You’ve probably heard of SilverSea, and maybe considered travelling with them.  If they’re on your radar now, your timing is perfect because we have some special pricing exclusive to our agency. More on that in a minute.  

SilverSea is a classic luxury product, and has 12 ships operating on all 7 continents.  Their largest ships carry 728 guests, and the smallest holds just 100.  On ALL the ships you can expect the highest level of quality and service. 

With that as a backdrop, here are 5 reasons you should consider travelling with SilverSea:

1. Service – On the mega-ships, there are almost 4 passengers for each crew member.  On SilverSea, there are 1.5 guests for each crew member.  This means you’ll be well taken care of.
2. Inclusions – The SilverSea fare includes all beverages, gratuities, a choice of several shore excursions in every port, starlink wifi, and specialty dining.  If you purchase your air through them, they’ll even pick you up at your home, and deliver you to the closest airport.
3. Space – There is over twice as much space per guest on a SilverSea ship as you see on the mega ships.  You’ll notice this in your suite (just about all of them are over 300 square feet), but also in the uncrowded public spaces.
4. Itineraries – SilverSea often goes to many places you’ve never been before.  However… they “bookend” your cruise with marquis ports with good air connections wherever possible.  
5. Value – When you consider the cost of the inclusions, and the quality of the product, your value per vacation dollar spent is pretty hard to beat.  PLUS – we can get you 10% off on a list of over 200 voyages. See the full list of eligible voyages here: https://pamperedcruiser.com/silversea-private-sale/ NOTE: the list is six (6) pages long. To advance between pages, click the arrow at the bottom left that says ‘next page’ or ‘previous page’).  If you want to see an actual price comparison of SilverSea for an Alaskan Cruise versus Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, see my article last week: https://pamperedcruiser.com/travelling-with-the-affluent/   

There’s no doubt if you are willing to travel in a claustrophobic inside room, you can do it cheaper on a mega ship, but if you’re actually comparing apples to apples, then SilverSea is pretty hard to beat. 

10% OFF Silvesea – Private Sale!

There are 212 departures in 2024 and 2025 where this discount applies.  It is NOT available directly from SilverSea, but exclusively through our agency.  The fine print is that it’s only available on new bookings, in select cabin categories, and is capacity controlled (meaning once those cabins sell out, they’re no longer available).  We must place a hold for you before August 31, and (again) your sailing may sell out before that. 

So if you’re looking to celebrate a special occasion, or really just want to try a small luxury ship, then the opportunity isn’t going to get better than this.  Here are a few examples with the price reflecting the 10% private sale discount:

ALASKA: Anchorage to Vancouver departing May 15, 2025 for 7-days

• Visit Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier,  and the Inside Passage. 
• Fares from $2970

AUSTRALIA & NZ: Auckland to Sydney departing January 5, 2025 for 14-days

• Visit Napier (overnight), Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hobart (overnight), Eden, Sydney (overnight) 
• Fares from $5310

CANADA & NEW ENGLAND: Montreal to NYC departing October 5, 2025 for 11-days:

• Visit Saguenay, Charlottetown, Halifax, Portland, Boston, Newport.
• Fares from $5580

IRELAND & NORWEGIAN FJORDS: Dublin to Copenhagen departing July 16, 2025 for 9-days

• Visit Dublin, Isle of Lunga, Shiant Islands (Outer Hebrides),  Loch Ewe, Kirkwall (Orkney Islands), Sumburgh (Shetland Islands), Fair Isle, Bekkjarvik, Rosendal, Lysefjord.
• Fares from $4860

WESTERN MED (Italy, France, Spain, Portugal): Rome to Lisbon departing May 17, 2025 for 10-days

• Visit Tuscany (overnight), Marseille, Barcelona, Valencia, Cartagena, Malaga (overnight), Lisbon
• Fares from $5670

EASTERN MED (Greece, Turkey): Athens round-trip departing October 25 for 7-days

• Visit Nafplion, Syros, Rhodes, Crete, Kusadasi (for Ephesus), Mykonos
• Fares from$3870

PACIFIC ASIA: Singapore to Tokyo departing March 6, 2025 for 14 days

• Visit Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City (2 nights), Hong Kong, Jeju (South Korea), Seoul (overnight), Kagoshima, Tokyo,
• Fares from $8010

These are just a handful of examples.  There are over 200 eligible sailings where you get 10% off through our agency.  Here’s the complete list of eligible voyages:  https://pamperedcruiser.com/silversea-private-sale/ NOTE: the list is six (6) pages long. To advance between pages, click the arrow at the bottom left that says ‘next page’ or ‘previous page’. 

