Wednesday, April 29, 2009
From the NY Times 4/29/09: cruise ships cancel Mexico stops
Five cruise lines, including the world’s two largest, Carnival and Royal Caribbean, said they were immediately stopping all port calls in Mexico. Princess Cruises, Holland America and Norwegian Cruise Line also said they were suspending Mexican stopovers. Cruises to Mexico accounted for about 7 percent of cruise traffic worldwide in 2008, according to the Cruise Line Industry Association.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Latest update on the swine flu
Check this link for the up to date info on the swine flu
http://www.travelpulse.com/Resources/Editorial.aspx?n=54962
http://www.travelpulse.com/Resources/Editorial.aspx?n=54962
Monday, April 20, 2009
Happy Vacations Update
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2009
Happy Vacations to Reorganize
Several weeks ago Happy Vacations secured limited financing as an interim step towards a recapitalization. The company has been in discussions with a number of interested parties to add more capital and to potentially buy all or part of the company. Those discussions continue. Happy Vacations, however, has yet to obtain the needed funds and has no choice, at least in the interim, to cease current operations.
“The company has some viable components that are less affected by these very difficult economic times, and we will build on these to emerge from reorganization as a stronger company.”
“After 40 years in the business we at Happy Vacations are heart-broken about the turn of events and our difficult decision to disrupt our current operations. We truly appreciate the support and concern from our Travel Agency and vendor partners. We apologize for any disruption, inconvenience or losses.” said David Marshall, President, Happy Vacations.
Happy is working with other travel providers to protect as many travelers as possible and will distribute this information throughout the week. Travel Agents are advised to take immediate action to ensure that your clients’ trips are not disrupted.
April 20, 2009
Happy Vacations to Reorganize
Several weeks ago Happy Vacations secured limited financing as an interim step towards a recapitalization. The company has been in discussions with a number of interested parties to add more capital and to potentially buy all or part of the company. Those discussions continue. Happy Vacations, however, has yet to obtain the needed funds and has no choice, at least in the interim, to cease current operations.
“The company has some viable components that are less affected by these very difficult economic times, and we will build on these to emerge from reorganization as a stronger company.”
“After 40 years in the business we at Happy Vacations are heart-broken about the turn of events and our difficult decision to disrupt our current operations. We truly appreciate the support and concern from our Travel Agency and vendor partners. We apologize for any disruption, inconvenience or losses.” said David Marshall, President, Happy Vacations.
Happy is working with other travel providers to protect as many travelers as possible and will distribute this information throughout the week. Travel Agents are advised to take immediate action to ensure that your clients’ trips are not disrupted.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
How to Make Your Clients Love You
How To Make Your Clients Love You
Chaitanya Sagar April 15th, 2009 -
It surprises me how many businesses are out there for whom it’s okay to have a client who is dissatisfied. Many times, the business objective seems to be just to do the bare minimum that gets their money from the client.
If you are actually in the business spending time, i.e. you are spending part of your life, why not aim to delight the customer?
I will give you one reason why you want to delight the customer. Most of services business comes through referrals. And a delighted customer is much more likely to refer someone than a customer whose expectations you have barely managed to meet.
To Delight, What Matters Most is You
If you have been able to delight a boss at a job, a team manager at a voluntary organization or for that matter another client, you will know what it takes to delight a customer. The skills that go into delighting a boss are the exact same skills that help you delight a customer. Broadly, the ability the inspire trust, the ability to ask the right questions and listen to the customer and the ability to under promise and over deliver are the skills you have to develop if you want to delight customers.
Inspire Trust
Does someone who works with you trust you? Will they want to share their secrets with you? Or ask for advice? The pattern of behavior that inspires trust is very important. It’s the sense of “Yes-this-person-can-do-it” feeling that’s important in the beginning of a relationship. After you establish a relationship, your track record (delivery on promises and honesty) counts.
Listening
Asking the right questions and listening to customers is important to make the customer articulate what she wants and make her feel important.
Most [means all :-)] people have a need-the need to feel important; the need to be acknowledged and understood; the need to feel valued and cared for. When you deliver a service, the above needs come to the fore. When a client’s need for feeling important is not satisfied, it hurts him/her and she/he feels neglected.
How do you make the client feel important and cared for? There is one simple way.
Listen to your client well. It’s as simple as it sounds. And it’s easy to implement.
Over Deliver
If you deliver to her specs, the client would think that’s what she bought. You have to over deliver. This means that it has to show that you had worked harder and smarter than what she asked for. It can be that if the client asked for 10, you give her 12. If she asked for x amount of quality, give her more than that. If you have to deliver on 17th, deliver it on 15th itself. That positive “surprise” is an essential element in delighting customers.
Taking the customer into confidence when things go wrong
In case you are unable to meet a commitment, the best way out is to own up to the shortfall. The thumb rule is: make a bad news known to the client as soon as possible but delay good news till it actually materializes. Both will prove your sensitivity to the customer.
Most service businesses are relationship based businesses. That means that the more customers you can keep, the better business you will build and the more profits and revenue you will make. On the other hand, if your repeat business is low, that translates into higher customer acquisition costs.
* * * * *
About the Author: Chaitanya Sagar is the Co-Founder and CEO of p2w2 (for PeopleToWorkWith), which helps small businesses outsource services like business and financial planning, software, virtual assistance, and research. p2w2 focuses on bringing quotes fast from professionals and giving the right information to make an informed decision. p2w2 also helps build relationships with vendors so you can focus on your business. Chaitanya blogs at p2w2 blog.
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Chaitanya Sagar April 15th, 2009 -
It surprises me how many businesses are out there for whom it’s okay to have a client who is dissatisfied. Many times, the business objective seems to be just to do the bare minimum that gets their money from the client.
If you are actually in the business spending time, i.e. you are spending part of your life, why not aim to delight the customer?
I will give you one reason why you want to delight the customer. Most of services business comes through referrals. And a delighted customer is much more likely to refer someone than a customer whose expectations you have barely managed to meet.
To Delight, What Matters Most is You
If you have been able to delight a boss at a job, a team manager at a voluntary organization or for that matter another client, you will know what it takes to delight a customer. The skills that go into delighting a boss are the exact same skills that help you delight a customer. Broadly, the ability the inspire trust, the ability to ask the right questions and listen to the customer and the ability to under promise and over deliver are the skills you have to develop if you want to delight customers.
Inspire Trust
Does someone who works with you trust you? Will they want to share their secrets with you? Or ask for advice? The pattern of behavior that inspires trust is very important. It’s the sense of “Yes-this-person-can-do-it” feeling that’s important in the beginning of a relationship. After you establish a relationship, your track record (delivery on promises and honesty) counts.
Listening
Asking the right questions and listening to customers is important to make the customer articulate what she wants and make her feel important.
Most [means all :-)] people have a need-the need to feel important; the need to be acknowledged and understood; the need to feel valued and cared for. When you deliver a service, the above needs come to the fore. When a client’s need for feeling important is not satisfied, it hurts him/her and she/he feels neglected.
How do you make the client feel important and cared for? There is one simple way.
Listen to your client well. It’s as simple as it sounds. And it’s easy to implement.
Over Deliver
If you deliver to her specs, the client would think that’s what she bought. You have to over deliver. This means that it has to show that you had worked harder and smarter than what she asked for. It can be that if the client asked for 10, you give her 12. If she asked for x amount of quality, give her more than that. If you have to deliver on 17th, deliver it on 15th itself. That positive “surprise” is an essential element in delighting customers.
Taking the customer into confidence when things go wrong
In case you are unable to meet a commitment, the best way out is to own up to the shortfall. The thumb rule is: make a bad news known to the client as soon as possible but delay good news till it actually materializes. Both will prove your sensitivity to the customer.
Most service businesses are relationship based businesses. That means that the more customers you can keep, the better business you will build and the more profits and revenue you will make. On the other hand, if your repeat business is low, that translates into higher customer acquisition costs.
* * * * *
About the Author: Chaitanya Sagar is the Co-Founder and CEO of p2w2 (for PeopleToWorkWith), which helps small businesses outsource services like business and financial planning, software, virtual assistance, and research. p2w2 focuses on bringing quotes fast from professionals and giving the right information to make an informed decision. p2w2 also helps build relationships with vendors so you can focus on your business. Chaitanya blogs at p2w2 blog.
Enjoy this post? Discover more like it when you Subscribe to the OPEN Forum Blog RSS feed.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Five Essential Selling Skills
Five Essential Selling Skills
The following is an overview of the sales process as presented by CLIA.
1. Opening. This is an opportunity to start building rapport with your client. People prefer to buy things from people they like. We are not here to take someones money but rather to provide a friendly, professional service. You have one chance to make a first impression, be certain to put your best foot forward. Be confident about your product knowledge. For sales over the phone the following tips should prove to be helpful.
Good______(morning, afternoon, evening)! This is_______, how may I assist in planning your travel?
Speak clearly and evenly - not too fast nor too slow.
Avoid slang and travel jargon.
Answer the callers questions completely.
Avoid negative words such as not yet, never, etc.
You should never show disappointment or negative emotion in your voice.
Think positively. Be prepared to consider all alternatives.
Lead the conversation.
Allow the caller to finish a sentence or phrase.Listen to your client.
Be patient and polite.
Use your clients name often.
Don’t be rushed.
Don’t guess at answers; say I’ll be happy to check that for you.
Be friendly, be happy, be helpful, and be in control.
Use important words such as Please, Thank you, May I, One moment please.
When placing a caller on hold, advise the caller why you are placing them on hold. Say ”One moment please, I’ll place you on hold,” and advise why. Then wait for permission by the caller.
Ask a friend if your phone voice is too soft or loud.
Ask for the customers name early in the conversation and use it.
People like to hear their name and it increases their attention.
Treat every customer like your best customer.
Don’t rush into a sales pitch. The initial part of the sales process is to establish a relationship with the client. Get to know them as a person and give them the opportunity to get to know you.
2. Qualifying. This is the time to determine the clients needs. It is important to control the conversation. This is best accomplished by asking the appropriate relevant questions. An analogy can be made to a doctor asking a patient questions in order to make a proper diagnosis. Basic questions reveal information such as who, what, when, where, and why. You need the answers to these questions in order to recommend the best travel product. Clients have travel needs. A travel professional realizes that understanding these needs and satisfying them builds a base of happy clients.
Required information includes the names of all passengers traveling (spelling counts). Get the address, home, business and fax number and email address. It would be a shame to do a lot of work and lose a sale because you couldn't contact a client. Find out the travel dates, length of travel, number of people traveling, and if they are at all flexible. Ask the client if they can travel at a different time if the rates are better. Try to determine the budget. Clients may be reluctant to give that information but it is important for several reasons. It puts the client on notice they will have to pay for the travel product which hopefully will eliminate clients who are not serious. Ask the client how they are going to pay for their trip. When you ask for the money later it will be something the are expecting. Explain how certain products have different price levels because they provide higher levels of service and amenities. These can command a higher price. One travel product may be slightly higher priced than another but if the perceived value is significantly better the client is often willing to spend the extra money. Don’t be afraid to sell up. Find out what kind of travel the clients have done previously. What did they like or dislike about their previous experience and do they want something similar next time. Some travel providers give special discounts for past passengers or senior citizens. Ask if either of these apply for your client, it can give you a competitive advantage. What kind of accommodations do they want. Are there any special occasions to celebrate or special needs (disabled passenger?). Sales is detective work. Qualifying gathers clues which help lead to the solution.
3. Recommending. Two steps are necessary in recommending. The first step involves finding the best solution to the clients travel needs. Based on your qualifying one or two possibilities should emerge as the best possibilities. Don’t give the client too many options to consider, it only serves to confuse them and make closing more difficult. During your qualifying try to avoid pre-selling any particular travel product because it may be unavailable or priced too high. After you have found the best solution it is time to make a recommendation to the client. Begin by reconnecting with the client. Go over the key facts. Start to get your client in the habit of agreeing with you. This also helps avoid objections. Be excited, enthusiasm is contagious. It is vital to create a sense of urgency. Emphasize limited availability, the great prices you have won’t last long. Stress how this is the very best answer to their needs. Give them a sense of ownership. When selling a cruise a phrase such as “Your cabin is on the ______ deck.”
Try to paint a picture with words. Here are some key phrases for cruises. Gourmet cuisine, 5 star dining, award winning cuisine, white glove service, exciting Las Vegas style shows, Broadway reviews, brightly costumed singers and dancers, fresh sea air, romantic moonlit stroll on the deck, pulsating disco, piano bar, lavish midnight buffet, try your luck in the casino, board the ship as a passenger - leave as cargo, workout in the onboard fitness center, treat yourself to a massage or facial, lounge by the pool with a cool topical drink, white sand beaches, lush tropical paradise, calypso music, pampering, 24 hour room service, shop till you drop, nightly turn down service. Whatever vacation your clients are looking for, you can find ways of helping them to imagine they are going to be there soon.
4. Closing. Many agents do a great job opening, qualifying, and recommending but are afraid to ask for the sale. All the time and effort invested goes down the drain. It also does the client a terrible disservice since they are not going on that great trip they really want. Don’t hard sell. It makes you look desperate and is annoying to most people. A large number of clients merely need to be told that a deposit or full payment is needed to secure their trip. Expect to make the sale. Have confidence in your voice, perhaps even a slightly authoritative tone. Never be rude or obnoxious. Simply ask for payment. Alternative choice often works. “When you are on your cruise do you prefer early or late seating?” “Do you prefer to put that on a Visa or Mastercard?” After you have asked for the order be quiet, give the client a chance to respond. Be aware of buying signals. When a client makes statements such as “that sounds good to me” or “all of this is included” go ahead and ask for the order. An agent can talk himself out of a sale by talking too much and not listening. Often you will be faced with objections. If a client says no it may really mean not yet. Be prepared to deal with objections. Don’t be afraid to ask for the sale after you have handled objections. You may need to ask for the sale four or five times. You have nothing to loose by asking for the order.
There are five basic reasons why clients don’t buy.
1. Wrong seller
2. Wrong product
3. Wrong price
4. Wrong sales techniques
5. Were never asked
By working as a professional sales person you can eliminate most of these reasons. These techniques can greatly increase your closing percentages.
5. Handling Objections. An objection isn’t a rejection but merely a request for more information. It is the clients way of saying they are not quite ready to make a buying decision. Use the objection to help close the sale. Probe the objection - see what’s behind it.
Conditionally close the sale. Ask “If I can satisfy this objection are you ready to make a decision?” Objections come in different forms but usually can be traced to not completely qualifying the client. Handle objections by reconfirming other aspects of your travel solution that meet your clients needs. Focus on getting agreement from them. Once you have overcome all other objections about the trip itself, price may be the final obstacle. A competitor may be offering a better price. Be sure you are comparing apples to apples. Concentrate on selling value instead of price. Objections are your clients way of opening up to you and really getting to the bottom of what is needed in a product or service. By encouraging the voicing of such objections, you can quickly assess your clients whole package of needs, and, one by one, turn each objection into a benefit your product or service can offer. Objections can be used to your advantage once you realize you are getting valuable information about your clients needs and the product or service he is seeking.
Go the extra step for your clients. Many agents try get frustrated and try to avoid difficult customers. There isn't much competition for rude customers. Kill them with kindness and you will have a loyal client who will appreciate your efforts, recommend you to friends, and help build a bigger, more profitable client base.
The following is an overview of the sales process as presented by CLIA.
1. Opening. This is an opportunity to start building rapport with your client. People prefer to buy things from people they like. We are not here to take someones money but rather to provide a friendly, professional service. You have one chance to make a first impression, be certain to put your best foot forward. Be confident about your product knowledge. For sales over the phone the following tips should prove to be helpful.
Good______(morning, afternoon, evening)! This is_______, how may I assist in planning your travel?
Speak clearly and evenly - not too fast nor too slow.
Avoid slang and travel jargon.
Answer the callers questions completely.
Avoid negative words such as not yet, never, etc.
You should never show disappointment or negative emotion in your voice.
Think positively. Be prepared to consider all alternatives.
Lead the conversation.
Allow the caller to finish a sentence or phrase.Listen to your client.
Be patient and polite.
Use your clients name often.
Don’t be rushed.
Don’t guess at answers; say I’ll be happy to check that for you.
Be friendly, be happy, be helpful, and be in control.
Use important words such as Please, Thank you, May I, One moment please.
When placing a caller on hold, advise the caller why you are placing them on hold. Say ”One moment please, I’ll place you on hold,” and advise why. Then wait for permission by the caller.
Ask a friend if your phone voice is too soft or loud.
Ask for the customers name early in the conversation and use it.
People like to hear their name and it increases their attention.
Treat every customer like your best customer.
Don’t rush into a sales pitch. The initial part of the sales process is to establish a relationship with the client. Get to know them as a person and give them the opportunity to get to know you.
2. Qualifying. This is the time to determine the clients needs. It is important to control the conversation. This is best accomplished by asking the appropriate relevant questions. An analogy can be made to a doctor asking a patient questions in order to make a proper diagnosis. Basic questions reveal information such as who, what, when, where, and why. You need the answers to these questions in order to recommend the best travel product. Clients have travel needs. A travel professional realizes that understanding these needs and satisfying them builds a base of happy clients.
Required information includes the names of all passengers traveling (spelling counts). Get the address, home, business and fax number and email address. It would be a shame to do a lot of work and lose a sale because you couldn't contact a client. Find out the travel dates, length of travel, number of people traveling, and if they are at all flexible. Ask the client if they can travel at a different time if the rates are better. Try to determine the budget. Clients may be reluctant to give that information but it is important for several reasons. It puts the client on notice they will have to pay for the travel product which hopefully will eliminate clients who are not serious. Ask the client how they are going to pay for their trip. When you ask for the money later it will be something the are expecting. Explain how certain products have different price levels because they provide higher levels of service and amenities. These can command a higher price. One travel product may be slightly higher priced than another but if the perceived value is significantly better the client is often willing to spend the extra money. Don’t be afraid to sell up. Find out what kind of travel the clients have done previously. What did they like or dislike about their previous experience and do they want something similar next time. Some travel providers give special discounts for past passengers or senior citizens. Ask if either of these apply for your client, it can give you a competitive advantage. What kind of accommodations do they want. Are there any special occasions to celebrate or special needs (disabled passenger?). Sales is detective work. Qualifying gathers clues which help lead to the solution.
