Free Air on Viking River Cruises

Traveling with the Best
When you cruise with Viking you sail with the world’s leading river cruise company, and you enjoy the rewards of more than 175 years of heritage and a level of expertise second to none.

Inspiring destinations, beautifully crafted itineraries, expert tour guides, luxurious ships, fine cuisine, excellent service, remarkable value—our success is defined by all these things, and something else, too: personal attention to every detail. It’s the way the bartender has your drink ready for you, at just the right time. It’s the gentle guidance from your tai chi master in a lesson you take while sailing along the Yangtze. It’s the handwritten directions from your concierge to the best coffeehouse in Vienna.
At Viking, we never forget that looking after you is why we have become the world’s favorite river cruise line, and why our guests return to cruise with us again and again. Indeed, it is our guests who are our greatest ambassadors, making us the most honored river cruise line in the world.

If you have experienced the pleasure of traveling with us, then you will appreciate what makes a river cruise with Viking so special. And if that experience is still ahead of you, then it is one you are sure to enjoy.

The Most Award-Winning River Cruise Line
Viking River Cruises is the World’s Best River Cruise Line in the Travel + Leisure 2012 World’s Best Awards readers’ survey and has consistently placed high on competitive rankings like Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List, Reader’s Choice and Best Small Ships awards. We have also been honored by prestigious international organizations like the World Travel Awards. Meanwhile, travel agents have recognized us with awards including TravelAge West’s Best Line for River Cruising and Travel Weekly’s #1 River Cruise Line. And Viking is featured in National Geographic’s The 10 Best of Everything. Enriching Encounters – If you want to truly experience, explore and discover your destination, Viking takes you up close to meet the people, tour the places, learn about the customs and sample the cuisines.

Choice – A river cruise is unique in the extent to which you can make the experience your own; the choice in accommodations, excursions and dining styles cannot be matched in other ways of travel.

Celebrating Fine Food – In the company of friends, old and new, you will share one of the greatest joys of travel: the discovery of new and exciting dishes and the places they represent.

The Best Service – Unparalleled service is one of Viking’s cornerstones, and over the years we have been recognized by esteemed magazines and travel industry organizations for service excellence.

Viking Value – All Viking itineraries offer great value because they are all-inclusive; your fare covers accommodations, meals, tours, cultural enrichment and more. So you get the most out of your vacation dollar.

Link to travel offer

 

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Norwegian Sky offers Free Beverage Package on all 2016 Sailings

Effective for Norwegian Sky sailings booked on or after 4/22/15 for sailings embarking on or after 1/1/16 – guests will receive Norwegian’s Ultimate Beverage Package which includes spirits, cocktails, bottled beer, draft beer, and wines by the glass, up to and including $15, and unlimited fountain soda and juices, at all bars, lounges, restaurants and Great Stirrup Cay. A 20% discount will be applied to all bottles of wine purchased on board. Does not include room service, package sales, ship specific promotions or beer buckets, designated Super Premium brands (subject to change), bottled wine, mini bar purchases, bottled water, fresh squeezed juices, select Lavazza coffee beverages, energy drinks, vending machines or wine stations. One (1) beverage per person per transaction. Beverages over $15 will receive up to an $15 discount; the difference will be charged to your account, including gratuity. Your check may reflect applicable VAT and/or taxes for certain ports or itineraries. You must be at least 21 years of age to purchase and consume alcohol. See the terms of our guest alcohol policy.

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Disney Cruise Lines New Alcohol Policy

Disney Cruise Lines has changed it’s policy about bringing alcohol on board their ships. It used to be that you could pretty much bring whatever you wanted on board and they didn’t seem to mind. The new policy takes effect on September 30th, 2015. Taken from the Disney website, this is the new policy that passengers need to be aware of:

ALCOHOL POLICY

Effective for cruises embarking on or after September 30, 2015, each Guest 21 years and older may bring two bottles of unopened wine or champagne (no larger than 750ml) or six beers (no larger than 12oz) onboard in carry-on luggage at the beginning of the voyage and at each port-of-call. All wine/champagne and beer brought onboard must be packed in the Guest’s carry-on luggage. Any alcohol packed in checked luggage will be removed and stored until the completion of the cruise. Guests are not allowed to bring liquors or spirits (including powdered alcohol) onboard.

Almost all of the other cruise lines have similar policies in place now about bring alcohol on board, but these days you are able to purchase beverage packages to include unlimited beverages. Some cruise lines are currently offering pricing packages that includes unlimited beverages, gratuities, on board credit, and unlimited wi-fi.

Call The Cruise Experts at (469) CRUISES or (469) 278-4737 for details on all cruise lines, and remember “You Won’t Save a Dime If You Book Online”

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Greece rejects spending cuts

By: Jena Tesse Fox, Travel Agent Central

Results from the Greek referendum on Sunday showed voters soundly rejecting the terms of an international bailout, according to the BBC and other sources. Greece’sgoverning Syriza party encouraged its citizens to vote “No” on the bailout, saying the terms were humiliating.

The “Yes” campaign warned that rejecting the terms could see Greece ejected from the Eurozone. Some European officials had also said that a “No” would be seen as an outright rejection of talks with creditors. But Greek government officials have insisted that a “No” vote would strengthen their hand and that they could rapidly strike a deal for fresh funding in resumed negotiations. They expect Greek banks to reopen by Tuesday.

According to Al Jazeera, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande announced after the voting had ended on Sunday that they would meet in Paris on Monday evening (local time) to discuss the results and the country’s future role in the Eurozone. The New York Times is reporting that Yanis Varoufakis, Greece’s “combative” finance minister, who took a strong stand in demanding that creditors write off some of his country’s debts, abruptly resigned on Monday morning. Varoufakis had played a key role in rallying votes for a resounding “no” on the referendum, and as the paper noted, Greece’s Eurozone creditors may be more willing to continue negotiations on a further aid package without him. His departure, reportedly at the urging ofPrime Minister Alexis Tsipras, could be seen as a concession to the sensibilities of other Eurozone leaders, whom Varoufakis allegedly alienated.

“I consider it my duty to help Alexis Tsipras exploit, as he sees fit, the capital that the Greek people granted us through yesterday’s referendum,” Varoufakisposted in his blog. “And I shall wear the creditors’ loathing with pride.”

The Impact on Travel and Hospitality

The turmoil may be good for Greece’s travel and hospitality industries, however. As the Washington Post notes, the instability and the “massive” stimulus program by the region’s central bank have sent the Euro “plunging” against the dollar. The currency hit a 12-year low in March of $1.05. It began to grow again in the ensuing months, but began sliding again in mid-June as the crisis in Greece became headline news.

This means that the American dollar is now much stronger throughout Europethan it has been in years, meaning visitors may well be able to not only stay longer, but upgrade their hotel and travel experiences.

Several travel sites have advertised deals on European vacations. Orbitz touted Greece as “a world of destinations,” and Lufthansa named Athens its “pick of the week.” (The Post noted the irony in Germany’s flag-carrier promoting Greece’s capital, as Germany has drawn the hardest line among European nations in negotiations with Greece.)

Tourism accounted for about 16 percent of Greece’s economy in 2013 and supported 657,000 jobs, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. The Australian Financial Review noted that international tourist arrivals to Greece rose almost 21 percent in 2014 to more than 24 million. Hotels, restaurants and bars had expected similar growth this year, but with the recent news, “many” visitors have canceled their Greek trips while others arrive with wallets “stuffed” with euros.

According to the country’s ferry operators’ union, bookings for journeys around the Greek islands are down 30 to 40 per cent from the same period last year, and schedules are being pared back to conserve fuel.

The Nation’s Economy

According to the Washington Post, Greece’s banks are at risk of collapse in the coming days, and the country could be forced to leave the historic monetary union. Investors may refuse to lend Greece money at almost any cost, as banks and the government lack essential funds to operate. Over the weekend, formerU.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers wrote:

“Greek banks will run out of cash early in the week, probably on Monday. There will be an immediate need to either provide them with some sort of IOU scrip to meet demand for funds or to resolve them in some way, as Greece lacks the capacity to create Euro. What the Europeans do and the decisions the Greeks make will shape the future of Greece and the Euro area.”

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Royal Caribbean 50% Off WOW offer!

Book between now and December 31st, 2014 to get:

• 50% off the Second Passenger
• $300 On Board Credit (up to)
• 50% Reduced Deposits

Take advantage of these special offers now and plan ahead for next year or beyond. Take the time to make payments and take the stress out of having to pay for your dream vacation. We are here to help. No Fees to Book and we have the best prices anywhere.

Call The Cruise Experts: (866) 202-6343

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Viking River has some special deals right now!

 

 

 

 

The ship builders were working extra fast this year and managed to finish one of our new 2015 longships early.  The Viking Mani is

not only finished early, but we are already putting her to work.  She will be stretching her sea legs for the first time in September

of this year on the Rhine Getaway.  As you may have already noticed, these new sailing brought some excellent promotions with

them as well.  The new sailings were announced June 1^st, and the availability has already dwindled by at least 70%.  However,

there is still time to jump on one these cruises if you act first.

The Ukraine sailing that Viking offers has always been a fan favorite.  Because of the political unrest in that region, Viking has

been forced to hold off on sailing the Footsteps of the Cossacks for now.  In an attempt to capture the beauty and unique history

contained in that portion of the world before the end of the sailing season this year, Viking has just released its newest itinerary

“The Timeless Shores of the Black Sea.”  This is a 12 day Cruise-tour that begins in Bucharest, Romania and ends in Istanbul

Turkey.  This itinerary boasts ancient cities, Jewish culture and history, and the majestic wildlife found in the Danube Delta, which

is a UNESCO site.  You can read all about this itinerary on Monday 6/9/14 on our website.  This special cruise opportunity will have

incredibly limited space, as we are only running it twice this year.  The dates will be 9/8/14 and 9/15/14.  Only roughly 385 people

will get to experience this brand new adventure this year.  Please understand that the course of this itinerary, as well as the cities

we visit in Ukraine, are nowhere near the political unrest and are completely safe.  Book now while there is still space!

SPECIAL PROMOTIONS:  

            -Rhine Getaway Run of the Ship promos

1.) $3999 for best available Cabin + 2 for 1 air (Select September dates) –must pay in full at time of booking

2.) $2999 for best available Cabin + 2 for 1 air (Select Oct. Dates) –must pay in full at time of booking

3.) Up to Free Air for any Suite in Sep. and Oct

-Grand European Run of the Ship promos

1.) $4999 Best available Cabin + 2 for 1 air (Select October dates) –must pay in full at time of booking

2.) $3999 Best available Cabin + Free Air (select Jun & July) –must pay in full at time of booking

3.) Up to Free Air for any Suite in Select Oct dates

-Romantic Danube Run of the Ship promos

1.) Up to Free Air for any Suite in Select Oct Dates

2.) $2999 Best available Cabin + 2 for 1 air in Select Oct Dates –must pay in full at time of booking

-Timeless Shores of the Black Sea

1.) Up to Free Air for both September sailings (8^th and 15^th)

 

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Travel Show, Alaska, Holy Land & China

The Cruise Experts is hosting a travel show on Friday October 18th. Call to R.S.V.P. if you can attend. See link below to get all the details.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ut2sss86ltx83nu/2013%2C%2010-18%20Travel%20Show.pdf

We hope to see you there!

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