Today’s Other Travel Opportunities

AMA WATERWAYS

PROVENCE, FRANCE:  Lyon to Marseille for 7-nights

• Visit Lyon (overnight), Vienne, Tournon, Viviers, Avignon, Arles (overnight).  Experience farm to table food, wineries, Roman Ruins, and the French countryside.
• See our video from when we did this cruise:  https://youtu.be/H2rBL8J7DIU?si=CBaqj88tYQ4pcywj 
• 2024: December 12 from $3644.  Visit Christmas Markets in Lyon and Avignon!
• 2025:  November 6, $4139.  This one’s a wine themed cruise!
• Full details here: https://www.amawaterways.com/agent/pamperedcruiser/destination/europe-river-cruises/2024/colors-of-provence

Mekong River to 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.
• See our ship tour video of AMA’s Mekong River ship:  https://youtu.be/T6YIfrUbDwk?si=oXnRW6fNH9mvO9yX 
• 2024: Depart September 30 from $3209 for a twin balcony room
• 2025: Depart October 20 from $3189 for a twin balcony room. 
• Full details here: https://www.amawaterways.com/agent/pamperedcruiser/destination/vietnam-cambodia-river-cruises/2024/charms-of-the-mekong

Rhine River Christmas Markets from Amsterdam to Basel departing December 16 for 7-nights

• There are a handful of spaces left for this year’s Christmas Markets in Europe.
• Visit Amsterdam for a canal cruise, Cologne tour and Christmas Markets, Rhine Gorge, Rudesheim Christmas Market, Speyer Christmas Market, Strasbourg Christmas Market, Lucerne Christmas Market and Basel
• Fares from $3972.  
• Full details here: https://www.amawaterways.com/agent/pamperedcruiser/destination/europe-river-cruises/2024/rhine-castles-swiss-alps-christmas

LAND CRUISES WITH COLLETTE

Here’s two “domestic” (because technically Canada is foreign) trips, that include scenery, wine, and moderate outdoor activity:

Northern California and Yosemite for 8-days

• Visit Monterey, Carmel, Modesto (for Yosemite), Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, Napa Valley, San Francisco
• 2024:  Sept 30 or Oct 14 for $3199
• 2025:  Departures March through October from $3199

Canadian Rockies, Lakes and Wine Country for 9-days

• Discover the best kept secret for wine growing in North America at the Okanagan Valley.
• Visit Calgary, Banff, Lake Louise, Revelstoke (for Yoho National Park), Kelowna (to enjoy Okanagan Lake, and its many vineyards), and finish in cosmopolitan Vancouver.
• 2024:  September 5, 12, or 19 for $3999

ICYMI:  Travel APPs I Use:  https://pamperedcruiser.com/travel-websites-and-apps-that-i-use/

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/pfbid02tkpdGgiUvAeK1CCgV6D1qMzwroDVJ2GZWNmQuq3rg2HYKmNdS9tEVJn697x8hNr6l

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

“Who are the affluent, and do I really want to travel with them?”

I’ve had this conversation with some of you a few times lately, so thought it was time to write about it.  People considering luxury travel products are worried they’re going to end up in pretentious dinner time conversation, or they won’t know how to interact with their butler.  They’re worried about feeling like Gilligan on a ship full of Mr. & Mrs. Howells.

So who are these “affluent” that travel on luxury products?  They’re YOU.  

I know how counterintuitive this may seem, and I was surprised the first time I did a 5-star cruise.  Here’s a profile of the people that end up on luxury cruise ships:

• They’ve worked for a living.  They are people that worked hard, lived within their means, saved for retirement, and are now able to afford some of the nicer things.
• Many of the “affluent” had public sector jobs.  Some are small-business entrepreneurs.  Many are retired or semi-retired plumbers, electricians, lawyers or bankers.  
• They are people that make decisions on value, NOT price.  Folks that want the cheapest vacation go on the mega-ships.  The affluent calculate the extra benefit they’ll receive by spending $100 more per day, and decide it’s worth it for them. 
• They don’t want to play dress-up on vacation.  This is the most common objection we get to luxury products (“Will I have to wear a tuxedo?”).  As a general rule, the more you pay for a cruise, the less likely you are to have to dress up.  Formal nights happen on the mega-ships… not so much on the small luxury ships. 

