Early Christmas Presents!

 Traveling...it leaves you speechless. Then it turns you into a storyteller. ~ Ibn Battuta

When I was younger, I traveled by organizing everything myself more often than not. Much of our early traveling as a family and as a couple revolved around the DH's business trips and how I, and often our daughters as well, might tag along. It involved lots of non-revenue flying (the DH worked for 3 different airlines over his career), searching for affordable hotels, and studying maps of public transit for exploring once we reached our destination. I researched the area and had jam-packed itineraries for us each day. Frankly, I was, as my dad used to say, like "a fart in a skillet," frenetically micromanaging everything and yet dissolving into ether that left nothing but a bad smell. I was so afraid of missing something I might never get the chance to do again, I exhausted everyone. 

Once we began cruising, I calmed down and hung up my "do-it-myself" attitude. It is possible to book through the individual cruise line itself, but if there was any snag, I decided we needed a "go-between." We began using travel agents to settle our details. I started with Vacationstogo. They are sort of a clearing house of many different cruiselines and destinations, and did just fine for us when we'd take our every other yearly week-long cruise. But when we decided to go big with our first world cruise, I thought we needed the help of someone who specialized in extended travel.

Enter Teresa Skeim and Cruise Specialists. What she brings to the table is experience and the ability to ask the right questions. The company has been in business since 1987, so I have confidence in their fiduciary responsibilities regarding our payments to the cruise line. Also in this not-so-brave-new-world of online scam artists, it's harder for someone to come along and highjack our booking since it would have to go through CS. 

Thanks, Teresa and Cruise Specialists!

Plus they offer lots of extra perks, friendly reminders about visas and vaccine requirements, ticklers for when excursion bookings open, and not least, extra onboard credit and a rebate on our fare after the trip. 

Yesterday, a big box arrived with cruise goodies from Cruise Specialists: 2 fleece vests, 2 thermos style water bottles, two bags suitable for laundry or beach days, a calendar with our itinerary printed on each day, bookmarks (though we only travel with our libraries in our pockets these days!), a coaster, and 2 net bags filled with mini notebooks and pen, two bag tags each and a World Cruise pin. 

Then not to be outdone, we received a packet from Viking with 2 more red leather bag tags. You can never have too many! And once we're on the Sky, if past is prologue, Viking will be leaving us "pillow gifts" of a World Cruise jacket and baseball cap each. Nice not to have to pack those from home.

But back to Teresa for a minute...In case you're not convinced about what a good travel agent can do for you, let me refer you to our 2021 family cruise to Alaska debacle.  We were taking a party of 8 (4 balcony cabins) on a 7 day cruise out of Seattle on Princess, when out of the blue all our bookings were cancelled "out of an abundance of caution" because I have to travel with portable oxygen concentrators for a lung condition.  

The kids had all arranged for vacation time from their jobs. My nephew got his first ever passport and had bought a new suit for the formal nights. My parents were so looking forward to sharing the experience of Alaska with so many of us all together. 

It was devastating when everything--even the flights--was cancelled without so much as a whoopsy daisy.

But Teresa rolled up her sleeves and even with all of our "must haves," found us another option on Norwegian. Our family trip was an incredible time! 

As we count down the days for our next adventure, thank you again, Teresa and all the good folks at Cruise Specialists! Merry Christmas!