Mother’s Day is coming!

Wondering what to give the woman who birthed you, diapered you, fed you, taught you, spanked you and loved you … unconditionally –

(no matter WHAT shenanigans you did with Leon Luczak behind the gymnasium after fifth period in junior year?)

• And/or what should you choose as a well-deserved reward for your extraordinary wife who has done all of the above for your kids?
• And/or what should you do if you just need to plan a perfect getaway for yourself?

Here’s the PERFECT gift: A luxurious, relaxed week of pampering, dancing*, sightseeing, laughing and fine dining on the World’s Best cruise line.

Truth be told, I’m not a big fan of cruises … at least not those mega-ships. (Warning: Royal Caribbean is building one with a maximum capacity of 6,360 passengers. Can you imagine?! I’d sooner kill myself!)  But I DO love cruising on an intimate smallish ship with an attentive, personable staff, lovely public spaces, great food and (especially) a compelling itinerary. Cruising to unique places that are hard to reach by land.

So – for the first time EVER – I’m promoting a wonderful cruise opportunity which meets my stringent criteria. AND … (for a limited time) you will get an additional savings of $400 per person with my special “WOW MOM” Mother’s Day promotion. (But you MUST book by May 12, 2014.) AND … you’ll get a shipboard credit for spa treatments, shore excursions, etc. of at least $200 per person. AND it includes airport transfers, fine wines and top-shelf brands and all shipboard gratuities.

The ship? Crystal Serenity (did I mention it’s been voted “World’s Best”?)

The itinerary?  Embark in Quebec City, cruise up the St. Lawrence River to some picturesque small ports, and return to Quebec City (where the ship overnights on the 7th night)

The dates? September 29 (returning Oct 6), 2014 … perfect timing for fall foliage – colors should be especially vivid after their brutal winter!

 

Combine a 5-star cruise experience with some of the world’s best whale-watching (including the endangered belugas – the white ones), spectacular fall foliage and a mini-visit to France (okay … it’s technically a French Territory – but it’s still France). On-board the ship, smarten up with one of the daytime enrichment programs at the Creative Learning Institute, get pounded and pampered  at the feng shui-inspired Crystal Spa (voted World’s Best), feast on the cuisine of legendary chef Nobu Matsuhisa, enjoy nighttime Broadway-style musical productions (without the onerous TicketMaster service fees) and savor the World’s Best (my rating!) waffles at breakfast. (Lest you think I’ve over-used the “world’s best” superlative … I dare you to find better waffles!)

 

Give it a look and if you have any questions, let me know. Just comment in the box below, email me, or call me at (818) 444-2707. I’m here to answer your questions. (And, if you give me enough lead time, I’ll create a custom card/gift certificate for you to give her on Mother’s Day . . . WAAAY better than a Hallmark card!)

* Don’t panic if you don’t like to dance … there are gentlemen Ambassador Hosts who will dance with her while you enjoy a cigar and cognac in the Connoisseur Club!   AND – I’m told they now have female Ambassador Hosts, too!!

 

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Another Cuba Convert

A good friend just returned from a week in Cuba. We had lunch yesterday at a popular Cuban restaurant in Encino. Founded by a Cuban-born chef, Versailles has four locations in the LA area – always busy. We ordered mojitos (only one apiece … it was Thursday afternoon, after all), the house special Garlic Chicken and Oxtail Stew – with all the accompanying sides. We remarked how neither of us ever saw a Cuban sandwich in a menu in Cuba. Nor are there Havanese dogs in Havana. Nor will you find evidence of habanero peppers in any Cuban cuisine on the island!

Even though hers wasn’t a WOW! Travel Club experience, she positively gushed about the destination.  “I felt like I was transported back in time … I didn’t feel like I was in a communist country … Even though the buildings are in decay, it’s not dirty and there was nothing ‘third world’ about it … I saw every shade of black, white and brown and yet it felt like the people are color blind … I love the architecture and it was refreshing to see so many original buildings from so many renowned architects … One of my favorite moments was giving a ball to boys playing baseball with a stick in the street … The people express themselves through their amazing art: sculpture, painting, mosaic, flamenco, salsa and music … Every afternoon I went to Sloppy Joe’s for Happy Hour – where my parents had gone on their honeymoon in 1953 … I bought a fabulous painting … Our tour guide was unbelievably knowledgeable about America and all aspects of our culture … I don’t understand why we still have this embargo in place …”

She is, in fact, a WOWee (alumni). Cynthia was on my very first WOW! journey in 2006 – to India. So she knows about WOW, but was lured to go to Cuba with an artist friend. They didn’t go outside Havana … and she is extremely curious to go back to explore other parts of the country. She’s been all over the world, and said, “this was the most fascinating place I have ever visited.”

Click here for information about the journey I am organizing this fall – which will encompass three different places in Cuba – including 500-year-old Trinidad, plus a performance at the International Ballet Festival, dinners at privately-owned restaurants (paladars), visit to a primary school and Cuban ration store, meetings with artists and entrepreneurs and many surprises and delights (as typical of a WOW! Travel Club adventure).

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And now … a word about WOW!

The WOW! Travel Club is very personal. As you can tell from my blog posts, all destinations are carefully selected, the itineraries impeccably designed and the journeys personally escorted to ensure the extraordinary experience I have promised. WOW! journeys attract the best kind of traveler:  those who will agree to the WOW! Vows* and people who believe, as I do, that travel can be the “connector” between peoples and – ultimately – be a conduit for peace on our planet.

Won’t you join me on one of these wondrous journeys this fall?