Many of you have been enquiring lately about plans for the winter months, so I thought I would throw out a few ideas to scratch that itch.  I suppose planning for winter now makes sense – despite the challenges that travel is presenting to those that want to be out there, after nearly two years of sitting around the house, you’re ready to go!

Mexico and the Caribbean are the top destinations for Americans in the winter months, and we’re more than happy to help you with such plans.  However, many of our clients have “been there, done that”, so I’ll focus on a few other ideas for getaways this winter. 

Making the Best of Winter

Christmas Markets

A popular getaway for our clients in November and December is to visit the European Christmas markets on a river cruise.  It’s a different experience than visiting Europe in the summer months.  Here’s an article we posted about this a few weeks ago: https://pamperedcruiser.com/christmas-in-july/

Northern Lights Cruises

Seeing the Aurora Borealis is a bucket-list experience for many people, and your chances of seeing them increase as the daylight hours in the northern hemisphere decreases.  In other words, you really can’t see these on an Alaskan Cruise.  Instead, you’ll want to travel in the winter.

Hurtigruten offers a “Northern Lights Promise” – if you take one of their designated cruises, they guarantee you’ll see the Northern Lights.  If you don’t see them, they’ll offer you another cruise so you can try again.   Here are some examples:

1. Depart November 27, 2022 – 12 days from $4383 per person
2. Depart from Tromso, Norway, and follow the Norwegian coast southward to visit the North Cape, Arctic Alta, Aurora City, Senja, Reine, and Kalvag, before landing at Harlingen (Netherlands), and finally disembarking in Dover in the UK.
3. Another departure on February 4, 2023 – 15 days from $5453 per person

Antarctica on Viking Octantis:  $9995 per person

We haven’t seen a deal to Antarctica like this in a long, long time.  If you want to visit Antarctica, you’ll want to jump on this offer.  It’s capacity controlled so you’ll want to book as soon as possible while supplies last:

1. Depart November through March (several departures) from $9,995 per INCLUDING round-trip flights from the US.
2. Includes all taxes & fees, transfers, a landing or excursion in each port of call, zodiac and kayak outings, expedition jacket and other equipment needed to go ashore, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship.
3. 13 days: Visit Buenos Aires, Ushuaia, 7-days of landings on Antarctica, scenic sailing in the Drake Passage and Cape Horn.

Escaping Winter to Warmer Climates

French Polynesia and Tahiti

Tahiti is only two hours further by plane than is Hawaii, and it offers a much more exotic experience.  The best way to see this unique Polynesian island is with Paul Gauguin.  You can also extend you trip to include a couple of nights in one of those over-water bungalows.  Here are some examples:

1. Depart December 17th, 2022 (11-nights) – from $5320 per person
2. Visit Tahiti, Society Islands, Aitutaki, Raratonga, Bora Bora (2-nights), Moto Mahana, and Moorea.
3. Includes open bar, gratuities, water sports, airport transfers, and wifi on the ship.
4. Another departure on December 28th, 2022 (10-nights) – from $5420 per person.

Australia & New Zealand

1. Viking ocean cruise departing Dec 22 or 27, 2022 (15 days) – from $6999 per person
2. Visit Sydney, Melbourne, Tasmania, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Rotorua, and Auckland.
3. Fare reflects 270 square foot veranda room, and includes all taxes & fees, transfers, a shore excursion in each port of call, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship.

South America and Chilean Fjords

1. Viking ocean cruise departing December 18, 2022 (18 days) – from $6699 per person.
2. Visit Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Puerto Madryn, Falkland Islands, Scenic Sailing at Cape Horn, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, Scenic Sailing at Amalia Glacier (Patagonia), Chilean Fjords, Puerto Montt, Santiago.
3. Fare reflects 270 square foot veranda room, and includes all taxes & fees, transfers, a shore excursion in each port of call, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship.
4. another departure on February 24, 2023 from $6999 per person.

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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

One of the cruise industry executives commented to us recently how much she appreciated our “media presence”.  This was a sincere compliment, and I tried to accept it graciously, but I was taken off-guard by the term “media presence”.

We are literally a mom & pop shoppe.  There is Bob and me, along with some admin support.  We certainly don’t have a PR department or a media section.

For those of us who grew up in the 60s and70s, the idea of “media” was about large newspapers, periodicals, and broadcast television.  This is no longer true.  In the 21st Century, ‘media’ is about regular blogging, posting on social media, and contributing on YouTube.

We do a reasonable job of trying to connect with our clients and readers once a week by email.  Occasionally we get busy and miss a deadline, but we’re generally pretty consistent. 

For the record, there are lots of media services out there that offer to write our stuff for us and distribute it via multiple media channels. We don’t like that idea very much, so everything we post is written by Bob and me. 

We post regularly on our Facebook page, and if you use Facebook and are not already connected with us, then here’s the link:  https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser

We are certainly not on all the social channels, and we get regular feedback that we need to be more active on Instagram and Twitter so we can attract more Millennials to our business.  We’ll probably work on improving our presence on such channels at some point, but we really like dealing with people in our own demographic:  55 – 75+ year-old people who are curious about the world and want to get out and explore it as much as they can for as long as they can.

The one media channel we have been working especially hard on improving our presence is YouTube.  We personally do many of the trips that we book our clients on, so we try to document these trips with short videos.  We now have over 50 videos posted and will continue to add stuff regularly.

If you’re looking for the flashy, highly produced videos, I would refer to you the individual cruise lines’ websites.  If you want to know what these trips are like from the perspective of normal people (not the models on the professional videos), with video footage taken with an iPhone, then our videos might be of interest.

Here’s a link to our YouTube homepage.  There is a “subscribe” button (top right) there if you want to be notified when we post new videos.  If you click on “Playlists”, you can see the series of videos from various trips we’ve taken.

www.youtube.com/ThePamperedCruiser

So, we’ll continue to blog regularly with original content written by us and document our trips as they occur via YouTube.

I guess we DO have a “media presence”!

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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

Dennis, one of our clients from Colorado, recently suggested we write an article about how to choose a river cruise line.  Like many of you, Dennis and his partner have done a ton of ocean cruising – mostly on the premium lines (Celebrity, Holland America & Princess), and have recently begun experimenting with small ship ocean cruises and river cruises.

His questions about the different river cruise lines were good ones, and ones we commonly hear from others.

Comparing ocean cruise lines is an easy discussion.  For example, if you’re choosing between Carnival and Holland America, you’ll be very happy on one of those cruise lines and extremely unhappy on the other (depending on your age, and what you want to get out of the trip).

River cruise lines are far less differentiated, so the conversation is less definitive.

All the river cruise lines we work with provide an elevated level of food quality, service, and amenities.  In many regards they are all very similar.  However, there is certainly differentiation amongst them, so here’s a crack at defining what is different about the river cruise lines our clients book most frequently.

Note that all these cruise lines include airport transfers, a shore excursion in each port of call, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship.  Additional inclusions are noted under each.

AMA Waterways

1. A Wellness Coordinator on every sailing, with fitness and yoga classes, as well as more active shore excursions. 
2. Happy Hour where your drinks are included every night for an hour or so before dinner (beer/wine is also included with meals).
3. A choice of included Shore Excursions at each port (including the more active ones noted above).
4. Gym and pool on board the ship.
5. Trip Extensions – All the cruise lines offer trip extensions.  AMA offers some unusual extensions, and the same cruise manager from the ship also travels with you pre/post cruise.
6. Free Flights on 2022 Europe & Mekong departures.  If you want to travel in the next few months, AMA will throw in the air as part of your cruise fare.
7. Skews to slightly younger demographic.

Avalon

1. Rooms – Avalon has a slightly larger room size than competing river cruise lines, and they orient the beds to face out the window.
2. Shorter itineraries – Avalon is the only one of these cruise lines to offer itineraries of less than a week.  This could work well if you want to combine a river cruise with another vacation in Europe.
3. Land tours – Avalon is part of the Globus family of brands, so it’s easy to connect a river cruise to a Globus or Monograms trip.

Tauck

1. Land extensions – Tauck is originally a luxury land-tour operator and have only gotten into the River Cruise business with their own ships in the past few years.  If you’re looking for high-end land tours, Tauck certainly offers this.
2. Inclusions – Tauck has all the standard river cruise inclusions and also includes beverages at ALL times, as well as gratuities for both onboard staff and local guides.
3. Exclusive experiences – Tauck puts their extensive experience on land to good use when planning exclusive shore events for river boat guests.

Uniworld

1. Boutique ships – Uniworld positions itself as a floating boutique hotel, and they do a very good job of it.  Each ship is unique and decorated and adorned to reflect the region in which it sails.  The Tollman family’s personal art collection is on board the ships as well, so each river boat is a bit like a floating museum.
2. Trains – on some voyages, Uniworld allows guests to do pre/post trips by luxury train.  There are some very interesting itinerary options. 
3. Inclusions – Much like Tauck, everything is included in the fare (open bar, all gratuities)
4. There is gym and a spa on board Uniworld ships
5. Incentives – a number of their 2022 itineraries are showing at 50% off right now, which is incredible value for such a high end product.
6. “Other” Rivers – Uniworld operates on all the standard European rivers, and also travels to a few spots others don’t go: The Po River in Northern Italy; the Ganges River in India; and the Amazon headwaters in Peru (with extensions to Machu Picchu).  We have a new video on our YouTube channel about the Po River Cruise – here’s the link:  https://youtu.be/QRIHi6SED6g

Viking

1. Scale – Viking is larger than everyone else combined, and in many cases this gives them a price/cost advantage.
2. Air Program – Viking’s extensive air program makes the value that much more compelling.  The air add-ons give people cost certainty for air travel – a big advantage – especially right now when air travel is such a huge variable.
3. Departure Dates – Viking has about 80 ships in Europe, so on many itineraries, there are more than 20 departures per month.  If your dates are tight, Viking probably has a sailing within a day or two of your preferred departure.

The above river cruise lines account for the majority of the North American market, but there are several other more minor players out there as well.  The biggest mistake people make when assessing a river cruise line is comparing to their ocean cruise experiences – the two have very little in common. 

REMINDER:  If you missed our note last week about the special discount on Oceania Cruises, here’s link to that article:  https://pamperedcruiser.com/the-1-best-time-to-book-an-oceania-cruise/.  Remember we have a very tight window for booking with this incentive, so if you’re thinking about it, we need your instructions fairly quickly.

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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

Without question, the best time to book a new cruise is when you’re already on board.

ALL cruise lines will give you a better deal for booking on board compared to any other way.

Depending on the cruise line, you might get price discounts, extra onboard credits, more flexible cancellation terms, and/or a later final payment date.

If you’re on a cruise and you’re pretty sure you’re going to sail with that cruise line again, then we highly recommend taking advantage of the Book-on-Board offer. 

Many of you have expressed concern that we, as your booking agent, get cut out of the new booking if you book while on board.  Thank you for your concern!  Rest assured, that isn’t the case – the cruise lines cooperate with us on such things, so we will get credit for your new booking.  They don’t always tell us you’ve booked on board though, so we usually ask you directly when you return home. 

The actual book on board incentive varies between cruise lines, but they all offer you something extra, and that extra is usually combinable with their normal public-facing promotions.

Bob and I are getting ready to embark on the Oceania Riviera for a trip to Greece and Turkey. 

