Welcome And Today’s Travel Lineup

Todd Carlson 0:15

Explore your world. It's the Inside Travel Talk Podcast and Radio Show. Presented by Blue Planet Vacations.com. Call or text the show now. 801-649-3700. 801-649-3700. And check out the podcast at InsightTravelTalk.com. And now, here are your hosts, Patrick Wiscombe and Mark Faldmo.

Patrick Wiscombe 0:45

Hello there. I am Patrick Wiscombe alongside Mark Faldmo. He will be here in just a moment. The entire purpose of this radio show and podcast is to help you plan and book your next vacation, or we're just going to give you ideas of where you would like to vacation next. And we are presented by Blue Planet Vacations.com. And thank you for taking the time to stop and listen. And this week we are talking about airlines kind of getting into your business. Plus, we're going to travel to the Galapagos Islands. Princess Cruise Lines is getting serious about Japan. They laid out their plans. And we're going to cruise in and around Greece. That's coming up on this edition of the Inside Travel Talk Podcast, a radio show. And if you are a podcaster and you can't catch us live, just go to inside travel talk.com. You can stream the show live there, but we've also got links to all of the major podcast platforms if you just want to subscribe. And now it is time. Let me bring in the owner of Blue PlanetVacations.com, Mark Faldmo. How was your week? I haven't even talked to you all week. Had a good week. It's been busy and you know just excited to talk travel today. Well, I know you've been busy when I send you an email at four o'clock in the morning as I'm sitting here in the office and you respond to the email at four o'clock in the morning. I was not expecting that. Yep.

Mark Faldmo 2:12

Yeah, I've had some fun projects working on. I'm going out tomorrow to Tennessee, taking a big group to Memphis and to Nashville to go see the history and the music sites back there, going to the Grand Old Opry, which I'm excited for.

Patrick Wiscombe 2:27

I know that you're married, but you can pass this on to someone who is single who is in Memphis. You go up to a girl and you say, Are you from Memphis? Because you're the only 10 IC. Let's get to the travel news headlines. You and I are big fans of rail. And so let's start with Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel. Are they celebrating their 25th anniversary and they're gonna have the Polar Express special price?

Mark Faldmo 2:54

Yeah, so it's their 25th anniversary. Actually, when I was in the Grand Canyon a few weeks ago, saw the train pull up. I love trains. I wish I would

Grand Canyon Polar Express Deal

Mark Faldmo 3:02

have journeyed to the Grand Canyon on the Grand Canyon Railway, but as part of their 25th anniversary, they do the Polar Express every year, but they have some special pricing. So this runs from the first week of November until December 30th. It's a 90-minute round trip from Williams, Arizona that starts at $62 a person. Weekends are a little bit higher, and they do have a special Christmas Eve train that's more expensive than that. But you can also buy this with a package. So they have a train and hotel package where the hotel portion starts at $125 a night and includes breakfast and dinner. And then you put your train on top of that. So it's a pretty good deal. And Williams, Arizona has kept a lot of it has, and it's kept a lot of its Route 66 history. So you go there and there's the old-fashioned diners. It's just a nice little town to visit.

Patrick Wiscombe 3:56

Those cafes have the best food anyway.

Mark Faldmo 3:59

They do. Yeah. Again, it's a 90-minute train ride, round trip, and then you stop at Santa's village, so there's time to get off to meet Santa and his reindeer along the way. Kids will love that.

Patrick Wiscombe 4:11

Yeah. This is probably the main story of the week. Airlines pricing plans are raising concerns. This is why you should use a travel agent right here. And I realize that we're doing the show and we want you to book your travel through us, but this is a legitimate concern. What are the details?

