~ Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts Continue Helping Guests Celebrate Love ~

Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts are offering guests the chance to rekindle their love by providing an exclusive and intimate Renewal of Vows ceremony free of charge.  Couples who book a minimum six-night stay by January 27, 2012 for travel from September 4, 2012 through November 10, 2012, will have the opportunity to celebrate their marriage all over again at some of the most romantic places in the Caribbean.

Sandals Resorts’ and Beaches Resorts’ Renewal of Vows ceremonies are offered in a picturesque ceremony location dressed with a Beautiful Beginning wedding theme by Martha Stewart™ and include recorded musical accompaniment.  After receiving a renewal of vows certificate, the newly vowed husband and wife along with six guests can celebrate with a sparkling wine and chilled hors d’oeuvres reception.  The happy couple will then enjoy a second honeymoon dinner at a resort restaurant of their choice and a continental breakfast-in-bed the following morning.

The Renewal of Vows package also includes a personal consultant for the ceremony, a beautiful bouquet and boutonniere, a Renewal of Vows marriage officiate, two-tiered cake and one 5×7 second honeymoon photograph.  Sandals Resorts and Beaches Resorts make it easy for couples to say “I do” all over again in paradise.

As with all Luxury Included® Vacations, a stay at Sandals Resorts or Beaches Resorts offers more quality inclusions than any other resort company on the planet with superior accommodations, endless gourmet dining options, unlimited premium brand wine and spirits, nightly entertainment, watersports including snorkeling and scuba diving for certified divers and a myriad of other exclusive amenities.

Contact Pete your Certified Sandals Specialist today for your free vow ceremony and second honeymoon!

Phone:  218-779-3050

Email:  pete@jollymonvacations.com

Website:  www.JollyMonVacations.com

Website:  www.RiverCruiseGuru.com

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/jollymonvacations

Are you ready to find out the cheapest day of the week to take a flight?

Wednesday! It’s impossible to predict what the single cheapest day of the year to fly will be. Even if you could gauge data from previous years to determine which day offered the lowest prices for your particular route, there’s no telling that the same pattern would happen the following year. Travel experts generally agree on the cheapest travel day of the week. It’s Wednesday which draws, on average, the lowest fares. A site that tracks ticket prices from more than 500 airlines, reports that Wednesday offers the least expensive fares for U.S. and Canada flights.

What other days are usually cheaper to fly?
Tuesdays and Saturdays The next cheapest days of the week to fly are Tuesday and Saturday. Saturday might sound like a popular — hence expensive — day to fly. But in truth, most travelers prefer to come back from vacation on Sunday or even Monday. If you’re eyeing a Saturday flight, however, watch out for weekend surcharges, which some airlines tack onto ticket prices for Friday, Saturday and Sunday departures.
Ultimately, your best day to fly all depends on your airline. There are plenty of airfare sales that restrict discounted fly dates to Tuesdays and Wednesdays only (JetBlue, AirTran and Southwest) or Mondays through Thursdays. I’ve also seen those international fare sales that tack on weekend surcharges and require a Saturday night stay. Airline, seasonality, current demand and a barrage of other factors can completely overthrow the Wednesday-is-cheapest rule.

Another great cost saving measure is to bundle that flight with hotel or rental car. We have direct access to vendors that package and discount prices. Contact us today to get you on the road to savings!

Finding flights to domestic locations is pretty simple online yourself. If you are looking for International flights, I recommend that you contact us first to see if we can get flights cheaper through our consolidators. Often times we can save you money and get better flight options this way. Here at Jolly Mon Vacations we offer our service of tracking flight prices for you and buying when they drop to get you the savings. There is a small fee, but you will probably gain it back in our tracking-then-buying program. We strive to save you as much money as possible. We work for YOU.

