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If you’ve followed my cruising adventures for a while, you’ll know I’ve been lucky enough to sail on almost 100 cruises across the world, including on many of the world’s top luxury lines.

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So, when I stepped onboard “Explora I”… an “Explora Journeys” ship… almost 2 years ago, I was curious to see whether the newest luxury cruise line could truly compete with the established luxury brands.

After experiencing that ship firsthand, I can honestly say it left a very strong, beyond positive impression!!

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If you’d like the full deep-dive of my thoughts from my first ever “Explora Journeys” sailing, you can read my detailed review here:

https://www.shawnpower.com/explora-journeys-review-explora-1/

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Since then, I’ve also had the chance to sail on “Explora II”, and that second experience only reinforced my first impression!

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In fact, it made me appreciate even more just how well Explora Journeys has executed their vision of a modern luxury cruise line — from the elegant design and spacious suites to the relaxed atmosphere onboard. You can see lots of in-depth videos (Including all the rooms & food!) about that experience on “Explora II” here:

https://www.shawnpower.com/explora-journeys-explora-ii/

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One of the biggest standouts for me across both sailings has been the service!

Instead of calling their staff “crew,” Explora refers to them as Hosts, and it genuinely changes the feel onboard. The level of friendliness and attentiveness is exceptional, helped by an excellent staff-to-guest ratio that allows for a far more personal experience.

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The suites are another major highlight — even the entry-level rooms are spacious ocean-terrace suites with walk-in closets, beautiful bathrooms, and large private balconies. They truly feel more like a luxury boutique hotel room than a typical cruise cabin.

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You can see all of Explora’s Suite choices in the videos here.

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Another thing that really stands out about Explora Journeys is the “Modern Cosmopolitan” energy onboard. There is zero pretension here!

On many luxury cruise lines, the average age is pushing 70. On Explora, the crowd is noticeably younger — averaging around 57, with plenty of travelers in their 30s and 40s as well on the cruises I’ve sailed with them.

That younger, more international crowd creates a far more relaxed and social atmosphere.

It also translates into the most relaxed dress code in the high-end cruise market. You can leave the tuxedo at home. In the evenings, I see plenty of guys wearing a nice pair of dress shorts, deck shoes, and a collared shirt. No one is looking down their nose at you — the vibe onboard is strictly “elegant casual.”

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The overall onboard experience is extremely impressive! 

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Explora Journeys has created some of the most beautiful public spaces at sea, with multiple relaxing pool areas, elegant lounges, and thoughtfully designed restaurants.

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The food is consistently excellent across their ships!

One of my favorite spots is the Emporium Marketplace — and don’t call it a buffet. It’s really more like an elevated food hall with chef-served action stations. Think Alaskan crab legs, fresh carved meats, fresh ceviche, oysters, hand made pasta, etc. all beautifully presented behind glass and served by chefs. There’s also a wood-fired pizza oven here that produces some of the best pizza crust I’ve ever had at sea.

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This video gives you a Great overview of some of the fabulous dishes you’ll experience onboard an “Explora Journeys” Cruise.

And I Love the “All-Inclusive” nature of an “Explora Journeys” Cruise!

Good wines, premium spirits, gratuities, Wi-Fi, and just about all dining is included, which means you can truly relax without constantly worrying about your onboard bill.

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Something about “Explora Journeys” that has really stood out to me… over 80% of my clients who sail on Explora end up rebooking their next Explora cruise while still onboard… I’ve never seen #s like this on any other line over the past 20 years I’ve been doing this!

And honestly, that’s a great idea because Explora typically offers significant discounts if you book your next voyage before leaving the ship. I explain how that works in this short video:

https://youtu.be/tR0JWQChKJU?si=FqHPW9oJ_GNA0duX

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To be fair and impartial, there is one area where Explora Journeys still has room for improvement: shore excursions.

While the ship experience itself is fantastic, many of the excursions can feel quite overpriced compared with similar experiences you could arrange independently in port.

For some travelers that won’t matter much — especially since the ship itself is such a wonderful place to spend time and since they don’t mind booking 3rd party excursions on “ShoreExcursionsGroup”, “Venture Ashore”, “Viator”, “GetYourGuide”, etc. — but it’s definitely something I think my clients should be aware of.

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Who is “Explora Journeys” For?

I often see Explora mis-categorized as “Upper Premium” (like Viking or Oceania).

In my expert opinion, they 150% belongs in “Small Ship Luxury” alongside Regent and Silversea, perfect for:

• The Casual Luxury Traveler: You want the best food and service but would rather not wear a sport coat in the heat of the Caribbean or the Mediterranean.

• The Tech-Savvy Traveler: Explora offers industry-leading streaming Wi-Fi with three logins per person included. I can Netflix, FaceTime family, and work on my laptop simultaneously without paying a dime extra.

• The Space-Seeker: If you are tired of cramped 200-square-foot rooms, the 377-square-foot minimum here will feel like a palace.

• The Independent Traveler’s Dream: This ship is built for the traveler who hates being “hand-held.” If you prefer booking private tours, taking a taxi to a hidden beach, or just walking around town without a 40-person bus group, this model is for you. To support this, Explora provides free shuttle services to the town centers whenever the ship is docked far away.

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Final Verdict: The Pro-Tip

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Overall, I feel “Explora Journeys” are a game-changer who offer the “no-pretension” elegance of a private yacht.

They have quickly become one of the most exciting new options in luxury cruising.

Between the spacious suites, excellent food, beautiful design, generous inclusions, and genuinely warm Hosts…

…”Explora Journeys” delivers a refreshingly modern luxury cruise experience — and it’s easy to see why so many guests are already planning their next voyage before their first one even ends.

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Pro-Tip: For the many reasons listed here, always book your Cruises & Tauck Tours through a specialist!

Because of my relationship with Explora for example, on every sailing I can either secure hundreds of dollars in onboard credits for my clients… while self-service laundry is free, you can use that credit for the valet laundry service or to cover your 7-course dinner at Anthology or towards a spa treatment, etc.

Or, I can get them a FREE shore excursion during one of their port stops.

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For additional questions about “Explora Journeys” or any other Ocean Cruise, River Cruise or Tauck Land Tour or Africa Safari… simply contact me here where I’ll be ready to help you experience your next Great Adventure!!  

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I appreciate you!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise and Tauck Tour & Africa Safari Expert

Some videos that may interest you:

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Shawn’s “Explora Journeys” overview:

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Here’s what an “Explora Journeys” ship looks like:

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“Explora Journeys” included “Wellness Area” is another example of their all-inclusive nature:

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Here’s Shawn’s thoughts on “Explora Journeys” vs “Regent” & “Silversea”:

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Here’s Shawn’s thoughts on “Explora Journeys” vs “Viking” & “Oceania”:

To all of my Family, Friends & Clients… I Appreciate You & am looking forward to us all experiencing some Great travels in 2026!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise and Tauck Tour & Africa Safari Expert

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My Top 9 Trips of All Time

After 91 cruises, 6 Tauck land tours and travels through 7 continents & almost 100 countries, I’ve experienced some truly unforgettable adventures — so narrowing them down to my Top 9 Trips of All Time wasn’t easy!

Each of these journeys holds a special place in my heart… from incredible wildlife encounters to breathtaking landscapes and cultural experiences that shaped how I see the world.

So, I decided to create a 3-part YouTube series where I share the stories behind my favorite trips — the destinations, the moments, and the reasons they stood out above the rest.

If you love travel as much as I do, I think you’ll enjoy hearing about these incredible places and maybe even get some ideas for your own next adventure!

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Watch Part 1 here: 

Watch Part 2 here: 

Watch Part 3 here: 

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I’d love to know — which of these destinations would you most like to experience someday?

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I appreciate you!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise and Tauck Tour & Africa Safari Expert

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1. Watch this for more of my thoughts on Tauck’s “Grand Australia & New Zealand” land tour and here is why I think it’s better to do a land tour in this part of the World instead of a Cruise!

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2. Here’s my full review of AMA Waterways “Chobe” River Cruise & Safari in Africa.  

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3. This video goes more in-depth on my “Essence of Japan” Tauck land tour experience.

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4. Here’s my full review of my “Galapagos” Cruise.

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5. Here’s my full review of my “Antarctica” Cruise.

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6. This review covers my full thoughts on my “Portrait of India” Tauck land tour.

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7. Here’s my full review of my “Nile” River Cruise in Egypt.

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8. WOW, check out this review for my thoughts on my “Kenya & Tanzania & Rwanda with Gorillas” Africa Safari with Tauck trip of a lifetime!

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9. Here’s my video review of my “Blue Danube” Tauck River Cruise.

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Is it a good deal to book your Cruise or Tauck Land Tour with me compared to with the Cruiseline or Tauck direct? Does it cost you more to do so… or less? Below I cover this often misunderstood topic: 

AmaMagna — A River Cruise Ship Like No Other on the Danube

I recently added to my website a new AmaMagna Danube river cruise photo gallery and review — one of the most luxurious and unique river cruise ships sailing the Danube.

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Spacious Suites and Onboard Comfort

Unlike standard river cruise ships, the AmaMagna is double the width — offering spacious rooms, expansive public areas, and unmatched comfort.

She features some of the largest suites on Europe’s rivers — including the Grand Suite I stayed in, complete with butler service, daily laundry, and a deep soaking tub.

You’ll see it all in my AmaMagna Danube River Cruise picture & video gallery.

In addition to its spacious rooms, the AmaMagna features the biggest observation deck on the Danube for relaxing and enjoying the Danube scenery… complete with a pool & Pickleball court!

AmaMagna guests can enjoy a quiet read in the onboard library or sip cocktails in the Panorama Lounge or even watch a movie in the Cinema!

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Dining and Wellness Options

Dining on the AmaMagna Danube River Cruise ship features four restaurants & a Zen Wellness Studio.

Each of her four distinct restaurants serves a variety of international and regional cuisine… I felt “Chef’s Table” & “Jimmy’s” & “Al Fresco” at night were great highlights while I was onboard! 

For wellness and relaxation, the Zen Wellness Studio provides a full range of amenities including massages and fitness classes. 

AmaMagna Danube River Cruise guests can also take advantage of AmaMagna’s bicycles to explore ports independently, combining sightseeing with healthy activity.

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Why Ocean Cruisers Will Love This Ship

Even though some Danube river cruises have more in-depth itineraries and some lines are more inclusive, this is, in my opinion, a standout ship choice for cruising the Danube, especially if you’re an ocean cruiser worried about river ships being too small… this one is for you!

If you’re new to river cruising, as I show in a video below in my “Insider Tips” section, I recommend booking a top-deck suite for the best views and privacy.

Photo Gallery and Videos

Explore my full AmaMagna Danube river cruise photo gallery to see why this ship is truly unique.

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I appreciate you!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise and Tauck Tour & Africa Safari Expert

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Insider Tips to Make the Most of Your First, or Next, River Cruise

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Why River Cruises Are Such a Fantastic Way to Travel

Still not convinced a River Cruise is the best way to explore Europe? This video explains why River Cruises are an incredible way to see new destinations in comfort, style, and with rich cultural experiences:

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Top Deck Rooms Are the Sweet Spot

Not sure what room to book on your European River Cruise? From personal experience, and as I show in the below video, the top deck offers the best views, most privacy and the most spacious rooms. If you want the best experience, aim for the top deck whenever possible.

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Need some inspiration on where to sail for your first ever, or next, River Cruise… if so, check out this video:

As I talk about in here, the “Danube” & “Rhine” are super popular… as are France’s Rivers… but did you know you can “River Cruise” in Africa in addition to an African Safari??

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Consider Multiple Cruises or Back-to-Back Trips

If you really want to immerse yourself in Europe, taking multiple river cruises or ocean cruises, land tours, etc. back-to-back can be a fantastic option. I recently did three consecutive Cruises (An Arctic Expedition Cruise & 2 River Cruises), and the experience was unforgettable! Multi-trip itineraries allow you to explore more destinations efficiently, deepen your connections with the places you visit, and get maximum value from your time and travel.

Learn more here and in the video below:

If you’re researching the best river cruise lines in Europe, you’ve likely come across Tauck.

With over 100 years of travel expertise (I share more about their impressive history in this video), Tauck consistently ranks among the top choices for luxury river cruising.

I’ve personally sailed on 19 river cruises—including multiple Tauck journeys (you can read my Tauck River Cruise reviews here and here)—and I’ve also helped clients book $30+ million dollars worth of river cruises across every major line.

From that experience, I can confidently say: Tauck stands out as the highest-quality option. In fact, the majority of my clients choose Tauck over other river cruise companies once they understand the difference.

Below, I’ll walk you through the 6 biggest advantages Tauck River Cruises offers—and why so many travellers end up becoming lifelong Tauck guests. 

If you’re more of a “listener” or “watcher” over a reader, check out my YouTube video here where I cover this same topic.

1. Unmatched & Inclusive Experiences Ashore

Most river cruise ships feel quite similar onboard—comfortable staterooms, quality dining, attentive service. The real difference comes ashore, and this is where Tauck truly sets itself apart.

Thanks to over a century of connections and relationships, Tauck guests often enjoy exclusive, behind-the-scenes access that other lines simply cannot replicate. Some highlights from my own Tauck journeys (and those available across their itineraries) include:

• A private Imperial Evening inside a Viennese palace where Mozart once performed

• A pre-opening tour of Versailles’ Queen’s Hamlet, two hours before the crowds arrive

• A private gala dinner in Prague’s Lobkowicz Palace

• An early-entry tour of Monet’s Water Lilies Garden in Giverny

• VIP access to the Palace of Parliament in Bucharest

• Dinner and entertainment at a private French château

• Dining inside historic French castles and German palaces

• Meeting extraordinary figures, such as Sir Winston Churchill’s granddaughter

Other river cruise companies may advertise “exclusive events,” but they rarely compare to Tauck’s truly once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

And beyond the “exclusive events,” Tauck’s tours are also far more inclusive in what they cover. Let me share a personal example:

On one trip with another well-known river cruise line, we visited Budapest’s famous Fisherman’s Bastion and “Matthias Church.” Their guide walked us around outside, told us how beautiful the inside was, then pointed to the ticket booth where we could buy our own entry. Same thing for the best viewing platform—“there’s where you buy tickets.” Then they gave us three hours of “free time.” Wow… what an “exhilarating” excursion that was.

Four months later, I was in the exact same spot with Tauck. But this time, our Tauck Director whisked us past the lines and straight inside Matthias Church, followed by entry to the best viewing platform—no extra tickets, no wasted time. And instead of being left to wander for hours, we were taken to a local Hungarian restaurant for a delicious lunch of traditional dishes.

This is why Tauck River Cruises cost more: with Tauck, you’re truly paying to see and experience the destination you flew thousands of miles to explore. With other companies, the upfront price may look attractive, but the end experience simply doesn’t compare.

In summary: When it comes to the “land” part of a river cruise, Tauck River Cruises are unmatched. If you’re traveling to Europe to connect with history and immerse yourself in local culture—through once-in-a-lifetime events at unique venues (castles, châteaux, palaces, even private family homes) and encounters with extraordinary people (royalty, descendants of world figures)—Tauck is the company worth investing your hard-earned money with.

With Tauck, you won’t just take a trip—you’ll create Memories for Life!

2. Spacious, Uncrowded Ships for a Relaxed Experience

When it comes to luxury river cruising, space and comfort make all the difference—and Tauck delivers in spades.

Their ships carry a maximum of 130 guests, while competitors like Viking (Whose ships are identical size to Tauck’s), carry 190 passengers.

Combined with the highest staff-to-guest ratio in the river cruise industry, this smaller guest count allows Tauck to provide exceptional service and a relaxed, personalized experience every day.

Fewer guests means you enjoy:

• Larger staterooms and suites (80% of Tauck’s rooms are 225–300 sq. ft.—more than any other river line), giving you plenty of room to unwind

• More personal space throughout the ship, including in the restaurants, lounge, and public areas

• Relaxed, open-seating dining, without the rush

• Smaller tour groups (typically 20 guests vs. 40–50), allowing for more personal attention on excursions

• Highly attentive staff, available to answer questions, assist on tours, and enhance your onboard experience

• A club-like, intimate atmosphere onboard that feels exclusive and welcoming

From the moment you step onboard, the difference is clear: more space, more attention, and a truly elevated river cruise experience that you won’t find on other ships.

Want to see what it’s like “Inside” a Tauck River Cruise ship?

If so, I got you covered as I put together the below video for you!

World-Class Dining on Board

Tauck’s small, uncrowded ships don’t just offer more space—they also make dining a true pleasure. From breakfast to dinner, every meal is thoughtfully prepared and beautifully presented!

Check out what dining was like during one of my Tauck River Cruises:

3. Truly All-Inclusive Pricing

Many river cruise lines advertise themselves as “all-inclusive,” but in reality, you often still pay for:

• Gratuities for onboard staff and tour guides (around $500 USD per couple per week)

• Many Alcoholic beverages & soft drinks

• Airport or train transfers

• Optional shore excursions and VIP experiences

Competitors like Viking and AmaWaterways may appear all-inclusive on paper, but most still charge extra for many of their drinks, optional excursions, airport transfers, gratuities, etc.—every time I cruise with other lines, I consistently hear guests complain about tipping, drink costs, and extra excursions.

For example, on a recent France river cruise with Tauck, I paid for zero excursions. On the same itinerary, Viking charges for 10 of their 17 excursion options—that’s 60% of the itinerary, which can add up to a substantial extra cost over the week.

And on the same Danube sailing I did with Tauck, Viking charges for 30/35 of their excursion options which is a whopping 85% of excursions you’ll need to pay extra for!

With Tauck River Cruises, everything is truly included—no hidden costs, no upselling, and no surprises. If there’s a site you need to see, Tauck makes sure you get there. Their excursions are also more inclusive than other lines, meaning you experience the highlights of every destination without paying extra.

Inclusions that make Tauck stand out:

• Gratuities for all onboard staff and tour guides & drivers, bellhops, etc. are included

• Wine, beer, cocktails, and soft drinks are available anytime

• Airport and train transfers—even to or from non-Tauck hotels!

• All shore excursions included, with no optional tours to sell once you’re onboard… ever!

• VIP experiences and “lagniappes”, such as private opera performances, tastings, local treats, or surprise events

• On many sailings Pre- and post-cruise hotel stays at prime locations, often with welcome or farewell dinners

• First-class train rides included, where other lines may charge hundreds of euros extra for upgrades

• World-class hotels before and after many of their sailings (London’s Savoy, Four Seasons Prague, Grand Hotel Wien, etc.)

• Seamless, high-quality experiences—no unexpected fees for river-view rooms at hotels, bottled water on bus rides, or other small charges that can sour your trip

• Onboard Wifi- for unlimited devices
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• Over 100 items included in your cruise price, far more than most competitors

In this video, I talk about the uniqueness and quality of one of Tauck’s inclusions and how not only does Tauck always include airport & train transfers with all their trips but that’s even if you don’t buy their airfare (Which is the smart thing to do!) and even if you don’t book your extra hotel nights through them… this kind of flexibility is truly unique in the travel industry!!

Pre-Cruise Hotel Stay—A Perk Available Through Me If You’re A First Time Tauck Guest!

One last inclusion that makes Tauck truly stand out is a pre-cruise hotel night—something no other river cruise company consistently offers. Arriving at least a day early is smart on any River Cruise, Ocean Cruise, Land Tour, or Africa Safari: flying overnight and jumping straight into activities can leave you exhausted, and you don’t want to miss your first evening’s events due to a… commonly… delayed flight!

For Tauck’s loyal past guests, if you book early enough (most trips sell out 1–1.5 years in advance so it’s important you do!), you’ll receive a FREE hotel night pre-cruise. This year, for example, trips booked by July 31, 2025, for 2026 cruises qualify for this perk, and the same goes for 2027 trips booked by July 31, 2026.

If you’re a new guest to Tauck, I can also secure a free pre-cruise hotel night for you, thanks to the volume of business I do with Tauck. These hotel nights are in prime locations and can be a substantial savings—I’ve seen prices of $1,100 per night in Amsterdam, similar in Paris, $490 per night in Budapest, etc.

So while Tauck River Cruises may appear more expensive upfront compared to their competitors, Tauck’s overall value is far superior, which explains why so many Tauck guests return again and again. With Tauck, you can enjoy a worry-free, hassle-free vacation, knowing that money won’t be a daily concern. On my own Danube Cruise, for example, Tauck even covered small surprises like bathroom breaks—attention to detail that turns a great trip into a truly effortless experience.

Because Tauck covers all these costs upfront, your focus stays on enjoying your journey instead of worrying about add-ons. Even if another cruise appears cheaper on paper, Tauck often represents far better overall value, giving you a truly stress-free, worry-free vacation!

4. More Personal Attention Onboard

If you go on a river cruise with AMA, Viking, Uniworld, Avalon, or similar lines, you’ll notice they rely on one Cruise Director to manage everything—from guest concerns to excursion logistics. They juggle schedules, local guides, buses, and guest issues, all while sometimes focusing on selling optional excursions. Many are independent contractors who move from ship to ship and may not be fully up to date on the itinerary, which can limit your access to personalized guidance.

With Tauck River Cruises, the experience is very different. Each sailing includes one Cruise Director plus three additional Tauck Directors who travel with you from start to finish. Unlike contractors, Tauck’s Directors are full-time employees with an average tenure of 10+ years, meaning they know the ships, itineraries, and destinations inside and out.

What this means for you:

• More personal interaction and guidance throughout your cruise

• Directors join tours, share insights, and provide context you won’t get elsewhere. Because Tauck Directors are present, local companies often assign their best guides—those who speak excellent English, are knowledgeable, attentive, and genuinely engaging—ensuring your onshore experience is seamless, informative, and memorable.

• Dedicated staff support for emergencies, including accompanying guests to hospitals or pharmacies abroad

For example, on my Tauck River Cruise last month, my partner needed a pharmacy for hay fever. A Tauck Director personally escorted us, translated, and returned us to the ship in time for lunch. That’s not just service—it’s genuine care.

Whether it’s leading a bike ride, helping solo travelers mingle, sharing “secret” favorite spots during a land tour, helping you find a lost item, or accompanying guests on a morning walk, Tauck’s four Director-level staff make the difference between an enjoyable trip and a truly memorable one!

This extra level of attention makes your experience stress-free, seamless, and truly enriching, ensuring every guest receives personalized guidance, peace of mind, and a deeper connection with each destination.

5. Ideal for Families and Multi-Generational Travel

Tauck pioneered family river cruises and continues to offer the most departures designed for parents, kids, and grandparents traveling together. Unlike Disney, which focuses on entertainment with “fake castles” and staged princess experiences, Tauck is a cultural company—visiting real castles, palaces, and historical sites—so every experience is authentic and enriching for all generations.

Multi-generational travel is more popular than ever, and it’s easy to see why. 70% of these trips are booked by grandparents who want to leave their families with lasting memories and meaningful experiences, rather than simply giving them money that fades over time. Tauck’s thoughtfully crafted itineraries balance authentic cultural experiences with fun, family-friendly activities, making it easy for every generation to enjoy the journey.

Tauck’s team brings 7 more years of experience than Disney, who doesn’t operate their ships directly, ensuring a smoother, expertly managed experience for every guest. And unlike some competitors, Tauck’s family sailings are more affordable, averaging 22% less than Disney’s river cruises, providing exceptional value for multi-generational trips.

Even if you’re traveling without children, you’ll still have a tailored experience. No worries—just because Tauck is great with kids doesn’t mean you’ll have them all around on your sailing. Family-focused departures are offered on specific dates, so unless you’re traveling with your own family, you’ll mostly be on a sailing with like-minded adult travelers, enjoying a peaceful, sophisticated environment.

With Tauck, multi-generational travel becomes seamless, enriching, and truly memorable for everyone on board.

6. Tauck Always “Does the Right Thing”

Founded in 1925, Tauck is still family-owned and guided by the philosophy of always doing the right thing. While other cruise lines often hide behind fine print when itineraries change, Tauck goes out of their way to take care of guests.

If a scheduled tour can’t happen, Tauck ensures guests experience an equivalent or better activity instead of just skipping it. This approach reflects the fact that Tauck has a lot to lose: if they lose a River Cruise client, they could lose a lifelong traveler who might join them on Land Tours, Africa Safaris, or Small Ship Cruises. No other river cruise company has that much at stake in delivering an amazing experience!

Having personally canceled over $7 million in travel bookings due to COVID, I can confidently say Tauck handled it better than all other companies. They offered refunds promptly, gave extra discounts to those who rebooked, and processed all refunds in 1–2 weeks—while many competitors took months, or even a full year.

I’ve personally booked over $10 million worth of Tauck River Cruises, Small Ship Ocean Cruises, and Land Tours & Africa Safaris for my clients… and traveled with them personally 12 times. Not only are there fewer booking issues, but when challenges arise, Tauck resolves them quickly and effortlessly—true to their “always do the right thing” philosophy.

This integrity is one of the real secrets behind Tauck’s huge success on Europe’s rivers and why their repeat clientele is so high. Guests know they can trust Tauck with their hard-earned money to always deliver the best possible experience—not something I hear from clients of other lines like Viking.

Final Thoughts: Is Tauck Worth It?

