(It’s 7:15 AM and I literally JUST got the email I’ve been waiting for all week: confirming that CTP has first option on an AMAZING charter opportunity. Gabriel and I are sooooooo excited!  You’ve probably never heard of this vessel – for good reason.  In her second season with Paul Gauguin Cruises, the 88-passenger mega-yacht, Tere Moana, has been so popular with companies who charter her for their incentive programs, that they have practically no sailings open to the public! Trust me … it’s a WOW!)

STOP THE PRESS!

If you read the sidebar in the email which may have connected you to this week’s blog post, you saw the announcement about our commitment to charter the mega-yacht, Tere Moana, on a voyage through the Greek Isles next August.  

This is a really big deal – we’ve never taken such a big risk before …. but we are THAT confident about this unique vessel and this amazing travel experience.

If you didn’t read that sidebar, here is the announcement (following last week’s “teaser” to save the dates):

Last week, we “teased” you by suggesting that you save the dates of August 21 – 29, 2015 – but only if you wanted to participate in one of the most AMAZING, INCREDIBLE, FANTABULOUS travel experiences of a lifetime!

We are thrilled to invite you to join us on a PRIVATE CHARTER of the mega-yacht Tere Moana for an exclusive 7-night sailing from Istanbul through the Greek Isles.

A client of the CTP Group has chartered this ship for two consecutive years for their most important customers – and we could not pass up this opportunity to sign a charter agreement in order to offer this extraordinary travel experience to our friends, family and WOW! Travel Club alumni. It is the closest thing to “living the life of the rich and famous.”

• The timing is perfect – summer in the Aegean.
• Enjoy the intimacy and exclusivity of an 88-passenger mega-yacht. Everyone onboard will be a friend of The CTP Group … and we’ve got some extraordinary friends!!
• Our itinerary will be customized with the expert guidance of Captain Rajko Zupan to include ports of call where the giant ships cannot go. Captain Rajko and the Hotel Manager, Nelson, along with the crew of this vessel are like family to us!  We can’t wait to see them again and share them with you!
• Your package will include all meals, all wine and spirits onboard, all shipboard gratuities and – of course – some “wow” surprises that we haven’t even thought of yet!   Both Marilyn and Gabriel will be organizing and sailing with you on this extraordinary journey. 

Watch this space next week for complete details of the itinerary and pricing. Availability is limited … it’s first-come, first-served.

If you’re one of those people who have said, “I want to travel with you,” THIS is an opportunity you won’t want to miss!  

 

 

Here’s a link to a video:  watch a video about the Tere Moana 

 

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…. okay …. here’s the blog I wrote before I got the email about Tere Moana! ….

 

On my WOW facebook page (to which – I confess – I don’t personally manage), we recently posted a link to a blog:

40 Genius Travel Tips That Will Change Your Life Forever

Wow! That’s quite a claim …. change my life forever?   Really??

OK – I’ll take them one at a time:

1. Use a private or incognito window when booking flights and hotels online. (Travel sites often track your visits and will raise the price simply because you’ve visited before.)

MM: Yes, I’ve heard this before and I’m sure it’s true.

2. Keep loose chargers and cables organized with a glasses case.

MM: Certainly is logical to constrain the tangle of cords and cables in something. Personally, I use a zippered mesh bag which conforms to the bulk of the cables. Because it’s not hard-sided, it takes up a little less room.

3. Use straws to carry travel-size amounts of skin care products.

MM: This is one of their stupidest suggestions. They don’t explain how to get the liquids into the tiny opening of the straw, and don’t explain how to seal the ends. There are much easier ways … like “travel-size” containers, perhaps?

4. Put a dryer sheet at the bottom of a suitcase to keep your clothes smelling fresh.

MM:  Okay – good idea. (And, on the topic of dryer sheets, did you know that one or two Bounce sheets tied around cables under your car’s hood will prevent rodents from chewing on the cables? I kid you, not! When I lived in a guesthouse in the hills of Malibu, this worked!)

5. Use a spring from an old pen to protect chargers from bending and breaking.

MM: Really? This is a “genius” travel tip that will change my life forever? I had no idea!

6. Skip the long lines for airport bathrooms. (It may seem like common logic, but the first bathroom in the terminal is the most crowded one. Use the next one to skip the long waits and save precious time.)

MM: Key word here: logic. A very good thing to take with you when you travel.

7. Use a binder clip to protect the head of shaving razors.

MM: Same reaction as to #5.

8. If you forget your wall plug, charge devices through the USB slot on a TV.

MM: Okay, although I think that many TVs are flat screens and affixed high on a wall . . .

9. Roll clothes, instead of folding, to save tons of baggage space.

MM: I think “tons of space” is a bit of an exaggeration. Tip #23 is the one that’ll really save “tons of space” in your suitcase.

