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Inside Travel Talk
Breezes and Beaches: License to Chill with Margaritaville at Sea & Galapagos Expeditions
Sail away with us on the whimsical waves of Margaritaville at Sea, as we recount tales of our gastronomic conquests and serene beachside mornings on Grand Bahamas. Mark Faldmo and I, Patrick Wiscombe, indulge you with savory stories from Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar and paint vivid pictures of relaxation amid the gentle island breeze. Plus, we don't shy away from the quirkier side of paradise, sharing our gleeful encounter with the Bahamian swimming pigs that's sure to leave you smiling and longing to join the fun.
The enchantment doesn't stop at the shorelines; it extends to extraordinary places like the Galapagos Islands, where our friend David Torres offers a peek into a world brimming with unique wildlife and stunning geology. Imagine snorkeling alongside sea lions and marveling at the majesty of giant tortoises, all while absorbing David's expert insights into the awe-inspiring conservation efforts that preserve this magical archipelago. This episode is your ticket to discovering profound connections with nature that are as rare and precious as the islands themselves.
The Inside Travel Talk podcast and radio show presented by BluePlanetVacationscom contains travel deals, promotions and offers that may be time-sensitive. All offers and information were accurate when the show aired. Travel deals and offers change constantly and are capacity-controlled and subject to change without notice.
Show Voice:Explore your world. It's the Inside Travel Talk podcast and radio show presented by BluePlanetVacations. com. Call or text the show now 801-649-3700, 801-649-3700. And check out the podcast at InsideTravelTalk. com. And now here are your hosts, Patrick Wiscombe and Mark Faldmo.
Patrick Wiscombe:It is another edition of the Inside Travel Talk podcast and radio show. My name is Patrick Wiscombe. Mark Faldmo sits across the table from me. This week's show is live from the deck of the Margaritaville at Sea. We actually have a live studio audience. A little applause, please. We just came from the Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar. I hate to say this, but that is my fourth cheeseburger.
Mark Faldmo:Maybe it's your fifth, not today.
Patrick Wiscombe:The food at the Cheeseburger in Paradise Burger Bar is so good. Joanne Maltz and Mary Shaw Delaney from Margarita at Sea will join us here on the podcast or radio show coming up here in just a couple of minutes. We're literally sitting on deck nine of the Margaritaville at Sea and we are sitting here in. Is it Grand Bahama? In Freeport Grand Bahama. It is absolutely beautiful outside. If you're not here with us, I'm sorry, but you can come. We'll talk about those details coming up here in just a second, but before we do, let's get to the travel show news of the week. Mark, I saw this story about the stowaway or actually there were multiple stowaways removed from a delta flight in Los Angeles so this is an interesting story.
Mark Faldmo:It was actually a flight from salt lake city to Austin and the man got through security using a buddy pass and then he somehow took a photo of a child's boarding pass and he boarded the plane with the child's boarding pass oh wow. And then there was another one, and this one I think we talked about in an earlier show. A woman wanted to see Beyoncé in New Orleans, and she somehow made it on the plane.
Ad Voice:She did.
Mark Faldmo:They found her after the flight was done but I don't know how their counts were off on that, but there have been a couple stories of some stowaways and how they've done it is creative, but I that. But been a couple stories of some stowaways and how they've done it is creative, but I wouldn't recommend it because you'll be arrested.
Patrick Wiscombe:Yeah, you will be right, you should be arrested. Yes, if you're gonna. But I don't know, queen bee, if you gotta see the show, you gotta go see the show. Yeah, so, as I mentioned right at the top of the show, we're broadcasting from the Margaritaville at Sea. Our journey to get here was kind of cool. We left from Salt Lake on Monday and Mark and I flew to Atlanta and then we connected in. Where was it? Fort Lauderdale.
Mark Faldmo:We landed in Fort Lauderdale.
Patrick Wiscombe:So why am I regaling the story of this? This is actually a tie-in from this morning. Margaritaville at sea. They have. Is it a partnership with Brightline? So we actually intentionally this was Mark's idea we intentionally flew into Fort Lauderdale so we could take Brightline Brightline West is what they're calling. This one broke ground this week on the United States' first ever high-speed rail project, which will connect Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Now we talked about this, was that a couple months ago?
Mark Faldmo:A couple months ago.