Mark Faldmo 4:30

A few years ago, airlines

Airline AI Pricing And How To Save

Mark Faldmo 4:33

started looking at their customer profiles. So if you were logged into their websites and they knew who you were, they looked at your travel history. And, you know, for instance, if you took a business trip and your company paid for first class and you go to book your personal trip, they said, Oh, he booked a first class. And so they might only offer you premium fares. But a few weeks ago, United at their recent investor call said they were deploying an AI pricing tool, and they want that pricing tool to develop pricing for 20% of their domestic fares. A lot of people came out and said they're going in and scrubbing the internet with AI on all of their customers and offering them higher fares, which Delta specifically said they're not doing that. They're using the AI to analyze fares and raise fares as needed or lower fares as needed. This has created quite a stir in the travel industry because that airline has lots of data on you and they can raise the fares as needed based on the data. So, as you said, that is a reason to book through travel advisor right now. At least all of our systems, they don't know who the actual customer is. And so travel agents are getting better fares in some cases on airline tickets. And if you go through that where it has the AI digging through your the purchase history of fares and raising prices.

Patrick Wiscombe 5:58

Look at the fares online. And Mark really doesn't make any money on airfare at all. You might as well just save yourself the money and book it through him. I mean, obviously take a look at the fare and compare the price that you're getting online to the price that that Mark is giving you, and you'll probably end up saving at least something.

Mark Faldmo 6:16

And then when you package that with the hotel, which is where I then do get paid by the airline to book the seats, if you package it together, those are set contracted fares, usually based on a 12-month contract. And so I know that's always going to be my fare, and it's not going to be as long as there are seats available, that pricing system is not going to raise the fare on me because it is a contracted bulk fare.

Patrick Wiscombe 6:41

Right. I saw this story that guided tours are gaining popularity with Gen X.

Mark Faldmo 6:47

In travel, it really is all about the different generations, because it probably is in any sales business, different purchase patterns. But Gen X, which is my generation and your generation, kind of have always been that

Why Gen X Picks Guided Tours

Mark Faldmo 7:02

independent, you know, kind of do it our own generation. And 10 years ago, that was kind of the big Gen Xers were a harder sale for a travel advisor. But now they're turning to travel advisors and turning to escorted and hosted tours. They just want it done for them. Some of them are approaching that retirement age. A lot of travel brands like Globus, which is one we talk about, they've had a huge increase, you know, almost 30% increase in Generation X purchases on their tours. I've always been a fan of these tours. Yeah, we've talked about Globus several times on this. We had TJ on that talked about Globus. I love having everything done for me, having a guide with me the whole time, and getting that insight. It's just such an easy way to travel. And I think you get more on these tours than you get doing it on your own.

Patrick Wiscombe 8:00

Frequently, you get special access. You basically cut the line.

Mark Faldmo 8:05

Yes. Another tour company called Tauk Tours. They're developing tours for just people in their 40s and 50s. So they're going right for those Gen Xers. What tour was that? Tauc? It's called Tauk. Yeah. T-A-U-C-K. Oh, okay. They're more of a luxury provider. I've sent several clients on Tauc Tours and they love them. I'm partial to Globus, but Talc is probably a step up in luxury from Globus.

Patrick Wiscombe 8:50

A little bit earlier this week, we were able to get a parking discount. If you need to head to the Salt Lake International Airport, and if you park at Park and Jet, we have a special discount that we just want to mention quickly.

Mark Faldmo 9:03

For our customers in the Salt Lake City area, Blue Planet Vacations has negotiated a 20% parking discount at Park and Jet. So if you just go to Blue Planet Vacations.com down in the bottom footer, there's a Park and Jet logo. If you click there, it'll take you to all the details to get that 20%

Salt Lake Airport Parking Discount

Mark Faldmo 9:20

discount at Park and Jet at the Salt Lake City Airport.

Patrick Wiscombe 9:24

We want you to be part of the show. So if you have travel related questions, call or text your question to 801-649-3700, 801-649-3700. And during the week we received a was this a call? I think it was a call. It was a call. Yeah. From Janine saying that she wanted to go to the Galapagos Islands. And what are my options? So it's kind of a broad question. Where do you want to start with this one?

