Refurbished ships

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Life is crazy. I’ve had communication device problems, hopefully we should be through that. My parents and I have moved. I’m not sure when we are going to get internet at the house and all that.. I’m actually with friends right now. I’m not sure how everything is going to work out, but we’ll see. I wish I could say I know I am going to be back to normal work by a certain time, but I do not know when that will be yet.. Frankly, I do miss my work, and I’m ready to get back to it after nearly a month off.

But anyway, today let’s look at some reasons why you should check out refurbished cruise ships. It used to be that cruise ships would dry dock just about only when completely necessary to stay legal. But these days a lot of cruise companies have decided to completely refurbish their ships, and so other companies are following suit. Here are some reasons you should consider a refurbished ship.

• Going on a new ship is likely going to cost you an arm and a leg. But that is simply not the case with a refurbished ship.
• Your rates are going to be between thirty to forty percent lower than on completely new ship. You might even be able to score a last minute deal out instead of having to book and then wait around for three years to go to on your cruise.
• It does cost less to revamp an old ship than to build a new one. Many ships are adding all of the popular features when they do their dry dock.
• Another thing you will love is the new rooms on these ships.. Most ships are adding suites.

Places you should go before you turn the big 40

I am pretty unsure about whether or not I am going to have internet access starting tomorrow. We will have to see how everything goes.

I apologize but I am going to get a little personal here. How old are you? If you are around thirty, this blog post is written specifically for you.

Bucket lists have been huge. And I know they are not as big as they once were, but they are still . If you are around thirty, here are some place you might want to put on your list.

• Don’t you want to see the Taj Mahel? After all, it is one of the seven wonders of the world. Someone built this place to honor his favorite wife after she died giving birth to their fourteenth child. It is recommended to visit this place first thing in  the morning because sunrise makes this place spectacular.
• Have you ever visited the Grand Canyon? This is another beautiful place to get to at sunrise. You will want to take a day or more to explore, do some hiking/walking.
• You might want to go to the Great Barrier Reef. This is in Queensland. Here you know will find all ks of sealife.

Tips for traveling with kids

Let’s get back to discussing tips for traveling with kids.

• First, you might want to consider boarding early. Yes, I know that will make your trip feel that much longer. But doing this will enable everyone to feel more settled in their places. It will be especially helpful if you do not have assigned seats.
• Everyone getting enough rest is essential for a nice, smooth trip. Consider getting a condo. If you are for sure staying in a hotel or resort, consider getting a suite or at least another room.
• Having free breakfast not only cuts down on costs, it also cuts down on stress. This is one meal you’ll know what you’ll be doing and won’t have to have any discussions about.
• I know a lot of people like to just go with the flow while they are on vacation, but some planning is a good idea when you’re traveling with children. You’ll want to try your best to work your children’s sleeping and eating schedules. Not messing with those will help keep everyone happy and on track.
• But you don’t want to overplan your trip, keeping everyone busier than usual.? Children love afternoons at the pool or movie nights.
• You will want to pack everything that you need, but you do not want to overpack. You don’t want to have more to carry than you have to. A lot of places are going to have washers and dryers that you can use.
• If you aren’t going to a resort that has a children’s program, consider bringing a babysitter. It isn’t going to cost that much extra. And vacations are the perfect times to get in some extra dates.

MSC Cruises

I’ve decided that I like doing two things at once. Sure, writing about what I am learning about in this travel agent school seems to take me a little longer. But we are supposed to get the word out about the things we’re learning, and writing about the things I am learning does help. And since this school has many different courses, I should keep quite busy for a while.

Today we are going to look at the MSC Cruiseline. MSC stands for Mediterranean Shipping Company. MSC  strives for excellence in everything that they do, and has won a lot of awards for what they do.

• Where do these cruises go? Basically anywhere you would be interested in traveling to. They do Mexico and the Caribbean, they also do Europe and Asia. They also do an excellent South American cruise.
• Let’s take a closer look at some of what they have to offer. When it comes to food, their specialty is Italian. They have a lot of great pasta dishes. You will be able to get a great pizza any time that you’d like. But Italian isn’t the only cuisine that they have. They have a famous Asian chef that is over their Asian restaurants. And of course, they have a pas chef to make sure your sweet tooth is satisfied.
• MSC has partnered with LEGO to bring children and their families experiences they will never forget. They will have all the supplies that you will need for your baby and toddler that you will need.
• MSC also understands your need to keep up with your fitness program while on board. They will help you create the right exercise program while you are on board. They will also help you come up with healthy menus.

