Showing posts with label UNESCO. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UNESCO. Show all posts

Monday, April 10, 2017

Princess in Europe

Enchanting encounters in charming cities found throughout Northern Europe and the Mediterranean open your world to exciting cultures and perspectives, and invigorate your adventurous spirit.  Discover the wonders of Northern Europe and the Mediterranean with treasured UNESCO World Heritage Sites in each port and vibrant shore excursions.  Locally inspired activities on board allow you to delve even deeper into each unique destination.

Local storytellers come aboard your Princess cruise ship to share their personal insights about select ports, a unique insider’s look at the fascinating places they call home.  Princess has a legacy of more than 50 years of cruising and has fostered relationships with these locals to enhance your experience, from pre-cruise tips to special excursions ashore.  Their itineraries are crafted to give you more opportunities to experience the history, culture and flavors of the region.  With port calls that are either late night (departing 9:00 pm or later) or overnight, you can see the sights during the day and experience the nightlife in the evening.

Some Facts About Princess European Vacations:
  • 69% of guests in Europe have sailed with Princess before
  • 50% of Europe guests are under age 64
  • 44% of guests book their Europe cruise 6 months or more in advance

Explore the Cities of Northern Europe

In far-off lands where Vikings and tsars once reigned, marvel at the natural splendors of Iceland and stand in awe of St. Petersburg’s spectacular onion-domed churches.  The British Isles and Northern Europe are steeped in lore, with signature storybook castles and sweeping landscapes.  From delightful Dublin to the wonders of Paris, discover the region’s palaces, pubs and historical treasures.

Iceland
One of Iceland's 'Hotspots', the geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon, holds a temperature of 98-104°F. year-round.

Kirkjufell near Grundarfjörður, Iceland
The northernmost capital in the world, Reykjavik is your entry point to Iceland’s natural wonders, which range from ice fields to thermal pools.  The island is the continual process of transformation much like its society, which blends Nordic tradition with sophisticated technology.

Ireland
Giant's Causeway, Northern Ireland

Blarney Castle, Cork, Ireland

Cliff of Moher, Ireland
Stretching along both sides of the River Lagan, this graceful city of Victorian and Edwardian buildings, Belfast is the birthplace of the Titanic and your gateway to the rich Northern Irish countryside of Counties Antrim and Down.

A gracious and cosmopolitan city on the River Liffey, Dublin possesses a storied history that is remarkably well preserved, from St. Stephen’s Green to the stone facades of Trinity College.

Visit the romantic ruins of Blarney Castle, scale the castle’s narrow passage and climb to the top to enjoy the amazing views. Then enjoy shopping for linens, woolens and Waterford Crystal at the Woolen Mill Shop in picturesque Blarney Village.













England

The London Eye, London, England






In London, you can visit the Queen’s official residence at Buckingham Palace, admire the extensive collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum and enjoy a pint at a friendly pub.






France
Palace of Versailles, France

From the port of Le Havre, you can visit charming Paris, widely beloved at the “City of Light,” and the historic landing beaches of Normandy.

Norway

Norway - Land of the Midnight Sun

Oslo’s blend of 19th- and 20th-century buildings, many decorated with woodcarvings and bright frescoes, and fascinating places like the Viking Ship Museum.

Finland
Senate Square, Helsinki, Finland

Hailed as the “Daughter of the Baltic,” Helsinki is a city of graceful neoclassical buildings, striking modern architecture and spacious boulevards dotted with squares and parks.

Sweden

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm, the “Capital of Scandinavia,” is a picturesque city with fascinating history.  The city began life over seven centuries ago as a Viking stronghold built on the island of Gamla Stan.  Today, Stockholm covers 14 separate islands and is interwoven with bays, channels and inlets.

Geirangerfjord thrusts nine miles into Norway’s mountains.  Over 900 feet deep, the narrow fjord is lined by sheer cliffs that rear some 2000 feet above its surface.  Waterfalls plummet from cliff to fjord, and at the head of this magnificent spectacle sits the tiny village of Geiranger.

Russia

Peterhof Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia

Russia’s “Window on the West,” St. Petersburg remains one of the world’s most beautiful metropolises.  Its rich architecture features a mixture of styles, from ornate Russian Baroque churches to neoclassical palaces.

