Travel of America has been privileged to collaborate with KFI AM640’s award-winning host, Bill Handel, for close to ten years, orchestrating his popular cruises for his listening audience. It’s been two years since Bill’s last listener trip to the Black Sea.

    Bill and his wife, Marjorie, are avid travelers, and recently they made the decision to take their sojourns in a new direction for 2010. We’re pleased to inform you that they are inviting their friends and listeners to join them on a fabulous cruise along the scenic Rhine river from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, this coming July 15-25, 2010.

    You may be asking yourself, What makes a cruise with Bill Handel so special? We recently caught up with Bill who had this to say (as only Bill knows how!) “We travel together, we eat together, we hang out together, and we constantly talk about each other behind everyone’s back… all together, too much fun!!”

     Truth be told, Bill and Marjorie look forward to meeting each and every one of their friends and listeners who join them on this special adventure (whether it’s your first time or you're one of their longtime “travel buddies”), and you’ll have the opportunity to mingle with them and other KFI AM640 listeners throughout the trip at festive dinners and informal get-togethers which we’ve arranged exclusively for you. (You’ll also find Bill to be out and about on his listener cruises – whether he’s sightseeing on a tour, enjoying a Coke in the lounge, or taking in the incredible river views from the Sun Deck.)

    Travel of America has carefully selected for your river journey Avalon Felicity, a deluxe vessel built for Avalon Waterways just this year. Unlike the mega-ships, your river ship carries just 138 special guests in comfort and style. On board, there’s a casual vibe that prevails both day and night. What’s more, there are no long lines or waiting.

     Making your away around the ship is a breeze. You’ll discover a fine restaurant and at the front of the ship, a panoramic lounge with large picture windows which offer commanding views of the passing scenery along the Rhine from three sides. We guarantee you’ll be mesmerized by the sights – from towering castles that date back to medieval times and vine-clad hills growing Germany’s prized Riesling grapes to neat villages and cosmopolitan cities.

    What makes river cruising so captivating is the bond that develops between you and the river along with the surrounding countryside. The result – a robust vacation  experience that will be both uniquely personal and memorable. When Avalon Felicity arrives at its destination for the day, it will usually dock right in the center of town. The ramp is put down and you can step off to explore and get back on with ease.

    Let’s say, for example, after having toured Amsterdam by day, you make your way back to the ship to meet up with friends over dinner. Afterwards, all of you decide to return to the city to stroll along some of the magical tree-lined canals that are illuminated in the evening. In a matter of minutes, you can find yourself at a sidewalk café in Dam Square among the locals, enjoying coffee or a glass of wine.

    Are you ready to join Bill and Marjorie Handel and friends on this wonderful cruise next summer? For all the details, click here. Then call one of Travel of America’s professional Consultants who will be happy to answer your questions and assist you in securing your place on board. But don’t wait – space is selling out quickly on this popular cruise, and you don’t want to miss out!

Travel of America's Jim Petzel files another report on his recent trip to Florida to cruise aboard Royal Caribbean's brand new Oasis of the Seas.     

When I first stepped aboard Oasis, I made my way to the Windjammer Marketplace on Deck 16 to grab a quick lunch. Besides a wide variety of popular dishes – from soups, salads, entrees, and Asian dishes to burgers and fries and just-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookies, cheesecakes, and pies, this signature Royal Caribbean venue also offers spectacular ocean views, along with my first glimpse of the Boardwalk and AquaTheater below plus the Sports Deck.

    Some guests were already trying out the Zip Line and watching them fly over the Boardwalk as I savored my spaghetti a la carbonara and a glass of chardonnay, I figured I was up for the challenge. Bring it on! I can handle this – after all, I am now a citizen of Royal Caribbean’s nation of “Why Not!”

    So I immediately headed off to take flight. But before I could make my maiden flight, there were a couple of things I had to do. The first was to sign a waiver which would cover my use of both the Zip Line and Flowrider. This is something you can do online before you even leave home. I would suggest you do this because it saves time when you get to the ship.

    Next, I had to book an appointment. Currently, you cannot walk up to the Zip Line and ride. You can only go off at your appointed day and time. Again, I would suggest that you make your Zip Line reservations when you board the ship. Royal Caribbean is committed to making sure everyone who wants to ride is able to do so, however, because this is such a popular attraction, it makes sense to book right away and also to schedule your ride during the earlier part of the cruise when demand may be somewhat less.

    You should also know that the Zip Line cannot operate when it rains, it’s windy outside, or at night. And finally, you must wear dry pants (don’t go from FlowRider to Zip Line), shoes and socks (no flip flops), you cannot have anything in your pockets, and glasses or sunglasses are not permitted.

    So I returned to Deck 16 at my appointed time, once again pumped up and ready for my debut. This time I entered the staging area for the Zip Line where I was suited up in a full body harness and given a helmet. Three attendants checked and re-checked the harness, tightened all the straps and gave me the low-down on what was about to happen. (The process takes about ten minutes.) It was then that my bravado began to weaken - slightly.

    The staging area for the zip line is right along the edge of the deck overlooking the Boardwalk, which when I timidly glanced down, now appeared to be not nine decks but several miles below. The carousel looked so tiny, and the people maybe measured an inch tall. I began to harbor thoughts that maybe this was not such a good idea, what had I gotten myself into, and perhaps I should turn back…. But then I surmised that I couldn’t make a quick exit because I was already strapped into the harness and it would take another 10 minutes to get out of it.

    I kept making my way to the launch platform and tried not to look down, but by now my palms were starting to sweat. As I saw the grip bars which I was to hold on to moving into position, I thought, What if my hands slip? Would I be left to dangle above the Boardwalk for everyone in Windjammer to see?

    I didn’t have any more time to speculate my fate because it was my turn to launch. I was secured to the line and after some (repeated) coaching from the attendant, my body assumed a sitting position, the bar was raised, I lifted my legs, and I was off, racing 82 feet diagonally over the open air atrium of the Boardwalk.

    Honestly, I did not scream. I looked down just once but then looked back up right away because it all happened in less than a minute, and by now I was preparing for landing – getting my legs and feet into position to brake my flight.

    All too soon, the attendant at the other end of the line caught me and my solo flight was over. My knees were a little wobbly and my heart was pumping as I made my way back to the staging area to return the gear. But I also felt exhilarated and a tingling rush at having conquered the world’s first zip line at sea aboard Oasis. And so I proudly made my way to Flowrider to face my next challenge of the day. But that’s another story.