If you consume television news, it would be easy to feel hopelessness and despair as we head into the Independence Day weekend. 

I do NOT feel that way.

I am not blind to the challenges we face, but one of the rewards of travelling is you get to see how other people live, and the challenges they face… and we’ve got a pretty good thing going here, folks. 

We should always be willing to learn from other countries, and continue to improve ourselves, but life here is very good, and THAT is what we need to celebrate this weekend.

Bob grew up in a border town (on the Northern border), and he tells me that years when the Canadian National Holiday (July 1st) happens on a Friday, and Independence Day happens on the Monday (like this year), that it served as a darn fine excuse for a four-day party, as people from both countries crossed back and forth to celebrate with each other.

In recognition of both nations’ birthdays, here are some travel ideas for both domestic and Canadian destinations.

Rocky Mountaineer

Travel from the iconic beaches of one of the world’s Top 10 most liveable cities to the spectacular glaciers and mountains in the Canadian Rockies by luxury train.

Rocky Mountains in 2022:

1. Canadian Rockies Circle Journey.  Round-trip Vancouver departing September 4th (10 days.
2. Visit Kamloops, Jasper, Banff, Lake Louise.
3. $5926 per person with tax. Includes all accommodations and transportation, Canadian National Parks pass, Gondola in Banff, Lake Minnewanka boat cruise, the Ice Explorer, and Glacier Skywalk.

Rocky Mountains in 2023:

1. Discovery Banff Circle Journey.  Round-trip Vancouver departing May 8th (9-days).
2. Visit Kamloops, Jasper and Banff
3. $4636 per person with tax.  Includes all accommodations and transportation, Canadian National Parks pass, Gondola in Banff, Lake Minnewanka boat cruise, the Ice Explorer, and Glacier Skywalk

American Queen – Mississippi and Columbia Rivers

Travel in 2022 – American Queen Voyages is offering 50% off select departures for this year while space lasts.  The prices below reflect the 50% savings.

Columbia River between Portland OR, and Spokane WA

1. 9-day packages including open bar, unlimited shore excursions, pre-cruise hotel night, wifi on the ship:
2. Depart July 31 with fares starting at $2100 per person
3. Depart November 6 or 13 with fares starting at $1950 per person

Memphis to Chattanooga (or reverse)

1. 9-day packages including open bar, unlimited shore excursions, pre-cruise hotel night, wifi on the ship:
2. Depart October 17 with fares starting at $1950 per person
3. Depart October 28 with fares starting at $1800

The Mississippi in 2023

1. Lower Mississippi between New Orleans and Memphis (or reverse)
2. 9-day packages including open bar, unlimited shore excursions, pre-cruise hotel night, wifi on the ship.
3. Depart April 3, with fares from $3098 per person for a Veranda Stateroom
4. Depart June 3, with fares from $2698 per person

Alaska Cruise

Alaska in 2022

1. Sitka to Vancouver on the Ocean Victory departing August 8 for 12-days
2. Fares from $4558 per person including kayaking and zodiac boats daily, open bar, pre-cruise hotel night, and wifi on the ship.

Travel in 2023

1. Viking Ocean between Vancouver and Anchorage departing May 20 or 30
2. $4999 with air add-on from $599
3. Visit the Inside passage, Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Icy Strait Point, Yakutat Bay, and Valdez.
4. Includes all taxes and fees, transfers, a shore excursion at each port, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/pfbid034T9r1dD15EjMnP7WC8E6DDcTPrPHp7W7Lyrj185zuaT1a6EEBAHpRY41Lf6mY8Fvl

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

Now that many of you are out travelling again, we’re seeing requests for types of trips we haven’t experienced in a while.  Mexico and Canada are the two most visited countries by Americans, but when it comes to overseas destinations Italy has long been the favorite.

It’s easy to understand why: fantastic food, world-class historical sites, music, diversity and interesting people.  Italy is only a little bit bigger than Arizona, but in that space holds 60 million people.  Even in that relatively small space, there is so much to see, you will be forced to make some trade-offs unless you’re able to stay for a few months. 

