There are two seemingly unrelated things I wanted to share with you this week.  Please bear with me, as I tie them together.

Our daughter got married a couple of weeks ago.  We feel remarkably blessed because we really like the fellow she married, and they truly are a fantastic match for each other.  She’s also been trying to get this wedding “across the line” for the past 18 months. 

In a story that is certainly NOT unique to her, this wedding was originally scheduled for the spring of 2020, then the fall of 2020, and then finally in the summer of 2021.  Thanks, Covid.

In the run up to this third attempt at getting married, she simply declared, “We’re getting married this time regardless of the restrictions or circumstances”.  Luckily, there were very few restrictions or compromises to their intended plans, and they (and we!) were extraordinarily thrilled with how it all turned out.

The other thing that happened in the past two weeks is that the news media announced that European Council recommended closure to US Passport Holders, and the Government of the Netherlands had closed their borders.  Both these headlines were based on a true story, but sadly missing context and facts to help people make good decisions. 

For the record, the European Council recommended non-vaccinated American travellers be quarantined for 10 days upon arrival (a far cry from being “closed”), and member states were left to make their own decisions.

The Dutch Government did restrict stays in the Netherlands to people from outside the EU, but that does not stop people from connecting in Amsterdam, OR from embarking or disembarking their ships there.

So how are these stories related?

Our clients (in what I think is typical of people travelling right now) simply responded by saying, “I’m going… so what do I have to do to make this work?”.  The language is different, but the sentiment is exact the same as my daughter being determined have a wedding no matter what.

There are many milestones and life events that have been postponed due to the pandemic.  In some cases, this has been unavoidable.  However, we are seeing more and more people willing to simply forge ahead, jumping through new hoops as the situation requires, because we can’t put life on hold any more. 

This is not cavalier… it is the willingness to adapt to the conditions in which on finds oneself. 

Next week, I’ll offer some suggestions on how to plan a milestone trip.  Such trips usually involve more people, so they can be a bit trickier to plan.

Until then, here’s some travel opportunities I uncovered this week:

20% Off SilverSea Cruises

A few weeks ago, I mentioned this opportunity for those who might like to try out a small ship luxury cruise or expedition cruise.  The good news is that SilverSea has extended this sale through to the end of September.

Get 20% off select Silversea cruises when you book by Sept. 30^th:

• Alaska departing Anchorage on June 23, 2022 for 7 nights, bound for Vancouver:  $5310 per person.
• Western Mediterranean departing Barcelona April 7, 2022 for 7 nights, bound for Rome: $5120 per person.  You also get a $300 on board credit on this sailing, and you can add Business Class flights for an additional $699 per person
• Eastern Mediterranean departing Rome April 14, 2022 for 11 nights, bound for Athens: $6160 per person (you also get a $300 on board credit, and the opportunity to fly in Business Class for $699.
• Antarctica: departing Ushuaia February 26, 2022 for 10 days:  $11,360 per person with a $300 OBC.
• Canada/New England:  Departing Fort Lauderdale on May 3, 2022 for 11 nights, bound for Halifax:  $6560 per person.  Upgrade to Business Class flights for $349.
• Dubai to Mumbai:  Departing December 8, 2022 for 12 days:  $5280 with a $300 onboard credit.  Add Business Class flights for $1499.

The prices above reflect the 20% discount you’ll receive when you pay in full by the end of September.

Also, we are excited to announce we are partnering with Silversea on a Consumer Event scheduled for September 22^nd at 7pm ET. 

Because you work with me, a Virtuoso travel advisor, you have access to this exclusive session.  I’ll be joining along with you.

During the webinar, you’ll discover more about Silversea’s all-inclusive cruises, its luxurious fleet, and its destination-immersive voyages. 

The event will be hosted by Mark Conroy (President of SilverSea) and Karl Kannstadter (Head of Expeditions), and you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions and get help planning your next trip.

By attending this session, you’ll be eligible to save $500 per person on any sailing with Silversea!  This offer is available ONLY to webinar attendees.

