A Cruise Ship Wedding???

As a dad of girls, weddings can be a pain in the you know where. We’ve already had one daughter get married, and it was mostly a standard wedding. It was within 45 minutes of our house, so both families were able to make it to the wedding and share in the experience. My pocket shared, but it was worth it. We enjoyed helping our daughter have the wedding she wanted.

Now it’s time for wedding number 2. Our oldest daughter just got engaged over the Thanksgiving break. We are very excited for her and she is wanting to do something different for her wedding. A few years ago, Jessica worked on the Celebrity Mercury cruise ship for the summer. She worked in their kids programs and had a great time meeting people from all over the country. Ever since then, she has wanted to get married on a cruise ship. So that is the plan.

September 23^rd, 2012, Jessica and her fiancé Scott are going to be married in New Orleans on the Carnival Conquest. I bet a lot of you didn’t know that you could get married on a ship. It is one of those little known secrets in the arena of destination weddings. Each of the cruise lines have their own wedding programs and locations. However, those of you thinking about having the captain marry you at sea, it has to be Princess. They are the only ones to offer that sort of ceremony.

When I was first approached about this, I thought, wow, this is going to be expensive. Then we started doing some research. You don't have to go on the cruise to attend the wedding. Jessica's wedding is going to happen before the ship sails. The wedding party and guests will be the first people on the ship. Those not sailing have to be off before the ship leaves, but will have access to the ship for the wedding. Mid-cruise weddings can also be performed at some ports, but of course all of your guests will need to go on the entire cruise.

Costs for a shipboard wedding start at around $1,150 and go up from there. (Note the information I'm giving in this section are for Carnival Cruises.) The port makes a difference as to the cost of the wedding, so remember where you get married, the prices can be different. The package my daughter is choosing is called the Deluxe Romance Package. Here is how Carnival describes the package:

For an unforgettable celebration, this package offers the ceremony with a one and a half-hour reception. Package includes: A dedicated Wedding Agent assisting you with every detail from selecting your package to "I do". On the day of your wedding, Priority check-in for the bridal couple and their guests, a local Wedding Officiant, A Wedding Coordinator to work solely with you and your guests, Photographer (Wedding photos/packages available for purchase separately onboard) Photography service includes the ceremony, reception, with various portraits taken around the ship and studio, Ideal wedding location, Romantic wedding set up, Selection of Wedding Vows and Poems/Readings, Recorded ceremony music, 8-Rose Bridal Bouquet with matching Rose Boutonniere for the groom *(Flowers may vary based on some locations, where tropical arrangements will be substituted for roses. Additional flower options are available, as an upgrade). One and a half-hour Open bar with selection of hot and cold hors d' oeuvres, Ice Carving, Champagne Toast, (1-set) of etched "Our Wedding" champagne flutes, 2-Tiered Wedding Cake* with keepsake topper. Cake Server and Coffee/Tea service provided. A bottle of Sparkling Wine and Chocolate Covered strawberries for the bride and groom's stateroom.(Additional items available upon request, such as unity candle lighting ceremony, additional flowers, etc. Inquire with your Wedding Agent for more details) *2-Tiered Wedding Cake provided up to a maximum of 50 guests. Based on number of guests, a 3-Tier or 4-Tier Wedding Cake will be provided. This package will accommodate up to 20 guests, including the Bride and Groom. Additional guests may attend at the extra cost of $30.00 per person (Subject to applicable State Sales Tax). Package fees pertain to all attendees.

The costs for this package is $1,795.00 in New Orleans for the first 20 guests. Since we will be having the wedding so far away from family, we aren't sure if we need to go beyond the 20 people, but if so, the cost is $30/person. All of the location searching, planning, catering, alcohol, photography, ceremony, etc is covered in this package. All my wife and I have to do is write the check. The planning will be completed with  Carnival's Wedding Coordinator and my daughter. That sounds a whole lot easier than what we did for our other daughter's wedding!

Anyway, we have set up a group for the wedding. If you want to come, either on the cruise or on the wedding, I have put together a flyer with additional information. You can find it here and download it. Note that with each cabin, we have been able to get a $100 on board credit and a few other goodies as well.

If you know someone who is thinking about a destination wedding, that is something I can help with, be it on a cruise or a resort in the Caribbean. Let me know and we will get something together.

What's next?

