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In This Issue:

This Month’s Events & Webinars
A Whale of a Day!
New Viking Itinerary – Wonders of India I & II
July Special Offers
Join Us on Explora Journeys – Feb 24- March 3, 2026!
Update on UK and European Union Visas
Links to Past Newsletters
The Last Laugh

July's Events & Webinars   

Webinar: Thursday, July 10th at 2pm

      Viking Rivers Itinerary: Paris to the Swiss Alps

Registration Link: Paris to the Swiss Alps registration

A Whale of a Day!

For those of you who don’t know me quite as well, I’m Cherise, and I support the IGT team from Sydney, Australia. I get especially excited whenever I see one of you booking a trip Down Under! I met my husband while traveling and fell in love with the seaside lifestyle and relaxed rhythm of Australian culture.

This time of year, Australia’s “Humpback Highway” is in full swing. Every winter, thousands of humpback whales migrate from their Antarctic feeding grounds to warmer tropical waters along Australia’s east and west coasts to breed. While most people wouldn’t dream of living on a highway, Joshua and I got incredibly lucky—our backyard happens to be this one, and right now we’re in the middle of peak blubber-to-blubber traffic. However, while we are luckily enough to see jumping dolphins and whale tails from our couch, we wanted to observe them up close and personal with a whale cruise.

We woke before sunrise, bundled up, and headed out for a morning cruise on Sydney Harbour. There’s something serene about seeing the city in that golden early light—cruising past the Opera House, slipping under the Harbour Bridge, and watching the skyline fade behind us as we made our way out to open sea to observe these breathtaking creatures on one of the longest migratory journeys on the planet.

But one of the biggest crowd-pleasers? Roger.

Roger is a dog—an old pro with seven years at sea under his collar. He padded around the boat like he owned it (because he does), charming guests with head nudges and posing for photos like it was just part of the job. The crew told us that Roger’s bark is known to attract dolphins and even whales. Whether that’s fact or folklore, the timing was uncanny. Roger barked. The whales showed up. Coincidence? Maybe. But I like to think it’s just Roger doing his thing.

We were hoping to see a whale on this cruise, maybe two if we were lucky. But what we got? A full pod of four humpbacks, traveling together just off the coast. We watched them dive, lift their enormous tails, and sail through the water with the kind of grace that makes you gasp without even realizing it.

And then—something common for whales, yet rare and extraordinary for us to witness—one of them breached. Entire body out of the water, a stunning arc, followed by a massive splash. It felt like the sea itself was putting on a show.

The crew also reminded us of how incredible—and fragile—this migration is.

These whales face serious threats: entanglement in fishing gear, shark nets and drum lines, vessel strikes, and the disruptive noise of seismic blasting. It’s a powerful reminder that this awe-inspiring journey is also a dangerous one—especially when you’re the size of a bus.

Still, on this particular morning, it all felt full of hope. With a warm drink in hand (they offered tea, coffee, and yes—hot chocolate), sea air in our lungs, and Roger at our feet, we watched the giants of the deep glide by.

It’s not every day your neighborhood turns into a whale superhighway. But for a brief moment, we were right there in the middle of it. We also spotted a seal lazily bobbing in the waves and an albatross coasting just above the surface, wingspan wide and calm, escorting us back to Sydney Harbour.

Cruising between North and South Head, it felt important to remember we were moving through the ancestral waters of the Gadigal and Cammeraygal peoples. I’m always struck by the depth of care and connection that Indigenous Australians have with land and sea. One of my favorite phrases—tending to your inner country—feels especially poignant here. To care for place, for creatures, for stories—and for your internal self—is a sacred act. It reminded me how lucky we are to live where we do—and how important it is to honor it.

New Viking Itinerary: Wonders of India I & II

Some of you have asked if Viking was ever going to go to India, and these two new itineraries opened this week.

“Delve into the rich history of India’s Golden Triangle, exploring Agra's fabled Taj Mahal, strolling through Old Delhi's winding streets and glimpsing Jaipur's ornate Palace of Winds. See Guwahati's temple, sail the Brahmaputra River and encounter the thriving villages along its banks. Search for the one-horned rhinos and buffalos of Kaziranga National Park and discover the cultures of Majuli, one of the world’s largest river islands.”