If you value:

• Authentic, immersive experiences you couldn’t arrange on your own that allow you to travel deeply, connect meaningfully, and create memories that truly last

• Truly all-inclusive pricing—no nickel-and-diming for excursions, gratuities, drinks, or transfers

• Small-group travel with highly trained Tauck Directors who join excursions, provide personal guidance, and ensure every detail is seamless

• Peace of mind knowing you’re with a company that “always does the right thing” and has your back if anything unexpected arises

…then a Tauck River Cruise is absolutely worth the investment!

And, as you’ll learn here, when you book your Tauck River Cruise through me, you get even more value:

• Expert guidance in choosing the perfect sailing — at no extra cost to you

• Access to perks like a free pre-cruise hotel night

• Peace of mind knowing you have a trusted travel professional advocating for you every step of the way

If a Tauck River Cruise sounds like the kind of journey you’ve been dreaming about, let’s make it happen.

Explore Tauck’s river cruise itineraries in Europe here

Contact me directly for personalized guidance

Your Tauck River Cruise adventure might be closer than you think!

And if you’re considering other experiences, Tauck also excels in Small Ship Ocean Cruises and Land Tours & Africa Safaris.

I appreciate you!

Shawn Power

Your Trusted Cruise and Tauck Tour & Africa Safari Expert

Insider Tips to Make the Most of Your Tauck River Cruise

Why River Cruises Are Such a Fantastic Way to Travel

Still not convinced a River Cruise is the best way to explore Europe? This video explains why River Cruises are an incredible way to see new destinations in comfort, style, and with rich cultural experiences:

Top Deck Rooms Are the Sweet Spot

Not sure what room to book on your Tauck River Cruise? From personal experience, and as I show in the below video, the top deck offers the best views, most privacy and the most spacious rooms. If you want the best experience, aim for the top deck whenever possible.

See the Rooms Before You Book:

Here’s a 300 square foot Category 7 Top Deck Suite with 2 French Balconies on a Tauck River Cruise, this is the room 90%+ of my clients stay in… if they book early enough. FYI, on a few of Tauck’s ships these rooms are called Category 5s… no worries, I’ll make sure you understand all your room options when booking your trip with me:

Here’s a 225 square foot Category 6 Middle French Balcony Stateroom on a Tauck River Cruise, this is the room my clients usually stay in when they book too late to get a Category 7. FYI, on a few of Tauck’s ships these rooms are called Category 3s… no worries, I’ll make sure you understand all your room options when booking your trip with me:

In this video I thoroughly explain why Tauck is a Great company you can entrust to experience your cherished Vacations with:

Need some inspiration on where to sail for your first ever, or next, River Cruise… if so, check out this video:

This video explains why Tauck’s Travel Protection is usually your best value compared to a 3rd party Travel Insurance like Allianz:

Consider Multiple Cruises or Back-to-Back Trips

If you really want to immerse yourself in Europe, taking multiple river cruises or ocean cruises, land tours, etc. back-to-back can be a fantastic option. I recently did three consecutive Cruises (An Arctic Expedition Cruise & 2 River Cruises), and the experience was unforgettable! Multi-trip itineraries allow you to explore more destinations efficiently, deepen your connections with the places you visit, and get maximum value from your time and travel.

Learn more here and in the video below:

Tauck Vs Viking??

As anyone who has ever taken or is considering taking a River Cruise knows about “Viking” since they’re the biggest & most advertised River line in the industry… often I get asked, “What’s Tauck like compared to Viking”? Well, above I told you all about how Tauck excels compared to their competitors… and below, I get into the “nitty gritty” of how Tauck compares with Viking!

Interested in knowing what it’s like to sail with Tauck in France on their “Rendezvous on the Seine” River Cruise?

If so, this post will give you a feel for what I experienced during my Fabulous sailing with Tauck on the “Seine” River in France and ideally it’ll help you see if this is a sailing you’d like to experience yourself!

Before I share my thoughts with you below, this overview video covers my top “highlights” of this itinerary if you’d like to hear some of the things that stood out to me.

And if you want a “visual” of what I saw & experienced during my “Rendezvous on the Seine” River Cruise with Tauck, this several-minute video shows you all the highlights!

And before I move on, maybe you’re not convinced yet you want to take a River Cruise to explore this area… if that’s the case, check out this video which covers why a River Cruise could be the perfect way for you to check out this & other destinations! 

So, what makes a Tauck River Cruise different and why do I continue to recommend them to my clients…

…and why do 85% of my clients choose to sail with Tauck when they do their River Cruises?

I get into the “nitty gritty” of why Tauck is the top-rated River Cruise in Europe here…

…but overall, if I had to sum up the difference with Tauck vs their competitors, it’s not just the five-star touches they deliver again & again throughout their journeys (All, 100% included in your upfront price!)—it’s how effortlessly everything flows!

As an example, I hadn’t even reached baggage claim at the Paris airport when my phone buzzed saying “Your Tauck driver is here”!

That awesome first impression… Classic “Tauck”…. they think of every detail so you don’t have to!!

Ok, back to my experience on Tauck’s “Rendezvous on the Seine” River Cruise!

 

 

As I talk about here and here, I always arrive at least a day early anytime I take an Ocean Cruise or River Cruise or Tauck Land Tour…

 

…and it was no different for this sailing as I flew into Paris a day early right after finishing my “Arctic” Cruise with Silversea that I had experienced during the 2 weeks prior to this sailing (As I talk about here I Love doing “Multi-Trip” Vacations!!) … you can get a “taste” of that Arctic sailing here.

 

 

 

Before boarding, I wandered Paris at my own pace—a stroll along the Seine with river ships lined and the Eiffel Tower overseeing it all… of course, followed by some French cuisine at a traditional Parisian Cafe!

 

 

I ALWAYS recommend arriving early. Not only does it ease you into the trip, it gives you a moment to take it all in!!

 

 

 

After enjoying Paris at Tauck’s “pre-Cruise Hotel” for a day, it was time to board Tauck’s “MS Esprit” River Ship.

From the welcome toast (“Veuve Clicquot”, naturally ) to the thoughtful pace of dinner… everything felt warm, polished, and personal from Day 1 on my Tauck River Cruise!

Want to take a look “Inside” Tauck’s MS Esprit? 

Curated Days with a Genuine Connection to France’s Culture… that’s what I experienced during my 10 days with Tauck!

 

 

Each day offered options—whether it was “Le Marais”, the “Latin Quarter” or a panoramic city overview in Paris… Tauck never boxed us in.

 

And every tour came with a local guide who didn’t just know the streets—but lived them.

 

In Le Marais, our guide was part stand-up comic, part historian, and 100% Parisian charm!

 

 

 

Lunch in Paris?

 

Instead of herding us back to the ship for lunch, Tauck handed us €30 per person for a “Taste of the Town” experience and encouraged us to eat like locals.

And those weren’t the only “local taste” experiences we had onboard… many times in the restaurants on “Esprit” Tauck brought on popular local dishes for us to try (Like “Moules-frites”, “Crepes Suzette”, “Croque Monsieur”, etc.) and in the lounge they had some “Taste of France”  items for us to try on multiple occasions like local cheeses, local meats, breads, escargots and even “frog legs” for the adventurous guests onboard like me!

Speaking of food, it was FABULOUS on Tauck’s “MS Esprit” River ship!!

Want to see for yourself??

 

 

 

 

As I talk about here, it’s the norm for Tauck to provide awesome shore excursions and often they’re “exclusive”!

 

 

How about… Versailles—Without the Crowds!!

 

 

While most travellers were lining up at the main Palace gates, we entered through a quiet, almost hidden entrance—right into the heart of the Versailles gardens.

 

Locals jogged along the Grand Canal, rowers skimmed the water, and our small group had the grounds nearly to ourselves.

 

But the real magic?

 

Tauck arranged exclusive early access to “Marie Antoinette’s Hamlet”—two full hours before it opened to the public.

 

No noise, no crowds, no rush!

 

Just a private guide, a peaceful path and time to wander this magical world as it was meant to be experienced! 

Every Stop, Seamless!

 

 

Whether it was a perfectly paced tour through Rouen’s cobbled streets or standing in reverent silence on Omaha Beach or taking a bike ride to “Giverny” the day before visiting there as a “taste” of what was to come…

 

…Tauck knows how to make moments meaningful—without ever overdoing it!

As I talk about here, Tauck’s competitors simply can’t do that as they all have 1 “Cruise Director” per sailing who rarely gets off the ship whereas Tauck has 4 “Tauck Directors” and 3 of them go on every tour with their guests…

Experiencing a new destination the way it was meant to be experienced!

Thanks to Tauck’s EXCLUSIVE EARLY ACCESS, we stepped into “Monet’s Gardens” 1.5 hours before the gates opened to the public… WOW, seriously, WOW!!

One evening, Tauck brought us to a privately owned Château that most travellers will never even see, let alone dine in.

 

As we stepped into the garden, flutes of Champagne were waiting and soft music played from a live duo. 

Final Impressions

 

 

Our journey ended where it began: smooth, seamless, and stress-free!

 

A Tauck Director, Ania, saw us off personally to our private car they had arranged for us.

 

The driver was waiting. Water bottles in the car. Luggage handled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That’s the thing about Tauck—the luxury isn’t just in the linens or the wine.

 

It’s in the way they think ahead for you, so you don’t have to!

Additional “Insider Tips” to help you make the best of your next Tauck River Cruise!

As I talk about in this video, the top deck is the best location for your room on a River Cruise!

But, as I talk about in the below 2 videos, if you don’t book early enough (As I didn’t for this sailing!) this option won’t be availbale so make sure you book your Tauck River Cruise with me as soon as they open up for sale to get the date & room preferences you want!!

Here’s what a 300 square foot “Category 7” top deck Suite with 2 French Balconies on a Tauck River Cruise is like:

And here’s what a 225 square foot “Category 6” middle deck French Balcony Stateroom on a Tauck River Cruise is like:

My Arctic Cruise Adventure on Silversea’s “Silver Endeavour”

Luxury, Ice, Wildlife & One Very Cool Birthday!!

Why I Always Arrive Early

Things kicked off with a classic travel hiccup—my flight out of Vancouver left two hours late, which cut my Zurich layover down to just 30 minutes. Could’ve been a nightmare… but it wasn’t.

Why?

Because I follow my own advice.

I always arrive at my cruise departure city at least a day early… and, as I talk about here & here, I recommend the same to all my clients.

On this trip, I had a full two days in Oslo, which gave me plenty of buffer.

No panic, no missed connections—just peace of mind!

Oslo in a Nutshell

• I had a full day to explore Oslo before heading north to Svalbard. Oslo doesn’t top my list of Norway’s best cities, but it was still worth a stroll.
  
  Top picks:

• Vigeland Sculpture Park 
• Exploring Grünerløkka
• Quick bites along the waterfront – Mathallen Oslo

In my opinion, one day in Oslo is plenty to see the highlights before your cruise. Spend your extra time elsewhere in Norway—or in the Arctic, like we did.

Check out some of the Oslo highlights I experienced:

Silversea Starts the Experience Early

Silversea, who is one of the cruise lines in the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” categories of cruise lines (learn about the different types of cruises here)  knows how to set the tone!

We stayed in a hotel near the airport the day before our charter flight to Svalbard… reason being, to help get over the jetlag but more importantly, to allow a little extra leeway for potential flight or bag delays before flying North to the middle of nowhere!

This extra night before the inter-Norway flight definitely made the transition to Longyearbyen effortless as…

…the next morning at check-out our bags were taken straight to the ship without us having to touch them at the airport…

…and the airport gate area had waffles, coffee, salmon wraps, and branded signage—it felt more like a luxury lounge than a boarding gate… perfect to make our way to our Luxurious Cruise!

Even on the charter flight, Silversea details stood out: branded seatbacks, upscale lunch menus, and attentive service that started well before we boarded the ship.

As I talk about here, Silversea is known for this Excellent type of service throughout their whole fleet!

Time to Board “Silver Endeavour”!

Stepping onboard Silver Endeavour, all guests were greeted with champagne , caviar, and that signature Silversea scent.

And since it was my Birthday the day we boarded, I had a birthday surprise as my suite was decorated with balloons and had a cake & Champagne waiting for my arrival—a thoughtful, classy touch that speaks to Silversea’s impeccable hospitality!

Below is a peek at my “Premium Veranda Suite” that I stayed in… as I talk about in that video, “Classic Veranda Suites”, “Superior Veranda Suites” & “Deluxe Veranda Suites” are all identical to my room, the only difference is your locaton which determines the name & “Category” of your Suite:

Normally when I Cruise I take videos of a lot of the different rooms onboard but at the end of this sailing I had an early flight to catch for my next Cruise (As I talk about here, I did 3 “Back to back to back” sailings during this trip, a GREAT way to travel if you’ve never tried it!!) so I didn’t get a chance to capture lots of videos as I typically do on my final morning.

With that said, I did manage to capture one more room…

…FYI, the room I stayed in was 355 square feet… and that was the most basic onboard so a way above average size for a Cruise!!

The bigger options were the “Silver”, “Signature”, “Master”, “Grand” & “Owner’s” Suites that ranged between 535-1,868 square feet.

Here’s what the “Signature Suites” (Around 700 square feet) look like:

Getting Expedition Ready

If you’re not sure what “Expedition” means compared to a normal Ocean Cruise, then it’s going to be hard for you to get “Expedition Ready”!

So, if you’re not familiar with what Expedition Cruising is all about, then watch this  video which explains the difference!

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After a smooth check-in, we received our expedition jackets, backpacks, and water bottles. Later that day, we had the mandatory briefing—but unlike your standard muster drill, this one was packed with personality.

We learned how to dress for polar weather , navigate the zodiacs and even got a crash course in polar bear safety.

Speaking of zodiacs, if you’ve ever worried about getting on and off these things, this video shows you why you have nothing to worry about!

Zodiacs, Wildlife & Ice Walls

Over the next couple days, we cruised through broken sea ice, got stuck a few times (which added to the adventure!), and spotted walruses, seabirds, and one massive ice wall that looked like a frozen fortress.

Insider tip: Arctic summers can still be bitter cold. I underestimated it—Antarctica actually felt warmer on some days! Come prepared with a good toque, gloves, and neck warmer. With that said, as we went South towards Iceland, it warmed up a lot so make sure to layer to be prepared for lots of different temperatures!

Kayaking + Polar Plunge = Unforgettable

One morning, we kayaked near a thunderously active glacier—just surreal.

Note: Only 12 guests go kayaking per outing via lottery but everyone who was interested was able to get out at least once.

Later that day? The polar plunge! Music, butlers, cocktails, laughter, and freezing cold water. It was as fun as it was freezing.

 

Overall, it was scenic, serene & lots of fun during our time in “The Arctic” with Silversea Cruises on their Expedition Ship… “Silver Endeavour”!!

Here are some of the Highlights of Svalbard that we experienced during our Journey:

Rare Landing on Jan Mayen Island — A Bucket List Arctic Destination

We made an extremely rare landing at Jan Mayen—a remote volcanic island between Svalbard and Iceland… our expedition leader has only landed there 5 times out of 27 attempts!

Imagine a blend of Iceland, Hawaii, and Newfoundland—that’s the vibe here. Only about 500 people per year make it to the island!

Jan Mayen video:

Life Onboard: Where Luxury Meets Adventure

“Silver Endeavour” is a purpose-built polar ship with thoughtful luxury touches:
• EVERY room onboard has a private Veranda & the smallest rooms are 355 square feet… well above the average room size on a Cruise Ship!

• Spacious Mud Room with personal lockers for your Expedition landings

• Free laundry room onboard

• 1:1 staff-to-guest ratio

• Most dining choices of any expedition ship. 

Speaking of dining, this food video shows you all the yummy Culinary options onboard:  

FYI, Silversea matches your “Celebrity” Cruises & “Royal Caribbean” Cruises loyalty tiers so if you have high status with them, let me know when I’m booking your Silversea Cruise for you so I can make sure you get all the “perks” you’re entitled to!

Arctic vs. Antarctica: Which Should You Choose?

This Arctic Expedition Cruise reminded me a lot of my Antarctica Expedition Cruise with Tauck that you can check out here. 

In my opinion, Antarctica is more remote and pristine & has more wildlife to see while the Arctic offers more variety in scenery and is much easier to get to.

I’m Happy to help you choose between the two, or like me & many of my clients, you can do both!

Final Thoughts

This trip had everything: glaciers, whales, zodiacs, champagne, a birthday surprise, and even a polar plunge!

On top of that, our journey was pure luxury so if you’ve ever considered visiting this region, “Silver Endeavour” might just be the perfect ship for you to sail there on!

Check out my experience onboard Silversea’s “Silver Endeavour” in this video:

FYI, after visiting Svalbard & Jan Mayen onboard “Silver Endeavour”, we spent the better part of the next week checking out Iceland… as you’ll see in the below video, that was an awesome Journey as well!!

If you’re dreaming of something extraordinary, whether it’s the Arctic, Antarctica, a River Cruise, a Tauck Land Tour or beyond…

…contact me and let’s make it happen—and do it in style!

I Appreciate You!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!

I’m doing another “Multi Cruise” Vacation of course!

If you have no idea what I’m talking about, then check out this blog post or watch this video to learn about something I’ve done (as have A Lot of my clients) many, many times to save money, to make my vacations even better, etc… and to make myself sound REALLY interesting at parties/social get-togethers!  

Alright, so what is it this time I’m “combining” you ask?

Well, in just 1 week from now I’ll be embarking on a 13 night “Expedition” Cruise with Silversea… as I talk about here & here, Silversea is a Great company to sail with since they’re one of the top Cruiselines in the World, falling into the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” category of Cruises, so no doubt the onboard Cruise experience itself will be Great! And, as this is an area I haven’t been before way up North past the Arctic Circle in an attempt to see Polar Bears in the wild, that makes it a doubly exciting Cruise!!

From there, I’ll be flying to Paris to take a 9 night “Rendezvous on the Seine” River Cruise with Tauck… as I talk about here, Tauck is the top-rated River Cruiseline in Europe so no doubt that’ll be an awesome experience!!

And then finally, I’ll fly to Munich to catch a 7 night AMA Waterways River Cruise on their “AmaMagna” ship which is a Super unique vessel as it’s the biggest River ship in Europe with bigger then average rooms, multiple restaurants, etc. (Which are not features you’d find on a typical River Cruise) and it even has a Pickleball Court onboard which makes it worth the trip alone for a Pickleball lover like me!

And as I’m going to end off this over 5 week stay in Europe with a few nights in Prague… it’s for sure going to be another Memorable “Multi Cruise” Vacation!

As per this blog post, as always, I feel like doing these “Multi-Cruise/Land Tour Trips” is a GREAT idea!!

As mentioned in that post, rather than spending $4,000-$5,000 per person to fly to Europe & back this year and then back to do the other 2 trips over multiple years, I spent the money on air just one time to do these 3 trips… yes, I had to pay to get from Reykjavik to Paris & from Paris to Munich but that was only a few hundred dollars as flights within Europe are cheap!

And, since I’ll be in Europe for over 5 weeks, I’ll be used to the time zones, I’ll be more relaxed/into “Vacation mode”, etc.

Again, if you’ve never done a “Multi-Cruise/Land Tour Trip” like this you have to try it sometime… I talk about all the benefits of doing so here!

Alright, I’m off to pack for this Epic Adventure!!

I Appreciate You!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise and Tauck Tour & Safari Expert!

As it’s the start of “Cruise Ship Season” here in Vancouver, pretty much daily now I get to see Cruise ships sail in & out of the Port of Vancouver while looking out my home office’s window or while enjoying time on my scenic patio.

Which of course, instantly makes me want to hop on another Cruise to Alaska!!

To date, I’ve been on 11 Alaska Cruises as well as 1 Cruise Tour to Alaska in Fairbanks/Denali/McKinley/Anchorage. (You can see my Picture & Video Galleries of all my sailings to Alaska here)

Yes, as I live in Vancouver that’s one of the reasons I keep going back as it’s easy access (think Caribbean Cruises for Floridians) but I also keep going back to Alaska as the people there are Super friendly, it’s BEAUTIFUL, UNIQUE and there is LOTS to see & do in Alaska!!

Since Alaska seems to be busier than ever and lots & lots of clients of mine are taking Cruises up there, below I have compiled the best highlights of Alaska to take part in…but first…

Here is some INSIDER INFORMATION for those of you considering a Cruise to Alaska!

If you learn better listening then reading, here is my YouTube video covering this topic.

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BY FAR, the highest-rated trips that take place in Alaska are “Cruise Tours”… that’s where you do a Cruise (usually 7-10 nights between Vancouver & the Anchorage area) plus some time on land staying in hotels (ideally 6-7 days on Land) in the “Heart” of Alaska visiting places like Fairbanks, Denali, Mount McKinley, etc. as I did during this visit to Alaska: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Princess-Alaska-Cruise-Tour/

Another option is you can simply do a Cruise with NO time on land but keep in mind when you do that, you’re only seeing about 5% of the State in South East Alaska, so the longer you can go for the more “Authentic” of an Alaskan experience you’ll have!

(From a Cruise Ship is the perfect place to enjoy the fresh Alaskan air, Glacial Ice and Turquoise Green/Blue ocean)

If you only want to do a Cruise usually it’s best to simply do a “round-trip” Cruise from Vancouver or Seattle which makes booking your airfare easy and cost-effective…

…whereas the one-way Cruises between Vancouver & the Anchorage area (the ships park 1.5-3 hours away from Anchorage airport) add extra expenses and logistics to worry about and are best only booked if you’re adding a land/”Cruise Tour” component.

FYI, there are literally over 100 “Cruise Tour” options between all the different lines so it can be very confusing trying to figure out which is best for you and, you can trust me when I say, all the Cruise Tours the lines offer are NOT created equally so make sure to contact me to figure out the best “Cruise Tour” option for you.

Not only have I been to Alaska a dozen times but I’ve also booked almost 15 million dollars worth of Alaska Cruises & Cruise Tours for my clients so I know Alaska Cruise Tours extremely well & my clients pretty much do 1 of 2 Cruise Tour options as I know which of them are “the cream of the crop” and include the most important tours & sites, they do the right tour into Denali Park, include the most meals, etc.

Another point I want to make before moving on is that Alaska is the ONE place where you REALLY want to have a Balcony Stateroom!!

The reason being is because Alaska is one of the most Scenic parts of the world and if you can see an Orca or Humpback Whale breach the water or watch and hear the thunderous roars as building size glacial ice breaks and falls into the water from the privacy of your balcony instead of trying to get your camera high enough over the 100’s of other heads on the top deck who are also fighting for a spot too, you will have a WAY better experience… you don’t want to be frustrated & miss these events as they truly are priceless.

Below are some of the Glaciers & other Beautiful sites I have seen from my private Balconies during my visits… not to mention the other areas you will get to witness as the ship glides through the “Lynn Canal” in Skagway, through the “Tongas Narrows” in Ketchikan, through the “Inside Passage” etc.

Alright, after all this talk about Alaska Cruises & Cruise Tours you may be wondering why you would want to go to Alaska in the first place… what is there to see & do up there?

After all of my visits to Alaska…

Here’s my list of some of the HIGHLIGHTS of Things to See & Do in Alaska:

An “Up Close” viewing of a Glacier as I experienced on a “Seabourn Ventures” excursion: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Seabourn-Odyssey-Alaska-Cruise/i-RRHRMcQ (FYI, the caption under the picture at that link tells you all about what “Seabourn Ventures” excursions are and the dozen pictures & videos after that one show you some more examples of ways to experience this unique program in Alaska!)

Seeing the Bears feeding on Salmon by taking a floatplane into “Neet’s Bay” (from Ketchikan) or somewhere similar: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Alaska-Hubbard-Glacier/i-Rv5JC9q (FYI, that link takes you to my gallery where you’ll see a dozen or so pictures & videos that show you what that tour was all about) Keep in mind, this AMAZING activity only takes place during certain times of the year so if it’s something you plan to do mention that to me when booking so you don’t go the wrong time of year!

Taking the “White Pass Rail” Train Ride in Skagway: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Holland-America-Koningsdam-Alaska-Cruise/i-8h2Vjt2 (FYI, that link takes you to my gallery where you’ll see a 1/2 dozen or so pictures & videos that show you scenes from that Beautiful Train Ride)

Seeing Wildlife in Denali National Park: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Princess-Alaska-Cruise-Tour/i-MdFjHzr (FYI, that link takes you to my gallery where you’ll see a 1/2 dozen or so pictures & videos that show you scenes from “Denali”)

Whale Watching in Juneau: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Alaska-Hubbard-Glacier/i-XzVLt66 (FYI, that link takes you to my gallery where you’ll see a 1/2 dozen or so pictures & videos that show you some more scenes from Whale Watching in Juneau… and yes, that second pic below of the whale “breaching” out of the water was taken from my own camera/it’s the real deal… amazing site when in Alaska!)

Taking a River Boat ride in Fairbanks & visiting a “Native” Village to learn how to live off of the land: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Princess-Alaska-Cruise-Tour/i-v7sbq96 (FYI, that link takes you to my gallery where you’ll see a 1/2 dozen or so pictures & videos that show you some more scenes from my Fairbanks River Boat ride)

A visit to “Creek Street” in Ketchikan: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Seabourn-Odyssey-Alaska-Cruise/i-3cRg35T  (As the picture & the few after it at that link show, not only is “Creek Street” a pretty place to visit with its unique buildings on stilts layout but it’s also where you can see Salmon “running” upstream if you’re there at the right time of year… it’s a VERY cool site!!)

