If you’ve been following us on Facebook, you’ll know we just completed a Canada-New England Cruise with Explora Journeys. We’ve found it’s better to share our travels once we’re home, so that we are more able to respond to your comments and queries.
We also had the privilege of meeting some of our clients on this trip (Hello Kathy & Betty, Barbara & Gail, Cathy & Charley, and Nancy & Anthony!). It is an extraordinarily rare pleasure to meet our clients in person, much less get to travel with them. We have clients in all 50 States, and they come from all walks of life, but the one thing that seems to bind all the people we deal with together is that they all seem to be the nicest people.
I don’t say this lightly, or as false praise. Anyone who has ever worked in retail will tell you that some significant portion of people can be disrespectful and sometimes downright nasty.
We don’t experience this. What a pleasure!
While eating meals or drinking wine with these clients, we found them asking a lot of questions about us, and our backstory, so at the risk of appearing a bit self-indulgent, here are a few details about us:
- I was born in Iowa, and grew up in Australia. I have lived in the US, Canada, Australia, and Mexico. I studied to be a Marine Biologist, worked most of my career as a laboratory technician specializing in Haematology, and came to the travel business about 9 years ago.
- Bob was born in Vancouver (the one in Canada), and has lived in the US, Canada, Australia (not with me… this is a coincidence), and Mexico. He studied Business and Commerce, and spent most of his working life as a Management Consultant. He joined me full time this business about 7 years ago.
- We have both always been wanderers, and placed a high value on travel.
- Our office is in New York, but we really don’t spend much time there (although we really do enjoy it a few days at a time).
- We have two adult children, and one grandson (who is adorable).
- We are in our late 50s. Most of our clients are 55 – 80… so that might be reason we feel so connected to them.
- Our job requires travel (a good problem to have), so we’re on the road a lot. We have a team that backs us up. You may have spoken on the phone with Kim, or swapped emails with Peri or Satonis. All of them work from home, and are located in three different time zones (I guess this is the nature of the travel biz).
We feel very fortunate to be able to call this our “job”, and dealing with great people makes it that much better.
Today’s Travel Opportunities
Uniworld Bucket-List Sale available for booking until October 31
$3000 OFF — Amsterdam to Bucharest for 25 days departing July 13.
- There are too many ports to list, but you start in the Netherlands, sail through Germany, France, Austria, Hungary (with 2 nights in Budapest), Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania. You will visit 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites on this voyage.
- Fares from $7999 per person on April 16, or July 13.
$2000 OFF — Bordeaux to Paris for 15-days departing April 7
- This is two back-to-back cruises with an escorted trip on the high-speed train between them:
- In Bordeaux visit: Bordeaux, Cadillac, Cussac Fort Medoc, Blaye, Bourg Sur Gironde, Libourne, then back to Bordeaux to catch the high speed train to Paris
- The do Paris to Normandy and visit: Paris, La Roche Guyon, Vernon, Giverny, Rouen for the Normandy Beaches), Versailles.
- Fares from $5799 per person.
Remember that all Uniworld Cruises include a choice of shore excursion in every port, an open bar, use of bicycles, on board gratuities, and wifi on the ship.
BONUS: You can save a further 10% if you pay in full at time of booking, AND any bookings with our agency get an additional $150 per person on board credit not available on direct bookings.
Viking Free Air Codes
Viking has some Free Air incentives out there right now. Here are a few examples. The catch: must be booked before October 31:
Panama Canal Full Transit departing LA on January 3 for 18-days:
- Visit LA, Cabo San Lucas, Costa Rica, Full Transit of the canal, Colon, Cartagena, Cozumel, and arriving in Fort Lauderdale.
- Veranda fares from $4999 per person.
Pacific Island Adventure round-trip from LA for 33-days departing January 13.
- This cruise is great for those that like sea-days, or are just looking for some warmer weather in January.
- Visit Hilo, Maui, Honolulu, Kauai, Bora Bora, Moorea, Tahiti, Marquesas, and San Diego
- Veranda Fares from $7999
South America Encompassed: Santiago to BA departing January 26 for 18-days.
- Visit Santiago (overnight), Puerto Montt, Chilean Fjords, Amalia Glacier, Punta Arenas, Ushuaia, Falkland Islands, Puerto Madryn, Montevideo, Buenos Aires (Overnight)
- Veranda Fares from $7499 per person
All of the above Viking Ocean fares include all taxes and fees, round-trip AIR, transfers, beer/wine with meals, a shore excursion in each port of call, and wifi on the ship.
If you’d like to try out Viking’s Expedition Ship, here an opportunity close to home in the Great Lakes.
Toronto to New York City departing April 17 for 13-days:
- Visit Toronto (overnight), St. Lawrence Seaway locks, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec City, Saguenay, Sept-Iles, Cap-aux- Meules, Charlottetown, Halifax, NYC.
- Fares from $10,795 includes round-trip air and a stateroom upgrade, as well as the standard Viking inclusions noted above.
See our ship tour video of Viking Polaris here: https://youtu.be/izwAZ6NdFOo?si=B5YNMMkI0ldZrwQA
If a River Cruise sounds more appealing, try this one:
Viking Mississippi departing New Orleans for 12-days on February 29:
- Visit New Orleans (2 nights), Darrow, Baton Rouge, St. Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Greenville, Rosedale, Memphis (2 nights).
- Veranda fares from $6799. Includes round-trip air and a stateroom upgrade.
- Also on available May 30, June 6 or 13 for $8099
Japan & Alaska with Seabourn
Knock off TWO bucket list destinations with one cruise. These repositioning cruises offer unique itineraries (these are not standard Alaskan port stops) and lower fares on a per-day basis:
Kobe to Vancouver for 23 days departing April 18.
- Visit Kobe, Hakodate, Kushiro, Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, Homer, Glacier Bay, Sitka, Klawock, Ketchikan, Nanaimo, Vancouver.
- Suites from $9999 per person.
- Every room on Seabourn is a 300 square foot (or more) suite. Includes an open bar, specialty dining, on board gratuities, and wifi on the ship.
Hawaii Island Hopping for 13 days
You’ve been asking for both more land options and domestic offerings. This one ticks both!
- On this land tour, you’ll spend 3 nights in each of Oahu, Kona, Maui, Kauai.
- Includes 12 breakfasts and 5 dinners, Air between islands, Pearl Harbor tour, Volcanoes NP, cruise on the Wailua River in Kauai, and admission to the Iolani Palace.
- $5899 per person departing January 4.
- $6499 per person departing March 28 or June 20.
Have something to say about this?
Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/pfbid0rk8nFgJQ4VUZ9ZSxkx6t7u5woQt9wpYn31k6ZJNyzkU8opFzDvx3bVN8X4NtSFqTl
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
