School’s Out for Summer

“No more pencils, No more books, No more teacher’s dirty looks” 

It’s that time of year again when the school year winds down and summer officially begins.  Have you planned your summer holiday?  I must remind those of you with children there is a good chance the first school assignment in September will be an oral report entitled “My Summer Vacation.”   

Your mission should you choose to accept it is to take your family on the vacation of all vacations. This is your opportunity to make an impression on the other parents; to take a well needed break from the hustle and bustle of your life and to give your kid(s) a vacation they will remember for the REST OF THEIR LIVES.  And no, visiting Great Aunt Norma doesn’t count.  Unless she lives in Orlando and Mickey Mouse is her neighbor. 

Check out Maritime Travel’s vacation hot spots for you and your family:

Summer with Mickey and Friends
Disney is always a hot destination for summer.  With Disneyland, Disney World and Disney Cruise Lines you can find the right vacation for everyone in your family.  That oral report practically writes itself…”This summer I met Mickey Mouse.  I saw China when I visited Epcot Centre. I will remember this forever!  I have the best parents!”  

Travel Tip:  Split the costs with another family.  Disney becomes more affordable when you can share in the costs of a vacation home rental, food and car rental expenses. Call your Maritime Travel agent today and ask about Florida vacation rentals and special Disney offers.

Watch the Walt Disney World Resort Video here: www.disneywebcontent.com/portal/site/csa-wdw/?SiteID=3126

A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Okay so there are some of you who are looking for a more “educational” holiday.  Maybe your high school’er needs to get a leg up on Shakespeare.  Europe is a hot bed of history, architecture, literature, art and cuisine.  James Jr. just might be influenced enough to become the next Pulitzer Prize winning author.  “…I would like to thank my mother and father for the summer holiday in England where my passion for writing blossomed.”

Travel Tip:  Visiting London?  Pick up The London Pass and save some serious quid.   The London Pass gives you entry to your choice of 55 charging tourist attractions in London; priority access at the busiest sights; additional deals, discounts and more.  Call Maritime Travel today for more information.

Read Maritime Travel’s “Recommended Europe” for the best Europe has to offer: www.maritimetravel.ca/recommendedresorts.asp

Get X-Treme in Whistler this Summer!
Trek west to Whistler, British Columbia for some extreme summer fun!  Whistler, known as one of the top ski destinations in the world, is fast becoming a popular destination in summer too.  Adventure junkies take note, mountain biking, alpine hiking, fishing, horse-riding, river-rafting, bungee jumping and glacier skiing are just some of the activities available in Whistler.

Travel Tip:  Be flexible with travel days.  Airfares and hotel rates are based on supply and demand, so it pays to be flexible when booking your travel.  Look around the dates of your travel plans and see if spending an extra day is worth it. Your Maritime Travel agent is your best source for getting you the best price. Call us today!

Hot Summer Deals and Last Minute Specials!
No time left to plan?  No worries!  We have you covered with our Hot Deals and Last Minute Specials.  See our airfare specials and all inclusive vacations packages at:  http://www.maritimetravel.ca/hotdeals.asp

Travel Tip:   It’s a last minute deal need we say more?!

 

Until next time, have a memorable summer vacation!

Imagination By Reality

“The use of travelling is to regulate imagination by reality,
and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.”

I have a wild imagination. It has taken me to some amazing places…in my head.  But thanks to my love of travel I am able to give my imagination a breather while also rejuvenating it with the wonderment I experience on my journeys. 

In 2007-2008 I lived in Ireland. One of my fondest memories is lying on a massive tree branch in Rock Close on the grounds of Blarney Castle. I remember thinking “If I didn’t know better I’d swear I was on the film set of Lord of the Rings.”   The gardens are like a fairytale come to life.  I wanted to lie there all day and write a children’s book.

With each step the gardens draw you in more and more.  They almost cast a spell on you. It felt as if the forest would come alive at any moment.  Large wondrous trees stemmed out of the ground shadowing you from the light of the sun. Their expansive trunks and sinewy branches were twisted and haggard showing their age.  They resembled giants and at times I thought they would speak to me.  This is the awe-inspiring fantasy land of Rock Close. I encourage you to visit Ireland and make a day trip to Blarney to capture the essence of this amazing place.   

Next stop on the imagination station?  London!  Paris!  Las Vegas!  New York City!

I always dreamed about hitting the streets of these famous cities.  Each offers the exciting nightlife, romance and intrigue that can only be truly experienced in person. 

I feel London could become a true best friend although Paris offers some stellar views and exquisite cuisine.  Or I could make like Carrie Bradshaw in the city of all cities, New York.  I love the idea of jet-setting around with my oversized sunglasses, designer bag and Mr. Big on my arm.  It could happen!? 

Only time will tell which one will be my top choice.  I am sure it won’t be easy to choose but I know I am going to love every last minute of it! 

Until next time keep your passport close and eyes on the skies.  Your next trip is closer than you think!

Cheers,
Heather

Where does your imagination take you?   
Set your imagination free and start planning your next trip at www.maritimetravel.ca. 

