With a maiden name of O’Mara, I am confident that many of you will NOT be shocked to see my love and admiration for this Irish Castle and amazing multi-property resort. Nestled in the unspoiled rolling countryside of East Cork near the ruins of an 800-year-old castle, Castlemartyr Resort’s crowning jewel is a classic 18th century manor house. The Manor has been magnificently restored and elegantly enhanced to offer 109 deluxe guest rooms, gourmet dining, an expansive world-class spa and welcoming, impeccably styled interiors.

Dromoland Castle, located in Newmarket-on-Fergus, County Clare, was built in the 16th century.  Majestically set on the shores of Lough Dromoland, it is surrounded by over 410 acres of breathtaking scenery, including a championship parkland golf course.  Lavish interiors, fine food and superb wines complement the deluxe accommodations of the Castle’s 99 guest rooms, while Dromoland Castle Golf and Country Club, an intimate spa and traditional outdoor recreational opportunities ensure a unique guest experience.

Gold Course Designed By Ron Kirby

Opportunities for outdoor pursuits abound both on the estate, which includes an inland-links-style golf course designed by the renowned Ron Kirby, and in the surrounding region. With their bespoke accommodations, gourmet cuisine, elegant estates, and superlative service, the five star resorts of The Dromoland Collection make any visit memorable. As settings for a honeymoon, however, they are simply exquisite.

Ever attentive and eager to please, the staff of Castlemartyr Resort and Dromoland Castle are never happier than when welcoming newlyweds to two of the most spectacular destination resorts in Ireland. To mark this most special of sojourns, they’ve selected some of the most romantic activities at each locale to create the bespoke four-night “How Sweet It Is” honeymoon package.

Dromoland Castle in County Clare, one of Ireland’s finest castle resorts, offers an unforgettable couples experience in a setting rich in Irish history and tradition.

The Dromoland Castle package couples should check out is the “How Sweet It Is” package that includes the following:

• Two nights’ luxury accommodation with full Irish breakfast on both mornings;

• Champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries delivered on arrival to the couple’s room;

• A candlelit gourmet dinner in The Earl of Thomond restaurant on an evening of the couple’s choice;

• A private chauffeured visit to The Cliffs of Moher, complete with delectable picnic and a tour of the majestic landscape of The Burren;

• A choice among the following activities: a couples’ golf lesson at the award-winning 18 hole parkland course; a treatment in the luxurious and intimate Couples Room at The Spa at Dromoland; or a thrilling Hawk Walk on the grounds of the estate;

• A framed memento photograph taken by a professional photographer.

Or you can look into the Castlemartyr Resort.  Seamlessly blending classic elegance and contemporary style, it’s a honeymoon destination of opulent yet unpretentious luxury.

The Castlemartyr Resort segment of the “How Sweet It Is” package includes the following:

• Two nights’ accommodation in a Manor House Stateroom with full Irish breakfast each morning;

• Champagne and a box of handmade chocolates delivered on arrival to the couple’s room;

• A romantic gourmet dinner in The Bell Tower restaurant on an evening of the couple’s choice;

• A private chauffeured visit to the historic town of Cobh’s Heritage Centre (last stop for many Irish emigrants before beginning a new life in America) or to Blarney Castle (home of the famed Blarney Stone), complete with a stop off and guided tour of the Old Midleton Distillery followed by a Jameson Whisky sampling

• A his-and-hers treatment in the stunning setting of The Spa at Castlemartyr.

The four night rate are per person sharing and the fees vary.  These deals run from May 1 to August 17, 2012. The Dromoland Collection Honeymoon: where priceless memories and sterling values go hand in hand.

The Dromoland Collection comprises Dromoland Castle and Castlemartyr Resort, two of Ireland’s finest and most celebrated hotels.  The hotels in this collection embody the legendary Dromoland tradition of incomparable hospitality complemented by exquisite surroundings, yet each possesses a distinctive style, character and charm all its own.

Castlemartyr Resort is located in Castlemartyr, Co. Cork, Ireland. www.castlemartyrresort.ie  Reservations can be made through the hotel (reception@castlemartyrresort.ie); through The Dromoland Collection at www.dromolandcollection.ie

Dromoland Castle is located at Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co. Clare, Ireland. The hotel can be contacted at 011 353 61 368144 or 1-800-346-7007;website www.dromoland.ie.  Reservations can be made through the hotel (sales@dromoland.ie); through The Dromoland Collection at www.dromolandcollection.ie; or through Preferred Hotels & Resort at 1.800.323.7500 or www.preferredhotels.com.

