Views from the Effiel Tower!
Fountain in front of Ceasar’s Palace, Las Vegas
Bonnie Springs Ranch
Las Vegas Off Strip
Travel Tips
I am constantly asked about travel tips. To make your travel experience go well, here are some tips to prepare for the unexpected. Whenever I travel abroad, I make a copy of my passport, driver’s license, medical insurance card, and credit cards (both the front and back). I leave it in my safe at the hotel. Then if my purse is stolen or I leave it somewhere I can cancel my credit cards, replace my passport, and have my medical insurance information if I need it.
When you are going on a cruise or to a hotel or all inclusive put a piece of paper on top of your clothes with your name, cell phone number, the name and address of your hotel or cruise ship and your dates of travel. If the airlines loses your luggage on the way TO your vacation they can get your luggage to you much quicker. Most people think to put a luggage tag on their suitcase with their home address on it but you are not at home they will know where to send your luggage.
Another luggage tip is to take a picture of your luggage before you travel. If it is lost you can show the picture along with giving a description of your luggage which should help it be found.
Also be sure you double check your luggage when you pick it up from the terminal. There’s nothing that will ruin your trip and someone else’s if you grab the wrong piece of luggage and than realize it when you get to your hotel and now you have to drive back to the airport and hope your luggage is there. Not a good way to start a vacation especially if the airport is a long drive from the airport.
If you are traveling with more than one person divide you clothes between the different suit cases so if one suitcase is lost you still have some clothes to last until your suitcase is found.
The New Royal Princess
The Sanctuary on the Royal Princess!
The Promenade deck on the Royal Princess
Pool Deck on the Roya Princess.
I love cruising and had the opportunity to check out the new Royal Princess. The ship was really ROYAL! Although the staterooms are small with large flatscreen tv’s, that allows the ship to make other community spaces larger. Really how long to you spend in your cabin anyway? For two people the staterooms were great and I loved the large sinks in the bathrooms.
The public spaces were wonderful. You could be sitting at the pool or enjoying gelato in the promenade area and suddenly some kind of entertainment would break loose. I had an opportunity to enjoy pub food with entertainment from a jazz band while sitting in the Wheelhouse Bar. The International Cafe has a wonderful tea and coffee bar where one can get fresh pastries hot out of the oven.
The Sanctuary located on deck 17 is a beautiful retreat for adults that can be reserved with large cabanas and large comfy lounges chairs. The retreat pool is another great spot for adults only.
I loved the entertainment on the ship. The comedian had standing room only and since I arrived too late I could not enjoy the show. Friends who did make it there in time said he was wonderful! The Motown show in the Princess lounge was also great. The sea view bar also has plexie glass where you can look through the glass and sea the ocean and decks below (not for those who have a fear of heights). Last but not least the evening water and light show is fantastic! I hope you can now see why I think the Royal Princess certainly deserves her name.
Minneapolis, Minnesota
I was just in Minneapolis for a wonderful training called MLTU, which is MLT Vacation’s education program. This travel vendor does an exceptional job training travel agents on places, hotels and resorts to send their clients to. However, most of all I loved Minneapolis!
The Mall of America is a great place to visit. It has an indoor amusement park, Camp Ice Age, an aquarium, a movie theater and did I mention the shopping? With so many stores there is something for everyone. Then you go downtown and tackle the Nicollet Mall, an outdoor pedestrian mall with lots of shops, restaurants and bars. Target headquarters is there, and so is the LARGEST Target store I have ever been in along with a block-long Macy’s. If you are not a shopper, you can grab a bike, go kayaking on the Mississippi or view the city by Segway. Sports enthusiasts can watch their favorite sports team play the Twins, Vikings, Wild or Timberwolves.
Minneapolis can’t wait to see you again!
Downtown Minneapolis
Minneapolis Convention Center
Minneapolis can’t wait to see you again!
Drummond Island- Golf and more
My husband and I took a trip this summer from our condo at Boyne Mountain to play golf on Drummond Island, which is located on Potagannissing Bay to the east of the Mackinac Bridge in Lake Huron. (The drive was about 2 hrs. and 45 minutes from Boyne, add another 3 hrs. if you’re coming from Detroit.) Drummond Island is the largest freshwater island in the United States, and the only way to get there is by air or boat as there are no bridges. We took a car ferry that makes trips hourly to the island from De Tour, the city opposite in the Upper Peninsula. Drummond is very beautiful, and you have a good chance of seeing lots of wildlife from the ever-apparent deer to black bear, wolves and rarely even moose and bobcats. Like my husband and I, most people are drawn to the island for its boating, swimming, biking, hiking, golfing and other outdoor activities since there’s not a lot of shopping, nightlife or gourmet restaurants.
But that allows for people to enjoy the beauty and solitude of the island. My only complaint was that cell service was spotty at best.
We stayed at the Drummond Island Resort and Conference Center, and our cabin-like room was cozy and had a view of a small river. Going along with the lodge aesthetic, the water pipes were exposed in the room and made for a noisy night, the TV was older and the bathroom could have used an extra scrub or two. Still we really did love the feel of the hotel, and enjoyed dining at the resort’s Bayside Dining restaurant. The waitstaff was fantastic, the wine our waitress suggested was refreshing and the daily flatbread delicious. I had a slight problem with the mushroom sauce on my filet mignon entree being too salty and they quickly made me another with the sauce that was more edible. However, the side of potatoes was delicious and my husband’s lentil soup was to die for. We also had breakfast at the Pine Bar and Grill, which was very good, too.
As for the golf, the reason we were there, it turned out to be quite the challenge. The Rock is an 18 hole championship course that was given 4 stars by Golf Digest, and it plays like it. My husband and I both lost our share of balls, but the scenery and feeling of seclusion made up for our frustration of not driving too many fairways. Just be warned the drive to and from the course to the club house is a LONG one, and that there are times you can hear the sounds from the nearby clay sports course.
Overall, I would definitely go back to Drummond Island. Perhaps in the winter when we could try cross-country or snow-shoeing.
Passport Card Vs Passport Book For A Cruise
Many people wonder what the difference is between a passport card and a passport book. A passport card was created for the sole purpose of making it easier to DRIVE from the United States to Mexico or Canada. The only document acceptable for FLYING between any country is a passport book.
Most cruise lines do not require a passport at all if the cruise starts and ends in the same port in the United States HOWEVER, if you miss the ship, have a death in the family, have a medical emergency, or miss the ship in a port you will need a passport book to fly home or to the next port.
Also if you have purchased travel insurance and do NOT have a valid passport book and need to fly home or to another port they will NOT cover the costs.
Check out the following website:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_2223.html”
Hilton Head Golf
My husband and I both play golf along with my grown children. He is much better than I am although I am very slowly improving, yet we find golf courses on both the island and close to the island we can both play.
Some of my favorites are the Country Club of Hilton Head located off the island, Oyster Reef in the Hilton Head Plantation and the Barony Course at Port Royal. A lot of the hotels have discounts for the different golf courses.
So either bring your golf clubs, (my husband and I bring 1 bag with several of each of our clubs) or rent clubs on the island if you don’t want to lug them along.
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
One of my favorite places to go is Hilton Head Island. We go there almost every year and there is something for everyone. We like to go in late spring, just before Memorial Day so we can avoid the crowds that come for the summer.
Although known for it’s golfing there is so much more to Hilton Head than that. One can bicycle, kayak, walk the beach, go fishing, eat at wonderful restaurants or just chill.
Want pizza and a beer, check out the Mellow Mushroom. For mouth watering Tex Mex, try the Santa Fe café. Their grouper is fantastic, as is their black bean soup and guacamole. They also have great gluten free choices. Frankie Bones has atmosphere and good food.
Go on a dolphin cruise, go horseback riding, parasail, do it all on Hilton Head Island!
The ocean from our balcony at the Marriott Barony Beach
Remembering St. Thomas
I’m currently planning a vacation to St. Thomas for one of my customers. As I’m looking into buying a snorkeling package for them, I can’t help but remember the snorkeling adventure I went on there back in 2009. I was on a cruise with my family and friends, and you can tell by this picture that I was having a great time!
Vacation Hunter Diaries 