Happy Thanksgiving.  

I really hope you are spending these few days with those that are most important to you because occasions such as this are much like travel – they create tomorrow’s memories and bind us together with those most important to us.  

This has been a strange Thanksgiving for us – we’re in Australia today… a long way from the nearest Turkey dinner.  We had dinner last night with some other Americans, so I guess we’ll call that Thanksgiving.

Most years, Bob and I do Thanksgiving twice: Once in October to recognize Bob’s history having grown up in Canada, and then again in November.  Most years, we find ourselves in Mexico in November, but there is a large expatriate community in Puerto Vallarta, and unless our kids are visiting us, we almost always end up at a turkey dinner with our American community. 

KIM from our office (and her husband, Jed) celebrated Thanksgiving with their two adult children.  Thanksgiving fell on Jed’s birthday this year, and their son has a birthday early in December, so lots of things were celebrated yesterday.  Kim loves to cook, so having a house full with both their adult kids and partners, made it the perfect day for her. 

PERI has a large extended family, and they have a tradition of all gathering at Peri’s mom & dad’s house.  Here’s her report:  “I start the day by preparing my stomach, as in the evening I will have one huge family gathering where everyone brings a dish! I have a very big and warm family so this really is a momentous occasion that I look forward to every year. I then prepare to take a very short road-trip to the Eastern Shore to have another get together with my partner’s family. It is very close to the water so we get to enjoy the subtle crashing waves and sunset surrounded by fantastic people (and more good food that I am definitely too full to eat)!”

FEELING THANKFUL:  If you watch television news, then it is easy to feel despair at the best of times.  Thanksgiving is a great chance to recalibrate the overwhelming diet of negativity, fear and anger that our media and politics feed us daily.  We’ve convinced ourselves that this barrage of bad news, horrific images, fear-mongering, and stoking of anger is normal.  It IS NOT normal, and life is much better than is represented in your news feed.

THOUGHTS on BLACK FRIDAY 

In the luxury leisure segment of the travel business, Black Friday is a bit of a nothing-burger.  It’s easy to understand why: luxury goods don’t typically discount, AND the last thing the cruise lines want to do is re-fare a bunch of clients that have already booked.  For the overwhelming majority of our vendors, you’ll get the best price by booking as far in advance as possible.

Will I still look around at the Black Friday offers?  Yes – but I’m not expecting to find much in the way of fire-sales.  If you’re in the market for a cruise on one of the floating amusement parks, then it’s definitely worth taking a look. 

Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend from all of us here at the Pampered Cruiser Team. 

Dream-Travel-Share UNPACKED PODCAST

Check out our PODCAST where Kim & Bob talk about how OUR TEAM celebrated their Thanksgiving, and some commentary on BLACK FRIDAY:

https://youtu.be/R19JhdCtJik

In Case You Missed It:

HOW TO CHOOSE A RIVER CRUISE:  If you don’t know WHERE, WHEN or WHICH River Cruise Line, here’s some ideas:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/how-do-you-choose-a-river-cruise-line/

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS is probably the most naturally spectacular destination in the world.  Here’s a few different ways to travel there:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/galapagos-islands-destination-focus/

TAUCK LAND CRUISES: If you like the rhythm and cadence of a river cruise, but you want to travel somewhere OFF the rivers… here are some ideas:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/land-cruises-with-tauck/

Featured YOUTUBE Video:

GALAPAGOS ISLAND Itinerary Video:  We were there about a year ago.  Here’s our video blogs:

https://youtu.be/3F38Km2EEjQ

Remember to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel while you’re there.  It really helps us, and we can produce more content for you!

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Today’s Travel Opportunities

WINDSTAR YACHTING Experiences

With a maximum of 320 guests, Windstar offers a casual elegance, with a great culinary experience. 

TAHITI round-trip from Papeete for 7-days.  Departures every Thursday.

• Visit Papeete, Moorea, Raiatea, Tahaa, Bora Bora (overnight), Huahini.  Remember this tropical paradise is only 2 hours past Hawaii, and has a fraction as many tourists. 
• Depart January through December from $3399 with ALL-IN Fare Package
• Here’s our video blog from when we did this cruise: https://youtu.be/ctytpPPx1tM 

ALASKA: Juneau to Vancouver departing May 15, for 8-days on the new STAR SEEKER

• James Beard Foundation themed cruise for the foodies
• Visit Haines, Tracy Arm, Petersburg, Wrangell, Misty Fjords, Ketchikan.
• Fares from $5199

NATIONAL PARKS with TAUCK

You COULD explore our National Parks on your own, but why not let someone else take care of all the details.  Here’s a summary of TAUCK’S itineraries to our National Parks:

• Canyonlands — Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Zion, 1-week March to October from $4990.  
• Death Valley & Joshua Tree – from Las Vegas to San Diego for one week from $5990.
• Yellowstone & Grand Teton – Jackson to Rapid City (also includes Mt. Rushmore) for one week from $5190.  
• Canyonlands & Arches NP – from Salt Lake City to Denver for 1-week from $7990.
• Sequoia & Yosemite – RT from San Francisco for 1-week from $6790.
• Grand Canyon, Zion, Arches, Bryce Canyon, & Canyonlands – from Grand Junction (CO) to Las Vegas for 10-days from $7990

