Tauck's New Seine Sensations

Highly-rated escorted tour and river-cruise specialists Tauck have two new-for-2014 itineraries on the Seine. in the shape of the "Cruising the Seine Plus Versailles, Paris & London" tour and a fabulous new "Rendezvous On The Seine" option.

The former costs from $6,790 per person (plus airfare) and is a comprehensive two-week journey that begins with an included two-night stay in London at the landmark Savoy, featuring guided sightseeing plus a Tauck-exclusive lecture by Winston Churchill's biographer and grand-daughter Celia Sandys. After travelling via high-speed train beneath the English Channel to Calais, guests will board the MS Swiss Sapphire in Caudubec-en-Caux for a nine-day cruise along the Seine.

Highlights along the river will include an excursion to Normandy's D-Day beaches, an exclusive dinner with music at a private chateau in Rouen, and private tastings of absinthe in the Absinthe Museum in Auvers-sur-Oise and Calvados at Chateau du Breuil, a distiller of the spirit since the 1500s. The journey continues in Paris, where the Swiss Sapphire will dock for three nights to allow guests enjoy an in-depth exploration of the city with included sightseeing. The 14-day itinerary concludes with a two-night stay in Versailles at the Trianon Palace Versailles, a Waldorf Astoria property, highlighted by an exploration of the Chevreuse Valley and a visit to the 12th-century Abbaye des Vaux de Cernay.                    
 
Tauck's second new French itinerary, "Rendezvous on the Seine," (10 days from $4,590 per person, plus airfare) also begins with an included two-night stay in Paris, at the Hotel Pullman close to the Eiffel Tour. A subsequent seven-day cruise on the Seine includes ports-of-call at Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, Giverney (where guests will visit the home and gardens of Impressionist painter Claude Monet), Vernon, Les Andelys and Rouen. Highlights include a farm visit and tasting of local farm-to-table specialties in Étretat, a visit to the seaside town of Honfleur, a lecture on the events of D-Day followed by a tour of Normandy's iconic beaches, and guided visits to historic abbeys and chateaux.

For more info, see Tauck's website at http://www.tauck.com/.

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Churchill's Grand-Daughter Highlights New Tauck Talks!

Guests on several Tauck itineraries visiting London this year and in 2014 will learn about Sir Winston Churchill, regarded by many as the most influential figure in British history, from a source intimately familiar with his life – his granddaughter Celia Sandys. An internationally acclaimed author and speaker, Sandys is a noted biographer who has published five books and hosted television specials chronicling Churchill’s life. 

Tauck CEO Dan Mahar explained: "Sir Winston is one of the most fascinating figures of the twentieth century. Not only did he lead England through its ‘darkest hour’ as prime minister, but he was also a Nobel Prize-winning author, an escaped war prisoner, a House of Commons member for 60 years, and a landscape painter of considerable talent."

The daughter of Churchill’s eldest child, Diana, and Cabinet Minister Duncan Sandys, Celia spent considerable time as a teenager with her grandfather in England and during extensive travels abroad. Her most recent book, “We Shall Not Fail – The Inspiring Leadership of Winston Churchill,” describes the leadership principles that enabled her grandfather to lead England to victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.

And, through an exclusive agreement with Tauck, Sandys will speak to guests travelling this September on a special single-departure Tauck itinerary, the new six-day “London Event.”  Sandys will also be featured on three different itineraries next year; the May 2014 version of the Tauck London Event, “A Week in London & Paris,” and a new 14-day river-cruise itinerary, “Cruising the Seine plus Versailles, Paris and London.” The Seine itinerary includes a two-night stay in Paris, a nine-night cruise along the Seine, and a two-night stay in London at The Savoy, where guests will attend the Churchill presentation by Sandys. 

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's river-cruise specialists.

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CroisiEurope's River-Cruise Savings

Having introduced the new river-cruise options of family-owned CroisiEurope (see this blog from last Monday), we now have some tempting special offers to pass on for these special savings, all of which are valid until one week prior to each departure:

The Inviting Seine Valley

Save €350 per person (approximately £299) on an eight-night river cruise through the inviting Seine Valley. The cruise starts in Paris on April 13 and meanders through Vernon, Caudebec-en-Caux, Honfleur, Rouen and Les Andelys before arriving back in Paris. Prices are from €706 per person (approximately £603) based on two sharing, including eight nights in an outside cabin with all onboard meals, drinks with meals, onboard entertainment and port taxes. Plus, there is no single supplement.

The Seine Valley

Save €170 per person (approximately £145) on a five-night cruise from the Norman coast to Paris with departures on May 11 and 14. The cruise starts in Honfleur and visits the Cote Fleurie, Caudebec-en-Caux, The Abbey Trail, Rouen, Mantes La Jolie and Conflans Sainte Honorine before finishing in Paris. Prices are from €472pp (approximately £403) based on two sharing, including five nights in an outside cabin with all onboard meals, drinks with meals, onboard entertainment and port taxes. Again, there is no single supplement.

Canal Cruise from Saône-et-Loire to the Côte d’Or

Save up to €535pp (approximately £457) on a seven-night canal cruise on a hotel barge  from Saône-et-Loire to the Côte d’Or with departures on May 9 and July 22. The cruise starts in Saint Leger Sur Dheune and visits Santenay, Chagny, Chalon, Saint Jean de Losne and Petit-Ouge before finishing in Dijon. Prices are from €1,250pp (approximately £1,069) based on two sharing and include seven nights in an outside cabin with all onboard meals, drinks with meals, onboard entertainment, excursions, use of onboard bicycles and port taxes. Plus, there is a lower single supplement of just €282.50pp (approximately £241).

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury river-cruise specialists.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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