Vacation Financial Planning

Economy has become a big part of how you plan your vacations, You want to be able to afford a great vacation, have money to spend while you are on your vacation and not have to stress about paying for it when it becomes a great memory.

Here are some tips for you to make your vacation planning a little easier.

Plan your vacation early. When cruise companies plan their excursions, they plan the costs of the cruises based on the responses they get. They make the cruise available and until they start to see a booking trend, they have no way of evaluating what they should or can get for the commitments made by their client. In the early stages, they assume the medium so the costs are low. So the earlier you book your cruise the more potential savings you can realize. The more popular the cruise becomes based on the commitments they receive, the higher the costs will possibly be. You will have the opportunity to take advantage of early booking prices and upgrade savings.

By booking early a balcony suite may be comparable in cost to an ocean view or inside cabin booked closer to the sail date. Availability and selection is also to your advantage. In all probability, if you want a mid-ship mid-rise cabin not close to other ship spaces that have a lot of traffic or activity noises, the choices are much greater the earlier you book. You will be able to position your self on the ship where you will not be bothered by noisy stairwells or night club noises when your trying to sleep.

Along with booking early, discuss a monthly payment plan with your travel agent, The cruise companies offer the plans without interest so there is no added cost compared to using your credit card. Again, early booking facilitates a structured payment plan. It is a commitment but when it’s time to get on board, the financial aspect of the adventure is history.

Plan your on-shore or ship-board excursions early and plan on set-asides in advance to pay for them as well. As with the trip itself, when you board, your excursion tickets will be dropped off at your cabin with no additional obligations on your part.

Airline travel works in similar fashion. Try booking a flight the day before you need to travel and in all probability, you’ll end up on standby for the same flight and possibly even a few days later. If the flight is booked with your cruise, you won’t be able to include the cost of the flight with the payment plan but at least if they are paid for early on, the airline has your commitment and the cost will probably be substantially less.

Last but not least, put some money aside for incidental expense for shopping, elective last-minute excursions and on-board bar bill. Remember drinks, including soft-drinks and water are seldom included in your cruise costs and a bottle of wine with dinner, margaritas and daiquiri pool side and water to take on your excursions all add up. True some of us tend to be thirstier than others but be familiar and realistic with what you and your party can consume when having a great time on your adventure. 

Preparing for the Inevitable:

In our enthusiasm for a vacation, we never think to prepare for Murphy’s Law that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Stuff  happens and although we don’t want to think that issues can arise and accidents can happen on a vacation, we tend not to account for the possibility. A lot of time and resources went into the vacation planning so here are a few tips that might help to preserve the vacation just in case.

One item that becomes invaluable should a problem arise is time. That commodity can’t be created and if caught between a rock and a hard place, having given yourself a “time buffer” can be the best part of disaster planning. When you plan a vacation, include a “trouble shooting” first day in case you miss a connection or travel plans are impacted by inclement weather.

In the event you do have travel interruptions, immediately contact your travel agent and they will use their resources to help make the adjustments you need to make on your behalf. They can from their location find potential solutions as it is what they do.

Whether you or your travel agent book flights, plan on arriving at your destination a day ahead. With cruises, they habitually depart on a Sunday so your buffer day is a Saturday. Should there be flight issues, you have an extra day to find a resolution. Try to book direct flights if possible with early departure times. An evening on a  red-eye flight might get you there if all goes as planned but if a problem arises, the amount of options late in the day or evening are limited, in other words most of the flights have happened and there are few opportunities and resources left to plan with. Airlines run on schedules and the more schedule available to you, the better your odds of taking advantage of them. You are able to react better to the new situation if you have the time to think about what you need to do and the resources that are available to solve the problems.

The extra day would include accommodations at your destination and although there is additional cost, its cheap insurance. Take advantage of making the day part of the vacation and see what’s available for entertainment or dining in an unfamiliar area. Have your travel agent book a hotel with shuttle service in the event you want to get out and around the hotel and also to your cruise port. There is usually a cost associated with the latter but more likely than not, most cruise lines will also offer shuttle services to the cruise port from the airport at an added cost. It’s usually at flat rate cost and they are prepared ahead of time to make sure you get where you need to go.

Probably one of the most important things to do is to make sure you have travel insurance. Consider the time and cost you invest into your vacation. We can’t emphasize how important it is to include the insurance just in case the inevitable does happen and no matter what considerations you planned for, if it becomes impossible to salvage the vacation, all would not be lost.

There are always possibilities of having an accident or someone getting sick while you are on your adventure so along with being able to recover the cost of the vacation other costs could also be recovered depending on the insurance options that were available to you and what you selected. Discuss the insurance options with your travel agent and pick the plan tailored to your needs.

Protect your vacation. It is after all an investment in you and your family.

Remember your Travel Agent can be your biggest asset to overcoming the inevitable so remember they are part of your planning.

Isla Roatan

Thursday finds us in port on Isla Roatan and our excursion is a simple day at Tabyana Beach. We disembark and walk out to the International Village where we wait for our organizers to call us out to the buses. The Village is nothing more than an open Plaza shopping mall with all the usual fare such as Diamonds International. 

