by Erin

Imagine sitting down at dinner and a waiter already knowing what bottle of wine you like based on past choices. Or ordering a drink on your smartphone and having it waiting at the table when you sit down to watch a show. More and more cruise ships are moving in this direction with the help of technology. Select ships on Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Disney are now offering passengers bracelets or medallions that serve multiple purposes, all aimed to make your cruise experience more enjoyable and hassle-free. Rather than using a cruise card, that has in the past served as your room key and on-board spending account, this snazzy little accessory would replace the plastic card of the past.

Each technology works a little differently depending on the cruise line and the ship, but each version offers some pretty cool options.  The most obvious feature is the ability to unlock a stateroom without digging around for your cruise card. Passengers will be able to pay for merchandise and excursions with their bracelet. They can get information on how to navigate the ship’s amenities by interacting with digital displays on the walls. On select ships, guests can make reservations at the spa or specialty dining restaurant, view photographs, learn about the destinations they will visit and more. And of course it will alleviate the confusing and sometimes stressful check-in process for a cruise. The bracelet contains a person’s sailing information, so passengers will not need to switch back and forth between printed bar codes and key cards to check in, embark, disembark or buy something on-board.

by Malori

I was walking this morning in my hometown and in the window of Lululemon on Beverly Drive, a sign caught my eye.  It said, “Where do you go to let go” and it got me thinking, where is my happy place?

Of all the places on earth, heli-hiking in the Canadian Rockies is where I let go.  On my personal bucket list for over 25 years, I had a chance to experience this magical vacation spot myself a few years ago.  Then I went back the next year with a group so that others could experience this magic.  For three days, a helicopter transports me to the mountaintops where I am far away from everything.  There are literally no people except for a few others staying in the lodge.  There are no buildings, traffic lights or roads.  I spend my days hiking along the mountain ridges, overlooking the bluest lakes and come face-to-face with waterfalls.  One day we may be walking among wildflowers through a meadow, and the next on a glacier.  I’m in heaven.  I de-stress.  I’m happy.  I’m going back again this summer.  Want to join me?

by Erin

Well, we are back from India and let me just say that it was truly an amazing journey!  Personally, India has been at the top of my list for years.  This is the 4th trip that Amazing Journeys has sent and I can’t tell you how excited I was to be able to experience this country for myself.  The people are so warm and inviting, the colors are so bright and vibrant and the architecture is so intense and intricate and the food is so unique and delicious!  We had countless experiences that really let us feel the Indian culture – from a naan making class to learning how to make inlay marble and wearing saris and henna to visiting a weaving village, the things we did on a daily basis will stay with us for years to come.

by Malori

It’s a delicate balance. When does experiential travel change into exploitation? We want to explore our world, yet we want to be fair to nature and to those with whom we share the planet.

Swimming with the dolphins in Cozumel, riding an elephant in Thailand, dog sledding in Alaska, whale watching in Hawaii, shark diving in South Africa are but a few experiential opportunities travelers are seeking.  Year over year, animal encounters for passengers on cruises and tours are growing by leaps and bounds.  But with more opportunities comes responsibility.  Tour companies world wide are taking a stand against the commercial exploitation of animals.   “We know there is still a growing demand”, said Julie Middlekoop, global head of the “Wildlife – Not Entertainers” campaign at World Animal Protection, the advocacy group that has been putting pressure on travel companies to drop programs which exploit animals.  They launched a petition earlier this year which had over a half million signatures.

Several tour companies over the past year have limited their participation in such events. Amazing Journeys dropped our elephant riding in South Africa and India this year.  It’s a start.  Collette Vacations, G Adventures, Costco Travel, Mayflower Tours and Intrepid Travel are but a few who have signed on and have stopped offering elephant rides and other exploitative tour options.  Just last month, Trip Advisor announced it would stop selling hundreds of animal attractions.  They became the largest travel brand to take a stand.  It’s hard to explain why your company doesn’t offer these options when other travel companies do.  But with a growing concern from individuals and tour providers worldwide, along with organizations like World Animal Protection and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) are tipping the scale in favor or a greater understanding which is influencing the travel sector.

But when is an animal experience considered exploitation?  Is horseback riding abusive to the animal or was it breed for this purpose?  What about dog sledding in Alaska?  The dogs love running and actually get very excited to be outside in the snow.  Whale watching out in the open waters, if a whale is not being lured to the tourist boat with food and if the boat isn’t approaching the whale is observing nature. There’s the balance.

With growing demand for experiential travel opportunities, it’s a hard choice.  Companies who were profiting from selling these options see dropping these experiences as a money-losing endeavor. But the hope is that animal experiences will be replaced with visits to animal rehabilitation centers, learning opportunities and other educational programs.  Although tour companies and travelers in North America are being educated and have a greater awareness, there are emerging markets, especially in Asia where the demand for “tiger selfies” and the like are growing at alarming rates.

We at Amazing Journeys love this planet.  We want to show it to you the way it should be seen.  We want it to be here for future generations. We work hard to make the right decisions, so that you can have the best travel experiences possible.

by Malori

We get all sorts of passport questions here at Amazing Journeys.  Let’s see if we can clear the air on some for you…

When is the proper time to renew my passport?

