I have just returned from an inaugural sailing of RCI’s new Icon of the Seas and all I can say is wow! The arrival at the Port of Miami went very smoothly, we had our Set Sail Passes and Passports out and ready to be checked by the RCI Reps. Lines were already established for your check-in times and we were directed to proceed accordingly. We basically walked right on the ship. Keep in mind there were only 4,000 passengers on our sailing compared to a full occupancy holding up to 7,514 passengers.

Once onboard the ship, you immediately see THE PEARL on the Royal Promenade – the Heart of the Ship. This has their Grand Stair Case that leads up to the Pearl Café – which is a “gathering spot” on the Icon. The views from the Pearl Café are beautiful – floor to ceiling views! Our next stop was the 1400 Lobby Bar (of course) and it also serves as a nice meeting place and trivia place. This particular location also has a promenade to outside.

The ship was of course absolutely beautiful and amazing! I know everyone has their personal opinions and honestly I thought because of the size of the ship, I would be lost the entire trip. I was WRONG!! I didn’t feel that way at all.

On our sailing the specialty restaurants were open for sample tastings and all that we sampled were delicious. The food we had in the dining room was all good, the service was good. You can tell they are getting used to working together and getting their system down. I know this will improve with time.

We experienced their Aqua Show (my first) and it was very entertaining! I caught a glimpse of the WIZARD OF OZ performance! It’s a performance that you won’t want to miss! You’ll want to highly recommend your clients to sign up for as soon as they can. I recommend either prior to sailing (if offered) or as soon as on board. Reservations are essential.

We had a Surfside Family View Balcony. Size of cabin was nice, storage space was adequate and bathroom felt roomier than other cabins I’ve sailed. We had a view of the Surfside Neighborhood, which would be nice for families and these cabins have balconies than can adjoin. We could see out the aft of the ship from our balcony. Our weather was cool during our sailing; we didn’t spend time on our balcony or outside. Personally, I still prefer my OV Balcony.

FOUR – Deck Suite Neighborhood – If you are booked in a suite you will have a key-card access to this luxury area. The Grove is a two-level suite sun deck, where there is a private pool, whirlpool and a casual dining venue.
• Coastal Kitchen – exclusive restaurant for suite guests only

Surfside Neighborhood is an all-day place to go with families! There are many water activities for the younger children, slides, arcades, carousel along with dining places (some with additional cost $$). There is an area for adult beverages for mom & dad too.

Central Park – Nice area to take a stroll anytime! They have a green space with live orchids. CP offers live music venues, several bars, outdoor café and restaurants. CP is a relaxed area with curved pathways through the park included with benches for people watching or just relaxing.

Dueling Pianos – was also a very busy venue and entertainment changes daily.

Coco Cay – they have upgraded Coco Cay since I’ve been there! It’s very inviting! The adults only area, the tallest waterslide, helium balloon (all additional costs). Highly recommend, if just want to relax – plenty of free beach space available. There are so many new areas to visit if you haven’t been here in a while. If clients have purchased the drink package, it also works on Coco Cay. They have a Swim up bar – Oasis Lagoon, which seems to be overlooked and not as busy. Great Pool Day!

I highly recommend the Icon of the Seas for families and generational families. There is something to do for all ages as far as entertainment and cabins. Of course for now pricing will be on the higher end as it is a new ship with added amenities.

Holland America – Alaska & Yukon Cruise/Tour
Nieuw Amsterdam – July 21 – August 1, 2018

This was my first cruise and cruise/tour experience with Holland America Line. My overall experience was very good. We sailed for three nights from Vancouver on the Nieuw Amsterdam to Skagway and did a nine day Land Journey to the Yukon and Denali.

NIEW AMSTERDAM – 3 nights – July 21 – 23, 2018 Vancouver to Skagway

• Easy embarkation in Vancouver - once cleared to you walk directly to your cabin
• $10 dining fee for Pinnacle Grill – very good!
• America’s Test Kitchen – well attended and interesting for those food lovers
• BB King’s – well attended by cruisers and everyone loved this venue - good interaction
• Nice Spa and Gym – plenty of equipment
• Sailed in Cabin 5002 – Front of ship – balcony to the side and front of ship – great experience!

Juneau – Experiences the Whales & Mendenhall Glacier Photo Safari tour. I highly recommend this tour. Maximum passengers – 14!

Skagway – We disembarked in Skagway and experienced the City Historical Tour – very enjoyable.
White Pass & Yukon Journey Route – took the rail from Skagway to Fraser B.C. and then motorcoach into Whitehorse. Rail experience was very informative. Motor coach stops were in Carcross, Yukon Territory along with a beautiful photo stop at Emerald Lake and Miles Canyon.   Emerald Lake looked like a picture from the Caribbean waters!
Whitehorse – Dawson City – Stops along the way – Braeburn Lodge, Five Finger Rapids, Moose Creek and Tintina Trench. All these stops were historical and the Braeburn Lodge was a stop for the Yukon Quest, which is similar to the Iditarod in Alaska. We flew from Dawson City to Fairbanks on our own aircraft on a dirt runway (interesting).

Rail from Denali – Anchorage – 8 Hour trip
Denali is certainly a ‘must do’ while in Alaska!

I have recently returned from Ireland visiting Dublin, Kilkenny & Killarney.

My hotel in Dublin was the Hotel Riu Plaza The Gresham.  The hotel is in a great location on O’Connell Street where there are tons of shops, dining, and pubs all within walking distance.  The bar/restaurant located in the hotel was quaint and very busy.  I would highly recommend this hotel for a true Dublin experience.   

Departing Dublin, our group headed south towards Kilkenny.  Kilkenny is a very nice, unique smaller city.  You can stroll through the many shops and find a restaurant and Pub around any corner!  We had a quick lunch at the Left Bank Bar & Restaurant.  Very unique old building (that was a bank back in the day) great entertainment and is always busy.  We visited the famous the Kilkenny Castle which did not disappoint.  We stayed at the New Park Hotel Kilkenny. A warm, friendly and welcoming property, they have added a large outside outdoor area for dining and drinks.  There is also a lively bar and restaurant located on the property.

And who can go to Ireland and not visit the Blarney Castle and Grounds?    Yes, you need to kiss the Blarney Stone! We spent a little time at the Blarney Woollen Mills – great for shopping and dining.  We stayed at the Killarney Towers Hotel & Leisure Center  - a great location within walking distance to anywhere in Killarney.  They offer live entertainment nightly in the hotel bar and the dining was exceptional.

We took a drive from Killarney to the roads that were winding around the beautiful Iveagh Peninsula – which is better known for the Ring of Kerry.  We stopped at the quaint Village of Steem for a short rest stop.  Stopped at Moll’s Gap and had amazing views of the Lakes of Killarney. Breathtaking views on this entire trip.  

Other tips for Dublin: 
• Guinness Storehouse – Gravity Bar a must! – book private tour early
• Kilmainham Gaol (pronounced like Jail in the U.S.) – book escorted tours early
• Recommend to take a Hop on/Hop Off tour if just for only a day to see the entire city. 
• Old Jameson Distillery – book a tour

In 2015 I participated in a T & L Travel Academy in London. This was my first trip to London and I experienced so much in a short period of time.  While the trip was quick, we were able to get a “taste” of all that London has to offer.  Trip highlights included:

• Business Class with Delta Airlines from DTW – LHR
• Private transfers from LHR to the hotel with Black Tomato
• 4 nights stay at the Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard
• London Helicopter Tour
• Workshop with Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts
• Private Tour of Sipsmith Distillery
• Private Tour of Royal Albert Hall
• Private Transfers in London with Black Cabs 
• Euro Star from London – Paris
• Day at the Shangri-La Paris
• Borough Market

The London Helicopter Tour was a great way to see the city.  We experienced the River Thames and saw many sights of London from the sky!  They offer 3 different packages London Buzz, London Sights and London Max.  I would offer this service to customers that want a different experience of London.  Another highlight was taking Eurostar from London to Paris traveling Business Premier.  I highly recommend Business Premier Service for travelers wanting to experience a visit Paris for the day.  

Sherry has been to Jamaica several times and her most recent visit was to Couples Tower Isle in Ocho Rios.  Jamaica’s iconic Couples Tower Isle embraces a ‘high design’ aesthetic infused with the authentic vibrancy of the Caribbean.  

 Perched on the lush coastline of Ocho Rios, Jamaica—this glamorous all-inclusive boutique resort seduces with sweeping water views, a private white sandy beach, and its very own namesake island. Discover the delights of snorkeling among the reefs or windsurfing on the waves. Enjoy a game of tennis, a round of golf or a tranquil afternoon on a lounge chair by the sea. The million-dollar kitchen and organic herb gardens serve as inspiration for our award-winning chefs to create the finest farm-to-table cuisine on the island.
 
Whether exploring the luxurious treatments at the Zen-inspired spa—named "Best in the Caribbean" by Travel+Leisure—sipping cosmos in the fabulous pink piano bar or savoring an exquisite Thai meal at ocean’s edge, Couples Tower Isle includes countless indulgences that will inspire you to return again and again.

In September 2013, Sherry sailed on the Azamara Quest round trip from Rome.  The ports of call were; Elba, Corsica, Sardinia, Amalfi, Capri, and  Sorrento.  The Azamara Quest was a wonderful small ship which allowed you to reach many ports that you wouldn’t be able to if you were sailing on a large ship.  The Quest held only 694 passengers, which was wonderful!  

We were in a Club Oceanview stateroom and the room was comfortable with plenty of storage area for your wardrobes.  I would highly recommend a Club Veranda Stateroom or a Club Continent Suite - well worth the upgrade!  This is a perfect ship for clients who are seasoned travelers that don’t want the mega ships and would like new and exciting itineraries.  The average age on our ship I would say was 55-70 years, although we did see a few younger guests.  

We stayed in Rome prior to the cruise at the Hotel Massimo D’Azeglio.  The location was wonderful, only a block from Termini Station.  You could walk to many restaurants from this hotel as well as sights.  They offered a very nice continental breakfast in the morning.  We found it was easy to walk in Rome and pretty easy to use their subway system.  We booked an excursion to Anzio from Rome.  This was approximately an hour train ride from Rome (Termini) to Anzio.  We toured the battlefields of Anzio, Anzio Beaches, The Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial.  I thoroughly enjoyed sailing with Azamara and would sail with them again!