newsletter...January 2009
Celebrate-Travel, Inc. Advisors on the Move
Web Poll: What is your biggest concern about planning for a vacation in 2009?
Christmas in Germany
We just returned from a phenomenal river cruise along the Rhine River in Germany, strolling the historic Christmas Markets famous throughout this region and visiting quaint little villages that were plucked right from fairy tales.
If you’re not familiar with river cruising in Europe or with Europe’s Christmas Markets, then let me paint a picture for you. Or if you prefer pictures to words, click here for some photos and video footage we shot.
The Christmas Markets can be found throughout much of Europe, but Germany’s are most famous. Open during the Advent season leading up to Christmas Day, these open-air markets take place usually in the main square. Carrying everything from hand-carved wooden nutcrackers and smoker dolls to hand-blown ornaments, the Christmas Markets are a sensory explosion of smells, sights, and sounds. The markets feature ornately decorated wooden stalls with lights and lifesize figures, fragrant fir trees every few feet, 6ft tall toy soldiers, and of course, lots of food. Imagine stalls of freshly grilling bratwurst, roasting potatoes, handmade crepes with savory fillings, baked pretzels, roasted chestnuts, and gingerbread, gingerbread, gingerbread. Ubiquitous is the gluhwein (mulled wine) and hot chocolate and Weihnachts-bier (dark, flavorful Christmas beer, brewed in small quantities too small to export--mmmmm).
You certainly don’t need to be a shopper to love the German Christmas Markets. Most of our US traditions have their origins in Germany, so if you love the festivities and decorations of Christmas, you’ll feel like you’re in a Christmas Wonderland. Some of these Markets have hundreds and hundreds years’ history, and even the German locals turn out for an evening of gluhwein and merry camaraderie.
Now, for a rundown of river cruising the waterways of Europe. If you’re thinking there’s any similarity between that and ocean cruising, forget it. The rivers of Europe were commercial waterways, and villages sprang up along their shores. Today’s river cruise ships sail these rivers and dock virtually in town along the riverbanks—no huge port terminals or lengthy travels to the heart of town, but a mere stroll away. The ships plying Europe’s rivers are 4*-5* intimate vessels, usually holding only about 120 passengers, not thousands. Totally relaxing. It’s for people who want to be immersed in the culture and local life and really experience the destination on a local level, not as part of a invading army of several thousand people. And it’s a wonderful value because daily shore excursions are included along with the usual inclusions of a cruise (meals, on-board entertainment, and lovely cabins appointed with luxury linens).
In our Rhine Christmas Markets river cruise last month, our floating hotel was the lovely River Queen. Our cabin #411 was on the upper deck and featured floor-ceiling French windows from which we could survey the passing landscape if we weren’t already in the public areas, such as the popular Lounge--a focal gathering point for friendly conversation, snacks and drinks, and on-board entertainment. We’ve had accommodations in lower categories, but the floor-ceiling windows were well worth the investment! Here are some pix of our ship and cabin.
This coming December ‘09, we’ve blocked cabins for a discounted group tour on the Rhine/Main Christmas Markets river cruise. That itinerary affords us the most scenic parts of the Rhine river (including the 40 mile stretch of castles at every bend in the river, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site), then moving over to the Main River with its fairytale villages like Wurzberg and Wertheim and Rothenberg ob der Tauber (maybe my favorite village in all of Germany). Click here for a flyer with the details; we’ll personally host that tour, and we would love to have you join us so we can share our favorite parts of Germany and its Christmas Markets with you. We promise you a most festive Christmas celebration with memories to warm you for many years. Nobody ‘does’ Christmas like the Germans!
************************************************************
Celebrate-Travel, Inc. Advisors on the Move
We pride ourselves in thoroughly researching and exploring destinations before we present them to our clients. And we try to experience everything so that we're the guinea pigs, not our clients. So, we aim to travel once/month to parts known or unknown so we keep our expertise and can best advise you in your own travel plans. Last month was Germany's Christmas Markets in a Rhine river cruise. This month we're off to Los Cabos to inspect some new hotels that have sprung up in this growing region and also participate in some new activities that have been introduced, like ziplining in the desert canyon. February sees us back in the Mendocino wine region, and March is going to be a special month for Italy in which we'll again traverse the length of the country-from Sicily, Calabria and Bari in the south to Venice in the northeast. Have you noticed that we're passionate about travel? Click to read our blog.
************************************************************
Ask the Expert
Dear Celebrate-Travel, Inc. Travel Advisors:
Money is tight this year, but I desperately need a vacation! Where are the best deals right now? Thanks, Frugal Fannie in Boston
Dear Frugal, glad you asked because you’ll be happy to know that deals are everywhere! Tourism was down in ‘08, and in an effort to entice folks to travel, resorts in every destination are offering unparalleled promotions that will save you thousands of dollars. Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, Europe, Australia—wherever you want to go has great bargains.
And whether you want independent travel, tours, cruises, or river cruises, there are bargains to be had. So, the question isn’t, ‘where are the deals?’ but ‘where do you want to go?’ Give us a call for a complimentary chat on where you’d like to go or what you’d like to do, and as is our special talent, we’ll match you to the perfect destination within your budget!
--Anne, Deal Sleuther
Dear Celebrate-Travel, Inc. Travel Advisors:
What’s the biggest mistake you see travelers making? Cautious Carl in San Diego
Dear Cautious —I’d have to say that it’s getting lured by an advertised vacation cost without analyzing the value of that promotion or without reading the fine print. Everyone loves a good ‘deal’. But you have to thoughtfully analyze the deal for what you get. Too often, a client will say to us, ‘I saw this package on sale for $XXX—can you get that?” And then when we look at that package, I might find that the flights have a 9hr layover (how much is your vacation time worth?) or a circuitous routing, or doesn’t include all the taxes, or the hotel is an inferior one rife with service problems. When we analyze a package, we analyze what you get for what you pay—we call that value. If you save $50 but have a terrible vacation, you haven’t saved $50—you’ve wasted thousands and missed an irretrievable opportunity to create vacation memories. And of course we know the destinations we serve, so our expertise allows you to avoid painful, costly mistakes.
--Anne, Astutely
Have a question for the Travel Advisors at Celebrate-Travel, Inc? Email us at editor@celebrate-travel.com , and we’ll publish the most interesting questions. We aim to be helpful!
************************************************************
Featured Travelers
The Weinstein Family—dad Mark, mom Nancy, kids Ben and Matt-- recently returned from their family’s Christmas/New Year’s celebration in the Hawaiian Islands (and mom also celebrated her birthday) where they had a fantastic time. They visited Kauai and the Big Island and had a great time. Click here to view a few of their pix.
************************************************************
Your 2009 Vacation Plans
******************************************************************
Your Feedback Appreciated
I welcome your feedback, so email me at editor@celebrate-travel.com and tell me your thoughts.
We really do believe in visiting all the destinations we serve so that we have true expertise when you come to us for help. That’s our commitment to you. Don’t trust a travel consultant who doesn’t travel herself! Till next time, remember to plan some quality time with your loved ones, even if it’s a mini-getaway. Let us help.
We’re a phone call or email away!
Happy travels, Anne Rose, Celebrate-Travel, Inc.