You may have noticed we don’t normally talk much about Holland America Line (HAL).  

Apparently they’ve noticed too… but more on that in a minute. (Spoiler Alert – book a Holland America cruise through Pampered Cruiser during the next 2 weeks and get an additional 5-12% discount above and beyond anything publicly available).

On the ocean, we would categorize anything fewer than 1000 guests as a “small ship”.  HAL’s smallest ship falls outside that, with 1400 guests (and their largest ship, the new Rotterdam, holds 2650).  So even though Holland America’s ships do not qualify as ‘small ships’, their LARGEST ship holds fewer than HALF the number of guests compared to those big mega ships offered by other companies.

So why might you want to look at Holland America?  

The most important criteria when selecting a cruise vacation is the itinerary, so if you find a Holland America  itinerary you like, that’s the first and most important reason.  Second, the price point will be lower than a luxury cruise line because HAL’s slightly larger ships give them a price advantage.

Here’s a quick look at why you might want to have Holland America on your radar.

Alaska:

• Most of our business is river cruises and small-ship ocean cruises.  However, we do sell a fair number of HAL cruises – particularly in Alaska where between them and Princess, they pretty much dominate the market for that destination.  If you’re going to Alaska, we will almost always suggest you consider Holland America even if you normally choose a luxury cruise line with smaller ships.
• HAL has 6 ships in Alaska this year, so there are tons of options.  There are literally dozens of different land-sea combinations with HAL in Alaska. 
• HAL has hotel/lodge properties in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Denali, Seward, Alyeska, Talkeetna, Whitehorse, Dawson City, and Skagway.  
• HAL’s show-piece in Alaska is the McKinley Chalet Resort in Denali with a 68-acre campus.
• HAL are the only ones offering Cruise Tour options to the Yukon Territory that can be done in conjunction with a visit to Denali.
• HAL has dedicated rail cars exclusively for their clients on the Alaska Rail system.  Every HAL Alaska Cruise Tour includes some time on the rails – the very best way to see the interior of Alaska.

Also:

• HAL’s mid-sized ships are a nice balance between being large enough to have lots of dining and entertainment choices, and small enough you’re not walking the length of three football fields to get to the dining room.
• The entertainment is geared to those of us in the 45+ age range.  A dueling piano lounge, and the BB King Blues Room are examples of this.  They also have the production shows, and a night club, for those looking for the traditional offerings. Bob and I really enjoy the entertainment wherever we travel, and we think the entertainment on board HAL ships is very well done.

Exclusive (Private) Sale Prices:

• HAL wants to work with more Pampered Cruiser clients, so they’ve arranged a 2-week private sale with us that gives YOU the very best value.
• Get 5% to 12% off publicly available rates. This discount is exclusive to our agency (ONLY if you book through Pampered Cruiser within the next 2 weeks), and is not available if you book directly with HAL or another travel agency.  Note: this kind of discount is very unusual.  As you may know, normally when you book through us you’ll pay exactly the same price compared to booking directly with the cruise line (this applies to any cruise line).  We always add extra perks to your reservation compared to booking direct, but a price discount like this is rare indeed.
• The best part about this promotion is that the exclusive price discount IS combinable with all the other publicly available HAL promotions that are offered right now (and there are a lot of them!).  This is unusual and exceptional, because cruise lines often feature “select sailings” OR they don’t allow you to combine promos.  In this case, you don’t have to compare promotions to see which would be a better deal for you.  You can choose ANY cruise and get all the goodies.
• Book a Holland America cruise with us in the next 2 weeks, and here’s what you’ll get:
  • 5% – 12% OFF ‘Have It All’ fares you see on their website.  Cruise-only fares are NOT eligible.
  • ‘Have It All’ Amenities: Beverage Package, Shore Excursion Credit, Specialty Dining.
  • Anniversary Sale Goodies:  Reduced fares and additional onboard credits.
  • Virtuoso and Group Amenities only available through our Agency:  Additional onboard credits, and in Alaska, tickets to the Music of Denali Dinner Theatre.
  • On-Stage Alaska:  Up to $350 in additional on board credits.
  • For 2025 Alaska bookings, we can also get you Free Prepaid Gratuities, and an upgraded wifi and drink package. 
  • Mariner Club Members and Carnival Corporation Shareholders will also get their usual benefits. 

