The Earth is a Sphere – although a sizeable number of people believe it is a plane, and all this round-earth talk is a massive conspiracy theory.  Why does this matter?  If the flat-earth gang works on its on-line presence, it will be presented as something other than a fringe fantasy.

It’s also a great example of misinformation as it relates to travel.

When you combine fantastic fabrications like flat-earth, with algorithms that work hard NOT to challenge your world-view, and a human population with an ever-decreasing attention span, it is the perfect storm for misinformation to thrive.  

We regularly field phone calls from people who have spent hours researching a trip on-line, only to be frustrated, and more confused than when they started.  Conflicting reviews. Outdated articles, and “worst-ever” assessments from people with no other experience. 

RAISING AWARENESS of TRAVEL MISINFORMATION

• ALGORITHMS DON’T TRAVEL:  They DO scrape information from popular websites, blogs, and forums, and can repeat what those sources say.  They CAN’T offer judgment like someone that has been there, or travelled on the product you’re considering.
• AI IS GOING TO ACCELERATE MISINFORMATION:  We love the potential of Artificial Intelligence, and plan to use it for selected processes, but there are cautions for all of us.
• INFORMATION OVERLOAD:  The internet has made information more democratic, and ubiquitous.  This is an advantage, but the disadvantage is TOO MUCH information.

WHAT YOU CAN DO to MITIGATE TRAVEL MISINFORMATION

• USE REVIEW SITES WITH EXTREME CAUTION:  I use Trip Advisor and Cruise Critic, but do so understanding that 90% of the reviews are useless.  You need to look for those very few nuanced and thoughtful comments.  It’s like panning for gold. 
• DO use web-search, AI, and product reviews to help with your trip research, BUT:
• BE AWARE OF THE RISKS.  Ask AI where it’s getting its information and the date of it.
• DISREGARD BINARY REVIEWS:  “Best-ever” and “Worst-ever” are not thoughtful or helpful.  They are also the majority of the reviews offered.  Look instead, for patterns.
• SEPARATE FACT FROM OPINION:  This is more difficult than it seems at first.  The line is fuzzy, and in forums like television news, there is NO line anymore.  One person’s “best-ever” is another person’s “worst-ever”, and you need to decide for yourself. 
• DON’T consider the information you gather to be the gospel.  You’ll need to be critical of the information provided, and make sure it’s relevant to you. 
• VIRAL ADVICE ISN’T ALWAYS GOOD ADVICE:  Just because the majority think a product or destination is fantastic, isn’t a guarantee that you’ll like it. 

Your goal should NOT be to follow the loudest voices online, but rather to use those opinions to critically evaluate what the right choice for YOU will be. 

Dream-Travel-Share UNPACKED Podcast

In this episode of UNPACKED, Kim & Bob talk about the growing challenge of TRAVEL MISINFORMATION, and how travellers can make sense of the flood of advice coming from the internet. 

https://youtu.be/TChYA-6uJNc

In Case You Missed It:

GOLF VACATIONS:  If you’re a golf enthusiast, but your travel partner is NOT, then Cruise & Golf packages can be a great solution

https://pamperedcruiser.com/golf-vacations-why-cruises-make-the-perfect-golf-trip/

HOW BOB GOT HOOKED ON TRAVEL:  Here’s a little slice of Bob’s backstory, and how he got the travel-bug as a young guy visiting the South Pacific in his GAP YEAR. 

https://pamperedcruiser.com/how-travel-changed-me/

AMA PRIVATE SALE:  You’ve got until the end of the month if you want to take advantage of our promotion with AMA WATERWAYS. 

https://pamperedcruiser.com/ama-waterways-river-cruising-done-right/

Featured YOUTUBE Video:

A key part of YOUR story on ANY river cruise in Europe is going through the LOCKS, and getting under the BRIDGES:

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

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

AMA WATERWAYS PRIVATE SALE

LAST CHANCE to book AMA with our Private Sale goodies.  Here are TWO examples:

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.
• 2026: Departures May through December from $3349
• 2027: Departures March through December from $3229
• Here’s our video from when we did this cruise:  https://youtu.be/H2rBL8J7DIU 

TULIP CRUISE round-trip Amsterdam for 7-nights

• Visit Amsterdam (overnight), Kampen, Bruinisse, Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Kinderdijk
• April – May 2026: Fares from $4349
• March – April 2027: Fares from $2979

COLOMBIA: Barranquilla to Cartagena for 7-nights with FREE AIR on select 2026 departures.

