Celebrate Shakespeare in Ashland

April 23rd mark's Shakespeare's birthday. What better way to honor the Bard than to tell you about a great trip I have planned for this summer. Each year I love to take in as many different theater productions as I can. I devote a long weekend spending time at the annual Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon. This is a weekend of adventure and fun as those that go caravan down from Portland to the Southern Oregon. This year is extra special as we will have my good friend, News Talk 860's Travel Bug, Terry Travis with us!

Thursday July 28 – Sunday July 31, 2016, meet up with News Talk 860’s Travel Bug, Terry Travis, Cindy Passannante and others to caravan down to Ashland Thursday Morning from the Portland Area. Take in some of the best Shakespeare productions around. The OregonShakespeare Festival has been an annual summer attraction for over 80 years, providing some of the region’s best theater offerings.

Package includes: Three night’s accommodations at the lovely Stratford Inn, Continental Breakfast at the hotel, Saturday Dinner with the group at Amuse restaurant in Ashland, and Tickets for 2 Shakespeare Festival plays of your choice. Return Home Sunday. Package rate: $ 530.00 pp/double. 2-night option also available: Friday- Sunday package rate $435 pp/double occupancy. Single and triple package rates available, but space is limited- Call for details.

With plenty of free time included, you can explore Lithia Park or the North Mountain Park Nature Center. Add in a third play for the weekend, a round of golf, a massage, or take an historical walking tour of Ashland. Feeling adventurous for this incredible getaway? How about adding in a rafting trip down theRogue River? 

You can also enjoy some of the spirits of Southern Oregon with a wine or beer tasting. Downtown Ashland is the place to find the area’s best local artisans too. Pick up a new piece of art or an amazing antique find at one of the many galleries in town.

The Caravan to Ashland is a perfect getaway for a weekend of entertainment, excitement and discovery. With News Talk 860’s Travel Bug, Terry Travis and Cindy Passannante of C.P. Trips as your hosts, this trip will be even more spectacular. Space is limited so reserve your seats today. Call 503-658-5646 or email at cptrips@aol.com

Cruising Solo Just Got Easier

Cruising is a great way to take a vacation. There are cruises all around the world fit for any travel budget. Cruise companies offer their own unique style of cruising to appeal to every walk of life. There are specialty cruises with amazing events, and the culinary experiences on board many a ship are spectacular. But there has been one thing that has kept many a solo traveler from enjoying cruising as much as they may like. Until recently it has been standard practice for cruise staterooms to be sold on a double occupancy basis only. This has meant that a solo traveler has had to pay double the rate for a room, yes, that’s right, double the price.

But cruise companies are also hip to new trends and like other industries in travel and tourism, they look for new ways to gain new clients. The latest trend is all about solo travelers. Cruise companies have realized that they can get more solo travelers if they stop making them pay for the extra bed in their stateroom.

More and more cruises are offering solo travelers a solo rate, allowing them easier access to incredible journeys all over the world. Listed below are what some of our Cruise Partners are now offering the solo traveler.

AzamaraClub Cruises has lowered their single occupancy rate to 125% of a double occupancy stateroom. What’s more, the cost includes gratuities for bar, dining and housekeeping staff, saving you even more on your cruise budget.

HollandAmerica Line takes a bit of a different approach to solo travelers. There are several program amenities offered to those cruising on their own, including mixers, parties and cocktail hours for solo travelers, as well as a variety of activities such as their cooking demonstrations, trivia games and wine tastings which any passenger can join. Holland America Line also offers a way for solo

travelers to save money through their SinglePartners Program. You can book a room and get matched with another passenger to share a stateroom. You are guaranteed the lower rate of a double occupancy room even if a match can’t be found.

Norwegian CruiseLine was the first company to include studio cabins, created specifically for the solo traveler. The first were on board their Epic ship, a mega floating entertainment extravaganza. NCL has since added studio cabins to additional ships, and they are all priced without a single supplement fee.

RoyalCaribbean Cruise Line also has studio cabins available with no additional single supplement fee. They offer a variety of staterooms on several of their cruise ships. These include interior staterooms, as well as one with views, and even balcony studios. As a solo traveler on RCCL, you have more options of where you stay on board.

Value River Cruises, is currently offering special deals for solo travelers cruising along the Danube or Rhine rivers in Europe. Typical specials include beverage packages, or on board credit and even discounted shore excursions. Now companies are offering to waive the single supplement fee for solo travelers on select cruises.

With these new options coming more available for the solo traveler, cruising is easier than ever before. For a small fee Cindy Passannante can help you plan your next cruise adventure. Call or email today at 503-658-5646 or cptrips@aol.com