With the tourist industry poised to rebound in 2021, luxury hotel barge cruising specialist European Waterways is rewarding travelers who are ready “to venture out again” with up to 20% off on some of its most popular cruises in France and Italy, valid when booked by February 22, 2021. The specials represent savings of up to $17,000 on whole barge charters and $1,318 per person, based on double occupancy. Savings are available on selected weeks though spring and summer, and reservations are protected by European Waterways’ “Book with Confidence” policy, which provides booking flexibility.
Among the hotel barges participating in the promotion are 12-passenger La Belle Epoque and 12-passenger L’Impressionniste in Burgundy, and Renaissance in the Upper Loire and Western Burgundy. Also participating is 20-passenger La Bella Vita in Italy, which cruises the River Po and Canal Bianco between Venice and the Renaissance city of Mantua. For a full list of participating vessels, visit europeanwaterways.com.
“All the signs point to a solid rebound in travel over the course of 2021,” says Derek Banks, Managing Director at European Waterways. “But health and safety will continue to be primary concerns for travelers. As a result, they will be booking with trusted companies and seeking out experiences that allow them to safely venture out of their homes to ‘see the world’ again.”
Banks adds: “European Waterways’ hotel barges provide the perfect small ship cruising experience for these times. They create the ideal setting for a safe and secure ‘travel bubble’ throughout the journey, with private and often exclusive activities and excursions that allow families and small 
groups of like-minded guests to enjoy the very best of European history, culture, and culinary traditions in utmost safety.”
Floating Boutique Hotels
European Waterways’ luxury hotel barges have often been compared to the most exclusive boutique hotels – only they float! The company’s luxurious 12-passenger La Belle Epoque, for example, cruises the legendary Burgundy region of France. It boasts a wood-paneled saloon with hand-built seating that also doubles as a stylish dining area, a sundeck with a Jacuzzi, and comfortable cabins with marble en-suite facilities. Meals are prepared onboard by a master chef, with the finest wines selected from local vineyards.
Itinerary highlights include dinner with a Baroness at her elegant château, a private wine tasting at the prestigious Domaine Laroche and tour of its thousand-year-old cellars, and a private champagne tasting at the Alexandre Bonnet Champagne House. Other memorable experiences include a fascinating falconry display, featuring birds of prey such as falcons, hawks, eagles, and owls.
With the current special offers on selected departures in spring and summer, a 12-passenger charter of La Belle Epoque starts at $54,450, a saving of $6,050 off its $60,500 price. Cabins start at $4,815 per person, based on double occupancy, a saving of $535 off its $5,350 per person price.
European Waterways’ ultra-deluxe eight-passenger Renaissance navigates the historic Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its stunning aristocratic estates, châteaux and palaces, vineyards and orchards. For centuries, it attracted many of France’s kings and nobles, who left behind some of the world’s most magnificent architectural achievements. A few were even designed by Leonardo Da Vinci, who died here and is still celebrated more than 500 years later.
Itinerary highlights include a visit to the privately-owned Château de La Bussière, known as the “fishermen’s castle”, with its wonderful ornamental and vegetable gardens. Guests will also cruise across the aqueduct at Briare that extends over the River Loire and was built by Gustave Eiffel, and enjoy a private wine tasting at the medieval hilltop town of Sancerre.
With the current special offers, the May 9, 2021 departure of Renaissance can be chartered at 20% off for $48,800 – $12,200 off its eight-passenger price of $61,000. Cabins are available at 10% off on selected departure dates in spring and summer. Prices are $7,371 per person, based on double occupancy, a saving of $819 off the $8,190 price.
In additional to the classic cruises, European Waterways offers themed chartered cruises for families, golf enthusiasts, wine aficionados, and food lovers, among others.
Book With Confidence
European Waterways is currently offering fleet-wide specials of 20% and 10% off for selected departures on cabins and whole barge charters for 2021, valid when booked by February 22, 2021. The company’s “Book with Confidence” policy provides flexibility in rescheduling future cruises, should they be impacted by government restrictions. The health and safety of guests are also top priorities, with strict protocols in place that include crew and passenger temperature checks as well as deep cleaning and disinfecting of all cabins and public surfaces on the boats. For more information, visit www.europeanwaterways.com
.jpg){kind=tracking}
