“Happy New Year!”.  It’s a common salutation at this time of year, but I prefer to think of it as a directive.  How can I make sure this is a happy year for me, and those in my orbit?

Bob and I both feel extraordinarily fortunate because we work every day in a job we love.  The travel perks are great, but the day to day “grind” is helping people with their vacation plans.  This is not without occasional frustration, but it is easy to be happy when interfacing with people in this way. 

Bob and I, both individually and as a couple have always been travellers.  Neither of us particularly enjoy sitting on a beach and drinking Margaritas (although we’ve known to enjoy that on occasion!), so I was trying to figure out why I love travel (even before being part of the industry).

I think it’s about learning and discovery.  It’s about seeing how people in different countries live their day to day lives, and realizing how much we have in common with them, and simultaneously seeing what they do differently.  When you live in the United States, it’s very easy for us to remain oblivious or disinterested in how other people live.  I’ve decided to work harder at paying attention.

You might not ever have heard of the Cantril Ladder – it’s an attempt to empirically measure “Happiness” around the world using a standard criteria.  We’re ranked 15^th in the United States (the top 14 are Northern/Western European nations, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada).  It’s my goal to help us rank higher on this list – primarily through the tremendous privilege of travel.

My theme for 2024:  LESS SCREEN TIME… MORE TRAVEL TIME.  The first part is to minimize a force that is proven to make people UNHAPPY.  The second is to increase what makes people HAPPY.  

Join us on this mission, and see if we can’t bump up a couple of rungs on the Cantril Ladder.  

Today’s Travel Opportunities

DOMESTIC & CANADA with NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

The Pacific Northwest has some of the most stunning scenery in the world.  Here are two trips to experience it:

Columbia River Cruise from Portland to Clarkson

• Visit Portland, Astoria, Columbia River Gorge, several locks on the Columbia River, Multnomah Falls, Walla Walla, private vineyard tour, Palouse River, and Clarkston
• Go Kayaking, Zodiac boat rides, light hiking, or just take in the scenery. 
• Departures for 8-days in March, April and September from $5768.

British Columbia and San Juan Islands – round-trip Seattle.

• Visit Victoria, Desolation Sound, Alert Bay, BC’s Gulf Islands, Friday Harbor, Washington’s San Juan Islands.
• This corner of the world is one of the best kept secrets out there.
• Departures for 8-days on September 29, October 6 or 13, from $5730.  

LOOKING TO 2025

Many of you are planning your trips a year or more in advance.  Oceania is launching its next ship in June of 2025.  The Oceania Allura will be the identical twin of the Oceania Vista.  If you like idea of sailing on a brand new ship, here’s some ideas:

Barcelona to Athens departing June 25, 2025 for 12-days

• Visit Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Sardinia, Tunis, Valletta, Cephalonia, Alexandria, Cairo, Santorini, Athens.
• Verandas from $5999 with a $300 per person shore-excursion credit.

Lisbon to New York departing September 16, 2025 for 14 days

• Visit Lisbon, Madeira, the Azores, Newfoundland, Halifax, Bar Harbor, Boston, Newport RI, and NYC.
• Verandas $5799 with a $300 per person shore-excursion credit

Remember that Oceania includes the shore excursion credit, specialty dining, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship. 

AMA WATERWAYS FREE PRE-PAID GRATUITIES

Our friends at AMA have offered us some departures with Free Gratuities in addition to their regular promos.  Here are some examples:

Wine Cruise!  Amsterdam to Basel departing November 7, 2024

• Visit Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, Rhine Gorge, Rudesheim, Ludwigshafen (for Heidelberg or Speyer), Strasbourg, Breisach (for Riquewihr or Freiburg), Basel.
• Included wine tastings and events both on ship and on shore.  
• $3299 cruise only or $5729 for the cruise and 6-nights on shore (2-nights Amsterdam, 2-nights Lucerne, 2-nights Zurich)
• Includes Pre-paid gratuities and $150 per person On Board Credit.

Vietnam & Cambodia departing December 30, 2024 for one-week

• Visit Siem Reap, Kampong Cham, Angkor Ban, Oudong, Phnom Penh, Tan Chau, Sa Dec, My Tho, Ho Chi Minh City.  
• $2949 cruise only for a Twin Balcony Room.  OR 
• $4399 for cruise plus 2-nights Hanoi, 1-night Ha-Long Bay, 3-nights Siem Reap, and 2-nights Ho Chi Minh City.  
• Includes Pre-paid gratuities and $150 per person On Board Credit.
• See our ship tour video here:  https://youtu.be/T6YIfrUbDwk?si=TU2RRzT4Zd1CwCWC 

Budapest to Bavaria on AMA Magna departing July 21 for one-week

• Visit Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Krems, Spitz (for Wachau Valley), Linz, Passau, Vilshofen.
• $3649 cruise only.
• $4399 for the 7-night cruise PLUS 2-nights Budapest pre-cruise, or 3-nights Prague post-cruise.  
• Includes Pre-paid gratuities and $150 per person On Board Credit.

Remember that AMA includes a choice of several shore excursions in each port of call, beer/wine with meals, wifi on the ship, and if you book this month free pre-paid gratuities on many departures.  
DON’T see the AMA cruise you’re looking for?  There are several other departures in Europe and the Mekong with FREE GRATUITIES.  Please enquire.

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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

I hope you have enjoyed the holidays.  For us, it’s a time to clean up some remaining details of the year ending, and to make plans for the next year.  Part of this is making guesses at what to expect for the coming year.  

We do this with one eye on what we’ve been booking for departures in the next twelve months, and new patterns and trends we may be seeing.  

There is a very high margin of error, and in some ways I’m reluctant to comment – mostly because someone next year around this time will pull out this piece, and point out all the things I got wrong!

Here you go anyway (and please be forgiving if you’re reading this in late 2024):

• It will remain busy.  2023 was our biggest booking year ever, eclipsing 2019 by almost 100%.  This is typical from what we hear from our peers.  The average time between booking and travelling is about 11 months.  So based on what’s on the books now, it’s going to be busy out there.
• You are booking close-in (3 months or less), and further-out (beyond 12 months).  Having two or three vacations on the books is the new normal.  This is a wise strategy:  any deals we see are usually for travel in the next several weeks (hence the close-in bookings).  Due to excessive demand, you need to book well in advance for those bucket-list trips (hence the bookings for 2025 and 2026).
• You are going away for longer.  This might be making up for lost time after 2020 and 2021, or it might be to get maximum return on the investment in pain and frustration involved with flying anywhere. 
• It will cost you more.  Inflation is real, it is global, and it’s not cycling back as quickly as we’d like.  We’ve seen this manifest in hotel prices, but not as much in cruise pricing – although I don’t know how long it will stay that way.  You may want to lock in your price now for your 2024 and 2025 trips… they’re not going to get cheaper. 
• Europe will be busy this summer.  The Summer Olympics take place in Paris in late July and first half of August.  France will be particularly busy, but you can expect more traffic throughout Western Europe and the UK.  
• Foodie Tourism – There’s a strong link between a place, its culture and its food.  For this reason, we’re seeing more food and culinary themed cruises and shore excursions. 

Destinations

For the last 18-months it’s been Portugal, Egypt and Japan.  Here are some destinations we are seeing more interest in 2024:

• Europe:  Croatia, Slovenia, Lower Danube (Hungary to the Black Sea), Malta, and Morocco (yes… I know it’s in Africa, but cruises that originate in Europe end up there). 
• Domestic & Canada:  National Parks (in both countries), Great Lakes Cruises, Quebec, Newfoundland, and Greenland (yes… I know Greenland is not the USA or Canada, but it’s nearby, and people want to go there). 
• Across the Pacific:  Those concerned about the geopolitical situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and Eastern Europe are looking across the Pacific Ocean:  Mekong River (Vietnam & Cambodia), New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Tahiti.
• South America:  Likewise, South America offers new destinations far away from war zones:  Galapagos Islands, river cruises in Columbia, Buenos Aires to Santiago cruises, Amazon River.

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Denver to Salt Lake City with Tauck for 8-days (including 2 days on Rocky Mountaineer)

• Visit Denver, Denver foothills, Glenwood Springs, Moab, Flightseeing over Canyonlands NP, Arches NP, Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake City
• Departures May to September from $7590.  

Regensburg to Amsterdam. Three-River Journey with Tauck for 10 days.  

• Highlights include: Regensburg, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Frankfurt, Cologne, Bonn.
• Departures in July and August from $6390. 
• A great mix of Rhine, Main, and Danube Rivers. 

Explora Journeys

This exciting new brand is currently offering some itineraries at up to 35% off.  All suites are large verandas, and your fare includes an open bar, gratuities, specialty dining, and wifi on the ship.

Barcelona round-trip departing November 10 for 10 days

• Visit Cadiz, Arrecife, Casablanca (overnight), and Gibraltar
• $3835 (represents 35% off)

Miami round-trip departing January 14, 2025 for 10-days

• Visit New Orleans (overnight), Cozumel, Merida (overnight), Ocean Cay (Bahamas) 
• $4800 (represents 25% off)

Miami to Lisbon for 14-nights March 14, 2025

• Visit San Juan, St. John’s, Santa Cruz de la Palma, Madeira, Lisbon
• $5625 (represents 25% off)
• A great way to avoid one-way of a trans-Atlantic flight.  You could then do a river cruise from Lisbon to Spain & Portugal. 

Viking Free Air Promo Codes

We’re seeing a number of Free Air Codes from Viking right now.  If the dates work for you, it’s worth taking a look.  The Catch:  must be booked by December 31:

Destination	Departure Date for Free Air
Mississippi River	Throughout 2024
Antarctica	November & December 2024
Scandinavia (various itineraries)	May to July 2024
Great Lakes	April through October 2024
Longer European River Cruises (12 – 14 nights)	March & April 2024

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.

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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

Last night, at about 10.30 Eastern Time, we experienced the winter solstice (do you feel any different?).  Yep… today will have a little more daylight than yesterday… we’re over the hump.

The longer nights do, however, make it much easier to see the Northern Lights, and many of you have been asking about this recently, so I thought I’d offer some perspectives.

• The best conditions to see the Aurora Borealis are dark, clear skies, and the further north, the better.  But occasionally mother nature lets us see them further south, and in twilight conditions. 
• They are most visible between October and March.
• A common question is whether you will see them on an Alaskan Cruise.  The Alaskan cruise ship season runs from May to September, so it would be extraordinarily rare to see them from a cruise ship in Alaska. 
• Likewise, you won’t see the Auroras on an Antarctic Cruise… because it’s the Southern Hemisphere’s summer.  
• Many people prefer to see them from a cruise ship because the logistics are easier: you can usually embark and disembark from places easier to get to/from.  Ships can also adjust course to find better places to see the Northern Lights (the big impediment is usually clouds).
• There are some land-based locations where seeing them is fairly reliable.  Bob worked in the Oil Patch in Northern Canada for a couple years, and reports seeing them frequently.  However… I don’t think you’d be all that excited if I sent you to Fort McMurray, Alberta.  Luckily Alaska, Iceland, and Scandinavia all have properties from which you have a reasonable chance to see the Northern Lights.  
• Some of you worry about the cold… I’m afraid I can’t solve that problem for you, but can tell you that most cruise lines and land resorts will provide some winter clothing for you, so you don’t have to buy an entirely new wardrobe if you’re chasing the Northern Lights.  

Here are a few ways to experience the Northern Lights:

Viking Ocean for 13-days between London and Bergen

• Visit London, Amsterdam, Narvik, Tromso (overnight), Alta (overnight), Bergen (overnight).

• 2024 is mostly sold out, but you can go in January through March 2025 in a Veranda starting at $4999 per person.
• For those that love Viking, or prefer a small-ship luxury experience, this trip fits the bill. 

Northern Lights Promise with Hurtigruten for 12-days round-trip from Bergen.  

• Hurtigruten offers the “Northern Lights Promise”.  They are confident enough that you’ll see the Northern Lights, that if they don’t appear, they’ll offer you another cruise free.
• This ship also doubles as a Norwegian Coastal ferry and makes several stops a day.  You won’t find a more authentic way to see these remote parts of Norway, but it’s not a traditional cruise experience.  
• Window rooms with a Queen Bed from $4820 per person in March, or $3688 in November. 

If you’d prefer to see the Northern Lights from Land, here are some suggestions:

Alaska Northern Lights for 7-days with Collette.  

• Visit Fairbanks, Talkeetna, and Anchorage.  Travel by Alaska Rail, go dog sledding, and a Winter Glacier cruise in Prince William Sound.
• Depart March 25 or 30 from $3899

Churchill, Manitoba for 7-days with Natural Habitat Adventures

• Churchill is in the northernmost part of the Canadian Province of Manitoba, on Hudson’s Bay.  It’s about a 3 hour flight north from Winnipeg.  Churchill has some of the most intense Auroral activity on earth, and you can see it from their 360 glass Aurora Pod.
• Churchill’s other claim to fame is that it’s where people go to see Polar Bears in the wild.  
• You can visit January through March for 7-days from $7395 per person.  They provide all the parkas and other cold weather gear for you.  
• This location is much closer and easier to get to than Alaska or Norway.

Merry Christmas if that is what you’re celebrating this week.  If you’ve just finished your Hanukkah celebration, then Crag Sameach.  If there are other festivities in your plans for the next week, then I hope you are able to enjoy a peaceful and happy holiday with those most important to you.  

Today’s Travel Opportunities

In the event you’re looking for something different than the Northern Lights, here are a few things that came across my desk this week:

Oceania Happiest Holiday Sale

Our friends at Oceania are pretty good at letting us know when they’re going to raise prices, and that will happen on January 1, 2024, so you may want to take a look now – particularly at those cruises they’ve included in their holiday sale:  https://www.oceaniacruises.com/special-offers/holiday.  Here are a few examples, and due to our exclusive arrangement with them, we can get you free prepaid gratuities on these cruises:

Vancouver to LA departing September 14 for 12-days

• Visit Ketchikan, Sitka, Wrangell, Prince Rupert, Victoria, Astoria
• Verandas from $4599 with a $400 shore excursion credit and prepaid gratuities.

Dubai to Trieste (Italy) departing May 14 for 15 days

• Visit Dubai, Fujairah (UAE), Cephalonia (Greece), Corfu, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Split, Venice (Trieste).
• Verandas from $4299 with a $500 shore excursion credit, and free prepaid gratuities. 

London to Barcelona departing September 22 for 10-days.

• Visit Bordeaux (overnight), Bilbao, La Coruna, Oporto, Lisbon, Valencia, Barcelona
• Verandas from $4199 with a $400 shore excursion credit and free prepaid gratuities. 

Uniworld Early Booking Bonus 10% off

If you’re looking ahead to 2025, then Uniworld is offering 10% as an early booking bonus on many cruises: https://pamperedcruiser.uniworld.com/us/current-offers/2025-early-booking-savings.  Here’s two examples:

Portugal & Spain departing April 6 or April 13, 2025 for 7-nights

• Portugal is mostly sold out in 2024, so you may want to look at 2025. 
• Round-trip from Porto.  Experience wineries, scenic cruising, roman ruins, and the Moorish influence of this corner of Europe.  
• Fares starting at $4899 LESS 10% early booking discount

Amsterdam to Bucharest for 24 days departing April through July

• Explore 10 different countries from the Atlantic to the Black Sea, and only have to unpack once on Uniworld’s Boutique riverboat. 
• Visit the Netherlands, France, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Romania, and Bulgaria. 
• Fares starting at $10,199 LESS 10% early booking discount.

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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 may be aware we’re just finishing a river cruise in the Eastern agricultural region in France this week with our friends at AMA Waterways.  Kristin Karst is the co-founder and co-owner of AMA, and she’s invited us to spend a week with her on her namesake ship – the AMA Kristina.  We’ll “re-live” the trip starting tomorrow on our Facebook page if you want to follow along.  Here’s the link:  Facebook

We’ve not done a river cruise in this region previously, so here are some of our impressions if you’re considering something similar.

• Lyon is known as the Gastronomical Capital of France, and the French excel in culinary on a global level, so if you’re a foodie, you’ll really like it here. 
• The city is large enough (the 3^rd largest in France) to provide lots of options, but is ultimately more navigable than Paris.  If you love the French urban scene, but don’t need the Eiffel Tower and other Paris attractions, then Lyon will serve you well.
• We’re here for the Fete des Lumieres (Festival of Lights), and if you’re considering a December trip to this part of France, it’s worth considering coinciding your trip with this event.  There are exhibits all over town that combine light and music.  Consider it like a more diverse (and more interesting) version of a massive 4-day long fireworks display.  
• Most river cruises include 2-nights in Lyon, but if you’re looking to really get into the history and culinary scene, you’ll want to add an additional night or two. 
• The city is very walkable, or if you prefer to get around by bicycle, there are miles of dedicated bike paths.  
• Lyon is located at the confluence of the Saone and Rhone Rivers… so it seems like everything is waterfront.  
• River cruises typically go between Lyon in the North, and Avignon or Arles in the South down near Marseilles and the Mediterranean.  You really don’t go far in a week – It’s only 175 miles between these ports.
• There is wine at literally every turn in this region, with the Beaujolais and Chateau-Neuf-de-Pape being the two best known.
• The Romans occupied this area for several hundred years, and there are ruins and other evidence of their time here. 
• We’re here in December, so there are Christmas Markets, but not to the same degree you would find them in Germany, or in larger cities like Paris, Amsterdam or Budapest.  
• We’re needing to get home in time for Christmas, but MOST of our clients would add on a few extra days in Paris or the French Riviera when doing this cruise.  You’re in the neighborhood… why not?

A note on winter travel to Europe

We’ve learned to love Europe in the winter months, but here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Europe is much further north than we perceive it to be.  As a point of reference, Venice Italy and Montreal are at the same latitude, so MOST of Europe is north of the Canadian border.  The weather is somewhat more moderate in Europe than Canada, but winter is dark, and can be cool.  We didn’t experience anything below freezing, but it was in the 30s and 40s for most of our trip. 
• There are WAY fewer tourists, and that is the reason we like it here in winter.
• Travel logistics are more tentative in winter.  In the past couple of weeks, both Munich and Amsterdam (two major European gateways) had substantial weather events this month.  We, and virtually everyone on the ship had some adjustments to their flight schedules.  

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Provence & Lyon, France with AMA Waterways

All the river cruise lines are in Provence, and AMA does it particularly well.  They offer several choices for shore excursions in each port of call, and their membership in the Chaines des Rotisseurs ensures you will have an authentic and top quality culinary experience.  

Come to the Provence and the Rhone Valley to experience farm to table cuisine, abundant Roman ruins (that aren’t completely overwhelmed by tourists), charming small towns, lavender fields, and the urban experiences in Lyon and Marseilles.  

Here are some examples:

• Lyon to Arles departing March 14 for 7-nights
  • Free Upgrades and On-board gratuities
  • Balconies: $4779.  Suites: $6679
  • Optional 3-night pre-trip in Paris, and 3-nights post-trip in Barcelona for $2550.
• Dijon to Arles departing July 18 OR August 8 for 7-nights
  • Extra $150 per person on board credit
  • Balconies: $4899.  Suites: $6599
  • Optional 3-night pre-trip in Geneva, and 3-nights post-trip in Nice for $2730.
• Arles to Lyon departing December 12 for 7-nights
  • Extra $150 per person on board credit
  • Balconies: $4939.  Suites: $6839
  • Optional 3-night pre-trip in Barcelona, and 3-nights post-trip in Paris for $2550

Explora Journeys Total Luxury Offer

Explora has “Goldilocks” sized ships:  big enough to offer a wide range of food and entertainment venues, but small enough to still feel intimate and have intuitive, personal service.  They also have the largest suites at sea:

Barcelona to Miami departing November 29 for 17-nights

• Visit Cadiz, Madeira, Bridgetown, Guadeloupe, Antigua & Barbuda, San Juan
• A great opportunity to enjoy all the amenities on this new ship.
• Suites start at $5460 per person (represents 40% off)

Miami Round-trip departing January 14, 2025 for 10-nights

• Visit New Orleans (overnight), Cozumel, Merida (overnight), Bahamas.
• If you’ve been everywhere in the Caribbean, but would like a winter getaway, this is a unique itinerary. 
• Suites start at $4800 per person (represents 25% off)

Explora Journeys fares include all taxes & fees, an open bar, on-board gratuities, specialty dining, and the minimum suite size is 300 square feet with a 75 square foot veranda with a table and chairs, as well as a daybed.  

