In high school English class, many of us had to study The Rime of Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.  In that poem, the mariner and his crew find themselves in the ironic situation of being surrounded by water but dying of thirst.

“Water, water, everywhere,
Nor any drop to drink”.

It’s not quite that dramatic in Europe right now, although some of the media reports in North America would have you believe it. 

As a general rule, we really don’t pay too  much attention to what happens in the rest of the world… unless it might affect our vacation plans.

The news of an historic drought in Europe this year – the likes of which had not been seen on record – entirely failed to make the news in North America.  While Germany, Austria, and France suffered massive crop failures, and billions of Euros of damage was done to their economies, we didn’t hear a word.

But then, when a few river ships where unable to make all their port stops, it instantly became “news”.

Because our news agencies in North America are not required to provide any context (or many times even accurate facts), there is a whole bunch of misinformation and unnecessary fear about the situation floating around out there.

As a result, many people who are booked on river cruises in 2019 are worried that their ship won’t be able to make the journey.  Others are putting off making any river cruise plans in Europe until they see what happens with the water levels. 

These are perfectly normal reactions to hysterical media coverage of the weather in Europe. 

So here is our best attempt to provide prudent advice on the water levels:

• Any time you are discussing the weather, there are no guarantees.  You can be affected by low or high water on any river at any time.  Your chances of a river cruise in 2019 being adversely impacted by water levels are the same as any other year.
  
  
• In reality, river cruise guests are seldom affected by high or low water. Even in 2018, the vast majority of river cruise guests did NOT have any interruption to their trip.  Of course, the news media will not report (or even comment) when people’s trips go smoothly and according to plan.  Amongst all the irresponsible fear mongering in the media about water levels, there was no discussion about what percentage of guests actually experienced itinerary changes this year. 

• The low water in Europe was a seasonal drought that will likely be remedied this winter by the seasonal melting of the snow pack in the Alps and Urals. It is NOT at all like the situation in our Southwest where there is a systemic problem of too many people and not enough water.

So what do you do?

You should make your travel plans and hope for the best, because this is the bargain you make anytime you make vacation plans. 

Planning a Cruise?  I’d love to help!  Click here to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

I just returned from Antarctica – wow, what an experience of a lifetime!

You’ll hear much more about my trip in upcoming emails. I’m so excited to share my stories and photos/videos with you!

Of course, I saw penguins and icebergs… and these were highlights for sure.

But I also encountered many unexpected things along the way, things that completely surprised me.

My first surprise was discovering that the cruise line that hosted me is the #1 cruise line in polar regions (both in terms of number of passengers and number of departures).

Now, I’m a travel agent and I didn’t even know this!

In fact, I’d never even heard of this cruise line until a couple of years ago.

The #1 cruise line in both Arctic and Antarctic waters is NOT Princess, Holland America or Silversea.

It’s Hurtigruten, a Norwegian company that’s been in operation for 125 years.

The reason that you’re not familiar with Hurtigruten is because until now, the company has focused primarily on the European market.

Pretty soon though, Hurtigruten will be a household name in the US.

If you’re one of the knowledgeable few who’ve already heard of Hurtigruten, it’s likely because of their “Northern Lights Guarantee”. If you take Hurtigruten’s classic 12-day cruise along the Norwegian coast (which travels round trip out of Bergen), you are 100% GUARANTEED to see the Northern Lights. If you do not see them, you’ll get another cruise, absolutely free of charge! That’s how sure Hurtigruten is that the Northern Lights will make an appearance during your trip.

Hurtigruten offers expedition style cruises. There’s a large, expert Expedition Team on every cruise. These are your hosts both on board and ashore, guiding and assisting you during outdoor activities, and providing lectures in subjects such as geography, history, wildlife and more.

If you enjoy traveling with likeminded adventurers who value personal growth over exploring in luxury, then Hurtigruten would be a good choice for you.

But it’s not for everyone. You won’t find waterslides, casinos or any sort of dress code.

What you WILL find is a casual and relaxed atmosphere, great food, and all the quality equipment and knowledgeable guidance you need to explore new destinations.

By the way, if you’re thinking of an Alaska cruise in the next couple of years, you’ll want to consider Hurtigruten. All their Alaska 2020 departures were just released yesterday, so the selection is excellent. The itineraries include unique ports of call like Petersburg and Wrangell, interesting places that other cruise lines rarely visit.  You’ll experience Alaska in a way that few North Americans ever have.

Planning a Cruise?  I’d love to help!  Click here to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

The cruise lines are continuing to innovate to attract people to their ships. In the mass-market, they do this by building bigger ships with more attractions that are akin to an amusement park. These attractions are great for people travelling with children, or for those looking for a cheap getaway.

At the higher end of the market, we are seeing different trends. In some cases, cruise lines are doing different routings, and calling in on bucket-list destinations to attract people to their ships.  Other cruise lines have created themed cruises.

Here are some of the theme trends we’ve noticed lately.

Wellness themed cruises – A few months ago, I wrote about the arrangement that Seabourn has with Dr. Andrew Weill.  It appears as though other cruise lines have also identified wellness as a theme that can get people on board their ships. If you want to learn more about health, nutrition, meditation, exercise, then these cruises might be for you.

Example: AmaWaterways has recently added “wellness hosts” on their river ships. The hosts lead free stretching, jogging and resistance workouts every morning and afternoon, guide discussion groups on healthy eating and relaxation techniques, and offer complimentary classes such as yoga, Pilates, tai chi and circuit training.

Golf – For those who love the links, a golf-themed cruise would hold some appeal. Not only do you get to visit some golf courses in places you’ve likely never been, but they also have PGA coaches, and golf celebrities on board for you to hobnob with.

