not. Some people don't like to be
around children, particularly young children, so that might affect which,
you know, river cruise you would take. That's just one
(22:37):
of those nuances that makes a difference between your experience
and the best experience for you.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
So today we're going to dive into three of the
best in the river cruise options. I think it is
tauc Uni World, Boutique River Cruises, and avalon Waterways. Now
we're going to talk decorps, and we're going to talk
excursions and inclusions, and by the end, I promise you're
(23:05):
going to know which river experience fits your style of
living a life less ordinary. So I want to start
with Uniworld Boutique river cruises. They're often called the boutique
hotel collection on water and each of Uniworld's vessels is
(23:26):
individually designed, not cookie cutter. Think of them as the
four Seasons of the river world, and I would say
that's probably pretty accurate. Each ship reflects the culture and
the charm of the region it's representing. You step aboard
the SS Catherine in France, for example, and you're going
(23:47):
to be surrounded by French art and chandeliers. That's what
it looks like. You board the SS Maria Theresa along
the Danube and you're transported into a floating Viennese palace instead.
So I'm truly talking about these very specific, curated, intentional
(24:07):
differences of these ships. And you get that Viennese palace,
You've got brocade, gilted mirrors and almost a royal glow
inside on those ships. And that's what I'm talking about
when I refer to vessels that reflect the culture and
the charm of their region. And when you talk.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
About those ships, I think an important fact to share
with listeners also, Terry, is you move room to room
on those ships, they're different. They're not all alike as
they are on some of the other cruise lines. Every
room looks identical, and you wouldn't know which room you're
in other than looking at the number on the door.
On these ships, you're going to see a different decor
in each room, and one of the procedures we go
(24:49):
through when we board is we might look at different
rooms to help you select the particular room that you
want to have for your cruise. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
UNI World's tagline, as a matter of fact, could easily
be no two ships are ever alike. They cater to
travelers who really love finer things. I mean, if you're
somebody who likes polished silverware, white gloves service, and I
mean white glove service, I mean the servers wear white gloves.
(25:19):
I like that. I mean I can remember the very
first time I went over to Europe and I ate
in a four star restaurant. I was so blown away
by that little nuance of service. I just thought it
was really special when I was a very young girl
when I saw that for the first time, and today
it still impresses me. If a waiter walks over with
(25:42):
my food and he's got on or she's got on
white gloves, I love that. It just feels elevated. You know,
it's just a nice experience. You know you're doing something
very special. The decorps so elegant on you. In a
world you're going to want to dress for dinner, not
everybody does, so that's something to know about Uniworld. This
(26:05):
is the kind of cruise experience. If you're one of
those people I'm talking about and you enjoy actually dressing
for dinner, this is the one you want to be on. Okay,
not everybody wants that, so you might not want you
in a world. You might want to choose someone else
if this isn't your thing. But let's talk cabins a minute, Harry,
you started that conversation. Or state rooms as UNI World
(26:27):
prefers to call them. Many of them are going to
offer these French or full balconies, though the rooms themselves
can run a little bit smaller than talks, and we'll
talk about talc in a minute, but that's part of
the charm. They've got these cozy, romantic, perfectly European state
rooms and Uniworld River cruise bedding. I have to talk
(26:51):
about that. It's luxurious. It features these handcrafted sovre beds,
high quality European sorry Egyptian cotton sheets, doveys, and your
choice of pillow Menus and guests can expect plush duvets,
soft one hundred percent Egyptian combed cotton sheets and one
(27:15):
hundred percent Egyptian combed cotton duvets. These sweets may have
additional amenities also, like butler service and fully stocked bars,
something that a lot of people who again love that
elevated experience are going to appreciate. They're going to like
the Egyptian cotton sheets. They're going to like the Egyptian
(27:36):
cotton duvets.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Every time that my wife and I talked about travel,
she's like, we've got to find one where we can
just sort of sink into into the bid. When you're
describing the Egyptian cotton for the sheets and the dovey
and the pillow options that I'm thinking, it's going to
hug me.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
It is is it's going to make you feel special.
