Vol. 15 NO 1 winter / spring 2017
www.cruiseandtravellifestyles.com
celebrating
Canada $5.95
150
oh canada the true north strong and free
Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
Insider's View: Tauck's | Lap ofseas Luxury on Europa 2 plus: revisiting queen mary Inspire 2 | regent seven explorer | antigua
68
2 Free Hotel Nights Plus Breakfast & Transfers
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Contact your Travel Professional or visit Star Clippers at www.starclippers.com All rates are in Canadian dollars per person based on double occupancy and do not include port charges. This offer is for new bookings only. Offer may be changed or withdrawn at any time without notice. Other restrictions may apply. Valid for Canadian residents. Other restrictions may apply. Star Clipper GSA, Inc. dba Star Clippers America acts only as a sales and marketing agent for Star Clippers, Ltd. for purpose of booking travel arrangements on Star Clippers vessels. Star Clippers, Ltd. operates the vessels on which you will be sailing. © Star Clippers 2017. Ship’s Registry: Malta. CST# 37231
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| FROM the publisher
Oh Canada!
Vanessa Lee, Publisher
I am a proud Canadian by choice not by birth, joining one fifth of our population who came here from other countries. I am, however, the daughter of a first-generation Canadian from Montréal who grew up playing hockey on the frozen canals. A Canuck to his core, he also fought in the RCAF during World War II and played, albeit briefly, for the Montréal Canadiens along with the Quebec Aces. I first set eyes on Canada in the summer of ’67 when visiting from England with my mother. We spent a number of weeks during a hot, sunny summer in Montréal with many forays to Expo ’67, which was spectacular. I also visited Toronto and glorious Lake of the Woods among a few other places and ultimately realized it was the first time I fell in love. Quite appropriate considering that 1967 was the “Summer of Love”. Naturally, my love story with Canada endures some 50 years later. When putting this special celebratory issue together to commemorate Canada’s 150th birthday, it was important for me to highlight this marvelous country and showcase some of our remarkable beauty. Researching this issue has been a labour of love as I determined that, along with our faults (few at best!), we Canadians are an interesting, slightly quirky breed with a penchant for being tolerant, polite, accepting and progressive – and welcome everywhere as global travelers – all of which I am proud to state and share. In this exploration of our land I discovered many new places and lots of facts and figures too, which many of you may know but which I, nevertheless found of interest. As we embrace our sesquicentennial, I hope all of us will explore “from sea to sea” and discover all that is our Canada. We have more lakes in Canada than every other country combined. That’s quite a statement. We have 38 national parks and eight national park reserves – more than one for every million of us (about 35 million now) – also an impressive number. Toronto is the fourth largest city in North America, out-pacing Chicago. And if you remove Mexico from the equation, then Toronto ranks right below NYC and LA. We have six cities with a population of over one million and more than 80 percent of the world’s maple syrup is produced here – with 91percent of that coming from Quebec.
More fun facts about our Canada that perhaps you don’t know: our forests take up 31 percent of our land and 20 percent of the world’s fresh water is found in Canada – let’s ensure we protect it! We have the longest coastline in the world at 243,977 km, Montréal is home to the second largest French speaking population after Paris, and of all the G20 countries, ours is the best in which to be a woman. We share the world’s longest international border with our American friends – and one that has no military defense. There’s more! Of the world’s 25,000 polar bear population, we are home to 15,500 of them – even more reason to be focused on climate change. We boast the lake with the longest name – situated in northern Manitoba – Pekwachnamaykoskwaskwaypinwanik Lake, which means in Cree, “where the wild trout are caught by fishing with hooks”. We first celebrated Thanksgiving in 1578 – some 43 years before it was celebrated in the US. We all know that we are the world’s second largest country after Russia, and that the Hudson Bay Company is the oldest chartered trading company – launched in 1670. And naturally there’s a lot more – go out and see it all! I trust, that as you read this issue of our magazine and enjoy the special commemorative 32-page section on all that is our Canada, the true north, strong and free, that you too will delight in our diverse and great land, in our beauty and our heritage. How could you not be proud of a land that’s free and surprising and special and one I hope you love as much as I do. It has been an honour and a privilege to put this issue of Cruise & Travel Lifestyles together for you and to help celebrate, in some small way, our 150th birthday. Sincerely,
PS: As we publish our next two issues, we will include a few more articles and items about Canada during this special celebratory year of 2017. Be sure to check out our website often as many items are posted there that we do not publish in print – www.cruiseandtravellifestyles.com
SINCE 1947
70 YEARS OF
AWE-INSPIRING ALASKA. From the grandeur of Denali National Park to pristine glaciers and historic frontier towns, there’s no better way to experience Alaska than on a Holland America Line cruise or Land+Sea Journey. On board you’ll enjoy classic style, attentive service, and fine dining. Plus, 70th Anniversary exclusives like our new BBC Earth Experiences Alaska show and activities, talks by distinguished Alaska experts, and commemorative keepsakes. Come, The Great Land is calling you.
Ships’ Registry: The Netherlands
— THE MEDITERRANEAN —
COME SEE OUR WORLD Mare Nostrum. Our sea. As seafaring Italians, the Mediterranean holds a special place in our hearts. Founded by an Italian family, Silversea has been sailing the Mediterranean for over two decades with our fleet of small luxury ships. We can introduce you to its glamorous Riviera resorts, iconic ports, hidden-away havens and idyllic Greek islands with an expertise that is unrivalled. Your time ashore is enriched by small-group exploration and insider access that ensure up-close and personal connections with the locals and daily life. Discover a Mediterranean away from the expected and well beyond the crowds. Only aboard our intimate ships. Only with Silversea.
To book your suite, contact your travel professional or visit Silversea.com/Exclusive-Offers for details and Terms & Conditions.
FREE
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photo: Rick Wiltse, kasloarena.ca
contents |
Happy Birthday Canada… Our Red and White Salute!
features 18 insider’s view Read about the fabulous remastering of the Queen Mary 2 22 Celebrating Canada From Gros Morne to Haida Gwaii – ten iconic destinations 34 a place of the spirits Romancing the wilderness in Labrador’s Torngat Mountains 40 in the wake of the vikings Exploring Canada’s rugged east coast on Viking Ocean Cruises 46 hidden treasures Places you never knew you were longing to see 54 regent seven seas explorer Celebrating Regent’s stunning new Explorer 59 Island in the Sun Find out why Antigua is the perfect Caribbean getaway
departments 8
Making Waves
12 NewsWorthy 16 Staying Places 62 River Cruising 63 In Conversation 64 Suite Life
| FROM the editor
Editor Liz Fleming with Guy Theriault of Parks Canada in Labrador’s Torngat Mountains .
Happy Birthday Canada! We’re proud to salute you with this very special issue of Cruise & Travel Lifestyles! A few years ago, while visiting the ruins of an ancient theater in Jordan, the guide asked me to help demonstrate the acoustics. “Sing something you know well,” he said. “Maybe your national anthem?” So I sang…and it was then that something wonderful happened. As the first ‘Oh Canada’ left my lips, I saw another tour group walking along the walls. They turned and smiled, and as I continued with ‘Our home and native land…’, they joined in. It was a proud moment as that Canadian tour group and I sang every word – “Oh Canada, we stand on guard for thee!” – and then applauded each other wildly. The acoustics in that place never sounded better. Canadians aren’t known for overt flag waving or bragging about our country, but we share a strong, undeniable streak of national pride. We believe deeply that ours is the best country in the world and we have ample proof to back our belief. Certainly, there is no more beautiful or varied landscape on the planet. From rain forests, to mountain ranges, from sea coasts to vast prairies, and from deep blue lakes and rivers to arctic ice – we have it all and 6
Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
there’s nothing more exciting than discovering a corner you haven’t experienced before. Though I’ve been fortunate to explore many parts of Canada, I still have a mile-long list of places I want to visit. Every time I check one off, I feel that I’m coming a little closer to a full understanding of our country and our people. One of the places I’d longed to see for years was the Torngat Mountains in Labrador. Like many Canadians, the places that intrigue me most are our national parks and I was lucky enough to be included in a Torngats exploration group hosted by Parks Canada. It was life-changing, as I hope you’ll see when you read the story in this issue. The photo that accompanies this letter shows Guy Theriault, Senior Marketing Specialist for Parks Canada, standing with me at the brink of a cliff overlooking one of the most spectacular fjords in the Torngats. Guy is a big man but I think he’d agree that we both felt dwarfed by the enormity of that landscape. The mountains, the wildlife but perhaps most importantly, the people there gave everyone in our group a unique introduction to their rugged land and to the Inuit culture. It was a huge privilege and I hope some of you will be inspired to experience it for yourselves. In fact, I hope this issue, brimming with the passion our writers feel for so many parts of our country will convince you to make those journeys you’ve always talked about. Fly to the west coast and dip your toes in the Pacific, drive to the Maritimes for a lobster feast, or take a train through the Rockies and across the prairies. Check all those ‘mustsees’ off your list and treat yourself to experiences you couldn’t have anywhere else but in our own backyard. On this, Canada’s 150th birthday, it’s time to celebrate the best country in the world! All the best,
VOL. 15 NO. 1 Winter/Spring 2017 Editor-in-Chief: Liz Fleming
[email protected] Editorial Contributors: John Eckert, Lynn Elmhirst, Jim Gray, Anna Hobbs, Janice Mucalov, Judy Ross, Aaron Saunders, Janice Tober Publisher: Vanessa Lee
[email protected] Associate Publisher: John Eckert Sales and Marketing Manager: Mary Muir
[email protected] Art Director: Linda Crawley
[email protected] DIRECTOR OF DATABASE MANAGEMENT: Ruth Peters
[email protected] Published by Cruise Strategies Ltd. 150 Laird Drive, Suite 104, Toronto, ON M4G 3V7 Tel: 416.968.9797 Toll free: 1.877.768.9797
[email protected] www.cruiseandtravellifestyles.com Editorial office, direct lines Tel: 416.968.9797 Fax: 416.968.5912 Printed by: The Lowe-Martin Group Website Design and Creative: My Passion Media SUBSCRIPTIONS to Cruise and Travel Lifestyles are complimentary. To register to receive your complimentary subscription, to update your mailing information or to be removed from our mailing list visit our website: www.cruiseandtravellifestyles.com or contact us at 416-968-9797 or 1-877-768-9797 or by email:
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Cruise and Travel Lifestyles is also distributed through select travel agency partners who have chosen to provide it to individual clients with their compliments. PRIVACY POLICY At Cruise and Travel Lifestyles we value your privacy and respect the information you have provided to us. All information we collect is given to us voluntarily by you either directly to Cruise and Travel Lifestyles or through one of our travel agent partners. We do not sell, trade or rent your personal information to any outside parties. To view our complete Privacy Policy please visit our website: www.cruiseandtravellifestyles.com Contents copyright 2017 by Cruise Strategies Ltd. Reproduction in whole or part by any means without express written permission of the publisher is prohibited. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 41401047 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO: CRUISE AND TRAVEL LIFESTYLES 150 Laird Drive, Suite 104, Toronto, ON M4G 3V7
On the cover: Canoeing in Algonquin Park.
Liz Fleming Editor-in-Chief
Danita Delimont / Alamy
UniqUe accommodation
on the carnival vista Private outdoor cabanas and exclusive lounges for families… this isn’t your typical Carnival Cruise, it’s a resort-style experience that’s making history.
exclusive oversized outdoor patio cabanas featuring hammock chairs make the havana staterooms and suites like your own resort. exclusive to havana section guests until 5pm, the nearby havana Pool & lanai are completely tropical with thatched patio huts, and dual whirlpools.
Family harbor staterooms & suites feature exactly what every family needs… two bathrooms and space for up to 5 guests. these rooms are set close to the dedicated family space open 24-hours and offering concierge services, games, family movies, and video games.
All references to Carnival Cruise Line are: ©2017 Carnival Cruise Line. All rights reserved. Ships’ Registry: The Bahamas, Panama and Malta. For full terms and conditions, see www.travelbrandsagent.com or contact us. © 2017 Encore Cruises is a wholly-owned division of TravelBrands. B.C. Reg. # 3597. Ont. Reg. # 50012702. Quebec permit holder # 702734. 5450 Explorer Drive, Suite 300, Mississauga, ON L4W 5N1 | A7274
photo courtesy silversea
| making waves
> silversea cruises
In April of this year, the new flagship of the Silversea ultra-luxury fleet, the Silver Muse, will sail her inaugural voyage from Monte Carlo. Her arrival is much-anticipated as she is expected to herald the evolution of the Silversea brand and redefine all that is luxury in this segment of cruising. She will carry just 596 guests in less than 300 expansive and beautiful suites. She will be both intimate in feel, yet offer spacious public rooms and bespoke open-air spaces for her fortunate guests. With eight restaurants presenting unrivalled culinary choices, extensive entertainment options and a wealth of distinctive onboard experiences, the Silver Muse will undoubtedly be well received. Offering uncompromising standards of excellence, superb cuisine and quality throughout for her discerning guests, she will sail in the Med this Spring and Summer. She will then sail the Atlantic to Canada and the Eastern seaboard for several fall sailings before heading to warmer waters and sunnier climes as she cruises both in the Caribbean and South America during the winter months. In 2017 Silver Muse will call upon a total of 34 countries, 130 ports and numerous UNESCO sites. Join us in welcoming Silver Muse, the 9th ship in the renowned Silversea fleet with expedition vessels as well as classic ocean-going ships, as the bar is yet again raised with the many hallmarks of the Silversea experience.
