{my view for the next week}
Tune in around April 12th to hear all about my 10 day trip to Jamaica. We will be enjoying a private villa rental and then our annual pilgrimage to Strawberry Hill in the Blue Mountains.
I've arrange some lovely little posts in my absence... such as my favorite travel gear, a few more new photos from Sandals Emerald Bay, and don't forget to click on over to my Destination Wedding Blog for more Caribbean fun! Enjoy!
Breezes Resorts March Madness Sale!
For 3 days only BREEZES Resorts are on super sale at 35 to 50% off!
Book by March 31 for travel April 10 – June 11 to take advantage of these incredible savings. Blackout dates and restrictions apply. See below for complete details. Applies to new bookings only. Other dates are available at higher rates.
TRAVEL: April 10 - June 11, 2010
BOOK BY: March 31, 2010 at 11:59pm ET
What's Included? At Breezes Resorts & Spas virtually everything you can eat, drink & do is included in one simple, upfront price with no tipping allowed. So leave your wallet behind and bring a healthy appetite for great food and endless fun. All on some of the best beaches in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Sample Rates:
Breezes Panama starts at $78/night
Breezes Grand Resort in Negril starts at $138/night
Breezes Runaway Bay starts at $114/night
Breezes Trelawny starts at $81/night
Breezes Curacao starts at $104/night
Breezes Resorts are located in Jamaica, Bahamas, Curacao, Panama, and Brazil. All areas with easy airlift from most major US gateways and if you fly Condor from the UK.
New Sandals Emerald Bay Photos!
Sandals Resorts newest property is a gem! Sandals Emerald Bay is located in the Exumas, the Out Islands of the Bahamas. Enjoy these photos of some of the beautifully appointed common spaces on property:
We love the rich dark woods and cooling neutral palettes...
The chic, classic Caribbean style greets you from the moment you step into the lobby:
Do we really need any words to describe the beach?
If you need words, think sugar sand, calm waves, and the warmest clear water around...
The Boathouse Restaurant is reminiscent of a posh yacht club...
Being that Sandals Emerald Bay is a new hotel, there are some great promotion rates right now - up to 65% off + 1 night free! Combine this with great airfare rates from the US or cheap flights to the Caribbean from London.
Stay tuned - I'll be posting a few photos of the rooms and private living spaces at Sandals Emerald Bay next week!
Best Caribbean Cruise Shore Excursions
I have a secret. I don't like to cruise. I've gone on ONE cruise 10 years ago and it was the worst. vacation. ever. No need to name names or go into detail... cruising simply isn't the vacation style for me at the moment. Because of this, cruises are a tough sell for me. The only time I am comfortable suggesting this for a client is if they are new to Caribbean Travel and they can't settle on one to two islands for their first visit. In this case, cruising is a great idea! It can give you a synopsis of what every island has to offer and you can decide which one you want to return to for more. The downside to this idea is that you really can't judge an island by what you see at the cruise port. You MUST get as far away from the ship as possible, away from the noisy vendors and crowds. I've put together a list of my favorite Port Excursion Companies:
Chukka Caribbean - one of the most reputable tour companies in the Caribbean with outposts on Jamaica, Belize, and the Turks & Caicos. Highlights of this company are the horseback ride & swim.
Shore Trips is the largest provider of shore excursions catering to the cruise market. The neat thing about this company is they will package together excursions in multiple ports so you can plan more and save more!
Island Routes is a new company but owned by the same company as Sandals Resorts. They offer tours in Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua, & the Bahamas.
PS. You don't have to miss out on cruising the Caribbean if you live in Europe! There are many cheap flights when you fly Condor to the Caribbean!
ME Cancun Launches Meal Plan Special Discounts!
ME Cancun Launches Irresistible Meal Plan for 2010!
IRRESISTIBLE Meal Plan Package Rates:
$185.00usd per person per night based on double occupancy
$255.00usd per person per night based on single occupancy
The above rates are per person, per night, based on double or single occupancy in US Dollars. Based on Meal Plan Packages.
