3. River Cruise Corner - Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat, Champagne
4. Adventure Travel Corner- Polar Bear Expedition
5. Wellness Travel Corner - The Age of Self-Care
6. Virtuoso Life - Some Recent Issues & Newsletters
7. Preferred Hotel Programs- Can You VIP Me?
8. Special Offers from Lush Life, a Direct affiliate & Virtuoso partner
Let me know if you'd like to schedule a complimentary consultation!
1. Expedition Cruising
Last week's newsletter told you that January is "Wave Season" in the Cruising Industry. Cruise companies generally have their best promos in January as they want to get business on the books throughout the year. And it's my busiest month for clients booking and travelling - everywhere from Antarctica to the Caribbean to Australia and beyond. I'm working hard to stay abreast of all the promos, and work with clients looking to book a cruise to matchmake them
to the best partner for them first of all, and then find the best value.
This week, I'll share a little about expedition cruising - which, along with river cruising, is where I tend to focus a lot of my company's time and efforts in helping clients get the best partner and offer for them. And expedition cruising is exploding in popularity.
What I love about expedition cruising is that it is all about nature and wildlife - and immersing you in the destination you are visiting. Conservation is also key - as the best companies, like Lindblad Expeditions, have a long and established history of being kind to the people and the areas that they visit. And Lindblad was the first company to take
non-scientists to Antarctica, and has safely been doing that for well over 50 years now.
Here's a little bit of info about Lindblad https://www.expeditions.com/about - and a picture of me just on a shore
excursion off a Lindblad ship that did a circumnavigation of my home province, Newfoundland.
Expedition Cruising is going to get you closer to nature. And if you select the right company, it’s going to be more about the wildlife count rather than the sheet thread count. It doesn’t mean there are not creature comforts – there’ll certainly be good and local food, and comfortable surroundings. But, the emphasis will be more on getting you to places that the big
ocean ships cannot get to – often because there are no wharves. You have to get into a zodiac to get to the shore. But it also means that you’re visiting unspoiled destinations.
One of my travel partners refers to it as you should want to “go to places where you can’t buy a t-shirt” – and I really like that. If you’re in the
Peruvian Amazon or traipsing through the Galapagos, odds are there are no tshirt stands waiting for you ashore!
You’re not going to be with 6,000+ people on an expedition cruise, as you might be on a large ocean cruise. Most times, you’re going to be with about 100-200 people. You’re not going to be with people who want to put on a tux or long
gown to go to dinner on an expedition cruise, as you might on a large ocean cruise. People dress pretty casually because they are going to be going birding or doing nature walks – and that is the whole point of the cruise. You’re not going to be with people looking for the latest Broadway show remake on an expedition cruise, or those that are looking to gamble in a casino onboard – because while expedition cruises are comfortable, they are more about what happens off the ship than
on.
You will be with people who love nature and people onboard an expedition cruise. You will be with people who have an interest in science – and there will be naturalists and historians and biologists onboard sharing their expertise and helping you learn more about the destination you’re visiting.
Expedition cruising may also be one of this year's hottest travel trends. After the staycation (2020), the great outdoors vacation (2021) and the domestic vacation (2022), Americans are looking for something more exotic for their 2023 [and 2024] getaways, according to multiple surveys. Expedition cruising checks all
of those boxes.
and
"Adventure travel is proving to be the break-out travel trend of the decade," says Noah Brodsky, chief commercial officer for Lindblad
Expeditions. "We're seeing tremendous excitement from guests across geographies and generations to get that bucket-list trip on the books today."
Here's a snippets from recent Virtuoso Travel articles about the move towards expedition cruising in a big way:
A Lindblad Expeditions naturalist
on the allure of wild, unscripted moments.
Standing calf-deep in crystal-clear waters in the wildlife-rich Galápagos Islands, Lindblad Expeditions expert naturalist and photo instructor Linda Burback remembers the moment she and a small group of travelers wondered who’d be the first to have a penguin swim between their legs.
Cooling off near the shoreline and chatting about the
previous day’s sightings, with Baltra Island in the background, they could see small fish swimming around their feet – and then a penguin zipped by. “That’s when we all widened our stance in hopes that one would swim between our feet,” Burback says. “It was a lot of fun, as penguins are very fast swimmers: It zipped all around us as we laughed and called out, ‘Here it comes; there it goes, almost!’” That spontaneity combined with serendipity is one of her favorite parts of small-ship expedition
cruises, notes Burback, a former Saguaro National Park interpreter and trained horticulturalist who’s worked with Lindblad for 25 years. Her motto: “Be where you are while you are there.”
