Ireland is a frequent request from our clients, so I thought I’d offer a few thoughts about travelling this region.

Ireland is actually TWO countries, and I will speak to them both.  The Republic of Ireland is home to 5 million people, the capital is Dublin, the President is Michael Higgins, and they use the Euro as their currency.  Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom (along with England, Scotland, and Wales).  About 2 million people live in Northern Ireland, the capital is Belfast, their Prime Minister is currently Rishi Sunak, and they use British Pound Sterling as their currency.

So that gets the social studies lesson out of the way.  What can you do in Ireland?

1. Family Heritage Trips.  It’s not a secret that in previous centuries, the Irish provided a ton of immigrants to the United States, so many people have no problem tracing their roots to this part of Europe (Hint: if your last name starts with “O’”, “Fitz”, or is “Ryan”, “Murphy”, or “Byrne” – do your family tree research in Ireland). 
2. Scenery.  Ireland is one of those unique places on the planet where it difficult to find a place WITHOUT stunning vistas.  There are cliffs that fall straight into the ocean, and rolling hills and countryside, too.
3. Learn About the Drink.  There’s a lot of bad jokes about the Irish and their love of the drink.  You don’t have to be a big drinker to find a visit to the Guinness factory or an Irish Whiskey distillery really interesting.
4. Castles.  Every castle tells a story… and there’s plenty of stories in Ireland.
5. Game of Thrones Tours — OK, much of it was filmed in Morocco, but there’s still plenty to see in Ireland for fans of this iconic production.
6. Traditional Irish Dance & Music.  You’ve undoubtedly seen this before – now go see it in its place of origin.
7. Go to an Irish Pub with Music.  The smaller the town, the more local… the better.
8. Ring of Kerry – This 110-mile circuit, is probably one of the most scenic drives in the world.  See it all:  waterfalls, beaches, castles, and a Hermitage built by Christian Monks 1300 years ago at top of a jagged ocean crag.
9. Learn From the Irish – There is no doubt the Irish have endured more than their fair share of misfortune in the past few hundred years – right up until the 20th century.  They have lived in peace and relative prosperity for the past few decades, and there’s lots to be learned from them about how they achieved this.

The Republic of Ireland is about the same size as Indiana but has about 4600 miles of coastline.  This means you’re never far from the ocean, and a cruise ship is a good way to sample several different places in this fascinating country.  Later, you might want to go back to the places you loved the most and stay for a while.

See below a for few suggestions as to how to see Ireland.

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Azamara departing Dublin for London on June 13 (or Aug 29) – 12 days

1. Visit Dublin (overnight), Warrenpoint, Belfast (overnight), Londonderry, Killybegs, Donegal, Galway, Foynes, Cork.
2. Oceanview from $2298 per person; Veranda Suites from $6842 pp.

Oceania Riviera departing Belfast (round-trip) on June 21 – 9 days

1. Visit Dublin, Waterford, Cork, Bantry, Galway, Killybegs, Londonderry.
2. Oceanview from $3549 per person; Veranda Suites from $4199 pp.  Air add-on: $1200.
3. See our Riviera ship tour video here:  https://youtu.be/KvgJJ2bE1OU
4. See our video about Oceania’s Culinary Program here: https://youtu.be/O0Que9codHo

Ultimate Ireland LAND Tour departing Dublin on June 20 (or July 11) – 15-days

1. Visit Dublin (3-days), Belfast (2 days), Giant’s Causeway, Derry, Donegal (2 days), Enniskillen, Galway (2 days), Killarney, Ring of Kerry, Kilkenny (2 days).
2. $4599 per person, double occupancy.
3. Includes all breakfasts, 2 lunches, 6 dinners, guided walking tours of Dublin and Derry, as well the services of a professional guide that travels with you throughout your journey.

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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

Travelling with a larger group of friends or family can go one of two ways:

1. A fantastic experience that creates memories to last a lifetime.
2. A dumpster fire of mismatched expectations that ends in hard feelings.

To be clear, I’m NOT talking about two couples travelling together, or a multi-generational trip with grandparents, parents, and children – those usually go fine.

Those that go astray are trips that start with an abstract idea (“Let’s go to Europe”), with a large group of people that usually came up with the idea after drinking several glasses of wine (“Let’s all 20 of us take a cruise to Europe”).

