In the world of luxury travel, it’s more than the comfort and the destinations that inspire you. It’s about the experiences that elevate your soul, forge lifelong bonds and create memories that will last for life. The almost 20 Scenic journeys (with two more journeys still to come in 2024) show that Alex and Sandy Szafranskyj have enjoyed life changing experiences.
Their travels with Scenic began over a decade ago, with the Spectacular Rockies & Alaskan Cruise in 2011, a trip that set the stage for the remarkable adventures to come. Alex recalls, "Wow, it feels like such a long time ago now, but most memorable was the start of the Scenic experience, with everything taken care of, the luggage, transfers, itinerary, and more. We immediately entered holiday mode as we did not have to worry about anything". It was just the beginning of a lifelong journey and passion that is still continuing today.
Unforgettable journeys
With so many journeys in their memories, selecting the couple's top three favourites is a challenging task. Yet, time has shown that the ones always featured in this selection when asked by friends are the following. "Antarctica for its solitude, wildlife and scenery. South Africa and Kenya for the animals. And Japan for its people and culture. The order in which to rate them is the tough one, as each place is quite unique", lists Alex.
The couple loves to explore Scenic's diverse travel modes. “For me, river cruising is great as you can enjoy arriving at multiple places without having to change accommodation. And land journeys are the only way you can totally experience everything the country has to offer", ponders Alex. “But for us, expedition mode is the best one, and Scenic outshines everyone else by its calibre of Discovery Team and the variety of what is offered to heighten the experience", he says, with Scenic Eclipse journeys in mind.
LEFT: Alex and Sandy, South Africa
Unforgettable journeys
With so many journeys in their memories, selecting the couple's top three favourites is a challenging task. Yet, time has shown that the ones always featured in this selection when asked by friends are the following. "Antarctica for its solitude, wildlife and scenery. South Africa and Kenya for the animals. And Japan for its people and culture. The order in which to rate them is the tough one, as each place is quite unique", lists Alex.
The couple loves to explore Scenic's diverse travel modes. “For me, river cruising is great as you can enjoy arriving at multiple places without having to change accommodation. And land journeys are the only way you can totally experience everything the country has to offer", ponders Alex. “But for us, expedition mode is the best one, and Scenic outshines everyone else by its calibre of Discovery Team and the variety of what is offered to heighten the experience", he says, with Scenic Eclipse journeys in mind.
ABOVE: Alex and Sandy, South Africa
Celebrations and remarkable moments with Scenic
For Alex and Sandy Szafranskyj, Scenic journeys are synonymous with celebration. They have marked numerous birthdays and anniversaries while exploring the world, with some unforgettable moments along the way. "The one standout was Alex’s birthday in New Orleans. He walked into the room and the jazz band started to play Happy Birthday!”, shares Sandy.
Other remarkable experiences include witnessing the Big Five in Kenya, zip-lining in Canada, tobogganing down the Great Wall of China, Piranha fishing on the Amazon, Arctic polar plunge, walking among penguins and seeing so many species of whales and wildlife in Antarctica. "Travel has enabled us to experience many things, some out of our comfort zone. This list could go on and on...", reflects Sandy.
RIGHT: Alex's photograph, whales, Antarctica
Celebrations and remarkable moments with Scenic
For Alex and Sandy Szafranskyj, Scenic journeys are synonymous with celebration. They have marked numerous birthdays and anniversaries while exploring the world, with some unforgettable moments along the way. "The one standout was Alex’s birthday in New Orleans. He walked into the room and the jazz band started to play Happy Birthday!”, shares Sandy.
Other remarkable experiences include witnessing the Big Five in Kenya, zip-lining in Canada, tobogganing down the Great Wall of China, Piranha fishing on the Amazon, Arctic polar plunge, walking among penguins and seeing so many species of whales and wildlife in Antarctica. "Travel has enabled us to experience many things, some out of our comfort zone. This list could go on and on...", reflects Sandy.
