Magical Destiantions By Steve Podcast: Episode 26

In this episode of Magical Destinations By Steve, Steve is exploring two unforgettable vacation styles: Caribbean cruises and European river cruises. Plus, Steve shares a personal update on his recovery and upcoming travel plans.
What You'll Learn: 🌊 Key differences between Caribbean and European cruises:
☀️ Best times to sail for each destination
🍹 Relaxation vs. exploration — which cruise suits your style?
📅 How to plan your perfect cruise getaway
Bonus Segment:
🎙️ "Hey Steve!" — Steve answers your top Disney World travel questions and shares expert cruise tips to help you decide where to set sail next.

Ready to plan your next adventure? Contact Steve at [e-mail]

Medic2Medic is back, bringing authentic voices, untold stories, and the human side of Emergency Medical Services and beyond.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hello, travelers and adventure seekers. Welcome to Magical Destinations by Steve,
a podcast that takes you on a journey around the
world without ever leaving the comfort of your headlines. I'm
your host, Steve Cohen, and I'm filled to be your
guide through the exciting realms of travel, culture and exploration.
Whether you're a season traveler or an armchair explorer, this

(00:26):
podcast is your passport to a road of fascinating stories,
ending gems, and the cultures that make our planets are
rich and diverse. I'm here to ignite your boat charting
and inspire your next adventure. Join us as we navigate
the twist in terms of travel, offering practical tips, firsthand experience,
and exepert insights to help you make for most of

(00:48):
your own journeys. Whether you're planning a weekend getaway or
a dreaming of an epic expedition. Magical Destinations by Steve
is here to be your trustee compass. Coming from the Ferndale, Washington,
Magical Destinations by Steve Podcast Studios, It's another episode of
this fine travel podcast. Hey everyone, welcome back to this podcast.

(01:12):
I'm your host, Steve Cohen. Yes, I know it's been
a minute, and today we're going to be talking about
two incredible ways to vacation, a Caribbean cruise and a
European river cruise. But before we dive into that, let
me catch you up on something one. I apologize for
the long delay in between podcasts, but life got kind

(01:33):
of crazy, got busy over the holidays, and now things
are starting to settle down. I've been busy with work.
I also had a fracture in my foot and that
took me out for a little bit. It took me
about three weeks to get back to walking normally. I'm
back in a shoe, so I'm very happy about that.
So let's just say it's been a minute since we've

(01:54):
talked last Well, one thing I will say when I
looked at my X ray of my foot, I do
have one ugly foot. I mean it's just ugly looking
in that bone, I am a skeleton. But like I say,
I'm back in a shoe and that it's definitely a win.
With work, I'm getting really busy with teaching as well
as prepping for my trip to Nashville, where I'll be

(02:16):
presenting a poster at National Medical Conference. So I'm very
excited about that. So lots of things happen. Travel business
has been good, So if you're looking to book a
trip anywhere, please reach out to me at ESCO and
at Curated Travel Collection dot com. At esco and at
Curated Travel Collection dot com. And remember I charge no fees.

(02:37):
That's pretty cool for a travel advisor does not charge
a fee, so reach out to me. You can also
head to my website at Magical Destinations by Steve dot com, Facebook, Instagram,
and of course on LinkedIn. All right, let's stock travel.
So have you ever found yourself asking where are we
going to eat? What movie should we see? Where should

(02:57):
we go on vacation? Should we take a Caribbean cruise?
Maybe a European cruise is more my style. Well, I
can't help you with the dinner dilemma. I go through
that all the time with my wife. But when it
comes to cruise decisions, I've got you covered. Today I'm
sharing some key questions to consider when choosing between a

(03:18):
Caribbean or river cruise, especially in Europe. So let's break
it down. First question, you might want to ask, what
kind of atmosphere do you envision? Are you dreaming of
a sun drenched beaches, tropical breezes, or vibrant nightlife. Then
a Cariban cruise is right up your alley and it's
calling your name. But if historic cities, charming villages, and

(03:39):
culture immersions sounds more appealing, a European river cruise might
be your perfect match. The next question I want to
send your way. Are you more interested in history and
culture or relaxation and fun. Caribbean cruises are all about
beautiful beaches, fun excursions, and onboard entertainment. I love going
on Caribbean crew. I will going on Mediterranean cruises, but

(04:02):
I also had that taste for history, so European cruises
also fascinate me. My river cruise experience was Paris and Normandy.
In tenth grade. My world history teacher talked about World
War two, of course, and I was fascinated with Normandy.
So I got the opportunity a few years back to
go from Paris to Normandy. It was a fantastic river cruise,

(04:27):
my first one. The food was dynamic and very tasteful,
the wine and beer flowed, and the sites were just
fantastic and normandy. I mean you could feel it. When
I was on Omaha Beach. I could pose my eyes
and picture the Allied forces coming to the beach. I'm

(04:49):
planning my next river cruise very soon. Meanwhile, a river
cruise through Europe it's like stepping into a living history
book with iconic landmark carbostone streets and a rich cultural
experience at every stop. One thing about river cruises versus
an ocean cruise. The river cruise, longboat or ship, can

(05:12):
get you right to the town where sometimes when you
go on an ocean cruise you've got a tender end.
The river cruise is really nice, which you're right there
the dock at the town and you step off the
ship and next thing you know, you're in that town.
Next thing you want to think about is the climate.
You know, some people, especially here in the Pacific Northwest,

(05:34):
the Caribbean sounds really good between January and March. This
year we went to Hawaii. I'll talk about that and
that trip in my next podcast. But the Caribbean offers
warm temperatures year round, typically between seventy five and eighty
five degrees. Europe, on the other hand, varies by season,
so you can choose the climate that suits your travel style.