The problem at this point is obvious:  In a typical European summer season, there are upwards of 2000 cruises on ocean, river, and expedition ships.  Europe is a big place, and the Norwegian fjords are very different than the Greek Islands.  You can pay $100/night or $2000/night on a ship depending on what you want.  Some people like the idea of a week-long vacation; others think when you’re flying that far, you should stay longer.

And all these variables are before anyone brings up the fact that they really don’t like THIS country or region, and they travelled on THAT cruise line in 1995 and hated it.

These are just a few of the things that can quickly throw group travel arrangements into chaos.

In our experience, there are some things you can do up front to make group travel work – and a trip like this can really fun when it goes well.  Many of these ideas have to do with attitude and mindset, so it may force some awkward conversations in the planning stage.  I can assure you these awkward conversations are far preferable to the angry and bitter conversations that occur during or after travel if things go off the rails:

1. Only travel with those who are capable of flexibility and compromise.  It will not be possible for every single person to be perfectly happy about every decision point, so set the expectation up front that some compromise will be required.
2. Don’t travel with control freaks.  You know who they are… get out of travelling with them.  It is inherent in their nature, and despite their promises, they won’t be able to supress this impulse, no matter how many meds they take.
3. High anxiety complainers also need to be eliminated from the guest list.  You should expect things to be different when you travel and have a good tolerance for when things go wrong (and they will).  Don’t subject yourself to those who inflame the drama.
4. Agree on a region.  “Europe” is too broad, and “Spain” is probably too narrow. 
5. Agree on an approximate budget.  Everyone will need to be flexible in all aspects of your trip planning, but a ballpark budget will help you quickly determine whether you’re going on a mass-market mega-ship, as opposed to a small luxury ship or river ship.
6. Leave flexibility in the plans. If you’re going on a cruise, allow people to choose the best stateroom for them (you don’t all need to be side-by-side).  Some people may want to do pre/post extensions, and those personalized plans should be encouraged.
7. “Come-along” trips work best.  In our experience the groups that function best are those where a smaller group of people (maybe 4 or 6) decide “we’re going to do THIS, you’re all welcome to join us for whatever part of the trip appeals to you”.  This avoids many of the negotiations at the front end that sometimes make people feel they’ve compromised too much. 
8. Set up a closed Facebook Group.  This is an easy way to have a forum where ONLY those in your FB Group can talk to each other and share information prior to the trip.  You can also post photos to share during and after the trip.

What About Group Pricing?

When we’re talking about cruise vacations, the term “Group” has a variety of definitions, so here’s a quick guide.

1. Group Amenities.  This is one of the big advantages of booking through a good travel agent, because you won’t get these on direct bookings. Travel agencies set up groups to get their clients extra goodies.  Many times, clients don’t even know they’re in a “group”.  Often the amenity is an additional onboard credit, but can be other things as well, for example Specialty Dining or a special Shore Experience.
2. Group Discounts.  The cruise lines discount based on the number of “berths” a group buys.  Usually this means if you book 8 cabins (i.e., 8 berths), then you get one “free” berth (called a Tour Conductor Credit).  If you like, the value of this berth can be divided amongst a group to take everyone’s price down a little.  Some cruise lines offer this free berth with only 5 cabins booked.
3. Group Pricing.  Normally, the price of a cruise is the same regardless of where you buy it.  Some cruise lines increase the cost the closer you get to departure.  In this case, travel agents can pre-purchase a block of cabins in order to lock in a price.  Then, after the public prices goes up, you can benefit from a lower group price if you book through the agent who blocked the group space.  Bob and I blocked group space on several Explora Journeys itineraries before they increased prices last month, and now we have a big price advantage to offer our clients.  See the examples below (save up to $3300 compared to publicly available fares). Some of these group prices will expire on Feb. 28th.

Finally, the larger your group, the earlier you need to start planning.  Cruise vacations are selling out sooner than we’ve seen in the past, so while getting 2 or 3 cabins is usually not a problem, if you want 6 or more cabins on a specific date, you’ll want to be looking a year or more in advance.

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Explora Journeys Groups

Copenhagen to London departing August 15, 2023 (9 nights)

1. Visit Goteborg (Sweden), Oslo, Stavanger (Norway), Hamburg, Rotterdam, Bruges.
2. Special price $5450 per person (Public Price: $5700 pp) – Save $500 per suite!

New York to Quebec City – departing September 25th 2023 (8 nights)

1. Visit New York (overnight), Boston, Saint John, Quebec City (overnight)
2. $4300 per person (Public Price: $5050 pp) – Save $1500 per suite!

Quebec to New York City – departing October 3rd 2023 (10 nights)

1. Visit Saguenay, Baie-Comeau, Havre-Saint-Pierre, Charlottetown, Halifax, New York (overnight)
2. Bob and I are travelling on journey – why not join us?
3. $5350 per person (Public Price: $6350 pp) – Save $2000 per suite!

New York round-trip – departing September 25th 2023 (18 nights)

1. If you’d like to combine the 2 cruises above and stay on board the whole time (NO ports repeated), you get an ‘extended journey’ discount compared to booking the 2 legs separately.
2. $9100 per person.  (Public Price: $10,750 pp) – Save $3300 per suite!

Miami round-trip – departing December 13th 2023 (9 nights)

1. Visit Grand Turk, Dominican Republic, BVI, Guadeloupe, Bahamas
2. $3500 per person (Public Price:  $4700 pp) – Save $2400 per suite!

Bridgetown, Barbados round-trip – departing January 19th 2024 (12 nights)

1. Visit Dominica, Saint Lucia, Guadeloupe, Saint Barthe, San Juan, BVI, Saint Kitts, Antigua & Barbuda, Grenadines,
2. $5500 per person (Public Price: $6750 pp) – Save $2500 per suite!

Bridgetown, Barbados to Miami – departing March 1st 2024 (7-nights)

1. Visit Martinique, Saint Kitts, Dominican Republic, Bahamas
2. $3000 per person (Public Price: $3650 pp) – Save $1300 per suite!

Alaska

We get a lot of requests for group travel in Alaska.  Here’s a couple of ideas:

Seattle round-trip on Oceania Regatta departing July 21st (11 nights)

1. Visit Ketchikan, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Wrangell, Prince Rupert, Victoria.
2. Oceanview from $3499 per person; Balcony from $5699 pp.  Air add-on $600.
3. GROUP BENEFIT:  included gratuities.  (You don’t need to bring a group; you automatically get this when you book with me).

Vancouver to Sitka on Ocean Victory departing May 5th (10 nights) INCLUDING FLIGHTS.

1. Visit Kynoch Inlet, Ketchikan, Metlakatla, Misty Fjords, Wrangell, Waterfall Coast, Petersburg, Tracy Arm, Endicott Arm, Frederick Sound.
2. Oceanview from $4469; Balcony from $7269
3. Includes all taxes and fees, pre-cruise hotel night, open bar, gratuities, expedition activities (sea kayaking, zodiac boats) in each port of call, Round-Trip Air.

AMA Waterways Group Program

AMA Waterways has very attractive group program with Group Prices and Amenities available for just 5 cabins.  Here’s what we like about AMA:

1. Ships on every river in Europe, as well as Egypt, Mekong, and Southern Africa.
2. A wellness coordinator on every ship that offers complimentary fitness, yoga, and meditation classes.
3. More active shore excursions for those that like to get out hiking or cycling
4. Daily Happy Hour before dinner with included drinks and entertainment. 
5. If you’re considering a larger group river cruise experience, we’d love to discuss AMA Waterways with you.  Please get in touch as soon as possible so we can reserve group space for you.

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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

Oceania Cruises occupies a unique space in the cruise vacation market, and that space is a good fit for many of our clients.  In this post I thought I’d offer a bit more information about Oceania, for those who may not be familiar with them. 

Here are the reasons we love to travel with Oceania:

Culinary – Oceania really stands out for its culinary offering.  The Executive Culinary Director is Jacques Pepin and there are multiple Specialty Dining venues on Oceania ships.  It’s ALL included in your fare.  Here’s a quick description of the specialty restaurants on board:

1. Toscana:  Authentic Italian served on Versace dinnerware.
2. Polo Grill:  Steak House with some seafood dishes, and Caesar Salad prepared at your table.
3. Privee:  The Chef’s Table Restaurant with wine pairings, available for 8 guests at time.
4. Red Ginger:  Asian Fusion, with plates from Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. 
5. Jacques:  Parisian French Bistro – featuring dishes from Jacques Pepin.  It is also decorated with art and furnishings from Jacques Pepin’s personal collection.
6. Terrace Café:  Casual dining indoors OR outdoors, and choose from gourmet plates, or burgers and pizza if you prefer.
7. Waves:  Outdoor casual dining with healthy fare including the raw juice and smoothie bar. 
8. The Culinary Center:  If you wanted to take a cooking class at sea, and participate in the preparation of a gourmet meal, Oceania’s larger vessels offer this experience.

