 I just returned from a wonderful cruise onboard Disney Dream. This was my first big ship cruise since December 2019! For me that is a really long time between cruises. I was first booked to cruise Disney in August of 2020 but we all know how that went - cancellation after cancellation but I was always hopeful that each time I moved my cruise date would be the last. Finally almost exactly 1 year from the date I was originally booked to cruise, I was able to get onboard the Dream! Yes it is true that some things have changed due to the pandemic but it was still very magical! So much was still the same so here is a quick recap of things I found the same and some that were not.   Before you go to the ship Hasn't Changed - Disney wants you to check in online and choose your port arrival time and you do still need to do the health questionnaire. You will get an email and an app notification to do it before arrival. Has Changed - They are much more strict with the scheduled arrival time. We arrived just 10 minutes before our scheduled time thinking it would take 10 minutes to park and get into the terminal but the scheduled time applies to the parking lot as well. If you arrive early they will direct you over to a waiting parking lot until your time. I am not sure how they are handling if you arrive early in a shuttle but I assume it is similar and we did see a bunch of tents set up in the parking lot so maybe one of those is where guests not arriving in their own car will wait. Things have changed since my cruise but for my cruise if you were not vaccinated you had to test before the cruise at home and again at the port. Now the Bahamas has ruled starting September 3 every cruise passenger coming to any Bahamas island - which includes the cruise line's private island - must be vaccinated. You will need your proof of vaccine and a mask with you when you head to the port. Masks are currently required anytime you are indoors, except when in your own stateroom. At the Port and Boarding Has Changed - You will now check in on the lower level of the terminal. Here you will show all of your documents and get checked in and then are allowed through to the metal detectors and then the escalator upstairs. Hasn't Changed - There are still designated lines for Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Concierge guests for check in. You will be assigned a boarding group and you cannot board the ship until your group is called. Your group is determined by your pre-scheduled arrival time. Has Changed - You will not get your room key at check in. Instead your room key will be waiting in a sealed envelope on the wall by your room door. Stateroom hosts seemed to be hanging out in the halls so that they could make sure everyone got to the correct room and got their keys. Hasn't Changed - Your party will still be announced over the microphone as you enter the atrium and characters and crew are there to greet you. Has Changed - Only a small group at time is allowed to be in the atrium for the greeting and there are designated spots to stand on to allow for distance. Hasn't Changed - There is still plenty of food available to you when you board, including Cabanas. Has Changed - Speaking of food when you board, yes Cabanas is still open but just slightly different in that you will not serve yourself but instead let a crew member know what you would like from their station and they will plate it for you. You also have the option to choose one of the main dining rooms that will be open for lunch as well. I am so used to only the buffet when I got onboard that it was nice to actually be able to go and sit down and be served after going through the whole arrival process. Onboard Activities Hasn't Changed - The Kids Clubs are still open but in a slightly different way. Has Changed - You do need to make a reservation for the kids club. This can be done in the app once onboard. I was not cruising with any kids but when I looked in the app I was always able to find open slots for the kids club so at least on my cruise there wasn't an issue getting kids in. Hasn't Changed - The spa is still offering most treatments with the exception of a few. The fitness center is also open with some social distance in place. Has Changed - If you enjoy the Rainforest room like I do this is a change you might like. You can now have the Rainforest room all to yourself (and anyone in your party up to 10). You can book a 1 hour and 45 minutes time slot to enjoy all the relaxation with no strangers! I don't know about you but to me this was the most perfect thing ever and I couldn't wait to book my spot so I headed right to the spa as soon as we got onboard. I was able to grab a nice afternoon slot on our sea day and I can't think of a more perfect way to spoil myself after the stressful last 18 months! Hasn't Changed - Disney still puts on the most amazing Broadway style shows at sea! They also play all the new and old Disney movies in their wonderful movie theater at sea and funnel vision on the pool deck. Has Changed - Social distance is being applied in the theaters so the available seats are much fewer. You will also be directed to your seat by a crew member in order to make sure the distance is kept. Your entire party does need to arrive together to be seated. Since less people can enjoy the shows at one time Disney is repeating just 2 different shows throughout the cruise to allow enough times for everyone to be able to get in to see them. Hasn't Changed - All pools, splash areas, and Aquaduck are open. Has Changed - Social distance rules are in place for the pools and splash areas. That means there might be times when the pool or splash area are too full and you have to wait until someone leaves. We never saw any lines during our cruise but we were told if there is a line they will limit the time guests can swim or splash.   Hasn't Changed - There are still lots of characters making appearances throughout the ship and on Castaway Cay. Has Changed - You cannot get autographs or get too close for photos. I found the distance selfies to be pretty fun but I can understand that kids might want to hug their favorite character. Hasn't Changed - Disney still does fireworks at sea. Has Changed - In order to keep crowds smaller they are doing fireworks on 2 nights. You will get a notification in the app on your night for viewing and your dining staff should also let you know. My guess is the nights were split by dining times so all guests in the Main dining got a notification for fireworks the first night they did them and those of us in second dining got it the next night. Hasn't Changed - Disney still offers plenty of adult only entertainment too. Drink classes, Happy Hour, Trivia, and music are all offered still in the bars and lounges. Dining Onboard Hasn't Changed - Disney still does the rotational dining so you will move between the 3 main dining rooms during your cruise and your servers will go with you. Has Changed - You will now only be seated with your travel party so no meeting new strangers at meals. They are trying to not hand out menus so you can check the menus on the app or scan the QR code on the table to see the menu. If you are having issues like I did a few times with he QR codes they will bring you a paper menu that you can keep since they cannot give it to someone else. Staterooms Hasn't Changed - there is still daily housekeeping twice a day and yes there are still towel animals too! Has Changed - All staterooms undergo deep cleaning after each cruise and you will see the magnet on your room door that shows the commitment to cleanliness so you know it is ready for you. Many of the touch items have been removed so don't worry when you don't see throw pillows or room service menus in your room. Crew Members Hasn't Changed - Disney still has the most amazing crew members that are so very happy to have guests back onboard! Has Changed - If you need to speak with a Crew Member in Guest Services, Port Adventures, or Dining you will need to use the app to either chat on there or make an appointment if it is something that can not be done over chat. You can also take advantage of the onboard booking offer right in the app! Disembarkation Has Changed - When getting off the ship in a port of call such as Castaway Cay you will need to use the app to get in a virtual queue to get off the ship. This is to keep guests from crowding on the gangway. You do not need to get in a queue to return to the ship though. Hasn't Changed - For me it seemed like nothing has really changed with this process. You do still have to get up early, grab breakfast, and get off the ship. You can still leave your bags out in the hall the night before to have them transported to the terminal but Disney was recommending guests carry off their own bags since they won't be sanitized going off like they were coming on. On these short cruises, at least for me, it is easy to pack just a carry on size bag so I always have preferred to just carry off myself. 
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 As I was packing for my cruise there were a couple new things I had to add to my packing list such as masks and proof of vaccine (or test results). Hopefully these new items are only temporarily on my packing list but did you know there is a long list of items you cannot pack for a Disney Cruise?
It has been awhile since we all cruised and you might have forgotten some of the things you cannot bring onboard or these might be things you never even knew you couldn't bring. I will admit there are a few things I didn't know about either. These are Disney Cruise Line's rules so this could vary on other cruise lines. Surprising Prohibited Items I knew that things like firearms, explosives, or any weapons (with the exception of Disney brand toys like Light sabers or Thor's hammer or plastic pirate swords) were not allowed. Also things like illegal drugs, candles, and pets just seem like common sense things that you know you cannot bring onboard. However there were a lot of things on the prohibited list that surprised me. You CANNOT bring on: - Flotation items such as: Inflatable Pool Floats, Pool Noodles, Surfboards, or Boogie boards - Balloons - Kites - Inflatable Mattress - Musical Instruments - Streaming Devices (such as Roku or Amazon Fire Stick) - Hammock - Sporting equipment is not allowed with the exception for golf clubs and some sports balls but they must be stored in your room and only used off the ship. - Over the Door Hanging Organizers (apparently Disney can fine you $100 if you have one since they damage the door.) I have never used one myself but I know that tends to be one of the tips people say helps them stay organized in the small space of the room. Electrical Appliances I knew most cruise line's do not allow you to bring extension cords/power strips or an iron, but there is a long list of other electrical appliances that I wouldn't have even thought people would want to bring onboard like - You CANNOT bring on: - Blenders - Coffee Makers - Electric Blankets - Hot Plates - Microwaves - Rice Cookers. I cannot think why anyone would bring these things but if Disney had to list them I assume that means someone at sometime tried bringing it on. You CAN bring on - Other electrical appliances such as - curling irons, flat irons, blow dryers, shavers. Things like baby monitors, humidifiers, portable fans, and white noise/sleep machines will be inspected and if approved will be returned to your room. Food and Beverage You may or may not know that you are actually allowed to bring on an adult beverage when you first board the ship as long as you are 21 or older and you carry it on. The rule for Disney Cruise is a maximum of 2 bottles of wine or champagne, or 6 beers no larger than 12 oz. If you wish to drink the wine or champagne in the dining room you will be charged a $25 corking fee. You also cannot consume any of these beverages you brought onboard in any public areas. You CANNOT bring onboard any - Liquors or Spirits. Any of those bottles you might purchase while in ports of call or in the ship's store will be stored until the end of the cruise. - Homemade or precooked foods, open container foods. - Large coolers - Only coolers no larger than 12" x 12" x 12" area allowed to be brought onboard and they must be carried on and only for use to store medications, baby food or other dietary restrictions. You CAN bring on non-perishable snacks in sealed packaging (just remember once you open it you need to finish it or throw it away before the end of the cruise as you cannot take opened food packages through customs.) Decorating It can be fun to decorate your stateroom door and I usually suggest it to also help you find your room in a long hallway of doors. There are some rules though. You CANNOT use - - Tape - Glue - Over the door hangers - Any Adhesive device (like command strips) - Guests may not hang, attach or otherwise display any flag, banner or sign from any part of the ship, including stateroom verandahs. - Seasonal and/or celebratory light bulb strings or other hanging items are not permitted. You CAN only use magnets to attach things to your doors. Some guests also like to hang little gift holders over the metal ornament on the wall next to your stateroom door (called fish extenders as the metal decoration is usually a fish). They plan ahead with other guests to leave little items in the pockets during the cruise. As of right now Disney is not allowing these due to covid rules. Who Would Bring These Things Here are a few other things I never even really thought about but I guess people have brought them so they end up on the prohibited list - You CANNOT bring - - Ham Radios - Metal Detectors (that is actually on the list twice) - Pool Cues - Ski Poles - Power Tools - Hookah Pipes. - Remote controlled recreation devices - that includes drones You can always check out - https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/prohibited-items/list/ for the complete list. If cruising on another cruise line you can usually find the list of prohibited things under the FAQ section.  Airfare is pretty much my least favorite part of traveling. First there is figuring out the best flights to book which can take forever if you are like me always comparing and wondering if prices will go down. Then once you finally find your perfect flights and find the perfect seats you book it and you feel relieved until you get that dreaded email that says flight change.
Flight changes have always happened but it seems like they are happening a lot more these days. Changes can happen for a variety of reasons but in general the further out you have booked your flights the more likely you will have changes. Flight changes can be a small amount of time or a large amount of time difference. Your plane could change, the route could change, or any other variables that might mess with your previously perfect flights. You might get notified really far ahead of time of changes or you might have last minute changes either way you need to be sure to look very closely at the changes and make sure you are OK with them and know what your options are. In most cases you don't just have to suck it up and keep what they give you. There are 3 categories of flight change - Minor, Significant, or Cancellation. Your rights will depend on the type of change and of course the definition of the change can vary based on airline. You can check the terms and conditions on your airline's site for the details. Minor Changes These are generally just a slight change in flight time or might be a different type of aircraft but for the most part these changes really shouldn't affect your overall plans. The airlines will notify you and show you the new flights and should also show you the old so you can see what the difference is. Be sure to look at these notifications carefully. Even with just a minor change in flight time your seat choice could have changed so be sure to look at everything. Generally in the case of minor changes you do not have options. If you really have an issue with a change you can talk to the airline and they might be able to offer you another option. Significant Changes These are going to be a larger amount of time difference between what you had booked and what they are showing you now. It could also mean your non-stop flight now has a stop or maybe your connecting flight has a different stop. As long as your flight numbers are still the same this is considered a Significant Change and will come with more options than the minor change. Most likely the airline will email you and say flight change and they will list the new and old version of your flights. If you are OK with it all you do not have to do anything, but if you do not like what they have given you and it is considered a significant change you can ask for other flights or a refund. The definition of Significant Change varies by airline but could be as little as 30 minutes different than your original. Again be sure to look over all the details of the new flights the airline is giving you to be sure you want to accept or not. I once got a flight schedule change email and I thought the time only changed by a little but then I looked closer and I realized the flight had moved to a whole day later! I got another that went from non-stop to a connecting and there was no way I was accepting that either. The airlines will usually give a short amount of time to change after they notify you so be sure to stay on top of those emails and make your request to change quickly. Flight Cancellation Flight cancellation isn't just when your flight is completely canceled but anytime the flight number you booked changes. If the airline moves you to another flight number most likely they will just email you a flight change notification and hope that you are OK with the new flights and you might not notice that totally new flight number. If you got new flight numbers you can ask for a refund or to be able to choose other flights. If the flight cancellation notice comes inside 14 days of your flight you might also be entitled to other compensation. I just recently got an email of a flight change and at first I thought it was just a significant change but then I noticed that my flight number was different. I went to the airline's site and I could see they had definitely trimmed down the number of flights out that day compared to the many options that were showing when I booked. So I took a look at which flights were still being offered since I wasn't that crazy about the one they had automatically given me (which was more than 2 hours earlier and would have meant an earlier wake up than I prefer). I saw a later flight that didn't look too bad and I checked on seats to make sure I would be happy with the options. I then logged into my reservation and made the change quickly and at no cost. That was so much easier than having to call in and wait on hold so always check to see if you can make changes online before calling. If I had tried to make the change online and it said I needed to pay more I definitely would have been calling in since I knew this situation was a flight cancellation and gives me the most rights. Either way knowing your rights based on the flight change helps. If you booked your flight further in advance then I also recommend popping onto the airline's site and checking on your booking periodically as the airlines won't always notify you as soon as they have made a change. The sooner you know about any changes the more options you will have to fix it. Don't forget to look for 3 main things - flight times/dates, seats, and connections. Hopefully we can all get back to flying what used to be called the friendly skies without any issues!  I have been to Alaska 3 times in the past 5 years and each time has been a totally different type of trip. Alaska is one of those places that you could even do the same exact trip 3 times and each time will be totally different.
I used to think of cruising as something I only wanted to do somewhere with warm weather so I always balked at an Alaska cruise. I finally decided to cruise Alaska in 2016 and then I wished I hadn't put it off so long. Alaska is a gorgeous place with so much to see and do. It is always chaging too so even if you have been before there is still reasaon to go back again! 7 night Round Trip Seattle or Vancouver This was what my first Alaska cruise was - technically mine started in Fort Lauderdale and went through the Panama Canal before heading up to Seattle and I added the 7 night Alaska cruise onto that. This is is the typical cruise that most people will take and it is a great way to try Alaska and see if you like it. This cruise will take you to the main tourist areas in Southeast Alaska but it is sort of just a taste of Alaska. Alaska is so huge that just visiting that small area is just the tip of the iceberg literally. These cruises will generally visit Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway. They will also include some sort of glacier. The best cruises will go to Glacier Bay but those permits are very limited so that isn't possible on every cruise. Other popular options are Hubbard Glacier or Tracy Arm. Either way it is just breathtaking to get to see a glacier up close. 1 Way Cruise - Northbound or Southbound These can be a 7 night cruise but the best thing to do is a Cruisetour. They will either start in Seattle or Vancouver or end there. The other end is usually Anchorage. This way you get to see the same areas at the 7 night round trip cruises but then you also get further North in Alaska. Adding a Cruisetour onto the cruise gives you the opportunity to really explore Alaska on land. This is the option that will give you the scenic train rides and a chance to get into Denali National Park. My second visit to Alaska was a Cruisetour followed by a 7 night cruise southbound to Vancouver. We started up in Fairbanks and worked our way back down to Anchorage to get our cruise going South. Getting to see more of the land portion of Alaska really gives you a better perspective of how huge Alaska is and how much the weather can vary. Small Ship Cruise in Alaska This was my most recent way to see Alaska and this is way to go if you are looking for more of an adventure and less touristy stuff. Our cruise didn't stop at any other towns during our 7 nights. We were in Glacier Bay for 2 days whereas my previous cruise on the big ship only had a few hours to explore it. Small ships can get into smaller areas and closer to wildlife so it is a different experience. These cruises can either go round trip out of an Alaskan port or sometimes they also go one way. Ours was round trip out of Juneau but some will do one way like Juneau to Ketchikan. Those towns you begin or end in will be your option for shopping. No matter which way you choose to see Alaska you won't be disappointed.  There are so many things to consider when you are booking flights, especially when you are looking at long haul flights. You need to compare prices, connections, type of aircraft, which airline, along with other things. Add to that that the way pricing can vary from day to day and sometimes it even changes within hours. It can be very overwhelming. For me personally, booking flights is my least favorite part about planning travel - yes I think the picking flights is even worse than the flight itself.
  Arrival in Juneau We got off the plane in Juneau and were met by an UnCruise representative who directed us to the van that would take us to the hospitality center. We grabbed our bags and they were tagged to go right to our room on the ship. We had a couple hours to explore Juneau before boarding. It was so different to be there without any big ships in port. It was also sad to see how many of the shops were either still closed or worse had signs that said out of business. Hopefully the ships starting back up in July will bring some businesses back to life. Our ship could hold 76 but there were only 23 guests in total on our cruise. Everyone did have to be fully vaccinated to cruise so no masks were required on the ship which I was very happy about. After boarding we went through the safety talk and drill and were ready to set sail. We had dinner and after that I was pretty tired since we were now 4 hours behind East Coast time. Even though it was only 9 pm it felt like 1 am to me. The first morning started with breakfast and then an overview of the activities to come during the week. Mud boots are very important when exploring Alaska with a boat like UnCruise since we would be going ashore on skiffs and have wet landings most of the time. Luckily the ship has a pretty good stash of boots onboard so if you didn't already have a pair of your own there were some to borrow. We also got our PFD (personal floatation device) that we would wear while kayaking. Each day at lunch our activities director would go over the planned activities for the next day and we could choose the ones we wanted to do. Day 1 - Neka Bay On the first morning I was still sort of on East Coast time so I was up early and had time to walk around the top deck before our 7:30 am breakfast. I skipped the morning stretch that I did on our Sea of Cortes cruise because for me it was just a little too chilly for that. The day started with the most amazing views so I took that as a sign that this was what was to come all week! Our first day's adventures started with a bushwack. We hopped on a skiff and headed over to an island where we explored the woods and checked out some of the foliage. It was fun climbing over and under logs and stomping in the mud but once was enough of that for me. After lunch our next activity was kayaking and this was much more fun. We got to see a bear hanging out on the shore only a few feet from where we were paddling. We were enjoying some perfect weather and all the crew kept commenting about how great this was. Even better was that since we were such a small group of guests some of the crew got to also get out and enjoy the excursions too. Our bartender joined us on today's kayak which also helped out since there was an odd number of guests signed up to kayak and the kayaks are all doubles. That night we were just at the edge of Glacier Bay and were able to stop at the Welcome Center to walk around. It turns out that this was the only time during our cruise that we would see other people.   