You have told us again and again that the least satisfactory part of any vacation are the flights required to get there and back. 

I feel your pain… Bob and I fly often, and we regularly employ multiple “life hacks” to try and make the whole experience more tolerable.  One of those survival tactics is to fly Premium Economy when going overseas. 

To be clear, Premium Economy is NOT the marketing exercise that our domestic carriers use in order to extract a few more dollars from us by giving 2 extra inches of legroom in the first few rows of Cattle Class. 

Premium Economy is a class of service that really only exists on international flights, although there are a few exceptions.

What is Premium Economy?

The best comparison is that Premium Economy is equivalent to Business Class service on domestic flights.  You get an extra 4” or 6” of legroom; the seats are about 3” wider (this makes a huge difference on a long flight); there are fewer seats across a row; you get more attentive service; and you get priority check-in, priority bags, and priority boarding.  For the record, Business Class on overseas flights usually features lie-flat pods (hence the huge price).  The details change slightly from carrier to carrier, but Premium Economy will give you just enough extra space that you can arrive at your destination rested and refreshed rather than completely exhausted. And it’s affordable for regular folks like you and me.

How much does Premium Economy cost?

If you’re like me, you might have occasionally queried Business Class fares for overseas flights, and still have the scars on your retina from where the ransom the airline was attempting to extract was burned into your consciousness.  Business Class fares can be anywhere from triple to TEN TIMES the price of an Economy seat.  Clearly, this is out of reach of many of us.

There is variation in all air pricing, but as a rule of thumb, you can expect Premium Economy to cost about $1000 more (round trip) on a flight to Europe.  Yes, that is a lot of money, but here’s how I look at it:

• An Economy class ticket will cost about $1500 return.
• A Premium Economy ticket will cost about $2500 return.
• This means you’re paying an extra $500 each way
• On a 10-hour flight, this equates to $50 per hour to NOT be jammed into the plane like a sardine.
• You also get to bypass long check-in lines (longer now with all the extra documentation required to fly abroad), and you can board the plane when you want, without having to worry about where to store your carry-on bags. 

Premium Economy fares were seeing increased demand before the pandemic, and that demand has increased exponentially now that people value personal space so much more.  This has reached a point where many carriers are reducing their overseas Business Class cabins (because who knows if/when business travel will recover), and replacing them with Premium Economy seats.

So, you may want to consider paying a bit more to get a higher level of comfort and service.  If that’s not right for you, don’t worry – there’s still lots of room in Coach.

This week’s travel opportunities:

2021 Christmas Markets – 50% Off AND Room Upgrade (Uniworld)

This might be the best year ever to visit the Christmas Markets in Europe.  Yes, there are a few extra hurtles to travel abroad, but there are also far fewer tourists over there right now. 

Uniworld is offering those who travel in 2021 a second cruise at 50% off, so if you’re ready for 2 weeks on European Rivers this November or December, it won’t get better than this. 

Here are two examples:

• Rhine & Danube Christmas Market combination:
  • Week 1:  Rhine Markets ($3899 pp).  Basel to Cologne.
  • Week 2:  Danube Markets ($4099 X 50% = $2050 pp).  Frankfurt to Nuremberg.
• Germany & Austria Christmas Market combination:
  • Week 1:  German Markets ($4099 pp).  Frankfurt to Nuremberg
  • Week 2:  Danube Markets ($4299 X 50% = $2150).  Nuremberg to Vienna

If you want to spend a few days between cruises in Europe, we can find a combination of cruises that will accommodate that scenario. 

You will also receive a 2-category room upgrade on select itineraries and departure dates.

This offer ends on Oct. 31^st.  However, the offer is capacity controlled and may be modified or withdrawn at any time. 

Browse 2021 river cruises here: https://pamperedcruiser.uniworld.com/us/current-offers/2021-second-cruise-savings

US East Coast (Lindblad / National Geographic)

We don’t often equate Expedition cruising with the US East Coast, but the folks at Lindblad are doing just that this spring and summer on the National Geographic Sea Lion (capacity 62 guests). 

If you’ve ever wanted to see the little corners of the Atlantic coastline without sharing port stops with thousands of others, this is a fantastic opportunity. 

