Stuart Gustafson's Blog

Your first question, and I’m assuming you’ll have more than one, is “How did he come up with that ridiculous comparison?” It’s a valid question, and there’s an easy answer.

As most people realize, getting an undergraduate degree in a specific field means you are concentrating your courses in that one area. For me, it was mathematics, switching to Math after completing most of the requirements for an Aerospace Engineering degree. So why didn’t I finish the engineering program? Take a look at the date on the first diploma above. It was the early 1970s, and aerospace engineers were flipping burgers because there weren’t jobs in their field.

On to the MBA. When I wanted to broaden my knowledge of business, and make myself more valuable to future employers, I looked at various programs. Among consideration were programs that concentrated on Finance and on Marketing, such as those highlighted in blue and green, respectively, below. The “courses” listed here are just examples, not any actual set of graduate programs in business.

As you see, my graduate education would have been focused primarily on one set of curricula, but I wanted a broader base of knowledge. So, rather than going “thin and deep,” I decided to go “wide and shallow” as the items in yellow below represent.

You still might be wondering how any of this is related to cruising. Well, here we go. Let’s say you’ve never been to Central America, and you see a “good deal” for a tour of one of the countries. You go on it, and it was “okay,” but you wondered if ALL of Central America was like that. And with nothing for comparison, you won’t know the answer to your own question.

Going on that one-country trip was like focusing on only one subject area as shown above in blue or in green.

Now consider this alternative.

Instead of going on that one-country tour, you go on a cruise that stops at many of the ports of the Central American countries. True, you don’t see as much of any particular country (as you did on your single-country tour going “thin and deep” like that Finance or Marketing concentration). Instead, your visits were “narrow and wide” like the MBA program where you get a little of a lot of areas. That’s why I like cruising.

Here’s a real-life example. Having been on dozens of cruises (including being a speaker on more than two dozen of them), I’ve been able to visit over 245 different cruise ports as well as 94 countries (not all on cruises, of course). Clearly, I would not be able to visit all those places if I just went directly to them for an in-depth visit. But by seeing them on a cruise (and where I unpacked only once!), I can then determine which places I would like to return to and spend more time. It’s not a “go and hope” visit as it could be on that “good deal” tour a few paragraphs up.

Now, you’ve seen enough to know you want to go back. That’s how it is for me and Panama. I’ve been through the Panama Canal twice. I went west to east with a group of six others, and then east to west as a cruise ship speaker. Even though it was only from the ship, I saw enough, heard enough, and read enough about the country that I would like to go back there for a Panama-only tour, vacation, etc.

So, the next time you think about going on a vacation, would a cruise be better for you since it could give you a glimpse into many places rather than just one? That’s worth thinking about, isn’t it?

Happy Travels!
Stuart

Stuart Gustafson is America’s International Travel Expert® who speaks on cruise ships, writes novels, and loves everything about travel. Visit his website at www.stuartgustafson.com. Stay in contact with his travels, his food journeys, and even his books by signing up for his newsletter that he usually publishes once a week — a little more often at times: var _ctct_m = "8b1365c024632f743eff36fd42bc0594";

All information and images copyright ©2026 by Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC. America’s International Travel Expert is a U.S. Registered Trademark of Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC. Ownership of images and content from other sources remains with those sources or their attributions; no ownership by Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC, is implied or claimed.

We like to watch cooking shows. The habit started during the pandemic when we weren’t doing much, and it was a way to show some curiosity and creativity. We have seen numerous seasons of Chopped, Beat Bobby Flay, Next Level Chef, Top Chef, Hell’s Kitchen, and more. Recently we started watching episodes of Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course, and the information is still relevant even the one season is over ten years old. The entire season is to include 100 recipes that “you can stake your life on,” along with 100 top kitchen tips. We liked the first two episodes so much that we bought the book–it should arrive in a few days. I am excited to see how the recipes and tips compare to those on the TV.

TIP: Sharpen your knives before each use. We would do that most of the time, but we are now getting fanatical about doing it before every cooking session.
BENEFIT: Foods are easier to cut, making it less likely that you will cut yourself!

I decided to cook Gordon’s (we’re on a first-name basis now) Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Sweet & Sour Peppers. We are fairly well stocked with good cooking utensils, but the one thing that clearly separates us from professionals is that our kitchen stove is a glass flattop. A gas stove is definitely better as you can control the heat, and you can tip the pan (for basting the items, etc.) and still have the heat source hitting the pan. But we are not changing the stove, so we’ll just have to deal with it.