Click here to register for the webinar: https://virtuoso.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMtcOqorj8iEtNBQU_agptFnqfLmD9Q_jpl

IMPORTANT – After you register, send me your confirmation email for a further exclusive bonus from me and Bob (forward your confirmation to sue@pamperedcruiser.com).

FREE Flights on Viking Cruises

If you’re ready to travel in March 2022, then you can get FREE flights on various Rhine, Danube, and French river cruise itineraries with Viking River Cruises.

You can also get FREE airfare on many January / February 2022 Viking Ocean Cruises in the Mediterranean.

A special code is required to get this free airfare, so get in touch with me if you’d like to book a trip during these periods.

Travelling early in the season is not for everyone.  I take Cologne, Germany as an example because it is in the middle of the itineraries on offer.  In March, the highs are to 55 degrees, lows to 35 degrees, and there are normally 12 days during that month with some rain.  The good news is that the shore attractions in Europe are much less crowded than they are in the summer months. 

However, if you’re ready to wear a coat, these off-season departures offer incredible value. 

$300 Off US Rockies with Rocky Mountaineer

The famous Canadian luxury rail line has finally begun its inaugural season in the US Rockies between Denver and Moab, Utah, with trip extensions to either Las Vegas or Salt Lake City.  For selected departures in November 2021, you can get $300 off.  Here’s a link to the video we did earlier this season about the Rocky Mountaineer US experience: https://youtu.be/OYO1WoxJ-e0

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/3091923524423474

If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

If you are one of those who has stopped waiting for the end of the pandemic, and are simply adjusting to travelling during the pandemic, then you appear to be in good company.  Quite a few of our clients traveled to Europe and a few other places in July and August, and all of them came back with very similar assessments of their vacations:

• The onboard experience was not diminished.  With lower passenger loads, many suggested the service was even better than they had experienced previously.
• Shore attractions were less crowded.  There are fewer tourists out there right now, and that was obvious to many of our clients as they visited the sites in Europe that are usually at maximum capacity in the summer months.
• There are some extra hurdles.  Passenger locator cards, advance PCR tests, and proof of vaccination are all part of the international travel experience right now.  These things will go away at some point, but for the foreseeable future, these will be the hoops we will need to jump through if we wish to go abroad.

The very clear trend amongst both travellers and travel suppliers is adjusting to HOW to travel during the pandemic, as opposed to sitting at home and waiting for the pandemic to end.

This shift in mindset is nothing but good for those of us involved in the travel industry, and perhaps more important for the millions of people employed in the hospitality industry both here at home and abroad.  It is difficult to articulate how challenging the past 18 months have been for all those people, so to have them back at work is a huge step in the right direction.

Here are this week’s travel ideas:

Buy a Uniworld River Cruise & Get a Second One at 50% Off:

This is an incredible opportunity for those ready to travel between now and the end of the year. 

The booking deadline is September 9^th, 2021. Call us at 800-876-0168 to make a reservation.

The fine print on this offer is that it is only good for 2021 departures, so unless you enjoy spending a lot of time on trans-Atlantic flights, it probably means doing back-to-back river cruises (maybe with a few days in between in your favorite city). 

The combinations are endless, but here are a few I thought of:

• France:
  • Week 1:  Paris to Normandy ($3999 pp).  Round trip Paris
  • Week 2:  Burgundy & Provence ($3599 X 50% = $1800 pp).  Avignon to Lyon.
  • Week 2 (alternate):  Bordeaux ($3799 X 50% = $1900 pp).  Bordeaux round trip.
• European Christmas Markets:
  • Week 1:  Rhine Markets ($3899 pp).  Basel to Cologne.
  • Week 2:  Danube Markets ($4099 X 50% = $2050 pp).  Frankfurt to Nuremberg.
• Italy, Switzerland, Germany & Amsterdam
  • Week 1:  Po River, Italy ($3899 pp).  Milan to Venice.
  • Week 2:  Rhine River ($2999 X 50% = $1500 pp).  Basel to Amsterdam

Check out the possibilities and create your own combination: https://pamperedcruiser.uniworld.com/us/current-offers/2021-second-cruise-savings

As an exclusive benefit of booking through us, we also have a $200 per person onboard credit. 

