Mental Illness

So I know you are probably looking at the title of this blog and scratching your head a bit. I am a travel agent and 95% of my blogging has to do with travel about 5% discusses my family. In early Fall I discussed with you guys that I had stopped blogging because of some hurtful comments on some of my previous blogs and pictures. As I mentioned when I started up again I am very aware that I am obese and while I am aware the comments are still nasty.
At the time I did not mention that I have suffered from depression for many years. I have been on medication steady since my youngest was born and he is almost ten years. We have adjusted dosage over the years and for the most part it allows me to go on with life and get things done.
This however has been a really rough Fall the lack of sun has really taken it's toll. I am leaving this weekend with my children and mother for a Western Caribbean cruise on the NCL Getaway. I am so looking forward to this and spending a day in Miami to hopefully soak up some rays. I want to find a way to add more travel this winter so I can get more sun. My depression has hit an all time low and it has made work and everyday life very hard.
Being a self employed business woman and mother to four makes it even harder when this hits as it makes it harder to deal and find the time to continue on with everyone else's needs and try and address what I need. Which means I take care of everyone else and just suffer the best I can.
So a number of things have come to ahead in my life and of course they happened to be this past week the week before trying to get everyone packed and ready to go away and I currently have clients travelling at the same. Thankfully we are headed to Florida (different directions but same State).
So while doing all this I decided to some evaluating and will probably continue to do a lot more while I am away get some much needed rest and relaxation. I am looking at the volunteering I am doing, taxi driver role and so much more. I think many people who are close to me will see a big change come the new year.
I will be re committing to a much higher focus on me and my business and making myself happy and secure.
I am hoping to post regularly while I am away with information about the ship, the destinations and travel period. I hope you will follow along. I am also pledging to taking more pictures with me in them and enjoying life to its fullest.

Here's a start

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Multi- Generational Travel - Karisma Resorts

Karisma is one of my favourite brands of resorts in the Caribbean. They are known for their gourmet inclusive cuisine. They are great for dealing with food allergies and have many amenities available for babies so you do not have to pack everything and the kitchen sink for them it is already there. One of my favourite resorts is Generations Spa Resort & Hotel. Another great vacation for the multi-generational family travelling together.

Photo courtesy of romaticsetinations.com 

They have regular suites and butler suites so again grandma and grandpa can get the level of service and comfort they have worked so hard for.
They have the Eko kids club with supervised activities which means the parents can run off and play all by themselves with beach water sports to nightly live entertainment. Guests ages 18 and over also enjoy full privileges at El Dorado Casitas Royale and El Dorado Royale, adult only sister properties next door. Which means if grandma and grandpa want a break from the grand kids and their kids they can get away.

Map of the resorts (Photo courtesy of Karismahotels.com)

They are lucky to have a spa. The spa is great for your soul. They offer hydrotherapy, facials, body treatments etc... They also have a fitness center, sauna, steam room and a full service beauty salon. They even have spa services for children ages 4-12. I mentioned earlier baby amenities but here is the complete list of what they have: cribs. strollers, pack n' play, baby bottle warmers, baby bottle sterilizers, baby food, baby monitors, baby changing tables and baby bath robes. They really do make it easy to travel with the youngest to the oldest members of your family.
The Eko Kids club offers a library, a movie area, gaming consoles as well as a full schedule of creative endeavors. They even have Littel Eko Chefs which immerses themselves in the culture of food, gain true culinary skills while learning easy and delicious recipes.
So while the kids are away the adults can play. They also have the opportunity to take cooking lessons, tour the 76,000 square foot greenhouse, do yoga or go snorkeling. You can even learn how to do your own towel decoration.
Once again want help making these great memories let me take away the stress by handling all the little details.



Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Multi generational Cruising with Royal Caribbean

More and more families are travelling together and I don't mean just mom, dad and kids. My parents have traveled with my brother and I and our families. This December my mom and I are taking my children on a cruise together.
Grandparents usually have more disposable income, so they can often afford more than their children and grandchildren can afford. This does not mean that they can not travel together or that you end up lowering your standards.
Lets take cruising on Royal Caribbean as the perfect example of how everyone can stay where they are comfortable and still spend time together.

Symphony of the Seas (RoyalCaribbean.com)

On the Allure of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas they have Royal class suites which are luxury that are anything but boring.
The Royal class suites have their own private area that only they have access to which means grandma and grandpa can stay in luxury accommodations that they have been accustomed too. Mom and dad and their kids can stay in a balcony room on another deck. You can still have meals together, go on excursions together and spend as much or as little time together as you want.

Royal Suite (RoyalCaribbean.com)

The Royal suite class is divided into three options: Sea, Sky and Star. All Classes have access to L'occitane products, exclusive access to coastal kitchen and pillow top mattresses.
Sea class offers the choice of a Junior suite or a Junior suite with a balcony. The sky class suites also offer concierge service and access to the suite lounge. They offer the choices of a spacious aqua theater suite, crown loft suite, owners suite, grand suite and a grand suite with a balcony. The creme de la creme will be the star class. This class give you access to a Royal Genie who makes special experiences happen and anticipate your every need. You get complimentary deluxe beverages, all day access to the coastal kitchen, spa bathrobes, complimentary mini bar, best seats at all shows and free voom (internet at sea).

Royal Genie (RoyalCaribbean.com)

All of this does not mean that mean that you can not all stay in the same room class or connecting rooms it just means that so many options are available.
Once again looking to navigate booking travel for multiple people and getting the reservations linked is not easy. Want help doing this drop me a line.



Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Travel & Leisure Best Places to Go 2017

So I am re-reading my travel and leisure magazine from January 2017. It is all about the best places to travel in 2017. What is most interesting is that many of these places are once again on the 2018 lists as well.

The top ten cities for best culture where as follows: Kyoto, Rome, Jerusalem, Florence, Paris, Venice, Barcelona, Charleston, South Carolina, Lhasa, Tibet and New Orleans. I am actually pleasantly surprised that three of these cities I have been to and in September 2017. Three of the cities are also on my bucket list.

Kyoto # 1 (Photo courtesy of travel safe-abroad.com)

Expedition cruises have also become very popular with travelers. Part of these cruises are to discover different wildlife. In the Antarctica you can find leopard seals. In the Amazon it is sloths. In Borneo the Orangutans. In the Arctic the Narwhals (I know a young boy who would love this) and in the Galapagos Islands the Tortoises. These cruises can be found with Celebrity and G Adventures just to name a few. These are definitely experience of a life time.

Sloth in the Amazon (Photo courtesy of chimuadevntures.com)

The cities in this issue that get featured you can learn about the best places to eat, sleep and explore. The first location is Arbbey, Austria. This is a wonderful area in Europe to experience skiing. Tonga is the second location which can be found on an island off the coast of Australia and New Zealand. This is where you can have whale experiences of a lifetime. This vacation is so popular that in 2017 they were already booked until 2019 for the experience. I wonder what year it is now. The third location was St Croix. Activities include doing historical tours or going to La Rein Farmer's Market. This vacation is very much about the cuisine. The last location is Moulay Idriss, Morocco which is about a 3 1/2 hour drive from Casablanca. This area is well know for the Roman Baths that are said to have curative properties.
The last page of this issue was devoted to swimming in the Zambezi River Devil's pool in Zambia. This phenomenon can only be experienced during the dry season mid-August to mid-January. The African continent has many area on my bucket list especially with safaris, Morocco, Egypt and South Africa , the birth place of Nelson Mandela but I think i may have just added more.
What is on your bucket list?

Devil's Pool (Photo courtesy thetravelsista.com)

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Monograms

I am a self-employed travel agent working for the agency of Exclusive to you Travel Services. We are hosted by the Travel Agent Next Door. Being hosted allows many small agencies and travel agents to have more pull with suppliers. Relationships with suppliers are very important in the travel business.
This year I have partnered with Monograms. I have taken their courses and have been certified in their products. I hope next Spring to host a consumer event to showcase their products for my clients.
I am sure you have heard of coach tours and you may think they are not your cup of tea. Being told what you have to see and when and where.
Monograms arranges your transfers from the airport to your hotel where you will be met by a local guide. You will have a 1/2 day tour in the city you are in as well as any other cities that may be part of your travels. The local guide can help you with suggestions of places to eat and visit. If you are moving on to another city transfers are included as is the travel method (usually train). The next city will find a new local guide and 1/2 day tour. These vacations are available is Europe, South America, Asia, and Australia. These holidays provide you with the perfect balance of freedom and structure. They also can provide you with VIP access to tours, museums etc.. that you would normally not get with independent travel.
Here are some of the top itineraries to give you an idea of what they are all about:
1. Three nights in London, Three nights in Paris
2. Three nights in Venice, Three nights in Florence and Three nights in Rome
3. Three nights in  , Three nights in Kilarney, Two nights in Dublin and Two nights in Belfast
4. Peru & Galapagos Islands, includes Manchu Pichu
5. South Africa: Three nights in Cape Town, Three nights in Kenya, Two nights in Johanseburg and Two nights in Victoria Falls
6. India and Asia
They also have pre and post add on's for tours and cruises.
They have Monograms your way available for London, Paris, Rome, Florence and Venice with a combination between two and five nights in each city, keeping in mind that many things are closed in Italy on Monday's.
Here is a great video that depicts what the Monograms experience is all about.

Here are some current offers available from Monograms:

https://www.globusjourneys.ca/user/images/html/MO-Wander-PER-Sep2018.html

You can also sign up for my newsletter and enter for a chance to win a trip for two at the same time by going to my website. So don't miss out.

