Blog

Hi Everyone,

The news this week that the United States will open their land and sea borders to vaccinated international travelers should give a boost to the economy as the travel industry is a multi billion dollar industry.   It should also result in more flight itineraries to international destinations for Americans.  It has been very difficult to find decent air pricing or routes as there are just not enough options.

Cruise lines are gradually bringing back their ships a few at a time and are sailing out of several ports in the US.  They are sailing with enhanced protocols due to COVID-19 but so far things appear to be going well.  Most of the ships are not sailing at full capacity. Vaccinations, testing, and masks are required.  The cases that have arisen have been dealt with quickly to prevent spread of the disease.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted these reminders about when not to tip on cruise ships.  Cruise Critic had a piece about cruise line tipping this week:

1. The Bar. The price of drinks on a cruise line already has the tip built in.  No additional tipping is necessary.  (Some cruisers feel as thought they get better service if they tip the bartender at the beginning of the cruise.)
2. Specialty Restaurant    When you reserve at a specialty restaurant and pay the extra fee, you don’t need to worry about tipping.  It’s already in that extra cost.
3. The Spa    You should always check your receipt at the spa.  Many cruise lines add that gratuity to your final bill.
4. Kid’s Club   No need to tip the staff when you pick up your children from the Club.
5. Ship’s Officers, Cruise Director, or Maintenance People: No need to tip.

Most cruise lines add the gratuities for your cabin steward and restaurant waitstaff to your final bill.  That gratuity is shared with the dining room, buffet and specialty restaurant wait staff, cooks, laundry staff, and the general housekeeping staff that cleans the ship’s common areas,.   If you have been especially happy with your service from a particular individual, no one will refuse an extra gift at the end of the cruise.- Cruise Critic, 10/14/21

Every ten years, the people of Oberammergau, Germany perform the Passion Play, a tradition that dates back hundreds of years. The villagers promised God that if their village was spared from a plague,  they would perform the ‘Play of the Suffering, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ’ every ten years.  The play usually takes place in the years that end in “0” but because of COVID it was moved to 2022.  The nest scheduled performance will be 2030.  We do have a group going to Oberammergau and there is limited availability.  This video shows a bit of the performance:

Oberammergau Passion Play 2022

2022-23 Tours

April 4-15, 2022    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.  Call for availability.  Trafalgar 

April 20-29, 2022 Tulips and Windmills during Tulip Time 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. This ship is almost full.    Uniworld River Cruises

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

May 15-26, 2022  Alpine Lakes and the Glacier Express with Oberammergau Passion Play    This tour is being rescheduled from 2020.   I can only hold the few tickets I have for 30 days.   Your journey will begin at the beautiful Lake Maggiore.  You will then head to Zermatt, Switzerland.    The Glacier Express will take you into the Alps.  You’ll visit the beautiful towns of St. Moritz, Innsbrook and Salzburg. Enjoy a special Mozart Concert and its the Neuschwanstein Castle before heading to the famed Oberammergau Passion Play.   You will return home from Munich.    The passion play will not be repeated until 2030.  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395     Collette Vacations

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

July Alaska Cruisetour (dates vary)  Take an 11 day southbound cruise tour aboard Princess Cruises. 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 through Glacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver. This is an amazing cruise tour.     Princess Cruises

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

New!   September 7-15,  2022   Israel: Pilgrimage to the Holy Land    Join us as we embark on an extraordinary journey.   We will begin our journey in Tel Aviv  and then travel to the port city of Jaffa on our way to Caesarea. We next visit Nazareth, Cana, and our day in Tiberias for 2 nights.  We will take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. We’ll make a stop at the Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum.  We will visit Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the Western Wall, and much more.  Optional extension to Petra.    Ready for booking!     Collette Vacations https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1059364

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

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

2023

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

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

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

*Please note that Skip and I usually escort all our tours.  Because of the number of rescheduled tours in 2021-22 it will be impossible for us to be on every tour in 2022.  We will escort as many as we can,  but whether we are on the tour or not, we will make sure that you have everything you need for your tour and will work hard to insure you are well taken care of by your tour operator or cruise line.

Have a great week!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that Hyatt had purchased Apple Leisure Group. This group includes among  several others, Apple Vacations and Funjet Vacations.  We then learned that Wyndham is  collaborating with the Playa Group of resorts.  Marriott has added 20 resorts to their Autograph Collection, and Hilton is planning to open resorts as well.  Time will tell if this is a good thing.  I hope we don’t see the end to resorts that have their own character and reflect the character of the region they are located in and are not left with cookie cutter resorts.

