This year, I’ve seen more people waiting until the last minute to plan their vacations. Sadly, this often leads to higher prices, fewer options, or missing out on the hotels and experiences they really wanted. The best trips usually aren’t booked on a whim. They’re carefully planned, letting you pick where you want to stay, […]

Whenever possible, I recommend a nonstop flight. Fewer flights result in fewer opportunities for delays, missed connections, and luggage taking a “vacation” without you. Many of us don’t live near a major international gateway. If you’re traveling to Europe from cities like Nashville or much of the central U.S., your itinerary will likely include at […]

When people think of Barcelona, the same names usually come up first. La Sagrada Família. Park Güell. Casa Batlló. La Boqueria. Montserrat. I’ve been to all of them, and I wouldn’t tell anyone to skip them. They’re extraordinary for a reason. But on my recent trip to Barcelona, I found myself thinking less about the […]

When I took my first cruise back in 1990, it was a belated honeymoon aboard Premier Cruise Lines’ Big Red Boat (remember them?). More than three years after our wedding, we finally had the chance to celebrate, and I was immediately hooked. Since then, I’ve sailed with Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Virgin Voyages, […]

I use artificial intelligence every day. I use it to draft, research, organize, and brainstorm. It saves me real time. I’m not going to pretend otherwise, and I’m not threatened by it. But I’m not going to let it design my clients’ vacations, either. Here’s why AI is useful and where it falls short of […]

I get the question a lot, usually from the same kind of client. They’ve heard me talk about expedition cruising for years. They’ve seen photos from Antarctica. And then they say some version of: “Shannon, I want that. But I get seasick just reading about the ocean.” Fair enough. The Drake Passage has earned its […]

I recently attended the ASTA Travel Advisor Conference, where one of the most talked-about topics was expedition cruising — a travel style rapidly gaining ground among travelers who want something more meaningful than a traditional vacation. As more people check off classic bucket-list trips, they’re seeking deeper connections, unforgettable wildlife encounters, and access to places […]

Most people come to Bad Ragaz for the thermal waters. They soak, they dine, they admire the Alps, and they leave, never knowing that in just over two hours, they could have stood in four countries. I learned this from Gian, my contact at Grand Resort Bad Ragaz, during a visit last November. He grew […]

Most of my clients carry a mental list. Machu Picchu is usually on it. So is a safari. The Taj Mahal. The pyramids at Giza. Easter Island, for the adventurous ones who’ve seen the photos and wondered what it actually feels like to stand in front of those stone faces. The problem isn’t ambition — […]

Every client asks for Lake Como. I get it: name recognition, Instagram, Clooney, beauty. I’d never talk anyone out of it. But here’s what I tell my most discerning clients: if Como is the lake you know for its fame, Garda is the lake you’ve been missing for its variety and unique experiences that Como […]