Researching a trip when you know where you want to go

People often ask me how I find great deals or plan my own personal travel. This weekend, my husband and I saw an advertisement for a Food and Wine Festival in Atlantic City in July. It looked really interesting so I started to investigate.  Here are the steps I took:

1.       Can I go for free?: I did a quick check of my frequent flyer accounts to see if any of them had enough points for a free hotel or flight. They did not.

2.       Figure out what which airports to use: I pulled up Atlantic City on Google Maps and looked for the surrounding large cities. Flying directly into Atlantic City or Philadelphia were the best bets.

3.       Check airfare: I went to kayak.com and put in the dates and cities. I checked the two closest airports to where I live and both Atlantic City and Philadelphia. I also changed the dates to see if that made a difference.  Then I went to southwest.com because Southwest isn’t included in the kayak search results. I searched there for flights as well. When I check flights, I pay special attention to if it is nonstop, the times and, if it stops, how long the layover is. Depending on the airport, an hour could be just right or way too short. Southwest had a roundtrip nonstop for a competitive price.

4.       Check hotels: I went to the website of the hotel where the festival is taking place to check rates there. Then I went to hotels.com to see what they had available.  I found two good options. When I search for hotels, I check for any additional fees: resort fees, parking, Wi-Fi, and taxes to make sure I understand the full cost of that hotel room for a night. I also check the deposit and cancellation policies.

5.       Check for packages to reduce the price: I went back to Southwest to see if packaging the hotel, flight and rental care would lower the price. It did. I also found the website for the Festival to see if they had a promotion for room rates. They didn’t.

6.       Check reviews:  I wanted to check reviews of both the Festival and the two hotels.  Trip Advisor had the hotels, but not enough reviews of the Festival. I went to Google and typed “Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival 2011l” “reviews” and that brought up several reviews.

7.       Check with a travel agent: Because I am a travel agent – this was pretty easy. I logged into three different databases to check the hotel prices, the flights prices, and the package prices. I found deals $20 to $100 less than what I found just searching online.

8.       Decide. This is the hardest step for a lot of people. Fear of overpaying often holds people back. My philosophy is that if you have done the research, you are comfortable with the price, and you really like the flight/hotel/itinerary – then book it and don’t look back. If you are not excited about the options, then keep looking. I have seen more examples of people paying more to book an itinerary they really liked a week ago, than people who found an awesome deal that met their needs later.

In the end, we decided attending the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival didn’t make sense for us, but I hope this information was helpful to you.  How do you research a trip? What parts of the itinerary are important to you?

Link Up: Apps for Travel

I love a good “Best of” list. Smart phones, iPads, and iPods can be a great resource when travelling. Below are  links to some of the “Best of” lists on the web.

And for those of you who don’t want to click through all the lists, here’s the apps that made several of them:

- TripIt:  Helps organize and store itineraries

- Google Translate: Both written and oral communications can be translated

- Currency Converter : A simple interface to help with those tricky currency  conversions

Best Apps for Travelling like a Local from Forbes magazine

http://www.forbes.com/sites/traceygreenstein/2011/12/19/10-best-apps-for-traveling-like-a-local/

This article from Inc. turned me out to a great app: Award Wallet – an app for tracking all those frequent flyer accounts:

http://www.inc.com/ss/judith-feldman/best-in-travel/10-free-best-apps-for-travel#7

Best Travel Apps for Kids from Conde Nast. I’m disappointed they didn’t highlight more free options, but the map applications look really interesting.

http://www.cntraveler.com/daily-traveler/2012/03/travel-apps-for-kids-031212

Recommendations for iPad Apps including Hg2 - I just downloaded it for some upcoming International travel.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/03/07/top-ten-ipad-travel-apps_n_1325864.html#s759662&title=Skyscanner

Hot Cruise Deals

Carnival

Summer is on Sale Promotion. First time Carnival cruise guests can receive up to $200 cash back on select sailings through August and $100 cash back on select sailings September – December. Past Carnival guests can receive up to $100 cash back on select sailings through August plus past guest rates and free upgrades on select sailings through December. This promotion ends April 30^th so if you have been considering booking a Carnival cruise this year – send me an email.

Celebrity

7 night Caribbean cruise from San Juan

$499 per person for an interior cabin departing December 8^th

7 night Alaskan cruise between Seward and Vancouver

$549 per person for an interior cabin departing June 8^th

12 night Western Europe cruise

$909 for person for an interior cabin departing November 6^th or November 18th

Holland America

1 Day trips between Vancouver and Seattle

as low as $29/per person for an interior cabin

7 Day Alaskan Glacier Discovery Cruise between Seward and Vancouver

as low as $599 per person for an interior cabin

7 Day Inside Passage from Vancouver

as low as $599 per person for an interior cabin

7 Day Norwegian Fjords from London

 as low as $699 per person in June for an interior cabin

10 Day Western Europe Discovery from Rome to Amsterdam

as low as $799 per person in May and June for an interior cabin

Royal Caribbean

3 Night Repositioning cruise  from Miami to Panama

$149 per person for an interior cabin departing November 22^nd

4 Night Bahamas cruise from Port Canaveral

Between $199 - $230 per person for interior cabins on select sailings in May

4 Night Caribbean cruise from Tampa

$299 per person for an interior cabin departing November 29^th

7 Night Bermuda cruise from New Jersey

 $399 per person for an interior cabin departing September 16^th, 23^rd and 30^th

7 Night Alaska cruise between Seward and Vancouver

 $449 per person for an interior cabin departing May 18^th

7 night Bahamas cruise from Baltimore

$519 per person for an interior cabin departing December 15^th

7 night Caribbean cruise from Port Canaveral

$589 per person for an interior cabin departing October 21^st

All rates do not include taxes and fees and are based on double occupancy.

This is just a sample of the great rates out there right now. Contact me for more details.  You can email me, write on my Facebook wall or tweet me.

Apple Vacations Weekly Special

Apple Weekly Specials

from Chicago O'Hare:

NOW Sapphire Riviera Cancun: $819.64 per person for a 4 day, 3 night all inclusive in May

Dreams Huatulco: $1,298.82 per person for 7 nights all inclusive in June

 Allegro Papagayo Costa Rica: $1,519.00 per person for 7 nights all inclusive in June, July and August

Dreams Puerto Vallarta: $1,028.39 per person for 7 nights all inclusive in June, July and August

Are there other cities you would like to see featured in Weekly Specials? Leave a comment below or send me a message.

Promotion: Princess Cruises NOW - April 23rd

 

 

Huge Princess Cruise Lines promotion starts today and goes through Monday Aprils 23rd on sailings this September through December.

Big savings plus onboard credit.

For instance, 7 day cruises - interiors from $549 and balconies from $849 plus $25 - $50 onboard credit. Send me a message if you are interested.

Link Up: Packing and Getting through Airport Security

New York Times Illustration

Stripping naked is not advised
http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/18/11265525-man-protests-tsa-strips-naked-at-portland-international-airport?lite

I'll be using some of these tips from USA Today  as I try to master taking only a carry-on for an upcoming 14 day trip.
http://traveltips.usatoday.com/packing-tips-air-travel-1506.html

The New York Times highlighted some of the programs designed for frequent flyers
http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/travel/flying-through-airport-lines.html?smid=tw-nytimestravel&seid=auto

Take your questions to the source: the TSA
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/index.shtm

4.18.12 Top Cruise Deals of the Week

Carnival - must be booked by April 20th

8 Day Cruise from Miami in an Interior Cabin: $449 per person departing April 28th

4 Day Cruise from Miami in an Interior Cabin: $199 per person departing April 30th

4 Day Cruise from Boston in an Interior Cabin: $199 per person departing June 14^th

5 Day Cruise from Tampa in an Interior Cabin: $379 per person departing June 16^th

NCL

17 Day Panama Canal Cruise from New York to Los Angeles in an Interior Cabin: $869 per person departing April 18^th

4 day Bahamas Cruise from Miami in an Interior Cabin: $229 per person departing April 23^rd

7 day  Adriatic Sea Cruise from Venice in an Interior Cabin: $429 per person departing May 5^th

12 day Eastern Mediterranean Cruise between Barcelona and Venice in an Interior Cabin: $799 per person  departing May 10^th and May 22^nd

Royal Caribbean

7 night Mediterranean Cruise from Rome in an Interior Cabin: $349 per person departing May 6^th

7 night Alaska Cruise from Seward in an Interior Cabin: $449 per person departing May 18^th

7 night Bermuda Cruise from New Jersey in an Interior Cabin: $399 per person departing September 16^th , September 23^rd and September 30^th

7 night Caribbean Cruise from Galveston in an Interior Cabin: $529 per person departing December 9^th

Celebrity

7 night Caribbean cruise from San Juan in an Interior Cabin: $499 per person departing December 8^th

7 night Alaskan cruise in an Interior Cabin: $549 per person departing May 27^th or June 8^th

15 night Transatlantic cruise in an Interior Cabin: $799 departing November 30^th

All rates are double occupancy and do not include taxes. If you are interested, please contact me through the box on the right or you can find me on Facebook.com/TripswithAngie or Twitter.com/TripswithAngie.

