Why Read Our Blog–What Is In It For Me?

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

After writing our blog for over 2 and a half years, I started to reflect on why we write about travel.  I think it is a fair question to ask—why should you read our blog?  Most of you are very busy and often are overwhelmed by emails and online information about travel.

So, why should you take the time to read our blog?  Let’s explore this thought together and decide if you should or should not read our blog!

The Starting Point—What is the Purpose of Our Blog?

For me this is a simple answer—our purpose is to make you a better informed traveler who may need our services.  Sounds fairly simple but it really is much more complex in my mind.

I think there are 4 parts of making you a better informed traveler.  First, we want to teach about what good value travel is.  Second, we want to inspire you and help you visualize your next trip.  Third, we want to provide objective advice, so you can make wise travel choices.  Forth, we want to help you decide if you should trust Visit Dream Destinations, LLC to plan your trip.

So, let’s evaluate our blog and see if it is worthwhile for you to read our blog and if we deliver on the 4 parts of making you a better informed traveler.

Our Role as Teachers About Good Value Travel

Good value travel is making the most of your travel dollars.  It is about memorable experiences.  It is about reduced hassles on the trip.  We write often about these topics.  The blog has really 4 sub topics.  We write about ocean cruising, Europe river cruising, Europe Destinations and Our Travel Philosophy (best value travel and smart travel planning).  On our website we have all our blogs under these categories, so you can find travel or destination advice easily.  Here is the link if you would like to Learn More.  We try and write about the advantages and disadvantages of travel to help understand about the suppliers and their benefits to help you achieve your travel goals and how we can guide you to make wise choices.

Marksburg Castle on the Rhine River Gorge–just one sight you might see on a Europe River Cruise

There is one common theme in each topic –We try to write with the viewpoint of:  Do they care about me and what I need as a traveler?  In our blogs, we try and establish what we consider as a good relationship with our readers.  We want our readers to think of us as friends who may become clients, if they need our services.  If we take the next step in our relationship to client and travel consultant, we still maintain the friend’s mantra.  We treat each of our clients as friends, because we don’t sell travel to clients—we sell travel to friends.  There is a big difference—how your trip goes makes a world of difference to us.  We like to say we are small enough to deliver personalize service but big and experience enough to get you just the right trip.  We try to match you to just the right experience and make it logical, realistic and affordable in your price range.  Don’t get us wrong—we do not sell on price—we sell on value.  We try to demonstrate how valuable you are to us in many ways (many love our handwritten thank you and welcome back notes) but how many other travel professional have a Traveler Hall of Fame?  We are proud we could help you travel and we want to share with others your joy and satisfaction.  Learn More About our Hall of Fame.

Regan proposes to Megan on an ocean cruise at Tulum, Mexico–they are members of the Traveler’s Hall of Fame

Inspiration

We have had some great experiences traveling–like marching in a St. Patrick’s Parade in Sligo, Ireland dressed as Buzz Light Year and Jesse

We try in our blogs to help you visualize your next trip.  We often talk about our experiences during our travels so you can see if that trip would fit into a trip you might like to take.  There are many pictures in our blogs, most taken by us, to help you visualize the trip in your mind.  If you want to see more of our travel pictures, please visit our Pinterest page—it has over 4,500 pictures (www.pinterest.com/visitdd).  Our emphasis is always the best possible experience within your price range and we hope these pictures help inspire you to visit a new place or experience a new culture or just have a bucket list trip.

Objective Advice

I recently read that 62% of business bloggers outsource their blog!  I was stunned—their blog may have good content but what that tells me they are too busy to provide first-hand information.  How reliable and objective is that?  With over 21 years of experience selling travel to many satisfied clients, we know both what you need to make your travel experience better and the knowledge of what is available to match you with just the right vacation.  We have extensive first-hand knowledge and do comprehensive research on trips.  We really strive to make your travel experience more enjoyable.  We have planned hundreds of successful trips to delighted clients and we are eager to plan yours.  Like a little proof?  Ask for one of our 50 Europe City travel guides—we wrote them, not some other person or company—just go to our website, click on the region of Europe you want to visit and then click on the city, provide us your email contact info, and we will send you the guide.  Or click on one of our many PowerPoint presentations on our web site or visit our Resource Section of our website to get travel tips (www.dreamdestinations.com).  There is one common thread here—almost 98% is our own pictures or written by us—in truth, it would be hard to find many travel professionals who have been to so many of the places we sell.  If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know we know our stuff.  As I used to say as a coach, when evaluating good football players, “he is the real deal!”  Well folks, we are the real deal!

