It is amazing to be marking the 19th annual GT Tested Reader Survey awards with our December issue. We look forward to hosting a gala evening at The Ritz-Carlton LA Live in Los Angeles on Dec. 6 to present the best the industry has to offer, all selected by you.

I just returned from a magical journey on the AmaPrima, one of AmaWaterways’ river ships, in southern Bavaria. Boarding outside of Luxembourg, we began our tour on the Moselle River. Over the next seven nights we visited Trier, the oldest city in Germany, and continued along the Moselle River Valley. From there we cruised through the Rhine River Gorge, viewed all the fortifications and castles and entered the Main River. We visited medieval German cities like Wertheim, Wurzburg and Bamberg before cruising the Main-Danube Canal to Nuremberg, a charming city whose center was faithfully restored after the devastation of World War II.

© Francis X. Gallagher

This was my first river cruise, and I truly enjoyed the service and cuisine. We were fortunate co-owners Rudi Schreiner and Kristin Karst were also on board, offering insight into the attention to detail they both put forward to make AmaWaterways so enjoyable. The company celebrated its 20th anniversary this past July … a milestone recognized by the many repeat customers who sailed with us on the AmaPrima. Look for my complete review of the cruise in an upcoming issue.

To get to Luxembourg, we flew from Newark to Amsterdam in United’s Polaris cabin, excited to spend some time before the flight at the Polaris Lounge (fond of the vegetable curry and the gummy bears). In Amsterdam we connected to KLM for a business-class flight to Luxembourg. As many of you know, KLM invented the first business class in 1976. Despite the chaos of European travel this past summer, every flight was spot on and on time. Our decision not to check bags helped make us light and nimble.

I usually stop on the way back from Los Angeles to check on our offices in Sarasota. We were fortunate to receive little damage from the recent hurricane, but that’s not the case in many areas to the south of us. As the area recovers, please choose the charity you feel will be the most helpful. Colleagues report things are moving rapidly … a testament to Florida’s ability to deal with these issues.

Raise a glass to this year’s GT Tested award winners, and we will see what new destinations 2023 brings!