Mark Faldmo 9:52

There are two main options to get to the Galapagos. The first one, and probably what most people do, are the expedition cruises. HX goes there, celebrity expeditions goes there. There are several

Galapagos Trips By Ship Or Lodge

Mark Faldmo 10:06

expedition ships that go there and into the Galapagos Islands. The other way to do it, there's a company I work with that owns some lodges and hotels on the islands. And what they do is you buy their packages and you can either kind of base camp out of one main lodge and then take day trips out to the different islands, or you can kind of sail around during the daytime and spend your nights in hotels that are on these islands. And since it's a protected area, there's not a lot of development there. Well, that's why I was surprised when you said hotels. A lot of these were just grandfathered in before they really started protecting the Galapagos. And I like that because you're with smaller groups. These are generally catamarans, hold between 15 and 30 people. So you really get to visit these islands with smaller groups. Even though expedition cruises are relatively small, they're 200 to 400 people in size. These smaller groups are better, I think. Doing it where you kind of have the land-based Galapagos, you do get a lot more interaction with the locals that live there. Something that I like to do. I like that interaction with locals, going to the markets that they have or just visiting with the locals. Either way is a good way to see the Galapagos. How you get to the Galapagos is you fly into Quito, Ecuador, and then from there you fly over to the main island in the Galapagos, and that's where you'll either check into that first hotel or board your expedition cruise ship. I recommend spending a few days in Quito.

Patrick Wiscombe 11:48

Oh, yeah.

Mark Faldmo 11:49

Before or after. It's a really culturally rich city. And then you can even do some things, get up into the Amazon rainforest, and you'll get some really interesting things there in Quito.

Patrick Wiscombe 12:01

I actually have a friend in Quito. I have not seen him for a long time, but I was surprised how sneaky good Quito was.

Mark Faldmo 12:09

Yes. Also that kind of gateway to the Galapagos. And probably if you look at most people's travel bucket list, it's probably on 85 or 90% of everyone's bucket list. Either one of these ways is a good way to see it. Um I I I prefer the the the land way.

Patrick Wiscombe 12:27

Janine, if you have follow-up questions, you probably will. Call Mark in his office during the break or whenever you hear this. If you're listening to it on the podcast, call Mark in his office 888-718-7717-888-718-7717. And he'll also put this on BluePlanetVacations.com. Coming up, it is time, it is time, it is time for the infamous just cruising segment, where it's only about the cruise news and it's only about cruise deals. This week we're talking about AMA waterways. Princess Cruises is getting serious about their largest ever Japan deployment starting in 2027. And of course, we'll have the cruise deal of the week, where we will be cruising in and around the Greek Isles. That is

Just Cruising Tease And Break

Patrick Wiscombe 13:18

next when the Inside Travel Talk Podcast Radio Show continues. Alongside Mark Faldmo, I am Patrick Wiscombe. Thank you so much for allowing us to be part of your weekend. We will be back in about 60 seconds. Stay right there.

Todd Carlson 13:33

Taking you to destinations around the world. The Inside Travel Talk Podcast and Radio Show is presented by Blue Planet Vacations.com. America's Best Travel Advisors. Call or text the show now. 801-649-3700. 801-649-3700. Thanks for listening. We'll be right back.com. America's Best Travel Advisors. Call or text the show right now. That's 801-649. 801-649-3700. And check out the podcast at InsightTravel Talk.com. Here's Patrick Wiscombe and Mark Faldmo.

Patrick Wiscombe 15:00

Ahoy. You're listening to the Inside Travel Talk Podcast radio show alongside Mark Faldmo. I am Patrick Wiscombe. Coming up in this segment of the show, it is the portion of the show that has made us famous around the country and around the world, where we only talk about the cruise news and the cruise news headlines. And this week we've got the cruise deal of the week, which is going to be cruising in and around the Greek Isles. We'll get to that here in just a sec, but let's first

Cruise News Segment Opens

Patrick Wiscombe 15:30

get to the cruise news headlines. And I saw the story mark that Amma Waterways co-founder says smaller charter-only ships could be on the way.

