Wine, Friends, Pastries and a River Cruise

The new term in vacation is river cruising and it’s the new way to travel in five star luxury while ambling along on a gently floating river. Members of the community gathered on Monday March 24 to listen to a presentation given by AMAWaterways about their river cruise options. The Dregs in Redlands provided the space for the presentation and guests were served wine and pastries throughout the night while gathered around the bar or seated at tables listening to the information given on a power point slide by Regional Sales Director, Steve Avalos. He was very enthusiastic and asked everyone, “Who’s been on a river cruise before?” to start the presentation off. Teri and Roger Kelly came to learn more about the cruises and to take a cooking class after the presentation was over next door at the Cooking Block. The Kelly’s have done their fair share of traveling and did a, “bus tour of Great Britain, and just got back from Princess Cruise in February”, where they traveled to the Bahamas and the Virgin Islands. Teri said, “We had a friend, who did a river cruise and she really enjoyed it, they say once you take a river cruise, you won’t go back to a regular cruise.” They enjoy traveling and have a Mediterranean cruise lined up in the summer. Teri found out about the AMA Waterways presentation through John Rivera from the Cooking Block mailing list she is signed up on. She said, “We’re looking forward to the information, it sounds like a new adventure.” AMAWaterways offers cruises to destinations across the world including; Europe, Russia, Vietnam and Cambodia, Africa, and even a chocolate, wine and knitting themed cruise. Avalos talked about Internet access and wi-fi, a fitness room and sauna on some boats, a hair salon, a heated whirlpool or swimming pool with swim-up bar and live entertainment that are just some examples of the amenities offered on board. He said the average age is 55-60 and there is something for everyone offered depending on their preferences such as; active walkers, late risers, and gentle walkers when tours are given in the cities and bicycle tours are available as well. After the presentation, radio host Jan Fowler was on hand to promote guests about her upcoming Tulip Time Cruise where she will be on board and interview senior citizens for her radio program, “Senior Living at its Best with Jan Fowler” . She invited everyone to come and join her on a trip to Europe in the spring where they will receive copies of her book, Hot Chocolate for Seniors. Celia Becker came with her two friends and stated, “Laurel is my travel agent and because I travel a lot and write about travel in my blog, After Orange County, I’m looking forward to another river cruise. A lot of my readers are interested in travel and live vicariously through me.” People travel for different reasons and Becker shares, I think of traveling as, “broadening myself as a human being and making yourself more interesting. I enjoy talking with other people about my experiences.” Laurel Leidner is a travel agent with Connection To Cruise and helped host the event, she said, “we have been in the travel business in Redlands for fifteen years and we just see the value and opportunity to [get] people into river cruising, it’s such a great way to see destinations across the world without having to pack and unpack”. Lucinda Swain came with Celia Becker and Laurel Leidner and all know each other from a book club stated, “Traveling brings a commonality, takes down barriers and brings people together. Everyone’s heart is the same color, but really there are so many similarities and traveling brings that out.”