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Hurricane Season

By Linda | Published June 7, 2007 | Posted in Caribbean, Cruises

To begin with, the official season is June through November and that’s like saying the rainy season in Seattle is September through June. Possibly true, but a bit misleading! The season covers six months of the year to include the earliest recorded storms and the latest recorded storms in weather watching history. Typically the most troublesome months are September & October but weather can be fickle so the season is long…

A typical summer day in the Caribbean starts with clear blue skies, sunshine and 80 degree temperatures. As the day progresses the temperature heads toward 90 and an afternoon breeze comes up keeping things comfortable. By early evening a few clouds appear to provide a beautiful sunset and set the stage for a late night thunderstorm.

Although rainfall can be daily throughout the summer, many vacationers never see a drop. On a recent August trip to the Caribbean it rained every day for 10 days and I never got wet. The biggest inconvenience was drying off my patio chair before enjoying my morning coffee outdoors. As a friend would say, this was a high class problem and I managed…

Because I’ve been to the Caribbean dozens of times and work with hundreds of honeymoon couples every year I understand the weather worries and can share some advice.

1. If this is your one and only Caribbean vacation and a day of rain would ruin the experience, don’t go in September or October.

2. There are Caribbean islands that are outside the typical hurricane belt and these include one of my all time favorites, St Lucia, as well as Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

3. Caribbean cruises are a great choice for iffy weather months because ships move and storms only affect a small area at any given time. If a storm is in the area you might miss a scheduled port of call but your multimillion dollar ship and all 2-3000 guests onboard won’t sail within 200 nautical miles of serious weather!

4. When it’s hurricane season in the Caribbean the weather is outstanding for Tahiti vacations and Fiji honeymoons as well as northern Europe and much of Australia and New Zealand.

5. Sandals resorts offer a free hurricane guarantee.

So call us to help plan the perfect vacation or honeymoon. As travel agents we’re on your side!

Linda – Totem Travel

Cruises are a great choice for a group or family reunion

By Sandi | Published April 18, 2007 | Posted in Cruises

Disney Cruises

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!

Diamond Princess Alaska Cruise

By Sandi | Published February 21, 2007 | Posted in Cruises

Diamond Princess

Long ago I set the goal to visit all 50 states in the U.S. and was excited to have the opportunity to see Alaska on the beautiful new Diamond Princess. 
 
Our ports of call included Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan which are all very quaint towns that welcome cruise passengers with open arms each summer.  All of the ports offered a variety of shore excursions such as dog sledding, panning for gold, helicopter tours of the glaciers, kayaking and salmon fishing. 
 
On board the ship there are also lots of options and you will never be bored!  During the day, there are activities such as trivia contests, a movie in the theater, bridge tournaments and a full selection of spa treatments. Every evening there is entertainment in the main theater and lounges that runs the gamut from Broadway production shows to Karaoke! 
 
You also have choices for dining because Princess offers standard dining and Personal Choice Dining. 
 
Standard dining is the traditional cruise ship dining experience.   You are assigned a specific table and dinner time which remains the same for the length of your cruise.  Typically cruise ships have an early seating at about 6 p and a late seating at about 8:30 p.  Since you have the same waiters and dinner companions each evening, you really get to know each other and the waiters come to know who likes ice tea or coffee, who wants ice and who doesn’t.  It’s really fun!
 
If you prefer more control over your dining times and companions, Personal Choice Dining allows you to dine when, where and with whom you prefer.  And, both traditional dining guests as well as Personal Choice guests also have the choice of ala carte restaurants such as a steak house, an Asian Restaurant, Italian and Tex Mex. Most of these are included in your cruise fare, but one or two have a nominal service fee.
 
Whatever you choose, you will enjoy wonderful food and impeccable service plus no bill at the end of your meal! I highly recommend both Princess Cruises and the Alaska cruise experience!  Please call or email if this is a trip you might enjoy!
 

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