When my friend first asked me to accompany her on her bucket list trip to Antarctica, my initial reaction was thanks but no thanks. I just didn’t see the appeal of it. Her husband had no interest in this sort of trip either. She kept asking me, though, and eventually, I came around to the idea. Still not necessarily enthusiastic, but I was up for the adventure. Plus this would be my 7th continent, which felt like a milestone worth achieving. I reached out to Ashton and his team, as recommended by the WOW List, and the planning commenced. Ashton was immensely helpful in identifying the best potential itinerary, ship “culture,” timing, and all the other variables that we needed to take into consideration before making our final selections.

We went into the planning process thinking we’d like to fly across the Drake, but after many discussions with Ashton, we abandoned that idea. We were going to handle the Drake, whatever it had in store for us. We ultimately chose the Quark Ultramarine for our journey, and I can safely say it was the absolutely perfect choice for us. The cabins were spacious, the food, service, and quality of the expedition team on the ship were excellent.

What set this trip apart for me was the sea kayak program and the opportunity for helicopter flight seeing and possibly even a heli-landing. The ability to kayak among the whales, icebergs, brash ice, seals and penguins was simply awe inspiring. There were 16 of us in this program, and twice a day (weather and schedules permitting), we hit the water in all sorts of weather and water conditions, far from zodiacs, with the primary sounds coming from the whales, penguins, ice calving, the noise of our paddles pushing our way through the ice. Simply magical.

We loved our heli flight seeing. What a treat to be able to view the glaciers from above. The heli landing was fully sold out at the time of our ship booking, but when a second sunny day appeared, the Quark team was able to get us in the air one more time, this time depositing us on a snowy plateau high above the water. We had an hour to savor the experience, play in the snow, and remind ourselves how lucky we were. As an added bonus, we were invited to visit the Ukrainian research station Vernadsky and meet a few of its resident scientists, some of whom joined our captain for dinner on the ship after the tours were over.

Ashton and Ashley had both been on this ship in prior years, so were able to offer first hand answers to our questions. Anything they couldn’t answer, they got answers from Quark in a timely manner. Ashton’s team also were so helpful in ensuring we filled out all the forms correctly and promptly (ish), had our trip cancellation and medical information sorted out, and that all our info was accessible in their travel portal app Vamoos for easy reference.

Everyone will tell you that when you travel to Antarctica, you need expect the unexpected. For things to go wrong. When the unexpected did happen, Quark did a great job handling the situation. I can safely say that saying YES to this trip was the best decision I’ve made in a long time. Choosing Ashton’s company to make it happen and choosing Quark Ultramarine as our chosen vessel ensured my friend and I had the trip of a lifetime.

I’ve since used Ashton to plan 3 more trips, so that’s the highest compliment I can pay him and his team.

An Emperor Penguin surveys the Antarctic circle. Photo: Traveler Patty Armacost

Antarctic Trip January 18 – 29, 2026
Our group of four just returned from an Antarctic expedition, planned by Ashton and his team. Ashton met with us via Zoom and listened to our thoughts and preferences. His deep knowledge of the Antarctic and the various cruise line options was invaluable. He presented three options, and with his guidance we chose the National Geographic-Lindblad ship Endurance for our expedition.

The trip exceeded all of our expectations! The ship was purpose built for arctic explorations and was very comfortable, with an outstanding crew. The Captain took us further south to avoid most of the other cruise ships visiting the area. Nat Geo prioritizes getting passengers off the ship whenever it is safe, and we had a week filled with zodiac cruising, kayaking, hiking and, of course, a polar plunge! We saw four types of penguins, seals, orcas, humpback whales and many sea birds. The naturalists were all exceptional and shared so much of their passion and knowledge.

We couldn’t be happier with the experience and recommend Ashton and his team for any expedition trip!

My wife and I are not cruise people, but how else do you go to Antarctica? We chose National Geographic-Lindblad as we had traveled to the Galapagos with them years ago. The Resolution is an extremely well-designed state-of-the-art ship. It is manned by an exceptional crew and staff and the Expedition team is educated, friendly and a joy to travel with. The service aboard the ship is also excellent. With no set itinerary, the captain tracked the weather and got us to places where we could have land and or zodiac expeditions daily. For anyone with serious interest in exploring a wondrous place on this planet, National Geographic is the way to go.

Traveler Magda Kuhn booked her Antarctica cruise a year out and noted they were “one of the last ones.”

Our trip to Antarctica was incredible! Ashton and his staff were a great help, recommending expedition ships and getting us signed up (one year out, and we were one of the last ones to sign up). They did a great job making sure that we were completing all the forms needed for the cruise ship and reminding us of clothing requirements. We loved Scenic Cruises—their staff works so hard to make everything look effortless. We highly recommend this cruise line. We also had a great guide in Buenos Aires, her walking tours were great.

We had an outstanding trip to Antarctica in December 2025 arranged by Ashton’s team. I had been hesitant, mostly concerned about the often rough seas in the Drake Passage. They recommended the National Geographic-Lindblad ship Endurance, one of two specifically designed for polar regions.

The ship was great: well designed, comfortable, attractive inside, and the ability to weather rough seas and ice on the outside. Only 138 passengers and a very international group from Europe, Asia, Australia and the US.

Thankfully, the Drake was fairly smooth on the way to the Antarctic peninsula. We had terrific, clear weather which inspired the captain and crew to have us try to go beyond it to the 70th parallel, and we did. Apparently it is a rare occurrence and was the first time for the Endurance. Champagne was served on the bridge, a good time was had by all.

Our explorations on land, ice, zodiacs and from the ship’s deck were great. We saw whales, penguins, seals, albatross and other seabirds. The naturalists and scientific researchers on board were consistently excellent in their presentations.

We spent all of our time south of the Antarctic Circle, also unusual apparently. Our trip back across the Drake was also relatively smooth!

All in all, a terrific trip to our 7th continent.

We are just back from a 7 day Caribbean cruise on the Silver Spirit, part of the Silversea cruise line (December 15-22, 2025). This was my very first cruise, and it wouldn’t have happened without the moral support and expert guidance of Ashton and his team. Moral support isn’t normally required when planning a cruise, but as a firm anti-cruiser, this was a trip I resisted with every fiber of my being. We normally opt for more off the beaten path/adventure type travel. However, the occasion for this trip was a celebration of my father’s 90th birthday, and as is family tradition, the birthday celebrant gets to choose the trip. A cruise was the only thing he would consider. He felt a cruise would have something for everyone, from the 90-year-old patriarch down to the 25-year-old grandson.

As the designated planner in our family, it fell to me to actually choose the ship and itinerary. That’s where Ashton came in. The requirements we gave him: December, so weather had to be nice; ship couldn’t be too big (ideally <500 passengers) or too kid-centric. We’re all pretty casual, so one big requirement was that we’d never have to get really dressed up for dinner. We wanted all rooms to have balconies and be of decent size, ideally a suite with a sitting area separate from the bed. We wanted an itinerary that visited some destinations we hadn’t been to before, with more active excursions for those of us that wanted them. Ashton did a great job of presenting several options, both in the Caribbean and further afield, and we settled on Silversea’s Barbados to Barbados week for our maiden voyage.

I tried to resist the charms of the ship, with its great food, service, and excellent excursions in some great destinations. But I must confess that by the end, I grew accustomed to the butler service, the room service on the balcony for breakfast some days, the amazing buffet breakfast and lunch on more leisurely days, and the variety of dinner options that our party of 7 all managed to agree upon almost every night. We loved our excursions in Dominica (canyoneering, simply a blast), Bequia (snorkeling), Granada (hike to a waterfall), and Martinique (kayaking among the mangroves). We loved the scuba diving and beaches in St Barths, and the pitons in St Lucia. I even enjoyed the evening entertainment.

Ashton and his team did a great job wrangling my family pre-trip, ensuring everyone had completed all their documentation, had trip insurance, had input their flight info, all things that I was grateful not to have to do.

Silversea has a great reputation among cruisers, or so I learned after speaking with many fellow passengers who have sampled other options and have now designated Silversea their go-to option. Would I do another cruise? I’d have to say yes. As a matter of fact, Ashton has already planned my upcoming Antarctica cruise.

Through Ashton we planned our second polar expedition with him, 8/24 -9/11/2025, this time to the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic. The fact that we utilized Ashton’s group twice to plan a trip and side excursions is a testament to the careful consideration and professionalism that this group brings. Ashton suggested Quark as a cruise line and we couldn’t be happier with this suggestion. It was a well-appointed ship and was specifically designed for polar expedition touring. As well, the ship housed 2 helicopters, which gave us unparalleled access to stunning views and wildlife that would have otherwise been impossible. In addition, the Quark staff and guides were outstanding, offering detailed information and presentations on the environment and Inuit culture we were experiencing. Their service and knowledge were outstanding.

From Ashton’s team, planner Ashley was thorough and caring as she planned our excursions before and after the expedition. We decided to spend two extra days before we met our group in Iceland, touring and seeing that fascinating country for the first time. Ashley set everything up for us including airport pickup and an experienced daily driver/guide to show us around. Our take away is that we must return and spend more time as we truly loved Iceland.

After the cruise, with Ashley’s guidance, we planned a two-day excursion to Banff Alberta as we had never been before, and the expedition’s trip was ending in Calgary. Again, her suggestions were thorough and detailed within that area as well. However, we were never able to realize those plans, as departure from the ship in Resolute Bay was delayed 5 days as inclement weather kept us on board for the duration as all immediate plans and flights were cancelled. Through this inconvenience Quark and the staff were very accommodating and kept the food and presentations and communication flowing.

A provider can really be judged when things don’t go according to plan and their ways of coping with the hardship becomes apparent. Accordingly, Quark gets our high praise, as their ability to successfully deal with the unfortunate issue in a graceful way, at great expense to them, was professionally managed. Without a doubt I would recommend Quark and Ashton’s company to anyone who wants first class service to the polar region and beyond.

Traveler Ron Klausner and his wife found wildlife and uncrowded waters in the Canadian Arctic.

My wife and I, together with friends ours, took a Quark Expedition cruise from August 25-September 11 to the Canadian High Arctic Northwest Passage. We decided to go there since we had already travelled to Antarctica in 2020. We were originally scheduled to go to Svalbard in 2023 but my wife broke her elbow and we had to cancel the trip. When we went to rebook the trip this year our travel planner, Ashton, suggested we go to the Canadian High Arctic instead of Svalbard because it would be less crowded, we would see more wildlife and we would have the opportunity to interact with local indigenous people.

The trip exceeded our expectations. Yes, we saw very few other ships, plenty of wildlife (polar bears, a walrus, narwhals, an arctic fox, muskox, seals, bowhead whales, and birds) and interacted with locals, but what made the trip was Quark. I have never in my life experienced such great service. The staff predicted our needs and wants before we even made them known. Most staff members knew our names by day three. I never heard a “no” from anyone no matter the request. The head of the ship’s hotel operations (second in command) served soup to all the passengers every night. When polar bears or other wildlife were spotted, the captain rerouted the ship for better viewing and the crew adjusted the ship’s schedule on the spot. Bottom line, I wish Quark went to destinations other than just the polar regions. I would not hesitate to use them again and in general we do not like cruises.

Finally, due to weather conditions, our flight from Resolute, Canada to Calgary was delayed for four days. Even though we were stuck on board for four extra days the staff continued to provide lectures and evening events. Food and drink also continued to flow, hotel services continued as usual. We were continuously advised of the status of our return flight with full transparency. I must say it was not so bad being stuck on a luxury trip for four extra days “on the house.”

Our family of four (two adult children) just returned from an incredible two-week trip in Ecuador (August-Sept 2025) that exceeded our expectations, in part, thanks to Ashton and his team who paid close attention to our expressed desires. Unlike most of our trips where we are constantly on the go taking in as many sites as possible, we chose to spend more time in fewer locations immersed in nature with time together to celebrate multiple family milestones.

The trip was built around our limited 2-week time period and included a requested National Geographic-Lindblad trip to the Galapagos. For anyone able to travel to the Galapagos, we strongly recommend Geographic Islander II that offers attentive service, comfort, and knowledgeable naturalists that add to the joy of discovery. This is not a “rest and relax” type of cruise, as each day is filled with activities and opportunities to enjoy nature in its most natural and protected state—each day you will marvel at how amazing your day was. Word of advice: a number of our fellow passengers were surprised by the physical demands of the trip. And, we were caught by a storm so had a couple of rough nights at sea and the ocean was a brisk 66 degrees so if going at this time of year, be prepared.

Prior to our Galapagos travels we spent three nights at Hacienda la Danesa, one of Ashton’s recommendations. What a happy surprise to find exceptional food and accommodations in the middle of an agricultural region. La Danesa is the perfect place to unwind and slow down one’s pace, although there are plenty of activities to fill your days as you wish. Horseback riding, making your own chocolate bars, and tubing down the river were family favorites as was an excursion to Hacienda la Victoria where we rode horses among water buffalo, milked a water buffalo (not easy!), and were treated to delicious dairy products produced by the farm. We felt three nights is the perfect amount of time to enjoy everything La Danesa has to offer and two nights would be alright as well.

We spent only one night in Quito due to our time restraints. With Ashton’s encouragement we spent the night in a lovely historic boutique hotel, Casa Gangotena, that has the added bonus of being located right on the San Francisco Plaza (heart of the historic district) which made it possible for us to see a couple of the local churches. If you like chocolate, we highly recommend you book a chocolate tasting at Pacari Chocolate.

Our last stop was in the cloud forest at another of Ashton’s recommendations: Mashpi Lodge. We can assure you that Mashpi is well worth the 3 1/2 hour drive to reach this intentionally tucked away destination. We were fortunate to meet the owner during our stay and assured him that he had met all of his stated goals in creating this exceptional and uniquely situated hotel. Not only is the hotel to be commended for its high level of service, comfort, and quality, but also for its architectural sensibilities, its commitment to scientific research, and its support of local communities. We strongly encourage you to take the night walks! Floating among the clouds atop a forest canopy listening to the sounds of the rain/cloud forest around you is magical. We stayed three nights and while part of us felt we could stay forever, we also felt that three nights was the perfect length of time as we were able to do everything and a bit more than we hoped to do. Word of advice: although the hotel is extremely accommodating(!), we feel that those with physical limitations might miss out on some of the opportunities that make this destination such a unique experience. Mashpi is adding new activities and we hope our children might be able to return one day.

In short, we would happily use Ashton again for future travels and Ecuador should be on everyone’s bucket list!

National Geographic-Lindblad cruise to Greenland, expedited by Ashton and his staff, with a post-cruise visit to Paris, expedited by Jennifer, Aug. 17 to Sept. 1, 2025.

We had worked with Ashton on previous cruises so we were confident that we would be in good hands. To start, he had suggestions on which cabin we should choose (keeping within our expenditure guidelines) and subsequently the team took care of all the communication with Lindblad about air transportation, especially since we were going off on our own at the end. They were also very good about connecting us with Jennnifer to set up our few days in Paris.

