AmaWaterways last year introduced cruises on the Chobe River aboard the Zambezi Queen. The ship travels along the banks of Chobe National Park, where guests can view elephants, leopards, lions, sable and buffalo. The river cruise is combined with three land tours that include South Africa, Kruger National Park, the Serengeti, Zimbabwe, Ngorongoro or Mount Kilimanjaro. Each tour ends with two nights in Victoria Falls.

AmaWaterways also operates 16-day packages to Vietnam and Cambodia, which include an eight-day cruise on the Mekong River; a cruise-only option is also available. The cruises are aboard the 124-passenger AmaLotus and the 92-passenger La Marguerite. The land part of the trip includes two nights in Hanoi, an overnight in Ha Long Bay, three nights in Siem Reap and two nights in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

American Cruise Lines is offering in 2013 a new seven-night cruise through Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands on the 100-passenger American Spirit from Seattle. Among the sightseeing options are a tour of the whale museum and a visit to Butchart Gardens and Victoria city tour. The company is offering new theme cruises this year, including a Gold Rush voyage to Alaska departing July 20 and lobster festivals on both the Maine coastal and the New England islands itineraries.

American will operate its first full season of the Queen of the Mississippi this year, after debuting last August.

Among itinerary highlights for 2013 are 30 departures from Memphis and New Orleans to the Lower Mississippi's plantations, Civil War battlefields and Southern cultural sites. New theme cruises include an Elvis Tribute, Blues & Barbecue, Gardens of the River and Baseball Legends.

Avalon Waterways is offering cruises this year on two new ships in Asia - the Century Legend and Century Paragon - and adding a fourth Small Group Discover itinerary, the 15-day "Enchanting China & the Yangtze River" package. On the Mekong, Avalon offers cruises on the 32-passenger Avalon Angkor, which operates the 14-day "Fascinating Vietnam, Cambodia & the Mekong River" package.

Viking River Cruises offers the new 18-day "China Explorer" itinerary, which visits Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Lijiang and Shanghai. The trip includes five nights in a veranda stateroom on the 256-passenger Viking Emerald, plus three nights in Beijing, two each in Xian, Shanghai, Chengdu and Lijiang, and one in Chongqing.

I know this is a lot to digest.  Allow me to guide you through the process.  Please feel free to give me a call at 302.442.0225 for information and reservations.