Join us as we help you navigate the challenges and rewards of a transatlantic passage. Whether it is your  first-time or an experienced cruiser looking for refined strategies, this podcast breaks down every phase of the crossing—from how to choose a transatlantic to the strategic choice of stopping in Bermuda.

Bermuda isn't just a tropical gem steeped in History —it's a crucial launch point, rest stop, and weather checkpoint for many West-to-East or East-to-West crossings. We'll explore why savvy sailors use Bermuda as a waypoint, and how it can enhance both safety and comfort on your voyage. 

Welcome to our Smooth Sailing tips podcast.   We chat about the pros and cons of cruising.  Picking the right cabin. Using a cruise agent  and how to avoid getting  seasick, and a lot more

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In this episode, Ken and Gisele discuss their Antarctica Adventure.

https://www.vikingcruises.com/expeditions/cruise-destinations/antarctica/antarctica-and-south-georgia-island/index.html

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele discuss their Antarctica Adventure.

https://www.vikingcruises.com/expeditions/cruise-destinations/antarctica/antarctica-and-south-georgia-island/index.html

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele discuss their yellowstone winter adventure.

https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/content/uploads/2023/09/Couples-Winter-Adventure_23-t

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele celebrate Ken's 75th birthday and reflect on 75 years of travel.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience visting Iceland. Puffins, Volcanic Landscape and Natural Beauty all contribute to the unique and captivating appeal of the Westman Islands 

https://icelandwithaview.com/

https://hotelvestmannaeyjar.is/

https://herjolfur.is/

https://visitwestmanislands.com/about-westman-islands/

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience visting Prague. Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, is a city of captivating history and stunning architecture. Its cobblestone streets wind through a medieval and Baroque landscape.  And of course great beer! 

https://www.tours-prague.eu/

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience visting Germany. They visited a concentration camp, castles, and drank lots of beer!

https://freewalkingtour.com/munich/munich-old-town-germany/?gclid=CjwKCAjw8ZKmBhArEiwAspcJ7plGfe34jWYI9SAwLdAlkDALtZxgKkmBrv1IedAryNsaOjWjtXskGRoCNqAQAvD_BwE

https://www.hohenschwangau.de/en/tours-tickets/official-tickets

https://www.kz-gedenkstaette-dachau.de/en/

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience traveling in Namibia, Africa! They flew from Cape Town to Windhoek and took a number of great tours through the desert. 

https://www.etoshanationalpark.org/

https://www.info-namibia.com/activities-and-places-of-interest/damaraland/twyfelfontein

https://www.gadventures.com/trips/wonders-of-namibia/9429/

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience traveling in South Africa seeing the big 5 on safari: Lions, Leopards, Elephants, African buffalo, and Rhinoceros. 

We saw Lions making baby lions! Check out the video! https://youtu.be/klgjp0T7R74

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share strategies for not killing your travel partner.

https://www.smartertravel.com/18-ways-keep-peace-travel-companion/

https://www.trafalgar.com/real-word/common-travel-disagreements-how-avoid-them/

https://www.thediscoverer.com/blog/how-to-travel-with-someone-who-hates-traveling/XvHyVpKgiwAG5aw3?ST=RF_A

https://www.fairytrail.app/

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

Palm Beach Gardens Getaway: Where to Stay, Eat & Play

Join us as we explore Palm Beach Gardens and the surrounding area for great places to stay, eat, and play!

Where We Stayed:
Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront Resort
We stayed at the newly renovated Hilton Singer Island Oceanfront Resort. The beach is beautiful, the service was excellent, and the beach was full of shells.

Dining Highlights:

Carmine's Italian Market Trattoria – Happy Hour Hotspot
Come early—this place fills up fast! Enjoy fabulous food and drinks while you people-watch from one of the busiest (and best) spots in town.
Carmine's La Trattoria

Cooper's Hawk Winery – Wine Tasting & Dinner
We did a blind tasting of eight wines (four red, four white) and confirmed—we're not sommeliers! Still, we had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed our dinner.
Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant

Berry Fresh Café – Perfect for Breakfast
Especially great with kids! The coffee is strong, the smoothies are fresh, and the breakfast portions are generous—easily sharable.
Berry Fresh Café

UTiki Beach – A Lively Last Night
Located on the causeway, UTiki is a fun outdoor restaurant and Tiki bar. The fresh martinis come with a local flair, and although it gets loud, it's a great way to wrap up your stay in Palm Beach.

Trip Highlight: Glass-Bottom Kayak Tour to Peanut Island
The highlight of the trip was taking a glass-bottom kayak tour to Peanut Island! Follow a knowledgeable Florida native guide from Blue Heron Bridge at Phil Foster Park to Peanut Island Park. Along the way, you'll have a chance to see manatees, stingrays, starfish, sea turtles, and lots of very large iguanas  —all from the comfort of your clear-bottom kayak.                  https://paddleparadisefl.com

In this episode, Ken and Gisele review their stay in Sitges, Spain. It is renowned for their film festival, carnival, and gay-friendly culture. Here are some links to our favorite bars, restaurants, and things to do:

https://www.touristsecrets.com/destinations/best-things-to-do-in-sitges-spain/

https://elgintub.com/

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/bcnks-sabatic-sitges-autograph-collection/experiences/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187502-d12416551-Reviews-La_Cantonada-Sitges_Catalonia.html

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele introduce their cruise consultant, Jan Nangle! Jan has been in the business for almost a decade and now runs her own cruise consulting business, Bellaluna Vacations. She knows all the right questions to ask to make sure you have the best possible cruise - where on the ship to select your room, which restaurants to try, which activities to book, when to book to get the lowest rate, etc. She also takes good care of her clients while they are on their cruise in case there any issues. Such peace of mind!

Tip of the day: 

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience traveling to Ibiza, Spain. There are fixed taxi rates to the airport, so uber and lyft weren't as present for port transportion after they got off the Viking Jupiter.  They enjoyed the priority pass lounge at the airport before flying to Ibiza. They went to the hippy market which had great people watching. They met Maggie Steffens, an olympic water polo player and she recommended a family-owned restuarant that was fantastic: https://en.welcometoibiza.com/restaurants/Bar-anita-ca-nanneta/

More restaurants we loved!

https://www.bambuddha.com/

https://www.restauranteesventall.com/index_en.html

https://restaurantcanrafalet.com/en/home

https://nakedground.coffee/

Viking Jupiter 

Tip of the day: Do your research on airbnb hosts to make sure it is not a shared space if you don't want to share a bathroom. Also, rounding up is the customary tip style in Spain. Ken recommends using the app Global tips: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/globetips-travel-tips/id462719356 

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience in Barcelona, Spain. They had a complementary coach tour through the city, which they like to call a drive by tour. They've been to Barcelona a lot, so this tour was good to see a lot in a short amount of time. The Viking stop in Barcelona was a little odd because they landed there and THEN departed the next day. They visited restaurants that were open and discussed some great must-see spots such as the Sagrada Familia (get tickets obvioulsy!). Think about when you go as there are cool things to consider in terms of sunlight coming in through the windows at different times of the day.

Viking Jupiter 

Tip of the day: Ken's tip is that since 70% of flights are booked for summer 2023, you ought to book flights sooner rather than later - prices are not likely to come down folks! Gisele's tip is to pay attention to your credit card perks when you travel.

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience exloring Malaga, Spain, the hometown of Picaso! They turned his apartment or flat into a small museum but there is also a larger museum in the city as well as various other installations. 2023 is the 50th anniversary of his death, so there were a lot of exciting commemorations. We also viewed some Roman ruins of forts, theatres, as well as the beautiful cathedral.

The weather is sunny and pleasant, so touring markets and enjoying some Sangria were a great way to spend the morning!

Viking Jupiter 

Tip of the day: A lot of restaraunts don't offer physical menus anymore, so factor in time to download the menu on your phone. If you have trouble downloading a menu, other patrons are typically friendly and share with you. 

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience exloring Casablanca, Morocco. They took a walking tour provided by the Viking Jupiter. They stopped by a top 5 Mosque that was built by the former King Hassan the 2nd. 20,000 people can fit inside and 60,000 on the outside. Very impressive even though they wouldn't let us go inside! We had some warm mint tea which actually helped to cool us down. 

