Blog

Hi Everyone,

Red Carnation Hotels is a sister company to Uniworld Cruises, the river cruise company that I normally use.   This video is telling us about how they are cleaning their hotels.   They are using this exact method< Premium Purity, on their Uniworld so I thought this would be interesting to see.   It is just a little over a minute long so not to worry.

If you are thinking of a winter vacation this year, the US Dept. of State has changed its travel advisory from a Level 4 (do not travel) to a Level 3 (reconsider travel). Traveling to the Caribbean is also allowed but the requirements of each island vary significantly.    I have been watching them closely and you almost need a spreadsheet updated daily.

I spoke about this in a blog a few weeks ago but it is important to understand what’s going on with travel insurance right now.   Many, if not most, countries will not allow you entrance unless you can show proof of insurance.   Several islands and even resorts are offering you (sometimes at no charge) insurance so that if become ill while on vacation,  their hospitals will have some way of recovering your costs.    Keep in mind that this insurance does not cover everything.   It is really meant to protect their infrastructure.   I would strongly recommend that you purchase regular travel insurance and if you must purchase a small policy from a country or if they give it to you, consider it a bonus.

Current Trips

 2021 

April,6-17, 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with Sant’ippolito!   Join us as we fly to the Sicilian Capital of  Palermo.  where we will spend 2 nights exploring the city.  There will be an opportunity to take optional tours to Cefalu, Monte Pellegrino, and the goal market.    We will then travel to Taormina by way of  Agrigento  to visit the Valley of the Temples.   Once in Taormina we will take a walking tour of the Corso Umbreto and on to the Piazza for a panoramic view of the bay.  The next day, explore Taormina at leisure or maybe take an optional trip to Mt. Etna and Savoca, home of the “Godfather”.   We will then cross  the Straits of Messina and on to Calabria.   Here you will have an opportunity to visit  your family villages  located outside Cosenza.    After a stay in Calabria we head to Matera, Alberabello, and San Giovanni Rotundo to see the shrine of Padre Pio, and then make our way to Rome for our departure.  Taking deposits!

 May 9, 2021  Shades of Ireland One of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, 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. http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529

May 30, 2021 Uniworld River Cruise    Paris and Normandy  This cruise begins and ends in Paris.   Some of the highlights of this river cruise are a visit to the home and gardens of Claude Monet,  the Normandy beaches, the American cemetery, Honfleur.  See the spot where St. Joan of Arc was martyred in Rouen, take an excursion to Versailles, and finish with a panoramic tour of Paris. 

New Date !!  June 12,  2021 National Parks of America    Join us as we fly into Scottsdale Arizona.  We will then make our way up to Lake Powell, stopping on our way in beautiful Sedona, AZ.  We’ll enjoy a scenic breakfast cruise on Lake Powell and then be on our way to the Grand Canyon where we’ll have time to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery.  Next up are Bryce and Zion National Parks.   Next, we’ll take time to enjoy the Temple Square and visit the Salt Lake Temple, home to the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. We are then off to Jackson Hole Wyoming and the spectacular Grand Tetons.   Enjoy a traditional chuck wagon barbecue.  Our next stop-Yellowstone National Park.  Enjoy the spectacular scenery and marvel at Old Faithful!   From Yellowstone, we’ll cross the Big Horn Mountains and journey through the territory of the Old Sioux Nation.  Our last stop will be in Rapid City to see the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. I have done this trip before and it is an awesome look at our nation’s most popular parks.  http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1036588

July 17, 2021   Alaska Cruisetour:   Join us as we take an 11 day southbound cruise tour.   We will fly into Fairbanks,  visit Denali Wilderness Lodge, Denali McKinley Lodge, and then take the train to our cruise ship for a 7 night southbound cruise.  Experience the Hubbard Glacier, cruise throughGlacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver.  This is an amazing cruise tour.   Although there are spaces on the ship, the lodges are getting full as they serve more than one ship at a time.  Do not delay.

July 28, 2021  Spectacular Canadian Rockies  This is a rescheduled tour from 2020.   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.    I have very few seats available so let me know asap.

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.  Taking deposits now!

New Date!  September 25, 2021     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

2022

February 11, 2022   South American and the Chilean Fjords  This 18 day cruise will begin in Buenos Aires for a two night stay.  We will then travel to Montevideo, Uruguay.   Enjoy a day at sea before arriving  Puerto Madryn where we will learn of this city’s Welsh heritage.  After another day at sea we will arrive in the Falkland Islands and Port Stanley.  Come face to face with penguins as you explore the rugged beauty of these islands. We will then sail the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.  Our next port is Ushuaia where we can enjoy the tranquility of this end of the world city or visit Tierra del Fuego National Park.   From there we will sail to Punta Arenas.  We’ll cruise the Amalia Glacier and the Chilean Fjords before arriving at Puerto Montt where we will discover the Germanic traditions and scenic landscape dominated by the Osorno volcano.  Our last two days will be spent in Santiago, Chile before boarding our plane for the return  to the U.S.b   This is an ocean going ship but is much smaller than your typical ocean ship. This cruise will sell out quickly.  If you’ve cruised with Viking in the past you will receive a double past passenger discount in June.

Coming Soon.   March/April, 2022  Tulips and Windmills

See everything from tulips to windmills on this journey during the season of rebirth.   From the canals of Amsterdam to the belfry of Bruges, you’ll discover the best of the Netherlands and Belgium. Stroll through colorful acres of tulips at Keukenhof Gardens to get a sense of the Netherlands’ extraordinary connection to these blooms. Then visit the 19 UNESCO-designated windmills of Kinderdijk to better understand how these mighty structures have been used to protect the Low Country from ever-rising water levels for hundreds of years.

Hi Everyone,

Of course the big travel news this week is the elimination of change fees for domestic flights by Delta, American, and United.  American is also including some short haul international destinations such as the Caribbean .   Change fees have long been a source of irritation for everyone as they can run in excess of $200 per ticket so this is very good news.   Some of the airlines are also offering free standby on the day of departure.   If you book your own tickets, make sure you are careful about Basic Economy.  In some cases they are not included in the change fee elimination.   Now, keep your fingers crossed that hotels and resorts may rethink their egregious  resort fees which can seriously add to your hotel cost.

The TSA is continuing to see numbers rise at their checkpoints.  Numbers have consistently been above 800,000 per day in the last couple of weeks.  That is still not quite half of the 2 million that would normally go through TSA checkpoints but some of that is due to the fact that many countries have not opened their doors to the US yet.

Did you ever wonder why cruise ships that cater primarily to American cruisers are typically registered in a foreign country?  Travel Age West just published a nice article that attempts to explain this oddity.

Nearly all cruise ships are incorporated, or flagged, outside of the U.S. for several reasons.   The most crucial is that U.S law requires that ships registered domestically must also have been built in this country.  While there are local shipyards known for constructing military vessels, much smaller passenger craft, and historic ocean liners, they are not equipped with the expertise, capacity, and supply chain to assemble bigger contemporary cruise ships. In the modern era, European nations and shipyards have largely led this charge.

A notable exception is Norwegian cruise lines’ Pride of America.  It is registered stateside because the vessel began construction in Mississippi as the failed Project America 1 before being acquired by Norwegian and completed in Germany.  It took a special U.S. government exemption to permit the multinational ship to sail under the U.S. flag, Pride of America sails exclusively in the Hawaiian Islands.   Otherwise, the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 dictates that foreign-flagged passenger ships carrying guests between U.S. destinations must first stop at a foreign port.

Cruise lines, however, do pay domestic taxes.  According to the Cruise Lie International Association data, the cruise industry pays billions of dollars in taxes as well as fees in the U.S. annually.  In 2019, that total was $1.3 billion, and Carnival Cruise Line alone paid more than $700 million in domestic taxes and fees last year, $600 million of which directly supported our countries’ port cities.  Cruise lines are also required to pay taxes and port fees wherever they go-not just in the U.S.

