July 16, 2025 • 20 mins
Join travel advisors Ryan and Julie as they dive into an exclusive AmaWaterways river cruise opportunity that wine and food lovers won't want to miss! Ryan shares details about his hosted group cruise through France's renowned Bordeaux wine region, sailing July 16-23, 2026.
Featured Cruise: Taste of Bordeaux Wine-Themed River Cruise
Ship: AmaWaterways AmaDolce
Dates: July 16-23, 2026
Route: 7-night round-trip from Bordeaux
Highlighted Destinations & Experiences:
- Bordeaux wine regions: Médoc, Saint-Émilion, Libourne, Blaye, Cadillac
- Exclusive wine tastings at UNESCO World Heritage vineyards
- Culinary experiences: Market visits with onboard chefs, truffle hunting, bread baking in historic windmills
- Cultural immersion: Castle tours, citadel visits, walking tours along scenic riverfront
- Special group activities: Wine and food pairing dinners, chef's table experiences
Extension Options
Pre-Cruise: 4-night Spanish Basque Country (Bilbao, San Sebastian) - $1,440/person
- Guggenheim Museum visit
- Michelin-star dining experiences
- Spanish pintxos tastings
Post-Cruise: 3-night Loire Valley & Paris - $1,590/person
- Fairytale châteaux visits
- Paris landmarks tour
- Romantic city exploration
Special Pricing (Through July 2025)
Triple Savings Promotion:
- $1,000 off per person
- Complimentary cabin upgrade
- $100 onboard credit per stateroom
Group Pricing:
- Category B (French Balcony): $5,848/person (upgraded to Category A)
- Category E: $4,348/person (upgraded to Category D)
- First two bookings: Additional 5% discount
- $400 deposit required per person
Why Choose This Cruise?
Ryan emphasizes the "relaxed, boutique onboard experience" that AmaWaterways is known for, comparing it to staying in a luxury boutique hotel. The itinerary focuses on authentic French wine culture, smaller off-the-beaten-path towns, and immersive culinary experiences that differ from typical Rhine or Danube river cruises.
Perfect for: Wine enthusiasts, foodies, couples, solo travelers, and anyone seeking luxury travel with cultural immersion.
How to Book
Contact Ryan at WonderandBeyondTravel.com - click "Work with Ryan" and mention "AmaWaterways Group" in your email.
Experience France's wine country like never before with expert guidance and exclusive group amenities!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (00:00):
Hello and welcome to all things
travel.
Imagine sipping Bordeaux, finestvintages, at their source
wandering, cobbled, villagestreets, enjoying world-class
cuisine and sailing the peacefulrivers of France.
Have I got an opportunity foryou?
Today we're gonna discuss anitinerary that I'm hosting
(00:21):
that's perfect for couplesfriends, solo travelers, and
anyone who wants to combineluxury travel with immersive
culture and culinary discovery.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (00:31):
Listen in with travel advisors and
destination experts, Ryan andJulie.
He is your travel professorteaching you everything you need
to know to have a magicalvacation.
And I am a Disney lovingMaryland mom of three and a
specialist in family travel.
Whether we're discussingincredible destinations, top
vacation tips, or sharingpersonal stories, it's always
(00:52):
all things travel.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (00:56):
So Julie, you know that I have
sailed river cruises severaltimes.
I've sailed specifically withAmma waterways several times.
We've talked about that on theshow.
When you think of a river cruiseand sailing with Amma waterways,
what types of things come tomind for you?
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (01:14):
Luxury, comfort, good food, peaceful
rivers, little quaint towns.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_1 (01:23):
Absolutely.
one of the things that I reallywant to focus my business on is
river cruises.
I like doing it all, but Ispecifically have fallen in love
with river cruises.
I reached out to Amma Waterwaysand I said.
You know, I wanna do somethingspecial.
I love wine and food.
I don't know if you've gottenthat when we've talked about
(01:44):
travel, that, food and drink canbe important to me.
I love learning about how theculture and food and, and drink
kind of, you know, together and.
I am so excited.
In fact, I wasn't gonna do thisepisode until later and I talked
to you and I'm like, I've gottado this episode now.
I have an exclusive opportunityfor folks.
(02:07):
I've secured a special groupspace with group pricing aboard.
I'm a aboard Amma Waterwaystaste of Bordeaux wine themed
river cruise that sails.
Almost a year from now, July16th, the 23rd, 2026, aboard the
Amad Dolce.