Rates Include:
Room Night
Maid Service and Porterage
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (selected menus will apply)
Dinner a la carte with reservation in our SALT, SILK and/or BEACHHOUSE Restaurants (selected menus will apply)
Unlimited Domestic Drinks from 10ยช.m. until 11:00p.m.
All Food & Beverage gratuities
Use of the Gym (lessons are at additional cost)
Turn down service
Taxes and services included
**All meals/beverages are offered at the restaurants/bar available during regular hours of operation. Surcharges apply for private events.
Book by April 20, 2010! Hurry, don't let this great offer get away! Contact the Caribbean Travel Specialists at Caribbean Journey to book today.
Beaches Friends Forever Girls Getaway
Have you seen the trailer for the Sex & the City 2? My favorite tagline at the end of the clip is when Carrie says "Sometimes, you just have to get away with the girls." So true!
Ready for your Girlfriend Getaway? Beaches Resorts are rolling out the red carpet for you and your girlfriends to go on a 4-night vacation in paradise at a very special rates. So, grab your girlfriends, kick back, relax and enjoy Caribbean-style fun at the Beaches Friends Forever (B.F.F.) Girls Getaway.
Exclusive B.F.F. Activities:
Welcome Cocktail Reception
Island Dance Lessons
Skin-timate Skin Care Sessions
Beach Bonfire Pajama Party
Meditation Classes
Stretch Yoga & Seaside Pilates Classes
Chartered Snorkeling
Farewell Dinner
PLUS:
$200 SPA GIFT CERTIFICATE
Receive a $200 Red Lane® Spa gift certificate for the ultimate in pampering. Plus, receive welcome gifts, a 10% discount at the retail shops and a free 5x7 photograph.
Receive a $200 Red Lane® Spa gift certificate for the ultimate in pampering. Plus, receive welcome gifts, a 10% discount at the retail shops and a free 5x7 photograph.
SUNSET SAIL AWAY CATAMARAN CRUISE
Sail away on a catamaran cruise for the ultimate party on the water! (An $85 value)
Sail away on a catamaran cruise for the ultimate party on the water! (An $85 value)
B.F.F. Weekends:
April 29 to May 3, 2010
October 14 to 18, 2010
May 12 to 16, 2011
October 13 to 17, 2011
Rates start at $1199/per person. Visit Beaches website today or send me an email and I will help you plan this fabulous getaway!
Huge Savings on the new ELITE Rooms at Casa de Campo!
APRIL & NOVEMBER OFFER:
Valid for programs held April 5-30 and November 1-30, 2010
Experience our new Elite rooms with a FREE category upgrade...book now and save up to $300 per room on your
4-night program!
| • | Savings represented on rate inclusive of tax and service charges. |
| • | Available for select dates and new bookings only. Some restrictions apply. |
Valid May 1 - October 31, 2010
Elite Room with Golf Cart $195 per room single/double occupancy, per night, 4-night minimum.
| • | One Complimentary meeting room for entire group stay. |
| • | One Complimentary function area for private group event (on day of your choice). |
| • | Private group check-in and assistance of in-house Group Specialist. |
| • | Complimentary turn down service each night. |
In addition, a 5% discount on your choice of ONE of the following:
| – | Spa Services |
| – | Food & Beverage consumption charges |
| – | Entertainment Charges |
| – | Group Excursions or Team Building Activities |
I'm ready to help you plan your trip to Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic today! Drop me a line: 866-236-1924.
Cancun's Underwater Sculpture Museum
Cancun's Underwater Museum gives divers and snorkelers the opportunity to admire more than 400 original sculptures in depths ranging from 9 to 20 feet.
The amazing sculptures are by the artist Jason de Caires Taylor. {be sure and check his other projects to read about the installment in Grenada.}
Enjoy!
3 Nights Free at the Hermitage Inn - Nevis
Low Season Special! Book 7 nights and receive 3 FREE at the Hermitage!
The Hermitage is charming historic Caribbean Plantation Inn on the island of Nevis. It offers true West Indian-style cottages in a lush tropical location, with swimming pools, tennis courts, horses, great nature walk opportunities and gourmet dinning.
The Hermitage is perched about 800 feet on the side of Mount Nevis -the perfect location, cool mountain breezes at night and the beaches are only 15 minutes away!
Our frequently returning guests help create a wonderful house party. With only 15 rooms, the atmosphere is always intimate.
Caribbean Journey - World Travel Awards Nominee
I am so excited to announce that my travel company, Caribbean Journey, has been nominated for a 2010 World Travel Award. Hailed by the Wall Street Journal as the "Travel industry's equivalent to the Oscar's", the World Travel Awards are the most comprehensive and most prestigious awards program in the global travel industry.
As a World Travel Award Nominee, Caribbean Journey will be put forward into the final round of voting. The results will then be announced in September. Voting is extended to over 183,000 travel industry professionals and the general public. If you've used my travel planning services or simply appreciate learning about the Caribbean from this blog, please take a minute and vote for us! Check back in September to see if we won. Thank you!
Frazier the Tree Guy
Walt Frazier, a Hall of Fame player for the New York Knicks basketball team, shed his peacock Clyde alter ego to become Frazier the tree guy, as locals call him on St. Croix. He's owned property on the island of St. Croix since 1979 and lived through some a few of the worst hurricanes in recent history... that makes anyone a native. Read the full story "The Transition Game" from the New York Times.
His properties are an extension of his oversized personality and can actually be rented a vacation villas through Calabash Realtors.
{I love this photo. Dreamy}
A little truth about hotel review sites...
As a travel consultant, clients often come to me with a short list of hotels they are most intersted in and want my professional opinion on which one is the "perfect match" for their vacation. When I ask how they arrived at their choices on the list, the most common response is that they spent a little time on hotel review sites, ruling out any property with negative reviews. Thanks to Christopher Elliott and the Washington Post for this overdue article which supports my feelings that review sites shouldn't always be trusted..."Oh, the things hotels will do for a good review. It's not enough to ask guests for a write-up on a popular site such as TripAdvisor or Yelp after they've checked out. Lately, some innkeepers have been pressuring their guests to say positive things online -- in extreme cases, even before they've checked in. Take what happened to Pam Stucky when she recently made a reservation at a small hotel in Scotland. Before she arrived, the owner sent her an e-mail soliciting a recommendation on TripAdvisor, even though she'd never been to the hotel... read the full article here."
Caribbean Travel by the Numbers
In years past, the requests my clients had centered around finding THE place to go, the most popular resorts on the most visited islands, the in & trendy "must visits". Fast forward to 2010, and the hectic lives most of us lead, and the requests for "off the beaten Caribbean" are on the rise. So here's a list, courtesy of the Caribbean Tourism Organization, showing just how many visitors sought sun on each Caribbean island in 2009, from the popular to the quiet. The visitors are totals, coming from the US, Europe, and beyond.
The list is as I excepted, only Cuba & Martinique's numbers were a surprise to me. It must be all of the cheap flights from Europe and Canada that boost these island's visitors. Cuba is not on my radar as I am banned from selling the island. Martinque remains one of the few islands I haven't yet visited nor do I get many requests for it. After seeing this list, I'm ready to visit and see what 443,202 other people enjoy about it!
1. Dominican Republic - 3,992,303
2. Cuba - 2,429,809
3. Jamaica - 1,831,097
4. Cancun - 1,434,416
5. Bahamas - 1,116,195
6. Puerto Rico - 1,082,423
7. Aruba - 812,623
8. US Virgin Islands - 666,051
9. Barbados - 518,564
10. Martinique - 443,202
11. St. Maarten - 440,185
12. Curacao - 333,866
13. St. Lucia - 278,491
14. Cayman Islands - 271,958
15. Trinidad & Tobago - 251,975
16. Bermuda - 235,860
17. Antigua & Barbuda - 211,107
18. British Virgin Islands - 205,914
19. Belize - 192,155
20. Guyana - 141,053
21. Grenada - 113,370
22. Dominica - 64,402
23. St. Vincent & the Grenadines -60,442
24. Bonaire - 49,316
25. Anguilla - 30,716
26. Saba - 8,707
27. Montserrat - 4,897
28. St. Eustatius - 4,025
Down in Mexico by Amanda Julca
Amanda Julca is a photographer who returned recently from a vacation to Mexico and shared these fantastic photos with me in support of my "be there now" campaign. She captured the ocean in the most perfect lighting...
...making it seem as if even the waves are quiet...
Viva Mexico!
For more on the talented Amanda Juluca - go here. Enjoy!
Best Caribbean Travel Apps for iPhone
This is a very ambitious post for me because I have not yet reached the ideal level of comfort one desires with today's technology. However, I am a recent convert to the cult of Mac and am enjoying the honeymoon stage with my iPhone.
I'll be taking a Caribbean Vacation for two weeks at the end of this month and I have begun my research for the apps I want to use on my trip. I've downloaded them, read the reviews, and tested them out as best I can from home. Check back in mid-April to see my reviews of each.
Skype - Who doesn't love Skype? Ok - I am sure there are plenty of you. In our house it is a staple because my husband and I have settled in a town where we have no family. Our relatives are keeping house everywhere from San Francisco, Jamaica, Italy, New Zealand & more. Skype keeps us in touch and allows our kids to see a live picture of their relatives. I've heard that the Skype App, when connected to a local Wi-Fi, will allow you to make free calls. Its FREE, let's see how it works on the beach!
The Coconut Connection by RumShopRyan - I'm satisfied just by the name, but guess what? Ryan is a real person and is quickly developing his own cult of follows in the virtual Caribbean. His app will keep you connected to his Caribbean themed tweets and his guidebook coverage of the islands. The icon alone is worth the download, plus its FREE.
Oanda Currency Converter - US Dollars are widely accepted in the Caribbean but most avid travelers will agree, you will save a few pennies if you pay with local currency. We also like to exchange currency as a way to educate our daughter on the process. Good news! The Oanda Converter has exchange rates loaded for the Eastern Caribbean Dollar & Jamaican Dollar. FREE!
Gate Guru - I like to eat, so I like this one. GateGuru let's you know what restaurants are located near your gate and features a review forum so you can let others know how much you loved or hated your meal. It has listings for ATMs, children's play areas, and First Class Lounges too. This one likely won't have info on locations available at Caribbean airport we are arriving at - but should help us navigate the new terminal we are flying out of. FREE for now.
Flashlight - Have you ever been in the Caribbean when the power goes out? If it happens on your first or second night, you might not be familiar with your surroundings and after a few cocktails, this could be very dangerous. The Flashlight app will come in very handy. FREE!
Postman - Create and send virtual postcards to let friends & family know how your trip is going. This one is a tough sell for me, not because of the $1.99 price but because I am a huge fan of pretty paper and prefer pen & ink. However, this app would be a great tool for a bride or groom having a Destination Wedding and wanting a unique way to update any relatives unable to make the trip.
Are there any others you've found helpful on your Caribbean adventures?
Enjoy,
Belize Honeymoon Sweepstakes!
The Lodge at Chaa Creek, Belize’s award-winning luxury eco-lodge in the jungles of Central America, is offering free 5 day all-inclusive honeymoon trip to the lucky winners!
Wedged between Mexico and Guatemala on the Yucatan’s Caribbean coast, English speaking Belize is a melting pot of cultures creating a unique blend of vibrant people living in a land of endless beauty. This tiny country, steeped in Maya history and surrounded by nature’s bounty, is only a few hours’ flight away from most major North American cities.
Chaa Creek is offering the opportunity to explore the best that Belize has to offer by celebrating your honeymoon in one of our luxurious suites and villas surrounded by lush tropical gardens in the foothills of ancient Maya Mountains. Enjoy a bottle of fine champagne in your private Jacuzzi, share a candlelit dinner under the huge thatched canopy of our well appointed dining room, engage in numerous adventurous activities within our 365-acre private reserve , and relax with a personalized assortment of professional treatments in our hill top Spa.
Whether you are dreaming of a romantic honeymoon vacation getaway, renewing your vows, or celebrating your anniversary, this unique honeymoon vacation package is guaranteed to create memories of something rich and timeless!
To enter the Belize Honeymoon Vacation Sweepstakes, an essay (minimum of 300 words) must be written explaining why you would want to celebrate your honeymoon in Belize and at The Lodge at Chaa Creek. The essay must be submitted via email to marketing@chaacreek.com and will be published anonymously on the Chaa Creek Travel Blog.
The Chaa Creek Team will then send you a link upon receiving your essay to access a short list of questions about Belize and Chaa Creek. All of the answers to the questions can be found on the Chaa Creek website at www.chaacreek.com. You must score a minimum of 85% in order to be entered into the final sweepstake drawing.
The Belize Honeymoon Vacation Sweepstakes closes on May 1st 2010. All qualified entries will be placed in the drawing barrel and the winning tickets for the five prizes will be drawn by the children of St Andrews Primary School and monitored by the Board of Directors of Chaa Creek Limited in the Cayo District of Belize.
Winning vacation packages accommodate two persons and are inclusive of cottage accommodation, food, transfers, tours and activities, and spa treatments.
For more information about the Belize Honeymoon Vacation, contact the property at 877-709-8708, marketing@chaacreek.com or visit the web site atwww.chaacreek.com.
Disclaimer: Please note that vacation prizes are good for one year, non-transferrable, and cannot be used for existing reservations.
Chaa Creek is offering the opportunity to explore the best that Belize has to offer by celebrating your honeymoon in one of our luxurious suites and villas surrounded by lush tropical gardens in the foothills of ancient Maya Mountains. Enjoy a bottle of fine champagne in your private Jacuzzi, share a candlelit dinner under the huge thatched canopy of our well appointed dining room, engage in numerous adventurous activities within our 365-acre private reserve , and relax with a personalized assortment of professional treatments in our hill top Spa.
Whether you are dreaming of a romantic honeymoon vacation getaway, renewing your vows, or celebrating your anniversary, this unique honeymoon vacation package is guaranteed to create memories of something rich and timeless!
To enter the Belize Honeymoon Vacation Sweepstakes, an essay (minimum of 300 words) must be written explaining why you would want to celebrate your honeymoon in Belize and at The Lodge at Chaa Creek. The essay must be submitted via email to marketing@chaacreek.com and will be published anonymously on the Chaa Creek Travel Blog.
The Chaa Creek Team will then send you a link upon receiving your essay to access a short list of questions about Belize and Chaa Creek. All of the answers to the questions can be found on the Chaa Creek website at www.chaacreek.com. You must score a minimum of 85% in order to be entered into the final sweepstake drawing.
The Belize Honeymoon Vacation Sweepstakes closes on May 1st 2010. All qualified entries will be placed in the drawing barrel and the winning tickets for the five prizes will be drawn by the children of St Andrews Primary School and monitored by the Board of Directors of Chaa Creek Limited in the Cayo District of Belize.
Winning vacation packages accommodate two persons and are inclusive of cottage accommodation, food, transfers, tours and activities, and spa treatments.
Belize Honeymoon Vacation Package or Maya Wellness Rainforest Vacation Package
- A Four Night/Five package for two
- A 50% discounted Four Night package for two
- A 40% discounted Four Night package for two
- A 30% discounted Four Night package for two
For more information about the Belize Honeymoon Vacation, contact the property at 877-709-8708, marketing@chaacreek.com or visit the web site atwww.chaacreek.com.
Disclaimer: Please note that vacation prizes are good for one year, non-transferrable, and cannot be used for existing reservations.