“Romance” and “vacation” are two words that “couple” together so naturally. Many of our travel agent partners specialize in organizing weddings, honeymoons, vow renewals and distinctive anniversary trips and I am often asked for my ideas about creating a romantic river cruise experience. I believe that any vacation becomes romantic when it is planned around the couple’s shared dream travel experience and incorporates some personalized “surprise and delight” moments.
A perfect example of an exotic dream vacation with plenty of romantic moments built in is our Stars of South Africa tour. A couple of my favorite memories (Rudi and I spent our honeymoon there) come to mind…sunset champagne cocktails on the Zambezi Queen watching elephants frolicking on the banks of the Chobe River and a private dinner in the wine room during the luxurious land safari at the Tintswalo Safari Lodge. Sometimes it’s the smallest things that create the most sentimental moments, and for us, it was the quiet evenings together under the starry African skies.
Our teams on board our ships love to help rekindle romance and create cherished memories for our guests. Our cruise managers often see themselves as “romance coordinators,” bringing in other crew members, such as our pastry chefs and stateroom stewards, to add little touches that surprise and delight couples celebrating a special occasion. They also know the ports of call so well and are happy to recommend perfect little getaways for a quiet lunch or dinner at romantic rooftop bars or intimate restaurants. And when it comes to fairytale settings, on board and on shore, you can’t beat the twinkling lights and warm atmosphere of our Christmas Market cruises.
Romance travel doesn’t always involve just the couple—we are seeing more “romance on the rivers” trips planned to share these celebrations of love with close friends and family members. Vow renewal ceremonies including friends and family are becoming quite popular. We are excited to launch for 2019 an exclusive Renewal of Vows package on our ultra-spacious, one-of-a-kind AmaMagna. Welcoming only 196 guests, this innovative ship feels like a private yacht and offers just the right atmosphere for a couple who enjoys social interaction with interesting people but also treasures those quiet moments soaking in the scenery from the private balcony of a luxurious suite. With lots of customizable areas and a wide variety of staterooms at different price points, it’s easy to include others in your romantic vacation plans.
For more romantic vacation inspiration, you might be interested in reading some of our “Connections”