I look forward to helping you plan your next great vacation.

A Weekend at Westgate River Ranch, Lake Wales, Florida

Travelling down 60, I couldn’t help notice the huge sign for the “World’s Largest Dude Ranch” and I was intrigued. The sign belongs to Westgate River Ranch. As fate would have it, a couple weeks after my sign encounter, a great deal came through. The weekend deal included two night’s hotel, a hayride and cookout, and the Saturday night Rodeo for the bargain price of $149. I snapped it up and promptly booked a weekend in February 2012. After buying the voucher, I started reading the reviews on Trip Advisor. These blistering reviews did not inspire confidence. My husband and I decided to go for it anyway since we both love a good story.

Friday, February 10th, we both took a half day and headed out to Lake Wales. The drive took us about 2 hours from Tampa. We pulled up to the Old West gate.

 I was so excited. We drove in – past the open pastures with horses grazing, the Chapel, and the Saloon. We checked in and headed to our room. The room was clean, smelled a little too much like a dirty sneaker and had two double beds with those bedspreads that I immediately tear off and leave on the floor. We left the door open to get rid of the smell then headed out to explore the grounds. We hit up the General Store.

This great little shop offers breakfast, sandwiches, salads and all the food stuffs of a convenience store. The little collection of buildings also offers a Western clothing store, a mini golf course, kids’ craft area, ping pong and a Post Office. We then headed over to the Smokehouse Grill for a very early dinner.

We ordered salads, pickle chips and wings.

 The pickle chips were the highlight – thin, crispy, and the corn meal batter added just enough sweetness to offset the salty pickle. Yum! We also indulged in the happy hour for two of the best frozen drinks I have had in a while.

 After dinner, we meandered over to the Saloon.

 It wasn’t open yet so we passed the time in the rocking chairs on the front porch. The view was great.

The Saloon opened and we headed in.

 I was shocked to see that a Grasshopper was one of the featured happy hour drinks. This Crème de Menthe, Crème de Cacao and milk cocktail is a family favorite. The bartender was just as shocked when I ordered it. . Glenn got the boot - $8 initially and $5 for a 32 ounce refill.

We spent the evening belly up to the bar. The people watching were fantastic. We had a great time.

Saturday, we got up and headed to the General Store for a breakfast sandwich. Then it was time for Glenn’s first airboat ride. For $25, we boarded a 45 minute air boat through the channels near the Ranch. It was fantastic. We saw at least fifteen different types of bird, one 4 foot alligator and some pretty great fishing outfits.

The afternoon was filled with lunch at the Smokehouse Grill, the Petting Zoo, more time on the porch, and a nap. The highlight of the porch time was when we spotted the carriage being towed to the Chapel for the wedding later that day. It was being towed by a golf cart with man sitting on the back pulling the chariot with a rope. Hilarious!

At 5 pm, we headed over for the hay ride. We boarded and were happily surprised to see a cowboy upfront singing some cowboy karaoke.

 This gentleman sang some classics and narrated our trip through the Ranch and into some nearby protected lands. The 45 minute ride included a great history of the area and a lot of cows.

We jumped off the hayride and hit the cookout. It was a simple menu of coleslaw, baked beans, potatoes, hot dogs, chicken, corn bread and peach cobbler. All of it was very tasty. Glenn and I had been joking all weekend that we felt like we were at Summer Camp so we laughed when fruit punch aka bug juice was one of the beverage offerings at dinner.



We headed over to the Saloon for a grasshopper and a boot refill then hit the rodeo. The Rodeo had three main events: bull riding, team calf roping, and barrel racing plus some trick riding. The junior division proved to be more competitive with the 5 year old barrel racer beating some of the older cowgirls’ times.

Bull Riding

Trick Riding

We headed back to the Saloon for the live band.

Once again, we had a great time. The staff is incredibly friendly. Even though we were only there for a weekend, we felt like we got to know a few people since they seem to have numerous jobs around the property. Sunday, we checked out early and hit the road. Overall, we had a terrific time. I think the deal was exactly the right price.

