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eCruises.com has been honored with the "Top 25" award from Ensemble Travel Group, one of the travel industry’s oldest and most respected affiliated travel agency organizations. The honor was presented to less than five percent of Ensemble Travel Group’s 450+ member agencies in the United States. Selection criteria was based on members’ 2008 sales performance with Ensemble Travel Group’s preferred suppliers.
To commemorate the award, Sy Ripka, president of eCruises.com, and other Ensemble Travel Group top producers were special guests of the Globus family of brands on an 8-night European river cruise along the Rhine on the Avalon Tapestry. While touring the cities of Strasbourg, Heidelberg, Mainz, Rudesheim, Koblenz, Cologne, and Amsterdam, Ensemble Travel Group’s top producers enjoyed the insights and special connections of celebrated author and TV food and travel journalist Burt Wolf. Earlier this year Ensemble Travel Group was selected by Wolf as the exclusiveagency distribution channel for his 2009 cruises aboard Avalon Waterways.
Wolf delighted guests with exclusive touches throughout the cruise, such as a private lunch in a 200-year-old restaurant in Heidelberg, several wine tastings from Wolf’s favorite labels, a classical musical performance of "La Strada" by a top performing string trio, and an array of special regional gifts.
"It was truly an honor to be named to this elite circle of top performers. The award means a lot to our agency," said Ripka. "Plus, to be able to experience the Avalon Waterways river cruise product in such a personal way allows me share first-hand with our travel customers. From the sensational ship to the extraordinary excursions and itinerary, our clients are in for a special treat when they sail on the Avalon Tapestry or any of its sister small river vessels. And then, to top it all off by sailing with Burt Wolf – well it was a trip I’ll be talking about for a long time!"
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
