1. Consider your vacation objectives.  Every vacation starts with a dream, so think about what you want out of your vacation.  Are you looking for fun, adventure, enrichment, time to connect with the family, a much needed rest, or just an escape from the winter cold?  Once you have clearly defined the type of vacation experience you are looking for, you are ready to choose a destination.

2.  Decide on the destination. With all the choices available, deciding on the actual destination as well as the type of accommodations are the most difficult parts. Keeping your budget in mind, the destination choice will be driven by your vacation objectives, the personal preferences of everyone in the family, your children’s ages, and their tolerance for travel:

Something for everyone

If you have toddlers and are looking to relax and escape the cold, a family resort or a beach condo in the Caribbean would be great choices. Keep it simple and find the right location.  If you have older children and are looking for enrichment and adventure, a tour designed for children in Europe or India would be fantastic, or an exotic cruise.

Not just kid-friendly but kid-focused

If you decide on an all-inclusive resort, select a resort that is designed specifically for families. Many resorts advertise kids programs but some don’t actually cater to the family experience. Resorts like Beaches by Sandals understand what parents and kids need and want. There are lots of age appropriate, fun activities for the whole family – everyone has a great time and parents get to relax too. 

If a tour is more to your liking, there are several operators that design tours for families.  The destinations, activities, pace, and tour guides are selected specifically to appeal to children. I recommend these over regular tours that simply allow children on the tour.

Just about all the major cruise lines have good kids programs, but some do a better job with certain age groups, for example, toddlers or teenagers.  Look at the facilities, the activities, the staff to child ratio, and how they divide the age groups.  Disney Cruises are designed to appeal to the kid in all of us and do a great job of catering to families. 

When deciding on accommodations, consider what will work best for your family given different sleeping schedules and eating requirements. Separate sleeping areas for the kids, or kitchen facilities can make things less stressful for everyone. 

3. Preplan activities. Now think about the actual logistics and make it easy for yourself.  Get direct flights when possible, arrange private transfers, and pre-book activities, excursions, meals, or spa treatments.  Preplanning will save you time while away and ensure that everyone gets to do those special things that will make their vacation fantastic.  Also, know about the medical facilities at your destination and make sure you have medical insurance.

Whatever vacation you decide on, remember that it’s your vacation too.  Parents need to come back rejuvenated and relaxed, and ready to tackle the day to day challenges again. 

Working with a knowledgeable travel professional will make choosing, planning and booking your vacation far easier, and will ensure that you and your family have a fabulous vacation that they’ll be talking about long after it’s over. 

Bon Voyage!

“Live the stories of the most fascinating places on earth”

Adventures by Disney just got voted the number 1 tour and safari operator for families by readers of Travel & Leisure magazine, receiving a staggering 99 out of 100 points.

It’s not just the fact that Disney has some of the finest story tellers as tour guides, or that they bring events in history to life with theatrics and surprise visits from famous historical characters. It is the way they put the whole experience together that makes it unforgettable.

They cater to kids of different ages and adults.  The itineraries have the perfect pace and variety with exclusive access to events and some of the world’s most fascinating sites.  Then they add some delightful surprises. 

The tours include out door adventures, historical and cultural experiences, and lots of family fun. Although the suggested minimum age is 4 on some itineraries, I recommend kids be 6 or older.

Fully escorted tours of 3 to 13 days in duration cover the following destinations

Asia, Africa and Australia : Australia, China, Egypt, and South Africa

 Central and South America : Costa Rica, Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands, and Peru

 Europe : Spain, England and France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and The Alps

 North America : Alaska, Grand Canyon, Glacier & Banff National Parks, Hollywood & Disneyland Resort, Mid Atlantic & Washington DC, and Wyoming – Yellowstone

 Certain itineraries are coupled with the Disney Cruise Line, which has upheld its position as the No. 1 large-ship cruise line for families.

