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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

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My River Cruise Was Cancelled, Now What? &Amp; Historic Franklin, Tennessee &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
My River Cruise Was Cancelled, Now What? & Historic Franklin, Tennessee

Send us Fan MailTravel Expert Onanta Forbes was supposed to be leaving for a river cruise in Europe next week but the cruise was cancelled at the last minute, so now what? On this week's show we&…

Send us Fan MailTrav…

Send us Fan MailTravel Expert Onanta Forbes was supposed to be leaving for a river cruise in Europe next week but the cruise was cancelled at the last minute, so now what? On this week's show we'll discuss what happens with a last minute river cruise cancellation. Then we'll head to Franklin, Tennessee, a historic town located only minutes south of Nashville, known for its beautifully preserved Main Street, Civil War history, vibrant music scene, boutique shopping, and outstanding Southern dining.Support the show

Listen · 29:24
America 250 &Amp; A Fiji Paradise &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
America 250 & A Fiji Paradise

Send us Fan MailOur friends in the US have been busy celebrating America 250 this year and the website Roamright.com has come out with a guide on planning a trip to the US around America 250 so on thi…

Send us Fan MailOur …

Send us Fan MailOur friends in the US have been busy celebrating America 250 this year and the website Roamright.com has come out with a guide on planning a trip to the US around America 250 so on this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes will join me to discuss what you should know. Then we'll head across the Pacific and visit Vomo Island in Fiji. It's a beautiful private island which is home the best luxury resort for families in Fiji and the 5th best beach in the world. Support the show

Listen · 25:32
Alberta Adventures &Amp; Car Rental Insurance &Raquo; Aou4Ydhfzl8Dh6Nsrshk0Xs52Gv8
Alberta Adventures & Car Rental Insurance

Send us Fan MailThe Canada Strong Pass is back this summer and with Canada Day coming up I thought it might be a good idea to showcase what we have here in our own backyard so on this week's show…

Send us Fan MailThe …

Send us Fan MailThe Canada Strong Pass is back this summer and with Canada Day coming up I thought it might be a good idea to showcase what we have here in our own backyard so on this week's show travel expert Onanta Forbes joins me to share some of the sights and activities in and around Calgary and Alberta. Then we'll talk about car rental insurance coverage from your credit card, what it covers and what you should be aware of. Rewards Canada founder Patrick Sojka will join us to give some insight.Support the show

Listen · 26:00
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