Should I trust Dream Destinations LLC to Plan My trip?

Trust and integrity are valuable traits and, in my judgement, in short supply in our country.  Too many make promises they can’t or won’t keep.  My whole life has been devoted to service after graduating from West Point—20 years as a US Army Officer, 20 years as a coach and teacher and 21 years helping others travel to the right location.  Anne is equally dedicated to trust and integrity—she always thinks about what is best for our clients, every single time.  We think trust is the cornerstone of our relationship with you.  We try to under promise and over deliver a great travel experience for you.  We strive to make your travel experience better by helping you make wise choices, eliminate hassles, and help you get the best value for your money.  In short, while working with us, we want to provide a trip that will exceed your expectations.  I guess the best thing we can provide you is some comments by some of our clients.  Please click here to read A Few Words From Our Clients.

We would like to hear from you–do you like the blog and does it help you become a more informed traveler?

Our Final Thoughts

We hope our blog is worth your time to read.  As you can see, there is much more than these brief thoughts to describe the value of our blogs.  I think we help you become a more informed traveler by being good teachers, providing inspiration, providing objective information and developing trust.  If our blog has helped get more knowledge about travel, then we have done our job and the blog is worth your time to read.  We hope this ultimately leads us into you deciding to use us as your travel agents—we are here to help you get the best possible trips based on what is important to you!  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

Hank Schrader

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 45 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
• Viking River Cruise Specialist
• Scenic River Cruise Specialist
• Emerald Waterways  Specialist
• Avalon Waterways Specialist
• Brit Agent

 

 

Pushing Your Boundaries With Europe River Cruising

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

We are in the life enhancing business.  One way we help enhance your life is promoting the exceptional value a river cruise can provide you for a vacation.  We have a passion for Europe river cruising.  There are many reasons why we have a passion for Europe river cruising, but for me, the two prime reasons are that 1) it will push your travel boundaries in a positive fashion and 2) it will provide you a unique travel experience that is almost impossible to replicate in another vacation.

A Europe river cruise vacation answers the 5 main reasons why folks travel.  Let me explain—why you travel and what you expect to get out of the trip is the purpose for going on your vacation.  River cruises push your personal boundaries by helping you explore new places in comfort, style and ease. 

So what are the decision points on why you go on a trip?  How does a river cruise meet those reasons?  How does a Europe river cruise push your personal boundaries?  How can we inspire you to get the best possible river cruise vacation?  So, let’s explore these topics together.

Why People Travel

According to Phocuswright’s 2016 U.S. Consumer Travel Report survey of 1,724 people, there are 5 main reasons people travel.  They are:

• Get Away/Take a Break 41%
• Spend time with family/friends 38%
• Take advantage of available vacation time 18 %
• Personal Celebration 15%
• ( Tied) See a natural/cultural/historical attraction or Attend a specific event 14%

I can promise you all of those reasons resonate with me—we travel for all the above reasons.  The only thing I will tell you, is that the importance of the reason for travel changes with each trip and each individual—when you are celebrating a milestone event in your life, the percentages go way up—just read my blog about Milestones Memories –and -Celebrations if you want more proof that your priorities change with each trip.  Here is the link LEARN MORE

Anne & Hank at Cooking School in Wales, UK for Anne’s 60th Birthday Celebration Trip

How Does a Europe River Cruise answer Your Reason to Travel?

If you want a special break and want to spend quality time with your family or friends, for me, there is no better way than a Europe river cruise.  I have written extensively about the value of a river cruise, but, if I had to explain the main reason you should take a river cruise, it is the almost all inclusive nature of the trip.  You get a great stateroom, exceptional food and most drinks (on some lines all drinks), shore excursions and a chance to visit some of the key historic and cultural sights of Europe.  It is practical luxury travel– fun, gourmet but not stuffy, you travel in a relaxed atmosphere, there are great sights and it is flexible and easy to tailor to your desires.  Pretty cool, to say the least!

How Does a Europe River Cruise Push Your Personal Boundaries?