And the best part, Julie, is I'mgonna be there with you.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (02:31):
Well, not with me,
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (02:32):
Not with you, but with my guests.
So I wanted to talk about itfirst on the podcast because I
want to give folks theopportunity if they like what
they're hearing on this episode,if this excites them about river
cruising, I want them to havethe first opportunity to join
me.
On this amazing trip, so I wannatalk about all of it today.
(02:54):
I'm so excited.
But first, speaking of going toEurope, if you did not listen to
last week's episode, we talkedall about tips for your first
trip to Europe, Alright, so thisJulie, this itinerary for me
when I talked with AmmaWaterways and I said I was
interested in wine.
(03:15):
you know, Jasmine and I are wineclub members at our local
winery.
we're gonna get, married at ourfavorite winery in October.
You and Steven are gonna bethere.
We're really excited about that.
So wine.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (03:27):
It's happening.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (03:28):
it's happening.
I said it.
I wanted to do something aroundwine because I have a lot of
friends that will connect withthis.
this itinerary is really a truecelebration of French wine
culture and cuisine, and it'sperfect for anybody who likes to
eat or drink and see amazingplaces, which, who isn't that
person, Julie.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (03:50):
Well, not me and my family
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (03:51):
Okay.
Not okay, but, but soon.
But soon.
First of all, you are going tobe sailing through.
Some of Bordeaux's most famouswine regions.
We're talking about Madoc, we'retalking about Saint m Elian.
We're talking a lot about LaBourne.
Bly, Cadillac.
and I'm sure I'm mispronouncingsome of those, but when I go on
(04:12):
the cruise and as I researchmore, it's gonna be awesome.
On this cruise, then we're gonnahave hosted wine tastings and
excursions.
So we are gonna be having a lotof excursions.
And there are other things too.
It's not just wine, but forthose people that really want to
get into it and taste it, it'sgonna be there.
We're gonna have experts with usand my group is actually gonna
(04:36):
have some special onboardactivities focused around, wine
and food and what we're doingwith the region.
There's gonna be onboard foodand wine pairing, dinners.
Remember I've talked about thatSpecial Chef's table dinner
where they're gonna be focusingon the region.
there's gonna be excursions liketruffle hunting, baking bread in
(04:57):
a historic windmill, going tomultiple vineyards and sampling
different types of wine, It'sjust gonna be an amazing trip.
And like you said, amongst allof this, you're gonna have that
relaxed, boutique onboardexperience.
I read through some of Ammawaterways.
Information about this cruise,and they use that term relaxed,
(05:19):
boutique onboard experience.
And I just think that nails itbecause it's not stuffy, but
feels like you're in a boutiquehotel it is just really, really
cool.
And for this cruise, Julie, if.
You want to, you can extend itin several different ways.
There's a pre cruise optionthat's a four night, stay in the
(05:42):
Spanish Basque country.
So we're talking about Bilbao,we're talking about San
Sebastian.
Or you can do three nights inthe War Valley and Paris.
You can do one of those.
You can do both of those, or youcan just join the cruise the way
that it is.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (05:58):
I'm so jealous that I can't come on
this trip.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (06:02):
Well, you have a year to find
coverage.
to put in your PTO time.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (06:08):
Oh gosh.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (06:09):
All right, so what are we talking
about here with this cruiseagain?
July 16th to the 23rd?
2026.
We're gonna be on the Amad Doce.
It's a seven night Round tripCruise from Bordeaux.
you can fly into Bordeaux or youcould fly into Paris.
Make your way to Bordeaux.
There's several different ways,and if you're coming with me, if
(06:32):
you're part of this group, I'mgonna help you plan all of this.
So let's talk about the specificcruise you're gonna be exploring
stunning French rivers withexcursions through charming
little towns, iconic vineyards,historical landmarks.
So, day one, we're gonna be inBordeaux, settling in.
The first thing we're gonna dois have a welcome reception
(06:55):
where everybody's gonna raise aglass of their favorite, uh,
bubbly or wine or cocktail, andmeet the crew.
day two.
you're in La Bourne a, you'redoing a wine tasting at an esco,
world Heritage Site vineyard.
So right there, first full dayyou are in it.
The third day you are in thesame spot and you can do a,
(07:18):
market visit with the chefs onboard to help pick some of the
food for dinner that night.
Or you can go to several Chateauto see that classic French.
Architecture, kind of countryarchitecture, if you will.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (07:34):
Wow.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (07:34):
Then we're heading down to Bly and
Borg, and you can go to anexclusive Amma Waterways wine
festival in Borg.
