The rest of Q&A

Q – We have found a sixteen-day tour to South Africa run by AMA Waterways. I’ve never heard of them or the river cruise boat they are using, a boat called the MS Zambezi Queen. South Africa has been a dream of ours for a very long time. On this trip you get to see Cape Town, then you do a safari cruise through the Okavango Delta and you stay for two nights each in two safari camps. The trip ends with two nights in Victoria Falls. At $12,000 per person not including airfare, this is a considerable investment. Since we’ve never heard of these companies we were wondering what you think we should do? Is this really a smart way to see South Africa and is the boat really reliable. It really looks nice. Can’t wait for your response. Oh, I should add that we’re in our mid-sixties, we live in Tampa, and, sad to say, we’re not as well traveled as many of the people who ask questions on this site. Our doctor says we’re in good shape but what the hell does he know?

A – We really think you have walked or, rather, stumbled into one of the exciting new programs in South Africa. We absolutely love this new itinerary and, as safari programs go, the price is really quite reasonable given that it includes internal flights and some extremely good camps. WE think you should do it with one important caveat. But, first, let’s clear up any confusion about the company involved. AMA Waterways is highly respected but they have made their name primarily as operators of river boats in Europe. They place extremely high in our ratings, ahead of well-known brands such as Viking River and Avalon. But South Africa is a bit new for them. They are actually selling space on the Zambezi Queen. This boat was built in 2009. She is absolutely beautiful with a modern design that allows for maximum viewing of the sight’s along the Chobe River in Botswana. Botswana is considered the best game-viewing location in all of southern Africa. The smallest cabin on the boat is over 200 square feet, larger than most European river boat standard cabins.  The itinerary is masterful – you fly into Cape Town, then go to two different safari camps, then a four night cruise, followed by two nights in Victoria. Falls.  This is a wonderful collection of experiences.

But we said there was a caveat. The cabins on the Queen are not air-conditioned. Only the public areas are air conditioned. So guests sleep under ceiling fans in their room. This can work well but you need to know this fact. Would we do this program – do we recommend it? Enthusiastically.

Q – We’re recently retired from the financial sector where, I suppose you could say, quoting  that famous Saturday Night Sketch, “we’ve done berry, berry well.” So now it’s time to see the rest of the world excluding Europe, a continent we know well. Our first thoughts are to do, perhaps, two trips to China, one to see the highlights, and the second to do the Silk Road and Tibet. Should we pay to use a travel agent and when should we plan on going. There seems to be conflicting information about the best time to see China. Finally, how do we find an agent who will work with us for our next decade of travel. We’re in our early sixties and anxious to get started. Congratulations on the site. It is wonderful.

A – The sheer size of China makes it somewhat difficult to certify the best months to visit but there certainly are some guidelines. We would suggest you visit in April, May, September, October, or the first half of November for optimum weather. But the northern extremes of the country, including portions of the Silk Road, as well as Tibet are best seen in June, July, and August.

Given the amount of travel you are planning in the next ten years or so, it would be wise to establish a relationship with a nationally-recognized worldwide consultant. That is quite different than a travel agent. A travel agent’s primary job is selling airlines tickets. You need a worldwide vacation planner with worldwide contacts. Interview the firm under consideration. See if there is a comfort and a confidence level. Then, it might be wise to set up an appointment and review your desires and specific needs which will result in the formulation of a five-year Travel Plan, not unlike what financial planners do for their clients.  Do not limit yourself to working with someone in the immediate neighborhood or even your own State. The best person for you may be out-of-state but that would still enable you to have Skype, I Chat, or telephone conferences. A good vacation consultant will help you prioritize your travels, an often daunting task. There are definitely, for instance, going to be some destinations you will need to do first because they will require greater stamina. Tibet is such a destination. Thank you berry much.

