Ellen Hillery Travel

09/05/2026

Thank you to all my loyal clients for keeping me in the top 10 this year so far. 9️⃣

A huge shoutout to the top 25 Memory Makers for 2026 year to date! Thank you for all that you do!

08/25/2026

Travel insurance is important.

Two of my mainstream reputable suppliers offer cancel for ANY reason CASH Back insurance- ONLY when you book through travel agents. No vouchers or future travel credits. It's a refund with no strings.

This is by far the best peace of mind you can get. It must be in a package consisting of hotels or resorts with flights. Cancel right up until departure and get your trip refunded minus the cost of the insurance. I have had clients need to take advantage of this when something unexpected happened - and the relief is palpable when I confirm to them that they're not out anything except the nominal cost of the insurance.

If you take your trip, it converts to a traditional Travel Insurance policy to cover you for losses you might incur while traveling.

Interested? Are you looking for a vacation package to one or more cities in Europe, or somewhere in the Caribbean or US? This is something I can book for you. Most of the time these trips only require a small deposit with final payment due a month or so before you depart.

08/24/2026

I know it might seem weird to you to use a travel agent - I can't tell you how many times when I meet new people they ask me what I do - and I notice a bit of a surprise or laugh from them when I tell them.

"I never thought there were travel agents around anymore." "It's so easy to book on my own." "AI planned my trip."

🥺Ouch. It hurts.

Well, I feel that I do a very good job and I do receive positive reviews from my clients. My services are free. I'm not a dinosaur. I'm useful. That's what I think today. Hopefully you do too.

I have many clients who just need me for little things that really are big things: Understanding required travel apps, checking in for flights or cruises, clarifying passport and entry rules, overall technology issues, as well as appreciating that I actually send them a printed travel documents packet for every booking. Others just want someone to talk to. All appreciate easily texting me for the answer to a question rather than waiting on hold themselves with the vendor.

Thank you for supporting my small business. I appreciate that you have always referred me and told your friends and relatives about me.

Remember I'm paid commission from the vendor, I don't charge fees.



https://ellenhillerytravel.com/

Photo from 3 years ago at Versailles. I don't have a good one of me recently because evidently once you turn 66 you lose your eyebrows, can't keep color in your hair, and gain weight continuously even if you don't overeat anymore. But that's another story 😐

08/18/2026

I'm so happy my client enjoyed the trip. We worked together for over a year to make sure that everything was exactly right!

08/07/2026

Friends, clients, followers:
Just wanted to thank you for keeping me in the top 10 this year! This month commemorates the beginning of my 11th year in this industry - working with the same host agency. It's been wonderful.

These days, taking a trip is very technology focused. I help so many of my clients understand their cruise and airline apps, and ensure that every part of their trip is at their fingertips, including my personal Trip Plans app. I even provide a full printed documents package for all of my client trips as a backup.

Even though I just came back from 12 days away, I did engage with some clients during this time. I am never more than a text away from my currently traveling clients, and for those clients who had questions on upcoming trips, I was able to reply to those emails within 7 hours! Anytime you have a question, I am here for you 🥰!

08/06/2026

Goodbye to lovely Norway 🇳🇴 👋
The last few days of our trip were pretty spectacular! We left Geiranger and drove through more scenic villages - we even rode on a fast electric ferry for parts of the drive - to arrive in Flåm. The next morning we departed on the Flåm Mountain Railway, a masterpiece of Norwegian engineering, for a train ride into Norway's high glacial regions. We ascended to 3,000 feet within 12 miles for one of the most splendid panoramas in Norway. Then it was time for a farm lunch at a private home where we were also able to enjoy historical storytelling and solemn reflections on Norway's occupation by N**i Germany during World War II and the ties and friendship between Norway and the United States. The last two nights of our trip were spent in charming Bergen, where we rode the funicular up to the top of Mount Fløyen and met the famous cashmere goats enjoying their lazy days at the top of the mountain! I would highly recommend this itinerary to you, my valued clients.

