I Travel with Sterling

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I Travel with Sterling

I help women 55+ plan unforgettable travel experiences—from weekend escapes to dream cruises—with ease, style, and heart.

At Travels with Sterling, I offer personalized planning, real-world insights, and a joyful push to finally go.

05/28/2026

We could have rushed to the cruise port.

Instead, we added 2.5 days in Milan. 🇮🇹

Here's what we're doing:

The Duomo → Skip-the-line rooftop tickets (non-negotiable)

Lake Como → Full-day private boat tour (Bellagio, Lugano, 11 hours of views)

Brera district → Cobblestone streets, art galleries, cafes. No schedule. Just wandering.

The strategy: Use the cruise as your anchor, then add cities around it.

Milan flights were $200/person cheaper than Rome.
That $400 savings funded 2.5 days exploring a city we'd never seen.

Then: scenic train through Alps to Rome.
Then: 7-night Mediterranean cruise.

The result? We turned a 7-night cruise into a 10-day Italian adventure.

The lesson: Stop thinking cruise OR city. Think cruise AND gateway cities.

That's when travel becomes extraordinary.

Full Milan planning on the blog. Link in bio.

Have you been to Milan? What shouldn't we miss? 👇

05/27/2026

Unpopular opinion: Sea days are NOT wasted days 🌊

I've met cruisers who view sea days as crossed-out time. Days that "don't count."

After 30+ cruises, I want to say this clearly:

Sea days are the infrastructure of your cruise. They make the port days possible.

Before your first port:
Sea day before Corfu = we board, breathe, and arrive rested
→ One day of recovery changes how you show up at every port after it

Before big days:
Naples = 9-hour strenuous excursion
→ Sea day before Naples = you sleep, hydrate, arrive ready

As the destination itself:
The ship is remarkable.
Open water. Perfect deck chair. A book. A nap with no alarm.
3 PM cocktail because you're at sea and that's exactly right.

Some of my best cruise memories live on sea days.

Our Mediterranean cruise:
✅ 2 sea days
✅ Both protected
✅ Both non-negotiable

Sea days aren’t wasted days.
They’re the space between the adventures that makes the adventures possible. ✨

How do you feel about sea days? 👇

05/22/2026

40 days until Janet leaves for her Mediterranean & Adriatic cruise — and she’s doing the research before she goes. ✈️🌊

What’s actually worth buying in each port?
What local phrases make travel easier?
What should you skip?
And what are the hidden gems most tourists miss?

This guide covers:
🇮🇹 Milan leather, farmacia skincare & pantry finds
🇬🇷 Corfu kumquat liqueur & local specialties
🇭🇷 Dubrovnik artisan jewelry & Croatian wine
🇲🇪 Kotor hidden shopping finds & local culture
🇮🇹 Naples espresso culture, limoncello & cameo jewelry

Plus:
✔️ local language phrases
✔️ shopping strategies
✔️ packing tips
✔️ customs/VAT guidance
✔️ content & travel inspiration

Comment:
👉 MedCruise27

and I’ll send you the guide and tips.

Need help planning your own Mediterranean cruise or custom journey? Reach out anytime 💙

05/16/2026

How we decided: excursion, free day, or sea day for every port.

Not one decision was a default. Every one was researched.

Swipe through for our decisions 👉

The framework:
→ Read each port individually
→ Distance, walkability, logistics
→ Protect your sea days
→ Choose what's rich & rewarding for YOU

Full breakdown on the blog: : https://travelswithsterling.com/mediterranean-cruise-planning-tips/

05/12/2026

2 hours of research that will save you if you're cruising from Italy 🚂

Getting from Milan to Civitavecchia (Rome's cruise port) took me 2 hours to figure out. The info online is scattered. So here's exactly what we booked:

The Frecciarossa (Italy's high-speed train)
→ Milan to Rome: 3 hours through Alps
→ Then transfer to Civitavecchia

What I learned:
✅ Book left-side seats heading south (best Alps views)
✅ Business class worth it (under €75, table service)
✅ Confirm seat numbers (trains charge separately sometimes)
✅ Senior discount available

Pro tip: We booked facing seats with a table. Bringing a card game. The journey IS the experience.

Luggage hack: Radical Storage near train stations = explore hands-free.

Full Milan + train details on the blog: https://travelswithsterling.com/mediterranean-cruise-planning-tips/

Questions? 👇

05/11/2026

The question nobody tells you to ask before every cruise port:

Excursion, free day on land, or sea day?

After 30+ cruises, here's how I decide:

BOOK THE EXCURSION when:
→ Distance is significant (Pompeii from Naples)
→ Logistics are complex (boat-only access)
→ You need the ship's guarantee
→ A licensed guide transforms the experience

FREE DAY ON LAND when:
→ Port is walkable from pier
→ City is compact (walled old towns = perfect)
→ You've done homework on getting back
→ Simple orientation

PROTECT THE SEA DAY when:
→ You just had a strenuous port
→ Big excursion is coming
→ You need the ship

STAY ON THE SHIP when:
→ You've been to that port before
→ You don't love that port
→ The quiet ship is honestly the better day

The combination is the strategy.

Full framework + our port-by-port decisions on the blog. Link in bio.

How do you decide? 👇

05/09/2026

How we plan a Mediterranean cruise without losing our minds (or each other) 🗺️

My sister Elizabeth and I have done 15+ cruises together.

Our system:

I do the research:
→ Hours on GetYourGuide, Rick Steves, travel forums
→ AI tools to stress-test logistics
→ Finding details you'd never know to look for

Elizabeth questions everything:
→ Pushes back on my assumptions
→ Asks "why this port and not that?"
→ Sometimes picks what I wasn't expecting

Then we decide together.

The result? Every port intentionally planned. Every decision researched. Every day has a purpose.

For this Mediterranean cruise:
✅ Milan extension (Brera, Duomo, Lake Como)
✅ Train through Alps (left-side seats = best views)
✅ 2 free days on land (Corfu, Dubrovnik)
✅ 2 ship excursions (Kotor boat, Naples Pompeii)
✅ 2 sea days (protected, non-negotiable)

Full planning breakdown on the blog: https://travelswithsterling.com/mediterranean-cruise-planning-tips/

What's the hardest part of cruise planning for you? 👇

05/01/2026

✈️ My Adriatic Mediterranean planning blog drops THIS WEEKEND — and I'm so excited to finally share all the details with you!

We're spending a few dreamy days in Milan 🇮🇹 — visiting the iconic Duomo, wandering cobblestone streets, and staying in the charming neighborhood of Brera (just an hour outside the city). Then it's off to Lake Como and Switzerland before hopping on the train through the breathtaking Italian Alps. 🏔️

In the blog, I walk you through everything:
✔️ Our pre-cruise days in Milan
✔️ Lake Como + Switzerland stopover
✔️ Cruise excursion days vs. free days
✔️ How I planned it all

Save this post so you catch it when it's live — and let me know in the comments if it helps you plan your own Mediterranean adventure! 💬

04/17/2026

Every sunrise is a new opportunity—just like the sun rising on a brand new day. 🌅✨

Set sail, chase horizons, and let each morning at sea remind you that fresh starts are always within reach. 🚢💙

Ready to plan your own unforgettable cruise escape? Let’s make it happen—I’ll take care of every detail for you. Message me to get started!

04/10/2026

My game bag goes wherever I go 🎲🌍

From London to the Caribbean, it’s packed with my favorite games, little essentials, and everything I need to turn any moment into fun—whether I’m at the beach, on a cruise, or just waiting in line.

Because no matter where you are… there’s always time to play 💙

Address

Cleveland, OH, United States
Cleveland, OH
44072

Website

https://travelswithsterling.com/, https://linktr.ee/travelswithsterling

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