3. Recommending. Two steps are necessary in recommending. The first step involves finding the best solution to the clients travel needs. Based on your qualifying one or two possibilities should emerge as the best possibilities. Don’t give the client too many options to consider, it only serves to confuse them and make closing more difficult. During your qualifying try to avoid pre-selling any particular travel product because it may be unavailable or priced too high. After you have found the best solution it is time to make a recommendation to the client. Begin by reconnecting with the client. Go over the key facts. Start to get your client in the habit of agreeing with you. This also helps avoid objections. Be excited, enthusiasm is contagious. It is vital to create a sense of urgency. Emphasize limited availability, the great prices you have won’t last long. Stress how this is the very best answer to their needs. Give them a sense of ownership. When selling a cruise a phrase such as “Your cabin is on the ______ deck.”
Try to paint a picture with words. Here are some key phrases for cruises. Gourmet cuisine, 5 star dining, award winning cuisine, white glove service, exciting Las Vegas style shows, Broadway reviews, brightly costumed singers and dancers, fresh sea air, romantic moonlit stroll on the deck, pulsating disco, piano bar, lavish midnight buffet, try your luck in the casino, board the ship as a passenger - leave as cargo, workout in the onboard fitness center, treat yourself to a massage or facial, lounge by the pool with a cool topical drink, white sand beaches, lush tropical paradise, calypso music, pampering, 24 hour room service, shop till you drop, nightly turn down service. Whatever vacation your clients are looking for, you can find ways of helping them to imagine they are going to be there soon.
4. Closing. Many agents do a great job opening, qualifying, and recommending but are afraid to ask for the sale. All the time and effort invested goes down the drain. It also does the client a terrible disservice since they are not going on that great trip they really want. Don’t hard sell. It makes you look desperate and is annoying to most people. A large number of clients merely need to be told that a deposit or full payment is needed to secure their trip. Expect to make the sale. Have confidence in your voice, perhaps even a slightly authoritative tone. Never be rude or obnoxious. Simply ask for payment. Alternative choice often works. “When you are on your cruise do you prefer early or late seating?” “Do you prefer to put that on a Visa or Mastercard?” After you have asked for the order be quiet, give the client a chance to respond. Be aware of buying signals. When a client makes statements such as “that sounds good to me” or “all of this is included” go ahead and ask for the order. An agent can talk himself out of a sale by talking too much and not listening. Often you will be faced with objections. If a client says no it may really mean not yet. Be prepared to deal with objections. Don’t be afraid to ask for the sale after you have handled objections. You may need to ask for the sale four or five times. You have nothing to loose by asking for the order.
There are five basic reasons why clients don’t buy.
1. Wrong seller
2. Wrong product
3. Wrong price
4. Wrong sales techniques
5. Were never asked
By working as a professional sales person you can eliminate most of these reasons. These techniques can greatly increase your closing percentages.
5. Handling Objections. An objection isn’t a rejection but merely a request for more information. It is the clients way of saying they are not quite ready to make a buying decision. Use the objection to help close the sale. Probe the objection - see what’s behind it.
Conditionally close the sale. Ask “If I can satisfy this objection are you ready to make a decision?” Objections come in different forms but usually can be traced to not completely qualifying the client. Handle objections by reconfirming other aspects of your travel solution that meet your clients needs. Focus on getting agreement from them. Once you have overcome all other objections about the trip itself, price may be the final obstacle. A competitor may be offering a better price. Be sure you are comparing apples to apples. Concentrate on selling value instead of price. Objections are your clients way of opening up to you and really getting to the bottom of what is needed in a product or service. By encouraging the voicing of such objections, you can quickly assess your clients whole package of needs, and, one by one, turn each objection into a benefit your product or service can offer. Objections can be used to your advantage once you realize you are getting valuable information about your clients needs and the product or service he is seeking.
Go the extra step for your clients. Many agents try get frustrated and try to avoid difficult customers. There isn't much competition for rude customers. Kill them with kindness and you will have a loyal client who will appreciate your efforts, recommend you to friends, and help build a bigger, more profitable client base.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Q & A with Isaac from Travel Insured
I spoke with Isaac the other day and had some questions for him which I thought I would share:
Q: If a client cancels their trip that is insured and there is no penalty (cancelled before penalty period), can they use the insurance policy for a future trip? And if so, what is the cutoff date?
A: Yes they can, provided they are not filing a claim for any airline tickets or a claim of any kind. They will be able to reuse the policy one year from the original departure date and we need to be notified of the cancellation before that original departure date.
Q: If a client has to put down a deposit to be on a waitlist for a cruise, then finds out 6 weeks later that the cruise is now available, what is considered the deposit date? If the deposit date is the date they were put on the waitlist, what happens to pre-ex if they purchase the insurance when the cruise is actually confirmed?
A: The initial deposit date would be the date the pay the deposit, even though they're going on a waitlist. If they do not get on the cruise, because there is no more room, we would need the documentation from the cruise line and we could refund the insurance policy.
Q: Is mental illness covered for pre-ex? Alzheimer's? If not, would cancel for any reason coverage be the best thing for this type of client, so that if, for example, they were hospitalized due to mental illness the day prior to their trip?
A: Mental illness is covered for Pre-ex, but they need to be hospitalized. Also, we do not look at Alzheimer's as a mental illness. It is a brain disorder that destroys the brain cells. We do not classify this as the typical mental illness such as manic depressive disorder or bipolar disorder.
Q: If a client's return flight is cancelled, is the coverage extended to when they are actually able to return?
A: Yes.
Q: Are there any exceptions to "cancel for any time" coverage?
A: Nope.
Q: If a client cancels their trip that is insured and there is no penalty (cancelled before penalty period), can they use the insurance policy for a future trip? And if so, what is the cutoff date?
A: Yes they can, provided they are not filing a claim for any airline tickets or a claim of any kind. They will be able to reuse the policy one year from the original departure date and we need to be notified of the cancellation before that original departure date.
Q: If a client has to put down a deposit to be on a waitlist for a cruise, then finds out 6 weeks later that the cruise is now available, what is considered the deposit date? If the deposit date is the date they were put on the waitlist, what happens to pre-ex if they purchase the insurance when the cruise is actually confirmed?
A: The initial deposit date would be the date the pay the deposit, even though they're going on a waitlist. If they do not get on the cruise, because there is no more room, we would need the documentation from the cruise line and we could refund the insurance policy.
Q: Is mental illness covered for pre-ex? Alzheimer's? If not, would cancel for any reason coverage be the best thing for this type of client, so that if, for example, they were hospitalized due to mental illness the day prior to their trip?
A: Mental illness is covered for Pre-ex, but they need to be hospitalized. Also, we do not look at Alzheimer's as a mental illness. It is a brain disorder that destroys the brain cells. We do not classify this as the typical mental illness such as manic depressive disorder or bipolar disorder.
Q: If a client's return flight is cancelled, is the coverage extended to when they are actually able to return?
A: Yes.
Q: Are there any exceptions to "cancel for any time" coverage?
A: Nope.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
10 Tips for a Successful Bridal Show
10 Tips for a Successful Bridal Show
By: Nicole A. Walker
The Successful Bridal Show Guide
It's bridal show season again ... with the time and money you put into being in bridal shows, you want to get the most out of your presence there, right?! Here are some tips...
1. Be sure to advertise that you will be at the Show! Post it on your website, send out flyers, etc.: "Don't forget to come see us at the ‘Bridal Show’ on this date, this location, this time, etc.". Placing a sticker on the back of business cards and handing them out at Shows is a great advertisement as well – be sure to tell them that you have a bridal program and do personal consultations for FREE and ask them to give any brides they know your card!
2. Once you are there, make sure you are set up and prepared before the brides start coming in! Bring plenty of literature (brochures and such)—it is better to have too many than to run out! Keep your booth clean and attractive, not cluttered.
3. Come up with something creative to set yourself apart from your competition and bring attention to your booth: i.e. an exciting theme, a special offer, demonstrations, giveaways, samples, etc.... I use a small white Xmas tree with lia sophia boxes and silver ribbons tied to each one hanging all over the tree with a “Bride” tree topper (It’s a porcelain doll tree topper with a gorgeous white dress on)! Bring your Calendar! Book the Shows right then!
4. Have a 3-minute infomercial planned – rehearse it and know it! You have approx 3 minutes to convince a passer-by that you offer a service they need!
5. Don't forget to dress the part! Think of it like a business meeting, because in a sense that is what it is. The brides are looking for people to do business with. You wouldn't show up to a wedding in everyday clothes would you?
6. Never leave your booth unattended! And don't eat at your booth. You always want to portray a professional image. Even if it seems slow, you never know who might be watching.
7. When brides come by your booth, start up a conversation with them! Ask, “Are you planning your special day?” Be outgoing and excited about their day and be excited about your services and don't forget to SMILE. Remember –it is ALL ABOUT THE BRIDE! Ask if she has a photo of her gown or has one picked out – let her know you do you private consultations! If she has a photo, compliment her! Gush ladies – make her feel special!
8. Even if the Show has brides register when they come in, try to get them to register with you as well. Giveaways and special drawings at your booth can help here, too. Offer an incentive for booking a Show that day or for scheduling their consultation! FREE shipping is an awesome incentive!
9. Once the show is over, contact your leads as soon as possible (1-3 days) to remind them of your services. Send out a letter or postcard thanking them for stopping by your booth and congratulating them again on their engagement. Offer some sort of show discount or incentive to get them to set a consultation with you.
10. Follow up. A week or so after your first contact, give them a call and/or send an email to keep you fresh on their minds. Offer again some sort of incentive with a deadline ... i.e. “Get your free wedding website just for meeting with us! Hurry, offer ends September 1st!” (Maybe a month or so after the Bridal Show date). Then you might consider offering another bonus for booking a show with you.
By: Nicole A. Walker
The Successful Bridal Show Guide
It's bridal show season again ... with the time and money you put into being in bridal shows, you want to get the most out of your presence there, right?! Here are some tips...
1. Be sure to advertise that you will be at the Show! Post it on your website, send out flyers, etc.: "Don't forget to come see us at the ‘Bridal Show’ on this date, this location, this time, etc.". Placing a sticker on the back of business cards and handing them out at Shows is a great advertisement as well – be sure to tell them that you have a bridal program and do personal consultations for FREE and ask them to give any brides they know your card!
2. Once you are there, make sure you are set up and prepared before the brides start coming in! Bring plenty of literature (brochures and such)—it is better to have too many than to run out! Keep your booth clean and attractive, not cluttered.
3. Come up with something creative to set yourself apart from your competition and bring attention to your booth: i.e. an exciting theme, a special offer, demonstrations, giveaways, samples, etc.... I use a small white Xmas tree with lia sophia boxes and silver ribbons tied to each one hanging all over the tree with a “Bride” tree topper (It’s a porcelain doll tree topper with a gorgeous white dress on)! Bring your Calendar! Book the Shows right then!
4. Have a 3-minute infomercial planned – rehearse it and know it! You have approx 3 minutes to convince a passer-by that you offer a service they need!
5. Don't forget to dress the part! Think of it like a business meeting, because in a sense that is what it is. The brides are looking for people to do business with. You wouldn't show up to a wedding in everyday clothes would you?
6. Never leave your booth unattended! And don't eat at your booth. You always want to portray a professional image. Even if it seems slow, you never know who might be watching.
7. When brides come by your booth, start up a conversation with them! Ask, “Are you planning your special day?” Be outgoing and excited about their day and be excited about your services and don't forget to SMILE. Remember –it is ALL ABOUT THE BRIDE! Ask if she has a photo of her gown or has one picked out – let her know you do you private consultations! If she has a photo, compliment her! Gush ladies – make her feel special!
8. Even if the Show has brides register when they come in, try to get them to register with you as well. Giveaways and special drawings at your booth can help here, too. Offer an incentive for booking a Show that day or for scheduling their consultation! FREE shipping is an awesome incentive!
9. Once the show is over, contact your leads as soon as possible (1-3 days) to remind them of your services. Send out a letter or postcard thanking them for stopping by your booth and congratulating them again on their engagement. Offer some sort of show discount or incentive to get them to set a consultation with you.
10. Follow up. A week or so after your first contact, give them a call and/or send an email to keep you fresh on their minds. Offer again some sort of incentive with a deadline ... i.e. “Get your free wedding website just for meeting with us! Hurry, offer ends September 1st!” (Maybe a month or so after the Bridal Show date). Then you might consider offering another bonus for booking a show with you.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Review of Celebrity Constellation Cruise
The best advice that I can give any client is to fly out the day ahead of the cruise. We had a mid afternoon flight from EWR to FLL on Jet Blue. Love the blue potato chips, wider seats and the TV screens. We landed in Fort Lauderdale around 4:30pm. By 5:30 pm, we were at our hotel for the evening.
We booked the Courtyard by Marriott in Dania Beach. Nice and clean. They offer a free shuttle from the airport and to the cruise port plus free internet. This was the first hotel that actually asked for my AAA card so if you are planning on going to this hotel, please make sure you bring it. There is a seafood restaurant across the parking lot from the hotel, otherwise there is nothing nearby. They do have a breakfast area which I was under the impression was free but it was actually up to $10 pp for a hot and cold breakfast buffet. We signed up for the 11am shuttle to the cruise pier and they loaded the bus and the accompanying luggage trailer by ship to make it easy for unloading. Within ½ hour, we were at the ship.
Embarkation:
Getting on the ship was pretty uneventful. There were lots of ships in port including the brand new Solstice. We arrived at port before noon and had no long lines or issues getting on. I did hear grumbling from some other guests about the horrendous lines around 1pm and later.
Cabin:
The cabins were not supposed to be ready until 1 pm but ours was so we went right up and dropped off our carry on luggage. Category 2C -cabin 6057, a little bit forward. Decent sized with a nice balcony but every time I unpack, I realize how small these cabins are. I might have to upgrade to a suite at some point. There is ample drawer and closet space but the night stand drawers were hard to open. There is a stocked mini bar in the room which can be locked and there was a $19 bottle of wine sitting on the desk for sale, which we put away.
The Constellation is a few years old now and is in great shape but there are little things in the cabin that would make it better. Larger, flat screen TV would be nice. Shower with a door not curtain. They had nice in room bathroom amenities but no shower gel. They do have separate shampoo and conditioner which is always appreciated since days at sea really dry out your hair. The wall hair dryer is from the old days and is in the bathroom. There is only 1 place to dry your hair- standing up in the steamy bathroom.
There was an issue with the cleanliness of the bathroom upon arrival. It was taken care of relatively quickly. There was an imprint burn of an iron on the bed spread. The carpet near the balcony door was dirty (could have used a steaming). None of these took away from our cruise experience.
Ok, now let’s talk bedding. We were in a standard balcony so we didn’t get a pillow menu but I am a bed snob. My bed at home is a very soft pillow top. I have severe back problems and sleep well on soft mattresses. The mattress in the Courtyard hotel was much better than the one in our cabin. Yes, there is European bedding covering the very hard mattress. I did ask for a mattress topper and received it but even my husband, who can sleep on anything, is complaining that this mattress it hard.
In all, the cabin was kept clean. I heard that the ship is going into dry dock in April of 2009 and, hopefully, the soft goods, etc will be upgraded. Ice was replaced 2x daily. Extra towels were always put in the cabin, per my request. No complaints with the cabin steward or his assistant after the first issue.
Food:
Food is always a big deal on ships and we have always loved Celebrity’s food. We haven’t sailed Celebrity in a few years and I noticed a good number of differences.
• Portion sizes seemed to be a bit smaller- but you can always ask for more
• There were only 3 specialty desserts listed daily instead of 6
• You had to ask for fresh pepper- it wasn’t brought around automatically
• Escargot was no longer on the “always available” menu (per Olman, our waiter, shrimp cocktail was also removed but was brought back due to an uproar from the guests)
• Fresh berries required a 24 hour notice. When I asked for them for dessert, Olman said that he would see what he could do. The next evening, our table mates had escargot for an appetizer and I had my berries for dessert. Olman’s motto was to under promise and over deliver- A good motto for a waiter working on tips!
• The fried potato baskets were no where to be found. This was always a big part of the Celebrity dinner presentation.
Now for the food- in general, quality has remained the same There were a couple of choices that I didn’t love but it was my fault for ordering fish (which I am not a big fan of) in the attempt of starting off the cruise on a healthy start. There were multiple entrees that I would have chosen each night at dinner, as well as appetizers, soups and salads. My husband is a fan of Celebrity’s cold soup and had a different one each night. On our 11 night cruise, the menu did not repeat itself which again was nice.
We split breakfast between the dining room and buffet and they were equally good. Table mates of ours said that the eggs benedict were wonderful. Again, in and attempt to eat healthy, my breakfasts primarily consisted of oatmeal and fruit. I did have an omelet, frittata and the waffles. All were good.
In lieu of a midnight buffet, there was a brunch set up from 10am – 1pm on a sea day. There were a couple of nice ice sculptures, some beautifully decorated trays, and all the breakfast and lunch offerings you could want, including a pancake station. I asked for chocolate chip pancakes. There were no chocolate chips to be found. The pancake maker looked at the main chef, who picked up his cell phone and within 5 minutes 2 huge bowls of chocolate chips appeared. Now that is what Celebrity is all about.
Lunch at the buffet was a good selection of hot stations, carvings, salads, freshly made pasta – prepared in front of you with the ingredients and sauce of your choice, pizza, sandwiches and paninis. The Asian station was not particularly to my liking but there were so many other options, it wasn’t an issue. Burgers, franks and tacos were available poolside daily as well as a light menu at the AquaSpa Café during limited hours.
Fellow Cruisers:
This was where the cruise was very different from most of the Caribbean cruises that we have taken.
There were many more non Americans on this cruise- over 400 Canadians, over 250 British plus a good amount from Germany, other European countries, as well as a large number of Spanish speaking guests. Seemed to be about a mix of 60% Americans and 40% non Americans.
Our table makes were a nice mix. Steve and Kathy are from England. Elena and Nils and Maryann and Ken were traveling together from New England and a young Mexican honeymoon couple was placed at our table as well. It was unfortunate since they were sitting with people their parents‘ ages and they spoke little English.
This would have been a great honeymoon cruise since it left on Monday and lots of days at sea to relax, but I would say the average age was between 50 and 70 (probably skewing up closer to 70 than to 50).
There were a few kids on board- mostly younger with parents and grandparents. There were a couple of honeymooners. The guests were primarily white with a few black guests, a few Indian and Asian guests and a number of Latino guests.
On Board Activities:
Mindy= Sushi chef. Yes, you heard it here. If the travel business slows down, I will be looking for a job as a sushi chef. I made a California roll and something else (not a clue) but it was fun and I have pictures because I know no one will believe me.
