On January 31, my husband & I set out to spend a week aboard the Wind Spirt, a 100+ passenger sailboat (more like a yacht!) sailing to St. Martin, St. John, Tortola, St. Barts, Jost Van Dyke & Virgin Gorda.  Our cruise began and ended in St. Thomas.  Being on a smaller vessel has many advantages over the larger cruise ships; the staff greets you by YOUR name,  your every need is met by your very attentive room steward, you make new friends easily on the ship (it's more like a large family reunion!), and your vessel docks in marinas & ports where the larger ships cannot go just for starters.  Our captain delayed our departure from St. John until midnight on the 2nd day so we, the guests, could watch the Superbowl on the island!  Now, that's personalized service!!  Each day we were at a different island and spent the day exploring on our own or with an organized activity. 

This cruiseline also has itineraries along the coast of Costa Rica, the Mediterranean, the Southern Caribbean and the Greek Isles.  Our 'new' friends suggested we do a reunion cruise next year and we just might take them up on it!  This cruise would be great for honeymooners or for people just wanting to relax and get away from the ordinary!

I just returned from Las Vegas and Mandalay Bay. Wow!  The hotel is HUGE and you literally don't ever have to leave as everything you need to do or see is there.  I didn't leave the property for 2 days!  The 1st night there, I went to see the live show Mama Mia which was great; the actors were superb & gave a stellar performance.  I was on the 7th row right in the middle and in front of the stage; great seats!  Also, the exhibit Shark Reef is there and is sure to please everyone.  The casino is right in the center of the hotel so you have to walk through it (smart!) to go to the restaurants or exhibits; it always seemed to be bustling with activity night & day.  Mandalay Bay has a great pool & lazy river which were closed due to the season; it will reopen in the spring '09.  The full service spa was also wonderful!  There is a complimentary monorail that takes you to the Luxor and Excalibur hotels which is very convenient.  I did see the choregraphed fountain show in front of the Bellagio Hotel; it is spectacular & happens every 30 minutes.  I will definately be back to see more of Vegas!

On my last trip to the Riviera Maya, Mexico area, I was able to tour several wonderful Adult-Only All-Inclusive resorts!  From the 'welcome' drink which greeted you in the front lobby, the jacuzzi tubs in the rooms with rose petals, the personalized towel arrangements and the beach beds,  I was very impressed with each and every one of these great resorts!  I loved the 'swim-up' suites which allows you to plunge into your own  pool right in front of your terrace; some even wind around up to the main pool bar!  Awesome!  This is my favorite destination for honeymooners where I'm sure they will find every amenity to satisfy their every desire.  At one of the resorts, El Dorado Royale, you can even have an 'open' air shower in your suite where the water comes out of a branch giving a sense of real freedom!  Some of the other resorts I visited were El Dorado Seaside Suites, Azul Blue Resort and the Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso.  From the grandeur of the Iberostar Grand to the boutique-style of the Azul, there's that perfect resort for everyone!

I flew into Liberia, Costa Rica for 4 wonderful days of exploring this beaufiful country!  The 1st day, I was taken on the Canopy Tour; after a short hike through the forest, I got up on a platform, was strapped up and hooked up to steel cables and off I went 'flying' over the different levels of the lush canopy of trees.  Expert guides and strict safety measures allow you to fully enjoy this half day of fascinating adventure.  Some other places I visited were Palo Verde National Park where white-faced spider monkeys were coaxed out of the trees onto our boat for some yummy bananas; that was totally awesome!!  The next day, I was off to Monteverde and stayed at the Cloud Forest Lodge where our group could take the Skywalk Tour or visit the Butterfly farm.  Although Costa Rica is a small country (slightly smaller than West Virginia), it holds more the 5% of the world's life forms which is why protection of Costa Ricas delicate ecosystems is a top priority.   There are only 2 seasons here:  subtropical dry season (Dec. through April) and a rainy season (May through November).  Don't let the 'rainy season' stop you from visiting this beautiful country; the fun goes on year-round. 

I never thought I would enjoy an Alaskan cruise; afterall, it's cold!  And I thought it would be boring looking at snow & ice.  I was so wrong!  This was probably the best cruise I had ever been on.  We went with another couple and weren't quite sure what to expect.

We choose the Norwegian Sun out of Vancouver, Canada for a 7-night roundtrip cruise.  After catching a very early morning flight, we arrived in Vancouver by mid-afternoon.  Embarkation went well and we were resting and getting settled in to our balcony staterooms waiting to set sail.  NCL offers the 'free-stlye dining' which means you can go to the formal dining rooms anytime between 5:00pm and 10:00pm for dinner.  No rushing to get to the dining room ontime!

We stopped at 4 ports of call:  Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway and Wrangel.  In Ketchikan, my friend & I took a kayaking trip around an island off the coastline while our husbands tried their luck at salmon fishing; their cooler was soon overflowing with salmon!  In Juneau, we took the Ice Glacier Helicopter tour; now that was awesome flying over the glaciers and then landing on one!  We got out and explored for awhile before heading back to the small airport.  By the way, we booked all our shore excursions through the locals which was great!  Smaller groups and per-sonalized service.  In Skagway, we took the 2-hour horseback ride up in the Canadian Yukon.  Our guide looked like a modern 'Annie Oakley' and showed us some unbelieveable scenery!  In Wrangel, we walked around  the small town visiting with some of the sights the locals recom-mended.   Then cruising back to Vancouver, we saw lots of glaciers as the captain of the ship manuvered through the small passages.

Since the Alaskan cruises are seasonal: mid-May through mid-September, they fill up quickly!  Now (fall/winter) is the time to book your Alaskan cruise for the following summer to get the best prices and availability.   Feel free to call or email me with any questions.  I'd love to share more with you!
 

We departed for Puerto Vallarta on a chartered flight out of Houston on a Thursday afternoon and returned on Sunday afternoon. I had never been to that side of Mexico (Pacific ocean) before so I had no idea what to expect. Upon our arrival, we were taken to the Marival Resort & Suites Nuevo Vallarta. Our suite was awesome! A 2-bedroom/3-bath room, more like a small apartment that faced the beach. We had a small refrigerator and microwave in the kitchen area but didn't need to cook since this is an 'All-Inclusive' resort. The resort is great for families or couples and is very spacious. We enjoyed a Canopy Tour the 2nd day where we were taken by jeep to the jungle area. Bring a scarf or hair tie, ladies; it's a bumpy, windy ride! We were instructed on how to put on our gear and the guides were great explaining every detail to us. We then walked a short way to the 1st 'platform' where we were strapped to the zipline and off we sailed above the treetops! We zipped to about 13 treetop platforms. The next day we were taken by boat to Caletas Beach Club. We were treated to a great buffet lunch at tables up on the hillside where we watched a school of dolphins swim by; plus I splurged and got a massage while there to soothe the aches from the bumpy ride day before! Puerto Vallarta is definately a place I would go back to!