This headline may appear to be a bit self-serving, but indulge me for a moment.  About 25,000 people read our posts every week, and amongst that list about 2% become clients.  Believe it or not, this is actually a very high rate, but amongst the other 98%, there are some people that buy into the fallacy that it is better to deal with cruise lines and land-tour operators directly.

This error is an easy one to make.  If you’re booking rental cars, 3 or 4 star hotel rooms, or economy airline tickets, the best price is usually directly with the vendor.  Cruises, land-tours, and higher-end hotels are different.  Here’s why:

• You’ll never get a better price by going direct.  For cruises and packaged land tours, there are no circumstances where you’ll get a better deal by going direct to the vendor.  This is counter-intuitive, because the airlines and some hotels definitely offer better prices for direct bookings.  
• We get additional amenities.  Yep… that’s right – there is no cost advantage to going direct, and in most cases, we can get you additional on board credits or perks NOT available to you if you book direct.  
• You’re supporting a small business.  Small business is the engine of the economy, and the largest creator of jobs.  I enjoy my trips to Costco as much as anyone else, but they aren’t sponsoring your kids’ soccer team.  If you can support a small business, AND it’s not going to cost you anymore to do so, it seems like a win-win.
• We’re real people.  You talk to the same person… not who’s on shift in the call center.  
• You’ll get better advice.  If you call cruise lines direct, the agents are well trained to sell THEIR product.  We deal with all the cruise lines, so we can offer alternatives so you can make the best decision for you.
• Good travel advisors actually travel.  We’ve travelled with all the brands we sell, and we’ve been to most of the destinations we send people to.  The big call centers are full of well-trained employees, but they typically don’t travel very much.  

Some people who read our posts every week, already have established relationships with a travel advisor that they really like and trust.  Keep dealing with them – my purpose here is NOT to poach business from other advisors.  My purpose IS to inform those dealing directly with cruise lines and land-tour operators that they would be better served dealing with us, or another good travel advisor.  

Here are some other considerations for dealing with an advisor:

• Fees:  Some agents charge fees, but we prefer not to.  We choose to only sell products we know really well, so it doesn’t require hours of research to put a proposal in front of clients.  For custom itineraries (which is something we don’t typically do), these often require a great deal of advance research and you SHOULD expect to pay a fee to an advisor who knows your desired trip plans well. 
• Professional Service:  You might be surprised to learn that we know several travel advisors who were lawyers or MBAs in their previous careers (this includes both Sue and Bob).  The attention to detail, and approach to advising clients can be very similar to legal or other professional service providers.  
• Option Shopping:  We occasionally get an inquiry from someone new, who will consume a bunch of our time and then decide to book elsewhere because they can’t get over the misconception that it’s cheaper.  Putting aside the ethical considerations of coming to us for advice, and then using that advice to book elsewhere, those people also lose on the additional amenities I mention above. 
• Agency Transfers:  We regularly get calls from people who booked a cruise directly with the cruise lines in the past couple of weeks, and they stumble across one of our information pieces, YouTube videos, or our Facebook page.  We can still help you.  The rules vary slightly between cruise lines, but we can move a direct booking over to our agency, and offer you additional amenities. 

Cases where you should book direct

• Air:  If you’re not dealing with a cruise line’s air department, you should never abdicate control of your air arrangements.  There are multiple micro-decisions that YOU should make, and adding an agent inserts an unnecessary third party.  
• If You Require an Instant Response:  If you’re one of those people who wants to be able to phone at any time of day or night and have someone available to pick up immediately and answer questions about your trip, you’d be better off dealing with a call center.  Much like the lawyers we discussed above, we work on several files at once, and like to be prepared when we meet with you, so we work best when we set up phone appointments.  You will find most professional travel advisors to be the same. 

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Hawaii with Explora Journeys

For those who love sea days, this voyage is a great opportunity to try out this exciting new cruise brand (and you only have a long haul flight in one direction!) 

