The rest of Q&A

Q – (3.3.25) – We are huge fans of the Traveltruth Media Group but there is one question I have been waiting for others to  ask. My husband and I are thinking about Crystal versus Seabourn for a cruise in Europe out of Venice next summer. We’ve sailed Seabourn twice before, once on an unforgettable journey to Antarctica, and were thoroughly impressed. They deserve your high rankings. But, among our 18 past cruises, are three on the “former” Crystal Cruises we absolutely loved! We have avoided them since the bankruptcy and the new Abercrombie & Kent purchase but we are now seriously thinking about them.

We get Crystal mailings and they kept sort of hinting that on January 1st there would be a major change and the operation of shore excursions would now be handled by A&K local offices. They would, we were led to believe, be better than the shore excursions offered by anyone else in Europe because of A&K’s operation planning and access to the best places with the best guides. Despite the Crystal inferences, I have seen nothing in the press or on your sites to indicate that the big change expected on January 1st has taken place. So a simple question – did the improvement and takeover by A&K in terms of shore excursion quality actually take place? Can I be certain that the quality of Crystal shore excursions will, on the whole, be better than its five-star competitors? 

A – The short answer is “No – not exactly”. It has not happened as some Crystal optimists had hoped it would. Instead, Crystal has announced that three years after their acquisition of Crystal, actual “A&K Experiences” will be available to guests.

In reviewing A&K’s announcement carefully, it appears that the company is no longer making  claims about immediate changes in day-by-day shore excursions. Instead, A&K is taking a different path, announcing a series of longer pre/post cruise A&K branded experiences, most requiring several overnights.

In 2025, the A&K branded pre/post programs will primarily be offered on cruises operating within Asia and Africa as well as a number of special land programs in India.

The company admits it is “planting seeds” and will be expanding its programs in 2026 to include Alaska, Iceland, Italy, and France sailings.

Every year will bring additional A&K Cruise tour offerings but it will likely be several years before A&K attempts the impossible task of operating all shore excursions under the company umbrella. The problem is that A&K simply has no offices in the majority of countries it visits via the Crystal brand.

For now, what we can say with some accuracy, is that on a number of exotic sailings, A&K is offering longer pre and post programs to their guests of substantial quality – and cost. Very shortly, A&K will offer pre and post options unmatched by any competitor. We think that is a fair statement. But vast improvements in the overall quality of European shore excursions is a long way away and presents numerous operational hurdles. 

What is often missing from the press coverage related to shore excursions is the fact that in most European ports, aside from the majors, there are only one or two shoreside companies with the financial stability, bus inventory, and contracted guides to handle several cruise ships arriving on the same day. Every cruise line must work with the firm that has the buses and the guides – they have little choice but to go with their programs. A&K has offices throughout the world. In the long run, that could become a serious competitive advantage. But, we think, that is years away. 

We are getting extremely positive feedback from our guests on the new Crystal. It is, we believe, very significant that 82% of the original Crystal staff has returned. Our advice would be to stay with Crystal but sprinkle in a selection of personal tours in those ports where you have the strongest interest. 

Q – We booked a fully guided tour out of London and ending in Edinburgh. We booked it ourself and we have not received any information about the new Visa Program I have heard about. It is a 12-Day tour operated by a British company so, as Americans, I wonder what I need to do. Thanks in advance for any help you might provide. 

A –  If you are connecting flights at Heathrow etc. you would not need the new ETA Visa. 

As you will be traveling to other countries, you will need an ETA Visa to travel through the United Kingdom. This is easy to obtain online. The Visa is currently 10 British Pounds (about $12.00 P.P.)

The most simple way to get the Visa is to download the UK ETA App on your phone using either the Apple App Store or Google Play.

On Apple, the App is located under “Utilities.” There is no charge for the App.

The process is quite simple – this is what you will need:

• • Keep Passport handy
  • Have Credit Card handy
  • You will need to take a photo of your passport photo page as well as a self-photo from the neck up.
  • There is a simple online form to fill out

It has been averaging 3-4 business days for the completed Visa to be returned to you.

Your note was a tad disturbing. Why have you not been in touch with the tour operator you booked? Why are they not advising you on the Visa issue? Who is taking responsibility for the planning of your journey at the other end? Who is your travel advocate? 

