September 13, 2025 • 53 mins
The Wishing Well's Terrie Dean and Harry Reif discuss this week's travel news and Hot Deals!
Dreaming of an Alaska adventure? In this episode, we uncover the best ways to experience the Last Frontier—one of the world’s greatest wilderness destinations. From scenic road trips through Alaska’s rugged landscapes to luxury train journeys on the Alaska Railroad, guided tours through national parks, and unforgettable Alaska cruises along the Inside Passage, we break down the options to help you plan the perfect trip.
Learn the pros and cons of each travel style, discover hidden gems, and get insider tips for making the most of your Alaskan adventure. Whether you’re chasing glaciers, wildlife, or epic views, this episode is your ultimate guide to exploring Alaska.
Dreaming of an Alaska adventure? In this episode, we uncover the best ways to experience the Last Frontier—one of the world’s greatest wilderness destinations. From scenic road trips through Alaska’s rugged landscapes to luxury train journeys on the Alaska Railroad, guided tours through national parks, and unforgettable Alaska cruises along the Inside Passage, we break down the options to help you plan the perfect trip.
Learn the pros and cons of each travel style, discover hidden gems, and get insider tips for making the most of your Alaskan adventure. Whether you’re chasing glaciers, wildlife, or epic views, this episode is your ultimate guide to exploring Alaska.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is a Lifeless Ordinary, the travel show and podcasts
from your friends at the wishing Well two forty three
f Avenue in Harsmert and online at the wishing Well
dot this. The wishing Well is your ultimate luxury concierge,
travel agency and A Lifeless Ordinary is a travel show
and podcast hosted by Terry Dean, bringing her over forty
years of experience in the travel industry to help guide
(00:21):
you to great experiences in your travel, whether it be
around the block, around the country, or around the world.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Let's bring in Terry Dean.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
And say, hello, Chris, how are you.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
It's been a week totally.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Yeah, I'm thrilled to be here this morning with you
and Harry.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
You know, it feels good to smile, you know, sometimes
that's the best medicine in.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Rough week news and amen.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
You know, it's just nice to get to the weekend
and have a little bit of downtime. Yes, especially when
we get to talk about travel for an.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Hour, oh boy, and the truth and that's my favorite subject.
You know that. We do want to start today's show
with some news, as we all do this time on Saturday.
And by the way, again, thanks to everybody who join
us here so faithfully every Saturday morning. Gosh, we really
do love you, guys. I mean because you show us
(01:11):
your love later on through the week when you come in,
you pay us a visit at the wishing Well, or
you call us and let us know how much this
show means to you, speaks to you, helps you decide
where you're going to go and win. So hopefully you'll
keep the messages coming to us about how you'd like
to see the show develop and the places you'd like
to see us talk about with you right here on
(01:34):
a life less ordinary. So I wanted to start with
some news today coming to us out of Orlando, one
of my favorite places. And for all of you out
there who join us with your Mickey ears on, this
will be especially interesting to you. No, I'm not talking
about Disney World, but I am talking about Chris one
of your favorite subjects, and that is food. There are
(01:57):
some more stars that are visiting Orlando in the form
of food. The twenty twenty five Michelin God Florida has
been revealed, with eleven more restaurants in Orlando joining the lineup.
They start with the first ever two Michelin Star honoree
Sory Kara and continue with the one Michelin Star Omo
(02:23):
by joint four new bib gourmands and five Fresh recommended eateries.
Michelin recommends fifty nine Orlando restaurants right now, including non
starred venues and additional Michelin honors. Is a testament to
the exceptional culinary scene that is all a part of Orlando.
(02:45):
So wanted to make sure that people knew that if
Orlando is in any time in your future going to
be a vacation destination for you, be sure and look
up some of the best restaurants in all of Florida.
I would say, perhaps on the East coast, and you
will find them in Orlando. Next on my list of
news today something that was actually pretty exciting because this
(03:09):
is one I've struggled with myself and some clients. But
United has formed an alliance now with Ita Airlines better
known as Alatalia if you follow that from years ago,
the official airline of Italy. But they have begun selling
tickets under a code share agreement now that takes effect
(03:31):
September fifteenth. With this code share agreement, United passengers can
purchase a single ticket now and earn miles on travel
beyond United service to Rome and Milan to ITA's domestic
connections as well as elsewhere in Europe. For ITA, the
agreement opens up bookings to several US airports, including Dallas,
(03:55):
Fort Worth, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, and Newark, and ITA says
the agreement aligns with its plan to strengthen its offerings
in North America. So I think that's good news for
anybody who is wanting to fly out of Washington Dulles
and the only flights that they can get now to
Rome or Milan they would find would be on Eta Airlines.
(04:17):
Guess what You're going to get points on United for that.
So that's great. Next on my list of news is that.
And I love this. I always love it when the
good news comes through in the travel industry, and I
can go none, no, none, no none. I told you so.
So anyway, US business travel demand in the latter half
(04:41):
of the third quarter has bounced back from the lows
and the naysayers who said it wasn't going to happen.
It has bounced back from the lows of the spring
and early summer. Executives from the largest US carriers said
through Morgan Stanley conference Delta Airlines president told attendees of
(05:01):
the Morgan Stanleys thirteenth Annual Laguna Conference. He said, we're
seeing very strong domestic corporate demand into the fall, which
we're very excited about. He said we actually had our
highest post pandemic corporate sales number for any day and
any week in September. He also suggested the corporate growth
(05:23):
was more predominant on domestic US routes than international routes. Again,
Nana Nana and also bank financial service technology was leading
the way. Other presenting carriers agreed corporate demands was looking up.
United Airlines EVP and CFO Mike Leskin, for example, said
the corporate recovery is leading really good. He said overall
(05:48):
United bookings since Labor Day for travel at least two
months out had increased year over year by double digit percentages.
Take that, you know, for all you guys out there
who have said everything's going to a heck in a handbag,
well it's not. So.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
I think that's extraordinarily great news. And I have some
news that rides right on top of that.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Terry, Okay.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I was looking at Travel.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
Market Report, one of our industry sources, and some people
always wonder about cruises and when a cruise is going
to get more expensive less expensive, Well, I think they're
going to at least stay at the same price as
they are, if not get less expensive, because the capacity
is increasing incredibly.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Get this.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
In the year twenty twenty five, current year, and looking
forward to twenty twenty seven, there are going to be
at least twenty five new cruise ships.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Is that amazing line?
Speaker 3 (06:46):
And actually at our most recent which unfortunately we did
not get to attend, but at the Virtuoso National Conference,
it was announced that cruising was up eighty five percent
from last year. This same tone.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Yeah, and we're talking about cruise ships of every size.
We're talking about cruise ships that have, you know, less
than five hundred passengers all the way up to those
what are the seven thousand passengers on some of these.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
New cruise ships.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
So they're they're they're coming out there. They're gonna pretty
soon you're gonna see little traffic cops out in the
middle of the ocean. I guess to keep track all
these girls out there cruising around. You know, it's exciting,
that's fantastic. I'm very very excited about that. And the
other thing I had the tops rides. On top of
(07:33):
what you just said with travel, one of the toughest
things of travel toary is getting through that security.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Well, great news.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
The first new lanes at Ronald Reagan Airport, which are
the they call them the new touchless ID lanes. These
are lanes where everybody's stream comes true or you can
go back to what travel used to be when you
didn't have to take out all your driver's license and
you know, every piece of identification that you might have.
(08:04):
But these touch us side D lanes are letting you
go through security based on facial recognition. They're going to
be rolling out at Dulles Airport. All you need is
a valid passport and a no traveler number to register
for this and and you are you are there. They've
got them.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Uh, let's see.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
They're coming out in Atlanta, LaGuardia, Salt Lake City. Plans
are for expansions also in Dallas, Fort Worth, O'Hare and Miami.
So we're going to see more and more of this,
reducing the time with the agent from you know, maybe
as little as half a minute to a minute to
seven seconds. According to Delta Airlines, I am excited about
(08:48):
moving through.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Yeah, everybody wants less time in the airports and more
time at their destination, so that you're going to help them, Yeah, exactly, which.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Is also great. So those are those are two pieces
of good news. One that's a really well founded rumor
also that I think we can say is fact local
travelers our airport Shenandoah here in the valley, in the
Shandoah Valley, they have announced that they are they have
made a recommendation for new air service for our area
(09:20):
that will allow travelers to fly on connections from Shenandoah
Airport to both Dulles Charlotte and O'Hare Airport. So we
should see that as we moved to the end of
the year. Again, another great piece of news for our
travelers here in the Shenandoah Valley.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Yeah, and because that is a bit of local news,
we'll be sure and keep our listeners updated about that
as we find and learn more news about that as well.
What do you say we kick off some sales for
well here, what's happening one of my favorite cruise lines.
These guys are real popular in the river cruise genre
(09:59):
and these are ama waterways. Everybody kind of waits for
some of these deals, especially when it has anything to
do with complementary round trip airfare, that's always kind of
a good deal. So actually, for twenty twenty five, clients
can have complementary round trip economy airfare from any US
or Canadian gateway when you reserve a select twenty twenty
(10:23):
five festive delights crews in Portugal and France, and if
you prefer some extra comfort, upgrades are also available to
premium economy airfare for premium economy starting for only nine
ninety nine round trip per person or business class airfare
for thirty two ninety nine. And let me tell you, yes, folks,
that is a deal because right now business class airfare,
(10:47):
you're lucky to find that under five thousand dollars to
anywhere you fly to get that, and a great cruise
line altogether at thirty two ninety nine, that's not bad
for first class airfare. So you do have to act
soon on this offer. It's going to end September thirtieth.
That again is with Alma Waterways, one of our preferred
(11:07):
suppliers at the Wishing Well, so you can give us
a call if you're interested in that. They are also
counting down they being Alma Waterways to their holiday sailings.
So they also are offering some solo traveler experiences. We
get a lot of those these days. I have a
lot of solo women travelers who like to go and
(11:28):
experience the world. They don't always have somebody to go
with them, but they look for great opportunities and vendors
that are going to offer them a savings because they
don't want to pay rate and a half. So Alma
Waterways again, thanks, guys are offering our single travelers only
a ten percent single supplement offer to that for some
(11:50):
of their holidays. So if you're somebody who's interested in
the Christmas markets or something like that, that would be
a great opportunity maybe to get together with some of
your galpals and you could each have your own cabin
and only pay ten percent more than somebody would if
they had a double occupancy.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Nice. That's real good.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah. Next on the list, I've got something that was
most unusual that came across from Royal Caribbean. They are
actually combining their efforts and partnership with MGM Rewards. They say,
you can live the moments now you can't find anywhere else.