Mark Faldmo 15:40

There's actually two different topics. Um, one just popped up in my inbox that I'm gonna add to this. Alma Waterways introduced the AMA Magna and then the upcoming Ama Rudi, which I call them double wides. So they're they're double the size of the average cruise ship. They can only go on the Danube River because of the bridge restrictions and all of that. But now they're going in the opposite direction. They're building smaller charter-only ships for private river cruises. I've

AmaWaterways Plans Private Small Ships

Mark Faldmo 16:11

read a few things that some of these could be as small as 12 people on board. So a family could just take a private river cruise if they wanted. And it'll be just like a regular river cruise where you'll have the stops and your meals and your servers and your tours. They've really seen kind of their group business really explode. And so they said, why not make ships that are tailored just for these groups so they can just buy out a whole ship and make them smaller? And on a related note, this is the story that just popped in as we were talking about AMA waterways. They've just put in an order for eight more ships to sail in Europe. So by 2030, and then they already have several ships that are scheduled to arrive in 26 and 27. Currently, AMA has 27 ships, 23 of which sail in Europe. They plan to have a global fleet of over 40 ships by the end of 2030. I think a river cruise is the best way to see Europe. Followed closely by a globus tour, by a land tour. But you know, the river cruise where you get your meals, your activities, your accommodations, it's just a great way to see that. You can come back and have a place to relax at night. River Cruise is, in my opinion, the best way to see Europe.

Patrick Wiscombe 17:31

Princess Cruise Lines has unveiled or is unveiling their largest ever deployment for Japan for 2027. You know, that's a part of the world that you really don't think of cruising.

Mark Faldmo 17:43

I've always struggled to sell Japan cruise because I've not been like you said, uh you don't think of it as a cruise destination. One of my agents, Julie, just got back from a Japan cruise with her family and said it's probably her favorite cruise that she's ever taken.

Princess Doubles Down On Japan

Mark Faldmo 18:01

The princess is going to have two ships in Japan in 2027 for longer seasons than they've had before. So they'll have a total of 78 departures and 50 different itineraries ranging from seven to twenty eight days. And they have 45 different destinations in six countries from their Japan-based cruises. The more I think about it, I think a cruise is a great way to see Japan. Japan has been, it's on kind of the the hot list right now. It's in the probably the second or third most searched vacation destination over the past 12 months. And I think a cruise would be a good way. It does help alleviate some of the language barriers that you might have if you're doing a land-based tour there. And you do get to see everything that Japan has to offer.

Patrick Wiscombe 18:55

A little bit earlier this week, we received was this a call? This was also a call from Barbara. It was also a call. Yep. And if you want to get in touch with the show and you have travel related questions, whether we're on the air or it's during the week when we're not on the air, call or text 801-649-3700-801-649-3700. Those texts come to you, do they not? They do. They they come right to me. Barbara's question is I want to go on a Greek Isles cruise, but I don't

Greek Isles On Smaller Ships

Patrick Wiscombe 19:25

want to be on a big ship or a big cruise line. Is that even possible? Is her questions. There are two options that come to mind for me.

Mark Faldmo 19:33

One is called Celestial Cruise Line. They're smaller ships that sail around the Greek Isles. They have two ships and they both hold about 1,200 people. They specialize in the Greek Isles and Eastern Mediterranean. That's all they sail. Their ships are based year-round in Athens. They really immerse you in the culture of Greece and they spend more port time compared to other cruise lines. They really try and get that authentic local experience. They really have lots of different itineraries. They have the shorter cruises from three and four nights, as well as longer cruises of seven to fourteen nights, depending on which options you want. Their fares include all meals, drinks, gratuities, Wi-Fi, and shore excursions. This is celestial. So this is celestial. Yeah. So it's everything is included. Right now for Celestial, they have save up to 50% off on 26 and 27 cruises. Anything for next year or the following year. And I want to highlight one of their itineraries. I think this would be perfect if you're looking to explore the Greek Isles. It's seven nights, seven ports, and two countries. It leaves from Athens. You go and spend a full day in Kusadasy in Turkey, which is where you can get to Ephesus, which is a fantastic place. And then you can also get your Turkish delight there in that port. Um and I came back with a suitcase full of Turkish delight from Kusadasi. I enjoy that. I know. Yeah, and then down there you go to Rhodes, Greece, spend a full day there, a full day in on the island of Crete, a full day in Santorini, a full day in Mykonos, a full day in Mylos, and then back to Athens. Wow. That cruise starts at 859 per person for an inside or 1769 for a balcony.

