If you’ve flown across an ocean, and then spent your first few days recovering from jetlag, fighting a bug, or just feeling lousy, you’re in good company.  Here are some ways you can minimize the odds of losing precious vacation time because your body has betrayed you:

BEFORE You Leave Home

• Adjust when you sleep and eat to the time zone of your destination if possible. 
• Get caught up on sleep.  Don’t start your vacation exhausted.
• Pack smart with appropriate vitamins, medications, and hand sanitizer.

ON THE PLANE (where much of the damage happens):

• Stay Hydrated – On a 10-hour flight you’ll lose 50 – 65 ounces of fluid.
• Get up and walk around every couple of hours.  Stretch a little bit while seated. 
• Wear a mask: The pandemic is over now, so let’s put the politics of mask-wearing aside.  An N-95 mask is proven to reduce exposure to airborne particles, bacteria, and viruses.  
• Compression Socks.  If you have any concerns about developing blood clots as a result of being seated for several hours, this simple method greatly reduces your risk. 
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine on the plane.  Sorry to be a drag… but too much red wine on the plane might prevent you from enjoying it at your destination.  

UPON ARRIVAL AT YOUR DESTINATION

• Eat and sleep according to the time at your destination.  Resist the urge to remain in your home timezone.  
• Enjoy the food at your destination, but ease into it.  Eat light meals with lots of fruit and vegetables for the first day or two.  
• Move your body:  walk for 15 minutes, rather than getting a taxi.  Stretch or do light exercise in your hotel room. 

AT ALL STAGES OF YOUR VACATION:

• Drink lots of water, and use rehydrating salts or electrolyte additives.
• Use hand sanitizer.  Particularly when on public transit, or in other “high-touch” places.
• Prioritize sleep.  Yes… you’re on vacation, but you’ll enjoy it more if you sleep well. 
• Build in small breaks.  It makes sense to want to see and do EVERYTHING, but schedule a quiet hour in the afternoon, or quiet coffee in the morning. 

There’s no doubt that cruise vacations in particular can be characterized by an over-abundance of food, and fewer opportunities to move your body.  You don’t have to deprive yourself, but rather look to do a few simple things:  a little bit of movement, an extra glass of water, and a quiet hour here and there.  

The little things will make a big difference in your ability to stay healthy while travelling… and you want your travel memories to be of people, places, and experiences.  NOT feeling horrible and lying in bed.  The best souvenirs you can bring home are memories… not exhaustion. 

PODCAST:  Dream-Travel-Share UNPACKED

Travel should energize you… not wear you out.  In this episode, Kim and Bob discuss the TOP 10 things YOU can do to stay HEALTHY when you travel: 

https://youtu.be/wrorf2gwKr4

In Case You Missed It:

Our YOUTUBE CHANNEL:  We’ve made a number of changes to our channel that will make it easier to find the content that YOU want to see.  Here’s a description of the changes, and what you can expect going forward:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/the-story-behind-our-youtube-channel/

The GALAPAGOS ISLANDS:  This is the ultimate bucket-list trip, and it’s not too far away from home:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/galapagos-cruises-explained/

LAND CRUISES With COLLETTE:  If you like the rhythm and cadence of a cruise, but want to go where the ships can’t take you, then take a look at COLLETTE: 

https://pamperedcruiser.com/collette-guided-vacations/

Featured YOUTUBE Video:

SHIP TOUR of Oceania Regatta:  OCEANIA has four identical R-Class vessels that carry 680 guests.  This ship tour video also applies to Insignia, Nautica, and Sirena.  

https://youtu.be/Ryx1_QMD_oE

Remember to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel while you’re there.  It really helps us, and we can produce more content for you!

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Today’s Travel Opportunities

EXPLORA JOURNEYS – Luxury Lifestyle Cruising

If you’re looking for an elevated culinary experience, and a unique entertainment concept, all while enjoying a luxury small ship experience, then Explora is worth looking at.  The entry level room is a 377 square foot veranda – bigger than the suites on the mega-ships!

ALASKA:  Vancouver to Anchorage departing July 16, 2027 for 7-nights

• Start in Vancouver and visit Ketchikan, Prince Wales Island, Sitka, Juneau, sail past Hubbard Glacier, and finish in Seward.
• Veranda Fares from $5,305
• On the brand new Explora III

MEDITERRANEAN: Athens to Venice for 14-nights

• Visit Athens, Patmos, Istanbul (overnight), Bodrum, Mykonos, Syros, Paros, Corfu, Hvar, Rijeka, Venice.
• Depart July 27 from $10,370 or August 17 from $10,320

EXPLORA SHIP TOUR VIDEO: https://youtu.be/LHjAS0JKCQ0 

EXPLORA ENTERTAINMENT CONCEPT: https://youtu.be/9ELX0zxNjZ0 

TAUCK CRUISES

Although TAUCK is best known as a land tour provider, they have a fleet of river boats in Europe, and they charter ocean vessels to offer unique itineraries on the seas.