Remember:

• Get 50% off the SECOND cruise
• Valid for 2021 departures only
• Must be booked by September 9, 2021.

Pacific Coastal (LA to Vancouver) with Viking Cruises

For those of you on the East coast who wanted to try out Viking Ocean, you’ve had the opportunity to go to Bermuda this summer.  There is still space on September 10 & 17, 2021 with balcony cabins starting at $1799 pp.  Bermuda may not be the most exotic destination, but what a great opportunity to check out Viking Ocean at an incredible price!

Now, those of us in the western half of the country have a similar opportunity.  Here are the details:

• Los Angeles to Vancouver (or reverse), visiting San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Francisco, Astoria (Portland), and Victoria (BC).
• Fares start at $2499 per person for a veranda cabin, and include all taxes and fees, transfers, a shore excursion in every port, specialty dining, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship.
• Air add-ons between $199 and $399 depending on where you’re flying from.
• Departures on April 9 & 25, 2022 from LA, and April 17, 2022 from Vancouver.

If you’ve never been to the west coast, this is a great way to get a little sample of many of the cities out that way.  It’s also a great price to check out Viking Ocean Cruises.

With Australia and New Zealand closed for this coming season, the cruise lines are having to redeploy their vessels.  Viking is doing some interesting itineraries in both the Caribbean, as well as out to Hawaii and Tahiti in the coming few months.  Here’s the link to our previous blog post about that:  https://pamperedcruiser.com/hawaii-with-viking-cruises/

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/3084783311804162

If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

Bob and I are just back from Virtuoso Travel Week in Las Vegas, and we’ll use this space over the next couple of weeks to pass along what we learned from our travel suppliers and peers while we were there.

Many of you had logistic questions about why cruise lines, hotels, tour providers or other vendors have changed itineraries or their product offerings.  Some of those answers are more obvious than others, so here’s a bit of a summary:

Political Considerations – Governments throughout the world are trying to balance the safety of their populations and visitors with the economic considerations that tourism (or lack thereof) bring.  This dynamic tension means things change often, and without warning, as all travel vendors must react to such changes.

Demand Considerations – The cruise lines and other travel providers are for-profit businesses, so they are continually reassessing what will maximize the number of people who will travel with them.  They are polling potential clients weekly about opinions on vaccination, masks, and other conditions of travelling during a pandemic.  Their decisions are driven by what the majority of their clients are telling them. 

Logistic Considerations – Cruise lines with lots of ships are phasing them back into service over the course of the next several months.  The demand for travel could put them all to work tomorrow.  So why are they waiting?  They need staff and crew to deliver a product that is consistent with their clients’ expectations, and after having been shut down for 16 months, it will take several more to get back to full capacity.  We learned this week that many hotels around the world are also running at 50% – 75% capacity simply because there is not enough trained staff to have those properties operating at higher numbers. 

Air Limitations – Cruise, hotel, and resort operators are at the mercy of the airlines to deliver most guests to the start of their vacation.  The airline industry (particularly our domestic carriers) is in complete disarray, and until that problem is solved, cruise ships and other accommodations will be running at reduced capacity. 

The overwhelming sentiment of the feedback we’re getting from our clients who are currently travelling or recently returned home is that while there are a few extra hoops to jump through in order to travel during a pandemic, the onboard experience is fantastic, and fewer people both on the ship and at shore attractions makes for a very positive experience overall.

You can expect the return to “normal” to take several more months, but the good news is that as the cruise lines adjust to the above considerations, you’ll see a number of new and innovative products and itineraries on offer.

Which brings us to today’s travel opportunities:

Hot off the press… Viking Cruises just announced some exciting new ocean itineraries for this fall.  Remember that Viking fares include taxes and fees, airport transfers, a shore excursion in each port of call, beer/wine with meals, Wifi on the ship, and specialty dining.

Viking Cruises Caribbean – 14 nights round trip from Fort Lauderdale, visiting 9 ports in the eastern and southern Caribbean.  Fares start at $2999 per person for a veranda room (with all the above inclusions) for departures on October 20 and November 3 of 2021.