Here are some sample itineraries:

• Charleston, NC (round-trip, 6 days).  Visit Beaufort, Port Royal Island, St. Phillips Island, Edisto Island, Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, Awendaw, Francis Marion National Forest.  Fares from $3990 per person.
• New York to Cape Cod (8 days).  NYC and Boston are the ONLY port stops of size on this trip, as you explore all the nooks and crannies of the spectacular northeast coast.  Fares from $5590 per person
• Jacksonville, FLA, to Charleston, SC. (8 days).  If the Southeast Coast is more your speed, this trip has fares starting at $5590 per person.
• Chesapeake Bay, round-trip from Washington DC (6 days).  Cruise from Annapolis to Cape Charles stopping daily at remote islands and bays along the route.  Fares start at $3990 per person.

Feb-Mar 2022 Panama Canal – Free Flights (Viking Cruises)

Viking was forced to redeploy a ship that was originally scheduled for Australia/New Zealand this winter.  That results in some great opportunities for the Panama Canal if you’re looking for a warm getaway this winter or spring.  If you’re able to leave in the next few weeks, similar deals are available.

• Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles departing March 23^rd (or departing LA on February 6th) – 18 days.  Includes FREE flights, and a stateroom upgrade.  From $4599 per person for a 270 square foot Veranda stateroom. Details here: https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/caribbean-americas/panama-canal-and-the-pacific-coast/index.html?agenturlid=pamperedcruiser
• Ft. Lauderdale round trip (depart February 23rd, or March 9th) – 15-days.  If you don’t want to do a full transit of the canal, and prefer to do a round-trip cruise from Florida, this cruise also includes FREE flights and a stateroom upgrade.  From $3999 per person for a 270 square foot Veranda stateroom.  Details here: https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/caribbean-americas/panama-central-america/index.html?agenturlid=pamperedcruiser

Viking always includes all taxes & fees, airport transfers, shore excursions in every port, beer/wine with meals, and Wi-Fi on the ship. 

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/3111747355774424

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

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

We offer just one piece of advice when it comes to travel insurance: You definitely need it.

We normally provide our clients with two different insurance quotes: one from the cruise line or tour operator, and another from a third-party insurance company (Roamright).

We provide copies of the Description of Coverage offered, but we cannot answer questions about the coverage or give advice about which one to choose.

At the same time, we always highly recommend consulting a licensed insurance agent for guidance.  Insurance pros have access to a much wider variety of insurance plans and can give you knowledgeable advice about which one would be best for your unique situation.

We have occasionally frustrated our clients who are looking for a recommendation about which insurance is the best choice for them, but we refer them back to the written policy or to the insurance company. 

There are two reasons we don’t give insurance advice:

1. Our passion and expertise is travel, not insurance.
2. As travel advisors we are required to offer travel protection, but we are not allowed to interpret the coverage.

Here is a bit of guidance to help you when you are speaking with an insurance pro:

Three Aspects of Travel Insurance

Most travel insurance policies bundle these three aspects together, but if you only wanted one of them, a good insurance broker can help you with that:

1. Trip Cancellation.  This covers you if you are unable to make the trip (for specified reasons).  Without this coverage you are risking whatever you paid for the trip.
2. Trip Interruption.  This is for annoying things like flight delays or when your luggage goes missing.  You are not mitigating much risk with this type of insurance, but it does make your life way easier, when things go wrong.
3. Travel Medical.  This is the critical one, and you are taking a significant risk if you leave home without this.  It can cost you tens of thousands of dollars if you are caught without this type of insurance.  There are no circumstances that I can ever see where I would leave home without this – including those who live near the Mexican or Canadian borders and may drive across for a few hours. 

Here is some of the rationalization we sometimes hear from clients about insurance, and why they may want to talk to an insurance professional about the flaws in their logic:

“Health Care is Free in Europe/Canada/Australia/NZ”.  It is true that in all other developed nations that health care is available to residents without a direct charge.  This is NOT extended to visitors, who will pay (a lot) for medical attention.  We often hear this from clients going to Alaska because some of those cruises start and finish in the United States.  You will be in Canadian waters for most of that trip, and the small communities you visit in Alaska may require evacuation for a serious medical issue to the nearest major hospital – probably in Canada.  They will undoubtedly be polite about it, but you will pay dearly. 

