River Cruising 101
Elizabeth Culligan and Diane Goclowski, Sundial Travel • May 1, 2024

Let’s have a show of hands who has taken a river cruise, and who has thought about this type of vacation but has not done it yet?


I hope this article will inspire you to take this trip for the first time or for those who will sail again.


There are many rivers to explore with European Rivers being by far the most popular destination. Whichever you choose you will experience history, culture, great food and wines of the region. Some of the rivers to sail are the Rhine, Main and Moselle, Danube, the Rhone and Saone, and the Douro in Portugal which is fast becoming a new favorite.


Europe is not the only destination for river cruising. You can also consider Asia sailing the Mekong and Yangtze.


Have you also thought about a Nile River cruise? Or what about an African Safari cruise on the Chobe River where hippos are alongside you in the water while on a safari boat?


If you prefer to stay stateside you can sample the music, food, and culture of the Mississippi, Colombia, and Snake Rivers or the Alaskan waterways.


Now to talk about the experience of river cruising. Most ships carry less than 200 passengers, so much more intimate than the large ocean voyages. The average age on board is usually over 50 but there are exceptions to this. Some cruise lines are looking to attract a younger group and offer active cruises which include unique excursions and activities that would include biking and hiking. There are also those that attract families great for multi-gen travel that include kids clubs and children’s activities.


For food and wine enthusiasts some of the lines will offer themed cruises centering around the food and wines of the region and include vineyard excursions with tastings.


Some may have an interest in the Christmas Markets during November and December. Diane Goclowski here at Sundial Travel recently sailed with Viva River cruises to the markets on the Rhine River. I asked her to be our Expert Contributor with some of her cruise highlights and personal experiences.


Christmas is a magical time all over Europe and the Christmas Markets did not disappoint. Each town and village have its own unique flavor but they all bring family and friends together for a festive time. You’ll find ornaments of all kinds, candles, and woodwork as well as clothing and jewelry. Local food specialties to sample and lots of drinks to keep you warm while you stroll through the market. Mulled wine is a favorite, called Gluhwein in Germany but every country has its own version.


While the ships and the cruise lines may vary, river cruising is a special experience. Aside from visiting places you might not otherwise have heard of and spending time with locals in their daily lives, the crew on board give you that “welcome home” feeling from the moment you board, taking care of all your needs until it’s time to say “till we meet again”.


We hope you have found this article informative and that you will want to consider river cruising for your next vacation. If you are interested in more information, our office is happy to assist.

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Turn to Sundial Travel for Your Next Vacation Travels

By Mary Grand • November 21, 2025
Since 1987 Liz Culligan, C.T.C. and owner of Sundial Travel in North Branford, has been providing her clients with her expertise and advice on all aspects of travel from planning and logistics to reservations and identifying “must see” sites and vacation experiences. Culligan’s career choice was strongly influenced by her first experience working with a travel agent to plan her own vacation. She was greatly impressed with her agent’s first-hand knowledge and experiences which were based on the many countries she personally had visited. She was able to answer all Liz’s questions and knew so much about the ins and outs of the country she was planning to visit. “I was also intrigued by seeing all the brochures and maps which presented so many options on what to see in this world”, says Culligan. With so many choices, the travel agency can provide helpful advice for sorting through the potentially overwhelming number of options and find the ones that will provide the most meaningful and personalized travel experience. While the travel brochures provide useful information, Sundial agents go above and beyond to stay abreast of what is happening in the world of travel by constantly taking webinars on desirable destinations, resorts, and tours – all to offer their clients up-to-date advice for that special trip or vacation spot. Sundial agents try to take advantage of every opportunity to experience the latest travel options and destinations personally. It may be accepting an invitation to tour a new cruise ship or to visit a new resort. “We all go because we want to learn all we can to best serve our clients” Culligan explained. Striving to constantly improve, the staff rely heavily on client feedback. They make a point of following up with clients after they return to hear about how well their experience met their expectations and what they might be willing to share to help agents stay up to date about that destination. “It’s important for us to know what they think. It helps us to be even better at our job,” adds Culligan. Sundial Travel can offer advice and personal recommendations on all aspects of travel for both corporate and leisure travel. It is especially important when one is choosing to travel to a new destination where their agent’s expertise can help provide peace of mind. Dealing with the unexpected issues on a trip has the potential to disrupt schedules and make the trip less enjoyable. Weather conditions and their impact are often difficult to foresee and can certainly wreak havoc on flight schedules. Having the expertise and connections of a travel agency behind you can often help resolve or minimize the impact of those unexpected issues. Sundial Travel recently assisted a corporate traveler in California whose flight was delayed 5 hours. The client called the agency and she was able to get her back to Connecticut sooner than had she waited for the delayed flight. Liz Culligan and her staff are seeing a large uptick in travel since COVID. “It seems as if COVID “flipped a light switch” and people decided to prioritize travel more saying let’s do this trip on our bucket list sooner rather than later. Europe is always a big attraction but we are seeing a definite uptick in travel to Australia, New Zealand and yes even to Antarctica,” says Liz. Sundial Travel stays abreast of travel requirements and which countries require visas, which ones need passports, or both and those countries that require completion of an entry form (and fee) upon landing for admittance. The agency’s expertise will help you avoid the inconvenience and experience of being denied entry at the airport. In 2025, only Great Britain (Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland) have an entry fee. However, starting in 2026 it is expected that more countries will have entry fees. “It’s important for me to have happy clients and for them to know we’re here to help from the first time we meet to plan a vacation until the time they return. We’re here to make your trip come to life”, tells Liz. When asked about her favorite country, she smiles and says “Italy”.

