Our Vacation Highlight for December 2022 is Twelve Days of Cruise-mas.
Cruising – Specials – Twelve Days of Cruising
It is that wonderful time of the year once more as Wave Season brings cruise deals to you. Most cruise lines offer different sales perks on their different sailings during the first few months of the year. We at Vocations and Vacations want you to check out cruise page, https://vocationsandvacations.com/cruises/, that includes private websites with different information, specials, and more about each of the various cruise lines that we have as partners.
If you have a destination in mind, let us help book your next vacation by reaching out to us at vacations@vocationsandvacations.com. If not, we can help narrow the search and help you book that wonderful vacation that you need. 2021 was also a difficult year in many respects and we know that you need something to look forward to doing in the future.
With the culmination of the 12 Days of Christmas occurring on January 5th, we present to you the Twelve Days of Cruising:
The twelfth day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me
Twelve days in Fiji,
Eleven days in Alaska,
Ten drink cards,
Nine night cruises,
Eight specialty restaurants,
Seven different continents,
Six cups of coffee,
Five course dinner,
Four different room types,
Three dining times,
Two formal nights, and
A cruise with high tea!
12 – While some people want to explore the 49th state and see the wildlife, others want to experience Fiji and the other side of the world. Take a cruise aboard Princess from Sydney, Australian and visit Fiji. Other lines offer similar itineraries, so there’s additional options for you.
11 – While a roundtrip cruise to Alaska is normally 7-nights and 8 days, a one-way cruisetour allows you to partner up a cruise with a land stay on either end to explore Alaska. Princess partners a 4-day stay before or after your cruise to allow you to explore Mt. Denali and the interior of Alaska. Other cruise lines offer similar stays.
10 – Royal Caribbean sometimes offers a Ten Drink Punch Card on their sailings. These drink cards vary in price, usually around $90 including gratuity, but they allow you to get any drink under $12, thereby offering you the chance to save money on mixed and frozen drinks.
9 – If you have ever wanted to go to the Southern Caribbean, including the ABC Islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, and have a little more than a week of vacation, you can take a 9-night cruise out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale and head down to the Southern Caribbean.
8 – The Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s latest Oasis Class Ship, offers eight different specialty dining options on board for different tastes. Specialty restaurants offer you a chance to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, retirement, or other special occasion.
7 – While not every cruise line offers sailings to every continent, there are smaller, expedition cruise lines who operate sailings to Antarctica in addition to unique places. Most cruise lines offer sailings to the other six continents.
6 – Carnival Cruise Lines offers a coffee loyalty card on their ships. Instead of pre-purchasing drinks, you purchase the drinks as you regularly would and they offer to stamp a loyalty card for that sailing. Once you have ordered six coffee drinks, your next one is free.
5- One thing that many first time cruisers enjoy is the amount of food that is available on the ship. In the main dining rooms you can order as many appetizers, entrees, and desserts as you want. Some specialty restaurants allow you to order unlimited appetizers and desserts but only one entree. While most ships offer other options, almost all offer a Chef’s Table experience. Usually this experience has a tour of the galley after some opening bites. When the tour is completed, you will be in foodie heaven as you will experience tastes and flavor combinations that you won’t find elsewhere.
4- Most cruise lines these days offer four different room types on their ships. These are, from least to most expensive, interior rooms, oceanview rooms, balcony rooms, and suite rooms. There are some cruise lines which offer single rooms, but that is still in the minority of offerings.
Interior rooms are generally the smallest rooms but they have no exterior light, allowing for great sleeping and napping opportunities.
Oceanview rooms are generally about the same size as interior but they feature a porthole or window to look outside the ship and see the weather and the sea.
Balcony rooms, sometimes called verandas, are a little larger than the previous rooms and they allow you to have a place to stand or sit to watch the water. Balcony rooms typically have blackout or room darkening curtains to help block light coming into your room.
Suite rooms range from junior suites, a little bit larger room than a balcony, all the way up to multi-bedroom suites featuring some of the latest and greatest offerings at sea. Suite rooms also usually include a concierge or butler to assist you on the cruise.
3- Most cruise lines offer three different dining times, in addition to the buffet option. These are Early Seating, usually starting sometime between 5:30 and 6:30pm, Late Seating, usually two hours later, and Anytime Dining, although it goes by different names on the different lines, with start times between 5:30 and 9pm. This is also how most cruise lines treat their specialty dining options. No matter your preferred dining time, there are plenty of options available to tantalize your tastebuds.
2- A 7-night cruise normally has two formal nights. Shorter cruises, 3-6-nights, offer one formal night and longer cruises, usually 8-10-nights, offer at least 3 formal nights. There are plenty of other cruise lengths out there and each line has different levels of formality for formal nights.
While some gentlemen dress to impress, including black-tie tuxedo or suits, most men choose to dress like they would for an office job or “Sunday best” including slacks, a button-up shirt, short-sleeved or long-sleeved, with a tie as an option. Some ladies will wear floor-length gowns, while others opt for fancy dresses, cute skirts and tops, and more.
For cruisers who don’t want to dress up, there is always the option to go to the buffet, order room service, or see what other complimentary or additional cost dining options are available.
1 – One thing which some enjoy is celebrating high tea while out at sea. Most cruise lines feature high tea options for sea days. Enjoy proper tea with biscuits (cookies) and little sandwiches.
Our Vacation Highlight for November 2022 is Skagway.
White Pass Rail, Original Street Car, and Amazing Rhubarb – Old Bridge into Skagway
Skagway was our second stop on our Alaska cruise this summer. While there were some landslides in Skagway that left larger ships from calling on Skagway later in the summer, we went on an earlier cruise and allowed us to spend a long day in Skagway. Our ship arrived in Skagway at 8am and we were in port until 7:15pm. This allowed us to go on three different excursions in Skagway.
Skagway was a beautiful location with long summertime hours. One thing that we heard about was the Annual Rhubarb Contest at the Jewell Gardens. We did see some Giant Alaskan Rhubarb that was still growing. We got to see some up close and we saw some from the road.
Our first excursion was the Ghosts and Good Time Girls Walking Tour. As my wife wants to remind you, this is considered a more “adult experience” as there are some risqué elements to the talk from the Madam guiding you through the streets and alleyways. If you elect to do this tour, know that you will have to find your own way back to the cruise terminal as the return trip is not included. There are public transport busses as an option, around $3 per person, or walking back to the terminal. We elected to board the bus as we had to get back for our second tour, Skagway’s Original Street Car Tour. This was a fun excursion where we got to see Skagway from above, drive the streets, go to different areas, including the cemetery, but the best History Lesson came from the Madam guiding us through Skagway’s narrow lanes. Speaking of narrow lanes, our last excursion was the Narrow Gauge Railway along the White Pass Railway Train. We had a fun time, and briefly went into Canada for our turnaround, but that was as far as Canada was allowing cruise passengers to travel at the time. Great aerial views of Skagway, the cruise terminal, and everything in between. We heard more about the White Pass Route throughout the day and were glad that we booked some time aboard the train, especially after hearing all about the route during the day, it was great to take an afternoon train to see where those who headed for gold went north along the trail.
If you want to learn more about Skagway in particular, or Alaska in general, be sure to visit our partner page. If you want us to help book your future travel to Skagway, as a standalone city stay, or part of a land and/or cruise, be sure to reach out to us.
Our Vacation Highlight for August 2022 is Juneau.
State Capital, Mendenhall Glacier, and No Roads Out
Juneau was our first stop on our Alaskan cruise, and it is the state capital. One thing that many people enjoy doing in Juneau is seeing the puppies, Alaskan Husky puppies to be precise. Some in our party decided that they wanted to cuddle the puppies, enjoy a Musher’s Camp where they learned about the Iditarod, got meet the dogs training, and enjoy a ride on a summer training trolley. Others in our party went fishing on the beautiful waters around Juneau. Notice that I said fishing and not catching. We didn’t get to experience catching anything that was worth keeping, but we had a wonderful time enjoying the scenery, heard and saw some whales spouting, and got to experience sea lions from a safe distance. If you want to see the sea lions, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjMlXIxZ2vQ.
While we got to enjoy puppies and fishing, others head to Juneau to experience Mendenhall Glacier, the only glacier accessible by road in southeast Alaska. Many people enjoy seeing this wonderful glacier calving into its lake, while others want to get up close and personal on the land side. Others enjoy Juneau for eating, especially if they want king crab legs at Tracy’s King Crab Shack, not to be confused with Joe’s Crab Shack, where they serve 12oz, or larger, king crab legs, in addition to other delicious bites featuring king crab and locally caught fish. Still others will take the famous Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway to experience Juneau from the air. Breathtaking views and picturesque settings allow you to get an eyeful of beautiful Alaska.
One interesting fact, Juneau is the only state capital that is not accessible by road. You must fly into, or take a boat or ship to get to, Juneau as there are no connecting roads. Juneau, like much of southeast Alaska, is located on an island and the cold temperatures, along with freezing weather, ice flows, and glaciers, make it very expensive to construct a road that connects Juneau with the mainland.
There are plenty of other fun things to do in Juneau, including experiencing salmon runs, whale sighting excursions, searching for bears, walking in the nearby rainforests, and more, but those can wait for another time to be talked about.
If you want to learn more about Juneau in particular, or Alaska in general, be sure to visit our partner page. If you want us to help book your future travel to Juneau, as a standalone city stay, or part of a land and/or cruise, be sure to reach out to us.
Our Vacation Highlight for July 2022 is Branson.
Shows, Museums, and Attractions Galore – Family Friendly
I know that last month I said I was going to talk about the other cities that we stopped in on our way out of Seattle on our Alaskan Cruise, but we decided to take our “right now kids”, AKA kiddos currently in our care, to Branson and we had a blast.
While Branson might not be everyone’s cup of tea, there is seemingly something for everyone in Branson, especially if you love shows and entertainment. Branson has shows and entertainment to suit pretty much any taste. Some are even “Dinner and a Show” shows. Some of the shows that we have seen include “The Showboat Branson Belle”, “The WhoDunnit Hoedown Murder Mystery”, and “Dolly Parton’s Stampede”, but this is not even a tenth of the shows that are available.