So at the end of the day, afteryou've done your tours, you do a
tour of a Citadel The town hostsa wine festival for you before
you get back on board.
(07:55):
Day five, you're at the MadocGrand Crew class, a wine
tasting, and you are learningall about that special wine Day
six, you're in Cadillac, you'regoing on a castle tour, and then
you're doing another winetasting What if I don't like
that much wine?
Ryan, that's okay, becausethere's other things that you
(08:17):
can do.
when I've been on Amma Waterwayscruises before, there are always
at least three differentexcursions that are included.
None of what I'm talking abouttoday is, is extra.
These are all included With yourcrews.
So if you would rather go on acity walking tour, if you'd
rather go on a bike ride, if youwould rather go off on your own,
(08:37):
you can certainly do that.
Day seven.
Then we are ending in Bordeauxand doing a scenic walking tour
or bike ride along the riverfront.
Julie, this I just, I'm soexcited about this.
mean, think of, think of the.
Pedigree you would get inunderstanding wine culture not
(09:02):
even to be stuffy about it, butjust to understand and
appreciate wine picking out afavorite bottle from each
vineyard, to bring home with youto remember your trip.
I'm so excited about what thisitinerary has to offer.
when I think of river cruising,I've always done it in early
spring, doing this in thesummertime when you can get out
on the bikes, when the sun'sshining and you're in the
(09:25):
vineyards.
just sounds awesome.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (09:28):
Sounds like a dream and.
I appreciate that it's a lot ofthese like smaller, lesser
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (09:35):
Yeah.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (09:36):
of off the beaten path towns because it
feels like you're really beingimmersed in the area.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (09:42):
when people talk about European River
cruising, they're usuallytalking about the Rhine or the
Danube.
I was on the Danube this lastspring and it was absolutely
lovely.
I would go back in a second andI'm sure that I will, but
something like this really,caught my eye It's unlike any
other river cruise, you're gonnacome back and talk to your
friends about river cruising,and if they've river cruised,
(10:04):
you're gonna have completelydifferent experiences from them
to talk about
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (10:08):
this definitely has that boutique
feel you were mentioning.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (10:13):
and remember, one of the hallmarks
of alma waterways is the foodchanges, the wines change.
The offerings even at lunchchange based on where you are.
So you are really going tounderstand, you're gonna be
immersed in the culinary and thecultural, aspect of this French
(10:34):
region.
So excited about it.
So I want to talk about thepricing.
I wanna talk about some otheropportunities.
But first I wanna talk aboutwhere in the world is all things
travel.
I was looking for aninternational, location this
week.
Julie, since we're talking aboutriver cruising through France
and Manchester England poppedup, what is Manchester England
(10:57):
known for Julie
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (11:00):
Soccer.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (11:01):
Soccer or football?
Absolutely.
So.
For me, I was trying to find acool little hip spot, but you
know what?
I'm just gonna Embrace myself inthe football culture.
So I'm gonna go with ourlistener to ET the odd stadium,
and then I'm also gonna go tothe National Football Museum,
which is in Manchester, England,so I'm just gonna soak it up.
(11:24):
I've been to multiple soccerstadiums like that, and it is
just.
A lot of fun.
So listener, we are so excitedthat you're listening all the
way from Manchester, in England.
Do me a favor, reach out toeither Julie or myself.
You can do that on Wonder andbeyond travel.com because I
would love to send a littlethank you gift across the pond
(11:45):
to say thank you for listeningto all things travel.
So I want to talk, Julie, aboutthese optional land packages
that you can use to extend yourjourney.
the pre cruise excursion is afour night Spanish Basque
country extension, where you'regonna be exploring the cultural
(12:06):
and culinary treasures of Bilbaoand San S.
So that's going to include avisit to the world famous
Guggenheim Museum.
Tasting, Spanish pin chos andMichelin star cuisine.
And pin chos are littleappetizers, kind of like tapas,
but it's a regional differenceif you want to kind of think
about it that way.
(12:27):
ocean views, elegant boulevardsand charming old town strolls
over these couple nights, folksthat were on my trip this spring
that did the pre-trip to Prague,they felt taken care of the
entire time they met theircruise director, was actually on
the trip with them, so theyalready had that rapport.
it sounded like it was afabulous way to extend the trip.
(12:51):
After the cruise, you couldextend it with a three night,
stay.
In France, talking about the WarValley and Paris, so you can end
your adventure and style withvisits to fairytale chateau, and
a day in the romantic city oflights with the iconic landmarks
like the Eiffel Tower and theMon Marra.
(13:11):
So you're going to get your fixof par Grand Paris.
all of these, packages, theseextensions include luxury
hotels, guided excursions,breakfast transfers, and like I
said, you've got your cruisemanager there Throughout the
entire trip to make sure thatyou're, good to go.
from talking to our cruisemanager when we were sailing the
(13:32):
Danube, this area of the world,these types of cruises are her
favorites.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (13:37):
So jealous.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_19223 (13:39):
Alright Julie, let's talk about some of
this pricing so we can tellpeople there different
opportunities that they havewhen it comes to joining me on
this cruise.
Okay, so I'm coming in a bitlater here after recording with
(13:59):
Julie because I wanted to checkin on some special pricing to
make sure that I had the exactnumbers.
And right now through the end ofJuly, which I know is coming up
soon, but through the end ofJuly, we can take advantage of a
really good deal.
They have a triple savingspromotion going on that's gonna
(14:20):
be a thousand dollars off perperson for this cruise.
It's also going to include acomplimentary one cabin upgrade.
so once you book, so forinstance, if you book a category
B, you'll be upgraded to acategory A.
And it also includes a hundreddollars onboard credit per state
(14:41):
room that you can use foranything on, the ship.
You can use'em for yourgratuities, you can use'em for
drinks, you can use them for,the spa or different things like
that.
So.
I've got some really goodamenities right now for that.
So let's talk about what thatpricing looks like.
So if we are in a category B,You're gonna price it out at a
(15:07):
B, which is a French balconyroom.
Beautiful French balconies.
You've heard me talk about thaton the show before.
If we take advantage of thattriple savings, we're gonna be
upgraded to a category A, whichis a better room four.
That we are looking at$5,848 Sofor double occupancy, that's
(15:29):
$11,696.
So a very, very good price for acruise.
this type, if we go down to acategory, category E.
So we'll get bumped up to acategory D then that means we're
gonna be paying$8,696 percouple.
(15:50):
That breaks down to$4,348 perperson.
And again, you've heard how allinclusive.
This cruise is so I'm really,really excited about that
pricing, so I want you to takeadvantage of this pricing over
the next couple weeks becausethis triple savings promo is
(16:11):
about the best thing that AlmaWaterways ever does when it
comes to pricing.
Now let's talk about the pre andthe post options.
So I talked in the show aboutthe four night Spanish Bask
package, which is the precruise, if we want to add that
on.
We're looking at$1,440 perperson, assuming that we have a
(16:36):
double state room, which you'regonna wanna have a double state
room on a trip like this.
It just makes economic sense andit makes travel sense too.
So$1,440 per person to add onthose four nights if we want to
do the three nights Paris, postcruise package.
We're looking at$1,590 perperson to add on.
(16:59):
And again, we can do one ofthose, we can do both of those,
or we can just take advantage ofthe cruises.
you can really mix and match theway that you want.
I'm gonna help you all along theway when it comes to planning
out this cruise, when it comesto planning out travel, when it
comes to planning out travelprotection, and really what's
gonna be the best for you as faras state rooms.
(17:20):
A$400 deposit is what's requiredper person But I do have an
extra enticement here.
The first two cabins that I bookon my group, the first two
cabins are gonna get an extra 5%off.
They're cruise fair.
So again, you've got savingsupon savings upon savings that
(17:43):
get you to a really good pricepoint for a trip like this.
So how are we going to.
Talk to me about this.
Well, it's very easy.
Just reach out to me at Wonderand beyond travel.com and click
on work with Ryan and includethe Amma Waterways group in the
(18:07):
email, and we will go fromthere.
I'm so excited to work with you.
I hope you're excited about thistrip and you want to travel with
me to France next year.
Alright, back to Julie and me.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (18:24):
Julie, there you go.
I am so excited about this.
This is something that I'vewanted to do for a long time, I
love traveling with a smallgroup, and I think this is the
right way to do this.
I would love to have a group ofour listeners with me
experiencing the Frenchcountryside, a, a group of our
(18:44):
listeners that want to reallyimmerse themselves in France,
immerse themselves in wine andfood.
Come along with me.
let's do this.
let's have an awesome trip nextyear.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (18:57):
I'm so excited for you.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (18:59):
So they are Julie, the ball's in
your court.