For more information, click the link below:

Wonders of India I & II

July 2025 Special Offers

As always, we’re going to bring you the best deals and unadvertised promotions. Here are the latest offers for July. (Only available by contacting us at Carol@ImagineGoingThere.com ... special pricing will not show on the website!)

These offers are only available as capacity allows, and can be withdrawn at any time, so act fast!!

Viking Rivers

*Free Airfare + Free Category Upgrades + Included Gratuities for 2025 cruises,

Capitals of Eastern Europe (17 days, Vienna to Bucharest)

Starts at $5999 per person | September

Christmas Along the Elbe (10 Days, Berlin to Prague)

Starts at $4799 per person | December

Christmas on the Rhine & Moselle (12 Days, Paris to Zurich)

Starts at $3999 per person | November, December

Christmastime in Paris & Normandy (8 days; Roundtrip: Paris, France)

Starts at $2499 per person | December

Cities of Light (12 days, Prague to Paris)

Starts at $3499 per person | September, November

Danube Waltz (8 days, Passau to Budapest)

Starts at $2499 per person | November

The Elegant Elbe (10 days, Prague to Berlin)

Starts at $3499 per person | October, November

Grand European Tour (15 days, Amsterdam to Budapest)

Starts at $3999 per person | October, November

Holland & Belgium (10 Days, Amsterdam to Antwerp)

Starts at $2999 per person | September, November

London, Paris & D-Day (12 Days, London to Paris)

Starts at $4999 per person | September, November

Lyon & Provence (8 days, Avignon to Lyon)

Starts at $2799 per person | October, November

Magnificent Mekong River Cruise (15 Days, Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City)

Starts at $5499 per person | August, December

Mississippi Delta Explorer (8 Days; New Orleans, LA, to Memphis, TN)

Starts at $3499 per person | December

New Orleans & Southern Charms (8 Days; New Orleans, LA, to New Orleans, LA)

Starts at $2999 per person | November, December

Paris & the Heart of Normandy (8 days, round-trip Paris)

Starts at $2799 per person | November

Paris to the Swiss Alps (12 days, Paris to Zurich)

Starts at $3299 per person | November

Passage to Eastern Europe (11 days, Bucharest to Budapest)

Starts at $3999 per person | November

Pharaohs & Pyramids (12 Days, Cairo to Cairo)

Starts at $5499 per person | August, December

Portugal’s River of Gold (10 days, Lisbon to Porto)

Starts at $3499 per person | November

Rhine Getaway (8 days, Basel to Amsterdam)

Starts at $2499 per person | November

Romantic Danube (8 days, Budapest to Regensburg)

Starts at $2499 per person | November

Rhine & Main Explorer (11 Days, Nuremberg to Basel)

Starts at $2999 per person | September, November

The Big Easy to the Gateway City (15 Days; New Orleans, LA, to St. Louis, MN)

Starts at $7999 per person | September

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Reduced International Airfare, Up to $1,000 Shipboard Credit, Free Silver Spirits Beverage Package & Gratuities; Select 2026 sailings

Alaska & the Inside Passage (11 days, Vancouver to Seward)

Starts at $5,299, Jun 25, 26; Jul 5, 6, 15, 16, 25, 26; Aug 4, 5, 14, 24, 25

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Free Stateroom Upgrades, $999 International Airfare & $25 Deposit Select 2026 sailings

Atlantic Ocean Passage (14 Days, Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

Starts at $2,999; Feb 24, 2026

British Isles Explorer (15 Days London to Bergen)

Starts at $7,999; May – Sep 2026 sailings

Iceland's Majestic Landscape (13 days, Bergen to Reykjavik)

Starts at $5,999; Jun 26; Jul 25; Aug: 6, 19, 31

Iceland’s Natural Beauty (8 Days, Reykjavik to Reykjavik)

Starts at $4,299; Jun: 22, 29; Jul: 6, 13, 20, 27; Aug: 3, 10

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Free International Airfare*, Free Stateroom Upgrades, & Included Gratuities

Select 2025 & 2026 sailings

Ancient Adriatic Treasures (15 Days, Venice to Istanbul)

Starts at $2,799 per person; Sep: 01; Oct: 04, 09, 11, 27; Nov: 03, 14; Dec: 13, 20, 22

