Month in Review: July Travel Blog

 

Travel Stories: Monthly Recap-July

My name is Adriana Da Silva, I am a Travel Advisor in Longwood, Florida.  I write travel reviews to help my clients plan the best vacation getaways.  I focus on Popular Resorts, Cruise Companies and Tropical Vacations that remain top adult picks for the money.  In July you will find a lot of traveling tips to help your cruising, travel, and shore excursions stay safe and more enjoyable.  

Tropical Vacations

St. Lucia- is primarily comprised of 'All-Inclusive Resorts' catering to your every need.  With St. Lucia's rain forests, botanical gardens, abundance of rare birds, volcanic super heated mud baths, 'All-Inclusive St. Lucia' can be compared with Hawaii.  Think of a Honey Moon in St. Lucia as the perfect romantic getaway for couples and wellness retreat but only thousands of miles closer than Hawaii for east coast residents.  (read full story)

Cruise Lines

MSC Cruises- offers something for everyone aboard it's epic ships from dozens of pools, bars and restaurants to even bowling alleys.  With it's inexpensive pricing and mega-ships,  MSC Seaside and MSC Seashore, this cruise company is trying to steal business from Carnival, Royal Caribbean and even Disney.   But MSC ships are not cheap thrills, these are Engineering Marvels, and MSC is committed to sustainable tourism and protecting our oceans.  (read full story)

Travel Advisory

According to the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, 'FinCen' there is a surge in counterfeit U.S. Passport Cards.  Fraudsters are attempting to produce counterfeit cards as a means to entering the U.S. and much worse! Criminals are inquiring about the victim's financial account details, requesting withdrawals of balances thru cashier's checks and even initiating wires. (read full story)

Cruising Tips

• 3 Cruise Tips Everyone Should Know- 

• There is a lot of walking: reserving cabins near elevators & stairs will save time

• Ships are engineered to reduce rocking:  staying hydrated and using over the counter products like Dramamine can help reduce the effects of sea sickness.  

• Cruises can be loud, with long exciting fun filled days.   If you are not claustrophobic, interior inside cabins offer both complete darkness and reduced hallway foot traffic for great sleep, plus you can save money as these cabins are less popular. (read full story)

• Special Needs- Persons with physical disabilities or even larger bodied persons can request cabins with larger accommodations.  In addition, speak with your travel advisor to become fully aware of shore excursion restrictions, alternatives, available transfer and transportation to fully enjoy. (read full story)

• Shore Excursion- is a short fun way to experience ports of call on your cruise, but planning are like 'mini-vacations.'  Follow these 7 tips to fully enjoy (read full story);  

1. Down load your Cruise Line's App
2. Plan & Reserve as soon as soon as you have booked your cruise 
3. Avoid Duplication, many cruise excursions are the same
4. Avoid the crowds,  know which attractions and when to see them
5. Plan for Special Needs if you have them 
6. Speak with onboard Customer Service Agents  
7. Be very early in queue

Did you miss a post or know a busy person who needs a holiday?  Will you be their hero and forward this post. Don't forget to start booking your own getaway now.

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 'Sustainable Tourism is Everyone's Responsibility '

Shore Excursions: 7 Tips you need to know

 

How to reduce Cruise Excursion Stress

Cruises are intended to be fun, and most people look forward to experiencing the excursions at the different ports of call, however, planning excursions can be like multiple 'mini' vacations both in time and additional expenses.  So, here are 7 cruise tips to help reduce Shore Excursion Anxiety, and maximize your cruise excursion the way it is intended.

Cruise Tips to Improve your Shore Excursion Experience

When we talk about the quality of a cruise excursion we mean the things a cruise line has some control over, such as; Logistics, Communication and the quality of tour operators it works with, but there are things you can do, to help improve your experience;

#1 Plan ahead 

Shore excursions book very quickly.  As soon as you have booked your cruise, begin reading, and understanding the available excursions

#2 Get the App

Most Cruise Lines offer phone Apps, to use onboard with making restaurant, entertainment, and excursion reservations.  Cruise companies also use these to push important information to passengers such as Boarding and docking times,  time changes of scheduled shows, gathering locations for excursions.  Stay informed, and get these apps to avoid disappointment!

