Summer of 2010 - Cruising on both motorcycles and cruise ships!

Can you believe that it is already the middle of June? Where is this year running off to? This year, along with all my fellow members of the class of 1978 turned 50! Boy, isn’t that a rude awakening? 50 years old! Well, I wanted to go on a cruise for my 50th, but that won’t happen until in October. So I’m doing the next best thing….I’m learning to ride a motorcycle!

You might ask me why I decided to learn to ride at 50, I actually have several reasons…and I think they are really good ones!

1. Several years ago at my old company, the owner of the company decided that if you were hurt while riding a motorcycle, you were not insured. That put the thought in my head.



2. My nephew bought a motorcycle and wouldn’t let me ride it. That made me decide I would need to get my own!



3. A friend at work purchased a scoter to ride to work. Even I should be able to ride a scoter.



4. If I don’t learn now, when will I learn?
   

My birthday was the beginning of April, so I decided to send a message to a couple of friends that ride asking how one would go about learning to ride a motorcycle. Both came back with the needed information and offered to help me learn to ride. I selected one to teach me the fundamentals of riding the motorcycle. I will also take a course offered by the State of Ohio for Motorcycle Safety. I purchased a very nice ‘starter’ bike; it is a 2000 Suzuki LS650 Savage. My little bike! Now I can go out and ride whenever I want, except, now it won’t start. I forgot to tell anyone, that I am the person that in the winter with 6 – 8 inches of snow, I can’t start the snow blower! Anyway, hopefully that will be resolved soon so I can get back to terrorizing the neighbors!

What does my motorcycle have to do with going on a Caribbean vacation? I have swam with the stingrays at Stingray City, swam with the dolphins in the Bahamas, snorkeled with the moray eel (that wasn’t part of the tour, it was just present!), been whale watching in Alaska, and rode the dune buggy in Cozumel! But, I haven’t taken a tour on a Harley Davidson! Like this tour offered while I’m on the new Norwegian Epic in Cozumel –

Hog Motorcycle Safari –
Head south on your Harley-Davidson® Sportster and experience the ancient Mayan town of Cedral then continue south to Punta Celarain. After a brief photo stop, head north along the east side of the island to Coconuts Restaurant and Bar and enjoy the surroundings while being served ice-cold drinks and dine on Mexican cuisine. The journey continues north along the scenic coastline passing several beach resorts and pristine white-sand beaches. Negotiating the turn at Mezcalitos you'll head west back to the main town of San Miguel. Margaritaville will be the final destination. Those who wish to return to the ship at a later time will not be provided transportation.

How much fun would that be for a motorcycle enthusiast to be able to explore the island on a Harley? I may not be ready for this year to do the Harley tour…but look out next year! Vacationers have so many options to choose from, surely something will fit your personality. On one of my cruises I didn’t even get off at one port, I chose that day to be my spa day – facial, massage, mud wrap! It was a wonderful day on the ship while most passengers were off exploring Belize.

With the size and amenities onboard the Norwegian Epic, I may once again be pressed to stay onboard! I am doing the Western Caribbean with my ports of call being Honduras, Cozumel, and Costa Maya. I have previously cruised to Honduras and Cozumel so I may select one of these days to explore the ship! The Norwegian Epic weighs in at 153,000 Gross Tons, 1,080 feet long and 19 decks high. With activities that include –
• Aqua Park
• Sports Complex
• Headliners Comedy Club
• Epic Casino
• Epic Theater
• Fat Cats
• Recess Kid’s Crew
• Mandara Spa
• Entourage Teen’s Club
• Bowling
• Click Photo Shop
• The Collection Art Gallery
• WNCL Broadcast Room
• Pulse Fitness Center
• Splash Kid’s Pool
• The Marketplace
• I-connect Internet Café

The ship was released from the shipyards this month to NCL and will be the host location for the Macy 4th of July Fireworks display. It is quite the impressive ship! My cruise on this marvelous wonder is not until October, who knows, by then I may get my nerve up to take the Hog Motorcycle Safari! I was just speaking with my friend that was with me last time on the dune buggy excursion told me that she just purchased a dune buggy to fix up. Hum, maybe I can steal the buggy and find the sand dunes in Ohio to fly across!

What special occasion are you celebrating this year? That special birthday, Anniversary, Family reunion, Girlfriend trip, destination wedding, or honeymoon?

I may have turned 50 this year, but I still have a lot to do!

