Travel by land, travel by sea, be a group leader and you travel free.

Are you a member of a group?
A reunion group?
Military?
High School?
College?
Church?
An affinity group like:
Rotary!
Knights of Columbus!
American Legion!
Masons!
Sons of Italy!
VFW!
Are you retired?
Play golf / tennis?
In a bowling league/ football pool?

If you said yes to any one of these, or are a member of any group, you can become a 'group leader and travel FREE!

Mary Ellen found a group at her book club when they discussed Michner's "Caribbean". One of the girl's mentioned she longed to take a Carribean Cruise. Mary Ellen told her that her parents raved about the cruise they had taken for their 45th wedding anniversary.

She remembered her mother had met a woman on board who was cruising free because she got a group together from her retirement community. The woman told her she only needed 15 people to go as a group and she could go free.

The idea was planted in Mary Ellen's mind. She went to her parent's travel agent, got information about the cruise, and took it to the next book club meeting. Six months later, Mary Ellen, her husband, the book group and their husbands, plus assorted friends who signed up to go, were cruising out of Miami to exciting ports in the Caribbean.

Mary Ellen took a copy of Michner's book with her on the cruise. This time it was, "South Pacific". She wanted to get some ideas for her next FREE cruise

Bob R was a retired utilities worker, an active member of the local union and the American Legion. Many other union members were in the Legion. Bob enjoyed being with Alex, his buddy from work. It was after Alex's untimely death that Bob took stock.

Thinking about Alex, and some of the things Alex had talked about doing some day, Bob thought of things in life he wanted to do. He made a list. At the top of the list was to visit Australia. Bob's father had talked about his time in Australia returning from the war.

When another buddy from the Legion passed away unexpectedly, Bob went to see a travel agent and was discouraged. There was no way he could afford to make such an expensive trip.

Searching on his PC, he found tour companies doing group tours. On their web pages he learned that group travel was cheaper and group leaders traveled FREE.

He got all the details; found out how many he needed to go free; began his campaign, and 14 months later, Bob went to Australia FREE!

Don't wait for someday--sometimes it never comes, like it didn't for Alex!

Mary McCauley is a retired group tour travel advisor and author. She has recently published her first novel, "The House of Annon". Her e-book, "An Expert's Guide to FREE Cruises and Tours" is available as a download. Essays, articles, columns and short stories are on her web site, "The Essence of Me-Portrait of a Writer. You can contact this Franklin, TN writer at cruisesandtours@peoplepc.com