We just posted a new video about Oceania’s culinary delights on our YouTube channel. Watch the culinary video here: https://youtu.be/O0Que9codHo

Small Ships – Oceania has four ships that hold 680 guests, and 3 that hold about 1200 guests.  On ships of this size, you get a much more intimate experience than the mega-ships.  There is also more space per passenger than you see on the Premium cruise lines.

Check out our ship tour video of Oceania Riviera:  https://youtu.be/KvgJJ2bE1OU

Casual Luxury – You can leave your ball gowns, and tuxedos at home, but still expect an elevated guest experience.  There are no formal nights.

Choices – “Segmented Luxury”.  Oceania’s fare structure allows you to pay for included airfare and drinks, OR choose other amenities if you wish.  There is also a cruise-only fare for those simply wanting to enjoy the ship and its ports of call.

Butlers and Concierges – If you like this elevated level of service, it is available in certain stateroom categories.  If you prefer the best fare, that is also available to you.

Land Programs – You can do pre and post cruise with Oceania on just about every itinerary if you want to extend your cruise vacation.

Entertainment – even though the ships are smaller, high-energy production shows are still offered

We were on board Oceania Riviera a few months ago in Greece and Turkey (and LOVED it).  We’ll be posting a video about this trip soon on our YouTube channel. Stay tuned!

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Oceania is celebrating its 20th Anniversary, so they are throwing in extra Onboard Credits on selected itineraries for new bookings made during the month of February.  Here are a few examples:

Alaska departing from California

1. Los Angeles to Vancouver departing May 18 (12-days).
2. Visit San Francisco, Astoria, Klawock, Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Ketchikan. 
3. Ocean View: $3249 per person.  Balcony: $4699.   Air add-on: $500. 
4. 20th Anniversary Bonus Onboard Credit:  $600

Italy, Greece, and the Adriatic

1. Valletta (Malta) to Venice departing June 7 (8-days).
2. Visit Kusadasi (for Ephesus), Santorini, Argostoli (Greece), Tirana (Albania), Croatia, Venice (overnight).
3. Ocean View: $2449 per person.  Balcony: $3399.   Air add-on: $1200. 
4. 20th Anniversary Bonus Onboard Credit:  $400

British Isles Cruise

1. Hamburg to London departing June 12 (9-days).
2. Visit Shetland Islands, Kirkwall, Invergordon, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Rotterdam, Bruges.
3. Balcony: $3499 per person.   Air add-on: $1100. 
4. 20th Anniversary Bonus Onboard Credit:  $400

Scandinavia and British Isles

1. Copenhagen to Amsterdam departing September 14 (12-days).
2. Visit Berlin, Denmark, Sweden, Oslo, Kristiansand (Norway), London (overnight), Paris, Bruges, Amsterdam (overnight).Ocean View: $4449 per person.  Balcony: $5199.   Air add-on: $1000. 
3. 20th Anniversary Bonus Onboard Credit:  $600

Caribbean for Christmas

1. Miami round-trip departing December 17 (12-days)
2. Visit Bonaire, Curacao, Barbados, Antigua, St. Bathes, BVI.
3. Ocean View: $2949 per person.  Balcony: $4199.   Air add-on: $600. 
4. 20th Anniversary Bonus Onboard Credit:  $600

Australia & New Zealand

1. Sydney round-trip departing January 25, 2024 (14-days)
2. Visit Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Dusky Sound, Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Rotorua, Auckland, Whangarei, Bay of Islands
3. Ocean View: $5649 per person.  Balcony: $7799.   Air add-on: $1700. 
4. 20th Anniversary Bonus Onboard Credit:  $800

Here is complete list of the cruises included in Oceania’s 20th Anniversary Sale: https://www.oceaniacruises.com/special-offers/anniversary

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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

Firsts let me define a few terms and offer some boundaries before attempting this loaded subject. 

From my perspective:

1. “Sustainable” travel is about economic sustainability, cultural sustainability, AND ecological/environmental sustainability.  I’ve spoken about all three previously.  Today, I am only attempting to discuss the last one – the ecological perspective.
2. I have no doubt that human-caused global warming is real.  I also am not willing to make the personal sacrifice to revert to an agrarian-based lifestyle of two hundred years ago, so I do the best I can on a daily basis, knowing full well it is not enough.
3. I believe it is possible to both travel AND make choices to minimize our carbon footprint. 