Although there were full agendas of activities, many were not well attended. The poolside games got cancelled because of no participants. There were trivia games, name that tune, bingo (of course), computer classes, cooking demos and more. Since this was a long cruise, and the age of the guests was on the older side, I wasn’t expecting a loud and exciting atmosphere. It was quiet and relaxing and just what we needed.
Art Auctions were a big thing, as was acupuncture. The spa seemed pretty busy, as was the fitness center. The shops had the usual assortment of jewelry, clothes and gifts. We browsed through at the beginning of the cruise and didn’t go back- even for the sales. We weren’t looking to shop on this cruise.
Dress Code:
Well, the fashion police were not out in force. Even on formal night, the attire ranged from Tuxedos and dinner jackets to tuxedo shirts, bow ties and no jackets, to sport jackets and the entire gamut. Celebrity is trying to maintain a dress code but it seems that neat goes more than dressy. It seemed that the Americans were the ones who were more casual than the non-Americans. The smart casual nights have really toned down. It is now- long pants for men- without rips or holes- so basically, jeans are ok for dinner. We did see men wearing sneakers for dinner as well.
Evening Entertainment:
One complaint here was that a number of the shows were before the late dining. We specifically take the late dining so that we can relax before going to dinner. The best entertainment was the comedian and magician/comic. The production shows were good although we only saw 2 of the 3. They had a few solo acts including members of the singers and dancers, orchestra and a very good pianist-who was quite the showman.
The casino was smoky in the evening so I rarely ventured in. It was crowded during sea days and every evening. They did have $3 blackjack tables as well as $.25 slot machines and those were always busy.
Perry Grant is a singer/comedian/all around entertainer who draws a huge crowd nightly in Michaels Club.
There is usually standing room only. Apparently he has been on the Constellation for years and still draws them in. One evening he appeared with the orchestra in the Rendezvous Lounge and there was still standing room only. He could fill the theatre with out difficulty.
The lounges were busy each evening with different acts.
Ocean Liners- Specialty Restaurant:
Price tag is $30 per person or $27 per person for a more limited menu but paired with wine for every course – at an additional $31 pp. We chose the standard menu. The food and service was sensational. It was a 2.5 hours dinner and worth every penny. I had sea bass and my husband had a scallops and lobster main course. We started with lobster bisque, lobster and vegetable salad and ended with a fruit and cheese plate and dessert. Definitely a must do.
Ports of Call:
GRAND CAYMAN: Always beautiful and even though a hurricane passed through last week, you would never know it. Since we had already been there, we decided to visit some hotels. We saw the Ritz Carlton (my favorite), the Westin, Sunshine Suites, Grand Cayman Beach Resort and stopped into the Marriott. We walked miles along 7 mile beach and there is good reason that it is listed as one of the best beaches in the world.
CARTEGENA, COLUMBIA: This was a new port of call for us. We decided to take an excursion through the cruise line and chose the Deluxe City Tour with Fortress. The tour took us to both old and new Cartegena, into the Inquisition Palace, San Pedro Museum and a long visit (and climb) up to the top of the fortress, with panoramic views of the city. The tour included 2 shopping stops, both of which I could have done without but my main issue were the massive amounts of street vendors and beggars. I would recommend a tour if you are visiting Cartegena instead of wandering around on your own.
CRISTOBAL PIER/COLON, PANAMA: Directly outside the ship is a newly built cruise terminal with shops, restaurants and more that lead to a huge parking garage for the tour busses. We took the Panama Canal Tour which went through 3 of the 4 locks. Unfortunately, we had the bad luck to get a very bad tour guide. She was new to Panama (recently moved from India), spoke with a very heavy accent and was very difficult to understand and was very unknowledgeable about history and culture of Panama. She also repeated herself several times and said some outright offensive remarks to many on the tour. The boat was too small for the group, with bathroom facilities down a very steep set of stairs. Many times the toilets clogged causing quite a problem with the 70+ passengers. The only bright part of the tour was the other tour guide, Roberto, was very knowledgeable and repeated what he had told the people on his bus. We got to go through 3 locks. It rained during a good portion of the trip which did dampen things a bit but our main purpose was to go through the locks. We, and many other guests, filed complaints about the tour guide and the boat and were given a 25% refund on the tour which I did think was fair.
PUERTO LIMON, COSTA RICA- Our favorite port of call. We took the Costa Rica Favorites tour and loved it. We started with a tour of the canals and our guides had eagle eyes spotting monkeys, sloths, iguanas and birds of all kinds. Our group was too large to fit on one canal boat so we took the small boat and were glad we did since we really were able to see quite a bit more than those on the larger boat. From the cruise, we took another 1+ hour bus ride through the banana and pineapple plantations to the aerial tram. It started pouring during the ride over and the Aerial Tram company made a fortune selling ponchos to us for $10 each. If you are going to take this tour, bring a poncho with you. The lunch provided was good and the tram was about a 1 hour tour over the tree tops. We saw some birds but not much else in terms of wildlife. The foliage was gorgeous. Took an optional ½ hour walk to see some more and the guide was thrilled to point out tarantula, ant and bat nests. Interesting and again, beautiful foliage. By the way, it stopped raining as soon as we got to the tram so we have 2 very expensive rain ponchos.
COZUMEL- Been there done it, so I made arrangements to see 4 different hotels. I rarely sell Cozumel since the airlift from the east coast is not great. We saw the Presidente, the Occidental Grand, the Iberostar and the Cozumel Palace. This port came after a day of very high winds and rough seas. Unfortunately for many of the guests who booked water based excursions, they were cancelled due to the rough seas. Cozumel has some of the most beautiful beaches and great snorkeling and diving but the seas were just too rough to go in the water.
Noro virus- About ½ way through the cruise, we were under high alert for the gastro intestinal virus. Some passengers had fallen ill. The ship went into extra cleaning protection mode. Passengers who were ill were quarantined to their cabin for 48 hours. They were brought water and Gatorade every couple of hours. Their cabin mates also were required to stay in the cabins. The rest of the guests were required to Purell their hands at each dining venue. We were no longer allowed to get our own drinks, handle any condiments or anything at the buffet lines. Some guests became quite nasty about the inconveniences but I’m sure they would be the first to complain if they got sick.
Please realize that this stomach virus is not unique to cruise ships. This is the same stomach virus that hits almost every child in the classroom and can be found in resorts, office buildings, and any other public place. It will typically start when a guest boards the ship not feeling terribly well but is not going to cancel their cruise just because they are not feeling 100% well, or they many not even know they are sick until a day or 2 into the ship. If they don’t wash their hands well, they can pass on the germs every time they touch a hand railing, door knob, a chair or elevator button. This is the time of year when many people get this virus at home as well so please don’t think of this as a cruise ship illness. Just be diligent about washing your hands and using the Purell dispensers all over the ship.
Disembarkation- relatively uneventful. We left our carry on luggage in the cabin and headed to the dining room for breakfast. We needed to vacate the cabin by 8:30am and were told to report to the theatre. Our tag # was called by 9:20am and were actually off the ship and getting on to a shuttle before 10am. We were back at the Fort Lauderdale airport by 10:30 am.
Overall impression: In general, we really enjoyed the cruise and the itinerary. We were very happy with the food and service. I would have no qualms recommending the ship to my clients as long as they realized that this is not a party ship. The longer cruises typically have older passengers so this is not going to be a ship that young party goers would necessarily enjoy. I have seen a couple of cost saving measures that Celebrity has put in place but that is understandable in this economy. I did miss the cold cloths upon returning to the ship after a shore excursion. We had it in Grand Cayman but didn’t see it in the other ports. The Constellation is always ranked among the top 10 large ships by Conde Nast and I can see why.
I look forward to my next Celebrity cruise.
We booked the Courtyard by Marriott in Dania Beach. Nice and clean. They offer a free shuttle from the airport and to the cruise port plus free internet. This was the first hotel that actually asked for my AAA card so if you are planning on going to this hotel, please make sure you bring it. There is a seafood restaurant across the parking lot from the hotel, otherwise there is nothing nearby. They do have a breakfast area which I was under the impression was free but it was actually up to $10 pp for a hot and cold breakfast buffet. We signed up for the 11am shuttle to the cruise pier and they loaded the bus and the accompanying luggage trailer by ship to make it easy for unloading. Within ½ hour, we were at the ship.
Embarkation:
Getting on the ship was pretty uneventful. There were lots of ships in port including the brand new Solstice. We arrived at port before noon and had no long lines or issues getting on. I did hear grumbling from some other guests about the horrendous lines around 1pm and later.
Cabin:
The cabins were not supposed to be ready until 1 pm but ours was so we went right up and dropped off our carry on luggage. Category 2C -cabin 6057, a little bit forward. Decent sized with a nice balcony but every time I unpack, I realize how small these cabins are. I might have to upgrade to a suite at some point. There is ample drawer and closet space but the night stand drawers were hard to open. There is a stocked mini bar in the room which can be locked and there was a $19 bottle of wine sitting on the desk for sale, which we put away.
The Constellation is a few years old now and is in great shape but there are little things in the cabin that would make it better. Larger, flat screen TV would be nice. Shower with a door not curtain. They had nice in room bathroom amenities but no shower gel. They do have separate shampoo and conditioner which is always appreciated since days at sea really dry out your hair. The wall hair dryer is from the old days and is in the bathroom. There is only 1 place to dry your hair- standing up in the steamy bathroom.
There was an issue with the cleanliness of the bathroom upon arrival. It was taken care of relatively quickly. There was an imprint burn of an iron on the bed spread. The carpet near the balcony door was dirty (could have used a steaming). None of these took away from our cruise experience.
Ok, now let’s talk bedding. We were in a standard balcony so we didn’t get a pillow menu but I am a bed snob. My bed at home is a very soft pillow top. I have severe back problems and sleep well on soft mattresses. The mattress in the Courtyard hotel was much better than the one in our cabin. Yes, there is European bedding covering the very hard mattress. I did ask for a mattress topper and received it but even my husband, who can sleep on anything, is complaining that this mattress it hard.
In all, the cabin was kept clean. I heard that the ship is going into dry dock in April of 2009 and, hopefully, the soft goods, etc will be upgraded. Ice was replaced 2x daily. Extra towels were always put in the cabin, per my request. No complaints with the cabin steward or his assistant after the first issue.
Food:
Food is always a big deal on ships and we have always loved Celebrity’s food. We haven’t sailed Celebrity in a few years and I noticed a good number of differences.
• Portion sizes seemed to be a bit smaller- but you can always ask for more
• There were only 3 specialty desserts listed daily instead of 6
• You had to ask for fresh pepper- it wasn’t brought around automatically
• Escargot was no longer on the “always available” menu (per Olman, our waiter, shrimp cocktail was also removed but was brought back due to an uproar from the guests)
• Fresh berries required a 24 hour notice. When I asked for them for dessert, Olman said that he would see what he could do. The next evening, our table mates had escargot for an appetizer and I had my berries for dessert. Olman’s motto was to under promise and over deliver- A good motto for a waiter working on tips!
• The fried potato baskets were no where to be found. This was always a big part of the Celebrity dinner presentation.
Now for the food- in general, quality has remained the same There were a couple of choices that I didn’t love but it was my fault for ordering fish (which I am not a big fan of) in the attempt of starting off the cruise on a healthy start. There were multiple entrees that I would have chosen each night at dinner, as well as appetizers, soups and salads. My husband is a fan of Celebrity’s cold soup and had a different one each night. On our 11 night cruise, the menu did not repeat itself which again was nice.
We split breakfast between the dining room and buffet and they were equally good. Table mates of ours said that the eggs benedict were wonderful. Again, in and attempt to eat healthy, my breakfasts primarily consisted of oatmeal and fruit. I did have an omelet, frittata and the waffles. All were good.
In lieu of a midnight buffet, there was a brunch set up from 10am – 1pm on a sea day. There were a couple of nice ice sculptures, some beautifully decorated trays, and all the breakfast and lunch offerings you could want, including a pancake station. I asked for chocolate chip pancakes. There were no chocolate chips to be found. The pancake maker looked at the main chef, who picked up his cell phone and within 5 minutes 2 huge bowls of chocolate chips appeared. Now that is what Celebrity is all about.
Lunch at the buffet was a good selection of hot stations, carvings, salads, freshly made pasta – prepared in front of you with the ingredients and sauce of your choice, pizza, sandwiches and paninis. The Asian station was not particularly to my liking but there were so many other options, it wasn’t an issue. Burgers, franks and tacos were available poolside daily as well as a light menu at the AquaSpa Café during limited hours.
Fellow Cruisers:
This was where the cruise was very different from most of the Caribbean cruises that we have taken.
There were many more non Americans on this cruise- over 400 Canadians, over 250 British plus a good amount from Germany, other European countries, as well as a large number of Spanish speaking guests. Seemed to be about a mix of 60% Americans and 40% non Americans.
Our table makes were a nice mix. Steve and Kathy are from England. Elena and Nils and Maryann and Ken were traveling together from New England and a young Mexican honeymoon couple was placed at our table as well. It was unfortunate since they were sitting with people their parents‘ ages and they spoke little English.
This would have been a great honeymoon cruise since it left on Monday and lots of days at sea to relax, but I would say the average age was between 50 and 70 (probably skewing up closer to 70 than to 50).
There were a few kids on board- mostly younger with parents and grandparents. There were a couple of honeymooners. The guests were primarily white with a few black guests, a few Indian and Asian guests and a number of Latino guests.
On Board Activities:
Mindy= Sushi chef. Yes, you heard it here. If the travel business slows down, I will be looking for a job as a sushi chef. I made a California roll and something else (not a clue) but it was fun and I have pictures because I know no one will believe me.
Although there were full agendas of activities, many were not well attended. The poolside games got cancelled because of no participants. There were trivia games, name that tune, bingo (of course), computer classes, cooking demos and more. Since this was a long cruise, and the age of the guests was on the older side, I wasn’t expecting a loud and exciting atmosphere. It was quiet and relaxing and just what we needed.
Art Auctions were a big thing, as was acupuncture. The spa seemed pretty busy, as was the fitness center. The shops had the usual assortment of jewelry, clothes and gifts. We browsed through at the beginning of the cruise and didn’t go back- even for the sales. We weren’t looking to shop on this cruise.
Dress Code:
Well, the fashion police were not out in force. Even on formal night, the attire ranged from Tuxedos and dinner jackets to tuxedo shirts, bow ties and no jackets, to sport jackets and the entire gamut. Celebrity is trying to maintain a dress code but it seems that neat goes more than dressy. It seemed that the Americans were the ones who were more casual than the non-Americans. The smart casual nights have really toned down. It is now- long pants for men- without rips or holes- so basically, jeans are ok for dinner. We did see men wearing sneakers for dinner as well.
Evening Entertainment:
One complaint here was that a number of the shows were before the late dining. We specifically take the late dining so that we can relax before going to dinner. The best entertainment was the comedian and magician/comic. The production shows were good although we only saw 2 of the 3. They had a few solo acts including members of the singers and dancers, orchestra and a very good pianist-who was quite the showman.
The casino was smoky in the evening so I rarely ventured in. It was crowded during sea days and every evening. They did have $3 blackjack tables as well as $.25 slot machines and those were always busy.
Perry Grant is a singer/comedian/all around entertainer who draws a huge crowd nightly in Michaels Club.
There is usually standing room only. Apparently he has been on the Constellation for years and still draws them in. One evening he appeared with the orchestra in the Rendezvous Lounge and there was still standing room only. He could fill the theatre with out difficulty.
The lounges were busy each evening with different acts.
Ocean Liners- Specialty Restaurant:
Price tag is $30 per person or $27 per person for a more limited menu but paired with wine for every course – at an additional $31 pp. We chose the standard menu. The food and service was sensational. It was a 2.5 hours dinner and worth every penny. I had sea bass and my husband had a scallops and lobster main course. We started with lobster bisque, lobster and vegetable salad and ended with a fruit and cheese plate and dessert. Definitely a must do.
Ports of Call:
GRAND CAYMAN: Always beautiful and even though a hurricane passed through last week, you would never know it. Since we had already been there, we decided to visit some hotels. We saw the Ritz Carlton (my favorite), the Westin, Sunshine Suites, Grand Cayman Beach Resort and stopped into the Marriott. We walked miles along 7 mile beach and there is good reason that it is listed as one of the best beaches in the world.
CARTEGENA, COLUMBIA: This was a new port of call for us. We decided to take an excursion through the cruise line and chose the Deluxe City Tour with Fortress. The tour took us to both old and new Cartegena, into the Inquisition Palace, San Pedro Museum and a long visit (and climb) up to the top of the fortress, with panoramic views of the city. The tour included 2 shopping stops, both of which I could have done without but my main issue were the massive amounts of street vendors and beggars. I would recommend a tour if you are visiting Cartegena instead of wandering around on your own.
CRISTOBAL PIER/COLON, PANAMA: Directly outside the ship is a newly built cruise terminal with shops, restaurants and more that lead to a huge parking garage for the tour busses. We took the Panama Canal Tour which went through 3 of the 4 locks. Unfortunately, we had the bad luck to get a very bad tour guide. She was new to Panama (recently moved from India), spoke with a very heavy accent and was very difficult to understand and was very unknowledgeable about history and culture of Panama. She also repeated herself several times and said some outright offensive remarks to many on the tour. The boat was too small for the group, with bathroom facilities down a very steep set of stairs. Many times the toilets clogged causing quite a problem with the 70+ passengers. The only bright part of the tour was the other tour guide, Roberto, was very knowledgeable and repeated what he had told the people on his bus. We got to go through 3 locks. It rained during a good portion of the trip which did dampen things a bit but our main purpose was to go through the locks. We, and many other guests, filed complaints about the tour guide and the boat and were given a 25% refund on the tour which I did think was fair.
PUERTO LIMON, COSTA RICA- Our favorite port of call. We took the Costa Rica Favorites tour and loved it. We started with a tour of the canals and our guides had eagle eyes spotting monkeys, sloths, iguanas and birds of all kinds. Our group was too large to fit on one canal boat so we took the small boat and were glad we did since we really were able to see quite a bit more than those on the larger boat. From the cruise, we took another 1+ hour bus ride through the banana and pineapple plantations to the aerial tram. It started pouring during the ride over and the Aerial Tram company made a fortune selling ponchos to us for $10 each. If you are going to take this tour, bring a poncho with you. The lunch provided was good and the tram was about a 1 hour tour over the tree tops. We saw some birds but not much else in terms of wildlife. The foliage was gorgeous. Took an optional ½ hour walk to see some more and the guide was thrilled to point out tarantula, ant and bat nests. Interesting and again, beautiful foliage. By the way, it stopped raining as soon as we got to the tram so we have 2 very expensive rain ponchos.
COZUMEL- Been there done it, so I made arrangements to see 4 different hotels. I rarely sell Cozumel since the airlift from the east coast is not great. We saw the Presidente, the Occidental Grand, the Iberostar and the Cozumel Palace. This port came after a day of very high winds and rough seas. Unfortunately for many of the guests who booked water based excursions, they were cancelled due to the rough seas. Cozumel has some of the most beautiful beaches and great snorkeling and diving but the seas were just too rough to go in the water.
Noro virus- About ½ way through the cruise, we were under high alert for the gastro intestinal virus. Some passengers had fallen ill. The ship went into extra cleaning protection mode. Passengers who were ill were quarantined to their cabin for 48 hours. They were brought water and Gatorade every couple of hours. Their cabin mates also were required to stay in the cabins. The rest of the guests were required to Purell their hands at each dining venue. We were no longer allowed to get our own drinks, handle any condiments or anything at the buffet lines. Some guests became quite nasty about the inconveniences but I’m sure they would be the first to complain if they got sick.
Please realize that this stomach virus is not unique to cruise ships. This is the same stomach virus that hits almost every child in the classroom and can be found in resorts, office buildings, and any other public place. It will typically start when a guest boards the ship not feeling terribly well but is not going to cancel their cruise just because they are not feeling 100% well, or they many not even know they are sick until a day or 2 into the ship. If they don’t wash their hands well, they can pass on the germs every time they touch a hand railing, door knob, a chair or elevator button. This is the time of year when many people get this virus at home as well so please don’t think of this as a cruise ship illness. Just be diligent about washing your hands and using the Purell dispensers all over the ship.
Disembarkation- relatively uneventful. We left our carry on luggage in the cabin and headed to the dining room for breakfast. We needed to vacate the cabin by 8:30am and were told to report to the theatre. Our tag # was called by 9:20am and were actually off the ship and getting on to a shuttle before 10am. We were back at the Fort Lauderdale airport by 10:30 am.
Overall impression: In general, we really enjoyed the cruise and the itinerary. We were very happy with the food and service. I would have no qualms recommending the ship to my clients as long as they realized that this is not a party ship. The longer cruises typically have older passengers so this is not going to be a ship that young party goers would necessarily enjoy. I have seen a couple of cost saving measures that Celebrity has put in place but that is understandable in this economy. I did miss the cold cloths upon returning to the ship after a shore excursion. We had it in Grand Cayman but didn’t see it in the other ports. The Constellation is always ranked among the top 10 large ships by Conde Nast and I can see why.
I look forward to my next Celebrity cruise.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Internet shchminternet…
November 7th, 2008 . by Lisa Rapavi
I’ve heard it everywhere. Travel agents are a thing of the past! Internet travel is the wave of the future. Book directly with an online website, an airline, or even be your own travel agent with the new “travel like an insider” programs. Is it really a consumer’s best choice?
I’ve been in travel for a long time. I’ve seen the technology and tools for our industry grow over the years. Believe it or not, technology is what we use on a daily basis to assist in any way we can to help the client. We are constantly checking our email, voicemail and GDS for issues that may occur, even at night and on weekends. We are always watching the news and weather channels worrying about clients somewhere. If we see anything to cause concern we immediately get on it, no matter the time and shoot our clients off an email or voicemail letting them know we are here to help. Does this sound like something a website does for you? Not at all! Is it always as simple to click to order? Sometimes, but not if you are going to need any help later.
We’ve all seen the horrendous lines at the ticket counters when flights have been cancelled. We’ve even seen some websites promoting 4 star hotels when they really mean 4 cockroaches. Are you really sure you trust the computer’s recommendation, do you trust your neighbor who purchased a travel site for $500 but has never left her home town? Wouldn’t you prefer someone whose been certified and actually been there and done that?
One of my favorite movies of all times is “Club Paradise” with Robin Williams. The premise of the movie is a trip to a new resort based on beautiful pictures in a brochure. When they arrive, the resort is far from what they envisioned. Sharing bathrooms, no hot water, or even breakfast jump up – when you jump up and make your own breakfast. It’s a funny movie, but in this industry, unfortunately it is always a very real possibility. Information on screen or in print is never better than first hand knowledge.
Have you ever received a call from a “former Internet user” complaining about his last trip? The resort looked great from the pictures but we didn’t know it was under construction and the pool was closed. We didn’t know that there were three airports in New York and our first plane came into one and the next plane left from another. No one told us that we needed a Visa to travel and a Malaria shot. How was I supposed to know the airline changed the departure time to an hour earlier? I was stuck in Chicago in the winter for two days till the airline could reschedule me. I have heard them all–and with a true travel professional, none of these would have been a problem.
Corporate accounts and the entertainment industry are fans of the travel agent and are different animals. They have entirely different reasons why booking online is not in their best interests. The entertainment industry has privacy issues. Travelers’ often do not travel under real names, they require VIP support or assistance, they require tour buses and private cars. The Internet simply cannot handle this. For corporate accounts,the Internet cannot control the employee spending or enforce a travel policy. Reporting is needed, mileage and old unused tickets must be tracked, changes must be made constantly. While the Internet can do some of these, it doesn’t do it well. And most businesses would appreciate their employees paying more attention to the job they were hired to do, rather than surfing the net trying to maximize their frequent flier miles.
Many corporate agencies now have private website booking portals for their employees to book company travel if they choose. The reservations are sent to the agency to verify compliance with policy, check for any discounts, promos, and then are processed for ticketing. The client can also print any needed reports, reprint receipts for expense reports, and change their seats as much as they want. They can also always call their travel professional or 24 hour service for immediate personal assistance.
If you think online travel is the better way and paying a small fee is a bad choice, maybe you need to be reminded that value does not equal price. You need to be reminded that a true travel professional can give better, unbiased information, in less time than researching on the Internet.
Time is precious, why waste it surfing the net to save a few bucks? Let travel professionals do what they love to do, so you can get back to doing what you love to do.
Lisa Rapavi is a Corporate Travel Agent for The Leaders Group based in Montvale NJ. She is a home based working from her home in PA. She has been an agent for over 18 years, working in all facets of travel, but focus’ her travel skills in the corporate travel arena. Lisa can be contacted at L.Rapavi@tlgtravel.com
I’ve heard it everywhere. Travel agents are a thing of the past! Internet travel is the wave of the future. Book directly with an online website, an airline, or even be your own travel agent with the new “travel like an insider” programs. Is it really a consumer’s best choice?
I’ve been in travel for a long time. I’ve seen the technology and tools for our industry grow over the years. Believe it or not, technology is what we use on a daily basis to assist in any way we can to help the client. We are constantly checking our email, voicemail and GDS for issues that may occur, even at night and on weekends. We are always watching the news and weather channels worrying about clients somewhere. If we see anything to cause concern we immediately get on it, no matter the time and shoot our clients off an email or voicemail letting them know we are here to help. Does this sound like something a website does for you? Not at all! Is it always as simple to click to order? Sometimes, but not if you are going to need any help later.
We’ve all seen the horrendous lines at the ticket counters when flights have been cancelled. We’ve even seen some websites promoting 4 star hotels when they really mean 4 cockroaches. Are you really sure you trust the computer’s recommendation, do you trust your neighbor who purchased a travel site for $500 but has never left her home town? Wouldn’t you prefer someone whose been certified and actually been there and done that?
One of my favorite movies of all times is “Club Paradise” with Robin Williams. The premise of the movie is a trip to a new resort based on beautiful pictures in a brochure. When they arrive, the resort is far from what they envisioned. Sharing bathrooms, no hot water, or even breakfast jump up – when you jump up and make your own breakfast. It’s a funny movie, but in this industry, unfortunately it is always a very real possibility. Information on screen or in print is never better than first hand knowledge.
Have you ever received a call from a “former Internet user” complaining about his last trip? The resort looked great from the pictures but we didn’t know it was under construction and the pool was closed. We didn’t know that there were three airports in New York and our first plane came into one and the next plane left from another. No one told us that we needed a Visa to travel and a Malaria shot. How was I supposed to know the airline changed the departure time to an hour earlier? I was stuck in Chicago in the winter for two days till the airline could reschedule me. I have heard them all–and with a true travel professional, none of these would have been a problem.
Corporate accounts and the entertainment industry are fans of the travel agent and are different animals. They have entirely different reasons why booking online is not in their best interests. The entertainment industry has privacy issues. Travelers’ often do not travel under real names, they require VIP support or assistance, they require tour buses and private cars. The Internet simply cannot handle this. For corporate accounts,the Internet cannot control the employee spending or enforce a travel policy. Reporting is needed, mileage and old unused tickets must be tracked, changes must be made constantly. While the Internet can do some of these, it doesn’t do it well. And most businesses would appreciate their employees paying more attention to the job they were hired to do, rather than surfing the net trying to maximize their frequent flier miles.
Many corporate agencies now have private website booking portals for their employees to book company travel if they choose. The reservations are sent to the agency to verify compliance with policy, check for any discounts, promos, and then are processed for ticketing. The client can also print any needed reports, reprint receipts for expense reports, and change their seats as much as they want. They can also always call their travel professional or 24 hour service for immediate personal assistance.
If you think online travel is the better way and paying a small fee is a bad choice, maybe you need to be reminded that value does not equal price. You need to be reminded that a true travel professional can give better, unbiased information, in less time than researching on the Internet.
Time is precious, why waste it surfing the net to save a few bucks? Let travel professionals do what they love to do, so you can get back to doing what you love to do.
Lisa Rapavi is a Corporate Travel Agent for The Leaders Group based in Montvale NJ. She is a home based working from her home in PA. She has been an agent for over 18 years, working in all facets of travel, but focus’ her travel skills in the corporate travel arena. Lisa can be contacted at L.Rapavi@tlgtravel.com
Monday, October 27, 2008
Continental Reduces Size of Carry-on Bags
Continental Airlines has reduced the size of carry-on bags allowed on its planes from 51 linear inches to 45 linear inches or 115 cm (L + W + H) and 40 pounds or 18 kilos as of Nov. 1. In addition to the carry-on, passengers can bring one small personal article such as a briefcase, purse, day planner, small laptop computer, camera case, compact disk player or similar sized personal entertainment item; personal aid devices such as wheelchairs, braces, canes, crutches, prosthetic devices and walking sticks, provided passenger is dependent on them; one infant article such as a small collapsible stroller, a diaper bag or a government approved child seat (larger strollers can be checked in the jetway prior to boarding the aircraft); full-size video game consoles (for example Playstation, X-box or Nintendo), full-size DVD players, and video cameras that use video cassettes (must be removed from carrying cases and submitted separately for X-ray screening) or CPAP breathing machines (must be removed from carrying case and submitted separately for X-ray screening). Small and portable electronic items do not need to be removed from their carrying cases. For more information, visit www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/carry-on.aspx.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
New NCL Insurance rates
Effective Oct 1, 2008:
Important Announcement – New Travel Protection Pricing
Effective immediately, Travel Protection pricing has changed for NEW FIT and Group Delegate bookings.
The new pricing grid is as follows:
FARE RANGE STANDARD PLATINUM
0.00 - 250.00 29.00 79.00
250.01- 500.00 59.00 109.00
500.01- 1,000.00 89.00 139.00
1,000.01- 1,250.00 99.00 149.00
1,250.01- 1,500.00 109.00 159.00
1,500.01- 1,750.00 129.00 179.00
1,750.01- 2,000.00 149.00 199.00
2,000.01- 2,500.00 179.00 229.00
2,500.01- 3,000.00 219.00 269.00
3,000.01- 3,500.00 259.00 309.00
3,500.01- 4,000.00 299.00 349.00
4,000.01- 4,500.00 359.00 409.00
4,500.01- 5,000.00 399.00 449.00
5,000.01- 5,500.00 449.00 499.00
5,500.01- 6,000.00 499.00 549.00
6,000.01 6,500.00 539.00 589.00
6,500.01- 999,999.00 539.00 + 589.00 +
Existing bookings with Travel Protection made prior to October 1st will follow the old Travel Protection pricing grid.
Note: After $6,500.01, the Travel Protection will increase in $40 increments for every $500.00 increase in fare.
Reminder: The Travel Protection premium is based on the following components. Any increase in these components may result in an increase in Travel Protection premium.
Booking Components
VOYAGE FARE, AIR DEVIATION ,AIR ADD ON , LAND/HOTEL PACKAGE, GROUND TRANSFERS, NON-COMM FARE
Important Announcement – New Travel Protection Pricing
Effective immediately, Travel Protection pricing has changed for NEW FIT and Group Delegate bookings.
The new pricing grid is as follows:
FARE RANGE STANDARD PLATINUM
0.00 - 250.00 29.00 79.00
250.01- 500.00 59.00 109.00
500.01- 1,000.00 89.00 139.00
1,000.01- 1,250.00 99.00 149.00
1,250.01- 1,500.00 109.00 159.00
1,500.01- 1,750.00 129.00 179.00
1,750.01- 2,000.00 149.00 199.00
2,000.01- 2,500.00 179.00 229.00
2,500.01- 3,000.00 219.00 269.00
3,000.01- 3,500.00 259.00 309.00
3,500.01- 4,000.00 299.00 349.00
4,000.01- 4,500.00 359.00 409.00
4,500.01- 5,000.00 399.00 449.00
5,000.01- 5,500.00 449.00 499.00
5,500.01- 6,000.00 499.00 549.00
6,000.01 6,500.00 539.00 589.00
6,500.01- 999,999.00 539.00 + 589.00 +
Existing bookings with Travel Protection made prior to October 1st will follow the old Travel Protection pricing grid.
Note: After $6,500.01, the Travel Protection will increase in $40 increments for every $500.00 increase in fare.
Reminder: The Travel Protection premium is based on the following components. Any increase in these components may result in an increase in Travel Protection premium.
Booking Components
VOYAGE FARE, AIR DEVIATION ,AIR ADD ON , LAND/HOTEL PACKAGE, GROUND TRANSFERS, NON-COMM FARE
Friday, October 3, 2008
CBP Launches Interactive WHTI Travel WidgetDesktop Tool Reminds Travelers to Obtain Required Documents as Departure Date Approaches
(Thursday, October 02, 2008)
Washington – U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today a traveler-centric desktop widget as part of the integrated “Let’s Get You Home” advertising and outreach campaign.
As the traveler’s departure date approaches, the automated widget provides a trip countdown timer and weather at the traveler’s destination and reminds the user to obtain appropriate travel documents, as required under Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. U.S. and Canadian citizens entering the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean must present a passport or other WHTI-compliant document beginning June 1, 2009.
“We are using a wide range of media vehicles, in addition to television and magazine ads, to ensure that all segments of the population are familiar with the travel document requirements under WHTI,” said CBP Assistant Commissioner Thomas S. Winkowski. “A digital strategy component allows CBP to reach audiences that are increasingly using the Internet as their source of news and information, especially related to travel. The widget, because it sits on the computer desktop, provides an ongoing and interactive reminder to travelers to get appropriate travel documents.”
The widget is designed so that anyone making travel plans on the Internet can take advantage of the trip countdown and weather functions and is available to download on the www.GetYouHome.gov website. ( WHTI Widget )
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
Contacts For This News Release
no address available at this time
Joanne FerreiraInternational Travel
Phone:
(202) 344-1780
Fax:
(202) 344-1393
CBP HeadquartersOffice of Public Affairs1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.Room 3.4AWashington, DC 20229
Phone:
(202) 344-1770 or(800) 826-1471
Fax:
(202) 344-1393
Washington – U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today a traveler-centric desktop widget as part of the integrated “Let’s Get You Home” advertising and outreach campaign.
As the traveler’s departure date approaches, the automated widget provides a trip countdown timer and weather at the traveler’s destination and reminds the user to obtain appropriate travel documents, as required under Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. U.S. and Canadian citizens entering the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean must present a passport or other WHTI-compliant document beginning June 1, 2009.
“We are using a wide range of media vehicles, in addition to television and magazine ads, to ensure that all segments of the population are familiar with the travel document requirements under WHTI,” said CBP Assistant Commissioner Thomas S. Winkowski. “A digital strategy component allows CBP to reach audiences that are increasingly using the Internet as their source of news and information, especially related to travel. The widget, because it sits on the computer desktop, provides an ongoing and interactive reminder to travelers to get appropriate travel documents.”
The widget is designed so that anyone making travel plans on the Internet can take advantage of the trip countdown and weather functions and is available to download on the www.GetYouHome.gov website. ( WHTI Widget )
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.
Contacts For This News Release
no address available at this time
Joanne FerreiraInternational Travel
Phone:
(202) 344-1780
Fax:
(202) 344-1393
CBP HeadquartersOffice of Public Affairs1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.Room 3.4AWashington, DC 20229
Phone:
(202) 344-1770 or(800) 826-1471
Fax:
(202) 344-1393
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Review of El Dorado Royale
As a Vacation & Cruise Specialist, I am very critical of most hotels and resorts. I purposely didn’t check any reviews of the El Dorado Royale before we stayed there so that I could make a completely unbiased opinion of the resort, since that is what my clients would expect of me.
We stayed at the El Dorado Resort from 9/2-9/6/08. Knowing it was and deluxe, adults only, all inclusive resort, I was looking at this property with my honeymooners and destination wedding couples in mind. The first word to describe my opinion of the El Dorado Royale was WOW- I was impressed and I am hard to please. There were a couple of minor points that I thought could use improvement and I explained them later on in the review but I would not hesitate to send my clients to this resort.
Here is my very long and detailed review:
We pulled up the resort and the drive from the main road is about a 5 minutes. The resort itself is located directly on the beach (unlike some other resorts in the Riviera Maya that are built further back into the tropical gardens and further from the beach). One of the first things that I noticed about the lobby is that it was air conditioned-a nice break from the heat and humidity of early September.
We were given an oceanfront junior suite in building 3. Since I was there as part of the Gourmet Inclusive Specialist program, I really was hoping for one of the Casita Suites but the junior suite was perfectly located for us and was a great room. We had a tour of the property before we got to our room and we really got to see how spread out the property is. Our room was in the middle of the resort, not far from the Casitas section and not too far from the main lobby.