Everything worked out well and we have only good things to say about both travel companies. Also, expedition cruising with National Geographic-Lindblad is wonderful (we have been with them 6 times). Their emphasis is expedition travel, but the ships are very luxurious, the food wonderful, and the staff exemplary. We very much enjoyed visiting Greenland, a destination that is not frequented. Our extension in Paris centered on seeing the refurbished Notre-Dame and having a private tour was wonderful; and, secondly, a visit to Giverny, also with private driver and guide. Both experiences—highly recommended. While we could have done all of this on our own, having Ashton’s and Jennifer’s staffs doing the planning gave us a much more in-depth and worry-free experience.

We had never been on a cruise and wanted to do something different. Ashton recommended this two-week expedition to Greenland, and it was fantastic. It was exactly what we were looking for—friendly experienced guides, varied sights, good food and service, comfortable large rooms. We had a wonderful time seeing icebergs, fjords, the helicopter flight on a crystal-clear day, kayaking around tiny islands, exploring villages.

My wife and I were referred to Ashton by a friend who used his expertise to travel to Alaska a few years ago. We couldn’t be happier with his knowledge and professionalism. After an initial interview, he steered us to a smaller Alaskan cruise ship. The cruise incorporated experiences we requested from talking with him. Since this was our first cruise, he readily answered questions we had throughout the planning process. Our cruise through the southeast Alaskan inside passage was from July 26 – August 2. Happy traveler.

We just returned from a seven-night Inside Passage Alaskan Cruise with National Geographic-Lindblad. Ashton and his team were very helpful taking care of reserving the cruise and guiding us on cabin selection. Once we identified that we preferred the 200 level in terms of pricing and the fact they came with a balcony, he chose a cabin that was very conveniently located. One piece of advice would be to discuss the timing of the trip based on what your preferences are in wildlife viewing. For optimal bear viewing and to see the salmon running in streams, would recommend going later in the summer.

The naturalist guides on board were fantastic. They were engaged, smart, witty, accommodating and went out of their way to make sure everyone had opportunities to hike and do other activities—such as kayaking or polar adjacent plunging—based on individual preferences. Their lectures in the evening were very informative. The ship is the newest in the fleet and the cabins were quite comfortable. The common spaces were very nice, and the viewing platforms were great.

One of the best parts of the trip were the people! We met people from all over the country and made great friends!

We decided to split our Alaska trip into two phases—a cruise and a separate land excursion. Ashton helped us with the cruise portion. We had two criteria—a small ship and an interesting itinerary. Ashton booked us on the Safari Quest, a 22-passenger ship for an eight-day cruise from Juneau. As we sailed from the Juneau harbor, we passed five large cruise ships and knew we made the right choice. On our six full days of cruising we saw multiple groups of humpback whales and orcas, and lots of eagles, seals, sea lions and bears. Each day we had two off-ship activities that included kayaking, hiking, and zodiac cruises.

The highlight was our last day when anchored near the Dawes Glacier. We took the zodiacs to about 1/4 mile off the face of the glacier and watched the glacier calve. We cruised around several icebergs and saw the deep blue ice up close. The ship was small but not cramped. The crew of ten was incredibly friendly and helpful. Finally, the food was great. Fresh fish and shellfish every night.

On their trip above the Arctic Circle, travelers Lisa and Jeff Wellen were able to kayak, hike, and see polar bears.

Ashton helped plan an outstanding trip on National Geographic-Lindblad Resolution ship to Svalbard/Arctic Circle. This is the second time we have used Ashton and his team to plan a trip, and they did another outstanding job.

We knew we wanted to go to the Arctic Circle, but we were struggling with which location to visit. With Ashton’s 25 or more years of experience, we quickly realized the best place to go for us was Svalbard and the best time of year was early June. The decision ended up being perfect.

The Resolution is such an outstanding ship that allows us to go places other ships just cannot get to during this time of year. We were blessed with outstanding weather during our week around the islands which enabled us to kayak, go on numerous hikes and zodiac rides, and of course do the famous polar plunge which was absolutely invigorating.

We saw nine polar bears, including one that walked within fifty yards of our ship. Another two bears were sharing a recent kill of a seal. In addition, we saw arctic foxes, walruses, whales, reindeer, and numerous species of birds. The ship is a class 5 ice breaker, so we were able to make it easily through the ice while circumnavigating Svalbard.

The captain also showed the capabilities of the ship by heading to 82.07 degrees north, which was one of the highlights of the trip which was close to the Lindblad record.

We are now five for five using Wendy’s WOW List of advisors. If you are looking for advice on an Antarctica or Arctic trip, there is no one better to engage with than Ashton and his team.

We had a marvelous trip to Ecuador working with Ashton and his team. After a marvelous two days exploring old Quito with a wonderful guide and staying in a wonderful boutique hotel (Casa Gangotena, right on the main square), we made the trek to Mashpi Lodge in the cloud forest. We spent four days here and had a number of amazing experiences (waterfalls, hummingbird experience, sky bikes, canopy gondola, etc.) Not something we would have found on our own but certainly a highlight!

The final leg of our journey was to the Galapagos, with eight days spent on the Ecoventura boat “Theory.” The 3 boats in their collection are all new, well designed, have excellent crew and naturalists with a maximum of 20 guests. Food was incredible as was the variety of activities and, of course, the Galapagos was full of amazing nature. We especially enjoyed snorkeling with the sea lions. The ships are members of the Relais & Chateaux Association, and it clearly shows throughout the ship and the voyage. One of our guests suffered a fall and needed emergency medical attention, and the speed and actions of the captain and crew to get her to a safe port and in excellent medical care was unparalleled (she has now recovered). All in all, a wonderful journey!

After several years of consideration, we contacted Ashton. He is very friendly and eager to answer any and all questions. After several days he had a list of several ships. We discussed the pros and cons of each ship and itinerary. We chose Seabourn Venture. Then we worked with Gretchen to do all the planning. She answered all our questions and if she didn’t know she got back to us within a day. She was still helping after our trip was finished. The trip was wonderful. I could not have imagined all the things we saw. The penguins were the most fun. We also saw seals and whales. There were a lot of beautiful icebergs and fields of ice. The crew did a great job on our excursions.

Unfortunately, we were not able to go to South Georgia Islands because the ship’s stabilizers were not working. We were very disappointed as this was one of the reasons we chose this cruise and probably won’t be able to go again. Seabourn did not notify passengers until the day before the cruise started.

This was an issue with Seabourn and not with Expedition Trips.

Traveler Kris Naglich swinging above Quito after riding the teleferico to the peak.

We traveled to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands from 4/3/25 to 4/16/25. Our trip was planned by Ashton from Expedition Trips. After our zoom call with Ashton and deciding we wanted to go to the Galapagos, we worked mainly with Ashley and Monica planning our trip. They were super helpful with our planning and very receptive to changing day trips according to our wishes. They always got back to us in a very timely matter and answered all of our questions. We really appreciated this and we felt well informed about our destination. When I use a planner I really appreciate when they let us know what to pack, how much money to bring, tipping of guides etc… We had all of this information and more.

We started our trip in Quito, Ecuador. Our guide met us at the airport. Vanessa was an excellent guide and having her meet us at the airport gave us all the information we would need for our next day’s tour. We had a full day tour of the old town and a full day tour to Cotopaxi National Park. Both days were so different and we enjoyed every moment. We loved riding the teleferico to the top and hiking to the swing. The churches in the old town were amazing and we learned all about Ecuadorian chocolate from bean to bar. We also enjoyed our hike around the lake and seeing Cotopaxi volcano up close. The lunch we had after at Chilcabamba and the very bumpy ride when it was pouring rain was quite the adventure. Luckily we had the best driver and he tried to miss as many ruts in the road as possible.

Next we flew to the Galapagos for a cruise with National Geographic on the Islander II. The boat was lovely and the service was perfect. We really enjoyed all of our excursions to the islands and seeing the animals of the Galapagos that you can’t see anywhere else. The food was delicious and it was nice to meet other travelers on the boat. I wished our cruise was longer. If I was giving advice for the Galapagos, I would say go for a longer cruise on a smaller boat. It was so amazing that I hope I can go back and see more someday.

Last we stayed at the Mashpi Lodge in the cloud forest for three nights. The lodge was beautiful and peaceful. We felt like we really escaped from it all. We were paired with another family for our hikes and we all had such a good time. Seeing the birds, swimming in the waterfall, our private hot tub night, and watching the hummingbirds were our favorite activities but we really enjoyed everything.

Visiting Ecuador and the Galapagos was never on my bucket list but I’m so glad Ashton suggested it. We will always remember this wonderful trip. We want to plan a trip to Antartica soon and we will be contacting Ashton to help us do our planning.

Traveler Karen Davis encountered “curious and playful sea lions” while snorkeling and on the beach.

When we first spoke to Ashton, we thought we wanted him to help us plan a trip to Antarctica. Ashton personally spent quite a bit of time educating us all about the details of an Antarctic trip, and then we threw him a big curve ball. We told him that, upon reflection we had changed our mind and decided we wanted to go to the Galápagos Islands, and we wanted to go the next month! Well, Ashton took our change of destination and short time frame in stride and hit a home run with the trip he planned for us to Ecuador!

When we asked what other destinations we could add on to our Galapagos visit, Ashton suggested that we spend a few nights in the colonial Old Town of Quito and then the Mashpi Lodge located about 60 miles north. These turned out to be excellent recommendations! In Quito we stayed at the beautiful and historic Casa Gangotena Hotel where Ashton scheduled romantic rooftop cocktails and appetizers for us. The next day (which turned out to be Election Day in Ecuador) our lovely and informative tour guide took us all around the Old Town where we visited the beautiful churches and cathedrals and then to the Middle of the World Monument near the equator.

The Mashpi Lodge, located on a 3,000-acre biosphere reserve at 3,300 feet elevation in the Choco Cloud Forest, offered us an immersive, educational and enjoyable experience. We were assigned a naturalist guide who took us and two other couples on exciting adventures each day. We put on the tall rubber mud boots they provided and hiked up a river, rode sky bikes over the tops of the tree canopies, looked for creatures during night hikes, swam under waterfalls, and explored the magical world of hummingbirds, birds and butterflies at the Life Center. The Lodge has floor-to-ceiling windows in the common areas and rooms, which make you feel like you are a part of the lush and peaceful cloud forest. The food, service and spa are all top notch, and the comfort level, even in the very wet and humid environment, is first class.

Finally the grand finale of our trip—the Galapagos cruise! Ashton gave us three cruise companies to choose from and we picked National Geographic-Lindblad. We flew from Quito to the island of Baltra where we boarded the Islander II which sails with 48 guests. All of the transfers we experienced (from Quito to Mashpi and back, Quito to Baltra and Baltra to the ship) were comfortable and seamless. Ashton had put us into good hands with the National Geographic-Lindblad team! Once we boarded the ship we were welcomed like honored guests and treated throughout the entire voyage like family. Every member of the staff, from the ship captain and crew to the activity director to the 5 certified naturalist guides to the chef, waiters, bartender and cleaning staff, introduced themselves to us and took excellent care of us.

We visited several islands during our five-day journey—Bartolome, Santa Cruz, Floreana, Espanola, and San Cristobal. The Islander II would anchor at each location, and several times during the day we would board small zodiac boats to head to shore or to snorkeling locations. Each day we awoke before sunrise and were excited about the day’s activities which were accurately described by the activity director the evening before. Our guides were all Ecuadorean and a few were even born in the Galápagos Islands! They were passionate about educating us about what we were seeing and experiencing, and about the great importance of safety and conservation.

A few of the many spectacular moments that stood out were snorkeling in the clear blue water and noticing a penguin swimming right under us; hiking up the 380-step boardwalk at sunrise to the top of Bartolome Island with its moon-like surface, volcanic formations and expansive views; introducing ourselves to the curious and playful sea lions which we ran into during almost every snorkel and beach activity; watching the blue-footed, Nazca, and red-footed boobies take care of their babies; kayaking at sunrise and seeing the bright red Sally Lightfoot crabs and colorful marine iguanas on the black volcanic rocks; looking over the side of the ship at night and seeing in the small bit of light hundreds of sharks which were madly trying to catch some flying fish; and finally spending a morning with the gentle, Galapagos Giant Tortoises at the the reserve in the highlands of Santa Cruz.

We returned from our Mashpi and Galapagos trip exhausted from the rigorous daily activities but with our hearts full of awe and wonder and gratitude. We felt admiration and respect for the Ecuadorean people whose care and passion have kept these magical places preserved and open for visitors. We were grateful for our guides who spent unlimited time with us and educated us every day, in a fun and interactive fashion, about every ecosystem, bird, reptile, fish, mammal, plant, flower, tree, landscape, research and conservation program.

Kudos to Ashton for making sure that every detail of this trip was well taken care of. (He even responded to a weekend call from us to request a time change for our transfer service from Quito to Mashpi when an urgent work call came up.) This trip moved us and greatly exceeded our expectations—mainly because one could never even begin to predict the awesome, life-changing experience that is Mashpi and the Galapagos!

Visiting Antarctica has always been a dream of mine, and Ashton and Gretchen made my dream come true and more. Right from the start they were extremely responsive, giving us multiple options even though we were booking a little late, in April. They walked us through each option and the confirmation process was so quick and simple.

Our travel dates were from the 15th of January to the 2nd of February, and we started in Buenos Aires, hopping over to Iguazu Falls, and then to Ushuaia to get on the Scenic Eclipse for our Antarctic cruise. We felt incredibly taken care of all the way through, including the times with the local travel planners and at all accommodations and transfers.

Taking a tour of Buenos Aires and a couple of days in Iguazu beforehand was definitely worth it. The Awasi in Iguazu was especially lovely, and our guide, Marcelo, really went above and beyond. After two nights in Iguazu and seeing the falls from both Argentina and Brazil, we transferred back to Buenos Aires and then to Ushuaia to board the Scenic Eclipse.
Although we have been on cruises before, this was by far the best cruise experience that we have had. Although the destination is a dream, and the facilities on the Eclipse speak for themselves, what really makes this experience unique is the whole team. It truly is a community, and everyone really put in so much effort to make the whole trip wonderful. There were so many unique experiences, but we especially loved the kayaking.

After a spectacular time on the cruise, we spent two enjoyable days in Buenos Aires. We had a fun, delicious cooking class with Pofi, a very personalized shopping tour with Ornella, and dined at 3 of the top 50 restaurants in Latin America. We truly couldn’t have asked for a better trip, and are incredibly grateful to the planners for creating the vacation of a lifetime.

This trip to Antarctica on end of January 2025 was the trip of my life and I had some extreme trips before. The organization was flawless, the selection of the company, Ponant, matched our needs as more of an expedition yet a very high-end cruise.

WOW, fantastic experience in Antartica. We worked with Ashton to plan our Antarctica trip. He helped us navigate when to go, what to expect on a polar expedition, what other islands should we consider, pros and cons with cruise operators, how many days we should plan for in each location and why. Highly recommend Ashton. He listened to what we wanted for this expedition and he nailed it with his recommendations. Ashton explained in detail why he suggested one operator from another.

We selected the National Geographic-Lindblad Endurance ship in January 2025, which included the Falklands and South Georgia with Antarctica. Our expectations were met above and beyond with the experience on the Endurance ship with the fantastic crew, very knowledgeable naturalists, and sparkling clean/well thought-out rooms/common rooms. We were leaning towards another tour operator and with Ashton’s expertise ended up booking with Lindblad. So glad we did.

