Travel News

Hi Everyone,    

If you’ve traveled through almost any large airport, you will see the duty-free shops.  In many airports in Europe you can’t get to your gate without going through the duty-free area.   It is always tempting to stop and see if you can get a bargain.   It is really important, though, that you know what the price should be of a particular purchase before assuming that it is a good deal in the duty-free.   Usually, liquor, tobacco, and cosmetics offer the best deals,  but remember in addition to regular retail overhead, those duty free shops normally pay a royalty to the airport so markups on certain items can be high.   By the way, TSA rules allow travelers to bring liter bottles into the country as an added carry-on even on connecting domestic flights as long as they’re packed in tamper-evident bags which the duty-free stores provide. –info from Smarter Travel

For years, we have heard that we will someday be a cashless society.   That day has almost arrived for some countries so if you are traveling overseas, it’s worth keeping up to date on the progress.  Sweden is scheduled to go cashless by 2023.   All transactions will use some form of digital transfer—plastic, RFID signals, direct transfers via smartphone, and the like.   Although here in North America that is still a long way off, there are other cities moving in that direction: Reykjavik, Seoul, Singapore, and some of the larger cities in China. 

Southwest Airlines is phasing out senior fares. For several years, those over 65 could purchase an “Anytime Travel” with a small discount.  Those fares are reportedly  being phased out in December.  For several years those over the age of 65 could purchase tickets for “Anytime Travel” with a small discount. Those tickets were also fully refundable in the event of a cancellation. However, Southwest quietly announced on its website that it will phase out the senior fares this December.   While you don’t like to see these things happen, it has been my experience that the “Wanna Get Away” fares have been less expensive than the senior fares in many cases.  

2020-2021

May 17-28, 2020   Alpine Explorer and Oberammergau  We will explore a bit of Switzerland and Austria before arriving at Oberammergau for the Passion Play.Some of the highlights of this trip include Lago Maggiore, Island Dinner, Zermatt, Glacier Express Train, St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, St. Peter’s Restaurant, Mozart Dinner Concert, Munich, Oberammergau Passion Play, Linderhof Palace, Füssen, Neuschwanstein Castle.   Check out the itinerary:   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395   This is a much sought after, once in every 10 year, event.

May 30-June 7, 2020    Paris and Normandy River Cruise  A few rooms are still available.

June 13-21 2020   Colorado Rockies  We’ll fly in and out of the Mile High City of Denver and then travel to Grand Junction.   We’ll visit the Colorado National Monument, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Mesa Verda National Park. We’ll then travel to Durango and ride the Silverton RailRoad before ending our trip in Colorado Springs.  Ready for deposit.

June 16-26  Shrines of Italy   This pilgrimage will visit The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, San Giovanni Rotundo, Tomb of Padre Pio, Abbey of Santissima Trinita, Madonna del Rosario Sanctuary, Vatican City with Papal Audience, Christian Rome City Tour,  St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, and St. Peter’s Basilica.   Deposit now. Early booking discount is in effect.

August 15-23 Canadian Rockies  We’ll fly into Vancouver and after enjoying the sights of Vancouver and Victoria, we’ll head up to Kamloops and then to Jasper National Park. We’ll see the Athabascan Glacier from our snow machine. We’ll visit the spectacular Lake Louise and then on to Banff.    Ready for deposit. 10% early booking discount on this trip! September 12-23, 2020    

Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.  Ready for deposit!  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

October  6-14, 2020  Autumn Colors   We’ll fly into historic Boston and then head to Lexington and Concord where the “shot heard round the world was fired”.  We’ll head through the Berkshires, stopping at a historic mill and glass blowing facility.   We’ll visit the historic town of Woodstock.Sample some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at their factory before venturing into New Hampshire and and stunning of views of Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the northeast.  We’ll visit Acadia National Park and the beautiful town of Bar Harbor. On our way south we’ll journey past lighthouses, fisheries, and seaside dwellings before arriving at Portsmouth, one of the oldest cities in the United States.   This is a very popular trip that will fill quickly and currently has a 10% early payment discount so deposit asap.  

2021 

January 24- February 8, 2021 Panama Canal Cruise   This is a full transit 15 day cruise from  Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco.  We will visit Cartagena, Columbia; Panama Canal Full Transit;  Fuerte Amador (Panama City); Puntarenas, Costa Rica;  San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragu; and  Cabo San Lucas before disembarking in  San Francisco.  Taking deposits.

April, 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with sant’ippolito!   Will be ready for deposit late Fall.

September 10, 2021 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.  We are taking names now with room requests and will will be ready for deposit late Fall.

Have a great week!