Contact us today for more information:

pete@jollymonvacations.com

Phone:  218-779-3050 (feel free to text message this number anytime)

Visit our website to find out more information about our company:

www.JollyMonVacations.com

www.JollyMonVacations.mobi

www.RiverCruiseGuru.com

www.RiverCruiseGuru.mobi

www.RiverCruiseGuru.com

Uniworld Wins Best Dining at
the Cruise International Awards

Uniworld Boutique River
Cruise Collection has won Best for Dining category at the Cruise International Awards.
The awards ceremony, which took place in London this month, was the first ever
held by Cruise International Magazine to celebrate the best of the best in the
cruise industry. Importantly, the fact that winners were voted for by the
cruise-going consumer is a tribute to the exceptional quality and service
Uniworld offers its guests.

Uniworld began the ceremony by picking up the first award of the evening in the
Best for Dining Category. Uniworld was recognized for its Zagat-rated
restaurants and dining, for not just one specific restaurant, but for the
impeccably high dining standards it has achieved across its 14-strong fleet,
beating some of the cruise world’s most well known companies across ocean and
river cruises.

According to Guy Young, President of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection,
“Winning in the Best for Dining Category is a testament to the dedication
and work of Mrs. Beatrice Tollman, President and founder of our sister company,
Red Carnation Hotels, and who is heavily involved in the direction of interior
design and fine dining for Uniworld; Bernhard Zorn, Culinary Director of
Uniworld; the executive team; the individual chefs; the food and beverage
managers; and all the staff of Uniworld, who go above and beyond to ensure our
guests enjoy a first class dining experience on all our river cruise
ships.”

Uniworld provides guests with gourmet cuisine using fresh regional food sourced
locally and inspired by the appropriate season and region of the itinerary, and
paired with a selection of complimentary fine wines chosen by Red Carnation
Hotel’s acclaimed sommelier Eric Zwiebel.

As further commitment to the fine dining offered by Uniworld, the company
offers the Epicurean Adventurer Program™ available across 17 itineraries, and
designed to take food and wine lovers deeper into the world of wine and food
amidst awe-inspiring scenery.

Further to winning the Best for Dining award, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
also came ‘highly recommended’ in the Best River Cruise Category. As the Uniworld
brand is just a year old in the UK, to be recognised in such a way by the
consumer is a testament to the commitment and high levels of service shown by
all staff.

Call your ‘Uniworld River Cruise Specialist’ -The River Cruise Guru today!

We’ll find you the best price and we don’t charge any fees. FREE SERVICE! Leave your river cruise planning to a professional!

River Cruise Specialist, Pete:  218-779-3050

Email:  pete@rivercruiseguru.com

Website:  www.RiverCruiseGuru.com

River Cruise Guru is a branch of Jolly Mon Vacations:  www.JollyMonVacations.com

60-Second Geography

Cancun and the  Riviera Maya

• The Yucatán coast has been a staple of travelers from the United States for forty years or more. The rapid development in and around Cancun became a model for the best and the worst in the ways in which tourism could enrich a population. This area was largely isolated from the rest of Mexico until the Mexican government selected the region for development.

• The Yucatán’s Caribbean coast is more than 236 miles and stretches from Cancún in the north all the way to Chetumal, on the border with the nation of Belize.
• The northern half of the Yucatán’s coast is known as the “Maya Riviera “; to the south, the “Costa Maya.” Between the two is the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve.
• South of Cancun development along the Riviera Maya is on a smaller scale, with a greater understanding for the principles of sustainable tourism and a respect for native cultures.
• The second longest reef system in the world runs much of the length of the coast. Playa del Carmen, Xpu-Ha, Tulum and the other magnificent beaches occur where there are gaps in the reef and the tidal action of the ocean’s waves pounds the reef into fine sand.
• The reef provides great snorkeling and diving and the beaches are some of the world’s finest.
• Ancient Mayan ruins dot the coast and are easily accessible from the resort communities along the coast.
• Inland, vast caves are present and under ground rivers run where travelers can explore with experienced guides.
• The choice of accommodations is large and varied from cabins to all inclusive resorts or boutique hotels.
• The ancient Mayan cities of Uxmal and Chichen Itza remain some of the best examples of the mysterious cultures, the vestages of which exist to this day in the native populations.