Many travelers don’t think about renewing their passport until planning their next international trip.  But you really need to think about it in advance.  Most countries will not allow a traveler to come into their country unless they have at least 6 months beyond their travel date.  Many-a-traveler have been turned away at the gate because they don’t have sufficient time left on their passport. Bottom line – check your passport before you plan your next trip.  If you are reading this now and are not sure of when your passport expires, go check it right now!

Do I need a passport when traveling to Canada or the Caribbean?

By air – yes.  By cruise – no.  We recommend you always bring your passport when traveling outside of the US. Let’s say that you are on a cruise in the Caribbean and you officially do not need a passport.  But there is an emergency situation at home and you need to fly home right away.  Without a passport, you may not board a flight.  You would have to get to a US Embassy and apply for a passport or get a replacement passport there.  There may be an embassy on the island you are on or you may need alternative transportation to get to a different island, because you are officially grounded until you have a replacement passport.

If I get a new passport, will my Global Entry expire at the same time?

Global Entry, the program that allows you to use “fast-lane” privileges through US airport security and when re-entering the US after traveling internationally, has a shelf life of 5 years.  Passports are good for 10 years.  But if your passport expires prior to your Global Entry expiration date, no worries.  Membership will remain valid and active if the passport expires, however, you will not be able to use your account until you update your new passport number in the GOES system, The Global online Enrollment System in which you created when you applied for the program.

How can I avoid running out of pages in my passport?

That’s a great problem to have and we love hearing travelers say they have run out of pages –that means they are off seeing the world!  Some countries require that you have several empty pages in your document before entering their country.  You could run out of pages very quickly with a visit to Southern Africa or South America. They use many pages on one trip!

The traditional passport book has 28 pages but there is an option to get 56 pages from the get-go. It used to be that you could ask for more pages, and the Passport Office would sew in additional pages and send it back to you, without a charge!  There is no such thing as a free lunch anymore and you now have to order a new passport (at the full renewal fee)  when you run out of pages.  When renewing your passport, you should always ask for the maximum number of pages.

Are there better times than others to renew a passport?

2017 is going to be a banner year for passport renewals, according to the State Department.  Do you remember when you were able to travel to Mexico and Canada and all over the Caribbean without a passport?  Well, all of that changed in 2007 and many Americans applied for a passport during that year. What that means is that all of those passports are now coming up for renewal and the wait times could be longer than normal.  Although they are not expecting to have the 3 million passport accumulation and three month wait time they had in 2017, they do expect more Americans to renew this year.  In general, summers and holiday travel times are what create the most back-log.  So it’s best to plan early and not stress about running out of time before a vacation or business trip.

I don’t have a passport and would like to get one now.  How and where do I apply?

Whether you need a new passport or want to renew an old one, this link will walk you through the process. For those first-timers, you will need to apply in person.  Most US post offices can do this for you.  Just follow the steps in the link above.

Whether with new passport or old, we look forward to traveling with you soon!

by Malori

The High Holidays are a time for reflection.  Looking back over the past year, I took stock of what brings me happiness, where my strengths and weaknesses are, how I can improve upon those areas and what has made me the most proud over the past year, as well as a myriad of other thoughts, hopes and wishes.  As always, I had a lot to think about.  Amazing Journeys has been instrumental in creating so much happiness in my life and the lives of others, that I wanted to share these thoughts with you.

I look at the opportunities to share the world and all of its goodness with those who travel with me.   Together with others, we can explore the world to find the beauty in nature as well as the beauty in experiencing different cultures.  Once you have an understanding of another culture and meet people from other countries face-to-face, you have uncovered a treasure that can never be ignored.

I look at the friendships that have been cultivated. When I see people on our trips who never knew one another before, building camaraderie  and having so much to talk about during a trip, it warms my heart.  We have created a place where this can happen.  Then long after the trip is over, many of these relationships build.  I love seeing on social media and hearing stories about friendships that had begun on an Amazing Journey and I see pictures of friends joining together for dinner or a visit or to see a show or concert together.  I see that those who are in need of a “virtual hug” when illness hits, disaster strikes or there is a death in the family, the AJ community comes out to offer words of kindness and offers to share that journey.  Just yesterday, we hosted an AJ friend who was passing through Pittsburgh, and she was able to share our holiday meal with our family.  Wonderful bonds between friends are created and fostered.

Our AJ community has been so gracious in giving when asked.  We have shared with others around the world by bringing clothes, school supplies, toiletries and shared religious experiences.  Those who have been the recipients of these “gifts” have been so thankful to our travelers for thinking of others while traveling.

Understanding diversity in the world, building friendships and sharing with others are three attributes that make me so proud of what I do.

We all do it sometimes – tell ourselves little whites lies while traveling. Some of them are designed to make us feel better about our choices, and some are just delusions we choose to believe out of convenience (even if we know deep down that they’re not true). How many of these lies do you make yourself believe when you’re traveling?