Now let's plan something fun forour listeners from your end of
the vacation spectrum.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:07):
Well, I'm not gonna compete with you,
Ryan, but I will be on a Disneycruise at the same time
ryan_1_07-13-2025_19223 (19:13):
Really.
Okay.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:15):
my med cruise is the same week.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:17):
Oh, so we're both gonna be in Europe.
Look out Europe.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:21):
who's running the business that week?
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:23):
Look out Europe.
All things travel is across thepond.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:28):
Isn't that so funny?
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:29):
That is really, really cool.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:31):
through the episode.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:33):
Maybe we can share a transfer from the
airport.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:37):
The world is full of wonder and your next
great adventure is waiting atWonder and Beyond Travel.
We work with you to create a oneof a kind journey, taking the
stress off of you so you canfocus on the joy of exploring
and the memories that will staywith you forever.
If you're ready to startplanning or just want to dream a
little bigger, head over toWonder and Beyond travel.com.
(20:00):
I'd love to help you getstarted.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (20:02):
We look forward to talking to you
next week on All Things Travel.
When Julie and her husbandSteven talk about their recent
trip to St.
Lucia and Sandals Grand St.
Lucia.
Hello and welcome to all things
travel.
Imagine sipping Bordeaux, finestvintages, at their source
wandering, cobbled, villagestreets, enjoying world-class
cuisine and sailing the peacefulrivers of France.
Have I got an opportunity foryou?
Today we're gonna discuss anitinerary that I'm hosting
(00:21):
that's perfect for couplesfriends, solo travelers, and
anyone who wants to combineluxury travel with immersive
culture and culinary discovery.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (00:31):
Listen in with travel advisors and
destination experts, Ryan andJulie.
He is your travel professorteaching you everything you need
to know to have a magicalvacation.
And I am a Disney lovingMaryland mom of three and a
specialist in family travel.
Whether we're discussingincredible destinations, top
vacation tips, or sharingpersonal stories, it's always
(00:52):
all things travel.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (00:56):
So Julie, you know that I have
sailed river cruises severaltimes.
I've sailed specifically withAmma waterways several times.
We've talked about that on theshow.
When you think of a river cruiseand sailing with Amma waterways,
what types of things come tomind for you?
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (01:14):
Luxury, comfort, good food, peaceful
rivers, little quaint towns.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_1 (01:23):
Absolutely.
one of the things that I reallywant to focus my business on is
river cruises.
I like doing it all, but Ispecifically have fallen in love
with river cruises.
I reached out to Amma Waterwaysand I said.
You know, I wanna do somethingspecial.
I love wine and food.
I don't know if you've gottenthat when we've talked about
(01:44):
travel, that, food and drink canbe important to me.
I love learning about how theculture and food and, and drink
kind of, you know, together and.
I am so excited.
In fact, I wasn't gonna do thisepisode until later and I talked
to you and I'm like, I've gottado this episode now.
I have an exclusive opportunityfor folks.
(02:07):
I've secured a special groupspace with group pricing aboard.
I'm a aboard Amma Waterwaystaste of Bordeaux wine themed
river cruise that sails.
Almost a year from now, July16th, the 23rd, 2026, aboard the
Amad Dolce.
And the best part, Julie, is I'mgonna be there with you.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (02:31):
Well, not with me,
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (02:32):
Not with you, but with my guests.
So I wanted to talk about itfirst on the podcast because I
want to give folks theopportunity if they like what
they're hearing on this episode,if this excites them about river
cruising, I want them to havethe first opportunity to join
me.
On this amazing trip, so I wannatalk about all of it today.
(02:54):
I'm so excited.
But first, speaking of going toEurope, if you did not listen to
last week's episode, we talkedall about tips for your first
trip to Europe, Alright, so thisJulie, this itinerary for me
when I talked with AmmaWaterways and I said I was
interested in wine.
(03:15):
you know, Jasmine and I are wineclub members at our local
winery.
we're gonna get, married at ourfavorite winery in October.
You and Steven are gonna bethere.
We're really excited about that.
So wine.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (03:27):
It's happening.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (03:28):
it's happening.
I said it.
I wanted to do something aroundwine because I have a lot of
friends that will connect withthis.
this itinerary is really a truecelebration of French wine
culture and cuisine, and it'sperfect for anybody who likes to
eat or drink and see amazingplaces, which, who isn't that
person, Julie.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (03:50):
Well, not me and my family
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (03:51):
Okay.
Not okay, but, but soon.
