Life-changing experiences with Exclusive Tours

As the world of cruising continues to evolve, more and more travellers are looking for unique and exciting experiences.

This is where Exclusive Tours fits in.

A division of Merit Travel Group Inc., Exclusive Tours is a small ship wholesaler that offers a diverse range of niche market cruise experiences, from river cruising to expeditions to luxurious yachting.

The company represents an umbrella of respected brands – Adventure Canada, AmaWaterways, Amadeus River Cruises, European Waterways, Star Clippers, Voyages to Antiquity, and Hurtigruten Cruises, notably.

True to its name, there’s an element of exclusivity when booking with Exclusive Tours.

A selection of brands – Amadeus River Cruises and Voyages to Antiquity, in particular – can only be booked through the company in Canada.

“We have something for everyone,” Katie Kania, manager of business development at Exclusive Tours, tells PAX, noting that packages can be tailored to suit both first-time cruisers and passengers who are well-travelled.

This could mean a once-in-a-lifetime sail alongside Italy’s Amalfi Coast on board a four-to-five masted vessel with Star Clippers. Or even a bucket list journey into the Northern Canadian Arctic with Adventures Canada.  

What’s consistent across all of Exclusive Tours’ brands is that every experience unfolds on board a small ship – a vessel of less than 600 passengers that offers an intimate on-board atmosphere with personalized service.

Life-changing experiences

Expedition cruising, for one, is “growing rapidly” in today’s travel market, says Kania. “It’s one of the most-asked after segments of travel, for sure,” she says.

When cruising the Canadian Arctic, passengers can see anything from polar bears playing on an ice flat to local life in remote Inuit communities on the Arctic shoreline.

“As we become a more wider and connected world, people are no longer seeking a mass-market experience. They want a life-changing experience,” says Kania.

River cruising, in particular, is “growing like crazy,” Kania adds, explaining how she first fell in love with cruising rivers after sailing the Danube in Europe with her Mother.

“It’s going to become and stay as one of the biggest segments in travel because of the wide range of appeal, from honeymooners to retirees,” says Kania.

One of the biggest misconceptions about river cruising, says Kania, is the myth that it’s for seniors only. People who think that “couldn’t be any more wrong,” Kania says.

River and expedition cruising is all about convenience and “connecting you to nature and culture you wouldn’t experience otherwise,” she says.

Lauren Delves, a product marketing manager at Exclusive Tours, echoes that sentiment, adding that small ship cruises allow passengers to “get to know a place a bit more” –  a sense of intimacy that’s not always found when sailing on large-scale cruise ships.

“Riding a bike off a barge and into Burgundy sounds like a dream,” Delves says, alluding to an activity one could pursue while river cruising in France. 

The Exclusive experience

Expert consultation and personalized service work hand-in-hand on the Exclusive Tours team, which is always eager to work with Canada’s travel trade.

“We bring that small, personalized experience that often gets lost in large call centres these days,” Kania says, noting that her team is “more than happy” to visit agents and agencies across Canada to provide product training and collateral.

There’s also lucrative commissions and incentives for travel agents who secure bookings, such as the $250 per cabin booking bonus on a select AmaWaterways Portugal departure that’s currently that’s currently up for grabs.

Last but not least, Exclusive Tours prides itself on value, with many of its brands offering inclusions and expertly trained staff. Guests will have a “better level of service,” Kania says. 

Two Exclusive offers

Periodically, Exclusive Tours gains access to “some of the last available balcony cabins” on popular cruises that have otherwise sold out.

Such is the case with two river cruises that are currently on the Exclusive menu:

• Enchanting Douro River Cruise with AmaWaterways – from $4,099 CAD per person, August 31st, 2019, for seven nights.
• Classical Rhine Cruise with Amadeus River Cruises – from $2,899 CAD per person, October 31st, 2019, for seven nights.

“With these departures, you know there will be other Canadians onboard. For some travellers, that is a huge highlight,” says Kania, urging agents to book in advance.

“Both departures offer tremendous value,” she says. “It’s perfect for travellers who love the ease of river cruises.”

For more information, visit exclusivetours.ca, call  1.800.268.1820, contact reservations at info@exclusivetours.ca or email Katie Kania directly at katie.kania@exclusivetours.ca.

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