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There’s nothing wrong with visiting the same place twice. You can’t possibly see all of New Zealand in one two-week trip, for example, and we’re strong proponents of the annual Hawaiian jaunt or long weekend in Paris.
The destinations on the following pages finished in the top eight of Virtuoso’s online Travel Dreams Tournament, a social media competition in which thousands of votes were cast to determine the ultimate vacation destination. With help from Virtuoso travel advisors, we’ve gathered some ideas for your first time and your next time in each place.
We won’t stop you from planning a third, fourth, or fifth visit, either. 🙂
To explore our Virtuoso 8 Favorite Travel Destinations for 2018: CLICK HERE.
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
Our peers in the travel industry ask us why we’re so high on Viking Ocean Cruises and Viking River Cruises.
It’s simple, really. Viking is a great value, the ships were built for baby boomers, and all of our clients come home happy.
And, it seems that we’re not the only ones high on Viking as the readers of Travel + Leisure just named Viking the #1 Ocean Cruise Line for ships carrying 600–2,199 guests and one of the World’s Best River Cruise Lines.
Now, please understand, Viking is not the perfect cruise line for every type of traveler. But they do occupy that Goldilocks space between the luxury and premium brands. We like to call it luxury without all of the fuss.
Here the scoop from Viking’s recent press release:
Viking Has Been Voted a #1 Ocean Cruise Line Every Year Since its Launch
Los Angeles (July 10, 2018) –Travel + Leisure readers have again voted Viking® (www.vikingcruises.com) to the top of its categories in the 2018 World’s Best Awards, which were announced today by the publication. Viking was named the #1 Ocean Cruise Line for ships carrying 600–2,199 guests and one of the World’s Best River Cruise Lines. In the three years since the launch of Viking’s ocean cruises in 2015, the company has been named a #1 Ocean Cruise Line every consecutive year. Viking has also been voted a World’s Best River Cruise Line every year since the award’s inception in 2010.
Today’s milestone comes on the heels of last month’s launch of the company’s fifth ocean ship, Viking Orion®, and the announcement of the 245-day Viking Ultimate World Cruise, the longest-ever continuous world cruise itinerary. Travel + Leisure is the largest travel magazine brand in the U.S., and since 1995 its readers have been asked to cast their votes for the World’s Best in cruising with considerations in the following cruise features: cabins/facilities, food, service itineraries/destinations, excursions/activities and value. Viking will also be featured in the magazine’s World’s Best issue, which will be on newsstands on July 27; the full results of the awards can be found at www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best.
“We have been offering ocean cruises for three years, and for all three years we have been voted the world’s #1 ocean cruise line. To receive such a positive reception so quickly and consistently is unprecedented and a great honor,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. “From our beginning, we have set out to do things differently. We focus on the destination, providing what we believe to be a better value than any other cruise line. We want to thank our guests and the readers of Travel + Leisure for embracing the Viking way of travel and for again bestowing upon us two awards in a single year.”
Today’s announcement from Travel + Leisure adds to an impressive list of recent accolades for Viking. Earlier this year, the company’s first three 930-guest sister ships, Viking Star®, Viking Sea®, and Viking Sky® dominated the Cruise Critic® 8th Annual Cruisers’ Choice Awards, receiving 10 First Place honors. Viking’s fourth ship, Viking Sun®, which was still in its first months of service, also debuted on the Awards list. All four ships have also been awarded a top rating of five stars by Cruise Critic. In 2017, Viking was voted the Best River Cruise Line by Condé Nast Traveler in the publication’s 2017 Readers’ Choice Awards. Town & Country also named Viking’s ocean cruises “Best for Design” and “Best Overall, Contemporary Luxury” in the magazine’s Cruise Awards. It also named Viking’s river cruises “Best for Suites” and “Best for Design.” And in its 10th annual Editors’ Picks Awards in 2017, Cruise Critic honored Viking with five awards, more than any other river or ocean cruise line. Viking was recognized in the river and luxury ocean categories, with awards that point to key differentiating factors for the brand: Best for First-Timers, Best Enrichment, Best Shore Excursions, Best Spa and Best-Value-for-Money.
Quickly-expanding Viking plans to add seven new river vessels to its fleet in 2019, including six award-winning Viking Longships® and one additional vessel inspired by the Viking Longships and specifically designed for Portugal’s Douro River. Viking also is targeting February 2019 to welcome its sixth ocean ship, Viking Jupiter®.
The Viking Difference
Designed for discerning travelers with interests in history, art, music and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers guests “the thinking person’s cruise” as an alternative to mainstream cruises. Ships are small to get guests closer to their destination, with more time in port and more overnights. On board, guests find serene Scandinavian spaces, where every room is both beautiful and functional, quiet and filled with light. With the most al fresco dining opportunities at sea, featuring regional cuisine and always-available American classics, Viking’s guests can truly dine in their destination. A focus on cultural enrichment brings immersive experiences on shore and on board. And only The Viking Way® of exploration provides guests with itineraries that feature Local Life, Working World and Privileged Access® experiences.
In addition, Viking offers the best value at sea, with each cruise fare including much more than what competitors offer—an included value of more than $200 per person per day for an average cruise. Every cruise fare includes an outside stateroom, a complimentary shore excursion in each port of call, all onboard meals, and all port charges and government taxes. Guests also enjoy many complimentary amenities as part of their fare, including: beer and wine with lunch and dinner service; alternative restaurant dining; Wi-Fi; self-service laundry; access to the Thermal Suite in the LivNordic Spa; and 24-hour room service.