Some of you ask the “best” way to see Italy, and when we do our jobs well, we have to be agnostic in our answer.  The best way to visit anywhere depends on what you want to get out of your trip, and the criteria by which you determine that.

With that said, here are the three main ways we send people to Italy, along with some of the trade-offs.

Visit Italy on an Ocean Cruise

Rome is one of the Mediterranean’s major ports, so all the cruise lines have some presence here.  Some of those cruises go east or west to other Mediterranean countries, but there are plenty that run between Rome and Venice (for example) featuring several Italian Ports

The upside:

1. Cruise vacations are efficient – you travel at night, so you maximize your time.
2. Value per dollar, cruise is pretty hard to beat – especially in Europe.
3. You only unpack once.
4. You often get to visit Croatia and/or Malta as well on Italian ocean cruises.

The trade-off:

1. If you’re only in a port for a day, you really only scratch the surface.
2. Neither Rome (which is 2 hours from the port), or Florence (about the same) are well seen as an excursion off a cruise ship. You need to do pre/post in these cities.
3. There are places in the center of Italy, and in the northern part that are not accessible as a port of call on a cruise ship.

Ocean Cruise to Italy (2022):

1. “Opulent Mediterranean” with Oceania Cruises.
2. Barcelona to Rome, departing September 26th for 10 nights.
3. Verandas start at $4149 (cruise only) or $5149 with flights.  We can also get you FREE pre-paid gratuities on this departure, as an exclusive benefit of booking with our agency.
4. Visit Barcelona, Palamos, Marseille, Monte Carlo, Saint-Tropez, Livorno (for Pisa, Florence, Tuscany), Messina (Sicily), Valletta, Naples/Pompeii and Rome.
5. Insider Tip:  Oceania has warned us that their fares are going up on July 1st. 

Ocean Cruise to Italy (2023):

1. “Italian Sojourn” with Viking Cruises
2. Venice to Rome, departing May 15th or May 26th, 2023 (7 nights)
3. Verandas start at $3799 per person ($5098 per person with flights)
4. Multiple departure dates offered (prices vary with date of travel).

Visit Italy on a River Ship

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises operates a one-week cruise round-trip from Venice through the Venetian Lagoon, and up to Po River towards Bologna.  You can also add-on Milan for 2-days pre-cruise, and/or a rail journey finishing in either Zurich or Istanbul.

The upside

1. The ship is docked right on the Grand Canal, leaving you steps from all that Venice has to offer.  With the ocean-going ships no longer docking in Venice, this makes the river ship that much more unique.
2. Venice and its surrounding areas have far more to offer than simply streets of water (what you experience when you’re there for a day on an ocean shore excursion), so you get to explore this corner of northern Italy in depth.
3. Milan and Lake Como are common add-ons to this cruise – neither of which is easy to access from an ocean ship.
4. The upsides to cruise ships noted above, apply here as well.

The trade-off

1. You really don’t travel that far in the week, so it wins for “immersive”, but ocean cruises would have more diversity of experience because they visit different regions in Italy.

River Cruise in Italy (2022)

1. Venice (round-trip), departing October 2nd for one week.
2. Window room $2199.  (French Balconies and Suites sold out)
3. Includes transfers, open bar, daily excursions, Wi-Fi.
4. Visit Venice (dock in 2 different locations around the city), Chioggia, Bologna, Porto Viro, Burano, Torcello, Mazzorbo.

River Cruise in Italy (2023)

1. Venice (round-trip), departing July 11th for one week.
2. Window room $3399.  French Balcony $5099
3. SAVE 10% off the above pricing as an early booking bonus for those willing to pay in fulls at time of booking.

Visit Italy on a Guided Land Tour

There are an infinite number of land tour providers that offer tours of varying lengths to every corner of Italy.  Your challenge will be narrowing your choices down!

The Upside:

1. We sometimes refer to such land tours as “land-cruises” for our clients that have mostly done cruise vacations.  These land tours are structured very similarly, so the people that like the structure of a cruise will be comfortable.
2. Most of these land-tours include a local guide, so you will be much more informed and immersed in local culture than you would be on your own.

The Trade-offs

1. Much like a cruise, you are operating on a pre-determined itinerary, so you lose the flexibility of staying somewhere for a while longer if it appeals to you.
2. Unlike a cruise, you’ll be packing and unpacking every night, or every other night, and you will be on trains and motorcoaches during the day to get between destinations. 
3. These land tours are typically not as inclusive as cruises are, so you’ll be paying as you go for meals, drinks, and entry fees to museums or other attractions.

A couple of other thoughts:

1. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you can’t properly visit it in one day (especially when it’s 2 hours each way to the ship).  This is the biggest mistake we see people make when planning trips to Italy.  If you’re a museum person, then the same applies to Florence.
2. A combination of a cruise and land tour might be best if you have time. 

Guided Land Tour in Italy (2022)

1. “Ultimate Italy” – Luxury Gold’s best-selling tour of Italy
2. Rome to Venice (12 days)
3. Prices from $8995 per person
4. Includes VIP experiences, exceptional dining, elegant hotels and a Traveling Concierge who’s there to tailor everything to your desires.
5. Luxury Gold and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises are sister companies, owned by the same parent corporation.
6. Consider choosing “Make Travel Matter” experiences on both Luxury Gold and Uniworld trips.  Learn more here: https://youtu.be/HjVlx0q1tC8 

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/pfbid02YsZsBZgNvEETJbR7Fai1XqydHnpCXRh9rrkKVFro2QMiPQe3WZwNyCdjddkG4yfyl

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

Most of the cruise-news we’ve been consuming over the past couple of years has been about which companies are operating again, and what hoops you have to jump through to get on those ships. Ugh.

That’s why THIS is such a good news story. 

Explora Journeys is a brand-new cruise line that sails its maiden voyage about a year from now.  Their first ship, Explora I, was floated out last month in Genoa, Italy, with three more identical ships to be launched between now and 2026.

While Explora Journeys is brand new, they are not unfamiliar.  Their parent company is the largest naval freight company in the world (28% of North American ship cargo is handled by them).  They also cherry-picked some of the most trusted people we know in the industry from cruise lines line Seabourn, Crystal, Ritz-Carlton, and Oceania. 

Perhaps most interestingly, they have also been recruiting from the luxury HOTEL industry as well, in an effort to expand their thinking beyond the cruise industry and come up with a product offering that is new, interesting, and unique.  They endeavour to be the “providers of experiences”, rather than  just a “cruise line”, and they are designing their ships to feel more like a luxury boutique hotel. 

To achieve this, they surveyed more than 20,000 consumers – only some of whom considered themselves “cruisers”.  They listened carefully to those people before planning their ships and itineraries.

They also created an advisory board of high-producing cruise travel advisors.  I’m proud to report that Bob and I sit on this board and participate by sharing the things our clients really like about cruise vacations, and some of the things they would like to see done differently.

It is a unique opportunity to help craft a new product from the ground up. 

Here is a short list of some of the things you can expect on Explora Journeys:

The rooms are HUGE.  The entry level (best-priced) rooms are 375 square feet, plus a large outdoor terrace on every suite that has a daybed, and a dining table and chairs for two!

Ship size and space.  Their ships will be 64,000 tons and hold 900 guests.  This makes them leaders in the “passenger space ratio” cruise metric.  This essentially is a measure of how much space there is per guest on a ship.  All the small-ship lines perform well here compared to the megaships, but here are two comparisons for ships around the same size:

• Viking Ocean 48,000 tons for 940 guests
• Oceania 66,000 tons for 1250 guests

Inclusions. Fares include unlimited beverages (including daily replenishment of your in-suite mini-bar), gratuities, all taxes and fees, and Wi-Fi on the ship.

Dining.  Rather than one big main dining room, with a couple of smaller specialty restaurants, there are nine different dining restaurants on board (as well as room service).

Entertainment.  Similarly, there isn’t a big theatre with Vegas-style shows, but rather a series of smaller, more intimate venues with a wide variety of entertainers to meet different tastes.  