Face Carved into the Iron Gates Region of the Lower Danube

Going on a river cruise gives you permission to explore a world you do not yet know.  I wonder how many of you would go on the Douro in Portugal or visit the Balkan countries of the lower Danube on your own?  Some adventurous souls might, but for many, there is a degree of uneasiness about a visit where you do not understand the language, or cannot read the signs (sometimes in Cyrillic script).  A river cruise removes these obstacles but still allows you a chance to reach out to the people of these new lands.  When we went on a lower Danube river cruise, it was so easy yet fascinating to visit strange lands.  You will be surprised what once seemed so exotic becomes more familiar.  Not only does travel remove barriers in your life, you also will develop new perspectives about the world.

Church on the Banks of the Lower Danube

How We Can Inspire your next river cruise trip

We are river cruise experts.  We have been on 13 Europe river cruises.  We have sailed most Europe Rivers.  Here is a list of rivers we have sailed on or sent folks on:  Rhine, Danube (the entire river), Seine, Rhone, Dordogne & Garonne (Bordeaux Cruise), and the Douro. 

So, with our extensive experience and knowledge about Europe river cruising, we will match you to the right trip and help get exactly what you expect from your trip.  We are not selling travel, we are helping you make memories.  We will get you the best value for your money on a Europe river cruise, if you will spend some time us.  The more we can learn about you, the better we can serve you.  Want some inspiration for a Europe river cruise?—visit our website!

Our Website River Cruises Section

AmaWaterways AmaCerto Lounge

Europe river cruising can be a complex subject.  We help make it much easier for you by cutting through the clutter of information about river cruising and companies.  We accomplish this by providing you the highest quality information on Europe river cruising on our website.  In my opinion, this section is exceptional—you will not find anywhere on line as in-depth a description of Europe River Cruises. You can be sure it is authentic–the pictures are taken by us—it is the real deal.  The Europe River Cruise Comparisons is even better—73 slides about the 8 major lines.  We cite facts when possible but when it is our opinion, we clearly state it is our opinion.

Go ahead—pick one of the trips on the river cruise page.  Go through the PowerPoint—can you see yourselves enjoying this trip?—we sure can see you there!

Technical Questions about Europe River Cruises

So what is the best route for you to go on?  What is the best river cruise company?  When will you get the best value on a river cruise trip?  What is it really like on a Europe river cruise?  How can I be certain I will get to see the sights that are so important to me?  We know the answers to these questions and once we spend a little time with you, we will be able to recommend just the right river cruise for you.  Have we got you interested yet?

Added Value

While there is no doubt in my mind we are river cruise experts, and will provide the river cruise that will match your needs, we also add more value in planning your trip by proving customized pre or post trips to your Europe river cruise.  Our trips are unique and tailored to your desires.  We have planned and  have led pre/post visits to Amsterdam, Brugge, Paris, Prague, Nuremburg, Lyon, Arles, Amboise, Strasbourg, Bayeux (D Day area) and Budapest just to name a few great places.

Astronomical Clock Prague, Czech Republic

Here are a couple of examples of these trips that should make you want to use us to plan your river cruise.  By the time you read this, we have a group on a 7 day Seine River cruise.  At the end of the cruise, several of the group will go on special D Day post trip we planned.  Here is a presentation about this special trip:  D Day Post Trip II

D Day Sites–German Coastal Gun Battery

In November, we will also led a small group on a tour of Amboise in the Loire River region of France.  Expect a special blog about this adventure in the future.

My Final Thoughts

We have tried to convey information about our specialties and how they can benefit you.  We have also tried to get you to consider, when deciding whether to use us or not, why you should use us.  We feel that you will get the highest quality, expertly planned trip because of our excellent credentials combined with our passion to help you and our attention to detail—it is a true winning formula!  It is especially true for a Europe river cruise vacation. 

It’s time to travel on a river cruise and push through your travel boundaries—please visit www.dreamdestinations.com, select Send Us Your Travel Request and contact us.  This short form will start you on the road to a great travel location.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

Hank Schrader

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 45 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
• Viking River Cruise Specialist
• Scenic River Cruise Specialist
• Emerald Waterways  Specialist
• Avalon Waterways Specialist
• Brit Agent

 

What Are Your Dream Destinations?

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

We are in the business of turning travel dreams into reality.  It sure is fun dreaming about great vacations but, to be honest, challenging to make reservations for trips.  The challenge is making the right decisions to get you the best value.  Every time we make a reservation for one of the great folks who travel with us, I just wonder why anyone would do it themselves.  So, let’s see how we can help you find your Dream Destinations.

