Blog Archives
Classifieds Update – Antarctica, Canada, New Zealand and Scandanavia
It has been a while since we let everyone know about some of the trips we have being sought through our classifieds section, and there are a few that cover some of the most incredible scenic locations across the Globe, so if you are looking for someone to travel with, and are trying to figure out a destination .. perhaps these are possibilities!
If you have ever thought of visiting Canada and Alaska by cruising the Inside Passage we have a single lady whom is looking for a travelling companion to do just that with a preference for September of this year (2015), with the possibility for adding in a trip around the Rocky Mountains. If this September is too soon then let us know and we may be able to match you up for your desired time!
In January 2016 we have a lady seeking a companion to discover the land of the Long White Cloud. This is for a trip covering the highlights of both the North and the South Island of New Zealand – preferably by coach tour, though dependant on options they are willing to consider a shared option for a self-drive package.
From early 2016 (dates are flexible) we have a single lady seeking a travel companion to journey to Scandinavia. The focus of this journey will be a cruise of the Norwegian Fjords and possibly extending to see the highlights of Lapland, and Sweden.
Lastly we have a lady seeking a companion for an Trip to Antarctica in early 2017. This trip is for a Southbound Cruise from Usuhia or similar location with a Wildlife focus, and possibly extending to tour within South America
So if any of these incredibly scenic areas seems to be something you are after, give us a call and we will see if we are able to match you up on one of these possible getaways.
2015, Whats Happening!
2015 is here, in fact its first month is over! Can you believe how fast time flies! We can’t! We do have a number of departures lined up for 2015, some like the Canada and Alaska trip in May and the Danube Cruise in September are filled and set to go with extremely limited spaces available, others like our Kangaroo Island/South Australia Escape and Thailand are still seeking numbers, and we for our USA Group departure in October but can still get people away on an individual share basis.
So if one of our 2015 destinations sounds like something you would like to experience please let us know!
My Tour Workshops – A 2015 Tour Update and a 2016 Tour Preview Brief
For those that managed to make it to our 2015 Tour Launch and 2016 Tour preview thanks for a great evening, the group was the right size to provide us with an intimate evening that allowed us to get a fantastic amount of feedback on what we running, and what we are planning to do. Our thanks.
For those that were unable to make our evening event here is (in brief) what was covered on the night – as well as a few dates for our workshops on upcoming 2016 tour packages.
First Our 2015 Tour Departures ..
11th – 15th February 2015. Sydney to Sydney. From AU$749 per person on a twin share basis. Prices variable dependant on Cabin Category, Availability and “Spot” Specials from P&O Package includes 4 night cruise from Sydney to Sydney visiting Moreton Island, inclusive of all meals* and included shipboard entertainment. A perfect getaway to trial cruising, to get away over Valentines with a loved one – or just to enjoy some fantastic company!
7th – 14th March 2015. Sydney to Sydney. From AU$2225 per person on a twin share basis. 7 Nights in Queenstown including rounds of Golf at Jacks Point, Kelvin Heights and Millbrook Golf Courses. Package includes flights to Queenstown from Sydney and return, 7 nights 4* accommodation, breakfast daily, 1 dinner at the Skyline Restaurant, 3 days golfing inclusive of green fees and cart hire, transfers in New Zealand to/from the airport and golf courses
16th May – 8th June 2015. Sydney to Sydney. From AU$11,423 per person on a twin share basis. 15 Day Canadian Rockies Tour and 7 Night Inside Passage Cruise. Package includes flights to Vancouver from Sydney and return, Rockies Tour and Inside Passage Cruise, Oceanview Room on Cruise, Silverleaf Service on Rocky Mountaineer, port taxes and surcharges, all tipping and gratuities, 43 superb meals.
