The Early Bird Gets The Worm

Love Nest Suite-picture courtesy of Sandals resorts

I have always been a long term travel planner even before I became a travel consultant. Working around everyone's schedule and counting those travel dollars, getting a head start allows you to save money for the trip, but also book the accommodations that you dream about. We were Disney Vacation Club owners and went in knowing we needed to be booking no later than 7 months ahead of time and for certain accommodations I would be booking at 11 months out. So there I would be calling the school district looking for next year's schedule!

This is something I try to educate my clients about, that by putting a deposit down on a resort or cruise especially if it is a special trip like a honeymoon or a big family celebration is a sort of insurance, because you don't want to settle for whatever is available at a later date on a special trip.
Deposits are usually refundable, it's really a no brainer for your peace of mind to go ahead and reserve.

Popular honeymoon resorts and certain room categories do book up early. Especially those sexy rooms with swim out access or their own pools. Honeymoon reservations in my opinion should be booked as soon as you've found your church and reception location.

Anytime you need a room that sleeps more than 4 or a stateroom that sleeps more then 2. These family type accommodations book up fast, especially at popular times when kids are out of school. Plus when resorts or cruise lines run a kids sail or stay free sale, take advantage of it. If you don't someone else will and when you get around to booking all those maybe already booked.

Luxury cruise lines with unique itineraries or programs, Azamara Club Cruises has a sailing that is centered around the British Open and offers a program that includes golf outings at some of the great  courses in the UK & Ireland. Guess when 2015's golf program was sold out? June 2014. Since these ships are smaller and maybe only offer an itinerary once or twice during a season, it makes sense to reserve early and get your choice of cabins.

Hottest trend in travel? River cruises and even though new ships are introduced every year the demand keeps growing. Playing the waiting strategy may get you a good value on an ocean cruise, but on the river it is going to get you as far as your sofa at your house, since they do book up early. Depending on the line I have seen ships sell out over a year before sailing.

As a travel professional, my job is to make sure you get the vacation that you want not the one you have to settle for. So when you are thinking about that Christmas trip or planning a honeymoon later this year think of that deposit as pre trip insurance. Take the risk of not getting what you desire out of the equation.


  

Someplace Different for your Family Trip to Europe

   

       If you are planning to take your family on a trip to Europe this year, the first destinations that come to mind are the usual cultural and historic centers of London, Paris, and Rome usually come to mind.  All are great destinations; offering great sites to visit, great food and fun things to do.  But because these cities seem to be every one's choice of destination for the family trip to Europe, they can also become crowded, and very expensive.  If you want to take your family to Europe, but do not want to fight the crowds, or want more value for your trip, or maybe your family just likes to go to places that are just a little different: then here are several different options.  They offer all the European history, culture, dining, and scenery you want, but without the crowds or the costs of the big three.

The Croatian Coast
       Since it gained independence nearly twenty years ago, the nation of Croatia, or at least its 1100 miles of coast and equal number of islands have become increasingly popular.  The Dalmatian Coast, as most of the coastline is called, is filled with stunning cliffs and beaches, along with ancient and mysterious walled cities.  And the gem of the Adriatic, and the one place every traveler has to see, is Dubrovnik, located on the southwest coast.  Imagine, white limestone streets and red-tiled houses crammed into a space surrounded by 80 foot high walls right on the Adriatic Sea.  There isn't a checklist of things to do in Dubrovnik.  Its all about strolling the streets, relaxing by the sea, and just reconnecting with yourself and your family.  Factor in some of the best hotels in the region, restaurants serving fresh off the boat seafood and you have a memorable spot to enjoy a beautiful blend of culture, history, and a jewel colored sea.

Vienna, Austria
       With the history, culture and sites to match Paris, but with a fraction of the tourists; Vienna offers something for everyone who wants to really experience Europe.  Sophisticated, with its Baroque palaces and matchless art museums, Vienna is a city to adore at anytime.  When you add the music, the food, the Danube,the famous coffee houses to sit and enjoy the city life; you have one of the treasures of Europe.

Vilnius, Lithuania
       The capital of the newest nation to join the EU, has won many travel awards, tops many lists in places to travel in 2015.  Winning many awards, (cleanest air, most cost effective destination, one of the most ethical tourist destinations in the world, Vilnius is also dazzling in its Baroque beauty, and overflowing with stylish, cosmopolitan street life.  Vilnius has Europe's largest and untouched medieval city centers.  The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town is crammed with a mix of ornate facades, fairytale churches, and winding cobbled streets, all watched over from above by the High Castle.  Combine all this living history with compelling museums, and edgy nightlife, and a low cost for your family to visit, and you have a perfect European destination for your family in 2015.

Ringing in the New Year with a Princess

After much debating, which goes along with just about every trip in my house, we decided to go on Princess Cruises' Crown Princess over New Year's week, sailing her 7 night Mexican Rivera itinerary out of Los Angeles. The ports we would be visiting were Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán & Cabo San Lucas, along with three sea days.

This is not my first time on Princess, I have been sailing with them since 1980 and as a whole they did not disappoint me again. Even though it was a holiday sailing and the ship was at capacity the Crown Princess handled the crowds well. But if you are not used to sailing during busy holiday times, and dealing with a full ship with plenty of children it could be a shock to your system.

Embarkation: Princess Cruises is now doing "progressive check in" based on what deck your cabin is located. So no need to show up really early unless you like to sit and wait. Relatively smooth considering we were probably sailing with every extra berth filled. One of the "Princess Pluses" is when you get on the ship your stateroom is ready and you can drop off your carry on instead of lugging it around with you.

Staterooms: We had a balcony and an interior across the hall for the kids on the Caribe Deck(Deck 10) aft. Our stateroom steward, Jobert did a fine job, even dealing with a cabin of teenage boys that wanted to sleep in! Princess stateroom's are functional with enough storage space. Big thumbs up for the queen size pillows.

Food: Well this is a subjective subject, so take this for what it is worth and we only went to the main dining room for dinner. I enjoy Princess's dining room food, and was happy with what I ordered, usually taking our waiter's suggestions. Had traditional dining at 6 and Alberto & Noel took great care of us, poor Noel was kept busy keeping sodas coming for my sons and the 2 boys at the next table. We are fairly simple breakfast eaters, so the buffet worked well for us and lunch usually meant grabbing some of the best pizza at sea and a salad. The International Café in the Piazza is open 24 hours and has breakfast & light lunch/dinner items along with sweet treats.

Piazza

And other than the gelato, the food is included in your fare. We passed on the specialty restaurants on this sailing.

Entertainment: Princess gets some of the funniest family friendly comedians I have ever heard. Princess sticks with traditional production shows, the Motown tribute really showcased the talented singers. The solo shows, featuring a tribute to Billy Joel and a magician were worth going to see. The 2nd show of the evening is the best to go to as it isn't as crowded. New Years' Eve there were two main party areas, pool deck and the Piazza. We went to the pool deck party and the best thing was no one had to worry about driving home after midnight.

Ports & Excursions: Princess excursions were excellent. The snorkel trip to the Marieta Island, off Puerto Vallarta gave us bonus whale watching, excellent snorkeling, blue footed booby sightings and a chance to swim to the hidden beach

swimming to the hidden beach

. Great crew on the boat and a good lunch with adult drinks on the way back to the dock. Cabo San Lucas whale watching, that was the nicest whale watching boat I have ever been on (have done excursions in Alaska & Maine), unlimited drinks(hair of the dog on New Year's Day) and chips and salsa.

El Arco de Cabo San Lucas

The excursion we booked privately to Copala  was interesting, the town was founded in 1565 but was glad we did it with a smaller group in a van. I would definitely book something else next time in Mazatlan but it did give the kids a view of life outside the main tourist zone, which is more of the "real" Mexico.

Church of San Jose, Copala

Disembarkation: Since I made arrangements for a private transfer and we only had 3 bags, we signed up for express walk off. This is where you take your own bags off the ship and are the first ones off. I made this decision for several reasons, I like getting off asap, we can handle our own luggage and being a holiday cruise the airport would likely be crowded. Well, the express walk off, due to the number of locals on the ship was way more than was expected and with only 4 U.S. Customs officials working the line did get backed up. There are a few things that I noticed that Princess could have done to ease the congestion, but with a full ship and not enough Customs workers people would have still had to wait.

In conclusion, it was a successful New Year's trip, no problems with flights, weather was good in Mexico, and everyone had fun.

Dominican Republic: Beyond the Resort

       Ask anyone who has ever vacationed, or planning to vacation, in the Dominican Republic; the comments almost always are about the great beaches and resorts in Punta Cana region.  For the vast majority of travelers, relaxing on the beach and playing in the warm waters of Caribbean,  then the Dominican Republic will offer the perfect vacation.  But if your a traveler who likes to experience something different in their vacations, or you like the beach but want a change of pace for a day; then then Dominican Republic can also offer you some surprising and often spectacular alternative choices.  A little secret most people don't know is that the Dominican Republic is one of the Caribbean's most geographically diverse countries: that varies from stunning mountain scenery to desert scrub lands.  It offers evocative colonial architecture, a buzzing and entertaining city life and languid countryside, plus famously welcoming people.  If you want to do something different and exciting, here are 5 travel experiences in the Dominican Republic that should not be missed.

Santo Domingo's Zona Colonial
       Take a walk through history in the oldest city in the New World.  With its cobblestone streets and beautifully restored mansions, its easy to image Santo Domingo' landmark quarter as the seat of Spain's 16th century empire.  But the past and present coexist rather gracefully here; follow the footsteps of pirates and conquistadors in moment, and dance to some of the best salsa bands this side of Havana at the many clubs in the quarter, the next moment.

Bahia de Las Aguilas
       The remoteness and serenity and savor and spice to the adventure of getting to Bahia de Las Aguilas, a stunning  6 mile long stretch of yellow sand.  That you have to take a boat to get there - and that there won't be any tourists there except for you - transform it into one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean.

Descending the 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua
       A short drive from Puerto Plata and a trek through a lush forest leads to these falls.  Experiencing these spectacular series of waterfalls involves wading through clear pools, swimming through  smooth walled canyons, hiking through forest, and climbing rocks and ladders through the roaring falls themselves.  Beyond the adventure and the sites, the real fun is on the return trip, when you can leap and slide back down the falls; some jumps down as much as 30 ft.

Mountain Vistas in Constanza
       The scenery found in the central highlands is a surprise to most visitors.  Cloud-covered peaks whose slopes are a patchwork of farms and lush forest growth rise from the valley floor in ways not often associated with Caribbean islands.  Truly a world away from the developing coastline, a stay on the outskirts of Constanza  provides a front-row seat to spectacular sunsets.

Leisurely Las Galeras
       This sleepy village at the far eastern end of the Peninsula de Samana is an escape from your getaway.  With fewer tourists and development, it means the area around Las Galeras includes some of the more scenic locales in the nation.  Swaying palm trees back beaches ready made for a movie set as waves crash over hard-to-get-to cliffs.

5 Hot Cruise Destinations for 2015

       The cruise industry is booming again.  From a record number of passengers taking a cruise globally in 2014, to an explosion of new and larger ship building; the trends are clear and the popularity of taking a cruise will continue to grow for the feasible future.  With this surge in the global popularity of cruising, the cruise line are expanding their capacity into new areas around the world that have a growing demand for cruising, and also returning to areas that traditionally where popular for cruising, but may have slowed down  in recent years because of economic slowdowns.  What this means for you, is if you want to go on a cruise in 2015, but want to try sailing to cruise destinations other than the Bahamas or Alaska, then you have never had more options.  Based on where the cruise lines are scheduling their ships in 2015 and on industry surveys, here are a few new cruise destinations that are growing in popularity around the world, but still are new enough to not be over crowded then here are some great ideas.

Aruba
       More cruise lines are adding Aruba to their Caribbean itineraries by extending cruise length; and the reasons are obvious.  Aruba is like a Las Vegas in the Caribbean, but Aruba has something Vegas will never have; some of the best beaches and water sports in the world.  Add to that a fun and friendly population who like to have a good time, and what more would a cruiser nee

China
       More than a million people will take a cruise in China in 2015.  The nation has built state of the art ports and terminals in cities like Hong Kong and Shanghai, and Beijing and the Great Wall can be reached within an hour by high speed train from your cruise ship.  To meet the surge in demand in the region, the cruise lines are keeping their newest state of the art ships, like Royal Caribbean's new Quantum of the Sea, home ported in the region.  With a great mix of the past and the future, you can see many of the highlights of China as you travel in comfort and convenience along the coast of this spectacular country.

Norway
       Stunning natural sites; including breathtaking fjords, sky high cliffs, and some of the friendliest people in the world has made a cruise to Norway a growing popular destination.  Plus sailing from ports near major cities like London means means you get to enjoy even more of Europe, from its history to its natural beauty.

Australia/New Zealand
       The cruise companies have added more exotic spots to their itineraries. And what can be more exotic than Australia and New Zealand?  The word is out, with cruises to and from these two nations expanding rapidly.  For those fortunate to explore these lands they will find breathtaking natural wonders that are second to none; with its glaciers and hidden beaches to the warmest people who love to show visitors a great time.

French Riviera
       After some slow years, cruises to the Mediterranean Sea are exploding in 2015.  The region has far too many offerings to attempt to narrow them down, but why chose the French Riviera?  Two locations: France's Cannes and  Monte Carlo and the areas around them offer some of the most exciting and beautiful attractions, both natural and man-made, in the World.

Great American All Inclusive Resorts

     When most people consider a vacation at an all-inclusive resort, visions of a beach resort in the Caribbean or Cancun come to mind.  While many couples and families are intrigued with the concept of paying one fee for all of your food, beverages, and resort activities; the time and expense of flying to some island in the Caribbean may prevent many people from enjoying the all-inclusive experience.  What if I told you you could experience world class all-inclusive resorts, all within driving distance of your home.  While not as plentiful as in other areas in the world, you can find some great American all-inclusives in all regions of the country.  While some offer significant historic or regional experiences, and others offer great outdoor activities; all offer great food, accommodations, and a great value with everything included for one price.  Here are a sampling of some of the better American all-inclusive resorts in every region of the country.

Club Med Sandpiper Bay, (Port St. Lucie, FL)

       The company who created the modern all-inclusive resort only has one located in the United States; but its a great one.  Offering activities for kids of all ages: from sailing school, and trapeze school, to great pools and outstanding, age appropriate clubs including infant care.  The resort has some outstanding restaurants and is located in a very family friendly area.

Lodge on Little St. Simon Island, (Little St. Simon Island, GA)

       If you ever wanted to feel like you owned your island, you certainly will get it here.  As the only accommodations and allowing only 32 overnight guests on a 10000 acre island you will enjoy privacy surrounded by luxury and natural beauty.  For the water sport or angler in your family this is paradise; you can explore the island on a kayak or motorized skiff, or the the Lodge will supply you some tackle for you to catch your own dinner which they will prepare and serve (for free of course).

Tyler Place Family Resort, (Highgate Springs, VT)

       Located on the shores of Lake Champlain; this all-inclusive resort has been offering families an old fashioned summer camp experience for over 3 generations.  All the activities you loved a a child are offered for the family, sports, swimming, arts and more are available for your family to enjoy.  That doesn't mean their is not any adult time.  Dinner is adult only, with babysitting offered, with bistro style dining offered using only fresh local ingredients.

Grand Hotel, (Mackinac Island, MI)

       Ever wanted to go back in time?  This grand colonnaded 19th century summer resort magically set high on a bluff above Lake Huron is your answer.  Located on an island where the only forms of transportation allowed is by bicycle or horse drawn carriage, history abounds here.  From offering lawn games and after dinner dancing, and requiring guest to dress for dinner; the Grand Hotel offer you the chance to experience what a vacation use to be. For all its past, the Grand is still a modern hotel offering air conditioning, and wi-fi.

Vista Verde Guest Ranch, (Steamboat Springs, CO)
 
       If you ever wanted to live like a cowboy, then the the Vista Verde Guest Ranch is for you.  From learning to herd cattle, to kids rodeos and other kids programs, to kayaking and river drifting, fly fishing and evening square dancing and rodeos; all included.  Plus, looking at the spectacular Rockies from the Jacuzzi on the front porch of your cabin is a great bonus.