The Dream

Our name says it all—Dream Destinations.  Close your eyes—where do you want to go, what is your must see place or experience—we can get you there.  Every time you see a cool cruise ship or an ad for a river cruise or the iconic sights in a Europe picture, you can’t help but dream a little. 

Paris at Night is one Dream Destination

Our thoughts are very powerful—we all have amazing minds that are in constant motion.  In fact one survey says that 49% of all leisure travelers reported they started researching online after an ad or picture.  (If you are looking for a little inspiration, why not visit our Pinterest page with over 4.500 photos of Dream Destinations—98% taken by us.  Here is the link:  https://www.pinterest.com/visitdd/ ).

While it may be a good idea to do it on your own, we have a better idea—contact us on our web site at www.dreamdestinations.com or by phone 713-397-0188 (Hank) to ask for help.  There are 2 ways we can help you get through the clutter.  First, on our website we have a great tool banner called Send Us Your Travel Request (located towards the bottom left of our home page) and just answer a few questions about what you want to do for your upcoming vacation.  The best part of this is, you do not have to be traveling in the next month or 2 months or maybe you only have ideas now.  We will put your ideas in a Future Travel Plans Data Base and when good opportunities that match your dream trip come from travel vendors, we will let you know.  It saves you a lot of time and hassle. 

The second way we can help you–use our web site to research your travel.  There are 37 PDF PowerPoints about ocean cruises, 8 PDF PowerPoints about river cruises and 51 PDF PowerPoints about traveling to Europe.  That’s right—96 in-depth slideshows to help you learn about great travel.

Our Mission

Being an ex-military guy, the mission has always been of paramount importance to me.  It is what you are going to achieve.  Here is our mission:

Visit Dream Destination’s LLC mission is to provide customers with the highest quality, expertly planned domestic and foreign leisure travel with a focus on cruises, European river Cruises and European vacations for groups and individuals.

So, let’s focus on what this statement means to us.

High Quality Travel

My idea of high quality travel is to allow our clients the opportunity to turn their travel dreams into reality.  There is no real definition of high quality travel that is right for all folks.  It really is a right fit for your trip.  It is our job to discover what great is to you, and advise you, our client, how to get it.  It is a constant process of getting to know you, building trust, adjusting to lifestyle changes—a dynamic process that requires us to contact you often.  The more we know about you, the better job we will do.  Travel dreams can become reality if we get it right. 

Expertly Planned Travel

Expertly planned travel is knowing the destination and the vendors that service that destination.  We need to know the vendor’s advantages and disadvantages.  In short, we must know if they have a good product.  Second, we must be able to clearly communicate these facts to you, our clients. 

Anne & Hank with Kristin Karst, Executive Vice President of AmaWaterways–we know our vendors!

Most of you, have a dream trip in mind before you approach us.  Maybe you have read a lot of information on the web or seen an ad or received something in the mail.  The ideas begin—I think this might be a good trip for me—maybe a dream trip to a Dream Destination.  Now, Anne and I have to take those ideas and make it reality.  One way we do this, is to constantly learn and update our knowledge about what products are right for your trips.  We have to know our products better than you do, if we want to provide accurate assessments.  I believe that accurate assessments of vendors or a trip idea, results in expertly planned travel.  The correct match is our goal—we always strive to get you the best experiences and value for your travel.  You can trust us to tell you the truth.

The Power of Experience

We have helped many folks realize their travel dreams in the 21 years we have been in business.  In our mission statement, we focus on cruises, European river Cruises and European vacations for groups and individuals.  We good at it—I believe we are one of the best in the travel industry in our focus areas of travel.

As many of you know, I have been traveling to Europe since 1971.  Anne and I have been going there together since 1989—usually 2-4 times a year.  We have written 50 Europe City Guides.  We have taken 13 Europe River Cruises, led groups on tour in Europe and on river cruises.  We have a great comparison guide about the 8 major river cruise companies that market to the US travelers.  We have taken 25 ocean cruises. 

Anne & Hank at the Tuscan Grill on one of our Ocean Cruises

We use our experience to get you the right trip to your Dream Destinations.

My Final Thoughts

What are your Dream Destinations?

