Get Out There Cruise and Travel, LLC

I am often asked if we charge a fee for research or booking travel.  The simple answer is no we do not.  We are paid based on what the company we are booking through pays us.  Nothing more.  It is our pleasure to save you the time of doing the research and allowing us to assist you with planning your next vacation.  So, you have nothing to lose.  Give us a call and let's see if we can find your next vacation.

News from Norwegian Cruise Lines, Oceania, and Regent Seven Seas.  If you have status on one of the three cruise lines mentioned, your status is also recognized on their partner cruise lines.  This is new and matches what other companies are doing.  

Did you know that if you travel on Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, or Silversea cruise lines, your status from on one cruise line is valid on another of their sister cruise lines.  And, most recently Celebrity added new perks for their loyal customers.

MSC Cruises not only matches cruise line status from other cruise lines, I even had one instance where a guest was able to have elevated status by MSC matching their Marriott status.  Now that's flexibility and a nice way to draw new clients to MSC Cruises.

Traveling to Europe in 2026?  ETIAS Update: The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) launch has been delayed until 2027.  Earlier this year, I mentioned it was scheduled to go live in the last quarter of this calendar year.  However, work continues on updates to the system prior to launch.  No scheduled date in 2027 has been released and we will continue to monitor the travel pages for an update and launch date.  At this time, the expected price is expected to be approximately 20 Euros and will be valid for a number of European countries.  The duration of an ETIAS, when launched, will be three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.  Unless something changes, it appears there will be no need to register for ETIAS prior to April 2027 for upcoming European travel

Planning a trip?  Don't forget to add travel protection.  You never know when a trip must be changed or cancelled.  Travel protection can help.  And it covers more than the cost of the trip.  Policies typically cover trip cancellation, baggage delayed or lost coverage, medical coverage, medical evacuation, and more.  

A bit about river cruises:  It has been a challenging year for European River Cruises, particularly on the Danube and Rhine rivers.  The area has been hit with its worst drought in more than 30 years.  That being said, river cruises remain a growing sector in the travel market.  In fact, according to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) approximately one in five people who are first time cruisers opted for river cruises over ocean cruises.  And, these cruises sell out rather fast.  Viking River Cruises has booked more than 40% of their cabins for 2027 cruises and Tauck Cruises states that most people book at least 18 months in advance of their cruise.  Why is this?  It is because these ships carry less than 200 passengers and have less than 100 cabins.  In the past, these cruises appealed to the senior sector but now, there are growing numbers of people in the 46 - 55 age range booking river cruises.  Options for river cruises span many rivers across the globe.  However, among the more popular cruises are those on the Danube, Rhine, Nile, Seine, and Douro rivers in Europe and the Mississippi as well as Columbia and Snake rivers in the United States.  While river cruises tend to be more expensive than many of the mainstream ocean going cruise lines, when you look at what is included, the prices are not much higher.  For example, book your flight through the cruise line and transfers are included to the ship and back to the airport.  Wine, beer, and soda are included with lunch and dinner each day.  Coffee, including specialty coffee is available 24 hours a day and is included.  Wi-Fi is included with your cruise fare and a tour in each port is included.  Book your travel in the early or late part of the cruising season and enjoy a savings on the price of your cabin and you might even find reduced or free economy air.  Don't let this year's drought stop you from booking a memorable cruise.  And, if you don't want to travel to Europe, the Columbia and Snake River cruise from Portland, OR to Clarkston, WA is a beautiful and scenic cruise.  When you are ready to book or learn more about river cruising, contact us and we will be happy to help you.  

Cunard Cruise Line has 2027 voyages available for booking on the Queen Elizabeth.  Reach out to me for more information including itineraries and pricing. 

Although we feature many cruises, please know we offer all-inclusive vacation resorts as well as individually curated vacations tailored to your individual needs.  Let me know what you want to do and how long you want to be away along with a budget and I will help to craft your next vacation.

Did you know that if you own at least 100 shares of a cruise line's publicly traded stock, you can submit a document for onboard credit benefits to shareholders?  If you are a stockholder and need help navigating the document submission, simply contact me.