When you layer all these things together, this offer is pretty hard to beat. 

Click for more details: https://www.dtspotlight.com/pamperedcruiser/en/cruise/13771/Limited-Time-Offer-to-Alaska-with-Holland-America

THE FINE PRINT:  Cruises less than 7 days, World Cruises, and Caribbean sailings less than 2 weeks are excluded.  Percentage discount is available on HAVE IT ALL fares only.

2024 Examples:

ALASKA Denali Cruise Tour

• Fairbanks to Vancouver for 12-days departing July 30 (with 3 nights at Denali).
• Visit Fairbanks, Denali (3 nights), Anchorage, Whittier, Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Vancouver.
• Verandas from $4749 pp.

ALASKA Yukon & Denali Cruise Tour

• This one is great for those that have perhaps already taken a cruise to Alaska, but not done the land portion.  HAL is the only cruise line visiting Yukon. 
• Vancouver round-trip for 18-days departing July 24 (includes flights on tour)
• Visit Vancouver, Whitehorse, Dawson City, Fairbanks, Denali (3 nights), Anchorage, Whittier, Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Vancouver.
• Verandas from $5405 pp.

MEDITERRANEAN: Athens to Rome departing October 19 for 28 days 

• Visit Athens, Mykonos, Istanbul (overnight), Ephesus, Rhodes, Crete, Malta (overnight), Sicily, Olympia, Corfu, Kotor, Split, Venice (overnight), Dubrovnik, Albania, Argostoli, Messina, Naples, Rome.
• Verandas from $4959 pp.

JAPAN:  Tokyo to Hong Kong departing October 27 for 14-days.

• Visit Tokyo, Osaka (overnight), Naha, Ishigaki, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Manila, Boracay, Puerto Princesa, Hong Kong
• Verandas from $4699 pp.

2025 Examples:

ALASKA Denali Cruise Tour

• Seattle round-trip departing May 26, 2025 for 13-days.
• Visit Seattle, Fairbanks, Denali 3, Anchorage, Whittier, Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Vancouver, Seattle
• Verandas from $5049 pp.  Includes Pre-Paid Gratuities and upgraded Beverage Package

ALASKA Yukon & Denali Cruise Tour

• Vancouver round-trip departing May 21 for 18-days.
• Visit Vancouver, Dawson City, Fairbanks, Denali (3 nights), Anchorage, Whittier, Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, Vancouver.
• Verandas from $5919.  Includes Pre-Paid Gratuities and upgraded Beverage Package

NORWEGIAN FJORDS & SCOTLAND departing London (round-trip) June 14, 2025 for 14-days

• Visit Rotterdam, Nordfjordeid, Trondheim, Honningsvag, Tromso, Leknes, Shetland Islands, Invergordon, Edinburgh, London
• Verandas from $4169.  Includes Pre-Paid Gratuities and upgraded Beverage Package

NEW ZEALAND & AUSTRALIA departing February 2, 2025 for 14-nights

• Visit Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Milford Sound, Dunedin, Christchurch, Picton, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, Auckland.
• Verandas from $3098 pp.

Pop-Up Sale with AMA Waterways: Free Gratuities 

If you’re in the market for a European River Cruise in 2024, then we can get free pre-paid gratuities thrown in for bookings made in the next week.  

Click here for more details: https://www.dtspotlight.com/pamperedcruiser/en/cruise/14923/Exclusive-Pop-Up-Sale-with-AmaWaterways

Here are three examples:

Danube River from Budapest to Vilshofen departing August 10 for one week:

• Visit Budapest (overnight), Bratislava, Vienna, Wachau Valley, Linz, Passau, Vilshofen (overnight)
• Fares from $2999 pp (represents $1000 off) with a $150 per person on board credit.

Christmas Markets from Amsterdam to Basel departing December 19 for one week:

• Visit Amsterdam (overnight), Dusseldorf, Rhine Gorge, Rudesheim, Ludwigshafen, Strasbourg, Breisach, Basel
• French Balconies from $3848 pp ($1500 off per stateroom) with $150 pp OBC.

Provence & Lyon, France departing December 12 for one week:

• Visit Arles (overnight), Avignon, Viviers, Tournon, Vienne, Lyon (overnight).
• Bob and I did this itinerary in December 2023 (ie same time of year).  See our video blog here:  https://youtu.be/H2rBL8J7DIU 
• Fares from $3098 pp ($2000 off per stateroom) with a $150 pp OBC.

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

A few of you have asked recently about products we do and don’t sell, so I thought I’d offer a bit more information here.  Most of our business is cruise, but please do ask, and if we can’t help you, we’ll let you know.  

To make a go of it in travel now, you really do have to be specialized, if for no other reason than our clients are much more educated than they used to be.  The internet really did change the travel business, and (I believe) for the better.  There are still the occasional strip-mall travel agencies that will do whatever you ask them to, but it’s unlikely those folks have travelled much themselves, and it’s IMPOSSIBLE for them to be experts at everything.

• Our Specialty is small ship ocean cruises, river cruises, expedition cruises and “land-cruises”.  Land cruises are those packaged land tours that are structured much like cruises.
• Pre & Post cruise extensions.  Most of our clients add a few days before or after their cruise, and we can help with that.  Most often it is extensions offered by the cruise lines, but some of our clients prefer to do their own thing.
• We share files – you’ll probably speak with Kim or Bob on the phone.  They divide incoming requests based on which one of them has been to a destination most recently.  For the details after you’ve booked, you’ll probably most often deal with me or Peri.  When you contact us, we will direct your request to whomever is most qualified to deal it.
• We DON’T run a call center – we will always get back to you within 24 hours, but it’s unlikely if you phone you’ll get through immediately.  We do our very best, but those requiring instant attention are better suited to dealing with an organization with a call center.
• We’re Mom & Pop… with scale.  We like the personal and small business nature of how we operate.  Our affiliation with Virtuoso enables us to have the benefits of a huge agency, while having the personal touch of a small business
• The Virtuoso Network.  We are part of this invitation-only travel consortium.  This gives us access to additional amenities and benefits that are not available if you book direct.  Virtuoso has about 20,000 travel agents world-wide, and Bob and I have been recognized as “Cruise-Icons” because our sales place us in the top 1% of this group.
• We travel (not all travel agents do) – we think this is critical to providing the best advice and support to our clients.  Our team is large enough now, that when any one of us is travelling, there are still people available to respond to your queries.  Bob and I just got back from the Mediterranean with Viking Ocean, and I’m proud to say nobody really noticed we were gone until we started posting on Facebook!
• We work from wherever there is a good internet connection.  We recently changed our office location to Stamford Connecticut, but we don’t envision being there much.  In the winter months, we spend a lot of time in Mexico, and our summers normally take to Canada, and many points in between.  We are digital nomads… and loving it.  

We’re not trying to be all things to all people (that never works).  Instead we try to be clear on what we do, and don’t do.  

Today’s Travel Opportunities

SEABOURN SAIL BEYOND

Seabourn has a small fleet of ships that hold between 264 and 600.  They differentiate on service with their signature “Seabourn Moments”.  My experience with this is when I walked into the Observation Lounge on the third or fourth day of my cruise, and waiter walked over a couple of minutes later with the drink I had ordered previously… without having to order!  Seabourn doesn’t have butlers, and there are no tuxedos or ball gowns on board.  It’s a high end, casual luxury offering.  

The Seabourn Sail Beyond event nets you a 2 category cabin location upgrade, and a minimum $500 per person on board credit:

CARIBBEAN: Bridgetown, Barbados round-trip departing November 23 for 7 nights

• Visit St. Lucia, Guadeloupe, St. John’s Carambola Beach, Grenada
• Fares start at $4999 per person.

UK & Ireland round-trip from London for 14-nights departing September 7

• Visit Portland, St. Malo, Fishguard, Isle of Man, Belfast, Isle of Bute, Orban, Ullapool, Newhaven, Newcastle, Great Yarmouth.
• Fares start at $8999 per person

JAPAN intensive round-trip Tokyo departing April 13, 2025 for 14 days

• Visit Naha, Taipei (overnight), Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Shimizu, Yokohama 
• Fares from $10,599

Seabourn fares include all taxes and fees, an open bar, gratuities, specialty dining, and Seabourn’s famous luxury service. 

DOMESTIC LAND CRUISES

You’ve been asking for more domestic (and Canada) offers, so here’s a couple to consider.

Southwest National Parks from Phoenix to Rapid City for 11-nights

• Visit 5 National Parks starting in Scottsdale, Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Marble Canyon (Navajo Bridge), Zion NP, Salt Lake City, Jackson Hole, Yellowstone NP, Cody (Buffalo Bill Center), Mount Rushmore, Rapid City.
• Several departures from May through October from $4999 per person

Canadian Rockies by Rail from Vancouver to Calgary for 8-nights

• Visit Vancouver, Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff, & Calgary
• Several departures from May through September from $5499 per person

VIKING WORLD CRUISE

These long cruises aren’t for everyone, but if you’re ready to be away for 4 months, early next year, then this one caught my eye:

• LA to London for 121 days departing January 5, 2025
• Visit Hawaii, Pacific Islands, New Zealand, Australia, SE Asia, India, the Mediterranean.  
• See full itinerary here:  https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/world-grand/viking-world-journeys/index.html?startLocation=los-angeles-california&endLocation=london&year=2025 
• Includes all taxes and fees, Business Class air, transfers, a shore excursion in every port, wifi on the ship, Silver Spirits beverage package, specialty dining, gratuities, all visas, luggage shipping, $1000 pp shore-ex credit, and $1000 per person on board credit.
• $44,995 per person for a Deluxe Veranda (more than $10,000 off the listed price) 

If you’re looking for something a bit shorter, here’s a Mediterranean and Africa itinerary for those that have already been there a few times:

• Barcelona round-trip for 16-days
• Visit Marseille, Corsica, Rome, Malta (overnight), Tunisia, Algiers, Casablanca, Seville, Grenada.  
• Several departures November 2024 through March 2025 from $6999 per person

CHRISTMAS MARKETS FOR FAMILIES

Some of you have asked about taking kids or grandchildren on a Christmas Markets cruise.  Here’s one:

Tauck Danube River from Vienna to Passau for 7-nights

• Visit Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, Wachau Valley, Salzburg, Passau.
• Besides visits to Christmas Markets, there are also activities planned for younger people.
• 2024:  December 20 or 27 from $4490 per person
• 2025:  December 21, 22, or 28 from $4590 per person

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?

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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

You are undoubtedly aware that the pandemic caused complete carnage for EVERYONE involved in the tourism sector on a scale never seen before, and the effects of which we are still recovering.  The poster child for pressure on the cruise segment was the demise of Crystal Cruises in 2022.

Crystal operated two ocean vessels, four river boats, and a 787-LR custom aircraft (if you want to see our video of our ride on the plane here’s the link: https://youtu.be/4YaJcEpBsSc?si=JXpuZlkHCsQjsVfC 

All these assets were seized when Crystal’s parent company couldn’t pay its bills, and were sold off to pay staff, clients, and creditors.

A few months after this depressing debacle, it was announced that Abercrombie and Kent (a well established, luxury land tour operator, partially owned by Manfredi Lefebvre – previously of SilverSea and Sitmar Cruises fame), would buy up the ocean vessels and attempt to resurrect the brand.

I thought this was a textbook case of a really poorly thought out business strategy.  The Crystal Ocean ships are old (29 and 22 years old), not particularly fuel efficient, and perhaps worst of all – Crystal was a very badly damaged brand, that upset a lot of travellers. 

I was wrong.  I always knew Crystal had an incredibly loyal following, and the A&K Group leveraged this to resurrect the brand.  They hired back many of the same shipboard staff, offered travellers a credit that lost their money to the OLD Crystal, and updated the ocean vessels.  

We have not been on board the new Crystal yet, but by all accounts those that previously loved Crystal are coming back again as raving fans.  

In case you’re wondering, the river ships were bought up by Riverside Luxury Cruises, and two of them have become part of Uniworld’s fleet.  The plane was bought up by an aviation specialist that does private VIP charters.  

So all of this got me wondering with the recent demise of American Queen Voyages, whether we can expect a resurrection there as well.  We really liked the American Queen on board product, and as more details come to light about the situation leading to their bankruptcy, it’s becoming clear they were mismanaged into receivership.  

Still, there are structural challenges to making a go of it in US waters.  Protectionist measures put in place decades ago by the Federal Government (and left in place by successive governments), make it very difficult for operators of cruises that operate exclusively in the US to compete.  American staff and crew are notoriously difficult to retain, and travellers just aren’t willing to pay more for a domestic river cruise than they would elsewhere in the world.  

The paddle wheeler vessels themselves are very expensive to operate — it’s old technology.  We loved the American Queen on board product, but it doesn’t engender the same raving fans that Crystal did, and you can only take so many cruises on the Mississippi River system, whereas the Crystal Ocean ships can move to various markets around the globe.  

So I’m not as hopeful for AQ’s resurrection, but we need good domestic river cruise options, so I guess you never know!

Today’s Travel Opportunities

CRYSTAL CRUISES:

Quebec City to NYC departing September 24 for 7 nights:

• Visit Quebec City (overnight), Halifax, Saint John, Portland, Newport, NYC
• Veranda from $5100 per person.

Reykjavik round-trip departing September 1 for 7-nights:

• Visit 5 ports of call in Iceland, as well as the Faroe Islands
• Oceanviews from $5400.  Veranda from $5900

Lima to Santiago departing January 25, 2025 for 9 nights:

• Visit Lima (overnight), Pisco (Peru), Iquique (Chile), Antofagasta, Coquimbo, Santiago (overnight).
• Verandas from $5100

Crystal fares include specialty dining, gratuities, an open bar, butler service, and wifi on the ship.  Due to our exclusive arrangement with Crystal, we can also get you a minimum of $125 per person on board credit on any Crystal Cruise, but only if booked through our agency. 

UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER COLLECTION

If you’d rather travel on the river, then you can experience the former Crystal boats that are now part of Uniworld’s fleet.  Earlier this week, the Uniworld SS Victoria (formerly Crystal Bach) hit the waters:

Basel to Amsterdam departing June 16 for 8-days:

• Visit Amsterdam, Cologne, Koblenz (for Marksburg Castle), Rhine Gorge, Rudesheim, Speyer, Strasbourg, Breisach, Basel
• This is the PRESIDENT’S CRUISE, and you get to travel with Ellen Bettridge.  We’ve sailed with Ellen before, and besides being a blast to hang out with, she always has a surprise or two in store for those travelling with her.  
• French Balconies from $4999 (represents $1000 off).

Tulip Cruise departing Amsterdam on April 6, 2025 for 8-days.

• Travel on the SS Elisabeth (formerly Crystal Mahler).
• Visit Amsterdam, Cologne, Koblenz, Rhine Gorge, Rudesheim, Speyer, Strasbourg, Breisach, Basel.
• Fares from $4229 LESS the 10% early booking pay-in-full discount.

Uniworld’s fares include transfers, an open bar, a choice of shore excursion in every port, gratuities, and wifi on the ship.  These two former Crystal River boats carry 110 guests on the same platform that other river cruise lines put 190 guests on.  

Due to our exclusive arrangement with Uniworld, we can get you an additional $150 per person on board credit not available elsewhere.  

OCEANIA FARE INCREASE

Our friends at Oceania are really good at giving us a heads-up when fare increases are coming, and that will happen April 1.  If you want to experience the Finest Cuisine at Sea, and you’ve got your eye on an Oceania Voyage, then here’s a link to those voyages included in their current promotion:
https://www.oceaniacruises.com/special-offers/savings

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

If you’ve considered visiting the Mediterranean in the QUIET SEASON, then there are a few trade-offs for you to be aware of.  Bob and I are in Greece and Turkey right now (follow along on Facebook here:  https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/), so I thought I’d outline some of the considerations of travelling to the Med at this time of year.

First… some clarity:  The Mediterranean is MUCH further north than we generally perceive it to be.  We think of it as a tropical place, when in fact it is middle latitude.  Here are a few places in the Mediterranean that share a parallel of latitude with North American Cities:

• Venice = Montreal
• Istanbul = New York City
• Athens = San Francisco
• Marseilles = Toronto
• Barcelona = Chicago

OK… now we’ve established where the Mediterranean sits on the planet.  Here are the considerations:

• Weather.  There are never any guarantees, but typically the weather in the Med is a bit more moderate than in North America.  In Istanbul this week, the highs were to 65, and the lows were to 40.  We brought jackets!
• Fewer People.  This is a huge benefit of the Quiet Season.  We visited Ephesus, and there were a small fraction as many people at this time of year, as opposed to when we’ve been here in the summer.
• Daylight Hours.  The weather may be variable, but daylight hours are not.  Much like when I lived in Chicago… the days are short in December and January.  It is the same in Barcelona. 
• Number of Ships.  May through September, literally every cruise line has ships in the Med.  Most of those ships leave in the quiet season.  However, I ran a quick search for November 2024 through February 2025, and found a surprising number of cruise lines present in the Med:  Azamara, Celebrity, Explora Journeys, HAL, Oceania, Princess, Regent, Seabourn, SilverSea, Star Clippers, Viking Ocean, and Windstar.  
• Will attractions be closed?  Most things are open, but if a tourist site must close for maintenance, it will definitely be in the winter months, when there is less impact on the tourist trade.  There are also  shorter open hours in many cases.  
• Will Air be Cheaper?  Probably… but there’s also not as many flights to Europe in winter, so you might end up paying just as much, AND if you’re flying from a smaller airport, you may have to connect in one of the big US Gateway airports.  
• Will my cruise be cheaper?  Yes… but count on 10% or 20% less – not 50% less. 

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Here are a few options for Quiet Season Mediterranean:

OCEANIA VISTA 

• Visit Greece (3 ports), Croatia (2 ports), Malta, Sicily, Italy, Spain, Tenerife, St. John’s, Puerto Rico.
• Depart Athens for Miami on November 11 for 24 days with Verandas from $6699, OR
• Athens to Rome for 9 days with Verandas from $3449, OR
• Depart Rome for Miami on November 20 for 15 days with Verandas from $4349
• If you ride the ship back to Miami you only have to endure one trans-Atlantic flight!
• See our VISTA ship tour video here:  https://youtu.be/nN5lyXCEy_g?si=4s-bkiU-K9JsELC_ 

Regent Seven Seas Quiet Season Mediterranean:

• Lisbon to Barcelona for 7-nights departing April 16, 2025
• Visit Lisbon, Portimao, Cadiz, Gibraltar, Malaga, Melilla, Alicante, Barcelona
• Suites from $5049 with a $150 per person on board credit

OR

• Athens to Istanbul for 7-nights departing April 30, 2025.
• Visit Santorini, Rhodes, Bodrum, Ephesus, Istanbul (overnight).
• Suites from $4649 with a $150 per person on board credit

Regent Fares include an open bar, gratuities, a choice of shore excursion in every port, specialty dining, transfers, wifi and laundry service on the ship.

Tauck River in Quiet Season

Prague to Paris departing April 25, 2025 for 14-days

• 2-nights in Prague, with a 9-night cruise, and 2-nights in Paris
• Visit Prague, Regensburg, Nuremberg, Wurzburg, Rothenburg, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Cochem, Trier, Luxembourg, Paris
• Fares from $10,790

OR

Douro River: Spain & Portugal departing April 11, 2025 for 8-days

• Round-trip Porto
• Visit wine estates, lush vineyards, idyllic riverside villages, baroque castles, hilltop medieval ruins, and rock art from the valley’s earliest inhabitants…
• Fares from $6590 per person 

VIKING FREE AIR to MEDITERRANEAN

Viking is offering Free Air on a handful of Mediterranean itineraries THIS spring if you’re ready to leave in the next month or two:

Athens to Istanbul for 7-nights departing June 23 or 30, 2024

• Visit Athens (overnight), Crete, Rhodes, Ephesus, Troy, Istanbul (overnight).  This is the cruise we’re on right now, so follow along on Facebook if you want more information.  
• Fares from $3499 per person including round-trip air.

London to Bergen for 14-nights departing May 31, or June 12, 14, 26, 2024

• Visit London (overnight), Edinburgh, Kirkwall, Shetland Islands, Honningsvag, Tromso, Leknes, Geiranger, Bergen (overnight)
• Fares from $5699 per person including round-trip air.

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/pfbid031SmgfX8T8NUeg9JkcSvW7W9Gn1qtgXXmQLcndBGS2szM5TKwte7KqDQS8FdXyeagl

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 remember standing at a phone booth in some foreign country with a calling card, trying to get a phone call out to someone at home?  It wasn’t that long ago.  Even though we’re a few decades into cellular phones, those devices weren’t all that functional in foreign countries until the last few years.

Now think ahead to ten years from NOW.  Undoubtedly, satellite phones will be in much wider use, making things like global roaming charges and data limitations a nostalgic memory not unlike standing at that phone booth 15 years ago.

Until then, how do you best manage your telecom when abroad?  It depends where you’re travelling to, and also what your wireless carrier offers… and there’s a wide disparity here.  

Roaming Charges

• Contact your wireless service provider to understand what fees you’ll be subject to based on where you’re going.  Sometimes there’s flat fee (often $10/day), and other times you pay by use.
• Some carriers advertise “Global Roaming” for no additional fees.  Be really careful here… that is often marketing hype, and loaded with pages of fine print that you usually discover AFTER you’ve assumed it was all free.  Global Roaming also usually significantly restricts your data use.

Do I need a SIM card?

• Probably not.  A SIM card is the electronic chip you insert into your phone that assigns your mobile number to your device.  When people go abroad, they often get a local SIM so they can use their mobile phone like the locals do.  
• If you’re only going to a place for a week or two, unless you plan on using a lot of data, or talking on the phone a lot, it’s probably unnecessary.  However, SIM cards are cheap, and easy to install (just don’t lose your home SIM card when you make the swap). 

What is an E-SIM?

• An electronic SIM is an APP you install on your phone that enables it to behave like you’ve installed a local SIM card when you’re abroad.
• E-SIMs solve the problem of swapping out small (easy to lose) chips on your device, and they are usually more cost effective.  I recently used one in Europe that cost about €10 for an entire month of unlimited voice and data.  This was much better (and cheaper) than roaming because my data was not restricted.

What about WiFi calling?

• Skype is probably the best-known version of this voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone service.  It works well and is easy to use (just get the Skype APP or something similar onto your phone).  The catch?… you need WiFi.  
• If you’re going to Europe, FREE public Wifi is just about everywhere.  You can also find a Starbucks or a McDonald’s that will offer it to you.  
• This is the cheapest and easiest solution for most people.

How is the WiFi on cruise ships?

• Better than it used to be, still not as good as home.
• The technology continues to improve, but it does depend on the ship, that ship’s location, and how many others are using it at the same time. 
• If you’re attempting to upload your vacation videos to Facebook, at the same time 600 others are (as the ship is pulling out of port, before dinner), it’s going to be SLOW, no matter how good the technology is.  

Underscoring all of this is the fact that you’re supposed to be on vacation, and being less connected is a GOOD thing for many of us.  Don’t assume you’ll need the same level of connectivity when you’re on vacation that you require at home. 

Today’s Travel Opportunities:

AMA WATERWAYS

PROVENCE from Arles (Marseilles) to Lyon departing December 12 for 7-nights

• Visit Arles, Avignon, Viviers, Tournon, Vienne, and Lyon.
• Visit Van Gogh’s house, a Truffle Farm, sample local red wine & chocolate, see the Roman ruins, and do a Beaujolais wine tasting at a vineyard.
• $4698 for a Twin Balcony Room with a $150 per person on board credit.
• Optional extensions to Barcelona (3-nights pre), or Paris (3-nights post). 

Vineyards of the Rhine & Moselle from Amsterdam to Luxembourg for 7-nights on June 26

• Visit Amsterdam, Cologne, Rudesheim, Mainz, Cochem, Bernkastel, Luxembourg.
• Lots of visits to vineyards, as well as bike rides, and gentle hikes.
• $4898 for a Twin Balcony with a $150 per person on board credit. 

AZAMARA SMALL SHIP OCEAN CRUISES

Azamara ships hold only 680 guests, and fares include an open bar, and gratuities.  Flash Sale until March 21:  the voyages below are $2000 off per stateroom (discount is reflected in the pricing below), and you get up to $1000 in on board credits as well:

Stockholm to London departing August 22 for 12-nights:

• Visit Stockholm, Visby, Gdansk (overnight), Ronne, Warnemunde, Kiel Canal, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Antwerp (overnight), London. 
• Verandas from $4536, with a $150 per person on board credit.

Canada / New England from Montreal to Miami departing October 24 for 15-nights:

• Visit Montreal, Quebec City, Sydney, Halifax, Saint John, Portland ME, Boston, Cape Cod, Newport, NYC, Baltimore, Charleston, and Miami.
• Verandas from $4590 with a $500 per person on board credit . 

TAUCK LUXURY LAND-CRUISES

Salt Lake City to Denver for 8-days, with 2-days on the rails with Rocky Mountaineer

• Visit Salt Lake City, Park City, Moab, flightseeing over Canyonlands NP, Arches NP, 2 days on board Rocky Mountaineer, and Denver
• Includes all hotels, transfers, Silverleaf PLUS rail car with adjoining Lounge Car, flightseeing, off-road Hummer trip, 16 meals, and gratuities.
• Departures June through October for $7590 per person

Australia & New Zealand for 20-days from Melbourne to Auckland

• Visit Melbourne, Ayers Rock, Queensland (for the Barrier Reef), Sydney, Wellington, Marlborough Sound, Te Anau, Fjordland NP, Milford Sound, Queenstown, Weiheke, Auckland.  This trip is busy, but you see an incredible amount of both these countries.
• Departures September 2024 through April 2025 for $14,990 per person.  Includes private charter flights (6 of them) for the on-tour portion of the trip.  

VIKING PROMOS

Current Client second cruise booking incentive:  

• If you have an existing reservation with Viking, they will make it worth your while to book another cruise with them.
• Get up to $1000 off your next Viking cruise, with a 6-month final payment date.
• This offer applies to ANY new Viking booking.  Here are two examples:

New Orleans to Memphis with departures May, June and November for 12-days

• Visit New Orleans, Darrow, Baton Rouge, St. Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Greenville, Rosedale, and Memphis
• Experience the French quarter, former plantations, southern mansions, Cajun cooking, Civil War historical sites, and Graceland.
• Veranda Rooms in May from $4499.  June from $4999, and November from $5999.
• Includes round-trip air, transfers, the Silver Spirits beverage package, a shore excursion in every port, and wifi on the ship.

Shanghai to Hong Kong (or reverse) for 10-days.

• Experience the urban cultures of Shanghai and Hong Kong with colonial buildings juxtaposed with brand new sky-scrapers, explore the Chinese coastline and fishing villages, visit ancient temples, 
• Visit Shanghai (overnight), Zhoushan, Dongtou, Pingtan, Xaimen, Hong Kong (overnight)
• Verandas in September & October from $4499.  November from $3999. 
• Includes round-trip air, all taxes & fees, transfers, a shore excursion in every port, beer/wine with meals.
• Pre and post land stays available in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

See more here:  https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/asia/countries/china/index.html?agenturlid=pamperedcruiser

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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