View of the port in St Maarten

Summer has just begun, but in many ways, it's half over. Schools in this area are starting back August 11. I remember starting the day after Labor Day. It seems that summer keeps getting shorter and shorter.

I'm sure summer vacations are already planned, and I know that for some of you, it's already complete. What's next? Where do you want to go? I talked a little about bucket list things in my last post. What is on your bucket list of travel locales? I know for a lot of folks it seems like you will never be able to do it. But....what if you could?

Travel prices have dropped in the past few years. Even now Sandals is doing an up to 65% off promotion and Superclubs is doing a $630 air credit. Almost every resort is working hard to provide an affordable, unforgettable vacation experience.

Beaches Turks & Caicos

So where do you want to go? Is it Europe? How about the Far East? Australia/New Zealand? What about that cruise you have wanted to take, or just lay on a white sand beach in the Caribbean?

Now is the time to plan. Air schedules might not be out for months, but land and cruise reservations can  be made in some cases as far out as 2014. A long way to plan, but you can lock in the great deals now and begin to save/pay it off in the interim. Realize that most land vacations can be booked with a deposit of $200/person and cruises for around $250/person.


If plans change, these deposits are normally fully refundable.

So what's next for you? Where do you want to go that you never thought you could? While your sitting by the neighborhood pool, it's a good time to dream about where else you could go.

Beach at El Dorado Seaside

I've just added a new Vacation search and booking box to the All-Inclusives page on the Cruznmore Travel website. I've also added a chat feature. You can check it out on any of the pages on the site. If I'm on, I can definitely help you out and answer any questions. You can also leave me a message if I'm not available.

Memorial Day - Let Us Never Forget

Today is Memorial Day. It is a day we set aside to remember the service men and women who paid the ultimate price for our freedom. It is a somber thought. We must give a big thank you to those who have sacrificed for us.

It is easy to forget. I was born at the end of the baby-boom generation. World War II was still fresh in the memories of everyone. Today, it is a distant memory. I lived through Vietnam. I'm not sure what is being taught today about that conflict. I live in the mid-south. The road I can see out the window at the Starbucks was used by both Union and Confederate forces in the Civil War. Not a stones throw from here is the most bullet-riddle structure that still survives from that war. I've lived in the Nashville/Franklin area twice, once as a teenager/young adult and now. It's been a total of almost 20 years, but I never visited the Carter House until last year.

That makes me think about other historical sites on this Memorial Day. I don't want to forget those who literally put their lives on the line for our country. I want to make a bucket list of places to visit so we can remember. What would your bucket list include? Some of mine include:

England - So many of our servicemen/women used England as a staging area before battles. I can't think of a better place to start than the originators of our country.

Normandy - France is definitely on the to-go list. I don't think a visit to France would be complete without remembering those who stormed the beaches on D-Day.

Berlin - I still remember President Reagan standing at the Wall and saying "Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall." Shortly after, the wall came down.

Pacific Islands - Wake Island, Iwo Jima, The Philippines - So many of our servicemen went through hardships there. Today, we think of some of these areas as paradise, to them it was a living hell.

Vietnam - See the above comment. This one is hard for me. I don't think it is one I want to visit, but I believe it is a place I need to visit.

Pearl Harbor - Where WWII began for the United States. It in many ways defined the country we are now. It is definitely a place I want to see.

USS Alabama in Mobile Bay

My list requires planning and money. But what about the places that are close to you? Like the Carter House was for me, there are places to remember all around us. Maybe you live near the coast and there is a old warship now on display. Mobile, New York, Norfolk, San Diego and many, many more all have vessels you can visit. In the northeast and east there are battlefields from the Revolutionary War, in Texas the Alamo, and of course all of the Civil War sites in the north and south.

A trip to Washington DC can show remind us in many ways of those who served, from Arlington Cemetery to the Pentagon, to the Smithsonian and the other Memorials.

So, what is your Bucket List? I'm sure I've forgotten many places. I know there are other locations I would love to visit. I know this much, I do have a plan to check off one of the items. Pearl Harbor. In Sept 2012 Lisa and I are planning to visit Hawaii and I will not miss it. If you want to join us, there is some information in this post about our cruise on the Norwegian Pride of America.

Whatever your plans, wherever you want to go to remember, we can help. Be it a domestic trip, or one across the ocean, we can help you plan it. Don't forget, next year are the Olympics in London. That might be another way to wrap a couple of trips together. We can help there too.