“I’m insured on my credit card”.  Check the fine print – you may or may not be covered, and there may be significant limitations to that coverage.  Unfortunately, this probably means reading through a few hundred pages of legal double-speak, but if you’re relying on such coverage, make sure you know what’s in there (and what is not).

“I’ll just fly home if I have a problem”.  This is truly asinine, and a really poor risk mitigation strategy.  You are betting everything you own that if you become sick or injured, you’ll be able to fly across the world on a commercial jet.

Cancel for any reason?

One final thought on insurable reasons for cancellation.  Most travel insurance policies will cover cancellation for specified reasons.  Usually this means you or your travel partner are not well enough to travel, there’s a death in the immediate family, or some other unforeseen catastrophic event.  People get into trouble when their version of “catastrophe” does not align with that of the insurance company.  As a spoiler-alert, the insurance company (and their army of lawyers) is always going to win this argument.   You will pay much more for a trip cancellation policy with a “Cancel for any reason” clause, but it might be worth it.

The pandemic has added to the complexity of travel insurance, underscoring the need to chat it though with an insurance pro. 

To summarize:

1. Always make sure your out-of-country trip is protected by insurance.
2. Be informed about what you’re buying when you purchase insurance
3. Consult an insurance specialist

This week’s travel opportunities:

Seabourn Canary Islands

This is a great opportunity to try a luxury small ship cruise for a great price.  Seabourn just announced the Seabourn Encore will be running 10- and 11-day round trip cruises from Lisbon starting in February.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Canary Islands, they are a territory of Spain comprised of 8 islands off the northwest coast of Africa.  The Canary Islands is a collision of cultures between North America, South America, Europe and Africa.  It’s a popular destination for European sun-seekers and nature enthusiasts.

Here are the departure dates (all round-trip from Lisbon) with prices starting at just $3699 per person.  On a per-day basis, this represents remarkable value on Seabourn:

• February 19^th, 2022:  10-days
• March 1^st, 2022:  11-days
• March 12^th, 2022:  10-days
• March 22^nd, 2022:  11-days

The Seabourn Encore holds only 600 guests, and the fare includes all taxes and fees, gratuities, beverages and specialty dining, onboard lectures and activities, and the legendary service and attention to detail that Seabourn is famous for.

Seabourn includes “An Evening with Sir Tim Rice” on all its cruises, where the Seabourn entertainers perform his classic songs in between pre-recorded explanations by Tim Rice himself.  If you’d like to meet Tim Rice in person, he will be on the February 19^th sailing.  Perhaps you can have dinner with him at the Thomas Keller Restaurant (on board, included in your fare) and ask him about Elton John or Andrew Lloyd-Webber.

Oceania 2023 Itineraries

If you’re an Oceania fan, you’ll want to pay attention to this.  Oceania had their highest booking day EVER a couple of weeks ago when they made itineraries for the new Vista ship available for booking. 

Next week on Wednesday, October 6th, Oceania’s 2023 itineraries will be available for booking, and many of them will sell out quickly.  These are posted on the Oceania website now if you want to get started on your “shopping”.  If you’re worried about something selling out, let us know in advance of next Wednesday so we can get you in the queue. 

American Queen Voyages

As of this week, “American Queen Steamboat Company” is now “American Queen Voyages”, consolidating their brand to include their Great Lakes and Atlantic Coast sailings on the former Victory Cruise lines, and their brand-new Ocean Victory expedition ship.  We’ll have more on this in the weeks to come.

Today, I’ll talk about their Fall 2022 Sale for sailing on the Mississippi River System, and the Columbia River in Washington & Oregon:

• Memphis to New Orleans – 9-days.  Music, Cajun Food, American History – it’s all on this itinerary.  These are offered all year round, and many of those departures early and late in the season are included in the fall sale from $1699 per person.
• Minneapolis to New Orleans – 16-days.  Talk about getting to see the whole country!  This itinerary is only offered in summer and fall, will prices starting at $4699 per person.
• Portland OR to Spokane WA – 9-days.  Retrace Lewis & Clark’s route, visit one of the many wineries on the Columbia, or maybe just sit back and take in the scenery and wildlife.  These cruises run from March through November, with prices starting at $2149 per person.

