The Best Short Cruises for 2015

   

  When most people think about taking a cruise, they envision a full week sailing on a cruise ship to some exotic locale.  For many travelers, this exactly what they are looking for.  But for many others who would love to take a cruise, the thought of being on a ship for a full week will actually discourage them from taking a cruise.  Whether you do not having enough vacation time, or your lifestyle does not allow you to get away for a full week, or maybe you're a first-time cruiser who does not want to commit to a full week at sea; it does not mean you can't do a cruise.  The cruise lines get that you can't do a seven-night cruise, and the result is they are offering an increasing number of shorter cruise options.

       The three-, four-, or five-night sailings are often affordable priced, and travel to many popular destinations, especially in the winter/spring sailing season.  The cruises tend to be on older ships that have smaller cabins with fewer balconies, and lack many newer amenities like specialty bars and restaurants or water slides.  While these short cruises have had a reputation for attracting a party-hearty crowd looking for cheep fun, the cruise lines are now focusing more on attracting families, and travelers want the features and quality experience that a newer cruise ship has to offer.  The cruise lines are now offering some of their newer ships, and want to give the family or the cruiser for a better quality ship experience, the ability to enjoy a cruise experience in a shorter time frame.

Here are some winter and spring short cruise highlights for 2015:

Disney Cruise Line:  The cruise line who wrote the book on modern family ships operates 2 ships for shorter cruises.  From Port Canaveral, FL. (near Orlando); the Disney Dream sails on 3 and 4 night sailings to Nassau and Disney's private island , Castaway Cay, in the Bahamas.  Sailing from Miami, the Disney Wonder, in addition to 4 night sailings to the Bahamas is doing 5 night sailings to the Western Caribbean.

Princess Cruises:  Offering 4 and 5 night itineraries to the Eastern and and Western Caribbean on the Caribbean Princess from Fort Lauderdale, and sailing from Los Angeles, the Crown Princess visits Mexico on 4 night cruises.  These modern, innovative ships offer new dining and ship experiences in a casual yet elegant environment.

Royal Caribbean Line:  Offering newer and recently completely reconditioned ships, Royal Caribbean offers modern conveniences on a number of their short cruises.  From ships offering majority balcony cabins, to water slides and rock climbing walls to flexible and specialty dining to state of the art entertainment: these ships offer something fore everyone.  The Enchantment of the Sea does 3 and 4 night sailing to the Bahamas, including a stop at Royal's private island of Coco Cay, from Port Canaveral.  From Fort Lauderdale, Liberty of the Sea; and from Tampa, Brilliance of the Sea, both sail on 4 and 5 night adventure to the Western Caribbean.

Celebrity Cruises:  The Celebrity Constellation sails 4 night cruises to the Bahamas and 5 night cruises to the Western Caribbean.  The ship offers its guests modern and elegant sophistication with world class dining for people who want a little more in their travels.

Epcot Food & Wine Festival- Disney for the Foodie

Every fall, Disneyworld becomes a choice for an adult vacation. Don't roll your eyes at me, because it's time for the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. Being a Disney Fangirl and a foodie it's the perfect combination. Having attended this event, here are some of my tips for the festival. If this is a girls getway, take an afternoon off and head to the Premium Outlets on International Dr. and Premium Outlets-Vineland

1. Stay onsite so you can partake of the adult beverages and just have to take Disney transportation back to your hotel. The prime locations are the Epcot area Resorts, where you can easily walk back via the International Gateway. These resort include two of my personal favorites, Disney's Beach Club resort pictured below and her sister resort Disney's Yacht Club

 

The views from Disney's Boardwalk Inn are fabulous

 

Also in the area are the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin, which are run by Starwood.

 

 

2. Watch the food booths, while there are nearly 30 food & beverage marketplaces around World Showcase it can get expensive eating at them. My biggest tip is to book some of the special events, where you actually sit down and eat. Like the Italian Regional Lunch, notice you get multiple courses with paired wine.

 

 

Another fun event is the Grand Marnier tasting, where you can sample the famous liqueur and eat some desserts made with it.

 

3. Book some of the cooking demonstrations- I think these are a good value, because they include a sample of what the chef was cooking.

 

4. Don't miss the Eat to the Beat concert held nightly.

 

5. And of course catch Illluminations-Reflections of Earth, my favorite fireworks show at Disneyworld. Watch it here

 

Details for the event start coming out in May/June and booking for the special events usually is in early August. Of course you do need park tickets, though some of the chef's dinners are offered at various Disney Resorts.

 

So instead of doing your same old same old trip this fall, consider attending Epcot Food & Wine Festival and don't forget to check out my favorite ride at Epcot, Soarin.





Top 2015 Winter Destinations

   After a brutal winter last year in most of the country, and some early snow storms and below average temperatures in the Midwest and East Coast so far this year;  more and more families are already looking at , planning a winter getaway.  Whether your tastes lead to the ski slopes or the beach, the trend is that more Americans are planning to take a winter vacation this year than in 2014.  According to a recent survey conducted by TripAdvisor;  over 79% of their respondents plan to travel for leisure this winter, up from 67% last year.  With 51% of travelers saying they want to go to a beach destination and 12% wanting to take a cruise this winter; the message is loud and clear: Americans want to travel where the weather is warm.  This can be seen in the top 10 destinations Americans are planning to travel too this winter according to the TripAdvisor survey.

Top 10 Winter 2015 Winter Vacation Destinations 

            

                             1.   Cancun, Mexico

                             

                             2.   Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

                             3.   New York City, New York

                             4.   Las Vegas, Nevada

                             5.   Orlando, Florida

                             6.   Key West, Florida

                             7.   Playa del Carmen, Mexico

                             8.   Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

                             9.   New Orleans, Louisiana

                            10.  Honolulu, Hawaii

       With more people already planning to travel this winter, and the predictions calling for another bad winter for the northern regions, many families who have not already made plans for a winter vacation may be disappointed by availability and costs for the destination they would like to travel to when they check by themselves.  Its not to late though if you want to get out of the cold, and take your family on a long weekend, or during the kids school winter break.  Call your travel agent.  They can still show you options that will still get you to that warm beach while its below zero back home; but won't break the budget.

Amber Cove - The Next Great Caribbean Cruise Destination?

     
Amber Cove, the newest Caribbean cruise destination is set to welcome its first cruise ship, has signed an agreement with Carnival Cruise Line to allow Carnival to be the first major cruise line to utilized the exciting new facilities at this new destination port; when it opens in opens in October 2015.  This exciting new destination, located near the historic town of Puerto Plata, on the beautiful north coast of the Dominican Republic- will welcome it first cruise ship, the Carnival  Victory. with a day long call in October 6th, according to Reuters.

       The port is situated in a spectacular cove between lush tropical landscapes and souring mountains.  Amber Cove will feature extensive recreational activities, and feature some of the most extensive shore excursions programs available in the Caribbean.   From beautiful beaches, to exciting water sports and snorkeling in crystal clear waters, to eco-adventures on land and water, Amber Cove promises something  to satisfy your Caribbean dream adventures.  Other exciting excursions will include crossing the rugged country side on Terracross vehicles, horseback riding along miles of open beaches, or even the luxury of renting your own beachside bungalow with your own personnel chief.   The port will feature historic architectural elements that echo the area's colonial past.  Its cobblestone plazas will feature themed restaurants and bars, a locally sourced marketplace, recreational amenities, and be the transportation hub for access to land and sea adventures.  The nearby town of Puerto Plata, discovered by Columbus in 1492, offers you limitless opportunities to shop, eat, drink and explore.  The port will offer 2 births that are able to accommodate the largest ships.

       Carnival Cruise Line is planning to make 37 calls to Amber Cove, in the first 6 months after it opens in October of 2015, for 7 night and longer cruises departing from Florida.  According to Terry Thomton, senior VP of itinerary planning for Carnival, "Amber Cove is destine to become a cornerstone...and provide an unmatched combination of fun in the sun activities and eco-tourism opportunities".  Over 100,000 guests will experience this new jewel of the Caribbean in its first 6 months.

Caribbean All-Inclusives for Families

   

 If you are a couple planning your honeymoon, or just a couple who are romantic at heart,  chances are good you will discover the benefits of All-Inclusive resorts; when planning your Caribbean dream trip.  The idea of staying and playing in a tropical paradise, where all you food, beverages, entertainment and often even your other activities are included in the price of your stay; is a fast and growing trend.  Now the travel industry is expanding the all-inclusive experience, with multiple brands dedicated to families that offer dedicated resorts that cater to family members of all ages, with a special emphasis to the younger members of your family.  While these resorts focus on family activities; they also allow mom and dad to still enjoy some fantastic adult time while their children have the time of their lives.   The resort brands featured may be different, but what they have in common is allowing all members of you family, no matter what their age, to have a great vacation were all your costs are included, and you have the peace of mind of knowing up front want the total cost of your trip will be.

       The most famous family all-inclusive resort brand are the Beaches Resorts.  The three Beaches resorts, (located in the Turks & Caicos, Negril Jamaica, and Ocho Rios Jamaica), can be described as upscale quality family fun.  In addition to spectacular beach locations and free unlimited and free land and water activities; what makes Beaches so special is is the care and treatment they provide to the younger members of your family.  From climate controlled nurseries with all day accredited nannies for infants, to daily activities with characters from Sesame Street for your 3 to 4 year olds, to free snorkeling and sailing classes for your older kids; your children will have unlimited fun all day, every day.  For teens, they have their own world with beach activities, theme parties, water parks, scuba lessons, and even their own hot night club.  For mom and dad, world class golf, spas, and restaurants allow you to relax and reconnect.

       For Generations Resorts, the focus is on today's blended and extended families.  These premiere all suite, all butler, all gourmet resorts; located on the best beaches in Mexico's Riviera Maya, where designed to create the best family beach vacation for a new generation.  While your children enjoy a variety of fun and engaging supervised programs, you are free to slip away and indulge in the resorts award winning spa and resort facilities.  For the foodies, the world class "Gourmet Inclusive" dinning experiences will satisfy your every taste.  And if that is not enough, just ask you personnel butler, who are their to serve your family's needs and help make sure your vacation is everything you want it to be.

       At the Sunscape Resorts, located on the beautiful islands of Curacao and Cozumel,  the focus is on offering an "Unlimited-Fun" getaway to families. The resorts "Unlimited-Fun" experience is complete with endless dining options, unlimited international and domestic beverages, and countless daytime activities and nightly entertainment for the whole family. With their Explorer's Club for the kids and Core Zone for teens,
a number of room and suite options to meet your family requirements, and located on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Sunscape offers some of the best value in a family all-inclusive resorts.

       The new generation of family oriented all-inclusive resorts offer many options for your family's next Caribbean getaway.  These resorts are designed to meet all of your vacation needs; for everybody in your family.  No matter what your budget or your vacation tastes; their is a fantastic Caribbean resort  that is ready to help your family relax, have fun, and reconnect.

December's Cruise Tips

I love looking at some of the lists on how to do lists for cruises. As a 35 year veteran of cruising, former business road warrior, family traveler(2-4 trips per year) and now in the travel industry, I think some of these lists offer some good advice, but here is my advice for 1st time or infrequent cruisers.

Don't get to the ship early, no you don't get some prize for being the first person on the ship. Any way if you did it would be some tchotchke with the cruise line logo on it. What you do get is to stand in line to get through security and then wait until they are ready to let you on the ship. So I say hang out at your hotel a little longer and have another cup of coffee, because you never know if that wait is going to be made longer by the Coast Guard doing a surprise inspection, or some previous week's cruisers who don't disembark when they are supposed or the computer system crashes. My associate ran into all three of these situations in one weekend of doing ship inspections! I dislike lines, so if I go a little later I usually can breeze right on.

Fly in the day before, but not for the reason you think. It is so much more relaxing way to get ready for your cruise, wake up at a normal time, have a leisurely breakfast and head to the port. Where if you fly in the same day, besides leaving your fate in the hands of mother nature and the airlines, you'll have to be on an early flight, so getting to the airport before dawn. Considering you'll probably some of the first people at the port, see above.

Over-packing, well I see this advice on every travel blog and then see the number of bags people bring, no one is heeding this advice!  Some cruise ship cabins are a little tight on storage, this goes for river and ocean ships. I sailed this summer on a 10 day cruise with one checked bag that weighed in at 38 pounds and I came home with stuff that I didn't wear. The family did a 17 day trip to Hawaii with one checked bag and 2 20" carry-on size bags. My packing philosophy is another blog topic.

Have fun and relax you are on vacation! No cooking, cleaning or laundry. Pack your sense of humor and have a great time.

Don't Leave Home Without This One Thing

No it's not some item of clothing or beauty product. It is something way more important to your piece of mind and should be included on your "to do list" even before you make that final payment on your dream trip. It's travel insurance and of course people say "nothing bad will happen" to me while on vacation and I have health insurance. Well that maybe fine if you are travelling in the US, but even then I would recommend checking with your provider if you are covered out of state. I did a trip where we spend 17 days in Hawaii and visited 3 islands. While there I was able to see medical facilities on 2 islands, when dealing with a wonky gall bladder and swimmer's ear.

But if you are heading to out of the country or  going on a cruise, more than likely your health insurance isn't going to cover you if you get sick or hurt. Travel insurance will cover these costs, so you don't have to pay out of pocket. Policies also cover medical transportation, one of our employees at home office, had to have her father in law flown back on a special medical flight from Cancun to Houston. That special flight with nurses/doctors cost around $35,000. Yes a good policy will cover that also.

Do I have you convinced yet? What happens if you have to cancel a trip because you have a medical emergency before you go? And it has happened to me, scheduled to fly out and woke up not well. Cancelled my trip, started the claim procedure and went to the doctor. Had my check from the insurance company within a few weeks. Not stressing out that you lost your money goes a long way when you or a loved one are seriously ill. It also will cover you if a non travelling immediate family member has a major health crisis and you can't go.

Policies can be purchased through a travel supplier or a 3rd party company. At Cruise Planners, we have a partnership with Allianz Global Assistance. Our policy also covers travel delays and baggage that maybe lost, stolen, damaged or delayed at a higher rate than most supplier policies. Also included is if you have to cancel your trip for covered job related issues. 24 hour assistance and concierge service are provided.

So for peace of mind, always purchase travel insurance. That card in your travel documents may never be used and I hope it isn't, but trust me you will be glad you have it.

The World is a River Cruise

         River cruising, has exploded in popularity over the last several years with Americans.  If you have seen those TV commercials for Viking Cruises you can see why. The idea of unpacking once and letting the cruise line handle all of your on board and tour requirements; as you slowly sail on a a great European river is appealing to more and more people.  Companies such as Viking, AMA, Avalon Waterways, and Uniworld do a brilliant job of allowing passengers to experience Europe in a more intimate and "all inclusive"manner.  Most Americans will experience their first river cruises in the region where they started and are the most popular, along the major rivers of Europe.  Each of the major river cruise companies offers great cruises that allow you to visit intimate German towns and view castles along the Rhine; or an romantic experience in Vienna as you cruise on the Danube.  The experiences are great, the sites are breathless, and the service first-rate.  Now the river cruise lines are expanding the unique services and experiences they offer  to other parts of the world.  By now offering cruises on some of the great rivers of not only Europe, but also Asia, Africa, and even North and South America they allow you to see and experience parts of the world few people will be able to do from  a hotel or on a tour bus.

        River cruises are still the most popular in Europe.  Cruises on the Rhine and Danube rivers are the most popular, and a great way to experience a large segment of Europe is to take a single cruise from Amsterdam down the Rhine and the Danube all the way across the continent to the the Black Sea.  All the major river lines offer relaxing cruises from Paris, down the rivers of France, allowing you to really understand the magic that is France. Another popular European cruise option is to travel through the heart of the largest country in the world, Russia; allowing you the opportunity to enjoy and live life, as only a Russian can do.  A great way to extent you European Vacation, is to stay in a city like Paris or Moscow at the end of your cruise, and to learn what makes them them great cities they are.  If you want something different, how about a boutique  river cruise through Portugal and Spain, or Italy offered by Uniworld.  By combining cruises with personalized tours, they allow you to experience the energy of Rome or Lisbon, with the beauty of the country.

       If you like exotic, and traveling on the road less taken, nothing can measure to taking a river cruise on the great rivers of Asia.  If you want to experience mystery in the the heart of Asia, see how people have lived for hundreds of years, a river cruise to the city of Mandalay and the country of Myanmar, (formerly called Burma), is a must.  If you want to see how the old is transforming into the new, and see some of the most exotic places on earth, a cruise to modern Vietnam and Cambodia on the Mekong River will take your breath away, will still experiencing the luxury and convenience nightly of your ship.  And if you really want to experience where history meets the future, a trip with Avalon Waterways,  You get to live personalized tours and cruises of the past: with trips to the Great Wall, and Tibet, with a cruise down the Yangtze River and experience thousands of years of human history.  In addition, you experience the energy and opportunity of the future in the cities of Beijing and Shanghai; all the time staying and experiencing it in 5 star luxury.

       If you have a need for adventure and exploration in your DNA, AMA Waterways offers a unique way of experiencing and exploring Africa, with a 3 night journey on a luxury train or safari in South Africa, with a 4 night luxury river cruise in Zambia and 2 nights staying at on on the wonders of the world, Victoria Falls.  Avalon Waterways of something few people get to do, explore the Amazon River AND the Andes Mountains.  On an 11 day combined 20 person tour and cruise, you explore the country of Peru, from the city Lima, you fly and get to explore the Andes, and the wonders of of the Incas, including a trip to Machu Picchu.  Then you fly to the remote reaches of the Amazon River, for a luxury 3 night cruise through some of the most remote jungles in the world on the Upper Amazon River.  If you want something a little less exotic and closer to home, a cruise on one of the ships from Un-Cruise Line on the Columbia and Snake rivers allows you to explore the path Lewis and Clark used in their historic journey.

       Where ever you want to travel, river cruising allows you a unique way really learn about and live to places you visit.  Being able to visit areas outside of the usual tourist areas is a great way to really experience the world. More Americans are discovering the major benefits of luxury and convenience that river cruising offers.  If you have wanted to see the world, but did not want the hassle or the unknown, river cruising may be right for you, no matter what part of the world you want to explore.