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/.

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.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

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.

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.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

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.

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.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Tauck’s Treasures of South-East Asia

Tauck has announced a new 16-day land and sea exploration of Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore centered around an 11-day cruise aboard the new luxury small ship, Le Soléal. Scheduled to launch this summer in Italy, the 466ft ship has a capacity of 264 passengers and will also be featured on selected 2013 sailings of Tauck’s cruise exploration of Iceland.

Tauck’s new “Treasures of South-East Asia” itinerary will kick-off with an included two-night exploration of Hong Kong featuring accommodations at the Kowloon Shangri-La and guided sightseeing, and it will conclude with a two-night stay in Singapore (also with in-depth guided sightseeing) and accommodations at the Marina Bay Sands.

Between their stays in Hong Kong and Singapore, Tauck guests will spend 11 days cruising aboard Le Soléal with ports of call including Hai Phong, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Throughout their journey, guests will enjoy a wide array of unique experiences highlighting the history and culture of South-east Asia, beginning with a dim sum culinary experience, market visits and other activities in Hong Kong.

In Vietnam, guests will travel on a day trip to explore Hanoi, sail on Ha Long Bay aboard a 

traditional junk, and visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of My Son. There will also be a tour of the Cao Dai Temple in Da Nang, an  experience of daily life at a Vietnamese school and a local farmer’s home, and an exploration of historic, sprawling Ho Chi Minh City. Tauck’s guests will also learn about Singapore’s rich multiculturalism during tours of its Chinatown, Little India and Little Arabia neighborhoods, and explore its history during a visit to the Asian Civilisations Museum.

The Treasures of South-East Asia journey is priced from $9,990 per person (double occupancy, plus air), with southbound departures scheduled for October 28 and November 19, and a reverse-itinerary, northbound departure slated for November 8. Each departure is virtually all-inclusive, with all shore excursions, gratuities, port charges, airport transfers, luggage handling, onboard alcoholic drinks and much more built into the price.

For bookings, follow this link to The Cruise Line, the UK's luxury cruising 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.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Tauck's Rhone Revels

Tauck's fabulous new 'A Taste of France' river cruise on the River Rhone celebrates and explores the rich culinary traditions of the country and offers a novel way to appreciate the local food and wine.  

The 10-day itinerary begins in 2013 and starts with a two-night hotel stay and exploration of local food culture in Paris, followed by a seven-night cruise through the Rhone Valley aboard Tauck’s exclusive MS Swiss Emerald riverboat. 

It opens with guided culinary-themed sightseeing in Paris and a two-night stay at the Hilton Arc de Triomphe. Guests will enjoy a Tauck-exclusive, hands-on introduction to French sauces with a tasting at the new Alain Ducasse culinary school, Ecole de Cuisine. They will also attend a workshop and blind tastings highlighting “The Joy of Chocolate” led by Chloe Doutre-Roussel, author of “The Chocolate Connoisseur,” and visit the former haunts of chef Julia Child and learn about contemporary Parisian life during a walking tour of the Left Bank.

Other culinary-themed experiences include:

• A market visit in Provence with local chefs, who will buy ingredients and prepare regional specialties for tasting, such as tapenade, anchoiade and stuffed tomatoes Provencale.
• A visit to Lyon’s famous market, Les Halles, with tastings of local meats and cheeses.
• A memorable Provencal evening featuring dinner, local wines and entertainment in the shadow of Pont du Gard, the incredible Roman aqueduct.
• A wine tasting in Beaujolais.
• A demonstration of French culinary techniques at a cooking school operated by a three-star Michelin chef. 

Included in the $5,390 price per person (double occupancy basis) are all sightseeing, activities and shore excursions, two nights' hotel accommodations in Paris, all gratuities, complimentary wine with onboard meals, all taxes and port charges, airport transfers and luggage handling.

The stylish Swiss Sapphire was launched in 2006 and recently enhanced with new décor and other improvements. As with Tauck’s other riverboats, she accommodates just 118 guests to ensure a relaxed and intimate atmosphere, compared to other lines that accommodate up to 160 passengers on ships of a similar size. 

For more info, follow this link to The Cruise Line Ltd, 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.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Tauck Announces New Mississippi River Cruise

Luxury travel-tour operator Tauck and award-winning film-maker Ken Burns have crafted a new 11-day cultural exploration of the Mississippi River that will launch early next year as part of the company’s “Ken Burns American Journeys” collection. 

The new “Life on the Mississippi” itinerary begins with an overnight stay in Memphis, followed by a 7-night River cruise aboard the newly re-launched American Queen paddlewheel steamboat, and it concludes with a two-night stay in New Orleans. Along the way, guests will be treated to a number of unique cultural experiences and a diverse array of Tauck-exclusive shore excursions.

Tauck will offer both northbound and southbound versions of the itinerary, with the 7-night cruise book-ended by an overnight stay at the famed Peabody in Memphis and two nights at The Roosevelt in New Orleans. Both city stays will be highlighted by Tauck-guided sightseeing, and all of the shore excursions enjoyed by guests during the cruise will be exclusive to Tauck (and, like the city stays, included in the price).

While in Memphis and New Orleans, and during shore excursions throughout the cruise, guests will enjoy an array of unique experiences. In Memphis, they will enjoy a private lecture on the city’s history and culture from a local historian. In Helena, Arkansas, guests will be immersed in local music during a private performance by the Greater First Baptist Church Choir, and during a blues performance at a honky-tonk roadhouse. In Natchez, travellers will enjoy a fascinating progressive lunch at three unique homes, and they will also tour the city’s historic Zion Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church and its African American History Museum.

Tauck’s “Life on the Mississippi” is priced from $4,790 per person, double occupancy, plus flights. Included are all shore excursions and sightseeing, lectures by local experts, entertainment, complimentary wine and beer with onboard dinners, airport transfers, gratuities for ship and hotel staff, most meals, and much more. Tauck will operate departures of the new itinerary from February through June, and in November and December, with special Christmas and New Years departures as well.  

For bookings in the UK, be sure to check with the river-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd on this link or call on 0800 008 6677.

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.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.