Many people wonder about the difference between economy and premium economy.  Premium economy can go by different names such as  comfort+, premium, World Traveler Plus, etc.    Premium economy is an attempt to bridge the gap between economy and business class.   It is definitely less expensive than business class but deciding whether it’s worth it or not can be difficult.  Realize that the experience will be closer to economy than business.   Typically, you won’t see larger seats or different meals but it is different on different airlines.  It may be nothing more than a couple inches more legroom and a complimentary drink.   It can be, depending on the route and airline, under a $100 to upgrade or it could be almost $1000 more than economy.    Everyone has to decide for themselves whether premium economy is worthwhile.   If you are on a long haul flight and can gain a few more inches of comfort, I personally think it is worthwhile.  If you are taking a 2 hour flight, probably not.  When booking air,  it doesn’t hurt to take a look at all your options.

Next fall we will take a short tour called Southern Charms.  There is more info below in the tour section but Collette has a 1 minute video to introduce the tour.  Great little trip.

2022-23 Tours

April 4-15, 2022    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.  Call for availability.  Trafalgar 

April 20-29, 2022 Tulips and Windmills during Tulip Time 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. This ship is almost full.    Uniworld River Cruises

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

May 15-26, 2022  Alpine Lakes and the Glacier Express with Oberammergau Passion Play    This tour is being rescheduled from 2020.   I can only hold the few tickets I have for 30 days.   Your journey will begin at the beautiful Lake Maggiore.  You will then head to Zermatt, Switzerland.    The Glacier Express will take you into the Alps.  You’ll visit the beautiful towns of St. Moritz, Innsbrook and Salzburg. Enjoy a special Mozart Concert and its the Neuschwanstein Castle before heading to the famed Oberammergau Passion Play.   You will return home from Munich.    The passion play will not be repeated until 2030.  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395     Collette Vacations

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

July Alaska Cruisetour (dates vary)  Take an 11 day southbound cruise tour aboard Princess Cruises. 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 through Glacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver. This is an amazing cruise tour.     Princess Cruises

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

New!   September 7-15,  2022   Israel: Pilgrimage to the Holy Land    Join us as we embark on an extraordinary journey.   We will begin our journey in Tel Aviv  and then travel to the port city of Jaffa on our way to Caesarea. We next visit Nazareth, Cana, and our day in Tiberias for 2 nights.  We will take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. We’ll make a stop at the Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum.  We will visit Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the Western Wall, and much more.  Optional extension to Petra.    Ready for booking!     Collette Vacations https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1059364

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

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

2023

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

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

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

*Please note that Skip and I usually escort all our tours.  Because of the number of rescheduled tours in 2021-22 it will be impossible for us to be on every tour in 2022.  We will escort as many as we can,  but whether we are on the tour or not, we will make sure that you have everything you need for your tour and will work hard to insure you are well taken care of by your tour operator or cruise line.

Have a great week!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

Disney World just kicked off their 50th anniversary celebration which will last for the next 18 months.   Remember that if you are planning a trip to Disney World  in the near future you must make reservations with whatever parks you want to visit.   The parks are capacity controlled  so it’s important to get those reservations.

Last week I reported on a successful Paris river cruise for a group of my travelers.   They had a great time, felt safe and were happy with the protocols the cruise line had put in place.  This week I have a small group traveling out East for a color tour.    I will report on their trip when they return.  It does appear that the world is opening, and with proper safety measures, people are enjoying travel again.

Iceland seems to be a bucket list destination for many travelers.   Here is a short video from one of Collette’s tours.   It’s worth a couple of minutes:

Because we sponsor so many tours (see below) people sometimes forget that 50% of our business is sending families, couples, or individuals on vacation.  This week I worked on spring break trips for several families, and arranged  cruises for others.   I hope you will think of Fuller Travel Service for your next trip, even if it is not a group tour or cruise.

2022-23 Tours

April 4-15, 2022    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.  Call for availability.  Trafalgar 

April 20-29, 2022 Tulips and Windmills during Tulip Time 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. This ship is almost full.    Uniworld River Cruises

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

May 15-26, 2022  Alpine Lakes and the Glacier Express with Oberammergau Passion Play    This tour is being rescheduled from 2020.   I can only hold the few tickets I have for 30 days.   Your journey will begin at the beautiful Lake Maggiore.  You will then head to Zermatt, Switzerland.    The Glacier Express will take you into the Alps.  You’ll visit the beautiful towns of St. Moritz, Innsbrook and Salzburg. Enjoy a special Mozart Concert and its the Neuschwanstein Castle before heading to the famed Oberammergau Passion Play.   You will return home from Munich.    The passion play will not be repeated until 2030.  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395     Collette Vacations

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

July Alaska Cruisetour (dates vary)  Take an 11 day southbound cruise tour aboard Princess Cruises. 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 through Glacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver. This is an amazing cruise tour.     Princess Cruises

