Erika Coyes Travel

18/03/2025

Christmas 2025!! ✨ Regent Seven Seas has just launched an incredible promotion on many of their 2025 sailings. There are a variety of dates, destinations & prices available. This Christmas itinerary looks incredible!

December 17-27, 2025
11 nights
South America Splendor
Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires
With promo - fares start at $7499 CAD per person for a Veranda Suite.

For those familiar with Regent, you know this price is truly remarkable for the value.

Regent is the most all-inclusive cruise line at sea. Their pricing includes unlimited drinks, all dinning, wifi, spa facilities, gratuities AND shore excursions and valet laundry service.

The ship for this itinerary is Regent Seas Splendor. 375 beautiful suites, max 750 guests.

We had the pleasure or sailing Regent in January 2024. Absolute luxury.

If you've ever wanted to try Regent Seven Seas, now is the time. The published fare for this sailing starts at over $20,000. This promo is amazing, especially for the Christmas season.

Additional Virtuoso amenities are complimentary when you work with Erika Coyes Travel.

17/03/2025

Good news for those travelling to Europe in 2025. ETIAS will not be required until last quarter of 2026. *Important - an ETA is required for travel to the UK 🇬🇧

14/03/2025

Our 8 night sailing with Explora Journeys is almost finished, we will end in Miami on Saturday. What an impressive journey, we've had an outstanding time!

European owned and designed, with a vision to redefine luxury cruising, Explora launched it's first ship in 2023 and has brought a new feel to the industry. This all-inclusive experience checks all the boxes.

Each area on this ship is stunning - there are 461 ocean front suites, 12 bars and lounges, 6 restaurants and 5 heated pools. We never felt crowded, nor did we ever experience large crowds of people, the ship is designed to keep spaces separate and unique. On many ocean ships you will find one or two large pools. On Explora, the pools are smaller, each with their own bar, and ample loungers and cabanas. Each pool has a very distinct feel - from an infinity pool overlooking the ocean, to a conservatory style surrounded by tropical plants.

There are not any traditional large Broadway style shows on Explora, but there were always great options for entertainment. Live music in different venues, comedians, dancing, culinary shows, and trivia were all available. The casino is small, but a fun space for a game of blackjack. The spa amenities (sauna, steam room, whirlpool, salt room) are complimentary for all guests to use. The gym is fantastic and offers a variety of classes.

The lobby bar was one of our favorite places to enjoy a cocktail, the elegant space felt like a 5 star hotel. All of the staff were exceptional, the guest to staff ratio is 1.25: 1, we were pampered morning until night.

We had the privilege of staying in a Premium Penthouse room, 560 square feet (indoor & terrace). This room was a dream with a separate living space, king size bed, oversized shower and walk-in closet. Explora provides a beespoke pillow menu for all of their room categories, allowing guests to select their style of pillow and bedding. Our bed was such a treat - the linens, the mattress, the pillows... pure bliss.

Explora Journeys is a 10 out of 10. I'm sharing some photos from the ship (in no particular order), please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

13/03/2025

I'm on Explora at the moment, thought it would be a good time to share an Exclusive Canadian Traveller Benefit.

12/03/2025

Did you know the Cayman Islands are made up of 3? Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. Today's port stop was Cayman Brac, a small island with a population of only 2000 people. 

There is not a big commercial port on this island, our cruise ship stayed at sea and we took a 5 minute tender boat to get to shore. We were greeted by many excited locals.

Ships often visit Grand Cayman, but Cayman Brac has not had a cruise ship visit for two years.

There were some scuba excursions and land tours available that looked like a lot of fun, but we wanted to venture off on our own today. This is one of the benfits of a cruise, you have lots of choices.

Once we got on shore, we walked 30 minutes to the rental shop and picked up bikes for the day. Only $30 each. We explored some caves, some public beaches, and had an amazing lunch at a local restaurant. Before we headed back to catch the tender, we stopped to enjoy a local beer. When we travel, we always do our best to support the communities we visit.... and 9 times out of 10, we experience amazing flavours!

Cayman Brac is approximately 12 miles long and 1.2 miles wide. This island was named for the 140-foot bluff at the western tip. A local told us that Brac means Bluff in Gaelic, and the island was named from early Scottish fisherman.

If you'd like to explore on your own when cruising, here are some helpful tips when visiting port stops:

1. Do some research before you go. Some ports are located outside of town centres and there can be limited public transportation or taxis.

2. If you're visiting a smaller destination, or a busy destination, you should reserve bikes, scooters, or cars before you arrive. Many places have limited inventory.

3. Carry some local currency. Many small places only take cash.

4. Eat where the locals eat - you'll often find great prices & great food. Or if you're a foodie, make sure to research & make reservations ahead of time (especially in Europe).

5. Always plan to be back to the ship at least an hour before your final boarding time, just to be safe. The ship will not wait for you if you are late.

6. Be safe, and make sure you are comfortable in the cruise port you are visiting. Some ports are safer with a tour or excursion.

Grateful for today, we had a wonderful time exploring.

11/03/2025

We are half way through our 8 night sailing on Explora. This ship is truly stunning, the decor is elegant and modern. Magical views from our terrace. Perfect for morning coffee and night cap. ✨ More photos and review coming soon.

07/03/2025

Big Win for Trevello! 🚢🏆 I am so proud to be part of Trevello Travel Group and Virtuoso. Trevello has won the Virtuoso Canada Growth Award in Cruise! This achievement is a direct reflection of the passion, dedication, and collaboration within our advisor community. Very grateful for Trevello's leadership, and the collaboration with the industries best. Exciting win!

05/03/2025

Update: Luggage found (phew!!). Thank you everyone for your kind words. Two days without our suitcases was a great reminder to follow tips below ✈️🧳

Original Post: After sitting in the DWF airport for 8 hours due to weather cancellations and delays, we arrived to Miami, however our suitcases did not. Currently the airline does not know where they are.

