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May 22

Travel News for Week of May 22

By Blog

Hi Everyone,

Last week I mentioned that I was on a tour of Ireland.  We returned home Friday from a really great trip.  The Irish weather cooperated and we had a wonderful group of people traveling with us.  I wanted to include a few more pics from the tour: View from lunch stop on the Ring of Kerry,  Blarney Castle Fern Garden (Thanks,Steve) Our last night stay at Cabra Castle,(Thanks, Ann), Cliffs of Moher.

 

In other news this week, the travel industry was pleased that the Biden Administration plans to revise its Cuba policy to bring back group travel in the people-to-people category and allow charter and commercial flights to Cuban cities other than Havana.  Further details have not been released.

Delta is joining United in rolling out bluetooth headphone support on their latest jets.  It is in the testing phase now but soon you’ll be able to use your wireless AirPods and other wireless headsets.

Disney World theme park tickets and resort bookings for 2023 will officially open on June 8.  Also, you will no longer be able to purchase the Genie+ service when booking.  You will need to purchase it on the day of your visit, via the app, one day at a time, subject to availability.

We have all seen things like scarce rental cars, shortages of pilots and other airline workers, full hotels etc.  This week I read an article about the scarcity of available airport parking.  Do yourself a favor, particularly around peak times like holidays,  and reserve your spot ahead of time.  Most airline and off airline property lots, let you reserve in advance so you can be assured of a spot when you arrive.

2022-23 Tours

June 18-26, 2022  Spectacular Canadian Rockies   We will begin this awesome tour in Vancouver, and travel to Victoria Island, Kamloops, Jasper National Park,the Athabasca Glacier, Lake Louise, and Banff National park.   Trafalgar

Alaska: America’s Last Frontier, August 4-12   This is a land tour.  Highlights include Fairbanks, Gold Mining, a visit to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Dog Mushing, Denali National Park, Tundra Wilderness Tour, Talkeetna, visit to a Musk Ox Farm, Anchorage, Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise.  I have a very limited time to offer this so call if interested.  Collette Vacations   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1088994

August 7-15   7 day round trip Venice, Croatia, andGreek Isles with Santorini, and  Mykonos.Call for pricing and availability. Norwegian Cruise Line

September 18-30, 2022 Rhine, Moselle, and Blissful Baden-Baden    Spend 2 nights in the beautiful spa town of Baden-Baden and then board your ship for a cruise up the Rhine and Moselle rivers.  We will visit Strasbourg, Speyer, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Boppard, Cochem Bernkastel and Trier before returning home from Frankfurt. Uniworld Cruises   I have a couple of rooms available.

October 2-10, 2022  Autumn Colors    I have just a few openings on this tour to the East Coast.  Fly in and out of Boston and visit Lexington, Concord, Woodstock, Burlington, the White Mountains, Kancamagus, North Conway, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park before heading back to Boston along the coast.  Call for info. Trafalgar

2023

January 17-February 1   Panama Canal      This is a full transit of the Panama Canal through the new locks from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale.  Ports of call include Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, San Juan del Sur Nicaragua, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Locks transit, and Cartagena, Colombia before disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale.  Princess Cruises

April 29- May 10, 2023     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378      Collette Vacations

June 17-23, 2023New!! Viking  Cruise down the Mississippi   Join us as we cruise from Memphis to New Orleans on a cruise called Heart of the Delta.  I was only able to get 10 cabins as Viking usually does not do groups on this cruise as it is too popular.   I have very few cabins remaining.  Believe it or not, I could not get cabins for 2022.   We will begin our journey in Memphis,  and sail to Vicksburg, Natchez, St. Francisville, Baton Rouge, and Darrow, Louisiana before arriving in New Orleans. The cabins that I have are balcony cabins. Right now air is being offered for $399 per person out of Detroit.   Let me know if you are interested.

July 11-22, 2023  Alaskan Cruise This is an 11 day cruise beginning in Fairbanks and ending in Vancouver.   You will experience Alaska on land for 4 days and then board your ship for a 7 day cruise to Vancouver.  Call for more info and itinerary. Princess Cruises

September 1-9 Castles Along the Rhine   Enjoy the beautiful scenery of this wonderful region from your Uniworld ship, the S.S. Antoinette.  You will embark in Basel, Switzerland and visit Strasbourg Speyer, Rudesheim, Boppard, Koblenz, and Cologne before disembarking in Amsterdam.

September 6-13Rhine Getaway   Explore one of Europe’s best-loved rivers, the Rhine. Discover the turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals, historic cities, medieval towns and spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taste the region’s renowned white wines.  Savor the various culinary traditions of Alsace. From Amsterdam and Cologne to Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture.  Viking

September 30-October 14, 2023 Spains’ Classics and Portugal Highlights include Barcelona, La Sagrada Familia, Valencia, Paella Experience, Granada, the Alhambra, Seville,Cordoba, Madrid, Prada Museum, Toledo, Elvas, Lisbon, Belem Obidos and much more. Collette Vacations  https://.gateway.gocollette.com/link/1103746

Coming soon!  September, 2023   California Dreamin’    Visit Monterey, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, .   Napa Valley, and end in San Francisco.  Collette Vacations

 

 

 

 

May 15

Travel News for Week of May 15

By Blog

Hi Everyone,

In last week’s blog I mentioned that Delta Airlines had implemented some restrictions about when members could use the Delta Sky Club.   Delta has decided it was only to be used three hours before a flight or when you had a connection.   They were not going to allow people to use the club to refresh themselves after a flight. Apparently, there was a bit of backlash from members and people will still be allowed to use the club after their flights.

Here are a few pictures from the start of our Ireland trip. The first two are from the Irish House Party, then a picture of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and a glass maker at Waterford Crystal.

2022-23 Tours

June 18-26, 2022  Spectacular Canadian Rockies   We will begin this awesome tour in Vancouver, and travel to Victoria Island, Kamloops, Jasper National Park,the Athabasca Glacier, Lake Louise, and Banff National park.      Trafalgar

Alaska: America’s Last Frontier, August 4-12   This is a land tour.  Highlights include Fairbanks, Gold Mining, a visit to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Dog Mushing, Denali National Park, Tundra Wilderness Tour, Talkeetna, visit to a Musk Ox Farm, Anchorage, Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise.  I have a very limited time to offer this so call if interested.  Collette Vacations   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1088994

August 7-15   7 day round trip Venice, Croatia, andGreek Isles with Santorini, and  Mykonos.Call for pricing and availability. Norwegian Cruise Line

September 18-30, 2022 Rhine, Moselle, and Blissful Baden-Baden    Spend 2 nights in the beautiful spa town of Baden-Baden and then board your ship for a cruise up the Rhine and Moselle rivers.  We will visit Strasbourg, Speyer, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Boppard, Cochem Bernkastel and Trier before returning home from Frankfurt. Uniworld Cruises   I have a couple of rooms available.

