Cruises

I’m in a really weird place. First, I want to apologize for not being on any last week. I was surprised by my family with a week of camp not. It was a fantastic week. I do not plan being online much this week either, we have family stuff going on. My plan is to return to work next Monday, but we’ll see how everything goes.

When it comes to when to book your cruise, my recommendation is that you book your cruise, or any trip, early so that you will get exactly what you want. But booking cruises at the last minute might enable you to get some awesome cruise deals. Let’s look are at a few of those today.

• Windstar is taking cruisers to Alaska for the first time. I hear that a cruise is a great way to explore Alaska. And Windstar is a luxury cruise line for sure. You might want to check out what is still available.
• Holland America also has room on their vessels that are going to Alaska. And this is one of the more popular destinations for Holland America.
• Seabourn is another luxury cruise line that has room on its vessels that are going to Alaska. Do you want to see some beautiful wildlife? Are you looking to explore some volcanos? Go to Alaska?

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Places to consider #1

 

If you do not already have a vacation planned, you might want to considerplanning one for either late August or early September. Today we are going to start looking at some destinations you might want to consider.

• And let’s start with Anguilla which is located in the Caribbean. This sounds like a nicer area with a lot of luxurious resorts.. You are going to find many five star places here.
• Key West is always going to be nice, but you will be able to get a very nice breeze most of the time. Their Duval Street always has a party going on. And surprisingly, some of the hotels are going to have their best rates in the summertime. H
• ave you wanted to visit Vietnam, but haven’t been sure when? Late summer through October is going to be when the crowds die down. This is also when prices drop. You will also enjoy great temperatures light rainfall.
• Mexico is always pretty inexpensive, but this is especially true during the summer months. Places like Cancun, Playa Del Carmen and Tulum are all going to have great rates whether you want a normal hotel or an all inclusive resort.
• Are you craving winter in summer? Try going to New Zealand. You are going to get great rates anywhere you go. And you will also avoid the crowds.

 

Preparing for vacation #2

When you get ready to go on vacation, most people tend to get in a hurry and may tend to forget things. Let’s look at some things you may not want to forget.

• Let’s face it. Airlines are run by humans, and we humans can mess up from time to time. Thankfully I do not have personal experience with this, but luggage can get lost. Please pack one complete outfit in your carryon in case something should happen to your luggage. I would pack your toothbrush and other essentials in there as well.
• People make all kinds of things that will help you pack more into a smaller space. Making use of those things on road trips is great. But remember that on airplanes you are limited by size and weight.
• I know that a lot of women feel that it is important to look nice wherever they go. Nothing wrong with that. But consider taking things that will kind of mix and match. This might mean taking a little more time to think through things while packing, but you will be glad once you get there.
• Put your toiletry items into their own bag. You don’t want anything leaking on your clothes. You may want to bring extra bags for your return trip.

Places to play

 

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”– that should be my manra. And before you think this is what I say and not what I do, I am going to be taking some time off in July. I’m not sure exactly how much, I’m sure it will be at least a week while I’m hanging out with my family. I’ll need to see how everything else goes… But anyway, summer is made for slowing down, relaxing with family and friends, and of course, it’s also a time for vacations. If you are looking for your next vacation spot, I have some suggestion for you.

• Punta Cana is a place most people go just to relax and have fun. This is definitely a fun in the sun destination, and is a great place to go whether you want to take your whole family or are looking for a romantic getaway. They have many resorts you can choose from.
• Do you want to explore Incan history? Consider going to Cusco, Peru. History buffs are going to love this place. The city will have history museums you can enjoy. It also has some fascinating architecture.
• Are you just looking for an absolutely beautiful beach to visit? You might want to try Djerba, Tunisia which is located in the Mediterranean. I haven’t been to Tunisia, but I do know that the Mediterranean is gorgeous. And I suspect you will also find some fantastic food in this area.
• The Riveria Maya is a beautiful place for vacation whether you’re looking for a group vacation, a family trip, or a vacation for just you and the one you love. They have a lot to offer families looking for adventure. You are going to be able to find a resort that will suit your needs perfectly. And you will also going to find some great night life here.

Mystery trips

 

We’ve talked about travel and why it’s is important for people to get away from their day to day-to-day busy lives. We’ve also talked about how important it is for families to travel together, and how travel can bring families together. But your problem might be that you have no idea where you want to go. Maybe your family is tired of going to the beach, maybe you don’t like the mountains, and you just can’t decide where to go on vacation. If this sounds like your family, you might want to consider doing a mystery trip.

Now this works best if everyone in your family is ready for an adventure. On these twenty-two day trips, you won’t know where you’ll be going, what you’ll eat, or where you might sleep. The particular group I’m reading about takes groups of ten people on these expedition. You are going to have some long travel days, you’ll never know when you are going to be able to get internet, or even electricity. It looks like they may be doing this adventure only once.

However, they aren’t the only people who can help you take a mystery trip. I could actually help you put together a mystery trip for your family if you are interested. I would send you a questionnaire so I could get a feel for the things you like and don’t like. I would need to get a feel for your budget and things. Please let me know if you are interested. The best way to get in touch with me is e-mail, and that is familytripsinc1@gmail.com

Disney resorts

One of the things a lot of families dream of doing this summer is visiting Disney World. Though I have to say that going to Disney during the summer months is usually something you’ll want to avoid if you can. Summer is by far the busiest time for Disney World because everyone is out of school. If you do decide to go during the summer, I would say that you almost have to stay in one of Disney’s resorts. For one thing, staying at the parks is the only way you can GUARANTEE that you will have a way to get into their parks. Staying in their resorts is also going to get you discounts at Disney Springs, advance reservations into all their restaurants on property, advanced tee times at their golf clubs. And of course, there are also the Magic Hours available at select Disney parks. Today let’s look at some of what the different resorts have to offer.

• It sounds like their newest renovated hotel is simply named the B Resort and Spa. Because of it being recently renovated, it is decorated pretty nicely. You are going to also find several different culinary options, and there is a spa you can relax in.
• Do you want to see the fireworks each night, but maybe not from right up close? You might want to try Best Western Lake Buena Vista. This hotel has eighteen floors. Enjoy the display from the comfort of your room. Each room they have looks out over Disney Springs There are two restaurants and a heated swimming pool.
• DoubleTree Suites by Hilton is Disney’s suite-only hotel. They offer one and two bedroom suites where families can spread out and relax when they aren’t at the parks. Each suite is going to have a living room and dining area. Hilton Orlando Buena Vistaa Palace will have all kinds of dining options, including a character dining experience. They have two pools and a floating lagoon.
• Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista is for you if you and your kids love the water. You will find two heated pools, a Jacuzzi, and a kiddie pool. All of these make great places to relax after long days at the parks. Here you will have seven restaurants to choose from.
• Holiday Inn Orlando is very family friendly. That kind of seems silly to say because we’re talking about Disney. But this hotel does have kids-eat-free which a lot of families will appreciate. And it sounds like you can access their wifi from pretty much anywhere in the hotel. You will also be able to enjoy some pool time here. And finally,
• Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista has several different dining options. You are going to find a pool bar and grill, a twenty-four hour cafe, a full service restaurant, and room service. You will love their water park.

Staying safe

 

I know that there is a lot going on in our world these days. And I’m talking about everything from natural disasters, to epidemics, to mass shootings. People may be trying to decide whether or not it is safe to travel anywhere anymore. With few exceptions it should be are safe to travel anywhere you want, let’s look at few suggestions that will help keep you safe.

• First, when you know you’re interested in going anywhere, start checking the news. Read up on the things that are going on there. If you start to feel uncomfortable about a place before you go on your trip, you can always change your mind. Watching some news while you’re on your trip is also a good idea.
• It is also a good idea to stay in groups while you travel. Groups are much less like to be robbed from or taken advantage of. If you are doing a solo trip, consider joining a group you meet while you’re on the road.
• Doing your sightseeing during the day is always the best idea. When you do go out at night, stay in places where there are crowds.

Avoiding travel problems #1

 

Everyone has bad days. And sadly, bad stuff can happen even when you are on vacation. But today let’s look at some ways you can do to make sure you have as little to worry about on vacation as possible..

• First, if you’re even thinking that you might want to go somewhere out of the country, you will want to make sure you have at least a year before your passport expires.. The people checking your passports don’t want to see anything less than six months between your travel and your passport’s expiration.
• You’re impressed with your smartphone’s camera. That’s great. The problem with taking your phone instead of your camera is that you might not have enough memory on your phone to keep all your pictures. Are you going to have internet so you can put things in your cloud?
• When you want to take your electronic devices, be sure to take their chargers with you. If you are going out of the country, you will also want to take a converter also. Look up the country you are visiting and figure out what you will need. You will also want to take some extra batteries.
• You always want to make a plan for how you are going to pay for your vacation. Putting everything on your credit card and deciding not to pay it off could cost you for years to come. It is best if you pay for your vacation before you leave.
• If you are going on a big vacation, you might want to consider getting travel insurance. Sure, insurance that is any good is going to cost you a pretty penny, but you will have peace of mind if any emergencies come up.

Reasons for taking a cruise

You may have heard different friends talking about going on cruises, but having never been on a cruise, you’re wondering why people go on a cruise, and whether you should join in on the fun. Let’s look at some reasons why people go on a cruise.

• A lot of people go on cruises because there is always a party going on. Cruise ships are going to have all kinds of bars and clubs.
• People also love the fact that you don’t have to do any housekeeping while you’re on board. Maids come and clean your room while you’re out and about.
• Cruises are known to have an abundance of food. Most ships are going to have at least one buffet place. There are going to be ways you can get food 24/7.
• This is a great way to take a family vacation. Ships usually have lots of activities for families to enjoy together. Of course, they will also have kids’ clubs for when you want to enjoy some adult time. Your family can decide on the right balance for each trip.
• Cruises are getting better and better about having reliable internet. But some people look at cruises as the perfect chance to unplug and just enjoy your family.
• Cruises are moving away from having the gambling. I know that Disney never has casinos on their ships. But some people love to go to take their chances on the games.
• Cruises have all kinds of themes. Do you want to learn more about a certain area’s history? You can find a cruise that will help you do that. Do you want to improve your culinary skills? There are cruises that will help you with that as well.

Are you interested in taking a cruise? I would love to help you figure out the right cruise for you. Please let me know if you are interested.

Cruise news

We haven’t looked at anything related to cruises lately. Today let’s look at some different cruise news.

• Royal Caribbean International has told us some more of what we can expect when it comes to its newest ship, Spectrum of the Seas. This is their most expensive ship to date. Now before anyone gets too excited, this ship will debut about a year from now, and it is for the Chinese market anyway. Royal Caribbean started in the Caribbean market three years ago. This is to be this cruiseline’s first suite-only ship. They will have family suites that will be on more than one level of the ship. And when it comes to food, their main dining room is going to have Chinese and what they call western options. Their buffet is going to be huge. They will also have a tea room and cafe parlor. This ship will be going to diverse ports, and will have some longer sailings.
• MSC has just christened its newest ship. There were were festivities throughout the day in honor of its arrival. Several different celebrities graced the day. This ship is going to have the longest zip line in the cruise industry. Your family will love their aqua park that has four waterslides the ship will also have the world’s widest waterfront boardwalk at sea.
• Seabourn is announcing its European itineraries for 2019. Their plan is to have four vessels in Europe. Seabourn is a luxury cruiseline that has been helping guests explore Europe for thirty years, so they have a pretty good feel for what people want. They know which ports are the best to do overnight stays. They also know what special programs people want. They will have some longer sailings as well.