5 Star Bahamas - Introductory Price

White Caribbean sand of The Bahamas

So, you want a ultra awesome couple's vacation, without paying the Sandals price? Somewhere safe, somewhere beautiful, somewhere with activities and alcohol. Hmmm.

But not Mexico, Cuba or the Dominican. You want beaches that are not full of rocks and seaweed (some Cuba). You want food that is awesome, not awful. You want North American hospitality and facilities. No sketchy planes or bus rides either.  Well, my answer is The Bahamas.

Laugh if you will, at my enthusiasm, but I'm pretty much a walking ambassador for The Bahamas. I've been there a few times. Ok, they pretty much say "welcome home" when they see my passport!  So, at least you know that I know what I'm talking about. And yes, I do really love it that much!

There is an answer to everyone's vacation puzzle. Everyone has a unique blend of wants, needs and ambitions. And yet, we each carry the same bottom line: "I must preserve my own health and safety." So, for me that's always the non-negotiable starting point for choosing a vacation.

As my 8 year old tells me... "I don't want to go anywhere sketchy."

In my experience, you will find bargains when you are on the leading edge of a trend rather than the peak. I think Cabo and the Mayan Riviera are at their peak. You'll pay top dollar and share the resorts with a crowd. And where there are intense crowds, you add a host of other issues.

Freeport, on Grand Bahama Island, in The Bahamas recently scored a deal with Canadian airline Westjet to provide regular air service from Canada. Signature Vacations is also (for the first time) offering charter flights to Freeport, from YWG (Winnipeg) in 2014. This is NEW. New is good. This means there will be fantastic new opportunities for winter weary Manitobans to experience The Bahamas.

Flights to Nassau (the main tourist island) have been a regular route for Air Canada & Westjet for many years. The new Nassau airport (Lyndon Pilling International) was just built and opened in 2012. It is AMAZING! And if you saw the original "Lyndon Pilling" airport, a hut on the tarmac, you would be very impressed.

Anyways... back to Freeport. It has the same amazing scenery, hospitality and diving. The beaches are for certain, some of the nicest in the Caribbean. The only thing Freeport doesn't have is an "Atlantis" or uber-resort. That in itself, is part of the charm. You'll enjoy more of the laid back, authentic Bahamian experience. But if you want 5 star and all-inclusive (something you will not find on Nassau except for $3000/week Sandals) then you will definitely want to try the BRAND NEW Memories Grand Bahamas Resort & Spa. It is opening in January 2014. (So, basically now!)

I expect in a year's time you will be paying $2000 for a week at this resort. Right now you'll be paying Bahamas "european plan prices" (no meals/alcohol included) and instead, enjoying an all inclusive package. PLUS, I can bet they are eager to please and earn good reviews.... maybe one of those reviews will be yours!

Currently this hotel is offered through Signature Vacations, aka SunWing. Westjet is offering other hotels. Signature Vacations has a non-stop charter flight. WJ links through Toronto. Your favourite travel agent can help you with a booking if you are not comfortable booking it on-line yourself.

My last point for you to ponder is this.... if you are spending YOUR hard earned money on a vacation, wouldn't you rather remember it for all the right reasons? So if the difference between a "bargain" vacation that you MIGHT LIKE and the price of the vacation you'll most likely LOVE is $200 then you absolutely NEED to spend that extra $200.  If the base price of any beach vacation is $1000 then it's just about the add ons and the quality after that. Chevy Cavalier, vs Cadillac.  As long as they meet your safety and health needs, the style is all up to you.

Essentially, I'm paraphrasing my travel agent who taught me that lesson years ago. She said, "Cathie, YOU aren't going to be happy with anyone's leftover bargain vacation if all you're going to do is be looking over your shoulder. Spend less on souvenirs and more on making memories."

Memories.... Memories Grand Bahamas. Nice coincidence!

Screenshot from www.itravel2000.com December 27th. 