But soon.
First of all, you are going tobe sailing through.
Some of Bordeaux's most famouswine regions.
We're talking about Madoc, we'retalking about Saint m Elian.
We're talking a lot about LaBourne.
Bly, Cadillac.
and I'm sure I'm mispronouncingsome of those, but when I go on
(04:12):
the cruise and as I researchmore, it's gonna be awesome.
On this cruise, then we're gonnahave hosted wine tastings and
excursions.
So we are gonna be having a lotof excursions.
And there are other things too.
It's not just wine, but forthose people that really want to
get into it and taste it, it'sgonna be there.
We're gonna have experts with usand my group is actually gonna
(04:36):
have some special onboardactivities focused around, wine
and food and what we're doingwith the region.
There's gonna be onboard foodand wine pairing, dinners.
Remember I've talked about thatSpecial Chef's table dinner
where they're gonna be focusingon the region.
there's gonna be excursions liketruffle hunting, baking bread in
(04:57):
a historic windmill, going tomultiple vineyards and sampling
different types of wine, It'sjust gonna be an amazing trip.
And like you said, amongst allof this, you're gonna have that
relaxed, boutique onboardexperience.
I read through some of Ammawaterways.
Information about this cruise,and they use that term relaxed,
(05:19):
boutique onboard experience.
And I just think that nails itbecause it's not stuffy, but
feels like you're in a boutiquehotel it is just really, really
cool.
And for this cruise, Julie, if.
You want to, you can extend itin several different ways.
There's a pre cruise optionthat's a four night, stay in the
(05:42):
Spanish Basque country.
So we're talking about Bilbao,we're talking about San
Sebastian.
Or you can do three nights inthe War Valley and Paris.
You can do one of those.
You can do both of those, or youcan just join the cruise the way
that it is.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (05:58):
I'm so jealous that I can't come on
this trip.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (06:02):
Well, you have a year to find
coverage.
to put in your PTO time.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (06:08):
Oh gosh.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (06:09):
All right, so what are we talking
about here with this cruiseagain?
July 16th to the 23rd?
2026.
We're gonna be on the Amad Doce.
It's a seven night Round tripCruise from Bordeaux.
you can fly into Bordeaux or youcould fly into Paris.
Make your way to Bordeaux.
There's several different ways,and if you're coming with me, if
(06:32):
you're part of this group, I'mgonna help you plan all of this.
So let's talk about the specificcruise you're gonna be exploring
stunning French rivers withexcursions through charming
little towns, iconic vineyards,historical landmarks.
So, day one, we're gonna be inBordeaux, settling in.
The first thing we're gonna dois have a welcome reception
(06:55):
where everybody's gonna raise aglass of their favorite, uh,
bubbly or wine or cocktail, andmeet the crew.
day two.
you're in La Bourne a, you'redoing a wine tasting at an esco,
world Heritage Site vineyard.
So right there, first full dayyou are in it.
The third day you are in thesame spot and you can do a,
(07:18):
market visit with the chefs onboard to help pick some of the
food for dinner that night.
Or you can go to several Chateauto see that classic French.
Architecture, kind of countryarchitecture, if you will.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (07:34):
Wow.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (07:34):
Then we're heading down to Bly and
Borg, and you can go to anexclusive Amma Waterways wine
festival in Borg.
So at the end of the day, afteryou've done your tours, you do a
tour of a Citadel The town hostsa wine festival for you before
you get back on board.
(07:55):
Day five, you're at the MadocGrand Crew class, a wine
tasting, and you are learningall about that special wine Day
six, you're in Cadillac, you'regoing on a castle tour, and then
you're doing another winetasting What if I don't like
that much wine?
Ryan, that's okay, becausethere's other things that you
(08:17):
can do.
when I've been on Amma Waterwayscruises before, there are always
at least three differentexcursions that are included.
None of what I'm talking abouttoday is, is extra.
These are all included With yourcrews.
So if you would rather go on acity walking tour, if you'd
rather go on a bike ride, if youwould rather go off on your own,
(08:37):
you can certainly do that.
Day seven.
Then we are ending in Bordeauxand doing a scenic walking tour
or bike ride along the riverfront.
Julie, this I just, I'm soexcited about this.
mean, think of, think of the.
Pedigree you would get inunderstanding wine culture not
(09:02):
even to be stuffy about it, butjust to understand and
appreciate wine picking out afavorite bottle from each
vineyard, to bring home with youto remember your trip.
