Hello hello again!

It’s us again in your inbox with more travel goodness, served hot this week! 🌎

This newsletter brings you a talked-about travel question, fabulous luxury cruise deals, one of our favorite winter sunshine escapes (hello, Cabo!) and useful tidbits — like which parts of a hotel room are really the dirtiest...

Hot Question of the Day

We’ve shared our list of the 35+ most beautiful beaches in the world...

But our Sand In My Suitcase Facebook community has plenty to say too!

From Ammouliani Island (Greece) to Great Keppel Island (Australia), Martinique Beach (Nova Scotia) and Okinawa (Japan), they’ve picked some super interesting places.

Now we have more beaches to add to our bucket list!

What about you? Join the conversation and chime in here!​

Cabo Trip Talk

You may know that besides Sand In My Suitcase, we also publish Cabo Visitor — our blog dedicated to everything Los Cabos (aka “Cabo”), Mexico. It’s where we spill the tea (err, margaritas!) on everything from resorts with swim-up pool suites to the best fish tacos in town.

➡️ You can subscribe to Cabo Visitor here.

Here’s a taste of what we’ve been writing about lately:

🌞23 Cabo Travel Hacks Every First-Timer Should Know

Yes, Cabo has it all — golden sand beaches, luxe resorts, epic activities (whale watching, anyone?), vibrant nightlife and some of the best farm-to-table dining around.

But fair warning… it’s also the priciest resort area in Mexico.

And there are a few things every visitor should know, including:
• 🏖️ Many beaches aren’t swimmable due to strong riptides
• 🌤️ Winter is not super hot — not “Caribbean hot”
• 🍽️ You don’t need to go all-inclusive (Cabo’s dining scene is fantastic!)

➡️ Check out our guide on 23 must-know tips for visiting Cabo.

✨Old Cabo – Its Colorful and Glitzy History​

Once a sleepy fishing village — then a secret hideaway for the super-rich (including the son of a Mexican president and his Hollywood actress wife!) — Cabo is now a sun-splashed playground for everyone.

And to think, the first resort didn’t even open until the 1970s!

➡️ Come take a peek at “Old Cabo” and see just how much it’s changed!

🎄Cabo in December: Why We Go Every Year

December in Cabo has a split personality.

Early in the month, it’s mellow — warm ocean, quiet beaches and lower resort rates. Come mid-December, everything changes. Crowds roll in, prices spike and Cabo bursts with festive energy.

➡️ So what’s it really like to visit Cabo in December? From weather and whale watching to Christmas fun, here’s what to expect!

Awesome Luxury Cruise Deals

🚢 Save on air and/or cruise with Viking’s “Summer Sale”

Snag free or reduced airfare and special cruise fares on select river and ocean voyages during Viking’s Summer Sale.

Fancy a month circling Australia? Or maybe a Paris-to-Prague river cruise? Tons of tempting itineraries await.

The deposit to secure your spot is only $25.

🔹 Book by: August 31, 2025

➡️ You may know we’ve cruised with Viking Ocean Cruises several times — and we’re big fans of their all-veranda staterooms, complimentary Nordic Spa and included wine with meals. What’s not to love?

🚢 Save up to $5,000 with Silversea

Silversea’s limited-time Indulgent Savings offer lets you save up to $5,000 USD per suite on a wide range of ultra-luxury cruises through 2027.

There are tons of dreamy cruises to choose from. A 15% deposit locks it in.

🔹 Book by: September 1, 2025

➡️ We haven’t cruised with Silversea yet, but friends who have rave about it. It’s in the same high-end league as Seabourn — which we have sailed with (hello, unlimited champagne and caviar!).

🚢 Save big with Crystal!

Not to be outdone, Crystal’s Save and Indulge offer is also seriously tempting.

Save up to $3,000 $USD per suite on a new cruise booking and receive up to $1,500 USD in credits to spend on flights or onboard (like shore excursions or spa treatments). This deal applies to a wide range of sailings from now through to 2027.

New to Crystal? They have two luxury ships — the 740-guest Crystal Serenity and 606-guest Crystal Symphony — both lavishly refurbished in 2023. Oh, and they each have the only Nobu restaurant at sea!

🔹 Book by: August 30, 2025

➡️ We cruised on the Crystal Serenity before it was acquired by A&K and jazzed up in 2023. Now we’re booked again for a Caribbean sailing later this year — and we can’t wait!

Heads Up! Useful Travel News

10 Things Not to Do on a River Cruise

In this Fodor’s article, “10 Things You Should Never Do on a Cruise,” top no-nos include flying in on departure day, assuming you’ll get sea days and booking a spring sailing.

The Dirtiest Parts of a Hotel Room

Even in high-end hotels, not everything is as spotless as it seems.

In this Travel + Leisure article, “These are the Dirtiest Parts of a Hotel Room, According to Housekeeping,” some of the germiest culprits are said to be remote controls, decorative pillows and bathtubs.

You might want to pack those sanitizing wipes and do a little quick clean of your own when checking in. ☺️

Have to Gate Check Your Carry-On? Here’s What to Do

Ever reached the boarding gate, only to be told your bag has to go in the hold?

This USA Today article on “What to Know if You Have to Gate Check Your Bag” covers how to anticipate when this might happen — and how to be ready. (Hint: Always remove essentials like your passport, meds and valuables before handing your bag over!)

A Fave Travel Product

Carry-on rollaboard suitcase

You’ve probably heard us rave about it before — the 20-inch TravelPro Maxlite 5 rollaboard is our go-to carry-on. It’s sturdy, featherlight at just 5.4 lbs, holds a surprising amount (and expands!) and glides effortlessly through airports, train stations and cobbled streets.

We prefer the 2-wheel design over 4-wheel spinners — the wheels don’t steal interior space, so you get more room to pack. Plus, its tapered shape helps prevent annoying tip-overs.

It’s fit perfectly in the overhead bins on flights with EVA Air, Vietnam Airlines (domestic), Air Canada, WestJet, Lufthansa (to Porto) and more — and never once got gate-checked.

More Travel Inspo!💡

• ​Are Holland America’s Drinks Packages Worth It?​
• ​10 Favorite Caribbean Islands With Flair, Flavor and Fun!​
• ​35 Bucket List Things to Do on Kauai​
• ​Ellies! Hippos! You’re on a Zambezi Queen River Cruise​
• ​From Rice Terraces to Pink Beaches: You’ll Love Lombok​

Bye for now. And we’ll talk again later!