Why a Disney Vacation is a Perfect Fit with Your Travel Plans

If it's been years since you've been to the Magic Kingdom, a Disney vacation could be just what you need. Being transported into a realm where there's so much anticipation, variety, and adventure allows you to leave your worries behind and immerse yourself in the world of Disney. Even if you don't have children, you'll thoroughly enjoy making travel plans to Disney.

Theme Parks

Disney, of course, is known for its theme parks. Disneyland, in Anaheim, Calif., features the Disneyland theme park and Disney's California Adventure. Your airline ticket can take you to John Wayne International Airport in Orange County, less than a thirty-minute taxi ride to Disneyland. As for your hotel, there are dozens from which to choose in every price range.

Although Disneyland itself is wonderful, Disney's California Adventure is completely captivating in its ability to convey the essence of the Golden State within the boundaries of a theme park. From its Hollywood back lot to its Boardwalk to its recreation of the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains, California Adventure makes you feel like you've toured the entire state.

On the other coast, in Orlando, Fla., Walt Disney World features four theme parks: The Magic Kingdom, Epcot, the Animal Kingdom Park, and Disney-MGM Studios. In addition, there are two water parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon. As is that wasn't enough, you can also experience Downtown Disney and the Boardwalk, as well as the Wide World of Sports, championship golf courses, luxury spas, and so much more.

Cruises

If you've never been on a Disney cruise, you don't know what you're missing. Even if you don't have children, a Disney cruise is a dream cruise. In fact, the way the ship is organized, you can take a Disney cruise and hardly ever see the kids. But if you do have children, they will be thrilled about going on a cruise with Disney.

Disney has two ships, the "Disney Magic" and the "Disney Wonder." The "Disney Magic" sails to the Mediterranean, to the Caribbean, and to the Mexican Riviera, while the "Disney Wonder" travels to the Bahamas. In addition to live shows, character experiences, and a movie theater, there are activities for children and adults of all ages. There are special clubs for children 3-12, and teens have their own space where they can hang out. There are even three pools: one for families, one for children only, and one for adults only.

Booking the Right Disney Travel Adventure

Many people think that booking a Disney vacation requires taking out a second mortgage or dipping into savings. But do a search online, and you'll find travel packages that are absolutely affordable. The more flexible your travel dates are, the better deal you'll be able to find. You should be able to find a package that includes airline fare, hotel accommodations, and cruise bookings within your price range. So, the next time you make travel plans, remember that the Magic Kingdom awaits!

Visit to Labadee in Haiti

The first port for our Royal Caribbean cruise of the western Caribbean was Labadee, Hispaniola which is actually a part of Haiti. This specific port is leased out to Royal Caribbean so only their cruiseships come here. Labadee is actually a peninsula with a few beaches. Getting to land from the cruiseship is by tender.

There is a small section for kids with floating fake icebergs to climb and water slides but they charge an admission fee. Flotation mattresses are also available for rent for those who just want to float in the ocean. There are also locals who help with getting beach chairs for you but they expect tips. So things here are a money grabber. The cruiseship did have optional tours for snorkelling, parasailing, waverunner and kayaking tours but we thought that they were overpriced. Most passengers just spent the day relaxing around the beaches. The area around Labadee was pleasant enough but the beaches and shores themselves were fairly rocky so wearing sandals in the water would be advised. Royal Caribbean had organized a beach BBQ at an outdoor picnic facility which was okay but nothing special. There is a market there consisting of two buildings. One is a store where the souveniers and items have marked prices and the other building is like your typical market where locals try to hustle you for business. The locals inside the market were aggressive but polite. If you don't mind haggling, you could get some pretty good deals but if you dislike this type of pushy atmosphere, then you best avoid the market except for the fixed price store.

One big difference between this port compared to others is that since it is pretty well being used as a private beach, you will not be hassled by locals. The vendors coming around with drinks at the beach locations are actually Royal Caribbean staff so if one wishes to buy a drink, the cruiseship passcard is all that is required. As for concerns about being in Haiti given the poverty and political situation, Labadee was not a problem because the entire site is enclosed by a high steel fence. Other passengers later told us that they wandered off near the perimeter of the site and saw many Haitians along the fence begging for handouts and food. The fencing was mostly concealed in the distance from the main tourist areas.