I would love to know your thoughts on any of this..

Okay, I know there are ways to book trips on the internet. So why would you need a travel agent? Let’s look at some times you might want to use a travel agent.

 

• Travel agents are great when you and your extended family are going on a trip together. You have a lot of people, some people may have special needs to figure out..People may need to come and go on different days. There are just a lot of details to figure out.
• You might want to book through a travel agent if you are going to a place you’ve never been. You may have a lot of time to do the necessary research. A travel agent can help you to set everything up. We can figure out your complete itinerary.
• And when you’re planning your honeymoon, you probably want to go through a travel agent. You have a thousand other things you need to plan. And this is a special trip you is really do not to mess up. Let a travel agent handle all the details .

Movie places

I am going to try to do this, and hopefully I’ll do a better job than I did yesterday.. I’m still doing a lot of experimenting and figuring things out as I go along… x

I think a lot of us like to watch movies when we want to relax. But have you ever wanted to go to the places where specific movies were made? Let’s look at a couple of these today.

• Do you have any Indiana Jones fans in your did you family? You might want to visit Petra, Jordan where these films were made. This has become a popular destination since the films were made.
• Slovenia might be small, but it is where Narnia was made. If I am remembering right, the place has some absolutely gorgeous spots.

Planning the perfect girls’ trip #2

Let’s get back to discussing how to plan a great girls’ trip. I have several things I’d like to look into more today, but feel like I need to do the normal things first and just see how the rest of the day goes. Let’s pick up where we left off.

• Some friends don’t need much except to have a place to gather and some nice food to enjoy themselves. Other groups will want to go to some of the more exotic locations. If your group is trying to start their annual trips together, it might be wise to have a gathering and discuss what everyone is thinking as far as overall budget. Is it going to be easier to gather in each other homes, or do people want to mark places off of their bucket lists? One of you might want  to play hostess more often than the others to cut down on her costs. You can find solutions that work best for your group.
• If one person is planning the whole thing, this lady will want to give some clues. You might want to get creative with the e-mails you send your group. Some people will go a step farther and send cute little packages to give hints. Groups who are going go somewhere exotic will usually meet at one member’s house, and then they do the reveal at the airport.
• This is a girls’ trip, so you are going want to have comfortable places where ere you can sit and gab. You might want to have one more than one place like this in case your group wants to split up for whatever reason.
• But as much as girls like to just sit and talk, you will want to have a few activities planned. Especially if you are going somewhere you’ve never been, you’ll want to get out and enjoy some of the sights. The planner should have a pretty good idea of the things your group likes to do.

Have you done anything like this? I would love to hear about it.

Go play in your favorite video game

[Disclaimer : I have never been into video games. I have never enjoyed playing those type games. I hardly know anything about any of those games. I’m just going to tell you what this article says.]

I may not know much about these games, but I know they are pretty popular. I know some children, and adults, absolutely love these games. If they aren’t playing them, they’re thinking about playing these things. So let’s look at some places you can play these games in RL [for those that don’t know, RL is real life].

• The first one is, of course, Mario Brothers. I do remember sitting and watching people playing these games. Who doesn’t dream of getting into these games? The closest thing you can get to this is in Tokyo.
• There is always Pokemon Go. And I know that you can play that anywhere. The cool thing about this game is that you have to play it outside.
• In l Las Vegas you can play Any Resident Evil. There you can play zombies to your heart’s content
• .And now I have good news and bad news good news is that  Nintendo is building its own amusement park. The bad news is that it will not be ready until 2020.

Flying standby

There is so much to learn and figure out when you are in the travel business. One person can not learn everything.. Today let’s look into what what it means to fly standby.

Flying standby is a good way to fly if you don’t especially care when you leave or come back. It’s usually the least expensive way to fly, you’ll usually pay around twenty-five dollars, but you are not guaranteed a seat. So if you think that flying standby would be a good fit for you, here’s what you should do.

• Firs, you will want to see which airlines have this option available . You will want to read up your chosen airline’s policies to make sure that you, and they, play by the rules.
• A lot of times they’ll want you to purchase a normal ticket. Sometimes you can get away with a friend flying. Again, you will want to know the specific policies.
• Another thing that would be good to remember is that you do not want to have checked luggage. They’ll more likely to take you if you don’t. You’re allowed one carry on and purse in most situations. The day before or the flight, you will want to look at the airline’s website to get the latest info on the flight. You will not want to check Expedia or Priceline, they are not going to have the latest information.
• You are going to want to get there at least two hours in advance. You will want to go to the ticketing agent, and let them know that you’re interested in flying standby.
• Next you will want to proceed through security and all that. Be sure to let the people at the gate know that you want to fly standby.
• At the time of the flight, the gate people will be able to let you know whether you’ve made it on.

I would love to know your thoughts  about any of this.

More road trip tips

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We are going to get back to our discussion on road trips, and how to make them the best they can be.

• You probably want to pack a cooler an. Yes, I know that restaurants are opening up, and there are always food drive throughs and gas stations where you can get food. But it gets old having to stop every time you’d like something to eat. Besides, you might feel the need to eat something healthy, and you might not find that as easily when you are on the road.
• Some people want to plan out every minute of their trip. That is not wise to do. This is vacation, you are supposed to be relaxing. You might want to stop somewhere you did not know about when you started out. Your kids will probably be disappointed if you don’t spend most evenings by the hotel pool.
• You are also going to want to do your best to keep your car clean. Make a space where most of your stuff will go. Have each child pack a small bag of stuff that will keep them entertained while you are traveling. And make yourself do a little straightening when you stop for the evening.
• Make yourself stop every couple of hours at least. Long drives in the car can get pretty boring, especially for little people. Stop at interesting places that you see along the way. Get everyone treats to enjoy.

Road trip tips

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The road trip may be one of the most viable trip options these days. And besides, road trips are going to give you a lot of flexibility to go and do whatever you want whenever you feel like it. Not many other trips can give you that kind of freedom. Today let’s look at some things you should do if you take one of these road trips.

• First, you will want to take your car to your mechanic and make sure your car is in good working order before you leave on your trip. You don’t want to get stuck out in the middle of nowhere unable to get your car to work.
• You will also want to make sure you have everything in order before you leave your home. Is your grass mowed? Do you have someone to get your mail? What are you going to do with your pets while you are away? Don’t be afraid to hire someone. A lot of people are out of work and would be happy to take even a small job.
• Most hotels are going to have wifi. Make sure you have everything you will need for the day by the time you head out each day. That includes the maps you might need. And also think about any entertainment you and your children might want while you are on the road.
• You are going to want to have everything you’ll need for your phone. Bring your normal charger and your car charger. If you don’t have one already, buy a phone holder for your phone.

More cruise tips

It is Saturday morning, time to finish up work for the week. So let me get started so I can get finished. As always, let me know if you are interested in planning a cruise with me. I would be more than happy to help you plan any trips. My e-mail is familytripsinc1@gmail.com, and that is the best way to reach me.

• It is just a fact of life that some people we enjoy more than others. A lot of cruises have gone to eat wherever you want whenever you feel like it. But some cruises still do certain people at certain tables at the same times each day. What happens when you do not like someone who is sitting at your table? Most likely you’ll be eating with different people at each meal. Look for people that you enjoy being with. If you do get stuck with people that you like, you can always eat at other places.
• Some people wonder if they need to take their beach towels. And the answer is that you don’t. Like hotels, cruises provide towels. Now some cruises are going to charge you for towels since they are so easy to leave behind.
• Most people love to be by the pool. How do you get the nice spots by the pool? Be friendly, ask your fellow cruisers about which chair are taken and which are not.
• Can you do laundry on a cruise? There are so many kinds of clothes that you need to take. A lot of cruises are going to do your laundry for a fee. A lot of ships are also going to have laundromats that you can use. You usually have to have your quarters. “

Cruise tips

I think, I hope, that yesterday was kind of a last “hurrah” from my “summer break”, and that things should return to normal for a while. We’ll see what actually happens.

But today let’s talk about some things that you might not actually think about when it comes to cruising.

