Oasis of the Seas December 2009 by Judy Takemoto and Terry Normington

Oasis of the Seas-THE LARGEST CRUISE SHIP IN THE WORLD!
November 22-24, 2009 

Terry & Judy were fortunate to be able to “see & feel” the newest, most innovative ship in the industry.  However, before boarding this historic vessel, we had to get to Fort Lauderdale.  We flew Southwest Airlines from SFO at 9:50 am, via LAX to Houston with a 2.5 hr. layover, then on to Fort Lauderdale-arriving at 10:45 pm.  Long day, full flights (the weekend before Thanksgiving).  Stayed at the Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale Airport – complimentary airport shuttle and complimentary shuttle to Port Everglades.  Next morning, as we approached the port, there “SHE” was – all 220,000 tons.  HUGE. Five times larger than the Titanic.  Can accommodate 6300 passengers in 2700 cabins. Plus 2100 crew.  Although the ship is enormous, getting acclimated has been made easier with “touch screens” near the elevator banks.  Simply touch your desired stateroom, restaurant or venue and the information is mapped out with simple directions.

Our 2-night cruise to nowhere, meant we did not experience how 6000 passengers will disembark
at each port-of-call on a regular 7-night cruise.  Hard to imagine…

With the novelty of the ship, the curiosity to roam every inch and the numerous activities available
while at sea, it’s easy to forget that you are on a cruise-even more so because you feel very little motion.

This ship has 24 different dining options.  Keep in mind that 12 of those carry a charge:
~ Room Service (12:00 am-5:00 am) $3.95 (Terry was on hold for 25 minutes & gave up)
~ Ice Cram Parlor*
~ Cupcake Cupboard*
~ Vintages*
~ Izumi*
~ Johnny Rockets $4.95
~ Seafood Shack $8.95
~ Giovanni’s Table $15.00
~ Solarium Bistro $20.00
~ Chops Grille $25.00
~ Central Park $35.00
~ Chef’s Table $75.00

* = a la carte pricing

My Time Dining – dine 6:00 pm-9:30 pm (must prepay gratuities)
My Family Time Dining – expedited dining for families with children 3-11 yrs. at 6:00 pm

The compulsory Life Boat Drill does not require carrying your life jacket to your designated Assembly Station.

We saw the Elton John impersonator, Frozen in Time (ice show), the comedian & Mosaic (6-man
vocal group-every sound is produced by the human voice, no instruments)

It is recommended that show reservations and shore excursions be made in advance on-line.
While on board, there is the Box Office on Deck 5 to make show reservations.

Judy zip-lined 9 decks above the Boardwalk.  It takes more time to sign-up & get strapped in then the actual experience (82 ft.) but it is the first at-sea zip line.  There are 2 Flowriders (simulates surfing), 2 rock climbing walls, miniature golf course, ping pong tables & full basketball court,
5 swimming pools, ice skating, fitness center and spa.

Besides the Zip Line, the other unique features:
Carousel (hand-carved, full-sized merry-go-round)
Pets at Sea (build-a-stuffed animal)
AquaTheater (750-seat amphitheater) – pool by day, theater by night, deepest pool at sea
37 stateroom categories, including Loft Suites and Interior Balcony staterooms
Rising Tide Bar (levitating bar between Decks 5-8)
First at-sea Park (live flora and fauna)
Hairspray – Broadway Show

So much to see & do in a short period of time but we certainly got a “feel” for the ship.  We took lots of pictures but some need commentary so if you’d like to view them, see one of us.

Stateroom: 9 (access to closet was inconvenient/lacked drawer space, electrical outlets hidden under the vanity)
Food: 9
Entertainment: 9 (without seeing Aqua Show or Hairspray)
Service: 8 (pre-inaugural growing pains?)
Innovations: 10


Thanks to Ernie, Ginny & Royal Caribbean for letting us preview the Largest Cruise in the World!
Fun to be able to say, “Been there, done it!”

Segale Cruisers,
Terry & Judy

Citizen Hotel in Sacramento Feb 2010 by Linn Vander Molen

The Citizen Hotel

Downtown Sacramento on J Street

 

Okay kids....

 

I stayed her last night and feel like I've found a wonderful "find" in downtown Sac.  It's an old office building that was renovated to a new hotel, just opened 1 year ago.  It's very Californian and Sacramento and retro with all the modern whistles and bells. 

 

Rooms are extremely clean and beds are fabulous.  Special touches include the new 1 cup coffe pots, robes, an umbrella to use when staying on property, ammenities in the bathroom rival Wine and Roses and have earplus with cotton balls and q-tips.  Tubs are deep sunken or double showers with the European shower heads.  If you have special needs like the tub or shower, please request it because not all rooms have all the ammenities.  I was in a regular room which was wonderful then there are suites with a living room attached and also suites with walk out, wrap around decks! 

 

The motife is political since it's right by the capital.  There are 3 capital channels so you can watch whats going on and wait in your hotel room and then walk over to the capital when it's your time on the floor.  They have nooks and crannies for private meetings or interviews.  The artwork in the rooms are 1940 and 1950 political cartoons all in black and white and framed! 

 

It's just really cool and thought I'd share.  I gave most of you a brochure but if you didn't get one and would like one please let me know.  This hotel we use for the Meg Whitman campaign and now I know why.... it rocks!  I would use it over a Marriott or Embassy Suites in Sac, any day.  Rates start at $199 and parking is $25 valet only.  Whitman campaign has lower rates if need be.  Also in apollo with Thor24 rates and packages.

 

The sales manager would love to help you/us if need be.  I have her contact information if you need it.

 

Just thought I'd share!!

Linn

 

 

Puerto Vallarta March 2010 by Maria Martinez

Why are vacations so short.!!!

