As professional travel agents, it’s our job to stay up to date and keep you informed about the ever-changing world of travel. Below you will find our latest batch of travel tips to help you travel better. Please read on, and, if you have any additional questions regarding these topics or others, we’re only a phone call, email or text away.
Family reunions made easy.
Why Cruising is Ideal for Family Reunions
Family reunions should be time well spent strengthening the ties that bind you together. But too often, the daily grind of cooking, cleaning and keeping everyone entertained is exhausting for all those involved. That’s why having your family reunion on a cruise is the perfect solution: simply select the destination, step on board and let the crew take care of the rest. Endless food and drinks, entertainment galore, luxurious pools, lounges and well-planned shore excursions — what more could you ask for?
Perfect for families of all shapes and sizes, cruises offer plenty of space, whether you want to spend time together or need quiet time apart. Planning special events is also a snap with the help of your travel agent, who can arrange everything from a celebratory dinner in a private dining room to a group excursion in one of the exciting ports of call. And if you plan far enough in advance, your cabins can be placed near one another, with connected rooms specially designed for families.
The diverse range of onboard activities is also perfect for multi-generational groups. From zip-lining and waterslides to wine tasting and cooking classes, cruise ships cater to all ages and interests. Even better, most of these activities are included in the price of your fare — as are numerous dining choices and nightly entertainment, like movies and Broadway shows — making a cruise an incredible value. Depending on the size of your group, you may qualify for a group discount!
And all those travel plans that are so hard to keep track of? Your travel agent will work with individual family members to book their flights and arrange transportation to and from the ship. Instead of calling you when plans change, Aunt Rita can call your travel agent! Your family will love this stress-free way to vacation.
Relax at Sandals Resorts.
How to Escape on a Mental Health Retreat
In today’s world, it’s not uncommon to enjoy a mental health day. That’s a day we take off from work or school to step back from our hyper-connected, over-stimulated world and focus on the basics: reducing stress, eating healthy and disconnecting from the noise. But sometimes a day is not enough to break free and establish better habits. That’s where mental health retreats — short or long vacations focused on your well-being — come in. These come in many forms, here are some ideas to get you started.
Reducing Stress
For some, life has become a giant, stressful to-do list. Transport the kids to and from their endless activities. Finish the report so you can start on the next one. Take the dog to the vet, get groceries, clean the house, attend school events … the list goes on. On a mental health retreat, your to-do list is reduced to one item: relax. A few days at an all-inclusive resort will help you achieve this. Everything you could possibly need — food, beach, sunshine, drinks — is at your fingertips. The most stressful choice you’ll make all day is picking which pool to relax next to. Surrounded by palm trees, listening to the gentle waves, sipping on a favored beverage, knowing you get to do it all again the next day, now that’s a great way to reboot your soul.
Fuel your voyage with fresh flavors. Eating healthy on vacation never looked or tasted this good.
Eating Healthy
Some people enjoy going off their diets while on vacation, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, for those who wish to return from a vacation as a stronger, healthier version of themselves, then it’s important to eat right. You’ll find a plethora of healthy food options when cruising, another stress-reducing way to travel. Many cruise lines feature restaurants focused on delicious and nutritious fare, such as Blu on Celebrity Cruises, Razzle Dazzle on Virgin Voyages and the Solarium Bistro on Royal Caribbean.
The best way to complement eating healthy is by drinking smarter. Your mental health retreat will be more successful the less alcohol you consume. Thankfully, most cruise lines offer a wide array of mocktails and other drink alternatives to enjoy. For example, the Mango Mule on Regent Seven Seas Cruises combines mango puree, honey, lime, cucumber and ginger ale for a refreshing beverage, while Cunard’s Bee-Dazzled bases its flavors around the alcohol-free mixer Seedlip Spice 94, a warming blend of allspice and cardamom.
Relax and rejuvenate at Bliss Spa onboard Norwegian Cruise Line.
Disconnecting from the Noise
We all love our phones, but our attachment to them can be a bit dysfunctional. Popular apps are designed to be addictive, and too often we find ourselves staring down to check Instagram for the tenth time or reading work emails instead of looking up to enjoy real life in glorious 3-D.
It’s wise to reduce your phone use while embarking on any type of mental health vacation, giving you the literal peace of mind to properly appreciate the sea views and delicious food in front of you. But if you lack the strength to leave your phone in your room while you head to the beach, some destinations will take it for you. Offering digital detox packages, several resorts and tour providers will manage your phone use, physically keeping your devices away and only allowing you to check them for small periods of time. The resulting feeling is quite freeing, empowering you to be more in the moment and fully enjoy your vacation.
Off-the-Beaten-Path Destinations: Ushuaia, Portugal & Singapore
Marvel at the dazzling Supertree Grove in Singapore.