Patrick Wiscombe 21:38

That's a lot of ports in seven days.

Mark Faldmo 21:47

Right. Another itinerary just quickly that I like. This one's actually starts at $100 less, but I like it because of where it goes. It's called Heavenly Greece and Ital Italy and Croatia. So that one goes from Athens, goes to Cataklan in Greece, Kefalonia, and then goes to Corfu. I love Corfu. Yeah. And then it goes to Dubrovnik in Croatia, Kotor in Montenegro, and then Bari, uh, which is in the hill of the boot of Italy. And then back to Athens. Really incorporate a lot of Greece in, but you can go to Italy, Turkey. In some of those Aegean Sea countries. We've talked about Globus a few times. They have a lot of Greece tours that do a land portion. But then you can add on a three or four night cruise, and it's all using celestial cruises. They do partner with other tour companies to get that cruise aspect in Greece. What about a clipper ship? What do you recommend there?

Patrick Wiscombe 22:50

Yeah.

Mark Faldmo 22:51

Oh well, do you? I I do. And you know, Star Clippers, and we've talked about Star Clippers several times on the show. One of my favorite cruise experiences, you know, to be on a smaller ship that's three to four hundred people and then just sailing through wherever you're sailing, but in this case, the Greek Isles, it's just a great way to see the destinations. Right now, Star Clippers has save up to 65%. Oh, wow. This is a really unique product, so it's more expensive than Celestial. They're first started at about $2,000 a person on up to sail through the the Greek Isles. One itinerary that I really like from them is Leave from Athens, go to Hydra, Santorini, Rhodes, and then it has Badrum, which is in Turkey, and Dillon River, uh, which is in Turkey as well. And then they have uh, you know, kind of the the northern Greek Isles where it goes up almost to Istanbul. Another good way if you're looking for a smaller ship experience in Greece and still relatively affordable, you know, not going to the the smaller luxury or even expedition ships that do these on occasion. These are two great options to sell the Greek Isles on a smaller ship.

Patrick Wiscombe 24:14

Barbara it sounds like we have got the answer for you. Call Mark in his office as soon as we get off the air so you can get the information. Obviously, you're gonna have some additional questions. No obligation, of course. 888-718-7717-888-718-7717. And he'll also post this on Blue Planet Vacations.com and take advantage of the travel deal of the week. Get down to the Galapagos Islands

How To Book And Final Thoughts

Patrick Wiscombe 24:44

as well. You can listen to the show again tomorrow morning, Sunday at 11 a.m., right here on the very radio station that you're listening to right now at 11 a.m. local time around the country. But if you can't listen to us live, you can stream, download, and subscribe to the podcast at inside travel talk.com. We're on all of the major podcast platforms. And you can also just stream the show right there. So if you're in the office, just stream it on your computer. It is now your turn, our job is done, to get out and explore the world while you can because you never know what curveballs life is going to throw at you. Live your life deliberately, live your life intentionally, that's what we say around here. And a sincere thank you for listening. Really. We don't have a show without you, we don't have a business without you, we don't have anything without you. So thank you for allowing us to be part of your weekend. Until next week, have a great week.

Todd Carlson 25:48

That's it. That's the end of the show. You've been listening to the Inside Travel Talk Podcast and Radio Show with Patrick Wiscombe and Mark Faldmo. Presented by Blue Planet Vacations.com. Book your adventure right now. Call 888 718 7717. That's 888 718 7717. Thanks for listening. Have a great week.