ThePointsGuy.com’s Gene Sloan joins Paul and Elizabeth to report on the successful sailing of MSC Cruises’ MSC Grandiosa around Italy. In the terminal, the line tested every passenger for COVID-19. Each passenger had to receive a negative test before being allowed to board. The line also instituted other health and safety protocols, such as mask-wearing and social distancing, and the cruise was COVID-free. This is a milestone for the cruise industry, says Gene, and might set the standard for the future.
TheTravelCamel’s Shane Dallas joins Paul and Elizabeth to share his favorite destinations in the Middle East. He predicts that the region will be extremely popular as COVID-19 is defeated. Tune in to learn more about the region where hospitality was perfected.
LuxeAdventureTraveler's Jennifer Dombrowski joins Paul and Elizabeth to reveal off-the-beaten-path Bordeaux - places you'll want to explore once we're all able to travel again. Check out a tidal bore - one of only 60 in the whole world. Surfers flock here to ride it, and kayak companies offer tours. Also, visit a medieval castle with gorgeous gardens.
LuxeAdventureTraveler’s Jennifer Dombrowski joins Paul and Elizabeth to report on a newly refurbished chateau in Frances’s Saint-Emilion wine region. Vignobles K, which operates seven chateaus in France, has recently opened the Chateau Bellefont Belcier, an idyllic place, says Jennifer, for a wine-immersive getaway. Belle Fontaine means “beautiful fountain” in French, and the chateau is named for the property’s natural springs. It has 12 guest rooms, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and a fitness center – and its vat room has iron work said to have been designed by Gustave Eiffel.
Azurite Consulting’s Eli Diament joins Paul and Elizabeth to discuss the results of a recent survey of 3,500 Americans about the impact of COVID-19 on their lives, including travel habits, plans, and expectations. This second in an ongoing series of surveys reveals that more Americans are pushing back travel plans. Tune in to learn some surprising results.
Award-winning travel journalist Larry Bleiberg joins Paul and Elizabeth to discuss the importance of visiting places throughout the United States where Civil Rights history was made. His website, civilrightstravel.com, is a great guide for touring them, once we can all travel again, and in the meantime, a great resource for visiting virtually. Larry reports on places where the late civil rights leader and U.S. Representative John Lewis made history. He also discusses some of the momentous events that took place in Nashville, Tennessee; Montgomery, Alabama; and Little Rock, Arkansas. Remembering our country's – and the world’s – civil rights legacies has never been more important.
TheTravelCamel’s Shane Dallas joins Paul and Elizabeth to discuss the rapidly changing pandemic situation around the world and how that affects travel. Governments can change or impose restrictions with only a few hours notice, and in many countries, you can’t even travel to a different region without quarantining. Now is a good time to confine your travels to your local area and plan ahead for travel in the future, once COVID-19 has been defeated.
Consumer reporter Laurie Berger joins Paul and Elizabeth to reveal what hotels and resorts are doing to enhance cleaning and safety protocols in this age of coronavirus and to recommend things you can do to enhance your own health and safety at hotels. Is it safe to stay at a hotel today? Will you have to have a temperature check at check in? How dangerous is the hotel swimming pool? Laurie, a former editor of the Consumer Reports Travel Letter, answers these questions and more on this lively and informative show.
Gene Sloan ThePointsGuy.com’s Gene Sloan joins Paul and Elizabeth to discuss the recent scuttling of plans by several cruise lines hoping to restart cruising with small ships and rigorous health protocols. The ships of several lines, including Hurtigruten and UnCruise Adventures, have been hit with instances of COVID-19. Cruising fans were looking to these forays with hope and perhaps as models for how cruising might come back. Now, the industry must re-think how and when to restart sailing.
Everything-everywhere‘s Gary Arndt joins Paul and Elizabeth to report on some of history’s most fascinating lesser-known episodes. Like Alantropa, a misguided effort to drain water from the Mediterranean Sea. And the Prime Minister Who Disappeared: Did he drown, or was he spirited away? And The Army That Never Was. You can hear more about these and other quirky historical happenings by listening to Gary’s daily podcast, Everything Everywhere Daily.
LuxeAdventureTraveler‘s Jennifer Dombrowski joins Paul and Elizabeth and takes us to the Creuse, a gorgeous, pastoral area in the middle of France. She went on a bison safari, took a 6-kilometer hike with a husky, and went rail biking! She also reports on the latest developments in France’s fight against COVID-19. With cases in some parts on the rise, the government has mandated masks in all indoor public places.
RV sales and rentals are up. GoNomad‘s Max Hartshorne joins Paul and Elizabeth to reveal the latest trends in RV travel, including RV styles, the latest gadgets to enhance your RV, and some of the most scenic places to camp in your RV.
RV sales and rentals are up. GoNomad’s Max Hartshorne joins Paul and Elizabeth to reveal the latest trends in RV travel, including RV styles, the latest gadgets to enhance your RV, and some of the most scenic places to camp in your RV.
Carnival Cruise Line‘s Vance Gulliksen joins Paul and Elizabeth to reveal a behind-the-scenes look at the enormous achievement of repatriating all 26,000 crew members from 119 countries after ocean cruising halted because of the coronavirus pandemic. Also, where do you park a cruise ship when it’s not being used, and how do you maintain it? Plus, a preview of Carnival’s new Mardi Gras, scheduled to set sail in 2021.
Berlin’s Kirsten Schmidt joins Paul and Elizabeth to reveal the outdoor pleasures of the city’s green spaces. The city has 2,500 parks, where people can stroll and easily practice social distancing. You can even visit a beach bar along the river. Plus, a preview of the Berlin Brandenburg Airport (also called Willy Brandt), scheduled to open in October.
Terry Gardner Travel journalist Terry Gardner joins Paul and Elizabeth to discuss virtual education opportunities we can all take advantage of while staying safe at home. You can attend the Mushroom Academy and learn about the health-giving benefits of those fungi. Mushroom coffee anyone? Plus, a free virtual kids’ camp from the Aquarium of the Pacific and see what the brown bears are doing in Katmai, Alaska, via explore.org’s webcam.
Heritage Barbecue‘s Daniel Castillo joins Paul and Elizabeth to salute the art and craft of great barbecue. Daniel is chef and pitmaster at Heritage Barbecue in San Juan Capistrano, California, bringing true Texas-style barbecue to Southern California. He represents a new generation of pitmasters who are enhancing traditional barbecue techniques with modern touches, such as seasonal vegetables from local farms. Two 1,000-gallon offset cookers dominate the outdoor restaurant, where thin, blue, aromatic smoke promises great barbecue.
TheTravelCamel‘s Shane Dallas joins Paul and Elizabeth to discuss great road trips, the most popular form of travel in the age of coronavirus. Shane gives tips on how to safely take road trips and shares stories about some of the world’s greatest drives. He takes us on the Pamir Highway between Tajikistan and Kyrgyztan through the spectacular Wakhan Valley, and along Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. Mental fuel for when we can all take these road trips again in person.
The Pursuit of History’s Lee Wright joins Paul and Elizabeth to unveil a virtual road trip to 12 of the United States’ most fascinating historical sites. The live-stream event will take place on August 1, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m, Eastern Daylight Time. But don’t worry if you need to take a lunch break. All 12 of the hour-long episodes will be archived, so log on to AmericasSummerRoadtrip.org to get a virtual tour of each site, along with expert commentary. The program visits places across the country from New Jersey to California and includes lesser-known sites, such as the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, as well as famous favorites like the Wright Brothers National Memorial in North Carolina.
LuxeAdventureTraveler’s Jennifer Dombrowski joins Paul and Elizabeth to report on France’s return to something that looks a lot more like normal than many parts of the world, due in part to France’s serious lockdown earlier in the year. She takes us to the 13th-century fortified town of Libourne, where the farmers market has been holding forth three times a week for 600 years. Strawberry season has recently ended. Fresh apricots, anyone?
ThePointsGuy’s Gene Sloan joins Paul and Elizabeth to discuss the current and future state of the cruise industry. When will the large, ocean-going vessels sail again? What health and safety protocols will be in place? In the meantime, some small, regional cruising is starting in Europe – and is hoping to start in the United States - how are those efforts going? Gene helps us sort through the myriad factors involved in the rebooting of this important travel industry segment.
Noble House Hotels & Resort’s Scott Colee joins Paul and Elizabeth to reveal the health and safety protocols the company is instituting as its hotels reopen after COVID-19 lockdowns. Learn about this eclectic collection of boutique properties around the United States and what makes them special. Is it true that the Beatles once fished from one of these hotels?
Travel journalist and photographer Lee Foster joins Paul and Elizabeth to reveal why California is such a special travel destination. Its culture, its history, and its incredible natural beauty have inspired generations of dreamers. Lee shares information about the state’s fascinating history and introduces us to some quirky, and resilient, characters.
GoNomad’s Max Hartshorne joins Paul and Elizabeth to share some of the website’s insightful articles. He takes us to Africa’s Victoria Falls, twice as big as Niagara; did you know that you and your sweetheart can stand in two countries – one of you in Zambia and one in Zimbabwe – and kiss across the border? Max also reveals the excitement of India’s Sangai Festival and takes us to Newfoundland, where he shares his foraging adventure. He gathered edible plants along the seashore and ate moose with fresh berries. (It didn’t taste like chicken.)