Blogs

Man says “We need to get away, where do you want to go?” Women (our Travel Agent) says “Ummm, I don’t know surprise me!” NEXT DAY – Man says “Pack your bags we are leaving.” Women says “Where are we going?” Man says “You wanted a surprise pack for Alaska and a beach!” At the airport all the women knew was she was going to gate 21. While on the moving walkway she strained her eyes to see the destination on the airport automated sign. They went to Singapore and stayed at the world famous Raffles Hotel with a personal concierge outside their door. After 2 nights at Raffles Hotel they went from ...

While many of my colleagues were at our annual Ensemble Travel Conference focusing on “Travelling with a Purpose”, I was in Nepal hiking to Everest Base Camp. It was a trip that has been on my bucket list for more than 20 years and I was living what the conference was promoting. What a great adventure! I was part of a group of six people who trekked in the Himalaya’s from Lukla to Everest Base Camp and back. I could sit back and let the guide take the lead. It was awesome that Exodus tours and our guide in Nepal gave us information and ways to keep the region beautiful. As part of the trip n...

Bizarre Itinerary? The lesser known must sees When I received an invitation to go on a fam to Paris, I was excited to see what had changed since the last time I was there about 20 years ago. When I went through the itinerary, I was surprised to see that not one of the 'normal' attractions was on the itinerary. There wasn't one thing I had done before nor had ever been asked about - 'what a bizarre itinerary' I thought. Well it was fantastic and now I have little gems to share with my clients to make their France trips even more special. Guided Gastronomy walking tour of Montmartre - Yes, many...

Sharing jackets in our community! Our amazing team is always finding ways to support our community and each other. After our annual Ensemble conference in September where sustainability in travel was the theme, we started brainstorming ways in which we could give back to our communities. A goal was set! Donate 50 coats to the Vancouver organisation CAUSE WE CARE in the next 2.5 weeks. CAUSE WE CARE is a foundation based in Vancouver that empowers single mothers and their children living in poverty in our own community. They are committed to bridging the game between those with needs and those...

An active journey from Ketchikan to Juneau. This cruise was about getting close to wildlife. Our agent Sheri, in July, boarded the Wilderness Explorer for an active journey exploring Alaska. Starting in Ketchikan she visited lesser known bays such as Yes Bay, Thomas Bay and visited the Misty Fjords National Park, and Dawes Glacier. These are locations that larger ships can't visit. With a maximum capacity onboard the Wilderness Explorer of just 72 people, it is much smaller and more intimate that the large cruise lines. Onboard there was a mixture of nationalities. There were families (child...

4 days of sailing and entertainment! Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL)has a reputation for outstanding entertainment! High dive shows, CATS productions, Ice skating shows, Mamma Mia are just a few things you can expect from Royal Caribbean. When I found my perfect 4-day cruise to Ketchikan I knew I was in for a treat, but really had no expectations. I figured all the top-notch entertainment would be on the bigger and newer ships. Our ship was “Radiance of the Seas”, an older (20 years) smaller ship in the RCCL fleet. True, a smaller ship does not have the fancier theatre with all the bells ...

A visit to Vancouver Island, I learned about culture, wildlife and my family! Last summer I went to Port McNeil on Vancouver Island in BC Canada. I went with my Mom (Darci Murray) and my three brothers. During this camping trip, I learned about all kinds of wildlife that live there; the bears, the whales, the crabs. I also learned about the first nations culture at Alert Bay. During that trip not only did I learn about wildlife, I also learned about my Mom. She is a lot braver than I thought she was. First she decided to do this whole camping thing in the first place, all alone with four boys...

As a mom of 4 boys, I can’t tell you how much I value the one-on-one time I share with my kids. Sadly, those moments are often limited to driving them to soccer or reading a bedtime story. So, when I chose the travel industry as a career path, I fell in love with the idea of taking a one-on-one adventure with each of my children before they reached adulthood. When my good friend contacted me saying she wanted to take her 15-year-old son to Thailand and Vietnam, I jumped at the opportunity. My friend was doing exactly what I wanted to do with my boys! Find out the best place to travel with you...