Cruising and the disabled

Sometimes I have certain things I try to do each day. Obviously I do this each day. I check e-mail. And then I also try to do some training on different kinds of destinations or cruiselines, because what’s out there is pretty much limitless… I must confess that I was not coming up with ideas for this, and I was going to come back to this, but I this training module and thought that this might make a great post

For those that have never met me in person, I’m disabled. I have Cerebral Palsy, and I’m basically unable to do anything for myself. I sit in a wheelchair, and have a communication device that doubles as my computer.

To be honest, I’ve never been on a cruise, have no idea what that would be like. I have heard that going on a cruise might be difficult for me. But that might be changing slowly.

And I should also let you know that the course I am taking is through Norwegian Cruise Lines, so we will want to keep that in mind as well.

Here are some things we will want to keep in mind.

• Norwegian has wider hallways and bigger bathrooms making it easier for people in wheelchairs.
• Service pets are allowed on board ships. Norwegian follows the guidelines written up by the ADA.
• Many stateroom are going to have refrigerator in them so that you will be able to keep your medications. If you know you are going to need a refrigerator, all you really need to do is to say something to me.
• Norwegian does reserve the right to say that they don’t think they can accommodate your specific disability. We will need to contact them up front to ask if they are going to be able to accommodate you. This is something I can work on for you.
• I think we are going to get back to this tomorrow. I would really love to know your thoughts about all of this.

Reasons to visit the Bahamas

Are you still looking for that perfect summer getaway? Why not consider going to the Bahamas? this is a great place to enjoy some fun in the sun and so much more. Let’s looks at some specific reasons the Bahamas may be perfect for you.

• This is a beautiful island paradise. You will be surrounded by lots of clear blue water, miles of beautiful beach, which makes it a great place to relax with the ones you love. Another thing to remember is that the Bahamas is right off the coast of Florida, making it pretty easy to get to.
• The article I was originally reading just says that the Bahamas has great island cuisine. I wasn’t sure what that meant, so I looked it up. As you might imagine, they eat a lot of seafood here. And most of it is pretty spicy. But you will be able to get different kinds of cuisine, especially if you stay in one of the resorts.
• The females in your party are going to love the shopping here. You will be t find everything from handmade trinkets to everything you might find in one of the malls we’re used to.
• While the women go shopping, the men will have several option. For one thing, there is golf. There will also be explore, and lots of water sports you can try.
• There’s one more thing you should note. the people here are extremely friendly, and they will do everything they can to help you.
• I would love to know your thoesught about this.

Reasons to stay at Sandals Regency La Toc

I’m getting an early start and am extremely grateful. I have several things I would like to do today and feel like I am going to have more time.. Also, I wanted to let you know that I’m not sure how much internet access to have next week. We’ll just have to wait and see how everything plays out.

I am told that one of the most lucrative niches you can get into in the travel industry is doing honeymoons. People are usually willing to spend more on this trip, because it is hopefully going to be an once in a lifetime experience. BRIDES Magazine has done a survey and has found St Lucia to be among the most popular places to go on your honeymoon. Today let’s look at some reasons you should consider Sandals’ Regency  La Toc.

• The island where this resort is located is truly beautiful. It is the perfect setting for a trip with the one you love. There will be lush gardens you can walk through. They have fire pits where you can cuddle with the one you love in the evenings.
• This is an all inclusive resort, so there will be no need to worry, or have any discussions about finances, while you are there. You will be able to take care of the whole bill even before you arrive.
• Sandals is going to have luxurious accommodations no matter where you choose to stay. They are going to have some really nice suites in their hotel area. Even nicer are their stand alone bungalows which will have their own pools and everything.
• With Sandals, when you stay at one resort, you will have access to all of the activities on all of their resorts. And they will have a shuttle that will take you from place to place.
• You will be choosing from nine different restaurants during your stay here. You will be able to order anything that you like here, and again everything will be covered in that one price you pay up front.

I would love to know your thoughts on this, or any questions you might have.

New York City in summer

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“…And I’ll be doing whatever snow does in summer”. Sorry, just wanted to share the song that’s been running through my mind this morning.. Summer is one of the busiest times for travel. We’ve talked about the beach. We’ve talked about what to do with children while you’re traveling. we are going to do a little something different today.

When you think of New York City, you probably think of snow, ice skating, and huddling around hot chocolate. But there is a lot of neat things to do in the summer as well. Today let’s talk about some things you might want to do in New York City this summer.

•  Everyone has heard of Wall Street. But hae you heard of Brookfield Place, the former financial district? They have now turned this place into an upscale shopping and dining place. It is now called Le District, and it is the place toibe if you want French food
• They do Shakespeare in the park in Central Park. There are eighteen thousand seats in the theater. And if I’m reading this right, this is a free event.
• There are also outdoor movies you can take part in. Apparently these events take place at various times throughout the city. Take a picnic and make an evening of it.
• You just think that there is no beach in New York City. Try Jacob Riis park. This is one of the more peaceful beaches in the area. You can get away from the hustle and bustle of city life here.
• Long Island City has what is called summer Summer Summer Nights. Tare outdoor concert. The events last from three until nine, so this sounds like a good place to hang out.

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

Hawaii : A foodie destination

Hawaii is a place many people want to go to. For many people it is simply a beautiful beach.. Others may want to try their golf. Other people may want to explore Pearl Harbor. But today we are going to talk about what Hawaii has to offer in the way of food.

Food is a big part of our lives. Most people I know tend to eat two to three times a day. Our bodies need the food to turn it into energy we need to live. Eating together is also a good way to enjoy our family or friends. It is nice to have good conversation and relax over our dinner after working all day.. Some people like eating the same things day after day. Other people always like trying something new. And traveling because you love food is becoming more and more popular. People are trying all kinds of new dishes. They are also taking cooking classes, mixeology classes, and exploring vineyards and things like that.

So what does this have to do with Hawaii? The Sheraton Maui recognizes that foodie travel is becoming a popular thing, and they are trying to get in on this segment of the travel industry. For starters, they are going to be offering culinary classes on select Tuesdays in August, and their mixeology classes will be held the following Thursday.

On the culinary side, you will be learning about things like breadfruit. You will also be learning about how the pineapple was introduced to Hawaii. In the mixeology class, you will learn how to make several different drinks and will be enjoying appetizers as well. You will get discounts on certain restaurants when you participate in these classes.

I would love to know your thoughts or any questions you might have.

More about Buddymoons

I have to be honest, what I wrote yesterday got me curious about the whole concept about this. So that’s why we are going to look at this more today.. Sadly for many couples, getting married is not some huge change in their lives. They have been living together before marriage, and so going on a vacation together may not seem all that special, even if they do go to some exotic place. Friends, and even family, can make the trip even special.. Okay, let’s look at some etiquette for these things.

• Unless bride and groom are rich or extremely popular, they are not going to invite everyone they know. It is best not to talk to anyone about it until you know they have been invited.
• Remember that this is the couple’s honeymoon and let them have their privacy. They are going to need their own suite, and you probably should keep out of there.
• The couple wants to spend time with you, they wouldn’t have invited you if they didn’t. But they are going to want privacy as well. Be respectful of that. Hopefully you are going to know and enjoy the other people in the group.
• With that said, it really does help everyone when the couple makes a schedule. This will help clear up any miscommunications.
• The group also want to be considerate of other couples. Who knows? This trip might produce another engagement which might lead to another buddymoon.

Let me know your thoughts on this.

What is a Buddymoon?

I know I’ve said this before, and I know I’ll say it again, but the travel industry is hug. And I’m learning something new every single day.

For example, I’ve never heard of a buddymoon before… Everyone has heard of a honeymoon. There’s also something called a babymoon. It’s a trip a couple takes before their baby comes. But a buddymoon is when a couple decides to take their friends on their honeymoon with them. Believe it because not, this is becoming more and more of a popular thing. Couples like taking their best friends on  their special trip.

Now the couple will not want you around the entire time. After all, this is their honeymoon. But you can expect to do some dinners together as a group. There will also likely some group day trips.

Obviously, buddymoons work great when couples do a destination wedding. Couples might also choose to do a quiet ceremony and have a few days of privacy before their friends join them on the trip. And hopefully, you will know at least some of the other people that are going and can enjoy your time with them.

Have you heard of something like this? Have you been on anything like this? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Staycation part 2

Yesterday I opened up by telling you why I don’t especially like staycations. Today let’s talk about the reason I do like them.. When I think of staycations, I think of families taking time away from all of their activities of life to have some focused time together. And honestly, you might be better to do that at home than you would be in a place you were unfamiliar with. And my hope as a travel agent, and in my writing, is to help families reconnect.. So let’s look at some more tips for staycations.

• Is anyone in your family creative? Is anyone artistic? You might want to take a day to paint, and I’m not talking about painting the house. If
• you have older kids, you might want to consider putting a mmural mural together. If you have younger kids, you might want to try painting with chocolate pudding. it is fun and delicious.
• Is there a river or other body of water in your area, but somehow you never find time to enjoy it? a staycation. spend the day by the water.
• When is the last time your family enjoyed cooking a meal together. It can start at the grocery store where you can pick out your favorite foods. Try some new recipes or make up your own.
• Some restaurants will allow you to take a tour of their operations. I know that my family visited a doughnut shop and a pizza shop. it has been years since we’ve done that. But when we did that, they cooked something, and then we got to eat.
•  And finally, you might want to do a park hop. What’s that, you might ask? A park hop is when you visit several parks in one day. There are toys that even grown ups can play on.

Those are some of the ideas I’ve had. I would love to hear your ideas.

More advice on what to do on a cruise

Let’s talk some more about the things that can get you kicked off of a cruise.

• It is important to take all the proper documentation. And this is not something that cruiselines themselves decide. You have to have the proper documents when you leave the country, it’s the law .
• Buying minors a drink while you’re in a restaurant or other establishment is never all right. And again this is the law, and not a cruiseline thing. What you do in your own home is your own business. But ships do not want to take any responsibility for drunk young people.
• A cruiseship is not the place to horseplay or get into fights. This may be a good incentive not to get stupidly drunk. All cruiselines have codes of conduct, and you have to follow it. When you sign your cruise contract, you agree to abide by these rules.
• On a cruise is not the time organize a big tour and advertise it.. A cruise is not a time to make money. This is a time to relax and enjoy yourselves.
• They also do not look kindly on people who steal. I know that things are overpriced, but getting caught with something that as been stolen will get you thrown off.

I would love to know your thoughts about all this. Does anyone have any funny stories to tell?

First guest blog post

My first guest blog post came out today. I’m hoping to have many more of these to follow.. Hopefully I am going to work more on that starting this coming week.. Anyway, here is my first baby. https://radicalchristianwoman.com/christian-family-vacation/