The Travel Show: Mexico all inclusive offers; Is a taco a European food?

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:04):
Conia and welcome to the Travel Show. Yes, kunichiua is
a native greeting in the Kingdom of Japan, where I
just got home from last night less than twenty four hours.
You know, yesterday I woke up and had breakfast in Tokyo,
had lunch somewhere over the Pacific, and dinner in Salt

(00:28):
Lake City. Well, good morning. I'm Larry Gelwicks, the Getaway Guru,
and yes, just back from Japan and career with a
wonderful group of Travel show listeners. We have a fantastic
show today. I'll do a quick review of our experience
in Japan and Korea. Jenny two Jay, the strategic accountant
manager for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, is going to be

(00:52):
joining us. And did you know that booking a Delta
Airlines flight is about to get much more complicated? Yeah,
Delta is changing how it books flights. And of course
the fall Utah Travel Expo. An interesting thing happened on
a United Airlines flight just this past week with a

(01:16):
so called service animal. We'll talk about that. And Wendy Frakia,
the group department manager for Morris Columbus Travel, is here
with me in studio Welcome Wendy Kim morning. I'm going
to have you talk about the benefits of group travel
and particularly how to review the Morris Columbus group tours.

(01:38):
And yeah, there's a new travel scam out there. I'm
going to be talking about scams and how to avoid
them here on today's travel show. Well, Wendy, you know
your job description, don't you. You say you're the good
traveling exactly.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
You say where you were going.

Speaker 1 (01:57):
You knew where I was going, and my next going
in a couple of weeks will be Iceland. You know,
I just got back last night and I'm wondering what
time zone I am. So I had a double shot
diet coke at McDonald's on the way here. The free refill.
Did you know that McDonald's free refill is only in
the United States?

Speaker 3 (02:18):
I did know that, because I've asked. I have been
told they kind of look at you funny.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
And some locations, like airport locations of McDonald's will not
do the free refill. We got you.

Speaker 3 (02:30):
Why do we have a You're not waiting taking your
whole lay over here drinking free soda.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
That's right, which I would do with that. Hey, listen,
we'd like to open up the phone lines if you
have a question, comment, or recommendation your experience. It is
triple eight five seven oh eight oh one. Oh. That's
triple eight five seven oh eight oh one oh. And
a very special invitation to any of my travel compied

(03:00):
who just got home yesterday along with me who joined
us in Japan and Korea a marvelous tour. Would you
please call in and give your impressions of the tour,
what you loved about it. Don't throw me under the
bus as your tour host, please don't not yet, not yet.
Save that for a little bit later. But we did

(03:22):
get back, Wendy. This was one of the most popular tours.
We did this two years ago. And we go to
Tokyo and spend three days there and see everything. You know,
we have a free day involved. We have a full
day city tour, lots of free time to explore on
your own, lots of group activities, great hotel right in

(03:44):
the middle of everything. And on your free day you
can go to Tokyo, Disneyland, down to the geensa shopping area.
I like a district called Akihabada which is all electronics. Oh,
some wanted to go out to the LDS Temple. I mean,
there's so many things that you can do. Kathy and

(04:07):
I were talking this morning. We went to a Scottish
restaurant for breakfast. We did McDonald's.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
Oh my goodness, okay, I fell in.

Speaker 1 (04:18):
We had a Scottish egg muck muffin and a diet coke.
You know, that's my routine every Saturday, coming down here
in the studio. I have a McDonald's about a mile
from our house and I pick up an egg McMuffin
and a diet coke with the free refilm.

Speaker 3 (04:37):
I think they need to start sponsoring us, and you
in particular, because you run on McDonald's Die two.

Speaker 1 (04:43):
So Kathy and I were talking in between bites of
our Scottish breakfast. Why we love Japan. Now I've been there.
I have to sit and count how many times I've
gone to Japan. But kind of the list that we
made in no particular order, it's not rank ordered, but
we love the Japanese people. They're polite, they're helpful, and

(05:07):
they're courteous. This is a clean country. You don't see trash.
In fact, in Tokyo it is rare to ever see
a trash. Can you see. It's considered first of all ugly,
and it's considered very improper to ever leave trash anywhere.

(05:28):
People will have in their purse or bag, a little
plastic bag and they'll put their If you go to
a McDonald's or some restaurant like that in Tokyo, of
course they'll have a trash bin. But I'm talking about
out on the street. You don't see graffiti. It is safe.
This is such a safe country. I would feel okay

(05:50):
with Kathy walking around at night by herself. It is
that safe. There's no measurable homelesses. I think in my
last three or four trips, I've seen one homeless guy.
It's considered the responsibility of the family to take care
of the elderly.

Speaker 3 (06:08):
I love the respect and the culture of the of
the Japanese.

Speaker 1 (06:15):
Very respectful.

Speaker 4 (06:16):
You know.

Speaker 1 (06:16):
It's a good value. Now. Now Japan is not a cheap,
cheap destination, but the Japanese yen, you go back a
couple of years, it was ten one fifteen yen to
one US dollar. It's trading now at one hundred and
forty five yen to the dollar. That is a I mean,

(06:37):
that's almost a forty percent increase in our favor forty
percent increase in our buying power. You know, some other
things I love are the cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji. Now,
two days ago I was viewing Mount Fuji some great photos.

(06:59):
I know this something almost mystical about Mount Fuji. It's
snow capped year round and there's a drawing power. Now
the cherry blossoms. Two years ago we did our cruise tour,
and what we do is spent three days in Tokyo,
then jump on a cruise ship. We went the last
two times with Princess, who does a really good japan itinerary.

(07:23):
But we went the end of March, you remember, and
into the first week of April, and we were at
the height of cherry blossoms. They were everywhere. The cherry
blossom festival is kind of like fall foliage. It can
start or end at any time, right, but typically it's
the latter part of March into the first week or

(07:45):
so of April. Yeah, sometimes it'll extend to the end
of April or even early May, but that is highly unusual,
just like fall foliage sometimes extends into early November, but
that's unusual. The cherry blossoms have a drawing power to them.
There's just I don't know, walking amongst them. And then

(08:08):
there's the food. Do you like Japanese food? Do you
have any favorites?

Speaker 2 (08:11):
You know what I do.

Speaker 3 (08:13):
My husband, though by far is a bigger, is a
bigger fan of Japanese.

Speaker 1 (08:19):
Well. Some of the favorites would certainly include tempura, sukiyaki,
which is you know, it's a grilled meat with vegetables
and noodles, just absolutely delicious, teriyaki, Oh, chicken or fish

(08:39):
or beef. They love fish, sushi. My family loves sushi,
which is raw fish, but not any fish. It has
to be certain types exactly. I've eaten it. I'm just
not a big fan of sushi. Ramen, oh, don't even

(08:59):
get let me start it, and.

Speaker 2 (09:01):
I would live on ramen.

Speaker 1 (09:02):
The key to ramen to me is two things. Is
the flavorful broth and a good one they'll use like
pork bones or beef bones or things like that to
bring out the flavor. And the noodles have to have
a little chew to them and not be mushy. And
a very popular meal in Japan, believe it or not,

(09:23):
is KFC and McDonald's.

Speaker 2 (09:25):
Oh my goodness, they.

Speaker 1 (09:27):
Absolutely love it. Now, the question is are we going
to do this again?

Speaker 3 (09:33):
We well, unfortunately the tour next year is already sold
out for anybody who's not on it. Fortunate for anybody
who is. Twenty seven, we're still working on it now.

Speaker 1 (09:42):
The one next year we call Pearls of Asia. It's Singapore, Vietnam,
Hong Kong, Taiwan and four stops, four stop Japan, and
we have a wonderful group of Travel Show listeners with
us there. I don't know twenty twenty seven. I'd like
to go back to Japan. So there's nothing on the website.

Speaker 2 (10:02):
Yes, but yet, Yeah, we're planning.

Speaker 1 (10:07):
We're always planning. Hey, listen, Later in the show, I
want to talk to you about a short lived opportunity
where you can pull your Amex points you get when
you buy anything from friends and family into your airline account.

(10:27):
But there's a limit on when you can do it,
not on how much, but a limit on what you
can do.

Speaker 4 (10:34):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (10:35):
Anyway, So when we come back, we'll be talking to
you to Royal Caravan inclusion here on a travel ship.

(10:56):
Welcome back to the Travel Show. I'm weary Gelwick's get
Away fresh back yesterday from Japan and Korea. Joined today
in studio The Lovely in Tallahood Wendy frakkiat Group Department
Manager at Morris Columbus Travel. The Travel Show is sponsored
by Morris Columbus Travel, where you always travel more and

(11:18):
pay less. We have one of our favorite people yes
joining us on the Travel Show today, Jenny Too, Jay's
strategic account manager with Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. Jenny, Welcome
back to the Travel Show.

Speaker 4 (11:34):
Thank you, Thank you Larry, and hello Wendy.

Speaker 2 (11:37):
Hello him to me here, I was just laughing.

Speaker 3 (11:40):
I've always wanted to ask you, Jenny, what is strategic
in your title?

Speaker 4 (11:44):
Mean? Well, I strategically work with my travel partners to
help them with their marketing plans and to help them
grow their business as well as I do a lot
of training and such.

Speaker 2 (11:57):
But yes, you do. You were a these.

Speaker 1 (12:01):
Well, We're glad to have you back there, Jenny. You know,
in this last segment we were talking about Japan and
will I be going back with another cruise that hits
Japan and we mentioned on the air and I think
it's basically sold out. What we call pearls of Asia.
That cruise that we have with you Royal Caribbean next April,

(12:26):
which is this is a fantastic itinerary. We start in Singapore,
so we'll go there a couple of days early. I
love Singapore, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and four stops
in Japan, in the fourth being at Yokohama or Tokyo.
We'll offer a little post cruise. So quick question, what

(12:50):
have you got in Japan for twenty twenty seven? And
I don't expect you to know off the top of
your head, but why don't you contact when? And I
I'm thinking i'd like to go back to Japan in
twenty twenty.

Speaker 3 (13:06):
Seven and I can be bride Jenny. I'm just going
to throw that out there.

Speaker 1 (13:11):
Yes, I know, so put that on your strategic list.

Speaker 4 (13:17):
So, actually, Wendy and I are working on a group
for twenty twenty seven. I think it's February of twenty
twenty seven, which is already selling out, it appears. So
I'm working with the revenue manager in Asia. It's the
navigator of the seas.

Speaker 1 (13:32):
I love you, I love it.

Speaker 4 (13:34):
Going over to Asia. She's going over to Asia in October. Actually,
of twenty twenty six. Don't worry everybody, We're bringing another
ship to the West coast. The Voyager of the Seas
will be replacing the Navigator, but we'll have a Quantum
Clash ship there as well, out of.

Speaker 1 (13:50):
La So we'll have to he for you. We will
be looking for the details and announce them right here
on the Travel Show now, Wendy, something I really love
and appreciate about Jenny is she loves birthday celebrations. Oh
she is just kind of like the birthday celebration girl.
And Jenny, you know what, I'm leading up to, Royal

(14:11):
Caribbean's Royal Birthday Bash celebration. This is a new promotion
and it is really really good.

Speaker 4 (14:20):
Well it's incredible. I mean I've been with the business
with the company for twenty plus years, but in the
business for a long time. I haven't seen a promotion
like this in years. So the Birthday Bash is all
September and October, and you don't have to be celebrating
a birthday to sail with us, but you can take
advantage of all the special offers. I was pricing out

(14:44):
cruises today and they're phenomenally so. The third and fourth
person sails for free.

Speaker 1 (14:50):
Now.

Speaker 4 (14:50):
You know we're famous for our kids sale free program.
But the third and fourth during the month of September
and October doesn't matter the age. Four people in the
state room sale for the price of QW now.

Speaker 1 (15:02):
Jenny, Jenny, this is highly significant. I want to emphasize
what you just mentioned. Traditionally Royal Caribbeans free, third and
fourth sharing your cabin you sale, you just pay the
tax to sale free has been twelve years in agent
under But did I hear you say there is no
age limits, so Wendy and Art could pay for the

(15:23):
cabin Kathy and I could share that cabin with him
in sale free. Am I understanding this correctly?

Speaker 4 (15:30):
That's exactly right. Yes, and you're getting on board credit
as well. I priced out a whole bunch of sailing
with our new shifts and such, and some of them
are offering up to three hundred dollars on board credit
to spend and an exclusive with more Plumbus travel. If
you book a balcony or above, you get two free

(15:52):
soda packages along with the onboard credit and the four
people in the state room.

Speaker 1 (15:58):
Now, Jenny, pay this is a dangerous offer you have
made a free soda package because here in Utah, Southern Idaho,
we inhale diet coke, don't we don't drink it. We
take it by an IV.

Speaker 2 (16:16):
Well, I think you need to add doctor Pepper and
several dike that.

Speaker 1 (16:19):
Yeah, so let me see if I got this straight
now I do.

Speaker 4 (16:23):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (16:24):
This is for sailing this year September October, but you
do have to book it with Morris Columbus travel by
June the fifth, but sale September October, and you can
get up to two hundred dollars free cash. I heard
you say there's some that even go to three hundred.
Now that onboard credit, folks, is like free money. It

(16:47):
is about everything, I think except the casino, third and
fourth guests any aide sale free Jenny, would you talk
about some extras? And we have about a minute and
a half with a fifty percent discount on some of
the on board extras.

Speaker 4 (17:04):
So if you're interested in buying a dining package, or
an internet package, or maybe some short excursions of while
your import, we're offering up to fifty percent off all
of those items as well, and you can use the
free money that we're going to give you. So if
you get two hundred or three hundred dollars on board credit,
you can use that on board credit and we're offering

(17:25):
fifty percent off those items as well, and real quick,
because I know we're going to sign off Harmony of
the Seas October nineteenth. Just to give you an idea,
a boardwalk balcony room for four people is pricing at
twenty one thirty five with two hundred dollars on board
credit and two FLA packages.

Speaker 1 (17:42):
That twenty one something was the total for all four Yes, yes,
like credit plus bucks. Now where's the sailing on the Harmony.

Speaker 4 (17:54):
She sails out of Galveston, Western Caribbean. It's the Caribbean. Yes, yes,
the soda packages for the Caribbean sailings. And if you
want to sail on a brand new ship, the Star
of the Seas or the Icon of the Seas, these
same packages apply. You could go on the Icon of
the Seas October eighteenth. For four people. It's thirty eight

(18:14):
fourteen for all thars on.

Speaker 1 (18:17):
Board for all four peop Jenny to James Chi, account manager,
Royal Caribbean. Jenny, we're going to follow up with us.
Thanks so much, thank you. Welcome back to the travel show.

