Vacationing with Smartphones, Part Deux

In our last entry, we talked about how stoked we are about iPhone apps and they way they’ve changed travel. Since then, we found a couple other wonderful iPhone apps that are sure to make your dream Ireland or Scotland vacation come true. First, let’s talk about Snapshot Postcard. This great app allows you to convert any iPhone image into a postcard, type a message and then send it off to your loved ones back home. The app is entirely free and the folks behind Snapshot Postcard take care of printing it off and sending it.

Sceptre Tours offers wonderful Ireland and Scotland vacation packages that allow you to see not only the lush landscapes and quaint country towns, but also beautiful, centuries old castles full of history. Most smartphones now have great cameras built into them, which makes capturing those magical moments so easy. And now with this app, you can share those with your friends and family back home in no time.

Our second app that we think you’ll love as much as us is Gate Guru. This app allows you to check flight status updates, gate changes and any amenities that are near your gate. Say you’re famished after running around Dublin on your last day of you Ireland vacation. You can find out what restaurants are near your gate before you even get there. Problem solved, just like that. So while some of you still may be fighting the onset of the smartphone and the digital age, we say bring it on.

Budapest to Amsterdam and Everything In-between

Cruise between Budapest and Amsterdam. See many of the cities along the way including: Cologne, Miltenberg, Nuremberg, Passau and Vienna. Sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, see Lorelei rock.

Passau is a town in Lower Bavaria, Germany, known also as the Dreiflüssestadt (City of Three Rivers), because the Danube is joined there by the Inn from the South, and the Ilz coming out of the Bavarian Forest to the North.

Its population is 50,415, of whom about 10,000 are students at the local University of Passau. The university, founded in the late 1970s, is the extension of the Institute for Catholic Studies (Katholisch-Theologische Fakultät) founded in 1622. It is renowned in Germany for its institutes of Economics, Law, Theology, Computer Sciences and Cultural Science.

Passau was an ancient Roman colony of ancient Noricum called Batavis, Latin for "for the Batavi." The Batavi were an ancient Germanic tribe often mentioned by classical authors, and they were regularly associated with the Suebian marauders, the Heruli.

During the second half of the 5th century, St. Severinus established a monastery here. In 739, an Irish monk called Boniface founded the diocese of Passau and this was the largest diocese of the Holy Roman Empire for many years.

In the Treaty of Passau (1552), Archduke Ferdinand I, representing Emperor Charles V, secured the agreement of the Protestant princes to submit the religious question to a diet. This led to the Peace of Augsburg in 1555.

During the Renaissance and early modern period, Passau was one of the most prolific centres of sword and bladed weapon manufacture in Germany (after Solingen). Passau smiths stamped their blades with the Passau wolf, usually a rather simplified rendering of the wolf on the city's coat-of-arms. Superstitious warriors believed that the Passau wolf conferred invulnerability on the blade's bearer, and thus Passau swords acquired a great premium. As a result, the whole practice of placing magical charms on swords to protect the wearers came to be known for a time as "Passau art." (See Eduard Wagner, Cut and Thrust Weapons, 1969). Other cities' smiths, including those of Solingen, recognized the marketing value of the Passau wolf and adopted it for themselves. By the 17th century, Solingen was producing more wolf-stamped blades than Passau was.

Sceptre Tours is the leader in European river cruises from Budapest to Amsterdam. Enjoy everything there is to offer on the long cruise across eastern europe! Choose Sceptre Tours for your next European river cruise!

The Danube, Vienna to Prague!

Enjoy the festive atmosphere of 1,000-year-old Prague and all along the Legendary Danube on this enchanting vacation. Delight in local Christmas markets in Nuremberg, Regensburg and Vienna.

The Danube River is the longest river in the European Union and Europe's second longest river after the Volga.

The river originates in the Black Forest in Germany as the much smaller Brigach and Breg rivers which join at the German town Donaueschingen, after which it is known as the Danube and flows eastwards for a distance of some 1771 miles, passing through four Central and Eastern European capitals, before emptying into the Black Sea via the Danube Delta in Romania and Ukraine.

Known to history as one of the long-standing frontiers of the Roman Empire, the river flows through—or forms a part of the borders of—ten countries: Germany (7.5%), Austria (10.3%), Slovakia (5.8%), Hungary (11.7%), Croatia (4.5%), Serbia (10.3%), Romania (28.9%), Bulgaria (5.2%), Moldova (0,017%), and Ukraine (3.8%)

Sceptre Tours is the leader in European river cruises on the Danube River! Enjoy everything the cruisehas to offer while you travel in style from Vienna to Prague! Make it a time to remember with Sceptre Tours and their european river cruises!

Paris to Normandy, by Cruise Ship!

