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Wine Cruise--Duoro River--Nov 2016
/Greetings from the command and control center of Dateline International travel and Cruise and the Arrivederci International Yacht Club---Man, that's a lot of words....let's just go with the ancromyn.....DITC/AIYC....much better!!!
As you can see below, Your name is on the list.......No , this is not Brussels in 1942....just notification that I have confirmed You as the first adventurers to the Duoro river wine region of Portugal on the AMA Waterways boutique ship, the AMAVIDA.. As this little project has leaked out a number of You have expressed an interest in locking in a cabin for this cruise. Indeed , As I type, the majority have given Me credit cards to deposit. Beth and Dave Wilson--You were the first to be confirmed--Cat D #105 midship. Same for Bob and Claire Riddle-confirmed in Cat E #109 midship. Thank You all !!!
Aside from putting out a quick FB announcement from the Arrivederci Int'l Yacht Club last night, this cruise has only been bantered about as a good possibility. But today it is a reality....Here's the scoop!!..........
Dateline and AMA Waterways have been working on an agreement to do a Wine themed Cruise using some of Our best local wine experts as the "Wine Hosts" for the November 15, 2016 "Enticing Duoro" river cruise. We have to put these together well in advance because of the nature of the Small ship river Cruise business. With only 106 passengers, the AMAVida, along with the huge popularity of this Duoro river cruise forces Us to book early and aggressively to secure Our patrons the best pricing possible. Add to that the serious vetting process that Our wine hosts go through---Why just yesterday Tamara McAllister was in Arrivederci dancing the "Watusi" for Derek to prove Her desire to be a "GGGreat" wine host for this cruise!!!! Seriously, Most of You have been to the Small vineyards Tuscan Tastings We do at Arriviederci in the Fall and know of the expertise of Tamara and Ms. Kristin Kluvers...and Mr. Tom Kelly. Let Me be the first to announce that The Mitchell wine Group represented by Tamara McAllister and Small Vineyards represented by Kristin Kluvers will be the official Wine hosts for this AMAWaterways Adventure!!!
With a wine themed Cruise there are a few extras thrown in--Off the boat and up in the hills dinners at the Alpendurada Monastery, the Quinta Avessada. wine tasting at Quinta do Seixo--that translates into the "Five Sexys" if anyones interested?!?!?! The Palacio De Mateus--remember that bottle?? Salamanca and the Vinho Verde Region...........and Very interesting "Watusi and wine" tastings with Tamara and Kristin aboard the ship!!!!!
In the near future I will be sending out an email to the rest of the "Arrivedercites"---Yes, This is becoming a Religion,huh???----informing them of this trip to Iberia. After that I will be organizing an information night for the clients of The Mitchell wine Group and Small Vineyards. Then I wil be hitting up the local Carus, Oregon Mennonite congregation to join in on the Fun.......Jeezz, I've never typed so fast!!!!.......My wife is saying..."where's He at" Where's He at"!!! ,... and Here I am busting tail to get the Message out!!
In a "nutshell"-----We secured an agreement with AMA that Mitchell wine Group and Small vineyards would be the "Wine Hosts" for this cruise. Ever prepared , I asked for a Group pricing contract prior to inking the deal. AMA was offering $250 p.p. off plus $100 off for past passengers. I called AMA and said that for late season cruising I was used to getting $1500 per stateroom off and I needed to reconsider. We worked out a deal where Datelne would take the Rhine River on November 16th and get the $1500 per stateroom discount. Two days later the Group department at AMA Waterways called and offered Me back the Duoro at the $1500.00 per stateroom discount. It seems that on the weekend one of the Senior people in AMA Waterways had offered the Rhine to one of their Winemaker friends in the Santa Barbara area. When they came into the office on Monday to announce the deal, Groups said "Wait, Hanneman up in PDX has that Cruise"!!!......So, they offered Me the Duoro again for the $1500 per stateroom discount---I accepted!
Here is the pricing We have and will only be offered to Datline's guests. The rest of the nation will not be included in this discount.
November 15,2016--Category E Category D Category C-Balcony Category B-Balcony Category A-Balcony Category S Suite
$2349 p.p. $2648 p.p. $3548 p.p $3748 p.p $4048 p.p $5548 p.p
Port fees are $168 p.p.----as I mentioned earlier, there is a $100 p.p. past passenger credit and there will be an Arrivederci Int'l Yacht club credit also. I'm working on that!! Deposit is $400 p.p. and consider this....If you take a look at Tauck,Viking or Uniworld--you will have to pay the entire amount to receive a similar discount.