Vallarta weather was a nice 85 degrees.  I stayed at the Rui Vallarta.  There a 3 Rui’s right next to each other in Nuevo Vallarta.  Rui Jalisco, Rui Vallarta and Rui Palace.  I did not like the Rui Jalisco, very standard and basic from the tile floors to the furniture and furnishings, compared to the Rui Vallarta I stayed at. (marble flooring, iron cast furniture) .  Rui Palace is a little bit more upscale, with all marble tile and chandilers in the lobby.

There were lot’s of families and lot’s of teenagers.

 I have my own catalogs of all the Rui’s.  if you ever have any questions on the Mexico properties let me know. 

Some people are still paranoid about going to Mexico because of the drug cartel and people getting murdered. I did not feel threatened at all.  We went into Vallarta one day to shop. Went to a local supermarket in Nuevo Vallarta (had to have RedBull) and went out for dinner in a little town outside of Nuevo Vallarta called Bucerias and had a beautiful sunset dinner on the beach.  We had a companion join us (the restaurant owners’ dog) sat with us thru dinner, so of course I kept feeding him.

We had to get Alfredo a wheelchair for both SFO and PVR airports. And you sure get special treatment.  Airport personnel whisked us thru security and to the gate in no time at all. And same in PV.

Hasta luego amigas.!

maria

New York Trip May 2010 by Judy Takemoto

Start spreading the news…

I’m back after 5 nights in New York.  Flew on Delta Airlines.  Stayed at The Westin Times Square.

Surprisingly busy for this time of year. Fine dining restaurants were packed.  Every show was

sold out except one.  Saw seven of them.  Shopped ‘til I dropped.  Blame my friend, the shop-a-holic.

MAY 5 - Wednesday

2:00 pm – Fences (dramatic play with Denzel Washington) EXCELLENT.

5:45 pm – Marea (new restaurant near Central Park) Very good.

8:00 pm – Come Fly Away (choreography to Frank Sinatra vocals). So-so.

MAY 6 – Thursday

Noon – Rock Center Café (Rockefeller Center)

2:00 pm – Sak’s Fifth Avenue

5:30 pm – Le Bernardin (fine dining, once is enough)

8:00 pm – Promises, Promises (Sean Hayes & Kristin Chenoweth)

                Music of Burt Bacharach – cute,cute,cute & fun,fun,fun

MAY 7 – Friday

10:00 am – Macy’s

2:00 pm Jean Georges (favorite meal of the trip!)

5:00 pm – Bloomingdale’s

8:00 pm – Addams Family (Nathan Lane & Bebe Neuwirth) Thumbs up!

MAY 8 – Saturday

10:00 am – took subway to Soho for purse shopping (Hans Koch on Prince Street)

2:00 pm – American Idiot-music of Green Day, huge cast, head-banging music.  Loved it.

6:00 pm – Seraphina – Italian (a bit disappointing)

8:00 pm – Girls Night – Off Broadway.  Left at intermission.  Off Broadway for a reason…

MAY 9 - Sunday

7:30 am – Live Your Best Life Walk (with Oprah) – 2 miles.  Mary Jane Blige, Bette Midler, Gayle King.

1:00 pm – GIANTS vs. METS (new stadium, took subway-front row seats on the field by Giants dugout)

7:00 pm – La Cage Aux Folles (Kelsey Grammar) Terrific!

10:00 pm – Carmine’s (Italian family style-huge portions)

The Delta night flight from SFO to JFK only took 4 hrs – we arrived a whole hour early!  More time in NY.

The Delta return flight on Monday morning was oversold-asked for volunteers to give up their seats for $400.00.

That flight took 7 hrs due to headwinds.  Watched 3 movies.

Back to work.  Have to work.  To pay for New York…

Cabo Sep 2010 by Judy Takemoto

Hola Segale Travel-

I spent the weekend of Sep. 17-19 in Cabo San Lucas, hosted by Pleasant Holidays/Distinguished Resorts,

Barcelo Resorts and Terramar (optional tours).  It was a quick turn around but well-worth the experience!

Half of the group was from Northern California, half from So.Cal and a few from Texas-

totaling 60.  I flew from SFO on USAIR thru Phoenix.  FYI, USAIR charges from the first

checked bag for Mexico and Canada ($25.00).  When returning from Cabo, there was no

charge for checking a bag even though the routing was through Phoenix where we had

to clear customs.  USAIR was delayed 45 minutes from SFO.  Then the flight from Phoenix

to Cabo was delayed for 3 long hours.  The gate agent did make an announcement every 15 minutes

even if it was to say to say that there was no further update to report.  Second FYI on USAIR, you won’t find

Cabo San Lucas as the destination on the airport monitors, you won’t find it under San Jose del Cabo.

It is listed as Los Cabos.  Third FYI on USAIR, from SFO to Phoenix (2 hrs) and Phoenix to Cabo (2 hrs) –

there is beverage service only, no complimentary snacks (peanuts or pretzels), no audio, no video.

NOTHING.  NADA.

We arrived at the San Jose del Cabo Airport, breezed through customs and transferred to

the Barcelo Los Cabos Palace Deluxe (all-inclusive resort).  A special dinner and menu had been arranged

by the pool, followed by entertainment (dancers with numerous costume changes and fire dancers

who had to have several fire extinguishers nearby!).  It must have been almost 90 degrees even after

the sun went down.  During the evening, twice they came around with chilled towels.  Nice touch.

The property has only been open for 9 months (since Dec. 2009); 547 suites.  The rooms had very modern

décor with a Mexican flair, a flat screen TV-which if you could figure it out, could be used as a computer

with wireless free internet.

After 7:30 am breakfast (plenty of Mexican specialties even at breakfast), we had a 2-hr site inspection of

the property (spa, workout/gym, 5 restaurants, theatre, adult pool, family pool, different room categories/views).

At 11:00 am-the group went different directions.  Some opted for a massage/manicure/pedicure/facial on property.