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Summer Vacation Almost Over

This has been one of our bizarrest summer vacations in the last few years in our home. My kids are 9, 10, 13 and 14 so yes I have two teenagers in my house.
This is the first time no one attended vacation bible school (vbs). Last year we did the one at the Williamsburg Christian Reformed Church, the Dixon's Corner Christian Reformed Church, the Gathering House and the Morrisburg Pentecostal Church. All of them were 1/2 days accept the Gathering House was a full day. This meant that for four weeks I had every morning to myself to get work done. My son actually went to school every morning in July and the girls went to Camp Lutherlyn Sponsored by our church for a week. This summer there were no camps, no school. My oldest daughter spent July with my parents but it still meant I did not devote enough time to my business this summer and I am so looking forward to school starting back up.
I am hoping to be able to post my blog regularly as well as to all my social media accounts they have all suffered this summer.
I have made the decision to get my CTC (certified travel consultant) and my CTA (certified travel agent) as well as committed myself to doing more supplier training and adding to the designations I already have.
Not too mention I have already talked about upcoming partnerships that I hope to have time to iron out this fall to get things rolling for the spring and beyond. I even hope to host my very own consumer evening with Monograms an awesome supplier.
So I am really looking forward to back to school and getting back into a routine and being able to set some proper hours instead of working crazy hours around kids being home during the day and being taxi for swimming and golfing.
Next summer I think I will have to go back to having some sort of routine or activities planned for the kids so that I can try and work more regular hours or find and office space away from them during the day.
I will actually have a vacation myself next summer when my mother and I take two oldest girls on their first Mediterranean cruise just before they turn 14 and 15.
What did you do this summer and how did you arrange things for your children?
Now I know school has been in for two weeks but I have been a little delayed in getting back on track with all the routines.

First day of school Elizabeth, Victoria, Daniel and Katherine

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Grand Assembly for the International Order of Rainbow for Girls

This summer I had the pleasure of attending grand assembly with my daughter and the rest of the Ottawa Rainbow Girls. Looking forward to next summer already when my youngest daughter will be able to join us. It is always a great pleasure to watch these young ladies go about running their meetings showing their confidence and skills. These ladies organize fundraisers for various organizations. They do things for seniors and the homeless, they are inspiring.
Once a year all the Canadian Assemblies get together for a long weekend to celebrate their accomplishments. As states they are the International Order of Rainbow for girls. Every two years they get together and celebrate Supreme Grand Assembly. This year it was held in Hampton, Virginia in July.

Victoria walking in

Victoria and I were supposed to attend for the first time but with our other travel plans and a few unexpected expenses we were unable at attend. A small group of young ladies from Canada did make and represented Canada well.
Victoria and I will start fundraising and saving now for Reno, Nevada Supreme in 2020, and who knows maybe we will take a side trip to Disneyland, San Diego for their famous zoo or go in the other direction to Las Vegas. All places I would love to be able to Providence first hand accounts about and not just my clients experiences.
Victoria is a Grand Representative this year to Maine, The Philippines and Ohio. This means she will get put into contact with one of the assemblies from those states or country and gets to learn about how Rainbow works there. She is already trying to convince us a trip to the Philippines is necessary. Do you think maybe she has inherited my travel bug? I am thinking we may try and get to Maine this year as it is not too far. Not to mention the theme is Harry Potter and we are Harry Potter Fanatics.
This year at Grand Assembly I was honored  and received the grand service award for my contributions and help with the Ottawa Assembly. I was very touched and surprised. It makes you feel great when what you do gets recognized.
Normally on our way home we stop at the Big Apple in Coburg (sorry New York lovers wrong direction). The kids are getting tired of this so we decided on a different adventure thus time. We stopped at Reid Dairy in Belleville. We all got ice cream and I brought home some fresh flavoured cheese curds. Now I wonder will we do this again after the Grand Officers Reception in October or will we expand our horizons and find somewhere else.

 Outside

Inside enjoying the ice cream

If you have a young lady in your life from the age of 11 to 21 who may be interested in the International Organization for Rainbow for girls please drop me a line and if you have girls who are 6 to 10 they can join the pledge group which gets them ready for Rainbow

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Bad Customer Service

I do mostly stick to travel with my blog but I do occasionally discuss other things including my family as they are a big part of who I am. Now today I am going to go completely off topic and discuss a disturbing customer service experience that I have had recently.
In June my daughter asked me to order her a pair of Adidas flip flops.  They are the only thing I wear and she wanted her own. My first pair I picked up at a store in Syracuse, NY wore them until they died. Literally they broke in half. The second pair I ordered on Amazon after looking for and not finding any locally to me. So I was getting ready to place an order for the pair my daughter liked on Amazon when she stopped me. She suggested I order from Adidas online direct as they had a great deal. The shoes were better priced but I ended up paying more for shipping, but no big deal.

