• WHEN WILL A CRUISE LINE TRY TO BUY OFF BOOKED GUESTS?

  Q – (2.23.26) While I am thinking about it, maybe sometime you could explain when and why a cruise line will offer to buy a confirmed cruise passenger out of their booking. A person sailing with us told us Regent offered a full refund if they would cancel their cruise.

  A –  It would almost never happen on a normal booking. Computer systems prevent a double booking and your agent receives a written contract of passage for your journey. Unlike airlines, which do not have an obligation to honor your assigned seat, cruise lines put everything in writing and no one is moved involuntarily.

  Our guess would be that the situation you describe was generated by a group booking. When a travel agent gets a contract for thirty beds on a sailing, for instance, no one really knows how many of those beds will actually be sold. The cruise line makes a guess based on the travel agency’s past performance. But if they underestimate the size of the group a ship can become overbooked and independent guests need to be bought off. This is never a forced cancellation. Offers are made until the number of staterooms required is achieved. 

• WE ARE MAKING THE CONVERSION FROM OCEAN TO RIVER CRUISING: HELP!

  Q – We have been traveling on luxury programs abroad for the past twelve years including four of the cruise ranked “Best in The World” on your sister site, “Cruisetruth”. Recently, at the urging of close friends, we are planning on doing both the Danube and the Rhine next year on the best rated riverboat line. But here it gets a tad confusing – Viking gets all the awards but not yours. Instead, you seem to rank Scenic, Tauck, and AMA at the top without a very clear winner. 

  Our interests are as much comfort and space as possible with nice suite options as well as, hopefully, the best cuisine on the rivers. We are less interested in evening entertainment or shore excursion quality (we’ll likely do our own thing). Given this profile, we were wondering what your best recommendation might be.

  A – Your concise summary is helpful. You are correct – Viking wins all the “Reader’s Choice” Awards and they are also the largest industry advertiser. Coincidence?

  You have also noticed something fairly adroit. The clearance of various bridges along the routes together with water draft requirements creates a design similarity among river boat brands that you don’t find in the cruise industry. 

  That said, the brand that will most closely meet your needs is Riverside Luxury Cruises. This is a fairly new line that purchased the Crystal Riverboats when that line went bankrupt. They are the most specious and best designed ships currently sailing Europe’s rivers. We are currently ranking them # 1 for cuisine and wine. They have one of the highest crew to passenger ratios and we think you will find the more intimate experience you are seeking on Riverside. It is worth noting that riverboat cuisine has always been hampered by the tiny kitchens aboard each boat. When it designed its fleet, the original Crystal line made changes creating the largest kitchens on the river. This is one reason that Riverside Luxury Cruises currently features the finest food on the Danube and the Rhine. 

• A SIMPLE QUESTION: HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT WE MAY BE CONFRONTED ABROAD ABOUT TRUMP-ERA POLICIES OR U.S. IMMIGRATION ACTIONS?

  Q – We have been on four separate trips to Europe since we were married. We are now planning a trip that will include time in Italy and Spain. Both my husband and I are having some qualms about the way we may be greeted given the news about Trump’s disengagement from NATO and the horrendous photos of ICE arrests etc. I have read how you previously responded to this question but am wondering if events we are experiencing in early 2026 have caused you to re-evaluate your earlier opinions that there are few, if any, reports of anti-American actions as opposed to anti-tourism movement which we have read about and understand?

  A – It is a fair question. There is still no evidence of any significant harassment or acts of physical confrontation between residents of Europe and visitors from the United States. However, the latest data is showing an increasing number of documented cases of Americans reporting cold receptions, pointed questions, and awkward conversations about our current President. So we would say you could possibly run into a bit of social friction, perhaps a bit of pre-conceived judgements, and even political questioning.  But outright hostility is just not being reported by American travelers.

  The kinds of things we are hearing are anecdotal and include:

  • Taxi drivers asking Americans to explain U.S. policy
  • Hotel staff making pointed jokes
  • Locals making comments about immigration bans or tariffs

  A 2025 report from ASTA, the American Society of Travel Advisors, highlighted the fact that a growing number of Americans were feeling compelled to explain or apologize for American actions. Itis clear that events within the political arena in the US are being widely reported abroad. Many European leaders including those in France, Germany, and England have openly criticized, what they see as, a decline in American support and mutual trust. In the same ASTA survey, travel advisors report an increasing number of their clients are increasingly “worried” about how they will be received abroad due to Trump administration policies especially in the area of immigration. Travel advisors have reported a growth in the number of potential international travelers who express concerns about a fear of a negative reception. There is a “more significant” growth in the number of potential travelers who have a hesitation to book and who are questioning how one can use insurance to cancel a planned journey for politically-related reasons. 

  It should be pointed out that there is a direct link between those travelers that have the greatest fears and the cost of the trip they are contemplating. The true luxury market has not slowed down and questions regarding potential political hassles are rarely reported in this segment of the industry.

  We realize this is not a conclusive answer but we hope these observations are helpful. We do very little domestic travel business at our firm. Well over 95% of our clients are traveling overseas and we have not had a single cancellation that we can trace directly to the concerns listed in this response.  You did not say where you live – but, sadly, it is likely that wherever you call home is less statistically safe than the places in Europe you are contemplating visiting. Let that fact guide you in your decisions.

• WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR “INTELLIGENT’ TRAVELERS TO PLAN A RATHER COMPLEX PERSONAL ITINERARY ABROAD?

  Q – We are interested in planning a rather complex itinerary that will likely include time in New Zealand and Australia. This will involve meeting beer distributors (my field) meeting local artists (a passion of my wife and while also watching the All Blacks play, enjoying a private yacht for a few days including a sail around the Sydney Opera House, a few days of golf, and, finally, a day or two with a real estate agent in Adelaide.

  I know I can’t walk into any travel agent’s office to have them work on this – or can I? Would you take us on as client’s and, if so, why would we be able to place our trust in you to handle all of these details? We live to Scranton, Pa. if that is any help and, as you may have guessed, cost for this likely 3-4 week journey is not a major issue? I understand I am asking some big questions but perhaps you can distill down your response. We are huge fans of traveltruth and we hope that you continue this project. 

  A – Thank you. We will try to offer a simplified response and if it is not sufficient always feel free to give us a call at 630-717-7777. As “fans” we trust you appreciate that tooting our own various horns is not the purpose of this site. Whether or not you are able to trust us is something only you can decide. We are fairly visible and easily Googled. Our work goes back 40 years, we’ve published several books, and our media group is fairly well-exposed. So, instead, let’s try to address this for others who might share your wish for a direction to turn when a rather complicated itinerary with many twists and turns is going to be required.

  The most important thing the intelligent traveler can do is realize that the work won’t be done by a local travel advisor in Scranton or anywhere else. We would urge the consumer to seek out an established travel professional who is a member of one of the two or three most highly respected consortium groups. The consortium will have a working arrangement through the Member agency in the United Stated to work on projects such as the one you have described.

  Virtuoso, the group that we happen to belong to, just announced 2025 revenue in excess of $34 Billion. That means that they are likely the largest group producer, by volume, for a majority of the very best cruise lines and tour operators. But that has nothing to do with your trip. What does have to do with your trip is the fact that a major consortium group also creates partnerships with the very best travel planners in countries all over the world. We meet with the owners and managers of these “on-site” offices once or twice each year. We know them and sometimes we know their families. We currently operate with on-site offices in 91 countries.

  If you can find a firm that has these connections, the supervision of your arrangements will be handled by a trusted advisor in the States, but the actual planning and operations will be done on the ground in the countries you will be visiting. You will be privy to in-country wholesale accommodation rates and personal contacts in terms of golf arrangements, working with the best possible local realtor, and prize seats at an All-Blacks game.

  

  Your trip will be planned by local experts on behalf of a member of a $34 Billion group – and no one down under wants to disappoint the Consortium and its members in any way.

  That, stated simply, is the best way to do what you want to do. You need a trusted advisor in the US who has a close and long-term working history with the best local travel firm in the destinations you will be visiting. This is all human to human. Notice we did not mention doing this on TripAdvisor or trying to use TW (the name we use to more clearly define the term AI – TW stands for “Twisted Wires” – a more specific and accurate definition of what AI truly is)  

• WHY ARE SO MANY FOLKS STILL GETTING SICK ON EVEN THE BEST CRUISE LINES?

  Q –  We were watching a feed on Tik-Tok that showed that one of Regent’s ships, the Mariner, had an outbreak on a sailing between Miami and Honolulu this January with many of the older guests aboard this longer itinerary getting sick. The video was not pleasant to look at and we are wondering if these outbreaks on cruise ships are something potential cruisers should be aware of as we all prep for the next possible form of Covid? We have a longer sailing on Europa we are looking at but we do have these health concerns. How do you advise your clients on this issue given all the publicity online. 

  A – There is a branch of the “Media” that is dependent on sensationalism and some good photo ops. Tik-Tok is mostly produced by phone-wielding amateurs seeking to make their photo collection chat-worthy. Tik-Tok is probably not the best or most accurate way to gauge what is happening aboard cruise ships. Search cruise ship on this site and you will likely see amateur videos of fist fights breaking out in the pool area or misbehaving guests being restricted to their rooms by serious security personnel.  The absolute fact is that a three or four night cruise is just about the most inexpensive vacation available given the components involved in alternative vacation options. But that is not cruising. Or, perhaps it is. We’ve stopped referring to the world’s top ten cruise lines as “Cruise Shops”. They represent an entirely different vacation experience within the sailing category identified as “TrueLux”.

  Our Managing Editor has been on 148 cruises and has never witnessed a physical altercation unless you count the time he got punched in the gut by his wife when he tried to order a second Black Swan dessert aboard the Silver Ray.  

  That same level of mis-information applies to outbreaks of virus at sea. The fact is that there were 21 guests who were reported ill on the Mariner sailing you mentioned out of 631 guests aboard. This was a gastrointestinal illness and was reported, as required, to the CDC.