Estonia
Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn is the political, commercial and cultural center of Estonia, which has been conquered and ruled by the likes of Teutonic knights, Polish princes and Russian tsars.

Denmark
Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen owes much of its charm to the buildings erected by Denmark’s monarchs and boasts a treasure trove of late-Renaissance and Rococo architecture waiting for you to discover.

Germany
Berlin Cathedral, Germany

A hotspot of history, art and culture, Berlin’s highlights include the restored Reichstag Building with its magnificent glass dome, the Brandenburg Gate and stunning Museum Island.

Tomorrow, I will touch on the cities of the Mediterranean that Princess explores.  Contact us at Travel, Tours & Cruises to help you plan your dream vacation.

Monday, April 3, 2017

Don’t Just Add Days … Add Memories and Cherish Them

For those seeking a vacation beyond just an ocean cruise, we’re proud to provide information about Celebrity Vacation Packages.  Celebrity Cruises is a premium cruise line and subsidiary of Royal Caribbean.  A step above the contemporary, premium cruise ships gives their passengers a glimpse of luxury at a more affordable rate.  Celebrity’s highly curated packages combine the very best of a breathtaking Celebrity cruise with an amazing land or river adventure, resulting in a more authentic, immersive vacation experience.  Spend a few days exploring the cobblestone streets of San Juan, Puerto Rico’s old town.  Live it up in one of the world’s most famous nightlife scenes of Miami’s South Beach, or enjoy a relaxing brunch at one of Fort Lauderdale’s many sidewalk cafés.  These new Celebrity City Stay Vacations don’t just give you more time in your embarkation city; they give more of everything.  Here are just a few of the many itineraries Celebrity offers.

Celebrity’s Caribbean

Beach at Curacao


Map of the Southern Caribbean

For every powder-soft, sandy beach and crystalline cove, there’s something surprising and exciting to be found in the Caribbean.  And with 33 destinations you’re sure to find it.  Cruises from 2 to 14 nights include overnight stays in Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curaçao; Bridgetown, Barbados; and Celebrity’s new port of call, New Orleans, Louisiana, which is also a Signature Event Sailing during Mardi Gras.  Maybe you’d like to spend three nights, pre-cruise in luxury accommodations while you check out the neon-lit scene that is South Beach?  Or, how about exploring the cobblestone streets of Old Town in San Juan, Puerto Rico?  No matter your interest, the Caribbean offers something for everyone.

The Best of Bermuda
While Bermuda possesses all of the signature attributes of a tropical paradise, its decidedly British flavor makes for an interesting contrast and a unique travel experience.  Famous for its talcum-soft, pink sand beaches, Bermuda offers a variety of activities to appeal to every interest.  Explore St. George, one of the first British towns in North America and a UNESCO World Heritage site.  UNESCO World Heritage sites are historical places officially recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), on the basis of having cultural, historical, scientific or some other form of significance, and they are legally protected by international treaties. 

The pink and turquoise beauty of one of Bermuda's Celebrated Beaches - Horseshoe Bay

Visit the Royal Naval Dockyard, once the base of the Royal Navy in the Western Atlantic.  You will get to spend two full nights in the King’s Wharf, home of the Bermuda National Museum, arts & craft centers, terrific shopping and a host of cozy pubs and excellent restaurants.

The Northern Highlights

Autumn in New England

Rocky coastlines, hearty food, famous explorers, and equally famous battles define New England and eastern Canada.  But this region is also synonymous with charming small towns, a kaleidoscope of autumnal color, and some of the most iconic cities on the east coast of North America.  Francophiles will delight in spending the night in Quebec City on the banks of the St. Lawrence River.  Dive into Maine’s signature dish, fresh cold-water lobster.  In Boston, you can take one of many historical tours that introduce you to some of America’s most famous patriots and from Cape Liberty, New Jersey, you can visit the greatest symbol of American freedom, the Statute of Liberty, in New York harbor.

America’s Pearl

Oahu, with Diamond Head in the background

There are not many places in the world to rival the natural beauty of Hawai’i.  Surrounded by the vast Pacific, the Hawaiian Islands are simply in a class of their own.  Sailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, or Honolulu, Oahu, Celebrity’s 10-night Hawaii cruises offer several days at sea, giving you plenty of time to experience all that your ship has to offer.  Their 11-night Hawai’i cruise departs from Honolulu, where you’ll overnight and have ample time to pay your respects at the moving USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.  In addition, each of these cruises offers an overnight in Lahaina, Maui, where you can stroll along one its most popular stretches of coastline – Kaanapali Beach.