We found Labadee in general to be a bit of a waste of time for us. The beaches were too rocky and we didn't have access to inexpensive activities since everything was run by Royal Caribbean. If one wanted to just go lie on the beach all day and not much else, then Labadee would be a suitable place. For those who want to experience some culture, do water sports without going through the cruiseship, or shop duty free, Labadee would not be the place to go. We decided to stay on board the ship after the BBQ lunch for the rest of the afternoon.

I like Royal Caribbean and would definitely cruise with them again but would not want to go on an itinerary that included Labadee in the future.

Travel Registries: The Latest Trend for Wedding Gifts

These days, chances are that betrothed couples already have all of the blenders, towels, dishes, silverware, and other household items they need. With the swing toward men and women getting married later in life, most couples either have individual homes that they'll combine once they're married, or they have been building their own trousseau while living together. Because they're often footing the bill for all or part of their wedding, the one thing couples don't have is money for the honeymoon of their dreams. That's why the latest trend in bridal registries is the honeymoon travel registry.

Perhaps a couple wants to go on a cruise, vacation in Europe, or enjoy a Disney vacation. They may dream of four-star hotel accommodations or flying first class on their favorite airline. Whatever their fantasy honeymoon, more and more couples are opting to register with an online travel agency.

With a bridal travel registry, the couple can have their dream honeymoon while wedding guests can be assured that their gifts will combine to form memories that will last a lifetime. And, the process of both registering and giving is easy and straightforward.

Essentially, a honeymoon bridal registry allows the couple to set up a personal registry web page. If the couple already knows their honeymoon destination, they can reveal that on their web page and select items to include in their gift registry. For example, if the couple is traveling to Hawaii for their honeymoon, they may decide they'd like to go to a Hawaiian luau and list two luaus (one for the bride and one for the groom) in their registry. They may also select a romantic candlelight dinner, breakfast in bed, and a hotel room upgrade. They can include entertainment and activities, such as scuba diving lessons, a helicopter ride, horseback riding, and snorkeling. The couple can even add travel items like inter-island flights, limousine service, and a rental car.

Similarly, if the bride and groom have decided that London is their destination of choice, they can include an English afternoon tea in their travel registry, dinner for two at Jamie Oliver's restaurant, a medieval banquet, and a Harrods' shopping spree. Perhaps they would like tickets to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, London theatre tickets, or a tour of Shakespeare's Globe Theater. If so, they can add those items to their travel registry as well.

For wedding guests, a honeymoon travel registry makes it easy to find a personal, yet remarkable gift. Giving a sunset cruise, for example, is much more memorable than a set of mixing bowls. Gift givers can even opt to send the couple a customized gift card, or print one out and bring it to the wedding.

A honeymoon signifies the beginning of a couple's life together, and is a welcome relief from the stresses of planning their wedding. Having a honeymoon travel registry can help make the couple's dreams come true and give them memories to last a lifetime.

Taking A Honeymoon Cruise Can Be Magical!

Many couples are finding that an all-inclusive honeymoon cruise can make their special getaway after marriage even more special. When they climb on board, they cannot believe the joy and simplicity of their vacation, with no worries and no stress! Taking a honeymoon cruise can make for one of the most memorable vacations you will ever experience and it all occurs on a single cruise ship! In the last several years, millions of couples have enjoyed honeymoon vacations on cruise ships, and with all the perks that you can find on a cruise ship it is not hard to see why. When you think of a honeymoon cruise, you can think automatically of romance. When you watch movies, many of the most romantic moments you can think of are a couple on a ship sailing into the sunset. When you are on the deck of a cruise ship, you will have several opportunities to take advantage of this romantic situation! You will sail off into the sunset for however many nights your vacation lasts, while also getting romantic, moonlit nights and fun, sun-filled days. When you take a honeymoon cruise, you will also get the enjoyment and intimacy of secluded beaches and exotic locations. These events will make the memories of your honeymoon cruise very special for the rest of your lives together. The reason it is so easy to see why so many people choose a honeymoon cruise is the simplicity of your whole vacation. When you purchase the fare for a honeymoon cruise, you are purchasing everything you could possibly need on your entire vacation. Included in that one cruise fare are your meals, snacks, accommodations, entertainment and any on-board activities. This in addition to the exciting destinations you visit all over the world! What could be easier than a cruise for all of that? You don’t have to make your own dinner reservations or purchase theatre tickets when you are on a cruise. It’s already done for you! How you enjoy your honeymoon cruise is also up to you. You can sit back and relax, enjoying the sunny days by the pool or on the beach without exerting yourself. Or you can be on the go constantly, going from one show to the next, one activity to another, and exploring each and every exotic location you visit in detail. All of this between delicious dining experiences you’ve only ever dreamed of. Again, there are no worries or stresses, as all of these wonderful things are included in the cruise package! Booking a cruise is easy, whether it is for your honeymoon or a special getaway. Look online or call a travel agent near you today.