Speaker 3 (27:56):
And people say, well, that's a little you know, you're
feeling to your lane a little bit.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Guess what, it's a vacation. You're going to do this
for a week.
Speaker 3 (28:05):
You're going to do this for two weeks, and after all,
we are talking about a life less ordinary. Have a
life less ordinary for a week. See how that feels.
That may affect your next choice on hun Cruz. Or
you may go home and say, I got to have
some of those from my bed.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
You too, Yeah, and then I want to talk about
the dining experience on You World. It's a celebration, it's formal, yes,
it's flavorful, and it's designed for people who appreciate a
good Bordeaux as much as those who just appreciate a
good story. You know, you can expect locally inspired menus
(28:40):
es cargo for example in France, schnitzel in Austria, and
Hungarian paprika stew. If you're on the Danube, and I know, Harry,
that probably speaks to you. You've got Hungarian background. So
when you are sailing or you are experiencing a new
or a different country, don't you want that experience in
(29:02):
your cuisine as well? I do? And you know, I
can't say that I am a over the top fan
of s cargo, but as they say, when in Rome,
you know exactly.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
Yea, And if you're going to try it, what better
place Exactly? If you want lobster, go to Maine. If
you want to ask cargo, go to France. If you
want schnitzel, be in Germany.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
And when it is fixed by some of the top
chefs on rivers these days, like UNI World has yes,
please you know, that's what I would say. So what's
exactly included in a UNI World experience, Well, almost everything,
your gratuities, your transfers, Wi Fi service, although we talked
(29:44):
last week about how that can be spotty on river cruises.
Sometimes that's just the nature of the beast. Beverages are included.
You've got premium spirits and champagne also along with wine
and beer on Uniworld. Now the two that we talked
about last week, Viking in Amah, if you'll remember, only
beer and wine with dinner. But with Uniworld you have
(30:07):
a full beverage menu, including those premium spirits and champagne
and your excursions. But here's where you need to pay attention.
While most excursions are complementary, there are some premium ones
that do carry a small fee, and quite honestly, that's
the same in the case with Viking and ama as well.
(30:29):
You might remember that we talked about that too. So
there are free excursions, or I don't like the word free,
complementary excursions in every port of call, even on Uniworld,
but they do have some that are more elevated, more
curated type of experiences that people will and want to
pay more for. That's pretty usual occurrence. And still Uniworld
(30:53):
travelers love the freedom to choose perhaps maybe a private
concert and a power one afternoon, and a guided e
bike tour the next day. And the reason that that
e bike tour might be an elevated price point is
because the bike is included, so as opposed to whatever
you might be doing that wouldn't require that piece of equipment.
(31:16):
Now you and a World even gives you free self
service laundry. Okay, yeah, now that's a very rare treat
in the luxury cruise world. And let's be honest, I'll
tell you, on a long European sailing, some of these
go fourteen to twenty one days and more. That's worth
its weight in gold. Who doesn't want to return home
with clean, not dirty laundry? Yeah? Hello, me, thank you?
(31:40):
So who is you?
Speaker 1 (31:42):
We learned a couple of weeks ago Harry just buys
new stuff and leaves his clothes behind.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
You're right, I forgot that. I'm sorry, we do have Harry, why,
which I must say, anybody listening raise your hand, but yes,
me too. Yeah, so I want to talk about who
is the perfect UNI World customer. Okay, these are going
to be travelers who want style with substance, and they're
(32:06):
going to be those who appreciate artistry, impeccable decor, and
those Michelin level designed dinners that are delivered white glove style.
That's who your client is going to be. That's who
Uniworld's client is going to be, because the food really
is top notch. The other folks are going to be
(32:30):
people who want a sense of individuality because remember I said,
no two ships are the same, and truly, no two
days feel quite the same. And guess what, there's no
two cabins on Uni World that are the same. They
are all curated just a little bit differently. They might
(32:50):
have just a different type of decor that I had.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
A family that traveled last year, multi generation family, and
they weren't young people. They were all young adults in
their twenties and all the way up to you know
grandma and their you know where grandma's are up on
that end of the scale. And they came back and
they talked about how they went and visited each other's
rooms and were just amazed at the difference in the decor,
(33:18):
and it gave them something to talk about.