I'm so excited about what thisitinerary has to offer.
when I think of river cruising,I've always done it in early
spring, doing this in thesummertime when you can get out
on the bikes, when the sun'sshining and you're in the
(09:25):
vineyards.
just sounds awesome.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (09:28):
Sounds like a dream and.
I appreciate that it's a lot ofthese like smaller, lesser
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (09:35):
Yeah.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (09:36):
of off the beaten path towns because it
feels like you're really beingimmersed in the area.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (09:42):
when people talk about European River
cruising, they're usuallytalking about the Rhine or the
Danube.
I was on the Danube this lastspring and it was absolutely
lovely.
I would go back in a second andI'm sure that I will, but
something like this really,caught my eye It's unlike any
other river cruise, you're gonnacome back and talk to your
friends about river cruising,and if they've river cruised,
(10:04):
you're gonna have completelydifferent experiences from them
to talk about
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (10:08):
this definitely has that boutique
feel you were mentioning.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (10:13):
and remember, one of the hallmarks
of alma waterways is the foodchanges, the wines change.
The offerings even at lunchchange based on where you are.
So you are really going tounderstand, you're gonna be
immersed in the culinary and thecultural, aspect of this French
(10:34):
region.
So excited about it.
So I want to talk about thepricing.
I wanna talk about some otheropportunities.
But first I wanna talk aboutwhere in the world is all things
travel.
I was looking for aninternational, location this
week.
Julie, since we're talking aboutriver cruising through France
and Manchester England poppedup, what is Manchester England
(10:57):
known for Julie
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (11:00):
Soccer.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (11:01):
Soccer or football?
Absolutely.
So.
For me, I was trying to find acool little hip spot, but you
know what?
I'm just gonna Embrace myself inthe football culture.
So I'm gonna go with ourlistener to ET the odd stadium,
and then I'm also gonna go tothe National Football Museum,
which is in Manchester, England,so I'm just gonna soak it up.
(11:24):
I've been to multiple soccerstadiums like that, and it is
just.
A lot of fun.
So listener, we are so excitedthat you're listening all the
way from Manchester, in England.
Do me a favor, reach out toeither Julie or myself.
You can do that on Wonder andbeyond travel.com because I
would love to send a littlethank you gift across the pond
(11:45):
to say thank you for listeningto all things travel.
So I want to talk, Julie, aboutthese optional land packages
that you can use to extend yourjourney.
the pre cruise excursion is afour night Spanish Basque
country extension, where you'regonna be exploring the cultural
(12:06):
and culinary treasures of Bilbaoand San S.
So that's going to include avisit to the world famous
Guggenheim Museum.
Tasting, Spanish pin chos andMichelin star cuisine.
And pin chos are littleappetizers, kind of like tapas,
but it's a regional differenceif you want to kind of think
about it that way.
(12:27):
ocean views, elegant boulevardsand charming old town strolls
over these couple nights, folksthat were on my trip this spring
that did the pre-trip to Prague,they felt taken care of the
entire time they met theircruise director, was actually on
the trip with them, so theyalready had that rapport.
it sounded like it was afabulous way to extend the trip.
(12:51):
After the cruise, you couldextend it with a three night,
stay.
In France, talking about the WarValley and Paris, so you can end
your adventure and style withvisits to fairytale chateau, and
a day in the romantic city oflights with the iconic landmarks
like the Eiffel Tower and theMon Marra.
(13:11):
So you're going to get your fixof par Grand Paris.
all of these, packages, theseextensions include luxury
hotels, guided excursions,breakfast transfers, and like I
said, you've got your cruisemanager there Throughout the
entire trip to make sure thatyou're, good to go.
from talking to our cruisemanager when we were sailing the
(13:32):
Danube, this area of the world,these types of cruises are her
favorites.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (13:37):
So jealous.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_19223 (13:39):
Alright Julie, let's talk about some of
this pricing so we can tellpeople there different
opportunities that they havewhen it comes to joining me on
this cruise.
Okay, so I'm coming in a bitlater here after recording with
(13:59):
Julie because I wanted to checkin on some special pricing to
make sure that I had the exactnumbers.
And right now through the end ofJuly, which I know is coming up
soon, but through the end ofJuly, we can take advantage of a
really good deal.
They have a triple savingspromotion going on that's gonna
(14:20):
be a thousand dollars off perperson for this cruise.
It's also going to include acomplimentary one cabin upgrade.
so once you book, so forinstance, if you book a category
B, you'll be upgraded to acategory A.
And it also includes a hundreddollars onboard credit per state
(14:41):
room that you can use foranything on, the ship.
You can use'em for yourgratuities, you can use'em for
drinks, you can use them for,the spa or different things like
that.
So.
I've got some really goodamenities right now for that.
So let's talk about what thatpricing looks like.
So if we are in a category B,You're gonna price it out at a
(15:07):
B, which is a French balconyroom.
Beautiful French balconies.
You've heard me talk about thaton the show before.
If we take advantage of thattriple savings, we're gonna be
upgraded to a category A, whichis a better room four.
That we are looking at$5,848 Sofor double occupancy, that's
(15:29):
$11,696.
So a very, very good price for acruise.
this type, if we go down to acategory, category E.
So we'll get bumped up to acategory D then that means we're
gonna be paying$8,696 percouple.
(15:50):
That breaks down to$4,348 perperson.
And again, you've heard how allinclusive.
This cruise is so I'm really,really excited about that
pricing, so I want you to takeadvantage of this pricing over
the next couple weeks becausethis triple savings promo is
(16:11):
about the best thing that AlmaWaterways ever does when it
comes to pricing.
Now let's talk about the pre andthe post options.
So I talked in the show aboutthe four night Spanish Bask
package, which is the precruise, if we want to add that
on.
We're looking at$1,440 perperson, assuming that we have a
(16:36):
double state room, which you'regonna wanna have a double state
room on a trip like this.
It just makes economic sense andit makes travel sense too.
So$1,440 per person to add onthose four nights if we want to
do the three nights Paris, postcruise package.
We're looking at$1,590 perperson to add on.
(16:59):
And again, we can do one ofthose, we can do both of those,
or we can just take advantage ofthe cruises.
you can really mix and match theway that you want.
I'm gonna help you all along theway when it comes to planning
out this cruise, when it comesto planning out travel, when it
comes to planning out travelprotection, and really what's
gonna be the best for you as faras state rooms.
(17:20):
A$400 deposit is what's requiredper person But I do have an
extra enticement here.
The first two cabins that I bookon my group, the first two
cabins are gonna get an extra 5%off.
They're cruise fair.
So again, you've got savingsupon savings upon savings that
(17:43):
get you to a really good pricepoint for a trip like this.
So how are we going to.
Talk to me about this.
Well, it's very easy.
Just reach out to me at Wonderand beyond travel.com and click
on work with Ryan and includethe Amma Waterways group in the
(18:07):
email, and we will go fromthere.
I'm so excited to work with you.
I hope you're excited about thistrip and you want to travel with
me to France next year.
Alright, back to Julie and me.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (18:24):
Julie, there you go.
I am so excited about this.
This is something that I'vewanted to do for a long time, I
love traveling with a smallgroup, and I think this is the
right way to do this.
I would love to have a group ofour listeners with me
experiencing the Frenchcountryside, a, a group of our
(18:44):
listeners that want to reallyimmerse themselves in France,
immerse themselves in wine andfood.
Come along with me.
let's do this.
let's have an awesome trip nextyear.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (18:57):
I'm so excited for you.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (18:59):
So they are Julie, the ball's in
your court.
Now let's plan something fun forour listeners from your end of
the vacation spectrum.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:07):
Well, I'm not gonna compete with you,
Ryan, but I will be on a Disneycruise at the same time
ryan_1_07-13-2025_19223 (19:13):
Really.
Okay.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:15):
my med cruise is the same week.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:17):
Oh, so we're both gonna be in Europe.
Look out Europe.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:21):
who's running the business that week?
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:23):
Look out Europe.
All things travel is across thepond.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:28):
Isn't that so funny?
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:29):
That is really, really cool.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:31):
through the episode.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:33):
Maybe we can share a transfer from the
airport.
j_1_07-13-2025_192237 (19:37):
The world is full of wonder and your next
great adventure is waiting atWonder and Beyond Travel.
We work with you to create a oneof a kind journey, taking the
stress off of you so you canfocus on the joy of exploring
and the memories that will staywith you forever.
If you're ready to startplanning or just want to dream a
little bigger, head over toWonder and Beyond travel.com.
(20:00):
I'd love to help you getstarted.
ryan_1_07-13-2025_192237 (20:02):
We look forward to talking to you
next week on All Things Travel.
When Julie and her husbandSteven talk about their recent
trip to St.
Lucia and Sandals Grand St.
Lucia.
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