The Travel Connection: Travel Show in San Diego#links

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Travel Show in San Diego

Come join Carefree Vacations on Saturday, January 23, 2010 from 11 am to 2 pm at the Town & Country Resort Grand Ballroom in Mission Valley, San Diego for our annual Travel Show. There will be over 40 travel, cruise and tour companies plus meet travel experts who will help you plan your next dream vacation to worldwide destinations. Pre-register to be eligible to win prizes at our website www.carefreevacations.com. Call 1-800-CONFIRM for more information.

Hawaii Dreamin'

Dreaming of a Hawaiian Vacation? The deals have never been better. Get out of the freezing cold and head to the islands for a relaxing, tropical vacation. Carefree Vacations can make your dreams come true. Call 1-800-CONFIRM. www.carefreevacations.com

Oasis of the Seas Experience and Tips

Day 3: Taste and Touch


Loathing life boat drills is not unusual. Inevitably, the first day at sea you find yourself being herded around the ship, bumping into complete strangers as you waddle down thin corridors in an oversized life vest. Your preferred stealth-like cover quickly becomes compromised. The bulbous-like screaming orange life jacket consumes you as you search for your muster station.

Obviously, it’s hard not to recognize the necessity of these drills, but the idea of suiting up in a bulky life jacket, complete with strap between your legs, is never very appealing. Nonetheless, the infamous muster drills on a passenger cruise ship have become an accepted way of life in the cruise industry; until now. The Oasis has changed that too. Bigger must be better, because there are no life vests required during the emergency drill!

Our familiarization of the emergency procedures associated with an evacuation was nothing more than a well organized movement of the entire complement of the ship’s passengers into designated areas. Comfortably seated, we watched an overview of the emergency procedures on any number of 52” flat screen televisions. It was fast, easy and, a welcome relief.

Solarium Bistro

We found a great little oasis on the Oasis this morning. The Solarium Bistro sits on the very front of the ship on the 15th deck. This is an intimate little getaway from the hustle and bustle of the Royal Promenade or Boardwalk with their many eateries and bars. The Bistro is the antithesis of that busy environment; quiet and far removed from the crowds. Behind the Bistro are well appointed sitting areas; chairs, lounges and covered cabanas. There are also a couple of adult-only Jacuzzi’s on the back deck, just outside of the Solarium, surrounded by artificial palms. The palms required touch, great scrutiny and considerable family debate to ultimately determine that they were, in fact, fake. It’s gorgeous on the back deck; the perfect hideaway.

My youngest son (8) and I took to the pools and Jacuzzi’s for a test ride early this afternoon. We started with one of the main pools which, not surprisingly, is larger than those on the average ship. I could literally swim laps and get some much needed exercise. We then hit one of the many Jacuzzi’s, which sports both Jacuzzi jets and bubbles. The Jacuzzi was made for 10, but even when full, it was very comfortable.

Kid's Aqua Playground

Our next stop was the Kid’s Aqua Playground. The kids-only pool was circular and had a constant current pushing the kids around the pool. The pool has glass walls that were a couple of feet high so you could snap your kids in action in an underworld environment. The Kid’s Aqua Playground also had a generous assortment of showers, artificial rainfall, squirting jets of water and, of course, water guns/cannons to provide the right ingredients for water warfare.

View from the top of the Oasis- Putting Green and FloRider

After paying my dues in the Kid’s area, I had ample justification for returning to the Big Boy’s Playground that featured the Zip line and two FloRiders. I was all signed-up; wristband qualified and ready to ride the wave on the waves. However, due to thunderstorms in the area, the FloRiders were both closed. I think I was disappointed. I’d been watching the surfers/hot doggers/wave riders earlier in the day (with big crowds in attendance) with some well-concealed trepidation. So, I dodged the bullet today. Perhaps I was saved by the thunder showers. I’ll try it again tomorrow.

That postponement led us back to a kid-friendly eatery called the Wipe Out Cafe. Geared for kids, this buffet had the staples for the average America boy or girl, burgers, fries, hot dogs, pizza and Mac and Cheese. They also had a do-to-it yourself soft serve ice cream that was a big hit with everyone (adults and kids).

Gym

I used the gym today. It is huge and well-appointed with much of the latest exercise equipment. The fitness center offered a number of classes, many complimentary, but some required modest fees.

Day 4: Finding the Time

There is anything but a shortage of things to do on the Oasis. We were at sea for three full days and the ship remained a novelty. There is so much to see and do that I suspect you could take an entire week on-board and still be having new experiences. On an experiential level, there is something for everybody; kids, teens and young adults and seniors. Although the ships seems geared toward a younger demographic, it’s still served as a tremendous generational ship. There are plenty of family venues and for grandparents, plenty of opportunities to be both participants and spectators. Here’s an outline of some of the events.

Sports:

• FloRiders. There are two flow riders and, when it’s busy they can be divided, creating a total of four lines for riding. My experience was great fun, despite the intimidation factor that existed due to a small grandstand of curiosity seekers who waited patiently for a wipeout. Strangely, that’s part of the fun. I’m afraid I disappointed the crowd as I was wipeout-free in my first attempt, having a great ride. I even received a smattering of applause for my efforts. I made up for my beginners luck my second ride. I wiped out in record time for a grateful crowd. The lines were short, maybe five or 10 minutes. You’ve got to make the effort; it’s well worthwhile.

• Full Court Basketball. Beautiful court and plenty of basketballs (good ones).

• Gym: Extremely well-appointed with all the latest equipment.

• Pools. Lap pools, resistance pools and plenty of Jacuzzi’s, for adults only and families.

• Rock Climbing: Two beautiful climbing walls with an excellent support staff.

Health and Fitness:

• The Oasis must have the largest, best equipped gym at sea. It had all the latest equipment and never a need to wait.

• A Spa worthy of worthy of many at the finest resorts

Entertainment:

The variety was plentiful:

• Full Broadway type-shows

• Comedy - Great humor, spontaneous, fun, audience interaction Ice skating (Amazing show) The Aqua Theater: The show, the Oasis of Dreams, was incredible. The show is staged on the tail of the ship. The cast of gymnasts and divers was comprised of former Olympians and a collection of top-level athletes. It was, without question, the most awe-inspiring program at sea I have ever seen. It is perhaps one of the greatest shows I’ve seen on land or at sea. These athletes were nothing short of amazing. See the video.

• Jazz Club.

Windjammer Restaurant

Restaurants and Bars:

You won’t find a shortage of variety or quality on-board. Central Park features four restaurants that could rival any in any major metropolitan city. There is also a full wine cellar (Vintages) with tastings, education and sales.

Specialty restaurants are suddenly in vogue and, for good reason. These Epicurean meals are top drawer and often include wine pairings.

That positive spin on the specialty restaurants shouldn’t take away from the main dining room on the Oasis. The food was very good and the service exceptional. There are also plenty of places where you can get a meal, in-between meals. The Fish Shack and Johnny Rockets are family friendly and sit on the boardwalk. There are also plenty of places to grab a piece of Pizza, hot dogs, burgers and arguably some of the best fries on the high seas!

Communities:

• Royal Promenade: What a way to board a ship. Your first impression of Oasis is the Royal Promenade. It’s arguably the heart of the ship with shops, restaurants, bars and open spaces.

• Central Park: Is this really a ship? Central Park was literally a central park. Plants and vines and winding cobblestone paths, elegant restaurants and sidewalk bars. This too was nothing short of spectacular.

• The Boardwalk. The Carousel is if the anchor, but it’s surrounded by that boardwalk feel with donut and candy shops, Johnny Rockets and the Fish Shack. A quick stroll down the boardwalk takes you to the Aqua Theater and Rock Climbing.

What makes this ship so interesting is the manner in which they integrated all these different elements. They are independent of one another, yet connected. I guess that’s why they call them neighborhoods.



Miscellaneous:

It’s important to note that even though this is huge vessel, it is really quite cozy on board. The design of open space features the Royal Promenade, Central Park and the Boardwalk. The ship design has a very open architecture with a surplus of interesting and attractive design features that nothing gets old. There is really nothing cookie cutter about the public areas. Lastly their designers leveraged the use of natural light and real plants to create a warmth that I have yet to see duplicated on any other ship. Wherever you go, there is always enough energy and activity to create interest and excitement. Best of all, we never felt like the ship was crowded.

I would be remiss in not mentioning the highly effective interactive information systems that are located on all floors near the elevators and the public areas. The systems are featured on 52” LCD flat screen monitors that are touch screen activated. Looking for your room? Just type in your stateroom number and a map appear and show you the way. Looking for a specific venue or activity? You can scan almost anything and it’s will show you the way. It even will show you the occupancy level in the various restaurants. This was a terrific feature that we used every day.

Lastly, I had raved about the embarkation process. It was smoother and faster than any ship I’d ever been on. However, the real test was disembarkation. Can you imagine 5,000 passengers with luggage all trying to leave the ship at 9:00A to catch their planes home? Neither can I. The Oasis made this a complete non-issue. They used a number of paths for disembarkation. It was simple and fast. The coordination between the ship crew and the ground crew was exceptional. I timed our departure from the moment the elevator door opened on the 1st floor. From the moment I stepped from the elevator onto the Royal Promenade, it took 11 minutes until I found myself (and family) standing street-side with baggage in hand waiting for my taxi. To say it was well-managed would be an understatement.

Oasis at Night

Tim’s Top 10

All in all, the Oasis has earned the designation of being the new #1 in my ranking of the cruise lines. It’s family perfect. That fact should dissuade more seasoned travelers from sailing on Oasis, but in truth, the sweet spot is for families and active adults. The Oasis has dethroned a number of incredible ships. You name it, design, activities, entertainment; Oasis seems to have it all. It’s impossible not to believe that with the launching of the Oasis, Royal Caribbean has ushered in the next generation of ship building from which others will follow.

For more information and to book the Oasis of the Seas - call CAREFREE VACATIONS at 1-800-CONFIRM or visit our website at www.carefreevacations.com

My Experience on the Oasis of the Seas

by Tim Smith
President of Carefree Vacations

Day 1: Arriving in Ft. Lauderdale

Tomorrow morning I’ll be boarding the masterpiece Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s fleet, the Oasis of the Seas. The Oasis may be one of the most anticipated ships ever built. Perhaps more than anything, the ship is distinguished by it’s size. It literally dwarfs the Titanic and every other large ship. The Oasis is the largest passenger vessel ever to sail the seven seas. A walk around the deck represents approximately 1.25 miles and takes the average walker 15 minutes to circle the ship. The focus on the size of the Oasis may unintentionally take away from what goes on inside this magnificent ship. It’s what goes on inside the ship that can literally take your breath away.

Long ago, Royal Caribbean distinguished themselves as innovators in the cruise industry, bringing such innovations as on-board surfing, rock climbing, ice skating and, now, zip lining. The Oasis even sports a Carousel, a kids pool area which is large and elaborate. I’d be remiss in not elaborating on the two Flo Rider pools, pushing artificial waves strong enough to support surfers and belly boarders. The novices have a tendency to wipe out but even after a handful of rides the face plant technique is replaced by some quality hot dogging.

My boys are excited to be here. This is a Nirvana of sort for kids 18 and under. My youngest (8) is beside himself. This Oasis experience will be the ultimate adventure in his young lifetime, not to mention his potential elevation to hero status among his fellow 2nd graders. I’ll report more in the morning when we arrive at the Port.

Day 2: Boarding the Oasis of the Seas

This morning, as we clearing the initial security at the port, the ship roared into view, dwarfing other ships docked in harbor. It was immense. In order to get a picture of the entire ship, you needed to start snapping pictures moments after clearing Port security. A moments hesitation resulted in only partial shots. It was big and beautiful and far more than my camera lense could manage.

The litmus test for me in evaluating a cruise line is frequently about the embarkation and debarkation process. I have sailed on plenty of ships and it’s not unusual to have congestion during embarkation. That was certainly the case with my family. However, contrary to what I would have assumed, the process was, without question, the most efficient process I had ever experienced. My ‘line’ had a single person in front of me. It seemed hard to believe, but from the moment the taxi dropped us off in front of the terminal, it literally took us 10 minutes from the sidewalk to being on the ship in the Royal Promenade. The manner in which they set up the embarkation process was singularly impressive. This is the right way to to start a cruise vacation; stress free and I just stepped on board.

We spent the first three or four hours exploring; just getting to know the ship. In spite of its size, the Oasis had a number a intimate spaces where you could simply get away. But, there was also the hustle and bustle of the Royal Promenade and Central Park and no shortage of bars, restaurants, Espresso bars and even an elegant float bar that floats between two floors.

Here are some stats worth considering:

• Oasis is 225,00 feet long



• 2,700 staterooms



• Aqua Theater pool is 17.9 feet deep; the largest pool at seas



• Oasis if 75 feet longer than the Freedom-class ships



• Central Park neighborhood will be the first ever living park at sea with 12,175 plants, 62 vine plants, 56 trees and bamboo, some over 24’ tall



• 968,751 square feet of carpet



• 86,111 square feet of windows



• 7,000 works of specially commissioned art.

My first day at port and sea was really overwhelming. This ship seems to have something for everyone; in fact it seems to have lots of somethings for everyone. The ship is a destination in itself. I suppose the Ports of Call will just be icing on this very large cake.

More tomorrow as I start of experience the ship first hand.

For more information about booking the Oasis of the Seas contact

Carefree Vacations 1-800-CONFIRM

www.carefreevacations.com

Britain and Ireland

On a Trafalgar Tour

by Diana Shirey

Vacation Travel Specialist, Carefree Vacations, Carmel Mountain Branch

Recently, I had the pleasure of taking my grandson on a "Britain and Ireland Highlights" tour with Trafalgar Tours.

Our tour was fast paced and well put together, making the most of our limited time. My grandson was the youngest person in the group, yet he enjoyed himself immensly.

Our bus rides through the countryside were scenic and comfortable.

The other tour passengers were from all over the world: South Africa, Canada, New Zealand and Australia making our group compatible, fun and interesting.

Our tour guide was helpful and well informed. We got a real education on the history of the areas we visited which made the trip all the more worthwhile.

At each stop our luggage was promptly left in our rooms. Each morning we had plenty of time to have our luggage at the door waiting to be picked up while we enjoyed delicious english breakfasts.

I thought that taking an escorted Tour was a great way to visit many locations on a limited time schedule. It was great that so much was included (some meals, sightseeing and our accommodations), which saved us time and money. We had more time to spend exploring the sights and shopping this way.

Our hotels were always clean and close to the town centers and our tour bus was luxurious.

For less than $200 per day, you can experience a Trafalgar tour which includes your accommodations, transportation within the country you are visiting, some meals and sightseeing. Plus you'll have a great opportunity to meet new friends from all over the world and enjoy the experience of their excellent hosts and tour guides.

For more information, prices and availability, contact Diana at the Carmel Mountain Carefree Vacations branch:

1-800-795-0720

Diana's direct line is 1-858-592-7543

or email her at

dshirey@carefreevacations.com

Tahiti Star Clipper Cruises

by Barbara Bagnall
Vacation Travel Specialist, Carefree Vacations, Sorrento Mesa Branch

I recently went on a 7 night Star Clippers trip in the Society Islands. This is considered to be the most alluring destination on Earth. My friend and I flew into Papeete at 5:00 AM and checked into the Intercontinental Hotel in Moorea. The hotel was really nice, with two infinity pools, and a private beach. In the evening, we met up with an old friend and went out for an authentic Tahitian dinner.

The next day, we boarded the Star Flyer, ready for our new adventure aboard this amazing ship.

We settled into our cabin, complete with a porthole, and then went to check out the food options for the trip. Dining was open seating, beginning from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Breakfast and lunch were buffet-style. Overall, we thought the food was excellent, with very good choices.

The first day we tendered in Cooks Bay, and my friend and I went to a luncheon at the Hilton Moorea. We walked around the property, and were able to use the facilities. Of course, we brought our snorkel gear. The snorkeling at the hotel beach was wonderful, as was lunch. This property in Moorea could definitely be considered a luxury resort.


The next day we arrived in Huahine. We checked out the Te Tiare Beach Resort, where we were met at the dock by private boat and taken to the resort, the only way to get there. Huahine is a very small island and has a small village. The resort was very nice, and would be the perfect place to get away for a few days. There were lots of water sports and two nice restaurants.


Raiatea and Tahaa were our next stops. We stopped in at the Raiatea Hawaiki Nui Hotel and snorkeled off their docks. The snorkeling was amazing! We anchored off of a Motu in Tahaa and ship provided a beach picnic. They set up a lunch and bar for us and we just spend the day doing water sports. We also did some drift snorkeling here, as there was a current. Later, they put on a Polynesian show for us with Tahitian dancers.

Next was Bora Bora where I took a look at two hotels. The St. Regis boat came and picked us up and took us to their luxury property. Afterwards, they took us by boat to the Bora Bora Nui where we had lunch with the General Manager.



The last day we went to Moorea again and tendered in Opunohu Bay, which was close to the Intercontinental Moorea, where we spent a couple of hours. The ship provided a happy hour every day from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM with hors d’oeuvres and snacks. In the evening they offered activities and different themes that made it fun for everyone.


The staff on Star Clippers are from all over the world. Most are very gracious and polite. They also have a musician who is very talented and can play many different instruments. They have people that work the dive programs and anything to do with water sports. All the equipment is complimentary, but you do have to pay extra for the dives.



The weather was really nice and I saw no signs of seasickness. The sail ship experience is unique as the ships can get into places that larger ships cannot go, and also you get to meet more people as it is more intimate. I cannot wait to go on another sailing adventure!

For more information, prices and availability, contact Barbara at:

bbagnall@carefreevacations.com
1-800-683-4074
Barbara's direct line: 1-858-551-4489