October 2-10, 2022  Autumn Colors    I have just a few openings on this tour to the East Coast.  Fly in and out of Boston and visit Lexington, Concord, Woodstock, Burlington, the White Mountains, Kancamagus, North Conway, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park before heading back to Boston along the coast.  Call for info. Trafalgar

2023

January 17-February 1   Panama Canal      This is a full transit of the Panama Canal through the new locks from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale.  Ports of call include Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, San Juan del Sur Nicaragua, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Locks transit, and Cartagena, Colombia before disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale.  Princess Cruises

April 29- May 10, 2023     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378      Collette Vacations

June 17-23, 2023New!! Viking  Cruise down the Mississippi   Join us as we cruise from Memphis to New Orleans on a cruise called Heart of the Delta.  I was only able to get 10 cabins as Viking usually does not do groups on this cruise as it is too popular.   I have very few cabins remaining.  Believe it or not, I could not get cabins for 2022.   We will begin our journey in Memphis,  and sail to Vicksburg, Natchez, St. Francisville, Baton Rouge, and Darrow, Louisiana before arriving in New Orleans. The cabins that I have are balcony cabins. Right now air is being offered for $399 per person out of Detroit.   Let me know if you are interested.

July 11-22, 2023  Alaskan Cruise This is an 11 day cruise beginning in Fairbanks and ending in Vancouver.   You will experience Alaska on land for 4 days and then board your ship for a 7 day cruise to Vancouver.  Call for more info and itinerary. Princess Cruises

September 1-9 Castles Along the Rhine   Enjoy the beautiful scenery of this wonderful region from your Uniworld ship, the S.S. Antoinette.  You will embark in Basel, Switzerland and visit Strasbourg Speyer, Rudesheim, Boppard, Koblenz, and Cologne before disembarking in Amsterdam.

September 6-13Rhine Getaway   Explore one of Europe’s best-loved rivers, the Rhine. Discover the turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals, historic cities, medieval towns and spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taste the region’s renowned white wines.  Savor the various culinary traditions of Alsace. From Amsterdam and Cologne to Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture.  Viking

September 30-October 14, 2023 Spains’ Classics and Portugal Highlights include Barcelona, La Sagrada Familia, Valencia, Paella Experience, Granada, the Alhambra, Seville,Cordoba, Madrid, Prada Museum, Toledo, Elvas, Lisbon, Belem Obidos and much more. Collette Vacations  https://.gateway.gocollette.com/link/1103746

Coming soon!  September, 2023   California Dreamin’    Visit Monterey, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, .   Napa Valley, and end in San Francisco.  Collette Vacations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 08

Travel News for the Week of May 8

By Blog

Hi Everyone,

It seems as though I’ve been telling people to get their Real ID (either a passport, passport card or a specially adapted driver’s license) for a very long time.  Every year we hear that it will be implemented, and every year, the deadline gets moved back. Now the the  US Travel Association has asked the Department of Homeland Security to push it out again until May 3, 2023 amid concerns that this will be one more hurdle for travelers to navigate as the travel industry tries to recover.

For those of you who enjoy the Delta Sky Clubs, new rules will take effect on June 1.  You will only be allowed in the club within 3 hours of your boarding time.  You will not be allowed to use the club after your flight. You will be allowed to use the lounge between flights.  Seems like there has to be a better way to cut down on crowding than limiting people who pay a pretty hefty sum to use those clubs.

On Thursday of this past week, more than 260 travel industry and business organizations sent a letter to the White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator calling for an urgent repeal of the pre-departure testing requirement for vaccinated international air travelers.  No word yet.

2022-23 Tours

June 18-26, 2022  Spectacular Canadian Rockies   We will begin this awesome tour in Vancouver, and travel to Victoria Island, Kamloops, Jasper National Park, the Athabasca Glacier, Lake Louise, and Banff National park.      Trafalgar

Alaska: America’s Last Frontier, August 4-12   This is a land tour.  Highlights include Fairbanks, Gold Mining, a visit to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Dog Mushing, Denali National Park, Tundra Wilderness Tour, Talkeetna, visit to a Musk Ox Farm, Anchorage, Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise.  I have a very limited time to offer this so call if interested.  Collette Vacations   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1088994

August 7-15   7 day round trip Venice, Croatia, andGreek Isles with Santorini, and  Mykonos.Call for pricing and availability. Norwegian Cruise Line

September 18-30, 2022 Rhine, Moselle, and Blissful Baden-Baden    Spend 2 nights in the beautiful spa town of Baden-Baden and then board your ship for a cruise up the Rhine and Moselle rivers.  We will visit Strasbourg, Speyer, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Boppard, Cochem Bernkastel and Trier before returning home from Frankfurt. Uniworld Cruises   I have a couple of rooms available.

October 2-10, 2022  Autumn Colors    I have just a few openings on this tour to the East Coast.  Fly in and out of Boston and visit Lexington, Concord, Woodstock, Burlington, the White Mountains, Kancamagus, North Conway, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park before heading back to Boston along the coast.  Call for info. Trafalgar

2023

January 17-February 1   Panama Canal      This is a full transit of the Panama Canal through the new locks from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale.  Ports of call include Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, San Juan del Sur Nicaragua, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Locks transit, and Cartagena, Colombia before disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale.  Princess Cruises

April 29- May 10, 2023     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378      Collette Vacations

June 17-23, 2023New!! Viking  Cruise down the Mississippi   Join us as we cruise from Memphis to New Orleans on a cruise called Heart of the Delta.  I was only able to get 10 cabins as Viking usually does not do groups on this cruise as it is too popular.   I have very few cabins remaining.  Believe it or not, I could not get cabins for 2022.   We will begin our journey in Memphis,  and sail to Vicksburg, Natchez, St. Francisville, Baton Rouge, and Darrow, Louisiana before arriving in New Orleans. The cabins that I have are balcony cabins. Right now air is being offered for $399 per person out of Detroit.   Let me know if you are interested.

July 11-22, 2023  Alaskan Cruise This is an 11 day cruise beginning in Fairbanks and ending in Vancouver.   You will experience Alaska on land for 4 days and then board your ship for a 7 day cruise to Vancouver.  Call for more info and itinerary. Princess Cruises

Castles Along the Rhine, September 1-9  Enjoy the beautiful scenery of this wonderful region from your Uniworld ship, the S.S. Antoinette.  You will embark in Basel, Switzerland and visit Strasbourg Speyer, Rudesheim, Boppard, Koblenz, and Cologne before disembarking in Amsterdam.

New!  Rhine Getaway, September 6-13    Explore one of Europe’s best-loved rivers, the Rhine. Discover the turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals, historic cities, medieval towns and spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taste the region’s renowned white wines.  Savor the various culinary traditions of Alsace. From Amsterdam and Cologne to Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture.  Viking

Coming soon!  September, 2023   California Dreamin’    Visit Monterey, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, .   Napa Valley, and end in San Francisco.  Collette Vacations

Coming Soon, October, 2023  Spain and Portugal  Details soon

 

May 01

Travel News for Week of May 1

By Blog

Hi Everyone,

We are seeing a trend in popular destinations requiring a fee to enter, or advance reservations, or both.  Diamond Head is one of the most sought-after and visited attractions in Hawaii.  The Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources is implementing a new reservation system designed to reduce hiker congestion along the narrow trail to the summit, reduce the load on the comfort stations, and reduce vehicle congestion entering and leaving the sole access tunnel at Diamond Head.  A parking fee of $10 and an entrance fee of $5 is already required.   The new reservation system was activated on April 28, allowing reservations up to 14 days in advance. After May 12, nonresidents will not be allowed to enter without a reservation.

Many of you may have airline tickets that converted to vouchers during the pandemic.   Some of them were good for 12 months but most of them are set to expire in December, 2022.   A few of the airlines are extending those vouchers until December of 2023.    The airlines that have extend vouchers due to expire this year include Delta, Jet Blue, and United.  You may want to check with your carrier to see if they will extend.

US Customs and Border Protection is marking a milestone when it comes to its programs like Global Entry.  the agency said its Trusted Traveler Programs recently topped 10 million members and is expecting a record number of applications this year. About 80% of the members are part of the Global Entry program.  If you are going to be going out of the country soon, the $100 enrollment fee which is good for 5 years, is a good bargain.  Even if you aren’t going out of the country, Global Entry comes with TSA Precheck  for its members.

2022-23 Tours

May 11-20, 2022   Shades of Ireland   This is one of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry,  the Cliffs of Moher, Limerick, and Galway. Ride a jaunting car, kiss the Blarney Stones and stay in a castle.    Collette Vacations    http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529 

May 15-26, 2022  Alpine Lakes and the Glacier Express with Oberammergau Passion Play    This tour is being rescheduled from 2020.  Your journey will begin at the beautiful Lake Maggiore.  You will then head to Zermatt, Switzerland.    The Glacier Express will take you into the Alps.  You’ll visit the beautiful towns of St. Moritz, Innsbrook and Salzburg. Enjoy a special Mozart Concert and its the Neuschwanstein Castle before heading to the famed Oberammergau Passion Play.   You will return home from Munich.    The passion play will not be repeated until 2030.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395     Collette Vacations

June 18-26, 2022  Spectacular Canadian Rockies   We will begin this awesome tour in Vancouver, and travel to Victoria Island, Kamloops, Jasper National Park, the Athabasca Glacier, Lake Louise, and Banff National park. this trip is a definite departure.   I have 2 spots left.   Trafalgar

Alaska: America’s Last Frontier, August 4-12   This is a land tour.  Highlights include Fairbanks, Gold Mining, a visit to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Dog Mushing, Denali National Park, Tundra Wilderness Tour, Talkeetna, visit to a Musk Ox Farm, Anchorage, Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise.  I have a very limited time to offer this so call if interested.  Collette Vacations   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1088994

August 7-15   7 day round trip Venice, Croatia, andGreek Isles with Santorini, and  Mykonos.Call for pricing and availability. Norwegian Cruise Line

September 18-30, 2022 Rhine, Moselle, and Blissful Baden-Baden    Spend 2 nights in the beautiful spa town of Baden-Baden and then board your ship for a cruise up the Rhine and Moselle rivers.  We will visit Strasbourg, Speyer, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Boppard, Cochem Bernkastel and Trier before returning home from Frankfurt. Uniworld Cruises   I have a couple of rooms available.

October 2-10, 2022  Autumn Colors    I have just a few openings on this tour to the East Coast.  Fly in and out of Boston and visit Lexington, Concord, Woodstock, Burlington, the White Mountains, Kancamagus, North Conway, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park before heading back to Boston along the coast.  Call for info.

2023

January 17-February 1   Panama Canal      This is a full transit of the Panama Canal through the new locks from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale.  Ports of call include Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, San Juan del Sur Nicaragua, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Locks transit, and Cartagena, Colombia before disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale.

April 29- May 10, 2023     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378      Collette Vacations

June 17-23, 2023New!! Viking  Cruise down the Mississippi   Join us as we cruise from Memphis to New Orleans on a cruise called Heart of the Delta.  I was only able to get 10 cabins as Viking usually does not do groups on this cruise as it is too popular.   I have very few cabins remaining.  Believe it or not, I could not get cabins for 2022.   We will begin our journey in Memphis,  and sail to Vicksburg, Natchez, St. Francisville, Baton Rouge, and Darrow, Louisiana before arriving in New Orleans. The cabins that I have are balcony cabins. Right now air is being offered for $399 per person out of Detroit.   Let me know if you are interested.

July 11-22, 2023  Alaskan Cruise This is an 11 day cruise beginning in Fairbanks and ending in Vancouver.   You will experience Alaska on land for 4 days and then board your ship for a 7 day cruise to Vancouver.  Call for more info and itinerary.

Castles Along the Rhine, September 1-9  Enjoy the beautiful scenery of this wonderful region from your Uniworld ship, the S.S. Antoinette.  You will embark in Basel, Switzerland and visit Strasbourg Speyer, Rudesheim, Boppard, Koblenz, and Cologne before disembarking in Amsterdam.

New!  Rhine Getaway, September 6-13    Explore one of Europe’s best-loved rivers, the Rhine. Discover the turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals, historic cities, medieval towns and spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taste the region’s renowned white wines.  Savor the various culinary traditions of Alsace. From Amsterdam and Cologne to Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture.  Viking

Coming soon!  September, 2023   California Dreamin’    Visit Monterey, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, .   Napa Valley, and end in San Francisco.  Collette Vacations

Coming Soon, October, 2023  Spain and Portugal  Details soon

 

Apr 24

Travel News for Week of April 24

By Blog

Hi Everyone,

The big travel news this week is the end to mandatory masks on airplanes.    Whether this proves to be a good thing or not remains to be seen.