This European River Cruise will Combine time in France’s splendid capital with discoveries of quaint villages along the Seine and in the picturesque Normandy region, and the poignant WWII landing beaches. Experience Vincent van Gogh’s Auvers-sur-Oise, Claude Monet’s stunning gardens at Giverny, and Joan of Arc’s historic Rouen. Taste the apple cider, Calvados, and camembert for which northern France is famous.

When Monet and his family settled in Giverny in 1883 the piece of land sloping gently down from the house to the road was planted with an orchard and enclosed by high stone walls.

A central alley bordered with pines separated it into two parts. Monet had the pines cut down, keeping only the two yews closest to the house to please Alice.

From this Clos Normand of about one hectare, Monet made a garden full of perspectives, symmetries and colours.

In 1893, ten years after his arrival at Giverny, Monet bought the piece of land neighbouring his property on the other side of the railway. It was crossed by a small brook, the Ru, which is a diversion of the Epte, a tributary of the Seine River. With the support of the prefecture, Monet had the first small pond dug ; even though his peasant neighbours were opposed. They were afraid that his strange plants would poison the water.

Later on the pond would be enlarged to its present day size. The water garden is full of asymmetries and curves. It is inspired by the Japanese gardens that Monet knew from the prints he collected avidly.

Visit all these beautiful places with Sceptre Tours, the leader in European River Cruises! They have the experience and background to make your river cruise a time to remember! Choose Sceptre Tours for your next European River Cruise!

Cruise from Frankfurt to Prague!

Experience the holiday season on this festive river cruise vacation from Frankfurt to Prague, featuring a deluxe 5-night river cruise on the Main River. Enjoy guided city sightseeing in Würzburg, Bamberg, and in the Bavarian village of Miltenberg. In Würzburg, visit the Bishop’s Residenz; take an included excursion to Rothenburg on the famed Romantic Road; and enjoy a baking demonstration in Miltenberg. In 1,000-year-old Prague, see the city’s best-known treasures and stroll through the impressive Christmas market in the Old Town.

Prague Castle is a castle in Prague where the Kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept here. Prague Castle is one of the biggest castles in the world (according to Guinness Book of Records the biggest ancient castle) at about 570 meters in length and an average of about 130 meters wide.

The castle buildings represent virtually every architectural style of the last millennium. The Prague Castle includes gothic St Vitus Cathedral, Romanesque Basilica of St. George, a monastery and several palaces, gardens and defense towers. Most of the castle areas are open to tourists. Nowadays, the castle houses several museums, including the National Gallery collection of Bohemian baroque and mannerism art, exhibition dedicated to Czech history, Toy Museum and the picture gallery of Prague Castle, based on the collection of Rudolph II. The Summer Shakespeare Festival regularly takes place in the courtyard of Burgrave Palace.

Sceptre Tours is your #1 source for european river cruises in Germany and the Czech Republic! They have the background and experience to make sure your european river cruise is memorable and amazing! Choose Sceptre Tours for all your European river cruise needs!

Venice and Northern Pearls

This unique itinerary will take you through Italy’s beautiful Veneto region, home to some of Europe’s greatest cultural, artistic, and architectural treasures. Your vacation starts at the Villa Pace Park Hotel Bolognese, an oasis of tranquility and refinement, only 20 minutes from Venice. In the evening you’ll enjoy a welcome dinner featuring the sumptuous cuisine and wine of the region. Then enjoy a comprehensive walking tour of Venice including stops at Piazza San Marco, The Doge’s Palace, and the magical Bridge of Sighs. Other highlights include a glass blowing exhibition and time to explore on your own, a must in this magical city of picturesque canals, balconied palazzi, and winding lanes.

Piazza San Marco is the principal square of Venice! The Piazza originated in the 9th century as a small area in front of the original St Mark's Basilica. It was enlarged to its present size and shape in 1177, when the Rio Batario, which had bounded it to the west, and a dock, which had isolated the Doge's Palace from the square, were filled in. The rearrangement was for the meeting of Pope Alexander III and the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.

The Piazza has always been seen as the centre of Venice. It was the location of all the important offices of the Venetian state, and has been the seat of the archbishopric since the 19th century. It was also the focus for many of Venice's festivals. It is a greatly popular place in Italy even today.

With Sceptre Tours you will enjoy escourted walking tours of Venice and will witness the magnificance of Piazza San Marco! Sceptre Tours gives you the lowest prices on Italian vacation packages and European vacation packages! Choose Sceptre Tours for your next trip to Venice!

Emerald Ritz Package

The Emerald Ritz Package offers you complete flexibility in creating your own itinerary and the final night at the exclusive Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, just south of Dublin. Enjoy your first night at the Croke Park Hotel in Dublin only a short distance from Dublin Airport and the perfect way to start your Ireland adventure. The next 4 nights are at your choice of warm Irish B&Bs sprinkled throughout the entire country with over 1200 to choose from. The west of Ireland offers plenty of options to explore the Emerald Isle including Cliffs of Moher, Limerick, Killarney, Galway and much more. No matter what way you plan your trip know that your final night will be spent in luxury at the 5-star Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt.

