TravelManagers on VIP List for Tauck Luxury Famil
Featured photo: (L-R) TravelManagers’ Kerstin Rhinelander with Tauck Australia’s National Account Manager, Helen Eves; Tauck Cruise Director, Nick Coward; fellow famil participant Roslyn Savio
When the inaugural Dutch Waterways cruise with Tauck Tours recently departed Amsterdam, TravelManagers’ Kerstin Rhinelander was one of just three Australian travel agents aboard for the experience.
Rhinelander, who is TravelManagers’ representative for Sinnamon Park, QLD, was invited aboard the luxurious MS Inspire to participate in an exclusive famil that was hosted by Helen Eves, Tauck Australia’s National Account Manager, and her equivalent from the United States. Eight agents from the US joined the three Australian agents for the eight-day journey exploring the waterways and cities of the Netherlands.
According to TravelManagers’ Executive General Manager, Michael Gazal, Rhinelander is one of many personal travel managers (PTMs) to take up famil opportunities this year, eager to gain up-to-date, first-hand experience of the many travel experiences on offer as well as current travel conditions and border control measures.
“It’s great to see PTMs making the most of the many wonderful famil opportunities being offered by our key suppliers, ensuring that they are well-equipped for advising their clients with reliable itinerary planning and guidance for their travel plans and rekindling their love of travel post-pandemic.”
Rhinelander was invited by Tauck to have her partner accompany her at no additional cost on the famil cruise, which encompassed Amsterdam, Kampen, Enkhuizen, Hoom, Rotterdam and The Hague.
“Tauck is renowned for its all-inclusive offering and VIP experiences, so it was great to see this in action” Rhinelander explains. “The cruise and tour directors are amazing at assessing the desires of the guests and tailoring each cruise to suit, and effortlessly tweaking the itinerary to deal with the sometimes unpredictable weather.”
For Rhinelander, highlights of the cruise included sampling local delicacies such as Herring, cheese, chocolate, fried ragout balls and craft beer during a walking food tour of Rotterdam and a private, after-hours tour of Mauritshius Museum and dinner at a private members-only club in The Hague.
The cruise also coincided with the Floriade: a world-famous garden festival which only takes place every ten years. With a theme of ‘future green cities’, many countries represented with their own version of sustainability. In keeping with its reputation for VIP experiences, Tauck ensured that Rhinelander and her fellow passengers had early access to the festival ground with private guides.
“What an incredibly memorable way to experience my first river cruise and my first time exploring the Netherland beyond the city limits of Amsterdam,” Rhinelander concludes. “I felt very privileged to be welcomed as a guest to experience a Tauck river cruise.”