While some people live for the entertainment, others want to tour museums and learn about history, even if it is fictional history. If you have some kids who are up for different challenges, consider taking them to WonderWorks as there are a lot of hands-on activities. Even if you don’t have kids, you will probably find yourself having fun like we did during our first time coming to Branson. There are plenty of other places to visit, including the Titanic Museum, another one of our favorite museums, but this one is not as kid friendly, especially for those who can’t read. There are plenty of other museums featuring different types of museums.
While Silver Dollar City brings people back to Branson year after year, other fun places to visit include The Butterfly Palace, the Promise Land Zoo, and the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery. There are other thrill seeking opportunities such as Grand Country with their waterpark, laser tag, go karts, and more, and they even include an All-Inclusive Dine and Stay option, various zip line adventures throughout Branson, and plenty of roller coasters to enjoy.
Branson truly does have something for almost everyone, but don’t think that you will do all of Branson in even a week. You can come back year after year and never repeat the same thing. While we have gone to Branson a few times, we have only done some of the many things that people enjoy. And we didn’t even talk about the food options, Table Rock Lake, or the many highways, byways, and other destinations around Branson. If you want us to plan your Branson adventure, even a fall foliage tour, reach out to us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency.
Our Vacation Highlight for June 2022 is Seattle.
Beautiful, Groovy, Unique, and Picturesque
Over the last few months we have looked at cruise lines, but we should probably get back to some destinations and use a few destinations we saw on our Alaskan cruise. While some Alaskan cruises are Northbound and Southbound, our cruise was a roundtrip out of Seattle. This allowed us to make flights and arrangements in the United States. Part of the reason for this is because when we scheduled our trip, the federal government still required international travelers to test within 24 hours of the flight landing in the United States, but enough of the politics and on to the destination.
Seattle is a wonderful location to experience, including Pike Place Market where we got to see the “Flying Fish” as well as experienced the shops, vendors, and local merchants. We also visited the Space Needle, though we didn’t get to go inside as we ran out of time as we had to rush back to the airport to pick up additional family members. And we should mention the various piers, including Pier 66, Bell Street Cruise Terminal, where the Norwegian ships dock, as we got to see where we would be heading in the days to come as we were taking a cruise to Alaska.
While we didn’t get to do everything there is to do in Seattle, we did get to experience some of the unique museums, locations, and sites that make Seattle a top city to visit in the United States. Others that we didn’t experience, on this visit to Seattle, include Gum Wall, where people continue to leave chewed gum that is an ever-changing artwork, Chihuly Garden and Glass, where beautiful sculptures are made with glass, and the Washington State Ferries, where you can experience Seattle, and the state of Washington, via the water. While we didn’t ride the ferry, we got to see the Seattle Ferris Wheel, on Pier 57, nearby and a ferry bringing passengers and vehicles to Seattle.
Oh, and we should not forget about Mount Rainier. While we were heading back to SeaTac, we rounded a bend in the road and saw Mount Rainier in all it’s glory. No clouds were in the sky to block the view and the picturesque mountain was wonderfully in focus for a few seconds before the traffic stood at a standstill allowing us to get several wonderful photographs.
Seattle is not the only destination that we will cover in the next few months from our Alaskan cruise vacation, but it is a wonderful city that has many unique opportunities and is a vacation destination in itself. While we spent two days in Seattle before our cruise, this time, we figure that we will be visiting this groovy city several more times in the future for different vacation experiences. If you want to book a cruise out of Seattle, or simply use Seattle as a gateway to a Northbound cruise, which departs from Vancouver, or a final destination for a Southbound cruise, as Seattle airfare is usually cheaper than an international flight from Vancouver, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help you with your vacation planning.
Our Vacation Highlight for May 2022 is Celebrity Cruises.
Le Petit Chef Entertainment Dining – Galapagos – Magic Carpet
This month we look at a sister cruise line to Royal Caribbean International as we turn to Celebrity Cruises. Celebrity, much like Holland America and Princess, are classified as a Premium Mass Market Cruise Line. They have some of what the Luxury Lines offer, with enhanced dining and opportunities for a more All-Inclusive Cruise cost with few extras not included in the prices shown but offer more affordable pricing, in line with many of the Mass Market Lines.
Celebrity is known for offering some of the best food at sea, including in their included dining options. There are always ways to take the dining up a notch by including an evening at specialty dining, but the food offerings in the Main Dining Room are already wonderful. The dining onboard features menus prepared by Michelin-starred Chef Cornelius Gallagher as well as newly added Michelin-starred Chef Daniel Boulud. Celebrity has teamed up with Skullmapping presented by TableMation to offer Le Petit Chef which choreographs a virtual chef preparing your meal and then your server brings your plated meal, and it is exactly as pictured on your plate.
Celebrity has also brought innovation to their latest ships by offering the Magic Carpet, which includes an opportunity to dine when out at sea called Dinner on the Edge. The Magic Carpet is a moveable extension of the ship that is used during boarding as well as a relaxing place to take in the surrounding environment while out at sea. In addition to the Magic Carpet, the newer ships also feature Eden, a garden escape at sea with its own entertainment and restaurant.
Several of the cruise options include overnight stops at different destinations, allowing you to experience more of the locations that you want to visit. While many Americans might want to cruise in the Caribbean to experience the warm waters or Alaska to take in the breathtaking scenery, others want to experience different European destinations or even the Galapagos Islands. Because of the requirements for Galapagos cruises, only certain ships are permitted to sail in the waters around the Galapagos. Celebrity features three ships that sail to the Galapagos, the Celebrity Flora hosting 100 guests, the Celebrity Xpedition hosting 48 guests, and the Celebrity Xploration hosting only 16 guests. These ships feel more yacht-like than cruise ship, so you will get to know everyone taking care of you, including the captain.
There is plenty more to experience with a Celebrity Cruise, and you can check out some of those things by visiting our partner site. If you want to book, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help schedule your next vacation so that you can look forward to exploring this wonderful world of ours!
Our Vacation Highlight for April 2022 is Princess Cruises.
Discovery at SEA – Alaska CruiseTours – Puppies on the Piazza
This month we look at a sister cruise line to Holland America Line as we turn to Princess Cruises. Princess has some of the same reputations as Holland America Line, but Princess Cruises have been trending younger over the last decade. Part of the reason for this is that they are bringing a little more fun, but with a level of sophistication, which brings families across the generations onboard.
Princess has that premium feel, with costs closer to mainstream cruise lines, including sister line Carnival, as well as competitors from Royal Caribbean and Norwegian. Many people will say that if you are looking for a cruise to Alaska, especially a cruise that involves a land tour before or after the cruise, look at Princess. While other lines are branching out toward Denali, Princess is the gold standard for their decades of service to Alaska, as well as other markets.
While Holland America Line partnered with BBC Earth, Princess has partnered with Discovery Communication to bring Discovery at SEA which brings Discovery and Animal Planet entertainment, guides, and activities aboard their ships. Combine this with Movies Under the Stars and you have wonderful entertainment, without even talking about stage shows, live music, and other poolside activities. If you go on a cruise to Alaska, don’t forget about Puppies on the Piazza as they bring Huskie Puppies aboard for you to pet, fawn over, and cuddle while you learn more about the Iditarod and other races where these dogs compete.
While all cruise lines offer buffets and main dining rooms, along with specialty dining, some of the best pizza at sea can be found at the Pizzeria onboard their ships. And don’t forget about the 24-hour pastries, desserts, coffee, and more at the International Café. Princess has partnered with Curtis Stone to offer SHARE by Curtis Stone, along with standard specialty dining options of a steakhouse, Italian, French, Japanese, and more. Some of their cruise ships have even elevated the Chef’s Table experience with Chef’s Table Lumiere, and if you don’t want to go to dinner, you can have dinner on your balcony with the Ultimate Balcony Dining.
There is plenty more to experience on a Princess Cruise, but we just want to whet your appetite so that you can experience everything once you are onboard. If you want to relive your younger days watching The Love Boat, we can help put you on a ship that brought joy to you. Be sure to check out our partner site to learn more about Princess Cruises. If you want to book, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help schedule your next vacation so that you can look forward to exploring this wonderful world of ours!
Our Vacation Highlight for March 2022 is Holland America Line.
Live Music – Exquisite Dining – Storied Past
We return, after a brief hiatus, to looking at the different cruise lines that offer wonderful vacations around the world. This month we turn our focus to Holland America Line, HAL for short. Some will think that HAL is for old people, and that would be the general rule about 20 years ago. Since then, HAL has had some wonderful partnerships with different venues to try to bring the average age of cruisers down, but it is not as “Fun” as sister line Carnival.
While other ships may have larger, more expansive sets and main theater performances, HAL has decided to go with live music across their fleet. HAL has partnered with Billboard Onboard, B.B. King’s Blues Club, Lincoln Center Stage, and Rolling Stone Rock Room to offer different music tastes onboard for their clients. They have also partnered with Step One Dance Company to offer two different shows, Humanity and Stages, which adds technology to contemporary dance. They have also partnered with BBC Earth in Concert which offers cultivated experiences found on BBC Earth with live music performed before your ears.
For the foodies among you, Holland America Line has created the Culinary Council which brings experience, passion, and creativity to the main dining rooms across the fleet. Add to this specialty restaurants, especially Master Chef Rudi Sodamin’s award-winning take on French cuisine, Rudi’s Sel De Mer, and Master Sushi Chef Andy Matsuda’s Nami Sushi, and Master Mixologist and James Beard Awardee Dale DeGroff crafting signature cocktails and James Suckling bringing wine pairings from around the world, you will be saying, “Bon Apetit” after an exquisite evening.
For the port lovers among the crowds who flock to HAL, they offer Explorations Central which bring history and experience to life as they have different presenters who talk about the ports that will be visited, bring cultural performances to you, and bring the culinary traditions onboard so that you can eat like a local.
