You’ve seen the headlines of locals protesting tourism or cruise ship ports restricting traffic.  If you’re like me, you’re wondering where it will all end.  A few thoughts:

Yes… there is some backlash to tourism:

Several cruise ship ports HAVE taken steps to reduce traffic:  Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dubrovnik, Palm Beach, Juneau, Santorini, and Venice (to name a few).  Some limit the number of ships or guests.  Others are adding taxes or fees to either discourage cruise ship traffic.

Under Tourism?

What is talked about less is that in many destinations a substantial portion of the economy is driven by tourists, and (as we learned during the pandemic) UNDER-tourism is also a problem.  So it’s not an effort to eliminate tourism, but rather to reach a better balance.

What Happened in Juneau, Alaska?

Juneau has a permanent population of about 30,000 (and many of those are in the tourist trade).  On a busy summer day, there might be six ships in port, each carrying 3000 or 4000 people.  You can imagine what 20,000 tourists can do to a town that size!

When Juneau residents were polled, the highest proportion (46%) felt tourism was a mixed blessing.  Thirty percent viewed it as entirely positive, and only 11% viewed it as entirely negative.  Similar dynamics are undoubtedly in place in busy cruise ship ports around the world.  

It’s also worth noting that outside of North America, Europe and Australia/New Zealand, many cruise ship ports are in emerging economies, and tourist dollars are an effective way to redistribute wealth (by supporting local businesses and jobs).  

What can YOU do about Over-Tourism?

• Don’t pay too much attention to the tourism protests that you see on the news.  They are not particularly widespread, and if you get into the details, I’m sure you’ll see something similar to Juneau, with residents viewing tourism as a mixed blessing. 
• Be patient: each jurisdiction is going to have to find an equilibrium that works for both the people that live there, and for visitors.
• Visit in the off-season.  Visiting the Mediterranean in the winter, for example, is a great way to see cultural and historical sites without all the crowds.
• Go on a small ship.  I’ve been to Juneau on a mega ship (they all dock there mid-week), and I’ve also been there with Seabourn with 450 guests, and no other ships in port (because Seabourn visits on the weekend).
• Go places tourists haven’t discovered yet.  If you follow us on Facebook, you’ll know we just visited Slovenia – a convenient pre/post cruise destination for Danube River Cruises, or for ocean cruises that start/finish in Venice, Trieste, Dubrovnik, or Athens.  Slovenia is incredible, and it hasn’t been discovered yet. 
• Be Contrarian to the White Lotus Effect.  Visits to Sicily went up 424% after season 2 of White Lotus.  Where seeing similar demand in Thailand this year.  Taylor Swift concerts have the same effect.  Know where everyone are going, and go elsewhere. 

Equilibrium will be achieved… it’s just that different jurisdictions are in a period of trying to figure it out. 

In Case You Missed It:

ISTANBUL & TURKEY:  Istanbul is a crossroads, and has been for centuries.  That makes it a really interesting place, and a common port stop for Adriatic and Eastern Med cruises:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/istanbul-turkey/

AMA WATERWAYS:  With a strong focus on culinary, and lots of choices for included shore excursions, AMA should be on your radar.  Their final payment date is also 90 days prior:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/ama-waterways-private-sale-90-day-final-payment/

MEET THE TEAM:  You get emails from our core team, and have probably talked to them on the phone.  Here’s a fun look to get to know them better:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/meet-the-team/

Featured YOUTUBE Post:

LOCKS & BRIDGES on European Rivers.  We get lots of questions from first-time river cruisers about how the bridges (that river boats must fit under), and locks (that river boats must go through) affect their trip.  This video is a few years old now, but shows our journey on the Danube through locks and under bridges. 

https://youtu.be/AgGNSU-7Qu8?si=BChxon3ZqDf5MkTK

Have something to say about this?

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Today’s Travel Opportunities

RIVER CRUISES – AMA Waterways

AMA is on all Europe’s major rivers, as well as Egypt, Mekong, Southern Africa, and Colombia.  They’re really strong on food & wine, offer multiple choices for included shore excursions, and have a 90 day final payment date.  BONUS:  if you book any 2025 European river cruise, we can get you free pre-paid gratuities. 

MEKONG River: Vietnam & Cambodia from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap for 7-nights

• Visit local markets and temples, do a local school visit, get a tuk-tuk tour of Phnom Penh, and experience the amazing people, culture and food of the unique part of the world on a fully escorted trip.  The featured dates below also include a $150 per person on board credit.
• 2025:  Depart September 22 from $3239, or September 29 from $3089
• 2026:  Depart September 28 from $2799.

AMA on the MEKONG.  Kim from our office travelled with Alex Pinelo from AMA Waterways on the Mekong, and put together this video: https://youtu.be/tvA_WHOYuLo 

COLOMBIA: Barranquilla to Cartagena for 7-nights

• Visit a Carnaval celebration, take a stilt-house village tour, enjoy a jazz street performance,  and San Felipe Castle and Walled city tour.  Enjoy the latin music, sample the famous coffee, and take in the tropical rainforest.
• Pre/post available to Medellin and/or Panama.
• 2025: Departures in October & November from $3339
• 2026: Departures year round.  Get a $150 per person on board credit on:
  • July 4 from $3649
  • October 10 from $3549

PROVENCE, FRANCE:  Lyon to Marseille for 7-nights

• Visit Lyon (overnight), Vienne, Tournon, Viviers, Avignon, Arles (overnight).  Experience farm to table food, wineries, Roman Ruins, and the French countryside.
• 2025: Get a $150 per person on board credit on November 6 from $4139
• 2026: Get a $150 per person on board credit on July 23 from $4549
• Here’s our video from when we did this cruise:  https://youtu.be/H2rBL8J7DIU 

EXPLORA JOURNEYS:  5% off early booking for Select 2026 Itineraries

With a strong focus on culinary, a unique entertainment program, and huge staterooms, this new luxury lifestyle brand is worth checking out.  Click here to learn more about the Explora Journeys experience: https://inspires.to/experiences/the-explora-journeys-experience-43wo3

CARIBBEAN: round-trip Miami departing Jan 5, 2026 for 10-nights

• Visit San Andreas (Colombia), Colon (Panama), Bocas del Toro (Panama), Puerto Limon (Costa Rica), George Town (Grand Cayman)
• Veranda Fares from $5270.

NORTHERN EUROPE: Reykjavik to Quebec City departing September 17, 2026 for 11-nights

• Visit 2 ports in Iceland, then sail to Greenland to visit 3 ports, then on to Canada, where you’ll stop in 2 of Quebec’s Eastern townships, before arriving in Quebec City (overnight).  
• Veranda fares from $10,890

ARABIAN PENINSULA round-trip from Dubai departing December 14 or 21, 2026 for 7-nights

• Visit Dubai (overnight), Khor Fakkan (UAE) for archeological sites and Musandam’s Fjords (the Norway of Arabia), Sur (to visit the sand dunes), Muscat to immerse yourself in authentic Arabia or to go snorkeling, Khasab on the remote Omani Peninsula, then back to Dubai.
• Veranda fares from $3800 on December 14 or $4095 on December 21

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

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

OCEANIA PRIVATE SALE: Get the BOOK ON BOARD price until June 30 and save up to $750 (or more on Grand Journeys over 30 days).  Only 10 days left! 

REMOTE EXPLORATIONS with HX

HX is celebrating its 130^th anniversary this month, and is offering all kinds of goodies, like 5% off most of its itineraries.  Here are a few examples: 

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS and Quito for 9-days

• 2-nights in Quito, then fly to Galapagos (included in fare) for 6 nights.  Visit Mosquera Inlet, Santa Fe, South Plaza, Santa Cruz, Charles Darwin Research Station in Port Ayora, Espanola Island, Eden Islet.  

• 2025: Depart October through December from $6900
• 2026:  January through June from $7271
• See our video blog from this trip:  https://youtu.be/3F38Km2EEjQ 

REMOTE ALASKA from Vancouver to Anchorage for 10-days

• Depart Vancouver, sail the Inside Passage, then to Misty Fjords, Klawock, Fjords of the Alaskan panhandle, Icy Strait Point, Glacier Bay, Valdez, Prince William Sound, and then to Seward (for Anchorage)
• Sail on the world’s first hybrid-electric cruise ship.  See our ship tour video here: https://youtu.be/1L_ByDqhGR0 
• Departures May through July 2026 from $4554

HX: GREENLAND & NEWFOUNDLAND from Reykjavik to St. John’s for 18-days

• Start in Reykjavik, and then visit 2 ports in Greenland, before travelling down the Labrador coast to Newfoundland, and finish in St. John’s, from where it’s a quick flight back to the US Northeast. 
• 2025: Depart September 18 from $11,264
• 2026: Depart September 20 from  $10,809

If you’re unsure if an EXPEDITION CRUISE is right for you, here’s an interview we did that addresses that: https://youtu.be/niB-OWhUSSs 

LAND CRUISES with COLLETTE

NEW YORK for 5-days

• Visit Greenwich Village, Wall Street, Chinatown, Central Park, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the 9/11 Memorial.
• Includes 4-nights at the Sheraton Times Square, 5 meals, and 2 Broadway shows.
• Departures in February & March 2026 from $2399
• 1-minute ‘Spotlight on New York’ video: https://youtu.be/_rRyuJ38vYc?si=CKlmKP0UKvNXTT2j 

NATIONAL PARKS of America from Phoenix to Rapid City, SD for 12-days.

• Visit the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Grand Teton, Buffalo Bill Center, Mt. Rushmore, the Crazy Horse monument, Lake Powell.  
• Departures May through October from $4999.

SOUTHERN CHARM:  Charleston, Savannah, & Jekyll Island for 7-days

• Visit Antebellum Charleston, and the country’s oldest public market, see historic Savannah, and stay at the Jekyll Island Club, and visit the Sea Turtle Center.  
• Departures March through November from $3149
• 1-minute ‘Southern Charm’ video: https://youtu.be/2EWB9qvQc6c?si=qyFpoKIy265vIUU_ 

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