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

Last week we talked about river cruising in the United States.  Hundreds of you enjoyed our video and many took advantage of the offer we described.

Others who contacted us said one of these two things:

1. “I’m not ready to travel yet”

Everyone has a different comfort level with travelling planning at the moment, so I certainly understand if you’re not ready yet.  I’m not here to talk anybody into anything, but when you’re ready to discuss options, I’m ready to help.

2. “I still want to go to EUROPE, and I can wait till 2021”. 

So that what this week’s message is about.

All of the river cruise companies as well as the small ship ocean cruise lines are reporting that ships for next season are fuller than they normally would be so far in advance. 

It makes some sense – many people simply pushed their plans ahead one year. 

In most cases, availability is not so tight that you’ll have trouble finding what you want, but we are seeing evidence of the pent-up demand for travel presenting itself already.

Lately, I’ve been looking more closely at Crystal Cruises.

Crystal is an interesting company.  They have a small fleet of river ships in Europe, they have three small ocean ships, and they have the Crystal Skye, the world’s largest private jet.  Incidentally, Bob and I had the chance to ride on that jet a just a few months ago (seems like a million years ago).  Here’s a short video:  https://youtu.be/4YaJcEpBsSc .

Crystal is owned by a very large parent company Genting Hong Kong (which also operates Star Cruises in Asia).

Crystal is considered to be a luxury, all-inclusive cruise line.

Other river cruise lines in this category include Scenic, Tauck and Uniworld.

(For context, Viking Cruises would be considered a premium, semi-inclusive river cruise line, in the same category as Ama Waterways and Avalon).

When you book a Crystal river cruise, you get a lot of inclusions that you often have to pay extra for, such as:

• All Gratuities (both onboard and ashore) 
• Complimentary fine wines, premium spirits and beer throughout the ship, open bar service in all lounges and prepaid gratuities for bar staff

I think these are the biggest advantages though:

• They have the youngest fleet on the rivers.  Crystal started as an ocean cruise line and expanded to the rivers in 2016.
• Each ship has a Fitness Center, pool, and complimentary yoga classes on deck
• Bicycles are available
• 24-hour room service and in-suite dining
• King size bed (or 2 twins)
• Butler service for every stateroom category (not just the premium suites)
• MUCH larger staterooms (for example Viking French Balconies are 135 square feet, and with Crystal they are 188-253 sq. ft.)
• Crystal’s ships are exactly the same size as Viking but there are far fewer guests on board (190 guests on Viking vs. just 106 guests on Crystal).
• More space in the public areas, due to the fewer number of passengers. Crystal says “double the space per guest”
• Impeccable service.  Viking and the others do an excellent job with service, but Crystal is truly “6-star”.  Crystal has more crew to serve fewer passengers!  (for example, Viking has 50 crew to serve 190 guests; Crystal has 55 crew for 106 guests i.e. 1 staff member for every 1.55 guests).

Given these differences, Crystal river cruises are usually very expensive.

However, I recently became aware of an incredible deal from Crystal Cruises.  I’m always reluctant to push out specific deals, simply because most “deals” don’t really stand out all that much when you start looking into them.  This is one of the exceptions.

With Crystal’s “Advance Purchase Savings” promotion, you can save up to 50% on 2021 European river cruises.

Here’s how it works:

• There are 10 different itineraries to choose from, all 7-day itineraries on the Rhine or Danube
• 73 different sailings are available (March through November 2021)
• The fare is $3699 per person + port charges (approx. $196 pp)
• For this set price, you can choose the best available stateroom at time of reservation.  This includes any suite in categories S1 – S5 (these are all French Balcony staterooms, although Crystal calls them “Balcony-Windows”)

Here’s a sample comparison between Crystal, and the next best deal I could find (on a different cruise line) on each of the Rhine and Danube rivers for May of 2021:

CRYSTAL’S Advance Purchase Savings	NEXT BEST DEAL
Example #1: Rhine River	Example #1: Rhine River
Basel to Amsterdam – May 7, 2021	Basel to Amsterdam – May 7, 2021
French Balcony: $3699 (253 square ft. room)	French Balcony: $3999 (135 square ft. room)
Example #2: Danube River	Example #2: Danube River
Budapest to Vilshofen (Bavaria) – May 8, 2021	Budapest to Nuremberg (Bavaria) – May 8, 2021
French Balcony: $3699 (253 square ft. room)	French Balcony: $4199 (135 square ft. room)
INCLUSIONS:	INCLUSIONS:
Open Bar at all times (beer, wine, spirits)	Beer & wine with meals
Gratuities included	Gratuities additional $125/week
Port fees additional $196	Port fees included
4 dining venues plus 24-hour room service	2 dining venues.  No room service
Butlers for all suites	Not available
King sized bed	Queen bed
Maximum guests:  106 (& 55 crew)	Maximum Guests:  180 (& 50 crew)

Both cruise lines include an excursion in every port, and on-board WiFi. 

You can see from the comparison chart that Crystal’s price is actually lower, you get a larger stateroom, and you get more included.

You’ll also get a $125 per person on board credit when you book any Crystal river cruise through our agency. You would not receive this by booking directly with Crystal.

There are lots of other departure dates and itineraries included in the Crystal deal too, so don’t feel constrained by the example above. 

So… what’s the catch?  No real catch, but here is the fine print:

• The promotion is capacity controlled and is being honored on a first-come, first-served basis. That means the offer can be withdrawn at any time.  It also means that the best staterooms will get booked first, since they are all the same price.
• Payment in full is due within 7 days of booking. (Funny, I thought this was a ‘big deal’ when I first saw it.  But then I remembered that with Viking, final payment is normally due 12 months in advance anyways).
• The fare is non-refundable.  You do have the opportunity to change your departure date or itinerary as long as you do it before Dec. 31, 2020 (you must move to one of the other 73 Advance Purchase Savings departures, subject to availability).  You’ll want to make sure you have cancellation insurance in place.

If you were thinking about a Rhine or Danube river cruise next year, then this definitely worth considering.

If you really want to experience a high-end luxury product on the European rivers, then this is a great opportunity to do so, while paying a price even lower than we see on other river cruise lines that offer fewer inclusions. 

I’m excited to share this enticing opportunity with you!

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

One thing I’ve learned about global pandemics is that for something with a definitive beginning, the ending is much less obvious. 

Some countries around the world have lifted many restrictions and are on their way to a new normal. 

Some people are ready to cautiously resume travel and other life’s pleasures, while others prefer to stay close to home for a while yet.

We’ve been getting a great number of requests for information about domestic travel opportunities that are available within the next few months.  The purpose of this post is to respond to these requests and provide close-to-home ideas for those who are ready to travel again.

For those who are more comfortable at home for the time being, we hope you’ll still find value in these suggestions and enjoy hearing about them.  We spoke a few weeks ago about “Dreaming” being an important phase in the travel experience, and if it is best for you to spend longer in this phase, then enjoy every minute of it.

River Cruising in the United States and options in the Pacific Northwest are two of the top five requests for information we are getting right now, so today, we’ll talk about both.

We normally associate river cruising with Europe, but there are also some fantastic river cruising options right here at home.  A number of our clients have sailed with the American Queen Steamboat Company (AQSC), both on the Mississippi and Columbia Rivers.

The overwhelming majority of our AQSC clients had also been on a European river cruise, and confirmed that the quality of food, service, inclusions and amenities they came to expect on the European river lines was every bit as good or better on AQSC. 

Here are some ways river cruising on the Mississippi or Columbia might be different than what you’d expect in Europe:

• Shore Excursions:  AQSC has hop-on/hop-off buses that follow the ship along the river.  If you’re a person that doesn’t like being herded around in groups, you’ll love exploring each port on your own terms.
• River Laureate:  On every sailing there is a resident expert who sails with you and helps you better understand the history, geography, and culture of the places you’re visiting.
• Accessibility:  Europe is not great for those with mobility issues, but on the AQSC, all mobility levels are easily accommodated both onboard and on the motor coaches.
• Families & Children:  There are no kids’ clubs on board, but children and teenagers sare certainly welcome on AQSC.  What a great way to experience American History with your kids or grandchildren! 
• Entertainment:  I love the local musicians on the European river ships, and you get those same sorts of entertainers on AQSC.  They also have a larger theatre with Broadway quality production shows.  So, you get both.
• Pre-cruise Hotel Night:  I think all the cruise lines should do this.  A one-night pre-cruise hotel stay in your city of embarkation is included in your fare.
• History:  The history of Europe is spectacular, and particularly meaningful for those of us of European descent.  However, the history of the Mississippi (and even the Columbia) is the history of our country.  It is certainly more recent history than you experience in Europe, and the events that occurred particularly along the Mississippi River are those events that shaped the country as it is today.  A better understanding of that history is nothing but good.

