Onboard Viking Radgrid on the Seine — Monet’s Garden is not yet open and the cherry blossoms are just beginning to bloom. Even so, all of us in attendance were thrilled to kick off this year’s river cruise season in Europe, at the official Naming Ceremony of eight new Viking longships.

The actual ceremony was a joyful reunion of travel writers, travel advisors, Viking executives and Edelman PR folks, many of whom have not seen each other since 2020, when Viking decided not to launch these ships at all. Two years and five days later, we arrived on the very day France lifted most of its Covid restrictions, including pre-arrival testing for vaccinated travelers and masking at indoor venues.

Back then, Hagen noted, Viking had 10,000 employees, $3 billion in revenue and an annual Read the rest of this entry »

There are places in the world that call back to ancient times; their statues and relics made by hands long gone. The hands of these cultures are alive in the familiar artistry and style of the times. The most recognizable of these are the pyramids of Giza in Egypt, built as an eternal home to the pharaohs almost 4,500 years ago. But Egypt’s ancient allure has much more to offer than the heavenly heights of the Giza pyramids. One of the more legendary examples of this is the recently reopened and revamped Avenue of the Sphinxes, an archaeological wonderland in the once great city of Thebes, now known as Luxor. Read the rest of this entry »

Egypt has always been a draw for travelers. The monuments of ancient civilizations stand as rugged reminders of empires and cultures passed. These grand palaces, temples, and tombs are tremendous feats of engineering – milestones in the history of the world. Which brings us to Luxor. The Luxor Temple and Karnak are sites to behold, to wander about in awe of its hieroglyph-covered walls and columns… a magnificent museum open to the elements.

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