His recipe was for two pork chops; but we started with four, cooking two at a time.

The first image above is the raw chops along with some fresh thyme from our garden. The next image is of the dried spices I was going to use; opted not to use the garlic powder as we have fresh garlic cloves. The recipe doesn’t call for paprika, but I decided to add some Smoked Paprika (bought in Budapest) for flavor and color. Next are the chops with rubbed in spices on both sides plus salt and pepper. The fresh thyme goes into the pan when cooking. The fourth image is right after the chops were put into the pan’s sizzling oil.

Rather than write out all the details of the recipe, here are a few items:
> Lay the chops (away from you to avoid oil splash) into the sizzling oil.
> Add butter, garlic, and thyme.
> Sear for a few minutes on each side, including rendering the fat on the edge.
> Remove chops from pan and let them rest about 5 minutes.

Wipe out the pan with a paper towel. It’s now time for the peppers and onions.

Above are the three peppers I used; you can use any, but I like a variety of colors. There is also a red onion (I used half), plus some cloves of the garlic. After watching Gordon showing how to slice the pepper, I am proudly displaying my “pepper carcass.” Then there is the bowl of sliced peppers, some chopped fresh basil, and the sliced onions. Finally they are in the pan.

I cooked the peppers and onions in the hot oil along with some salt, pepper, and sugar (for caramelizing the onions). I tossed with a wooden spoon and added red wine vinegar. Reduced heat, added more oil, and the chopped basil for about 30 seconds. Removed from the heat and put into a serving bowl.

For serving, I placed some peppers and onions on the plate, topped with a chop, and then some more vegetables for color. For the wine, we chose Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, a delightful blend to counterbalance the acidity of the meal.

I don’t know if Gordon would give me a thumbs up for the dish, but we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Keep an eye out for more recipes.

Happy Travels and Eating!
Stuart

Stuart Gustafson is America’s International Travel Expert® who speaks on cruise ships, writes novels, and loves everything about travel. Visit his website at www.stuartgustafson.com. Stay in contact with his travels, his food journeys, and even his books by signing up for his newsletter that he usually publishes once a week — a little more often at times: var _ctct_m = "8b1365c024632f743eff36fd42bc0594";

All information and images copyright ©2026 by Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC. America’s International Travel Expert is a U.S. Registered Trademark of Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC. Ownership of images and content from other sources remains with those sources or their attributions; no ownership by Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC, is implied or claimed.

After a whirlwind 2025 for me (selling house in one state; moving to another state to live with a longtime travel friend who is also widowed; traveling on back-to-back 4-week cruises; speaking on cruises in the Mediterranean followed by a week in Portugal; taking a 7-week South Pacific cruise, plus a Yuletide Markets cruise in Europe), 2026 is starting out on a bit of a slow note. But it won’t be that way for long — roughly 26 weeks are already booked for various travels around the globe. There are already at least 20+ weeks also booked for 2027!! It sounds crazy to some, I know. But I also know there are some who want to go to the same places I am going — if that is you, HERE is where you can find out some of my upcoming travels.

Many people make their New Year’s Resolutions late in December, and then see them broken come mid-January. There will be no Resolutions for me — just things I want to do in 2026. Many are easy; some take more focus and forethought.

Perhaps you might even want to try one yourself.

> Practice RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS (RAOK) every day. Some people might call this “Paying it Forward,” but I view that as more of a financial activity. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, you can do many RAOKs without spending a cent (not that those are being made in the U.S. any more).
What are some RAOK examples?
>>> Open the door for someone you don’t know — at a store, the bank, even going to buy your lottery ticket. You don’t even have to be going inside yourself. Opening that door takes about 10 seconds out of your day, but it just might be the one thing that gives the other person a better outlook for the day.
>>> If you are behind an angry customer who is taking it out on the teller or clerk, walk slowly to that employee when it is your turn. Smile, and say something like, “That person was clearly having a bad day; I’m sorry it was taken out on you.”
>>> Allow another driver to enter your lane even though you have the right of way. That driver might be heading to a hospital, or is late for work, or just might not be paying attention. You don’t know what is going on, but offering some courtesy costs you nothing. So why not?
>>> Do you have an RAOK or two that you want to share? Send me an email, and I’ll share it with others. Thanks!