Q –  We’ve sailed  on NCL twice and Royal Caribbean three times, the last time on the Oasis of the Seas. On our last cruise we shared a table with a couple from Arizona and another from Philadelphia. The fellow from Philly owned a restaurant and we talked quite a but about the food on board, which we thought was pretty good. We got around to asking about how much these lines actually spend per person for food. I imagine NCL spends more than NCL but I don’t know by how much. No one on board, of course, would tell us, but we thought you folks might know. The next time we cruise, I can assure you that everyone within the sound of my voice will know about traveltruth.

A – Actually, food costs are a matter of public record since the three cruise lines that control about 83% of all US-based cruise inventory are publicly traded companies. Based on the figures for 2011, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise have quite similar food costs per passenger per day. They all spend somewhere between $9.30 and $9.45. Carnival is the highest, by a small margin. But those figures are somewhat misleading since crew food costs per day are averaged in. Do note that food services are purchased on a bid-contract basis and when you are bidding on food supplies for 20,000 or so guests per week, you can get favorable pricing. One of the key cost components are the on board buffets and the type of clientele. Mass market lines are far more likely to attract those who overeat to realize a return on their investment. . On the other hand, the five-star lines have guests require smaller portions but  require top-grade beef, caviar, and world class cuisine. But for purposes of conversation, it is fair to say that the mass market cruise lines are feeding guests at a cost of less than $10.00 per day.

By comparison, the top-rated lines in our traveltruth ratings spend between $35 – $55 per day on food for each guest. . Residensea and Crystal are at the high end of these figures.  If you lean back and look at these figures you have to take into account the fact that the smaller, more deluxe lines do not have the buying power of the larger lines. Despite that, however, the difference in per passenger food costs between the mega-liner mass market ships and the Top Ten Lines is rather impressive.

Q –  We have this dream that we  can do an over-the-water bungalow honeymoon for no more than $10,000 including economy airfare from New York.  Is this in any way possible and how or where do we begin?

A – Difficult but not really impossible. The trick will be to use an agent who works with a major package wholesaler such as Classic Vacations. Get an air-inclusive package to Tahiti and seriously consider that your honeymoon may need to be limited to five nights to come in under budget. You didn’t mention your dates, but  avoid December through March. Even though rates are highest during this period, torrential rains are also a possibility during the height of the winter season from the 18th of December through the end of January. The Paul Gauguin Cruises are really excellent for honeymooners who want to experience several of the islands. It might be over your stated budget by a bit, but since meals and drinks are included, and they have some “Free” air programs, you might be able to do a seven-night cruise that will be a significantly better honeymoon option then a shorter stay at a single resort – even if you can spot fish from the glassed in floor panel in your suite.

Q – We will be taking our two teenage girls on a Christmas Cruise aboard the Celebrity Eclipse. Our travel agent wants us to take Celebrity’s insurance but has been less than helpful in educating us on this fairly important component of our trip.  One of the girls has, what I think would be, a “pre-existing” condition. Do you agree with our agent?

A – No, not at all. Private insurance is generally more comprehensive. Celebrity’s insurance is outsourced to BerkeleyCare, a New York based insurance firm used by most of the major lines. Their policies are not age-based so you will be sharing in the premium costs of older onboard guests.

We think you should take out an independent policy from one of the better independent firms like Travelex. Your policy will be age=based and you can have the pre-exisiting condition exclusion waived if you take out the policy within two weeks of your initial cruise deposit payment. If your agent cannot discuss insurance options intelligently – suggest that she take up real estate.

Q –  We had an extraordinary time on the Paul Gauguin sailing the Society Islands last May. Since then, we’ve heard rumors that there will be a Gauguin # 2. Any truth to the rumor? Wonder how they rate currently and when the 2012 Revised Cruise Line Ratings will be finalized? I hate to be the bearer of bad news – but we’re well into 2012.

A – We had some real concerns about the Paul Gauguin when the company was sold to Grand Circle. But the ship was sold again in late 2009 by Beachcomber Croisieres, a company managed by American hotelier, Richard Bailey. The Paul Gauguin is back to, and in our view currently exceeds, its former glory when it was operated by Regent Seven Seas. It will place well in our soon-to-be-completed 2012 Updated Top Ten Cruise Line Ratings.

The rumors of a second ship arfe true. Gauguin has acquired the 45 stateroom former Le Levant, a French-crewed yacht, from Compagnie du Ponant. This company’s luxury yachts are chartered out to company’s such as Abercrombie and Kent and Tauck Tours for seasonal programs. What is most interesting about the purchase of the 3,500 GRT Le Levant is that it will not initially be based in Tahiti even though it is being named Tere Moana.

Those who like small ships with excellent food, in a luxurious yacht-like setting may want to start exploring the new vessel’s 2013 schedule of cruises out of St, Martin to ports in the Caribbean as well as central and South America. The ship will then move tot he Mediterranean for seven-night cruises between April and November.

What this means in practical terms, is that the small ship lines of fewer than 200 guests, Sea Dream Yacht Club and Windstar, now have a new competitor in their back yard. And look for more than a few French nationals on board and, hopefully, a few of them will be found in the kitchen.

Q – Don’t know if anyone ever just says “thank you” for this site, but we feel like we ought to. I am ex-military and my son is currently based at Ft. Hood. One of my neighbors told us that Walt Disney World actually has a resort for the military with sharply reduced rates. Any information would be appreciated.

A – You are likely referring to the Shades of Green Resort at the Disney Resort in Orlando. The resort is actually operated by the Army in support of all military branches. This Armed Forces Recreation Center was built with soldier dollars and no congressional support. It is available to military and Department of Defense personnel and arriving guests must possess a valid military or DOD ID as well as a current leave and earnings statement. Thank you, and your entire family,  for your service.

Q – We are going to be turning the corner on seventy and we are starting to think we ought to move on some of our bucket list exotics. We’re really anxious to get into the Peruvian Amazon to see as much as possible off a safe, comfortable expedition boat. Any company we should be looking at first?

A – We think you ought to start with a company called International Expeditions using a boat called Aquamarina. Try to choose a journey that gets you into the protected  Pacaya-Samina Reserve. This is an area just filled with off the charts wildlife. Try to do some birding research before you go.  A knowledge of what you might see if you’re lucky will really enhance this travel experience.

Q – In a few months we’ll be off to Europe for the first time, visiting primarily Italy with some France. As we walk around, we were wondering if we should buy one of those hidden money belts or a fanny pack for our valuables?

A – The money belts and fanny packs are not as impervious to a pickpocket with a sharp knife as one would imagine. Fanny packs are the worst place to store your money and credit cards. They also identify you as a tourist who will soon be leaving town. The safest technique seems to be the passport size zippered case that you wear around your neck and tuck inside your shirt. If someone wants to cut the cord they will have to remove your entire head and in Europe they seem to feel that is somewhat extreme. It isn’t hard to know exactly where pickpockets work the crowds. The like to work right where the tour buses let off their passengers. There is one gang that works Rome’s Trevi Fountain exclusively.

Q –  It is our 40th anniversary and first European trip. We are looking at river cruises. Outstanding food is a concern with any cruise or all-inclusive tour. We’d hate to be in Europe for two weeks eating buffet or banquet style food. Any advice would be appreciated.

A – Since you used the term “outstanding” to describe your culinary goal, we would have to say that we seriously doubt that any of the current crop of river cruise lines will meet your expectations. The food aboard many of the river cruise ships, particularly, Tauck, AMA Watrerways, and Uniworld, is often quite good. But these boats have small kitchens, rather limited menus, and food budgets that just don’t match those of some of their five-star cruise line competitors.

If you are seeking truly memorable cuisine during your stay in Europe we would recommend that you narrow your search to one of the top-rated traveltruth cruise lines. Crystal currently rates highest in this category. Food lovers rave about the cuisine on Sea Dream. The Oceania Marina has excellent food at a lower price point.

Finally, we would suggest that you look at the possibility of a river barge rather than a river boat. Some of the barges that ply the waterways in the south of France do employ talented chefs who shop at local markets each morning and produce truly “outstanding: meals.

As a general rule, never expect truly outstanding cuisine on anything that floats with pricing per diems under $500.