#3 Avoid duplication

Many shore excursions on your cruise will actually be similar.  You can avoid repeating the same experience, and save money by understanding them in advance.  Your travel advisor can help you with this

#4 Avoid the crowds

Many cruise companies share the same popular itineraries and excursions, leading to over crowding, especially during peak season.  Speak with your Travel Advisor about peak travel seasons, and which excursion may be most enjoyable, and which to avoid.  If your schedule is flexible, choose an 'off season to cruise'

#5 Special Needs

Some of the most beautiful vistas are unfriendly to those with special physical needs, including children's strollers.  Many locations throughout the Mediterranean and parts of the Caribbean such as Jamaica's famous Dunn's River Falls have steep, uneven surfaces that may be inaccessible for some.  Understanding potential restrictions available alternatives and transportation at each location can maximize your enjoyment (See related article on 'Cruising in Comfort with Special Needs')

#6 Customer Service

While modern Apps. can help stay informed, some changes may occur to quickly to be electronically posted.  For important information such as TENDERING time and gathering locations, take a moment and speak with an actual customer service agent for updates

#7 Be very early

You may enjoy sleeping, but your TENDER boat will not wait on you!  Many locations do not have deep water ports to accommodate today's super sized ships.  This means you will be required to gather early at designated locations throughout the ship, and then board in small groups onto smaller boats called 'TENDER's,' which will then transport you ashore.  These are often handled on a first come first serve basis, making it imperative you are at the designated queue on time, including your return to ship!

My name is Adriana Da Silva, I am a Travel Agent in Longwood, Florida.  I write these tips for traveling to help my clients plan the best vacation getaways.  I focus on Popular Resorts, Cruise Companies and Tropical Places that remain the top adult picks for the money.  Do you know a busy person who needs a holiday?  Will you be their hero and forward this post. 

Was this story helpful?  Comment below or !

Follow on Instagram @adriana.explores 

Are you interested in my other stories?

 See (Cruise Lines)  (Tropical Places)  (Resorts)  or  (All Three)

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Full Service | Travel Agent  | Longwood, Fl

 

 'Sustainable Tourism is Everyone's Responsibility '

Persons with Disabilities can Cruise in Comfort

 

How to Cruise more comfortably with Special Needs

With Cruise Ships being built bigger each year, holiday goers, may incorrectly assume Cruise Cabins are as spacious as Hotel Rooms.  In reality, cruise ships are very confined spaces, and the most accurate comparison first time Cruisers should expect their Cabin experience to be, would be to an 'RV' or Camper, 'Caravan' like experience.  These confined spaces can present additional challenges to both larger bodied and persons with special physical needs. 

Showers & Lavatories:

You can go on a cruise with a wheel chair.  Cruising for people with disabilities or larger bodied persons don't have to be uncomfortable.  The standard shower and lavatories are very small (see below), however  cruise companies can provide larger accommodations, but proper proof of special needs may be required, as these staterooms are limited (see diagram below).  

In addition to wheel chair accessible staterooms with Roll-In Showers, Cruise Lines will provide electric scooters upon request which can be left just outside your cabin when not in use 

Cabin location:

The larger, wheel chaired accessible staterooms with Roll-in Showers are available upon request, and if you take my suggestion of selecting cabins located, mid-ship and closer to the main dining /entertaining decks you can save countless minutes of commuting.  You can compound your time savings by being as close to the elevators or stairways as possible   (see PINK outline in diagram below).  

Ideal Cruise Ship Rooms

My favorite location is circled in YELLOW, but if you must have a balcony view, then try to secure cabins in BLUE, and near the LIDO deck, where you can still be centrally located, and have both the gorgeous vistas plus reduced foot traffic, giving you a great nights rest.

