Weekend Getaway: Nassau

Liz Hough on

Now the last time I was in Nassau was in 1990 when we took one of the first Disney Cruises.  From what I remember, it was very run down and the main focal point was the purple or maybe blue Merv Griffin hotel/casino.  Today, you can walk down the street and buy anything from Fendi to Rolex.  The buildings are very colorful, the streets were clean, and there was public transportation.  Even though there were several excursions that were offered by the cruise ship, we decided we wanted to do our own thing.  If you want to opt out of an excursion it is very easy to get around.  The ship docks right by the main streets and there are plenty of taxi cabs, horse drawn carriages, and private services one can hire.  It is a lot of chaos but after saying “No Thank You” a hundred times we made it to the main street.

 

We decided we wanted to hit a few of the jewelry stores to get our lower cost items that our cruise shopping director suggested.  I also wanted to get to the Straw Market.  In the 90’s it was an open air market, which parts of it still are but most of it is inside a huge building.  There are many vendors selling various types of straw products from straw bags to hats to personal organizers.  You can watch the ladies making your hat or bag right in front of your eyes or you can purchase a pre-made item.  You can also buy shirts, sun dresses, and these crazy walking turtles that some lady thought it may be funny to attack me.  She thought my kids might find them amusing as I had bought two Disney Princess bags from her but that is also part of the process when shopping in the Straw Market.  HAGGLING!  You definitely don’t buy anything at full price so bargaining is encouraged and most of the time they initiate the bargaining process.  If you are lucky they will attack you with walking turtles too!

 

Also tucked inside this among the vast pickings of straw merchandise is a small food vendor where you can purchase authentic Bahamian food.  All the straw vendors inside were lined up to get some food so you know the saying “Eat where the locals eat,” it must be really good food.  Being Greek, we ate at a recommended Greek restaurant, Athena’s.  Really good, authentic Greek food and fresh, lightly breaded fried calamari.  Since our ship was docked until 11pm, we also decided to eat dinner at the local Bahamian Lukka Kairi restaurant.  It was right on the water where the ships were docked so we got to see several ships leave.  They had a big tank with lobsters that you could pick which one you wanted for dinner, not my cup of tea, but many people opted for it.  We decided on some tapas and some local beer.  Great atmosphere, great food, and amazing views!

 

Among our tour of the island we experienced the Pirate museum.  Now I wasn’t sure if this was going to be a cheesy version of Pirates of the Caribbean and when we first walked into the museum it seemed that way.  However, we found it very educational about pirating that occurred in the Caribbean for centuries.  We learned that people didn’t walk the plank, pirates didn’t want to kill people but it happened, woman pirates were very well respected, more loot was given to the injured, and that they did like to have parrots as pets.  The one thing I did find interesting is if you were actually caught and tried as a pirate you were immediately hung.  Needless to say, this happened a lot!

 

We also walked down to the fort, which really isn’t easy to get to, but the walk was interesting.  There are several shacks on the beach where you can have fruity drinks, get some Bahamian chicken, purchase water activities, or get a massage.  A lot of the locals were out as it was a public beach.  We also came across a BBQ where people where just coming up and getting food.  It looked as though one guy brings a huge smoker and while he cooks, people gather and talk and drink.  This is why we love just doing our own thing.  You never know what or who you will come across when your venture out.  I have to say I was very skeptical about what to encounter on Nassau since I didn’t have great memories but I would go back again and check out more of the island.

 

Nine hours touring around Nassau ourselves was tiring, but we had enough energy to sit in the casino and enjoy the slot machines.  My husband has much better luck than myself.  He went to the bonus round on several machines while I sat at the same machine for two and never got to the bonus round.  Though by day three I think the machine felt bad for me so it kept going to the bonus round.

 

 

 

 

Onto Coco Cay, Royal Caribbean’s private island.  Sunny or Rainy?  Read next week to find out.

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Weekend Getaway: Enchantment of the Seas

Liz Hough on

Well, we made it to the port and I breathed a huge sigh of relief!  Luggage taken by attendants, carry-on in hand, time to get through security.

If you have never taken a cruise before, security is very much like the airport security.  You have to present a government issued photo identification, passports preferred, and your cruise information.  You have to put your carry-on luggage through an X-ray machine and walk through the metal detectors.  You have to check in with cruise terminal personnel who will again verify all of your information, take your photo, and give you your cruise identification cards.  These cards act as your identification to get on and off the ship, cabin entry card, your ship money, and casino points card.  A.K.A. a cruise credit card.

 

People rate airports so I have to give my two cents on the cruise terminal.  The second cruise I was on was out of Miami back in 2006.  At the time, I wasn’t impressed with their cruise terminal at all.  I felt rushed, no direction, people wall to wall, and I felt it was tiny.  When we took a cruise out of Barcelona, I was impressed.  Spacious, open, very well light, people directing you, everything was clean, and bathrooms were around every corner, which is good if you have to wait to board.  I have to say I was equally impressed by Port Canaveral’s newer cruise port terminal.   Very much like Barcelona’s cruise terminal and there were personnel everywhere to answer questions and direct you.  Total time from when we entered the doors of the terminal to the time we stepped foot on the ship was 15 minutes.  Very quick!

 

So after we received our cruise cards we were able to board the ship.  If the ship is not ready for you to board, then you wait in the waiting area and they will call you by group numbers.  I understand that everyone is excited for their cruise so checking in early can cause back-ups but the down side is you may have to wait to board.  If you haven’t checked in online a few days before departure, then you will have to fill out paperwork.  To fill out paperwork you must get there earlier than 90 to 120 minutes before departure or you may not be able to board.  Lucky for us they were ready for us to board immediately.

 

 

 

 

Before you even get on the ship there are still a few more things you can do.  Get professional pictures taken, buy beverage packages, make reservations at the specialty restaurants, get security bands for your kids, and get more information on the Royal Caribbean brand.  We opted for the pictures as you don’t have to pay for them unless you like them.

 

Our first steps onto the ship lead us to the grand atrium area.  You see people sitting in chairs with their luggage that they didn’t give to the attendants, and the bar is already full.  We decided to start walking around the ship to become more familiar with where things were located.  Being a travel consultant I wanted to get some good pictures of the ship without too many people in them.  For an almost 20 year old ship, I was surprised how nicely kept it was.  I didn’t see too much wear and tear considering they do three night Bahama cruises back to back. The ship had plenty of lounges, bars, elevators, huge main dining room with upper level seating, two cafes for additional dining options, a specialty restaurant, a very spacious casino, large theater, spa, fitness center, rock wall climb, trampoline jumps, and several pools and Jacuzzis including an adult only pool and children’s splash area.  There was way more than enough to keep us occupied on a three night cruise.

 

In the customer service area they had their cruise planner (daily printed schedule of activities) which highlights what will be going on during the day.  Since we really aren’t pool people and we couldn’t get into our cabin until 1:30pm, we opted to do another activity, planning our shopping in Nassau.  They had a shopping concierge on the ship who gave tips as to what to buy in Nassau and where to buy it.  It was a very interesting lecture and we were able to set up our shopping game plan within that timeframe.  I highly recommend reading the cruise planner daily.  They have some interesting activities from basketball games, to charity events, Bingo, lectures, art auctions, wine and liquor tastings, dancing, and show times.

 

I must say I was so happy with the amount of activities that they offered that we almost forget that we could finally get into our cabin.  For a three night cruise I, personally, didn’t think that we needed a balcony.  I also didn’t want to be at the bottom of the boat.  There are a few select rooms on the upper decks called the Panoramic Ocean view.  They cost slightly more than just an ocean view but you get a floor to ceiling window.  I had seen these rooms on a ship inspection that I had done a few years ago and have wanted to stay in one since.  I do have to say that I was disappointed with how dirty the cabin was.  There were crumbs all over the carpet, the bathroom shower was grimy, the sink clogged, the toilet was not clean but we won’t get descriptive about that, and the window had an oil film on the outside of it.  The only thing that was clean was the bed.  A phone call to housekeeping and most of the stuff was cleaned up very quickly.

 

After our Bingo Loss we are onto to Nassau!

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Weekend Getaway to the Bahamas.

Liz Hough on

I am excited to report that I recently took a 3-night Bahamas cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas.  This was my first Royal Caribbean experience.  Why did I choose Royal to take my cruise?  My client’s suggestion.  Even though it is my job to give my clients my suggestions on travel and travel suppliers, I also listen to my client’s and get their feedback of which suppliers they like.  Royal has been consistently reviewed by my client’s as a great experience and highly recommended.  When something comes highly recommended you tend to what to try it.

