Lisa Finn - Cruise Planners, Your Land and Cruise Expert

Lisa Finn - Cruise Planners, Your Land and Cruise Expert Dedicated to creating adventures that turn into amazing memories, my clients benefit from my world t Explore the seas with us and create unforgettable memories.

Embark on a voyage of discovery with Cruise Planners, your premier travel and cruise agency in Long Beach. Specializing in curated cruise experiences, we connect you with the world's most enchanting destinations. Whether you're seeking a serene getaway or an adventure-filled excursion, our expertly crafted itineraries and personalized service ensure a seamless journey from start to finish.

Day 11: Jaipur to Udaipur... After bidding a fond farewell to the beautiful Taj Jai Mahal Palace Jaipur we set out with ...
04/29/2026

Day 11: Jaipur to Udaipur... After bidding a fond farewell to the beautiful Taj Jai Mahal Palace Jaipur we set out with our driver Sukhdev for the long drive to Udaipur. As mentioned previously it has been really cool to travel by train and car through the state of Rajisthan. It has given us the chance to really take in the essence of the northern part of India. While the previous drives have taken us across relatively flat and dry, dusty landscape, as Jaipur was further behind us and the closer we approached Udaipur we saw a pretty dramatic change in landscape and development. Green fields, hills and mountains and low tree forests started appearing so when we entered Udaipur, we were delighted to see yet another, very different city, the white city of lakes.
Udaipur, formerly the capital of the Mewar Kingdom, was founded by Maharana Udai Singh II in 1559, is set around a series of artificial lakes and is known for its lavish royal residences. City Palace (yes another one!), overlooking Lake Pichola, is a monumental complex of 11 palaces, courtyards and gardens, famed for its intricate peacock mosaics. Our home for 2 nights was the unique and exquisite Taj Lake Palace, the summer home of Maharanas since 1740. It was built on a rock island in the middle of the lake, appearing to be floating and we had to take a boat there! Our room provided an incredible view of the Maharana's palace across the lake.

Jaipur is the capital of India’s Rajasthan state. It is the home of the royal family that once ruled the region and that...
04/28/2026

Jaipur is the capital of India’s Rajasthan state. It is the home of the royal family that once ruled the region and that, in 1727, founded what is now called the Old City, or “Pink City” for its trademark building color. It is the first city in India that was designed in a grid system and is the home to the opulent, colonaded City Palace complex. With gardens, courtyards and museums, part of it is still a royal residence of the current 29 year old, Maharaja.. Some of the highlights of our City tour in this fascinating city renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage sites, stunning Rajput architecture, and vibrant bazaars were the majestic Amber Fort (Amer Fort) A massive 16th-century fort featuring Hindu-style architecture, including the Diwan-i-Aam and Sheesh Mahal, the intricately designed Hawa Mahal (A five-story, pyramid-shaped palace with 953 small windows (jharokhas) designed for royal ladies to observe street life,) and the royal City Palace, the heart of the old city, a complex of buildings blending Rajasthani and Mughal styles and housing a museum showcasing royal artifacts. It was a sweltering day and after covering most of the important sites we opted to return to the air-conditioning and swimming pool of our beautiful, historic Taj Jaipur!

Day 10 Jaipur.... After a wonderful stay in Ranthambore seeing tigers and hanging in a Maharaja's hunting lodge beautifu...
04/27/2026

Day 10 Jaipur.... After a wonderful stay in Ranthambore seeing tigers and hanging in a Maharaja's hunting lodge beautifully restored and providing a glimpse into a different time, we set out with our incredible driver Sukhdev on the 3 hour drive to Jaipur. Driving through the countryside and small villages really provided an immersive insight into this fascinating and so different culture. We arrived at our hotel with just enough time to freshen up before heading to a local family's house for a cooking demonstration and dinner. What a privilege to spend time with the matriarch and her daughter-in-law who were very open to answering the many questions we had about the Indian home life and everyday culture.

Day 7: Ranthambore.... We arrived in late afternoon at our fabulous lodge, Maharaja Lodge. It was originally the huntin...
04/24/2026

Day 7: Ranthambore.... We arrived in late afternoon at our fabulous lodge, Maharaja Lodge. It was originally the hunting lodge (when hunting tigers was a thing, ugh) for the Maharaja of Jaipour who organized hunting parties for his big shot friends like Queen Elizabeth of England. Ranthambore National Park, now a reserve for the Bengal tigers the Maharaja and his friends hunted, is a premier Indian tiger reserve located here, renowned for its large, visible Royal Bengal Tiger population. Situated between the Aravalli and Vindhya ranges, it features a scenic landscape of dry forests, lakes, and the historic 10th-century Ranthambore Fort. While the best time to visit is October to March for pleasant weather, April to June, the hot summer season, offers higher chances of tiger sightings and it was indeed my lucky day! We had a sunrise and afternoon jeep safari booked, and our morning drive offered a wide array of wildlife sightings like adorable Northern Plains Gray Langur (also known as Hanuman Langur) and the Rhesus Macaque monkeys. We also saw several blue antelope, Spotted and Sambar deer, wild boar, and lots of different species of birds including beautiful peacocks.... But no tigers! However, I remained ever hopeful for the afternoon drive since many of the staff at the lodge told me there had been several sightings in the morning in zone 2, a different zone from the one we explored and where I was headed in the later afternoon. Spoiler alert... We saw 2 tigers!!! WOW! They are huge, magnificent and exhilarating to look at. I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Day 7: Heading from Agra to Ranthambore we had to make a stop at the beautiful tomb/mausoleum of Itimad Ud Daula also k...
04/23/2026

Day 7: Heading from Agra to Ranthambore we had to make a stop at the beautiful tomb/mausoleum of Itimad Ud Daula also known as the 'baby Taj'. Built around 1625 AD, the Itimad Ud Daula Tomb, has many features that were later incorporated during the construction of the Taj Mahal so it is known as an early prototype for the Taj. Called the "Jewel box" by many, it is a lesser known treasure in Agra and something that really shouldn't be missed. After bidding farewell to this memorable leg of our journey we set off for a 5 hour drive to Ranthambore with our private driver Sukhdev. It was fascinating traveling through the countryside and small villages literally dodging rambling cows and goats who most definitely have the right of way!

Day 6 continued: After visiting the Taj Mahal we continued on to Agra Fort, a premier 16th-century UNESCO World Heritage...
04/23/2026

Day 6 continued: After visiting the Taj Mahal we continued on to Agra Fort, a premier 16th-century UNESCO World Heritage site located a short distance from the Taj Mahal. Commissioned by the third Mughal Emperor, the Great Emperor Akbar, in 1565 using red sandstone, this 94-acre fort served as the main residence for Mughal rulers until 1638. It houses palaces like Jahangir Mahal, Khas Mahal, and several mosques. The fort was the site of significant historical events, including the imprisonment of Shah Jahan (who built the Taj Mahal) by his son Aurangzeb, who spent his final days watching the Taj Mahal from the fort. Shah Jahan was a lover of architecture and beauty and spent extraordinary amounts of the Empire's money during his reign. His son, a religious zealot upset with is father's extravagant spending, overthrew him to become the sixth Mughal Emperor and put his father under house arrest in the fort's palace to stop his spending!

Day 6: Agra is the world-renowned home of the Taj Mahal. As a former Mughal capital with three UNESCO World Heritage sit...
04/23/2026

Day 6: Agra is the world-renowned home of the Taj Mahal. As a former Mughal capital with three UNESCO World Heritage sites—the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and Fatehpur Sikri—it is a major destination on the tourism Golden triangle route. Known as the "city of love," Agra is home of the Taj Mahal which was built in the mid 17th-century as a white marble mausoleum for the beloved wife of the 5th Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan and is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. We rose very early to head to the Taj Mahal at sunrise to get ahead of the heat but more importantly see it as it appears in the first light of day. It is impossible to capture in words or pictures the full beauty and magnificence of this treasure. The entire grounds are spectacular . It is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life!

Day 5: Next stop Agra on the high speed train introduced in 2019.
04/20/2026

Day 5: Next stop Agra on the high speed train introduced in 2019.

Some general takeaways so far traveling through India...1. Be prepared... Hygiene, air quality, "getting around" standar...
04/20/2026

Some general takeaways so far traveling through India...
1. Be prepared... Hygiene, air quality, "getting around" standards are significantly different from what we experience in the U.S. Simple things like bringing a water filtering bottle, toilet tissue, face masks and patience can make traveling here pleasant and much more comfortable.
2. Delhi and Varanasi among other areas of India were on the ancient silk and spice roads so spices, oils, fabric and rug making are core to their culture since ancient times. We have already visited several family owned shops and smelled and tasted incredible spices and oils, and seen incredible mastery of brocade work and hand knotted rugs for which skills and patterns have been passed down for generations. Even if you aren't interested in purchasing, visiting these shops enriches the experience and provides a deeper understanding of this rich culture.
3. You can't prepare for the chaos or noise level that is a constant! With a population of over one billion you experience crowds and noise like we know nothing about! It is fascinating to me that the people here just don't have the peace of space and quiet but the chaos is just a way of life. There is a strange harmony that exists on the streets and alleyways that is comprised of constant beeping of horns that aren't based on anger or aggression but on information being shared by car, motorcycle, scooter, bicycle and motorized rickshaw drivers beeping horns to let others including the masses of pedestrians know how close they are, where they are turning, etc. I remain amazed that I haven't seen even one accident!

Day 4 in Varanasi continued... After a brief break for breakfast back at the hotel... Hey we left even before coffee at ...
04/20/2026

Day 4 in Varanasi continued... After a brief break for breakfast back at the hotel... Hey we left even before coffee at 5 am!... We made the transition from being immersed in Hindu tradition and history to Buddhism by heading to Sarnath, located 10 km northeast from Varanasi, a premier Buddhist pilgrimage site where Lord Buddha delivered his first sermon, "Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta," in the Deer Park after attaining enlightenment. Remarkable sites include the 43.6m-high Dhamek Stupa, Chaukhandi Stupa, and the Sarnath Museum, which houses the famous Lion Capital of Ashoka.
It is one of the four sacred Buddhist sites, marking the beginning of Buddha's teachings and the creation of the Sangha.
The Dhamekh Stupa, a massive, ancient stupa marks the exact spot of Buddha's first sermon.
The Chaukhandi Stupa represents the spot where Buddha first met his disciples.
Several ruins scatter the area like Ashoka Pillar, built by Emperor Ashoka around 249 BCE. There are ruins of the Buddhist monk's quarters with the remaining sandstone brick layout of their tiny rooms.
The site also holds significance for Jainism and is a peaceful setting, offering a stark contrast to the busy atmosphere of central Varanasi.

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