If You have friends that may want to see the Beauty of the Duoro--a UNESCO heritage site---feel free to forward this Email over to them.
I'm excited at the prospect of seeing again the beauty of the Iberian peninsula and appreciating the fact that by the time We arrive, Portugal may be out of the Euro and back into it's own currency, allowing for some very inexpensive pre and post cruise stays in lisbon and the Algarve!!!!
Thanks to all for the Great support of the "Arrivederci Int'l Yacht Club, Dateline International Travel and AMA Waterways.!! I just received brochures today for this and other cruises from AMA and you can see details of the "Enticing Duoro" and the AMAVida Ship by going to www.AMAWaterways.com.
Adios,
Esteban Hanneman
Dateline Int'l travel and Cruise
503-786-5150
Romantic Danube- April 2016
/The Romantic Danube - Wine Cruise ~ April 2016
Attention all past, present & future Arrivederci Int'l Yacht Club members!
Dateline Int'l Travel has secured space aboard the beautiful AmaSonata
next April 2016. As this will be one of AmaWaterways' dedicated "wine
cruises", Dateline has partnered with Phelps Creek Vineyards out of Hood River, Oregon to make this a totally spectacular experience for "oenophiles & vagabonds" alike! {Lovers of wine & travel!!!}
Many of you expressed regret in missing the Danube sailing during the Christmas Markets this past November. Here is another opportunity, with a little
different itinerary and certainly a much different climate experience.
As in November, we will spend a few pre-sailing nights/days in Prague, Czech Republic. Prague is a beautiful city with amazing restaurants, shops, walking &
sightseeing. Not to be missed, for sure. We can arrange for flights, accommodations & transfers to fit any budget and time constraints.
For all those joining us in Prague, we will then transfer to Regensburg on April 4th, After a brief walking opportunity in Regensberg, we will continue just a short ways to Vilshofen for embarkation aboard the AmaSonata to commence your wine cruise on the Danube.
First night, there will be a "Oktoberfest" & Welcome Aboard Wine Toast. We will have time the next morning to explore Vilshofen before sailing on to Passau.
Day 2: Vilshofen, Passau, Onboard Wine Tasting....
Day 3: Linz: Here we'll have several options of either exploring Linz, going to Salzburg {highly recommended} or going on a Czesky Krumlov excursion.
{Salzburg, Mozart's birthplace}
{Czesky Krumlov}
*Unless otherwise notated as "optional", all AmaWaterway excursions are fully included in the price of the cruise.
Upon our return to the ship, there will be a Chaine des Rotisseurs Dinner with wine pairing. {International gastronomic society founded in Paris in 1950}
Day 4: We will continue on the Danube through the Wachau Valley, Austria's
most important wine region, to Melk, where we will visit the magnificent Benedictine Abbey.
We'll also have an opportunity to visit a vineyard with wine tasting in Durnstein..
...followed by the Captain's Dinner with wine pairing back onboard...
Day 5: Opportunity to explore more of Durnstein, walking tour excursion available....then on to Krems for a Wachau Valley winery visit including
hors d'oeu vres.
Day 6: Vienna ~ A city tour excursion is available at no cost in addition to two OPTIONAL excursions. One being to the Schonbrunn Palace with a Viennese Wine & Music evening OR a Mozart and Strauss concert excursion.
Day 7: Budapest ~ As we will be overnighting onboard in Budapest, we will have a full day to continue to enjoy not only what this beautiful city has to offer, but also what AmaWaterways has planned for you as well. There will be an onboard wine lecture and tasting, a city tour and a farewell dinner with Hungarian folk music.
Disembarkation on April 11th. But the beautiful city of Budapest awaits you. We highly recommend spending at least 2-3 additional days in this amazing city. Cited as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, it is the largest city in Hungary and one of the largest in Central Europe.
The AmaSonata accommodates 164 passengers with staterooms ranging from 160 sq. ft - 300 sq. ft. Most rooms feature a French balcony or twin balconies. Complimentary Wi-Fi, bottled water replenished daily, in-room safe, high-quality linens and toiletries, entertainment on demand featuring movies, news, TV and music are amenities featured in every stateroom.
All dining on board is included in the price. Complimentary UNLIMTED sparkling wine and fresh juices with breakfast, complimentary UNLIMITED wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner. The specialty restaurant, The Chef's Table is also available for those wanting a more intimate dining experience.
The ship boasts a Sun Deck offering an unobstructed view of the passing scenery, a pool and walking track. Nightly entertainment with local performers and music. Also on board, a fitness room, hair salon and massage services.
Each cruise is hosted by a wine expert who brings select wines on board and leads discussions about production and consumption along with several tastings throughout the week. We are very happy to have as our wine hosts on this particular sailing, Bob and Lynette Morus from Phelps Creek Vineyards from Hood River, Oregon!!!! They will be providing the wine throughout the week along with the pairings at the featured La Chaine des Rotisseurs dining experience.
AmaWaterways is offering our group a $750.00 per person discount off the regular published fare. Pricing is as follows:
Cat. E $1,949 pp
Cat. D $2,248 pp
Cat. C $2,848 pp
Cat BB $3,348 pp
Cat BA $3,548 pp
Cat AB $3,748 pp
Cat AA $3,948 pp
Cat AA+ $4,548 pp
Cat SS $5,138 pp {suite}
$400.00 pp deposit holds the stateroom of your choice of which is fully refundable up to 6/30/2015. 120 - 90 days prior to departure, cancellations forfeit $200.00 pp deposit.
Due to the size and specialized nature of these cruises, they do book up early, which is why we are now taking reservations a full year out. THEY SELL OUT.
In the first-ever Berlitz River Cruising in Europe travel guide, more than 280 ships were rated based on hardware, accommodation, cuisine, service and other miscellaneous features. All eleven AmaWaterways ships that were assessed earned the HIGHEST rating given and received higher scores than any other cruise line!!
Whether you've sailed with us before or have always wanted to join in the fun....we hope you'll consider joining us for this most amazing of adventures. For brochures or more information, please call Steve or myself at Dateline Int'l Travel....503 786-5150.
Arrivederci! & Phelps Creek Vineyards.....Sail the Danube!!!!
Na Zdravi! {cheers in Czech!}
Grenada--Sail Windjammer--Nov 2015
/Greetings fellow Arrivederci Int'l Yacht club "Pirates and Wenches"!!
As We approach Our "6 months away from Margaritaville" date of May 8, I thought I'd give everyone an update on Air-Hotel-Cruise information so We can begin to firm up Our itineraries.
Air flights--A number of You have already confirmed Your flights using air miles or Alaska companion fares. For those who will still need to ticket---Fares have just begun to drop a bit starting last Tuesday. I've been watching since November and the standard American airlines price from PDX to Grenada has been approx $950-$975. This last week the price dropped to $799-$849 p.p. This is about as good as it will get for Grenada,St. Lucia,Barbados, Martinique remembering that You are almost within 50 miles of South America--this ain't no Bahamas cruise!!
American is My preference--PDX-DFW or SEA to Miami and on to Grenada, either "red eye" or early AM with the return---Grenada -Miami-DFW-PDX or via SFO or LAX. You can build Alaska Miles with these flights.
A couple of You have used Your Alaska Air Visa Companion certificate PDX-SEA-Fort Lauderdale, over nighting for one or two nights in FLL-Miami and then purchasing an American Air ticket from Miami to Grenada. This will bring Your ticketing cost down to approx $750 p.p. and FLL and Miami are "Art Deco Cool"!!
A person could also route through JFK with a forced overnight but I do not advise that in the Nov-Mar time period. While We're sipping Bloody Mary's you may be freezing Your butt off in NYC!
Pricing out of the Bay area will be similar with similar connections.
If you have f.f, miles with either Alaska or American do check for an award--40,000 miles and $50 in taxes is a pretty good place to use Your miles.
Most of you that I see often in Arrivederci seem to be looking at flying out on the 7th and staying 1 night in Grenada prior to boarding the SV Mandalay on the 8th of November with a 2 or 3 nt post cruise stay prior to coming back home. Grenada is a beautiful Island that is the "True" Caribbean! Kate and I have been going to many isles in the Carib's since 1978 and have seen what over population and mega tourism have done to the pristine tropical nature of this area. With Grenada, Carriacou,Tobago Cays, Grenadines and St Vincent you will still see what We saw 35 years ago but the air conditioning and the beds will be much better!!!