Check out the special deals that we have on cruises and all inclusive vacation packages. If you are going with a couple, a family, or a group we can help you with your special vacation as well!
http://www.flyawaycruises.com/

Cruise expenses

I went to the Post Office last night to mail out some beautiful 2010 wall cruise calendars and the postal attendant asked me about the wonderful cruise specials. After talking with her for a minute she said, ‘I heard that getting on the boat is cheap, it is what you spend while on vacation that is expensive.’ ‘Well, yes,’ I told her, ‘that is totally up to you and how much you want to spend.’
Is it true? Will you go broke while on a cruise ship? I hope not! While I will admit that I do spend money while on my vacation, it is totally at my discretion as to how much I spend. What are some of the cost that you might encounter?
· Beverages, do you drink alcoholic beverages? Yes they are an additional charge. If you drink wine with dinner or a lot of Strawberry Daiquiris it adds up. Cola’s – if you drink a lot I suggest the soda card! They are wonderful; you can always stop at any bar and get a soda without charge.
· Shore excursions – can range from $20 all the way to several hundred dollars. It depends on where you are and what you are doing. The shore excursions that I have been on were wonderful! I don’t think that I took any that I did not believe were worth the cost. The experience is outstanding! Again, this cost is up to you and your budget, I have stopped at some ports where I simply got off the ship and walked around the town or rented a car. Shore excursions in Alaska tend to be expensive, while I was on my cruise I took 2 excursions that were about $150 each at my other 2 stops I walked the town and did things on my own in one and rented a car and visited the country side in another.
· Shopping – again what is your budget? My last cruise I did not purchase anything. On other trips I purchased a diamond ring.
· Onboard gambling – need I say more? I love the casino, but keep to a budget. Same with bingo.
· Specialty restaurants – you do not need to go to the specialty restaurant. I have been on 6 cruises and I have only dined in a specialty restaurant one time. That being said, if you want to partake in the optional restaurant experience, than know that you will have to pay. Fees typically range from $10 - $50 per person.
· Miscellaneous charges – at your discretion.

When you look at the cost of the cruise versus the cost of a land vacation, the cruise is normally less expensive. Remember your cruise cost includes your – room, meals, entertainment, transportation between islands, and a whole lot of wonderful memories.

I have experienced – snorkeling with the stingrays at Sting Ray City, swimming with the dolphins, taking a dune buggy on the back roads of Cozumel and on the beach, and my all time favorite – being in the middle of a pod of whales while on a catamaran!

The choice is yours, while on a cruise you can spend as much or little money as you want. While you may want to participate in all the activities, verify your budget and what your vacation dollars can afford.
If you haven’t tried cruising yet, check out our specials and give us a call! I think that once you try a cruise you will be hooked. I know I was!

Carnival Pride Cruise

I recently went on our companies Conference aboard the Carnival Pride cruise ship departing from Baltimore, MD. The ship was fabulous! Many of you may be like me and think that a 7 night Bahamas cruise is a bit much, but oh what a joy! I have never had the opportunity to drive to my cruise.
Since I live in the Dayton, Ohio area the drive is only about 8 hours, so we decided to drive instead of fly to the cruise. With the airlines now charging for baggage, you defiantly have a advantage by driving. When I cruise I have to change clothes at least 2 to 3 times per day I have no option but to take at least 2 suitcases for myself, plus my carryon bag. Anyway, we left Dayton Saturday around 3pm to drive to Baltimore and arrived at the hotel at a little after midnight. After checking into the Holiday Inn Express and arranging for our transfer to the pier, it was off to bed.
Sunday morning we went down to the breakfast bar, which is included in the cost of the room and had breakfast. We took the complimentary 11am shuttle to the port and checked in for our cruise. We were in group 13 for boarding. The seating area at the port was very packed; it seemed that we were sitting on top of each other. Carnival put the beach balls out and most people enjoyed hitting the beach balls around. Time passed quickly and we were invited to board the vessel! Oh I love this part, the first impression of your home for the next 7 days!
The Carnival Pride is a lovely ship, she is a ‘Spirit Class’ ship and is not a huge ‘mega’ ship by any stretch of the imagination. This was great because getting around was not difficult. The décor of the Pride is Renaissance with a lot of art work. Ok, nudes so don’t be surprised when you see a naked statue of David or a naked lady painted on the wall. It is tactfully done and I found the décor pleasing. We took a quick ship tour and then it was off to our cabin. Oh yes, I was ready to sail!
For those of you who are concerned about sea sickness, yes, I am ALWAYS concerned about that! I was worried about going down the east coast since the seas can be rough. I put the patch on Sunday morning, changed it on Wednesday evening and I was fine the entire cruise! I did not get seasick at all. The ship, the food, the entertainment, the crew, and the itinerary were wonderful! I would recommend the Carnival Pride to anyone looking for a good vacation from a port that is close to home!
While on the cruise it was announced that next year’s conference will be on the Norwegian Epic, that is going to be another wonderful trip. I have a entire year to wait!!!
October is Cruise month and the cruise lines are offering some fabulous deals, drop me a note and I will get your trip booked! If you are looking to hold a family gathering or a class reunion we can help! Contact Carol or Peg at 800-479-0906 or cmontgomery@cruisesinc.com Check out our website at www.flyawaycruises.com

8ainp25rvw

Getting ready for the Carnival Dream? First cruise coming up Sept. 19!

Herricane Season in the Carribean!

On Saturday, Aug. 16 - 3 named storms were named! So far been a very quite Hurricane season, but that is getting ready to change! Tropical Storm Claudette is still out headed towards the Florida Panhandle. Several Cruise ships had to change their itinerary this past weekend and some will be changing itineraries this week.
You need to make sure that your travel agent is watching your itinerary and lets you know what changes will affect you and your cruise. On my cruise aboard the Carnival Valor during the storm surge resulting from Katrina, our itinerary was not affected. However, that was not the case for the Carnival Victory! She had to change itinerary and could not return to Galveston for a extra 2 days!
Make sure that you are aware of the hurricane season and know the possibilities of a storm hitting during your cruise. One of the most wonderful facts of a cruise ship is the fact that it is mobile. Unlike your island vacation that cannot move out of the path of the hurricane, a ship has the ability to miss a port and replace it with a different port if possible! Normally, your vacation will not be drastically impacted by the impending storm, but you may stop at a new destination that you did not have plans to see!
So, go plan your cruise vacation and expect to still have a wonderful time. We can help you plan that trip for your family, friends, or group cruise. Currently the prices that the cruise lines are offering are at a all time low, but that will change when the economy changes. Now is the time to book your 2010 vacation while you can still take advantage of the remarkable prices being offered.
Some of the specials that we have this week include –
· 4-Night Baja Mexico Cruise from $159
· 4-Night Bahamas Cruise from $175
· 5-Night Western Caribbean Cruise from $249
· 7-Night Greek Isles and Turkey Cruise from $499
· 7-Night Western Mediterranean Cruise from $516
· 7-Night Bermuda from $549
We are also hosting a group cruise aboard the Carnival Freedom for a Singles Spring Break Cruise – March 21 – 27, 2010! This cruise will include group activities as well as a onboard raffle for future cruise travel! Prices are – Inside $561, Outside $661 and Balcony $811 including port taxes on the ship!
Check out our website at www.flyawaycruises.com or email me at cmontgomery@cruisesinc.com
Carol

Starting full time in the business

Now is an extremely nerve-racking and exhilarating time for me. While I started in travel in 1978 and worked as a travel agent for 16 years from 1978 to 1994, I left travel at that time to pursue other options. During that period I worked in the banking, medical, and automotive industries as a teller, medical records analyzer, computer operator, customer service representative, and a technical trainer. I also completed my Associates Degree in Computer Information Systems, Bachelors Degree in Business Management, Masters Degree in Business / Human Resources, and almost completed a second Masters Degree in Business Management.
In 2007 after much deliberation and soul searching, I decided to start back in travel with my own agency. This has been such an exciting time for me working on travel arrangements for friends, associates, clients, and groups! I have even had the opportunity to escort one group to Alaska with another group coming up in March. That is so exciting going out with others and having a group of friends / clients traveling together experiencing the wonderful excitement of cruising. During this time I have worked my agency in my spare time while working at a full time employment. This has been difficult with trying to spend as much time as I wanted dealing with learning new travel destinations and gaining new clients.
Beginning October 1, 2009, I will be working my travel agency on a full time basis! Very scary and very exciting! I will finally be able to spend the time that I want dealing with my customers and learning about new destinations. I have one client looking for a destination wedding, so I will be able to gather information about that. Was this my choice to take this route? No, I did not plan on leaving my employment at this time, but my contract is ending, so I will take the opportunity!
The timing is wonderful since my home office is hosting a corporate convention leaving on October 4, 2009 on the Carnival Pride from Baltimore, which I will be attending learning new methods of promoting my business and exciting industry changes. So many new ships are coming out in the next couple of years, constant changes are occurring.
As I stated earlier, I love hosting groups. My first experience hosting was back in the 80’s with a group to Acapulco. Last year I had a small group of family and friends who traveled with me to Alaska on the Norwegian Star. That was so wonderful having so many people to experience the beautiful sights of Alaska with me. By traveling in a group everyone always had someone to do an excursion with. Then, at the end of the day, we were all able to share our experiences about the excursions.
In March I will be hosting a Singles Spring Break Cruise – March 21 – 27, 2010 aboard the Carnival Freedom. This week, I had an article published in the Dayton Single Source News Magazine talking about cruising and the group. I am hoping that the trip sells out! We have room for a total of 52 passengers so it will not be a large group. The cruise will be going to Key West, Grand Cayman, and Ocho Rios, Jamaica! We will also have 2 days at sea to enjoy the ship.
The Carnival Freedom is a huge ship that offers, pools, spa, casino, several lounges and bars, nightly entertainment, and a huge movie screen so that we can have movie night out by the pool enjoying movie and pop corn! The ship will offer many activities throughout the cruise, in fact when you travel on a ship and look at the daily activities, it is sometimes difficult to decide what you ‘have to do’ and what you will not have time for! We will also be offering group activities so that our traveling companions will have the opportunity to get acquainted with their fellow group members.
Some of the activities that we are planning include – a meet and greet pool party, a hosted cocktail reception, friendly sporting competition on the miniature golf course, movie night under the stars – I’ll even provide the pop corn! We will also be able to offer you the chance to do excursions as a group. That does not mean that you ‘have’ to travel with us at all times, but if you want we will have that available to you for a group excursion!
So drop me an email and plan to travel with us on this trip to the exciting Carnival Freedom! Future groups will be offered and announcements will be forthcoming.
Contact – Carol or Peg at cmontgomery@cruisesinc.com or check out our web site at www.flyawaycruises.com
Oh my, I almost forgot, my companies 2 year anniversary was on Aug 1st! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME!!!