We’re celebrating and remembering this week. This week marks our grandson’s 2nd birthday (and he really is adorable), as well as the 15th anniversary of Bob’s dad’s passing (certainly not a celebration, but memories filled with warmth).
Our personal travel intersects with BOTH these milestones, and I thought I’d share, because many of you travel to mark milestones also.
Bob’s dad died young (he was 67), and suddenly. One of our most cherished memories is having travelled with him (and Bob’s mom) only a few months before he passed away. We had been undergoing extensive home renovations, and ended up living with Bob’s parents for a few months. They would, of course, take no money from us for this imposition, so we decided to apply the amount it would have cost us for temporary housing, and send them to Italy and Greece on a cruise.
Almost as an afterthought, we decided to go with them. It WASN’T convenient – the timing wasn’t quite right, we had a 5-year-old at that time (who we didn’t think would cope well with a 10-hour flight), and we were trying to finish our home renovation. It would have been much easier to just send Bob’s parents on their own. But something compelled us to go with them.
So the five of us went to parts of the Mediterranean that had been on Bob’s parents’ bucket list for years. We created memories that are now amongst our most cherished, and our son (now 20) has a few beautiful memories of the grandfather he never really had the chance to know.
A few months later, the privilege of creating tomorrow’s memories with Bob’s dad was taken away from us. We are SO glad we inconvenienced ourselves, and made the effort. There’s always a reason NOT to go. This time we made the right decision BEFORE the opportunity vanished. EVERYTHING is temporary.
This allegory is always front of mind when we make plans with our grandson. Our daughter and her husband are busy people, with busy lives. Bob and I travel a lot (it really is the best part of this job). We never know when opportunities to make memories will be taken away from us, and it’s not just extreme events like death or pandemics that can affect this.
So last year around this time, we flew our daughter and grandson to join us at our winter residence in Mexico. Convenient? NO… Priceless? YES! We’re making plans now to travel with them again soon.
Bob’s dad used to tell us “Good opportunities are rarely well-timed”. Words of wisdom to be sure.
Here’s some ideas if you’re ready to make some memories:
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Today’s Travel Opportunities
TAUCK River Cruises in Europe
Tauck offers the most inclusive river cruises in Europe. If you missed our feature last month about Tauck, here’s the link: https://pamperedcruiser.com/what-about-tauck/ . They also have a whole series of trips (both on river boats, and land-tours) that are especially designed for traveling with multi-generational groups:
CHRISTMAS MARKETS BRIDGES TOUR on the Danube for 7-nights from Bavaria to Budapest
- BRIDGES TOUR: Take children or teens with you to the Christmas Markets!
- Visit Munich, Regensburg, Passau, Wachau Valley, Melk, Vienna (over night), Bratislava, Budapest.
- 2025: Depart December 21 or 22 from $4590
- 2026: Depart December 22, 23, or 29 from $4990
GERMAN OKTOBERFEST: Amsterdam to Munich for 10-days in September
- Visit Amsterdam (overnight), Dusseldorf (to visit local craft breweries), sail the Rhine Gorge, Heidelberg for a beer-paired lunch, Strasbourg, Lucerne and Mt. Pilatus, Lake Konstanz, and then on to Munich for 2 nights for the world’s largest festival!
- 2025: Limited availability on September 17 or 24 from $8190.
- 2026: Departures September 16 or 23 from $8490
TOTAL EUROPE from the Atlantic Coast to the Black Sea for 25 days
- Visit 10 countries: The Netherlands, France, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.
- Start in Amsterdam for a canal cruise and museum visits, then visit Cologne, the Rhine Gorge, Rudesheim, Rothenburg, Wurzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg, Passau (for Salzburg), Melk Abbey, Wachau Valley, private gala evening at Palais Pallavicini in Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest (overnight), Mohacs (for Pecs), Vukovar, Belgrade, Novi Sad, Iron Gates Gorge, Russe, Constanta, Mamaia, a private reception at Bragadiru Palace in Bucharest, Transylvania.
- 2025: Depart July 27 or August 14 from $14,690
- 2026: Depart July 5, August 6 or 30 from $14,690
REGENT SEVEN SEAS Pop-Up Sale
Regent Seven Seas is a fully inclusive luxury brand with a fleet of 6 vessels, all carrying fewer than 750 guests. They rarely discount their fares, but reached out to us with this offer for the remaining space on 2025 departures. Please note the tight deadline:
- $600 per suite off cruises of up to two weeks.
- $1000 per suite off cruises on longer itineraries.
