Fabian & Francis cruising the Black Sea

Where in the world... 

Our trip to the Black Sea

Oceania Cruises: Riviera

The brand new Riviera, which debuted in May 2012, is stunning. Designer touches are everywhere, from the magnificent Lalique Grand Staircase and stunning Owner's Suites furnished in Ralph Lauren Home.


Comfortably mid-sized, with a country club casual ambiance and level of personalized service, combined with new amenities, made it an incredible experience…one which were not expecting. As the first ship designed for lovers of fine dining and travel experiences, the 1250 passenger Riviera offers guests multiple dining venues, of which six are open-seating gourmet restaurants with no surcharge.

Accommodations in every category are incredibly spacious, especially with regard to the lavish bathrooms.

 Our 13 day Itinerary

Day	Date	Location
1	Thu, 25 Jul	Istanbul, Turkey
2	Fri, 26 Jul	Nessebar, Bulgaria
3	Sat, 27 Jul	Constanta, Romania
4	Sun, 28 Jul	Odessa, Ukraine
5	Mon, 29 Jul	Sevastopol, Ukraine
6	Tue, 30 Jul	Yalta, Ukraine
7	Wed, 31 Jul	Sochi, Russia
8	Thu, 01 Aug	Trabzon, Turkey
9	Fri, 02 Aug	Sinop, Turkey
10	Sat, 03 Aug	Çengelköy, Turkey
11	Sun, 04 Aug	Kusadasi, Turkey
12	Mon, 05 Aug	Mykonos, Greece
13	Tue, 06 Aug	Piraeus, Greece

Arrival into Istambul, Turkey:

Turkish Airlines

Excellent Business Class as well as Comfort Class (Premium Economy).

With the most amazing tour operator in the world, Nurdan from Nurdan's United Travel Services, Turkey.

Istanbul, Turkey

MUST SEE:

Dolmabache Palacio

Mezquita azul

Iglesia Sofia

Grand Bazaar

MUST EAT & DRINK

Sur Balak (5mins from Four Season)
Kebabs’  
Doner Kebaps (like Mexican Tacos)

Black tea and Apple tea

Turkish Coffee

Nessebar, Bulgaria

Nessebar, Bulgaria...an ancient town and one of the major seaside resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast!

MUST EAT AND DRINK: 
Pork (not a lot of options)
Local Wines

Constanta, Romania

Constanta - the oldest extant city in Romania. It was founded around 600 BC 

MUST EAT AND DRINK:

Local Wines
** 1 dollar = 3.3 Lei

Odessa, Ucrania 

The port of Odessa, where they arrived, is one of the most important seaports in Ukraine which is located on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea.

MUST SEE:

        Potemkin Steps y Odessa City Hall 

       Opera House

       Fine Arts Museum 

       Primoski Boulevard

MUST EAT & DRINK :

Pork and vegetable dumplings 

Pork   Borsch (onion and egg soup)
Vodka : Horilka 
Cold fruit tea
 

Sevastopol, Ukraine
Sevastopol is one of two cities with special status in Ukraine (the other being the capital, Kiev). A strategically important naval point, it is also a popular seaside resort and tourist destination.

MUST SEE:

Khan Palace in Bakhchisaray (1hra del puerto)

Yalta, Ukraine

YALTA, a resort city in Crimea, southern Ukraine, on the north coast of the Black Sea. The city is located on the site of an ancient Greek colony, said to have been founded by Greek sailors who were looking for a safe shore on which to land.

MUST SEE:

Museum: Chekhov
Alexander Nevsky Cathedra;

MUST EAT AND DRINK:

Beer: Lvivske
BBQ Pork

Sochi, Russia

Situated on the Black Sea coast near the border of Georgia, Sochi is one of Russia's largest resort cities. A lot is going on here in the next few years. Sochi will host the XXII Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games next year as well as the Russian Formula 1 Grand Prix. It is also one of the host cities for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Basic info:

* "Spasibo" = Thank you
* 1 Dolar = 30 Rubles

Trabzon, Turkey

Trabzon played a key role in both the Silk Road and the Ottoman period because of the importance of its port.

MUST SEE:

Monasterio Sumela (1 hr from port)  CANT MISS

MUST EAT AND DRINK:
Kebabs

Kusadasi, Turkey

A resort town on Turkey's Aegean, its primary industry is tourism given it is so close to Ephesus.

