Green’s Travel Tips

December 2006

As I see it…

Wouldn’t a Cruise or Escorted Tour make an excellent gift during this holiday time of year?

Why not give a 2007 trip to someone special. There are still some excellent opportunities for New Years Eve cruises even at this late date. Maybe give one to yourself; who is more special?

Popular Locations for travel…

More and more people are taking trips to Europe. The most popular are Scandinavia, the Mediterranean and Escorted Tours in Italy.

There is also a hugh increase in river cruises.

Barb and I traveled China and it was marvelous. It is very reasonable, probably one of the best buys available. The people are great, good shopping and an opportunity to visit places you have always heard about such as the Great Wall and the Terracotta Soldiers. And we never felt threatened by the people so we walked around all by ourselves, even after dark.

Another excellent priced and special trip of historic significance is a river cruise/tour in Egypt. I have always wanted to see the Sphinx and The Great Pyramids for myself. A trip to King Tut’s Museum is said to be so much more spectacular than the traveling exhibit many of us saw when it toured the states. A cruise down part of the Nile and then a visit to Luxor is included as well as time in Cairo.

Other River Cruises of special interest to those with ancestors from Europe are all the rivers in Holland, Germany and France. Each one offers a river cruise and even special holiday trips in December. Ships anchor in the heart of most towns and offer you a guided land tour included with the price. They are beautifully equipped with TV, modern facilities, often local entertainment and always gourmet meals.

Although slightly more expensive, the African Safari is still within the reach of all of us if we choose to spend our dollars that way. Here again you have an opportunity to see this spectacular continent, it’s animals, and enjoy it in comfort. Tours even offer hardwood floors, flush toilets and showers in your tents in the remote jungle as well as exceptional menus. You can return and tell everyone how you roughed it in the jungle, when in fact it is very modern and comfortable.

First Time Cruises…

The Caribbean is still the most popular cruise. You enjoy the tropical climate, beautiful ocean and great weather. Even those who have cruised before find there are many choices from the many different Caribbean itineraries.

Next most popular are the Alaskan Cruises. To really see and experience Alaska consider a cruise tour. That way you enjoy the wonders of the interior of Alaska as well as the spectacular beauty of the glaciers on your cruise. If you are finding a reluctance to cruise on the part of the man in your life, Alaska can be the answer.

I also hear some wives say that their husband wants to cruise the Panama Canal. It may surprise you to know that women find the canal experience very exciting and enjoyable. We have experienced it twice and neither my wife nor I would hesitate to enjoy it again.

As some of you know, in the past 15 years, Barb and I have traveled to 6 continents, 48 countries and 48 states. Every place had something special to enjoy and remember. We buy a little ornament in each country and re-live the trips each Christmas as we decorate our tree.

Industry News…

Princess Cruise Line is the first one to offer e-tickets. Not only does it do away with the piles of documents, but also they are able to provide the e-documents much earlier than before. You can print them out online after full payment and a couple other requirements, 75 days before sailing!

A group of people from Solera is planning a 2007 cruise. Their trip to the Mediterranean is May 25th. The 12-day cruise starts at $2700 including air from Phoenix on a brand new ship - Carnival Freedom. It is a good buy! If you wish to join them, contact me now. Deposits are fully refundable.

We also have two groups going to Alaska and one to Scandinavia; more excellent opportunities.

Single Women…Two single women are looking for a woman to share a cruise. One desires to go to Alaska with our group and one is looking to go to China. Call if you know someone.

Country Brand Index…

This on-line rating service, a product of FutureBrand, a global consultancy, looks at countries overall. They consider how the country ranks in tourism, exports, investments, trade and industry. If you consider all these factors it tends to show that a country that has a high index will be a good place to visit. The 2006 index has Australia as #1 followed by the USA and Italy; great places to vacation.

They also list their choice for the 3 “rising stars”. They are China, Croatia and The United Arab Emirates. We, the USA, are best for families and shopping, whereas Italy gets high marks for nightlife/dining. I believe this website http://www.countrybrandindex.com/ is another tool to help you decide where to vacation.

PASSPORTS: Passport rules continue to change almost daily, especially for the Western Hemisphere. Check when you book travel to be sure you understand the law. My recommendation: get a passport as soon as possible. You are sure to need it if you ever plan to travel out of the United States.

SLAC Member Bob Green
480/664-7354.