An Epic Review - Final

I hope you had a chance to read Part 1 and Part 2. I hadn't planned on this being a trilogy, but sometimes things happen. This part is going to focus on the ports of call and then wrap up with some final thoughts.

This cruise was an Eastern Caribbean itinerary. The ports of call were St Maarten, St Thomas, and Nassau. We have been to Nassau a couple of times, but St Maarten and St Thomas were new to us.

Orient Beach, St Maarten

For both St Maarten and St Thomas we chose to do an excursion sponsored by the cruise line. There were a number of ships in St Maarten and I was a little concerned about traffic, wanting to make sure we were back to the ship on time. We did the Orient Beach Break, as Orient Beach is probably the most famous of the beaches on St Maarten. We enjoyed the drive over and learned quite a bit about the island. The beach was great. They had chairs set up for us and lunch was included. Lunch definitely was not the best, but oh well.

The Yoda Guy's Museum

The beach itself was interesting. It is on the French side of the island, so topless is fine, and farther down the beach is a clothing optional area. There was nothing we saw that was out of the bounds of decency. It is a beautiful beach and I'd love to go back again. Lisa thought it was a little crowded, but having that many cruise folks made it that way. The parts that were reserved for the excursions was like a sardine can, but there were other parts that was a lot less crowded.

On the way back, we stopped in town and did some shopping. One of the special effects makeup artists from Star Wars has a store/museum there. He is known as the Yoda Guy. If you are a Star Wars fan, this is a must see! We also found a great chocolate shop on one of the side streets. They had so many flavors, it was awesome.

Lisa with Capt Jack Sparrow

In St Thomas, we did the Best of St Thomas tour. It was our first time there and we wanted an overview of the island. We learned quite a bit and ended up at Blackbeards Castle. The views from the castle grounds are amazing. The castle is about half way up the hills and overlooks the entire town of Charlotte Amalie. There is a 100 steps staircase built in the 1700s that we had to descend from the castle to downtown. If you are looking for jewelry, they have it in St Thomas. Every other shop seemed to be a jewelry shop. It was a very cool trip. We also visited Magens Bay Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. The water was completely calm, it was a great place to just relax.

In Nassau, we decided to just stay on the boat. It is a lot quieter when everyone else is gone. We had been to Nassau twice before and just decided we would sleep in and spend the time in the spa and on the ship.

The 100 Steps in St Thomas

Of the ports, I think my favorite was St Maarten. The melding of French/Dutch culture just makes it a very cool place to visit. I'd love to go back there and spend some time.

That ends my review. How do I rate the trip? Interesting for sure. I have never been on a ship that size. It definitely had some advantages to the smaller ships. Lisa says she's not sure she would want to go back on the Epic. I know I would, especially if we got a suite. Some of the advantages that suite guests have, including the Posh lounge and their own restaurant, would be nice. Overall, I give the cruise a B+/A-. I enjoyed the variety of food and shows. The cabin could have been a little bigger. I think that is one of the reasons Lisa would rather have a different ship.

I love Norwegian and their approach to Freestyle Cruising. If you've never been on a Norwegian Cruise, what are you waiting for?

An Epic Review - Part Two

In the last blog, I covered the cabin and restaurants. If you haven't read that part yet, go ahead before moving on. It has a lot of background that will help as you read this part.

Epic Theatre

As I mentioned, the Epic is designed differently than other ships. Without the interior atrium, basically a huge hole in the middle of the ship from the bottom deck to the top, the Epic was able to utilize that space for content. There were more bars and theatre type venues on the Epic than other ships have. The casino was also the largest covering about half a deck. It was designed well with plenty of traffic areas. Some people have complained about a smoke problem in that area, but I never really noticed it. Yes, there was some, but it was nothing overpowering.

There are at least four major entertainment venues, with many other minor ones as well. The main theater is much smaller than other ships. It isn't designed to hold half of the passengers like many of them are, so it is a much more intimate venue. It was there that the Blue Man Group and Legends In Concert performed. Excellent shows. I love the Blue Man Group and would have gone more often, but there was too much to do.

The Spiegel Tent is where the Cirque Dreams show is held. It's amazing to think of what these performers can do on a moving ship. We got the premium seats and were right in the  middle of the action. We really enjoyed the show.

Headliners Comedy Club has the Howl at the Moon (dueling pianos) and Second City shows. Both are well worth the time. Get there early as some of the sight lines might be difficult.

The fourth area is Spice H2O the outside dance club, huge video wall, catch all fun venue. It is adults only and even has a pool during the day. It is here that all the parties happened on ship. The White Hot Party is one that is not to be missed.

Many of the bars, including Fat Cats, had excellent entertainment as well. Fat Cats had great Jazz playing and was a good place to just spend some down time between when looking for something to do.

One of the things we did on this cruise was purchase a pass to the Mandara Spa. Lisa really enjoys the heated loungers in the spa and with a ship as big as the Epic, we really wanted a place that would be less crowded. They say they limit the number of passes sold, and it did seem that there was never more than 20-25 people in the spa at a time. The spa has individual saunas/steam rooms in the locker rooms for men/women. There is also a coed steam room and 2 coed saunas in the common area. The therapy pool pictured here was bathwater warm and had jets all over at different levels. This was my favorite place in the spa.

I had planned on doing this in 2 posts, but once I got the part about the ports in place, it was really long. I'm going to save the ports and final thoughts for Part 3.

An Epic Review - Part One

I should have posted this one awhile ago, but you know how procrastination is. Anyway, Lisa and I boarded the Norwegian Epic the end of January for a week long cruise. This was our 6th cruise and the second on Norwegian. The Epic is the largest ship that we have cruised on and also the most different.

We knew we were going to be in for a different experience even before we got on the ship. The layout was completely different with no atrium in the middle and no middle elevators. We thought that would be different and it was, but it wasn't a negative at all. We were able to move about the ship without a lot of difficulty.

We had booked a balcony cabin (if you've never had one, once you've tried it you will be hooked!) and glad that we did. The cabin was definitely narrow. There were times that we had to move around to allow one of us to go where we needed to. However, the storage was amazing. The most storage room we've had on any ship. I know a lot of folks have complained about the way the bathroom was split, we found it useful as one of us could be in the shower and the other could be using the sink or toilet.

The food was excellent. Yes, we did eat at a number of the alternate restaurants that required a cover charge, but every one of them was worth it. We especially enjoyed Cagney's and Monderno's. Cagney's is Norwegian's signature steak restaurant and Moderno's is their Brazilian Steakhouse. The meat was amazing at both of those. We ate a number of times in the main dining room and enjoyed the food immensely. I do love the idea of being able to eat where we want, when we want. That is one of the hallmarks of Freestyle Cruising.

The Buffet was hit and miss. Sometimes it was difficult to find exactly what I wanted on the buffet, but they had enough lines so that there were never too many people waiting to get food and things moved pretty well. We found O'Sheehan's to be very convenient for those times we needed a quick snack. Being right in the middle of the ship made it very well situated for those times.

Views like this Sunrise off St Maarten are one reason we love
 having a balcony cabin.

We did some things on this cruise that we have never done before. Realize, we are both in our late 40s with our youngest child 21. We decided to join in the Pub Crawl with all of these 20-somethings. We had a great time chanting and shouting as we moved through the ship and trying things we never would drink on our own. It was a great way for us to get out and meet people.

We also did the Martini Tasting. If you ever do a Martini Tasting, I highly recommend splitting it. Four full size Martini's in 45 minutes was definitely a little much. The really odd thing was we met a couple that lives 5 miles from our house and knew our kids. Amazing how small the world is that you can meet someone like that in the middle of the Caribbean.

The Epic is about to head to Europe. It would be a great ship (or any of Norwegian's ships) to see the ports of Europe because of the Freestyle Dining. There is no pressure to get back to the ship in order to be ready for dinner. This fall the Epic is coming back to Miami to once again cruise the Caribbean. It is definitely not too early (don't for get Layaway Travel) to book one of these great sailings! Send me an email or give me a call if you have questions on an Epic sailing or a different cruise.

You can see some more pictures from our cruise here. Part 2 of the review will be coming soon and will cover the ports and the entertainment.

How can I afford a vacation? Answer: Layaway Travel

Beach in Costa Maya, Mexico

As I was thinking through yesterday's blog post, the idea of Layaway Travel stuck in my head. It's not a new concept to the travel world, but it may be to some of you.