Most went on the “Baja Discover” which visited the quaint town of Todos Santos.  The classic song by the Eagles

made this town famous as the home of the “Hotel California”.  I was part of a small group of 13; we took a

“speed boat” out to Lover’s Beach.  It’s the only beach in the world where you can see two oceans within just

a few steps – the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific Ocean.  We snorkeled at Santa Maria Beach and lunched on

a floating platform (hotdogs-so American, not so South of the Border!)  We had 20 minutes to check out

the vendors and shops in Cabo.  Arrived back to the hotel in time to check out the adult pool with adult

beverages.  Then it was time to clean up and attend another dinner and show.

Sunday morning I got up and tested the treadmill for three miles, grabbed some breakfast, showered, packed and

headed for the airport.  It took 20 minutes to get to the airport.  At the Cabo Airport, any checked piece of luggage

was opened and hand-searched.  Get to the airport early and be prepared to watch the employees work in slow

motion.  Your carry-on luggage is searched at the gate as you line up to board your flight.

And that was my weekend in Cabo!

Senorita Judy T.

Maria's Wedding on Oahu Feb 2011

hello all; sorry no pictures yet. 

Just wanted to say a Big thank you to all for making this such a special wedding/honeymoon/vacation.  Alfredo and I are vey thankfull for your gifts. 

 

We started off by staying at the El Rancho. checked in and got to meet  Barbara who usually answers the phone to take our reservations.  We got upgraded to a jacuzzi suite.  United out was a full flight, but got the window seat for Alfredo, who thinks he can see land from 35000 feet!!!!  Arrived at the Honolulu airport took a shuttle to the Hyatt Regency, dropped off luggage, then had to immedidately take a cab to the health department to get our marriage license before 3pm.. got there just in time and waited about an hour, headed back to the Hyatt to c heckin. 

was upgraded to a deluxe oceanview room, thanks to Ernie & judy and Stacy.  ( later personally thanked Renee Nakashima, GSM). 

 

We pretty much kept busy the whole time, started at 4am every day and pooped out by 9pm. and no we did not stay in the room the whole time.! We had a fabulous stay at the Hyatt. Had champagne and chocolate covered strawberry's delivered to our room. had lunch by the pool twice. went to the swap meet, took a whale watching cruise, went to the Ala Moana mall. walked on the beach every day. and the special treat was the couples massage, thanks to my Segale family for this special gift.

truly worth every second, Alfredo was being kind of shy but ended up enjoying it. After all the eating and drinking, thank God i still fit into my wedding dress.!!

 

the day of the Wedding: Valentine's day.  we got up again at 4am.  had our coffee and lounged for a bit. i went to get my hair done, we got dressed and were ahead of schedule by 1 hr. so we hung out and just walked around the Hyatt. other guests were taking our picture and congratulating us. We then found a lady and she ending up taking pictures in our camera for us.  Limo arrived on time to take us to magic island for the ceremony.  The wedding planner and minister and photographer were there to greet us and the ceremony began.  this ended up being really stress free, we enjoyed and had so much fun this day.  ended the day by having dinner in the Hyatt's Colony restaurant.  Alfredo, being the romantic guy that he is, went to the restuarant earlier to request a special table and had roses delivered to our table with champaign. This ended up being a 3 hr romantic dinner. 

 

Needless to say we arrived back home just exhausted.!! I really need a vacation!!

I promise as soon as i get pictures i will share with you all (Scott please help me)...

 

You are all so special to me and i love you all.

Maria and Alfredo

Disney Wonder March 2011 by Doris Gabler

DISNEY "WONDER" FUL     MARCH6-13

Segale Travel gave me the opportunity to cruise on DCL last week, thanks ERNIE!!

The Wonder left LA, San Pedro, Sunday the 6th, we flew on SW from Sacramento,  service as expected and a full flight

for Sunday at 8:55am. Our party of 3 opted out of the "Disney" transfers for $180 for 3, we caught Primetime shuttle, shared ride

$48 for the 3 of us excluding tips, took us an hr, Super Shuttle would also work.  On our return we just took a cab , $60 plus tip

for 3 of us, got to airport 25minutes.

The Wonder is a great ship the Disney theme throughout is subtle and wonderful. Thoroughly enjoyed the rotational dining

my favorite , "ANIMATOR'S PALATE", an all white/black themed room with animation screens on the walls that change from black/white

to color as well as the ceilings, coolness factor=HIGH. Parrot Cay standard Caribbean flare dining, Tritons , very mature decor, and

my 2nd favorite , PALO"S the adult dining. We did a dinner and the brunch in this restaurant, food excellent, and 1 main reason

it was cooked to order and was served hot. It's a romantic evening option, but enjoyed the brunch better, 3 women dining together, no

romance there.  Food options, in all restaurants were good, servings wonderful, nothing super-sized, my only issue, and I understand

trying to feed 2700 people, food wasn't the hottest, I tended to stay with soup or salads, and dessert of course!! 

I was surprised to notice a lot of travelers without children, they were mainly women , or younger couples.  The ship was full, but you didn't

feel the impact of 2700.  We had an ocean view cabin with veranda, category D, this was spacious and well appointed, we never felt

crowded and would highly recommend. The bathroom also well thought out, as Willow mentioned, 1 side with sink/shower and TUB, the other

sink and toilet, really great for getting ready for the day. I slept on the bunk bed and never woke up with a back ache, yeah.

The crew outstanding, always helpful, always smiling. Would I pick this cruise for adults only, if the people were Disneyphiles,yes

otherwise, no. Many generational families:  grandparents/adults/grandkids. The adult areas were nice, adult pool far enough

away from the crazy kids pool, which was packed and they were having a blast, but holy smoke it was loud and crazy--geez am I gettin old or what?

The spa was next to the adult pool, nice to have quick access to the sauna/steam room etc.  Rainforest package, $99 for the cruise, ok

I would do it on a day to day basis, we paid the $300 and only used it twice, plus some times we weren't able to get in, too many other adults at

the same time. . The spa villas, excellent venue for a massage, has soaking tub/sliding glass door to a verandah, separate area for massage-excellent!

