This week, I attended a trade presentation with my Business Development Managers from Viking Cruises, as well as Royal Irish (& Scottish) Tours.

It's a trend to have non-competing travel partners double-up for cross country presentations of what's new to travel advisors like myself.

My BDMs from Viking, Jordana Botting, and Royal Irish Tours, Jonathan Sargeant travelled to Ottawa on Thursday to meet with me, and update me on all that is new in their worlds of travel - so I can keep abreast of the latest developments for you to travel the world better.

It was great to make the personal connections again and have personal meetings with them again after all pandemic meetings over zoom. 

Royal Irish Tours is a great Canadian company with Irish heritage. This year, we celebrate 19 years of sharing Ireland with you. It’s been our genuine pleasure to invite you to experience Ireland up close and personal, and we’re proud of the part we’ve played in helping to create thousands of exceptional vacations. As our business has grown during this time, the fundamental purpose of Royal Irish Tours has remained the same: to give you an authentic, hand-crafted vacation experience that you won’t soon forget. Take advantage of the special deals that will be available for this year only, and come celebrate Ireland with us!

Though Canada is home for the Duffy family, Ireland is in our blood. This patriotic love is the driving force behind everything we do. We pride ourselves on the unparalleled, personal experiences that we make possible through our strong familiarity with the land and its locals. The care we have for Ireland will be evident throughout every detail of your tour.

RIT offers a great selection of Irish (and Scottish too with Royal Scottish Tours arm) escorted in groups (packaged or custom) to chauffeur-driven trips to self-drive touring.  They have great touring packages like https://ritvacations.com/ireland/tour-details/coach-tours/shamrock-royal/

sightseeing tours like https://ritvacations.com/ireland/tour-details/sightseeing-tours/wild-atlantic-experience/ to Whisky tours https://ritvacations.com/scotland/tour-details/sightseeing-tours/islay-whisky-coast/

Their Celtic Classic covers the best of Ireland and Scotland https://ritvacations.com/ireland/tour-details/coach-tours/celtic-classic/

=============================================

And with Viking, Jordana had lots to share about everything new in their world of River Cruises, Ocean Cruises, and now Expedition cruises. Viking has done a tremendous job with their advertising over the years (if you've ever watched Masterpiece Theatre, a golf tournament, or even CNN lately,  you've likely seen a Viking ad.)  They have really raised the profile of river cruising with many travelers around the world in the 25 years they've been around. They keep the river cruising inclusive as possible, but knowing their clientele, they strip away a lot of extras that some other lines include (such as bikes onboard, exercise rooms, etc.), and put a few more guests onboard (190 passengers) one of their typical Viking longships to provide a quality product that enables them to take thousands of passengers across European rivers each year.

As Jordana shares, there is an 80% name recognition of the Viking brand - so - I'm sure you've heard of the company.  And Viking has extended their river cruise brand recognition by extending into ocean cruises over the last few years, and they're also moving into expedition cruises.  With river cruises that visit Europe, Egypt, Asia, the Mississippi, and in better days, Russia and Ukraine. 

Viking River Cruises boasts the most extensive fleet of river cruises vessels, and we are proud to offer you the best ships in each region where we travel. Viking ships are specially designed to navigate the world’s great rivers and provide convenient daily access to a plethora of destinations and experiences. Enjoy all the comfort and elegance of river cruising: attentive and professional staff, delicious onboard meals and spectacular scenery from every stateroom and public area.

The most popular river cruse itineraries are the Rhine Getaway, the Romantic Danube, and the Grand European.

https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sheilagallanthalloran/cruises/131904/grand-european-tour

But Viking also does world cruises https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sheilagallanthalloran/cruises/181254/viking-world-cruise

and Iceland and homelands https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sheilagallanthalloran/cruises/169609/viking-homelands-and-majestic-iceland

and Australia circumnavigation

https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sheilagallanthalloran/cruises/sailings/16543331/grand-australia-circumnavigation-20jan2025-20feb2025#.Y-kswnbMKUk

Let me know if you'd like to learn more. 

I am still Lush Life Travel - and always will be. That is the boutique agency that I founded, and I fully incorporated last year (so, now I'm Lush Life Travel, Inc.). My partner, Vision Travel, has rebranded to Direct Travel. 

This will be largely transparent to you as a client of Lush Life Travel, but you will begin to see some logo differences on invoices you will receive from me for booked travel (as per our regulators), as you'll see my affiliation with Vision Travel, a Direct Travel Company get rebranded to Direct Travel. 

Watch this little video of me sailing on a Rhine river cruise.

I was onboard the AMA Certo at the end of November 2022. 

Here’s a quick glance at my exterior balcony and the view from my twin balcony cabin as we sailed along the river. 

Let me know if a river cruise is on your bucket list. I’m a certified river cruise expert with AMA Waterways, and all the other brands too (Uniworld, Tauck, Avalon, Viking, Scenic, etc.) 

Let me know if I can help you take a river cruise. 

I am here for you when you’re ready to plan and book.

Most people think of visiting Norway on a boat - and I do work with some terrific cruise partners who will take you around Norway's coast, and maybe venture a little to a fjord.

But as my Virtuoso partner, and feet-on-the-ground expert, Jan, shares - to see the fjords, you really have to go by land.

Watch this presentation where I welcome Jan Sortland of Norwegian Adventures.

Jan spent a wonderful hour with me and my clients to talk about all the incredible things you can see and do in Norway. 

Ask me for more info!

Sheila of Lush Life welcomes Randall Jackson of The Body Holiday St Lucia to talk about this wonderful property, and wellness holidays.

Let me know if you'd like a holiday that focuses on you.

The Body Holiday's motto is "give us your body for a week, and we'll give you back your mind."

An all-inclusive holiday in St. Lucia that focuses on you and your well-being.

What's not to like?

Watch the video presentation above, and let me know if you'd like to go.

I’m headed to Greece with my family next July, and I'm inviting my clients to come along. My husband and I will act as the Azamara Virtuoso Voyages host for the July 8, 2023 sailing onboard the Azamara Quest, roundtrip Piraeus for a Greece Intensive Voyage, for 7 days. I've already booked several clients to come along. 

One of the things we love most about what we do is matching our clients tastes' with the greatest hotels in the world.  And with our preferred status with these industry leading hotel brands it means our clients are instant VIP's with upgrades and special perks that you only get working with an elite partner.  So, not only do we have the best rates, but more importantly you get an exceptional experience over and above what you would booking direct or with a credit card.

See the special programs I'm affiliated with below, and let me know if you’d like to discuss a specific hotel stay.

For specific articles about why you should book with an advisor, rather than book by yourself, see here:

Why Wouldn't You Do It Yourself

Booking a Cruise Yourself vs With Advisor

Booking Hawaii Yourself vs Through Advisor

Booking Rocky Mountaineer Yourself vs With Advisor

See some additional detail on these preferred HOTEL PROGRAMS

A&K 100 Club ,

Accor Step & Fairmont , 

Belmond Bellini Club Program,

Couture by Langham ,

Dorchester Diamond Club

Four Seasons Preferred, 

Hilton Impresario

Hyatt Privé Program

IHG Hotel Program ,

Jumeirah’s Passport to Luxury ,

Kempinski Club 1897

Luminous Hotel Program ,

Mandarin Oriental Fan Club ,

Marriott Stars & Luminous , 

Pearl Partner Oetker, 

Peninsula Fan Club ,

Preferred Hotel Program,

Rocco Forte Knights Program 

Rosewood Elite ,

Small Luxury Hotels