Viking Free Air Promos

We’re seeing some free air, and reduced rates on Viking, with many itineraries with some domestic ports:

Duluth, Minnesota to Toronto departing July 20 for 15-days

• Visit Duluth, Thunder Bay, Silver Islet, Mackinac Island, Algoma, Alpena, Fraser Bay, Killarney, Parry Sound, Windsor, Cleveland, Niagara Falls, Welland Canal, Toronto
• A great chance to visit some out-of-the-way places in our own back yard.
• Nordic Balconies from $12,995 including air.

New Orleans to Memphis departing June 13 (or November 14) for 8-days

• Visit Darrow, La Layette, Baton Rouge, Darrow, Natchez, St. Francisville, Vicksburg, Greenville
• Deluxe Verandas from $5999 including air.

Tokyo to Vancouver departing April 23 for 23-days

• Visit Tokyo, Sapporo, Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, Seward, Valdez, Hubbard Glacier, Glacier Bay, Sitka, Ketchikan, Vancouver 
• Visit Asia without having to fly both ways, and see some less-frequented ports in Alaska.  
• Veranda Rooms from $7499 including air.

These Viking fares include all taxes & fees, round-trip air, a shore excursion in each port of call, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship. 

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

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

We are in Lyon, France for the next 10-days to take part in the Virtuoso Cruise Icons annual event.  These are our peers, and we’ve built some strong friendships with many of these folks.  Kristin Karst, one of the owners of AMA Waterways is hosting us on this river cruise through Provence to experience the Christmas Markets and the Fete des Lumieres (Festival of Lights) in Lyon.

Don’t worry… Peri, Kim and Satonis are all in the office if you need anything this next week.  

Our trip didn’t start out very well: The plane that was supposed to carry us to Europe got stuck in a freak snow storm in Amsterdam, so we woke up Monday morning to the news that our flight had been cancelled.  It ultimately worked out, but it reminded me that I haven’t talked about air travel challenges in a while.  Here are some things to keep in mind for the next time you travel by air:

First, the not-so-good news:

• Airlines are still recovering from the pandemic.  Performance of the airlines is better than it was a year ago, but still not as good as it should be.  The Federal Government threw $50 billion plus at the airlines during the pandemic so they WOULDN’T be short staffed post-pandemic… ask your elected representatives what happened.  Before the partisan hate-mail starts, be aware that both the current government and the previous one pushed these billions of our tax dollars to the airlines (in almost equal measure).
• We’re poorly served by airlines in North America.  Skytrax audits airlines globally with an objective criteria as opposed to (un)popular opinion polls.  The highest rating is 5-stars, and currently ALL 5-star air carriers are from Asia.  With the exception of Air Canada (4-stars), all North American carriers are 3-stars or less.

Now some ideas for coping with air travel:

• Plan for weather delays in winter.  Despite my rant about airlines above, it was not KLM’s fault that weather prevented the plane from picking us up.  These things happen in winter. 
• Travel interruptions usually fix themselves.  The first email I got on Monday from KLM was that my flight was cancelled.  Two hours later I was emailed my replacement schedule on one of KLM’s competitors.  Our natural instinct is to want to talk to someone at the airlines when schedules change.  Often it will be faster (and far less frustrating) just to wait. 
• Plan to arrive a day or two in advance of a cruise or land tour.  If you’re crossing more than 3 time zones, you’ll have some jet lag, and having a buffer for potential delays, will save you some worry and stress. 
• Consider Premium or Business Class.  It will cost you more, but sometimes it’s not THAT much more.  For this trip, we ended up paying about $600 more each to be in Business Class… and worth every penny.  Remember it’s not only the extra space on the plane (although that is really nice).  It’s about priority check-in, priority boarding, priority bag handling, and lounge access.  All of which help on a long travel day. 
• Be careful with cruise line air.  Unless you’re saving a lot of money by booking your air through the cruise line, you’re usually better off doing your own thing.  You’ll control way more variables, and have more flexibility if you book directly with the airline. 
• Use Air Tags if you’re an iPhone user.  In the past when the airlines have lost my baggage, I’ve have been able to advise THEM where to look for it.  Also, when my pals at United Airlines decided to “deliver” my bag to the sidewalk in front of my house, instead of to my doorstep, I was able to phone one of my neighbors so they could fetch it for me because I wasn’t at home. 