Singapore – Where Nature and the Future Meet
Singapore feels like a city that asked itself: What if nature, technology and luxury could get along? And then it made it happen. Gardens in the sky, waterfalls indoors, trees that glow at night — this is a city that is fantastical and dreamlike, but with a strong technological backbone.
Marina Bay Gardens at dusk is like a living art installation, with supertrees — towering, tree-like structures that integrate lush gardens and innovative environmental technologies — lighting up the skyline. The city doesn’t shout. It hums — every detail intentional, from glassy skyscrapers to quiet green spaces. Floating in the infinity pool at Marina Bay Sands hotel, the lines between sky, water and glass blur into one shimmering horizon.
Singapore thrives on contrast. One minute you’re grabbing $3 laksa noodles at a hawker stall, the next you’re sipping a rooftop cocktail above glowing towers. Even the chaos feels controlled. It’s not just a city that you visit — it’s a city that performs.
Let Viking take you from Lisbon’s charm to the stunning landscapes of the Douro River.
Portugal – Like a Wes Anderson Film, But Real
Portugal seems like it was designed with soft colors and perfect symmetry — sun-bleached facades, pastel buildings and patterned tiles that repeat. Lisbon, with its yellow trams and steep hills, feels like a Wes Anderson film: whimsical but real.
But to truly feel Portugal’s rhythm, follow its rivers — especially the Douro. A river cruise here takes you past rolling vineyards, terraced hills and sun-drenched villages that appear untouched by time. The water moves slowly. You move slowly. That’s the point.
Lisbon blends old and new seamlessly. You can start your day savoring a pastel de nata from a centuries-old bakery and then wind down at a rooftop bar overlooking the river. Porto embraces its rugged charm, where cobblestone streets wind past iron bridges and riverside cafés invite you to slow down, sip local wine and soak in the city’s effortless allure.
Explore the breathtaking landscapes of Ushuaia, the end of the world.
Ushuaia – The Edge of the Map, but Not the Story
Ushuaia isn’t just the southernmost city on Earth — it’s where the map fades out and the wild takes over. Jagged mountains plunge into icy waters, clouds hang low over sharp peaks and the Beagle Channel stretches toward Antarctica.
The city is simple — colorful rooftops, streets sloping toward the sea — but the landscapes around it are raw and ancient. Walk through Tierra del Fuego National Park and you’ll find moss-covered forests, glacial lakes and penguins waddling along rocky shores. The weather changes fast, the wind never really stops and nature always takes center stage.
Many see Ushuaia as a gateway to Antarctica. But pause here for a moment, and you’ll realize it’s much more. It’s not the end of the world. It’s where the adventure really begins.
There is no better place to experience an eclipse than at sea.
More Than a Trip: How Special Events Can Shape Your Next Vacation
Sometimes, it’s not about where you go — it’s about when. Event-based travel takes the usual vacation blueprint and flips it. It’s not about hitting landmarks or ticking boxes. It’s about timing your trip around something fleeting, something unique. A festival. A game. A cosmic event that makes people stop and look up at the sky. Because when a place becomes the backdrop to a once-in-a-lifetime moment, it shifts. It hums with energy, with people who are all there for the same reason. Suddenly, it’s not just travel — it’s an experience that anchors itself in your memory.
Take music festivals. They’re not just stages and crowds; they’re cultural moments. Head to England in June and you could time your trip to see the legendary Glastonbury Festival. But don’t go straight to the fields. Arrive a few days early and explore Bath — a city of Georgian terraces, Roman baths and the kind of calm that makes the coming chaos of Glastonbury feel even more electric. Then, when you finally stand in a sea of people, the contrast makes it better. The music’s louder, the lights brighter, all of it bigger because you earned it.
Sporting events do something similar. They pull entire cities into the moment. Think of the energy before a major football match — the pubs spilling out onto the streets, scarves waving, fans singing in unison. Or the quiet tension of a tennis match at Wimbledon, the hush before a serve. Sports fuse place and passion. Even if you’re not a die-hard fan, the collective energy pulls you in. And suddenly, you care.
Then there are moments you can’t recreate — like a total solar eclipse. It’s not something you usually plan around, but when the timing’s right, it’s worth following. Virgin Voyages, for example, takes this to another level, offering cruises that put you right in the path of totality. Imagine standing on the deck of a ship, somewhere between Ibiza’s sun-soaked coastline and the wide-open sea, as daylight fades into that surreal, brief twilight of an eclipse. Or heading to Iceland, where volcanic landscapes meet the darkening sky for a natural show that feels otherworldly.
Traveling for an event isn’t just about the event itself. It’s about the build-up, the anticipation and how the place around it changes because everyone is there for that shared moment. It’s travel with a pulse — something that lingers long after you’re home.