If your perception of a luxury ship is having a pretentious butler with an English accent (his name is probably “Jeeves”), helping you light your Cuban cigar, by burning a $100 bill, and drinking $2000 bottles of champagne (that you secretly hate), while sucking back caviar by the shovel-full.  Well… you’ve got it wrong.  You will find people just like YOU on luxury cruise ships. 

AND…when you look at the value proposition, it actually doesn’t cost that much more than those mega-ship options.  Here’s a quick comparison:  

Alaskan 7-night Cruise in May 2025

	Royal Caribbean Quantum	Celebrity Edge	SilverSea Silver Moon
Number of Guests	4905	2908	596
Tonnage of ship	168,000	129,000	41,000
Guest Space Ratio (tonnage / guests)	34	44	69
Guests per Crew member	3.8	2	1.5
Size of Best Priced Room	101 Sq Feet	181 Sq Feet	335 Sq Feet
Cost per night of Best Priced Room	$138	$141	$500
All-inclusive Premium (drinks, tips, wifi)	$115	$95	Included
Specialty Dining Cost-3 times added to fare	$15	$25	Included
Excursions ($100 X 4 ports added to fare)	$57	$57	Included
TOTAL Daily cost of Fare additions	$187	$177	Included
ACTUAL COST/DAY OF BEST PRICED ROOM	$325	$318	$500
Cost of minimum 350 square foot veranda (equivalent room across all 3 vessels)	$813	$469	$528
ACTUAL COST/DAY OF EQUIVALENT ROOM	$1000	$646	$528

The third and fourth rows above will tell you that you get twice as much space per guest, and more than twice as many crew members per guest on the small ship.  Then you see the price per day, and it looks like you pay A LOT more to be on a small ship.  However, you need to look at the WHOLE cost – the cruise fare AND your on-board charges to get an apples to apples comparison.  If you take the cheapest room on each ship, you’ll still pay $180 more on the small ship (keep in mind the cheapest room looks quite a bit different on each ship).  When you look at comparable rooms – the small ship is actually the best priced option.  

The bottom line is on the small luxury ship, you’ll have more inclusions, more choices, better service, more space, and your incremental cost isn’t that much more (might even be less for those that like to take the big suites on the mega-ships).  

Now you just need to find Mary Ann for dinner conversation (another Gilligan’s Island reference).

Today’s Travel Opportunities

WINDSTAR

We can get you 10% off this small-ship luxury experience, but we have to place a hold before July 31.  Here’s a link if you want more details about WINDSTAR, and some examples: https://pamperedcruiser.com/yacht-cruising-with-windstar/ 

UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER COLLECTION

Christmas in July Sale!  Great if you’re ready to travel this year.  The catch: book by July 31.

https://pamperedcruiser.uniworld.com/us/current-offers/2024-flash

Here are two examples:

Budapest to Amsterdam departing October 19, 2024 for 16-days:

• Visit Budapest (overnight), Vienna (overnight), Wachau Valley, Passau, Regensburg, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Rothenburg, Wertheim, Frankfurt, Heidelberg, Rudesheim, Cologne, Amsterdam (overnight).
• 2024: Fares from $4999 per person.
• 2025: Departures in July & August from $6299.

Peru & Amazon Rainforest departing September 11, 2024 or October 15, 2024 for 11-days

• Visit Lima for 2-nights, then fly to Iquitos to board the ship.  Make several stops in the Amazon River Basin over the course of 7-nights, and then fly back to Lima.
• Optional pre-trip to Rio de Janeiro & Iguazu Falls.
• 2024: fares from $6999
• 2025: departures every month from $11,699

CHINA with VIKING OCEAN

The folks at Viking sold out their fall 2024 China itineraries very quickly, and they’ve just announced several itineraries for 2025.  Here’s a summary:

• Japan & China for 15-days from $7999
• China from Beijing to Hong Kong for 20-days for $9999
• China, Japan & Tibet for 22-days from $12,999
• China from Beigjin to Hong Kong for 15-days from $6999

If you want all the details:

https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/asia/countries/china/index.html

REMEMBER:  We can get you an extra $100 per person on board credit on ANY Viking cruise. 

TAUCK DOMESTIC LAND CRUISES

Michigan Lakes and Mackinac Island from Traverse City to Detroit for 8-days

• Visit Traverse City (for the sand dunes, vineyards, and sandy beaches), Petoskey, Mackinac island, Midland, Bay City, Frankenmuth Bavarian Village, Dearborn (for Henry Ford Museum), Detroit.
• Limited space from now through October in 2024 from $4890 per person.
• Departures in 2025: May to October from $5290 per person.

Hot Air Balloon Festival in New Mexico from Albuquerque to Santa Fe for one week:

• Visit Albuquerque (historic old town and sawmill district), Pueblo Culture center, and Nuclear Science museum, Bandalier National Monument, Taos, float trip on Rio Grande, Santa Fe, Georgia O’Keeffe museum.
• Be part of the world’s largest hot air balloon festival
• Daily departures October 6 – 13 from $5990 per person

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS WITH HX

• 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.
• 2024:  $7477 for departures in October, November & December.
• 2025:  $7477 for departures in January, February, or March

ICYMI:  Australia & New Zealand Destination Focus

https://pamperedcruiser.com/how-to-visit-australia-new-zealand/

Do You Have an Upcoming Viking Cruise?

Earlier this year, Viking replaced its Book on Board program with the BON VOYAGE incentive.  This allows you to book your next Viking cruise in the 2 weeks 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

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/pfbid0yh4PbDf8tUHQz2qJEpFSCyeiBMJ8zebPGcDNgSGokUVLmdEu7PhUpN5mECea2zcDl

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

If you follow us on Facebook, you’ll know that we’re just back from Tahiti with the Virtuoso Cruise Icons on Windstar Cruises.  We’ve had a variety of questions both about Windstar and Tahiti.  Here’s the link to the article I published a couple of weeks ago if you want more information about Windstar, and how to get 10% off any of their sailings:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/yacht-cruising-with-windstar/

Which brings us to Tahiti:

Where is it?

• It’s in the middle of the Pacific Ocean… south of the equator.  It’s almost exactly half way between Hawaii and New Zealand, and approximately half way between South America and Australia.

How difficult is it to get to?

• There are direct flights from LA and San Francisco that take about 7.5 hours.  There’s also flights from Seattle that take about an hour longer.  In logistic terms, it’s 2 hours further away than Hawaii.

Why do I want to go there?

• Unspoiled tropical beaches, friendly natives, and not nearly as crowded as other such places.  Hawaii gets more tourists in a week, than Tahiti gets in a year. 

What’s the difference between “Tahiti” and “French Polynesia”

• Tahiti is the largest island in the region of French Polynesia (somewhat like the Big Island of Hawaii).  Other French Polynesian islands you’ve heard of: Bora Bora, the Marquesas, and Moorea.  Much like we often call the Netherlands “Holland”, French Polynesia is often collectively referred to as Tahiti (just don’t make this mistake in front of the locals).  

Is a cruise the best way to see it?

• It is certainly the most cost-effective was to see French Polynesia.  However, if you want to plant yourself on a pristine tropical beach (or overwater bungalow), there’s plenty of land based options in French Polynesia as well.  

What is the best time of year to visit?

• The weather is moderate year round, but the Austral winter months (May to October) are less humid, and have less rain.  If you’re looking to escape our Northern hemisphere winters, I wouldn’t hesitate to go November through April… just be ready for a bit of rain, and some humidity (very much like planning a trip to Hawaii). 

Fun Facts

• The Paris Olympics start next week, but Paris is a long way from the surf, so those events will take place in Tahiti.  
• About 70% of Tahitians are Polynesian, and many of them still speak local languages.  It is much like Hawaiian with a small alphabet, and lots of vowels.  The official language is French (Bob tells me it is a very specific dialect (translation: he doesn’t understand it well)), but English is widely spoken in tourist areas. 
• French Polynesia is a semi-autonomous territory of France.  They have their own currency (don’t use the Euro), and their own government (there is a President), but receive financial and military support from France.  
• French Polynesia is made up of 121 islands covering an area over 4 times as large as the Lower 48 states.  

ICYMI:  In Case You Missed It:  Why we Travel: https://pamperedcruiser.com/why-we-travel/

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Let’s start with some Tahiti itineraries in case any of the above motivates you:

WINDSTAR

We can get you 10% off any Windstar cruise between now and the end of July (not just Tahiti).  Here are some Tahiti options:

Papeete round-trip for 7-nights:

• Visit Papeete, Moorea, Raiatea (overnight), Tahaa, Bora Bora (overnight), Huahini
• This is the same itinerary we did with WINDSTAR, so check out our daily blogs on Facebook for more information.  
• 2024:  Depart October 10, 17, 24, 31 or December 19 from $3899.
• 2025:  Depart March 20 from $3999 OR April 17 or  July 3 from $4122

SILVERSEA

Tahiti & Hawaii departing April 17 for 16-days

• Visit Papeete, Bora Bora, Fakarava, Marquesas, Honolulu (overnghti), Kauai, Kona, Hilo, Maui. 
• A great way to explore BOTH these tropical paradises.
• Fares from $10,900.

OCEANIA

Papeete round trip departing September 5, 2025 for 10-nights 

• Visit Papeete (overnight), Moorea, Fakarava, Nuku Hiva, Rangiroa, Bora Bora (overnight), Raiatea.
• Veranda rooms from $5599

Papeete to San Diego departing June 16, 2025 for 17-nights:

• Visit Papeete (overnight), Moorea, Fakarava, Nuku Hiva, Honolulu (overnight), Hilo.
• Great if you only want the long flight one-way, and you like sea days!
• Veranda rooms from $6599

OCEANIA is running its SUMMER SALE right now with reduced fares on more than 50 different itineraries.  Here’s the link: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/special-offers/summer-sale

Here are three “close to home” examples:

Montreal to New York City departing October 28, 2024 for 11-days:

• Visit Quebec City, Saguenay, Cornerbrook, Sydney, Halifax, Saint John, Portland, Boston, Newport.
• Verandas from $4200

New York city to Aruba departing November 8, 2024 for 14-days:

• Visit Hamilton (overnight), St. George, St. Barts, Dominca, St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Vincent, Grenada, Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba.
• Verandas from $4005

Panama Canal:  LA to Miami departing January 24, 2025 for 16-days

• Visit Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Full Daylight transit of the Panama Canal, Cartagena, Cayman Islands.
• This is the brand new Oceania VISTA.  See our ship tour video here:  https://youtu.be/nN5lyXCEy_g?si=SZeYIBvDgsQgvIXO 
• Verandas from $6480

TAUCK RIVER CRUISES

Tauck has the most inclusive and highest-end product, and they sail on all the major European Rivers.  Here are two examples:

Dutch Waterways round-trip Amsterdam for  8-days.

• Visit Amsterdam, Kampen (for the Lakes District), Enkhuizen (with private access to Zuiderzee Museum, and a ride on a century old schooner), Nijmegen (for the van Gogh museum), Rotterdam, The Hague, Delft (with canal lined streets… it’s like Venice without the crowds), then back to Amsterdam for Rijksmuseum.
• This is a great itinerary if you’ve already done a Rhine River cruise, but want to explore the Netherlands more.
• 2024:  departures August 14 or September 11 from $4790
• 2025:  Not available. 

Portugal & Spain on the Douro River for one-week on their 84-guest vessel:

• Visit Porto, Douro valley, Peso da Regua, Pinhao, Vega de Terron, Mateus Palace, Guimaraes.
• See the vineyards and estate wineries, traverse the locks, take in spectacular scenery, visit castle ruins, see paleolithic art, and enjoy architectural treasures.
• Optional extensions to Madrid and/or Lisbon. 
• Family departures available if you want to take your grandkids on a river cruise.
• 2024 is sold out, but travel April to November 2025 from $5890 

LAND CRUISE WITH COLLETTE

Fall Foliage Tour for 8-days from Boston to Portland, Maine

• See the fall colors at every turn, as well as Georgian Homes, visit local craft artisans, Historic cider mill, scenic lighthouses, museums, and historical sites. 
• 2024: Sep 20, 26, Oct 6 for $3999
• 2025:  Sep 21 through Oct 21 (over 20 departures) for $3999

Nashville & Smokey Mountains Christmas for 8-days

• Visit the Grand Ole Opry, and the music scene in Nashville including RCA Studio, Country Music Hall of Fame, Great Smokey Mountains NP, Dollywood, and Asheville.
• A great Holiday trip if you don’t want to go the Europe to the Christmas Markets.
• 2024:  December 2, 3, or 5 for $3399
• 2025:  November 29, December 6 or 8 for $3499 

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 (or on board), 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 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.

