Girls just want to have fun!

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My mom and my two sisters are some of my favorite travel companions!

italy-11

We’ve certainly enjoyed vacations with the whole family (husbands, kids, etc.), and we’ve done some great one-on-one trips (mom and I went to Mexico last year, my sister Megan and I cruised to Bermuda, and mom and Kate went to Ireland together) but the most memorable trips have been our annual Girls’ Weekends.

We’ve been doing this since 1998, when my kids were babies and my younger sisters were still in college and law school, and it’s an annual tradition that none of us would ever give up. With the notable exception of our eight-day “weekend” in Italy in 2007, the trips have all been two- or three-day road trips in and around the northeast.

We’ve shopped the outlets in New Hampshire and Maine, hiked in the Catskills, antiqued in New Hope (Pennsylvania), lounged at the spa in Newport, hit the casino at Mohegan Sun, and taken in a Broadway show in NYC. Really, though, it’s not the destination that makes the trip — it’s the fact that we take time away from jobs/husbands/kids and reconnect with one another for some girl time.

girls-weekend

So what’s next for us? I don’t know. We’ve talked about going to Montauk this spring/summer, since we haven’t done the Hamptons yet. And I’d love to do a weekend cruise out of NY (since my mom has never tried cruising). The other new wrinkle is that my soon-to-be 14-year-old daughter has been asking when she gets to start coming along.

So what do you think?  Where should we go next….should we let my daughter tag along….and where would you love to go with your girlfriends?

Royal Caribbean’s Suite Changes

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Royal Caribbean recently announced a list of new perks and amenities for passengers staying in suites. The new benefits, which include everything from VIP seating by the pool to priority spa reservations and upgraded in-cabin amenities, are pretty enticing. If I were considering a balcony cabin or junior suite, I might upgrade just to get the special treatment…but the move is causing some unintended backlash for the cruise line as well.

Some long-time RCCL customers are expressing annoyance at what they think is a move towards a “class system” like they had on the old ocean liners, and others are pointing out that the timing of this announcement could be better. The cruise line just recently announced a surcharge for late night room service orders, and then decided to promote free 24-hour room service as one of the perks for suite guests.

What do you think?

Seize the opportunity!

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I spent the day in Boston yesterday for the “trade day” at the Boston Globe Travel Show.  I attended seminars, networked with other travel agents, and talked to representatives from some of the major travel companies and tourism destinations.

Whenever I go to events like this I come back all charged up about the travel industry, and full of ideas for how to make my business even better than it already is.  This year, I also came back excited about the opportunities for my clients!

Across the board, the consistent message from every tourism professional there was that 2009 is going to be a banner year for travelers, and we will NEVER see these prices again.

Cruise lines were talking about two-for-one deals and free airfare. Hoteliers were talking about free nights, special amenities, and unique inclusions. And tour operators were touting unprecedented savings on trip-of-a-lifetime destinations like China, Antartica and Greenland.

The take away message is this — if you’ve been holding off on a dream vacation because you think you can’t afford it, this is the year to seize the opportunity and take that trip.

What’s next on your bucket list? Post your comment and let me know. Personally, I’m thinking it’s time I visited Alaska, the Norwegian fjords or the Galapagos…

Now THIS is a summer camp!

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I never actually went to summer camp, since I was fortunate enough to grow up in a town on the coast and spend my summer swimming and sailing, but I know that the camps my friends went to were in the woods in New England somewhere and featured campfires, canoeing and crafts. Given the choice, I was happy to stay home and go to the beach.

That being said, I just heard about a new summer camp option that I would have been begging to attend!

Brian Moore Tours, a well-respected specialist for travel to Ireland, is promoting a two-week program called Summer Camp Ireland. Based in Sligo, in the northwest part of Ireland, it combines some great outdoorsy activities (surfing, hiking, horseback riding) with the opportunity to learn about Irish culture and history. Best of all, the kids live in an international “village” where they can get to know other teens from all around the world.

They say that the program is only open to kids ages 12-17.  Think I could sneak in??

If you have a teen who might be interested, let me know. They have a special rate package (including air from Boston or New York) that’s only good for bookings made by March 31st.

LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN

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You provided excellent guidance for us. I appreciated that you really had us think about what was most important to us when we were selecting the right cruise – and not to totally focus on what other people had to say. THANK YOU for helping to make this a memorable trip for our family! It really was a trip of a lifetime!

– Clare and Mark (family cruise to Alaska)

The level of service we experienced was out of this world (and we did NOT make it easy on Ann). We weren’t quite sure where we wanted to go, when we would be able to go, or what “vibe” we were going for. After asking us some key questions (what we liked, didn’t like, why, etc.) Ann helped us narrow down our trip details and planned the honeymoon of our dreams. She helped book some of our excursions, answered some emergency questions while abroad and was always available/willing to help. I think it’s safe to say we won’t be using anyone else for future travel planning – Ann is a rockstar!

– Carli (Italy and Spain)