Turn to Sundial Travel for Your Next Vacation Travels

By Mary Grande • February 2, 2025
Since 1987 Liz Culligan, C.T.C. and owner of Sundial Travel in North Branford, has been providing her clients with her expertise and advice on all aspects of travel from planning and logistics to reservations and identifying “must see” sites and vacation experiences. Culligan’s career choice was strongly influenced by her first experience working with a travel agent to plan her own vacation. She was greatly impressed with her agent’s first-hand knowledge and experiences which were based on the many countries she personally had visited. She was able to answer all Liz’s questions and knew so much about the ins and outs of the country she was planning to visit. “I was also intrigued by seeing all the brochures and maps which presented so many options on what to see in this world”, says Culligan. With so many choices, the travel agency can provide helpful advice for sorting through the potentially overwhelming number of options and find the ones that will provide the most meaningful and personalized travel experience. While the travel brochures provide useful information, Sundial agents go above and beyond to stay abreast of what is happening in the world of travel by constantly taking webinars on desirable destinations, resorts, and tours – all to offer their clients up-to-date advice for that special trip or vacation spot. Sundial agents try to take advantage of every opportunity to experience the latest travel options and destinations personally. It may be accepting an invitation to tour a new cruise ship or to visit a new resort. “We all go because we want to learn all we can to best serve our clients” Culligan explained. Striving to constantly improve, the staff rely heavily on client feedback. They make a point of following up with clients after they return to hear about how well their experience met their expectations and what they might be willing to share to help agents stay up to date about that destination. “It’s important for us to know what they think. It helps us to be even better at our job,” adds Culligan. Sundial Travel can offer advice and personal recommendations on all aspects of travel for both corporate and leisure travel. It is especially important when one is choosing to travel to a new destination where their agent’s expertise can help provide peace of mind. Dealing with the unexpected issues on a trip has the potential to disrupt schedules and make the trip less enjoyable. Weather conditions and their impact are often difficult to foresee and can certainly wreak havoc on flight schedules. Having the expertise and connections of a travel agency behind you can often help resolve or minimize the impact of those unexpected issues. Sundial Travel recently assisted a corporate traveler in California whose flight was delayed 5 hours. The client called the agency and she was able to get her back to Connecticut sooner than had she waited for the delayed flight. Liz Culligan and her staff are seeing a large uptick in travel since COVID. “It seems as if COVID “flipped a light switch” and people decided to prioritize travel more saying let’s do this trip on our bucket list sooner rather than later. Europe is always a big attraction but we are seeing a definite uptick in travel to Australia, New Zealand and yes even to Antarctica,” says Liz. Sundial Travel stays abreast of travel requirements and which countries require visas, which ones need passports, or both and those countries that require completion of an entry form (and fee) upon landing for admittance. The agency’s expertise will help you avoid the inconvenience and experience of being denied entry at the airport. In 2025, only Great Britain (Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland) have an entry fee. However, starting in 2026 it is expected that more countries will have entry fees. “It’s important for me to have happy clients and for them to know we’re here to help from the first time we meet to plan a vacation until the time they return. We’re here to make your trip come to life”, tells Liz. When asked about her favorite country, she smiles and says “Italy”.

Multi-Generational Family Travel

By Elizabeth Culligan, Sundial Travel • October 8, 2024
Hope you had a wonderful summer and are ready for fall and winter. This time of year, include thinking about a multi-generational trip for 2025 for family and friends as part of your post-pandemic or bucket list item. Many of the trips we have been fortunate enough to work on for our clients were trips they dreamed about and decided to make happen. All of these included all types of multi-gen trips. These trips take some careful planning ahead not only to get the perfect travel destination but also for the people to check their schedules and travel time. Planning a Multi-Generation Trip For multi-gen trips, there are some considerations to make while planning. First, the budget - is everyone paying for their own family, or is one family member - typically the grandparents - paying for everyone? Next destination - this is just as important as budget. The time of year can dictate the various destination choices -for example, a Mediterranean cruise is better taken during the warmer months of this year whereas a Caribbean cruise can be taken during the winter months. Cruising with multi-generations is very popular as in 2024 the Cruise Industry report revealed that a third of the families who cruised in 2023 did so with at least two generations and another 28% cruised with three to five generations. Cruises in Alaska are quite popular with family groups as there is something for everyone to enjoy especially on the shore excursions. Each port of call will offer various excursions some appealing to the older folks and others appealing to those with children. Some of the ships offer youth programs on board with activities for different age group. Expedition cruising has also gained strength with multi-gen travelers. You can consider a cruise to the Galapagos where you can venture out on hikes and zodiac rides spotting the massive sea lions and gigantic tortoises and even the blue-footed boobies. Certainly, the experiences are educational for children and adults creating many memories. Do you rather prefer a land tour? Some great tour companies specialize in multi-gen travel all over the world. Adventures by Disney offers escorted groups in the United States, especially out West to National Parks. Tours are also offered all over Europe, England, France, Italy, Iceland, and more. A Safari in South Africa is certainly a bucket list trip for some families, or perhaps a river cruise on one of the many rivers in Europe. Successful Planning – Group decision maker & Travel Agent assistance A few tips for success in planning a trip multi-gen this is to have a group decision-maker. After consulting with everyone on a time frame, destination, and type of travel mode there should be one or two persons who keep everyone and everything on track. Enlisting the help of your local travel agent to help make this all happen and keep all the loose ends tied together.