Speaker 2 (33:20):
It gave them It is very interesting and do.
Speaker 3 (33:23):
And they were very engaged in understanding the differences and
understanding the story behind each room because, as you said, Terry,
each room is themed, not just a collection of things,
it's themed after something.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Yeah, and they do have a catered audience. They do
cater to a more mature audience, I'd say, so you'll
likely not see a lot of small children on board
of Uniworld crews, or even those between eighteen to forty five.
That's rare unless you have a situation like we had
at the Wishing Well where Harry booked the multi gen family.
(33:56):
The average age traveler on Uni World is about fifty
and up. Okay, so that's where you're going to be
with Uni World. But I think if we've set the
stage and painted the picture on the canvas appropriately, you
have a picture in your mind of really what Uni
World is. It's an elevated, very fourth seasons type of
(34:17):
curated river cruise experience.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Now let me ask, for someone who hasn't traveled a
lot like myself, Am I going to be intimidated by
that experience if I choose that?
Speaker 2 (34:28):
You know, that's a great question one that I get
a lot, Chris. When people sit across and look at me,
and they really they can afford these opportunities, but they
want to know am I going to fit in? The
answer is yes, because we live in a world today
that's a bit like a melting pot. We kind of
all are very interested in each other and we love
(34:52):
to sort of collaborate with like minded people on things
that we're doing, especially vacations. And the river cruises command
such a small number of people that you get to
know people very quickly, very easily. And what I will
tell you that has been my experience with river cruise
clients is that they are very nice people. They're all
(35:16):
looking for the same thing, and you're all going after it,
in many cases for the first time, so you're sharing
that experience together.
Speaker 3 (35:23):
And I would add to that, Terry and say that
part of our job as travel advisors is to sit
with you, Chris and talk a little bit. If we
you know, if we have more time, we could do
this on air, but we don't. But we talk with
you a little bit, talk with you and your spouse
and whoever else is going, you know, as part of
your trip, and get to know you a little bit,
get to know things you like, talk about what you
(35:44):
do for eating, For example, how do you like to dine?
Because that dining experience that Terry's just you know, described
may not be right. I say, s cargo, and I
watch your face. I don't know if that's something you'd
be willing to try. Yet that's a highlight on this cruise.
So it's our job to get to know you as
a traveler and then help guide you so that you
(36:05):
make the best choice, knowing what we know about the differences.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
And for the record, s cargo delicious.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
Yeah. You know what comes to my mind. I have
to tell you whenever I talk about that and we
talk about what I fit in on a cruise like
you in the world. Do you know what comes to
my mind is the movie Pretty Woman, okay, where Julia
Roberts is sitting there eating escargo for the first time
and she tries to use the proper utensil to hold
(36:31):
it and it goes flying in the air, and do
you remember her remark, slippery little suckers. Yeah. So you know,
the point is this particular cruise line could be for anybody.
But we're going to explore two more and by the
end of today's show, like I said, I promise you'll
(36:52):
find your niche terry.
Speaker 1 (36:54):
I think we've already found mine, but I'm looking forward
to finding more about avalon waterways and talk. We'll be
talking about that next here on A life Less Ordinary.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
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 Thwishingwell dot biz, or let.
Speaker 2 (37:20):
Us create a trip just for you.
Speaker 3 (37:22):
Stop by two forty three Neff Avenue, visit us at
the Wishingwell dot biz, 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 (37:33):
And welcome back to a Lifeless Ordinary, your travel showing
podcast from your friends at the wishing Well. They're located
on nep Avenue in Harrisonburg. They're also online at the
Wishingwell dot biz, where you can find past episodes of
A Lifeless Ordinary and you can give them a call.
They'd love to talk to you about what your travel
(37:54):
plans are or could be. You give a call It
five four Oho nine oh eight twenty three thirty three
our show the week Rolling on the River. This is
part two of our series. Last week we described a
couple of different travel options and what might be right
for you. This week we're talking about Uniworld, Avalon Waterways,
(38:14):
and tuc Cruise Line. Is it cruise Line?