• Vancouver to Honolulu, departing April 18, 2024 for 11-nights. 
• After leaving Vancouver, visit Hilo (overnight), and then Honolulu (overnight).  
• If you’d like to extend your stay in Hawaii, it’s very easy to get between the islands.
• Prices from $5300 per person for a 375 square foot Veranda Suite.  Includes all taxes and fees, an open bar, gratuities, and wifi on the ship.  
• Due to our exclusive arrangement with Explora Journeys, we can also get you a $600 Journey Experience credit. 

Oceania ‘Extraordinary Savings’ Sale

If you follow us on Facebook, you know we’re on board Oceania’s brand new ship, Vista, this week, previewing the ship with other industry insiders before next week’s Maiden Voyage.

We LOVE Oceania’s onboard experience!

Oceania is currently running a couple of very good promotions and the one I want to tell you about today is their “Extraordinary Savings” promotion.  Please click this link for a list of applicable sailings (all for travel in 2023)… the prices are indeed extraordinary:

https://image.explore.oceaniacruises.com/lib/fe3711737164047c731071/m/2/725de646-6a42-4388-b450-d2cb1ffaa5a3.pdf

Uniworld:  Basel to Amsterdam for 11-days departing September or October 2023:

• Visit Basel (overnight), Strasbourg, Speyer, Frankfurt, Oberwesel, Cologne, Arnhem, Harlingen, Amsterdam (overnight)
• Window Rooms from $2999.  French Balconies from $4299 per person. (Represents a savings of $1500 each).

If you’d like to see what else Uniworld has on offer, here’s the link: https://pamperedcruiser.uniworld.com/us/current-offers/2023

Recently booked a Viking Cruise?  

Viking makes it really easy to book direct, either online or by phone.  Our clients worry that if they book online, 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.  

We’ll check over your booking 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.  

We also have access to unadvertised promotion codes you may not be aware of.  Depending on the exact situation, these promotion codes can save you money and/or get you extra perks.  

There is never a situation where you’ll get a better deal by booking directly with Viking (or any other cruise line).  We have access to all the same prices and special promotion codes… and we can always add something above and beyond what you’d receive by booking directly with the cruise line.  
Also, in case you’re wondering, there is NO fee to work with us.  We get paid commission by the cruise lines after our clients travel.  So, please get in touch to let us know about your existing reservations (including those made while on board).

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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

SilverSea can best be described as traditional luxury.  Some of you have asked if it is “stuffy”, and I don’t think I’d describe it that way, although with their marketing images of tuxedoed butlers wearing white gloves, it is an easy assumption to make.  While tuxedos and ball gowns are not required on SilverSea, there will be some guests that choose to dress that way.  

Up until 2020, SilverSea was owned by the Lefebvre family of Rome, who were the same family who owned Sitmar Cruises in the 70s and 80s.  I have a special reverence for Sitmar, because it was my very first cruise, way back in 1981.  

SilverSea has 6 small ships (700 or less) with one more coming in 2023, and another in 2024.  They also have 5 expedition ships.  On this fleet, they sail to 7 continents, and so some really interesting ports of call.   You’ll notice in the Travel Opportunities below, that while they may start and finish in major ports, some of the stops in between you may never heard of!  This is fantastic for those that have done a lot of travelling, and want something new.  

They also have an innovative fare structure.  No matter what you choose, the fare is very inclusive: 24-hour gourmet dining, an open bar, superb entertainment, gratuities, on-board enrichment and lectures, a shore excursion in every port, and butler service in every suite.  

If you choose their “Door to Door” fare, they will pick you up at your home, deliver you to the airport, fly you to the ship, and then do the same on your return home.  

We find that most of our small-ship ocean clients make their decisions based more on itinerary than anything else.  If this is the primary driver for you, then it’s worth browsing through SilverSea’s itineraries to see where they go.  I’ve put a handful of examples below, but that is really just the tip of the iceberg.  

SilverSea is also running some interesting promotions until the end of this month, and in many cases, they are combinable – meaning you may be able to take advantage of all of these:

• Two category suite upgrade, and a $1000 on board credit on select sailings
• $500 referral credit.  If you haven’t sailed with SilverSea previously but you know someone that has, they’ll offer you $500 of your suite, and give whomever referred you a $500 credit for their next trip.
• 20% off selected sailings.  There is some fine print on this offer, most notably it is payment in full at the time of booking, and it’s non-refundable, so you’ll want to make sure you put your insurance in place at the same time. This offer represents tremendous value for higher-end product like SilverSea.  Here’s the link to their website where you’ll find the list of sailings this promotion applies to:

List of voyages:  https://www.silversea.com/best-luxury-cruise-deals/port-to-port-prepaid.html

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Here’s some examples from the SilverSea Pre-Paid, Port to Port fares.  The prices shown here already reflect the discounted rate (so this is what you’ll actually pay). 

Vancouver to Puerto Vallarta – Departing October 2, for 16-days.

• Visit Neah Bay, Rainer (OR), Portland, Astoria, San Francisco, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Cabo San Lucas, La Paz, Isla Espiritu Santo, Isla San Jose, Isla San Francisco. 
• Prices from $5058 per person.  

Japan – Yokohama to Hong Kong – Departing October 9 for 16-days.

• Visit Tokyo (overnight), Osaka (overnight), Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Busan, Seoul (overnight), Keelung, Koahsiung.
• Prices from $5908 per person

Alaska — Vancouver to Anchorage – Departing May 9, 2024 for 7-days.

• Visit Vancouver, Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier
• Prices from $2920 per person

Mediterranean — Athens round-trip — Departing March 29, for 13-days

• Crete, Bodrum, Rhodes, Paphos, Jerusalem (overnight), Alexandria Egypt (overnight), Crete, Naphlion, 
• Prices from $5280 per person

Caribbean – Ft. Lauderdale round-trip – Departing February 5 for 11-days

• San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Bart’s, St. John’s, St. Maarten, BVI, 
• Prices from $4208 per person

Sydney to Auckland Departing January 18 for 14-days

• Visit Sydney, Burnie, Port Arthur, Hobart (overnight), Bluff, Dunedin, Akaroa, Picton, Bay of Islands, and Auckland 
• Prices from $5653 per person

Rollin On The River

If River Cruising is more your jam, AMA is offering Free Land Add-ons for select voyages.  Hardly any of our clients go to Europe and just do a one-week cruise, so this is definitely worth looking at: 

• Includes 4 or 5 star hotels, breakfasts, city tours and/or excursions, transfers, and your cruise manager travels with you from the ship (so you’re escorted through your journey).  Some examples of Free Land Extensions:
  • Prague 3-night extension (Value: $1320 per person)
  • Amsterdam 2-night extension (Value: $1190 pp)
  • Budapest 2-night extension (Value: $840 pp)
  • Lake Como, Italy 3-night extension (Value: $1440 pp)

Here’s a link to the page:  https://www.amawaterways.com/agent/pamperedcruiser/freeland-2023

There are tons of combinations, but here are two examples of how a river cruise and free land extension would stack up:  

Rhine River Cruise departing November 16 for 7-nights on the ship and 2-nights land:

• Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland
• Visit Cologne, Rhine Gorge, Rudesheim, Ludwigshafen, Strasbourg, Breisach, 
• Free Amsterdam pre-cruise for 2-nights.
• Prices start at $3199 per person.  

Danube  River Cruise —  4 departures in August for 7-nights on the ship, and 3-nights land: 

• Budapest to Vilshofen (Bavaria, Germany)
• Visit Bratislava, Vienna, Krems, Wachau Valley, Linz, Passau.
• Free Prague post-cruise for 3-nights
• Prices start at $4199 per person.

There are lots of other combinations too.  Check out the link above for more information.

