Wednesday - June 24th, 2026
Apple News
×

What can we help you find?

Open Menu
Randy Sharman The Informed Traveler Podcast

The Informed Traveler is a weekly Travel podcast dedicated to bringing you the latest travel news and information. Each week we provide insight traveling to interesting destinations, plus useful travel tips to help you along the way.
My travel knowledge mostly comes from working in the cruise line industry for 3 years. That experience has taken me to both coastlines of North America, Alaska and Hawaii to Mexico and the Caribbean and Central and South America. The Informed Traveler is all about making that experience more enjoyable.
As Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” I hope the Informed Traveler assists you in your explorations, dreams and discoveries of the world.

Recent Content

Loading...
Avoiding Booking Scams &Amp; Alternative Destinations &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
Avoiding Booking Scams & Alternative Destinations

Send us Fan MailThere's all kinds of travel scams waiting to take advantage of you, one of them that seems to be on the rise is fake booking sites. On this week's show, travel expert Onanta …

Send us Fan MailTher…

Send us Fan MailThere's all kinds of travel scams waiting to take advantage of you, one of them that seems to be on the rise is fake booking sites. On this week's show, travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss what to look for and how to avoid them. Plus, the folks from Skyscanner have come out with The Smarter Summer Report so you can find the best places to go this summer. So we'll have a look at some of their handpicked alternative destinations.Support the show

Listen · 26:36
What'S Happening In Cuba? Plus, Where Canadians Are Headed &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
What's Happening in Cuba? Plus, Where Canadians Are Headed

Send us Fan MailCuba has been in the travel news a lot lately as a number of airlines, tour operators and hotels have ceased operations, so on this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes will jo…

Send us Fan MailCuba…

Send us Fan MailCuba has been in the travel news a lot lately as a number of airlines, tour operators and hotels have ceased operations, so on this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss what's going on in Cuba. Then we'll chat with the VP of DCI, Development Counsellors International as they've recently released their fourth edition of the Capturing the Canadian Consumer study. So we'll dive into the numbers to see where Canadians are going and why.Support the show

Listen · 35:07
Don'T Get Tagged: Bag Tag Safety &Amp; A Campbell River Escape &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
Don't Get Tagged: Bag Tag Safety & A Campbell River Escape

Send us Fan MailHave you heard about the issue of bag tag switching at Canadian airports? It doesn't happen often but you certainly don't want to be the one caught up in it. Travel expert On…

Send us Fan MailHave…

Send us Fan MailHave you heard about the issue of bag tag switching at Canadian airports? It doesn't happen often but you certainly don't want to be the one caught up in it. Travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss what it involves and what you can do to make sure you're not. Then we'll head to Vancouver Island and visit Campbell River, home to the Naturally Pacific Resort. We'll chat with the GM to get the highlights of visiting Campbell River this summer.Support the show

Listen · 30:30
Summer Travel Concerns &Amp; Msc World America Review &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
Summer Travel Concerns & MSC World America Review

Send us Fan MailSummer travel is on the minds of many these days and with it many concerns and questions so on this week's show Travel Expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss what those conc…

Send us Fan MailSumm…

Send us Fan MailSummer travel is on the minds of many these days and with it many concerns and questions so on this week's show Travel Expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss what those concerns might be. And the Cruise Guru, David Yeskel who is often a guest on our show, will stop by to give us his review of the MSC World America. It's one of MSC Cruises newest ships so we'll get the lowdown from David.Support the show

Listen · 33:23
Fort Lauderdale Takes Center Stage At Ipw 2026 &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
Fort Lauderdale Takes Center Stage at IPW 2026

Send us Fan MailThis week's show is all about sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida where we attended IPW 2026 last week — one of the travel industry’s premier international marketplaces, hosted by …

Send us Fan MailThis…

Send us Fan MailThis week's show is all about sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida where we attended IPW 2026 last week — one of the travel industry’s premier international marketplaces, hosted by Brand USA and the US Travel Association. One of the conversations we had was with Visit Lauderdale sharing all the fun things Ft Lauderdale has to offer. I also had a sit down with Brand USA, talking about traveling to the US, visitation numbers and the plan going forward. Support the show

Listen · 21:14
Island Journeys: The Philippines &Amp; Grenada &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
Island Journeys: The Philippines & Grenada

Send us Fan MailOn this week's show we'll catch with Travel Expert Onanta Forbes as she winds up her stay in the Philippines. Plus we'll find out if she's encountered any travel di…