> Eat better.
>>> Yes, we all say that, and some are better at doing it than others. I fall into the “others” category. But I do have some incentive.
>>> My travel partner (and roommate) has shown me the benefit of eating fewer grams of carbohydrates. Less sugar is a nice side effect of eating that way. All of that results in some weight loss. I am not “overweight,” per se. But I know that I felt a lot better years ago when I was about 12-15 pounds lighter than I am now. Of course, I am also years older than then (and I completed another trip around the sun two days ago!).
>>> Part of “eating better” is when we properly plan, shop, and make our own healthy meals. We are not going to be fanatical about this, but with all our travels, there are many times when “better food options” are not abundant. I have made a simple meal planning table that we use to review what we have on hand, and what we want to eat for the week. Then, when we go grocery shopping, we buy only those items. No spontaneous purchases — that can be hard for me.

> Learn to be a better cook.
>>> We like to watch cooking shows. We even binge-watched a certain series season before we left for a 7-week cruise last year. It does get frustrating when we are caught up on a show, and we have to wait another week for the next program. But we have learned a few things about cooking.
>>> Part of becoming a better cook is to post articles about prepping, cooking, and enjoying meals. I don’t want to be as obsessive as Julie Powell in “Julie and Julia,” but she set a goal and stuck with it. I am not looking to become a cookbook author — I already have over a dozen published books. But writing about my cooking experiences will force me (at least I hope so) to be more methodical and intentional in what I am doing and how I am doing it.
>>> Another part of being a better cook (I will never be considered a “chef”) is to learn and use better practices. We have ordered a “cookery course” book from a famed international chef, and we hope to slowly work our way through it. In watching the TV series on the same subject, I learned to “let the knife do the work.” In other words, don’t force the cutting with your hand/arm — use the sharp edge of the proper knife to do the real work. I tried that today while cutting meats and vegetables — it felt freeing, and it was easy to do!

> Help other travelers.
>>> One thing that I can say with total honesty is that I have always tried to offer any help to travelers, even those I do not know. I have always felt that the more that others know about travel will come back to benefit me as one of those travelers. I want to keep that going in 2026 [and beyond].
>>> While I am an independent travel advisor at www.travel.stuartgustafson.com, I do not go out of my way to promote the business. Why not? I do not want to work full time. I am happy to help family, friends, and a select few others, but any more than that takes away from my own time of travel, cooking, and fun.
>>> I have many travel tips that I have accumulated over my many years of international travel, and since becoming America’s International Travel Expert® in 2011. I working on assembling those into several formats: a TED talk; a series of weekly offerings; a free-standing book; a DVD with accompany text file(s). Do any of those interest you? Send me an email with how you’d like those tips.

> Be consistent in my writings.
>>> All of the items above are great, or at least can be great when they are done, and are done on a regular basis. Even though I have been retired for 18+ years, I still manage to stay busy. Part of that might be my upbringing where it was instilled in me to be productive in whatever I did. The bad side of staying busy is that I don’t always get to doing what I SHOULD be doing. I need to change that.
>>> I have attended many webinars, coaching programs, etc., where the concept (and implementation!) of consistent output is said to be paramount. Consistent output creates faithful readers who know they will be getting valuable information on a regular basis. While I would like to commit to a twice- or thrice-weekly blog posting, I will start with a once-a-week commitment and then try to up it as my habits develop.
>>> Given the natural connection between food and travel, most of my posts will contain elements of each topic. I hope you approve!

Welcome to 2026!!!

Happy Travels!
Stuart

Stuart Gustafson is America’s International Travel Expert® who speaks on cruise ships, writes novels, and loves everything about travel. Visit his website at www.stuartgustafson.com. Stay in contact with his travels, his food journeys, and even his books by signing up for his newsletter that he usually publishes once a week — a little more often at times: var _ctct_m = "8b1365c024632f743eff36fd42bc0594";

All information and images copyright ©2026 by Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC. America’s International Travel Expert is a U.S. Registered Trademark of Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC. Ownership of images and content from other sources remains with those sources or their attributions; no ownership by Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC, is implied or claimed.

I never thought I’d go to Greenland. Unlike some who think Greenland is an independent country, I know better; it is part of Denmark. It is also the largest island in our world. The idea of visiting Greenland, which is mostly covered with ice, never was that appealing to me. I am not fond of cold weather, and most of what you can see and visit on the island is accessible primarily by ship. And with a total population of about 57,000 — Yes, Fifty-seven Thousand! — there clearly are not many things to do, or there would be more people there doing them!!!

But enough of the negatives; I am excited about going.

The cruise is on Royal Caribbean’s Jewel of the Seas, a ship that is twenty years old and can hold about 2,500 passengers. We have already booked some shore excursions as well as some specialty dining reservations — more about those on a later post. The cruise departs from Boston this Saturday the 7th. We have one day at sea, followed by two days in ports in Nova Scotia, Canada — Sydney and Halifax.

Then we are back at sea for two more days until we get to Greenland. The places where we are in port are not the easiest to pronounce, so just reading them is a whole lot easier. We will stop at Nanortalik and Qaqortoq before have one more sea day and get to Nuuk, Greenland’s capital city.

After our twelve-hour stay there, we will head back in a southerly direction for two days at sea and our final stop in Canada at St. John’s in Newfoundland. That is followed by two more sea days, arriving back in Boston on Sunday the 22nd. There is a total of eight sea days on this cruise, which means we will have plenty of time to explore the ship, make new friends, attend talks and evening entertainment shows — and of course, wonderful meals.

If there is anything in particular you would like to know about the ship we are on, the ports we are visiting, or just cruising in general, please send me an email at stuart@stuartgustafson.com. Thanks for reading!

Happy Travels!
Stuart

Stuart Gustafson is America’s International Travel Expert® who speaks on cruise ships, writes novels, and loves everything about travel. Visit his website at www.stuartgustafson.com. You can also connect with him and other travelers on his International Travel Expert page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/International-Travel-Expert-147321228683651/

All information and images copyright ©2024 by Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC. America’s International Travel Expert is a U.S. Registered Trademark of Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC. Ownership of images and content from other sources remains with those sources or their attributions; no ownership by Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC, is implied or claimed.

We are currently in a month-long stay in an Airbnb property in the French countryside just a bit north of Bordeaux. When this stay ends, it will conclude a two-month visit to Europe that has already included a twelve-day cruise (Venice to Istanbul) a seven-day river cruise out of Bordeaux, a a few days in the center of Bordeaux. The “house” in which we are staying is a converted barn, and our hosts Fanny and Paul are just fifty feet away in their home.

[Below is an excerpt from my upcoming book A Month in the French Countryside — The true story of two mid-70s widows who wanted to experience the French “joie de vie”]

They invited us one evening to have dinner with them and the family. We started with appetizers outside, the main items being cheeses, meats, olives, and grapes on a charcuterie board that Sharon assembled. We started with a bottle of sparkling white prosecco, and then Paul brought out the pink prosecco that we had given to Fanny for her birthday the previous week. Her Mom and their three children (plus one of the daughter’s friends) joined us briefly outside to grab some eats.

Later we went inside for dinner at a large heavy wooden rectangular table. As we were eating Paul called out their younger son, Maximillian (about 13) to put his hands on or above the table. I looked at Paul, and his response was that the French custom is that your hands are either palm down on the table or above the table with utensils in hand. That is definitely different from what I was taught at a young age by my mother; no elbows on the table EVER, and hands below the table unless using them to eat.

I was now curious. According to The Etiquette Consultant in a 2018 post:

As with most etiquette guidelines, particularly table manners, there is a historical trail behind the rule and in this case, it was a political reason. In the XVII Century, Louis XIV discovered a conspiracy to poison him with arsenic. Concerned that one of his guests at the dining table would try to kill him, he ordered that everyone keep their hands visible and placed on the table throughout every meal. As people wanted to imitate the aristocracy at that time, the rest of the country soon followed suit.

Mystery solved, and a new custom learned!

Happy Travels!
Stuart

Stuart Gustafson is America’s International Travel Expert® who speaks on cruise ships, writes novels, and loves everything about travel. Visit his website at www.stuartgustafson.com. You can also connect with him and other travelers on his International Travel Expert page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/International-Travel-Expert-147321228683651/

All information and images copyright ©2024 by Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC. America’s International Travel Expert is a U.S. Registered Trademark of Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC. Ownership of images and content from other sources remains with those sources or their attributions; no ownership by Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC, is implied or claimed.

We have been in the French countryside (the two-story converted barn to the right) for over a week, and after a few visits to the grocery store, our European-sized refrigerator is getting full. And the freezer is also. So today I decided to inventory what we had, and then work on a little bit of menu planning.

When I saw that we had five large scallops remaining in the freezer (along with five other “packages”), I started thinking what I could make for a lunch. I have always loved scallops, and our first meal with them here was Rumaki (scallop topped with lemon juice and a slice of fresh ginger and wrapped with slightly cooked bacon (held together with two toothpicks) — and then put under the broiler for a few minutes). They were great, but, IMHO, today’s meal was superb.

Ingredients:
> Scallops (5) Cut in half, sautéed in hot butter along with Tarragon and Herbs de Provence
> Avocado (1) Peeled and cut into 8 wedges; marinated in lemon juice
> Tomato (1) Cut into 8 wedges
> Apricot Jam with a small (!) amount of Cayenne Pepper mixed in, and warmed
> Spices

Plating:
> Place four each of the avocado and tomato wedges alternatingly around the outside of each plate.
> Sprinkle Smoked Paprika (one of the two dozen spices we brought with us) on each of the avocado wedges.
> Sprinkle some Salt and Lemon Pepper on each of the tomato wedges.
> Place five of the scallop halves in a stack in the center of each plate. Drizzle some of the jam/cayenne over the scallops.
> Put a drop or two of Balsamic Vinegar between each avocado/tomato wedge pairing.

Serving:
> Serve immediately.
> Enjoyed with a glass of chilled Rosé wine.

Happy Travels!
Stuart

Stuart Gustafson is America’s International Travel Expert® who speaks on cruise ships, writes novels, and loves everything about travel. Visit his website at www.stuartgustafson.com. You can also connect with him and other travelers on his International Travel Expert page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/International-Travel-Expert-147321228683651/

All information and images copyright ©2024 by Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC. America’s International Travel Expert is a U.S. Registered Trademark of Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC. Ownership of images and content from other sources remains with those sources or their attributions; no ownership by Stuart Gustafson Productions, LLC, is implied or claimed.

June 27 – July 4, 2024
#######FOOD
Ask anyone what they love the most about cruising — whether on rivers or open oceans — and FOOD will be on that list. Great food, variety, and venues are all three present on the AmaDolce. I was able to try many different foods and wines (after all, it is a cruise in the Bordeaux area!), and I found all of them to be very good. That’s not surprising since this is an AmaWaterways ship. But it is smaller than other ships in the fleet, as well as other lines, so to have such amazing food on this ship is an absolute delight that you can expect AND anticipate.

There are three dining venues onboard:
> The Lounge
> The Restaurant
> The Chef’s Table

To the left is the menu, and above is the image, of the Welcome Lunch that was graciously served to us in the Lounge as we were able to board by 11:30 even though our cabins were not going to be available for us until about 3 in the afternoon. The Green Salad was definitely a welcomed item (pardon the pun) as there had not been many greens or other vegetables during the days in Bordeaux prior to the cruise. The dressing was light, but nice. Sometimes there is too much dressing on the salad, making the items swim in it. The Cream Soup was indeed creamy, and tasty, and the pasta was just the right portion. The Parmesan Cheese added the right amount of tang to the dish. And, of course, beer and wine are complimentary with lunch and dinner on every AmaWaterways cruise. Since we are in Bordeaux, it’s easy to guess what type of wines we had — Bordeaux, naturally. Other wines are always available, but why turn down complimentary glasses of Bordeaux wine?

The Lounge is the typical gathering place on most river cruises. It might be called something else — such as The Bar, The Gathering Place, or even The Watering Hole — but it still functions as a lounge (and a bar). Light, late breakfasts were available each morning as well as a Bistro Lunch in the afternoon. Talks from the Cruise Manager, plus evening entertainment, were held there along with the Sip and Sail Cocktail Hour each evening from 6 to 7. There was the drink of the day along with a list of other complimentary cocktails. Of course, a selection of wines was always available, and even if you wanted a specialty drink, it came with a reasonable price tag. [Disclosure – my bar bill for the 7 days was under $100]. The staff in The Lounge were fantastic; more about them in another post.