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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

So alike… and yet so different.  That is the only way to describe Australia and New Zealand.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention that although I was born in Iowa, my mother was Australian, so I lived in Canberra for several years as a child.  Long before I ever knew Bob, he also lived there as well – first to work at World Expo ’88 in Brisbane, and then as a backpacker around both Australia and New Zealand.  So we both have a strong personal connection to both these countries.  

These two South Pacific Island nations share many things in common:  they are both Commonwealth nations (with very similar looking flags); they historically have collaborated on many military and security initiatives; and they obviously have proximity.  

They are also very different:  Australia is huge (almost as large as the Lower 48 states), NZ is about the size of Colorado.  Australia’s aboriginal population is about 4% of the population and there is some debate as to whether they are of African descent, or if they are a unique race. New Zealand’s Maori population is about 18% of the population, and are Polynesian.  

English is the predominant language in both countries.  When I lived in Australia, I could easily tell the difference between an Aussie and a Kiwi as soon as they spoke.  I’m embarrassed to say that with the exception of some specific trigger words, I now have to ask.  Australians love to shorten words, and have some really unique phrases.  The Kiwis have integrated many native Maori words into their English.  

One other thing these countries share:  they are a long way from the United States (a 14 or 15 hour plane ride from the West Coast).  This is one reason why people tend to visit both, after making the investment in time and money to get there. 

New Zealand is spectacular for the diversity of things you can do outside.  They have beautiful sandy tropical beaches in the North, and snow-capped glaciers in the south.  There are wineries, hot springs, and a series of charming small cities and towns throughout the country.  You can see New Zealand quite easily by cruise ship, or a driving vacation if you’re so inclined. 

Australia has the Great Barrier Reef that really doesn’t have anything that compares with it anywhere on the planet.  Sydney is a fantastic urban experience.  The Red Center and Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock), are spectacular.  Australia is full of wide-open spaces — there are less than 30 million people in that huge area, and most of them live on the perimeter, along the ocean.  

Here are my best suggestions for seeing these two beautiful countries:  

• Go for as long as you can.  The flight is long, and never cheap.  
• See both countries.  Australia tends to attract more visitors, but in many ways there is more to see in New Zealand.  
• If you want to explore different parts of Australia, do it by plane.  It is too big to explore by other means unless you go for many months.  Bob drove around the country (over the course of 6 months), and he claims he’s still recovering from that road trip!
• Their seasons are opposite to ours, but the weather is moderate in both places year round (although Northern Australia can be very hot in December & January).  Those visiting from the Northern Hemisphere usually go November through April, but there’s no down-side to visiting at other times of the year. 
• Plan in advance:  demand is high for these two countries after having effectively being closed for 2 years.  
• In repositioning season, the cruise ships migrate between Alaska and the South Pacific.  If you don’t feel like a 15 hour flight, you can make the journey one-way by ship.  They either cross to Japan, and then down the east side of Asia, OR head out to Hawaii, and then to Fiji, Tahiti and the Pacific Islands.  Either trip is usually about 4 weeks.  

As different as these countries are from the United States, and each other, they are probably the MOST like us when it comes to travel.  English is overwhelmingly the most spoken language in both places, and their infrastructure is very similar to ours. 

If you go to where the young people hang out in Australia, you find an overwhelming number of 20-something travellers from the UK and Canada.  This is no coincidence – the ease of travel in Australia and New Zealand make it a great place for kids to learn how to travel.  It probably also helps that as members of the Commonwealth, kids from the UK and Canada are legal to work down-under.

Today’s Travel Opportunities

There are a few different ways to experience New Zealand and Australia by ship.  Here are some ideas for each of those ways:

A cruise including Australia’s East Coast and New Zealand.  Usually these are about two weeks long, and travel between Sydney and Auckland:

Celebrity Edge Sydney to Auckland

• 12-days, departing February 4.   
• Visit Milford Sound, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, Bay of Islands
• Verandas from $3050

SilverSea Auckland to Melbourne

• 14-days, departing February 1.   
• Visit the Bay of Islands, Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, Wellington, Kaikoura, Dunedin, Bluff, Hobart (overnight).
• Suites from $6150 per person (15% off), including a $300 per person on board credit.  
• Includes gratuities, an open bar, shore excursions, and butler service in every suite.