(18:48):
I'd Larry Delawa get Away, googer fresh home last night
from Jaane and Korea, and I can't wait to go back.
I'll tell you Wendy Rakia, who's our geek, bought a
manager and Morris Columbus Travel had emotion that I go through.
You know, I travel internationally every month, and I go

(19:09):
through this emotion where we finally arrived in Salt Lake
last night. We flew from Tokyo to Seattle, then had
kind of a long layover, and then flew into Salt Lake.
So we're walking down the terminal at Salt Lake International
and I am exhausted. I am really tired. You know,

(19:30):
if I sat in row two, that would be one thing.
We were in row fifty two, that's quite another.

Speaker 2 (19:39):
Wow.

Speaker 1 (19:39):
Anyway, Actually it was road thirty two.

Speaker 3 (19:42):
To be honest, I was going to say they had
fifty rows in your plane. Really, I think sure.

Speaker 1 (19:47):
We were in kind of a front cabin behind premium
economy and right delta one we were in main cabin
and it was row thirty two, and there was a
whole nother section. Anyway, I've always said this, I said
to Kathy, this emotion, and I am the ultimate travel guy.
I said, every time I come back from one of

(20:08):
these trips. The day I get back, the emotion that
I have is this, I don't ever in my life
want to step on an airplane again. And then but
then I said, but tomorrow I'll be thinking, rub my hands,
we go, where's my next adventure? And that's what I am.

Speaker 2 (20:28):
Where's Wendy.

Speaker 1 (20:29):
I haven't even been home twenty four hours and I'm
yesterday I did never want to see an airplane again,
and now I can't wait to get on an airplane.

Speaker 3 (20:39):
Well, you know, you only need a short window of time,
do some laundry, get the time in with the grandkids,
do all the things that need to and then you're
back off again.

Speaker 1 (20:52):
That's right.

Speaker 5 (20:52):
You know.

Speaker 1 (20:54):
We are syndicated on nineteen stations, but we have listeners
literally around the world. We've got text We've even had calls.
We've had a call in from Istanbul, Turkey, from Japan, Australia, Europe. People.
You can live stream the travel show, which I hope

(21:15):
you do. You can also catch it on the podcast
at morriscolumbus dot com morriscolumbus dot com. But I got
a text from two listeners from New Plant. Remember we
talked to that said hello to that woman Amber, I
think her name was in Lahore, Pakistan. A few weeks

(21:37):
ago we got to notice I got an email from Athens,
Greece from some guy Adolpho. So Adolpho, we send you
our love and best regards all the way from Salt
Lake City to Athens, Greece. And another one I got

(21:59):
from Strasburg, France from Mark and he evidently Adolphos lives
in Greece but somehow found the travel show Pesky Little Fellow.
But Mark formerly lived in the US and then moved
to Strasberg. I love Strasburg, France, particularly La Petite France.

(22:22):
I got to tell you a short story. I was
in Istanbul, Turkey, and I was coming home. This was,
oh gosh, probably thirty years ago, and a young man
from our church congregation was serving as an LDS missionary

(22:43):
in Strasburg, and with the permission of his mission president,
I stopped and spent the day as his companion. I
did a stopover in Frankfurt, got a rental car, went
to Heidelberg, and you know, Strasburg's right there on the
Rhine River, and then went down and was his companion
all day long. I memorized some door approaches and things

(23:07):
in French. I'm sure I slaughtered it. And what I'm saying,
it's a beautiful day. I probably missed pronounced and said
you look like a cow. Yeah, definitely not, hopefully not. Anyway,
So I had a white so as his companion, I
had a white shirt and tie on.

Speaker 2 (23:25):
And scenary uniform.

Speaker 1 (23:27):
Yeah. I didn't have a name tag, but he did.
And it was summertime, so we're just in shirt sleeves.
We go out and I take him to lunch. We're
walking through La Petite France, which is like France four
hundred years ago, half timbered buildings, flowers everywhere, trees, it
is beyond gorgeous. And we're walking and there's this family,

(23:50):
probably fifty sixty feet away, and there's mom, dad, and
a daughter who was about about fourteen and a son
who is about eleven or twelve, and in a loud voice,
they say, look, there's the missionaries. And I'm they start

(24:13):
walking to us. So we stop and I'm thinking, hey,
I still look pretty good.

Speaker 2 (24:20):
I can pass a missionary.

Speaker 1 (24:21):
And then the little torp kid he stops about twenty
feet away, tilts his head to the side and says, well,
the one on the left is a missionary, but who's
that old guy? Totally different And then they walk a
little closer and the mom says, Larry, is that you

(24:42):
and they were Travel show listeners?

Speaker 2 (24:45):
That's so fun?

Speaker 1 (24:46):
Is that just too much? That is awesome? Well, our
best to Mark in Strasbourg and Adolfo in Athens, Greece,
And if you travel the world, do tune in live
streaming on the Travel Show. Hey I I mentioned. We
know that Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines merged, but there's

(25:09):
a special opportunity. If you have an American Express card
American Express Points, you earn points for everything that you
buy and then you can transfer them to airline frequent
flyer programs or merchandise. AMEX points you can transfer now
to Hawaiian Airlines. If you have already a Hawaiian Airlines

(25:35):
credit card, you can transfer the points to and from
other members account amex account free of charge and they
transfer if you want to from Hawaiian to Alaskan one
to one. Now, this means that number one you can
transfer your AMEX points to Alaska and number two. With

(25:57):
a Hawaiian Miles credit card, you can transfer from other
people's Ames accounts into your Alaska account. So here's what
we're gonna do. I know you have a bunch of
Hawaiian Airlines or Amex points. Okay, I'm going to use
my Hawaiian Miles credit card and transfer all of your

(26:21):
points into my Alaska Frequent Fly.

Speaker 2 (26:24):
Well, I thought you were offering yours to me.

Speaker 1 (26:27):
Are you familiar with the expression are you out of
your mind?

Speaker 4 (26:30):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (26:31):
I think I am.

Speaker 1 (26:33):
We're told that all this ends by the time the
two airlines fully come together, their CEO said, meaning you
can do the transfer up to June thirteenth. You can
transfer from your friends or family. You can pull it
all into one account, which helps you when you're redeeming what.

Speaker 2 (26:55):
That's a fabulous augury off.

Speaker 3 (26:57):
Knowing how to use Frequent Fire Miles and their partners
is such an incredible tool for travel. Anytime you can
take advantage of points and enhancing your travel experience, whether
it's using points for an upgrade, which is what my
husband loves to do.

Speaker 2 (27:15):
You know, Uber and Delta just has.

Speaker 3 (27:17):
That new agreement where you can get points now with
Delta with Uber and Starbucks and you know, just those
are the types of things that you need to take
advantage of.

Speaker 1 (27:28):
Let's turn our attention to Polynesia. We often hear the
term the spirit of Aloha or aloha spirit. What is
that to you, Wendy, the Aloha spirit.

Speaker 2 (27:40):
It's the kindness, it's the family, it's the comfort, it's.

Speaker 1 (27:43):
Love you can literally feel. Yeah, with that. What is
the fascination that we have with the South Seas with Polynesia?

Speaker 3 (27:53):
It's just the beautiful, It's the romance, it's the relaxing.
It just makes you feel ill, relaxed and calm. I
think to me, that's yeah, that's what it is.

Speaker 1 (28:06):
You know. I've always asked Larry, what is your favorite destination?
And I answer it with the question what is the
purpose of the trip? For sheer absolute physical beauty that
overloads the census. It's French Polynesia, Tahiti, Morea Bora Boro right, Eyetaia,

(28:30):
the Tuomotus, the society, islands, all part of it. It
does something. In fact, a quote that I've read before
is from Robert Lewis Stevens. He wrote this in July
of eighteen eighty eight, when Carlos, of course was a
young man, he was visiting what we now call French Polynesia,
and he wrote, quote, few men who come to the

(28:53):
islands leave them. They grow gray where they alighted. The
palm shades and trade winds fan them till they die,
perhaps cherishing to the last. The fancy of a visit home,
which is rarely made, more rarely enjoyed, and yet more
rarely repeated. No part of the world exerts the same

(29:18):
attractive seductive power upon the visitor, and the task before
me is to communicate some sense of its seduction. The
first experience can never be repeated. The first love, the
first sunrise, the first south Sea island are memories apart

(29:41):
and touched a virginity of sense close quote. And that
was written in eighteen eighty eight by Robert Louis Stevenson,
and I feel about that the same today. There is
a drawing power. I've talked previously about the two words
in Polynesian life, which is Mana and anganga. And Anganga

(30:05):
is kind of like a religious holy ghost, holy spirit.
But Mana is this drawing power, the spirit of aloha. Well,
everybody wants to go, and Wendy, we can help you
get there.

Speaker 2 (30:18):
We can help you get there absolutely So we.

Speaker 1 (30:21):
Are sponsoring with Norwegian Cruise Lines a South Seas odysty.
I will be your personal host and tour guide. April fifteenth,
the May first next year, we will sail from Tahiti
to Honolulu. And in this time we will visit the
Society Islands. We'll visit Tahiti, Moorea, Bora, Bora, Right Yetaya,

(30:48):
and then we'll cruise through the Tuamotu Archipelago of islands,
crossing the equator and visit the Islands of Aloha, the
Islands of Hawaii and returning or ending up in Honolulu.
What's crazy about this is a legitimate free airfare offer.
This is a promotion, a special with Morris Columbus Travel

(31:12):
and Norwegian Cruise Line where the first person will pay
a heavily discounted airfare. Second person flies absolutely free. Your
cruise rates start at just nineteen sixty nine for person.
By walking you're going to come back. Let's take an
interesting store about egen templates might hit Welcome back to

(31:45):
the Travel Show. I'm Larry Gelwicks. Then get away Guru.
The Travel show is sponsored by the travel experts Morris
Columbus Travel, who won for the four year in a
row the Best of State Award as the number one
travel agency in Utah, and of course we serve guests
all over the country. I'm pleased to welcome Wendy Frakire,

(32:08):
Group department manager at Morris Columbus Travel. Wendy, we were
talking about this South Seas odyssey. I don't know of
a better way to see Polynesia. Polynesia is flat out
expensive if you're island hopping.

Speaker 3 (32:24):
Oh yeah, it's just like any other island that everything
has to be imported in and so the people their
wages and whatnot, but everything has to be imported.

Speaker 2 (32:37):
Everything is just more expensive, it really is.

Speaker 1 (32:39):
And when you can have almost a two week cruise,
it's fourteen days, thirteen nights, so that's two weeks with
a airfare promotion where the first person fly pays a
discounted airfares as seconder is free airfare including taxes on

(33:05):
the air and rates start at just nineteen sixty nine
including all taxes, fees and port charges per person double occupancy.
Now cut that in half and you are somewhere around
nine hundred and seventy five eighty dollars about eighty five dollars,

(33:26):
say nine hundred and eighty five dollars for a per
on a weekly basis to see Polynesia with free airfare.
Now we have a nice group of travel show listeners
going to embark with me on this. It's one you
don't want to miss. It's one of those destinations that
everybody wants.

Speaker 5 (33:47):
To go to.

Speaker 3 (33:48):
I think what you love most about this one is
your sea days. A number of sea days. Sometimes these itineraries,
as fantastic as they are in the places you get
to see, you don't have enough time to relax and
really enjoy the ship, which is really a floating resort
with so many activities and shows and knooks and crannies
to explore. And this is such a fantastic itinerary because

(34:11):
you've got multiple days where you just get to relax
and recover and rejuvenate in.

Speaker 1 (34:17):
The south seas, in the southeast crossing the Equator, and
you know what I learned, because they almost have a
countdown as they're coming up to the equator, you know,
ten nine to eight. I found that the water on
the north side of the Equator as we cross it
looks just like the water on the south side.

Speaker 2 (34:34):
How about that that. You know.

Speaker 3 (34:35):
My husband is a Navy veteran, and they have very
special names for the sailors who cross the equators. And
I'm not going to I think it's a shellback. But
all the Navy people listening right now are probably either
saying yay or you're an idiot to me, But this

(34:56):
is something kind of cool.

Speaker 1 (34:57):
Have you ever seen a mission for the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints or Mormon missionary? Have
you ever seen an elder, a male missionary, you know,
a young elder wearing an ear ring while serving as
a missionary.

Speaker 2 (35:16):
I haven't, but nowadays I don't know if it would
surprise me.

Speaker 1 (35:19):
It would well, they can't now, but I know of
one missionary who wore an air ring. It was kind
of like a little circular ring on his ear and
it was my great great grandfather, Samuel A. Woolley, who
in eighteen fifty four was called by Brigham Young to
sail to India and he spent three years there as

(35:42):
a missionary, most of it by himself, most of it
in Calcutta, left a wife and kids here in the valley,
and that was only seven years after the Pioneers arrived
in the in the Utah Valley. The biggest miracle is
that in eighteen fifty seven a letter showed up in

(36:03):
Calcutta and he got it from Brigham Young, standing it's
time to come home. He had to work, you know,
there was no church missionary travel department. Saved up enough
money sale to Boston and mostly walked across the country
and showed up unannounced. But there's a tradition amongst sailors

(36:24):
that when you cross the equator you get your ear pierced. Okay,
and so he's a missionary sailing to India in eighteen
fifty four. I actually have a photograph of my great
great grandfather, Elder Woolley with an ear ring.

Speaker 2 (36:40):
What a great story as a Mormon missionary.

Speaker 1 (36:44):
Now, when we were serving in the California Fresno Mission,
you know, maybe I should have introduced that. What do
you think.

Speaker 2 (36:52):
They would have said, President Gelix has gone rogue.

Speaker 1 (36:56):
Well, that wouldn't a surprised salt Lake would have. Hey,
we have some details on the Utah Fall Travel Expo.

Speaker 3 (37:04):
We're so excited to start the Fall Travel Expo. Everybody
loves our January Expo. It is just become things that
people put on their calendar and they come year after
year and just let their travel dreams go crazy. So
this fall, this is October eighteenth, and we're doing it
in Davis County, So instead of South Salt Lake, we're

(37:26):
going up north to Davis County. We are going to
have over fifty vendors, but we're still going to have
hourly giveaways, We're going to have seminar special promotions.

Speaker 2 (37:36):
It's going to be fantastic. Make sure you have it
on your calendar now.

Speaker 1 (37:40):
The Winter January Travel Expo will still happen in Saint
George and Salt Lake. Yes, and this is the first
ever fall Travel Expo of the combined merge company of
Morris and Columbus Travel. And these free price giveaways every hour,
airline tickets, cruises, hotel stays, resort stays. You know somebody

(38:04):
is going to win these may as well. Be you
listening to this show, people start playing critics chair when
we come back, get Out and over A two and
so over the top Mexico All Inclusive special right here
on the Travel Show. Welcome back to our number two

(38:28):
of the Travel Show. I'm Larry Gelwicks to get Away
at Guru and we are the best two hours in radio.
I'm joined today in studio by Wendy Fraki, a group
department manager par excellence of the Morris Columbus Travels. Hello.
You know you and I were talking about how much

(38:48):
we love Hawaii. But I gotta tell you Hawaii has
gotten expensive.

Speaker 4 (38:54):
Yeah. It.

Speaker 1 (38:55):
Kathy and I were there in March and had a
wonderful eight or nine days in Maui, but I had
to take out a home loan. Well not literally, but
it has gotten everything about has gotten expensive. And Hawaii
the state legislature is paying a new environmental green tax

(39:17):
fifty bucks. And then you have the hotels that add
on what I call the evil resort fees, generally thirty
to fifty dollars day. What do you get for that, Well,
you get a towel at the pool and you can
have free unlimited local calls. It's just an excuse to
pick our pocket, that's all it is. Now. President Biden

(39:39):
had promised repeatedly. In fact, in his last State of
the Union he called them junk fees and said that
he was going to get rid of them. I guess
he forgot.

Speaker 3 (39:50):
Well, yeah, that's going to be. It's kind of like
luggaged cost right. The airlines are never going to give
a feedback in either.

Speaker 2 (39:59):
Of the hotels.

Speaker 1 (40:01):
Airlines and hotels do not care really if you like
the fear not. They only care will you pay it?
So that's it. So where are the best travel values? Now?

Speaker 3 (40:16):
You know, Mexico. You were just talking about Hawaii. I
would love to go back to Hawaii. Aren't and I've
been talking about it, But we keep looking at Mexico
because that's where the deals are.

Speaker 1 (40:25):
Cruises and Mexico. Now that South Pacific cruise is a
fantastic deal and we end up in Mexico. Fact, you
can extend your stay as you get off the cruise
the South Pacific honesty for a couple of days if
you want in Honolulu at your own expense. But the
airfare would I mean the air is the same they

(40:47):
just people for I think you're spot on there, Wendy.
Mexico all inclusives, where everything air, the transfers between the
hotel and the airport, the meals, drinks both leaded and
none leaded. What they call non motorized activities. Now people say,

(41:10):
what does that mean, Well, a non motorized means no water.
You want to rent a jet ski, you're gonna pay
for it. But like a bogie board, a paddle board,
a little sunfish, sailboat or something, they're all include and
your taxes and fees. Now we found a couple of
really good ones. I want to tell you about the
Catalonia Yucatan Beach Hotel in Cancun. Now it is a

(41:35):
solid four star. Let me tell you what the star ratings.
There's one to five. Some hotels claim they're a six star.
That just means over the top, but traditionally it's one, two, three,
four or five stars. A five star. There's certain requirements,
but it is luxury. Think of the Fairmont, the four seasons,
something like that, the JDW.

Speaker 2 (41:57):
You walk in and yes, you immediately stand a little straighter.

Speaker 1 (42:01):
That's right, that's right. Now, that's called deluxe. A four
star is called first class. A three star would be
tourist friendly, and a two stars a dump and one
star and a one star are college students with about

(42:21):
ten in a room on a liquid diet over spring break.
The hostels, Oh my gosh, but uh so. The Catalonia
Yucatan Beach Hotel is a solid four star. It is
not a five star property, and you'll see the difference
in the amenities in the.

Speaker 2 (42:41):
Room, the food, slippers.

Speaker 1 (42:44):
I don't know, but I stay in a lot of
four star properties in Mexico and I've enjoyed them. It's
a it's a prime beachfront location, which really adds to
the the scenic setting with the marina there, the loneliness,
the atmosphere is very lively. The food, Yeah, it's only

(43:05):
The Catalonia Yucatan Beach Resort is only twenty minutes by
car from Playa del Carmen, which is the heart of
the Mayan rivi Era. The hotel has four pools, a spa,
two hundred and five rooms. They both have buffets and
a la carte. So again it's it's a four star,

(43:27):
not a five star. I've stayed in a lot of
four star hotels. I've stayed a lot of five star,
but catch this deal I was looking at after the
summer blitz krieg of tourists early September. I was looking
at a six day, five night September fourth to the
ninth for everything n seventy three dollars no yes, airfare

(43:52):
including airfare, transfers, resort, meals, drinks and activities, taxes and fees, Yes,
six days, five now you can extend that later. Price
is justin a very similar one at the Sunscape Porto Yata,
another solid four star. And I was looking at October
ninth to the fourteenth, six days or five nights. Just

(44:14):
ae thy sixteen per person double occupancy. I mean, come on,
that nine to seventy three is about the cost of
airfare to Maui right now.

Speaker 2 (44:27):
Oh exactly. Now, that's fabulous, it's everything included.

Speaker 1 (44:31):
We want to invite you to join us at Morris
Columbus Travel on social media.

Speaker 3 (44:38):
You know what, We have got such active accounts, both
Morris Columbus Travel and Morris Murdock Escorted Tours have very
active Facebook and Instagram accounts. We've got YouTube channels with
some great videos that we're doing a lot on Google
right now with reviews and such. But we really invite

(44:59):
you to start following us on these channels, both the
Morse Columbus and Morris Murdock Escorted Tours. There you're going
to find out about these specials like Larry just spoke about,
this is an amazing special in these promotions with the
cruise lines, new reviews on the Morris Murdock Escorted tours.
We like to share tips, we like to share tours

(45:21):
that are just being announced. It's the best way for
us to share these information with you as quickly as
we can, and it's also a really great way for
you to share information with us. One of the best
ideas is for you to go on to the social
media and share us ideas that you'd like to hear
about on the radio show.

Speaker 2 (45:41):
I think that'd be a fantastic way to do that.

Speaker 1 (45:43):
We invite suggestions for content on the radio show. Well,
let me ask you a question. As a connoisseur of
fine dining, you and art, do you prefer Texas Roadhouse
or Olive Gardens?

Speaker 2 (46:02):
Is that I absolutely?

Speaker 3 (46:03):
Do you know what?

Speaker 2 (46:04):
Give me steak any day?

Speaker 1 (46:06):
I knew that'd be the answer. Well, very interesting. Texas Roadhouse,
in a national survey, has just replaced Olive Garden as
America's top casual dining chain. Now. The two chains were
followed by Chili's, Applebee's and Buffalo Wild Wings. Interestingly Olive Garden,

(46:27):
and I gotta tell you, I'm not a big Olive
Garden fan. I think the lasagna is terrible. Oh wow,
their salad and breadsticks is a good deal.

Speaker 2 (46:35):
Oh yeah, the salad breadsticks very big deal.

Speaker 1 (46:38):
But some of their no offense to Olive Garden. It
just never did it for me. I do like Texas
Roadhouse a good steak, but the Olive Garden held the
title as the top casual dining change since twenty eighteen.
That's incredible, but a resurgence in Texas Roadhouse popularity has

(47:01):
pushed the casual steakhout ahead of it. Wow.

Speaker 3 (47:05):
I guess do you really like the free chocolate mints
at the end of your dinner with Olive Garden or
do you like the free rolls at Texas Roadhouse.

Speaker 1 (47:15):
I like to take a big bag and dump dozens.
Could I have some more roles? Could I have some
more roles? You know what's interesting? As American struggle to
make ends meet, restaurants across the country began pushing promotions
to kind of lure customers. In the Red Lobster suffered

(47:37):
tremendous financial losses because of one of their promotions.

Speaker 2 (47:41):
All you can eat shrimp shrimp, and.

Speaker 1 (47:44):
They said it caused chaos and stress for the employees.
They've done away with it endless shrimp is gone.

Speaker 2 (47:51):
Wow, my husband will be sad.

Speaker 1 (47:55):
It will be said. Okay, later in the show, I
want to talk about I want to approach this with
sensitivity seriously, and that's the subject of service animals on
an airplane. Sure, there's a United Airlines passenger who on

(48:18):
social media has been dubbed a Karen brought her dog
to the galley of a United jumbo jet of Boeing
seven eighty seven when the flight the galley is where
they prepare foods.

Speaker 3 (48:32):
Sure.

Speaker 1 (48:33):
Now, when the flight attendant reprimanded her the dog can't
be in the food prep area, the woman defended her
choice by saying, the dog quote needs to do potty
unquote on an airplane. And so the woman put a
diaper on the little mutt that I shouldn't say that.

(48:56):
I'll tell you this whole story because it is crazy
diapers on dogs in the food prep area. More when
you come back on the Travel Show, when has done
this and welcome to the Travel Show. You know I

(49:18):
opened the first segment with Carnicioo and because I just
got back from Japan yesterday, and in the last segment
Wed Defrakia, we were talking about Mexico all inclusive resorts.
They arenbulous cruises and Mexico are absolutely positively your best

(49:43):
travel value. I love Mexico, the Mexican people. Don't even
get me started on the food. By the way, my
favorite Mexican restaurant in Salt Lake is the Blue Iguana
at Aero Press Square. They're Puntas de filette. That just
trust me. Ask for that when it is off the charts.

(50:04):
And my friends Chris and ed Oit so.

Speaker 2 (50:07):
That that kind of you get a double helping.

Speaker 1 (50:12):
Yes, actually she does take care of us, you know.
Would like to welcome back to the Travel Show our
good friend David Chahrez, promotion manager with Villa Premier Boutique
Hotels in none other than Puerto Bayarta. Thank you, Larry
for having me. It's a pleasure to be back with you.

Speaker 5 (50:29):
You are a regular at the Utah Travel Explo, aren't you. Yes,
that is correct. It's a phenomenal show. It's always a
great opportunity to showcase you get some good business out
of it. We do, or we would not come back.

Speaker 2 (50:39):
So are you going to be here this fall with us?

Speaker 1 (50:41):
I am figured on my schedule.

Speaker 5 (50:44):
I am the only person who travels within our company
and Canada, so quite a territory.

Speaker 1 (50:51):
You had a kind of the Northern hemisphere. Correct, is yours? David?
You represent two hotels, a five star and a four star.
Introduces to your two properties and just the outstanding aspects
of both properties, and who does the five star which

(51:13):
is the Villa Premiere I've stayed at, and the Buena
Ventura is your four star. I've eaten there and toured
the building. Who does it attract? So introduce us to
your property.

Speaker 5 (51:23):
So first I'm gonna start with the four star Buenaventarre Grand.
It's a great family friendly resort right in the heart
of Port of Arta, literally at the doorsteps, the doorstop
to all the cobblestone streets, so you're really centrally located
to everything. Great for family, great for singles, great for
even couples. But it's a great location and we really
have done a phenomenal job with you know, renovating the resort,

(51:44):
so it's truly a phenomenal up offering for your family
friendly clientele. And then our Villa Premiere, of course, is
our five star. It's a boutique hotel, so it's we're
the only ocean front luxury boutique hotel right in the
heart of Port of Arta.

Speaker 1 (51:59):
That's adults only.

Speaker 5 (52:00):
That's really important because a lot of times people need
to get away, even from their kids. So this is
the perfect place for those people who want to celebrate
a nice romantic get away, or even a girlfriend get
away or a buddy get away.

Speaker 1 (52:12):
You know, there's a great of courses literally and the
food there of course. Oh don't even get me started.
You know what, I enjoy a buffet, but I find
at many resorts, and I want to say this respectfully,
the buffet gets very tired, the food sits there way
too long. What I so enjoyed about my stay at

(52:35):
the Villa Premiere when they is everything was freshly prepared.
Every meal was freshly prepared. And it's beach runt. I
mean you can literally walk down a couple of steps
or on a beautiful white sand beach.

Speaker 3 (52:48):
I think that sounds amazing. What I love is the
term boutique hotel.

Speaker 5 (52:54):
Define boutique, so normally it's I would say it has
to be something under one hundred rooms. We only have
eighty rooms and sweets at the resort, so the average
smallest room score footage wise is four hundred and fifty
five square, which is huge.

Speaker 2 (53:07):
Yeah, so you're not, like, you know, tackling people to
get at the beach.

Speaker 1 (53:11):
Oh yeah, that's one of the most the best things
about the Villa Premiere. You you always have a place
to be.

Speaker 5 (53:16):
We could be one hundred percent full and you would
not know it because we're a small boutique hotel and
we have plenty of spaces for everyone to enjoy.

Speaker 1 (53:26):
The Villa Premiere adults only eighteen and up. Yes, that
is correct, it is, and the Buenaventura the which is
an excellent family friendly property. Let's talk about location too.
You're pretty close to the Molicon that is correct.

Speaker 5 (53:41):
We are stumbling distance from the Malacan areas, which is
where all the nightlife is and that's why I use
that term. But anyways, now all the cultural places you
want to visit in Port of Areta, the cathedral, everything
is literally within ten to fifteen minute walk from both
One Ventura.

Speaker 1 (53:55):
And now the Malacan is about a mile plus correct,
and it's Ustrian only. It's shops, boutiques, restaurants, entertainment, canteenas people,
street performers. I love going over to the Church of
Our Lady of Guadaloupe. Beautiful. It's an iconic Latin American church.

(54:16):
It really is. Now let's talk about something really important.
You turned me on to this place, and I've forgotten
the name. There's a taco shop just a couple of
blocks from both hotels. What's the name of it.

Speaker 5 (54:29):
It's Calledito, which means a little turcole. And yes, it absolutely, Larry.
They're the best street tacos ever. And remember, the best
street taco places are open at night only if you
go in the daytime, that means it's not really good places.

Speaker 1 (54:44):
But this particular cat it's just a little hole in
the wall, but very clean. Correct. I have no issues
eating the food. You know, I tell many people in
Mexico you probably want to stay away from street vendors.
You know. That doesn't mean you're gonna get sick. But
you're on vacation. Why even take a chance at this

(55:05):
taco shop? Again? The name is Slowly El Cat correct?
And how many? How many? How far away? It's literally
a block and a half. Yeah, from the Villa Premiere.
Oh my gosh, it is. It is really fantastic. So
let me just ask you this question. Why with all

(55:25):
the good choices in Porto by which is my favorite
vacation spot in all of Mexico. Thank you? Why the
Villa Premiere.

Speaker 5 (55:34):
The Villa Premiere honestly is one of the best kept
secrets that I really want out there. It's, like we said,
a boutique hotel. It's adults only. The cuisine is phenomenal.
Like you mentioned all a la carte offerings. We have
no buffet there, twenty four room service, butler service. It's
a hotel that just specializes on the utmost providing that
most service to every single guest.

Speaker 1 (55:55):
And it's a hotel that offers you both options.

Speaker 5 (55:58):
EP and all inclusive, so you don't have to do
all inclusive if you want to enjoy the great restaurants
and Larry, you've been there many times. There's great places
to take there, so you can, you know, enjoy EP
as well.

Speaker 1 (56:09):
Do you know I love to go over to Zono
Romantica to the Margharita Grill. Correct, not Margaritaville. Correct? You
know that restaurant. I do the market and they have entertainment, singers, musicians.
It's great. David Sharas, how can we get more information
on Buena Ventura and Villa Premiere.

