Journeying the World and Life Together

A long time client and friend contacted me yesterday about an experience that she had with Expedia.  Seeing this reminded me of the dangers of booking online.  Now don’t get me wrong.  I’m a 31 year old female growing up in the technology age and I think the internet has the potential to be an amazing tool.  Yes, even for booking travel when used carefully and properly.  I have even used the online travel agencies before I worked at a travel agency myself (for things that are easy, like non-stop airline tickets).  But when I see things like the email chain below… it really fires my fury.

Quick back-story…

L.P (the client) had booked a one way ticket to Maryland.  Pretty simple.  Look at her exchanges with Expedia.  In the end the issue was resolved, but she spent far too much time trying to get resolution through customer service than she should have.  L.P was among the lucky ones.  The resolution does not always go the way the client would like it to.

Frustrated.

So get this. my brother, A.P (I have deleted the names from this interaction) didn’t have a chance to book my flight to MD Monday night, so I did it. $250 on Airtran, which I booked through Expedia. I get the confirmation number, and go to the Airtran site to pick a seat. I print the receipt and itinerary from Airtran, and the fare said $140. WTF?? I did a search for flights directly on the Airtran site, and sure enough, there it was for $140. Since Expedia has that price match guarantee thingy, I submitted a claim. I got this response:

Thank you for contacting Expedia regarding our Best Price Guarantee. 
We regret to inform you that we cannot honor your price match request as the original booking was not created in a permanent Expedia account.   
Once logged into your itinerary, click on “My Account” at the top of the page. Below the Account Overview, your Security Level should show “Traveler” and not “Single Use Account”. Your itinerary must be booked in a Traveler account to qualify for a price match.
 
Single Use or Temporary Expedia accounts are not eligible for the Best Price Guarantee.

So I go back to the website to read the terms and conditions. Absolutely nothing about single use accounts.

frustrated email

Our agency charges a $35 service fee for domestic airline tickets.  After an experience like this…. do you think the service fee would be worth the three hours of your time that it took L.P. to resolve this issue?

Are you looking for something different?  Are you looking for a small ship experience where everyone in the crew knows your name and you get to sleep overnight in small ports to enjoy the night life?  Windstar might be for you.  The last six months have seen some amazing changes for this cruise line.  Windstar has just completed full refurbishments to her original 3 sailing yachts.  They look amazing, as you can see above in the video.  They also purchased three of the Seabourn yachts!  They will be completely renovating these three yachts and will have even more exciting destinations and itineraries for you!

What do you love most about the idea of sailing yachts?!

The Bird’s Song

If Royal Caribbean is the Cat’s Meow (if you don’t understand this reference, check my blogs from March)… Azamara Club Cruises would be the Bird’s Song.  A couple of years ago, Royal Caribbean International created a new brand of small ship cruising.  Azamara Club Cruises has been an evolving entity since then.  Every time they change something, it is for the better!  I have toured the two Azamara ships and my agency has sent countless clients off to enjoy their time on board.AZA_KoSamui_Ship_97_JS

Here are some of the great inclusions on an Azamara Club Cruises sailing:
*AzAmazing Evenings – these are special evening events for Azamara guests that are complimentary and offer an in depth local experience.
*Discounted prearranged shore excursions through Azamara.
*Gratuities
*Bottled water, soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas
*Select standard spirits, beer and wine
*English trained butlers for suite guests
*Shuttle service to and from ports – where availableAZA_Ship_Dance_Jenna_04

We have clients of all ages who have sailed on Azamara Club Cruises and have brought back amazing reviews!

If you are interested in a new experience, I highly recommend calling a travel agent about the April special offer.  This wonderful cruise line is offering upgrades from interior staterooms to balcony staterooms (huge savings!)

Moment of Zen take 2

So I was looking back through some of my old posts (I can’t believe it’s been almost 2 years since I started this blog!!!)… Some of them I feel like I should repost so that all my newer friends and followers can experience them also, but this one specifically.  I posted this last year in June.  It applies a whole lot more now then it did back then!  I love the beginning of the year, but sometimes I feel like I need another three or four of me and all of my co-workers to get everything done.  Thank all of our clients for their patience during this crazy busy season!  For now though…. I need a moment of zen so I am re-sharing it with you!

This week has been hectic to say the least.  I have the best job in the world and love what I do, but sometimes… just sometimes…  well let’s not go there.  Instead of drowning my day in vodka yesterday, I decided on a moment of Zen…

 

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The horses of Rathbaun Farms

I have Disney on the brain!  I’m going up to check out a newly refurbished property Villas at Grand Cypress.  But during my morning run it occurred to me… Summer is almost here!  HELP!!!  I’ll have to start running indoors and hiding from the heat again.  Which you can’t do at Disney…  OR CAN YOU?

Today’s blog on DisDining headlines with the Top Ten Ways to Beat the Florida Heat.  How perfectly perfect.  Here is a copy of it for you all to enjoy!

It's so much better at night during the summer... once the sun goes down and the heat comes to a normal 100 degrees!

It’s so much better at night during the summer… once the sun goes down and the heat comes to a normal 100 degrees!

10) Buy Some Fresh Fruit

There is something special about cold watermelon on a hot day. Fortunately you can find it at all of the Walt Disney World theme parks. They serve chilled watermelon and also grapes, which will cool you off and help you to stay hydrated. You can also sometimes find fresh fruit cups. If you would prefer an orange, an apple or a banana they sell those in the parks as well, they just aren’t kept on ice.

9) Take a Dip in the Hotel Pool

The Walt Disney World resort hotels all have amazing pools. They are themed to match the resort where they are located. If you are staying on Disney property you can catch a bus or other transportation back to your hotel for a quick afternoon swim. If you are not staying on Disney property there is most likely a pool at your hotel as well. Sometimes a break from the parks in the middle of the day is just what you will need to reenergize yourself and your family. A hotel pool is the perfect place to take that break. Remember to always keep an eye on your children at a pool, even if there are lifeguards present.

 

8) Grab a Cold or Frozen Drink

Sometimes a cold drink is all that is needed to keep you going. They are never too far away at any of the Disney parks. You can buy soda or bottled water at kiosks around every turn. Also available are frozen drinks. You can find frozen lemonade, frozen coffee creations and even frozen strawberry daiquiris (if you are of age). If you want a cool drink that will not cost you anything stop by Club Cool at Epcot. There you can try several different Coca Cola products from around the world. Filling your own bottle with the free drinks is frowned upon but you can drink as much as you want while you are in there. Some of the flavors are unlike anything that you have tried before.

7) Find a Misting Station

A cool mist of water can go a long way to making you feel more comfortable on a hot day. Walt Disney World realizes that and has set up misting stations. These aren’t designed to get you soaked, you will just feel a light mist of water, which will do a lot to bring your external body temperature down. Stop by the giant Coke bottles at Disney’s Hollywood Studios or Cool Wash at Epcot for quick relief from the heat. You can also cool down at the Tomorrowland Cool Scanner at the Magic Kingdom or the misters located outside of Tamu Tamu Refreshments at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

6) Plan on an Indoor Lunch

Whether you decide to make a reservation or you would rather have a counter service meal, finding the right place to eat your lunch is important. Make sure that you pick a restaurant with plenty of indoor seating. You will welcome the air conditioning and you will also be glad to have a chance to get off of your feet for a little while. Remember that during the busiest times of the year the lines can get long for the counter service restaurants around noon, so you may want to plan your meal either a little bit early or a little bit late. No matter what time you eat you will be happy for the chance to get out of the heat.

5) Get Soaked in a Water Play Area

Why is it that some people think that water play areas are only for children? They can be a lot of fun for people of all ages. Walt Disney World has several interactive fountains and water play areas. The newest is the Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station, which is located in Storybook Circus at the Magic Kingdom. There are also other places for you and your kids to get wet elsewhere in the parks. If you really want to get soaked, head to Downtown Disney Marketplace. There are two interactive fountains there, although they are not both always in operation. Bring a bathing suit and make sure that you take off your shoes and socks, then join your kids in the fun!

This is us as we contemplated jumping IN to the waterfall :)

This is us as we contemplated jumping IN to the waterfall :)

4) Visit Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney is a great place to get away from the heat. While there is still a lot of walking, if you get too hot just head inside a store. You can spend hours away from the heat in DisneyQuest, or you can bowl with your family at Splittsville. Take in the latest movie on a screen that is probably larger than what they have at the local movie theater at home. Grab a bite to eat or buy the souvenirs that you meant to buy at the parks. There’s so much to do at Downtown Disney that you could easily spend an entire day of your vacation there.

3) Find the Indoor Rides and Shows

You do not need to spend all day at Walt Disney World out in the hot sun. There are plenty of indoor attractions. While on busy days the queue line may end up outside for part of the wait for a ride like Star Tours or It’s a Small World, once you get closer you’ll be out of the heat. Then all that you have to do is to enjoy the air conditioning while you wait. Take advantage of FASTPASS where available and you will not wait outside for many of the rides. There are also shows that you can see that are indoors at all four parks. Your whole family will enjoy Festival of the Lion King or Captain EO.