Combine all these features with a mid-size ship experience and you have a wonderful vacation that the whole family will love. While other cruise lines might have more exciting, thrilling, or adventure, HAL has sophistication and prestige behind the cruise ship logo. This is especially fitting as they have been sailing since 1873. With a long, storied history behind them, and with new adventures before them, Holland America Line might be just what you want in a vacation.
If you want to learn more about Holland America Line visit our partner site, by clicking here to take you there.
HAL might be the right fit for you, or it might not, but if you want to see what other options there are in this fabulous world, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help book your next vacation and look forward to exploring this wonderful world again!
Our Vacation Highlight for February 2022 is Globus Tours – Germany and Oberammergau.
Reformation Tour – Footsteps of Luther – Passion Play
This month we proudly feature our partners at Globus Tours as they offer wonderful religious tours including the Holy Land, Germany and the Lutheran Reformation, as well as the Swiss Reformation and the English Reformation. This is in addition to all the other wonderful destinations that Globus Tours offers. To view learn a little more about Globus Tours, click here.
To learn more about the cities, tours, and more to do in Germany, visit our destination site of Germany by clicking here.
While we have already touched on Oberammergau and the Passion Play, in March 2019, there is much more to learn about the Passion Play featuring the town folk from Oberammergau. We highlighted Wittenberg, the start of the Lutheran Reformation, in October 2020. We highlighted Luther’s life especially in November 2019.
Our Vacation Highlight for January 2022 is Wave Season and Cruising.
Cruising – Specials – Twelve Days of Cruising
It is that wonderful time of the year once more as Wave Season brings cruise deals to you. Most cruise lines offer different sales perks on their different sailings during the first few months of the year. We at Vocations and Vacations want you to check out cruise page, https://vocationsandvacations.com/cruises/, that includes private websites with different information, specials, and more about each of the various cruise lines that we have as partners.
If you have a destination in mind, let us help book your next vacation by reaching out to us at vacations@vocationsandvacations.com. If not, we can help narrow the search and help you book that wonderful vacation that you need. 2021 was also a difficult year in many respects and we know that you need something to look forward to doing in the future.
With the culmination of the 12 Days of Christmas occurring on January 5th, we present to you the Twelve Days of Cruising:
The twelfth day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me
Twelve days in Fiji,
Eleven days in Alaska,
Ten drink cards,
Nine night cruises,
Eight specialty restaurants,
Seven different continents,
Six cups of coffee,
Five course dinner,
Four different room types,
Three dining times,
Two formal nights, and
A cruise with high tea!
12 – While some people want to explore the 49th state and see the wildlife, others want to experience Fiji and the other side of the world. Take a cruise aboard Princess from Sydney, Australian and visit Fiji. Other lines offer similar itineraries, so there’s additional options for you.
11 – While a roundtrip cruise to Alaska is normally 7-nights and 8 days, a one-way cruisetour allows you to partner up a cruise with a land stay on either end to explore Alaska. Princess partners a 4-day stay before or after your cruise to allow you to explore Mt. Denali and the interior of Alaska. Other cruise lines offer similar stays.
10 – Royal Caribbean sometimes offers a Ten Drink Punch Card on their sailings. These drink cards vary in price, usually around $90 including gratuity, but they allow you to get any drink under $12, thereby offering you the chance to save money on mixed and frozen drinks.
9 – If you have ever wanted to go to the Southern Caribbean, including the ABC Islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, and have a little more than a week of vacation, you can take a 9-night cruise out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale and head down to the Southern Caribbean.
8 – The Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s latest Oasis Class Ship, offers eight different specialty dining options on board for different tastes. Specialty restaurants offer you a chance to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, retirement, or other special occasion.
7 – While not every cruise line offers sailings to every continent, there are smaller, expedition cruise lines who operate sailings to Antarctica in addition to unique places. Most cruise lines offer sailings to the other six continents.
6 – Carnival Cruise Lines offers a coffee loyalty card on their ships. Instead of pre-purchasing drinks, you purchase the drinks as you regularly would and they offer to stamp a loyalty card for that sailing. Once you have ordered six coffee drinks, your next one is free.
5- One thing that many first time cruisers enjoy is the amount of food that is available on the ship. In the main dining rooms you can order as many appetizers, entrees, and desserts as you want. Some specialty restaurants allow you to order unlimited appetizers and desserts but only one entree. While most ships offer other options, almost all offer a Chef’s Table experience. Usually this experience has a tour of the galley after some opening bites. When the tour is completed, you will be in foodie heaven as you will experience tastes and flavor combinations that you won’t find elsewhere.
4- Most cruise lines these days offer four different room types on their ships. These are, from least to most expensive, interior rooms, oceanview rooms, balcony rooms, and suite rooms. There are some cruise lines which offer single rooms, but that is still in the minority of offerings.
Interior rooms are generally the smallest rooms but they have no exterior light, allowing for great sleeping and napping opportunities.
Oceanview rooms are generally about the same size as interior but they feature a porthole or window to look outside the ship and see the weather and the sea.
Balcony rooms, sometimes called verandas, are a little larger than the previous rooms and they allow you to have a place to stand or sit to watch the water. Balcony rooms typically have blackout or room darkening curtains to help block light coming into your room.
Suite rooms range from junior suites, a little bit larger room than a balcony, all the way up to multi-bedroom suites featuring some of the latest and greatest offerings at sea. Suite rooms also usually include a concierge or butler to assist you on the cruise.
3- Most cruise lines offer three different dining times, in addition to the buffet option. These are Early Seating, usually starting sometime between 5:30 and 6:30pm, Late Seating, usually two hours later, and Anytime Dining, although it goes by different names on the different lines, with start times between 5:30 and 9pm. This is also how most cruise lines treat their specialty dining options. No matter your preferred dining time, there are plenty of options available to tantalize your tastebuds.
2- A 7-night cruise normally has two formal nights. Shorter cruises, 3-6-nights, offer one formal night and longer cruises, usually 8-10-nights, offer at least 3 formal nights. There are plenty of other cruise lengths out there and each line has different levels of formality for formal nights.
While some gentlemen dress to impress, including black-tie tuxedo or suits, most men choose to dress like they would for an office job or “Sunday best” including slacks, a button-up shirt, short-sleeved or long-sleeved, with a tie as an option. Some ladies will wear floor-length gowns, while others opt for fancy dresses, cute skirts and tops, and more.
For cruisers who don’t want to dress up, there is always the option to go to the buffet, order room service, or see what other complimentary or additional cost dining options are available.
1 – One thing which some enjoy is celebrating high tea while out at sea. Most cruise lines feature high tea options for sea days. Enjoy proper tea with biscuits (cookies) and little sandwiches.
Our Vacation Highlight for December 2021 is Disney Cruise Line.
Disney Wish – Mickey Mouse & Friends – Animator’s Palate
This month we continue with our look at different cruise lines. Since we have covered Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and NCL, the next cruise line that we want to bring to your attention is Disney Cruise Line (Disney). Disney started in the cruise game years ago, but it wasn’t Disney directly but “The Big Red Boat” with Premier Cruises in the early to mid-1980s. Disney decided to get fully into the cruise scene in 1993 and terminated its agreement with Premier Cruises. Fast forward to the late 90s, and Disney introduced the Disney Magic as an upscale ocean liner.
One thing that sets Disney apart from the other cruise lines is that their ships have the classic look of an ocean liner. As you are looking out, watching the different ships as they dock, you will notice that Disney ships have the classic looks, while other ships catch the eye with different things, some gimmick, some standard for a particular line. An in cabin thing that sets Disney apart from other cruise lines is the split bathrooms. Instead of having the commode and shower in the same space, Disney splits them into two different spaces, each with a hand washing sink, to allow multiple people to get ready at the same time.
One thing that fully separates Disney apart from the other cruise lines is the many and various characters that they have on their ships. It is usual to see Mickey and Minnie, as well as Donald and Daisy, out and about on the ships, but you will find other characters, including older favorites such as Chip and Dale. If you have a fan of princesses in your family, there are plenty of princesses on board to meet and greet. And with Disney acquiring Marvel and Star Wars, there are a few sailings each year that are special because you can meet your favorite superhero, or super villain, or your favorite galaxy hero, or villain, at sea.
And we haven’t mentioned Disney’s love of storytelling. The shows each tell a story, but so does the dining. Instead of spending each night in the Main Dining Room, Disney ships have multiple Main Dining Rooms and your waitstaff travels with you across the ship as you eat at each restaurant, that way they know your favorites and have them ready and waiting for you. Animator’s Palate is a favorite of many guests as you can see an animated chef prepare your dinner, and, voila, your plate is served in the exact same manner as prepared before your eyes. It’s a must see.
These have only been a few of the things that you can do on a Disney Cruise Line sailing, but there is so much more. If you want to learn more about Disney visit our partner site, by clicking here to take you there.
Disney has lots of options for the Disney fan in each family, but if you want to see what other options there are in this fabulous world, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help book your next vacation and look forward to exploring this wonderful world again!
Our Vacation Highlight for November 2021 is Norwegian Cruise Line.
Freestyle – Free at Sea – Observation Deck
This month we continue with our look at different cruise lines. Since we have covered Royal Caribbean and Carnival, the next cruise line that we want to bring to your attention is Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). While we have personally sailed on Royal Caribbean and Carnival, we have been trying to set sail on an NCL cruise for the last two years. We wanted to celebrate as Sam graduated with her Master’s Degree in 2020, but the pandemic caused us to miss the last two times we tried to set sail for Alaska. But we are undaunted, and people say that the third time’s the charm, so we are looking forward to leaving Seattle on a Norwegian cruise ship.
While Carnival has Fun and Royal Caribbean has Wow, the keyword for Norwegian Cruise Line is Freestyle, or Free for short. Part of this is in their advertising as they promote Free At Sea, where you can select different options to have on your sailing. Part of the Free At Sea program is options that include: Premium Beverage Package, Specialty Dining, Internet, and/or Shore Excursion Credit at each port. In addition to these perks, sometimes NCL has Kids Sail Free and/or Free Airfare from select Gateways. NCL runs specials throughout the year where you can Choose 5 options instead of the standard Choose 2 options for your sailing.