Please, reach out to us with your ideas!  Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 45 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
• Viking River Cruise Specialist
• Scenic River Cruise Specialist
• Emerald Waterways  Specialist
• Avalon Waterways Specialist
• Brit Agent

 

Do You Like to Travel?

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination Specialist & River Cruise Expert

My guess is that you do like to travel or you would not be reading this blog.  Travel opens the world to those who take advantage of the opportunity to learn about new places or cultures or visit a familiar place.  You know the benefits of travel.  But how do you turn those dreams into reality?  Our solution—let us plan it for you!

The 5 Stages of Travel

Google has determined there are 5 Stages of Travel.  They are 1) Dreaming; 2) Planning; 3) Booking; 4) Experiencing; and 5) Sharing.  We can help with all 5 stages of travel.

Stage 1—the Dream.  Our name says it all—Dream Destinations.  Close your eyes—where do you want to go, what is the must see place or experience—we can get you there.  Every time you see a cool cruise ship or an ad for a river cruise or the iconic sights of in a Europe picture, you can’t help but dream a little.  Our thoughts are very powerful—we all have amazing minds that are in constant motion.  In fact one survey says that 49% of all leisure travelers reported they started researching online after an ad or picture.

Doesn’t this picture make you start dreaming?  Colorful Mykonos, Greece

While that may be a good idea to do it on your own, we have a better idea—contact us on our web site at www.dreamdestinations.com or by phone 713-397-0188 (Hank) to ask for help.  There are 2 ways we can help you get through the clutter.  First, on our website we have a great tool banner called Send Us Your Travel Request (located towards the bottom left of our home page) and just answer a few questions about what you want to do for your vacation.  The best part of this is, you do not have to be traveling in the next month or 2 months or maybe you only have ideas now.  We will put your ideas in a Future Travel Plans Data Base and when good opportunities that match your dream trip come from travel vendors, we will let you know.  Saves a lot of time and hassle.  The second way we can help is to use our web site to research your travel.  There are 37 PDF PowerPoints about ocean cruises, 8 PDF PowerPoints about river cruises and 51 PDF PowerPoints about traveling to Europe.  That’s right—96 in-depth slideshows to help you learn about great travel.

Stage 2–Planning

Why visit 20 or more travel sites to plan your vacation?

 

According to Google, 85% of travelers search the worldwide web for travel information when planning a trip and 62% visit 20 or more different sites prior to making a booking.

Trip planning does require a lot of work to get it right, and it is a hassle.  Wouldn’t it be better to let us solve the trip research for you?  Here are 7 Benefits to you if you let us plan your trip:

Your first problem– Will I get the best value for my money?

Everyone wants to spend their money wisely.  But how can you really know the vacation you want will give you the trip you desire?  Our solution–We match the right vendor(s) to provide a trip that will exceed your expectations. 

Your second problem– Will I get the right trip?

You want the best vacation possible.  With so many choices, how do you know it will be the right trip for you?  Our solution–We learn about your dreams and turn them into a reality.  Experience planning travel is critical to getting you the right trip.

Your third problem– Will I make wise choices?

You want a better vacation and may fear of missing out on great experiences by making the wrong choice.  Our solution—We have 21 years of experience in the travel industry, and, coupled with our first-hand knowledge and numerous professional certifications, we can provide you with the best options available. 

Here is a good example–Thinking about a river cruise?  Why not use an advisor who has been on 13 river cruises and written a comparison of the 8 major lines that market to US consumers?  Not many advisors have the experience to help you make the correct choice for your vacation.

Sea Food Buffet on the Scenic Opal Lobster Therimdor Station

Do you know the difference between AmaWaterways & Scenic–we do and can help you make the choice that is right for you!

Your fourth problem– Will I remember all the details?

The last thing you want is to get part of the trip right and then overlook part of the trip planning.  Our solution– We check all the details so you do not have any missteps or forgotten arrangements. There are a lot details that could go wrong, such as forgetting transfers, selecting connections that are too tight to make, or selecting the wrong train stations in a town.

Train Coach Platform Diagram

Do you know how to get the right train in Europe and get off at the right stop? We can help  you get it right!

Your fifth problem– Will I spend too much time researching my trip?

I am sure you would like to save time and eliminate hassles in the trip planning process.  Our solution– Once we know what you want, we do research to get you the highest quality, expertly planned trip.  The key here is a lot of questions—what do you like, what do you not like, where have been your best previous vacations, what is your goal for this vacation—the more we know, the better the plan and result for you.

