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

My Day on Oceania's Regatta Cruise Ship

by Linda Rigg

A couple weeks ago I had the good fortune of spending a day at the Port of Los Angeles on Oceania's Regatta Cruise Ship which was docked in port.

This ship is absolutely exquisite.











It is a mid size ship with less than 700 passengers and 400 staff members to cater to all of your needs. The ambiance is that of a private country club atmosphere, it's casual, but elegant.

You can leave your tuxedos and ball gowns at home, the evenings are yours to explore the many dining experiences on board.


Your Dining experiences include the Grand Dining Room, equivalent to a 5-star restaurant.








Then there's the Polo Grill, decked in dark woods and elegant furnishings, it is a classic steakhouse and views of the ocean.











The Terrance offers breakfast and lunch buffets. In the evening it transforms into a Tapas bar.

Toscana is an intimate Italian restaurant. And Waves serves mouth-watering seafood, BBQ, sandwiches and salads.

The library is understated elegance with it's dark woods. It has an unprecedented choice of books, Cd's, DVD's, movies to enjoy at your leisure.















And the staterooms are spacious and beautifully appointed.
















the decor is especially nice.














There is no shortage of things to do. You can go to a stimulating lecture, do wine tasting or visit the Spa on your at sea days.



But one thing is for sure - you will have a spectacular time on this relaxing, elegant yet casual ship.










Oceania has truly great offers available right now: 2 for 1 Cruise options, free airfare, shipboard credits, prepaid gratuities are available on many of their sailings - but you must book and place a refundable deposit down no later than March 31, 2009 in order to take advantage of these savings. Give me a Call at (760) 479-002 or (800) 683-1556, or email me LRigg@sdtg.com to find out more about these special offers today.

You can check out my video of the Regatta on our Carefree Vacations You Tube Page, right here Also visit our carefreevacationsblog.com site for more information about Oceania Cruises and more about me.