Walters Wanderings Travel Podcast Fans

09/21/2024

Question:

Do you get your hair and or your nails done before you go on vacation?

Inquiring minds....

07/26/2024

Greetings to all ! Happy Friday!

I am eager to collaborate with any non-profit organization interested in cross-promoting group vacations to support your noble cause. Let's work together to create unforgettable experiences while raising funds for your favorite organization.

Whether it's a cruise, a trip to an all-inclusive resort, or a tour related to your non-profit's mission, I can assist with presentations, publicity, and more.

For every booking, your non-profit will receive a donation. With options ranging from overnight trips to week-long cruises, the possibilities are endless! Some of my travel partners even match the donation, so your organization can benefit even more.

If you have enough participants, a group leader can travel for free or at a significantly reduced price.

Don't hesitate to contact me to start planning your next adventure. Let's discuss the details over a phone call or in-person meeting. Check out my page, Walters Wanderings Travel - Checking off your Bucket List since 2014, to learn more about my services. Let's collaborate and make a difference together!

Not part of a non profit and want to get a group together? Let's talk!

Walters Wanderings Travel - Checking off your Bucket List since 2014

07/22/2024

There is more truth to this than there was eight years ago when I first created this little gem.

Get in touch to START WANDERING!

copyright Scott Walters

07/21/2024

I’m told there are 20,000 calls on hold at delta reservations! I am guessing that is 20,000 people who thought is best not to use a travel advisor, otherwise their travel advisor would have helped them.

Travel advisors only cost you when you don’t use one.

06/21/2024

How many have you been to? I have been to 22 and have flown over 3 more! I still have work to do!

Check sone of these iconic destinations off of your Bucket List! Get in touch to START WANDERING!

845-558-1225 [email protected]

And don't forget my travel trivia contest on my travel page Walters Wanderings Travel - Checking off your Bucket List since 2014! You could win $200 off of a qualifying vacation!

06/07/2024

Current SITuation

05/30/2024

Go to my travel page all June long for a 30 question trivia challenge! Each day a new question. Each day, a new answer! Each day you can be closer to winning money off of your next trip booked with Walters Wanderings Travel!

1st prize: $200 off a trip of $2000 or more

2nd prize: $100 off a trip of $2000 or more

3rd, 4th and 5th prize: $50 off a trip of $2000 or more

Trip value is based on total price not including airfare, insurance, port charges and taxes. Travel must be booked and deposited by 7/31/2024 and travel must begin by 6/1/2025. Money will be deducted from final payment. No cash value if the trip is postponed or cancelled.

Questions will be posted at 9:00 AM daily on the Walters Wanderings Travel - Checking off your Bucket List since 2014 page on FB. One answer per person will be allowed. Answers will not be accepted after my comment closing the question is posted.

I will calculate the correct answers throughout the month. Standings will be updated weekly beginning on June 8. Decisions on acceptable answers and prizes are solely mine and all rulings are final.

No purchase of travel is necessary to enter the contest. I wish everyone good luck. Be sure to like and follow the FB page noted above!

05/20/2024

Monday Musings: Note that this cautionary tale involves someone who is NOT my client!

I don’t know if any of you have heard the name Tiffany Banks this past week so if not, buckle up because THIS is a doozy!

Mrs. Banks is a Nurse Practitioner and over a year ago she booked the Presidential Suite on Carnival Celebration. Her cruise was supposed to depart this past week. Now the Presidential Suite was over $10,000, but between flights, the cruise, excursions, and add-ons, she had about $17,000 tied up in this vacation for she and her husband.

In her excitement, she posted her booking on social media as did her husband. Carnival Cruise line (and others) use your last name and booking number to allow you access to your booking. Well, lo and behold, someone out there in internet land used that information and CANCELED her cruise.

Now why they did that is anyone’s guess. Jealousy, a dislike for her or her family, a disgruntled patient, or just some random a**hole doing random a**hole things??? Who knows??? But that’s not important right now.