Your sixth problem– How can I best protect my vacation?

No one expects problems on their vacations.  It does happen occasionally.  We know you want peace of mind.  Our solution–We can help lead you to the right people to answer your questions about insurance options.

Your seventh problem– How do I know I can trust my travel advisor to do the best for me?

Trust is not given; it is earned.  Once you contact us, we are thinking of your best interests.  Our solution–We are members of two professional organizations (Cruise Lines International Association & the Travel Institute) and we have earned the trust of hundreds of clients.  We encourage you to read their comments about our service

LEARN MORE

Stage 3–Booking

You may notice there is no booking engine on our web site.  There is a really good reason why—we need to make the booking for you.  A booking engine does not know what you want—that’s where we come in—we book exactly what you want combined with our vast experience to insure you get the best possible vacation within your budget and time constraints.  We look for the right room, the right cabin, the right ship, the right tour based on really knowing you.  We also insure you get the correct confirmations.  Besides just booking, we make sure the little details like transfers, experiences and help learn how to protect your trip if something unforeseen happens.  A booking engine may be quick but we are through and respond quickly.  We are here to serve you!

Stage 4—the Experience.  Since we have been on many of the trips you are considering, this is the part that makes us shine.  Like some proof—we have over 4,500 pictures on our Pinterest site (www.pinterest.com/visitdd) and 99% are taken by us, not pinned from some stock photo.  We took our pictures at the places you want to go. We know the tips to make the trip go more smoothly—on our website alone we have 7 links to resources ranging from weather to passports to help you quickly get the answers to your questions.  We have 5 PDF PowerPoints on travel tips.  We have packing lists for you.  We provide complete itineraries so you only have to enjoy—all is planned for you.  While seldom is there a problem, if something goes wrong, we are here to fix as best we can.  If we do not know the answer to a question, we will find out the right answer form our widespread contact with the vendors who provide the services for your trip.  Having the right persons on your side makes all the difference in the world!

Stage 5—Sharing your Experiences.  53% of leisure travelers like to share their pictures of their travels and 49% of leisure travelers like reading others reviews, and opinions.  As soon as we can, we will contact you to learn all about your trip, both what you liked and did not like.  We keep good records to help make sure your next trip will be better.  But best of all, if you send us a picture, we will induct you into our Traveler Hall of Fame.

Two of our Traveler Hall of Fame Inductees

The Bottom Line

You can plan your own trip and take your chances or we can help you have a better trip.  Our Goal—Customer Bliss—Unforgettable experiences—We are not selling travel, we are helping you make memories to last a lifetime.

Why not call Hank now at 713-397-0188 or email him at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com and let’s get started getting you to your personal Dream Destinations!  We will help you: Savor life . . . make memories . . . visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

 

Travel is not only our business, it is also our way to celebrate!

by Anne Schrader, Certified Travel Consultant & Europe Destination Specialist

Travel is not only our business, it is also our way to celebrate! We’ll be toasting 30 years of marital bliss in October and Anne’s 65th birthday is around the corner, so 2017 is a big year for us!

Not really a “ta-da” big deal, but more of an “ahh” moment, as we enjoy making it to another milestone, blessed with good health, a wonderful family, terrific friends and the many clients who have joined our Dream Destination family!

When Hank and I started discussing how and where we would want to celebrate, we were torn. How do you decide between all of the many places we have visited (over 50 countries) and those we haven’t yet experienced? The decision is always a tough choice. What should drive the decision … food, people, activities, history?
Historic Sites?
For Hank, it’s the historic sites. And he truly enjoys knowing a hike through the woods to a reclusive castle is on the itinerary.

After a 3 mile trek through the woods, Burg Eltz–a fairy tale castle!

I’m more into the artistic experiences and shopping in the local markets.

Our Food Market Tour in Rome led by wine & food expert Hande Leimer of Vino Roma

We agree–Great Local Food & Wine!
But one thing we both agree on, is the chance to enjoy the local cuisine.

We don’t where we are going–but there will be good wine involved–Hank in Milan, Italy dining al fresco!