We tried to go to Rick's Cafe which didn't actualy exist - it was made up for the movie. But some industrious entrepreneur built a Rick's Cafe for tourists. That said, it was closed during Ramadan. 

We also had some fun negotiating at a local market. 

Viking Jupiter 

Tip of the day: Sometimes its nice to put your phone down and just look around. Take it in! Also, take advantage of travel credit cards to save money on exchange rates. 

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience exloring the Republic of Cabo Verde, volcanic islands. Their last stop on the Viking Jupiter before landing in Africa was Sao Vicente, one of the ten volcanic islands. Their trip was diverted from Senegal because there was some 'unrest'. There was a lot of poverty and these islands are somewhat new to tourists visiting so there was some panhandling, but it was beautiful and well worth a short visit. 

They are recording on the third of four days at sea traversing the Atlantic en route to Africa. land in Casa Blanca Morocco on their final day where they will visit markets and do some site seeing. After that is a visit to Spain!

Viking Jupiter 

Tip of the day: We prefer carrying backpacks for essentials like airpods, ipads, books, medicines, toothpaste, underwear, etc. Also, if you are in a heavily packed area and people are coughing and sneezing, it might make sense to keep a mask in your pocket to use in these scenarios. 

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience at sea on the Viking Jupiter as they sail from Recife, Brazil to Africa. They took a 5-hour Viking walking tour in Recife, Bazil which included an island, vistas of the city, 1-2 miles of walking. It was a beautful city with some Dutch and Portuguese influences, so was very interesting (lots of historical brothels!). 

They are recording on the second of four days at sea traversing the Atlantic en route to Africa. They crossed the equator and made a big deal about pollywags (those that have not yet crossed the equator). 

Viking Jupiter 

Tip of the day: Rainjackets and water pants are a must. CNN recently released a ranking of products that we recommend reviewing if you are in the market. Also, always bring some over the counter drugs for allergies, stomach aches, cough syrup, etc.

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience of tourig Rio de Janeiro Brazil from their Viking Jupiter cruise ship. The tour was both walking and by coach exploring the historical areas of downtown, Copacabana, the beach, and more! After the Viking tour, we planned a trip to Sugar Loaf mountain. We did a lot of research and found that the site for the attraction itself offered a must-get fast pass and a great senior rate. 

They experienced some uncomfortable panhandling, but there were tourist police that made sure everyone was safe - thanks to the policia!

Viking Jupiter 

Tip of the day: use the world clock app on the iPhone! Make sure you text and call friends and families during hours that thye are awake. ;)  Also, always check the official attraction ticket sales websites to compare third party prices. 

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience of boarding the Viking Jupiter cruise ship in Buenos Aires on their way to Rio de Janeiro. They talk about the Viking tour of Buenos Aires, drink package tips, a stop in Montevideo Uruguay, realizing that they are not good artists, and more!

Viking Jupiter Notes: Beautiful Viking Cruise ship, no internal rooms, all ocean view or balcony. 930 guests. Manfredi's Italian Restaurant is supposed to be amazing (reservations difficult to get, but we'll get them bfore this cross Atlantic cruise is over!). Chef's Table was great.

Stay tuned at the end for a new travel tips segment! Today's tip covers our recommendation for T-Mobile's Senior Plan, Tours by Locals, and Shore Excursioneer. 

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

Join us as we share highlights from our unforgettable winter trip to London! From navigating the iconic Tube to staying at one of the city's best hotels, this episode is packed with tips and stories:

• 🚇 Travel Tips: Taking the Tube to Covent Garden and why it's the best way to explore the city.
• 🏨 Where We Stayed: Our stay at the NoMad Hotel London—outstanding staff, incredible breakfasts, and the perfect location for seeing a show or walking to Tower Bridge.
• 🎨 Art & Culture: Visiting the Tate Modern—two massive complexes filled with inspiring art, both permanent and temporary, and best of all, it's free!
• 🎭 Theatre Night: We couldn't visit London without seeing a show! We caught SIX—a fun, high-energy retelling of King Henry VIII's six wives. Divorced, beheaded, survived… you know the rest!

