Amy Baird
Cruise Specialist
Sunset and wake of ship
There are destinations and reasons to travel via cruise ship, and I am here to tell you where and when.
Places:
- Alaska!
- Galapagos!
- Greece!
- Hawaii!
- Fjords!
- Antarctica!
- Arctic!
These destinations simply are easier to explore by cruise or can only be accessed via the water.
- Alaskan port cities offer a very different look at the region and is wonderful paired with a pre or post cruise land tour. You cannot reach most of the popular Alaskan ports by land and you definitely could not see the majestic glaciers any other way.
- The Galapagos is a cluster of islands, each with its own unique and endemic species of various animals. Expedition cruises allow us to get close enough to observe yet maintain a respectful distance to protect the ecosystem here. An environmentally sound expedition ship built for this region not only minimizes your carbon footprint on these islands but reduces your impact on the animals domestication and environments. This is not a region where we should be overnighting in the island themselves.
- Greece is yet another region with countless islands to explore. Those who want a sampler of some of the premier islands will benefit from touring via cruise ship, where all your travel is done by night so that your days are filled with island exploration.
Those who wish to dive deep into specific islands may opt for a custom itinerary created by me where you spend 3-5 nights on just a couple of the islands to get the feel for just those places.
The exact same principle applies to Hawaii; if you want a sampler, let's look into a cruise. If you want to dive deep, let's just look at one or two of the islands for your trip. - The Norwegian Fjords are much like Alaska and its glaciers -- difficult to reach by land and much more awe-inspiring when views from the water.
- Antarctica expedition cruises are the only way to get close to this impressive continent. Tours typically leave from South America and you spend your time visiting masses of the local inhabitants of the region, as well as seeing some of their toothy neighbors.
- Arctic expedition cruises are wholly different from Antarctica. The region is a lot less predictable and animal sightings are rare and precious. This is truly an adventurer's dream trip.
An easier way to tour, a better way to see more:
- Visit Christmas Markets!
- See more of the sites of Europe, Asia or the US!
- Unpack once!
- Ideal for guests with mobility concerns!
River cruises, for example, are a great way to explore a region that would otherwise involve a lot of train travel or motorcoach riding. Not only can you access some cities that are more off the beaten path, but do it in a way that is much more comfortable than climbing in and out of train cars or sitting on a bus. Christmas Markets, for example, are best done on a river cruise. These are always the first to sell out, so be sure to book those well in advance. Many river-based cities in Southeast Asia are only accessible by their waterways; see fishing communities and floating markets that date back to an era where electronics and screens were not the only way to conduct daily business.
The cruise takes you to your next city or country overnight while you dine, listen to music, watch shows, play games, socialize and sleep. You make so much better use of your time. Unlike land based tours -- where you are unpacking and repacking as you move from hotel to hotel, city to city, country to country -- on a sailing, you unpack once, and only pack up again when the trip is done. Your home for the duration of the trip moves with you from port to port!
Those with mobility concerns will be much more comfortable on a cruise vacation that will be able to accommodate scooters, wheelchairs or walkers onboard. It would not be so easy to visit these places if you were constantly getting in and out of trains, buses and ferries.
You may not think that cruise vacations are your cup of tea, but they can be the means to get to on the adventure you have been dreaming of. And if you are a cruise devotee, let my experience and connections help you get the most value out of your vacation budget!
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Thank you so much! I am so pleased to be planning your family's upcoming vacations, and look forward to assisting on all your future travel.
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It was an honor to be part of planning your family's Universal and Disney World vacations to celebration your son's birthday. I was so impressed to see how you thoroughly read all the information I sent and truly mastered the intricacies of both parks -- you managed the trip to absolute perfection and your family owes a lot of the success of it to you as well! I am grateful to have been part of the journey and look forward to helping you create more unforgettable travel memories down the line.