Speaker 5 (56:30):
So you can certainly go onto our website or you
can contact, of course, your professional travel agent.

Speaker 1 (56:36):
I'm sure you know that's your best way to bring David.
Thank you so much for joining us here on the
Travel Show and Porto I are to hear I come
you think more on the Travel Show. Welcome back to

(57:06):
the Travel Show, Wendy. That was a great segment with
David Charev. He is such a good guy. You could
meet him face to face at the January Utah Travel
X foll. We're hoping he'll come this fall. He told
me he has a commitment. He's going to see if
he can move around, but we may. He just one
of the great great guys in the travel industry. Now

(57:32):
what when you think of Mexican food, what do you
think is the single most common or popular?

Speaker 4 (57:42):
Oh?

Speaker 1 (57:43):
Taco, tacos, Absolutely tacos. Well, I maintain that taco is
not a Mexican food, It's a European food. Okay, Well,
the Mayan legend.

Speaker 3 (58:03):
Is that.

Speaker 1 (58:05):
Well, as the story goes, for the Cortes and the Conquistadores,
who were just pretty rough people, they had a peasant
invented a corn tortilla and put some meat and vegetables
in it. So early records note that the first taco

(58:28):
feast was enjoyed by Europeans Emil, which Harnan Cortes arranged
for his captains. Okay, so I guess it's a Spanish food,
Portuguese food.

Speaker 4 (58:43):
You know what.

Speaker 2 (58:43):
I'm disgrateful that it was invented.

Speaker 1 (58:47):
I love takers, I absolutely love takers. Okay, we're talking
about I want how do I say this, listeners? I
want to be respectful, but I am appalled, absolutely appalled.
I told you there's a woman who they've dubbed her Karen,
which means pushing self.

Speaker 2 (59:07):
Apologies.

Speaker 1 (59:10):
This whole thing with service and comfort animals now, uh,
the dot has outlawed so called comfort animals, but service
animals are allowed and some people. The problem is it
is so abused that some that it hurts those who

(59:31):
have legitimate needs. I know of two people right off
the top. You can go online and get all the
paperwork you need for a service animals and is filled
out online. I Delta requires you to submit paperwork in advance.
But this particular one was on United She had a dog.

Speaker 5 (59:54):
Uh.

Speaker 1 (59:54):
By the way, Juno. Up till December, a miniature horse
was allowed as a service animal on airplane. Now, the
miniature horse stands about three feet tall. It is a horse.
You look at it. It is a horse. It has
a mane. It is a horse, and it stands about

(01:00:15):
three feet tall. It was allowed to bring a miniature
horse on an airplane.

Speaker 3 (01:00:21):
Now, where is this thing gonna sound exactly? I just
can't even visualize that.

Speaker 1 (01:00:26):
There was a United Airlines in Houston. There was a
woman right now, the dot says dogs only, but a
woman brought a peacock and somehow got the peacock through
TSA security shows up at the United Airlines departure gate.
The bird unfurls its tail feathers, oh my goodness. At

(01:00:50):
United says no, you cannot bring a but I can't
live without my peacock. Well, anyway, so this woman she's
walking the dog because it has to poop, and so
she and she's in the food preparation galley and the
flight has said, sorry, man, you can't have this dog

(01:01:11):
in here while we're preparing food. And the woman got
really nasty with her and says, well, he needs to poop,
And so she put a diaper, a diaper on this
dog and they're at thirty five thousand feet. What are
you going to do? You know, there's a lot of
I know two people who fake this all the time.
He says, I don't need one friend of mine. I

(01:01:33):
don't need my dog. I just don't want to pay
the feet to have it, you know, in the kennel,
and I kind of like sitting with it. Well, there
was an an American Airlines a while back where when
Poucci started biting people, some of them poop all over there.
I'm sorry, folks, I don't want to gross you out anyway.

(01:01:55):
Here are for kind of signs hints that this animal
is a fake. It's not really needed for service, and
I don't want to diminish those who legitimately need a
service animal. I'm all for that, but generally speaking, if

(01:02:20):
the person is feeding it treats constantly rather than a meal.
Owners are speaking to Pucci in baby tuck, Oh my
little Puuci Puci Poochi. You don't talk to a service
animal like that. Number three animals get to rest their
heads on pillows. I see this and for animal is

(01:02:42):
part of a photo shoot in the aircraft window. I
have seen huge dogs like a German shepherd come on
as a service animal. Again, I want to be very careful, folks.
I do not want to diminish legitimate needs. But that's
a really big dog.

Speaker 3 (01:03:00):
Well anymore, you are just seeing people traveling with dogs
in general for their companionship, and you're just airports have
got dog relief areas. It is just a very common thing.

Speaker 1 (01:03:13):
Yeah, but how does a dog plan it's poop?

Speaker 3 (01:03:15):
That's exactly when you started the story. I was thinking,
that's always been a question. I've never had to witness,
thank goodness. But yeah, if the dog has to go
to the bathroom in the middle of a long flight,
what do you do? I mean, it's got to do it,
but take him in the bathroom? I guess, I don't know.

Speaker 1 (01:03:34):
I put the dog seated on the toilet.

Speaker 2 (01:03:38):
Diapers are a legit thing for animals, though, I will
tell you that.

Speaker 1 (01:03:41):
Oh my gosh. Well, as I get older, baby, I
look out to that stage myself. Okay, when you are
you're not only a great person, I mean that's sincerely
and a dear friend. You are such a good group
department manager. Seriously, Oh, let's talk about group travel. What

(01:04:02):
are the benefits of group travel.

Speaker 3 (01:04:05):
You know, I am passionate about group travel, and this
is something that really I think even caught me off
guard twenty years ago when I started with this. I
found the benefits of group travel being that it is
so much fun to travel with like minded people to destinations.

Speaker 2 (01:04:23):
You get to go and experience a cruise, a trip.

Speaker 3 (01:04:29):
Historical destinations with your own historian who's explaining things. You
have somebody there who's taking care of all of the
travel needs. They're checking you into hotels, They're getting you
to and from points. You're not getting lost trying to
read maps. You're getting to take advantage of the financial

(01:04:50):
benefits of group discounts buying tickets.

Speaker 1 (01:04:54):
You know, I tell the groups that I have the
privilege of hosting. There's only Tuesday. You have to remember
show up on time and keep up with the group
one hundred show up on time. Now, at Morris Columbus
Travel you have a wide variety of escorted tours. And

(01:05:14):
I might just mention the company name was the result
of the merger of the two largest and best travel
companies in the Inner Mountain area, Morris Murdoch Travel and
Columbus Travel. So The new merged company name is Morris
Columbus Travel, but the brand name for the escorted tours

(01:05:38):
we have retained as Morris Murdoch Escorted Tours. You want
to see everything, go to Morriscolumbus dot com and about
on the home page about the third item down, click
on Morris Murdock Escorted Tours. That if it's a cruise,
click on the toolbar cruise and all the cruises will
come up. Otherwise it's a geograph area like Europe, Latin America, Asia,

(01:06:04):
South Pacific whatever. In our remaining time highlight. I know
they're all, you love them all, but just a couple
that are to you especially.

