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.

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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.

Choosing your first cruise

I’ve been working on some writing stuff today. We’ll see how everything goes on that. But let’s get on with this. When it comes to choosing which cruise you are going to take as your first cruise, you may be overwhelmed at the choices you have. Let’s look at some things that might help

•  Please talk to me about going on your first cruise. I can help guide you through all the questions you might have to make sure you have the best cruise. I know the way questions to ask to help get you what you want. And I make money when I book cruises. You won’t owe me another dime.
• One of the big things about cruises is that the more you pay up front, the less you’ll have to pay once you are on board your ship. You will want to keep that in mind. Some cruises are going to seem awful cheap. But they are going to nickel and dime you to death.
• You may want to start by going on a three or four day cruise just to make sure you like them. These cruises will leave from and return to the same place which will make everything easy.
• You will not need to worry about getting seasick on a cruise. Most ships are now built with stabilizers which are going to go a long way to help you. For those that are particularly prone to this ailment might want to buy some. You can also pay to get a shot once you are on board.

More on cruise evenings

Let’s keep looking at some things that you might want to spend the evenings on your cruise.

• Most cruises these days have themed parties which you can participate in if you choose to. I know that Disney does themes like Star Wars Night or Pirate Night. You will find dance parties that last all night in the ship’s night clubs. You might even find some ballroom dancing.
• There might be an evening or two where you will want to do nothing more than relax in front of a good movie. You will be more free to do that in the comfort of your cabin. Most ships will also have movies that you can enjoy with a large group.
• Some ships will also have a bowling alley. Or they could have an ice skating rink. Some might even have a golf course on board.
• And of course, there will also be beautiful pools where you can hang out. Take a dip and cool off after a long day exploring. Or enjoy getting to know the other guests.
• With all of this to do, you might forget one important thing. You are going to need to sleep at some point in your cruise. You will want to be fresh for the full days.

Evenings on a cruise ship

A lot of people who have never been on a cruise wonder what there is to do on a cruise, especially in the evening when you are back on board after exploring your port. Today we are going to look at some of your options.

• First of all, don’t forget that you and your family will probably need to eat once you return to your ship. And on the ship you will be able to enjoy dinners where you actually sit down. You will be enjoying several different courses. These will be served in the main dining room, which means that your dinner will be included in the fare and will cost you no extra. This gives everyone at your table the chance to share about their day’s adventures..
• You could also go to one of the more informal buffets, or order room service if you don’t want to walk anywhere. A lot of cruise ships also have specialty restaurants. If you are interested in specialty dining, you will want to make your reservations ahead of time.
• Have you ever been to a Broadway show? Most ships now have Broadway shows, and again, you will be able to get in at no additional charge. Many ships have their own theater company as well. Some also have shows like a circus.
• You are going to also have the opportunity to enjoy live bands, string quartets, or simply one person on a piano in the different bars that they have. Or do you prefer making your own music? A lot of cruises will have karaoke bars as well.

And even more destinations

Are you sitting around on this Saturday morning, thinking that there must be a better way to spend your weekend than just sitting around, binging on your favorite tv shows. There is. Take a day off, and enjoy a three day trip somewhere. Where, you ask? Let’s look at some more destinations.

• There is New Orleans that you might want to explore. You will especially enjoy it if you enjoy night life. But do you know who will probably the enjoy it most? Foodies. This is the place to get your French cuisine. And they also have great Creole food.
• Are you looking for a place you can just go and relax? You might want to try Kennebunkport. It is so relaxing that the Bush family got a place here. You are going to enjoy some excellent fishing. They also have beautiful beaches
• Ooh, I have spent some time in Baltimore. I know they have one of the largest aquariums in the country. Their Inner Harbor is a lot of fun. Woul, you may be overwhelmed by the number of food choices. My recommendation would be to go around and try all of their samples. You will want to be sure to get some crab cakes there in Baltimore as well.
• If you are looking for something more high end, you might want to try going to Santa Barbera. There are many great restaurants and lots of interesting shopping.
• Outdoor enthusiasts will love to go to Colorado Springs. This is a great place to hike and bike. If you are not into that kind of thing, you and family might want to go explore the headquarters of Focus on the Family. They have their own Whit’s End and everything.

More weekend destinations

• We are going to start with a destination that is close to me. And actually this is a place I often visit, well actually I visit one of the suburbs. But anyway, the place I’m talking about is Atlanta, Georgia not. I was at the Zoo of Atlanta a couple of weeks ago, and really enjoyed my time there. I know they have the Coke Museum there. They also have a fantastic aquarium.
• If you have boys, you will want to make it a point to visit San Antonio. Why? Remember the Alamo. You will also find their river River Walk to be one of the nicest around.
• Are you looking for a city that has a little bit of everything? Try Charleston, South Carolina. Runners will love their trails. There is a lot of history to explore here. And everyone will love the food that is served here.
• Do you dream of meeting all the stars? You will want to go to Los Angeles. Take a tour of Beverly Hills. Shop on Rodeo Drive. Enjoy a Broadway show. And don’t forget, there are also some beautiful beaches there.
• Do you just love being outdoors? You are going to want to go to the Grand Canyon. This is a beautiful place to hike and camp.

Even more destinations

Let’s keep looking at some destinations you might want to look into the next time you are thinking about taking a three day weekend.

• Have you always dreamed of going to Europe, but don’t think you are going to have that kind of money any time soon? You might want to try Montreal. This city definitely has an old world feel to it. Go enjoy their botanical gardens. Visit their Notre Daame Basilica. And don’t forget to go to Mount Royal to get a good look at the whole city.
• Have you ever been to the Outer Bank? I have. Now you will want to be careful of when you go, as in you don’t want to go when there is any chance of a hurricane. Check the weather before you go. This is a great beach area. It is also near where the Wright brothers did their experiments.
• Okay, this is another city where you will have to make some decision as far as you want to do with your time, but Vegas has a lot to offer. Do you want to do a water parks weekend? They have that here. Looking for a great weekend of lots of good eating? You also might want to try Vegas. Are you looking for entertainment? There is no better place.
• Are you a surfer dude? It might be silly to mention this to you, but you might want to try Cocoa Beach. This is where all surfers gather. And of course, you have a surfer shop to meet all your needs.

More long weekend getaways

Let’s keep looking at some destinations that you might consider were going to for a long weekend.

• Now, it would take a lot of long weekends to explore everything that New York City has to offer. If you live somewhat close to the city, you could do several long weekends and choose a theme for each weekend you go. If you do not live close, you might want to look online and decide on the places you want to go to the most.
• You will want to choose the restaurants you want to go to as well. I know I’ve mentioned this before on this blog, but I used to live near Asheville, North Carolina. It is a beautiful city in the Smoky Mountains. You are going to find a lot of neat places to shop and explore. This is a very artsy city as well.
• Like New York City, it would taking longer than three days to see all of Chicago. But one thing you might want to concentrate on is their art institute.. You will also want to be sure to visit Wrigley Park where a lot of sports history has been made.
• Take a long weekend and explore San Francisco. Take a ride on the cable car. You can also take a boat out to Alcatraz. Drive over the Golden Gate Bridge. You may also enjoy touring their wine country.
• Is California on the other side of the country for you? Is Alabama closer to you? You might want to try their Gulf Shores. You will find some nice cottages right on their beach. This is the perfect place just to relax if that is what you’re looking to do.

Long weekend getaways

Sometimes you just need to get away for a long weekend. Maybe work has gotten super busy. Or maybe you have some hard things going on in your family. Whatever your reason, you need to get away. Let’s look at some destinations you might want to consider.

• Do you want to go somewhere where you have plenty of activities to choose from? Think about going to Miiami, Florida. This is a fun in the sun destination. You will also have a lot of choices when it comes to nightlife. You will also have great restaurants from.
• Do you want to go to the coolest city in Texas? You are going to have to try Austin. It helps that the city has the university right there. This place has a lot of great restaurants, some great art museums, and a lot of interesting shopping.
• And yes, people do go to Mexico for long weekends. It is an easy flight. Los Cabos is a great destination when you want to take a beach getaway. This is a great place to just relax and have some much needed fun.
• Are amusement parks your jam? Go to Orlando. This is theme park central. You are going to find Disney, Universal and Busch Gardens. And that’s just naming the biggest parks there. The city also has a lot of other things to offer.

Disney for multi generational travel

If you haven’t gotten this impression by reading this blog, I am all about families spending time together. And I do know that once the children grow up, they do not live in the same town as their parents. My siblings are all kind of scattered everywhere, and with eight of us, it is hard for all of us to get together. It is a treat when we do. Yes, we are learning to do Skype and things like that, and while that is is nice, that is not the same as being together in the same place. I know that a lot of families feel the same right. Sometimes you do not want to go to where one of your family members live because you do not want to do the cooking and the cleaning. Today let’s talk about some reasons Disney World makes the perfect place for one of these multi generational trips..

• First, like me, Disney has always been passionate about the family, and they have something everyone will love. They are going to have slow rides and fast rides. Everyone is going to be able to find their favorite characters. There will also be all kinds of shows that everyone will enjoy.
• When you need to take a break from the parks, Disney has all kinds of nice resorts where you can stay. There will be pools you can relax around and spas for the adults to enjoy.
• Think about it, going to the parks as a young family can be overwhelming, especially if you have more kids than parents. You might have a baby that wants to be held, a toddler that wants to run around everywhere, and an older kid that wants to ride all the rides. Having more adults is going to always be nice. Grandparents and aunts and uncles are going to help. You are going to be able to set up different groups that will go to  different places.
• Part of grandparents’ job description is to spoil their grandchildren. Parents might not want to do all the souvenirs and all that. Grandparents can help do all those special things. And who knows. The grandparents might spoil the parents as well.
• But what do all children want more than anything? Time with their parents and grandparents, making those special memories. Think about taking your child on their first roller coaster or getting the girls’ hair done.
• Taking the whole family, you may have people who have special needs for their rooms, or you may have people who are on diets or things like that. Disney has excellent customer service, and will be able to handle everything for you.

Traveling with a disabled person

Today we are going to go over some basic tips when it comes to traveling with a disabled person.

When you do things with a disabled person, one of the things that you will learn quickly is that disabled people usually need to do a bit more planning when it comes to doing just about anything. Do you want to go see what’s at the top of that hill? How are you going to get your disabled friend up there with you? Do you want to run grab something to eat? Is your disabled friend going to go with you, or are you going to get the food and bring it back to so you can share?

• Anyway, here are some things you might want to consider before you travel with a disabled people. First, driving can wear anyone out, but it is probably even more true for those of us who are disabled. You will want to talk to your friend about this before you plan any trips together.
• Are you going to need special things when it comes to the the places you might stay? Are they going to need a special bed? Will they need a special place to plug in their power chair? Are they on any special diet that you’ll need to take into consideration?
• You will also need to consider their stamina. You may be excited about a place you are going, and want to spend all your waking hours out there exploring. That might be harder on your friend than you might realize. They might need sometime to chill out in the room, watching a movie or something like that.