Do you remember what you did on Independence Day in 2003? 

Nope… me neither.

I’m guessing 2020 will be a year we all remember, though. 

For some, it will be the Independence Day when they stayed at home with family and had a more muted celebration. 

Others may attend some form of community event, but it won’t be the same as other years – there will some variation of social distancing in place, and some activities will not be possible.

It would be very easy to look at these scaled-back celebrations along what we’ve all endured for the past several months and feel great despair.  And yet, I’m hopeful.

I was born in the United States and am very proud of my heritage.  I am also a citizen of this planet.  The two are not exclusive of each other.  Perhaps that is why I have always been a wanderer – both here and abroad. 

The more I’ve travelled, the more I have learned about the world.  I’ve discovered that although there is good, bad, and ugly to be found everywhere, the overwhelming majority of citizens of this earth are good people who just want to live their lives with their families in peace.

In the United States, we are struggling to tame the pandemic.  Our closest friends and neighbors around the world are having similar struggles. 

If we look at Europeans – who were challenged sooner (and initially much more severely) than we were – they are returning to some variation of normal, where most people are able to get back to living their lives.

Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Canada are other nations that we share many common values with, and they are also recovering from covid-19. 

Their stories give me hope.  It is taking us a bit longer to get to the “new normal”, but I remain optimistic we will eventually get there too.  It may take longer than many of us would like, but we will get there.

Americans need to be out in the world.  Not only because it is critical for us to learn more about this big, beautiful marble we all live on, but because tourism can be a very positive force in the world. 

The countries I mentioned above have advanced economies similar to ours.  European countries, Japan, Canada, Australia and New Zealand will all feel the bite this summer without American tourists visiting them.  However, they are rich countries, like ours, and they will be able to weather the storm. 

Much of the rest of the world will not be as fortunate.  Tourists from the United States and other advanced economies are critical to the economic well-being of so many middle and developing economies. 

Globally, one of every ten jobs are part of the tourism industry.  One in five new jobs is in the tourism sector.  In the most vulnerable countries, it is more like one in two jobs.

Think about your last cruise vacation.  Perhaps you were on a river ship in Western Europe.  There is no doubt that France and Germany will miss your tourist dollars this year.  Now think about the nationalities of the crew on board your ship, and remember that because Americans are not cruising, all those people from Eastern Europe and Asia are not able to send money home to their families.

That is the impact that tourism has on the world.

We have plenty of challenges ahead, and the borders to other countries will only be open to us once we demonstrate that we are not adding risk to their populations. 

Once that opportunity is made available to me, I’ll be ready.  It is taking longer than I want, and I have the same frustration everyone else does with the current situation.

But I am hopeful and optimistic we will be there sooner than we might think.

While it would be easy to attach a memory of divisive debates over face masks to this year’s Independence Day, I prefer to attach my memory of this July 4^th to the anticipation of returning to the freedom to which I have become accustomed – to be able to travel all over this big beautiful planet.

Independence Day is supposed to be a celebration of freedom, and this seems even more appropriate to me this year.

Happy 4^th of July – I hope you are able to spend this time with those most important to you.

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/2731313197151177

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

As the cruise industry recovers from the pandemic, many cruise lines are offering extraordinary deals. 

However, it can be difficult to separate the marketing ‘noise’ from offers that are truly great value.

When everyone is shouting, how do you know who you should listen to?

I’ve got you covered.  I am constantly scanning and absorbing all the offers currently in the marketplace (and they change almost daily).  I won’t bother mentioning the ‘ordinary’ sales to you.  But when I see an offer that’s so exceptional it stands out above the others, I’ll be sure to bring it to your attention.

Next week starting on July 1^st, you will see Hurtigruten advertising a one-week “Flash Sale”, promising fare reductions of up to 50%.  I’m always skeptical of such offers, but this one is the real thing.  They have a number of sailings that actually are 50% off, and as such represent solid value if you’re in the market for an expedition cruise.

Hurtigruten sails mostly in the polar regions, and the pricing that caught my eye were the cruises to Antarctica.  If ‘The Last Continent’ is on your bucket list, you’ll want to take a close look at these cruises. 

Here are a few examples.  All three of these cruises visit Antarctica, Patagonia (Chilean Fjords), and the Falkland Islands:

• November 4, 2020 for 16 nights – $7782 per person
• February 28, 2021 for 18 nights – $8642 per person
• March 17, 2021 for 17 nights – $7552 per person

If you just want a “quick” trip to the last continent, without any port stops in South America, there is also a shorter 10-night itinerary:

• November 7, 2020 for 10 nights — $6270 per person

All of these sailings include between 5 and 9 days in Antarctica, with scheduled daily landings and zodiac trips included in your fare.  You’ll travel on either the Roald Amundsen or its identical sister ship the Fridtjof Nansen.  Both these ships are brand new and are the world’s first hybrid powered cruise ships.  Imagine sailing in the pristine waters of Antarctica without the dull roar of diesel engines!

