We took a short, 4-night, coastal cruise on Holland America last week, sailing from Vancouver to San Diego, with a stop in Astoria and two marvelous sea days. We hadn't planned on cruising, but found a deeply discounted rate that cried out for us to book it. So we did.

This served as a reminder about a few value luxury cruise tips.

Look for repositioning cruises, that is, when ships move from one part of the world to another. (In this case, Holland America was moving its ship from Vancouver and Alaska sailing to southern California and coastal and Mexico sailing). These are often shorter itineraries and a chance to give cruising a try. They also represent great value, with deep discounts and value added options.

Holland America will reposition its ships for the Alaska season in April. It's not to soon to keep an eye on those prices.

Another booking tip is for those who live near a embarkation port. If you can schedule a relatively last minute getaway, you can often find deeply discounted cruise fares from your home port. Since you won't need to worry about airfare, you can eliminate one of the big financial barriers to last minute travel. While ship wi-fi may not yet be reliable enough to guarantee online access, if your job has flexibility, you may be able to scoop up a killer last minute deal.

Till next time,

Mary Jo & Tony

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Have You Read:

Fairy Forts: A Magical Look at Ireland In Irish mythology and tradition, these forts are believed to be inhabited by the fairies or the “sidhe,” a mystical and often mischievous supernatural race. The fairies are said to guard the numerous fairy forts, and disturbing or interfering with them could bring bad luck or consequences. ​ ​ Read story ​

Getaway Guide: Exploring Elba, the Island of Napoleon's Exile From hiking, swimming, and watersports, to history and museums to great food and drink, you can find a great mix of experiences whether you’re looking to explore Elba, relax, or do both. Read story

Visiting Salton: Your Guide to this Must-See California Attraction The Salton Sea is one of the most environmentally significant places in California. It was once a booming tourist destination and attraction, but turned into an environmental disaster, leaving much of the surrounding towns and settlements abandoned and desolated. Read story

Here's what else is going on:

Traveling: Home

No travel plans until December. That means we have time to enjoy things close to home.

Reading: Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon by Michael Lewis

Sam Bankman-Fried was the world’s youngest billionaire and crypto’s Gatsby. CEOs, celebrities, and leaders of small countries all vied for his time and cash after he catapulted, practically overnight, onto the Forbes billionaire list. Who was this rumpled guy in cargo shorts and limp white socks, whose eyes twitched across Zoom meetings as he played video games on the side?

If it seems like this book has been plucked from the newspaper headlines, you'd be right; Bankman-Fried is currently on trial for numerous criminal charges related to his crypto exchange, FTX. The case is headed to the jury, likely later today, and I'm hoping to finish the book before the jury returns a verdict.

By the way, did you know the my annual reading challenge is now in its 6th year? Find more information about the challenge and what I'm reading here.

I have completed all the prompts now, so that list if fully complete with what I read for each reading prompt, along with the dozens of others I've read so far this year.

Watching: Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV)

Read the book and loved it, so I was eager to have this limited series drop. And I haven't been disappointed.

Basic plot: In the 1950s, Elizabeth Zott's dream of being a scientist is challenged by a society that says women belong in the domestic sphere; she accepts a job on a TV cooking show and sets out to teach a nation of housewives way more than recipes.

Great role for actress Brie Larson and I expect she'll get an Emmy nomination.

Listening: NPR Planet Money

Although I enjoy this podcast in general, this recommendation is for a specific episode - The Flight Attendants of CHAOS. And yes, that's my voice you hear in the interview.

It's a look back at what I was doing 30 years ago, the evolution of self-help (strikes) within the airline industry, and how a couple dozen flight attendants tipped the balance of power in negotiations.

You can find the episode here, or queue it up on your favorite podcast app.

Till next time --

Mary Jo

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