Window shopping is a decent way to pass the time and some of the local artists have quite an impressive representation of their wares available for sale. Unfortunately, it’s never a good idea to shop and drag your purchases with you so we’re happy just to check it all out.

Our excursion is finally called out and we all board the mini-buses that are to take us on our adventure. It’s remarkable how many of the drivers have a spiritual sense and the display signs attesting to their Christianity openly and obviously without repercussions. Just an observation…

The trip starts to head out of the compound on the Carretara Pavimentada Principal, loosely translates as the “main cart path”. No route numbers on this island as the number of roads are limited. The bus takes us past the Juan Manuel Gálvez International Airport and west through Roatan where the main cart path doubles as main street.

The street is teaming with tourists and we soon see the source is Norwegian Cruise Lines Jewel, docked in a location where the passengers could easily access the local fare. We’re envious for not having had a similar opportunity and it’s obvious the International; Village we were at does little to “spread the wealth with the local people who could use an economic boost from a growing tourist trade.

Soon the village is behind us and we continue through the country side to our final destination. Some of the local residences are little more than shanties and some tend to be a bit more curb appeal but not by any great degree. A couple of horses in a yard make us wonder where the resources are to keep them healthy…the horse lover in me makes me feel empathy for their less than ideal appearance. Other houses and resorts continue to demonstrate the opposite ends of the local wealth (or lack of) spectrum. The driving to some is marginally death-defying on the winding road with drop-offs, steep hills and oncoming traffic.

We finally arrive at our destination, Tabyana Beach at West bay and are impressed by the beach location and the facilities that include change rooms, rest rooms and a snorkeling outfitter. The beach sand is white and the water is blue. Palm trees abound and the lounge chairs are plentiful, well situated and within short distance of the wait staff who is always ready to take your drink order.

We run into Todd and Vivian and they came with their snorkeling gear. Karen and I rent the equipment for what I consider a reasonable $20.00 for three hours. I’ve tried it back in Cancun and know three hours would be a test of endurance and I’d probably pay to have them take the equipment back after a couple of hours. Karen was willing to give it another shot and I was determined to be more aware of her apprehension and try to patiently get her to where she needed to be. We all head into the warm water and it did not take much for Karen to embrace the challenge and start enjoying the experience.

Unlike Cancun, the drop-off was not too far out and the coral reef rose high from the sandy floor. The fish were plentiful and the variety of species and colors were a wonderful surprise. The reef is well supervised and every effort is made to keep anyone from getting into the more sensitive reef areas. It can be difficult to go out and come back without getting close to or into those areas so it’s wise not to go out too far without making sure you have the stamina to back-track and find optional routes back to the beach.

After an initial outing and back on the beach in the hot sun and heat, it’s time to put the wait staff to task. No disappointment in this department and these people must have coined the phrase “you never have to ask twice”. A few cold beers attest to Karen’s new relationship with Corona’s and lime. But it doesn’t get out of hand and after a couple, Todd and I head back out to explore another area of the reef.
It’s an energetic cycle and after an hour or so, we’re back on the beach enjoying some cold drinks in the hot sun. Remember it’s April and sun is hard to come by back home. Consider it therapeutic and an attempt to regain some of the vitamin D not readily available back home where solar deprivation is a daily reality. This does prove to be a great bridge from winter into a taste of summer soon to come back home.
We return the diving gear and spend a bit more time on the beach. It’s a utopia but as with all things, time doesn’t stand still and our ship won’t either. We head back to the shuttle buses and find our way back to the ship. No alternate routes and Carretara Pavimentada Principal is the chosen road back.

Upon arrival, we take a bit of time to shop for some souvenirs not more than some tee’s. We’re getting a sense of the day’s activities and how they drained our energy to a point we can’t wait to get back on board, shower up and enjoy our dinner (with wine of course) at Truffles.

Once again, the food and service does not disappoint and a second wind takes us on to a stage show at Follies. Another memorable day and we finally retire in anticipation of Belize in the morning.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Tulums