Viking Ocean Auckland to Sydney (or reverse)

• 15-days departing January 2, 16, or 30.
• Visit Rotorua, Napier, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Foveaux Strait, Tasmania, Bass Strait, Melbourne, Gippsland Coast.
• Veranda Rooms starting at $7599
• Includes transfers, beer/wine with meals, a shore excursion in every port, and wifi on the ship. 

Don’t want to fly both ways?  Here’s some repositioning cruises:

Majestic Princess:  Sydney to Seattle

• 33-days departing April 10, 2024
• Visit Picton (NZ), Wellington, Tauranga, Bay of Islands, Auckland, Tahiti (overnight), Honolulu, Kona, Vancouver (overnight), Victoria.  
• Veranda Rooms starting at $4003

Oceania Regatta: Sydney to Los Angeles

• 42-days departing March 10, 2024.
• Visit Napier, Rotorua, Auckland, Bay of Islands, Lautoka (Fiji), Suva (Fiji), Pago Pago, Apia, Bora Bora (overnight), Raiatea, Moorea, Tahiti (overnight), Rangiroa, Nuku Hiva, Hilo, Lahaina, Honolulu (overnight), Nawiliwili.  
• Inside: $9299  Balcony: $13,999

Recently booked a Viking Cruise?   

Viking makes it really easy to book direct, either online or by phone.  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.  

We’ll check over your booking 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.  

We also have access to unadvertised promotion codes you may not be aware of.  Depending on the exact situation, these promotion codes can save you money and/or get you extra perks.  

There is never a situation where you’ll get a better deal by booking directly with Viking (or any other cruise line).  We have access to all the same prices and special promotion codes… and we can always add something above and beyond what you’d receive by booking directly with the cruise line.  
Also, in case you’re wondering, there is NO fee to work with us.  We get paid commission by the cruise lines after our clients travel.  So, please get in touch to let us know about your existing reservations (including those made while on board).

Have something to say about this?

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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

There’s always a ton of buzz when a new ship hits the water.  You’re probably aware that Oceania Vista makes her Maiden Voyage from Rome on May 13.  If you haven’t already heard about this, there will lots of coverage in the travel pages in the days between now and then. 

First… some definitions: 

• A Maiden Voyage is when a ship fully enters service.  Paying customers are on board, and it is the first time the ship is running through its regular paces.
• An Inaugural Voyage is the first time a ship visits a region, or does a specific itinerary.  A ship can have several inaugural voyages:  Inaugural voyage to the Mediterranean; Inaugural voyage to the Baltic; North American Inaugural… you get the idea. 

However… before a ship does any of these things, there is a naming ceremony where the ship is christened.  Bob and I feel very privileged to be attending the Christening Ceremony of Oceania Vista on May 8 in Malta.  Some of our clients are on Vista’s Maiden Voyage leaving May 13 – so maybe we’ll see you at the pier!  We will do our best to bring the readers of this weekly newsletter along with us on the special journey.  

The fun starts a few days earlier when we board Vista in Rome.   She’ll be our home for a week, and the Christening Ceremony will be part of that week.  Vista’s godmother is Italian celebrity chef and restauranteur Giada De Laurentiis – a fitting choice for the cruise line that promises the Finest Cuisine at Sea.  

Along with the Senior Leadership Team at Oceania, and a handful of other lucky travel professionals, Bob and I will be joined in Malta at the Christening Ceremony by Grammy and Emmy Award winning artist Harry Connick Jr., who will be performing an exclusive private concert for those of us at the ceremony.  Who knows… maybe we’ll even tip a glass of wine with him!

So we’re pretty excited to be part of all this hoopla.  

