Not Every Great Journey Belongs on a Ship

Discovering the world by land with Collette

I love cruising.

There is something wonderful about unpacking once, waking up somewhere new, and letting the ship take you from one destination to the next.

But here's something I've learned as a travel advisor:

Not every destination is best experienced from the water.

Sometimes the journey you really want is one that takes you deep into a country — through its cities and countryside, into its history and culture, and to places that simply aren't accessible from a cruise ship.

That's why I'm excited to introduce Collette guided land tours as another way for my clients to see the world.

Sometimes the best way to explore is by land

Think about the Canadian Rockies.

The American national parks.

The music cities of the American South.

Italy. Scotland. Ireland. Japan.

Or perhaps a destination much closer to home that you've always said you should visit.

These are places where the journey between destinations can be every bit as interesting as the destination itself.

And that's where a thoughtfully designed land tour can make all the difference.

Instead of spending your vacation worrying about driving directions, hotels, parking, train connections, restaurant reservations and what you might be missing, you can concentrate on being there.

That's the appeal of guided travel.

Why Collette?

I've been looking for a land-tour partner that I would feel comfortable recommending to my clients — a company with experience, a strong reputation and the ability to offer different styles of travel.

For me, Collette checks those boxes.

Established in 1918, Collette has more than a century of experience creating guided travel experiences around the world.

But my interest in Collette isn't based on longevity alone.

Before I became a travel advisor, I knew several people who had travelled with Collette. When I started looking more closely at their experiences, one thing stood out:

They raved about their trips.

That matters to me.

When I'm recommending a travel experience to a client, I want more than a company that can put together an itinerary.

I want experience.

I want thoughtful planning.

I want knowledgeable people on the ground.

And I want my clients to come home saying:

“That was so much more than I could have planned on my own.”

That's what attracted me to Collette.

What also stood out to me is how much thought goes into the experience beyond simply getting you from one destination to another. Collette works with destination experts and local insiders to bring places to life, while balancing included experiences with time to explore on your own. And with 24/7 global support, there's reassurance that you're not on your own if something unexpected happens along the way.

And after meeting with the Collette team, I'm even more excited about making them my preferred partner for guided land travel.

I'll also be taking a Collette tour myself in 2027.

Because I believe in experiencing the travel I recommend.

Two ways to explore: Classic or Small Group

One of the things I particularly like about Collette is that there isn't just one style of touring.

Classic Tours — see the highlights without having to figure it all out

Collette's Classic tours are designed for travellers who want to experience the iconic sights and essential experiences of a destination while having the logistics taken care of.

Hotels, transportation, sightseeing and excursions are arranged for you, with an experienced Tour Manager accompanying the journey.

And it's not simply about checking famous landmarks off a list.

Collette builds in cultural experiences, local connections and time to explore on your own.

It's an organized journey without having to organize everything yourself.

Explorations — smaller groups, deeper experiences

If you prefer a more intimate style of travel, Collette Explorations may be even more appealing.

These journeys are designed for smaller groups of just 14–24 travellers.

A smaller group can create opportunities to experience a destination differently — with more intimate settings, local connections and experiences that aren't always practical with a larger group.

There's still expert planning and guidance, but there is more opportunity to slow down, connect and experience a place beyond the usual tourist trail.

In other words:

Classic is about experiencing the essential highlights exceptionally well.

Explorations is about going a little deeper.

And both can be wonderful ways to travel.

You don't have to travel halfway around the world

One of the things I find particularly exciting about adding land tours to my travel offerings is that you don't have to cross an ocean to have an incredible travel experience.

Collette offers journeys throughout Canada and the United States, as well as destinations around the world.

Think Canadian Rockies.

Québec.

Alaska.

Yellowstone.

Glacier National Park.

Hawaii.

The American Southwest.

New England.

The music cities of the South.

Some of these journeys may be an easy flight away — yet they can feel like an entirely different world.

And that's part of what I love about travel.

You don't always have to go farther. Sometimes you just need to see somewhere differently.

And then there's the rest of the world

Of course, if your travel dreams take you farther afield, the possibilities expand dramatically.

Europe.

Asia.

Africa.

South America.

Australia and New Zealand.

Maybe you've always wanted to see Japan but don't want to navigate it independently.

Maybe Italy has been on your list for years.

Maybe you've dreamed of Scotland and Ireland.

Maybe the Canadian Rockies are still waiting for you.

Or perhaps you've reached the point where you want to travel — but you don't want to do all the work of planning the travel.

That's exactly where a professionally designed tour can shine.

Why choose between a cruise and a land tour?

Here's another reason I'm excited about adding Collette to my travel offerings:

You don't necessarily have to choose.

A land tour can be a vacation all on its own.

But it can also become part of a larger journey.

Imagine exploring Rome before boarding a Mediterranean cruise.

Spending several days in the Canadian Rockies before continuing to Alaska.

Exploring London before embarking on a European river cruise.

Or adding a few days on land after your cruise to experience a destination from an entirely different perspective.

Your cruise doesn't have to be the entire journey. It can be part of it.

For many travellers, combining land and cruise travel can create a much richer vacation — giving you time to go deeper into a destination before or after you experience it from the water.

And that's exactly how I see Collette fitting into my business.

I'm not replacing cruising.

I'm giving you another way to explore.

Travel shouldn't feel like work

I think there's an important distinction between independent travel and travelling independently of support.

You can still have freedom on a guided tour.

You can still have time to wander.

You can still sit in a café, explore a neighbourhood or simply enjoy an afternoon at your own pace.

The difference is that someone else has taken care of much of the complicated stuff behind the scenes.

The route.

The hotels.

The transportation.

The sightseeing.

The reservations.

The timing.

The local expertise.

You get to concentrate on the part that really matters:

experiencing the destination.

Another way to earn your Life Dividend

This is also why land touring fits so naturally with the way I look at travel.

I believe travel isn't simply an expense.

It's an investment in the experiences, stories and memories we collect along the way.

That's your Life Dividend.

Sometimes that Life Dividend comes from waking up on a cruise ship in a new port.

Sometimes it comes from watching the Rockies unfold outside a train window.

Sometimes it's sharing dinner with people you've just met in a small village in Europe.

Sometimes it's standing in a place you've dreamed about visiting for years and realizing:

I'm actually here.

The destination may change.

The way you get there may change.

But the reason we travel doesn't.

Maybe your next journey shouldn't be a cruise

If you've always thought of yourself as a cruise traveller, I'm not suggesting you give up cruising.

Far from it.

I'm simply adding another option to the conversation.

Ocean cruise. River cruise. Expedition. Or land tour.

The right choice depends on the destination, the experience you're looking for and how you want to travel.

And if you've been telling yourself, “I'd love to see that place, but I don't know where to start,” that's where I can help.

I'll help you find the right destination, the right style of tour and the right experience for you — whether that journey takes you across an ocean or across a country.

Ready to explore somewhere new?

Maybe you've been thinking about the Canadian Rockies. Perhaps Italy has been on your list for years. Or maybe you'd like to combine a land tour with your next cruise.

Let's talk about what you're imagining.

I'll help you explore the possibilities, find the right destination and determine whether a Collette Classic or small-group Explorations journey is the right fit for you.

Ready to start planning?

Email me at dslupeiks@travelonly.com or call me at (289) 763-1284. I'd love to hear where you're thinking about going.

Whether your next journey takes you across an ocean or across a country, I'll help you find the right way to experience it.

Because not every great journey belongs on a ship.

Travel differently. Experience more. Live your Life Dividend.