This past week, the CDC overhauled their travel warning system.   The new system places destinations in the following categories:

Level 3: High risk for COVID-19

Level 2: Moderate risk for COVID-19

Level 1:  Low risk for COVID-19

Unknown: Not enough data to assess risk

The big change comes at Level 4, which was regularly used for places considered “very high” risk for travelers.  Level 4 will no longer be routinely used for that purpose.  Instead, a Level 4 notice is reserved, in the new system, for only special circumstances.   Those circumstances include extremely high case counts, emergence of a new variant of concern or healthcare infrastructure collapse. Other factors may include information such as vaccination rate and hospitalization rate. -CNN

If you are planning a trip to Italy this summer and want to spend a day in Venice, it will cost you approximately $11 per person depending on the time of year you want to visit.  City officials have enacted a booking system for single day visitors to the Italian city that includes an entry fee in a trial run that the government hopes will manage tourism.  The fee is for single-day visitors only and is waived for tourists who stay overnight in one of Venice’s hotels which also charge a tourist tax.  Tourists who want to visit for the day will need to book their day online pay the tax.  This six month trial could become permanent next year.

2022-23 Tours

May 11-20, 2022   Shades of Ireland   This is one of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry,  the Cliffs of Moher, Limerick, and Galway. Ride a jaunting car, kiss the Blarney Stone,  and visit a family farm. Our last night’s stay is in a castle.    Collette Vacations    http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529 

May 15-26, 2022  Alpine Lakes and the Glacier Express with Oberammergau Passion Play    This tour is being rescheduled from 2020.  Your journey will begin at the beautiful Lake Maggiore.  You will then head to Zermatt, Switzerland.    The Glacier Express will take you into the Alps.  You’ll visit the beautiful towns of St. Moritz, Innsbrook and Salzburg. Enjoy a special Mozart Concert and its the Neuschwanstein Castle before heading to the famed Oberammergau Passion Play.   You will return home from Munich.    The passion play will not be repeated until 2030.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395     Collette Vacations

June 18-26, 2022  Spectacular Canadian Rockies   We will begin this awesome tour in Vancouver, and travel to Victoria Island, Kamloops, Jasper National Park, the Athabasca Glacier, Lake Louise, and Banff National park. this trip is a definite departure.   I have 2 spots left.   Trafalgar

Alaska: America’s Last Frontier, August 4-12   This is a land tour.  Highlights include Fairbanks, Gold Mining, a visit to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Dog Mushing, Denali National Park, Tundra Wilderness Tour, Talkeetna, visit to a Musk Ox Farm, Anchorage, Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise.  I have a very limited time to offer this so call if interested.  Collette Vacations   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1088994

August 7-15   7 day round trip Venice, Croatia, andGreek Isles with Santorini, and  Mykonos.Call for pricing and availability. Norwegian Cruise Line

September 18-30, 2022 Rhine, Moselle, and Blissful Baden-Baden    Spend 2 nights in the beautiful spa town of Baden-Baden and then board your ship for a cruise up the Rhine and Moselle rivers.  We will visit Strasbourg, Speyer, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Boppard, Cochem Bernkastel and Trier before returning home from Frankfurt. Uniworld Cruises   I have a couple of rooms available.

October 2-10, 2022  Autumn Colors    I have just a few openings on this tour to the East Coast.  Fly in and out of Boston and visit Lexington, Concord, Woodstock, Burlington, the White Mountains, Kancamagus, North Conway, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park before heading back to Boston along the coast.  Call for info.

2023

January 17-February 1   Panama Canal      This is a full transit of the Panama Canal through the new locks from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale.  Ports of call include Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, San Juan del Sur Nicaragua, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Locks transit, and Cartagena, Colombia before disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale.

April 29- May 10, 2023     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378      Collette Vacations

June 17-23, 2023New!! Viking  Cruise down the Mississippi   Join us as we cruise from Memphis to New Orleans on a cruise called Heart of the Delta.  I was only able to get 10 cabins as Viking usually does not do groups on this cruise as it is too popular.   I have very few cabins remaining.  Believe it or not, I could not get cabins for 2022.   We will begin our journey in Memphis,  and sail to Vicksburg, Natchez, St. Francisville, Baton Rouge, and Darrow, Louisiana before arriving in New Orleans. The cabins that I have are balcony cabins. Right now air is being offered for $399 per person out of Detroit.   Let me know if you are interested.

July 11-22, 2023  Alaskan Cruise This is an 11 day cruise beginning in Fairbanks and ending in Vancouver.   You will experience Alaska on land for 4 days and then board your ship for a 7 day cruise to Vancouver.  Call for more info and itinerary.

New!  Rhine Getaway, September 6-13    Explore one of Europe’s best-loved rivers, the Rhine. Discover the turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals, historic cities, medieval towns and spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taste the region’s renowned white wines.  Savor the various culinary traditions of Alsace. From Amsterdam and Cologne to Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture.  Viking

Coming soon!  September, 2023   California Dreamin’    Visit Monterey, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, .   Napa Valley, and end in San Francisco.  Collette Vacations

Coming Soon, October, 2023  Spain and Portugal  Details soon

 

Apr 17

Travel News for Week of April 17

By Blog

Hi Everyone,

This week I read a very interesting article about things you should not do in Cancun.  Although the author was focused on Cancun, the tips are good no matter where you travel.  I’ve included a few of the things I thought worth repeating:

  • Don’t just stay at your resort.  We travel to see the world so get out and take some excursions and see something of the area you are visiting.  I’ll never forget stumbling on a First Communion class getting ready to go into church with all the parents gathered around with their cameras and phones.  It really made me realize that people are more alike than different.  I could have been looking at the same scene at my church in Lansing.
  • Avoid touristy restaurants.  Try to find something authentic..   If you go into a restaurant and there are pictures on the menu or it is written in several languages, it’s a safe bet that they cater to tourists.  You probably won’t see many locals in those types of restaurants.
  • If you can avoid renting a car in a foreign country, you will be happier.   Many countries drive on the opposite side of the road and  have mostly manual transmissions.   Also, your driver is not going to be able to enjoy the scenery as he/she has to concentrate on driving.
  • Try the street food.  If you are worried about getting sick, look for stalls with lots of people gathered around and try to find places where the food is prepared on the spot.
  • Research whether or not you can drink the water.  Many places in Europe have great water.   If you are in  many places in Mexico,   you will probably want to drink bottled water and may even use bottled water to brush your teeth.
  • Take local currency with you.  In many popular resort areas in Mexico and throughout the Caribbean you may be able to use dollars but I would take some local currency.   Don’t every exchange your money at the airport.  Instead, go to a local bank or ATM, preferable one attached to a bank, to get cash.  Your credit card company will give you a much better rate of exchange than you’ll get at local places or the airport.
  • If you are traveling to Mexico you will be given a Multiple Immigration form to complete.  It has 2 parts. The bottom half will be returned to you by customs and you will need it to exit Mexico.  If you lose it, you will pay a fine to get another.  I usually keep mine with my passport so I have it when needed. –adapted from Fodor’s Travel, 4-5-22

2022-23 Tours

May 11-20, 2022   Shades of Ireland   This is one of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry,  the Cliffs of Moher, Limerick, and Galway. Ride a jaunting car, kiss the Blarney Stone,  and visit a family farm. Our last night’s stay is in a castle.    Collette Vacations    http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529 

May 15-26, 2022  Alpine Lakes and the Glacier Express with Oberammergau Passion Play    This tour is being rescheduled from 2020.  Your journey will begin at the beautiful Lake Maggiore.  You will then head to Zermatt, Switzerland.    The Glacier Express will take you into the Alps.  You’ll visit the beautiful towns of St. Moritz, Innsbrook and Salzburg. Enjoy a special Mozart Concert and its the Neuschwanstein Castle before heading to the famed Oberammergau Passion Play.   You will return home from Munich.    The passion play will not be repeated until 2030.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395     Collette Vacations

June 18-26, 2022  Spectacular Canadian Rockies   We will begin this awesome tour in Vancouver, and travel to Victoria Island, Kamloops, Jasper National Park, the Athabasca Glacier, Lake Louise, and Banff National park. this trip is a definite departure.   I have 2 spots left.   Trafalgar

Alaska: America’s Last Frontier, August 4-12   This is a land tour.  Highlights include Fairbanks, Gold Mining, a visit to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Dog Mushing, Denali National Park, Tundra Wilderness Tour, Talkeetna, visit to a Musk Ox Farm, Anchorage, Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise.  I have a very limited time to offer this so call if interested.  Collette Vacations   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1088994

August 7-15   7 day round trip Venice, Croatia, andGreek Isles with Santorini, and  Mykonos.Call for pricing and availability. Norwegian Cruise Line

September 18-30, 2022 Rhine, Moselle, and Blissful Baden-Baden    Spend 2 nights in the beautiful spa town of Baden-Baden and then board your ship for a cruise up the Rhine and Moselle rivers.  We will visit Strasbourg, Speyer, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Boppard, Cochem Bernkastel and Trier before returning home from Frankfurt. Uniworld Cruises   I have a couple of rooms available.

October 2-10, 2022  Autumn Colors    I have just a few openings on this tour to the East Coast.  Fly in and out of Boston and visit Lexington, Concord, Woodstock, Burlington, the White Mountains, Kancamagus, North Conway, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park before heading back to Boston along the coast.  Call for info.

2023

January 17-February 1   Panama Canal      This is a full transit of the Panama Canal through the new locks from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale.  Ports of call include Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, San Juan del Sur Nicaragua, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Locks transit, and Cartagena, Colombia before disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale.

April 29- May 10, 2023     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378      Collette Vacations

June 17-23, 2023New!! Viking  Cruise down the Mississippi   Join us as we cruise from Memphis to New Orleans on a cruise called Heart of the Delta.  I was only able to get 10 cabins as Viking usually does not do groups on this cruise as it is too popular.   I have very few cabins remaining.  Believe it or not, I could not get cabins for 2022.   We will begin our journey in Memphis,  and sail to Vicksburg, Natchez, St. Francisville, Baton Rouge, and Darrow, Louisiana before arriving in New Orleans. The cabins that I have are balcony cabins. Right now air is being offered for $399 per person out of Detroit.   Let me know if you are interested.  1 cabin remaining.

July 11-22, 2023  Alaskan Cruise This is an 11 day cruise beginning in Fairbanks and ending in Vancouver.   You will experience Alaska on land for 4 days and then board your ship for a 7 day cruise to Vancouver.  Call for more info and itinerary.

New!  Rhine Getaway, September 6-13    Explore one of Europe’s best-loved rivers, the Rhine. Discover the turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals, historic cities, medieval towns and spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taste the region’s renowned white wines.  Savor the various culinary traditions of Alsace. From Amsterdam and Cologne to Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture.  Viking

Coming soon!  September, 2023   California Dreamin’    Visit Monterey, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, .   Napa Valley, and end in San Francisco.  Collette Vacations

Coming Soon, October, 2023  Spain and Portugal  Details soon

I pray that all of you have had a Blessed Easter and  Passover.

 

 

 

Apr 10

Travel News for Week of April 10

By Blog

Hi Everyone,

Some of the most popular beaches in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico are preparing for a massive influx of Sargassum, a noxious smelling seaweed that piles up on beaches creating a very unpleasant smell.   The Mexican Navy is sending over half of its seaweed collection fleet to the state’s coast.  6 large ships will patrol the area hoping to collect the smelly seaweed from reaching the beaches.  They are also installing 300 anchors to form barriers to prevent the sargassum from reaching the shore.

Canada  has announced the lifting of its Covid-19 pre-testing requirement for fully vaccinated travelers.  Travelers could still be selected at random for a test.  This updated in policy includes travelers arriving by air land, and water.  The Canadian requirement also continues to require travelers to complete the ArriveCan questionnaire online or through a mobile app before entry to Canada.

Europe is investing heavily in their train system.  As we become more concerned about climate change, Europe is trying to make rail more appealing, especially as an alternative to short haul flights.    Rail in Europe is already very good, and for some people, a great alternative to driving to the airport. I’ve found European trains to be clean, comfortable, and on time.

In Disney news, people will soon be able to have up close interactions with the Disney characters.   Disney announced this week that by mid April you’ll once again be able to hug the characters, get an autograph, or interact up close.

