Bonnie Carroll's Life Bites - Travel Adventures

The 43rd edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal will take place from June 29 to July 8, 2023 at the Quartier des Spectacles! For more information:

I arrived in Copenhagen on the Viking Jupiter on a gorgeous day, with only seven hours to see the sights and decided the Copenhagen On-Off Bus would be my best way to achieve visiting the sights on my must do lists.

The bus stopped steps from my Viking ship, and I found sitting on the open upper deck an amazing view hop on hop off tourist bus-bus. I was able to see so many of the destinations I hoped to visit and was returned walking distance from my ship on time for dinner and departure. Below please find information on places I recommend you visit in this colorful and happy Danish capitol.

City cards are great and the Copenhagen Card, gives you instant access without waiting in long lines to over 80 attractions and free public transport. You can purchase the card in 1-to-5-day increments, and for quick visits the one-day option is perfect. I love guided tours and Copenhagen has some great tours to choose from. Usually walking tours are by hours and very insightful on history, a four-hour food tour got high points from people, if you are a biker several bike tours are offered. They offer a popular Danish pastry making tour (however, Viking ships usually offer this class on board ships traveling through Denmark).

So much to see in happy Copenhagen and due to the fact that I adored Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales as a child, and I live a short drive from Solvang, California (referred to as Denmark USA), I was anxious to see the real Little Mermaid Statue, located in the Osterbro neighborhood of Copenhagen. A kind man and his little girl generously offered to take my photo with the Little Mermaid.

Amalienborg Palace is impressive and home to the Danish Royal Family since 1794. It is a fifteen-minute walk from the Little Mermaid,

but that’s why they call it the On-Off Bus! If you’re interested in royal history, you should visit the interior. The palace consists of four 18th century Rococo-style buildings named after the monarchs. Also you will find a museum where you can view the private apartments and reception rooms of the kings and queens. Similar to Buckingham Palace, every day at noon you can see the changing of the guard. If the queen is in residence, you’ll see a swallowtail flying from the roof. The Royal Danish Opera House, designed by Henning Larsen is located across from the Royal Palace and the architectural is renowned making it a favorite of visiting opera lovers and their families. (photo CVB)

Nyhavn is Copenhagen’s renowned and most colorful of

neighborhoods and a must visit with one day in Copenhagen. It’s world known for its series of colorful buildings. It’s one of the most popular photo spots in the city. This is a perfect place to grab a snack or ice cream at countless cozy street cafes and bars. At Nyhavn 20, you can visit the former home of Hans Christian Anderson. The author spent his life in Copenhagen, where he wrote his famous children’s stories.

Another recommended shopping and food destination is the Torvehallerne, a glass enclosed food market featuring 80 shops, with picnic tables to enjoy a meal, and featuring Danish specialties, produce, coffee, wine and more.

Louisiana Museum is a museum not to miss on your one day in Copenhagen. The Louisiana Museum of Modern Art is an eye catching museum that is unusual, but worth visiting. The Museum houses over 4,000 works of modern art postdating 1945, including Picasso, Warhol, Giacometti, Lichtenstein, Dubuffet and more. Outside, you will discover a beautiful sculpture garden with over 60 works by Alexander Calder, Henry Moore, and Richard Serra

CANAL CRUISE In the late afternoon, take a canal cruise, a quick way to view a great deal of the canal area of Copenhagen. Wonderful photographic opportunities to capture colorful buildings. View will include a great view of Amalienborg Palace, the Opera House, the Little Mermaid, and the colorful houses and house boats of Christianshavn. Cruises depart from Nyhavn throughout the day.

TIVOLI - Founded in 1843, Tivoli Gardens is Copenhagen’s iconic theme park and a prime attraction. It’s the world’s second oldest

amusement park and heavily inspired Disneyland. If you are traveling with your children, this is a must do with one day in Copenhagen. Walking through the iron gates, you find rollercoasters, immaculate gardens, concert pavilion, theater venue, Moorish and Venetian architecture, and the Oriented-style Balkonen Restaurant. If you visit at night you will see a magical show of lights. A train takes guest around the park, and visitors can purchase a ticket for 24 hour unlimited rides. Note: Tivoli is only open from April to September, with special openings on Halloween and celebrated holidays. There are fireworks on Saturday nights from June to August. (Photo CVB)

If you are flying into Copenhagen and looking for hotel accommodations there are so many beautiful hotels to choose from, all with beautiful views. I saw many while traveling through the city, and was told about a few mentioned below: The Admiral Hotel in a beautifully restored historic building near Amalienborg and The Hotel Nimb 5 star boutique hotel with a rooftop pool located in Tivoli highlighted with a fairytale facade with Moorish arches.

All in all, my day in Copenhagen on the bus was pretty amazing, this city is invigoriating to say the least, and I do hope I can go back to spend more time there enjoying the delicious food, glorious architecture, historic art and friendly people.Visit: https://www.copenhagen.com.

Europe Remains a Top Destination as Viking Sets New Records for Bookings,
Including Strongest Single Sales Day in the Company’s 25-Year History

As Viking® (www.viking.com) continues to celebrate its 25^th anniversary, the company has marked a new milestone—the most successful single month of bookings in its history. From January 1 to 31, 2023, the company also experienced 18 of its all-time top 20 booking days, including the strongest single day in its 25-year history.

“For 25 years we have been committed to developing travel experiences for The Thinking Person. This is what sets us apart,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “We are pleased that our approach to destination-focused voyages continues to resonate with curious travelers, and we look forward to welcoming even more guests on board around the world in in the years to come.”

With record-breaking sales, Europe remains a popular destination for Viking guests across the company’s award-winning fleet of river and ocean ships, with some itineraries nearly sold out for the 2023 season. Viking’s most popular European river itineraries include:

In response to the strong demand, the company has also opened early 2025 sailings dates on select ocean itineraries including:

· Empires of the Mediterranean (10 days; between Venice and Athens) – Ten days. Nine magnificent destinations. One epic journey. Sail the Adriatic and Aegean, taking in all the riches of this fabled region. On an exploration bookended by iconic Venice and Athens, discover the ancient ruins of Olympia and the Acropolis. Explore the medieval warrens of Zadar and Dubrovnik, and admire the famed whitewashed villages of Santorini. Delight in the beauty of Corfu and be captivated by Koper, the gateway to picturesque Slovenia.

· Viking Homelands (15 days; between Bergen and Stockholm) – Sail historic waters and discover more of Scandinavia with overnights in Stockholm, Oslo and scenic Bergen. See charming Ålborg and Gdańsk, and visit the grand cities of Berlin and Copenhagen. Witness breathtaking scenery from your ship as she glides through majestic Norwegian fjords in the legendary homelands of the Vikings.

Viking’s record-breaking sales are the latest milestone as the company has grown in recent years. Since 2020, Viking has welcomed 15 new ships to its fleet—including eight new Viking Longships on the rivers of Europe, new purpose-built vessels on the Mekong, Nile and Mississippi rivers; two new, identical ocean ships; and Polar Class expedition vessels. Viking was also named both the #1 Ocean Line and #1 River Line by both Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler, making it the first line ever to simultaneously earn #1 in its categories from both publications.

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AIR TRAVEL ADVENTURES . . .

CHASE CARDS ARE COOL

Chase officially opened its first Sapphire Lounge at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS). It’s located in the Terminal B to C connector between gates B39 and B40. The lounge is open daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., and it’s nearly 12,000 square feet!

The lounge looks premium and on par with what Centurion lounges offer — it's definitely nicer than most other airport lounges.

If you have a Priority Pass with a Chase-issued card (either the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the now-discontinued Ritz-Carlton credit card), you will have unlimited free access for yourself and two guests to Chase Sapphire lounges. If you have Priority Pass through any other cards, once per calendar year, you can access the new Sapphire Lounge and bring in guests for $75 each.

If you don’t have a Priority Pass, you can buy access for $100 per person per visit, subject to availability. Keep in mind, you can only access the lounge within three hours of departure or if you are on a layover. We’ll see if this lounge policy will be sustainable, as its popularity spreads, we know there are a lot of Chase Sapphire Reserve cardholders out there.

Chase lounges are already open via a terrace at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). Confirmed plans call for clubs in the following six airports:

Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport (LAS): Terminal 1 C gates.
New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA): Terminal B.
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL): Terminal D/E Connector.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX): Terminal 4 South 1.
San Diego International Airport (SAN): Terminal 2 West.
Washington's Dulles International Airport (IAD): Terminal A.

American Express Centurion lounges

The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express allow members access to its network of lounges.

American Express changed its guest access policy for all lounges, and only two complimentary guests if you have a minimum of $75,000 in spending on The Platinum Card annually. Otherwise, the price for bringing a guest into American Express Centurion Lounge is $50 for adults and $30 for children ages 2-17. Children under 2 enter for free.

Chase Sapphire lounges in the U.S. will have a different policy.

Amex will expand its Centurion lounges to more airports and currently operates in 23 international airports and new Centurion club in midtown Manhattan. In 2020, Amex opened new Centurion lounges in Phoenix, Charlotte, Los Angeles and New York (John F. Kennedy International Airport). In 2021, Amex opened new or expanded Centurion lounges in Denver, Las Vegas and New York (LGA). No openings in 2022, but there were expansions in San Francisco and Seattle and two at Centurion Studios. Futures include new Amex Centurion lounges in Washington (2023), Atlanta (2024) and Newark (TBA).

Additional News on upcoming lounge openings and how to gain access:

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