The vibe on board, the dress code, the inclusions, and the pricing are very similar to the offerings in Europe.

Like so many of us, I had always focused my travel on far-away places on other continents.  It’s not that I wasn’t interested in North America, it’s just that I knew it would always be available to me.  Perhaps this is rationalizing the fact that I have always taken it for granted.

If anything good has come from this pandemic, it is that it has inspired me to explore my own backyard a bit more.  Both the Mississippi (for its’ unmatched history and culture), and the Columbia/Snake (for the incredible scenery and nature) are at the top of my “domestic must-do list”.

We’re frantically putting together a US River Cruise informational video right now.  We’ll send out the link later in the week.

For those who want to go soon, there is availability on both rivers starting in early July. The American Queen Steamboat Company was the last river cruise line to stop sailing, and it will be the first to start up again, with strict new health and safety protocols to ensure the health, safety, and comfort of guests.

For those still in the “Dreaming”phase, you’ll enjoy reviewing the video to get a better idea of what’s possible on these two rivers for when you are ready to travel again.

Keep an eye out for our US River Cruise video, delivered to your inbox later this week.

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/2690354911247006

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

In last week’s message, I pondered where you could travel if you had your 2020 plans interrupted by the pandemic. 

I suggested that domestic travel would be less subject to variables like airline schedules and the decisions of foreign governments.

I also put forth the idea of a “land-cruise” knowing that most of valued subscribers are dedicated cruisers. 

I then asked you where you might be interested in exploring within the United States. 

The response was overwhelming.  Several hundred of you replied!  Thank you very much for your participation. 

As I sorted through the responses, a few trends became apparent:

• 65% said they would like to better explore our National Parks
• 55% indicated an interest in domestic river cruises
• The Pacific Northwest was the most mentioned destination.  This was interesting given that most of our subscribers are from the eastern time zone, on the other side of the country.
• Respondents were receptive to the idea of a “land cruise” – particularly if it included less-travelled places
• Many respondents mentioned a desire to replicate experiences they were looking forward to in Europe, like cooking classes, art or historical exploration, or visits to wineries and breweries

The most specifically mentioned product was the Rocky Mountaineer train trip.  We are quite familiar with this offering as it is a common add-on to Alaskan cruises.  There is NO DOUBT that the Rocky Mountaineer luxury train journey through the Canadian Rockies is very quickly becoming one of the world’s must-do train trips.

If you were planning to travel this fall, or next year, this is an excellent choice.  However, if you are looking for something in the next couple of months, you will need to be cautious.  We tend to view Canada as part of our domestic market (for very good reason).  It is, however, a sovereign country that currently has its borders closed.  Rocky Mountaineer has suspended its operations through to July 1^st, and I suspect that could be extended if the Government of Canada chooses to extend the border closure.  Don’t rule this trip out though – it is well worth the potential wait.

There are seemingly limitless options for domestic travel, and here are some ideas to get the thought process started.  In coming weeks we will speak in more details about some of the options below:

• Mississippi River:  9-day cruise between New Orleans and Memphis.  Prices start at $2499 per person on American Queen Steamboat Company. 
• Columbia/Snake Rivers:  8-day cruise between Portland, OR and Spokane, WA.  Prices start at $5395 per person on UnCruise Adventures and the price includes a wide variety of activities.  They operate this trip August through November, but there are several other operators here if you want to go earlier.  As an add-on, consider spending some time in Eastern Washington State, and discover the area’s wineries – one of the country’s best kept secrets. 
• Rocky Mountaineer:  8-day train trip between Vancouver and Calgary.  Prices start at $3035 per person.  The actual train journey between these two Canadian cities over the Rockies, is actually only two days, but it makes way more sense to spend time pre/post in these cities as well as Banff, Lake Louise and Jasper.  The trains begin operating again on July 1st, and run through to November.
• Pacific Northwest:  The above two trips should satisfy those asking for PNW options, but here’s one for those who want to tick that box while experiencing something off the beaten path:  A 10-day ‘Land Cruise’ travelling round trip from Seattle, with visits to Glacier National Park, Hell’s Canyon and Washington’s wine region.  Prices start at $3219 per person, and trips run June through September.
• Southwest Canyons:  A 9-day ‘Land Cruise’ travelling round-trip from Salt Lake Cit, visiting Grand Canyon and Zion National Parks, as well as a helicopter tour over Bryce Canyon NP.  Prices start at $5395 per person.  There are variations of this trip that are tailored to photographers and hikers. 
• Music, Food & Culture:  A 15-day ‘Land Cruise’ between New Orleans and Washington, DC via Tennessee and the Carolinas.  Prices start at $3229 per person, and the trip is offered in August.

The first two trips above are river cruises and compare very well with what you would expect in Europe.  The remaining trips have varying levels of inclusions, and we would consider them all to be “land cruises” in so far as you are escorted through a variety of different locations within a region.  In all cases, your transportation and accommodation are included, and in some cases meals and activities are also included.

There is no doubt that domestic travel will be much easier than international options for the next few months, so why not take advantage of this opportunity to explore your own back yard?

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/2684832595132571

If you’re planning a Cruise or a “Land Cruise”, I’d love to help!  Click here to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

Hundreds of our clients had their cruise vacations cancelled for April, May or June of this year.

Many had planned their trip a year or more in advance, only to have it cancelled at the last moment.  Now they have to wait even longer!

The majority have already re-booked for the fall, or for next year.

But what if you need a vacation NOW?

Where can you go this summer?

The cruise lines are planning to start up again in July, but it will be phased-in approach, and there are variables like airline schedules and the decisions of foreign governments that will impact the cruise lines’ plans.  These things will only become clear in time.

For those who want to make vacation plans worrying about the details involved in international travel, it might be time to look at domestic options. 

There is no doubt that air travel within the United States will resume more quickly than service to other countries.  You could also avoid flying altogether by travelling to your destination by train or car.

If you’re looking for cruise options, believe it or not, there are some great options available within the US:

• The Mississippi River – the most common routing is between New Orleans and Memphis, but in the summer months, you can go as far north as Minneapolis.
• The Columbia/Snake Rivers in Oregon and Washington – these cruises have scenery and wildlife that rival Alaska.  The Pacific Northwest is one of this country’s best kept secrets.

There are also several non-cruise options that we’re looking at right now. 

“But wait”, you say, “aren’t you guys the cruise people?”.

Yes, until now we have focused heavily on cruises for our clients.

However, even before the pandemic, we had been receiving inquiries from our clients about other vacation options that may NOT involve a cruise ship. 

We started investigating what we cheekily termed “land cruises” – vacation packages that allow you to visit multiple scenic and/or culturally fascinating locations in one trip, where all the logistics and details taken care of by the someone else.  In other words, trips with many of the same benefits as ocean or river cruises. 

Up till now, Bob and I have put a priority on international travel for our personal trips. 

We certainly have a huge desire to explore the US, and in particular it is our goal to visit all 62 of our National Parks.

But we knew that the wonders of this vast country would always be there “waiting for us” whenever we were ready.  We felt that travelling closer to home would be a good option later in our lives, and we were not willing or able to take longer trips if (for example) our mobility became restricted as we aged.

Well, now we are ‘restricted’ in our travel, but not for mobility reasons.

And, as promised, the US is still there, waiting to be explored.

We’ve selected a limited number of carefully vetted tour partners to work with in the US.

You’ll benefit from their expertise as we partner with them to help you plan “land cruises” in your own back yard.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be giving you inspiration and practical guidance for amazing US-based trips.

We’d like to be certain that we are providing information that is most useful for YOU.

What type of US-based trip would you be most interested in within the next 12 months?

Click here to join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/2675907129358451

Thanks in advance for your participation!

Warm Regards,

Sue and Bob Bradley