2022-23 Tours

May 11-20, 2022   Shades of Ireland   This is one of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry,  the Cliffs of Moher, Limerick, and Galway. Ride a jaunting car, kiss the Blarney Stone,  and visit a family farm. Our last night’s stay is in a castle.    Collette Vacations    http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529 

May 15-26, 2022  Alpine Lakes and the Glacier Express with Oberammergau Passion Play    This tour is being rescheduled from 2020.  Your journey will begin at the beautiful Lake Maggiore.  You will then head to Zermatt, Switzerland.    The Glacier Express will take you into the Alps.  You’ll visit the beautiful towns of St. Moritz, Innsbrook and Salzburg. Enjoy a special Mozart Concert and its the Neuschwanstein Castle before heading to the famed Oberammergau Passion Play.   You will return home from Munich.    The passion play will not be repeated until 2030.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395     Collette Vacations

June 18-26, 2022  Spectacular Canadian Rockies   We will begin this awesome tour in Vancouver, and travel to Victoria Island, Kamloops, Jasper National Park, the Athabasca Glacier, Lake Louise, and Banff National park. this trip is a definite departure.   I have 2 spots left.   Trafalgar

Alaska: America’s Last Frontier, August 4-12   This is a land tour.  Highlights include Fairbanks, Gold Mining, a visit to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Dog Mushing, Denali National Park, Tundra Wilderness Tour, Talkeetna, visit to a Musk Ox Farm, Anchorage, Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise.  I have a very limited time to offer this so call if interested.  Collette Vacations    https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1088994

August 7-15   7 day round trip Venice, Croatia, andGreek Isles with Santorini, and  Mykonos. Call for pricing and availability. Norwegian Cruise Line

September 18-30, 2022 Rhine, Moselle, and Blissful Baden-Baden    Spend 2 nights in the beautiful spa town of Baden-Baden and then board your ship for a cruise up the Rhine and Moselle rivers.  We will visit Strasbourg, Speyer, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Boppard, Cochem Bernkastel and Trier before returning home from Frankfurt. Uniworld Cruises   I have a couple of rooms available.

October 2-10, 2022  Autumn Colors    I have just a few openings on this tour to the East Coast.  Fly in and out of Boston and visit Lexington, Concord, Woodstock, Burlington, the White Mountains, Kancamagus, North Conway, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park before heading back to Boston along the coast.  Call for info.

2023

January 17-February 1   Panama Canal      This is a full transit of the Panama Canal through the new locks from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale.  Ports of call include Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, San Juan del Sur Nicaragua, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Locks transit, and Cartagena, Colombia before disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale.

April 29- May 10, 2023     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378      Collette Vacations

June 17-23, 2023New!! Viking  Cruise down the Mississippi   Join us as we cruise from Memphis to New Orleans on a cruise called Heart of the Delta.  I was only able to get 10 cabins as Viking usually does not do groups on this cruise as it is too popular.   I have very few cabins remaining.  Believe it or not, I could not get cabins for 2022.   We will begin our journey in Memphis,  and sail to Vicksburg, Natchez, St. Francisville, Baton Rouge, and Darrow, Louisiana before arriving in New Orleans. The cabins that I have are balcony cabins. Right now air is being offered for $399 per person out of Detroit.   Let me know if you are interested.  1 cabin remaining.

July 11-22, 2023  Alaskan Cruise This is an 11 day cruise beginning in Fairbanks and ending in Vancouver.   You will experience Alaska on land for 4 days and then board your ship for a 7 day cruise to Vancouver.  Call for more info and itinerary.

New!  Rhine Getaway, September 6-13    Explore one of Europe’s best-loved rivers, the Rhine. Discover the turreted fortresses, grand cathedrals, historic cities, medieval towns and spectacular scenery of the Middle Rhine—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taste the region’s renowned white wines.  Savor the various culinary traditions of Alsace. From Amsterdam and Cologne to Basel, this journey reveals a rich landscape of beauty and culture.  Viking

Coming soon!  September, 2023   California Dreamin’    Visit Monterey, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, .   Napa Valley, and end in San Francisco.  Collette Vacations

Coming Soon, October, 2023  Spain and Portugal  Details soon

 

 

Apr 03

Travel News for Week of April 3

By Blog

Hi Everyone,

The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) lifted the cruise health notice after more than 2 years of warning about the risk of contracting COVID-19 on z cruise ship.  While there has been some COVID detected on cruise ships, the cruise lines have been very proactive  with identification and mitigation of any spread.

I know that some of you have shown an interest in a tour we will be doing this fall called Southern Charm.   Reservation deadline is approaching.  The link below will give you an overview of this tour.  It is under 10 minutes and  Ed, my  rep at Collette, will guide you through the highlights of this tour:

https://collette.zoom.us/rec/share/dcXsxBLPS5_p7D8PQ66feToB6h5DHyMqZLaav383aJgO2KtYLSYTfng6C5wY9uC-.aeEmHl7jofw86AWH

It has not been a good time for the airlines lately. It seems as though each holiday or extremely busy time like spring break, one of the airlines has a meltdown.  Yesterday, it was Southwest’s turn.  Over 1700 flights were either cancelled or delayed as people tried to fly home from spring break.   When I finally got through a 4 hour hold to talk to them about my people who were stranded, they told me it would be iffy to get all of them home by Thursday.    Crazy times!

In Disney news, their new ship, the Wish, was floated out this week to get final details taken care of before beginning her sea trials.  In other news, the Hoop-Dee-Doo Review is going to reopen after a 2 year closure.   People have asked when the popularDisney Meal Plan will return.  Disney has thrown out some teasers about that but there is no definitive date.  Disney is not immune from the labor shortage which is affecting the opening of restaurants and capacity at those restaurants.  Disney Character meet and greets are returning this month.

2022-23 Tours

May 11-20, 2022   Shades of Ireland   This is one of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry,  the Cliffs of Moher, Limerick, and Galway. Ride a jaunting car, kiss the Blarney Stone,  and visit a family farm. Our last night’s stay is in a castle.    Collette Vacations    http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529 

May 15-26, 2022  Alpine Lakes and the Glacier Express with Oberammergau Passion Play    This tour is being rescheduled from 2020.  Your journey will begin at the beautiful Lake Maggiore.  You will then head to Zermatt, Switzerland.    The Glacier Express will take you into the Alps.  You’ll visit the beautiful towns of St. Moritz, Innsbrook and Salzburg. Enjoy a special Mozart Concert and its the Neuschwanstein Castle before heading to the famed Oberammergau Passion Play.   You will return home from Munich.    The passion play will not be repeated until 2030.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395     Collette Vacations

June 18-26, 2022  Spectacular Canadian Rockies   We will begin this awesome tour in Vancouver, and travel to Victoria Island, Kamloops, Jasper National Park, the Athabasca Glacier, Lake Louise, and Banff National park. this trip is a definite departure.   I have 2 spots left.   Trafalgar

Alaska: America’s Last Frontier, August 4-12   This is a land tour.  Highlights include Fairbanks, Gold Mining, a visit to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Dog Mushing, Denali National Park, Tundra Wilderness Tour, Talkeetna, visit to a Musk Ox Farm, Anchorage, Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise.  I have a very limited time to offer this so call if interested.  Collette Vacations    https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1088994

August 7-15   7 day round trip Venice, Croatia, andGreek Isles with Santorini, and  Mykonos. Call for pricing and availability. Norwegian Cruise Line

September 18-30, 2022 Rhine, Moselle, and Blissful Baden-Baden    Spend 2 nights in the beautiful spa town of Baden-Baden and then board your ship for a cruise up the Rhine and Moselle rivers.  We will visit Strasbourg, Speyer, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Boppard, Cochem Bernkastel and Trier before returning home from Frankfurt. Uniworld Cruises   I have a couple of rooms available.