Lynn

Hi Everyone, Disney opened their new Skyliner at Walt Disney World this week and guests are pretty enthused about the gondolas, their designs, and the ease of using this new system.   The Skyliner connects Epcot ® and Disney’s Hollywood Studios® to four Disney resort hotels: Disney’s Art of Animation, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach, and the new Riviera Resort set to open in December.  The system treats guests to aerial views of Walt Disney World as they glide along the3 treetops and waterways aboard one of the system’s 300 gondolas. Although I have mentioned this in previous blogs, it is time to get serious.   We are now officially under a year away from the implementation of the Real ID Act.  Under this Federal Act, United States citizens boarding a domestic flight or entering certain federal facilities, military bases, or nuclear power plants must show a REAL-ID compliant document beginning October 1, 2020.   The federal standards were drafted in response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.  The US Department of Homeland Security is charged with enforcement of REAL ID.   Certain states, Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and Vermont,  also issue enhanced driver’s licenses which are acceptable alternatives to REAL ID licenses.    REAL-ID licenses will have a gold circle with a star inside the upper right hand corner of the license.   I would urge you to apply for this license early as it will get a lot busier as we get closer to the Federal deadline. If you live in Michigan, here are the steps to take to apply for a REAL-ID compliant license when it is time to renew:

• Visit a Secretary of State’s Office
• Provide proof of US citizenship or legal presence by presenting your certified US birth certificate with a stamp or raised seal; an unexpired US passport or passport card or other approved citizenship or legal presence document.  If your name is different from what’s on your birth certificate, you’ll need to bring in a certified name change document such as your marriage license or court order.
• Photocopies and faxes are not accepted.
• Pass the vision test.  Bring your contacts or glasses if used for driving.
• Pay the driver’s license renewal fee.

If you are not a resident of Michigan, check with the Secretary of State in your state. If you decide for some reason not to get a REAL ID, you will still be able to use a passport or ID from the government’s Trusted Traveler Program such as a Global Entry card.

2020-2021

May 17-28, 2020   Alpine Explorer and Oberammergau  We will explore a bit of Switzerland and Austria before arriving at Oberammergau for the Passion Play.Some of the highlights of this trip include Lago Maggiore, Island Dinner, Zermatt, Glacier Express Train, St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, St. Peter’s Restaurant, Mozart Dinner Concert, Munich, Oberammergau Passion Play, Linderhof Palace, Füssen, Neuschwanstein Castle.   Check out the itinerary:   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395 We have had a couple of cancellations for Oberammergau so if you are interested, don’t delay.   This is a much sought after, once in every 10 year, event.

May 30-June 7, 2020    Paris and Normandy River Cruise  A few rooms are still available.

June 13-21 2020   Colorado Rockies  We’ll fly in and out of the Mile High City of Denver and then travel to Grand Junction.   We’ll visit the Colorado National Monument, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Mesa Verda National Park. We’ll then travel to Durango and ride the Silverton RailRoad before ending our trip in Colorado Springs.  Ready for deposit.

June 16-26  Shrines of Italy   This pilgrimage will visit The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, San Giovanni Rotundo, Tomb of Padre Pio, Abbey of Santissima Trinita, Madonna del Rosario Sanctuary, Vatican City with Papal Audience, Christian Rome City Tour,  St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, and St. Peter’s Basilica.   Deposit now. Early booking discount is in effect.

August 15-23 Canadian Rockies  We’ll fly into Vancouver and after enjoying the sights of Vancouver and Victoria, we’ll head up to Kamloops and then to Jasper National Park. We’ll see the Athabascan Glacier from our snow machine. We’ll visit the spectacular Lake Louise and then on to Banff.    Ready for deposit. 10% early booking discount on this trip! September 12-23, 2020    

Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.  Ready for deposit!  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

October  6-14, 2020  Autumn Colors   We’ll fly into historic Boston and then head to Lexington and Concord where the “shot heard round the world was fired”.  We’ll head through the Berkshires, stopping at a historic mill and glass blowing facility.   We’ll visit the historic town of Woodstock.Sample some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at their factory before venturing into New Hampshire and and stunning of views of Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the northeast.  We’ll visit Acadia National Park and the beautiful town of Bar Harbor. On our way south we’ll journey past lighthouses, fisheries, and seaside dwellings before arriving at Portsmouth, one of the oldest cities in the United States.   This is a very popular trip that will fill quickly and currently has a 10% early payment discount so deposit asap.  

2021 

January 24- February 8, 2021 Panama Canal Cruise   This is a full transit 15 day cruise from  Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco.  We will visit Cartagena, Columbia; Panama Canal Full Transit;  Fuerte Amador (Panama City); Puntarenas, Costa Rica;  San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragu; and  Cabo San Lucas before disembarking in  San Francisco.  Taking deposits.

April, 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with sant’ippolito!   Will be ready for deposit late Fall.

September 10, 2021 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.  We are taking names now with room requests and will will be ready for deposit late Fall.

Have a great week!

Lynn

Hi Everyone, We just returned from our last tour of 2019.   We traveled to Greece with 43 amazing people.  This was a little different tour as we spent time in Athens, ferried to Mykonos and Santorini, and then flew back to Athens to return home. We definitely had an up close look at the travel methods the Greeks use to get to their beautiful islands.   Here are a few of the pics I took: Climbing up to the Parthenon, Parthenon, the Acropolis at night, Mykonos Beach, Santorini, breaking of the plates at the “Greek Wedding”.

