Fall Foliage Cruises Gain in Popularity

Cruises that sail the colorful autumn coast of New England and maritime Canada are growing in popularity. In fact, ports like Bar Harbor, Maine, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, are expecting a record number of cruise ship visits this fall.

But, don’t let the number and variety of fall foliage cruises stop you from booking now, because the cruise industry expects record numbers of leaf-peeping passengers, too. For example, the port of Boston is expecting a record of more than 300,000 passengers to pass through its cruise ship terminal this fall.

New England’s fall foliage cruises usually depart from Boston or New York City. More than a dozen cruise lines offer a variety of ship sizes and amenities. Itineraries often include stops in Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island. Some ships are also able to navigate the St. Lawrence Seaway to call on Montreal and Quebec City.

In addition to glorious scenery, fall foliage cruises offer an opportunity to explore some of the places along the way. From Portland, Maine, you can take a motorcoach ride along the famously beautiful and rocky shoreline to the charming village of Kennebunkport. You could tour historic lighthouses, or visit Freeport to browse a variety of brand-name shops, including the flagship store of L.L. Bean. At St. John, New Brunswick, you might take a walking tour of the historic stone buildings, sail on the Bay of Fundy or steer a kayak along the St. John River on your way to a lobster cookout. Halifax, Nova Scotia, offers a quaint touch of Scotland, as well as its historic Citadel National Historic Park high above the city.

If your fall travel plans are already set, but you’re thinking about next summer’s vacation, you should know that the New England/Canada cruise season is not limited to the peak leaf color months of September and October. More cruise ships are sailing the region during July and August, making it a viable option for a summer cruise. While the leaves are green through August, the coastal scenery of rocky cliffs, woodlands, seaside villages and vibrant cities is still spectacular.

To make your plans for a cruise along the New England and Canadian coast, talk with your travel professional.

Oberammergau’s Once-a-Decade Passion Play

The Oberammergau Passion Play, a centuries-old tradition, is now playing through October 3 in the picturesque Bavarian village of Oberammergau, Germany.

The passion play depicts the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth. It is a labor of love for residents of Oberammergau, who have staged a passion play – completely produced and acted by local residents – approximately every 10 years since 1633. At that time, the region was devastated by wars and the bubonic plague. The villagers vowed that if God spared them, they would regularly perform a passion play as a demonstration of their gratitude. The villagers have honored that vow ever since.

For the 2010 season, 102 performances of the passion play will take place from May 15 to October 3 in a purpose-built theater. Approximately half of Oberammergau’s residents take part, creating a grand spectacle with more than 2,000 performers, musicians, stage technicians and support staff.

The play begins with Jesus of Nazareth entering Jerusalem, depicts his death on the cross and finishes with his resurrection. The eight-hour production, which includes a three-hour dinner break, includes spoken dialogue, instrumental and choral music, and tableaux vivants (scenes with motionless actors, accompanied by a narration) from the Old Testament.

In addition to the passion play, there is much to enjoy in and around Oberammergau. The village is in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps, just 62 miles south of Munich. Oberammergau is known for its tradition of skilled woodcarving, and many of the houses have charming wooden balconies, balustrades and columns typical of Bavarian architecture. Be sure to see the luftlmalerei, or painted houses, which have paintings of medallions, fairy tale characters and other fanciful scenes on the outside walls.

Just outside the village, the Ammergau Alps offer many opportunities for touring and hiking. A 45-minute hike up the local mountain, the Kofel, provides a spectacular view of the town and the surrounding valley.

Ask your travel professional to help you plan a trip to see the Oberammergau passion play – your next opportunity won’t be until 2020.

Traveling to a Global Hot Spot

Recently, the world seems to have more than its share of “hot spots” – areas in which unusual or unstable conditions, either natural or man-made, are creating headlines that might make travelers think twice about vacationing there.

It’s always a good idea to keep current with the news coming out of your next vacation destination: if it’s a truly unsettled place, your travel professional can help you change your plans. However, be sure to do enough research to know if your vacation will truly be affected by what you read and hear in the news.

For example, the news from the Gulf of Mexico is distressing to say the least: a broken underwater oil well is releasing crude oil into the water off the Louisiana coast, endangering sea life, disrupting livelihoods and threatening the Gulf’s lovely beaches. However, as of this writing, all of Florida’s Gulf Coast beaches remain open. Constant surveillance and clean-up efforts have kept the beaches safe for swimming and other water activities.

Drug-related violence, such as that recently reported in Kingston, Jamaica, and along the Mexican border with the U.S., usually happens far from where most tourists spend their time. Visitors to Jamaica’s gorgeous Montego Bay are nearly four hours away from Kingston where a much sought after crime figure has finally been apprehended. Mexican resorts like Cancun and Cabo San Lucas are far south of any strife along the border.

The Greek city of Athens experienced riots in May after the country’s debt-ridden government announced austerity measures. Since then, the situation has calmed considerably, and the turmoil had no effect at all on Santorini, Mykonos and other Greek Isles popular with tourists.

Remember that it’s always wise to be cautious and to follow common-sense safety practices when you travel, whether you are in the U.S. or abroad. If you have any questions about how recent events could affect your vacation plans, talk with your travel professional.

Look to Vacation Condos and Villas for the Comforts of Home

Have you ever wished that you could simply pack up your home and relocate it to your vacation destination – that you could cook in your own kitchen, do your own laundry, and have multiple bedrooms so family members could stay up late or rise early without disturbing others?

Taking your home on vacation isn’t possible – at least, not yet. However, you might be able to find the home-like environment you’re looking for by renting a vacation condo or villa.

Condos and villas are available for rental in many vacation spots. They usually have one, two or three bedrooms; a central living area; a kitchen and dining area; one or more full bathrooms; and a patio, balcony or deck. These accommodations are usually furnished and stocked with all the linens and kitchen items you’ll need. In popular destinations, you can usually find multiple complexes with a wide range of amenities, from whirlpool tubs and big-screen TVs to private swimming pools and putting greens.

If your family is large or you’re traveling with a group, a furnished condo or villa is often a good option. They are particularly comfortable for multi-generational family groups: younger children and their grandparents can retire early in their bedrooms, while adults chat around the kitchen table and teens watch a movie in the living area. You can cook some or all of your meals in the kitchen, which can be a lot of fun and more appealing than eating in expensive restaurants every day. Condos equipped with washers and dryers allow you to pack lighter, as you can toss a load of clothes into the washer whenever you like.

Condos and villas may not offer some of the familiar and welcome amenities of hotels: there may be no wake-up calls, no room service, no concierge, and weekly instead of daily maid service. Also, many condos and villas often rent by the week or month, and it may not be possible to arrange a shorter stay.