- The Catch: Only 2025 departures, and must be reserved by February 19th.
Here are 3 examples:
JAPAN roundtrip from Tokyo on October 17 for 11-nights
- Visit Tokyo, Sendai, Miyako, Kushiro, Muroran, Aomori, Sakata, Busan, Shimizu,
- Fares from $8160 (represents 15% off, and a 2 category upgrade).
CARIBBEAN: Miami round-trip departing December 10 for 10-nights
- Visit Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Belize, Costa Maya, Roatan, Cozumel.
- Fares from $5699 (includes a 2-category upgrade)
MEDITERRANEAN WINE CRUISE: Barcelona to Athens departing September 13 for 10-nights
- Visit Barcelona, Saint Tropez, Tuscany, Rome, Naples, Sicily, Istanbul (overnight), Bozcaada (Turkey), Athens
- Fares from $6199 (represents 20% off, and 2-category upgrade)
REMOTE Destinations with SEABOURN
Not many cruise lines cover these regions, and Seabourn will take you there on their 264 passenger expedition vessels. Great for those who want to get off the beaten track a bit more, but want 5-star dining, and a spacious veranda suite. Bob and I absolutely LOVE travelling with Seabourn.
AMAZON RIVER round-trip from Belem (Brazil) for 9-days:
- Visit Macapa to visit the Equator Marker, then do several days exploring tiny Amazonian villages, local markets in Santarem, and do scenic cruising, bird watching, and wildlife spotting by zodiac, kayak, and on foot.
- 2025: Depart October 12 or 21, from $8499 for a Veranda Suite (15% savings).
AUSTRALIA: KIMBERLEY COAST from Darwin to Broome for 10-nights
- See the waterfalls, visit fresh water reefs, see the horizontal waterfalls at Talbot Bay, visit with the Wunambal Gaambera indigenous peoples, learn about the pearl trade in Kuri Bay, and the mangrove forests at Hunter River, and Darwin.
- 2025: Depart June 27 from $12,699
- 2026: Depart May 19 from $11,359
IRELAND, SCOTLAND & ICELAND from Reykjavik to London for 14-nights
- Visit 8 different ports in Iceland, for light hiking, zodiac rides, to see remote fishing villages, bird watching, wildlife spotting, and Iceland’s spectacular scenery. Then followed by 2 stops in the Faroe Islands, and 4 stops in the Shetland Islands. Next to Scotland for an overnight stay in Kirkwall, and finally Copinsay Island before disembarking in London.
- 2025: Depart June 19 from $15,724 (15% off)
- 2026: A 10-day version of this itinerary departing July 6, from $12,409
See ANDREA BOCELLI live in concert in TUSCANY
See Andrea Bocelli in Concert Teatro del Silenzio in Lajatico, Tuscany (between Florence and Siena), where he will be accompanied by a symphony and a full chorus.
- Stay at Bagni di Pisa, built at a natural hot spring, with views of the Tower of Pisa for 3 nights.
- Package includes hotel accommodation, buffet brunch on the day of the concert, dinner at dei Lorena, access to thermal spa, a spa treatment, 2 VIP seats and access to VIP Hospitality area prior to the concert
- ONE date only: July 22, 2025. €9467 for two (about $9850 at current exchange rates).
In Case You Missed It:
ANTARCTICA: What type of people travel to Antarctica? What companies go there, and how are they different from each other? Here’s your answers…
https://pamperedcruiser.com/antarctica-all-the-way-down-under/
ARE YOU “AFFLUENT”? Are YOU really cut out for a luxury cruise, or are you going to feel like Gilligan on a ship full of the Howells? Just who are these “AFFLUENT” types?
https://pamperedcruiser.com/travelling-with-the-affluent/
Latest YOUTUBE Post:
NORWEGIAN COAST: First of all, the Norwegian Fjords are NOT closing anytime soon. Get the rest of the information from Kim (from our office) who travelled with her husband to the Norwegian Fjords, Bergen, Oslo, and the incredible Flam Railway:
Do You Have an Upcoming Viking Cruise?
Viking’s BON VOYAGE incentive allows you to book your next Viking cruise in the 35 days BEFORE you board, and get some extra goodies for doing so:
- $100 per person on board credit
- 6-month final payment date
- $100 per person OFF one-week cruises, and bigger discounts for longer itineraries.
We made a short video about the Bon Voyage Program if you’d like more details:
https://youtu.be/gBM8IvjIb3U?si=Vy9UDiSqZQYHWR32
Contact us to book your NEXT VIKING CRUISE
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