So Crown and Anchor members. Listen up. If you are
a Royal Caribbean Frequent guest, your access to unforgettable Vegas
(12:32):
experience actually is beginning. You can enjoy up to ten
percent off of room rates at MGM hotels and resorts
in Las Vegas, plus up to one hundred dollars in
food and beverage credits to enhance any trip that you're
doing there. From world class entertainment and headlining shows to
(12:54):
renowned restaurants and signature cocktails. It's anything but ordinary in
Las Vegas. We both know that, and also that's through
your Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor membership. Another great deal
that I thought was phenomenal and I have a lot
of clients who have waited for this one too. Cie Tours,
(13:15):
of course, is famous for their trips to Ireland and
also Italy. They also right now are offering their two
for one airfare sales, and believe me, folks, that's a
great deal because right off the bat you're looking at
saving perhaps anywhere from twelve hundred dollars and up for
any kind of airfare these days. These are for new
(13:38):
bookings again, made until the end of this month. September
the thirtieth. You can travel, however, anytime between January the
first through July the thirty first. They have some brand
new tours for twenty twenty six, so that includes Italy.
Their classic journey Italian Lakes to Rome is one of them,
and then their Grand Tour, which is the Italian Lakes
(14:01):
to the Amalfi Coast. They also have some great new
tours that include Britain up and also Ireland. They're spicing
things up to Ireland a little bit, so some great sales,
great reasons to get out your suitcases, pack them and
go somewhere, especially if you can get good sales like that.
We love it.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
So on the show. In the past, we've talked about
traveling to like Alaska, the Rocky Mountains, places where you
can get in touch with nature. I would love if
today we could talk about some of the great wilderness
vacation locales.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Can we do that?
Speaker 3 (14:37):
That's exactly what we're going to do, and we're going
to focus that mainly on Alaska, because there's more than
one way to see that beautiful state.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Excellent. We'll talk about them. Many ways to see the
world's greatest wildernesses. Next here on a life lest ordinary.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
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guide your next travel experience.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Travel the world that you enjoy the very best.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Destinations and all they offer at the best prices. Our
mobile travel app keeps your vacation on track and keeps
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Speaker 2 (15:08):
For help, if you.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Need it, call us at five four zero nine zero
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and nef Avenue or visit us at the Wishingwell dot biz.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Hey, welcome back to a Lifeless Ordinary. This is the
travel show and podcasts from your friends at the Wishing Well.
You'll find them on f Avenue in Harrisonburg, online at
the Wishingwell dot biz, and you can also get them
a call at five four oh nine oh eight twenty
three thirty three. Our show today is the Many Ways
to see the World's Greatest Wilderness, and we found out
that's Alaska.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
It is.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
And I'm excited because every time we talk about Alaska,
the imagery that you paint as you're speaking about the
glaciers and the bears and all these things that people
travel to Alaska to see. I'm looking forward to the
picture you paint today.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I'm glad, Chris, and I'll tell you you're not unlike
a lot of our clients that are walking in the
doors at the Wishing Well these days, because Alaska continues
through twenty twenty five to be our number one biggest
seller and is expected to be also for twenty twenty six.
So we're going to talk about that kind of travel
(16:18):
that I think stirs your soul, kind of leaves you
with memories you'll cherish for a lifetime you can share
with your children. We're going to one of the most
spectacular corners of the world, and you're right, that is Alaska,
and I've been. I love it. I have said when
I came back, I can easily see why people would
(16:38):
live there. It's fabulous. It's one of the most beautiful
places I've seen in my life.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
You didn't visit the winter, did you.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
I did not visit the winter. No, I did not.
I'm not one of those people who mind the cold.
And you know, I think that could also have some
good points. But when most people think about Alaska, Chris,
they those massive cruise ships kind of gliding past the glaciers,
or it might be Denali with the snow capped peaks
(17:08):
that are towering over that wilderness. But here's the thing.
There are so many different ways to see Alaska, and
we haven't really talked about that here on this show
on a Lifeless Ordinary, and depending on your style of travel,
one way might fit better than another. And to be sure,
one size does not fit all. I recently had an
(17:32):
opportunity to sit down with some clients in my office,
and the whole reason that I'm doing this show today
is because when they ask me to take them through
what a trip to Alaska was going to look like,
they said, we don't want just the cruise option, the
cruise tour option. Now I have to admit that's the
(17:52):
number one most popular option, but it's not the only
way to do it. And I began to be very
intriguing by the resources that we had available to us
and what I was able to uncover and show them,
and I went, you know, I bet if they want
to know that, a lot of people who listen to
us on a Life Less Ordinary would like to know that. Also,
(18:14):
So whether you're a rugged adventurer, you're going to find
something in this show today. I think that you're going
to like, we're going to look at three of the
most fabulous options rail tours, land tours, and of course
the cruise tour option. We're going to sprinkle in some
of those once in a lifetime experiences like bear viewing
(18:37):
and flight seeing and staying at some beautiful remote wilderness lodges.
So if you're a luxury seeker or somebody who just
wants to sit back and watch the scenery roll by,
I can tell you right now, Alaska's got something for you.
So what do you say, Guys, we just dive right
in and get started.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Let's do it.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Okay. So the first area I want to cover is
the land only adventures because not a lot of people
do that. Because there is a truth about Alaska that
a lot of people don't know, don't embrace until they go.
And you almost have to go to know this, and
that is Harry. You've heard me say this to clients
(19:17):
at the office before. Life in Alaska is lived along
the coast. That's just a truth, I mean. And it's
because the whole state is really just such a wilderness
that in order to really see it in its entirety,
you have to start along the coast.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Yeah, and so there's really not a way to travel
inland efficiently and get to all the places you want
to get And it turns out that all the people
in Alaska have congregated along the coast.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
So that's a good starting point. Yeah, for sure, we should.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Establish that Alaska is much larger than it is on
our maps. Oh good lord, it is like what over
half the size of the contiguous US. It absolutely is.
It is not enormous. It is not a two hour
drive to get across the state.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
It is not. And that's why most young men who
live in Alaska, we found out by the age of sixteen,
they're learning to fly planes by planes before they ever
get a driver's license, because it's the most efficient way
to travel there. So let's start on land. Because truth
be told, not everybody wants to see Alaska by ship.
(20:32):
We've established that some travelers prefer the open road, the
open skies. And I mean some clients just don't want
to cruise. I mean, that's the bottom line. They just say,
you know, Terry, I don't cruise. I haven't cruised. I'm
not sure i'd like it, and I don't want my
trip to Alaska to involve that either. So it's the
(20:53):
chance to stop whenever a moose decides to cross the
highway in front of them, and that's what they want
to see. So one of my favorite vendors to arrange
this type of land adventure through Alaska is with Kensington Tours.
They are a luxury operator. They're known for their fully
customized experience. And when I say customized, let me share
(21:15):
with you, Chris, that just what some of that personalization
looks like. Kensington offers personalized journeys traveling with a private
god and a driver. You'll do what you want, when
you want, and with the freedom to change your plans
on the fly. That's what Kensington's personalization looks like. Now
(21:38):
I like in this and we've done the difference here
on a lifeless Ordinary. In case you've missed some of
these previous shows, please do go back and refresh yourself
and become familiar with them. But we did a show,
an entire show one Saturday on the differences between an
organized tour and a customized personalized tour. Remember that, and
(22:01):
what we learned was what a lot of people learn
when they start buying real estate, and that is that
if you go into a neighborhood where a house is
fully built and it can even be furnished, sometimes it's
going to have a certain price on it and you're
going to get the what I call bulk price on
that house. But then if you say to the architect
of that home or a builder, I like this. But
(22:23):
the minute you say but the cash register rings. You
know how it works. You know, you go, I like it,
but I want to customize this house some so the
price instantly changes. Well, folks, it does with travel as well.
So when you begin to start personalizing and customizing a tour,
the people you want to do that with are the
(22:45):
people who get it right, and that is Kensington Tours.
They also do expert planning. They possess a deep, deep
in country knowledge of Alaska. Their destination experts tailor each
experienceperience to your preferences, so you can really rest assured
that they're going to make the most out of your
(23:06):
time away. You're going to be able to unlock details
with their local gods that you might have overlooked with
the insider information that these people who actually live in
Alaska every day that they only they know.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
And this is exactly the kind of thing you want
to do. When you have a group that's going like
a multi generational family and there's certain things or certain highlights.
Maybe there was a TV series you watch that reminded
you of some part of Alaska, or there's some part
of the wildlife that you're interested in. These are the
guys that can customize it because there are the boots
(23:41):
on the ground, people that, like Terry wishes she could,
these people actually do live in life exactly.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
And I've even had some clients here. You talk about
multi generational families, this being an ideal concept for but
let me give you another idea of somebody who would
be an ideal client for Kensington. Somebody who is an avid,
maybe even award winning fishermen, and they go, you know,
I want to go to Alaska. I'm not really into
(24:08):
so much the wildlife aspects as much as I am
the water aspects. So I'm really interested in having several
days to just be able to go and fish and
I want to eat my own catch. This would be
the opportunity you're looking for. Kensington Tours is going to
do that, and they also support every booking with twenty
(24:30):
four to seven service in case anything comes up and
changes to your tenery occur, You're going to receive live
updates immediately when they occur. And that's the kind of
service I want my personalized, customized customers to be able
to get. And this is the vendor that I would
seek out this kind of service for. So just what
(24:52):
might a Kensington experience look like in Alaska? Well, imagine this.
You fly into Anchorage and from the you're whisked off
on a private seven day best of Alaska package. You
explore Dnali National Parks, one of your very best chances
to see Alaska's wildlife and what are the preferred five
(25:15):
Big five they call them, and those are bear, moose, caribou, sheep,
and wolves. And you might then go flight scene around
Mount McKinley. You're going to take a guided wildlife safari
after that and spend your evenings in some of Alaska's
best lodges. These are not just a cabin in the
(25:37):
woods in the wilderness. These are luxury type lodges. They're
not a single mention of a cruise. If you noticed
on this itinerary experience anywhere, this is really all land
based and this is guided. I mean let me just say,
Alaska is not the kind of wilderness that you want
(25:59):
to just buy an airline ticket to and go, Okay,
I think I can see this on my own. That
is not wisdom. That is not the way we would
suggest that you do it. Will we do that for you? Yes, well,
we'll do just about anything our clients ask of us.
But that would be one I would take umbradge with
and try and talk you into a better opportunity to
(26:21):
see Alaska.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
And there's so many things up there. You mentioned the
wildlife on the ground. One of the things that I
had as one of my big highlights when I was
in Alaska. I saw more American eagles in Alaska than
you know, even here, you know, in our local area
being you know, being part of the Shenandoah National Park,
we see some eagles, but they're just they're everywhere. They
(26:43):
kept pointing them out. And these guides that you're talking about,
the local folks, they know where to go because they
know where the nests are, they know where the wildlife
is living, so they're going to be sure to take
you there. And that's what you're going to see.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
And right now I know you're at home pounding your
coffee cups on the table and going, well, that's great,
but Terry, how much does this cost? So this is
an extraordinary private, high touch, concierge style travel. So you're
looking at about eight thousand to ten thousand dollars per
person for a week with this kind of high touch service,
which in today's market is actually becoming more average in pricing,
(27:23):
if you will. But for travelers who want everything taken
care of and done in style, I will say I've
had clients with Kensington before, They're worth every penny. And
this is Alaska at its most personal, at its most customized,
and it's Kensington Tours.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
If you're one of the people that, like Frank Sinatra says,
I want it my way.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
Yeah, exactly for you, exactly yeah. Now, another option is
to kind of build a land based itinerary through some
of the other trusted resources that are available to us
at the Wishing Well that we could put you in
touch with. Many of these well vetted companies actually specialize
in pairing some boutique lodges with guided day trips. So
(28:08):
a seven to ten day land package here might easily
fall in the four thousand to six thousand dollars range
because it's not as customized. There might be some things
that are a bit more organized about that where you
would jump into a tour as opposed to having every
moment of every day the way you want it. As
(28:30):
you said, Harry, my way.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
Yeah, if you can live with some of your way,
but also some of with people that have similar interest
to you, this is a really good way to do
the same sort of thing a lot more economically.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Yeah. And what we don't what we aren't able to
focus on a lot with our cruise tour clients are
the remarkable differences of these lodges. I want to hit
on that for just a minute, because there are some
incredible fly in properties like tut Gabay Lodge or Winter
(29:08):
Lake Lodge. And let me tell you a little bit
about Tutgabay Lodge. The main lodge at Tutgabay is a
small intimate building where guests can enjoy some pre dinner appetizers,
maybe catch dinner, play games, or explore in what they
call their stay Curious Lounge, And that's filled with a
lot of artifacts from all over Alaska, especially artifacts that
(29:32):
they found when they were actually building this lodge. They
have them on display in sort of a museum like atmosphere.
You can also sign up for lodge based activities here.
They offer daily fifty minute cooking classes with one of
their lodge chefs. They have forest exploration and mediation sorry,
(29:52):
meditation classes and yoga classes on the deck or in
their yurt. Now, in case you don't know what a
year is, it's a great big tint usually has heat
in it, maybe sometimes with a fireplace or some type
of fire creating warming atmosphere, so you can have love
(30:15):
of fire in there. But they have maybe animal skin
rugs laying around and lots of cozy places to sit.
But just a great place to be in the middle
middle of this. And some yurts are as nice as
a home. Indeed, they they've got.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Walls and bathrooms and kitchens.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
They did.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
But what I think is really interesting is the outer
wall is got sort of like that accordion looking frame.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
I don't know how to super canvas if you will.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
It's a fancy looking tent.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Yeah, you know, if you don't know to go inside
and see all the things you're talking about, Chris, But.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Yeah, it is camping on a luxury level.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
Indeed, it is, and actually at this particular lodge, they
also offer a daily Appitizer Hour featuring Alaskan microbroup, beers
and wines from the US even and beyond. Oh and
for those quick check ins to the real world, there
is Wi Fi there and in your private guest cabin
(31:14):
you can go ahead and check in right on your own,
so that makes it even easier. Now for Winter Lake Lodge.
Winter Lake is an exclusive remote Alaska wilderness lodge. It's
actually located on Finger Lake along the Iditarod Trail, accessible
only by float plane in summer or ski plane in winter.
(31:36):
Now you talk about remote, that's remote, but is she
ever so beautiful? Guests stay in lakeside cabins and enjoy
curated adventures like Hella dog sledding. I don't know if
you're familiar with that, but they take you up on
a helicopter up into the upper regions of the mountains
there and actually let you come down via dog slid,
(31:59):
which is amazing.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
That's part of.
Speaker 4 (32:01):
What they do to train the idea or dogs is
put these put them up there, and you pay for
their training because you're going for rides, but the dogs
are actually training. Yeah, And you're riding along with the
real dogs that'll be in the race.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
They actually even offer glacier trekking from there and rafting.
Don't know if I'd want to do that in the
freezing cold, but they do offer that along with also
many culinary experiences there, including their own cooking classes and
wine tastings, and the lodge emphasizes a blend of luxury
and adventure in this sort of secluded setting. As I said,
(32:37):
with amenities like a wellness room. They've got hot tubs, saunas,
and opportunities for all of that wildlife viewing that you're
going to Alaska for in the first place. The accommodations
and amenities at these places. Guests stay in handbuilt, rustic
lakeside cabins. They feature a dining room there, a bar,
(32:58):
a wellness room, and a library. They offer complimentary massages
because yeah you need that, and yoga classes, a wood
fired sauna and a hot tub, and then again their
culinary experience. They're known for their award winning Alaskan cuisine,
daily cooking and wine cheese tastings, and again that Hella
(33:19):
skiing adventure and water adventures. You can take advantage in
the summertime for kayaking, canoeing, and swimming in Finger Lake.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
You said in the freezing water in July and Alaska
it can get up into the eighties and nineties indeed,
especially in the Yeah, exactly. So rafting might not be
something you want to do in the winter, but by golly,
check it out in the summer.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
It'd be great. Just can you imagine that.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
I just think about temperatures in Alaska and it's like,
this is screaming my kind of vacation. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:50):
And you know, actually, just a couple of months ago,
Alaska had record breaking heat patterns that they were seeing,
you know, when it was like almost triple digits here
in Virginia. They were also seeing record breaking temperatures in Alaska,
So it is possible. These lodges also can bring you
into opportunities that include fishing, mountain biking, hiking on trails
(34:14):
near the lodge with a lot of potential views of
Mount Denali. Common sightings include black and brown bears, so
that's exciting for a lot of people. That's why they
like the inland a little bit. They've got moose, caribou,
the bald eagles. Harry, you were talking about lots of
various bird species. If you're a birdwatcher, this is ideal
(34:35):
for you. And in winter, guests can experience the lodge's
dog camp and participate in traditional dog mushing, which is amazing.
I've done that in Alaska and I will tell you
it's a highlight. For sure.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
You are a one great musher.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
I had a great time.
Speaker 4 (34:52):
One of the favorite pictures in my camera role is
to see Terrie mushing the dogs, and probably number two
is when she grabbed one of the little puppies and
she tried to.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Leave with the puppy. I did not allow her to
do that.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Well, while we gush over mushing, I think we should
take a quick break. Our show today is the many
ways to see the world's greatest wilderness. We're talking Alaska
on a lifeless ordinary.
Speaker 4 (35:19):
Who would think of driving off to a new destination
without guidance from Google or Syria? Not the wishing Well
Guide your next travel experience. Travel the world as you
enjoy the very best destinations and all they offer at
the best prices. Our mobile travel app keeps your vacation
on track and keeps you connected with our team of
experts for.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
Help if you need it. Call us at five four
zero nine.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
Zero eight two three three three stop buy two forty
three nef Avenue or visit us at the Wishingwell dot biz.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
And welcome back to a Lifeless Ordinary. Every Saturday morning,
we sit down and we talk travel here on a
Lifeless Ordinary with Terry Dean and Harry Rife from the
Wishing Well. You can find them on ne f Avenue
in Harrisonburg online at the wishing Well dot biz. And
I encourage you as you visit the website. In the
upper right hand corner, there is a link for past
(36:08):
episodes of a Lifeless Ordinary, so you can check out
as we're talking about Alaska today, past episodes where we
talked about Alaska, and you can get the full picture
of not only the experience in the wilderness that we're
talking about today, but also we talked cruises in I
think the most recent episode that we talked about Alaska
(36:29):
our show today is the Many Ways to see the
World's Greatest Wilderness. And Terry, you were just gushing about
mushing and now we're going.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
To be we're gonna gush about something else.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
Well, we were talking about land and I apologize to
all of you all listening at home, because when we ended,
before we went to break, I forgot to talk to
you about the prices of the lodges, and I don't
want to leave that out. These, by the way, are
all inclusive gems. They're tucked away in these pristine settings.
You can go kayaking and glacier waters in the morning.
(37:02):
You can take a cooking class in the afternoon. You
can enjoy a gourmet chef prepared dinner that night, maybe
with something you even caught who knows, but stays like
this run about fifteen hundred to two thousand per night.
But that's all inclusive. So that's it, Chris. That is
the summary of Alaska on Land. Intimate, personal, truly immersive,
(37:27):
and just the way you want it.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Now.
Speaker 3 (37:30):
The next thing I want to jump into forrest in
the next way to see this great wilderness called Alaska
is rail journeys. And I'll tell you this one has
my heart because I love rail travel, love it, love it,
love it. Now, for those of you who like the
idea of watching the wilderness roll by without ever having
to drive Alaska by rail, I would have to say
(37:52):
is probably pure magic. And the Alaska Railroad is legendary
and if you really want to do it in stay
while you book their gold Star Dome service. I want
to stop here for just a quick minute and digress
because when I was in Alaska, and I often tell
my clients this story, the most pointed information that I
(38:15):
received about Alaska when I was there took place when
I went on the White Rail Pass, which is not
the real I'm talking about here for this particular segment,
but it tells the story of Alaska, I think, so
vividly and so distinctly and so memorably, and it gets
in your soul once you find out how Alaska actually
(38:37):
came to be a part of these United States, which
by the way, wasn't that long ago. We realized that
rail travel had everything to do with that. It had
everything to do with that. Thousands of men and women
lost their lives connecting that rail system to the United States,
where before Alaska was only to Russia. And so this
(39:02):
made them a very attractive state then for the United
States to look at and go, yeah, now they're connected
to us. That looks great. But the White Rail Pass
was something very very pointed to me. It's also Skagway
is where the Klondike Gold Rush began for Alaska, which
also kind of put them on the map, if you will.
(39:24):
So the rail goes way back with Alaska. It's part
of their history, it's part of what made them a
gift to the United States. And I love that story.
I love everything about it, and it really it touched
my soul. So as I said, the gold Star Dome Service,
so we've come a long way from the White Rail
Pass to the gold Star Dome Service. So picture this,
(39:47):
you guys. Glass domed rail cars, an outdoor viewing platform,
and freshly prepared meals served for you as Denali comes
into view. Outside Ruenda, there's a p okay and you've
got seven routes to choose from. The Denali Star takes
you from Anchorage to Denali and then up to Fairbanks.
(40:10):
That's about twelve hours of non stop scenery. That's amazing.
And then the Coastal Classic runs Anchorage to Seward and
it's famous for their glacier and fjord views, so if
that one's appealing to you. And then in the gold
Star Service, you're looking at about five hundred to nine
hundred dollars per person per segment, so that's not bad
(40:33):
when you think of what all that includes.