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Thank you so much! I have enjoyed working with you and your family, but most of all, I appreciate the numerous referrals you have sent my way. That speaks volumes to me about your satisfaction and trust in the services I provide for my clients. I do make it a priority to provide first-hand insights and knowledge to the families I work with, so I am so glad that you recognize and value that. Here's to many happy travels in the year to come!!
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I am so excited that we were able to get those FCCs applied and used before they expired! I'm very excited for your group to go on this sailing that has been postponed for too long already. Bon voyage!
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Thank you so much for letting me part of the planning of your destination wedding and honeymoon. It is such an honor to now get to plan your first anniversary trip and all the anniversaries to come!
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Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your first visit to Barcelona! I am so glad you had a wonderful time and I look forward to planning your future adventures to other places I've loved around the world!
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Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your family's first Walt Disney World trip. It was so wonderful to work with you and especially getting to get to know your family. I look forward to helping you plan many more unforgettable vacations for you as your children grew up and are ready to explore more places. Next stop, Disney Cruise! LOL
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I am so glad that we were able to find a good alternative when your original travel plans fell through. I am grateful that you trusted my expertise and knowledge to book your vacation and I look forward to helping you create more amazing travel memories. Thank you!!
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Thank you so much for your kind words, but most of all for trusting me with your vacation! It was an absolute pleasure to help plan this for you and to get to know you and your family. I look forward to making more amazing travel memories for you with each passing year.
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Thank you so much for your kind words and I am so honored to have been part of your vacation planning. You travelled a long distance to visit California and I'm so happy that we could get the all the moving pieces to come together, and that my expertise made a difference for your trip. I look forward to assisting you again very soon!
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Thank you so much for allowing me to plan your family vacation with you, and I am so glad to hear that you had a magical time! I look forward to assisting with recommending and organizing your family's future travel. It was a pleasure!
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Amy spent the time to understand our family’s preferences and guided us to book the right accommodations, dining and activities for our trip. There were times during the planning process, where our family was slow to make decisions. Amy was patient with us as we thought through some options. She provided insights and expertise to ensure we would be happy with our choices.
She understands those items, especially for first time Disney travelers that can be overwhelming. Her strategies are effective both in in advance of arrival and when at Disney. As first time Disney travelers, we would have been lost with out her. I highly recommend Amy and look forward to working with her again.
Thank you so much for allowing me to part of your travel planning. I look forward to working with you again on your future travel, where ever your adventures may take you!
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I am so glad to have been able to help plan and advise on your vacation, and I look forward to working with you again very soon!
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I am so glad you've been having a magical time, and I look forward to helping plan your future vacations!
Best trip ms ever!
Thank you so much for allowing me to help you plan your vacation! Always know that I am here for you, whether we are planning a year in advance or for two weeks out. Such a pleasure working with you!
Best trip ever!
Thanks to Amy's expertise and dedication, our vacation was stress-free and undoubtedly the best we've ever had. Her knowledge of the area, coupled with her ability to understand our preferences, resulted in a perfectly tailored itinerary that exceeded our expectations.
We are incredibly grateful for Amy's assistance and professionalism throughout the planning process. Her commitment to ensuring our satisfaction was evident in every interaction we had with her. We are already looking forward to our next family vacation, and without a doubt, we will be relying on Amy's services to make it just as incredible as this one.
Thank you so much for your kind words, and mostly for trusting me with your vacation! It can be daunting to plan for a family who is so well-versed at planning their own trips -- I am so glad to hear that I was able to provide value, insight and expertise to make this trip special. It was an absolute pleasure to help plan, and for the chance to get to know you and your family. I look forward to making more unforgettable travel memories for you all very soon!
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I'm so happy you had a good time and look forward to helping you with your next trip!
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Thank you for letting me help with planning your vacation! It was such a pleasure getting to know your family. I am so happy that you had a wonderful time and look forward to working with you as your family grows and we get to plan your future travel together.
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Thank you for letting me help plan your vacation, and I look forward to working with you again!
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Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your vacation planning. It was a pleasure to work with you and your group, and I look forward to working together on the next trips we have in the pipeline!