Remarkable Journeys: River Cruising with AMA Waterways

Exclusive “Trip of a Lifetime”

Erika Gal, Branch Manager

River cruising is the fastest growing segment of the travel industry. It is the most convenient way to travel through several countries and rivers of Europe. Join us for an exciting and unique cruise tour in Jun 2010 sailing historical Europe and the legendary Danube on the luxurious AMA Waterways MS Amacello.

Unpack once then enjoy the breathtaking scenery of Europe from your deluxe stateroom with a French balcony.  The all inclusive feature of our river cruise makes it the most popular and economical way to see several countries.  

Some of the perks of AMA Waterways MS Amacello include:

• Shore excursions
• Gourmet dining with free-flowing wine, beer, soda, bottled water, espresso and cappuccino
• Complimentary bathrobes and slippers
• White-on-white plush bedding
• An infotainment system including a flat screen TV and Internet access in each stateroom
• Nightly on-board entertainment
• Complimentary bicycles to explore the sights on your own
• On-board crew fluent in the English language
• A local professional cruise director cruise to accompany the cruise

Our group will board in Nuremberg Germany and stop to explore the following ports:

• Regensburg, Germany
• Passau, Germany
• Salzburg, Austria
• Linz, Austria
• Melk, Austria
• Vienna, Austria
• Budapest, Hungary

Extend your cruise with our two night pre-cruise stay in Prague, Czech Republic and/or our seven night optional Aqua Revitalize Spa package at the very famous Hotel Margitsziget Spa in Budapest, Hungary. The spa package includes five treatments, seven night superior accommodations, buffet breakfast and dinner daily and two full day and half day tours of Budapest and vicinity and all local transfers.  

For more information on this holiday please contact our escort Erika Gal, Maritime Travel Branch Manager, at egal@maritimetravel.ca

Reserve Your Place in the Sun

Take advantage of the Early Booking Bonus – Now On!

Picture it…Halifax, Nova Scotia , March 2010…you are finishing up the second round of shoveling from the previous nights record snowfall.  As you make your way back to your home, you suddenly slip on a patch of ice on the front steps.  Finally, you make it inside and turn on the television to hear the weatherman report the temperature has dropped to minus 20.  Your frigid body agrees.  This is winter in Canada.

Wouldn’t you rather picture this…Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, March 2010…you roll out of your king size bed and make your way to the large picture window to draw the curtains and welcome the glorious sight of the Caribbean sun.  You step out onto your oceanfront patio to smell the warm, crisp ocean air.  You pause for a moment to relish this incredible feeling of bliss.  Immediately you think to yourself “Breakfast.”  The hot new swimsuit and cover up you purchased special for this trip is an easy clothing choice.  As you dress you begin to plan your day.  First, enjoy the all you can eat buffet breakfast.  Then read and lounge on the white sandy beach.  Next, take a dip in the serene, turquoise waters of the Dominican.  And perhaps share a special cocktail with a special someone.  Wow this is going to be a difficult day.

It can happen.  You can have a luxurious 7 or even 14 day holiday in the sunny Caribbean.  Winter getaways are the best way to escape and beat the winter blues. 

Just think of it as an affordable alternative to therapy. 

At Maritime Travel we’re here to give you your much deserved sun time. Book now and take advantage of Maritime Travel’s Early Booking Bonus.  With our Best Price, Better Service policy your Maritime Travel Counsellor will help you find your place in the sun at the best possible price. 

Plus you’ll receive $100 off per couple,
two free drawstring knapsacks and a free matching beach towel.

Call your Maritime Travel Counsellor today to book your winter getaway and ask about our early booking bonus!

www.maritimetravel.ca

Take a Holiday of a Lifetime – Visit the Galapagos Islands

By: Erika Gal, Branch Manager, Maritime Travel,  Hamilton, Ontario 

Erika Gal

The saying, The world is a book and if you do not travel you have read only one page is true.  I have worked in travel for over 25 years. Throughout that time I have traveled to all continents and sailed with over 50 cruises. I love travelling and exploring new countries and culture. Sometimes I go back to the same destination twice to appreciate it even more.