The Luxuries Of First Class Travel

Traveling first class in a flight is a pleasure and it is an experience that no one would forget. If you have the chance to travel in a first class ticket it is not wise to miss it. The cost of first class travel is more than the other classes available. It is because of the environment in which you travel and the facilities that are available for you to experience.

First class travel is on a very comfortable seat that can be termed as the ‘Bed in the sky’. Yes, it is true! It is possible to recline that seat on all angles to give you the comfort needed while you sleep. The head rest can be tilted to various positions to suit your posture. You get more space and leg room while you travel in first class. A vertical partition is also available that gives you the privacy needed during your travel.

Sockets to attach your laptop and telephones with satellite connection are available to communicate with anybody you wish. Video monitors and video players with multiple channel options are available for the first class travelers.

Most of the international airlines provide these facilities for the first class travelers. The food that is served is also prepared by reputed chefs and is of international quality. Some airlines provide even pre-dining facilities so that you can have your dinner even before you board the flight so that you have lot of time to sleep in the flight. This facility is available in the night flights.

Some of the airlines provide online check-in facility for first class travel so that you can check in before you arrive at the airport. This avoids the need to stand in the queue to check in. It saves a lot of time for you. First class passengers are allowed to take more luggage. As a first class passenger you have a separate lounge which can be used before you board your flight and while you are waiting for you flight. Facilities to have a luxurious bath and have delicious cuisines are also available for the first class passenger. Some lounges have even libraries to pass your time by reading through some latest books. For those who would like to have a drink there are bars and some lounges even have massage parlors. Some of the bars also have wireless internet access so that you can browse or check your emails while you are at the bar.

To get more information on the facilities that are offered do check the website of the airlines. Why don’t you try this out at least once in your life?

Caribbean Stopover at St. Thomas of the U.S. Virgin Islands

One of the most popular ports of call for Caribbean cruise ships is St. Thomas, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands. On the three Caribbean cruises that I took so far, two of them included a stopover in St. Thomas. On both occasions, there was a consensus among other passengers we met that St. Thomas was one of the nicer islands visited. Although the driving in St. Thomas is on the left hand side, it is still U.S. territory so this Caribbean island features many other conveniences of being American soil. These included easy telephone connections for calls back to the mainland, the use of U.S. currency and English as the main language. St. Thomas is also one of the cleanest of Caribbean islands and the locals do not aggressively hustle the tourists like they do on other islands. Many passengers stated that St. Thomas is a place they would like to come back to in the future.

During my first visit to St. Thomas, I took the Atlantis submarine excursion which took tourists down to see an actual ocean reef. It was a bit pricey but that was expected. Seeing an ocean reef with the marine life up close for the first time during this submarine ride actually influenced me to take up scuba diving. During my second trip to the island, we decided that we would spend some time snorkeling in the local waters since at that time, my partner wasn't a certified scuba diver yet. My advance research suggested that Coki Bay on the northeast side of St. Thomas was a nice place to snorkel. When our cruise ship docked at Charlotte Amalie, the capital city of the U.S. Virgin Islands, we hailed one of the many taxi cabs at the port. It was a $15 US fare to Coki Beach where Coki Bay is located. It took only about 15 minutes to get there. The scenery along the way was magnificent as we went up a hill and saw our cruise ship in the distant harbor below. The island itself is very lush with greenery everywhere.

At Coki Beach, my partner rented her snorkeling gear for $20 US (I brought my own). To my surprise, the rental attendant gave us each a hard biscuit to feed the fish while we were in the water. Once we got into the water, dozens of tropical fish immediately crowded around us. I guess they knew the drill quite well. We ripped off small pieces of the biscuits and the fish went for it, even if the food was just inches away from our face masks. The yellowtail snappers, sergeant majors and occasional parrotfish displayed no fear of us at all. At one point, my partner held out a larger piece of her biscuit and some of the fish darted in to nibble at it. After about an hour in the warm water, it was time to say goodbye to our new aquatic friends. This experience at Coki Bay with the fish was one of the factors which eventually influenced my partner to become a certified scuba diver herself.

Another $15 US cab ride took us back to the cruise ship port where we spend the rest of the day browsing the many duty free shops located there. A similar snorkeling trip arranged through the cruiseship would have cost us double the amount we paid. St. Thomas is definitely not an inexpensive island for either cruise ship passengers or resort tourists staying there but extra comfort and quality of the island are quite noticeable compared to many other Caribbean destinations. From my readings, the other main islands of the U.S. Virgin Islands which are St. John and St. Croix, are more laid back and less commercialized than St. Thomas. I would like to visit them in addition to another return trip to St. Thomas in the future for a multi day scuba diving trip. For those thinking of going on a Caribbean cruise, I would definitely recommend one that has St. Thomas as one of its ports of call. It is one of the better islands on any Caribbean cruise itinerary.

5 Reasons to Use a Full Service Online Travel Agent

Here are five reasons why you should leave your vacation planning to a professional, full service online travel agent...

When it comes to planning your vacation, it's tempting to go the do-it-yourself route. After all, it's easy enough to book an airline flight reservation. Why shouldn't you also do your own booking for a car rental, hotel, or even a cruise? Here are five reasons why you should leave your vacation planning to a professional, full service online travel agent:

1. Terrific Deals

You can do your own booking, but you won't necessarily get a low far or the best deal. Airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and cruise ships count on people to make their own reservations and charge higher rates to those who do. Yet they don't really make a profit until they're completely booked.

Think of hotel rooms, airplane seats, and cruise ship cabins as perishable commodities. Just like an expired carton of milk has to be pulled off the grocery store shelf, on any given night, an empty hotel room is lost revenue that will never be regained. Similarly, an airplane is going to fly and a cruise ship will embark whether or not the seats and cabins are full. It's in the best interest of hotels, airlines, and cruise ships to be fully booked. That's why they offer discounted fares to an online travel agent, who can then pass along the savings to you. 

2. Full Packages

A full service online travel agent can put together package vacations to destinations and hotel properties to which you might not otherwise have access. Perhaps you're a golfer, and want a dream golf vacation. Maybe a Caribbean vacation is on the horizon. Or maybe you are looking for the perfect cruise package. Although it's sometimes possible to book travel packages with the destination, you often don't get the options that best meet your needs. An online travel agent can put together packages that work best for you and your family.

3. Great Service

When you go the do-it-yourself route, it's often difficult to coordinate all aspects of your travel. Making sure that your flights depart and arrive at optimal times, that your hotel reservation is in order, that your car rental will be available, and that you'll have everything in order to board a cruise ship is no walk in the park. An online travel agent can do all the legwork for you so you can concentrate on preparing for your trip. And, if you have a change in plans, the great service that an online travel agent provides can make the transition a smooth one.

4. Group Travel

Extended families often travel together, and businesses have group travel requirements from time to time. In either case, a full service online travel agent can easily book trips for people who have the same destination but who are traveling from different places. Having a group travel coordinator gives everyone peace of mind and ensures that the group's needs are met.

5. Honeymoon Registry

If you're planning your honeymoon, an online travel agent can provide you with the latest trend in wedding gifts: the honeymoon registry. When you register with a full service online travel agent, your guests can contribute funds to your honeymoon, or they can buy specific services (such as a spa treatment or a romantic breakfast in bed) that you have on your wish list.

While it's possible to book travel yourself, why would you want to? After all, the advantages in using a full service online travel agent are limitless.