View in browser

In This Issue:

This Month’s Events & Webinars
Sam & John Enjoy the Rhine!
June Specials
Join Us on Explora Journeys – Feb 24- March 3, 2026!
Update on UK and European Union Visas
Links to Past Newsletters
The Last Laugh

June's Events & Webinars   

Webinar: Thursday, June 19th at 2pm

Viking Rivers Itinerary: Lyon and Provence

Registration Link: Lyon and Provence Registration

Webinar: Thursday, June 26^th at 2pm

Viking Rivers Itinerary: Venice, the Adriatic and Greece

Registration Link: Venice, the Adriatic and Greece registration

Sam & John Enjoy the Rhine!

Sam and John Hughes recently returned from the Rhine Getaway and shared a wonderful trip report with lots of information on their excursions. Read it in Sam’s own words here:

We started out in Amsterdam, and our first excursion was to the Keukenhof Gardens with rows and rows of tulips in bloom. It was truly amazing. We were surprised to learn the Gardens are only open 8 weeks out of the year. We were so glad we made it on the last day – May 11th. Make sure you go between the end of March and early May. After that they dig up the bulbs and begin planting next year’s garden. It changes every year.

On to Kinderdijk to the Vintage Barge. We saw the oldest operating windmill. It was fun learning how it worked and how they lived. The barge was vintage WWI. The guide even wore the traditional Dutch wooden clogs. He said they were quite comfortable. I trust him, I’m not trying them out.

We went on to Cologne’s Beer Culture. Warning, the beer they serve is Kolsch. It’s light and only 7 oz glasses. But when you finish one another magically appears. If you want to stop, put your coaster on top of your glass!

On to Koblenz where we partook in the Dine in Rudesheim am Rhein. This was fun. We went to a traditional restaurant/pub. They sang German songs and impressed us when they broke into Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville. They did a good job. We played drinking games, laughed, and at the time I think we may have been the entertainment for the locals.

Driving through the Black Forest was beautifully reminiscent of many a fairy tale of my youth. We watched them make cuckoo clocks and blowing glass. It was fun to shop and pick out German-made goods.

We took the extension to Lucerne. What a magical city. The hotel Viking put us in was lovely. Our room overlooked Lake Lucerne, and I could have watched it all day. If you make it on that extension be sure to take the Stanserhorn Cable Car. The views from up top are just amazing. Then we did the Pearls of Switzerland. It said it was difficult because it is a long day, but rewarding. You can see the alps along the way. Visit a farm to learn how they live and make cheese! It was hard to leave this city.

I would be remiss not to mention our ship, the Viking Hlin. If you plan on this cruise you couldn’t ask for a better crew. Don’t miss out on the German lesson. I never knew learning German could be so much fun.

We had other events on the ship that were fun like the lock watch one evening. Most of us sat on the sun deck. The cruise director and Maitre D’ came up serving Jagermeister to make a party of it.

The Maitre D, Igor, spoiled me. I am gluten free, and he sat down at breakfast with me every day to go over the menu for the day and breakfast the next morning. The list they could prepare was exciting. I noticed he did this for several passengers. I felt so special.

Thank you to the IGT team for a wonderful cruise. We had a great time and I’d recommend this trip to anyone thinking about going.

June 2025 Special Offers

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.

River Cruises

Free Airfare + Free Category Upgrades to select sailings in 2025

(prices vary by sail date)

Grand European Tour (15 days, Amsterdam to Budapest)
From $3,999 per person (Jul, Sept, Oct, Nov 2025)

Rhine Getaway (8 days, Basel to Amsterdam)
From $2,499 per person (Sept - Nov 2025)

Romantic Danube (8 days, Budapest to Regensburg)
From $2,499 per person (Aug - Nov 2025)

Danube Waltz (8 days, Passau to Budapest)

From $2,499 per person (June, Sept - Nov 2025)

Paris & the Heart of Normandy (8 days, round-trip Paris)
From $2,799 per person (Nov 2025)

Paris to the Swiss Alps (12 days, Paris to Zurich)
From $3,499 per person (Sept - Nov 2025)

Pharaohs & Pyramids (12 Days, Cairo to Cairo)
From $4,999 per person (Aug - Dec 2025)

Christmastime in Paris & Normandy (8 days; Roundtrip: Paris, France)
From $2,499 per person (Nov & Dec 2025)

Cities of Light (12 days, Prague to Paris)

From $3,499 per person (Sept - Nov 2025)

Elegant Elbe (10 days, Prague to Berlin)
From $3,499 per person (Oct 2025)

Holland & Belgium (10 Days, Amsterdam to Antwerp)
From $2,999 per person (July - Nov 2025)

Lyon & Provence (8 days, Avignon to Lyon)
From $2,799 per person (Aug, Oct, Nov 2025)

Passage to Eastern Europe (11 days, Bucharest to Budapest)
From $3,999 per person (July, Aug, Nov 2025)

Portugal’s River of Gold (10 days, Lisbon to Porto)
From $3,499 per person (July, Sept - Dec 2025)

Rhine & Main Explorer (11 Days, Nuremberg to Basel)
From $2,999 per person (Sept - Nov 2025)

Magnificent Mekong River Cruise (15 Days, Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City)
From $4,999 per person (Jul - Dec 2025)

Mississippi Cruises (prices vary by sail date)

Mississippi Delta Explorer (8 Days; New Orleans, LA, to Memphis, TN)
From $3,999 per person (Dec 2025)

New Orleans & Southern Charms (8 Days; New Orleans, LA, to New Orleans, LA)
From $3,499 per person (Nov, Dec 2025)

The Big Easy to the Gateway City (15 Days; New Orleans, LA, to St. Louis, MN)
From $8,999 per person (Sept 2025)

Heartland of America (8 Days; St. Louis, MO, to St. Paul, MN)
From $4,499 per person (Aug 2025)

Ocean Cruises

Free International Airfare and Your Choice of up to

$1,000 SBC OR Free Beverage Package and included gratuities (prices vary by sail date)

Mediterranean Odyssey (13 days, Barcelona to Venice)
From $4,999 per person (Oct 5, 8, 9, 19, 20, 2025/ Jan 5, 2026)

Malta, Morocco & the Mediterranean (16 days, Barcelona to Barcelona)
From $8,499 per person (Nov 23, 28/ Dec 8/ Jan 17, 19, 2026)

Mediterranean & Adriatic Odyssey (15 Days, Rome to Athens)
From $5,499 per person (Nov 23, 2025/ Feb 11, 2026)

Mediterranean & Italian Sojourn (15 days, Barcelona to Venice)
From $5,598 per person (Oct 25/ Nov 15, 17, 2025)

Iconic Western Mediterranean (8 Days, Barcelona to Rome)
From $2,599 per person (Nov 1, 16, 22, 24, 28, 29/ Dec 1, 13, 23, 28/ Jan 3, 4, 12, 13, 2026)

Venice, the Adriatic & Greece (8 Days, Venice to Athens)
From $2,999 per person (Nov 6, 8, 10/ Dec 15, 2025)

Empires of the Mediterranean (10 days, Venice to Athens)
From $4,499 per person (Oct 31/ Nov 1/ Dec 27, 2025)

Italy, the Adriatic, & Greece (15 days, Athens to Rome)
From $5,998 per person (Nov 8, 10/ Dec 8, 2025)

Ancient Adriatic Treasures (15 Days, Venice to Istanbul)
From $6,298 per person (Nov 3, 2025)

Ancient Mediterranean Treasures (8 Days, Istanbul to Athens)
From $2,599 per person (Oct 4, 9, 11, 16, 27/ Nov 3, 7, 14/ Dec 13, 20, 22, 29, 2025)

Cities of Antiquity (15 Days, Rome to Athens)
From $4,299 per person (Dec 7, 2025/ Jan 28, 2026)

Classic Panama Canal Passage (11 days, Ft. Lauderdale to Fuerte Amador)
From $3,299 per person (Oct 23/ Nov 2/ Dec 10, 20, 2025)

Grand Australia Circumnavigation (32 Days, Sydney to Sydney)
From $9,999 per person (Dec 30, 2025/ Feb 27, 2026)

Greek Odyssey (11 days, round-trip Athens)
From $3,999 per person (Nov 13/ Jan 18/ Feb17, 25, 2026)

Italian Sojourn (8 days, Rome to Venice)
From $2,999 per person (Oct 25, 30/ Nov 15, 17/ Dec 8, 2025)

Journey to Antiquities (8 days, Rome to Athens)

From $2,599 per person (Dec 6, 20, 21, 27, 30, 2025/ Jan 5, 6, 11, 2026)

Mediterranean Antiquities (15 days, Athens to Barcelona)
From $4,798 per person (Dec 13, 2025, Dec 21, 2025, Dec 23, 2025, Dec 27, 2025, Jan 4, 2026, Jan 5, 2026 & Jan 6, 2026)

Panama Canal & Central America (15 days, round-trip Ft. Lauderdale)
From $4,299 per person (Nov 12, 26/ Dec 30, 2025/ Jan 13, 27, 2026)

Panama Canal & the Pacific Coast (18 days, Ft. Lauderdale, FL to Los Angeles, CA)
From $5,799 per person (Dec 19, 2025)

Southeast Asia & Hong Kong (15 Days, Bangkok to Hong Kong)
From $4,999 per person (Oct 19, 21, 2025)

Expeditions

FREE International Airfare, Reduced Fares & $25 Deposit (prices vary by sail date)

Panama & Scenic South America (18 Days, Ft, Lauderdale, FL, to Santiago)
From $5,995 per person (Oct 6, 13, 2025)

Antarctic Explorer (13 Days, Buenos Aires to Ushuaia)
From $12,995 per person (Nov 14, 25, 27 / Dec 6, 8, 2025 / Jan 5, 8, 16, 19, 30 / Feb 10, 13, 21, 2026)

Antarctica & South Georgia Island (19 Days, Ushuaia to Ushuaia)
From $15,995 per person (Nov 10 / Dec 19, 2025 / Feb 24, 2026)

Canada & East Coast Explorer (15 Days; Toronto, Ontario, to Ft. Lauderdale, FL)
From $5,995 per person (Sep 22, 29, 2025)

Canada & Greenland Explorer (15 Days; Toronto, Ontario, to Nuuk)
From $9,995 per person (Sep 15, 2025)

Chilean Fjords & Scenic Shores (13 Days, Santiago to Ushuaia)
From $5,995 per person (Oct 23, 30, 2025)

I nto the Northwest Passage (15 Days, Nuuk to Nuuk)
From $9,995 per person (Aug 10, 22 / Sep 3, 2025)

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)

Every stateroom is a gorgeous suite, and includes gratuities, the beverage package and all meals and amenities onboard the ship. It is an absolutely wonderful experience!

You can learn more about the ship by clicking here: Life Onboard Explora Journeys. Pricing starts at just $4,135 per person, and includes $200 per person (up to $400 per stateroom) shipboard credit too.

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.

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!