Hotels--I've received responses from a few email inquiries I've sent out and here they are listed. I usually locate a group on either Grand Anse Beach or Morne Rouge Bay near St. Georges, the Capital. There are a number of 4-5 star hotels like the Calabash and Sandals that are classics and if You'd like to splurge for a few nights please let Me know and I'll chase down the best rates for You. My concept is the Arrivederci Mantra---"The less I pay for My room, the more I'll have for food and booze"!!--Indeed!! Herewith are the nice and reasonable 2-3 star properties with a 4 star tossed into the mix----
Gem Holiday Beach Resort--Morne Rouge Bay--one bedroom gardenview $80 nt one bedroom oceanview $100 nt
Brilliant location on Morne Rouge bay and a very laid back "sand in your toes,beer in Your hand" approach to the day!
Kalinago Beach Resort-Morne Rouge Bay--$135 nt oceanview--This is the newer sister property of the Gem holiday right next door and gets got remarks from past guests. nice pool.
The Flamboyant hotel and villas--Grand Anse Beach--around the point from Morne Rouge Bay. Standard-$185 nt Superior Studio $200 nrt
Superior 1 bdrm suite $215 nt superior 2 bedroom suite $425 nt. We stayed at the Flamboyant with Our last Windjammer group about 10 years ago and had a great time drinking,swimming--some with clothes,some with not----dining and really feeling the Island vibe--Really! you gotta feel the "Island vibe". It's better than seeing the "Green Flash" and just as elusive!!! This property has been remodeled and upgraded.
The Radisson Beach resort on Grand Anse Beach---$165 nt gardenview $250 nt Beachfront $295 nt Executive Beachfront. Radisson always does a nice job throughout the world and a couple of Us in Our group have used f.f. miles to confirm rooms here--good idea!!!
Residences True Blue Bay Resort--4 stars and great ratings! std dbl room $150 nt suite Sea facing $190 nt Suite King tower $190 nt with a continental breakfast included.
Nearly all of these resorts have meal plans available but I find that heading down into St. George's and settling into BB's Craback or the Ocean Grill is worth the cab or bus fare and really lets You find the "Island Vibe"!!! Breakfast really revolves around Bloody Mary's right? And Lunch--Maybe some local seafood washed down with a nice cold West Indies Lazy pelican ale or maybe a simple Carib!
Kate and I hope to join Ken and Patti and a few other "Trekkers" and head into the jungle in search of Concord and Annadale falls. I want ice Cream in the west coastal city of Gouyave. I want to go the the Local market of St. Georges. I want to drift snorkel the Tobago Cays. I want to go late into a bar in St. George's and pick a fight with the biggest, baddest dude in on the island--and then let Rich or Gary handle him----Well, Maybe not!....but I do want to have that Great beach BBQ on the little isle of Mayreau and then along with everybody else, walk up the path/road to the 4 bars that are the centerpiece of this tiny islands commerce..... and I want to make Katy dance like a Gypsy for money!!!! Actually I just want to dance with Her, but that sounded pretty good,huh??
Then We can all go down to SaltWhistle Cay to celebrate bragging rights for the most outback,beautiful,pristine beach and bar you've ever seen!!!
If I sound excited at 3:20am--I am!!! Kate also locked Me out of the house----Ha-Not really!! I'm excited because this is, and has been, My passion since I was a boy. Sailing on a Windjammer and going back in time to another age where life was hard but simple. Walking on a beach that the Rich and famous still know nothing of. Sharing drinks and laughs around the Mandalay's tropical bar into the wee hours of the morning with My friends.. Seeing the moon glisten on the sea with the sails snapping at the wind. Catching that first sunrise aboard ship and then going back to bed till 11am!! And above all.....Hearing the bagpipes playing the strains of "Amazing Grace" as We raise sail and leave St. George's Harbor for the adventure of a Lifetime!!!
God is good to those who seek the tender mercies of life, and the experience of true friendship. Kate and I look very much forward to sharing these great experiences, and more with you this coming November in the Grenadines!!
Mundaca tiburon Munoz aka steve@Dateline