GERMAN OKTOBERFEST:  Amsterdam to Munich for 10-days in September

• Visit Amsterdam (overnight), Dusseldorf (to visit local craft breweries), sail the Rhine Gorge, Heidelberg for a beer-paired lunch, Strasbourg, Lucerne and Mt. Pilatus, Lake Konstanz, and then on to Munich for 2 nights for the world’s largest festival!
• 2026: Sold Out
• 2027: Depart September 15 or 22 from $8990

GREAT LAKES Cruise from Chicago to Toronto for 12-days:

• Start with 2-nights in Chicago, then board the ship in Milwaukee and visit Muskegon, see the dunes in Saugatuck, Mackinac Island, sail the sunrise coast, Detroit (for Dearborn and the Ford Museum), Cleveland (for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), traverse the Welland Canal towards Toronto, and see Niagara Falls. 
• 2026: Sold out
• 2027:  Departures August & September from $11,690

OCEANIA Small Ship Experiences

If you’re looking for an experience focused on the destination and great food, Oceania is a great choice:

JAPAN: Tokyo round-trip departing March 21, 2027 for 10-Days

• Cherry Blossom Season!
• Start in Tokyo, and then visit Hokkaido, Niigata, Kanazawa, Sakaiminato, Busan, Nagasaki, and Shimizu
• Fares from $4050 with a $300 per person shore excursion credit. 

ICELAND round-trip Reykjavik departing July 4, 2027 for 10-days

• Visit 8 ports in Iceland, as well as the Faroe Islands
• Fares from $4099 with a $300 per person shore excursion credit. 

Your Oceania fare includes SPECIALTY DINING, GRATUITIES, WIFI, and a choice of a SHORE EXCURSION CREDIT or BEER/WINE with meals.

LAND CRUISES with COLLETTE

You can do it on your own, but it will be easier, and quite possibly more cost-effective if you use COLLETTE for your next land vacation OR for pre/post cruise.  Here are the trips our clients ask for most frequently with COLLETTE:

AFRICAN SAFARI:  Kenya & Tanzania for 15-days round-trip Nairobi

• See Mt. Kilmanjaro, 12-game drives to spot the Big 5, see the Farmhouse from Out of Africa, Ngorongoro Crater, and Serengeti NP.
• 2026: Departures weekly from $7,149
• 2027: Departures weekly from $8,199

IRELAND from Dublin to Kilkenny for 15-days

• Visit Dublin, Belfast, Giant’s Causeway, Derry, Donegal, Wild Atlantic Way, Fermanagh, Devenish Island, Enniskillen, Galway, Cliffs of Moher, Dingle, Kilkenny.
• 2026: Departures March through November from $5,699
• 2027: Departures March through June from $6,199

REMOTE EXPLORATIONS with NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

If you prefer zodiacs to motor coaches, and nature walks over shopping malls, then NatGeo has some options for you:

PACIFIC NORTHWEST: US San Juans & Canadian Gulf Islands for 8-days round-trip Seattle

• Visit Victoria BC, Desolation Sound for kayaking and hiking, Alert Bay for First Nations immersion, the Gulf Islands to visit quaint communities, Friday Harbor for the Whale museum, and other islands in Puget Sound. 
• This corner of the country is a well-kept secret.  Visit remote islands to see the sea lions, eagles, humpback and orca whales.  Go for a bike ride in Victoria; kayaking, zodiacs, and paddleboarding in remote bays.  
• 2026: Departures in October from $5,061
• 2027: Departures in October from $6,150

SCOTLAND & IRELAND from Dublin to Edinburgh for 8-days

• Visit Rathlin Island for world’s largest Puffin colony, Isle of Skye in the Hebrides for fishing villages and medieval castles, Loch Ewe, Shetland and Orkney Islands for incredible rugged scenery, and Viking heritage.
• 2027: June from $8390

ATLAS Yachting Experiences

Atlas has three ships, all carrying less than 200 people.  When they’re not in Antarctica, they offer CULTURAL EXPEDITIONS and EPICUREAN EXPEDITIONS in more moderate climates: 

PORTUGAL, SPAIN & FRANCE departing May 7, 2027 for 7-nights

• Start in Lisbon and visit Porto, La Coruña, Gijón, Bilbao, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and finish in Bordeaux.
• This itinerary is all about food and wine.
• Fares from $5,999

ITALY, SICILY & MALTA Naples to Valletta departing May 9, 2027 for 7-nights

• Start in Naples and visit Capri, Positano, Lipari (Aeolian Islands), Trapani (Sicily), Porto Empedocle, Gozo, and finish in Valletta
• Fares from $5,437

Do You Have an Upcoming Viking Cruise?

Viking’s BON VOYAGE incentive allows you to book your next Viking cruise in the 35 days BEFORE you board, and get some extra goodies for doing so:

• $100 per person on board credit
• 6-month final payment date
• $100 per person OFF one-week cruises, and bigger discounts for longer itineraries.

We made a short video about the Bon Voyage Program if you’d like more details:  

https://youtu.be/gBM8IvjIb3U?si=Vy9UDiSqZQYHWR32

Contact us to book your NEXT VIKING CRUISE

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