American Queen always include a hotel night before embarkation, transfers to the ship, an open bar on the ship, shore excursions in every port, Wi-Fi on the ship, and no passport issues!

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/3106970162918810

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

Our clients are typically NOT asking for the cheapest price – they know that in travel, amongst many other applications, you get what you pay for.  If you’re typical of our clients, then what you really want to understand is the value equation of a particular cruise line or travel brand.

You’ve heard the old adage “the devil is in the details”.  That statement is true for many things, and for cruising and packaged vacation tours I would add, “the devil is in the inclusions”.

Many of the cruise lines spent their “time off” during the pandemic reassessing and modifying their inclusions (and ultimately their value equation), so I thought a quick run-down would be timely. 

Here’s a quick summary for a variety of ocean cruise lines:

• Celebrity – Celebrity relaunched after the pandemic as a fully inclusive brand, attempting to elevate themselves above their premium cruise category competitors.  The fare now includes beverages, gratuities and wifi.
• Holland America – HAL’s “Have it All” fare includes a shore excursion credit, specialty dining, wifi and beverages.  “Have it All” will cost you an additional $50 per day over the cruise-only fare.
• Oceania – Their smaller ships have allowed them to position themselves higher in the market than Celebrity, HAL or Princess.  However, they are going to need to review their inclusions if they want to maintain that status.  Currently, you can choose from a cruise-only fare, or the O-Life Choice fare, which includes your choice of ONE of the following: a limited beverage package (beer/wine with meals), a shore excursion credit, or an onboard credit.  Oceania still really stands out for their culinary program, but they need to catch up to their competitors when it comes to inclusions.
• Princess – they offer cruise only fares, and for an additional $40 per day you can have the beverage package, gratuities, and wifi included in your fare.  If you plan on having more than 2 cocktails a day, this package makes sense
• Regent Seven Seas – Literally everything is included; sometimes they even throw pre- and/or post-cruise land extensions.
• Seabourn – Once you’re on the ship it’s all included.  Normally the only onboard charges are for shore excursions or spa treatments.
• SilverSea – Flights, transfers (both at your destination AND from your home to the airport), all drinks, tips, shore excursions.  Including shore excursions is a welcome change and including a sedan to get you to/from your home and airport is true luxury touch.
• Viking Ocean Cruises – Flights (on longer cruises only; discounted flights on shorter ones), airport transfers, beer/wine with meals, shore excursions, wifi, taxes and fees.  About the only thing not included is gratuities.
• Windstar – for $79/day, you can get all drinks, tips and wifi included.  Windstar excels in really unique itineraries, and their ships hold only 312 guests, making it really attractive for the right client.  Much like Oceania, they need to review their inclusions if they want to be considered a luxury brand.

For this week’s travel opportunities, we will focus on SilverSea.

As discussed above, SilverSea is truly all-inclusive.  They have several promotions running right now, and when you locate cruises where multiple promotions apply, you discover some really compelling offers.  It is a VERY rare situation when we are allowed to combine all these promotions together like this (normally there are exclusions).

Here are a few examples.

Note: The deadline for these prices is fairly tight.  You must book and pay in full by Sept. 30^th.

Fort Lauderdale to Halifax departing May 3, 2022 for 11 days, visiting Morehead City, Norfolk, Baltimore, New York, Newport, Cape Cod, Portland, and Bar Harbor. 

• $8200 regular cruise fare (per person) – 240 sq ft. ocean view suite
• – 1640 – 20% early booking discount
• – $328 – Further5% discount for booking through my agency
• $6232 – This is what you’ll actually pay [If you attended the Silversea webinar on Sept. 22^nd you receive the additional discount promised, reducing the price even further]

This cruise is perfect for those who would prefer to stay a bit closer to home this coming year, but still want to do something unique and special.

Estimated Value of Inclusions (per person)

• $300 – On board credit per person – exclusively from our agency.
• $500 – Round-trip economy flights
• $100 – Sedan transfer from your home to the airport, and then back again
• $125 – Transfers from airport to ship for embarkation, and again at debarkation
• $125 – Pre-cruise night hotel ($250 for 2 people)
• $200 – Approximate value of onboard gratuities for 11 days
• $650 – Approximate value of all-inclusive beverages (other cruise lines charge $60 – $75 per day for beverage packages)
• TOTAL $2000 per person = Total value of the inclusions articulated above.  So for an 11-day cruise, you can compare this example to a less inclusive cruise on another line priced at about $4232 per person (i.e. $6232 price above minus $2000 for all the inclusions). This is comparable to what some of the mass-market ships charge for a room of a similar size – plus you get the additional features that much harder to quantitate e.g. less crowding because there is much more space per passenger; more personalized service because the crew to passenger ratio is much higher; smaller shore excursion groups; higher quality food etc.

I would invite you to do your own math if you value the inclusions differently than I have above.  Also remember that Wifi on the ship as well as SilverSea’s legendary service are also included in the fare.

Here are a couple more examples (without the math lesson!)

Barcelona to Rome departing April 7, 2022 (7-nights)

• Visits Palamos, Marseilles, Monte Carlo, Portofino, Livorno, and Corsica.
• $3952 per person (includes 20% early booking discount + further 5% discount for booking through my agency) for a 312 square foot ocean view room.
• If you attended the Silversea webinar on Sept. 22^nd you receive the additional discount promised, reducing the price even further
• Inclusions:
  • $300 per person on board credit (exclusively through our agency)
  • Round-trip economy flights, and all transfers both at home and in Europe
  • A shore excursion in every port of call
  • All beverages on the ship, gratuities, and Wi-Fi

Anchorage to Vancouver departing June 23, 2022 (7 nights)

• Visits Hubbard Glacier, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, and Ketchikan
• $4332 per person (includes 20% early booking discount + further 5% discount for booking through my agency) for a 287 square foot ocean view room.
• If you attended the Silversea webinar on Sept. 22^nd you receive the additional discount promised, reducing the price even further
• Inclusions:
  • $150 per person on board credit, OR hosted shore event (exclusively through our agency)
  • Round-trip economy flights, and all transfers both at home, in Anchorage and in Vancouver. 
  • A shore excursion in every port of call
  • All beverages on the ship, gratuities, and Wi-Fi

Finally, if you’re looking for something a bit different than the cruises above, here are some other itineraries where we can layer up various promos to get you excellent prices:

• Ushuaia to Buenos Aires, departing March 2, 2022 (10 days)
• Lisbon to Barcelona, departing April 1, 2022 (7 days)
• Singapore to Yokohama, departing May 6, 2022 (18 days)
• Halifax to London, departing May 14, 2022 (18 days)
• Norwegian Coast (round-trip Longyearbyen), departing July 20, 2022 (6 days)

You cannot get these prices and perks if you book directly with SilverSea. You will need to book through the Pampered Cruiser to get the full discounts and onboard credits given in the examples above.

Remember, to get these heavily discounted prices you must book and pay in full by Sept. 30^th.

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/3101036093512217

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

Retirements, graduations, anniversaries, milestone birthdays.  All these occasions are notable, and many people want to mark the occasion by taking a special trip.

When Bob turned 50 a few years ago, he decided he wanted to go sailing.  The smart thing to do would have been to spend a bit more money and charter a boat with a skipper who could do the skilled work that sailing vessels require. 

We didn’t do that though, because Bob had all the necessary qualifications to rent a 40-foot sailboat with a 10,000 pound keel,

However, like all skills that are learned (in his case 30 years previously), and not practiced – you use it, or lose it.

The potential for disaster was there from the outset, and it is only by sheer miracle that the ship and crew (Bob, me, our son, and our son’s friend) returned in one piece, with the only casualty being frayed nerves.

If the purpose was to create a memory… then mission accomplished.  However, if we’d thought it through a bit more, those memories might exclude the occasional shocking ‘near miss’.