Vista is the very first of Oceania’s Allura-Class Vessels.  She holds 1200 people when fully loaded, and weighs 67,000 tons.  For many, this is the Goldilocks-sized ship.  Small enough to easily find your way around, and big enough to have lots of choices for things like restaurants.  

There are several specialty restaurants on board Vista (all included in your cruise fare).  Many of these choices are favorites of Oceania clients that make the cruise line live up to its billing as the cruise line for foodies.  There are also some new options on board Vista that we’ll update you on when we’re on board.  If you’d like to see the video blog we did on Oceania’s outstanding culinary program, here’s a link to our YouTube channel:  https://youtu.be/O0Que9codHo

It is always a challenge to provide live updates from a cruise ship, but we’ll do our best to report back to all of you about the experience on this exciting new ship, and the christening ceremony.  

If you’re a fan of the Oceania brand, it’s worth noting that their Ultimate O-Life promotion will conclude at the end of the month.  On select voyages, you can get the beverage package, shore excursions, and an onboard credit.  When you layer these goodies on top of each other, it makes the value pretty hard to beat. 

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Given the buzz around VISTA, I thought I’d highlight some of their promotions going right now, that will expire on April 30^th.  If you’re thinking about sailing with Oceania, this is a good time to book:

If You Want to Travel on Vista

Like many new ships, she’s pretty full for the first year, but here are some ideas if you want to try out this exciting new ship:

Panama Canal from Los Angeles to Miami departing November 3, 2023 for 16-days:

• Visit San Diego, Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, full daylight transit of the Panama Canal, Cartagena, Grand Cayman. 
• Veranda rooms start at $5549 with air add-ons from $500. 

Caribbean –– Miami round-trip departing February 11 for 7-nights:

• Visit Cozumel, Roatan, Belize, Costa Maya. – a great way to check out this new ship.
• Veranda Rooms start at $2599 with air add-on from $600

TransAtlantic — Miami to Rome departing March 27 for 15-days

• Visit Bahamas, Bermuda, Azores, Seville, Magala (Spain), Monte Carlo. 
• Veranda rooms start at $3899 with air add-ons from $1000

If you’d rather take advantage of the Ulimtate O-Life offer before it expires on April 30^th:

• On board credits ($200 – $400 per person depending on the cruise)
• Shore Excursions
• Beverage Package

Here’s the link to the list of eligible voyages:  https://www.oceaniacruises.com/special-offers/olife-ultimate

Some Examples included in the Ultimate O-Life Sale:

Mediterranean — Monte Carlo to Athens departing August 6, for 10-days

• Visit Cinque Terre, Rome, Capri, Crete, Rhodes, Antalya (Turkey), Kos (Greece), Patmos (Greece).
• O-Life with Air Price $5799.  Cruise Only $4399 (Veranda Room)

Mediterranean — Venice to Athens departing October 30^th for 10 days.

• Visit Split, Bari, Kotor, Kavala, Istanbul (overnight), Izmir (Turkey), Crete.
• O-life with Air Price $4799. Cruise Only $3199 (Veranda Room)

Caribbean — Miami round-trip departing December 17 for 12-days

• Visit Bonaire, Curacao, Barbados, Antigua, St. Barts, BVI
• O-life with Air Price $5099. Cruise Only $4199 (Veranda Room)

Uniworld River Sale

Uniworld – The Boutique River Cruise Collection – is offering some fantastic deals for those that want to travel in 2023.  The Catch:  You have to book before April 30. 

 Here’s one that caught my attention:

Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam for 11-days departing September or October 2023:

• Visit Basel (overnight), Strasbourg, Speyer, Frankfurt, Oberwesel, Cologne, Arnhem, Harlingen, Amsterdam (overnight)
• Window Rooms from $2999.  French Balconies from $4299 per person. (Represents a savings of $1500 each).

If you’d like to see what else in on offer, here’s the link, but remember these prices expire at the end of the month:

https://pamperedcruiser.uniworld.com/us/current-offers/2023

Remember that Uniworld includes transfers, a choice of shore excursion in every port, on board gratuities, an open bar, wifi on the ship, and 5-star service throughout your journey.