One thing that sets NCL apart from the other two cruise lines that we have looked at so far is the inclusion of a drink package as an option if you don’t want to have to worry about paying for your drinks on the ship. This is a popular option for those who like drinking as it includes some alcohol choices, as well as a lot of beer options, plus soda, Pepsi products. If you want to include more alcohol choices, you can upgrade to the Premium Plus Beverage Package as that also includes bottled water, still and sparkling, for an additional fee.
While some people enjoy eating at the Main Dining Room each night, other people want to celebrate by enjoying specialty dining as they are on vacation. Sure, it costs a little extra, but you sometimes need to further celebrate getting away from the hum-drum of everyday life and enjoy the little things. While the Main Dining Room has plenty of options each night on the menu, there are some who want to visit a nice Steakhouse, go for Italian, French, Mexican, Seafood, Teppanyaki, or something different. NCL even has a Churrascaria, a Brazilian Steakhouse where Gauchos bring meat to your table like at Fogo de Chao, Texas de Brazil, and other restaurants, on some of their ships. And we shouldn’t forget about Q Texas Smokehouse (BBQ) and Food Republic where you order different small plate for personal consumption or to share, Tapas style, with others in your group.
Another thing that sets NCL apart from the other cruise lines, along the lines of Freestyle, is that they don’t have set dining times. While other cruise lines are slowly opening up similar concepts to Freestyle Dining times, anytime between 5 and 9pm, NCL was the first at sea to eliminate the set dining times, think 6pm and 8:30pm for main dining room seating times. The reason for this is because different people eat at different times, and some people eat at different times different nights. If you’re in port until 8pm, you don’t want to have a 6pm dining time. You can reserve your time in advance, or you can show up and hope to be seated shortly, but sometimes the wait can be long. By having at least 2 main dining rooms on the ship, if one is busy, the other might have open seating. This can usually be viewed on the app if you want to use your phone. Also, because of their Freestyle concept, say goodbye to Formal Night. This isn’t to say that you won’t see dresses and suits and ties, or even tuxedos, but you don’t have to dress up to be seated in the main dining room on “Dress Your Best Or Not” night.
One reason that we looked forward to sailing on NCL to Alaska was because their newer ships, the Bliss and the Encore especially, are some of the youngest ships at sea sailing to Alaska. The youngest fleet sailing to Alaska, headlined by these two ships, offers stunning views from the Observation Deck at the front of the ship on these newer builds. Lots of glass means lots of views where the cold air cannot get to you, but if you go to Alaska, you really want a Balcony cabin. The balcony cabin is a little more expensive, but sometimes sitting on your balcony, wrapped up in a blanket to stay nice and warm, while sipping on some hot coffee or hot chocolate while you take in the calving of the glaciers is worth the extra expense.
This has only been a part of the things that you can do on a Norwegian Cruise Line, but there is so much more. If you want to learn more about Norwegian you can visit our partner site, by clicking here to take you there.
NCL has many different Freestyle concepts that you might want to enjoy and we can put you on a NCL cruise, but if you want to see what other options there are in this fabulous world, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help book your next vacation and look forward to exploring this wonderful world again!
Our Vacation Highlight for October 2021 is Carnival Cruise Line.
Fun – Shaq’s Big Chicken – Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast
While some people enjoy visiting different parts of this world, others don’t like the constant need to unpack and pack when you get ready to visit another area. That’s one advantage that a cruise offers over other multi-destination vacations. Last month, and for the next few months we will be featuring different cruise lines, some ocean lines, others river cruises, that allow you to get out and visit the world.
Our first cruise that we took happened to be on Carnival Cruise Line. The reason for this stems from my family. My brother married someone whose family took her on cruises over the years. After they got married, they went on a Carnival cruise, but I wasn’t able to go with them due to scheduling conflicts. I knew that when I got married, I wanted my honeymoon to be on a cruise and Carnival fit our schedule.
If you know anything about Carnival Cruise Line, you know that Carnival desires to put the Fun in everything. Different cruise lines have different keywords that they use and Carnival even puts Fun in their Loyalty Status, Very Important Fun Person, or VIFP for short. Carnival even has a “CFO”, a Chief Fun Officer who happens to be a popular superstar, Shaq.
Speaking of Shaq, that brings us to Carnival’s latest ship, Mardi Gras, which features Big Chicken, a new venture from Shaq, serving delicious fried chicken. But Shaq is not the only celebrity to have a restaurant onboard the Mardi Gras, Emeril’s Bistro 1396 from Emeril Lagasse, Rudi’s Seagrill from Rudi Sodamin, and Guy’s Pig and Anchor Smokehouse from Guy Fieri are also found onboard the first Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) propelled ship in Carnival’s fleet.
While most ships in Carnival’s fleet don’t have this many specialty restaurants featuring celebrity chefs, there are many other wonderful places to eat. Carnival’s steakhouses, known under different names on different ships, are some of the best additional fee steakhouses at sea. If you want a delicious steak, or look forward to some mushroom soup, you can be sure to find good food onboard. Be sure to check the Fun Times for scheduled cooking demonstrations to see how they cook and try a few different bites onboard.
Many families enjoy cruising, and it’s hard not to when there are so many different things to do onboard. For those adventurous kids in the family, the kids clubs, Camp Ocean for 2-11, Circle “C” for 12-14, and Club O2 for teens, will keep them busy, but most kids will be found splashing around WaterWorks on warm days, enjoying the video arcade, and looking forward to the Dr. Seuss inspired events throughout the day. Start your morning with Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast with Thing 1 and Thing 2 and be sure to visit Cherry on Top, Carnival’s candy store.
There are plenty of adventures to be had aboard, but there is something to be said about relaxing on the pool deck, finding a quiet spot to relax, or reading a book and then taking a nap in your stateroom. Many mornings you could find us sitting on the balcony with a cup of coffee in hand and listening to the ocean, enjoying the views, and trying to spot flying fish as we sailed along the ocean. Oh, and don’t forget Afternoon Tea where you can sip tea, enjoy conversations, and try different pastries.
This has only been a part of the things that you can do on a Carnival cruise, but there is so much more. If you want to learn more about Carnival visit our partner site, by clicking here to take you there.
Carnival puts the Fun in Fun at Sea and we can put you on a Carnival cruise, but if you want to see what other options there are in this fabulous world, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help book your next vacation and look forward to exploring this wonderful world again!
Our Vacation Highlight for September 2021 is Royal Caribbean International.
North Star – AquaTheater – FlowRider Surf Simulator – Solarium
While some people enjoy visiting different parts of this world, others don’t like the constant need to unpack and pack when you get ready to visit another area. That’s one advantage that a cruise offers over other multi-destination vacations. For the next few months we will be featuring different cruise lines, some ocean lines, others river cruises, that allow you to get out and visit the world.
We have enjoyed a few different cruises up to this point, but we have more booked in the months ahead. The first one that we have booked happens to be on Royal Caribbean. Part of the reason for this is that the ships are as much of a destination as the places that they visit. Royal Caribbean International features some of the largest cruise ships at sea, especially the Oasis Class ships, as well as some unique features, the Quantum Class. The Quantum of the Seas was the first ship to have the “North Star”, a mechanical arm that can move up and down, as well as side to side, to get some fantastic views of the ship and the surrounding area, but in port the arm is limited to up and down only, so as to not interfere with other ships in the area.
Another unique thing about Royal Caribbean is the Ice Skating Rink, as well as Ice Shows, that are offered on almost all of their ships. Let the professional skaters dazzle you with their moves, and you might even take in a drone show before the skating starts, and then hit the ice at other times during your cruise. Not to be outdone by the thrills and chills of the Ice Shows, some of Royal Caribbean’s ships offer Water Theater Shows, in the AquaTheater on Oasis Class ships, as divers, dancers, and more, put on a fantastical show that has you holding your breath as the divers jump from up to 30 feet above the water and put on a wonderful performance. Last, but certainly not least, is the Main Theater Production, and other performances throughout the ship, that are put on by talented singers, dancers, and musicians. There is even a roving pianist who will ride the elevator with you and sing you to your destination (not in the elevator at the time of this writing due to COVID protocols).
If you want fun and adventure, almost every ship in the fleet has a FlowRider surf simulator, a 40 foot long wave simulator, for surfing and boogie boarding. Most ships in the fleet feature water slides, putt putt golf, ziplines, rock climbing, sports courts, arcades, kids clubs, teen clubs, and more.
If you want a little more relaxation, every ship offers the Solarium, an adults, 16 and up, only retreat that is, usually, serene. All the ships in the fleet offer different spa services for that extra pampering that is needed from time to time.
This has only been a part of the things that you can do on a Royal Caribbean International cruise, but there is so much more. We didn’t even talk about the food, drinks, and private destinations.
Royal Caribbean International cruises offer plenty in the way of fun and sun, or relaxing and recharging, but we have some more wonderful surprises in the months ahead. If you want to see what other options there are in this fabulous world, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help book your next vacation and look forward to exploring this wonderful world again!
Our Vacation Highlight for August 2021 is Belize.
Great Blue Hole – Belize Barrier Reef – Eclectic Food Options
Just below our neighbor to the south, Mexico, sits the tiny country of Belize. Belize is also bordered by Guatemala, on the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea laps upon the shoreline of Belize’s east coast. Belize is slightly larger than New Jersey with less people living there than Wyoming, about 420,000 estimated in 2020. But enough about the size of Belize as I know you want to know what there is to do in Belize.
Many people head to Belize to enjoy the water life along the east coast. The Belize Barrier Reef is a section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, stretching from Cancun to Honduras, and features plenty of scuba diving and snorkeling adventures for those who like to see what life is like under the water. If you want a thrilling adventure, take a tour of the Great Blue Hole, about 43 miles offshore. Topside the weather is great for other water activities, including fishing, kayaking, rafting, and a simple day at one of the 450 Cays (islands) that make up Belize. You should enjoy the warm weather, around 75 for a high in January ranging up to 81 in July, along the coast while the mainland portion can get a little warmer each day. Another thing that might interest you is the forests, jungles, and wildlife reserves. There are plenty of adventures waiting for you if you enjoy flora, fauna, and food.