So I will admit life got in the way. Graduation, end of school, end of our activities etc.. So around the beginning of July I was like hey where are these darn shoes. Tracking still says they are processing at the warehouse. I try chat but the program keeps freezing and I forgot to try again later. A few times  I think of calling and it is after their hours either evening or weekend. So finally I connect with an agent. Agrees yes this is strange I will send out a request to the Warehouse and get this processed should not be long now. Okay I can handle this, got stuck it happens. Call again July 18th it is now over a month status still shows processing. Agent tells me this is not right and he will send another request to get this moving and also send me an email with a voucher with an amount off my next purchase. I will be honest I am thinking to myself it is has been over a month no product how likely do you think it is I am ever going to order again.
So now I call again July 26th order still in processing at the warehouse and the agent will email them to get to the bottom of this. I say wait no this has been well over a month know. I no longer want or need the product I just want a refund. Agent tells me they will send a request for refund to finance. So I patiently wait a few days as I know these things are not instant. August 1st I call back still no refund oh we will email finance about this. I ask to speak to a supervisor. Supervisor will email finance and I should hopefully hear from him by email by Friday. By the end of their business day nothing. It is the long weekend so I go about my business. Wednesday the 8th so I have given them one extra day after the civic holiday. Call and ask for a supervisor right away but the agent needs to hear my story before transferring me. The supervisor tells me they will email finance. I say wait this has been done twice already plus all the emails to the warehouse for the product. Can't you just call. No this is against protocol. What about a higher manager. No my team is it but you can not have a direct number to contact them or a person assigned to make sure your file is dealt with. I worked in a call center environment for 10 years and had never heard anything so ridiculous that no one could take ownership of this problem or contact another department via phone. So I told the supervisor I would take it to social media still did not rattle a cage.
First I made a paypal claim as I did pay from my bank account through paypal but keep in mind it can take 30 days and they need the seller to contact them with details. We know how good they are at responding to email requests.
Then I posted a condensed version of this on my facebook page. I guess Adidas got smart as you are not allowed to post on their page. I could post it as a comment but I figure what's the point. I really just do not want anyone else to have to experience this total lack of customer service. I remained calm through out only swearing once (bullshit) and still did not get the care that should have been forthcoming.
I have worked in the service industry all my life and the thing that bothers me most is that no one can take ownership of a file.



Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Upcoming Partnerships

So right now I am dealing with the last 4 weeks before the kids get back to school. Once we are back into routine I hope to be entering into some partnerships with some local businesses.
One of these will be hopefully be to promote long weekend getaways to such places as Boston, NY city, Chicago, Nashville, Pennsylvania, Waterloo Premium Outlet malls, Washington, Quebec City, Toronto and more. These will be bus tours that include hotel, transportation and some site seeing as well as breakfast. I am hoping to be able to offer 2 per year in the Spring and Fall starting with the Spring of 2019. If you have any recommendations or ideas on what you would like to see and do please send me a message. I am always seeking potential clients and clients alike input.

 NYC (photo courtesy of travelpulse.com)

I am also looking to partner up with a local winery and offer tours to Prince Edward County and Niagara Falls with experts. Again hopefully twice a year with a group in the spring and fall. I also hope to be able to offer groups visiting France, Italy, Spain and more  vineyards in the world. There are also River cruises that have wine experiences available as well. Again always looking for input as to what kind of group tours you may want to see

Avalon waterways (photo courtesy of avalonwaterways.com)

My next partnership that I hoping to firm up is with a yoga instructor and I am hoping to be able to offer yoga retreats. I am hoping to have Costa Rica, St Lucia and Italy as some of the offerings. I may even have a Thailand offer and again these will be once or twice a year depending on my yoga instructors availability and if I can get more than one who may be interested in doing just this type of adventure.

Costa Rica

In the past I was unsuccessful at getting a scrapbook cruise set up. I was a passionate scrapbooker and have let my hobby lapse the last couple of years and would really like to jump back in. This time however I would want to partner with a store or a scrapbook consultant who has a following that would be really into something like this. The problem is it is just to hard for me to be the travel agent and the group co-ordinator. So if this you again drop me a line and we will see what we can come up with and try and make this an annual or every two year deal!!! Maybe then I will get my vacations and the kids albums done. After all my oldest just turned 14 and my youngest is 9.

Scrapbook stickers

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Golf Groups - What's next

In February 2019 I have arranged for a Getaway at a 5 Star Resort. The Hard Rock Casino and Resort will host a group that can play as much golf as they would like for the week at minimal cost as well as enjoy the spa, water sports and the casino and some really great food.
So now are you wondering what will be next. I would like to have a winter vacation and a summer/fall vacation every year revolving around golf. I will openly tell you that no I do not golf myself but 3 of my 4 children have taken it up. They golf in the summer on Monday nights in the youth program. So I would like to keep them active in the things they like and learning more about them so I figured I would help the local golf club patrons combine their passion for golf with their travel needs.
Also keep in mind that many of these options that I am going to present will have options for your partner if they happen to be a non golfer like myself.
So option # 1 is a River Cruise Melodies of the Danube with Golf Program with AMA Waterways.
It is a 7 night cruise with an option 2 night pre cruise and 3 night post.
Day 1 arrive in Budapest
Day 2 Hidden Budapest Tour
Day 3 Embark in Budapest
Day 4 Budapest - Golf or a tour
Day 5 Bratislava - Golf or a tour
Day 6 Vienna - Tour
Day 7 Weissenkirchen - Golf or a tour
Day 8 Linz - Tour
Day 9 Passau - Golf or a tour
Day 10 Vilshofen - Disembark
Day 11 Prague - Tour
Day 12 Pargue - Golf or a tour
Day 13 Prague - Departure
These river cruises run from May to October and offer so much to see and do.
Option # 2 is Ocean cruises with Azamara Club Cruises and Perry Golf. The options for 2019 to 2020 are as follows:
January 2019 - New Zealand
February 2020 - South Africa
March 2019 - Southeast Asia
April 2019 - Charleston & Bermuda
May 2019 - Iberian Peninsula
May 2020 - Spain & French Riviera
June 2019 & 2020 - Baltic Sea
July 2019 & 2020 - British Isles & The Open
August 2020 - Ireland
September 2019 & 2020 - Iberian Peninsula
October 2019 - Med Islands
November 2019 & 2020 - Arabian Gulf
November 2020 - South America
These cruises offer golf from 3 to 5 times depending on the length of the cruise and as always there are many excursions for the non golfer to choose from. These cruises cover gangway to gangway. Which means your golf clubs get delivered to the course and brought back to the ship (you do none of the heavy lifting), starting times, caddies/carts and who you are playing with are pre-arranged, social events are organized, Perry golf staff are both on board and at the golf courses. Boxed lunch is provided at the course, open bar is provided after golf and all gratuities are taken care of. All cruise have between 3 and 5 golf excursions depending on the length of cruise.
Option # 3 is group travel. I have several suppliers that have options that include golfing in Morocco, Ireland, Scotland etc.. they can be done almost anywhere in the world where golf is played.
Option # 4 includes includes attending some of the great golfing events such as the Masters Tournament, US Open, British Open and PGA Championship.
So again if you are a golfer and also enjoy travel keep in mind these tours will be offered over the next few years. Better yet take a moment and let me know which one's appeal to you more and then I can plan easier what comes next



Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

What's up with Universal Studios Florida

So this summer my oldest daughter and I were supposed to attend Supreme Assembly for the International Order of Rainbow for girls in Virginia. This event happens every two years where all Rainbow girls meet to conduct the business of the order. We have a grand Assembly happening next week which is for all Rainbow girls in Canada which we will make it too. Now as part of our Supreme visit we were going to make a detour further South to visit Universal Studios Orlando just the two of us. But as often happens money got in the way. We have a few cruises booked and my Annual conference and always a possibility of a least one other work travel adventure a year and then all three girls needed new glasses this year and prescription eye wear is not covered under our plan so our getaway had to be cancelled. Which means we had been busy deciding on everything we wanted to see and do and catching up on what is new and you will get the benefit of our research. We will get there it is just a matter of getting it worked in there and of course winning the lottery would always help to (of course it would be easier if I actually bought tickets).

photo courtesy of universalorlando.com

There are several package offers right now for Universal. Splash, Stay & Play giving you access to all 3 parks, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Canadian Resident and Halloween Horror Nights. So these packages include staying onsite at one of their many resorts. Three of their resorts include free universal express access.  Loews Portofino Bay, Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific. They also have the following value resorts: Cabana Bay Beach Resort, Aventura Hotel, Sapphire Falls and in August 2019 the new Surfside Inn & Suites.
Just like Disney, Universal also has meal plans that can be pre purchased. They have a Universal Dining plan which includes 1 table service, 1 quick service, 1 snack and 1 alcoholic drink. They have a Quick service plan and a quick service plan with a souvenir refillable cup. They also have a Marvel Character Dinner that you can do.
There are 3 parks. Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay and the Citywalk. They have restaurants there as well as at the resorts. So many that I can't really list them all here. Here are a few that we would have liked to try, I had to leave out the restaurants that include seafood as my oldest is not a fan. Obviously I did not raise here well. lol. So Voodoo Doughnut, Toothsome Chocolate Emporium & Savory Feast Kitchen, Green Eggs & Ham Cafe and the Captain America Diner.

Photo courtesy of orlandolocal.com

My children have not been to Universal ever and I have not been since 2001 so 80% of the attractions are new for me and Volcano Bay did not exist, they were still using Wet & Wild. The first attractions on our list are of course everything Harry Potter. We both love the books. She actually started reading them when she was in grade 2. So proud of her. Also high on my list if Despicable Me Minion Mayhem. So three rides that I do remember that I want to expose her to is ET, The Cat and the Hat and Men in Black. I still have my picture with my high score want to see if she can beat me and of I can beat myself.

Photo courtesy of universalorlando.com

Neither of us are big Water Park fans but I may just have gone to take pictures and be able to provide my clients with my reviews. Of course my middle daughter is a swimmer and loves water parks so she would be able to give me the greatest reviews and feedback, so I will make sure we squeeze her in with us for the visit.
I do have clients that are leaving this week who have also purchased a VIP Experience and I am hoping when they return they can share some feedback with me that I can share with you.

What are you waiting for and contact me to book your getaway as soon as possible.

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Disney Cruise Lines

The Disney cruise line is in a class of its own. It obviously appeals to the masses just as all the Disney brand does. They are more expensive than Carnival, Norwegian and Royal. One of the reason that Disney is in a class of their own is because they only have four ships. The Wonder, The Fantasy, The Magic and The Dream. They do have two more ordered for 2021 and 2022. This has lead to rumours that they will expand to Asia, where as others are hoping to see a permanent return to the West Coast and not just a handful of sailings a year.
Having only four ships, Disney cruises tend to be at capacity and never have sales. They do occasionally offer 25% discounts to Canadian residents which helps with the exchange. Other cruise lines frequently have sales, reduced deposits and extra perks as they have more ships and bed to fill.
Currently Disney will be cruising the following for 2018 and 2019 Alaska, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canadian Cruises, Caribbean, Europe, Mexico, Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and Transatlantic Cruises. They also have their own private Island Castaway Cay. They also offer the following themed cruises Marvel Days at Seas, Star War Days at Seas, Halloween at High Seas and Merry Christmas.
Disney has also been initiative with their Inside cabins. They have what they call Magic Portholes. These portholes give you views of the ocean without being the real thing. They also offer Ocean view, Verrandah's with and without concierges
Disney has been offering Broadway style musicals for a long time and many cruises lines have also jumped on that band wagon. They even screen their own movies as well. All of their cruises not themed feature a Pirate night where everyone has the opportunity to dress as Pirates and party the night away. In Alaska the party is Frozen themed. They have fireworks and deck parties which means fun for everyone.
They have 3 main dinning rooms with a rotating schedule as they do still have two sittings for dinner they are not as flexible as some of the other lines are. Your table will rotate together with your server if you are sitting with other people. You can also enjoy the buffets, pool side snacks room service and all you can eat ice cream. They do have 2 specialty restaurants that you can reserve and cost extra on all ships.
So I am sure some of you adults are sitting there thinking I love Disney yes I know you are out there but do I want to sail on a ship geared towards children. Interestingly enough there are many adults that sail Disney without children. They do have an adults only pool area and of course in the evenings they do have bars and entertainment geared towards you. Disney includes water, soda, coffee and tea for everyone. They do have drinks packages that range from $40 to $60 USD per day per person.
As you can imagine there youth clubs are quite entertaining and it is told that it is often hard to tear/drag your children away. They are broken down into age categories and each group is appropriately geared with the children in mind and have lots of ties to Disney characters.

photo courtesy of wdwinfo.com

Now what would a Disney cruise be without Disney characters. There are meet and greets. You will always find the Fab Five on the ships. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto. You will also find many other characters some are rotating or occasional. You can find a list for your sailing and you will find old and new characters alike. Jack Sparrow can often be found at Castaway Cay. Of course Disney has photo packages as do all the cruise lines. I strongly suggest pre purchasing a package before you board as it is often less expensive that way and you know once you see the pictures you are going to want to buy them. They have a picture room where you can go and see all the pictures that have been taken of you each day whether it is with the characters, while you are dining etc photographers are around.

I priced out a Vacation on the Disney Fantasy Western Caribbean Sailing March 16th with a deluxe Ocean View Stateroom with Verandah for a family of four 2 Adults and 2 children 8 and 11. Price would be $8383.44 USD
<iframe src="https://www.disneytravelcenter.com/ec3ab46f7d/" scrolling="no"></iframe>


So I am curious where would you like to see Disney set sail next and why?

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

2019 Cruise Line Expansion

So 2019 has seven plus one ship scheduled to set sail.
I am sure you are asking what does this plus one mean. The Norwegian Joy will join her sister ship the Bliss in Alaska. Although technically she is not a new ship. She was released in 2017 for the Chinese market. She will be getting a $40 million dry dock overhaul to make her over for the North American market. She will start her season out in Alaska and will sail from the West Coast year round.

Norwegian Joy (photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

The Norwegian Encore will be the second Norwegian ship to market this year with a launch date set for Fall 2019. It is in the last ship in the Breakaway Plus class of ships and will make 17 cruise ships for Norwegian. It will feature an observation lounge. "Experience sheer awe from our 180-degree indoor Observation Lounge - offering Norwegian's most expansive views at sea. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide spectacular vistas while cruising past spectacular seascapes, landscapes and cityscapes. And with a full-service bar, you can toast to colourful sunsets with your favourite cocktail."

Observation Lounge (photo courtesy of ncl.com)

Costa will be bringing the Smeralda to life in October 2019. It is named after a popular tourist destination in Italy. What will be on the ship is being kept a secret it will however be sailing the Western Mediterranean.

 Costa Smeralda (photo courtesy of cruisecritic.com)

The Sky Princess will debut in 2019 for the Princess cruise line and will sail the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. "Crowning the heights of Sky Princess®, each of the ship’s two Sky Suites hosts up to five guests, dazzling you with a 270-degree panorama throughout your voyage. Complementing the exquisitely appointed interior living spaces, a luxuriously furnished 700-square-foot balcony – the largest at sea – invites you to relax privately or host your own celebrations or catered events."

Sky Suite (rendering from Princesscruise.com)

Carnival will have a new ship in 2019 also with the Carnival Panorama. It will be setting sail on the West Coast. Seems like the West Coast is finally getting some love with newer ships. It will be sailing out of Long Beach, California and will have some of Horizon and and Vista as they are it's sister ships but with a West Coast Vibe.

Carnival Panorama (photo courtesy of cruisebuzz.net)

The next ship will be the MSC Bellissima and this ship will also start out in the Mediterranean, They will be featuring Cirque de Soleil on the ship 2 times a night six days a week. MSC has an exclsuive partnership for Cirque de Soleil at Sea.  They will also feature F1 simulators for the Formula One Racing Fan. So much to see and do.

Bellissima (photo courtesy of cruiseweb.com)

The Spectrum of the Sea will be the new Royal Quatum Class ship and will be doing Asian Itineraries. "Discover a Far East adventure full of new feats and firsts on Spectrum of the Seas℠, the first of the Quantum Ultra Class ships. From high-flying virtual reality thrills in the Sky Pad℠ and custom juice drink creations crafted by robots at the Bionic Bar®, to revolutionary Golden Suites accommodations with exclusive amenities like private dining rooms, lounges and a Solarium. Not to mention karaoke performances in your own private 3D cinema in the brand new Ultimate Family Suite."

Last but not least will be the MSC Grandiosa will also be doing the Mediterranean. There are definitely not a lack of itineraries or ports in this area. I am doing my second next year with some ports the same and some different and different cruise line. They will also feature the Cirque de Soleil with 2 shows a night six days a week.

Photo courtesy of CruiseWeb.com

So as you can tell based on my last two blogs we are definitely not lacking in choices of Ships and more to come. I can even tell you new ships scheduled right into the 2020'2. Virgin is hitting the cruise market with the launch of their first ship in 2020.

There is so many places that you can now see and visit from the comfort of a cruise ship. Only having to unpack once.

I am always ready to help you make your next cruise experience as seamless and as magical as possible

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Expanding Cruise Lines

The cruise lines are expanding and each one seems to want to make the biggest ship ever or have the best entertainment on board.
2018 will see new eight new ships. The first out the gate was Royal in March with the Symphony of the Seas currently sailing the Western Caribbean. I must say this family suite is so on my bucket list, which means I am going to have to travel more times in a year.

Ultimate Family Suite (courtesy of rcl.com)

The second to make it to market is the Carnival Horizon in April currently sailing for Bermuda and the Caribbean from NY. There association is with Dr. Seuss so they have created a very kid friendly water park with many famous Dr. Seuss characters.

Dr Seuss Waterworks (courtesy of carnival.com)

The third ship is the Norwegian Bliss that was also released in April and is currently sailing in Alaska. A first at sea with a go-kart track on the ship

racing at sea (courtesy of metro.co.uk)

The fourth ship is the Seabourn Ovation which set sail in May and is currently sailing in Europe, It is an ultra luxury cruise line. They are smaller ship sailing with only 600 passengers and in luxurious accommodations.

Wintergarden Suite (courtesy of seabourn.com)

The fifth ship to launch this year is the MSC Seaview in June sailing the Mediterranean and then it will move to South America. MSC has catered to Europeans but is slowly becoming a North American player in the cruising industry. MSC has a partnership with Lego for their kids club area.

lego play area (courtesy of msc.com)

The sixth ship to launch this year is the Viking Orion in June sailing the Australia and the Mediterranean. This another luxury line with a capacity of only 930 passengers. Viking also happens to be a river cruise company as well. This ship has added a planetarium to their open space.

The Observatory (photo courtesy of cruisecritic.com)

The seventh ship will launch in December and will be the Nieuw Statendam from Holland America. The ship will be based in the Caribbean with alternating itineraries. This ship will have on board cooking shows and hand on workshops. Holland America tends to cater to an older crowd of cruisers.

Spa Inside (courtesy of Holland America.com)

The last ship of 2018 and certainly not the list will be the Celebrity Edge which is set to launch in December as well. It is set to sail in the Caribbean also with alternating itineraries. The highlight of this new ship is the Magic Carpet. "The highlight of our outward-facing vision is the Magic Carpet, an extraordinary venue that changes mood, function, and even its location. This incredible engineering feat is the world’s first cantilevered, floating platform that reaches heights of 13 stories above sea level, so you can soar over the open ocean. With breathtaking views, a full bar, and space for live music performances, it truly is a destination itself."

Stateroom with an infinity veranda (celebritycruise.com)

I would like to try a few of these ships I see many more cruise's in my future. Which ship would you chose if you could chose just one? Looking forward to your comments.

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Cruise Comparisons

So I have spent time discussing NCL and Royal cruise lines as they are the two that I have personally sailed so far. I have 2 more NCL cruises scheduled and 1 on Celebrity. However today I am going to talk about a mid level cruise line Azamara.
Azamara has more included than the basic lines. I priced out a Mediterranean itinerary sailing September 28, 2019 on the Azamara Journey for twelve days. I will be using it compare to my NCL Epic Mediterranean that I will be sailing on in July 2019 for seven days.
The Azamara Itinerary is as follows:
Day 1 Barcelona Embark
Day 2 St Tropez
Day 3 Monte Carlo
Day 4 Livorno (Florence/Pisa)
Day 5 Civitavecchia (Rome)
Day 6 Sorrento
Day 7 Amalfi
Day 8 At Sea
Day 9 Kotor
Day 10 Dubrovnik
Day 11 Zador
Day 12-13 Venice
An Interior Stateroom for 2 people would cost $11692.00 CAD and you would receive $250 USD per person as on board credit.
With this cruise you have included standard spirits, international beers, 2 red, 2 white, 1 rose and 1 sparkling wine by the glass each day. As well as your juice and pop, coffee and tea. You can purchase drink packages if you would like more.
Gratuities are included in the cruise price so there is no extra to pay unless you want to tip the staff more.
They do have specialty dinning that is not included at 3 restaurants and the packages to add them run between $70 per person and $250 per person.
The last item is internet which is $19.95 per day for unlimited access.
Keep in mind you still have to pay for excursions but they are for smaller groups, part of that is smaller ships as well. You can use your on board credit to pay for these excursions.

Azamara (Photo courtesy of cruisemaven.com)

My cruise in July 2019 will be a seven day on board the NCL Epic
The itinerary is the following:
Day 1 Barcelona Embark
Day 2 At Sea
Day 3 Naples
Day 4 Rome
Day 5 Florence/Pisa
Day 6 Cannes
Day 7 Plama de Mallorca
Day 8 Barcelona Disembark
A balcony stateroom for 2 Adults and 2 children is $6664.61 CAD
A beverage package costs $89 usd per day for the ultimate package there are packages for just soda as well. You also have to add an 18% gratuity to this amount as well.
Gratuities are $14.50 USD per person per day.
Specialty dinning has many options on this ship. You can purchase a 3 or more day package to try out different options. A 3 day package is $69 USD per person.
Unlimited internet is $25.50 USD per day.

NCL Epic (photo courtesy of ncl.com)

If you add in the drink package and the gratuities the NCL package gets closer to $8517 CAD. Now in my case as it is a group booking I had the opportunity to add two inclusions to my package and I chose the drink package and the gratuities as my options. Not everyone has these options available. 

So for more money you can cruise on a smaller ship a more intimate ship and have more included in the over all price. Your ship will be less crowded. Now keep in mind that these smaller more luxurious ships are not as kid friendly as the bigger mass ships are. They do have children's clubs etc but there are usually not many children on board.

Azamara also offers ports that the bigger ships can not always get to which is nice if you decide cruising is the only way you wish to travel. They also offer overnights in port so you can get the opportunity to explore a cities nightlife not just what it is like during the day.

To book either of these cruises of any cruise contact me today!!

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto. I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and I can service clients anywhere in Canada. But, I meet with clients in the SD&G area

Golf Group Getaways

I know my last blog was about cruising and I will get back to that shortly as I want to discuss some of the middle and higher end cruise lines with you. But right now I want to introduce you to my latest adventure.I have secured group space for an ultimate Winter Vacation. A trip that I am hoping will become an annual occurrence.
I have dubbed this a golf getaway but if you do not want to golf you do not have to, it is just an added perk. Spend a week in Punta Cana the Dominican Republic having an awesome time at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. Hard Rock has a program where you receive resort credit based on the room you book You may use this credit to play golf on their signature gold course, spend the day at heir spa or enjoy water sports and excursions. You have only to pay the taxes. So if you like to golf and your partner does not there is no reason why you can not have fun on this trip.
This space is booked from February 9th to February 16th 2019. Flights from Montreal with Air Transat are included. Prices start at $2451.00 CAD per person depending on which room category you chose as well as the occupancy.

Her are some of the pictures I took when I was visiting the resort for a Gala back in April.

There is so much to do at this Resort and to see. The shopping the dining and the playing is spectacular.

Book by August 10th 2018 and get a $25 CAD per person discount

Where you can find me:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Website: http://www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

Email: slough@exclusivetoyoutravel.ca

TICO 500212282

55 York Street, Suite 803

Toronto, On M5J 1R7

Please keep in mind that while my head office is in Toronto I am a home based travel agent and I live in South Dundas and can service clients anywhere in Canada but I meet with clients in the SDG area