Speaker 4 (40:35):
And one thing that we need to mention is people
are hearing what you're talking about, Terry, is that these trains,
they are not something you do at the last minute.
These trains book up far, far in advantage. We're talking
a year in advance for some of these trains. They're
in high high demand because they are so fantastic. What
(40:56):
better feeling than riding along the rails with that little
clay click clack.
Speaker 2 (41:01):
It's just soothing to the soul.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
Yeah, now, those were the prices I gave you for
the Dnali Star and the Coastal Classic, But I want
to be clear, there's a really special one. It's called
the Northern Lights Reel Package that's offered through our special
partnership with Alaska Rail, and that includes your scenic train travel,
cozy stays in Fairbanks, and evenings dedicated to those Aurora viewings,
(41:25):
which is what everybody tells me today they want to
go to Alaska to see I want to see the
Northern Lights. I am sorry, folks, we cannot guarantee that,
but it's really a great wish and one that we
like to be a part of. But pricing for this
for the Northern Lights rail package runs about three thousand
to five thousand per person for five to seven nights.
Again not bad for when you know what all that includes.
(41:49):
And if you want to combine rail with lodge stays
in that true luxury fashion like we love to do
at the Wishing Well, companies like Abercrombie and Kent they
will actually curate virtuoso style packages that blend the romance
of Reel with stays at some handpicked wilderness lodges, and
(42:10):
those tend to fall in the six thousand to eight
thousand dollars per person range. And with those you might
even be able to nab a couple of Fairbanks I'm
sorry Fairmont hotels, which we all know those are lovely
luxury properties.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
I'm in Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:26):
So if you've dreamed of sipping a glass of wine
under a domed glass roof while moose maybe wonder right
in front of the tracks, we can certainly make that
happen for you at the Wishing Wheel. And that is
Alaska by Reel.
Speaker 4 (42:43):
Nothing compares. This is an experience that is on should
be on everybody's bucket list. Wouldn't you agree, Terry?
Speaker 1 (42:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (42:51):
I would, And I would also say the ideal client
for an itinerary like this. You know, my first option
would probably be some of more mature clients, people who
maybe want to go to Alaska. They're maybe not so
interested in cruising. Doing just the land thing alone isn't
also appealing to them, But they don't want to drive,
(43:11):
and so that hits my mature audience, you know, people
who really would rather not drive a car on a vacation.
I think the rail represents a great option for them.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
Yeah, it wasn't. Too recently.
Speaker 4 (43:22):
We had a couple come in and talk about taking
their motor home trailer up to Alaska and driving through.
And they came in just get some ideas and tips
and they left, you know, with a vacation. They involved
getting their motor home too, I think Seattle, Vancouver or
something like that. And then they said, you know what,
this other option seems so much better because exactly what
(43:45):
you've been talking about, Alaska is not a real driveable.
It is not you know there the roads are seasonal
layer and they're not They don't always make it through
the winter. So these options are something you know different.
The other thing we saw a lot of this year
that I think is worth mentioning also this morning is
(44:06):
that we talked about multi generational families, but we haven't
mentioned how many people we've seen this year. They are
going with friends. They may not be family, but they're
just friends that they know from maybe living in one
of the retirement famunities, or people that they've known earlier
in their lives and now they're both retired and they
want to take this special arrangement or special vacation. What
(44:30):
a great way to reconnect with old friends that you know.
They may be old, you know, chronologically, but they're also
old in terms that they've been friends for a long
time and just enjoy something very unique, very spectacular together.
So if you're one of those people, think about who
you might reach out to and do something like this
(44:52):
together with and share those memories.
Speaker 3 (44:55):
Yep, So thank you, Harry, and I would I would
actually be remiss if we didn't in as some of
the different ways to see Alaska a cruise tour, because
there are still people that like that. It remains the
number one most requested type of vacation. So I want
to spend a little bit of time about talking about that. Again.
(45:16):
It's the number one way that people choose to experience
this state. Cruising kind of gives you the convenient access
to Alaska's dramatic coastline, and like I said, life in
Alaska is lived along the coast. You also, with this
are going to get the inside Passage. And for those
of you who are listening who don't know what the
(45:37):
inside Passage is, you go, I've heard a lot of
people talk about Alaska. I've heard them mentioned the Inside Passage. Terry,
exactly what is that? Well, it's one of the wonders
of the world. I can tell you that it is
the one place on the planet, probably the only place
where you are in the middle of the ocean and
yet you have land on both sides. It is. Yeah,
(45:59):
it is probably one of the most phenomenal experiences of
my life. I love it that it was one of
the wonders of the world and I got to see it,
so that was really attractive to me. But it also
makes for a very interesting trip. You also get to
see those little charming port towns as you're coming in.
And some people when I ask them about Alaska and
(46:21):
I ask them to tell me, what do you know
about Alaska? They well, not much. I can tell you
this and for those of you who are local to
our area, I can say that most towns in Alaska,
including the state's capital, which is Juno, are about the
size of Dayton, Virginia. And if you're somewhere listening to
us and you're not in the state of Virginia, please
(46:42):
look it up. I'm not sure exactly what the population is,
but I live in a town called Elkton, Virginia, and
it's about also about the same size of Dayton. So
these are very small towns. These don't even qualify as cities.
They're small towns. And even the capital of Alaska, Juno,
is about that size. What's remarkable about Juno is that
(47:05):
it is also the home of the world's most impressive
and the granddaddy of them all glaciers, and that is Mendenhall.
So it is for good reason of reason why you
want to go there. You want to see that. So
we're going to start off with this cruise experience, with
the large ship experience. So you've got companies like Holland America,
(47:28):
Regent seven Season. I wouldn't put them necessarily in the
same category as Holland America because their ships are actually smaller.
Then you've also got celebrity and they offer everything from
premium to ultra luxury and a classic itinery is going
to take you through Juno, ketch A Can, Skagway, Glacier, Bay,
(47:48):
Hubbard Glacier, So you're going to get to see more
than just one glacier when you do that. And with
Holland America, you can find seven nights sailings from about
twenty five hundred dollars per person, and they all also
specialize in land add ons where you can extend your
crews and do the tour part. That's where the tour
comes in into Denali and Fairbanks.
Speaker 4 (48:10):
Yeah, and Juno is such an interesting city. It's interesting
that you mentioned it because when we talk about getting
around in Alaska, Juno is unique because it's surrounded by water,
high mountains and glaciers. So there's not really a way
to get into Juno by car.
Speaker 3 (48:24):
Yeah, exactly, And so it's really wonderful to be able
to have this option. And if you're a luxury seeker,
that's where I would then point you to Regent seven Seas.
They offer the inclusive Alaska sailing experience starting from about
seventy two hundred dollars per person. But that's going to
include unlimited shore excursions, fine dining, premium drinks, even some
(48:48):
business class flights with some promotion. And now maybe you'd
like something smaller, more intimate. Enter the small Ship Expeditions,
and I'm going to talk to you about those because
I love this concept. Lynn Blad Expeditions has gone in
partnership with National Geographic and they're operating sixty two guest ships.
(49:08):
That's it, that's all that's on board. They can slip
really easily into some of those narrow bays and wildlife
hot spots. Think zodiac rides to see glaciers caving right
in front of you. This is amazing, but it's also
not inexpensive. Again, a more customized experience. You're talking about
cruises that are going to run eighty five one hundred
(49:31):
to ten thousand per person for a seven night adventure.
On Cruise Adventures, this is another popular boutique operator. Their
focus is on kayaking and hiking and close encounters with
wheels and sea lions, and their prices are going to
be right around five thousand to seven thousand dollars per
person for about a seven night stay. And then there's
(49:52):
the hybrid, the one that we talk about a lot
with our clients. That's the cruise tour Holland America and Princess.
They do those really, really well. They combined the seven
day cruise with about a three to seven day stay inland.
You're going to sail the inside passage board deluxe motor
coaches on rail up to Donali National Park, and prices
(50:12):
there usually fall in the forty five hundred to seven
thousand dollars range. So for the ultimate splurge, though, companies
like Regent and Seaborn are your ultra luxury land extension companies.
Imagine ending your cruise with a private lodge stay and
flight seeing around Denali. That's what that adventure with Regent
(50:34):
and Seaborn would do for you.
Speaker 4 (50:36):
You've painted an incredible picture because we've talked about Alaskan
wilderness in a lot of ways. We've talked about the
cruising option, we've talked about the train option.
Speaker 2 (50:46):
We've talked about you know, the.
Speaker 4 (50:51):
Differences between how you can experience all of those options
and put them together, and when you talk about the prices.
You've talked about some of these high end luxury travel
prices that are the top of the top of the mountain,
so to speak, or top of the glacier. But it's
also still possible if you are in a limited budget.
(51:12):
Some of the cruises that you spoke of on you know,
some of these lines are available and you can do
a cruise to Alaska today still for just over a
couple thousand dollars, which is amazing.
Speaker 3 (51:25):
Yeah, and herey, that's what we try to do here
on a Life Less Ordinary is to let you know
that you don't have to spend ten thousand dollars to
have a life less ordinary. You just have to connect
with somebody like the Wishing Well to show you how
to do it on the budget that you have. Because
life in travel is really extraordinary. It is no matter
(51:48):
what you have to spend. We can show you some
of the finer places in life to go on a
limited budget. So you know, I encourage people to give
us a call if you want to learn more about
planning your own Alaska journey from these rugged adventures I've
talked about the height of Luxury. You can reach out
(52:09):
to us at the Wishing Well because there's all different
kinds of things to do, bear viewing, flight seeing, over
Glacier's dog sledding, and of course the northern lights. Best
time to see those, by the way, just so people know,
is September through March, with Fairbanks being one of the
world's prime viewing spots. So I've got a question for you, Chris,
(52:31):
did you learn anything today?
Speaker 1 (52:34):
I learned that I want to live in a yurt,
do not go into the wilderness on my own. And
Alaska is a little piece of heaven on Earth.
Speaker 3 (52:43):
Absolutely, And I think that's a good way to sum
that up and probably a good way to end a
lifeless ordinary today.
Speaker 1 (52:50):
Well, how do we get in touch with you? If
our dream is going to be fulfilled? Head to Alaska.
They're We're easy to find, Chris.
Speaker 3 (52:57):
We are located at two forty three and f Avenue
in the Valley Center in Harsonburg, Virginia. Please come see us.
You can call us at five four oh nine oh
eight two three three three. Like Chris said, you can
find some of the previous episodes on our website, which
is the Wishingwell dot viz.
Speaker 1 (53:15):
This has been a life less ordinary. The travel show
from your friends at the Wishing Well at two forty
three nef Avenue in Harrisonburg. If you have any questions
on topics discussed today, please reach out to The wishing
Well online at the Wishingwell dot biz or five four
oh nine oh eight twenty three thirty three.
Speaker 4 (53:31):
Eight.
