July 2023 Newsletter
Happenings
I book many different types of travel. You can travel by cruise (ocean or river), guided land tour, completely on your own, or a mix of both. The type of travel depends on the person, destination, and the experiences wanted.
The demand for guided land tours has skyrocketed these last few months. Many of my guided land tours are planned more than a year in advance. Choosing guided land tours offers an array of benefits that enhance your travel experience:
Stress-Free Planning: Guided tours handle logistics, accommodations, and activities, allowing you to relax and enjoy the journey.
Enriching VIP Experiences: Most times your tour guide will have special access to a site without you having to wait in the long queues or local experiences you can't find on your own.
Expert Local Knowledge: Professional guides possess in-depth knowledge about the destinations, ensuring you don't miss out on hidden gems and local secrets.
Safety and Security: Travel with peace of mind as expert guides prioritize your safety and navigate you through unfamiliar territories.
Social Connections: Meet like-minded travelers and build lasting memories together.
Guided land tours are a great way to get your toes wet with international travel or travel to those hard to reach places. Where would you want to take a guided land tour?
-Anne
V&V Travel Info
I am finalizing the details of my 2025 Christmas Markets river cruise. It might seem a little early and there are other trips to plan for 2025, but it is never too early for a trip like this. With the Christmas River cruise season about 4 weeks long and with only about 150 passengers per ship, you have to plan early.
I am currently weighing the different Rhine itineraries and ship choices. I have it narrowed down to my top two: Nuremburg to Budapest on the AmaLea or Budapest to Vilshofen on the AmaMagna (wow ship) both traveling mid December 2025. Both are fabulous options!
I plan to make a decision this month and will share the full booking details soon.
Trip Requests
Here are some of the 2023 and 2024 trip requests I worked on this past month:
Italy Adventure - Europe is still on everyone's mind. I had a new client reach out about planning an Italy trip for her and her siblings. I met the leader of the group for coffee and we discussed what she wanted to get out of this trip. After getting to know her and her must see sights, I was able to provide her with some of the best guided land tour options that meet most of their wants. The family was able to quickly narrow down their top choice and I got to work securing their spots. They will be spending 11 days in Venice, Florence, Rome, and Sorrento. They are going to make tons of memories as a family.
Caribbean Honeymoon in Jamaica - A honeymoon client (they leave in a week and half for their own honeymoon) referred me to a friend that recently got engaged and needed to plan her honeymoon for next year. They too wanted an all inclusive honeymoon. After getting to know them and their wants. I presented them with a few resort options in the Caribbean. They decided on Secret's Wild Orchid in Jamaica. This is two Secrets resorts in one. They are going to love the larger resort with lots of activities. I just visited this resort and really liked everything it had to offer. I hope they enjoy their time on the island.
Greece Cruise - A new client reached out about planning a trip to Greece for her family (two teenagers). After some discussion and getting to know her families needs, she selected a Royal Caribbean cruise. The cruise will start in Barcelona, Spain and end in Athens, Greece. Along the way they will stop in Valletta, Malta; Santorini, Greece; Ephesus, Turkey; and Mykonos, Greece. I love when a cruise starts and ends in different city. You get to see so much more.
Alaska Cruises - Alaska Cruise requests are still coming in fast. My requests for Alaska are for 2024 and even 2025. I booked a number of Holland American cruise and land and cruise tours this past month. Holland America is my most booked Alaska cruise line. I hope they all love Alaska as much as I do.
My Groups
II love hosting group trips. Here is where I am heading in the coming year(s). Which one do you want to join me on?
April 2024 - Egypt (SOLD OUT) and Jordan (2 spots remain)- Two tours back to back. In Egypt we will be touring the Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, and Abu Simbel, visiting the Egyptian Museum, cruising for three nights on the Nile, and spending time in the Valley of the Kings. In Jordan we will be spending one night in a Bedouin Camp, touring Petra, floating in the Dead sea, and experiencing a 4x4 excursion in Wadi Rum. Join me on this adventure! Reserve your spot on the Jordan tour here.
October 2024 - Mediterranean Cruise (only a few rooms left) 10 day cruise on Norwegians newest ship the Viva. Visit Greece, Turkey, Italy, and France. Start the cruise in Athens, Greece and end in Rome, Italy. This is an outstanding itinerary. Reserve your spot on this cruise here.
December 2025- Europe Christmas Markets- Coming very soon!
Potential Trips TBD:
Panama Canal Cruise and Costa Rica - Spring 2025
England and Scotland - Summer 2025
African Safari - Summer 2026
If you are interested in joining me on one or all of these trips, please reply to this email.