Day 2 - Glacier Bay Today we entered Glacier Bay - which covers 3.3 million acres and part of a 25 million acre World Heritage Site. It is one of the world's largest international protected areas. There are a lot of rules while in Glacier Bay which are all put in place to protect the wildlife. One rule is that we could only have one propeller in the water going at one time. That did mean the excursions off the boat had to be spread out a bit to accommodate that rule. We were anchored up by Lamplugh Glacier and todays excursion choices were a shorewalk, a ridge walk, skiff ride, and kayak. We opted for the skiff ride and kayak options as I really wanted to be out on the water since we had such beautiful sunny weather. Our skiff ride was after breakfast and we got to ride around Lamplugh Glacier a little and check out some of the floating ice. Then we headed the opposite direction and got to check out Johns Hopkins Glacier, which our guide told us she had only been able to see the whole thing once before but after today she could say she saw it twice since there wasn't a cloud or any fog in sight. The Harbor Seals use this area to give birth to thier pups so up until September no boat can go past a certain point. We had a curious male seal watching us and following us a little. The guide told us that the males like to hang out around there because once the females have weaned thier pups (which surprisingly takes only about 4 weeks) they come on back out start the whole process over again. It sounds like for the most part the females are just always pregnant. While we were out on the skiff our guide used a net to scoop up a chunk of the floating ice to bring back to the ship. That ice was out on the top deck the rest of the day and night and still didn't melt. After lunch it was time to kayak! This was so much fun today as we got up much closer to the Lamplugh glacier than we did on the skiff. In the morning a group had done a shorewalk and we were now kayaking over the area they had walked on in the morning because the tides here have up to 25 ft changes. We paddled through all kinds of ice and it was almost like bumper boats with ice. It was amazing to see how much the wind changed as you got closer to the glacier. There are katabatic winds that come off the glacier so we went from warm sunny flat water to paddling through currents and getting blown backwards pretty fast. We kept hoping for some calving of the glacier to happen while we were floating around the area. We heard a few cracks which sounded like thunder but no big chunks came off the front. After everyone was back onboard from thier excursions there was a polar plunge. Anyone that wished to jump off the back of the boat for a quick dip in the 45 degree water was welcome to do it. I passed on that since the water needs to be at least double that temperature for me to even think about swimming. There were a bunch of brave guests that did it and then a bunch of crew did it as well. The hot tubs onboard were popular after the plunge. After dinner we were told dessert was being served on the top deck since it was still so lovely outside and we had a very special view. During dinner the ship had moved to be in front of Margerie Glacier. We had seen this glacier on our last visit to Alaska while we were cruising on Princess. She is a very impressive glacier but has changed a lot since we saw her in August 2019. It was amazing to see how much had calved off and how she had retreated. Many of the glaciers are retreating so much that some are no longer over water so are not tidewater glaciers anymore but have become land glaciers. We got to see a bunch of calving while we were floating around in front of Marjorie which was very cool. After that one of the gudies, Kim, was giving a talk on Whales in the lounge. Since I love whales I was looking forward to it. It was almost like Kim talking about whales just attracted them to our boat! Within a few minutes we heard that some Dall's Porpoise were riding our bow wake. The lounge is in the front of the boat so it made to easy watching right out the window. We saw at least a dozen of them jumping in our waves and just playing around. It was so amazing! Once they got tired and swam off we got back to the talk. After the talk we headed back to our room and within a few minutes the Captain came on the speaker to say Humpbacks were spotted. I threw on my coat and headed out to the bow. Just then multiple humpbacks breached which just a site to see. Even our guide Kim, who loves whales, was overjoyed and said this was really something special. I think we spent a good hour just watching the whales spout, breach, and my favorite part when they dive and show thier fluke. Kim talked earlier about a website HappyWhale.com where you can upload photos of whale flukes and they can use something almost like facial recognition and tell you which whale you saw. A whale's fluke is like a fingerprint and unique to each whale. I did get one photo even though far away that I am going to upload and see if we can find out about at least one of the whales we saw that night. Day 3 - Glacier Bay Our cruise had 2 full days in Glacier Bay so day 3 started off with an early sighting of goats on an island we were passing by. Some people saw bears too. Today did not have any morning excursions since today was more about sailing around Glacier Bay. After breakfast we went by another island, this was one full of sea lions soaking up the sun along with a lot of tufted puffins all nesting in the rocky area of this island. We saw a couple mamma sea lions swim by with fuzzy babies sitting on their bellies as they went by. The puffins were also fun to watch since they are not the best fliers or landers. Later that day we did anchor so that everyone could squeeze in an off the boat activity that day. We had signed up to kayak but the wind had kicked up some pretty good waves so we opted to skiff instead. That is just another great thing about UnCruise: the flexibility to do whatever works best that day. We got to check out some of the crazy kelp that grows in this area. We also came upon an otter who was just hanging out in the kelp. I didn't know that the otters do not eat the kelp but instead they eat the urchins that eat the kelp. So when the otters almost went extinct not that long ago the kelp also almost disappeared since the urchins didn't have anyone eating them. This otter just hung onto a piece of kelp and was floating on his back and let us get pretty close.   Day 4 - Pavlov Bay We started today off with an open kayak - this was the first and only time without having to follow a guide around. We were shown the area we had to stay in and then we were free to explore on the kayak. It was so fun just going around on our own and we would stop and just listen to the quiet. We saw some eagles that let us get pretty close before they took off. A curious seal came pretty close to us and we were only in about a foot of water in the bay so we were surprised he would come in that shallow. Later we learned that a pod of Orcas had gone by the bay so that was most likely why that little guy was in so shallow. After lunch we went out on a skiff to see if we could find the Orcas since those that saw them earlier knew they went into a dead end bay so they would have to come back out the same way they went in. We found them pretty quick and just sort of followed along watching them swim. There was even a baby with them which was so cute! Day 5 - Robert and Crow Island Today was the one day where there was an option for an all day excursion. They didn't really say too much about what they would do all day so we opted to go with the 2 shorter excursions instead. The all day people were given a box lunch and left right after breakfast. We chose to take a skiff ride in the morning and it turned out to be a private skiff for just the 2 of us which was pretty cool. There were 3 seals that were just hanging around the boat that morning fooling around and splashing a bit. I nicknamed them Larry, Curly, and Moe. When I told our skiff driver that she had no clue what those 3 names were from - I felt pretty old then. There was also a humpback hanging around the area so we headed out to check him out. We pretty much just floated around out by him watching where he would go each time he took a deep dive. Then we would go towards his spout and watch some more. After our skiff it was time for lunch and found that there were just 9 of us that didn't choose the all day option so it was a nice small group for lunch onboard. After lunch we did a guided kayak. We paddled out to a small island that was off the front of the boat and we went around checking out the things living close to shore. I was so surprised by the jellyfish - for some reason I was thinking they only lived in warm water. We were also watching as 3 eagles seemed to be getting bombarded by a few crows. We could see the eagle's nest and the crows seemed to be dive bombing so we think maybe they were after some food. After dinner the crew told us they had a surprise set up for us. We found out while we were eating that they had set up a bonfire on the beach so we hopped on the skiffs to go hang out on the beach for a couple hours and enjoy drinks, stories around the fire, and exploring the beach while watching the sun start to set. The sky still looked very pretty at 10 pm which is around the sunset time but it never really seemed to get all the way dark up here. We had been so lucky with our weather all week to have mostly sun and temperatures in the 60s every day. The crew just couldn't stop saying how wonderful it had been to be able to do things they hadn't been able to do in a long time. Day 6 - Tracy Arm Our last day onboard was spent in Tracy Arm. After breakfast we all hopped on the skiffs and made our way closer to South Sawyer Glacier. Along the way we went through lots of floating ice. We learned that the smaller ones are growlers, the bigger chunks are Begy-bits, and then icebergs are the really big ones. The best thing about visiting right now and being on UnCruise is that we do things you would never get to do on a big ship - like move from the ship to skiffs without anchoring while in Tracy Arm. The skiffs allow us to get very close not only to the glacier but during this time of year the mamma seals swim up close to the glacier to give birth to thier pups on the large floating ice. Being this far up the arm keeps them safer from the Orcas that would eat them and thier babies. They were a little skittish around us too and sometimes if we got too close the mamma and baby would slide down off the ice into the water to hide. Sometimes they got separated and you could hear the baby seal crying out in what really sounded like it was saying MOM! Some of them didn't seem as bothered by us and didn't move. We saw some pretty cool calving of the glacier before making our way back to the boat. Some of the floating ice was just the most amazing shades of blue. It is so blue because the dense ice of the glacier absorbs every other color of the spectrum except blue so blue is what we see. The denser the ice the more vivid the blue looks. After getting back onboard we enjoyed lunch and the scenic views as we sailed back out of Tracy Arm. The sad news was that this was our last night onboard so we had to talk about disembarkation and return our borrowed items like the boots and PFDs. We ended the night with a slide show of photos that the guides took all week. It was a lovely way to recap our amazing week and we would also get a link to all the photos via email.  Disembarkation The last morning came all too quickly and after breakfast we were off the boat. Disembarkation on a small ship is so easy. All of the crew lined up on the upper deck to waive goodbye to us and the Captain was on the dock to shake hands. A bonus was the CEO of UnCruise was also on the dock to say welcome back to all of us. UnCruise does include your transfers back to the airport which is also very nice. We had a later flight so our bags were stored and we were free to hang out in the hospitality room or enjoy Juneau. We did a little of both before it was time to head back to the airport. Unlike our journey to Alaska where I broke up our flight with a stop over in Seattle this time we were headed straight back to FL. This meant a red-eye flight which seemed like a good idea at the time. I always forget how tired I feel after a red eye so I might have to remember that for next time we have a long haul flight and opt for the break it up with a stop over somewhere on the way home. We had an Unbelievably good time on our UnCruise and cannot wait to do another one! I think Hawaii is next up on my UnCruise bucket list! I will post lots more photos to my facebook page soon so if you want to see more check out - My Page   I am someone that always likes to read reviews before buying things or visiting places. When it comes to booking things for my clients I really prefer to be able to give my firsthand experience whenever possible but it is a big world with so many places to see it is hard to have been everywhere and tried everything. That is when I turn to reviews and also check with other agents I know to get thier trusted opions when possible. I came across @SubParParks recently and that is what inspired me to write this weeks article.
 The big ships are tired of sitting around waiting on the CDC to give them the green light to sail out of the US again so they are taking matters in thier own hands and moving ships to new homeports.
