Jan Geiser, cruise specialist with James TravelPoints, recently cruised with her family on the Queen Mary 2.  Previously, my husband and I had traveled on the Queen Mary 2 on a transatlantic crossing.  Thoroughly impressed with the onboard experience offered by such an elegant ocean liner, my family selected the Queen Mary 2 for their Caribbean cruise.

Why Cunard and the Queen Mary 2?  Cunard welcomes children at least six months of age on most Cunard voyages.  A full children’s program, from nursery to teens, is offered.  Thus families are able to share this special journey together.  Supervised activities for children aged one to 17 years are provided throughout the day and… free group kidsitting is available in the evening. 

As we were traveling with our grandson, a toddler,  we thought the Queen Mary 2 would be an excellent choice.  And, we were not disappointed!

Our Caribbean itinerary included three sea days and six ports of call — Curacao, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and St. Thomas.

Our sea days were spent enjoying the magnificent Queen Mary 2 including the only Canyon Ranch Spa at sea.   There were many options available including the Cunard Insights programs with guest lecturers.

For our grandson…

We enjoyed time together in the Minnows Pool and Splash Pool adjoining the Children’s center.

 The Child Care facilities were available in the mornings from 9:00AM-12:00 Noon and also, in the afternoon from 2:00PM-5:00PM.  The evening hours from 6:00PM-12:00Midnight (advance notice required) allowed us to enjoy the evening venues knowing that our grandson would also be entertained. 

We experienced High Tea in the Queen’s Room with music provided by the Queen Mary 2 orchestra and singer. We knew that our grandson loved music and dancing but little did we know how much.

Our family enjoyed the Formal nights with grandson in his tuxedo.  Another opportunity to share very special family time together. 

We explored the islands visiting the Sea Aquarium in Curacao.  We found not-so-touristy beaches in Grenada, Barbados, and St. Lucia.

St. Kitts was a getaway for my son and daughter-in-law while we enjoyed the day with our grandson.

Having visited  St. Thomas numerous times,  my husband and I opted to stay onboard the Queen Mary 2.  We enjoyed the solitude of being the only two passengers on one of the outdoor decks. 

Our 10-day family cruise will always be remembered.  Quite frankly, I could continue to write.  But, instead, I would love to talk with you  about cruising with or without family and especially, about the Queen Mary 2.  She is truly an amazing vessel unlike any other in the world!

Please call me, Jan Geiser, 800-274-0436X231, www.travelpoints.com.

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Jan Geiser, cruise specialist, with James TravelPoints and her husband recently cruised to Canada & New England onboard the Caribbean Princess for a beautiful North American fall foliage cruise.

Our cruise began sailing from the Brooklyn Terminal in New York.  We were fortunate to enjoy our sailaway on a bright, sunny afternoon.  We had great views of Manhattan and also the Statue of Liberty on our departure.  One of the most fascinating experiences in sailing from New York is the passage under the Verrazano Bridge.  Will the height of the ship clear the bridge?  Well we did with just inches to spare!

Our first day of our cruise was At Sea.  We were able to enjoy a relaxing day onboard the beautiful Caribbean Princess exploring all that the ship had to offer.  The next day we were in Halifax, Nova Scotia where we opted to take a tour to Peggy’s Cove to visit the quaint town and most visited lighthouse on the East Coast.  The day was perfect albeit windy but so typical of the setting.

Our next port of call was Saint John, New Brunswick.  Here we took an excursion to St. Martin’s and the Bay of Fundy.  The day was spectacular for viewing the Fall colors and countryside.  Our tour included a light lunch of seafood chowder before we were able to walk the beach and visit the sea caves.

Our stop in St. Martin’s provided a photo opportunity to capture the sight of the two covered bridges…the only place in North America to do so.  Bar Harbor, Maine was our next port.  Unfortunately, the morning was rainy and foggy but we were able to visit Acadia National Park and enjoy some of the magnificent coastal views.  We made it to the summit of Cadillac Mountain; however, our brief stop was in total fog.  Upon return to Bar Harbor we enjoyed a typical Lobster bake consisting of steamed mussels, excellent whole Maine lobster and all of the accompaniments, including a fresh Maine blueberry dessert.  Our afternoon in Bar Harbor proved to be sunny and once again, we were able to stroll in town and enjoy beautiful fall foliage along the waterfront.

We were off to Boston where numerous sightseeing options were available.  We visited the city and Quincy Market on another lovely Fall day in New England.  Last day of our cruise was spent in Newport, Rhode Island.  We enjoyed the 10-mile Ocean Drive before returning to Newport for time on our own.  We visited St. Mary’s Parish Church where Jacqueline Bouvier and John Fitzgerald Kennedy were married.  We strolled the waterfront enjoying another beautiful, sunny day with vistas of sailboats in the harbor.

If you haven’t been to this part of North America, as was the case for us, I would highly recommend that you consider making this trip.  We thoroughly enjoyed this exciting and engaging escape in both Canada and New England. 

Please call Jan — James TravelPoints International — 800-274-0436X231, www.travelpoints.com.  I would love to discuss Canada/New England travel options with you! 

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If you’ve ever thought about packing up the car and driving hundreds of miles to view fall foliage, we have a better idea: Let someone else take the wheel — the pilot’s wheel — and travel the rivers of America’s heartland aboard an old-fashioned paddlewheeler.

This fall, the steamboats Delta Queen, Mississippi Queen and American Queen are all offering Fall Foliage vacations — allowing you to experience the spectacular scenery of the Mississippi river, the rolling hills and manicured farmland of the Ohio Valley or the serene beauty of the Cumberland, Tennessee and Illinois rivers at one of the best times of the year.

A naturalist accompanies all Fall Foliage cruises, offering onboard lectures and pointing out the flora and fauna along the riverbanks.  Passengers have a “front row” view from the decks of the steamboats, and may borrow binoculars at no charge for even closer viewing.

Fall Foliage cruises on the three steamboats travel between St. Louis and St. Paul, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, Memphis and Nashville, Nashville and Cincinnati, and St. Louis and Cincinnati.  Most of the cruises are five or seven nights.  Pre- or post-cruise hotel stays are offered in all cities to give you additional time to explore America at the prettiest time of the year.  Cruise fares include four wonderful meals a day, award-winning entertainment, nightly dancing and port charges.  For more details call our cruise experts today, J

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As you ponder great vacations consider these golf destination that offer beautiful scenery, activities you and your spouse can enjoy together and an atmosphere that is “Par Excellence”.  James TravelPOINTS has some ideas for destinations that offer unique features to explore new frontiers. 

Los Cabos, Mexico
Las Ventanas Al Paraiso is on the “Hot List of the World’s Top New Hotels and Resort” reported by Conde’ Nast Traveler’s 1998.  Las Ventanas is located minutes away to one of Cabo’s four championship golf courses along with a beautiful beach and colorful surroundings.  Las Ventanas offers luxurious accommodations, roof-top terraces, a private spa and more.  A perfect way to spend a long weekend or week.

Jasper, Canada
Come stay and play at Jasper Park Lodge, the grande dame of Canadian lodges, and you’ll enjoy this spectacular golf vacation.  The 18-hole, championship, Stanley Thompson-designed course is nestled in the majestic Canadian Rockies, along picturesque Lac Beauvert, an unforgettable environment in which to perfect your game.  Packages include two nights in a mountainview suite, with fireplace, two rounds of golf, breakfast and dinner daily and much more. 

Cruise and Golf
Golf and Cruising is not a new idea but an idea that has changed for the better.  Today, many cruise lines and specialty travel companies offer a wide range of cruises with golf options.  Whether you want to play or just watch, it’s now easy to cruise to some great golf destinations anywhere in the world.  Passengers have the opportunity play some of the world’s most beautiful golf courses and enjoy all the amenities cruising offers, from outstanding cuisine to great entertainment.  Other advantages offered by a golf-cruise combination include unpacking just once, visiting multiple destinations and golf courses in one trip.  If you want a vacation on a ship and on the links, cruise offers both with their new shoreside golf program.  With guaranteed tee times at top golf resorts, cruise guest is offered an excellent combination of golf and cruising. Most of the new golf program includes green fees for scheduled rounds of golf, roundtrip transfers between the ship and course, carts, pull carts and or caddies. A perfect selection of golf blended with a relaxing cruise.  Give James TravelPOINTS a call for designing your perfect golf or fun destination gets away, 1-800-538-7461, www.travelpoints.com.

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