The Ritz Carlton Powerscourt lets you whisk yourself away to a Palladian estate tucked back in the woodlands of County Wicklow, on Ireland’s east coast. Take an enchanting stroll amidst the gentle green hills and sparkling lakes of Powerscourt Gardens, then head into Dublin for some cosmopolitan flair. The sumptuous surroundings of our Ireland hotel combine the luxury and tranquility of country living with city chic.

The Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, County Wicklow hotel in near Dublin brings together natural beauty and dignified accommodation to offer its guests an unforgettable retreat. This Wicklow hotel’s amenities and services include:

•200 spacious guest rooms, including 124 suites, panoramic views and terraces available in many rooms
•Outstanding spa with 20 treatment rooms and two private spa suites
•36 holes of championship golf
•Three exceptional dining facilities, including Gordon Ramsay at Powerscourt, a signature restaurant from the world-renowned chef
•More than 10,000 square feet of meeting space

With the Sceptre Tours Emerald Ritz Package you will spend the night at this fabulous and beautiful hotel located in the heart of Ireland! Sceptre Tours is the leader in fine European luxury traveling, vacation packages, and escorted tours! Choose them for your next trip to Europe and save, because this awesome vacation pacakge starts at only $599!

Romantic Rhine / Zurich to Amsterdam

Enjoy sightseeing in Strasbourg, Koblenz, Cologne and Heidelberg and a canal cruise in picturesque Amsterdam. Sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, see Lorelei Rock and visit the quaint wine village of Rüdesheim.

The Rhine Gorge is a popular name for the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a 65 km section of the River Rhine between Koblenz and Bingen in Germany. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in June 2002 for a unique combination of geological, historical, cultural and industrial reasons.

Even in the 19th century, reefs and rapids made it extremely dangerous for ships to pass this point on the Rhine River. The legend tells us, that a siren called "Lorelei" bewitched the hearts of the sailors and when they looked up to the rock, their boat crashed and they sank.

Rüdesheim is a winemaking town in the Rhine Gorge and thereby part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. It lies in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. It is officially known as Rüdesheim am Rhein, which distinguishes it from Rüdesheim an der Nahe.

Enjoy sightseeing along the Rhine River from Zuirch to Amsterdam with Sceptre Tours! Sceptre Tours is the elader for Romantic River Cruises throughout Europe! Stay aboard their luxurious river boats and experience Europe like you have never before! Choose Sceptre Tours for your next European River Cruise Vacation!

Big Product Launch!

Lynbrook, NY (October 23, 2009) - Sceptre Tours kicked off the 2010 travel season with a launch party last week and the announcement of a renewed commitment to the travel agent community.

In fact, according to Chris Accomando, Sceptre's President, Sceptre is making a significant commitment to travel agents and will invest approximately $1 million next year to support and educate the travel agent community on the company's core products: Escorted Vacations, Custom Independent Vacations, and Group Vacations to Ireland, Britain, and Italy; as well as European River Cruises.

As part of the launch party, Sceptre invited its top producing travel agents in the Northeast region to participate in sales training with speaker John Dalton on the art of selling — how to close a sale and overcome objections from consumers in this difficult economy. Additionally, the company had a number of its suppliers from Ireland and Italy in attendance to meet with the agents and provide them with a one-on-one opportunity to learn more about the various airlines, hotels, bed and breakfasts, rental cars, and other products they sell via Sceptre.


Sceptre also introduced its new brochures for 2010 which features a variety of new tours and packages. For 2010, Sceptre will offer a total of 18 escorted vacations in Ireland, Britain, and Italy as well as independent travel packages, bed and breakfast programs, and river cruising throughout Europe. The company's core message to agents for 2010 is "Think Sceptre" and they are putting their money behind it by working with travel agents to help them sell via flyers, customized websites, training, and more.

Agents who would like to receive copies of Sceptre's new brochures should email brochures@sceptretours.com. If they would like to speak to someone at Sceptre with regard to training, they should email Ileana Czerw at iczerw@gcs-ltd.com.

ABOUT SCEPTRE TOURS

Based in Lynbrook, New York and founded in 1981, Sceptre Tours is a family-owned and operated company with a philosophy of providing travelers an incredible experience to Ireland, Britain, Italy, as well as River Cruising, at the best value and with the best customer service. Sceptre specializes in offering completely customizable vacations which are bookable online in real time and offers escorted tours to Ireland, Britain, and Italy as well as river cruises, plus golf tours, walking tours, activities and group programs.

To visit the Sceptre Tours website, please visit www.sceptretours.com or call 800-221-0924.