Memorial Day 2021

Recently there has been a movement in our country to erase history by removing statues and censoring what is revealed about the past. Today, however, we look back at history and remember those brave men and women who fought for our freedom, and made our country what it is today. As the famous song by Billy Ray Cyrus says, “All gave some … some gave all”. Let us not forget them or erase their memory.

History of Memorial Day: Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. May 30th was chosen for Decoration Day because it was believed that flowers would be in bloom all across the country.

On Memorial Day the flag should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until noon only, then raised briskly to the top of the staff until sunset, in honor of the nation’s battle heroes. In the early days of our country, no regulations existed for flying the flag at half-staff and, as a result, there were many conflicting policies. But on March 1, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower issued a proclamation on the proper times.

You will notice in the collage above, that the flag is flying at half-staff. Those pictures were taken during our visit to the American Cemetery in Normandy, France. It was very moving seeing row after row of graves. For more pictures from our visit to Normandy, see my previous posts on the topic and also our cruise vacations website.

I've mentioned several times in the past about the opportunity to relive history while on a cruise vacation. This is especially true in Europe due to the large battle field from the World Wars. Whether your cruise vacation takes you to Normandy, France or Honolulu, Hawaii, please take some time to visit a historical site and pay your respects to the troops that fought to keep America strong. We have done so on several cruises and of all the trips we've taken, those tend to stand out in my mind. Don't forget to bring you children with you so that they too can learn about war first hand.

As Albert Schweitzer said "... Wargraves are the great communicators of peace ..." Perhaps another more striking quote was by George Santayanan who said "Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

And who can forget those immortal words of President John F. Kennedy: "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. "

To the brave men and women, living and deceased, who have taken President Kennedy's charge to heart, Thank You for your Service. May we never forget the sacrifices you have made.

To those men and women who didn't pay the ultimate sacrifice, cruise lines would like to thank you on this Memorial Day and throughout the year.   Following are just a couple examples of cruise lines that provide discounts to current military and veterans and their families.   Ask us how you can take advantage of these special rates.

Royal Caribbean Offers

Princess Cruises Offers

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Loyalty Has Its Rewards

Loyalty Programs Are Everywhere

Hotels, Airlines, Cruise Lines, Restaurants, Businesses

Loyalty programs are nothing new. We bet that your key chain has several key fobs for local establishments, your wallet may have several loyalty cards, and your cell phone has more loyalty apps than games (oh and it can still make calls too).

The travel industry was among the early adopters of loyalty programs. Airlines and hotels reward points for each trip. Those points can be saved and used for future travel discounts or other benefits.

 Cruise lines followed suit with a multi-tier approach. The more you sail, the more rewards you are entitled to (airlines are the same these days as well).  Rewards typically offer benefits before and during your cruise.  Before your trip, you may be able to take advantage of special pricing.   During your trip you may get early boarding, discounts on onboard experiences, and other amenities.  As you advance through the levels, the benefits improve, so that tends to tilt the scales in favor of one cruise line over another when planning your trips.

The purpose of loyalty programs is really quite simple.  The businesses recognize that you have choices, and through the incentive program, are hoping that you will select them.

Book Onboard

It's probably pretty safe to say that most travelers are aware of the various loyalty programs for the suppliers they are using for their vacation.   Those same travelers may not be aware of the cruise line's book on board incentives.   These programs come in various names such as "Next Cruise".  There are different flavors of the programs these days.  Most offer two choices;   book a specific cruise (often with a better incentive) or book an open-ended trip which can be finalized at a later date.  Deposits are usually reduced, there are typically on board credits (OBC) involved, and your travel professional who helped you plan the trip you are on will get the booking so that they can assist you in planning your next cruise as well.

We have just enhanced our Loyalty Cruise Perks offer.  You can "double dip".  Not only can you reap the benefits of booking on board your current cruise, but you also have up to 30 days to cash in on incentives with us as well.   Use the reward towards shore excursions, hotels stays, resorts for a day, or an OBC.   Click on the link to learn more about this program.  But wait, there's more ...

Referral Program

We've taken things a step further.  You know the value of a travel professional in helping sort our the maze of cruise choices.   You work hard to earn your vacation dollars and want to be assured you've selected the right cruise based on your requirements for that trip.   Time is money and getting answers to questions that come up along the way is another one of the intangible benefits your cruise specialist provides. 

Why not share your travel professional's details with your family and friends?   A new program is launching shortly where you can become a Vacation Superhero by doing just that.

Stay tuned for complete details about the program.   All we can tell you for now,is that it will be rewarding for you.


Wait ... There's Still More

It just so happens that October is CLIA's National Plan a Cruise Month and This Week is Customer Appreciation Week.   We are saying Thank You to our Loyal Customers with additional offers which can be combined with the offers from cruise lines for #ChooseCruise month.

 

National Plan A Cruise Month Promotions 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

Choose Cruise Month (click for mini-series)

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National Shop for Travel Day

January 8th is National Shop for Travel Day and it couldn't come at a better time during Wave Season. If you've never heard of Wave Season before, read on.

Wave (n) A long body of water curling into an arched form and breaking on the shore

Despite the image, that's not the definition we have in mind. The cruise industry's "Wave Season," which takes place between January and March, is when cruise lines offer some of their very best extra-value incentives for booking cruise vacations.

Timing is Everything - Plan Early

January to March is the time when there are the most consumers looking at cruise vacations.   You might have special needs / wants, such as a mid-ship location, larger cabins holding 3 or more passengers, a handicapped cabin, an itinerary on a particular small ship that has limited occupancy.   You probably aren't the only ones with similar requirements.  To quote a popular saying, "the early bird gets the worm".

When looking at special needs such as triple or quad occupancy, handicapped cabins, mid-ship location, etc., there are a finite number of cabins that meet those classifications.   These are among the first cabins selected by early planners.  If you wait until late in Wave Season, or worse, later in the year, you may not be able to find your choice, or at the very least, will pay a premium for that selection.

Taking Advantage of Wave Season


What's the best deal during Wave Season?  There are so many offers during Wave Season, it's hard to determine what's the best deal to take advantage of.   We'd suggest you focus on offers that provide cabin upgrades, free or reduced airfare, and other amenities which typically aren't available year-round.   We have offers crossing our desk every day throughout Wave Season.  We'll do our best to publicize them on our website, here in this blog, and limit a few to our Facebook Fans only.   So be sure to sign up for our eNewsletter, subscribe to this blog, and become a fan on our Facebook Page.   Call or email us with your bucket list and we can keep watch for you during the next couple of months.

In closing, take advantage of this special season - you deserve a vacation and you deserve to get the best value.

We offer our Best Price & Satisfaction Guarantee so plan with confidence and Take to the Waves this Wave Season.   

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Tis The Season To Give Travel

Meet Us at Streamwood High School

Select from Cruises, Resorts, & Tours

We have a booth at Streamwood High School's Holiday Arts Extravaganza sponsored by Streamwood Choral Society.  For those in the area, it is your chance to meet us in person to discuss your vacation plans, pick up some brochures, and take advantage of our exclusive offers.

What will be under your tree this Holiday Season?  Where will you be spending your holidays?  It is already snowing here in Chicagoland, so odds are we will have a white Christmas.  Wouldn't you rather be on a white sandy beach than shoveling snow?   Can't get away until after the holidays, wrap up a gift that will be remembered for years to come.  We can help you plan a cruise, resort, or tour for a winter get away.  We can even help with the gift wrapping.  Stop by our booth to talk about it, and your wishes could come true. 

Exclusive Offers

Even if you aren't able to visit us at our booth, you can still take advantage of our special offers like this one from Celebrity Cruises.

Celebrity Edge, the most anticipated new ship this year, will be arriving in Florida next week. We'll be attending an special Press and Trade Event onboard the new ship after Thanksgiving. We will be sharing live images from the ship during the event, so be sure to follow us on our various social media accounts.  For a limited time, your tips are on us for select Celebrity Edge cruises.

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