Venture Ashore reveals three new Alaska trips

February 6, 2023 No Comments

Venture Ashore is offering three new tour experiences, further extending the company’s portfolio of experiential shore excursions for the first time in the Alaskan region. 

Part of the company’s “Essential Collection,” these expertly curated itineraries are designed to give great value at an affordable price, featuring the highlights of Alaska including a trolley tour of Ketchikan, a Skagway Yukon sled dog experience led by former Iditarod mushers, and a whale-watching cruise with an up-close visit of Juneau’s Mendenhall Glacier.  

Curated trips

Venture Ashore’s “Essential Collection” excursions provide individually curated compilations of the must-see and do experiences in top cities around the world, maximizing cruise guests’ time ashore at a great value with multi-port package discounts in destinations from Barcelona to Venice and Cape Town to Cartagena.  

“The demand for affordable shore excursions in Alaska has never been higher and that’s why we expanded our portfolio and designed these experiences as an absolute must-do with our on-the-ground teams. Savvy cruise travelers can now experience the best Alaska has to offer in Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan with our Essential Collection experiences and take advantage of great value with our multi-port packages,” said Rinat Glinert, chief operating officer, Venture Ashore.  “We are looking forward to kicking off the year by delivering our guests the best itineraries at the best prices with the best opportunities, including seeing salmon streams, waterfalls, rainforests, and beaches—all in just one state!” 

Venture Ashore is part of the portfolio of brands under City Experiences, a leading provider of world-class experiential travel offerings.  Through its vibrant, personally curated offerings and personal connectivity, City Experiences delivers guests with an amazing experience, all provided through their own unmatched Crew and expert Tour Guides.  

Earlier this year, nine new Venture Ashore experiential tours from WALKS and Devour Tours were added to the “Essential Collection,” ranging from offerings available in Barcelona, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Civitavecchia, Rome and Venice, Italy. 

About Venture Ashore

Venture Ashore offers a wide range of tour offerings to satisfy a variety of groups, interests and budgets.  Parties of 12 or more can take advantage of a dedicated groups service, with a team of personal specialists to support a seamless experience from start to finish for a unique and tailor-made itinerary.  Venture Ashore also offers extensive private tours and features small group tours, varying by destination and demand, accommodating up to 25 people or as few as 6.  Venture Ashore provides guests with a worry-free travel experience with more flexibility and generous policies such as full refunds provided up to 24 hours prior to the excursion, 24/7 customer service and a “back-to-ship” guarantee.

City Experiences is a leading provider of world-class experiential travel offerings, redefining how guests see the world with expanded one-of-a-kind travel experiences across major global destinations.  Part of the Hornblower Group, a global leader in experiences and transportation, 

City Experiences delivers a vast array of water and land-based experience offerings in top cities around the world including Barcelona, Boston, Chicago, London, New York City, Paris, Rome, and San Francisco, amongst others. 

Experiences are available at ventureashore.com/essential-collection.

 

Luxury Toronto hotel shows off new upgraded suites

February 3, 2023 No Comments

W Toronto has unveiled  three premium suite categories, joining the Yorkville hotspot’s sophisticatedly playful guest room lineup.

Designed by global creative agency, Sid Lee, the new suites at W Toronto continue the hotel’s celebration of the city’s iconic street and performance art scenes, cultural diversity, and legacy of non-conformity.   

“Since our debut last summer, W Toronto has been welcoming guests from all over the world who are in search of the unique and unexpected when it comes to a luxury-lifestyle hotel stay,” said Perry Pisani, Director of Sales & Marketing. “From our striking guest rooms to our wildly popular rooftop bar, we have delivered and are now raising the stakes even higher with a collection of suites that will take a stay at W Toronto to the next level.”

Playful interior designs

Perfect for entertaining or simply an extraordinary hotel stay, the six new suites at W Toronto are available now for booking. All offer a nod to old Toronto glamour while celebrating the neighbourhood’s counterculture past and modern day, illustrious theatre district.

Each suite features theatrical design elements – from shimmery tassel curtains and lighting adorning each plush, velvet bed frame to rich jewel tones that make every guest feel as though they are centre- stage.

Other touches include artwork and biophilia inside each room that embrace the city’s juxtaposition of nature with the man-made metropolis. Examples include fashion-forward 3D black and silver metallic faces and painted panels inspired by nature in hues of light pink and purple. Each bed also features “I Miss You”, a pillow featuring original art by local artist Julia Mercanti, illustrating the desire for human connection. Lastly, all suites feature spacious living spaces for gatherings, intimate events (or a good old private dance party) as well as a fully stocked MIXBAR (minibar) flanked by a gold orb designed to showcase drinks for guests.

Suite categories

Extreme WOW Suites (Presidential) 

Two, 1,765 square foot bi-level suites featuring a bedroom, workspace and spacious, spa-inspired bathroom on the second level with round soaker tub and a shower for two. With city views, the E-WOW Suites include an expanded living room space, a dining table for eight and a full kitchenette complete with an oversized MIX Bar for entertaining.

WOW Suites (Vice Presidential) 

Facing both the city and the courtyard (for prime people watching), the two, 1,090 square foot WOW Suites feature an expansive entertaining and dining space; a separate bedroom where the bed is flanked with dramatic, shimmery tassel curtains for peek-a-boo style privacy and a spa-inspired bathroom with jet and rainfall showers (with one WOW featuring a soaker tub).

Amplified Studio Suites 

Featuring a large, open-concept bedroom and living space with plenty of plush seating – perfect for a cocktail hour with friends – the two, 667 sq. ft Amplified Studio Suites also feature workspaces, bathrooms with dual vanities and rainfall showers.

 

Viking adds a new ship for Seine River sailings

February 1, 2023 No Comments

Viking will welcome a new Viking Longship purpose-built for the Seine River to its fleet in 2025.

Sailing Viking’s popular eight-day Paris and the Heart of Normandy itinerary, the new ship will be identical to the four Viking Longships for the Seine which were welcomed to the company’s fleet in 2022, the Viking Fjorgyn, Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid and Viking Skaga. 

All five ships are built specifically to navigate the Seine River and bring guests to the heart of Paris with an exclusive docking location at Port de Grenelle, just a short walk from the Eiffel Tower.

Popular cruises

“The Paris and the Heart of Normandy itinerary continues to be popular with our guests,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “We are excited to expand our offerings in this region and welcome even more guests on board to explore this incredible part of the world rich in history and culture.”

Hosting 168 guests in 84 staterooms, Viking’s Seine Longships feature an Aquavit Terrace, a wide variety of stateroom choices, and onboard solar panels, as well as Viking’s signature Scandinavian design aesthetic. The Viking Longships on the Seine are equipped for shore power to reduce reliance on fuel while in port, and leverage hybrid technology with large-scale battery packs.

Sailing roundtrip from Paris, guests on Viking’s Paris & the Heart of Normandy itinerary explore Giverny and visit the beautiful gardens and charming farmhouse where Claude Monet lived and worked; trace the footsteps of Joan of Arc in Rouen; walk hallowed ground at Normandy’s American Military Cemetery and World War II beaches; and savor Normandy cuisine. This eight-day voyage along the Seine River celebrates history, art, food and customs in the country’s most dazzling urban and pastoral settings.