Tahiti is a dream trip until you look at the flight map and realize how far it really is. We dig into a surprisingly practical workaround: a 35-day Holland America cruise sailing round trip from San Diego that strings together Hawaii, rare South Pacific stops, and French Polynesia favorites like Bora Bora, Raiatea, Moorea, and Papeete. If you’re a slow-travel fan who’d rather unpack once than hop airports, this itinerary flips the usual “you have to fly” assumption on its head, and the starting price might stop you in your tracks.

We also hit the biggest cruise industry headlines shaping what you’ll book next year and beyond. MSC Cruises is breaking ground on Sandy Cay, a luxury private island experience accessed from Ocean Cay, designed around multiple bays and a central hub that feels more curated than crowded. Then we explain Holland America’s move to 12 ships through a Carnival Corporation swap, why “same platform” ships matter for onboard feel, and how these brand shifts can change schedules and availability in ways travelers actually notice.

On the deal side, we walk through Royal Caribbean’s current promotion (including savings for additional guests) and share three picks that span a Mexican Riviera cruise from Los Angeles, a port-heavy Caribbean run from Fort Lauderdale, and a more exotic South Pacific sailing out of Sydney. Finally, Mark shares a travel tip that can save a vacation: some countries restrict even common medications, so we cover how to check rules, pack prescriptions, and avoid an airport disaster.

Subscribe, share this with your cruise-planning friend, and leave a review if our deals and tips help. What destination would you rather reach by sea than by plane?

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Get Away Today sells discounted Disney and theme park vacation packages, tickets, hotels.

Support the show

Thank you for taking the time to listen to the show. There are literally thousands of podcasts from which you can choose, yet you listened to this show.

The entire purpose of this podcast is to help people plan and book their next vacation or give listeners ideas of where they might consider going on vacation next. Our goal is to help our listeners live their lives deliberately and intentionally. You only get one shot at life so you might as well make it count. Make memories with those that matter most to you.

TAKE ACTION: Quit talking about going on vacation, just do it. If you want more information about any of the destinations we discussed during the show, or have your own custom vacation in mind, I can help you. Please call, text, or email me.

Here's my contact information:

Patrick Wiscombe

Cell/Text: (801) 874-7717

Email: patrick.wiscombe@gmail.com

The Vacation Nerd (Audio Podcast): https://www.thevacationnerd.co/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVacationNerd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.wiscombe

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Kilauea looks dramatic on social media, but what matters to travelers is what happens on the ground, and right now that includes real closures inside Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. We talk through what’s being shut down, why park officials take preemptive action when the volcano is pressurized, and how to plan a Hawaii vacation with safety and flexibility in mind when conditions can change quickly.

From there, we get practical about airports. TSA is exploring faster TSA PreCheck lanes by combining tools like e-gates, advanced imaging, and AI supported luggage screening. We share why PreCheck lines sometimes feel slower than regular screening, what TSA hopes to fix, and how frequent flyers can think about Digital ID and other options that may reduce time spent in security lines at busy US airports.

We also dig into a passenger friendly policy shift: American Airlines says it is ending involuntary bumping. We discuss what that could mean in real life, why airlines still need volunteers on oversold flights, and how better compensation could turn a travel headache into a strategic choice if you have schedule flexibility.

Then we have some fun with a Halloween themed countdown: a Jack the Ripper walking tour in London, haunted New Orleans ghost stories, Edinburgh’s underground vaults, and Disneyland at Halloween. We finish with the Hot Travel Deal of the Week, Exotica’s Dracula and the Treasures of Transylvania tour in Romania, with a standout discount for travelers who want castles, folklore, and Carpathian scenery. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves spooky travel, and leave us a review. Which Halloween trip would you actually book?

Do you need new tires? Head to the experts at GrizzlyTires.com. Get name brand tires, get your brakes checked, wheel alignments, and oil changes. Grizzly Tire keeps you rolling. GrizzlyTires.com

Get $10 off your Disneyland vacation package when you use promo code VacationNerd10 at checkout on GetAwayToday.com

Get Away Today
Get Away Today sells discounted Disney and theme park vacation packages, tickets, hotels.

Support the show

Thank you for taking the time to listen to the show. There are literally thousands of podcasts from which you can choose, yet you listened to this show.

The entire purpose of this podcast is to help people plan and book their next vacation or give listeners ideas of where they might consider going on vacation next. Our goal is to help our listeners live their lives deliberately and intentionally. You only get one shot at life so you might as well make it count. Make memories with those that matter most to you.

TAKE ACTION: Quit talking about going on vacation, just do it. If you want more information about any of the destinations we discussed during the show, or have your own custom vacation in mind, I can help you. Please call, text, or email me.

Here's my contact information:

Patrick Wiscombe

Cell/Text: (801) 874-7717

Email: patrick.wiscombe@gmail.com

The Vacation Nerd (Audio Podcast): https://www.thevacationnerd.co/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVacationNerd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.wiscombe

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrick.wiscombe

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@pa...

A single policy change can completely reshape a family cruise plan and we start there with Carnival’s tighter cabin rules for minors. If you’ve ever tried to book adjoining rooms, split parents between cabins, or keep teens close but not too close, you’ll recognize how quickly cruise line age policies affect price, availability, and stress levels. We break down what changed, what stays the same for teens, and what it signals about how cruise companies think about supervision at sea.

Next, we zoom out to the bigger cruise industry arms race: private islands and onboard experiences. Norwegian’s Great Stirrup Key is finally getting a pier, which could mean fewer missed stops and easier access when weather kicks up. From there we talk entertainment and how MSC World America is positioning itself for the American traveler, including the headline-grabbing Dirty Dancing in Concert plus a lineup of new theater productions designed to make sea days feel like a main event.

Then we get into the fun part: five cruise deals worth your attention, including a prime-time Alaska cruise from Vancouver, Canada and New England at the start of fall, a port-heavy Norwegian Fjords sailing, a value-priced Caribbean itinerary on MSC Seashore, and an Iceland and UK route that packs a lot into 11 days. We also share practical travel safety guidance, including how to read a Mexico travel advisory the right way, why the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is worth using, and why travel insurance and medical evacuation coverage can protect you from worst-case costs.

If this helped you plan smarter, subscribe, share the show with a travel-loving friend, and leave a review so more travelers can find us. Where are you headed next?

This episode aired February 8, 2025.

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Get $10 off your Disneyland vacation package when you use promo code VacationNerd10 at checkout on GetAwayToday.com

Get Away Today
Get Away Today sells discounted Disney and theme park vacation packages, tickets, hotels.

Support the show

Thank you for taking the time to listen to the show. There are literally thousands of podcasts from which you can choose, yet you listened to this show.

The entire purpose of this podcast is to help people plan and book their next vacation or give listeners ideas of where they might consider going on vacation next. Our goal is to help our listeners live their lives deliberately and intentionally. You only get one shot at life so you might as well make it count. Make memories with those that matter most to you.

TAKE ACTION: Quit talking about going on vacation, just do it. If you want more information about any of the destinations we discussed during the show, or have your own custom vacation in mind, I can help you. Please call, text, or email me.

Here's my contact information:

Patrick Wiscombe

Cell/Text: (801) 874-7717

Email: patrick.wiscombe@gmail.com

The Vacation Nerd (Audio Podcast): https://www.thevacationnerd.co/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheVacationNerd

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patrick.wiscombe

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patrick.wiscombe

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@pa...