The cuisine that Belize offers is eclectic, just as the citizens that make up the country. If you are looking for Mexican or Central American cooking, you will be sure to find your favorite dishes, but if you like Jamaican and Caribbean food, you’ll be in luck as well. Add to that sizeable Chinese and Indian communities, and you can usually find your favorite dishes if you search a bit. Seafood seems to be a staple of most water connected countries and you will be hard pressed to find fresher fish from your friendly neighborhood restaurant.
If you want to learn more about Belize visit our partner site, by clicking here to take you there.
Belize continues to be a country that attracts many Americans due to its close proximity, wonderful weather, and abundant opportunities for adventure. There are plenty of other options for someone who wants to relax on the beach, explore Mayan civilization, or let your taste buds tantalize you. If you want to book a vacation to Belize, or if want to see what other options there are in this fabulous world, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help book your next vacation and look forward to exploring in this wonderful world again!
Our Vacation Highlight for July 2021 is Victoria, British Columbia.
Buchart Gardens – City of Gardens – Breathtaking Beauty
Sailings to Alaska are a go from Seattle, but in a “normal year” the cruise lines have to satisfy the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA, also incorrectly called the Jones Act as that Act applies to cargo ships) that requires a foreign flagged vessel to stop at a non-United States port. Many cruise ships satisfy this requirement by stopping for a few hours at Victoria, British Columbia.
Victoria sits on an island just northwest of Seattle, and west of Vancouver, with average highs between 65 and 75 during the main cruise season, May through September. Summer-time lows are around 50, so plan on bringing some cool weather gear, and dress in layers, as you go out and about. Or is that aboot, eh?
In addition to the famed Buchart Gardens, Victoria is the “City of Gardens” with plenty of beautiful flowers decorating the city. Even the city streets greet the summer with hanging baskets beginning in June. Also in June, around the third weekend of the month, is the Victoria Indigenous Cultural Festival that highlights those first settlers of Canada.
Like most seafaring locations, there are plenty of water activities to keep you interested, even if the swimming might not be as good due to the colder temperatures of the water. Speaking of water, many restaurants feature local ingredients where you can see the sustainability of farm to table practices.
Although some consider Victoria to be one stop among many, many people head to Victoria to get away from the hustle and bustle of Seattle or Vancouver, relax and take in a garden, and explore this wonderful port city. If you want to visit Victoria on an Alaskan cruise in the future, or want to see what other options there are in this fabulous world, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help book your next vacation and look forward to exploring in this wonderful world again!
Our Vacation Highlight for June 2021 is The Islands of the Bahamas.
Beaches – Conch Fritters – Kalik Beer
We previously highlighted Nassau in our December 2019 Vacation Highlight, but this time we want to highlight all of the Islands of the Bahamas at the present moment because there are many people wanting a vacation and the Bahamas are open for travel, but you will need a Bahamas Travel Health Visa prior to traveling. More information about the current travel requirements can be found here.
There are 700 breathtaking islands that make up the Bahamas with plenty of beaches, ocean, and breathtaking beauty to enjoy. Part of the joy of traveling to the Bahamas is that some of the islands are as close as 50 miles from Miami, so it is incredibly easy to get to, and the water averages 80 degrees year round. With warm, clear water, and with incredible views, it is a pleasant place to dive and snorkel.
Foodies can be sure to enjoy conch, either served ceviche style or as a fritter, Bahamian rock lobsters, and local favorites such the aptly named Bahama Mama or Kalik Beer (a beer created for the Bahamas with help from Heineken), Sands Beer, and other local breweries. And, being near the ocean, seafood makes up a lot of the diet of locals, as do pigeon peas, rice, and plenty of spice.
Many of the cruise lines offer private island destinations and there are many All-Inclusive Resorts, in addition to Atlantis, as the warm weather, beautiful beaches, and clear water bring vacationers back year after year. There are plenty of different opportunities to enjoy a relaxing beach day, some fine dining, and exhilarating golf courses.
If you want to learn more about The Islands of the Bahamas, visit our partner site, by clicking here to take you there.
If you are looking for some fun in the sun, exploring the wonderful warm weather , or looking to get away on a cruise, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help book your next vacation and look forward to exploring in this wonderful world again!
Our Vacation Highlight for May 2021 is Mexico.
History – Food – Fun
We have previously highlighted Puerto Vallarta, May of 2020, and Cozumel, September of 2019, if you want to dig a little deeper into those offerings, but we wanted to highlight Mexico, as a whole, this month as there are many different opportunities for fun and sun, as well as culinary adventures, historical tours, and more at beaches, resorts, cruise ports, as well as the other cities that make up Mexico.
If you are a history buff, you know that the Aztecs and the Mayans were previously in different parts of Mexico. The Aztecs built up Tenochtitlan, at the heart of modern day Mexico City, as a beautiful capital on an island in Lake Texcoco. The Mayans, meanwhile, were more costal people and thrived near the water. One of the great pyramids, Chichen Itza, is part of the New 7 Wonders of the World and welcomes more than 2.5 million guests to experience the land of the Mayans.
If you’re a foodie, or if you love Mexican food, there are plenty of delicious options for you to enjoy, even if they don’t have your favorite combo available. More costal options feature more fresh fish on the menu, while others might enjoy trying some traditional options, including turkey or rabbit tamales. Fresh hand-made tortillas are always better than what you typically find at the megamart and are served alongside your favorite items. Be sure to keep an eye on the salsas as the favorite pepper in the Yucatán is the Habanero.
If you want to learn more about Mexico, and some of the fun, festivities, and food that awaits, check out our sister site by clicking here.
If you are looking forward to visiting Mexico, or any other destination, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help book your next vacation and look forward to exploring in this wonderful world again!
Our Vacation Highlight for April 2021 is Fort Lauderdale.
Everglades – Cuisine – Cruises
If you’ve been watching the news, you know that Florida has been in the news trying to get cruises back at sea and to restart the economy in a big way. Part of this is because Miami is the unofficial “Cruise Capital of the World” and Fort Lauderdale, located near Miami, has many cruises that depart from their terminal each month when sailings are a go.
Fort Lauderdale, much like Miami and other sea adjacent cities, has much more to do than simply depart on a cruise. The Greater Fort Lauderdale area features the Florida Everglades, numerous waterways and nature trails, shopping, museums, culinary adventures, and more.
If you want to learn more about Fort Lauderdale, visit our partner site, by clicking here to take you there.
If you are looking for some fun in the sun, exploring the wonderful warm weather nature, or looking to get away on a cruise, let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help book your next vacation and look forward to traveling this wonderful world again!
Our Vacation Highlight for March 2021 is Alaska Cruise and Tour.
Glaciers – Land – Sea – Rail
Our cruise along Alaska’s Inside Passage has been postponed once more, but that just gives us more time to look forward to experiencing the joys of visiting the 49th State and having more time to research this wonderful destination. To see more about Alaska in general, click here.
While many people might be interested in partnering up a Land Tour in addition to the Cruise, we have elected to take a 7-Night Roundtrip Cruise out of Seattle as we couldn’t make a longer Cruise Tour work next year. If you might be interested in sailing with us, check out our Itinerary by visiting our partner site by clicking here.
There are certainly many other fine offerings to explore Alaska by land, rail, and sea, but that is the joy of experiencing our world as we have more vacations to look forward to experiencing in the years to come. Even if Alaska is not your ideal destination in winter, many people want to experience the calving of glaciers in summer and a cruise gets you close to the action. Let us at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency help book your next vacation and look forward to traveling this wonderful world again!
Our Vacation Highlight for February 2021 is Globus Tours – Germany and Oberammergau.
Reformation Tour – Footsteps of Luther – Passion Play
This month we proudly feature our partners at Globus Tours as they offer wonderful religious tours including the Holy Land, Germany and the Lutheran Reformation, as well as the Swiss Reformation and the English Reformation. This is in addition to all the other wonderful destinations that Globus Tours offers. To view learn a little more about Globus Tours, click here.
To learn more about the cities, tours, and more to do in Germany, visit our destination site of Germany by clicking here.
While we have already touched on Oberammergau and the Passion Play, in March 2019, there is much more to learn about the Passion Play featuring the town folk from Oberammergau. We highlighted Wittenberg, the start of the Lutheran Reformation, in October 2020. We highlighted Luther’s life especially in November 2019.
Our Vacation Highlight for January 2021 is Wave Season.
Exploration and Adventure or Relaxation and Refreshing – Different Vacation Types for Your Needs
It is that wonderful time of the year once more as Wave Season brings cruise deals to you. Most cruise lines offer different sales perks on their different sailings during the first few months of the year. We at Vocations and Vacations have updated our cruise page, https://vocationsandvacations.com/cruises/, to include private websites with different information, specials, and more about each of the various cruise lines that we have as partners.
If you have a destination in mind, let us help book your next vacation by reaching out to us at vacations@vocationsandvacations.com. If not, we can help narrow the search and help you book that wonderful vacation that you need. 2020 was a difficult year in many respects and we know that you need something to look forward to doing in the future.
With the culmination of the 12 Days of Christmas occurring on January 5th, we present to you the Twelve Days of Cruising:
The twelfth day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me
Twelve days in Fiji,
Eleven days in Alaska,
Ten drink cards,
Nine night cruises,
Eight specialty restaurants,
Seven different continents,
Six cups of coffee,
Five course dinner,
Four different room types,
Three dining times,
Two formal nights, and
A cruise with high tea!
If you want to know more about these twelve days, scroll below and look for January 2020 as we featured the 12 Days of Cruising as our Vacation Highlight.
Our Vacation Highlight for December 2020 is Bethlehem.
Birthplace of Jesus and King David, Church of the Nativity
With Christmas coming in December, we are proud to highlight Bethlehem as it is the birthplace of Jesus Christ and Israel’s great king, King David. Many Christians around the world desire to take a tour to the Holy Land at some point in their life as they want to experience the place where Jesus lived out His days on earth.
