Monthly Archives: January 2020

If this is your year to take that well-deserved cruise vacation, you are not alone. According to the Cruise Lines International Association global demand for cruising is expected to reach 32 million passengers in 2020, including a whopping 82 percent repeat factor.

Cruising offers travelers the ability to visit multiple far-flung destinations in total comfort with few (if any) hassles.

Due to steady growth, 24 ships are scheduled to debut in 2020, including new cruise lines such as Virgin Voyages and Ritz-Carlton plus several expedition ships being launched around the world.

Below is a list of my top cruising trends for this year :

Before you book your vacation, sit down and talk with an expert at your favorite travel agency. You want to be sure you are getting on the right ship, at the right price. Ask about special sales , promotions and added amenities. This includes: any 2 for 1 fares; free or discounted air programs; onboard incentives; complimentary dining choices; and the onboard entertainment/shore excursions.

You should also ask your travel agent about the onboard attire. Proper dining attire varies from ship to ship, depending on the itinerary and length of the voyage. Most cruise lines have relaxed their dress codes, but no one wants to get dressed up for dinner and find they are sitting next to another couple wearing t-shirts and sweatpants.

In addition, I would recommend flying to your embarkation port the day before the cruise and ask about all pre- and post-cruise hotel packages.

Here is a sampling of some of the cruise lines I have experienced and recommend:

ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL (mass/contemporary). Theres a reason Royal Caribbean continues to be considered the best in the industry for hard-to-please teens. With many itineraries (Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda) on sale, Royal Caribbean is easy and convenient, with year-round sailings from Baltimore and New Jersey. Royal Caribbean boasts the biggest ships in the world, plus guests can enjoy two private islands, Coco Cay and Labadee.

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE (mass/contemporary). If youre looking for nonstop fun, food and activities, youve found it onboard Carnival. I took my two granddaughters on Carnivals Horizon and Sunrise roundtrip NYC to Bermuda and we had a laugh-out-loud time, with 5,000 of our new best friends. Carnival is designed for families on a budget. There is literally something to do (and eat) every hour of the day and night. Activities include their first onboard roller coaster, a water park, parades and story times, a ropes course and much more. Carnival sails year round from Baltimore and NYC to Bermuda, Bahamas, Caribbean, and New England and Canada.

CELEBRITY CRUISES (premium). Celebrity Cruises will launch its 14th ship, the Apex, this April in Europe and reposition to Fort Lauderdale for seven-day Caribbean sailings this November. Celebrity Cruises mantra is modern luxury and its hip, cutting edge atmosphere resonates with travelers wanting upscale accommodations, award-winning dining venues, cocktail lounges and entertainment. The newly remodeled Celebrity Summit sails roundtrip to Bermuda from New Jersey and several ships cruising the Caribbean are on sale now through March. Ask about special sales to South America and New Zealand, and Celebrity Xpedition, offering the glamping in the Galapagos with dining, drinking and sleeping on the top deck.

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE (premium). For more than 140 years Holland America has been a leader in the premium cruising category with 14 mid-size to large ships with gracious service. A great value for the money, Holland America was the first cruise line in Alaska. A terrific, multi-generational cruise vacation, Holland America has many trips on sale, particularly in the Caribbean, Alaska and Europe. Travelers looking to explore Canada and New England can check out several cruises between April and October. Ask about suite bookings and savings offering free drinks, dining and gratuities through Feb. 28.

OCEANIA CRUISES (premium plus). With six elegant, mid-size ships, Oceania offers fine dining under the direction of Master Chef Jacque Pepin. Oceania is an excellent choice for adults wanting a traditional, gracious and upscale experience. With a recent $100-million refurbishment, OceaniaNext will debut suites furnished exclusively with Ralph Lauren dcor. Ask about savings and all-inclusive options with O-Life Choices and special 2-for-1 fares and premium economy air upgrades on voyages to the Caribbean, Europe and the Baltics. Convenient sailings to New England, Canada & Bermuda roundtrip New York from July through October are on sale now.

