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Beaches Negril is the ideal place for anyone that loves lots of activity, a beautiful beach, great entertainment and good food. 

While all of Jamaica is surrounded by water and beaches, the Negril beach is one of the most spectacular you will ever experience.  It stretches for 7 miles with bathtub warm, clear turquoise water fringed by soft, powder white sand.  You can just sit on the beach and read, sleep and sunbathe, or you can do something new every minute. 

How about learning to windsurf? Or how to handle a Hobie Cat?  Or kayak? The water trampoline is another great choice and snorkel boats go out twice a day. If you are a certified scuba diver you can dive twice a day and all the activities, equipment and training I’ve mentioned are absolutely FREE!

Beaches Negril also has a wonderful water park.  Two giant waterslides offer an opportunity for competition!  Who can reach the water the fastest?  One slide is definitely faster than the other, but you’ll have to discover which one.  My favorite activity at Beaches Negril, is the Lazy River.  Talk about relaxing!  You just put on the life jacket and jump in (life jackets are required for all ages, for all water activities.).  The water does the rest of the work.  You just float around and around! 

Of course no Beaches resort would be complete without a great pool and that wonderful Caribbean tradition:  the swim-up bar!  Order that fruity, frothy drink, and enjoy the pool at the same time.  What could be better? 

At a Beaches Resort, everyone in the family has a vacation.  The kid’s program at Beaches is one of a kind with Ultra Nanny Service, Teen Disco Night, XBOX Game Oasis (no quarters needed, here), supervised, age appropriate, kids’ programs and even have a program for infants!   That means mom and dad can have a real vacation, since the kids are enjoying themselves so much.  None of the “I’m bored” comments here! 

Every Beaches Resorts has an adults’ only restaurant, as well as several other restaurants for the family.  Beaches Negril has 5 restaurants, including Teppanyaki, Tex Mex, Italian and Caribbean. The Seville, which is the adults’ only restaurant, has white-glove service and a wonderfully romantic atmosphere, not to mention great food.  And at Beaches all your meals, drinks, Kids’ Program, entertainment, activities and even gratuities are included, so enjoy it all!

Totem Travel is a Sandals & Beaches Preferred Specialist Agency, with 3 specialists on staff.  Please call us to talk about Sandals and Beaches….we’ve been to every single resort! 

Cruising is a great venue for a Family Reunion because today’s ships offer activities for young families, families with teens, grandparents, and even great-grandparents.

Most ships offer a “Kids’ Program” with lots to keep children occupied within age appropriate groups. Age limits are usually 4-17, but Carnival offers a program for cruisers as young as 2. Younger children will enjoy activities such as scavenger hunts, jewelry making and pizza parties. Teenagers will enjoy dances, movie nights and sporting activities and some ships offer special shore excursions just for teens.

One of my favorite activities is sunning on the deck with a book, but there are many options that require more physical involvement! Most ships offer a full service, state of the art, fitness center, with stair steppers, stationary bikes, and treadmills. As far as team sports, there will be volleyball tournaments, pool games and contests.

For the more laid back, there’s Bingo, Trivia games, karaoke, bridge and other card games, as well as the swimming pools and whirlpools. And don’t forget people-watching….

The food is plentiful and beautifully presented. From the early risers who prefer coffee and a muffin at 6a to the late night crowd at the midnight buffet, eating is a favorite pastime! While many ships still offer traditional dining, with assigned tables and dining hours, more and more cruise lines are adopting an open dining policy so you can eat when and with whom you please!

Itineraries are worldwide and include the Caribbean, New England, Mexico, Europe, Alaska, Australia, South America and Antarctica amongst others! Shore excursions are available in each port of call with everything from a shopping expedition in the Bahamas to zip-lining through a tree canopy or swimming with the dolphins in Jamaica. In Alaska you can kayak, fish or take a helicopter over the glaciers and in Europe you can visit the Acropolis in Athens, Colliseum in Rome and Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

On a cruise you check in once and unpack once, but you can experience a different destination each day. Entertainment on board is first rate; the food is wonderful; spas are available for those late afternoon massages; and a casino provides Las Vegas style atmosphere. A cruise has something for everyone.

Think about a cruise for your next family vacation or group event. Then call us!

In 2001, I earned the title SCOTSmaster by completing the Scotland Destination Specialist Program and have been a certified Scotland expert ever since.

To become a SCOTSmaster, I was required to complete a comprehensive course designed by the University of Scotland in Glasgow. The coursework covered geography, history, attractions, accommodations, cuisine, transportation and unique cultural attractions within Scotland.

My final test papers were graded by the University of Glasgow and, upon completion of the course, I was invited to Scotland for a special graduation ceremony complete with bagpipes and kilts. We saw the Highland Games, enjoyed lots of great food and received a tartan in recognition of our accomplishments. What a treat!

Since completing the SCOTSmaster course I have helped many clients plan a vacation to Scotland. I love the country, the history, people, scenic beauty and all the magic that is Scotland.

I have been a travel counselor for 9 years and my passion is Europe. In fact I travel internationally at least once a year. Besides the SCOTSmaster program I have completed Destination Specialist courses for Spain, Scandinavia, Britain, Germany, Northern Europe and Southern Europe. Right now I am finishing the course for France and starting one for Italy.

Call me at 425-821-4100 or e-mail jennefer@totemtravel.com for more information about Scotland or European group tours.

I admit it.  I’m over 25 and no longer thrill to all things “new”.  On the other hand, I live in a 24/7 world, can’t do a day’s work without the internet and don’t know how we survived without Google.  So I’m often asked “If everything and anything can be found online, why use a travel agent?”  

There are many answers, but let’s start with the most important reason and one that’s not understood by many –  

A travel agent is on your side.  Our role is to find the best vacation or honeymoon for you! 

We do not sell a single destination and do not work for a resort or visitor’s bureau so have no reason to send you to Kauai in February (it rains a lot)  or tell you there was no damage from the hurricane off Cancun (there was). 

We do not work for a cruise line so have no reason to “overcome your objections” to cruises.  (There are boring ships, overly long itineraries and places you will be uncomfortable if you’re prone to motion sickness.)  A great travel agent wants you to have a great trip.  So if cruising is right for you… well… great!  If not, we’ll recommend something else. 

We do not entice customers by advertising “guaranteed lowest fares” or prices “starting from” so we have no need for fine print, a list of terms and conditions or black out dates.  The prices we quote will be for the trip you will be taking.

We do not count on 60% of our clients “upgrading” upon arrival (some online agencies do) and won’t suggest a room or resort unless you will be happy the moment you arrive. 

We are not paid by the airlines and have absolutely no motivation to sell you an airline ticket unless it helps get you somewhere fun!

So what the heck does a travel agent do?  We find the best vacation or honeymoon for you at the lowest price that will work for you.  Next time you are planning a vacation or honeymoon please call us.  OUR business depends on it!