Cruise News.  This past week Celebrity Cruises made an announcement that they have ordered 10 river boats! Yes, Celebrity is venturing out into the River Cruise market and bringing its Edge Class features. This is a very interesting announcement. Viking has always been known for it’s river cruises and then they purchased ocean going vessels. So now an ocean going vessel company will be adding river cruising to their fleet. The ships will be delivered in two years and reservations can be taken later this year. This is really big news and something I will continue to follow. I for one really like river cruising because of the lower number of guest and the ease of seeing the countryside. Very carefree if you like, or keep quite busy touring.   Should you be interested in taking any river cruise this summer, please get in touch with me. I would be glad to assist.

Speaking of fewer number of passengers and more intimate travel, the luxury cruise line market is for you. They have directional sailings meaning they start in one city and end in another. The ports are smaller taking in longer port stays or even overnight stays. A focus is on local culture, cuisine and history.  I happen to like Azamara because they feature AzAmazing Evenings on many sailings. This could be a local chef preparing a special deck dinner in a Mediterranean port under the stars. This could be an exclusive showing of La Traviata in Livorno. Or how about traveling the Amazon for an enriching performance in Manaus. The luxury lines have exceptional dining and many include all beverages, wifi and gratuities as part of their fares. I invite you to consider elevating your cruise experiences by choosing a luxury line. 

Don’t forget about Alaska! This is the time of year to find a memorable cruise to the last frontier. Holland America and Princess have cornered the market for cruise and land with lodges. If you are interested in all five National Parks, there is a cruise/land package for you. If you are not interested in land adventures, there are many other companies such as NCL, Virgin and Celebrity.

I will keep sending you travel deals as I see them. But let me hear from you where you would like to travel.

Kathy Hays Cruises