great prices!

www.JollyMonVacations.com

www.facebook.com/jollymonvacations

Email:  pete@jollymonvacations.com

www.RiverCruiseGuru.com

© Copyright 2011 Travmarket. LLC.
]]> http://jollymonvacations.wordpress.com/2011/09/07/60-second-geography-cancun-and-the-riviera-maya/feed/ 0 jollymonvacations http://jollymonvacations.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/comparing-airfares-what-you-need-to-know/ http://jollymonvacations.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/comparing-airfares-what-you-need-to-know/#comments Sat, 02 Jul 2011 20:49:11 +0000 jollymonvacations http://jollymonvacations.wordpress.com/?p=222 ]]> Comparing Airfares:  What You Need to Know!

By Pete Larson,

Travel Consultant,

Jolly Mon Vacations

The major airlines
are evolving constantly, and the way we buy airline tickets has changed in a
short time. The airlines have basically forced us to search down our own
information via a website and book online. Most will charge an extra fee to
book by phoning their call centers. The internet makes it pretty easy to search
down flights, but comparing them to find the best fares is becoming much
harder. They want travelers to act as their own travel agent, but rarely does
the traveler know the airlines, the marketing tricks, or the search techniques
of the well seasoned travel agent. This can lead to hurried decisions,
misinformation, huge unexpected expenses and spoiled vacations.

Travel consumers are
confused and airlines like it that way. Confusion turns into profit for the
companies when travelers spend more money than they expected to. Airlines are
making 100% of their profit by these ancillary fees. Airlines have the right to
make money, but it shouldn’t be done by withholding information that consumers
need to make choices.

Airlines don’t
disclose these fees until after you’ve fallen for a low fare. Sometimes this
isn’t until after you’ve bought your ticket. Trying to figure out these fees
beforehand is both time consuming and frustrating. They entice you with an
unbelievable deal only to add fees onto the price so it only ‘appears’ to be a
deal, duping customers into buying without knowing the FULL price. Quoted
airfares exclude many items that now cost extra. Extra fees are being charged
for baggage, but some airlines are charging extra for other things as well.
Fuel surcharges are ever-changing and some airlines have a fee for a seat
assignment of for priority boarding. You almost have to be an accountant to
figure out the true price of flying!  It’
s much more difficult these days to figure out which carrier has the lowest
price. Even when you find a low fare, the add-ons change that in a hurry.

Entire airlines have
vanished from some of the major airfare search engines. This makes comparing
individual airlines much harder when you have to jump from site to site.

Buying airfare or any travel is best done by relying  on a
professional. Travel is not a commodity, and cannot be purchased that way.
There are just too many variables to make comparison shopping easy. More and
more travelers are realizing that vacations are best when they are planned and
booked by a travel agent. We study the rules, know the airlines, visit the
resorts, sail on the ships, read the fine print and know what things should
cost.

Searching for travel
can be overwhelming these days. Information overload keeps people confused and
companies intentionally mislead you for a sale. That’s what you are to them….’a
sale.’ To Jolly Mon Vacations, you are a very important client. We work in YOUR
best interest, advise you on reliable choices, make sure everything is in order
so your vacation is stress free and enjoyable. With Jolly Mon Vacations…there
are no SURPRISE fees! For most all our services, there are no fees.

Contact us and we will get you started in the right direction.
We believe an educated traveler is a happy and safe traveler.

Email:  pete@jollymonvacations.com

Phone or text:  218-779-3050

www.JollyMonVacations.com

www.facebook.com/jollymonvacations

Twitter:  TheJollyMon

Destinations include Jamaica, Punta Cana, Cancun/Riviera Maya, Cozumel, Ixtapa and Puerto Vallarta from both Milwaukee and Minneapolis plus Los Cabos from Minneapolis.

