Magnolia Travel and Cruise

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Holiday Newsletter - December 2008

As we approach the holiday season, we love taking this opportunity to wish our clients the best. It is the time of the year to remember special relationships with those who have come to our business with their wishes for dreams come true on the travel trail. We appreciate your business, and are grateful for your continued support. We wish you happy times with your families & friends through the season. As you consider the next great trip for 2009, we look forward to assisting you. Let us know how we can help!

Susan, Bill, Rachelle & Maria

Magnolia Exclusives & Best Bets

Sail the Panama Canal on Feb 20th, Holland America's Statendam Cruise from Ft Lauderdale to San Diego on a 14 day itinerary

Prices from $2100.00
Limited availability so call soon!

Complete Exclusives List

Newsletter Offer
Bring this newsletter in, or mention it on the phone or in an email, and receive $50 off any 7 day package, cruise or tour booked by December 31st. 2008. Our way of saying thanks to our special client

Calendar

Office Closed:
Nov 27-30 Thanksgiving
Dec 24-25 Christmas
Dec 31-1Jan New Year

Please note new office hours:
Mon-Fri 9:30AM-5:30PM
Open Sat & eve by appt. only

Feel free to make an appointment for a Sat or evening with our consultants. You can also email us anytime for a quick response!

What's New at Magnolia Travel

Magnolia Travel has exciting news to share as we expand our business to the east side of Washington State in Spokane. We are opening a branch office in Spokane, Susan's hometown, and will be up and running by the time you read this. We believe the trend in our industry is continuing to move towards personalized service, trusted relationships between clients and their travel consultants, and the need for expert advice in accessing the best values in travel purchases. We anticipate fulfilling a need in the Spokane market as well as continuing our great service here in Seattle.

Tips for Travelers

New Requirements for Passenger Information for Airline Reservations

There are some new requirements coming down the pike for airline travel and what we will be required to provide when we book your airline reservations. Please know that when we ask you for your full name as on your government issued identification and your birth date that this information is only accessed by the TSA. The reason is that they are trying to eliminate problems for travelers who have duplicate or similar names and become delayed at security. Please know that we are not trying to pry and know more information than you would wish to provide. We are truly just trying to help you have a hassle free travel experience. These requirements are not due to be fully implemented until later in 2009.

Travel Protection Insurance

While we know that buying insurance is no one's favorite purchase, we are emphatically recommending that any cruise, tour or package purchased through our agency be insured for cancellation. In these economic times, it is very difficult to know definitively the status of any vendor and our first and most concern is that the purchase you make through our agency is secure and can be recouped if you have a reason to cancel or interrupt your travel plans. Please understand that we feel it is in your best interests to offer travel insurance and that we will request that you sign a waiver declining insurance protection if you choose not to cover your trip costs with insurance.

Just like the Stock Market…….now is the time to buy!

There are some unbelievable bargains out there to purchase if you are looking for a great vacation, be it cruise, tour or package travel. Cruises in the Caribbean and Europe, Hawaii & Mexico vacations & escorted travel are all coming up with extra discounts and added value pricing. If you are waiting for a good price and want to go, don't hesitate to check into all the possibilities. You will be pleasantly surprised, and can look forward to the trip you want in 2009!

From the Desk of Susan

Alaska Road Trip

My highlight for travel this year was the "driving trip in Alaska". Yes, from Anchorage to Talkeetna to Seward and return to Anchorage. A great 7 day experience, guided by a former resident and my dear friend, Nancy. During the best weather of this season, we saw Mt McKinley from the Talkeetna Lodge, traversed the little town of Talkeetna (most wonderful bakery in the world there), visited Seward in the sunshine for the harbor and mountain views & the marine museum, stopped off at the Portage Bay visitor's center, tried to walk to the glacier at Exit Bay (no success, too much snow remaining on the trail), stayed at a fabulous lodge out of Seward (the Windsong), and visited with some of Nancy's friends in Alaska. Stopped in Wasilla, and visited the Itidarod Headquarters there. Missed meeting Sarah Palin, and didn't even know anything about her when we were there! Wow, what I have to say is get up to the interior of Alaska, rent a car and visit the great outdoors and small towns. If you don't want to do the driving yourself, there are options for land tours and/or land & cruise tours. Even if you have done the Southeast Alaska cruise, you have only seen a part of Alaska. The rest is waiting for you to come visit, and it is truly amazing for the wildlife and awe inspiring scenery as well as the native people's culture. Consider visiting soon as you will be fulfilled by the vistas of our wonderful continent and its beauty.

From the Desk of Bill

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the trip. That was my mantra and experience on a recent escorted tour I took with Trafalgar Tours, I took the "Sound of Music" tour of Austria and Southern Germany.

From the very beginning of the trip we were treated to first class service including private car service from the Vienna airport to our first hotel, the Hilton Danube.

This is a lovely hotel that sits right on the Danube River and although not in the city center it is just a short subway ride away. All of Trafalgar's hotels are first class, have easy access to the city center and include daily buffet breakfast. Many evening meals are also included at your hotel or at local restaurant. Other hotels on our tour included the Hotel Europa in Salzburg with a picture postcard view of the city from our 12th floor room. The Grauer Bar (Grey Bear) Hotel in Innsbruck where we could walk right out the door into the city with a fantastic view of the Alps rising around us, and in Munich, where we stayed at the ultra modern Hilton Munich City. The hotel just a 10 minute walk from the center of Munich and located on Munich's subway system including the S Bahn which will take you to the airport in just 35 minutes.