The big internet travel sites don't really handle this well. They want all of your money up front whenever you book a vacation. They may do just a deposit for a cruise, but if you want to do an all-inclusive or a Disney trip 6 to 12 months from now, instead of paying just a deposit, you have to give them the entire price up front.

Now, it is true that when you book a vacation like this you normally will have to pay the flight costs in full as well as a deposit to the resort. However, I know of one supplier that will allow you, for a $10/person fee, to have a very small ($235/person) non-refundable deposit that even includes the airfare! Now, if you book something like this, I definitely recommend that you purchase cancel for any reason Travel Insurance to make sure that you are protected.

Here's the great thing, there are no fees or interest paid to do this. You can lock in that dream vacation when you know there is an awesome special going on, and only pay the deposit. Let me give you an example. Right now, SuperClubs is doing a 35% off special, plus an upgrade to any room available on the property. That is an amazing deal. If you were to go to one of the major Internet Travel sites, you would have to pay the full amount. (Prices here are based on a trip leaving Nashville on Oct 8 for 7 nights at the Breezes Grand Resort in Negril.) That full cost, including air and transfers is around $4000. For the next 6 months, you are paying interest (or not receiving interest if it is from savings) and the retailer gets to use your money. With my plan, you pay $470 plus $198 for Travel Insurance. You can then make payments as often as you like till August 24th, the final payment date. That means your money stays with you and you get to take advantage of whatever special is available.

This works for cruises as well. Cruise deposits range from $50/person to $250/person with final payments being due 45-60 days prior to the sailing. Unlike airfares, cruise schedules are available sometimes 2 years out. With cruises, as long as you cancel before 60 days (normally) all monies paid are refundable. If something happens, then you can either change the cruise or get your money back. The cool thing is that if prices drop, you often can get that lower price or get On Board Credit to spend on board.


So, where do you want to go? How much do you want to set aside per month? How much of a deposit can you afford? When would you like to go? Answer these questions and we can get your vacation of a lifetime on layaway right away!

A Week in Paradise

Vacations can be expensive. I realize that. In this economy it's hard to plan and get the funds available for the trip of a lifetime you have always wanted to take. For Lisa, this has been Hawaii.

When she was growing up, her father was in the Air Force. Jack was a mechanic on some of the cargo planes that were used in Vietnam. He would go to where the plane was to make sure it was ready for flight. As such, he saw much of the world, while his family was at home. His last year in the Air Force, he asked for a posting so that his family could go with him and see some of what he saw in the world. That posting was in Okinawa.  They enjoyed their time there, but one of the things she has said numerous times, is that they landed in Honolulu, but only saw the airport.

She wants to see more of Hawaii. We have never been able to do a trip like that. We have done numerous cruises and other vacations, but nothing on a scale of getting to Hawaii for a week or more. That is going to change.

NCL Pride of America

Norwegian Cruise Lines has the only cruise that begins and ends in Honolulu that covers all of the islands. When you look at the itinerary for the Pride of America, it seems like it is docked more than it is sailing. Gee, it's Hawaii, that's exactly what we are looking for, the ability to see the islands, but not have to island hop and change hotels. It is a resort that is moving to the islands with us.

So, here it is. September 15, 2012, yes, that is well over a year from now, Lisa is going to be able to see the islands of Hawaii. This happens to be her birthday and not long after our anniversary, so I don't have to worry about presents for 2012.

Yes, it isn't an inexpensive trip, but planning it this far ahead allows us to pay all along the way. Here is how it is going to work. Final payment is going to be due the end of June 2012. That is 14 months from now. We are getting a balcony cabin. The price per person for the cabin (balcony) is about $1800. A $250 deposit is due to book the cruise, so that leaves a balance of $1550/person. That means we can have the balance paid by putting an average of $225/mo as a couple.

That is for a balcony cabin. As this is a cruise that will have us spending a lot of time off the boat, we are definitely going to consider an inside or oceanview cabin. The inside cabin starts at $1220/person and the Oceanview just over $1300/person. That means for an inside, under $150/month will have the cruise for 2 paid for!

We have set up a block of cabins on the Pride of America. If Hawaii is on your bucket list, if Paradise is where you have always wanted to go, but didn't think you could afford, if you just want to get away for awhile, we would love to have you join us. You can get a flyer here that has more information.