17th – 24th June 2015. Sydney to Sydney. From AU$2,781 per person on a twin share basis. 8 Days visiting Kangaroo Island, Adelaide and Barossa Valley. Package includes Indian-Pacific from Sydney to Adelaide in Gold Class, 4 Nights in Adelaide and 3 on Kangaroo Island, touring daily, breakfast daily, some dinners, flight Adelaide to Sydney. Operated & Escorted based on 16 Travellers – dates subject to change
5th – 25th September 2015. Sydney to Sydney. From AU$10,570 per person on a twin share basis. A magnificent 14 day Danube cruise with 3 days in Prague and 3 days in Paris. Package includes International airfares from Sydney to Europe and return, Accommodation in Prague and Paris, Danube Cruise, Port taxes and surcharges, touring and sightseeing, tipping and gratuities, 49 superb meals, Escorted Ex-Australia
21st October – 7th November 2015. Sydney to Sydney. From AU$5359 per person on a twin share basis. A Fantastic 18 Day Programme taking in the highlights of Western USA – San Francisco, Vegas, Grand Canyon, Yosemite and more! Package includes International airfares from Sydney to LA and return, Accommodation throughout, sightseeing as detailed, some entry fees, local tour director, air-conditioned coach transport, some meals, transfers in LA
7th – 14th November 2015. Sydney to Sydney. From AU$2400 per person on a twin share basis. A fantastic Introduction to Thailand, covering the highlights of Bangkok and surrounds. Package includes International airfares from Sydney to Bangkok and Return, 4 Star Accommodation, Transfers in Bangkok, Sightseeing, Breakfast daily and more. Chiang Mai Extension Available (14th – 20th November 2014) from $980 per person in twin share
Now Taking Expressions Of Interest. Est. Cost From AU$5000 per person in twin share. An incredible European Journey taking in the wintery festivities of Germany. Fine Food, Beautiful Beverages, Spectacular Shopping and more. Highlights includes Closing of the gates with a traditional lantern lit walk in Rothenburg, the Christmas Markets of Wurzburg, Choral Concert at Amorbach’s Bennedictine Abbey, The Christkidlesmarkt and much, much more!
Then we have what we are looking at for 2016 and beyond!
Egypt – January 2016, Sydney to Sydney
Now Taking Expressions Of Interest. Highlights includes : Cairo including the Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, Saqquara, Memphis, Khan El-Khalili, Egyptian Museum, Mosque of Saladin and More. Alexandria including Pompeii’s Pillar, the Montazah Gardens, the New Library, Kom ash-Shuqqafa and more. Nile Cruise Covering Aswan, Luxor, Edfu, Esna and Kom Ombo and their sites including the Valley of Kings and the Temple Of Karnak. Optional Extras including Abu Simbel & King Tuts Tomb
Singapore – April 2016, Sydney to Sydney
Now Taking Expressions Of Interest. Highlights includes : This tour is built for those looking to get a taste of Asia, or for the New Traveller. One Week in Singapore, mix of scheduled tours and free days. Uniquely Singapore Tours including Breakfast with the Orang-Utans and High Tea at the Raffles. Option to Extend the trip and Cruise back to Sydney with Royal Caribbean via the Top end and Queensland
Italy – May 2016, Sydney to Sydney
Now Taking Expressions Of Interest. Highlights includes : Venice Dogge’s Palace, Glassmaking, The Grand Canal and more. Hills and villages of Cinque Terre. Pisa and Florence, including the Duomo, Leaning Tower, Galleria dellÁccademia. Perugia and Spello as you visit the beautiful Umbria Region. Rome, including the Pantheon and Coliseum, Trevi Fountain, St Peters Basillica, Vatican City and more.