In other news, we are beginning to see tour operators and cruise lines working to reduce their footprints.  Although many of the changes are baby steps, they are steps in the right direction.   Starting January 1, 2020, Norwegian Cruise Line will begin eliminating all single-use plastic bottles on its ships, replacing 6 million plastic bottles its guests use annually with JUSTWater, which is offered in a paper-based carton that’s 100% recyclable. The move is part of NCL’s Sail and Sustain Environmental Program, which the line says will see it minimize its waste to landfills, reduce its CO2 emission rate, and invest in new, emerging technologies that will help cut down on its environmental footprint.

The Travel Corporation has announced its new Make Travel Matter Pledge guided by their TreadRight Foundation.  The Travel Corporation includes tour operators Insight, Trafalgar, BrendanVacations, Uniworld River Cruises, and Red Carnation Hotels to name a few.   I love their pledge:

“I will make my travel matter-for our planet, for people, and for wildlife.  When I explore this planet, I will do my best to tread right.  I will refuse single use plastics when I can and recycle what I cannot avoid.    When possible, I will offset my travels. When I meet new people, I will honor their home as I do my own and do so in the spirit of diversity and inclusion.   I will purchase locally made items wherever possible and pay a fair price. When I experience wildlife, I will do so in nature.  I will not ride animals that ought not be ridden, nor support animal cruelty in any way.  Together, we will tread right upon the earth-and we will make our travel matter.”

Disney News: EPCOT Forever, the nighttime extravaganza that replaces the long running  Illuminations, will debut on October 1.   Expect lasers, fireworks, lighted kites, and more over the World Showcase Lagoon as Disney produces a nighttime spectacle to delight all ages.

2020-2021

May 17-28, 2020   Alpine Explorer and Oberammergau  We will explore a bit of Switzerland and Austria before arriving at Oberammergau for the Passion Play.Some of the highlights of this trip include Lago Maggiore, Island Dinner, Zermatt, Glacier Express Train, St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, St. Peter’s Restaurant, Mozart Dinner Concert, Munich, Oberammergau Passion Play, Linderhof Palace, Füssen, Neuschwanstein Castle.   Check out the itinerary:   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395 We have had a couple of cancellations for Oberammergau so if you are interested, don’t delay.   This is a much sought after, once in every 10 year, event.

May 30-June 7, 2020    Paris and Normandy River Cruise  A few rooms are still available.

June 13-21 2020   Colorado Rockies  We’ll fly in and out of the Mile High City of Denver and then travel to Grand Junction.   We’ll visit the Colorado National Monument, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Mesa Verda National Park. We’ll then travel to Durango and ride the Silverton RailRoad before ending our trip in Colorado Springs.  Ready for deposit.

June 16-26  Shrines of Italy   This pilgrimage will visit The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, San Giovanni Rotundo, Tomb of Padre Pio, Abbey of Santissima Trinita, Madonna del Rosario Sanctuary, Vatican City with Papal Audience, Christian Rome City Tour,  St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, and St. Peter’s Basilica.   Deposit now. Early booking discount is in effect.

August 15-23 Canadian Rockies  We’ll fly into Vancouver and after enjoying the sights of Vancouver and Victoria, we’ll head up to Kamloops and then to Jasper National Park. We’ll see the Athabascan Glacier from our snow machine. We’ll visit the spectacular Lake Louise and then on to Banff.    Ready for deposit. 10% early booking discount on this trip!

September 12-23, 2020     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.  Ready for deposit!  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

October  6-14, 2020  Autumn Colors   We’ll fly into historic Boston and then head to Lexington and Concord where the “shot heard round the world was fired”.  We’ll head through the Berkshires, stopping at a historic mill and glass blowing facility.   We’ll visit the historic town of Woodstock.Sample some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at their factory before venturing into New Hampshire and and stunning of views of Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the northeast.  We’ll visit Acadia National Park and the beautiful town of Bar Harbor. On our way south we’ll journey past lighthouses, fisheries, and seaside dwellings before arriving at Portsmouth, one of the oldest cities in the United States.   This is a very popular trip that will fill quickly and currently has a 10% early payment discount so deposit asap.  

2021 

January 24- February 8, 2021 Panama Canal Cruise   This is a full transit 15 day cruise from  Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco.  We will visit Cartagena, Columbia; Panama Canal Full Transit;  Fuerte Amador (Panama City); Puntarenas, Costa Rica;  San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragu; and  Cabo San Lucas before disembarking in  San Francisco.  Taking deposits.

April 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with sant’ippolito!   Will be ready for deposit late Fall.

September 10, 2021 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.  We are taking names now with room requests and will will be ready for deposit late Fall.

Have a great week!

Lynn

Hi everyone,

While traveling, I am always looking for ways to extend my phone’s battery life.   Smarter Travel has listed a few ways to help with this:

• Switch to airplane mode.  No matter where you are traveling, your phone is always searching for a signal and will keep searching until it finds a better one.   Turning your phone on airplane mode will stop the searching.
• When you are traveling and using a wi-fi connection, all of your apps and notifications will start updating as soon as you connect.   You may want to turn off auto-update and some notifications.
• Turn off location services and just turn it on when you need to use it.
• Avoid extreme temps whenever you can.  Your phone functions best between 62-72 degrees.  Although it is impossible to keep your phone within that range, try not to leave it in hot cars or out in the summer sun.  Tuck it in an inside pocket when you are in extreme cold.

Delta Airlines just launched a new operational information platform for its customers.  The new platform is called Delta Skywatch Daily Outlook.   It will be updated twice away on weekdays and once on Saturday and Sunday.   The goal is to communicate to customers about what to expect from the day’s anticipated flight operations in an easy to read format.

Just something to think about: Airline financial date for the first quarter of 2019 is out and shows that U.S. airlines ranked in $1.3 billion in baggage fees. 

2020-2021

May 17-28, 2020   Alpine Explorer and Oberammergau  We will explore a bit of Switzerland and Austria before arriving at Oberammergau for the Passion Play.Some of the highlights of this trip include Lago Maggiore, Island Dinner, Zermatt, Glacier Express Train, St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, St. Peter’s Restaurant, Mozart Dinner Concert, Munich, Oberammergau Passion Play, Linderhof Palace, Füssen, Neuschwanstein Castle.   Check out the itinerary:   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395 We have had a couple of cancellations for Oberammergau so if you are interested, don’t delay.   This is a much sought after, once in every 10 year, event.

May 30-June 7, 2020    Paris and Normandy River Cruise  A few rooms are still available.

June 13-21 2020   Colorado Rockies  We’ll fly in and out of the Mile High City of Denver and then travel to Grand Junction.   We’ll visit the Colorado National Monument, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Mesa Verda National Park. We’ll then travel to Durango and ride the Silverton RailRoad before ending our trip in Colorado Springs.  Ready for deposit.

June 16-26  Shrines of Italy   This pilgrimage will visit The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, San Giovanni Rotundo, Tomb of Padre Pio, Abbey of Santissima Trinita, Madonna del Rosario Sanctuary, Vatican City with Papal Audience, Christian Rome City Tour,  St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, and St. Peter’s Basilica.    Although we will not be traveling with this group, we are preparing it for Fr. Anthony Strouse.  Deposit now. Early booking discount is in effect.

August 15-23 Canadian Rockies  We’ll fly into Vancouver and after enjoying the sights of Vancouver and Victoria, we’ll head up to Kamloops and then to Jasper National Park. We’ll see the Athabascan Glacier from our snow machine. We’ll visit the spectacular Lake Louise and then on to Banff.    Ready for deposit.

 10% early booking discount on this trip! September 12-23, 2020     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.  Ready for deposit!  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

October  6-14, 2020  Autumn Colors   We’ll fly into historic Boston and then head to Lexington and Concord where the “shot heard round the world was fired”.  We’ll head through the Berkshires, stopping at a historic mill and glass blowing facility.   We’ll visit the historic town of Woodstock.Sample some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at their factory before venturing into New Hampshire and and stunning of views of Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the northeast.  We’ll visit Acadia National Park and the beautiful town of Bar Harbor. On our way south we’ll journey past lighthouses, fisheries, and seaside dwellings before arriving at Portsmouth, one of the oldest cities in the United States.   This is a very popular trip that will fill quickly and currently has a 10% early payment discount so deposit asap.  

2021 

January 24- February 8, 2021 Panama Canal Cruise   This is a full transit 15 day cruise from  Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco.  We will visit Cartagena, Columbia; Panama Canal Full Transit;  Fuerte Amador (Panama City); Puntarenas, Costa Rica;  San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragu; and  Cabo San Lucas before disembarking in  San Francisco.  Taking deposits.

April 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with sant’ippolito!   Will be ready for deposit late Fall.

September 10, 2021 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.  We are taking names now with room requests and will will be ready for deposit late Fall.

Have a great week!

Lynn

Hi Everyone, I read a great article this week on Group Travel  from AARP that reminded people to be careful when getting online in public places.    Here are a few things that I thought interesting.  Some of these I have talked about in previous blogs but they bear repeating:

• Keep track of your boarding passes and baggage claim tickets as well as the airline tags attached to your luggage.  Personal identifying information is attached to these items.
• If your cellphone has lost its charge, before you rush to plug it into a free USB port at the airport or use the Wi-Fi in any public place, think carefully about the potential risks.  Through malware installed on the port, all the data on your phone can be stolen, and with it your identity.
• Cybercriminals target airline and hotel loyalty miles and points to sell on the black market.  Devices that can scan the barcode on your boarding pass or claim check ticket give a lot of information.  The barcode on your boarding pass includes your name, flight number and airline as well as your travel dates and destinations.  This info could help a criminal get access to your rewards number and passport.

Here are some tips to protect yourself digitally:

• Avoid accessing any personal or financial information while using Wi-Fi in an airport.
• Use a virtual private network (VPN) from a company you trust.
• Set up a personal hotspot on your phone.

A little trivia: Did you know that many hotels overseas do not include washcloths in their hotel bathrooms?   If you are someone who likes to use a washcloth, tuck one in a Ziploc bag and carry it with you.

2020-2021

May 17-28, 2020   Alpine Explorer and Oberammergau  We will explore a bit of Switzerland and Austria before arriving at Oberammergau for the Passion Play.Some of the highlights of this trip include Lago Maggiore, Island Dinner, Zermatt, Glacier Express Train, St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, St. Peter’s Restaurant, Mozart Dinner Concert, Munich, Oberammergau Passion Play, Linderhof Palace, Füssen, Neuschwanstein Castle.   Check out the itinerary:   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395 We have had a couple of cancellations for Oberammergau so if you are interested, don’t delay.   This is a much sought after, once in every 10 year, event.

May 30-June 7, 2020    Paris and Normandy River Cruise  A few rooms are still available.

June 13-21 2020   Colorado Rockies  We’ll fly in and out of the Mile High City of Denver and then travel to Grand Junction.   We’ll visit the Colorado National Monument, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Mesa Verda National Park. We’ll then travel to Durango and ride the Silverton RailRoad before ending our trip in Colorado Springs.  Ready for deposit.

June 16-26  Shrines of Italy   This pilgrimage will visit The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, San Giovanni Rotundo, Tomb of Padre Pio, Abbey of Santissima Trinita, Madonna del Rosario Sanctuary, Vatican City with Papal Audience, Christian Rome City Tour,  St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, and St. Peter’s Basilica.    Although we will not be traveling with this group, we are preparing it for Fr. Anthony Strouse.  Deposit now. Early booking discount is in effect.

August 15-23 Canadian Rockies  We’ll fly into Vancouver and after enjoying the sights of Vancouver and Victoria, we’ll head up to Kamloops and then to Jasper National Park. We’ll see the Athabascan Glacier from our snow machine. We’ll visit the spectacular Lake Louise and then on to Banff.    Ready for deposit.  10% early booking discount on this trip!

September 12-23, 2020     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.  Ready for deposit!  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

October  6-14, 2020  Autumn Colors   We’ll fly into historic Boston and then head to Lexington and Concord where the “shot heard round the world was fired”.  We’ll head through the Berkshires, stopping at a historic mill and glass blowing facility.   We’ll visit the historic town of Woodstock.Sample some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at their factory before venturing into New Hampshire and and stunning of views of Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the northeast.  We’ll visit Acadia National Park and the beautiful town of Bar Harbor. On our way south we’ll journey past lighthouses, fisheries, and seaside dwellings before arriving at Portsmouth, one of the oldest cities in the United States.   This is a very popular trip that will fill quickly and currently has a 10% early payment discount so deposit asap.  

2021 

January 24- February 8, 2021 Panama Canal Cruise   This is a full transit 15 day cruise from  Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco.  We will visit Cartagena, Columbia; Panama Canal Full Transit;  Fuerte Amador (Panama City); Puntarenas, Costa Rica;  San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragu; and  Cabo San Lucas before disembarking in  San Francisco.  Taking deposits.

April 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with sant’ippolito!   Will be ready for deposit late Fall.

September 10, 2021 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.  We are taking names now with room requests and will will be ready for deposit late Fall.

Have a great week!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

Our thoughts and prayers are with those suffering from Hurricane Dorian, especially those in the Bahamas who have survived and are now living in deplorable conditions.    In the midst of such a tragedy, I have been heartened by how the cruise lines are pitching in to provide much needed relief.  Disney, and Norwegian have donated $1 million dollars each toward relief and restoration.  Carnival has promised another $2 million.  Royal Caribbean has promised  $1 million dollars and is loading their ships with supplies that include generators, water, sheets, and towels.   Additionally, they are providing 20,000 meals per day, a very ambitious undertaking.   That relief began this week with tugboats and tenders carrying the food to docks.    There are others too numerous to mention, including some of the airlines, but right now the Bahamian people can use all the help they can get. 

If you are running late to the airport, or arrive and see huge lines inside, you may consider curbside checkin.   Those lines are normally not very long, you don’t have far to lug your suitcase, and you can get to security much faster.   The only downside is that these skycaps work mostly for tips so it will cost you a few dollars.  Your time may be worth it, especially if you are on a tight schedule.  

We had a great meeting last week regarding our Poland and Colorado Rockies tours for this coming year.  Our Poland tour is now over half full so if you are thinking of accompanying us, don’t delay.

2020-2021

May 17-28, 2020   Alpine Explorer and Oberammergau  We will explore a bit of Switzerland and Austria before arriving at Oberammergau for the Passion Play.Some of the highlights of this trip include Lago Maggiore, Island Dinner, Zermatt, Glacier Express Train, St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, St. Peter’s Restaurant, Mozart Dinner Concert, Munich, Oberammergau Passion Play, Linderhof Palace, Füssen, Neuschwanstein Castle.   Check out the itinerary:   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395 We have had a couple of cancellations for Oberammergau so if you are interested, don’t delay.   This is a much sought after, once in every 10 year, event.

May 30-June 7, 2020    Paris and Normandy River Cruise  A few rooms are still available.

June 13-21 2020   Colorado Rockies  We’ll fly in and out of the Mile High City of Denver and then travel to Grand Junction.   We’ll visit the Colorado National Monument, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Mesa Verda National Park. We’ll then travel to Durango and ride the Silverton RailRoad before ending our trip in Colorado Springs.  Ready for deposit.

June 16-26  Shrines of Italy   This pilgrimage will visit The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, San Giovanni Rotundo, Tomb of Padre Pio, Abbey of Santissima Trinita, Madonna del Rosario Sanctuary, Vatican City with Papal Audience, Christian Rome City Tour,  St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, and St. Peter’s Basilica.    Although we will not be traveling with this group, we are preparing it for Fr. Anthony Strouse.  Deposit now. Early booking discount is in effect.

August 15-23 Canadian Rockies  We’ll fly into Vancouver and after enjoying the sights of Vancouver and Victoria, we’ll head up to Kamloops and then to Jasper National Park. We’ll see the Athabascan Glacier from our snow machine. We’ll visit the spectacular Lake Louise and then on to Banff.    Ready for deposit.  10% early booking discount on this trip!

September 12-23, 2020     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.  Ready for deposit!  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

October  6-14, 2020  Autumn Colors   We’ll fly into historic Boston and then head to Lexington and Concord where the “shot heard round the world was fired”.  We’ll head through the Berkshires, stopping at a historic mill and glass blowing facility.   We’ll visit the historic town of Woodstock.Sample some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at their factory before venturing into New Hampshire and and stunning of views of Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the northeast.  We’ll visit Acadia National Park and the beautiful town of Bar Harbor. On our way south we’ll journey past lighthouses, fisheries, and seaside dwellings before arriving at Portsmouth, one of the oldest cities in the United States.   This is a very popular trip that will fill quickly and currently has a 10% early payment discount so deposit asap.  

2021 

January 24- February 8, 2021 Panama Canal Cruise   This is a full transit 15 day cruise from  Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco.  We will visit Cartagena, Columbia; Panama Canal Full Transit;  Fuerte Amador (Panama City); Puntarenas, Costa Rica;  San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragu; and  Cabo San Lucas before disembarking in  San Francisco.  Taking deposits.

April 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with sant’ippolito!   Will be ready for deposit late Fall.

September 10, 2021 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.  We are taking names now with room requests and will will be ready for deposit late Fall.

Have a great week!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

People ask whether or not they can bring batteries onboard their flight.   Here is the information from the TSA website:

  Travel Insurance:  We have all been watching the news this weekend regarding the massive hurricane churning in the Atlantic.  Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those who will be affected.    I have been asked many times whether or not travel insurance would help you if you found yourself in the path of a hurricane and needed to evacuate or change your travel plans.    The general rule of thumb is that most insurers have coverage, but a travel insurance policy must be purchased before a storm is named.    Once a storm is named, there is typically no coverage.   We always advise that you get your insurance when you make a deposit for your trip.

Holiday Travel   if you are thinking of flying over the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays, you may want to consider getting your air now. According to Hipmunk, historically, the following are the best times to book:

• Thanksgiving flights are relatively cheap for the weeks of September 9 and 16 and again the weeks of November 4, 11, and 18.
• Christmas fares are relatively low again the weeks of October 6, November 18, and, surprisingly, the weeks of December 2, 9, and 16.

Having said that, this year can be a little more difficult as some of the airlines who were counting on the 737 Max  will probably not have their full availability for the holidays so the entire system will have fewer available seats that the airlines had planned.-Ed Perkins, Smarter Travel

2020-2021

May 17-28, 2020   Alpine Explorer and Oberammergau  We will explore a bit of Switzerland and Austria before arriving at Oberammergau for the Passion Play.Some of the highlights of this trip include Lago Maggiore, Island Dinner, Zermatt, Glacier Express Train, St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, St. Peter’s Restaurant, Mozart Dinner Concert, Munich, Oberammergau Passion Play, Linderhof Palace, Füssen, Neuschwanstein Castle.   Check out the itinerary:   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395 We have had a couple of cancellations for Oberammergau so if you are interested, don’t delay.   This is a much sought after, once in every 10 year, event.

May 30-June 7, 2020    Paris and Normandy River Cruise  A few rooms are still available.

June 13-21 2020   Colorado Rockies  We’ll fly in and out of the Mile High City of Denver and then travel to Grand Junction.   We’ll visit the Colorado National Monument, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Mesa Verda National Park. We’ll then travel to Durango and ride the Silverton RailRoad before ending our trip in Colorado Springs.  Ready for deposit.

June 16-26  Shrines of Italy   This pilgrimage will visit The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, San Giovanni Rotundo, Tomb of Padre Pio, Abbey of Santissima Trinita, Madonna del Rosario Sanctuary, Vatican City with Papal Audience, Christian Rome City Tour,  St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, and St. Peter’s Basilica.    Although we will not be traveling with this group, we are preparing it for Fr. Anthony Strouse.  Deposit now. Early booking discount is in effect.