As with most cruises, The Restaurant is the primary dining venue, and AmaWaterways does not disappoint you here. There is a variety of seating options — tables for two, for four, for six, and more; some booths. While Dinner is served between certain hours, you do not have to arrive promptly at 7 PM, for example. And seating is at your own choice. I had plenty of choices as the ship was only half capacity.
A full ship will see more tables filled, and more people sharing tables — but sharing tables is also a great way to meet new people, and perhaps even a few new friends! I met a couple from London while on a cruise over a dozen years ago. We then traveled together several times, and we still keep in touch.

One of my favorite experiences from the previous AmaWaterways cruise was the appetizers at lunch in the Restaurant. The server brings a small wooden tray that usually holds four small dishes, two small and two large.
There have been times when, after looking at the menu, I just asked for more appetizers. I love to eat, but I am more “into flavors” than full meals. So when I see some appetizers that I think are really delicious, I will focus on them. In the case of the image on the right, I didn’t have to ask for more “Herbed Snails,” as they called them. The waiter saw that I had eaten three of them, and she promptly brought me another dish.
Below are a few of the dinner menus (no, beef wasn’t always the main dish):

Dining at The Chef’s Table is quite the delightful experience. I already told you that I am more into flavors than main meals, so I always enjoy the offerings at The Chef’s Table. It is an intimate setting aft on the third deck with seating for 24 guests along with ample windows for river cruise viewing. The chef is visible as he (I’ve only seen male chefs doing it; hopefully, there will be a top female chef cooking someday soon) cooks your items if you are not too busy enjoying what has already been prepared for you.
While it is a Specialty Dining restaurant (which typically comes with an additional charge on many other cruise lines), each guest is entitled to dine there once each cruise on a complimentary basis — and you should! The seven-course evening was wonderful, and it was at a casual pace — not too fast, and not too slow. Naturally the recommended wine pairings were perfect. But then, everything about the evening was perfect.Here are more posts [in progress] about “The Taste of Bordeaux” cruise on AmaDolce: “Taste of Bordeaux” River Cruise — Intro “Taste of Bordeaux” River Cruise — Food

#######

As an independent travel advisor, I am able to book your travels (and typically get you a better deal than going direct). To inquire about pricing and availability for any travels that I am on, or for your own independent travels, please refer to my Travel with Stuart website — thank you.

June 27 – July 4, 2024

This has been planned for some time, and now it is time to get this amazing river cruise underway!

This is my second river cruise on AmaWaterways (the first was on the Danube River from Bucharest into Lower Bavaria). I have been on over a dozen other river and ocean cruise lines, and I am really in love (get the Latin “Ama” in the name?) with cruising on AmaWaterways.

I will be telling you about different aspects of the cruise: the ports and places we’ve visited; the exquisite meals (the appetizers at lunch are breath-taking and mouth-watering); the local entertainment, and the talks about this famous wine region.
#######
I’ve been in Bordeaux for a few days already; the city is vibrant and exciting. The weather has been on an upward warming trend, but it is not as bad as other parts of the world that have been in the news because of horrible heat waves. I am packed and ready to get on AmaDolce.

Here is a one-minute introduction video to the AmaDolce in Bordeaux, France.

https://stuartgustafson.com/wp-content/uploads/ShipVideo-0627.mp4
Here are a few facts about the ship:Built in The Netherlands, the ship is 360 feet long (this is about 70 feet shorter than most other Europe river cruise ships)Its maximum passenger capacity is 140 passengers (some ships carry up to 190 passengers) — we had only 72 on our weekly cruiseThe are 45 crew members on board to manage the sailing, cook, feed, manage staterooms, and clean up after usThere are bikes onboard for those so inclinedThe Lounge usually offers a continental breakfast plus a Bistro Lunch most days. The Dining Room is also open for most meals every day.There is a Chef’s Table Restaurant at the rear that serves intimate tasting menu dinners; reservations are typically neededThe sun deck has plenty of deck chairs under an awning as well as tables and chairs, AND a whirlpool for relaxing under the evening starsThere are massage services and a hair salon

So what is not to love about the beautiful AmaDolce? Nothing, of course.Here are more posts [in progress] about “The Taste of Bordeaux” cruise on AmaDolce: “Taste of Bordeaux” River Cruise – Intro

#######

As an independent travel advisor, I am able to book your travels (and typically get you a better deal than going direct). To inquire about pricing and availability for any travels that I am on, or for your own independent travels, please refer to my Travel with Stuart website — thank you.