What IS important is that IF she had used a Travel Advisor there’s no possible way for that to happen. Why, you ask?? Because when you book with a Travel Advisor, THEY control your booking.

Many people see that as a downside to using a TA because they have to do things like make payments through their agent. I get that of course. But in over ten years of doing this there has been no instance of payment information going sideways in a nefarious manner.

You can STILL purchase excursions, beverage and internet packages, specialty dining, etc. in the app any time you like, but there are TWO things you cannot do if you use an agent.

1. Make a payment through Carnival directly

And....

2. CANCEL YOUR CRUISE

If Tiffany Banks had booked with an advisor she would be on the Celebration right now sailing away into the sunset. Instead, she is NOT getting a refund because she was within the 100% penalty since it was cancelled just a few days before sailing.

There are two lessons here: first, do NOT share your booking info with anyone, especially on social media and second, for the love of Pete, USE A TRAVEL ADVISOR.

There you have it, my Monday Musing!

Oh and if you’re interested in this particular cabin or any cabin on any cruise line, get in touchtoSTARTWANDERING!!

I can CERTAINLY get you in one and it will NOT be cancelled, here are some details on this cabin:

Presidential Suites (fleet's largest) feature spacious dining-living-sleeping areas and fleet's biggest balconies (with double sunbeds, lounging area, outdoor hot tub and shower). Suite guests also enjoy complimentary access to the Havana Pool complex and the Thermal Suite.

https://youtu.be/pC-iPmhUwFw?si=4j9Yu_Cn5hkhWegJ

05/20/2024

These are the best text messages to get!

Hi Scott. It's ###### ######. Sorry to bother you on a Sunday but just wanted to thank you for booking that Universal trip you did for my son and friend. They had an awesome time and everything went smoothly. Thank you again and I'll be sure to book any trips thru you and also recommend you.

I appreciate this note so very much!

You want to have a great vacation experience???? Get in touch to START WANDERING!

845-558-1225 [email protected]

05/10/2024

As part of my tenth anniversary of Walters Wanderings Travel,
here are ten iconic cocktails along with their ingredients:

Margarita: Tequila, triple sec, lime juice, salt (optional)

Martini: Gin, dry vermouth, olives or lemon twist (optional)

Mojito: White rum, fresh mint leaves, lime juice, simple syrup, soda water

Old Fashioned: Bourbon or rye whiskey, Angostura bitters, sugar cube, water, orange peel (optional)

Cosmopolitan: Vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, lime juice

Negroni: Gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, orange peel

Piña Colada: White rum, coconut cream, pineapple juice

Manhattan: Rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Angostura bitters, cherry (optional)

Daiquiri: White rum, lime juice, simple syrup

Bloody Mary: Vodka, tomato juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, salt, pepper, celery stalk (garnish)

These cocktails represent a diverse range of flavors and have stood the test of time as classics in the world of mixology.

How many have you had? I have had all but the Negroni! But not all at once of course!

Where is the most interesting place you have had one? I had a Pina Colada at O'Malley's (if you know, you know!).

Share you favorite cocktail story here! And when you want to get away, get in touch to START WANDERING!

845-558-1225 [email protected]

01/11/2024

Just wrapped up a very informative and entertaining addition of the Walters Wanderings Travel Podcast with Jarret Kettinger of Amtrak Vacations and Railbookers .

We discussed the allure and romance of train travel, as well as many of the great options available to you when you take the train.

Note that there's a special promo included within my podcast. Don't forget to take advantage of it.

https://anchor.fm/walters-wanderings-travel/episodes/Lets-go-on-a-train-trip-e2eagvm

Wherever you get your podcasts!

Get in touch to START WANDERING!

845-558-1225 [email protected]

12/24/2023

So, I am out of the office (such as it is) until Wednesday! If you are in travel, never fear as I am available to you always!

I will return with a vengeance fir business on Wednesday the 27th. Until then...

11/23/2023

11/17/2023

I have a HUGE but SMALL favor to ask. This would really help me, my family and my business.