Our Expedition Leader worked tirelessly to consistently seek out options for every day of our expedition. The naturalists’ talks were a perfect balance of knowledge, humor, fascinating facts, within a good time frame. Our time scheduled each day was soooo well thought out by the Expedition Leader Jamie and used very effectively to give us the best experience for that day. Our cabins were very comfortable. We booked a window cabin, which gave us the great opportunity to be lower in the ship to see whale blow spouts, diving penguins, and floating beautiful ice from a cushioned window seat view. My husband and I are seasoned travelers. This was our first Lindblad expedition and we would consider another for a future experience. I can’t say enough about our experience with Lindblad Expeditions on Endurance. It was fantastic. Very pleased we used Wendy Perrin’s site to find Ashton to help us select Lindblad Expeditions.

What a trip! For adventurous and sporty wildlife lovers, a cruise with Oceanwide Expeditions to Antarctica is not to be missed! A friend and I spent 12 days aboard the MV Plancius on the hunt for penguins, whales and seals and we were not disappointed.

It’s important to understand that only boats with less than 500 people are allowed to take clients ashore (100 people at a time) and the MV Plancius had only 100 passengers, meaning that it’s the perfect ship for people looking to maximize their time on the continent. Plus, Oceanwide’s base camp concept allows you to do all the activities—snowshoeing, kayaking, and camping overnight—which means you leave feeling like you’ve covered all the must-dos!

The ship’s guiding staff is spectacular and many are accomplished outdoorsmen pursuing advanced degrees in marine life and glaciology. The onboard staff are so kind and diligent and food was shockingly varied for a trip that took us so far from places to restock.

It was incredibly special to spend New Year’s Eve dancing with our fellow passengers near the Antarctic Circle. This was the perfect way to tick off our 7th continent!

Our trip to Antarctica on Ponant L’Austral is one we will never forget. The ship was perfection in every way. The luxurious European design, gourmet food and service made us feel like we were on a luxury yacht not a cruise ship. Antarctica is another planet within our own. It’s a once in a lifetime adventure and experience, not one to be missed if possible.

Traveler Jeannie Mullen hiking on Two Hummock Island in Antarctica.

After two reluctant postponements, this long-awaited cruise to Antarctica on Scenic Cruise lines finally happened. Ashton Palmer was instrumental in helping me decide which cruise and which cruise line best suited my interests. He truly is a cruise expert. Gretchen was also terrific when I needed help with decisions which arose during the lead up to the day of departure. She also worked hand in hand with a separate travel planner that I used (also a Wendy Perrin travel “fixer”) on a separate trip prior to this cruise.

I would absolutely use them again on any future cruises. And I would have no hesitation booking on Scenic again. Everything about the cruise ship, the staff, the outdoor activities (helicopter excursions… totally worth the price and then some… I went up twice), hour-long hikes, kayaking (and paddle boarding), indoor activities (enrichment lectures, end of the day recaps, evening entertainment, photo contests, movies, the polar plunge, etc.), the amenities and the restaurants, was exceptional. The sense of adventure that the entire staff woke up with and carried throughout the day was infectious.

Antarctica is having a moment (and has been for the last several years). A lot has been written about out it, including recently on this website. This is what I can say that is different… Antarctica is like no other place I have travelled to and words don’t do any description justice… its majesty and vastness is impossible to capture… photos and most particularly videos come closest.

The first morning after we’d made it through Drake’s Passage and reached the peninsula was unforgettable… I woke up early, went to the door to my balcony and stepped out to take in the majesty of the quiet inlet (we’d anchored at the Melchior Islands for the night)… standing there in my robe and slippers with my first cup of coffee the first thing that I noticed was how perfectly quiet it was and WHITE… everywhere… there was the occasional sound of ice cracking… gradually the inlet came to life… humpback whales came to the surface and blew from across the inlet, crab eater seals barked across ice flows to one another, and colonies of gentoo penguins swam right by me on the hunt for their breakfast. It was like being on another planet. It’s been a long time since a travel destination has distinguished itself like this for me.

We worked with Ashton’s team on our recent trip to Antarctica. Their advice and consultation was very valuable in making our decision to travel with National Geographic-Lindblad—and we could not have been happier! The trip exceeded our expectations in every way and is something we will be raving about for years.

Our travel consultant also helped us plan an extension to Buenos Aires and Iguazu Falls, Argentina. That was the perfect ending to the trip and everything they arranged was excellent— from the guides to the accommodations. Our consultant, Gretchen, was readily available to answer any questions quickly and thoughtfully—from important logistics items to something as simple as advice on appropriate attire for the tango show. We were also provided with in-country contacts in Argentina, and that was equally excellent. We wouldn’t change a thing! We will definitely be using them again, should the occasion arise.

Travelers Terry and Doug MacDonald slept out on the Antarctic Peninsula, Paradise Bay.

We are grateful for the advice & expertise offered by Ashton and his staff assisting my husband Doug & myself in organizing a pre-trip excursion to Uruguay along with a three-week Antarctic Expedition on Aurora Expeditions Sylvia Earle. This type of travel requires a level of expertise that first timers do not have, and I appreciate their input & knowledge of the area in advising us on a longer itinerary than we were considering. It was a wonderful experience.

Our initial trip was scheduled during Covid in 2021, which of course was canceled along with our second attempt at this bucket list trip in 2023 due to a medical injury. Ashton’s team assisted us each time with new plans, transferring our deposit and handling our insurance promptly to consider new options during each attempt. Their professionalism was exceptional as it was over a four-year planning time frame to actually experience this trip. Having dealt with numerous advisors during our three attempts at planning this expedition, each person we were in contact with was prompt in responding to our questions and concerns. Ashton has a great staff!

The wait was well worth the journey! We knew we would only be able to travel to this region of the world once due to our age & the significant expense of the expedition. Ashton helped us with the ship & itinerary selection, which included the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Islands and Antarctica to give us the broadest experience in visiting the wildlife & history of this amazing area. His recommendation of Aurora Expeditions was spot on for our travel style, and since we kept postponing our trip, we were able to ultimately travel on their newest ship Sylvia Earle, which allowed for some adventurous options in a comfortable and modern expedition ship.

The expedition team on the Sylvia Earle was phenomenal, providing multiple zodiac stops at each area we visited with informative lectures to enhance our experience. There were a number of travel planners from various international travel companies taking the early season trip with our ship that were enthusiastic about the quality of the staff & the level of activities we were exposed to, so even though it was our first & only trip to the region, we really felt we were on the best ship sailing at that time! Our expedition leader on the Sylvia Earle had lived in South Georgia Islands for a few years and was well connected with the region, so many zodiac stops included hikes to areas that were not visited by other ships. Her knowledge of this part of the world greatly influenced the success of our trip, in both the flexibility of the itinerary and the knowledge of the conditions we were sailing in. Lucky for us the weather was also beautiful each day over the 20-day sailing and very few times that the ocean crossing was unpleasant.

The additional week in Uruguay prior to our expedition departure was actually organized through Ashton with another WOW Lister we had used on a previous trip through Argentina. They helped us plan an itinerary that allowed us to see some of the highlights of this small country, starting in Montevideo and traveling to the coastal regions of Punte del Este and Jose Ignacio, with the last few days spent relaxing in a gorgeous winery in Carmelo, Narbona Wine Lodge.

We travel extensively and over the years have done most of our travel itineraries on our own with great success. However, the times we have used Wendy’s WOW Listers in the past few years have consistently been some of our best trips. We highly recommend Ashton & intend to contact him again on a future trip to the Arctic.

Ashton Palmer and his team, Gretchen and Ashley, made everything easy. The process was initiated by a 1-hour phone conversation with Ashton and Ashley and, based on their questions and my answers, they recommended an expedition that was fantastic. We were kept up to date and had all the information we needed to make this a comfortable and memorable trip. Any questions were answered very quickly and accurately. At no time were we given inaccurate information. In short, they made the experience seamless and I would not hesitate to use them for our next expedition.

This Upper Amazon trip was fantastic. Juan met us at the Lima airport and shepherded us to our hotel across the street. The hotel was okay but it made up for that by having a good breakfast buffet. Juan did a good job getting us to Iquitos, where we were met by more Nat Geo staff who put us on the motor coach with drinks and box lunches. The drive to Nauta was uneventful, local guides updated us as we went along.

The Delfin II is rather dated but it’s still elegant and charming. We loved our suite, cabin 8. Everyone onboard was friendly and gracious, Davis the head waiter carefully explained unfamiliar dishes, Isaac the bartender always greeted me by name (even when I wasn’t wearing a name tag), Jey the masseuse gave a relaxing massage, and Dev & Mario were the best cabin attendants ever.
The skiff drivers were skillful and the local guides—incredible how knowledgeable they were! They spoke fluent English and they knew the common, scientific, and local names of all the animals and plants. Their ability to spot a sloth 40 feet away was uncanny. They were passionate about the Amazon and happily shared their knowledge.

Food was awesome, every meal a treat. Each guide gave at least one lecture, all were fascinating. I especially enjoyed the shaman.

Ashton’s staff kept us up to date with all the information and updates about the trip. Keri is a pleasure to work with.

We loved our trip to the Amazon in Peru on the Delphin II arranged by Ashley and her company. The Delphin II is a lovely small ship with excellent service and outstanding food. The National Geographic guides were very knowledgeable and of course terrific at spotting the wildlife. In addition to daily skiff tours, we had walks through the rainforest and a visit to a local community. We learned so much and we saw so much!

In addition, Ashley arranged a guide and driver for us in Lima, so we could see the city, museums, historic sites, etc. for a few days before the cruise began. The arrangements were excellent and we loved our guide Miguel.

Traveler Susan Crandell explores Antarctica ashore with her family.

Booking our Antarctica cruise with Ashton was a confident experience, for two reasons. My family had booked two previous adventure cruises with Ashton, to Alaska and the Galapagos. And, because Ashton had worked in Antarctica, he was able to advise us based on personal experience.

Our three-generation party of four sailed on the National Geographic-Lindblad ship, Endurance, on November 22. We were lucky to have relatively calm crossings of the Drake Passage, and decent weather in Antarctica, including one glorious day of clear blue sky. We sea kayaked, cross-country skied, and snowshoed though the magnificent icy landscape. Endurance was pricier than the other National Geographic-Lindblad ship, Explorer, but it proved to be well worth the upcharge. Staterooms were well designed, the public areas were spacious and comfortable, the food was fantastic, and the service was stellar. Specially designed for polar voyages, the Endurance has stabilizers and an unusual bow design that limit the effects of pitch and roll in an unruly ocean.

Antarctica is like nowhere else on Earth. It cannot fail to capture any adventurer’s heart.

We worked with Ashley and Gretchen to plan a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos. We spent time in Quito and then were driven to the Mashpi Eco Lodge, for a few days of high adventure in a cloud forest. Both Quito and Mashpi were part of our pre-trip extension before we flew to the Galapagos. Quito is a beautiful city surrounded by snow covered mountains. Our accommodations there were outstanding.

Mashpi is magical. Only 70 miles from Quito, but a world apart. The cloud forest is filled with exotic species of birds and interesting mammals and reptiles. The activities range from hikes to nature and hummingbird centers to adventures in gondolas across the treetops. The lodge itself is gorgeous. The setting is peaceful, tranquil and serene. Our guides were outstanding. They have so much passion for nature and the environment and are incredibly knowledgeable.

Back to Quito for our flight to The Galapagos Islands, which are among the most special and unique places on the planet. We sailed on National Geographic Endeavour II, where every day was a discovery and an adventure among the animals, birds and sea life, via hikes and snorkeling. Our guides exhibited an incredible depth of knowledge combined with a great sense of humor. Everyday was filled with multiple WOW moments.

Every single aspect of this expedition—from the time we exited our plane in Quito to our departure at the airline desk in Guayaquil, where our boarding passes were picked up for us—was top notch and worry free. We love working with Ashton’s team. They are an outstanding company. We set up a meeting with them today to plan our next expedition.

Traveler Jackie Mandel got up close and personal with nature—and ice!—during her intimate Alaskan cruise.

Ashton recommended the ship for our Alaskan trip in July 2024 and what an amazing adventure it was! His staff, specifically Gretchen, was always in communication with us, thorough, and helped us when we forgot to book a hotel at our final port!

We explained that we wanted an experience where we saw animals and glaciers up close and that we were not big fans of cruise liners. This was the perfect recommendation with 73 guests, 30 staff allowing us to go where no big boats go. As a matter of fact, we never saw another cruise liner once we left port in Juneau nor a single soul and felt like we were in our own world experiencing Alaska. Each day you chose from an array of activities such as kayaking, skiffs, bushwhacking, ecological meandering along the shores. Our guides were enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable and we were educated everyday about the animals, plants, Alaskan culture that we saw.

One day, the captain of the boat, came across humpbacked whales. He stopped the boat so we could all enjoy the whales for an hour while they frolicked in the water. No large cruise liner can do that! Also, in kayaks we were able, within safety distance, to get up close to brown bears catching salmon, sea lions under the water trying to grab the salmon while the salmon were jumping all around us out of the water like they were on trampolines. To boot, bald eagles were flying amongst the trees. Our favorite day!

At night, we were educated by the staff about a specific topic related to Alaska while sipping on an amazing libation by our bartender. Our meals were all delicious with a wide variety of choices. Our last night we had a talent show and a slide show of pictures that the guides took of all of us during our outings. We loved meeting people from all over the United States and other countries on this adventure. A lifetime experience.

A WOW Moment in Reykjavik: Dinner and custom cutlery action by none other than the chef himself.

We had a great experience with Ashton and his team Ashley and Gretchen. They were very helpful in choosing the right cabin for us on the ship Greg Mortimer for Aurora from Iceland to Greenland and Svalbard. We even had the famous Aussie Greg Mortimer as our expedition leader. Ashton was even able to negotiate for us a shipboard credit.

Also, Aston’s team arranged a surprise WOW Moment for us on the first night of the trip. We had a spectacular dinner at the Flame Restaurant in Reykjavik, cooked by a Teppanyaki chef right in front of us with a great Fire Show. (Thank you Wendy.)

During the adventure cruise on Greg Mortimer, Ashton’s team surprised us again by arranging a small celebration for Rose’s birthday in the dining room. Because this adventure cruise was to celebrate our 55th Anniversary, Ashton’s team generously arranged for a bottle of champagne waiting for us in our cabin.

In all, we would highly recommend Ashton and his team to provide an experience of a lifetime.

My husband and I just returned from an amazing trip to the Galapagos. We went on a Lindblad ship with only 46 passengers, a crew of over 50, and 4 naturalists to guide us through this remarkable part of the world. This was our very first “adventure” trip; we are not particularly outdoorsy and spend most vacations in the US or Europe in high-range to luxury settings.

I was nervous that we wouldn’t be able to keep up with what I imagined were seasoned adventurers. I conveyed all of this to Gretchen and Ashley, and they were incredibly helpful in answering questions and helping us choose the best trip for us. We honestly hadn’t planned on a Galapagos trip, but I’m so, so glad they guided us to that result. We had also been considering Iceland, Norway, and a few other destinations. We had a very limited window to travel which is partly how Gretchen pointed us to the Galapagos; the timing worked.

This was the PERFECT trip for us. The Lindblad ship was top notch, and we went on hikes, snorkel trips, and boating every day, returning to the luxury of a ship that had everything we could want. The range of physical capabilities on the ship was wide—the age ranges of the passengers was 80-something to 12. For those who had real physical limitations, the ship helped them out and made sure they had a great time. The longest hike was a few miles long, and the focus was the wildlife, not the hiking itself. My husband and I (both in our late 50s) really loved this trip, and I’m so grateful to Gretchen and Ashley for helping us make it happen.

Passengers and a photography guide from the National Geographic Endurance in Spitsbergen. Photo: Traveler Tom Redburn

We enjoyed a wonderful expedition trip on the National Geographic Endurance along the Norway coast, continuing above the Arctic Circle to Svalbard. The trip ran from May 31 to June 15, starting in Bergen and ending in Oslo, after a charter flight from Longyearbyen. We already had a good idea of what we wanted to do, but Ashton Palmer helped confirm that we had made the right choice in choosing a Nat Geo-Lindblad ship over any of the other possible ways of visiting Norway and Svalbard. Nat Geo-Lindblad created the perfect itinerary for us and the friends we were traveling with, poking in and out of fjords, visiting picturesque villages and incredible scenery along the coast for 9 days before heading to Svalbard and its rugged landscape, where we were fortunate to see about 10 polar bears, dozens of walruses, hundreds of thousands of birds and more, from our ship, Zodiac expeditions, kayaking, and walks on land.

I can’t imagine a better way of traveling to this part of the world than on the Endurance, which can take no more than 128 passengers (we had 110), with the large majority of cabins having balconies for private viewing, while also providing terrific public spaces, fantastic meals, an excellent gym and spa, and absolutely first-rate guides, wonderful daily presentations, and a staff that met all our needs — and more. It’s not inexpensive, but I thought the value was worth the money.

The schedule is somewhat flexible, depending on weather and other factors, but among the highlights were viewing Briksdal Glacier, enjoying waffles and jam at a couple of charming restaurants set on a lake and one of the Lofoten islands, visiting a husky farm for training dogs for racing, kayaking along a cliff with roosts for thousands of birds, and spotting polar bears along the coast of Svalbard that the captain and expedition leader found along the route. There are no guarantees and the rules forbid getting too close to the bears (I think 200 meters is the minimum distance) but every time we saw a bear and were able to photograph it or view through binoculars, it was a thrill. It was late spring/early summer and most days the sun never went down. The weather was usually right around freezing, and we had everything from brilliant sunshine to cloud bursts of rain, even some snowflakes, and bitter wind. We were given heavy coats as part of the trip and rented waterproof boots and always felt well protected despite the constantly changing conditions.

At the same time, what made the trip special was the amazing experience and background of the guides, the two photography experts: Tim Laman, a NatGeo photographer, took some terrific pictures and showed off some of his even more stunning photos (many of birds) from his other adventures around the world.

We did have a couple of hiccups along the way. Both Lisa and I, along with two of our friends, came down with Covid fairly early in the trip. But that barely put a crimp in what we were able to enjoy. The doctor on board prescribed Paxlovid and our symptoms were mild. We were required to eat in our room for five days, but otherwise were able to wander the ship as long as we were wearing masks and managed to see just about everything the other passengers witnessed (we missed a couple of hikes and a Zodiac trip but that’s about it.). And the final day in Longyearbyen when we disembarked before flying to Oslo was poorly planned and should be rethought by Lindblad.

This is the kind of trip where the WOW List planner is not as deeply involved as on most trips, but we were grateful that Ashton and his team suggested a cabin on the starboard side for better viewing, advised us to sign up early for the night on deck in a clear dome, and gave us several other options so that we could feel extremely pleased by our choice of going on the top-of-the-line Nat Geo Endurance. I really can’t imagine a more luxurious, more beautiful, more stable and more accommodating ship for expedition cruising. I dont think I’ll ever go on a conventional cruise (I simply can’t imagine traveling in one of those mega ships) but we feel confident with Ashton so that I plan on consulting with him again on a future small-boat trip we hope to take in 2026 to the South Pacific.

Finally, I’d like to offer a shout-out for Torunn Trosvang, another WOW travel advisor. We planned five days in Norway at the end of our cruise, with 3 days in Oslo and 2 we expected to spend in Flam. But I noticed in Torunn’s Insider’s Guide that she recommended not staying in Flan and instead going to the nearby 29/2 Aurland, a truly special small inn with a fascinating history in one family for several generations, and an excellent young chef (22!) who happens to be the son of the owner. We never would have found it without that mention on Wendy’s website, and highly recommend reading the helpful advice that most of her recommended local advisers offer — for free!

Ashton Palmer and his team were great in recommending a cruise, and then providing support right up to departure. Ashton talked to me about what type of cruise I was looking for, and based on my own personal details, made suggestions. I couldn’t have been happier.

Our trip to the Galapagos was fantastic. We went in May and the weather was fine. Not sure if there is a bad time to go to the Galapagos regarding the weather. I think the main thing to consider for this trip is your stamina and mobility. Some of the hikes were strenuous, as well as requiring some balance walking over the lava rocks. Sometimes there are alternatives such as a zodiac ride. The expedition leader explains this for each excursion. The various animals and their behavior is the most unique aspect of this trip. Some don’t even happen on the excursion. For instance, a sea lion banging a fish against the ship below our balcony, breaking the fish apart in order to eat it.

Our trip planner really worked with us as this was our third attempt to get to the Galapagos. The first time, my wife broke her leg so we had to reschedule a year later. The second time, the cruise line expedition had a group charter their ship on our second date. We finally settled on another date. We worked with our trip planner on the rescheduling. Then on our departure, our flight was delayed and eventually cancelled. Our trip planner/logistic advisor (Monica) worked with us and the cruise line flight department to get rerouted to get to Quito. We did miss our night stay in Quito, but Monica followed up with the hotel so that we had a day room at the hotel the next morning on our arrival, so that we could at least wash up. Monica did a great job. This was a fantastic trip that we will remember for a long time.

Laurie’s husband with the Sea Cloud Spirit in full sail. Photo: Traveler Laurie Richter

My husband and I traveled on the Sea Cloud Spirit in mid April. Ashton Palmer organized the trip for us and we have used him before for Antarctica. In this case, as it was a sailing itinerary, Ashton’s involvement was all the communication with the Sea Cloud folks and because they are a German company, it’s not as easy as it would be with a big cruise company here. They helped us pick the right stateroom and ran interference when we had questions like what kind of outlets they had. As before, they were very responsive. Ashton also put together an itinerary for us that included all private guides at each port but we decided to go with what the boat offered as sailing on the Sea Cloud is a major investment even before you add excursions. I think he was probably right that the experience would have been better but we still had a lovely time.

Some things I would like to share about this boat because it is unknown in the North American market. The original Sea Cloud was owned by Meriwether Post as a private yacht in the 20s. It has a fascinating history and was bought by a German company who refurbished it and built two bigger (and more amenity-filled) versions. We were on the newest and largest but there were still only 77 passengers. It is a fully manual sail boat—meaning that every day, the crew climb up the lines to set the sails and do it in reverse when it’s time for them to come down. It takes about an hour each time and is an incredible spectacle and one of the main reasons you want to sail on this boat.

Our itinerary started in the Canary Islands and went up the coast of Morocco, ending in Malaga, Spain. The boat is beautiful but does not have stabilizers like some of the big cruise ships, so if you’re prone to seasickness and the weather is bad, you’ll feel it. This was our second Sea Cloud sailing (Sea Cloud 2 in the Caribbean) and what we found both times was that there were about 10-14 primarily English speaking passengers (US, Canada, England) and the remainder were all German because it’s very well known there. A few times a year, Abercrombie and Kent charters the boat and those sailings have primarily an English speaking crowd. There were some real benefits to being in the minority because lectures on board were done twice (German and English) and ours had a much smaller crowd. Also, the shore excursions were separated into two groups, one with an English speaking guide and one with a German guide. Their groups were 15-20 people, ours were 3-8.

The Sea Cloud ships are not cheap to sail on and most things other than gratuities are extra, including internet (we burned through it), drinks other than cocktail hour and meals, and all shore excursions. They had a lovely spa and with three full days at sea, we made good use of it. This is a unique experience that is not for everyone but I wouldn’t hesitate to go again and have Ashton plan it for us.

Barbara and Larry Schoenfeld celebrated their arrival in Antarctica with champagne.

Ashton Palmer was extremely helpful in finding the right fit for us for Antarctica in January 2024. We told him that we wanted a small ship with top-notch scientific experts on board. I was hyper-focused on the potential for unpleasantness crossing the Drake Passage. Comfortable cabins and good food wouldn’t hurt. And, we were not very flexible with travel dates. Ashton quickly produced a short list of recommendations, despite the availability constraints due to the surge in demand for travel to Antarctica. We sailed on the Seabourn Pursuit. It checked all our boxes, plus more. It is a luxurious new ship and is outfitted with stabilizers, which softened the rocky ride across the Drake. While in Antarctica, there were two excursions via Zodiacs daily—usually involving a hike on land or an island. They were varied and all were interesting and included walking among penguins and seals, floating among jaw-droppingly beautiful sculptural icebergs, traversing the rim of a caldera, and seeing ruins of former explorers and whalers. My favorite activity was kayaking. One more thing about Ashton: This was the second time he planned an Antarctica trip for us. Our first trip was booked but got cancelled due to COVID. He had to start all over again with totally different ship options and he did a stellar job.

Our trip, NatGeo Whales of Magdalena Bay, was wonderful. It was wonderful to get away to Mexico in February. We were on the Nat Geo Sea Bird. It’s an older small ship but I like the intimacy of it. We’ve been on it twice now, in the same cabin both times. I would not recommend it to those with mobility problems.

To see the gray whales up close was exhilarating. And the Gigante mountains were a desolate but beautiful site. We walked on sand dunes and hiked over a mountain. The Nat Geo on-the-ground guy told us all about the cactus fields and the history of Baja California Sur, all quite interesting. The Nat Geo naturalists make the trip worthwhile. They explain everything!

I can’t say enough good things about Ashton, Christine, and Keri. They booked the trip for us, answered questions about flights, gratuities, whether to exchange currency, and in general gave us the personal attention we would not have received elsewhere. Ashton and Christine suggested we Zoom to discuss which trips best suited our interests.

In December we will go on our 3rd trip with them, and if I can talk my husband into the Galapagos, we’ll work with them again.

Milinda Martin enjoys a cocktail with a view of Bolivia’s Uyuni salt flats at sunset.

Recently, Wendy has been recommending South America and I’m so grateful I took advantage of this. Despite the warm temperatures, there were few tourists, which ensured a really authentic experience. Ashton Palmer and his team (shoutout to Ashley and Keri) helped me plan an extended trip to all my desired destinations: Torres del Paine, the Amazon Basin, Lima, Santiago, Valparaiso, the Atacama, and the Altiplano of Bolivia.

It was a long journey, but I felt so supported as a single traveler all along the way. In Patagonia, Ashton recommended Patagonia Camp, a fantastic place owned by the Matetic family, of Chilean wine fame. Outstanding guides, excellent excursions, beautiful lakeside yurts, and the most divine food/wine. The camp helped ensure I met other travelers, so meals were always full of conversations.

For the Amazon, I asked for somewhere that didn’t have a ton of tourists, which took the cruises out of Iquitos off the agenda. Instead, Ashton recommended Posada Amazonas, an indigenous cooperative that sits on the Tambopata River in Peru. Here, I was the only guest for the first two days, so fully enjoyed my hikes, boat rides, and village visits that allowed me to see how life is lived in this region. The rooms are open to the rainforest, which made for magical evenings full of sounds. And it did rain on several days, which sounded one thousand times better than any recorded soundscape!

Then I was time for a few cities — Lima, Santiago, and Valparaiso. In Lima, Ashton and Wendy arranged a WOW Moment, which was right up my street — a ceviche lesson, tasting and tour with Marisol. We went all over the city, sampling different types of ceviche and learning about this rich Peruvian tradition. In Santiago and Valparaiso, I had made my own arrangements, but because of the wildfires, ending up calling on Ashton to help secure transport back from Valparaiso to ensure I made my flight. All the buses had been cancelled! And this is where it’s really reassuring to have a local fixer!

My last stop was my favorite part, four days in San Pedro de Atacama, followed by a four-day “travesia” across the Altiplano to the Uyuni Salt Flats. Arranged by Explora, this was exceptional. My Quechuan guide and driver introduced me to so many aspects of the local culture, including participating in the carnival celebrations. We hiked up volcanoes, sat in hot spring pools, rode bikes through slot canyons, and ate all the local dishes. On our final evening in Uyuni, after indulging in a wine/tapas al fresco meal, it started to rain, which meant the salt flats became a mirror of the skies. Ashton couldn’t have planned it better.

I spent three days in La Paz on the way home and loved that too. Such fascinating geography and a lively city. Four weeks of amazing journeys in three countries. I could not have asked for more, and was so thrilled with all of Ashton’s recommendations and support.

My favorite aspects of working with one of Wendy’s experts is the ability to customize when/where I’m going, to focus on places that are not overrun with tourists, to meet the local people and see how they live, and to get outside and really feel a part of the stunning landscape. Onwards!

Milinda Martin holds up an Antarctica flag after first setting foot on the continent.

Antarctica! It had long been a dream to visit my seventh continent, but how to travel? As a solo traveler on this trip, it was important to me to select the right cruise ship. By nature, cruising is not my preferred method of travel, so I had some specific needs:

• There needed to be lots of other single travelers and ways to engage with them
• I wanted an active trip, meaning setting foot on the continent and doing some of my favorite activities while there — hiking, kayaking, a polar plunge
• I wanted like-minded travelers from around the world
• As much as I love families, this would not be a family cruise — I wanted time with adults
• Plenty of expertise and seminars on the continent, its history, and the animals there
• No casino, no endless buffet, no forced fun

As I have so many times in the past, I turned to one of Wendy’s experts, in this case, Ashton Palmer and his team. They immediately set up a Zoom call where I could share all my wishes for this trip, and given the pricing, I wanted to make sure my choice had everything that I wanted.

Ashton, Ashley, and Keri listened, and then did their research, eventually giving me four options which they walked me through. I chose Quark’s Ultramarine, and was grateful that Ashley had traveled on the same ship, solo, just the year before. It was, indeed, everything I could have hoped for.

I met a group of singles immediately in Buenos Aires and we ended up staying together for the entire cruise! They are so much fun, and we have stayed in touch since. In fact, I am seeing one on the ski slopes of Colorado and visiting another in the UK.

I can’t say enough about how Quark runs its operations. Every day we had full updates, were very well organized and did something exceptional. The food was amazing — healthy, varied, and we often ordered off the menu (as a gluten-free pescatarian, my diet isn’t easy). The cabin was outstanding. The excursions were just the best. I loved the kayaking, but the true highlight of the trip was the final day — a sunny, blue-sky day — when we all got a helicopter flight over the continent. We met penguins and whales and seals. We kayaked among icebergs. We dipped into the water for our polar plunge. We climbed to a lookout for a 360-degree view. And all this despite a medical emergency that forced us to return to South Georgia and medevac someone to Chile. Despite the change in agenda, both the captain and the excursion leader ensured we did not miss out.