08/03/2026

For the past two days, we continued through Norway's scenic countryside to the town of Geiranger, located at the head of the UNESCO-protected Geirangerfjord. Our experienced driver navigated the Eagle Road beautifully (a steep mountain route located above Geiranger with 11 hair-pin turns) and took us up 2,030 feet to the viewing platform. After that we enjoyed a cruise on the wondrous Geirangerfjord. We viewed waterfalls known as the Seven Sisters, the Suitor, and the Bridal Veil. After the cruise we got some exercise by climbing the 327 steps of the Waterfall Walk close to the Storfossen (waterfall) which runs from Geiranger center up to our hotel, the Historic Hotel Union. A great two days!

08/01/2026

Oslo to Lillehammer today. We are on a full sized motorcoach - even though there's only 16 of us on the tour - so great to have the extra room!
Along the way we were treated to yummy Swedish waffles at a stop at Mjøstårnet in Brumunddal, at a restaurant in one of the tallest completed timber buildings in the world. We rode the elevator to the top for amazing views. Then we arrived in Lillehammer and began at the Lillehammer Ski Jump, dating back to the 1994 Winter Olympics. We took the chair lift to the ski jump tower and admired panoramic views of Lillehammer and Lake Mjosa from the terrace. Then, we enjoyed a glimpse of Norwegian history with a visit to one of the largest open-air museums in Northern Europe at Maihaugen. We finished the day at Lillehammer Brewery's beer cellar, established in 1855. and owned by the same friends for years. After a tasting of their beers and warm storytelling, we enjoyed a superb gourmet dinner at their restaurant!

07/30/2026

Days 3, 4, and 5: Before departing Stockholm, we visited the Vasa Museum which contains a massive and expensive royal warship that set off on a maiden voyage in 1628 and was so top heavy she immediately sank within a few hundred feet out in the harbor. 🤔 She was only found and raised in the 1960s, and the museum built around it is the most visited in Sweden. Then, we travelled west through the Swedish lowlands and had a private tour at the home of Alfred Nobel at his Karlskoga Nobel Museum. Next up was Oslo, the futuristic capital of Norway. We walked on the roof of the new Opera House, visited the huge Frogner Park (and saw a juxtaposition of beautiful gardens and vaguely disturbing Vigeland sculptures), enjoyed a specially arranged private visit to the renowned Nobel Peace Center, visited the Holmenkollen Ski Jump (1952 Olympics) and Museum, and had guided tours at the National Museum and the Historical Museum. We visited the Royal Palace - which does not even have a fence around it! 👏Norway and Sweden are welcoming, spotless, and fabulous!

07/29/2026

🌊 Europe’s Mighty Rivers Are Running Low… 🇩🇪🇦🇹🇭🇺🇳🇱

If you have been following the news, you have probably seen reports about the exceptionally low water levels on both the Rhine and Danube Rivers this summer.

After weeks of intense heat and very little rainfall across Central Europe, water levels have dropped to near-record lows in some areas. On parts of the Danube near Budapest, levels have fallen within inches of historic records, while sections of the Rhine have also become too shallow for some vessels to navigate normally.

So… what does this mean for travelers?

🚢 River cruises are still operating! But flexibility is the key.

Some cruise lines have had to:

• 🚌 Transfer guests by motorcoach around the shallowest stretches.

• 🚢 Perform “ship swaps,” where guests continue their journey aboard another identical vessel waiting on the other side.

• 📍Adjust embarkation or disembarkation ports.

• ❌ Cancel an increasing number of departures where safe operation isn’t possible.

During times like these, if you've booked through a travel advisor like me, (at no extra cost to you) having someone in your corner matters. If conditions change, you have an advocate who can explain your options, work with the cruise line, and help you "navigate" any itinerary adjustments.

Europe remains as beautiful as ever, and many guests still enjoy wonderful vacations despite these challenges. Mother Nature simply reminds us that rivers are living waterways and sometimes they require a little flexibility.

These are pictures 📸 from last week on the Rhine River by Rüdesheim showing the Rhine and the Niederwald Monument