Patrick Wiscombe:yeah, yeah, the project includes only four stations. Now think about how much distance there is between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. I want to say it's like 220, 30 miles Somewhere in there. Anyway. So the project includes four stations, which one of them will be in Victorville, or the Victor Valley Station, in Apple Valley, rancho Cucamonga, Hesperia Station and, of course, in Las Vegas. Now, this will be the West Coast version, and we, mark and I, took the Bright Line from Fort Lauderdale up to where we got on the ship.
Mark Faldmo:Which is Palm Beach Florida.
Patrick Wiscombe:And then. So Jo-Ann actually took it from, and we'll bring her on here in just a second you took it from Orlando, I think.
Jo-Ann Moltz:Well, I was supposed to.
Patrick Wiscombe:Oh, you did not do that. Okay, and it was a remarkable ride. It was smooth, we did first class and that was your idea to even do that.
Mark Faldmo:Yeah, this runs from Orlando to Miami with a few stops along the way, palm Beach being one where you can board the Margaritaville at sea. We did first class, but it's really interesting. They have beautiful terminals, nice place to rest before the train Train was just fabulous. As you said, Patrick, we really enjoyed that 40-minute ride from Fort Lauderdale to Palm Beach.
Patrick Wiscombe:So we're sitting here on the ninth deck at Margaritaville, at Sea Paradise Paradise is the name of the ship and we want to talk about some of our experiences that have happened. Mark and I came here we paid our own way. This is not a paid endorsement. I will say this that my favorite place so far is Cheeseburgers in Paradise. That was awesome. The food is amazing. So I sat next to Mary last night. We talked for what like 90 minutes and the food was amazing.
Mark Faldmo:In Finn's which is the restaurant. My impressions of this experience is it's a very casual cruise experience. It's not as regimented as other cruises. We are on a two-day Bahamas cruise. It's been a fabulous experience. You know that Jimmy Buffett island lifestyle tropical themed. It's the perfect getaway and on this, the perfect quick getaway to Freeport Bahamas.
Patrick Wiscombe:So we're only here, as you mentioned, for two days. So we got here on Tuesday, I think, we get off the ship tomorrow, which is Thursday, Thursday, and then you turn around. The new itinerary, or at least it's being discussed, is that it will be seven days in a week. It will be two days, two days, and then Friday, Saturday, Sunday, they get back to port.
Ad Voice:So it'll be a two to three.
Mark Faldmo:Yeah.
Patrick Wiscombe:Which is just a brilliant marketing move. You can turn over and see what's the capacity of the ship. About 1,650, 1,680 times three in a week, which is. I mean, that's what, if my math is right, never do on-air radio or math on the radio. What is that about? 4,500 people A little more than that.
Patrick Wiscombe:We're going to take a break here. When we come back we're going to talk more about Margaritaville at sea. You can also contact the show with any travel-related questions. Just call Mark in his office, 888-718-7717. 888-718-7717. More for Margaritaville at sea. When the Inside Travel Talk podcast and radio show continues, we will be right back.
Show Voice:Taking you to destinations around the world. The Inside Travel Talk podcast and radio show is presented by BluePlanetVacations. com, America's best travel advisors. Call or text the show now 801-649-3700. 801-649-3700.
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Show Voice:America's best travel advisors. Call or text the show right now 801-649-3700, 801-649-3700. And check out the podcast at InsideTravelTalk. com. Here's Patrick Wiscombe and Mark Faldmo.
Patrick Wiscombe:Welcome back. This is the Inside Travel Talk podcast, a radio show. Segment number two, the infamous just cruising segment. We are literally sitting on deck number nine of Margaritaville at sea paradise. Paradise is the name of the ship. Mary Shaw, Delaney and Jo-Ann Moltz are sitting here in the studio with us well, the makeshift studio and we want to talk about Margaritaville at Sea paradise here in just a second, but before we do, I don't know if you saw this article mark that frontier airlines has the most delayed flights, with more than 30.7 percent of all of its flights are delayed or just canceled, according to a new study from nerd wallet. Which is well, it's just.
Mark Faldmo:Which is really just not that ideal although I would kind of expect that from frontier you know, being what they are. I'm surprised Spirit isn't on that list as well.
Patrick Wiscombe:It's funny you should say that. So Frontier was number one, JetBlue was number two, which I was a little bit surprised with, and then I think it was Spirit Airlines was number three. So they do make this list. Anyway, just to contrast that with Delta, they're the most on time and least canceled. A little bit earlier today we got together with a whole bunch of other travel advisors Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is the name of the ship that we're on. Tell us about what people can expect when they come on the ship.
Mary Shaw Delaney:Well, there's a lot of things to do, albeit it's a two-night itinerary. We have their inclusive dining, which is a buffet that's available. We have cheeseburgers in paradise. I know that's one of your favorites and we have Finn's dining, but in addition to that we have some specialty restaurants that do come for a modest extra charge. And as far as our cabins go on this ship, it's pretty simple. We have outside cabins, meaning that there is a window provided, or inside cabins. We do have 10 grand terrace suites.
Patrick Wiscombe:And, by the way, they're spectacular. Those suites are amazing, they are lovely With only 10 of them.
Mary Shaw Delaney:They book out very, very far in advance, but overall it's a nice, comfortable ship. In fact, as Jimmy Buffett was wont to say, he was looking for a nice boutique hotel on the water, and you got it.
Patrick Wiscombe:I think so too. I was surprised at how large the rooms are and, by the way, you know how you have the. I'll call it a pitcher window. Those are some big pitcher windows.
Mary Shaw Delaney:Well, don't call it a porthole. You know the difference. No, actually A porthole opens and on a cruise ship you don't want your window to open, especially below the waterline, exactly.
Patrick Wiscombe:So what do we call them? Pitcher windows, windows? Okay so, just windows, just windows. We pulled into port in Grand Bahamas and I woke up this morning I was like, oh wow, we are really here. Bahamas always feels like one of those dream vacations that you always talk about but no one ever does. Oh man, yeah, you've just got to come here.
Mary Shaw Delaney:Yeah, out, but no one ever does. Oh man, yeah, you've just got to come here. Yeah, it is time well spent. The white sand beaches here I'm, I'm. We're not that far from Florida, but the, the quality of the beaches here is so much higher and the sunshine, the, the very, very friendly Bahamian people.
Patrick Wiscombe:It's a delightful destination you've ever gone to swim with the pigs?
Mary Shaw Delaney:You swim with them, you get right out there. The guests are in the water first, and then the pigs are brought out to the edge of the water. Now, there is a little bit of it's not carrot and stick, but there is a little treat waiting for the piggies in the water, and it's not humans, no, no, you get a little Little reverse Pigs eat humans.
Patrick Wiscombe:Ooh the revenge.
Mary Shaw Delaney:Here's our revenge. No, no, no, there are apples. So the pigs know this and they like apples. So they come out into the water. And who knew pigs could swim? I didn't, neither did they, I suspect. But if there's apples involved it gets them going, so you get to have some time with the piggies in the water. Then everybody comes back into the beach and, assuming that they're available, they usually let people pick up and cuddle little piglets oh see, I'd do that.
Patrick Wiscombe:Yeah, are these big pigs or like hog size, or are these just like they're kind of medium-ish, okay?
Mary Shaw Delaney:yeah, but you have to you, you have to be robust. Yeah, they're well fed. How about that?
Patrick Wiscombe:they're curvaceous rubenesque, they can be a little testy, though don't tease them with the apples, oh, because they they don't respond well to that that's where things go sideways yes, all right I wanted to go do that, but I'm like you know just the schedule that we had today and I'm like no, I can't get there that's why you're gonna sail with us again yes, I'll be back and you know that I will. In fact, let's talk about the, the new ship that's coming online, the Margaritaville at sea islander. Yes, let's talk about that, and when is it expected to come out and when people start booking well, booking is already, the bookings are already open.
Mary Shaw Delaney:We're taking bookings into 2025 on that ship. Oh, already, yes, and our inaugural sailing is June 14th of this year. So the clock is ticking and that's out of Tampa.
Patrick Wiscombe:That is out of Tampa and that which is the other side of Florida, it is the west side.
Mary Shaw Delaney:Yep, well done the Gulf of Mexico.
Patrick Wiscombe:Let's contrast the size of the two ships, Margaritaville at Sea, paradise, which is the one that we're on about 1650, 1680. How big is Margaritaville at Sea Islander? How big is that one?