A cruise to Antarctica is not cheap, no matter whom you travel with, but I know I made the right choice in trusting Ashton and his team. They helped me ensure every penny was well spent, and I had the final confirmation when I was at the airport afterwards and spoke with a couple from the US that had gone on a different cruise ship: no land excursions, no kayaking, no helicopter, no adventures at all! Thank goodness I had Ashton’s team to point me in the right direction. When planning the trip of a lifetime, having a trusted expert who listens and guides is the best way to ensure success. Thank you, Team Wendy.

Ashton was very knowledgeable and took the time to assess what we were looking for. He provided us with several options we choice Scenic Eclipse.

Antarctica was an amazing experience and I can say that the ship was extraordinary.

I would definitely use him again with help in selecting the best ship for us for another destination.

The Baja Peninsula was amazing! The adventure with Uncruise was the right level of activity and take-in-the-sights moments. The after-cruise hotel El Perdido in Todos Santos totally added to the vibe of the trip. Thanks!!

Jeff and Lisa Wellen having a ball on Antarctica.

From the first Zoom call with Ashton Palmer and Christine MacAllister, we knew we were in great hands for our dream trip to Antarctica. With Ashton’s 50 or so trips to the continent and Christine recently returning from her first expedition, it provided us with a wealth of knowledge when researching how to best plan a trip like this.

After doing our own research, we were, to say the least, confused and frustrated, but Ashton and Christine listened to our desires and quickly refocused us on the correct path. Their attention to detail during all the planning stages was excellent and it was shown throughout the execution of the trip.

Ashton’s team also listened to special requests and knocked it out of the ballpark with execution. On this trip, we were celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary and I asked if there could be something special I could do to surprise my wife on the trip. They took care of everything. They first surprised us with an anniversary bottle of Champagne and a cake at our hotel in Santiago.

One of the things you can do on the ship is sleep in an igloo on the top deck. It was first come, first serve. We were able to get the igloo reserved for one night. When we entered the igloo, the ship’s crew had it decorated with anniversary décor along with Champagne and treats. It was so emotional that it brought my wife and I to tears.

Their suggestion to take the Lindblad National Geographic Resolution ship the first two weeks of January 2024 was absolutely perfect. The Lindblad Resolution was spectacular, and we are so thankful Ashton pushed us to take this ship. This is their newest ship and we saw everyday why this is the best ship to take to the Great White Continent. From Captain Heidi to Andy our Expedition Leader to Laura who ran the hotel part of the ship to Evylyn at the reception desk to Alexia who cleaned our room; their number-one desire was to make sure we had the best experience of our lives. The passion of the naturalist and scientist on the expedition team made the trip even more enjoyable and educational. They were as excited as the passengers were about what we were seeing and experiencing.

Also, this ship’s capabilities allowed us to go to the eastern side of the peninsula. Not one of the other sixty ships in the area had the capabilities to do that. It allowed us to sail through the Weddell Sea and see enormous tabular icebergs the size of three or four football stadiums, 100’s of Emperor Penguin chicks, thousands of penguins, pods of killer whales and watched pods of humpbacks eating fifty yards from the ship.

We were fortunate to take a dream trip to Africa last year and thought nothing would ever come close to rivaling that trip. How wrong we were. With the help of Ashton and his team, Antarctica has equaled and, in many cases, beat that trip.

We are currently 3 for 3 when using Trusted Travel Experts from Wendy Perrin. The expertise provided by advisors like Ashton are in my opinion invaluable. THANK YOU ASHTON AND TEAM!!!

Lee Rubinstein and her son soak up the wonders of Antarctica.

Yup, it was a bucket list item. And it lived up to the hype! Antartica is like another planet and probably one of the most unique travel experiences we’ve ever had. My son and I (my husband opted out, as did my daughter-in-law) enjoyed the smaller ship experience. The naturalists on board were terrific and the food was excellent. Yes, the Drake was rough but even with that, we had no regrets. The continent is a wonder with its towering mountains, blue icebergs and calving glaciers. And the wildlife delighted us every day—humpback whales, Orcas, seals and of course, penguins. How could you not love all that?

Recently my wife and I took a trip to Antarctica. Our travel agent helped us pick a tour provider (Silversea) that did a great job of: giving us good weather (especially across the Drake Passage), providing us with knowledgeable tour guides once on the ship, providing expert Zodiac drivers, populating the ship with an interesting and diverse group of fellow passengers from several different countries around the world, and giving us comfortable accommodations.

We arrived a day early in Santiago and had a good experience with a tour guide who lives locally and knew a lot. She dropped us at a very nice restaurant in Bicentennial Park at the end of our time together.

All in all we had a wonderful and very memorable time (for all good reasons). We can always quibble about minor details such as having to wait a few minutes in the heat at the local airport or not liking all the menu options. However, all of these minor items pale in comparison to the overall wonderful experience we just enjoyed. I hope everyone else who makes this trip has as good a time as we did. My one request is that we are able to schedule a debriefing interview with our tour advisor. I want to share my experience and develop a better appreciation for their background. All good. Enjoy the penguins.

My trip on the National Geographic Endurance started in Iceland but most of the time was spent in Greenland. The trip was very interesting but is not for everyone. The crew told us several times “this is not a cruise, it is an expedition” and that turned out to be very much true. There was a published itinerary but it didn’t really get followed. Where we went was determined by the weather, ice conditions and what the guides found when they scouted possible landing sites. This was not a problem but is something that people should be aware of. In Greenland there are no docks so all exits from the ship require a wet landing. We did many hikes which were interesting and did see wildlife (polar bear, musk ox, Arctic hare) but the wildlife is sparse. The scenery is spectacular but most of what you see is either rock or ice. The icebergs are spectacular. The guides, naturalists and other experts on the ship were excellent. There were many interesting lectures and a couple of them about photography were both interesting and useful. Food and service on the ship is very, very good. Surprisingly, on an 11-day trip without any resupply, there was lots of variety and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables right to the end. National Geographic does the very best of the cruises that I have been on.

This was our second trip with Ashton and his team. They are excellent. So knowledgeable and professional! Ashton had to please clients from 23-86 years old. He suggested Linblad National Geographic to appeal to everyone. Their naturalists are experts and given wildlife viewing was a priority, Ashton thought this fit the bill. Further, my mother has severe hearing loss and we wanted her to be in an intimate environment with a patient and caring staff.

Ashton had to Intervene a great deal prior to departure, as Linblad over-sold the cruise and our family lost their spots. Ashton explained the unique multi-generational component of the trip. He got Linblad to put my family on a better ship and how he dealt with the compensation due to this error was extraordinary! We would not have had the happy and successful outcome without a pro like Ashton and his team.

Ashton listens, cares, has experience and makes difficult situations manageable. We are grateful for his expertise and hope to visit the Arctic with his guidance in the future. Antarctica and now Alaska have been home runs!

We embarked on an extraordinary seven-day Galapagos cruise with Silversea, where the volcanic islands of the Galápagos Islands unveiled nature’s wonders before us. Crystal-clear waters beckoned, inviting us to swim and snorkel alongside playful sea lions, penguins, iguanas, and graceful sea turtles, while secluded beaches and volcanic landscapes held untold secrets waiting to be discovered. Majestic Galapagos tortoises roamed the ancient terrain of certain islands and the avian paradise came alive with blue-footed boobies, flightless cormorants, and frigate birds. Guided by the Silver Origin’s knowledgable and enthusiastic naturalists, we ventured on exhilarating hikes and thrilling kayaking excursions, immersing ourselves in the diverse wildlife and gaining a profound appreciation for the delicate harmony of nature. Forever etched in our hearts, the Galapagos cruise with Silversea left an indelible mark, reminding us of the remarkable beauty and extraordinary biodiversity of this unique archipelago.

Silversea’s Silver Origin treated us to an incredible culinary journey, with skillfully crafted dishes featuring fresh seafood, tender meats, and delightful flavors. The fine wines perfectly complemented each meal, creating a memorable dining experience that expanded my palate and left a lasting impression. Service was as outstanding as you would imagine.

The trip was arranged by Ashton Palmer and his outstanding crew. They were easy to communicate with, listened to our initial thoughts and made suggestions to improve our experience. One important issue with us was we wanted good support should anything untoward happen during our trip since we were off the beaten path, and they gave us this feeling of ease.

I worked with Ashton Palmer and his team. I wanted to visit Alaska but due to pets at home we couldn’t be gone for more than a week. Ashton suggested taking a Lindblad National Geographic trip on the Sea Bird. The small ship has a capacity of 62 guests, but there were only 34 because it was beginning of the season. Ashton’s suggestion was exactly what we wanted (small ship, wildlife viewing, naturalist interaction, etc.). Going in mid-May, the weather was perfect. Working with Ashton and his team member Keri ensured I always had a person to could contact with any question, no matter how mundane. They also helped to coordinate the logistics of air travel, what to pack, and hotel accomodations.

Ashton’s office was wonderful. In particular, Gretchen answered all of our questions promptly and efficiently. She reassured us in a very kind and friendly manner throughout the planning of the trip. Swimming with sea lions and sea turtles and watching the courting process of the many birds in the Galapagos were probably our favorite experiences. Ashton’s team was able to book our neighbors on the same trip—with a cabin right next to ours. Traveling with good friends somehow increases the enjoyment of the trip. We highly recommend them, and wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again.

Antarctica. Photo: Renee and Kerry Chelm

We had an absolutely amazing trip to Antarctica that was planned by Ashton Palmer and Paul Galleno. They suggested the National Geographic Lindblad Explorer, and what a choice that was. They were very responsive to all of our questions in an extremely timely manner. Because the Lindblad ship Endurance is one of two premier ships that go to Antarctica (the other is their sister ship Resolution), we were able to go further south than any of the other 60-plus ships traveling in the area at the same time. Consequently we never saw another ship. We broke thru the ice one night (there was no darkness this time of year) and walked out onto the ice with the captain. The bridge is mostly always open for viewing—it was a totally amazing experience and we thank Ashton for setting us up on the right course from the very beginning! Before we left we received extensive info on the COVID requirements for Argentina and the ship. We felt totally comfortable—all ship members wore masks but guests were not required. They offered insurance.

Our cruise from Ushuaia to Falklands, South Georgia and Antarctic Peninsula planned for us by Ashton Palmer was great, and timing in late November/mid December was perfect. To start planning, we exchanged several phone calls and many e-mails with Ashton and his staff to clarify our wishes. We wanted an expedition cruise not only to Antarctica but also to Falklands and South Georgia. Ashton elaborated in detail with pros and cons on several options and gave us an excellent recommendation. His staff also put us in contact with Exito Travel to reserve our flights from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia and return. In trying to decide on the best option for us because of potential sea sickness, Ashton chose a perfect cabin location (mid-ship and low level) and a perfect ship, Greg Mortimer by Aurora. The ship was specially designed for polar travel (X-bow and ice-strengthened hull) and therefore provided very comfortable sailing. Almost all cabins had a balcony (not very useful in Antarctica) and elegant simple furnishings. Food was excellent, mostly buffet served by friendly cheerful staff wearing masks all the time. All other staff was also wearing masks. Passengers were not obliged to wear masks but majority of them did. The morning before boarding the ship in Ushuaia, Aurora company required and provided (charged) Covid test to all travelers. We understand that 4 people were not allowed to board the ship. When more cases of Covid were identified by the ship doctor during the voyage, they had to isolate in their cabin for 5 days (food was catered to them). Overall we felt safe all the time.

Antarctica was spectacular, and everything about the National Geographic Endurance met our expectations. It’s a great ship with wonderful staff and the expedition team was first-rate. We were very happy with Ashton’s guidance to go on this ship out of all the new options in Antarctica.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Our family traveled to Alaska and sailed on the Lindblad National Geographic cruise up the Inside Passage from Sitka to Juneau from 6/11/22 to 6/18/22. We used Ashton Palmer to assist us with the planning and he and his staff did an excellent job. We were originally scheduled to depart in June of 2020 but the trip was postponed twice due to Covid. At every turn we relied on Ashton and his team for advice on whether and how to make the trip work and how best to prepare. They helped us ‘maneuver through’ the gauntlet of information and forms required for our trip; directing us to detailed itineraries, packing essentials along with recommendations on which equipment we should rent versus purchase, and assisting with travel insurance.
The trip was wonderful and the scenery was spectacular. It was especially gratifying to see the smiles of wonder on the faces of our two NYC-based twenty-something children as we spotted whales, eagles, sea lions, otters and calving glaciers throughout the journey. The naturalists on board provided a wealth of information on what we were witnessing every step of the way.
As Covid regulations and requirements kept changing, Ashton and staff kept us fully apprised on testing and risks associated with sailing on a smaller ship. Other than ‘holding our breath’ in Sitka while we waited for the crew to return with the results of our final Covid test prior to embarkation, we were confident that things would go smoothly. Of course we hadn’t anticipated that American Airlines would lose some of our luggage (it didn’t catch up to us until we reached Petersburg one day before the end of cruise), but the planning we had completed along with the assistance of the folks at Lindblad helped us to still have a great experience. The only information we didn’t have prior to embarkation was that we would not have any communications connectivity available during the cruise. While the retired folks didn’t mind being electronically untethered, the working folks had a couple of anxious days before we returned to civilization. We would still whole heartedly recommend Ashton and his team to anyone contemplating a Lindblad/National Geo cruise. They know what to expect and add considerable value in helping to plan and prepare for the journey. In fact, we met several people on the cruise that complained about difficulties communicating with Lindblad directly. Ashton’s office, on the other hand, provided us with excellent support and made themselves available whenever we had questions.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Just got back from Alaska on a National Geographic cruise we planned with the help of Ashton Palmer, and his team, and we couldn’t have been happier. While we originally planned a land-based trip, the many lengthy conversations with Ashton helped us solidify goals and make this choice. The small ship size was perfect and the staff and crew were as great as the wildlife and landscape experiences. We saw whales, bears, more bald eagles than we could imagine, sea lions, seals, etc.

With Ashton’s help we picked a cruise that had the Covid protocols we felt safe with and I would highly recommend Ashton and the cruise to anyone.

Once you begin a dialogue with him, It is clear why Ashton is on The WOW List!!

Thankfully we didn’t have any issues or problems but we were confident Ashton would have been there and solved them easily.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Our cruise, “Exploring Alaska’s Coastal Wilderness” (May 14 – 21, 2022) could not have been more perfect. Ashton Palmer’s team helped us choose the cruise line and the particular cruise so that we were able to have exactly the kind of experience we wanted. They also helped us with all the details when our cruise was cancelled (twice) due to covid. They helped us choose the right trip insurance, and made sure the insurance policy was transferred both times the cruise was cancelled. While it wasn’t possible for them to suggest any special “experiences” since it was an all-inclusive cruise, we wouldn’t hesitate to work with them again in the future. Having them handle all the details put our minds at ease and enabled us to really enjoy our trip to the fullest.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL The Galapagos had always been on our bucket list and moved to the top of the list due to Covid, as we figured that being on a small ship would help isolate us and the ship required all passengers to be tested prior to embarkation. Until this trip I had done our own trip planning, but Ashton and his team have changed my mind.
During our initial hour-long call Ashton explained the pros and cons of different ships, and we discussed what time of year to visit, from the weather to animals. In the end we decided on Silversea in May. The ship was beautiful, the crew fantastic, and the food excellent. We were younger than most of the passengers (average age probably in mid 60s); although this wasn’t entirely surprising to us, the pace did end up being a bit slower than we had anticipated.
We snorkeled with sea turtles, penguins, and playful sea lions (it’s true that the animals have no fear of people); hiked beautiful islands; saw land and marine iguanas up close (almost tripped on them close) and walked among giant tortoises; and saw many exotic birds (yes the blue footed boobies’ feet really are bright blue).
Ashton highly recommended we visit Mashpi Lodge in the cloud forest as an add on to our trip. He was actually rather insistent, and we are glad he was, as the lodge and its staff were spectacular. Our only regret is he recommended two nights and we wish we stayed three. Note that it is a three hour drive from Quito, the last one over bumpy dirt “roads” and the main activity at the lodge is hiking in the forest. Although there were a few relatively easy options for activities, overall these were not simple nature walks—they were real hikes (and we only did moderate ones).
Ashton’s team, particularly Monica, was very patient with my many questions. I actually started to feel bad for asking so many questions and requesting so many different quotes, but they were all handled with good cheer.
Thanks to the Points Guy website for mentioning Wendy in an article, Wendy’s team for recommending Ashton, and Ashton’s team for putting together a fantastic trip.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Ashton Palmer was great to work with on our Galapagos Islands trip. Ashton spent enough time with us to understand our trip expectations and the things that we wanted and expected from our trip. He had the courage to tell us which cruise lines would meet our expectations and which ones would leave us disappointed. His suggested cruise line exceeded all of our expectations. We will definitely be using Ashton again for future expedition trips.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL My husband, Jeff Grinspoon and myself, Jon Foley signed up for the Scenic Eclipse cruise from Ushuaia to the Antarctic Peninsula and then on to South Georgia and Falklands. We originally signed up for this cruise through Ashton’s team for December of 2020 and it was rescheduled (COVID) twice and the itinerary was a bit different and because of COVID restrictions, we were not allowed to land in the Falklands this trip but that was all beyond anyone’s control. We were delighted to be able to go this Jan-Feb, 2022 and had an amazing time.

Working with Ashton and his team through all of the COVID chaos and changes was overall a good experience that allows us to recommend them highly for any future travel. We felt they communicated as clearly and quickly as possible given that the situation was continually changing and decisions being made on the fly.

Our experience on the Scenic Eclipse was also overall highly positive. The COVID concerns remained however the testing processes were well managed and low stress for guests. As mentioned, we were not able to land on the Falklands but we felt that Scenic fully compensated with extra landings on the Peninsula and South Georgia. We were weather-lucky mostly in both locations and were forewarned that often the weather prevents as many landings as we made.

The Scenic Eclipse Team – the hotel/restaurant and expedition teams were amazing and continually tried to go above-and-beyond which was not always possible as several of the hospitality team members were down due to COVID. But Scenic flew them in half-way during the trip (to King George Island) so that they could then provide the full luxury service experience.

We questioned whether the two days at sea (rough sea) and four days back (also rough) were going to be worth going to South Georgia. In a word: unquestionably! Absolutely every stop was meaningful and usually magical in its own way. Jon actually felt often as if he were in a Disney movie with the ridiculous abundance of amazing animal life bounding around the equally inspired scenery.

We are not typically cruisers but found this was the best (and only) way to see both Antarctica and South Georgia. We loved this ship and the food was delicious. We felt the social areas could have been designed better to inspire more socializing. The lounge was an extension of the reception area/lobby and didn’t feel cozy or as inviting as one might hope. In warmer climates, there would be outdoor spaces that might serve but in the Antarctic, these were not functional. Our room was quite noisy at sea due to creaking at the wall/ceiling connection. Other guests did not have this noise issue. We were in suite 902.

We heard of a possible option to avoid the Drake Passage crossings by flying to King George Island then joining a ship – not sure which cruise lines offer this option.

Both the ship – the Scenic Eclipse, with its two helicopters (which we loved) and submarine (which was not best used in the murky South Sea), is a phenomenal way to see the 7th Continent – and we felt in very good hands with Ashton to coordinate this trip of a lifetime for us.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  My husband and I just returned from a cruise to South Georgia and Antarctica on Le Lyrial. It was not the trip I started thinking we were going to take but a long conversation with Ashton and Chris set me straight. I originally wanted to see the northern lights but my timing was all wrong and they suggested that we head south instead as our January timing was perfect for the southern hemisphere summer. They presented me with several options for boats along with plusses and minuses for each. They also strongly suggested we include South Georgia on our itinerary and I am so glad we took their advice.

Our boat was chartered by Abercrombie and Kent for this sailing and they don’t miss a beat. We also purchased our insurance and our flights through A&K so they could be accountable if something needed to be changed. Chris helped me choose an appropriate cabin size and location and we were not disappointed. There was also a lengthy list of items that were needed for these unique weather conditions and their advice was very helpful.

Part of the appeal of this trip during Covid was the isolation but in reality, the Covid situation was so fluid that from the time we left until we flew back into the US, we were covid tested 6 times with the possibility that we would be quarantining somewhere foreign with a positive test. A&K were very conscientious about testing us at every location at their expense and there were typically a few people who we left behind as a result.

We were masked on the ship all the time except when we were eating or drinking and when we were outside on excursions. The itinerary was terrific and we were blessed with relatively calm seas and good weather. The A&K expedition crew was superb in that they were both knowledgable and very personable. The Ponant crew (restaurant and housecleaning) were also very good. Other than masking and repeated testing, it was easy to forget about Covid for a while.

The other way in which Covid affected us was this itinerary normally includes a stop in the Falklands but it had to be skipped because the Falklands are closed to outsiders. As a result, our first cruising length was three full days at sea from Ushuaia to South Georgia which was a long time. All in all, this itinerary contained seven full sea days and calm seas in the southern ocean are still fairly rough so this is not a cruise for the seasick prone.

The evening before our last day of excursions in Antarctica, we got news that there was a crew member with a medical emergency and the crew had determined we had to turn around and head back to Ushuaia for him to have surgery. As a result, we had a full extra day in Ushuaia and the expedition crew wanted to keep us in our bubble so we would test negative to be able to fly back into the US. They arranged for us to have a long afternoon catamaran ride in the bay at Ushuaia and it was the warmest day of the season (72 degrees). It was spectacular and such a great way to end our cruise, not to mention an inspired pivot by the crew who had to put it together quickly. Towards the end, several crew members did test positive and were taken off the boat to quarantine elsewhere. Fortunately, only one guest tested positive the whole time we were on the boat. It was pretty miraculous.

One other thing I’d like to mention about Ashton and Chris is that they were very savvy about Antarctica cruise ship amenities that are worthwhile vs. ones that are gimmicky and wouldn’t be particularly useful. You have to have a deep knowledge of the companies and their products to know this and I appreciated not making the mistake of being attracted to the shiny object of the day.

Would I use them again to arrange a similar trip? Yes.

Snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands. Photo: Colleen Grazioso

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  Ashton Palmer and his team did an incredible job helping us plan our vacation of a lifetime to the Galapagos to celebrate our Dad’s 75th Birthday (and my 50th!). We booked this trip THREE YEARS AGO, before Covid was even a thought. We can’t believe that all fifteen of us made it and were so grateful to Ashton and his team for advising us and setting up all of our Covid testing (the rules on which changed 23 days before our departure!). My dad, sisters and their families all came. We spent 8 days / 7 nights aboard the Seamans Journey, which is a sturdy, and very comfortable catamaran that sleeps 16 passengers across 8 passenger cabins. The ship has a crew of ten that provided amazing service. It was incredible to have the entire boat to ourselves. Normally, they carry multiple families who don’t know each other. With no internet onboard, we spent real quality time relaxing together. My dad claims he spent more time with his grandkids on this trip than over the past 15 years combined! The itinerary is pre-set by the Galapagos park service so there were no decisions, no coordination, no arguments about anything! Although a few of the islands do have inhabitants, we ate all meals on board and slept on board every night- no need to pack & unpack, which was lovely. The food was delicious and they were fantastic at accommodating my one vegetarian and one dairy free family members. Like really fantastic. They had an alternate dairy free option at every turn- even her own hot cocoa waiting after snorkeling. The water is surprisingly chilly (even though we crossed the Equator twice!) but all wetsuits and snorkeling gear were available for a very reasonable $10 / day rental rate. Several of us are certified SCUBA divers and were a little upset before we got there that we wouldn’t be diving on this trip, but I have to say, the snorkels we did on this trip were more spectacular that any dives I have ever done, anywhere. We had penguins nibbling our fins, watched sea turtles noshing underwater and sea lions performing acrobatics in front of us–every single day. We saw rays and whales and sharks and eels and tons of colorful fish and starfish the size of hubcaps. If you like to snorkel, this trip will top anything you have done, I guarantee it! We also walked on young lava around volcanos, hiked up mountains, kayaked in caves, saw tons and tons and tons of all sorts of iguanas, swam on deserted white sand beaches, watched octopus in tide pools, walked next to giant land tortoises and saw lots and lots of blue footed boobies. There were more birds than I can re-count. Flightless cormorants were especially interesting to watch and learn about. We had a private English speaking guide (Camilo) with us the whole time and he was all you could hope for in a guide. Patient, knowledgeable, funny, insightful and kind. Our activities for the next day were posted on a white board every night and everyone could choose to attend any or all of the activities. No one held anyone back if they chose to stay aboard the ship and relax on the sundeck or read in the air conditioned lounge. It was a perfect multi generational trip. Highly recommended!!

PANDEMIC TRAVEL My husband, my ten-year-old granddaughter and I traveled on a Lindblad/National Geographic cruise to Alaska earlier this summer. I originally found out about this cruise from a promotional brochure by the company. We sailed with Lindblad on two previous occasions and had very positive experiences. We were looking for an itinerary appropriate for our physical abilities as well as my granddaughter’s interests. Important to us as well was finding a ship with a three-person cabin.

What I did not know was what other small-ship expedition companies offered. To find out I turned to Ashton Palmer. We had a great initial phone call where we chatted about my requirements and limitations. Ashton pointed out the positives and negatives of other expedition cruises and we mutually came back to the Lindblad offering. He logically validated my opinion which put my mind at ease.

We signed up for this cruise in 2019 for the summer of 2020. The Covid situation kept the entire cruise industry in flux and plans were ever changing. Ashton’s team kept us informed whenever they received any new information. By the summer of 2020 we decided to roll our trip over to the 2021 season. The cruise line took measures to ensure our safety by requiring vaccination for all who were eligible as well as Covid testing five days out and immediately before boarding. Until very close to departure we were still not sure if the virus would stop us from going.

In the end we flew for the first time in two years to Alaska, boarded the ship and had a wonderful time. We were comfortable in our three-person cabin when we were not out and about viewing wildlife. There were staff dedicated to the children and activities designed for them. All the walks, zodiac rides or kayaking excursions accommodated a wide range of physical ability. Our memories will last a lifetime.

Thanks to Ashton and his team for helping me find the perfect cruise for us and staying with us through the turmoil.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL Our trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos islands was wonderful. We had no problems while there and while Ecuador is well masked for Covid, we were given the choice of wearing a mask or not. We chose not to wear a mask unless we were among other people. Since our family group consisted of 17 people, we had our own travel conveyance and guides who gave us the choice of masking. They and we had all been vaccinated.

Ashton Palmer recommended at the onset that while our main interest was the Galapagos, we should consider spending some time in Ecuador. We did that and it was such a good addition to our trip. I would certainly recommend Ashton and his assistant Keri.

Ecuador is a beautiful country and the people are friendly, generous and kind and the staff at Pikaia Lodge on Santa Cruz island was exceptional.

PANDEMIC TRAVEL  We travelled to Iceland July 24 – August 3 on a Lindblad Expedition that was circumnavigating the island. Ashton helped us with all the details, including choosing a cabin on the side of the ship that always had a land view and ensuring that all of our Covid paperwork was in order so that we did not miss any deadlines. He also helped in finding a great rate on Icelandair for our flights. He was always very responsive to our calls and emails. We recommend him highly for anyone planning expedition travel.

The cruise trip to Baja was not what we expected and was a total disappointment. National Geographic Lindblad changed the itinerary (trip was booked 1 ½ years in advance) from the time we booked until our departure date – however, the travel specialist did not mention to us that the most crucial part of the trip (visiting a specific location in Baja for close whale interaction) was completely removed from the itinerary. This whale interaction was featured on brochures and was supposed to be the highlight of this Baja trip and only happens frequently at this specific location in Baja. With the itinerary change, the highlight of the trip was removed and thus making this trip an ordinary Baja cruise. We were not notified of the significance of this change and thus, not informed this would not be the right trip and experience we had wanted/expected. There is another National Geographic Lindblad trip that provided for this experience to have close interaction with the whales. The travel specialist did not know the Baja area well enough to provide proper guidance and planning for seasoned travelers. We would not have gone through with this trip if we were given the accurate information and were disappointed to find that out only after we were on the cruise with information from the naturalists onboard.

Response from Trusted Travel Expert Ashton Palmer:

Sometimes cruise lines—in this case, Lindblad Expeditions—need to alter itineraries. I am not entirely sure why Lindblad changed its itinerary several weeks prior to the trip departure date, but it may have been because of changing wildlife patterns in the region. When we advised Mr. Tsai of the itinerary change, we told him we were available to answer any questions about it. Mr. Tsai accepted the itinerary change without raising any further concerns. During the trip, one of the naturalists onboard told Mr. Tsai he was disappointed about the change and, in his opinion, it was not an improvement. When Mr. Tsai returned disappointed, I advocated on his and his wife’s behalf and obtained for them a $2,000-per-person future cruise credit. I’m not sure why Mr. Tsai did not mention that in his review. I’m sorry he did not ask me more about the itinerary change, as I would have been happy to provide or research additional information. I strongly encourage all travelers to research their trips and itineraries and to ask questions if there are concerns. I would add that the trips I specialize in are expeditionary in nature and specific wildlife encounters are not guaranteed. Also, there are sometimes itinerary changes, prompted by wildlife behavior, climate, or other influencing factors, therefore I encourage travelers to select an expedition cruise based not on one anticipated highlight or specific trip component, but on the entire program.

I had a family tragedy occur–a family member was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given max. of a year to live, so I had to postpone my planned 2019 Silverseas Antarctica trip to 2020. I had prepaid for the trip in full, also paying a 25% single supplement as part of the total cost.

Ashton was on it immediately. He assured me that he would do his utmost to move my trip forward by a year, with hopefully minimal financial impact. He contacted Silverseas to start the change process. Even though Silverseas had changed their single supplement policy and were charging a 50% supplement for 2020 cruises, Ashton was able to plead my case and have Silverseas waive the addtl 25% single supplement.

He and his team also worked closely with me to ensure my cabin choice (they guided my process since I’ve never cruised before), and they took meticulous care of the details of my trip, presenting me with a final packet containing all of the details of my cruise.

I had the time of my life, made many new friends, and am still astounded at the otherworldly and amazing experience I had, exploring the Antarctic continent.

Ashton made my trip effortless and truly stepped up in my time of need. Top-notch customer service and responsiveness for this first-time cruiser.

Ashton and his staff did a wonderful job planning and executing our cruise on the Silverseas Explorer to the Falkland Islands, South Georgia Island and the Antarctica Peninsula.

We provided Ashton with our budget, time and desire to see wildlife and Antarctica. He explained the different cruise options and helped us pick the one which exceeded our expectations. The Silverseas Explorer Expedition Cruise was perfect. The staff and service level were excellent. The food was wonderful. The size of the ship and itinerary were devine.

Before the trip we had myriads of questions for him. His staff promptly responded even though many of our questions were answered already in the myriad of written information he had previously sent.

We could not have asked for better service from a travel specialist. We will definitely use him again should we wish to take other cruises.

Ashton’s recommendation for our Antarctica cruise was perfect. He and Brandye patiently discussed and picked up on our preferences, and then worked with us to get the exact voyage and cabin on Lindblad NG Orion for an outstanding trip.

We booked an Antarctica Cruise on the Hebridean Sky with Polar Latitudes, and a side trip to Iguazu Falls in Argentina/Brazil prior to the cruise.

All the arrangements were flawlessly made. Everywhere we went, things were set up and ready. We had great guides and expedition staff. One recommendation that was made was to book the kayaking in Antarctica right away if you wanted to do it because it fills up. This turned out to be very important. The kayaking was one of the highlights of the trip and there were 8 people on the waitlist. Some of those told us that their agent said they could decide on the ship if they wanted to kayak – that isn’t true.

The Hebridean Sky is very nice. The food is designed to appeal to British tastes as it is a British ship but it is very good. The expedition staff joined us for meals which was nice. It was open seating so this was good for meeting other people.

There was a rather large Chinese group as part of the passengers so all the announcements were both in English and Chinese. Not sure if that is always the case.

Tremendous trip. Exceeded our high expectations. We had a small problem with the transfer from an airport to our hotel. Ashton was on top of it and made sure everything was taken care of and we were satisfied. That is when a top notch travel agent proves their value. I would Recommend him wholeheartedly to any traveler.

The planner helped us find a small ship cruise on the National Geographic Quest. We enjoyed the week sailing along Costa Rica and Panama’s Pacific coast and completing the cruise with an overnight stay on the large lake in the Panama Canal as part of our transit of the canal. The ship was very comfortable, the service excellent, and the passengers friendly. Our Naturalist guides on ashore excursions were excellent.

From the beginning to the end Ashton’s team did an amazing job in helping us plan and organize our Antarctica trip. Ashton was incredibly knowledgeable about all the different cruises and tradeoffs between the boats. I don’t take crusies so this was all new to me and we ended up booking on Ponant which was a cruise line I hadn’t even heard of – but it was perfect for us on every front – from the dates to the quality of the team to the rooms and the food and wine. Ashton really helped me understand the differences so we could pick the best boat for us as well as understand the timing of bookings to get the best price. Once we booked Sarah took over as our main point of contact and she also was great at answering all our questions and helping us make all the little decisions around the next stage. I really appreciated that she told us when it made sense to book on our own vs book through the company and even monitored flights for us that they hadn’t booked – advising me of one flight that had completely changed. For anyone planning an Antarctica cruise, I would highly recommend working with them.

Ashton Palmer and his staff were extremely helpful in every way!

Planning a trip to Alaska felt overwhelming until we started working with Ashton Palmer. His personal knowledge and experience made selecting the National Geographic Quest to Southeast Alaska an easy choice. His recommendations were spot-on for our first ever cruise.

We wanted to experience Alaska’s history, glaciers, and wildlife. With Ashton’s assistance we began our adventure in Juneau with a Pilot’s Choice Helicopter flight over several glaciers and had the opportunity to land on two of them. Our seven day cruise gave us what we were looking for: glacier calving, white thunder, zodiac boating, kayaking, hiking, bushwhacking, whales, sea lions, seals, bears, and mountain goats. We completed our cruise with a two day stay in Sitka. It was a perfect way to enjoy the history and culture of this beautiful former Russian port.

With the careful and thoughtful planning by Ashton and members of his staff, Brandye and Marybeth, we had a spectacular time. We will definitely look to him for another small cruise experience.

Wonderful experience on a Lindblad cruise to Southeast Alaska. We needed to find a cruise that would accommodate our multigenerational traveling party and Ashton was incredibly knowledgeable and tireless in answering all my questions about the various options. He also was able to work with the cruise line to find spots on the date we wanted by upgrading one of the cabins at no charge to us! His staff was also very knowledgeable, advising on a variety of things from packing issues to post-cruise activities based on their own first-hand experiences. I would definitely use Ashton for my next small-ship cruise!

Although my husband and I have always made our own travel plans & reservations, when we decided to take a small-ship cruise in Alaska, we were overwhelmed by the number of choices to be made….which cruise line, which ship, which itinerary. When we decided to consult a travel agent, finding the right one became problematic until we found Ashton Palmer on the WOW list. Ashton called us and, after asking the right questions to help him determine the types of travel and experiences we’ve enjoyed, recommended three different cruises and an add-on trip to Denali National Park. We chose one of the three cruises and worked with Ashton’s team to finalize the plans. Although we booked our airfare and hotel stays independently, the logistics were complicated; it would have been difficult to accomplish without the timeline Ashton provided showing us when we had to be at various locations. The trip was fabulous! It hit everything on our “wish” list…..seeing glaciers & wildlife and learning about the Native Alaskan culture. We couldn’t have done it without Ashton’s help.

We were looking for the specialist who could put together a package of the Arctic Expedition; in luxurious surroundings on a ship, with great guides, and very last minute. Ashton and his team delivered this experience of a lifetime. It was exactly what we were dreaming about.

We enjoyed our trip to Southeast Alaska that was arranged by Ashton Palmer. My wife and I rarely take a cruise but we knew we needed to in order to see Alaska. The naturalists on board the National Geographic/Lindblad trip were very helpful and interesting. We found it hard to be so scheduled for meals, and there were no tables for two if we wanted to just talk together without introducing ourselves over and over again to new people. The hikes and kayaking were excellent as well as being able to see Whales bubble net fishing, sea lions, sea otters along with other animals. The cabin was roomy and excellent. All in all, we enjoyed our trip a great deal.

Ashton and his colleagues planned an Alaska cruise for our three-generation family. His guidance was impeccable, just as it was when he booked a Galapagos trip we took last spring. I really appreciated the fact that he had sailed on the ship we chose, and that his staff could also give us first-hand Alaska advice. Just as crucial, Ashton was able to explain our options when my mom got sick right after we paid for the trip but before we had purchased travel insurance. Happily, she rallied quickly and we were able to go. We sailed on the National Geographic Venture, a perfect choice for our group of four, ranging in age from 7 to 83. There was plenty of wildlife to see from the ship, and more than a dozen other kids for my grandson to play with when we weren’t hiking or Zodiaking around. We saw humpbacks and orcas, sea otters and harbor seals, black and brown bears, and more bald eagles than you can count. Thanks to Ashton for pointing us in the right direction, and to Lindblad for a well-run ship.

Have to say that our Alaska Escape cruise on Nat. Geo/ Lindblad exceeded my expectations. We took our 3 grown children with us on a birthday celebration and cruised the Inner Passage.

We met Ashton Palmer through Wendy and he and his staff were on top of every detail all the way. Flawless execution. We went to Alaska via a stay over in Seattle and Ashton and his wife even had lunch with us to discuss a potential trip to the Amazon. Can’t say enough about Ashton, Sarah Davenport and the whole team! Highly recommend!

We were delighted with Ashton’s patient and informative discussions with us regarding the “right” ship for our Arctic cruise. Caitlin and MaryBeth were also diligent in making sure we got the info we needed which sometimes became somewhat confusing. Everyone was enthusiastic and friendly throughout and always came through when we were concerned about information unclear to us or late in arriving.

The cruise overall was wonderful: The Arctic is awesomely beautiful. We got to see four polar bears, although from a distance, but were able to observe one of them for hours as he hunted seals (to no avail), even diving into the water to try to catch his prey. We watched him nap on the fast ice, etc. Saw walruses, reindeer, Arctic foxes, whales, seals, many birds….pretty much the entire fauna population of the area. The animals (birds the exception) don’t abound to say the least as in Africa, the Galapagos. What’s amazing is they’re there at all….The entire area is awesome. A bonus: we got to see the blooming of tundra wildflowers right through the snow, gorgeous and magical.

We enjoyed the ship: our suite was great (excellent choice, Ashton and Caitlin!!!!). We did learn from folks in other cabins that they didn’t have working windows: difficult because cabins were very warm. We slept with our windows open every night. With 24 hour sunlight or just light, cabins don’t cool down. Food was very good, service was very good. Ship was very lovely although not in a luxury category.

Some of the exploration staff were outstanding! Annie, Pat, Yuki, Francoise,, Aven and a few others were superb. Most were very friendly. Educational programs were spotty. Some were excellent: see names above. Some programs were reduced to info shared only during recap sessions. Don’t know why there wasn’t more “before” seeing the animals vs. “after” talks.

Another problem, and many passengers agreed, was that communication of general information was NOT good. We were awakened by loudspeaker. This announcement also quickly and sometimes blurrily told us where we were and what we were doing that morning. The only other information about the morning’s activities was typed on an 8 by 11 paper tacked up near the dining room and at other locations. We took to taking photos of the paper so we could read it later. Most other activities were communicated this way.

Given each cabin had a closed circuit TV, we thought activities could have been posted on the TV with guests informed as such. Also, an afternoon substantive snack, cocktail get-together, tea was apparently served each afternoon but we and most others only found out about it in the last couple of days of the cruise. There were other silly glitches of this sort. Management should figure this one out. It shouldn’t be that difficult a problem to sort.

However, despite our annoyance about this, we enjoyed everything else. Their communication model, however primitive, would not be a dealbreaker. And, the other guests were terrific: we really enjoyed meeting and spending time with all whom we met.

Thank you to Ashton, Caitlin, and MaryBeth. We’ve already signed up for a cruise to Antarctica with Ashton although not with Quark….but not because of the communication issues.

We booked our cruise to Southeast Alaska on the National Geographic Venture through Ashton Palmer. Ashton and his team were very organized, professional, helpful, and insightful. Ashton’s team responded to all of our questions on a near-immediate basis, and their responses were very helpful.

I specifically appreciate Ashton’s personal knowledge about the small cruise ship and his personal experiences with family travel on these types of cruises. I have two children with special needs, and we were concerned about whether they would be able to do all of the activities on the cruise. Ashton personally contacted National Geographic / Lindblad Expeditions and received assurance that my children would be able to do everything, and that the National Geographic staff would “make it work.” (Which they did and exceeded our expectations.)

Ashton’s expertise was exceedingly helpful, and I would not have any problem recommending his services to other families considering these types of trips. Ashton is truly an expert in this field of travel, and we look forward to booking our next trip with him and through his company.

Excellent referral! Travel specialist was awesome, exactly knowing what we wanted. You won’t be disappointed if you get this travel planner.

We traveled to Alaska in the National Geographic Venture (Lindblad Expeditions). It was an adventurous experience and we saw and learned a lot.

Ashton knew exactly how to plan the trip considering my 10 year old granddaughter would be with us. She and the adults feel it was a perfect trip.

I appreciated that I was given various options. The activities were well balanced with something for everyone. There was an explorer’s club which kept the children on board happy while teaching them valuable lessons about ecology and wildlife.

There were snorkeling options for every level. We got to see every animal and bird species as hoped. Blue and red Boobys, giant sea turtles, sea lions, penguins were all there. Hikes again were varied and suitable options were provided for all ages and abilities.

Ashton was very good in telling us about possible small ships for our trip to Alaska. He gave us the pros and cons of individual small ships, and the various selections for rooms. He even mentioned that one room was less desirable because it had a post outside the cabin window. We picked Uncruise and were very impressed and pleased with all parts of the trip.

Susan Crandell and family in the Galapagos

For our three-generation family vacation, Ashton arranged a Galapagos cruise on the Lindblad/National Geo ship. It was a perfect match for us—knowledgeable guides, multiple outings every day to suit our differing athletic abilities, great food and a superb dining room staff who actually remembered all our food preferences. The trip went off flawlessly, but it was comforting to know that Ashton was in our corner had anything went wrong. Other Wow agents have rescued me from day-of-flight blizzards and other bad travel karma. I know Ashton would have done the same, just glad he didn’t have to!

Just back from cruising Antartica-what a fabulous trip! Ashton was able to steer us gently and professionally to Silversea’s Silver Cloud instead of the cruise line we were originally considering on our own. We are so thankful he did! 6 wonderful days of expeditions, culminating in taking the Polar Plunge at the Antarctic Circle. While not every cruise will get the opportunity to do that, our weather permitted it. But it was Ashton, after talking to us and LISTENING, who gave us 3 great choices initially then booked us into a beautiful suite on the Silver Cloud, giving us the trip of a lifetime.

Ashton was very helpful in helping us select a cruise line and was always available for our seemingly never ending questions. However it was during the cruise where he really demonstrated his value. We had an issue come up on our transfers to the ship and he jumped into action. He corrected the issue immediately. Would absolutely use him again.

Ashton and his team did a great job. They were on top of every aspect. Ashton worked with the dates we provided him and gave three great recommendations for our cruise to Antarctica. We selected the “Island Sky” with Polar Latitudes and were not disappointed. He coordinated all of our itineraries and provided advice when needed.

This was our fourth trip with Ashton Palmer’s team, and there is a reason that we go back to them again and again. We had a complex itinerary set up for a family voyage to Antarctica over winter break. In looking at our schedule, Ashton and the team saw that we had a few days before departing Santiago for Ushuaia where we might take advantage of some time in the Atacama Desert. Well, this ended up being the absolute trip of a lifetime, and the best travel advice we ever took. Atacama was stunning — a high, dry and visually spectacular desert landscape with daily excursions from the first-rate Explora Hotel. This was the perfect prelude to the Antarctica expedition, a frozen desert in its own right teeming with wildlife. As always, Ashton and his team managed every detail flawlessly, from the selection and booking of the hotel and expedition to the organization of every critical detail needed to ensure that the trip was seamless. This included ensuring that our family managed a complex series of flights with the least amount of stress. Every question we had was answered, often within hours. All of our trip documentation was well-organized, with Ashton’s team ensuring that all forms were submitted well ahead of time — they have a very convenient electronic platform to access all that we need. We also received a comprehensive trip packet covering every aspect of our trip well ahead of departure. Ashton’s team is professional, efficient, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. They go the extra mile to listen to your needs in order to find the best travel options for you. We are a well traveled family that only seeks the best, and will certainly be going back to Ashton in the future!

The service provided by Ashton Palmers and his team were great. Good ideas from them, and they answered questions promptly and cheerfully.

Ashton helped us chose the right cruise line, the right itinerary, the right ship, and even the right cabin. This was our first time on a cruise and he patiently answered all our questions and helped allay any concerns we had. I will definitely be working with him again on our next cruise.