Learn more about visiting the National Parks with Tauck here: https://www.tauck.com/tours-and-cruises/national-parks?insider=mmjy-sue-bob-bradley-the-pampered-cruiser

UNIWORLD Boutique River Collection

UNIWORLD is on all the rivers in Europe with custom built ships designed and decorated for the region they sail through.  Here’s some of their itineraries OUTSIDE EUROPE:

EGYPT for 12-days (4-nights Cairo and 7-nights on the ship)

• See the Pyramids and Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, Temple of Karnak, Temple of Luxor, Valley of the Kings, and a Nile Felucca ride.

• 2026: Departures January – May from $6999.  September – December from $6649
• Details here: https://pamperedcruiser.uniworld.com/us/river-cruise/egypt/nile/splendors-of-egypt-and-the-nile/2025-cairo-to-cairo 

INDIA:  Ganges River Cruise for 13-days between New Delhi and Kolkata

• If the other cruise lines are sold out in India, we can still find you space on UNIWORLD.
• Few countries simultaneously fascinate and frighten travellers as much as India, so visit it in comfort while still being exposed to the things that make this country so unique.
• Visit New Delhi, Jaipur, Agra (Taj Mahal), Kolkata, Cruise the Ganges, Kalna, Matairi, Murshidabad, Baranagar, Khusbagh,, Mayapur, Chandannagar.
• Includes 4 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and internal flights. 
• 2026: Depart January – March from $8299 or September – December from $7469

EXPLORA JOURNEYS – European Luxury Lifestyle

Explora has 3 brand-new ships, and the entry-level room is a 380 square foot veranda suite.  With a great culinary experience, and unique entertainment concept, you should take a look at this brand:

ARABIA:  Dubai round-trip departing December 14, 2026 for 7-nights

• Get a great taste of the Middle East from the safety of the ship, and only unpack once. 
• Board in Dubai (overnight), and then visit Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Doha, Saudi Arabia
• Veranda fares from $3935
• Stay on board for 14-nights from $7340 and also visit Khor Fakkan, Oman, Muscat, and Kashab.  

WEST COASTER: Los Angeles to Vancouver departing May 3, 2027 for 7-nights

• Visit San Diego, San Francisco (overnight), Victoria.
• Veranda fares from $4675
• Get out in Vancouver OR carry on to Alaska OR take the Rocky Mountaineer to Banff.

Here’s our EXPLORA ship tour video:  https://youtu.be/LHjAS0JKCQ0 

AZAMARA Small Ship Country Intensive Voyages

Azamara has four R-Class vessels holding just 680 guests each.  They also specialize in country intensive voyages, giving you the change to really explore a country.  Here are two examples:

GREECE Intensive round-trip Athens departing April 3, 2027 for 21-nights

• You won’t get a better immersion in Greece than this.  
• Visit Cairo (overnight), Cypress, Alanya, Antalya, Rhodes, Kos, Crete, Santorini, Athens (overnight), Syros, Volos, Thessaloniki (overnight), Chios, Ephesus, Patmos, Paros, Mykonos (overnight)
• Fares from $6019 (at this price per day, this cruise will sell out quickly)

IRELAND Intensive from Dublin to London to departing June 19, 2027 for 11-nights

• Start in Dublin with an overnight stay, then Belfast (overnight), Killybegs, Galway, Foynes, Bantry Harbour, Waterford, Cork
• Golf program through PERRYGOLF offered on this voyage.  
• Fares from $4269

Here’s a link to Azamara’s list of COUNTRY INTENSIVE voyages:

https://www.azamara.com/cruises?keywords=country-intensive

HX Remote Explorations

If you’d rather do a nature walk than a shopping mall, or be on a sea kayak instead of a motor coach, then HX can get you to some remote places where fewer people go:

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS and Quito for 9-days

• 2-nights in Quito, then fly to Galapagos (included in fare) for 6 nights.  Visit Mosquera Inlet, Santa Fe, South Plaza, Santa Cruz, Charles Darwin Research Station in Port Ayora, Espanola Island, Eden Islet.  

• January through March from $6611
• April through December from $6462
• See our video blog from this trip:  https://youtu.be/3F38Km2EEjQ 

NORTHERN LIGHTS in NORWAY with HX

• Round-trip from Tromso, for 8-days with 5 stops on Norwegian Coast
• Northern lights PROMISE.  If you DON’T see the Aurora Borealis on this journey HX will offer credit towards another cruise.  The Northern Lights run in a decade-long cycle, and the natural phenomenon will begin to wane after this season. 
• 2026: Depart February, March, November, or December from $4132
• 2027: Depart January through March from $4665

Recently booked a Viking Cruise?

Viking makes it really easy to book direct, either online, by phone, or on board.  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 (even if you booked ON BOARD).

We’ll check over your reservation 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).

If you recently booked a Viking Cruise, please let us know as soon as possible.

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