Unique ports of call.  The itineraries are designed to begin and end at places with good air service, but the ports in between are a mix of cruise favorites and perhaps some you’ve never heard of before.  This is especially great for experienced travellers who want to discover new places.

Create your own Grand Journey. Explora ships will be constantly roaming around the world rather than repeating the same itinerary over and over again.  That makes is VERY easy to link together multiple shorter voyages and create your own dream itinerary.    

If you think this sounds exciting, then I would like to personally invite you to learn more about Explora Journeys.

On Wednesday, June 22nd, Explora Journeys is hosting a webinar with more information, and some renderings of the next ship.  All those attending will receive a 300 Euro onboard credit for your first experience with Explora Journeys. 

Click here NOW to register for the webinar:

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/569902586578567696?source=B2B

You’ll discover a unique luxury travel experience for those who want to explore differently. Learn how Explora Journeys provides “a perfect day, every day”.

Bob and I have been attending regular Travel Advisor Boards sessions and we are SUPER excited about what we’ve been learning.

Please share this email with your friends.

When you register, please make the following selections:

• Are you an Advisor or Client – Choose CLIENT

• Agency Name – Type “Client of Sue Bradley”

Today’s Travel Opportunities

Here are some Explora Journeys itineraries for 2023.  Even if you’ve been to the region before, take note of the unique ports of call.  Prices reflect the best-priced 375 square foot veranda suite described above.

These trips are available to book now. You do NOT need to wait for the webinar.

Spain and Portugal

• Barcelona to Lisbon for 8-days departing June 11, 2023.
• Visit Malaga (overnight), Cadiz, Portimao, Lisbon (overnight)
• $4500 per person

England, Scotland & Ireland

• London to Glasgow for 10 days departing August 24, 2023.
• Visit Edinburgh (overnight), Newcastle, Invergordon, Stornoway, Greencastle (Ireland), and Liverpool.
• $6050 per person

Quebec the St. Lawrence Seaway

• Quebec City to NYC for 11-days departing October 3, 2023.
• Visit La Baie, Saguenay, Baie Comeau, Havre St. Pierre, Charlottetown, Halifax, and NYC (overnight)
• $5350 per person

Caribbean

• Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico for 8-days departing November 3, 2023
• Visit Key West, Spanish Town (Virgin Gorda), Deshaies (Guadeloupe), and St. John’s.
• $2900 per person

Panama Canal

• Bridgetown, Barbados to Panama City for 12-days departing March 18, 2024
• Visit Roseau (Dominica), Willemstad (Curacao), Oranjestad (Aruba), Cartagena (overnight), Puerto Limon (Costa Rica), Panama City (overnight).
• $4550 per person.

Hawaii

• Vancouver to Honolulu for 10-days departing April 18, 2024.
• Visit Hilo (overnight), and Honolulu (overnight).
• $3700 per person
• If you want to go round-trip and include the voyage back to Vancouver, it will be 19 days aboard for $7400 per person.

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/3304489919833499

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 have been hearing about the challenges within the airline industry lately, which has prompted some of you to ask specific questions about the potential advantages or disadvantages of booking your air through the cruise line or land tour operator.  So, I thought I would put together a short Q & A on the subject.

Underscoring this whole conversation, it should be well understood that cruise lines do NOT operate their own planes.  They have no control (and are every bit as frustrated as you) when the airlines cancel flights or change planes at the last minute.  So, with that in mind….

Q: Can I get Premium Economy, or Business/First Class Seats?

A: Yes, but first some definitions.  Domestically we have 2 classes of service.  Internationally there are three (or more depending on the airline).

1. Economy – “Cattle Class”.
2. Premium Economy – this compares to Business Class on domestic flights.  The seats are wider, with more leg room, and you get priority check-in and priority boarding.  It is NOT the same as the domestic airline’s cash grab of charging you an extra $100 for the first four rows in the economy cabin and giving you an extra one inch of legroom.
3. Business/First Class – this varies between carriers, but it is usually the lie-flat pods for overseas flights. 

Q: Will I get a better price on flights through the cruise line?

