Join me on an adventure aboard the Regal Princess, a ship that artfully blends luxury and comfort, offering unforgettable experiences for travelers of all ages. Recently, I set sail on this magnificent vessel with my family, and there's so much to appreciate aboard. In this blog, we will explore what makes the Regal Princess a premier choice for both cruising enthusiasts and first-time travelers.
Find out what it's like to cruise on Richard Branson's adult-only cruise line.
Learn more about the cruise ports in Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao
My family experienced Celebrity for the first time and would not hesitate to book another Celebrity Cruise.
Don't stress out when you first arrive at the cruise port to begin your cruise. Follow the online check-in procedures for your cruise line to ensure a smooth and faster arrival at the cruise port.
Learn the benefits of experiencing a small ship luxury cruise line.
Every year, there is a national campaign in the travel industry called Plan a Cruise Month. Major cruise lines will offer special pricing and promotions for cruises that are booked and deposited during this month. What's great is that travel can commence as late as 18 months or more in the future so there is plenty of time to pay off the balance of the cruise.
As an added benefit of booking a cruise through Cruise Planners, whether it be during Plan a Cruise Month or at any other time, is that we monitor all cruises booked through us to watch for future promotions. Guests can be assured that we are searching for the best possible value for their vacation, even after securing the booking. If a better valid promotion or sale is offered anytime between booking the cruise and the final deposit, we will contact clients to offer them the new promotion and explain any differences in fare.
In 2016, more than 24 million passengers enjoyed a cruise and most of those passengers are repeat cruisers. If you have never cruised before, you need to hear what it's all about and what's causing the high number of cruise passenger retention. October is a great month to inquire about a future cruise, while also taking advantage of great promotions.
Recently, I stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites Miami Brickell Downtown for one night before a cruise out of Miami. In my opinion, this hotel is great for a business guest or families looking for a short stay before or after a cruise.
My husband and I were treated with a complimentary welcome beverage following check-in. Our young son who obviously would not benefit from an adult beverage was offered a goodie bag with candy and water. We had a long day traveling to get to Miami so we enjoyed taking a quick dip in the 6th floor outdoor pool before searching for somewhere to eat dinner. There are many restaurants within walking distance and we found one close to the hotel that offered outdoor seating. Then, it was back to the pool and hot tub to relax before getting on the cruise ship the next day. (They don't advertise this, but the pool is open 24 hours which is great for those looking for a late night dip)
Every morning, all guests of the hotel are treated to a wonderful hot and cold breakfast spread, along with a fresh waffle bar. We were able to fill up on food knowing that we wouldn't be on the cruise ship until after lunch.
For cruise guests, the hotel offers shuttle service from the hotel to the cruise port for a small nominal fee which was useful to us.
This hotel is on my recommendation list for anyone traveling to Miami for the fact that it is a short drive from the cruise port and airport, close to restaurants, offers a complimentary welcome beverage and complimentary breakfast, along with the great atmosphere by the outdoor pool. The staff was friendly and attentive which made the whole experience unforgettable.
Preparing for a cruise involves many components. One component I always recommend is a hotel stay before the cruise to ensure you are near the port in time for embarkation because flights and other travel delays are always a possibility. I also feel a post cruise hotel stay is beneficial as well.
It can be very risky to schedule flights the same day your cruise is scheduled to leave, but can work out just fine in most cases. You must consider the stress involved though and if it's worth the hassle of waking up to catch a flight, then be transported to the port to wait in line to get onboard by a certain time. Sometimes the stress of cramming it all in during one day can be overwhelming.
On my recent cruise experience, my family and I arrived in the port city one day early. We were supposed to arrive by 4pm (after leaving our house at 6:30am), but because of flight delays, we did not check in to our pre-cruise hotel until after 6pm. I could not have imagined flying in and dealing with delays while rushing to get to the port all in one day. It was a very long travel day as is. It was refreshing to have time to spare and a relaxing night in the port city before starting the cruise (and we were lucky enough to stay in a hotel with a complimentary welcome beverage which definitely helped with relaxation!).
We also chose to stay one night after the cruise in the port city before flying home. This has its' advantages and disadvantages. We did not feel rushed to get off the ship by a certain time and were luckily able to check in to the hotel early and utilize all the facilities. However, one downside was having to slightly unpack again after we had just packed up the night before on the ship. We tried to unpack as minimally as possible to make the next morning easy for getting checked out of the hotel and to the airport. Overall, it seemed to minimize the stress of going straight from the cruise ship to the airport and either rushing to get to your plane on time or waiting for several hours until departure because there never seems to be a plane that leaves at a precisely convenient time following a cruise.
A cruise is a great vacation in and of itself, but make sure to consider if either a pre-cruise or post-cruise (or both) hotel stay is something that will make your next cruise vacation even better.
One of the current travel destinations growing in popularity is Cuba. I think the reason it is such a hot topic and destination is because it was 'off limits' for us for so long. Now that travel there is open, we want to see what we were missing.
Travel to Cuba comes with different rules and regulations than we are used to with Caribbean trips. There are various types of travel to Cuba that are not permitted, such as a beach vacation, and there are specific types that are permitted, which include:
-family visits
-journalistic activities
-professional research and meetings
-educational activities
-public performances
-religious activities
The most common way people from the US travel to Cuba is through person-to-person travel which promotes meaningful exchanges between US citizens and Cubans. The best way to accomplish this type of trip is with an escorted tour operator or through escorted shore excursions.
I believe a cruise is the easiest way to experience Cuba and abide by the regulations of the government all at the same time. With the cruise, you know the type of accommodations you will be sleeping in, your transportation is set, and there are great shore excursions that are available which allow you to get an in-depth experience of Cuba while following the guidelines of person-to-person travel.
The regulations may loosen up in the future for travel to Cuba, but for now, why not consider a cruise to experience what this Caribbean country has to offer.