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Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
photo courtesy celebrity
A new, Simply Divinesm Silversea Ship
> celebrity cruises
Celebrity has the Edge Celebrity Cruises has announced the coming of their first new generation of cruise ships since 2008, beginning with the new Celebrity Edge and the Celebrity Beyond. The Edge Class, according to Celebrity’s Chairman and CEO, will change the way travelers see the world. “Edge Class is destined to be a trailblazer in modern luxury travel,” said Richard D. Fain, Chairman and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. “The new ships will be on the cutting edge of innovation and the leading edge of design, so the ship names are spot on and offer a sense of how Celebrity Cruises is looking into the future.” Joining forces is design icon Nate Berkus, who has been named the Design Ambassador of this newest class and will offer his expertise and talent to create stunningly designed ships at sea. The company expects delivery of Celebrity Edge in Fall 2018 while Celebrity Beyond is scheduled for delivery in Spring 2020, and the third and fourth Edge Class ships in Fall 2021 and Fall 2022, respectively.
> seabourn
A Singapore christening for Seabourn Encore
photos courtesy seabourn
The exquisite Seabourn Encore was introduced to the cruise world at a festive evening ceremony pier side in Singapore recently. The naming ceremony was presided over by international recording artist and world’s best-selling soprano Sarah Brightman who sent a bottle of Champagne smashing against the hull, beginning her reign as godmother of the new 600-guest ship, the first of two new all-suite vessels for the company. Following the naming ceremony, Seabourn Encore departed on her inaugural voyage, the 10-day Gems of the Java Sea cruise, bound for Indonesia. She sails in Asia and Arabia till the Spring when she journeys to the Med for a series of cruises in those waters. Sister ship, Seabourn Ovation is scheduled to join the fleet in Spring 2018 and will sail a series of voyages in and around Europe between May and November, 2018. The Encore is also marking the formal debut of several new onboard partner programs including Spa and Wellness with Dr. Andrew Weil, a holistic experience that integrates physical, social, environmental and spiritual well-being; a new production show, An Evening with Tim Rice’, created exclusively for Seabourn; and The Grill by Thomas Keller, a restaurant inspired by the classic American chophouse that first opened on Seabourn Quest last year. All three partner programs will be rolled out across the entire Seabourn fleet by 2018. The Seabourn Encore is the fourth ultra-luxury vessel to join the much lauded Seabourn fleet and the first of two ships to be designed by hospitality design icon Adam D. Tihany. With the intent to have the ship feel more like a luxury yacht, the Seabourn Encore features modern design elements and innovations, all in keeping with Seabourn’s reputation for understated elegance. New features include The Retreat, a for-charge sanctuary for the ultimate in relaxation, and Sushi – offering a unique one-of-a-kind dining experience.
The Grill by Thomas Keller Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
9
AMADEUS RIVER CRUISES the best value in Luxury River Cruising!
Boasting nearly 40 years of excellence
IN EUROPEAN RIVER CRUISING
CLASSICAL RHINE
Sailing from Amsterdam to Basel
$2,934 CAD PER PERSON* ALL INCLUSIVE INCLUDES: 8 night cruise • round trip airport transfers • shore excursions in every port prepaid gratutites Departs: October 3, 2017 | Category C4 Other dates and itineraries available – please enquire! PORTS OF CALL: Amsterdam | Hoorn | Cologne | Cochem | Koblenz Lorelei | Rudeshiem | Mannheim | Speyer | Strasbourg | Basel
Limited time BONUS added value!
On this scenery-packed, journey, you’ll see and experience it all, from Amsterdam through the Lower Rhine and along the fabled Rhine Gorge, beloved by the Romantics and explorers through the ages for its picturesque beauty and ancient legends.
Amadeus River Cruises offers you the luxury River Cruise Experience you expect – and the Value you didn’t!
Select your Bonus: • Savings of $200 per person or • Shipboard credit of €300 per stateroom
exclusivetours.ca ON–4499356/4499372 200-111 Peter Street, Toronto, ON M5V 2H1
*Rate is per person, double occupancy in CAD dollars. Select your Bonus is a limited time offer. One bonus per stateroom.
Celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday with one of National Geographic’s 50 Trips of a Lifetime!
THE MIGHTY ST. LAWRENCE Québec City, QC; Saguenay Fjord, Lower Saint Lawrence, Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, Forillon National Park/Gaspé, Île Bonaventure National Park/Percé, Magdalen Islands, QC, Cape Breton Island, Expedition Stop, Saint-Pierre, FR
$6265 pp, CAT 3§ SAVE
15%
for bookings made by March 31! Single cabins available.
Other 2017 Canadian Adventures include: Circumnavigate Newfoundland Bafflin Island Floe Edge – Narwhals & Polar Bears Heart of the Arctic Belugas, Bears and Blooms Arctic Safari Wild Greenland and Labrador Bears of Churchill
§Rate is in CAD dollars, cruise only and based on double occupancy.
exclusivetours.ca
MULTIPLE AWARD-WINNING
SMALL-SHIP CRUISING Offering incredible inclusive pricing
voyagestoantiquity.com
Top Reasons to experience Voyages to Antiquity in 2017! • Only 350 passengers—this small ship slips into intimate ports inaccessible by larger vessels FROM
5,595†CAD
$
PER PERSON ITALIAN & ADRIATIC HIGHLIGHTS
Lisbon to Rome Sep 12, 2017 | 16 days
Sail from the treasures of Imperial Rome to the canals, palaces and museums of Venice. Other highlights include the magnificent Amalfi Coast, the evocative ruins of Pompeii, the charming Croatian ports of Split and Dubrovnik and the Renaissance art of Urbino.
2-night hotel stay in Rome
FROM
4,995†CAD
$
PER PERSON ANDALUSIAN SPAIN & MOROCCO
Malaga to Seville Oct 28, 2017 | 13 days
Explore marvelous Morocco including the labyrinthine souks of Fez and Marrakesh, medieval Rabat and the Roman city of Volubilis. The journey is topped-and-tailed by the greatest sites in Spain: Cordoba and the palaces and gardens of the Alhambra in Granada.
1-night hotel stay in both Fez and Marrakesh; 2-night hotel in Seville
exclusivetours.ca
† Rates are in Canadian dollars, per person, based on double occupancy in cat. M, and subject to availability. Rates do not include air. Air add-ons available from $695 CAD from several gateways, please enquire. Offers are time sensitive and can be withdrawn at any time. Please see exclusivetours.ca for full terms and conditions.
• Award-winning lecture and enrichment programs • Port intensive itineraries many with overnight stays in the most alluring destinations • Pre and Post Hotel and tour programs included • Complimentary free flowing wines and beer served with dinner • Complimentary shore excursions in every port • Tremendous value in enrichment cruising
lisegagne / istock
| newsworthy
photo courtesy star clippers
Amadeus Cruises
> uniworld
> star clippers
U by Uniworld concept — offering millennial focused river cruises to debut in early 2018
And the name is... the Flying Clipper
Millennials, take note. U BY UNIWORLD is coming. In early 2018, sailings will begin, offering immersive, authentic and adventurous experiences for travelers between the ages of 18-40. This next generation of river cruisers, will sail along the Instagram and Snapchat-worthy rivers of Europe and amazing cities such as Amsterdam, Paris and Budapest. Uniworld’s existing ships – the River Baroness and the River Ambassador – will undergo extensive renovations and design changes and be completely dedicated to U BY UNIWORLD. With a contemporary look and feel in all public areas, the ships will offer a new culinary program, creative mixologists, shared dining tables and international DJs. Longer port stays will allow guests to connect to local experiences and vibrant nightlife, to meet locals, discover restaurants and enjoy either adventurous guided excursions or time for independent discovery. A social media campaign, #AllAboutU, will also be launched to collate personalized suggestions and requests for all aspects of the U BY UNIWORLD experience. To join in, use the #AllAboutU hashtag on Twitter, Instagram and the Uniworld Facebook page.
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Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
Flying Clipper
Star Clippers announced the name of their newest ship last year – the Flying Clipper. Launching in 2018, the Flying Clipper will be the largest of the Star Clipper fleet at 300 guests and will be a near replica of the dramatic France II, the largest square rig sailing ship ever built. Powered by 35 sails, the Flying Clipper will be the largest ship of its kind afloat today. This summer, Star Clipper’s fleet will sail for the first time in Indonesia, offering seven to 11 night itineraries. All Star Clipper ships now offer highly popular themed cruises that focus on yoga, Pilates, wine, opera, meditation, fashion, fitness, history and much more. This year, in celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday, and their own 25th Anniversary, Star Clipper is offering an amazing 65 percent rate reduction with an added three percent reduction for returning guests. Their Canadian Dollar brochure is available and can be found through Canadian travel retailers.
> holland america
EXC Comes to Holland America Guests onboard Holland America ships are in for a world of adventure with the launch of Explorations Central (EXC). A multi-faceted experience, EXC will include the transformation of the Crow’s Nest to a comprehensive resource and engagement center featuring in-depth content, digital storytelling and interactive video experiences on subjects ranging from travel and food to the arts as well as visits from local artists, performers and experts. In an industry first, EXC will feature a virtual ship’s bridge with real-time data from the ship’s actual bridge. Other exciting innovations include EXC Encounters - informal small-group gatherings hosted by the EXC, online EXC Port Guides using tips and information from AFAR Media, and printed EXC Port Maps. Stateroom televisions will offer the EXC Channel featuring a selection of curated films, documentaries and TV shows. EXC programming begins in early 2017 and will roll out across the entire fleet by the end of the year. The EXC shipboard center will debut aboard ms Westerdam in April 2017.
courtesy newfoundland and labrador tourism photo courtesy holland america
photo courtesy regent
L’Anse Meadows Viking settlement
EXC Lounge
Regent Seven Seas Mariner in Alaska
> amadeus river cruises
> regent seven seas cruises
Exclusive launches Amadeus and Canadian pricing
Fleet-wide silver jubilee celebration
Amadeus has recently launched in Canada in partnership with Toronto based Exclusive Tours and is offering special Canadian dollar pricing. Amadeus, formerly known as Lueftner River Cruises is owned by the Lueftner family, who have a stellar reputation for providing luxury European river cruise experiences over a 40 year period. The newest ships in the fleet include The Silver, Silver II and Silver III and new this year, the Amadeus Provence. The well-appointed staterooms measure 188 sq. ft. and offer ample storage including walk-in closets and French balconies.There are also 12 suites which include additional living space as well as outdoor and French balconies. Included meals include a buffet-style breakfast with some made to order items. Lunch and dinner are three or four courses, featuring regional specialties and free flowing wine and beer. The English speaking staff are gracious and attentive. Shore excursions are not included in the base fare of the cruise, but can be added à la carte, or pre- purchased in three different bundled packages. Amadeus features a number of classic itineraries through the rivers of Europe including the Danube, Rhine, Main, Moselle, Rhone, Soane, Seine, and the French and Belgium waterways. With the shore excursions packaged into the cruise fare, the rates are extremely competitive to other similar river cruise ships.
