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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A Patagonia Spectacular With Tauck

This isn't strictly cruising, but seeing as how our trip to Chilean Patagonia with Nomads of the Seas was so spectacular a couple of years ago, we thought this was well worth highlighting...

Guided tours specialist Tauck has unveiled a new 11-day journey to Patagonia for 2014 that explores the landscapes, culture and history of the rugged region shared by Chile and Argentina near South America’s southern tip. The new itinerary will feature departures from January through March and from October to December of next year and is among 31 different trips comprising Tauck’s portfolio of Exotics journeys.  

Booking are now open on all 2014 Exotics trips, and full information on the entire collection, including itinerary descriptions, pricing and departure dates, is now posted on the company’s website.

 

According to CEO Dan Mahar, the new exploration of Patagonia is a logical addition to the company’s existing South American journeys.  He said: “Our new Patagonia itinerary is a focused, immersive exploration of an incredibly scenic region, making it a great choice for past travellers returning to South America or for first-timers who really enjoy nature. It’s the perfect complement to our broader, 14-day ‘Essence of South America’ itinerary, highlighting cities like Santiago, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro as well as natural wonders like northern Patagonia and Iguazu Falls.”

 

The new itinerary begins with a welcome reception, dinner, and overnight in Santiago, Chile.  The following morning, guests fly to Puerto Natales on the shores of Ultima Esperanza (“Last Hope”) Sound, where they’ll enjoy a four-night stay at the Singular Patagonia Hotel. A former waterfront factory and now a luxury resort, the hotel will serve as Tauck’s base as guests explore Torres del Paine National Park (above), visit a ranch for lunch and a look at local life, and take a day-cruise among the fjords, inlets, waterfalls and ice floes of Ultima Esperanza Sound.

 

The Patagonia journey then crosses into Argentina for a three-night stay at Los Sauces Casa Patagonia, a five-star hotel owned and operated by Argentinean President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. Located in El Calafate, a small, picturesque village on the shores of Lake Argentino, the hotel is convenient to Glacier National Park where guests will enjoy a cruise on Lake Argentino, highlighting Upsala Glacier, which towers 100ft higher than the vertical drop of Niagara Falls. Guests will disembark for a visit to Estancia Cristina, a sheep and cattle ranch named for the daughter of the English immigrant who founded the ranch in the early 1900s. While at the ranch, guests will enjoy lunch, visit the ranch’s museum to learn about its history, and hike to a vantage point offering spectacular, panoramic views of Upsala Glacier.

 

Following a flight to Buenos Aires, guests conclude their journey with a two-night hotel stay at the Sofitel Buenos Aires Arroyo. Here there will be the chance to attend a tango show and venture outside the city to the artist community of San Antonio del Areco, with an equestrian demonstration by Argentinean cowboys, or gauchos, and a meeting with members of the Draghi family. World-famous silversmiths, the Draghis have crafted works of art for local gauchos, heads of state, and Hollywood celebrities alike.

 

Tauck’s new exploration of Patagonia is priced from $6,490 per person, double occupancy, plus international airfare. Included in the price are all sightseeing and admissions, two intra-tour flights, all ground transportation, including airport transfers, luggage handling, and much more.

 

For more info, call Tauck at 1800 468 2825, or visit www.tauck.com. In the UK, call The Cruise Line on 0800 008 6677.

 

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Tauck's Two For 2014

Tauck has revealed the names of its two new riverboats that will debut next year, and announced that the duo will each be considerably longer than the four sister-ships currently in the company’s fleet. 

The newcomers will be MS Inspire and MS Savor,and will measure 443ft long, compared to Tauck’s existing ships which each measure 361ft. But, despite being 23% longer, the two newbuilds will only accommodate 130 guests each, or just 10% more than its current fleet (like MS Swiss Emerald, above). 

 

CEO Dan Mahar explained: “Our existing riverboats – what we’re now calling our Jewel Class vessels – already have the lowest passenger-to-ship-length ratio on Europe’s rivers. The two new riverboats – our Inspiration Class vessels – actually raise the bar even higher.

 

“When these ships launch next year they’ll each have just 130 guests aboard, whereas other major lines carry up to 190 on the same length ships. That’s an additional 46% more passengers aboard ships of the same length.  You simply can’t deliver the same relaxed, intimate atmosphere when you put nearly 50% more passengers into the same space.” 

 

Even though Tauck’s newbuilds will have far fewer guests aboard, the the company says they will nonetheless be staffed with more service personnel than any other river cruise line. Mahar added:  “Each Inspiration Class riverboat will have a Tauck Cruise Director and three Tauck Directors aboard to attend to guests’ needs and provide exemplary service. By contrast, other ships carrying more guests are often staffed by just a single cruise director.”

 

The Tauck Directors will also accompany shore excursions, according to Mahar, where they’ll divide guests into small groups of no more than 25, with each group personally guided by a local expert.  “River cruises offer incredible opportunities for authentic, in-depth explorations of each destination, so we place tremendous emphasis on ensuring our shore excursions – all of which are included in our prices – are absolutely world-class.”

 

For more info, call Tauck at 1800 468 2825, or visit www.tauck.com. In the UK, contact the leading river-cruise agent specialists, The Cruise Line Ltd, on 0800 008 6677.

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New Tauck Bridges River Cruise

Featured prominently in Tauck’s 2013 Bridges collection is its new river cruise itinerary, “Bon Voyage: France Family River Cruise.” The 10-day itinerary (from $4,690 per person, cruise only) begins with an included two-night hotel stay with guided sightseeing in Paris that highlights the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre and a special dinner at Fouquet’s. Guests then travel on the high-speed TGV train to Lyon, where they’ll board Tauck’s MS Swiss Emerald (above) for a seven-night cruise on the Rhone.

Tauck is including a number of fun and engaging activities for families throughout the itinerary, including a scavenger hunt in Paris’ Louvre, a lesson in “petanque” (a ball game similar to bocce) in Viviers, a hayride in the Camargue, bicycling in Avignon, and a hands-on French culinary experience in Tournon. Three departures of “Bon Voyage: France Family River Cruise,” will be offered in 2013, on July 11, 25 and August 1.

In all, for 2013 Tauck will operate departures of 17 Bridges itineraries highlighting destinations in Europe, North America, Latin America and Africa. Each Bridges trip is fully inclusive, with all accommodations, ground transportation, entertainment, sightseeing, gratuities, most meals, airport transfers, luggage handling and much more built into the price.

Returning Tauck Bridges travellers can also benefit from the company’s Gift of Time offer, which allows them to extend their 2013 journey with a complimentary hotel night. Guests can choose to redeem their free night at either the beginning or end of their journey, at the hotel normally featured on the first or last night of their itinerary. To qualify for the Gift of Time, returning guests must book no later than December 28. Other restrictions may apply.

For bookings in the UK, consult The Cruise Line, the UK's river-cruise specialists, on 0800 008 6677.

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