Windstar Venetian Passageways Cruise (Part 3)

(54 Reviews)
100% Recommended

Lola Stoker

Mississauga, ON

Cruise Holidays | Luxury Travel Boutique

I was born in The Netherlands and moved to Canada in my early twenties. I started my career in travel and hospitality in Ottawa and later moved to Toronto where I have lived and worked ever since. My home is in Etobicoke, a quiet neighbourhood i...

My background includes a Degree in Hotel Management from the University of Maastrict, The Netherlands. A veteran of the hospitality industry, I spent my early years working in catering, restaurant management and sales. Later, an opportunity arose in Corporate Travel Sales where I represented some of the larger corporate travel companies in Canada. Although I enjoyed this career, I was always envious of the leisure travel specialists that I met; they seemed to be having so much fun researching and booking dream vacations for their clients.

In 2012, I decided to pursue a career in leisure travel and started a boutique travel agency with my husband, specializing in cruises and custom vacations. I've learned more about myself and the world than I ever imagined. I am truly grateful to have this opportunity to help clients, who have been bitten by the travel bug, plan their trips and cruises.

Many of my clients have spent most of their lives in North America and are eager to see more of the world. Canada is an absolutely gorgeous country, but I believe that it is important for people to travel, experience different destinations and cultures to broaden their horizons and enrich their lives. This could mean an escorted tour in Asia, an expedition trip to Antarctica or a relaxing river cruise in Europe.

My background gives me a unique perspective when booking cruises and other travel experiences for my clients. Born in The Netherlands, I traveled extensively throughout Europe. After moving to Canada as a young adult, I continued to travel extensively to Asia, the Caribbean and Mexico. Eventually, opening my own travel agency will allow me to use my unique expertise to help a variety of valued clients.

I love connecting with my clients, hearing their stories and seeing their pictures of their travel experiences after they return. This was particularly true with a client who booked a trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. The client had the opportunity to stay in a jungle resort with an amazing view of a volcano, visit the city of Quito, cruise the Galapagos Islands and get close to the extraordinary wildlife there. The pictures I received after this trip were absolutely breathtaking!

While I travel quite a bit with my agency, I make sure I am available for my clients. While my clients are abroad, I make it a point of being reachable so that I can quickly respond to any questions they may have. After my clients have returned, I'm always eager to discuss their trip, not only to learn about their experiences but to find ways to improve my service to them.

My number one mission is to deliver a once in a lifetime, worry free travel experience through superior service, excellent value and relevant expertise - and I will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal!

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Corinth Canal – The Corinth Canal was built in the 19th century and is 6.4 kilometers long and 25 meters wide. The Canal essentially cut of the Peloponnese isthmus from the Greek mainland making it an island and saved sailors trying to get to the Adriatic from the Aegean Seas or vice versa about 185 nautical miles. Completed in 1893, the canal is too narrow for modern ships but can be passed by small cruise ships. The passage takes about an hour and ships are pulled by a tug boat through the canal. Bridges span the canal and bungee jumping has become popular. As we sailed through the canal, many of the locals came out to watch from shore and from the bridges. Nafplio - The town is quite picturesque and worth visiting on its own. A fortress overlooking the Old Town of Nafpio can be reached by stairs or car. If you take the stairs be prepared for to walk up 999 steps. Once at the top, the views are spectacular and the photo opportunities are everywhere you look. The Old town is intriguing as ever with its interesting shops and cafes. We had a great lunch at an outdoor café and spent the afternoon strolling around the old historic area of town. Later we walked to a beach on the other side of town from the port and went for a swim. Athens – This legendary city has much to offer. For our short stay, we climbed to the Acropolis which dominates the cityscape from a hill in the middle of the city. The fee is usually 20 Euros, but since we visited on a national holiday, admission is free. Restoration of the site is constant and unfortunately, there is often heavy machinery and scaffolding on the site. However, the site is still the most important site in Athens. Down the main promenade from the Acropolis is the remains of the Temple of Zeus. If you look back at the Acropolis through the gates of the Temple of Zeus, you can frame a photograph perfectly. Between the Temple of Zeus and the Acropolis is the Plaka shopping district which has many side streets for exploring. Also, nearby is the new Acropolis Museum where most of the important antiquities are displayed. We finished our evening off in the Psiri restaurant district on a patio for dinner and then wandered over to a café for dessert. The trip to the airport takes about 30 minutes without traffic and much longer in rush hour. The cost is about 40 Euros. The airport is modern and quite large, but easy to navigate.