> globus family of brands
Celebrating North America in 2017 In 2017, Globus and Cosmos are in the “picture perfect” celebration business – sharing a great lineup of escorted North American tours with their guests and putting a special focus on Canada’s 150th birthday. With dozens of itineraries designed to show guests everything from the beautiful rock formations on the rocky shores of New Brunswick, to the sweeping prairie wheat fields, to the rugged Rockies, to the place where the sun rises first and the Vikings landed more than 1,000 years ago – there’s never been a better time to see Canada and help her blow out the candles on her cake. It’s fabulous – but Canada is only one of the three countries Globus is featuring. Says Stéphanie Bishop, managing director for the Globus family of brands in Canada: “Whether you want to soak in that famous Southern hospitality, experience the majesty of Alaska or get to know your own country a bit better – it’s all there for you.” In all, the company will feature 47 itineraries across Canada, the US and Mexico this year.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is ready for a year-long, fleet-wide celebration to mark the company’s 25th anniversary with 25 special voyages featuring all four ships, and a variety of exclusive silver jubilee itineraries, activities and events. Journey across Europe on the line’s newest ship, the stunning Seven Seas Explorer, or explore Asia on the newly renovated Seven Seas Voyager; discover the natural wonders in Alaska aboard Seven Seas Mariner or traverse the Panama Canal, aboard Seven Seas Navigator – it’s all about celebrating 25 wonderful years! These 25 voyages will feature an exciting new dining concept launched exclusively for the anniversary celebration. On select days at sea, guests will stroll a red carpet into the Compass Rose galley for a spectacular lunch buffet hosted by the world-class chefs onboard. A special Silver Anniversary Tastings program will also be introduced. In addition to the usual complimentary inclusive fine wines and spirits, guests will have the opportunity to participate in special wine, whiskey and cocktail tasting seminars featuring exclusive vintages and premier spirits. Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
13
James Wheeler / shutterstock
photo courtesy windstar
| newsworthy
> tauck
> collette tours
High on heli-exploring adventures
A fresh focus on North America for 2017
This summer, mountain-lovers will be thrilled to explore with Tauck on its helicopter-assisted alpine explorations in the Canadian Rockies. The company’s seven-day “Bugaboos Adventure” was last offered in 2015 during Tauck’s 90th anniversary observance, in celebration of the innovative spirit that led Tauck chairman Arthur Tauck Jr. to invent helicopter-assisted hiking, or heli-hiking, in the 1970s. In 2017, Tauck will offer three departures of “Bugaboos Adventure” as part of its recently-announced portfolio of 2017 North American itineraries, which will also feature three unique, single-departure Tauck Events - “The Tauck Jazz Event” a music-filled exploration in New Orleans; “Run For the Roses”, a celebration of the traditions of Kentucky’s Bluegrass region including an all-inclusive VIP experience at the 143rd running of the Kentucky Derby; and “The Tauck New York City Event” as well as major enhancements to sev eral other tours. Tauck has seen its North America business surge this year, with a particularly large spike in its National Parks tours due to the 2016 National Park Service centennial celebration, and the company’s ongoing partnership with the naturalist filmmaker Ken Burns.
> windstar
Cruise away from the crowds In 2017-18, Windstar’s all-suite Star Legend yacht will sail to exciting new harbors in Japan, China, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Borneo, Egypt, India and more. With just 212 guests aboard, the Star Legend will pamper guests on 10 to 18 day itineraries that will include dozens of off-the-beaten path maiden port calls. Designed to immerse travelers in local cultures, these small ship cruises offer all the exclusive comforts and culinary delights of a private yacht. Her sleek, compact size will enable Star Legend to sail into the hub of must-see Asian cities leaving larger ships to dock on the outskirts. She’ll sail the routes less traveled, visit out-of-the-way islands, and discover charming harbors on itineraries carefully crafted with scenic cruising and active exploration in mind. The new itineraries not only span cosmopolitan marvels like Dubai, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Tokyo but also explore the smaller ports and villages, unspoiled islands, and exotic shores of Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, South Korea, Borneo and the Philippines. 14
Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
From the glorious, snow-capped peaks of the Canadian Rockies, to the Europeanflavor of Quebec City, to the hot theater district of New York and the laid-back hospitality of the U.S. deep south, Collette Tours gives guests a great introduction to North America with its 2017 tour lineup. The stay-cation that gives us all a chance to explore our homeland has never been more popular. Guests can choose from a spectacular lineup of tours from the Grand Canyon to the Bay of Fundy and far beyond, offered in a number of different styles designed to appeal to a range of travelers with widely different tastes: Classic – refined group travel that includes several stops; Spotlight – an intensive destination exploration with a single hotel base; Explorations – small group adventures for active guests; Faith – inspiring faith-based tours and a wide selection of river cruises. Collette is a third generation, familyowned company with offices in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN RIVER CRU IS ING Welcome aboard... where the ambiance is congenial... the exclusive shore excursions go beyond the ordinary... and if it means a better travel experience, it’s included.
Inspired by the Destination Delivering truly inspirational travel experiences has defined Tauck for the past 90+ years. Deep destination knowledge and longstanding local relationships create exclusive and authentic cultural experiences ashore. Every Tauck river cruise is well-choreographed to connect you with people, places and daily life along Europe’s great rivers. This is the Europe you’ve dreamed of... with you at the very heart of it.
DISTINCTIVELY INCLUSIVE RIVER CRUISES Contact your preferred travel advisor for more information on our 2018 journeys.
| staying places
A longing for Tofino’s Long Beach Lodge
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Great Room
Pacific Penthouse Suite
snug solitude of your room, beside your own hearth or gather with other guests in the dining room? The excellent menu – featuring lots of local seafood as well as the kind of comfort food you crave on a stormy night – will no doubt draw you in, as will the fun of sharing a storm party with other guests. Ask for a table by the massive front window – the best place of all to watch the wildest of waves crashing against the shore and hear the wind shrieking and howling. You’ll never feel more grateful to be inside with a lovely hot meal on the table in front of you. — liz fleming
Photos courtesy Long beach lodge
When do you hope for terrible weather on a holiday? When you’re staying at the Long Beach Lodge in Tofino, on the wild shores of Vancouver Island. There, the bigger the storm, the better. Like many shore-facing hotels in Tofino, the Long Beach Lodge welcomes wind, waves and water. Family-owned, the Long Beach Lodge and its nearby collection of guest condos, offers gracious rooms featuring gas fireplaces, soft armchairs and expansive sliding glass doors overlooking the ocean. Slip on the slicker the hotel thoughtfully provides in your room, head for the beach and poke at the rock-hard kelp bulbs that have washed ashore. Collect delicate blush-beige sand dollars and skip the flat stones, but keep your eyes on the skies and your fingers crossed. With any luck that bit of wind will whip itself into a good blow. When the sky darkens and the storm begins to rage, hurry inside and make a tough decision. Will you ride it out in the
Photos courtesy starwood hotels
Makeover in Montréal: Le Meridien Versailles Canada’s only Le Meridien hotel, the Versailles in downtown Montréal has undergone a transformation: a design update and introduction of Le Meridien’s global signature lifestyle elements. Glamor greets me when I enter Le Meridien Versailles. Sophisticated art by local Adlan Kaezar dominates the view. The gold and black installation behind the massive marble reception is Montréal’s street grid. Subliminally, I am already immersed in the culture of the city as I check in. My room has a luxe midnight-blue fabric wall and a crystal ball chandelier, conscious nods to Montréal’s textile and fashion pre-eminence. Unexpectedly on the desk: a plated éclair, thanks to celebrated chef Johnny Iuzzini, who creates custom versions for each of Le Meridien’s destinations. Montréal’s has maple syrup - of course! Also poutine-inspired cheese curd, local malt nuggets and a soupcon of Montréal steak spice. Sweet or savory? I’ll have another later to decide.
Downstairs, not a lobby, but the Hub, the focal point of Le Meridien’s new hotel community experience. A space that alters from day to evening with a ‘lighting ceremony’ unique to each hotel. Café au lait? Why not. Device charging station? Of course. At Le Meridien Versailles, sleek, locally-crafted mid-century modern furniture projects a Rat Pack vibe that shifts with us from morning coffee to evening cocktail party. Sip at the bar, the high communal table, in a low lounge chair, or on the sidewalk terrace. The next morning, we shift gears again. In a nod to Le Meridien’s Parisian roots, they’ve launched a cycling program; we take stylish bicycles to a picnic lunch. The re-launched Le Meridien Versailles is a chameleon with panache, transitioning effortlessly from business to pleasure, day to evening, with a uniquely and consciously Montréal style. —lynn elmhirst
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| insider's view
Atrium
There is something very special about cruising or crossing an ocean on a Cunard Line vessel, and none is more venerable than the recently remastered Queen Mary 2, a gracious and charming Grande Dame of the sea and flagship of the fleet. The pride and indeed, the love for this stylish ship, was very evident when I cruised on her last summer, just after she had emerged from an extensive make-over – a suitable buffing for a ship that had just turned 12.
VANESSA LEE
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Having sailed Queen Mary 2 on more than a few occasions, I knew her well. With all the design changes and onboard enhancements, it was rather fun to find some enjoyable new spots on board. At the same time however, we enjoyed seeking out old favorites such as the very sexy, fabulous Champagne Bar from Veuve Clicquot. This gorgeous art-deco spot transports one back to the original Queen Mary and the illustrious heyday of transatlantic crossings back in the 1930s through to the 1950s. When the ship really gets her glam on – such as on the night of the renowned Black and White Ball, with ladies in long evening gowns and gentlemen in dinner jackets and tuxedos – this lounge, along with the adjoining Chart Room are the hot spots in which to see and be seen. One does feel very special – in a way that is unique to Cunard and their storied history of grand ships, but even more so, to the timeless sophistication of such grand events. This ship has always projected an air of understated elegance and glamour, and with her remastering she is more brightly burnished than ever. As a Cunard Liner,
Photos courtesy cunard
A Queen reborn
the Queen Mary 2 has a certain responsibility to the legacy of the fleet that has come before. In keeping with the history of those fabled predecessors and particularly the first Queen Mary built in the time of the art-deco movement, there is a definite nod to the tradition of storied ocean liners, criss-crossing the Atlantic and heading out on grand journeys and spectacular world cruises – something for which Cunard is appropriately known. Queen Mary 2 remains the only ship in the world that regularly spends a week crossing the Atlantic Ocean between the excitement of New York City and Southampton in Southern England, offering her guests the chance to truly relax, recharge and perhaps enjoy some well-deserved self-indulgence. The remastering brought a few notable additions to QM2 which we found to be extremely popular and a welcome change for guests, many of whom sail this liner on numerous voyages. The long underused Winter Garden room has been completely renovated and is now the Carinthia Lounge (the name being another long-standing Cunard one), a convivial and social gathering place during the day and into the early evening. There is entertainment here, a bar with some small bites of food offered and a fabulous wall of ports taken from a collection of very special vintages, many from years pivotal to Cunard’s lengthy and impressive history. The line, in fact, dates back to 1840 when Samuel Cunard of Halifax inaugurated a steamship line (latterly becoming Cunard) to carry mail across the Atlantic between the New World and the Old.
Verandah Restaurant
Queens Grill Restaurant
Champagne Bar Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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| insider’s view
Queens Grill Suite
Princess Grill Suite
Another area of the ship we very much enjoyed was the Verandah Restaurant on Deck 8 (replacing the Todd English alternative restaurant) which is a perfectly lovely and exquisitely designed room. Offering superb cuisine, attentive and charming service, the wonderful atmosphere makes this a must for an intimate and delicious, worldclass dining experience with an emphasis on French cuisine. Reservations are required and there is a small per person dining charge – well worth it. All three ships in the Cunard fleet now have such a restaurant on board. Particular attention has been paid to both the Princess Grill and Queens Grill lavish suite accommodations, as well as the Grills cocktail lounge and of course, the very special Grill Restaurants offering what I believe to be some of the finest dining at sea. When reserving one of the spacious and exceptional suites in either the Princess Grill or Queens Grill categories, guests have access to their own restaurant, the aforementioned lounge for 20
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morning coffee, afternoon tea and cocktails as well as certain deck areas reserved specifically for them – and, often to a personal butler depending on the accommodations chosen. To sail as our forebears did, in the lap of luxury and to really appreciate Cunard at its finest, then pamper yourself with a choice of one of the Grills, it’s an experience that’s sure to delight. These areas of the ship have been refurbished with great care and with the use of rich fabrics in just the right colors, gorgeous carpets and wall covering and draperies, many again created with a nod to the original and venerable Queen Mary. Other areas experiencing changes include the Kings Court buffet which has been refreshed and redesigned; there are now 10 more kennels offering creature comforts for our four-legged friends (even the occasional bunny rabbit!), and there is also the superstructure change that fits seamlessly into the ship and affords Deck 13 with more Britannia Club staterooms, many of which have also been redecorated. The cuisine in all dining venues has been enhanced, the butler service refined, the wine list updated to offer 468 varieties, and the curated onboard events and entertainment, including the award-winning Insights program are as impressive as ever. There is no doubt this remastering and the investment of more than $132 million has made the much-loved QM2 even more elegant and charming. Bravo Cunard… this lavish transformation has captured our attention and our accolades and we wish Queen Mary 2 along with her sisters, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, fair seas, prevailing winds and a continued bright future. n If You Go Queen Mary 2 sails on a number of transatlantic voyages from spring to fall each year as well as some European cruises and longer voyages. See your travel professional for details on booking and go to www.cunard.com for details.
Princess Grill Restaurant
Britannia Restaurant Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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Canada a celebration
When the Fathers of Confederation sat down at that long-ago Charlottetown meeting to forge the agreement that would give birth to Canada, they had no concept of the wonders their union encompassed. In those days, travel was arduous and limited – people rarely had a chance to experience the absolute glories of our country. Today, we have the great gift of easy mobility and this year, our 150th birthday, is the time to take advantage, to explore from the rugged slopes of the Rocky Mountains, to the Bay of Fundy’s world-record-high-tides, to the windswept wheat fields of the prairies, to the glistening ice of the Canadian arctic and beyond. Ours is not only one of the safest, most progressive and most admired countries in the world, but it’s also the most beautiful. Think of this section as your must-see-must-do list for Canada’s birthday year. We’re guessing you’ve seen some of the iconic spots on our list while others will be entirely new to you. In combination, they form the heart’s blood of our nation and we invite you to celebrate them all.