If the laws were to change, more cruise ships could potentially be registered domestically and have the means to sail itineraries closer to home without needing foreign ports of convenience. California coastal trips, for example, could visit Western cities without the need to detour away and call on Ensenada, Mexico.-Travel Age West, 9/2/20

Have a great week and an awesome Labor Day.  Stay safe.

Lynn

Current Trips

 2021 

April,6-17, 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with Sant’ippolito!   Join us as we fly to the Sicilian Capital of  Palermo.  where we will spend 2 nights exploring the city.  There will be an opportunity to take optional tours to Cefalu, Monte Pellegrino, and the goal market.    We will then travel to Taormina by way of  Agrigento  to visit the Valley of the Temples.   Once in Taormina we will take a walking tour of the Corso Umbreto and on to the Piazza for a panoramic view of the bay.  The next day, explore Taormina at leisure or maybe take an optional trip to Mt. Etna and Savoca, home of the “Godfather”.   We will then cross  the Straits of Messina and on to Calabria.   Here you will have an opportunity to visit  your family villages  located outside Cosenza.    After a stay in Calabria we head to Matera, Alberabello, and San Giovanni Rotundo to see the shrine of Padre Pio, and then make our way to Rome for our departure.  Taking deposits!

 May 9, 2021  Shades of Ireland One of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, 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. http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529

May 30, 2021 Uniworld River Cruise    Paris and Normandy  This cruise begins and ends in Paris.   Some of the highlights of this river cruise are a visit to the home and gardens of Claude Monet,  the Normandy beaches, the American cemetery, Honfleur.  See the spot where St. Joan of Arc was martyred in Rouen, take an excursion to Versailles, and finish with a panoramic tour of Paris. 

New Date !!  June 12,  2021 National Parks of America    Join us as we fly into Scottsdale Arizona.  We will then make our way up to Lake Powell, stopping on our way in beautiful Sedona, AZ.  We’ll enjoy a scenic breakfast cruise on Lake Powell and then be on our way to the Grand Canyon where we’ll have time to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery.  Next up are Bryce and Zion National Parks.   Next, we’ll take time to enjoy the Temple Square and visit the Salt Lake Temple, home to the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. We are then off to Jackson Hole Wyoming and the spectacular Grand Tetons.   Enjoy a traditional chuck wagon barbecue.  Our next stop-Yellowstone National Park.  Enjoy the spectacular scenery and marvel at Old Faithful!   From Yellowstone, we’ll cross the Big Horn Mountains and journey through the territory of the Old Sioux Nation.  Our last stop will be in Rapid City to see the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. I have done this trip before and it is an awesome look at our nation’s most popular parks.  http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1036588

July 17, 2021   Alaska Cruisetour:   Join us as we take an 11 day southbound cruise tour.   We will fly into Fairbanks,  visit Denali Wilderness Lodge, Denali McKinley Lodge, and then take the train to our cruise ship for a 7 night southbound cruise.  Experience the Hubbard Glacier, cruise throughGlacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver.  This is an amazing cruise tour.   Although there are spaces on the ship, the lodges are getting full as they serve more than one ship at a time.  Do not delay.

July 28, 2021  Spectacular Canadian Rockies  This is a rescheduled tour from 2020.   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.    I have very few seats available so let me know asap.

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.  Taking deposits now!

New Date!  September 25, 2021     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

2022

February 11, 2022   South American and the Chilean Fjords  This 18 day cruise will begin in Buenos Aires for a two night stay.  We will then travel to Montevideo, Uruguay.   Enjoy a day at sea before arriving  Puerto Madryn where we will learn of this city’s Welsh heritage.  After another day at sea we will arrive in the Falkland Islands and Port Stanley.  Come face to face with penguins as you explore the rugged beauty of these islands. We will then sail the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.  Our next port is Ushuaia where we can enjoy the tranquility of this end of the world city or visit Tierra del Fuego National Park.   From there we will sail to Punta Arenas.  We’ll cruise the Amalia Glacier and the Chilean Fjords before arriving at Puerto Montt where we will discover the Germanic traditions and scenic landscape dominated by the Osorno volcano.  Our last two days will be spent in Santiago, Chile before boarding our plane for the return  to the U.S.b   This is an ocean going ship but is much smaller than your typical ocean ship. This cruise will sell out quickly.  If you’ve cruised with Viking in the past you will receive a double past passenger discount in June.

Coming Soon.   March/April, 2022  Tulips and Windmills

See everything from tulips to windmills on this journey during the season of rebirth.   From the canals of Amsterdam to the belfry of Bruges, you’ll discover the best of the Netherlands and Belgium. Stroll through colorful acres of tulips at Keukenhof Gardens to get a sense of the Netherlands’ extraordinary connection to these blooms. Then visit the 19 UNESCO-designated windmills of Kinderdijk to better understand how these mighty structures have been used to protect the Low Country from ever-rising water levels for hundreds of years.

Hi Everyone,

For people departing from Miami International Airport, security just got a little easier.  New scanners are being installed that allow travelers to leave their computers and other electronics in their carry ons.  The new technology provides improved explosive detection screening by creating a 3-D image that can be viewed and rotated on three axes for thorough image analysis by a TSA officer.  Can’t wait until these scanners are used in all airports!

Collette is having some success touring here in the country in very specific areas.   They have some availability for the following September/ October tours:  Southern Charm (Charleston, Savannah, Jekyll Island),  Spotlight on South Dakota and the Badlands, Bluegrass Country and the Smoky Mountains,  America’s Music Cities.    If you are feeling the need to travel, these might be good options for you.

I received the following video from Collette this week and thought you might enjoy it.  Don’t worry,  it’s not lengthy. There is some info about Collette before and after the video about the adjustments they are making to keep you safe while traveling.  The video is interesting and gives you a little flavor of life on the road.

https://www.gocollette.com/en/landing-pages/2020/the-traveling-well-experience#video  

We are hopeful about next year and are proceeding with our travel plans.   We have people enrolled on every one of the following trips and are excited about the possibility of seeing more of our world.

Current Trips

 2021 

April,6-17, 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with Sant’ippolito!   Join us as we fly to the Sicilian Capital of  Palermo.  where we will spend 2 nights exploring the city.  There will be an opportunity to take optional tours to Cefalu, Monte Pellegrino, and the goal market.    We will then travel to Taormina by way of  Agrigento  to visit the Valley of the Temples.   Once in Taormina we will take a walking tour of the Corso Umbreto and on to the Piazza for a panoramic view of the bay.  The next day, explore Taormina at leisure or maybe take an optional trip to Mt. Etna and Savoca, home of the “Godfather”.   We will then cross  the Straits of Messina and on to Calabria.   Here you will have an opportunity to visit  your family villages  located outside Cosenza.    After a stay in Calabria we head to Matera, Alberabello, and San Giovanni Rotundo to see the shrine of Padre Pio, and then make our way to Rome for our departure.  Taking deposits!

 May 9, 2021  Shades of Ireland One of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, 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. http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529

May 30, 2021 Uniworld River Cruise    Paris and Normandy  This cruise begins and ends in Paris.   Some of the highlights of this river cruise are a visit to the home and gardens of Claude Monet,  the Normandy beaches, the American cemetery, Honfleur.  See the spot where St. Joan of Arc was martyred in Rouen, take an excursion to Versailles, and finish with a panoramic tour of Paris. 