A: Maybe.  Most of the cruise lines offer flights at market rates, meaning the price on economy air is almost always the same as you can get on your own (although occasionally they have a better price).  For Premium Economy and Business Class, it is more likely the cruise line will have better pricing than you can get directly with the airline.

ALSO… some cruise lines offer air buy-downs.  Viking is most well-known for this, where you pay a reduced, fixed rate for flights.  In this case, it is certainly cheaper to do your air through the cruise line.  However, even Viking is slowly adjusting this practice – particularly on the Ocean side of their business.

Q: Do the cruise lines deal with all the airlines?

A: No… and this is what sometimes causes problems.  The cruise lines have contracted rates, and sometimes those rates are only with one airline alliance.  That might work just fine if you are flying to and from a place well-served by that carrier.  However, if your origin and destination are served by a different airline, you may be better off doing your own air.

Q: If I take the cruise line’s air, will they hold the ship for me if I’m late?

A: NO… this is a common myth.  On river boats, they often don’t leave on the day of embarkation, so there’s a margin of error built in.  On ocean vessels, the captain of the ship often has very little discretion as to when that ship sails.  The Harbormaster, or other local authorities get the final say, and there are tidal, naval traffic, or other considerations as well.  Undoubtedly, if there is discretion to hold the ship for late guests, they would do so… it’s just not at their call most of the time.

Q: Can I use my airline points to upgrade if I book through the cruise line?

A: Probably not.  Presumably this should be easy, but dozens of our clients have attempted this without success.  They end up in a circular argument with the airlines who first say that if the ticket is booked through the cruise line, then the cruise line must initiate the upgrade.  When the cruise line’s air department calls, the airline tells them that the point-holder must call.  It’s extraordinarily frustrating, but unfortunately what we’ve come to expect from our domestic air carriers. 

Q: Will there be fewer changes if I book through the cruise lines?

A: No.  The cruise lines have no control over the constant changes currently being experienced on domestic air routes.  Hopefully in the next few months this situation corrects itself. 

Q: So, what should I do… what’s the bottom line?

A: Ten minutes of on-line research will serve you very well when you’re booking air.  If you go to google flights, or one of the big on-line websites that sells air, you’ll be able to see everything that a travel agent or the air department at the cruise line can see.  Type in the particulars of where and when you’re going and take note of the options.  You can filter by the best price and also the shortest duration.  Both those things are good to know BEFORE you contact the cruise line or land tour operator for an air quote. 

Write down the top three flight routings you would be willing to take, and the associated costs.  When you call the cruise line, you are then working from a position of knowledge when they tell you what they can do for.  Keep in mind that the price of flights changes from hour to hour, so make sure you don’t let too much time elapse between doing your homework and calling the cruise line’s air department.

REMINDER: If you recently booked a Viking cruise (ocean or river), don’t forget to let me know! I can almost always add extra perks to your existing reservation. Viking makes it VERY easy for you to make a booking online or through their call center, and you might forget to loop me in beforehand. They also might seem to imply that you have to book directly with Viking in order to use a promotion code or get a special price – this is NOT true, and I can get you the same deals or better.  No worries if you already booked; just let me know as soon as possible and I’ll add those extra perks for you.  As you may know, there is NO fee to work with me, and everything about your original reservation remains exactly the same. Thank you for supporting a hard-working small business owner!

Today’s Travel Opportunities

I mentioned Viking’s Air program above.  Viking currently has a GREAT promotion offering Free Air on some 2023 departures (book by June 30th).

Viking’s Capitals of Eastern Europe (NEW!)

This is the perfect trip if you have already spent a lot of time in Western Europe and would like to explore a bit further afield.  This trip will up your “country count” and you only have to unpack once!

1. Sail between Vienna, Austria to Bucharest, Romania over 17-days.
2. Visit Bratislava (Slovakia), Budapest, Mohacs (Hungary), Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania.
3. Click here for details:  https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/europe/capitals-of-eastern-europe/2023-vienna-bucharest/index.html?agenturlid=pamperedcruiser
4. Prices start from $4999 – $5799 per person depending which month you travel.
5. Includes return economy flights (upgrades available), transfers, all taxes and fees, shore excursions, beer/wine with meals, and Wi-Fi on the ship.
6. Free flights on 2023 departures only (book by June 30th).

