Q&A WITH KATIE SKRZEK, VICE PRESIDENT / DIGITAL DIRECTOR
In our November 2018 issue and first-ever cruise-themed edition, Katie Skrzek, vice president and digital director, discussed her cruise with friends in college. After traveling to Key West and the Bahamas, she was intrigued by the variety of options currently available and asked: Do you have a favorite type of cruise? A few readers wrote in:

My husband and I go on about four cruises a year. We love the all-inclusive amenities and services, but we do like to mix it up. We tend to try different cruise lines and destinations but haven’t actually tried a river cruise yet. I’m thinking that’s next!
BARB ANDREWS, via email

I went on a cruise recently with friends on a Royal Caribbean ship. We had a great time — we always do — but the weather was not ideal. We couldn’t explore as much as we would have liked, but typically I would say my style is to enjoy the ship as a luxury stay and hop off and enjoy the destination as much as possible.
REBECCA COLLINS, via email

LETTER TO THE PUBLISHER
Globility Board members Steve and Angela White share their experiences from a recent golf trip to Turkey.

St. Andrews, Pebble Beach, Hawai’i, Pinehurst — these are the great golf destinations you think about when planning a golf trip. I just returned from the Turkish Airlines World Golf Cup Amateur Competition in Antalya, Turkey, and I have to say you need to add Antalya to the list of the finest golf destinations in the world.

Turkish Airlines holds the largest worldwide amateur golf tournament in 100 locations around the world, highlighting that Turkish Airlines flies to more destinations from around the world to İstanbul. The winners of these 100 tournaments received an all-expenses paid trip to play in the finals in Antalya. The trip included a business-class ticket on Turkish Airlines as well as an eight-night stay in the allinclusive Titanic Hotel in Antalya. The Turkish Airlines flight was on a newly configured Boeing 777 with lie-flat seats and a chef on board to prepare the meals in business class. I have had the privilege of flying internationally on at least eight other major carriers, and the Turkish Airlines experience was at the top of the list. The comfort, amenities, aircraft, food and the crew’s desire to make the experience the best possible were impressive.

We arrived in Antalya after our connection through İstanbul and whisked off to our hotel, where our beautiful room offered a great view of the tournament golf course. The next day (Sunday) we had a practice round and a welcome party with fabulous food from around the world. Monday the grand final tournament began, and I was grouped with golfers from Moscow, Cape Town and Frankfurt. It was quite an experience to play golf with an international group and to see the differences in golf in various countries. In many places they play a Stableford game of scoring, rare in the United States. The course was great, in excellent condition and a good test of golf.

The second day of the finals, I played with the gentleman from Frankfurt and a Vietnamese golfer who lived in Prague. That evening we enjoyed a gala dinner party at another hotel and had a question-and-answer session with some of the European PGA players preparing to play in the Turkish Airlines European PGA tournament, also part of the activities Turkish Airlines planned for us to attend. The winner of the finals had the opportunity to play in the Turkish Airlines Open Pro-Am with partners Lee Westwood and Trevor Immelmann. These players won the Pro-Am and received two business-class tickets anywhere Turkish Airlines flies.

The evening after our two-day tournament, we attended a Halloweenthemed Turkish Airlines European Tour pre-party at the Regnum Hotel, just down the street from our hotel. The food, drinks and entertainment were all top-shelf. I had a chance to talk to several of the professional players competing and had a drink and quick conversation with Justin Rose, who defended his title with a victory at the Turkish Airlines Tournament and became ranked the No. 1 golfer in the world.

This whole event was an eyeopening experience. We had dinner, drinks and conversation with golfers and couples from Ghana, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, Spain, Egypt, India, the United States and many other countries. We compared golf stories and country issues and realized we all had the same love of golf.

During this once-in-a-lifetime experience, I learned a lot about Turkey (we also visited İstanbul for several days) and realized the best way to learn about a different part of the world and a different culture is to see it for yourself. My wife and I want to thank Turkish Airlines for this great experience, made extra special by Simon Wakefield, who ensured everyone had the best time possible. I look forward to visiting Turkey again via Turkish Airlines!
STEVE AND ANGELA WHITE, via email

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Another Globility Board member, Mike Russo, recently wrote to our editor to express an opinion on a recent stay with St. Regis and a flight in China Eastern business class.

Just finishing off a great holiday of firsts! First stay in a St. Regis (Chengdu, highly recommend); and a first China Eastern Airlines business-class flight (SFO–PVG–CTU and return). China Eastern operates a great Boeing 777- 300 product on the trans-Pacific flight, and does really well with the short, three-hour Shanghai–Chengdu flights, including hot towels and hot meals and suddenly empty domestic first-class cabins. The China Eastern lounges, though, are not among the best in Shanghai or Chengdu.

Almost time for wheels up from Shanghai Pudong, heading back home.
MIKE RUSSO, via email

KEEPING UP WITH THE WORLD TRAVELERS …
A reader wrote in with thoughts regarding previous publisher’s letters, including business and leisure travel and whether or not they mix.

For my part, I always try to combine the pleasure of leisure with business to include my life partner, when appropriate — more so internationally — but never to the actual stage of a business meeting. After all, we should all work to live and travel, as opposed to living to work.
JAMES FERGUSON, via email

Q&A WITH JANICE HECHT, SENIOR EDITOR
Taking care of our eyes is critical when traveling. Exposure to wind and UV rays, especially on the water or in snowy landscapes; low-humidity environments like airplanes and hotel rooms; and lack of sleep can all contribute to inflammation or irritation, causing discomfort and even damage. After experiencing ocular inflammation that required medical attention on a trip years ago, I now pack two pairs of sunglasses, a broad-brimmed hat and lubricating eye drops, and drink plenty of water and get adequate shut-eye during the trip. The American Academy of Ophthalmology makes additional recommendations on its website.

Do you take special precautions to protect your eyes when traveling? Do you know how to choose appropriate UVA and UVB sunglasses? Have you experienced eye problems while traveling?

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