Travel Tips

I read one of the many "Travel Tips" articles that pop up on a daily basis - just to get a few laughs. Here's one I ran accross this morning...

"The days when travelers would call a travel agent, book a trip, hang up the phone and be done with it are long gone. Now, the Internet is a hodgepodge of hundreds of competing travel provider sites, all of whom are touting the "best deals" and "lowest prices". No single travel site will assure you the lowest rates, but a thorough search of all the major airlines and at least 10 travel provider sites will usually yield the best rates." 

Sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it?

Happy Hunting - or, call a Travel Professional.... contrary to popular beliefs, they will save you money!

Cheers,

Dick

Cabo San Lucas, here we come!

It's time once again to "break out the Tumi" as we head for this very unique sun destination. Even though the 2012 version of Minnesota Winters has been a cake walk, it will be good to get to some REAL warm sunshine...  Basking by the Pool, Dining on a Veranda at sunset, Whale Watching and World Class Golf have me giddy!
If you want to come along, let me know!


Cheers,
Dick

Hawaii: No Ka Oi

No Ka Oi means "Is the Best". And it remains so. In my 35 years in travel, I've constantly seen the trending go from one pace to another. But, in the long view, all roads lead back to the "Islands of Aloha". The reasons are many...

1. First and foremost, it's the people! No people on Earth are as friendly and accommodating as the Hawaiian people.  But, it goes beyond "friendly"... the Hawaiian people (including those "mainlanders" who now make their homes in the Islands) are impeccably trained in hospitality. They know what you expect in terms of service efficiency - and they deliver!
2. Then, it's the climate!  Unlike most other tropical sun destinations where summer weather is unbearable, Hawaii enjoys temperatures in the 80's with Trade Winds year-around.
3. Hawaii smells great!  When you get off the plane, the aroma of Orchids and other flora treat your senses like few other places in the world. You know you have arrived in paradise!
4. The poverty and squalor found in most sun destinations is totally absent in Hawaii. you won't see junked out cars along the side of the road (the same burned out car you saw there on your last visit 3 years prior).
5. You won't get hustled by time-share sellers at the airport or by beach vendors. You don't need to haggle in the shops.
6. No passports, no currency exchange, no language barriers and no concerns over where it's safe to eat or what to drink.
7. Hawaii is a Golf Mecca. A round of golf on a world-class course is half the price of other sunbelt destinations. I can give you some specifics if you contact me.

As you can see, I'm passionate about Hawaii. At my travel agency, we are constantly sending clients off to Hawaii - while I get to sit here in snowy Minnesota. I am tormented!!!!

Aloha!

Dick

Happy (Travel) New Year!

Happy New Year, all!
Just thought I would rattle off a few odd notes as we (hopefully) have spring in our distant sights...

Following up on the last post, River Cruise Vacation bookings are taking off at my travel agency, Gateway Express... it is clearly the "in thing" for 2012.

To all you morons in Minnesota who were willing to play golf on Christmas Day just to be able to tell your great grandkids 20 years from now that you did it: Get a life... and get on a plane for some real winter golf. You know, green turf, warm sunshine, one layer of outer wear, and cold beer on an outdoor patio after your round! Here are some ideas for you.

Speaking of winter golf, we leave in a few weeks for Cabo San Lucas with a corporate meeting group. As it is one of the world's remarkable golf destinations, I'm hoping to "sneak away" for  couple afternoons. Golf aside, Cabo is my agency's #1 sun destination this year - replacing Riviera Maya for that distinction. It is a great spot for guaranteed hot sun and scenery... Mountain and Ocean panoramas all in one view.

The current "non-winter" here in Minnesota has impacted our winter vacation bookings - but not as much as I would have expected. The first Arctic Blast is predicted later this week... we know our phones will ring off the hook and our in-boxes will be very active. (Trying to understand why people don't know it's coming!!!!!)

Anyway, Happy New Year! I hope it's a helluva lot better than last year for you!

Cheers,

Dick




 

River Cruising vs. Ocean Cruising

Hi All!
We're "basking in the glow" of our river cruise as described in my last rambling. After a few weeks of reflection, here's my take on the differences between the two cruise modes. As I said earlier, one is not better than the other - they're just different. (The following relates to cruising in & around Europe.) 


Strong Points for River Cruising:

• Smaller ships carrying 100 to 140 passengers promotes a more intimate ambiance and a more personal interaction with crew.
• Beautiful scenery while on the move. River ships are cruising during the day whereas ocean ships sail during the night.
• River cruise stops are typically small towns and villages - and the ships dock right in the middle of town so you can walk to most of the attractions.

Strong Points for Ocean Cruising:

• Larger ships provide more creature comforts and more options for lounging (cocktail hours and late evening lounging), dining, entertainment, spas & fitness, etc.
• Full days in port and glorious days at sea. More like a floating resort.
• Cruise ports are typically at large cities with greater variety of attractions and activities.

See what I mean about "different"? 

In actuality, river cruising is better compared to driving through Europe or a Motorcoach Vacation. A terrific alternative to the hassles of driving or riding the highways of Europe vs sitting back and taking in the scenic wonders from rivers rather than highways. And, you are relieved of having to change hotels every couple days - and all the hassles that entails.

Bottom line is that there are two types of travelers to whom we strongly recommend river cruising:

1. People like us who have seen all there is to see of ocean ports.
2. People who ordinarily would wear themselves out with an arduous driving excursion through Europe. (Here's hint: Virtually all the big Tour Companies in Europe are opening up River Cruise product - either their own ships or in a marketing agreement with an existing cruise company.)

As with all forms of vacations, choosing the right line and the right itinerary are the make or break factors in having a memorable vacation. Find a Travel Professional that knows their stuff!

Cheers,

Dick

 

River Cruising in Europe - an Awesome Experience!

Cochem, Germany

We're back from our first ever river cruise (as I described in my last post) and it was an awesome trip. As I said earlier, we were unsure as to how it would compare with our many luxury ocean cruises. Reflecting back, I would say that it generally exceeded our expectations. There were some things that clearly did not measure up to those ocean cruises and some things that were better. More on that in my next post.
We boarded our AMA Waterways ship, the Amadagio, in Amsterdam and enjoyed the first night in our floating hotel before sailing the next afternoon. That allowed us to see the city before moving on. Most of our itinerary, after sailing down a canal to the Rhine, was in Germany. We stopped at Cologne, Heidelberg and several small German towns that you have never heard of. After 3 days on the Rhine, we "took a right turn" onto the Mosel River. The scenery on the Rhine was spectacular - and, on the Mosel, it was even better. Absolutely stunning!!!! At a couple stops, we were able to take bikes on long rides to burn off some of the luscious food we were treated to. That helped!
On the seventh day, we ended the cruise in Luxembourg (a very aesthetic city) and took the TGV (bullet train) to Paris for a 3-day stay. In Luxembourg, we visited the American Cemetery and General Patton's grave. In Paris, we just enjoyed the wonderful atmosphere of one of the World's greatest (and most expensive) cities. While there we did make it out to Fountainbleu, the "hunting shack" of many Kings. More on Paris later.
One of the things making this a very easy trip was the joy of having no air connections... non-stop to Amsterdam and non-stop home from Paris.


Cheers,


Dick 

River Cruising in Europe - On the Road Again!

Well, after a nice summer dangling my feet off the end of the dock (when not working of course!) it's time again to break out the Tumi luggage and hit the road!

Those who know me or follow this blog know that we head for Europe this time each year. For 8 or 9 years, we have cruised the Mediterranean, Adriatic & Aegean Seas. This year we are following the hot trend toward river cruising with a 7 day trip on the Rhine and Mosel rivers from Amsterdam to Luxembourg followed by 3 days in Paris.

My travel company, Gateway Express Travel, has seen incredible growth in this type of vacation... and we seem to be the perfect client for river cruises - people who love the ease and pampering of life on a cruise ship - but who have run out of itineraries and need a change of pace. 

We love ocean cruising and are wondering if we'll like the river cruises as much. I'll let you know along the way! 

Cheers,

Dick