There are three product levels of adventure tours:

Gateway Collection: available with select itineraries only, allows more free time (less excursions), deluxe hotels, exclusive VIP access to events and sites, and group sizes of 50

Classic Vacation: all itineraries offered, luxury hotels, exclusive VIP access to events and sites, and group sizes of 44

Signature Collection: available with select itineraries only, upgraded hotels, additional exclusive VIP excursions, and group sizes of 40

Want to give your kids an enriching experience – to learn about ancient Egypt or life in China? Want to reconnect with your family and make lasting memories. Disney delivers. And you will even get an adult’s evening as the kids enjoy a special dinner and movie night.

 We always advise clients traveling with kids to keep the logistics simple and to plan ahead. Those stressful, frustrating travel situations are all the more unbearable with kids in tow.

With Adventures by Disney, everything that is frustrating about travelling – lineups, luggage, hotel check ins – is taken care of.  You can relax, have fun, and leave the details to Disney.

The first Express d’Orient left Paris on October 4^th, 1883.  In 1891, it changed its name to the Orient Express.  It was founded by a Belgian Georges Nagelmackers who envisioned ‘a train that would span a continent’ and established the Compagnie Internationale Wagon-Lits (sleeper cars in French).

The original Orient Express was a train service operated by the French, German and Austrian national railways.  It was a scheduled EuroNight express that anyone could ride with normal train tickets including Interail and Eurail passes. 

The sleeping cars, dining cars and related services were provided by the Wagon-Lits company.  Passengers paid a first class ticket and a supplement.  The ticket price went to the rail road and the supplement went to the Wagon-Lits company.

It left Paris every evening at 17:16 and arrived in Vienna at 8:30 the next morning.  The route soon expanded from Paris to Istanbul.  It took 2 trains, a ferry across the Danube, and a 14 hour steamship voyage between Varna and Istanbul, but by 1889, there was a direct rail route between Paris and Istanbul. 

1. Original Orient Express via Munich, Vienna, Budapest, and Bucharest
2. Simplon Orient Express via Milan, Venice, Trieste and Belgrade
3. Arlberg Orient Express via Zurich, Innsbruck, Budapest and eventually Athens.

Services were interrupted during each World War.  Routes changed over the years as border closures restricted access to different countries.  And rolling stock was impacted as some countries insisted on using trains from their national rail services. 

In 1962 the Simplon Orient Express was withdrawn and replaced with a slower service called the Direct Orient Express, and was eventually discontinued in 1977.

In 1971, the Wagon-Lits company stopped running the carriages themselves and only provided the service staff to the railways.

The Orient Express continued to operate daily services from Paris, Budapest and Bucharest until 2001, then just Paris to Vienna to 2009.  On December 12, 2009, the Orient Express left Strasbourg for the last time on its final overnight run to Vienna.  After 126 years, the name Orient Express disappeared forever from the official European train timetables.

the authentic, the meaningful.’

The Venice Simplon Orient Express (VSOE) is not just a train service, it is a full service travel company offering a collection of restaurants, hotels, safaris, river boat tours, and train journeys.  The train journeys have expanded beyond just continental Europe to also include:

Elegance, Service, Traditions

UK, Northern Belle and British Pullman offering 3 different day trips return from London

• Scotland, The Royal Scotsman offering 7 different journeys for 2 – 7 nights
• Asia, Eastern and Orient Express offering 4 different journeys to Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Laos for 3 to 6 nights
• Peru, Hiram Bingham - offering a Cuzco to Machu Picchu

Although these other trains and routes are fabulous, it’s the Venice Simplon Orient Express train and routes that capture the romance and mystic of the original Orient Express. 

The train is ‘a work of art and a true Art Deco icon’.  It has a dining car, The Bar Car, a boutique, and double cabins and suites in the sleeping cars.  The vintage Pullman and Wagon-Lits carriages have been painstakingly restored to their original splendor and each is unique with its own history and charm. 

VSOE offers several combinations of trips between 11 cities in Europe; London, Paris, Vienna, Prague, Venice, Rome, Budapest, Krowkow, Bucharest, Dresden, and Instanbul.  Some of the journeys follow original routes and others are new combinations.