August 15-23 Canadian Rockies  We’ll fly into Vancouver and after enjoying the sights of Vancouver and Victoria, we’ll head up to Kamloops and then to Jasper National Park. We’ll see the Athabascan Glacier from our snow machine. We’ll visit the spectacular Lake Louise and then on to Banff.    Ready for deposit.  10% early booking discount on this trip!

September 12-23, 2020     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.  Ready for deposit!  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

October  6-14, 2020  Autumn Colors   We’ll fly into historic Boston and then head to Lexington and Concord where the “shot heard round the world was fired”.  We’ll head through the Berkshires, stopping at a historic mill and glass blowing facility.   We’ll visit the historic town of Woodstock.Sample some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at their factory before venturing into New Hampshire and and stunning of views of Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the northeast.  We’ll visit Acadia National Park and the beautiful town of Bar Harbor. On our way south we’ll journey past lighthouses, fisheries, and seaside dwellings before arriving at Portsmouth, one of the oldest cities in the United States.   This is a very popular trip that will fill quickly and currently has an early payment discount so deposit asap.  

2021 

January 24- February 8, 2021 Panama Canal Cruise   This is a full transit 15 day cruise from  Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco.  We will visit Cartagena, Columbia; Panama Canal Full Transit;  Fuerte Amador (Panama City); Puntarenas, Costa Rica;  San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragu; and  Cabo San Lucas before disembarking in  San Francisco.  Taking deposits.

April 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with sant’ippolito!   Stay tuned for more information.

September, 2021 Rhine, Moselle, and Baden-Baden    Will be ready for deposit late Fall

Have a great week!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

We just returned from an amazing river cruise that began in Prague and and ended in Budapest with stops in Nuremberg, Regensburg, Passau, Spitz, and Vienna.   I have included a few pics:  Prague, Budapest at night, Vienna Plague Monument, low bridge on the Danube,  Meeting the Princess in her Palace in Spitz, The Palace.               

Thank you to the great group that traveled with us.   From a Viennese concert to fireworks over Budapest on the last night of our cruise, we had a great time!

San Francisco International Airport just became the first major airport to ban the sale of plastic water bottles.  All airport retailers, airline lounges, and vending machines are now selling water in recyclable aluminum, glass or BPI- certified compostable bottles. 

Norwegian Cruise Line just announced that passengers will no longer be allowed to decorate the outside of their stateroom doors due to potential fire hazards so if you are thinking of taking a  decorations in your suitcase on your next Norwegian cruise,  you’ll have more room for clothes.

Before traveling overseas, take a minute and look up the emergency number for your destination.   We are all used to 911 but most of Europe is 112.  Canada and the US and its territories use 911.   You can look up your destination on the Department of State’s website. 

2020-2021

May 17-28, 2020   Alpine Explorer and Oberammergau  We will explore a bit of Switzerland and Austria before arriving at Oberammergau for the Passion Play.Some of the highlights of this trip include Lago Maggiore, Island Dinner, Zermatt, Glacier Express Train, St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, St. Peter’s Restaurant, Mozart Dinner Concert, Munich, Oberammergau Passion Play, Linderhof Palace, Füssen, Neuschwanstein Castle.   Check out the itinerary:   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395 We have had a couple of cancellations for Oberammergau so if you are interested, don’t delay.   This is a much sought after, once in every 10 year, event.

May 30-June 7, 2020    Paris and Normandy River Cruise  A few rooms are still available.

June 13-21 2020   Colorado Rockies  We’ll fly in and out of the Mile High City of Denver and then travel to Grand Junction.   We’ll visit the Colorado National Monument, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Mesa Verda National Park. We’ll then travel to Durango and ride the Silverton RailRoad before ending our trip in Colorado Springs.  Ready for deposit.

June 16-26  Shrines of Italy   This pilgrimage will visit The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, San Giovanni Rotundo, Tomb of Padre Pio, Abbey of Santissima Trinita, Madonna del Rosario Sanctuary, Vatican City with Papal Audience, Christian Rome City Tour,  St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, and St. Peter’s Basilica.    Although we will not be traveling with this group, we are preparing it for Fr. Anthony Strouse.  Deposit now. Early booking discount is in effect.

August 15-23 Canadian Rockies  We’ll fly into Vancouver and after enjoying the sights of Vancouver and Victoria, we’ll head up to Kamloops and then to Jasper National Park. We’ll see the Athabascan Glacier from our snow machine. We’ll visit the spectacular Lake Louise and then on to Banff.    Ready for deposit.  10% early booking discount on this trip!

September 12-23, 2020     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.  Ready for deposit!  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

October  6-14, 2020  Autumn Colors   We’ll fly into historic Boston and then head to Lexington and Concord where the “shot heard round the world was fired”.  We’ll head through the Berkshires, stopping at a historic mill and glass blowing facility.   We’ll visit the historic town of Woodstock.Sample some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at their factory before venturing into New Hampshire and and stunning of views of Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the northeast.  We’ll visit Acadia National Park and the beautiful town of Bar Harbor. On our way south we’ll journey past lighthouses, fisheries, and seaside dwellings before arriving at Portsmouth, one of the oldest cities in the United States.   This is a very popular trip that will fill quickly and currently has an early payment discount so deposit asap.  

2021 

January 24- February 8, 2021 Panama Canal Cruise   This is a full transit 15 day cruise from  Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco.  We will visit Cartagena, Columbia; Panama Canal Full Transit;  Fuerte Amador (Panama City); Puntarenas, Costa Rica;  San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragu; and  Cabo San Lucas before disembarking in  San Francisco.  Taking deposits.

April 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with sant’ippolito!   Stay tuned for more information.

September, 2021 Rhine, Moselle, and Baden-Baden    Will be ready for deposit late Fall

Have a great week!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

None of us would probably enjoy swimming or playing in water that has algae.  However, if you plan on traveling with your dog this summer, keep in mind that some dog owners have lost their dogs to what is probably the result of a toxin produced by blue-green algae.   This algae occurs naturally in bodies of freshwater but when temperatures increase, the algae growth explodes and produce toxins that are very dangerous for our furry friends.  It is important that if you see algae in a lake you should not expose your animal to it.  -Fodor’s Travel

Walt Disney World in Florida just launched a new ticket offer for fall guests.  The Mid-Day Magic Ticket allows guests to enjoy admissions after noon at one theme park per day.  As of Thursday 2,3, and 4 day tickets are available for start dates on or before December 15, 2019.  Two day tickets start at $88 per day plus tax. Three day tickets start at $84 per day plus tax, and four day tickets start at $79 per day plus tax. 

Travel tip:    Before closing your suitcase for your next trip, remember to take a picture of the contents.   If you need to apply for reimbursement for lost luggage, you will have proof of the contents.   Also, slip a copy of your itinerary in the suitcase with your phone number.  It will be much easier for the airline to get in touch with you or return the suitcase to you should it end up missing.

2020/2021.

May 17-28, 2020   Alpine Explorer and Oberammergau  We will explore a bit of Switzerland and Austria before arriving at Oberammergau for the Passion Play.Some of the highlights of this trip include Lago Maggiore, Island Dinner, Zermatt, Glacier Express Train, St. Moritz, Innsbruck, Salzburg, St. Peter’s Restaurant, Mozart Dinner Concert, Munich, Oberammergau Passion Play, Linderhof Palace, Füssen, Neuschwanstein Castle.   Check out the itinerary:   https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395 We have had a couple of cancellations for Oberammergau so if you are interested, don’t delay.   This is a much sought after, once in every 10 year, event.

May 30-June 7, 2020    Paris and Normandy River Cruise  A few rooms are still available.

June 13-21 2020   Colorado Rockies  We’ll fly in and out of the Mile High City of Denver and then travel to Grand Junction.   We’ll visit the Colorado National Monument, Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Mesa Verda National Park. We’ll then travel to Durango and ride the Silverton RailRoad before ending our trip in Colorado Springs.  Ready for deposit.

June 16-26  Shrines of Italy   This pilgrimage will visit The Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, San Giovanni Rotundo, Tomb of Padre Pio, Abbey of Santissima Trinita, Madonna del Rosario Sanctuary, Vatican City with Papal Audience, Christian Rome City Tour,  St. Mary Major, St. John Lateran, and St. Peter’s Basilica.    Although we will not be traveling with this group, we are preparing it for Fr. Anthony Strouse.  Deposit now. Early booking discount is in effect.

August 15-23 Canadian Rockies  We’ll fly into Vancouver and after enjoying the sights of Vancouver and Victoria, we’ll head up to Kamloops and then to Jasper National Park. We’ll see the Athabascan Glacier from our snow machine. We’ll visit the spectacular Lake Louise and then on to Banff.    Ready for deposit.  10% early booking discount on this trip! September 12-23, 2020    

Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.  Ready for deposit!  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

October  6-14, 2020  Autumn Colors   We’ll fly into historic Boston and then head to Lexington and Concord where the “shot heard round the world was fired”.  We’ll head through the Berkshires, stopping at a historic mill and glass blowing facility.   We’ll visit the historic town of Woodstock.Sample some Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at their factory before venturing into New Hampshire and and stunning of views of Mount Washington, the tallest peak in the northeast.  We’ll visit Acadia National Park and the beautiful town of Bar Harbor. On our way south we’ll journey past lighthouses, fisheries, and seaside dwellings before arriving at Portsmouth, one of the oldest cities in the United States.   This is a very popular trip that will fill quickly and currently has an early payment discount so deposit asap.  

2021 

January 24- February 8, 2021 Panama Canal Cruise   This is a full transit 15 day cruise from  Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco.  We will visit Cartagena, Columbia; Panama Canal Full Transit;  Fuerte Amador (Panama City); Puntarenas, Costa Rica;  San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragu; and  Cabo San Lucas before disembarking in  San Francisco.  Taking deposits.

April 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with sant’ippolito!   Stay tuned for more information. Have a great week! Lynn

May 2021   Budapest to Bucharest River Cruise   Will be ready for deposit late Fall.

September, 2021  Rhine, Moselle, and Baden-Baden    Will be ready for deposit late Fall

Have a great week!

Lynn