June Newsletter 2022

Greetings!

Summertime Travel is Here!

By every measurable standard, the pent-up demand for travel is escalating. Planes are full, tours are sold out, and ships are at permissible capacity according to CDC and country guidelines. Our recent California Coastal cruise, for example, was at 51% capacity. 

Speaking about that cruise, we promised to provide some insight into Medallion Class service. We downloaded the Medallion app, followed the prompts, filled in our info, and uploaded vaccination cards and passports. The process is quite simple. Once everything is complete, the app will show that you are in the Green Lane for boarding.

At the port, we were directed to the Green Lane, showed our phone at check-in, received our paperwork and were on the ship in about 20 minutes. Once up the gangway, we tapped our medallion on a scanner, and we were on board. We then walked to our stateroom, and the door unlocked as we approached. The Medallion is used for restaurant reservations, for ordering food and drinks to your location, for payments (even some stores onshore), for accessing the Patter, to see what activities are taking place, and for finding fellow shipmates including directions on how to get to their location, and much more. In short, it is amazing technology.

Are there any issues in using the app? Yes, we experienced a few. However, a team called the Navigators is available at the Ocean Front location to help get your app running properly. We loved it!!!

The cruise industry continues to grow and evolve. NCL’s “Prima Class” vessels will feature an industry first charcoal sauna at sea, along with various thermal experiences and hot-stone loungers. NCL is also the latest cruise line to have all of its ships at sea, and this month; Carnival and Celebrity will also have all of their ships at sea. 

Royal Caribbean has just announced a “FlexPay” program where clients can pay their balance due with up to 10 payments. Your cruise must be booked through a travel agent to take advantage of this program.

Cunard has announced the inaugural sailing of its new ship, Queen Anne.

All major river cruise companies are operating voyages all over the world. Be sure to see our just added Pharaohs & Pyramids 12 day cruisetour on the Nile River in Egypt aboard the beautiful Viking MS Antares! If you've always wanted to see Egypt, this promises to be a wonderful experience.

Did you know? Princess has a land tour division with many land-only options to Alaska. These options include Rail Tours of 1-4 nights, Explorer Tours of 5-7 nights, and Escorted Tours of 6-8 nights. Some of these tours parallel the cruisetour portion of a cruise though many are quite different. We are still reserving these tour options for this year, and we can help you plan for 2023 as well.

Finally, two Crystal Cruises ships are heading for the auction block. This is why vendor default is an important feature in travel insurance. It is only available for the first 14 days after initial deposit if you are a California resident. Residents of other states must purchase within 21 days.

So, Where in the World Do You Want to Go?