June 27 – July 4, 2024

This has been planned for some time, and now it is time to get this amazing river cruise underway!

This is my second river cruise on AmaWaterways (the first was on the Danube River from Bucharest into Lower Bavaria). I have been on over a dozen other river and ocean cruise lines, and I am really in love (get the Latin “Ama” in the name?) with cruising on AmaWaterways.

I will be telling you about the cruise each day: the ports and places we’ve visited; the exquisite meals (the appetizers at lunch are breath-taking and mouth-watering); the local entertainment, and the talks about this famous wine region.
#######
Day 0 – June 26
I’ve been in Bordeaux for a few days already; the city is vibrant and exciting. The weather has been on an upward warming trend, but it is not as bad as other parts of the world that have been in the news because of horrible heat waves. I am packed and ready to get on AmaDolce tomorrow.

I will post pictures of the ship tomorrow once I get to it, but here are a few facts about the ship:

Built in The Netherlands, the ship is 360 feet long (this is about 70 feet shorter than most other Europe river cruise ships)Its maximum passenger capacity is 140 passengers (some ships carry up to 190 passengers)The are 45 crew members on board to manage the sailing, cook, feed, manage staterooms, and clean up after usThere are bikes onboard for those so inclinedThe sun deck has a whirlpool for relaxing under the evening starsThere are massages services and a hair salon

So what is not to love about the beautiful AmaDolce? Nothing, of course.

I’ll be back tomorrow with photos and details about Day 1 on this iconic river cruise!
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As an independent travel advisor, I am able to book your travels so you are on the same trip (and typically get you a better deal than going direct). To inquire about pricing and availability for any travels that I am on, or for your own independent travels, please refer to my Travel with Stuart website — thank you.

I definitely outsmarted myself on my current trip to Cabo San Lucas. It’s my 24th trip to the Los Cabos area at the absolute southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula, and it’s a place that I know well and am quite comfortable visiting. I am here for three weeks this time; started years ago with just one week, and have even stayed here for four weeks on three different occasions.

You don’t need a whole lot while here unless you are going to undertake some specific activities such as diving, fishing, hiking, etc., and you want some specific clothing and/or gear for your adventure. No, some shorts, shirts, shoes, and swim trunks., along with long pants and shirt for cool evenings. That’s it. Of course, the toiletries are also in the bag.

That bag, that suitcase, is a small carry-on bag that easily fits into the overhead compartment on the plane. I have traveled down here many times with just the carry-on bag and a backpack. And I’ve gone on four weeks of cruises with just the same carry-on bag and the backpack. It can be done. I know how to do it, and I’ve done it many times.

For this trip, I decided to start packing early. I set items out on the table that I use just for this purpose. Sandals, swim trunks, shoes, shorts, etc., It all went into the carry-on. I added my toiletries bag, my prescriptions and vitamins — everything I was going to need. Because the resort has a deep tub in the master bsthroom, I added a bag of epsom salts for soaking after a hard day of relaxing and enjoying the sounds of the ocean waves.

And then I added a few more things, and I was ready five days before my trip. I closed the bag, or at least I started to, and then realized I had to open the expansion zipper. Not a problem. Once that was opened. The bag closed, and I locked it. I was ready to go. The only problem was that the expanded bag might not fit into the plane’s overhead compartment. That’s okay, I’ll just check the bag. I’ve never had a problem with checked bags, so there was no need for concern.

There were two things I did not take into account when checking the bag:
1. My bag might not get there on time with me
2. If #1 happened, my meds were in tat bag, and likely sitting, or going, somewhere else.

Well, that did happen. There was a mechanical malfunction at the connecting airport, and many bags did not make it on to our flight to Cabo. Instead, they went on a later flight to Houston, and then on a next-morning flight to Cabo. I finally got my bag at 7:30 PM, about 29 hours after I arrived in Cabo.

Lesson learned: if you are going to pack early, leave your meds out for the last minute just in case you decide to check your bag!

Happy Travels!
Stuart

Stuart Gustafson is America’s International Travel Expert® who speaks on cruise ships, writes novels, sends out a monthly newsletter, is an avid TripAdvisor reviewer, and loves everything about travel. Visit his website at www.stuartgustafson.com. You can also connect with him and other travelers on his International Travel Expert page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/International-Travel-Expert-147321228683651/

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