There are also some rides that will help you to beat the summer heat. You will get soaked on Splash Mountain or on Kali River Rapids. The speed of Test Track will also help to bring the temperature down, at least for a few minutes. Even the new interactive queue for Dumbo is designed with your family’s comfort in mind.

2) Cool Off With Ice Cream

There is probably no faster way to cool off than with a delicious frozen treat. You can find ice cream almost anywhere on Disney property. You can buy hand scooped ice cream, soft serve ice cream and ice cream sundaes. Disney sells Mickey bars, Mickey ice cream sandwiches, popsicles and other frozen goodies. Even people on special diets have options with Rice Dream and Tofutti for sale at the Magic Kingdom. Speaking of the Magic Kingdom, that is where you can get your Dole Whip fix. If you haven’t tried it on a hot day you don’t know what you’re missing!

1) Spend a Day at a Disney Water Park

If interactive fountains or the hotel pool are fun ways to cool off, imagine how great an entire day in the water would be! Walt Disney World has two of the most creative water parks on the planet. Disney’s Blizzard Beach offers thrills that you won’t soon forget, including Summit Plummet. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon boasts the largest wave pool in the United States. You can ride thrill rides at either park or relax on a lazy river. The theming is incredible no matter which water park you choose. You and your family might enjoy yourselves so much that you decide to visit the other water park as well.

Thank you so much to Paula K for this great information.

What are YOUR favorite “beat the heat tips”?

Weekly Photo Challenge: Love.

Thank you so much Katy for this amazing example of how to make the memories of travel last!

Pictures don’t always have to be of people and places.  You can make your memories in different ways that are special to you.

On our Honeymoon, Danny and I had “Bear”.  “Bear” was a little stuffed bear that we bought in Brugges and traveled with us every where.  For Valentine’s Day I gave him a photobook called “The Great Adventures of Bear”.

What cool things have you done with pictures from your travels?

Cooking On Vacation

There is a joke in my world that my husband does all of the cooking.  He and our friend Layne are my two favorite chefs in the world!  Last time we were with Layne they said something about my not cooking that I might have taken as a challenge!  So I cooked dinner last night.  Not only did my husband LOVE dinner.  He went back for seconds.  Then he pretended to drop the lid for the leftovers on the floor and said “oops.  I dropped the lid on the floor.  Now I must eat the rest.” and had thirds.  I’d like to say… Mission Accomplished!  Now I just have to make that meal for her.  Soon.  Very soon!

And since everything I do and think of eventually comes back to travel, I started thinking of all of the great cooking classes I would like to take in Europe!

In Paris we were going to do a dessert cooking class.  We were going to learn to make macaroons.  That would have been amazing.  YUM!  The only problem is that we went for New Years and so there were no classes going.  Boooooo :-( PGmacpyramid

Also in France I would have LOVED to do one of the classes about baguettes, pastries, and croissants!

In Italy I’d love to do a pizza making class or just an olive oil tasting!  They have gelato making classes too!  You can actually stay in a villa in Tuscany and take cooking classes that are offered right there :) .pizza cooking

Tell me your great food story from your travels!

I often brag about the many years of experience the agents in my office have and how great they are as resources.  Today’s blog comes to us straight from one of the women in my office.  Sharon has travelled extensively and has such great insights about the places she’s been!  Thank you for sharing with us Sharon!

BARCELONA –ONE OF MY FAVORITE CITIES

By Sharon Chandler

     My friend Gail & I decided to cruise the Mediterranean to Malta, Spain, France and Italy last summer with an embarkation point out of Barcelona, Spain.  As I always suggest to my guests who need to fly to meet their cruise ship, it pays to arrive a day early (and stay two days after the cruise is over) to really get a taste of the city and its culture.  Barcelona – What an incredible city!  We stayed at the magnificent Condessa De Barcelona hotel on the Passeig de Gracia in the center of town. That’s the street I named the Pucci, Lucci, Gucci Street of Barcelona because of the beautiful upscale boutiques.  Next door to our hotel was a Tapas Restaurant that had outdoor seating & served the best gazpacho soup I have ever tasted.  I learned the hard way that there is an extra surcharge to sit outside under the umbrellas, but it was well worth it for we could watch the world go by.

     With time being of the essence, we utilized the city’s Hop-on, Hop-off double decker tour bus, which has three different tour routes to explore the city with 44 stops to choose from. North and South Routes take two hours each, and the Forum route was 40 minutes, for a total cost of approximately 22 Euros per person for the entire day (May 2012).