Have something to say about this?

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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

Our cruise clients often ask whether it’s better to book the air through the cruise line, or to make their own arrangements.  There’s not a straightforward answer to that question, but I thought I’d throw out the considerations, so you can make the best decision for yourself.

The disclaimer here is that in the past few years, air travel has definitely become a necessary evil to get you to a ship or destination so you can enjoy your vacation.  The airlines have been underperforming, and they don’t appear to have any significant plans to improve.  Here in the US, the travelling public has been ignored by regulators in Washington for the past 40 years.  I’m not optimistic any of this will change soon.  

To be clear: I have nothing but respect for the agents, flight attendants, and pilots that work for these organizations, with a very disgruntled public.  My contempt is directed at those running these poorly operated businesses, and the regulators that are supposed to be monitoring them. 

So before we talk about any air options, you should set your expectations to ‘low’, and be pleasantly surprised when things go well.  Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Price.  Sometimes cruise lines have air add-ons that are far below market value, and in such cases, you should probably take their air.  More often, the cruise lines offer air tickets at market rates, in which case you’ll control many more variables if you book your own air.  
• Contracted Rates.  Cruise lines and other big buyers of airline seats have agreements with certain carriers, and as such it may not work for you.  For example, if a cruise line has contracted rates with American and Delta, but not United, but you live in a United hub – you’re going to end up with a poor routing.  The bottom line here is to do some of your own research before deciding on where to buy your air. 
• Seat Assignments.  There is a myth out there that if you book your air through a cruise line, you can select your seat in advance.  This isn’t true.  What is true is that if you’re flying overseas with two or three legs, and you buy a ticket on United (for example), your actual routing may have you on planes operated by Air Canada, Lufthansa, or Austrian Airlines.  When you have a United ticket, but you’re on another company’s plane (ie. a ‘code-share’ arrangement), most often you CAN’T select your seat in advance of check-in.  This is an airline limitation, and has nothing to do with the cruise lines. 
• Loyalty Points.  If you’re getting discounted air through a cruise line, then you might not be able to get any points for that flight.  That’s usually because you paid far less than market value for your flight.
• Upgrades with Points.  If this is how you like to travel, you should almost certainly book your own air.  The airlines have a mile-long list of exclusions and restrictions as to how you can spend your points, and often air booked through any 3^rd party (in this case the cruise line) is near the top of that list.  
• Business Class and Premium Seats.  First some definitions:  Business Class internationally is usually lie-flat pods.  Premium Seats are about the same as Business Class is domestically (wider seats, further apart, priority boarding etc.).  If you like to fly in one of these classes of service, the cruise lines can often get you a better price than you can get on your own.  For economy class seats, the price is usually the same (but it’s still worth checking).
• Select Airports.  The cruise lines often will only fly you out of certain airports (and they’re usually the larger ones).  It’s always worth checking, but if you live in a community not serviced by a major airport, you’re probably better off doing your own air.
• “Free” Air.  There is no free lunch, although some of the cruise lines make booking air with them pretty attractive.  To be clear… they do this to sell cruises, not because they want to be in the aviation industry.  In some cases if you don’t take the “free” air, they’ll offer an air credit in lieu of.  This is basically a direct discount off your cruise fare, so if you want to fly on points, or have airline privileges, then this is worth investigating.  
• The last $50.  We sometimes get complaints about a bad air routing scheduled by the cruise line’s air desk.  When we dig into this a bit, that 9 hour layover in Newark could have been avoided if the client wanted to pay an extra $50.  This is the same choice you would have faced if you booked your air directly.  The cruise lines have to buy seats the same way we all do.  My advice:  you’re spending $10,000 on a vacation… don’t try to save the last $50 by laying over in Newark for 9 hours and think that kicking up a fuss will make it change.  The airlines don’t care, and the cruise lines aren’t going to buy it for you.  
• Our Experience:  About 80% of the time cruise line air works out just fine.  The last 20% of the time it becomes clear the client would have been much better off doing their own thing.  The best way to make sure you end up in the 80% is to do your homework in advance.  Go to Google Flights https://www.google.com/travel/flights and figure out which flights you would take if you were doing your own air.  Also take note of what it would cost.  Then see what the cruise line can do for you.  