The coaches used by Trafalgar are first class as well. Coaches generally hold about 40 passengers and are fully air-conditioned. The seats recline, with drop down armrests, and the aisle seat slides out giving you more room between the passenger next to you. Coaches also have bathrooms and 2 exits making for easier loading and unloading. Drivers are very competent and fluent in English. Baggage service is included at all hotel stops.

After settling in to our room the first evening, we met with our fellow travelers and our tour guide Otmar Wintersteller for a welcome drink and overview of our 8 day tour (10 including flight days). Like most of Trafalgar's tour guides, Otmar is highly educated and directs tours in the area he is a native. In Otmar's case he was born in Salzburg and has lived in Vienna much of his life. He handled things with ease and a kind wit.

Another nice feature with Trafalgar is that they market not only to the US; they also market to other English speaking nations through out the world. This means you get a great cross section of nationalities as well as people from across the US. Our tour had a total of 31 passengers including 4 from Australia, 5 from South Africa, 2 from Canada with the remaining being from all over the US. Since most of the people on a tour like this enjoy travel, you bond quite quickly. You become friends,sharing your daily experiences and adventures of the day. This something you really miss when traveling independently.

Trafalgar does a nice job of giving you a balance of structured touring, free time and optional tour excursions. In each city you receive a guided tour and on those days you are traveling between major cities you get a chance to stop along the way to visit charming villages and sights that you might otherwise pass by if traveling by car or train. On our tour we stopped at the lovely towns, of Gmunden, Melk, Lofer, Berchtsgaden, Mondsee, and Oberammergau. We also visited the fairy tale castle of Neuschwanstein built by Mad Ludwig.

When visiting the main city stops Trafalgar first gives you a walking and coach tour overview often with a local guide along with your tour director. These tours generally take between 1 to 2 hours. After the tour, the remainder of the day is often left open for you to explore on your own. The guides and tour directors' give very good advise on what to see and where to eat and shop. Trafalgar also offers optional excursions, which you pay for while on the trip. On our tour these excursions were price anywhere from 25-60 Euros per person per excursion. There are generally 2 to 6 optional excursions to choose from in each city. Many past Trafalgar passengers sign up for all of optional excursions knowing they are well worth it. I took the optional tour of Shonbrunn Palace in Vienna, home of the Hapsburg Dynasty, enjoyed a lovely Viennese Concert in a local palace, raised a beer at the Munich Hofbrauhaus with dinner at a nearby restaurant, and visited the former concentration camp of Dachau.

Trafalgar offer tours from 8-34 days. They offer tours in Europe, The US, Australia, and South America. In Europe many people combine 2 or more tours together . For those travelers who wish to travel independently before or after a tour, Trafalgar can assist in pre and post hotel stays. They also will schedule your air flights if you wish. So the next time you are thinking of taking a trip and want great travel experience without the hassle of planning everything yourself ,trying taking a Trafalgar tour.

From the Desk of Rachelle

Having recently spent three amazing weeks traveling throughout New Zealand with my husband I can sum up our experience in New Zealand in just one word - STUNNING.

If you think you'll love the scenery, wait until you meet the people!

New Zealanders, or Kiwis, as the call themselves, are among the friendliest people on earth. Imagine a culture that draws you to the very heart of the Maori people. Where you'll experience their history and witness the deep connection to their ancestry. Where the wine is internationally acclaimed and every meal is an organic and local culinary epiphany. Where you can tee off to your hearts content with average green fee prices under $50usd. And then there's the water. Whether you prefer to shoot class 4 rapids, or to kayak slowly across a tranquil bay accompanied by a pod of dolphins, New Zealand has a place to dip your paddle. New Zealand simply has something for everyone!

New Zealand consists of two main islands, the North Island and the South Island that together, are roughly the size of Colorado with a population of 4 million. The climate is usually quite pleasant, similar to California in range. In summer (Dec - Feb) the weather is warm and mostly sunny, however rain is not uncommon at any time so it is best to be prepared. Winter (Jun - Aug) brings the possibility of snow; particularly if you plan on going to the South Island. Remember the seasons in New Zealand are opposite of ours here in the Northwest.

Our trip took us from the small northern town of Russell (Bay of Islands) all the way to the southern city of Queenstown. With stops at the Waitomo Caves for its amazing abseiling, Rotorua & Taupo for their geothermal wonderlands, and Napier for their beautiful art-deco design and lovely wine, Wellington for art & history, Nelson for tranquil bays and nature trails and Queenstown for all around thrill seeking and natural beauty.

New Zealand offers something for everyone - regardless of age or budget. I would be more than happy to meet with you to help plan your dream vacation to New Zealand. Having also been to Australia a number of times - I can certainly help in that department as well.

New Zealand Treasures - Special Package
Priced from $2250 per person / based on double occupancy*

- 12 day car rental
- Auckland Harbour Cruise
- Maori Hangi and evening concert
- Five Star Attraction Pass for Rotorua area
- Wellington City Sights Tour
- 1 night accommodation in Kaikoura
- 3 nights accommodation in Christchurch
- 1 night accommodation at Lake Tekapo
- Skyline Gondola and Buffet Dinner
- Half Day Queenstown City Sights tour

- 2 nights accommodation in Auckland
- Waitomo Glowworm Caves
- 2 nights accommodation in Rotorua
- 1 night accommodation in Wellington
- 1 night accommodation in Marlborough Sounds
- Swim with the dolphins
- Christchurch Sightseeing - Must See Four!
- 3 nights accommodation in Queenstown
- Shotover Jetboat Ride
- Milford Sound Scenic Cruise with a buffet lunch

* This special offer does not include airfare and is subject to availability and currency changes *

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