Group Cruising - Want to join in the Fun

Our Office currently holds space on three different cruises during 2018. These prices are normally better than what you can currently get as they are held when the rates are first released for a period of time. Group cruising does not mean you need to know the other people travelling you are just getting a better rate and often extra perks for being involved with one. That is not to say that you can't travel with a group of friends or family of some sort of special interest club and do activities together (while also having space to yourself when needed).

The first cruise we have to Offer 


Set Sail with Us!

7-Night Southern Caribbean Cruise on Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas
March 24th to March 31st 2018

Itinerary: San Juan, Puerto Rico - Philipsburg, St. Maarten - Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis - St. Johns, Antigua - Castries, St. Lucia - Bridgetown, Barbados - Sea Day - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Rates are based on Double Occupancy
(Triple, Quad etc. based on prevailing rate)

Balcony Stateroom Starting at $1,539 CAD incl tax per person (1st and 2nd guest)

Promenade Stateroom Starting at $1,029 CAD incl tax per person (1st and 2nd guest)

Interior Stateroom Starting at $959 CAD incl tax per person (1st and 2nd guest)

*Additional categories are available
**Triple and Quad Rates available

Cruise Fare Includes:
Ship accommodations
Ocean transportation
Most meals onboard
Some beverages onboard
Most entertainment onboard

*Gratuities are additional $17.44 CAD per person / day (if paid in advance)

Deposits:
$265 CAD per person up to 10-November, 2017.
Due upon booking.

Final Payments:
Due 12-December

Space is Limited!
Contact us for more information and to book today!

info@ExclusiveToYouTravel.com


The Travel Agent Next Door
803-55 York St Toronto, Ont M5J 1R7
TICO# 50021282

photo courtesy of royalcaribbean.co.uk

The Second Cruise we have to Offer

You will be sailing on Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Pride of America
May 12th to May 19th 2018

Aloha! Come aboard Pride of America, our only cruise ship that sails round trip from Honolulu year-round so you can vacation on your schedule. As you journey from one exotic island to the next, learn about the Hawaiian culture through the eyes of native ambassadors on board our ship. Island hop Hawaii in style, with more than 15 restaurants and 12 bars and lounges, excellent family accommodations, spacious suites and balconies – perfect for whale watching, witnessing Kilauea Volcano or taking in the dramatic views of the Napali Coast.

Itinerary
12-May:  Embark Honolulu, 19:00
13-May:  Kahului (Maui) Arrive 08:00, Overnight
14-May:  Kahului (Maui) Depart 18:00
15-May:  Hilo 08:00 – 18:00
16-May:  Kona 07:00 – 17:30
17-May:  Nawiliwili (Kauai) Arrive 10:00, Overnight
18-May:  Nawiliwili (Kauai) Depart 14:00
18-May:  Afternoon Cruise of the Napali Coast
19-May:  Honolulu Arrive 07:00 for Disembarkation


On Board Dining:
There are a combination of Complimentary Dining Options on the Pride of America as well as Specialty Dining Options.

Check-out the What’s On Board information for excellent descriptions on all of the restaurant options.
https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/cruise-ship/pride-of-america#whats-on-board

Complimentary Dining
Every cruise fare includes beautifully crafted menus in the two main dining rooms (full service), a help-yourself buffet and a variety of casual cafes, grills and on-the-go choices.  From fresh-baked breads desserts and pastries to the Chefs’ original dishes made with the freshest ingredients, your dining can be as fine or as fun as you want.

The following restaurants are included:
Aloha Café (buffet)
Cadillac Diner (burgers, fish n chips, pot-pies etc)
East Meets West (Asian Fusion)
Liberty Main Dining Room (there will be a rotating 3-course dinner menu)
Skyline Main Dining Room (there will be a rotating 3-course dinner menu)

Specialty Dining
Widen your pallet further and choose from their specialty restaurants for a cover charge or a la carte.