New Date !!  June 12,  2021 National Parks of America    Join us as we fly into Scottsdale Arizona.  We will then make our way up to Lake Powell, stopping on our way in beautiful Sedona, AZ.  We’ll enjoy a scenic breakfast cruise on Lake Powell and then be on our way to the Grand Canyon where we’ll have time to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery.  Next up are Bryce and Zion National Parks.   Next, we’ll take time to enjoy the Temple Square and visit the Salt Lake Temple, home to the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. We are then off to Jackson Hole Wyoming and the spectacular Grand Tetons.   Enjoy a traditional chuck wagon barbecue.  Our next stop-Yellowstone National Park.  Enjoy the spectacular scenery and marvel at Old Faithful!   From Yellowstone, we’ll cross the Big Horn Mountains and journey through the territory of the Old Sioux Nation.  Our last stop will be in Rapid City to see the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. I have done this trip before and it is an awesome look at our nation’s most popular parks.  http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1036588

July 17, 2021   Alaska Cruisetour:   Join us as we take an 11 day southbound cruise tour.   We will fly into Fairbanks,  visit Denali Wilderness Lodge, Denali McKinley Lodge, and then take the train to our cruise ship for a 7 night southbound cruise.  Experience the Hubbard Glacier, cruise throughGlacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver.  This is an amazing cruise tour.   Although there are spaces on the ship, the lodges are getting full as they serve more than one ship at a time.  Do not delay.

July 28, 2021  Spectacular Canadian Rockies  This is a rescheduled tour from 2020.   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.    I have very few seats available so let me know asap.

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.  Taking deposits now!

New Date!  September 25, 2021     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

2022

February 11, 2022   South American and the Chilean Fjords  This 18 day cruise will begin in Buenos Aires for a two night stay.  We will then travel to Montevideo, Uruguay.   Enjoy a day at sea before arriving  Puerto Madryn where we will learn of this city’s Welsh heritage.  After another day at sea we will arrive in the Falkland Islands and Port Stanley.  Come face to face with penguins as you explore the rugged beauty of these islands. We will then sail the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.  Our next port is Ushuaia where we can enjoy the tranquility of this end of the world city or visit Tierra del Fuego National Park.   From there we will sail to Punta Arenas.  We’ll cruise the Amalia Glacier and the Chilean Fjords before arriving at Puerto Montt where we will discover the Germanic traditions and scenic landscape dominated by the Osorno volcano.  Our last two days will be spent in Santiago, Chile before boarding our plane for the return  to the U.S.b   This is an ocean going ship but is much smaller than your typical ocean ship. This cruise will sell out quickly.  If you’ve cruised with Viking in the past you will receive a double past passenger discount in June.

Coming Soon.   March/April, 2022  Tulips and Windmills

See everything from tulips to windmills on this journey during the season of rebirth.   From the canals of Amsterdam to the belfry of Bruges, you’ll discover the best of the Netherlands and Belgium. Stroll through colorful acres of tulips at Keukenhof Gardens to get a sense of the Netherlands’ extraordinary connection to these blooms. Then visit the 19 UNESCO-designated windmills of Kinderdijk to better understand how these mighty structures have been used to protect the Low Country from ever-rising water levels for hundreds of years.

Have a great week! Stay healthy!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

One of the large cruise lines, MSC,  embarked on their first sailing in Europe this week.   I am a bit comforted that the cruise line is serious about their coronavirus-prevention protocols.   A family of 5 was not allowed back on the ship after time in one of the ports.  Everyone had to agree that for the time being, people would stay with cruise sponsored excursions so that passengers would not contract the virus onshore.   This family decided not to stay with the group while on the excursion and was denied boarding when they tried to get back on the ship as they had broken the “bubble” MSC had created for them.   While I don’t think that it will always be necessary to stay with cruise ship excursions in the future, for right now it is good to see the cruise lines taking this very seriously.

Delta announced this week that they will continue to block middle seats through January 6 unless a family is traveling together.

We are starting to see countries and  resorts offer insurance packages.  Some countries are making these policies mandatory.   These policies are basically an attempt to shield their hospital systems from tourists who get sick and then leave the country without paying their medical bills.    They typically do not include cancellation insurance, baggage or trip delay reimbursements, and many are COVID specific.  You may need to purchase one of these policies if you travel to certain countries, but it’s important to remember that these are not comprehensive policies.

This morning I read a report from the Associated Press that travelers left almost a million dollars at U.S. airport  security checkpoints last year. Much of the money came from people emptying their pockets for security scans.  Security is always a hurried process as you are trying not to hold anyone up, but take a minute before you get to security and put your money in your carry on!

Current Trips

 2021 

April,6-17, 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with Sant’ippolito!   Join us as we fly to the Sicilian Capital of  Palermo.  where we will spend 2 nights exploring the city.  There will be an opportunity to take optional tours to Cefalu, Monte Pellegrino, and the goal market.    We will then travel to Taormina by way of  Agrigento  to visit the Valley of the Temples.   Once in Taormina we will take a walking tour of the Corso Umbreto and on to the Piazza for a panoramic view of the bay.  The next day, explore Taormina at leisure or maybe take an optional trip to Mt. Etna and Savoca, home of the “Godfather”.   We will then cross  the Straits of Messina and on to Calabria.   Here you will have an opportunity to visit  your family villages  located outside Cosenza.    After a stay in Calabria we head to Matera, Alberabello, and San Giovanni Rotundo to see the shrine of Padre Pio, and then make our way to Rome for our departure.  Taking deposits!

 May 9, 2021  Shades of Ireland One of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, 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. http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529

May 30, 2021 Uniworld River Cruise    Paris and Normandy  This cruise begins and ends in Paris.   Some of the highlights of this river cruise are a visit to the home and gardens of Claude Monet,  the Normandy beaches, the American cemetery, Honfleur.  See the spot where St. Joan of Arc was martyred in Rouen, take an excursion to Versailles, and finish with a panoramic tour of Paris. 

New Date !!  June 12,  2021 National Parks of America    Join us as we fly into Scottsdale Arizona.  We will then make our way up to Lake Powell, stopping on our way in beautiful Sedona, AZ.  We’ll enjoy a scenic breakfast cruise on Lake Powell and then be on our way to the Grand Canyon where we’ll have time to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery.  Next up are Bryce and Zion National Parks.   Next, we’ll take time to enjoy the Temple Square and visit the Salt Lake Temple, home to the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. We are then off to Jackson Hole Wyoming and the spectacular Grand Tetons.   Enjoy a traditional chuck wagon barbecue.  Our next stop-Yellowstone National Park.  Enjoy the spectacular scenery and marvel at Old Faithful!   From Yellowstone, we’ll cross the Big Horn Mountains and journey through the territory of the Old Sioux Nation.  Our last stop will be in Rapid City to see the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. I have done this trip before and it is an awesome look at our nation’s most popular parks.  http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1036588

July 17, 2021   Alaska Cruisetour:   Join us as we take an 11 day southbound cruise tour.   We will fly into Fairbanks,  visit Denali Wilderness Lodge, Denali McKinley Lodge, and then take the train to our cruise ship for a 7 night southbound cruise.  Experience the Hubbard Glacier, cruise throughGlacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver.  This is an amazing cruise tour.   Although there are spaces on the ship, the lodges are getting full as they serve more than one ship at a time.  Do not delay.

July 28, 2021  Spectacular Canadian Rockies  This is a rescheduled tour from 2020.   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.    I have very few seats available so let me know asap.

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.  Taking deposits now!

New Date!  September 25, 2021     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

2022

February 11, 2022   South American and the Chilean Fjords  This 18 day cruise will begin in Buenos Aires for a two night stay.  We will then travel to Montevideo, Uruguay.   Enjoy a day at sea before arriving  Puerto Madryn where we will learn of this city’s Welsh heritage.  After another day at sea we will arrive in the Falkland Islands and Port Stanley.  Come face to face with penguins as you explore the rugged beauty of these islands. We will then sail the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.  Our next port is Ushuaia where we can enjoy the tranquility of this end of the world city or visit Tierra del Fuego National Park.   From there we will sail to Punta Arenas.  We’ll cruise the Amalia Glacier and the Chilean Fjords before arriving at Puerto Montt where we will discover the Germanic traditions and scenic landscape dominated by the Osorno volcano.  Our last two days will be spent in Santiago, Chile before boarding our plane for the return  to the U.S.b   This is an ocean going ship but is much smaller than your typical ocean ship. This cruise will sell out quickly.  If you’ve cruised with Viking in the past you will receive a double past passenger discount in June.

Coming Soon.   March/April, 2022  Tulips and Windmills

See everything from tulips to windmills on this journey during the season of rebirth.   From the canals of Amsterdam to the belfry of Bruges, you’ll discover the best of the Netherlands and Belgium. Stroll through colorful acres of tulips at Keukenhof Gardens to get a sense of the Netherlands’ extraordinary connection to these blooms. Then visit the 19 UNESCO-designated windmills of Kinderdijk to better understand how these mighty structures have been used to protect the Low Country from ever-rising water levels for hundreds of years.

Have a great week! Stay healthy!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

Everyone seems to be adapting to a “new normal” these days.   Tour operators are also adapting.   Several tour operators are now planning more small group tours and private tours.  I know that some people have formed their personal ” bubbles” and are interacting with close friends and family that they believe to be safe.  Tour operators are forming groups as small as 12 people to tour.   I think it is an interesting concept.

Some countries are opening their doors to US citizens but there is really no sense in listing those as things are changing so quickly that one really needs to check when ready to book.    While traveling internationally may not be something that will happen for a little while, there are still things we can do to make sure we are prepared when the time comes:

• Make sure you take a credit or debit card that has  a computer chip as almost all other nations use this higher security technology.
• Make sure you know what fees your credit card company will charge you to use the card overseas.
• Give your wallet and purse a cleaning.  Don’t take anything that you don’t need or would not want to risk losing.  You don’t need a dozen credit cards.
• Make sure you have a little currency for the nations you’ll be visiting and try to have some coins in case you need to tip.   Also, many public restrooms require a coin to use.
• I still have people asking me about Traveler’s checks.  They really aren’t used much anymore.
• Contact your health insurer to make sure you have coverage overseas.
• Make sure you can use your cell phone overseas.   Call your carrier to find out about their international plans.
• A good website that will give you a lot of information about overseas travel:
  • http://www.travel.state.gov 

I don’t know when travel will get back to normal the one thing I do know is I am  really looking forward to that day.

Current Trips

 2021 

April,6-17, 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with Sant’ippolito!   Join us as we fly to the Sicilian Capital of  Palermo.  where we will spend 2 nights exploring the city.  There will be an opportunity to take optional tours to Cefalu, Monte Pellegrino, and the goal market.    We will then travel to Taormina by way of  Agrigento  to visit the Valley of the Temples.   Once in Taormina we will take a walking tour of the Corso Umbreto and on to the Piazza for a panoramic view of the bay.  The next day, explore Taormina at leisure or maybe take an optional trip to Mt. Etna and Savoca, home of the “Godfather”.   We will then cross  the Straits of Messina and on to Calabria.   Here you will have an opportunity to visit  your family villages  located outside Cosenza.    After a stay in Calabria we head to Matera, Alberabello, and San Giovanni Rotundo to see the shrine of Padre Pio, and then make our way to Rome for our departure.  Taking deposits!

 May 9, 2021  Shades of Ireland One of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, 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. http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529

May 30, 2021 Uniworld River Cruise    Paris and Normandy  This cruise begins and ends in Paris.   Some of the highlights of this river cruise are a visit to the home and gardens of Claude Monet,  the Normandy beaches, the American cemetery, Honfleur.  See the spot where St. Joan of Arc was martyred in Rouen, take an excursion to Versailles, and finish with a panoramic tour of Paris. 

New Date !!  June 12,  2021 National Parks of America    Join us as we fly into Scottsdale Arizona.  We will then make our way up to Lake Powell, stopping on our way in beautiful Sedona, AZ.  We’ll enjoy a scenic breakfast cruise on Lake Powell and then be on our way to the Grand Canyon where we’ll have time to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery.  Next up are Bryce and Zion National Parks.   Next, we’ll take time to enjoy the Temple Square and visit the Salt Lake Temple, home to the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. We are then off to Jackson Hole Wyoming and the spectacular Grand Tetons.   Enjoy a traditional chuck wagon barbecue.  Our next stop-Yellowstone National Park.  Enjoy the spectacular scenery and marvel at Old Faithful!   From Yellowstone, we’ll cross the Big Horn Mountains and journey through the territory of the Old Sioux Nation.  Our last stop will be in Rapid City to see the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. I have done this trip before and it is an awesome look at our nation’s most popular parks.  http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1036588

July 17, 2021   Alaska Cruisetour:   Join us as we take an 11 day southbound cruise tour.   We will fly into Fairbanks,  visit Denali Wilderness Lodge, Denali McKinley Lodge, and then take the train to our cruise ship for a 7 night southbound cruise.  Experience the Hubbard Glacier, cruise throughGlacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver.  This is an amazing cruise tour.   Although there are spaces on the ship, the lodges are getting full as they serve more than one ship at a time.  Do not delay.

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.  Taking deposits now!

New Date!  September 25, 2021     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

2022

February 11, 2022   South American and the Chilean Fjords  This 18 day cruise will begin in Buenos Aires for a two night stay.  We will then travel to Montevideo, Uruguay.   Enjoy a day at sea before arriving  Puerto Madryn where we will learn of this city’s Welsh heritage.  After another day at sea we will arrive in the Falkland Islands and Port Stanley.  Come face to face with penguins as you explore the rugged beauty of these islands. We will then sail the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.  Our next port is Ushuaia where we can enjoy the tranquility of this end of the world city or visit Tierra del Fuego National Park.   From there we will sail to Punta Arenas.  We’ll cruise the Amalia Glacier and the Chilean Fjords before arriving at Puerto Montt where we will discover the Germanic traditions and scenic landscape dominated by the Osorno volcano.  Our last two days will be spent in Santiago, Chile before boarding our plane for the return  to the U.S.b   This is an ocean going ship but is much smaller than your typical ocean ship. This cruise will sell out quickly.  If you’ve cruised with Viking in the past you will receive a double past passenger discount in June.

Coming Soon.   March/April, 2022  Tulips and Windmills

See everything from tulips to windmills on this journey during the season of rebirth.   From the canals of Amsterdam to the belfry of Bruges, you’ll discover the best of the Netherlands and Belgium. Stroll through colorful acres of tulips at Keukenhof Gardens to get a sense of the Netherlands’ extraordinary connection to these blooms. Then visit the 19 UNESCO-designated windmills of Kinderdijk to better understand how these mighty structures have been used to protect the Low Country from ever-rising water levels for hundreds of years.

Have a great week! Stay healthy!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all keeping safe and well.  This pandemic has gone on far longer than any of us would like and I know we are all hoping we can get a handle on this soon so we can resume some type of normal life.

While you may not be ready to get on a plane yet, I thought you might like to see what Delta has been doing to try to keep passengers safe:

The US State Department has ended its 5 month old advisory against international travel and is returning to its 1-4 rating on http://Travel.State.gov which gives a higher level of detail for each location.  “We continue to recommend US citizens exercise caution when traveling abroad due to the unpredictable nature of the pandemic”, the department states.

If you do decide to travel in the near future, here are a few of the essentials you’ll want to keep handy:

• Masks  Bringing a mask is a must.  Actually, bring several in case yours gets damaged, dirty, or lost.  This, in addition to social distancing, help your adventures stay healthy.
• Hand Sanitizer  Inevitably, you are going to touch shared door handles and surfaces.   Having hand sanitizer on you at all times helps keep your hands clean if you don’t have access to a sink.
• Wipes  Whether it’s a table or a seat at an attraction or the remote in a hotel room, having sanitizing wipes at the ready is never a bad idea.
• Writing Utensils  It’s smart to carry a pen or pencil on the road anyway.  Having your own writing utensil eliminates the need to share one with any else.
• Smartphone  Though most travelers now have smartphones, having one on the road today is essential. Many restaurants and experiences are going touchless by making menus and other materials available via QR codes, scanned right from the photo app. –Groups Todayt

Current Trips

 2021 

April,6-17, 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with Sant’ippolito!   Join us as we fly to the Sicilian Capital of  Palermo.  where we will spend 2 nights exploring the city.  There will be an opportunity to take optional tours to Cefalu, Monte Pellegrino, and the goal market.    We will then travel to Taormina by way of  Agrigento  to visit the Valley of the Temples.   Once in Taormina we will take a walking tour of the Corso Umbreto and on to the Piazza for a panoramic view of the bay.  The next day, explore Taormina at leisure or maybe take an optional trip to Mt. Etna and Savoca, home of the “Godfather”.   We will then cross  the Straits of Messina and on to Calabria.   Here you will have an opportunity to visit  your family villages  located outside Cosenza.    After a stay in Calabria we head to Matera, Alberabello, and San Giovanni Rotundo to see the shrine of Padre Pio, and then make our way to Rome for our departure.  Taking deposits!

 May 9, 2021  Shades of Ireland One of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, 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. http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529

May 30, 2021 Uniworld River Cruise    Paris and Normandy  This cruise begins and ends in Paris.   Some of the highlights of this river cruise are a visit to the home and gardens of Claude Monet,  the Normandy beaches, the American cemetery, Honfleur.  See the spot where St. Joan of Arc was martyred in Rouen, take an excursion to Versailles, and finish with a panoramic tour of Paris. 

New Date !!  June 12,  2021 National Parks of America    Join us as we fly into Scottsdale Arizona.  We will then make our way up to Lake Powell, stopping on our way in beautiful Sedona, AZ.  We’ll enjoy a scenic breakfast cruise on Lake Powell and then be on our way to the Grand Canyon where we’ll have time to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery.  Next up are Bryce and Zion National Parks.   Next, we’ll take time to enjoy the Temple Square and visit the Salt Lake Temple, home to the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. We are then off to Jackson Hole Wyoming and the spectacular Grand Tetons.   Enjoy a traditional chuck wagon barbecue.  Our next stop-Yellowstone National Park.  Enjoy the spectacular scenery and marvel at Old Faithful!   From Yellowstone, we’ll cross the Big Horn Mountains and journey through the territory of the Old Sioux Nation.  Our last stop will be in Rapid City to see the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. I have done this trip before and it is an awesome look at our nation’s most popular parks.  http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1036588

July 17, 2021   Alaska Cruisetour:   Join us as we take an 11 day southbound cruise tour.   We will fly into Fairbanks,  visit Denali Wilderness Lodge, Denali McKinley Lodge, and then take the train to our cruise ship for a 7 night southbound cruise.  Experience the Hubbard Glacier, cruise throughGlacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver.  This is an amazing cruise tour.   Although there are spaces on the ship, the lodges are getting full as they serve more than one ship at a time.  Do not delay.

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.  Taking deposits now!

New Date!  September 25, 2021     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

2022

February 11, 2022   South American and the Chilean Fjords  This 18 day cruise will begin in Buenos Aires for a two night stay.  We will then travel to Montevideo, Uruguay.   Enjoy a day at sea before arriving  Puerto Madryn where we will learn of this city’s Welsh heritage.  After another day at sea we will arrive in the Falkland Islands and Port Stanley.  Come face to face with penguins as you explore the rugged beauty of these islands. We will then sail the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.  Our next port is Ushuaia where we can enjoy the tranquility of this end of the world city or visit Tierra del Fuego National Park.   From there we will sail to Punta Arenas.  We’ll cruise the Amalia Glacier and the Chilean Fjords before arriving at Puerto Montt where we will discover the Germanic traditions and scenic landscape dominated by the Osorno volcano.  Our last two days will be spent in Santiago, Chile before boarding our plane for the return  to the U.S.b   This is an ocean going ship but is much smaller than your typical ocean ship. This cruise will sell out quickly.  If you’ve cruised with Viking in the past you will receive a double past passenger discount in June.

Have a great week! Stay healthy!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

Last week I mentioned that I had some clients who were on a trip to Mexico.  They are now home safe and sound.   I spoke to them and they told me they felt quite comfortable.  The resort was not operating at full capacity and so some of the food outlets were not open.  Nightly entertainment was also not operating normally.  All employees wore masks, the resort was clean, and they encountered no problems.  Air, customs, and transfers back and forth to the resort all went as planned.   On the whole, their experience was a positive one for them.

Last week I also mentioned that the Bahamas were closed to US visitors.  This week the Bahamian government said that we can visit but must quarantine for 14 days.   You may be able to quarantine in your booked resort.  Things change so fast it is difficult to keep up!

If you are thinking of flying in or out of Lansing in the near future please know that the flight schedule there is in flux. United has paused service through September. American has paused D.C. Service, and Delta has paused Minneapolis service.

I recently received this letter from Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean.  I thought it was really interesting to see the efforts being made to take care of their crew:

The Crew

Among those most impacted by the pandemic have been our crew-the heart and soul of our operations.  Many have been personally affected by this pandemic.  We have felt the loss personally with the passing of 10 of our crew members due to COVID-19 complications.  Other crew members have experienced a loss of income, deaths in their family and economic difficulties.  They have each experienced hardship in one way or another.  Our crew members have always been our top priority and their loss and suffering is not something we take lightly.  We are doing all we can to ensure that we can keep them safe, healthy, and happy.

Our main focus has been reuniting our crew members with their families.  As many of you know, our crew come to us from more than 100 countries.  Each country has rules and regulations for who can travel home, how and when. In normal times, those rules and regulations are fairly uniform and straitforward.  But in these times, the rules have gone in all different directions and are frequently changed without notice. 

As we continue to progress in our efforts to get crew home, we are seeing organizations around the world come together to help  the cause.  Several maritime associations worked on a detailed series of protocols for safe crew changeovers across different types of shipping industries.  This includes the International Maritime Organization along with other organizations of the United Nations who have turned to their member countries to take urgent action to speed up, and in some cases, facilitate much need crew repatriation.

Closer to home, we have a team working day and night to understand every change and to quickly adapt to each.  More than 43,000 crew members are now home, and more will be on their way every week.  By the end of this month, we will have more than 97% of our crew members back home. 

For our crew members still on board our team has been doing everything they can to insure that they are taken care of. The Food and Beverage teams have introduced seafood nights, our culinary teams have been celebrating birthdays and anniversaries with surprise cakes for crew members, and we have added a variety of activities and entertainment designed with physical distancing in mind.   While nothing can beat being home with their family and friends at this time, we want our crew members to be in the best of spirits during this time. 

We have also rolled out a new support program-RCL Cares: Employee Edition to assist our crew members. Through this program, crew can get the help they need when they need it with resources and tools like free, confidential counseling, assistance with legal and financial matters, and much more.  In addition crew members can apply to receive financial assistance if they or their family have been severely impacted by the pandemic with hardships such as death, hospitalization, and the potential loss of their homes.  The effects of this pandemic are unprecedented and, while it is not over, we want to be here for all of our crew members during this difficult time.

Current Trips

 2021 

April,6-17, 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with Sant’ippolito!   Join us as we fly to the Sicilian Capital of  Palermo.  where we will spend 2 nights exploring the city.  There will be an opportunity to take optional tours to Cefalu, Monte Pellegrino, and the goal market.    We will then travel to Taormina by way of  Agrigento  to visit the Valley of the Temples.   Once in Taormina we will take a walking tour of the Corso Umbreto and on to the Piazza for a panoramic view of the bay.  The next day, explore Taormina at leisure or maybe take an optional trip to Mt. Etna and Savoca, home of the “Godfather”.   We will then cross  the Straits of Messina and on to Calabria.   Here you will have an opportunity to visit  your family villages  located outside Cosenza.    After a stay in Calabria we head to Matera, Alberabello, and San Giovanni Rotundo to see the shrine of Padre Pio, and then make our way to Rome for our departure.  Taking deposits!

 May 9, 2021  Shades of Ireland One of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, 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. http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529

May 30, 2021 Uniworld River Cruise    Paris and Normandy  This cruise begins and ends in Paris.   Some of the highlights of this river cruise are a visit to the home and gardens of Claude Monet,  the Normandy beaches, the American cemetery, Honfleur.  See the spot where St. Joan of Arc was martyred in Rouen, take an excursion to Versailles, and finish with a panoramic tour of Paris. 

New Date !!  June 12,  2021 National Parks of America    Join us as we fly into Scottsdale Arizona.  We will then make our way up to Lake Powell, stopping on our way in beautiful Sedona, AZ.  We’ll enjoy a scenic breakfast cruise on Lake Powell and then be on our way to the Grand Canyon where we’ll have time to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery.  Next up are Bryce and Zion National Parks.   Next, we’ll take time to enjoy the Temple Square and visit the Salt Lake Temple, home to the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. We are then off to Jackson Hole Wyoming and the spectacular Grand Tetons.   Enjoy a traditional chuck wagon barbecue.  Our next stop-Yellowstone National Park.  Enjoy the spectacular scenery and marvel at Old Faithful!   From Yellowstone, we’ll cross the Big Horn Mountains and journey through the territory of the Old Sioux Nation.  Our last stop will be in Rapid City to see the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. I have done this trip before and it is an awesome look at our nation’s most popular parks.  http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1036588

July 17, 2021   Alaska Cruisetour:   Join us as we take an 11 day southbound cruise tour.   We will fly into Fairbanks,  visit Denali Wilderness Lodge, Denali McKinley Lodge, and then take the train to our cruise ship for a 7 night southbound cruise.  Experience the Hubbard Glacier, cruise throughGlacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver.  This is an amazing cruise tour.   Although there are spaces on the ship, the lodges are getting full as they serve more than one ship at a time.  Do not delay.

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.  Taking deposits now!

New Date!  September 25, 2021     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

2022

February 11, 2022   South American and the Chilean Fjords  This 18 day cruise will begin in Buenos Aires for a two night stay.  We will then travel to Montevideo, Uruguay.   Enjoy a day at sea before arriving  Puerto Madryn where we will learn of this city’s Welsh heritage.  After another day at sea we will arrive in the Falkland Islands and Port Stanley.  Come face to face with penguins as you explore the rugged beauty of these islands. We will then sail the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.  Our next port is Ushuaia where we can enjoy the tranquility of this end of the world city or visit Tierra del Fuego National Park.   From there we will sail to Punta Arenas.  We’ll cruise the Amalia Glacier and the Chilean Fjords before arriving at Puerto Montt where we will discover the Germanic traditions and scenic landscape dominated by the Osorno volcano.  Our last two days will be spent in Santiago, Chile before boarding our plane for the return  to the U.S.b   This is an ocean going ship but is much smaller than your typical ocean ship. This cruise will sell out quickly.  If you’ve cruised with Viking in the past you will receive a double past passenger discount in June.

Have a great week! Stay healthy!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

Those of you who cruise know that you must attend a muster drill each time you cruise. It is usually crowded and a bit uncomfortable.  Royal Caribbean just announced Muster 2.0.   When they resume sailing you’ll be able to watch the instructions on your mobile device or stateroom tv, and then check in with a staff member who will answer any questions you may have.   No more cramped muster drills!

The reopening of Trusted Traveler enrollment centers that handle Global Entry memberships has once again been delayed to September 8.  Customs and Boarder Patrol has further extended the period of time applicants have to complete the enrollment process to 545 days from the date that CBP conditionally approves the applicants to complete the enrollment process.   CBP will also extend the Trusted Traveler benefits of members who apply for renewal for up to 18 months before their current membership expires.

In last week’s blog I mentioned that the Caribbean is opening, and it is.  However, this week, most destinations have started to require a negative covid test taken within 3-5 days before arrival.   That is a huge problem as many places are not even getting results that quickly.   Also, the Bahamas has closed its doors to Americans as our count continues to rise.    I do have a client who traveled to Mexico this week.   I’ll let you know a little about her experience when she returns.

One of the things that I have loved the most about our travels, is making new friends.  Several years ago, we were on a tour out East and met a lovely couple from Australia.   Since we were going to travel to Australia the next year, we arranged to meet, and had a marvelous time in Melbourne with our friends.  We have kept in touch through the years (thank you, Facebook)  and this morning they posted that yesterday they celebrated Christmas in July which  is something celebrated by many Aussies.  Since it is usually summer  in Australia on December 25, and quite warm,  many Australians take the time to celebrate Christmas in July when the weather is more like what we in the Northern Hemisphere experience in December.   Even though they are in lockdown, they managed to make mulled wine, made a big dinner, put up some decorations, got all dressed up, and celebrated Christmas.    Way to go, Bruce and Jill!

Current Trips

 2021 

April,6-17, 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with Sant’ippolito!   Join us as we fly to the Sicilian Capital of  Palermo.  where we will spend 2 nights exploring the city.  There will be an opportunity to take optional tours to Cefalu, Monte Pellegrino, and the goal market.    We will then travel to Taormina by way of  Agrigento  to visit the Valley of the Temples.   Once in Taormina we will take a walking tour of the Corso Umbreto and on to the Piazza for a panoramic view of the bay.  The next day, explore Taormina at leisure or maybe take an optional trip to Mt. Etna and Savoca, home of the “Godfather”.   We will then cross  the Straits of Messina and on to Calabria.   Here you will have an opportunity to visit  your family villages  located outside Cosenza.    After a stay in Calabria we head to Matera, Alberabello, and San Giovanni Rotundo to see the shrine of Padre Pio, and then make our way to Rome for our departure.  Taking deposits!

 May 9, 2021  Shades of Ireland One of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, 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. http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529

May 30, 2021 Uniworld River Cruise    Paris and Normandy  This cruise begins and ends in Paris.   Some of the highlights of this river cruise are a visit to the home and gardens of Claude Monet,  the Normandy beaches, the American cemetery, Honfleur.  See the spot where St. Joan of Arc was martyred in Rouen, take an excursion to Versailles, and finish with a panoramic tour of Paris. 

New Date !!  June 12,  2021 National Parks of America    Join us as we fly into Scottsdale Arizona.  We will then make our way up to Lake Powell, stopping on our way in beautiful Sedona, AZ.  We’ll enjoy a scenic breakfast cruise on Lake Powell and then be on our way to the Grand Canyon where we’ll have time to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery.  Next up are Bryce and Zion National Parks.   Next, we’ll take time to enjoy the Temple Square and visit the Salt Lake Temple, home to the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. We are then off to Jackson Hole Wyoming and the spectacular Grand Tetons.   Enjoy a traditional chuck wagon barbecue.  Our next stop-Yellowstone National Park.  Enjoy the spectacular scenery and marvel at Old Faithful!   From Yellowstone, we’ll cross the Big Horn Mountains and journey through the territory of the Old Sioux Nation.  Our last stop will be in Rapid City to see the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. I have done this trip before and it is an awesome look at our nation’s most popular parks.  http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1036588

July 17, 2021   Alaska Cruisetour:   Join us as we take an 11 day southbound cruise tour.   We will fly into Fairbanks,  visit Denali Wilderness Lodge, Denali McKinley Lodge, and then take the train to our cruise ship for a 7 night southbound cruise.  Experience the Hubbard Glacier, cruise throughGlacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver.  This is an amazing cruise tour.   Although there are spaces on the ship, the lodges are getting full as they serve more than one ship at a time.  Do not delay.

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.  Taking deposits now!

New Date!  September 25, 2021     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

2022

February 11, 2022   South American and the Chilean Fjords  This 18 day cruise will begin in Buenos Aires for a two night stay.  We will then travel to Montevideo, Uruguay.   Enjoy a day at sea before arriving  Puerto Madryn where we will learn of this city’s Welsh heritage.  After another day at sea we will arrive in the Falkland Islands and Port Stanley.  Come face to face with penguins as you explore the rugged beauty of these islands. We will then sail the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.  Our next port is Ushuaia where we can enjoy the tranquility of this end of the world city or visit Tierra del Fuego National Park.   From there we will sail to Punta Arenas.  We’ll cruise the Amalia Glacier and the Chilean Fjords before arriving at Puerto Montt where we will discover the Germanic traditions and scenic landscape dominated by the Osorno volcano.  Our last two days will be spent in Santiago, Chile before boarding our plane for the return  to the U.S.b   This is an ocean going ship but is much smaller than your typical ocean ship. This cruise will sell out quickly.  If you’ve cruised with Viking in the past you will receive a double past passenger discount in June.

Have a great week! Stay healthy!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

There is a little good news on the travel front.  The Caribbean is opening.   If you are thinking of traveling to one of the islands in the Caribbean though, realize that most of them are requiring a negativeCovid-19 test taken 3-5 days before travel.  We’ll watch to see how this changes.

Cruise lines have been front and center through this entire pandemic but tour operators are stepping up their game as well. They are all working on plans that will help us to travel safely when the time is right.   Many of them are limiting the size of their bus groups to 20-26 people.  Some companies are adding Wellbeing Directors to each tour to insure that luggage is properly sanitized at each stop, hotels, restaurants, and venues are following the proper procedures, and everyone traveling remain healthy.

Europe completed their first biweekly review to see what countries they could admit.   The US did not make the cut again, which is not surprising given our numbers.   Hopefully, we’ll see this begin to change in the near future.

Fuller Travel and Collette Vacations will host another Zoom meeting tomorrow (Monday) at 9:30am.  Join as as we explore our June 12 National Parks of America tour.    Ed McKenna, from Collette, will walk us through the itinerary.  No pressure or obligation.  Here is the info for the meeting:

Current Trips

2020

October 31-November 9, 2020  Sunny Portugal   This is an amazing tour at offseason pricing.   $2999  per person double occupancy includes air from Detroit. Visit Lisbon Cascais, Obidos, Sintra. Enjoy the stunning coast of the Algarve and enjoy Lagos where Moorish and Renaissance influences meet towering cliffs. Explore Faro, the gateway to the Ria Formosa lagoon landscape, and much more.   I only have 20 seats for this tour. https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1011623

 November 7- November 15, 2020 Spotlight on the French Riviera   Enjoy this wonderful tour while staying in the same hotel.   You will be based in the beautiful city of Nice but will have an opportunity to explore a different area each day.  You’ll explore Nice but also Grasse, St. Tropez, Monaco, Monte Carlo Casino, Cannes, Antibes and St. Paul deVence among other areas.   You will be home before Thanksgiving!  Again, this trip is $2999 per person double occupancy including air out of Detroit.  Again, limited amount of seats.  https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1011478

 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,6-17, 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with Sant’ippolito!   Join us as we fly to the Sicilian Capital of  Palermo.  where we will spend 2 nights exploring the city.  There will be an opportunity to take optional tours to Cefalu, Monte Pellegrino, and the goal market.    We will then travel to Taormina by way of  Agrigento  to visit the Valley of the Temples.   Once in Taormina we will take a walking tour of the Corso Umbreto and on to the Piazza for a panoramic view of the bay.  The next day, explore Taormina at leisure or maybe take an optional trip to Mt. Etna and Savoca, home of the “Godfather”.   We will then cross  the Straits of Messina and on to Calabria.   Here you will have an opportunity to visit  your family villages  located outside Cosenza.    After a stay in Calabria we head to Matera, Alberabello, and San Giovanni Rotundo to see the shrine of Padre Pio, and then make our way to Rome for our departure.  Taking deposits!

 May 9, 2021  Shades of Ireland One of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, 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. http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529

May 30, 2021 Uniworld River Cruise    Paris and Normandy  This cruise begins and ends in Paris.   Some of the highlights of this river cruise are a visit to the home and gardens of Claude Monet,  the Normandy beaches, the American cemetery, Honfleur.  See the spot where St. Joan of Arc was martyred in Rouen, take an excursion to Versailles, and finish with a panoramic tour of Paris. 

New Date !!  June 12,  2021 National Parks of America    Join us as we fly into Scottsdale Arizona.  We will then make our way up to Lake Powell, stopping on our way in beautiful Sedona, AZ.  We’ll enjoy a scenic breakfast cruise on Lake Powell and then be on our way to the Grand Canyon where we’ll have time to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery.  Next up are Bryce and Zion National Parks.   Next, we’ll take time to enjoy the Temple Square and visit the Salt Lake Temple, home to the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. We are then off to Jackson Hole Wyoming and the spectacular Grand Tetons.   Enjoy a traditional chuck wagon barbecue.  Our next stop-Yellowstone National Park.  Enjoy the spectacular scenery and marvel at Old Faithful!   From Yellowstone, we’ll cross the Big Horn Mountains and journey through the territory of the Old Sioux Nation.  Our last stop will be in Rapid City to see the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. I have done this trip before and it is an awesome look at our nation’s most popular parks.  http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1036588

July 17, 2021   Alaska Cruisetour:   Join us as we take an 11 day southbound cruise tour.   We will fly into Fairbanks,  visit Denali Wilderness Lodge, Denali McKinley Lodge, and then take the train to our cruise ship for a 7 night southbound cruise.  Experience the Hubbard Glacier, cruise throughGlacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver.  This is an amazing cruise tour.   Although there are spaces on the ship, the lodges are getting full as they serve more than one ship at a time.  Do not delay.

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.  Taking deposits now!

New Date!  September 25, 2021     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

2022

February 11, 2022   South American and the Chilean Fjords  This 18 day cruise will begin in Buenos Aires for a two night stay.  We will then travel to Montevideo, Uruguay.   Enjoy a day at sea before arriving  Puerto Madryn where we will learn of this city’s Welsh heritage.  After another day at sea we will arrive in the Falkland Islands and Port Stanley.  Come face to face with penguins as you explore the rugged beauty of these islands. We will then sail the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.  Our next port is Ushuaia where we can enjoy the tranquility of this end of the world city or visit Tierra del Fuego National Park.   From there we will sail to Punta Arenas.  We’ll cruise the Amalia Glacier and the Chilean Fjords before arriving at Puerto Montt where we will discover the Germanic traditions and scenic landscape dominated by the Osorno volcano.  Our last two days will be spent in Santiago, Chile before boarding our plane for the return  to the U.S.b   This is an ocean going ship but is much smaller than your typical ocean ship. This cruise will sell out quickly.  If you’ve cruised with Viking in the past you will receive a double past passenger discount in June.

Hi Everyone,

When was the last time you heard anything about the 737 Max airplane?    It is still scheduled to return to service sometime this fall, as early as  September.   United Airlines has reported to the New York Times that if people are not comfortable flying on that plane, they will be allowed to reschedule on another type of plane.  Southwest and American are sure to follow suit with this.

At some point, travel will resume and we’ll be able to move around the world again.    If your passport is due to expire in the next year, you may want to think about getting your things in order to renew.   A report from the NY times indicates that the pandemic has caused a backlog of 1.7 million passports.  That means there can be waits of up to eight weeks to renew or apply for a new passport. The State Department just reopened 11 passport agencies, and they hope to process 200,000 applications a week, but that’s if the pandemic stays as is or gets better. Many of those offices might have to close back down.  Time to check your expiration dates.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced last week to postpone the previously announced reopening of Trusted Traveler Programs (TTP) Enrollment Centers until at least August 10, 2020 “to ensure the health and safety of program applicants.” The decision, CBP says, was made in consultation with health and safety experts who are closely monitoring the recent rise in COVID-19 (coronavirus) cases in several states.  Trusted Traveler Programs applicants who scheduled interviews at enrollment centers in July and early August must reschedule their appointments on or after August 10 by logging into their Trusted Traveler Programs account and using the online scheduling tool.  If you have been conditionally approved but can’t get an appointment, don’t stress.   Each applicant now has 485 days from the date that CBP conditionally approves his or her application to complete the enrollment process. In addition, CBP will extend for up to 18 months the Trusted Traveler Program benefits of members who apply for renewal before their current membership expires.

A few weeks ago we held a Zoom meeting with my friend, Ed McKenna, from Collette Vacations.   That meeting was to explain our Ireland trip.    We are going to do another Zoom meeting on Monday, July 20 at 9:30am and Ed will go through our National Parks trip for next June.   If you are thinking about this trip, Ed will give you a lot of information.   I know that some of you have already done this trip but even if you have, it might be fun to remember all the places we went.  There is never any pressure to enroll in these trips so tune in for a nice presentation of America’s National Parks.   The Zoom info is:

2020

October 6-14 Autumn Colours  Join us as we fly into Boston and weaver our way through the Freedom Trail with stops in Lexington and Concord.  We’ll travel through the towns of Pittsfield, Quechee and Woodstock on our way to the White Mountains where we’ll stop in Conway and up to  bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.   On our way back to Boston we’ll stop at historic Portsmouth as we work our way down the coast.  I have a few seats left on this amazing trip.  Nonstop air to and from Boston.

 October 31-November 9, 2020  Sunny Portugal   This is an amazing tour at offseason pricing.   $2999  per person double occupancy includes air from Detroit. Visit Lisbon Cascais, Obidos, Sintra. Enjoy the stunning coast of the Algarve and enjoy Lagos where Moorish and Renaissance influences meet towering cliffs. Explore Faro, the gateway to the Ria Formosa lagoon landscape, and much more.   I only have 20 seats for this tour. https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1011623

 November 7- November 15, 2020 Spotlight on the French Riviera   Enjoy this wonderful tour while staying in the same hotel.   You will be based in the beautiful city of Nice but will have an opportunity to explore a different area each day.  You’ll explore Nice but also Grasse, St. Tropez, Monaco, Monte Carlo Casino, Cannes, Antibes and St. Paul deVence among other areas.   You will be home before Thanksgiving!  Again, this trip is $2999 per person double occupancy including air out of Detroit.  Again, limited amount of seats.  https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1011478

 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,6-17, 2021    Lynn and Lidia’s Sicily and Southern Italy tour with Sant’ippolito!   Join us as we fly to the Sicilian Capital of  Palermo.  where we will spend 2 nights exploring the city.  There will be an opportunity to take optional tours to Cefalu, Monte Pellegrino, and the goal market.    We will then travel to Taormina by way of  Agrigento  to visit the Valley of the Temples.   Once in Taormina we will take a walking tour of the Corso Umbreto and on to the Piazza for a panoramic view of the bay.  The next day, explore Taormina at leisure or maybe take an optional trip to Mt. Etna and Savoca, home of the “Godfather”.   We will then cross  the Straits of Messina and on to Calabria.   Here you will have an opportunity to visit  your family villages  located outside Cosenza.    After a stay in Calabria we head to Matera, Alberabello, and San Giovanni Rotundo to see the shrine of Padre Pio, and then make our way to Rome for our departure.  Taking deposits!

 May 9, 2021  Shades of Ireland One of my favorite trips: Enjoy Dublin,Kilkenny, Waterford, Killarney, Ring of Kerry, 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. http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/101529

May 30, 2021 Uniworld River Cruise    Paris and Normandy  This cruise begins and ends in Paris.   Some of the highlights of this river cruise are a visit to the home and gardens of Claude Monet,  the Normandy beaches, the American cemetery, Honfleur.  See the spot where St. Joan of Arc was martyred in Rouen, take an excursion to Versailles, and finish with a panoramic tour of Paris. 

New Date !!  June 12,  2021 National Parks of America    Join us as we fly into Scottsdale Arizona.  We will then make our way up to Lake Powell, stopping on our way in beautiful Sedona, AZ.  We’ll enjoy a scenic breakfast cruise on Lake Powell and then be on our way to the Grand Canyon where we’ll have time to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery.  Next up are Bryce and Zion National Parks.   Next, we’ll take time to enjoy the Temple Square and visit the Salt Lake Temple, home to the world famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Salt Lake City. We are then off to Jackson Hole Wyoming and the spectacular Grand Tetons.   Enjoy a traditional chuck wagon barbecue.  Our next stop-Yellowstone National Park.  Enjoy the spectacular scenery and marvel at Old Faithful!   From Yellowstone, we’ll cross the Big Horn Mountains and journey through the territory of the Old Sioux Nation.  Our last stop will be in Rapid City to see the Crazy Horse Memorial and Mt. Rushmore. I have done this trip before and it is an awesome look at our nation’s most popular parks.  http://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1036588

July 17, 2021   Alaska Cruisetour:   Join us as we take an 11 day southbound cruise tour.   We will fly into Fairbanks,  visit Denali Wilderness Lodge, Denali McKinley Lodge, and then take the train to our cruise ship for a 7 night southbound cruise.  Experience the Hubbard Glacier, cruise throughGlacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver.  This is an amazing cruise tour.   Although there are spaces on the ship, the lodges are getting full as they serve more than one ship at a time.  Do not delay.

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.  Taking deposits now!

New Date!  September 25, 2021     Discovering Poland     We’ll visit Warsaw, Gdansk, Torun, Wroclaw, and Krakow.   Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/902378

2022

February 11, 2022   South American and the Chilean Fjords  This 18 day cruise will begin in Buenos Aires for a two night stay.  We will then travel to Montevideo, Uruguay.   Enjoy a day at sea before arriving  Puerto Madryn where we will learn of this city’s Welsh heritage.  After another day at sea we will arrive in the Falkland Islands and Port Stanley.  Come face to face with penguins as you explore the rugged beauty of these islands. We will then sail the Beagle Channel and Cape Horn where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet.  Our next port is Ushuaia where we can enjoy the tranquility of this end of the world city or visit Tierra del Fuego National Park.   From there we will sail to Punta Arenas.  We’ll cruise the Amalia Glacier and the Chilean Fjords before arriving at Puerto Montt where we will discover the Germanic traditions and scenic landscape dominated by the Osorno volcano.  Our last two days will be spent in Santiago, Chile before boarding our plane for the return  to the U.S.b   This is an ocean going ship but is much smaller than your typical ocean ship. This cruise will sell out quickly.  If you’ve cruised with Viking in the past you will receive a double past passenger discount in June.