As Americans, living in a great democracy, we have much to be thankful for.
The safety of our country (since 9/11)
A great standard of living, well above many other countries and cultures, for many of us
An abundance of food and "conveniences" to make life easier
Family and friends
Think about this today as you gather around your holiday table with family and friends.
Have a wonderful holiday.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
A Silver Lining for Travelers...
"with lower fares and a stronger dollar, it's about 25 percent cheaper to take a vacation there this winter than last year, "said Simon Talling-Smith, an executive vice president with British Airways. There, meaning Europe. Also, when taking an escorted tour or cruise, you'll save money because you're paying with US dollars, not the Euro.
And, cruise fares are rivaling the prices seen in the weeks and months following 9/11. Yes, holiday weeks are still high but before/after and in '09 there are some great rates out there. Seen recently - the HAL/Oosterdam - 7 day - RT San Diego $644pp TOTAL, including port charges, gov't. fees and fuel surcharges.
Waikiki - the Hyatt is doing 3rd night free with daily complimentary breakfast buffet for two thrown in - about a $30 value for each breakfast.
Hawaii - the other islands are seeing 4th night free instead of 5th night free
Happy Vacations is reimbursing travelers up to $100 for the cost of checked bags through the airlines.
Contact us for details.
Bon Voyage!
And, cruise fares are rivaling the prices seen in the weeks and months following 9/11. Yes, holiday weeks are still high but before/after and in '09 there are some great rates out there. Seen recently - the HAL/Oosterdam - 7 day - RT San Diego $644pp TOTAL, including port charges, gov't. fees and fuel surcharges.
Waikiki - the Hyatt is doing 3rd night free with daily complimentary breakfast buffet for two thrown in - about a $30 value for each breakfast.
Hawaii - the other islands are seeing 4th night free instead of 5th night free
Happy Vacations is reimbursing travelers up to $100 for the cost of checked bags through the airlines.
Contact us for details.
Bon Voyage!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
No more beads at the new Club Med...
Remember the Club Med resorts of the the 70's and 80's? Well, it's a totally changed concept today. Although the original reason for creating these destination resorts, remains the same, that's almost all that is the same.
Today's resorts - 84 of them on five continents embrace upscale, family travel. Many of the Club Med resorts offer Baby Club Med (4-23 months) and Petit Club Med (2-3 years) and all the family resorts include children's programs from Club Chef (cooking courses), trapeze courses, water sports and other programs set up just for kids. There are five adult only resorts also.
Their suites program is, well, sweet. All of these rooms are beach front - they are in three story buildings so it may not be on the ground floor. From a suites concierge whose staff will make restaurant reservations, book tennis courts and make golfing times...suggest local excursions...a fully stocked/restocked mini fridge, perhaps a private beach area and/or plunge pool...early morning pastries to late afternoon canapes in a private suites/concierge lounge...what more luxury would you want?
Today the Club Meds are all-inclusive. The only extra items you'll pay for are spa treatments, tours-including diving and golfing, and items purchased at their boutiques. The Baby Club Med and Petit Club Med does incur an additional daily charge; however, toddlers under the age of two don't pay any other fee and you don't need to enroll your children in either of those programs if you don't want to. Enjoy swimming in the ocean or at a variety of pools, para sail or sail, kayak, play tennis or golf, ski at the ski resorts - you won't have time to try everything in a one-week vacation.
The food is better than ever - at their buffet restaurants you'll be served by the chef that actually baked your bread or cooked the roast beef or ham he/she is serving. You'll find stations serving fresh seafood, pasta, roast meats and all of your favorite comfort foods like pizza, hot dogs, and similar. Fresh fruit is flown in daily and fresh juice bars are featured at most of the resorts. Each resort has a few reservation-only restaurants such as La Belle Creole at Buccaneer's Creek in Martinique which serves up authentic Creole specialties, or Berimbau, a Brazilian churrascaria in the Bahamas presenting hard-carved meats.
Contact us today for more information...
Friday, October 31, 2008
Would you like to travel for free, if so, read on...
Where would you like to travel next? And, how would you like to go for FREE…well, “almost for free.” You’d have to pay for taxes, city/port fees and any fuel supplements. (IE: You get 16-20 additional people to travel with you, and you just pay the above listed fees – on a $1000 trip, you might pay only $225 - $250 dollars.)
I'm looking for a few Pied Pipers - group leaders to "host" some interesting trips, and at the same time, travel a a reduced rate.
Imagine a cruise through the Panama Canal...a ski trip to your favorite winter resort...sailing down Mexican Way (Mexican Riviera)...a tour of Italy...the possibilities are endless.
And, with friends you personally invite on a trip you plan, at your convenience. At a greatly reduced price.
Yes, it's a job - you'll have to tell people (invite them) about the trip, hold a party (I'll supply the refreshments and location), distribute flyers (that I and the supplier create), and act as a sort of "host" during the trip. Sounds like fun, doesn't it...
Contact me today for more information....don't wait...the world is waiting!
perfectvacation@sbcglobal.net/559-284-9710.
I'm looking for a few Pied Pipers - group leaders to "host" some interesting trips, and at the same time, travel a a reduced rate.
Imagine a cruise through the Panama Canal...a ski trip to your favorite winter resort...sailing down Mexican Way (Mexican Riviera)...a tour of Italy...the possibilities are endless.
And, with friends you personally invite on a trip you plan, at your convenience. At a greatly reduced price.
Yes, it's a job - you'll have to tell people (invite them) about the trip, hold a party (I'll supply the refreshments and location), distribute flyers (that I and the supplier create), and act as a sort of "host" during the trip. Sounds like fun, doesn't it...
Contact me today for more information....don't wait...the world is waiting!
perfectvacation@sbcglobal.net/559-284-9710.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Another cruise line drops fuel surcharges
Royal Caribbean, including Azamara and Celebrity lines, yesterday announced a program to roll back fuel surcharges. It's not completely eliminating the charges; it depends on the price of oil but expect a possible onboard credit as a type of "refund" for cruises already under deposit. Expect a (possible) complete elimination of fuel surcharges for cruises booked 2010 and beyond.
THE FINE PRINT: Of course, this is subject to change.
The good news, is along with the Carnival lines - Carnival, Costa, Cunard, HAL, Princess, and the Yachts of Seabourn announced a similar policy a couple of weeks ago, so you have a pretty broad spectrum of cruises to take with a reduced/eliminated fuel supplement.
Any questions, please call 559-284-9710 or post at perfectvacation@sbcglobal.net
Happy Cruising!
THE FINE PRINT: Of course, this is subject to change.
The good news, is along with the Carnival lines - Carnival, Costa, Cunard, HAL, Princess, and the Yachts of Seabourn announced a similar policy a couple of weeks ago, so you have a pretty broad spectrum of cruises to take with a reduced/eliminated fuel supplement.
Any questions, please call 559-284-9710 or post at perfectvacation@sbcglobal.net
Happy Cruising!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Stay in a Castle in Ireland!
One of the extra-special things to do while on a trip is to stay in unique places. So, while in Ireland, stay in an Irish Castle!
There are several Irish castles you can stay in so take advantage of that and try to stay in a couple while you're visiting that country. Ashford Castle, Cabra Castle and Waterford Castle are just a few that will welcome you.
Ashford Castle, harkens back to the 13th century, and boasts of 350 acres of private woodland surrounding the castle. Ashford Castle is situated on the shores of Lough Corrib about 45-50 minutes from Galway City. The resident golf instructor can explain the type of game which is played on their 9-hold course; he's also available for private instruction. Two all-weather tennis courts are also on the ground. In addition to those activities you may wish to go fishing, enjoy falconry, archery, shooting, or go horseback riding and/or cruising on the lake. A spa is also on the grounds. Each guestroom is uniquely designed and has all the modern amenities including broadband connectivity and interactive TV. Ashford Castle's main dining room is the George V of England room and it's here where you can enjoy breakfast and a table d'hote dinner menu. Other eateries include the Connaught Room, the Cottage Room and you'll find two lounges also.
Cabra Castle is a more "modern" edifice, dating back to the mid-sixteen century and is located about an hour's drive from Dublin. Each of it's 80 guestrooms is richly appointed and full of history yet offer modern amenities such as satelite TV and coffee/tea makers. The rooms are located in the main castle building, renovated outbuildings and they offer large cottages with 2-4 bedrooms in each. A 9-hole golf course is on the grounds and golf is complimentary during your stay. Tennis courts are also located on the premises. Shooting, fishing and horseback riding are all available nearby. Cabra Castle has an excellent restaurant where you can enjoy specialties ranging from loin of venison to duck breast and a myriad of other options. Imagine cream filled meringue nests filled with seasonal berries for dessert. An excellent wine list accompanies the restaurant menu.
Waterford Castle is on a private island in Waterford, Ireland. Adjacent to the castle hotel is the 18-hole championship golf course with Castle Garden Holiday Homes for rent nearby. The 800 year-old Waterford Castle has 19 spacious and elegantly appointed guestrooms with all the amenities you'd expect at a luxury hotel. Enjoy boules, croquet, or lawn cricket out on the lawn for play a game of tennis on their outdoor court; cycling, shooting and archery are all available on the grounds along with nature trails wending throughout the 300+ acres. Enjoy Waterford Castle's award winning Munster Dining Room with superb seasonal menus and excellent cellar. A pianist plays in the Munster Dining Room many evening and a rather dressy garb is requested. The Fitzgerald Room offers a daily afternoon tea and lighter fare until 9pm; there are also several private dining rooms on the premises.
Come enjoy your own castle stay at the Cabra Castle during KMJ's upcoming trip to Ireland. Skip Essick, KMJ Radio's program director will lead a group of travelers through Ireland in May, 2009. Skip has been to Ireland over 10 times and knows it very well - be sure to join him on his pub crawl in Dublin! Collette Vacations offers this motorcoach trip - leaving Fresno on May 10, 2009 and returning to Fresno on May 19, 2009. Here's what your trip includes -
Motorcoach to/from SFO/LAX
Round Trip Air to/from Ireland
10 Nights Lodging (including one night at the above-mentioned Cabra Castle
13 Meals - 8 breakfasts, 5 dinners
Escorted tour with guide
Jaunting Car Ride*
Hotel Transfers
$3408.00 per person**, based on double occupancy
**THE FINE PRINT: Prices can change until a deposit is made and is dependent on availability at the time of the deposit. Fuel surcharge may increase. Insurance is highly suggested and not included in the above price.
* Weather permitting
If interested, please call me at 559-284-9710 or email me at perfectvacation@sbcglobal.net. I've met Skip and his wife and I assure you, a good time will be hand by all. (I've had friends go on Collette trips and they were very, very pleased with everything.)
Happy travels!!!!!!
There are several Irish castles you can stay in so take advantage of that and try to stay in a couple while you're visiting that country. Ashford Castle, Cabra Castle and Waterford Castle are just a few that will welcome you.
Ashford Castle, harkens back to the 13th century, and boasts of 350 acres of private woodland surrounding the castle. Ashford Castle is situated on the shores of Lough Corrib about 45-50 minutes from Galway City. The resident golf instructor can explain the type of game which is played on their 9-hold course; he's also available for private instruction. Two all-weather tennis courts are also on the ground. In addition to those activities you may wish to go fishing, enjoy falconry, archery, shooting, or go horseback riding and/or cruising on the lake. A spa is also on the grounds. Each guestroom is uniquely designed and has all the modern amenities including broadband connectivity and interactive TV. Ashford Castle's main dining room is the George V of England room and it's here where you can enjoy breakfast and a table d'hote dinner menu. Other eateries include the Connaught Room, the Cottage Room and you'll find two lounges also.
Cabra Castle is a more "modern" edifice, dating back to the mid-sixteen century and is located about an hour's drive from Dublin. Each of it's 80 guestrooms is richly appointed and full of history yet offer modern amenities such as satelite TV and coffee/tea makers. The rooms are located in the main castle building, renovated outbuildings and they offer large cottages with 2-4 bedrooms in each. A 9-hole golf course is on the grounds and golf is complimentary during your stay. Tennis courts are also located on the premises. Shooting, fishing and horseback riding are all available nearby. Cabra Castle has an excellent restaurant where you can enjoy specialties ranging from loin of venison to duck breast and a myriad of other options. Imagine cream filled meringue nests filled with seasonal berries for dessert. An excellent wine list accompanies the restaurant menu.
Waterford Castle is on a private island in Waterford, Ireland. Adjacent to the castle hotel is the 18-hole championship golf course with Castle Garden Holiday Homes for rent nearby. The 800 year-old Waterford Castle has 19 spacious and elegantly appointed guestrooms with all the amenities you'd expect at a luxury hotel. Enjoy boules, croquet, or lawn cricket out on the lawn for play a game of tennis on their outdoor court; cycling, shooting and archery are all available on the grounds along with nature trails wending throughout the 300+ acres. Enjoy Waterford Castle's award winning Munster Dining Room with superb seasonal menus and excellent cellar. A pianist plays in the Munster Dining Room many evening and a rather dressy garb is requested. The Fitzgerald Room offers a daily afternoon tea and lighter fare until 9pm; there are also several private dining rooms on the premises.
Come enjoy your own castle stay at the Cabra Castle during KMJ's upcoming trip to Ireland. Skip Essick, KMJ Radio's program director will lead a group of travelers through Ireland in May, 2009. Skip has been to Ireland over 10 times and knows it very well - be sure to join him on his pub crawl in Dublin! Collette Vacations offers this motorcoach trip - leaving Fresno on May 10, 2009 and returning to Fresno on May 19, 2009. Here's what your trip includes -
Motorcoach to/from SFO/LAX
Round Trip Air to/from Ireland
10 Nights Lodging (including one night at the above-mentioned Cabra Castle
13 Meals - 8 breakfasts, 5 dinners
Escorted tour with guide
Jaunting Car Ride*
Hotel Transfers
$3408.00 per person**, based on double occupancy
**THE FINE PRINT: Prices can change until a deposit is made and is dependent on availability at the time of the deposit. Fuel surcharge may increase. Insurance is highly suggested and not included in the above price.
* Weather permitting
If interested, please call me at 559-284-9710 or email me at perfectvacation@sbcglobal.net. I've met Skip and his wife and I assure you, a good time will be hand by all. (I've had friends go on Collette trips and they were very, very pleased with everything.)
Happy travels!!!!!!
Good Values Available on Future Travels
Yes! the economy is a tad unstable...everything is up in the air because of the election...
But, people are still traveling, and more importantly - continuing to book travel for the future.
Look for some great values over the next few months...
Carnival Cruise Line - including Carnival, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, Princess and the Yachts of Seabourn, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line - including Celebrity have recently rolled back or eliminated the fuel supplement. Now, it's not simple to explain - there is "small print" involved with several scenarios so contact me for details. However, it's a step in the right direction. Expect other lines to follow suit shortly.
Look for vacation packages which give you a "refund/credit" towards the high cost of fuel. Now that gas prices have dropped a bit, expect these to go away; however, there are some still in effect. I recall a Hawaiian package with a credit of about $200 or $250 - in the form of an American Express Giftcard - for specific stays of 5 nights (or more) at select properties. Similar promotions are available at other destinations also. Always ask your travel professional whether a complimentary upgrade is possible and if there are any other discounts available.
Hotels and suppliers are often crediting back the cost of a checked bag - expect to show proof of payment and this might be a refund coming to you after you return from your vacation, or, it might be a type of credit or gift card to be used at your destination.
Cruises should have some good pricing with the new builds that have already increased cruise inventory with still more coming later this year and in 2009. If you're flexible with dates and cabin categories, you'll be able to score some great prices.
For the rest of the year, your best travel dates for the best pricing should be -
the first couple weeks of November (up to Thanksgiving week)
the first couple weeks of December (up until the week before Christmas)
Please remember, the lowest priced cruise/package might not be the best value. Look at the extras being offered and include that when figuring out the bottom line cost to your vacation.
Finally, please consider purchasing travel insurance - not only will it cover the cost (or, most of it) of your vacation, it should cover emergency medical expenses if a traveler has to be flown off a ship or from a resort to a medical center-this can be very, very costly. And, it will usually cover a supplier going under - it's best to stay with very stable, well known cruise lines, tour companies, and shore excursion operators in this type of economy.
Happy travelin'
But, people are still traveling, and more importantly - continuing to book travel for the future.
Look for some great values over the next few months...
Carnival Cruise Line - including Carnival, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, Princess and the Yachts of Seabourn, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line - including Celebrity have recently rolled back or eliminated the fuel supplement. Now, it's not simple to explain - there is "small print" involved with several scenarios so contact me for details. However, it's a step in the right direction. Expect other lines to follow suit shortly.
Look for vacation packages which give you a "refund/credit" towards the high cost of fuel. Now that gas prices have dropped a bit, expect these to go away; however, there are some still in effect. I recall a Hawaiian package with a credit of about $200 or $250 - in the form of an American Express Giftcard - for specific stays of 5 nights (or more) at select properties. Similar promotions are available at other destinations also. Always ask your travel professional whether a complimentary upgrade is possible and if there are any other discounts available.
Hotels and suppliers are often crediting back the cost of a checked bag - expect to show proof of payment and this might be a refund coming to you after you return from your vacation, or, it might be a type of credit or gift card to be used at your destination.
Cruises should have some good pricing with the new builds that have already increased cruise inventory with still more coming later this year and in 2009. If you're flexible with dates and cabin categories, you'll be able to score some great prices.
For the rest of the year, your best travel dates for the best pricing should be -
the first couple weeks of November (up to Thanksgiving week)
the first couple weeks of December (up until the week before Christmas)
Please remember, the lowest priced cruise/package might not be the best value. Look at the extras being offered and include that when figuring out the bottom line cost to your vacation.
Finally, please consider purchasing travel insurance - not only will it cover the cost (or, most of it) of your vacation, it should cover emergency medical expenses if a traveler has to be flown off a ship or from a resort to a medical center-this can be very, very costly. And, it will usually cover a supplier going under - it's best to stay with very stable, well known cruise lines, tour companies, and shore excursion operators in this type of economy.
Happy travelin'
Blogging again - all things travel
Hello!
I'm starting to blog about travel again so check back often for articles on cruises...new cruise ships...FAB U LOUS hotels...great restaurants...cool shopping in various destinations around the world.
Please post back and let me know what you think...and with your own travel experiences.
For more information on any of these articles and offers, please call me at 559-284-9710 or email me at perfectvacation@sbcglobal.net
Bon Voyage!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm starting to blog about travel again so check back often for articles on cruises...new cruise ships...FAB U LOUS hotels...great restaurants...cool shopping in various destinations around the world.
Please post back and let me know what you think...and with your own travel experiences.
For more information on any of these articles and offers, please call me at 559-284-9710 or email me at perfectvacation@sbcglobal.net
Bon Voyage!!!!!!!!!!!!
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