Grand Voyages Weekly Digest

⛷️ Ski season strategy + ✈️ direct flight game-changers

October 11, 2025

Happy Saturday, Grand Voyagers!

Ski season bookings are heating up while a Delta announcement just eliminated the biggest barrier to Sardinia travel. Infrastructure changes like this remind me why timing matters in luxury travel planning.

In this week's edition:

  • Ski Strategy: Why booking now beats waiting for snow reports

  • Sardinia Direct Flight: Delta's May 2026 game-changer from NYC

  • Caribbean Winter: The St. Barth's vs. Anguilla decision

  • Eclipse Travel: 2026 & 2027 booking windows closing fast

If you're enjoying these weekly finds, please share with a friend! There's a handy button below to make it super easy. ✨

⛷️ SKI STRATEGY: WHY BOOKING NOW BEATS WAITING

Multiple clients have been asking about European ski options, and here's the reality: prime January-March season is already 60% booked at top properties.

The Strategic Difference: Europe's ski infrastructure operates on a completely different model than North America.

The Alps stretch across France, Austria, Switzerland, and Italy, with lift systems that actually work efficiently and Michelin-starred mountain dining.

France's Three Valleys offers massive interconnected terrain. Austria's Arlberg region combines serious skiing with intimate alpine villages. Switzerland's Verbier and Zermatt offer steep off-piste routes with Matterhorn views.

Booking Timeline Reality: February school holidays and Easter weekend bring peak crowds and peak pricing. Properties like Cheval Blanc Courchevel and Aurelio Lech book preferred room categories months ahead. One client waited for December snow reports last year and ended up with limited availability at second-choice properties.

Fora Partnership Benefits: Our relationships provide food and beverage credits, daily breakfast, upgrades, and extended check-in/out at properties across all four countries.

My take on this: European ski trips reward early planning. The combination of limited availability at top properties and seasonal pricing variations means waiting costs you preferred choices.

✈️ SARDINIA DIRECT FLIGHT: DELTA'S MAY 2026 GAME-CHANGER

Here's news I'm genuinely excited about: Delta launches seasonal nonstop service from New York to Olbia starting May 20, 2026, with four weekly flights.

Here's the thing…

Sardinia has always required at least one transfer from North America - not appealing after eight hours across the Atlantic. That barrier kept the island less accessible despite having 7.8 million international arrivals in 2024 (21% increase from 2023). US visitors jumped 36% to 300,000.

Strategic Implications for 2026: The Costa Smeralda features luxury infrastructure dating to the 1960s jet-set era, but Sardinia's interior offers archaeological ruins, Supramonte Mountain hiking, and authentic shepherd's lunches. The Maddalena Archipelago's 60 islands provide stunning shorelines accessible by boat.

New Luxury Infrastructure:

Bottom line: Direct flights transform destination accessibility entirely. Sardinia has luxury infrastructure and cultural depth to compete with any Mediterranean island - the transfer barrier disappears May 2026.

Interested in Sardinia for 2026? Email me at [email protected]

🏝️ CARIBBEAN WINTER SEASON

Caribbean winter bookings are running ahead of schedule this year, especially for St. Barth's and Anguilla. A client reached out about January dates last week - my honest response? That's cutting it close.

The December-March reality: Peak season commands top rates and shrinks availability quickly. St. Barth's gets particularly tight around holidays and March's Bucket Regatta. Anguilla follows similar patterns, with beachfront properties booking preferred dates months ahead.

Getting there matters: St. Barth's requires either San Juan (more comfortable via Tradewind Aviation, around $1,000 roundtrip) or St. Martin (budget-friendly but smaller planes). The tiny Gustaf III Airport runway isn't for nervous flyers, but the payoff is French Caribbean magic - cobblestone streets, yacht-filled harbors, turquoise waters.

The Anguilla advantage: Easier access through St. Martin with direct connections. Properties range from Belmond's Moroccan-inspired Cap Juluca to family-friendly Aurora Anguilla Resort to wellness-focused Zemi Beach House. Similar beach quality without St. Barth's premium pricing.

Fora Partnership Benefits: Our relationships provide $100 resort credits, daily breakfast, upgrades, and extended check-in/out at properties including Four Seasons Anguilla.

Bottom line: Winter season rewards early booking for both islands. St. Barth's brings sophistication, Anguilla offers value. Book soon for January-March.

🌑 ECLIPSE TRAVEL: BOOKING WINDOWS CLOSING FASTER THAN EXPECTED

Two total solar eclipses are coming in 2026 and 2027, and I'm watching availability disappear in real time.

August 12, 2026 - Spain, Balearic Islands & Iceland: Hotels in Spain's totality path are already sold out. Many cruises are gone too. The workaround? Stay outside the eclipse track and arrange transport to viewing points. Iceland's volcanic plains offer dramatic backdrops, though weather can shift rapidly.

August 2, 2027 - Egypt, Morocco & Southern Spain: Dubbed the "eclipse of the century," Luxor will experience over six minutes of totality - the longest on land until 2114. Nile River cruises and Mediterranean sailings just went on sale, making now the optimal planning window.

The weather calculus: Spain's Mediterranean coast beats Iceland for clear skies. Egypt's arid climate and midday timing make it the safest 2027 bet. Morocco delivers historic medina backdrops with decent weather prospects.

What intrigues me: Eclipse travel isn't just about those few minutes of darkness. The 2026 and 2027 paths cross destinations worth visiting regardless - from Spanish coastal towns to Egyptian temples to Moroccan souks.

Until the next adventure,

Stacey