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

New!   September 7-15,  2022   Israel: Pilgrimage to the Holy Land    Join us as we embark on an extraordinary journey.   We will begin our journey in Tel Aviv  and then travel to the port city of Jaffa on our way to Caesarea. We next visit Nazareth, Cana, and our day in Tiberias for 2 nights.  We will take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. We’ll make a stop at the Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum.  We will visit Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the Western Wall, and much more.  Optional extension to Petra.    Ready for booking!     Collette Vacations https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1059364

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

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

2023

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

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

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

*Please note that Skip and I usually escort all our tours.  Because of the number of rescheduled tours in 2021-22 it will be impossible for us to be on every tour in 2022.  We will escort as many as we can,  but whether we are on the tour or not, we will make sure that you have everything you need for your tour and will work hard to insure you are well taken care of by your tour operator or cruise line.

Have a great week!

Lynn

Hi Everyone,

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that the large cruise lines will no longer be allowed to depart from Venice.  The cruise lines have been working to find alternate docking facilities in the area.  Venice is continuing to try to find a solution to the overcrowding in their city.   They are instituting a tourist and reservation system along with cameras to try to manage the crowds that continue to arrive in this fragile area.  Just as the cruise lines have been adjusting, tour operators are doing the same thing.  If you are planning a visit to Venice without the benefit of a tour or cruise operator you will need to plan ahead.

The airlines are still requiring masks be worn on all flights.  Many airlines are no longer allowing fabric masks, instead requiring medical or surgical masks.  Most domestic airlines are still allowing fabric masks but when flying, check the airlines’ website for current information.

If you are planning a trip to Europe in the near future, you can take some comfort in the fact that, after a shaky start, countries in the European Union have really increased their vaccine distribution. Many, if not most, of those countries are on par with the US vaccination rate or in many cases,  exceed the US rate.   Countries have put measures in place for visitors so that they can protect their citizens and their infrastructure.    Those measures continue to change but travel is not only possible, it can happen safely.  It is just very important to keep abreast of the changing rules and respectful of the countries’ policies while there.  We currently have a small group traveling in France right now.   I will share their perspectives with you when they return.

Current Trips 2021-2023*

We continue to shuffle tours around as the world situation changes.   If you have questions about any of the following trips, don’t hesitate to contact me.   One thing that is important to remember is that when booking groups, I must have a minimum number of people for that group.    I cannot keep seats indefinitely.   Usually, I must turn in unused seats 5-6 months in advance, depending on the tour operator or cruise line.  That has led to some people being really disappointed if they did not book early as my inventory is limited to a specific time frame.   Please book early if you intend to travel with one of our groups.

2022

April 4-15, 2022    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.  Call for availability.  Trafalgar 

April 20-29, 2022 Tulips and Windmills during Tulip Time 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. This ship is almost full.    Uniworld River Cruises

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

May 15-26, 2022  Alpine Lakes and the Glacier Express with Oberammergau Passion Play    This tour is being rescheduled from 2020.   I can only hold the few tickets I have for 30 days.   Your journey will begin at the beautiful Lake Maggiore.  You will then head to Zermatt, Switzerland.    The Glacier Express will take you into the Alps.  You’ll visit the beautiful towns of St. Moritz, Innsbrook and Salzburg. Enjoy a special Mozart Concert and its the Neuschwanstein Castle before heading to the famed Oberammergau Passion Play.   You will return home from Munich.    The passion play will not be repeated until 2030.  Check out the itinerary at https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/817395     Collette Vacations

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

July Alaska Cruisetour (dates vary)  Take an 11 day southbound cruise tour aboard Princess Cruises. 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 through Glacier Bay National Park, and visit Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan before disembarking in Vancouver. This is an amazing cruise tour.  Sounds like the lodges may be full on this one.     Call for availability for other dates.    Princess Cruises

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

New!   September 7-15,  2022   Israel: Pilgrimage to the Holy Land    Join us as we embark on an extraordinary journey.   We will begin our journey in Tel Aviv  and then travel to the port city of Jaffa on our way to Caesarea. We next visit Nazareth, Cana, and our day in Tiberias for 2 nights.  We will take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. We’ll make a stop at the Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum.  We will visit Bethlehem, Jerusalem, the Western Wall, and much more.  Optional extension to Petra.    Ready for booking!     Collette Vacations https://gateway.gocollette.com/link/1059364

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

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

2023

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

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

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

*Please note that Skip and I usually escort all our tours.  Because of the number of rescheduled tours in 2021-22 it will be impossible for us to be on every tour.  We will escort as many as we can,  but whether we are on the tour or not, we will make sure that you have everything you need for your tour and will work hard to insure you are well taken care of by your tour operator or cruise line.

Have a great week!

Lynn