(05:55):
My next question to you is how do you prefer
to experience local cultures, cruises offer lively festivals, delicious island cuisine,
and vibrant entertainment. Meanwhile, in Europe, a river cruise immerses
you in the art, history and culinary delights of cities
like Vienna, Budapest, Amsterdam and of course France. Finally, do

(06:18):
you prefer leisure time or lots of sight seeing? And
I used to like the leisure time when I was
a little bit younger, but now I really like the
history and tours. I have a tough time laying out
on a beach or by the pool, though in Hawaii
again I'll talk about it soon, I had no problem
watching the water reading a book. It was actually very relaxing.

(06:42):
So I'm fickled sometimes. But Caribbean cruises often give you
the long, lazy beach days with cocktails in hand. But
European river cruises pack your day with port stops, guided tours,
and immersive experiences. So here's the deal. If you're craving
beaches and relaxation to the Caribbean, if you're drawn to

(07:02):
history and exploration, Europe's rivers are calling you for first, steady,
warm weather, then the Caribbean is your spot looking for
looking for variety, go to Europe for deep culture dives.
Explore the museum's art architecture of Europe. If you're rather
dance at a beach side party, it's all about the Caribbean.

(07:23):
And if you can't decide, why not try both. The
river cruise season really starts in early April, runs through November,
and then of course you can go to the Caribbean
all year round. Remember at Magical Destinations by Steve, I
tailored heavy vacation to fit your travel style, whether you're
craving a sunny escape or an immersive adventure. I'm here

(07:44):
to make your travel dreams come true. So if you're
ready to start planning reach out. You can contact me
at s co and at Curatedtravel Collection dot com, visit
my wet website, or give me a call at nine
to one nine two A zero seven A two four,
and don't forget to follow me on Instagram and Facebook
for more travel tips and inspiration. You can also subscribe

(08:08):
to my newsletter. Send me an email with your email
at s Cohen at Created Travelcollection dot com and I
can send you a cruise. I can send you a
free cruise tips as well as if you're interested in
culinary tips and where to go, I can send you
a free information on that by subscribing to Magical Dnitionist

(08:29):
by Steve. Newsletter comes out once a week and you
can send your email to me by signing up at
s cohen at created Travel collection dot com. Back by
popular demand, it is another segment of Hey Steve, this
time all about Caribbean and European river cruises. Hey Steve,

(08:50):
what's the best time to take a Caribbean cruise? Well,
the experts say the Caribbean is best from December through April,
when the weather is sunny and dry. A lot of
people go doing the summer just you just have to
be aware that hurricane season starts in August and runs
through November. So sometimes you see the prices and cruises

(09:11):
go down. Hey Steve, when's the best season for a
European river cruise? Springing and fall or fantastic for pleasant
weather and fewer crowds. While Christmas markets ad winter magic,
Hey Steve. A river cruises kid friendly? While most are

(09:32):
designed for adults, some lines like A Waterways, offer family
focused sailings, Hey Steve, what cruise lines are best for
Caribbean getaways, Well, there's a whole bunch of them, Royal
Caribbean Carnival, Norwegian Excel with family friendly fun where celebrity
and virgin voyages are for premium experiences as well. Remember

(09:54):
virgin voyages or adult only, Hey Steve. River cruises all inclusive.
Many river cruises include excursions, wine, beer, and Wi Fi,
giving you fantastic value, Hey Steve, what is the top
Caribbean cruise ports. That's a tough one because there are

(10:16):
so many stops in the Caribbean that you can go to,
from big islands to small islands. But popular stops include Cosmeo,
Saint Thomas and Nassau, all offering beaches, snorkeling and culture.
Hey Steve, what river cruise has the best routes? The
New and Rhine are always iconic, but the Douro in

(10:36):
Portugal is a rising star, especially if you love wine,
Hey Steve, should I book a balcony room for my
cruise for scenic river views or Caribbean sunsets? The balcony
is well worth the splurge. Now some people think about
on a river cruise that you really don't need a balcony.
It all depends on what you're looking for, and both

(10:59):
ocean cruises or both Caribbean and river cruises. The cruise
line does not want you to be in the cabin.
So if you don't think you're gonna spend a lot
of time in the cabin, especially on a river cruise,
then you might want to think about a lower deck.
Hey Steve, is there a dress code on cruises? Most
Caribbean cruises are casual, where rivercruise may have elegant evening options.

(11:22):
Have a client that's heading on a river cruise for
twelve days, they're going to be visiting, dining in castles,
and that dress code there is a jacket and slacks
and women and dresses. So again it's always good to
check with your travel advisor to let you know what
the options are regarding dress, Hey Steve. And finally, why

(11:45):
should I book my cruise with you? Just remember I
customize your adventure your itinery. I find exclusive deals and
handle every detail so you can relax and enjoy your adventure. Well,
I hope you've enjoyed this podcast. Join me next time
at Magical Destinations by Steve Hm