© Parks Canada / Drue Kendrick
Located off the coast of British Columbia, just north of Vancouver Island, is Haida Gwaii: an archipelago that is as prized for its natural beauty as for its rich and often complicated history intertwined with the Haida First Nation. Haida Gwaii means, “Islands of the Haida People” but you might recognize its former name – the Queen Charlotte Islands. During colonial times, as many as 10,000 people called Haida Gwaii home, but today, the population is less than half. The ceremonial totem and mortuary poles that once stood tall on the driftwood-strewn beaches are slowly crumbling, along with the ceremonial longhouses that were the ancestral home of the Haida people. Much of the archipelago is known as the UNESCO World Heritage Site of SGang Gwaay (pronounced skung24
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why). Here, the ancient homelands of the Haida peo ple are slowly being reclaimed by the land. A simple walk through these protected forests (looked after by local Haida residents known as “Watchmen”) reveals the fallen timbers of old ceremonial huts and intricately carved wooden poles, overgrown with moss and vegetation. Off to the east of the island archipelago is the Great Bear Rainforest, home to the famous Kermode, or Spirit Bear, revered by the Haida people. This rare subspecies of black bear, with its gorgeous snow-white coat lives in this protected, old-growth forest – and nowhere else in the world. A visit to Haida Gwaii and the Great Bear Rainforest, two of Canada’s most beautiful and untouched destina tions, is an experience that will change the way you see the wilderness. —aaron saunders
jonmccormackphoto / istock
Haida Gwaii… where Spirit Bears roam
iconic canada
Rocky Mountain high
Facing page: Mortuary poles at SGang Gwaay World Heritage Site. Rare Spirit Bear. This page: Moraine Lake in Banff National Park. Superb powder skiing in the Rockies. Yellow aspen on the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park. Spectacular wildlife viewing.
RONSAN4D / istock
kavram / istock
ZargonDesign / istock
VanH / istock
Visit Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper – and you’ll be struck with Rocky Mountain fever. It’s the ache you feel upon seeing the glaciers that cling like angel’s wings to mountains so lofty, they disappear into the clouds. It’s the longing that overtakes you after seeing the evergreen forests and astonishing, glittering aquamarine lakes. The only cure is to return, and revisit this world-renowned region in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains. Banff and Lake Louise are found in Banff National Park. Spanning 6640.70 sq. km. of wilderness, the park boasts 2,590 km. of hiking trails – more than any other mountain park in the world. We like hiking along the steel catwalks up Johnston Canyon and love the exhilaration of feeling the spray above the thundering waterfalls. And the wildlife? We’ve seen black bears, moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, brilliant blue jays and cheeky chipmunks that grab bits of your sandwich and run. In winter, you can schuss down world-class slopes at Lake Louise Ski Resort and Sunshine Village.
Jasper National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is twice as big as Banff, but its postage-stamp size town, Jasper, is far quainter and has fewer visitors. Connecting the two parks is the 144-mile Icefields Parkway, which stretches between Lake Louise and Jasper. Watch out for the elk and be sure to stop at the Columbia Icefield, North America’s largest sub-polar body of ice. You can ride in a big red “ice explorer” on Athabasca Glacier, then walk along the glass-floored Glacier Skywalk, suspended a jaw-dropping 918 feet above glacier-formed valleys. Talk about a Rocky Mountain high! —janice mucalov Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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iconic canada
Paul Souders / Alamy
Dennis Fast / VWPics / Alamy
GUDKOV ANDREY / shutterstock
Like enormous white clouds, they rose from the blackness of Hudson Bay, their eyes searching for ours, hidden behind our swimming goggles. Stunned, we paddled and clung to the Zodiac’s ropes, six shivering, wet-suited nature lovers making up-close and personal contact with a pod of 30 Beluga whales. “They’re as curious about us as we are about them,” breathed our awe-struck guide. It was a moment that erased the normal barriers between species – a moment when we felt as wild as the whales themselves. One that is unforgettable. That’s what Churchill, Manitoba – that remote outpost of small lodges and outfitting companies in the wildest part of the province – does for nature fanatics. It nestles you deeply into the heart of the natural world. Windswept and rugged, Churchill’s desolate landscape is more than compensated for by its
Bill Bachmann / Alamy
Wild about Churchill
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wildlife viewing. In summer, whale lovers snorkel or kayak with belugas that swim up under the boats to blow bubbles like toddlers in the bath. In winter, polar bear seekers arrive to see the world’s most beautiful and most dangerous bears. The largest of all varieties, polar bears are the only ones who actively hunt people. Though most guests choose to do their viewing and photographing from the windows of large, enclosed all-terrain vehicles called tundra buggies, it is possible to do hiking tours. If you do, you’ll learn the ‘tundraturn’, a 360-degree spin done regularly to help you spy clever, lurking polar bears before they see you! —liz fleming
This page: Visitors enjoy a close encounter with a curious polar bear from the safety of their tundra buggy. Polar bear with cubs. Spectacular Northern lights near Churchill. A ghostly pod of Beluga whales in Hudson Bay. Facing page: Crowds take in a light show at Parliament Hill. Sunset skating on the Rideau Canal. Changing of the Guard at Parliament Hill.
Serega / istock
Christophe Ledent / istock
Steven_Kriemadis / istock
Celebrate the colors of Ottawa Whether it’s spring when the city is awash with 100,000 vibrant tulip blooms, summer, when the nightly Light and Sound extravaganza brightens Parliament Hill, or the catchyour-breath explosion of leaves in autumn or Winterlude, that February celebration of all things frosty, Ottawa’s colors alone are a magnet to draw visitors year-round. Not your typical government city of monochromatic greige government buildings, Ottawa has been bright and beautiful for years. It will be even more so as it celebrates 150 years as a nation. In preparation for the big birthday, the Ottawa 2017 task force has been working for two years to create 12 months of big, bold, colorful and moving experiences. Big Signature Events will animate the entire city, community celebrations will enliven neighborhoods and legacy projects will change the urban landscape. It will be a special year of national pride for all. The celebration launched on New Year’s Eve with an early-evening, family-friendly lighting of a spectacular cauldron and a youthful parade weaving through the downtown streets. The events that follow will include world skating competitions on the Rideau Canal, astonishing magical mechanical creatures to captivate audiences, an enormous picnic on a grass-covered Alexandra Bridge, and more, all culminating on July 1 on Parliament Hill with flyovers by the famed Snowbirds. This biggest birthday bash ever will include a giant street party, free concerts and events, and a new cultural village downtown being built out of sea containers. You’re invited to come see the most colorful Ottawa ever. Happy Birthday Canada! —anna hobbs Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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I still remember the first time I came to Muskoka as a child. Even then, the name “Muskoka” had a magical ring suggesting endless sunny days and crisp pine-scented air. I jumped into the silky soft lake and it was love at first jump! It is, perhaps our most famous lake district spreading east of Georgian Bay in Ontario across vast tracts of forest, outcroppings of ancient pink granite and hundreds of the deepest, clearest blue lakes. That alone would qualify it as a magnificent area, but its fame is based on the cottages that line those rocky shores. ‘Cottaging’ in this
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part of Canada, where loved ones come together to celebrate summer life on the lake, is a much treasured tradition. On the largest lakes, Muskoka, Rosseau and Joseph, many lakefront homes have been in the same family for generations. Beginning in the late 1800s, before there were roads, they arrived by train at the southerly port of Gravenhurst and sailed on steamships to their summer homes. One of these ships, the Segwun, is still sailing, now taking tourists on lake cruises. While the lovely old cottages, and newer, even more grandiose ones, give the region its glamorous aura, there are many more modest places perched on small swaths of shoreline where families have formed equally deep attachments. No matter how big or small the cottage, there is a common goal for those who love Muskoka … to protect its natural beauty and keep it as unchanged as possible in a fast changing world. —judy ross
shsphotography / fotolia
sianc / fotolia
The spirit of Muskoka
iconic canada
Canada is proud to mark her 150th birthday, but Montréal takes the (birthday) cake, celebrating 375 years in 2017! Called Hochelaga by her Iroquois founders, Montréal was a key trading post during the earliest days of New France. As Canada grew and matured, so did Montréal, arguably becoming Canada’s most cosmopolitan city. In 2017, Montréal will pull out all the stops to welcome the world to her party with 175 creative events designed to showcase the city. Grab a paddle and be part of the Ice Canoe Challenge as you brave the frosty St. Lawrence River in February. Celebrate the full Snow Moon on February 11 by cycling through the moonlit streets of Old Montréal or join in the Descente Saint-Denis Soap Box Derby and careen through a 280-metre obstacle course on one of Montréal’s steepest streets. Tour the Aime Comme Montréal exhibits celebrating love and
Facing page: Summer at the cottage. Iconic Muskoka chairs. The steamship Segwun. Loons are a common sight – and sound. This page: Montréal’s lively Place Jacques Cartier. Ice canoe races on the St. Lawrence. Horse and carriage in Old Montréal. Igloofest celebrations.
Courtesy Hivernales 375 / Miguel Legault
katyenka / istock
Courtesy Hivernales 375 / Maxime Riendeau photo
SIME / eStock Photo
Montréal 375: Bon anniversaire
cultural diversity throughout the city, and experience Montréal en Lumière, Illuminart’s Island of Warmth – a bonfire of light bulbs that will flash to life under the heat of human bodies. Spend the 19 weekends between May 12 to September 17 enjoying La Grande Tournée du 375e, a traveling celebration of each of Montréal’s 19 boroughs, held in neighborhood parks and streets. Enjoy concerts, shows and plays, as well as Canada Pride Montréal 2017, a national festival for the Canadian LGBT movement that will feature a parade of “unprecedented size” and much, much more. In 2017 for her 375th birthday, we say Vive Montréal! —liz fleming Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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iconic canada
Listen to the voices of old Quebec City
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© TQ/ Benoit Cecile
© TQ/ Benoit Cecile
© TQ/ Benoit Cecile
© TQ/ Benoit Cecile
buzbuzzer / istock
Ancient voices murmur to you on the streets of old Quebec City, making themselves heard above the laughter of the Winter Carnaval revelers in their puffy parkas and big boots. Their soft whispers rise above the throbbing rhythms of the dance clubs on Grande Allée, above the caleche drivers and their horses pounding down the cobblestone street by the stately Hotel Château Frontenac, and above the chatter of friends meeting for a slice of sugar pie at Les Anciens Canadians, a favorite Quebec City restaurant since 1675. They are the voices of the fur traders who paddled along the St. Lawrence River to Quebec City – four hundred years ago, their canoes sitting heavy in the water, bearing loads of thick fur pelts. They are the Jesuit priests who left France to journey to an unknown place of towering trees and rugged rock, and les habitants who built farms along the river banks and struggled to survive long, bitter winters. They are the soldiers, French and British, who gave their lives at the battle of the Plains of Abraham, in a bloody fight for supremacy in a new land. They are the Iroquois warriors who first welcomed explorer Samuel de Champlain and his men, inviting them to their village or “Kanata” – unwittingly giving our country its name. The whispers and murmurs that resonate in old Quebec City tell of our country’s earliest days and the people who were here to shape her – it’s a story well worth hearing. —liz fleming
aprott / istock
Facing page: Street in the Quartier Petit Champlain. Horse and carriage. Québec City Winter Carnaval mascot, Bonhomme. Duffering Terrace. This page: Hopewell Rocks, Bay of Fundy. Roosevelt Campobello International Park on Campobello Island. Atlantic puffins.
VHcreations / istock
DenisTangneyJr / istock
The Bay of Fundy life It’s one of the seven natural wonders of North America. The Bay of Fundy, which separates New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, gets a hold of you, and doesn’t let go. With the highest tides in the world (it shares the title with Quebec’s Ungava Bay), its waters rise – incredibly – to the height of a five-storey building. Twice a day, more than 160 billion tons of water move in and out. With the tide in, you have the blue ocean. With the tide out, you have the red beach. It’s magnificent. It’s unforgettable. Discovered in 1604 by the French, the Bay of Fundy has been compelling visitors for hundreds of years. You could spend weeks experiencing its National and Provincial Parks, swimming from its sandy beaches, hiking along its dramatic coastline, climbing its striking
cliffs and rock formations, and whale-watching, sea kayaking, and fossil-hunting. History abounds. On Campobello Island, connected to Maine by a bridge, an international park features the 34room “cottage” that was the summer home of US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his family from 1905 to 1921. In Kings County, Nova Scotia, the Grand-Pre National Historic Site marks the deportation of the Acadians by the British from 1755 to 1762. For all its power and bearing, there’s a peacefulness to Fundy, tucked away in Atlantic Canada, halfway between the Equator and the North Pole. Throughout the region there are charming inns, cabins, and bed and breakfasts, and a pace that’s several notches slower than the fast lane – the Bay of Fundy life. —jim gray Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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Courtesy Tourism Nova Scotia
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surviving example of a planned British colonial settlement in North America. Presciently, the Town preserved the wooden architecture of its houses, many brightly-painted, and public buildings. It’s like stepping into centuries past. Lunenburg and Nova Scotia have a proud maritime heritage. It’s fully on display at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic, where you can explore wharf-side vessels, visit an extraordinary aquarium, and board a tall ship, Salt Banker Theresa E. Connor. Other attractions include the Halifax and Southwestern Railway Museum, and the Lunenburg Heritage Society’s Knaut-Rhuland House Museum. Only an hour from Halifax, Lunenburg feels much more remote. It takes you back, to the days of sailing ships, and the timeless sea. —jim gray
aimintang / istock
If there’s a place that embodies the soul of Nova Scotia, it’s Lunenburg. Founded on the province’s magnificent South Shore in 1753, the town of 2,300 seems to appear out of the mists of time. In Lunenburg, it could be 2017. Or 1817. The sea shaped the place. From the era of wooden ships, it established a global reputation for shipbuilding. In 1921, what was to become the world’s fastest racing schooner, Bluenose, was built at the famous Smith and Rhuland Shipyard here. (A replica of the HMS Bounty, for the 1962 movie Mutiny on the Bounty, was also constructed at the facility.) Bluenose II, a faithful replica of the original, sails out of Lunenburg, her birth place. During the summer, you can book a cruise on Nova Scotia’s sailing ambassador. Old Town Lunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage site, features the finest
shaunl / istock
The Bay of Fundy Life Lunenburg: where time and the sea come together
Courtesy Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism
When the glaciers tore their icy path across the world, they left behind breathtaking evidence of their passing. The towering mountains and valleys of Newfoundland’s Gros Morne are some of the most striking remains. It is a place of stunning contrasts. In places, massive rocks, seemingly tossed by some giant hand create a lunar-like landscape, while in others, the sea rises gently to caress sandy shores. Moose, elk, and bear prowl this wild place – one of Canada’s most famous national parks.
Winglessbuzzard / wikimedia commons
Facing page: Lunenburg harbour. RCMP officers with Bluenose II. Fishing dories. This page: Western Brook Pond Fjord, Gros Morne. Lobster traps. Woody Point Lighthouse, Gros Morne National Park. Kissing a cod during “Screeching in” ceremony.
cpjanes / istock
ImagineGolf / istock
The glory of Gros Morne Perhaps the most fascinating creatures in Gros Morne, however, don’t have fur or feathers, scales or gills. The people of this remote corner of Newfoundland are its heart’s blood – and they’ll be the first to tell you so. Rugged enough to withstand some of the harshest cold and wildest seas, Newfoundlanders also offer the warmest welcome in Canada – even if you are a “come-from-away”. Drop by the Ocean View hotel in Rocky Harbour one Friday night and you’ll find yourself a party, for sure, my love! When the band plays I’s the Bye, grab the ugly stick – a broom handle kitted out with bottle caps and jangles, designed to help the least musical among us to perform. Bang it on the floor as you sing along. Before long, you’ll be ‘screeched in’ – a process that involves downing a chunk of baloney, swallowing a throat-searing swig of Newfie Screech and kissing a dead cod. Just go with it – it’ll make you a true Newfoundlander, and that’s a good thing, bye! —liz fleming Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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torngats national park
A place of the
spirits Labrador’s Torngat Mountains are as untouched and jaw-dropping as they were millions of years ago when the glaciers roared through the landscape to create them. Liz Fleming
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Courtesy Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism / Barrett & MacKay Photo
Pat Morrow
© Parks Canada / Heiko Wittenborn
torngats national park
When the helicopter touched down
Photos clockwise from above: Exploring Torngats National Park by helicopter. The North Arm of the Saglek Fjord is among the most ruggedly beautiful areas in the Torngat Mountains. On a cliff overlooking the Base Camp, a traditional stone food cache hides supplies for Inuit hunters and fascinates hikers. Though not seen frequently near the base camp, a rare caribou sighting is a treat. 36
at the brink of the cliff in a remote area of the Torngat Mountains in far northern Labrador, the pilot said, “Not sure I’ve ever landed here before… in fact, I’m not sure anyone has.” Given that we were thousands of feet above sea level, on a plateau that topped sheer cliff faces, it was entirely possible that ours might have been the only human feet ever to touch those rocks, our eyes the first to see that particular view, from that precarious vantage point. Walking on lands so ancient and so untouched is a rare privilege. The need to absorb every experience, to fill our senses with the sights and sounds and smells of everything around us during our precious week at the Torngats Base Camp became an addiction. We were almost afraid to go to sleep at night, fearing we might miss some once-in-a-lifetime experience – like seeing the Northern Lights. Though visible in other parts of the world, the aurora borealis are thought be at their most vivid in Labrador in the summer months. We made a pact. If anyone saw the Northern Lights, they would awaken the rest of us. “Liz… get up. You have to see this”, said an insistent voice. It was 3am. Stepping into the blackness, I stared
Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
upward into the vast black sky. And saw nothing. No lights – not even a green shimmer. I wondered what I was supposed to be looking at. Then Mike pointed into the darkness. Less than a meter beyond the electrified fence surrounding the camp, just beyond my tent, was a massive black bear, rooting around in a blueberry patch. My headlamp glinted off his tiny eyes and he snorted in disgust. Mesmerized by his size, his chewing, and his mindblowing closeness, we froze. Just as we were preparing to sprint for our lives, two shots exploded into the silence. Our bear grunted, then lumbered up the rugged slope behind the camp. The Base Camp bear guards had arrived. Wilderness-wise bear guards patrol the bear fence night and day – they’re one part of the amazing human machine that makes the Torngat Mountain Base Camp and Research Station a reality. Located 200 km north of Nain, the last inhabited community in Labrador, the Torngat Mountain Base Camp is a fantastic partnership between Parks Canada and the Nunasaviut Group, a collective of Inuit people of Labrador and Nunavik. The Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve both showcases
its incredible beauty and protects the Inuit homeland. Though not luxurious, Base Camp accommodations are more than comfortable. Each Intershelter tent and Design Shelter (like a green plastic igloo) has a raised wooden floor and two down-comforter-topped single beds. Given that I’d been expecting a pup tent and a sleeping bag, I was impressed. But what really made the place so fascinating were the people. Having traveled in the north in the past, I’d met Inuit people, seen demonstrations of traditional sports, heard throat singing and watched drum dancing – but from a distance. My week in the Torngats removed all cultural gaps. The Base Camp staff members are all Inuit, so cultural immersion happens naturally. Eat, hike and laugh with people and you’re bound to learn something. For obvious reasons, no one goes beyond the bear fence without an armed bear guard, and most often trips involve small groups – whether hiking to see ancient tent rings, food caches and burial cairns or motoring through the fjords on a sturdy working boat that can brave the wildest water. The Torngat Mountains comprise 9,700 sq km so almost every trip requires a long hike, a ride on the boat or a helicopter flight.
© Parks Canada / Pat Morrow courtesy Torngat Mountains Base Camp and Research Station
While the landscape of the Torngat Mountains is spectacular, the wildlife is equally so. From black bears browsing in the blueberry patches, to their polar bear cousins watching for careless seals to swim close enough for a quick lunch, to the rare caribou, to minke whales breeching and bubbling in the bay while wide-winged golden eagles circled overhead, the wild world of the Torngat Mountains had us reaching for our cameras at every turn. Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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torngats national park
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Generosity is integral to the Inuit spirit, a willingness to share the most precious elements of their cultural heritage. Such open-hearted kindness is humbling. To describe the Torngat world, I learn a few Inuit words: ‘Nanuk’ is the word for the hungry-eyed polar bear on the shore and ‘natsiks’ were the jar seals playing in the water. ‘Pammiuligaks’ are the Minke whales whose mammoth black backs and fins surfaced in the still morning waters and ‘Atlak’, the berry-hunting black bear. ‘Atsanik’ is the magic of the Northern Lights that pulled us from our warm beds night after night, to stand slack-jawed in the cold night air, unable to go back to bed.
Perhaps the most essential word in my Inuit vocabulary is ‘Ilannåk’. I use it to describe the people who shared their char, cooked our meals, taught us throat-singing and drum dancing, flew us to remote plateaus, and kept us safe where we could never survive on our own. It’s the word I use for those who told the stories of their ancestors – the people who welcomed us. ‘Ilannåk’ means friend. n If You Go The Torngat Mountains Base Camp and Research Station is reached by flying first to Goose Bay, then to Nain and finally to a landing strip where the Base Camp boat meets you to transport you the rest of the way. Packages are available that include charter transportation from Goose Bay to Base Camp, accommodations and all meals. www.pc.gc.ca thetorngats.com/plan-your-trip/base-camp-packages
Arctic char drying in the sun. Base Camp illuminated by Northern Lights. Enormous icebergs drift through the blue fjord waters. photos courtesy Torngat Mountains Base Camp and Research Station
On our first boat cruise, the sky was clear and blue. Though I was wearing three coats, a hat and mitts, I still shivered in the August sunshine as I did my best to capture the beauty and the enormity of the landscape with my camera. Torngats means ‘Place of Spirits’ in Inutituk and the fjords seem to echo with the calls of ancient hunters of caribou and seal while the shadows on the rock mimic the ghosts of a nomadic people. When the boat anchored in a cove, the fishing gear came out and I discovered that despite spending every summer of my childhood with a fishing pole in my hand on the St. Lawrence River, I still had a lot to learn. We fished from a rocky beach where the water was mirror-still. After just two casts, a char hit my lure and I fought to bring him in, with my guide buddies cheering in the background. Soon, the biggest of the char caught so far was shimmering on the shore. Raising my arms in victory, I made a rookie mistake and didn’t haul my prize far enough up the rocky beach. Seizing his moment, the char snapped the line and wriggled back into the water. I swallowed my pride as my buddies swallowed their char – raw. A quick whack on the head killed the char, then sharp knives sliced into the glistening body. We ate small chunks of raw flesh right there on the shore and my friends shared generously, though I’d brought nothing to the feast.
pat morrow
pat morrow
The magic of the Northern Lights pulled us from our warm beds night after night, to stand slack-jawed in the cold night air, unable to go back to bed.
Go FURTHER Not FARTHER
CANADA VACATIONS Scenic wonders, rich heritage, warm hospitality…all part of what makes Canada such an intriguing place to visit. Explore its picturesque isles and craggy shores in the east, dazzling mountain lakes and world-class resorts in the Canadian Rockies, cosmopolitan cities, and rugged Yukon Territory. Come face to face with remote fishing villages, intricate totem poles carved by First Nations people, breathtaking national parks, and historic sites. With Globus, you’ll encounter a Canada unlike anything you ever imagined.
Book & deposit by April 25 &
SAVE $574 up to
per couple on 2017 North America vacations*
WEST CANADA SPIRIT OF THE ROCKIES 12 days, roundtrip from Vancouver $6,603* | Based on May 6 & 20, 2017 departures Includes The Rocky Mountaineer ® in Silverleaf service Vancouver • Rocky Mountaineer ®: Kamloops, Banff • Lake Louise • Columbia Icefield • Jasper • Sun Peaks • Whistler • Victoria • Vancouver
MAJESTIC ROCKIES 11 days, from Vancouver to Calgary $3,431* | Based on May 14, 2017 departure Vancouver • Victoria • Whistler • Sun Peaks • Jasper • Columbia Icefield • Lake Louise • Banff • Calgary
EAST CANADA HISTORIC CITIES OF EASTERN CANADA with CANADA 150 YEAR CELEBRATIONS 10 days, from Toronto to Montreal $3,512* | Based on June 26, 2017 departure 2017 marks the 150th year of Canada’s Confederation. Spend an extra night in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city and be part of all the action. Special events will be held around the city and the day is yours to participate in as much as you like. Toronto • Niagara Falls • Thousand Islands National Park • Ottawa • Cap-de-la Madeleine • Québec City • Montréal
WONDERS OF THE MARITIMES & SCENIC CAPE BRETON 9 days, roundtrip from Halifax $2,828* | Based on July 20, 27, August 3 & 31, 2017 departures Halifax—Peggy’s Cove • Moncton • Charlottetown • Pictou • Baddeck • Cape Bretton Highlands National Park • Jeddore Oyster Pond • Halifax
Image: ©Rocky Mountaineer ©
Other applicable Canada vacations & departure dates available, please inquire. Globusjourneys.ca
FOR MORE INFORMATION OR RESERVATIONS, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR PREFERRED TRAVEL CONSULTANT. Featured prices are per person, in Canadian dollars, land only, include all applicable taxes & fees, are based on double occupancy, departure dates as indicated, and reflect the 5% discount. Flights and travel insurance are additional. †Savings of $574 per couple is based on the Great Canadian Rail Journey vacation, June 19 – September 11, 2017 departures. *Book and deposit a 2017 Globus North America vacation to save 5% per person on the land-only portion of the core tour not including extra night accommodations, extensions, taxes/fees, tips or supplements. Booking must be made, under deposit and discount applied by April 25, 2017 for travel in 2017. Offer is not combinable with other promotions EXCEPT the Journeys Club Repeat Traveller benefit, if applicable. Offer reliant on space availability. Applies to new 2017 bookings only. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply; see Travel Terms & Conditions for details. May be withdrawn at any time. Offer is available from participating GFOB offices only. 3280 Bloor St. W, Centre Tower, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M8X 2X3. TICO#1893755/50015835
Courtesy Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism / Barrett & MacKay Photo
cruising canada
Viking huts at L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site in Newfoundland. 40
Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
In the wake of the
VIKINGS
More than a thousand years ago, Leif Erikson arrived on the shores of present-day Newfoundland. His Viking settlement would go undiscovered until the 1960s, when the significance of present-day L’anse aux Meadows was recognized. It’s no accident that Viking Cruises chose this historic location as the first North American port of call on the company’s first-ever journey across the Atlantic. aaron saunders
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This page: Interior of a Viking hut at L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site in Newfoundland. Saguenay Fjord National Park. 42
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© TQ/ Outpost
For a city that gets over 230 days of rain per year, it was unseasonably warm and sunny when I embarked Viking Star at her berth in Bergen, Norway on September 18. With the Norwegian flag billowing from her stern (the ship is registered in Bergen), Viking Star sailed away from her homeport and out into the open Atlantic for the first time. She would not see her home again for half a year. Our crossing took us in the wake of the Vikings – literally. First, we called on Lerwick, in Scotland’s Shetland Islands, where rolling hills and distilleries are the order of the day. A planned call on Torshavn, in the Faroe Islands, had to be scrapped when we encountered rough seas. Like a true Viking, we sailed smack into a fall storm, with 45 foot seas and gale force winds that persisted for a full day until it disappeared into nothing, leaving us to sail relatively unscathed into Reykjavik, Iceland. After calls on the ruggedly beautiful towns of Nanortalik and Qaqortoq, Greenland, guests aboard Viking Star had their first glimpse of North America. The northernmost tip of Newfoundland came into view off our bow, on a sunny day with clear skies. Tenders were lowered, and guests set out to explore the ancient Viking settlements at L’Anse aux Meadows.
Courtesy Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism
Three years ago, Viking’s ocean cruise division was nothing more than a spark in Chairman Torstein Hagen’s imagination. Now, its flagship, the 930-guest Viking Star, has completed her first-ever transatlantic crossing as Viking prepares to operate its very first cruises in North America – and Canada is playing a starring role. In fact, the entire latter half of this historic itinerary is exclusively Canadian, with not a single American port of call to be found.
It’s here that Viking’s way of thinking really pays off. Rather than charging guests for each excursion, Viking offers at least one (and sometimes two or three) complimentary shore excursions in each port of call. Appropriately, today’s Viking Experience was a complimentary half-day tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site at L’Anse aux Meadows. What’s truly remarkable about Viking’s decision to call on L’Anse aux Meadows is just how difficult it is to get here by any other means. More ships call on Greenland than they do here, and those that do are typically small, expensive expedition cruises. The visit is more than memorable as it offers the opportunity to imagine yourself, 500 years before Columbus, stepping off your late 10th century ship with Viking Leif
Erikson as he led the first European landing. As you wander the rugged seaside setting on the northernmost tip of Newfoundland, see millennium-old remains, and tour a Viking sod longhouse, you’ll gain a new appreciation for the courage of the Vikings. Viking Star bypassed biggername ports like St. John’s and Charlottetown in favor of petite Saguenay, Quebec – and the townspeople of the city let those onboard know how happy they were. I was awoken bright and early in the morning by the sound of a francophone man’s voice coming over a loudspeaker, and looked out to see dozens of locals crowding the quay. They were dressed in period costumes and danced with guests and crew in the brilliant sunshine.
© TQ/ laurene bath
Pgiam / istock
The scent of homemade blueberry pies wafted through the air, with guests being offered a slice as they disembarked, along with local blueberry juice and traditional maple syrup, served up on a stick, over ice, just like the old days. Our local host welcomed us to Quebec, then turned
in the direction of Viking Star’s navigation bridge. “Captain!”, he said, “Blow your horn!” A minute later, Viking Star’s deep whistles echoed off the mountains of Saguenay Fjord. Saguenay should be on any cruiser’s wish-list. A quaint town with plenty of Quebecois charm, just strolling its tidy streets and enjoying a bowl of poutine (a local dish with French fries, cheese curds and gravy) should satisfy most. For others, Viking pulled out all the stops here, with flightseeing tours of the Saguenay Fjord; home-hosted visits where locals invited guests in for tea, coffee and homemade desserts; and in-depth explorations of the countryside. Viking saved the very best for last, with a final port of call on Quebec City – the historic home of the Plains of Abraham, the Fairmont Hotel
Château Frontenac, and the city’s old-world Quartier Petit Champlain, named for Samuel de Champlain who founded Quebec in 1608. Even with tourists crowding the city from the five different ships docked on my visit, it was hard to not feel a moment of awe as we ascended the so-called Breakneck Stairs – the oldest stairway in Quebec City – and came upon the imposing Château Frontenac and a street scene more reminiscent of France than Canada. Even for Canadians, this is a chance to see our country in an entirely new way. No two parts of Canada are wholly alike, and Viking has picked some of the best examples to round out the last week of its 15-day crossing between Bergen, Norway and Montréal, where my journey came to an end.
This page: The Château Frontenac dominates the view of historic Québec City. Frozen maple syrup on a stick.
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Aaron Saunders
cruising canada
Viking Star in Nanortalik, Greenland
If You Go There’s no better way to see the eastern coast of Canada than on a luxury cruise ship, and Viking is a great choice. For more information visit http://www.vikingcruisescanada.com 44
Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
photo courtesy viking
Torstein Hagen likes to call this the “thinking man’s cruise.” It’s not hard to see why: books on exploration line the shelves of every public room, from the two-deck Explorer’s Lounge on Decks 7 and 8, to the cozy living room on Deck 1 that also doubles as the ship’s threestorey atrium. Viking has styled its ocean cruise experience after the one it has nearly perfected on the rivers of Europe, with similar Scandinavian influences throughout the ship’s interior décor. There’s no nickel-and-diming onboard, with beer, wine and soft drinks provided complimentary with lunch and dinner; free Wi-Fi internet access; a choice of complimentary shore excursions; and one of the best thermal suites at sea, complete with heated loungers, a steam room, a snow room, aromatic showers, and a massive hydrotherapy pool served up to guests for no additional charge. Viking is offering its In the Wake of the Vikings journey between Norway and Canada again for the 2017 season, with Viking Sky and Viking Sea both heading across the Atlantic in September. n
Living Room
Explorer’s Lounge
photo courtesy viking
This Viking’s a Real Star
There’s always
e r o m
to explore in Canada
As we approach our
150th birthday, it’s a great time to stop, look around and remind ourselves that CANADA is AMAZING. Celebrate Canada Day
and SAVE $150 per person!*
Travel is a part of who we are and right here at home you’ll find endless possibilities. Whether it’s the history of Quebec, the wildlife of Alberta, the beauty of Vancouver or the seafaring culture of the Maritimes, there’s always more to explore with Collette.
Celebrate all Year Long and Win! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for details. Facebook.com/gocollette Instagram.com/gocollette
For more information or to book, see your preferred travel agent or visit gocollette.com *SAVE $150 CAD with offer code CANADA150, applicable for bookings made 02/01/17 - 07/31/17 on Canadian tours, specific dates departing 02/01/17 - 04/30/18. Offers are not valid on group or existing bookings, and not combinable with any other offer. Other restrictions may apply. Offer may be withdrawn at any time. Call for details. Travel Industry Council of Ontario Reg. #3206405; B.C. Reg. #23337
oh canada
Leon Werdinger / Alamy
photo courtesy rocky mountaineer
Undiscovered. Unforgettable.
Some of the following ten places we’ve highlighted may be known to you. Likely some are not. We urge you to explore more of Canada this year and add to your own list, those parts of our glorious land that you deem to be Undiscovered and Unforgettable.
True north Paddling down the Nahanni River should be on every adventure traveler’s bucket list. Breathtakingly beautiful, the Nahanni is Canada’s premier wilderness river. Located in the Northwest Territories and over 500 km long, this majestic body of water offers spectacular mountain vistas, runs through Canada’s deepest river canyons, past hot springs and a waterfall almost twice the height of Niagara. The surrounding forests are home to grizzlies, moose, wolves and caribou. This is truly an experience where the everyday world is forgotten and senses are opened to the peace and tranquility that only nature offers. Particularly for families, the Nahanni will provide memories to be shared over a lifetime. —john eckert 46
Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
Riding the Rails on the Rocky Mountaineer Many spectacular Rocky Mountain passes, gorges and summits are inaccessible by foot, by boat, or car – only the rails of the Rocky Mountaineer reach them. That’s why the best views of Canada’s most famous mountain range are from this iconic train. Since 1990, more than two million mountain-loving guests have traveled with the world’s largest privately owned luxury tourist train company. Whether you start in Vancouver and make overnight stops in Kamloops, Lake Louise, Banff or Jasper or begin further south in Seattle and do the full coastal run to Vancouver first, you’ll never forget this trip. —liz fleming
Blowing in the wind
© Parks Canada / Kevin Hogarth
When you close your eyes, all you hear is the wind and the rush of prairie grasses at Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan. This is how the wide-open plain is meant to be experienced – surrounded by blue sky, scrubby hills formed by shifting glaciers and, foremost, space as far as the eye can see. This is one of the largest remaining intact mixed-grass prairielands in Canada and if you become weary while trying to identify all 70 species of grasses, you can play spot the bison or prairie dog, stargaze, then sleep under the stars or hike on plentiful trails. —janice tober
The Beauty of the Ice
On a patch of prairie at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers stands the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. Enter its dark belly and move through the Great Hall to the Tower of Hope, a 23-storey illuminated spire pointing like a beacon, shifting from darkness to light along a kilometer of glowing alabaster ramps. The CHMR encourages interaction, poses questions and never buries visitors in facts. Global events, notable documents, personal stories and powerful artworks provide a multilayered view of human rights. Without avoiding the past, the museum points to a better future in the fight for freedom and equality. —janice tober
liz fleming
You have the right Canadian Museum for Human Rights
In the arctic, the ice is the greatest surprise. White, grey and sometimes nearly black, it can also shimmer with iridescent blue, purple and pink as the sun plays its tricks. Far from a barren wasteland, the ice of the high arctic floe edge, seven hours north of Pond Inlet, is like a kaleidoscope’s glass. When a change in the wind unexpectedly warms the air, meltwater invades our camp, causing hurried hoisting of gear, but creating a stunning natural mirror. Reflected in the water, the towering icebergs that surround us become doubly beautiful. Even the hungry-eyed polar bear watching us from afar, seemed captivated. —liz fleming Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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oh canada
Iconic Canada
Verena Matthew / shutterstock
courtesy www.agawatrain.com
Tucked into the southernmost tip of Canada, in the Lake Erie Islands Archipelago, is Canada’s warmest spot – a place where the sky, water and land are alive with a myriad of rare species of plants, birds, insects, amphibians, animals and fish. Carved by the ancient glaciers, Pelee Island has wetlands, sand dunes and deep rich soil, lapped by the warm waters of Lake Erie. Birders come from around the world, life-lists in hand, to wonder at this place – the convergence of the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways – and to be grateful that the Canadian government has preserved it for generations to come. —liz fleming
© Parks Canada / Brian Morin
A passion for Pelee Island
Prince Edward idyllic Find your inner artist in the Agawa Canyon When Lawren Harris and the other talented artists in Canada’s Group of Seven painters first saw the Agawa Canyon, they had no idea how lasting both the images they created and the landscape that inspired them would prove to be. Today, many years later, the Agawa Canyon train departs Sault Ste. Marie winding its way through some of Canada’s most breathtaking scenery, giving guests not only the opportunity to see the Group of Seven painting sites, but also the chance to try their hand with a brush and colors. Painterly train tours celebrate our cultural heritage, spectacular land and our own inner artists. —liz fleming 48
Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
With its undeniable yet simple charms, mile after sunkissed mile of sandy beaches, its camera-ready, iron-red soil, its patchwork of lush green fields, dotted with pretty little gabled farmhouses populated by warm, friendly people and embraced by celebrity chefs, Prince Edward Island is proof that good things do come in small packages. Add the summertime Charlottetown Festival – running from June 29 to August 27, with Anne of Green Gables – The Musical, now in its 52nd season and a Guinness World Record holder for the longest running annual musical theater production – and good becomes spectacular. — anna hobbs
Yellowknife’s Lords of the Dance
adam hill nature photography
When the night skies over Yellowknife glow with an eerie green shimmer, the fleet-footed dancers are coming. Draped in pink, green and yellow, the Northern Lights twirl and twist in a silent, but stunning dance until the sky is a ballet of color. Watch greedily until the last shimmer fades for these are the lords of the dance. —liz fleming
Discovering les Îles-de-la-Madeleine
DenisTangneyJr / istock
Winds sweep the wild beaches of Les Iles-de-la-Madeleine and send the waves slashing against the rocky red cliffs dominating the shoreline. Brightly painted fishermen’s cottages perch on hills – beacons for the battered fishing boats that make their way back to the docks at sunset. One of the lesserknown destinations in Quebec, the Magdalen Islands offer a blend of our two official languages and cultures seasoned with a generous touch of Maritime hospitality. Stay in Le Domaine du Vieux Couvent, a charming inn that was once an austere convent, dig into a plate of some of the freshest fish and chips in the country and discover the paradise of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. — liz fleming Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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“The world needs
more Canada”
Bono
Leonard Cohen Justin Bieber Malcolm Gladwell John Kenneth Galbraith Allan Lamport Avril Lavigne Steve Yzerman Randy Bachman Chilliwack Holly Cole Peter MacKay Nellie McClung Rob Feenie Lloyd Axworthy Marie Dressler Gaetan Boucher W.P. Kinsella Lucien Bouchard John Ralston Saul Glenn Gould Kerrin Lee Gartner Mark Tewksbury Robert Bourassa Joseph Seagram Ashley MacIsaac Myriam Bedard Margaret Atwood Tommy Douglas Lawren Harris Samuel de Champlain Honest Ed MIrvish Jules Timmins Roch Voisin George stroumboulopoulos Jeanne Sauve Louis Lachance Roberta Bondar Alex Tilley George Cohon Mark Carney Ed Broadbent Joy Fielding Graham Greene Bobby Hull Guy Lombardo Adam van Koeverden Blue Rodeo Wilfred Laurier Sir Sandford Fleming David Thompson Lisa Laflamme Chris Haney and Scott Abbott Hal Jackman Frank Gehry Miriam Toews David Foster Barenaked Ladies Sir John A. Macdonald Loreena McKennitt Eric Lamaze Wayne and Shuster Barbara Frum Robert Service Carling Bassett Sir Frederick Banting Rocket Richard Alex Baumann Louis Riel Benjamin Bowring The McCains Jeanne Beker Lorne Green Nelly Furtado Darryl Sittler Howie Meeker David Mirvish Great Big Sea Elvis Stojko Celine Dion Robertson Davies Holly Cole A.Y. Jackson The Bronfmans Daniel Lanois Gordie Howe Big Ben Alexander Graham Bell k.d. Lang Sidney Crosby Monika Schnarre George Chuvalo Chief Dan George Oscar Peterson Tommy Thompson GG David Johnston Bobby Orr Marshall McLuhan Terry Fox Romeo Dallaire Emily Carr Chris Hadfield Peter Pitseolak Peter Gzowski Sandy Hawley Northrop Frye Steppenwolf Phil Esposito Robert DeLuce Christine Cushing David Cronenberg Michaëlle Jean Rick Hillier Billy Bishop Peter Trueman Guy Lafleur The Guess Who Natalie MacMaster Lawrence Hill Dan Aykroyd Brian Williams James Wolfe Peter Worthington George Knudson Louise Penney Samuel Cunard The Bluenose Catherine O’Hara Jacques Villeneuve Pierre Elliot Trudeau Lennox Lewis Preston Manning Marilyn Bell Vanessa Harwood Mike Weir Harry Rosen Rush Dr. Norman Bethune Deanna Durbin Stephen Leacock Sam Sniderman Diana Krall Mordecai Richler Ken Read Jean Beliveau Lucy Maud Montgomery Sir Wilfred Laurier Northern Dancer William Osler Pierre Berton Guy Lafleur William Southam Ian and Sylvia James Naismith Laura Secord Robert Bateman Mary Brant and Joseph Brant Lloyd Robertson Conrad Black Guy Laliberte Julie Payette Paul Henderson Roy Thomson William Shatner Pat Carney Peter C. Newman Ken Dryden Gabrielle Roy Marc Garneau Karen Kain Milos Raonic Alice Munro Beverley McLachlin Wayne Gretzky Gord Downie Ellen Page Farley Mowat James Cameron Emily Carr Norman Jewison Eugenie Bouchard Atom Egoyan Rene Levesque Saul Bellow Pierre Berton Kim Campbell Shania Twain Rex Harrington
Hallelujah
“It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw, not because she is Canada but because she is something sublime that you were born into, some great rugged power that we are a part of.”
“A Canadian is someone who knows how to make love in a canoe.”
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Anna Paquin A.J. Casson Hayley Wickenheiser “Let us be French, Alex Colville Gino Vanelli Christine Sinclair Louis Joseph Montcalm Michael Ignatieff let us be English, Steve Bauer Eddie Shack Deepa Mehta but most importantly, Tim Horton David Crombie Mike Lazaridis Mario Lemieux Maud Lewis Ian Millar let us be Canadian.” Jim Flaherty Joe Clarke Michael J. Fox
John A. Macdonald
Joey Smallwood Donald Sutherland William Lyon Mackenzie King John Crosby Adrienne Clarkson Nancy Greene Ken Thomson Gordon Lightfoot Peter Mansbridge Wendy Mesley Knowlton Nash Isadore Sharp Ted Rogers Nijinsky II Brian Linehan Alanis Morrisette Rex Murphy Moses Znaimer Gordon Sinclair Ben Wicks Sam Sniderman Sarah McLachlan Clara Hughes Daniel Nestor Paul Desmarais Corey Hart Jim Prentice Izzy Asper Roland Michener Pauline McGibbon Joni Mitchell Susur Lee Jean Drapeau Mark McEwan David Lee Galen Weston Sr Frank Stronach George Brown Michael Ondaatje Joseph-Armand Bombardier Brian Mulroney Peter Munk Colm Feore Victor Davis Jim Cuddy Raffi Bill Davis Stephen Lewis Mike Myers Jim Carrey Jack Layton Eugene Levy Lester Pearson Al Waxman Leslie Nielsen Stompin’ Tom Connors Ronnie Hawkins jack granatstein Barbara Ann Scott Sarah Harmer The Crazy Canucks Kim Mitchell Steve Podborski Leif Petterson Donovan Bailey David Clayton Thomas Kurt Browning Rick Mercer Ralph Klein Jim Balsillie Eric Lindros Alanna Myles Silken Laumann Scott Brison The Tragically Hip John Diefenbaker Brian Orser Laurie Graham Don Cherry Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue John de Chastelain Cindy Klassen Stephen Harper Drake Paul Tracy Bruce Cockburn Rick Hansen Bruny Surin Toller Cranston Frank Mahovlich YANN MARTEL Paul Shaeffer Burton Cummings Jann Arden Spirit of the West Bryan Adams Michael Buble Martin Short Buffy Sainte Marie Andrea Martin Todd Brooker Neil Young Doug Henning Jacques Plante Paul Anka Bobby Lee Mark Messier Paul Gross Rita MacNeil Steve Nash Robbie Robertson Genevieve Bujold Andre De Grasse The Band Marc and Craig Kielburger Gordon Campbell The Unknown Soldier Alex Trebek Pierre Karl Peladeau Viola Desmond Elizabeth May April Wine Anne Murray Alan Thicke April Wine Ryan Reynolds J.W Billes and A.J. Billes Sandra Oh Team Canada 1972 Howie Mandel Tom Cochrane Rich Little John Candy Flora MacDonald Denys Arcand Nia Vardalos Michael “Pinball” Clemons PIERRE ELLIOTT TRUDEAU Ferguson Jenkins
“I always thought of this as God’s country.”
“Our hopes are high. Our faith in the people is great. Our courage is strong and our dreams for this beautiful country will never die.” Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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photos: wikimedia commons
“I love Canada. It’s a wonderful political act of faith that exists atop a breathtakingly beautiful land.”
A few more things we love about Canada, eh?
photos: istock, shutterstock, wikimedia commons
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INSPIRE YOUR SPIRIT
Savor the experience at www.ponant.com
Behold a rare beauty…
regent seven seas explorer Perhaps the world’s most beautiful ship, the new Explorer offers a gracious and delightful way to cruise. vanessa lee
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Observation Lounge Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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This page: (clockwise from above) Atrium. Explorer Bar. Compass Rose. Facing page: (clockwise from top) Pacific Rim. Chocolate dessert. Chartreuse. 56
Seven Seas’ Explorer is absolutely stunning, offering sumptuous décor and exquisite fixtures and more importantly, providing constant wows. She has one in awe at every turn. She is incredibly beautiful and as time is spent onboard, it becomes more and more evident how much effort and attention to detail has been undertaken to ensure every inch and ounce of luxury. There is more than half an acre of marble in addition to more than half an acre of stone and granite. There is gold and silver leaf, mother of pearl on columns and hand-blown and individual lighting pieces by the thousands. This ship is a floating art gallery – with colour, gorgeous fabrics, sexy
Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
At times you think you’re in a London Gentlemen’s Club, as Prime 7 the Steakhouse is modelled after this, and then the next moment you’re in Chartreuse, the inspiration for which was a rainy walk in Paris along a cobblestone street. Both are literally perfect alternate dining options – with menus to match and both have the most charming and intimate bars for a pre-dinner aperitif. These were two of my favorite spots onboard but I did also love Compass Rose, (with its fantastic Versace charger plates) which has the most amazing lights. On the sides there are starbursts in a glorious rich yellow and then in the middle of the room, to make one think of water and waves, is the most elaborate and impressive light in shades of cerulean sea blue.
photos courtest regent seven seas
Regent’s gorgeous new ship,
drapes and tassels, mirrors, covered walls, silky, velvety cushions, and a myriad selection of chairs that are so tactile you can’t stop touching them. As all ships are, this ship is designated as female and Explorer is so very much a real woman – naturally sensuous, curvaceous, voluptuous, dazzling and enticing. She calls out for attention and for touch and for praise and indeed for worship in some areas – as a rare beauty should. The Seven Seas Explorer, at 56,000 tons is likely the most expensive luxury ship ever built for her fortunate guests who will sail in the lap of luxury and who, at every turn, will be pampered and spoiled. It is clear that intense passion and creativity from its designers and creators has conjured up a ship of complete and utter ravishing beauty.
regent seven seas explorer
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Explorer may be the most luxurious ship ever built, and she is also certainly one of the most beautiful. She is unique, stylish, tasteful and simply exquisite.
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| regent seven seas explorer
Regent Suite
Then there’s the dazzling Pacific Rim alternative restaurant offering pan-Asian fare with its utterly fabulous art installation, a unique cast bronze Tibetan prayer wheel which was made to order in Australia and which welcomes you as you arrive for your very tasty meal. There are extensive dining choices throughout the ship, ranging from casual to more formal and with the option to dine al fresco at the casual Sette Mari, for lunch or dinner. Just delightful. This luxurious vessel offers an all-suite, all-inclusive onboard experience for its well-heeled guests, most of whom are sophisticated travellers. The accommodations are gorgeous, offering every amenity one could desire with walk-in closets and spacious bathrooms (a tub, shower and two sinks) as well as a sitting area, very comfortable beds, a flat screen TV, stocked in-suite bar, an Illy Espresso machine and more – all of which combine to provide each guest a home away from home. The suite verandahs are spacious and roomy enough for both dining and sunning and, for me, enjoying a morning coffee as one sails into yet another gorgeous port. 58
Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
Regent Seven Seas Explorer
In many ways, the Explorer reminds me of a luxury hotel that might be situated in one of the world’s most iconic cities. The expansive rooms and entryways, soft colour palette, the gorgeous flowers everywhere, stunning staircases and of course the truly world-class art collection, just add to this sensibility. The high ceilings (and the detail within them) in many of the public spaces on Decks 4 and 5 are impressive and add to the ship’s beauty by creating a greater illusion of space. This is a “hotel at sea”, providing an impressive all-inclusive experience with premium liquors, wine and champagne included along with a
host of other amenities such as shore excursions and gratuities. Being on the oceans offers so much choice and excitement as well as the opportunity to enjoy this timeless, classic ship as her 750 guests cruise the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the British Isles, the Caribbean, Panama Canal and destinations far and wide. Let that magnificence surround you, the excellent brigade of engaged and smiling staff pamper you and just absorb every aspect and every singular, magical moment that is the Regent Seven Seas Explorer. n IF YOU GO: For more information on Regent Seven Seas Cruises visit http://www.rssc.com and contact your preferred travel agent to book.
antigua
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Island in the sun Antigua boasts a rich history steeped like a fine tea in British tradition. Add to that a beach for every day of the year and people friendly enough to make you feel welcome for all 365 days and you might have the perfect Caribbean getaway.
