Travel + Leisure Readers Rate Grand Circle Cruise Line Among World's Best River Cruise Lines

BOSTON, July 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Alan E. Lewis, Chairman and CEO of Grand Circle Corporation, today announced that Travel + Leisure readers have rated the company's small-ship fleet as among the top five 2012 World's Best River Cruise Lines, marking the fifth year that the cruise line has been featured in the T+L World's Best Awards. Survey results of the 17th annual Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards, which uncover readers' favorite cruise lines, hotels, airlines, cities, islands, tour operators, safari outfitters and car-rental agencies, are featured on www.TravelandLeisure.com now, and in the magazine's August 2012 issue.

"We are honored to again be included in the Travel + Leisure 2012 World's Best Awards and grateful to our travelers for taking the time to share their opinions of us," said Lewis.  "Our vision is to help change people's lives, which we try to do by offering our travelers culturally-rich itineraries that connect them with local people and their ways of life at per diems that are $50-$500 less than cruise lines'.   Being recognized by Travel + Leisure's readers lets us know that we're on course and inspires us to do even more."

This is the fifth year that Grand Circle Cruise Line has been included in Travel + Leisure's World Best Awards in either the Small-Ship Cruise Line or River Cruise Line category, where readers rate their experiences based on ships' cabins, food, service, itineraries/destinations, activities, and value. 

Established in 1998, Grand Circle Cruise Line offers 13 European river cruises as well as a range of small ship voyages.  Among Grand Circle Cruise Line's most popular river cruises are The Great Rivers of Europe, Romance of the Rhine and Mosel, and Russia Revealed: St. Petersburg to Moscow.  For 2013, Grand Circle will launch several new river cruises, including the Dnieper River & the Black Sea: Ukraine to Romania.

For more information about Grand Circle Cruise Line, or for a free brochure, please call Grand Circle Cruise Line's Catalog & Information Line at 1-800-248-3737 or please visit www.gct.com for information, videos and traveler reviews.  

About Grand Circle Corp.
Grand Circle Cruise Line is part of Boston-based Grand Circle Corporation, the leader in international travel, adventure, and discovery for Americans aged 50 and older.  The fleet joins sister brands Overseas Adventure Travel and Grand Circle Travel in providing more than 80 river cruises and cruise tours, small ship cruises, escorted and extended stay vacations, and  small group adventures by land and sea and  for Americans aged 50 and older.  The nonprofit Grand Circle Foundation has donated more than $91 million to educational, humanitarian, and cultural organizations worldwide since 1992, including 100 schools in 60 communities in 30 countries.

SOURCE Grand Circle Cruise Line