The entertainment was outstanding, Disney does this well, really first class, besides seeing the characters wonder the ship, this was my favorite

experience.  Plus 3D movies, super fun, Gnomeo and Juliet, Tangled, I am Number Four, and Disney movies and cartoons all day long on the TV in

the stateroom.  Ok and the fireworks another very cool factor!!!  The pirate party beforehand, not so much fun, to loud, people/kids are tired by

1030pm, and they are just waiting to see the fireworks, not really getting into the characters trying to get you to dance on the stage.

Ports of call , Puerto Vallarta , just walked the boardwalk , watched the creation of outlandish sand castles, wow, tequila tasting and back on board

Cabo, we only got 1 day, 2nd was cancelled due to tsumani warnings, did the whale watching, THE BEST !! got to see many humpback whales, 1 baby jumped

completley out of the water, amazing. Beyond that, the pier is just a zoo, people dont even leave they drink at the bars with balloons on their heads! TEQUILA!

It was a great experience and really relaxing..............THANKS ERNIE

Oahu July 2011 by Nancy Tuitama

Good morning all and especially Tracy.  Know you are in good hands with the Grass Valley crew.
Thought I would do my report in sections, seeing how I may forget something
:) by the time I get home.

Saturday arrived on UA on time, picked up car and went straight to my sister in laws house, Oso.  She is my favorite sister in law.  Her husband Pili is Lui's oldest brother who passed away in 1976.  They have 5 kids and because they lived on Oahu we saw them all the time while bringing our kids here every year when they were young.  We go there first cuz she has a mango tree..yum.

First hotel Waikiki Parc.  Sister hotel to the Halekulani.  Sorry this one is the rotten step sister. They gave us the best view so we were very thankful, but rooms are small, lanai tiny etc.  Lobby small and dull.
We throw on our swimsuits, you know my thong:) The bell captain gives us towels, mats, and seeing that we are "local" runs to his car and gets us 2 beach chairs.  So here we are on Waikiki Beach mingling with all the tourists, but hey, gotta get in the ocean,

When we stay on this side of Waikiki, my morning walk is through Ft. Derussy to the beach and along the beach path to Ala Wai Yacht Harbour.  Ft Derussy is an oasis in crowded Waikiki.  Huge expanse of grass with Monkeypod trees, huge beach and sand volleyball courts.  Many a day spent on those courts (when the thong fit)

We hit Safeway for fresh ahi poki, rice, papaya and guava juice.

Sunday head out to Aloha Stadium for the swap meet at 730a.m.  We have the kids orders, my Mom's requests etc. We get a call from Hanalei that her dog sitter is her new best friend...but she doesn't have a collar...can we get her one.

After 3 hrs we head to Kailua, see some friends and arrive at my sisters.
It is so good to see them. We spend a few hours, grab our boogie boards (we keep 2 at their house and 2 at our house for Aptos) That night we have a cocktail on the Hau Terrace at Halekulani...a ritual every time we are here.  This was the gathering place for any special event of my grandparents...their favorite.  Of couse back in their day there was only the Halekulani, Sheraton Moana and Royal Hawaiian...and a lot of pig farms.  Then off to Kincaids to meet up with friends for dinner.

Monday head out to Makaha, just because it has been 10 years, stop by Ko Olina to view the emense Disney property.  Everyone is excited because of the jobs it is creating.  Head back toward Haleiwa, stop at my favorite hawaiian home décor store and then off to Turtle Bay.
Renevated, huge room and lanai overlooking po0l and Kewala Bay.  We change in to our suits and take off to my favorite place on earth, Malaekana Bay.
I get tears in my eyes and a smile on my face as I walk down the path and the vision of the ocean break comes in to view.  We walk down the beach to "our place"  in front of the homes we rented for a month each summer growing
up. Last time we rented here was when Tiare was a junior in high school.  
The waves are choppy and big but getting tumbled is worth the great rides.Still know how each area of the bay breaks.  Great rides today. Dinner of Kahuku garlic shrimp.  Am so happy to be here.
Gotta go get my thong on for another day at the beach...at least Lui doesn't wear one!
Nancy

Ireland July 2011 by Willow Schulz

I tried to keep this brief, and I'll send some pics around tomorrow:

 

BOS/DUB on Eir Lingus was a wonderful experience! Lots of legroom and great entertainment.

Taxi to Dublin - aprox 25 min and 20-25 Euro.  Got some money exchanged in Boston (Pounds and Euros), but mostly just used ATM's, which were everywhere and most had no fee. 

Stayed in theTemple Bar area: lively, great pubs, outdoor and indoor music, cobblestone streets, a fun place! Temple Bar area has amazing nightlife every night, walking distance to Christchurch and St. Patricks Cathedrals, also good shopping available along nearby Oconnel street.

 

 Took ferry from Dublin to Wales (1 1/2 hours) ferry had comfortable seating, food service and giftshop, need to arrive at least 1 hour prior to departure.  Can book pass on Stena Line with Eurail, but we ended up on Irish Ferries (www.irishferrries.com) and I highly recommend taking the 3 hour sailing if possible, mini cruise ship with movie theatre and LOTS more dining/seating options.  Smooth sailing accross the channel,  however this is not always the case.

 

We had a 4 day unlimited rail pass for travel anywhere in Great Brittain, very easy, flexible and substantially more cost effective than booking point to point  passes .  Ferry arrived in Wales at the port of Holyhead, where we took a train to London (aprox 4 1/2 hours) city center, and then the highspeed Heathrow Express to our hotel located near Heathrow airport.  From LHR to the center of London the total travel time is about 15 minutes via the express train (has wi fi and covered by Eurail Flexi Pass).