The king sized canopy bed was extremely comfortable- and I am very picky about a good mattress. There was plenty of drawer space, TV in an armoire, table and chairs and the famous in room Jacuzzi tub which overlooked the beach with a huge window in front of it. We only had neighbors for a short time on one side of us so it was actually quite private, although I am not sure how comfortable I would be knowing that my neighbors might be able to sneak a peak if they really wanted to. I did leave the curtains closed a bit to make the Jacuzzi area a bit more private. The balcony had a table and chairs but the chairs could have used padded cushions to make them comfortable. The bathroom was spacious and had more than ample room for all of our toiletries. The sink was a bit high (and I am 5’7” tall- so this might be an issue for very short people and the make up mirror would have been perfect if we were 6’6” tall but other than that, no complaints about the bathroom. It had a huge shower with a seat (or marble bench) in it for sitting and shaving your legs, or, what I used it for- to hold the shampoo and toiletries.
When we arrived the bed was made with a towel swan and rose petals on top. On another day, after returning from the beach, the curtains were all drawn around the bed and it was filled with rose petals. This resort is the perfect backdrop for romance!
Food is always a big part of an all inclusive resort. I was told by one client that the food was too gourmet for her husband’s taste so I was very curious about the food at the El Dorado Royale. Our first experience with dining at the resort was at JoJo’s, a casual beach side restaurant open for lunch and dinner. After our property tour on the first day, we were hungry but didn’t want anything too heavy since it was already after 3pm. We were escorted to a table overlooking the ocean and were given menus. It was a pretty extensive menu for just a snack and I over heard other guests ordering multiple dishes (appetizer, salad, main course). I ordered a chicken Caesar salad and my husband ordered 2 appetizers. I was expecting a salad like you would get in a Fridays, Applebees, or local American diner. What I got was a bit more unique-and then I understood why the other guests were ordering multiple courses. Let me try to explain my beautifully presented chicken Caesar salad. First, if you look at your index finger and then picture 2 pieces of chicken, each about the size of your index finger, artfully arranged on the plate. In the middle was a decorate piece of romaine lettuce rolled up and tied with a decorative and edible piece of vegetable, and drizzled with dressing. That was it! I told the waiter that I think the dish put in front of me was the wrong order and he assured me that it was indeed a chicken Caesar salad. After my 4 bites of food and a good chuckle, I went to the salad bar and filled a plate with some salad and bread and was fine until dinner. Now we understood why other guests were ordering multiple course meals!
Although I am not a gourmet, and I am perfectly fine with most food, I do have to say that the food was EXCELLENT. Our favorite restaurants were the Italian restaurant and Caracol for dinner (both were air conditioned and right near the lobby). The Asian restaurant was great as well. We were not thrilled with the fondue restaurant but that was more that I don’t particularly care for fondue (too cheesy for my taste) but the dessert was great. Carocol for breakfast was great. They have a small but very fresh and appetizing buffet or you can order off the menu. We also ate at La Isla restaurant for breakfast a few mornings as well. JoJo’s was great for lunch and there was a burger and pizza restaurant behind La Isla pool which was perfect for lunch. This is my take on the portion sizes- yes, they are small but if you want more- order multiple portions. The wait staff will bring you whatever you want.
I did have another funny story about the food. One afternoon, after laying on the absolutely wonderful beach beds (more about that later), I wanted some ice cream. We walked over to JoJo’s and were told that there were no tables available at the moment but they expected some to clear in about 10-15 minutes. I said that I only wanted a bowl or cone of ice cream and could I just get it “to go”. The hostess gave us an odd look and said that they don’t serve ice cream like that but if we went to the bar, she would get us some. About 5 minutes later, she appeared with a bar glass full of chocolate ice cream (again artfully decorated with chocolate straws). That was all I wanted but the resort is so focused on gourmet and beautifully presented food, that just getting a bowl of ice cream wouldn’t do!
Drinks- you could get anything you wanted and as much as you wanted. I am not a big drinker so my brief run down on the beverage service: the mixed drinks that I had (ie: Miami Vice, Pina Coladas, etc) were fine. I mostly drank club soda and lime, throughout my stay. My only complaint- the only wine with dinner that is included is a chardonnay or a merlot. If you want a white zinfandel, for instance, or a different type of wine, you would need to buy the bottle.
Pools and beach- The pools were wonderful. We spent most of our time at La Isla pool with the swim up pool bar. The pool is large with a couple of fountains. Guests were bringing in lounge chairs to the shallow side of the pool to lay in the water. This is the quiet pool vs. Las Fuentes pool which is the main activity pool. We never saw any people or activities going on at Las Fuentes and since La Isla was closer to our room and the restaurants, we just parked ourselves there.
The BEST part of the pools, are the beach beds. Trust me when I tell you- I wanted to bring them home with me. They are basically a king sized mattress covered in vinyl with a round bolster and pillows. They sit on a wooden canopied frame with curtains all around that can be closed based on which way the sun is hitting. For people like me, who avoid the sun- I was in heaven. Since you only get 1 towel per person, I do recommend bringing towels from home with you so you have towels to lay on as well as towels to dry off with. These beach beds were all around the pools and on the beach as well.
The beach is probably one of the main drawbacks of the resort. Due to the beach erosion problem which effects many of the properties along the Riviera Maya, there were beach bags all along the beach. Unfortunately, the beach bags were not the most attractive to look at. You can swim around them to get to deeper water but they did ruin the beauty of the beach. The property has a gorgeous wedding gazebo overlooking the beach but it actually will overlook a lot of beach bags.
Entertainment- There were activities going on during the day like ping pong, beach and pool volleyball, ceramic painting, cooking lessons and more. The entertainment team went around looking for participants but we really just wanted to relax. The evening entertainment was moved since the main show lounge (near Las Fuentes restaurant) was closed for renovations. The shows were actually considerably better than at other all inclusive resorts. We are big cruise people and the entertainment can’t hold a candle to cruise ship entertainment but it was much better than anticipated and were well attended.
Guests- this is definitely a honeymoon resort although there was a pretty good mix of young and older couples. The week we were there was very non-American. We saw many couples from Great Britain and the rest of Europe. The Americans and Canadians were definitely in the minority this week.
We also toured El Dorado Maroma and El Dorado Seaside Suites. If you have any questions about any of the El Dorado Resorts, feel free to email me directly at mindy@myvacationlady.com.
We stayed at the El Dorado Resort from 9/2-9/6/08. Knowing it was and deluxe, adults only, all inclusive resort, I was looking at this property with my honeymooners and destination wedding couples in mind. The first word to describe my opinion of the El Dorado Royale was WOW- I was impressed and I am hard to please. There were a couple of minor points that I thought could use improvement and I explained them later on in the review but I would not hesitate to send my clients to this resort.
Here is my very long and detailed review:
We pulled up the resort and the drive from the main road is about a 5 minutes. The resort itself is located directly on the beach (unlike some other resorts in the Riviera Maya that are built further back into the tropical gardens and further from the beach). One of the first things that I noticed about the lobby is that it was air conditioned-a nice break from the heat and humidity of early September.
We were given an oceanfront junior suite in building 3. Since I was there as part of the Gourmet Inclusive Specialist program, I really was hoping for one of the Casita Suites but the junior suite was perfectly located for us and was a great room. We had a tour of the property before we got to our room and we really got to see how spread out the property is. Our room was in the middle of the resort, not far from the Casitas section and not too far from the main lobby.
The king sized canopy bed was extremely comfortable- and I am very picky about a good mattress. There was plenty of drawer space, TV in an armoire, table and chairs and the famous in room Jacuzzi tub which overlooked the beach with a huge window in front of it. We only had neighbors for a short time on one side of us so it was actually quite private, although I am not sure how comfortable I would be knowing that my neighbors might be able to sneak a peak if they really wanted to. I did leave the curtains closed a bit to make the Jacuzzi area a bit more private. The balcony had a table and chairs but the chairs could have used padded cushions to make them comfortable. The bathroom was spacious and had more than ample room for all of our toiletries. The sink was a bit high (and I am 5’7” tall- so this might be an issue for very short people and the make up mirror would have been perfect if we were 6’6” tall but other than that, no complaints about the bathroom. It had a huge shower with a seat (or marble bench) in it for sitting and shaving your legs, or, what I used it for- to hold the shampoo and toiletries.
When we arrived the bed was made with a towel swan and rose petals on top. On another day, after returning from the beach, the curtains were all drawn around the bed and it was filled with rose petals. This resort is the perfect backdrop for romance!
Food is always a big part of an all inclusive resort. I was told by one client that the food was too gourmet for her husband’s taste so I was very curious about the food at the El Dorado Royale. Our first experience with dining at the resort was at JoJo’s, a casual beach side restaurant open for lunch and dinner. After our property tour on the first day, we were hungry but didn’t want anything too heavy since it was already after 3pm. We were escorted to a table overlooking the ocean and were given menus. It was a pretty extensive menu for just a snack and I over heard other guests ordering multiple dishes (appetizer, salad, main course). I ordered a chicken Caesar salad and my husband ordered 2 appetizers. I was expecting a salad like you would get in a Fridays, Applebees, or local American diner. What I got was a bit more unique-and then I understood why the other guests were ordering multiple courses. Let me try to explain my beautifully presented chicken Caesar salad. First, if you look at your index finger and then picture 2 pieces of chicken, each about the size of your index finger, artfully arranged on the plate. In the middle was a decorate piece of romaine lettuce rolled up and tied with a decorative and edible piece of vegetable, and drizzled with dressing. That was it! I told the waiter that I think the dish put in front of me was the wrong order and he assured me that it was indeed a chicken Caesar salad. After my 4 bites of food and a good chuckle, I went to the salad bar and filled a plate with some salad and bread and was fine until dinner. Now we understood why other guests were ordering multiple course meals!
Although I am not a gourmet, and I am perfectly fine with most food, I do have to say that the food was EXCELLENT. Our favorite restaurants were the Italian restaurant and Caracol for dinner (both were air conditioned and right near the lobby). The Asian restaurant was great as well. We were not thrilled with the fondue restaurant but that was more that I don’t particularly care for fondue (too cheesy for my taste) but the dessert was great. Carocol for breakfast was great. They have a small but very fresh and appetizing buffet or you can order off the menu. We also ate at La Isla restaurant for breakfast a few mornings as well. JoJo’s was great for lunch and there was a burger and pizza restaurant behind La Isla pool which was perfect for lunch. This is my take on the portion sizes- yes, they are small but if you want more- order multiple portions. The wait staff will bring you whatever you want.
I did have another funny story about the food. One afternoon, after laying on the absolutely wonderful beach beds (more about that later), I wanted some ice cream. We walked over to JoJo’s and were told that there were no tables available at the moment but they expected some to clear in about 10-15 minutes. I said that I only wanted a bowl or cone of ice cream and could I just get it “to go”. The hostess gave us an odd look and said that they don’t serve ice cream like that but if we went to the bar, she would get us some. About 5 minutes later, she appeared with a bar glass full of chocolate ice cream (again artfully decorated with chocolate straws). That was all I wanted but the resort is so focused on gourmet and beautifully presented food, that just getting a bowl of ice cream wouldn’t do!
Drinks- you could get anything you wanted and as much as you wanted. I am not a big drinker so my brief run down on the beverage service: the mixed drinks that I had (ie: Miami Vice, Pina Coladas, etc) were fine. I mostly drank club soda and lime, throughout my stay. My only complaint- the only wine with dinner that is included is a chardonnay or a merlot. If you want a white zinfandel, for instance, or a different type of wine, you would need to buy the bottle.
Pools and beach- The pools were wonderful. We spent most of our time at La Isla pool with the swim up pool bar. The pool is large with a couple of fountains. Guests were bringing in lounge chairs to the shallow side of the pool to lay in the water. This is the quiet pool vs. Las Fuentes pool which is the main activity pool. We never saw any people or activities going on at Las Fuentes and since La Isla was closer to our room and the restaurants, we just parked ourselves there.
The BEST part of the pools, are the beach beds. Trust me when I tell you- I wanted to bring them home with me. They are basically a king sized mattress covered in vinyl with a round bolster and pillows. They sit on a wooden canopied frame with curtains all around that can be closed based on which way the sun is hitting. For people like me, who avoid the sun- I was in heaven. Since you only get 1 towel per person, I do recommend bringing towels from home with you so you have towels to lay on as well as towels to dry off with. These beach beds were all around the pools and on the beach as well.
The beach is probably one of the main drawbacks of the resort. Due to the beach erosion problem which effects many of the properties along the Riviera Maya, there were beach bags all along the beach. Unfortunately, the beach bags were not the most attractive to look at. You can swim around them to get to deeper water but they did ruin the beauty of the beach. The property has a gorgeous wedding gazebo overlooking the beach but it actually will overlook a lot of beach bags.
Entertainment- There were activities going on during the day like ping pong, beach and pool volleyball, ceramic painting, cooking lessons and more. The entertainment team went around looking for participants but we really just wanted to relax. The evening entertainment was moved since the main show lounge (near Las Fuentes restaurant) was closed for renovations. The shows were actually considerably better than at other all inclusive resorts. We are big cruise people and the entertainment can’t hold a candle to cruise ship entertainment but it was much better than anticipated and were well attended.
Guests- this is definitely a honeymoon resort although there was a pretty good mix of young and older couples. The week we were there was very non-American. We saw many couples from Great Britain and the rest of Europe. The Americans and Canadians were definitely in the minority this week.
We also toured El Dorado Maroma and El Dorado Seaside Suites. If you have any questions about any of the El Dorado Resorts, feel free to email me directly at mindy@myvacationlady.com.
Monday, September 22, 2008
NCL Reportedly Tells Employees Its First F3 Ship is Canceled
9/22/2008 -
TravelPulse.com reports this morning that Norwegian Cruise Line issued a statement to its employees that the first F3 new-build cruise ship now being built by Aker Yards in France has been cancelled, with no decision yet about what to do with the contract for a second F3 vessel in the works. Other media said over the weekend that Aker Yards has contacted other cruise lines about picking up the partially built ship – a challenge, since the F3 design was promoted as being very different from other standard cruise ship layouts. Both F3 ships had been set to debut in 2010. Officially, NCL says it does not comment on “commercial or legal disputes.” See http://www.bookncl.com/.
TravelPulse.com reports this morning that Norwegian Cruise Line issued a statement to its employees that the first F3 new-build cruise ship now being built by Aker Yards in France has been cancelled, with no decision yet about what to do with the contract for a second F3 vessel in the works. Other media said over the weekend that Aker Yards has contacted other cruise lines about picking up the partially built ship – a challenge, since the F3 design was promoted as being very different from other standard cruise ship layouts. Both F3 ships had been set to debut in 2010. Officially, NCL says it does not comment on “commercial or legal disputes.” See http://www.bookncl.com/.
Monday, September 15, 2008
A message fromJohn M. Noel,Chairman and CEO of AIG Travel Guard
September 15, 2008
Dear Valued Partners,
There have been a lot of media reports recently regarding AIG and the impact that the sub prime mortgage crisis has had on its business and its stock price. Certainly we are all concerned about the adjustments that are taking place in our financial markets. With respect to AIG and Travel Guard, I'm sure the questions in many of your minds are, "How does this impact my Travel Guard customers?" "Will Travel Guard be there to honor their claims if they have a financial loss?" "If they have a problem during their travels, will they get the astonishing service that they have come to expect from Travel Guard?"
The answer to all of these questions is a resounding "Yes!" AIG is different than other financial institutions that have been severely impacted by recent developments in the financial service markets. We have strong, well-positioned businesses in diverse markets around the world. We have a deep asset base, with stakeholders' equity of $79.9 billion and assets of over $1 trillion. And as you know, Travel Guard has been a strong, dependable partner that has always been there for our travel partners and their clients.
It may be of some comfort to know that independent sources outside of AIG also have confirmed our financial stability. For example, The New York State Department of Insurance, which regulates AIG, says we "continue to meet New York's solvency standards and are able to honor our policyholder obligations." An article in today's Wall Street Journal, quoted Standard & Poor's as saying that "AIG has enough money to pay claims and post collateral, if needed."
Earlier today, New York's Gov. David Patterson announced that he had cleared AIG to borrow up to $20 billion from its operating subsidiaries to cover day-to-day needs. In making the announcement he stated what many of us already know -- AIG still remains financially sound.
Let me assure you, AIG continues to rank among the largest and strongest insurance companies in the world. Not only do we have ample resources to pay our claims, but we continue to do so with a level of responsive service that is unmatched by any of our competitors.
Only Travel Guard pays claims within 24 hours of final documentation. Only Travel Guard initiates 98% of our claims with a single phone call. Only Travel Guard uses the Fairness Principle, where denied claims are reviewed by arbitrators.
And only Travel Guard has 24/7, multilingual assistance centers located strategically throughout the world to provide your clients with an unparalleled scope of medical assistance, travel assistance and personal assistance services. No one takes better care of your customers than AIG Travel Guard.
Since founding Travel Guard back in 1985, I have guided the company through the ups and downs of many challenging market situations, catastrophic events, and periods of uncertainty. We have earned the trust of millions of travelers and thousands of travel partners because we keep our promises, we follow our values, and we do everything possible to help our customers.
It will be business as usual at AIG Travel Guard in the days, months and years to come. Rest assured, Travel Guard will be there when you and your clients need us most.
We value our relationship with you, and thank you for choosing to do business with us.
Sincerely,
John M. Noel
Chief Executive Officer
AIG Travel Guard
Dear Valued Partners,
There have been a lot of media reports recently regarding AIG and the impact that the sub prime mortgage crisis has had on its business and its stock price. Certainly we are all concerned about the adjustments that are taking place in our financial markets. With respect to AIG and Travel Guard, I'm sure the questions in many of your minds are, "How does this impact my Travel Guard customers?" "Will Travel Guard be there to honor their claims if they have a financial loss?" "If they have a problem during their travels, will they get the astonishing service that they have come to expect from Travel Guard?"
The answer to all of these questions is a resounding "Yes!" AIG is different than other financial institutions that have been severely impacted by recent developments in the financial service markets. We have strong, well-positioned businesses in diverse markets around the world. We have a deep asset base, with stakeholders' equity of $79.9 billion and assets of over $1 trillion. And as you know, Travel Guard has been a strong, dependable partner that has always been there for our travel partners and their clients.
It may be of some comfort to know that independent sources outside of AIG also have confirmed our financial stability. For example, The New York State Department of Insurance, which regulates AIG, says we "continue to meet New York's solvency standards and are able to honor our policyholder obligations." An article in today's Wall Street Journal, quoted Standard & Poor's as saying that "AIG has enough money to pay claims and post collateral, if needed."