USS Arizona Memorial

In future days, I will be sharing more about Hawaii and some of the experiences that can happen there. I can tell you this much, one of the places I look forward to seeing is Pearl Harbor. It will be with a solemn heart that I will view the place where so many of our service men served and died. But it shows the resolute heart of America. That will be one of the items on my Bucket List that can be checked complete.

Vacation Packing

I love to go on vacation....but I hate to pack. Tomorrow afternoon, we leave the cold and snow of Tennessee (sounds weird to say that, but this winter has been that way) and head to the sunshine of south Florida. Saturday morning, we head to the Port of Miami to board the Norwegian Epic.

This is a trip my wife and I have looked forward to for a long time, since before the Epic arrived on the scene last year. We can't wait to see the Blue Man Group again (for the 3rd time), the Cirque dinner show, and have a drink in the Ice Bar.

However....before we can leave, we have to pack. I always feel like I pack too much. But, I always think I have to have this or that item of clothing. I was reading about someone who was thinking of doing a week-long cruise with only a carry-on bag. I would love to try that sometime. As it is, I think we are looking at 4 suitcases (I let my daughter proofread this and she yelled at us for taking 4 suitcases. Lisa is defending it because she has to have 1 case for shoes, 1 case for water, and a hanging bag.) for this week-long trip for the 2 of us. One of them is probably going to be filled with water & Diet Coke because Lisa can't go for a week without her bottled water.

Well, I guess the suitcases aren't going to pack themselves. I must get them done tonight so we can be ready to head to the airport. I will try to do some blogging from the ship if I get a chance. If not, I will definitely have some stories from this trip. See everyone when we get back.

One of my favorite resorts: El Dorado Seaside Suites

Last August, Lisa and I had the chance to spend a day at the El Dorado Seaside Suites in the Riviera Maya, Mexico. There has been a lot of bad press around Mexico. All of the issues Mexico is having is away from the Yucatan peninsula. The Yucatan is the area of Cancun and the Riviera Maya.

Normally, when you think of Cancun, you think party. And for Cancun, you are right. However, the farther you move south of Cancun, the less party atmosphere you find. El Dorado Seaside Suites is a perfect getaway for a Honeymoon couple, a destination wedding, or a couple looking to escape from the day to day grind of their normal lives.

In a world of megaresorts, this 240 room upscale resort has an intimate feel and is one of the most romantic resorts in the world. The accommodations run the gamut from Jr Suites to Swim-up suites to the exclusive Presidential Villa. All of the rooms are lavishly decorated and include a full bar setup. El Dorado is a 'Gourmet Inclusive' property, so all of the food, drink, tips, non-motorized watersports and more is included in your price. Once you arrive, you can put your money away.

The food is amazing, from lunch on the beach to a full gourmet dinner in the dining room, you definitely won't be hungry. You will definitely find something for your palate at one of the 6 restaurants and something to wet your whistle at the 4 land-based bars and 2 swim-up bars.

The main pool is a decent size with private palapas surrounding it and an outdoor massage venue is available. Outdoor beds and loungers dot the property, both along the long beach and in the gardens. The water is stunning. While we were there, we were even able to see turtle nests along the shore.

Since this is an adults-only property, this resort is perfect the for couple wanting to reconnect. It would also be an excellent destination for singles looking for something other than the party scene. Of course, a Honeymoon or Destination Wedding would be amazing at El Dorado Seaside Suites.

I highly recommend this property to all of my clients looking at an adults-only all-inclusive resort. To see more of our pictures from our visit to the resort, check out my photo gallery at: http://photos.cruznmoretravel.com/GalleryThumbnails.aspx?gallery=544870

Disney Dreams & Memories

The Disney Dream

As a Travel Agent, it helps to have a specialty. One of the niches I work within is Disney. As an Authorized EarMarked Disney Vacation Planner, I have had to work through knowledge training to help me be familiar with what Disney has to offer. However, the Disney memories are much more evocative than any training ever could be.

Today, I watched the christening of the new Disney Dream. I actually began waiting on the webcast about 15-20 minutes before. They had all of the Disney songs playing to help people pass the time. The images that went through my mind were all of fun and family. Even as an almost 50 year old man, I can enjoy all that Disney has to offer. I am looking forward to the day when I can take grandchildren and help them experience their first taste of Disney up close.

We all can be children again whenever we visit a Disney property or step on a Disney cruiseship. You can start planning your vacation at Cruznmores Magical Disney. You can also take a look at some of the memories from our 2009 trip to Disney at Cruznmore's Disney Photos.

Why we love to cruise...

Norwegian Jewel Docked in Roatan, Honduras

A lot of our friends don't understand why we love to go on so many cruises. At the end of this month, we will be heading out for cruise number 6. This time on the Norwegian Epic. What's interesting is that in all of these cruises, we have only visited the same port twice. Nassau (this will be our 3rd visit there on this cruise) and Calica (Playa del Carmen) in Mexico.

On these 6 trips, lasting from 3 to 7 nights, we have been able to visit the Bahamas (Nassau and Coco Cay), Key West, Mexico (Cozumel, Calica, Costa Maya), Belize, Honduras, St Maarten, and St Thomas. The great thing about this is that we were able to unpack and pack only once on each trip. We experienced the cultures of 7 different countries and explored the adventures each has to offer.

Mayan Ruins of Altun Ha, Belize

We have snorkeled in turquoise waters, explored ancient Mayan ruins, kayaked in the Caribbean Sea, explored the Isle of Roatan, relaxed in our own palapa enjoying the sun and sand, shopped in exotic locales, been pickpocketed by monkeys, surrounded by butterflies, and more.

That doesn't include the sea days. Lisa has discovered she loves the heated lounge chairs in the spa. We both enjoy the shows and fast-paced action on the ship. You can do it all or do nothing at all. Each cruise line is different, from formal to freestyle, from party to educational, and everything in between. You can be active or just lay by the pool, it is all up to you.

Oh, and I didn't mention the food. As much as you want, whenever you want. Casual fare or fine dining, again the choice is yours.

Why do we cruise? We get a chance in a week to visit multiple locations on a floating resort. We have our own little part of the ocean where we can kick back, be ourselves, and relax. We'll keep on cruising, there are a lot of ports left to explore. Could Europe be in our future? I hope so. :)

Ready to plan your adventure? Check out my cruise page: Search for a cruise or Email me for more information.

2011 Travel Trends

We are 12 days in to 2011. Lisa and I have been talking about what we are going to do for travel this year, and I have talked to many others that are doing the same. Where are the best values going to be this year? Where can you get the best bang for your hard-earned dollars?

If you are looking at staying in the US, think about the places that have been hit the hardest by the recession. Las Vegas, Arizona, California all are offering great values this year. They are doing everything they can to get visitors back and the get tourism trade moving again.

If you are wanting to move out of the states and open your eyes to new cultures think about Mexico. I know that there has been a lot of bad press. There are major problems in parts of Mexico. Those aren't the areas I would ever send a client. However, Cancun, Playa del Carmen (Riviera Maya), and Cozumel are all unaffected by the problems in other parts of the country.

Of course, a cruise is a great way to see many locations in the same trip without ever having to unpack. New ships are like floating cities. Disney has a new ship the Dream, Royal Caribbean just launched the sister ship to Oasis, the Allure, and Norwegian has the Epic.

Wherever you want to go, we can help you get there. Make 2011 a banner year for some new adventures. Looking for more information on Travel Trends and affordable locales? Check these links: 10 great places for travel bargains in 2011 and What travelers can expect in 2011.

Your Adventure is Our Passion

View from our palapa at the Mayachan Beach
Resort , Costa Maya, Mexico

As a child, I remember our family vacations. There were a couple of major 'road trip' type vacations. We lived in Illinois and mom and dad would rent an RV and we would go. One time, we took a trip through the northern plains: Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Minnesota, the Dakotas. Another trip was down into Texas and across into Mexico for a short visit. Another we traveled all the way to California, seeing the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and all the other sites along the way. Those were vacations that gave me a love of travel, of the open road, of seeing new places.

I also remember the visits to family. There were a lot more of those, traveling to my grandparents, visiting with other family members. You know, the things you just love to to as a kid. :) Even with those, there was the sense of adventure, the going someplace, even if you have been there before.

It is that sense of adventure that I love to help others discover. That is why I became a Travel Agent. That is why I have a sense of joy when I am able to help someone else experience a new adventure. That is why the motto of Cruznmore Travel is 'You Adventure is Our Passion.'

When are you ready for your next adventure?

Wayne Swafford, Cruznmore Travel