  The outbreak  was actually the first reported to the CDC last year. But lets look at some key facts:

  In all of 2025 there were 23 reported outbreaks reported by cruise lines to the CDC.  A total of 17 were caused by norovirus almost always brought onboard by guests.

  The fact is that even though the Media has put a fear of a norovirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship in the minds of the consumer, last year literally 99% of all outbreaks reported did not occur on cruise ships. Despite attracting hundreds and, in many cases, thousands of guests to one floating venue, cruises only make up 1% of the total reported outbreaks in 2025. That is not being reported – and it should be.  

  We have studied the data and if you look at the cruise industry as a whole, you can make a strong case that you are far less likely to experience a gastrointestinal outbreak aboard a cruise ship than those who remain on land within the general population. Of those 99% of non-cruising Americans who experienced an outbreak we can look at schools, churches, theaters, grocery stores, and shopping malls as the most likely sources of the initial spread.

  The fact that the land-based population has now virtually abandoned protective N-95 mask-wearing in heavily populated zones makes this particularly true. Every cruise ship has dedicated sanitary officers and crew who must maintain the highest levels of health and public safety available. You will likely find the highest health/safety standards on those vessels that have the highest guest to staff ratios.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR VISITING TRAVELTRUTH.COM

YOU HAVE DISCOVERED THE GATEWAY TO OUR CHURCHILL & TUREN LTD. AD-FREE – HYPE – FREE
CONSUMER TRAVEL UNIVERSE
OUR AWARD-WINNING WEB SITES WITH THOUSANDS OF PAGES OF PROFESSIONALLY WRITTEN TRAVEL CONTENT
IS AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FOR MEMBERS OF OUR ELITE
TRAVELER CONCIERGE CLUB

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF JOINING OUR CLIENTS IN 46 STATES AND 7 COUNTRIES
AND RECEIVING WORLDWIDE VACATION PLANNING DESIGNED FOR INTELLIGENT CONSUMERS

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL US AT 630-717-7777

THE FEE IS JOIN OUR ELITE TRAVERLER CONCIERGE CLUB IS $500 PER FAMILY ANNUALLY

HERE ARE JUST A FEW FACTS ABOUT CHURCHILL AND TUREN LTD. THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST

No one on our staff is a “salesperson”. We have earned our worldwide reputation by always trying to be “Travel Truthtellers”. We don’t churn out trips to Vegas or airline tickets. Instead, we devote 100% of our energies to the planning of the vacations in the lives of our guests that truly matter.

Our on-site offices in 91 countries enable us to provide the very best locally organized travel arrangements for some of our country’s most passionate travelers. Everything we do, from escorted tours to cruises, from safaris, to riverboats, is done on a truly personalized basis.

• We’ve been named one of the nation’s Top Ten “Bespoke” Travel firms by Travel + Leisure
• Celebrating our 36th year. We have Operations offices in Illinois and Texas. Angela and Richard Turen are based at our Corporate Headquarters in Naples, Florida.
• We do not employ travel agents or any outside sales agents. We do not believe that travel should ever be “sold”. Our gimmick is exposing the truth about every top-tier travel product we represent. For instance, we rate the world’s top ten cruise lines, publish those rankings, and those are the only cruise lines we will represent.
• No one on our staff “sells” Our Concierge Team is fully salaried and we do not hire Travel Agents or Outside sales people. This allows us to draw from a deep pool of talent. When you work with us you work with a “Team” dedicated to the success of every aspect of your overseas vacation. No one on your team is commission-based.
• Our Managing Director was Vice President of one of the world’s largest and best-known cruise lines.
• Our President was instrumental in planning the travel for the television series “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous”.
• Our media group consists of six web sites, three of which are the largest consumer, ad-free sites in the nation in their special area. One of them deals exclusively with Riverboats. One with cruises and one is totally devoted to non-cruise Q&A. Our consumer sites have no ads, no booking mechanism, and no silly, unfounded comments.
• Conde Nast has named us both the World’s Best Luxury Cruise and Riverboat Specialists for the past decade. We are the only firm to share this honor. We have won more “World’s Best Travel Specialist Awards” from the Editors of Conde Nast Traveler than any other travel firm in the United States.
• One of our owners is currently the Senior Contributing Editor at the nation’s most respected travel industry publication.
• Prior to Covid, we had the distinct honor of being named the “Top Revenue Producing Consultants” in the $23 Billion worldwide Virtuoso Network. We have earned this recognition for four of the past five years
• We operate the Elite Traveler Concierge Club whose members receive benefits, our monthly Travel Intel Report, and the waiving of all travel planning fees.
  
  PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO US AT 630-717-7777
  OR E-MAIL US: documents@traveltruth.com

TO CONTINUE ON TO THE LARGEST AD-FREE, SALES-FREE TRAVEL DATABASE IN THE DIGITAL WORLD
PLEASE ENTER YOUR ELITE TRAVELER
PERSONAL PASSWORD

_______________________