4.16.12 Apple Vacations All Inclusive Specials

From Chicago

7 nights at Dreams Huatulco Resort & Spa including roundtrip airfare: $1,298.82 per person -  Jun. 8 ,15 ,22 ,29

7 nights at Dreams Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa including roundtrip airfare: $998.39 per person – select dates in June, July and August

From Indianapolis

7 nights at NOW Larimar Punta Cana including roundtrip airfare: $1,848.00 per person – select dates in May and June

7 nights at Secrets St James Montego Bay including roundtrip airfare: $2,084.00 per person – select dates in May

From New York – JFK

7 nights at Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa including roundtrip airfare: $1,326.00 per person – select dates in May and June

7 nights Dreams La Romana Resort & Spa including roundtrip airfare: $1,348.50 per person – select dates in May

From St Louis

7 nights at Dreams Huatulco Resort & Spa including roundtrip airfare: $1,298.82 per person – select dates in June, July or August

7 nights at Royal Solaris Los Cabos including roundtrip airfare: $1,349 per person – select dates in July and August

From Tampa

7 nights at NOW Larimar Punta Cana including roundtrip airfare: $1,524 per person – departing June 15^th.

If you are interested in these deals or any help planning a vacation, you can contact me in the box to the right or email me.

In Case You Missed It... Travel Tips

CruiseTip: Always be sure what time the ship is leaving and if local time is different than ship time.

 When travelling in a group - set clear expectations of how much time you will spend together each day before you leave. No fun arguing in the middle of Rome about who's going to dinner.

Consider bringing clothes you could leave in the hotel along the way. Smaller luggage and more room for souvenirs.

Consider packing socks and underwear in gallon size ziploc bags. It'll be easy to tell which are clear and which are dirty.

Link Up: Family Travel Sites

Since many of you are starting to think about family summer travel plans - this week's link is all about family travel:

If you are thinking of road trips this summer, Frommers has some recommendations:
http://www.frommers.com/slideshow/index.cfm?p=1&group=778&cat_cd=FAMILY#slide

I always check this website to make sure we don't miss an opportunity to see the world's largest peanut monument or ball of twine
www.roadsideamerica.com

National Park Service Junior Park Ranger program http://www.nps.gov/learn/juniorranger.cfm

Best hotel kids' programs from Travel and Leisure
http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/best-hotel-kids-programs

Day-Cation ideas in cities across the USA  http://family.go.com/travel/pkg-vacation-ideas-daycation/

Good article from a New York Times columnist on traveling with kids http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/04/08/travel/deborah-dickson-smiths-tips-for-family-travel.html

4.11.12 Cruise Deals: Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Princess

Celebrity Cruises

5 night from Miami in an interior cabin $279 per person departing April 16th 
8 night Pacific Coast Wine Cruise from San Diego in an interior cabin $449 per person departing May 5th
7 night cruise from San Juan in an interior cabin for $499 per person departing December 8th

Royal Caribbean

4 night cruise from Port Canaveral in an interior cabin: $199 per person departing April 30th
4 night cruise from Port Canaveral in an interior cabin: $230 per person departing May 21st
4 night cruise from Port Canaveral in an interior cabin:$239 per person departing April 23rd or April 30th
5 night cruise from Oslo, Norway in an interior cabin: $299 per person departing  May 7th
7 night cruise from Rome, Italy in an interior cabin: $399 per person departing April 29th
7 night cruise from New Jersey in an interior cabin: $409 per person departing October 28th
7 night cruise from Seward to Vancouver in an interior cabin: $499 per person departing May 18th

Princess Cruises

10 day cruise to the  Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale in an interior cabin:
$999 per person departing November 7 or November 17th
10 day cruise to the Southern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale in an interior cabin:
$999 per person departing November 27th
10 Day cruise Roundtrip to Panama Canal from Fort Lauderdale in an interior cabin:
$999 per person departing December 10th
14 day cruise through the Panama Canal between Los Angeles and Fort Lauderdale in an interior cabin: $1,399 per person departing November 26th or December 1st
7 Day Voyage of the Glaciers between Vancouver and Anchorage
$599: Departing 5/28, 6/2, 7/4, 8/20, 9/8, 9/20
$699: Departing 7/7 and 8/11

To book any of these trips or to get more information -
please email me.


* All rates are per person in a double occupancy cabin and do not include taxes. These are hot deals so they may sell out and prices are subject to change until a deposit is made.

