River Cruise Newsletter

Dear Vacations To Go Customer,

Avalon Waterways has introduced new features for its 2019 sailings, enhancing the river cruise experience both on and off the ship.

The line revamped its Avalon Choice^® program and will offer Classic, Discovery and Active options on every itinerary so you can explore each destination your way: join a walking tour, take part in a cooking class or go canoeing, for example. Avalon will also have Adventure Hosts on European departures, to provide suggestions, maps and gear like bicycles and Nordic walking sticks.

The new FlexDining^SM program will provide more flexible seating times, more tables for two, bar service on the Sky Deck and nightly fare, when requested, at the bar. The staff will prepare complimentary picnic lunches for guests who want to enjoy an alfresco meal off the ship.

Avalon is offering their customers these great deals for Europe cruises.

Save $500 to $2,500 per couple ($250 to $1,250 per person) off 2018 cruises and 2019 departures. This can be combined with the offer below.

Save an additional $500 per couple ($250 per person) off the air-inclusive price of select 2018 cruises and 2019 sailings. On Active Discovery cruises in 2019, there's an extra air savings of $200 for a total of $700 per couple ($350 per person).

The rate for Europe cruises includes a river-view stateroom, onboard meals, Wi-Fi access, guided sightseeing, Local Favorites (activities that help you see the destination as a local), sparkling wine at breakfast and soft drinks and regional beer and wine at lunch and dinner.

Avalon's entire European fleet is comprised of Suite Ships^® with Panorama Suites^SM, which have wall-to-wall windows that slide open to transform your stateroom into one large, Open-Air Balcony^SM. The beds face these windows.

The company is also sailing the Mekong and Irrawaddy rivers in 2018. Fly from $299 per person from select gateways on these Southeast Asia river cruises.

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Thirteen river cruise and tour operators have released their 2019 river itineraries. Click the links to see next year's voyages, departure dates, rates and all available discounts.

AmaWaterways
American Cruise Lines
American Queen Steamboat Company
Avalon Waterways
Crystal River Cruises
Emerald Waterways
G Adventures
Gate 1 Travel
Riviera River Cruises
Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours
Tauck
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises
Viking River Cruises

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Royal Caribbean is one of the world's most popular cruise lines, with a fleet of 25 ships that sail worldwide. The upfront price of a Royal Caribbean vacation includes stateroom accommodations, dining, many onboard activities and live entertainment.

The company has this fantastic offer for our river cruise newsletter subscribers:

The company has slashed rates by up to 83% for Vacations To Go customers. Plus, receive exclusive shipboard credits of up to $200 per cabin on select sailings. Shipboard credits are as good as cash on the ship and can be used for onboard purchases not covered in the cruise fare, like spa treatments and shore excursions. In addition, kids age 12 and under cruise free as third and fourth passengers in the cabin on applicable voyages. Past guests may see better rates on select sailings. Book by May 31. Click here for dates and prices.

This summer, you can spend a week on a Royal Caribbean cruise in the Caribbean, Mediterranean or Alaska, or escape on a short getaway to the Bahamas. Explore eastern Canada's Maritime Provinces, the Norwegian fjords, the pink-sand beaches of Bermuda or the sights and sounds of Cuba.

Its vessels have boasted many firsts at sea, such as skating rinks, rock climbing walls, simulated surfing and skydiving experiences and robot bartenders. Entertainment ranges from ice skating shows and Broadway hits like "Grease" to the divers and acrobats of the AquaTheater on Oasis-class ships. You'll also find supervised children's programs, spas and no-kids solariums.

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The Passion Play is a centuries-old tradition in Oberammergau, a town tucked at the edge of the Bavarian Alps in Germany. It depicts the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ and is produced only every 10 years, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world.

The next Passion Play will run from May 16 to October 4, 2020, and several companies have released Oberammergau itineraries that include a Danube River cruise and tickets to one of the performances. Click here for these Oberammergau sailings.

To see a list of escorted land tours that include the Passion Play, click here.

The play dates to 1633, when during the Thirty Years' War and the plague, villagers swore an oath to portray the last days of Jesus Christ every 10 years. The first production took place in 1634. Today, it is a massive undertaking, involving more than 2,000 local actors, singers, musicians and stage technicians. All participants, from performers to ushers, must have been born in Oberammergau or lived there for at least 20 years.

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Here are this week's Top 20 River Cruises. All prices are per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability.

1) Active Discovery on the Rhine, 8 days with Avalon Waterways. Travels between Amsterdam and Frankfurt. Save $500 to $1,500 per couple. Starting at $3,399. Departures from July 8 through September 23, 2018.