There is nothing more exciting than dining on food that is either not readily available at home. And we love trying local cuisine for dishes we can try to recreate when we return home. (My favorite and best recreation has been the cassoulet we really enjoyed in Carcassonne, France!) Each time we prepare a dish reminiscent of our travels, our memories are as vivid as one if our photos!

Cassoulet, Carcassonne, France

We’ve found that most local people, whether it is a couple, family or solo diner are more than happy to tell you about what they’re eating. We’ve learned we’ll get the best food, if we let our waiter/waitress make the selection for us. (We will provide a few caveats, we aren’t totally into some bizarre foods). Many times the wait staff is a family member so they know the recipes. Regardless, they are in the kitchen, they see what is fresh and they know which dish which the chef is really excited about.
Where to Go?
Our discussion this year has come down to a trip to the Baltics, and the U.K.  However, a rail pass to multiple countries and the opportunity to revisit Italy, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic or Hungary is tempting.

Maybe Baltic Country Tallinn, Estonia–a great walled old town?

You probably noticed I didn’t mention a domestic destination or a more southern vacation closer to home. Please know it’s not that those aren’t on our radar, we just feel that we can visit those when we’re tired of castles, canals, ancient sites and the homelands of our ancestors!

Perhaps a River Cruise or an Ocean Cruise?
A river cruise is also so great–good food, unpack once, see interesting sites–that’s probably why we have been on 13 since 2009. 

Who wouldn’t want to be on a river cruise?

And a relaxing ocean cruise during the winter months offers us the opportunity to visit many of those places when we’re searching for the sun!

The Caribbean on NCL’s Escape?

Right now, we’re trying to squeeze every bit of energy we have to experience the world before it gets smaller or we discover some of our favorite places have become so touristy they no longer seem different from home!

We hope you’ll check out or photos on Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/visitdd) . There are about 5,000 that show all of the places we’ve traveled, some more than once.

And, when we return from our 2017 celebration you’ll find out which Dream Destinations we chose!

Whether you’re ready to mark a milestone or just get away, please call Hank (713-397-0188 or email him at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com)… he’ll help you discover how to Savor life … make memories … visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

 

How Can We Make Your Day Better?–Our Goal for 2017!

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

We just returned from our 12^th Europe River cruise on AmaWaterways and had a wonderful time.  A large part of why we had such an enjoyable cruise was the crew and how they took every opportunity to make each day better.  After working 20 years as a military officer, graduating from West Point in 1971, and coaching high school football for 16 years, I really think I understand what makes an organization great.  The simple answer is teamwork with the right chemistry.  So, our goal for 2017 is to try to help all by making their day better—even more than past years.  To help you understand our emphasis, I liked to tell you about 2 organizations that have the right chemistry—AmaWaterways and my 2001 Bellevue Wolverines Washington State High School Championship Football team and how both have made us better travel advisors. 

And, I’d like to thank my wife Anne, who reminds me every day that I need to deal with our clients with the “How can I make your day better” spirit.

AmaWaterways

From top to bottom, AmaWaterways just does it right.  There is a real emphasis on working together and it shows in all they do.  I will tell you about the crew shortly, but the total organization, that works so hard to deliver good travel experiences, deserves recognition.  Yesterday was a great example of how good companies work with us to help our clients have better vacations. 

I called them 3 times to help our clients.  First , for an already booked river cruise client, was a simple check of an air quote for our good friend—answered by friendly person who quickly supplied the info so I could help my client.  Second was a call to my group coordinator, Kristie, for a client to find a cruise that would work for a family celebration.  Not only did she find a great deal for me and the clients (saving my clients $1000 per person on the cruise we selected), she saved me considerable time by volunteering to email the group sales manager and set up my new group.  About 20 minutes later, I got a call from Christine, the group manager, who put together the contract for my group and within an hour all was ready for me to sign the contract.  About an hour later, I got an email from our Business Development Manager, Shelia, who congratulated me on the new group and offered any help she could.  I called to thank her and to catch up on her travels.  Not only did they help me, all treated me like a friend not a business partner, ask personal questions about our travel with Ama on our Christmas cruise.  Wow—three folks made my day better—do you think there is a lesson here for all of us?

