wenty-odd years ago, when my
grandmother was in her cruising prime, bridge was the game of
choice for many cruise ship passengers. The only equipment she
toted along was a deck of cards and a score pad, and it seemed the
sole reason to disembark was to do some shopping.
However, the golf enthusiasts who sign up for Kalos Golf's
Europe voyages view cruising a bit differently. Targeted at an
upscale clientele looking for first-class accommodations, service
and cuisine, these cruises primarily attract travelers who are
serious about golf and are looking for a form of active travel.
For them, sneaking in one round of golf on a vacation just isn't
good enough. But five or six rounds? Now you're talking. For those
looking to combine golf and travel, a golf cruise is very
enticing.
According to Sue Pierce, vice president of Chapel Hill,
N.C.-based Kalos Golf, "In the past, the standard overseas golf
trip would have been a bunch of guys renting a car [and] driving
through Scotland and Ireland.
"But the typical golf trip has changed. The wives aren't left
behind anymore -- so many women are playing golf now. And other
[golf destinations outside of Scotland and Ireland] weren't
common."
The majority of Kalos' clients are upmarket, retired couples who
are more than happy to leave the hassles of planning and executing
a European golf adventure to professionals, and the company's
number of repeat cruisers is high.
Self-drive vacations in Europe don't appeal to many travelers,
especially when luggage and clubs must be managed. In addition,
Kalos' tour directors handle all the logistics, and golf directors
secure tee times, match partners and organize tournament play.
"Many clients play the best golf courses in the States, and are
accustomed to a very high level of service," Pierce said. "We
provide that overseas. We transport the clubs for the clients,
often using trucks to take everyone's clubs from course to course
and having them set up in advance. They don't have to fuss with
them once they're in Europe."
Although the company caters to golfers who want to travel and
travelers who want to golf, Pierce said Kalos makes sure that
nongolfers are just as thrilled with their cruises.
Not every day is filled with a trip to the links -- experts lead
daily shore excursions. Smaller touring groups allow for greater
flexibility, so the company is able to provide "a nicer experience
than following one of those guides who's waving a little flag,"
Pierce said.
Kalos charters luxurious but intimate ships, none housing more
than 100 passengers.
The Sea Cloud, which now cruises the French and Italian Rivieras
and the Danube, among other waterways, originally was owned by
heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post and financier E. F. Hutton.
Built in 1931, the ship has since hosted the Duke and Duchess of
Windsor, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Sweden's King Gustavus V.
Not all the vessels in Kalos' fleet are as pedigreed, but all are
five-star vessels.
Kalos Golf's cruises generally run nine to 12 nights, with
prices ranging from $6,200 to $10,000 per person, double, land
only. Commissions are roughly 8% but vary by cruise.
The company's regular cruising season runs from late April to
late September, during which 13 to 16 cruises are available;
itineraries include Austria, the British Isles, France, Germany,
northern Italy and Spain.
Among those still to come this year are the Coast of Spain Golf
Cruise from Malaga to Barcelona; two French Golf & Wine Cruises
from Paris to Lyon; the Riviera Golf Cruise from Nice, France, to
Rome; and the Northern Italy Golf Cruise from Cremona to
Venice.
For 2004, a special voyage has been added to the line-up -- a
Normandy Golf Cruise that commemorates the 60th anniversary of
D-Day.
The cruise, scheduled to run from May 27 to June 8, will sail
from London to Paris, stopping along the southern coast of England
and the northern coast of France.
William Jordan, an expert on Normandy and D-Day, will accompany
the trip, leading discussions and giving valuable insight into many
aspects of the historical event.
On June 6, cruisers will have the opportunity to join veterans
and their families at the American Cemetery at
Colleville-Saint-Laurent to mark the anniversary of the Allied
invasion.
And, lest you forget, there will be six days of golf. The
Normandy Golf Cruise is priced from $7,575 to $12,795.
For more information, call (919) 942-3464 or visit the Web site
at www.kalosgolf.com.