You probably know we have always aspired to be a MOM & POP shoppe.  The type of business where we have personal relationships with our customers, and know about their kids or grandkids, and where they want to go next on vacation. 

We have two things working against us in this quest:

• We have clients in all 50 states (and a few in Canada), so we try to create a “Main Street store front” virtually.
• Since we emerged from the pandemic, travel demand has soared.  This is a great problem for a business to have, but it is still a problem that needs to be managed. 

HOW IT STARTED:  Both Bob and I have always been wanderers… we’ve placed a high value on travel and experience.  In the course of our travels, we thought we could do better than what we were experiencing from travel agents so a decade ago,  we began to dabble.  

We put some information out into the marketplace to help people navigate cruises to ALASKA, and got a great response to the point where they were asking about where else we could help.

THE APOCALYPSE:  A few years after we’d cracked the code on how we wanted to help people with travel, the world ground to a halt (and we didn’t get paid for 15 months).  We were incredibly busy during this period rebooking the same trip up 3 or 4 times for people because the corona virus had alternate plans for travellers.  

It was during this dark period that we rationalized our business to stop dealing with certain cruise lines and vendors.  We also parted ways with some of our clients.  It seems covid brought out people’s true nature, and in a (very) few cases we didn’t appreciate people’s behavior.

REVENGE TRAVEL:  Emerging from the pandemic, we had both a supply and demand problem.  MANY travel agents gave up in this period, and got other jobs out of necessity.  There was also an overwhelming desire for people to get back out there, so it got really busy, really fast. 

This forced us to become better and faster, but our conundrum was how to keep it personal, and keep delivering a service the way we want to deliver it.  So we made a number of changes in order to scale-up, but still remain as close to a Mom & Pop business as possible.  

What Can YOU Expect FROM US Going Forward?  

• NO call Center or AI Voice Mail Assistant.  We’re going to keep it personal, and this is why we usually ask people to make phone appointments.
• INVISIBLE systems and processes.  Things that are invisible to our clients are already largely automated or delegated to others on our team.  You’ll get emails from me, Bob, Kim or Peri.  We have others on our team that handle background processes, but again… we want to keep it personal. 

We are not looking to grow this business simply for the sake of being larger.  We do, however, need to manage the organic growth of the business, and in doing so, we’re doing our very best to remain a mom & pop shoppe, while trying to provide timely and efficient service.  It’s a real balancing act!

Dream-Travel-Share UNPACKED:

Check out our VIDEO BLOG where Kim & Bob talk about the evolution of the Pampered Cruiser, where we see it going, and what that means for our clients:  https://youtu.be/qzZLsNI7MDU 

In Case You Missed It:

TRAVEL MISCONCEPTIONS:  If you grew up in the United States (or really any other English-speaking country), you have to work hard to overcome the information gap about other places in the world.  Here’s a few misconceptions about traveling abroad: 

https://pamperedcruiser.com/deprogramming-travel-misconceptions/

MEKONG RIVER in Vietnam & Cambodia.  The popularity of this destination has increased exponentially in the past couple of years.  Here’s a look at some of the reasons you should have this itinerary on your bucket list:  

https://pamperedcruiser.com/vietnam-cambodia-destination-focus/

UNIWORLD’s RIVER & RAIL Itineraries:  Travelling by river boat, and by rail have a lot in common: you’ll see way more than other modes of transport, and you only have to unpack once.  Uniworld has a number of RIVER & RAIL combinations:  https://pamperedcruiser.com/train-travel-uniworld/ 

Have something to say about this?

Join the conversation on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PamperedCruiser/posts/pfbid037VaoGh3nazj3swAtKyiLXwzTF52KUFikTVxrQbm2UhXhT7wB9aNzmDC2w46nDg5rl?rdid=COIhjDe5uqoJ49X4#

Today’s Travel Opportunities

CRYSTAL CRUISES

We are getting great feedback from Crystal clients that knew the brand in its previous incarnation, and are now enjoying it again.  Bob and I will be on Crystal Serenity this month… follow along on Facebook!

ST. LAWRENCE & NEW ENGLAND from Quebec to New York departing October 22 for 9-nights

• This is the 35^th anniversary cruise, and Gary Hunter – the cruise director that everyone seems to know will be hosting. 
• Visit Quebec City (overnight), 2 stops at Quebec Eastern townships, Halifax, Boston (overnight), Bayonne (NJ).
• Fares from $6200 per person (save $1000) with a $250 pp OBC

JAPAN INTENSIVE from Tokyo to Seoul departing May 20, 2026 for 11-nights 

• Visit Toyko, Hokkaido, Aomori, Sakata, Niigata, Kanazawa, Maizuru, Sakaiminato, Busan, Seoul
• Fares from $5890
• Stay on board for 23 nights, and also visit Jeju, Nagasaki, Miyako-Jima, Okinawa, Aburatsu, Hiroshima, Kobe (overnight), and finish back in Tokyo with fares from $9530

ECLIPSE CRUISE: FRANCE, SPAIN & PORTUGAL departing August 3, 2026 for 11-nights

• Visit Amsterdam, 4 ports in France (Brittany, Brest, Lorient, Montoire de Bretagne), 3 ports in Spain (San Sebastian, Gijon, La Coruna), then finish in Portugal, visiting Oporto and Lisbon.  See the solar eclipse from the path of totality.
• Fares from $7620 

UNIWORLD – Boutique Hotels on the River

Uniworld custom builds and decorates their ships specific to the region in which they sail.  Fares include transfers, a choice of shore excursion at each port, an open bar, and gratuities. 

BUDAPEST to AMSTERDAM for 15-days.  40% off the last few cabins for 2025

• Visit Budapest (overnight), Vienna (overnight), Melk (for Wachau Valley), Passau, Regensburg, Nuremberg, Bamberg, Rothenburg, Wertheim, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Cologne, Amsterdam.
• Depart October 29 from $4319
• July & August departures from $4998

AMAZON Headwaters round-trip from Lima for 11-days

• 7 nights sailing on the Amazon and 3 nights in Lima. 
• Your ship, the Aria Amazon, only holds 32 guests, and there are floor-to-ceiling windows in every suite, offering unparalleled views of this pristine part of the world.
• Have lunch with a family in Lima, visit a remote Amazon village, shop at a local market, take a skiff ride at night to view nocturnal creatures, visit local artisan and craft markets, and more. 
• 2025: Depart September 10 from $14,399
• 2026: Departures January through June from $11,699
• Optional extensions to Machu Picchu, Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls

PARIS & NORMANDY:  Round-trip from Paris for 8-days 

• Visit Paris (overnight), Giverny (for Monet’s Gardens), Vernon, La Roche Guyon, Rouen, Caudebec-en-Caux, Rouen, Normandy Beaches, Versailles. 
• 2025: Depart September or October from $4999.  November 3 from $3359
• 2026: Departures March through November from $3869
• See our video playlist from this trip: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA1r3eOMaDVEP9ouRrZGrhocmhYp7EUPW 

REMOTE EXPLORATIONS with ATLAS

When they’re not in the polar regions, ATLAS runs EPICUREAN and CULTURAL expeditions.  Here’s a few examples:

SPAIN, MOROCCO & CANARIES departing October 2, for 9-nights

• EPICUREAN EXPEDITION: Start in Lisbon, and then visit Portimao and Seville, before heading for Northern Africa to stop at 4 ports in Morocco, and then sail to the Canary Islands for 3 ports of call. 
• Fares from $6074

CROATIA: Dubrovnik to Venice departing September 15, 2026 for 7-nights

• Start in Dubrovnik, and work your way up the Dalmatian Coast stopping in at Hvar, Split, Vis Island, Opatija, Piran, and Venice (overnight).   
• Fares from $4229

ATLANTIC COAST: Halifax to Philipsburg departing October 2, 2026 for 12-nights

• Visit Halifax, Shelburne, St. George’s (Bermuda), Hamilton, Jost Van Dyke (BVI), St. Kitts/Nevis, Martinique, Dominica, St. Maarten
• Fares from $6919

INTREPID PREMIUM LAND CRUISES

COSTA RICA:  round-trip San Jose for 9-days

• Costa Rica is both naturally exotic, and nearby (under 4 hours from Houston, Atlanta, or Miami). 
• Visit San Jose, La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio NP.
• See monkeys, parrots, iguanas, caimans and sea turtles.  Enjoy coffee where it is harvested, slide into the hot springs at Arenal Volcano, and go snorkelling, kayaking, or take a surfing lesson in Tamarindo.
• Depart January through May, or September to December from $3695

MEXICO from Mexico City to Tulum for 15-days

• This trip is closer to home, and allows you to comfortably see the wonders of our southern neighbor.  
• Visit Mexico City, Puebla, Teotihuacan (for the pyramids), Oaxaca, Playa del Carmen, Valladolid, Chichen Itza, Merida, Tulum.
• Eat at award winning restaurants, take in Mayan Ruins and Museums, see the pyramids and archaeological sites, experience the wilds of the jungle, swim in a cenote, do a Mayan home visit, and see the artists’ community and musicians in Oaxaca.
• Weekly departures year-round from $6150 with a maximum group size of 12.

Featured YOUTUBE Post:

ANTARCTICA:  I went to the 7th continent a few years ago with Hurtigruten.  A few things have changed since we posted this video (notably, there’s WAY more operators down there now), but much of the information is still valid, if you’re thinking about a cruise to Antarctica.  Oh… and the images in this video are stunning!

https://youtu.be/3c-2TBXw6ls

Recently booked a Viking Cruise?

Viking makes it really easy to book direct, either online, by phone, or on board.  Our clients worry that if they book on-line, that they’re cutting us out, but if you let us know after you’ve booked, then we can still help you with your reservation (even if you booked ON BOARD).

We’ll check over your reservation to make sure you’re getting the best possible deal, and we will also add some onboard credits that are not available on direct bookings.

We can add at least $100 per person onboard credit to any direct Viking reservation made in the last 60 days.

There is never a situation where you’ll get a better deal by booking directly with Viking (or any other cruise line).

If you recently booked a Viking Cruise, please let us know as soon as possible.

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