Dreamworks Characters To Set Sail on Oasis of the Seas
“You didn’t see anything”…does that sound familiar? It’s my favorite line in the movie “Madagascar”, said by one of the hilarious penguins. I know what you’re thinking…why am I writing about this? Let me tell you, there is a big purpose to this blog entry!
Last week, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines announced the characters from our favorite Dreamworks movies are going to be sailing with guests onboard the Oasis of the Seas, in addition to their other ship, Allure of the Seas. As the characters will start sailing on the Allure in December, the gang will join the Oasis on a very familiar date. February 26th, 2011!
Yes, they will join the Oasis on our actual group cruise departure! How cool is that! Now families and any guest that wants to can party with Shrek and his friends, the Madagascar crew, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon! Guests can partake in fun activities onboard , such as meeting the characters and taking a picture, watching an aqua show starring the characters, enjoy character meals, and even watch movies in the 3D theatre, or in the comfort of your stateroom! travel-news/dreamworks-characters-to-set-sail-on-oasis-of-the-seas/#more-338″ class=”more-link”>Read the rest of this entry »
What’s New at Beaches Resorts
Hey everyone. Got some news to share about some fun changes at Beaches Resorts, Sandals’ family resort chain. I’ll start with the most exciting news of all!
Okay, okay. I know this is really more geared to children, but seriously! As if there’s another Sesame Street character coming to Beaches Resorts!
Beaches is already home to Elmo, Zoe, Grover, Cookie Monster, Abby Cadabby, the Count (my personal favorite) and Bert & Ernie in case you don’t know. I just found out today that another favorite character is joining the group. It’s none other than Big Bird!
Big Bird will be joining the gang on August 22nd at Beaches Turks & Caicos, and Beaches Negril in Jamaica. Each Sesame Street character allows the children to take part in special character activities, like Story Time with Elmo, Learning to Dance with Zoe, Exploring with Grover, Making Cookies with Cookie Monster, Making Music with Bert & Ernie, Discovering Magical Treasures with Abby Cadabby. You can also have a character breakfast with them, too! How cute! I wonder what Big Bird’s activity will be?
Beaches is also introducing a new crafts program with Martha Stewart. Kids can participate in 5 new classes where they’ll be able to scrapbook, stencil, paint, and glitter. The Post Card, Punch and Stencil Fashion and Glitter classes are recommended for family members six and up with Scrapbooking and Stencil Fashion classes recommended for ages nine and up. Costs for most classes are $10USD per child.
Lots going on at Beaches resorts, as you can see! They are a great option for family vacations, and to make things even better, they are offering 2 free nights and up to 65% off your stay if you travel in September, October or November. If you’re interested for more information and pricing, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Cayman Islands – It’s Time You Go To Hell!
I love the Cayman Islands and I also take pleasure in telling many of my family and friends to go to hell if they ever decide to visit the Cayman’s and watch the expression on their faces!
Several years ago I had the opportunity to visit the Cayman Island via a Caribbean cruise, and couldn’t believe how spectacular this little island gem could be. From that day forward I always wanted to go back and visit, because spending only one day there, I felt was not enough.
There was never a moment I did not feel unsafe, and the people were extremely friendly and spoke excellent English.
Back To Talking About Hell – Grand Cayman!
Seriously, one of the major attractions on the main Grand Cayman island is a small town called Hell, and when you take a moment to visit this town, and I mean a small moment, you will come across a little post office which dates back to the early 1960’s that was built for the very reason to allow guests to send postcards back home to their loved ones postmarked from Hell.
Of course the theme caught on, because nothing was funnier than sending a postcard that came straight from Hell.
How did this little town get this infamous title? Simple, when you get there you can view a spectacular rock formation that dates back almost 1.5 million years ago, and was told to be created by weathered ironshore consisting of coral or bivalve fragments. This eerie black rock formation is none the less spectacular to view, and I’m sure depending on who you talk to, would have several different interpretations.
Once you take a quick visit to the town of Hell, and send off your postcards, leaving Hell is just as fun as arriving there, and with so much to do and see in the Cayman’s, your time in Hell should be short and sweet.
The Cayman’s Consist of Three Islands That Each Offer Unique Experiences
There is the Grand Cayman Island, where the town of Hell is located. This main island offers a variety of other attractions, including the extremely popular Stingray City! This has to be one of the most spectacular places to visit, and the fact that you have an opportunity to feed and pet live stingrays in their natural habitat is very cool.
Other attractions on the Grand Cayman Island to visit are Boatswain’s Beach (Cayman Turtle Farm), Rum Point, and if you’re in to Flora and Fauna, the Grand Cayman’s Q. E. II Botanic Park. Back to the Turtle Farm, you have the opportunity to see over 16,000 turtles ranging from only 6 ounces and all the way up to an incredible 600 pounds!
Cayman Brac is the next island of this small chain that offers a very unique experience when you visit, from awe inspiring cliffs, to extraordinary caves and sinkholes for the avid explorer. However, what brings people back to the Cayman Brac is the scuba diving.
The smallest and least inhabited of the island chain is the Little Cayman. There it’s all about the relaxation, scuba diving and fishing. You will find divers from all over the world experiencing the famous Bloody Bay Wall and Jackson point combined offering over 6000 feet of colourful Coral gardens!
If spending private time is your thing, then you will be content on many of the empty beaches available, or make your way to South Hole Sound Lagoon for a private swim. If you enjoy fishing and wildlife exploring, this little Cayman Island is for you.
You Can Access The Cayman Islands By Air Or Sea!
What’s great about the Cayman’s is the accessibility from air or sea. Many airlines fly there from a variety of gateways in Canada and the United States, including a selection of vacation charters that enjoy sending vacationers to the Cayman Islands. Not to mention the numerous cruise ships that offer the Cayman as one of their popular port stops for the day, and that’s a great way to have a small taste of the island and what it has to offer.
If you’re looking for a little piece of paradise with so much to offer in sightseeing, activities, and delicious cuisine, the Cayman Islands are a must visit. For such a small island, it rivals many of the major Caribbean Islands out there today!
Remember when you visit the Cayman’s, don’t forget to make a trip to the town of Hell, because from that day forward, if anyone ever tells you to go to Hell, you can respond, I’ve been there.
Don’t Let Your Cruise Ship Leave Without You!
I’m not kidding here, if you don’t pay attention to the time and arrive at the port dock when required, your cruise ship may leave without you!
I had someone just ask this question less than a week ago, and my first response was, no way! I told them that a cruise ship would never leave a port without you, but as I did a little bit of research on this topic, I came across this great cruise information site, this is when I stumbled on a YouTube video that was showing a couple running for their lives as the cruise ship was sailing away.
Now this is the first time I have ever heard of this happening, so I’m not exactly sure how often passengers are left stranded at the port scratching their head wondering where their ride went.
As a travel professional I take this situation very seriously, because as some of you may find this quite humorous, I can’t imagine the expense it would cost someone to find their way to the next port of call, or the cost of a one-way flight back home. I question the fact that if the cruise lines keep possession of your passport, how are you able to obtain a flight without it if the airlines require you present one at time of boarding.
I encourage you to watch this video of this poor couple that missed the ship, and listen as the couple taking the video talk about the situation. It’s kind of surreal, but a reality in this case:
Here Are A Couple Of Valuable Tips So Hopefully This Doesn’t Happen To You!
Alright, you’re planning to go on your very first cruise, you just watched this video, and you’re thinking that now you don’t want to leave the ship. Don’t worry, because if you follow a couple of my tips, you can experience all that each port has to offer without the fear of your cruise ship setting sail and leaving you behind.
Tour Tip #1:
Even though it’s true that when you purchase excursions and tours from the cruise lines that they’re more expensive, but with that price comes a guarantee. It’s always best to verify with the cruise lines prior to purchasing your tours with them whether they have a policy to wait for you if you happen to be late or something goes wrong during your tour that causes delay. Most cruise ships offer this guarantee, and for the extra money you pay, is peace-of-mind.
Please Note: After reading some comments on the Internet, there was a case where a couple did purchase a cruise ship tour, however, even though the tour company did bring them back to the ship on time, this couple decided to venture off to take some pictures. The fact that this couple returned and were recorded by the tour company as being back, didn’t matter to the cruise company, because the fact they ventured off after the tour. The cruise company claimed they were not responsible for the couple not getting onboard the ship. Just keep this in mind if and when you do book a tour with the cruise ship.
Tour Tip #2:
If you’re not willing to pay the over inflated tour prices from the cruise company, and you’re more inclined to venture out to find a bargain, my best advice is to embark as early as you possibly can, preferably in the morning, and go find a tour or excursion you would like to do that will be completed early in the day. You see even if something were to happen where the tour was delayed, you will still have time to make arrangements to get back before the required boarding time.
Tour Tip #3:
You know the old say “ @#%$&! happens”, or “Murphy’s Law”, well take that to heart whether you’re on a cruise vacation or even a land vacation, because if something is going to go bad, you may not have control over the situation. Being prepared for a worst case scenario is the best medicine you can prescribe yourself.
- Take extra ID, I recommend that you take it with you while on you tour, along with a photocopy of your passport. If for any reason you need ID to get another passport issued or book a flight.
- Take a small bag with extra clothes and some personal amenities, such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant. If you get stranded and have to overnight at your current destination, at least you won’t have to pay for extra amenities.
- Last but not least. Make sure you have cash on you, and possibly your bank card. Chances are the port you’re visiting will have access to a national bank that will allow you to do withdraw cash or cash transfers if needed.
In conclusion to this unfortunate incident is that proper planning and being aware of your time is extremely important, and if you happen to lose track of time and the ship leaves without you, well that’s an expensive lesson learned, right? However, there is a possibility where an unexpected situation occurs and it’s totally out of your control, so it’s always best to be prepared even though you may think it will never happen to you.
I hope you found this information helpful, and it will allow you to enjoy your next cruise vacation without the worry that the couple in the video had to experience.
American Idol Experience Is Searching For You!
Alright, you may be wondering what the heck is “American Idol Experience”!
Well there’s no question millions of people are going to be glued to their television sets next Wednesday evening as the new American Idol will be crowned with the victory. Now after the season finally, many of you may be dreaming of the 2011 season, and who will be the lucky person to be chosen to sing among millions of potential screaming fans.
Sounds exciting I bet, but one problem. You have to line up among thousands of potential contestants for hours to fight for limited spots, right? What if we tell you that there may be a loophole and it all starts at Disneyworld. Say What! What you talking about Willis?
Yup! Disneyworld has been successfully running the American Idol Experience for almost a year now, where you could have the opportunity to be that lucky contestant to move to the front of the line at the next American Idol auditions. Sounds to good to be true, don’t take my word for it, check out these videos below that will explain everything to you.
Just think about it, go to Disneyworld and have a fun vacation and in the process try and become a singing sensation!
For information on how you can take part in the American Idol Experience, we encourage you to visit Disneyworld’s website where most if not all your questions will be answered. Click this link here: Disneyworld’s American Idol Experience! Good luck and say hi to Mickey and Donald for me while you’re down there.