10. If you have clothes that need to be folded, use tissue paper to keep them from wrinkling.

MM: Seems like a lot of extra work. If it’s going to wrinkle, it’s going to wrinkle! If the idea is to have a layer of something between the folds to potentially soften the wrinkles, I’d suggest layering a like-sized articles of clothing and folding them together.

11. Use a pill container to keep jewelry organized and untangled.

MM: Okay, but there are lots of alternatives for jewelry – such as a soft pouch with compartments. In my opinion, avoid hard-sided items whenever possible. 

12. Scan important documents before leaving for your trip. (In the event of theft or misplacement, it comes in really handy to have extra copies of your passport, identification cards and flight itineraries that you can easily access on your smartphone or tablet.)

MM: Good suggestion. And one would hope that the thief doesn’t steal your smartphone or tablet, too!

13. Speed Up Going Through Security. (When going through security, stuff your small belongings like wallets, keys and phones into your bag before placing it on the conveyor belt. It eliminates the need for separate bins and saves you time.)

MM:  Again, the key word is logic, accompanied by some common sense.

14. Tuck your soap and wash cloth together with this easy-to-fold pouch.

MM: Just plain weird. The photo shows a large pair of scissors – it’s unclear if you’re supposed to bring the scissors, too. Bringing a wash cloth is a good suggestion – because many foreign hotels don’t have wash cloths like we’re accustomed to.

15. A shower cap is an easy way to cover the bottoms of shoes.

MM:  Okay, although I usually pack my shoes at the bottom of my bag, and/or arrange them sole-to-sole.

16. Put smartphones in airplane mode to save battery and charge faster.

MM: Yes, probably true, since the phone stops “searching” when it’s in airplane mode.

17. Keep your headphones from tangling by winding them around a binder clip.

18. Keep hair clips tidy with an empty Tic Tac container.

MM:  Both of these fall into the same comment category as #5 – life changing?  I don’t think so ….

19. When packing, line collars with a belt to keep them crispy.

MM:  Yes, we like our collars “crispy” when we arrive at our destination!

20. Sit in the seats near the wing of the plane for the least turbulence. (The seats along the wings of a plane usually have the least amount of bounce when flying because it has more structural support.)

MM: Makes sense. Same is true for cruises: mid-ship staterooms will rock and roll less than those in the front or back of the vessel.

21. Keep your travel-size containers and refill them, instead of buying new each time.

MM: Yes, I often do this. The accompanying photo, however, depicts filling a toothpaste tube – which is ludicrous!

22. To use Google Maps offline, type “OK Maps,” and the visible area will save for future access.

MM: Hmmm … I’ve wondered about how to use GPS without incurring data charges.  I’ll try it.

23. Cram the most into your carry on. (Vacuum sealed bags can save you a ridiculous amount of space in your carry on. Makes the need for checking a bag obsolete.)

MM: Yup – I wrote about this just last week. Highly recommended.

24. Instead of buying water at the airport, bring an empty bottle along and fill it up after passing security.

MM: Yup. (Wow – 2 in a row!) I’m probably in the minority, but I have no problem with water from a drinking fountain.

25. When reserving airline seats for 2 people, get the aisle and window. (If no one takes the middle seat you get a full row, and if someone does, just ask to switch so you can sit next to your travel partner.)

MM: Yes, absolutely. Though I’m not sure that you can choose non-adjacent seats when purchasing tickets online.

26. Pack your suit coats inside out to keep them clean and avoid creasing.

MM: Dunno. But who packs suit coats anymore?

27. Wait to buy airline tickets until 3 p.m. on Tuesdays. (Typically this is when the big Airlines reduce their fares in order to compete with the discount airlines like Southwest and JetBlue. If you’re looking to save some money, this is the time to buy.)

MM: There are lots of theories about when is the best time to buy. I’m no expert and it seems there are lots of sites that monitor airfares and alert you if there’s a change. A BIG chunk of the price of a ticket is for taxes and landing fees, etc. which don’t change much.

28. Prevent messy spills in your luggage. (Just unscrew the lids and place a simple patch of saran wrap on the top and screw them back on. This will prevent any liquids from ruining your trip.)

MM: Yes, though a zip-lock bag would seem to be an easier solution.

29. The Best Times to Use the Plane Bathroom. (Since most airlines don’t let you stand in line for the restrooms, the best times to use it are right after the plane has leveled off and 15-20 minutes before landing.)

MM: I’m guessing these are the times when many passengers gotta go. It does make sense to do it just before or right after beverage and meal service when there are no carts in the aisle.

30. Get the WiFi password for many establishments by checking the comments section of FourSquare.

MM: I don’t use FourSquare, but could be a good idea.

31. Use your GPS when traveling abroad. (If you’re traveling abroad without an international plan, turn on airplane mode and turn off data to use the GPS without connecting to the internet. Simply load the Google map of the area before heading out the hotel, and you’ve got a fully functional map to navigate the area.)