Example: Azamara’s Golf Voyages include 3-6 rounds of golf on each itinerary. Specialized staff on board and ashore arrange everything from daily pairings and competitions to social events and handling your golf clubs which you’ll find set up at each course awaiting your arrival from the ship.

Music – If you love big-band or jazz, there are cruises that will cater to your musical tastes.

Example: Silversea offers opera-themed cruises in 2018 and 2019, giving aficionados a unique opportunity to deepen their knowledge and passion. Talented artists from Accademia Teatro alla Scala will give performances, lectures, and Q&A sessions, and you’ll have the unique opportunity to mingle with the singers at a signature cocktail party.

Cuisine – It used to be that any cruise was an extraordinary culinary experience. On the small-ship lines, this is still very much the case, but Culinary themed cruises go a step beyond and feature celebrity chefs and sometimes have cooking classes on board for people to participate in. If you’re a “foodie”, then there are lots of options for you.

Example: Oceania’s has specific sailings where you can join Master Chef Jacques Pépin, Oceania’s Executive Culinary Director, on a cruise that feature exclusive signature menus, heartwarming lectures, and cooking demonstrations.

Magic – It is true there a few different ships called the “Magic”, but that’s not what I’m talking about here.  These themed cruises are about the stage craft of magic. If you’re a budding magician, or just someone who appreciates this type of performance art, then these cruises might be worth checking out.

Example: Crystal has a well-established partnership with Magic Castle, where magicians come aboard specific sailings to entertain with remarkable, mystifying performances featuring sleight of hand and illusions.

Planning a Cruise?  I’d love to help!  Click here to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

Viking Cruises does a fantastic job of making cruisers out of non-cruisers.  About half the people we put on their river ships have never been on an ocean cruise, and in fact find the whole idea of ocean cruising quite distasteful.

Then the brochures start rolling in from Viking, many of which highlight the fact that Viking OCEAN ships imitate the atmosphere of their river ships… and the itineraries look so amazing.

The end result is that people who’ve always sworn they’d never get on an ocean ship enthusiastically sign up for their first ‘real’ cruise, with Viking Ocean.

In some cases, people consider Viking Ocean because of a destination that is not available, or is difficult by other modes of travel.  Alaska is one of those destinations – there are simply places in Alaska that you can only get to by ship.   And there’s no doubt that Alaska is a bucket list destination.

Given the number of Viking River Cruises we sell, you can imagine how pleased we were when Viking announced they were sending one of their Ocean vessels to Alaska for the 2019 season.

The only catch here, is that it is already completely sold out already!

So what do you do?

Well, you can look at 2020 if you want to wait that long – there is still some availability left on Viking Ocean for Alaska 2020.

Alternately, you may want to look at a different small ship cruise line.

Where Viking Ocean has a small ship vibe with 940 guests, there are other small ship lines with fewer than 1000 people aboard at the same general price point as Viking Ocean.  For example, Oceania, Regent, Seabourn and SilverSea all have small ships in the Alaska market, and there is still some availability for the 2019 season.

Bob and I are hosting a Seabourn cruise to Alaska in July of 2019.

We are leaving on July 2^nd, 2019, round trip from Vancouver for 12 nights, and we would love it if you could join us!

We always look forward to visiting Alaska, but this voyage will stand out for a few reasons.

First, even though we’ve been Alaska many times, we’ve never celebrated the 4^thof July there.  I figure that’s worth some bragging rights.

Also, 2019 marks the 60^thAnniversary of Alaska’s statehood, so there will lots of celebrations marking this milestone, and the 1867 purchase of Alaska from Russia for about 2 cents per acre or $7.2 million.   Even then, that wasn’t very much money – about $112M in today’s dollars.  Not bad for a land mass nearly 3 times as big as Texas (and bigger than most countries in the world).

Here’s what you can expect on our Alaska trip:

• Convenient flights – itinerary is Vancouver round trip, departing July 2^nd, 2019 (12 nights)
• No line-ups or crowds – maximum 450 passengers on the Seabourn Sojourn
• Be one of the lucky few to visit remote places like Misty Fjords, Wrangell, Sitka, Klemtu, and Alert Bay. Click here to see the full itinerary: https://www.seabourn.com/en_US/find-a-cruise/A9N12B/5932.html
• Relax in your spacious, luxuriously appointed stateroom – All staterooms are suites and have an ocean view
• Practically all-inclusive, so you’re not constantly reaching for your wallet and you won’t face a large bill at the end of the trip: Your fare INCLUDES complimentary beverages at all times including premium spirits, fine wines, and a mini bar stocked with your preferences; World class dining enhanced through a partnership with celebrity chef Thomas Keller (all dining venues are complimentary); and Tipping is neither required nor expected. Prices start at $7144 per person.

This is a hosted Virtuoso Voyage, you’ll enjoy these added benefits (as long as you book through my agency):

• A dedicated onboard host to answer questions and ensure everything goes smoothly (Bob and I are the onboard hosts for this departure date).
• An invitation to a private cocktail reception, where you can meet your hosts as well as the other Virtuoso travellers
• A complimentary, Exclusive Shore Experience (valued at $800 per couple)

Book before Nov. 13^th and take advantage of Seabourn’s valuable ‘Set Sail’ event.  You get:

• 3-Category Upgrade when you book a Veranda
• Complimentary Internet Package
• $500 – $1000 per person Air Credit
• $250 – $500 per person Onboard Credit
• 50% Reduced Deposit – refundable for any reason until 121 days prior to departure

We put together a video to highlight this cruise.  Click here to view the video: https://youtu.be/zbkRx2MuXXo

Enjoy!

If you’re thinking of joining us on this cruise,  click here to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley