One good thing about a week-long conference on a cruise ship is the opportunity to sit and chat about how we all got to where we are. I did that recently with the smart and businesslike folks who own Dream Vacations and CruiseOne franchises. And so I thought I’d share a few of the tales of how to succeed in business and how to just love what you do that I heard there.

I needed to research African photo safaris that could be linked to cruises. It would be a 2–3-week vacation with a budget of about $25,000 per couple. I’ve been looking for an opportunity to try out ChatGPT, and this looked like it would be a perfect test.

ChatGPT is a new computer program that can assist travel advisors—or middle school students, physicians, politicians, or anyone else—by helping them answer questions and provide client information. It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to understand and respond to text messages in a way that mimics human conversation.

Leaving home for the holidays can be hard. For some, it feels like you are leaving behind tradition, family and friends, all of which seems unthinkable. I was one of those people – until I did my first Christmas Markets cruise.

The year was 2010, and I was a mere 14 years old. I had done only one other river cruise, and that was on the Mekong. So not only was this my first Christmas Markets cruise, but also my first river cruise in Europe.

Here’s the biggest surprise from my trip to Antarctica last week: A sedentary senior citizen from New York can have a lot of fun in the icy wilderness.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect when I signed up for the Swan Hellenic fam trip on the brand-new SH Vega expedition ship, headed to Antarctica. As the departure date drew nearer, I did consider that it might be a crazy idea. I’ve never climbed a mountain. I’ve rarely hiked. The ultimate goal of my daily exercise is 4,000 steps, mainly achieved by walking around my house.

In anticipation of wave season, Emerald Cruises will expand its ‘Explore the Extraordinary’ campaign into the new year. This campaign, which runs from December 16, 2022 to March 31, 2023, offers sizable savings on a variety of 2023 and 2024 river cruises, along with a new menu of bonus offers available when guests pay in full.

The holidays are upon us, and it’s excellent news that bookings are up. But it’s not going to be a Merry Christmas if you don’t prepare your clients for the new realities of this winter’s cruises now that we’re facing the triple whammy of COVID, flu, and RSV.

We who work in the travel industry are doubly blessed. First, we get to see the world and meet amazing people in places that take our breath away. Then, we get to bring home stories to enthrall and amaze our friends and families.

I think that’s what Silversea Cruises’ SVP Katina Athanasiou was getting at with the advice she offered at the annual conference aboard the Norwegian Encore. These days, “people don’t care about what you do or where you live,” she said. “They want to know where you’ve been and how it’s changed you.”

Let’s face it. Cruises are now commodity products. Everyone sells the same ships and itineraries for similar prices. So how do you stand out from all the others selling the same cruise—maybe for a few dollars less?

Try focusing on things you can add to the cruise package.

For the second time this year, MSC has taken delivery of a new ship—this time its new flagship, MSC Seascape.

The second in the Seaside class, Seascape “aims to connect guests with the sea,” offering “a wealth of outdoor spaces allowing guests to enjoy the beautiful scenery of The Caribbean, where she will spend her inaugural season,” said MSC Cruises CEO Gianni Onorato. The ship features more than 42,000 feet of outdoor space and an expansive waterfront promenade.

The ceremony, held in Italy, will be followed by a gala in New York, to which many travel advisors have been invited, as Seascape kicks off its inaugural season on December 7.

Following the cruise industry trend toward more upscale accommodations, the ship has the largest Yacht Club in the MSC fleet. It also will have many cutting-edge environmental technologies, including an underwater noise management system to help protect marine mammals.

Seascape is the fourth ship in the Seaside class, and MSC’s 21st ship. Her newest feature is the ROBOTRON, a roller coaster at sea.

Guests also will experience six new shows and 98 hours of exclusive onboard entertainment and 7,500 square feet of dedicated kids’ space. There are 2,270 cabins, 11 dining venues and 6 swimming pools, including an aft infinity pool with ocean views.

MSC Seascape will sail two seven-night itineraries from Miami:

• Eastern Caribbean: Calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve and Nassau in The Bahamas, San Juan in Puerto Rico, and Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic
• Western Caribbean: Calling at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, Cozumel in Mexico, George Town in the Cayman Islands and Ocho Rios in Jamaica.

To find out more about MSC Seascape visit here.

Last week, I sailed along the Moselle and Rhine Rivers with Riviera aboard Geoffrey Chaucer. I was invited by Riviera to experience one of the line’s unique Solo Departures. As someone who often travels solo, I was curious to see what was different about traveling with other solos, as well as what Riviera does differently from the other cruise companies I have sailed with. This trip was definitely one for the books, so much so that I am having a hard time finding a way to capture the impact of my journey. Let’s start off with a few first impressions.