Betty & Frank Villani

(909) 980-6040
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Join Us!
10 Days - 6 Ports
Iceland & Greenland
Round trip Reykjavik
NCL Norwegian Star
July 25 - August 4, 2022
Almost Sold Out!
  • Reykjavik Iceland
  • Qaqortoq Greenland
  • Nanortalik Greenland
  • Seydisfjordur Iceland
  • Akureyri Iceland
  • Isafjordur Iceland
  • Reykjavik Iceland
12 Day Alaska Cruisetour
August 6 - 17, 2022 
Vancouver to Fairbanks
The cruisetour includes the ports of Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, and Whittier with scenic cruising in Glacier Bay and College Fjord aboard the Sapphire Princess. Also included are the train from Whittier to Talkeekna, 2 nights at the McKinley Lodge, 2 nights at the Denali Lodge, and 1 night in Fairbanks.
British Isles Cruise
with Military Tattoo!
August 13 - 25, 2022
Emerald Princess
Roundtrip from
Southampton, England
Group Space Available!
Don't miss the chance to cruise the British Isles, visiting 8 ports, including Cork, Belfast, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Paris, round trip from Southampton (London), England!
Be sure to see the fantastic Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Check out the video, below.
7 Day Alaska Cruise
Round trip - Seattle
NCL Encore
August 28 - September 4, 2022
Visit these beautiful ports:
  • Seattle, Washington
  • Juneau, Alaska
  • Skagway, Alaska
  • Ketchikan, Alaska
  • Victoria, British Columbia
  • Seattle, Washington
10 Day Baltic Cruise:
German, Sweden & Denmark
September 3 - 13, 2022
NEW! NCL Prima
7 PORTS OF CALL
  • Amsterdam,Netherlands
  • Hamburg, Germany
  • Berlin (Warnemünde),Germany
  • Gdansk, Poland
  • Tallinn,Estonia
  • Stockholm,Sweden
  • Copenhagen,Denmark
Join Us!
7 Day Cruise
Bermuda
Roundtrip - New York City
October 22 - 29, 2022
Join Us! on this beautiful cruise to one of our favorite destinations - Bermuda! We'll sail on the magnificent NCL JOY and have 2 overnights and 3 full days in port.
Book with us now to get:
  • Free Open Bar
  • Free Excursions
  • Free Specialty Dining
  • Free WiFi
Join Us!
14 Nights Cruise
South America /Antarctica
Roundtrip - Buenos Aires
January 14 - 28, 2023
We will sail on the Celebrity Infinity which received a total refurbishment (revolutionized) in 2020. Ports include Ushuaia, Argentina; Port Stanley, Falkland Islands; Puerto Madryn, Argentina; and Montevideo, Uruguay.
The cruise includes a trip around Cape Horn and the following destinations in Antarctica: Schallat Channel, Paradise Bay, Gerlache Strait, and Elephant Island. We will be planning a pre-cruise trip to Iguazu Falls visiting both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides of the falls.
7 Night Caribbean Cruise
On the New Celebrity Apex
January 21 - 28, 2023
Round trip - Ft Lauderdale
Visit these ports aboard Celebrity's newest ship and experience The Magic Carpet!

Key West
Cozumel
Belize
Grand Cayman
Join Us!
April 18 - May 1, 2023
16 Days
Classic South Africa with Victoria Falls & Botswana Tour
  • All intra-flights: Cape Town-Durban, Johannesburg-Victoria Falls & Kasane-Johannesburg
  • 14 nights accommodations: 4 in Cape Town, 1 each in Hluhuwe and Swatini, 2 each in Hazyview, Johannesburg, Victoria Falls and Chobe
  • Hotel taxes, fees & service charges
  • Hotel porterage
Special Features
  • Enjoy a tour of Cape Town, view the Castle of Good Hope, the Grande Parade and visit Table Mountain
  • Tour historic Robben Island*, a World Heritage Site and view the former prison cell of Nelson Mandela
  • During the Cape Peninsula Tour, visit the Cape of Good Hope reserve and view the penguin colonies at Boulders Beach
  • Game Viewing Cruise on the St Lucia Estuary, a uniquely diverse ecosystem
  • 26 meals: 14 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners
  • Sightseeing per itinerary in modern air-conditioned motor coach
  • Game drives in modern 10-seater safari vehicles
  • Services of English-speaking tour guide throughout
  • Entrance Fees per itinerary
  • Game drive through Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve
  • A thrilling game drive in an open-vehicle through Kruger National Park
  • In Soweto, the most metropolitan township, visit Nelson Mandela’s former home
  • Visit spectacular Victoria Falls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Enjoy a sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River
  • Game drive through Chobe National Park, in northern Botswana
  • Sunset game viewing cruise on the Chobe River
Join Us!
Western Mediterranean Cruise
Celebrity Reflection
Barcelona to Rome
July 8 -17, 2023
Join Us! on this 9 night cruise aboard the beautiful Celebrity Reflection!
We'll visit some of our favorite ports, including Provence and NIce, France as well as an overnight in fabulous Florence.
Pharaohs & Pyramids
Nile River Cruise
Roundtrip - Cairo
September 25 - October 6, 2023
Uncover the secrets of Egypt and see the pyramids, explore the Temple of Karnak's 136 soaring pillars, Visit Queen Nefertari's tomb in the Valley of the Kings. All with expert Egyptologists on this amazing cruisetour aboard a magnificent Viking ship.
Other dates are available for this wonderful cruisetour, but they sell out quickly. Contact us today to book yours!
Click on the video below for some highlights.
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