Viking Cruises Hawaii – 16 nights round trip from Los Angeles, visiting 4 different islands in Hawaii, as well as Ensenada, Mexico.  Fares start at $3999 per person for a veranda room, for departures on December 4 or December 20, 2021.  These Hawaii cruises are perfect for those who really enjoy sea days. These itineraries are not even on the Viking website at time of publication, but they are open for booking already.

Quiet Season Mediterranean with Viking Cruises – Viking is offering free flights for those wanting to visit the Mediterranean in December, January or February:

• Athens to Barcelona (15 days).  Fares start at $5598 per person.
• Rome to Istanbul (15 days). Fares start at $5598 pp.
• Athens round trip (11 days). Fares start at $3999 pp.

If you would rather travel later in 2022, SilverSea is offering 20% Off selected voyages if you book by Aug. 31. 

SilverSea is a small ship, luxury experience with everything included.  Included in “everything”: Flights to/from the port, all beverages (including daily restocking of your in-suite mini-bar according to your preferences); gratuities, wifi on the ship, specialty dining, and a shore excursion in every port. 

When you take into consideration all the inclusions and the 20% off, the actual cost approaches what you might pay for a nice cabin on one of the megaships – but you don’t have to share the ship with 5000 others.  Here are a few examples:

• Alaska departing Anchorage on June 23, 2022 for 7 nights, bound for Vancouver:  $5310 per person.
• Western Mediterranean departing Barcelona April 7, 2022 for 7 nights, bound for Rome: $5120 per person.  You also get a $300 on board credit on this sailing, and you can add Business Class flights for an additional $699 per person
• Eastern Mediterranean departing Rome April 14, 2022 for 11 nights, bound for Athens: $6160 per person (you also get a $300 on board credit, and the opportunity to fly in Business Class for $699.
• Antarctica: departing Ushuaia February 26, 2022 for 10 days:  $11,360 per person with a $300 OBC.
• Canada/New England:  Departing Fort Lauderdale on May 3, 2022 for 11 nights, bound for Halifax:  $6560 per person.  Upgrade to Business Class flights for $349.
• Dubai to Mumbai:  Departing December 8, 2022 for 12 days:  $5280 with a $300 onboard credit.  Add Business Class flights for $1499.

The prices above reflect the 20% discount, and the fine print on their offer requires payment in full by August 31^st, 2021. 

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/3070801353202358

If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

Is Alaska on your bucket list?  Judging by the number inquiries we’re getting about the 49^th State, many of you do. 

Normally, we see interest for Alaska start to ramp up in the autumn months for the following summer.  It appears the pandemic has accelerated this cycle, so today I thought I’d provide some general information about visiting this unique part of the world.

Here is my suggested hierarchy of decisions when choosing an Alaskan Cruise and/or Land Tour:

WHEN?   The tourist season runs from late April through to early October, and there is no “best” time to visit, just a series of trade-offs:

April, May and early June have lots of daylight hours, are usually light on rain, and fewer crowds.  If you are going to Denali, it is also possible you won’t be able to get all the way into the depths of the park until the middle of June.

June, July, and August have reliable weather (although the further north you go, the more subject to rain you are starting in July).  There are also more crowds, and you’ll find it to be a bit more expensive in these months.

September and October things get a bit quieter, but the later in the season you go, the fewer daylight hours you get, and you are more subject to rain.

CRUISE, LAND, or BOTH?  You can do round-trip cruises out of Seattle or Vancouver, but those trips really only go halfway up the coast.  This might be fine if you’re just looking for a taste of Alaska, but many people who do these cruises vow to return to see the rest of the state so they can get into Denali.  Land tours are great for those that have already done one of these round-trip cruises.  If you’re going to go to the time and expense of visiting Alaska, I would suggest doing a cruise with a land extension to Denali National Park (and other points if you have time).

