Grand Circle travelers enjoy many aspects of their journeys with us, but one common theme I hear again and again is how wonderful their Home-Hosted Visits are during their trips. They simply love the opportunities Grand Circle provides to interact with local residents and see them in their homes and daily routines.
Here, Mary Jo B. and Rita W. share their wonderful experiences during their Home-Hosted Lunches, and Marlene P. discusses some of her favorite examples of interacting with the locals during her Eastern Europe & the Black Sea River Cruise …
I was a Group Leader for our trip on the M/S River Aria to Eastern Europe & the Black Sea. It was an experience of a lifetime! We traveled with a group of people who had been military friends from Germany in the late 1960s. Grand Circle was very helpful and our hotel director on the ship provided us with many unexpected delights.
As a group, we enjoyed every aspect of the trip and plan to do many more together … A highlight of our vacation was the Home-Hosted Lunch in Croatia and the beauty of Budapest. This picture was taken on the Danube after we exited the Iron Gates region. Our group included couples from Texas, Illinois, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, and Florida. I look forward to being a Group Leader again.
Mary Jo B.
5-time traveler
Killeen, Texas
I had such a wonderful time exploring the history of Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania on my Eastern Europe & the Black Sea River Cruise. I took so many pictures from Bucharest to Budapest. Here are just a few of my favorites …
Visiting students at a local school sponsored by Grand Circle Foundation in Croatia.
Enjoying Croatian hospitality during a Home-Hosted Lunch.
Rita enjoys learning about the history of Bucharest.
Rita W.
11-time traveler & Vacation Ambassador
Westerville, Ohio
Though my husband and I have traveled fairly extensively on our own in Western Europe, this was our first trip to Eastern Europe. It was a trip to be remembered because of the area’s recent history: The effects of years under communism and the wars during the breakup of the former Yugoslavia were evident. Despite this background, we enjoyed meeting our host Croatian family for lunch, listening to the Nosalov innkeeper sing Czech polkas, eating a “royal” meal Renaissance-style in Visegrad, checking out the Easter markets in Prague, strolling in downtown Belgrade with the locals, and picking up seashells on the beach in Varna.
We commend the M/S River Concerto’s captain and crew for providing comfortable sailing and delicious meals. We also thank our Program Director, Andrea Nagy, and the local guides for providing valuable information throughout the trip.
Marlene P.
4-time traveler & Vacation Ambassador
Crystal Lake, Illinois