Speaker 1 (53:31):
Past episodes are available on the iHeartRadio app. And we'll
see again next Saturday morning at ten for a life
less Ordinary from the wishing Well
This is a Lifeless Ordinary, the travel show and podcasts
from your friends at the wishing Well two forty three
f Avenue in Harsmert and online at the wishing Well
dot this. The wishing Well is your ultimate luxury concierge,
travel agency and A Lifeless Ordinary is a travel show
and podcast hosted by Terry Dean, bringing her over forty
years of experience in the travel industry to help guide
(00:21):
you to great experiences in your travel, whether it be
around the block, around the country, or around the world.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Let's bring in Terry Dean.
Speaker 3 (00:27):
And say, hello, Chris, how are you.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
It's been a week totally.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Yeah, I'm thrilled to be here this morning with you
and Harry.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
You know, it feels good to smile, you know, sometimes
that's the best medicine in.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Rough week news and amen.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
You know, it's just nice to get to the weekend
and have a little bit of downtime. Yes, especially when
we get to talk about travel for an.
Speaker 3 (00:49):
Hour, oh boy, and the truth and that's my favorite subject.
You know that. We do want to start today's show
with some news, as we all do this time on Saturday.
And by the way, again, thanks to everybody who join
us here so faithfully every Saturday morning. Gosh, we really
do love you, guys. I mean because you show us
(01:11):
your love later on through the week when you come in,
you pay us a visit at the wishing Well, or
you call us and let us know how much this
show means to you, speaks to you, helps you decide
where you're going to go and win. So hopefully you'll
keep the messages coming to us about how you'd like
to see the show develop and the places you'd like
to see us talk about with you right here on
(01:34):
a life less ordinary. So I wanted to start with
some news today coming to us out of Orlando, one
of my favorite places. And for all of you out
there who join us with your Mickey ears on, this
will be especially interesting to you. No, I'm not talking
about Disney World, but I am talking about Chris one
of your favorite subjects, and that is food. There are
(01:57):
some more stars that are visiting Orlando in the form
of food. The twenty twenty five Michelin God Florida has
been revealed, with eleven more restaurants in Orlando joining the lineup.
They start with the first ever two Michelin Star honoree
Sory Kara and continue with the one Michelin Star Omo
(02:23):
by joint four new bib gourmands and five Fresh recommended eateries.
Michelin recommends fifty nine Orlando restaurants right now, including non
starred venues and additional Michelin honors. Is a testament to
the exceptional culinary scene that is all a part of Orlando.
(02:45):
So wanted to make sure that people knew that if
Orlando is in any time in your future going to
be a vacation destination for you, be sure and look
up some of the best restaurants in all of Florida.
I would say, perhaps on the East coast, and you
will find them in Orlando. Next on my list of
news today something that was actually pretty exciting because this
(03:09):
is one I've struggled with myself and some clients. But
United has formed an alliance now with Ita Airlines better
known as Alatalia if you follow that from years ago,
the official airline of Italy. But they have begun selling
tickets under a code share agreement now that takes effect
(03:31):
September fifteenth. With this code share agreement, United passengers can
purchase a single ticket now and earn miles on travel
beyond United service to Rome and Milan to ITA's domestic
connections as well as elsewhere in Europe. For ITA, the
agreement opens up bookings to several US airports, including Dallas,
(03:55):
Fort Worth, Denver, Honolulu, Houston, and Newark, and ITA says
the agreement aligns with its plan to strengthen its offerings
in North America. So I think that's good news for
anybody who is wanting to fly out of Washington Dulles
and the only flights that they can get now to
Rome or Milan they would find would be on Eta Airlines.
(04:17):
Guess what You're going to get points on United for that.
So that's great. Next on my list of news is that.
And I love this. I always love it when the
good news comes through in the travel industry, and I
can go none, no, none, no none. I told you so.
So anyway, US business travel demand in the latter half
(04:41):
of the third quarter has bounced back from the lows
and the naysayers who said it wasn't going to happen.
It has bounced back from the lows of the spring
and early summer. Executives from the largest US carriers said
through Morgan Stanley conference Delta Airlines president told attendees of
(05:01):
the Morgan Stanleys thirteenth Annual Laguna Conference. He said, we're
seeing very strong domestic corporate demand into the fall, which
we're very excited about. He said we actually had our
highest post pandemic corporate sales number for any day and
any week in September. He also suggested the corporate growth
(05:23):
was more predominant on domestic US routes than international routes. Again,
Nana Nana and also bank financial service technology was leading
the way. Other presenting carriers agreed corporate demands was looking up.
United Airlines EVP and CFO Mike Leskin, for example, said
the corporate recovery is leading really good. He said overall
(05:48):
United bookings since Labor Day for travel at least two
months out had increased year over year by double digit percentages.
Take that, you know, for all you guys out there
who have said everything's going to a heck in a handbag,
well it's not. So.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
I think that's extraordinarily great news. And I have some
news that rides right on top of that.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Terry, Okay.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
I was looking at Travel.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
Market Report, one of our industry sources, and some people
always wonder about cruises and when a cruise is going
to get more expensive less expensive, Well, I think they're
going to at least stay at the same price as
they are, if not get less expensive, because the capacity
is increasing incredibly.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Get this.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
In the year twenty twenty five, current year, and looking
forward to twenty twenty seven, there are going to be
at least twenty five new cruise ships.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Is that amazing line?
Speaker 3 (06:46):
And actually at our most recent which unfortunately we did
not get to attend, but at the Virtuoso National Conference,
it was announced that cruising was up eighty five percent
from last year. This same tone.
Speaker 4 (07:00):
Yeah, and we're talking about cruise ships of every size.
We're talking about cruise ships that have, you know, less
than five hundred passengers all the way up to those
what are the seven thousand passengers on some of these.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
New cruise ships.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
So they're they're they're coming out there. They're gonna pretty
soon you're gonna see little traffic cops out in the
middle of the ocean. I guess to keep track all
these girls out there cruising around. You know, it's exciting,
that's fantastic. I'm very very excited about that. And the
other thing I had the tops rides. On top of
(07:33):
what you just said with travel, one of the toughest
things of travel toary is getting through that security.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Well, great news.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
The first new lanes at Ronald Reagan Airport, which are
the they call them the new touchless ID lanes. These
are lanes where everybody's stream comes true or you can
go back to what travel used to be when you
didn't have to take out all your driver's license and
you know, every piece of identification that you might have.
(08:04):
But these touch us side D lanes are letting you
go through security based on facial recognition. They're going to
be rolling out at Dulles Airport. All you need is
a valid passport and a no traveler number to register
for this and and you are you are there. They've
got them.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Uh, let's see.
Speaker 4 (08:24):
They're coming out in Atlanta, LaGuardia, Salt Lake City. Plans
are for expansions also in Dallas, Fort Worth, O'Hare and Miami.
So we're going to see more and more of this,
reducing the time with the agent from you know, maybe
as little as half a minute to a minute to
seven seconds. According to Delta Airlines, I am excited about
(08:48):
moving through.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Yeah, everybody wants less time in the airports and more
time at their destination, so that you're going to help them, Yeah, exactly, which.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Is also great. So those are those are two pieces
of good news. One that's a really well founded rumor
also that I think we can say is fact local
travelers our airport Shenandoah here in the valley, in the
Shandoah Valley, they have announced that they are they have
made a recommendation for new air service for our area
(09:20):
that will allow travelers to fly on connections from Shenandoah
Airport to both Dulles Charlotte and O'Hare Airport. So we
should see that as we moved to the end of
the year. Again, another great piece of news for our
travelers here in the Shenandoah Valley.
Speaker 3 (09:38):
Yeah, and because that is a bit of local news,
we'll be sure and keep our listeners updated about that
as we find and learn more news about that as well.
What do you say we kick off some sales for
well here, what's happening one of my favorite cruise lines.
These guys are real popular in the river cruise genre
(09:59):
and these are ama waterways. Everybody kind of waits for
some of these deals, especially when it has anything to
do with complementary round trip airfare, that's always kind of
a good deal. So actually, for twenty twenty five, clients
can have complementary round trip economy airfare from any US
or Canadian gateway when you reserve a select twenty twenty
(10:23):
five festive delights crews in Portugal and France, and if
you prefer some extra comfort, upgrades are also available to
premium economy airfare for premium economy starting for only nine
ninety nine round trip per person or business class airfare
for thirty two ninety nine. And let me tell you, yes, folks,
that is a deal because right now business class airfare,
(10:47):
you're lucky to find that under five thousand dollars to
anywhere you fly to get that, and a great cruise
line altogether at thirty two ninety nine, that's not bad
for first class airfare. So you do have to act
soon on this offer. It's going to end September thirtieth.
That again is with Alma Waterways, one of our preferred
(11:07):
suppliers at the Wishing Well, so you can give us
a call if you're interested in that. They are also
counting down they being Alma Waterways to their holiday sailings.
So they also are offering some solo traveler experiences. We
get a lot of those these days. I have a
lot of solo women travelers who like to go and
(11:28):
experience the world. They don't always have somebody to go
with them, but they look for great opportunities and vendors
that are going to offer them a savings because they
don't want to pay rate and a half. So Alma
Waterways again, thanks, guys are offering our single travelers only
a ten percent single supplement offer to that for some
(11:50):
of their holidays. So if you're somebody who's interested in
the Christmas markets or something like that, that would be
a great opportunity maybe to get together with some of
your galpals and you could each have your own cabin
and only pay ten percent more than somebody would if
they had a double occupancy.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Nice. That's real good.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Yeah. Next on the list, I've got something that was
most unusual that came across from Royal Caribbean. They are
actually combining their efforts and partnership with MGM Rewards. They say,
you can live the moments now you can't find anywhere else.
So Crown and Anchor members. Listen up. If you are
a Royal Caribbean Frequent guest, your access to unforgettable Vegas
(12:32):
experience actually is beginning. You can enjoy up to ten
percent off of room rates at MGM hotels and resorts
in Las Vegas, plus up to one hundred dollars in
food and beverage credits to enhance any trip that you're
doing there. From world class entertainment and headlining shows to
(12:54):
renowned restaurants and signature cocktails. It's anything but ordinary in
Las Vegas. We both know that, and also that's through
your Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor membership. Another great deal
that I thought was phenomenal and I have a lot
of clients who have waited for this one too. Cie Tours,
(13:15):
of course, is famous for their trips to Ireland and
also Italy. They also right now are offering their two
for one airfare sales, and believe me, folks, that's a
great deal because right off the bat you're looking at
saving perhaps anywhere from twelve hundred dollars and up for
any kind of airfare these days. These are for new
(13:38):
bookings again, made until the end of this month. September
the thirtieth. You can travel, however, anytime between January the
first through July the thirty first. They have some brand
new tours for twenty twenty six, so that includes Italy.