East Africa – July 2016, Sydney to Sydney
Now Taking Expressions Of Interest. Highlights includes : Lake Nakuru National Park and the Masai Mara National Reserve. Serengeti National Park including Ngorongoro Crater. Permanent Tented Camps. 4×4 Vehicles for use on Game Drives. Opportunity to spot the “Big 5”- Lion, Leopard, Buffalo, Rhino & Elephant. Annual Migration is usually moving between Serenget and Masai Mara in July
Spain & Morocco – September 2016, Sydney to Sydney
Now Taking Expressions Of Interest Highlights includes : Combined tour of Spain and Morocco. Highlights of Southern Spain including Seville, Grazalema, Granada, Ronda and Malaga. Imperial Cities of Morocco including Casablanca, Rabat, Mekenes, Volubilis, Fez and Marrakech. Depending on feedback we may run this as two tours (one to Spain and one to Morocco) that can be combined back to back
Dubai & UAE – Late October 2016, Sydney to Sydney
Now Taking Expressions Of Interest. Highlights includes : Highlights of Dubai including a desert safari , dhow cruise dinner, the Modern Wonders and the Old Souks. Highlights of Abu Dhabi including Ferrari World and the Falcon Rehabilitation Centre. Exploratory trip of the UAE’s Wadis, Mountains, Deserts and the Old Spice Route including Fujeirah, Musandum, Hatta and Al Ain. Option will be available to extend and discover Oman
Vietnam – November2016, Sydney to Sydney
Now Taking Expressions Of Interest. Highlights includes : Hanoi including the Old Quarter, One Pillar Pagoda and Ho Chi Minhs Mausoleum. Highlights of North Vietnam such as the Hill Tribes and a Halong Bay Junk Cruise. The Imperial City of Hue, the original capital of Vietnam and Hoian. Resort Towns of Nha Trang and Mui Ne. Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) including Cu Chi Tunnels, Reunification Palace, French Quarter and more.
South America – 2017, Sydney to Sydney
Now Taking Expressions Of Interest. Highlights includes : Return International Airfare and Regional Connections. Highlights of Peru & Bolivia – Machu Picchu, Ollyantambo, Lake Titicaca. Highlights of Argentina and Brazil including Buenos Aires, Iguasu and Rio De Janeiro. Torres del Pine National Park – a chance to see the Perito Moreno Glacier. Option to Extend and do Galapagos or Easter Islands
We are holding a number of fantastic Workshops and Seminars for our 2016 departures, simply click the above link, on the events shown on our side menu or here to register
As you can see we have an incredible array of group on the books for the next 2 years.
For more information on our 2015 programmes please feel free to give us a call, drop by for a visit or take a look at them online at www.shoalhavensolosisters.com.au
For our 2016 programmes you can call or visit us to get more information, or you can attend one of the tour workshops we will be running in 2015 where we give you the chance to help us design our tour programmes! Simply visit www.shoalhavensolosisters.com.au or visit the My Travel Expert or Shoalhaven Solo Sisters Website and register for the events now!
Earlybird Endings, Kangaroo Island and 2015 & 2016 Recap
Just a brief update on a few of our specials which are changing, a new tour that is now pre-viewable under our tours section and a recap on what we spoke about at our 2015 Tour Launch and 2016 Tour Preview
Canada & Alaska, Europe Danube Cruise – Earlybirds Ending: For those still considering joining our Canada & Alaska or our European Danube Cruise departure, this is just a quick note to let you know that the Fly Free and early-bird specials are ending this week, and any bookings made after the 30th October will work out much more expensive. If there is someone out there wanting Canada & Alaska, we do have a lady currently booked and willing to share – just let s know if this appeals and we can help you set up a meet to see if it is a match!
Kangaroo Island – 2015: We have a fantastic group we are hoping to get away to Kangaroo Island in June 2015 (which is as early as we can secure seats on the Indian-Pacific at the moment), this 8 day getaway will cover Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and Barossa Valley. The Trip will include Gold Service on the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Adelaide, Transfers in Adelaide, Adelaide Sightseeing Tour, 4 Nights Accommodation in Adelaide at the Chiffley on South Terrace, 3 Day Charter Tour of Kangaroo Island, Full day trip to the Barossa Valley, Breakfast daily, five Lunches, Three Dinners and flight from Adelaide to Sydney inclusive of all pre payable taxes and surcharges. From AU$2781 per person in share twin, we need a minimum of 16 interested travellers to put this trip into motion and reconfirm dates.
2015 Tour Launch: You may have seen some of these previewed here already but we have a fantastic array of programmes scheduled for 2015 including the following trips! Red Hatters Moreton Island Cruise on 11 February, from AU$749 per person in share twin dependant on spot specials. New Zealand Golfing Holiday starting 7th March 2014 spending 8 days in Queenstown and experiencing 3 of the best regional courses. Canada and Alaska, Rocky Mountains and Inside Passage tour starting at AU$11423 per person in share twin. Kangaroo Island – details as shown above. Castles along the Rhine, a fantastic short cruise from Amsterdam to Basel. Danube Cruise starting 5th September in Prague and ending in Paris from AU$10570 per person in share twin. The Golden West of the USA from AU$5359 per person twin share starting on 21 October 2015 and exploring the Grand Canyon and more. My Thai Experience from AU$2400 per person in Share Twin, a perfect introductory experience for Asia with the option to extend in Thailand. Finally we have our Christmas Markets of Germany, with a 5 December Departure for which we are now taking expressions of interest.
2016 Tour Preview: We have an incredible array of tours we are looking to run in 2015 and would like your feedback to help us design the package that you would like to join! In January 2016 we would like to head to Egypt taking in the highlights of Cairo, Alexandria and the Nile. In April we intend to head to Singapore on another of our Experience tours. In May we are looking to head to Italy taking in Venice, Rome, Pisa, Florence, Umbria and Cinque Terre. In July we are going to look at a fantastic trip to East Africa taking in some of the highlights of Kenya and Tanzania. In September we are going to take in two countries with a heavily inter-twined history – Spain and Morocco. Then in late October we intend to help people explore the UAE, not just Dubai but beyond. In November we intend to head out and discover Vietnam, the North, Central and Southern Highlights. Then in 2017 for those that are interested in a truly spectacular adventure we will be headed off to South America. We do want your feedback and ideas on these programmes so feel free to contact us for more information and to ask whatever questions you would like. We will also be running future events and evenings that will look closer into these.
NZ Cruise Stop Sale, Classifieds Update & Launch Details
New Zealand Cruise, November 2014: For those that may still have been considering our Princess Cruise around New Zealand in November 2014, I am afraid we have closed sales on this departure. There are still some suites left on the ship itself but in general the cruise is now sold out! Princess do have some fantastic cruises around New Zealand and if this was on your desires list then let us know, maybe we can match you up on a future sailing.
Classifieds: We have a single lady seeking a travelling companion for our incredible Canada and Alaska Departure. If this is something that sounds appealing then let us know and we will see if we can match you up with the fantastic lady we have who is excited about exploring the rocky mountains and inside passage.
Tour Launch and Preview: For those interested in our 2015 Tour line up including our New Zealand Golf Getaway, Canada & Alaska, the Danube Cruise, the Bangkok Experience and the Western USA we have our brand partners coming down on the 20th October 2014 for a presentation. We will also be previewing our 2016 tours and rough schedule for the next two years. So any solo ladies and gents, or couples, are more than welcome to come along! Just RSVP now to nowra@mytravelexpert.com.au or by phone on (02) 4421 5577
Join Our Canadian Getaway!
Just a quick update to say that we still have a few spaces available on our Canada and Alaska departure – though our seating availability is starting to diminish. So if you would like to see some of the highlights of the Rocky Mountains such as the Wine Region of Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley (pictured above), or some of the scenic seaside towns of the inside passage such as Ketchikan. So if you are still trying to decide if you want to go, take a peek at the below Rocky Mountaineer video, read up on the tour details here, and then get in touch with us to find out more or book yourself aboard!
A Sneek Peek at 2015 & 2016
We thought we would let you ladies and gentleman have a bit of a sneak peak and advance warning of what we will be putting together for you for 2015 and 2016 – and wow do we have a number of fantastic programmes coming for you solo travellers (and couples are always welcome of course).
