Review: Pacific Coast Adventure With Globus

By: Michael Walstrom, Senior Travel Consultant (CTA)

Seattle – We arrived a day early and booked an extra night at the Sheraton Grand which is in a great location and has very good rooms.

Day 1: We started at the Starbucks Reserve and then walked the city.  The Space needle and Chihuly Gardens were the highlight of the day.  We met with the group for an orientation at night.  

Day 2: Up bright and early for a city tour and Pike Place Market.  We also grabbed a ferry on our own to Bainbridge Island to spend the afternoon

Day 3: We left Seattle to head to Oregon with a stop at Multnomah Falls and stopping for the night in Portland which still has far too many issues.  

Day 4: After breakfast we stopped at the International Rose test garden and then headed for the beautiful Oregon coast.  We stayed in the seaside village of Newport in an ocean  view balcony room.  As a group we went to a seaside restaurant 

Day 5: We departed to view more of the coast and stopped for a dune buggy ride with the forest on one side and the ocean on the other.  and stayed the night in North Bend at a casino-hotel

Day 6: We headed off to Redwood national park for a little hiking and viewing of the scenic Rogue River.  Took a scenic Jet boat ride on the river. We stayed the night in Eureka, California

Day 7: Early morning back thru the Humboldt Redwoods State Park where Redwoods were enormous and up to 1800 years old.  Journeyed through small towns on the way to San Francisco with a stop in Sausalito which is simply beautiful.

Day 8: After a morning tour of San Francisco with the group (outside of Tourist areas SFO still hurting badly) we headed by Bart to Livermore (spectacular ) to visit some old friends and check out a few wineries.  The following morning we headed home bright & early

Overall a very good adventure and learned a lot about the logistics of how Globus operates the tours  

Review: Alaska With Princess Cruises

By: Amalia Marin, Senior Travel Consultant (CTA)

I just took my very first cruise and chose to go to Alaska with Princess. Since it’s my first cruise, I don’t have anything to really compare it to, but all I can say is that it was a remarkable experience!  

The ship we sailed on was the Crown Princess. I loved all the different amenities, activities, entertainment and dining offered onboard. I think food is very important for most, so I’ll say that their food was really varied, fresh, and delicious. There is something for everybody and the seafood options were especially tasty. Main dining was so incredible that we didn’t even find it necessary to try the specialty dining…but, of course, we tried it anyway and that was a really great experience. 

On days we were at sea we always had something to see and do. There were broadway-style performances, comedians, dance classes, and more. There’s a gym, a spa, a casino, pools, and an area for golf and games.

Aside from the experience onboard the ship, the time we spent at the ports and enjoying Alaska was my favorite. The trip started in Vancouver and we visited Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Icy Strait Point. The towns were very nice but Alaska’s natural wonders are the true reason to visit. We were able to view Hubbard Glacier and we took a few optional excursions as well. We visited a salmon hatchery and enjoyed an outdoor salmon bake. We took a train ride with the most amazing views of mountains, creeks, and forests. We canoed on Lake Harriet Hunt and did a nature trail through the rainforest. 

I loved Alaska and would definitely recommend exploring this beautiful state with Princess cruises.

Review: Oceania Riviera Cruise

By: Autumn Cruse, Senior Travel Consultant (CTA)

Oceania Cruises is a force to be reckoned with! From the beautiful decor, the activities, and the cuisine, it’s truly a small ship luxury indeed. The passengers on the sailing make it all worthwhile. Eight different locations and only two sail days. I had the opportunity to reside in a verandah, but after a visit seeing all categories, there’s not an unfortunate cabin on the ship. Trivia was my favorite…won some great prizes on last day of the sailing. It was a long time away from home, but the favor granted to see and learn for myself what others love was life changing. I’m forever grateful!!! 

Review: Oceania Riviera Cruise

By: Alissa Ashley, Senior Travel Consultant (CTA)

I had a wonderful relaxing time on my Oceania Cruise aboard the Riviera. Unfortunately, the main port of the cruise was Bermuda and was canceled due to bad weather and 30 Ft waves. Oceania did their best to accommodate by adding a stop at Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas which was also canceled due to the currents being too dangerous to boat passengers from the ship over to the island.  Oceania then reported that the itinerary changed to 3 days at sea, 2 days in Jacksonville, FL, 2 days in Charleston, SC and 1 day Port Carnival As you can imagine there were some very upset passengers upon boarding and with the port replacement of Jacksonville. I was very impressed with how Oceania did their best to address the passengers, empathize and tried to add some additional activities. At the end of the day mother nature has a mind of her own and therefore out of Oceania’s control with the main priority being safety.

SOLO Travel:

I decided to travel alone which was a great experience.  For the first 3 nights they offered a single traveler gathering where passengers could get to know each other.  However, I had no problem making friends with passengers traveling together.  All of my shared tabled guests were inviting and fun to sit with.

Cabins:

The veranda cabin I was staying in felt like I was at a very high end hotel.  Rooms were very contemporary, lots of rooms with a sitting area, large bathrooms with a rain shower and the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in.  I’m actually thinking of ordering their beds. 

Ship Feel:

For only having 1150 passengers and 800 staff, I have to say that I saw more staff than passengers.  The boat never seemed crowded except for embarking and disembarking at the ports.  There was always plenty of seating around the ship and in dining areas.  The ship is decorated in art and paintings everywhere.  It actually felt like you were in a museum in certain areas. 

Service:

The Ship Crew and service was impeccable.  I never saw one crew member not in an upbeat mood or willing to assist a passenger with questions or needs. My 2 attendants Soe Soe and Jaun made me feel very welcomed and anything I needed they were able to assist.

Optional Excursions:

Most of the excursions I had paid for were in Bermuda but I did do the Full Day private Island with Lunch in the Bahamas and a city tour of Charleston. Charleston was a very charming town and I walked everywhere within the city admiring the houses, trees and architecture.   All were very organized and Oceania did a great job keeping all the passengers together.

Entertainment:

The offered a wide range of entertainment from comedy shows, listening to the string quartet, wildlife educational talks, yoga classes, karaoke and more.  My favorite activity was High Tea  with the string quartet at 4 pm daily.  It was a nice day to relax and view the ocean.

Dining:

I was able to try all 4 of the Specialty Restaurants, but my favorite was Jacques, the atmosphere made me feel like I was in France. The courses were beautifully presented, delicious and consistent across all courses. My morning ritual was the coffee bar, Barista’s, where I had lots of friendly conversations with other passengers and staff. The juice bar was also one of my regular stop bys to make sure I got my greens for the morning.  The Terrace which was the buffet always had a variety of choices for every kind of eater.  I did hear several past passengers say that they felt that the food was not as good as it was before COVID.

Best Learning Tip:

The biggest learning that came from the cruise was not only experiencing the ship itself but actually listening to the passengers talk about their prior experience with Oceania, the other itineraries they have taken and other competitor cruise lines that they enjoyed. 

I am so grateful for the opportunity to experience Oceania Cruise of the Riviera. Thank you so much for allowing me to go.  I definitely would like to take another cruise with them and actually experience the set itinerary of ports.

Review: Cosmos – Highlights of the Canyonlands

By: Lynette Ehlert, Senior Travel Consultant (CTA)

I had such an amazing adventure on my tour.  It started in Las Vegas and went on to the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Lake Powell, Antelope Slot Canyon, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.

When we arrived at the Grand Canyon and walked out to the south rim the sheer beauty made me cry!  The following morning I took the excursion helicopter ride over the Canyon.  It was so amazing to see from different viewing levels.

Each park we went to I thought wow this is my favorite but in the end Zion National Park was my perfect match!  

I really enjoyed the educational information (history and Science) that the tour director informed us about as we drove from location to location.  I noticed everyone in our group really enjoyed her personality and when things didn’t go as planned she was very quick at finding a resolution.  

Taking this tour has helped me now understand this process from door to door.  Tours are really wonderful for people not looking for just a vacation but an immersive experience.