These flights will operate seasonally for departures as early as December 18 on various dates through May 19, 2012 nonstop from Minneapolis via Sun Country Airlines and Milwaukee on AirTran Airways with morning departures and afternoon returns available.  All flights also include one free checked bag per passenger plus free XM Radio for travelers on AirTran Airways.

Travel Agents who book these nonstop value flights will also receive special instant savings of up to $150 off per reservation. Jolly Mon Vacations can further help you with more information and booking. As always, NO FEES! Our assistance and booking services are COMPLIMENTARY!

Contact Pete:  pete@jollymonvacations.com

Phone:  218-779-3050

www.JollyMonVacations.com

www.RiverCruiseGuru.com

www.facebook.com/jollymonvacations

www.twitter.com/thejollymon

www.twitter.com/rivercruiseguru

By:  Pete Larson, Owner of Jolly Mon Vacations & River Cruise Guru

Deceptive Marketing and false advertising is all around us. It’s on billboards, your hometown newspaper, on TV and the
internet. When a company intentionally leads you to believe something that is false,  is over-promising something, or burying
things deep within the ‘fine print’ so that you don’t understand what is occurring is being deceptive.

Travel is a business where this type of deception runs amok. They bait your interest with the promise of these incredible deals and low prices. They add all sorts of restrictions, cut away the value and confuse you with endless fine print. You end up with a hollow shell of what was promised, and your hard earned vacation ends in disappointment.

Lets look at some common marketing ‘tricks’ companies like to use to keep you confused:

Specific Gateway – Only valid from a certain airport.

Booking window – Only valid if you book before a certain time period. (act now! Limited time only!) Only valid when a certain
deposit amount is laid before a certain date.

Travel window – Only valid when you travel between certain limited dates. (usually their slow season)

Specific Accommodation- only valid when you book a certain room level. (higher category or they quote the lowest category
room where there is a very limited supply that may be sold out forcing you to book a higher category than advertised)

Specific Itinerary – Only valid when you book a certain itinerary. (in cruising or tours, it’s usually an itinerary that is not
popular)

Exclusions – Many things are excluded making the price lower. (taxes, port fees, fuel surcharges, transfers, obc, airfare) Offer valid only to individual bookings, not groups.

New Bookings Only – A discounted rate you can only get if you don’t already have a reservation. Cruise lines are notorious for doing this when they have trouble selling out a ship. Usually offered close to sail date, but only on unpopular ships, dates,  itineraries, or departure ports.

Early Saver Rates /Advanced Purchase – This is popular with Carnival Cruise Lines and many hotels. It basically means you pay
the entire cruise or hotel stay at the time of booking and your money is NON-REFUNDABLE.

Combining discounts- Offer may not be combined with any other discount. (Military, AAA, Govt, Club, coupons, shareholder
benefits, promos)

Limitations – Offer only good when a certain number of persons are booked. (quad occupancy, double occupancy) Offer only
valid when booking a certain number of days. (7 days)

Booking Limitations – Offer only valid in the USA, or only when booked online. Offer not transferrable. Offer expires if not
applied by certain date.

Residential Limitations – Offer only valid to persons living in a certain area, city, state or region. (California, etc.)

Availability – Offer only valid to a limited number of customers. (creating the need for speed booking) Offer subject to
change at any time.

Deceptive ‘Sales’-

-The ‘percentage discount’ deception:

The claim:   Save up to 40%- The ‘up to’ means the figure taken is the rack rate that almost no one pays in the first place, and on a higher category room making the discounted price no different than the regular price. This may seem like a deal, but its not.

-The ‘FREE!’ deception:

The catch is…it’s not really free. You must meet all the requirements first. Free, LOADED with conditions like:

• Free,  only under a certain age restriction
• Free, only when parents purchase something specific, or stay in a certain category room.
• Free,  but you pay the taxes, port fees, surcharges, transportation, etc.
• Free, while supplies last. (and the supply is so limited its near impossible to obtain)

How do you protect yourself?

You could study all this stuff day and night like I do, or simply engage in a trustworthy source to begin with:
A good Travel Agent. Let the buyer beware! A good travel agent is worth their weight in gold. Remember, if you see a vacation priced at some
unbelievable price…you aren’t getting the entire  story. This should be a red flag that the company is using some sort of deceptive pricing.

Let me answer some questions about Travel Agents, and how they can save you time and money while protecting you from bad travel choices:

Travel Agent, Travel Counselor and  Travel Consultants are mostly the same thing. They act on your behalf as an independent agent to shop
many different sources to find you a good price with good value ensuring it’s exactly what you desire. They bring the right vacation product to clients and book it for them. They answer questions you have, assist with insurance, get your travel documents in order, and assist you along the way.

Not well traveled?
Perfect! Travel Agents will help you become familiar with what to expect and assist you with activities at your destination. They can also monitor prices after the booking and go to the vendor to obtain discounts for you.  Using an agent can protect you from a bad vacation experience, keep you safe by advising you of where NOT to go, and make sure you arrive and depart with ease.

Q:  What can a travel agent do for me?

A:  A good travel agent will bring the desired vacation experience to meet the clients needs at the best value possible. We act as your ‘vacation broker’ so to speak. Jolly Mon Vacations always starts with a good client interview to find the needs and desires of the client. We match our clients using our expansive knowledge on travel, destinations, resorts, hotels, cruise lines, ships and other things. We have special relationships with vacation vendors that will package up your vacation needs at special prices. Often times our buying power can help us obtain a better price, amenities, upgrades or a host of other promotional benefits. The travel agent saves you both time and money!

Go ahead, type “cruise” into Google…228 MILLION links! Do you have time to sift through that to find a trustworthy source for a good price with great value?

Q:  How much will using a travel agent cost me?

A:  In most cases….NOTHING!

Jolly Mon Vacations doesn’t charge fees to do your vacation planning or booking. Free help, advice and assistance for you…and money stays in your wallet! We are paid by the vendor we use for each sale, and they add nothing to your price for our service either.
You pay the same whether or not a travel agent books your trip, so you win by getting free professional assistance! Many vendors will match any price as well, ensuring you get the lowest price for your trip.

Q:  How do I know I can trust them to find me what I need?

A:  Travel Agents are educated and certified in specific destinations, cruise lines, resorts, vendors and travel. Experience is also a
great teacher and yet another way we can assist you. Our knowledge is backed by actual hotel, resort, destination and ship inspections. We travel to these destinations and tour them ourselves to assist in placing our clients. Nothing backs up a good education like a real life experience! A legitimate Travel Agent will be accredited by a major agency such as the IATA, IATAN, ARC, TRUE, CLIA or a host agency. You can check their credentials to ensure they are valid agents in good standing that hold proper accreditation.  Don’t hesitate to ask about accreditation to protect yourself.

Q:  I don’t need an agent, I can just book it direct with the cruise line or resort.

A:  Not so fast! Did you know each ship, cruise line, itinerary, port, resort can be COMPLETELY different from one another? You
may be climbing on a ‘floating old folks home’ when you are looking for a party. You could be getting on a ship or a cruise line that totally misses the reasons you need a vacation. A good Travel Agent knows the ships, the ports, resorts and the overall ‘vibe’ of where it is you are going and how you are getting there. A Travel Agent works for YOU, and looks out for YOUR best interest. The people at the other end of the direct booking look out for THEMSELVES and their company.

When it comes to planning and booking your next vacation, hotel, or any travel:  see a professional Trave Agent!

Jolly Mon Vacations would love to help you with your vacation. When we give a price quote, you can bet that it includes all taxes, fees and outlines exactly what is extra. We hide nothing, and do our best to promote THE REAL price.  We are an IATAN accredited agency and we’ll
do our best to make it your best vacation ever! The honest way.