MUST SEE:

Ephesus: Old Roman Town-  CANT MISS

MUST EAT AND DRINK:

Kebabs

Travelworld at Virtuoso Week 2013, Las Vegas

WOW! The Travelworld team was just in Las Vegas for Virtuoso's annual conference and there is no way to describe it. Over 4200 participants from nearly every corner of the globe. Our friend and editor of TravelPlus.com, James Shillinglaw, describes it best:

 Virtuoso: The Week That Was!

By James Shillinglaw
August 19, 2013

Those outside the travel industry who think travel agents are "dead" in a world that is supposedly dominated by online travel companies should spend a Thursday night in August at The Bank at Bellagio in Las Vegas.

During Virtuoso Travel Week, the annual meeting of the Virtuoso luxury travel network, which just celebrated its 25^th year, it’s become a tradition after a week of heavy meetings and appointments for Virtuoso travel advisors and suppliers to gather on Thursday after the closing gala dinner at The Bank nightclub to blow off a little steam. And do they ever blow off steam!

The Bank is transformed into "Club V” (Club Virtuoso) with literally a thousand or more people packed onto the dance floor. And many of them are surprisingly young given the usual demographic at many travel agent events. One of the highlights of the evening, however, is when Virtuoso CEO Matthew Upchurch gets up on a raised platform to dance with Valerie Wilson, a veteran Virtuoso member and owner of Valerie Wilson Travel in New York. Upchurch himself then leads the festivities into the wee hours of the night.

This year's Virtuoso Travel Week attracted more than 4,200 participants, including travel advisors, suppliers, media and other guests (compared to roughly 3,800 last year). What's more important is that 2,000 travel advisors attended, more than the number of suppliers registered.

Last year Virtuoso changed the branding of its annual domestic conference from Virtuoso Travel Mart as it tried to put more of a consumer face on its activities in Vegas every August. The idea was to create a "happening" like Fashion Week that will eventually be recognized by consumer media and the outside world.

Last year I wrote that Virtuoso Travel Week was still a "work in progress," which perhaps wasn't surprising given that it was the first year with the new name and focus. This year roughly 15 consumer media attended the event, so Virtuoso is continuing to build up its consumer face. I'm just waiting for the day when the Bellagio fountain is lined with TV cameras and crews eagerly awaiting news of the latest and most innovative luxury travel products.

Nevertheless, Virtuoso's giant event this year truly emerged as a real phenomenon, largely because it just keeps growing and getting busier year over year. Virtuoso Travel Week is now the largest convention hosted by Bellagio and the property makes a special effort to ensure that its entire staff is on duty and ready to serve its Virtuoso guests. Indeed, Virtuoso even released a video made by Bellagio showing just how much preparation the resort puts into the event.

Last week Virtuoso Travel Week had not one but three keynote speakers at its opening general session. In addition to Upchurch, the session featured Simon Sinek, author of “Start with Why,” who first spoke to Virtuoso in 2010; Ken Dychtwald, Ph.D, Age Wave president and CEO, who spoke in 2006; and Lee Brower of Empowered Wealth, LLC, who for more than 12 years has also served as an entrepreneurial coach for Strategic Coach Inc.

Last year Virtuoso hosted its first celebrity guest, Francis Ford Coppola, who regaled Virtuoso attendees with stories of his Godfather movies, but also happened to be a preferred supplier who owns luxury resorts in Belize. This year Virtuoso featured magician David Copperfield, who is also effectively a Virtuoso preferred supplier as well as owner of Musha Cay, the exclusive island resort in the Bahamas. Not to disappoint the crowd, Copperfield also performed one of his signature illusions on stage.

But the real heart of Virtuoso Travel Week remains its famed (some say infamous) four-minute meetings, where every Virtuoso travel advisor can meet virtually every Virtuoso preferred suppliers. Each travel advisor and preferred supplier is scheduled for roughly 98 meetings per day for four days. This "speed dating" has been a major part of Virtuoso Travel Week since its inception, but now it has spilled over to encompass every ballroom in the Bellagio and many of the hallways in the convention center.

