Archive for the ‘Cruise Vacations’ Category
Cruising the Caribbean – St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and Grand Turks
February snow continues to fall, the temperature continues to hover around 30 degrees, the sky remains gray, the groundhog saw his shadow, and winter continues to linger in Colorado, the perfect time for a warm Caribbean Cruise aboard a Princess Cruise Lines. Ann Griffith Co-owner of Aggie TravelPOINTS and James TravelPOINTS recenly took a group aboard the Emerald Princess in February of 2010.
My husband and I returned from seven glorious days of warm winter sun and gentle Caribbean breezes while we sailed on the Emerald Princess. We took a group and glided through the Eastern Caribbean on water that would take your breath away.
Choosing a cruise can be overwhelming. What size of ship do you want to sail on, how long do you want to sail, what is your price range, and where do you want to cruise. The Emerald Princess is considered a bigger ship. Her capacity is 3600 passengers. Her itinerary consisted of Princess Cay, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Grand Turks and 2 days at sea. 83% of Americans have never taken a cruise. If you have enjoyed a cruise vacation, or if you are one of those 83% who have never cruised, let me share some sights, sounds, tastes and smells that are vivid in my memory.
Excitement always greets me when I board the ship. I find myself in a giant treasure hunt searching for our room, the deck where you can walk daily, the “any time” dining room, the gym for the pilates and spin class, the location of the movie under the stars, the pizzeria, the coffee bar, and the best nook for afternoon tea. A balcony was our cabin choice, and I would highly recommend such a luxury. A balcony cabin is a magnificent way to enhance your cruise experience. Daily I found myself with my book in hand sitting on my balcony, sipping my tea, and looking out into the vast blue horizon and letting my cares soar away. Mornings began with a brisk walk on the promenade deck seven. Three loops around the ship equals one mile. Walking around a ship and experiencing the sea and scenery from various directions is thrilling. The wind rushes through your hair, the sun shines on your back, the gentle sway of the ship makes your walk hilariously crooked, the wave’s crashing against the front of the ship are loud, and the voluminous clouds, birds and flying fish are fantastic scenery for this landlocked lady. One evening we booked our dinner at one of the two specialty dining rooms. For a small surcharge you can eat at the specialty steak house or the specialty Italian Restaurant. Our choice was the walnut-leather-brass accented steak house. The meal was one of the most memorable meals of my life. Our waiter from Argentina recommended the French Onion Soup, Maine Lobster or fillet, sautéed mushrooms and scalloped potatoes, and the molten chocolate cake. I can still taste the chocolate molten cake. It was hot and melty and better eaten with a spoon than a fork. The favorite shore excursion was on Grand Turks. My husband really wanted to snorkel. We joined a small group, took a catamaran and snorkeled around the wall that plunges 7,000 feet into the sea. If that was not thrilling enough, we were sitting on the softest, pearly white sandy beach as the mandarin orange sun sank into the sea, with whale’s flukes in the horizon.
This trip was a perfect respite from our cold Colorado winter. The Caribbean winter sun warmed us body and soul. We were as busy as we wanted to be but took several quiet moments to relax and replenish ourselves too. We attended an art history class that was superb. The evenings had dancing opportunities, theatres of comedians and live music. This cruise had several pleasant surprises for me, and I encourage you to cruise and treat yourself with some surprises too.
Ann Griffith is Co-owner of Aggie TravelPOINTS and James TravelPOINTS. She has been working in the travel business for the past 25 years specializing Euorpean Vacatons, Cruise Vacations, Mexico Vacations, Hawaiian Vacations, Central & South American Vacations, and group travel vacations.
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Family Cruising on the Queen Mary 2
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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Canada & New England onboard the Caribbean Princess
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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Fall Foliage River Adentures
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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