ABOVE: Alex's photograph, whales, Antarctica
Part of what makes these experiences even more special is being able to share their journey with like-minded companions, some of which have become valued friends. "We have made many wonderful friends from these Scenic tours, some going back many years. We have caught up with them quite a number of times on different trips because we exchange our plans and bookings, resulting in a new trip", reveals Sandy.
Beyond sharing travel plans with friends, the extensive Scenic portfolio is also a main point of difference when planning their trips. "We factor in if there are short itineraries, doing back-to-back trips or what other Scenic tour with workable dates is on offer. For us, there is no specific aspect of a journey; it is about the total experience", explains Alex.
LEFT: Alex and Sandy, Chilean Fjords
Part of what makes these experiences even more special is being able to share their journey with like-minded companions, some of which have become valued friends. "We have made many wonderful friends from these Scenic tours, some going back many years. We have caught up with them quite a number of times on different trips because we exchange our plans and bookings, resulting in a new trip", reveals Sandy.
Beyond sharing travel plans with friends, the extensive Scenic portfolio is also a main point of difference when planning their trips. "We factor in if there are short itineraries, doing back-to-back trips or what other Scenic tour with workable dates is on offer. For us, there is no specific aspect of a journey; it is about the total experience", explains Alex.
ABOVE: Alex and Sandy, Chilean Fjords
The Scenic Experience
The Scenic team is an integral part of their travel experience, with butlers, Tour Directors and the whole crew and staff going above and beyond, to ensure they feel extra special. It is the reason they keep coming back. "It's just that ‘family’ feeling with Scenic, of knowing everything is taken care of", says Alex.
The couple's loyalty to Scenic has been further recognised with an invitation to the Chairman's Club. Introduced in mid-2023, this ultra-exclusive loyalty tier is handpicked by Glen Moroney, Scenic Group's Founder and Chairman, unlocking access to unique benefits and experiences. "We feel very privileged to be invited to the Scenic Chairman's Club and feel our loyalty has been further rewarded. This achievement has cemented us as core loyal members and ambassadors of the Scenic product", commented Alex.
RIGHT: Alex and Sandy, Northwest Passage
The Scenic Experience
The Scenic team is an integral part of their travel experience, with butlers, Tour Directors and the whole crew and staff going above and beyond, to ensure they feel extra special. It is the reason they keep coming back. "It's just that ‘family’ feeling with Scenic, of knowing everything is taken care of", says Alex.
The couple's loyalty to Scenic has been further recognised with an invitation to the Chairman's Club. Introduced in mid-2023, this ultra-exclusive loyalty tier is handpicked by Glen Moroney, Scenic Group's Founder and Chairman, unlocking access to unique benefits and experiences. "We feel very privileged to be invited to the Scenic Chairman's Club and feel our loyalty has been further rewarded. This achievement has cemented us as core loyal members and ambassadors of the Scenic product", commented Alex.
ABOVE: Alex and Sandy, Northwest Passage
The couple are getting ready to explore more of Europe in 2024 on a Douro river cruise, exploring the best of the Balkans. “Croatia has been on our wishlist for quite some time”, comments Sandy, the excitement for new travel experiences is still the same as from when they first started travelling the world with Scenic. “Travelling keeps us active and engaged with life, having enriched our lives by broadening our spectrum of how we see the world and the wonders it has to offer", reflects Sandy.
LEFT: Alex and Sandy, Egypt
The couple are getting ready to explore more of Europe in 2024 on a Douro river cruise, exploring the best of the Balkans. “Croatia has been on our wishlist for quite some time”, comments Sandy, the excitement for new travel experiences is still the same as from when they first started travelling the world with Scenic. “Travelling keeps us active and engaged with life, having enriched our lives by broadening our spectrum of how we see the world and the wonders it has to offer", reflects Sandy.
ABOVE: Alex and Sandy, Egypt
Start planning today
Now is the time to experience this for yourself and benefit from our exclusive and limited-time offers. Contact your Scenic Travel Agent or contact us on 0161 884 3916 to learn more.
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