Here are some seemingly random bits of news that have come across my desk this week, that I thought I would share:

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection:

• Uniworld has acquired 2 new ships that formerly belonged to Crystal Cruises.  This is a very big deal for fans of Crystal Cruises, and those ships will be in very good hands at Uniworld.  The ships will be renamed Victoria and Elisabeth, and will operate on the Rhine and Moselle Rivers.
• Uniworld is continually innovating its product offering and the latest one is a cycling trip where you will be fully escorted with guides and support vehicles, with a tablet attached to your handle bars with a GPS unit.  Best part is you only have to unpack once, as the Uniworld ship will follow you on your bike ride through Europe.  These trips will operate on the Rhine and Danube Rivers.  And no… you DON’T have to be an Olympic athlete to enjoy this trip. 

Paris in Summer 2024

• Speaking of Olympic athletes… the 2024 Summer Olympic Games will take place in Paris from July 26 to August 11.  If you have plans in France around this time, make sure you’re aware of what disruptions the Olympic Games will have on public venues and transportation. 

Explora Journeys

• We just finished a trip through Quebec and New England with this new brand.  You can see some of our posts on our Facebook Page:  www.facebook.com/pamperedcruiser 
• They offer a great experience, and one thing I think will be a game-changer is their ANTHOLOGY restaurant.  This is where a celebrated chef does a residency on board the ship, offering their tasting menu for a period of several weeks or months.  On our cruise, Emma Bengsston – the 2-star Michelin Chef behind Aquavit in New York was featured.  This is a great opportunity if (like us) you would probably never go to such a restaurant on shore.

Viking Cruises

• A 2023 survey of over 525,000 Conde Nast Traveler readers named Viking #1 in River, Ocean, and Expedition categories.  This is the first time any one brand has taken the top spot in all 3 categories.
• To add to the accolades, Travel & Leisure readers also rated Viking #1 in all three categories in 2023.  Viking has some fans!

Oceania Cruises 

• Oceania’s new ship, Vista (we participated in her christening in May), made her first port stop in the United States a bit earlier this year, and scored 100% on the USPH Vessel Sanitation Checklist.  Any vessel that calls in at US ports is inspected twice yearly, and the criteria is rigorous.  So this is quite an accomplishment.  Imagine if hotels were subject to the same scrutiny… probably wouldn’t have as many headlines about bed bugs.  
• Oceania is launching Vista’s sister ship ALLURA in 2025, and that ship is now open for bookings.  

Seabourn Expedition

• Seabourn now has two expedition ships, and both were in North America in September.  Seabourn Venture was in Vancouver after a Northwest Passage Cruise, and the brand new Seabourn Pursuit was in Florida on the same day making her North American inaugural.
• Seabourn will be doing an itinerary on the Kimberley Coast in Western Australia.  This area is remote, but stunningly beautiful, if you’d like to do an Expedition trip, but perhaps in warmer climates.  

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Viking Free Flights available until October 31:

Buenos Aires to Barcelona departing March 17 for 22 days

• Visit Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Cape Verde, Casablanca, Granada, Barcelona
• $4999 per person.

Antarctica departing January 20 or 29 for 13 days

• Buenos Aires to Ushuaia
• $9995 per person – Including round-trip air from the US, and the flight between BA and Ushuaia.
• Includes kayaks, zodiacs, special operations boats, Expedition gear, and an expedition jacket you get to keep.
• See our ship tour video of Viking Polaris: https://youtu.be/izwAZ6NdFOo?si=K4Qk4JGgMPve_GZA 

Mississippi River New Orleans round-trip departing November 23, 30, or Dec 7, 2024 for 8 days

• Visit New Orleans, Darrow, St. Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Baton Rouge
• $4299 per person with free round-trip air

All the above Viking fares include round-trip air, all taxes and fees, a shore excursion in every port, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship. 

Oceania Cruises Exotics in Asia

Oceania Japan, China & Korea departing February 26 for 12 days

• Visit Hong Kong, Kaohsiung (Taiwan), Hualien (Taiwan), Ishigaki, Shanghai (overnight), Kagoshima, Nagasaki, Seoul.
• Verandas from $5999 with $1300 optional air add-on

Oceania Singapore to Cape Town departing April 11 for 28 days

• This is a great opportunity to visit several countries that are hard to get to.  Tick off a bunch of bucket-list destination in one trip!
• Visit Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, Seyschelles, Mozambique, South Africa.  5 overnight stays.  
• Fares from $8799 with a $1500 optional air add-on.  

AMA Waterways 20% off Sale

Our friends at AMA are offering 20% a list of river cruises in Europe and the Mekong for a limited time.  Here’s a link to their list of cruises:

https://www.amawaterways.com/agent/pamperedcruiser/save20-2024#sailings

Tauck Southeast Exploration

For those looking for a land-cruise closer to home:

• Visit Savannah, the coastal Low Country, Fort Pulaski, Hilton Head, Beaufort, and Charleston.  Tour the islands off Beaufort SC, see Savannah’s beloved Madeira traditions at the Davenport House Museum.  Have dinner at 45 Bistro in Savannah’s oldest hotel – The Marshall House. 
• 8-day inclusive packages with departures in April, May, and September, October from $5290 per person.  

Recently booked a Viking Cruise?

Viking makes it really easy to book direct, either online or by phone.  Our clients worry that if they book on-line, that they’re cutting us out, but if you let us know after you’ve booked, then we can still help you with your reservation.  

We’ll check over your 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).

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 been following us on Facebook, you’ll know we just completed a Canada-New England Cruise with Explora Journeys.  We’ve found it’s better to share our travels once we’re home, so that we are more able to respond to your comments and queries.

We also had the privilege of meeting some of our clients on this trip (Hello Kathy & Betty, Barbara & Gail, Cathy & Charley, and Nancy & Anthony!).  It is an extraordinarily rare pleasure to meet our clients in person, much less get to travel with them.  We have clients in all 50 States, and they come from all walks of life, but the one thing that seems to bind all the people we deal with together is that they all seem to be the nicest people.  

I don’t say this lightly, or as false praise.  Anyone who has ever worked in retail will tell you that some significant portion of people can be disrespectful and sometimes downright nasty.

We don’t experience this.  What a pleasure!

While eating meals or drinking wine with these clients, we found them asking a lot of questions about us, and our backstory, so at the risk of appearing a bit self-indulgent, here are a few details about us:

• I was born in Iowa, and grew up in Australia.  I have lived in the US, Canada, Australia, and Mexico.  I studied to be a Marine Biologist, worked most of my career as a laboratory technician specializing in Haematology, and came to the travel business about 9 years ago. 
• Bob was born in Vancouver (the one in Canada), and has lived in the US, Canada, Australia (not with me… this is a coincidence), and Mexico.  He studied Business and Commerce, and spent most of his working life as a Management Consultant.  He joined me full time this business about 7 years ago. 
• We have both always been wanderers, and placed a high value on travel.
• Our office is in New York, but we really don’t spend much time there (although we really do enjoy it a few days at a time).
• We have two adult children, and one grandson (who is adorable).  
• We are in our late 50s. Most of our clients are 55 – 80… so that might be reason we feel so connected to them. 
• Our job requires travel (a good problem to have), so we’re on the road a lot.  We have a team that backs us up.  You may have spoken on the phone with Kim, or swapped emails with Peri or Satonis.  All of them work from home, and are located in three different time zones (I guess this is the nature of the travel biz).

We feel very fortunate to be able to call this our “job”, and dealing with great people makes it that much better.  

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Uniworld Bucket-List Sale available for booking until October 31

$3000 OFF — Amsterdam to Bucharest for 25 days departing July 13.

• There are too many ports to list, but you start in the Netherlands, sail through Germany, France, Austria, Hungary (with 2 nights in Budapest), Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania.  You will visit 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites on this voyage.
• Fares from $7999 per person on April 16, or July 13.