Shore Excursions:

Some of the most beautiful vistas are unfriendly to those with special physical needs, including children's strollers.  Many locations throughout the Mediterranean and parts of the Caribbean such as Jamaica's famous Dunn's River Falls have steep, uneven surfaces that may be inaccessible for some.  Understanding potential restrictions, available alternatives and transportation at each location can maximize your enjoyment.  (See related article on '7 Tips you need to know about Shore Excursions')

My name is Adriana Da Silva, I am a Travel Advisor in Longwood, Florida.  I write traveling tips to help my clients plan the best vacation getaways.  I focus on Popular Resorts, Cruise Companies and Tropical Places that remain the top adult picks for the money.  Do you know a busy person who needs a holiday?  Will you be their hero and forward this post. 

Was this story helpful?  Comment below or !

Follow on Instagram @adriana.explores 

Are you interested in my other stories?

 See (Cruise Lines)  (Tropical Places)  (Resorts)  or  (All Three)

Visit: adrianaexplores  email: adasilva@dreamvacations.com

Full Service | Travel Agent  | Longwood, Fl

 

 'Sustainable Tourism is Everyone's Responsibility '

A Super Inexpensive & Eco-Friendly Cruise Line

(MSC Seashore)

An Inexpensive Cruises does not have to mean Cheap!

30 years ago the 'Fun Ship,'  Carnival Cruise was the low cost cruise company to most families and first time cruise goers.  Today, MSC Cruise Ships is dominating this space thru a strategy of scale.  Like Royal Caribbean, MSC is using Mega Ships like their  MSC Seaside and Seashore to pack in thousands of passengers at inexpensive rates in hopes of stealing business away from competitors like Disney.  But, inexpensive does not have to mean 'cheap,' or cutting corners, and when it comes to protecting our environment, MSC is doing their part.

 

Is MSC right for you?

MSC is in the same 'Contemporary' class of cruise companies as Carnival and Royal Caribbean but you will find MSC prices to be even more competitive.  With their mega-ships each offering dozens of pools, bars and restaurants, they are clearly casting their net wide for everyone's business, but if you are interested in environmentally sustainable tourism, then MSC is right for you and their Seaside and Seashore ships are engineering marvels you must experience!

(Everything for all ages aboard the MSC Seashore)

Eco-Friendly Facts about MSC!

• MSC is on target of reaching it's net-zero decarbonization by 2050, and as of 2008 had already reduced it's carbon footprint by 40%

• The Seaside and Seashore each pump more than 250,000 gallons of water daily from the oceans, that is then filtered and purified and used to fill their more than 400 pools and hot tubs each

• Over 10 tons of refuse such as plastic bottles, paper and other solid waste is produced daily on each of the Seaside and Seashore mega-ships.  This refuse is hand sorted by an army of workers, and over 80% is then recycled!

• Each of these mega ships produces over 1,500 tons of left over food daily from their more than 5000 passengers each.  The mega ships use automation, to grind the left over food into puree which is then safely discharged into the oceans as 'fish food.'

• More than 30 tons of human waste is produced aboard each of the MSC epic sized ships.  This waste is moved thru super engineered high pressure systems that separates the solids from the fluids.  The fluids are then further treated to saving more than 2000 tons each of almost drinking quality water that are then used to cool the massive 80,000 horse power engines.  The rest is safely discharged into the seas

• Ship hulls are specially designed with non-toxic surfaces to help improve fuel efficiency, and special under water radiated noise management systems are designed to minimize acoustic sound impact on marine life

 

(Above Left: Shopping Plaza, Right: Adult Pool Deck, MSC Seashore)

    
(Above Left: Central Park, Right: Grand Atrium, MSC Seashore)

Final Thoughts:

While MSC is not the first, nor the only Cruise company to take responsible steps toward Environmentally Sustainable tourism, MSC is certainly one of the fun, affordable cruise lines that everyone, especially environmentally conscientious travelers can enjoy guilt free holidays aboard.  If you would like to know more about either MSC Cruises Environmental actions, or the Cruise Industries Environmental stewardship, please see (MSC Cruises Environmental Commitment) or the (Cruise Lines International Association) in which I subscribe to.

