A blue-footed booby in the Galápagos Islands
© Danita Delimont
Cruise control
Costco Travel helps members navigate rivers and oceans around the world
For every type of vacation, there are great “traditional” destination choices, those popular go-to spots that are a bit more mainstream. But there are also many destinations—a little off the beaten path—that offer all the same great amenities of those popular traditional choices, and more.
These “different path” destinations may not have come to mind because they offer a level of luxury and pampering in exotic settings that simply felt out of reach. With Costco Travel, however, that’s no longer the case. Whatever level of travel you are seeking, the possibilities are endless and the value is very real.
Beginning with the September Connection and concluding in this December issue, we divided vacations into three broad categories—beaches/tropical, culture and cruises—and found examples that might be considered traditional and others that could represent a slightly different path.
When you are ready, Costco Travel is there to guide you on whichever path you choose.
Cruises
Traditional: Caribbean and Bahamas
Royal Caribbean: Symphony of the Seas
This sailing takes in the glitzy chic of Miami Beach, the ancient Mayan ruins in Costa Maya, laid-back beach towns and secluded shores in Roatán and the white sand beaches of Cozumel, with downtime during Perfect Day at CocoCay, a private island with the largest freshwater pool in the Bahamas.
Alaska’s majestic Hubbard Glacier
© lhboucault / stock.adobe.com
Traditional: Alaska
Princess Cruises: Voyage of the Glaciers
“Hubbard Glacier is an unforgettable sight,” Jody Zegers, Costco Travel’s cruise buyer, says about one of the highlights of this cruise, which also includes Glacier Bay, Juneau, Ketchikan and other stops.
In contrast with the thinning and retreating of most glaciers, Hubbard, the largest tidewater glacier on the North American continent, has been thickening and advancing toward the Gulf of Alaska, and, thanks to its exceptional movement speed, the glacier calves at an incredible rate. “The sight and sounds of this massive glacier calving into the sea are breathtaking,” says Zegers.
A different path: Galápagos Islands
Celebrity Cruises
Galápagos Inner Loop Cruise
A destination on many people’s bucket list (Charles Darwin crossed it off his in 1835), the Galápagos Islands archipelago is one of the world’s foremost sites for unique wildlife, with many species found nowhere else. As you travel on a ship carrying just 100 passengers, where every stateroom is a suite, this immersive, all-inclusive trip offers the opportunity to view and engage with every aspect of several islands including Baltra, Daphne, North Seymour and Rábida—on an intimate level.
“This is the land that time forgot,” says Zegers. “It’s an amazing combination of wildlife and landscape—it’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.”
River cruises are a special way to experience Europe
Uniworld® Boutique River Cruises
A different path: European river cruise
Uniworld Boutique River Cruises: Brilliant Bordeaux Cruise
River cruises offer another way to see and access special sights. This cruise, for example, limited to just 124 passengers, takes you along three rivers in southwest France, from Bordeaux to Port de Blaye, Pauillac, Cadillac and Libourne, where cruisers take in breathtaking natural, archaeological and architectural backdrops; historic landmarks; and cultural treasures across the region. Wine tastings, plus walking, driving and bicycle tours, put travellers right in the middle of the European experience.
“This ship has the highest staff-to-guest ratios in the river cruise industry,” says Zegers.
Costco Connection: To learn more about cruises, vacation packages and car rental options for destinations in Canada, the United States and around the world, visit CostcoTravel.ca or call 1-855-863-0357. As COVID continues to affect travel, members can check for updates at CostcoTravel.ca/Info/Travel-Updates.