Gordon Dirker from Celestyal Cruises and Ellen Clark professional photographer, are here to get you ready for a getaway filled with beautiful scenery, exhilarating activities and delicious food. And Ellen will share how you can capture it all with great photos.  The saying goes spring is in the air!  Now travel is in the air,  after years of sheltering in place and staying close to home we’re ready to travel further than around the city and state.

One destination that is always on everyone’s list is Greece and exploring the Greek Isles is something that gets your attention for a first time trip or a return trip.

I talked with Gordon Dirker vice president of business development, North America for  Celestyal Cruises. He joined Celestyal in 2018. Prior to joining Celestyal, Dirker served as regional vice president in the U.S. and Canada for Hurtigruten, a Norway-based ferry and expedition cruise operator.  

Born and educated in the Netherlands, Dirker has enjoyed an extensive career in the travel industry.  He spent nearly 18 years working for the Travel Corporation (Travcorp).  Dirker started his career with Travcorp as a business development manager for Contiki Holidays based in Baltimore.  After one year, he was promoted and moved to London to lead the sales and marketing efforts for Contiki in the U.K and Europe.  This was followed by a transfer back to the U.S. where he spent six years at Brendan Vacations in Los Angeles, in a similar senior sales and marketing role.  

Gordon shares the latest information about cruising in Greece and how we can start planning a trip now.

I asked my friend Ellen Clark a fun loving travel photographer to share her story and also tips for capturing those once-in-a-lifetime photo moments. She is Los Angeles based and willing to go anywhere at a moment’s notice. After a number of years spent as a graphic artist, she took a 33 unit photography certificate course at a local Junior College. Told that she would have a better chance of selling her photographs if there was a story to go with them, she went back to school. This time she took non-fiction writing classes. Then she hit the road. Specializing in travel, she covers from the exotic, like India and Morocco, to the domestic, like National Parks and small towns.  Her work has been seen in publications of all kinds and online, and she’s won numerous awards, including being twice named Photographer of the Year by the Society of American Travel Writers.

Here’s the ladies room photo Ellen mentions during the show.

USA, Mississippi, Clarksdale, Ground Zero Blues Club

Reach out to Gordon’s reservations team to book a cruise
www.celestyalcruises.com

And to check out Ellen’s photography

www.ellenclarktravel.com

Check out the Quarter Miles Podcast – with Sally Ride who is featured on the U.S. Mint Women Series Commemorative Quarters.  Hear about her life and her work.

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