Booking Details
To learn more about a Viking Ocean or River Cruise, or to book a fun cruise, 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.
Please also enjoy this article: The Best Way to Book and Ocean or River Cruise
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
Click image for the full report
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, 2017 was a record year for international tourism.
International tourist arrivals grew for the eighth consecutive year, a sequence of uninterrupted growth not recorded since the 1960s. Destinations worldwide welcomed 1,323 million international tourist arrivals, some 84 million more than in 2016.
Where are all of these billions of people traveling? Well, here’s the breakout:
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And, do you wonder who is seeing the largest increases? Here are those numbers:
And who are the world’s top travel spenders?
And lastly, what areas of the world are predicted to grow the most in 2018?
So, I suppose some might wonder why all of this matters. Well, with over half of the world’s travelers headed to Europe, we would tell you to be mindful to book early and avoid the busy summer season.
We have personally been very focused on Europe as European river cruises and Mediterranean ocean cruises are so popular. And while we don’t see that changing anytime soon, we are aware that we need to focus some attention on the Asia Pacific region.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see me get over my self-imposed 10-hour flight limit and find myself on the shores of Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Japan, or even back to our beloved Bora Bora.
How about you? Are you ready to explore a new and exciting region? Then, come poke around our Virtuoso Travel Dreams Website where you can find literally hundreds of thousands of experiences all over the world. It’s easily searchable by date, region, and desired mode of travel.
And lastly, as we say, “Life’s a trip. Let’s go have fun!”
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
Carol enjoying a Green Burrito at Rito’s
I shared with you in this article that I have been on a quest to find the best Mexican cuisine in Scottsdale and Phoenix.
While Carol doesn’t necessarily share my passionate crusade (she’s not willing to try unusual things), she is a good sport and comes along to enjoy the more pedestrian items on the menus.
While I haven’t written articles about some of our adventures, we’ve enjoyed Oaxaca Burritos at Carolina’s (YUM) and the Green Burittos at Rito’s (YUM).
Carolina’s had the vibe of a very busy diner, where Rito’s was a take-out only joint with a long stream of cars parked on the street in front of the restaurant. I’d recommend both and will absolutely visit both again.
Click for larger view
For the fourth stop on our journey to find the best Mexican cuisine in Scottsdale and Phoenix, we made a stop at Roland’s Cafe Market Bar in Phoenix.
Roland’s is unusual as the restaurant is a mashup of a James Beard Award-Winning pizzamaker (Chris Bianco) and Nadia Holguin and Armando Hernandez whose restaurant Tacos Chiwas received national acclaim from Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
We made our visit to Roland’s after picking up a friend at the airport who was coming in to spend the 4th of July with us. Roland’s is a short skip from the airport, and we arrived in time to enjoy their weekend brunch menu.
When I saw Menudo on the menu, I immediately ordered it as I have always wanted to give it a try.
Here’s this from Wikipedia about Menudo:
Menudo, or pancita ([little] gut or [little] stomach, from Spanish: Panza; “Gut/Stomach”) is a traditional Mexican soup, made with beef stomach (tripe) in broth with a red chili pepper base. Hominy, lime, onions, and oregano are used to season the broth. Menudo is traditionally a family food prepared by the entire family and often serves as an occasion for social interactions such as after wedding receptions where the families of the groom and bride go to either family’s house to enjoy a bowl of menudo before and after the ceremony.
Menudo is time intensive to prepare, as the tripe takes hours to prepare. It includes many ingredients and side dishes (such as salsa) and is often prepared communally and eaten at a feast. Documents from the Works Progress Administration indicate that in the 1930s, among migrant workers in Arizona, menudo parties were held regularly to celebrate births, Christmas, and other occasions.
In the United States, since the mid-20th century, prepared menudo has been common in food stores and restaurants in cosmopolitan areas and in other areas with a significant Mexican population. Restaurants often feature it as a special on Saturday and Sunday, and the folklore belief that menudo will alleviate some of the symptoms of a hangover is widely held.
Mortadella Quesadilla
Now, neither Carol nor our friend Karen would try the Menudo (pictured at the top), but let me just say, “it was out of this world”. The broth was beyond delish and I was quick to learn why I had two pieces of toast on my plate. YUM. YUM. YUM. I suppose some might find the rubbery texture of the tripe offputting, but I enjoyed the dish immensely and will definitely be back for more.
Tip: bring one of those plastic flossers with you. You’re going to need it after this dish.
Carol ordered the Mortadella Quesadilla. This is definitely an homage to Chris Bianco. However, to be completely honest, I found it to be a bit on the bland side.
Chorizo Burritos
Our friend Karen ordered the Chorizo Burrito. She raved about it so much that Carol and I have been back to Roland’s for a second visit and I ordered this dish. YUM, it was. YUM!
Well, there you have it. We’ve visited and enjoyed four different Mexican restaurants offering authentic Mexican cuisine.
But, have we found the best Mexican cuisine in all of Scottsdale and Phoenix?
I don’t know. Do you have an opinion? Share it with us in the comments section below.
You know, now that I think about it. I need to ask our friend Chef Mel Macinas. DOH. Why didn’t I think of that earlier?
OK. That’s it for now. It’s Saturday morning and I’m thinking that we might go explore the tacos at Tacos Chiwas. 🙂
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Roaming Boomers Travel Services is an Independent Affiliate of Cadence, a Virtuoso® member. CST#201120-40
The Roaming Boomers