European River Wine Cruises!

Cruises include wine tastings, shore excursions and more. You'll be treated to unlimited, specially selected local wines during lunch and dinner. These change daily and are paired with locally-inspired menus, crafted by award-winning Executive Chefs.

Did you know we can partner with your favorite local winery to have their wines featured on your group European Wine Cruise?

France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Portugal and more!

Wonderful wines, elegant cuisine coupled with unparalleled scenery. These cruises are even better than you may have imagined. 

How would you like to take one of these cruises for FREE? Bring 10 or more people with you on a cruise and YOU can sail for FREE! Get your group together and contact us.

*If you are a winery, talk to us about having YOUR wines featured on a European River wine cruise and expose new people the world over to your brand. 

Sail Away Travel/Texas Music Cruises

www.texasmusiccruises.com

419-492-4368

Customized Italy

You won't find the real Tuscany by the Leaning Tower.  The true Tuscany thrives away from the tourist track. In this Tuscany, you won't just see the sights--you'll savor the soul of Italy: baking focaccia at a chef's hilltop villa, slumbering inside a medieval castle, sipping Chianti in a winery's stone cellar, biking atop Lucca's historic walls. Tempted by Tuscany yet? 

Tempt your taste buds with Chef Marcello on a 10 day journey through Southern Italy. We will unearth together the soul of this land - from eating street food in Naples to sipping wine on the slopes of Mt Vesuvius. You'll taste the Italy that tourists never experience. Trip highlights include: mozzarella-making, cruising around Capri, viewing Pompeii's ruins, and limoncello tasting!

Plunge into Puglia at the Grotta della Poesia.

This limestone grotto shelters calm, clear waters. Locals and visitors alike dive here into a shimmering blue cove. Protected from wind by the nearby cliffs, the grotto pampers swimmers with still Mediterranean water. Located between the exquisite towns of Lecce and Otranto, it's haven is where Puglia becomes visual poetry.
This salt water swimming hole is a favorite among locals. As an unmarked spot, it lures mostly visitors in-the-know – guaranteeing an authentic, uncrowded day by the sea. Pack a picnic of local favorites, like focaccia or burrata cheese.

SCALA DEI TURCHI, SICILY

Picking one beach in Sicily is like picking a favorite Italian dish. How do you choose just one? As the largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily teems with inviting coastline. Just a half hour’s drive from ancient Greek ruins, the Scala dei Turchi is unlike any beach in Italy. Wind-carved cliffs, baked white in the sun, bleed into a sea the color of the sky. Sunbathers bask on the bleached rocks, dipping in warm, transparent seas.
The Scala dei Turchi sea cliffs attract luxury travelers from Italy, the U.S. and N. Europe. Up-scale accommodations can be found in the nearby town of Agrigento -- also home to the spectacular Greek ruins of the Valley of the Temples.

MARINA DI CAMEROTA, CILENTO

Found in the southernmost part of Campania, Marina di Camerota is part of the Cilento National Park. Since 2000, it’s won awards each year for its pristine waters. Built into the rugged hills, Marina di Camerota is home to soft, sandy shores. Visitors might swim in the light blue sea, cruise the coast with a ship captain, or learn to make pizza with a local nonna. As part of a national park, beaches here are unspoiled – immersing you in natural, timeless beauty.
The Cilento region is home to over 700 square miles of protected land and sea -- ensuring that its waters and villages will stay untouched for years to come. This area also makes the best mozzarella in Italy -- you can tour a mozzarella farm here, tasting hand-shaped cheese.

OTRANTO, PUGLIA

Otranto, on Puglia’s east coast, is one of Italy’s loveliest seaside towns. Otranto is famous for light blue water, stone cliffs and charming whitewashed homes. Strolling Otranto’s promenade, you’ll spot fishermen hauling in the day’s catch and sailboats bobbing in the bay. Otranto also boasts one of Puglia’s sandier beaches, Spiaggia Azzurra – appropriately named for its clear blue cove. It’s the perfect spot to laze the day away by the sea. 

Some of the best swimming near Otranto is reachable only by boat. Travelers can enjoy a small-group or private boat excursions from Otranto's port, dropping anchor at remote beaches for a refreshing swim.