We have no toiletries and the only clothes we have are the clothes we are wearing. Our cruise departs on Friday - fingers crossed they find our luggage.

As a Travel Agent, I often share travel tips.... unfortunately in this situation, I did not follow my own advice. Out flight was direct and less than 3 hours, so I didn't think it was a big deal. Lesson learned.

Thankfully our credit card includes some insurance to cover basics while we wait, so we are headed to Target. If our bag is not found we will have to do a full shop tomorrowow so we have clothes (covered by insurance).

Here's what I will do the next time I fly.... and every time I fly in the future.

✨ bring some essentials in a carry-on: toiletries, one change of clothes, and one bathing suit.

✨put an air tag in each piece of luggage

✨ dress in layers when flying, airports can get brutally cold with the extreme air conditioning, and planes can get very hot when they are full.

✨bring a refillable water bottle, all airports have great water stations - stay hydrated. Pack some healthy snacks in your carry-on.

Making sure you are comfortable and well nourished will give you resiliency to deal with frustrating situations. We witnessed lots of adults having temper tantrums at the airport. No one can control the weather, it's your job to control your behavior.

On the positive side - we are safe, and all of this can be worked out. Keeping a good attitude and making the most of the situation is key.

Happy travels!

28/02/2025

Attention ladies who love comedy & wine - how fun would this be?! 🍷 A perfect trip for friends, mother-daughters, or sisters. Uniworld's celebrity guest will be a hit, Rachel is hilarious! Departs August 24th. River cruising is such a wonderful way to explore Europe. Unpack once on your floating boutique hotel.

27/02/2025

Best way to island hop in French Polynesia? A small luxury ship! 🌺 Truly one of my best travel experiences. Excited to share my exclusive pricing for Paul Gauguin Cruises. Best price for a 7 night sailing in 2026, in a lead-in balcony room, starts at $6400 CAD / $4400 USD per person.

This cruise is truly all-inclusive: drinks, restaurants, wifi and gratuities. No need to purchase additional packages.

Only 343 guests onboard, and daily port stops. Food & service is 10/10.

This beautiful ship is currently being refurbished in dry dock, scheduled to be completed in March. I cant wait to see the upgrades (although, I already thought it was perfectly Polynesian).

If Bora Bora, Tahiti and Moorea are on your bucket list - I can't recommend this cruise line enough.

19/02/2025

Only 16 sleeps until we embark on our first sailing with Explora Journeys. This award winning cruise line was founded in 2021 and launched their first ship in the summer of 2023. With two ships in fleet, and plans for four more, Explora is making an impressive mark in the luxury cruise industry.

Our itinerary includes 8 nights on Explora I. All 461 suites have ocean terraces, and the impressive dinning options include 6 diverse restaurants, often said to be some of the best cuisine at sea. The intention of this European designed ship was to provide elevated and sophiaticated spaces that envoke the intimacy of a private yacht. The pictures look stunning, I am so excited to see it all in person.

I'll be sure to share many photos and videos, as well as a review. If you have any specific questions before we leave, please don't hesitate to reach out.

📸 Explora Journeys

31/01/2025

Important 🇲🇽 if you are staying in the Cancun area or the Mayan Riviera, you need to pay the Visitax before you go. This is a tourist tax. This tax was introduced a while go but hasn’t really been enforced. However, are now starting to check for confirmation at the Cancun airports. This is a mandatory tax for all visitors.

You pay online. There are many third party sites that pop up on a google search, but they charge high service fees. I’m sharing a link to the official website below, use this link to pay, and I recommend that you take a screen shot of your payment confirmation:

https://www.visitax.gob.mx/sitio/

08/01/2025

Headed to Europe? It’s always important to stay up to date on travel requirements. 🌎 Here’s an update on UK’s ETA and EU’s ETIAS.

As of today (January 8), Canadian citizens will need an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) to visit or transit through the United Kingdom. The digital application process costs £10 ($18 CAD). Each authorization is valid for multiple trips over two years (or until the traveller’s passport expir...

04/01/2025

Sailing on an authentic tall ship is on my bucket list...

Star Clippers proudly carries on the tradition of the tall ships with three magnificent clippers combining all the modern comforts of today with the grace an...

31/12/2024

2024 Travel Recap ✨ Sailed with 4 fantastic cruise lines this year, each ship provided very different styles of cruising:

Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Princess
Cunard
Paul Gauguin Cruises

We also had the opportunity to tour & dine on one of Uniworld River Cruises’ elegant ships in Venice.

When we cruise, we always build a land component in, before or after we sail, allowing more time to explore a destination.

Not all of our travel has been cruising, we took our first coach tour, and even went on a motor bike trip.

Countries visited in 2024:

Portugal
Mexico
Italy
Malta
Croatia
French Polynesia (Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora)
United States

Grateful for each adventure, as this year has provided invaluable experience and an abundance of professional development.

Thank you to all of you who have trusted me with your travels, and thank you to those that I will be working with in 2025.

Happy New Year!

23/12/2024

Reflecting on this past year, I am especially grateful for the relationships in my life. Family, friends, clients, industry partners & colleagues - you have made this year unforgettable! Thank you ✨ May this Christmas bring you all that you wish for. Looking forward to more adventures in 2025!

20/12/2024

Who’s dreaming of Christmas Markets in Europe? A river cruise on the Rhine or Danube will bring you to the heart of the action. The sights, sounds, and smells create a magical festive experience. Traditional food and drink, live music, lights, and shopping all bring history and culture together during this magical season.

Fantastic promotions coming January 2nd, including complimentary land packages with select itineraries.

📸 AmaWaterways