On August 16, in the medieval town of Viviers, France, Anouchka Gerlach christened the Riverside Ravel during a festive ceremony ahead of Ravel’s inaugural sailing on the Rhône River.

This is the second ship to launch for Riverside Luxury Cruises, a Hamburg-based company founded by siblings Anouchka and Gregor Gerlach in late 2022. The Riverside Ravel will tour the Rhône River between Lyon and Arles and similar to Riverside Mozart, which is sailing the Danube this season, will continue to offer a high standard in luxury river cruising. Riverside Ravel will provide guests with exemplary food and beverage, service, excursions, and wellness offerings, in addition to elegant all-suite accommodations and butler service for all…

A good politician is a listener, a networker, an organizer—and doesn’t that sound just like a good travel advisor? So perhaps it’s no surprise that, as an election year nears, some travel advisors are throwing their hats in the ring and putting their names on the ballot. From Jay Ellenby, who got his political experience at ASTA, to Nikki Miller in the small town of Portage, MI, to Mayor Magda Byrne of Lansdowne, PA, travel professionals are thinking their skills just might translate into this new arena.

Nikki Miller’s family has lived in Portage for three generations. She has spent 90% of her life on the same street, and her agency, Travel with Nikki, is based here. As the city grows and develops, she feels the…