Jo-Ann Moltz:It's 2658.
Patrick Wiscombe:Oh wow, so it's a much larger ship.
Jo-Ann Moltz:Yes.
Patrick Wiscombe:What are some of the amenities experiences that people can expect on that boat?
Jo-Ann Moltz:Well, very similar to what we have here on Paradise, like your favorite spot, cheeseburger in Paradise. A lot of the restaurant concepts, such as Finn's, frank and Lola's JWB Steakhouse, will also be represented on that vessel, but in a much larger scale, and then we'll have additional dining options. For example, there's a sushi restaurant for a modest upcharge and some other really cool features, like the three-story land shark bar. Three stories, three stories, so when you're ready to get your five o'clock somewhere on and have a margarita or a land shark?
Patrick Wiscombe:What is the tie-in with Jimmy Buffett? Did this idea originate from him? Was this his vision?
Mary Shaw Delaney:I think he was interested in it. He had a lifelong love affair with the ocean, so I think when it was presented to him he was like, yeah, that sounds great. I wasn't there, I don't know, but I think that was the reaction.
Patrick Wiscombe:Sources close to sources. That's right, Mary knows people, she does, she's well connected. She acts all coy, but she knows she's well connected.
Jo-Ann Moltz:Why do you think I'm hanging out with her?
Patrick Wiscombe:Anyway, we got to take a break here. When we come back, we have more Margaritaville at Sea Paradise and Islander talk coming up. Mark and I are still going to share our cruises experiences and if you are interested in booking a Margaritaville at Sea Paradise or Islander vacation, call Mark. You can reach him in his office, 888-718-7717, 888-718-7717. Or you can just simply go on to blueplanetvacations. com. Thank you so much for allowing us to be part of your Saturday morning. We will be right back.
Show Voice:You're listening to the Inside Travel Talk podcast and radio show with Patrick Wiscombe and Mark Faldmo, presented by BluePlanetVacations. com America's best travel advisors. Call or text the show now 801-649-3700. That's 801-649-3700. And check out the podcast at InsideTravelTalk. com. We'll be right back.
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Show Voice:This is the Inside Travel Talk podcast and radio show presented by BluePlanetVacations. com, America's best travel advisors. Call or text the show right now 801-649-3700, 801-649-3700. And now your hosts, Patrick Wiscombe and Mark Faldmo.
Patrick Wiscombe:welcome back to the inside travel talk podcast and radio show, segment number three. This is the destination spotlight, and I did not know that we were going to run into uh, this delightful surprise, as we are sitting on deck nine of Margaritaville at Sea Paradise. A couple of weeks ago, I had an interview with a gentleman by the name of David Torres. Now he's the managing director of Latin Travel Collection. Basically, he's in the Galapagos Islands, so we're going to play that interview, coming up here in just a second. But the one thing I didn't know was going to happen is that Mary has been down there, so let's talk Galapagos. You didn't know you were going to do this until we came back and I put you on the spot. Have you ever been there?
Mary Shaw Delaney:I absolutely have and I highly recommend it. Really I do, except you have to sail on my ship first and then, by all means, the Galapagos.
Patrick Wiscombe:That's a coy way of saying Margaritaville at sea paradise or islander, which we've already talked about, and then you can go down there.
Jo-Ann Moltz:You should sail on both. Yes.
Patrick Wiscombe:Yes, yeah, you have to do both first.
Mary Shaw Delaney:But the reason to go down and it's a little bit difficult to get down there you have to fly to Guayaquil, Ecuador. Then you have to fly from there on Ecuadorian airline over to the islands and it's a couple hours flight. Okay, so it's into the ocean a little bit.
Mary Shaw Delaney:They're very remote out there, very, very remote, but it is so worth the trip. First of all, the world famous blue footed boobies. They really exist and their feet are alarmingly blue. You know what you're looking at when you see this bird. There are also red-footed boobies who knew? But they peacefully coexist with their blue-footed brothers. Then there are the giant Galapagos tortoises, these creatures, first of all. They live to be well over 100 years old. They are the biggest tortoises you will ever see and there is a sanctuary there for them. They are very highly protected. In fact, all of the Galapagos Islands are very, very highly protected by the Ecuadorian government.
Patrick Wiscombe:Yeah, that's what David was saying during the interview.
Mary Shaw Delaney:Absolutely as well they should be.
Patrick Wiscombe:Let's launch into the interview that I had with David Torres. For those people who aren't familiar with the Galapagos Islands, where is it?
David Torres:We are right on the equator. Actually, the largest island of the Galapagos, Isabela, has a tiny portion of the northern northern section of the island, which is crossed by the equator, and, for fact, it is the only place in the world where penguins live in the northern hemisphere. We do have a small colony of Galapagos penguins, which is a species you can only find in Galapagos, that lives right up there. Most other penguins in the world live in the southern hemisphere, and so the only ones, the only rebels, live in the Galapagos Islands, and so we're actually 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador.
Patrick Wiscombe:What is something that everyone is going to experience, but I'll mix that in with what has been your favorite adventure.
David Torres:I've had such a connection with the ocean that I feel that every time you jump in the water in Galapagos it's going to be an experience. You're going to see turtles, fish We've had over 500 different species of fish in Galapagos 17 different species of sharks, whales, dolphins, orcas. The connection with the water, I feel, is the most special thing that I've had the chance of experiencing and that most of my clients whenever we go out there. The water is pretty much the most amazing resource that we have out there. But the geology, you know, Galapagos has some fantastic beaches that are only found there, beaches that are only found there, you know red sand beach, green sand beach, very fine coral line, beautiful, very powdery, like like sand. The beaches are fantastic and, and you know, it's very remote, so in some cases you're the only person out there in some of these beautiful, beautiful beaches this is a funny question.
Patrick Wiscombe:What do you consider cold? At what temperature do you get cold?
David Torres:well, I'm pretty lucky about about the cold myself, uh, but Galapagos does get pretty, pretty cool, um, in the colder water, in the colder temperature, um, I'll say it ranges from about uh, 17 Celsius. So let me just double check on two Fahrenheit because we, um, yeah, so, so the lowest temperature would be about 60 in the water. So that's pretty cold. I mean, that's usually July, June, July, August, when we get a current from the Antarctic that affects the Galapagos out there and it drops off sometimes to 60 and it can be pretty chilly in the water.
Patrick Wiscombe:When you guide somebody, what's the two or three absolute must experience things that you always put everyone through.
David Torres:Checking out the giant Galapagos tortoises in their environment, where they live, how they move, and the dynamic of the island itself is very interesting and the dynamic of the island itself is very interesting. Usually we try to have a very immersive experience when people get to the Galapagos and see the tortoises and understand that they are a way of life of the Galapagos, of all of us that live out there and work out there the tortoises. They are our symbol and they are part of what we do and and why we work every day to to protect the national park. And so that's, that's for sure must see, something that you will see definitely in Galapagos there's there's 11 different species of tortoises spread all around and different islands, and, uh, it is, is for sure, one of the main things to check out in Galapagos. That would be number one. Number two would be experience.
David Torres:One of the beaches that I have out there, one of the most famous ones, is Tortuga Bay. We also have Bartolome, which is a really fantastic geology site. The color of the sand is just very special. There is a mineral called olivine that mixes with the sand and creates this beautiful greenish olive color and that's very unique. Just doing and snorkeling anywhere that you get a chance to, it's probably going to be among the best that you'll do in your life. So that's three things right there I would definitely recommend for Galapagos. You really do love the water. I am a fish, yeah.
Patrick Wiscombe:I know that you were born into the business, you know guiding travel, tourism, but when did you realize that you're like? You know what? This is a pretty good life.
David Torres:I mean, I was definitely born into the business. I've been exposed to clients and to people from all around the world since I was very young, but there was a time where I did want to do something completely different. I wanted to go into science. I wanted to go into science. I wanted to go into physics, specifically when I was just about to graduate high school and I mean I've always been very connected to sciences, especially hard sciences. Back then, you know, I was really into physics, into chemistry, and I'm still very much trying to keep up with the new research that's going on and all the incredible science that keeps on happening. I think it was like some plot that my dad and my mom had. They were like why don't you go out to this trip in Peru and just have some fun, do your thing and let's see what your decision is after?
Ad Voice:that.
