Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours has added two 12-day culinary themed itineraries in France to its 2021 river cruise offerings, plus is offering travelers who book early savings of up to $500 pp on fares, and free economy roundtrip air on 8- to 10-day sailings, free premium economy air on sailings of 11 or more days, and business class air at the low price of $1,995 on select sailings.
Guests can enjoy an additional $1,000 or $1,800, respectively, if they book their own flights, and reduce the fare by another $250 to $500 pp by paying in full when booking. The recently released 2021 Preview Brochure offers details on more than 25 itineraries, countless city stays, extensions and cruise-tour options, and is available online at scenicusa.com and by mail.
For guests wishing to explore the epicurean delights of France, Scenic’s 12-day Tastes of Southern France, priced from $7,095 pp, double before the savings, or 12-day Flavors of Bordeaux, priced from $7,770 (also before the savings). Both itineraries include one pre-cruise night in Paris and train transport to the ship. Highlights in Southern France include meeting a local truffle farmer, enjoying a cooking demonstration at the acclaimed restaurant of Georges Blanc in Macon, savoring a meal on board cooked by Michelin-star Chef Didier Goiffon, participating in a blind wine tasting, and shopping with the ship’s chef at a local market before coming back for a cooking lesson in the ship’s cooking demonstration kitchen, Scenic Culinaire. Guests on the Bordeaux sailing can look forward to an array of fine wines and incredible food experiences: cycling through the vineyards of Sauternes and tasting the Grand Cru wines of Chateau Lafaurie Peyraguey and the fine brandies of Remy Martin, enjoy a wine and cheese pairing experience, discover the history of foie gras during a farm visit, and shop with the chef for local ingredients to use in a Scenic Culinaire class.
The new 5-day Tastes of Imperial Europe adds to the roster of great choices. This cruise is for those wishing to dive deep into the cultures of Vienna and Budapest, with two days spent in each city, and a day in Bratislava in between. The extra days mean more time to explore Vienna’s world-famous State Opera, St. Stephens Cathedral, the opulent rooms of Schonbrunn Palace, and to wander through the many shops with local crafts and hard to resist pastries. Two days in Budapest offers guests an opportunity to explore one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. From the Fisherman’s Bastion to the labyrinths of the Hospital in the Rock to the 20-plus thermal pools of the 107-year-old Szechenyi Bath. Topped off with an exclusive-to-Scenic private classical music concert at the 18th-century Godollo Palace, the second largest Baroque Palace in the world. Fares start at $2,195 pp dbl.
Guests booking the 8-day Tulips or Rhine Highlights itineraries should consider adding a new 4-day city stay in Bruges, known for its canals, cobbled streets and medieval buildings. This is one of 20 add-on possibilities, spanning from London to Paris to Switzerland to Madrid.
Scenic is the only river cruise company to offer a river cruise guarantee. Backed by Chubb Insurance, a top global insurance firm, the guarantee automatically covers every guest on the commencement of their cruise for any delays or cancellationsdue to weather, natural disasters, mechanical breakdowns or labor strikes. Even high/low water issues that plague the industry every year. And just as impressive is that approved claimants will receive direct monetary refunds, up to $750 per day with a maximum of seven days or $5,250 per guest, instead of the industry standard of future cruise credits.
For more information, visit scenicusa.com. For more cruise news, click here.