This week, Britton is gearing up for her Rhine river cruise on Riviera’s Geoffrey Chaucer. That means arranging for pet-sitters, shopping for new clothes (of course), and finalizing the logistics of her trip. She’s become quite the traveler, something that she began training for early on in life. In fact, she was only approaching her first birthday when she crossed the Atlantic on the venerable Queen Elizabeth 2, the first of many cruises for the now 27-year-old.

We often recommend the Rhine and Danube to first-time river cruisers. These rivers not only the most popular for river cruising, but also offer a large variety of itineraries between the two rivers and their tributaries. Those looking to try something different may decide to venture to the Seine or the Rhone rivers in France, or, if they wish to stay on this side of the pond, even the Mississippi River. However, there are an array of river cruise options “off the beaten path,” with itineraries in South America, Africa and Asia.

We have rounded up five river cruise itineraries for those looking to branch out from traditional river cruise itineraries.

Sitting at the foot of the Učka Mountain, the city of Opatija has been a seaside resort since the late 1800s. With the Adriatic Sea shining along an almost 8-mile coast, and Kvarner Bay hosting relaxing beaches. Though there was some decline in the state of the city following the 19^th century golden age, it has returned to a gleaming example of the gems that sit along the coasts of Croatia.

Opatija from the sea is an experience of how stunning the Croatian coasts remain to this day. The sparkle of the sea meets bright villas and, further, a slow-rising mountain of green; creating a scene sought after for the sheer excitement of simply being there. This is one of the reasons that Opatija was officially declared by the imperial government to be a climatic health resort in 1889, making it popular for health and wellness tourism.

AmaWaterways

AmaWaterways offers guests a free pre- or post-cruise land package on certain itineraries including the Blue Danube, Captivating Rhine, Enticing Douro, Charms of the Mekong, and more.

Offer(s): Free land package with select itineraries

The most common mistake travelers make is NOT taking a camera when cruising. “After all,” they say, “a smartphone is all use when I’m home. Why should I also bring a heavier camera?”

Cruises represent new challenges most of us don’t face in everyday life. We don’t spend as much time outdoors; we don’t need to contend with never-ending glare, and our subjects are usually within eight feet of us. Also, we’re not visiting places to which we might never return.

For all those reasons, you should take a “real” camera on your vacation along with your smartphone. The best travel cameras weigh less than 2 pounds—including the lens—and are nearly unnoticeable. They also don’t need a flash to take amazing photos.

Avalon Waterways announced that it will make its Douro debut with a new itinerary and Suite Ship, the Avalon Alegria, in 2024.

VIDA PORTUGAL: VINEYARDS & VILLAGES ALONG THE DOURO

Hillside vineyards and historic villages await guests as they sail through Portugal on Avalon’s all-new, eight-day cruise that begins and ends in Porto and is filled with Avalon’s signature, included Classic, Discovery and Active excursion choices.

Few countries in the world are more well known for their wines than France. Often paired with excellent culinary treats and opulent architectural settings, there are many spectacular sights and tastes in France. But, for wine lovers and francophiles, there is no better example of this than the Loire Valley. This valley has castles dotted across green rolling hills for the traveler to explore, and a food scene to rival the best in the world.

The Public Health Agency of Canada has announced that travelers will no longer have to test, or show proof of vaccination, for COVID-19.

I thought it would be interesting to see how some destinations and cruise lines have changed since 2021. The pandemic has been the worst period for the cruise industry since World War II. While the number of cruises is rebounding sharply, some destinations are facing a cloudy future as cruise destinations and many cruise lines are contending with daunting debt in ways that may affect how they treat their guests.

At the same time, there are some winners on which travel advisors can focus, if they want to benefit clients and themselves, as well as some question marks that can go either way.

Alaska has become a bucket list destination for many travelers, and the reasons why are pretty clear. The 49^th state is home to awe-inspiring natural beauty, flora and fauna, the northern lights, a rich culture and history, and welcoming locals. With 39 mountain ranges, millions of lakes, and a surface area of nearly 600,000 miles, there’s much to see when you head “North to the Future,” per Alaska’s state motto.

Earlier this week, we heard from a reader who was “stuck” in Passau on Uniworld’s River Duchess. Underway now, the ship had been stationary since September 3 due to low water levels on the Danube. “The River Duchess has been impacted by the low water near Passau,” Uniworld’s CEO Ellen Bettridge told us on Wednesday. “Good news is that it is raining.”

The stretch of river between Passau and Regensburg had been impassable until Thursday of this week. This afternoon (Saturday), River Duchess was heading toward Bamberg, doing six knots per hour (~7 mph), according to cruisemapper.com.