Our recent experiences with the crew of the AmaCerto on our Christmas Markets cruise on the Enchanting Rhine route from Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, Netherlands was made special by how efficiently the crew took great care of us and how they did it with the “how can I make your day better” spirit.  While in the military, I went to work one day and came home 3 months later—a no-notice deployment.  Why do I tell you that?—the crew is on an 8 or 9 month deployment and they work 7 days a week often for 12-18 hours a day.  Yet every day, they greet you with the spirit—how can I make your day better.  Smiles, efficient service, real interest on who you are.  Everyone pulls together—great teamwork and good chemistry. 

Although they are all good, I’d like to provide a little insight to 2 folks who make our cruise better.  The first is Tania, from Croatia, who worked as a waiter in the dining room.  We have sailed with her on previous cruises but the pride and professionalism and cheerful manner just made every day better.  We got to meet her boyfriend (he is one of the chefs in the galley) late one night as they were taking a break after all their duties for the day were done for a quick visit onshore—they were just going out and we were returning.  Thanks, Tania—you made 7 days better for us. 

Tania & Anne on our 2016 Christmas Markets Cruise

The second was the hotel manager, Martina, also from Croatia.  The hotel manager basically takes care of everything on board except sailing the riverboat.  Imagine managing the bar, dining and housekeeping every day for up to 164 guests and keeping all happy.  The hotel managers do not have a closed office to concentrate on their job—they sit at an open desk and are constantly interacting with crew and guests—constant interruptions.  Always smiling, helpful and never annoyed by the constant interruptions.  She helped us surprise the crew with pizza for all (I would be remiss to not mention our traveling companions, the Thomases, who once the learned of the plan, joyfully chipped in and paid half to honor the crew—class act folks!  Mark is a retired Master Chief who served his country for 33 years in the Coast Guard and Denise is Doctor of Nursing, great wine lovers, and even better traveling companions).  Good leaders earn the trust of their folks and it was very clear to us she had developed quite a team and all bought in—great job Martina!

Some pretty good lessons here—difficult conditions, handled with poise, can result in exceptional results–Thanks for making our 7 days better!  Anne and I need to deal with all with the same spirit—how can we make your day better?

The Bellevue Wolverines

I was the defensive coordinator of the Wolverines for 2 years.  In my last year we won it all—the best 3A (second highest classification in Washington) high school team in the state of Washington.  We were 13-0.  But the real story is the teamwork and chemistry of all.  Football is a sport that no one ever does everything right every play.  It is a hard game and easy to get discouraged.  Working as a teacher and coach, I have heard just about every excuse you can imagine about why someone couldn’t get the task done.  Yet this group of 55 young men decided they were going to be champions and nothing was going to stand in their way.  No one pointed fingers, all accepted responsibility, all worked for the common goal, not individual glory.  There was respect for all.  We all worked for success by trying to be better every day.  The made each day coaching a joy—they made my day better by giving all they had and never anything I asked them to do was too much.  While they were a great team, the even better story is that all 55 graduated from college and have gone on to be successful in life—too cool for words!

2001 Bellevue Wolverines–Washington State 3A Champions

The travel lesson here is that partnerships with our clients, where we work to get them just the right trip together, will result in experiences that will last a lifetime.  Just like when I was coaching, and I asked myself every day, how can I do this better, we must ask ourselves every day, how can we make our client’s trip better?  We also must work hard every day to become better at our jobs, so we can make our client’s trips the best they can be.  The more we can be involved in the total planning of the trip, offering wise suggestions to enhance the trip, making arrangements for all phases of their travel, and listening to their thoughts, will make their day better.

My Wife Anne

Every day, in our business, Anne reminds me to take care of our clients before I do any other task for our business and asks me about our clients and what they need for their upcoming trips.  She always is going the extra mile, worries about the smallest details, and has great ideas to deliver exceptional trips to all we help.  What she is really saying is “How did you make their day better?”  It is the guiding principle of our company. 

Thanks, Anne, for reminding me what is really important!

The Bottom Line

There is a lot to be learned from these two really good organizations.  Do our job well, do it cheerfully, work well in partnership with our vendors and clients, and try every day to improve.  Big challenge, but we thrive on getting it right.  I think our goal of “How can We make your day better” is a great way to welcome in 2017!  We hope you agree with us and will let us help in any way we can.

Happy 2017—May all your travel Dreams come true!

We hope this will inspire you to give us a call (Hank 713-397-0188) or send me an email (hschrader@dreamdestinations.com) so we can help you have a better day, plan a great trip for you, or visit Europe on a river cruise and help you:  Savor life . . . make memories . . . visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!