Earlier today, New York's Gov. David Patterson announced that he had cleared AIG to borrow up to $20 billion from its operating subsidiaries to cover day-to-day needs. In making the announcement he stated what many of us already know -- AIG still remains financially sound.
Let me assure you, AIG continues to rank among the largest and strongest insurance companies in the world. Not only do we have ample resources to pay our claims, but we continue to do so with a level of responsive service that is unmatched by any of our competitors.
Only Travel Guard pays claims within 24 hours of final documentation. Only Travel Guard initiates 98% of our claims with a single phone call. Only Travel Guard uses the Fairness Principle, where denied claims are reviewed by arbitrators.
And only Travel Guard has 24/7, multilingual assistance centers located strategically throughout the world to provide your clients with an unparalleled scope of medical assistance, travel assistance and personal assistance services. No one takes better care of your customers than AIG Travel Guard.
Since founding Travel Guard back in 1985, I have guided the company through the ups and downs of many challenging market situations, catastrophic events, and periods of uncertainty. We have earned the trust of millions of travelers and thousands of travel partners because we keep our promises, we follow our values, and we do everything possible to help our customers.
It will be business as usual at AIG Travel Guard in the days, months and years to come. Rest assured, Travel Guard will be there when you and your clients need us most.
We value our relationship with you, and thank you for choosing to do business with us.
Sincerely,
John M. Noel
Chief Executive Officer
AIG Travel Guard
Friday, September 5, 2008
Continental's New Checked Bag Policy
Effective Oct. 7, 2008, customers will be charged $15 for their first checked bag when traveling on tickets purchased on or after Sept. 5, 2008, within the U.S., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. The service fee will not apply to EliteAccess® customers, including those seated in First or BusinessFirst®, OnePass Elite and SkyTeam® Elite members, customers traveling on full-fare economy (Y) class tickets, or military personnel and their families traveling on official orders.
Effective for travel on or after Jan. 1, 2009, OnePass members will earn the actual miles flown rather than a minimum of 500 miles per flight for tickets purchased on or after Nov. 15, 2008. This affects base miles and Elite Qualifying Miles on flights operated by Continental* and most OnePass airline partners**. Also effective for reward travel booked on or after Jan.1, 2009, reward travel mileage requirements will increase for customers traveling between North America and Tel Aviv (TLV) and between Hawaii and Tel Aviv.
Effective for travel on or after March 1, 2009, Elite Mileage Bonuses will decrease for Platinum members from 125% to 100% and for Silver members from 50% to 25% for tickets purchased on or after Nov. 15, 2008. Gold members will continue to earn 100% mileage bonuses. Full details of all changes can be found at continental.com.
Effective for travel on or after Jan. 1, 2009, OnePass members will earn the actual miles flown rather than a minimum of 500 miles per flight for tickets purchased on or after Nov. 15, 2008. This affects base miles and Elite Qualifying Miles on flights operated by Continental* and most OnePass airline partners**. Also effective for reward travel booked on or after Jan.1, 2009, reward travel mileage requirements will increase for customers traveling between North America and Tel Aviv (TLV) and between Hawaii and Tel Aviv.
Effective for travel on or after March 1, 2009, Elite Mileage Bonuses will decrease for Platinum members from 125% to 100% and for Silver members from 50% to 25% for tickets purchased on or after Nov. 15, 2008. Gold members will continue to earn 100% mileage bonuses. Full details of all changes can be found at continental.com.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Where Have All the Online Travelers Gone
The number of travelers booking online is down. What's up?
This year US travel sales booked online will reach $105 billion, up 12% from 2007.
eMarketer forecasts that US online leisure and unmanaged business travel sales (including airline, hotel, rental car, vacation package, intercity rail and cruise) will reach $105 billion. Furthermore, from 2007 to 2012, sales will increase at an 11.6% average annual rate. Even though online travel sales are growing, fewer travelers are booking their trips online.
"The fact that fewer travelers are booking online is not due to economic concerns-online travel bookers are an affluent demographic-it is caused by frustrations related to the planning and booking capabilities of online travel agencies," says Jeff Grau, senior analyst at eMarketer and author of the new report, US Online Travel: Planning and Booking. "This, in turn, is spurring a renewed appreciation for the expertise and personalized services offered by traditional travel agents." In other words, online travel sites are steering customers back to offline travel agents-a complete turnaround of what has been happening in the category for the last decade. "Not so long ago industry observers cast traditional travel agents as has-beens," says Mr. Grau. "Perhaps this has helped them to focus on what they do best: provide travel expertise and personalized service."
Customer dissatisfaction with online travel agencies (OTAs) stems specifically from unfriendly booking engines and navigation tools. With few points of differentiation, OTAs have a hard time building customer loyalty and have driven travelers right into the open arms of traditional travel agencies-and new online competitors. "Mired in old technology, the OTAs have failed to keep pace with a newer and more innovative breed of travel Websites built around user-generated content," says Mr. Grau. Online travel communities are emerging to carry the torch of innovation. "In addition, a new breed of matchmaking travel sites is bringing traditional travel agency talent online," says Mr. Grau. "Sites like Zicasso and Tripology help travelers to exotic locales find travel agents tailored to their interests and needs."
(Click on the title of this post to see more travel industry information)
This year US travel sales booked online will reach $105 billion, up 12% from 2007.
eMarketer forecasts that US online leisure and unmanaged business travel sales (including airline, hotel, rental car, vacation package, intercity rail and cruise) will reach $105 billion. Furthermore, from 2007 to 2012, sales will increase at an 11.6% average annual rate. Even though online travel sales are growing, fewer travelers are booking their trips online.
"The fact that fewer travelers are booking online is not due to economic concerns-online travel bookers are an affluent demographic-it is caused by frustrations related to the planning and booking capabilities of online travel agencies," says Jeff Grau, senior analyst at eMarketer and author of the new report, US Online Travel: Planning and Booking. "This, in turn, is spurring a renewed appreciation for the expertise and personalized services offered by traditional travel agents." In other words, online travel sites are steering customers back to offline travel agents-a complete turnaround of what has been happening in the category for the last decade. "Not so long ago industry observers cast traditional travel agents as has-beens," says Mr. Grau. "Perhaps this has helped them to focus on what they do best: provide travel expertise and personalized service."
Customer dissatisfaction with online travel agencies (OTAs) stems specifically from unfriendly booking engines and navigation tools. With few points of differentiation, OTAs have a hard time building customer loyalty and have driven travelers right into the open arms of traditional travel agencies-and new online competitors. "Mired in old technology, the OTAs have failed to keep pace with a newer and more innovative breed of travel Websites built around user-generated content," says Mr. Grau. Online travel communities are emerging to carry the torch of innovation. "In addition, a new breed of matchmaking travel sites is bringing traditional travel agency talent online," says Mr. Grau. "Sites like Zicasso and Tripology help travelers to exotic locales find travel agents tailored to their interests and needs."
(Click on the title of this post to see more travel industry information)
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Jalousie Plantation and Cotton Bay Village, St Lucia
Tommy and I went to St Lucia from July 27 - August 3, 2008. We spent 3 nights at Jalousie Plantation in Soufriere on the Caribbean Sea side followed by 3 more nights in Cotton Bay Village in Castries on the Atlantic side of the island.
Our trip got off to a shaky start. We had to leave very early to be at JFK airport by 7:30 am for our flight. After being delayed for an hour, we were finally ready for take off. Shortly after we took off a fire alarm went off on our plane, in one of the bathrooms. The flight attendant couldn't get the door open and started to panic a bit. The passengers near the bathroom said they could smell something like plastic burning, so we were forced to make an emergency landing in Dulles airport. We were told we would probably wait a short time while they checked the plane and then take off. We got off the plane and waited in the terminal. We ended up waiting four hours before American Airlines' personnel told us we were going to stay overnight. We were put up at a Sheraton for the night and buses picked us up at 4 am for a 6 am flight the next day. When we arrived at the airport the next day we had to wait on line again (40 minutes) to get new boarding passes for the flight. We boarded the plane at 6:15 and sat on the plane until we took off at 7:25 am. Now we're on our way! Without any food for a 4 1/2 hour flight...oh, they forgot to supply the plane with any food, whether free or for purchase.
Jalousie Plantation
Okay, so now for the good part. We took a taxi to the Jalousie Plantation resort which is located on the western side of the island. The ride was about an hour long and it was very scenic. Our check in was easy, we were welcomed with rum punch, then we were driven to our room, which was a mountain view suite.
We had a king size bed with a canopy, sitting area with sofa and coffee table, large bathroom with a separate dressing area, a porch with lounge chairs, and a private plunge pool.
The room had a tiled floor, fresh flowers which are grown on the property, small fridge, and very nice Neutrogena amenities in the bathroom. Our view was absolutely gorgeous - we looked out to the Caribbean Sea between the two Pitons. We were given a flashlight and a can of bug spray and, because the windows and doors don't make a tight seal, we needed the spray. Unfortunately the room's furnishings are outdated and worn. The property is converting to condo ownership and the area where we stayed has not been updated yet.
To go anywhere on the property, if you are not staying near the beach, you need to call for a ride and a van comes to pick you up. We didn't have to wait long at all for the van to come, although we were told that in season some people have to wait up to 40 minutes for the van to come. The beach was very nice, and there were plenty of lounge chairs and shade. The water was nice and calm, very clean, and there are designated swim, snorkel, and boating areas. There are kayaks and pedal boats to take out, although no mats for use except in the pool, and you can get a free dive lesson if you are on the all inclusive plan. There are water taxis that come to the beach area and some locals trying to sell shirts, etc. One man and his dog, Whitey, made the rounds each day, trying to sell coconuts he picked up from the beach.
There are four restaurants on the property. The Bayside Bar and Grill is open for lunch (buffet or off the menu) and dinner on some nights. There was a manager's cocktail party with a guest "meet and greet" on Monday night, followed by a dinner buffet. A big thank you to Sulsa who gave us great service at the Bayside. Tuesday night we had dinner at the Plantation Room an upscale restaurant which had excellent food and service.
We also ate at the Pier which is located on the water and had a Caribbean menu with a beautiful setting. The Verandah Terrace is where you have breakfast and that is set up on the hillside with a nice view of the beach and the Pitons. The all inclusive meal plan includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea with premium brand drinks, wine and sparkling wine by the glass. You can also order food while on the beach. On our last night there, we went to the Bang, which is another restaurant, privately owned, and we saw a show put on by the Jalousie employees.
Up by the Verandah Terrace in the Great House, there is a room with two pool tables and a bar, and outside this room is a ping pong table. This is also where there are two computers available for guests' use, free of charge. There is a life sized chess table outside on the grounds. The spa is nice, could use a bit of a sprucing.
Available on property: Complmentary Water Sports • Windsurfing • Sailing • Snorkeling • Kayaking • Hobie Cat• Watersport Lessons • Pedal Boats
Complimentary Land Sports • Tennis • Archery • Billiards • Beach Volleyball • Table Tennis
PADI Certificated Dive Centre• Full PADI courses and certification: PADI Open Water, Adventure Dive and Rescue. Includes all equipment, air fills and boat.
Complimentary Fitness Facilities • Weight Training • Multi-System Gym • Cardiovascular Equipment • Yoga & Pilates • Aerobics, Step, Aqua, Stretch and Dance Class
Off Site Activities
Jalousie Signature Tours – with a minimum of 4 adults
Soufriere Market Tour
Volcano & Diamond Falls Tour
Fond Doux Estate Tour
Anse La Raye Experience
Glass Bottom Boat Tour
Grand Bois Waterfall Tour
Cross Country Hike
Cotton Bay Village, Castries
We took a taxi from Jalousie to Cotton Bay Village, which brought us up the remainder of the "west" road to the Northeast tip of the island. Cotton Bay Village is a new ownership property which is also available for rent. Our taxi driver was Kevin. He gave us a narrated tour as we drove along the mountainous road. We were greeted at Cotton Bay by Ginette and Ed. Ginette is the front desk manager and Ed is a butler on staff. I also have to mention Fabian, Sophia (who gave us a tour of the spa), and Aloyshia, our spa massage therapist.
The check in also went smoothly and the front desk area was beautiful. It is located at the spa and the workout facility is right across the driveway. There is a computer there that is available for a fee. It does amaze me that the computers available at both resorts were in very warm areas. I would be afraid they would overheat.
Our room was a two bedroom apartment with a living room, full kitchen, and two and a half baths. The master bedroom has a king bed and the second bedroom has two twins. The second bedroom is quite a tight fit for the two beds. The bedrooms are air conditioned but the rest of the apartment is not. There are televisions in both bedrooms as well as in the living room. The sliding doors lead out to the covered patio which has a table and chairs and beyond that is another patio area with two lounge chairs. The apartments surround a large pool and there is a bar located at the pool.
It was a short walk to the beach and this is where the restaurant is located where you can have breakfast all day, as well as lunch and dinner. Many, many thanks to Sandy, Priscillia, Marge, Agathe, Mark at the bar, and Leroy who served us on the beach. The location of the restaurant right on the beach was perfect - there is such a breeze coming off the Atlantic and the sound of the ocean is so soothing.
We ate dinner one night at Piano, Piano which is an upscale restaurant on property. There is a nice piano bar there where we had a drink before dinner, and the restaurant has a very subdued, welcoming feel to it. Melissa, our waitress in training, did a great job.
There is a deli and a gift shop near entrance to the resort. You can rent DVD's from the front desk and they will arrange for excursions off the property as well. We had a tour of a villa and townhouse.Villas: An entrance lobby opens up to a grand sitting area and a teak dinning room with glazed vaulted ceilings. An open terrace, garden with dining gazebo and private pool. Guests who stay in a villa have butler service.
Townhouse: These have three bedrooms, kitchen and breakfast bar, a garden with a private pool and a rooftop sun terrace with a Jacuzzi.
The Casuarina Spa features Elemis spa products (seen on many cruise ships). After seeing what was available as far as spa treatments, Tommy and I each chose to have a Vichy Shower spa treatment. The Vichy Shower is an energizing and relaxing therapy using multi-jet warm and cool water massaging the body while the massage therapist also massages. This improves the blood and lymphatic system and leaves you feeling wonderful!
Land Sports •18-hole championship golf course nearby Beach Volleyball •Beach Horseback Riding
Water Sports • Tornado Kite Surfing and Windsurfing Centre •Swimming •Kayaking
Fitness Activities •Fitness Centre •Tai Chi – One-on-One Classes available •Yoga – One-on-One Classes available
Also available at Cotton Bay Village’s sister resort The Bodyholiday:Tennis, Scuba Diving, Water-skiing and Sailing.
Some things I would suggest to make a guest's stay more comfortable are:
a full length mirror in the apartment • an outlet near a mirror for drying your hair •better directions for operating the oven, washer, and safe •a lock with a key that matches the front door for the sliding door to the pool •directions for using the phone for outside lines
a game room with a pool table, ping pong
We arranged for our taxi driver, Kevin, to pick us up at Cotton Bay to bring us back to the airport. This time we went along the "east" road and that was even more beautiful. We had great views of the Atlantic as well as of the banana plantations. We waited in a crowded airport because one of the planes scheduled to depart had been delayed. And when we got on our America Airlines plane, we taxied and then started to return to the gate because there was a red light that would not go out on the console. The pilot was in touch with Oklahoma City and they were able to fix it. Good thing because the pilot said there were no mechanics on the island and we would have been spending the night. I doubt it would have been back at Cotton Bay!
One thing that concerns me is all the building that is going on. St Lucia exports bananas which is creates income to the country. But the biggest provider of income is tourism. There are so many construction projects going on that I am afraid that it is "too much, too soon". The Four Seasons had a resort planned, but there is a delay in that and the Westin delayed building as well.
Lastly, I was very annoyed with Verizon Wireless. I had called prior to our trip to ask if we would have service and was assured that we would. Well, guess what...it cost me $42 to make a phone call and charge it to my credit card (and I made two calls home). Thanks, Verizon.
(To read this review on my blog, click here. Pictures are included)
Our trip got off to a shaky start. We had to leave very early to be at JFK airport by 7:30 am for our flight. After being delayed for an hour, we were finally ready for take off. Shortly after we took off a fire alarm went off on our plane, in one of the bathrooms. The flight attendant couldn't get the door open and started to panic a bit. The passengers near the bathroom said they could smell something like plastic burning, so we were forced to make an emergency landing in Dulles airport. We were told we would probably wait a short time while they checked the plane and then take off. We got off the plane and waited in the terminal. We ended up waiting four hours before American Airlines' personnel told us we were going to stay overnight. We were put up at a Sheraton for the night and buses picked us up at 4 am for a 6 am flight the next day. When we arrived at the airport the next day we had to wait on line again (40 minutes) to get new boarding passes for the flight. We boarded the plane at 6:15 and sat on the plane until we took off at 7:25 am. Now we're on our way! Without any food for a 4 1/2 hour flight...oh, they forgot to supply the plane with any food, whether free or for purchase.
Jalousie Plantation
Okay, so now for the good part. We took a taxi to the Jalousie Plantation resort which is located on the western side of the island. The ride was about an hour long and it was very scenic. Our check in was easy, we were welcomed with rum punch, then we were driven to our room, which was a mountain view suite.
We had a king size bed with a canopy, sitting area with sofa and coffee table, large bathroom with a separate dressing area, a porch with lounge chairs, and a private plunge pool.
The room had a tiled floor, fresh flowers which are grown on the property, small fridge, and very nice Neutrogena amenities in the bathroom. Our view was absolutely gorgeous - we looked out to the Caribbean Sea between the two Pitons. We were given a flashlight and a can of bug spray and, because the windows and doors don't make a tight seal, we needed the spray. Unfortunately the room's furnishings are outdated and worn. The property is converting to condo ownership and the area where we stayed has not been updated yet.
To go anywhere on the property, if you are not staying near the beach, you need to call for a ride and a van comes to pick you up. We didn't have to wait long at all for the van to come, although we were told that in season some people have to wait up to 40 minutes for the van to come. The beach was very nice, and there were plenty of lounge chairs and shade. The water was nice and calm, very clean, and there are designated swim, snorkel, and boating areas. There are kayaks and pedal boats to take out, although no mats for use except in the pool, and you can get a free dive lesson if you are on the all inclusive plan. There are water taxis that come to the beach area and some locals trying to sell shirts, etc. One man and his dog, Whitey, made the rounds each day, trying to sell coconuts he picked up from the beach.
