Category Archives: Blogging

Have you ever thought of Greece?

santorini-islandA great way to see Greece is to combine a cruise of the beautiful Greek islands and a bus tour of the mainland.  You’ll see the picturesque blue roofs of Santorini, the windmills of Mykonos and the butterfly valley of Rhodes.

Then you can take a fantastic escorted tour of the mainland and see the Peloponesian area of Greece, visit the awe-inspiring Corinth Canal and the Parthenon and Acropolis of Athens.

It is a great way to see Greece in 10 or 15 days. Don’t forget to visit the beautiful beaches and museums!

Disney Cruise Line meets Star Wars

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Disney Cruise Line will be having Star Wars for one day at sea with special events onboard the Disney Fantasy.  Occurring on one day during each of the eight sailings to the Western Caribbean, there will be Star Wars-themed youth activities, special merchandise, unique food and beverage offerings and the … Continue reading →

Disney Cruise Line and Star Wars Meet!

Disney Cruise line will be having Star Wars for one day at sea with special events onboard.  Occurring on one day during each of the eight sailings, there will be Star Wars-themed youth activities, special merchandise, unique food and beverage offerings and the ship will host at-sea screenings of the Star Wars films and the new Disney XD animated series, Star Wars Rebels on Disney Fantasy in 2016.

Star Wars Day at Sea will be on Disney Fantasy sailing on January 9 and 23, February 6 and 20, March 5 and 19, and April 2 and 16, 2016.  Department from Port Canaveral, the seven-night Western Caribbean itinerary includes Cozumel, Mexico; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Cay.  Contact Cruiser’s Travel LLC for more information!

Beautiful Greece

GreekIslandsGreece is part of my heritage. As a child growing up I was lucky enough to go to Greece every three years to visit my grandparents and uncle.  My grandparents had to return to Greece when I was about five due to my grandmother’s health and my uncle went with them. My uncle eventually married and had children and stayed in Greece.  When we went to Greece we would get to stay two to three months at a time.  I really loved going there.  The people were always friendly and went out of their way to help me even though I didn’t speak Greek very well.  Most of our visits were to the beautiful island of Crete.  We got to visit Knossos and, of course, the gorgeous beaches.  We visited relatives up in the villages in the mountains.

I never really felt left out.  The neighbor kids, who were taking English in school, were always happy to practice their English with me, and I got to practice my Greek.  It was fun coming back every three years and pretty much just continuing on with those friendships, seeing how all of us changed over the years.  As we got older, since some of my friends in Greece were older than me, they got married and had children.  I loved being able to practice my Greek and by the time we left was pretty much able to hold conversations.  Of course, not using it much when I returned to the States, I would forget most of it and have to relearn it when I returned to Greece!  My father is of Greek descent but never learned the language.  My mother taught Greek for over 30 years, which is where I learned it, but not speaking it on a regular basis you don’t get very fluent.  I understand Greek a lot more than I can speak it, which surprised my mother sometimes when I asked questions about something she discussed with her friends on the QT by speaking in Greek (or so she thought!).

Greece is still my favorite place to visit as often as I can.  I still find the people so friendly and willing to help those who don’t speak Greek.  Most of the younger crowd know very good English and a lot of the business owners do too.  It is still a very beautiful, culturally rich place to visit.  Unfortunately the ability to stay for two to three months is not an option for me any more, but boy would I love to live there for that amount of time if not longer!

Elaine Sklom, CTA, ACC
Travel Agent

Norwegian Escape to get Miami’s Oldest Bar!

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After 102 years Miami’s oldest bar, Tobacco Road, is closing it’s doors, but coming to the new Norwegian Escape in 2015. The Tobacco Road on the Escape will be opened in partnership with the land-based Tobacco Road and would include items like the establishment’s neon sign, memorabilia and photographs.  Cocktails … Continue reading →

Continuing Education Is Important

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The travel industry is constantly changing.  New ships are being built and companies change their procedures.  Carnival just changed their smoking practices. Ships get reassigned to different ports. The Norwegian Cruise Line’s Epic is doing Europe in 2015 instead of the Caribbean.  Our agency is constantly taking online courses, watching … Continue reading →

Planning a Honeymoon? How to Avoid Travel Problems.

canstockphoto13222483 - Romantic Couple on beach

Your honeymoon is the last thing you want to turn into a disaster or disappointment. After all the chaos of a wedding, any new couple both needs and deserves the vacation! The best way to avoid problems is to help prevent them. Careful honeymoon planning is always your best insurance against things turning into a wreck.

Honeymoon trips need to be planned the same way as any other trip: with caution and lots of double-checking. Researching your destination and travel method is never a waste of effort. Always allow time for problems, such as delayed or missed flights. Make sure you have a list of emergency contacts, travel papers, identification and emergency cash in a safe place that’s easy to access.

Check about suitcase limits and carry-on item restrictions before packing. Make sure you research this information not only for your area, but for the area you’ll be traveling back from. Nothing can cause problems like having all your personal effects denied passage with you.

Honeymoon vacation packages can be both easier and harder when it comes to potential travel problems. On the good side, they are usually knowledgeable choices of reliable business’s and travel routes. On the other hand, vacation packages can pack everything much too tightly, leaving little room for unexpected delays. Always look for packages that include insurance or leniency regarding any travel problems.

Honeymoon cruises are a much more reliable vacation, once you’re on the ship. Since your lodging is your travel, you very rarely have to worry about anything. However, you must leave time before and after your cruise for travel emergencies. The cruise will leave at a certain time on a certain day, with or without you. If you try to fly in right before the cruise is supposed to depart and there’s a single delay, you’ll literally miss the boat.

Regardless of your honeymoon type or specific destination, it’s always a good idea to have an emergency back-up plan. The riskier your trip, the more you need the back-up. If you’re driving a few miles to an inn down the road, you probably have nothing to worry about. If you’re taking an Antarctic cruise after hiking through a jungle, there are many potential risks and a back-up plan is vital.

For more help planning your honeymoon, contact Elaine Sklom at Cruiser’s Travel LLC at elaine@cruiserstravel.net.

Going to Greece?

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Greece, the birthplace of civilization, or so they say. Yes, there are many archeological sites, lots of museums but most of all beautiful beaches and scenic sites to see and adventures to explore. Greece has many islands, some more tourist-oriented than others. Each has their own history and sites. Santorini … Continue reading →