Send us Fan MailOn t…

Send us Fan MailOn this week's show we'll catch with Travel Expert Onanta Forbes as she winds up her stay in the Philippines. Plus we'll find out if she's encountered any travel disruptions with the jet fuel shortage that's effecting many places. Then later in the show we'll hear from the Grenada Tourism Authority on why Grenada is a great choice for your next Caribbean vacation. Support the show

Listen · 38:13
Two Tropical Adventures: The Philippines &Amp; Costa Rica &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
Two Tropical Adventures: The Philippines & Costa Rica

Send us Fan MailOn this week's show we'll get some tips and insight on travelling to the Philippines. Travel Expert Onanta Forbes is there, so we'll join her live from the Philippines. …

Send us Fan MailOn t…

Send us Fan MailOn this week's show we'll get some tips and insight on travelling to the Philippines. Travel Expert Onanta Forbes is there, so we'll join her live from the Philippines. Then we'll head to Costa Rica, a popular vacation spot for many people. Known for it's rainforests, sunny beaches, mountains, volcanoes, waterfalls and rivers. If you've been you know what I'm talking about so we'll chat with the co-founder of Anywhere.com who is an expert on traveling to Costa Rica. Support the show

Listen · 48:30
Mobile, Alabama: Historic Charm, The Battle House &Amp; A City On The Rise &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
Mobile, Alabama: Historic Charm, The Battle House & A City on the Rise

Send us Fan MailI just got back from the Travel South USA Media Marketplace in Mobile, AB. So on this week's show we'll share a couple of conversations we had. One is with the  Battle House…

Send us Fan MailI ju…

Send us Fan MailI just got back from the Travel South USA Media Marketplace in Mobile, AB. So on this week's show we'll share a couple of conversations we had. One is with the  Battle House Renaissance Hotel and Spa. That's where we stayed while in Mobile. It's beautiful hotel that dates back to the 1800's. So we'll share the story about it's historical past and what it's like now. The other is with Visit Mobile sharing the historic past, the colorful present and exciting future plans for Mobile.Support the show

Listen · 20:15
Georgia Gems &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
Georgia Gems

Send us Fan MailWe've taken our show on the road this week and we invite you to travel with us through the state of Georgia—a place where history, music, and Southern charm come together. Our j…

Send us Fan MailWe&a…

Send us Fan MailWe've taken our show on the road this week and we invite you to travel with us through the state of Georgia—a place where history, music, and Southern charm come together. Our journey took us from the timeless streets of Savannah, to the soulful sounds of Macon, and finally to the big city attractions of Atlanta.Support the show

Listen · 43:03
Six Stops In Florida: Quick Hits From The Sunshine State &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
Six Stops in Florida: Quick Hits from the Sunshine State

Send us Fan MailWe're doing something a little different on our show this week, a number of different destinations from Florida plus the folks from Visit Florida were in Vancouver last week each …

Send us Fan MailWe&a…

Send us Fan MailWe're doing something a little different on our show this week, a number of different destinations from Florida plus the folks from Visit Florida were in Vancouver last week each promoting their specific area of Florida so I got the chance to chat with all of them (6 to be exact) in a short meet and greet, speed Dating type fashion, asking each of them 3 or 4 questions to get to know what each destination in Florida has to offer. Support the show

Listen · 50:24
Into South America &Amp; Across The Western Front &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
Into South America & Across the Western Front

Send us Fan MailIf traveling to South America is on your radar in the coming year you'll want to hear our chat with Adam Booth, Sales and Marketing Representative in the US and Canada for Explora…

Send us Fan MailIf t…

Send us Fan MailIf traveling to South America is on your radar in the coming year you'll want to hear our chat with Adam Booth, Sales and Marketing Representative in the US and Canada for Explora, a company that’s been named the World’s Leading Expedition Company multiple years in a row. Specializing in immersive experiences across South America. Adam will join Travel Expert Onanta Forbes on this week's show. Then we'll talk with the author of a new book called "There Will Come Soft Rains, A Journey Along The Western Front." Briana Gervat is the author and she actually walke…

Listen · 39:09
Splurge Or Skip? Luxury Upgrades &Amp; Scenic Cruise Dining Revealed &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
Splurge or Skip? Luxury Upgrades & Scenic Cruise Dining Revealed

Send us Fan MailOn our show this week we'll discuss Luxury Travel Upgrades, my co-host Travel Expert Onanta Forbes joins me to share which ones are worth it and which ones you might want to skip.…

Send us Fan MailOn o…

Send us Fan MailOn our show this week we'll discuss Luxury Travel Upgrades, my co-host Travel Expert Onanta Forbes joins me to share which ones are worth it and which ones you might want to skip. Plus, have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes serving all those meals when you take a cruise? We'll get some insight from the VP of F&B & Hotel Operations for Scenic Ocean Cruises. Support the show

Listen · 37:42