Ship’s Tours, Private Tours or Doing It On Your Own

Goldring Travel July 31, 2008

I am frequently asked if the generic question of I would recommend taking a ship’s tour. My answer invariably is, “It depends.” And it depends on a number of factors. The first thing I look at is whether there is anything unique about the tour. In October I am taking a Seabourn tour in Kusadasi

On It’s Way…Finally

Goldring Travel July 31, 2008

The Clipper Pacific finally set sail from Tampa, Florida late on July 29th after completing numerous repairs. In addition to the failed steel plating being replaced, numerous other safety violations were addressed. The reports are that the crew was cooperative and they attended to many of the violations that were not required to be completed

Clipper Pacific Update – Still in Tampa and The News Is Not Great

Goldring Travel July 25, 2008

I wanted to give those of you interested an update on the Clipper Pacific…and it is not really very good news. She remains in Tampa and, according to a U.S. Coast Guard release late yesterday there is work being done to replace a 5 foot by 6 foot plate of steel along with some internal

Seabourn Odyssey – The Details.

Goldring Travel July 21, 2008

So what is this new Seabourn Odyssey all about? First, let me state the obvious…which might not be that obvious to those who have not cruised on Seabourn. The new ship is about service. Consistent service. The service you expect. Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean have far more toys and venues than the Odyssey, but

Clipper Pacific Is An Old Friend – My Introduction to Cruising

Goldring Travel July 18, 2008

I was reading Cruise News Daily (a favorite of mine) this evening and discovered that the Clipper Pacific is the old Royal Caribbean Song of Norway. She is the first cruise ship I was ever on. An old girlfriend of mine, Kelly S., worked for a design firm in Coconut Grove, Florida (while I was

It’s The Annual Awards Season – Yuk!

Goldring Travel July 10, 2008

Last night I received an email from Crystal trumpeting that it was named the best large ship cruise line for the 13th year by Travel and Leisure Magazine. While I believe Crystal is, in fact, the best large ship cruise line, I take exception to the poll of some “readers” of that publication as being

Travel Agents and Yacht Brokers

Goldring Travel June 30, 2008

During the American Superyacht Forum I spoke on a panel addressing the issue of yacht brokers/agents who are so focused on booking a charter or making a sale that they actually undercut and weaken the very market they are serving. The parallels to travel agents is undeniable. Two concepts quickly took center stage: 1. If

An International Experience – Travel Agents That Is!

Goldring Travel June 18, 2008

One of the most curious, and antiquated, aspects of the travel business is the protectionist approaches of various cruise lines. In this world of international travel and essentially boundary-free internet access, many cruise lines slice up the market so that American travel agents are prohibited from selling cruises to residents of the United Kingdom, Australia,

Windstar’s Wind Surf – Caribbean – January 2014

Goldring Travel Blog – Making Waves

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