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Viking D-Day 80th Anniversary – NEW itinerary

The Normandy Landing Beaches are always a huge draw, and with next year being the 80th Anniversary of D-Day, Viking has put together a special itinerary.  This one will fill up very quickly:

• 12-day cruise-tour from London to Paris.  
• Prices from $6699 per person.  Air from $599.  
• Visit London for (4-days), then Paris (2-days at Port de Grenelle, within a short walk of Eiffel Tower), Vernon, Rouen, Utah Beach, Juno Beach, Les Andelys, and two more days in Paris.  
• Departures March through November 2024
• Air from $599
• See details here: https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/europe/paris-d-day-80th-anniversary/2024-london-paris/index.html?agenturlid=pamperedcruiser

Viking Lyon, Provence & the Rhineland – NEW itinerary

Here’s one more new itinerary from Viking that is actually back-to-back cruises that will take you from Amsterdam to the French Riviera:

• 15-days from Amsterdam to Avignon (or reverse)
• Prices from $4999 per person.  
• Visit Kinderdijk, Cologne, Koblenz, Rudesheim, Speyer, Strasbourg, Breisach, Basel, Burgundy, Lyon, Vienne, Tournon & Viviers, Arles, Avignon. 
• Departures March through November.  Available in 2023, 2024, 2025. 
• Many sailings include free air.  
• See details here: https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/europe/lyon-provence-and-the-rhineland/2024-avignon-amsterdam/index.html?agenturlid=pamperedcruiser

Azamara

You may not have heard of Azamara.  They are the small-ship cruise line that really focuses on Destination Immersion.  They have a number of itineraries that specialize in one country – getting to more out of the way ports, with longer stops, and many overnight stays.  Their vessels are the famed R-Class ships that hold only 680 when fully loaded.  

Between now and the end of the month, they are running a ‘50% off the second guest’ sale AND an additional $500 on board credit for the cabin.  There is a long list of select voyages, and I’ve put in a few examples below.   The pricing shown here is per person AFTER the the 50% discount has been applied (what you’ll actually pay).   Azamara always includes: a complimentary “AzAmazing Evenings” event on most voyages, and always includes select standard spirits, international beers and wines, gratuities, bottled water, soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas, self-service laundry, and shuttle service to and from port communities.

Best of the Mediterranean 12-nights departing July 8, 2023

• Barcelona to Venice.  Visiting Provence, Monte Carlo, Florence (overnight), Rome, Capri, Montenegro, Croatia, and Slovenia. 
• Ocean View: $4972.  Veranda:  $6616

Iceland for 13-nights departing August 7, 2023

• Oslo to Copenhagen.  Visiting Arendal (Norway), Shetland, Torshavn, 4 port-stops in Iceland PLUS Reykjavik, Skagen (Denmark).  
• Ocean View:  $5525.  Veranda $6769

Dubai round-trip for 7-nights departing November 13, 2023. 

• Visit Abu Dhabi (overnight), Sir Bani Yas (UAE), Doha (overnight), Dubai (overnight). 
• Ocean View: $2917.  Veranda: $3500

Australia & New Zealand for 17-nights departing January 4, 2024.

• Visit Melbourne, Sydney, Eden, Milford Sound, Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Nelson, Picton, Napier, Tauranga, Bay of Islands, Auckland
• Ocean View: $4817. Veranda:  $6233

Japan for 12-nights departing March 7 2024

• Visit Hong Kong, Taipei, Ishigaki, Okinawa, Kagoshima, Mayazaki, Kochi, Osaka, Tokyo
• Ocean View: $5000.  Veranda:  $5999

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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