New Cruise Ships for 2011

Recently, MSNBC posted an article about the brand new cruise ships taking their inaugural sail in 2011.  We found it very intriguing as there are so many new cruise ships this year!  Several more are planned for 2012 as cruising becomes many traveler’s preferred method of travel!

One of our favorites, Marina, is actually mentioned 2nd in this article and is the newest ship in Oceania Cruises fleet.  As we anxiously await this ships completion, Cindy and Linda are preparing to attend the inaugural ceremony on February 5th!  We are even more excited about having travelers join us twice this year onboard Marina for the Baltic Treasures sailing as well as the Grecian Glory sailing.  Let us know if you want to join us on one of these fabulous sailings.  After all, how could you not be excited about seeing this?!

Also within this article, we are thrilled to see the Seabourn Quest debut!

Seabourn really does have a service in a league of their own, as Cindy and Linda have experienced first hand.  Now, with Quest, Odyssey and Sojourn in their fleet, they have new yacht-like ships that look like the service they provide.  Quest accommodates just 450 passengers creating a smaller cruise experience, however Seabourn does not incorporate “small” in anything the provide.  You want for nothing when you sail with Seabourn.

We are thoroughly looking forward to taking our travelers aboard both of these ships.  In 2012, we also anxiously await the debut of Oceania’s Riviera!

Take the hassle out of group travel; call us to plan your next group trip or join ours!

Last Minute Christmas Gift Baltic Treasures

Give the gift of travel this holiday season!  Still have someone you haven’t purchased a gift for?  Not to worry!  We can get you taken care of before Christmas and put your special someone on a cruise through the Baltic Sea.  This fabulous sailing makes ports of call at:

• Stockholm, Sweden
• Helinksi, Finland
• St. Petersburg, Russia for 2 days
• Tallin, Estonia
• Riga, Latvia
• Visby, Sweden
• Gdansk, Poland
• Ronne (Bornholm), Denmark
• Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany
• Copenhagen, Denmark

Fabulous itinerary, right?!  ***Well, as if that wasn’t enough, we are thrilled to have Giuliano Hazan onboard with us for this cruise!  Hazan, the only son of Marcella Hazan, began working as an assistant at his mother’s renowned School of Classic Italian Cooking at 17.  Now, Giuliano is an author, teacher, entrepreneur, and one of the foremost authorities on Italian cooking.(http://www.giulianohazan.com/about_chef_giuliano_hazan/)  ***Those who board this cruise with us will have the opportunity to take an onboard culinary class from THE Giuliano Hazan himself in the ALL NEW Culinary Center aboard Marina (taking her inaugural cruise February 2011).
***This private course with Giuliano is exclusive to travelers with Beyond Group Travel.
I’m sure we’ve provided enough reasons to board this cruise, but there’s more!  You’ll sail this fabulous cruise onboard Oceania’s newest ship, Marina.  This brand new ship is ultra luxurious, built with fabulous cuisine in mind, and more spacious than her sister ships.
Above: Marina’s Grand Staircase accented with Lalique Crystal.

Above: Marina’s NEW restaurant, Red Ginger.
Above: A view of the Owner’s Suite bedroom.
There are several staterooms available to join us for this cruise, so contact us today to ask your questions and make your reservation.
We have other sailings with space still available, as well.  Join us for one of the following:

• Mediterranean Mosaic – 10 day voyage – April 26 – May 6, 2011 – Marina – Rome to Venice
• Treasures of the Continent – 12 day voyage – July 29 – August 10, 2011 – Marina – London to London
• Grecian Glory – 10 day voyage – October 1 –11, 2011 – Marina – Athens to Venice
• Frontiers and Glaciers – 10 day voyage – June 7 – 17, 2011 – Regatta – Vancouver to Vancouver

Take the hassle out of group travel; call us to plan your next group trip or join ours!

***As of 1/11/11, Giuliano and Lael Hazan will no longer be joining us on this cruise.

Thanksgiving in New York 2010

Wow!  What a fabulous trip we had hosting the Traveling Aggies, Georgia Tech Alumni Travel, and Emory Alumni Travel Program in New York City November 24-28, 2010 for our signature Thanksgiving in New York Program featuring the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.  After arriving via Continental Airlines, accommodations were at the fabulous New York Sheraton hotel which provided amazing views of the parade, excellent staff, and scrumptious buffets.  We were able to provide a memorable trip for families and friends that joined us for this terrific trip.  Porter Garner, President and C.E.O. of the Association of Former Students, joined Jennifer Bohac, Director of Travel Programs at the Association of Former Students of Texas A&M University, in hosting the Aggies this year; they each did a terrific job in ensuring a magical trip for all of the Aggies involved.  Don Chapman continued his talented service as host for the Georgia Tech Alumni.  This was Emory Alumni Travel’s introductory year traveling with us, and appreciated their involvement in the educational component of the World Trade Center site during our Manhattan tour.

Linda has hosted this trip for many years and is excited that this trip has continued so successfully with its first year under Beyond Group Travel!  This year, we were able to do:

• a welcome cocktail/reception party
• multiple theatre performances including, The Addams Family, Jersey Boys, The Lion King, and Wicked
• a Private Thanksgiving Day breakfast buffet with indoor PRIVATE parade viewing at the Sheraton

• performance of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular
• Football Game Watching parties for the Texas A&M vs. UT game as well as the Georgia Tech vs. Georgia game
• a cocktail reception and Thanksgiving dinner at Maloney and Porcelli.
• a Private NYC Manhattan tour
• a Circle Line cruise viewing Manhattan from the Hudson and East Rivers as well as an up close view of the Statue of Liberty.

We’ve received many gracious and thoughtful compliments thus far which really warms our hearts; it makes us proud to do what we do!  We are thoroughly looking forward to hosting the Flying Longhorns and Alabama next year for Thanksgiving in New York 2011!

Take the hassle out of group travel; call us to plan your next group trip or join ours!

Signature Spa Experiences announced for Marina’s Canyon Ranch SpaClub

Have a look at this article from Breaking Travel News on the fabulous treatments Canyon Ranch Spa will be offering on Oceania’s Marina!