Posted by David Porter on May 31, 2019 · Leave a Comment
2019 Spring Ocean and River Cruise Sale
People often wonder about the benefit of booking an ocean or river cruise through our travel agency: Roaming Boomers Travel Services.
I wrote this article a few years ago to shed light on that very question.
One of the reasons mentioned in the article was our clout in the cruise industry as a result of our affiliations with Cadence and Virtuoso.
Well, through the end of June, we get to proclaim that clout as our affiliate agency Cadence has put together a special 2019 Spring Cruise Sale.
Here’s what this means to you:
- You will enjoy our expert advice and experience during the booking process
- On the brands listed above, for new bookings made by the end of June, we have extra perks to add to the cruise brands best offers in the marketplace. For example, book an Azamara Club Cruise with us by the end of June and you will not only get the cruise line’s best offer, but we’ll add up to $500 in shipboard credits.
- PLUS, you will also enjoy our renowned Virtuoso Voyages perks in addition to the above-mentioned items.
- And of course, if something breaks while you’re traveling, we’re only a text message away.
Bottom Line
As one of our readers or clients, I hope that I am beginning to convince you that all of your ocean and river cruise bookings should be made through Roaming Boomers Travel Services.
There is no financial benefit to booking directly with the cruise line plus when you book with us you get our advice, expert service, and perks! 🙂
So, if you’re considering booking one of these cruise lines in the coming month, might we earn your business?
To inquire about the specific perks on these exciting ocean and river cruise lines, please call Roaming Boomers Travel Services at (480) 550-1235 or use our convenient online information request (click here) and we will reach out to you.
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
Posted by David Porter on May 29, 2019 · Leave a Comment
Top 10 Trending Summer Destinations for 2019
Our relationship with Virtuoso brings our clients a lot of valuable complimentary VIP perks.
But, as we are now an organization of over 20,000 travel advisors, 1,000 travel agencies, and combined sales north of $26 billion; we are also able to glean a lot of interesting information about the comings and goings of today’s luxury travelers.
The Virtuoso Hot 10 are those countries that have experienced the largest year-over-year percentage increases in summer bookings from our group. Let’s take a look at the top 10 list:
- Chile (+410%)
- India (+173%)
- Puerto Rico (+149%)
- Philippines (+129%)
- Belgium (+111%)
- Kenya (+89%)
- Egypt (+76%)
- Singapore (+73%)
- Costa Rica (+67%)
- Dominican Republic (+58%)
The Hot 10 Analysis: Following a trend first spotted in spring 2019, Chile continues its upswing in popularity by offering a variety of terrain from the Atacama Desert to the Lake District to the Andes Mountains to wine valleys. India and the Philippines are among the more exotic destinations luring visitors with their ability to deliver on the authenticity so desired by luxe travelers. Kenya offers outstanding safari opportunities as well as the wildebeest migration in the Maasai Mara, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and beaches. Travelers looking for sun and sand are escaping to Caribbean destinations such as Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Pop culture tourism is fueling interest in Singapore, the setting for the hit film “Crazy Rich Asians.”
If I had to choose from this list, I would select Belgium and Chile. But there are certainly others on the list that Carol and I would love to visit and some of them we have already visited.
How about you? If you had to pick two of these destinations, which two would you choose? Hit the comments button below and share. 🙂
If you would like to learn more about these or other destinations around the world, come check out our travel dreams website: CLICK HERE.
For more information about our expert help booking one of these fun destinations, please call Roaming Boomers Travel Services at (480) 550-1235 or use our convenient online information request (click here) and we’ll reach out to you.
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
Posted by David Porter on May 17, 2019 · Leave a Comment
Trips of a Lifetime Travel Catalog
Come explore 44 pages of fabulous trips of a lifetime in destinations all over the world.
To view the catalog, just click below.
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
Posted by David Porter on May 16, 2019 · Leave a Comment
Should travelers book early or wait for last-minute travel offers?
Carol and I booked nearly 500 ocean and river cruises last year and one of the oft-asked questions is whether to book early or wait for a last-minute offer.
As with most things in life, the answer to that question isn’t all that cut and dry.
And, to make it even more complicated, the answer can vary depending on the popularity of the itinerary, the time of the year, the general health of the travel industry, and any number of ancillary forces plying on the current situation.
At the moment, if you want a Mediterranean cruise that sails from Athens to Venice, you had better book it immediately. And, at the moment, if you are looking for a cruise out of Miami to the Caribbean, they are a dime a dozen with last-minute offers galore for you.
Plus, the pricing behavior between a cruise line that has 5,000 staterooms to sell on one of those floating cities versus a small-ship cruise line that only holds 700 passengers is going to be radically different.
So, how do we even begin to answer this question? Well, I guess as I said at the beginning, it depends. However, let’s take a stab at a few general rules that will apply to all ocean and river cruises. Also, as we’re not fans of the mega-ships, our answer is going to apply most to those cruise lines with 1,000 or fewer passengers.
Booking Early
- Generally speaking, when an ocean or river cruise line announces a new itinerary, they are very motivated to get the ship booked immediately as each day they have to market a particular cruise costs them money and drives down their profitability. Therefore, the cruise industry is awash with early booking offers.
- The other advantage of booking early is that you will have first dibs on exciting new itineraries and enjoy a great selection of stateroom categories.
- But, the skeptic muses, what if they later lower the price? Well, again, it’s not always a cut and dry answer, but most cruise lines are willing to work with you if they substantially lower a price. However, keep in mind that all cruise line offers will say “this offer is good for new bookings only” in their fine print.
- And lastly, keep in mind that price is not everything. If it were, we’d all drive used Yugos. Right? Seasoned ocean and river cruisers are always the first ones to book new itineraries. Why? They want first access to new itineraries and they have strong opinions about the type of stateroom or suites they desire. They are not willing to leave their desired travel itineraries to chance in hopes of a lower price. It’s really no different than some people finding value in a Mercedes Benz where some people are quite content to drive a Chevrolet. Different strokes for different folks.
Last-Minute Travel Offers
- If you’re one who can take advantage of last-minute offers, then there can be significant savings to be had with last-minute travel offers. Here, the cruise lines are in a “blow ’em out” mentality and cruise prices are often slashed to get the last of their staterooms filled.
- The only problem with this strategy is that you also need to be very flexible on travel dates and the type of staterooms available. It is very common for these flash sales to be offered on the last-to-get-booked staterooms that are often in the belly of the whale. Generally speaking, the most desirable staterooms are not going to be found in these last-minute travel offers unless you happen across a last-minute cancelation.
- As our clients are predominantly baby boomers and older, we find that our clients are very interested in these last-minute offers and they are often featured in our Saturday morning newsletter as they come available.
Summing It All Up
For me, travel is all about experiences. Therefore, while I like a fabulous travel offer (who doesn’t), you’re going to find me standing in the early booking line. When I go to the symphony, I’m paying for front and center seating as I find the experience far better when there is a bit of intimacy with the performers. I’m willing to pay the extra dollar to experience the world’s greatest chefs, and when I travel, I’m willing to pay a little bit more to assure that I get the experience that I am looking for.
So, perhaps the answer lies in understanding what kind of traveler you are. Are you looking for the best experience? Book early. Are you looking for the best deal? Wait for last-minute travel offers.
I told you that this wasn’t going to be an easy answer, but it’s the best I’ve got. 🙂
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
Posted by David Porter on May 9, 2019 · 1 Comment
I spied this guy in Arles, France and simply had to get him in front of my camera lens. Click the photo for a much larger view. ©2019, David A. Porter
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
The Roaming Boomers