MM: If this works, this is a good idea. Maybe not quite “genius” level, though….

32. Get a free cell phone charger if you forgot yours at home. (Forget your charger? Often times hotel front desk’s will have a box full of chargers left by previous guests.)

MM: Or, plug into the back of the TV as suggested in #8.

33. Skip the wait at the baggage claim. (Even if it’s not, marking your bag with a “fragile” label leads to gentler handling by airport staff. Also, they’re often loaded on the top of the other luggage meaning it’s one of the first to come out at the baggage claim.)

MM: Have never tried this. If nothing else, it’s a good way to differentiate your luggage.

34. Save time packing on the go. (Hanging organizers can be packed ahead of time making it really simple to slide into your suitcase and leave in a hurry.)

MM: If you’ve got room to pack clothes on their hangers, sure – this will save time – especially when unpacking.

35. Remove other tourist from your vacation photos.

MM: I don’t have photoshop and have NO idea if this would work. 

36. Use ATMs instead of airport currency exchanges to save money. (Many ATMs will offer much lower rates than what you can get from the airport currency exchanges.)

MM: Yes. ATMs are the best way to get local currency.

37. Get free WiFi at airports. (When you’re at the airport, add “?.jpg” to the end of any URL to get around the ludicrously expensive WiFi. Alternatively, you can sit right outside an airport club lounge: Wi-Fi signals often glide through the walls.)

MM: ??

38. For bonus points, travel with a power strip and be the airport hero.

MM:  This is a weird suggestion. What happens when you have to unplug your power strip to catch your flight? 

39. As a treat to yourself, send yourself a postcard from each day of your travels. (It’ll be a nice treat to come home to and make the transition back to reality easier.)

MM: Postcards are nice – a throwback to the good old days. I like to send them to nieces and nephews and ask them to figure out where I am on a map or globe (which are, sadly, also throwbacks!).

40. On your last day in a foreign country, collect all your loose money and give it to the homeless.

MM:  I’d suggest donating your unspent coins to UNICEF or another well-vetted charity. There are often bins at airport terminals.

 

Everything is subjective, but I’d classify very few of the prior suggestions as “genius.” Got me thinking, however, about my Top Ten. What would they be?

#1 – Get a versatile, dependable camera. I love, love, love my Sony NEX-5 (there’s a newer model). The reasons why I love it:

• I can shoot photos one-handed (try that with a smart phone).
• There’s no delay when I press the shutter.
• It takes great photos on the automatic setting – I rarely use the manual settings (in other words, idiot-proof).
• It takes great photos in low or dim light.
• It has a timer.
• The screen flips out and pivots up and down so you can shoot up high or down low.
• It has interchangeable lenses. I got a zoom lens for Christmas (now I need to go back to Africa!).
• It’s really sturdy. I’ve dropped it on more than one occasion without an issue.

#2 – When taking people photos, take one (or more) the normal way. Then, tell your subject(s) that on the count of 3, they should throw up their arms and say “WOW!”  I must credit my business partner, Michael Day, for this tip. Thought it was absurd – but it makes SUCH a difference.  Really enlivens those otherwise boring group photos.

#3 – Pack stuff in those Space Bags – saves room and keeps me organized, too.

#4 – Invest in some BOSE noise-cancelling headphones. Expensive – and worth it!

#5 – Apply for Global Entry. Makes going through U.S. Immigration a breeze – and you get approval for TSA Pre-Check as well (at least I did …)

#6 – Before boarding the plane, gather stuff needed in-flight (BOSE headphones, magazines, etc.) and put in a separate plastic bag so you can quickly stow your carry-on bag in the overhead and take your seat quickly. (Oh … don’t you wish everybody practiced this!)

#7 – Take a pair of socks, an eye mask and an inflatable neck pillow.

#8 – I’m not a germaphobe, but I’m starting to do this: take some antiseptic wipes and swab the armrests, tray table, remote control, etc.  And, the seat pocket is supposedly one of the most germy places imaginable . . . so take that plastic bag I mentioned in #6 and use it to line the seat pocket so nothing makes contact with the place which was a receptacle for somebody’s dirty Kleenex on the previous flight.

#9 – Keep your passport and travel documents in the same place – both at home and when traveling. Saves a lot of panic and fumbling. (And when you’re running out the door, don’t grab your spouse’s passport by mistake.)

#10 – Pack a pashmina or large scarf which has a multitude of uses: bathing suit cover-up, lightweight throw, bandanna (for bad hair days), picnic cloth, belt or sash, head protection from sun or light rain shower, sling, pouch, hobo bag or, of course, a chic scarf worn a hundred different ways!

 

 

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Comments?  

What are your best travel tips?  

Want to come on the cruise with us next August?  Comment here – or send an email and we’ll be in touch with you personally as soon as we finalize the pricing!

 

 

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