All Packed Up and Ready to Go

For this trip we are ditching our traditional pack light philosophy. Because we are driving to the port and will not be subject to packing limitations, we've decided to dig the giant roller bag out of storage. This thing is seriously humungous. It's a massive bag. I actually think Mary can fit inside. We spent Sunday night packing everything we will need for seven nights at sea into this blue behemoth. Suits, check. Snorkel and masks, check. Swimsuits, check. Cash, check (this is a necessity above all else for unforeseen situations).

Holland America has a great wine carryon policy, there is no limit and you pay $18 per bottle corkage fee to drink your own in the dining rooms or bars. Wine/champagne can be consumed in your stateroom for no charge. Taking full advantage of this policy, Mary and I paid a visit to Total Wine and bought 12 bottles and a wine bottle carrier. Additionally, you are also free to bring as much water or soda as you want.

After a grueling week of work (last of 2011), finishing my data collection for my PhD, and completing my draft Dissertation Manuscript, I'm ready for this vacation. Check back from time to time, I will be posting updates when we stop in two US ports, San Juan and St Thomas. As Jimmy Buffet sings, "It's Christmas in the Caribbean."

Planning, it is an obsession

This weekend I will be heading up to the big apple for a wedding and it got me thinking. I've had to do very little in preparation for this trip thanks to the due dilligence of the groom (Mar 12 correction, just found out it was the bride!). The best transportation options were identified or prearranged (car service), the hotel was reserved (with a good discount), and a exciting luncheon has been planned. This is one of my few trips where I have had to do very little leg work, which I am appreciative of.
In turn, I have been able to focus on planning my subsequent next big trip (not including the holiday cruise). For now, the plan calls for a return to the countryside of merry old England, urban London, and the enchanting city of light (enlightenment), Paris. The major decision will be whether to go at Christmas or slightly earlier in November 2012.
The impedus for this trip is the fulfillment of a promise to our twelve-year old daughter of a post-bat mitvah trip to a city of her choice, Paris. However, I'm not one to leave well enough alone, so I've tacked on a side trip to the Cotswolds (Bath) and London in pursuit of things Harry Potter (her favorite subject). With the opening of the new London WB Studios Harry Potter tour on the horizon, this trip is shaping up to be unforgettable. Now to get started on the details.
PS - I wonder if a flying charm can be applied to Virgin Atlantic airfare?

10,000 Free Airline Tickets to Japan for Travel Bloggers

My wife just found an interesting story regarding free airline tickets to Japan for those willing to blog about their trip. Considering I have always been fascinated by Japanese society/history and my travel blogging experience, this would opportunity would be great. If your interested read the article here:
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/10-000-free-round-trip-tickets-japan-134142507.html

Weekend of Escapism at Disney

In one week my wife, daughter, and I will be heading over to WDW for our annual birth-a-versary celebration (wedding anniversary and daughter's birthday is Oct 13th). Every year, for the past four, we have spent this event on Disney property. This time we will be returning to the Caribbean Beach resort (this was our first Disney resort together back in 2006).

On the docket will be walk around dinner at the EPCOT food and wine festival, a day at the resort pools, dinner at one of our favorite restaurants (the Liberty Tree), and a special halloween themed haunted horsecarriage ride at the Fort Wilderness (featuring the headless horseman). This is always my favorite time to visit WDW, as the temperature finally starts to drop and the parks are decorated for fall/halloween. It probably doesn't hurt my birthday is right around the corner too.

Interesting Read From a Cruise Ship Insider

I stumbled across these two books last night while looking for new books for the Kindle app. I can honsestly say I have had problems setting them down. I read the first in one day and I'm already halfway through the second. The premise is very interesting and provides a rare peak into the innermost workings never seen by the average cruise ship guest. If you've ever wondered about who really keeps the ship running, where employees disappear to when in port, or what they really think of their American customers, you'll want to read these.

Cruise Confidential: A Hit Below the Waterline: Where the Crew Lives, Eats, Wars, and Parties. One Crazy Year Working on Cruise Ships by Brian David Bruns.
This book details Brian's experience as the first American to succesfully complete a cruise contract in the dining room of a Carnival Cruise line ship. It provides several eye-opening descriptions of how hard (or how little)some employees work for their pay, how hard they party, and how little sleep they get while making their customers experience memorable.


Ship For Brains: Cruise Confidential, Book 2 (Volume 2) by Brian David Bruns.
This is a sequel to Brian's first volume, detailing his experience leaping from an indentured servitude food preparation to high-dollar salesman in the shipboard artwork auction world. It contains closure to circumstances setup in the first book, while detailing the author's personal and career growth. If you have any interest in the greater world of cruise ships, these books will share the nitty gritty details and inside dirt, as well as some of the more personal moments of the varied international crew.

If you decide to purchase any of them, please use my links so I will get credit. Brent A. Terwilliger is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Additional Cruise Costs

As my wife and I approach our holiday cruise (yes, I realize it is still three months away), I've jumped right into the only real aspect that requires any actual planning, shore excursions and shipboard extras. A week ago I submitted our final payment and also began to book the extras associated with cruising. In planning the financial end of a cruise, it is easy to overlook the additional costs, which include:
a) Prepaid gratuities ($11-$14 per person per day)
b) Supplemental dining cover charges ($15 - $39 per person, per meal)
c) Shore excursions ($10 to $5k per person per excursion, really the sky is the limit on the upper cost)
d) Pre-booked Spa treatments (massages, hair cuts, exfoliating treatments, etc...)
e) Pre-purchased wine/alcohol packages
f) additional ammentities/packages (unlimited laundry, suite treatment, spa packages, romantic packages)

All of these additionals can add up quickly, so I like to put a threshold value down for planning purposes. That way I reduce the potential for major surprises at the end of the cruise. I tend to alot $200 - $500 in incidentals in addition to pre-purchased items.

Before booking our shore excursions, I did some easy research on activities that are highly rated/recommended for a port. I started with the cruise line and checked what activities they offer for shore excursions. After, I checked TripAdvisor, looking specifically at the Things to Do category under each port. I also checked Cruise Critics forums and port reviews to find the top rated activities people talk about and recommend. Once I determined which specific activities looked interesting, I began attempting to locate private operators and their associated price.

What I found was that most private operators tend to be lower in cost and some, such as snorkel tours, offer more private experiences. The downside to using a private operator over the cruise line for booking excursions is that if the activity runs late, you run the risk of being held liable for missing the ship departure (and therefore you have to pay to get to the ship or next port of call). However, if you book through the cruise line, it becomes their responsibility to get you back on board. Ultimately, we opted to book two of our excursions through the ship, for a slight increase in price over the private operators, which will give us peace of mind (the point of the trip is to relax). The other two ports, we will disembark and wander around (Old Town San Juan) or relax on the beach (Half Moon Cay).

Our first excursion will be the Ultimate Snorkel in Grand Turk, which I've heard is an amazing experience. Our second excursion will be a Champagne Catamaran Sail & Snorkel to St. John. As a huge snorkeling enthusiast (dived Cozumel, Key Largo reefs, Dry Tortugas, Wekiwa freshwater springs, and various Atlantic seaboard beaches), I'm really looking forward to the crystal clear waters of the caribbean. I may even bring my own dive mask and snorkel (I spent the money I might as well use them).

In addition to booking our excursions, we also made our reservations for dining in some of the alterate dining experiences on board. These dining experiences can be popular, so I did not want to risk not getting in by waiting until the last minute. The downside of making early reservations, is that you have to pay up front for the cover charge. We booked the Pinnacle Grill ($25 per person), Tamarind ($15 per person), and an Evening at Le Cirque ($39 per person, offered a single night in the Pinnacle Grill).

Updated Blogger Interface

Blogger.com has recently updated their online interface. While not perfect, it is an improvement for blogging from my iPad. In the meanwhile, I will probably continue to use BlogPress for offline writing on my iPad, computer, or Phone.