HOW WE TRAVEL – Some of you have recently been asking about our personal vacation choices, so I thought I’d offer a look inside our thought process when we travel.
To be sure, much of our travel is driven by industry events, and touring ships and hotels. This is the fun part of the job… but we’re collecting information, photos, and video clips for you… so our travel plans are often a bit different than when YOU go on vacation. Here are some of our other guidelines:
- We go for as long as possible – air travel is just not a good time anymore, so when incurring the time, expense, frustration, aggravation, and time zone changes of air travel, we want to make it worthwhile
- We walk… a lot. We’re in Europe two or three times per year. Every time, our plane lands late-morning or early-afternoon. The kiss of death for us in adjusting to the new time zone, is to check into the hotel, and take a nap. We drop our luggage, and head back out to experience our destination on foot. It keeps us awake until the early evening local time.
- We take a FOODIE Tour of our destination. Guided walking tours of a new destination can be fine, but a FOODIE tour offers the same history and orientation, and they feed you! I’ve also come to appreciate the very real connection between people, their culture, and their food.
- We seek out LOCAL entertainment. This might mean a Flamenco demonstration in Spain. The whirling Dervish in Turkey. Moulin Rouge in Paris. Or maybe it’s just seeking out a small neighborhood pub that isn’t on the main tourist thoroughfares. One of our most memorable nights was stumbling into a stand-up comedy show… IN SPANISH. We didn’t get most of it, but it was still really entertaining to be laughing with all the locals.
- We go off-season. This is partly a function of being in the travel trade, but it’s also our preferred time to go. We’ll trade off weather for crowds any time.
- We DON’T rent cars… or at least try to avoid it. It was pointed out to me by a French tour guide several years ago, that landing in a country, renting a car, and then driving yourself around is a distinctly American way of thinking about travel. Pragmatically, I’m less excited now about driving in foreign countries than I was when I was younger, and often if you hire a car AND driver, it doesn’t cost that much more than renting a car, and paying to park it.
- We choose hotels based primarily on LOCATION. We try to stay in Virtuoso preferred hotels wherever we can because we’re guaranteed a measure of quality, and it’s where our clients want to stay. However, if there isn’t a Virtuoso property around, or there’s a hotel that’s more in the middle of where we want to stay, we’ll go there. This is usually in the city (or village) center, NOT some undoubtedly magnificent self-contained resort way out of town.
- We’ll pay extra to skip the line. Sometimes you can pay an additional fee to visit an attraction either before or after hours, or some other form of privileged access. Sometimes it seems crazy to pay an extra $100 to get up at 6AM for a visit to Doge’s Palace, or the Sistine Chapel. However you might not ever get back, and if you can avoid sharing it with (literally) thousands of others, it seems like money well spent.
- We rent bicycles or E-bikes. In Amsterdam, this is how the locals get around. Some cities are small, but somewhat spread out, making bikes a great mode of transport. You’re going faster than you would on a walking tour, so you’re seeing more. You’re also going much slower than you would be in a car or motor coach, so you notice more.
Dream-Travel-Share UNPACKED:
See our Video Blog on our Vacation choices: Kim & Bob discuss where they’re each going this year, and what they like to do when they travel: https://youtu.be/hJYjYO6YWVc
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Today’s Travel Opportunities
AMA WATERWAYS
AMA has a strong focus on food and wine, and they have a wellness coordinator on every sailing, and your final payment isn’t due until 90 days prior to sailing.
PORTUGAL & SPAIN departing July 4th for one-week
- The Douro River is incredibly popular, and space for this year is difficult to find.
- Visit Porto, Douro valley, Regua, Pinhao, Vega de Terron, Salamanca, Afurada.
- See the vineyards and estate wineries, traverse the locks, take in spectacular scenery, visit castle ruins, see paleolithic art, and enjoy architectural treasures.
- Optional extensions to Madrid and/or Lisbon.
- This trip is on the brand new AMA Sintra, carrying just 102 guests
- Fares from $4938. We can get you a further $500 off per cabin on this sailing only.
- Click here for more details: https://www.amawaterways.com/agent/pamperedcruiser/destination/europe-river-cruises/2025/enticing-douro
FRANCE, GERMANY & NETHERLANDS: Basel to Amsterdam departing July 19th for 7-nights
- Visit Amsterdam (overnight), Cologne, Rhine Gorge, Rudesheim, Ludwigshafen, Strasbourg, Basel
- Optional 4-night extension in Switzerland (2 nights Lucerne, 2 nights Zurich).
- Fares from $4085. We can get you a further $400 off per cabin on this sailing only.
- Here’s our itinerary video from when we did this cruise: https://youtu.be/UHzzsujRcDY
- Click here for more details: https://www.amawaterways.com/agent/pamperedcruiser/destination/europe-river-cruises/2025/enchanting-rhine
COLUMBIA: Barranquilla to Cartagena for 7-nights
- Visit a Carnaval celebration, take a stilt-house Village tour, enjoy a Jazz street performance, and San Felipe Castle and Walled city tour. Enjoy the latin music, sample the famous coffee, and take in the tropical rainforest.
- Pre/post available to Medellin and/or Panama.