Links of Interest:
www.blarneycastle.ie
www.iloveny.com
www.en.parisinfo.com
www.visitlondon.com
www.visitlasvegas.com

From Amsterdam to St. Petersburg

Charlene Walker manages a Maritime Travel office in Digby, and her clients the Smars are on a world cruise. Charlene has been posting updates on her blog. Visit http://www.maritimetravel.ca/1168/CharleneWalker the entries are in reverse order.

This is the most recent post! enjoy!

World Cruise – Tahitian Princess – Karen Smar / May 10
Posted: May 21, 2009
Posted By: Charlene Walker

Amsterdam was quite the day. Ken, Gary, Debbie and I headed into town and started walking around that beautiful city. We had hoped to meet a couple crew members who had to wait till later to get off the ship but it wasn’t meant to be. We waited at the town square and had our first beer and just watched the street performers and all the tourists. We then walked to the canal and strolled along the streets and through many of the little stores stopping occasionally to take pictures of very strange buildings. It’s hard to tell if they were built crooked or if they have all just leaned over the centuries. It is amazing that these buildings are still standing but it is so good to see that they are kept in good shape and not just knocked down.
For all you have been to Amsterdam you know how much there is to experience and we experienced all that city has to offer.

Walking through the Red Light District was something you have to experience. We have all heard about it for many years but to see the women/supposed women on display in their little cubicles is really something. Some of them don’t even look human.

Amsterdam was the first and only place on this trip that I have paid to pee in a public toilet. I figured we were safe going into a McDonald’s but there was a guy waiting at the bathroom entrance to collect our 50 cents.

We saw amazing tulips – mostly in bloom but I couldn’t find any bulbs that were certified for transporting to Canada. I would have loved to have purchased some of the amazing colors we don’t see normally but I’ll just have to look at the pictures.

Once back on the ship it was time to warm up and have a quick nap. We then all met at the Tahitian Lounge for sail off. The Netherland’s coastline is beautiful and we easily sat for two hours watching us go through the lock system and look at the little villages.

We then had a day at sea and I spent a good part of the day getting mostly packed. I was getting a little worried about everything fitting in the suitcases allowed but eased the anxiety once I got mostly packed. The weather has been really cold so all I left out was cold weather clothing and hopefully that will all fit in the carry on when the time comes.

We hit some rougher seas and Debbie was a little sea sick so she took drugs and spent a good portion of the day in bed. At 6 p.m. she woke up and said she was hungry so we headed up to the Bistro for a pizza for dinner. We then went to the Tahitian Lounge and visited with some of the other world cruisers. It’s amazing how people we only kind of knew on the world cruise are now our best friends as all the newbies are grumpy and full of attitude. I really feel sorry for a lot of the crew as the newbies are dishing out a lot of unnecessary shit to them and they can’t say a word.

We arrived the next morning in Copenhagen to another cold and breezy day. Ken, Becky, Nancy, Daniella, Debbie and I all headed off the ship and caught the local bus to the downtown area. We walked around for awhile taking in all the sights and stopped across the street from Tivoli for the first refreshment and mull over whether we were going to spend the $30. admission to see the gardens. We decided against it and just spent the day walking around. We spent quite a bit of time looking at churches, statutes, the palace and more canals and made our way back on foot to the statute of the Little Mermaid. We got back on the ship in lots of time and all got warm and then again met up at the Tahitian Lounge for sail away.

We spent the evening taking in Tom and Greg’s show and then headed back up to the lounge for the usual evening visit.

Another sea day. The waters were much calmer so Debbie was able to get by without taking any drugs. Most of us laid low for the day and just vegged the day away. I did some reorganization of the packing when we realized that Debbie was allowed another carry on bag. Now I have no qualms about getting stuff home and none of the bags will be overweight for sure.

Becky, Nancy, Ken, Gary, Debbie and I all enjoyed a Bistro dinner together and then called it an early evening since the clocks were being turned ahead again. Debbie and I got into watching Sex in the City so we didn’t go to sleep as early as planned but she hadn’t seen the movie and enjoyed it.

We got up yesterday morning in Helsinki to pouring rain. Some of the rain looked like it had some color and it was 6C outside. We all mulled over walking ashore and decided we’d head to the terminal for the necessary port souvenirs and then wait a couple hours to see if it got any nicer. Deb and I headed back to our room and were quickly sound asleep and woke up 2 hours later to the rain still coming down.

We headed up to the Tahitian Lounge to meet everyone and decided it was better that it as raining in Helsinki that in St. Petersburg so we just got comfy in the lounge and watched the Rocky Horror Picture Show – which even though is 30+ years old I had never seen.

Once we left Helsinki the waters were rougher again so Deb took a pill and hit the pit and I visited the evening away with Ken, Joyce, Gary, Beth and some crew members in the lounge.

I headed back to the room at 11 and woke Deb up as I was afraid that she’d wake up at 3 a.m. and not get back to sleep. She had gotten an e-mail from Bob saying her cell phone should be working so we spent almost an hour trying to get calls put through. We finally gave up and spent $4.95/min to call Bob and he called us back. It worked well. It was good to know that all is okay at home and that the guys miss us.

We are now in St. Petersburg. Because of Russian law we can’t go ashore unless we are on a ship’s tour without the proper visa. So we have booked a tour of the Hermitage and an evening canal cruise. We don’t leave here till 9 p.m. so we are hoping that the weather stays nice and we have a great tour.