NORTHBOUND or SOUTHBOUND?  If you’re not doing one of the round-trip cruises, the endpoints of your trip will be in Anchorage/Fairbanks in the north, and Seattle/Vancouver in the south.  It’s a matter of personal opinion as to which is preferable but remember that the northern end of the trip is a much longer flight.  Vancouver is actually closer to Mexico than it is to Anchorage, and if you fly from Seattle to Fairbanks or Anchorage it is about 4 hours.  You’ll want to consider whether that longer day of air travel should be pre-vacation or on your way home.

LENGTH OF TRIP?  There really aren’t any Alaskan cruises shorter than 7 nights because of the huge distance you are covering.  The land extensions are an additional 3 days to 8 days.  If you’re going to Denali, keep in mind it is about 8 hours by train or motor coach from the port, and the park itself is larger than Massachusetts.  If you choose a 3-day land extension, plan on spending most of that time on a bus just getting to and from the park.  The most common land extension is 5 nights, which makes for a more comfortable pace.

SEATTLE or VANCOUVER?  Both these cities are spectacular in their own way, but logistically, they are very similar.  Vancouver has a larger cruise ship port and airport, but Seattle is better served for domestic flights.  In both cases you need a passport.  These two cities are only about 100 miles apart, and if not for the international boundary between them, they would be one continuous city by this point.  This should be your last criteria, after you’ve decided on all the ones above.

There are two factors people tend to overlook when planning a trip to Alaska.  First is how far away it is.  For more than half the population of the United States, Europe is closer and easier to get to than Alaska.  I had a client from Chicago who wanted to drive from Vancouver to Anchorage…. until I pointed out that the driving distance was greater than that from Chicago to Vancouver.  The second factor is Alaska’s sheer size.  Texas fits three times into Alaska, so once you’re in Alaska, keep in mind how long it might take you to get between destinations there.

Here’s a few travel opportunities for this week:

Alaska in 2021

If you want to go this season, there are one-week round trips from Seattle on Celebrity, Holland America, and Princess.

• Celebrity departing September 3^rd, 2021.  Balcony cabins start at $1699 per person.
• Holland America departing September 25^th, 2021.  Balcony cabins start at $1599 per person
• Princess departing September 5^th, 2021 (visits Glacier Bay National Park).  Balcony cabins start at $1069 per person

American Queen’s “Autumn on the River” Promotion

If you’re ready to cruise this fall, American Queen is offering up to $1000 off for some cruises departing in October.  Here’s one example:

• Memphis to Chattanooga departing October 24 for 9 days.  Prices from $2299 (inside), verandas from $4199.  Includes pre-cruise hotel night, all beverages specialty dining, a shore excursion in every port, and wifi on the ship. 

Alaska in 2022

SilverSea:  departing Anchorage on June 23, 2022 for 7 nights, bound for Vancouver:  $5310 per person (includes flights, transfers, gratuities, all beverages, specialty dining, a shore excursion in each port, and wifi on the ship)

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/3065337123748781

If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

If you keep up with the news, you may have caught the quiet announcement from the Prime Minister of Canada earlier this week that our northern border will reopen to US residents on August 9^th.  Most of our clients travel by cruise ship, and Canadian ports will not reopen until November so at first, I was ready to dismiss this announcement as not particularly relevant.

Regardless of whether you have a desire to visit our northern neighbor, the psychological aspect of this reopening is huge.  The boundary between the two countries is the world’s longest border (over 5500 miles), and other than a couple of days in September of 2001, it has never been closed.  Canada also represents our LARGEST trade relationship (not Mexico, not China, not Europe).

There are about 2 million Americans who live in Canada, and nearly 1 million Canadians who live in the United States, all of whom have been effectively isolated from their home countries for the past 15 months.  That alone makes this announcement significant.  We have so often taken for granted our ability to move freely between other like-minded nations, and that all changed with this pandemic.

Perhaps most important is that this border opening signals the “beginning of the end” of the pandemic.  Canada and the United States had very different experiences over the past 15 months.  Canada (amongst a handful of other nations) isolated early, endured long lock downs, and proceeded with extreme caution.  The fact they have chosen to reopen to American visitors is a positive sign that we might be getting near the end of all this nonsense.

Our news media, in its ongoing quest to secure viewers by stoking the emotions of anger and fear, will not offer commentary on positive news such as this.  We still have work to do to tame the pandemic, but the reopening of the world’s longest border surely qualifies as positive sign.

In recognition of this announcement, here are some travel ideas if you did want to make a trip North:

Rocky Mountaineer

We’ve highlighted the new Denver to Moab route lately (https://pamperedcruiser.com/trip-ideas-for-2022-and-beyond/), but Rocky Mountaineer is most famous for its trips through the Canadian Rockies, where it has operated for more than 30 years.  Your trip starts in Vancouver on the western side of the Rockies, and travels to Banff, Lake Louise, or Jasper on the eastern side of the continental divide.  The scenery and wildlife are spectacular, and the train journey itself ranks up there amongst the best in the world.  Here are a few examples:

• Vancouver to Banff National Park.  2 days on the rail with one night hotel from $1637 per person.
• Vancouver to Jasper National Park.  A 6-night journey visiting Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff and Jasper starting at $4469 per person.
• Vancouver round-trip.  A 9-night journey visiting Whistler, Quesnel, Jasper and Kamloops starting at $5497 per person

Rocky Mountaineer is operating in Canada now and will continue through October.

Vancouver & Whistler

Many people experience Vancouver as a cruise ship port, but it is a destination in and of itself.  With steep mountains to the north, the Pacific to the west, and the US border to the south, this cosmopolitan city of 2.5 million is one of the most scenic urban places in the world.  The world-class ski resort of Whistler is 90 minutes north and is worth visiting at any time of year.  Here are a few different Vancouver packages:

• Vancouver to Whistler “land-cruise”: (8 days for $2287 per person – Sep 2021).  Experience the urban flair of Vancouver, then drive over the Mountains to British Columbia’s wine growing region (often described as being similar to Napa before it was over developed).  Then take the remote back route through the wilderness to Whistler, where you spend your last couple of days at this former Olympic site.
• From the Rockies to the Coast “land-cruise”: (9 days for $2699 per person – Sep 2021).  Start in Calgary, and transfer to Banff National Park (and visit Lake Louise), and then travel through several mountain ranges to arrive in Kelowna (BC’s wine growing region).  From there, travel through a few more mountains to the coast, and spend your last 2 nights in Vancouver.

Quebec City

Quebec is North America’s only walled city – left over from the early days of colonization.  Back then, the English and the French fought for dominance in the New World, but today they coexist in the Province of Quebec.  Quebec City itself is very French, and you will feel very much like you are in Europe when you visit this unique part of North America. 

• Canadian Cities Highlights “land-cruise”: (9 days for $4690 per person – Sep 2021) – Start in Toronto, and take in one of the world’s most diverse cities, then visit Niagara falls on your way to Ottawa.  Like other capital cities, Ottawa is full of parks and museums, and you’ll fully experience both the English and French culture of Canada.  From there head over to Montreal to take in that city’s unique cultural and food scene before finishing up in Quebec City.
• Hotel de Glace (Ice Hotel) – starting at $359 per night – Every year in January through March, this hotel just outside of Quebec City opens up.  Many people think they have travel to Europe for such an adventure, but you can do it much closer to home.  If you would rather stay in the comfort of a conventional hotel in Quebec City, you can purchase tickets to go visit the Ice Hotel, and then return to the comfort of your heated room.

Viking 2024 World Cruise

OK… not a Canadian trip, but hot off the press.  Viking announced its 2024 world cruise this week.  Here are the details:

• Departs LA on January 9, 2024 and travels westbound to London over the course of 121 days visiting 23 countries.
• Fares start at $49,995 per person for a veranda room, and include:
  • Business Class Air and all transfers
  • A shore excursion in every port (50 of them)
  • All taxes and fees, as well as the cost of all visas
  • A $2000 per person credit for optional excursions, and $1000 shipboard credit
  • All gratuities, beverages and wifi on board the ship
  • Luggage shipping service
• As usual, you’ll receive extra perks when you book a cruise through us rather than directly with the cruise line.

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/3054566444825849

If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley