Greetings from Southeast Asia! If you follow us regularly, you’re already aware that Kim (our Head of Sales), and I are on the Mekong River in Vietnam & Cambodia this week, with our friends from AMA Waterways.
That’s me on the left and Kim on the right, along with a couple of our new friends. As soon as we finished this photo, the little guy in the middle whipped out his own phone and took a selfie with us.
Some of you have asked us previously how we manage the business when we’re travelling, so I thought this was a good opportunity to give you a little window into our world.
For clarity, Bob and rest of our team are at the office this week and are ready to respond to any inquires you may have. Most often Bob and I travel together (we are married, after all), but there are some times when logistical issues make it better for only one of us to be away. This is one of those times – the time change between the United States and Asia, and spotty wifi signals, really makes it easier if we do this trip at different times (Bob will have his turn at some point!). It also gives me a chance to travel with Kim.
This is an industry trip – meaning that there are a number of other travel professionals on board the ship, as well as Alex Pinelo – AMA’s Senior VP of Sales. So Kim and I will be working this week (although there is no doubt that this is a great thing to be able to call “work”!).
It is critically important that we get out to experience the trips that YOU want to do. The cruise lines provide excellent training and resources for us about their products, but there is no comparison to experiencing it in person. It allows us to learn the small tips and tricks that you really only get in person.
Travelling is also a key competitive advantage for us: the cruise lines’ call centers are filled with people who are usually exceptionally well trained. However, very few of them have actually travelled on the products they sell.
So here are some of the lessons we’ve already learned on this ship if you’re considering a trip to the Mekong:
- Stay as long as you can: There’s no way around the long flight across the Pacific, so you need to stay as long as your time and budget will allow. The cruise lines all have extensions to make this easy. There are a ton of things to do and see Ho Chi Minh City, as well as Hanoi and Siem Reap.
- The Visa Process can be frustrating: It will cost you a few hundred dollars to pay a service to do your visa, and it’s well worth it. I learned this the hard way… thinking I could handle it myself. I can, and I did – but not without considerable aggravation. With the benefit of hindsight, I easily expended more than a few hundred dollars of my own labor (and considerable frustration) doing this on my own.
- Pack in layers: We’re getting all kinds of weather. It is hot and extraordinarily humid, and it rains often, but you also need to be able to cover up to visit religious sites. Layers of thin, easy-to-pack, combinable clothes are critical. Also choose a synthetic fabric that doesn’t retain water.
- Leave the rain gear at home. AMA has umbrellas and rain ponchos to borrow.
- Scarves don’t always work for religious sites: I’ve been to various religious sites with dress codes all over the world, and normally I can use a scarf to cover my head and/or shoulders to be respectful of local customs. That doesn’t always work here – so I’ve packed a light-weight long sleeve shirt that is very compact and wrinkle-free that I can easily carry and wear as necessary. It is an expectation to cover shoulders and knees to enter holy sites here. You’ll also have to remove shoes, so ones that are easy to get on and off are helpful.
- Credit Cards and US Dollars are widely accepted.
- The Food is Incredible. You can definitely spot the French influence in Vietnam. Expect to gain a few pounds while you’re here. The food on the ship offers both local cuisine, and standard western fare.
- It’s NOT a European River Cruise. The ship doesn’t look anything like the European ships. This is because the locks and bridges don’t constrain the ships as much here as they do in Europe. Our ship only holds 124 guests, and the entry level room is a 250 square foot French Balcony.
Book Early: We are seeing the Mekong trending currently, the same way we saw Egypt, Portugal, and Japan trend 12 to 18 months ago. Those destinations are extremely tight for 2024 and 2025, and we’re expecting the same interest in the Mekong in the coming months.
Today’s Travel Opportunities
Oceania Upgrade Sale
Oceania has a few days left in its Upgrade Sale that ends September 30. Here’s a link to the list of applicable sailings: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/special-offers/upgrade-sale
Here are 3 examples (there are dozens more at the link above). On the sailings below, we can get prepaid gratuities added to your reservation due to our exclusive agreement with Oceania:
Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro departing March 5 for 10-days:
- Visit Montevideo, Punta Del Este, Itajai, Sao Francisco Do Sul, Sao Paulo, Parati, Ilha Grande, Buzios.