Now as a travel counselor with Maritime Travel in Hamilton, Ontario I am researching and designing travel packages to exotic destinations. I plan dream holidays or what I like to call “Holidays of a Lifetime”.  The holidays include 4-5 star hotels, historical and adventure tours and the opportunity to explore the local culture. Almost all tours and meals are pre-planned to compliment the itinerary so we can enjoy every minute of our stay.

My next “Holiday of a Lifetime” will be in March 2010 and will take us to Machu Picchu, Peru, Lake Titicaca and the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.  This holiday is designed for a small group of 20 passengers.  Trip highlights include a fabulous train ride and overnight stay in “The Lost City of the Incas” or Machu Picchu, Peru.

Machu Picchu

Discovered in 1911, the stone city of Machu Picchu is an incredible structure even by modern standards. Each stone fits together impressively to create an exquisite structure that is unsurpassed.  From here we will enjoy the Orient Express train ride to Puno at Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake on earth.  Lake Titicaca, once a holy water, today forms the natural border between Bolivia and Peru. Here we will take a half day boat tour to the floating islands of Uros.  The Uros are one of the most primitive pre-Inca people of Peru. They lived exclusively on artificial islands that they knitted on the shallow waters of the lake. Today they continue many of their ancestral customs.

Next, expert naturalist guides will offer an environmentally friendly and educational cruise focused on the natural history of the Galapagos Islands. As we cruise through the waters of the Galapagos we will see dolphins, whales and if we’re lucky a hammerhead shark!  Isla Salvador is a great place to see colonies of marine iguanas and we’ll also learn about the Galapagos penguins and sea lions. Bird watching is one of the most amazing experiences on the islands. As most birds here are exclusive to the Galapagos. This truly is a land like no other and will provide many very unique photo opportunities!

You’ll pinch yourself just to see if you’re dreaming when you join on this magical journey!

For more information on this program and to join the group please e-mail the group escort  Erika Gal at  egal@maritimetravel.ca

Thinking Outside the Seven-day Vacation Box

When we told our friends that we were stealing away to Jamaica for a romantic rendezvous they congratulated us. When we said it was for three nights, they said we were crazy. 

Turns out, that little jaunt was of the most enjoyable trips we had ever taken together. In a short space of time we managed to enjoy the anticipation and excitement of hopping on a plane to the sunny south. We also got to swan around a five-star resort and sail on a royal yacht. In short, all the benefits of longer, more expensive holidays.

Like many of our friends, who are all hysterically juggling the demands of busy jobs, regimented children and needy pets (like our black lab, Chomper ), we have often found salvation in the weekend getaway.

These are trips or mini-vacations that can pack a punch as pleasurable as a traditional one-week holiday – and make you a better person in the process.

In my experience, the less you think you have time for this kind of luxury, the more you really need it. This is the argument I use to justify our bi-annual getaways. “Just think,” I plead to my skeptical husband. “We can have actual conversations, rather than our daily information exchanges. We might even discover that we enjoy each other’s company.” The fact that we’re still married is testament enough.

The good news for all you harried individuals is that the travel industry has really hopped on board the mini-getaway bandwagon and is thinking outside the seven-day-vacation box. Looking to mark a special anniversary? How about a weekend in Paris or Venice to keep the bloom on the romance. A few steamy days in New York or Toronto can equally do wonders for a jaded relationship. Whether you want to actually run a marathon (there’s one in practically every major city in the world) or just enjoy a weekend marathon of retail therapy, there’s a customizable package just for you. Just ask your travel agent.

Best of all, weekend getaways allow you to travel on a budget without missing any important tasks like (God forbid) the kids’ activities. Bon voyage!

Call your Maritime Travel agent today and visit  www.maritimetravel.ca for the latest in weekend getaways!