Best Of
Re: Good Review of Cruise Options
I liked his comment about Viking River Cruises - "The Carnival of River Cruises." That's what I've heard from people who have taken Viking River Cruises.
Re: Good Review of Cruise Options
@British - You don't pay any extra. The tour/cruise company pays the TA. If you had to pay, most people would probably book on their own. I suspect the tour/cruise companies have complex formulas for the payments to the TA - the higher the booking dollars, the more the TA gets (in percent).
I know the compensation to the TA is based on the cost of the tour/cruise, so there's some incentive for the TA to try to talk you into a higher category cabin, for example. But most of us have been around the block and know what we want and what we're willing to pay. I haven't encountered that with my TA. She often suggest a lower grade cabin to save money, but we like a bit of luxury.
But you need to find a good TA who is looking out for you and who you get along with well. Additionally, they need to respond to your questions quickly.
Re: Yet another Tauck Freebie
The whole staff is going to Florence. It sent an email saying they will likely be busy before they go. Closed February 3-6!
Re: Good Review of Cruise Options
Let me just clarify that I'm not suggesting that anyone use Shawn as a travel agent (or that anyone use any travel agent) - I just thought his comments about the various cruise companies were right on the mark and that people here would be interested in what he had to say.
Re: Valparaiso
They are not going to refuse them !
We did not exchange any money. Credit card use everywhere
British
Re: Good Review of Cruise Options
So what value added does 'Shawn' bring if, "He doesn't do airfare, (before and after) hotels, or any other type of ancillary arrangement?" (unless he gives a handsome, but prohibited, kickback). It is easy peasy to book a tour thru Tauck, it is the other stuff that can sometimes require the assistance of a TA though I've only used a TA once, when we took our family of 10 to WDW followed by a Disney cruise- talk about ancillary arrangements! Yikes 
AlanS
Re: Good Review of Cruise Options
I stopped using a travel agent, find it so much better to make contact myself and I can do research for extra days and time. I've always booked by own air, only once I used Tauck. I really enjoy booking the trips myself.
Re: Salzburg visit or Nurenberg Past and Present
I've been to Salzburg 3 times, the first time I had booked a tour with Viator from Munich, don't remember how long it took to get there but it's a lovely place and worth seeing, the other 2 times where on river cruises, one of them was a Christmas Market cruise and we went during the day and then returned at night, it was magical.
Re: Salzburg visit or Nurenberg Past and Present
On our Danube Christmas cruise in 2023 the ship docked at Linz which is about the same distance to Salzburg. Our coach ride was an adventure. The area had been hit with the biggest snow storm in years but the coach headed out anyway and we zoomed down the autobahn at a pretty good pace i.e. scared the .. out of me. We did make a rest stop at a hotel/restaurant complex. Sadly for some the power cut out after about a 1/3 of us made it thru the restrooms. The rest had to just get back on the bus. Ouch.
It was Saturday so nothing had been shoveled in Salzburg and I found out the hard way my boots were not waterproof. But the markets and town were great to wander in and Tauck had lunch arranged at the Fortress Hohensalzburg where you ride a short funicular up to the castle. If they offer that its worth doing.
Re: is there a benefit to booking EASTbound VS WESTbound
In a separate message, I was asked whether Madrid or Lisbon was more "hectic." I offer my thoughts here since others might be interested in providing their perspectives.
Lisbon and Madrid are large cities and with very different cultures and cuisine. They are two of my most favorite cities. Night life in both can certainly be chaotic, primarily because the locals eat supper quite late. The tapas bars in Madrid can be loud but so much fun, especially if you make the effort to be cordial and ask for help. Seeing a Flamenco performance might be of interest, although the best ones (according to some Spaniards) are found in Seville. Conversely, the bars in Lisbon offering fado music (very soulful) are more refined in my opinion.
As far as touring both cities on your own, I prefer the area around Plaza Mayor in Madrid and the Alfama district in Lisbon. Museums are plentiful in both cities, the food is divine—the best octopus being in Portugal, the Moorish architecture is dramatic, the history powerful, excursions outside the cities are easy to do and the people are welcoming, especially if one makes the effort to learn a few words in their language.
There aren't enough superlatives to express my fondness of the magnificent Iberian Peninsula.
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