Land on Mt. McKinley: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Princess-Alaska-Cruise-Tour/i-xLJNhtk (FYI, that link takes you to my gallery where you’ll see a dozen or so pictures that show you how Epic of an experience landing on a Glacier can be!!)

Enjoy views of Mt McKinley from your serene lodge: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Princess-Alaska-Cruise-Tour/i-dTxNj38 (FYI, that link takes you to my gallery where you’ll see a dozen or so pictures that show you how Beautiful a place the “Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge” can be to hang out for a couple of days!!)

Eat Alaskan King Crab: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Princess-Alaska-Cruise-Tour/i-XPjm42x 

Pan for Gold: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Princess-Alaska-Cruise-Tour/i-DFbCcMK (FYI, that link shows you a couple of more pictures of that fun activity!  

Hike up “Mount Roberts” in Juneau for some amazing views!! https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Seabourn-Odyssey-Alaska-Cruise/i-Z9RMppz (FYI, that link & the 1/2 dozen pics & videos after it show you what a Great/exhilarating experience that hike can be!) 

Take in a “Lumberjack Show”… I avoided this for many years thinking it’d be corny, but, I finally tried it on Cruise # 6 and as I talk about in the caption under this picture, it ended up being Very entertaining!!  

Enjoy a Scenic Boat Ride & Seafood Fest… all I can say about below is, YUM, it truly was delicious!!

Feel exhilarated during a “Zipline & Ropes Course” adventure!… I’m not going to lie, I’m not one for excursions involving heights but when you’re in Alaska surrounded by lots & lots of Beauty, it takes away from all that being scared stuff as there are so many nice things around you to look at & enjoy to distract you!!  

Not that it’s in Alaska, but you can take a “Rocky Mountaineer” Train Ride from Vancouver which is the perfect add-on to your Alaska Cruise Vacation: https://www.shawnpower.com/rocky-mountaineer-train-alaska-cruise/ (FYI, that link takes you to my detailed review of the “Rocky Mountaineer” Train Ride)

Well, there you have it…

…these are literally just a FEW of the Unique things you can see & do in Alaska… there’s also kayaking, Salmon bakes, dog-sledding, biking, a lot more hiking, helicopter rides, glacier walks, etc, etc., etc.!!

There’s something for EVERYONE in Alaska so don’t think this is just like the rest of the USA… because that’s the beauty of it… it’s one of the most unique places in the US you’ll ever visit!!

Want more information?

Then visit my photo and video gallery to check out my 12 trips to Alaska to get lots of ideas for your next trip there!

AND if you haven’t been to Alaska yet, contact me to get your Cruise or Cruise Tour booked as I’m very confident this is for sure a “trip of a lifetime” that you’re going to absolutely love!!

Until next time and as always…

I Appreciate You!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!

After recently experiencing my 4th Cruise with Oceania, sailing on Oceania’s “Vista” ship above for a week, I would say a resounding… Absolutely!!

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If you learn better listening then reading, here is my YouTube video covering this topic.

As you know, there isn’t a more seamless way to see the world than on a beautiful Cruise Ship… you unpack once, you wake up with a brand new city to explore each morning, all your yummy meals are prepared for you, you come back to the comforts of your freshly prepared Stateroom or Suite, you’re entertained each evening, etc. and you do all of this without lifting a finger!

But of course, keep in mind, not all Cruiselines & Ships are created equal!!

Some will leave you frustrated while others will make you feel sad to have to disembark.

Below is a recap of my time onboard my multiple “Oceania” sailings (an “Upper Premium” Cruiseline) so you can get a good sense of what life is like onboard this class of Cruiseline and then determine for yourself if it’s YOUR kind of Cruise or not.

But before I get into my experience onboard Oceania, I thought it would be a good idea to give you an overview about the different types of Cruises for perspective.

When It Comes to Ocean Cruises, as I talk about here, there are 3 Types of Options:

1. “Mainstream/Big Ship” Cruiselines: These Cruiselines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Holland America, Princess, Celebrity) are the way most people get introduced to Cruising… overall, they’re a cheap way/the most economical way to enjoy cruising due to sailing onboard with 1,000s & 1,000s of others

2. “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruiselines: These Cruiselines (Regent, Explora, Silversea, Seabourn, Crystal) are Fantastic experiences but, at a starting price of $800-$1,000 per person per day on average, they’re not affordable for many people

3. “Upper Premium” Cruiselines: These Cruiselines (Oceania & Viking Ocean Cruises. Azamara also falls into this category but these days I’m VERY hesitant to recommend Azamara so make sure we talk first if you’re considering them!) are Great Value Cruiselines as they’re an affordable way to have a small ship experience!

Based on above, “Oceania Cruises” in my opinion is in the “sweet spot” so to speak as they provide great value without compromise!

You get multiple restaurants and entertainment options like the big ships offer but with fewer people onboard— so there are no crowds which means that line ups are non-existent!

Compared to Luxury lines, your cost per day is lower on Oceania but you still get a Super high-quality Cruise with great service & with the VERY BEST award-winning food at sea—no exaggeration!

With Oceania all restaurants, gratuities for the onboard staff, entertainment & non-alcoholic drinks (unlimited soft drinks, water, specialty coffees, teas and juices) are included. There are no extra fees for specialty dining or for their 24 hour room service like the big ships who typically charge $45-$75 per person for these types of restaurants and $20 for a steak from room service/many even charge for items in the “Main” dining room now–I’ve seen this many times! And Oceania also includes an Internet account for each room!

Once onboard you will pay for alcoholic drinks & for shore excursions. (With that said, due to my “buying power” as mentioned in #1 here, I can get you some Free onboard spending money on most Oceania sailings to help go towards alcohol or shore excursions or spa treatments or shopping, etc. which can help to sweeten the value even more! ) The Luxury lines include pretty much all of these items in their upfront price, but of course, your cost per day goes up quite a bit.

So that’s the “breakdown” on the general types of Cruises.

Which leads to the next question…

Who Are “Oceania Cruises” For?

If your budget would be “overstretched/uncomfortable” sailing on Luxury lines like Regent/Explora/Silversea/Seabourn/Crystal and/or you are tired of the large ship herding, belly flop contests, hairy leg contests, constant “nickel & diming”, etc. and are ready for a better, more superior Cruise experience, then Oceania may be for you…

…but let’s see.

Keep reading!!

One of the first things people talk about when describing Oceania is the FOOD!! So naturally I have to start here and tell you about my taste bud’s experience while…

…Dining Onboard Oceania:

Without a doubt, this is Oceania’s signature distinction from all the other cruise lines and NOBODY does dining quite like them!!

The food is impeccably delicious and the menu choices are impressive!

Let’s just say that you will NOT need to consider eating off the ship when in port as the restaurants onboard rival any five-star restaurant on land, no kidding!

As mentioned, there are no dining surcharges at any of their restaurants and all guests are guaranteed 1 night in each of the specialty restaurants so you can truly taste your way around the world.

TIP:  The restaurants sometimes have cancellations so you can check back the morning of to see if you can go back to your favorite choice a second or third time and they will book you a table if it is available.

Ok, let me tell you a little about each…

“Specialty” Restaurants on Oceania’s ships:

The “Marina” & “Riviera” (Oceania’s class of ships that used to be their most modern options before their most recent “Vista” ship was launched) have a fantastic French restaurant onboard (FYI, when “Allura” launches in July, 2025 “Jacques” will be on her too as it will be on “Vista” in October, 2025)… which is:

Jacques

This restaurant is one of my favorites as it is inspired by Master Chef, Jacques Pepin.

The problem with this restaurant is that “every single dish” served is so scrumptious that it’s truly hard to choose just one.  Luckily for us guests, we can order as much as we want!

Red Ginger- Available on Oceania “Marina”, “Riviera”, “Vista” & “Allura”

This is an Asian-inspired restaurant where you get to pick out your very own chopsticks made of precious woods and stones, choose from a variety of quality teas & choose from a great selection of “flavourful” dishes.

Tips:

1. You do not need to eat sushi/raw fish to enjoy this restaurant. There is something for everyone here.
2. I HIGHLY recommend both the Lobster Pad Thai & the Miso Glazed Sea Bass… they’re both melt-in-your-mouth yummy!!  

Ember- Currently only Available on Oceania “Vista” (Being replaced by “Jacques” in October, 2025)

This restaurant features Classic “American Dishes” but is influenced by some great Chefs like Jacques Pepin… as you can see below, it all leads to a Very yummy evening!!

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Now, let’s check out the other 2 “Gastronomic Wizardry” Specialty Restaurants onboard ALL of Oceania’s ships.

Polo Grill

This specialty restaurant is a steakhouse essentially but it does have a variety of dishes on the menu to choose from.

During my multiple meals there I’ve ordered things like pork belly, Whole Maine Lobster, Filet Mignon, etc. 

Have a look at a few of these flavorful dishes that I would “most definitely” recommend. (oh, and the Crab Cake and Clam Chowder are delicious too!)

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Toscana

Toscana is an Italian restaurant that does not disappoint. Actually, it is finger-licking good!!! So appetizing that I decided to go back a second evening on a couple of my sailings!  

Tip: The Osso Bucca is fall-off-the-bone tender- don’t miss it!!  The lamb is really good too!!

Ever tried Balsamic Reduction dipped in gourmet cheese bread? How about having your choice of Oil/Vinegar from a menu/cart…

…you don’t know what you are missing & have to try it if you have never!!

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The Grand Dining Room

FYI, this is equivalent to a “Main Dining Room” on the big ships.

I have to admit that I did not dine here often during my 4 Oceania sailings due to all the other amazing options onboard but the menu that changes in here each evening always delights guests!

Between the Terrace Cafe & going to the specialty restaurants, room service for a quiet evening in after a long day of touring, honestly, not much time for eating in here!

And FYI, this is not a bad complaint!! Normally on “big ships” you run out of “included” quality dining options quickly so you mostly eat in the “Main” Dining room but you don’t have to worry about that on Oceania.

That said, “The Grand Dining Room” is stunning on all of Oceania’s ships & no doubt you will enjoy it during the nights you eat in there!

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Terrace Cafe

This is casual Buffet style dining where you can enjoy breakfast, lunch & dinner. But it is no ordinary boring buffet… not even close!

There are so many choices to please your palate.

For example, at dinner you can order grilled steaks/lamb chops and fresh seafood like lobster tails, jumbo shrimp, swordfish, tuna, salmon, etc.

That is on top of the absolutely yummy sushi (It’s not often someone who lives in Vancouver like me enjoys Sushi outside of the City but I always do on Oceania as it’s super fresh & tasty!) they feature each night AND all the other dishes they serve fresh each evening.

Have a look at some of these delicious dishes I’ve enjoyed….

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La Reserve- Available on Oceania “Marina” & “Riviera”

This venue adds a little class above the rest. (if that’s possible)

You pay extra to dine here… you’re actually paying more for the high-end wines served here/not for the food… but if you are a wine lover you can attend a special dinner that features sumptuous foods paired with fine wines.

It is popular but I cannot tell you about my personal experience as I did not try it but you can sign up for it online in advance or onboard if it sounds like your thing.

Here is a picture of the restaurant…

Aquamar Kitchen- Currently only Available on Oceania “Vista” (Will also be on “Allura” when she sets sail in July, 2025)

Onboard Oceania’s “Vista” ship they replaced the above “Le Reserve” nighttime dining venue with their healthy “Aquamar Kitchen” which is open for breakfast & lunch. 

As you’ll see in the pics below, they offer lots of fun healthy choices like “bowls”, salads, healthy burgers like tuna & “impossible” burgers, soups, wraps, avocado toast, smoothies, etc.

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Waves Grill

Another food venue that I always enjoy on Oceania’s ships is their “Waves Grill”… between their yummy “Wagyu” burgers, Lobster & Filet sandwiches, the fact that it turns into a “Pizzeria” at night (featuring an indulgent “Nutella Pizza” for dessert) this is NOT your normal “pool grill” that you find on Cruise ships!!

The Bakery

On their newest “Oceania Vista” Ship, Oceania introduced one more new food venue onboard & it’s a hidden gem… it’s their “Bakery” at the top of the ship tucked away in the corner of their “Baristas” coffee shop.

If like me you don’t drink tea or coffee don’t make the mistake of not heading up there as you don’t want to miss their daily selection of freshly baked French and Italian pastries which I definitely enjoyed sampling during a few days of my Cruise!  

Fingers crossed as Oceania brings out new ships they’ll keep this venue as a place to enjoy some “treats” at!!  

Privee– Available on Oceania “Marina”, “Riviera”, “Vista” & “Allura”

Below is a glimpse at “Privee” which is a restaurant few people know about onboard “Oceania Marina”, “Oceania Riviera”, “Oceania Vista” & “Oceania Allura” as it’s a private restaurant tucked away in the back of the ship between “Toscana” & “Polo Grill”.

FYI, this venue like “La Reserve” costs extra to dine at, but again, you’re paying for a wine experience/the wine itself is what you’re really paying for.

They offer a $150 per person 7 course wine pairing dinner or, if you want to experience something really special/maybe you’re onboard for a big Birthday or Anniversary, etc. then hopefully you’ll get a chance to experience what I did back here during my second Cruise onboard “Vista”…

…a 6 course “Dom Perignon Experience” dinner…

…WOW, what a memorable evening that was… as you’ll see in my pictures & videos here we had some Great Champagnes & Great food!!

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Okay, enough talk about food… I’m pretty confident what I’ve shown you above helps you see you’re going to eat AMAZINGLY onboard your first, or next, Oceania Cruise!!!!!

Now, let’s take a look at some of Oceania’s Beautiful ships!

Oceania currently has a fleet of 7 ships with # 8 due to join them in 3 months from now. 

4 of their ships fit 670 guests onboard, 2 of them fit 1,248 guests onboard & the 7th & 8th an even 1,200 guests.

And when it comes to crew, depending on the ship, they have 1 crew member onboard for every 1.5-1.6 guests.

So, no matter the Oceania ship you’re on, You’ll get the feeling of exclusivity onboard Oceania… you WON’T feel “herded” like on the big ships with 1,000s & 1,000s & 1,000s onboard!!

Personally, I love the “feel” when I sail on Oceania… overall it’s similar to staying in a deluxe private home… Oceania themselves call their ships “Residential-Style Luxury” and I have to agree… they’re very warm & very welcoming!!

What you won’t experience on Oceania like on the big ships is line-ups at buffets, line-ups getting on/off the ships, trouble finding a lounge chair at the pool deck, cheap towels at the pool & plastic lounge chairs, long waits at dining venues, etc.

And instead of a waiter trying to sell you drinks every 10 minutes to meet their quota, on Oceania you will hear soft background music to lull you to sleep under the sun or in the shade as you read a book and staff will only approach when you are ready to order something.

BIG DIFFERENCE from the “Big” Ships!!!

Below are a few pictures from some of Oceania’s ships to give you a feel for what their “style” is all about:

During my few sailings with Oceania, I noticed some unique things that I liked that Oceania did for their guests that you don’t experience on big ships… such as:

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1. In port, if the city center was a little further, they provided a FREE shuttle for guests in both directions where mass market lines would have a charge for this service.

2. You pay for alcoholic drinks onboard Oceania but non-alcoholic drinks are included. What I liked is that they provide cold drinks like water and pop in multiple areas throughout the ship, making it easy for guests to consume… even in the card room, on the walking deck & sports court in coolers of ice, nice touch.

(Some larger mainstream lines prevent guests from bringing water onboard so you are at the mercy of ridiculously overpriced water onboard… we’re talking $3-$4/bottle, $48+ for a case!)

3. While we were docked I noticed the large ships leaving early in the day. We didn’t leave till much later in the evening, some nights at midnight.  The large ships do this on purpose because they want you back onboard to keep spending and they will also incorporate “sea days” for the same purpose.

4. Oceania’s itineraries on the other hand are port intensive (I only had 1 sea day during my second to last 7 night Cruise with Oceania & 0 sea days during my 10-night sailing with them a few years ago) with longer stays so you can enjoy the experiences of the regions you are visiting without feeling rushed and having the stress of getting back to the ship on time.

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“These Subtle Differences In Service “Style” of Cruise Make All The Difference!!”

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What Can You Do Onboard an Oceania Cruise when you do enjoy the occasional “Sea Day” with them?

Let’s just say, You will NOT be bored!!  

FYI, I showed a picture of a gym onboard above… at the gym typically you pay to attend classes on big/mainstream ships (and it’s not cheap!) but you can attend a stretching, Abs or Sole Energizer class for FREE on Oceania! And the Yoga and Pilates classes are included too!

TIP: Speaking of health, if you enjoy making smoothies at home for breakfast, feel free to bring your protein powder, flax, chia seeds, etc that you put in it each day. They will be happy to add it in.

If all this talk of healthy eating and working out is making you sleepy, no worries, Oceania has you covered there too!

Relaxation Onboard:

In-room there is a big selection of movies on the TV (and, unlike on the big ships where these can be $10-$20+ per movie they’re 100% Free!) if you would like to catch up on some relaxation time!

Around the ship you can indulge in coziness by going to…

• • The Aquamar Spa

• • Tea Time in Horizons daily (no fee here but you will pay on some big-ship lines)

• • The Pool Deck

• • Coffee Shop (with specialty coffees for $0 — compared to $5+ each on mass market ships)

• & there’s always a Library onboard

Tea Time is at 4pm each day (but not on embarkation day) and it is SO NICE to sit next to the floor-to-ceiling ocean-view windows…

…be served by staff in white gloves (don’t worry, you can go casual) a variety of Teas, scones with clotted cream, sweets & petite sandwiches while a four-piece orchestra softly plays enjoyable music in the background.

What a treat…

…and guess what?  You don’t have to pay a fee to receive this lovely treatment like you would on some big ships. It’s all included.

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The Spa Relaxation Area Onboard Oceania:

This is beautifully set up to fully immerse yourself in relaxation which I did several times on my Oceania sailings and enjoyed it immensely.

It is included if you are in a Suite or a Concierge Veranda Stateroom or it costs $30 per day/per guest- a small price for this indulgence.

It has a private indoor relaxation area that has heated loungers, unisex saunas, steam rooms, etc.— perfect for relaxing after a day of touring…

It also has a private outdoor area with hot tubs & sun loungers. (Keep in mind on Oceania’s smaller Regatta/Insignia/Nautica/Sirena ships this area is much smaller/isn’t as Grandiose) As you can see below, no doubt you’ll get a “Touch of Paradise” when relaxing in this area!!

Once you are all done chilling out, you can take…

Art and Culinary Classes

Oceania offers some unique things like art classes and culinary classes for a fee.

I’m not much into cooking myself but on a previous sailing my travel partner attended a fish culinary class where they showed her some knife skills and cooking techniques using fish.

In all honesty, we thought the cooking class price was a bit steep but in the end were pleasantly surprised that the value was certainly there and well worth it.

The chef who taught the class works with Jacques Pepin personally so the fact that he was “the real deal” alone was worth the time & money…

It was a total of 2 hours in the class, they gave them a couple glasses of wine (with refills) that paired with the dishes and then they got to eat what they prepared after great instruction.

And Oceania offers “Culinary Excursions” too!!

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Alright, I’m just about done with my “Oceania Cruises” blog post but I have to tell you about one more thing…

…just when you thought an Oceania Cruise couldn’t get ANY better, you CAN make it even more special by doing what I did on a couple of my sailings with them and booked a…

Suite

There are four categories of Suites on the Allura & Vista & Marina & Riviera ships (three on Oceania’s 4 older ships) to choose from but I decided to go with the Penthouse Suite that you see above—which is the entry suite but still a nice size at 440 square feet.

On top of that, I strategically picked my room in a G-R-E-A-T location (super important to avoid potential noises and easy to do if you know what to look out for)—I know all the tricks to doing this which I’d be more than happy to do for you too whether you choose a suite or not!  

Now keep in mind, the higher the category of Suite you choose, the more is included as well…

…the obvious is that you get roomier suites with larger patios & luxury furnishings like a hot tub on deck. 

The not-so-obvious special services included with Suites are:

• Priority Embarkation (come to the ship FIRST and have lunch onboard)
• Priority Specialty Restaurant Bookings (this is a BIGGIE-those tables are sought-after) AND
• Order dinner in-suite from any of the specialty restaurants. Below we ordered a simple lunch but you get the idea…

Plus ALL SUITES will receive these no matter the type of Suite you choose…

• Priority room entry at 1pm
  
• Complimentary pressing of Garments upon embarkation (2 garments per person)
• Delivery of Afternoon Canapés & Treats
• Delivery of Full Breakfast in-suite or on your veranda
• In-Suite Afternoon Tea Service
• Assistance with Reservations to Specialty Restaurants
• Course by course in-suite Dining
• Packing and unpacking service
• Complimentary Shoe-Shine (they do a really good job!)
• Complimentary access to the Spa Relaxation area
• Complimentary access to the Executive Lounge (for suites only)

My Penthouse Suite:

My Penthouse Suite was 440 square feet, had a separate bathtub, (Only on “Marina”, on “Vista” they chose to go with more counter space, etc.) larger shower, TWO sitting areas, desk space and lounge chairs on the patio— not just a simple chair with a pinch of leg room like you see on big ships… no, no, no!

Check out a video of my Suite and the other Suites & Staterooms available on “Oceania Marina” here

Or, visit here and here to see some of the new Suite designs on Oceania’s newest ship, “Vista”.

Have a look at more pictures of my Penthouse Suite onboard “Marina”…

On top of all the above perks I mentioned, when I stayed in Suites on a couple of my Oceania Cruises I had a friendly butler and TWO room attendants to take care of all my needs.  Yes, it MIGHT sound “a little over the top” to have a Butler—but that’s the whole point, you are on vacation!!!  

Many people say, “I don’t need a butler and I’m uncomfortable with the idea of one” but once you have a Butler- I promise you won’t want to go back

For example…

Our Butler would bring coffee each morning to our Suite while my partner… I’m not a tea or coffee drinker myself, weird, right! ;-)… would sit on the patio enjoying it and gently wake up.

Wouldn’t you prefer to stay in your robe and enjoy a fresh cup on the beautiful balcony you paid for before facing the world?  

To top it all off, onboard, Oceania offers suite guests…

An Executive Lounge:

For Suite guests only (and they have a private lounge for concierge class too!) this private comfy lounge has non-alcoholic hot and cold drinks, books & a concierge for answering any questions you may have throughout the voyage, to solve problems should they arise and they can even print your airline boarding passes!

Another thing the lounge has is the menus for each restaurant including the updated one for the main dining room each night. I love this as you don’t have to run around the ship to make up your mind where you want to eat that evening.

TIP: On disembarkation morning, you can head here for a tea or coffee, watch the news and relax till the ship is near empty & THEN make your way off

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Now, you may be wondering…

What should I wear onboard?

You can check out the pictures below to get an idea of what people wear in the evenings onboard an Oceania Cruise. (Daytime pretty much anything works… shorts, tracksuits, jeans, swimwear/cover up when heading inside though, etc.) 

Like in your home town in a nice restaurant, you’ll see people in nice jeans/a collared shirt or maybe some will have on a full suit if it’s a special occasion or just a sport coat to “dress” things up a touch.

The bottom line is, after sailing on Oceania 4 times, I can tell you their atmosphere is “Country Club Casual” wear for evenings and country club casual sportswear for the daytime. This line’s feel is not stuffy or pretentious but they do request no shorts or ripped jeans in the evenings unless of course you are simply going to the Buffet… but the great part is, no tuxes or gowns on here so no need to get over the top dressed up!

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Ok. There You Have It- All the Juicy Details About My Experiences Onboard Oceania Cruises…

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For even MORE information, including the port stops I saw on some of my Oceania sailings, check out the galleries below that show you more of my Oceania experiences and make sure to read the captions under each picture/video as I do my best to write great tips and info there as well!!

1. 7 Night “Oceania Vista” Caribbean Sailing- March, 2025: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Oceania-Vista-Caribbean-Cruise

2. 7 Night “Oceania Vista” Mediterranean Sailing- May, 2023: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Oceania-Vista-Mediterranean-Cruise/

3. 10 Night “Oceania Marina” Mediterranean Sailing- May, 2017: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Oceania-Marina-Mediterranean-Cruise/

4. 12 Night “Oceania Marina” Caribbean Sailing- Dec, 2011/Jan, 2012: https://gallery.shawnpower.com/CruiseVacations/Oceania-Marina-South-Caribbean/

So, after reading & “seeing” all the above, do you now have the urge to take an Oceania Cruise too?  I can’t blame you if you do!!

If so, when you are ready, you can Contact me here and I’ll gladly help you find that next great “Cruise Vacation of a Lifetime”!!

And don’t forget, as you’ll learn about here, make sure to always book your Ocean Cruises & River Cruises & Tauck Land Tours with an Expert like myself or another professional travel agent as if you don’t you won’t be getting the unbiased advice that you’re already paying for in the price of your trip and you won’t be getting the extra “perk” you’re already paying for so booking “direct” never saves you any money at all… it’s always the worst deal as these trips are setup & priced to be booked through agents like myself.

Until next time…

I Appreciate You!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!

Here’s a video from late, 2025 where I go over what Oceania includes in their prices:

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If you read Part 1 of my River Cruise Lesson in my last month’s blog post, you’ll remember I talked about the reasons why River Cruising is extremely popular these days and what distinguishes them from a traditional “Ocean Cruise.” (You an learn all about Ocean Cruises here)

Well, as promised, today I’m going to go over….
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…Which destinations you can enjoy a River Cruise in and who are the most popular River Cruise Lines to Sail with.
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So, where in the World does a River Cruise sail?

