On this special episode of the Luxury Travelers Podcast, host Rodney George takes a moment to reflect on some of the most memorable conversations with travel industry trailblazers. Past guests like Kim Guimaraes of Abercrombie & Kent, Michelle Fee of Cruise Planners, and Tom Larock, an expert on all things Africa, have shared their insider insights and expert tips, from luxury rail journeys through the Canadian Rockies to private jet tours worldwide. Whether you're dreaming of a polar expedition or a five-star culinary getaway, this episode serves as the perfect highlight reel—and a helpful guide—to inspire your next luxurious escape. 

IN THIS EPISODE:   

• (00:00) Opening and introduction
• (00:51) Rodney reflects on past episodes of luxury travel excursion options 
• (02:54) Experience Africa with Tom Larock, meet Claudius Docekal, the walking Google Map, and learn about private jet tours flying around the world  
• (06:00) Learn about Dean Fearing, a James Beard Award winner, and the most luxurious ships in the world. 
• (08:05) Put the French Polynesia, the Society, the Marquesas, and the Cook Islands on your bucket list and ride the Rocky Mountaineer through the Western Canadian Rockies
• (11:22) Discussion of deals for singles with no single supplement, escaping to Israel, then off to a safari, and then take a gas-filled balloon to the edge of space
• (16:04) Hear about the Arctic and the Antarctic, and then set sail on a river boat in Europe
• (19:38) Coming soon, we will talk about the five most prevalent myths of travel 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Rodney revisits standout conversations with top travel industry professionals from safari specialist Tom Larock and cruise visionary Michelle Fee to luxury jet travel with TCS and insight into luxury travel, from curated safaris and private jet journeys to world-class cruising and fine dining.
• Rodney highlights conversations with executives from elite travel brands like Abercrombie & Kent, Seabourn, Crystal, Regent Seven Seas, Oceania, and Silversea. Each offers unique perspectives on high-end travel trends, destinations, and experiences. These episodes celebrate the essence of opulence and how travelers can see the world in style.
• Rodney encourages everyone to take a break from the couch and get inspired to explore the world. Whether you're seeking high-end cruises, culinary getaways, or exclusive destinations, the podcast serves as a highlight reel and a planning guide. 

RESOURCES:

Luxury Travelers - Podcast

Luxe Travel - Website

Luxe Travel - Facebook

Luxe Travel - Instagram

Luxury Travelers Podcasts - Apple 

Luxury Travelers Podcast - Spotify

Luxury Travelers Podcast - YouTube

So buckle up and prepare for a journey into the laugh of luxury now, your host.

Be visiting. We all need time away. It, uh, it, [00:01:15] it helps us develop ourselves further. It helps us understand the world better and, uh, make sure you spend it with someone that you really, really care about, because that's important too. But for those of you who haven't made [00:01:30] all the podcast, I wanted to give you some direction as to where you can find them.

If you just [00:02:00] wanna listen, you can find us on iHeart, you can find us on Apple Podcast, on Spotify, on geezer, on Amazon Music. But if you wanna watch, you're gonna have to go to YouTube, and it's very simple. You just go to YouTube and in the search bar type in. [00:02:15] The luxury travelers with an S on the end of it podcast.

The first very first podcast that we did after our introductory one was with my good [00:03:00] friend Tom Larock. Tom Larock is probably one of those knowledgeable people on earth about the African continent and about safaris as a matter of fact. When we do events, uh, here in Naples, he [00:03:15] always comes in his safari garb.

As well as [00:03:45] anybody that I know, and she knows it at a deep level because she's lived it, she's traveled it and she's done that. One of my favorite interviews was with Michelle Fee. Michelle is a great friend of mine. She started this organization that we're a part of, we own a franchise with cruise [00:04:00] planters, and Michelle started Cruise Planters 30 years ago, and if you look at her in the video, you'll think she's not even 30 years old.

He knows more about. Planet Earth than anybody I know as far as travel is concerned. As a matter of fact, a former CEO of [00:04:45] Asmar Cruise Lines nicknamed him years ago, and the nickname stuck Larry Pimentel called my friend Claudius Google. That's how smart he is about the world that we live in. Next we interview Jesse, uh [00:05:00] uh, ano with.

It is the way to see the [00:05:30] world if you want to get it done in a hurry. Episode number seven was Alex Sharp. Alex has been around travel for a long, long time, and Alex is the CEO of Signature Travel Network. Uh, signature Travel Network is our [00:05:45] consortium. They're one of the largest consort travel consortiums in the world, and Alex is one of the guys that.

Now, it's hard to believe a city the size of Dallas and as many great restaurants as they, as they have. There has not been a James Beard [00:06:30] Award-winning chef in Dallas in 25 years, 26 years. Come to think of it, because we just turned the calendar over a few months ago. Take a look at Dean. He's fun, he's funny.

And these truly are the most luxurious ships in the world. The explorer, the rancher, I don't remember. I don't remember the third one. Okay. Anyway, uh, right after that I [00:07:15] had Chris Austin. Chris is the president of the Americas for Explorer Journeys, and I've had the privilege recently of cruising on their.

So I can't wait for you to [00:07:45] see the interview that I did with Chris. Then there was Joe Leon. Joe is the, uh, director of sales for Silversea Cruises. And Silversea is doing some really interesting things, especially in the expedition area, the [00:08:00] Arctic, the Antarctic, uh, the Galapagos Islands, great guy, Joe Leon.

The Society [00:08:30] Islands coming up soon, so watch your email blast and your text messages. Next, we interviewed Glen Rothi. Glen is the, uh, director of Sales for Crystal Cruises. Now that Crystal is a part of Abercrombie and [00:08:45] Kent, if you're a former Crystal Cruiser, you gotta get back onboard and see what they've done with those two shifts with some more.

People ask me all the time, where's the, [00:09:15] where's your favorite place to go? And I said, well, I got a lot of favorite places. Lemme just say the most beautiful place I've ever been. Bora Bora. Again, the Society Islands French Polynesia, but number two and a close second is the Western [00:09:30] Canadian Rockies by train, specifically Rocky Mountaineer Train.

Next, I interviewed my friend Nikki Upshaw, who's I believe her title is, the Director of Global Sales for Oceania Cruises. Nikki's a very knowledgeable individual about. All things Oceania and Oceania, if you've [00:10:15] never tried that on for size, is known for the incredible cuisine that they serve. As a matter of fact, the legendary Jock Pepin was their very first employee when they started the cruise line.

One lady happens to have lived in Tanzania the last 20 years and she [00:11:00] writes constantly with National Geographic, so that's an interesting episode with Tim. Next I had Alex Pinello, who's with Amma Waterways. Amma's, one of the big players on the river waterways in Europe, and Amma [00:11:15] is. One of the favorites of of the ladies in my office, and they always seemed to do a lot of things right.

And when we have great things for singles, for [00:11:45] example, just a couple of weeks ago, crystal Cruises announced 223, I believe was the number cruises that have no single supplement. Zero. Because if you ever tried to go on a cruise by yourself, you know that you have to pay [00:12:00] for two people, even though there's only one person in the room.

This man is a joy to listen to [00:12:30] the history basically from Old Testament days all the way up until today. If you wanna go to Israel, you need to watch episode 21 and then give us a call. Next I add Daniel Santiago. Daniel runs a company, or he is the National Sales Director for a [00:12:45] company that we use called Regal Wings.

But the interview with Anna Pinto was very unique. Uh, and, and she grew up in Africa, so something certainly worth listening to and watching. And I'm gonna tell you that. One of the things that [00:13:30] she talks about on that video is her life as a child growing up in Africa, and that is certainly worth a few minutes of your time.

I think they're all the way up to 2029 that they're booking reservations for unique opportunity to travel with only seven other people, I believe, to the edge of space, and then backed out. [00:14:15] Luxury No less. Episode 25 is Jesse Terranova. I had another episode with him talking about their new plane. Uh, then Carl ett with Signature Travel Network.

He is a, uh, global sales director, I believe is his title for Premier Golf, and they do some of the darnedest golf trips, a imaginable. So if you've got buddies and you guys want to travel [00:15:00] and play some golf at various places around the world, give us a call and let's talk about Premier Golf next. I had Ellen McVay, who's with Poot, and it's actually, if you're French, it's Poot, I believe.

Dying with families in their homes all over the world. Last count, they had somewhere around 3000, [00:15:45] 3,500 people around the world. Not chefs, not trained chefs, but people that love to cook and love to talk about their locality, their history, uh, and so on and so forth. My clients tell me it's one of the most, some of the most delightful evenings [00:16:00] they've had were when we booked them on a traveling spoon for dinner.

Antarctica or the Arctic Regions Watch episode 31 with Oscar Dunn, episode [00:16:30] 32, which my friend Richard Hickey, who's with Avalon Waterways. Avalon is one of the big players on the rivers of Europe. They also are known, uh, for being one of the more affordable options when you're going to travel on the waterways in Europe.[00:16:45]

Wanna know what [00:17:15] else does Talc do? Because we really love the way they handled everything. And I just kind of lean back in my chair and smile because Talc does all seven oceans and all seven continents. So some interesting travel there. If you like to travel [00:17:30] with knowledgeable people that take excellent, excellent care of you.

Option where you go with the culinary center chef and you go shopping [00:18:00] in the various ports that you're in and you bring things back and you prepare a whole meal in the culinary center. Or if you just wanna do something as simple as learn how to make the best pasta that you've ever put in your mouth.

Giraffes are a threatened species in Africa, and they're gonna be tagging giraffes so that they can track them with the satellites and learn more about their [00:18:45] travel as well as. They're places that they hide out and places that they seem to be getting in the most trouble. And then episode 36, I told you, I'd been on Explorer Journeys twice in the last, I guess, six months.

Just a delight to, to sit across the desk from him there on, onboarded the ship [00:19:30] and listen to his stories about the evolution of the cruise business and in particular the luxury cruise business. We have a few more podcasts that we'll be producing in the coming days. We're gonna come back, uh, a week or so and do [00:19:45] what I call the five myths.

That's about all I have for now. I would tell you as we head into, uh, Friday afternoon here in southwest Florida, as I always do, and that is [00:20:30] to. Enjoy yourself. I'm serious. Get out there and enjoy yourself. It is later than you think. Bye for now. We'll see you in a few days.[00:20:45]