October 2-10, 2022  Autumn Colors    I have just a few openings on this tour to the East Coast.  Fly in and out of Boston and visit Lexington, Concord, Woodstock, Burlington, the White Mountains, Kancamagus, North Conway, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park before heading back to Boston along the coast.  Call for info.

October 23-29, 2022   Southern Charm    Join us on this short 6 night tour as  we visit the beautiful cities of Charleston, Savannah. Visit St. Simon’s Island and spend a night on Jekyll Island.  End our tour in Jacksonville, Florida before heading home.  Collette Vacations    https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1063914

2023

January 17-February 1   Panama Canal      This is a full transit of the Panama Canal through the new locks from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale.  Ports of call include Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, San Juan del Sur Nicaragua, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Locks transit, and Cartagena, Colombia before disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale.

April 29- May 10, 2023     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378      Collette Vacations

June 17-23, 2023New!! Viking  Cruise down the Mississippi   Join us as we cruise from Memphis to New Orleans on a cruise called Heart of the Delta.  I was only able to get 10 cabins as Viking usually does not do groups on this cruise as it is too popular.   I have very few cabins remaining.  Believe it or not, I could not get cabins for 2022.   We will begin our journey in Memphis,  and sail to Vicksburg, Natchez, St. Francisville, Baton Rouge, and Darrow, Louisiana before arriving in New Orleans. The cabins that I have are balcony cabins. Right now air is being offered for $399 per person out of Detroit.   Let me know if you are interested.  1 cabin remaining.

July 11-22, 2023  Alaskan Cruise This is an 11 day cruise beginning in Fairbanks and ending in Vancouver.   You will experience Alaska on land for 4 days and then board your ship for a 7 day cruise to Vancouver.  Call for more info and itinerary.

Coming soon!  September, 2023   California Dreamin’    Visit Monterey, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, .   Napa Valley, and end in San Francisco.

 

 

Mar 27

Travel News for the Week of March 27

By Blog

Hi Everyone,

The CEOs of several major airlines and cargo carriers are asking the White House to lift COVID-19 precautions for travelers-including the mask mandates.  They requested this on behalf of the traveling public and for the airline employees who must enforce the regulations.   Wednesday’s letter was signed by the heads of 10 airlines, including Delta, American, and United.  The mask mandate is set to expire April 18.   We are also hoping for an end to the required testing that must be done before returning to the U.S.

You may have noticed that we have a Mississippi River Cruise scheduled for 2023.   We will be sailing on the Viking Mississippi.  This ship is in the final stages of its build and touched water for the first time March 7 in Houma, Louisiana.   The ship will sail the upper and lower Mississippi.  This five deck ship will carry 386 passengers.  Can’t wait!

The Viking Mississippi is scheduled to enter service in June.

KLM and Air France have both announced that they will be increasing capacity to Europe this summer.  This is really good news because air has been difficult due to pilot shortages and oil prices. I don’t think we are going to see great pricing, but hopefully we’ll at least see availability.

The U.S,. Capitol will reopen to the public on Monday for guided tours for limited groups of people who have registered in advance.   Officials said the resumption would occur in phases, beginning Monday, for school groups of up to 15 people who would be led by lawmakers or their aides.   This may not seem like a big deal but when I was guiding student groups through Washington D.C. this tour was a very important part of the trip.  Thousands of students make this journey every year and, hopefully, get some appreciation of our history and of how our legislative branch works.

2022-23 Tours

May 11-20, 2022   Shades of Ireland   This is one of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry,  the Cliffs of Moher, Limerick, and Galway. Ride a jaunting car, kiss the Blarney Stone,  and visit a family farm. Our last night’s stay is in a castle.    Collette Vacations    http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529 

May 15-26, 2022  Alpine Lakes and the Glacier Express with Oberammergau Passion Play    This tour is being rescheduled from 2020.  Your journey will begin at the beautiful Lake Maggiore.  You will then head to Zermatt, Switzerland.    The Glacier Express will take you into the Alps.  You’ll visit the beautiful towns of St. Moritz, Innsbrook and Salzburg. Enjoy a special Mozart Concert and its the Neuschwanstein Castle before heading to the famed Oberammergau Passion Play.   You will return home from Munich.    The passion play will not be repeated until 2030.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395     Collette Vacations

June 18-26, 2022  Spectacular Canadian Rockies   We will begin this awesome tour in Vancouver, and travel to Victoria Island, Kamloops, Jasper National Park, the Athabasca Glacier, Lake Louise, and Banff National park. this trip is a definite departure.   I have 2 spots left.   Trafalgar

Alaska: America’s Last Frontier, August 4-12   This is a land tour.  Highlights include Fairbanks, Gold Mining, a visit to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Dog Mushing, Denali National Park, Tundra Wilderness Tour, Talkeetna, visit to a Musk Ox Farm, Anchorage, Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise.  I have a very limited time to offer this so call if interested.  Collette Vacations    https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1088994

August 7-15   7 day round trip Venice, Croatia, andGreek Isles with Santorini, and  Mykonos. Call for pricing and availability. Norwegian Cruise Line

September 18-30, 2022 Rhine, Moselle, and Blissful Baden-Baden    Spend 2 nights in the beautiful spa town of Baden-Baden and then board your ship for a cruise up the Rhine and Moselle rivers.  We will visit Strasbourg, Speyer, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Boppard, Cochem Bernkastel and Trier before returning home from Frankfurt. Uniworld Cruises   I have a couple of rooms available.

October 2-10, 2022  Autumn Colors    I have just a few openings on this tour to the East Coast.  Fly in and out of Boston and visit Lexington, Concord, Woodstock, Burlington, the White Mountains, Kancamagus, North Conway, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park before heading back to Boston along the coast.  Call for info.

October 23-29, 2022   Southern Charm    Join us on this short 6 night tour as  we visit the beautiful cities of Charleston, Savannah. Visit St. Simon’s Island and spend a night on Jekyll Island.  End our tour in Jacksonville, Florida before heading home.  Collette Vacations    https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1063914

2023

January 17-February 1   Panama Canal      This is a full transit of the Panama Canal through the new locks from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale.  Ports of call include Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, San Juan del Sur Nicaragua, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Locks transit, and Cartagena, Colombia before disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale.