Row upon row of tables and chairs line every room and time clock countdowns on the individual meetings are projected on giant screens on the walls, as sharp tones indicate when meetings are about to come to an end. It certainly is speed dating, though it often reminded me of a giant bingo game, where the prize is matching a travel product to the right customer through a Virtuoso travel advisor.
I sat in on an hour's worth of meetings, as I have in the past, and I continue to be amazed about the process. The goal, however, is to build relationships, however brief, which can result in connections over time, so Virtuoso travel advisors can work more intimately with resorts, destination companies, tour operators, cruise lines and other top suppliers.

At just a little under 4,000 rooms and suites, the Bellagio can no longer hold every Virtuoso attendee, so the conference has now spilled over to the adjacent Vdara and Aria. Indeed, Upchurch told me he believes at some point Virtuoso Travel Week will take up a good part of the "campus" that links the Bellagio and City Center resorts.

And what of the annual tradition at The Bank? Well, I wouldn't be surprised if next year Upchurch and Wilson will have to repeat their dance performance at Hyde, Bellagio's other big nightclub, as well as The Bank. In the end, the message is this: Travel agents are vibrant, alive and dancing the night away at Bellagio!

James Shillinglaw is editor in chief and editorial director of travAlliancemedia, which publishes TravelPulse.com, Agent@Home magazine and Vacation Agent magazine. 

Francis' Central American Adventure

Where in the world...  
By: Francis Contreras

Costa Rica to Nicaragua!

A trip through Costa Rica and Nicaragua was the perfect summer kick-off. Costa Rica... endless outdoor activities, rain forest, volcanoes, and of course tropical beaches all around. While, the beautiful beachfront villas of Mukul Resort in Nicaragua serve as the perfect home base with their private pools, incredible golf course and luxury spa.

Costa Rica, here I come...

 

The flight from San Diego is quite tiring due to the connections to Liberia but I chose to do it this way as it is not recommended to arrive at San Juan, given that it´s a four hour drive to Liberia. Flying into Liberia cuts down your drive to the hotels to only 45 minutes.

The most luxurious part of Costa Rica is the region of Papagayo. I recommend staying at the Four Seasons Papagayo, which has three types of rooms to choose from:

• Homes, which are beautiful, updated 3-room houses that serve as a wonderful home base- I highly suggest going this route
• Villas, which were nice but could use a bit of a facelift 
• Normal rooms, which are nice but could also use a bit of remodeling

The Four Seasons Papagayo boasts an incredible golf course with access to the Beach Club, along with clay and grass tennis courts with professional instruction if you want to polish up your swing. Di Mare restaurant and adjoining Tico Bar are great ways to end your beach days with a full belly and the pools and activities offered make the hotel perfect for a family getaway.

Another option for luxury accommodations is Villa Manzu (website still under construction). The 8-room villa, in terms of luxury, is the best I have seen. The rate per night includes all meals and drinks. There is a chef and a daily cleaning service. The chef prepares the most extraordinary dishes and they include superb wines. Villa Manzu is about a 10 minute drive from the Four Seasons and the guests are granted access to the Four Seasons amenities. There is access to a beautiful Spa located within the house. The whole house must be rented; they do not rent by room. 

Costa Rica as a whole is the perfect vacation with it's endless outdoor activities, rain forest, volcanoes, and of course tropical beaches all around. 

Now off to Nicaragua....

To get from Papagayo to Nicaraguan border only takes approximately 1.5 hours by car. The road is not bad and the drive is pretty but when you get to the border it´s a different story. Though the country is beautiful and the resorts are spectacular, there are some things to be aware of in terms of actually getting there, as the Nicaraguan infrastructure is still developing. The process of getting into the country takes quite a bit of time, as one must go through a Costa Rican office where passports are stamped then onto the offices of the country of Nicaragua, which is considered third world. The weekend we passed through, the offices were packed with people so the process took us about 4 hours. It is very tiring and there is a lot of corruption; we constantly had to pay bribes to pass through the lines which were enormous.

The road from the boarder to Mukul Resort is not in the best condition; therefore the drive takes about another 1.5 hours.  Shortly, this drive will be cut down significantly as the owner of Mukul Resort is arranging with the migration offices to make this easier by giving a free pass to guests in order to avoid lines. If you prefer not to deal with the roads at all, there is always the option of getting there by helicopter but the cost is extremely high at about $4,000 USD.