- Veranda for the price of an Ocean View at $3899. Includes a $400 per person Shore Excursion credit, beer/wine with meals and on board wifi and gratuities.
Tahiti – Papeete round-trip departing February 9 for 10 days:
- Visit Papeete (overnight), Moorea, Fakarava, Nuku Hiva, Rangiroa, Bora Bora (overnight), Raiatea
- Get a 4-category upgrade. Ocean View for the Inside price of $3199. Veranda for Ocean View price of $3899. Includes a $400 per person Shore Excursion credit, beer/wine with meals and on board wifi and gratuities.
Amsterdam to Oslo departing June 24 for 12-days
- Visit Amsterdam, Antwerp (overnight), Paris, London, St. Peter Port, Cork, Dublin, Glasgow, Stavanger, Arendal, Oslo.
- Veranda for Ocean View price of $4949. Includes a $400 per person Shore Excursion credit, beer/wine with meals and on board wifi and gratuities.
Uniworld – 2024 10% Early Booking Discount ends September 30.
Our friends at Uniworld are offering a 10% off early booking discount that ends September 30. The CATCH: You can get 10% off any 2024 sailing, but it is payment in full at the time of booking. Here are a few examples:
Egypt — 12-day packages departing in May 2024
- Visit Cairo (2 nights hotel to visit Egyptian Museum and the pyramids), Luxor, Dendera, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Edfu, Esna, then back to Cairo for 2 hotel nights.
- French Balcony for $6499 per person for May departures LESS 10% early booking discount.
- Optional extensions to the Red Sea, Jerusalem, or Jordan.
Tulips – Amsterdam to Antwerp departing March 26 or 28 for 10 -days
- Visit Amsterdam (overnight on the ship), Haarlem (for Keukenhof Gardens), Hoorn, Nijmegan (for van Gogh’s Kroller-Mueller museum), Rotterdam, Veere, Bruges, Antwerp (overnight).
- Fares from $4399 per person in March, or $4999 in April or May LESS 10% early booking discount.
Remember that all Uniworld River Cruises offer an open bar, a choice of several shore excursions in every port, transfers, wifi and gratuities on the ship. Due to our exclusive arrangement with them, we can also get an additional $150 per person on board credit added to your reservation.
VIETNAM & CAMBODIA: If you’re interested in the Mekong, here are a few options:
AMA departing September 30, 2024 for 7-nights
- Visit Ho Chi Minh City, My Tho, Cai be – Sa Dec, Tan Chau, Phnom Penh, Oudong, Kampong Tralach, Oknhatey, Angkor Ban, Kampong Cham, Siem Reap.
- $1999 for a 251 square foot twin balcony. Price reflects $1000 off per person
- Available 7-night trip extensions to Ho Chi Minh City, Siem Reap, Hanoi and/or Halong Bay for $2759 per person
Uniworld Departing February, March, or September for 14-nights
- Visit Ho Chi Minh City for 2-nights, 7-nights on the ship, 3-nights in Siem Reap, and 2-nights in Hanoi.
- $7499 for a 340 square foot French Balcony on the 68 passenger Mekong Jewel.
- Eligible for 10% off early booking discount
Viking has only a handful of cabins left in 2024 – Please enquire.
Recently booked a Viking Cruise?
Viking makes it really easy to book direct, either online or by phone. Our clients worry that if they book on-line, that they’re cutting us out, but if you let us know after you’ve booked, then we can still help you with your reservation.
We’ll check over your booking to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal, and we will also add some onboard credits that are not available on direct bookings.
We can add at least $100 per person onboard credit to any direct Viking reservation made in the last 60 days.
There is never a situation where you’ll get a better deal by booking directly with Viking (or any other cruise line).
Also, in case you’re wondering, there is NO fee to work with us. We get paid commission by the cruise lines after our clients travel. So, please get in touch to let us know about your existing reservations (including those made while on board).
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If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
