Lake Lucerne stands out among the most beautiful lakes in a country with abundant scenic landscapes.  Its clear water backed by snowcapped mountains makes for a setting so captivating that merely looking at the lake is not enough of a connection for visitors; many people want to go out onto Lake Lucerne and be on the water to look back at the shore.  Luckily for them, the Lake Lucerne Navigation Company provides a wide range of waterborne experiences from simple transport to extravagant dining excursions and private charters for corporate events, families celebrating a special occasion, and even just friends wanting to enjoy themselves.

The latest addition to Lake Lucerne Navigation Company’s cruise possibilities roster is Legends of Lake Lucerne, which started seasonal operations last week.  Limiting the number of passengers to provide the best service in an uncrowded atmosphere, this special and exclusive experience begins with a jovial welcome by the enthusiastic crew from 9:00 in the morning.  Over the next five hours, passengers are regaled with tales of the lake as told by a costumed presenter whose entertaining delivery style combines interesting information with funny anecdotes.  The character personified is Casimir Friedrich Knörr, founder of the Lake Lucerne Navigation Company.

Regarding tourism and hospitality, the Swiss know how to do things right, and that is especially true about exceptional culinary experiences.  Switzerland prides itself on quality in every aspect of its existence, and food is no exception.  Using only the best ingredients, a deluxe five-course lunch is paired with accompanying wines in the elegant dining room of Gallia, one of Lake Lucerne Navigation Company’s most beloved classic paddle steamers.  More than one hundred years old, Gallia may look classic. Still, it is also one of the most innovative boats in Switzerland, thanks to its use of solar fuel, the product of a new technology that allows for the creation of unpolluting fuel requiring no retooling of existing engines.  This is part of Lake Lucerne Navigation Company’s efforts to reduce its boats’ carbon footprint and maintain the lake’s pristine environment.  The impressive engine is Gallia’s central feature; the paddlewheels are visible right out the windows in the same central deck area.  The captain and other crewmembers are only too happy to share their knowledge and insight into the boat and the region, much to the delight of curious passengers unfamiliar with paddle steamers’ unique engineering demands.

Departing from Pier 5 right next to Lucerne’s main train station, the Legends experience is one option among many culinary cruises and excursions with other themes ranging from disco cruises to land/lake combinations.  Of course, Schifffahrtsgesellschaft des Vierwaldstättersees (the Swiss name for the Lake Lucerne Navigation Company, abbreviated as SGV) is also an essential provider of water transport between the city of Lucerne and the small towns and villages dotting the lake shores.  The famous precision of Swiss rail operations is carried over to water transport, too; the SGV timetable is a reliable way to plan a day out on Lake Lucerne with a day ticket or simply a point-to-point trip.  The highly valuable Swiss Travel Pass allows for unlimited travel aboard these point to point routes on Lake Lucerne as well as travel on Lake Geneva, Lake Constance, Lake Lugano, and other bodies of water in Switzerland, not to mention unlimited travel on the country’s extensive rail network, on may urban transport networks, and even on some of the famous rail experiences such as Golden Pass and Bernina Express.  Further value comes with the inclusion of entrance into hundreds of museums and attractions across Switzerland, one of the most alluring travel destinations in the world.  The Swiss Travel Pass is available in Australia through Switzerland Tourism’s Sydney office.

By Robert La Bua – Global Travel Connoisseur

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