Go to my Business Page - https://www.facebook.com/walterswanderingstravel?mibextid=ZbWKwL

Go to the 3 little dots on the side of page, Hit “invite friends”

Select "invite all" & done

You've SUCCESSFULLY supported my Small Business for $0.00

Thank YOU for supporting a small and local business in your community!

I wanted to share as this is an amazing way to help us small, local business owners!

11/08/2023

✨Here are 5 things you may not know about our lives as a travel agents (aka travel advisors, travel professionals):

1️⃣ We don’t travel for free! While it’s possible we’ll have the opportunity to earn travel discounts throughout our career (so that we have ability to attend more research trips to get insider info for our clients), we pay for our trips out of pocket. Reinvesting some of our earnings back into learning more is the key to being a successful agent! Never trust a skinny cook is the same with travel, you want an agent that travels.

2️⃣ We are only paid via commission by the companies/vendors we book vacations through for our clients. And though we work SO incredibly hard with/for our clients prior to and often during their travels, we are not compensated until AFTER they get home from their vacations and only if you reserve your trip with us! So please don't pick our brains, have us quote and then go book yourself. The cost is the same as booking it yourself, the commission is already built in whether you use an agent or not, so have a back up in case you need help! Our services are complimentary with all who book with us!

3️⃣ Though we recognize you see us travel to certain destinations, we are registered with SO many travel vendors as well (different cruise lines, all-inclusive resorts, tour companies, etc.) So if you have an dream vacation destination in mind, please reach out - we would love to chat with you!

4️⃣ It takes too much time amd money to work with a travel agent. Heck, it saves you time! And often it can save you money!!! As travel agents, we do the research FOR you, put together vacation proposals for you, make payments for you, put together pre-vacation itineraries for you, etc.! You want to do all the planning? No problem, we help as much or as little as you want, With most vendors the only thing the agent must do is put the payment through or change dates. (and many vendors are now finding ways to let guests do those two things themselves).

5️⃣ We get most of our clients via referrals! And when people recommend our services to others, it means the absolute world to us!

Like any profession, you will find good and not so good travel agents but I can assure you here at Walters Wanderings Travel we will take great care of you. Thank you to everyone who has supported our small business and help us grow! We truly appreciate you!

Get in touch to START WANDERING!

845-558-1225 [email protected]

10/31/2023

When the clock strikes midnight my offer for up to $200 of on board credit for the Chris Cimino Weather or Not Cruise goes BYE BYE!!!

Get in touch TODAY to take advantage!!!

845-558-1225 [email protected]

10/19/2023

This is an interesting nugget....

NCL's Norwegian Spirit starting on Oct. 22 sailing from Hawaii to Tahiti and back, think about this.

There are 4 sailings back to back for 11 to 12 nights (4 days at Sea on each cruise) sailing HNL to PPT and PPT to HNL. Do them back to back to back to back and it's 47 nights for under $4,000 in a balcony cabin or $2,400 for an inside cabin.

THEN take the 15 night on Dec 8 from HNL to Sydney for $1,549 in a balcony or $649 for an inside cabin!! Then celebrate Christmas and New Years in Australia as you arrive on Dec. 23, 2023!!

That's 62 nights at sea for under $6,500pp and you are in a balcony cabin. You could also go in an inside cabin for the 62 nights for just over $3,000pp.

That's like $50 per day per person, room, meals and entertainment!! Try that at home. And yes they have some great rates for singles on these sailings!!!

Oh to be retired with nothing to do.....

Use some miles for the flight to Honolulu and back from Sydney.

Get in touch to START WANDERING!!!

One of the cruises to whet your whistle.

10/18/2023

Give it a go!

10/17/2023

FINISH THIS SENTENCE: l’M SO OLD I REMEMBER
WHEN _______________

10/16/2023

Another cautionary tale from the front lines...

I begged my client three times to fly in a day early and get a hotel as he didn’t know what delays he may encounter. All three times he refused stating he didn’t need that.

I asked him to allow me to make his flight reservation…NOPE! He did that too.

Fast forward to yesterday (embarkation day) . He sends me a text at 1:15 PM Eastern Time - just leaving from Detroit to LA. Mind you, the cruise is scheduled to set sail at 4:30 PM Pacific Time equal to 7:30 PM Eastern. The flight is FIVE plus HOURS long.

I told him MULTIPLE times he needed to be at the port no later than 2 PM California time.

As suspected four hours later I get a phone call. Spirit yes Spirit misplaced his bag and he wouldn’t be able to make the cruise (IDK why he didn’t call me initially as I would’ve told him to go to the port and have Spirit fly his bag into Los San Francisco the second stop)

I tried frantically for three hours to get a downline exemption for him, but it was denied. They say due to the Passenger Ship Act. Oh, it’s a Pacific coastal sailing with several US ports.

(Just for grits and giggles, when I suggested they get a hotel in Los Angeles yesterday evening his girlfriend said they didn’t need a hotel she could just sleep in the airport; people do it all the time. When I said the LA airport, baggage claim area may not be a good place to sleep, she said oh I can just stay awake oke all night long. Yeah, now you see what I’m dealing with!).

I called everyone I knew, and every number I was given, but got the same response... too bad to sad. No chance for a credit or another sailing.

Now, they’ll have to check out of the hotel which they paid $250 for last night (the hotel, I quoted them in April was $157 by the way) and fly back to Detroit today (no vacation for them…). Of course, I don’t think Spirit will be willing to allow them to change their return flight without a fee, so they may have to also purchase another ticket to get back home.

They did purchase travel insurance and he will file a claim so will see how that goes. But the magic 8 ball says NO.

It is so annoying😠. I hope he learns and listens to me next time. If this claim is denied, they are out well over $3000 and a vacation they were so looking forward to.

Have a great rest of your Monday; I hope you have a smooth and uneventful day. 😊

10/16/2023

My favorite midnight snack is..........?

10/14/2023

If someone asked you to cook them your “specialty”, what would it be?

10/11/2023

Another great episode in the books.

River Cruises are a real treat!!

https://anchor.fm/walters-wanderings-travel/episodes/Riviera-River-Cruises-with-Bruce-e2aesu0

10/10/2023

In case you were wondering...

https://twentytwowords.com/amazon-travel-deals/?fbclid=IwAR0kRMEguevoYF8p4C1agBg04tIANTdLAH9fD1Skd1de-BNmxJ7eLNmdpLY

10/06/2023

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

Join my friend (and long time NYC TV meteorologist Chris Cimino on the Celebrity Edge from Aug 16-23, 2024 and explore the wilderness and people of the Last Frontier.

Ports include Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway with a wide variety of excursions of all activity levels. Pan for gold, take a train to the Yukon, take in a lumberjack show or any number of wonderful options.

The ship is beautiful, innovative and full of awesomeness from stem to stern. Great food, often locally sourced and cooked to high standards, great drinks and marvelous entertainment are all included in your cruise fare.

Prices for Oceanview Cabins start at $4577 for two people and includes beverage package, internet, taxes, port charges and $200 in on board credit.

Balcony cabin prices start at $5041 for two, and the outstanding Aqua Class, a ship within a ship with added amenities that will blow you away start at $5911 for two.

All prices and promotions are subject to change without notice and a small deposit holds your space. Airfare to and from Seatlle and travel insurance are not included in this price.

Chris and his wife Edme are looking forward to this bucket list trip, and you should get in touch to START WANDERING!

845-558-1225
[email protected]

10/05/2023

Tell me about a random celebrity interaction.

If you haven't had one, make one up!

10/04/2023

What would you do if you won Powerball?

10/02/2023

Your biography is becoming an audio book.

Who is the narrator?

10/02/2023

September Recap 🙌🏼

Go back through your camera roll and drop 1 pic of a memory that makes you smile from last month