From Sea to Shining Sea

Cruise Ships passing through the Panama Canal

Even after 100 years, people still marvel at the engineering marvel that is the Panama Canal.  Here is your chance to do the same.  Celebrity offers five 15-night itineraries to ten destinations – both eastbound and westbound – via the Isthmus of Panama, giving you ample opportunity to enjoy all of the natural beauty along the way.  Before your cruise even begins, you can spend some time getting to know your embarkation ports of Miami or Fort Lauderdale by taking advantage of a City Stay Vacation package.  Spend 3 nights in luxury accommodations enjoying breakfast daily, escorted tours, restaurants, shopping districts, famous beaches and nightlife.

Salsa the Nights Away

Machu Picchu

With its soaring mountains, ancient sites, snaking rivers, and cosmopolitan cities, South America is a continent of diversity, both in its people and in its geography.  Offering 9 itineraries that visit 26 destinations, Celebrity will take you from crowds on Copacabana Beach in Brazil to the unrivaled beauty of the Chilean Lake District.  Take a catamaran ride from Ushuaia, Argentina, where you will see a penguin rookery.  Or, explore the ancient city of Machu Picchu – widely considered to be one of the New 7 Wonders of the World – high in the mountains of Peru.  Plus, Celebrity’s South America cruises offer 5 overnights, including the exciting city of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a double overnight in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, during their Rio Carnival Signature Event Sailing.

Explore the Galapagos

Pink flamingos strolling along a Galapagos beach

For many, a trip to the Galapagos Islands qualifies as a once-in-a-lifetime event.  Consequently, we want you to be completely focused on the Galapagos, and not on logistics or details.  Immerse yourself in these islands, absorbing everything there is to see, learn, and do while you are there.  With that in mind, Celebrity made your vacation all-inclusive, making your trip as convenient, relaxing, and memorable as possible.

You can extend your adventure by turning your trip to the Galapagos into an all-exclusive, 15-night South American experience. It begins with a 2-night pre-cruise tour of Ecuador’s mountaintop capital of Quito.  Then, it’s on to your 7-night cruise of the world-famous Galapagos Islands, where you will see plants and wildlife that exist only there.  When your cruise comes to an end, you will spend 6 nights in Peru, where you will visit its capital, Lima; the area known as The Sacred Valley, Cuzco; and one of the most mysterious, awe-inspiring places on Earth – the city in the clouds – Machu Picchu.


Go beyond the ordinary on a Celebrity cruise.  You will love it, no matter where it takes you.  Contact us at Travel, Tours &Cruises today to plan your dream vacation.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

The Wild Beauty of Alaska

Alaska is big - really big. It is nature on an epic scale. For most people, Alaska is a dream vacation - a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that tops many a bucket list. What is it that makes this such an extraordinary destination? In a word, everything – from vast stretches of pristine nature to wildlife nearly everywhere you look to artifacts of a vibrant native culture.

How many times in life have you had the opportunity to see moose grazing in vast meadows, eagles nesting in high treetops, whales frolicking in glistening waters and bears in their native habitat? In Alaska, all that is possible with a Princess Land and Sea Vacation package, including glimpsing Denali National Park’s Big Five: Brown bear, wolf, moose, Dall sheep and caribou. The focal point of Denali Park is 20,310-foot Denali, the tallest peak of North America. Other national parks include Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, larger than the country of Switzerland, and beautiful Kenai Fjords National Park, with its magnificent glaciers, fjords and abundant marine life.

The Denali Big Five:  Moose, Dall Sheep, Carabou, Wolf, and Brown Bear
Many people travel to Alaska just for a chance to see her famous glaciers. And with good reason. There’s no other natural spectacle like it – witnessing a towering river of otherworldly blue ice, and hearing the thunderous crack when an iceberg calves into the tidewater.


