Luxury Unpacked

In this episode of Luxury Unpacked, host Fiona Dalton sits down with Steve Richards, managing director of AmaWaterways Australia and New Zealand, to unpack a category carrying an image that has not caught up with the product.River cruising is still described in some quarters as slower, quieter, a holiday for a certain age. Richards has spent two and a half years championing a different view, and the numbers now do a lot of the arguing for him. The average AmaWaterways river cruiser is in their 50s. On the dedicated wine sailings it is younger again. The line was the first to put bicycles on board.Fiona, who has run a river cruise company herself, is not an easy audience, and that is what makes this a useful conversation rather than a brand tour. They work through the myths one at a time: who actually books a river cruise now, how much there is to do in a day, what luxury means on a ship where the hardware can only be so grand, and why the food comes from within 15 kilometres of the riverbank and the freezers hold nothing but ice cream.They also get practical. Balcony or window, and when the difference is worth paying for. What really happens when ships raft up three deep in Vienna. Solo staterooms with no supplement, and the seating trick at dinner that does more for solo travellers than any of it. Laundry, dietaries, and how far ahead to book.Then there is the scale story. AmaWaterways is heading from 31 ships to more than 50 by 2032, with vessels on the Nile, the Mekong, the Chobe in Botswana and the Magdalena in Colombia, a river no passenger ship had worked since the coffee barges of the 1960s. Seven years of research went into putting one back.For the traveller who has written river off, and for the advisor fielding that objection from a client, this is a useful 42 minutes on how far the category has moved and how much of the old script is now out of date.Start planning at amawaterways.com/auSubscribe to the Luxury Unpacked Podcast hereRead more about the Luxury Unpacked Podcast hereRead more about this episode Rolling on the River: The rebirth of luxury river cruising with AmaWaterways' Steve Richards hereDiscover more from the Karryon Podcast Network:Into the Hearts of Canada hereThe Karryon Check-In with Matt Leedham hereVisit: karryon.com.au for moreLuxury Unpacked is a Karryon Podcast Network original show, hosted by Fiona Dalton and executive produced by Matt Leedham.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the many Countries and Nations in which this show is made and travels, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.

Correction: In this episode we mistakenly used the wrong pronouns for G Flip. G Flip uses they/them pronouns and we sincerely apologise for the error.Show Notes: In this episode of Luxury Unpacked, host Fiona Dalton sits down with Tom Kiely, CEO of Visit West Hollywood, to unpack a destination that knows exactly what it is.West Hollywood is a city of around 35,000 residents, incorporated in 1984 in part to protect its LGBTQIA+ community. Four decades on it is one of the most recognised names in inclusive luxury travel, with a concentration of hotels, restaurants, galleries and design showrooms that would be remarkable in a city ten times its size.Fiona describes it as luxury with an edge, and that is the thread that runs through the conversation. Tom talks about what inclusive luxury actually feels like on the ground for a guest, rather than in a marketing campaign, and where the genuine article separates from the tokenism. They walk the difference between the media narrative around Los Angeles and the experience a visitor actually has in WeHo. And they get practical: the hotel landscape from the Sunset Tower to Kimpton La Peer, The Andaz, The London West Hollywood and Ian Schrager's PUBLIC on the Strip; the restaurants worth the booking; a neighbourhood you can genuinely walk; and a currency story that makes this an unusually good moment for Australians to be looking at the United States.For the traveller weighing up a European city break against the West Coast, and for the advisor whose clients want to feel welcome as much as they want a good room, this is a useful half hour on why West Hollywood is a destination in its own right, and not simply a suburb of Los Angeles.Start planning at visitwesthollywood.comAlso mentioned in this episode: The Sunset Strip · Pacific Design Center · LA PrideSubscribe to the Luxury Unpacked Podcast hereRead more about the Luxury Unpacked Podcast hereRead more about this episode The Welcome Effect: How West Hollywood inspires travellers to live more boldlyDiscover more from the Karryon Podcast Network:Into the Hearts of Canada hereThe Karryon Check-In with Matt Leedham hereVisit: karryon.com.au for moreLuxury Unpacked is a Karryon Podcast Network original show, hosted by Fiona Dalton and executive produced by Matt Leedham.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the many Countries and Nations in which this show is made and travels, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.