Day three of our cruise starts with the ship arriving in Cozumel into the cruise ship terminal to berth beside the Princes Cruise ship.  We once again run into Todd and Vivian who tells us their son and daughter-in-law are cruising with Princess and plan to hook up for a common excursion. We wished them well and impressed by their well thought out plan.  We’re directed to a shuttle boat that is to take us to Playa del Carmen to catch our tour bus connection. Wanting to capitalize on the experience and the views, we make our way up to the top deck. Once we cast off, we all come to realize the water didn’t seem too rough while on the cruise ship but it’s impact on the smaller craft is difficult to ignore. Consider we’re on the upper deck and the center of gravity is well below us. I do my best to deal with the motion of the small vessel and land can’t come all to soon. Truth be known, this was a small taste of what lies ahead.  Making it into port, we disembark and walk up to the three waiting tour buses. We board on a seemingly new tour bus of Fun and Sun Tours and are greeted by our assigned tour guide. Taking our seats, it’s a matter of minutes before we start this leg of our journey south on highway 307 to the site of the ruins. Our tour guide flatters us by letting us know how we elected to pursue history in lieu of some other fun-filled tourist activity. We like to connect with the past and even though the history involves people in a distant place and of a different culture, something is always to be gained.  The buses pull into a tourist center to give us an opportunity to use the facilities and do some souvenir shopping. It’s not a long stop but definitely a welcome one, even just to have the opportunity to stretch.
We arrive at the site and run into Bill and Penny who came in on one of the other buses. It’s apparent they just had some rain and not two minutes off the bus, a deluge comes down and we all make best effort to put on rain gear…at least for those of us who plan for the inevitable. Karen saw her way clear to get us rain jackets from Old Navy, the kind that roll up and get stored in a zippered pocket. Too cool and very effective. Everyone else gets a quick lesson in capitalism, buying clear plastic bags for two dollars each and all that is required is to punch holes in it for your head and arms or whatever you need to do to breath and keep dry simultaneously. The rain comes quickly and it’s obvious the topography does not lend itself well to drainage. Puddles abound and once again, our water shoes allow us the luxury of not worrying about getting our feet wet.
Tulum is the site of a pre-Columbian Maya walled city serving as a major port for Cobá. The ruins are located on 12-meter (39 ft) cliffs, along the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea. Tulum was at its height between the 13th-15th centuries and managed to survive about 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico.   Old World diseases brought by the Spanish settlers appear to have been the cause of its demise. It’s one of the best-preserved coastal Maya sites.
Access to the site is tough a portal that was not engineered for tall people, a head banger at best so we’re careful not to get hurt. Once inside the compound, you see Grey ruins placed sporadically until our guide starts to explain the mechanics of how the culture lived. Then the placement of the structures and their individual use starts to reveal a planned sense of order. We discover Tulum has architecture typical of Maya sites on the east coast of the peninsula. We also learn the hierarchy of the society and the limitations it imposed on the number of people who lived inside the protected compound. Human sacrifice was common to the culture and one can only imagine the horror of those selected to appease the gods. Warfare was one source of human sacrificial victims. It is thought that losers in the ballgames may also have sometimes been victims, and sacrifice appears to have been connected mainly with ball games, festivals, and the assumption of power by a new king.
Our tour is cut short by another deluge of rain and our guide has little option but to give up on the tour because of the rain. But everyone, including other tour groups make best effort to stay with the exploration in spite of the weather. We do manage to get pictures and have the opportunity to follow-up the research later on via the web.
The rain finally subsides and even our rain jackets were no match for the amount of rain we had to endure. On our way back to the buses, we have the opportunity to stop and grab some burgers and fries with Coronas as the drink of choice. Some touristy shopping opportunities arise but we limit it to picking up the silver hieroglyphs we had an opportunity to order on the way in.
We’re pleased to learn the Maya and their descendants form sizable populations throughout the Maya area and maintain a distinctive set of traditions and beliefs that are the result of the merger of pre-Columbian and post-Conquest ideas and cultures. Many Mayan languages continue to be spoken as primary languages today.
As for us, it’s been a day and we’re looking forward to our return trip to the ship and hopefully have an opportunity to dry out after some hot showers. The rain, we are told, is indicative of the rainy season that seems to have arrived a few weeks ahead of time. It’s an anomaly and unlikely to factor into any future travel plans we might make in the future.
However, the weather needed to make a point and what seemed like major downpours earlier were mere sprinkles compared to how hard we were hit on the return trip. The topography as I mentioned is relatively flat and there’s little opportunity to make provisions for dealing with the runoff. None the less, our bus driver continues on without regard for the standing water on the roadway and every “lake he propels the bus into has enough water come up and into all the window perimeters. In a matter of time, it becomes difficult to see any credible difference to being in the bus as to being outdoors. We’re all getting drenched and sitting on wet upholstery. At this point, it’s uncertain we are going to make the ships departure as we still have to get back to the shuttle.
We soon discover one of the accompanying buses has broken down (drowned?) so now all bets are off as to how this scenario will play out. Two of the buses make it back to the shuttle dock and we all have an opportunity to wade in eight inches of standing water. Getting on board the shuttle proved to be an immediate run of chilled tourists to the restrooms and lines quickly formed.   As luck would have it, I’m closer to the end of the line than the front. That blood pressure medication I take daily is a diuretic…
I finally manage to get through that ordeal and take my seat. We’ve been informed arrangements have been made to pick up the passengers from the broken-down bus and that our shuttle would wait for them. It’s then that I notice the shuttle, although still docked, is riding waves as if at sea. The crew seems no worse for wear so we try to feed of their confidence while they pass out blue plastic bags just in case….

The last bus arrives and we cast off to a sea with ten foot swells. Cool….look down to the bow of the boat or the port side…then the stern. This made the trip in a smooth memory.
We finally make it back to Cozumel only to find our ship’s crew on the dock to offer assistance and the ship still in the dock. A homecoming we won’t soon forget. Ultimately, everyone is accounted for and the ship casts off and starts our next leg of the voyage to Isla Roatan.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Grand Cayman

The Cayman Islands, a British overseas territory located in the Western Caribbean Sea and our first port of call on this cruise. The territory comprises the islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica. It is considered a part of the geographic Western Caribbean zone . We arrive shortly after sunrise and with consideration for the coral reef, the ship will anchor offshore in anticipation of shuttling all the passengers to shore.