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 'Sustainable Tourism is Everyone's Responsibility '

Travel Advisory: USA Identity Theft Protection

 

Important Travel Advisory USA!       

According to an April 2024 white paper from the United States Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, 'FinCen' (See full article) there is a surge in counterfeit U.S. Passport Cards.   

What is a passport card?   In 2008 the U.S. Passport card was introduced as a more convenient and cost-effective alternative to the traditional passport book. These cards allow U.S. Citizens  who travel by land and sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda fast entry.  U.S. Passport cards are Not, valid for international travel by Air.  See the U.S. Dept. of State (Get a Passport Card). 

What you need to know to stay safe

Today fraudsters are attempting to produce counterfeit cards as a means to entering the U.S. and much worse! Criminals are inquiring about the victim's financial account details, requesting withdrawals of balances thru cashier's checks and even initiating wires. If you possess a Passport Card be sure to safeguard it at all times and follow these very simple tips!

• Privacy is Key- Your passport, Drivers License and other documents contain Non-Public Information (NPI) about you.  Fraudsters work hard to steal each piece until they have completed your entire financial picture and then they hi-jack it

Whenever presenting important documents in public, treat them just like your ATM pin, and keep them as private as practical, and never leave them unsecured

• Change your Passwords-  Today, everyone is overwhelmed with passwords, and we all know we should both change and use 'Strong Passwords' frequently.  While it may be a headache, it is here to stay, and we should make a habit to change our online passwords upon returning from travel

I would also recommend using 2-step-verification, especially if you frequently access any kind of sensitive account in public spaces using portable devices.  Changing our passwords when we return from holiday, not only creates good habits, it helps protect us from possible malicious activity when our online identity may have been at it's most vulnerable during busy travels!

• Freeze your Credit-  The three big credit reporting agencies of; TransUnion, Experian and Equifax make it easy and free to protect your credit from malicious fraudsters establishing new accounts in your name 

Approximately 5 - 10mins of your time with each online site can protect you from financial devastation and potentially years of hard work to re-establish your financial affairs.  Above I have already provided a hyperlink to each, and if you would like more information, please see (USA General Services Admin) 

• Use a Credit Card instead of your Debit Card-  Most major credit card companies now offer full to major reimbursement of bonafide fraudulent transactions, while most banks and credit unions offer little to no protection of debit card losses

In addition, debit card usage generally requires frequent usage of your PIN, which further compromises your financial security.  As an added precaution,  use a dedicated Travel Credit Card for travel purposes only.  One of the best rewards travel credit cards will help you monitor irregular activity, collect travel awards, and budget your travel expenditures more easily.  What a gift !

My name is Adriana Da Silva, I am a Travel Advisor in Longwood, Florida.  I write traveling tips to help my clients plan the best vacation getaways.  I focus on Popular Resorts, Cruise Companies and Tropical Places that remain the top adult picks for the money.  Do you know a busy person who needs a holiday?  Will you be their hero and forward this post. 

Was this story helpful?  Comment below or !

Follow on Instagram @adriana.explores 

Are you interested in my other stories?

 See (Cruise Lines)  (Tropical Places)  (Resorts)  or  (All Three)

Visit: adrianaexplores  email: adasilva@dreamvacations.com

Full Service | Travel Agent  | Longwood, Fl

 

 'Sustainable Tourism is Everyone's Responsibility '

St. Lucia is one of Oprah's Top Destinations!

