Why cruise #3

Have you ever thought about cruising, but just were not sure if it was right for you? Today we are going to look at some reasons that you might want to consider a cruise.

• One thing that is nice about a cruise is that this is a great way to kind of sample different destinations. Maybe you want to go to the Caribbean, but don’t know which island you’d like best. Taking a cruise will allow you to spend a day at each of several different islands.
• And that means that even though you are going to several different destinations, you will be enjoying the same accommodations of your trip. This is nice for those who like to put their clothes away. It also means that you will not have to worry about the quality of your trip.
• Going on a cruise may enable you to get into other countries without a passport. Always check your cruise’s guidelines to figure out which papers you will need. But not needing a passport will save you time and money.

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Why cruise #2

Fighting the winter blues? Tired of the cold and the snow? Ready for some beach time? If this sounds like you, it may time to look into a cruise. And I would be more than happy to help you plan that cruise. Please let me know if you are interested.

• Yesterday we were talking about why you might want to take your children. But what if you want to get away from your children? Or maybe it isn’t your children, you want some adult time. A cruise in winter would be wonderful for you because most children are in school.
• Cruises have improved their entertainment over the years.. Many now have Broadway type shows for you to enjoy. Not interested in shows? You will also find a lot of clubs on board. Or maybe you want to dance the night away.
• Do you think you might get bored on a cruise? Think again. There will be things like rock climbing, and other sports you can play. Many ships now have water parks whom many families love. There are spas for when you want to relax. You will also have the opportunity to take classes if you are interested. And there are always the pools. Pools in winter, you say?
• Cruises can take you anywhere you want to go, including places that are warm. Taking a cruise to the Caribbean is one of the most options out there. You might also want to go to South America or Hawaii.

Why cruise #1

I know some people absolutely love winter. But it can get old when you need to be inside all the time, doing the same things day after day. Today let’s look at some reasons you might want to take a cruise this winter.

• One thing many people love about cruises is that pretty much all cruises are all inclusive. And that means that you are going to get your room on board, your food and drinks, and a lot of your entertainment for one price. Pay up front, and you will not have to worry about money while you are on the ship.
• Cruises can be cheap or expensive, depending on what you want. However, one thing that you will want to keep in mind is that the cheaper the cruise, the more likely they are to nickel and dime you once you are on board. Your best bet is to go with a midgrade cruise.
• A lot of cruises are going to have children’s programs, a lot of which have very flexible hours. Do you and your husband want to do dinner and a show without the children? That can be arranged. Or maybe your children are a little older and you want to send them to the program first thing in the morning? You are free to choose when your children go to the program and when you want to enjoy family time.
• Speaking of free, sometimes when parents cruise their children will sail free. And that can be a great money saver. This is a special cruises will offer from time to time.

Plan a girls’ trip #2

Let’s get back to our discussion on how to plan the perfect girls’ geaway.

• Let’s be honest, some of us are meticulous planners. When it comes to vacations, we like to do our research and plan every second of our trip, making sure we have everything we could ever need others of us don’t want to really plan anything. We just want to let things happen however they will. You know you and your group better. You will know what will work best.
• It is inevitable that when a group of ladies gets together, one of the things that everyone wants to do is to sit around and talk. After all, part of the reason that you’re getting together is that you want to catch up. If you’re looking for a rental property, make sure you’re looking for a large room that has plenty of comfortable places to sit.
• However, you will want to plan a few activities. Go shopping. Take one evening to get dressed up and go out to eat. Maybe everyone wants to go see a play one evening.. Plan things that will give you a feel for your destination.
• And please let me know if my help planning a trip. I would be more than happy to help.

Plan a girls’ trip #1

Between Now and the time the holiday season is over is just going to be a little crazy. I am going to do the best I can to keep up with work. But we will see what all happens.

In this day and age, people tend to move from town to town because of jobs, or getting married, or any number of other things. Do you have a group of girlfriends that you love getting together with? Here are some tips that will help you plan the trip that you will always remember.

• First, nothing will happen if you don’t make yourselves plan something, as in make yourselves set a date and put it on the calendar. Decide on something about a year out, and don’t let anything come up that will interfere with your trip. If something comes up like one of your group gets pregnant, or one of you has a sibling who is getting married, do your best to work around that.
• You know who your group is. Don’t let outsiders come in. The purpose of this trip is for your group to have a chance to to catch up. Outsiders will take away from this special group time.
• You’ll want to plan a trip that is five days long. Any shorter and you will feel like you didn’t get a chance to truly catch up. Any more and you may have a hard time getting your besties to commit. And realize that sometimes a few of you may have to come a day late or leave a day early.
• Budget is something you will want to discuss very early on in your planning process. Might someone want to host, having everyone else bring the food and everything else you may need? Or are you all business execs who want to start marking exotic destinations off your bucket lists? Do something that is going to work for everyone in your group.

Even more Thanksgiving travel tips

rI think I have a couple of hours before our family festivities begin, so I am going to go on and do my stuff quickly. Whether you’re driving or flying,

• Keep hydrated. Drink plenty of water and juice. Soda and coffee are not going to help you stay hydrated. If you need to drink caffeine to stay awake, drink a cup of water with your coffee. There is no point in getting sick if you can help it.
• Are you driving a car, give it a once over before you leave on your trip. Make sure you are good on oil. Look at your tires to see that they will get where you want to go. Look under the hood to see if you see anything funny.
• You are going to be around your family, you don’t need to worry about what you wear. Throw some comfy clothes in a bag and go. Packing light is always a good idea.
• There are now apps that will show you where to get the cheap gas . Get one of those, and take the money and enjoy an evening out, or go Black Friday shopping.

More Thanksgiving travel tips

Let’s look at some other tips that might help you during this busy travel season..

• Let’s start with something fun. There are a lot of fun movies where a family goes on a only to have everything go wrong. Steve Martin plays in one called “Trains, Planes, and Automobiles”. Watching movies like that may help you learn to laugh when glitches in your plans do come up. These may also give your family something to discuss while you’re on the road.
• A lot of people don’t seem to be catching on to this. But you can sign up for TSA Pre-Check. It will cost you roughly twenty dollars a year, and the pass basically allows you to skip security lines.
• Whether you are flying or driving, you are going to have some time of not doing much. Traveling time is a great time to catch up on some of your favorite podcasts. Do you like listening to things that make you think, or do you prefer funny stories? With all the podcasts out there, you’re sure to find something that suits your tastes.
• I think most people know that the night before Thanksgiving is one of the most popular times to order pizza. But did you also know that it is a very popular time to go bar hopping? Why, you may ask? Thanksgiving is one time most everyone goes home to visit their families. Wednesday night seems like a great time to see which of your high school friends made it back.

Tips on Thanksgiving travel

It’s Thanksgiving week. I’m pretty sure I am going to work today and tomorrow, and will have to see about Wednesday. But I am going to take the rest of the week off for sure. Today let’s look at some tips for Thanksgiving travel.

• First, bundle up. You will almost always save money when you book your air, hotel and car together. You could save up to $600, which could be used for all sorts of things, from more travel to getting some nice gifts for some of the people on your list.
• Most everyone wants to take full advantage of the long holiday weekend. No one wants to travel on the holiday itself or the Friday after. Traveling on those days will ensure that you miss a lot of the hustle and bustle. You may want to go Thursday and come home on Friday. Or maybe you want to relax and enjoy the celebration until the following Monday, Tuesday is actually the worst day to fly on either end of the Thanksgiving holiday..
• Who wants to be sick on Thanksgiving with all that good food around? Wash your hands as often as you can. This is especially true if you are flying and around a lot of strangers. You will also want to be sure to take your vitamins. Drinking lots of water will also help.

Tips for traveling with children #2

I messed up yesterday. I got into a novel, and kept reading instead of getting my work done. And then last night, I had some computer problems. Anyway I am going to try to get more done today.. Let’s get back to some more tips on traveling with children.

• First, it is important to keep a sense of humor. Stuff is going to happen on your trip, that’s just part of life. Keep a good attitude and that will help toy your children in good spirits too.
• And maybe one of the worst things for your children’s attitude is if they get bored. Bring things they can do, especially when you’re doing the traveling itself. Bring games you know they’ll love. Do they like to color? Bring crayons and paper. Traveling is a great time to tell stories. Children love hearing about when their parents were young.
• A lot of hotels offer free breakfasts. And this works to your advantage. You don’t have to get up and start looking at restaurants right away. If your children are a little older, they might be able to get breakfast by themselves, allowing you to sleep in. Doing breakfast by themselves will be a treat for them too.
• Go to the grocery store and get some favorite snacks for everyone. Better yet, make it a family trip, and let everyone pick special foods to keep at the hotel. You may be able to get away with doing breakfasts and lunches at the hotel, and just do dinners at restaurants.

 

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

Tips for traveling with kids #1

Laughter is good medicine for the soul, and laughter should be part of any trip, especially a family vacation. Today we are going to look at some tips for your next family vacation.

• Young children believe that their parents know everything, maybe especially when it comes to travel. Explain everything you can about the airport security process. Tell your children which parent is going to help them through the security line and all that. Answer their questions as best you can.
• When my siblings and I were growing up it was rare that my Mom wasn’t carrying some kind of snack with us. You need to bring snacks whenever you travel. Bring healthy snacks. You don’t want fill them up on sugary treats. that will lead to meltdowns which will not be good for anyone.
• You’re a parent, you know that little people have to go more frequently than adults. Factor that in to the schedule if you are going to be driving. If you’re flying, try to get your own row.