•  First, will you need to buy drinkable water? The water on the ship, both in the bathrooms and in the restaurants, are perfectly fine to drink. The ships make sure of that. But some people do not especially like the water that is on on the ship. There is bottled to be had, but that usually comes at a price.
• Many cruises are going to give you a credit card type thing that is going to be your room key, how you’ll pay for everything, etc. But with all of the fun you’ll be having, you might not want to carry a purse or wallet everywhere. You can carry the card in your pocket, or wear one of those necklaces where you can carry cards. A lot of people wear those these days. And always put it in the same place in your room so you’ll remember.
• We are a people that loves phones. Everyone has them. How do we function without them? Will you have internet on your cruise? The cruise ship should allow you to text via their app.. Otherwise you’ll just have to agree on times to meet in person and things like that.

MORE TO DO

Let’s look at some more things you can do on the Oasis class ships that are with Royal Caribbean. You may be surprised at what all you can do, especially when everything I am writing about is absolutely free.

• One of the things that a lot of people are amazed at being free is their Broadway style shows. Different ships are going to have different shows, so you will be able to enjoy different plays each time you go. Going to see an actual Broadway show is never cheap.
• You will also never have need to go hungry on these ships. One of the fast food on the ships is called El Loco Fresh. It is, of course, a Mexican place where you can get all kinds of favorite Mexican food here. You will also find all kinds of salsas.
• Don’t want to be fighting the crowds for the buffet for breakfast? Try Johnny Rocket’s. Here you will be able to eat eggs, pancakes, french toast or a number of other things. The restaurant’s atmosphere is like a fifties diner.
• The Flowrider is a signature thing at Royal Caribbean. This is a surf simulator which everyone loves. Just watching everyone else use this is a lot of fun. You may end up sitting here for hours.

Things to do

 

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Today let’s look at some things you could do on the OasIs class ships on Royal Caribbean. I would love to know if you would like to take a cruise sometime and would like me to help you plan one.

• And the first one we are going to look at is, they have a great carousel that you can ride. That would be a great thing for you and your family to do together. Everyone can ride on different animals, it isn’t only horses. It’s also disability friendly.
• Do you like getting wet when you are watching a show? If you don’t, sit above the first few rows. There are different shows you can watch here. And although the show is free, you will need to make reservations in order to get in.
• You are going to also be able to ice skate if you would like. I don’t think you will need to pay anything to skate. You can also bring your own skates if you are that professional. However, you will need to check the schedule because they are not opened all of the time.
• And this is because they also have laser tag in this arena. Kids of all ages will love this. Smaller kids are going to need to be accompanied by adult, but everyone should be able to play.

Cruises

Today we are going to take a look at some interesting cruises you may want to take.

• Have you ever wanted to go back in time? Sailing on the Queen Mary 2 will make you feel like you have. Everything on this ship speaks of elegance and harkens back to olden times.
• Do you love cruises, but hate how big most ships have gotten? You might want to try Azamara.  They have no more than 700 guests at a time. And their goal is to always be trying something new for their guests.
• Royal Caribbean is launching a brand new ship called Quantum of the Seas.

Great family beaches

Please excuse the mess of the next few weeks. I am going to do the best that I can, but I have a lot up in the air right now. We will see how everything plays out.

Does your family just want to go to the beach and hang out? Today let’s look at some beaches that might interest you.

Kailua Beach is nice if you are ever in Hawaii. One plus is that they have free parking. Families will love all the water activities that you can enjoy together.

More on traveling internationally with kids

I am going to just go on and say it, I don’t know what I am doing tomorrow. We have a lot up in the air, and next week I know I am not going to work because it is finally vacation time.. But anyway, let’s get back to our discussion about traveling internationally with children.

Children like to feel secure and small children may get really confused when you take them places where nothing is familiar to them. Bring a little piece of home with you. That might be a favorite toy, or their blanket, anything that will help them remember home.

However you don’t want to bring everything. You want to pack pretty lightly. Your best bet might be to buy a small bag for each child that you have, and bring toys that fit in that bag and no more. If they are old enough, let them pack their own bags.

Children also tend not to understand getting their meals when they’re used to or going to bed way late. And a lot of countries do eat a lot later than we do. You might want to feed your children and put them down before enjoying your own dinner.

Children need to be sure to 1] sleep and 2] eat. If you forget to take care of these two things, you’re likely to pay by having your are children have tantrums. Don’t fill every second of every day. Do some downtime each and every day?.

As your kids get older, they’ll like to know what they are doing when. Give them your itinerary each day at breakfast. You might even ask them what they want to do from time to time.