Royal Caribbean announced they will have a ship to sail out of Nassau and one out of Bermuda this summer. Adventure of the Seas® heads back to the tropics this summer, unlocking seven-night getaways from Nassau. Double up on thrills and even more time to chill with two days at the top-rated Royal Caribbean® private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay. You’ll also get a chance to venture into Maya history during a visit to Cozumel. And unwind on Grand Bahama Island’s beautiful white-sand beaches. Island time is now. Vision of the Seas® is bringing back unforgettable island escapes from Bermuda this June. Soak up the sun on the island's famous pink-sand beaches and keep the vacation vibes going in Bermuda. Chase thrills or chill beachside at our top-rated private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay. Celebrity Cruise Line to sail out of St Maarten this summer Celebrity is the premium brand in the Royal Caribbean family so it just made sense that they too would offer cruise options from a non-US port this summer too. We’re kicking off our return to service with 7-night sailings aboard the revolutionized Celebrity Millennium® departing from St. Maarten and sailing to Aruba, Barbados, Curaçao, the British Virgin Islands, and beyond. Crystal Cruise lines will offer Bahamas only sailings this summer Crystal is a luxury cruise line that doesn't tend to use US homeports as much as the bigger guys but it is still wonderful that they found a way to offer the Cariibean to guests wanting to cruise this summer. Crystal said it will resume sailing in the Americas on July 3 under an agreement that will base its Crystal Serenity in the Bahamas for a series of Bahamas-only sailings that will include stops previously accessible only by private yacht. Crystal's interim CEO, Jack Anderson, said a total of 16 Bahamas Escapes seven-day cruises are planned from July to October. Passengers can embark every Saturday in Nassau or every Sunday in Bimini for the roundtrip cruises that will then sail to Harbour Island, Great Exuma, San Salvador and Long Island, he said. All of these cruises on any of the lines listed above will require adult guests to be vaccinated. Any children under the age of 18 who have a negative PCR test result within 120 hours of embarkation. Guests might also have to meet any other requirements posted to travel to the starting point of thier cruise. Virgin Cruise Line announced that it still plans for a July restart out of Miami and they will require all guests and crew to be vaccindated.  I know you might be thinking do people really book a Cruise around the World? Yes they do! Cruise Lines are seeing a record demand for World Cruises right now. Oceania recently opened booking for it's 2023 World Cruise and it sold out in 24 hours! Getting to see so many amazing places in one trip sounds a little overwhelming but perfect at that same time. The price tag for these cruises can give you sticker shock but when you do the math they really are a good deal. Just think of the cost to fly to most of these places and then add in food and a place to stay and real quick a World Cruise looks like a bargain.
Some cruise lines will offer portions of the World Cruise for booking so you don't have to book the whole thing if you only want to do part of it. If a World Cruise still sounds a bit too long there are also some wonderful longer cruises to consider as a stepping stone to working up to that World Cruise. I did a 30 day cruise a few years ago and at first I was wondering if that would be too long but I quickly learned that the longer the better! Cruise Lines are also getting more creative with itineraries to keep guests coming back year after year. More overnight stops are also becoming more popular. To give you an idea of what you can expect from some of the more unique itineraries check out these 4 World Cruises scheduled for 2023: Cruise Line: Oceania Cruises Ship: Insignia Date: January 15, 2023 Length: 179 nights Ports: 96 Cheapest Price: $41,599 Homeport: San Francisco Oceania’s traditional 180-day world cruise is back in 2023. The trip, which sold out in just 24 hours, will visit 96 ports in 33 countries across four continents. Overnight stays are planned in 20 destinations – including Cape Town and Yangon, where the Insignia is set to be docked for three entire days. Cruise Line: Princess Cruises Ship: Coral Princess Date: June 4, 2023 Length: 107 nights Ports: 44 Cheapest Price: $20,604 Homeport: Sydney The Coral Princess will be the only ship to sail a world cruise from Australia in 2023. The vessel, operated by Princess Cruises, will depart Sydney on June 4, returning to the same port 107 days and 44 ports of call later. The classic itinerary includes visits to 26 countries on six continents, including 20 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Cruise Line: Regent Seven Seas Ship: Seven Seas Mariner Date: January 7, 2023 Length: 143 nights Ports: 72 Cheapest Price: $81,119 Homeport: Miami to Barcelona Luxury brand Regent Seven Seas is offering the most expensive world cruise in 2023. With 143 nights, the journey goes from Miami to Barcelona, visiting 72 ports in-between. The itinerary has a focus on Asia and Africa, with several unusual ports of call, such as Lome (Togo), Takoradi (Ghana) and Mayotte (Comoros) Cruise Line: Viking Cruises Ship: Viking Neptune Date: December 22, 2022 Length: 137 nights Ports: 58 Cheapest Price: $49,995 Homeport: Fort Lauderdale to Greenwich In 2023, Viking Cruises will offer a world cruise on its brand-new ship, the Viking Neptune. The vessel – currently under construction in Italy – is set to debut just a few weeks before the trip starts. During the 137-night cruise, guests will visit 58 ports around the globe, with a special focus on the Asia-Pacific region, where most of the calls take place. Those are just a sample of the many options that are available. If you want to learn more just let me know. So are you ready to join me in a cruise around the world?   Last week Canada announced no cruise ships in Canadian waters until February 2022. This really is a big blow to Alaska since this could mean the end to the summer cruise season this year in Alaska. You might be asking why would that matter if the ships just went from Seattle to Alaska but there is a law that prevents foreign flagged ships from going from one US port to another US port without stopping at a foreign port. All of the big cruise lines are foreign flagged so that only leaves just a couple small ships that US based that can still sail Alaska if things do not change. The cruise lines and Alaska representatives are petitioning to have that one law, which is 135 years old, either revoked or maybe just waived for this year. Alaska relies heavily on tourism so going a second year without cruises is just crushing to them. None of the cruise lines have cancelled the Alaska sailings for this summer just yet. They are hoping to find a way to somehow salvage the season and I hope they are able to as well. I love Alaska really hate to see all of those people who depend on the tourists hurt by this. There are a few small cruise lines that will be sailing Alaska for sure so if you have your heart set on Alaska this summer or you really love the idea of maybe getting to see Alaska with not as many other people you might want to grab a room on one of these soon! Here are the 4 Cruise Lines that are not affected by the Canada Ban - Uncruise - This one is my favorite! I sailed with them in Sea of Cortes last year (had no idea at that time it would be my last cruise for a long time). "Our Alaska adventure cruises deliver action, exploration, and the unexpected—paddling and hiking, calving glaciers, Glacier Bay National Park, bears, whales, and polar plunges. Nobody does Alaska better."  American Cruise Line - This one offers more of a river cruise experience onboard the ship vs the expedition style of UnCruise. So if you are looking for a more relaxed cruise this might be the right choice. "Onboard the newest small cruise ships in the region, you will experience the breathtaking scenery and inspiring wildlife of Alaska like never before. Get up close and personal to the natural beauty of Alaska as we cruise to Mendenhall Glacier, Glacier Bay and more. Choose from three unique and fascinating itineraries."  Linblad - This is another expedition style like Uncruise. They are partnered with National Geographic so you know you will get up close with nature. "You’ll hear the thunderous crack of calving glaciers. Sail alongside pods of orca; see breaching humpbacks and foraging brown bears on our small ship Alaska cruise. Hike verdant old-growth rain forests and kayak peaceful coastlines. In the 30+ years we’ve been exploring, we have provided the richest experience possible on our Alaska expedition cruises."  Alaska Dream Cruise - Like the name says they are truly Alaska focused. "Our all-inclusive, small expedition itineraries offer a mix of excursions in intriguing towns and Native villages and adventures in raw wilderness bays and glacial fjords. This approach to small vessel expeditions in Alaska offers travelers a comprehensive look at all the Inside Passage has to offer. Every experience is hand-picked for its value in immersing you in True Alaska." If you want to be sure you don't miss out on the Alaska cruise season this summer or if you are want to plan for 2022 I would be happy to help you find the right ship and itinerary for you!
  Did you know that Florida second highest number of islands of any state in the United States? There are 4,510 islands that have 10 acres or more. In case you were wondering Alaska has the most islands. Now with new rules in place for anyone returning to the US from any international location it is easier to just stay in the US. If you are really in need of an island getaway don't worry there are lots of wonderful island options right here in Florida! Here are my picks for top 7 luxury island getaways in FL - #7 Amelia Island Starting with the Northeast corner of Florida this island getaway is an easy drive for many East Coast states or just a short drive from Jacksonville airport. - My pick for luxury here is Ritz Carlton Amelia Island Unfolding along 13 miles of pristine beachfront, this luxury resort infuses the story of the land into nearly every guest experience. They even offer Field Trip packages Distance learning comes alive with instructor-led field trip packages designed to complement science curriculum and foster a passion for marine ecology and biology.  #6 - Destin Moving West across North Florida on the panhandle is a barrier island on the Gulf of Mexico where you will find Destin. This location offers an easy drive from many Midwest states or a short drive from Pensacola airport. My pick for a luxury stay on this island is - Henderson Beach Resort With it's stunning location on some of the most breathtaking stretches of sand in the world, and the tranquil jeweled waters of the Gulf of Mexico right at the doorstep, there is literally an endless list of activities and attractions for everyone to experience.  #5 - St Pete Beach Staying on the Gulf Coast but moving South we hit St Pete Beach. Just below Tampa and also an easy drive from Orlando. My pick for where to stay here is - Tradewinds Resort two beach resorts on 31 acres of the soft white sands of Florida’s St. Pete Beach, rated a top 10 USA beach for six years running by TripAdvisor. They are even pet friendly! I have taken my dog there before and he loved it!  #4 - Gasparilla Island Heading further south down the Gulf Coast you will find little known Gasparilla Island. The closest airport would be Fort Myers. You will feel like you stepped back in time when you stay at the The Gasparilla Inn The barrier island is a small on at only about 1/4 mile wide. Tarpon and other prized fish call the blue waters off Gasparilla Island home which makes this a fisherman's paradise.  #3 - Sanibel and Captiva Island Just south of Gasparilla you will find my favorite barrier island of Sanibel/Captiva. They are a shell lover's paradise with tons of shells washing up on the white sandy shores constantly. It is a great way to get back to nature since more than half of the island is made up of wildlife refuges, the largest being J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. I recommend South Seas Resort Originally a key lime plantation 100 years ago, South Seas Island Resort is now truly a destination.  #2 - Florida Keys I am guessing when you think of Florida islands you automatically think of the Keys but I hope the previous 5 islands I listed made you realize there are islands all around Florida. Since the Florida Keys are just about as close as you can get to a Caribbean vacation without leaving the United States my top 2 choices are in the Keys. The #2 resort I have listed is Hawks Cay On the the small, secluded island of Duck Key, aquamarine waters sparkle under the South Floridian sun, bottlenose dolphins readily greet guests, and visitors and locals alike discover the best seaside dining, coastal living and aquatic adventures. This one is great for families. #1 - Florida Keys The number one resort I have listed is also in the Florida Keys and it truly is a private island escape! Little Palm Island Located off the fabled Florida Keys coastline, on a lush, private island dotted with crushed seashell paths amid verdant tropical foliage and exotic wildlife, rests Little Palm Island Resort & Spa – a destination like no other. Whether arriving by seaplane or our private boat, begin your journey with refreshing cocktails at our on-shore reception and lounge, the Shore Station, before making the short, scenic journey to your new island oasis.    Galapagos Adventures by Disney is an 8 night package that includes 1 night on land and 7 on the ship. You need to purchase round trip flights into Quito separately. Your adventure begins with 1 night stay in Quito and the following morning you will fly over to the islands to get on the ship. This internal flight is included in your cost along with transportation. Your ship the Galapagos Legend is a good size holding around 100 guests. As expected with Disney they chose a ship that will offer some rooms that will accomodate families. You will have the Disney Adventures Guides along with Naturalists and other special guests. It is a 7 night cruise around the Galapagos with lots of adventures like hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, and wildlife viewing, included each day. After the cruise is over you will be flown back to Quito to catch your flight home. There are 5 dates to choose from in 2022 for this Adventure and most are starting at $6279 per adult (thanks to a nice $750 early booking savings offer). There is a minimum age of 8 to travel to Galapagos. Let's compare this to something very similar offered by another of my favorite vacation suppliers - Avalon Waterways. Avalon offers a 7 night package but it is just a 4 night cruise with 3 nights on land. You would also fly round trip into Quito with those flights not included. You would spend the first 2 nights in Quito with that second day including sightseeing in Quito. Then fly over to the ship on day 3 (those flights included). The ship is the Treasure of Galapagos which holds just 16 guests (yes that does mean it is a nice small group on each cruise). You will have a tour director and naturalists onboard which will also lead your excursions doing things like hiking, snorkeling, and wildlife watching (that are included). On day 7 you get off the ship and fly back to Quito to spend the night and fly out the following day. There are 12 dates scheduled for this trip in 2022 but 2 are already sold out. Rates start at $5254 per adult for most dates. Avlaon also offers some add on options if you would like to extend your vacation into the Amazon or Peru. Both options will include all meals on the cruise and some meals while on land. Both options include many excursions and both give you the VIP entrance into the must see stuff. Disney is one day longer and includes more time cruising but at about $1000 more per person. Disney is also on a much larger ship so there will be more people. I know that both companies will offer you a luxurious adventure that you will never forget but if I had to pick one I would go with Avalon mainly for the small ship experience.  Antarctica I know the end of the world is on a lot of people's bucket list and I think it is great that Disney is offering an option now. I also love that they are doing it on Ponant which is a small ship cruise company that I think is the best choice for Antarctica! This comparison will be a little different from the Galapagos because in this one I will compare booking the Adventures by Disney package vs just booking a regular cruise on Ponant. Adventures by Disney will be using the Ponant ship and as far as I understand it Disney has chartered the ship for 2 dates so that means everyone onboard is part of Adventures by Disney. The ship has 132 staterooms so will have less than 300 guests onboard. It is a 12 day Adventure where you need to purchase round trip flights into Buenos Aires. Spend the first night in Buenos Aires and then the next day you will be flown to Ushuaia where you can ride the End of the World Train, experience the Tierra del Fuego National Park, and End of the World post office. Then you will board the ship for your 10 night cruise. At the end of the cruise you will be flown back to Buenos Aires where you can catch your flight home or maybe add the land package also offered by Adventures by Disney (3 night Buenos Aires Escape). During the cruise with Disney you will have your Adventure Guides and some special events that won't happen on the regular Ponant cruise but most of the rest will be the same. Ponant runs these cruises November - March so you do have more dates to choose from if you are Ok without the Disney touches. They do offer the same itinerary as Adventures by Disney along with some other longer options as well. The pricing seems to come out very similar to what Disney is showing as starting rates so price shouldn't be a factor in choosing. Here is how Ponant describes the 10 night cruise - PONANT invites you on a polar expedition cruise to the heart of the icy realm that is the Antarctic Peninsula. Embark on an unforgettable 11-day voyage and succumb to the enchantment of the breathtaking landscapes inhabited by astonishing wildlife. The start of your cruise will be marked by the crossing of the mythical Drake Passage, during which you will probably be escorted by several albatrosses and Cape petrels, the sentinels of these often-choppy waters. Your ship will then reach the White Continent, realm of the unexpected. Weather and ice conditions permitting, this extreme environment where nature reigns supreme will reveal to you its most beautiful secrets through numerous discoveries. On this uninhabited land, which wasn’t explored until the 19th century, your encounters with the wildlife will no doubt be one of the highlights of your experience. The Gentoo, Adelie and chinstrap penguins, humpback whales, seals and seabirds will provide you with cherished lifelong memories. Each day, whether on land, aboard your ship or during a Zodiac® outing, you will be surrounded by a grandiose decor ranging from icebergs to ice floe and ancient glaciers. We have only seen Disney's starting price as of now and I am sure there will be higher price points for upgraded rooms but until Disney opens these for booking next week this is what we have to go on. The starting price for Adventures by Disney's 2 dates is $12,459 per adult (that is for the January 30, 2002). The December 20, 2021 starts at $12,769 per adult. For many dates Ponant is already sold out of the lower priced rooms so the Adventures by Disney option might allow you to get one of those rooms that can be harder to get this close in. Of course if you might need more than a year to save up you can always look to book for 2023 or later too with Ponant. The earlier you book with Ponant the better your options for rooms will be as this one does sell out early. You could also hope that Disney will keep up the partnership and start saving now for when they open booking for the next year. Either way on this one I think you will have the most amazing adventure! If you would prefer a cruise that will have less families than going with a Ponant booking might be better for you.  6 years ago Brad and I took our first cruise together and it was a Disney Cruise. As you can imagine there were a lot of kids onboard. While we loved the cruise and Disney does a great job of offering adult only areas we thought wouldn't it be great if there weren't any kids onboard LOL. Our next cruise was a river cruise so we did get to enjoy a kid free ship on that cruise and it was wonderful! Almost a year after that we took a 30 day cruise on Holland America and there was just 1 kid onboard. We realized that there were a lot of poeple that prefered a cruise without kids, not just without thier own kids but without anyone else's kids too. I am working on www.cruisewithoutkids which also has a facebook page and instagram with the same name and I will be posting more information so please feel free to check them out and follow them if you also like the idea of a vacation without kids. This week I want to talk about 2 cruise lines that are always adult only and they are Virgin Voyages and Viking. Virgin Voyages This is the new kid on the block - or should I say new no kid on the block. Virgin Voyages was suppoed to start sailing March of 2020 but as we all know that didn't happen. As of now it looks like May 2021 will the first voyage of this brand new ship. Richard Branson wanted to create a new way to cruise and I think he might have done it. The ships are adult only they also inlcude a lot of things many other cruise lines do not. Ever thought about getting a tattoo on a cruise ship? Well now you can do it! They also have no buffets and include over 20 eateries in your cruise fare. They also include tips and wi-fi in your cruise cost. I am very excited to try this new experience and am looking forward to my cruise in May! I will be sure to tell you all about it! Viking You have probobly seen the commercials for Viking River Cruises but they also have Ocean Cruises too. They are also coming out with a river boat for the Mississippi and an Expedition ship too so there is a lot going on with Viking. They are always adult only on all of thier ships and like Virgin they include more in your cruise cost than the usual cruise line. The Viking Ocean ships are smaller than your typical ocean cruise ship holding under 1,000 guests which also allows you to get into smaller ports.   After the year the cruise lines have had it is nice to know that we will still get to see 12 new ships start sailing in 2021! Below I have listed them in order of when they should be starting to sail but that is subject to change. Feel free to sign along! On the 1st ship of 2021 the cruise world brings to us - a Ship With No Kids! 1. Viking Venus - scheduled to sail January 2021 she will be the 7th Ocean Ship for Viking with 2 more on the way in 2022. All of the Viking ships are identical and offer only verandah rooms and are adult only. Viking has one of the youngest Ocean fleet with the 1st ship debuting in 2015. Venus will sail the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. All of the Viking Ocean ships do carry less than 1000 passengers putting them in the Small Ship category. On the 2nd ship of 2021 the cruise world brings to us - a 2 Story Red Frog Tiki bar and a Roller Coaster! 2. Carnival Mardi Gras - scheduled to sail April 2021 she will bring us the first roller coaster at sea. Yes that is Santa taking a spin on it in the photo at the top. Mardi Gras will be doing Caribbean sailings out of Port Canaveral and she is a mega ship carrying over 5,000 guests. On the 3rd ship of 2021 the cruise world brings to us - a 300 Hundred foot North Star, a 2 Story Lime and Coconut bar, and a Glow in the Dark Laser Tag! 3. Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas - scheduled to sail April 2021 she will be the first in the Quantum Ultra Class to sail in the US and Europe. Odyssey of the Seas will sail out of Rome and Fort Lauderdale offering Mediterranean and Caribbean sailings. Holding up to 4,200 passengers she is another mega ship. On the 4th ship of 2021 the cruise world brings to us - 16 Indoor bars, 5 Unique pools, 2 Cirque shows, and the Longest LED Dome at Sea! 4. MSC Virtuosa - scheduled to sail April 2021 she will be the second Meraviglia Plus class ship for MSC. This will stay in Europe offering cruises in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and the Middle East. Another mega class ship that can carry 4,800 passengers. On the 5th ship of 2021 the cruise world brings to us - A LUXURY YACHT EXPERIENCE, 4 Dining rooms, Aft marina, Infinity pool, and All Rooms Are Suites. 5. Ritz Carlton Evrima - scheduled to sail April 2021 she will be the first the Ritz Carlton Yacht Collection. She will offer sailings in Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Canada/New England, and the Caribbean. That does also mean there are opportunities to do Atlantic crossings on this amazing ship! Evrima is an all suite, all balcony, all inclusive ship. With only about 300 passengers onboard it is a luxurious small ship. On the 6th ship of 2021 the cruise world brings to us - 6 fine dining restaurants, 100 Suites, 2 Story solarium, Fold out marina, 2 Helicopters, and a Submarine! 6. Crystal Endeavor - scheduled to sail May 2021 she will be the first Expedition ship for Crystal. Endeavor is a purpose built Polar Class yacht, all suite, with attentive butlers and an expedition team. She will sail all over the world but she was built for Antarctica. Just 200 guests onboard means it is a luxurious expedition on this small ship. On the 7th ship of 2021 the cruise world brings to us - 8 Dining options, Rolling Stone Rock Room, Lincoln Stage Center, BB King's Blues Club, BBC Earth Concert, World Stage theater, and Club Orange! 7. Holland America's Rotterdam - scheduled to sail August 2021 she will be the 7th ship to bear the name Rotterdam. Holland America recently sold the previous Rotterdam as part of the downsizing many lines did during this shutdown. Rotterdam will be the new flagship of Holland America sailing the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Mediterranean, and Northern Europe. Carrying just under 2,700 guests I consider her a Mid Size ship. On the 8th ship of 2021 the cruise world brings to us - 20 bars and lounges, 5D Cinema, Largest interactive water park at sea, a LEGO themed kids club, Full size bowling alley, World's first digital cruise assistant, MSC Yacht Club, and F1 Simulators. 8. MSC Seashore - scheduled to sail August 2021 she is the largest ship to be built in Italy and the 1st of MSC's EVO class ship. This is one of the MSC ships that will sail in the Caribbean and Mediterranean. With over 4,500 guests Seashore is a mega ship. On the 9th ship of 2021 the cruise world brings to us - 8 Dining options, S.A.L.T. Lab, Cigar Lounge and Bar, Arts Cafe, Live jazz and blues, Zagara beauty spa, Observation library, Fitness center, and a Casino. 9. Silver Dawn - scheduled to sail September 2021 she is the 10th ultra luxury ship to join the Silversea fleet. She will be sailing the Mediterranean and South America. Did you know that Silversea was part of the Royal Caribbean family? With just less than 600 guests onboard she is a small ship. On the 10th ship of 2021 the cruise world brings to us - The Largest balconies at sea, Only jazz theater at sea, Princess's largest ever thermal suite, The Voice of the Ocean singing competition, Salty Dog Gastropub, Ultimate Balcony Dining, The Princess Luxury Bed, the Sanctuary, Sleep by Princess, and Chocolate Journeys! 10. Discovery Princess - scheduled to sail November 2021 she is the 3rd vessel designed from the ground up with Princess Medallion Class and also the final Royal-class ship. Discovery Princess will sail the Caribbean, Mediterranean, California Coast, Mexican Riviera, and South America. Carrying over 3,600 guests she is a Mega ship. On the 11th ship of 2021 the cruise world brings to us - More than 20 Specialty eateries all included, At Sea Tattoo Parlor, Private karaoke rooms, Onboard record shop, Immersive entertainment experiences, All fitness classes included, Gentleman's Barber shop, Boxing Ring, Rockstar Suites, No Buffets and No Kids! 11. Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady - recently rescheduled to sail starting November 2021 she will be the second ship for Virgin Voyages, neither of which have had paying guests sail onboard yet. Valiant Lady will sail the Mediterranean and Caribbean. Even though she does have 17 decks only up to 2,770 passengers makes her more of a mid-size ship. On the 12th ship of 2021 the cruise world brings to us - 24 Zodiacs, 2 Submarines, Double sea kayaks, Mountain bikes, E-bikes, Landing Zone, Expedition Lounge, Constellation Lounge, Near water level Bow Lounge, Guest Experts onboard, All Verandah Suites, and a Discovery Center! 12. Seabourn Venture - scheduled to sail December 2021 she will be the first Ultra-Luxury purpose built expedition ship for Seabourn. Did you know Seabourn is part of the Carnival Corporation? She will stick to mainly polar areas in South American and Northern Europe. With only 132 suites that means just a max of 264 guests onboard this ultra luxury small ship. Just like the Righteous Brothers said about losing that loving feeling I am losing that holiday feeling this year!
If you are like me and just cannot get that holiday feeling this year or you just want something really festive to look forward to you might want to join me next year on a holiday markets cruise. I chose one that goes through Austria and Germany but there are many wonderful options to choose from. You can see them on our site - https://www.travelwithoutstress.com/festive-season-river-cruises.html I have always been wanting to do this cruise but have put it off because I usually end up with too many trips already planned each year. After this year I will never think it is possible to have too much travel planned! If 2020 taught us anything it is not to put off doing those things you have always wanted to do! If you are not feeling the holiday spirit right now check out he highlights of this cruise and I have a feeling it might help: This holiday river cruise takes you to many beautiful and historical cities of Germany and Austria. And the views along the way can’t be outdone—towns and villages decorated for the holidays and beautiful views as you cruise along the Danube and Main Rivers, and the Main Danube Canal. Your Christmastime river cruise begins in Vienna, the capital and treasure of Austria, and ends in Frankfurt, Germany. In Vienna, see the sights with a Local Guide, or opt for a culinary walk through the Christmas markets to taste some of the traditional fare. Cruise through the picturesque Wachau Valley to Melk, and visit the Benedictine Abbey, one of Europe’s most architecturally-breathtaking monasteries—sure to be truly magnificent during the holiday season. In Regensburg, one of Germany’s best-preserved medieval cities, see the sights with a Local Guide and savor local sausages and beer at one of Germany’s oldest restaurants, Historiche Wurstkuche (Old Sausage Kitchen). On to Nuremberg where, after your guided tour, you are free to visit the Christmas market, one of the most famous in the world. A full-day excursion to Munich shows you the Bavarian capital. The traditional Christmas market is located on the Marienplatz, with aromas of toasted almonds, roasted chestnuts, and gingerbread filling the air! Continue your Christmastime river cruise to Bamberg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the many nativity scenes exhibited throughout the town are sure to delight. In Würzburg, on the River Main, visit the ornate Bishop’s Residence—home to the largest ceiling fresco ever painted, then stroll through the Christmas markets while you sip Glühwein (hot mulled wine). Your last stop is at one of the charming small towns dotted along the river—sure to be even more appealing illuminated with Christmas lights and decorations. Here are some links to check out that relate to this cruise and could also help you get that holiday feeling: https://www.christkindlesmarkt.de/en/christmas-market/history-of-the-market/a-christmas-market-with-a-long-tradition-1.2375519 https://www.kaethe-wohlfahrt.com/en/home/ https://www.austria.info/en/things-to-do/skiing-and-winter/christmas-markets/vienna http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/regensburg_christmas_market.php  I recently flew out to Colorado to visit family. Now that the holidays are approaching I know more and more people are asking the question - should I stay or should I go? I do think there are many things to consider when it comes to visiting family over the holidays and the choice to fly or not is a big one. I felt safe flying last week but some things are changing which might make you reconsider which airline you choose. Here are 3 things to keep in mind if you are planning to fly -
Smaller might be better This flight to Colorado was my first time flying since we moved so it was the first time I wasn't going to fly out of Orlando airport. We now live close to a few smaller airports with Fort Myers (RSW) being the best option for this flight since Southwest offered non-stop to Denver (and I also had expiring credit with Southwest). Fort Myers is a much smaller airport than Orlando which I actually found to be a bonus right now. We walked right up to check bags and made it through security with barely seeing another traveler. Walking through the terminal we saw people waiting at their gates but everyone had plenty of space to social distance. Another bonus of a smaller airport is that we didn't have to get on any kind of train to get from security to the terminal like you do at bigger airports. When we arrived in Denver having to get on the train that takes you to bag claim was when I noticed the most people bunched up. If you have the option to fly out of or into a smaller airport it might be a better way to go for awhile. You might have to sit next to someone Airlines are starting to change the policy for giving you more space on the plane. We flew Southwest which at this time is only selling enough seats to allow for the middle to be empty in each row. I love this and am sad to hear they are planning to stop doing that as of December 1. Many other airlines were also keeping capacity limited to allow travelers more room but are also pretty much ending that by the end of this year - many of them even before the holidays. Delta recently announced that they will keep the middle seats open through March which I think is great! I am hoping maybe the other lines will change their minds and do the same however since American and United have been selling every seat since summer so I am not sure the other lines will want to match Delta. If you want to check on what all the airlines are doing here is a Forbes article that looks to be updated often. I understand that the airlines really cannot afford to leave seats empty but right now I do think having that extra space between people helps and might play a big factor in people flying at all. Don't be that Hangry person Most of the airlines have either completely shut down in flight food and beverage service or they have a very limited service. When I last flew in May Southwest wasn't offering any food or drinks onboard. This time around they did offer a cup of water and a snack which was nice but might not be enough for you. Packing something to eat is a good idea to avoid paying those higher airport prices but just make sure you pack something that can go through security. There is no way to bring a drink with you through security but you could bring an empty bottle to refill. If you are planning to grab food at the airport keep in mind not all of the places will be open. Not only does that limit your choices but it also means longer lines at the places that are open. If you don't have time to eat what you bought before boarding don't worry you can bring it onboard and you are able to remove your mask on the plane while actively eating or drinking. If you do decide to fly this holiday season it will be different than any other year and I hope that I have helped you be better prepared. I am so excited to finally have a trip report to do! Even though I do live in FL and can drive to the theme parks this is still a trip since we did stay in one of the resorts and spent 2 days playing in the parks. I will admit I have put off visiting the parks mainly because for me it was just too hot to be wearing a mask. My birthday is in November and usually it actually gets a little cool here in FL around that time of year. This year being what it has been of course we are still in the upper 80s in November. I had already booked the hotel and it was my birthday so we were going anyway. At least it wasn't feeling like 100 like it had been all summer. First I will start out saying I chose Universal Orlando for my birthday for a few reasons but mostly because it was easier than Disney. Universal is not requiring you to make an advance reservation for the parks and they still allow park hopping. I also chose Universal because I hadn't ridden Hagrids yet and knew that staying at a Universal resort would really help make riding that easier. Staying at a Universal resort meant I could get into Islands of Adventure an hour early which was key to avoiding a long line for Hagrids. We got up and were at the park entrance before opening. They did a good job of keeping everyone spaced out and in the right lines based on if they were resort guests with tickets or not. As soon as the park opened we walked directly to Hagrids along with pretty much everyone else but still never felt crowded or too close to anyone. The line sort of formed naturally at first with everyone going in the same direction anyway and then as we got closer they did start a queue but it was long enough snaking through other parts of the parks that you pretty much just kept walking and it helped avoid any long time standing. When we got to the lockers we did have to go in and do that before we could continue in the line since we did have a bag with us. It only took a minute to do and they were keeping everyone well spaced out in there as well. One thing I realized too late was that these lockers used your park ticket not your finger to open and I had already put my bag with my ticket in it and shut the locker before I realized that. No worries you can get a cast member to open for you when you get back. You just need to describe what is in the locker to prove it is yours. You might be wondering what it is like to visit a theme park now. There are of course some changes due to Covid and I will admit I wouldn't mind if some of them stuck around. All in all I felt very safe during my stay and wouldn't hesitate to go back. I do highly recommend staying at an on-site resort for the added conveniences.  Social Distance By now we have all gotten pretty used to the idea of social distance. There are markers placed all around the parks and hotels reminding people to keep a 6 ft distance. It was nice to be in line and not feel squished in with 100 other people breathing down your neck so I wouldn't mind if that stuck around. Everyone was good about respecting social distance in lines and pretty much all around. Even better are those attractions where you would normally be packed into a pre-show room with what feels like a 1000 other guests, thanks to social distance that doesn't happen now. Those pre-show rooms now have boxes marked out on the floor where each party will stand to watch and then go on to enter the attraction. That also means if there are attractions where you would normally be seated with other parties that doesn't happen either. For example if you ride the Simposon's attraction you will have the car all to yourself. The drawback to this is that it can make wait times a lot longer with less people experiencing each attraction at a time. Again this was when being a resort guest with Express Pass included was a nice bonus. You can also purchase Express Pass if you are not a resort guest.  Masks Yes masks are required to be worn and they are being strict enforcing the masks are worn correctly. I will just say it isn't the most comfortable thing but you do sort of get used to it after a few hours. I recommend bringing multiple masks and also testing out your masks before traveling to be sure you find it comfortable for long periods. There are places around the park designated as rest zones where you can take your mask off even if you are not eating or drinking. Speaking of eating and drinking you really are not encouraged to wander around eating and drinking wherever you want. They really do try to keep you in the eating areas to finish if you buy food. Depending on where you choose to get food some counter service locations might require you to sit at a table they assign to you for eating - so that might mean you cannot take it outside to find an outdoor table or walk with your food. I get that they don't want people using food as an excuse to walk around without a mask but making people stay inside isn't great either.  Temperature checks
As a resort guest our temperature was taken as we arrived at the resort and we were given a colored band to wear that showed we were clear for the day and no more temperature checks needed. The color changed each day so you do need to have your temperature checked each day but being able to get that done at the resort was quick and easy. Hand Sanitizer There were plenty of places pointed out for hand washing and sanitizer. Plus before boarding any attraction you are required to get a squirt of santaizer. While I understand the idea that this way they are not having to wipe down each attraction between riders I wasn't a fan of always being slathered in sanitizer. Plexi-glass You will notice that there are places that didn't used to have plexiglass that now do. Again I get it for safety but on some attractions it takes away from the experience. Crowds were not bad but probably more than I had expected. You notice more people mostly in the Harry Potter sections. We also popped over to Disney Springs for dinner one night and quickly realized that with all parks pretty much closed by 7 pm means a lot of people flood into Disney Springs. I would highly recommend avoiding Disney Springs after 7 pm. I was so happy to get in some park time and see how things are being handled first hand. If you have any questions about my visit please let me know.  While I am excited to see the No Sail Order lifted I also quickly realized after skimming the 40 page CDC Framework for Conditional Sail Order that lists all of requirements to resume sailing that mostly likely cruising would not begin again until January 2021. That is because there is a condition that mentions 60 days so I figured that meant if they cruise lines started all this November 1 they should be good to go January 1. Shortly after the CDC posted the information the cruise lines started announcing December cancellations and as of now looks like all of them have confirmed no sailing until after 12/31. While I am bummed about no December cruises I am happy to think that we finally have some sort of really good timeline for restarting.
A few key things I noticed: It looks like sailings will have to be kept to 7 days or less Testing and masks are going to be part of the requirements Shore excursions will have strict rules Social Distancing rules will change things like dining and entertainment onboard The rules and procedures required by the CDC encompass everything from extensive testing of crew already onboard ships; arrangements with ports and local health authorities; testing of new crew and passengers boarding; securing (by cruise lines) of local housing for isolating any people who test positive and don’t need hospital treatment, as well as their close contacts; simulated voyages with no passengers and more. “This framework provides a pathway to resume safe and responsible sailing," said Robert Redfield, M.D., the CDC's director. "It will mitigate the risk of COVID-19 outbreaks on ships and prevent passengers and crew from seeding outbreaks at ports and in the communities where they live." He added that the CDC and the cruise industry have a shared goal to protect crew, passengers and communities, and will continue to work together to ensure that all necessary public health procedures are in place before cruise ships begin sailing with passengers. I will be staying on top of all the news and hope that ships will be sailing come January 1!  Last year I just happened to be in Jamaica for Halloween and the year before that I was on a Mediterranean cruise and was in Italy for Halloween. When we were in Italy I had wondered how or if they really celebrated so I was happy to see kids walking around dressed up and out trick or treating. In Jamaica we were at an all inclusive resort so they did offer some Halloween events for guests and I did see a good amount of adults that actually brought costumes on vacation. The past 2 years I ended up traveling on Halloween not with the purpose of being in those places for Halloween it just happened that way. Now that this year we are all sort of stuck at home I wondered where in the world are the best places to celebrate Halloween. I did some research and here's what I think are the Top 6 Places to be on Halloween ( I know I plan to add them all to my bucket list!) Ireland Did you know that Ireland is actually where the Halloween holiday originated from? It still remains one of the best places to celebrate too, although it is known as Samhain Night here. This medieval Irish festival originated when it marked the end of the harvest, which brought shorter days and the dark half of the year. It was at this time that the dead are believed to revisit the mortal world. Derry is the place to visit if you are looking for the country's best celebration. Normally it is a 9 day event with things like parades, fireworks, ghost tours, haunted houses, workshops, scary movies, and even a Dragon Safari. Romania So who doesn't think of Dracula's castle when thinking of probably the best place to celebrate Halloween? The entire country of Romania has a spooky yet amazing reputation for its breathtaking Gothic architecture and spooky forests. It is the impressive Bran Castle that draws most visitors here. The castle was once said to be the home of Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s famous Dracula. The castle is where tens of thousands of enemies were impaled on stakes. Today for brave visitors the castle is open to the public and nothing seems scarier than touring through here on the night of Halloween and learning the truth about the terrifying legends. You can choose to book a guided tour and stay in nearby accommodations or you can join one of the specialty Halloween tours.  Mexico Halloween is called the Day of the Dead in Mexico. It is a three-day celebration that begins October 31st each year. It’s a celebration of the dead and it is believed that spirits return each year on these three days to spend time with their loved ones. Each city and town offers a different way of celebrating Day of the Dead. If you head to Oaxaca, near Acapulco you will find the streets transformed into a huge street festival where people dressed in costumes visit cemeteries and the town gets decorated with skulls, skeletons, and flowers. The main square is where the biggest party happens with an abundance of food, drinks, and dancing all night long. And if you head to the small island of Janitzio, you will find elaborate rituals which include folk dancing, fishermen in their rowboats with torches, and a gathering of families in the cemetery at night to sing and chant. Nonetheless, you’ll certainly have an unforgettable experience wherever you go in Mexico. London There are a lot of creepy Halloween events that usually happen in London. If you’re looking to be frightened there is no better place to head than the popular Dungeon, which has been giving panic attacks to visitors since 1976. An elaborate, interactive experience takes visitors face to face with notorious villains such as Jack the Ripper and Sweeney Todd. Actors escort participants through 14 shows and three terrifying rides. Might be a little too scary for a wimp like me so I will probably go for something more like the ghost walks that happen throughout the city that are a bit less intense. Sleepy Hollow, NY The famous grounds of Washington Irving’s timeless legend of the Headless Horseman are the perfect place to get a little spooky. Halloween celebrations take place throughout the entire month of October. One of the most popular events is when the 300-year-old Philipsburg Manor is transformed into a terrifying landscape that features vampires, witches, ghosts, and state-of-the-art special effects. Other activities in town include haunted hayrides, live music, street fairs, parades, and lantern tours. Don’t miss out on visiting Old Dutch Burying Ground which is one of the oldest cemeteries in the United States and of course the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery where the legendary Washington Irving is buried. Salem, MA I don't know about you but when I think of witches I think of Salem. It was here that twenty-six people were once tried and put to death for being witches. Halloween is when the town celebrates witches in the most interesting of ways. Normally you can visit Salem anytime during the month of October and get the full Halloween experience but this year they are asking tourists to please stay away. If you put this on your list for next year you can expect guided tours of haunted and infamous spots, trial and hanging re-enactments, fireworks, parades, and a witch’s circle. Don’t miss out visiting the Witch House Museum, which was once home to Judge Jonathan Corwin — one of the judges in the trials and one of the remaining buildings left in Salem that has direct links to the trials. Now I just have to wait a year and also figure out which one I am going to go to first!   Going to the beach is the perfect remedy for winter blues, especially this year! There are so many wonderful beaches within just a few hours of most US cities. Right now there are some that no longer require a quarantine (subject to change at anytime). Even if you usually plan your own beach vacations now more than ever using a travel agent to keep you informed of all new rules is a good idea (yes I know self promotion but I we really do come in handy).
There are plenty of beaches in the continental US that are great to visit year round. I am of course partial to Florida beaches but there are also times when I just want to go somewhere else. Here are the Top 5 Beach destinations outside the continental US that are no longer requiring you to quarantine upon arrival #5 - Costa Rica Known for the ‘Pura Vida' way of life, unlimited outdoor adventure activities, lush national parks, super-chill beaches, and affordable prices, its no wonder Costa Rica welcomed over 1.3 million American tourists last year. As of November 1st, all Americans may travel to Costa Rica as long as they present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate. #4 Jamaica Jamaica has reopened for tourism and is known for its world renowned all-inclusive resorts, white sand beaches and laid back culture. Over 1.8 million Americans flocked to the island in 2019 to escape the cold and enjoy the tropical warm weather. American travelers are required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test certificate no older then 10 days from the time the test was taken to arriving in Jamaica. #3 Mexico Mexico had over 32 million U.S. visitors in 2019. Although numbers will be much lower due to the pandemic, U.S. travelers will still flock to the country due to its easy entry requirements and beautiful tropical weather. The white sand beaches and all inclusive resorts of Cancun have already seen a large rebound in U.S. visitors since reopening back in June. I cruised in the Sea of Cortes last winter and we went to the most amazing, basically totally private beaches, in Baja! With no testing or quarantine requirements, Americans will continue to choose Mexico this season as their vacation destination. #2 Bahamas The Bahamas has reopened for tourism and is now accepting American tourists after initially banning them when the islands first reopened. With beautiful white sand beaches, surrounded by incredible deep blue and turquoise waters, this tropical paradise is one of the most beautiful places in the world. There is no quarantine but all travelers must present proof of a negative COVID-19 PCR test when completing their ‘Travel Health Visa'. #1 Hawaii Surf's up! Hawaii just reopened to tourists this week and over 8,000 said Aloha that first day! Hawaii had more than 10 million visitors to the Islands in 2019, setting a new all-time high, according to year-end data by Hawaii Tourism Authority. The increase in total arrivals reflected growth from U.S. markets — air arrivals from the U.S. West were up nearly 10% and arrivals from the U.S. East were up 4.2%. The state’s pre-travel coronavirus testing program requires travelers to produce a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arrival in order to bypass the mandatory 14-day quarantine in effect for arriving passengers. Hopefully more beaches will be added to the list of destinations that allow US visitors without a quarantine so if your favorite isn't on the list yet it might be soon. I cannot think of a better place to social distance than on any beach with the waves gently lapping the shore!  I don't know about you but I cannot wait to get back on a cruise! The CDC announced last night that the no sail order will expire 10/31. I do hope that means cruising in the US will get started again in November! Some cruse ships have been sailing the Mediterranean since August and has been pretty much smooth sailing so far. There are new rules in place to cruise but there are new rules everywhere now so I am OK with that. One family on the first cruise to start up in the Mediterranean learned the hard way that these rules are strict and put in place for everyone's safety. They were told if you go on shore you have to stay with the tour group and if you don't you will not be allowed back onboard. They didn't follow the rule and wandered of so therefore not allowed back on the ship. I totally agree with this policy and glad to see the cruise line stuck to it.
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)—the industry association representing 95% of all ocean-going cruise capacity globally—announced that its member lines have agreed to a common set of mandatory health protocols. Here is a list of the new protocols that will most likely be put in place when cruising in the US does start again -
  Universal Studios which always goes all out for the extremely popular Halloween Horror nights which is celebrating 30 years had to cancel this year's Horror Nights. Normally Halloween Horror nights require a separate ticket to get into the park on select nights for all the scary Halloween fun. Since they had to cancel Universal is trying out a smaller version of the event and are including it in regular park admission. From the Universal website - There are two heart-pounding haunted houses in Universal Studios—Revenge of the Tooth Fairy and Universal Monsters: The Bride of Frankenstein Lives—so you can get your scream on. You can take your kids trick-or-treating in Islands of Adventure. Plus, you can all dress in costumes throughout the resort to get in the sinister spirit of the season. This past weekend was the first test of this new version of Halloween Horror and the 2 houses reached capacity very quickly. Hopefully this means they will conture to offer it every weekend. There are also 2 other Halloween things to check out while in the parks - The Horror Make-up Show and the Halloween Horror Nights Tribute Store. Plus if you are not able to make it to Orlando this year you can still pick up some of the horrific items from the online tribute store. * If really scary isn't your thing or you have young kids then Sea World's Spooktacular might be more your speed. As in year's past this event is offered on weekends and included in your park admission. The park has made some adjustments but for the most part it will seem similar to last year. Over the summer Sea World added a Drive-in Movie Experience that was available most weekends and offered a flat rate per car to attend. They are extending this experience and now calling it Flicks and Frights The schedule features lots of classic scary movies along with some kid friendly ones too. From the Sea World website - It’s the perfect season for a spooky movie under the stars at SeaWorld. Drive in for a nostalgic experience that starts with enjoying locally sourced food trucks and ends with watching a classic Halloween feature from the comfort and safety of your car. * Disney World cancelled all of the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween parties this year and of the 3 main parks in Orlando they seem to be doing the least Halloween themed stuff. Disney is calling it Fall into Magic They are allowing all guests to dress in costumes thru 10/31 (normally only children are allowed to dress in costume to visit the park on a regular day). They are still going to have Fall decor, Halloween themed merchandise and seasonal treats along with some special entertainment and photo opportunities throughout the park. From the Disney website -
I would be happy to help you plan your Halloween theme park adventure! All 3 of Orlando's Theme Parks offer on site accommodations and are running some fall special offers right now. Please keep in mind all parks are limiting capacity and most require an advanced reservation.  *photo from last year that's why no mask
 I love doing research on travel - which is really why I became an agent. It isn't just guidebooks and facts about the locations that I enjoy but I also love finding good fiction books that include the destination I am traveling to. Or in reverse I love to travel to a place I read about in a great book. My love of books played a big part in me starting the non-cruise portion of my agency called Pop Culture Vacations. I wanted to focus on some places that play a big role in popular books and help others plan vacations to visit those places so they really feel like they are walking in the footsteps of their favorite character. I recently came across a fun website - https://www.tripfiction.com/ If you are looking for a book that is based in the destination you are planning to travel to you can easily search this site for recommendations. They offer both fiction and non-fiction. They even break it down by genre so you can search for just the type of book you prefer. I personally like to look for something with a little bit of legend or myths about the destination. My husband prefers the historical fiction. If you are not sure where you want to travel next maybe you could be inspired by reading. If you are looking for some good travel fiction check out - www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/travel-fiction  I think not be able to travel is starting to take a toll on my brain - I am actually looking at moving as a fun distraction right now! I know I must be going crazy if I think moving sounds like fun. That got me thinking about the health benefits to travel and travel does wonders for your mental health. I think I am in need of some travel ASAP!
For the past few months we have been staying home for the overall health of everyone but let's not forget all the actual health benefits of travel. There have been many studies that prove that travel benefits not only our physical health but our mental health as well. Here are 4 proven ways that travel is good for our health #1 Planning Travel Makes You Happy When we look forward to doing something fun, it triggers a release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain's reward and pleasure centers. This helps explain why simply having a vacation on the horizon tends to make us happier. A study in 2014 from Cornell University discovered that people get more happiness from anticipating a travel experience than from anticipating possession of something they’re going to buy or acquire. Now is a great time to start planning your next trip because I am sure we could all use some happiness right about now! Personally I am planning about 4 of my own trips - sure they were all ones that had to be rescheduled but just being able to keep planning for them helps. #2 Travel Is Good For Your Heart Tourists can walk as much as ten miles a day sightseeing! I know from experience we had a day in Rome where we walked over 30,000 steps in a day (there are about 2,000 steps per mile so that means we walked about 15 miles). Travelers are also more likely to try new activities while on their trips, such as hiking, paddleboarding and snorkeling. These activities boost physical and mental health. According to the World Heart Federation, moderate exercise lowers your risk of heart attack by 30% to 50%. So, yes, science agrees that you are doing yourself a big favor when you embrace travelling. Another study found that women who vacation at least twice a year show a significantly lower risk of suffering a heart attack than those who only travel every six years or so. The same is true for men. Men who do not take an annual vacation show a 20 percent higher risk of death and 30 percent greater risk of heart disease. #3 - Travel Relieves Stress Travelling isn’t always about seeing new places. Sometimes it’s about escaping old ones. According to a 2013 Stress in America survey by the American Psychological Association, vacations can help manage stress and negative emotions by removing us from environments and activities that are the sources of our stress. Getting away from the stresses of everyday life is important to protect your overall health. Stress is a silent killer. It raises your blood pressure, and your whole mental health will be affected. The stress hormones cloud the judgment and affect the release of happy hormones. When you travel, you are boosting the release of happy hormones to take over the stress hormones. #4 Travel Helps Your Brain Travel has been shown to help improve the brain health. There’s the ability to challenge yourself daily, making you think of alternate options and learn new things. You constantly expand your horizons, meaning that your brain is constantly on the go. This isn’t a bad thing. In fact, training your brain regularly helps to improve its longevity. In Soft-Wired: How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Can Change Your Life, Dr. Michael Merzenich — known as "the father of brain plasticity" — explains the importance of getting outside our comfort zone and embracing the unfamiliar. People who travel to new places, keep learning languages and continue to experience new things into old age, are far less likely to develop cognitive decay, according to Merzenich's weighty body of research. Want to maximize your brain's neuroplasticity? A change of scenery wakes up your brain and takes it off autopilot. You have to think about small things when you're in an unfamiliar place, which is entirely the point. Learn a few words of a different language, take a walking tour, or even something as simple as trying a new food can get those neurons firing. All of these studies and more just prove that travel is important for our mind, body, and soul.  I cannot wait to cruise again! Believe it or not social distancing is so easy on a cruise! For me vacation is all about relaxation so I am always seeking out the quiet places to relax and just get away from people. You could say I was researching social distancing even before it was required. I know some people might think that there is no way you could find quiet uncrowded places on a cruise ship but I have always found lots of quiet options on my cruises. Yes even on mega cruise ships with over 5,000 people onboard I was able to find quiet places away from lots of other people. So if you are like me and ready to jump onboard as soon as the ships start sailing again - Here are 4 Easy Ways to Social Distance on a Cruise #1 - Your Room - I don't always think it makes sense to splurge on a balcony room but right about now it seems like a great way to get your own outside deck space. If you really want to splurge go for a suite to give yourself even more space to enjoy without other guests. Some cruise lines also offer special areas onboard just for suite guests so you get even more places to be able to social distance. Sure you could go to a hotel or all inclusive resort and get a nice room but your view will never change while you are staying in that room whereas on a cruise you could see something new out your window all the time. #2 - Room Service - Want to avoid the dining room? Most cruise lines offer free room service so eating in the comfort of your room is easy. Again this is where having the balcony comes in handy so you can even enjoy eating outside from your own room. #3 - The Spa - I cannot think of a better place to social distance and relax! Either with a spa treatment or if the ship offers a relaxation room you can buy a pass to it is always quiet and not crowded. #4 - Extra Charge Private Areas - Many ships now have some exclusive areas just for guests that choose to pay a little more to access these areas. These might be a private cabana or a private area on deck. I tried out the Sanctuary on Princess Cruise and it was totally worth the cost! Cruise ships have been adding new technology that will help too, like being able to order a drink or food from anywhere you are instead of having to go up to the bar or get in line for food. I also find if you explore the ship you can find lots of other corners of quiet either on an upper deck away from the pool, or maybe the library. One of my favorites is if the ship has a middle deck that that is open to the outside where you can sometimes walk around the whole ship outside. Do you have a favorite spot you have found while cruising? Yes there are some areas or times on a cruise where social distance might be a challenge and I will talk about those next week.  |
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