I step out on to the balcony as we come to where we are to drop anchor and as I look toward the port, a well-shaped mountain comes to view and I realize it’s a dump site. There’s some irony to it all…sensitivity to preserving the coral reef yet accommodating so many tourists, generating refuse creates an obvious landmark, We know the ships that come to port don’t leave anything behind (We hope to discuss our “Behind the Fun tour in the near future); not garbage nor the people who generate it while visiting.

Our shore excursion is a snorkel expedition close to the landing point as we didn’t want to spend too much time commuting to other destinations. The potential to explore the port on foot is part of our perpetual exercise program and we planned to do some walking after the dive.

We get off of our tendered boat, and walk to the entrance  of Grand  Cayman, where we wait, for further instructions on where we are to go next for our shore excursion.  As we wait we meet some now people and make some new friends.  The young lady arrives to take us over to our snorkeling spot.  We starts on our way and walk through parts of the Island, enjoying the view of all the ships that are docked just outside the Coral reef, what a sight it is.  We arrive not far from where we started, it’s a restaurant, a Mexican restaurant, I might add, and my husband is no fan of Mexican food, or should I say the food is no fan of him.  We are excited to start on our new journey, we are fitted with snorkeling equipment,  and down to the  area my husband goes while I put all the cloths away, we can’t wait to get into the water, and enjoy all the sites of the coral reef and the fish.

He dives in and away he goes, while I stand there watching him leave me behind.  And see the big fish (Tarpon) right in front of where you have to get into the water and swim.  I couldn’t do it, I stepped into the water and it came up to my neck, I was feeling anxious and had anxiety as I watched the tarpon swim around me.  I looked at them and thought they are just to big for me…..So I climbed out of  water on to shore, and watched my husband have a great time in the water, as I sat there and took pictures.  I felt defeated that I could not enjoy  the excursion and I wasted the $35.00 to enjoy it, but I thought maybe next time on our travels I will try again.

After the shore excursion that my husband enjoyed immensely and became hooked to the idea of doing it again, we decided to take a walk around the town to see what was on this little island.  We ventured around and checked out  some of the shops.  Found the famous Margarita ville  and some nice little churches along the way.  My husband left behind his battery charger so we found a little  shop that we thought might carry what we were looking for but it was to no avail. We carried on and walked around and saw the sights.

We were able to walk close to the water’s edge where you could see the many little shops and tarpon in the water.  We were told by a diver when you see Tarpon in the water sharks are not far behind.  Although we did not see any sharks so I’m going to be skeptical about that one.

We loved the day and it was enjoyed with nice people, adventure, some much-needed sun and more water so back to the ship we went. Once arriving, on the ship, we were able to go to our room, drop everything off, grab and drink and head to the  Lido deck where we could watch the rest of the quests come in from the day.

We again had a beautiful supper in the Truffles dining room, cruise was casual night so there was no need to have to get all dressed up,  we would usually put on something nice and enjoy  the evening  fine dining, entertainment and dancing if we felt the need. After supper we headed down to the Karaoke party with Aretha and enjoyed listening to the local ship’s talent. They have a lot more courage then I do to get up on stage and sing. After listening to some of the participants we went and watched the Live Dancing Music show with the Legend Show Band and Singers. They always put on a great event and we did not want to miss that.  The show marked the end of our wonderful day and we retired in anticipation of the next day of adventure in Cozumel.

Pictures of our Cruise in the Grand Cayman 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

A Full Day at Sea.

 

            

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge close to sunset

As the ship works its way to the gulf, we pass under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and the event is an experience most passengers are not willing to miss. Finding space to take pictures is difficult but not impossible.  We find ourselves forward on the Sports Deck (11) deck’s starboard side that gives us a view up towards St. Petersburg. The ship seems to have very little clearance between the stacks and the bridge and we’re told the original construction plan did not account for or anticipate the future potential of cruise ships.      

Understandably, the years of planning occurred almost simultaneous with the rapid growth of the cruise industry. We managed to get some great pictures with our Sony Alpha and after passing under the bridge span, the “low-battery” warning signaled it was time to recharge the battery while we dine. We head down to the cabin to freshen up and when looking for the battery charger, I get a visual of it sitting next to my computer at home. So much for planning…fortunately, we always try to have a back-up plan and short of waiting to hit land to see if a charger can be had, we brought our back-up Canon.  Not exactly the same as the Alpha but it’s served us very well over the years and does take great pictures. Karen convinces me not to beat myself up for forgetting the charger and I am grateful for the extra camera.           

A close encounter of a different kind.

 

 So we’re off to dinner.  It’s our first try at the “dine when your good and ready program” as opposed to planned timetable seating. When we get to the dining room dubbed “Trouffles” we’re asked if we would mind if we shared a table. Being the adventurer’s we are and always looking to meet new faces, we agree and are seated with a young couple sailing out of their home port. He’s retired and she still works a full-time job but they both love the cruise adventures and reveal this is number fourteen for them. Obviously living close to a cruise port makes the cruise experience even more cost-effective than having to also deal with flights and hotels just getting to the port of call. In retrospect, we’d probably do likewise and maybe one day that could happen. A great dinner as we’ve come to expect from the cruise line but it has been a long day so some time on deck before turning in does not make for too late an evening. Of course being out on the open sea in the fresh air helps to create that second wind we hear so much about. Seems there’s no top-side entertainment as we’ve experienced in the past but still plenty to do in various parts of the ship.  We opt for the Karaoke Party at Satchmo’s lounge and although a popular event, there’s plenty of sit-space and a bar not too far in the distance.  Amazing how some people can come out of their shell and show some talent while others, well they may sound good to themselves but I do admire their courage. I recorded myself many years ago and the playback made me cringe.  I knew Karaoke would never be in my future…ever!.          

 Our retreat to the cabin allows settling into a bed that was turned down by the service staff and to review the next day’s itinerary in the Funtimes event newsletter that is left in every cabin daily. It’s accompanied with the European traditional chocolates and a towel sculpture common to the cruise line the staff arranges during the supper hour. The Gulf is very smooth and as the ship continues on through the night, we don’t.          

One thing I really love about having a balcony suite is the sun gets you up in the morning just as it does at home. I don’t do well in tight spaces and enjoy being able to sit out on a balcony and watch the sea that has little or no profile but is perpetually active. After breakfast, we plan some exercise by simply walking laps on the Sundeck (10).  It’s a measured quarter-mile and everyone respectfully walks or runs in the same direction. It’s common to connect with the other passengers and we had the pleasure of meeting Penny who diligently exercises daily as a matter of routine. She and her husband hail from Wisconsin and it’s obvious he’s not into the getting up early to do laps first thing in the morning. None the less, Karen and Penny seem to hit it off and promise to seek each other out from time to time. That may seem simple but during the cruise, we were told the munchkins (little people ranging in age from 2-15) number over 500 strong yet we were oblivious to their presence for most of the cruise. A very strong activity program for the children by the cruise staff keeps them too busy to be bored and simply hang out. Kudos to the staff!          

It’s not to far into the morning when we hear a voice over the public address system…the voice of the cruise director by the name of Wee Jimmy.  I heard him the night before and at the time thought his accent was distinctly Irish.  Of course I was drinking so I could have been mistaken.  Then again, he might have been drinking and deviated from his Scottish accent to what I thought was Irish. You never know. Turns out Wee Jimmy is a very industrious cruise director and we ultimately discover there are probably two of him.  He seems to be everywhere at the same time and from the early morning to late at night, possibly even beyond. There’s no other point to make about him other than when I reflect on the cruise, it’s impossible to ignore his having been a part of it, orchestrating all the activities and supervising or attending to many of them personally with endless energy. He seems to exemplify the expression that “if there’s no passion, there’s no point”. Very admirable.          

After our six laps (1-1/2 miles) we shower up and cruise the ship to familiarize ourselves with the lay of the land. The mid-ship 3rd deck Fun Shops  offer some shopping variety and although limited, they remind us the cruise lines never miss a business opportunity. So very admirable and very American. But we personally prefer shopping at the various ports of call so it’s window shopping on the way to the Follies Lounge to catch Wee Jimmy’s “Fun Ashore, Fun Aboard” presentation. It’s always worthwhile to attend the informational event as most of the ship and shore activities are brought to light and for late planners, it can help to give them some direction to participate in the excursions and shore activities as well as those on board. If ever you miss the presentation, it’s recorded and played on the television might I say more than once.           

The sea moves by.

 

Our mid-day is spent taking in the sun on 10th deck doing nothing more than taking in the rays, strawberry daiquiris and watching the sea go by. Not exactly the most productive way to spend time but this is afterall what vacations should be about. Sunscreen is highly recommended and a hat never hurts either. Alcohol and hot sun appear to be a good combo but the reality is quite the opposite. Our repose in the sun is followed by some dinner at the Unicorn Cafe, a total buffet setting with never-ending food with a variety of different cuisines from around the world. Shortly afterwards, a hairy chest contest on the Lido Deck reminds me I miss my dog and possibly might give some consideration to the theory of evolution….all in good fun and again I commend the participants for the entertainment. 

An afternoon siesta is also in the works. The cabins have room darkening draperies and taking advantage of them to get some rest is perfectly normal. Not too unlike a trip to Vegas, time-of-day becomes incidental unless you’re on a shore excursion and don’t want to miss departure! But the rest is welcomed and waking up, we check out Wee Jimmy’s afternoon trivia show.  Hot showers and me succumbing to shaving, we shower and dress up for the first formal night. To some people it’s a meaningless or uncomfortable event but for us, we enjoy the formality of it and it goes a long way to put the hairy chest contest far behind us. No doubt Wee Jimmy planned it to be as such.           

The usual great food in the Truffles Dining Room accompanied with a smooth Merlot is the antithesis of modern drive-thru dining. The time one has to eat is never long enough and the wine seems to disappear all to soon. But it’s too late for a nap so on to some evening entertainment in Follies longe.  The entertainment of the evening is called “Jazz Hot” presented by none other than our cruise director, Wee Jimmy. He is, of course, in attendance dressed in traditional Scottish garb sporting the colors of Clan Wee Jimmy. I would hazard a guess the only person who knows his real surname is resting deep at the bottom of Loch Ness. None the less, he’s a reminder of the international flair of cruising.  As for the show, more correctly stage production, it’s not amateur night as the dancers and singers will absolutely surprise you.  The passion/point thing again as they work so hard to entertain us and along with the support staff and orchestra, they do everything possible to make it a memorable event.            

The show is followed by a stand-up comic by the name of Thomas Brown who single-handedly brings tears to your eyes and an ache in your belly with his routine. Step aside Chris Rock.  He was too much and to discover he does an adults only show at midnight set the agenda for the lingering moments of the day. He did tire us out with more calories burned up laughing than the mile and a half laps of the morning. It’s good to retire in a happy albeit tired mood so back to the cabin to get some rest in anticipation of our first port of call, Grand Cayman.            

Embarkation Day

It was not a restless night but as we’re prone to be early risers, we were up by seven and off to get some coffee.  The Holiday Inn Express breakfast buffet was more than adequate to get us started with plenty of fruit, rolls, juices and coffee. The hotel shuttle had us scheduled for noon so a walk after breakfast would keep us occupied until such time as we needed to pack up and get ready to leave.  

By eleven we were in the hotel lobby and had the pleasure of running into Mel and Kay who were scheduled for a 1:00 pm shuttle to the Carnival Legend. As fortune would have it, they did manage to see a doctor and he was more helpful than one could imagine setting Mel up with antibiotics and a road to recovery.  No doubt they were relieved by not having to be worried over a potential health crisis at sea.  

View from the Sun deck to the terminal area below.

  

The shuttle arrived on time and as it’s shared by a neighboring hotel, we made a stop to pick up some additional passengers prior to getting underway.  It was a Sunday morning and although traffic was lighter than the day before, there was plenty of activity on the roads to Tampa. The shuttle ride was about a half hour-long to the busy terminal.  Cars, buses and shuttles were unloading passengers and luggage in somewhat organized confusion.  The porters worked extremely hard to collect luggage and security personnel to direct the passengers to the gate. Your luggage is tagged with your cabin number and you won’t see it again until it’s dropped off at your door in the late afternoon. Note the terminal is a “no picture zone”.  

We were directed to the security screening section, not to unlike those at the airport but there’s also an ulterior motive than to finding weapons namely screening your carry on for contraband such as alcohol.  You are permitted to carry two bottles of wine on board but hard liquor is confiscated (and returned to you at the end of the cruise). Some people will simply stow it in their checked in luggage (more on that later). The really creative people put hard liquor in their “homemade” wine bottles which seems to work based on a couple we met in line while waiting to check in.Check-in was quick and soon off to board the ship. Being as entrepreneurial as they always have been, Carnival never misses a moment to pitch a sale and walking up the gangway usually involves one or two boarding sessions with a photographer with the hope you’ll buy the pictures once they are posted on board. This is one of many creative circumstances the cruise lines use to add to the bottom line but you’re never under any obligation to make the purchases unless you want to. 

The corridor doors are closed until two in the afternoon so we hike up to the top deck to enjoy the afternoon sun. Corridors are closed but the bars are open and waiters scurry about peddling drinks. Who can resist an inaugural libation or two, maybe three. Beverages are one of the few items not included in your cruise so it’s wise to set some kind of a platform as to what limits you may want to set for yourself. Everything you buy is charged to your “sail and sign” card that’s tied directly to your credit card or cash deposit. Drinking yourself to a point the ship that has stabilization control starts to pitch and yawl usually means your going to amass quite a tab on your sail and sign card.  It’s even worse when the ship hasn’t left the dock yet! 

 People tend to be casual and comfortable while easing into their vacation so we stroll along the deck talking to complete strangers knowing we’re shipmates and possibly connect from time to time during the cruise. At about three, we venture down to our cabin to drop of the carry-ons.  Luggage hasn’t arrived yet so we elevator down to the main bar for a drink. It’s becoming quite clear the ship’s passengers are boarding to meet the four o’clock cast-off schedule.  The bar becomes more populated so back up to the top deck we go.  

On our way to the Gulf!

 As the ship casts off, we chat with a couple from Tampa who took the opportunity to escape their older children for the cruise adventure. We discuss the liquor confiscation policy but our new-found friends reveal they had it stowed in their carry-on so they would be all set. I asked them for their cabin number and volunteered to check if their luggage had been dropped of as of yet. Obviously no fools, it was something they were not willing to share.  

In the mean time, I went down to our cabin to retrieve the camera and simultaneously pulled our delivered luggage into the room.  A quick jaunt up the stairs to the top deck to enjoy the sail through the channel towards the Sunshine Skyway bridge found one of our new-found friends lamenting that she too had retrieved their luggage and found a note telling them they are welcome to retrieve their alcohol when the cruise ends. So the policy is well enforced and no sense carrying all that extra weight while you travel.  

To be continued

Day 2 Continues

One disadvantage to short stays is not finding any benefit in renting a vehicle so ending up at the mercy of taxis and public transportation in unfamiliar territory has its drawbacks. Wanting to find a place to have a mid-day meal, the hotel staff recommended we try a restaurant located across the parking lot called Bahama Breeze. We took them up on it and found ourselves welcomed and seated on the outdoor terrace of a Key West style eatery. Everyone dressed as if they were also on vacation….oops. It’s Saturday and for a moment I forgot myself.  I also noted they all had to be local as they were either of Spanish decent or simply well-tanned. The food was light fare but excellent and again a wait staff that was very tuned into what they were doing. 

Bahama Breeze, Tampa FL

 

After lunch we went back to the hotel to take advantage of the pool and afternoon sun. Keeping in mind we stand out as non-locals with our six-month untanned skin, the sunscreen only seems like a natural thing to do and good measure to avoid disaster. Karen did the tanning thing back home but I did not have the time nor the patience. That sun was hot and the pool a welcome relief every few minutes. Two or three hours of that was enough and no sense pushing the envelope to being overexposed. 

The hotel has a shuttle bus at the disposal of their clients and we arranged to take it to a local mall and pick up a few forgotten items. A visit to Walgreen’s and then J. C. Penny was sufficient enough.  On the return shuttle, we met a couple from Sacramento and discovered they too were to board the Carnival Legend tomorrow. Mel and Kay were retired and certainly enjoying it. They went to the drug store as Mel was had an ear ache, potentially a revisit of swimmers ear he had suffered from some time past.  Unfortunately the pharmacist could not help them and we strongly recommended they take the time to get a doctor’s attention. The middle of the gulf on a cruise ship is not a place to have to look for medical attention. It’s not that it’s lacking but most insurances don’t cover the off-shore circumstances and unless you have the added insurance, it can be expensive and there may be limitations with what can be done to help you! 

Kay attested to having that very scenario come up on a New Zealand cruise they had taken in the past so it was not difficult to persuade them. The very accommodating shuttle bus driver agreed to take them to a local medical center after he dropped us off. 

Later that evening, Bahama Breeze was to be our supper location as well. It became very obvious this place is a very popular night spot from the end of the line of waiting dinners. Red Lobster came to mind but instead, the line moved quickly with patrons being given their call buzzers and the lines shifting to the outdoor bars. A one and a half hour wait…somehow not a troubling matter when you can stand outside in the warm Tampa air and enjoy the wait with drink in hand. 

The dinner was superb and the staff again outstanding.  It’s reassuring especially in times where true dedicated customer service seems to be a thing of the past. Maybe it’s us…maybe we don’t get out enough. Back to the hotel and a good night’s sleep with the anxiety of getting the ship tomorrow on our minds. 

To be continued.

Vacation Cruise 2010

 

I never was great at keeping a diary of any adventures and always rely on the memories and pictures that result.  Unfortunately, it’s impossible to relive the experience but one can only hope the future offers more of them. 

   

Our recent vacation was planned many months ago and we looked forward to it with unparalleled enthusiasm.  I had hoped to be able to do some “blog-as-we-go” but between the Caribbean sun and the cool drinks, what the heck…. I can rely on those memories and photographs to reflect on the experience.   

  

Day 1 started at the end of a work day for both of us. Making it home at about the same time, we both started to process what we needed to do and put the plan in motion. Some last-minute preparations around the house and then loading all the dog food in the truck, I walked the dogs up to the kennel as Karen drove their food supplies. Nice to have a neighbor in the dog boarding business. After leaving them in her care, back to the house and a final walk around the pastures to check the fences make sure the herd didn’t try to follow us on the way out.    

Fence check completed and back to the house to load up the luggage and we’re off. It’s pretty cool out so the thought of Tampa at 80 degrees starts to become more of a joyful reality. Our first night was to be spent in Albany to catch the early flight. Karen had arranged our stay at the Best Western as we’ve had some wonderful stays at other Best Western locations in the past. Unfortunately, this was not to be one of them. The facility is extremely dated and the decor less than inviting. But if this was a downside, things could only improve.   

Supper time and down to the restaurant at the hotel. It’s more of a bar than a place to eat and we knew it would not work. Well, the hotel is in a busy part of town and there are plenty of options within walking distance including but not limited to Red Lobster and Olive Garden. So we’re off only to witness people waiting to be seated at Red Lobster and none of them showing any enthusiasm for having to wait. We both reflected on a prior visit to the same restaurant ten years back and recollected the same “wait” scenario. Seems nothing has changed and no effort made over the years to accommodate their clients.     

Undeterred, we did pass a seafood restaurant in between Red Lobster and the hotel so what the heck…this was supposed to be an adventure. The Reel Seafood Co. in Albany, NY has been rated the # 1 Seafood Restaurant in the Capital District for 25 consecutive years so things were definitely starting to look up. Featuring an upscale dining experience in a casual atmosphere and not-to-common fare on the menu, the food was excellent and with a good bottle of wine we had no regrets.   

After a reasonably good nights rest we’re off to the airport. Somehow the thought of breakfast didn’t appeal to either of us and we opted for a quick check-out, hustle over to Park-and-Fly and get a bite at the airport. At the checkout desk, another couple was trying to arrange a shuttle. What the heck, we offered and they surprisingly accepted. Go figure, total strangers being so trusting…kind of a throw back to the fifties and marginally, the sixties.   

Bidding them a good flight after checking in we parted company and headed to the security screening section.  Makes me miss the simplicity of flying in decades past. Then only to discover I forgot I had my pocketknife in hand. Oops! I asked the first screener if I should give it to him but he countered saying they will deal with it at screening point. Not willing to chance a potentially over-zealous TSA employee, I opted to chuck the knife into the waste basket before moving forward.     

Southwest Airlines has a curious boarding procedure with no assigned seating. The system is alphabetically based on boarding passes as made available on a procurement basis. It seems those who manage to download their boarding passes 24 hours prior to the flight gain the advantage to the open seating arrangement.     

Just prior to boarding, the attendant calls passengers to line up at numeric pylons with the “A” group first, 1-30 on one side and 31 to 60 on the other. The passengers board accordingly and once the “A’s” are on board, the method is replicated with the “B’s” and finally the straggling “C’s”.     

I’m told it allows for faster boarding but the downside is not being able to travel together for those who end up at the end of the line. The residual seats are usually middle row and almost always single. So I’m curious as to what benefit there really is as if given seat assignments when booking the flight, the same “line-up to board” system should work just as effectively and still allow people to share the flight experience.     

I admit Southwest has always been a great representative of what aviation should be and can be all about. I have a personal comfort level flying on an American built Boeing. Any airline that still recognizes long distance travel requires one to bring luggage thus there are no baggage charges if within their criteria for number of bags and weight. Maybe a bit of a throw back in time to when customer service meant something. Being progressive without being progressive!   

Karen’s a few rows ahead of me and I’m flanked by strangers. I don’t mind that either but it’s helpful if the strangers had approachable personalities.  No such luck and maybe next time, should we be unable to solicit the “A” seating privilege I should find yourself fortunate enough to have someone to chat with. It does, after all make the flight a bit more enjoyable.   

Gotta love those palm trees!

 

It proved to be a great flight though with us landing some twenty-five minutes ahead of schedule. I’m not sure why that was so meaningful as we really didn’t have to meet any deadlines. Off to collect our luggage and grab a shuttle to the hotel. This time it was a Holiday Inn Express and more proof it’s all getting better. I personally enjoy the offerings with clean rooms and attentive staff but this particular crew went out of their way to go the extra mile. It’s not like being at home but being made to feel like it was again proof positive some people still hold to customer satisfaction. Twice in a day and it’s not even noon yet.     

To be continued.   

Weather Permitting

A good travel consultant can put together the greatest travel package only to have it fall victim to the uncontrollable element of the weather.  More often than not, speculating on weather is usually not a consideration until the vacation takes place. The majority of calls most agents receive deal with the logistics, amenities and cost of travel plans and most travel consultants would be reluctant to discourage anyone by raising the reality of bad weather potential unless asked.

Three current realities bring this to mind.  The first is the current weather pattern being experienced at the winter olympics in Vancouver.  Everyone is perplexed by 40 degree temperatures but the reality is that is normal for that area.  The warmer weather in the mountain activities are an anomaly but regardless, it’s dampened a lot of planning and no doubt great expense to some of the spectators.

The second revelation is from a personal friend and eight other family members venturing south to the Orlando, Florida region for a couple of weeks during the spring break.  It’s February and it is Florida so why would anyone beyond orange and produce growers be concerned about the weather. Well, 46 degree days poolside can’t be enjoyable for anyone and even less so for those vacationers.

Last but not least are the current weather conditions we’re enjoying here in upstate New York, a stone’s throw from Canada. The air temperatures have been warmer than usual (though not rising above the freezing point) and we have almost no snow cover.  It’s been referred to as a snow drought by one of our local weather services.  Snowmobiling?…forget about it. Four wheeling has become the new winter sport mode of transportation around here.

We try not to inject any political aspirations into the blog so suffice it to say I personally don’t believe mankind has that much dominion over the weather beyond trying to predict it for better or worse.  It’s still going to come at us in whatever form without consulting us. Our first cruise was taken in February a few years ago and it looked as if the weather was going to work against us.  We lucked out and had all but the first day as shining examples of what the weather should be like for a vacation.

The next cruise?  I’m glad Karen does the research and doesn’t overlook past experiences.  It’s planned for April and I’m confident the odds of cold temperatures is marginalized, hurricanes would not be the norm so unexpected and unusual rain patterns would be all that could surprise us.

When planning that vacation take the time to ask your travel agent’s opinion about the weather at your destinations or at least get a feel for regional conditions from the web.  It might give rise to changing the plans to minimize the potential for a bad weather vacation experience. It’s one of the things even travel insurance doesn’t cover.