 

The next morning we took the Chunnel to Paris (2 1/2 hr. ride) where we had about 8-9 hrs to take it all in.  Highlights:  Walked along Seine  from one end to the other in the heart of town, and saw  the outside of the Louvre, Eiffle Tower, Arc De Triumph, ate at sidewalk cafe on Champs de Elysses, walked past national art galleries.  The subway   was dirty and felt unsafe, hard to navigate, hop on/off  buses are a better option if time allows and walking is easy to MANY attractions.   We were constantly harrassed by peddlers  and signs about pick pocketing were everywhere. An escourted tour in Paris would be optimal as the tour buses were parked at the main sights so clients didn't have to navigate on own.  Another time saver would be pre-booked passage for Louvre entrance, Eiffel tower ride to top, etc. for clients short on time.

 

The next day we saw all we could of London.   Took underground to Westminster station which is walking distance to a large portion of major attractions in London, like  Big Ben, Westminster Abby, The Parliment Buildings, Hyde Park, Buckingham Palace, St James Park, London Eye.  The London underground and bus system is easy to navigate, clean and very safe.  I definitely recommend clients get the unlimited bus/underground pass if spending a few days or more in the city.   For $20 we got  an all day  hop on/off  pass for the high speed ferry that sails from 10a to 10p up and down the Thames, quick easy transport to far ends of the city such as Greenwich village and got to cruise under the current London Bridge.  Also a nice way to get out of the rain, use a clean restroom and grab a cup of coffee while seeing lots of the city.    Enjoyed Trafalgar Square which has an amazing Van Gough painting growing on the side of the national Art Gallery! I got to see my first Van Gough in Ireland, and being a huge fan these two sights are at the top of my favorite memories from this trip.   

 

Back to Dublin, started Brendan Tour Castles, Lighthouses and Pots of Gold.

Coach was excellent w/ more than ample legroom and an amazingly entertaining and educational tour guide.

Accomodations so so except for Malton Hotel in Killarney (Ring of Kerry Peninsula). Expected better with this being the top of what Brendan has to offer (small group/first class)

Tours decent: Jamison Factory, Dublin City Tour, Sheep farm, Wicklow Mountains Avoca Wool Mill Tour, Ruins, Ross and Blarney Castles, Group horse and buggy ride. 

Dining ok, all breakfasts included, 5 dinners, none except farewell dinner included any beverages, travelers felt nickeled and dimed

Itinerary could have skipped Wexford entirely, nothing interesting there

Weather sunny every day, best weather in 10 years but still didn't need shorts and did need wind breaker, sunlight until 10:30-11p every day

Tour ended in Dublin, hotel near Grafton Street.  Grafton area has nice dining, close proximity to sights like St. Stephens Green, National Art Museum, Trinity College and the Book of Kells exhibit, great shopping, good for upscale clientelle not interested in nightlife. 

 

Summary:

 

Brendan Vacations: Not for my 1st class clients (upper and moderate ok)

Eir Lingus was awesome!

Ireland has the friendliest people, green hills as far as the eye could see from East coast to West Coast, extremely clean and safe, very welcoming, LOVED IT

Paris is full of history, expensive, can't wait to go back to spend a day or 2 IN the Louvre and then leave town and see more of France (mainly Versaille) and the countryside/wine country, which is apparently friendly and safe.

London surprised me as I fell in love with this city that initially I had no interest in.  All of the people here walk fast, which is somewhat odd, but most were friendly, helpful, the city was clean, safe and easy to navigate.

Definitely no need to exchange a ton of $$ here as ATM's are everywhere, I was worried about this. 

Eurail Flexipass great investment, easy to use

Definitely glad we bought a converter/adapter, and regretted not bringing laptop

wi-fi available at most hotels and in most restaurants (good for Iphone users)

Oahu cont. July 2011 by Nancy Tuitama

We spent 6 hours at the beach at Malaekahana on Tuesday, 3hrs of boogie boarding.  The waves were great and I had so much fun and did so well...was very proud of myself.  Walked down to Laie point and thought about the days my friends and I would go out there at low tide and sunbathe topless.....Ernie, were you auditioning for my swim club with that picture I saw?  Hah.
Turle Bay has 880 acres.  I covered most of the water front.  Walking you get to serene untouched bays, old world war 2 bunkers, wildlife and beauty all around.  I had a 2 hour site of the property.  It is now a 4star. All rooms ocean views, 3 type of suites, 4 bedroom ocean front villas and ocean front cottages.
They offer all the surfing, kayaking, etc, but have horseback riding on beaches, and even ponies for the little kids, plus they learn to groom and saddle their pony.

We are back in Waikiki now at the Hyatt.  I like this side of Waikiki best.
Lots of open places to walk to, this morning walked to the Outrigger Canoe Club...my old stomping ground.  Off to my sisters in a little bit, tomorrow to Iolani Palace to brush up on my Hawaiian History.
Will see you all on Monday.
Nancy

Aulani Sep 2011 by Willow Schulz

Hi Linn, will you forward this around to everyone?  I am absolutely blown away by Disneys Aulani resort and after just one day can honestly say there isn't another resort in all of Hawaii that is this perfect for families!

 The cost for everything is definitely high, combining Hawaii and Disney I expected that, but it's worth every penny!  Yesterday I toured the resort on my own, enjoyed the awesome Lazy River where you float around the entire center of the resort, i couldve done nothing nothing else all day and been happy :) there's a gigantic kids water/play area that makes me wish with everything in me that my lids were here, partially so they could enjoy it's awesomeness, but also because if they were here I could play on it too! The Aulani also has a volcano waterside, several lagoon type pools, and a man  made snorkel lagoon which I plan to try out today.  I love snorkeling but typically I'm worried the whole time that "something" is going to get me, so besides being stocked with tons of pretty fish, this completely enclosed reef area is perfect for me!   Well, I'm going to go enjoy the resort and grab some breakfast before my site inspection, but the last thing I wanted to mention is that each evening there is a sunset celebration with lots of Ohana Cast Members, crafts, hula lessons, music performances and more, and I did the electric slide with Mickey, Minnie, stitch and other characters, words cannot describe how very cool that was!  "its electric, Boogie woogie woogie" was running through my head all night :). Aloha!!My room Sunset Character meet and greetThe bay at sunsetLooking out a window from the 8th floor A wing off the lobby by the  shopsA pretty restaurantBoogie Woogie Woogie!