There are four restaurants on the property. The Bayside Bar and Grill is open for lunch (buffet or off the menu) and dinner on some nights. There was a manager's cocktail party with a guest "meet and greet" on Monday night, followed by a dinner buffet. A big thank you to Sulsa who gave us great service at the Bayside. Tuesday night we had dinner at the Plantation Room an upscale restaurant which had excellent food and service.
We also ate at the Pier which is located on the water and had a Caribbean menu with a beautiful setting. The Verandah Terrace is where you have breakfast and that is set up on the hillside with a nice view of the beach and the Pitons. The all inclusive meal plan includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea with premium brand drinks, wine and sparkling wine by the glass. You can also order food while on the beach. On our last night there, we went to the Bang, which is another restaurant, privately owned, and we saw a show put on by the Jalousie employees.
Up by the Verandah Terrace in the Great House, there is a room with two pool tables and a bar, and outside this room is a ping pong table. This is also where there are two computers available for guests' use, free of charge. There is a life sized chess table outside on the grounds. The spa is nice, could use a bit of a sprucing.
Available on property: Complmentary Water Sports • Windsurfing • Sailing • Snorkeling • Kayaking • Hobie Cat• Watersport Lessons • Pedal Boats
Complimentary Land Sports • Tennis • Archery • Billiards • Beach Volleyball • Table Tennis
PADI Certificated Dive Centre• Full PADI courses and certification: PADI Open Water, Adventure Dive and Rescue. Includes all equipment, air fills and boat.
Complimentary Fitness Facilities • Weight Training • Multi-System Gym • Cardiovascular Equipment • Yoga & Pilates • Aerobics, Step, Aqua, Stretch and Dance Class
Off Site Activities
Jalousie Signature Tours – with a minimum of 4 adults
Soufriere Market Tour
Volcano & Diamond Falls Tour
Fond Doux Estate Tour
Anse La Raye Experience
Glass Bottom Boat Tour
Grand Bois Waterfall Tour
Cross Country Hike
Cotton Bay Village, Castries
We took a taxi from Jalousie to Cotton Bay Village, which brought us up the remainder of the "west" road to the Northeast tip of the island. Cotton Bay Village is a new ownership property which is also available for rent. Our taxi driver was Kevin. He gave us a narrated tour as we drove along the mountainous road. We were greeted at Cotton Bay by Ginette and Ed. Ginette is the front desk manager and Ed is a butler on staff. I also have to mention Fabian, Sophia (who gave us a tour of the spa), and Aloyshia, our spa massage therapist.
The check in also went smoothly and the front desk area was beautiful. It is located at the spa and the workout facility is right across the driveway. There is a computer there that is available for a fee. It does amaze me that the computers available at both resorts were in very warm areas. I would be afraid they would overheat.
Our room was a two bedroom apartment with a living room, full kitchen, and two and a half baths. The master bedroom has a king bed and the second bedroom has two twins. The second bedroom is quite a tight fit for the two beds. The bedrooms are air conditioned but the rest of the apartment is not. There are televisions in both bedrooms as well as in the living room. The sliding doors lead out to the covered patio which has a table and chairs and beyond that is another patio area with two lounge chairs. The apartments surround a large pool and there is a bar located at the pool.
It was a short walk to the beach and this is where the restaurant is located where you can have breakfast all day, as well as lunch and dinner. Many, many thanks to Sandy, Priscillia, Marge, Agathe, Mark at the bar, and Leroy who served us on the beach. The location of the restaurant right on the beach was perfect - there is such a breeze coming off the Atlantic and the sound of the ocean is so soothing.
We ate dinner one night at Piano, Piano which is an upscale restaurant on property. There is a nice piano bar there where we had a drink before dinner, and the restaurant has a very subdued, welcoming feel to it. Melissa, our waitress in training, did a great job.
There is a deli and a gift shop near entrance to the resort. You can rent DVD's from the front desk and they will arrange for excursions off the property as well. We had a tour of a villa and townhouse.Villas: An entrance lobby opens up to a grand sitting area and a teak dinning room with glazed vaulted ceilings. An open terrace, garden with dining gazebo and private pool. Guests who stay in a villa have butler service.
Townhouse: These have three bedrooms, kitchen and breakfast bar, a garden with a private pool and a rooftop sun terrace with a Jacuzzi.
The Casuarina Spa features Elemis spa products (seen on many cruise ships). After seeing what was available as far as spa treatments, Tommy and I each chose to have a Vichy Shower spa treatment. The Vichy Shower is an energizing and relaxing therapy using multi-jet warm and cool water massaging the body while the massage therapist also massages. This improves the blood and lymphatic system and leaves you feeling wonderful!
Land Sports •18-hole championship golf course nearby Beach Volleyball •Beach Horseback Riding
Water Sports • Tornado Kite Surfing and Windsurfing Centre •Swimming •Kayaking
Fitness Activities •Fitness Centre •Tai Chi – One-on-One Classes available •Yoga – One-on-One Classes available
Also available at Cotton Bay Village’s sister resort The Bodyholiday:Tennis, Scuba Diving, Water-skiing and Sailing.
Some things I would suggest to make a guest's stay more comfortable are:
a full length mirror in the apartment • an outlet near a mirror for drying your hair •better directions for operating the oven, washer, and safe •a lock with a key that matches the front door for the sliding door to the pool •directions for using the phone for outside lines
a game room with a pool table, ping pong
We arranged for our taxi driver, Kevin, to pick us up at Cotton Bay to bring us back to the airport. This time we went along the "east" road and that was even more beautiful. We had great views of the Atlantic as well as of the banana plantations. We waited in a crowded airport because one of the planes scheduled to depart had been delayed. And when we got on our America Airlines plane, we taxied and then started to return to the gate because there was a red light that would not go out on the console. The pilot was in touch with Oklahoma City and they were able to fix it. Good thing because the pilot said there were no mechanics on the island and we would have been spending the night. I doubt it would have been back at Cotton Bay!
One thing that concerns me is all the building that is going on. St Lucia exports bananas which is creates income to the country. But the biggest provider of income is tourism. There are so many construction projects going on that I am afraid that it is "too much, too soon". The Four Seasons had a resort planned, but there is a delay in that and the Westin delayed building as well.
Lastly, I was very annoyed with Verizon Wireless. I had called prior to our trip to ask if we would have service and was assured that we would. Well, guess what...it cost me $42 to make a phone call and charge it to my credit card (and I made two calls home). Thanks, Verizon.
(To read this review on my blog, click here. Pictures are included)
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Chan's Alaska Cruise Tour on the Millenium
11 night Alaska Cruise Tour (southbound)
4 night Land Tour & 7 night Cruise
Monday June 2, to Friday June 13, 2008
Highlights: First day we traveled on three different flights to Alaska and after landing at our final destination, Fairbanks airport, we transferred to our Hotel, Pike’s Water Lodge (one night stay). On the 2nd day, in the morning we took a cruise on the Riverboat Discovery Sternwheeler and stopped to visit Athabascan Indian Village. In the afternoon we went to Denali (Two nights in McKinley Village Lodge, Denali). On the 3rd day we took an 8 hour Denali park tour on the Tundra Wilderness Tour. On the 4th day we departed for the city of Anchorage. (One night stay in Hotel Marriott). On the 5th day we boarded the Wilderness Express, the glass-domed train cars for a ride to Seward.
Next 7 days, took 7 day cruise to Vancouver stopping at Hubbard Glacier, Skagway, Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan and finally at Vancouver.
Monday June 2, 2008. It was very pleasant morning to travel, 62 F degree. From Newark, NJ, we flew Alaska Airlines (AS 011 737-800 - full capacity) at 7.40a.m, arrived in Seattle at 10.17a.m., departed Seattle (AS 095 737-900 full capacity) at 12noon and arrived in Anchorage at 2.30p.m., departed Anchorage (AS 051 737-400 full capacity) at 4.10p.m. and arrived at our final destination Fairbanks, Alaska, at 5.15p.m. (The temperature was unusually warm i.e. 75Fdegree).
At Fairbanks we were picked-up by our Celebrity group and checked-in to our hotel Pike’s Water Lodge at 7.p.m. for one night stay. Here we met our Tour Director Bryan, who discussed our next 5 day program. At 7.30 we had dinner at the Pike’s Lodge near the water.
The first night was a new experience for us because the real night never arrived. Even after midnight, in spite of closed curtaind, I kept waking-up and looking out side. It was a unique experience. Incidentally, in Fairbanks, the summer season has no darkness, they do not celebrate July 4th (in day light one cannot enjoy the firework). Instead, on June 21, which is the longest day of the year – day light stays for 23 hours, they have a nighttime baseball game starting at 10p.m. and finishing at 12midnight (without any artificial light) and then they celebrate a special day similar to July 4th.
Tuesday June 3, 2008. This morning was a little cloudy and 55 F Degree. We had breakfast at 7a.m., left at 7.45a.m. for the Riverboat Discovery Sternwheeler tour. On this ride we experienced a variety of things i.e. how the Alaskan husky dogs are trained for the race, how salmon fish are caught, how local native people live including our visit to an Athabascan Indian Village. It was very educational. Our tour completed at 1p.m.
About Fairbanks: Fairbanks is considered to be a stage era i.e. started the Gold mine rush, discovery of oil in late 40’s (during this time because of oil, more than 70,000 people moved in Fairbanks some of them making 6 figures salary), military build-up due to invasion by Japan and finally after 9/11, Fairbanks played an important roll to defend our country from North Korea and Russia. One more point about Fairbanks, the main source of electricity is coal because 8 months of the year all rivers are frozen and thus no chance for hydroelectric power.
After lunch we visited the city of Fairbanks including the Golden Heart Plaza and stopped at the most famous Alaska Pipeline. “The Pipeline People” center. Took many pictures. After this we headed toward Denali.
Upon arriving we checked-in our hotel McKinley Village Lodge for two nights stay. Fortunately we all got to stay in the brand new section of the lodge i.e. we were the first guests to stay in this portion of the lodge. Once again this lodge was located in one of the most beautiful locations under nature.
Wednesday June 4, 2008. Weather was cool but very pleasant, 40 F degree going up-to 57 F. Once again, breakfast at 6.30 and left our hotel at 7.45a.m. For 8 hours Tundra Wilderness Bus tour of Denali. On this tour we were provided a box lunch. . According to our tour guide Bryan, who is also a National Park’s employee and Denali expert, our time i.e. first week of June is the best time not only because it hardly rains in June but also the weather is very pleasant and it is a beginning of summer season, thus, during this time we will see every things including the glaciers in fullest form.
About Denali. Unlike other national parks of US, including the Yellowstone National Park, Denali Park has only one road to go in-out of the park. Denali Park is 6million Sq. miles compare to the Yellowstone 2 million. Denali or Mount McKinley as many call it is the tallest mountain on the North American continent. The south peak is 20,320 feet high; the north peak has an elevation of 19,470 feet. The mountain was named in 1896 for William McKinley of Ohio. Of the 20 highest mountains in the United States, 17 are in Alaska and the top two are the north and south peaks of Denali.
During our 63 miles tour in Denali park we were lucky to see the following wild creatures; Grizzly Bears, Moose, Caribou, white Sheep, “Rock Rabbit” or Collared Pika, Ground Squirrel, Marmot (bugger than ground squirrel), Fox, golden Eagle, Owl -mother and babies, Snowshoe Hare (one kind of rabbit) and finally the State bird Willow Ptarmigan.
Upon returning to our hotel we had local wine and beer and at 7p.m. had dinner at the local restaurant. After dinner we took a shuttle bus for downtown Denali and did some site seeing and souvenir shopping.
Thursday June 5, 2008. Another beautiful morning started with 49 F Degree and going up-to 58. This morning put our bags out at 8a.m. and after breakfast we left the hotel by bus at 9.30a.m. heading south toward Anchorage. The name of this highway was Park Highway. This highway is built in the wildest and deepest valley in Alaska – on both sides’ mountains are covered with snow and river flowing next to them and the snow-covered mountains and their reflection in the river was the most beautiful site we have ever seen.
At 11.15a.m. We stopped for a box lunch at Alaska Veteran Memorial park. Left at 12 noon to continue our journey south to Anchorage. In the bus we played “Moon Migration Game” (It is a game where the entire group in our bus is divided into two teams. Each person, (individually from both team) draws a picture of Moose, one part/one person at a time. The best drawing/picture wins). Around 2p.m. we made anther stop at the most famous ice-cream place. We all tested moose ice-cream mixed with other flavors. We also passed a fasted growing town in Alaska called Massella. We also passed Elmenda Air force base (one of the three largest air force bases in US), where our new F-22 Rafters are being tested and fortunately we did see few being tested, (by August 2008, they suppose to complete 20 planes). Incidentally, Alaska has the highest number of people with pilot licenses, 1 in 65.
Arrived in Anchorage around 3.15p.m. and were dropped-off for site seeing and souvenir shopping in the town. At 5p.m. we were picked-up for check-in to our hotel Marriott. (For one night stay) Back to town for dinner and returned to hotel at 10p.m.
About Anchorage. Population 260,290, this is equal to one half of the state’s total population. It is the state’s only truly large city, where some uniquely wild aspects to this city. A thousand or so moose live within the city limits plus wolves and bear are often seen around the edges of town. Business people, prospectors, fishermen and ladies in the high heels all share the many great diversions this great city offers.
Friday June 6, 2008: This morning was again a most beautiful and comfortable morning (42F when we started our day and expected to go to 58F). Put Bags out at 5.45a.m. and left in our bus for a short ride at 6a.m. for our most beautiful Wilderness Express Train ride toward Seaward. While traveling, we had a formal breakfast in the train with a cappuccino, while we gazed out at cascading waterfalls and glaciers before traveling through Moose Pass. Later we had a very special drink called Moose Drink, like Irish coffee. It was spectacular ride with a glass-domed train car and we took many pictures.
Before we were taken to our cruise, we made a 1.1/2 hours stop at the Alaska Seal Life Center in Seaward. This is a non-profit organization conducting research on wild sea world creators, resulted from the Exxon Valdez oil spilled.
Checked in for our cruise at 2p.m. and said good-bye to our Tour Director Bryan and our Driver Tiffany. On-board the ship, all passengers had general dinner at 6.p.m. and at 8p.m. it was a time for the Emergency and Lifeboat Drill.
Saturday June 7, 2008: After a rainy night we woke-up with a beautiful weather. Today’s biggest event was to observe one of the largest glaciers called Hubbard Glacier. Stretching over 90 miles from the core of the 12 million acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park to the head of Yakutat Bay, the mighty Hubbard Glacier is one of Alaska’s largest and most unpredictable. Our captain took our ship to the closest point he could (around a small Island) through a thin layers of ice. In addition to the spectacular glacier we saw many, in different sizes, icebergs.
This entire glacier observation lasted around 5 hours and around 6p.m. we headed for our next destination. Tonight was one of our two formal nights. We got ready for it and went for dinner at 8.15p.m. At 11p.m. went to see the “spectacle of Broadway” show. This group of Celebrity singers and dancers were one of the best groups we have ever seen in any cruises.
Sunday June 8, 2008: Another sunny and beautiful morning in Juneau, Alaska. At 9.
a.m. we took our excursion tour called Juneau Deluxe Highlights, which took us to three different places; First, the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery where we learned how a hatchery enhances stocks of wild Alaskan salmon. Second, the most famous Mendenhall Glacier, one of the largest glaciers in Alaska that is accessible by road. Over 200 feet high, nearly three miles wide, and 12 miles long. It is one of the most spectacular sights in Alaska. And the third, Glacier Garden. At these botanical gardens of beauty and imagination unfolds. We were guided through the flower garden, complete with a cascading stream which took us for a detailed view of the lush rainforest. Total tour took us 4hours and 15 minutes.
Facts about Juneau: Population 31,000. Founded 13 years after the purchase of Alaska, it was Juneau, and more importantly its gold, that captured the imagination of the American public. The majority of the American population doubted the wisdom of the Alaska purchase. Most considered it a vast worthless frozen waste land, but in 1880 two drunken pioneers, Dick Harris and Joe Juneau, reluctantly carried home the gold that was to start a long series of gold rushes in this corner of the globe and establish Alaska’s worth in America’s eyes. Eventually Juneau became Alaska’s capital, located on Gastintains Channel, part of the Pacific Ocean.
At 7.p.m. enjoyed the Magic Show by the magic cat himself, Bob Brizendine. 8.30p.m. dinner (special curried chicken).
Monday June 9, 2008: Our ship docked in Skagway at 7a.m. Weather was cloudy but the sun came out little later. Had a late breakfast and at 11a.m. left the ship for a White Pass Railway & Historic City Highlights tour. We boarded on the 1890’s style parlor car and retraced the original route up to the Yukon’s White Pass Summit. This world famous narrow gage White Pass and Yukon Route railroad is an unforgettable ride along the eastern side of the White Passas we retrace the steps of early gold seekers. This iron trail was built over 100 years ago through some of the North’s most rugged terrain. Upon arriving in Fraser, British Columbia, Canada (because of this crossing we needed passport for this ride) we ended our train journey and boarded a motor coach for a narrated tour back to Skagway. Total tour time was 4hours and 30 minutes.
About Skagway. Population 1,000. Four blocks wide and 23 blocks long, today’s Skagway is still more than a foothold in a gigantic wilderness, but over the last century it has become much more peaceful and civilized. Basically Skagway located near Haines on the inlet of the Pacific Ocean, 90 miles north of Juneau, is a historic gold rush town. In the 1890s prospectors left Skagway for the Klondike gold fields, hiking over the Chilkoot Pass to Lake Bennett.
Upon returning to our ship, at 7p.m. we enjoyed the fantastic the Celebrity singers and Dancers performing “I Love the Nightlife”. After 8.30p.m. Dinner we walked around the photo gallery.
Tuesday June 10, 2008. Our ship arrived in the Icy Strait Point at 7a.m. and weather was cold (40Fdgree). After healthy breakfast, 9a.m. we took tender to go to the private island to take the 10a.m. Forest & Nature Tram tour (2 hours tour). This covered wheeled tram travel through an old growth forest (where many plants and animals that inhabit these rainforests and their importance in maintaing the delicate balance of healthy temperate rainforest) and along the shores of Icy Strait. Here we saw dolphin in water and Eagle nest with Eagle flying in and out (took pictures).
In addition, this exclusive “private island” experience allows only a single ship to visit Icy Strait Point’s scenic and pristine wilderness at a time. Returned to ship at 2p.m. At 7p.m. attended the Hilarious comedy show of Jeff Nease. Dinner at 8.30 and at 10.45p.m. enjoyed the newlywed, not so newly wed game show, hosted by our cruise director James.