Speaker 3 (01:06:15):
Unique, you know, I think all of them are unique
and special in their own way. One of the things
is we just sent out our main newsletter yesterday. If
you're on our mailing list, make sure it gets you
read through it. There's some wonderful articles, there's some travel tips,
there's some a review of London and some of our

(01:06:38):
products that will visit London. I'll tell you our fault
tours to Europe right now is what you really need
to be looking at. I know a lot of people
are really concerned about the economy and what's going on.
If you are looking at still trying to get a
trip in this year, we have got some fantastic fall

(01:07:00):
European adventures out there, starting with August Sound of Music
Austria and Germany. This is a fantastic adventure through Bavaria
and we've got some great airfare for that available. And

(01:07:21):
from there we have got an amazing three Temple we
call it a Three Temple tour, but it's London, Paris
and Rome. This is an opportunity to still get to
Rome this year, which is turning out. Besides it is
a jubilee year that it is also the new Pope
and the celebration of that first American Pope. Absolutely, we

(01:07:47):
have got a Christmas tour this year which is Germany,
Austria and Switzerland that I get the pleasure of hosting.
That's right after Thanksgiving. We've got an airfare for this
one that's only like nine hundred and fifty seven dollars.
That's flying into Frankfurt and home from zero. These are

(01:08:11):
just great opportunities to still get out. We still have
some space available on a Faull Church History tour, and
we've got some fall cruises. So look at the website.
There's things there, and then get busy planning. If you're
not looking for this year, twenty six is out in
full full bloom. Tours and cruises are being outed daily

(01:08:32):
as well as even into twenty seven. So keep looking
at the website. It's always going to be a different adventure.

Speaker 1 (01:08:41):
That's Morriscolumbus dot com. Morriscolumbus dot com. Scroll down on
the homepage and click on Morris Murdoch Escorted Tours. The
two names I explain, but I like it to General
Motors and Chevrolet, you know, same company, two different names.
With that, I'll tell you one tour that I'd love

(01:09:04):
to have you join me on. One of my favorite
activities of the Christmas markets of years.

Speaker 2 (01:09:09):
I just was mentioning that.

Speaker 1 (01:09:11):
Yeah. And next year, December third to the tenth, Kathy
and I'll be hosting a Almah Waterways River cruise starting
in Basel, Switzerland on December third, and we'll visit Switzerland, Germany,
France and the Netherlands. You fly home December the tenth.

(01:09:34):
I mean that's two plus weeks before Christmas exactly. We
bought half the ship. The discounts in some cases are
over a thousand dollars less than buying it direct more.
When we come back on the Travel Show. If you're

(01:09:58):
listening to the Travel Show, I'm Larry Gelwick's The Getaway Goo.
Joined today by Wendy Brackey, a group department manager at
Morris Columbus Travel, who just recently was announced that Morris Columbus,
for the fourth year in a row, has been named
as the best travel company, best travel agency in all

(01:10:22):
of the great state of Utah. And that is a
tribute to people like Wendy and her staff and all
the great travel advisors. Take a look at the website
eight hundred excuse me, Morriscolumbus dot com, Morriscolumbus dot com.
If you have a favorite Morris Columbus Travel advisor, you

(01:10:44):
have their direct line. You can skip all of the
pre recordings if you don't, and then keep that number
and call him or her. But if you don't yet
have your own favorite Morris Columbus travel advisor, call it's
easy number to remember. Eight hundred triple nine forty six

(01:11:05):
forty six. Eight hundred triple nine forty six forty six,
or for any of the group tours. You can talk
to any of the travel advisors or just call the
group department direct. What is that number?

Speaker 2 (01:11:17):
That number is one eight hundred for eight three six
three six three.

Speaker 1 (01:11:24):
We have to talk to eight hundred or eight hundred
or eight oh one.

Speaker 3 (01:11:27):
It's are sorry, it is eight oh one four eight
three six three six three eight hundred is.

Speaker 1 (01:11:35):
Let's just give one number eight oh one four eight three.

Speaker 2 (01:11:39):
Six sixty three sixth three is.

Speaker 1 (01:11:41):
The group department. You know, Kathy and I were at
the waiting for our pickup at the airport. We always
park at Parking Jet, and you know there there's an
other good off airport parking, and people were lined up

(01:12:03):
for another company, and I thought why Parking Jet is
the they have great service, free car wash. They are
the only locally owned off airport parking facility. And if
you go to the Morris Columbus website Morriscolumbus dot com,

(01:12:25):
click on resources and print as many discount coupons twenty
percent off parking Jet Now, Wendy, that can add up
to be a lot of money.

Speaker 2 (01:12:36):
Oh, absolutely, And my favorite thing is that they are
locally owned.

Speaker 1 (01:12:41):
My favorite thing is that it's twenty percent off.

Speaker 2 (01:12:45):
Yes, and they are quick to get you to in
from your car.

Speaker 1 (01:12:48):
Yeah, and very very friendly. So again Morriscolumbus dot com
click on resources print as many discount coup I just
say keep them in the car, give them a way
in lieu of a Christmas price, and give them a
twenty percent discount coupac. Hey. Speaking of Christmas, we had
mentioned that in December of next year, December third to

(01:13:11):
the tenth, twenty twenty six, Kathy and I'll be hosting
one of our favorite favorite tours which we've done before.
Christmas Markets of Europe, a six hundred year tradition. Tell
us about the Christmas markets.

Speaker 3 (01:13:28):
The Christmas markets are just about ambiance. It's about socializing.
It's about seeing the culture alive and the vendors and
being there. It's the closest thing to being in a
snow globe or a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Speaker 2 (01:13:47):
It is just special and magical.

Speaker 3 (01:13:51):
They originated in Germany and they have just quickly spread
all throughout throughout Europe. And you and Kathy have the
cruise next year which begins in Switzerland and Fasel goes
down the Rhine through Germany. It stops in Paris and
not Paris in France and then ends in Amsterdam. Now

(01:14:15):
we were I was mentioning in the other segment that
there's a Christmas market land tour that I'm actually hosting
this year. It leaves November twenty ninth, the Saturday right
after Thanksgiving. It starts in Frankfort. It goes to your
very favorite market, Larry, which is Nuremberg. Nuremberg, that's right.
We're going on sleigh rides. We are going to Sound

(01:14:38):
to the Silent Night Cathedral for a concert. We are
going to the highlights of Innsbruck and Salzburg, so as
well as the Christmas markets, and then into Switzerland. So
this year and next year there's two amazing opportunities.

Speaker 1 (01:14:55):
It's a great Now you'll see the Christmas markets, but
on both Wendy's tour and my Ryan River Tour you
get all the other site seeing that you'd seen every
month of the year. And what's interesting about the Alma Waterways,
which to me is the Deluxe River Cruise Company, is
we literally bought half the ship, which means that our

(01:15:17):
prices will save you anywhere from hundreds of dollars to
over one thousand dollars per person, less than if you
bought it directly from Almah Waterways bought it directly from
another travel company. Why because we bought We absolutely bought
half the ship. We have a wonderful activities and it's

(01:15:43):
I'm so excited.

Speaker 3 (01:15:44):
You know, there's a reason why we doubled down on
this one with doing the land tour this year and
the cruise tour next year, because doesn't matter how you
experience this, it is going to become a very favorite experience.
And call us and we'll talk talk to you about
the weather. I know we're short on time. A lot
of people get worried about the weather on.

Speaker 1 (01:16:04):
These quite nice.

Speaker 2 (01:16:05):
It is actually so similar to what we experience here.

Speaker 1 (01:16:09):
Well, that wraps it up for another edition of the
award winning and we are award winning travel show my
thirty fourth year hosting this show. Have a great week,
Give Morris Columbus a call or check out the website
Morriscolumbus dot com. Talk to you next week. All the
best