Let’s take a look!

If you’re more of a listener than a reader, this video goes over the details below.

# 1. Europe  By far, more people take a River Cruise in Europe than in any other part of the World.  It makes sense when you consider the amount of rivers in that one area and the fact that it’s where the commercial River Cruise industry originated.

Now there are too many rivers in Europe to cover them all right here but the most popular ones in that region are the Rhine & Danube… which touch over a dozen countries between them and can take you from Amsterdam all the way to the Black Sea… with a stay in Istanbul at the end of course!

If re-kindling romance, experiencing a piece of history that makes the hair stand up on your arms and seeing enchanting castles along the waterline are your thing, a River Cruise here provides that…

…and Christmas Cruises are popular on these Rivers too where you can experience, first hand, how European families celebrate the festive season. (Or, on the other end of Europe’s River Cruise season, you can do a Spring-Time “Tulip Time” River Cruise!)

In case you’re wondering, a River Cruise on the Danube &/or Rhine can go from 7 Nights to 4 weeks long and more so your choices are plenty.

In France the Seine & Rhone Rivers are extremely popular!  Unlike the Danube & Rhine, which feature a lot of German/Gothic design, these rivers feature more of a Mediterranean architecture.

And in recent years a new itinerary in the Bordeaux region has become another very popular option in France!

The Rhone, which runs through Southern France/The Provence Region and right into the Mediterranean Sea, visits charming places like Lyon, Viviers, Tournon, Tain l’Hermitage, Avignon & Arles and has wineries abound.

The Seine, which runs right through Paris, can take you to places like Giverny, Rouen & the infamous Beaches of Normandy.  Of course, extra time in Paris is a must when visiting this area!  Many people combine these 2 Cruises, the Seine & Rhone, and turn it into a 2 week plus immersion of France… “ooh la, la!”  (And now with Bordeaux you can do France in 3 back to back to back cruises like I did a decade ago which you can see here in Cruise #s 40, 41 & 42… as I talk about here, there are LOTS of great reasons to combine Cruises and/or a Tauck Land Tour to make for an “extended” Vacation!)

Also quite popular in Europe is the Douro River which runs through Portugal.  Most people who experience this River Cruise start and/or end off with some time in Lisbon and/or Madrid.

Another option in Europe is a “Main & Moselle” River Cruise that visits places like Nuremberg (You can even add on Prague before starting in Nuremberg) and then cuts through the heart of Germany before ending in Luxembourg. 

And finally, a less popular (Due to very little sailing time) itinerary in Europe is in Italy… a round trip Venice & “Po River” Cruise that offers an extension of visits to Milan, Florence & Rome.

So as you can see, Europe has a ton of options when it comes to taking a River Cruise.

Between its history, famous architecture, art & culture, its mix of ancient & modern, its timeless beauty & grace of old world… there’s something for everyone on a Europe River Cruise!

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# 2. Vietnam & Cambodia  These 2 fascinating countries are connected by the Mekong River. I sailed this intriguing River over a decade ago and it was truly an unforgettable experience!!

Like my 1st ever visit to Asia in China, the people, history and culture were phenomenal to experience in this part of South East Asia.

Highlighted by an overnight stay on a “traditional wooden junk” in Ha Long Bay and visits to Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) & famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia, no wonder the Mekong River is one of the Hottest River Cruise destinations out there!

One more note, some River Cruise lines allow you to add on an extension to some other popular places in that area like Bangkok, Laos, etc…

Whether the River Cruise line offers that or not, land extensions prior to the River Cruise are for sure a good idea to help relieve jet lag, adjust to the time change, break up the long flights and see more of this fabulous part of the World!

# 3. Russia  Sailing on “The Volga” River from St.Petersburg to Moscow (or vice versa) and visiting historic Russian cities & towns along the way… doesn’t that sound both Alluring & Mysterious!

You’ll see Red Square, St. Basil’s Cathedral, the Kremlin, the famous Hermitage and more…

…I visited St. Petersburg for 3 days once on an Ocean Cruise, got a taste of this famous Country, loved it, and a trip down the Volga sounds pretty awesome to me!

**NOTE** As of this updated writing in 2025 there are no Cruises at all, Ocean or River, visiting Russia due to the ongoing War with Ukraine. Hopefully someday that will change as, leaving out the politics, Russia is a pretty fascinating part of the World to visit from the eyes of a traveler! 

# 4. China  What can I say about my 1st ever River Cruise that I experienced in 2009 on the Yangtze River in China… well, it was simply, Amazing!!

Out of my 100+ trips & vacations it’s been one of the best by far! 

I saw the Forbidden City among other epic things in Beijing, visited the Great Wall, experienced first-hand the Terra Cotta Warriors in Xi’an, spent some time in Shanghai and sailed the “Mystic” Yangtze River which included passing through the Three Gorges Dam… the largest Dam in the World.

My advice for you regarding this River Cruise… “Just Do It!!”… China really is one of the most fascinating Countries in the World!

(DON’T make the mistake I did & skip going to Hong Kong… I made it there years later but if I hadn’t it would have been a shame, so if this is a one-time visit for you include Hong Kong!)

# 5. Africa  This sailing on the Chobe River with optional extensions to places like Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Johannesburg and of course a Safari to see Africa’s famous wildlife is one of the most Exotic destinations you’ll ever experience!

And as this trip boasts an Intimate 28 guest River Cruise ship, which means you’re doing it in a very exclusive group… no wonder my clients who’ve done this trip have come back raving!  

I’ve also done this River Cruise myself… amazing… it was my 55th Cruise & pretty much my best ever… Beautiful destination!! Here’s my review.

If you’ve always wanted to experience an African Safari but don’t know what option is best for you… this post will for sure help you figure that out!!  

# 6. Myanmar (AKA Burma)  About a decade ago two major River Cruise Companies began offering sailings on the Irrawaddy River in this once isolated Country but due to its popularity most major companies offer sailings there now.

Typically a Myanmar River Cruise would feature a 10-14 night sailing on the Irrawaddy River as well as a couple of nights in Myanmar’s major city Yangon, where your River Cruise Tour begins & ends… and always make sure it includes a stop in Bagan, amazing place!!

Like the “Yangtze River” in China & the “Mekong River” in Vietnam & Cambodia, as I’ve personally done this sailing myself I know this is another amazing River Cruise in Asia that you’ll be glad you went on!!

**NOTE** As of this updated writing in 2025 there are no River Cruises visiting Myanmar due to the current unrest in the region. Hopefully someday that will change as Myanmar was one of the most “off the beaten path” places I’ve ever been/a place that any serious traveler would enjoy visiting!!! 

# 7. Egypt  Just to say you sailed on the Nile River (the world’s Longest river!) is almost enough reason to head to this region and enjoy a River Cruise. But of course, seeing Egypt’s Epic attractions along the way makes it that much better!!

Between visiting Mosques, Bazaars, the Sphinx, the Great Pyramids, Luxor and the famous Abu Simbel temples… it’s a River Cruise you’re sure to NEVER forget… I know I Never will, my sailing on the Nile River was Truly AMAZING!!

# 8. India  This is one of the River Cruise industry’s newest places to sail, the Ganges River…

…during your visit to one of the most fascinating countries in the World you’ll have the chance to visit cites like New Dehli (India’s Capital City), Jaipur & Kolkata, you’ll go to multiple UNESCO World Heritage sites, you’ll have the chance to visit India’s most spiritual city, Varanasi, and of course no trip to India would be complete without a visit to the infamous “Taj Mahal” which will be included on your tour as well!! (As mentioned in this post some destinations are BEST visited by Land rather than Cruise… since originally writing this River Cruise “Destination” post I learned India is BEST visited on a Land Tour. Check out my India Land Tour with Tauck review here to see why!)

# 9. Peru/Brazil  A River Cruise on the Amazon River can take place from a couple of countries… Brazil or Peru.

Either way the 2nd longest River in the World, and largest by volume, offers sites like exotic animals (think Macaws & Monkeys) and tribes along the banks where you will see local people and their villages.

A visit to this mysterious tropical green forest should be on every serious traveler’s radar!

(FYI, some River Cruise itineraries in this area also include a Cruise to the Galapagos Islands and Machu Picchu which give you 2 more GREAT reasons to add this destination to your “Bucket-List”!) 

# 10. USA Rivers Not everyone realizes this but you don’t need to fly 1/2 way around the World to take a River Cruise… you can simply fly to places like New Orleans to take a Mississippi River Cruise or to Portland to take a Snake River Cruise. With that said, up until recently, there were only 2 US-based companies who offered these trips and the reviews from my clients on those rivers are always lower than all the other Rivers mentioned above. Recently though, the biggest River Line in the World came into the US market which is GREAT news as competition usually makes things better so, although I suggest waiting a few more years for things to improve, a River Cruise in the US can be one you add to your “travel radar”!!  

# 11. Colombia In early, 2025 one of the major River lines (AMA Waterways) is set to launch a sailing on the “Magdalena” River, a first for a North American based company. You can learn more about that sailing here. I am definitely excited for it as, personally, I’ve run out of Rivers to sail on as I’ve pretty much done them all so it’s great to have a new River in the mix!  

So there you go, some of the most popular and & enchanting places you can visit while enjoying a River Cruise…

…the only question now is, where in the World do YOU want to go??

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FYI, this video goes over some of the most common Rivers my clients explore on their first River Cruise and it gives some unorthodox advice on how to make the most of your first River Cruise!

Oh yes… I also mentioned I’d tell you about who the major River Cruise Lines are.

Let’s get right into that!

Between the collaboration of my travel professional colleagues (you know we talk), reviews from 100s & 100s & 100s of my own clients and my own personal experience from my 17 River Cruises, there are for sure some lines out there I DO NOT recommend but there are 4 River Cruiselines that BEST cater to my North American clientele… Tauck, AMA Waterways, Avalon Waterways & Viking.

(FYI, Uniworld used to be included in that group but since Covid they’ve struggled a lot financially and have been sold so I don’t recommend my clients spend their hard earned money with Uniworld as it’s risky giving them your money these days!)

Who’s the best?

That’s tough to answer!!

I say that as it really depends where you’re going.

In Europe for instance, they all have some pretty great products (With that said, as I talk about here, “Tauck” would be considered the highest rated option in that region whereas I consistently get lower ratings on Viking than the other lines as they offer the most basic/mass market product… which is why they’re known as “The Carnival of River Cruising”… so I avoid putting my clients on Viking unless budget is their only concern and quality isn’t as important to them) and many times WHO to go with may boil down to on whether you want everything included in your upfront price or not and it depends on when you book as someone like Tauck for example sells out at least a year in advance on average so if you book too late they won’t be an option.

This video goes into more details into why Tauck would be considered much higher rated than Viking:

In other parts of the World though, some River Cruise Lines are definitely stronger than others with better ships, better itineraries, etc. such as “AMA Waterways” on the “Mekong River”.

That’s why virtually everyone booking a River Cruise uses the services of an experienced Cruise Consultant like me. I can help you choose the best line & itinerary in each area using my 2 decades of experience…

…at a cost to you of…

$0.

Nothing!

That’s right, it’s one of the best kept secrets in the travel industry…

…it NEVER costs you a dime extra to book with a Cruise Consultant compared to going to the cruise line directly, and many times you get a better deal, so don’t miss getting my vast experience & unbiased knowledge on your side!

(I explain all the benefits of booking with a Cruise Consultant in this informative article)

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One last resource for you before I end off today’s post… here are the itineraries for the 4 River Cruise Lines I mentioned above:

Tauck’s River Cruise Itineraries

AMA Waterways’ River Cruise Itineraries

Avalon Waterways’ River Cruise Itineraries

Viking’s River Cruise Itineraries

Have a peek at their itineraries, see what interests you and then BEFORE you get overwhelmed contact me so I can simplify & help you start making your River Cruise “Dream Vacation” a reality!

I Appreciate You!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!

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“River Cruises offer advantages impossible to resist!”

Since I started offering my services as a Cruise Consultant almost 20 years ago, one thing I’ve noticed over the years is a dramatic increase in the amount of people inquiring about taking a River Cruise… in fact, that segment of travel makes up for about 1/3 of the millions of dollars worth of bookings I make for my clients each year!

How about YOU? Have you ever considered taking a River Cruise?

If not (or maybe you have and are still on the fence) today I’ll cover why the River Cruise industry is booming and so popular these days and who knows, maybe next thing you know you’ll be sailing down one of the World’s famous Rivers yourself!
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Why Taking a River Cruise is so Popular…
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If you learn better listening then reading, here is my YouTube video covering this topic.

So, what’s the draw to taking a River Cruise?

Well, it depends on who you’re talking to.

If you’re talking to an “Ocean Cruise” lover like me, (I’ve personally sailed on 88 Ocean Cruises and on 17 River Cruises… you can see pictures & videos of all of my Cruises, including my River Cruises here) it has to do with wanting a little more variety, seeing some new unique places that big ships can’t get to and overall taking the pace down a notch & traveling with a smaller group.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing more exciting than being at Sea with hundreds or even thousands of others onboard and having non-stop action in a floating city. But now and then it’s nice to sit back, relax and enjoy some great food & wine while you watch some amazing cities & towns float by!

Now the other type of person who loves River Cruises are “non-cruisers”.

They have no interest in sailing anywhere with thousands of people (Or even 300-1,000 people onboard as many of the “Upper Premium” & “Luxury/Small Ship/All-Inclusive” lines have on their ships… you can learn about all the different styles & categories of Ocean Cruises here) and the idea of flashy entertainment, casinos, etc. doesn’t interest them at all.

But the idea of unpacking once and having the convenience of their “Hotel” traveling with them while seeing multiple places in a week or two or three and immersing themselves into a destination/culture definitely appeals to them…

…and a River Cruise is the perfect way to do just that!

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Now, let’s go ahead and talk about…

What’s unique about a River Cruise that you don’t experience on a “big ship” Ocean Cruise?

1. You sail with a lot less people  In Europe, the average River Cruise Ship holds just 150 people. Usually the most you’ll have onboard is around 200 people or so in markets like China & Russia… and sometimes it’s much smaller… in Southeast Asia & India for example many ships only have 50-80 guests onboard & in Africa, on a Chobe River Cruise, the ship accommodates just 28 people.
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What do those numbers above mean for you?

No lineups and smaller groups on your excursions which equals more time to learn from your guides & about the destination and overall it provides a more intimate/personal experience where you’re welcomed back to the ship by the Captain and crew like a family.

Plus, you’ll meet like-minded people who appreciate the exclusivity as well.

Conversations onboard with newfound friends are effortless and lead to lifelong friendships like in this picture below of me with newfound friends while on an unforgettable Nile River Cruise in Egypt!

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2. At many ports You dock right in town. On a River Cruise, for the most part, you dock right in town or very close to it which means less time spent commuting on buses and more time exploring the places you’ve traveled so far to see! (Many people don’t realize on an Ocean Cruise in Europe they have to spend over 3 hrs on a bus to get to Rome from the port and back, 3hrs to Florence & back, 6hrs to Berlin and back, 6hrs to Paris & back, etc.)
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3. You have NO motion sickness worries. There are lots of people out there who simply won’t take an Ocean Cruise as they’re afraid of getting motion sickness. Now I can tell you with 100% confidence, that worry should never stop you from taking any Cruise as almost everyone with those worries comes back saying it was a non-issue… remember, those big Ocean Cruises are floating cities with state-of-the-art stabilizers, they’re not sailboats!

BUT on a River Cruise, even the motion sickness worriers aren’t concerned as you’re on extremely calm rivers that are nowhere near open water where wind, storms, etc. take place. Of my 17 Rivers Cruises that I’ve personally taken I’ve literally felt zero motion… there are more bumps on city streets when you’re driving your car at home!

See how calm and smooth it is on a River Cruise…

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4. You get to see some really unique “off the beaten path” places. When sailing on a big Ocean Cruise, they’re more limited to where they can take you. When there are 6,000-8,000 people onboard a ship for instance, even if a town of 500 people had the facilities to dock you, they could never handle having 6,000 people exploring town… but on a River Cruise you can visit almost any size town.
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And those small towns are some of the best experiences… mixing & mingling with the locals.

On my 17 River Cruises I’ve visited places like Aswan in Egypt, Vidin in Bulgaria, Regua in Portugal, countless small towns in Germany & France & Italy, some of the most off-the-beaten-path places in Myanmar, I saw how the locals lived off the land in tiny places in Vietnam & Cambodia and in Africa, etc., etc.

And some of my most memorable stops were along the Yangtze River in China visiting small towns… in one place I even got to visit a school that the Cruise Line built (see above) and I visited with the kids for a couple of hours and saw how they lived… amazing!!

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5. Another nice part about a River Cruise is the site-seeing continues while You sail… unlike on an Ocean Cruise in the middle of nowhere when at sea, on a River Cruise you’re always within distance of towns, valleys, vineyards, Castles, etc. so the beautiful scenery never ends!

Seriously! How do you beat this scene below that I experienced in Cochem, Germany while sailing the “Moselle” River…

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6. A River Cruise is a great value for You as it’s extremely inclusive!  When you book & pay for your River Cruise ***you really are paying for the majority of your trip up front which means few money worries while on your trip.***

A big complaint I get about Ocean Cruises these days is they’re nickel & diming guests more & more which means more stress when onboard over money… no fun!

Yes, there are “all-inclusive” Ocean Cruise lines out there but if you know the industry at all you’ll know they’re the “Luxury” lines and are very, very expensive. (I talk about some of the price-points of those Luxury Ocean Cruises here)

With a River Cruise though it’s the standard to have lots of items included in your fare. (***Keep in mind, there are also many different levels of River Cruises when it comes to quality and some do include more than others… for example, as I talk here, “Tauck” is the top-rated & most All-Inclusive River line in Europe and although all River lines include more then a basic Ocean line, no-one includes as much as Tauck does!)

And no-one is running around onboard trying to sell you art, spa packages, photos, drink packages, specialty dining, entry to Bingo, etc., etc,. No Casinos onboard, no night clubs onboard.

It truly is a super inclusive trip where your job is to relax, get immersed into the destination and enjoy the great included food & beverages! .

Excursions are a big thing! When you go to the different towns and cities on your River Cruise there’s always something included like a walking tour or hike or bike tour or bus tour or Museum visit or winery tour for example… on my last Ocean Cruise in Europe the majority of tours cost guests between $200-$350 per tour… times that by 6-14+ days for all your port stops & you’ll see shore excursions in Europe can be a huge extra expense when on an Ocean Cruise!!

FYI, most River Cruise lines offer a few optional excursions during your free time that you pay extra for, others like Tauck include them all in your up front price.

At lunch and dinner most River Cruise lines include wine, beer & soft drinks. Others, like Tauck, include those items, as well as all other drinks, throughout the entire day & evening, not just at meals.

On a River Cruise, almost always these days they provide Free Internet & lots of Free movies on your room’s TV… ***many people spend hundreds of dollars on Internet on an Ocean Cruise (the average cost is $30-$35 per day if you buy a package for the whole time you’re onboard) & movies are pretty much always $15-$20 per movie on an Ocean Cruise like at a hotel.

Complimentary bikes are available on many River Cruise lines these days and are a great way to check out a new town… especially in Europe where there are bike lanes everywhere and it’s totally safe to ride there!  On some Ocean Cruises you can take a biking tour with your loved one(s) but it’ll cost you hundreds of dollars… on my last Mediterranean Ocean Cruise their bike rides were $149-$199 USD per person!

Here I am just after an included bike ride in Speyer, Germany during my “Rhine” River Cruise. We were docked right in the heart of the town and notice how small our group was… it was so much fun as it was when I biked in Bordeaux, Burgundy, Portugal, Austria, Ha Long Bay, etc.!

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What’s included varies from River Cruise line to River Cruise line but the point is, you get GREAT value for your dollar when taking a River Cruise!!

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7. You get extremely immersed into a region’s history & culture when on a River Cruise! This is due to the fact that, as mentioned above, excursions are included in your price.

***Many people on Ocean Cruises “get cheap” after they pay for their Cruise up front and instead of checking out the places they visit in depth, they simply walk around town and shop a little and learn zero about where they’re visiting. “Why pay for the Cruiseline’s overpriced excursions?” they think to themselves, when they can check it out on their own?
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Now if it seems I’m being critical above, I’m simply describing what MY early Ocean Cruises personally looked like!

I used to do nothing but explore on my own when in Port and thought I wasn’t missing a thing. After doing some excursions for the first time after taking a bunch of Cruises though, I realized there’s so much more to see, do & learn besides what’s around the port and in the main town in each place..

And that’s the great part about a River Cruise…

Once you’ve booked your River Cruise you’ve already paid for the tours so you take them all, LOVE them, and get totally immersed into the region you’re visiting.

Between my visits to the:

“Great Wall” & “Terra Cotta Warriors” in China

“St. Mark’s Cathedral” in Venice

“Angkor Wat” in Cambodia

“Bagan” in Myanmar (Burma)

“Beaches of Normandy” & “Bordeaux’s & Burgundy’s Vineyards” in France

“Heidelberg Castle” & “Cologne Cathedral” in Germany

“Douro Valley” in Portugal

“Dracula’s Castle” in Romania

“Great Pyramids of Egypt”

“Private Castles & Private Clubs” in Budapest, Vienna & Prague

“Table Mountain” & an “African Safari” in South Africa

“Victoria Falls” in Zimbabwe

and much, much more…

(which was all INCLUDED during my first 17 River Cruises)…

…my River Cruises have turned out to be some of the very BEST Vacations of my life and is the reason why I’ll be doing more River Cruise Vacations in the Future!!

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8. You have the choice to skip tours if you want!

Hold on, doesn’t that defeat the purpose of what I just talked about above… a little bit, but hear me out first!

If you choose to do a land based tour in Europe where you go from city to city by Bus and stay in a different hotel every night or two, if you’re not in the mood to get up & participate in the day’s activities, for the most part, you don’t have that choice.

Why?

Because you have to check out of your hotel as your tour group is moving on to the next city.

On a River Cruise though, whether you’re onboard 1, 2, 3 weeks or more, your room is yours the whole time so if you want to skip a tour on a given day and the group leaves a port in the morning and gets picked up in a different town/port later that day (that’s happened many times on tours during my 17 River Cruises) you still have the choice to stay onboard as again, there’s nothing more convenient then having your “Hotel” travel with you!  

As I’ve been in Europe for as much as 3-5 weeks doing back to back to back Cruises there’s been a day or two I wanted to chill out & skip a tour and one of the luxuries of being on a River Cruise is having that choice… why would you want to leave these gorgeous views!

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9. River Cruises are healthier for You than Ocean Cruises!

Now you may find that statement weird but trust me, after booking over 60 million dollars worth of Cruises for my Clients I know more & more people these days are concerned about staying healthy when they travel and after 88 Cruises of personal experience, I can tell you it’s for sure simpler to do that when on a River Cruise!!

Why?

For one, there isn’t food everywhere you look.

Don’t get me wrong, the food is great onboard…

…but you pretty much eat breakfast, lunch & dinner when on a River Cruise and maybe a snack or two but no 24hr room service, endless buffets, chocolate buffets, burger grills, 24hr pizza bars, ice cream bars, etc., etc.

Plus, you’re off the ship every day (no lazy sea days here) at a minimal walking and if you like to be active there are Biking & Hiking tours on many of the lines too… I’ve even Kayaked as an included excursion during some of my River cruises!

On all of my Ocean Cruises I’ve literally gained 5-10 lbs each time… if you’ve been on big ships I know you’ve heard the weight gain jokes!

But on my River Cruises, I usually lose a pound or two from the activities… as you’ll see in my Photo & Video Gallery I’ve been away as much as 3-5 weeks at a time on back to back to back River Cruises & came home the same weight or less… much nicer than having to work off 10 lbs after your latest vacation!!

As one of the CEOs of a River Cruise company said “OCEAN CRUISING IS A DRINKING MAN’S CRUISE. RIVER CRUISING IS A THINKING MAN’S CRUISE!”… and I have to agree for sure!

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So there you have it, a look into why taking a River Cruise Vacation is so popular these days.

If after reading that post you’re ready to book your first, or next, River Cruise (Or if you have any questions) simply contact me here and I’ll help you get your own memorable River Cruise Vacation planned & booked!  

As you’ll learn here it’s always best to book your Ocean Cruise or River Crise or Tauck land Tour with a travel professional like me instead of direct with the supplier!

Now of course, I want to tell you about some of the “World’s Most Scenic Waterways” that you can visit while taking a River Cruise and I want to tell you which River Cruise lines are the most popular but you’ve already done a lot of reading for today so stay tuned and I’ll publish “Part 2” of my River Cruise lesson in my next blog post next month.

I appreciate You!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!

As you’ll see here, I’ve personally been on 87 Cruises to date…

…so, there’s Zero doubt that I TRULY love sailing on Cruise Ships on the “Seven Seas of the World” & on the “Rivers of the World” to check out new & exciting destinations!!

As do many, many, many of my clients which is why I’ve helped them book over 75 million dollars worth of Cruises the past 18 years…

…Cruising is definitely a VERY popular way to travel!!

With that said, Cruising can be a VERY confusing way to travel if you’re not as well versed on the industry as I am as there are big ships, small ships, River ships, expedition ships, ships for families, ships for adults, all-inclusive ships, etc.

So, today’s blog post is one where I’m going to do my best to “break down” the main categories & types of Cruises you can take as, by far, one of the most common questions I get from my clients & potential clients is…

…”Shawn, please help me figure out the best Cruise option for me”…

…so, let’s get into it & look at all the choices & see which type of Cruise is best for you!!

If you learn better listening then reading, here is my YouTube video covering this topic.

Ocean Cruises

We’ll look at River Cruises further down this post but for now let’s chat about “Ocean Cruises” as by far more people take Ocean Cruises over River Cruises due to the size of the ships so this is how many people get introduced to the World of Cruising.

Based on my vast knowledge of Cruises after having personally taken 87 of them & after having booked 1,000s & 1,000s of Cruises for my clients… here’s how I “break things down” into 3 categories of “Ocean Cruises”.

1. “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruiselines

In my opinion, these are the “Cream of the Crop” when it comes to the Cruise industry!

I say that as, when you sail on one of these ships, you’ll definitely feel like “you’ve made it” in many ways!

Everything onboard is included in your price such as drinks (Alcohol & non-alcohol), gratuities for the onboard staff, wifi, specialty dining meals, the “thermal suite” at the spa on the newest ships, etc.

I’ve sailed on ships in this Category of Cruising multiple times on all the main Cruiselines & when onboard I literally feel pure relaxation… there’s ZERO “nickel & diming” that takes place during these Cruises (You never have to worry who you should be tipping or should you have that extra glass of wine at dinner or should you buy a round of drinks for your “new found” friends, etc.) as you get the “money worries” out of the way up front when you book your Cruise…

…so yes, you’re typically going to pay more for a Cruise like this compared to the other Cruise options I’ll be talking about soon but the Great part about that is there are NO MONEY SURPRISES during your Cruise as you’ll experience again & again on the “big/mainstream” ships…

…you can truly relax after booking your Cruise & not have to worry about any of the “money stuff” when onboard your cherished sailing!!

Due to this no-hassle feeling, the majority of my clients (70% of my Ocean Cruise clients) sail on ships in this Category of Cruising as they’ve been traveling for decades and have experienced many trips/Cruises where they’d pay a bunch of money upfront but then would have to keep paying for more & more items while on their trip and they simply don’t want these hassles anymore so this category of Cruising for sure appeals to many!

And FYI, in my experience, there’s ZERO “pretension” when sailing on these lines… like me before I ever tried one of these sailings, some people think these sailings may be more “stuffy” & “dressy” then the big ships but in my experience people care as little about what you do for a living, where you’re from, etc. as they do on every other Cruise out there… big or small ships.

Yes, as you meet new people on these Cruises (Like on all Cruises it’s VERY easy to meet new people onboard when you’re all happy & in “Vacation mode”!) it’s natural for fellow travellers to ask where you’re from, what you do for a living, etc. but in my experience it’s not a comparison thing/it’s a curiosity thing.

So never have I felt “out of place” on these sailings no matter who I talked to and the dress is “smart casual” in the evenings as it is on most other Cruises (No matter who you sail with these days “Tuxes & Gowns” are pretty much extinct compared to Cruising 10-20 years ago) so no worries at all if you’re thinking these types of Cruises are going to be “over the top fancy” and you’ll be uncomfortable as that’s just not the case.

Yes, the ships in this category of Cruising are Beautifully built & have way fewer guests onboard compared to the big ships and their rooms are bigger, etc. so these are MUCH higher quality ships than the big ship/mainstream ones but happily they left the “stuffiness” off them so if you want a relaxing Cruise that is all-inclusive and much higher quality then the “big ship/mainstream guys”… this may just be your type of Cruise!

Besides being “All-Inclusive”, here are a few more things that really stand out in my mind when it comes to the Cruiselines in the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive”category of Cruising…

Amount of guests onboard: Unlike the “big ship/mainstream” Cruiselines who have as many as 7,600 guests onboard (They’re literally like small cities now… they’d have their own zip code if on land!!… it’s rare for any of these ships to be built smaller then having 3,000-4,000 guests onboard) these “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” ships only have 200-900 guests onboard so you’re dealing with WAY smaller crowds and since the rooms are bigger these ships only carry around 50-70% of the guests the same size ship would if a “big ship” line owned them so you’ll feel way more spread out onboard with almost zero lineups & no crowded feeling at all!

Rooms: For the most part, the rooms in this category of Cruising are really big compared to what you’ll  find on a “big ship” Cruise. For starters, there are NO “inside” rooms on any of these ships like you get on the big ships… these are the rooms where there are no windows so you have no idea if it’s night or day out & they’re really small… they just don’t exist in this category of Cruising.

And although a few of the older ships in this Category of Cruising only have a window/not an outside balcony… all the newest ships in this Category of Cruising ONLY have balcony rooms so it doesn’t get much better then that as who doesn’t love being able to enjoy a Beautiful Sunset on a Veranda from the privacy of their own room or to read a book out there, have a drink, a nice meal, etc.!!

And when it comes to the newest ships in this category of Cruising, many of the “starting” rooms are 350 square feet or bigger so easily 50-100% bigger then a typical “big ship” Cruise room… you’ll have LOTS of space when sailing on these ships!

Food: In my experience, the food is fabulous on these “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruiselines as they put A LOT of money into their food programs… unlike on the big ships, you’ll still see items onboard like Lobster and Crab and Kobe Beef, etc. which have all but disappeared on the big ships with the exception of some of the Very expensive specialty restaurants still offering those items. Not only is the food all included on these ships but the ingredients are super high quality so your tummy & palate will definitely be pleased on any of these lines!

Service: If you look at the ratios, the big ships often only have 1 crew member onboard for every 3.5 guests whereas these “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” ships have 1 crew member onboard for every 1.3 guests… so, it’s not hard to see why I feel the service on these smaller ships is MUCH better then on the big ships… you get way more personal attention in my experience and the service is more efficient so if you like to be well taken care of when you travel, service doesn’t get any better than this in the Cruising industry!! 

FYI, when it comes to the price of these “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruiselines… on many of the most popular sailings out there, prices can start at $1,000 USD per person per day (That’s usually for the lines that include shore excursions as well, I’ll talk about who includes those in a moment) for their most basic rooms and of course prices can go up & up as the rooms get bigger & bigger…

…for example, on one of the lines they have a 4,000 square foot Suite which is usually around $5,500 USD per person per day so there are rooms on all these ships for every budget & size of room you could want!

With that said, I’ve seen many sailings where starting prices are $600-$700 USD per person per day on the lines with no excursions included and from time to time Cruiselines will send “exclusive & unpublished” deals to top-selling travel agents like myself to try to get rid of some leftover rooms within 1-6 months of a sailing if a ship isn’t as full as they’d like it to be so in those cases I’ve come across deals on these lines for $500 USD per person per day or less so prices can vary for sure.

As normal, as per #1 here, I’ll always be able to get you the best value on your sailing compared to you booking with the Cruiseline direct so know that for any Cruise you’re interested in I’ll make sure you’re getting “the best bang for your buck!!”

So, who are the Cruise lines that fall into this “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” category of Cruising??

Here are the 5 Cruiselines that make up this “top-rated” segment of the Ocean Cruise industry… FYI, I have them in order of popularity & ratings when it comes to what my clients book…

1.“Regent Seven Seas Cruises”: As I talk about here, “Regent” is the most all-inclusive Cruiseline in the World where they include everything that I mentioned above (Drinks, tips, meals, wifi, the thermal suite, etc.) plus they also include lots of Shore Excursions at every port in your up front price… and they even do your laundry for you when you sail with them!  My clients love these inclusions as not only do they not want to worry about having to pay for “extras” while onboard but they don’t want to have to deal with shore excursion costs off the ship which often add up to $1,000s per person! As I talk about here, not every excursion in each port is included with Regent but many/many are so this part of your Cruise cost should be very low once you’ve paid your upfront price with Regent. FYI, around 50% of my clients in this category of Cruising go with “Regent” as they find them the most hassle free to deal with when it comes to planning their trip/budgeting, etc. 

2. “Explora Journeys”: As I talk about here, “Explora” is a fairly new line in the Cruising industry… only 1.5 years old as of this writing. But, they’ve gained some great traction already & my clients who sailed on them really liked them, as did I when I sailed on them, as their ships are beautifully designed and have some of the nicest rooms out there… when the smallest room onboard is 377 square feet you can’t go wrong!! Other highlights with “Explora” are that, since they’re still new & not as well known, their prices are usually the lowest in this category of Cruising (Don’t expect that to last long though because their prices will go up & up as they get more well known) so great prices are no doubt attractive but for my many clients who like to do their “own thing” when in port & don’t want to do organized tours like the ones “Regent” includes, “Explora” is a better fit as you’re not paying for excursions that you have no interest in participating in like you would on “Regent”. Currently, about 20% of my clients in this category of Cruising go with “Explora”.

3. “Silversea”: Like “Regent”, as I talk about here, “Silversea” also includes lots of excursions in each port. Unlike “Regent” though they’re not “unlimited” which means no matter how much time you have in a port, “Silversea” only includes 1 excursion. On the other hand, on “Regent”, if you’re in port all day & night and there’s time to do a morning & afternoon & evening tour, then “Regent” includes them all… I actually did experience a day like that with “Regent’ one time in Shanghai… it was a Great day for sure! (**2025 Update! As I talk about here, Silversea no longer included excursions at all ports. Based on that, here are my latest “Regent vs Silversea” thoughts) The other reasons why “Silversea” isn’t as popular with my clients is they’re a touch dressier then “Regent” as on a couple of nights per Cruise in the main dining they require the guys to wear a sport coat… of course, many people are happy to wear this but don’t like being told they have to so Regent’s more “Country Club Casual” approach seems more appealing. And for those who know Silversea well/have traveled with them lots, they know their reservation staff is about the worst in this category of Cruising so they give out lots of mis-info, they take forever to make simple changes to your reservation, they often mess pricing up, etc. No doubt having me book your trip makes all those issues much simpler but as Silversea doesn’t make things easy till you board (Onboard, they deliver a GREAT product like the other 4 lines!!) more of my clients go with Regent over Silversea as they’re easier to deal with when it comes to booking the Cruise & excursions & specialty dining, etc. FYI, about 15% of my clients in this category of Cruising go with “Silversea”. Interested in a Regent Vs Silversea comparison? If so, click here!

4. “Seabourn”: As I talk about here, “Seabourn” also delivers a GREAT product onboard their sailings!! Like “Explora” though, they don’t include shore excursions so they’re not near as popular as “Regent” and their ships are older than “Explora” and they have fewer restaurants onboard then “Explora” and their prices are usually higher for their sailings, etc. So, even though they’re a Great product, I don’t get as many clients going on “Seabourn” as “Regent” & “Explora” but if you’re “eying” a “Seabourn” sailing in the future you can’t go wrong by sailing with them… as you can’t by sailing with any of the other 4 lines in this category of Cruising! Like with “Silversea”, about 15% of my clients in this category of Cruising go with “Seabourn”.

5. “Crystal Cruises”: As I talk about here, “Crystal” delivers a GREAT product onboard featuring wonderful food & service like the other 4 lines above do as well… BUT, as I talk about here, they went out of business during Covid which ended up meaning millions of dollars was lost by loyal Cruisers so I rarely sell “Crystal” these days as many people who sailed with them over & over again pre-Covid just aren’t ready yet to give them another chance. As well, they have the oldest ships in this category of Cruising and the smallest “starting size” rooms which are downfalls BUT, as I talk about here, things are looking bright for “Crystal” as A LOT of new money is being invested into them for new ships that will feature balcony only rooms & big rooms like their competitors so no doubt over time I believe more & more of my clients will end up sailing on “Crystal”… I’m confident they’ll do fine now that they’re “on track” again!!

**One last option many people don’t know about or think about** “Tauck”: As I talk about in this video, myself & A Lot of my clients travel with Tauck all over the World between their Land Tours, River Cruises & their “Small Ship Ocean Cruises”. (Each year between 30-40% of my clients travel with Tauck which is a big # and is because they deliver Really good experiences & have a huge repeat rate!) As I talk about here though, Tauck doesn’t own any Ocean Cruise ships so many people forget they offer Ocean Cruises… how they work is they charter space on other ships, more often then not the entire ship. Most of their sailings (Probably 75%+) are on “Ponant”, a French Cruiseline where the ship is more like a River Cruise with only 200 guests onboard & 1 main lounge, 1 restaurant, etc. so you don’t get the Luxury of the above 5 choices. With that said, they do offer some Cruises on Silversea in the Galapagos, Europe, Canada/New England, etc. where it’s a better experience then booking with Silversea direct as the excursions will be better & they include more in their Cruises like pre/post hotel stays, airport transfers, you have a guide/”Tauck Director” with you your entire trip, etc. so if you come across any Tauck sailings like this that appeal to you those are a GREAT choice! 

Well, I know that summary above was long but as 70% of my Ocean Cruise clients sail on one of the above lines I figured best I don’t leave anything out since so many people are interested in this “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” category of Cruising!!

Okay, let’s get into the second category of “Ocean Cruises”…

2. “Upper Premium” Cruiselines

Like the above “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruiselines, the few Cruiselines that fall into this category of Cruising are high-quality lines that offer excellent food & excellent service!!

When it comes to guest-to-crew ratio, these lines typically have 1 crew member onboard for every 1.5-2.15 guests so still much lower than the 1 crew member for 3+ guests on the big ships so you’ll get lots of Great attention onboard and much of their food is sourced from the same suppliers the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” lines use so no worries about your tummy being pleased on these ships as well!

The main difference in this category of Cruises is that they don’t offer as many big rooms onboard and the “starting” room sizes are a little smaller than the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” lines and they don’t have ships as small as 220 people… their sizes go between the 670-1,250 guests onboard range.

And, these “Upper Premium” lines don’t include everything onboard as the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” lines do… but, they still include much more than the “Big Ship/Mainstream” lines… I’ll cover what kind of things are included on these lines in just a moment.

With that said, as they’re not fully all-inclusive, their prices are lower accordingly which is what appeals to the loyal Cruisers in this category as, for example, if you don’t drink alcohol… a Cruise in this category of Cruising that doesn’t include alcohol will be more attractive than 1 of the 5 companies in the “Small Ship/Luxury/All Inclusive” category as you’re not paying for alcohol in the price of your Cruise that you don’t have any intention in drinking.

So, prices in this category of Cruising start more in the $500 USD-$650 USD per person per day range… the higher price being with the company who includes some excursions in their prices.

FYI, just about 30% of my clients sail on Cruiselines in this category of Cruising when they take an Ocean Cruise.

When it comes to the Cruiselines that are part of the “Upper Premium” category of Cruisng, there are 2 main options…

1.“Oceania”– This is the Cruiseline that created the “Upper Premium” category of Cruiselines a little over 20 years ago… due to that, I still find them the most popular among my clients and the highest quality. Currently, 65% of my clients in this category of Cruising sail on Oceania. FYI, when it comes to their inclusions, Oceania includes most everything onboard like non-alcohol drinks, wifi, gratuities for the staff, all meals including at the specialty restaurants, etc. but they don’t include any alcohol in your price so if you do drink, keep in mind you could have a pretty hefty bill at the end of your Cruise for this expense! If you’d like to learn more about Oceania I get into more details here.

2. “Viking”– Although most people know Viking as a River Cruiseline, about 10 years ago they started an “Ocean Cruise” division as well… and, unlike their River Cruise product which is one of the lowest quality options in River Cruising as they’re known as “The Carnival of River Cruising” as they’re all about quantity over quality with their River Cruises… for their Ocean Cruises, Viking is a much higher quality option like Oceania and pretty much all my clients who have sailed on Viking Ocean Cruises the past decade (FYI, currently 35% of my clients who sail on “Upper Premium” lines sail with Viking) really enjoyed them and 80%+ of those clients have rebooked with Viking so they do a great job! As I talk about in this video, like Oceania, Viking doesn’t include everything onboard so in particular on Viking you’ll need to pay for gratuities for the staff (Currently $20 USD per guest per day) and you’ll need to pay for all hard liquor as well as for beer/wine/soft drinks outside of meals (They do include those items during meals) but as they include all meals onboard including specialty restaurants and wifi, etc. they’re still much more inclusive than the “Big Ship/Mainstream” lines. And, Viking is the only line between these first 2 categories of Cruising that doesn’t allow any kids onboard/you have to be 18 to sail with them so if you for sure don’t want to see any kids onboard your Cruise… Viking could be a good choice for you.

FYI, one “word of warning” I always give my first-time Viking clients is that even though Viking’s site says they include 1 excursion in each port (Which makes it sound like you won’t have any excursion expenses like on Regent & Silversea) what Viking doesn’t mention is that you only have ONE option per port (The occasional port might have 2 options but it’s almost always just the 1) which is usually a VERY basic excursion that few people want to do whereas their other 1/2 dozen or more popular options at each port come with a cost which can add $1,000s per person to your booking so keep that in mind when doing your budgeting for your Cruise.

FYI, I talk more about this “Warning” in this video.

3. “Azamara”– Azamara is the third line that fits into this “Upper Premium” category of Cruising and I used to really enjoy Azamara/I personally sailed on them 3 times over the years and I have booked millions of dollars of their Cruises for my clients in the past but these days I’m VERY hesitant to recommend Azamara to my clients so make sure we talk first if you’re considering sailing with them!

Alright, it’s time to talk about the final category of “Ocean Cruises”…

3. “Big Ship/Mainstream” Cruiselines

Even though many people have never heard of some of the above 8 lines I just talked about… most people have heard of the next 6 (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Holland America, Princess, Celebrity) as these are the companies who can fit 1,000s & 1,000s of guests onboard & they’re affordable to the masses and they advertise constantly on TV, etc. so these Cruiselines are the “first exposure” to the Cruise industry for many people!

I won’t get into too much detail about these lines but they typically fit 3,000-7,600 guests onboard so these ships are huge & crowded so if you don’t mind the big crowds in Disney/Universal parks, in Times Square in NY, in Las Vegas, etc. then these ships might work for you but if you’re looking for a less crowded/more prosperous/higher quality type of Vacation… than options 1 & 2 are best for you.

Personally, I’ve been on these big ships many times over the years as I have been on the first 2 categories of Cruises and no doubt these big ships have some pros on them like amazing entertainment, etc. but I’ve noticed a BIG drop in quality on them since Covid when it comes to food/service, etc. and way more “nickel & diming” then ever so I definitely prefer the first 2 categories of Cruises these days… as almost all my clients do… due to that, only 1-2% of my clients sail with these lines and almost all who do stick with Celebrity or Princess who are the top rated of these 6 lines.

FYI, if one of these lines is in your future plans make sure to read this article first as it explains how paying for the many, many things not included onboard (Like drinks, wifi, gratuities, etc.) in your up front price is a much smarter way to travel with these lines as it can save you A LOT of money!

Expedition Cruises

Alright, now that you’ve learned all about the 3 categories of “Ocean Cruises”, let’s talk about a more “niche” part of the Ocean Cruise industry which visits some of the most unique places in the World like The Galapagos and Antarctica, etc. 

This is where “Expedition Cruises” come in.

Typically, these are REALLY small Cruise ships that might have anywhere from 50-250 guests onboard that go to remote areas the big ships simply can’t get to.

FYI, this is pretty much the fastest growing segment of the Cruise industry since Covid as people want to start getting to their “Bucket-List” places so the ships that are part of this type of Cruise are definitely filling up faster than ever!

When it comes to the Cruiselines who are a part of this category of Cruising, there are many small independent companies out there… probably the most well-known of them all is Lindblad/National Geographic.

I sailed on Lindblad/National Geographic years ago and they did a good job but my advice is to stick to the more financially stable companies who are part of big publicly traded companies… FYI, Seabourn, Silversea & Viking all have “Expedition” ships that sail to these unique destinations (“Celebrity” even has a great option in “The Galapagos”!) and in my mind you’re much “safer” to spend your money with those lines as during Covid I personally had to cancel over $7 million dollars of travel for my clients and I saw A LOT of companies do a terrible job when it came to handling client refunds, etc. (Lindblad was amongst them) so for your own sake, stick with Seabourn, Silversea, Viking & Celebrity when it comes to these “Expedition” trips as I’d hate to see you lose money with one of the other options as these are VERY expensive Cruises so you’re talking a big financial investment to sail on them/I’d hate to see you lose money if Covid #2, etc. comes around!!

FYI, the one exception I have when it comes to sailing with a non-publicly traded company is if you want to take a sailing with “Tauck”.

As I talk about here, Tauck does a GREAT job when it comes to their “Small Ship Ocean Cruises” and I 150% trust Tauck when it comes to staying in business a long time as, as of 2025, they’re a 100-year-old company who is very experienced and very smart when it comes to how they handle their money/they don’t own ships, they only charter them so unlike the other companies they handled Covid better than anyone (Even compared to the publicly traded companies who were taking months & months to refund during Covid, Tauck had money back to all my clients within a week!) so I have zero hesitation booking my clients on a Tauck trip.

With that said, I sell more “Tauck” trips to my clients compared to all other suppliers I work with (Currently, between Tauck’s River Cruises and Small Ship Ocean Cruises and Land Tours 40% of my client’s bookings are with Tauck as they have a VERY loyal clientele and my clients book with them again & again!) and I’m even on Tauck’s “Advisory Board” as I talk about here, so Tauck is a company I have zero issues with when it comes to financial stability whereas I do with Lindblad and the many other small lines in the “Expedition” Cruise industry.

With all that said, no matter who you sail with (Tauck, Seabourn, Silversea, Viking, Celebrity) I’d for sure recommend doing one of these “Expedition” Cruises ASAP if they’re on your “Bucket-List” as they’re truly a GREAT way to travel and they offer Fabulous “once in a lifetime” experiences!!

Want to hear more of my thoughts on “Expedition Cruising” while I was on an Expedition Cruise ship?? If so, check out this video!  

River Cruises

Next up when it comes to the “Wonderful World of Cruisng” are “River Cruises”…

…as you’ll see here, personally I’ve sailed on 17 River Cruises all around the World from Europe to Asia to Africa and I’ve booked over $30 million dollars of River Cruises for my clients so I know River Cruises VERY well and… as I talk about here… they’re a GREAT way to travel so I HIGHLY/HIGHLY recommend adding a River Cruise to your “Bucket-List” if you haven’t experienced one yet!!

Well, there you go… that was my breakdown of the “World of Cruising” and what the different categories of Ocean Cruises are as well as the different lines you can sail with and then some of the other areas of Cruising like “Expedition Cruises” and “River Cruises”…

…I hope that cleared things up for you a little bit!

And yes, if you’re familiar with the Cruising World you’ll know there are lots of other companies out there like Disney, Cunard, MSC, Virgin, Windstar, Paul Gauguin, etc. but based on my 20+ years experience of personally Cruising & selling Cruises… these companies are far from being the most popular ones/the demand for them is way less then all the other lines I talked about above so they’re not worth getting into in an already long post like this but any questions about any line you’re looking at let me know and I’ll “fill in the blanks” for you!

Speaking of asking me questions, any questions at all about my above post or about Cruising in general or about Tauck Land Tours, simply contact me here as I LOVE talking about Cruises & Travel and it’d be my pleasure to help you figure out the best option for you for your next and future Vacations!

And don’t forget, as you’ll learn about here, make sure to always book your Cruises & Tauck Land Tours with an Expert like myself or another professional travel agent as if you don’t you won’t be getting the unbiased advice that you’re already paying for in the price of your trip and you won’t be getting the extra “perk” you’re already paying for so booking “direct” never saves you any money at all… it’s always the worst deal as these trips are setup & priced to be booked through agents like myself.

Looking forward to chatting with you soon and, as always…

I Appreciate You!!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!

To all of my Family, Friends & Clients… I Appreciate You!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!

2 days from now I’m flying into Melbourne, Australia to enjoy some more time exploring that Beautiful part of the World!

As you’ll see here, my first visit “Down Under” was a 3-week “Tauck Land Tour” which showed me both Australia & New Zealand and then for my second visit, as you’ll see here, I took a 17-night Cruise on “Regent Seven Seas Cruises” that started in Bali, Indonesia and ended up in Sydney, Australia.

FYI, this time around I’m on a modified 8-night Tauck Land Tour which isn’t one they offer to the public… as I talk about here, I do A LOT of business with Tauck (This Video explains why and as you’ll hear I’m also on their Advisory Board, which helps me truly serve my Tauck clients really well as I know Tauck inside & out and have all the connections I need to help you have Great trips! ) and this Land Tour is exclusively for their top 5 sellers in North America so I’m not going to get into the details of this particular trip that I’m going on since it’s not one you can do yourself…

…but, I do want to talk to you about a question I get often from my clients which is…

“Shawn, for our trip to Australia & New Zealand, should we take a Cruise or a Tauck Land Tour?”

So, let’s get into it and let me tell you what I tell my clients who want to visit this Beautiful part of the World.

**Video** If you’re more of a listener than a reader, here is my video of what I talk about below.

As you’ll see here, I’ve personally been on 92 Cruises to date all around the World so I TRULY love Cruising… it’s my favorite method of travel and if it makes sense to visit a new destination by an Ocean Cruise or River Cruise… I’m going to do that 100% of the time!   

But, as I talk about here, Cruises don’t go everywhere in the World (An African Safari in Kenya/Tanzania/Rwanda for example isn’t something you can do on a Cruise ship) and even for some places where Cruises do go…

…a Land Tour is sometimes a better way to explore that destination than a Cruise is.

For example, up until when I started selling Tauck Land Tours, I had clients visit Countries like India and Australia & New Zealand and Morocco and Africa and Japan, etc. by Cruise ship but, the feedback from my clients was always they wished they’d seen more of those fascinating Countries!

But once I started booking clients on Land Tours with Tauck to those places, the reviews from my clients were so Amazing & my clients Raved about them so much that I knew a Land Tour was the BEST way to see those Countries… even for a Cruise Lover like me… as I’d get to see much more in the time I was there compared to on a Cruise… and when flying halfway around the World you want to see everything possible & maximize your time as much as possible!

And, at least in my opinion, I believe Australia & New Zealand is one of those areas where it’s better to do a “Tauck Land Tour” rather than take a Cruise to that destination!

Above I mentioned “maximizing” your time as much as possible when you travel…

…which is one of the main reasons I personally booked this Tauck Land Tour for myself in Australia & New Zealand when I first visited “Down Under” as my clients who had done that trip raved about the “Charter/Private” flights Tauck includes during their tour which saves you A LOT of time!! (I’m talking NO checking in or going through security for flights… literally, being dropped off at the plane’s doorstep!!)

So, unlike on a Cruise in that area, you’re not wasting 3-5 days to Cross the Ocean between Australia & New Zealand… you’re simply taking a few-hour flight!

And as the waters can often be rough crossing that area… even in Northern Australia & around Sydney it can be VERY rough, on this Cruise here, I experienced some of the roughest waters ever out of my 87 Cruises… so a Land Tour is a much better option for those without good “Sea Legs”!) 

Overall, here was my “end result” from me taking this Tauck Land Tour instead of a Cruise my first time visiting this area…

…again & again when I talk to other people who have been to Australia & New Zealand and we “compare notes”, when I tell them about my trip they keep saying “I didn’t see that” multiple times… they simply couldn’t see all I did due to Tauck’s “Charter/Private” flights that I talk about here which saves A LOT of time so you can see & experience more!

Here are some of the “Highlights” of what I saw & experienced when I did this “Australia & New Zealand” Tauck Land Tour:

I took in a Sunset while enjoying Champagne & Canapes at “Ayers Rock”/Uluru

I stayed at a Luxury Lodge in a Rainforest in Cairns

I took a Skyrail through the Rainforest

I enjoyed a hot air balloon ride in Cairns

I experienced a boat tour & snorkelling in the “Great Barrier Reef”

I pleased my palate on a “foodie” tour in Sydney

I explored Melbourne by foot

I got up close & personal with Crocodiles, Kangaroos, Koalas, Wallabies, Wombats, etc.

I enjoyed a private tour at the Sydney Opera House

I enjoyed a Private Cruise in Sydney Harbor

I experienced many yummy meals & wine tastings in New Zealand

I visited a sheep farm & saw a sheep-sharing demonstration

I enjoyed a Private boat ride through Marlborough Sound while we munched on “Green Tipped Mussels” and sipped on local award-winning “Sauvignon Blanc” wine from the region before being served a home-cooked lunch onboard… yum!!   

I enjoyed a Private boat ride through Milford Sound

I was whisked away on a vigorous jetboat ride through a scenic valley followed by a Helicopter Ride (What an Amazing experience that was!!)

I enjoyed a private dinner at “Sir Peter Jackson’s” museum

I enjoyed a VERY SCENIC lunch in the revolving Restaurant high up in Auckland’s famous “Sky Tower” 

I saw a traditional “Maori” cultural music concert

Plus MANY, MANY MORE things!!

So, overall, I saw many/many more highlights of both Australia & New Zealand on this Tauck Land Tour than anyone I’ve ever talked to who’s done a Cruise in these areas as our Private Charter Flights simply gave us more time to explore and we didn’t waste time “at sea” getting between these 2 Countries… 

…and don’t get me wrong, as a Cruise Lover as I talk about at the beginning of this article… I love my “sea days”… but when flying 30 hours each way to a faraway place like Australia & New Zealand, it just made sense to me to maximize my time while there as much as possible to see as much as I can!

So, for me, when a client of mine asks…

“Shawn, for our trip to Australia & New Zealand, should we take a Cruise or a Tauck Land Tour?”

I recommend doing this Tauck Land Tour as I know they will come home Very/Very happy travelers after seeing Australia & New Zealand in what I think is the BEST way possible!!

Any questions at all about my multiple trips to Australia & New Zealand or to book your own Vacation to Australia & New Zealand or any other Tauck Land Tour or Ocean Cruise or River Cruise… simply contact me here and, as always, I’ll take Great care of you & will help you get your next Memorable trip booked!!

I Appreciate You!!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!

This is going to be a much shorter post today compared to my thorough Cruise & Tauck Tour reviews but hopefully it’ll be a helpful one!  

As I talk about here, dealing with booking your airfare for your anticipated upcoming Ocean Cruise or River Cruise or Tauck Land Tour is never the most enjoyable part of your Vacation…

…and same with the actual flying to/from your destination as we all know there can be busy airports, flight delays, bag delays, canceled flights, etc. when flying.

With that said, I hope this little tip helps alleviate some of the pain of above if you have to go through one of those particular issues…

…bag delays!

So, here’s my tip…

…go buy & then use “Apple AirTags” (Or any alternative you prefer) for ALL your flights in the future!! 

Now, you may be thinking…

…”Don’t many airlines now track my bags for me where the moment they leave the check-in counter I can see on the airline’s app where my bags are at all times?”

Yes, that’s true in some cases… BUT…

…many years ago I worked with an airline for almost 4 years and I can promise you that handles break-off bags all the time…

…as did one of mine on my last trip on my Africa Safari back in June/July.  

With that said, I got lucky and the handle that broke off didn’t have the airline’s bag tag on it but what if it did… if that handle with the bag tag on it is in a VERY different place from your actual bag… how is the airline going to know where that bag needs to go.

That’s why you ALWAYS want to have your name/phone # in a place on your bag that can’t break off… if there’s no airline bag tag on your bag they need to know whose bag it is somehow!!

Of course, with an “Apple AirTag” or similar, you can simply tell them where your cherished valuables are!!

Or, here’s an interesting one I heard recently…

…a client of mine landed in Budapest 2 months ago and was told by the airline’s baggage reps at the airport that his bag was left behind in the US and it would be in Budapest tomorrow and they’ll deliver it to him at his hotel once it gets there… so, he headed off to his hotel as per what he was told.

BUT, 3 hours later he received a message from the airline’s baggage office at the Budapest airport asking why he left his bag at the airport?? So, it WAS on his flight/he was given mis-info.  

He explained what he was told but because it wasn’t the same agent as earlier they shrugged him off & said because the bag was on his flight and he left it at the airport it was his responsibility to go get it…

…which cost him a $70 round trip in a taxi to pick up and around 1.5hrs of his time.

But again, with an “Apple AirTag” or similar, he could have simply looked at his phone & saw his bag was there & he could have picked his bag up from the belt and went on his way!!

And here are 2 more examples of weird experiences my Sister had while flying/it would have been a lot of time wasted if she didn’t have “Apple AirTags” or similar!!

When her & a bunch of her friends did a Cruise in Iceland last year 1 of her travel companion’s bags was left in Toronto… the airline said she’d get the bag the next day… as they flew in 3 days before the Cruise it was not the end of the World.

As I talk about here and here, ALWAYS fly in to your Cruise or Tauck Land Tour early for reasons exactly like this!!

Anyways, the next day comes and while they were out touring Reykjavik her friend gets a message from the airline saying her bag has been delivered to the hotel… perfect!

Except, when they got back to the hotel that afternoon… no bag??

The front desk staff at the hotel had no clue where the bag was as they swore no one came to drop it off.

So, she pulls out her phone/looks at the app that tracks the tags and they end up finding her bag a block away in a closed-off from the public building that the hotel owns… 

…to this day, no one has a clue how it got there but the point is if she wasn’t using “Apple AirTags” or similar I’d say chances are high she may never have found her bag… or at least before she was due to get on the Cruise!!

Back to my Sister again…

…her & my Sister-in-Law got off of a flight one time and even though they got to the bag carousel fairly quickly, by the time they got there the bags from their flight were coming out… a nice surprise we don’t see often but we all enjoy when that happens!

Anyways, they were flying business class so their bags had “priority” tags on them yet they didn’t come out with the other “priority” bags so they thought, “On no, we hope our bags weren’t left behind!”, so they opened the app that tracks the tags and…

…they ended up finding their bags next to a couple of carousels away in a pile of around 100+ bags that weren’t even on their flight… for some reason, their bags were pulled off the carousel before they had a chance to grab them & they were placed somewhere they definitely didn’t belong!

Again, like last scenario, no one had a clue what happened but the bottom line is without their “Apple AirTags” or similar they would have put in a delayed claim with the airline and gone to their hotel and, hopefully, within a few hours after those miscellaneous bags were sorted they would have gotten a call saying they were found…

…but, because they use “Apple AirTags”, this problem was solved fast and they left the airport (After their long journey to get to their destination) with their cherished valuables so they didn’t have to go buy new toiletries, new clothes, etc.

So there you go… I hope those are a few good examples (And I’m sure there are MANY more examples out there!) of why I FOR SURE recommend you use “Apple AirTags” or similar for all your future trips as they can potentially save you A LOT of hassle & panic & worry…

…and A LOT of time!!

As always, it’d be my pleasure to help you get that next Great Ocean Cruise or River Cruise or Tauck Land Tour Vacation planned & booked…

…and know in advance that your Business is VERY appreciated!!  

Any questions at all about a Future trip or to get something booked, simply Contact Me Here.

If you learn better listening then reading, here is my YouTube video covering this topic.

No doubt I wasn’t the only person who was super disappointed when “Crystal Cruises” (A high-end, small ship, Luxury, All-Inclusive Cruiseline… who at the time of their demise had been one of the top-rated Cruiselines in the World for 25+ years!) went out of business at the start of 2022 due to their parent company going out of Business after the fallout of “Covid”…

…as many of you know, the travel industry was hit VERY hard during the pandemic and multiple companies shut down!  

Luckily, I had seen the “writing on the wall” with Crystal Cruises in the very early stages of Covid (As I had a lot of clients booked on them & saw that they weren’t handling client refunds well, they stopped paying us agents owed commissions, etc.) so by the time they “went under” I had ZERO clients booked on them (I stopped booking them/even refused clients business who wanted me to book them… but luckily, they took my advice & didn’t!) which was a true blessing as MANY of my colleagues had clients of theirs booked on Crystal Cruises and others were booked direct with Crystal Cruises, etc. so overall people lost millions & millions of dollars on Cruises they had booked with Crystal Cruises but had never received & they had no way to get a refund!  

Due to all that, when 6 months later the “A&K Travel Group” announced they were buying Crystal Cruises 2 ships and relaunching a “New” Crystal Cruises, I was far from impressed with that idea…

…to be candid, I thought it was a dumb idea as I figured what Cruiser in their right mind would sail with Crystal Cruises again after “being burned” by them and what travel agent would sell them after not being paid what was owed to them on previous business, etc. plus, why risk the same thing happening again if this “New” Crystal Cruises isn’t a “hit” & people don’t go back.

Well, after a year or so of me staying far away from recommending Crystal Cruises to my loyal & trusting clients, I noticed the “New” Crystal Cruises seemed to be gaining traction & getting lots of people to sail with them again AND, what really caught my eye, was 2.5 months ago Crystal Cruises ordered 2 new ships…

…which, to me, showed the “A&K Travel Group” was very happy with the progress “Crystal Cruises” made after being back in business for only & year and they had the confidence to invest A LOT of money into the “Crystal Cruises” brand as they can see a bright future ahead for them!!

**Side Note** When the “New” Crystal Cruises relaunched in 2023 I think one thing that REALLY helped them get back in the “good books” with their loyal clientele was they gave those who had lost money to the old company an equal “future credit” to use with the new company on a future trip so, even though those who never Cruised again still lost money, a lot of the people who lost money to the old company were able to recoup it with a new Cruise.

Which, since the “A&K Travel Group” had no obligation to do that since they didn’t buy any of Crystal Cruise’s debt/they only bought their 2 ships, I thought was a really classy move & a great start to building back “good will” with their loyal clients who had Cruised with them for years & years!

On top of that, I know why many of my most Loyal “Crystal Cruisers” in the past went back to Crystal again and again was they REALLY loved the onboard crew (Many who have been with Crystal for decades!) and since over 80% of the crew returned to Crystal Cruises (Even though many of them had been not working for them for 1.5 years and had joined other companies… they left & went back as they, like the guests, loved Crystal very much as well!) this also helped to get many of Crystal’s most loyal clients to return as well!

FYI, the pic to the right is of myself & Manfredi Lefebvre d’Ovidio who owns 85% of the “A&K Travel Group”. (Geoffrey Kent, who founded the “Abercrombie & Kent” travel company which mostly sells high-end land tours, owns the other 15%) 

If you’d like to learn a little more about “Crystal Cruises” history and how Manfredi happened to be on this sailing I was on and how talking to him has given me even more confidence regarding “Crystal Cruises” future, etc. then read the full caption under this picture.  

So, since I had booked A LOT of “Crystal Cruises” sailings for my clients in the past and since my clients always raved about Crystal Cruises in the past & since, as you’ll see here and also in all the captions under my pics/videos in this gallery, I REALLY enjoyed my personal past sailings on Crystal Cruises…

…I figured it was time I look more into the New “Crystal Cruises” to see if I want to add them “into the mix” with the other “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruiselines that I recommend & book for my clients which are “Regent” and “Explora Journeys” and “Silversea” and “Seabourn”. (FYI, here is where I explain the differences between the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruiselines and the “Upper Premium” Cruiselines and the “Big Ship/Mainstream” Cruiselines)

And of course, at least in my opinion, the best way I can be confident about recommending & booking a Cruiseline for my clients is for me to “get onboard” and sail with them as, after 85 personal Cruises, I’ve learned a thing or 2 when it comes to knowing if a Cruiseline is as good as they say they are and are the high-quality that my clients are looking for when experiencing their own personal Cruise Vacations!

Which is what this blog post is all about… my personal experience from sailing on the “Crystal Serenity” last month for 8 nights from Vancouver to Alaska & back. (Interested in learning what an Alaska Cruise is all about? If so, check out my “Alaska Cruise” blog post here!)

So, here’s the bottom line… in my opinion…

…”Crystal Cruises is Back!!”  

If you want to “See” what my sailing was like & why I’m confident to start recommending “Crystal Cruises” again to my Loyal/Discerning clients, visit here to check out my Picture & Video gallery from my time onboard.

And make sure to read the captions underneath my Pictures & Videos which goes into LOTS of details on what I experienced onboard “Crystal Serenity” and on why I believe Crystal is still one of the best lines in the Cruise Industry, etc.

Here are the “Highlights” I experienced during my “Crystal Cruises” sailing which have me feeling confident again about Crystal’s product and regarding their long-term stability:

Right away, I noticed some very positive changes from when I was on “Crystal Serenity” 6 years earlier…

…the main one being, the ship now fit only 740 guests down from 980 which I thought was awesome as even though our sailing was near full it NEVER felt crowded onboard at all or when getting on/off the ship.

And I felt there were more than enough crew to serve the amount of guests onbard… even though the ship’s Guest capacity went down by 25% it felt like they didn’t cut crew by 25% so getting lots of attention from crew was never an issue onboard as it can be on the “Big/Mega Ships”!

Speaking of Crystal’s crew, just like pre-Covid, the service was top-notch… as per above, Crystal’s ships now have fewer guests onboard so overall it felt like a more exclusive/relaxed experience where no one onboard had to want for anything!

It felt it only took 1 time to deal with a staff member where from there they knew my name the second time I saw them and they never forgot it… no doubt dealing with fewer guests helps in that area!

And if I asked for a direction, I was walked to where I wanted to go rather than simply pointed in the direction.

Overall, the crew onboard “Crystal Serenity” did NOT feel rushed at all as they are on the “Big/Mega Ships” so I never felt I was being a pain when I was asking for service, for help, etc. 

Crystal’s crew always made me feel they were eager to do what they could for me & fellow guests which was a great feeling for sure!  

The food was plentiful & always nicely presented & very tasty and you could tell the ingredients were high quality.

And like when on the other “Luxury/Small Ship/All Inclusive” lines, you don’t pay to eat at any of the restaurants including the “Specialty” restaurants which consist of an Italian restaurant + an Asian one… the latter was created by Famous Japanese Chef, “Nobu” where it costs $100s to eat at his restaurants on land but, on “Crystal Cruises”… $0!!  

If you want to see LOTS of examples of the food served onboard “Crystal Serenity”, visit here where I show you dozens of pictures of some of the dishes I enjoyed during my sailing!  

Speaking of paying $0 for meals onboard, that’s one of the things I REALLY enjoy on all the “Luxury/Small Ship/All Inclusive” Cruiselines including “Crystal Cruises”!

As per here, “Crystal Cruises” is All Inclusive once you’ve paid your Cruise fare upfront & step onboard… so, no “nickel & diming” feel at all when on Crystal as drinks, meals, tips, wifi, Butler Service, gym classes, etc. are all included!

Speaking of “Butler Service”, ALL rooms onboard “Crystal Cruises” now get access to that service rather than just the top Suites!

As I’ve mentioned in multiple blog posts and galleries of mine in the past where I’ve stayed in a room with Butler service, it’s NOT at all pretentious or “too much” to have a Butler like many of us thought it’d be before we tried it.

Your room’s Butler is simply there to make everything better/more seamless for you like making sure your room is set up exactly the way you want it when it comes to beverages/pillows/toiletries/etc., they make sure any room service you order is delivered at the time of your choosing, they help you with any laundry you need done, with making reservations at the restaurants, etc.

Far from invasive, they’ll feel like one of your best friends by the time your Cruise is done and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them!!

Above I mentioned I really liked how there were 25% fewer guests on “Crystal Serenity” compared to when I was on last time…

…well, a lot of the reason why that change happened is they took 2 balconies in many areas of the ship & turned them into 1 “Sapphire Veranda Suite” which means there are A LOT more bigger rooms available to book on “Crystal Cruises” compared to their pre-Covid days so more availability of these Very high-demand rooms!

If you watch this video you’ll see I stayed in a “Sapphire Veranda Suite” when onboard “Crystal Serenity”…

…personally, I’ve been on 86 Cruises so have stayed in many types of rooms over the years & this Suite was a REALLY nice room that I highly recommend if in budget!!

On the other hand, as I talk about in the captions here and here, if you don’t book a Suite on “Crystal Cruises” keep in mind their basic Veranda & Oceanview rooms are smaller than the most basic rooms on their competitors.

So if you’ve Cruised on Regent, Explora, Seabourn or Silversea keep in mind their starting rooms on many of their ships are closer to 400 square feet so on Crystal you might want to consider at least an “Aquamarine Veranda Suite” as you may find their most basic rooms fairly tight as they’re closer to the size of the rooms on the “Big Ship” guys like Carnival, Royal, Norwegian, Holland, Princess & Celebrity.

As mentioned earlier in this post, the “A&K Travel Group” owns “Crystal Cruises” and they also own the “Abercrombie & Kent” travel company which mostly sells high-end land tours…

…and as these companies are now considered “sister” companies, they’re partnering on many of “Crystal Cruises” shore excursions which is Great since A&K has 60 years of experience of showing their clients the World in an amazing way so this increases the quality of “Crystal Cruises” shore excursion offerings!

Plus, they’re also offering “add on” A&K tours to some Crystal sailings and some “add on” Crystal sailings to some A&K tours so in those situations they’re giving you some GREAT ideas to experience “Multi-Trip” Vacations which, as I talk about here, is a GREAT idea which myself/many of my clients do again & again!

As I talk about in the caption under this picture (And as mentioned on this page which also talks about other onboard Entertainment), “Crystal Cruises” offers A LOT of lectures when you sail with them on all kinds of topics from multiple, super interesting people… for me, I really enjoy that aspect as I not only travel to relax but to learn & to see the World differently so having the opportunity to get some unique education on a “Sea Day” is perfect in my opinion!  

As much as I love the rooms & service & food when I sail on “Luxury/Small Ship/All Inclusive” Cruiselines, no doubt one of the downfalls is the nighttime entertainment is not near as good as on the big ships due to the smaller showrooms & fewer venues so you’ll never find a dedicated Comedy Club, etc. like on the bigger ships.

But, with all that said, something I found with “Crystal Cruises” pre-Covid & I feel it still stands today is that… compared to all their competitors… to me, I feel “Crystal Cruises” offers the best entertainment of the “Small Ships”!

Part of this is they have a bigger showroom & stage compared to their competitors so more room for more entertainers & props but also because they seem to put a lot more effort & money into this area of their Cruises compared to their competitors. 

Overall, all the “Luxury/Small Ship/All Inclusive” Cruiselines offer amazing food & service so you can’t go wrong with any of them but if you do like your evening entertainment my guess is you’ll be more impressed with Crystal’s offerings as they do a solid job in this area!

Not something that I can take advantage of but “Crystal Cruises” still has their “Gentleman Hosts” onboard (Looked to me like maybe 6 of them?) as they did pre-Covid who are there to dance with the Single ladies onboard or with the ladies whose hubbies aren’t interested in “cutting the rug” anymore. I always found this service super cute when I’ve sailed on “Crystal Cruises” in the past and it still is as it makes so many of the Ladies’ Cruise extra special which is Awesome to see!!  

Speaking of a GREAT tradition that “Crystal Cruises” has kept intact since they came back into business… they still play Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World” when they leave ports… if you’ve ever Cruised on “Crystal Cruises” before you know this puts a BIG smile on your face every time you hear it… it’s an Awesome tradition that reminds you how blessed you are to be sailing on a Luxury Cruise and how truly great it all is!!

“Shawn, are there any negatives at all when it comes to Crystal Cruises?” you may be asking yourself right now?

Well, I looked for them as I love giving my clients “both sides” of the story but for sure they’re not easy to find when it comes to a top quality line like “Crystal Cruises” but here are 3 things I want to point out to you:

1. As mentioned earlier in this post, the most basic rooms on “Crystal Cruises” are NOT equal to most of the most basic rooms on their competitors… they’re much smaller and some don’t even have a balcony. For example, the last “Luxury” line I was on was “Explora Journeys” back in April and, as I talk about here, their smallest room is 377 square feet & it comes with a private balcony.

That’s 75% bigger than Crystal’s smallest room which ONLY has a window/no balcony so if your budget only allows you to book the cheapest room on Crystal & the cheapest on Explora and the price is similar, you’re getting a way better room on Explora! In my opinion, Crystal makes sense if you can afford their Suites but if not you may get a better room on Explora, Regent, Seabourn or Silversea.

With all that said, as per here, “Crystal Cruises” has plans to launch 2 new ships starting in 2028 where the most basic rooms will have Verandas and will be much bigger like their competitors… so in a few years, this point won’t be as relevant. 

2. “Crystal Cruises” currently only has 2 ships whereas Regent has 6, Seaboun has 7 & Silversea has 12… point being, you have a lot more destination choices with the other guys so, as always, when it’s time for you & I to plan your Cruise we’ll start with the destination you want to go to first and from there I’ll go over the best choices/if Crystal is one of them, Great, but if not don’t get overly wrapped up in the line as all 5 of the “Luxury/Small Ship/All Inclusive” lines are awesome… to me, it’s more about getting to the destination that you’re interested in.

As per above though, once “Crystal Cruises” brings their new ships out, this issue will matter less over time.  

3. Like with pretty much every Cruiseline out there, Crystal WAY overcharges for their “add-ons” to the Cruise like airfare/hotels/transfers, etc. For example, this Cruise I just did to Alaska started/ended in Vancouver and it’s about a $40 CAD Uber ride from the port to the airport. Crystal on the other hand was charging $110 USD per person to take a bus with them to the airport which is around $310 CAD/around 800% more!! So, as I talk about here and in other areas of my site/Gallery, etc., it’s usually almost always best to ONLY book your Cruise or Tauck Tour through me as, as per here in #1, that’s always the best deal for you… but for airfare, hotels, transfers, etc., if you’re comfortable booking those items on your own, all the better as you’ll almost for sure save money!

Well, that wraps up my thoughts on the “New” Crystal Cruises and on whether I’m comfortable recommending them to my valued clients again…

…as per above, I’m confident in “Crystal Cruises” stability & no doubt their onboard product is as good/even better then ever so if you end up booking a “Crystal Cruises” sailing with me in the future I think you’ll be Happy by the time you get back home!  

Alright, any questions you still have about “Crystal Cruises” that I didn’t cover in this review simply let me know here or if you’re ready to book your own “Crystal Cruise” or any other Ocean Cruise or River Cruise or Tauck Land Tour, let me know and I’ll take Great care of you as always…

…and as always, know in advance that I SINCERELY appreciate your Business!!

**If you’re interested in seeing a few pictures of what I saw this time in Alaska, click here!

**Or, if you are Interested in learning what an Alaska Cruise is all about… check out my “Alaska Cruise” blog post here!)

I Appreciate You!!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!

Have you ever dreamed of “jetting” off to the far-away/Exotic lands of Africa to experience an Africa Safari and see the “Big Five” (Lions, Leopards, Rhinoceros, Elephants and Buffalo) as well as all the other amazing animals that Africa is known for?

If so, no doubt if you’ve done any research on the MANY Africa Safari options that are out there… you’ve gotten pretty overwhelmed!! 

Well, as I’ve personally done an Africa Safari in both “South Africa” & “East Africa” and have booked Africa Safari trips for dozens & dozens & dozens of my clients…

…I’m Very familiar with which Africa Safari options show you the big “highlights” over there and which Africa Safari options get the best reviews, etc. so my goal here today is to show you a few of the best Africa Safari options for you to choose from and ideally to help you figure out the best “Africa Safari” trip for you!

Alright… let’s get into it!

(If you’d like to “hear” my thoughts on this topic rather then read them check out this video)

As you’ll see here, in 2017 I did an “Africa River Cruise & Safari” trip with “AMA Waterways” in South Africa/Botswana/Namibia/Zimbabwe and recently, as you’ll see here, in June/July, 2024 I did an “East Africa” Safari & Mountain Gorilla Trekking trip with “Tauck” in Tanzania/Kenya/Rwanda…

…and as I talk about in those reviews above… both were TRULY Amazing experiences!!

So, based on my experience in this part of the World, in order to figure out the best Africa Safari option for you I think we need to look into 3 specific things:

1. Do you want to include a River Cruise or not?
2. Do you want to go to “South Africa” or “East Africa”?
3. Do you want to include a “Trek” to see Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda or not?

Ok, let’s get into each of those topics…

River Cruise or No River Cruise??

I think this is a Great place to start as it’s simple to see the money difference by including the River Cruise or not and if it’s not in your budget to take the River Cruise you can simply look at the other options or, if it is in your budget, I’d for SURE say to consider experiencing this 4 days on the “Chobe” River onboard the small 28-passenger “Zambezi Queen” as it’s a VERY unique and exclusive experience!!

What I personally liked about this experience compared to the other 16 River Cruises I’ve taken is that it’s a truly unique & EXCLUSIVE experience!! 

Unlike all the other Rivers I’ve sailed in Europe/Egypt/Vietnam & Cambodia/China/Myanmar, there are no other major River Cruise companies sailing on this River and with only 14 rooms onboard it’s a sailing that if you experience it, you’ll be one of the few people in the World to do so!

And since you’re in the middle of nowhere when onboard with no cities around and very little other River traffic, etc. you have the place to yourself so when you go on your “Water Safaris” from the ship you’re not competing with others to see the animals, you can sleep with the windows open at night if you like to hear nature taking it’s course while in the “Heart of Africa”, etc.

Overall, it felt unlike anything else I’ve done when it comes to all the other trips I’ve taken… as I talk about here it was an incredibly unique/exclusive/VERY special experience!!

BUT, that kind of exclusivity comes at a cost of course!! 

Here are some #s to give you an idea of the River Cruise’s cost.

Let’s say you came to me & said you want to do an Africa Safari Land Tour with Tauck in South Africa… this 11-night tour is normally the one I’d recommend to you which, as you’ll see here, starts at around $12,000 USD per person.

On the other hand, if you do this 14-night trip with AMA Waterways (Which is the exact trip I did here) which is virtually the same experience that you’ll get with Tauck PLUS you’ll get the 4 day Cruise on the River, that starts at around $17,000 USD per person for the lowest priced room onboard.

So, it’s pretty much $5,000 USD per person more minimum to do the River Cruise and some dates are closer to $6,000 USD per person more… and, if you like a better room on the River Cruise then the smallest room onboard, that’ll cost another $400-$1,400 USD per person more to upgrade your room… so overall, the 4 night River Cruise will cost you in the vicinity of $10,000-$15,000 USD more per couple.

FYI, when it comes to the many clients of mine I’ve booked in this area, around 2/3 have done the River Cruise option due to wanting to take in that special/exclusive experience on the River…

…whereas for the others who it didn’t work for them budget-wise or they booked too late to get 1 of the 14 rooms onboard, they went with Tauck’s option.

So, hopefully, this breakdown above helps you figure out right away if you should be looking at a River Cruise option with “AMA Waterways” or a Land Tour option with “Tauck” that doesn’t include a River Cruise!

“South Africa” or “East Africa”??

Okay, now that you probably have an idea if you want to take the River Cruise or not during your Africa Safari trip, next it’s time to decide if you want to visit “South Africa” or “East Africa” 

In my opinion, the best way to make that decision is to think about what your main goal is for going to Africa and what you want to see & experience? 

For example, if you want to simply see animals/AS MANY animals as you possibly can, if you don’t plan to take the River Cruise then this Tauck Tour (Which is the one that I did here) or this similar Tauck Tour without the Gorillas is going to show you LOTS of LOTS of animals while in “East Africa” when in Tanzania & Kenya!!

During my time there on this Tauck Tour we did 13 “Game Drives” so our group saw ALL the animals we had come to Africa to see… and plenty of them… it was a legit Africa Safari experience with “Game Drives” almost daily and lots of time out on “Safari”!!

On the other hand, for my first Africa Safari experience in “South Africa”, it was more of a “Diverse” trip where not only did we experience some awesome “Safari” time on “Game Drives” but, as I talk about here, we also got to spend a few days in “Cape Town” which is a very scenic/exciting/Coastal City in South Africa with lots of highlights there as well as in the surrounding area and we also got to go to “Victoria Falls” in Zimbabwe which is SUPER impressive and then we visited “Johannesburg” which has tons of history/it’s a Great place to learn more about South Africa’s past & present!

As a comparison, this Tauck Tour in South Africa offers 7 “Game Drives” compared to the 13 in “East Africa” so less time to see animals but you also get to visit some major cities, an amazing Waterfalls, etc. so which is best all comes down to do you want to “mix things up” a little on your trip or are the Animals the only reason you want to go to Africa??

FYI, when in South Africa even though I did fewer “Game Drives” in “Kreuger National Park” compared to Tanzania & Kenya I DID still get to see all the animals but fewer of them… and of course, you have to remember that Africa is NOT A ZOO so animals aren’t “on demand” so the more time you’re on “Safari” & “Game Drives” the better chances you’ll see all you came for, but again, I also loved my time in Cape Town/Victoria Falls/Johannesburg so a “diverse” trip is something I enjoy as well.. and you of course know what appeals more to you.

With all that said, if you travel with “AMA Waterways” and also add the River Cruise I talked about earlier then that also includes 6 “Water Safaris/”Game Boat Rides” plus a “Game Drive” in “Chobe National Park” plus a visit to a local native Village plus animal viewing from the “Zambezi Queen” boat itself so by taking the River Cruise you’re adding in a bunch more animal viewing opportunities!!

Ok, I know that was a lot of info & options when talking “South Africa” vs “East Africa” but, no worries, I’ll “sum up” your best options at the end of this post!  

To “Trek” to see “Mountain Gorillas” in Rwanda or not??

Like with my “To do the River Cruise or not” section earlier, I think your “To Trek to see the Moutain Gorillas or not” decision may also come down to budget for many people as it’s NOT an inexpensive few days as, like with the River Cruise, it’s VERY exclusive where less then 100 people get to experience that each day in Rwanda so, like with most things in life… because it’s limited & exclusive it comes with a hefty price tag!

With “AMA Waterways” for example, to add their 4-night option to see the Gorillas it’s around $9,000 USD per person additional. (Which is on top of their “core” River Cruise & Africa Safari trip cost which, as mentioned above, starts at around $17,000 USD per person) 

And with Tauck, to do their “Gorilla Trek” tour compared to their option without the Gorillas it’s about $12,000 USD per person extra for those 3 extra nights…

…reason they’re even more than AMA for that add-on is they only offer 4-5 dates per year (Which ALWAYS sell out VERY early!!) and when visiting the Gorillas they stay at the Beautiful “One & Only” all-inclusive resort which adds quite a bit to the bottom line of what you’re paying.

Beyond the extra money for the Gorillas, the other thing you need to consider is are you healthy enough or not to do the “Trek”?

As I talk about here, my small group of 5 from my bigger group of 21 with Tauck chose a more “active” trek so we hiked for 2 hours each way through the Jungle…

…but, the other 16 in my group walked for about 30mins each way through some fields to the edge of the Jungle.

So, as long as you can walk (And it wasn’t at a super fast pace at all) for 1-2hrs total with breaks along the way (Seeing the Gorillas alone is about an hour of being stopped so a nice break there) I think you’ll be fine but if you have any serious mobility issues at all and don’t want to be carried as I talk about here then maybe this “Gorilla Trek” option isn’t for you?

With that said, as I talk about here, the roads can be VERY bumby when on Safari so if you have any serious back or neck issues an Africa Safari may not be a great trip for you at all so you overall have to be in reasonably good health to enjoy a trip in this area…

…which is why I ALWAYS tell my clients to get the far-away, Exotic, long flight trips out of the way in your younger years when you’re healthy and do the Alaska Cruise & US National Parks & Hawaii, etc. trips in your later years when maybe your health isn’t as great as in our part of the World most roads are relatively smooth, everything is “ADA compliant”, etc. so much easier to navigate if you’re “slowing down” at all.

Okay, I hope that all helped you figure out what’s the best “Africa Safari” option for you!! 

If after going through all the above it’s still not clear which Africa Safari option is best for you let me give you my top few recommendations:

1.If you have a hefty budget & lots of time and want the MOST COMPLETE Africa Safari experience then do what, as I talk about here, myself & many of my clients do which is we go on nice & long trips and do “Back to Back” Cruises and/or Land Tours during one big Vacation which, in my experience, make some of the best ever Vacations!!

So, what that could look like is doing this “AMA Waterways” option like I did here in “South Africa” and then you can fly to Tanzania to join this “Tauck” tour like I did here in “East Africa” which means you’d “get it all” in one trip…

…the “Diversity” of Cape Town/Victoria Falls/Johannesburg, you’d do the River Cruise, you’d go on “Safari”/”Game Drives” in “South Africa” and then you’d go on “Safari”/”Game Drives” in “East Africa” and would end it all with a bang by doing the “Gorilla Trek” in Rwanda.

Does that sound crazy to you and you’re thinking “Who would ever do that?”

Well, while on this tour I met a really, really nice couple from Indianapolis and they had just ended this 12-day Tauck Tour 2 days before joining our 15-day tour…

…and my guess is, if I had met them before & told them about AMA’s River Cruise option (They hadn’t even heard of it) they would have taken that instead of the 12 day Tauck Tour to “see it all”!

And, after finishing in Rwanda, they stayed there 3 extra days & were then flying to Dubai for a 1/2 week before flying home.

Overall, it sounded like an AMAZING 6 week trip that they thoroughly enjoyed which made total sense to me as, as I talk about here, MANY times I’ve personally taken these kinds of “Multi-Trip” Vacations!!

2. If “Doing it all” like above isn’t going to work for you but you still want to take the River Cruise with “AMA Waterways” then my suggestion is if you don’t plan to add on AMA’s “Gorilla Trek” option then do this 14-night “AMA Waterways” trip which is the same one I did here.

Or, if you plan to add on “AMA Waterways” Gorilla Trek extension then best to do this 18-night “AMA Waterways” option (Make sure to have me change your 1 night in Johannesburg at the beginning to 3 nights in Cape Town!!) since you need to fly North to Rwanda anyways so you may as well do your “Safaris”/”Game Drives” in Tanzania since it’s close to Rwanda and you get a couple of extra “Safaris”/”Game Drives” on that trip compared to the “South Africa” one so 2 more chances of seeing more animals!  

3. My final recommendation is if you DON’T plan to do the River Cruise with AMA Waterwys then take this Tauck Tour if you want to see the Gorillas or if the Gorillas don’t interest you/don’t work budget-wise, etc. then, as per my “South Africa” or “East Africa” section above, take this Tauck Tour if all you care about is seeing animals or this Tauck Tour if you want a more “Diverse” itinerary.

Okay, HOPEFULLY, those 3 recommendations help you figure out the BEST Africa Safari option for you… if not, send me your additional questions here.

One final note to clear up any confusion…

…if you follow my blog posts & reviews closely you’ll remember I’ve said in the past I ONLY book “Tauck” when it comes to Land Tours… this post explains why.

So, you may be wondering… why than am I just as confident in this particular post to be saying go with “AMA Waterways” or “Tauck” equally and to simply choose the one whose itinerary fits you best? 

Well, as I talk about here, “AMA Waterways” Africa trips are Much more “high-end” than their Europe/other destination River Cruises.

Don’t get me wrong, AMA puts off really nice River Cruises in Europe/Vietnam & Cambodia/Egypt but, as I talk about here, Tauck’s Europe River Cruises are superior to AMA’s for multiple reasons but in Africa, at least in my personal experience, I felt AMA’s quality was on par with Tauck’s which is why I confidently recommend AMA Waterways to my clients and have booked many of my clients going to Africa on AMA Waterways and it’s why I think going with the best itinerary for you between Tauck’s & AMA’s options is the best way to go when choosing your Africa Safari trip to this Amazing continent!!

Alright, as mentioned above, HOPEFULLY this blog post will help you figure out the BEST Africa Safari option for you… again, if not, simply send me your additional questions here or if you’re ready to get your own “Africa Safari” Adventure booked then reach out to me here and I’ll help you make this “Dream” Africa Safari Adventure a “Reality”!!

And in case you’re new to me & my site and are wondering why you’d want to book your Africa Safari with me compared to with Tauck or AMA Waterways directly, check out this blog post which explains all the advantages of booking all your Ocean Cruises & River Cruises and Tauck Land Tours with a True Expert like me!  

I Appreciate You!!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!

Even though I’d already been to Africa before on a Safari (You can see that experience here), I was VERY excited to head back to this fascinating Continent for more Safaris as not only would I be experiencing those in a different part of the Continent…

…Kenya & Tanzania this time vs South Africa/Botswana/Namibia/Zimbabwe the first time around…

…but this time I’d be adding in a “Trek” to find Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda!!

The first time I’d heard about this unique experience was from a 75-year old/VERY well-traveled man who never got too excited when telling me about his travels since he’d “seen it all” but when he described his experience with the Gorillas he “lit up” & it brought tears to his eyes…

…after that, I knew this experience had to go onto my “Bucket List”!!

FYI, as I talk about here, I only sell “Tauck” tours to my clients when it comes to Land Tours which means that’s who I exclusively do my personal land tours with as well…

…as you’ll see here, this was my 6th “Tauck Tour”. (And as you’ll see here, I’ve also done a River Cruise with Tauck & 3 “Small Ship” Ocean Cruises with Tauck)

This video explains why “Tauck”, a Trusted 100 year old Travel Company, is a Great choice for you to Travel with on any of their over 150 Journeys that can take you to over 70 Countries! 

After having sailed on 85 Cruises that’s no doubt my preferred way to travel but, as I talk about here, in some places a “Land Tour” is the better way to travel (Or in the case of this Africa trip the only way as you can’t do it by Cruise) and, like on ALL my other “Tauck Tours”…

…Tauck truly, truly did a Wonderful job showing me this part of the World & bringing this unforgettable experience “To Life”!!

Alright, let’s take a look at what I saw & experienced during this “Mountain Gorilla Safari: Kenya, Tanzania & Rwanda” Tauck Land Tour to see if it’s one you want to add to your “Bucket-List” as well!!

Mountain Gorillas

With so many GREAT experiences during this epic 15-night Journey, it’s hard to know where to start when it comes to what pictures/info to share with you so I’m thinking let’s start off with my “Gorilla Trekking” adventure.

Even though it took place the second last day of this trip, it was the “main event” I was going for… don’t get me wrong, EVERYTHING else I experienced during this trip was awesome but as, as mentioned above, since I had already been to South Africa and did Safaris/Game Drives this “Gorilla Trekking” experience was for sure the highlight I was looking forward to on this trip!!

And it did NOT disappoint!!

This day was definitely a VERY special day for a travel lover like me… what an AMAZING experience “trekking” to find Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda!!

And “trek” we did… it took 2 hours to find them, we hung out with them for 1.5 hours and then we hiked 2 hours back… all through some VERY dense jungle and up a VERY steep hill!!

With that said, we were 5 of our group of 21 who chose a more active trek, the other 16 in our “Tauck” group had to hike much less to find the Gorillas/their path wasn’t up a hill at all, it was through a flat open field/they were done 2 hours before us so many different fitness levels can still take in this experience!

FYI, even if you have serious walking issues, for around $300 you can be carried up by 4 porters on a “seated platform” perched on their shoulders.

But either way/no matter how you get there, seeing these powerful creatures glide through the jungle so easily as we had to work hard to get through the thick brush (Literally, our “trackers” had to “create” paths for us with their machetes!!) was so impressive as was watching the Gorillas eat, play together (The baby was SO cute!! ), beat their chests, “talk” to each other, etc.

And because we found them in a small space/not out in the open we got REALLY close to them at times as they simply go where they like, we don’t seem to bother them at all… they’re definitely the ones in control as one of them reminded me when he was going by and gave me a little push on the shoulder reminding me who the boss was… WOW!!

Seeing all the animals I did in Tanzania and Kenya the previous 12 days was truly, truly incredible but the Gorillas in Rwanda were the highlight of this unforgettable “Tauck” Tour for me!!

It’s truly impossible to capture the specialness of this unique experience in pictures/on video so I truly hope if you have the means to make it here you do one day as no doubt a trip like this will last with you forever!!!!!!!

Overall, I know above is only a few pictures and is only a “taste” of what it was like but seeing Mountain Gorillas in the wild in Rwanda was an experience that will forever live with me/it’s one of the greatest experiences I’ve enjoyed as I’ve traveled all over the World…

…if this appeals to you too I TRULY hope it’s something you get to experience one day!!

**Want to see more??** If you go here to my “Kenya/Tanzania/Rwanda” Photo & Video Gallery and read all the detailed captions underneath you’ll see another dozen + pictures/videos of the Gorillas and how we had “Porters” to help us through our Journey, you’ll see some of the terrain we had to hike through & the trackers using their machetes, you’ll see a video of my new found friend giving me a little “nudge” & saying “Hello” to me ;-), you’ll see a video of the baby playing around, etc. 

Other Animals

As you’ll see in the picture to the right, Gorillas weren’t the only animals we got very close to while in Kenya, Tanzania & Rwanda!!

With that said, you have to be a bit more careful with Lions as they are “King of the Jungle” after all so for the rest of the pictures & videos you’ll see we definitely weren’t out “trekking” with the animals like with the Gorillas, it was all from the safety of our “Safari” vehicles!!

As you’ll see in the pictures below, we saw SO MANY different animals during this Journey… literally, we saw everything you’d hope to when going to Africa… and they were all awesome creatures, so Beautiful & special & serene to see in the Wild!!

If you go here to my “Kenya/Tanzania/Rwanda” Photo & Video Gallery and read all the detailed captions underneath you’ll see dozens of additional pictures/videos of some of the different Animals our “Tauck” group saw during this Journey…

…we saw animals playing, sleeping, eating animals they had just killed, mating, etc.

What an experience seeing them in so many different situations!!

If you’ve always dreamt of flying off to the far away exotic lands of Africa to go on “Safari” and see all the amazing animals in the Wild, then this journey will for sure be what you’re looking for!!

Other Highlights

Well, as you saw above and in my “Kenya/Tanzania/Rwanda” Photo & Video Gallery here, Gorillas & all the other exotic animals that Africa is famous for were VERY plentiful during my time in Kenya & Tanzania!!

With that said, seeing animals was not the only highlight of this Epic Journey…

…I saw/experienced many other memorable things as well such as:

–We visited a “Maasai” Village in Kenya to see how the local natives who live in both Kenya & Tanzania go about their daily lives. It was truly a blessed experience seeing their traditional dances, their homes, their children, seeing how they drink blood from Cows (Yep, I saw this in person!!) which they consider Very sacred, etc.! Overall, it was a very fascinating visit & experience as learning about a Country’s culture is always one of my favorite things when I travel!!

–We visited a local school that our guide, Seth, had started years earlier to help educate children from a “Maasai” community…

…it was so nice seeing the difference that can be made with what we would consider little money compared to our part of the World… the kids seemed to be doing great with their lessons and were definitely excited for us to visit them… overall, it was a fun visit for sure!

–Multiple times I had the chance to interact with locals, the same people who the news often portrays as “scary” and “dangerous” in parts of the World we shouldn’t be going to, yet, again & again my experience as I travel the World is smiling & Welcoming faces everywhere…

…truly, the World is a LOT less scary & more Beautiful the more you actually go & check it all out!!

-Another “local” experience we enjoyed was visiting a “spinners & weavers” shop supporting single mothers… it was so great to see all the Beautiful items they’re able to create!!

–Multiple times we were treated to local singing, dancing, etc. to get a feel for the traditions in Africa that can be so different from ours yet, they do it for the same reasons… to bring the community closer together, to have fun, to spend time with their loves ones, etc.

-Another memorable event during this trip was the day we experienced breathtaking views of “Mt Kilimanjaro”… what a site!!

And as you’ll see in a video through the link at the end of this section, we started our viewing that morning with a Beautiful sunrise… what a Great day that tuned out to be!!

-Many evenings we did an afternoon “Game Drive” which included a Gorgeous sunset to cap the day off… as you’ll know after taking your own African Safari trip, there’s nothing like a sunset in this part of the World!!

-Although it was only a short probably 30-minute experience, pulling over in the middle of “The Bush” in the “Serengeti” to enjoy a picnic are memories you’ll truly cherish when taking a Journey like this!!

-What seemed like a Major highlight for everyone in our group of 21/ALL really enjoyed it, was our early morning “Hot Air Baloon” ride over the plains of the “Maasai Mara”… we experienced an Epic sunrise that morning as we watched lots & lots of animals move beneath us which was all followed by a “Champagne Breakfast” in the middle of nowhere… amazing how hard all the staff worked for us that day to make it a VERY memorable event!!

-Another highlight of our Journey was we got to visit the Equator!!

-And our “Dinner in the Bush” while staying at the “Mt Kenya Safari Club” was a super memorable evening… the pre-dinner drinks, VERY tasty food that was grilled over charcoals, making “Smores”, etc. made it a Wonderful event! Lots of smiles on our group’s faces that night!!

-Unlike many “Major City” based trips, this itinerary did not have a ton of shopping opportunities on it since we were often in the “middle of nowhere” so our visit to the “Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre” was a highlight as not only was it a Great shopping opportunity but it also features lots of art and artifacts from Tanzania and other East African Countries… overall, a VERY impressive place!!

-A very personal highlight for me was when, literally, over 20 staff members from the “Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge” came out with instruments and serenaded me for over 4 minutes with multiple songs to Celebrate my big “50th”… it was like the whole restaurant stopped for me… definitely a touch uncomfortable/embarrassing but super fun & Special!!

Point being, I’ve been on MANY trips over the years for my Birthday & other special occasions and it’s a GREAT way to celebrate so make sure to always see if you can schedule Epic trips like this during special times for you as nothing better then celebrating in some Exotic place around the World!!

-And once we arrived to our destination in “Kinigi” to see the Gorillas, we first made a stop at the “Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund” campus that Ellen started where we learned about the amazing work Dian did to save these Beautiful creatures…

literally, all for her, I never would have gotten to have this experience so it truly is amazing what one person can do when they put their mind to something… that was a special experience for sure!!

–Our “Sundowner” (Drinks at sunset) at the “Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge” was another evening I won’t soon forget as I enjoyed some beverages with all my new friends as we saw & heard animals in the background, we had a Very informative & interesting lecture about Elephants, etc.

Truly, EVERY DAY of this Journey brought highlight after highlight… it’s a VERY special trip for sure!!

–And no doubt, one of the BIGGEST highlights of this Epic trip was all the new friends I met… sincerely, when you travel with a super small group like this (Just 21 of us) where you all have very similar travel interests it’s so easy to develop instant comradery…

…as those who know me well know, even though I’m in a business where I have to communicate with people daily, I can be VERY introverted so meeting new people isn’t always my thing but as I enjoyed drinks with these people, had many meals with them, went on many “Game Drives” with them, hiked to see Gorillas with them, etc. it was like I reconnected with many of my long lost friends…

… sincerely, new friendships is a MAJOR highlight of a trip like this for sure… at least in my humble opinion!!

WOW, as you can see, there are A LOT of other “highlights” when going to Kenya, Tanzania & Rwanda with Tauck besides just seeing the Animals!!

To see even more pictures & videos and to get even more details of the “other highlights” myself/my group experienced, visit here and don’t forget to read the detailed captions under many of the pictures & videos! 

“Technical Details & Info”

Okay, so far I showed you the Gorillas & other animals I saw as well as I showed you some of the other major highlights I enjoyed during my Journey in Kenya/Tanzania/Rwanda.

So now, let’s talk about some “technical” details & info!!

Below I’m going to address 2 specific things and beyond that, if you visit here, and read the captions underneath the 2 dozen pictures that follow you’ll learn about…

-how we had “Local” guides everywhere we went on top of having our “Tauck Director” Seth

-you’ll see the local transportation/the 4x4s we used during this trip in lieu of traditional MotorCoaches that most Land Tours feature (And I mention if you have any major back or neck issues a trip like this may NOT be for you as very bumpy rides for hours at a time… which is why I always encourage my clients to do these Epic/Exotic/Far away trips earlier in life, don’t leave them for retirement as too many people do but don’t end up doing them as health issues come up… save the easy North America trips for later in life!! ;-))

-you’ll see that it’s VERY dusty in this part of the World and how you may not want to bring your best attire with you

-I show you a “Tauck Exclusive” that we enjoyed during this Journey

-I give you a “peek” at some of the 6 “Inter-Africa” flights that we took

-I mention the welcome meeting & Welcome reception we had

-I show you the duffel bag & water bottle Tauck gives you, etc.

Again, visit here to check out all those details which Hopefully will help answer some of the questions that may be on your mind about this trip & you’ll see how Tauck handles every little detail for you!!

As mentioned above, there are 2 of the “technical” side of things I wanted to address more in-depth:

Our “Tauck Director”

To the right is Seth Cohen who was our “Tauck Director” during this tour… Seth was Truly AWESOME and someone who I now consider a friend after enjoying many meals, talks, etc. with him!

Of course, no doubt we both love to talk travel which makes it easy to get along but I know I could now call him up if visiting his town and he’d happily get together!

As I talk about here Tauck’s “Directors” (Guides) are truly the BEST in the business!!

They’re always ridiculously experienced (Seth has been with Tauck/guiding Tours for 28 years!) and beyond friendly & caring & helpful!!

Seth knew EVERYONE as we traveled from place to place which made a huge difference when it came to us having a GREAT/VERY WELL ORGANIZED overall trip compared to if we were there with a “rookie” guide like many companies have leading their tours these days!

Truly, I can confidently say ALL 21 of our group will no doubt tell you Seth was awesome which is something you can always depend on when spending your hard-earned money to book a “Tauck” Land Tour or Ocean Cruise or River Cruise!!

Arusha, Tanzania

As I talk about here & here you HAVE to arrive at least 1 day early for any Tauck trip or Ocean Cruise or River Cruise that you take!!

Reason being, if your plane or bags are late and you’re flying in the “day of” your trip that you spent tens of thousands of dollars on… it will start off VERY badly… and even if you’re on time you’ll be too tired to enjoy the first day or 2 as you’ll have had no time to get over the jetlag!

And I DO practice what I preach!!  

For this trip, I arrived 2 days early, 3 days early when I went to Antarctica with Tauck in January, 8 days early in Japan last fall with them and 2 days early to Iceland with them this time last year.

With that said, Arusha in Tanzania is where you stay for extra nights on this trip but it is NOT a highlight… I’m a big walker/I walked around Arusha for 3hrs and there was little to see except for a clock tower and some local markets and I spent some time at the “Arusha Cultural Heritage Centre” where Tauck was taking us anyways and it was not a great walking place as it was dusty with few sidewalks.

BUT, I still suggest you arrive a day or 2 early as the “Gran Melia” hotel was Very nice with a great pool & gym, Beautiful views of “Mt Meru”, Beautiful grounds, they had some nice restaurants, etc. so it’s a perfect place to simply chill out after your LONG flight to this amazing part of the World!!

Below are a few scenes from my walk around Arusha.

**Hot Tip** As I talk about here, if you book with me at the right time, you won’t need to pay for your first extra night in Arusha!!

Last “Technical” note: As I talk about here & here “Tauck” ALWAYS includes airport transfers in the price of their trips whether you book air with them or not (As I talk about here BEST to book airfare on your own if you’re comfortable doing so!) and, as always like clockwork, my Tauck driver was waiting for me when I landed at the Kilimanjaro airport in Tanzania after my long Journey to get there…

…this may not sound like a huge deal but there’s nothing worse than landing after a VERY long flight to only be harrassed to take a taxi ride, to go visit a timeshare, etc. whereas knowing Tauck has a professional driver there ready to take you to your hotel is the PERFECT way to start your long-awaited Journey!!

Food

Of course, when taking an Epic Vacation to an Exotic part of the World like Africa, everyone wants to know what the food is going to be like… are they going to get to try some new foods as well as have access to things they’re used to, etc.??

Here are my thoughts on the food I ate during this “African Safari” Tauck Land Tour…

…overall, we had many awesome meals during this Journey!!

Yes, we absolutely got to try some new/local dishes but if you’re a bit of a “picky” eater know that we saw lots of great steaks, seafoods we’re used to in North America, we even had burgers/pizza, etc. at times so, at least in my opinion, you’d have to be a super picky eater to not be happy with all the options we enjoyed each day!

And, there was PLENTY of it, you WON’T go hungry when on a Tauck Land Tour!!

If you visit here you’ll see lots of pics showing you some of the meals I enjoyed along the way as we traveled from Tanzania to Kenya to Rwanda!

AND, at that above link, I talk a little about what drinks ARE and ARE NOT included on a Tauck Tour like this.

Hotels

Okay, LAST topic now that I’ve shown you some of the food you’ll enjoy and I talked about included/not included drinks.

Let’s talk about Hotels!

The bottom line is this… Tauck always puts you up in excellent hotels!!

Sometimes they’re simply over the top Beautiful resorts like the “One & Only” and “Fairmont” & “Four Seasons” we stayed at for some of our nights during this trip!!

And other times, there are simply not high/high-quality hotels in an area you’re visiting but know that Tauck will still have you at a wonderfully staffed/clean/comfortable hotel!

Point being, don’t worry yourself too much when booking a Tauck Tour where they’re putting you up, just know they’re always picking great places that are going to treat you well and that are in strategic locations to make the most out of the trip you’re on!!

If you visit here you’ll see a few pics of the rooms I stayed in, some sights I enjoyed, the pools I could swim in, etc. at the hotels that Tauck put us up in during this 2+ week Journey.

Well, there you go, that was a look at my “Mountain Gorilla Safari: Kenya, Tanzania & Rwanda” Land Tour with Tauck… as you can see it was QUITE THE JOURNEY!!

If you’re looking for one of those “once in a Lifetime” trips to one of the most fascinating Continents on Earth then this could be the PERFECT option for you!!

Any questions at all about this Tauck Land Tour simply Contact Me Here or if you’re ready to book this Journey or any other Tauck Land Tour or Safari or Ocean Cruise or River Cruise simply let me know…

…as always, it’d be my pleasure to help you get that next Great Vacation planned & booked!!  

I Appreciate You!!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!

…Connecticut!!

As you know, often when I write these posts it’s from somewhere Exotic or talking about somewhere Exotic I just got back from, etc. so no doubt me being in Connecticut probably has you scratching your head!  

The reason I’m here though is much more interesting…

…recently, “Tauck” asked me to be a member of their Advisory Board (So I’m in CT for meetings at their Head Office) which is for sure an honor & exciting for me personally… but, more importantly, it’s going to arm me with even more knowledge to help my valued & loyal clients get the most out of their Tauck trips &, on the rare occasion if things go wrong, it gives me access to even more contacts at Tauck/to their “Head Honches”, etc. to make sure you’re 150% taken care of any time it’s needed!!

FYI, between Tauck’s River Cruises, Small Ship Ocean Cruises & Land Tours, I book my clients on more Tauck trips than with any other company due to the highly, highly rated reviews I get from my clients on their trips & the fact that almost all my clients who travel with Tauck go on them again & again.

Including me!!

In this video you’ll hear me explain why I think Tauck is a GREAT company for you to travel with and if you want to check out my personal Tauck trips you can see my Danube River Cruise I did with them here, you can check out my Venice/Dalmatian Coast & Iceland & Antarctica “Small Ship Ocean Cruises” I did with them here (#s 65 & 80 & 83) and here you can see all the Land Tours I’ve done with Tauck in Japan, Morocco, Australia & New Zealand, India & the US Pacific Northwest.

As you’ll see from all those trips, Tauck does an AMAZING job showing their guests the World in an in-depth/seamless way… no doubt their 100 years in the business makes them a GREAT company to travel with as their immense experience provides second-to-none Vacations!!

Speaking of traveling with Tauck, after being done with my meetings tomorrow, I’ll hang out in “Times Square” for a couple of nights to see some Broadway Shows but way more exciting than that is on Saturday I fly to Tanzania to do this “Kenya, Tanzania & Rwanda Safari” in Africa that’s going to be highlighted by Trekking to see Mountain Gorillas!

As you’ll see here, this isn’t the first time I’ll be heading to Africa to do some Safaris/7 years ago I did an amazing “River Cruise & Safari” in South Africa/Botswana/Namibia/Zimbabwe with “AMA Waterways” but I’m SUPER excited to be heading to East Africa this time for this once in a lifetime experience!! 

The first time I’d heard about this unique “Mountain Gorilla Trekking” experience was from a 75-year-old/VERY well-traveled man who never got too excited when telling me about his travels since he’d “seen it all” but when he described his experience with the Gorillas he “lit up” & it brought tears to his eyes…

…after that, I knew this experience had to go onto my “Bucket List”!!

Anyway, let’s just say my next update here on my site next month should be an exciting one as I share that experience!!  

Speaking of sharing my experiences, as you’ll see in my recent updates, towards the end of April/early May I spent 3.5 weeks enjoying 2 Cruises to/from Hawaii with a few days in Honolulu sandwiched in between… a few more thoughts regarding that trip:

1. The day before I boarded the above 2 Cruises I sent out my “What You Can See & Do In Hawaii” blog post… well, since I did some new things while in Hawaii during those 2 Cruises, I updated that blog post so if you’re considering a trip to Hawaii in the future make sure to check out this post again to give you even more ideas to make your trip to Hawaii an awesome one! 

2. Further down this post I talk about how my first Cruise during this trip was far superior to the second Cruise when it came to my room, the food, service, inclusions, etc. BUT, on my first Cruise, it was just myself & a friend who sailed on that one whereas for the second Cruise, 10 of my family & friends joined us which made it a TRULY fun & great experience!! If you’ve never done a “Group” Cruise before, do yourself a favor and start planning one as, as I talk about here, they’re a WONDERFUL way to experience a Cruise with those who matter to you the most!!

3. As I talk about above, when I recently went to Hawaii I took a Cruise to there from Vancouver on Explora Journeys’s “Explora I” ship (922 guest capacity, you can see my Gallery of that Cruise here) and then I took a Cruise back from there to Vancouver on “Celebrity Edge”. (2,908 guest capacity, you can see my Gallery of that Cruise here)

Now, this isn’t the first time I’ve done “back to back’ Cruises before (As I talk about here “Mutli” Cruise and/or Land Tour trips are my favorite!! ) and it’s not even the first time I was on a “Luxury/Small/All-Inclusive” ship and then got right onto a “Big ship” but…

…WOW…

…the “differences” between these 2 classes of Cruiselines seem to be getting bigger & bigger every time I experience them!!

And, since by far the majority of my clients sail on “smaller” ships than bigger ones and are VERY happy with them, I figured I’d spell out a few of the differences for those of you still “on the fence” with if you want to go on a smaller ship or not.

When it comes to the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruiselines you can simply read this post of my experience on “Explora Journeys” which was simply an absolutely awesome experience!! Like sailing on Regent/Silversea/Seabourn, sailing with “Explora Journeys” is pretty much as good an experience you can have in the Cruising industry when it comes to room quality, service, food, inclusions, etc.!!

On Celebrity though, it was a VERY different story!!

–My room was about 40% smaller than the “starting” size rooms onboard “Explora”

–I felt “nickeled & dimed” to death onboard… $4+20% tip for a Coke, $4+20% tip for a Water, $9+20% tip for a domestic beer (They were even charging this for non-alcoholic Beer?), $17+20% tip for a Martini, $12+20% tip for a basic glass of Wine, $35 per day for Wifi, $18 per person per day for gratuities for the staff, I spent $800 eating at the “Specialty Restaurants” (In my opinion you have to go to all these to get a good food experience onboard as their “Main” dining rooms are too much of the same each night!), Room service had a $10 fee, you had to pay to go to Gym Classes, a bag of Laundry was a small fortune, etc., etc.  

–I was being “Sold” to the whole Cruise… for example, literally every time you go to the buffet someone is approaching you to eat in their “Specialty Restaurants” for an expensive fee. Or, they’re trying to sell you a drink package or to get you to go to the spa, the shops, etc. On a “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruise though there’s virtually no selling as you’ve paid for pretty much everything in your upfront price!

–The crew were WAY less personable onboard/didn’t interact with us nearly as much as on “Explora”… don’t get me wrong, the majority of the staff were very friendly but they simply don’t have the time to deal with so many people at once… here under “Explora Journeys Hosts” I explain the difference between having 1 staff member for every 1.25 guests compared to every 2 guests or so on the “Big Ships” (It was 1 for every 2.25 on this Celebrity ship)… it definitely makes a dramatic difference to the overall service you receive!!

–It was BUSY!! Since there were just about 3,000 people onboard (And due to the nature of this sailing there were virtually zero kids onboard/if you go on a “big ship” with lots of kids and 3rd/4th people in the rooms it gets much busier!) the line ups were crazy!  

Multiple times I stood in line for 15-20 mins to get a sandwich at “Eden Cafe”, the buffet was always super busy & it was always a challenge to find a seat, we had to go to the shows 40 minutes early to get a good seat, coming back from shore on the “tender” boats took over an hour at times, etc., etc.

Let’s just say, it seemed like running into big lineups was a multi-time each day/daily ritual… not fun compared to being on what felt like a Private Yacht the week before!  

So overall, at least to me, I find the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruise experience these days is FAR more superior to the big ships than it’s ever been as the big ships get busier & busier and charge more & more for EVERYTHING!

And yes, you do pay a lot more upfront to get on a “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruise compared to a big one but if you add up everything you’ve spent, in the end, the price is way closer than you’d ever imagine but your experience will be a MUCH more relaxed & prosperous one where you won’t feel beat out from the crowds and “nickel & diming”, etc.

Like anything in life, you get what you pay for and I doubt your goal in the past was to buy the cheapest car, cheapest house, cheapest clothes, etc. as you want quality over the lowest price so the next time you’re deciding on a Cruise don’t be afraid to take the plunge into the higher quality/small ships as I’m confident you’ll be VERY happy with your decision once you get onboard & experience the difference!!  

With all that said, when it comes to “Big Ship” lines with 1,000s & 1,000s of others onboard, I still think Celebrity is the highest quality of the 6 major “Big Ship” lines (Carnival, Royal, Norwegian, Holland, Princess, Celebrity) and when you sail on “Celebrity Edge”…

…or her “sister” ships “Celebrity Apex”, “Celebrity Beyond”, “Celebrity Ascent” or “Celebrity Xcel”…

…I think you’ll agree with me as these modern designed/modern “feeling” ships are truly Beautiful and if you stay in a “Retreat” Suite your experience will be much better as you can get away from the crowds & get some “exclusivity” onboard!!

For an “in-depth” look at what makes Celebrity’s “Edge Class” ships unique, check out my blog post from when I first sailed on “Celebrity Edge” 5 years ago as in that post I point out “what’s new” on those ships including the exclusive “The Retreat” areas, the new types of rooms, new technology, “The Magic Carpet”, “Eden”, the new restaurants onboard, the “individual” main dining rooms, “The Resort Deck”, the new entertainment, etc. 

Again though, on the big ships dealing with crowds & “nickel & diming”, etc. is par for the course whether on Celebrity or any of the others… so, if you’re considering a “small ship” Cruise, give it a try, I know you’ll have zero regrets!! 

Alright, enough from me for now until I get back from Africa after having “Trekked” to see the Mountain Gorillas…

…looking forward to telling you all about that soon!  

And no worries with me being “on the road”… as A LOT of my clients mention here, if you have a question or want to book a River Cruise or Ocean Cruise or Tauck Land Tour, no matter where in the World I am you can contact me here to answer your questions, book your trip, etc. and you’ll still get a very speedy reply from me!  

I Appreciate You!!

Shawn Power
Your Trusted Cruise & Tauck Tour Expert!

As I’ve been selling Cruises for almost 20 years now, you’d think I’d have seen a lot of new Ocean Cruiselines enter the industry during that timeframe but that hasn’t been the case at all…

…only 2 major lines have joined the Ocean Cruise industry during the past 20 years (“Viking Ocean Cruises” joined the “Upper Premium” Cruising category & “Virgin Voyages” joined the “Big Ship” lines) but no new Cruiseline has come in to compete with the “cream of the crop” of Cruises… to compete with the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruiselines which are comprised of Regent and Silversea and Seabourn and Crystal. (FYI, here is where I explain the differences between the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruiselines and the “Upper Premium” Cruiselines and the “Big Ship/Mainstream” Cruiselines)

BUT, that all changed in August of 2023 when “Explora Journeys” launched their first ship… “Explora I”… which fits just 922 guests!!

And with 5 more ships due to be launched within the next 4 years/by 2028, “Explora Journeys” are planning to become serious “players” in the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” category of Cruising!!

FYI, like most of the companies I mentioned above (Regent is owned by the Norwegian Cruiseline Corporation, Silversea is owned by the Royal Caribbean Cruiseline Corporation & Seabourn is owned by the Carnival Cruiseline Corporation), “Explora Journeys” is backed by a company with “Deep Pockets”!!  

The “MSC Group” (Who is the 3rd biggest Cruise company in the World after Carnival & Royal Caribbean) is the creator/owner of “Explora Journeys”.

And yes, as I talk about here, “MSC Cruiseline” is NOT a high-quality Cruiseline like companies like Regent/Silversea/Seabourn/Crystal are but don’t let the “MSC” name fool you into thinking “Explora Journeys” is anything like an MSC Cruise as sailing on “Explora Journeys” has as little in common with a MSC Cruise as a Regent one does to Norwegian or Silversea does to Royal Caribbean or Seabourn does to Carnival.

Yes, these top-rated companies are all owned by “Big Ship” lines but they’re totally different/far superior Cruising experiences and “Explora Journeys” is no different… it couldn’t be further from a MSC Cruise if you tried!!

And FYI, the fact that these “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruiselines are all owned by the “Big Ship” Corporations is a GREAT thing in my opinion as it gives them access to the needed money to expand…

…and also to get through impossibly tough times like Covid whereas a company like “Crystal”, who wasn’t backed by a major Cruise Corporation, didn’t turn out so well as we all know!

Okay, let’s get back to my excitement to try out “Explora Journeys”… a new “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” Cruiseline!!

Side note: Not sure why but many people think Explora Journeys are part of the “Upper Premium” lines like Viking Ocean Cruises & Oceania… as I talk about in this video, that’s not where I think Explora Journeys fits in!

As I had sailed on all the other 3 “major players” in this category of Cruising within the past 18 months before I took my first “Explora Journeys” Cruise, I had recent experiences of what Regent/Silversea/Seabourn were all like.

And as I talk about in these articles reviewing my experience on Regent and Silversea and Seabourn, they were all truly AMAZING Cruise experiences, as good as it gets when it comes to Cruising!!

So, getting onboard my 84th Cruise/many of them “High-end” Cruises, “Explora Journeys” was going to really have to “deliver” to impress me and to “sway” me into getting me to recommend them to my VERY loyal clients over the “other 3 guys”.

So, how did “Explora Journeys” do??

Let’s get into it & start with… 

“Explora Journeys” Hosts

What are “Hosts” you ask… well, that’s what “Explora Journeys” calls their staff rather than using the traditional “Crew” word that most lines use…

…and personally, I LIKE it!!  

Reason being, if I worked for “Explora Journeys” and was called a “Host” I’d take WAY more responsibility in taking care of the guests onboard just like I would if I was “Hosting” them at my home compared to simply taking care of them at my place of employment!

And, by encouraging their staff to take more responsibility for the happiness of their guests who come onboard, it DEFINITELY works as, literally, of my 85 Cruises… the staff onboard “Explora I” were by far about the best I’ve ever experienced on a Cruise… amazingly Friendly & Efficient service!!

Everyone from the servers, Maitre’ds, restaurant managers, officers, bartenders, shop staff, spa staff, Food Market staff, pool staff, embarkation/debarkation team, etc. were all over the top friendly and they truly felt like they loved what they were doing.

Not once did I walk past any staff member onboard who didn’t give me a smile and a hello or who didn’t let me walk through an entryway first, who didn’t hold a door for me when they had the opportunity, etc. 

A few days after this Cruise, I was on a “big ship” Cruise with over 3,000 guests onboard and so many of the staff seemed so unhappy and run ragged… many of them never gave me a smile or hello, when I was on the tender boat going/coming ashore in Kona the staff who were off at the same time we’re skipping in front of me & other guests onboard with no regard for those who had paid for the Cruise, I heard some of them complaining about the cost of Wifi to call their family, etc.  

So, why was “Explora Journeys” staff so over-the-top friendly & seemed happier than any staff I’ve ever come across on a Cruise?

1. For starters, multiple times when I asked some of the “Hosts” onboard if they liked working for “Explora Journeys” I always got an emphatic “YES” and when I asked why, a common theme seemed to be better working hours onboard, FREE wifi to call their family anytime they wanted (And a strong enough signal to do Facetime… which is SO IMPORTANT for Cruise staff since they’re often away from their family for 6-9 months at a time!) and better accommodations. Which comes down to the old adage… “If you take GREAT care of your employees they’ll take GREAT care of your clients/guests” which definitely seems to prove more than true on “Explora Journeys”!!

2. For every 1.25 guests who “Explora Journeys” has sail on them they have 1 crew member… compare that to 1 crew member for every 3.5 guests or more on the”Big Ships”. I promise you, if you have only sailed on “Big Ships” this won’t sound like a big deal to you but once you sail on a small ship you’ll get it!! You’ll notice your room will be cleaned faster, buffet tables get cleaned faster, pool areas are kept clean & you won’t see towels/empty drinks all over the place, bartenders serve you quicker, service in the dining rooms is much more efficient, etc., etc. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve now personally been on 85 Cruises and I Truly believe that the service on any Cruise ship is better than almost any land venue as the workers onboard Cruise ships who come from the Philipines, Indonesia, India, etc., etc. are WAY harder workers than us North Americans are and have beautiful personalities but when you come on a line like “Explora Journeys” you’ll notice service levels go up a lot of “notches” as there are simply more staff per guest to take care of things… it’s a huge difference that I know you’ll truly appreciate once onboard!

3. As I said above, the “Hosts” onboard “Explora Journeys” have been pretty much the best staff I’ve ever come across in Cruising which is a huge compliment after having personally sailed on lines like Regent, Silversea, Seabourn, Oceania, Paul Gauguin, Azmara, etc. who all have GREAT, GREAT staff!! Another reason I think “Explora Journeys” has done wonderful in this area is that they’ve thought “outside of the box” a little when it comes to hiring. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of the staff onboard worked for other lines/“Explora Journeys” recruited some of the “best of the best” in the industry to come work for them! (In fact, one of the BEST staff members I’ve ever come across during all my Cruises was a Restaurant Manager on my Seabourn Cruise and sure enough, he now works for “Explora Journeys” and has an even bigger & well-deserved role with them) But, I also talked to a bunch of “Hosts” onboard who had never worked on a Cruise before yet they were amazing at what they did!! For example, my friend who sailed on this Cruise with me doesn’t drink alcohol and normally that means on most Cruises she’s limited to a “Heineken Zero” when it comes to having something resembling an alcoholic drink. We came across a bartender at the “Lobby Bar” though who had never worked on a Cruise but worked at some VERY high-end hotels in Middle East Countries where you can’t serve alcohol so he literally knew how to make some of the most dazzling non-alcoholic drinks we’d ever seen due to that’s how they do it in the places he worked. Let’s just say, this was my friend’s 10th Cruise and she’d never been so impressed with how much someone cared about her enjoying some great drinks too/wanting to make sure she wasn’t left out when others were having a cocktail or 2… the impression little things like this makes on travelers can’t be understated as it makes them want to come back to that Cruiseline again & tell their friends about it, etc. which makes businesses grow & last a long time!

Overall, I have no doubt “Explora Journeys” follows another old adage which is “We don’t teach our people to be nice. We simply hire nice people!!’ as it truly showed in EVERY staff member I came across on the ship!!

Again, MOST Cruises have wonderful staff who work their butts off & do their best but no doubt on the big ships many of them simply get burned out dealing with 3,000-4,000+ guests every day and even on the small ships I’ve come across a sour person or 2 but, literally, on my first ever “Explora Journeys” sailing EVERYONE was happy to be there & serve us guests onboard which was beyond impressive…

…I TRULY hope “Explora Journeys” can keep this service level consistent as they launch Explora II, III, IV, VI & VI as seeing an entire ship of happy Crew/”Hosts” was a wonderful experience!!  

“Explora Journeys” Suites & “Residences”

Like the other 3 major Cruiselines in the “Small Ship/Luxury/All-Inclusive” category of Cruises, we “skip” right over calling any of Explora Journey’s rooms “staterooms” as we do on the “Big Ships” as everything on these Luxury ships is considered a Suite!

Unlike going on “Big Ship” Cruises where you can get “Inside” Staterooms with no windows that are around 160 square feet or similar size “Oceanview” rooms with windows that don’t open or “Balcony” rooms that are around 215 square feet with a private outside Veranda…

…when you sail on an “Explora Journeys” Cruise you WON’T have the choice to stay in any of those rooms!! 

Which is a GREAT thing!!

Reason being, if you sail on an “Explora Journeys” Cruise and even if you book the “worst” room onboard, it’ll be a 377-square-foot “Ocean Terrace Suite” like this which is equivalent to being in a REALLY nice Suite on a “Big Ship” where you’d be considered one of the “big wigs” onboard…

…point being, even in an “entry-level” room onboard an “Explora Journeys” Cruise you’ll feel like a “big wig” too as you’ll be staying in a REALLY NICE Suite!!