Wednesday June 11, 2008. Woke-up with one of the most beautiful mornings in Ketchikan, Alaska. Arrived at the port at 9a.m. and after breakfast we went out for shopping. All stores were right outside at the dock. At 10.45a.m. We joined the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. This was a real treat, where Southeast Alaska’s rich logging history comes to life in this display of woodsmen skills. The world’s best lumberjacks go head to head in more than a dozen exciting events such as chopping, sawing, relay races, axe throwing, log rolling and the 50 foot speed climb.
After lunch, came back to the dock and walked around the shopping areas. At 3p.m. took the Ketchikan Duck Tour. This unique amphibious vehicle took us through the streets of Ketchikan and literally into the harbor, where we saw local fishing canneries, seaplane docks and Ketchikan’s waterfront community.
About Ketchikan. Population 14,500. Ketchikan considered the salmon capital of the world and is a unique place of beauty built along a steep hillside. With boardwalks and buildings on pilings, this friendly town hums with activity. Cool summers, cold winters and 13.5 feet of rain each year encourage visitors to bring an umbrella. Basically, Ketchikan is a small town, its long main street skirts a waterfront built on pilings over the sea. Short side streets and steep wooden stairways lead to residential areas on the bluff above. A few blocks from Ketchikan’s downtown cruise ships dock is Creek Street – famous or infamous as a former red-light district whose houses, some restored, follow a curving plank road built over Ketchikan Creek. Ketchikan is also noted for the world’s largest collection of totem poles. Several sites are dedicated to these interesting important Indian art forms.
Got back to ship around 5.30p.m. and at 8.30p.m. We had dinner and at 10.45p.m. Attended the third and final show by the Celebrity Singers and Dancers in “Classique: A Musical Odyssey”. During this time i.e. at 6p.m. we had already left for our 1000 miles Inside Passage journey to our final destination, Vancouver, Canada.
Thursday June 12, 2008. Today was the first day we woke-up with rain. Fortunately we do not have to make any stop so it was o.k. After late breakfast, at 10.45a.m., we attended the disembarkation and farewell show hosted by our cruise Director James Calhoun. Besides sharing stories from previous cruises, he introduced Millennium staff.
Friday June 13, 2008. We arrived in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at around 7a.m. and Weather was sunny and clear. Our bags were color coded and numbered night before and accordingly we were transferred to the airport on time for our 11.15a.m. Air Canada flight to Newark New Jersey via Toronto. We arrived at Newark on time at 10.p.m.
About the Millennium. Ship was built in June 2000, occupancy 2038, tonnage 91,000, length 965 feet, cruising speed 24 knots. Great service, all types of cabins are very comfortable especially the Deluxe Ocean View with Veranda. Plenty of closet space and comfortable shower space. Metropolitan restaurant is very comfortable and food/service was superb. Photo Gallery was beautiful with great collection. Good gym and the entire fitness center is well designed.
Overall the ship is great, service is great and I recommend celebrity to every one.
One final observation; Alaska and its national parks are such a wonder of nature, everything is untouched/natural and it is time that we, the so called “superior, intelligent creature”, should learn how to preserve this natural beauty all the time at any costs.
C/P/Alaska 6/2 to 6/13-2008
4 night Land Tour & 7 night Cruise
Monday June 2, to Friday June 13, 2008
Highlights: First day we traveled on three different flights to Alaska and after landing at our final destination, Fairbanks airport, we transferred to our Hotel, Pike’s Water Lodge (one night stay). On the 2nd day, in the morning we took a cruise on the Riverboat Discovery Sternwheeler and stopped to visit Athabascan Indian Village. In the afternoon we went to Denali (Two nights in McKinley Village Lodge, Denali). On the 3rd day we took an 8 hour Denali park tour on the Tundra Wilderness Tour. On the 4th day we departed for the city of Anchorage. (One night stay in Hotel Marriott). On the 5th day we boarded the Wilderness Express, the glass-domed train cars for a ride to Seward.
Next 7 days, took 7 day cruise to Vancouver stopping at Hubbard Glacier, Skagway, Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Ketchikan and finally at Vancouver.
Monday June 2, 2008. It was very pleasant morning to travel, 62 F degree. From Newark, NJ, we flew Alaska Airlines (AS 011 737-800 - full capacity) at 7.40a.m, arrived in Seattle at 10.17a.m., departed Seattle (AS 095 737-900 full capacity) at 12noon and arrived in Anchorage at 2.30p.m., departed Anchorage (AS 051 737-400 full capacity) at 4.10p.m. and arrived at our final destination Fairbanks, Alaska, at 5.15p.m. (The temperature was unusually warm i.e. 75Fdegree).
At Fairbanks we were picked-up by our Celebrity group and checked-in to our hotel Pike’s Water Lodge at 7.p.m. for one night stay. Here we met our Tour Director Bryan, who discussed our next 5 day program. At 7.30 we had dinner at the Pike’s Lodge near the water.
The first night was a new experience for us because the real night never arrived. Even after midnight, in spite of closed curtaind, I kept waking-up and looking out side. It was a unique experience. Incidentally, in Fairbanks, the summer season has no darkness, they do not celebrate July 4th (in day light one cannot enjoy the firework). Instead, on June 21, which is the longest day of the year – day light stays for 23 hours, they have a nighttime baseball game starting at 10p.m. and finishing at 12midnight (without any artificial light) and then they celebrate a special day similar to July 4th.
Tuesday June 3, 2008. This morning was a little cloudy and 55 F Degree. We had breakfast at 7a.m., left at 7.45a.m. for the Riverboat Discovery Sternwheeler tour. On this ride we experienced a variety of things i.e. how the Alaskan husky dogs are trained for the race, how salmon fish are caught, how local native people live including our visit to an Athabascan Indian Village. It was very educational. Our tour completed at 1p.m.
About Fairbanks: Fairbanks is considered to be a stage era i.e. started the Gold mine rush, discovery of oil in late 40’s (during this time because of oil, more than 70,000 people moved in Fairbanks some of them making 6 figures salary), military build-up due to invasion by Japan and finally after 9/11, Fairbanks played an important roll to defend our country from North Korea and Russia. One more point about Fairbanks, the main source of electricity is coal because 8 months of the year all rivers are frozen and thus no chance for hydroelectric power.
After lunch we visited the city of Fairbanks including the Golden Heart Plaza and stopped at the most famous Alaska Pipeline. “The Pipeline People” center. Took many pictures. After this we headed toward Denali.
Upon arriving we checked-in our hotel McKinley Village Lodge for two nights stay. Fortunately we all got to stay in the brand new section of the lodge i.e. we were the first guests to stay in this portion of the lodge. Once again this lodge was located in one of the most beautiful locations under nature.
Wednesday June 4, 2008. Weather was cool but very pleasant, 40 F degree going up-to 57 F. Once again, breakfast at 6.30 and left our hotel at 7.45a.m. For 8 hours Tundra Wilderness Bus tour of Denali. On this tour we were provided a box lunch. . According to our tour guide Bryan, who is also a National Park’s employee and Denali expert, our time i.e. first week of June is the best time not only because it hardly rains in June but also the weather is very pleasant and it is a beginning of summer season, thus, during this time we will see every things including the glaciers in fullest form.
About Denali. Unlike other national parks of US, including the Yellowstone National Park, Denali Park has only one road to go in-out of the park. Denali Park is 6million Sq. miles compare to the Yellowstone 2 million. Denali or Mount McKinley as many call it is the tallest mountain on the North American continent. The south peak is 20,320 feet high; the north peak has an elevation of 19,470 feet. The mountain was named in 1896 for William McKinley of Ohio. Of the 20 highest mountains in the United States, 17 are in Alaska and the top two are the north and south peaks of Denali.
During our 63 miles tour in Denali park we were lucky to see the following wild creatures; Grizzly Bears, Moose, Caribou, white Sheep, “Rock Rabbit” or Collared Pika, Ground Squirrel, Marmot (bugger than ground squirrel), Fox, golden Eagle, Owl -mother and babies, Snowshoe Hare (one kind of rabbit) and finally the State bird Willow Ptarmigan.
Upon returning to our hotel we had local wine and beer and at 7p.m. had dinner at the local restaurant. After dinner we took a shuttle bus for downtown Denali and did some site seeing and souvenir shopping.
Thursday June 5, 2008. Another beautiful morning started with 49 F Degree and going up-to 58. This morning put our bags out at 8a.m. and after breakfast we left the hotel by bus at 9.30a.m. heading south toward Anchorage. The name of this highway was Park Highway. This highway is built in the wildest and deepest valley in Alaska – on both sides’ mountains are covered with snow and river flowing next to them and the snow-covered mountains and their reflection in the river was the most beautiful site we have ever seen.
At 11.15a.m. We stopped for a box lunch at Alaska Veteran Memorial park. Left at 12 noon to continue our journey south to Anchorage. In the bus we played “Moon Migration Game” (It is a game where the entire group in our bus is divided into two teams. Each person, (individually from both team) draws a picture of Moose, one part/one person at a time. The best drawing/picture wins). Around 2p.m. we made anther stop at the most famous ice-cream place. We all tested moose ice-cream mixed with other flavors. We also passed a fasted growing town in Alaska called Massella. We also passed Elmenda Air force base (one of the three largest air force bases in US), where our new F-22 Rafters are being tested and fortunately we did see few being tested, (by August 2008, they suppose to complete 20 planes). Incidentally, Alaska has the highest number of people with pilot licenses, 1 in 65.
Arrived in Anchorage around 3.15p.m. and were dropped-off for site seeing and souvenir shopping in the town. At 5p.m. we were picked-up for check-in to our hotel Marriott. (For one night stay) Back to town for dinner and returned to hotel at 10p.m.
About Anchorage. Population 260,290, this is equal to one half of the state’s total population. It is the state’s only truly large city, where some uniquely wild aspects to this city. A thousand or so moose live within the city limits plus wolves and bear are often seen around the edges of town. Business people, prospectors, fishermen and ladies in the high heels all share the many great diversions this great city offers.
Friday June 6, 2008: This morning was again a most beautiful and comfortable morning (42F when we started our day and expected to go to 58F). Put Bags out at 5.45a.m. and left in our bus for a short ride at 6a.m. for our most beautiful Wilderness Express Train ride toward Seaward. While traveling, we had a formal breakfast in the train with a cappuccino, while we gazed out at cascading waterfalls and glaciers before traveling through Moose Pass. Later we had a very special drink called Moose Drink, like Irish coffee. It was spectacular ride with a glass-domed train car and we took many pictures.
Before we were taken to our cruise, we made a 1.1/2 hours stop at the Alaska Seal Life Center in Seaward. This is a non-profit organization conducting research on wild sea world creators, resulted from the Exxon Valdez oil spilled.
Checked in for our cruise at 2p.m. and said good-bye to our Tour Director Bryan and our Driver Tiffany. On-board the ship, all passengers had general dinner at 6.p.m. and at 8p.m. it was a time for the Emergency and Lifeboat Drill.
Saturday June 7, 2008: After a rainy night we woke-up with a beautiful weather. Today’s biggest event was to observe one of the largest glaciers called Hubbard Glacier. Stretching over 90 miles from the core of the 12 million acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park to the head of Yakutat Bay, the mighty Hubbard Glacier is one of Alaska’s largest and most unpredictable. Our captain took our ship to the closest point he could (around a small Island) through a thin layers of ice. In addition to the spectacular glacier we saw many, in different sizes, icebergs.
This entire glacier observation lasted around 5 hours and around 6p.m. we headed for our next destination. Tonight was one of our two formal nights. We got ready for it and went for dinner at 8.15p.m. At 11p.m. went to see the “spectacle of Broadway” show. This group of Celebrity singers and dancers were one of the best groups we have ever seen in any cruises.
Sunday June 8, 2008: Another sunny and beautiful morning in Juneau, Alaska. At 9.
a.m. we took our excursion tour called Juneau Deluxe Highlights, which took us to three different places; First, the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery where we learned how a hatchery enhances stocks of wild Alaskan salmon. Second, the most famous Mendenhall Glacier, one of the largest glaciers in Alaska that is accessible by road. Over 200 feet high, nearly three miles wide, and 12 miles long. It is one of the most spectacular sights in Alaska. And the third, Glacier Garden. At these botanical gardens of beauty and imagination unfolds. We were guided through the flower garden, complete with a cascading stream which took us for a detailed view of the lush rainforest. Total tour took us 4hours and 15 minutes.
Facts about Juneau: Population 31,000. Founded 13 years after the purchase of Alaska, it was Juneau, and more importantly its gold, that captured the imagination of the American public. The majority of the American population doubted the wisdom of the Alaska purchase. Most considered it a vast worthless frozen waste land, but in 1880 two drunken pioneers, Dick Harris and Joe Juneau, reluctantly carried home the gold that was to start a long series of gold rushes in this corner of the globe and establish Alaska’s worth in America’s eyes. Eventually Juneau became Alaska’s capital, located on Gastintains Channel, part of the Pacific Ocean.
At 7.p.m. enjoyed the Magic Show by the magic cat himself, Bob Brizendine. 8.30p.m. dinner (special curried chicken).
Monday June 9, 2008: Our ship docked in Skagway at 7a.m. Weather was cloudy but the sun came out little later. Had a late breakfast and at 11a.m. left the ship for a White Pass Railway & Historic City Highlights tour. We boarded on the 1890’s style parlor car and retraced the original route up to the Yukon’s White Pass Summit. This world famous narrow gage White Pass and Yukon Route railroad is an unforgettable ride along the eastern side of the White Passas we retrace the steps of early gold seekers. This iron trail was built over 100 years ago through some of the North’s most rugged terrain. Upon arriving in Fraser, British Columbia, Canada (because of this crossing we needed passport for this ride) we ended our train journey and boarded a motor coach for a narrated tour back to Skagway. Total tour time was 4hours and 30 minutes.
About Skagway. Population 1,000. Four blocks wide and 23 blocks long, today’s Skagway is still more than a foothold in a gigantic wilderness, but over the last century it has become much more peaceful and civilized. Basically Skagway located near Haines on the inlet of the Pacific Ocean, 90 miles north of Juneau, is a historic gold rush town. In the 1890s prospectors left Skagway for the Klondike gold fields, hiking over the Chilkoot Pass to Lake Bennett.
Upon returning to our ship, at 7p.m. we enjoyed the fantastic the Celebrity singers and Dancers performing “I Love the Nightlife”. After 8.30p.m. Dinner we walked around the photo gallery.
Tuesday June 10, 2008. Our ship arrived in the Icy Strait Point at 7a.m. and weather was cold (40Fdgree). After healthy breakfast, 9a.m. we took tender to go to the private island to take the 10a.m. Forest & Nature Tram tour (2 hours tour). This covered wheeled tram travel through an old growth forest (where many plants and animals that inhabit these rainforests and their importance in maintaing the delicate balance of healthy temperate rainforest) and along the shores of Icy Strait. Here we saw dolphin in water and Eagle nest with Eagle flying in and out (took pictures).
In addition, this exclusive “private island” experience allows only a single ship to visit Icy Strait Point’s scenic and pristine wilderness at a time. Returned to ship at 2p.m. At 7p.m. attended the Hilarious comedy show of Jeff Nease. Dinner at 8.30 and at 10.45p.m. enjoyed the newlywed, not so newly wed game show, hosted by our cruise director James.
Wednesday June 11, 2008. Woke-up with one of the most beautiful mornings in Ketchikan, Alaska. Arrived at the port at 9a.m. and after breakfast we went out for shopping. All stores were right outside at the dock. At 10.45a.m. We joined the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. This was a real treat, where Southeast Alaska’s rich logging history comes to life in this display of woodsmen skills. The world’s best lumberjacks go head to head in more than a dozen exciting events such as chopping, sawing, relay races, axe throwing, log rolling and the 50 foot speed climb.
After lunch, came back to the dock and walked around the shopping areas. At 3p.m. took the Ketchikan Duck Tour. This unique amphibious vehicle took us through the streets of Ketchikan and literally into the harbor, where we saw local fishing canneries, seaplane docks and Ketchikan’s waterfront community.
About Ketchikan. Population 14,500. Ketchikan considered the salmon capital of the world and is a unique place of beauty built along a steep hillside. With boardwalks and buildings on pilings, this friendly town hums with activity. Cool summers, cold winters and 13.5 feet of rain each year encourage visitors to bring an umbrella. Basically, Ketchikan is a small town, its long main street skirts a waterfront built on pilings over the sea. Short side streets and steep wooden stairways lead to residential areas on the bluff above. A few blocks from Ketchikan’s downtown cruise ships dock is Creek Street – famous or infamous as a former red-light district whose houses, some restored, follow a curving plank road built over Ketchikan Creek. Ketchikan is also noted for the world’s largest collection of totem poles. Several sites are dedicated to these interesting important Indian art forms.
Got back to ship around 5.30p.m. and at 8.30p.m. We had dinner and at 10.45p.m. Attended the third and final show by the Celebrity Singers and Dancers in “Classique: A Musical Odyssey”. During this time i.e. at 6p.m. we had already left for our 1000 miles Inside Passage journey to our final destination, Vancouver, Canada.
Thursday June 12, 2008. Today was the first day we woke-up with rain. Fortunately we do not have to make any stop so it was o.k. After late breakfast, at 10.45a.m., we attended the disembarkation and farewell show hosted by our cruise Director James Calhoun. Besides sharing stories from previous cruises, he introduced Millennium staff.
Friday June 13, 2008. We arrived in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at around 7a.m. and Weather was sunny and clear. Our bags were color coded and numbered night before and accordingly we were transferred to the airport on time for our 11.15a.m. Air Canada flight to Newark New Jersey via Toronto. We arrived at Newark on time at 10.p.m.
About the Millennium. Ship was built in June 2000, occupancy 2038, tonnage 91,000, length 965 feet, cruising speed 24 knots. Great service, all types of cabins are very comfortable especially the Deluxe Ocean View with Veranda. Plenty of closet space and comfortable shower space. Metropolitan restaurant is very comfortable and food/service was superb. Photo Gallery was beautiful with great collection. Good gym and the entire fitness center is well designed.
Overall the ship is great, service is great and I recommend celebrity to every one.
One final observation; Alaska and its national parks are such a wonder of nature, everything is untouched/natural and it is time that we, the so called “superior, intelligent creature”, should learn how to preserve this natural beauty all the time at any costs.
C/P/Alaska 6/2 to 6/13-2008