Atlantic Crossing (15 Days, Ft. Lauderdale, FL to Barcelona)

Starts at $2,999 per person; Dec: 05

Bangkok, Bali & Beyond (13 Days, Bangkok to Bali)

Starts at $4,599 per person; Nov: 02, 04

Classic Panama Canal Passage (11 days, Ft. Lauderdale to Fuerte Amador)

Starts at $3,299 per person; Oct: 23; Nov: 02; Dec: 20;

Coastal Jewels of China (15 Days, Beijing to Hong Kong)

Starts at $4,599 per person; Sep: 05, 19; Oct: 03

Empires of the Mediterranean (10 days, Venice to Athens)

Starts at $4,499 per person; Oct: 31; Nov: 01; Dec: 27

Far Eastern Horizons (15 Days, Hong Kong to Tokyo)

Starts at $6,999 per person; Oct: 04

Grand Australia Circumnavigation (32 Days, Sydney to Sydney)

Starts at $9,999 per person; Dec: 30

Greek Odyssey (11 days, round-trip Athens)

Starts at $3,999 per person; Nov: 13; Jan: 18, 2026

Iberian Explorer (8 Days, Barcelona to London)

Starts at $2,499 per person; Jan: 10, 20, 2026

Iconic Western Mediterranean (8 Days, Barcelona to Rome)

Starts at $2,799 per person; Oct: 06; Nov: 01, 16, 22, 24, 28, 29; Dec: 13, 28

In Search of the Northern Lights (13 Days, London to Bergen)

Starts at $4,999 per person; 2026 - Jan: 17, 27, 29; Feb: 10, 20, 22

Italian Sojourn (8 days, Rome to Venice)

Starts at $3,299 per person; Oct: 13, 25, 30; Nov: 15, 17; Dec: 08

Jewels of Japan & China (15 Days, Beijing to Tokyo; or Tokyo to Beijing)

Starts at $5,599 per person; Oct: 17, 31; Nov: 14

Journey to Antiquities (8 days, Rome to Athens)

Starts at $2,799 per person; Nov: 21; Dec: 06, 20, 21, 27, 30;

Komodo & the Australian Coast (17 Days, Bali to Sydney)

Starts at $5,799 per person; Nov: 14, 16

Mediterranean Odyssey (13 days, Barcelona to Venice)

Starts at $4,999 per person; Oct: 05, 08, 08, 09, 19, 20; Jan: 05, 2026

North Pacific Passage (23 Days, Tokyo to Vancouver)

Starts at $5,499 per person; Sep: 14;

Panama Canal & Central America (15 days, round-trip Ft. Lauderdale)

Starts at $4,299 per person; Nov: 12, 26

Panama Canal & the Pacific Coast (18 days, Ft, Lauderdale, FL, to Los Angeles, CA)

Starts at $4,999 per person; Dec: 19

Southeast Asia & Hong Kong (15 Days, Bangkok to Hong Kong)

Starts at $4,799 per person; Oct: 19, 21

Southern Atlantic Crossing (22 Days, Barcelona to Buenos Aires)

Starts at $4,799 per person; Nov: 08

Venice, the Adriatic & Greece (8 Days, Venice to Athens)

Starts at $3,299 per person; Oct: 31; Nov: 08, 10; Dec: 15

West Indies to Iberia (15 days, San Juan to Barcelona; or Barcelona to San Juan; includes Casablanca, Morocco); Starts at $2,999 per person; Dec: 05

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FREE International Airfare, Reduced Fares & $25 Deposit

Antarctic Explorer (13 Days, Buenos Aires to Ushuaia)

Starts at $9,995 per person; Nov: 14, 25, 27; Dec: 06, 08

2026 - Jan: 05, 08, 16, 19, 30; Feb: 10, 13, 21

Antarctica & South Georgia Island (19 Days, Ushuaia to Ushuaia)

Starts at $13,995 per person; Nov: 10; Dec: 19; Feb 24, 2026

Canada & East Coast Explorer (15 Days; Toronto, Ontario, to Ft. Lauderdale, FL)

Starts at $5,995 per person; Sep: 22, 29

Canada & Greenland Explorer (15 Days; Toronto, Ontario, to Nuuk)

Starts at $9,995 per person; Sep: 15

Canada & the Northwest Passage (27 Days; Nuuk to Toronto, Ontario)

Starts at $19,990 per person; Sep: 03

Chilean Fjords & Scenic Shores (13 Days, Santiago to Ushuaia)

Starts at $5,995 per person; Oct: 23, 30

Into the Northwest Passage (15 Days, Nuuk to Nuuk)

Starts at $9,995 per person; Aug: 10, 22; Sep: 03

Panama & Scenic South America (18 Days, Ft. Lauderdale to Santiago)
Starts at $5,995 per person; Oct: 06, 13;

This pricing is based on promotional codes that we will add, and will not be reflected on the website. Call us at 770-421-9627 or email Carol@ImagineGoingThere.com to secure your spot on these incredible itineraries!

All sailings are for 2025, unless otherwise noted

Note that these prices won’t be shown on the website. Our priority is ensuring you get the absolute best deals!

Call Carol at 770-421-9627 for up-to-date availability and best pricing– plus we’ll add extra shipboard credit to your reservation, which you won’t get by calling direct!

Join Us on Explora Journeys – Feb 24 - March 3, 2026!

I’ve told you in previous newsletters how fabulous our Explora Journeys cruises have been!

Well, we’re doing another Imagine Going There Travel cruise to the Caribbean February 24-March 3, 2026, and would love to have you join us!

What a great way to get away from the winter blues – here's the itinerary:

A Journey of Paradise Coves and Puerto Rican Spirits (8 nights, Miami to San Juan)

Explora Journeys Caribbean Itinerary Map

Below is a photo of the Ocean Terrace Suite 2, pricing at $3,719.35 per person, based on double occupancy, which includes our group rate as well as an additional 5 percent discount (normally pricing is $4,130pp for this category.)

The sailing includes all the following as complimentary amenities in your cruise fare:

5 Restaurants
Unlimited premium beverages
Free wifi
Port Fees
Taxes
Gratuities

Come join us!! Call 770-421-9627 or email Carol@ImagineGoingThere.com for more details.

**PLEASE NOTE IF YOU ARE TRAVELING TO THE UK***

UK’s new ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) is up and running! You must submit if disembarking in the UK!

The United Kingdom officially launched their ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) application process for United States citizens. If you are traveling to the UK you will need to be sure to apply and obtain this authorization prior to your departure. (Shortly after introducing ETA, they made the change that you will not need an ETA if you are only going through the airport “in-transit” and not going through customs.)

This application costs £16 and is done online. The website states it could take up to three days to process, so don’t wait until the last minute! Click here for more information and to apply.

Carol recently did it over her phone using this QR code. It was a clear and fairly easy process as long as you read the prompts closely.

CAUTION: If you type in “ETA” to a Google search there are many websites that appear to be “official”. However, you will end up paying too much if you use a website other than the UK government website. You should look for the “.gov.uk” address to make sure you have the correct information.

ETIAS for European Countries

We are continuing to monitor when this will start, and the EU recently announced it will not start until the last quarter of 2026. Viking has told us they will be sending out announcements to travelers once it finally goes into effect and the European Union will inform about the start of the ETIAS several months prior to it’s launch. Click here for the official ETIAS website.

One less thing to have to think about – at least for now!

Links to Past Newsletters

The Last Laugh

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant."

- Robert Louis Stevenson

About Imagine Going There Travel

Carol is a Viking Master Cruise Expert and Group Travel Specialist, and she loves getting people together to enjoy the intimacy and hospitality unique to small ship cruising.

Consequently, our clients benefit from the “inside information” we have as a result of the great relationships we have developed over the years. They don't have to call an 800-number hoping to get a knowledgeable professional to answer their questions, and are also on the “first-to-know” list for specials and bonuses, all while receiving the signature TLC we put into every trip.

Vacations are the highlight reels of the year, and each one needs to be truly memorable.

Great Vacations Matter, Because Great Memories Matter Most

P.S. Whether you have questions about your upcoming cruise, or you have a Future Cruise Voucher you're trying to put to the best use, feel free to contact me at 770-421-9627 or email Carol@ImagineGoingThere.com. I'll be happy to answer all of your questions and give you the best advice for your Viking dollars.

P.S.S. If you've booked direct with Viking in the last 60 days, call 770-421-9627 to get an additional $200 shipboard credit to your reservation!