Moderno Churrascaria (Brazilian Steakhouse) $24.95 USD pp
Teppanyaki $29.95 USD pp
Cagney’s Steakhouse a la carte
Jefferson’s Bistro a la carte
La Cucina a la carte
Sushi Bar a la carte


Group Amenities:
A bonus of booking into a group are the group amenities that you are entitled to.  Amenities must be chosen by stateroom (not on an individual basis).  Each Stateroom may choose 2 amenities.

Prepaid Service Charges for 1st and 2nd guests only (best value as these need to be paid regardless)  $13.50 USD per person / day
Internet Package – 250 shared minutes per cabin
$50 USD Per Port Shore Excursion Credit max 4 ports (per stateroom, not per person)
Dining Package – 3 Specialty Restaurant Dining Experiences for 1st and 2nd guests only
20 Photo Package – per stateroom
$75 USD OBC – per stateroom


Pricing:
Please let me know what type of stateroom you are looking for:  Interior (no windows), Ocean View or Balcony
As well as how many people in your stateroom

Contact: info@exclusivetoyoutravel.com

The Travel Agent Next Door
803-55 York St Toronto, Ont M5J 1R7
TICO# 50021282

photo courtesy of www.ncl.com

The Third Cruise We Have to Offer

Norwegian Getaway - Western Caribbean Cruise
December 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 Miami
December 17th At Sea
December 18th Roatan, Bay Islands
December 19th Harvest Caye (Belize)
December 20th Costa Maya
December 21st Cozumel
December 22nd At Sea
December 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 guest
Balcony 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

For more information please contact slough@thetravelagentnextdoor.com

The Travel Agent Next Door
803-55 York St Toronto, Ont M5J 1R7
TICO# 50021282

photo courtesy of www.ncl.com

Sandos Playacar Beach Resort # 2

So while visiting Mexico there are many excursions that you can take and many sites that can be taken in. Being as we where only there for a short period we decided on just one excursion it was actually a combination. A tour to the Ruins of Tulum and then off to a private Beach.
The Ruins were awesome and this is not an expensive tour and short and sweet. There are many ruins in Mexico. The Chichen Itza ruins are the largest and most impressive. However the tour was a full day with almost four hours of travel so we decided to go to the ruins that were much closer.

The guide we had was very passionate and provided us with lots of great historical information. After the visit to Tulum we headed to a private beach for about an hour. You can actually see the ruins from the beach.

Here is a small list of some of the tours you can do when visiting. Swim with Dolphins at Ventura Park, scuba diving, skyrider (two can fly) SubSee Explorer (underwater adventure), Cozumel tour. Other ruins you can see include Coba, Uxmal and Xcaret. Rio Secreto is a nature reserve where you go to an underground river to explore. There are off road jungle adventures. Sailing and snorkeling adventures, Nightlife adventures if you do not like what your resort has to offer. There is also a pirate and lobster dinner dhow but sadly Lisa is not a seafood lover so I could not partake :(
10 minutes from the resort maybe a 25 minute walk you can go to the famous 5th Avenue shopping district which we did. I shopped at some well known brands as well as local made things. There was a great show, I did not get to go to Senor frogs (I collect all things frogs) but did hit the store. Also the ferry to Cozumel is located here.

This ritual has to do with fertility and the Mayan calendar. 5 men climb to the op of the large tower. One beats a drum at the top while the other four dangle by ropes attached to their feet. It takes twelve whole turns to get to the ground. This ceremony was also performed at the Tulum ruins but these pictures turned out nicer.

Again I would highly recommend a stay at Sandos Playacar for either couples or families they also have a more family oriented resort close by called Sandos Caracol.

www.sandosplayacar.com

My websites: www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca  www.exlclusivetoyoutravel.com  and www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Sandos Playacar Beach Resort

So in August 2016 I had the pleasure of vacationing with my friend Lisa at the Sandos Playcar Beach Resort in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I was the lucky winner of a 4 night 5 day vacation from Air Canada and Sandos for two adults to stay in their adult only section of the resort. My husband has decided that All Inclusive vacations are not his cup of tea so my friend was more than happy to fill in for him.
Yes we went in the summer because I waited to the last minute to redeem the trip hoping my husband would come with me. The temperature was roughly the same as here and with a pool and beach at our disposal plus air conditioned rooms we managed to survive.

                                                                             Reception

Let me start off by saying I 100% recommend this resort to both adults only and families. I even have clients headed there this summer. The main lobby is right beside the adult only section so you do not have far to go to get to your room. Upon arrival you are greeted with a refreshing drink while checking in. Also in the lobby the have an adult only bar/snack area with two computers available for checking in with the real world if you have to. Wifi is available in all the public areas of the resort just not in the rooms. Pictures of our room.

Love seat

                                                                 2 Queen Beds

                             Flat screen tv, desk and the mini fridge was stocked with water and beer

                                                         The Bathroom had double sinks

                              Jacuzzi tub, Shutters open up into the room (there is also a shower)

There are 3 restaurants at the the main lobby and more restaurants can be found throughout the family section. I could not find fault with any of the restaurants that we tried and we tried almost all of them. The buffets we did for breakfast and the choices did switch up. As well at the Beach and around the pools they have BBQ's for lunch/snacks as well.

                                                      Adult pool with swim up bar

                                          The BBQ Area, showers (view from our balcony)

The Beach is also in the family section. It is about a ten minute walk from the front of the resort but they have golf carts that drive guests back and forth throughout the property. We never had to wait super long for one.

Golf Cart

The Beach has themed days and they are different everyday with lots of fun and entertainment for all ages. Mexico, Miami etc..There is beach volley ball, loungers, drink service and snack provided throughout the morning and the afternoon.

In my next post I will discuss excursions that you can do while visiting this awesome resort. Any questions please feel free to ask away.

http://www.sandos.com/hotel-playacar-in-playa-del-carmen/beach/services.htm?gt=1

My websites: www.exclusivetoyoutravel.ca  www.exclusivetoyoutravel.com  and www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor

Disney Dining Plan Explained

So dining at Disney can be expensive. Buffets can run you $39 USD per adult and up.Sit down dinners can be equally as expensive and quick service meals are a lot also.
Many years ago Disney came up with a dining plan solution where you can pick one of three main plans and prepay for your meals. So when you are at Disney the only thing you need to worry about is gratuities and souvenirs.
The first plan is the quick service plan: This includes 2 quick service meals, 2 snacks and 1 refillable resort mug per person per night stayed.
The second plan which is the most popular is the dining plan: 1 quick service meal, 1 table service meal, 2 snacks and 1 refillable resort mug per person per night stayed.
The third plan is the deluxe plan: 3 meals (either counter service or table service your choice) 2 snacks and 1 refillable resort mug per person per night stayed.
So you are now probably thinking what is a quick service meal and what is a table service meal. Quick service or counter service is cafeteria style restaurants. You go to a counter order and then find somewhere to sit. The value resorts have these and you will find many in the parks as well. My favourite at Magic Kingdom is Columbia House. I love their clam chowder they used to serve it in a bread bowl but stopped that practice. At Epcot my favourite is the Electric Umbrella. They serve awesome hamburgers. At Hollywood Studios I often go to the ABC Commissary and love the salad options. Funny enough I do not have a counter service favourite at Animal Kingdom I guess that will be my mission for my next vacation.
Table Service meals are sit down meals you either order from a menu or it is a buffet. This is also where you will find your character meals. Now picking my favourites with these one's is a lot harder to do. At Magic Kingdom I enjoy Crystal Palace which features Pooh and friends and is a buffet service. At Epcot I love Akershus (Norway Pavilion) which features the Princess's and is also a buffet that features Norwegian and American food. At Animal Kingdom I like Tusker's House which features Donald Duck and friends and once again is a buffet (ok I have a trend I think). This has some nice African dishes available as well. At Hollywood Studios we did breakfast at the Hollywood & Vine which features Disney junior pals and is also a buffet.
Now I have only included restaurants that I have eaten at. I have a huge list of must tries as with a bigger party reservations where very hard to get last time. So on my list is Be Our Guest (it was not yet open), Chef Mickey's ,and O'Hana.

 Crystal Palace. Me with my favourite Eeyore

 Garden Grill (Epcot)

 Garden Grill (Epcot)

 Hollywood & Vine

 Liberty Tavern (Magic Kingdom) - Mickey Plate

 Askershus (Epcot)

T Rex Restaurant - Disney Springs

So now onto Snacks. Many things qualify as snacks and so for those on the two meals a  day plan will often use a snack credit for breakfast. This works for people who are light breakfast eater and are happy with a bagel or a donut (yes donuts seem to be a big breakfast item at Disney).At the parks the kids like getting popcorn or churros as snack or for something sold ice cream Mickey bars. We amazingly had snack credits leftover and used those on nuts, candy, cookies etc that could be brought home with us.
I do not drink pop but the refillable mug did come in handy for water and my morning coffee. My oldest drinks hot chocolate all the time so she enjoyed being able to do that as well.
Now Disney also has signature dinning which requires 2 table service credits. I will be honest I have not tried any of them. If you were planning on doing a lot of these then the deluxe dinning plan would be for you. Also if you want 3 solid meals a day I would also suggest the deluxe. One of the most popular signature dinning experiences is Cinderella's Table.
Gratuities are extra on table service dinning. Disney expects that you will pay at least 18% and if your party is eight or more they will automatically charge it on your bill.

Please feel to ask any questions you may have and I will try and answer them.

You can always check out my Facebook page www.facebook.com/stephaniethetravelagentnextdoor or my website www.exclusivetoyou.ca

Value Resorts at Disney

I will admit that in the five times I have been to Disney I have only ever stayed at a Value Resort. I have stayed at both the All Star Music and the All Star Movie's Resorts and I have no faults with them at all.
I have seen the other resorts I even went to the spa at the Grand Floridian for a day. For me Disney is expensive and I want to maximize my dollars and that means staying at a Value. Especially now that I have a family of six, We are planning to go in December 2018 but it is still a bit early to price out a vacation but I imagine we will do either two rooms at the All Star Movies as my parents will once again be joining us or we may check out a family suite at the Art of Animation. They have built 3 wings that specifically cater to families of five and six. They do have Little Mermaid rooms for the Family of four however the drawback is that they are at the back of the resort so further to walk than the family suites would be. When booking a value resort if you pay the little bit extra for the preferred room you will be closer to the lobby and the main pool. Trust me this will make a difference after spending 8 plus hours at the parks and coming home with tired children who have more than likely dozed on the bus ride and no longer want to make that walk back to the room because they are too tired. The value resorts have two pools and usually a small wader for the littlest ones. Whereas the moderates and deluxe pools will have slides and extra water features that the value's do not.
We like the pool for a quick dip to relax and cool down and really do not need the extra features and if we really did we could take the time to go to one of Disney's Waterparks. Blizzard Beach being less than five minutes from the All Star Resorts.
Beds at a value resort are either two doubles or a king whereas the moderate and deluxe resorts provide two queens. My husband an I are heavier so instead of sharing with each other. He shared with our son and I took our youngest daughter.
If money were not a worry than I would probably check out a few of the other resorts. My list in no particular order would be the Animal Kingdom Lodge, the Polynesian Resort, the Wilderness Lodge and the Beach Club.
All of the value resorts have food courts as opposed to a sit down restaurant. Again I like this when travelling with the kids. If one feels like pizza, the other hot dogs and I want the roast beef dinner then we can all be taken care of. Although most sit down restaurants do tend to have the regulars for kids: pizza, mac and cheese and chicken fingers. It just makes it quick and easy and breakfast can be taken care of the same with someone having a full breakfast and someone else eating a bagel. We all get taken care of quick and easy.

Travelling to Disney with Kids

So I finished off my last post mentioning my 2011 Disney trip with my family and getting ready for 2018. In 2011 Victoria was 7, Elizabeth was 6, Katherine was 3 and Daniel was 2 1/2. My nephew Bradley was just shy of his 9th birthday.
We chose the second last week of August for a few reasons. Summer vacation was the easiest to get the eleven of us together. My kids and my brother's son were in different school boards so they had different start times for the new school year. Also almost all American schools had re-started so we only had to compete in the park with other tourists.
Crowd levels can definitely play a major role in any Disney vacation and I will definitely touch on this in other posts.
Direct flights out of Ottawa in the summer do not really exist and as I am on the border of NY we made the decision to fly out of Syracuse on Jet Blue. Flying with the kids was not as painful as I thought it would be. I have heard stories of people having difficulties with their little one's which caused them to be embarrassed or mortified. Yes it is hard on the people around you but it is not like anyone is doing it on purpose and thankfully this is only a 3 hour flight. My son was bit more restless on the flight home but still it was a very positive experience. Here are my tips for flying with kids. Bring an activity bag that includes all of our some of the following:dollar store toys that are new to the child, colouring book and crayons or pencils, books to read and a tablet (depending on age). Make sure to bring some gum for them to chew to help with ear popping (again depends on age). Noise cancelling headphones if they have problem with noise. Gravol may be a good idea as well.
Going to Disney we were lucky as we had Disney Magical Express which means we did not have to try and collect luggage for eleven people when we arrived in Orlando. We simply made our way downstairs to the buses got into the line for our resort and we were on our merry way. Our luggage was collected by Disney and was delivered to our room several hours later (In your carry on luggage I suggest a bathing suit if you are not going to the parks or a change of clothes).
This is one of my reasons for why staying at Disney is so important to us. Magical Express is a godsend when travelling with young children. Recently I had to wait for a rental car at the Orlando airport. It was pre-booked but the line for pick up was about three turns long and it was after 9:00 pm. There were people in that line with young children.I thankfully was not. Everyone was exhausted and cranky it took over two hours to get our car and we still had a 3 hour drive to Miami.
I will always stay at Disney and I am more than fine with a Value Resort to do so!!

Daniel and Katherine (first flight anywhere)

Walt Disney World

So as a Family Travel Specialist I of eat, sleep and breath Disney. The funny thing is I never went to Disney as a child. My first visit was January 1998 just after the huge Ice Storm. Many people in the outskirts of Ottawa were still without power.
Walt Disney Work was still celebrating their 25th Anniversary so Cinderella's Castle was still done up as a huge Birthday cake. Animal Kingdom had not yet opened and Hollywood Studios was called MGM and Disney Springs was Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island (an adult only venue in the evenings).
This vacation lead to my mother and I doing Disney 4 years in a row. We did branch out doing visits to see Busch Gardens in Tampa, Sea World, Kennedy Space Center, Discovery Cove and Universal which that first year only had the one park and has expanded greatly since then.
The nice thing is that these parks are constantly expanding and adding new things so your vacations will constantly evolve. It is "not" like being dragged to the same museum every summer on your family vacation.
2001 marked my last solo trip with my mom as shortly after that I met my husband and we married the following year. My parents continued to go to Disney together over the years bringing back presents and stories for their five grandchildren.
I finally got to return to Disney in August 2011 with my children, my husband, my parents and my brother and his family. Eleven of us together, 3 rooms at the All Star Movies Resort. First time ever visiting in the heat of the summer, and I have to tell you summer, Disney and I do not go hand in hand. So we are headed back to Disney in December 2018. Yes I have a countdown and yes it is painfully over 500 days away!!

This picture is courtesy of disneyeveryday.com (Norm Robbie). I would have used one of my own but when I went to Disney that year I still had a regular camera (digital were just coming out) and my pictures are currently packed away in a box.