After doing a little bit of research, it seems that a large majority of people see this issue the same way I do, and NOT like the television news represents the issue i.e. a polarity of either radical environmentalism OR climate-change denial.  It seems the majority of people are capable of intelligent thought and reject these two extremes. 

A recent survey determined that 81% of people say that “Sustainable Travel” is important, and 50% of them said that this consideration has changed the way they book travel.  So, what are people doing to minimize their carbon footprint, but still travel?

Here’s a few ideas:

1. Buy Carbon Offsets.  These are now offered by most airlines when you travel, and it only costs a few dollars more. 
2. Don’t fly short-haul.  Aviation is a major contributor to greenhouse gases, and planes emit the most carbon when taking off.  So, fly further.  The European Union is currently in the process of banning short-haul flights.  Of course, the advantage they have is an advanced public rail system that has so far eluded us in this hemisphere.
3. Choose Your Air Carrier Wisely.  Some airlines take environmental stewardship more seriously than others:
4. Best Short Haul:  Top performers include LATAM, Japan Air Lines, and Air France. For comparison United Airlines is #46, Delta #53, and American Airlines is #70.  These statistics leads me to believe there is some public policy work that needs to be done!
5. Best Long Haul:  Top performers include TUI, Air Canada, and KLM.  Again, domestic carrier performance is poor:  Delta #46, United #54, and American #68.
6. The Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism identified specific tourist destinations that take environmental stewardship seriously:
7. Finland
8. Portugal
9. Scotland
10. Indonesia
11. Niseko, Japan
12. Guanajuanto, Mexico
13. Vancouver Island, Canada
14. Barbados
15. Oregon Coast

There is a long list of what these destinations do to minimize their carbon footprint both as it specifically relates to the travel trade, as well as in general.

I’m not sure I’m ready to ONLY visit those locations above, but I did take note of them.  If nothing else, next time I’m visiting those places, I will pay particular attention to what they’re doing. 

Like most people, I have concerns about global warming and the environment in general, but I intend to keep travelling, so it is about the small decisions I make on a daily basis.

There are some who will say this is not enough.  They may be right, however doing something is better than doing nothing.

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Explora Journeys Group Rates – Save $3300+ compared to booking direct!

Explora Journeys is making a conscious effort to reduce its carbon footprint, including banning the use of all single-use plastics across the entire operation, building new ships that will be fuelled by LNG, and using shore power wherever such facilities exist.

I’m REALLY excited to tell you about a special savings opportunity with Explora Journeys.

We currently have a big price advantage on several Explora sailings.  Let me explain further.

Explora’s pricing strategy is to increase prices as the departure date gets closer.  Prices went up on many sailings in December, and again a couple of weeks ago.  Anticipating the demand for this exciting new brand, we blocked groups of cabins on a few different sailings BEFORE prices going up, locking in the lower rates.

This means we can offer you these cabins at a better price than is available publicly! 

If you’re interested in one of the sailings below, get in touch with us right away, because we have only 5 suites on each sailing.  Once they’re gone, you’ll pay a much higher rate.

Copenhagen to London departing August 15, 2023 (9-nights)

1. Visit Goteborg (Sweden), Oslo, Stavanger (Norway), Hamburg, Rotterdam, Bruges.
2. Special price $5450 per person (Public Price: $5700 pp) – Save $500 per suite!

New York to Quebec City – departing September 25th 2023 (8 nights)

1. Visit New York (overnight), Boston, Saint John, Quebec City (overnight)
2. $4300 per person (Public Price: $5050 pp) – Save $1500 per suite!

Quebec to New York City – departing October 3rd 2023 (10 nights)

1. Visit Saguenay, Baie-Comeau, Havre-Saint-Pierre, Charlottetown, Halifax, New York (overnight)
2. Bob and I are travelling on date – why not join us?
3. $ 5350 per person (Public Price $6350 pp) – Save $2000 per suite!

New York round-trip – departing September 25th 2023 (18 nights)

1. If you’d like to combine the 2 cruises above and stay on board the whole time (NO ports repeated), you get an ‘extended journey’ discount compared to booking the 2 legs separately.
2. $9100 per person.  (Public Price $10,750 pp) – Save $3300 per suite!