Speaker 2 (38:18):
River Cruise Line? Yeah, I mean all of that's appropriate, Chris,
So you're right.
Speaker 1 (38:23):
We talked about un A World, and we talked about
White Glove dinner service, absolutely and what just sounds like
my dream vacation. Now we're going to move on and
talk about Avalon and talk.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
We are and TALC is going to be the next
one that we're gonna glide over to see what I
did there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. These are the grand masters,
I would say, of that seamless, kind of worry free
sort of travel. So I did some relating to Uniworld
being the four seasons. Well, if Uni World is four seasons,
(38:57):
TALC is the Ritz Carlton refined, They're polished, They're impeccably consistent.
TALC is one of the oldest names in guided travel.
And by the way, I happen to be a certified
TALC Travel agent only about five percent of us in
(39:18):
the nation, and I am a TALC certified agent, so
I'm very proud of that. They have over ninety years
of experience, and their river cruises are built on that
same foundation, which is precision, polish and peace of mind.
They call it the three piece right, precision, polish and
(39:40):
peace of mind. Their ships all have a signature, kind
of modern ascetic where I think you in the world
really captures the essence of everywhere they go. TALC really
has that modern ascetic I want you to think warm tones,
sort of those brushed metals, understated elegance, I would say.
(40:01):
And they're also luxurious without shouting it from the rooftops
and the cabins or the state rooms. They're generally larger
than UNI Worlds. I mentioned that before, although you're going
to see fewer balconies than you do on UNI World,
So if balconies are really important to you, you might
want to steal cast your glance toward Uniworld.
Speaker 1 (40:24):
So on a ocean cruise, huh, I don't think that
a balcony would matter to me because there's so many
things happening on the ship.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
Yeah, and water to look out exactly.
Speaker 1 (40:38):
A river crews, though, in't that part of the experience
is just being able to sit there and watch the
scenery go past you.
Speaker 2 (40:45):
It can be. But here's where a travel advisor really
comes into play, Chris, and that is what's really important
to you. You're the buyer, you're the driver in the
driver's seat. We need to kind of come to have
a come to Jesus meeting and find out what really
(41:05):
is important to you, because, like you mentioned, even on
a mega cruise ship, where balcony might not be so
important to you, for some people it's the end all
be all. If they don't have a balcony, they don't
want to go. You know, they really want that balcony.
They've experienced it, they've had that as part of their
experience before, and they just don't want to live without it.
(41:28):
On river cruises, balconies are nice. You can go out
in the morning with your coffee on the balcony and
you can actually watch the river cruise as it comes
into its port.
Speaker 1 (41:38):
Would it be wrong for me? As I'm trying to
picture this, I kind of have combined. If you've listened
past episode when we talk about the Rocky Mountaineer, and
it's like sitting there and watching just the beautiful scenery.
Speaker 3 (41:53):
Is that part of it exactly like that? Yeah, that
is what I like. I stay up late at night
and I get up in the morning. I don't sleep
a lot because I like to just watch things happen.
And as you move into a town, you start to
read the personality on the river, especially Chris, as you
start to move into a small town, as you approach it,
(42:15):
you start to see the personality. You see what that
town is doing. What you know, maybe they're shipping commercial
goods at the edge of town, and you kind of
get the sense what goes on in this small place.
And having that balcony lets me do that from the
leisure of my room. But as Terry's saying, on some
of these other cruise lines, when you get on board
(42:36):
a talkship, they're going to have some pretty nice, luxurious
areas where you can sit that are community areas, but
they are nice community areas.
Speaker 1 (42:49):
Like how Harry brings me from the edge and sets
me straight, Well, it just goes back to what we
were saying earlier.
Speaker 3 (42:56):
And the point is, you know, it's really important for
you to have that conversation. You ask some great questions
to bring out some of the differences between the products
that someone says river cruise river cruises, or river cruises
a river cruise not exactly right.