$2000 OFF — Bordeaux to Paris for 15-days departing April 7

• This is two back-to-back cruises with an escorted trip on the high-speed train between them:
  • In Bordeaux visit: Bordeaux, Cadillac, Cussac Fort Medoc, Blaye, Bourg Sur Gironde, Libourne, then back to Bordeaux to catch the high speed train to Paris
  • The do Paris to Normandy and visit: Paris, La Roche Guyon, Vernon, Giverny, Rouen for the Normandy Beaches), Versailles. 
• Fares from $5799 per person.

Remember that all Uniworld Cruises include a choice of shore excursion in every port, an open bar, use of bicycles, on board gratuities, and wifi on the ship. 

BONUS:  You can save a further 10% if you pay in full at time of booking, AND any bookings with our agency get an additional $150 per person on board credit not available on direct bookings.  

Viking Free Air Codes

Viking has some Free Air incentives out there right now.  Here are a few examples.  The catch:  must be booked before October 31: 

Panama Canal Full Transit departing LA on January 3 for 18-days:

• Visit LA, Cabo San Lucas, Costa Rica, Full Transit of the canal, Colon, Cartagena, Cozumel, and arriving in Fort Lauderdale.
• Veranda fares from $4999 per person.  

Pacific Island Adventure round-trip from LA for 33-days departing January 13.

• This cruise is great for those that like sea-days, or are just looking for some warmer weather in January.
• Visit Hilo, Maui, Honolulu, Kauai, Bora Bora, Moorea, Tahiti, Marquesas, and San Diego
• Veranda Fares from $7999

South America Encompassed: Santiago to BA departing January 26 for 18-days.

• Visit Santiago (overnight), Puerto Montt, Chilean Fjords, Amalia Glacier, Punta Arenas, Ushuaia, Falkland Islands, Puerto Madryn, Montevideo, Buenos Aires (Overnight)
• Veranda Fares from $7499 per person

All of the above Viking Ocean fares include all taxes and fees, round-trip AIR, transfers, beer/wine with meals, a shore excursion in each port of call, and wifi on the ship.  

If you’d like to try out Viking’s Expedition Ship, here an opportunity close to home in the Great Lakes.  

Toronto to New York City departing April 17 for 13-days:

• Visit Toronto (overnight), St. Lawrence Seaway locks, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec City, Saguenay, Sept-Iles, Cap-aux- Meules, Charlottetown, Halifax, NYC.
• Fares from $10,795 includes round-trip air and a stateroom upgrade, as well as the standard Viking inclusions noted above. 

See our ship tour video of Viking Polaris here:  https://youtu.be/izwAZ6NdFOo?si=B5YNMMkI0ldZrwQA

If a River Cruise sounds more appealing, try this one:

Viking Mississippi departing New Orleans for 12-days on February 29:

• Visit New Orleans (2 nights), Darrow, Baton Rouge, St. Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Greenville, Rosedale, Memphis (2 nights).
• Veranda fares from $6799.  Includes round-trip air and a stateroom upgrade.  
• Also on available May 30, June 6 or 13 for $8099

Japan & Alaska with Seabourn

Knock off TWO bucket list destinations with one cruise.  These repositioning cruises offer unique itineraries (these are not standard Alaskan port stops) and lower fares on a per-day basis: 

Kobe to Vancouver for 23 days departing April 18.

• Visit Kobe, Hakodate, Kushiro, Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, Homer, Glacier Bay, Sitka, Klawock, Ketchikan, Nanaimo, Vancouver.
• Suites from $9999 per person.  
• Every room on Seabourn is a 300 square foot (or more) suite.  Includes an open bar, specialty dining, on board gratuities, and wifi on the ship. 

Hawaii Island Hopping for 13 days

You’ve been asking for both more land options and domestic offerings.  This one ticks both!

• On this land tour, you’ll spend 3 nights in each of Oahu, Kona, Maui, Kauai.
• Includes 12 breakfasts and 5 dinners, Air between islands, Pearl Harbor tour, Volcanoes NP, cruise on the Wailua River in Kauai, and admission to the Iolani Palace.
• $5899 per person departing January 4.
• $6499 per person departing March 28 or June 20.