Viking’s Cities of Light (Paris to Prague)

This trip will suit you if you want a taste of these two great urban places, while also experiencing some of the small hamlets and townships between them. 

1. Visit Trier, Bernkastel, Cochem, Koblenz, Heidelberg, Wurzburg, Bamberg, Nuremberg.
2. Click here for details: https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/cruise-destinations/europe/cities-light/2023-paris-prague/index.html?agenturlid=pamperedcruiser
3. This is a 12-day package with prices starting at $3799 – $4299 depending on month of departure.
4. Includes return economy flights (upgrades available), transfers, all taxes and fees, shore excursions, beer/wine with meals, and Wi-Fi on the ship. 
5. Free flights on 2023 departures only (book by June 30th).

American Queen Voyages – Illinois River

If you’re ready to travel a bit sooner, and stay a bit closer to home, American Queen has extended its companion sale, that makes for a nice summer getaway:

1. Chicago to St. Louis or reverse
2. Visit Ottawa (Illinois), Peoria, Havana, Hannibal, Grafton.
3. 9-day package from $1799 per person (Veranda Room) for departures in August 2022.  This price already incorporates the ‘second guest sails free’ promotion.
4. Includes one pre-cruise hotel night, unlimited guided shore excursions, open bar, and Wi-Fi on the ship.
5. Book by June 30th

Two Warm Weather Cruises for the Winter

I know, I know… I shouldn’t even be talking about this before summer has even arrived LOL!  But if you’re already looking ahead for opportunities to escape the winter darkness and cold, here’s a couple of ideas:

Viking’s Classic Panama Canal Passage – Full Transit – 11-days

Most cruises that include a full transit of the Panama Canal are 15-days or longer between Florida and California.  This trip goes between Fort Lauderdale and Panama City, so you get the benefit of a full transit on a bit shorter itinerary. 

1. Visit Key West, Cozumel, Belize, Roatan, Costa Rica, Colon (Panama)
2. Click here for details: https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/caribbean-americas/classic-panama-canal-passage/index.html?agenturlid=pamperedcruiser
3. Pricing starts at $3799 per person with a $799 pp air add-on for departures in October, November, December, and February (book by June 30th).

Viking’s South America & the Chilean Fjords

This trip offers a real taste of South America, with visits to two vibrant urban spots for embarkation and disembarkation, as well as a bunch of stops in between.  Notably you get to do a Glacier viewing in Patagonia, and a sail around Cape Horn.

1. 18-days between Santiago and Buenos Aires. Sail right around the cape between Pacific and Atlantic (Patagonia is like Alaska before discovered, and visit Montevideo, Puerto Madryn, Falkland Islands, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, Amalia Glacier, Puerto Montt.
2. Click here for details: https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/caribbean-americas/south-america-chilean-fjords/index.html?agenturlid=pamperedcruiser
3. Prices start at $6699 per person with $1599 flights for departures in December, January, and February (book by June 30th).

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/3299261313689693

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

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

You are probably aware that cruise ships move with the seasons.  This is one of the distinct advantages of a floating hotel or resort – it can move.  Those migration patterns were interrupted in 2020 and 2021, but it appears as though the pattern is settling out again.

Right now, most of the cruise ships in the world are in Alaska or Europe.  A few remain in the Caribbean and Australia/New Zealand year-round, but the overwhelming majority of ocean ships right now are in the Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea, or running up and down the British Columbia/Alaska coast lines. 

In September and October, the ships in Alaska will return to Australia, New Zealand and East Asia (and some to the Caribbean), and the ships currently in Europe will head to Canada/New England to wait out hurricane season before returning to the Caribbean, and some to South America.  The reverse migrations happen in the spring.

During these times of repositioning, you will find some really interesting itineraries that aren’t available at other times of the year.  These are usually longer itineraries, and involve some days on the open ocean, so they are not for everyone. 

Here are a few routings or ports of call that we really only see in repositioning season:

Pacific Ocean

• Hawaii – There are cruises to Hawaii from California all winter, but if you want to sail one way to the Hawaiian Islands, and then spend some time, and fly the other way, you can do this in Spring and Fall.
• Alaska to Japan – Some of the ships migrate to/from Asia/Australia via Alaska, Japan and East Asia.  You will visit ports you would never otherwise see on this journey.
• Extended Panama Canal – The ships need to get between Florida and Seattle/Vancouver, so these cruises (usually about 3 weeks long) offer all the diversity that North America has to offer.
• California Coastals – These are usually one week long, between Vancouver and Southern California.  You’ll visit less frequented ports stops such as Portland, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara.  Some of these are wine-themed cruises and include extensions into the Napa/Sonoma regions.
• Australia/New Zealand – if you don’t want the 14-hour plane ride, you can do it by ship in spring and fall, but these itineraries are usually 28 days or more.

Atlantic Ocean

• Iceland & Greenland – These destinations have become more popular in the past few years, but during repositioning season, there are more port stops as the ships make their way to/from North Europe and St. Lawrence Seaway and or the Northeast.
• Canary Islands, Azores, Morocco, and West Africa – these are ports stops during repositioning season when the ships head from the Mediterranean to South America and the Caribbean.
• St. Pierre and Miquelon – who knew that France still had a territory in North America?  This island group near the mouth of the St. Lawrence River is politically part of Europe, uses the Euro as its currency, and is very French (and quite different from the variation spoken in Canada).  It is also difficult to get to, so cruise is a great way to get to see it. 

What about river ships?
River boats are much more restricted in their migration patterns.  So much so, that most of the European River ships simply don’t operate in January and February.  In the United States, the same is true for the Columbia River, and on the Mississippi River system we see the Lower Mississippi offered through the late fall, winter and spring months, with trips further upstream (as far as Minneapolis, Chicago, or Pittsburgh) in the summer.

Speaking of river ships… if you recently booked a cruise (ocean or river), don’t forget to let me know! I can almost always add extra perks to your existing reservation. Viking cruises in particular is making it VERY easy for you to make a booking online, so you might forget to loop me in beforehand. No worries, just let me know as soon as possible and I’ll add those extra perks for you. As you may know, there is NO fee to work with me, and everything about your original reservation remains exactly the same. Thank you for supporting a hard-working small business owner!

Today’s Travel Opportunities

If you’re thinking about a repositioning cruise, here are some ideas.

Barcelona to San Juan, Puerto Rico with Viking:

• 15 days, departing on December 3, 2022
• Veranda rooms start $2999 per person, with $799 – $999 flights.
• Visit Valencia, Seville, Strait of Gibraltar, Casablanca, Madeira, St. Maarten

Amsterdam to Fort Lauderdale with Holland America:

• 28 days, departing on October 2, 2022
• Veranda rooms start at $7709 per person.  Insides at $5089 pp.
• Visit Oslo, Gothenburg, Copenhagen Warnemunde, Stockholm, Kiel, Rotterdam, Le Havre, Plymouth, New York (overnight)

If you want to do just the Transatlantic (a 12-day cruise), you can pick up the ship at Rotterdam, with verandas from $3799 per person. 

Vancouver to Tokyo with Viking:

• 23 days, departing September 20, 2022 (also dates in April and September 2023)
• Veranda rooms start at $9599 per person, with $999 – $1199 flights.
• Visit Ketchikan, Sitka, Glacier Bay, Valdez, Seward, Kodiak, Dutch Harbour, and Sapporo.

Rome to Fort Lauderdale with Celebrity:

• 15 days, departing Oct 24th, 2022
• Veranda Cabins from $2319 per person
• Visit Corsica, Mallorca, Cartagena, Gibraltar, and Bermuda

Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale with Holland America:

• 23 days, departing October 2, 2022
• Veranda cabins from $3849 per person.
• Visit San Francisco, Avalon, San Diego, Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, Puerto Chiapas, Puerto Quetzal, Corinto (Nicaragua), Puerto Caldera (Costa Rica), Full transit of the Panama Canal, Aruba, Bahamas.

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/3293852377563920

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