4.10.12 Preview: Carnival Pack N Go Deals

The Hot Deals on Carnival Cruise Lines can only be booked

 between April 11th - April 13th

Less than $200 per person
April 28th  3 day Cruise from San Diego in a Balcony Cabin for $179 per person

Less than $300 per person
May 12th  5 Day Cruise from Port Canaveral in an Interior Cabin for $259 per person
May 14th  4 Day Cruise from Miami in an Interior Cabin for $239 per person  
May 31st  4 Day Cruise from Jacksonville in an Interior Cabin for $269 per person

Less than $400 per person
June 2nd 5 Day Cruise from Tampa in an Interior Cabin for $349 per person
June 7th  4 day Cruise from Tampa in an Ocean view cabin for $329 per person

Less than $500 per person
April 28th  8 Day Cruise from Miami in an Interior Cabin for $479 per person
April 28th  7 day Cruise from Port Canaveral in an Interior Cabin for $419 per person
April 29th 7 day Cruise from Miami in an Interior Cabin for $429 per person
May 5th 7 day Cruise from Miami in an Interior Cabin for $449 per person

 There's a lot from deals where these came from if you want to sail in April, May or June.


ALSO - Carnival is holding a promotion through the end of April. You could receive between $100 - $200 in Cash Back depending on your sailing.

* Rates do not include taxes, are for double occupancy, and are subject to change until a deposit is made

For more information or to book one of these cruises -

please email me.

4.10.12 Apple Vacations Deals

Under $1,500

2 Round trip nonstop flights from Chicago O’Hare to Cancun departing on a Friday in  mid-June and 3 nights at Sea Adventure Resort All – Inclusive

Under $2,000

2 Round trip nonstop flights from Chicago O’Hare to Cancun on a Wednesday at the end of June and 4 nights at Gran Bahia Principe Tulum All Inclusive – including Golf Course Greens Fees.

Under $3,000

2 Round trip nonstop flights from Chicago O’Hare to Cancun in mid-June and 7 nights at Dreams Puerto Aventuras Resort & Spa All Inclusive

Tips for this week

In case you missed it, here are the tips from Facebook and twitter this week:

 Google something you like to do and the city you are visiting: "cooking class", "hiking", "biking", etc - you'll get options that locals and tourists enjoy

When leaving magazines on the airplane - tear off your address. Don't need strangers knowing where you live.

On your luggage tag - put your cell phone - not your address. Inside put a sheet of paper with dates on where you'll be.

If you know you'll be bringing back liquids - bring wine skins with you. They are cheaper in bulk and offer great protection.

4.5.12 Link Up - European Travel

Car rental insurance in Europe is very confusing. This article outlines some of the key terms and requirements for several countries.  Be sure to also check what is covered by your credit card. I was pleased to discover that my credit card will cover all the insurance for our upcoming trip to Australia.
http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/how-to-buy-car-rental-insurance-in-europe

I’ve found this website very helpful in planning train travel in Europe. Also remember to check regional airlines since it can be less expensive and much faster depending on where you are going.

http://www.raileurope.com/index.html

Frommer’s guides have helped inform many of my foreign travels.  Their website provides a lot of information for free.

http://www.frommers.com

Time Out is a great brand that many locals and tourists use to find out what is happening near them. This is where I found the amazing Shanghai bath house that I wrote about here.

http://www.timeout.com

What other topics interest you for future link up posts?

4.4.12 Cruise Deals

Here's some recent Cruise Deals - please email me if you'd like more information.
Carnival - Book by April 6th
4 Day Cruise from Miami departing April 30th in an interior cabin: $199 per person
7 Day Cruise from Vancover departing May 1st in a Balcony cabin: $699 per person
5 Day Cruise from Charleston departing May 29th in an Oceanview cabin: $319 per person
4 Day Cruise from Port Canaveral departing June 14th in an interior cabin: $319 per person
5 Day Cruise from Boston departing June 18th in an interior cabin: $319

Royal Caribbean
4 Night Cruise from Port Canaveral departing May 21st in an interior cabin: $230 per person
8 Night European Cruise from Rome to Amsterdam departing May 4th in an interior cabin: $399 per person
7 Night Bermuda Cruise from New Jersey departing October 28th in an interior cabin: $409 per person
7 Night Canada and New England Cruise from Boston departing October 21st in an interior cabin: $649 per person

Holland America
7 Day Inside Passage from Vancouver Cruise - select dates in May from $649 for an Oceanview Cabin
7 Day Glacier Discovery Cruise from Seward to Vancouver departing May 20th, May 27th or June 3rd from $549 for an Oceanview Cabin
7 Day Bermuda Cruise from New York - select dates in May and early June from $649 for an Interior Cabin
7 Day Western Caribbean Cruise from Tampa departing November 18th, November 25th and December 2nd from $599 for an Interior Cabin

Princess
7 Day Canada and New England departing October 20th: $399 for an Interior Cabin or $699 for a Balcony Cabin
10 Day cruise from New York City to Quebec departing October 16th: $599 for an Interior Cabin
14 Day Panama Canal Cruise from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale departing April 10th: $549 for an Interior Cabin or $999 for a Balcony Cabin
7 Day Voyage of the Glaciers from Anchorage to Vancouver departing June 2nd: $549 for an Interior Cabin or $599 for an Oceanview cabin

Also check out the last minute deals for Norwegian and Celebrity posted on Saturday here.

4.3.12 Apple Vacations Last Minute Deals

Apple Vacations Last Minute Deals

From Chicago:

5 nights at Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki including airfare, taxes, and fees
departing May 2^nd  for $1,234.00 per person (double occupancy)
4 nights at Riu Emerald Bay All Inclusive Resort in Mazatlan including airfare, taxes and fees departing select dates in April and May for $956 per person (double occupancy)
7 nights at Riu Vallarata All Inclusive Resort in Puerto Vallarta including airfare, taxes & fees departing May 5^th or May 12^th for $867.39 per person (double occupancy)

From Indianapolis: 

7 nights at NOW Sapphire Riviera Cancun All inclusive resort in Cancun including airfare, taxes and fees departing April 21^st for $1,339.64 per person (double occupancy)
7 nights at Secrets St James Montego Bay All inclusive resort including airfare, taxes and fees departing select dates in May and June for $2,084 per person (double occupancy)

From New York City

7 nights at Dream Tulum Resort and Spa All Inclusive resort in Cancun including airfare, taxes and fees departing select dates in May and June for $1,326 per person. (double occupancy)

From Tampa

7 nights at NOW Larimar Punta Cana All Inclusive Resort in Puna Cana including airfare, taxes and fees departing select dates in May and June for $1,523 per person. (double occupancy)

From Minneapolis

7 nights at Riu Palace Cabo San Lucas All Inclusive Resort including airfare, taxes and fees departing select dates in May and June for $1,645 per person (double occupancy)

4.3.12 Promotions

Royal Caribbean: Book select Europe cruises between April 2^nd and April 15, 2012, and enjoy cruise, airfare, PLUS a free balcony upgrade starting from $1,349. PLUS! Crown & Anchor Society members enjoy 10% off all European shore excursions, and can earn up to $125 in onboard credit by bringing along family & friends.

Cunard: Sale April 4^th – 6^th: Reduced rates plus onboard credits

Globus Escorted Travel: Book by April 24^th and save $700 per couple on Splendors of South Africa and Victoria Falls.

Universal Studios: See Harry Potter’s Wizarding World! Receive your 4^th night and 4^th day free if you book by April 30^th and travel: 4/16 - 6/28/12; 8/1 - 11/20/12; 11/26 - 12/19/12

Walt Disney World: Book by June 14^th and receive reduced room rates for travel most nights between June 15^th – August 14^th. Save 15% at Disney's All-Star Sports Resort and Disney's All-Star Music Resort. Save 20% at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Contemporary Resort, Disney's Coronado Spring Resort, Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney's Port Orleans Resort – Riverside, and Disney's Fort Wildness Resort & Campground Cabins. Save 25% at Disney's Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, Disney's BoardWalk, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (standard views only), Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa, and Disney's Old Key West Resort.

4.2.12 Spotlight on NCL Epic

NCL extended their promotion to upgrade to a balcony for an oceanview price plus 50% reduced deposits.  Book by April 15th to enjoy these great savings!

To celebrate that promotion, check out these photos from the NCL Epic:

Spiegel Dining Room

Posh Beach Club

Cigar Lounge

Water Park

Teppanyaki

Sports Deck

Bliss Bowling Alley

Ice Bar

Spice H2O

Bliss Cocktail Lounge


I would love to help you plan your next vacation. Contact through the box to the right or you can find me on Facebook.com/tripswithangie or Twitter.com/tripswithangie

Remember - there's no additional cost to you as my commissions come from the supplier.