Pete Larson,

Travel Agent & River Cruise Specialist

Jolly Mon Vacations  …destination anywhere.

President and Owner

www.JollyMonVacations.com

www.RiverCruiseGuru.com

Phone or text:  218-779-3050

pete@jollymonvacations.com

www.facebook.com/jollymonvacations

Island Routes Caribbean Adventure Tours received its second straight International Six Star Diamond Award from the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences (AAHS), which rewards excellence in the global travel and luxury services industries.

“We are the first and only adventure tour company to ever be honored with this prestigious award, and it is a tribute to our Island Routes team to continue to garner recognition from our distinguished industry colleagues,” said David L. Shields, general manager. “We are dedicated to delivering exceptional customer service standards and guarantees, and we strive to showcase each of our destinations with diverse tours that have high appeal for the experiential traveler. It is gratifying to know that these efforts resonate with our travel partners.”

Island Routes offers more than 200 tours in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua, Great Exuma, the Bahamas and the Turks & Caicos. Tours include kayaking expeditions and river explorations, catamaran rides, swimming with sharks, zip-line tours, and ATV, Segway, horse and camel excursions. Island Routes tours are fully commissionable. For more information contact pete@jollymonvacations.com or 218-779-3050.

Jolly Mon Vacations is a full-service travel agency and travel adviser specializing in river cruising and the Caribbean.

Here is some real exciting news from Uniworld!

In 2011, Uniworld will launch three NEW beautiful boutique cruise ships:

• The ultra-luxurious S.S. Antoinette will sail on our very popular “Castles along the Rhine” itinerary and will elevate the standard of river cruising.

S.S. Antoinette Stateroom

The Douro Spirit—the premiere ship on the Douro River—will sail Portugal and Spain’s spectacular UNESCO World Heritage-designated Douro River Valley, and every stateroom will feature a French balcony.

• The lovely River Victoria will take our guests to the treasure trove of architectural and cultural gems of our “Imperial Waterways of Russia” itinerary with all staterooms on the top two decks having full balconies.

Similar to our entire fleet, these ships will offer an exceptional, unrivaled river cruise experience for our guests who want to enjoy the best sights in Europe and Russia in world-class comfort. In addition, Uniworld will have completed the remodeling of our entire fleet in 2011 with the final three being River Ambassador, River Baroness, and River Princess.

For FREE assistance in choosing, comparing and booking a river cruise, please contact Pete at  The River Cruise Guru. We are river cruise SPECIALISTS, and we are standing by to asssit you. Full service travel counselor and River Cruise Specialists.

Pete:  pete@rivercruiseguru.com

218-779-3050

The River Cruise Guru & Jolly Mon Vacations

www.jollymonvacations.com

www.rivercruiseguru.com

Contact us today to get started on YOUR dream river cruise!

Europe, China, Russia…destination anywhere!

Walking onto the S.S. Antoinette, you will immediately feel as if you stepped into France’s Château de Versailles during the late 18th century with the character of the past thoughtfully blended with unusual elements creating luxurious elegance with welcoming warmth. A blue Strauss 10-foot Baccarat chandelier with huge sapphires, originally hung in New York’s historic Tavern on the Green, graces the two-story lobby. The finest Brazilian marble adorns the walls and floors and a sparkling 19th-century Venetian glass mirror rests high above the reception desk reflecting an air of grandeur.

It is clear as one continues to gaze around the remarkable surroundings, the S.S. Antoinette shares the same exquisite standards and meticulous attention to detail reflective throughout all of Uniworld’s fleet. Haute design, yet comfortable décor symbolize the style used by Mrs. Beatrice Tollman, godmother and namesake of Uniworld’s River Beatrice, and President of Uniworld’s sister company the award-winning Red Carnation Hotel Collection; her daughter, Mrs. Antoinette Tollman, godmother and namesake to the new S.S. Antoinette; and Mr. Brian Brennan, lead designer.

The S.S. Antoinette will also be Uniworld’s largest ship length wise at 443 ft. and at a width of 37.5 ft. According to Guy Young, President of Uniworld, “We decided to use the additional space to create extra spacious staterooms and suites for our guests, so there is minimal capacity increase.” Most of the 73 staterooms measure at 196 sq. ft. with 20 staterooms being 163 sq. ft. There are eight junior suites measuring 294 sq. ft. and the Royal Suite at 391 sq. ft.

“Launching in March 2011 on Uniworld’s popular Castles along the Rhine itinerary, this ‘Super Ship,’ S.S. Antoinette, will clearly set the standard in luxury and innovation,” states Young. “Many first-of-a-kind features not found on any other river cruise ship have been added to the S.S. Antoinette,” furthers Young. Among the many innovative features included will be top deck suites and staterooms with full open-air private balconies, which convert to enclosed conservatories; and a 20-seat cinema with state-of-the-art flat-screen Dolby surround sound and plush seats for comfortable movie viewing where guests can enjoy a varied selection of great movies including classics, comedy, adventure, and drama.

Equally warm and welcoming are the S.S. Antoinette’s public areas. In the spirit of the French “Salon,” Uniworld’s main lounge and bar, Bar Malmaison, is an inviting haven for gatherings. A mix of fine antiques along with inspirational paintings in carved gilt frames from different periods are certain to evoke conversation or deep contemplation. Windows are dressed in Figueroa striped silk taffeta by GP and Baker and floors are covered in rich custom-made carpets.

The sun deck will feature the Red Carnation Hotels’ famous Leopard Lounge with its unique, leopard print carpeting, elephant-head bar rails and many other jungle-like touches that will make this an elegant and enchanting, yet playful venue to meet with friends and family. Additional venues for added pleasure include a heated swimming pool in mosaic ocean blue tile with a sand-white “A” in the middle, which is created by the famous South African mosaic tile artists, Jane du Rand. Du Rand’s intricate mosaic mural work can also be seen in the restaurant, Restaurant le Versailles, where she has captured the essence of the great gardens of Versailles.

 Arranged throughout the ship, is a collection of carefully selected original art from personal collections. Sketches in black and white, color lithographs, and oil on canvas paintings from a range of great artists, including Humphrey Jennings, John Bellany, and an extensive selection of work by Russian painters Yuri Matushevski and Viktor Templi are perfectly placed for guests’ enjoyment.

 ”There is no doubt in my mind that S.S. Antoinette will be the most spectacular river cruise ship in Europe. We are very fortunate to have owners who are so invested, personally and financially, in making Uniworld the very best river cruise company,” adds Young.

Los Angeles-based Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, the world’s only authentic boutique cruise line, is recognized in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best River Cruises; Condé Nast Traveler’s prestigious Gold List and their Readers’ Poll for Top 25 Small Ships, and their Readers’ Choice Awards for World’s Top Small Ship Cruise Lines and Best River Cruise Ships; Cruise Critic’s Editors’ Pick for Best River Cruise Line and Best New River Ship for the River Beatrice; and Top 3 cruise line ranking in Zagat Survey® in the categories of Top Cabins and Top Dining, and is the only river cruise line represented in their cruise survey with the best of the best in the cruise industry. Uniworld features luxuriously appointed boutique cruise ships with an average capacity of 130 guests; expertly planned itineraries with custom-blended, included shore excursions; world-class, gourmet cuisine; and award-winning hospitality from an all-English speaking staff. The company offers over 500 departures on 39 itineraries sailing on 12 rivers in 20 countries throughout Europe, Russia, Egypt, and China.

Contact your River Cruise Guru for more information and booking of a river cruise today! pete@rivercruiseguru.com or

218-779-3050. Pete is a River Cruise Specialist and will ensure you choose the right ship for your next river cruise!

www.RiverCruiseGuru.com