David Torres:And it was my first sort of like proper guiding experience leading a group being out there. Um, it was. It was a group of students from from the UK and it was such a fun trip that we had. It was also very tailored to to have a very immersive cultural aspect to the voyage as well, and being out there in these beautiful landscapes, in these very wild places with this group and the whole discovery journey that we went through all of us as a group I felt that that was my connection to tourism and that's what I decided to study and to go with what's going on with the business and keeping working on that.
Patrick Wiscombe:Now, you love the Galapagos Islands, you love what you do, and it sounds like it. So when you go on vacation, do you just do more do, and it sounds like it. So when you go on vacation, do you just do more of what you do, or where do you go on vacation?
David Torres:well, my vacation is to be, uh, pretty much any any place. That's that's, that's natural, that's green, uh that there's any, any form of wildlife. I'm a big uh burger, so I I tend to download my, my bird pack for wherever I go and try to identify any bird that I see. I'm really curious now, for example, to explore Jordan, and I really want to go to Jordan. For example, I'm really interested in maybe checking out Morocco. To me, the desert is something so wild and different that to me, it's like, wow, that's something I definitely want to check out.
Patrick Wiscombe:Do you ever get to the desert southwest here? So I'm in Salt Lake, not quite the southwest, but I'm talking. You know, st George, las Vegas, Phoenix, new Mexico Do you ever get up here?
David Torres:I mean, I've been to Phoenix and I loved it. I loved the environment, I loved the city. I felt it had an interesting vibe to it, but it was just like a weekend thing. I couldn't go anywhere out in nature and I was just looking at the map and looking at so much wilderness around the city and I'm thinking like I should definitely spend some time out here there's something about being outside and then all of a sudden, sometimes you just stop.
Patrick Wiscombe:It's quiet. All you can hear is your breathing, your heart's beating. There's just something about nature and that quiet that's special to me.
David Torres:You probably are the same way, yeah there's also um places in nature where our like quiet is is completely gone as well, like we're in the middle of the jungle and everything is making noise, like hundreds of species of insects, all of the birds. The river is rushing out there and and that's sort of also like that sort of overwhelming sensation of of being such a small part of of this extremely large sense of life that's around you and that's also I mean, that's also this it also brings you this space of quietness and a sort of, you know, isolation within all this chaos, and that's also really interesting as well.
Patrick Wiscombe:I hadn't even thought about it. You're right, it would be noisy. David, thank you so much for coming on. If you're interested in booking a vacation down to the Galapagos Islands, call Mark in his office, 888-718-7717, 888-718-7717. More of the Inside Travel Talk podcast and radio show coming up in just a few minutes.
Show Voice:Explore your world. You're listening to the Inside Travel Talk podcast and radio show with Patrick Wiscombe and Mark Faldmo. Call or text the show now 801-649-3700. That's 801-649-3700. And check out the podcast at InsideTravelTalk. com. We'll be right back.
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Show Voice:This is the inside travel talk podcast and radio show with Patrick Wiscombe and Mark Faldmo, presented by BluePlanetVacations. com America's best travel advisors. Call the show right now 801-649-3700, 801-649-3700. And now your hosts, Patrick Wiscombe and Mark Faldmo.
Patrick Wiscombe:Final segment of this week's Inside Travel Talk podcast and radio show. Alongside Mark Faldmo, my name is Patrick Wiscombe. Also joining us in studio is Jo-ann Moltz and Mary Shaw Delaney, from Margaritaville At Sea Paradise is the ship that we're on Deck 9. The scenery is fantastic. As we came out here, I did not know. Did you see some of the items in our gift bag, Mark? I'm wearing one of them right now. I have never had a more amazing outlook on life than I do right now. I've literally got rose-colored glasses. These glasses are red.
Mark Faldmo:They really bring out the blue in the ocean, makes the outside world pop when you look through those glasses.
Patrick Wiscombe:I have never had a better outlook on life than I do right now. It is rose-colored glasses right now. The other item that was in the gift bag, Mary, you can talk to this. It's called a ring light. Oh, a ring light. It's a ring light, not a ring worm. That's different.
Mary Shaw Delaney:It's a ring light because we're having a special emphasis on social media projects. So you attach it to your phone and it lights up your subject.
Patrick Wiscombe:By the way, I used it as a nightlight in the room last night. It was so bright that I had to turn it and have it face the wall. Let's get to Mark's travel tips here. I want to ask you, mark, what you learned the other day while flying home from Fort Lauderdale. That was a week ago, that was last Saturday.
Mark Faldmo:That was last Saturday, but we're back down here, literally the following day, so I turned around on Monday and flew right back to Fort Lauderdale. With how the airlines work, it was cheaper to buy a whole new ticket than change my original ticket.
Patrick Wiscombe:Oh, is that why you came home?
Mark Faldmo:So I went home for a night and then came back.
Patrick Wiscombe:So what are your flying tips that you had?
Mark Faldmo:Yep. So this is an interesting thing and it actually comes from. There's a presentation a few years back with Captain Sully the miracle on the Hudson, landing the plane in the Hudson, and he was on some of the FAA security boards trying to help aviation security and they interviewed everyone on the passenger and only three people, I think it was, had read the safety card or looked at the safety card in the back of the seat, and over half of the people didn't even pay attention to the safety briefing, and so I've always made it a habit to look at the safety card. I mean, I fly a lot, but I actually was on a new Airbus A331neo.
Mark Faldmo:Yeah, that was fantastic, that was a great plane. But looking at it I noticed something different where it says over the wing exits do not use the slides as flotation devices because they're not made for floating, they're only made for sliding, which is different. Most of the other airplanes that will detach into a raft, yes, and so that to me, just goes to show. It is important to look at that because had I been in the unfortunate situation of doing that, I may have got on the slide, which doesn't float.
Patrick Wiscombe:And I would have been right beside you. Yeah, and I wouldn't have known it.
Mark Faldmo:Yeah, so even you know I travel several times a month and that's the first time I've ever seen that. Not to use the emergency slide as a raft.
Patrick Wiscombe:Let's talk about the Canada entry requirements regarding DUI.
Mark Faldmo:There are some interesting developments on that, Yep there are certain convictions that if someone has Canada will not allow them in. Now, for us, that usually comes when people are trying to book an Alaska cruise. They're denied entry into Canada for something. It's part of the treaties and agreements with Canada. The US has released all of the criminal database to Canada for screening when people come in. Oh, interesting. So there's something. If it's been more than 10 years old or it's considered taken care of by Canada, then you can get in, but it's something that if you do have anything, you do need to check that, because I've had several customers that have questioned that and had issues getting into Canada and you don't want to buy a big, expensive cruise and not be able to do that.
Patrick Wiscombe:While we were on the plane coming down here to Fort Lauderdale, before boarding the ship that we're on right now, did you see me filling out the global entry? I've taken your recommendation to do global entry, just so we can come in and just zip through everything.
Mark Faldmo:Yep.
Patrick Wiscombe:I did, by the way, the update to the story that you don't know. I got an email last night saying that I was conditionally approved, so one of the things that I need to do is schedule my interview, as we're coming back from Mexico next week, so I don't have to wait for six months. Yes, so let's be sure to get that done Just before we take off. And, since we have a few minutes, let's bring Mary Shaw Delaney back on Margaritaville at Sea Paradise is the boat that we're on, but let's talk about the Islander. I'm excited for you. Yeah, just as a company.
Mary Shaw Delaney:Yes, yes, we have 640 balconies. On our breezy balcony category we have a whole category of balconies and then, in addition to that, we have 70 different suites. We have 70 different suites and, of course, those all come with slightly larger and more opulent balconies as well, and we're so excited to have them because the itineraries we're doing really call for that kind of cruise experience. You'll have the time You'll want to be able to step outside and take in the beautiful Caribbean sunshine.
Patrick Wiscombe:Are those going to be seven-day itineraries, going out of Tampa mostly?
Mary Shaw Delaney:It's a mixture of four and five itineraries here in this year 2024. And then next year we will expand that up to six and seven-night itineraries.
Patrick Wiscombe:Okay, so it's just kind of a rolling expansion, then. Exactly, I'm excited for you guys.
Ad Voice:Yeah, so are we.
Patrick Wiscombe:In addition to the ship being able to book it, revenue, getting people on board. Come down to Florida. What's the one or two things that you're just like everyone? Just come down here and experience this. I'm saying it, I'm here, I'm looking at it right now. Come down here.