Sights like majestic Glacier Bay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its famous tidewater glaciers and thriving wildlife population, and the impressive granite walls and beautiful waterfalls of Tracy Arm Fjord are among the many highlights of an Alaska cruise. Equally impressive are the pristine waters and rugged, forested isles of the Inside Passage, your wondrous route into Alaska. Sailing into charming gold rush-era towns along the way brings a welcome bit of frontier ambiance to your adventure.
Glacier Bay
Tracy Arm Fjord
Inside Passage
Humpback Whale Breaching

Keep your binoculars at the ready – you might spot a humpback whale breaching from still waters, a playful sea otter floating lazily on its back or charming puffins on a cliff wall. On an Alaska voyage, you’ll have opportunities to see them all, either from the deck of your ship or on any of an array of wildlife-viewing excursions available at every port.

The Inside Passage is one of the world’s most spectacular waterways. Experience miles and miles of untouched, unspoiled nature that includes countless islets, glacier-capped peaks and soaring granite cliff walls accented with cascading waterfalls.

As much as there is to discover on an incredible Alaska cruise, that’s just the beginning of the story, because many of Alaska’s greatest attractions lie inland.



                                       
Moose Grazing








In sprawling open spaces, you’ll gaze upon breathtaking wilderness that runs the gamut from wildflower-splashed meadows to soaring alpine mountain peaks, and spot the wild animals that call these places home. A Princess land and sea vacation pairs a voyage with a multi-night tour, rail service through the dazzling heart of the Great Land, and stays at lodges in some of Alaska’s greatest wild places.
Princess Wilderness Lounge

Magnificent Alpine Mountains


Come and explore the wild beauty of Alaska. Contact Travel, Tours & Cruises today.

Friday, March 17, 2017

Cruising Northern Europe

Towering glaciers and fjords that take your breath away; quaint Scandinavian fishing villages and the legendary cities of Russia and the Baltic; Viking mythology and the Midnight Sun.  This is Northern Europe.

A World to Discover
From Europe’s rustic villages to magnificent cities, each destination is brought to life with illuminating regional offerings.

Journey to Scandinavia and Russia
See the imperial palaces and majestic cathedrals of incredible St. Petersburg, history-filled Berlin and the storybook capitals of Scandinavia, including quaint Copenhagen and lovely Stockholm.

The British Isles
Explore lands of verdant and dramatic shores, age-old castles, rich mythologies, and friendly, welcoming people, the British Isles are certain to inspire wonderful times and great memories.

Iceland – The Blue Lagoon
One of the most popular Icelandic attractions is a “hotspot” that draws more than 400,000 visitors a year – the fabled Blue Lagoon.  With warm geothermal waters drawn from more than a mile beneath the Svartsengi Power Plant, the Blue Lagoon is renowned for the restorative properties of its vividly aquamarine waters.

Iceland and Norway
What would be more thrilling than sailing waters once ruled by Vikings, setting eyes on impressive fjords, geothermal wonders and perhaps even the Midnight Sun in Norway and Iceland? 

Fantastic Fjords
Some of cruising’s most dramatic sights are to be found in northern latitudes – like the glacier-carved landscapes of Norway and Iceland.  Fjords are deep water-filled canyon channels and steep cliff faces, carved by the advancing and retreating of glaciers.

Land of The Midnight Sun
As the days grow longer in the far north, the “sunset” never quite reaches the horizon before rising back up again.  The summer sun remains in the sky for a full 24 hours.  It’s called the Midnight Sun, something you can only see if you venture inside the Arctic Circle at precisely the right time of year.

Passage Cruises
In the golden age of cruising, guests loaded their travel trunks and sailed across oceans between continents.  It’s still an unforgettable experience.

Northern Ireland’s Majesty
In Northern Ireland, the landscapes are spectacular and the attractions impressive.  Set on either side of the River Lagan, graceful Belfast – the capital of Northern Ireland – boasts beautiful Victorian and Edwardian architecture and a thriving cultural life.  Beyond Belfast’s borders, you’ll discover sights like the Giant’s Causeway – one of the world’s great natural wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and the magnificent scenery of the Antrim Coast, including the dramatic cliff-side ruins of Dunluce Castle.  Be sure not to miss Carrickfergus Castle, one of the best preserved Norman castles in all Northern Ireland.


To see all these magnificent places, contact us at Travel,Tours & Cruises to book your Northern Europe cruise.