Life is a series of small moments. Big occasions like weddings and milestone birthdays are marked with pomp and circumstance, but when you’re feeling nostalgic, and reminiscing about days gone by, it’s often the small, seemingly insignificant moments that stand out.
We travel a lot as part of our job (it’s what sets us apart from the big travel agencies or call centers where agents seldom travel), and you will sometimes ask us about our memorable moments. Maybe some of these memorable moments will inspire you:
- Banitsa Pastry at a Bulgarian Family’s home while with AMA Waterways on the Lower Danube. The pastry was incredible, and we got genuine insight by visiting this family.
- Sea Kayaking by a calving glacier in Alaska. It looks way different from the surface than from the deck of the ship, and if kayaking is not your jam, you can do it by zodiac.
- Vivaldi’s Four Seasons performed in the 600 year old Scuola Grande di San Rocco in Venice. Riding up the Grand Canal by water taxi was a key part of the experience. We did this while spending a week on board Uniworld’s La Venezia in the Venice Lagoon.
- Hot air ballooning in Cappadocia, Turkey. If you’re embarking or disembarking in Istanbul, add a couple of days to include this. Seeing the sunrise from behind a snow-capped volcano from a hot air balloon was definitely a memorable moment.
- Louisiana State Prison at Angola while on a Mississippi River Cruise. This might appear to be a strange choice, but this is as close to the corrections system as I’ll ever get, and it gave me a lot to think about.
- Galapagos Islands – the whole trip was a series of unique moments, but when a Blue Footed Boobie was standing on my foot – I think that takes the cake.
- Auschwitz & Birkenau. You visit here because it’s necessary to remember, so it doesn’t happen again. The displays here were created in consultation with the victims and their families, and are incredibly moving.
- Sea Cloud’s moving photo safari. You board a zodiac, while the ship is under full sail (not nearly as scary as it sounds), and circumnavigate the sailing vessel for some incredible pictures, AND to get even closer to the sea.
- Flight seeing with a glacier landing at Denali. Seeing North America’s highest peak from a small plane provides unparalleled scenery (and you’re in Denali anyway!)
- Backstage at WICKED in London’s West End. We were travelling with Luxury Gold, and they arranged a backstage tour and meet & greet with the cast. Great for theatre-geeks.
- Completing the Circle in Newfoundland. About 100,000 years ago, humans left Africa. Some turned left to Europe, others turned right to Asia, and eventually to the Americas. About 1200 years ago, the first Europeans (it wasn’t Columbus) landed in Newfoundland, and reunited with those that “turned right”. Newfoundland in general is overlooked for those that want to marvel in remote, rugged beauty. At the very least visit the 9/11 Memorial at the Gander Airport.
What are your Memorable Moments?
The PODCAST: Dream-Travel-Share UNPACKED
In this special episode of UNPACKED, Bob and Kim put the cruise comparisons and travel tips aside and share some of the travel moments that have stayed with each of them most. The moments that surprised them, connected with local people, or changed their perspective. There is some great inspiration for YOUR next trip contained in this podcast.
In Case You Missed It:
AIR TRAVEL COPING GUIDE. It’s wild up there… but you need to get to your vacation, and flying is usually the way you get there:
https://pamperedcruiser.com/air-travel-survival-guide-3/
AMA WATERWAYS: There’s lots of river cruise companies to sail with. AMA is a great fit for those that appreciate great food, like more active options for shore excursions, and those that would prefer to pay 90 days prior to departure.
https://pamperedcruiser.com/ama-waterways-river-cruising-done-right/
TURKEY & ISTANBUL: Don’t overlook this corner of the Mediterranean. Turkey is a true crossroads of culture, with lots to do and see.
https://pamperedcruiser.com/istanbul-turkey/
Featured YOUTUBE Video:
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS. If you enjoy scenery and wildlife, it won’t get much better than Galapagos. Here’s our video blog from our trip there.
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
European Luxury with EXPLORA JOURNEYS
If you’re looking for an elevated culinary experience, and a unique entertainment concept, all while enjoying a luxury small ship experience, then Explora is worth looking at. The entry level room is a 380 square foot veranda – bigger than the suites on the mega-ships!
GREECE & TURKEY: round-trip Athens departing June 28 for 7-nights
- Embark in Athens then visit the sandy beaches on Skiathos, before experiencing the most important ancient Greek ruins at Ephesus. Chill out in Lesbos, before arriving in Istanbul for an overnight stay to explore this vibrant metropolis. Finish in Mykonos before returning to Athens.
- Fares from $5135
JAPAN: Tokyo round-trip departing October 6, 2027 for 10-nights
- Start in Tokyo and visit Hakodate, Aomori, Akita, Kanazawa, Busan, and Nagoya.
- Fares from $11,810
Monaco FORMULA 1: June 3 – 8, 2027
- Explora I will be docked in Monte Carlo for 5 nights during the Monaco FORMULA 1 Race weekend. Your cruise fare includes Grandstand Access for 3 days, and you’re docked right in town. Use Explora 1 as your hotel for 5-nights or stay on board for a cruise:
- 7-nights round-trip from Rome
- 12-nights from Monte Carlo to Barcelona
- 13-nights from Rome to Barcelona
RIVER CRUISES Outside of Europe with AMA WATERWAYS
COLOMBIA: Barranquilla to Cartagena (or reverse) for 7-nights
- Take in 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. Colombia is far more interesting, and certainly much more safe than Netflix would have you believe.
- Only a 4 HOUR FLIGHT from many US Gateways.
- Pre/post available to Medellin and/or Panama.
- Departures year round. Pricing starts at $3149
We’re just finishing this cruise right now, and it’s been an incredible experience. Follow along on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pamperedcruiser
MEKONG River: Vietnam & Cambodia from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap for 7-nights
- Visit local markets and temples, do a local school visit, get a tuk-tuk tour of Phnom Penh, and experience the amazing people, culture and food of the unique part of the world on a fully escorted trip.
- 2027: Departures January through April and August through December from $1929
REMOTE EXPLORATIONS with HX
You DON’T have to be an elite athlete to do an EXPEDITION CRUISE. You DO need to be curious about more remote places on the planet. If you love scenery and nature, both these destinations should be on your bucket list:
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.
- 2026: December from $6420
- 2027: February – June from $7420
- See our video blog from when we did this trip: https://youtu.be/3F38Km2EEjQ
ANTARCTICA round-trip from Buenos Aires for 12-days, with 5-days of scheduled landings
- Includes flights to/from Ushuaia (from BA) to board the ship.
- Start with an included flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, and embark your hybrid electric-powered expedition ship. Cross the Drake Passage and enjoy 5 days of scheduled landings in Antarctica before returning to Ushuaia followed by a flight back to Buenos Aires.
- Departures November 2026 through March 2027 from $9268
- Departures November 2027 through March 2028 from $10,396
ATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES Yachts
All the ATLAS yachts carry less than 200 guests, so they can get you into some of the smaller places, and you’ll see the larger places differently.
ENGLAND, SCOTLAND & IRELAND: London to Glasgow departing May 11, 2027 for 9-nights
- Start in London and visit St. Malo, St. Mary’s, Cork, Dublin, Liverpool, Belfast, and end in Glasgow.
- Fares from $5808
CARIBBEAN Expedition: St. John’s to Bridgetown departing October 13, 2028 for 8-days
- Start in Antigua, and then visit St. Barts, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Lucia, the Grenadines, and then finish in Barbados.
- You may have visited the Eastern Caribbean on a mega-ship, but this is completely different.
- Fares From $4999
LAND CRUISES with COLLETTE
COLLETTE is a premium provider of land-cruises around the world. Here are two examples:
HAWAII: Visit 3 different islands over 10-days:
- Start in Oahu and visit the city of Honolulu, Waikiki, and Pearl Harbor Waikiki. Then move onto the Big Island for Volcanoes NP, Honaunau Bay, and Kona. Then finish in Kahului on Maui.
- Includes 14 meals, a luau, Pearl Harbor, Iolani Palace, and Volcanoes NP admissions.
- Departures year-round from $5399
- Pre-trip extension in Honolulu, and/or post-trip extension in Maui available.
AFRICAN SAFARI: Kenya & Tanzania for 15-days round-trip Nairobi
- See Mt. Kilmanjaro, 12-game drives to spot the Big 5, see the Farmhouse from Out of Africa, Ngorongoro Crater, and Serengeti NP.
- 2027: Departures weekly from $7999
AZAMARA Small Ship Experiences
With just 680 guests, Azamara offers a great way to experience a fully-inclusive small ship.
NEW ENGLAND & QUEBEC: Boston to Montreal departing October 4, 2027 for 12-nights
- Start in Boston and visit Portland, Rockland, Saint John, Halifax, Charlottetown, Baie-Comeau, cruise Saguenay Fjord, Saguenay, Quebec City, Trois Rivieres, and finish in Montreal.
- Fares from $4789
ALASKA Cruise Tour: Fairbanks to Vancouver departing May 30 for 14-nights
- Start in Whittier and visit Valdez, Cruise the Hubbard Glacier, Haines, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, Ketchikan, Klawock, Nanaimo, Victoria, and finish in Vancouver.
- Fares from $7699
Azamara’s COUNTRY INTENSIVE VOYAGES are fantastic if you really want to immerse yourself in a particular place. Here are some examples:
- Chile
- Croatia
- Greece
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Norway
- Scotland
- Spain
If you’d like to see AZAMARA’s full line-up of COUNTRY INTENSIVE Itineraries:
https://www.azamara.com/cruises?keywords=country-intensive
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
Sue Bradley