2) Medieval Germany River Cruise, 8 days with Riviera River Cruises. Travels between Mainz and Nuremberg. Starting at $1,639. Departures from May 30, 2018 through October 3, 2019.

3) A Taste of Mardi Gras, 9 days with American Queen Steamboat Company. Begins in New Orleans and ends in Memphis. Save $600 per couple. Starting at $2,299. Departs March 3, 2019.

4) Portugal to Spain - Porto, the Douro Valley (Portugal), and Salamanca (Spain), 8 days with CroisiEurope. Begins and ends in Porto. Save $500 per couple. Starting at $2,371. Departures from June 1 through August 28, 2018.

5) Amazon Riverboat Adventure In Depth, 9 days with G Adventures. Begins and ends in Lima. Starting at $2,499. Departures from June 9, 2018 through December 21, 2019.

6) Danube Serenade, 8 days with AmaWaterways. Travels between Nuremberg and Vienna. Save $500 to $1,500 per couple. Starting at $2,799. Departures from July 15 through November 18, 2018.

7) Enchantment of Eastern Europe, 9 days with Emerald Waterways. Travels between Bucharest and Budapest. Save $3,000 per couple on this sailing, plus receive a premium drink package. Starting at $3,270. Departures from June 1 through October 8, 2018.

8) Budapest to the Black Sea - Gems of Eastern Europe River Cruise, 15 days with Riviera River Cruises. Begins and ends in Budapest. Starting at $3,649. Departures from April 22 through September 30, 2019.

9) 8 Day Rhine Highlights, 8 days with Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours. Travels between Amsterdam and Zurich. Save up to $2,500 per couple. Starting at $3,695. Departures from June 6 through October 22, 2018.

10) Danube Waltz, 8 days with Viking River Cruises. Travels between Budapest and Munich. Fly from $499 to $599 per person, plus companion cruises for free. Starting at $3,798. Departures from March 15 through December 11, 2019.

11) Belgium & Holland in Spring, 8 days with Tauck. Travels between Amsterdam and Brussels. Single travelers pay no supplement in Category 1 cabins. Starting at $3,990. Departures from April 2 through April 28, 2019.

12) Paris & the Heart of Normandy, 8 days with Viking River Cruises. Begins and ends in Paris. Fly from $399 to $599 per person, plus companion cruises for free. Starting at $3,998. Departures from March 26 through December 24, 2019.

13) Rhine & Moselle Delights, 11 days with AmaWaterways. Begins in Basel and ends in Amsterdam. Save $500 to $1,000 per couple. Starting at $3,999. Departs July 18, October 24 and December 22, 2018.

14) Prague Highlights & Splendours of Europe, 18 days with Emerald Waterways. Begins in Amsterdam and ends in Prague. Save $3,000 per couple on this sailing, plus receive a premium drink package. Starting at $4,540. Departures from June 10 through October 14, 2018.

15) Racing on the River, 16 days with American Queen Steamboat Company. Begins in Memphis and ends in Pittsburgh. Save $1,200 per couple. Starting at $4,799. Departs July 7, 2019.

16) European Jewels, 16 days with Uniworld. Travels between Amsterdam and Budapest. Save $2,000 per couple. Starting at $5,799. Departures from June 6 through November 9, 2018.

17) Northwest Pioneers Cruise, 11 days with American Cruise Lines. Travels between Clarkston and Portland. Save $1,000 per couple. Starting at $6,260. Departs April 12 and May 12, 2019 and April 6, 2020.

18) Luxury Irrawaddy (National Geographic Cruise), 11 days with Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours. Begins in Mandalay and ends in Yangon. Fly from $295 to $395 in economy. Starting at $7,415. Departs December 23, 2018 and February 1, 2019.

19) India's Golden Triangle & the Sacred Ganges, 13 days with Uniworld. Begins in Delhi and ends in Kolkata. Save $2,000 per couple. Starting at $7,999. Departures from September 29 through December 8, 2018.

20) Eastern Danube Discoveries, 12 days with Crystal River Cruises. Begins and ends in Vienna. Save $4,060 to $6,450 per couple. Starting at $8,015. Departures from July 20, 2018 through August 14, 2019.

Customers in the US and Canada can call us toll-free at 800-510-4002. For a list of our other toll-free numbers worldwide, click here.

For savings of up to 82% on ocean cruises, click here.
To save up to 40% with escorted and independent tours, click here.
For discounts of up to 50% at hotels and all-inclusive resorts, click here.
For the lowest rates on Africa safaris from budget to luxury in quality, click here.

Please e-mail me your comments, suggestions and questions at alanfox@rivercruise.com and I will respond the same day.

If you enjoy our newsletter, please forward this email to family and friends.

Sincerely,

Alan Fox
Chairman & CEO