Whether you're planning a trip or just love hearing about London, tune in for personal stories, tips, and inspiration.

In this episode, Ken and Gisele share their experience of visiting Iguazu Falls in Brazil. They used toursbylocals.com and highly recommend Rodrigo, their guide as he was fluent in English and showed them a great time. They also took a helicopter ride over Iguazu Falls! 

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.
 

Agelesstraveladventures.com 

Instagram

Champagne at Sunset at Iguazu Falls!

Helicopter Ride Above Isguazu Falls!

In this episode, they share how to do air travel from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Iguazu Falls in Brazil (or as Gisele calls it, Wazoo Falls haha). Tune in for the next episode when we will share our live experience while at Iguazu Falls!

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Agelesstraveladventures.com

Instagram

In the second episode of their podcast, they discuss their trip to Argentina where they will board a cross Atlantic cruise to Spain!

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Agelesstraveladventures.com

Instagram

Ken and Gisele Fowle retired several years ago to pursue their lifelong love of travel. Their sojourns have taken them through hundreds of countries and have ranged from sublime cruises in the warm waters of the Caribbean to rugged treks up Mt. Everest and across the Galapagos.

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

In this first episode of their new podcast, they introduce themselves and talk about why they love to travel!

Agelesstraveladventures.com

Instagram

Looking for the Northern Lights in Alta Norway.  

Alta Norway is the perfect spot to see the Northern Lights and experience the winter land of a Norway.  Here are some  of the places we visitied. 

Adventures~
Hunting the Northern lights with Glød Explores.  Small group tour with experts that know where to find the best viewing places.  Nice bonus they take professional cameras and help,you get amazing pictures. https://www.glodexplorer.no/aktivitet/hunting-northern-lights/

Taste of Dog Sleding. Get to know your dogs before you harness them to the sleds  They take you a adventure thru the forest and along the river   It is great fun   Tip~ Go at night!  https://trastiogtrine.no/en/dogsledding/#a-taste-of-dog-sledding

Sleigh Ride thru Artic Countryside  ~ Sleighs pulled by Norwegian Fjord Horses.  Ride thru the forest and along the River. Stop by the hut with a warm fire and enjoy a delicious snack of cloudberry tea and Mom' s homemade cinnamon buns.  This family owned business loves what they do and it shows.                                    https://flatmoennatur.no/tours/sleigh-ride-in-the-arctic-country

In Search of the Northern Lights.  We were  on the  Viking Vela cruise ship that experienced waves up to 30-40 feet waves and winds  over ver 100 miles.  We survived!!  How the cruise handled the damage and managed  the guests 

Join us as we chat about our recent trip to Philly.   Learn some tips on seeing the historical sites. We found some great places for Happy Hour and  the famous Philly Cheesesteak.  

Here are  the links to the places we talked about 

Her Place Restaurant - https://www.herplacephilly.com

PJ Clarks- https://pjclarkes.com/location/philadelphia/

Curio Hotel - https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/phlqqqq-the-logan-philadelphia/

Liberty Bell- https://www.nps.gov/inde/learn/historyculture/stories-libertybell.htm

Independence Square- https://www.nps.gov/inde/planyourvisit/independencesquarebuildings.htm

Wolly Mammoth Bar - https://woollymammothphilly.com/index.html

Reading Ternimal Market - https://readingterminalmarket.org

Regent cruise from Bali to Bangkok! A 14-day journey spanning five countries. Join us as we chat about our experience with the diverse cultures and landscapes of Southeast Asia.

In this episode, Ken and Gisele discuss their Regent Crusie from Bali to Bangkok.  

https://www.rssc.com

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

Janine Nangle

Bellaluna Vacations

Bellaluna Vacations Website

bellalunavacations@gmail.com

407-906-7193

In this episode, Ken and Gisele discuss their Bali Adventure.

https://www.skyluxtravel.com

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!

In this episode, Ken and Gisele discuss their Curacao Adventure.

https://www.corendonhotels.com/the-rif-curacao/

Join Ken and Gisele as they share their varied experiences and the tips and tricks that will help you create adventures tailored to your own passions and lifestyle.

Also, if you need a great travel agent, we recommend Janine!