While a typical tour will include many stops in and around Jerusalem, no tour is complete if it leaves out Bethlehem as many want to go to where the life of Jesus began. The Church of the Nativity sits upon the place where many believe Jesus was born as the Virgin Mary gave birth to our Savior in lowly estate. Mary gave birth to her firstborn son and she and Joseph cared for the child who was born to save us from our sins.
Today, Bethlehem has the hustle-and-bustle of other cities, but you can step back in time and experience the history that was made in this tiny town. Bethlehem exists as a major tourist destination today, but there are many locals who will retell the history of the city if you want to listen.
If you would like to schedule a tour of this famous city, and the more famous Savior who was born for us, please reach out to us at vacations@vocationsandvacations.com and we can put together an itinerary. If you want to have a group go, such as a church group, we proudly work with many different respected tour companies and we will build a tour that provides lasting memories for you.
Our Vacation Highlight for November 2020 is San Antonio.
Remember the Alamo, Riverwalk, and Tex-Mex – What’s Not to Love?
When the weather starts turning colder as cold fronts come billowing down from Canada, we often desire to head to warmer spots. Many snowbirds from Montana would winter in Arizona while many from the northeast head to Florida, but Texas holds a special place in our hearts. And while it isn’t in the heart of Texas, San Antonio offers many different experiences and Austin isn’t that far away for more festivities.
For many Texans, no trip to San Antonio is complete without a stop at the Alamo. Many remember the Alamo, as well as Goliad, as part of the Texas Revolution that sparked the founding of Texas after the Battle of San Jacinto. While many Texans have been to the Alamo, they keep coming back to the Riverwalk. The Riverwalk includes a few mission churches that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Missions along with many other interesting sites where you can shop as well as dine and drink al fresco as you enjoy the winding river.
There are many different types of restaurants available for your dining pleasure. The Tex-Mex and BBQ is top notch and nearby Gulf of Mexico brings fresh seafood to San Antonio. Coffeehouses and Cafes allow fresh coffee and delicious delicacies to be consumed and are enjoyed after a night out at any of the different nightlife stops. If you want to sing along, simply head to Howl at the moon or get a little New Orleans flair at Pat O’Brien’s, or enjoy the smooth jazz at Jazz, TX. There are plenty of different places where you can enjoy the night or experience something out of the ordinary.
Our Vacation Highlight for October 2020 is Wittenberg.
University of Wittenberg, All Saints’ Church, and Reformation History
As October is the month of the beginning of the Reformation, what better place than Wittenberg to highlight this month. Martin Luther, and later Philip Melanchthon, were brought to the University of Wittenberg to help teach the students as Elector Frederick wanted his University to rival those of the more prominent cities. Little would he know that Luther’s stance would make the University, and the city, of Wittenberg a prime visitation site for future generations.
Even today many people head to Wittenberg as this is a prominent location for Lutherans, and many other Protestants, as they want to experience the great cities of the Reformation. In addition to his 95 Theses, Luther wrote many of his prominent works at the University and in his home at the Black Cloister. Luther was the prominent theologian and Melanchthon became known as the Teacher of Germany. With these two men at the helm, Wittenberg remained a chief city of Germany as Luther’s theology went forth with the printing press.
Wittenberg was spared of greater destruction during World War II and many historic buildings still stand to this day. In addition to All Saints’ Church, St. Mary’s Church is another famous church in the city and it holds paintings by Lucas Cranach the Elder including the Last Supper. Lucas Cranach had a son, Lucas Cranach the Younger and both father and son have numerous paintings hung throughout the town. The town of Wittenberg continues to be visited with the connection to Lutheran theology, wonderful paintings, and the Reformation history.
The 500th Anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation may have been a few years ago, in 2017, but there are numerous anniversaries in the future as the Reformation continued to gain traction throughout Germany. If you want to schedule a vacation to experience the birthplace of the Reformation, let us know when you want to go as tours are filling up fast. Be sure to reach out to us at vacations@vocationsandvacations.com as we can help book your exciting and informative experience today.
Our Vacation Highlight for September 2020 is New England Fall Foliage.
Nature’s Beauty, It’s Fall Y’all, Changing of the Leaves
September is a month of change with the changing of the seasons, as Fall, or Autumn, sets in and the leaves begin to change. With the changing of the leaves, many people desire to travel to New England to see the changing of the seasons and experience the start of fall. There are many different trackers that have trackers to view of when each part of New England experienced the changing of the leaves last year, one that we enjoy is https://newengland.com/seasons/fall/foliage/peak-fall-foliage-map/, as you can try to plan your perfect vacation to experience the beauty of the leaves, the experience of change as cooler weather comes, and enjoy a vacation with the family. While some will simply enjoy driving throughout New England to see the leaves, others want to pair the vacation with a cruise. Many different cruise lines offer New England cruises that allow you to visit different locations without the need to unpack each day like you would at a different hotel. Another advantage of the cruise option is that you can enjoy al fresco dining as you experience the breeze in your hair, enjoy a fine meal with others, and watch as the scenery changes every moment. Others enjoy renting an RV to drive through the region and many select a centralized location to spend the night and drive for day trips to experience the beauty of the season. Each vacation option allows you to experience the beauty of nature in different ways. We at Vocations and Vacations Travel Agency can help as you reflect back on the memories that you have made with family and friends.
Our Vacation Highlight for August 2020 is Great Wolf Lodge.
Indoor Waterpark – Fun Accommodations – Thrilling Activities
With the month of August being the unofficial end of summer break for many kids, we wanted to highlight a vacation experience that is not too far from most people and reasonably priced, all things considered. For our August 2020 monthly highlight we present Great Wolf Lodge.
One thing that we talk about when we are on vacation is how kids enjoy pool time. They seem to remember swimming in the pool, no matter what other fun things they did. This pool time could be at a waterpark, in the ocean, at a lake, or even in a friend’s swimming pool. We enjoy hitting the pool when we stay at a hotel, as long as it’s not too busy, but better than almost any hotel pool is a hotel with its own waterpark.
The advantage of staying at Great Wolf Lodge is that you don’t have to pack up the car before hitting the waterpark, it’s just a short walk from your room. It doesn’t’ matter if the weather is bad outside since the whole waterpark is indoors. This means that rain or shine, you can enjoy the experience. And, if you’re staying at Great Wolf Lodge, if you have enough fun in the morning, go back to your room to recharge before having more fun in the afternoon. There are other activities and attractions to experience if you don’t want to get wet as the whole family can enjoy different experiences throughout your stay.
Great Wolf Lodge is a wonderful getaway for a few days at the beginning or end of the summer, but we know that most people want to look forward to longer vacations, possibly with more excitement or more relaxing. Be sure to come back next month as we highlight a different vacation experience for you.
Our Vacation Highlight for July 2020 is the Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon – South Rim and North Rim Different Views
As July is a summer month, and since the southwest United States is a summery place, we are highlighting the Grand Canyon. While many might normally head for the beaches, Washington D.C., or Mount Rushmore, others want to see something a little more grand.
The Grand Canyon, with its vast grandness, is celebrated in the minds of those who travel to see this natural creation. Many people, between five and six million each year, enjoy traveling to the Grand Canyon each year. Most people travel to the South Rim as it is more accessible and open year round. If you’ve been to the South Rim before, you might consider a summertime trip to the North Rim. Only about 10% of the visitors head to the North Rim as it is about a 220 mile drive to see the canyon. In addition to traveling by car or bus, you can also hop aboard the Grand Canyon Railway and travel by train.
When you get to the Canyon there are hiking trails, bike trails, mule rides, and even river rafting. With the latter, you’ll need to plan in advance as you’ll be rafting for a few days. It is an opportunity to see the sediment that’s been exposed to nature and take in the grandness of it all. At 277 river miles, 18 miles wide in part, and a mile deep, it truly is the Grand Canyon.
Our Vacation Highlight for June 2020 is California Wine Country.
California Wine Country – 12 Different Areas
While much love has been shared about the wines from France, Italy, New Zealand, and other globetrotting places, the American standard is California Wine Country, though there are many wineries popping up all around the country. One of our local favorites is Smokey Hills Winery as they have many delectable wines that will satisfy almost any palate.
While Napa Valley tends to grab the headlines, there are many other fine wineries around California. We will focus on 12 different destinations, rather than wineries, as each area has different specialties that set them apart. We begin with Napa Valley and Sonoma County as they are world famous stops. These regions also feature Michelin-starred restaurants, fine dining, and lots of boutique shopping opportunities. A little further up the California coast will bring you to the North Coast Wine Country, but it may be better known for the Redwoods National and State Parks. There are plenty of opportunities for wine lovers who want to visit the great outdoors and experience stunning views while learning more about winemaking. Nearby Mendocino Wine Country also features redwoods, but the cooler climate and rolling hills are what set this area apart. Stay at a cozy Bed-and-Breakfast and explore the redwoods as you take a ride aboard the Skunk Train before hitting the art scene and learning more about the history of the area. But if you’re wanting real history, you need to visit the Gold Country where you can learn more about the Gold Rush days while enjoying the vista peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. If you enjoy farmers markets, be sure to look for the delicacies featured throughout the year. Our next stop is Lodi Wine Country and their old-vine Zinfandels. There are many different opportunities to also enjoy fresh fruits as the warmer climate is just right for peaches, plums, apricots, and more from local growers. For travelers more interested in the coast, Central Coast Wine Country may be more to the liking. Enjoy a drive with the wind rushing through your hair or have the opportunity to watch as the sun sets over the Pacific. The fresh air and crashing waves provide a natural ambience that is hard to beat. While it doesn’t feature quite as much coastline as the previous, Funk Zone does still provide some opportunities to enjoy the coastal mountains while hearing barking sea lions in the distance. But the main feature of Funk Zone, from a city perspective, has to be Santa Barbara with the opportunity to catch a sighting of your favorite celebrities who call it home, or their second home. With big city come lots of opportunities for fine dining, shopping, and even the Santa Barbara Film Festival. Slightly to the north of Santa Barbara features the Santa Ynez Valley Wine Country. The cool air in the even usually brings fog and might be perfect pairing for the local Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. While not a chic or trendy, if you’re up for an adventure, be sure to schedule a jeep tour to take you to the local wineries. Heading further south sees you entering Temecula Valley Wine Country which even features a winery with a 10-room B&B, perfect for hosting an upscale bachelorette party. Or, if you’re more interested in Disney, there is Briar Rose Winery which hosts a replica of the seven dwarf’s cottage for a tasting room. More vineyards are to be found in the Santa Cruz Wine Country because of the wonderful micro-climates, warm sunny days fade away to cooler nights as the fog comes in to cool off the grapes. Take a stroll through the nearby redwoods and enjoy the ocean views while sipping your favorite locally produced wine. Spanish settlers founded the San Luis Obispo Wine Country as far back as the 18th century and found the climate almost a perfect match for that in Spain. If the cowboy culture doesn’t turn you away, this might be the perfect area for you. Local restaurants feature farm-to-table freshness and the ocean isn’t too far away, providing cooler nights after the sunny day. The final place that we will highlight today is Silicon Valley Wine country. Not to be outdone by tech giants, the wineries which are found here date back to the 1800s as a legendary vintner from Burgundy, France acquired a vineyard that still produces fine sparkling wines. Natural mineral springs and lavish retreats can also be found which provide a spa like atmosphere. While many enjoy getting away from technology as they relax, others want to tell the world about their latest sipping. Why not do both while enjoying fine dining, outdoor concerts, and high-end shopping.