For those who follow us on Facebook, we normally publish daily blogs about our trips, but in the interest of full disclosure, we usually do those postings when we get home, and then “re-live” the trip on a day-by-day basis.  This allows us to respond when we’re back at our office, and NOT between shore excursions when we’re travelling!

So now you know our secret (you’re one of the insiders) and you won’t be confused when we publish our blog posts after you know we’re already back from this upcoming trip. 

How YOU can benefit from Sue and Bob’s upcoming Oceania cruise

Our upcoming trip gives us a unique chance to offer something special for YOU.

We can get book on board savings for YOU, as long as we make your reservation while WE are on board the ship.

If you’re thinking of an Oceania cruise, it’s a great chance to get a discount you would not otherwise receive.

NOTE this is a very unusual situation, and NOT an option that’s normally available to travel agents.   Here’s why.  Although Bob and I already sell a lot of Oceania, they’ve identified us as agents with huge potential to increase sales with them further, and we are working on ways to partner together in more creative ways. 

Here’s the discount you’ll receive (they vary by length of cruise and cabin category selected):

With the time change and the spotty internet on ships in that part of the world, this is going to be a challenge, so I thought I would take orders in advance!

If you’re thinking of an Oceania cruise, you’ll want to let us know about it ASAP, so we can get everything arranged ahead of time and simply place your deposit while we’re on our trip.

This can be for ANY Oceania Cruise and is combinable with any of the offers you see on their website. 

It’s ALSO combinable with the extra perks Bob and I normally have access to through our affiliation with Virtuoso.  ALL of the examples listed below include free pre-paid gratuities (something you would normally pay extra for if you book directly with Oceania).

There are some examples below if you’re shopping for your next vacation.

The CATCH: 

1. You need to get your booking instructions to us by July 28th, our first day on the ship.  Please keep in mind we’ll have delayed response times while we’re on board, so if you want to chat this through with us, contact us as soon as possible and definitelybefore July 23rd.
2. This is for NEW bookings only.

What is different about Oceania

1. Culinary – Oceania really stands out for its food.  The Executive Culinary Director is Jacques Pepin.  There are multiple Specialty Dining venues on Oceania ships, and it’s all included in your fare.  It won’t disappoint.
2. Small Ships – Oceania has four ships that hold 680 guests, and 3 that hold 1250 guests.  On ships of this size, you get a much more intimate experience than the mega-ships.
3. Casual Luxury – You can leave your ball gowns, and tuxedos at home, but still expect an elevated guest experience.
4. Choices – Oceania’s fare structure allows you to pay for included air, and drinks, OR choose other amenities if you wish. 
5. Entertainment – even though the ships are smaller, high-energy production shows are still offered.

Today’s Travel Opportunities

All the following voyages are eligible for book on board savings AND we can also get you FREE pre-paid gratuities just by booking through us.  Neither of these perks are available by booking directly with Oceania.

St. Lawrence Seaway and Atlantic Coast – Montreal to Miami departing October 31, 2022 (16 days)

1. Fares from $3099 per person
2. Visit Quebec City, Charlottetown, Sydney, Halifax, Bar Harbor, Newport, New York, & Bermuda.

Trans-Atlantic – Miami to Barcelona departing April 6, 2023 (15 days)

1. Fares from $3499 per person
2. Visit Bahamas, Bermuda, Azores, Madeira, Grenada, & Alicante

Alaska – Round-trip Seattle departing August 18, 2023 (11 days)

1. Fares from $2799 per person
2. Visit Ketchikan, Juneau, Haines, Hubbard Glacier, Icy Strait Point & Victoria

British Isles – Round-trip London departing August 23, 2023 (11 days)

1. Fares from $4099 per person
2. Visit Newcastle, Dundee, Shetland Islands, Stornoway, Killybegs, Belfast, Cork & Portland

Italy – From Monte Carlo to Venice departing September 22, 2023 (11 days)

1. Fares from $2299 per person
2. Visit Florence, Rome, Salerno, Messina, Calabria, Kotor, Dubrovnik, & Split

These are just a few examples – multiple other itineraries are available.

REMEMBER:  If you want the additional Book-on-Board discount, we need to place a hold for you while we’re on board.  Please get in touch with us before July 23rd to discuss your next Oceania cruise.

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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

We’ve just started to ease into summer, so thinking about Christmas right now might seem ridiculous. 

However, if you’d like to experience the European Christmas Markets, now is the time to make plans.

Christmas markets operate from the last week of November through to Christmas.  They’ve become increasingly popular in the past few years, and VERY popular with river cruisers.

Here are some of the most common questions we get about Christmas Market river cruises:

Where in Europe are the Christmas Markets?
There are variations of Christmas markets everywhere in Europe, however Germany is where the modern concept has gotten the most traction.  There are also Christmas markets in France, Austria, Hungary and the Netherlands, so just about any European River Cruise itinerary at that time of year will include Christmas Markets.

I’m not much into shopping.  Are there other reasons to go?
The markets themselves are cultural and community events, and offer entertainment, as well as a chance to interface with the locals and drink mulled wine or hot chocolate.  It’s different than the Europe you’ve visited in summer.  Also, visiting Europe in the off-season means the other tourist destinations, historical sites, and museums are far less crowded.

Are the River Cruises themselves any different?
The ports of call are mostly the same as they are in other months, but the shore excursions change to get people to the Christmas markets.  Many of the other shore excursions to local historical sites and attractions are still available. 

What can I expect for weather?
There is a high degree of error when predicting weather – particularly in winter months.  It won’t be warm, but it won’t be punishingly cold either.  Here are some historical temperatures for the month of December:

• Berlin – Highs: 40, Lows: 32
• Frankfurt – H: 42, L: 33
• Cologne – H: 42, L: 33
• Paris – H: 46, L: 36
• Vienna – H: 40, L: 32
• Amsterdam – H: 44, L: 32
• Budapest – H: 38, L: 32

Is a river cruise better than staying in a hotel in one of these cities?
If you want to focus on one city’s Christmas markets, then a hotel might serve you well.  However, most people want to experience a variety of different Christmas Markets, and a river cruise is ideal in that case.  It’s nice when you only have to unpack once and your “hotel” moves with you through Europe.  River cruises are efficient in that the ship usually moves while you are asleep, so you can maximize your time at the Christmas Markets.

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Here are some Christmas market cruise deals I was able to find:

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises – 50% off cruises booked before July 31. 
The prices below already include the 50% discount:

• Depart December 15th, 2022 from Budapest to Passau for 8-days.  Prices start at $2499 per person.
• Depart December 15th, 2022 from Frankfurt to Nuremberg for 8-days.  Prices start at $3299 per person (or leave December 1 for $3899).
• Depart December 15th, 2022 from Vienna to Nuremberg for 8-days for $3499 per person (or leave Dec 8th for $3999)

AMA Waterways – Free round-trip flights on ANY 2022 European departure:
Our friends at AMA have put together a deal with free airfare.  If you want to travel to Europe in 2022, this is pretty hard to beat.  Here are some examples of available Christmas Market cruises:
France from Avignon to Lyon (or reverse)

• 8-days starting at $3499 per person including air.
• Depart December 1, 8, 15, 22

Rhine River from Amsterdam and Basel (or reverse)

• 8-days starting at $3399 per person including air.
• Depart November 28, December 5, 12, or 19.

Viking Mississippi Holiday Season.
The Viking Mississippi itinerary is almost completely sold out for 2022, and is very tight for 2023, so if you wanted to experience this new product, and see the south all decorated for Christmas, this could be a good opportunity:

• Travel between New Orleans and Memphis for 8-days on this brand-new river ship.
• Depart December 17 or 24, 2022 for $4299 per person for a Deluxe Private Balcony room.

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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