Looks can deceive. Rarely, for example, will Scenic appear as the lowest-priced operator when comparing river cruises on similar itineraries. In my story, What Scenic Does Differently In Bordeaux, Scenic’s per diems for eight-day Bordeaux itineraries were considerably higher than AmaWaterways (by 28 percent), CroisiEurope (by 90 percent) and Viking (by 45 percent). On some […]
In Bordeaux, What Scenic Does Differently
Five companies operate river cruises in Bordeaux: AmaWaterways, CroisiEurope (with two ships), Scenic, Uniworld and Viking. All five companies run similarly sized vessels, similar itineraries and similar land programs, and visit more or less the same destinations. Libourne, with excursions to nearby Saint-Émilion; Pauillac, for outings in the Medoc region; Blaye, with its impressive fortress; […]
AmaWaterways ‘Taste Of Bordeaux’
A driver brings me to a wine warehouse in downtown Bordeaux. I am here not to purchase wine, however, but to meet with Christophe Tissinier, a colleague and friend whose company Bordeaux Excellence specializes in cruise operations and other tourism services. “Can you smell it?” Tissinier asks as we enter the ground floor of his offices. […]
My Favorite River Cruises Of 2016: AmaWaterways’ Taste Of Bordeaux
Wow! I spent a lot of time on the rivers of Europe last year. Eight river cruises in total. In fact, when I wrote these words I was sitting in the 8th-floor Marriott lounge overlooking the Rhône river in Lyon, France. I highly recommend the hotel for pre/post cruise stayovers, by the way. There’s a beautiful park behind the […]
A Year After The Terror Attacks, It’s Time To Return To France
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” — Mark Twain I have fallen in love with France – once […]