As it is highly likely you are being charged the travel agency commission of 12-15% for your guide/tour/hotel etc. we think you should reasonably expect assistance with your questions. We are always pleased to help but we want you to receive what you are already paying for in terms of your arrangements. No worries – the Brits are making the new ETA Visa as easy as possible – you know, just the way our government is making it easy for foreign passport holders from wealthy nations to enter the USA. 

Q – (2.25.25) – We just received an unsolicited offer from Regent Seven Seas for a Suite Upgrade Bidding Offer. I wonder, first of all if this is legit as it did not come from my agent. But if it is legit – what gives? When did Regent start marketing like a three-star Vegas Hotel?

The pricing could be good and it seems like a good deal. What do you recommend and does Regent really know anything about this offer?

A – The offer you attached is quite legitimate and we imagine your agent was copied in. We share your opinion that this is a rather odd way to represent a supposed five-star cruise line. One has to imagine that this brilliant marketing ploy originated at one of NCH’s lower tier brands like Norwegian Cruises or Oceania. 

This could work out well and there are many booked guests who will tell us that they are pleased with the Bid outcome. But this is what you must consider:

• The chances are good that you would have received a better price than the Bid price on the upgraded category if you had booked it originally when prices were lower. Most five-star cruise lines raise their prices on a 90-120 day cycle.
• If your “Bid” is accepted you will have no option to rescind it. You’re stuck.
• You have no input in terms of where on the ship the suite is located. You must take what is assigned. Be certain you get on well with elevator shafts. What staterooms are left for the bidding process? Not the best-located ones.
• Payment is due immediately once your Bid is accepted.
• Most Bids are not accepted unless they come close to the high-end revenue goal of the cruise line.
• No cruise line wants Bid Suite winners telling the fools who actually paid for their suite what a lousy deal they received. 

It all boils down to what someone once said …”well, are you feelin lucky?”

Q – (2.21.25) – Do not want to bring everyone on TT down BUT …………just returned from a cruise to Australia and New Zealand. Loved the cruise but one of the passengers died in his sleep and I could not believe the way it was handled. An announcement was made about what had happened and it seemed designed to impress how carefully it had all been handled and to show how considerate the crew had been. Then, two days later, the coffin was off-loaded (I learned that all of the better lines have an onboard morgue and coffins) in port before the rest of the passengers could disembark. Those having breakfast on the outside upper deck could witness the entire procedure.

This upset me and led me to start thinking about what I could do if my husband or a loved one I was traveling with dies on a cruise ship in a foreign port. What should cruisers do to protect themselves in that situation? Would the ship just sail at its scheduled time leaving us to fend for ourselves with the coffin? I apologize for bringing up this subject but I imagine there are others who might want to know. 

A – No worries at all. It is a thoughtful and important question. Here are a few points that might be helpful:

01 – Assuming you are on one of the higher-rated lines, the port agent would be put in touch with you and arrangements with a local funeral parlor would be made. The ship might, or might not, help you with hotel reservations. But the ship will still sail on time, leaving you alone.

02 –  The best outcome would occur if you booked the trip with a travel advisor who was a member of one of the leading agency consortiums like Signature, Travel Leaders, Ensemble, or Virtuoso, that has “on-site” offices around-the-globe. Your advisor would likely have a relationship with the on-site office in the city or country where you have disembarked and they would contact them to try to assist you with hotel, procedures, drivers etc. That is a best-case scenario. 

03 – If the above is not possible, you would try to book into the best hotel near the port. You would then work with the Concierge Team to contact the funeral home etc. and to arrange for air home, loading of the casket on the aircraft etc. Your Travel Advisor would be in touch with the hotel Concierge to help coordinate these efforts. You may need the services of a local attorney.

04 – Most of the better travel insurance policies would cover most of the costs indicated above. But specific coverage details are often overlooked so we recommend paying particular attention to the provisions of your policy related to death. You would also be in contact with your insurance provider back home who would begin the necessary paperwork. The funeral home would usually assist with the forms needed to depart the country with your loved one.

The bottom line is that this is another real-life example of why you should never book anything travel-related either directly or through a 1-800 call center in Miami or Mumbai. The same is true of online bookers. Work with a human who knows and cares about you and your family. It may take a year or two to find such a person but they are out there. 

Hug your husband as often as you can.

Q – We are going to be in Istanbul for eight days this Fall, visiting friends and spendings several days on our own exploring. One of the things we are wondering about is whether or not it is recommended to cross over the Bosporus for the day? Is it safe? Worthwhile? 

A – It is a wonderful idea for one or two days. There was historical animosity that lasted for centuries between the European and Asian sides of this important river. But now, with prices skyrocketing in metropolitan Istanbul, many artists and university graduates prefer to live on the Asian side in Kadikoy. The short ferry ride is fun and on arrival you will be seeing an area that has been compared to Brooklyn vs. Manhattan. You will find colorful streets, markets, and lots of coffee bars. Really worth strolling without the tourist crunch sometimes evident in the big city just across the sea. 

Q – Is there one best place to check online when seeking the lowest price for a domestic air ticket?

A – We hear a great deal about this subject and, were we to believe the ads, online travel agencies are each given their own, private airfares on every worldwide flight. Of course this is not true. Fares can change on a minute-by-minute basis as they are not created by humans. In fact, we now have a process that allows computer programs to personalize air quotes based on each consumer’s personal online profile consisting of an average of more than 2,000 specific data points. So your purchase habits at Walmart or on Amazon can help determine the airfare you will quoted by an online source. 

We do think that a good start is one of Google’s latest features, the “Aggregation” of fares from third parties. Google now has a new tag identified as “Cheapest”. But be aware that the cheapest airfares may well involve routing and/or airport changes that are less than desirable. As a general rule, non-stop airfares are normally higher, often by a significant amount, than more “creative routing” that dramatically increases your risks of missed connections or lost baggage. 

There are, so-called, “Air Consolidators”, online vendors who claim to have lower fares often involving contracts with specific carriers. This makes sense until you realize that other airlines will generally not recognize these tickets. That means that if your flight is canceled, other airlines flying the route you need will not accept the ticket you are holding. 

As your question relates solely to domestic flights, we recommend that you personally call the airlines that fly the route you will want. Ask for the lowest current fare. Explain that you work for Elon Musk and you don’t earn much. 

Q – Greatly enjoying this site – even if it is not written by a Canadian. We are anticipating our first European River Cruise next year. I know that my friends in the lower 50 are greatly concerned about too much sunshine and the fact that other tourists may be present in “alarming” numbers. Not my concern. I just want/need sunshine. As much of it as I can get. I will deal with your warnings of horrible heat by simply purchasing a cup of Tim Horton’s, or some locally awful substitute, and enjoying the warmth that surrounds me.  

So, given that, which month has the warmest temperatures in Budapest, Prague, and Vienna?

A – You will want to do the Danube in July when you should average 7.9 hours of sunshine per day. That compares to 4.1 in London in July. But it strikes us that your smartest move might be to simply move to Los Angeles where you can enjoy 8.9 hours of sunshine per day in July.   

We value our Canadian clients and readers and we wish you a memorable Danube experience. And do remember a phrase that many of us feel is the ultimate truth – “If your donut is fresh and your coffee is hot – then you’ve got more than any man’s got”.

Q – I have, lovingly supported United Airlines for the past fourteen years in my work which requires frequent cross-country travel. I am not a “points geek” and I don’t waste my time using points to fly for business domestically. I just gather those points like a squirrel hoarding nuts with the idea that in one year and three months, when I retire, my wife and I can use my current 1.3 million United Miles to enjoy many years of retirement travel abroad. I suppose my question is, “If I were a Points Geek – would I be doing anything different – would I use any specific strategy to stay ahead of the game”? Enjoy your approach – keep it up. 

A – As the Wall Street Journal recently pointed out, we are going through a process called “Pointsflation”. The fact is that saving mileage award points is not at all like investing in a money market fund – your points are actually losing value the longer you fail to use them. One example in the WSJ concerned a Delta non-stop from JFK to London Heathrow. It was 86,000 points on 2019- it will now cost you over 150,000 points. Just last year on United, you could use points to fly to Paris CDG using 60,000 points – that flight is now hovering close to 100,000 points. This is all deliberate. It is an easy way for the airlines to enhance profits by increasing the cost to use miles on any popular route. 

If you were investing cash in an interest bearing account we would recommend sticking with your plan. By given that this is “Airline World” and “Airline Ethics”, we would suggest that you figure out a way to use your miles for business travel as soon as possible and save the money you are saving your company by investing it for your retirement travel. 

Q – We are booked on our second AMA sailing on the Rhine River in May of 2026. We were able to receive a nice discount of about 20% when we originally booked this several months ago. Yesterday, we received an AMA e-mail notifying us that they are now offering complimentary three-night land packages to guests booked on Rhine sailings, including our specific itinerary. When our trusted agent called to get us set up with the comp land program we were told that it does not apply to our sailing but we can buy it for an additional $2500. This seems like misleading advertising. What are my options?

A – Welcome to the wonderful world of consumer travel advertising. Your sailing is heavily booked. Prices have gone up twice since you originally made your booking. Because prices have gone up, you will need to pay more should you cancel and re-book with the current offer. On the other hand, on your sailing, AMA will “allow” you to purchase the land offer for only $2500.

On escorted tours, pricing is more heavily regulated because no one wants to spend ten nights touring on a motorcoach with riders comparing notes on what they paid. And think of the poor tour guide who has to deal with price allegations.

But the cruise and riverboat firms worry less about passengers talking to one another. The major mass market lines discount at will and they often discount as sailings with empty cabins approach sailing date. The major four and five star lines, however, generally reward guests who book the earliest – the rule of thumb is the first “20%” always get the very best pricing. The prices, as we have indicated, start rising on an average three-month cycle. 

The “tricky part” comes when it is decided to match a price increase with a “special booking incentive offer” while trying to never mention the fact that the cruise or riverboat price has gone up. 

We checked, and in your specific case, you can get the free land offer on some of the potentially poor weather spring and fall dates. But riverboat guests planning to travel next summer should be aware that inventory on Europe’s major rivers for prime season already has already fallen to just below 30%. If you booked one of the “weather and water level” riskier dates, you will also find that cabin selection is quite minimal.

There are always exceptions, a part of what makes our work so fascinating, but you are most often going to be best served by booking early and taking advantage of early booking discounts without the tainted applesauce in the form of “special deals at a higher cost. 

Q  – I keep seeing these rather charming, British voice-over ads for Viking Cruises. It seems like they are among the largest lines but I am wondering who owns them and are they really that successful? The ads keep talking to me and inviting me to sail – but who is really doing the inviting?

A –  There really is no such thing as “Viking Cruises”, There are three brands of cruises, Viking River Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, and Viking Expeditions which, together, form a single company “Viking” that is owned by the Norwegian billionaire Torstein Hagen. The company is privately-owned, an anomaly among mega-lines and Hagen owns 77% of the company.

It is quite a success story. Tor had been CEO of Royal Viking Line in the early eighties. In 1997, serving as a consultant, he helped a group of Russian oligarchs buy a shipping company. Out of gratitude, they sold him four river boats to launch his own company at a sharply discounted rate. In 2000, Hagen was able to quickly expand and his purchased KD River Cruises of Europe and their fleet of 22 vessels. KD also owned several advantageous anchorages which Viking still uses to its advantage.

Viking does its Marketing out of a headquarters in Los Angeles but the real company headquarters is in Basel, Switzerland. This is where crew hiring, training, and marine operations is centered.   

With more than 90 ships sailing on rivers, lakes and oceans around the world, Viking is one of cruising’s major players. Its European river fleet is the largest in Europe and Viking has river ships on the Mekong, the Nile and the Mississippi. The fleet continues to expand. Ten more Viking Longships will join the river fleet by the end of 2026 and a new Mekong ship, Viking Tonle, launches in October 2025.

The ocean fleet includes two luxury expedition ships and 10 new-build ocean ships (all identical). Viking Vela  launched in December this year and Viking Vesta in 2025.

Of course, with more than 90 ships in its fleet, and a massive new-ship building program underway, Viking is no stranger to debt.

Entering 2023 it had  about 4.7 billion in debt. Viking’s interest expenses ballooned 41% between 2020 and 2022, and cruise operators have generally been looking to cut funding costs by selling new notes.

Viking, the only pure-play luxury cruise line, has reported its first quarterly earnings since going public. The company is targeting English-speakers over the age of 55, a demographic with most of the wealth and a broad eagerness to travel. The cruise line generated 4.7 billion in revenue in fiscal 2023, compared to 3.18 billion in 2022 and 625.1 million in 2021. Like most of the cruise lines operating in North America, Viking profit patterns are extremely positive and debt is being paid down.