Mary Shaw Delaney:Well, and you've experienced it too the vibe on board the ship it's relaxing, it's fun, it's tropical, it's laughter, it's good food and great accommodations. I mean, it's the whole package. That really is it. And if two nights will do you, that's fine, we got you covered. If you want a little bit more after the middle of June, we'll be able to provide that too.
Patrick Wiscombe:What are some of the ports of call that we're going to?
Mark Faldmo:So that new one will start off in going to Key West, or Cozumel or Progresso will be the ports on that. Progresso is actually one of my favorite ports in Mexico because it's the gateway to Chechen Itza. Everyone wants to go to Chichen Itza. Every time you say that I want to go pizza pizza, yeah, not Little Caesars, Chichen Itza, Chichen Itza, and then Key West, and we're actually going to drive there tomorrow after this, Patrick yes, going to experience that Go to Mallory Square and walk up and down Duval Street.
Mark Faldmo:Oh, is that where the original Margaritaville? Oh, to the original Margaritaville. So that will be on our list to do tomorrow. It'll be a long day, but it'll be great.
Patrick Wiscombe:And then we've got the baseball game Friday night. Yes, Miami Mar, by the way. They're terrible, dreadful this year. Yeah, oh, wow. What were the other ports?
Mark Faldmo:It was Progresso and then Cozumel, which we've talked about before. That's Snorkel Scuba. What I like to do is ride the ferry across to Playa del Carmen and go to Fifth Avenue, which is an open-air shopping area. Lots of things to do there. You can also get to other ruins from there. You can also get to other archaeological sites from Cozumel as well. And then later in 2025, they will be going to Costa Maya, Belize, gran Cayman, Ocho Rios or some of the ports.
Patrick Wiscombe:Oh, you're going to Jamaica.
Mark Faldmo:That will be there. Oh, I didn't know that. Again, a few weeks ago we talked about my top five favorite shore excursions, and one of them is in Belize. It's that Lamomai archaeological site, where you have to take a boat up the river and you come to just basically an untouched archaeological site, which is one of my, again, top five shore excursions that I've done.
Patrick Wiscombe:I am excited to experience all of this and we'll be back. You know that, right? Yeah, yeah, we'll be back. One of the coolest things that I've seen on this ship and you wouldn't expect it, but it's the little touches.
Mark Faldmo:Let's talk about the deck names here on the ship. Anyone that's been on a cruise, the pool deck on most cruise lines is called the lido deck, not here on this ship, it's called on this ship. It's called the license to chill deck, which I think is a perfect, perfect name. The other deck names are the five o'clock somewhere deck, the love and luck deck, stars on the water, riddles in the sand deck. So all Margaritaville, Jimmy buffet related and, like you said, the little touches are perfect that give you that relaxed feeling, that island tropical feel that you get here on Margaritaville and by the way, when we were out on the License to Chill the music out, there was whoever curated the music.
Patrick Wiscombe:Someone took some time to think about the playlist that was out there because it was really, really good. It's hard to call this a business trip and this is a business trip for Mark and I. We came down, we just wanted to come experience this and it's been time well spent and I'm so glad we did this. My thanks to Jo-ann Moltz, Mary Shaw, Delaney with Margaritaville at Sea Paradise and Islander, which is what we've been talking about. Book it with Mark. 888-718-7717, 888-718-7717. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your Saturday. We'll talk to you next week.
Show Voice:That's it. That's the end of the show You've been listening to, the Inside Travel Talk podcast and radio show with Patrick Wiscombe and Mark Faldmo, presented by BluePlanetVacations. com. Book your adventure right now. Call 888-718-7717. That's 888-718-7717. Thanks for listening. Have a great week.
Ad Voice:This segment of Inside Travel Talk is sponsored by Star Clippers. Imagine yourself on the deck of a timelessly elegant clipper ship a warm breeze blowing softly, as the captain and his crew unfurl the sails above you. You begin to tingle from head to toe as you sail into the sunset to tomorrow's next hidden cove. For over 30 years, Star Clippers has offered unique, authentic tall ship sailing experiences, featuring creative itineraries throughout the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Central America. Itineraries are handcrafted based on wind patterns to enable these majestic ships to take advantage of the power of the wind. To book your unique Star Clipper sailing adventure, contact Blue Planet Vacations at 888-718-7717 or blueplanetvacations. com.