• Take in 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.
• Only a 4 HOUR FLIGHT from many US Gateways, and if you want to go this year, there are several dates with FREE AIR.
• Pre/post available to Medellin and/or Panama.
• Departures year round.  Pricing starts at $2999

Here’s a short video of a MOTHER-SON trip with AMA in Colombia that perfectly captures this fascinating destination:

https://youtu.be/tGbLg6R7mfI?si=YLDqAyklNozmvlM2

SILVERSEA Small Ship Ocean Classic Luxury

If you like less crowded ships, a butler for every suite, and unique itineraries, look at Silversea.  

SOUTH AMERICA & PANAMA CANAL: Santiago to Miami departing March 5 for 18-days

• Start in Santiago, and then visit Arica, Lima, Guayaquil, Panama City, full daylight transit of the Panama Canal, Cozumel, and finish in Miami. 
• Fares from $13,000

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS departing September 5 for 7-days

• If you want to experience the Galapagos in luxury, then look no further than the Silver Origin yacht, with all-veranda suites, carrying only 100 guests.  
• Visit San Cristobal, Kicker Rock, Isla Bartolome, Santiago, Isabela, Punta, Espinoza, Tagus Cove, Elizabeth Bay, Floreana, Champion Islet, Punta Comorant, Santa Cruz.
• Fares from $11,400 on September 5.
• OR depart in January 2027 from $13,800

Rocky Mountaineer Luxury Rail Journeys

The scenery doesn’t get much better than the CANADIAN ROCKIES, and there’s no better way to see than from the rails on this world-class luxury train journey.  Here are 2 options:

Vancouver to Banff for 5-nights

• Spend 1-night in Vancouver, then board the train to Kamloops, and then follow on to Lake Louise for 1-night and Banff for 2-nights.
• Prices range between $3080 and $5276 per person based on your departure date, and level of service.  Departures available May through October. 

Circle Journey: Vancouver round-trip for 12 -nights

• If you really want a comprehensive feel for the spectacular Canadian Rockies, this is the trip for you.
• Vancouver, Kamloops, Banff (3-nights), Lake Louise (2-nights), Jasper (2-nights), Quesnel, Whistler, Vancouver.  You cross the Rockies TWICE, but take two different routes. 
• 2026:  Sold Out
• 2027: Departures available April through October on a 9-night package from $5325

Azamara Small Ships

Azamara has a fleet of R-Class vessels carrying just 680 guests.  They offer an affordable way to get on board a smaller ship for a more intimate experience, and better destination immersion.  They are also the LEADER in country intensive itineraries.  

IRELAND Intensive from Dublin to London to departing June 19, 2027 for 11-nights

• Start in Dublin with an overnight stay, then Belfast (overnight), Killybegs, Galway, Foynes, Bantry Harbour, Waterford, Cork
• Golf program through PERRYGOLF offered on this voyage.  
• Fares from $5539

Azamara’s COUNTRY INTENSIVE VOYAGES are fantastic if you really want to immerse yourself in a particular place.  Here are some examples:

• Chile
• Croatia
• Greece
• Ireland
• Italy
• Japan
• Norway
• Scotland
• Spain

If you’d like to see AZAMARA’s full line-up of COUNTRY INTENSIVE Itineraries:

https://www.azamara.com/cruises?keywords=country-intensive

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC REMOTE EXPLORATIONS

If you want great outdoor experiences close to home, here’s two suggestions:

OREGON & WASHINGTON: Columbia River from Portland to Clarkston for 6-days

• Visit Portland, The Dalles (for Multnomah Falls and fish hatchery), Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla, Palouse River.  Traverse the locks by river boat right here at home!
• Go hiking, kayaking, ride on the zodiacs, visit museums and wineries
• 2026: September/October from $4,778

WHALE WATCHING in MAGDALENA BAY (Baja California) for 6-days round-trip Loreto

• Whale Watching in Magdalena Bay for 6 days Jan, Feb, Mar.
• See the Gray Whales, explore the sand dunes at Sand Dollar Beach, and visit the fishing village of Puerto Magdalena.  Go kayaking, zodiacs, paddleboarding, hiking, and cycling.  
• 2027:  Departures January through March from $2524.

ATLAS OCEAN VOYAGES Yachting Experiences

Atlas spends our winter months in Antarctica, and then redeploy their vessels (all carrying less than 200 guests) to do CULTURAL EXPEDITIONS and EPICUREAN EXPEDITONS in the other months. 

NORTHERN EUROPE:  Dover to Oslo departing May 23, 2027 for 9-nights

• Start in Dover and visit Amsterdam, Harlingen, Kiel Canal, Wismar, Copenhagen, Skagen and finish in Oslo. 
• Fares from $6599

EASTERN CARIBBEAN:  From Saint Maarten to Barbados departing October 14 for 7-nights.  Go into small harbors where the big ships can’t go:

• Visit Philipsburg, St. Barts, St. Kitts & Nevis, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Vincent/Grenadines, Bridgetown. 
• Fares from $5799

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