When it comes to taking a cruise on the river or ocean, it’s tough to go wrong.  Both offer incredible views, luxurious amenities, and the opportunity to explore interesting ports.

But each one comes with its own unique perks and depending on your specific needs for your next trip, you might find that one is a slightly better fit than the other.  So, what are the major differences?

One big difference can be summed up in one word: intimacy. River cruises tend to be much smaller (190 max vs. up to 6,200 on the largest ocean cruises), and as a result, you’re much more likely to be interacting with other passengers and crew members.

That smaller scale translates to all areas of the river cruise. You dine on a regular schedule at tables with other passengers (wine is included in the price of the cruise). Instead of 50 different things to do on board, amenities tend to be more modest with river cruises — think libraries, a workout room, cultural programs, and free Wi-Fi vs. ten kids’ playrooms, glitzy Broadway shows, and a skydiving simulator.  There tend to be fewer kids on river cruises, making them popular for couples seeking quiet and relaxed time together.

You stop almost every day at a new port with river cruises, often for walking tours through quaint towns with little tourist traffic, and you’re always in view of the land.  With ocean cruises, you can go days without seeing land, and ports of call and excursions tend to be more exotic and high-adventure. 

Because of their larger size, ocean cruises offer plenty of options for many ages, from young kids to octogenarians, and they are often more able to accommodate a wide variety of special health needs.  For this reason, they tend to make the best option for multi-generational family gatherings that include young children.  For the traveler who is into high-octane adventure, ocean cruises provide a wide variety of activities on board, as well as exotic and more daring day excursions.

River cruises do tend to be more expensive per person — but that price also includes more things.  Ocean cruises have a lower sticker price per person, but you are often charged extra for alcohol and other amenities.

When you’re getting ready to plan your next on-the-water trip, here are a few questions to consider:

1. How many people are traveling?  What are their ages?
2. What time of the year do you want to travel?
3. Do you need the amenities of a mega ship — spas, gyms, a dozen restaurants, and many activities?  Or are you looking for something calmer, more intimate and easy-paced?
4. Are you seeking authentic inter-cultural experiences? Or do you prefer more familiar settings?

As always, I’m here and would love to discuss your next cruise.  We can look at all the moving parts of your upcoming trip — what you need, what you want, what your dream is — and together we can come up with a cruise you and your loved ones will remember fondly for the rest of your life.  When you are ready for the next water trip please contact us here.

If you’re a frequent traveler, you’ve undoubtedly had the near-universal experience of enduring a TSA security line or an immigration line upon re-entry to your home country.

What if you could bypass these lines for good?

You may have heard of Global Entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. You fill out a (fairly lengthy) application, pay $100, and if your application passes the initial phase, you’re invited to an in-person interview/screening at a participating airport. If you pass that phase of the application, you are granted a Global Entry ID. In a nutshell, this is how it works:

At airports, program participants proceed to Global Entry kiosks, present their machine-readable passport or U.S. permanent resident card, place their fingertips on the scanner for fingerprint verification, and make a customs declaration. The kiosk issues the traveler a transaction receipt and directs the traveler to baggage claim and the exit. (www.globalentry.gov)

In addition, people who are approved via the Global Entry program can also participate in TSA Pre-Check, which allows people to skip regular TSA security lines at participating airports and go through an expedited line — without having to remove shoes or other clothing items, open laptops, or do any of the other things that take up time in line. 

Global Entry (and the accompanying TSA Pre-Check) is a good fit for your flying needs if:

• You plan to travel internationally any time in the next five years. The more you travel, of course, the more worthwhile it will be — but many reviewers indicated that Global Entry is worth the time savings even if you travel internationally once a year or less.

• You have the Amex Platinum, Mercedes-Benz Platinum, or Business Platinum (or Centurion) cards, as the $100 fee is refunded to you as a statement credit. Other cards may also offer this reimbursement — check with your credit card company to be sure.

• You live within a reasonable distance of and use any of the airports listed here. The GE program requires the in-person interview, so if the nearest participating airport is several hundred miles from you, it might not be worth it, unless you are a very frequent flier. Participating TSA Pre-Check airlines and airports can be found here.

If you are a Canadian resident, the news is even better! If you qualify for Canada’s expedited-traveler program, called Nexus (which only costs $50), you get Global Entry for free.

In addition to inside info on things like GE and Pre-Check, as your travel advisor, I’ve got tons of helpful hints and connections to make your next trip an amazing one. I would be thrilled to meet with you and plan out your next great adventure! You can reach me by clicking here.

Vacations, even simple weekend getaways, can be full of adventure — that’s part of the great appeal, after all — but if you value a delicious, high-quality meal along with your adventure, then check out these four apps for different travel needs that can direct you to the best places to savor a great meal.

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Christmas season is around the corner. What is best gift for travel lovers? Try these ideas!

When it comes time to buy a travel-loving friend a gift, it’s easy to feel stuck on what to get. Journals are great — but not all travelers are journeyer, and those that are often have at least a few blank ones on hand. Here are unique takes on classic ideas for the various kinds of travelers in your life. 

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