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Norway specials with Hurtigruten cruises
Take advantage of wave season specials with Hurtigruten cruises! Currently offering up to $4,000 off selected voyages when you book by March 31, 2024.
Don’t just visit Norway. Live it.
Take advantage of wave season specials with Hurtigruten cruises! Currently offering up to $4,000 off selected voyages when you book by March 31, 2024.
Why set sail with Hurtigruten in 2024-25?
Experience to the (Solar) Max: Scientists predict the Solar Maximum in 2024-25 will result in the most frequent and impressive Northern Lights in more than a decade. The best time to go is NOW! And Hurtigruten has a 130-year history of providing guests with exceptional experiences both onboard and onshore.
Learn about the Science and Causes: Learn onboard with Hurtigruten experts who share how solar activity and magnetic fields cause the auroras.
Book with Confidence with their Northern Lights Promise: If the northern lights do not occur within sight of your ship on select voyages between October 1 and March 31, they will give you a select voyage FREE of charge (Ts&Cs apply).
Scenic Coastal Route. Hurtigruten operates along the stunning Norwegian coastline, providing passengers with breathtaking views of fjords, mountains, and coastal landscapes. The route takes you through some of Norway's most picturesque and remote regions.
Cultural Experience. Unlike traditional cruises that focus on entertainment and luxury amenities, Hurtigruten emphasizes the cultural and natural aspects of the journey. Passengers can engage in cultural activities, visit local communities, and learn about Norway's history and traditions.
Local Flavors. Hurtigruten is known for its emphasis on local Norwegian cuisine. Passengers can enjoy fresh and locally sourced food, including seafood caught along the route. This provides a unique culinary experience that reflects the flavors of the region.
Small Ports of Call. Hurtigruten ships visit smaller ports and towns that are not typically covered by larger cruise ships. This allows passengers to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations and experience the authenticity of Norwegian coastal life.
Northern Lights and Midnight Sun. Depending on the time of year, passengers have the opportunity to witness the spectacular Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) or the Midnight Sun. These natural phenomena add an extra layer of magic to the cruise experience.
Adventure Activities. Hurtigruten offers a range of optional excursions and activities, such as dog sledding, snowmobiling, and visits to the North Cape. This appeals to adventure seekers and those who want to explore the Norwegian wilderness.
Environmental Focus. Hurtigruten has made efforts to be environmentally friendly. They have invested in hybrid technology and are committed to sustainable and responsible travel practices, appealing to environmentally conscious travelers.
Historical Significance. The Hurtigruten route has a rich history, dating back to the late 19th century. The ships have played a vital role in connecting coastal communities, and the journey itself is a nod to Norway's maritime heritage.
Flexible Itineraries. Hurtigruten offers a variety of itineraries, ranging from shorter coastal voyages to longer expedition cruises. This flexibility allows passengers to choose a trip that suits their preferences and time constraints.
Hurtigruten offers a unique and immersive experience for travelers seeking a deeper connection with Norway's natural beauty and culture. Take advantage of the 2024 wave season specials and secure your booking today!
Merry Christmas from Time to Travel Tours
Wishing you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas! It has been a blessing to share this last year together. What a joy and a privilege it continues to be to share in the memories of travel together.
Wishing you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas! It has been a blessing to share this last year together. What a joy and a privilege it continues to be to share in the memories of travel together.
Grateful to have shared the travel-filled year with you. And, I look forward to sharing in a travel-filled 2024 together. Looking for some travel inspiration for the new year? Brian and I invite you to join us on our 2024 vacations (details below).
Have a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!
Carolyn + Brian Horne, Time to Travel Tours
You’re invited! 2024 destinations
Brian and I would love to have you share in our 2024 travel plans! We’re returning to the river in July with Terra Vina Wines and traveling to the all-inclusive Sandals resort in November.
July 2024 Provence Wine Cruise. Wine-inspired Provence river cruise with Karl and Carole Dinger, owners of Terra Vina Wines. This journey is a must for anyone interested in the best of French wine and cuisine. Destinations through France include Arles, Avignon, Tournon, Vienne + Lyon. Plus, optional Barcelona and Paris extensions are available. Click here for details.
November 2024 Vacation in Jamaica. Tee off in Jamaica for the Caribbean golf getaway! A luxury-included golf vacation at Sandals Ochi Resort. Brian and I just returned from viewing the resort and meeting the incredible staff. We look forward to returning in November and bringing you along! Special group rate secured for all Time to Travel travelers. Click here to learn more.
Danube River Cruise Highlights
Highlights from our September 2021 Danube river cruise aboard AmaWaterways! Read about the destinations and experiences that filled our week.
We’ve recently returned home from our week on the Danube river with AmaWaterways. Our sailing started with a warm welcome from the incredible staff in Vilshofen, Germany where we were greeted with an AmaWaterways exclusive Oktoberfest. From there we set sail aboard the AmaMagna and experienced the tastes and sights of Europe before concluding our sailing in Budapest. Discover our sailing below and remember that Time to Travel Tours is here to help you return to the river!
Arrival: Vilshofen, Germany
Explored the beautiful town of Vilshofen, Germany before boarding the ultra-luxurious AmaMagna. Greeted with a welcome gift in our room and an incredible prime rib dinner. In the evening, we were treated to an AmaWaterways exclusive Bavarian Oktoberfest celebration complete with music, beer and pretzels.
Days 2 + 3: Passau, Germany and Austria
All excursions are included on an AmaWaterways sailing! We took full advantage of the bike tour options during our explorations around Germany and Austria. In Passau, Germany we rode to Wernstein on a guided bike tour. The next day we biked along the city’s famed “Cultural Mile” and the Danube. The afternoon was spepnt visiting the charming Czech mountain town of Český Krumlov and the Greinburg Castle, the oldest residential castle in Austria. Finished our day with a delicious meal at the Chef’s Table. Visit our dining blog post for more food highlights.
Days 4 + 5: Austria
Days spent discovering the towns of Austria: Melk, Spitz and Vienna. We visited the 900-year-old Melk Abbey situated high atop the granite cliffs of the Danube. We continued our exploring by bike with a cycle through Spitz to Emmersorf and back to Spitz. Our biking efforts were rewarded with an exclusive wine event in the evening where we enjoyed some of the region’s famous wines. Day 5 was spent exploring the city of Vienna. The visit included a guided tour of the Imperial apartments, the carriage museum and the equally impressive gardens.
Day 6: Bratislava, Slovakia
Host to the crowning ceremonies of 11 Hungarian kings and queens between 1536 and 1830, Bratislava certainly has earned the title “Coronation City of Kings,” as we discovered on our tour. We opted to experience Bratislava with “Tastes of Slovakia” tour. Local favorite foods and beer filled our day!
Days 7 + 8: Budapest, Hungary
Started our morning in Budapest sailing through the scenic Danube Bend where we saw some of Hungary’s oldest settlements, including Esztergom, Visegrád and Szentendre. Budapest offers an unmatched combination of culture and tradition.
Dining with AmaWaterways
The incredible tastes aboard AmaWaterways on our recent Danube sailing! We share some personal favorite foodie moments.
Our Danube sailing aboard AmaWaterway’s AmaMagna ship was filled with incredible sights and incredible TASTES! AmaWaterways’ expert chefs craft menus that feature exquisite, locally-inspired cuisine as well as traditional, Western offerings. Here is a collection of some of our food favorites both onboard the four restaurants and during our tours.
Exploring Heidelberg on an AmaWaterways Rhine Cruise
Discover the wonders of Heidelberg on an AmaWaterways Rhine Cruise. Explore the red sandstone ruins, the world's largest wine barrel and spectacular views over the Neckar Valley and green forests.
Exploring the wonders of Heidelberg on an AmaWaterways Rhine Cruise
Starting off your visit is the Castle of Heidelberg, which is considered one of Germany's favorite visits for its charm and romance. Explore the red sandstone ruins, the world's largest wine barrel and spectacular views over the Neckar Valley and green forests...
Many poets and artists drew their inspiration from Heidelberg including Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, J.M.W. Turner, Victor Hugo and Mark Twain. Even though much of the castle is in ruins. Mark Twain came to this picturesque university town straddling the River Neckar in 1878. Although he thought the German language ''awful'' he fell in love with the place, calling it ''the last possibility of the beautiful.''
Heidelberg Castle was actually built in several stages with the earliest structure erected in the beginning of the 13th century. Then expanded into two castles less than a century later. Further expansion continued in the following years until the armies of French King Louis XIV burned and blasted them to the ground 400 years later.
The castle is now home to the German Apothecary (Pharmacy) Museum, Palace Gardens, a Goethe memorial tablet and two restaurants. . Romance is alive here throughout the year – but certain months you can even elect to get married on the grounds.
After years of debate to restore the castle it was decided the Friedrichsbau (which was the one structure not completely destroyed) would receive restoration. Along with the Friedrichsbau, visitors are always drawn to the Ottheinrich Building in the Palace. Elaborate sculptures on the façade still stand, memorializing figures from antiquity and Roman rule, German rulers, and even Elector Otthenreich himself.
Your list needs to include visiting the Great Vat, aka the Heidleberg Tun. This vat is the world's largest wine barrel which can hold over 58,000 gallons. Equaling approximately 290,000 bottles of wine. Built in 1751, the giant wooden barrel was the third such titanic wine holder to be constructed in the area but is the only one to remain. While it may seem as though it was designed to be a novelty, the tun served a much more mundane purpose. In the era when it was created, public taxes were paid in goods and for an area that excelled in wine-making that meant a lot of government vino. To hold all of the donated drinks, giant casks were created and all of the tributes were collected into quite an unusual cuvee.
Today the barrel continues to draw crowds. Things have changed over the years and the tun caters to its tourist visitors more than to its bureaucratic past, with a dance floor built on top and offerings of daily wine tastings. Even with the modern changes, the decorative grandeur still looks like something out of a pirate’s fantasy.
After your castle tour step into the Renaissance era of Old Heidelberg. Which Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1797 described as "The city in its setting and entire surroundings may be said to have something ideal." Much of the city`s charm lies in its architecture: baroque churches and fountains, pastel houses from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and details like madonnas in niches, statues, and gilded clock faces. Unlike many German cities, Heidelberg was spared from bombing during World War II. Some say the Allies preserved it, intending to make it their headquarters after the war. Others insist it's good fortune had something to do with Gen. Dwight Eisenhower`s German roots. In any case, it did become (and still remains) the headquarters of the European High Command.
AmaWaterways local guides will introduce you to this beautiful city. Free time follows your castle tour and we recommend strolling the cobblestone streets, visiting quaint shops and enjoying a German themed lunch in one of the many restaurants scattered throughout the city. It's a day filled with cherished memories, not only shared later in the day onboard during your Sip and Sail but in story-telling once back home reminiscing of your cruise adventure.
Tastes of Travel - Fruity Sangria
In celebration of AmaWaterways returning to Europe this July we chose the Terra Vina Cabernet Franc for the celebratory sangria recipe. Enjoy!
Fruity Sangria
In celebration of AmaWaterways returning to Europe this July we chose Terra Vina Cabernet Franc for this recipe. Karl and Carole Dinger have been selected as Wine Hosts for the November 2021 Rhine wine-inspired river cruise! Discover the Terra Vina Wine sailing or Contact Time to Travel Tours to explore the world of European wine river cruises.
INGREDIENTS
1 bottle red wine (Terra Vina Cabernet Franc pictured)
4 ounces brandy
3 ounces simple syrup
1 cup mixed chunks of seeded oranges, lemons and limes
Ice
DIRECTIONS
In a pitcher, combine the red wine, brandy, Simple Syrup and fruit.