Now for the ten attractions we saw which still provide special memories……Barcelona-Cathedral-by-Gaud

1.     The official name of “La Sagrada Familia” church is “Templo Expiatorio Familia”.  This is probably the most popular tourist attraction in Barcelona and a must see. This magnificent structure was designed by architect Antoni Gaudi and is the only cathedral in the world still under construction.  It is expected to be finished in 2026 to coincide with the 100th year of Gaudi’s death in 1926.  Donations are the only source of income to complete the structure which is why it is taking so long.  George Orwell, the British author, called it the “ugliest building on earth”, but most people love it, including me.

2.   The Magic Fountains of Montjuic is a dazzling spectacle of water, light and music that was built for the 1929 World’s Fair and Universal Exposition, with an estimated 2.5 million visitors annually.  There are water and light shows in the evening.  Barcelona Magic-Fountain-of-Montjuic

3.   The Ruiz-Picasso family of Pablo Picasso lived in Barcelona from 1895 to 1904 after they moved to Barcelona from Malaga, where Pablo Picasso was born. Picasso’s father was an art teacher, and Pablo Picasso had already started his art studies in Malaga, but it was in Barcelona that he first exhibited his work. The Picasso Museum does not have any of his most famous paintings, but has several of his early sketches and lesser known works, which are a pleasure to view.  The museum is housed in several magnificent gothic mansions in the old medieval part of the city called El Born.

4.      “La Rambla” is a pedestrian walking street which was five blocks from our hotel. It starts at Plaza Catalunya and ends at the Monument of Columbus at the Port Vell Harbor of Barcelona. It is not a spectacular sight, but very pleasant to stroll down and enjoy the human heartbeat of Barcelona.  Mimes, flower vendors, birds in bird cages, newspaper stands and restaurants line the street.  If you have not strolled down it, you cannot say you have been to Barcelona.

5.     Watching a game at Camp Nou Stadium is a once in a lifetime experience.

 

6.     Barrio Gotica (Gothic ) area  is in the old city of Barcelona which was built on and around the old Roman town of Barcino.  This part of the city is an attraction in itself with many churches, plazas, markets and museums. You can see parts of the old Roman walls and below the City History Museum, the remains of Roman houses and streets of Barcino.

 

7.     Park Guell by Antoni Gaudi is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The original plan for Parc Guell was to build a private and exclusive residential garden city with 60 houses on the grounds.  The plan failed due to lack of interest, and in 1923 Gaudi’s patron, Count Eusebi Guell donated the site to the council and it became the public park we can all marvel at today.  A must see.barcelona parc_guell_2

 

8.     Famous Modernist Buildings on Passeig de Gracia are all on the same block.  Casa Amatiler designed by Josep Cadafalch, Casa Batilo by Gaudi, and Casa Lleo-Morera by Gaudi are called “Illa de la Discordia” or Block of Discord. A little way up the street you will find another modernist masterpiece by Gaudi called Casa Mila and nicknamed La Pedrera (The Quarry”). Check out the Gaudi chimneys.

 

9.     Poble Espanyol Village on Montjuic was built in 1929 for the Worlds Fair. The Spanish Village was an architectural experiment to create the “ideal” model for a village which would represent popular Spanish architecture.  Due to popular demand it was left intact after the exhibition.  It now houses a variety of cafes, night clubs, restaurants, over 40 craft workshops and a program of concerts and events especially in the summer.

 

10.     Tibadabo Hill and Amusement Park is great for kids. The views are fantastic and there is a small amusement park on the top.  You can reach the top by using a vintage tram or a mountain railway.  This is a great way to spend a few hours for family fun.

 

I HOPE YOU ENJOY SIGHTSEEING BARCELONA AS MUCH AS WE DID !!!!

Your dilemma.  You get on a cruise ship where they aren’t charging you for anything that you eat.  You go up to the buffet and eat until your seams are going to explode.  And now you feel guilty.  How do you enjoy your vacation without gaining weight?!

Cruise lines are getting better about having creative ways to get everyone moving.  All of the ships offer fitness centers with trainers.  Most of the cruises offer classes in the gyms.  A lot of the cruises also coordinate charity events for guests to participate in, like Seadream Yacht Club’s Steps For Charity.

The most recent craze on board ships seems to be Zumba!  Norwegian Cruise Lines were just written up in the Sun Sentinel for adding their Zumba program onboard.  I also saw it when I was on the Celebrity Reflection in December.

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I’d like to think I look JUST like her when I do Zumba… But then it might just be sweat induced delusions!

I don’t care what ship I am on… I’m going to eat, drink, be merry and SHAKE MY BOOTY!!!

Happy Spring!

It’s a beautiful day here in South Florida. Hoping that spring comes quickly to our friends and families up north!

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