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

Many of you ask what new trends, and things we can expect in the travel industry in the next few years.  I don’t own a time machine, or a crystal ball, so here is my best guess at the rest of this decade for travel trends.

I see the future of travel being influenced by these three forces:

ONE:  What Travellers are demanding

Ultimately, the consumer will drive the travel business, and while popular destinations will come and go, here’s what we see people asking for more of:

• More Inclusive:  People want to pay once, and have as much as possible included, rather than be constantly pulling out their wallets.  This explains why cruise and packaged land tours have seen such extraordinary growth.
• Experiential Travel:  Lying on the beach and drinking beer gets old… fast, for many people.  People want leisure, but they also want to be able to experience and learn things unavailable to them at home.  A shopping trip with a chef, or perhaps a reading english books with local school children are examples of this.  
• Culinary:  It appears we’re starting to catch up with our European cousins in terms of the value we place on a good meal.  Food and wine experiences, as well as healthy food choices are now a key part of the travel experience.
• Exclusive Access.  More travel providers are offering before or after hours access to busy tourist sites, as people grow tired of standing in long lines with thousands of others.  
• Longer Duration.  This might be because air travel has become so onerous that people want to make the most of the (frustration) investment they make to get to their destination.  We are seeing people do back-to-back vacations in the same region, so they only have to make the flight once. 
• Self-improvement.  This takes many forms: lectures and educational activities, wellness events and voluntourism.
• Sustainability.  People are being more discerning about the impact their travels have on local economies, cultures, and the environment, so you can expect to see travel vendors highlighting their efforts in these areas. 

TWO:  What local authorities and governments are demanding

• Over-tourism.  Many local authorities are trying to balance the obvious benefits of tourism with the impact that too many tourists can cause.  Venice, Barcelona, Iceland, and Key West, Florida are high profile examples of jurisdictions that are restricting tourist traffic.  This trend will grow. 
• Redeployment away from some ports of call.  As a result of over-tourism, expect to see different patterns for cruise line itineraries.  Both the European and the US governments will require cruise ships to “plug-in” when they are at port before the end of the decade.  This will push traffic to those ports with such infrastructure.
• Carbon neutrality by 2050.  The cruise ship industry has committed to be a net zero carbon emitter in fairly short order.  We’ve already seen hybrid-electric ships, and LNG powered ships, so look for new technologies as cruise lines renew their fleets. 

THREE:  Conditions that macro-economics and demographics are going to impose on us:

• Inflation is real:  We’ve already seen this in hotels and resorts, and it’s only a matter of time before this shows itself in cruise and packaged land tours.  The best way to insure against this is to hold space now to guarantee your price. 
• The Chinese will be travelling.  Currently, the USA is the largest “exporter” of tourists to the world.  By 2030, it will be China.  Given China’s huge population, this is going to have a huge impact on the industry, and will likely cause even more local governments to restrict and regulate tourist traffic.  I suspect India will also not be far behind.  For context the population of these two countries combined is almost TEN TIMES that of the United States.  Most of their populations are not affluent enough to travel abroad.  This is changing quickly.  
• Baby-boomer influence on travel will wane.  We don’t have access to demographic data for who reads these posts regularly, but based on who we talk to, we know a significant number of you were born between 1946 and 1964 (as were we!).  It’s been a great run, hasn’t it?  But we are increasingly NOT who travel vendors are looking to attract, and design products for.  Interestingly, they are most focused on those born between 1980 and 2000 – what has been called the “echo” of the Baby Boom (it is the baby boomers’ children).  So if you want to see the future of travel, then look to what most interests YOUR kids.  Until then… as members of the baby-boom cohort ourselves, Bob and I will continue to travel and promote products appropriate to our peers.

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Tauck European River Cruises

You probably know Tauck as the high-quality provider of land tours both domestically and abroad, but they also have a fleet of river ships in Europe.  They are the most inclusive of any of the river cruise lines, and have the lowest passenger counts.  Here are some examples:

Munich to Budapest for 7-nights departing April 13

• Visit Passau, Cesky Krumlov, Grein, Durnstein, Vienna, and Bratislava.
• Includes gratuities (on and off the ship), small private shore-excursions with a choice in every port, Imperial evening at a Private Vienna Palace.  Wine tasting at Weissenkirchen, Open bar, transfers. 
• $4390 per person

Tulips Cruise (Amsterdam to Brussels) for 7-nights departing April 7

• Visit Amsterdam (overnight), Keukenhof Gardens, The Hague, Kinderdijk, Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp, Brussels
• $4990 per person including transfers, all gratuities, open bar, and a choice of several shore excursions in each port of call.  

Explora Journeys Mediterranean

This new brand is more like a European city stay (where the city changes daily!).  There is no main dining room, but rather a series of (included) specialty restaurants.  There’s no Vegas style production shows, but rather a series of smaller venues with first quality entertainment (like a city).  You’ll also have a huge 375 square foot veranda room.  Your fare includes an open bar, wifi, specialty dining, and gratuities.

Due to our exclusive arrangement with them, we can also get you

• 10% off any 2023 departure, or 
• 5% off any 2024 departure.
• Shore Experience credits €300 per person

If you missed our vendor focus on Explora… here’s the link:  https://pamperedcruiser.com/explora-journeys-world-debut/ 

Here are some examples for the Mediterranean:

Athens to Venice for 7-nights departing August 2

• Visit Athens, Patmos, Kefalonia, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Rovinj, Venice
• $5250 per person

Athens to Istanbul for 7-nights departing September 13

• Visit Athens, Mykonos (overnight) , Skiathos, Thessaloniki, Kavala, Istanbul.
• $5250 per person

Rocky Mountaineer

Some of you have asked for travel ideas that are closer to home.  Rocky Mountaineer provides luxury experiences with great scenery in both the United States and Canada.  The train only operates in daylight hours, so you don’t miss any of the stunning vistas or wildlife sightings.  

Rocky Mountaineer round-trip from Denver for 7-nights

• Visit Denver, Glenwood Springs and Moab with lots of spare time for exploration of the National Parks in the region
• 4-days on board the train
• $ 4109 per person for departures in May

Rocky Mountaineer Circle Journey round-trip Vancouver for 10-nights

• Visit Vancouver, Kamloops, Jasper NP, and Banff NP
• 4-days on the train with a different rail route (and different scenery) eastbound versus westbound.
• $5550 per person for departures in May

Recently booked a Viking Cruise?

Viking makes it really easy to book directly, either online or by phone.  Our clients worry that if they book on-line, that they’re cutting us out, but if you let us know after you’ve booked, then we can still help you with your reservation.  

We’ll check over your 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).

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/pfbid0Bf3BhP11UqzofAMSTEiECZM6GWmzhhhYJbRTefENphJXxsT8ijAaw6iF2asSikzkl

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

It’s Alaska Season!  

You might think this is a bit strange as the last cruise ships are leaving Alaska right now, but most Alaska bookings take place between Labor Day and Christmas.  It’s good you’re planning ahead for Alaska especially now – after effectively having been closed for 2020 and 2021, and 2022 being a half-season due to the Canadian Government dithering on their entry requirements, 2023 was largely sold out.  If you want to go in 2024, things are fine right now, but tighter than normal this far in advance. 

Your questions about Alaska are often about pre and post, so I thought today I’d offer a bit of information about Seattle and Vancouver.

With deference to residents of both Seattle and Vancouver, I would consider the two cities somewhat interchangeable.  They are both naturally spectacular port cities, with their downtown cores both right on the ocean and near the mountains.  The two cities are only 120 miles apart, and if not for an international boundary between them would almost be one continuous city.  

I would not recommend one over the other, and you should visit both cities if you have the opportunity.  The Amtrak connects the two cities (about 4 hours from downtown to downtown including border crossing time) several times a day.  

If you’re looking to differentiate the two, here are a few points:

Seattle probably has the more funky urban vibe.  If you’re a sports fan, the Mariners and the Seahawks dominate the south portion of the downtown core, and with year-round mild weather, it’s easy to get around by foot.  On a sunny day, with snow-capped volcanoes in the backdrop, Seattle isn’t like other American cities.  

Insider Tip:  If your ship departs from the Bell Street Pier (Pier 66), then stay near the Pike Place Market – there’s lots going on there, and you can walk to the cruise ship terminal.  The original Starbucks is in this same neighborhood.  

Vancouver has a much more Asian influence (Canada’s immigration patterns are different than the US) that affects both its culture and its culinary scene.  Vancouver is also somewhat closer to nature than Seattle.  Both cities are about the same size, but in Vancouver, you can walk out of your hotel, and into the rainforest (at Stanley Park) with relative ease.  

Insider Tip:  Vancouver is very compact, so you won’t be far from anything, but if you want views of the ocean, the mountains, and seaplanes taking off, stay near the cruise ship terminal.  There are two Fairmont hotels nearby that both have spectacular views.  Don’t miss Stanley Park and Granville Island. 

Vancouver is the larger of the two ports, and there are more options out of there (still plenty from Seattle).  However, SEATAC Airport is much better served for domestic flights than Vancouver, and there are more round-trip cruises from Seattle than Vancouver.  Lots of our clients use Seattle airport, and then travel independently for a few days before boarding a ship in Vancouver.  It is easily done.  

Finally, if Alaska is a bucket-list trip for you, then make the most of the experience and spend some time in Seattle or Vancouver (or both!).

All the cruise lines are represented in Alaska, so making choices can be a bit overwhelming.  We recently posted this video on our YouTube channel to help people narrow down their options:

Today’s Travel Opportunities

All the cruise lines have some presence in Alaska, so the possibilities are endless. 

Seabourn Odyssey departing Juneau May 17 for 7-days

• Visit Glacier Bay, Wrangell, Misty Fjords, Prince Rupert, Alert Bay, and Vancouver
• Perfect for those wanting to avoid the more touristy ports in Alaska, or perhaps those that have been previously, and want to see something new.  
• Window suites from $4184 and Veranda suites from $4685.
• All the rooms on Seabourn are suites, and include an open bar, specialty dining, gratuities, and wifi.  Our agency has a host on board this sailing, and all of our guests will receive a $175 per person on board credit.  
• See our ship tour video of Seabourn Sojourn (Odyssey’s identical sister) here: https://youtu.be/RJT7BVFpoqo?si=wOP90Lgdpb0kLxRw 
• See our Seabourn Alaska VLOG playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA1r3eOMaDVGIkLzMGzGDOfx8xOSpC2Vt&si=YRm5q_a6x9eZCJ0H 

Denali Cruise Tour with Princess.  Vancouver to Fairbanks for 13-nights departing May 8:

• Visit by ship (7-nights): Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, College Fjord. 
• Visit on land (6-nights):  2-nights at McKinley, 2-nights at Denali, 2-nights Fairbanks
• Includes all transportation and accommodation, meals on land, tour of Denali NP, Gold Dredge #8 (Fairbanks), and Chena River Sternwheeler Riverboat (Fairbanks).
• Fares start at $3528, and include Beverage package, as well as wifi and gratuities on the ship.
• See our Princess Alaska Lodges VLOG Playlist here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA1r3eOMaDVEZh4TwDNnSFedD8FOItXHe&si=OTVzhVNa_H66TgC3 

Round-trip from Seattle with Oceania departing August 6 for 10-days

• Visit Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Sitka and Victoria
• Includes beer/wine with meals, specialty dining, wifi on the ship, and a $400 per person shore excursion credit.
• PLUS:  Free pre-paid on board gratuities (only for our clients!), due to our exclusive arrangement with Oceania. 
• Veranda cabins from $5499 per person.  Ocean views from $3599.

SilverSea Expedition from Nome to Vancouver for 18-days

• Visit St. Matthew Island, St. Paul Island, the Aleutian Islands, Tanaga, Atka Island, Dutch Harbour, Unga Village, Hubbard Glacier, Elfin Cove, Point Adolphus, Sitka, Misty Fjords, Metlakatla.
• Sail on board the 212 guest Silver Wind, and get an additional $300 pp on board credit due to our exclusive arrangement with them. 
• Fares from $12,550 per person.  Includes open bar, gratuities, shore excursions, expedition activities and gear, wifi on the ship. 

Alaska Land-Cruise with Collette

If you’d rather just do the land portion of Alaska, then travel with Collette for 9-days between Fairbanks and Anchorage:

• Visit Fairbanks, Denali, Talkeetna, and Anchorage
• Departures June through September $4999 pp double

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/pfbid02vM3XPTR5omeCaUi84wUwxWFvzG3iwFfsMpWmqD173UqShCMpUCjQFTedeFAY5RvAl

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 of the things you’ve told us is that the travel industry needs to come up with a better word than “Expedition” to describe this exciting new way to travel.  I don’t have a replacement word yet, but there are several similarities between Expedition Cruising and Land Safaris.  

Expedition is the fastest growing segment of the cruise industry – doubling between 2017 and 2022 (and if you remember there was a bit of an interruption for a couple of years in that period).  If the people finding their way to these ships were all Under-35, Everest base-camp type travellers, there’s no possible way such growth could have been realized (and I would likely be ignoring the trend).

Contrary to some popular opinion out there, Expedition Cruises are NOT being booked by young, Olympic athletes.  If you are 55 to 75, moderately mobile, and curious about the world, then you fit the demographic perfectly.  

The fitness requirements are minimal.  Can you walk up two flights of stairs, and get in and out of a bathtub unassisted?  If so, you’ll do just fine on an Expedition cruise. 

The most important criteria is that you are curious about the world around you.  Instead of Vegas style production shows, there will be presentations about the area through which you are sailing, and the living creatures found there.  Instead of a shuffleboard game, there will be scientific research happening on board the ship, which you can participate in.

The food, dining, and accommodation?  This varies by cruise line, but the fact that Seabourn, SilverSea and Viking all have expedition vessels should give you an indication of what to expect on board.  

Where do Expedition cruises go?

Most obviously, these ships are in the polar regions.  Antarctica is the most common Expedition destination, and if you want more information on how to choose an Antarctic cruise, here’s a video we put together a few years ago:  https://youtu.be/3c-2TBXw6ls?si=I8BvO3SsqGub4IpO 

The Galapagos is another destination that is best seen on a smaller expedition ship, and is the most popular choice for first-time Expedition cruisers.

In the Northern Hemisphere: the Norwegian Coast, Greenland, and the Northwest Passage through Canada are popular Expedition destinations.  Greenland and the NW passage are like going on Safari in Africa, although the “game” you’re looking for are mostly sea mammals.  

If you prefer warmer destinations, then Expedition cruises are offered on the Great Lakes, the Kimberly Coast in Western Australia, West Africa, Patagonia (Chile), and the Amazon.  What all these incredible destinations have in common is that they are remote, difficult to get to, and BEST seen by ship.  

We are also seeing some of these ships do “cultural expeditions”.  These usually happen during repositioning season, and take place in Central America, the Caribbean, or the Mediterranean.  If you’ve been to these regions before, but want an opportunity to see the more remote areas that are not normally frequented by tourists, then a cultural expedition is the way to do so (and you only have to unpack once – unlike a land tour).

If you’re curious as to what an expedition ship looks like, Bob and I were on board Viking’s Polaris in June in the Great Lakes.  Here’s a link to our ship tour video:  https://youtu.be/izwAZ6NdFOo?si=-Gu2nJTEE7zhbsIe 

Curious about whether an expedition cruise is right for you, but reluctant to commit to Galapagos or Antarctica? We suggest starting with the Great Lakes to try out this style of travel close to home.  

We’d love to help you select an Expedition Cruise!

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Explora Journeys 

The reviews are in, and this new contemporary European brand is knocking it out of the park.  No main dining room, but a series of (included) specialty restaurants.  You’ll also have a huge 375 square foot veranda room.  Your fare includes an open bar, wifi, specialty dining, and gratuities.  

Due to our exclusive arrangement with them, we can also get you

• 10% off any 2023 departure, or 
• 5% off any 2024 departure.
• Shore Experience credits €300 per person

If you missed our vendor focus on Explora… here’s the link:  https://pamperedcruiser.com/explora-journeys-world-debut/ 

Here are a few sample itineraries from Explora Journeys:

Miami Round-Trip departing December 13 for 10-days.

• Visit Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Spanish Town (BVI), Dominican Republic, Ocean Cay (Bahamas)
• Verandas available at $4700 per person (less 10% – only through us)
• This cruise is a great opportunity to check out this new brand, close to home.  

Panama Canal departing March 18 for 11-nights

• Full transit travelling between Barbados and Panama City
• Visit Bridgetown, Dominica, Curacao, Aruba, Cartagena (overnight), Costa Rica, Panama City (overnight)
• Verandas available at $6050 (less 5% — only through us)

Croatia & Greece departing July 5 for 7-nights

• From Athens to Venice
• Visit Athens, Paros, Kefalonia, Dubrovnik, Split, Rovinj, Venice
• Verandas available at $5250 (less 5% — only through us)

Tauck Family Adventures

You’ve recently been requesting options for travelling with grand-children.  Here’s a couple from Tauck:

National Parks from Jackson WY to Rapid City SD

• Visit Jackson, Grand Teton NP, Snake River Outing, Yellowstone NP, Buffalo Bill Village, Cowboy Ranch, Crazy Horse, Mount Rushmore,
• From $4990 per person, with regular departures in June, July and August.

Castles on the Rhine River Boat Adventure

• Visit Basel, Lucerne, Mt. Pilatus, Strasbourg, Rhine Gorge, Koblenz, Cologne, Amsterdam
• From $5190 per person in June or July
• We don’t see many river cruises with children on board, so this is a great opportunity.  If you’d rather NOT travel with children, we’re happy to find you alternative dates. 

LAST CHANCE:  AMA Waterways Private Sale

If you’d like to book an AMA Waterways cruise, and take advantage of the extra goodies they’ve thrown at us this month, then we have to get your hold placed by September 30.  Here’s the exclusive benefits:

• $100 per person shipboard credit on ANY AMA Waterways cruise, OR
• $200 per person shipboard credit on select sailings.  We listed several of them here:  https://pamperedcruiser.com/ama-waterways-pay-for-your-river-cruise-90-days-before-departing/
• Free pre-paid gratuities on any 2023 departure

Expedition Offers

Don’t be put off by the word “Expedition”.  If you want to explore the more remote areas of the planet, and go where others don’t often get to, then an Expedition Cruise might be the best way to do that.  Here are a few examples. 

Great Lakes with Viking from Toronto to Milwaukee for 7-nights departing April or May 2024

• Visit Toronto, Port Colborne, Niagara Falls, Point Pelee, Detroit, Alpena (MI), Mackinac Island, and Milwaukee.
• Nordic Balconies from $5995 per person including Air.
• This cruise is a great way to check out Expedition Cruising to see if it’s right for you.  You also get to explore some interesting places in your own backyard.  

Galapagos Islands with Celebrity for 7-nights departing November 30, 2024.

• Round-trip from Baltra visiting Black Turtle Cove, Sullivan Bay, Bartolome Island, Urvina Bay, Tagus Cove, Espinoza Point, Vincente Roca Point, Egas Port, Santa Cruz, El Barrranco, Darwin Bay, North Seymour Island.  
• Fares start at $6039 per person.  For clarity, this is NOT a Celebrity mega-ship (those aren’t allowed in the Galapagos), but rather a 16 passenger catamaran.  

Antarctica with Hurtigruten for 11-nights departing March 10, 2024

• Round-trip from Buenos Aires with 5 scheduled days of landings on the Antarctic continent.  
• Pricing from $7591 per person including flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia, and expedition activities.

This is the world’s first hybrid electric powered cruise ship.  See our ship tour video here:  https://youtu.be/1L_ByDqhGR0?si=JOn505oxuQ8zWYA2

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