Palm Springs Break

A quick search of a bargain 5 star vacation in January leads to two destinations:  Las Vegas & Palm Springs.  Each of these mini-vacations gets you a 3 or 4 night stay in a desert location. One with bright lights and action.... the other, Palm Springs.

Palm Springs California is known for its retirement living, its sunshine and golf. It's also home to a wide range of rental accommodations. From trailers and condos, to 5 star resorts and time-shares.

Each of these hotels shown will satisfy your need for 5 star luxury, access to golf and relaxation. The Westin is located 8 kms from the airport and the Hyatt 24kms. The Hyatt is home to the Golf Channel's reality show the Big Break. Tune up your golf game at one of their clinics, or just enjoy the scenery on your own terms.

Bahamas Bargain! $759

Here's a Westjet bargain!  Choosing this particular date saves you a couple hundred dollars over the EXACT same vacation the following week.

I have tickets to the Jet game that night, but if someone wants to buy them off me... I'll gladly give them up. Ah... to trade hockey for the Bahamas just this one time!

Ideal Westjet flights!

2 Hours Too Late

You have probably already heard about the glitch in Delta Airlines' booking system that happened on the morning of Boxing Day. But if you haven't, it's worth the read. It's a travel junkie's dream come true. It's like winning the lotto.  (Search "Delta Glitch" and you will find lots to read.)

#Deltaglitch also became its own trending hashtag pretty quickly.

Some people booked first class tickets to Hawaii for $86 round trip, all fees included. Other domestic fares reported as low as $20.

It seems that for 2 hours prices on an incredible number of routes were accidentally reduced to mere pennies on the dollar. By the time I heard about it, there were only traces left, but no deals. You could search and find the deals (like through Expedia.com) but once you selected to purchase, the updated prices were revealed. Delta took the drastic step of taking their own website offline in order to fix the error.

Look at these screen shots form my Expedia search. It's enough to make you salivate, isn't it?

Such programming errors have happened before with other airlines. With precedent set, Delta really had no choice but to honour all the fares booked at these rock bottom prices.  In the days to come, some may argue that it was a brilliant and well timed (Boxing Day) marketing ploy, but I would argue that simply would be some clever after-thought marketing to cover up what was likely just a "little" human error.

Regardless, Delta just bought a whole bunch of publicity (with the error), and a whole bunch of good will (by honouring purchased fares).

I would also bet big money that Delta.com will see their web traffic counts skyrocket at bargain hunters troll the site into the foreseeable future looking for any deal that resemble the Great Delta Glitch of Christmas 2013.

See the price Delta was offering, as compared
to what you would consider a normal price.

Look at the bottom corner for the price change!
Ah, what could have been!!!

Expedia just taunting us with what could have been! 

How about a Westjet Week in Florida $619?

Of course you're not on a Caribbean Island, and you'll have to pay for your own food and activities, BUT $619 for a week's hotel and Westjet.ca flights.... well, that's pretty darn good. (Taxes included and per person.)

And with this package,  there are easy, direct flights included. As I always say, it sure beats the alternative! Not that I don't enjoy a drive to Grand Forks and GFK airport, I just enjoy it less in the winter.

The weather is not tropical in Florida in January, but it is about 40 degrees warmer than Winnipeg, perhaps 50 degrees on a sunny day.

Definitely worth looking into. Spend your Westjet dollars and save your sanity with a break from winter!  Log on to westjetvacations.com or contact your favourite travel agent for assistance.

Sample from redtag.ca on December 18th, 2013 For an extra $23 take the kids' suite! 

Sunny Sample for January

If you've got about $1000 and some time off in January, you have a few destinations to choose from. This sample was take from redtag.ca on December 18th.

There's Cuba, Dominican Republic, Florida and Mexico. Just make sure you check tripadvisor.ca for recent hotel reviews and really consider what you want and expect out of YOUR vacation. Don't book something just because it's a bargain. It has little VALUE if it's not your idea of a wonderful vacation.

Holiday Vacation Sales

Air Canada is doing 12 Days of Deals. If you're in the market for some January travel, you may wish to tune in.

Though, frankly, Air Canada would have to do something pretty spectacular to keep up with the warm & fuzzy Westjet phenomenon sweeping the nation. You have seen their holiday video, haven't you?
When I saw it this morning, it had been viewed 1200 times. 16 hours later... half a million views! Westjet rocking social media!

Disney Cruise: Part 10... Tips & Tricks

Just a few things I've picked up, that you might benefit from: (no particular order)

1. Pack light. There are 3 guest laundry rooms on board. It costs $2.00 to wash & dry a load. I would much rather do an hour of laundry once in 7 days, than pack twice as much. 
2. Wear bright colours. You're on a fun ship! You'll look better, and feel better in your photos. 
3. Bring Disney pins for trading. Pin-trading is an official activity. Buy them on eBay (20 for $25 usually) rather than $8 each on the ship. See... even if you get ugly random Disney pins off eBay, you are TRADING them for things you like. 
4. Drop off an 8x10 photo mat at Guest Services with a couple bags of candies (for the staff) and they will ensure the characters (you pick Fab 5 or Princesses) autograph it and return it to your room. It's the perfect match to the on-board family photo you're going to buy anyway and you just by-passed the lines. 
5. Buy your family cute Disney t-shirts before the trip. Get them on-line at the Disney store during a sale, or even at Wal-Mart and I bet no one asks you to buy them a $30 t-shirt on board. 
6. You can bring a bottle of wine, or bottles of water,  onto the ship in your carry-on luggage. No liquids in your crew handled bags. 
7. There are complimentary post cards for you in the desk, in your stateroom.
8. You can pre-order your room service breakfast. There are door-hanger order forms in your desk drawer. 
9. Plan to bring about $25 in "singles". You will need them for the crew that handles your luggage in port. (They are pretty forward about tips.) Plus, you will need them for your room service orders. 
10. Bring your pirate costume (but no fake weapons). People really get "into" pirate night. But, even if you think you're a hot mama - don't wear your bedroom "pirate wench" costume. Seriously!! It's a family ship. LOL
11. Best view of the fireworks on pirate night.... Deck 10, aft, port site. That's ship speak for the back of the top deck, on the left side of the ship.
12. All the game show answers..... all Disney based. Brush up on your character and movie names.
13. Staterooms mid-ship tend to be less affected by motion. 
14. There is a really good selection of tea at the self-serve beverage station. Oh yeah.... there's a self-serve 24 hour beverage station on Deck 9 (Wonder & Magic Ships).  Coffee/tea/soda/milk
15. Charms are a great collector item. At $5 each, a bargain too. 
16. If you need adult time with your spouse... it's called Exotic Rasul at the spa. $85 for a private couple's shower.  Simply plan to drop your kids off at the Kids' Club for an activity.
17. If you need time away from other people's children and their screeching, there is an adult-only dining room, coffee shop, lounge and pool. 
18. Decks 10 & 4 have walking tracks. 
19. There is a duty free shop. You can purchase liquor any time, but will only receive it upon disembarkation. (When you get off the ship.)
20. Your stateroom host (generally a man) will tidy your stateroom twice a day. He will also magically set up the kids' bunk beds each night, transforming the sitting area in your cabin into a kids' bedroom. 
21. Don't be surprised to see the same 5 movies on your TV all the time. It's Disney programming 24/7 not live TV.

For the real authorities on everything Disney.... see the obsessed, but really knowledgable and helpful people on the Disboards. It's a chat forum for everything Disney. 

That's not me BTW!

Disney Cruise: Part 9... The Value

I see the value of a Disney Cruise like this...

If you need to re-connect with your family, sometimes you just need to get a little Goofy! (Yes, as in Mickey's buddy.) The staff and characters treat everyone as very valued guests. If Mom wants to hold Donald Duck's hand for a picture... that's cool.

On a ship, you can give yourself permission to giggle, and just be a kid again. And, unlike at the Disney Parks your family is stuck with you! The kids can't wander off to the next amusement ride. Mom can't get lost in the shops and Dad can't be glued to work and his cell phone (very limited access at sea).

You will have mandatory sit down meals at scheduled times. In the Parks you may never eat together with a 100 different choices and prices and options. But on a ship, you are assigned a table, and a time and that is EVERY night. And believe me, you begin to have conversations with your kids again.

Movies under the stars on deck 9.

By the third or fourth day on the ship, you've mastered the deck plans and found your own favourite spots. CJ and I liked to check out the 10pm movie on the outdoor screen before grabbing pizza and heading to our stateroom for the night. We called it our "midnight pizza run."  We never did stay for an entire movie, but even a few minutes under the stars, in the breeze had a real calming, night-time effect.

CJ wanted to buy me a gift to say thank you for the trip. Kids aren't allowed to charge to their rooms, but I chatted with a clerk at the gift shop and she helped him accomplish his goal while keeping it a secret from me. It was a Donald Duck charm for my charm bracelet, and I LOVE it!

While there aren't any amusement rides or parades on the ship, the access to characters is far superior to the Parks. You can get amusement rides at any state fair or travelling midway, but what you won't get there are the Disney characters.

On a cruise, you will get a chance to put on a tuxedo or your best dress. This really is a special event, and worth doing as a family. You might only otherwise get the chance at graduation and weddings. And since everyone is lining up for portraits, your kids jump at the chance. I really value that.

So, ultimately, do I like cruises? Probably not. (I simply prefer my feet on land.)  But do I LOVE Disney Cruises for the family time and special memories? YES, absolutely, positively!

Would I recommend a Disney Cruise for your family?  I think I just did! ;)

Disney Cruise: Part 8... Current Prices

**Current as of December 3, 2013**

Your best source for Disney Cruise deals will be their own web site.  Right now there are special prices for Canadians being offered on 3 & 4 day cruises during January and February 2014.

Air fares to Florida, (MCO - Airport in Orlando) are an additional cost.

I recommend booking through your local travel agent. Cruises require additional documentation and paperwork and I have found the process seamless through CAA Manitoba Travel. PLUS, there are usually booking bonuses like on board credit, photo packages etc.

Regular price on a 5 day cruise on the Wonder. 

Choose a 4 day cruise on the Magic for $1000 less with Cdn discount. 

Have the best of everything with a Land & Sea package! 

Disney Cruise: Part 7... The Finances

My quick rule of thumb is that you need $5K to take a family 4 to Disney for a week. Roughly the same costs whether it's a cruise or a park adventure. For me, that includes air fare to the destination. If you can get it down to about $1000 per person, you've nabbed a bargain!

Your prices will vary based on a few things:

1) time of year
2) age of children
3) on board activities
4) port adventures
5) discounts being offered by Disney
6) your spending habits

While I am all about researching trips on-line, I generally choose to book the package with the operator. Meaning.... if I want to fly Westjet, I'll book through Westjet, regardless of where I spied the price. When it comes to booking a Disney package, I have always done it through the specialists at CAA Travel. They do more Disney than anyone!

Each agency, or booking method can and will offer you an incentive. (Think of it a perk in exchange for their commission.)  When I booked the Wonder cruise, which we took in November 2013, I booked it in June. There was an incredible bargain that I spied on-line, and my regular agent was able to secure that for me. I paid $689 per person for the 7 night cruise.

We chose the balcony room, knowing that I would want to be in the room at all times with my son, but wanted a little freedom to have coffee and fresh air on the balcony while he slept. If I was travelling with younger children, or a second adult, I would definitely choose a less expensive, port-hole outside room (no balcony). A second adult to supervise would enable you to leave the stateroom and enjoy fresh air and deck chairs in numerous other public areas on the ship. Though as safe as possible with a plexiglass base on your deck railing, I wouldn't want a toddler anywhere near a balcony on a ship.