Welcome to Luxury Unpacked Season Two with Fiona Dalton.In a compelling two-part discussion, this episode of Luxury Unpacked delves into the intricate tapestry of luxury travel, featuring insights from industry leaders Michael Londregan and Yvonne Verstandig.Michael Londregan’s segment is a sophisticated exposition on the philosophy of Virtuoso, where he argues for the unparalleled advantages of engaging a human travel advisor in an era dominated by digital platforms.Transitioning to Yvonne Verstandig, the discussion shifts towards the practical applications of this philosophy in her travel agency, Y Travel. Yvonne’s innovative approach centres around the profound question of why we travel, rather than merely where we wish to go.Thank you for listening, thank you for believing in the power of travel, and here’s to the journeys that stay with us long after we’ve returned.Read more about this episode hereSubscribe to the Luxury Unpacked Podcast hereRead more about the Luxury Unpacked Podcast hereFind your Virtuoso Advisor at virtuoso.comDiscover more from the Karryon Podcast Network:Into the Hearts of Canada hereThe Karryon Check-In with Matt Leedham hereVisit: karryon.com.au for moreLuxury Unpacked is a Karryon Podcast Network original show, hosted by Fiona Dalton and executive produced by Matt Leedham.We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the many Countries and Nations in which this show is made and travels, and we pay our respects to Elders past and present.Mentioned in this episode:Virtuoso pre-roll ad

Welcome to the Luxury Unpacked Season One Wrap Party — a chance to pause, reflect, and celebrate what we’ve learned from ten incredible conversations about the world of modern luxury.From Portofino to the Polar Regions, from the wellness sanctuaries of Thailand to the red heart of Australia, we’ve explored one big question: what does luxury really mean today?And as it turns out there’s no single answer — just a thousand beautiful interpretations.Hear from all of our fabulous Season 1 guests, as we share the highlights and takeaways from this standout series.And while Season One may be wrapped, the conversation is far from over.Season Two of Luxury Unpacked is already on the horizon — and we’ll keep exploring the stories, trends and people redefining the future of luxury travel.Until then — thank you for listening, thank you for believing in the power of travel, and here’s to the journeys that stay with us long after we’ve returned. Cheers to Season One!Subscribe to the Luxury Unpacked Podcast hereRead more about the Luxury Unpacked Podcast hereRead more about this episode hereDiscover more from Karryon Podcast's: Listen to Into The Hearts Of Canada hereAnd The Karryon's Check In hereVisit: karryon.com.au for more from KarryonLuxury Unpacked is a Karryon Podcasts original podcast, hosted by Fiona Dalton, produced by Cassie Walker and executive produced by Matt Leedham.Karryon acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands on which Karryon Media is made and the lands you are listening from today.

In the finale of Karryon's season 1 of Luxury Unpacked, hosted by Fiona Dalton, we head to the skies for a practical, advisor-led guide to flying in style.Answering the question, would you be able to book Premium Economy, Business or First Class for your next long-haul journey from Australia? Seasoned experts join Fiona to explore the options. David Brandon, from Luxury Travel Advisory at Savenio, brings the advisor’s lens, and Dennis Bunnik, from Bunnik Tours and the popular YouTube channel Dennis Bunnik Travels, offers the frequent flyer and airline reviewer's perspective.Together, they dig deep on: When Premium Economy makes senseWhy Business is often the "sweet spot"When First Class is worth the splurgeTips for smart upgrades, points use and earlybird dealsWhat’s coming next in the world of luxury air travelWhether you fly often or dream of upgrading, this episode will help you choose smarter, not just spend more.Read more about choosing the right seat hereLearn more about Savenio hereLearn more about Bunnik Tours hereWatch Dennis's flight reviews on YouTube hereSubscribe to the Luxury Unpacked Podcast hereRead more about the Luxury Unpacked Podcast hereRead more about this episode hereDiscover more from Karryon Podcasts: Listen to Into The Hearts Of Canada hereAnd the Karryon's Check In hereVisit: karryon.com.au for more from KarryonLuxury Unpacked is a Karryon Podcasts original podcast, hosted by Fiona Dalton, produced by Cassie Walker and executive produced by Matt Leedham.Karryon acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands on which Karryon Media is made and the lands you are listening from today.