Regardless of the occasion, here are some guidelines to follow when planning a Milestone Trip of your own:

• Create a memory.  Milestones necessarily mean doing something different.  It might be a different place, a different mode of travel, or perhaps travelling with different people. 
• People or places?  If you want to create a memorable trip with a large number of people, then the location may matter less.  If it’s just a few people, you might need a more exotic location. 
• The more people, the more complexity.  If you want 30 or 40 people on a Milestone Trip, pick something simple, and probably closer to home.  The more schedules you’re trying to coordinate, the more difficult it will be.  Our clients who have had the most success planning Milestone Trips simply say, “We’re doing x on these dates: xxx… we hope you can join us”.  And then they don’t agonize over who can make it, and who can’t.
• Multi-generational groups are tricky.  There is no doubt that seniors and teenagers have different interests when they travel.  If you plan well, there will certainly be some overlap, but it is difficult to keep all the people happy all the time.  This is why cruise vacations are so popular with multi-generational groups – the provide a little bit of something for everyone, AND draw the whole group together.
• Not everyone travels the same way.  We’re in New York often, and every time we go, we take in one or two Broadway shows, and spend time in one or more of New York’s excellent museums.  One trip a few years, we went with others, and learned quickly that not everyone likes to do what WE like to do.  Don’t assume just because everyone wants to go to New York (for example), that they’ll all want to do the same things when they get there.
• Build flexibility and diversity into the trip.  Following on the example above, the people who have had the most success with a Milestone Trip are those that build flexibility into the itinerary.  Don’t schedule everyone to do all the same things.  While one group is at the museum, the other group can go to Central Park.
• Plan well in advance.  The more people, and/or the more complexity to the trip, the further in advance it needs to be planned. 
• Go anyway.  Groups necessarily mean that some people will have circumstances that cause them to back out.  You need to decide early to do the trip anyway with whomever manages to make it happen.

Here are this week’s travel opportunities:

Ohio and Cumberland Rivers

When most people think of river cruises in the US, the Mississippi comes instantly to mind.  However, riverboats also run on some of the tributaries of the Mighty Mississippi as well.  American Queen Steamboat Company is offering up to $2000 off some of these cruises further upstream.  Here’s a few examples:

• Cincinnatti to Memphis departing May 9, 2022, with fares starting at $1999 per person
• Chicago to St. Louis departing August 15, 2022, with fares starting at $1899 per person
• Pittsburgh to Louisville departing October 29, 2022 with fares starting at $2699 per person

If you’d prefer to stick with the Lower Mississippi between New Orleans and Memphis, we are seeing some attractive pricing in March 2022, with prices starting at $1899 per person.

All the above examples are 8-night cruise packages and are based on double occupancy.  Inclusions on American Queen Steamboat Company:

• Hotel night before embarkation
• Unlimited shore excursions
• Unlimited beverages (open bar and lounges)
• All specialty dining
• Wifi on the ship

Tulip Cruises – Spring 2022

If you’ve always wanted to see the Tulips in Holland, we’re seeing some really strong pricing from Viking for March 2022 departures:

• 10-days round trip from Amsterdam with flights from the US included.
• Ports of call:  Hoorn, Arnhem, Kinderdijk, Antwerp, Ghent, Zeeland, Keukenhof Gardens
• Prices start at $3199 per person, and include all taxes and fees, flights, transfers, a shore excursion in every port, beer/wine with meals, and wifi on the ship. 

If you wanted to extend your stay after the river cruise, the Floriade Horticultural Expo starts on April 14, 2022.

In case you missed it:

Uniworld: Buy one cruise, get the second one 50% off:  This is for 2021 departures ONLY, and the offer expires Sept. 30th.  This is great for people looking for Christmas markets, or for those ready to travel in the next three months.  Here’s a link to our post about this sale:  https://pamperedcruiser.com/how-to-get-a-50-off-a-uniworld-river-cruise/

SilverSea:  These guys have some interesting things happening right now, including a 20% off sale that ends September 30^th.  Here’s a link to the details we published last week:  https://pamperedcruiser.com/we-cant-put-life-on-hold-any-longer/

We are excited to announce we are partnering with Silversea on the Consumer Event scheduled for this week on 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  When you register, indicate that you are a ‘Traveller’ and list me (Sue Bradley) as your traveller advisor.  Also, after you register, send me your confirmation email for a further exclusive bonus from me and Bob (forward your confirmation to sue@pamperedcruiser.com).

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/3096243573991469

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 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

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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