Bob and I were lucky enough to be on the North American inaugural voyage of the Roald Amundsen last October.  Here’s a a short video of our time on that ship:

A few months before that, I sailed to Antarctica on one of Hurtigruten’s older ships.  Bob is still cranky he didn’t get to go on that trip, but he did help me put together a video of my Antarctica experience.  It gives you an idea of what the daily routine is like on an Antarctic cruise, and some of the images are stunning (see below):

If you’re still in the “dreaming” phase for your next cruise vacation, perhaps these videos will tide you over until you’re ready. 

If you’d consider Antarctica for this coming season, then I don’t think you’ll see prices any better than what I listed above.

If Antarctica is not really your speed (nothing wrong with that!) then here is a bit of an update on two other deals we’ve talked about recently:

Crystal 2021 European River Sailings for $3699.  The list of departure dates has been expanded to include some later in the year, which will be of interest if you want to do a Christmas Markets cruise.  If you missed our original post on this, here it is: Best Value on 2021 River Cruises

Fall 2020 Caribbean cruises on Crystal Ocean.  Originally there were only 6 cruise dates included on this deal, but now all the cruises on the Crystal Serenity between October 1, and the middle of December are available for prices starting at $1399.  The price is lowest in October and gets higher later in the year. All the prices are 50% or lower compared to what we’d normally expect.  Here the link to that original post if you missed it: Unheard-of Opportunity for the Caribbean

We are so excited for those of you who have already taken advantage of these Crystal deals! 

Keep your eyes open for Hurtigruten’s Flash Sale starting on July 1^st.  You don’t have to wait though, so if you’re interested in visiting Antarctica this season, get in touch right away so you’ll be first in line when bookings open up at 50% off.

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/2725179011097929

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

There is no doubt that as every year passes, there are two paradoxical effects that travelling has on me:

1. I enjoy travelling more. I like to think this is because I gain wisdom as I age and have a deeper appreciation for the wonders the world has to offer.
2. I find it harder on my body. This is probably a natural function of aging, but I find I need to have more and better measures in place to make sure I don’t return from a trip looking and feeling like Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones.

This reality has encouraged me to put some protocols in place, and I’ve been thinking a bit more seriously about this lately to ponder my next trip (whenever than might happen).

I think of any trip in two distinct phases as they relate to staying healthy. The first one is the flights – particularly if it requires going overseas. Over the course of the last 30 years, flying has become increasingly cheap, and that has occurred at the expense of comfort and service. There’s no point in fighting this reality, but here is my updated list of things I intend to do on my next flight:

• Have a face mask that is comfortable and fits well. Somehow face masks have become a political issue for us. However, on airplanes it will simply be a requirement until further notice. The airlines will provide face masks to those that don’t have them, and insist they be worn. I’m not going to trust the airline to provide a well-fitting and comfortable mask.
• Bring my own water, and lots of it, if it’s a longer flight.
• Bring my own snacks for the plane. I’ve been doing this for a while, and it saves me from having to ingest the semi-edible “food” that our air carriers provide.
• Fly in Premium Economy whenever possible. Business class for overseas flights are really expensive, and generally out of reach for most of us unless we’re flying on points. Premium Economy is normally an extra $500 to $1000 on a trans-continental flight. More money to be sure, but perhaps worth the extra cost.
• Ear Plugs – I can’t sleep on airplanes, but those who can should take ear plugs and an eye-mask to assist the cause.
• Sanitizing wipes will be helpful on planes, even though with the new disinfecting protocols, there won’t be many places on the planet cleaner than an airplane.

The second phase of the trip is when you arrive at the destination (or return home). If I am travelling within North America, I am less likely to do all the things I’ve listed below, but certainly if I’m going to another continent, then I will do many, if not all of these things:

• Drink lots of water. If I’m going somewhere with questionable water quality, I take a travel-sized charcoal water filter to make sure I can safely drink lots of tap water.
• Rehydrating salts. These are available at any pharmacy, and they are used to replace electrolytes. If you end up becoming ill, and it involves vomiting or diarrhea, these will help you feel better instantly. I use them proactively for the first day or two after a long flight (when it’s really easy to get dehydrated).
• Ear plugs – The first couple of nights sleep in a new time zone are critical and using ear plugs to block out hotel or city noise can be a big help.
• Short naps – while I adjust to the time zone. It can sometimes be difficult to get up after only an hour or so, but it works well if you can. There are smart phone apps that can help you adjust to a new time zone. One example is Timeshifter.
• At least one ‘down’ day prior to boarding a ship. I want to enjoy everything my cruise has to offer, and I don’t want to sleep through my first day or two on the ship, so I go at least a day early to adjust to the time zone.
• Adjust to the destination time zone before leaving home. The theory is you adjust gradually prior to departure. I’ve never been able to get this to work very well, but others swear by it. Again… there are apps that can help with this.
• Use melatonin. This is the hormone that induces sleep. Some people use this at bedtime for the first few days they’re in a new time zone.
• A box of KIND bars. I take a box of 12 of these with me now whenever I travel. I like them because they are compact, they have all-natural ingredients, and they provide a nice small snack as I adjust my body to new mealtimes in a different time zone.
• Take the stairs. Whether I’m on a ship, or in a hotel, I try to use the stairs rather than the lifts wherever possible. It’s an easy way to get some moderate exercise.
• Walk as much as possible. With the exception of New York, and a few other places in the US, our cities are not designed for walking. The rest of the world is different than that, and my default mode of transport is by foot. I’ll use taxis, trains, and busses only after I’ve ruled out walking.
• Eat like a rabbit at lunch. This is a great habit, particularly when I’m aboard a ship. One of the highlights of a river cruise or small ocean ship is the incredible food, and a highlight I want to take advantage of. I find if I eat a whole bunch of vegetables, salad, and healthy proteins at lunch, that I can lose my mind at dinner and enjoy all that is on offer.
• Eat fish at least every other night. The red meats are delicious, but they are also very heavy compared to fish.
• Eat at vegetarian restaurants when on shore. These are usually easy to find, and even though I’m not vegetarian, I find the food very tasty.
• Stretching – I have a routine I do for about 20 minutes every day that could be loosely described as “yoga”, but I find it really helps, particularly after a long flight.
• Practice moderation until you’ve fully adjusted. I enjoy a glass of wine as much as the next person, but when one glass turns into three, and you’re still adjusting, it might not turn out well. Wait until day three or four before you close down the bar.
• Downtime – River cruises in particular can be very busy (this is a good thing) but try to find 30 minutes in the afternoon where you can just lie down and relax for a while. Even if you don’t sleep, it’s just a good chance to rejuvenate.

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/2719680511647779

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

A couple of weeks ago, I introduced you to Crystal Cruises, and showed you how to get a one-week river cruise on their ultra-luxury ships for just $3699 (less than half the best price we’ve seen previously). 

Many of you snapped up that offer, and although space is starting to get tight, there are still some cabins left.  If you missed it, here’s the article we wrote on the topic: https://pamperedcruiser.com/best-prices-on-2021-river-cruises/

This week Crystal came out with another fantastic offer, this time on their ocean ships in the Caribbean.

The Crystal Serenity was originally destined for Canada/New England this fall, but the Canadian Government wasn’t ready to open up its ports to foreign traffic quite that early, so Crystal had to redeploy the Serenity elsewhere.

Crystal filled the gap with 6 x one-week cruises between Miami and San Juan that can be combined into a two-week itinerary without any repeated ports. 

The itinerary is particularly appealing because it includes an overnight stop in St. Barts, where you’ll feel like you’re in the south of France with the gorgeous beaches, yachts and sailboats, gourmet restaurants, and high-end French shops.

Best of all, Crystal has priced these cruises extremely attractively and you’ll pay less than half the normal price.

Much like the river cruise offer we told you about last time, this is a truly unique opportunity to experience a high-end luxury product for a similar price to what you would normally expect to pay on one of the big mass-market ships. 

Here are a couple of examples:

Round-trip Miami (14-nights) departing October 1, 2020
Visit the US Virgin Islands, Antigua, St. Barts (overnight), St. Maarten, San Juan, Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Costa Maya:

• Penthouse Suite:  $3598 per person (brochure price: $17,996)
• Veranda: $2878 per person (brochure price: $13,676)
• Ocean View:  $2518 per person (brochure price: $10,976)

Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico (7-nights) departing October 1, 2020:
Visits the US Virgin Islands, Antigua, St. Barts (overnight), and St. Maarten:

• Penthouse Suite: $1999 per person (Brochure price: $9998)
• Veranda:  $1599 per person  (Brochure price: $7598)
• Ocean View:  $1399 per person (Brochure price: $6098)

A 14-night cruise in a Veranda Stateroom on Crystal for just $2878 per person is a jaw-dropping offer! A Crystal insider confided that they have never had pricing like this before.

There are departures October to mid-November with similar prices.

Similar to the river cruise deal, you can claim the best suite available at time of booking.

You’ll also receive $250 onboard credit per stateroom.

The deposit has been reduced to just $100 per person, with final payment due 60 days prior to departure.   

For those less familiar with Crystal Ocean, here’s some information on what’s included:

• Open bars and lounges (all adult beverages included).
• Specialty coffee, teas, water juice etc.
• Specialty dining at 11 different venues
• 24-hour room service
• Unlimited on-board wifi
• Gratuities
• Crystal also has enrichment activities, lectures, and a computer university at sea for those that like to keep busy on sea-days.

For those new to small-ship ocean cruising, here’s how the Crystal Serenity compares:

• 980 passengers (Premium lines have 2000 – 3000.  Contemporary lines have up to 6000)
• 51,000 tons (Princess, Holland-America, Celebrity are 90,000 – 150,000 tons)
• Crew to Guest ratio of 1 to 1.5.  The mass-market lines are more like 1 to 3.

There are all the intangible factors too, like larger staterooms, more public space per guest, not having to pull out your wallet every time you want a drink, and specially trained staff who delight in getting to know you and your preferences when you’re aboard. 

Most of our clients have a preference for river ships and small ocean ships, so the value of the above deal is obvious.  For those who have wondered if the extra cost for a small ship experience is worth it, then this is a great opportunity to sail on a luxury level small ship, for a price that is much closer to what would normally be paid for a mega-ship cruise. 

This is the perfect chance to get started cruising again, close to home. 

I imagine your friends and family would be interested in joining you, so bring them along too.

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

It’s interesting for me to see how ‘social’ cruising is.

People who cruise often like to do so with other people they know.

About half the time my clients will book a single stateroom.

The other half of the time the client will bring along friends.

Sometimes a group of 4-8 will presents themselves together right from the start.  This frequently happens, for example, when two couples met on a cruise at some time in the past and now regularly plan their trips together.

Many times, though, it starts with just one stateroom and grows from there as first person or couple starts telling their friends where they are going and how excited they are about their trip.

When several couples plan and take the same cruise together, in travel “industry-speak” we would call these clients “travel-withs”.

Four or eight people travelling together is great fun, but it doesn’t officially count as a GROUP from the cruise line’s perspective.

So, what’s the difference?

A Group for the cruise industry requires between 5 and 10 cabins.  The exact number depends on the cruise line and several other factors.   The most common group minimum is 8 double-occupancy cabins.

We don’t often see preferential group pricing any more, but once you have enough people for an official group, the cruise lines will start throwing additional amenities at you. 

In some cases, this might be as simple as an additional onboard credit for everyone in the group.

In other cases, it will involve Tour Conductor Credits (TCC).

A TCC is a “free” cabin or berth for the ringleader of the group.  If there is an actual Tour Conductor, s/he will use these credits to escort the group on their trip. 

Late last year I was on a Rhine River Cruise and met a group of 30+ people from South Carolina.  They were having a blast!  Getting to know them, I learned that it started with 3 couples wanting to do a Rhine cruise, and they started talking to friends and neighbors, and the group just kept growing in size.

This group of 30+ was able to earn several Tour Conductor credits. 

The ringleader of this group ended up doing a lot of the legwork, so she took two of these TCC for her and her husband.  This means they both got to sail for “free”.  I put the word “free” in quotations because it not completely free – you usually pay the port taxes, and for cruise lines that charge separately for gratuities, those are normally added to the shipboard account. 

In reality, this means the two of them got a one-week river cruise on the Rhine for a few hundred dollars total.  Not a bad deal.

The other Tour Conductor credits this group earned were divided amongst the remaining guests, who each got a few hundred dollars off their cruise fare.  They also received an additional onboard credit that they would not have gotten if they were travelling individually.

As you can imagine, there is more than a little bit of fine print that goes along with Group Travel.  But if you thrive on helping others plan their travel, then there is definitely the opportunity to earn a “free” trip. 

With the growing pent-up demand for travel, and the heightened need for human connection that the pandemic has taught us, the timing might be perfect for you to be the ringleader and organize a group trip.

Many of you have reached out recently and booked your extended families on a trip together.

We’ve noticed a degree of urgency underlying these requests. 

Many of us have belatedly realized that in the past we may have taken for granted the ability to travel with our kids and grandchildren. 

Then a global pandemic came along and recalibrated all our expectations. 

Why not organize a group trip with your friends and/or family?  First and foremost, you’ll enjoy each other’s company and together create memories to last a lifetime.   As an added bonus, your own cruise fare can be ‘free’ if the numbers are right.

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