Their classic journey Italian Lakes to Rome is one of them,
and then their Grand Tour, which is the Italian Lakes
(14:01):
to the Amalfi Coast. They also have some great new
tours that include Britain up and also Ireland. They're spicing
things up to Ireland a little bit, so some great sales,
great reasons to get out your suitcases, pack them and
go somewhere, especially if you can get good sales like that.
We love it.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
So on the show. In the past, we've talked about
traveling to like Alaska, the Rocky Mountains, places where you
can get in touch with nature. I would love if
today we could talk about some of the great wilderness
vacation locales.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Can we do that?
Speaker 3 (14:37):
That's exactly what we're going to do, and we're going
to focus that mainly on Alaska, because there's more than
one way to see that beautiful state.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
Excellent. We'll talk about them. Many ways to see the
world's greatest wildernesses. Next here on a life lest ordinary.
Speaker 4 (14:50):
Who would think of driving off to a new destination
without guidance from Google or Syria? Not the Wishing World
guide your next travel experience.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
Travel the world that you enjoy the very best.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Destinations and all they offer at the best prices. Our
mobile travel app keeps your vacation on track and keeps
you connected with our team of experts.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
For help, if you.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Need it, call us at five four zero nine zero
eight two three three three, stop, buy two forty three
and nef Avenue or visit us at the Wishingwell dot biz.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
Hey, welcome back to a Lifeless Ordinary. This is the
travel show and podcasts from your friends at the Wishing Well.
You'll find them on f Avenue in Harrisonburg, online at
the Wishingwell dot biz, and you can also get them
a call at five four oh nine oh eight twenty
three thirty three. Our show today is the Many Ways
to see the World's Greatest Wilderness, and we found out
that's Alaska.
Speaker 3 (15:40):
It is.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
And I'm excited because every time we talk about Alaska,
the imagery that you paint as you're speaking about the
glaciers and the bears and all these things that people
travel to Alaska to see. I'm looking forward to the
picture you paint today.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
I'm glad, Chris, and I'll tell you you're not unlike
a lot of our clients that are walking in the
doors at the Wishing Well these days, because Alaska continues
through twenty twenty five to be our number one biggest
seller and is expected to be also for twenty twenty six.
So we're going to talk about that kind of travel
(16:18):
that I think stirs your soul, kind of leaves you
with memories you'll cherish for a lifetime you can share
with your children. We're going to one of the most
spectacular corners of the world, and you're right, that is Alaska,
and I've been. I love it. I have said when
I came back, I can easily see why people would
(16:38):
live there. It's fabulous. It's one of the most beautiful
places I've seen in my life.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
You didn't visit the winter, did you.
Speaker 3 (16:45):
I did not visit the winter. No, I did not.
I'm not one of those people who mind the cold.
And you know, I think that could also have some
good points. But when most people think about Alaska, Chris,
they those massive cruise ships kind of gliding past the glaciers,
or it might be Denali with the snow capped peaks
(17:08):
that are towering over that wilderness. But here's the thing.
There are so many different ways to see Alaska, and
we haven't really talked about that here on this show
on a Lifeless Ordinary, and depending on your style of travel,
one way might fit better than another. And to be sure,
one size does not fit all. I recently had an
(17:32):
opportunity to sit down with some clients in my office,
and the whole reason that I'm doing this show today
is because when they ask me to take them through
what a trip to Alaska was going to look like,
they said, we don't want just the cruise option, the
cruise tour option. Now I have to admit that's the
(17:52):
number one most popular option, but it's not the only
way to do it. And I began to be very
intriguing by the resources that we had available to us
and what I was able to uncover and show them,
and I went, you know, I bet if they want
to know that, a lot of people who listen to
us on a Life Less Ordinary would like to know that. Also,
(18:14):
So whether you're a rugged adventurer, you're going to find
something in this show today. I think that you're going
to like, we're going to look at three of the
most fabulous options rail tours, land tours, and of course
the cruise tour option. We're going to sprinkle in some
of those once in a lifetime experiences like bear viewing
(18:37):
and flight seeing and staying at some beautiful remote wilderness lodges.
So if you're a luxury seeker or somebody who just
wants to sit back and watch the scenery roll by,
I can tell you right now, Alaska's got something for you.
So what do you say, Guys, we just dive right
in and get started.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
Let's do it.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Okay. So the first area I want to cover is
the land only adventures because not a lot of people
do that. Because there is a truth about Alaska that
a lot of people don't know, don't embrace until they go.
And you almost have to go to know this, and
that is Harry. You've heard me say this to clients
(19:17):
at the office before. Life in Alaska is lived along
the coast. That's just a truth, I mean. And it's
because the whole state is really just such a wilderness
that in order to really see it in its entirety,
you have to start along the coast.
Speaker 4 (19:36):
Yeah, and so there's really not a way to travel
inland efficiently and get to all the places you want
to get And it turns out that all the people
in Alaska have congregated along the coast.
Speaker 2 (19:52):
So that's a good starting point. Yeah, for sure, we should.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Establish that Alaska is much larger than it is on
our maps. Oh good lord, it is like what over
half the size of the contiguous US. It absolutely is.
It is not enormous. It is not a two hour
drive to get across the state.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
It is not. And that's why most young men who
live in Alaska, we found out by the age of sixteen,
they're learning to fly planes by planes before they ever
get a driver's license, because it's the most efficient way
to travel there. So let's start on land. Because truth
be told, not everybody wants to see Alaska by ship.
(20:32):
We've established that some travelers prefer the open road, the
open skies. And I mean some clients just don't want
to cruise. I mean, that's the bottom line. They just say,
you know, Terry, I don't cruise. I haven't cruised. I'm
not sure i'd like it, and I don't want my
trip to Alaska to involve that either. So it's the
(20:53):
chance to stop whenever a moose decides to cross the
highway in front of them, and that's what they want
to see. So one of my favorite vendors to arrange
this type of land adventure through Alaska is with Kensington Tours.
They are a luxury operator. They're known for their fully
customized experience. And when I say customized, let me share
(21:15):
with you, Chris, that just what some of that personalization
looks like. Kensington offers personalized journeys traveling with a private
god and a driver. You'll do what you want, when
you want, and with the freedom to change your plans
on the fly. That's what Kensington's personalization looks like. Now
(21:38):
I like in this and we've done the difference here
on a lifeless Ordinary. In case you've missed some of
these previous shows, please do go back and refresh yourself
and become familiar with them. But we did a show,
an entire show one Saturday on the differences between an
organized tour and a customized personalized tour. Remember that, and
(22:01):
what we learned was what a lot of people learn
when they start buying real estate, and that is that
if you go into a neighborhood where a house is
fully built and it can even be furnished, sometimes it's
going to have a certain price on it and you're
going to get the what I call bulk price on
that house. But then if you say to the architect
of that home or a builder, I like this. But
(22:23):
the minute you say but the cash register rings. You
know how it works. You know, you go, I like it,
but I want to customize this house some so the
price instantly changes. Well, folks, it does with travel as well.
So when you begin to start personalizing and customizing a tour,
the people you want to do that with are the
(22:45):
people who get it right, and that is Kensington Tours.
They also do expert planning. They possess a deep, deep
in country knowledge of Alaska. Their destination experts tailor each
experienceperience to your preferences, so you can really rest assured
that they're going to make the most out of your
(23:06):
time away. You're going to be able to unlock details
with their local gods that you might have overlooked with
the insider information that these people who actually live in
Alaska every day that they only they know.
Speaker 4 (23:20):
And this is exactly the kind of thing you want
to do. When you have a group that's going like
a multi generational family and there's certain things or certain highlights.
Maybe there was a TV series you watch that reminded
you of some part of Alaska, or there's some part
of the wildlife that you're interested in. These are the
guys that can customize it because there are the boots
(23:41):
on the ground, people that, like Terry wishes she could,
these people actually do live in life exactly.
Speaker 3 (23:47):
And I've even had some clients here. You talk about
multi generational families, this being an ideal concept for but
let me give you another idea of somebody who would
be an ideal client for Kensington. Somebody who is an avid,
maybe even award winning fishermen, and they go, you know,
I want to go to Alaska. I'm not really into
(24:08):
so much the wildlife aspects as much as I am
the water aspects. So I'm really interested in having several
days to just be able to go and fish and
I want to eat my own catch. This would be
the opportunity you're looking for. Kensington Tours is going to
do that, and they also support every booking with twenty
(24:30):
four to seven service in case anything comes up and
changes to your tenery occur, You're going to receive live
updates immediately when they occur. And that's the kind of
service I want my personalized, customized customers to be able
to get. And this is the vendor that I would
seek out this kind of service for. So just what
(24:52):
might a Kensington experience look like in Alaska? Well, imagine this.
You fly into Anchorage and from the you're whisked off
on a private seven day best of Alaska package. You
explore Dnali National Parks, one of your very best chances
to see Alaska's wildlife and what are the preferred five
(25:15):
Big five they call them, and those are bear, moose, caribou, sheep,
and wolves. And you might then go flight scene around
Mount McKinley. You're going to take a guided wildlife safari
after that and spend your evenings in some of Alaska's
best lodges. These are not just a cabin in the
(25:37):
woods in the wilderness. These are luxury type lodges. They're
not a single mention of a cruise. If you noticed
on this itinerary experience anywhere, this is really all land
based and this is guided. I mean let me just say,
Alaska is not the kind of wilderness that you want
(25:59):
to just buy an airline ticket to and go, Okay,
I think I can see this on my own. That
is not wisdom. That is not the way we would
suggest that you do it. Will we do that for you? Yes, well,
we'll do just about anything our clients ask of us.
But that would be one I would take umbradge with
and try and talk you into a better opportunity to
(26:21):
see Alaska.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
And there's so many things up there. You mentioned the
wildlife on the ground. One of the things that I
had as one of my big highlights when I was
in Alaska. I saw more American eagles in Alaska than
you know, even here, you know, in our local area
being you know, being part of the Shenandoah National Park,
we see some eagles, but they're just they're everywhere. They
(26:43):
kept pointing them out. And these guides that you're talking about,
the local folks, they know where to go because they
know where the nests are, they know where the wildlife
is living, so they're going to be sure to take
you there. And that's what you're going to see.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
And right now I know you're at home pounding your
coffee cups on the table and going, well, that's great,
but Terry, how much does this cost? So this is
an extraordinary private, high touch, concierge style travel. So you're
looking at about eight thousand to ten thousand dollars per
person for a week with this kind of high touch service,
which in today's market is actually becoming more average in pricing,
(27:23):
if you will. But for travelers who want everything taken
care of and done in style, I will say I've
had clients with Kensington before, They're worth every penny. And
this is Alaska at its most personal, at its most customized,
and it's Kensington Tours.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
If you're one of the people that, like Frank Sinatra says,
I want it my way.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
Yeah, exactly for you, exactly yeah. Now, another option is
to kind of build a land based itinerary through some
of the other trusted resources that are available to us
at the Wishing Well that we could put you in
touch with. Many of these well vetted companies actually specialize
in pairing some boutique lodges with guided day trips. So
(28:08):
a seven to ten day land package here might easily
fall in the four thousand to six thousand dollars range
because it's not as customized. There might be some things
that are a bit more organized about that where you
would jump into a tour as opposed to having every
moment of every day the way you want it. As
(28:30):
you said, Harry, my way.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
Yeah, if you can live with some of your way,
but also some of with people that have similar interest
to you, this is a really good way to do
the same sort of thing a lot more economically.
Speaker 3 (28:46):
Yeah. And what we don't what we aren't able to
focus on a lot with our cruise tour clients are
the remarkable differences of these lodges. I want to hit
on that for just a minute, because there are some
incredible fly in properties like tut Gabay Lodge or Winter
(29:08):
Lake Lodge. And let me tell you a little bit
about Tutgabay Lodge. The main lodge at Tutgabay is a
small intimate building where guests can enjoy some pre dinner appetizers,
maybe catch dinner, play games, or explore in what they
call their stay Curious Lounge, And that's filled with a
lot of artifacts from all over Alaska, especially artifacts that
(29:32):
they found when they were actually building this lodge. They
have them on display in sort of a museum like atmosphere.
You can also sign up for lodge based activities here.
They offer daily fifty minute cooking classes with one of
their lodge chefs. They have forest exploration and mediation sorry,
(29:52):
meditation classes and yoga classes on the deck or in
their yurt. Now, in case you don't know what a
year is, it's a great big tint usually has heat
in it, maybe sometimes with a fireplace or some type
of fire creating warming atmosphere, so you can have love
(30:15):
of fire in there. But they have maybe animal skin
rugs laying around and lots of cozy places to sit.
But just a great place to be in the middle
middle of this. And some yurts are as nice as
a home. Indeed, they they've got.
Speaker 1 (30:31):
Walls and bathrooms and kitchens.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
They did.
Speaker 1 (30:34):
But what I think is really interesting is the outer
wall is got sort of like that accordion looking frame.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
I don't know how to super canvas if you will.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
It's a fancy looking tent.
Speaker 4 (30:45):
Yeah, you know, if you don't know to go inside
and see all the things you're talking about, Chris, But.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Yeah, it is camping on a luxury level.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
Indeed, it is, and actually at this particular lodge, they
also offer a daily Appitizer Hour featuring Alaskan microbroup, beers
and wines from the US even and beyond. Oh and
for those quick check ins to the real world, there
is Wi Fi there and in your private guest cabin
(31:14):
you can go ahead and check in right on your own,
so that makes it even easier. Now for Winter Lake Lodge.
Winter Lake is an exclusive remote Alaska wilderness lodge. It's
actually located on Finger Lake along the Iditarod Trail, accessible
only by float plane in summer or ski plane in winter.
(31:36):
Now you talk about remote, that's remote, but is she
ever so beautiful? Guests stay in lakeside cabins and enjoy
curated adventures like Hella dog sledding. I don't know if
you're familiar with that, but they take you up on
a helicopter up into the upper regions of the mountains
there and actually let you come down via dog slid,
(31:59):
which is amazing.
Speaker 2 (32:00):
That's part of.
Speaker 4 (32:01):
What they do to train the idea or dogs is
put these put them up there, and you pay for
their training because you're going for rides, but the dogs
are actually training. Yeah, And you're riding along with the
real dogs that'll be in the race.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
They actually even offer glacier trekking from there and rafting.
Don't know if I'd want to do that in the
freezing cold, but they do offer that along with also
many culinary experiences there, including their own cooking classes and
wine tastings, and the lodge emphasizes a blend of luxury
and adventure in this sort of secluded setting. As I said,
(32:37):
with amenities like a wellness room. They've got hot tubs, saunas,
and opportunities for all of that wildlife viewing that you're
going to Alaska for in the first place. The accommodations
and amenities at these places. Guests stay in handbuilt, rustic
lakeside cabins. They feature a dining room there, a bar,
(32:58):
a wellness room, and a library. They offer complimentary massages
because yeah you need that, and yoga classes, a wood
fired sauna and a hot tub, and then again their
culinary experience. They're known for their award winning Alaskan cuisine,
daily cooking and wine cheese tastings, and again that Hella
(33:19):
skiing adventure and water adventures. You can take advantage in
the summertime for kayaking, canoeing, and swimming in Finger Lake.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
You said in the freezing water in July and Alaska
it can get up into the eighties and nineties indeed,
especially in the Yeah, exactly. So rafting might not be
something you want to do in the winter, but by golly,
check it out in the summer.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
It'd be great. Just can you imagine that.
Speaker 1 (33:44):
I just think about temperatures in Alaska and it's like,
this is screaming my kind of vacation. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:50):
And you know, actually, just a couple of months ago,
Alaska had record breaking heat patterns that they were seeing,
you know, when it was like almost triple digits here
in Virginia. They were also seeing record breaking temperatures in Alaska,
So it is possible. These lodges also can bring you
into opportunities that include fishing, mountain biking, hiking on trails
(34:14):
near the lodge with a lot of potential views of
Mount Denali. Common sightings include black and brown bears, so
that's exciting for a lot of people. That's why they
like the inland a little bit. They've got moose, caribou,
the bald eagles. Harry, you were talking about lots of
various bird species. If you're a birdwatcher, this is ideal
(34:35):
for you. And in winter, guests can experience the lodge's
dog camp and participate in traditional dog mushing, which is amazing.
I've done that in Alaska and I will tell you
it's a highlight. For sure.
Speaker 2 (34:48):
You are a one great musher.
Speaker 3 (34:51):
I had a great time.
Speaker 4 (34:52):
One of the favorite pictures in my camera role is
to see Terrie mushing the dogs, and probably number two
is when she grabbed one of the little puppies and
she tried to.
Speaker 2 (35:04):
Leave with the puppy. I did not allow her to
do that.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Well, while we gush over mushing, I think we should
take a quick break. Our show today is the many
ways to see the world's greatest wilderness. We're talking Alaska
on a lifeless ordinary.
Speaker 4 (35:19):
Who would think of driving off to a new destination
without guidance from Google or Syria? Not the wishing Well
Guide your next travel experience. Travel the world as you
enjoy the very best destinations and all they offer at
the best prices. Our mobile travel app keeps your vacation
on track and keeps you connected with our team of
experts for.
Speaker 2 (35:37):
Help if you need it. Call us at five four
zero nine.
Speaker 4 (35:40):
Zero eight two three three three stop buy two forty
three nef Avenue or visit us at the Wishingwell dot biz.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
And welcome back to a Lifeless Ordinary. Every Saturday morning,
we sit down and we talk travel here on a
Lifeless Ordinary with Terry Dean and Harry Rife from the
Wishing Well. You can find them on ne f Avenue
in Harrisonburg online at the wishing Well dot biz. And
I encourage you as you visit the website. In the
upper right hand corner, there is a link for past
(36:08):
episodes of a Lifeless Ordinary, so you can check out
as we're talking about Alaska today, past episodes where we
talked about Alaska, and you can get the full picture
of not only the experience in the wilderness that we're
talking about today, but also we talked cruises in I
think the most recent episode that we talked about Alaska
(36:29):
our show today is the Many Ways to see the
World's Greatest Wilderness. And Terry, you were just gushing about
mushing and now we're going.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
To be we're gonna gush about something else.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
Well, we were talking about land and I apologize to
all of you all listening at home, because when we ended,
before we went to break, I forgot to talk to
you about the prices of the lodges, and I don't
want to leave that out. These, by the way, are
all inclusive gems. They're tucked away in these pristine settings.
You can go kayaking and glacier waters in the morning.
(37:02):
You can take a cooking class in the afternoon. You
can enjoy a gourmet chef prepared dinner that night, maybe
with something you even caught who knows, but stays like
this run about fifteen hundred to two thousand per night.
But that's all inclusive. So that's it, Chris. That is
the summary of Alaska on Land. Intimate, personal, truly immersive,
(37:27):
and just the way you want it.
Speaker 1 (37:29):
Now.
Speaker 3 (37:30):
The next thing I want to jump into forrest in
the next way to see this great wilderness called Alaska
is rail journeys. And I'll tell you this one has
my heart because I love rail travel, love it, love it,
love it. Now, for those of you who like the
idea of watching the wilderness roll by without ever having
to drive Alaska by rail, I would have to say
(37:52):
is probably pure magic. And the Alaska Railroad is legendary
and if you really want to do it in stay
while you book their gold Star Dome service. I want
to stop here for just a quick minute and digress
because when I was in Alaska, and I often tell
my clients this story, the most pointed information that I
(38:15):
received about Alaska when I was there took place when
I went on the White Rail Pass, which is not
the real I'm talking about here for this particular segment,
but it tells the story of Alaska, I think, so
vividly and so distinctly and so memorably, and it gets
in your soul once you find out how Alaska actually
(38:37):
came to be a part of these United States, which
by the way, wasn't that long ago. We realized that
rail travel had everything to do with that. It had
everything to do with that. Thousands of men and women
lost their lives connecting that rail system to the United States,
where before Alaska was only to Russia. And so this
(39:02):
made them a very attractive state then for the United
States to look at and go, yeah, now they're connected
to us. That looks great. But the White Rail Pass
was something very very pointed to me. It's also Skagway
is where the Klondike Gold Rush began for Alaska, which
also kind of put them on the map, if you will.
(39:24):
So the rail goes way back with Alaska. It's part
of their history, it's part of what made them a
gift to the United States. And I love that story.
I love everything about it, and it really it touched
my soul. So as I said, the gold Star Dome Service,
so we've come a long way from the White Rail
Pass to the gold Star Dome Service. So picture this,
(39:47):
you guys. Glass domed rail cars, an outdoor viewing platform,
and freshly prepared meals served for you as Denali comes
into view. Outside Ruenda, there's a p okay and you've
got seven routes to choose from. The Denali Star takes
you from Anchorage to Denali and then up to Fairbanks.
(40:10):
That's about twelve hours of non stop scenery. That's amazing.
And then the Coastal Classic runs Anchorage to Seward and
it's famous for their glacier and fjord views, so if
that one's appealing to you. And then in the gold
Star Service, you're looking at about five hundred to nine
hundred dollars per person per segment, so that's not bad
(40:33):
when you think of what all that includes.
Speaker 4 (40:35):
And one thing that we need to mention is people
are hearing what you're talking about, Terry, is that these trains,
they are not something you do at the last minute.
These trains book up far, far in advantage. We're talking
a year in advance for some of these trains. They're
in high high demand because they are so fantastic. What
(40:56):
better feeling than riding along the rails with that little
clay click clack.
Speaker 2 (41:01):
It's just soothing to the soul.
Speaker 3 (41:03):
Yeah, now, those were the prices I gave you for
the Dnali Star and the Coastal Classic, But I want
to be clear, there's a really special one. It's called
the Northern Lights Reel Package that's offered through our special
partnership with Alaska Rail, and that includes your scenic train travel,
cozy stays in Fairbanks, and evenings dedicated to those Aurora viewings,
(41:25):
which is what everybody tells me today they want to
go to Alaska to see I want to see the
Northern Lights. I am sorry, folks, we cannot guarantee that,
but it's really a great wish and one that we
like to be a part of. But pricing for this
for the Northern Lights rail package runs about three thousand
to five thousand per person for five to seven nights.
Again not bad for when you know what all that includes.
(41:49):
And if you want to combine rail with lodge stays
in that true luxury fashion like we love to do
at the Wishing Well, companies like Abercrombie and Kent they
will actually curate virtuoso style packages that blend the romance
of Reel with stays at some handpicked wilderness lodges, and
(42:10):
those tend to fall in the six thousand to eight
thousand dollars per person range. And with those you might
even be able to nab a couple of Fairbanks I'm
sorry Fairmont hotels, which we all know those are lovely
luxury properties.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
I'm in Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:26):
So if you've dreamed of sipping a glass of wine
under a domed glass roof while moose maybe wonder right
in front of the tracks, we can certainly make that
happen for you at the Wishing Wheel. And that is
Alaska by Reel.
Speaker 4 (42:43):
Nothing compares. This is an experience that is on should
be on everybody's bucket list. Wouldn't you agree, Terry?
Speaker 1 (42:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (42:51):
I would, And I would also say the ideal client
for an itinerary like this. You know, my first option
would probably be some of more mature clients, people who
maybe want to go to Alaska. They're maybe not so
interested in cruising. Doing just the land thing alone isn't
also appealing to them, But they don't want to drive,
(43:11):
and so that hits my mature audience, you know, people
who really would rather not drive a car on a vacation.
I think the rail represents a great option for them.
Speaker 2 (43:21):
Yeah, it wasn't. Too recently.
Speaker 4 (43:22):
We had a couple come in and talk about taking
their motor home trailer up to Alaska and driving through.
And they came in just get some ideas and tips
and they left, you know, with a vacation. They involved
getting their motor home too, I think Seattle, Vancouver or
something like that. And then they said, you know what,
this other option seems so much better because exactly what
(43:45):
you've been talking about, Alaska is not a real driveable.
It is not you know there the roads are seasonal
layer and they're not They don't always make it through
the winter. So these options are something you know different.
The other thing we saw a lot of this year
that I think is worth mentioning also this morning is
(44:06):
that we talked about multi generational families, but we haven't
mentioned how many people we've seen this year. They are
going with friends. They may not be family, but they're
just friends that they know from maybe living in one
of the retirement famunities, or people that they've known earlier
in their lives and now they're both retired and they
want to take this special arrangement or special vacation. What
(44:30):
a great way to reconnect with old friends that you know.
They may be old, you know, chronologically, but they're also
old in terms that they've been friends for a long
time and just enjoy something very unique, very spectacular together.
So if you're one of those people, think about who
you might reach out to and do something like this
(44:52):
together with and share those memories.
Speaker 3 (44:55):
Yep, So thank you, Harry, and I would I would
actually be remiss if we didn't in as some of
the different ways to see Alaska a cruise tour, because
there are still people that like that. It remains the
number one most requested type of vacation. So I want
to spend a little bit of time about talking about that. Again.
(45:16):
It's the number one way that people choose to experience
this state. Cruising kind of gives you the convenient access
to Alaska's dramatic coastline, and like I said, life in
Alaska is lived along the coast. You also, with this
are going to get the inside Passage. And for those
of you who are listening who don't know what the
(45:37):
inside Passage is, you go, I've heard a lot of
people talk about Alaska. I've heard them mentioned the Inside Passage. Terry,
exactly what is that? Well, it's one of the wonders
of the world. I can tell you that it is
the one place on the planet, probably the only place
where you are in the middle of the ocean and
yet you have land on both sides. It is. Yeah,
(45:59):
it is probably one of the most phenomenal experiences of
my life. I love it that it was one of
the wonders of the world and I got to see it,
so that was really attractive to me. But it also
makes for a very interesting trip. You also get to
see those little charming port towns as you're coming in.
And some people when I ask them about Alaska and
(46:21):
I ask them to tell me, what do you know
about Alaska? They well, not much. I can tell you
this and for those of you who are local to
our area, I can say that most towns in Alaska,
including the state's capital, which is Juno, are about the
size of Dayton, Virginia. And if you're somewhere listening to
us and you're not in the state of Virginia, please
(46:42):
look it up. I'm not sure exactly what the population is,
but I live in a town called Elkton, Virginia, and
it's about also about the same size of Dayton. So
these are very small towns. These don't even qualify as cities.
They're small towns. And even the capital of Alaska, Juno,
is about that size. What's remarkable about Juno is that
(47:05):
it is also the home of the world's most impressive
and the granddaddy of them all glaciers, and that is Mendenhall.
So it is for good reason of reason why you
want to go there. You want to see that. So
we're going to start off with this cruise experience, with
the large ship experience. So you've got companies like Holland America,
(47:28):
Regent seven Season. I wouldn't put them necessarily in the
same category as Holland America because their ships are actually smaller.
Then you've also got celebrity and they offer everything from
premium to ultra luxury and a classic itinery is going
to take you through Juno, ketch A Can, Skagway, Glacier, Bay,
(47:48):
Hubbard Glacier, So you're going to get to see more
than just one glacier when you do that. And with
Holland America, you can find seven nights sailings from about
twenty five hundred dollars per person, and they all also
specialize in land add ons where you can extend your
crews and do the tour part. That's where the tour
comes in into Denali and Fairbanks.
Speaker 4 (48:10):
Yeah, and Juno is such an interesting city. It's interesting
that you mentioned it because when we talk about getting
around in Alaska, Juno is unique because it's surrounded by water,
high mountains and glaciers. So there's not really a way
to get into Juno by car.
Speaker 3 (48:24):
Yeah, exactly, And so it's really wonderful to be able
to have this option. And if you're a luxury seeker,
that's where I would then point you to Regent seven Seas.
They offer the inclusive Alaska sailing experience starting from about
seventy two hundred dollars per person. But that's going to
include unlimited shore excursions, fine dining, premium drinks, even some
(48:48):
business class flights with some promotion. And now maybe you'd
like something smaller, more intimate. Enter the small Ship Expeditions,
and I'm going to talk to you about those because
I love this concept. Lynn Blad Expeditions has gone in
partnership with National Geographic and they're operating sixty two guest ships.
(49:08):
That's it, that's all that's on board. They can slip
really easily into some of those narrow bays and wildlife
hot spots. Think zodiac rides to see glaciers caving right
in front of you. This is amazing, but it's also
not inexpensive. Again, a more customized experience. You're talking about
cruises that are going to run eighty five one hundred
(49:31):
to ten thousand per person for a seven night adventure.
On Cruise Adventures, this is another popular boutique operator. Their
focus is on kayaking and hiking and close encounters with
wheels and sea lions, and their prices are going to
be right around five thousand to seven thousand dollars per
person for about a seven night stay. And then there's
(49:52):
the hybrid, the one that we talk about a lot
with our clients. That's the cruise tour Holland America and Princess.
They do those really, really well. They combined the seven
day cruise with about a three to seven day stay inland.
You're going to sail the inside passage board deluxe motor
coaches on rail up to Donali National Park, and prices
(50:12):
there usually fall in the forty five hundred to seven
thousand dollars range. So for the ultimate splurge, though, companies
like Regent and Seaborn are your ultra luxury land extension companies.
Imagine ending your cruise with a private lodge stay and
flight seeing around Denali. That's what that adventure with Regent
(50:34):
and Seaborn would do for you.
Speaker 4 (50:36):
You've painted an incredible picture because we've talked about Alaskan
wilderness in a lot of ways. We've talked about the
cruising option, we've talked about the train option.
Speaker 2 (50:46):
We've talked about you know, the.
Speaker 4 (50:51):
Differences between how you can experience all of those options
and put them together, and when you talk about the prices.
You've talked about some of these high end luxury travel
prices that are the top of the top of the mountain,
so to speak, or top of the glacier. But it's
also still possible if you are in a limited budget.
(51:12):
Some of the cruises that you spoke of on you know,
some of these lines are available and you can do
a cruise to Alaska today still for just over a
couple thousand dollars, which is amazing.
Speaker 3 (51:25):
Yeah, and herey, that's what we try to do here
on a Life Less Ordinary is to let you know
that you don't have to spend ten thousand dollars to
have a life less ordinary. You just have to connect
with somebody like the Wishing Well to show you how
to do it on the budget that you have. Because
life in travel is really extraordinary. It is no matter
(51:48):
what you have to spend. We can show you some
of the finer places in life to go on a
limited budget. So you know, I encourage people to give
us a call if you want to learn more about
planning your own Alaska journey from these rugged adventures I've
talked about the height of Luxury. You can reach out
(52:09):
to us at the Wishing Well because there's all different
kinds of things to do, bear viewing, flight seeing, over
Glacier's dog sledding, and of course the northern lights. Best
time to see those, by the way, just so people know,
is September through March, with Fairbanks being one of the
world's prime viewing spots. So I've got a question for you, Chris,
(52:31):
did you learn anything today?
Speaker 1 (52:34):
I learned that I want to live in a yurt,
do not go into the wilderness on my own. And
Alaska is a little piece of heaven on Earth.
Speaker 3 (52:43):
Absolutely, And I think that's a good way to sum
that up and probably a good way to end a
lifeless ordinary today.
Speaker 1 (52:50):
Well, how do we get in touch with you? If
our dream is going to be fulfilled? Head to Alaska.
They're We're easy to find, Chris.
Speaker 3 (52:57):
We are located at two forty three and f Avenue
in the Valley Center in Harsonburg, Virginia. Please come see us.
You can call us at five four oh nine oh
eight two three three three. Like Chris said, you can
find some of the previous episodes on our website, which
is the Wishingwell dot viz.
Speaker 1 (53:15):
This has been a life less ordinary. The travel show
from your friends at the Wishing Well at two forty
three nef Avenue in Harrisonburg. If you have any questions
on topics discussed today, please reach out to The wishing
Well online at the Wishingwell dot biz or five four
oh nine oh eight twenty three thirty three.
Speaker 4 (53:31):
Eight.
Speaker 1 (53:31):
Past episodes are available on the iHeartRadio app. And we'll
see again next Saturday morning at ten for a life
less Ordinary from the wishing Well
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