 

St. Lucia Pitons

St. Lucia is on Oprah's Bucket List

If you need a wellness retreat to melt away stress or a romantic getaway for couples then St. Lucia is for you.  With endless beaches, sweet Mango and Spiced filled air, pristine rainforests, and relaxing mineral enriched mud baths, St. Lucia is where stress goes to die. Oprah Winfrey and other celebrities call St. Lucia their home away from home.  Oprah places St. Lucia in her top 5 bucket list destinations!

What should you know about St. Lucia?

• From Orlando and connecting in Miami, St. Lucia is between 4-5 hour flight and 1650 miles/2660 kilometers.  Most flights will depart very early in the morning and arrive in St. Lucia at approximately 2pm and leave from St. Lucia at approximately 3pm

• American Citizens are required to present passports to visit St. Lucia, and St. Lucia requires visitors to complete an Immigration Declaration upon arrival, however an online application is available ( see prior article and St. Lucia portal)

• St. Lucia is small, (only 160,000 residents, and 225 square miles), has only 1 international Airport (Hewanorra International) located in the town of Vieux Fort.  Hewanorra is very small but charming (the Aircraft are larger than the buildings), visitors may feel they have arrived on 'Fantasy Island.'

• Tip: If you plan to visit the iconic Pitons of St. Lucia (featured in photo above), then plan your stay near the town of Soufriere where your commute from Hewanorra will be approximately 45mins - 1hr.  Expect the mountainous roads of St. Lucia to extend driving time as much as 4x !

• Castries is the capital of St. Lucia and with 20,000 residents, it is also the most densely populated town of St. Lucia.  Most St. Lucians live in small fishing villages with no more than 6,000 residents

• St. Lucia is home to over 195 species of birds including Parrots and Flamingos.  120 of the world's rarest species of birds can be found on St. Lucia, making this eco-tourism paradise one of the best bird watching places in the world (see Avibase and Birdlife International).

What are the best beaches on St. Lucia?

St. Lucia Beaches are endless, but two very different experiences.  The Atlantic Ocean is on the East side of the island with larger waves for body surfing and boogie boarding while the calm relaxing Caribbean Sea is on the West.

• Best Romantic/Couples: Sugar Beach, with it's full view of the Pitons, is on the South end of the island and is one of the most idyllic beaches of St. Lucia.  Dinner boat tours frequent this location for picture perfect sunset views of the iconic Pitons.  As the name implies the beach sand is sugar soft to the feet.  Snorkeling is also very good here, and you are very likely to see a few anchored yachts

• Best for Snorkeling: Also located near the Pitons on the south side of the Island, Anse Chastanet Beach has very good reefs giving snorkelers a great view of Tropical fish

• Best Family-Friendly Beach: Malabar Beach, located in Castries, on the Caribbean side of St. Lucia and approximately 90mins North West of the International Airport.  The waters are tourquis blue, calm, and warm, making it perfect for little swimmers to enjoy the day

(Malabar Beach, Castries St. Lucia)

What are the best things to do in St. Lucia?

• Pitons
• Drive thru Volcano
• Mud Baths (super heated) located at Volcano
• Waterfalls (all 5), but Toraille is great after the Mud Bath!
• Piton Nature Trail (Stunning view of the Pitons from the top !)

(Above Left: Toraille Waterfall, Right: Piton Nature Trail)

 

(Above Left: Mud bath heated from Volcanic Vents, Right: Pitons, St. Lucia)

Currency and payment accepted on the island:

The official currency on St. Lucia is the East Caribbean Dollar, however major credit cards and the U.S. Dollar are widely accepted.  Due to the small size of St. Lucia, ATM machines are scarce,  and 'Souvenir Gift Shops' are generally road side vendors with crafts and home made rum, which unfortunately are rather expensive, and possibly may present problems with customs.  The gift shop at Hewanorra International is both reasonably priced as well as offers a wide selection of the most common souvenirs.

Should I rent a car on St. Lucia?

• No !  Not only because St. Lucia lodging is mainly comprised of 'All-Inclusive' resorts with airport transfer and organized island tours available, the Island is very mountainous, roads are very winding, and driving follows European left side traffic rules

• In addition, while GPS may work, cellular service may be spotty due to the mountainous terrain. Finally, road signs are nearly non-existent, which means unless you are very familiar with where you are going, you may easily miss a turn!

(St. Lucia Virgin Island)

Final Thoughts:

There is something on St. Lucia for every sensory experience; the food is amazing, especially the 'King Fish.' the people of St. Lucia are incredibly friendly and take the expression 'Island Time,' to a whole new level! The rainforest comes to life at night like an orchestra filling the air with it's song (below video).

With it's Mango and Spiced filled air, Rain Forests, never ending turquoise blue waters, majestic mountain vistas, botanical gardens, water falls and collection of rare birds, St. Lucia not only can be compared with Hawaii, it is an ultimate couples wellness retreat, and one of the best most accessible eco-tourism destinations in the world.  

(Above: Sunset from Rainforest Canopy, Below Video: The sound of the rainforest at Night)

 

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 'Sustainable Tourism is Everyone's Responsibility '

Everyone should know these 3 easy Cruise Tips!

 

Three Easy Cruise Tips Everyone Should Know!

Cruise Lines work hard to differentiate themselves thru their passenger experience (see comparison). For example, Cunard is renowned for Luxury, while Carnival is notably the 'Family Fun Ship.'  Regardless of which cruise line you select, there are 3 common concerns with all of them, and my below traveling tips will help your vacation getaway is the best.

Plan for Walking:

Cruise ships are really big,  and they are getting bigger.  This means a lot of walking is required.  So, plan your cruise as you would plan for 'sight seeing!'

• Cabin location- Cruise cabins located, mid-ship and closer to the main dining /entertaining decks are generally the best.  These save countless minutes of walking.  You can compound the time savings by being as close to the elevators or stairways as possible   (see BLUE outline in diagram below)

• Comfortable Non-slip shoes-  Other than the occasional 'Formal Nights,' most cruise lines are very casual, and decks are often slippery, so comfortable sneakers, or water shoes with great non-slip soles are perfect

• Tote bag-  To reduce frequent trips to your cabin, carry a tote bag with everything you may need for the day, including a water bottle!

Plan for Rocking:

Most modern ships are engineered to reduce sea sickness and even have large stabilizers that pop out from the bottom of the ship like giant fins to keep the ship as level as possible while at sea, but a small percentage of folks may still experience it, and here is how to avoid cruise sea sickness. 

• Motion Sickness Meds-  Over the counter medications like Dramamine and Bonine can substantially help prevent the onset

• Stay Hydrated- Bring a water bottle with you!  It is very easy to dehydrate aboard a cruise

• Cabin location- Inside and mid-ship cabins generally rock the least, as they are most centrally located, (see bottom row of cabins in BLUE outline below)

Plan for Sleeping:

With endless excursions, onboard entertainment, amazing food and beverages, a day of cruising can be tiring, and so it is important to get a good night sleep.

• Cabin location-  If you are comfortable without windows, you can sleep better and save money, as these cabins nestled between corridors have much less foot traffic (see GREEN outline in diagram below)

•  If you must have a balcony, then try a cabin inside one of these corridors and on a deck nearest to the entertainment, dining and pool (see YELLOW outline in diagram below), and when located close to the lido deck, you can quickly get to and from all of the action!

• Special Needs: Showers & Lavatories- Cruise ships for people with disabilities or larger persons may be uncomfortable as the shower and lavatories are small.  Cruise Companies can provide larger accommodations however proper proof of special needs may be required, as special needs rooms are limited

My Favorite Cabin Locations

 1st choice: Green, 2nd: Blue, 3rd: Yellow

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Full Service | Travel Agent  | Longwood, Fl

 

 'Sustainable Tourism is Everyone's Responsibility '