Along with Three Cruise Expedition Leaders on Why They Love Their Jobs
It seems like everyone’s talking about expedition cruising lately. It’s the ultimate bucket-list adventure, journeying to some of the world’s most remote reaches to witness otherworldly
landscapes, spy rare wildlife, and learn about Indigenous cultures. And while travelers may think expedition cruises can only be rugged, intrepid endeavors, cruise lines such as Seabourn are out to prove them wrong. At the end of the world, there’s a floating five-star
resort.
The 264-passenger Seabourn Venture and its new sister ship, the Pursuit, carry travelers to both poles
and an array of far-flung outposts in between. Each ship is prepared for epic exploration – with ice-breaking hulls, sea kayaks, Zodiacs, and a pair of ultra-cool submarines – but also features the spacious suites, fine dining, and cushy amenities that have garnered a following for the line’s ocean-going fleet. Passengers can zip through frozen fjords and explore ancient sea ice by day, then order caviar and filet mignon before tucking into Frette linens by night.
Even timeless
brands know how to embrace industry trends. Viking entered the expedition cruising chat in 2022 with two new Polar Class, 378-passenger expedition vessels: the Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, which kept heated floors and ocean views in every stateroom and added drying closets for expedition gear. Both ocean and expedition cruises include complimentary dining with an elegant-casual dress code at The Restaurant, serving regionally inspired cuisine (often seafood, steaks, and salads), as well
as Italian staples in the dimly lit Manfredi’s, where black-and-white portraits line the walls.
“Expedition cruising is for travelers who have a sense of adventure,” says Hunsberger, who praises the educational value of citizen-science projects woven into the Viking experience. Staff scientists and pros from Cambridge
University’s Scott Polar Research Institute and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) invite passengers into their research. Weather balloons launched from the top deck beam info to
interactive screens on board, and cruisers can join hands-on projects to help monitor migratory birds in Patagonia or don lab coats and learn to measure microplastics in Antarctic waters from shipboard science labs. A window-lined amphitheater hosts history and science lectures by day, as well as intimate musical performances on occasional evenings.
Let me know if you'd like to learn more about expedition cruising, and we can do a consultation to find the best partner, itinerary, and offer for you.
Wonderful news. We're still booking ladies (and some husbands too) on the Wellness on
Water river cruise in October.
And I was able to get an amendment to my group contract, and extend the special pricing that was set to expire this week. Now I have this extension:
Pricing goes up Jan.31.24! Let me know if you'd like to learn more! I have a reduced solo supplement left!
And - check out this Saturday's Ottawa Citizen travel section. You'll see an ad for the cruise! (As well as digital ads in the Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Halifax editions of Post Media publications.)
I also appeared onDaytime Ottawa. Watch the segment here.
Three steps to Embrace “Your Grace”:
STEP 1.) STEP ON UP - savour, sip, self-care
STEP 2.) STEP ONBOARDyour moving boutique hotel room
STEP 3.) STEP
ONSHOREto cities and towns along the Danube River
Let me know if you'd like to secure your spot.
This will be a 7-night Danube River cruise,
that sets sail from Budapest on Oct. 4, 2024, and heads to Nuremberg, before finishing its voyage with 2 nights in Prague on Oct. 13, 2024. See all the details about when and where, and pricing, along with details on the Travel With, and Travel Alone (with options for solo cabins & solo share program): https://tinyulr.com/LushWellCruise
3. River Cruise Corner - Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat, Champagne
A WEEK WITH YOUR LOVED ONES ON THE FRENCH CANALS Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat,
Champagne
This spring, why not float into a world of ageless French refinement and discover the bright, bubbling soul of Champagne from the luxury of the water aboard my partners at Belmond with their new barge, Coquelicot.
Features: • Elegant and contemporary
interiors • Roomy, indulgent accommodation • Top-deck dining • An exclusive partnership with Ruinart, the world’s oldest champagne house
It's the PERFECT EXCUSE FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE FRENCH GETAWAY
Set sail and discover the hidden gems of France. Vacation packages and exclusive offers provide everything you need for your next adventure.
I'm helping some clients book a wonderful adventure with my Virtuoso and preferred travel partners, Natural Habitat.
Did you know that Natural Habitat is part of the Lindblad Expedition family of companies. And - they are part of the World Wildlife Fund. See https://www.nathab.com/conservation/wwf/
Give the video above a watch. And if you'd like to see the "King of the Arctic" in Churchill, Manitoba—the Polar Bear Capital of the World, let me know!
Each fall, hundreds of polar bears gather along Canada's Hudson Bay, waiting for the sea ice to form and their
seal-hunting season to begin. Guided by expert naturalists, our small-group nature adventures get you closer to wild polar bears, in greater comfort and safety, than anywhere else on Earth.
