Photo courtesy of Linblad Expeditions
A few weeks ago I wrote about seeing puffins in the wild, and what surprised me the most about these birds was how small they are. Being the size of a duck, puffins are bit difficult to observe from 15 decks up. This made me think about a number of other wildlife encounters that are best experienced on a small ship cruise. In fact, some of the best wildlife viewing around the world is on a small ship.
8/17/2017
KIA ORA! (Part 2)Last week I shared the first part of our three week itinerary on the North Island. This week continues with the South Island portion of the itinerary. Nelson
We gave up our car in Wellington and hopped on the fast ferry which took us across the beautiful Cook Strait into Picton. Here we picked up another car and headed off to Nelson. We didn't include time to go into Abel Tasman Park, but Nelson is the perfect base for those who want to explore the park and boutique wineries in the area. 8/10/2017
KIA ORA!At a recent meeting we were asked to share our most favorite travel experience. Well, I certainly have been very fortunate with respects to travel, having been on numerous memorable trips to spots all around the world (six continents and counting!). So when it comes to a favorite, I have several, for very different reasons.
But when pushed to choose only one, I consistently come back to the same, one destination. One of the fastest growing markets in the travel industry these days is multi-generational travel. It could be because 10,000 boomers are retiring every month, and many love to travel. Maybe they realize how quickly time passes by, and now is as good a time as ever to tackle that bucket list. Maybe they realize how travel brings families together, reconnecting and strengthening bonds.
Whether its three generations (grandparents, children and grandchildren) or two (grandparents and grandchildren, parents and children, aunts and nieces and nephews), there are many destinations that can be explored together to create memories you just can't stop talking about. 6/28/2017
Are You A "Yachtie" AT HEART?Are you a "yachtie" at heart? I know many of us who love to cruise are. Sailing those bright, beautiful turquoise waters is such a great way to simply relax and enjoy life! Right?
Most of my cruising has been on bigger ships, but my best memories are from excursions taken on small sail ships. A day at sea on a catamaran from Cairns to Michelmas Cay to snorkel on the 5/25/2017
Worthy Day Trips From ZurichWhenever I take a cruise that includes a significant investment in airfare (i.e. Europe), I try to add a few a extra days pre/post cruise. Why not? I'm already there, so I take advantage of the opportunity whenever my schedule allows it.
I did just that last month both before and after my Rhine River cruise. Prior to, I spent a few days in Zurich and explored the beautiful surrounding region. I'll share more about my time after in Amsterdam in another post. |
Laurie Marschall - Owner and Founder
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