 

I took my husband with on this familiarization trip and we decided to leave a night early.  Our ship didn’t require us to embark until Friday so we thought it would be fun to go down Thursday night and maybe get dinner at Downtown Disney.  Unfortunately for us, there were thunderstorms up and down the east coast which made for a very bumpy plane ride.  It is also hard to walk around Downtown Disney when it is raining so we opted to eat near the hotel.  I normally don’t say this when in Orlando but the rain actually ended up being a good thing because even though our hotel had shuttles to the Disney theme parks, it did not have one to take us to Downtown Disney.  Yes, Downtown Disney is part of the Walt Disney World Resort and even though this hotel was a Disney partnered hotel, they just didn’t offer a shuttle there.  We found a Giordano’s Chicago Pizzeria in the shopping plaza right next to the hotel.  We ate at the original one in Chicago and we loved their pizza.  Their pizza was also great in Orlando!

After a great night’s sleep, we woke up to beautiful weather.  Since we stayed in Orlando for the night we needed a way to get to Port Canaveral so I decided to book us a private transfer through Viator.  I really like this company because they offer transfers, tours, long weekend getaways, etc. all over the world and the pricing isn’t too expensive.  We ended up having Mear’s motocoach company which is Disney’s go to motorcoach company.  Our driver was on time and the car they chose for us was a Lincoln SUV.  The car was clean, spacious, very high end amenities, comfortable, and didn’t smell.  Our driver was great!  He was from Venezuela and talked with us the whole way to the cruise port which was about an hour drive.

 

Now, it has been 15 years since I took a cruise out of Port Canaveral.  I had no idea what to expect.  Once we came over the bridge and got our first glimpse of several ships, excitement rushed over me and then panic.  There were three cruise ships that we saw:  Disney Dream, Carnival, and what I believed to be MSC but we couldn’t read the name.  No Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas!  Now Royal has their signature blue anchor on their ship’s stacks.  No fourth ship and no blue anchor, time to panic!  We had the right day, we were there five hours before the ship was supposed to leave dock, but where is it?  Our driver took us to the Carnival cruise line terminal.  He pops the trunk and gets ready to let us out figuring that the ship had to be close by.  Well, when 3000 plus people are trying to get on one ship, you can image how hectic it is with everyone trying to get their luggage onto carts, and unpacking their cars.  This is where I take after my mother, but I demanded that he ask where the Royal Caribbean ship was.  He asked one of the luggage attendants about Royal Caribbean and the guy told him no this is Carnival.  The driver asked again where the Royal Caribbean ship is located, the luggage guy said at the new port just down the road.  Feeling relieved, the driver got back into the car and look confused.  We started off to the new port and within a few minutes we could see a single ship off in the distance.  Hope!  Blue anchor on the stacks, Enchantment of the Seas on the bow, and people unloading their luggage. Whew, we made it!

 

Now with all of my travels, one thing that I have learned is to listen to my instincts.  If you feel like something is wrong then something is wrong!  Don’t be afraid to ask questions and demand answers if you have too.  When I don’t listen to my instincts I have lost a whole large box of souvenirs, almost didn’t eat for 9 hours, and slept on a mattress that was about 100 years old.  We learn from our mistakes so I wasn’t about to make the mistake of being left at a port where I didn’t see our ship.

 

It was nice that our driver admitted that he didn’t know this was here and apologized, but I was still a little upset feeling like he was just going to leave us a the Carnival Cruise line terminal.  There would have been no way for us to walk to the Royal Caribbean terminal as it was about one mile away.  Even though the driver had learned something new that day, I would highly recommend this company as they showed up on time, did get us there on time, and the car was clean and didn’t smell.

 

Now, we did pay for the transfer up front but tip is not included in the pricing.  For a transfer service I typically recommend 10% to 15% of the net rate, taxes not included.  Since the driver had a nice clean car that didn’t smell, was personable, got us to the correct terminal, and took out our luggage for us, I felt that 15% was well earned.

 

 

We Made It!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Beware of Booking Travel Online: Read the fine print.

Liz Hough on

I recently had a friend ask me what to do when she needed to change their flight that they booked through one of these large travel booking engines or in the travel business what we call an Online Travel Agency (OTA).  The problem was that the airline they were using was now using Expedia or Travelocity exclusively and not offering direct booking on their website.  When they needed to change the flight, they had to call the booking engine company directly and not the airline.  They had a lot of trouble speaking with a person and once they did they were charged all these extra fees to change the ticket.  These fees were almost as much as the cost of the original airline ticket!  So why do we use these travel booking engines, is it easier?

 

So many people ask me “why should I use you or any other travel agent when I can just book on-line?”  People who are looking for a “deal” only think that they can get that online.  Unfortunately, when you book online if something goes wrong it could end up costing you many hours, energy, and money to get it fixed.  My friend not only had to pay the airline fees to change the flight (which can be up to $150 on domestic or $200 on international) but they also had to pay the travel booking engine fee.  For example, Travelocity’s fee to reissue an airline ticket is $40 per passenger in addition to the airlines fees.

 

I looked further into these “fees” that some of these online booking engines charge.   I found that Travelocity also charges a “Processing Service Fee” for all cruise line reservations.  There is no set amount so it may vary depending on the price of your cruise.  When booking vacation packages they have a “Facilitation Fee” that you pay them for facilitating your travel arrangements.  Again, there is no amount so it probably is a percentage of your total amount of the vacation package.  All of these fees are incorporated into your final amount.  So double check when you get to the payment page the additional fees from the travel booking engine should be clearly listed.

 

Other travel booking engines like Expedia have similar fees but you really have to look deep in their website to find them.  If you don’t have the patience to do this then I would suggest going through the booking steps until you reach the final payment page to see how much the additional fees are and then decide if you want to continue.

If you did or didn’t know that you were paying these fees, do you still feel the same way about booking online?  Now my question is, why not pay a travel agent service fee to have a real life person to talk to and handle your reservation for you?  Some travel agents don’t have service fees but to me the ones that do are the one that are serious about what they do.  When we think of lawyers they charge a service fee and the more they charge we think the better they are.  So why not think this way about your travel agent?

 

I truly believe that if you are paying a service fee to a travel agent you should be able to get that person on the phone every time you call them and they should take care of any and all changes for you.  Having a travel agent also gives you peace of mind that when something goes wrong you have someone who is in your corner and already knows your information and details.  You won’t have to repeat it 10 times like my friend did with the booking engine company!  Also, travel agents can sometimes get you incentives that you won’t get from booking on-line.  Want a free massage, a suite upgrade, a $250 resort credit, or a free tour?  Yes, these are all incentives that, if available, a travel agent can provide to you.  When you book on-line you get what you order.  If you book a standard room you will get a standard room.  That’s it, no frills.

 

When it comes to finding a travel agent find someone out there who has a niche for where you want to travel.  Try them out.  They may or may not be a good fit for you.  When picking a travel agent make sure you do your research. You don’t want somebody who doesn’t know what they are doing or hasn’t been to the places they are selling.  I am speaking from experience, having had a great travel agent for our first  Mediterranean cruise.  She helped us find tours we never would have found on our own.  So when you find a travel agent you love, DON’T LOSE THEM!!!!  Good travel agents are like good doctors, they are hard to find but when you find them hold onto them, even if you have to pay a service fee!  Besides you will be spending a lot of money on your trip and you want the special touches and reassurance that a travel agent can give you.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Presentation is Everything!

Liz Hough on

 Do you have a favorite travel supplier?

 

Even before I became a travel consultant I had my favorite travel suppliers.  I would go to their websites first to check out itineraries and pricing.  If I didn’t find something that appealed to me, I would check out other suppliers.  I do the same thing for my clients.  The suppliers I use must pass a few criteria before I will use them:

 

1.  Customer Service – Let’s be honest, I believe customer service has to be held at a high standard because like any company you deal with if they don’t treat you right then they don’t get my business.

 

2.  Travel Industry Reviews – I do read reviews from various travel societies, associations, and forums.  I also take these reviews with a grain of salt.  I am constantly getting emails from suppliers begging me to vote for this title or that title because if they get the most votes then they will be whatever of the year.  I even get these emails from suppliers I have never even used!  So when a review is a title, I take it with a grain of salt.  When the review is a personal experience from the head of the association, I take it into consideration.

 

3.  Customer Reviews – The best review is a past customer.  People will be honest with you about their experiences with the supplier whether it was good or bad.  I have had a couple of clients tell me their stories about a supplier and after reading other reviews, I will either use them or steer clear of using them.

 

4.  Personal Experience – If I have personally used a supplier and really liked them I will use them over and over again.  I will still consider using them even if I get a negative complaint. The experience I had, was worth it, but some time could have passed and the company may have gone in a new direction.

 

I think that personal experience is the major reason why people use the same travel supplier over and over again.  You really get an all encompassing viewpoint of the company and if it works for you then why change it?  I hear over and over again how Disney Cruise line is one of the best cruises that they have ever taken.  I have clients hear the same from other people.  I have never heard or read a bad thing about the Disney Cruise line either.  Would I consider them one of my preferred suppliers, you bet I do!  I also like when suppliers bundle everything in a neat little package for my clients.  For instance, AmaWaterways sends little zippered travel bags with information books, vouchers, luggage tags, etc.  CIE tours sends backpacks with luggage tags and strap, a rain poncho, ticket wallet, maps, and a phone card.  When a supplier provides little packages like this it give me the impression that they want the customer have the best experience possible starting from the moment they receive the package.  After all the saying goes “Presentation is Everything!”

 

So why am I writing an article about preferred suppliers and presentation?  Well, I recently had some great clients of mine book a tour.  I have heard nothing but great things about this company, which will remain unnamed.  I personally had amazing customer service every time I had called and find their website easy to navigate.  I am really excited for their tour in a couple of months but when I got the supplier’s “neat little package” in the mail I literally said to myself, “Huh, this is it?”  I even called the company to ask if something got lost in the mail because I couldn’t believe that was all that they sent.  I went through my checklist: customer service – great, travel industry reviews – great, customer reviews – great, no personal experience.  Maybe my standards are too high or my expectations are too high?  After all, it is about the experience that they will have on the vacation and the memories of a lifetime that they will craft.  But why do I feel like this supplier fell flat with presenting my clients their vacation?

 

I have met a lot of other travel consultants throughout the years and I hear repeatedly that they only send their clients the final document about 2 to 3 weeks prior to the trip.  To me this is not customer service.  This is the same thing that their clients could do booking their trip on the computer.  On top of that they charge a $250 service for their time.  What time?  What service was provided?  And would you consider this service outstanding?

 

When I started my travel agency I wanted to make sure that everyone received exceptional quality and outstanding service each time they used us. This is the motto of our company and it is on my business cards and the first thing you see on our website.  But like I said earlier on in this article, if you don’t like your customer service experience you tend not to go back!  I didn’t have to take long to figure out what type of service our company would provide, it came rather easy to me.  I had to provide something I myself would use and want to use!  I want our company to make it easier and less stress-full to plan a vacation.  I want our company to do all the work planning and organizing so my clients have more time for stuff that they want to do.  I want our company to provide gadgets and gather final documents so that it makes it easier when my client travels.  Our company has done exactly what we set out to do and our clients love it.  So I guess I am just going to have to deal with the fact that not all travel suppliers hold their standards as high as I hold our company’s.  After all, if the client has a great vacation then that is what matters the most to me.

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Romantic Venice, Italy

Liz Hough on

Italy is one of those places in Europe that is a must see.  I know that a lot of people go to Italy for their first European adventure.  Why not, there are so many great cities to visit.  Venice is one of those great Italian cities and in this article I am going to tell you why.

Our hotel room in Venice

 

Venice is in northern Italy along the Adriatic sea.  Venice consists of the mainland and the historic city.  The historic city has the beautiful canals and endless bridges. If you decide to stay in the historic city you will pay more but it is worth the experience. There is nothing like walking out of your hotel in the morning and seeing the gondolas lined up in the water or seeing the vendors getting ready to open their shops.

 

Venice has been around for over a thousand years and some of the buildings date back to this time.  The hotels not so much and they are limited on space.  There is a picture of our hotel room and you can see our luggage is against the cabinet and almost touching the bed.  Also, make sure that you if you want your privacy that you book a hotel room with a bathroom en-suite.  Otherwise, you will really get to know your fellow travelers in ways you weren’t expecting!

Piazza San Marco

Our hotel was located just a few steps from Piazza San Marco or as some people call it Saint Mark’s Square.  This square has been famously shown in many movies including one of my favorites The Italian Job.  There are shops, cafes, and alleyways that lead to those beautiful canals all around the Piazza.  Early in the  morning there is nobody around, not even the pigeons.  By lunch time there are swarms of visitors feeding thousands of pigeons that seem to come from the water.  If you are afraid of birds, I would highly recommend staying away from this area from mid-morning to evening.

Also, part of this large Piazza is the astrological clock.  If you enter into the alleyway under the clock it takes you into a labyrinth of shops, markets, cafes, gelato stands, and restaurants.  It feels like it is never ending and one can easily get lost.  Just enjoy the treats that are offered to you along the way.  On of my husband’s favorite stories to tell is that even though we got lost, we always ended up finding the same gelato stand!  He didn’t really complain since he loved the tiramisu flavored gelato and I didn’t mind it too much either.

One of the most eye catching parts of the Piazza is Saint Mark’s Basilica and Saint Mark’s Campanile (the bell tower to Saint Mark’s Basilica).  The bell tower is an iconic symbol of the this historic city along with the winged lions that symbolize Saint Mark, see picture below.

Astrological Clock

Saint Mark’s Basilica is part of the Catholic church and is open for anyone to take a tour.  In the hot summer months when you may be wearing a sleeveless shirt the Basilica requests your shoulders and knees be covered.  If you don’t have something to cover with they will provide you with a cloth.  Once inside you are mesmerized by marble floors, bright mosaics, and a treasury that boosts one of the largest collections of preserved Byzantine objects.  This is a very popular site and lines can be long.  According to the Basilica’s website, the average wait is 45 minutes.  But they do offer reservations so plan in advance!

 

Bridge of Sighs

Right next to the Basilica is another well-known landmark, Doge’s Palace.  I didn’t know what a Doge was until I went to Venice but a Doge is an elected official.  Typically this was the eldest male in the city and the position was a life-long position.   If you were elected you and your family lived in the Doge’s Palace.  Now the Palace was both a home and work area for the elected official.  It also housed the jail from which the infamous Casanova resided until his escape.  Many prisoners walked over the Bridge of Sighs which was given its’ name because it was the prisoners last glimpse of the beautiful Venetian lagoon before going to jail.  For an amazing experience, ask about a private tour!  We had splurged and taken a VIP tour of the palace.  We went into the work chambers of the all the past Doge’s, which is not typically seen by any tour, and we took secret passage ways around the palace.  We even came out of a tour where a tour group was behind the red rope and thought we were famous people.  Very exciting!

 

Rialto Bridge

Venice is definitely known for it’s beautiful and plentiful canals but the main canal is the Grand Canal.  You can walk up and down the canal and enjoy the site of boats, gondoliers, shops, restaurants, and brightly colored buildings.  The Grand Canal is one of the wider canals that originally split Venice into San Marco and San Polo districts.  The bridge that connected these two was the Rialto Bridge.  Even though there are multiple bridges along the Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge is the oldest.  Many visitors stop along the bridge to get their photo taken over the canal.  Now I really enjoyed see the Grand Canal but I preferred the more intimate canals through the rest of the city.  They had charm, and honestly were not as polluted as the Grand Canal.  I am not sure if it was the time of year, but there was a lot of food and bottles floating in the water.

 

When it comes to souvenirs in Venice purchasing one of the famous masquerade masks or Venetian masks is a must!  We were told to make sure you ask around which are the authentic shops.  There are a lot of stores that sell beautiful porcelain masks but the authentic ones are made from paper mache.  These stores will also ship them for you so you don’t have to worry about making sure your fragile purchase makes it home in one piece.

 

Whichever cities you choose to see on your trip to Italy make sure that you fit in Venice.  If you decide to take a gondola ride make sure that you have the Euros to pay for it.  They can be quite expensive but it is a great way to see the city.  There are a lot of cafes and restaurants so make sure to ask your concierge which ones they recommend.  Whatever you eat will be the best meal of your life but make sure that you save room for some gelato, preferably the tiramisu flavor.

 

 

Venice was my very first European city and I want to say thank you to this beautiful, well-preserved, and romantic city for helping me understand why Life is Better Traveling.

Sailing Away!!!!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Is Flying Stressful? 5 Simple Steps to Calming Your Nerves.

Liz Hough on

Most of us love that feeling of soaring above the clouds and seeing how beautiful the sun reflects off of white cotton balls of softness.

All of a sudden you hit some turbulence and you remember that you are sitting in a confined “sardine can.”  So what happens in your brain to allow you to go from feeling like you are at peace to feeling like, “Please Lord, today is not my day.”

 

I always loved to fly even as a little girl.  The idea of going places was so exciting to me.  Flying to me was no different than driving in the car.  Like most people who become nervous about flying, I too had a bad experience.  In 2001, my husband and I were flying back from a trip to Disney World and there were bad thunderstorm all along the east coast.  Well, when you are flying from Florida to North Carolina there was no way of getting around the storm.  We were on a small Midway plane with maybe 25 passengers and the poor flight attendant tried so hard to serve us drinks and pretzels.  About 30 minutes into the flight even she couldn’t stand up.  She took a seat in the back of the plane with arms stretched out holding herself in place.  The good news was we landed and as I took a second to sit at the terminal to catch my breath the pilots come off the plane.  I am assuming or keep telling myself that this was only pilot humor when the one pilot said, “Man, I didn’t think we were going to make it there for a second.”  Instant FEAR OF FLYING!  It took me 4 years before I could get on a plane again.

 

Now luckily for me I did get on a plane again, but that first time was very rough for me and for those who flew with me.  Now being a travel agent you must be thinking I am crazy.  How can she be a travel agent and not like to fly?  Well, we all have parts of our job we aren’t thrilled about but we put our minds to it and it gets done.  And that is exactly what I did, I PUT MY MIND TO IT!  One bad or poor experience and my brain rewired itself into thinking that I didn’t like to fly.  Well, I had to rewire it to think that I can fly and that I will fly.

Waiting for information on flights after bad weather canceled ours.

So how did I do this:

 

Step 1 I Think I Can!:  From the time I booked my flight until the plane landed at the destination, I told myself that I can fly and I will fly.  I have a personal pep talk I give myself but you should find one that works for you.  Convincing yourself from the beginning gives the mindset that YOU CAN!

 

Step 2 Educate Yourself!:  I started to read stuff on the Internet about how planes work.  I don’t fully understand how my car works and I drive that every day but I do have a basic understanding of it. Even though I am not personally flying the plane, it is good to know what is going on.  There are a lot of noises too so I was curious what they were from.  I also read that turbulence in an airplane is like hitting pot holes in a car.  The planes are built to move along with the wind and pockets of air.  As my questions were answered, I started to realize that planes are extremely sturdy and noisy.

 

Step 3 Draw Yourself a Picture!:  About a month before I got on the plane, I started to picture myself in my seat.  I prefer the window seat because I love looking at the land.  I picture myself sitting in my seat whiles other are boarding, making noise putting their suitcases above me, having the screaming kid sitting near me, which now a days they are sitting with me, staring at the person who looks more nervous than me to fly, etc.  There are many scenarios you can picture but picturing them in a safe environment makes you FEEL safe.  So once you get on that plane you have that same feeling.  Again, mindset.

 

Step 4 Meet New People!:  I love meeting new people.  So as soon as I get on the plane I like to say hello to the flight attendants.  Ask them how they are doing, where they have been, are they almost done for the day is one of my husband’s favorite questions, and sometime we even talk about their families.  This is a more recent conversation topic since I board with two little ones and people love to tell me about their experiences flying with their kids.  It is great as it keeps my mind from thinking of flying.  Maya Angelou said that “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”   The flight attendants may not remember our conversation but every time I have flown they remember me and I get extra pretzels or even the can of soda with the drink.

 

Step 5 Rituals!:  So right before take-off I have a little ritual that my grandmother used to do every time she got into a car or a plane.  She would do her cross.  I find myself doing it not only to myself but to my husband and kids.  My husband and I also like to make sure that we kiss right before we take off, another ritual.  I have heard of a lot of amazing rituals that people do to make themselves feel better.  When they tell me they usually laugh like it may be a bit silly, but if it makes you feel good and helps calm your nerves then do it.  There are more people on that plane who have rituals then don’t.

 

I have come a long way since that flight in 2001.  I have rewired my brain and now the only time I get nervous is during turbulence, even if they are the pot holes of the skies.  Hopefully some of these tips will come in handy the next time you set foot a plane for your next journey.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

 

Cruise Safety : How to be safe on your next cruise.

Liz Hough on

Did you know that crime occurs at sea?  Here are some tips to help you stay safe.

Tip #1:  Don’t leave valuables out in your cabin.  There are several people including cleaning service, food service, and concierge going in and out of your room while you are out and about.  Things can easily go missing and it will be difficult to figure out who took it.

Tip #2:  When you are on the ship act like you are in a foreign country and protest your purse and wallets.  Men should place their wallets in their front pockets, and women should place their pursue on the dinner table or casino table.  Not enough room on the dinner table then place it between your feet.  Try to avoid placing your purse on the back of the chair as it can easily get bumped into and swiped.

 

Tip #3:  Excursions are a great way to see the countries you are traveling.  Staying with a group is the best way to see Colombia, Panama, and Costa Rica.  These countries are beautiful but there are people there who are looking to take advantage of tourists.  Also, Colombia still has travel alerts for tourist so please make sure you are watching your surroundings at all times.  Groups are Safe!

Tip #4:  Try not to roam the ship by yourself late at night when everyone but the crew has retired to their room.  People who commit crimes prefer to have NO witnesses.

 

Tip #5:  Don’t give out information you wouldn’t give to someone over the phone you didn’t know.  New friends, not the friends in this group, but the ones you make while on the cruise don’t need to know your medical history, personal information, or even your exact street address.  Remember, people who scam people have to go on vacation too.  Exchanging email addresses is probably the safest way to commute post cruise beside phone number exchange.

 

The best way to be safe is to be aware of your surroundings at all times.  It is your vacation and your time to relax and enjoy your friends.  You have friends with you to make sure you will have the best SAFE vacation.

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Disney World for All Ages

Liz Hough on

Typically when you think of Disney you think of little children running around to get pictures with Mickey Mouse or their favorite Princess.  It is one of the most fun places to take children and grandchildren but it can also be fun for adults.

 

Disney World has many resorts that will fit all types of budgets which are sure to bring out your Disney side.  Looking for a relaxing day at the adult only spa Senses or take a guided fishing trip where you are sure to catch some nice size bass.

There are fireworks cruises that are sure to amaze your senses as you are surrounded by fireworks above and the reflections below in the water.  What about a Behind the Scenes tour?  Ever wonder how they start the trains in the morning or maybe take a private tour to learn about the history and backstage secrets of Disney.

Consider Disney with your friends.  Here are some tips that are sure to make it an enjoyable and memorable experience.

Tip #1:  Book early. Disney releases reservations for various restaurants and tours up to 180 day prior to arrival.  If you are looking to dine at one of their more high end restaurants or want to take an in demand tour, book on that 180th day!

Tip #2:  You don’t have to go to the parks.  There is a lot that Disney has to offer that is not in one of their parks.  Shopping and eating in Downtown Disney is a whole day event and you don’t have to pay to get in!  Check out MyDisneyExperience.com for all they have to offer.

Tip #3:  Did you know that you can make a dinner reservation at any of the resorts hotels, even if you aren’t staying at that hotel or on property.  Try a luau at the Polynesian Resort or try an intimate seven course dinner at Victoria and Albert’s at the Grand Floridian resort.

Tip #4:  The pool costs nothing!  There are several pools on property that are unique and relaxing.  Spend a day catching some sun and a Margarita or two!

Tip #5:  Is your husband a baseball fan?  Come during spring training and you can watch the Atlanta Braves spring training camp going on at the ESPN world wide of sports complex.

Tip #6:  Try something different.  Have you ever done archery or taken a horse drawn carriage ride while watching the fireworks.  Want more adventure?  Try the Wild Africa Trek where you will cross precarious rope bridges and enjoy up-close views of Nile hippos and crocodiles.

Tip #7:  Call your travel agent to help with setting up something special for you and your group.

The planning process should be fun and exciting but many times there are a lot of decisions to be made.  Just remember that plans can change but once you have made that final decision there is a sigh of relief that comes with knowing your vacation is just around the corner.  Also, don’t forget to invite friends and family so you can start making lasting memories.

 

We have helped HUNDREDS of family make their Disney vacations amazing so let us help you too. Fill out the form below to get started planning your next Disney Vacation.

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

 

Planning Ahead….

Liz Hough on

It is 2018 but not too early to start planning for your 2019 vacation.

 

There are several steps you take when planning a vacation and you may not even realize you are going through them.  Here are some of the initial travel planning steps…..

 

Step 1 “The Thought”:  Do we want to take a big vacation or do we want to do something low key?  This step gets you started thinking about whether or not this year will be the year you take that big overseas trip or do you just want to take a 7 night cruise.

 

Step 2 “Where do we want to go?”:  Now that you have in mind what kind of trip you want to take it is time to decide where you want to take it.  This can be one of the most difficult steps in the process.  There are so many places you want to go but then there are so many places you have been and would like to go back.  How do you decide?  You make a list of just 5 places you want to travel to.  Why 5?  Because you don’t want to make the list too long.  Write some reasons why you want to go each place.  The place that has the most reasons why you want to travel there should be the place you choose to go!

 

Step 3 “How do we want to get around?”:  By step 3 you are moving full steam ahead in the planning of your trip!  Depending on where you are considering going there are several means to get around: cruise, rail, motor coach, or air.  Sometimes you don’t have a choice.  But if you do, consider trying a means of transportation that you haven’t tried before, i.e. a river cruise or the rail system.

 

Step 4 “Call your travel agent”:  This is the easiest step by far.  At this point you have some great ideas that you can’t wait to share with your travel agent.  This is where your travel agent is able to get together some information for you regarding pricing, tours, and time frames so you don’t have to spend precious time searching on the internet.

 

The planning process should be fun and exciting but there are a lot of decisions to be made.  Just remember that plans can change but once you have made that final decision there is a sigh of relief that comes with knowing your vacation is just around the corner.  Also, don’t forget to invite friends and family so you can start making lasting memories.

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

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