Our Vacation Highlight for May 2020 is Puerto Vallarta.
Los Arcos, Malecon Boardwalk, Zona Romantica, and more!
In September 2019 we highlighted Cozumel, so this month we are celebrating Cinco de Mayo on the west coast of Mexico in Puerto Vallarta. Sitting at roughly the same latitude as Cozumel, the waters near Puerto Vallarta aren’t as breathtaking with respect to snorkeling, but there is plenty of activities in, and out, of the water for you to enjoy. Cruise travelers from the west coast of the United States usually have the opportunity for a stop in Puerto Vallarta, when on a weeklong cruise, similar to westbound cruises from the east coast of the United States with respect to Cozumel. Beachgoers have plenty of different options to enjoy the water, but the culture is what sets Puerto Vallarta apart. The Los Arcos amphitheater is a popular destination, as well as the Malecon Boardwalk as a whole. Food lovers can dig into different cuisines from rustic, traditional flavors to the latest and greatest from around the world. From roasted seafood skewers to Michelin Star chefs, from street food to International Gourmet Festivals, there’s bound to be something to tantalize the tastebuds or experience a day in the life along the Pacific. If you’re up for a late evening stroll, be sure to visit the Zona Romantica as restaurants and cultural opportunities continue to abound. There are also plenteous museums, art galleries, and more to intrigue the most sophisticated among us. There’s a whole lot to experience in Puerto Vallarta, just like any place, but if you want to experience it in person, we can help get you there. Reach out to us at vacations@vocationsandvacations.com and let us know when you want to travel.
Our Vacation Highlight for April 2020 is Staying Home.
Staying Home = Loving Your Neighbor
There are many times that we want to go somewhere, anywhere, everywhere, but there are other times that we need to stay home and take care of ourselves. Not just governmental orders but taking care of the family is what is needed at times. Now is the month that we stay home and look forward to future vacations, future travels, and future experiences. We will travel the world once more, but, for now, we are staying home.
Our Vacation Highlight for March 2020 is Key West.
Hemingway Home, “Little White House”, and Southernmost City
If you’ve never visited Key West, you’ll be in for a treat. Key West is known as the southernmost city of the United States. If you want to get there by car, it is a long drive down US 1, but cruise ships often stop at this idyllic spot before venturing into the Caribbean waters. Over half-a-million cruise ship passengers experience the beauty of Key West each year. Like much of the Caribbean, there are all sorts of water experiences which can be enjoyed, from a relaxing day at the beach, snorkeling or scuba diving, fishing, sailing, and more. If you enjoy learning more about nature, there are kayak expeditions through the Mangroves, bicycle tours of Old Town, or visiting the Dry Tortugas National Park. If history is your forte, or learning about Ernest Hemingway, you can visit the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum or look for the six-toed cats which call Key West home. During the presidency of Harry S. Truman, Key West was an often-visited stop for the president’s vacation and “The Little White House” served as a popular stop. If experiencing a culture involves a stop for food or drink, you’ll find plenty of different options to suit your taste buds, with most restaurants offering cookbooks for sale, that way you can entertain and fondly remember your vacation. Key West, like many of our other vacation hightlights, offers plenty of exciting things to do, experiences to remember, and opportunities to enjoy the local culture. We at Vocations and Vacations want to help you experience the world and hang on to the memories that you’ll keep forever. Let us help plan your next vacation today. E-mail us at vacations@vocationsandvacations.com today and be sure to like us on Facebook.
Our Vacation Highlight for February 2020 is Sandals Resorts.
Check-Out Sandals Resorts Jamaica by Clicking Here
If you’re a fan of The Office you know what two tickets to paradise looks like. That’s right, two tickets to Sandals Jamaica. But you might be confused as Sandals Jamaica has six different locations: Montego Bay, Royal Caribbean, Negril, South Coast, Ochi, and Royal Plantation. This is in addition to their resorts in the Bahamas, Saint Lucia, Antigua, Grenada, and Barbados. Sandals’s tagline is “The World’s Only 5-Star Luxury Included Resorts” and our friends vouched for that after they returned from Sandals Montego Bay. One advantage that Sandals Jamaica locations offer is that you can get transportation and tour their other locations on the island, there is a caveat with Sandals Royal Plantation as you must book this location if you want to see this resort. A relaxing day at the beach, fine wine, premium drinks, and fine food are always included. In this month of love, a Sandals vacation might be just the vacation for you and that special someone in your life. We at Vocations and Vacations are happy to help book your next vacation. Reach out to us at vacations@vocationsandvacations.com today to help you select the perfect vacation for you.
Our Vacation Highlight for January 2020 is Twelve Days of Christmas.
The twelfth day of Christmas,
My true love gave to me
Twelve days in Fiji,
Eleven days in Alaska,
Ten drink cards,
Nine night cruises,
Eight specialty restaurants,
Seven different continents,
Six cups of coffee,
Five course dinner,
Four different room types,
Three dining times,
Two formal nights, and
A cruise with high tea!
12 – While some people want to explore the 49th state and see the wildlife, others want to experience Fiji and the other side of the world. Take a cruise aboard Princess from Sydney, Australian and visit Fiji. Other lines offer similar itineraries, so there’s additional options for you.
11 – While a roundtrip cruise to Alaska is normally 7-nights and 8 days, a one-way cruisetour allows you to partner up a cruise with a land stay on either end to explore Alaska. Princess partners a 4-day stay before or after your cruise to allow you to explore Mt. Denali and the interior of Alaska. Other cruise lines offer similar stays.
10 – Royal Caribbean sometimes offers a Ten Drink Punch Card on their sailings. These drink cards vary in price, usually around $90 including gratuity, but they allow you to get any drink under $12, thereby offering you the chance to save money on mixed and frozen drinks.
9 – If you have ever wanted to go to the Southern Caribbean, including the ABC Islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, and have a little more than a week of vacation, you can take a 9-night cruise out of Miami or Fort Lauderdale and head down to the Southern Caribbean.
8 – The Symphony of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s latest Oasis Class Ship, offers eight different specialty dining options on board for different tastes. Specialty restaurants offer you a chance to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, retirement, or other special occasion.
7 – While not every cruise line offers sailings to every continent, there are smaller, expedition cruise lines who operate sailings to Antarctica in addition to unique places. Most cruise lines offer sailings to the other six continents.
6 – Carnival Cruise Lines offers a coffee loyalty card on their ships. Instead of pre-purchasing drinks, you purchase the drinks as you regularly would and they offer to stamp a loyalty card for that sailing. Once you have ordered six coffee drinks, your next one is free.
5- One thing that many first time cruisers enjoy is the amount of food that is available on the ship. In the main dining rooms you can order as many appetizers, entrees, and desserts as you want. Some specialty restaurants allow you to order unlimited appetizers and desserts but only one entree. While most ships offer other options, almost all offer a Chef’s Table experience. Usually this experience has a tour of the galley after some opening bites. When the tour is completed, you will be in foodie heaven as you will experience tastes and flavor combinations that you won’t find elsewhere.
4- Most cruise lines these days offer four different room types on their ships. These are, from least to most expensive, interior rooms, oceanview rooms, balcony rooms, and suite rooms. There are some cruise lines which offer single rooms, but that is still in the minority of offerings.
Interior rooms are generally the smallest rooms but they have no exterior light, allowing for great sleeping and napping opportunities.
Oceanview rooms are generally about the same size as interior but they feature a porthole or window to look outside the ship and see the weather and the sea.
Balcony rooms, sometimes called verandas, are a little larger than the previous rooms and they allow you to have a place to stand or sit to watch the water. Balcony rooms typically have blackout or room darkening curtains to help block light coming into your room.
Suite rooms range from junior suites, a little bit larger room than a balcony, all the way up to multi-bedroom suites featuring some of the latest and greatest offerings at sea. Suite rooms also usually include a concierge or butler to assist you on the cruise.
3- Most cruise lines offer three different dining times, in addition to the buffet option. These are Early Seating, usually starting sometime between 5:30 and 6:30pm, Late Seating, usually two hours later, and Anytime Dining, although it goes by different names on the different lines, with start times between 5:30 and 9pm. This is also how most cruise lines treat their specialty dining options. No matter your preferred dining time, there are plenty of options available to tantalize your tastebuds.
2- A 7-night cruise normally has two formal nights. Shorter cruises, 3-6-nights, offer one formal night and longer cruises, usually 8-10-nights, offer at least 3 formal nights. There are plenty of other cruise lengths out there and each line has different levels of formality for formal nights.
While some gentlemen dress to impress, including black-tie tuxedo or suits, most men choose to dress like they would for an office job or “Sunday best” including slacks, a button-up shirt, short-sleeved or long-sleeved, with a tie as an option. Some ladies will wear floor-length gowns, while others opt for fancy dresses, cute skirts and tops, and more.