The most famous is the signature journey that follows the classic Simplon Orient Express route from Paris, Budapest, Bucharest, to Istanbul.  It runs once a year in the late summer and sells out years in advance. 

A  typical day on board the VSOE train would start with breakfast in your private sleeping cabin, followed by a visit to the Bar Car for socializing and perhaps more coffee.  After a morning of lounging and watching the scenery go by, head to the dinning car for a gourmet lunch.  Spend the afternoon, relaxing, socializing, or visiting the boutique.  Then head back to your cabin to get ready for cocktails, an exquisite gourmet dinner, and the evening entertainment.  Dress is smart casual during the day and semi-formal to formal in the evenings. 

A day riding the rails is most often followed by a day or two spent in one of Europe’s wonderful cities, sightseeing, shopping, and generally being as active as you wish to be.  The journeys are a perfect balance of activity and luxurious, relaxing train travel.

“World’s Leading Luxury Travel Product of the Year” 2010 – World Travel Awards

 “One of the World’s Greatest Trips” – National Geographic

 ’50 things to do before you die” – BBC

Sometimes we overlook what’s in our own backyard.  A two hour plane ride to Calgary could be the beginning of a journey that will stay with you for ever. 

Carlos had the opportunity to tour these fabulous trains when he was at a travel trade event in BC a couple of years ago.  It was all he talked about when he got back.  Rocky Mountaineer gets fabulous reviews from our clients as well.

The Experience

Sure, you could drive your car through the Rockies, but you won’t get to the places that the trains go, someone will have to have their eyes glued to the road (some parts are scary) and you certainly can’t sip a glass of vintage wine while dining on gourmet food in your car.  Taking the train really is the better way.

The trains are designed for viewing and comfort.  There are three different coach styles; regular cars with large picture windows, single level domed cars, and two level domed cars.  The two level cars have dining on the first level and passenger seats on the second level.

The three coach styles correspond to the three levels of service.

GoldLeaf Service offers

• 2 level glass domed coaches with exclusive dining car
• Gourmet hot meals with complimentary beverages and snacks
• Luxury accommodations for overnight stays
• Goldleaf with Fairmount Deluxe includes accommodation at Fairmont Hotels, i.e. Chateau Lake Louise and Fairmont Banff Springs

SilverLeaf Service offers

• Single level domed coaches
• Warm breakfast and lunch served at your seat
• Complementary non-alcoholic beverages and wine with lunch
• Moderate accommodations for overnight stays

RedLeaf Service offers

• Large picture windowed coaches
• Chilled meals served at your seat
• Complementary non-alcoholic beverages and wine with lunch
• Moderate accommodations for overnight stays

All trips are during daylight only, so bring binoculars and cameras.  When the train comes to points of interest or wild life, the driver slows down so everyone can get a good look.

The Itineraries 

There are 45 unique train vacation packages that include city stays and/or Alaska cruises with Holland America.  The vacation packages range from 2 to 25 days on 4 distinctive rail routes.  Three of those routes are several days from end to end and one is a 3 ½ hour ride between Vancouver and Whistler.

The train routes go through some of the most awesome scenery in the world and include Banff and Jasper, both UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Rocky Mountaineer is a family owned, BC based company and is the largest privately owned passenger rail service in North America.  In its 21 years, it has served over one million passengers.  

Click here for the Rocky Mountaineer website 

Whales entertained us almost every day, as this is the time of year they migrate north.  We watched from our suite and the beach, awed, as they performed their antics.

The beaches are truly magnificent, with six foot waves crashing down on the beach most days.  Wonderful to watch, but swim at your own risk.  We did find three beaches that were swimmable around Cabo San Lucas, but only the beach in Cabo San Lucas has amenities like food, drink and chairs.  We spent several days there, meeting other families, eating very delicious Mexican food, and drinking some fantastic Margaritas.   I was the only one who ventured into the water though.  It was too cold for Carlos and the kids.

We headed up the coast of the Sea of Cortez to Los Barilles and Buena Vista one day.  Friends directed us to a small hotel that has an amazing beach.  There are almost no waves and warm water seeps through the sand from an underground thermal spring at the shoreline.  We sat on the warm sand with gentle waves lapping warm water over us.  The kids loved it.  It was the only time they actually got in the ocean.  The beach seemed to stretch on forever, empty but for the few golf carts that folks use to get around in.  Apparently their busy season starts mid April as they cater mostly to Mexican visitors.

Another day we took a drive up to Todos Santos.  Quaint, but other than a few artists’ shops and some very good food, there wasn’t much going on.  It seemed deserted actually.  It’s on the Pacific side and is a bit cooler than the Sea of Cortez side of the peninsula.  Bring a jacket.  And don’t forget to get a picture of the Hotel California on the edge of town.

We spent Thursday evenings in San Jose Del Cabo doing the Art Walk.  Each Thursday evening all the art galleries and artisan shops host wine or tequila tastings and do demonstrations.  The local cultural centre puts on folkloric dancing from different regions in Mexico and several of the streets are closed to traffic.  Our kids got very inspired by the dancing and put on a bit of a show themselves after the main event.

The big attraction in Los Cabos is anything to do with boating and fishing.  Big boats, little boats… lots of boats, all with people catching very big fish!  It’s big business in Los Cabos.  And there are services to freeze, ship, or cook your big fish once you catch it.

Los Cabos has become one of the hottest golf destinations in North America with six signature championship golf courses and over a dozen great courses between Cabo San Lucas and San Jose Del Cabo, with more under construction.  Fabulous views from many of the golf courses and perfect weather every day, all day.

Any visit to that area isn’t complete without a stroll through the new Marina in Cabo San Lucas.  It’s connected to luxury shops, condos and great restaurants.  We had lunch one afternoon watching the seals fish and maneuver around the yachts and tour boats.  And a glass bottom boat ride around the tip, El Arco, and into the Pacific is a must do.

The thing I loved most about Los Cabos was the weather.  It’s desert, so you pretty much have a weather guarantee.  We had one day of scattered cloud and that was it.  The sky is blue and flawless most days with spring temperatures in the 80s and no humidity.  Evenings are cool and pleasant.

Although we had an awesome vacation, it’s not a destination I would recommend for a family vacation with young children.  There aren’t a lot of activities for them, and the beaches are not ideal for small children.  Our purpose was to experience Los Cabos and to do resort tours. 

Los Cabos is a fabulous destination for golfing, fishing, boating, and whale watching.  It has high quality services and accommodations, and is one of the safest destinations in Mexico.

A final word of caution – Beware of timeshare sales people.  Just say NO.

We were both contract management consultants and always made time in between our engagements for exploration and adventure – travel.  Here’s how it worked.  If we were on an engagement and we needed a rest, we took a vacation.  You know – go to a beach for some R&R.  Enjoy and sun, sand and surf, good food, local beer (and perhaps some tequila).  Come back one week later, feeling better and looking great but a bit heavier.  That was a vacation to us.   

If we were in between engagements, we would take 3 – 6 weeks to travel.  Travel is enriching, intense, and exciting.  When we ‘traveled’, it was a whirl wind of exploration of some part of the world.  We’d go for three weeks or more, walk till not only our feet, but our whole body ached, have some amazing local experiences, and come back rejuvenated, but tired, and much thinner. 

Cruising covers both

Once we became travel agents, we decided we better broaden our experiences, so we tried cruising.  The first one was ‘interesting’ but is in the ‘wouldn’t do an encore’ category.  They got progressively better as we discovered what we liked and what we found unappealing about cruising. 

Cruising ties vacationing and travelling together.  On the right cruise, you can immerse yourself in enriching activities, explore fascinating ports of call, and also spend a day at the onboard spa, or take an excursion to a beach.  You could do as much or as little as you like each day.  There is also the opportunity to meet like-minded, engaging people.  Add a pre and post cruise stay in some of the most interesting places in the world, and you’ve got an amazing travel and vacation experience all wrapped into one, with a lot less hassle.

Food was and still is a big part of the experience for us.  For all those discerning foodies, the luxury cruise ships are sure to please.  I wish someone had introduced us to luxury cruising and river cruising years ago.  What a wonderful way to see the world.

It was our fourth cruise with the kids.  We’ve done one every year.  Naturally as they get older it gets easier, but Disney does it right for any age.  Here’s a run down of what I experienced that was very different from our other cruises.  Some of it may seem like little things, but when you put it all together they make a world of difference.

Kids Program and Facilities

All but a few cruise lines have kids program.  Most are pretty good.  But of course, we’d expect more from Disney and they sure delivered.  On the Magic there are 2 facilities for 4 – 10 year olds, the Oceaneer Club and the Oceaneer Lab.  The Club is large, has a fantastic jungle gym, little seating areas playing cartoons, play areas with toys, and lots of room to run around.  The Lab has a big screen TV, a crafts area, age appropriate computer games, building type toys, and a kitchen/lab area that easily holds 40 kids for cooking classes and science experiments. 

Even though the facilities were the best I have ever seen on a ship, that wasn’t what made the program great.  It was the young people that worked there.  As a parent I look at the staff to child ratio, the engagement of the staff, and the security.  I was more than satisfied with everything.  Some staff were assigned to check in/out, others were walking the room making sure the kids were OK, and others were there to entertain them, and what a fabulous job they did!

One afternoon in the Lab the Ratatouillie Cooking School was conducting a cooking class.  I sat there before the class started, looking at all the little kids running around, and thought I can’t imagine how they are going to get all those kids to cooperate, so I stayed to watch.

It started with 2 minutes of the Ratatouillie movie, which got everyone over to the big screen TV area.  Then, in burst a young guy dressed like a French chef, accent and all.  He had them laughing hysterically about a rat in his kitchen, got them all riled up to make cookies, had them pick partners, herded them to the kitchen, then proceeded to entertain even me.  With two assistants doling out ingredients, he got 40 kids to stand in pairs, share a bowl, and make cookies for over an hour.  They had mixing contests, sang ‘you have to mix it mix it’ to the tune of the Madagascar song (You Have to Move it Move it), and every few minutes he gave a signal and they all shouted ‘don’t eat the ingredients’.  I am still laughing as I type this.  It was hilarious. 

For the science experiments they had a young woman dressed like a crazy, absent minded, old professor – shaky voice, grey hair, glasses, and a cane.  The acting was really very good and they never stepped out of character, even when talking to parents.  There were lots of these events and the kids loved every minute of them.

There are also services for babies and toddlers, tweens, and teens, but I didn’t experience those first hand.

There are three pool areas on the Magic, one for adults, one for families with older kids, and one for little kids - with a water slide that doesn’t dump the child in deep water at the end, so even little kids could go on it.  There is a splash pad beside the kiddy pool as well.  And best of all, there was always somewhere to sit, food and bathrooms close by, and a waiter to bring you what ever you wanted – quickly.

Around the Ship

You know as soon as you board a Disney ship that it’s all about the kids.  As parents, if you attend to our kids, we are delighted.  That is the fundamental difference between Disney and other cruise lines.  Other lines have kids programs, but other than that, it’s not about the kids.  They have the kids programs so the parents can get a break.  But on a Disney ship, the pools, open areas, seating, and ship layout are designed for kids and that’s what makes the family experience so wonderful.  Every staff member is trained to respond to a distressed child.  They all talk to the kids in an engaging way – that includes officers, housekeeping staff – everyone – even singers. 

One evening we were walking through one of the cocktail lounges and my daughter stopped to hear the singer, then did a few dance steps near the dance floor.  The singer walked off the stage, got on her knees in front of my daughter and sang to her.  My daughter was thrilled.  That same singer later had a bunch of young kids dancing on the dance floor and singing with her.  The kids were having a great time while parents happily looked on, enjoying a break – with a drink.

Disney Characters were walking around the ship all the time.  There were Character photo shoots daily.  All entertainment on the lido deck involved Disney Characters and kids dancing on the stage.  It’s amazing how enthused and uninhibited adults can be about music and dancing when kids are involved.  The Character breakfast was a big hit too, and well organized.

Entertainment

Most cruise lines have amazing entertainment and Disney is no exception to that, but again, it’s very different.  On other cruise lines, we never went to the shows because our kids can’t sit quiet through a whole show.  What does Disney do about that?  They make audience participation part of the show.  The performances were twists on classic Disney stories and were absolutely mesmerizing, creative, and funny.  During one show, I just sat and watched my children’s faces.  They were busting with delight at the characters, singing the songs they knew, and laughing uncontrollably at the antics.  They are still talking about them and I can still see their elated faces.

There is also a full theatre on board playing current release Disney movies, and the middle pool on the lido deck plays Disney movies and cartoons all day and evening, but magically you can’t hear them anywhere else on the ship so it’s not intrusive.

Dining (and eating)

On other cruises, we avoided the nice restaurants.  Service time exceeds our kids’ good behaviour threshold and no one enjoys the meal, especially those paying guests at the next table.  We used room service or the buffet restaurant, where we took turns lining up for food and never actually ate together.

At Disney, every restaurant has table service.  Kids get crayons.  The waiters move with you to the different restaurants each night.  They learn the kids preferences for things like drinks and how we want the food delivered, and that’s how you get it – every time.  Their little drinks were waiting for us each night, exactly as I requested, with their names on them.  The waiters will cut their food and were there instantly for a spilled drink or to help entertain a fussing child.  And they were very quick to get our drinks and meals.  No waiting and no stress.  And the food was of the highest quality and well prepared at every restaurant.  The whole family enjoyed every meal together.

On the semi formal evening, my daughter refused to change her clothes and wanted to wear her ‘fancy’ shoes with shorts.   So I let her.  Other than the knowing smiles from other moms, no one thought anything of it.

There is a breakfast buffet, and again they thought of all the things they could do to make that manageable.  The kids have trays with food compartments.  No extra plates to slide around, so even my 4 year olds could carry their own tray. The food buffet is all one line – 2 sides with the same things, always in the same order so you don’t have to double back or look for things.  Someone hands you a tray with cutlery and dishes at the beginning of the line and there are lots of staff around to help families carry food back to their tables, to help the kids get their drinks, or to sit with the kids for a few minutes if necessary. 

One morning we sat next to a woman with 5 kids all under 7.  The one year old started to cry.  As the mom attended to him, two staff members instantly appeared at the table to chat with the other kids and help them with their breakfast.

Throughout the day food was available on the lido deck – good healthy food that kids like to eat. 

Suites

A regular suite on the Disney Magic can comfortably sleep four.  The couch turns into a bottom bunk bed and top bunk bed comes down from the ceiling.  Oh, but don’t worry.  You don’t have to know how that all works, because when you come back from dinner it’s all done, magically.  Did I mention that the beds are dreamily comfortable?

Bathrooms are split into 2 rooms – small bath/shower and sink in one and toilet and sink in the other.  And somehow there was enough storage in the suite to put away all of our stuff – lots of stuff.  The room maintenance is done by the same person for the whole week, and he did exactly as we requested, paid attention to how we laid things out, and magically kept our space organized and clean in our absence.  He was always in the hallway when we needed him, but we never saw him in our room.

Disney’s private island in the Bahamas, Castaway Key, is truly a paradise with all the amenities and services you could want, and so many fun things to do that you can’t possibly do them all in one day.  The shore excursions were fun and hassle free.  There is apparently an amazing spa on board, but I didn’t use it.  I did get to use the adults only area on the ship though, which was a real treat for me.

I don’t recall waiting in line for anything all week.  Everything flowed from one magical moment to the next.  Disney is one of those companies that we study in business school for their excellence in business processes and customer focus and their ability to continually grow and improve their offerings.  The service everywhere was impeccable, and what is amazing is that half of the staff on board was new because the regular staff had been assigned to the new ship, the Disney Dream. 

Even as we were reluctantly taking our last walk through the lido deck to debark the ship, there was a Disney character show under way on stage.  And all I could think about was when I could do this again.

A Disney cruise is a theme cruise and the thing we all had in common was our desire to create magical moments with our loved ones.  Mission accomplished.

I feel qualified to say that because I am also a management consultant leading large organizations through transformations, which always have a huge business process and customer service component.  I know how challenging it is to deliver exceptional customer value.  You have to have the will, strong leadership, great business practices, and the ability to continually listen to clients and improve what you do.  It takes courage. It takes tenacious commitment.  And it takes a lot of money.  

Most companies want to deliver excellence and many say they are, but only a few can honestly stand above the crowd and consistently delivery knock-your-socks-off customer experiences.  That’s what we experienced at the Sandals Grand Antigua.  When I see it being done right, the management consultant in me gets very excited.

Carlos and I do resorts a lot.  We love sand, sun and salt water.  We’ve had many good experiences, many mediocre ones, and some that were so disappointing that we categorize them as our Gilligan experiences (Gilligan’s Island – does anyone else actually remember that?)  We’ve learned to alter our expectations depending on the island and to work with what we get.  (But mostly we have wicked senses of humour that helps make anything fun.)

When I go anywhere, as a travel agent or traveler, I take that management consultant perspective with me.  I look at the facilities, the culture, the practices, how empowered the staff is, and how they work when they think no one is watching.  It’s fascinating to see different cultures engage. 

We have been to six Sandals properties so far.  I could talk at length about how beautiful the properties are, how great the food is, how attentive the staff is, how comfortable the suites are, and how amazing the beaches are.  That is all true.  

But what I also see is what they don’t do.  They don’t interrupt guests with maintenance activities.  They don’t play annoying loud music all day.  They don’t have cheesy nightly entertainment.  They don’t let you wait in line for anything.  They don’t waste time at check in and check out.  They don’t make you wear wrist bands.  They don’t make you worry about towel cards.  They don’t over crowd public areas so that you have to get up early to get a good spot on the beach or at the pool. They don’t expect you to compensate their staff with tipping.  And they don’t have any stupid rules.

They do greet you with a cold glass of champagne and a wet face cloth.  They personally bring you up to your room, and some how your bags are already there.  The beach chairs are comfortable and nicely spaced.  The drinks are always cold and my personal favourite, the champagne flows freely.  Service is attentive and unobtrusive. The atmosphere really is peaceful and romantic, and there’s nothing annoying to interfere with that.  They are always catering to couples. 

Sandals is environmentally responsible and is certified by Green Globe 21, a worldwide benchmarking and certification program that facilitates sustainable travel and tourism.  They also support the communities they are in through the Sandals Foundation.

I could go on and on, but this blog is long enough.  Let me just end with this.  If you want to connect with your partner, and have a wonderful relaxing romantic time, you have to experience a Sandals resort. And kudos to the Honourable Gordon ‘Butch’ Stewart.

Does that sound like you?  It definitely sounds like me. 

Here’s a fabulous idea… Travel Gift Certificates.  How about giving them something that they will remember for a lifetime?  And what about those group gifts.  You know what I mean.  When everyone decides to get together and chip in for something big for someone special.  How about getting everyone to contribute to a Travel Gift Certificate?  Gifts of travel make special occasions all the more special and memorable.

Our gift certificates are available for any amount, and are redeemable any time for ANY travel product – air, cruises, resorts, hotels, excursions – absolutely anything that can be booked through a travel agency.  Holders can take advantage of special promotions, early booking bonuses, group travel, or last minute specials.  They can choose anything, and customize the trip that they want.

We have twins and we travelled on vacation with them 8 times before their second birthday.  The great part is that they fly for free.  But there are too many challenges to mention all of them here.  Would I do it again?  Some yes, others no.

Some of our Vacation Experiences

One of our early lessons was a trip to Florida.  We booked a condo on the beach.  It had a huge screened in terrace facing the ocean.  We had a great week.  Everything was close by and stroller friendly.  We spent a lot of the time in the condo on the terrace, but the view was fantastic, it was relaxing, and we enjoyed the kids.  (I didn’t know that they were both sand-oholics until we ventured down to the beach – shovels full in the mouth in 2 seconds flat – so we spent time at the pool instead.) 

The second part of the vacation was a trip to Walt Disney World.  It all turned around then, starting with the car ride.  They both wailed all the way to Orlando.  We stayed at a Disney property, which was great, but the shuttle service to the park was a huge hassle with the double stroller, and we were doing the trek twice a day to accommodate naps.  

But our big sin was that we weren’t armed each day with an action plan.  Before we became parents, we used to be fun, spontaneous, adventurous travelers, landing in some exotic place with no real plans except to explore and have fun.  Not a good idea with little kids.  It’s really difficult to have a conversation, read a map, and make decisions with two screaming kids, especially when every decision with toddlers is so complicated… food, milk, bottles, diaper changes, how can I get there with the stroller – that never appears on maps! – all in sweltering heat.  And all the kids were really interested in was chasing the leaves on the ground and eating them.

On another vacation, we chose a 5 ½ star resort because it looked like it had an amazing kids facility.  But it wasn’t what we expected.  It was located at the back of a very large resort and we couldn’t ride the resort golf cart with a stroller.  We had to walk – and it was hilly. When we got there, repairs were ‘underway’ so parts of it were unsafe, but worst of all, there were absolutely no services there.  After that long walk in the heat, we all needed a cold drink – and a snack for us would have been nice.  Nothing.  How fantastic it would have been to have a bit of a rest, watching the kids play in the wading pool with a cold drink.  (Sometimes it doesn’t take much to please tired parents).  One visit was enough for us.  Needless to say, the beautiful kids’ facility was not very busy.  What a missed opportunity.

We’ve cruised three times on different cruise lines.  Again, the logistics of being on a ship with two toddlers was a lot of work.  We must have walked the length of the ship a hundred times during the course of each vacation.  I invented the ‘walking game’, which is like Simon Says.  It’s amazing how many ways a desperate mom can walk silly, with toddlers in tow, much to the amusement of the other guests. 

The three cruises were very different experiences.  (One of them actually had the toddlers pool behind the smoke stack, up on a deck that was only accessible by stairs, and no bathrooms near by.  What were they thinking?)  One of the cruises was a far better experience for us than the others because of the quality of the public facilities, size and location of the suite, and services, such as personal concierge, room service, and laundry service.

Some Advice

First of all keep it simple.  There is a fine line between enriching stimulation, which is great for growing little minds, and overload and fatigue.  Second, think about all the details and plan ahead.  Third, work in some relaxation for mom and dad, or at least a level of services to make things easier.

Our best vacations were those where the logistics were simple, the kids activities were engaging and age appropriate, and we as parents got catered to – at least once in a while. 

Finding destinations that actually deliver on that isn’t easy, so using a knowledgeable travel professional can be invaluable.  Many cruise lines and resorts advertise kids programs, but they all don’t measure up or aren’t geared for toddlers.  Some haven’t thought of the actual family experience and don’t understand what it’s like to be a parent with cranky children, trying to figure out how things work or where things are located.

Making an informed decision about where to go is the most important part of planning a family vacation, but preplanning activities will also help ensure that you get the most out of your time away.  If you think about how much it costs you for each hour away, it’s well worth preplanning and even pre-booking activities before you leave.  That also helps avoid or at least minimizes those frustrating moments of indecision or waiting in line.  

One final word of advice, unless you know the property or the cruise ship and the services provided, last minute vacations sell offs usually don’t fit the bill.  The best destinations and suites get booked early.  Booking in advance will ensure that you have time to make the right choices, do some planning, and perhaps schedule some activities before you leave.