Twice a year, Lisa and I go to big travel agent events to learn about the latest developments in the hotel, adventure, and cruise world. We just returned from an intensive 4-day conference in New Jersey where we met over 100 suppliers in the business, jumping from desk to desk every 15 minutes to hear what's new and exciting in the travel world. 

These are the 6 pitches that got us truly excited:

 

SeaDream Heads to Cuba

Home to only 112 passengers, the two SeaDream vessels are more like yachts than cruise ships. In the winter, they ply the remote waters of the Caribbean, visiting the special islands of the Grenadines and BVIs, like St. Bart's and Virgin Gorda. In the summer, you'll find their yachts on the coast of Croatia or in the Greek islands. Starting in February 2019, SeaDream will be headed to Cuba to circumnavigate the island on a dreamy weeklong cruise. It's the best of both worlds. See Hemingway's home, listen to live jazz, meet the people of Cuba, then head back to the comforts of the yacht for exceptional dining and comfort. You can even sleep under the stars. They have several outdoor beds each night for two lucky couples. We were so excited about this itinerary that we already signed up for the March 4-11, 2019 cruise. We can give you a $200 discount if you come and join us!

 

Big Five Tours & Expeditions is The Real Deal

Big Five's conservation efforts started in the 1960s when founder Mahen Sanghrajka collaborated with zoologists to study the dwindling elephant and rhino populations of Kenya and Uganda. Today the company now brings travelers to 45 countries, always with a keen eye on sustainability and conservation. Mahen's son, Ashish, is now president of Big Five and he's a force to be reckoned with. 

Ashish is an incredibly inspirational speaker who's keen on offering travelers authentic off-the-beaten-tracks experiences from touring Bogota with a renowned Colombian graffiti artist to tracking lions in the remote Zambian bush . He custom designs every itinerary based on your passion, whether it's wildlife, art or food, and never is the itinerary duplicated. We look forward to creating many bucket list memories for our members with Big Five in the upcoming years!

 

Star Wars Comes to Disney in 2019

If you thought the new Toy Story Land was big news, think again. Star Wars is about to land in Disney in 2019 with a huge new part of the park and a new Star Wars Resort. No surprise that they expect record numbers in 2019 and also no surprise that if you want to bring the kids, we should look into booking the resort as soon as possible.

 

Visit Greenland with Natural Habitat Adventures

Lisa and I are both big fans of Natural Habitat and their director of sales, Boulder-based Don Martinson. They go out of their way each year to create unique itineraries, whether it's spotting the white spirit bear of the British Columbian coast or the white rhino in Kenya. 

But we really love that they combined their efforts with well-known sea kayaking guru Olav Malver to offer a fantastic 9-day adventure in remote Greenland

Revealed America, 

A Great Way to Visit the National Parks

Our buddy, Dre Moore, who took us to Greece last April as part of a Heritage Tours trip (a glamorous bespoke itinerary that included a sunset sail in Santorini with masseuse and a lunch at a winery in Mykonos that only locals know about) also represents Revealed America. 

Revealed America is a wonderful travel outfitter who custom-designs private guided trips for your family to America's National Parks. It's perfect for a multi-generational trip where you don't want to drive or join a large group, a private escorted itinerary that suits your needs. They've become so popular in the national parks of Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Rockies, and Alaska, that they've started taking guests on scenic American drives like Route 66 and the Big Sur. Soon, they will set their sights on expanding to the northeast and New England.

 

Go On a Reputable Safari for $5,000 Per Person 

with African Travel Inc.

You don't have to break the bank to go on safari, especially if you're flexible with dates. California-based African Travel Inc, which has been in business for more than 40 years, offers safari packages for as low as $5,195 per person including round-trip air from JFK, all domestic air within South Africa, 4 nights at the glorious Twelve Apostles Hotel in Cape Town, 3 nights in Kruger at Thornybush Nature Reserve, guides, and most dinners. They also offer affordable packages to the Kenya's Masai Mara and Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. African Travels also offers tailor-made safaris, perfect for large families or a group of friends, to Tanzania with an add-on in Rwanda to see the gorillas. We are meeting with the representative this week. Let us know if you have any specific questions and we'll be sure to find out for you directly.