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/pfbid02UARNdQcGNRFpN1hs3N6s4RgtEiHRhH8KY4Fu2AEYHjh5xJoadhgToHXBu6aMQEX2l

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

Do you have a 5-year plan for your travel adventures?

Bob was a Management Consultant for 20 years.  I still don’t really understand what that means.  He tells me he helped his corporate clients become better, cheaper, and faster.  I’m pretty sure the hangover from that job is responsible for the checklists and process maps that I now must suffer through not only in our business, but when we travel personally.

So it is with this backdrop, that I reacted with more than a little skepticism when he emailed me a copy of our 5-year travel plan.  I said, “This is a bit much, isn’t it?” – thinking Bob had become the travel version of Phil Hartman’s SNL character, the anal-retentive chef.

“We have to get things OFF the Bucket-list and ON to the NEXT list” was his reply. 

After a couple of glasses of wine, I warmed to the idea.  Like many of you, I am acutely aware of the effects of my own aging.  I am still fortunate enough to be able to do pretty much anything I want, but I know that window will narrow in the coming years.  Then there are the things we DON’T know… like the next time an international health crisis might close borders.  

Or geopolitical events narrowing options.  

THIS is what motivates Bob.  In September of 2001, he had planned a 4-month trip leaving from London and finishing in Kathmandu.  He was supposed to travel quickly through Europe, and then into Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Iran, Pakistan, India and Nepal.  A week before he was to leave, the world changed forever, and more than two decades later, that travel opportunity is still not available.  So you never know when options will be taken away.  

I also don’t know when I won’t WANT to do certain types of travel – I’m sure a time will come where I won’t have an interest in visiting more challenging destinations. 

A five-year travel plan doesn’t mitigate risk of geopolitical events, or health emergencies.  It ELIMINATES the risk of not getting around to making the trips you want to make.  You know how it goes:  “We should go to the Maldives one day!”, and then months turn into years, and next thing you know the Maldives are underwater.

So we now have a 5-year travel plan.  How about you?

ICYMI:  How to get 10% off any Windstar Cruise. https://pamperedcruiser.com/yacht-cruising-with-windstar/

ICYMI:  In Case You Missed It:  MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT TRAVELLING: https://pamperedcruiser.com/deprogramming-travel-misconceptions/

Today’s Travel Opportunities

AMA WATERWAYS

Our friends at AMA always have several promos running concurrently.  Here are a few examples

Budapest to Bavaria on the Danube River for 7-nights

• Visit Budapest (overnight), Bratislava, Vienna, Durnstein (for Melk Abbey), scenic cruising in Wachau Valley, Greinburg Castle, Linz (for Salzburg OR Cesky Krumlov), Passau, Vilshofen (overnight).  
• Optional 3-night extension to Prague. 
• 2024:  Depart October 26 from $3623
• 2025:  Depart April 2 from $2960.

Paris & Normandy on the Seine River for 7-nights

• Visit Paris, Les Andelys, Le Havre, Normandy Beaches, Caudebec-en-Caux, Rouen, Vernon (for Monet’s Gardens)
• 2024:  Depart November 7 from $3644
• 2025:  Depart August 2 from $3839

South America: Columbia on the Magdalena River for 7-nights

• Be amongst the very first to discover this new river cruise destination, and immerse yourself in the food, music, scenery and culture of this South American gem.
• From Barranquilla to Cartagena with optional extensions to Panama City and/or Medillin
• Experience Latin Music, the Carnaval experience in Barranquilla, tropical birds & wildlife, famous local coffee, a village tour in Nueva Venecia, a Jazz Street performance in Santa Barbara de Pinto, Historical walking tour in Mompox, Cumbia performance in El Banco, Bird watching in Magangue, visit the San Felipe Castle and do the Walled City tour in Cartagena. 
• Depart June 11, 2025 from $3755.  Other departure dates available. 