REGENT SEVEN SEAS (luxury). The most all-inclusive cruise line in the luxury market, including free unlimited excursions, free intercontinental business class air, free wi-fi, free beverages, free transfers and so much more. The brand new Seven Seas Splendor debuts in February with Luxury Perfected promotions throughout 2020. Regent Seven Seas offers spacious suites and an outstanding level of service with all-inclusive voyages to Alaska, the Mediterranean, northern Europe, Caribbean and Asia on sale now. Ask about New York City cruises also on sale to Canada, New England, Eastern Seaboard, Bermuda and Transatlantic plus special kids pricing throughout the summer.

SEABOURN (luxury). Seabourn is an award-winning, ultra-luxury, all-inclusive and oh-so-stylish small ship cruise line for upscale and sophisticated travelers. With a private club atmosphere, the Seabourn fleet (5 ships) has taken onboard dining to a new level with the ongoing partnership with world-renowned American chef and restauranteur, Thomas Keller. Ask about Seabourns 2020 Signature Savings Event features exceptional savings with complimentary verandah upgrades, shipboard and air credits plus an array of value-added amenities throughout the year - especially in the Caribbean, Alaska and Asia. Ask about 2020 Alaska & British Columbia Ventures by Seabourn voyages with Zodiac up-close cruising and kayak excursions with Seabourns excellent expedition team. The official cruise partner of UNESCO World Heritage, Seabourn also offers onboard entertainment programs featuring An Evening with Sir Tim Rice and guests will sail with him on the April 8, 2020 voyage.

SILVERSEA CRUISES (luxury). With over 25-years in luxury small ships cruising, Silversea sails to over 900 destinations on all seven continents, more than any other cruise line. World renowned for devoted, discreet and experienced onboard service, Silversea is also the leader in luxury expedition and adventure cruising. Heading into 12 years of expedition cruising, Silversea 2020/2021 voyages will highlight both Polar Regions (Svalbard, Norway; Lake Myvatn, Iceland; Greenland and East Greenland; Antarctica; and the Falkland Islands) in the summer and winter. Silversea Silver Origin is the brand-new destination-specific ship sailing the Galapagos.

Lets Talk Travel with AAA, hosted by Sandy Fenton, is broadcast Saturdays 11 a.m.-noon on iHeartMedias WHP580. For more information, go to whp580.com and click on the link to Lets Talk Travel.

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Taking a cruise? Top trends and best bets for 2020: Fentons favorites - pennlive.com

Starting a vacation rental business is a potentially great way to grow personal wealth, even if you arent a homeowner or if you have bad credit. Making the business successful and maintaining good ratings, however, requires a slightly different type of business acumen.

The way to a customers heart in this business is by offering them a valuable product an excellent accommodation to consume, and making it easy for them to do so. Running a vacation rental business over the past few years has taught me that guests satisfaction depends on three main factors:

1. Product Offering

Most of the listings we find on platforms such as Airbnb or Vrbo are entire home units or private rooms within a home. Offering a more unique, less obvious type of space could provide you a cutting edge over your competitors. Get creative and diversify your basket of hosted properties. Boats/yachts, bungalows, private islands, oceanfront villas, treehouses, cabins and even castles are now being listed.

Amenities can also give your space an advantage over competitors. As we can see with the high demand for condos in the United States, high-rises that offer the best amenities can demand the highest rents. Popular amenities include a weight room, games room, swimming pool and/or hot tub and electronic locks on the doors. Amenities that are now being considered necessities include free Wi-Fi, parking, desks or workspaces, entertainment systems and access to a full kitchen.

As great as they are, amenities can only go so far. Taking it a step further and going beyond the basics could add major value to your product offering. Consider providing an airport shuttle service, meals and other pet- and family-friendly services.

Location is another paramount feature of your product offering. Tourists usually travel with the intent of visiting a nearby city and all its major attractions. The closer your property is to public transportation, famous landmarks, etc., the more likely you are to run a successful operation. First, however, you should research your citys/states/countys rules on hosting. In New York City, for example, Airbnb recently implemented a one host, one home policy, which prevents multiunit property owners from running a vacation rental business similar to a licensed hotel that is subject to additional taxes for doing so.

2. Product Marketing

Hosts who offer a fully compliant, conveniently located place to stay with the top amenities can make a killing, if people know about their product. Fortunately, sites like HomeAway and Airbnb are in such high demand that most travelers already know where to go looking.

High demand has also churned out a high supply of listings, which means hosts are under pressure to make their listings stand out. This makes having great pictures absolutely critical. Airbnb claims hosts earn up to 40% more by using professional photos in their listings.

Some platforms offer this service for free. For hosts more inclined to DIY or who don't have professional photography access, you can still put your best foot forward:

Try to use a professional DSLR camera with a wide-angle lens.

Take bigger photos for optimal resolution, using landscape orientation whenever possible.

Aim to create depth in each photo for a 2-D effect.

Make good use of natural sunlight.

In each room, remember to:

Accent the bedrooms with contrasting pillows and shams.

Complement the living room with flowers.

Include quirky works of art in your pictures. They give your space more charm and character.

Ensure the kitchen and bathroom are sparkling clean.

3. Good Reviews

Important as visuals are, good reviews remain an essential part of your marketing strategy. Furthermore, positive reviews bump up your ratings as a host and can easily become the deal-breaker when guests are deciding between two properties.

Negative reviews, however, are a deal-breaker in favor of the competition. Fortunately, there are some ways you can try to avoid receiving them:

Provide any relevant information for the guests stay in a check-in message. Attach this message to the house manual, which should provide further instructions on how to use/configure household items such as the remote control.

Be available for questions or concerns during the first 24 hours of every stay. If necessary, outsource the communication. This is important because most kerfuffles can be quashed with simple communication.

Be generous with free stuff wine, mints on the pillows, chocolates, fruit baskets, snacks. These are simple pleasures that go a long way to getting a positive review.

On platforms that permit it, leave your guest review immediately after checkout. This notifies your guest, and conveniently, guests can only see the review once they write their host review. Theres no guarantee their reviews will be positive. Regardless, go ahead and post a positive review for the guest, and then sit back and relax.

Building good relationships with your customers goes a long way to earning that five-star review every host wants. If you plan to scale your business, these reviews will likely be the first item that prospective property owners read about you. Many homeowners who list their properties for short-term rental have multiple properties they could use your help with. According to a study published in 2017 by CBRE, multiunit hosts are a key driver of Airbnb revenue growth.Yet thats also the reason various states are cracking down on multiunit property owners who host their space without having to pay the same taxes as hotels.

Remember to fully research all the rules around hosting for your city, state or county. An unfailing way to receive a bad review is to have your guests learn the space youre hosting is not fully compliant, which may result in them having to look for new accommodation. However, by offering a superior product with the right marketing and real positive reviews, youll be on your way to a successful side hustle through vacation rentals.

Link:

Three Keys To Running A Successful Vacation Rental Business - Forbes

Considered one of the worlds superior honeymoon destinations, the Maldives has a lot to offer travelers. Featuring a string of exclusive resorts, high-end restaurants, aquatic activities, and sublime scenery, its no wonder that people travel from all over the world just to spend a few days on the island nation. There are endless things to see and do in the Maldives, but as most people have limited schedules and limited budgets, we thought wed narrow it down to the things you simply have to add to your Maldives bucket list. Check them out below!

Everyone knows that swimming with the mantas is one of the most popular activities in the Maldives. But for those who dont enjoy actually interacting with sea life, there is still the opportunity to get up close and personal with the fish at the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant.

The restaurant is located on Rangali Island in the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island. The prices may not be cheap at this high-end eatery, but how many times in your life will you have the chance to eat a meal in the company of a sea of fish?

There are also other undersea restaurants and wine cellars in the Maldives that are worth checking out. You can even find underwater spas in some resorts. Who said you had to get wet to get a glimpse of life under the sea?

The Maldives is home to about 1200 islands, and while you probably wont get the opportunity to visit all of them, it is worth taking some time out of your trip to visit the less touristy islands. Some of the Maldivian islands specifically cater to tourists and are home to exclusive resorts where youll be treated like royalty. Others are a little more down to earth.

A lot of resorts in the Maldives will offer day trips to neighboring islands, where youll be able to witness what life is like for locals. As Girl Tweets World points out, there are many locals in the Maldives that dont work in the tourism industry, and traveling to the lesser-known islands will teach you a little about their way of life.

Visiting locations such as Huraa Island might not be as relaxing as staying within the confines of your resort, but it is eye-opening. And its a great way to immerse yourself in the authentic local culture.

The Maldives is renowned for being one of the worlds most romantic honeymoon destinations. Many of the resorts are designed to offer the most magical experience for newlyweds and there are several activities on offer that are ideal for two people in love. Like having a picnic on your own private sandbank.

According to Forbes, this is how you really experience the Maldives in style. On the island of Amilla Fushi, youll have the opportunity to enjoy your own private picnic on your own private sandbank. All youll be able to see for miles around is calm turquoise water and pristine white sand while you indulge in authentic Maldivian delicacies from your pre-packed picnic basket. What could be better?

Picnics are romantic at the best of times. With the added picturesque scenery and the delicious rich cheese and champagne, you cant go wrong.

Though most of your time in the Maldives will undoubtedly be spent relaxing, youll also have a few opportunities to learn about the local culture and witness some age-old traditions that the Maldivian people have practiced for generations. One of them is the Boduberu performance.

The Boduberu consists of singing, dancing, and drumming, and sets off a lively atmosphere that gets everybody in the mood for a celebration. The best way to watch a performance is to travel to the inhabited islands of the Maldives, which can be organized as a day trip through your resort.

If you dont want to leave the island youre staying on, many resorts also host Bodubery performances for the convenience of their guests. Find out where the closest performance to you is being held and make sure that you leave room in your schedule for it. You wont be disappointed!

Most people who visit the Maldives forget all about paying a visit to the capital city of Male. Located on an island that is only about 1.25 square miles in size, Male may be one of the worlds smallest capital cities, but its also one of the liveliest. If its culture youre after, youll be totally satisfied with the museums, markets, and mosques standing in the colorful city.

Being an Islamic nation, its important to remember to adhere to traditional Islamic requirements while visiting the city. When entering any mosques, women must wear head scarfs and all visitors must wear pants instead of shorts.

According to TripSavvy, you can walk around the entire city in only a few hours. Among the best sights to see is the National Museum, which will give you an insight into the fascinating history of the Maldives. You can also take a guided tour of Male and have the major points of interest pointed out to you during a leisurely stroll around the city.

Turks And Caicos: A Guide To The Most Stunning Beaches

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Things To Do In The Maldives (That Arent Swimming With The Mantas) - TheTravel

Westmoreland offers a walk thats modestly challenging, about a mile long, picturesque and full of history.

Westmoreland Drive is a public road, coursing through the area that was at one time all known as Westmoreland. Today, the center of the area is Westmoreland Farm, privately owned by the Roe family.

Although not open to the public, the farm contains iconic landmarks that are easily visible from the road. The farm radiates from an old clock and water tower, built in 1900 by the estates original owner, Thomas M. Turner.

WESTMORELAND DRIVE

Access: This is a public road, but bordering properties are private.

Length: 1 mile, almost all flat.

Highlights: Historic farm, estate and buildings.

When it was built, it was the tallest structure on the Island, and probably in Suffolk County. Turners Italian sunken garden, filled with Italian marble statuary, is kept neat, but allowed to show its age, only enhancing its enigmatic beauty.

Walking down the road, youll pass quiet pastures, a stunning allee of linden trees lining the road into the farm, and four horses who are usually out in the field. They are a treat for children to observe up close. Their owner, Karen Roe, only requests that visitors dont feed them, since they need to adhere to an appropriate diet. Across from the horse pasture, a long swath of lawn stretches almost to where Westmoreland meets West Neck Creek.

The Roe family owns this land, once an airstrip, but has sold its development rights to ensure houses wont be built on it. They have dedicated it to James and Margaret Roe, the patriarch and matriarch of the family, who at one time owned all of Westmoreland. In 1967, when James Roe was a powerful Democratic leader, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and his wife Ethel flew to Shelter Island and landed in Westmoreland, where the Roes hosted a barbecue in their honor, as was their custom, with many children enjoying hayrides around the farm.

As I walk down the road, one of my favorite houses has always been the Primrose, a Tudor that looks like it was dropped in from another era. It was built by Turner as a mansion for himself and his wife. He was a close friend of Broadway producer Charles Frohman, actress Maude Adams and Scottish playwright J.M. Barrie, who visited Shelter Island and wrote his play Peter Pan with Ms. Adams in mind. The play was already a hit in London with its British cast in the summer of 1905 when rehearsals were underway to open it on Broadway, with Ms. Adams as Peter.

Turner offered his Shelter Island estate for an outdoor rehearsal, bringing in contractors, electricians and mechanics to mount a production of Peter Pan on the grounds. Wire was strung from the tower to the roof of the cow barn to enable the actors to fly.

The waters of West Neck Bay and nearby ponds were perfect lagoons for the plays island setting, and its easy to picture child actors swinging from the branches of the lindens and chasing each other across the grass, so much more naturally than onstage. Islanders were all welcome, along with many out-of-town guests who filled the Islands hotels and guest houses. The one-time rehearsal went off successfully, and was celebrated with a feast afterward.

Thereafter, Turner referred to the estate as Never Never Land, which is the title of a wonderful book by Frances Roe Kestler.

This book on Westmoreland is full of details about all of Shelter Islands history as well as recollections about the Roes and all the other families who came to buy surrounding properties, houses with names like Osprey, Overlook, and Hawthorne.

Westmoreland, like any neighborhood, became a network of families who were very close. Over the years, as friends passed away or moved on, its been difficult to avoid a sense of sadness as I walk past their homes. I still feel touched by their spirits. Frances Kestler quotes J.M. Barrie as saying, The finest dream in the world is when everyone I have loved is still alive.

The antidote to melancholy is rounding the curve on the road, meeting the new neighbor children who are selling friendship bracelets. As I select my bracelet, I happily learn that this family now lives in a Westmoreland house where my close friends grew up. Life goes on.

The walk up and down Westmoreland Drive is just about a mile, and virtually flat except for one hill sloping down next to a pond near the entrance to Westmoreland. We all call the entrance the gate, although we dont remember an actual gate ever being there.

If you want to challenge yourself a bit, turn left out of the gate and continue on West Neck Road, up a hill and around a bend. Cross the Nostrand/Brander Parkway intersection and continue down the length of Bootleggers Alley. This short lane, whose name alludes to the Islands prohibition era enterprises, offers the reward as you reach the end. You may be feeling the cold by then, but its worth it.

At the end of the lane, a panoramic view of Peconic Bay spreads before you. And it is not unusual to have the entire vista to yourself. Bend down and run your hands through the water and pick up a shell or two, just to remind you of where you are lucky enough to be.

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Breathe Hiking Shelter Island's Westmoreland property leads to spectacular views Westmoreland offers a walk that's modestly - Northforker