MichaelUtech / istock
Liz Fleming
| antigua
Clockwwise from left: Antigua’s Nelson’s Dockyard is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sunset view of English Harbour from Shirley Heights. Steel drummers entertain visitors. 60
and looked out to sea, the islands of Monserrat and Guadeloupe were the first things that came into Lord Horatio Nelson’s view. It was the great age of sail, Britannia ruled the waves, and what better place than English Bay to become the base of the British Navy in the Caribbean? Antigua was then and is still a tiny British gem in the turquoise Caribbean Sea. The fifteen square miles that now make up Nelson’s Dockyards on the sunny island are alive with the great man’s presence in each of the stately buildings of the only Georgian dockyards in the world. First established in 1745, the dockyards are Antigua’s top tourist draw. Though abandoned in 1889, in recent years the site has undergone extensive refurbishments and the Dockyards Museum in the former naval officers’ residence offers a fascinating collection of tidbits about life on the island centuries ago – both in the dockyards and in the fort. A telescope once used by Nelson is displayed and though admittedly a bit touristy, a visit to the Dockyards is an important element of an understanding of Antigua. Equally charming are the streets of St. John’s, the island’s pictureperfect capital. Offset by the brightly painted houses of the downtown area, you can’t miss the stunning spires of St. John’s Cathedral, now in its third incarnation, thanks to two earthquakes that destroyed it in 1683 and later in 1745. The rebuilt version, which appeared in 1845, still stands and makes a great meeting point if you should become separated from your friends. You can’t miss it. Wander the streets, shop in the craft market where vendors with their heads wrapped in scarves of vivid red, blue and yellow, smile and laugh and offer rum cakes that taste like Christmas and smell like heaven. The
Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
wiches (no crusts, of course), scones, and a couple of pots of tea delivered by your smiling beach steward. All very civilized, don’t you know. If by any chance, cricket is your passion, you’ve come to the right island. You’ll be hard pressed to find any Antiguan who doesn’t adore the game. The season lasts from January to July and official matches are held on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. If you’re lucky, you might be on the island for a regional or international
Colonized by the British in 1632, Antigua was originally an island of sugar cane plantations that supplied the United Kingdom. Though now independent, Antigua and her two sister islands of Barbuda and tiny, uninhabited Redonda remain members of the Commonwealth and British traditions continue. You might be splashing in the waves under a blazing Caribbean sun at 3:20pm, but you can be sure you’ll be having high tea at 3:30pm. No need to add any extra clothing for the occasion, as white gloves aren’t part of the Antiguan dress code. Your bathing suit will do nicely and you’ll find that the table that divides your beach lounger from your sunning companion’s is just the right size for the tray of tiny sand-
match so be sure to check out the lineup at the Antigua Recreation Ground, arguably one of the most exciting places in the world to observe a match. You might be hot watching as the game stretches over four or five or even six days, but you can always head for the bar or the beach at the end of the day. If it’s a Sunday night, you’ll want to head to Shirley Heights Lookout, an outdoor cliff-side party where the barbecue is as hot as the music, and the drinks are as cool as the crowd. This isn’t necessarily where the locals hang out, but it’s where every island guest looking for a Caribbean jam will end up. The view of the sunset is the biggest draw, and you’ll be sure to find new friends ready to help you
robertharding / Alamy
When he raised his spyglass
best news? According to the locals, there isn’t a single calorie in a rum cake! The culinary treats won’t stop there. All over the island, little restaurants, cozy inns and small but luxurious hotel dining rooms celebrate the sea with menus bursting with fresh grouper, mahi mahi and shrimp. Desserts featuring the island’s signature sweet pineapples are dangerously plentiful so be careful or you won’t fit into your seat for the flight home!
AGF Srl / Alamy
loneroc / shutterstock
watch for the elusive ‘green flash’ when the sun makes its final dive below the horizon. You can’t talk about Antigua with out mentioning her beaches. Every Caribbean island tour guide you’ll ever meet will tell you the same thing: “This island (or that one, or the other one…) has 365 beaches… one for every day of the year.” The difference is this: Antigua really has the goods. The 171 sq. mile island is ringed with perfect white sand beaches, each punctuated with just the right lineup of palm trees and lapped by exactly as many turquoise waves necessary to create the ideal Caribbean ambiance. If you’re looking for superb sun, surf and sand, all mixed together with an island vibe and a
brisk hit of British formality, you’ll find Antigua is the hybrid of your holiday dreams. From a British naval base and colony to a luxurious beach destination for well-heeled international guests, Antigua has enjoyed an evolution that would have set Admiral Nelson back on his heels. My guess is, however, that were he with us today, the great man would put down his telescope to observe the transformation, then pour a glass of fine local rum and raise a toast to the continued good health and success of this beautiful island. n If You Go Canadians can fly directly to Antigua for much of the year and tour operators and travel professionals can give you all the information necessary. For the ultimate in British-style service mixed with island warmth, try the Carlisle Bay in St. Mary’s Parish. www.carlisle-bay.com Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
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photo courtesy french america line
| river cruising
> french america line
nicolamargaret / istock
More U.S.A. to see
> amawaterways
Welcoming a new ship and Africa itinerary This Spring, the AmaKristina, a sister ship to the AmaViola will make her grand debut on the Rhine and when she does, she’ll feature the most advanced design of any river cruise vessel. Featuring AmaWaterways’ signature twin balconies in most of the spacious staterooms and suites, the AmaViola will offer gourmet dining with fine wines at multiple dining venues; a heated sun deck swimming pool with a ‘swim-up’ bar. One new innovation will be cleverly-designed rooming configurations for groups and families, including features such as convertible sofa-beds. Also new this year is the new 12-day ‘Wildlife & the Falls’ itinerary in Africa, giving guests the opportunity to experience Johannesburg, a Chobe River safari in Botswana, Victoria Falls and game drives throughout the day and evening in Greater Kruger National Park.
Created to bring a refined new ambience to America’s waterways, French America Line’s elegant flagship Louisiane has exciting itineraries for 2017. From March 4, 2017 to January 6, 2018, 48 five-to-14-day experiential cruise tours for just 150 guests will celebrate regional food, music and culture on the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland and Red rivers. This year, for the first time, guests will also be able to cruise the rarely visited Illinois and Arkansas rivers, and visit new destination ports including Chattanooga, TN; Louisville, KY and Pittsburgh, PA. Guests will enjoy expert talks by onboard Illuminators; Traveler Collection guided shore excursions and complimentary use of bicycles for private explorations. They’ll discover the allure of thoroughbred racing and aged bourbon; the beats of Beale Street; the charms of antebellum homes and southern entertaining, and the sights and tastes of Music City USA on these nearly all-inclusive cruises and can also choose to add pre or post-cruise tours to their adventures.
> avalon Waterways
Avalon Waterways has added an exciting, action-packed “Active Discovery on the Danube” itinerary to its list of fascinating special interest cruises. Itineraries offer nine days from Linz to Budapest or the reverse and cruisers will have the opportunity to bike, hike and canoe along the Danube, explore an ice cave, take an archery lesson, descend into an underground salt mine or ascend up a mountain during a guided climb. Additional highlights of the tour include hiking tours, pub-crawls, beer tastings, Linz music theatre programs, biking, tour of the Mauthausen concentration camp, a meeting with the count at Clam Castle, a canoe tour down the Danube, biking from Spitz to Durnstein, a Viennese cooking class, Spanish Horse Riding School and much more in places such as Engelhartszell-Schlögen Oxbow-Linz, Linz-Mauthausen-Grein-Spitz, the Spitz-Krems-Vienna-Wachau Valley and Vienna.
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Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
starmaro / istock
Actively exploring the Danube
in conversation |
We recently had a chance to talk with Jeff Element, CEO of The Travel Corporation and were fascinated by what he had to share with us about his family of companies and their sustainable travel initiatives. How has forging a partnership with Me-to-We Cofounders Craig and Marc Keilburger fit with the Travel Corporation’s philosophy, and how will this alliance enhance your guests’ experience?
We’re thrilled to have a long-term partnership with ME to WE! The Travel Corporation and seven of its brands including Trafalgar, Contiki Holidays, Insight Vacations, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, Lion World Travel, African Travel Inc., and Adventure World will be offering ME to WE immersive volunteer trip experiences in India, the Ecuadorian Amazon and Kenya on upcoming set departure dates or as a requested custom trip.
The Travel Corporation’s TreadRight Foundation provides grants to the com munities in the destinations you visit to encourage sustainability, protect natural attractions and preserve the unique heritage of each destination. Tell us about one project you’re really proud of.
Since 2008, our nonprofit organization – a joint project of The Travel Corporation family of companies - has supported over 35 sustainability projects but our newest is one that hits close to home – literally! We’re proud to be supporting The TreadRight Foundation’s first North American endeavor entitled, The Manitobah Mukluks Storyboot School. Together with the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto and Manitobah Mukluks (a popular indigenous-owned Canadian company producing authentic mukluks and moccasins), this Canadian artisan-led project saw us set up a semi-permanent school at the museum in September 2016 that teaches the art of making traditional mukluks and moccasins to both First Nations and non-First Nations students.
Trafalgar Tours offers more in-depth experiences than many other coach tour companies. Which destination offers the most surprising tours/experiences etc? What’s best for a first-time coach guest? What about a guest who is already well-traveled?
I’ve traveled with Trafalgar many times and I’m always impressed with the Insider Experiences that have guests interacting with locals. Our Be My Guest dining experiences, and VIP access at major landmarks all add to the enjoyment of our completely stress-free travel. For 2017, Trafalgar has launched into India, Sri Lanka, Laos and South Africa and we’re sure guests will love the #JoinTrafalgar initiative that helps to support the communities we visit. Eight styles of travel mean something great for every traveler. For a first-time coach guest, I’d recommend a Discovery guided vacation with several destinations that will help them narrow down which countries they want to re-visit on a future Regional Explorer or Country Explorer trip. For the well-traveled guest, I’d recommend a slower-paced At Leisure trip with two to six nights per destination or a Special Interest guided vacation where travelers can indulge their passions for food, gardens, war sites or whatever appeals.
Which Trafalgar tours are you particularly excited about as a means to experience Canada in her birthday year?
We are very excited that Canada is celebrating 150 years in 2017 and will be running a custom Canada 150th Anniversary trip that will visit Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick – the first four provinces to join the Confederation in 1867. Watch for details on this itinerary very soon! If I were planning a Canadian staycation, I’d choose Trafalgar’s custom trip and be in Ottawa, Canada’s capital, on July 1, 2017 for oncein-a-lifetime celebrations! Insight Vacations is a great choice for sophisti cated travelers with high expectations. Which elements of your tours and destinations do your guests comment on most?
Tours to Ireland remain the most popular among Insight Vacations guests in Canada – in particular, “Irish Elegance” is one of our top selling tours to the Emerald Isle. For many Canadians, there’s a huge appetite to explore this destination, possibly driven by ancestral connections. Guests love their stay at the award-winning, Red Carnation-owned property, the opulent five-star Ashford Castle, on the picturesque shores of Lough Corrib. One thing that sets Insight apart from others, according to our guests, is our knowledgeable and personable staff of Tour Directors. Our Signature Experiences and immersive opportunities – from an intimate and elegant dinner inside the Vatican among priceless treasures, to visiting a working highland farm in Scotland where shepherd Neil Ross demonstrates his skills as a sheepdog trainer – make our tours very special. Your company, Lion World, has been in the business of life-changing safari trips for over 50 years. Can you describe some of the experiences guests can anticipate on your “In Style” and “Inspirational” safaris?
When it comes to Africa we can create whatever you need, covering everything from a safari where you experience nature in its most awe-inspiring splendor to a night in a romantic tree house hideaway. We are “truly African and proudly local” with our own on-the-ground tour operators throughout Africa, as well as several major boutique hotels.
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| suite life
Loving Ottawa’s Château Laurier
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Cruise and Travel Lifestyles
photos courtesy fairmont hotels
Ottawa’s venerable ChÂteau Laurier, one of the city’s most elegant hotels, has not only welcomed many of Canada’s famous politicians, artists, musicians, actors, movers and shakers of all sorts, royal family members, and Sir Wilfrid Laurier himself, but also Yousuf Karsh, Canada’s most renowned portrait photographer. Karsh and his wife Estrellita lived and operated their studio in the Château Laurier for 18 years – and it’s not hard to understand why. Like all her Fairmont sisters, the Château Laurier offers a seductive blend of old-world elegance and modern attention to service detail. Richly appointed rooms feature beautiful traditional furnishings as well as the pampering of silky bedding and ultra-delicious pillows. You might just be tempted to hide one in your suitcase. No visit to the Château Laurier would be complete without high tea at Zoé’s Lounge where the delicious finger sandwiches, scones and pastries are a favorite among Ottawa’s food lovers. Spend an afternoon, indulge your sweet tooth and then take a tour of the collection that sets the Château Laurier apart from all competition – a gallery
Karsh Suite
Zoé’s Lounge
of remarkable photos – many of them by Yousuf Karsh - chronicling the famous faces who have graced the hotel since the turn of the last century. A springtime visit to the Château Laurier will give you the opportunity to enjoy a walk among the thousands of tulips that bloom in our nation’s capital each year. Visit in winter – particularly during the Winterlude celebrations – and be sure to bring your outdoor gear so you can join in the fun, skating on the nearby Rideau Canal. — liz fleming
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