Experience Programmes
In July next year we will be launching the third of we are now terming our “Experience” programmes, these will be journeys to a great destination with a number of days activities but plenty of free time for the travllers to get out and experience their own desires whether those desires are shopping, art galleries , sport events or otherwise. Our 2015 Experience Programmes will see us journey to Bangkok in July and then Hawaii in November, in 2016 we visit Lord Howe Island in February, Singapore in March and then Dubai and the UAE in October.
Special Interest and Events
For those that are seeking something different we have three special programmes in the works for 2015 starting with a Golfing tour in March to New Zealand, this is followed by a fantastic indulgence package in February taking in a cruise, some wineries and a spa-cation, then in December we are off to Germany to take in the incredible Christmas Markets and Romantic Road.
General Tour Programmes
Then we have our true travel gems – our dedicated group departures. If you’ve been following this site you would have seen what we have in the works for Canada and Alaska in May and for Europe in September 2015, and there are still spaces on both these departures with some fantastic discount offers still in play. In addition to those we have some fantastic tours that will start appearing here in the near future. The first is an American Mid-west in October 2016 taking in San Fransisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Mammoth Lake and Yosemite. We then have a fantastic tour of Egypt in the works for January 2016 taking in the highlights of Cairo a Nile River Cruise , Abu Simbel and Alexandria. In April 2016 we journey to Italy to take in Rome, Florence, Venice and the true highlights of this fantastic destination. July 2016 sees us headed to East Africa as we set out on Safari in Kenya and Tanzania – a perfect trip for people of all ages. In September 2016 we travel to visit two countries linked through centuries of combined history – Morocco and Spain. Then in December 2016 we head out to visit one of the gems of south east Asia aas we journey through Vietnam from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City
So keep your eyes peeled as we prepare to launch our 2015 and 2016 Group Schedule
Canada & Alaska, May 2015 – Current Specials
We may have passed our “12 Month Early Payment” time limit for our May 2015 Evergreen Canada and Alaska Tour but there are still plenty of reasons to book aboard our departure and more discounts to still be had!
At the moment the prices start from AU$11,422.50 per person share twin, including flights to and from Australia, rail, cruise and land arrangements.*
By booking and paying a deposit in August we can still offer on that an AU$250 per person discount. By paying in Full between now and October we can offer a further AU$200 per person discount , or for those that pay in full by January an AU$100 per person discount. So that is still a possible saving of up to AU$550 per person (or AU$1100 per couple) that is still available !
So why book? What makes this departure so special?
First off we have a fantastic programme taking in the best of the Rocky Mountains and the Inside Passage, travelling from Vancouver to Seattle, with stops at Lake Louise, Kamloops, Banff, Juneau and much more. The programme itself covers a fantastic array of sites without feeling rushed spending an average of 2 nights in most of our ports of call.
Secondly we are experiencing everything you would on an APT or Scenic Tour – the Fairmont Châteaux at Lake Louise, the Rocky Mountaineer train journey, an Inside Passage Cruise with Holland America. Experiencing, but at a much lessened cost thanks to taking in a few more realistic options – silver leaf service on the train, non-lake facing rooms at the Châteaux and so on.
Thirdly (and possibly most importantly) the company! By joining this departure you will be travelling with similarly minded travellers, mostly from your local region, travellers who will give you a common point of interest as well as understanding. More to the point, if enough of our locals head off we will personally escort you all the way from Sydney, lending the experienced insights and options that our decades in the travel industry have brought us, making for an exceptionally unique experience.
So if you are still interested in coming to Canada then get in touch with us today, either give us a call on (02) 4421 5577 or email us on nowra@mytravelexpert.com.au
*Special Terms and Conditions apply to all costings, and all prices are subject to availability
Update: Race Day, P&O, Hong Kong, Canada & Indulgence
Just a quick update on a few Upcoming Events and Group Departures
SSS Race Day: Join us at Shoalhaven Turf Club for a fantastic day at the races, it is a fantastic opportunity to mix and mingle with other Solo Sisters and our staff. A perfect chance to meet up with some of those who may be amenable to travelling with you. If you want to come please let us know before the 23rd May at the latest as we only have limited tickets for giveaway!
P&O Walkaround: We have an extremely limited number of spaces left on our 12 June P&O Ship inspection. At $55 for the day including lunch, transport from Nowra and the Ship Inspection it’s a great value for a fantastic day out. If you would like to come call us on 02 4421 5577 immediately.
Hong Kong Experience: At AU$3393.00 per person our upcoming Hong Tour is a fantastic offer, although billeted as a Shopping Tour the tour is not just for shoppers and most of the shopping is during our non-scheduled time. So if you want to see Hong Kong for any reason this is a great chance to do so. This trips sales period ends though on 31 May, so get in now if you would like to join
Canada & Alaska: Our presale on the May 2015 Canada and Alaska Group has sadly closed – those lucky to have booked will be hearing from us soon. Departing 16 May 2015 we still have space available at AU$10,295 per person share twin. We also have a partners fly free special available at the moment so it is a great idea to look at booking now while seats are available. Please feel free to check out our programme HERE!
Relax, Rewind, Revive: We recently promoted an upcoming indulgence trip we are running in 2015. This trips is all about truly relaxing. Enjoy a laugh on a comedy cruise, knock back a few samples as we visit some of the best wineries near Auckland, and relax to a great massage in Rotorua. Well we now have the full itinerary up and available here! This programme will run on a minimum of 10 travellers and a maximum of 16, so if you are interested in going you should put your name down now!
3 Reasons To Go To Canada & Alaska, 3 Reasons To Book With Us Now!
So, why would you want to join us in Canada, we could spend all day giving you reasons why you should visit Canada and Alaska. Instead, aided by some fantastic images we will give you the three major reasons you should want to see this area of the world, and why you should want to join us on this unforgettable journey !
1. Wildlife. The Main reason many people visit Canada, is the opportunity to see wildlife, on this voyage during our train journey, our time on coach and on cruise you will have the opportunity to possibly see an amazing array of North American Wildlife. Grizzly Bears, Moose, Deer, Whales, Otters and more. Spending time visiting the pristine wilderness offers numerous viewing possibilities.
2. The Rocky Mountains. This visit travels through some of the most picturesque areas of the World, encompassing Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, Kamloops and more, the Rocky Mountains present a stunning array of sights. Our trip through the Rockies will take you up to Banff from Vancouver using one of the worlds most incredible railways journeys (The Rocky Mountaineer), then we have you stay at the lakes in the always classic Fairmont properties, before we visit Jasper and return you to Vancouver.
3. The Inside Passage, the Alaskan Frontier. The inside passage is a fantastic area to journey to. The small towns and villages representing the colonisation of one of the worlds last frontiers, you will get a chance to see a world unlike the one you know, the heritage of the local Indian tribes, and the opportunity to see how people live in this rugged wilderness. An inside passage cruise will also give you a taste of the Arctic as you journey to Juneau and Glacier Bay.
Yes, all fantastic reasons to visit Canada and Alaska, why though would you want to book in now, why join us on this tour?
1. Availability. Right now, we still have a number of places available on our departure, we have a limited number of spaces available on our tour, and at this stage we only have 5 cabins/rooms left available, and after that everything is on request.
2. Company. Our upcoming Canada departure will be fully escorted, by a seasoned travel professional with experience travelling in Canada. So not only will you be travelling with others with a deep desire to see the area you are journeying to but in company that will be there to help you with any of the small bothers that may arise during travel.
3. Save. Yes, sadly our main point is about money. By booking NOW during our presale you stand to save yourself a considerable amount of money per person or per couple. What we have been seeing so far indicates prices are likely to rise over a thousand dollars once the new years rates are released, so booking in now will save you a considerable amount.
Well? What are you waiting for! AU$250 per person will secure your space on our MAY 2015, Canada and Alaska Departure, at the fantastic pre-sale price of AU$9895 per person share twin. The pre-sale is due to end soon, and will come without much warning, so if you wish to travel please get in touch with us to put down your name, or to get more details on inclusions, itinerary and pricing.
My Travel Expert and Shoalhaven Solo Sisters 