Disney Magic Kingdom - Main Street USA

When you walk into Magic Kingdom the first thing you are wanting to see is Cinderella's Castle. You have seen it on tv and everyone refers to it when they are talking about Disney. Believe you me the Castle does capture your attention but to get to it you have to walk down Main Street USA.
It is a very short stretch but they have managed to pack a punch in the small area. You walk in and you are in the town square with a city hall and fire hall.

 Character meet and Greet

In the middle you will find a nice area with a few benches and it a great spot for character meet and greets. This is where we found Pluto on our visit in 2011. From here you walk down main street right to the castle, Main Street is full of many shops including the most amazing candy shop, souvenir shops and many more. At the end on the left hand side you will find the Crystal Palace restaurant which is where you can dine with Winnie the Pooh and friends. At the end on the right hand side you will find Casey's Corners restaurant which has the best ice cream desserts. We have spent many times sitting in this area waiting for the end of a parade including the nighttime electric parade (which has been retired). You will also find the train station for the Disney Train that will take you around the outskirts of the park.
There are lots of impromptu shows with dancers and many old style vehicles.

Outside of one of the shops 

 Horse drawn carriage

 Dancers

 More dancers

A view of the Castle

In front the castle you will find another garden spoke and a statue of Mickey Mouse with Walt Disney. It is an awesome way to come into the park and a great way to leave as well. Do not overlook the Main Street you can experience so much, relax, take your time stroll and just take a break from the frantic pace of the park itself.

We caught the end of the afternoon parade and less crowded here than it was in other parts of the park.

Find me: www. exclusivetoyoutravelservice.ca or www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

International Order of Rainbow for Girls (IORG)

My daughters belong to the youth organization International Order of Rainbow for Girls. It teaches girls what matter most leadership, confidence, and citizenship. Every day across the globe, hundreds of thousands of girls come together to laugh, share and grow through fun events and challenging workshops designed to empower girls of all ages, Rainbow Girls volunteer for their community and travel to other clubs. along the way, they make new friend and gather invaluable life skills that help them become the best daughter, sister and friend they can be.
Whether their dream is to become the CEO of their own company, a talented artist, or a loving mother, Rainbow Girls learn that they can accomplish anything, and in the process, they can make a difference in this world.
These girls range in age from 11 to 21 and from 6 to 11 they can join the pledge sisters which is the pre-organization. My daughters have been with this organization now for three years. My two oldest have grown so much over this time and they impress me with what they can do and accomplish.
I had the honour of accompanying them to their Grand Assembly this Month in Burlington, Ontario and I have never been so proud of them and all the young ladies that belong to this organization with them. They all show so much character and promise.
There are currently active chapters in Ottawa, Toronto, Port Hope, Brampton, Windsor, and Hamilton. They are also hoping to have a new chapter in Barrie. There are many chapters unfortunately in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario that have gone dark because of lack of members.

 My oldest daughter had many roles this weekend and made me so proud

 My second oldest in the choir

When the grand officers retired from the session

I know that you were most likely expecting a post about travel and indeed we did spend the weekend at the Burlington Holiday Inn Conference Center. However I thought I would share what the travel industry has done for me. It has allowed me to work from the comfort of my home or from a hotel room while I participate in my children's extracurricular activities, I love helping people's travel dreams come true and being home for my kids when they need me most.

If you are interested in Rainbow for your daughters you can find more information here: http://www.canadaiorg.org/

My website: www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca or www.facebook.com/stephaniethatravelagentnextdoor

Where to find me

I figured i would do a post on the different platforms in which you can follow me.
The first would obviously be this blog. I publish my blog every two days and aim for it to be posted at 15:45 pacific time. I try and write about my travel experiences, relevant travel information and kids.
My second would be Facebook. My page is www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor
On this page I share my blog, relevant articles about travel and specials and promotions from various suppliers.
My third platform would be Pinterest. It is not a business account. It is a personal one. My username is stuffs73. I have many travel related boards. Especially with Disney content.
My fourth platform is Instagram. My account is newer so not a lot of content. My user name is Stephaniettand. As I travel more there will be more travel content. I also share a lot of my children's accomplishments.
My fifth platform is Twitter. I am stephstravel. I am very new to posting on Twitter although I have had my account for a number of years. Most of my posts are my link for my blog. Or retweets of content shared by others.
My last platform is my website. It is www.exclusivetoyoutravel.com
On my website you will find booking engines. You can book your own travel, excursions and insurance. The benefit to using my site over another online booking site is just like if you had me do the booking for you I will follow your file and provide my help from the time you book, while you are travelling until you return home. You can also sign up for my weekly newsletter. When you sign up you can also enter my contest to win a trip for 2 at the majestic in Punta Cana, Dominican republic. The contest closes at the end of November with the draw taking place at the beginning of December. You can also find other travel blogs on my website as well as promotions from suppliers.
If you want to reach out to me you can always comment on any platform or email me at slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.com

