Monday, August 1, 2011

New Europe river cruise itineraries for Floriade 2012

Viking River Cruises christened its second ship, Viking Prestige, in Amsterdam in late June. Making its debut in Europe in July, the 188-passenger vessel made its maiden voyage on the 15-day Grand European Tour. Next it will host guests throughout the 2011 season on the eight-day Romantic Danube trip which travels from Budapest to Nuremberg (or reverse), visiting Hungary, Austria and Germany.

Building upon the standard set by Viking Legend, Viking Prestige will have the same efficient, hybrid propulsion system, which the operator has called the industry’s first green river cruise vessel.

The vessel features all-outside staterooms and French balconies on both the upper and middle decks. The public areas, including a restaurant, observation lounge and bar, library as well as an expansive sun deck, provide unobstructed panoramic views. The debut of Viking Prestige marks the next step in the company’s $250 million fleet development program, announced in May 2010, and will represent the first European ship in a series of 10 new vessels to follow for the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons.

Floriade is an internationally renowned exhibition of flowers and gardening held only once a decade in the Netherlands, and this event will feature in two new Europe river cruise itineraries that have been added to Uniworld’s 2012 program. These are the eight-day Gems of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands with Floriade and the 17-day Grand Treasures of Europe. On both itineraries guests travel onboard the River Ambassador.

There are also some serious discounts to be had, with Uniworld offering savings of up to 50% off a selection of its boutique river cruises travelling Europe’s waterways this Christmas. For example, the operator’s eight-day Parisian Winter Holidays departing on December 13 is now priced from $1283 — a saving of $1149 per person. And 50% off savings are also available on Uniworld’s European Holiday Markets, Danube Holiday Markets, Rhine Holiday Markets and Classic Christmas Markets itineraries.

Food lovers can unite for an amazing gastronomic experience, with Tauck recently introducing a 10-day French Waterways and Vineyards itinerary. This is a special culinary departure for 2012 that focuses on authentic French cuisine and village life. It has been crafted in conjunction with Churchill and Turen, who were named the World’s Best Culinary Tour Specialist by Conde Nast Traveler.

The itinerary includes an introduction to French cooking at the new Alain Ducasse culinary school; a special walking tour in Paris called In the Footsteps of Julia Child, which visits the haunts of famous chef Julia Child; and a tour called The Joys of Chocolate in Paris, led by chocolate expert Chloe Doutre-Roussel, author of The Chocolate Connoisseur. The trip also includes a market visit in Provence guided by three chefs. Departures are on April 25, June 28, August 17 and October 20, 2012.

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