Miami round-trip – departing December 13th 2023 (9 nights)

1. Visit Grand Turk, Dominican Republic, BVI, Guadeloupe, Bahamas
2. $3500 per person (Public Price:  $4700 pp) – Save $2400 per suite!

Bridgetown, Barbados round-trip – departing January 19th 2024 (12-nights)

1. Visit Dominica, Saint Lucia, Guadeloupe, Saint Barthe, San Juan, BVI, Saint Kitts, Antigua & Barbuda, Grenadines,
2. $5500 per person (Public Price $6750 pp) – Save $2500 per suite!

Bridgetown, Barbados to Miami – departing March 1st 2024 (7-nights)

1. Visit Martinique, Saint Kitts, Dominican Republic, Bahamas
2. $3000 per person (Public Price: $3650 pp) – Save $1300 per suite!

A further 5 – 10% discount available if you want to pay in full at time of booking rather than doing the normal deposit + final payment scenario.

The prices listed above are for a 300 square foot veranda suite with a king bed with a huge 75 square foot terrace.  If you want more information on Explora Journeys, here’s a link to the interview Bob did with Aimee Price a few weeks ago:  https://youtu.be/qxtqmE94EBg

Depending on which of these voyages you choose, you’ll also receive $500 – $600 Shore Experience Credit per suite as a gift from me and my agency.  We can get you $300 on ANY Explora trip, but you’ll get $500 – $600 on the specific trips listed above, due to my groups on these sailings.

Remember, we’re only holding a handful of rooms at these prices, so once they are sold out, you’ll be subject to the prevailing rate.  Please feel free to share this email with your friends and family!

Viking – Free Air and Silver Spirits Beverage Package (Book by Jan 31)

Panama Canal (18 days)

1. Departing Santiago March 27th, 2023, bound for Fort Lauderdale.
2. Visit Santiago, Iquique (Chile), Lima (Peru), Manta (Ecuador), Panama Canal, Colon (Panama), Cozumel,
3. $7795 for a Balcony room with a king bed.
4. Includes round-trip air, transfers, open bar, landings/shore excursion in every port, Wi-Fi.

Fort Lauderdale to Toronto (16 days)

1. Departing Fort Lauderdale April 13th, 2023
2. Visit Charleston, Norfolk, New York, Lunenburg (NS), Louisbourg (NS), Cap-aux-Meules (QC), Scenic Sail St. Lawrence, Quebec City, Trois-Rivieres, Toronto.
3. $7795 for a Balcony room with a king bed.
4. Includes round-trip air, transfers, open bar, landings/shore excursion in every port, Wi-Fi.

Free Air on American Queen Voyages

If you’re looking for a getaway closer to home, American Queen is offering FREE Air on a number of itineraries and dates.  Here are two examples:

Lower Mississippi for 9-days

1. Depart New Orleans June 4.
2. Visit Nottoway Plantation, St. Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Greenville.  Here’s a link to the video when we did this trip last year:  https://youtu.be/HIfirwH0V5M
3. $4569 per person for a Veranda Room.  Save $1500 per cabin.
4. Includes all taxes/fees, AIR, pre-cruise hotel night, open bar, gratuities, unlimited shore excursions, Wi-Fi.

If you’d rather travel in the Western part of the country, to experience mountains, volcanoes, waterfalls, wildlife, and wineries, then try out American Queen on the Columbia/Snake Rivers:

1. Depart Portland for 9-days on April 2 bound for Spokane, Washington.
2. Visit Portland, Astoria, Stevenson, The Dalles, Richland, Clarkston.
3. $3719 per person for a Veranda Room.  Save $2000 per cabin.

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If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

One perk of working in the travel trade is we get invited to try out new travel products and offerings. The vendor’s angle is quite clear: they want us to love it, so we can sell it to others. It’s a reasonable bargain, but the vendors don’t really want travel-trade people taking up valuable space during times when they could easily sell those spots for full price instead. As a result, we often end up travelling in the off-season.

For any European destination or product, that necessarily means we’re there October through March (with the exception of the Christmas Markets, which are a little island of “high season” in an otherwise slow tourist month).

The funny things is – we’ve come to really enjoy Europe in these off-season months. Yes, we have to pack coats, gloves and hats, but we also don’t have to share the tourist sites with overwhelming throngs of people. There are trade-offs involved here, and the “right” answer really depends on how much you value warmer weather versus how much you hate crowded places.