Cruise Travel Countdown

So I have been invited to participate in a Seminar at Sea with Royal Caribbean. So I will be sailing aboard the Freedom of the Sea's September to 17th to 24th on the Mediterranean Itinerary. So each cruise line has different things that you need to do in order to get ready to enjoy your cruise.
The first thing I did once my cruise was booked was set up a Crown and Anchor Membership. This is Royal's loyalty program for their cruisers. You can start earning rewards with your very first cruise. Points are awarded based on number of nights and same categories earn more.
The second thing I did was my online check in. Best to get it done and out of the way. Also strongly recommend you do it in advance as it is one less thing you have to line up to do at the pier. Makes things go smoother. You confirm your name, passport number, birth date address etc.. You also confirm how you want to pay for on board expenses, set up a credit card or cash deposit.
Once that is done you have a lot of other decisions you have to make about your time sailing. First thing you need to consider is beverages. Many cruise lines have several drink package options that you can chose from. Royal has an ultimate beverage program that includes alcohol, coffee and soda with discounts on bottles of wine. They have packages that include specialty coffee and fresh juice, a soda package and a package that includes non alcoholic drinks with coffee and soda. They all range in price. They are per person per day sailed. They also have a bottled water package. All of these packages can be pre-ordered before you travel or arranged once you are on board. Keep in mind that the prices on board are usually more expansive than if you pre-order.
Second thing to consider is dining. Yes a lot of the dinning is included in your price. The specialty dinning is not. If you would like to try some of these venues you are able to pre purchase dinning packages as well allowing you to try a number of different venues and again the price being less than booking on board or paying for each one.
Spa Services you can actually pre book these services in advance and take advantage of when you want to have a treatment. Keep in mind however that sometimes they run specials during port days or time because so many people so get off the ship to have an adventure. (Which leaves many areas on the ship less crowded)
Next thing to decide on is internet. Do you want to take a vacation and be completely turned off or do you need to have some connection with the people in your life or are you working while you are away. Different ships have different packages and services but again booking in advance is usually much cheaper than while on board.
Then the most important step of all is to decide on shore excursion. This is where I suggest you do some independent research of the area you are going and decided on things that interest you. You can look at the cruises shore excursions as well as independent companies. The independent companies sometimes can be less expensive and have he same guarantee to get you back to the ship on time or get you to the next port. Also you can decide once you have done your research to explore on your own. Consulting with your travel agent will also help you narrow down what you want to do and see.
Because I am a travel agent and this is working cruise my excursions have been pre-booked through the cruise line this time around.

photo courtesy of Royal

With my countdown on I can not wait to board the Freedom the Seas and experience all the wonders it has to offer and to be able to provide all of you with my personal review.

As always check me out at www.exclusivetoyoutravel,ca or www.exclsuivetoyoutravel.com

www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor.com

Email:slough@excluivetoyoutravel.com

What is TICO

The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) is an organization mandated by the Ontario government to administer the Ontario Travel Industry Act, 2002 and Ontario Regulation 26/05 which governs all of the approximately 2,400 travel retailers and travel wholesalers registered in Ontario. In addition, TICO administers an industry-financed Travel Compensation Fund.
As I am a travel agent who lives and works in Ontario I am TICO Certified. Which means I had to study all of their policies and regulation and then pass their exam. I did this back in April of 2013.

My certificate

TICO is a wholly financed by registration fees paid by Ontario travel agencies and travel wholesalers. The Travel Industry Compensation Fund is financed entirely by Ontario travel industry registrants through contributions based on their sales revenues.

The Travel Industry Council of Ontario's mission is to regulate consumer protection by promoting awareness, education and compliance as part of the efficient and effective regulation of Ontario's travel industry.   We also support the mission of the Ontario Ministry of Government and Consumer Services to maintain a fair, safe and informed marketplace as it relates to Ontario's Travel Industry Act, 2002.

TICO is in the process of pushing for updates to the ACT which they have asked consumers and travel professionals to assist with. You may have seen commercials about TICO and encouraging you as consumers to book with registered agencies to make sure you are protected. Even if you live in a different province and book through a TICO agent/agency you are protected under the guidelines and can make a claim under the compensation fund if you have one.

You will notice on both my website and on my Facebook page my address is listed as being in Toronto. This is because it is mandatory by TICO that I disclose our number and the head office address. It is also why I have a Toronto number and extension and then a direct line to me (which is much faster to reach me at). As I am a home based agent I do work from home which means I am actually based in Morrisburg, Ontario. For those of you who have never heard of Morrisburg it is an hour south of Ottawa along the St Lawrence river.  Now while I am a home based travel agent I am not legally allowed to have clients come into my home to sell to them or even discuss their travel needs. I can however meet you at a local coffee shop, or your home.

So when you are booking travel make sure that whoever you chose to use that they have the TICO logo. You will see the logo on the top of my certificate and if you are ever unsure you can always check the company out on the TICO.ca website as well.

As always you can check out my websites: www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca or www.exclusivetoyoutravel.com
www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Staycations or Day Trips

So we have a huge family vacation planned for December 2018 so this summer we are staying close to home with a few day trips/activities planned. Not too mention my second oldest has taken up most weekend time with Swim meets
So our day trip was on board the Gananoque Boat line Thousand Islands Tour. It was a 2 1/2 hour tour that included talking about the great diving sites along the St Lawrence River where ships have gone down in the past. Where I live is an awesome area where divers come all around to check out ship remains.

 My oldest and my youngest

 My third daughter

 My middle daughter trying to be taller than her momma (not long to go for that)

 me and the dude with our shades

Great tour

So it was nice day for a cruise it was not too warm the sun was shinning and their was no rain for a change. We have been hit with a lot of rain this spring/summer wrecking havoc with our local farmer's fields.

So you are probably thinking to yourself why would a travel agent be promoting staycations and not pushing you to travel. Let me tell you while I may be a travel agent I am also a mom to four children and vacations are expensive especially if you are a bigger family than the average four. Not too mention I also travel for work (conference and learning opportunities and that does take away from the family travel budget).  I understand that travel has to be saved for and planned and that not everyone can have a big vacation every year or even every second year, some people have to go longer between their vacations.

However did you know that on my website www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca  there is a button on the top right that says Look and Book . Once you click on that button you can than click on activities. Under activities you can book local tours, museum passes, boat tours etc.

I was playing around and decided to click on Canada and then I did region Ontario instead of trying to find a town. You would be surprised by how many options there are. But on the left hand side of the screen you can narrow down your search type so I decided to click on water activities. Now while the particular Gananoque tour was not there I did find Kingston and Brockville Thousand Islands tours. So even if you are just looking for a day trip or a local vacation remember to check out my website.

Check me out www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca or www.exclusivetoyoutravel.com
www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

NCL Escape 6

So I promise this will be my last post about my trip aboard the Norwegian Escape. So I have touched check in and I have touched on my excursions at each port along with other excursions that may be available when you sail. So with this post I am going to touch on a few lose ends.
I did not do the water slides they really ate not my thing but I have pictures to show. One slide is clear in the centre and you can see out and the fact that you are hanging over the side of the ship. I am also not really good with heights and they have the ropes course that includes walking the plan which has you again hanging over the edge of the ship. Here are some pictures of the slides and pool.

One morning we took a huge group picture of all the agents that were at the conference. We did this in the Adult only section. I had not had the opportunity to visit so I snapped a few quick pictures. The reason it was relatively empty was it really was early.

There is also a huge screen similar to this one on the family side of the deck as well. That is where they would have the sail away parties and dance parties. 

Inside the ship they have an awesome chandelier that spans three decks and you can see while you walk through the shopping area, the casino and down at some of the specialty restaurants. Here are a few pictures of the different colour combinations you will see.

It is just so gorgeous and the open concept was amazing as well. I really hoped I would have pictures of the spa to share as it was something I really was looking forward to. I am hoping that I will have a chance on my cruise in September to experience that one. The training schedule will be a lot less intense.

Last but not least is the magic that your steward will create for your. Out steward was amazing. Helping us out with little things and then there were his magical towel creations. I really need to research if there is a course for this.

 The mouse

 The Penguin

 The frog (I collect frogs)

The bunny or bulldog. We debated a bit on this one

I really had such a great time and was sad when it came to an end. I am really looking forward to my family's December 2018 cruise on the sister ship the Norwegian Getaway.

Here is the information if you would like to join us:

Norwegian Getaway - Western Caribbean CruiseDecember 16th to December 23rd 2018
Sail Aboard - Norwegian Getaway - to the sizzling Caribbean. Taking Freestyle Cruising to another level, Norwegian Getaway has everything you're looking for in a vacation, indulge in three seafood restaurants. Discover remarkable entertainment, including Broadway shows like Change to Million Dollar Quartet and Burn the Floor. Splash around at Aqua Park with Free Fall, the fastest waterslides at sea. Get ready to discover how exhilarating Norwegian Getaway:
Ship Highlights:- 28 Dining Options- 22 Bars & Lounges- 2 Broadway Shows- Illusionarium- 678 Ocean Place- The Waterfront- Aqua Park Featuring 5 multi-story water slides- Three -level sport complex- Getaway Casino- Mandara Spa- The Haven by Norwegian- Studios for solo travelers- Complimentary youth programs for kids & teens
December 16th MiamiDecember 17th At SeaDecember 18th Roatan, Bay IslandsDecember 19th Harvest Caye (Belize)December 20th Costa MayaDecember 21st CozumelDecember 22nd At SeaDecember 23rd Miami
The following amenities are available to chose from. 2 per stateroom- Unlimited Beverage Package (1st and 2nd guests only)- Prepaid Service Charges (1st ad 2nd guests only)- Internet package - per cabin (250 minutes)- $50 per port Shorex Credit - per cabin- Dinning Package (1st and 2nd guests only)- 20 photo package - per cabin- $75 USD On Board Credit - per cabin
Inside Cabin $1178.58 CAD each for 1st and 2nd guestBalcony Cabin $1553.46 CAD each for 1st and 2nd guest
***Please contact me for pricing for 3rd and 4th guest
Deposit required at Booking is $301.25 CAD per cabin
Final Payment is due September 4th 2018

Email slough@thetravelagnetnextdoor.com

Check me out: www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca or www.exclsuivetoyoutravel.com

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NCL Escape 5 Nassau

So the day after Tortola was another Sea Day which for me meant another day of class. But quite honestly I can not tell you how much I learned. It was a really great experience being able to attend The Travel Agent Next Door Conference. I got to learn so much and meet so many great suppliers.
After the day at sea we were finally reaching Nassau. Now when they first told us about the cruise we had the opportunity to take the Atlantis Ambassador program so that we would be able to spend our time at Atlantis. For those of you who do not know Atlantis is an amazing Resort/Destination that is very family oriented with sea animal encounters, dig experiences, water park etc.. I was so excited I did the whole program in less than a day and was so excited to see what we would be able to experience for the day.

 A view of Atlantis Resort from the Bridge

 Up close view

Fountain out front

So this is as close as I got to Atlantis. A nice view of the resort from the outside. With a quick drive outside. You see the Bahamas Tourist Board found out we were coming and decided to extend a very special invite to us. The invited us to a bus tour of the Islands, a Conch salad demonstration and then High Tea at the Governor Generals house with a fashion show, performance by the police force band and a group of local school children. So I had to be a big girl and give up my excitement to visit Atlantis. Although Atlantis is still on my list which means I will have to a great excuse to go to the Bahamas a second time.

Our tour bus (it has ac)

 Government building

 View of the harbour

 Famous house (hard to see)

 Local food vendor

 Monuments and flags

Fountain and view of the trees

The tour of the islands was enlightening. Learned about many famous sites and people. We saw the hospital where Anna Nicole Smith had her baby. Heard about the people that still flock to her grave to this day. We also learned about their rich history and culture.

 Conch Salad Demonstration

After the tour we stopped at a local restaurant we were given a conch salad demonstration. Conch is considered a local delicacy. I loved it. Unfortunately we were one of the last buses to arrive so we did not get as much time at the restaurant otherwise I would have ordered the deep fried conch to try as some of my fellow agents did. I was so impressed with the salad as it contained fresh fruits and vegetables in and went down so well.

After the restaurant visit we moved on to the govenor generals home. We were treated to high tea, a fashion show from local designers, the Police band performing and just an overall awesome time. So while I missed Atlantis I still ended up having a great time. I could not get a picture of the children performers as I was at the back of the room but they were so cute and great!!

 Open sandwiches

 Fruit plate

 Desserts

 Place setting

Police Band Singers

 One of the models

 Same model but a different outfit

 Bands performance out front before marching away

So at the end of the tour they dropped us back at the pier and we had some free time before we had to board the ship. Some agents walked back to check out the straw market and the beach. Sandy and I headed to the Harley store picked up a small gift for my husband and son. Now those of you who know me well know that I am not really a jewelry person. I wear none. Earings and necklaces for dressing up so I only have a few that I really like. Well I went to the Pandora store and I have to confess I bought a Pandora bracelet and a charm. So the charm I picked out was of course Disney although  I know I will be adding travel charms as well. My very first charm had to be Eeyore. Once we were done we wandered through the local booths at the Pier.

Last few images you see before heading back to the ship. Now the top five shore excursions as per the ship are as follows:

1. Blamoral Island Beach Break

2. Balmoral Island Stingray & Beach Day

3. Athol Island Snorkell

4. Paradise Island & Sightseeing

5. Charm & Beauty of Bahamas.

Shore excursions can be booked through the website once you do your online check in, onboard or you can use another company.

Here is the link for one of my favourite companies. They have the same guarantees about getting you back to the ship on time also some of the tours are similar but they will be for  a much smaller group or private for that matter

https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?&id=242318&data=slough@thetravelagentnextdoor.com

Check me out at www.exclsuivetoyoutravel.ca or www.exclusivetoyoutravel.com or 

www.facebook.com/Stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor