(22 Reviews)
100% Recommended

Daniel Oppliger

Davis, CA

Group Travel Expert

Travel Specialist in River Cruises in Turkey and China.  Dan Oppliger knows all about group travel, as he has hosted group tours the world over. He has visited 60 countries, and has guided tours extensively throughout Chile, China, Costa Rica and ...
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Travel Specialist in River Cruises in Turkey and China.  Dan Oppliger knows all about group travel, as he has hosted group tours the world over. He has visited 60 countries, and has guided tours extensively throughout Chile, China, Costa Rica and Turkey.

As a travel agent and adviser, he has also managed group travel to destinations in Argentina and Chile. As a travel agent and tour guide, Dan specializes in river cruises with top vendors, such as Avalon. He likes Avalon, as it features roomy cabins and beds that face the water. For groups, Ama Waterways makes it real easy to reserve and hold you space until you get organized.

Therefore, Dan can help you with all your group travel needs, as he knows how to balance out an itinerary. He will help your group avoid the tourist traps while including fun activities on your travel schedule, such as evening shows.Ask Dan about activities, such as yachting adventures, bicycle rental, or specialized programs.

He can assist with group travel for both large and small groups – private and organizational. In his role as travel agent specialist, Dan can make any tour more casual and exciting. He can find just the right suppliers to cater to your travel needs, whether you travel with a group or on your own. Do you want to visit the floating markets of Asia?

Maybe you want to sample Turkish cuisine. In either case, you can book a vacation that will give you the opportunity to realize your travel dreams.Dan knows how to negotiate with vendors so you can get a river cabin or hotel upgrade without paying extra. Seek his advice and guidance to book a one-of-a-kind river cruise or to plan a unique travel experience.

Contact him today for all the details.

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Daniel Oppliger

Can Be Reached At

1-915-280-2922

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River Cruise Travel Specialist

Daniel & Shirley on a River Cruise

Rather than rehash many blogs on river cruising we are going to concentrate on the things that made our Avalon Waterways river cruise so special.

We arrive in Budapest two days early. We stayed off the water about a mile for about a quarter of the price of river front luxury hotels.

The Three Corners Bristol was a boutique hotel between two subway stops, thus a lower price point due to location. Nearby was the Hussar Restaurant where we dined on Hungarian goulash, both beef and chicken. It was served with a side of pickled vegetables.

AS far as I know, we were the only couple on the ship that went to the Gellert Spa. The hot pools were just what our chilled bones needed. It was not really that cold. We left Arizona at 105° F, so anything below 70° is cold for us. The hot mineral water, sauna and steam room exceeded our expectations. In season with the outdoor pools may have been more enjoyable. The historic building was a treat in itself. Before going to the spa, we dropped our laundry off at the cleaners. We picked it up after the spa and headed for the Avalon Expression.

Due to an expected overnight bridge closure, our ship had to depart earlier than usual. We could have taken an all-day coach tour or stay on the ship. About 40 of stayed on the ship. We had more waiters than necessary for lunch and enjoyed the hot tub on the top deck sailing up the Danube.

In Vienna we did the usual tour and saw the Lipizzaner Stallions we returned to the ship for lunch. We took the subway back into town and went to the market where our big purchase was Hungarian paprika. The stalls contained many items and we felt safe the whole time. We also went to the H & M store to purchase sweatshirts. We have become wusses living in Arizona. Not to be missed was the first bakery where we could by apple strudel. We purchased apple strudel and the Avalon staff was more than happy to heat it up for us in the morning. We did this about 5 times on the cruise.

Regensburg was our most favorable stop. We left the ship before breakfast for a walk. We did a loop and stumbled upon the Kepler House-Kepler the astronomer. Great we will come back later. We crossed over the river on the lovers lock bridge. Here there were thousands of padlocks with lovers names engraved upon them along with dates of weddings, I presume. I have seen these bridges in photos and on the television, but this was our first encounter in person. After our tour with the guides, the Kepler house was closed as it is only open on the weekends.The Rhine Gorge is the main attraction of many river cruises.

At Wurzburg castle we saw the Room of Mirrors. Along with the tour came commentary about how it was terrible of the Allies to bomb the castle. The mirrors and artwork were moved to caves for safe storage during the war. We photographed many castles along the Rhine. Close to dusk we came upon the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen. Actually we saw the remains of it on each side of the river. Our Captain said he would slow the ship down so we could take some photos. We cruised by it pdq. I was intrigued by the cable car over the river. Perhaps on another tour I will ride the cable car.

Our cruise ended in Amsterdam where our cruise director warned us of “killer bicycles.” She was spot on and “ding, ding, ding –zoom.” After our bus tour and canal cruise we went to the Van Gogh museum. The canal cruise would never be allowed in the USA. Either OSHA or the Coast Guard would shut it down. As near as I could tell there was one way in and one way out. I saw no way to open the windows. What if we crashed into a Killer Bike? They told us how many bicycles they fish out of the canals every year. We took the streetcar to the Van Gogh museum and back. We could not figure out how to pay. There were too many folks aboard to even get to the pay station aboard.

One thing Avalon Waterways does right is its’ “Gentle Walker” program. The slow moving folks has a trolley or short train available for them at many ports to keep walking to a minimum. Avalon had the White group on the coaches when touring too. This way both the active and Gentle Walker folks can enjoy the experience.

Please contact us to make plans for your memorable holiday.

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Avalon River Cruise Waterways

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