** On AMA your deposit will be $400 and your final payment due 90 days prior to departure.

AZAMARA COUNTRY INTENSIVE VOYAGES

Experience Azamara’s small ships (680 guests), that really focus on a certain country or region.  Here’s a few examples:

JAPAN intensive voyage departing May 3, 2025 for 15-nights

• Visit Tokyo, Hakodate, Otaru, Aomori, Niigata, Toyama, Kanazawa, Sakaiminato, Busan, Nakasaki, Kitakyushu, Hiroshima, Takamatsu, Kobe (overnight)
• Fares from $6715

NORWAY intensive voyage departing July 28, 2025 for 16-nights

• Visit Edinburgh, Olden, Alesund, Lofoten, Troll Fjord, Tromso, Honningsvag, North Cape, Alta, Harstad, Bod, Trondheim, Eidfjord, Stavanger, Copenhagen
• Remember that after 2025, cruise ship traffic to the Norwegian fjords will be significantly restricted, so this is a great chance to visit this unique destination. 
• Fares from $5869

ICELAND, GREENLAND & CANADA departing July 21, 2025 for 15-nights

• Visit Reykjavik (overnight), 3 stops in Greenland, Saint-Pierre (the French Island in the Gulf of St. Lawrence), Saguenay, Quebec City, Montreal.
• Your flights are considerably shorter on this itinerary than for other Northern European cruises. 
• Fares from $5395

HOLLAND AMERICA WORLD CRUISE SEGMENT

Maybe a world cruise is not on your radar, but this world cruise segment is well priced, and has a really interesting itinerary.  Very few cruises stop in some of these ports (notably Easter Island), and if you want to visit Australia & New Zealand, but only want to fly one way (or if you have time take a repositioning cruise back across the Pacific), this is a great option

Fort Lauderdale to Sydney 37-days departing January 4, 2025 

• Visit the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, full daylight transit of Panama Canal, Ecuador, Lima, Easter Island (overnight), Pitcairn Island, Tahiti (3 stops), Cook Islands, Tonga, New Caledonia, Sydney
• Fares from $8494 per person.

TAUCK LAND CRUISES

Australia & New Zealand for 20 days.

• Australia is so large and so sparsely populated that it can be difficult to travel.  This itinerary has a number of internal flights included in the price, so you get to see a wide variety of Australian attractions before doing the same in New Zealand.
• Visit Melbourne, fly to Ayers Rock, then to Cairns, cruise the Great Barrier Reef, then on to Sydney.  Fly to Wellington, Blenheim & Marlborough Sound, Te Anau, Fjordland NP & Milford Sound, Queenstown, Auckland, and Waiheke Island. 
• Departures January through April, and September to December of 20225 from $16,290

America’s Canyonlands departing Phoenix to Las Vegas for 8-days

• Visit Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon, Zion NP, Lake Powell, Glen Canyon
• 2024: October departures from $5690
• 2025: March to October departures from $5990.

Do You Have an Upcoming Viking Cruise?

Earlier this year, Viking replaced its Book on Board program with the BON VOYAGE incentive.  This allows you to book your next Viking cruise in the 2 weeks 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

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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

Imagine yourself having been invited on some billionaire’s private yacht (but without all the pretentious dinner conversation), sailing from scenic bay to remote harbor to uncrowded port.  Rather than a motor coach tour of busy tourist attractions, you instead go to a BBQ lunch on a private atoll with a few new friends.

That’s what sailing with Windstar is like, and you don’t have to know a billionaire to get invited aboard.  

Windstar is a niche player in the cruise market, so it’s hard to compare them to others.  They have three motor yachts that carry 320 guests each, and 3 sailing yachts that carry between 148 and 342 guests.  Here are some reasons you should have them on your radar:

• It’s casual – you’ll need to wear pants when you go the dining room, but other than that it’s extraordinarily relaxed.  You can leave your ties and ballgowns at home.
• You’re close to the water – there’s a swim platform at the back of the vessels where you can swim in the ocean, go snorkelling, go kayaking, or just hang out — just steps from your room.
• You’ll visit NEW places – if one of the criteria of great cruise itinerary is being exposed to ports you never been to (or maybe even never even heard of) you’ll experience them with Windstar. 
• It’s NOT crowded – not only because there are such a small number of people aboard, but also because their itineraries don’t go where other ships go.  Most often, it will only be you and your fellow Windstar guests at a port of call.
• There are more active options – want to explore a place by E-bike rather than motor coach?  That’s available with Windstar.  The average age on board is still over 50, but the demographic skews a bit younger than other small ship cruise lines. 
• Food & wine – Windstar partners with the James Beard Foundation so you’ll find the cuisine and dining experience on board to be excellent.