Great Italian Cities with Oberammergau 

About this trip:

12 nights accommodation

18 meals

12 hot buffet breakfasts  6 dinners

Witness the glory and grace of God as you explore some of the most important Christian sites in the world and watch the poignant performance of Christ's life and death in Oberammergau. 

Oberammergau Passion Play is a passion play performed since 1634 as a tradition by the inhabitants of the village of Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany.

It began all the way back in 1633

Oberammergau was suffering from the Bubonic Plague. The surviving villagers appealed for Divine intervention to save their families. They vowed that if God were to spare them, they would perform a Passion Play every ten years. They say not a single person fell victim to the Plague after that. Keeping their promise, the people of Oberammergau performed the first play in 1634 and have continued to do so throughout the centuries.

Today, many of Oberammergau's residents still take part in this powerful work of art featuring dramatic performances, beautiful music and choral accompaniment.

The residents of Oberammergau will again perform The Passion Play in 2020. We will be there, sharing in the magnificence of this performance with a variety of itineraries that showcase the charm and beauty of central Europe. Will you be there?

Sightseeing Highlights

City tours in Rome, Assisi, Florence, Bologna and Venice.

Cruise by private launch to St. Mark's Square in Venice.

Orientation of Pisa, Italy and Innsbruck, Austria

See the ancient sites of Rome

View Santa Croce Basilica and the Duomo in Florence

The leaning tower of Pisa the Byzantine St. Mark's Basilica in Venice

Visit St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum in Rome

and the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.

The Colosseum

The Vatican Museums

Trevi Fountain

St. Mark's Square

Venice

The Sistine Chapel

Basilica of St Francis Assisi

                                                         Michelangelo's David

                                                Neuschwanstein Castle - Munich, Germany

Be inspired by the magnificence of Michelangelo at The Vatican Museums and enjoy an exclusive visit up the spiral staircase designed by the famous architect Donato Bramante in a part of the Vatican not open to the public! (Day 2)

Witness the exquisite craft of glassblowing on Giudecca Island, a delicate tradition that generations of Venetian craftsmen have perfected over centuries. (Day 8)

Enjoy local Tuscan cuisine with Count Miari Fulcis on his 15th century organic olive oil estate in the Tuscan hills, used as a location for many famous films like "Room with a View" and "Tea with Mussolini".  (Day 6)

Local specialists will be included for sightseeing in Rome, Assissi, Pisa, Florence, Bologna and Venice.

Always included: 

Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing

Daily breakfast and an average of 50% of evening meals

Luxury air-conditioned coach with WiFi

Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted

Hand-picked insider experiences

Optional experiences and free time

All porterage and restaurant gratuities

Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras

An expert driver

All hotel tips, charges and local tax

VIP entry into many sights

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrive Rome (3 nights)

Day 2

Rome sightseeing and at leisure

Day 3

Rome at leisure

Day 4

Rome - Assisi- Florence (3 nights)

Day 5

Florence sightseeing and at leisure

Day 6

Florence - excursion to Pisa

Day 7

Florence - Bologna- Venice (3 nights)

Day 8

Venice canal cruise and orientation

Day 9

Secret Venice walking tour and visit to the Rialto Food Market

Day 10

Venice - Innsbruck

Day 11

Innsbruck - Oberammergau (2 nights)

Day 12

Oberammergau Passion Play Performance

Day 13

Oberammergau - Munich, Germany 

Depart Munich

Available dates:

08May2020 - 20May2020

15May2020 - 27May2020

29May2020 - 10Jun2020

Price: $3515 per person tour

          $1060 per person Oberammergau

Total: $4575 per person

$200 per person deposit due within 7 days of booking

an additional $200 deposit by Feb 1, 2019

Oberammergau portion must be PAID IN FULL by September 30, 2019

(Please note that space for Oberammergau is extremely limited.  If you have any interest, it is best to request space as soon as possible with the initial $200 per person, non-refundable deposits.)

All services in Oberammergau are provided by a local agent, and hotel details for the Oberammergau portion of the trip will be advised by the Travel Director during the trip.

Passengers who pay in full by January 31, 2019, can save 10% from their land cost per person. This promotion can be withdrawn at any time. Let me know at time of booking/deposit if passenger(s) would like to take advantage of this discount and we will add it if it is still applicable.

Reasons to take an Alaskan cruise

The Choices
Alaska is one of the most popular cruise regions with ships from all major cruise lines sailing the region during the peak season, which runs from May to September. No matter how you like to cruise, you will find a ship that suits your style. Holland America Line and Princess Cruises offer the most ships in the region, with Princess Cruises being voted as “Best Cruise Line in Alaska”.

The Only Way to Travel
Yes, we are biased in our preference to “sea the world one port at a time” via cruise ship. But, an Alaskan cruise is really one of the only ways to see many of the popular locations in Southeastern Alaska. For example, Juneau is the only state capital not accessible by car- you need to take either a float plane or boat to get there. The same is true for many other areas of the state, including the numerous glaciers and fjords. So, one of the best reasons you should go on an Alaskan cruise is that it is the easiest way to travel to many of the state’s landmarks.

The Fresh Seafood
Do you want to try some Alaskan king crab legs dipped in butter? Or perhaps, one of the five types of salmon found in Alaska? Even if cruise food does not appeal to you, you may want to go on an Alaskan cruise just to sample the local cuisine. You can hop from local restaurants and bars, like the world famous Tracy’s Crab Shack, to an authentic salmon bake as an excursion. Either way you slice it, the food alone may be worth the trip “way up north” to Alaska.

The Rich History
Odds are you won’t strike it big on your Alaskan cruise (unless you hit the jackpot on your ship’s casino), but you can experience much of the Gold Rush history when you go on an Alaskan cruise. Pan for gold in one of the mineral rich rivers, follow the trail of the gold prospectors along the White Pass and Yukon Route in Skagway, stroll the historic Red Light District of Creek Street in Ketchikan, or view some authentic totem poles still carved using traditional methods.

The Glaciers
The beauty of the sail into the Sawyer Glacier is something that must be experienced first hand. Of course, that also means getting a glacier selfie. These massive pieces of ice are truly natural wonders, and there is no better way to get up close to these glaciers than to go on an Alaskan cruise. We also took a helicopter ride out to the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau for a glacier trek. Walking on a glacier is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity. Go on an Alaskan cruise now, before these frozen wonders are gone for good.

The Photo Ops
Glaciers are only one of the natural wonders you will see when you go on an Alaskan cruise. The beautiful fjords, waterfalls, lakes, and snow capped mountains are equally mesmerizing. You will want to make sure you have plenty of camera battery to capture all the sights. A balcony room is a must on an Alaskan cruise. Get up early, as the sun rises early and sets late during the peak months giving you plenty of photo taking opportunities.

The Excursions
The cruise ship and Alaskan scenery is reason enough to cruise to the Pacific Northwest, but the shore excursions here are also second to none. You can take a trip on the Aleutian Ballad, the ship featured in the Deadliest Catch television show, go on a dog sledding expedition on top of a glacier, or travel to the Misty Fjords National Monument by sea plane to get an intimate look at this national park.

These are just some of the exciting experiences you can have on an Alaskan cruise. Of course, there are zip lines, city tours, food tastings, and many other excursions, so you are sure to find the perfect fit.

The Wild Life
Home to most of the world’s population of brown bear, you are bound to spot a few during your Alaskan cruise. If you’d rather stick to the sea, then you may prefer some whale watching. Areas of the Inside Passage are known for optimal viewing of humpback whales, orcas, seals, and sea lions. Bald Eagles are also abundant in Alaska. If you want to see the largest concentration of the U.S. national bird, then you can head over to the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.

The Luxury
If you are going to see Alaska, why not do it in style? When you go on an Alaskan cruise, everything you need is at your fingertips. All of your meals are expertly prepared; not to mention, you can eat as much as you want.  Your stateroom attendant will tidy up your room each day and even provide turn down service. You can use the gym and onboard spa at your convenience or even attend an enrichment lecture. Who couldn’t get used to this level of service?

The Locals

There is nothing like meeting the people who call Alaska home- a cultural mixture of different heritages and backgrounds. You can learn about timber sports with some of the rugged Alaskan Lumberjacks. You can learn about the Native American folklore depicted in Tlingit and Haida totem poles. Or, you can hear the stories of the “madams” of the Gold Rush era. Whether you are touring the local downtown or out in the wilderness, the people of Alaska are warm and inviting. Go ahead and make some new friends.