Someone recently mentioned to me that they’d visited South Korea. She had all kinds of opinions about the people, their culture, the food, the music. Turns out she managed to make all these judgments after a 4-hour layover at Seoul Incheon Airport.
SORRY… a layover doesn’t count as having visited a country (as lovely as the Incheon Airport is).
This got me thinking about how we experience places when we travel, and I came up with a scale. On the extreme left hand side is “Travelling BROAD”: in this case maybe you only connect a flight at the airport. The other extreme is “Travelling DEEP”: this is when you live in the location for some period of time. All of our adventures fall somewhere in between, and there is no ”right” way to travel. But there should be an understanding that Broad and Deep are different experiences.
Cruise ships lend themselves well to Broad Travel. In most cases, you are only in a port of call for the day, and you generally can’t explore too far away from where your ship is docked. In some cases, this works perfectly – you can get a little taste of a bunch of different places, and then (later) go back to the ones you really love to experience more deeply. We see this in the Caribbean and in Europe. Some cruises in those markets have a port of call every day – offering a LITTLE taste of a LOT of places in a one or two week period.
Some cruise lines are beginning to move a bit further to the right on the continuum, to offer a deeper experience. This involves a longer port stop or even an overnight stay. Perhaps they depart later at night to allow you to see what the port looks like after dark. In some cases, the cruise lines are offering 2 or 3 day stays in certain ports of call. This definitely gives you more of a feel for a place than a 6 hour stop during the day.
There are also some port stops that simply require more than a few hours to see well. The old saying that “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, I’ve modified to “You can’t see Rome in a day” – particularly because the cruise ships dock about 2 hours away from the things you want to see in Rome.
There can also be moments of DEEP travel on otherwise BROAD trips. We went to a family’s home in Bulgaria for a cooking demonstration. In Guatemala we did a home-stay with a local family for 2-nights, rather than stay in a hotel. These are examples of making more deep connections with a place and its people on an otherwise short trip.
To be clear, I’m not advocating for Deep Experiences over Broad Experiences. I am suggesting that this is a dimension you’ll want to consider when making decisions about your next vacation, to avoid regrets.
Dream-Travel-Share UNPACKED:
Check out our VIDEO BLOG where Kim & Bob talk about Travelling BROAD and Travelling DEEP, and why you need to consider this when making your vacation choices:
REAL ID for Domestic Flights
Effective May 7, you’ll need REAL ID to board an airplane for a DOMESTIC flight. Previously a Driver’s License could be used as ID for domestic flights, but now you’ll need REAL ID compliant identification. Here’s a link to the Government’s website for you to learn more: https://www.dhs.gov/real-id.
Passports are still required for any international travel. We are, unfortunately, unable to answer detailed questions on how and why this change is occurring, nor can we confirm whether your ID is compliant or not. Please use the link above to get more information.
In Case You Missed It:
CANADA & NEW ENGLAND: This corner of North America has spectacular scenery, great urban scenes, and is easy to get to: https://pamperedcruiser.com/canada-new-england/
Travel APPs I Use https://pamperedcruiser.com/travel-websites-and-apps-that-i-use/
Latest YOUTUBE Post:
VIKING – Why you should NEVER book direct. We love working with Viking, and we know them very well. Find out in this video the 3 reasons you SHOULDN’T book directly with Viking.
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Today’s Travel Opportunities
TAUCK RIVER CRUISES
Tauck offers the most inclusive river cruises: if you missed our feature in January 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:
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: Depart September 16 or 23 from $8490
CHRISTMAS MARKETS BRIDGES TOUR on the Danube for 7-nights from Bavaria to Budapest
- BRIDGES TOUR: Take children or teens with you, on this specially designed itinerary to the Christmas Markets!
- Visit Munich, Regensburg, Passau, Wachau Valley, Melk, Vienna (overnight), Bratislava, Budapest.
- 2025: Depart December 21 or 22 from $4590
- 2026: Depart December 22, 23, or 29 from $4990
TAUCK Egypt – 10-days with departures January through May, and September to December
- Spend 2-nights in Cairo, then fly to Luxor to pick up a river boat for 4-nights, followed by one hotel night in Aswan, then back to Cairo for 2-nights.
- Optional extensions to Jordan
- 2025: September to December from $11,190
- 2026: Departures January through May from $10,990
- See details of Tauck’s Egypt trips here: https://www.tauck.com/destinations/africa-tours-and-safaris/egypt-tours?insider=mmjy-sue-bob-bradley-the-pampered-cruiser
EXPLORA JOURNEYS
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 $10,315
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.
EXPLORA I ship tour: https://youtu.be/LHjAS0JKCQ0
EXPLORA ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT: https://youtu.be/9ELX0zxNjZ0
ACTIVE ADVENTURES with ATLAS
ATLAS is a new cruise line with yachts that hold fewer than 200 guests, and visit some remote corners of the world. Fares include shore shore/landing activities, an open bar, specialty dining, and gratuities.
Learn more about Atlas Ocean Voyages here: https://inspires.to/experiences/the-atlas-ocean-voyages-experience-wx208
IRELAND to PORTUGAL from Dublin to Lisbon departing October 11 for 10-nights
- When not in the polar regions, ATLAS conducts Epicurean Expeditions for those who really want to explore a region’s food and wine. This sailing is hosted by TV personality Chef Christy Rost, and vintner Jon Schlegel
- Visit Dublin, Waterford (Ireland), La Rochelle (France), Bordeaux (overnight), Bilbao, Gijon (Spain), Lisbon (overnight).
- Fares from $4899
POLAR NORWAY: From Tromso to Longyearbyen departing August 17 for 9-nights
- This is like a safari at sea! Spot puffins, reindeer, arctic terns and foxes. See the ice floes, icebergs, and do some glacier cruising. OMG I want to do this cruise so badly!
- This cruise includes a private jet ride back to Oslo, Zodiac landings, boots, and a parka you get to keep.
- Fares from $6974
DOMESTIC LAND CRUISES with GLOBUS
MONTANA & YELLOWSTONE NP for 9-days from Bozeman to Jackson
- Start in Bozeman, and then on to Livingston (for Dinosaur Museum, and Yellowstone River), Next to Yellowstone NP for 3 nights, then to Big Sky, and then finish in Jackson, Wyoming.
- Departures June through September from $5789
HAWAII for 13-days round-trip Honolulu
- Start in Honolulu for 3-nights, then on to the big Island for Volcanoes NP, and a 3-night stay in Kona. Next to Kauai for 3-nights, and finish in Maui for 3-nights
- Departures year-round from $6066 (including inter-island air, once you’re in Hawaii)
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