Speaker 2 (43:13):
Yeah, and TALC actually believes in using the ship as
sort of your floating hotel and spending a little more
time exploring ashore. What really, though, sets TALC apart is
the completeness of their all inclusive model. And when I
say everything is included on this one, I mean it gratuities, drinks, transfers, excursions,
(43:40):
even little surprises along the way. They are famous for
what they call the TALC inclusive experience, like private dinners
in a Viennese palace or a concert in a century's
old cathedral that no other line has accessed too. And
(44:01):
when talk says all inclusive, they mean all inclusive. There's
no upselling, no optional tour for eighty nine or seventy nine,
or this picture is going to cost you this everything's included,
even the twenty pound note they hand you in port
to cover your lunch while you are out and about,
(44:24):
or they even cover the restroom fees. In Europe, they
literally hand you money when you get off of their
vessel to cover restroom facilities in the port where you are,
should you happen.
Speaker 1 (44:39):
To need them, Yes, please.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Absolutely, And dining on Talk literally a dream, locally sourced ingredients,
regional wines, multiple venues including the casual Arthurs bistro if
you want some lighter fare. Talk is also deeply respected
for their time directors, and I will tell you this
(45:02):
is something that they are probably the most proud of.
These are not your standard tour gods. In many cases,
they have PhDs. They are PhD historians. They are the
best of the best when it comes to tour directors.
They're professionals. They handle every single detail from your baggage
(45:24):
to your dinner reservations, so you don't ever have to
worry about logistics. So who are the best Talk customers?
Speaker 1 (45:33):
Sounds like anyone.
Speaker 2 (45:34):
Well would be, yeah, I would think, But they are
specifically travelers who want that effortless luxury. I mean, they
don't want to worry about a thing. I can think
right now, in my mind, I am picturing the busiest CEOs,
people who operate maybe multiple companies, who really when they
go on vacation, they want to go Please take care
(45:57):
of me. I don't even want to think about the
chains I need in my pocket if there's a restroom
that I need while I'm out in this port, I
don't want to think about that. Guests who prefer organization
and comfort and no surprises at all at checkout, and
those who want every excursion, not just those that they
(46:18):
say are complementary, but I'm talking about every excursion. There
are no up charges for any sure excursion on TALC.
When they say everything is included, pick what you want,
it's all a part of the cost you paid, and
every glass of wine included. So it's a line for
people who want to see the world without ever opening
(46:43):
their wallet, and they're willing to make some sacrifices. As
I said, staterooms might be a little bit smaller than
they are on you in a world, but that's a
trade they're eagerly going to make, you know, because of
the ease of everything else, and they want to know
that when they take their family. These are busy people,
(47:03):
busy lives. They've made decisions up until this point. They
get on vacation and this is the moment where they
don't have to make another decision. All they have to
do is float and enjoy.
Speaker 1 (47:16):
Sounds like a dream, I know.
Speaker 2 (47:18):
I love that. Now. I want to talk next about
another one of these cruise lines, and that's Avalon. They
are kind of the modern, active, flexible choice, i'd say,
and they're just a little more useful, I would say,
(47:39):
a little more flexible and absolutely brimming with personality. As
a matter of fact, we've been selling a lot of
Avalon cruises lately. Avalon could easily be described as the
younger sibling of these luxury river cruise world ships. And
I mean that in the best possible way. I don't
(47:59):
mean that in a derogatory way at all, but they
are kind of the younger guy on the block. And
if TALC and Uni World are dressing for dinner in
elegant attire, Avalon, if you can imagine, this is probably
a crisp linen shirt, a cocktail in hand with sandals
and a smile. Okay, So I think in years past,
(48:20):
didn't we describe that as kind of a yuppie look,
maybe a sophisticated yuppie look. Maybe your graduate students that
kind of thing still sophisticated, just more relaxed and modern.
Their ships are all about space and scenery. As a
matter of fact, the award winning Panorama suites. A big
(48:41):
selling point for Avalon features wall to wall, floor to
ceiling windows that literally turn your entire stateroom into a
floating observation deck. And here's the genius part. The beds
face the river. You might not think that's a big deal.
That's a big deal. So you wake up every morning
(49:02):
to the castles and the vineyards and those charming little
villages just drifting by you. Avalon coined the term open
air balcony, and once you experience it, there's no turning back.
They also pioneered active and discovery cruises where travelers can
go beyond the bus tour. You can bike along the Rhine,
(49:25):
kayak in Austria, hike up to a medieval castle, or
learned to cook strudel with a local chef. These are
part and parcel of the things that they offer you
as part of that more active experience. And then they
have a flex dining concept that gives you more freedom
to don whenever and wherever you like, in the main
(49:46):
dining room or the sky deck or even with room service.
It's the ultimate in personalization. And I will tell you
this is a feature that's overlooked or just simply not
offered by all river cruise companies. Harry can tell you
the ones that we've booked. They kind of have a
lock on when you eat and what dining rooms you
eat in and what time not With Avalon, it's pretty flexible.
(50:10):
Avalon guests are typically active professionals or younger retirees who
value their freedom over formality. Now, what's included wine and
beer with meals. Just like Viking and Ama Wi Fi.
They have a fitness center that's new and curated excursions
at every stop. But what makes Avalon different is choice.
(50:32):
You can join a guided hike, a painting workshop, or
simply stroll through town with a gelato in your hand
if that's what you want to do. It's a more
flexible luxury. Think of it as the choose your own
adventure version of river cruising. So they're perfect for travelers
who love movement, authenticity, more of a laid back kind
(50:54):
of atmosphere, those who want luxury without the formality. I
said that, and guests who want to connect deeply with
their destination and maybe don't mind getting a little dirt
on their hiking boots along the way.
Speaker 3 (51:08):
They're just super flexible. I guess they are word that
I'd use to describe them. And that's again part of
that personality that you're talking about, Terry.
Speaker 2 (51:15):
Yeah, so if we were to sum this up today, Chris,
I would say, let's talk about which one is right
for you. And Chris, I want you to think about
yourself right now, so you in a world I would say,
that's for a lot of those people who really love art,
elegance and individuality. Talk is going to be for travelers
who crave effortless luxury with every detail handled and avalon.
(51:38):
That's perfect for those who prefer flexibility, activity and a
sense of freedom. And here's the best part. No matter
which one you choose, you're going to sail through the
heart of Europe and many of the other places that
they go, docking in some fairytale villages of vibrant cities.
You're going to wake up every morning to a brand
(51:58):
new postcard.
Speaker 1 (52:01):
I like that.
Speaker 2 (52:01):
Yeah, that's not terrible.
Speaker 3 (52:03):
Yeah, the itineraries are the same. It's it's almost like,
you know, what's the complexion, what are you gonna wear today?
You're going to go see the same things, but it
depends on who you are. That's what's so, so so
important with River cruising find your fit.
Speaker 1 (52:19):
Out of those three options, I would think Avalon sounds
more like me. I like the talk option, but I
think that might be a little too much for me.
Speaker 2 (52:30):
Well, that's so funny because at the beginning, after I
finished Junior World, that was the right one.
Speaker 1 (52:34):
For you, because they're all amazing. It's like, come on,
this is every person's dream vacation.
Speaker 2 (52:40):
Absolutely. So the good news is at the wishing Well,
we're gonna help you find that perfect fit because we
have a real wonderful vetting process and whether you want
baroque beauty, seamless luxury, active exploration, We're gonna tailor these
journeys for you that feel like your version of a
lifeless ordinary. That's why I love my job so much.
Speaker 1 (53:05):
If you want to continue this conversation with Terry or
Harry and discover your perfect fit, how do we get
in touch.
Speaker 2 (53:12):
We are easy to find, Chris. We're located at two
forty three neph Avenue in Harsonburg in the Valley Center.
You can call us, of course 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 (53:29):
This has been a Life Less Ordinary the travel show
from your friends at the wishing Well at two forty
three nef Avenue in Harsonburg. If you have any questions
on topics discussed today, please reach out to the wishing
Well online at the wishing Well dop biz or five
four oh nine oh eight twenty three thirty three.
Speaker 2 (53:45):
Eight.
Speaker 1 (53:46):
Past episodes are available on the iHeartRadio app. And We'll
see again next Saturday morning at ten for a Life
Less Ordinary from the wishing Well
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