#WindstarCruises #sovirtuoso #virtuosocruiseicons 

Here are a few itineraries that caught my eye:

Mediterranean including the Corinth Canal for 8-nights

• Visit Istanbul, Myrina, Mykonos, Kusadasi, Bodrum, Santorini, the Corinth Canal, Delphi, Athens
• 2024:  Depart October 4 from $4299*
• 2025:  Depart April 11 from $4911 (also includes $250 per person on board credit).

Caribbean round-trip from San Juan for 6-nights

• Visit St. Maarten, Charleston, Gustavia, Jost van Dyke, British Virgin Islands.
• 2024:  Nov 3 or 16 from $2499
• 2025:  Nov 2, 9, 16 from $3299

Iceland round-trip from Reykjavik for 7-nights

• Visit Reykjavik, Sertsey Island, Helmaey Island, Seydisfjordur (overnight), Akureyri, Isafjordur, Grundarfjordur.
• 2024: August 30 from $4499
• 2025:  July 7 from $4622 (also includes $250 per person on board credit).

Tahiti round-trip from Papeete for 7-nights

• 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. 
• 2024: October 10 from $3899 (also includes $250 per person on board credit).
• 2025:  March 13 from $4299 (also includes $150 per person on board credit).

*Prices include all taxes and fees, all drinks, specialty dining, gratuities, and wifi on the ship.

We’re travelling with Windstar this week in Tahiti, so check our FaceBook feed often if you want to travel “with us”.  

BONUS 10% OFF:  Because WE are on board Windstar, we can get you an additional 10% their best price for bookings between now and the end of July.  This is NOT available on Direct Bookings, and NOT available anywhere else.   Contact us for more details.

Today’s Other Travel Opportunities

ROCKY MOUNTAINEER

If you’re looking for incredible scenery, and something not too far from home, consider taking one of these world-class RAIL vacations:

Rockies to Red Rocks for 7-nights round-trip from Denver

• Start in Denver, board the train to Glenwood Springs, continue on the train to Moab for 3-nights where you can do excursions to Arches NP (hiking, E-biking, golfing, horse back riding, fishing, WW rafting, and much more), then board the train again for the journey back to Denver.
• Saturday departures in May from $4481

Canadian Rockies for 9-nights round-trip from Vancouver

• Visit Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff, Lake Louise, & Jasper.  People fly in from all over the world to experience cosmopolitan Vancouver, and the incredible scenery between there and Banff National Park.  
• Departures in April 2025 from $5274

UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER COLLECTION

If a river cruise is more your speed, here some ideas from Uniworld’s floating boutique hotels:

Burgundy & Provence (Lyon to Arles) for 7-nights

• Visit Arles, Avignon, Viviers, Tournon, Lyon, Beaune.
• Optional extensions to Paris, Athens, or Athens/Santorini.
• 2024:  Departures October 13 from $3499 (only 2 cabins left)
• 2025:  Departures in May from $4499.

Venice & Northern Italy for 7-nights

• Visit Venice (several spots), Mazzorbo, Burano, Chioggia.
• Optional extensions to Milan, Rome, Athens OR Athens/Santorini. 
• 2024:  Departs Sundays in October from $3499
• 2025:  Departs Sunday in April, May, & June from $3779

Here’s a link to our video blog when we did this cruise: https://youtu.be/QRIHi6SED6g?si=IJvnYEJlqJt_iV4n 

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

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

• 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. 
• 2024:  Depart October 4 from $8319
• 2025:  Departures January/February/March from $7136.

ICYMI:  In Case You Missed ItThe Galapagos Islands:  https://pamperedcruiser.com/galapagos-islands-destination-focus/

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Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/pfbid034gtZuHv1qkZp8Pf63ushUegkqAa6xSPssZg7rkaL4kaBEhKPyzd8yPPSxV1usAKkl

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