Is Antarctica on your bucket list?

 

If you have always dreamed of walking on the seventh continent, you should be planning now.

 

How about you join me in February 2022?

 

And I have a really sweet deal for February 22, 2022 on a group I'm hosting onboard Quark's Ocean Diamond. I'll spend 11 days Crossing the Circle.

 

You may have attended my zoom presentation with Cara Matthew from Quark. If not, you can watch the presentation here Quark Expeditions - Antarctica Watch here

 

I thought I'd let you know about a development that if you're considering it, may speed up your decision process.

 

Quark has taken the difficult decision to cancel their entire 2020-2021 Antarctica season because of CoVid. They decided to do this, even though there are no cases of CoVid in Antarctica, because there would be so much difficulty in getting international flights at the start of the season, and rather than do a rolling suspension (keep this date, cancel next, and then keep repeating), they’ve cancelled all of 2020-2021 to protect their clients, their crew, and the partners they work with along the way; and start anew with the 2021-2022 Antarctica season.
 
This was a responsible decision by Quark. Quark is in a healthy financial position, despite this decision (and actually, it’s healthy position is probably why and how they’ve been able to decide to do this. Quark is owned by a private equity group, the 3rd largest in the world, KKR, and they are not as impacted as other cruise lines and travel companies might have been with CoVid that are publicly owned.). They are continuing their Arctic season. Just Antarctica for 2020-2021 has been impacted by their decision.
 
What does that mean to you if you're thinking about Antarctica? Well, everyone who had been booked in 2020-2021 with Quark is now re-booking into their 2021-2022 Antarctica season. So, the demand on their 2021-2022 Antarctica sailings is going through the roof – and – there is very limited supply. (And we all know that limited supply puts upward pressure on pricing, so, Quark is going to see their 2021-2022 Antarctica pricing go up over the next little while, and current promos will disappear). But the space available is so limited that Quark has reached out to me to see whether I might release some cabins in my group (that are price- protected, currently – at a severely discounted rate. I have 25% off the regular pricing – and if you pay in full, 35% off.) 
 
I asked my Business Development Manager to let me reach out to those who’d expressed interest previously to see whether this is still being considered – because – if it is, I’d rather you get the cabin at 25% off (35% off if you pay in full) than release the cabins to Quark to re-accommodate another passenger. Kindly note, they have people today ready with credit cards to take these cabins.
 
I already have 3 solo ladies booked. I have one solo cabin left - and have several twin cabins and a suite. Please let me know if you might possibly be interested in one of these extremely discounted cabins. I indicated to my BDM that I’d call her on Monday – so – if you’re interested, please email or call me before Monday at noon to say , "tell me more!"
 
Kindly note – many who'd attended my zoom call with Quark were concerned about insurance. Obviously, 2022 is still a far off time. You’re likely aware of recent developments with Air Canada, Westjet, and Sunwing working with Manulife and other insurers to provide CoVid protection. There has been significant movement on protection, and that will continue to evolve with time. (e.g., Pax - and see articles here:  West Jet , Sunwing , and AC .) There will be further changes that will no doubt offer options to you.
 
Please let me know if you want me to put a hold down for you on one of the 8 cabins I am still holding at this super price! (Before I have to release to Quark! I’ve already sold one.)

 

See full details of the trip here.

 

President Barack Obama gave a stirring tribute. See Obama , where part of what he noted was: "Sixty years ago, Ruth Bader Ginsburg applied to be a Supreme Court clerk. She’d studied at two of our finest law schools and had ringing recommendations. But because she was a woman, she was rejected. Ten years later, she sent her first brief to the Supreme Court––which led it to strike down a state law based on gender discrimination for the first time. And then, for nearly three decades, as the second woman ever to sit on the highest court in the land, she was a warrior for gender equality––someone who believed that equal justice under law only had meaning if it applied to every single American.

 

Over a long career on both sides of the bench––as a relentless litigator and an incisive jurist––Justice Ginsburg helped us see that discrimination on the basis of sex isn’t about an abstract ideal of equality; that it doesn’t only harm women; that it has real consequences for all of us. It’s about who we are––and who we can be."

USA Today reported on the meaning of the date of her death. See USA where it was noted: "According to Jewish tradition, a person who dies on Rosh Hashanah, which began tonight, is a tzaddik, a person of great righteousness," Franklin tweeted soon after the news of Ginsburg's death broke.

 

 

Throughout it all, never did she throw up her hands and say; “That’s it, I’m so screwed.” or “My life was nice while it lasted.” To the contrary, she never, EVER complained. Instead, she fought. Because she knew the ultimate beneficiaries of her battles weren’t just herself. They were us. ...

 

If RBG showed us anything, it’s that defeatism is for the meek. ... Don’t be meek. Be like RBG. Be STRONG. She was all of 5’1” tall, and maybe 110 pounds soaking wet. Yet never in her eighty-seven years did she say to herself or anybody else; “It’s pointless to fight on.”

 

RIP RBG. May your legacy push us forward.

 

#BeLikeRuth

 

December 2-8, Nuremburg to Vienna. Pre-cruise stay possible in Prague. Even post-cruise in Vienna.

 

Extremely terrific pricing - air inclusive from major Canadian gateways, with gratuities and a complimentary upgrade to Panaorama suite.

 

Email sheila@lushlife.ca for details.