April 29- May 10, 2023     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378      Collette Vacations

June 17-23, 2023New!! Viking  Cruise down the Mississippi   Join us as we cruise from Memphis to New Orleans on a cruise called Heart of the Delta.  I was only able to get 10 cabins as Viking usually does not do groups on this cruise as it is too popular.   I have very few cabins remaining.  Believe it or not, I could not get cabins for 2022.   We will begin our journey in Memphis,  and sail to Vicksburg, Natchez, St. Francisville, Baton Rouge, and Darrow, Louisiana before arriving in New Orleans. The cabins that I have are balcony cabins. Right now air is being offered for $399 per person out of Detroit.   Let me know if you are interested.  1 cabin remaining.

July 11-22, 2023  Alaskan Cruise This is an 11 day cruise beginning in Fairbanks and ending in Vancouver.   You will experience Alaska on land for 4 days and then board your ship for a 7 day cruise to Vancouver.  Call for more info and itinerary.

Coming soon!  September, 2023   California Dreamin’    Visit Monterey, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, .   Napa Valley, and end in San Francisco.

Coming soon!   October, 2023    Spain and Portugal   Details soon.

 

Mar 20

Travel News for the Week of March 20

By Blog

Hi everyone,

Good news from our neighbors to the north! Canada will open their border to vaccinated travelers without the need for a pre-departure COVID test starting April 1. Masks will still be required on planes and trains.

On Friday, the CDC made a couple of very positive changes in its COVID-19 program  for cruise ships that has been in effect since February.  The changes affect cruise ships in a Highly Vaccinated or Vaccination Standard of Excellence classification.   Those cruise lines can now return to offering “passenger interactive experiences” that were previously under suspension.  That means things like galley tours, cooking classes, and other behind the scenes events are free to resume.  There are no longer any ship and capacity limits at the ports.  If someone is found to be in close contact with a COVID-19 positive guest or crew member and they are identified within 36 hours of disembarkation, they can quarantine in their own cabin (provided they are the only person in that cabin).   Previously, guests were all moved to isolation cabins.  The Cruise Line International Association had the following to say:   The updates announced today acknowledge the effectiveness of the cruise lines in their ability to create an environment that provides one of the highest levels of COVID-19 mitigation and reflect the improvements in the public health landscape. -Travel Pulse, 3/18/22

This week the CEO of Delta Airlines said that there could be a 10% increase in airfare due to oil prices.   I doubt that was a big surprise to any of us.

The Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) has announced another addition of Computed Tomography  (CT) x-ray systems for carry-on items at TSA check points across the country.  Friday, the agency confirmed the award of 2 orders for a combined value of up to $781.2 million for the procurement and maintenance of up to 469 base and 469 full size CT x-ray systems expected to begin being deployed to airport checkpoints as early as this summer. -Travel Pulse

2022-23 Tours

May 11-20, 2022   Shades of Ireland   This is one of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry,  the Cliffs of Moher, Limerick, and Galway. Ride a jaunting car, kiss the Blarney Stone,  and visit a family farm. Our last night’s stay is in a castle.  I have 2 spaces left if you are interested.    Collette Vacations    http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529 

May 15-26, 2022  Alpine Lakes and the Glacier Express with Oberammergau Passion Play    This tour is being rescheduled from 2020.  Your journey will begin at the beautiful Lake Maggiore.  You will then head to Zermatt, Switzerland.    The Glacier Express will take you into the Alps.  You’ll visit the beautiful towns of St. Moritz, Innsbrook and Salzburg. Enjoy a special Mozart Concert and its the Neuschwanstein Castle before heading to the famed Oberammergau Passion Play.   You will return home from Munich.    The passion play will not be repeated until 2030.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395     Collette Vacations

June 18-26, 2022  Spectacular Canadian Rockies   We will begin this awesome tour in Vancouver, and travel to Victoria Island, Kamloops, Jasper National Park, the Athabasca Glacier, Lake Louise, and Banff National park.  Trafalgar

Alaska: America’s Last Frontier, August 4-12   This is a land tour.  Highlights include Fairbanks, Gold Mining, a visit to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Dog Mushing, Denali National Park, Tundra Wilderness Tour, Talkeetna, visit to a Musk Ox Farm, Anchorage, Prince William Sound Glacier Cruise.  I have a very limited time to offer this so call if interested.  Collette Vacations    https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1088994

August 7-15   7 day round trip Venice, Croatia, andGreek Isles with Santorini, and  Mykonos. Call for pricing and availability. Norwegian Cruise Line

September 18-30, 2022 Rhine, Moselle, and Blissful Baden-Baden    Spend 2 nights in the beautiful spa town of Baden-Baden and then board your ship for a cruise up the Rhine and Moselle rivers.  We will visit Strasbourg, Speyer, Frankfurt, Rudesheim, Boppard, Cochem Bernkastel and Trier before returning home from Frankfurt. Uniworld Cruises   I have a couple of rooms available.

October 2-10, 2022  Autumn Colors    I have just a few openings on this tour to the East Coast.  Fly in and out of Boston and visit Lexington, Concord, Woodstock, Burlington, the White Mountains, Kancamagus, North Conway, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park before heading back to Boston along the coast.  Call for info.

October 23-29, 2022   Southern Charm    Join us on this short 6 night tour as  we visit the beautiful cities of Charleston, Savannah. Visit St. Simon’s Island and spend a night on Jekyll Island.  End our tour in Jacksonville, Florida before heading home.  Collette Vacations    https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1063914

2023

January 17-February 1   Panama Canal      This is a full transit of the Panama Canal through the new locks from Los Angeles to Ft. Lauderdale.  Ports of call include Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, San Juan del Sur Nicaragua, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Locks transit, and Cartagena, Colombia before disembarking in Ft. Lauderdale.

April 29- May 10, 2023     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378      Collette Vacations

June 17-23, 2023New!! Viking  Cruise down the Mississippi   Join us as we cruise from Memphis to New Orleans on a cruise called Heart of the Delta.  I was only able to get 10 cabins as Viking usually does not do groups on this cruise as it is too popular.   I have very few cabins remaining.  Believe it or not, I could not get cabins for 2022.   We will begin our journey in Memphis,  and sail to Vicksburg, Natchez, St. Francisville, Baton Rouge, and Darrow, Louisiana before arriving in New Orleans. The cabins that I have are balcony cabins. Right now air is being offered for $399 per person out of Detroit.   Let me know if you are interested.  1 cabin remaining.

July 11-22, 2023  Alaskan Cruise This is an 11 day cruise beginning in Fairbanks and ending in Vancouver.   You will experience Alaska on land for 4 days and then board your ship for a 7 day cruise to Vancouver.  Call for more info and itinerary.

Coming soon!  September, 2023   California Dreamin’    Visit Monterey, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe, .   Napa Valley, and end in San Francisco.

 

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