For cruisers who don’t want to dress up, there is always the option to go to the buffet, order room service, or see what other complimentary or additional cost dining options are available.
1 – One thing which some enjoy is celebrating high tea while out at sea. Most cruise lines feature high tea options for sea days. Enjoy proper tea with biscuits (cookies) and little sandwiches.
Our Vacation Highlight for December 2019 is Nassau.
Nassau – Atlantis, Junkanoo, Conch, and Rum Cake
December is a month when the cold starts to set in for many in the U.S.A., so many seek to go to warmer climates. While some take a trip to the Southern Hemisphere, others head south to escape the creeping cold. Our vacation highlight for December is Nassau in the Bahamas. Nassau, much like Cozumel for Western Caribbean, is a frequently visited port for Eastern Caribbean itineraries. Many first time visitors will want to go to Atlantis on nearby Paradise Island for its many options for individuals and families. There are plenty of beach options near Nassau, some which are free, others which have a more all-inclusive feel as you are a guest of a nearby resort, and different cultural tours which include a stop at a beach. Speaking of cultural tours, the Junkanoo culture which began as a celebration of freedom for slaves, which has taken on a life of its own. As part of the celebrations, there are many parades including a special parade on Boxing Day (December 26th), New Year’s Day, and during the summer. For the foodies out there, conch dishes whether conch salad, served ceviche style, fried conch fritters, or in a chowder is a Bahamian classic. Peas n’ rice, baked macaroni and cheese, creamy potato salad, coleslaw, and/or Johnny Cake, a sweetened cornbread, are usually served on the side of your entrée. For dessert options, you’ll want to try the rum cake or guava duff, a guava fruit dessert rolled within a sweetened dough, often served with a decadent rum butter drizzle. There are plenty of things to do in Nassau which is one of the reasons that many cruise lines, all-inclusive resorts, and hotels have called Nassau, or nearby places, home for years.
Our Vacation Highlight for November 2019 is the Beginning of the Reformation in Germany.
Martin Luther – Eisleben, Erfurt, Wittenberg and More
November 10th is the day that Martin Luther was born and he was baptized the next day which celebrated the life of St. Martin of Tours. Luther was born in Eisleben, the same town in which he would also die, to Hans and Margarethe. Years later, while studying law, Luther made a vow to St. Anne that he would enter a monastery if he be kept safe during a lightning storm. Having made this vow, he went to a local monastery, St. Augustine’s Monastery in Erfurt, and began the life of a monk. Having been ordained as a priest, Luther was asked by Father Johann von Staupitz to make a pilgrimage to Rome on behalf of the Augustinian Order but left disenchanted because of the worldliness of the monasteries near Rome. During his lectures on the books of Hebrews, Romans, and Galatians, Luther’s “eyes were opened” as he found confidence in the declarative word of God. As was part of the custom of the day, Luther created his 95 Theses for the students to debate and nailed them to the north door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, where he was a professor. This was the start of the Reformation as the ideas sparked by those Theses, as well as numerous letters, books, and tracts which Luther penned and printers freely published began to spread throughout Europe.
If you want to visit these sites, including Luther’s Birthplace and Death House Museums, the Augustinian Monastery in Erfurt, Luther House and St. Mary’s Church in Wittenberg, and many other places that were made famous during the life of Martin Luther, let us at Vocations and Vacations help plan your tour of the German Reformation.
Our Vacation Highlight for October 2019 is Aruba.
Bonbini! The cultural greeting in Aruba!
One of the island countries closes to the South American continent is Aruba. It’s sister country of Curacao, both countries belonging to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, make up what is often referred to as the ABC Islands, Bonaire being the third island. At the north end of the island you can visit the California Lighthouse. Many of the visitors to Aruba come to experience the more arid climate, when compared to much of the rest of the Caribbean, as well as the beautiful beaches and the picturesque waters which surround the ABC Islands. Arube, like many other countries in the Caribbean and Latin America, has cultural influences from all over the world. Each Tuesday there is a Bon Bini Festival (https://www.aruba.com/us/calendar/bon-bini-festival) on the island from 6:30-8:30pm. At this festival you can experience the traditional dancing, see the culture on show, and experience the food that makes Aruba special.
Our Vacation Highlight for September 2019 is Cozumel.
Scuba, Beaches, History – What More Do You Need?
One of the most visited cruise ports in the Caribbean is the Port of Cozumel. Cozumel is Mexico’s largest Caribbean island and it’s claim to fame is scuba diving when Jacques Cousteau said that it was included in his top ten dive sites in the world. While scuba diving and snorkeling may garner headlines, the beaches are enjoyed by families with children of all ages. This is because even in the coldest months of the northern hemisphere the water around Cozumel stays quite warm, 77 degrees, with late summer temps topping out at 86 degrees. Not only are there beaches aplenty to visit, some enjoy touring the area and visiting the Mayan Ruins and Chankanaab National Park. Whether you want to enjoy a relaxing day at the beach, a historical tour, or getting under the water, Cozumel has plenty of wonderful things to keep you coming back to the Mexican island.
Our Vacation Highlight for August 2019 is Panama Canal Cruise.
A Thrilling Adventure Awaits You
If you want to experience a man-made marvel, consider going on a cruise through the Panama Canal. There are options to experience a full transit as you go completely through the locks or a partial transit as you cruise half way through the locks and turn around in Gatun Lake to travel back toward your port of embarkation. There are also repositioning cruises that experience the transit as the ship moves to a new embarkation port to begin sailing to different destinations. One of the many things that people enjoy about a Panama Canal cruise, other than experiencing sailing through the locks, is the different cultures and people groups that can be visited during the cruise. Also, because the full transit sailings are generally longer, about two weeks long rather than a one week or shorter cruise, you can experience more cultures and destinations including the countries of Colombia, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Mexico. Allow us at Vocations and Vacations to help select the best cruise for you so that you can experience and enjoy unique destinations and have memories to share with your family and friends.
Our Vacation Highlight for July 2019 is Puerto Rico.
Forts, Culture, and Cuisine – History and Fun in the U.S.A.
This month we celebrate Independence Day for the United States of America. This is not only celebrated in the states but also in the territories that belong to the USA. This month we highlight Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is highlighted for its forts, culture, and cuisine. One of the many sites that people enjoy visiting in San Juan is Castillo San Cristóbal, which was constructed in 1783. The cultural influence of Puerto Rico, like much of the Caribbean, is from all over the world, including Europe, Africa, and the Americas. While you can find santos, carved miniature statues of saints, flor de maga, the official flower, and coquí, the unofficial animal, a small frog, on t-shirts in the marketplace, the true beauty of Puerto Rico is found in its people. Like many cultures, the traditions are kept alive through story telling and music. Their cuisine is known as La Cocina Criolla and includes mofongo, arroz con gandules, and lechón, roasted pig. While Mexico was known for maize, due to hurricanes and rainstorms, Puerto Ricans relied heavily on root vegetables and tubers for their starches.
Our Vacation Highlight for June 2019 is British Isles Tour.
Stonehenge, Stratford-upon-Avon, and London – Must See
A visit to the wonderful land of England would not be complete without taking a tour of Stonehenge, Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare, and the wonderful city of London. We can help schedule your trip to see these sights, and many more, including Edinburgh, Liverpool, Bath, and more. We can even schedule a trip to Scotland, Ireland,
Our Vacation Highlight for May 2019 is Alaska Cruise.
Inside Passage or North-South Route with Optional Land Tour
The Alaska Summer Cruise Season opens up early in May and extends through September where you can experience almost 20 hours of sunlight in June and July. There are many different options including fun for the family, a special getaway for an adventuring crowd, and luxury scenic tours. There are different glacier routes that each cruise line visits including Glacier Bay, Tracy Arm Fjord, or more. There is also the option to take a land tour to visit Denali National Park. Let us help plan your Alaskan adventure.
Our Vacation Highlight for April 2019 is Holy Land Tours.
Visit the Church of the Nativity and Other Holy Sites
As Holy Week and Easter are approaching in the month of April, we focus on more than simply the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ in our vacation highlight as you have the opportunity to walk where Jesus walked in and around Jerusalem. You will have the opportunity to visit historic churches, sites, and even offer up your prayers at the Wailing Wall.
Our Vacation Highlight for March 2019 is Oberammergau.
Oberammergau Passion Play
The Passion Play is a once a decade play that is put on during the summer in Oberammergau. What began as a way of saving the city has continued as many people from all over the world come to visit and see Oberammergau. Come experience the Passion of the Christ as children and adults from the community put on this wonderful performance dating back to 1634. More information about the Oberammergau Passion Play can be found at https://www.passionsspiele-oberammergau.de/en/home.
Our Vacation Highlight for February 2019 is Germany Reformation Tour.
Germany Reformation Tour
What would later become the Reformation began as Martin Luther wrote the 95 Theses and would be spread by the new invention of the Printing Press with moveable type. Come tour Germany and see the sites of the start of the Reformation including many cities where Luther and other Lutherans preached, taught, and debated.
Our Vacation Highlight for January 2019 is Cruises.
CRUISES – Worldwide including Caribbean and Alaska
January is the start of Wave Season as almost all cruise lines have decreased deposits, sales, and/or onboard credit offers for new bookings. Reach out to us at vacations@vocationsandvacations.com to see the deals we can find for you. Be sure to join us at Facebook.com/VocationsAndVacations as we look at available cruises, excursions, and places that you can visit from a cruise ship.
Our Vacation Highlight for December 2018 is Staycation.
STAYCATION – Local To You
Many people want to get away on a vacation, but sometimes what is needed most is to get out of the office and visit something nearby that you’ve never seen. Around us, in North Central Kansas, is the World’s Largest Ball of Sisal Twine, the Geographic Center of the U.S., the Home on the Range Cabin, and S.P. Dinsmoor’s Garden of Eden. Sometimes the newcomer explores more than a local. Get out there and enjoy the place where you live. After you’ve explored and taken some photos, join us at Facebook.com/VocationsAndVacations and put up your photos, tell us about your experience, and let us know what’s around you.