Linblad/National Geographic Quest – Inside Passage/Coastal Alaska

My husband and I have just returned from 3 weeks in Alaska. We used Ashton Palmer, as well as Jennifer Santoyo and Sarah Anthony on his staff.  I can’t say enough good things about them. They were always quick to respond to our questions or requests. They had suggestions to make our trip better, and ways for us to save money. For instance, I had not even considered adding a bear viewing component to our trip, but once Jennifer suggested it, we were all in. She worked with me to secure a cabin at the lodge of my choice. And she was supportive when there was a snafu on the lodge’s end. We spent 3 nights at Silver Salmon Creek Lodge and absolutely loved it there.

One concern with staying at Silver Salmon is sometimes bad weather comes in and the planes cannot fly to get you back to Anchorage or wherever. I knew this going in, but our itinerary was so tight I couldn’t add a day for wiggle room. Sarah spoke with David Coray at Silver Salmon and worked out a plan B. That took a load off of my mind.

The next leg of our trip was at North Face Lodge in Denali National Park. They only take reservations by phone and there are a limited number of queen beds, which we had requested. The day North Face opened reservations for 2018, Jennifer spent hours on the phone trying to get through to their 2 phone lines. She was successful and we had a room with a queen bed!

The final leg of our trip was a week spent on the National Geographic Quest with Lindblad Expeditions. Ashton had sailed on this ship in 2017. When I couldn’t find photographs of this ship he shared some of his own photos with my husband and me.

Ashton’s team supplied us with an updated itinerary at each step of the planning process. They contacted me when Alaska railroad opened up reservations for 2018. I didn’t have to keep checking and then contacting them. They were on top of everything.

Finally, Sarah did something that prevented a major headache on our part. Lindblad does not send out their final documents until 1 week prior to the voyage. Since our trip was 3 weeks long and the cruise was the final week of our trip, we would not be home when the documents arrived. Sarah contacted Lindblad and requested they send it out to her early, then she overnighted everything to us. I had not even thought about this potential problem, but Sarah had it handled.

I highly recommend Ashton to anyone planning a trip to Alaska. I was so glad I found him on the WOW list. This trip was to celebrate our 30th anniversary, and it exceeded our expectations!

Ashton and everyone at his firm that helped us were a pleasure to work with. Having never previously been on a small ship (we were on the National Geographic Quest week of July 8-15) or to Alaska, we had bombarded Ashton and Marybeth and Olivia with all sorts of questions (and probably tested their patience) – but they were able to get back to us on every single point, no matter how detailed the information requested. The advance documentation and preparation was excellent as well…all making for a great memorable trip. After we had booked the Quest trip through Ashton, we later decided to add Denali on our own (not through the Lindblad official add-on to the Quest itinerary). Ashton’s firm sprung into action and arranged everything for us seamlessly as well. Overall, a fantastic experience – as to the trip itself and to Ashton and his team for the guidance and assistance prior to, and during the trip (thanks for the bottle of wine waiting in our cabin!!)

From the very beginning, Ashton and his team were professional, knowledgeable, accommodating and friendly. We had excellent help in determining what gear to bring, which initially felt a bit overwhelming. They coordinated and did the follow through to insure that we had everything in place for our trip including, insurance, travel documents, clothes, hotels, flights, etc. It was seamless. They even arranged for Jeff to have a bottle of wine in our room upon arrival in celebration of his 60th birthday. I would highly recommend these travel specialists if you are planning to take an expedition boat cruise in Alaska. (We were on the Quest, a National Geographic/Linblad ship)

Planning this trip involved a series of detailed emails with Ashton Palmer and his staff, with the result that everything about the trip (to Peru) was perfectly tuned to our interests and abilities. In the Sacred Valley, we were paired with a guide who knew every stone at every site, and every corner of every town. We were able to visit a tiny village where textiles are created starting with shearing the alpaca and ending with weaving the finished product and saw how the different dyes are created, how the looms work, and how people live above 13,000 feet. We met our guides mother, who lives in an original Inca house and cooked us a snack. Talking to other travelers, it was clear how much more we saw of how people live than do most other tourists, and how much richer our experience was as a result.

From the Sacred Valley, we went to the Amazon to visit the Pacaya-Samiria reserve, something I’ve wanted to do my entire life. There are a lot of ways to see the Amazon, but Ashton pointed us to the one that gave us the immersive experience we wanted, and my unreasonable expectations were more than met. We ended in Lima, where the highlight was a tasting market tour with a chef followed by a 7-course lunch with the kind of commentary every home cook dreams of (“if only I had someone here to tell me how to make this delicious dish…” and there she was!).

Ashton Palmer is the person to work with if you want a chance to get closer to the place you’re visiting. We saw all the sights; but we did so much more than that, in exactly the way that suited us best. I can’t imagine how we would have put something together on our own. Most highly recommended!

There are many different ways to see the Arctic and many ships to choose from. Ashton presented them all and helped us narrow it down to one. He told us when to travel and made sure we had wonderful accommodations. Every detail was attended to from what to pack to touring options in Oslo

When I questioned the “bring your own boots policy“, he approached the tour operator and arranged to have the rental boots waiting for us on the boat. We had an amazing experience thanks to Ashton and his team.

Ashton Palmer and Sarah Anthony our travel coordinator on his team, did a wonderful job helping us plan our trip to Alaska’s Inside Passage on the National Geographic Quest in May. We had never taken a cruise before ( except small ones on rivers ) and were apprehensive because my husband gets seasick easily, moreover we always travel by ourselves and the Quest carries 100 passengers, which seemed large for us. After Ashton’s assurance that the Inside Passages waters were smooth and very much like a river, we signed up and enjoyed all facets of the voyage immensely. We especially appreciated the very detailed documents that Ashton sent us online very early on and also Sarah’s help when we realized we needed to rent additional gear because of the weather.

Ashton Palmer and his team, Jennifer Salinas, and Sarah Anthony were all outstanding/superb. From Ashton’s response to my initial inquiry to follow up from Sarah and Jennifer I was assisted on a regular basis with pre-trip advice and planning. I would use them again in a heartbeat.

I rated my overall trip experience as fair, as the logistics of the trip resulted in too much “down time” in transport between trip activities. This resulted from the trip itinerary and is not a reflection at all on the outstanding job done by Ashton and his team.

There are not enough superlatives in the world to describe the trip we just experienced. As Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton said, “Tongue and pen fail in attempting to describe the magic of such a scene.”

I cannot thank Ashton, Olivia, and Sarah enough for helping us organize the trip of a lifetime with A&K on Le Lyrial. They were with us every step of the way. From the beginning, they assessed exactly what we were looking for (down to what interior design style we preferred in hotels) and made informed recommendations for us. They are meticulous and organized–I especially appreciated all of the documents they have detailing hotels, ships, etc. and the dropbox with everything we needed! When we had to change our itinerary and switch ships entirely, they gladly handled it and made everything seamless. They truly want you to have the best trip possible and their passion for the destinations is obvious.

Excellent, accurate advice on our Antarctica Expedition. So glad they advised us well on which cabins were best for people prone to seasickness. Trip materials/ documents were complete. No detail was not attended to. Ashton’s knowledge + courtesy + that of his staff was appreciated!

Ashton was excellent in helping us to plan this trip. He guided us to the right cruise for Antarctica with teenagers and he and his office planned an outstanding trip to Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aries. He helped us make the right choices for the best trip we could have. Ashton and his staff were on top of all the details of our trip and helped us when the hotel used by the cruise line closed unexpectedly. The new hotel was great.

Ashton planned the trip of a lifetime to Antarctica for us!  It was my last continent, and I cried when I arrived and cried when it was over. I had thought I wanted to fly over the Drake Passage because I was terrified of getting seasick, but I’m really happy I listened to Ashton. He said that flying over the Drake can mean delays on either side because of weather, and unless you have flexibility in your schedule, it’s not advisable. He highly recommended the Abercrombie & Kent ship by Ponant because it had the best stabilizers to handle the Drake, because the naturalist guides onboard were excellent, and because it would work for my 17-year-old. Also, my husband wasn’t as excited about Antarctica as I was and preferred more luxurious accommodations than the fly trips offer. So we kind of had to agree on the trade-off to make the trip happen: my bucket list vs. Marty’s desire to be more comfortable on a nicer boat. Ashton was perfect in assessing what everyone wanted. Marty now agrees it was the best trip we ever had, and we all want to come back on the longer trip, which would include South Georgia Island, where the king penguins are. I will also use Ashton again for the North Pole, hopefully soon.  12-26-17 until 1-12-18

Incredible way to visit our seventh continent!

Ashton along with Marybeth and Chris on his team were the perfect people to help us reach our family goal of visiting all seven continents. Ashton called me to learn about our family and our wishes for the trip. He directed us to the beautiful ship, Le Lyrial. Le Lyrial offered a family cruise with Abercrombie and Kent. Everything about this trip exceeded our expectations (and we went on the trip expecting great things). Our trip dates were December 28, 2017-January 7, 2017.

The crew on Le Lyrial was very knowledgeable, professional, friendly, and fun. The wonderful crew, combined with the very fun and friendly passengers on the trip made this a fantastic experience for our whole family. We enjoyed befriending people from all over the world. We and our three children were thrilled with the new friends their age. The young explorers program was great and set off the whole journey on a very positive note, with interesting information and fun activities. The people from Abercrombie and Kent and from Ponant all added great value to the trip. We learned so much from the lectures and enjoyed each excursion.

All of the animals were amazing! Our favorites were the penguins. We also enjoyed the seals, birds, whales, and even dolphins on our way back to Ushuaia.

The ship was beautiful, comfortable, safe, and clean. The food was delicious, too. This was our first expedition cruise. Many other passengers had done several cruises. We all agreed this one would be difficult to top.

Thank you to Ashton for booking this very special, memorable family vacation!

Ashton Palmer and his team are first class. We travel widely and I personally have visited over 80 countries for work or pleasure. Ashton’s team helped me and my family to arrange our single most rewarding and enjoyable trip by far — a Lindblad cruise to the Arctic. We have since booked two additional trips with him (Galapagos and Alaska), and are in the process of booking a fourth. Ashton spent a lot of time learning about our family and its preferences. He has access to a wide arrange of options and made sure to tailor them to our needs. Every detail is covered with each booking. Our itineraries were highly organized and provided to us both electronically and in hard copy. Ashton’s team also provided us with extensive information on each trip to help us to prepare and made sure we met every key deadline. Friendly and responsive, Ashton’s team always goes the extra mile, helping us to secure an airline refund for a trip segment that was canceled in Alaska due to weather. If you are considering an expedition trip or cruise, you just can’t do any better.

Ashton Palmer and Jennifer and Sarah on his team were all very helpful in planning this trip, The first part of the trip (July 4-13) was on a Lindblad/National Geographic ship which circumnavigated the island. Ashton set this up for us and even booked us into a cabin on the island side of the ship. From July 13-18, after leaving the ship, we had guides and tours in and around Reykjavik, which Jennifer and Sarah set up for us, with lots of back and forth planning until they had established the perfect itinerary, fulfilling all our wishes for the stay. On our first day in Reykjavik, there was a problem with a booking, and their people took care of the rescheduling and all worked out well. We then went to France for a week; and, on our return, they even set up a day tour for us during the layover; having also arranged for a hotel to keep the luggage we needed for Iceland but not for France. We had four different guides during the total of 6 days, and each was good and made sure we saw and did everything possible. The hotels were all very nice and centrally located. Even after we returned home, Ashton promptly helped us to obtain some information we needed. From beginning to end, Ashton’s team did all they could to ensure us an unforgettable experience.

Ashton and Allison at Expedition Trips were exceptional organizers. Ashton helped us zero in on an appropriate family friendly trip in Alaska. We considered cruises, large, then small, and finally ended up with a perfectly curated mix of fishing, backcountry hiking and glacier kayaking. Marybeth and Allison (and in her absence while on vacation Aubree) meticulously organized every detail and made sure that all our information was conveyed to the trip outfitter. We cannot say enough about the outfitter. Immensely professional staff eager to share their love of Alaska and its majestic scenery and wildlife. Only shortcoming as far as Expedition Trips may have been greater direction on where to stay in Anchorage. We stayed on the inbound at the Lakefront Hotel simply because it was a meeting place for our tour but the hotel is run-down and a bit unkept. On the return from the glacier lodge, we stayed an extra night at the Embassy Suites before returning home. A much better choice of hotel for families that need a little extra space and extraordinary ample breakfast (included in the daily rate) before their long travel home.

Travel specialist took the time to understand our needs and wants and put the perfect trip together. They were proactive, knowledgeable and responsive. They followed up throughout the process to ensure all would go well.

I first contacted Ashton Palmer in May 2016 because I wanted to arrange an Alaskan Cruise to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary with our children and grandchildren for the summer of 2017. He was extremely helpful in narrowing down our choice of cruises which focused on Alaska’s coastal wilderness with ample opportunities for hiking, kayaking, and Zodiac excursions. Communication with Ashton and Marybeth on his team, throughout the various stages of planning our expedition, was easy and thorough. I would definitely use them again if I were planning another cruise. Exploring Alaska’s Coastal Wilderness, July 23-30, 2017

Ashton and Marybeth on his team arranged the trip for us. We had already decided to join friends on this voyage, so it was really just a matter of asking Marybeth to book it. Their suggested cabin was perfect for us.

We have used their services before and knew that our request would be handled quickly and efficiently. They were able to book pre and post cruise hotels for us as well.

Any travel agent can book hotels and plane tickets. The good ones send you to wonderful places and suggest unique experiences. The really, really great ones come through when something goes seriously wrong and produce a trip that is still perfect. Ashton Palmer is in this last category.

We were already half-way through one of the greatest trips in a life of traveling (Atacama, Patagonia) when our Antarctic cruise was cancelled (mechanical problem) the day before we were to embark. We were stranded in Ushuaia, no hotels, no plans, no plane reservations, between Christmas and New Year’s so everything was booked up. We had no idea what to do or where to go and were having trouble even finding out what was happening. Ashton and his team got to work immediately, reassured us, clarified the situation, found us flights to Buenos Aires, a perfect hotel, new flights home, and negotiated a wonderful settlement from the cruise line. They have handled the refund process for us as well. This was not a small amount of work, and due to the time difference it involved them starting work as early as 5 am.

I have had trips go askew before, and have been stuck in more than one remote place; but I have never had a travel agent step up the way Ashton did. I would recommend him enthusiastically based just on the quality of the trip that was planned and the wonderful arrangements that were made; but I cannot say enough about the flawless service when we really needed it. By far the finest travel professional I have ever worked with.

We started the process of planning this trip around 18 months ago. Its been stress-free with all the planning. Anytime I had a question or needed clarification, I got an immediate response. The trip itself was flawless and rates as one of the best trips we have ever done. I will definitely use Ashton Palmer again if we plan another Polar expedition. Because this trip went so well, we are actually talking about doing an Arctic trip in the future.

Ashton and his team are second to none. They identified a range of incredible Arctic options for our family, and also provided a well-organized and systematic comparison of each trip (ship, itinerary, price, wraparound travel options, etc.). Emails and phone calls were responded to right away, and we received a comprehensive package of materials and trip guidelines that made it easy for us to make our way to a rather remote initial destination in Greenland. Ashton is clearly passionate about this work, listens to his clients, and is extremely service oriented. We could not recommend him highly enough.