As I’ve suggested to you before, I don’t see any credible evidence from either the airlines themselves that they will voluntarily improve their performance, or from our regulators (from either political party) that they will enact any meaningful consumer protection laws (like just about all other countries have), so it is contingent upon the individual traveller to navigate the nasty business of air travel. 

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Viking Existing Client Offer – Up to $1000 off your next cruise

Viking is throwing additional goodies at those with an existing booking that want to book a second cruise.  Here’s the fine print:

• You have to have had a Viking Booking made before November 21, that you have NOT YET travelled.
• If you book another Viking River, Ocean or Expedition cruise, they’ll give you up to $1000 off per cabin for trips 15 days and longer, or $500 off per cabin on shorter voyages. 
• It must be a new reservation, and it must be made before December 31.
• Many of our clients received the letter from Viking with this offer, and jumped on it.  Please remember if you’ve booked directly with Viking, we can still add an additional $100 per person on board credit to your reservation (even on this offer).  Get in touch with us for more details.

Here two additional Viking Offers (must be booked by December 11) :

• British Isles Explorer departing London on July 1 or 24 for 15-days
  • Visit London (overnight), Dover, Dublin, Holyhead (Wales), Liverpool, Belfast, Ullapool, Kirkwall, Edinburgh, Invergordon, Shetland Islands, Bergen (overnight)
  • Veranda rooms from $7999 per person, with air from $999.

• New York City to Reykjavik departing June 24 for 15-days
  • Visit NYC, Halifax, L’Anse aux Meadows (Newfoundland), 2 stops in Greenland, 5 stops in Iceland before arriving in Reykjavik.
  • Veranda rooms from $8499 per person, with air from $999

Uniworld 12-days of Christmas

Uniworld is offering a deal a day, and today is Day 10.  If you want to see what’s been on offer, here’s the link: https://pamperedcruiser.uniworld.com/us/12days

Here are two that caught my eye:

• Venice 2 for 1 fares.  7-nights departing on July 28, or August 11.
  • Make multiple stops in Venice, as well as Mazzorbo, Burano, and Chioggia.
  • This is MUCH better than staying in a hotel in Venice for a week!
  • We did this cruise last year.  Here’s a link to our video blog:  https://youtu.be/QRIHi6SED6g?si=-U8NNBdcoOs39Gxb 

• 25% off Egypt on Sep 14 or 21 for 12-days.
  • Visit Cairo, Luxor, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Edfu, and Esna
  • See 12 UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Pyramids, the Egyptian Museum, and the Valley of the Kings.
  • Fares start at $7499 LESS 25%

Europe in Winter 2024 with Tauck

• Rome to Venice departing December 22 or 29, 2024 for 8-days
  • Visit Rome, the Vatican, Florence, and Pisa
  • See St. Peters and Vatican after hours, as well as other Tauck exclusives.
  • $7390 per person

• Spain (Barcelona to Madrid) departing November 3 for 8-days
  • Visit Barcelona, Malaga, Granada, Seville, Cordoba, & Madrid.
  • $6990 per person

Atlas Cultural Expeditions.  2^nd Guest Sails Free

Atlas’ ships are yachts that hold fewer than 200 guests, making them small enough to get into some less known ports in Europe.  Fares include an open bar and gratuities.

• Malta to Dubrovnik departing June 24 for 1 week
  • Visit Valletta, Katakolon (for Olympia), Kefalonia, Parga, Butrint (Albania), Kotor, Dubrovnik.
  • Verandas from $3649 after the 2 for 1 savings

• Amsterdam to Lisbon departing Sep 20 for 10 days
  • Amsterdam, Paris (Honfleur), Channel Islands, Bordeaux (overnight), Gijon (Spain), La Coruna, Porto, Lisbon
  • Verandas from $5149 after the 2 for 1 savings

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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