We know that some of our readers enjoy the process of booking their own travel. While we encourage you to give us a call, especially if you are new to a destination or to cruising, we are now offering two booking engines on this site. Let us know what you think.

It’s refreshing to read a positive article about the safety of Cancun.
The biggest takeaway from this report is that using common sense goes a long way in keeping you safe, no matter where you travel.
Drinking enough to pass out on the beach makes anybody an easy victim of a crime or accident. Don’t be stupid.

I recently returned from the Riviera Maya and felt no danger. I didn’t visit anywhere north of the Cancun Airport, so can’t really comment on what was happening there or the safety of Cancun.
Watch my next post for a review of my trip and for some suggestions on activities.

I came across several messages about the cruise ships leaving Mazatlan. It seemed as if it were an on-again-off-again situation. As Jennifer mentions in her post, there have not been any incidents involving tourists.

With the litigious society that we live in, perhaps cruise lines are concerned about their liability in case of an incident against one of their passengers. But, really.
Would Ford be responsible if somebody drove one of their vehicles and they were robbed or assaulted at their destination.
Will cruise lines discontinue sailing from Miami, New York, New Orleans or LA because of the crimes committed there? And what about St. Thomas? Has anybody looked at the crime statistics there? Ignorance is bliss except for when it comes to Mexico.

As a regular visitor to Mexico, I find these situations disheartening. Yes, there is a nasty drug war going on, one that makes me cringe. Much of that is in the hot-spot border town of Juarez, which isn’t the land of cruising, because it’s on land and isn’t a resort area. Yet, you will find an ex-pat who believes that one can still enjoy even Juarez despite everything that is happening there. It is refreshing to get another point of view. You do need to know that a long time resident of any city likely knows areas to avoid and takes certain safety precautions.

Mazatlan is working hard to convince its travel partners that it isn’t a lawless land. This article explains that the hotel parking lot shootings took place between two locals. Which other ports will the cruise lines eliminate because of a shooting in their city? There definitely seems to be an strong anti-Mexico sentiment that pervades. That is unfortunate.

Instead of substituting another port for Mazatlan, some of the cruise lines are just adding an extra day in another port like Cabo San Lucas, a tender port that makes it impossible for those with wheelchairs to get to shore.

As an agent, the safety of my clients is a priority. I advise them to not over drink, do drugs, travel alone or go into questionable neighborhoods. Common sense goes along way and travelers need to take the same safety cautions while traveling as they do at home.

Mexico is a fascinating and friendly country that I have visited many times. In fact, I am heading to the Riviera Maya next week and will report on it upon my return.

I came across a post on a Turkey travel site that offered a few recipes. Preparing foods at home that you experienced while traveling is one of the best ways to bring back memories of a particular trip.
This recipe looks easy to prepare and uses readily available ingredients.
Just seeing the recipe and knowing that it was from Turkey reminded me of the hours spent enjoying the Spice Market in Istanbul. In fact, I brought back several spices from the market – they vacuum packed everything eliminating problems at customs.

If you need a quick vacation, but just can’t get away, find a traditional recipe from the country you love. Prepare it and check around the house for souvenirs or dishware and set your table accordingly. Pretend you are back in your favorite vacation spot. The smells of your local dish will trigger memories of your past vacation and perhaps inspire you to return again.

Food and travel go hand-in-hand. Your local ethnic restaurant might serve good typical dishes, but just think how good that food will be if you go to the source.

The Queen Mary 2 is one of three cruise ships in the Cunard fleet. To be entirely proper, their ships are ocean liners, not cruise ships. They are longer and better able to cruise in open waters. The Cunard fleet consists of the Queen Mary 2 (QM2), The Queen Victoria and the brand new Queen Elizabeth. The Queen Mary 2 is the largest of the three and for the most part does transatlantic voyages with a few other itineraries sprinkled in for good measure.

The QM2
At 151,400 tons, the Queen Mary 2 is large and she is fast. Built for transatlantic crossings, the ship contains plenty of public space. After all, the transatlantic cruises don’t call at any ports, so passengers need to have plenty of space so as not to feel confined. Cunard has done an excellent job in providing space to keep passengers comfortable.

Cunard offers these fun facts about the Queen Mary 2:

five times longer than Cunard’s first ship, Britannia (230 ft.)

113 feet longer than the original Queen Mary

more than twice as long as the Washington Monument is tall (550 ft.)

147 feet longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall (984 ft.)

more than 3½ times as long as Westminster’s Tower (Big Ben) is high (310 ft.)

only 117 feet shorter than the Empire State Building is tall (1248 ft.)

more than three times as long as St. Paul’s Cathedral is tall (366 ft.)

as long as 41 double-decker London buses (31½ ft. each)

Queen Mary 2′s whistle is audible for 10 miles

We especially enjoyed the decor of the ship, which is done in a classic, traditional style. The ship exudes an air of elegance and contains many elements of the grandeur of ships from previous eras of sailing. We found plenty of spots to enjoy a drink, play a game or enjoy the view. The promenade deck is a feature that we especially enjoy on any ship and the one on the QM2 not only had plenty of space for walking, but many chairs for relaxing.