Idaho Falls Sep 2011 by Linn Vander Molen

Hi Everyone,

Lisa and I had a successful trip to Idaho Falls to visit Basic American Foods.

Here are a few pictures of Idaho at it's finest!!

Rupe's Burgers was featured in USA Today and Ernie saw it!

We visited the Idaho Potato Museum. Amazing! HAHAHAHAHAHA

We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn and the grounds are beautiful!! It's right on

the Snake River and beautiful scenery. They have a new sun deck with outdoor

fireplace, comfy seating, bar in the evenings and looks right out on the river.

I had the room that they upgrade our VIPs to. It has a full private patio with

patio seating. You cannot confirm it but if you have board members or VIPs

you can email and they will note that if it's available they will upgrade your

clients. All rooms have sleep number beds, microwave, minifridge, lots of

plug-ins for your laptop, ipod, phone, etc. BAF employees get a breakfast

coupon for full, cooked-to-order breakfast, free wi-fi-, fee parking (it's Idaho

of course!) and it's the nicest place in town, bar none!

Oh... and the Harley Davidson store is right next door to the Walmart. Whoop

whoop! My brother and husband would never leave that block!!

Delta was fine. Flights were on-time. The construction on I-5 headed to and

from the airport was ridiculous. At 10pm it took me 2 hours to get from the

airport to Tracy because it was down to 1 lane and 1/2 into the median because

of the construction project. I know Willow had issues getting to the airport yest-

erday morning too so plan for lots of extra time to get to SMF!!

I always stay at the Courtyard in Natomas and leave my car there. Use your

Marriott coupons and it's $56 including tax and parking and shuttle. They give

complimentary parking sometimes, othertimes it's $10-$!5 per day BUT they

told me that if you don't tell them that you are leaving your car there, they would

never know and it's fine!! There shuttle runs every hour on the 1/2 hour and

it's a great option for a park n fly.

Over and out!
Linn

My experience at Disney's Aulani on Oahu Sep 2011 by Willow Schulz

Hello all,

 

Below you will find my report on Disney's Aulani Resort, and at the bottom I've included some of my favorite resort pics with descriptions.  Some of the text didn't copy over well, so I've also attached a document with all of the pictures.  This should also be easy to save to your computer. Enjoy :)

 

Willow

 

 

To me, Disney tends to be pricey whether it's a theme park or a resort, but you definitely get what you pay for, and the Aulani Resort and Spa is no exception.  When you take into account the free inclusions like Aunty's beach house, pool parties, star gazing, talk story time at the fireplace, etc. I think the hotel is priced very reasonably. For adults only.. if you are like me and love Disney and want exceptional service then this is great place to stay. If you want a quiet pool area there is an adult pool with a nice bar, and of course you can enjoy the spa. I think the Aulani has everything a 5 star resort offers with the service aspect but it is very casual with no dress code. Most high end resorts require you to wear cover ups when not at the pool or have a dress code for the restaurants, not at Aulani. People were at dinner in shorts, t-shirt and rubber slippers (typical attire for Hawaii).

As I drove to the Ko Olina gate they asked for my name on the reservation, checked me off, gave me resort directions and waved me through. I drove up the driveway and was greeted by the the bellman by name. Another castmember gave me a lei,orchid and tubberose.  Men get a kukui nut lei, kids a tiki necklace.  After being offered some fruit infused water I was taken inside and given a brief tour and explaination about the hotel and where things are. The bellman toured me around the room and explained about the tv, how they have all the adapters to plug in your wii or ipad, showed m where the bedding was for for the hideabed.  I'd suggest that if your clients are celebrating anything to let the hotel know as Disney will try to do special things such as leaving a welcome/congratualtions message for the guests upon arrival. 

 

Favorite Room Features: Carved wooden Mickey light, probably the only specifically "Disney" feature

Good sized mini-Fridge and comp. coffee/tea service

Rain shower AND detachable handheld shower with deep set tub, makes showering kids easy

THE BATHROBES!! Seriously, I have tried on many a hotel bathrobe and these are like heaven!

Now for the resort: In the center of the resort I found the awesome Menehune Bridge, a 22,000 ft water playground for children, as well as a lazy river, a huge meandering big pool and slide that looks like a large volcano. There's a super fast body slide and another slide you ride a tube down, and both looked extremely fun. Oh before going into the pool stop the Rainbow Reef hut and get a wrist band. They allow kids of all ages to go down the slide even with their life vest on. Their are other hotels that don't  allow kids with any flotation devices on the slide. Of course in true Disney style they have life guards all over the pool area. I think they are positioned so that each lifeguard can see each other and their scan area overlaps with the other person. That is something that is enforced strongly. No playing on the slides without a band. If you like to snorkel you can snorkel in their man made lagoon stocked with fish and hidden creatures, or if you like to play on kayak, paddle long-boards and other things you can buy a length of stay pass that includes everything. The big plus I noticed in the pool area is the water dispensers. They are located throughout the area and it was always filled with ice water so you could stay hydrated while enjoying the pool. Also available by the pool were life vests, towel stands, a shave ice hut that looks like an old shop in a counrty hawaii beach town, a snack and beach sundries shop and bathrooms.

I was able to take a tour of Aunty's Beach House and it looked like an amazing good time to be had by kids 3-11 (under 3 with parent) and it is very secure. You register (online before arrival or upon arrival), put emergency contacts and anybody who is authorized to pick up the kids, the kids are given a wrist band with a gps tracker like thing so they know where in Aunty's house they are at all times. Then to pick them up you have to show your ID and give them the special password that you registered them with. Inside Aunty's house they have a dress up area (princess, buzz, woody, pirates and others), large touch screen table games, computers, wii, play station, xbox kintec, board games, play kitchen area, arts and crafts room and a tv room with comfy chairs (at night they put out blankets in case kids want to sleep before parents get back). They also have organized activites that happen in there, and there are snacks every few hours for the kids. For me it's a good feeling to know the kids enjoy themselves there so it's not as if they are being "dropped off". It helps the parents be able to enjoy adult time and not worry about the kids.

A MUST DO for everyone who enjoys this resort is the Menehune Adventure Trail.  It's a phone like device that you talk to Aunty who sends you on different quests. Each quest will make something happen. Rocks move, things come up from places you never knew they were, lava flows and erupts, plants shoot water, etc, and seeing the special effects was a ton of fun! 

I did the Kula Wai treatment which consists of soaking in their different aroma therapy baths, and outdoor showers and tubs. For about $40 you have all day access and you can even order food and have it delivered to the spa. I talked to other guests who said that the Disney Spa experience topped any others they have been to. Prices were comparable to other spa prices but even in there the Disney Service was exceptional.

Dining:

There's an upscale beachfront lunch/dinner restraunt Ama Ama, and you can get service from the beach.  Room service is one of my favorite things about vacation and their options were pricey but tasty.  The main restaurant , Makahiki, has indoor outdoor dining by the lily/coi pond below the lobby area, serving buffet options for Breakfast/lunch dinner with a "Kids" erea. There's a special character breakfast here on select days.  You should make reservations in advance (part of the online check in I believe).  Goofy and Minnie visit tables while Mickey is at the front greeting people and taking pictures. Aunty comes out and sings songs and they lead the kids on a parade around the restaurant. The fastest way to get food around the pool area is to go to the take out counter, and bring it back to your chair.

Check out was fast and easy. They do have a lounge area where you can store your things, shower and change before your flight. Or after check-out the kids can swim, and then shower before heading home.

 

 

One night in MSP Oct 2011 by Judy Takemoto

Ernie goes to Salt Lake for the day, I outdid him.  I flew to Minneapolis for one night.

On Saturday morning I got up at 3:00 am to fly nonstop on Delta Airlines from SMF to MSP at 6:55 am.

It normally takes 45 minutes from my house but with the road construction on I-5, it took about an hour

even with hardly any traffic (be forewarned, it can be worse and take longer).  The Delta flight was full, every seat

taken.  I was in Zone 4 (aisle seat) – the last zone to board.  I voluntarily checked my bag at the gate as they

ran out of space in the overhead bins (they waived the check-in baggage fee).  I grabbed a cab from the airport

to the Saint Paul Hotel (rate 4-Daimond by AAA).  I believe it is the “best hotel” in Minneapolis.  I was greeted

with smiling faces, politeness everywhere.  I was given a room on the 12^th floor (top floor) with a view overlooking

the Mississippi River.  Top-notch.  Great room.

I took the local bus #54 to the Mall of America; it cost $1.75 each way, it took over 30 minutes (it makes a ton

of stops, one stop being the airport).  Got right in there with the locals.

The Mall of America is overwhelming (my second visit).  MLT had an “Open House” on the 4^th Level in a suite

from 3:00 pm-7:00 pm.  Crashed for the evening.

On Sunday, I had a wake-up call at 6:00 am, checked out, stored my luggage and had the concierge

print my boarding pass.  I walked literally one block, passing by the park in front of the hotel and I was

at the River Centre-where MLT University was being held (like a convention center).  Continental buffet

breakfast at 8:00 am.  MLT’s CEO and President are both “characters” with fun personalities-I can see

how Janet Yacoub was drawn to them and MLT.

I have to say I was impressed with MLT University!

EVERYTHING was so organized-from having an area to check your luggage, to having the

ability to print your airline boarding pass.  I attended four 40-minute classes before lunch.

In that short period of time, I learned and gained insight to the destinations of my choice:

the Magic of Disney (Aulani, of course), Italy, France, England & Scotland combined.

All so informative.  My last class was a review of World Agent Direct, the booking engine

for MLT.  Wealth of information found there---hotel descriptions, maps.

The highlight had to be the motivational speaker during lunch – Walter Bond, former NBA

player from the Dallas Mavericks.  He was outstanding!

Keys to success:

~ Be confident, not arrogant.

~ “Clients need to KNOW ME.”

~ “Clients need to LIKE ME.”

~ “Clients need to TRUST ME.”

~ You can COMMUNICATE all you want but you need to make a CONNECTION.

I somewhat regret that I did not sign-up for the full 3 days at MLT University in order

to attend other classes.  I missed the Trade Show completely so I could make my flight home

on Sunday-another full flight!  People are traveling.  The Mall of America was buzzing and active.

What recession?!

Reporting on one night in Minneapolis-

Judy T.

Turks and Caicos Oct 2011 by Terry Normington

We began by taking BART from the Bay Point/Pittsburg station at Todd Darling's suggestion as it is the start of the train and goes directly to the SF airport.  It was $11 each and went well.  We flew all night on American from SF to Miami (me in a middle seat that did not recline) arriving at 5AM and our flight to Providenciales was not until 1PM so we were thrilled to have passes to the Admiral's Club courtesy of our AA rep.  It would have been nice to have recliners or couches to lie down on but instead they did have somewhat comfortable chairs in quiet areas and areas with TVs going as well as juice, coffee and mini-muffins.  The best thing was they had 8 shower rooms with a shower that has liquid soap and shampoo, a sink, toilet, hair dryer and privacy!  It was great to shower after the all night flight!  

 

The flight to Providenciales was only an hour and a half also on American.  I have only ever spent one night in the Caribbean previously at the El San Juan hotel before a fam on the "Exploration Starship"in the early 80s and the only all-inclusive I have stayed at before was Club Med Ixtapa in 2002 before it was refurbished and included alcohol.  I have never stayed at a Four Seasons or a Ritz Carlton, but have stayed at nice Hyatts, Marriotts and Fairmonts.  The Veranda Resort was definitely one of the best hotels I have ever experienced.  We were met at the airport by one of the resident managers with champagne and driven the 15 minutes or so to the resort.  We were quietly checked in on a couch in the reception area while meeting the General Manager of the hotel.  

 

We were escorted to our room by our personal concierge and then were to meet the Resident Manager at 6PM for a site inspection and dinner on the beach (but a rain shower changed that to one of the restaurants).  We were dead tired but rallied and met him an hour after checking in.  We had an ocean-view studio on the fourth floor of the main building which was large with a king size bed, flat screen TV, large balcony, kitchenette area with a refrigerator, microwave,and sink and a dressing area with double sinks and a bathroom with toilet and shower.  The resort has 2, 3, and 4 bedroom villas and beach houses as well.  Some are privately owned and not rentable, some are in the rental pool and get the all-inclusive benefits, all are very nice and great for families!  We also saw the spa, gym, and kid's area.  They have a complimentary kid's program for kids from 3-12 and a game room with Playstations, Wiis, etc. for all to use.  The beach is amazing and quiet and peaceful with baby powder white sand and turquoise, clear, warm water.  The resort has a main pool area close to the beach with an outdoor pool table, really nice hammocks, fire pits at night, etc. They also have a family pool and an adults only pool in the center of the two sections of the resort that are specific to those groups.  There are 3 restaurants and usually only one was open for breakfast and lunch and then usually 2 were open for dinner.  The choices for dining were great, with our favorite being the Sky Lounge which was on top of the main restaurant overlooking the beach, pool, fire pits, etc.  On Saturday night, they bring all the tables and chairs out onto the beach for a beach barBQ with entertainment, it was a really nice experience also.  You know you are at a nice all-inclusive when the vodka they pour is Grey Goose.  The wines were mainly from South America and were not fabulous but drinkable.  The beach staff would bring fruit skewers and cold washcloths to the beach and anything one wanted to drink.  Non-motorized watersports were included such as snorkeling, kayaks, and sailboats.  An example of the level of service is when I requested distilled water for Jack's CPAP machine, they put 4 gallons of distilled water in our room when he needed about 8 ounces!  Wifi was complimentary but I was not able to access any of my Segale stuff , not even email.segaletravel.com.  Phone calls from the room to the US and Canada were complimentary which was nice since ATT charges $2.25 per minute on the cell phone.  On our last night, they left a bottle of champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and 2 tote bags! 

 

We were treated to a couple's massage the morning after we arrived and it was amazing!  The guests at the Veranda were from all over, three young couples from Italy, honeymooners from the UK, Kentucky, New Jersey, Maryland, etc.  Most people were from the East Coast which has much better air service.  Even from London, BA has nonstop flights to Nassau, then they continue on to Providenciales.  There are excursions to North Caicos, and Middle Caicos for snorkeling, etc. and one can take a ferry to those less inhabited islands.  I wanted to go to Grand Turk which is where the cruise ships dock (and there is a Margaritaville and flowrider) but the only way to get there is to charter a plane for the 45 minute flight each way and that was not in our budget!  The Turks and Caicos are a British Crown Colony and there is no visible poverty, no street vendors or beach vendors, and it is very clean.  They grow nothing on Provo, and everything imported has a 30% duty on it so an all-inclusive is really the way to go!   

 

The hurricane damaged some of the resorts and some close in September and early October anyway.  Beaches was damaged and was closed while we were there and it is right next door and so the Veranda took some of their displaced guests as it is the only other all-inclusive on the island that accepts kids (Club Med is 18 and over).  Where the Veranda has 2 beach chairs and a table and then another set about 15 feet away, at Beaches the lounge chairs sit right next to each other and about 6 rows deep.  Apparently when it is open there are lots of people on the beach, but it was very quiet for us!

 

After 6 nights in paradise, we moved to Club Med which our rep, Sam, had arranged for us complimentary.  The Veranda insisted on driving us there and it is about 15-20 minutes down the beach.  When we were shown to our room, which was super hot even with the air on full blast, and very basic, we both really wanted to call the Veranda and see if they would let us come back!  We requested a fan and extra pillows (which finally came at 11PM) and then headed to the beach.  The beach is the same, only wider and has more shells and is sort of on the point, absolutely beautiful!  The pool area is really nice and the sport courts looked great.  The restaurants, bars, and accommodations are very old and tired and apparently they just found out that they can extend their lease for another 25 years so hopefully they will close it and tear it down and rebuild!  As opposed to Grey Goose at the Veranda, at Club Med they poured a tiny amount of a no-name vodka, the chardonnay was awful (and Jack likes 2 buck chuck!), and the only beer they served complimentary was the locally made Turks head.  Coronas and other beers were $5, decent wine was $5 or more, and I have no idea what Grey Goose was but it definitely showed me the difference between all-inclusives!  The food was all buffet except the special restaurant, the Lucayan, is open 2 nights a week and we were able to dine there the second night.  It was good, but the filet mignon was more like pot roast!  I wish I knew if the upgraded Club Meds serve the same things or if the food and service has been upgraded as well.  For the younger group (18-30 something's), it is probably great.  They have entertainment nightly and all types of sports including the circus!  The staff is international, young and energetic.  We met a lady from Canada who was there for the second time because she loves the ocean but on her last trip, some people she met had a rat in their room which was a bit disturbing!  There are no elevators either and the buildings are up to three stories high, not fun with luggage!   

 

The return trip was fine but customs in Miami took forever, so many lines and then you have to go through security again to check-in for the continuing flight, people need at least 2 1/2 hours between flights if they are clearing customs!  When we landed in SF at 11:30PM which was 2:30AM in the Turks, we were thrilled to have Todd Darling there to drive us home in his beautiful Jaguar!