Because there were only 2 of us, the "child" had to pay an "adult" fare. However, if we had travelled as a family of 4, there would have been 2 adult fares and 2 reduced child fares (Approx $450 per child) as we would have been staying in the same stateroom.

The CAA Travel service provided us with a $200 on board credit, PLUS a package of 7 professional ship-board portraits of our choosing. So, in practical terms, there was a $300 incentive which made my budget stretch even further.

The on board credit can be used for anything, but it is non-refundable. I used mine to cover the costs of our 2 port adventures, plus a couple treats at the gift shop.

The mandatory gratuities charged to your ship account are $12 per person, per day. Yes, even toddlers and babies pay the mandatory gratuity.

Typical prices on board are $20 for a photo, stuffed animal, or drink in a souvenir glass. $40 for a bottle of wine, a t-shirt or bingo hour. $60 for a port activity, princess dress or arcade pass.

There is a spa on the ship. The services start at $100 and a mandatory 18% gratuity is in addition.
Be advised that any specialty beverage you purchase, even a child's smoothie will have a 15% auto gratuity added. You will have to sign for the charge, and the slip will ask for an ADDITIONAL gratuity on top of the auto-grat.

You can see how things can add up quickly, if you aren't mindful of the expenses. It would be easy to run up a bill as the ships are CASHLESS. Everything is charged to your stateroom with the swipe of your Key to the World Card.  Without fail, the night before the cruise ends, there is a very long line at Guest Services with people questioning their room charges.

That being said, our week cost us each just $110 in room charges and $84 of that was the mandatory gratuity. CJ and I were not big drinkers. LOL And all of our "spa" time was spent up on deck 10 playing soccer.

Another ship sailing by our balcony. 

Disney Cruise: Part 6... The Ports

There are typically three ports to visit on a 7 day cruise.  This past November, on the Disney Wonder, we sailed to Falmouth Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.

Ports, in general, are commercially scripted, generic stores placed by the big cruise lines. Whether you travel to Nassau, or Ketchikan or Cozumel you will find stores like Diamonds International, Del Sol, Cariloha, EFFY Jewellers etc.  The cruise ship (regardless of brand) will offer you a port shopping map of "approved" stores. Consider this your passport to paying the cruise ship a commission. You'll be able to but the same t-shirt in every port... just with a different location stamped on it. Hardly a taste of the local culture and products. www.portshoppingspree.com will give you an idea of the other shops.

As far as Disney Port Adventures, consider them a safe bet. A Disney Approved, family focused activity that has been proven worthy. YES, you can find cheaper "guided tours." YES, you can explore the port on your own, but, here's how I look at it... if I am going to be in a strange community, with my CHILDREN I do not need to take any unnecessary risks. That's great I have the Canadian Consulate phone number with my passport, but what on earth is that going to do for me in the first hour of a child abduction or a tragic accident?  Better safe than sorry. So, that's why I have chosen to pay the 10% higher Disney tour prices rather than trying to figure it out myself or choose something spontaneously at port based on my instincts.

The ports are literal points of entry to a country. Be prepared to declare your purchases, show your identification and submit to questions and inspection.

Most ports are very modern, very organized and very safe shopping districts policed by the Country's border security team, as well as the individual cruise line staff. This is one of the reasons that cruises are such popular ways to visit the Caribbean and island hop.

Fun fact: Each port visit, the Disney Wonder raised the flag of the country we were visiting.

Port of Falmouth Jamaica. A very modern, well-kept shopping district.
Many local artisans and food eateries were also set up here.
It was a safe, organized place to meet your tour guides and head out to explore Jamaica. 

Same Vacation - 50% Off

I'll just let the numbers speak for themselves this time. Lucky are the few who are not locked into school holidays. Just look at the grid! A ton of vacations to choose from.

www.redtag.ca