The Cabins
We stayed in an inside cabin and found the decor pleasing. We liked the extra storage behind the bed and the fact that the third berth dropped from the ceiling, rather than folded down from the wall. We had envisioned a larger cabin, but ours was still a comfortable spot. We had excellent service from our efficient room steward who kept our room in top shape.

Food and Dining
We chose late seating in the Britannia restaurant. We found the food acceptable, but not notably different from the offerings on other ships. Our table mates tried the Todd English specialty restaurant and found the food there to be very impressive. The King’s Court had plenty of room and many food options, but it was a huge and almost sterile space. We personally aren’t fans of the buffet, but it was convenient when we needed a quick breakfast or snack to tide us over to dinner when we came back late from a shore excursion.

The Passengers
The passengers won’t always be the same on every sailing, but we must say that we met some of the nicest people on this ship. We sailed a short 5-day Canada and New England itinerary with Bar Harbor and Halifax as the ports of call. We met several people that we joined regularly for tea and drinks. We didn’t notice lots of complaining on the ship and overall, everybody seemed to be having a great time. Many people took advantage of the largest ballroom at sea, but also engaged in board games, which are plentiful on this ship.

The library was another popular spot on board. With the largest library at sea, there is something for everybody and even a nice gift shop with books and other mementos for sale.
The QM2 offers a more sedate atmosphere than some other ships, but that isn’t to say that the passengers are boring; they are adept at creating their own fun and taking advantage of what the ship has to offer. Ballroom dancers are obviously drawn to this ship as are those who enjoy dressing up for the many formal nights and balls. Even with the formality, stodginess is not a prerequisite for sailing on the QM2.

An Alternative to Flying
For those who don’t like to fly or who don’t like the hassles involved with flying, the QM2 cruise ship is an excellent option for getting to Europe from NYC. If you have the time, consider sailing to Europe and flying back. You won’t suffer from jet lag as you have several days to adjust to the time change and can to it at a nearly unnoticeable rate.

Happy Travels
Cruise Bug

A cruise lends itself well to trying out new foods. We recall eating with another couple who stated that they hadn’t ever heard of some of the dishes presented on the menu. If you don’t know what something is, simply ask your server who will gladly explain the ingredients. If you have always been dying to try lobster, lamb or escargot, you can try it on a cruise ship without worrying about paying a large fee for the dish and not liking it. If you like, you could taste everything on the menu and we are convinced that some people don’t only sample everything on the menu, but finish the entire course.

The buffet-style dining room beats out the main dining room in the number of dishes available. You can serve yourself a tasting size portion and not worry about wasting a full plate of food. Buffets typically offer a full range of foods including vegetarian and international options. Some people place high importance on the food on the cruise ship and enjoy cruising for the variety of foods available.

The ship has a variety of options, but the ports have the best opportunity to try the local food. As lovers of Mexican food, we seek out authentic dishes when we visit the ports in Mexico. Cozumel has several options that we enjoy. On our last cruise we finally tried the Parrilla Mission, the third of the three restaurants under the Mission name. Closest to the center of Cozumel is La Parilla, which opens for lunch and also serves dinner. If your ship is in port late, don’t mission the Casa Mission. When reading the online menus, remember that the prices are in pesos unless otherwise indicated. Don’t think that something costs 224 dollars.

If you want to get some typical and inexpensive food, head over to the mercado (market) on Ave. 25 and Rosado Salas. There are many counters serving food and you will see the ubiquitous Coke as the beverage of choice. Try the cochinita pibil, pork marinated in sour orange juice.

Other restaurants that we recommend in Cozumel include: La Choza, La Cocay and La Kinta.

Happy Travels

Azamara might not be the first cruise line that comes to mind when considering a cruise, but it should be. Positioning themselves as a deluxe brand, Azamara appeals to those who prefer smaller ships and a port-intense cruise to both typical and unusual destinations.

The Azamara Quest
The Quest is one of the former Renaissance cruise ships with a capacity of around 700 passengers. Although a smaller ship, it still has all the amenities of larger ships, but on a smaller scale. The ship is easy to navigate because of its size. Smoking is prohibited in staterooms and on verandas and there are very limited spaces where smoking is permitted.

Although the ship is categorized as deluxe, it remains a casual experience. There are no formal nights and no assigned times for dining. The lack of formal nights makes packing much easier. We chose an Athens to Rome cruise mostly because of the itinerary; each port except for Rome was new to us and it had been many years since we had visited Rome. We enjoy exploring new ports so this itinerary was ideal. The constant presence of the officers and their participation in events contributed to the welcoming feeling of the Azamara Quest. This Greek dance taking place one evening is a perfect example of the crew’s involvement with the passengers.

The Cabins
The cabins on the Azamara range from 158 square feet for an Interior to 560 square feet for the Owner’s Suite. All staterooms feature a refrigerator, robes and slippers, fresh fruit, fresh flowers and more. And if you decide on a suite, you will find even more amenities including butler service, welcome treats, limited complimentary garment pressing, priority boarding and much more.

Dining Options
The dining options are limited, but of good quality compared to the larger ships. In addition to the main dining room and the buffet, there are two specialty restaurants which are complimentary for suite guests and have a small additional charge for those not occupying suites. Complimentary wine from select vintages is poured at lunch and dinner. Bottled water, soda, specialty coffees and teas are also complimentary. Check out some of the menus from our Azamara Quest cruise. (Please note that these menus are prior to Azamara’s change to the Azamara Club program, so should be viewed just to get an idea of the types of selections available.)

Give Azamara Club Cruises a Try
You might be surprised to hear that many of the amenities that you expect to pay for on other cruise lines are included on your Azamara Club Cruise.
When considering this line, don’t forget that the following are included:

-gratuities

-bottled water, soda, specialty coffees and teas throughout the day

-self service laundry

If you are looking to visit new ports and move up to deluxe cruising, Azamara Club is an easy choice. Contact us for details.

We thoroughly enjoyed our Black Sea adventure. For 2011, there is a new itinerary, round trip from Istanbul, making it easy to spend several days in Istanbul pre- or post-cruise.

Base prices start at just $1899. Check out the Black Sea Azamara Quest sailing details and then contact us using the link to the right.

Happy Travels

Cruise Bug Vacations

Cruise Specialist

The Epic is the newest ship in NCL’s fleet. NCL’s tradition of innovation continues with the addition of solo staterooms. In the past, solo travelers either found a roommate or paid the single supplement, often doubling the fare.

Epic Solo Cabins
NCL offers 128 solo cabins in a limited access area with special perks for the occupants. These inside cabins are small at around 100 square feet, but nobody would expect to pay a single price for a cabin sized for two. On our recent Epic cruise, we met several people sailing in the solo cabins. All had positive comments and none minded the smaller size of the cabin. In fact, what was most important to them was that they could now cruise without paying the supplement and without having to find a travel companion.

Solo Cabin Benefits
The solo cabins aren’t just a new concept, but an experience. The Living Room is the gathering place for the occupants of these cabins. There is a drink special everyday and plenty of board games in the area. The environment is ideal for meeting other solo travelers and joining up for dinner and other on board activities.

Does your spouse snore? Have insomnia? Like to read into the wee hours of the morning? Some savvy couples have booked adjoining solo cabins to ensure a good night’s sleep.

Plenty of Epic Activities
The Epic is conducive to fun for solo travelers. The pool area is expansive; there are adult only pools and hot tubs. There are clubs, gatherings, classes and entertainment to appeal to a wide range of tastes.

There are many dining options, for the more traditional complimentary dining rooms to specialty restaurants like Moderno Churrascaria, a passenger favorite that serves Brazilian-style skewered meats. With 17 restaurants to choose from, solo travelers can check them all out.

Ready for a new adventure?
What are you waiting for? The Epic is heading to Europe this summer and has some solo staterooms still available. The itinerary includes some of the most popular ports in Western Mediterranean.

Today only (January 24, 2011) you can get a $100 per stateroom onboard credit. Studio Staterooms start at a base price of $799(Government taxes, fees and fuel supplement -where applicable- are additional.)

Take a look at this video highlighting the different accommodations on the NCL Epic.

Happy Travels

Cruise Bug Vacations
Cruise Specialist

As travel consultants with cruising as one of our specialties, we keep abreast of new developments in the industry.
Cruising remains strong in the travel segment and continues to offer good value to travelers.
New ships continue to enter the cruising scene offering more choices for cruisers. We recently sailed on the Norwegian Epic, a ship that truly breaks the mold in the cruising world.

As experts in this field, we can assist you in choosing a cruise and itinerary that suits your interests and traveling style.
We can assist you with your individual travels and help you put together a family reunion, theme cruise, training cruise or even a cruise where you spread the ashes or your loved one at sea.

At first glance, cruising might seem a one-size-fits-all experience.  The reality is that each cruise line and cruise ship has its own personality. Our goal is to match cruisers to a ship and cruise line that is a perfect fit.

Happy Travels.

One real advantage of cruising is the opportunity to explore new lands, try new foods and experience adventures in the various ports. We enjoy trying something new whether it’s learning about the culture or engaging in a new activity.

On our cruise aboard the NCL Epic, we stopped in the port of Costa Maya. It’s a favorite port of ours and one we had visited several times. We had toured the village, visited some of the nearby Maya archaeological sites, but thought we should try something new this trip.

We hit on the Western Caribbean Fly Fishing School recently started by our friend. Neither of us knew much about fishing, so we thought that we would try our hands at it. We had a great time learning all about bone fishing and even catching a few fish. We created a video so that we would remember that exciting day in Mahahual.

We recommend that you try something new on your next cruise. Has snorkeling or scuba diving been on your “to do” list. Take the plunge and try it out. Check out the local restaurants and try a new local dish. Go shopping for a unique gift. With a cruise, you can customize your trip to your interest.

We often schedule an activity in advance that lasts for several hours and then save some time for personal exploration.

Happy Travels