- Departures in October & November from $3339
Explora Journeys: 5% off early booking for 2026
With a strong focus on culinary, a unique entertainment program, and huge staterooms, this new luxury lifestyle brand is worth checking out.
ARABIAN PENINSULA round-trip from Dubai departing December 21, 2026 for 8-days
- Visit Dubai (overnight), Khor Fakkan (UAE) for archeological sites and Musandam’s Fjords (the Norway of Arabia), Sur (to visit the sand dunes), Muscat to immerse yourself in authentic Arabia or to go snorkeling, Khasab on the remote Omani Peninsula, then back to Dubai.
- Veranda fares from $4370
NORTHERN EUROPE from Reykjavik to Quebec City departing September 17, 2026 for 12-days
- Visit 2 ports in Iceland, then sail to Greenland to visit 3 ports, then on to Canada, where you’ll stop in 2 of Quebec’s Eastern townships, before arriving in Quebec City (overnight).
- Extend in Quebec City, and stay at the Chateau Frontenac – the world’s MOST photographed hotel.
- Veranda fares from $10,330
CARIBBEAN: round-trip Miami departing Jan 5, 2026 for 11 days
- Visit San Andreas (Colombia), Colon (Panama), Bocas del Toro (Panama), Puerto Limon (Costa Rica), George Town (Grand Cayman)
- Veranda Fares from $5270.
SHIP TOUR VIDEO: https://youtu.be/LHjAS0JKCQ0
EXPLORA ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT: https://youtu.be/9ELX0zxNjZ0
ACTIVE ADVENTURES with NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
You don’t have to be an elite athlete, but if you like to be active on vacation, here are some great options close to home:
OREGON & WASHINGTON: Columbia River from Portland to Clarkston for 6-days
- Visit Portland, The Dalles (for Multnomah Falls and fish hatchery), Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla, Palouse River. Traverse the locks by river boat right here at home!
- Go hiking, kayaking, ride on the zodiacs, visit museums and wineries
- Departures in March, April September or October from $3665
BRITISH COLUMBIA and the SAN JUAN ISLANDS for 8-days round-trip Seattle
- Visit Victoria BC, Desolation Sound for kayaking and hiking, Alert Bay for First Nations immersion, the Canadian Gulf Islands to visit quaint communities, Friday Harbor on for the Whale museum, and other islands in Puget Sound.
- This corner of the country is a well-kept secret. Visit remote islands to see the sea lions, eagles, humpback and orca whales. Go for a bike ride in Victoria; kayaking, zodiacs, and paddleboarding in remote bays.
- Departures in September and October from $5397
WHALE WATCHING in MAGDALENA BAY (Baja California) for 6-days round-trip Loreto
- Whale Watching in Magdalena Bay for 6 dyas Jan, Feb, Mar. RT Loreto Mexico
- See the Gray Whales, explore the sand dunes at Sand Dollar Beach, and visit the fishing village of Puerto Magdalena. Go kayaking, zodiacs, paddleboarding, hiking, and cycling.
- Departures January through March from $3215
LAND CRUISES with COLLETTE
You can’t go everywhere on a ship, but if you like the variety and structure of cruise itinerary, you can find that with Collette. Groups no larger than 24.
ENGLAND & SCOTLAND from Edinburgh to London for 14-days
- Start in Edinburgh for 2-nights, then on to the Lakes District. Stop in at Liverpool and visit Strawberry Fields. Next you’re off to the Cotswolds, then see Bath, and stay in Cornwall for 2 nights, and then finish in London for 2-nights.
- 2025: Departures in October from $5299
- 2026: Departures March through May from $5399
NORTHERN LIGHTS in FINLAND for 8-days
- Stay in a glass Igloo, go dog-sledding, go on a reindeer safari, experience local indigenous culture.
- Start with 2-nights in Helsinki, then fly to Lapland for 3-nights, then back to Helsinki for 2 nights
- 2025: departures in November/December from $5399
- 2026: departures January – March from $5399
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND for 22-days
- Start in Wellington, NZ’s capital to visit the Maori cultural center, then move to the South Island and visit Nelson’s artisan markets, Abel Tasman NP, Hokitika, Franz Josef Glacier, the incredibly scenic Queenstown, with a day cruise up Milford sound, Lake Wapatiku, then fly from Queenstown to Sydney for 3 nights, and on to Adelaide for wine tasting. Next fly to Uluru (Ayers Rock), then fly to Cairns (for the barrier reef) for 3 nights.
- Fares from $9149 that include on-tour air, and 32 meals.
In Case You Missed It:
EGYPT: For many this is a life-changing trip, and there’s no better way to explore Egypt than on a river boat on the Nile. https://pamperedcruiser.com/egypt-its-time-to-experience-it/
GLOBAL ENTRY & FREQUENT TRAVELLER PROGRAMS: There are a whole host of programs to help move you through airports quicker. Which one is right for you?
https://pamperedcruiser.com/trusted-traveller-programs-which-one/
Latest YOUTUBE Post:
DEMYSTIFYING EXPEDITION: If you think you need to be an Olympic athlete to enjoy an expedition cruise, then you’ll want to watch this interview where Bob chats with Alex McNeil – the Chief Expedition Officer for HX Expeditions. You might be surprised who goes on Expedition Cruises, and what they’re all about:
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