Religion and spirituality are only getting weirder, according to Tara Isabella Burton. She's been trying to understand why people appear to be becoming both less religious and yet more spiritual at the same time.
The number of people who identify as "spiritual but not religious" has only been growing in the last decade. Burton said she wants to identify why, in some cases, things like self-care, manifestation, and beauty products have filled that void.
"More and more of us do not get a sense of community from, let's say, going to
church on Sundays. More of us do not feel like we have a holy text that, by reading it, we're able to somehow get in touch with the universe," Burton told Tapestry host Mary Hynes.
"The result is a lot of hunger and a kind of gap in the market, unfortunately, that corporations have been very successful at
filling."
Burton is a theologian who explores what happens to the spiritual urge when people give up on organized religion. She said in the absence of religious traditions, people are turning to wellness culture, self-care routines, and manifestation to address a need for spiritual connection.
What do you think? Is this true for you, or not?
Elsewhere in the article, the author notes:
In my book Strange Rites I call this phenomenon "remixing." Basically, [it's] the process of taking different traditions, different rituals, different practices, and kind of creating a bespoke personal religion.
Tell me what you think of this. Is wellness and self-care becoming more important
to you than, say, organized religion? Do you combine both? What's your take on this trend and/or article.
Travel advisors, like me, often have access to a range of exclusive perks and amenities when booking luxury hotels. Here are some special perks I may be able to provide when you book your hotel stay through me:
Room Upgrades:I often have relationships with hotel management (particularly luxury hotels), allowing me to secure room upgrades at the time of booking, ensuring a better view, larger room, or added amenities.
Complimentary Breakfast or Credits: I can negotiate special perks like complimentary breakfast, spa credits, dining credits, or other perks that enhance the overall stay.
Early Check-In and Late Check-Out:Through my connections, I may be able to negotiate early check-in or late check-out times, providing more flexibility with your schedule.
Special Amenities:I may be able to arrange for special amenities in the room upon arrival, such as welcome gifts, champagne, or personalized touches to make the stay more memorable.
Priority Access and VIP Treatment:I can secure priority access to facilities like spas, restaurants, or events within the hotel, ensuring a more exclusive and VIP-like experience.
Customized Experiences:I can arrange unique experiences tailored to your interests, such as private tours, exclusive excursions, or special events within the hotel premises.
Concierge Services:I can often offer personalized concierge services, ensuring your preferences are noted and catered to throughout your stay, from restaurant reservations to special requests.
Flexible Booking and Cancellation Policies:I may be able to negotiate more flexible booking terms or cancellation policies, providing peace of mind in case plans change unexpectedly.
These perks often go beyond what is available through standard booking channels, adding significant value to the overall luxury hotel experience.
I am a Virtuoso luxury advisor, Four Seasons preferred partner, and member of preferred hotel programs like Belmond Bellini,
Rosewood Elite, Accor Luxury Step and Fairmont Famous Agent, Leading Hotels, etc., etc.
I rarely book hotel only reservations for clients (I specialize in river and expedition cruises, customized trips to Australia and Africa), I have ways to leverage my relationships to benefit my clients. Hotel only bookings are subject to my normal professional fees.
https://lushlife.ca/2022-fee-schedule/
See some additional detail on these preferred HOTEL PROGRAMS
Note: There is a stop gap measure if you are planning a last minute trip, and
you only need a hotel stay. If you do not require my assistance, or VIP'ing, or add ons like transfers, concierge service, etc., you can self-book luxury properties on my Virtuoso website. You can now browse and book hotels online https://www.virtuoso.com/advisor/sheilagallanthalloran/travel/luxury-hotels at your convenience. (If you self-book hotels, I will waive normal booking and management fees. But if you need additional assistance after the booking, VIP'ing, transfers, concierge assistance, etc., and/or the hotel stay is part of a larger holiday, normal professional fees will apply.)
8. Special Offers from Lush Life, a Direct affiliate & Virtuoso partner
I run my boutique travel agency, Lush Life Travel, as an affiliate of Direct Travel (formerly called Vision Travel). As Direct is one of the largest
Virtuoso luxury travel network partners, I get access to some terrific offers for my clients.
Here are some offers from a few of our favourite travel supplier partners. Let me know if you'd like to book one of these holidays
When you work with Sheila at Lush Life Travel, you get access to our in-depth knowledge, honed over 18 years experience in travel (with another 20 years in financial services). Atop our foundation of financial risk management skills; we have layered the bricks to build a wall of travel knowledge and relationships.
We leverage all of our expertise to help you live your lush life through travel.
So, schedule a consultation - and - don't forget to
complete this Pre-consultation Survey The call can't be confirmed without it.