It seems the word is out, because we’ve recently been fielding a fair number of inquiries about the Mediterranean and Europe in the off-season. I personally think it’s a great idea, but it is worth noting a few things:

1. Latitude – The northern Mediterranean (Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece) share a latitude parallel with the Great Lakes. Venice, Italy is at the same latitude as Montreal. The weather is more moderate in the Mediterranean but be advised that it’s much further north than is generally perceived.
2. Air Schedules – Even when the commercial aviation industry is operating well (it certainly wasn’t in 2022), there is reduced service to Europe in the off-season. This a purely a function of supply and demand – fewer people are going, so there are fewer planes going there. This may make your routing more complicated, or it might make it slightly more expensive to fly there.
3. Seasonal Businesses – If you’re a shopper when you’re on vacation, there will be fewer choices in some tourist towns – many shops only operate May through September.
4. Major Attractions – the big “tick in the box” attractions in Europe are open year-round; however, if they need to do partial or temporary closures for maintenance work, that will happen in the off-season. This usually isn’t a big problem, but if you’re going to Europe to specifically visit a certain attraction, it is worth verifying it will actually be available to you.

When you travel to Europe by river or ocean ship, you are protected from the crowds when you’re on board. However, travelling in Europe is about being on shore, and besides the occasional “skip the queue” excursions that some cruise lines offer, it will be more crowded May through September. But the weather is usually beautiful.

So that’s your trade-off. Here are a few quiet season Europe travel opportunities:

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Miami to Barcelona with Oceania Cruises – 14 nights, departing April 6th, 2023

1. $2299 per person for a Veranda
2. Visit Nassau, Bermuda, the Azores, Madeira (Portugal), Granada (Spain), Aliconte (Spain)
3. Optional Air add-on $700 pp

Miami to Rome with Oceania Cruises – 16 nights, departing March 22nd, 2023

1. $2799 per person for a Veranda
2. Visit the Bahamas, Bermuda, Azores, Madeira, Malaga, Monte Carlo, Florence/Pisa
3. Optional Air add-on $800 pp

Venice (round trip) with Uniworld Boutique River Cruises – 7 nights, departing April 2, 9, 16, or 23 OR June 25th

1. Fares from $2699 per person
2. Includes transfers, a selection of shore excursions in every port, open bar, and Wifi on the ship.
3. Visit Venice, Chioggia, Burano, Mazzorbo.
4. This is on a river ship that enables you to immerse yourself in Northern Italy.
5. Bob and I did this cruise last year and loved it! – here’s a link to our video: https://youtu.be/QRIHi6SED6g
6. Optional land package add-ons to Milan (3 nights); Switzerland by rail (5 nights).
7. More details here: https://pamperedcruiser.uniworld.com/us/river-cruise/italy/venice-and-the-jewels-of-veneto/2023-venice-to-venice

(NEW!) Viking River Cruise to Provence AND the Rhine River – 14 nights – FREE FLIGHTS

1. Fares range from $5999 per person in June 2023 to $5299 per person in October 2023.
2. INCLUDES FLIGHTS, transfers, a shore excursion in every port, beer/wine with meals, and Wifi on the ship
3. Fly to Marseille in the South of France, board at Avignon, then visit Arles, Viviers, Tournon, Vienne, Lyon, Burgundy, Breisach, Strasbourg, Speyer, Rudesheim, Koblenz, Cologne, Kinderdijk, before finishing in Amsterdam
4. This itinerary has French farm to table food, visits to wineries in multiple regions, Roman ruins, plus all the art, history and culture Western Europe is famous for.
5. More details here: https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/europe/lyon-provence-and-the-rhineland/2023-avignon-amsterdam/index.html?agenturlid=pamperedcruiser

Already booked directly with Viking? Get it touch with me as soon as possible! Viking makes it really easy to book with them online… and sometimes you just phone for information and you end up with a tentative booking! This is all great customer service. But don’t worry, if you want to work with us, just get in touch as soon as possible to let us know about your reservation. We’ll look over your reservation to make sure you’re booked at the best price, and we’ll always be able to add extra onboard credits for you to spend on your trip. I’m sure you know by now, but there is no fee to work with us, and you’ll pay the same price as you would by booking direct. Plus you get extra onboard credits you wouldn’t otherwise receive. When you work with us you’re supporting two small business owners, and there’s no risk because all your payments go directly to Viking.

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I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley