Everyone Needs a Bucket List!

More than ever before—we all want or need a bucket list. In 2020, vacations were canceled, families and friends were unable to visit one another, weddings and other family/social events were postponed. But, more than anything else, the pandemic proved that we need togetherness and adventure in our lives, and we need it now!

That is why we are encouraging you and our radio listeners, to create a bucket list and know that it is so critical. A bucket list is a long-term plan about the places you want to visit…not just for the next trip but for the next 10 trips! That’s where we come in. Our skills help you create this plan!

As a travel professional, we can help you create a bucket list with all the places and experiences you’ve dreamt of. It should never include obligations, for example, the locations you thought you should be visiting because everyone else has been there. If that is your motivation, you surely will miss out on places and experiences that are important to you. Every bucket list must be unique to the individual.

And you need not be limited to only one list. We can help you see that it’s a good idea to have several themed bucket lists, which then can be shared with others who have the same dreams. For instance, we will suggest that you have a family bucket list of things you all want to do with your relatives. Or you could have a list consisting solely of places to celebrate milestone birthdays, anniversaries, or other special occasions.

We will encourage you to have romance bucket lists as well. This is a great way for you to keep your relationships exciting and to remain connected, so you can reach those milestone anniversaries. If you are planning destination weddings or honeymoons, we need to make sure you understand these definitely should be bucket list trips. Or how about we assist with “annual honeymoon” bucket lists? Who says people are permitted just a one-time-only honeymoon? Shouldn’t every romantic trip be a honeymoon bucket list trip?

Here are some fun ideas for bucket list themes:

• Family bucket list
• Adventure bucket list
• Romance bucket list
• Friends bucket list
• Milestones bucket list
• Short-term (this year) bucket list
• Long-term or special-term bucket list (Tip: Make sure you set a specific year or date for each one.)

If you do not yet have bucket lists, we can help you get started. Here are some questions we could ask:

What did you always dream of doing as a child?
Where have you always dreamt of traveling?
What craft or activity did you always want to take up?
What physical activities have you always wanted to try?
What sort of events have you always wanted to attend?

Bucket lists should never be “one day or someday.” The purpose of a bucket list is to make people accountable for doing amazing things and visiting incredible places. We recommend that you reveal your lists to friends and family. This encourages people to ask questions about the places mentioned and whether you have gone there yet. This will prevent a bucket list from becoming an “it’s never going to happen” list.

TravelKatz is ready to help you create your land bucket list.  Give us a call at 352-277-77300 to set a meet-up to discuss the various places to go and times to go there…Let’s get started!

Bucket List Cruises of a Lifetime

Spanning seven seas — and countless waterways in between — the world’s horizons stretch every which way for would-be cruisers.  Accordingly, navigating through the literally boatloads of cruising possibilities can feel like an insurmountable task, which is why we’ve narrowed down the best of the bunch to these 5 cruises of a lifetime.  With innovative ships calling on intriguing ports around the globe — all sorted into personalized “pick-your-passion” categories (for beach bums, foodies, romantics and more) — get ready to take your pick on a cruising adventure for the ages:

Best for Beach Bums: Caribbean Cruises on a Masted Sailing Ship with Windstar

Windstar Cruises are the perfect way to island-hop.  If spending a day soaking up the sun on white-sand-fringed Caribbean shores sounds like your idea of perfect beach day bliss, factor this into that fantasy: Sailing into port on a massive yacht, billowing white sails overhead.  Windstar Cruises offers guests just such a transporting experience aboard their seven-night Yachtsman’s Caribbean itinerary, sailing round-trip from St. Maarten to island locales in Antigua, St. Bart’s and the British Virgin Islands, where diversions include snorkeling, beach barbecues, and seaside party-primed overnight stays in port.  Get there aboard the 310-passenger Wind Surf, the largest sailing yacht in the world. Bonus: it’s equipped with a complimentary water sports platform.   Windstar Cruises: Sailing dates from November through March; rates from $3,999/person

Best for Nature Lovers: Galápagos Islands Voyages with Lindblad Expeditions

Remote and enchanting, the Galápagos are a rightful place of pilgrimage for nature and wildlife enthusiasts. You can follow in Darwin’s footsteps on a family-friendly seven-night island-hopper cruise (bookended with overnight hotel stays in Guayaquil, Ecuador) with the pros at Lindblad Expeditions — in partnership with National Geographic — including a team of naturalists (with an “undersea specialist”) and a photo instructor. You’ll sail the archipelago aboard the newly renovated, 96-guest National Geographic Endeavour ll to set out on active snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding and Zodiac excursions, as well as hikes through lava fields, mangroves, highlands and sandy beaches.  En route, expect up-close encounters with wondrous wildlife like penguins, sea lions, giant tortoises, sea turtles, iguanas, blue-footed boobies and whales.  Lindblad Expeditions: Weekly sailings available year-round; rates from $6,960/person

Best for Adventurers: Northwest Passage Crossing with Crystal Cruises

The 1,070-passenger Crystal Serenity made headlines for becoming the first large luxury cruise ship to traverse the once-impassable Northwest Passage — a feat that’s been made possible by the continued effects of climate change.  This year once again, Crystal’s most intrepid guests — and those with 32 vacation days and a pretty penny to spare — will be able to make the one-off sailing through this frigid Arctic region between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans (from Anchorage to NYC).  En route, cruisers can count on Arctic expert-accompanied encounters (sometimes by kayak, Zodiac boat, or even helicopter) with this far-flung locale’s glaciers, fjords, tundras, Arctic communities, and rarely spotted wildlife, including polar bears, caribou and whales.  Crystal Cruises: Embarks in August; rates from $21,855/person

Best for Solo Travelers: Norwegian Solo-Friendly Sailings to Mediterranean Hot Spots

Solo cruisegoers used to have to pay extra fees, but those days are over. Norwegian Cruise Line’s 4,100-passenger Norwegian Epic pioneered an industry-first cruise market for solo travelers, thanks to its designed-for-one Studio staterooms; with 128 available, as well as a private Studio Lounge where fellow solo travelers can meet up over coffee and conversation on board.  You can mingle with other singles while sailing its seven-night Mediterranean itinerary, taking in solo-friendly ports in happening European cities such as Barcelona and Rome, as well as more Med stops primed for solo-friendly activities like beach-lounging or taking in world-class art museums. Norwegian Cruise Line: Sailings from April to November; Solo staterooms from $899/person

Best for Luxury Seekers: Sophisticated European Capitals Cruises on Regent Seven Seas

Sail aboard Regent’s 750-passenger, marble- and chandelier-trimmed Seven Seas Explorer — hailed as the most luxurious ship ever built — and you’ll be treated to one of the industry’s most refined and all-inclusive experiences.  Expect one of cruising’s highest guest-to-space ratios, balcony-trimmed suites, gourmet restaurants, and extravagant public spaces; plus, guests in the über-luxurious Regent Suite get extras like unlimited spa treatments and a private car, with driver and guide, in every port.  You can sample the ship’s opulence while cruising 12 nights between London and Copenhagen to a slate of sophisticated Northern European capitals, including Amsterdam, Bruges, Stockholm, and more.  Regent Seven Seas: Book now for 2020 sailings, June thru September; rates from $12,299/person, including round-trip business class airfare!

TravelKatz will help you figure our which bucket list is your ideal vacation list.  Call us now to discuss your future vacation plans – 352-277-7300!