Refrigerate until the drink is chilled and the flavors are blended, 4 to 8 hours.
Serve the sangria in chilled, ice-filled wineglasses.
Tastes of Travel - Lavender Lemonade
Celebrate the return of gathering and traveling with one of our favorite summer beverage - lavender lemonade. Enjoy!
Lavender Lemonade
Pair the flavors of this refreshing lavender lemonade with a New Zealand Garden discovery itinerary! Our local Garden Guru, Jane Miller has shared her delicious lemonade recipe using dried French lavender buds from her garden. Jane has incredible landscaping with a variety of different themed flower beds throughout her property. Plus rows and rows of garden vegetables she is busy canning through the Fall. Jane and her friends have enjoyed several garden tours: Ireland, England, Tulip Festival River Cruise and looking ahead to a New Zealand Garden Tour Fall of 2022. Contact Carolyn to join the garden tour!
INGREDIENTS
1 quart lemonade (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon dried French Lavender Buds (available at many local lavender farms)
1 cup boiling water
DIRECTIONS
Allow the dried lavender to soak in the hot water for 1 hour.
Using a sieve drain the liquid directly into the quart of lemonade and toss the lavender.
Garnish with mint and a lavender flower and enjoy!
A Tree House for Grown Ups
As a kid I was always fascinated with the idea of building a tree house, really a tree fort. A space above the ground where I could hold secret meetings with my buddies.. Fast forward to our recent trip to Tanzania and our stay at Tarangire Kuro Treetop Lodge and all of my fantastic fort ideas became a reality and were even multiplied beyond my wildest expectations!
As a kid I was always fascinated with the idea of building a tree house, really a tree fort. A space above the ground where I could hold secret meetings with my buddies and keep a sharp eye out for enemy invaders. My fort would provide security and safety and be my own special place. I was never really able to pull it together for two simple reasons: One, I didn’t have access to a large enough tree. Two, my construction skills are terribly lacking!
Fast forward to our recent trip to Tanzania and our stay at Tarangire Kuro Treetop Lodge and all of my fantastic fort ideas became a reality and were even multiplied beyond my wildest expectations! The resort, and you really do have to define it as a resort, currently offers 15 treetop rooms with plans to grow and add 10 more. There are also plans under construction for a new lobby, lounge, and dining area. A guest can select from rooms with a sunrise view (my personal favorite) or a sunset gaze. Either are absolutely breath-taking as you are able to sit out on your deck and soak in the radiance.
During our Tanzania trip we choose to experience Wellworth Properties so there would be no deviation from the excellent service, delicious food, and warm and welcoming accommodations. This particular stay just happened to put us 20 feet above the ground and level with the top of the Baobab Trees!
Every time we arrived at the property we were welcomed with cool, damp, scented towels to wipe off the day’s journey. Gideon, the resort manager, was always eager to inquire about our day and welcome us home! Ramien was assigned as our personal server and ensured any need we had was addressed. Believe me when I say a cool beverage hits the spot after a full day of Safari! Charles was our room steward and there was never a doubt our room was ready for us to refresh and relax. We never had a moment when someone wasn’t looking after us! I believe this is why our guide, who has 24 years of experience, makes the lodge his top choice.
The Kuro Treetop Lodge sits in the middle of the sixth largest park in Tanzania and is home to the largest elephant population. In fact, we encountered several interactions that included two elephants enjoying themselves playing in the water. Keep in mind getting too close gets you a “head sway” and a “trumpet blow” that sends a warning “that is close enough!”
Late July through October is when you would view the most wildlife in the park. Over 250.000 animals enter the park because it provides an excellent water supply. The Tarangire River runs through the park and during the mini migrations there is plenty for everyone!
If you are one that enjoys scoping out birds this is the place for you. The bird life in the park is nothing short of spectacular and with the large number of migratory birds you constantly have to keep your cameras at the ready. It also helped that our excellent guide had a sharp eye and could quickly identify locations but also the specific type of bird.
Overall, during our brief visit there was plenty of wildlife, excellent food, comfortable accommodations, and tremendous service, but this setting provided such a relaxing atmosphere it was just as enjoyable to sit back, put our feet up, and soak it our surroundings. It is never a good idea to rush through your vacations and I would strongly encourage taking those “soaking in” moments and build some memories. The Tarangire Kuro Treetop Lodge does just that and more!
Glamping in the Serengeti
What memories come to mind when you think of your camping experiences? Whatever your past experiences may have been a new concept of camping quickly emerges out in the Serengeti at Ole Serai Tented Camp.
What memories come to mind when you think of your camping experiences?
Canvas Tent? Roasting dinner over an open fire; rain or shine? Honey bucket restrooms?
Whatever your past experiences may have been a new concept of camping quickly emerges out in the Serengeti at Ole Serai Tented Camp. Arriving dusty and a bit sore from a day of 4 wheel game driving you are warmly welcomed by the entire staff. Not only a traditional Maasai welcome song, and a cool refreshing drink but introduced to a staff member who’s focus is to attend to your every need. For us Mr. Everything was James. Bartender, Server, Event’s Planner and Social Director.
Escorted through camp to our accommodations we soon realized the word missed in the above description is Luxury. Stepping into our tent not only did we observe a king size bed, desk, fluffy towels and amenities but an ensuite shower and bathroom. It was such a shock to take all this in as we looked outside to the vast wilderness we were surrounded by.
But it didn’t end here. After a refreshing shower and change of clothes we were escorted to the Lounge to choose from a wide selection of local beers and South African wines. This provided a wonderful opportunity to sit back and relax in comfortable lounging chairs before heading off to dinner in the dinning room. Words cannot capture the delicious cuisine we were treated to for our evening meal. Suffice it to say Chef Edward is extremely talented and we did not step away from our meal with even a hint of a hunger growl!
After dinner we were once again escorted back to our accommodations to settle in for the evening. A full day, full tummies, and being treated like royalty was an excellent way to bring our day to conclusion. We were told to listen closely during the night to potentially hear some animal life roaming the camp. We were completely safe inside our tent but it was intriguing to think of the chance to have some evening company!
The next morning we were greeted with a beautiful sunrise and a coffee service was delivered for us to enjoy on the patio. A wonderful way to welcome the new day! Soon it was time to be escorted to breakfast and the chef ‘s tremendous talents are just as evident with the morning meal. We enjoyed open air dining with plenty of delicious breakfast treats to help us get our day started.
Another safari for the day with plenty of photo opportunities (this adventure provides another blog coming soon!) It doesn’t take long to get spoiled with excellent service. James was ready and waiting for our return as he had set up a complete table for us to enjoy a “sundowner”. A variety of drinks to enjoy as the sun gently settled in for the evening.
From here we were escorted to the fire pit area to enjoy a delicious dinner by fire light. Outdoor dining in the Serengeti captures all of your senses and provides for a wonderful and relaxing evening of great food, great conversation, and great storytelling. And yes, a bit of wine was consumed during the meal!
The saddest part of our short stay at Ole Serai Tented Camp was having to pack up the next morning to keep our African Adventure on the move. Of course the entire staff was present to wish us well and after another fabulous breakfast we were off. I find it difficult to put into words regarding this wonderful stay. The people, the food, the accommodations were all first class and everything was truly appreciated. Would we recommend this experience to future travelers? Without a moment’s hesitation and we look forward to returning some day!
Packing Tips for East Africa
How to travel with one small duffle bag? Download the packing tips for East Africa from our friends and travel experts at Africa Answers.
Thanks to our friends and travel experts at Africa Answers we successfully finished packing our duffle bags for the upcoming Tanzania travels! Is a safari on your travel bucket list? If so, I encourage you to save a copy of the “Packing Tips for East Africa” from Africa Answers.