The resort itself is a whole experience though it is a bit difficult to get there.  Located 2.5 hours from the airport of Managua by car, the trip can be made by helicopter and the negotiated price is $1500 per helicopter. The cost is cheap as 4 to 5 people can fit in each helicopter. On the way there, there is a visit to the colonial city of Granada, although there is not much to see there. 

Mukul Resort is the first luxury hotel Spa in Nicaragua- it opened its doors on February, 2013. The 12 beautiful beachfront villas, known as 'Bohios', consist of 23 constructions among the trees with an ocean view and a private pool in each one. The property boasts 6 separate SPA buildings, each one offering a different Spa experience. This was truly incredible, the perfect amenity for a luxury getaway.

The golf course, Guacalito de la Isla, designed by David McLay Kidd, is considered one of the best- it is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen.

All in all, Nicaragua's new luxury resorts and beautiful beaches while still being a bit rough around the edges serves as a great adventure to an up and coming tourist destination.

By Air, By Sea, By Elevator

When we think of vacation, we usually think of sipping margaritas on the beaches of Mexico or skiing down the slopes of the Alps. We usually don't think of the transportation it took to get to that point. 

But considering the fact that getting to the activity is something we are not able to get around, we may as well make the most out of it. New York Magazine recently published an article highlighting 'transportation-centric' destinations where the transportation IS the activity! As the old saying goes, "it's the journey, not the destination" so check out these alternatives to regular old rental cars and the fun you can have along the way!

Croatia by Canoe

A canoe excursion through the Croatian floodplains finds you in a newly named UNESCO biosphere reserve, where you can paddle through the mazelike waterways, oxbow lakes, and hidden sandbars of Kopački Rit Nature Park. We'll book your top-of-the-line farm stay in, organize your visit to the cellar of award-winning wine producer Josić, where you can sample the bur­geoning wine region’s tipple of choice in its vaultlike restaurant.

Roatan by Submarine

The waters surrounding the Honduran island of Roatan is home to exotic plant and animal life from luminescent coral to Dumbo octopus- all of which you can see up close and personal. Submarine expeditions range from 90 minutes to nine hours and are an amazing way to experience all of what the island has to offer under the sea. Contact us to book your next below sea level adventure!

Alaska by Float Plane

Explore the vast wilderness of Alaska in a low-flying, two-to-ten-seater aircraft in which pontoons sub for landing gear! Afraid of heights? Read a bit about one of our own advisor, Fabian's trip to Alaska and talk to us about other ways to explore the back country. We can plan your private glacier-and-volcano viewing near Mount McKinley or gourmet picnic on Prince William Sound while taking in the whale migration.

Valparaiso by Elevator

Valparaíso, a UNESCO World Heritage city 75 miles west of Santiago, is best traveled by it's network of cable elevators, or ascensores, dating to the late nineteenth century. We can coordinate your trip from sea level to some of the 45 hilltop neighborhoods or cerros, each filled with quirky restaurants and boutique hotels.


Zambia by Foot

Watch for herds of elephant, lion, and buffalo from the comfort of your private stone plunge-pool or thatched-roof hut or move alongside antelope, impala, baboon, and rare African Pitta birds inside Zambia’s South ­Luangwa National Park. Game drives in open-sided Land Rovers are available for the fainter of heart, but for optimal viewing, you’ll travel by foot, jeep, and puddle jumper between three different Luangwa camps. At the remote Kapamba Bushcamp, watch for herds of elephant, lion, and buffalo from the comfort of your private stone plunge-pool or thatched-roof hut. We'll plan your after-dark drives between camps for private wildlife spottings, including night apes and bug-eyed galagos.

Sweden by Sailboat 

Spend three days to a week gliding north to Norway and back—from the resort town of Marstrand up to the Koster Islands’ nature preserve—mooring overnight in some of the area’s 270 natural harbors. You’ll pass docks piled high with lobster traps on tiny islands like Åstol, where you can dine alfresco on house-smoked shrimp. Contact us to coordinate your Swedish sailtrip. 


Istanbul by Ferry

The port city’s 600-to-2,100-passenger ferries are still the most popular way for both locals and tourists to traverse the nineteen-mile strait. We'll plan your private tour to include stopping everywhere from fruit carts (for, say, green almonds and sour plums) to an Ottoman-era caravanserai for tea to the historic Galata Bridge, you’ll be whisked by ferry to 'Asian Istanbul' to sample regional treats. Contact us to book your Turkish adventure!