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

Every year in hurricane season, we end up with some disrupted clients. Most of them handle the changes to their trip well.

I am always sympathetic to the disappointment that an adjusted or cancelled itinerary may cause. I am NOT sympathetic to people who somehow think that the cruise lines have control over the weather.

There is a reason why August and September are cheaper than the rest of the year for Caribbean cruises – and it has everything to do with the fact that there is a fair to reasonable chance that your itinerary will be adjusted as a result of the weather.

And it’s not just the Caribbean. On a reasonably frequent basis Mother Nature likes to assert the fact that she is in charge.

I was recently on a Viking River Cruise on the Danube. If you’ve been following the weather in Europe, you will know that they’ve had a once-in-a-century summer. It didn’t rain for months, and they experienced crop failures all through central Europe, as well as record low water levels for both the Danube and Rhine Rivers.

Clients considering a river cruise quite regularly ask about the risk of high or low water levels. The reality is they don’t occur predictably enough for us (or anyone else) to be able to offer any consistent advice about it. I would suggest the better question would be “what contingency plans does the cruise line have in place in the event of high or low water?”.

So, while it was a little disappointing that my Danube river cruise was affected by low water, it was a great experience for me to see first hand the contingency plans that Viking River Cruises had in place for these circumstances.

The verdict?

I was incredibly impressed with how it was all handled, and I would suggest that 90% of those on the ship were of a similar mind. The last 10% of the guests were those who believed that someone at Viking Headquarters should have been able to put a staff in one hand, lift both arms to sky, and command the heavens to rain.

Specifically – we did not miss any ports of call, although we did have to take a motor coach to two of them. We slept on the ship every night, and ate all but one meal on the ship. The one lunch we missed, where it was too far to get back to the ship, Viking arranged for us to be fed in town. We were not charged extra for any of these (considerable) costs.

In fact, Viking offered all passengers on this ship a future cruise credit worth 25% of the value of this cruise.

If you check your contract of passage on any cruise line, you will know the company is not required to do anything for you in the event that weather disrupts your vacation. So it makes it that much more extraordinary that Viking contributed so much money and effort to compensating for the weather.

The first two days of my Danube River cruise were a bit more onerous than they would have been if the ship was able to get where it was scheduled to go. By the third day, the cruise resumed its normal itinerary. By the time we disembarked, most of the guests had forgotten all about the extra coach rides, and were instead basking in the glory of a great vacation experience.

Of course, there were a few that were still looking for the bearded guy, wearing (Viking logoed) robes and carrying a staff, and continued to air their grievances about the volume of the Danube River.

By the way, if you’re at all interested in following our recent cruise along the Danube, we posted daily video blogs, and you can view them here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA1r3eOMaDVFxRaTWvnN1x-8f9dFUpUIN

Enjoy!

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

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley

One of the things they tried to teach me in Business School was that a key part of a business strategy was to clearly understand both what you are and what you are not.

I was thinking about this as I was completing a Viking Romantic Danube river cruise this month. We put people on a variety of different river cruise lines based on what they tell is important to them. Viking is the largest operator by far in Europe, but they are certainly not the only game in town.

So… given the overwhelming amount of marketing that Viking does in the United States, why would someone choose a different river line?   There are a variety of answers to this question, but I think Viking articulates it very well.

Here’s what they have to say.

With Viking, there are:

• No casinos
• No children under 18
• No umbrella drinks
• No photographers
• No art auctions
• No charge for beer and wine with meals
• No charge for alternative restaurants
• No charge for WiFi
• No charge for launderettes
• No entrance fee for the spa
• No sales pressure for spa services
• No inside staterooms
• No smoking
• No lines
• No formal nights, butlers, or white gloves
• No nickel and diming

To be clear, some of these things only apply to Viking Ocean, and some other river cruise lines have similar promises, but I really like that they are unapologetic about what they don’t have.

I’m particularly impressed they don’t have any of those offensive umbrella drinks!  Actually, I’m not sure exactly how this a differentiator, but apparently they thought this through enough to articulate it.

The absence of a casino is probably a better barometer of the type of client Viking is trying to attract.

It’s not that there’s anything wrong with the ships that have casinos and art auctions, it’s just that it not what Viking does.

By the way, if you’re at all interested in following our recent cruise along the Danube, we posted daily video blogs, and you can view them here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA1r3eOMaDVFxRaTWvnN1x-8f9dFUpUIN

Enjoy!

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

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley