Amy Gum Wall in Seattle Sept 2024My recent Alaska inside passage cruise on Majestic Princess was excellent!

We flew into Seattle 3 days early and stayed at the Kimpton Vintage Hotel. Loved the hotel - more boutique style, so small and intimate. Great location (about 15 minutes’ walk from Pike’s Market, shopping and restaurants). Seattle is a very walkable, safe city. We took a taxi to the pier (around $25) and were the 1^st boarding group onto the ship thanks to my Princess status and our cabin was ready by 1:00pm.

In Ketchikan, we did the Saxman Native Village and city tour. They met us right at the pier and there were about 15 of us. A good tour, but wish we could have seen some type of performance at the totem poles.

In Juneau, we did a private 6 passenger whale watch (https://jayleensalaska.com/) This was amazing! We saw about 12 whales and even had a mom and baby swim up next to our boat.

In Skagway, we did the White Pass Summit and city tour by bus. Again, a good tour and glad we chose this over the train so we could make stops along the way.

The Majestic Princess was very clean and the staff was amazing. I told our cabin attendant he was a ninja he seemed to know when we were gone!-our room was always clean and we had turn down service every night. Self-serve laundry was $6.50 for wash, dry and detergent. You had to use the medallion to purchase tokens. We thought the food was very good in both the dining room and buffet. There were many activities to choose from. A nice touch was the naturalist on board while cruising the glaciers. My favorite was the Puppies in the Piazza :) We enjoy Princess and will certainly sail with them again!

We began our stay at the Iberostar Dominicana for 3 nights. We had a room on the 1st floor and they have golf carts that will take you from the lobby to your room and vice versa. The property is beautiful.

We could only make one ala carte reservation for our stay (they limit how man reservations you can make depending on how many nights you stay). There is no swim up bar or service around the pool. The entertainment was good.

We had a day pass at the Hard Rock and that was so much fun! The property is huge and they have trams running between the lobby and beach. We ate at the buffet for lunch and it was very good - several stations with different options. Some of the ala carte restaurants were open for lunch as well. There were even two food trucks on property. We found chairs by the pool (one of 13!) and just chilled out with drinks. I walked around the property and checked out the kids Water Park and lazy river.

We stayed the last 4 nights at RIU Palace Punta Cana. The resort was renovated in 2017 and is still one of our favorites. No issues getting into the ala carte restaurants (no reservations required) and we liked the food. I walked over to the RIU Bambu and RIU Macao (just reopened after renovations). There are RIU Parties 4 nights a week (18 and over) and the entertainment was good.

A few notes:
-yes, Spanish is the native language but most of the staff at all 3 resorts spoke some English, so there was no real language barrier
-we were picked up for our return transfer about 3 hours prior to departure
-make sure you download the apps for the resorts
-the Dominican Entry form is only shown at time of check in for your departing flight. If you do not have it, you will be denied boarding

Overall, we had a great time and it was nice to get away from everything!

I have just returned from a delightful stay at the Riu Palace in Playa del Carmen Mexico!

This luxury full all-inclusive property located in Playacar built along a spectacular stretch of white-sand beach and framed by tropical palm trees, this gorgeous hotel boasts elegant junior suites with all the distinctive Riu amenities such as minibar and liquor dispenser. 

The resort is older but well maintained. The staff is all amazing and hardworking. The food was very good and we never had an issue getting into the ala carte restaurants. Reservations are no longer required so it is first come, first served.

Entertainment was fun - a different show every night. The silent disco was our favorite.

We only left the property twice-walked to the other RIU properties and went shopping (small market just down the street) and went to the White Party on Friday night at RIU Tequila. Felt very safe. There was a mix of clients-everything from spring break groups to families to couples. The resort was at full capacity.

You will want to download the RIU app for information on dining, activities, etc. It was very helpful.

My family and I thoroughly enjoyed our Royal Caribbean Symphony of the Seas sailing!

We flew into Miami two days early and took the kids to the Everglades. We did an airboat tour and that was so fun (and loud!)

The food on board was very good and the wait staff in the main dining room was excellent. We didn’t eat in any of the specialty restaurants.  If you anytime dining-we tried to make reservations and couldn’t get anything earlier than 8PM. We talked to the maître d and she was able to switch us to early dining all week. We did find a café in Central Park that had Paninis and other sandwiches, and of course the pizza at Sorrentos was our favorite!

We got to see all of the shows on board and even though we didn’t have reservations we got in with no trouble. The entertainment was excellent.

The pools were crowded on sea days but we never had an issue getting two chairs together. Yes, there were people saving seats so that was annoying.

Our ship ported at Coco Cay (it rained so we didn’t really get to enjoy the island and the water park was closed). We went to the beach and ate at the buffet. We also went to St. Thomas and St. Maarten.  In St. Maarten we hired a taxi ($125 for four hours) and he drove us around the island and stopped to take us shopping and watch the planes come in.

Our kids went to the teen mixer the first night and hung out with their new friends all week. The curfew for under 18 was 1AM.

Overall we had a great time and it never really felt like there were 6000 people on board!

My experience on a Signature Educational Journey to Vancouver and Sonora Island was amazing! We were able to explore so many wonderful hotels and resorts in addition to several fun activities. The trip was very active which I thoroughly enjoy.

In Vancouver we visited the Opus Hotel Vancouver (95 rooms), located in the Yaletown district near restaurants bars and shopping – excellent location. In Vancouver I also visited the Shangri-La, The Douglas Hotel, the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, the Fairmont Pacific Rim and Fairmont Water Front. The Fairmont Waterfront has luggage delivery to the cruise lines at Canada Place.

We then took a 45 minute flight from Vancouver to the Sonora Resort (88 rooms plus Presidential Suite and two private villas) via float plane. This is a luxury retreat offering hiking, biking, eco tours, salmon fishing and more!

Some of the local excursions included the Capilano Suspension Bridge – not for the faint of heart but the views are spectacular. Fly over Canada - a fun 8 minute ride that takes you coast to coast. Grouse Mountain/breakfast with the bears - take the gondola up and have breakfast with the bears. The Vancouver Aquarium which is the 5th largest aquarium in North America. And the Granville Island Foodie Tour - bring your appetite - we tasted 7 different foods-bread, cheese, tea, nuts, meat, apples and donuts! Tourism Vancouver rolled out the red carpet for us. A beautiful area I would be happy to assist you with.

I recently experienced the IBEROSTAR Playa Mita, a 5-star Premium Gold hotel located near Punta de Mita, Mexico. this property offers a relaxing and all-inclusive atmosphere complete with mouthwatering international dishes and endless activities for guests of all ages. Standing tall near the beautiful Punta de Mita, on Mexico’s Pacific coast, IBEROSTAR Playa Mita is conveniently located 25 miles from Puerto Vallarta International Airport.

There are four a la carte restaurants (French, Mexican, Japanese and Steakhouse) plus a café. There is also a grill by the pool or buffet for lunch. The Japanese was our favorite. Long pants for men are only required at the French restaurant. We didn’t have any trouble getting reservations and you could make them for three days at a time. We had the privilege of meeting the head chef and he truly cares what guests think about the food. He came to check on us every night to get our feedback. 

There are activities starting around 10 AM and going until 4 PM every day. The shows start at 9:30 PM and the disco stays open until 3 AM. One evening, there was a carnival in the lobby and that was fun for the kids. There was also a band in the lobby bar a couple of nights. Never a dull moment at this fun resort!

Click here to visit the Raffels, IstanbulI experienced a great trip to Istanbul with Travel + Leisure in 2015.  Our host hotel was Raffles, Istanbul and it was outstanding!  Turkish Air provided business class air from JFK and the service was outstanding. Turkish Air is part of the Star Alliance, so I was able to use the lounge at JFK.

Once I landed in Istanbul, I was met by the Sea Song Tours representative and was taken to passport control and baggage claim. The entire process took no more than 10 minutes. Upon arrival at the Raffles Istanbul, I was greeted and taken directly to my room. My butler introduced herself and I was left to say “wow.”  We toured the Dolmabache Palace and had lunch at the Kosebasi Restaurant in the Zorlu Center which was attached to the hotel.  

That evening, we boarded our yacht for a cruise along the Bosphorus and had dinner at the G Balik on Suada Island. If you enjoy seafood, this is not to be missed!  We also did a city tour of Istanbul that included the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, St. Sophia and Topkapi Palace then was on to the Grand Bazaar. 3000 shops in a 1-mile radius. Crazy is all I have to say.  Our farewell dinner was at Arola Restaurant at Raffles - an amazing presentation featuring Spanish cuisine.  I definitely want to go back to Turkey someday and explore more of Istanbul and beyond!

Jamaica with Delta Vacations was excellent!  I spent three nights at the RIU Palace Tropical Bay in Negril. The resort offered a good mix of activities and relaxation. I had the opportunity to do site inspections of several different resorts-everything from families to couples.

I hadn’t been to Jamaica for over 20 years, and it was amazing how the island had grown! I took a catamaran ride from Margaritaville in Negril to Rick’s Café to watch the cliff divers. It was so exciting (and a little nerve-wracking!) to see people dive into the crystal blue water!

Upon arrival in Jamaica, and on departure, I had the services of Club MoBay at the airport. For a nominal fee, you have exclusive use of their lounges located at the airport. It was nice to be able to relax in a private setting and to bypass the lines!

I was very fortunate to spend 4 nights in Costa Rica with Delta Vacations. We stayed two nights at the Hilton Papagayo and two nights at the Westin Conchal. It was a great experience to see different sides of the country.

The Hilton Papagayo Costa Rica Resort & Spa is an all-inclusive resort at the very epicenter of a tropical paradise. Overlooking the Gulf of Papagayo, this outstanding resort features a secluded natural volcanic sand beach, never-ending unspoiled gardens, and a wide array of activities.  The Westin Golf Resort & Spa, Playa Conchal is an all-inclusive, all-suite, all adventure golf and beach resort located on 1.5 miles of white sandy beach. Accommodations include 406 luxurious oversized suites offering deluxe amenities. The hotel also features an 18-hole Eco-Golf championship course, Ahuia spa, 2 free-form pools, and a variety of restaurants offering gourmet cuisine.

We were able to tour the Arenal Volcano area and Buena Vista where we zip lined, went down the world's 3rd most extreme water slide, and took a horseback ride to the hot springs and mud bath!  Our host was TAM Travel and they were very professional and knowledgeable. I would highly recommend Costa Rica for adventure seekers and as a different destination to the typical Caribbean islands! 

I sailed onboard the Crown Princess sailing to Princess Cay, Aruba, and Curacao. It was a wonderful family vacation!

From the moment we boarded the ship, I noticed that each and every crew member took the time to greet us.  Our room steward took special care of the kids and delivered cookies to our cabin each evening! The Youth Center was amazing and my kids couldn't wait to go and hang out there on sea days and in the evenings after dinner. It was a nice break for my husband and me.

We had been to Aruba and Curacao before, so we just got off the ship and walked around the islands to do a little shopping. I especially liked Princess Cay-truly a relaxing beach day! One nice touch was that they had cold towels for us as we were boarding the ship.

The food was amazing and there was always something new to try. We had the honor of having the Master Chef onboard and enjoyed the cooking demonstration he gave. We also were able to tour one of the gallies.  Now, if I could only cook like that at home!  The Matrie D' even specially ordered mac & cheese one night for the kids at dinner. What a nice touch.  I did the wine tasting event during one of the sea days and even learned a little about wine. The crew was wonderful and always happy to help out-no matter what request we had. We will definitely sail with Princess again!

I spent another trip fun filled & relaxing trip to Punta Cana! This time we chose to stay at the RIU Palace Bavaro. It is a very modern, contemporary resort with lots of artwork.  The rooms are spacious but provide with very little privacy.  We dined in three of the four a la carte restaurants which were quite good.  I liked the fact that we could make reservations three days in advance – not the norm for some all-inclusive properties.  The buffet had theme nights twice during our stay, and there was a large variety of food.

The staff was very friendly and worked hard. Most of the staff speak some English but can be difficult to understand at times.  This is fairly typical in Punta Cana.

The RIU Resorts are all connected by a sidewalk, so going between them is very easy. Caribbean Street has shopping, a disco, casino, medical office, and restaurant. The evening entertainment was good (they rotate the shows every 2 weeks) and there are all kinds of activities to choose from during the day. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and I would recommend this resort for adults and families with teens.