Can you imagine an experience in a lush and tropical setting, so different                                      and so exotic that you want to return over and over?

If so, then you must see the Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens in Costa Rica.  Set amongst 15 acres of lush tropical landscape deep in the Costa Rican Rainforest, Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens is a luxury retreat overlooking the imposing (and active) Arenal Volcano.

Rife with intimate, amorous allure its 44 freestanding“Casitas” (starting at more than 850 sq ft) feature private outdoor terraces with jacuzzis overlooking the volcano, concealed outdoor stone showers and a large open living area.  Strategically hidden wicker hammock swings and wooden barrel hot tubs set within the lush property add further impetus to romance.  At this oasis of tranquility, guests experience a profoundly organic immersion in nature without sacrificing the utmost in personalized service and luxury living.

This is abundantly evident at the new SPA where guests can be pampered with indigenous treatments, such as the Volcanic Hot Mud Massage in an open-air treatment room suspended within the rainforest, careful not to intrude on the natural surroundings.

The indulging continues at Nayara’s new Nostalgia Wine Bar where    guests can sip and sample the best of Latin American and European vintages using a unique, state-of-the-art Italian wine dispensing system.

Culinary excellence continues at the Altamira Restaurant, where guests’ palates are seduced daily with Costa Rican and international cuisine including a large selection of locally caught seafood.

Although most would be content never leaving the property, options abound for those into active pursuits. Ziplining through the cloud forest, hiking around the volcano, rafting down a nearby river or soaking in natural hot springs just to name a few off-site pastimes can be effortlessly arranged by the staff. Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens is a true sanctuary providing a quintessential Costa Rican experience.

Recently voted the “Most Romantic Hotel in Central & South America,” as well as one of the “Top Five Most Romantic Hotels in the World” in the 2011 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards, makes this destination a MUST see and experience of 2011.



Check out a blog from our guest blogger!

Belize Romance Travel Adviser….Want Romance in Belize? Romantic Things To Do in Belize

Finding romantic things to do is an important way to maintain and nurture the bond between you and your beloved.  Getting him or her to do them with you can be a chore, but here are some ideas of things you can do that will help bring the sweet sizzle of amor to your vacation

Romantic Thing To Do #1) Dinner at the Reef – The sun is setting, the boat is slowing, gently rocking on the Caribbean Sea.  You and your love are able to look over the side of the boat, see the amazing coral and marine life just inches away.   The table on the small boat is set for Dinner for Two.  Your captain is also your server, and will make sure that all your desires (well, almost all ) are tended to.  Tranquility Bay Resort offers this one in a million dinner opportunity.   Email me for details and pricing

Romantic Thing To Do #2) Sunset at the Palapa Bar and Grill – Their food is incredible, and set more than two stories high, this iconic location in San Pedro has been a “must do” for years for those traveling north.  Their view has been exclusively of the amazing barrier reef,  However, in recent months, something has changed!  They added an expanded deck onto the back of their place, and this allows you to watch the remarkable sunset over the island.

Romantic Thing To Do #3) Secret Falls Water Falls – Hidden Valley Inn, one of the most romantic resorts ever, is situated on 7200 acres of Pine Forrest and Tropical greens.  They have over a dozen waterfalls on the property, and you can rent one of them out, The Secret Falls, for your own personal jungle romp They will serve you lunch there at the falls, bring all the wine and delicacies you can handle, and leave you to relax, connect, and indulge in the splendor of this beautiful place.

Romantic Thing To Do #4) Sunset Cruise – we like our sunsets here in Belize, and SeaDuced offers one of the best Sunset Catamaran Cruises you’ll ever see.  Complete with rum punch, snacks and great music, you’ll find yourself falling in love with each other…and Belize

Romantic Thing To Do #5) Take a walk – our calm tranquil waters lap gently at our beaches.  The barrier reef, the Second Largest in the World, breaks the waves so your spirit is soothed, and your heart can open.  Hold hands, it does the body good!

Romantic Thing To Do #6) Couples Massage – Enjoy a top-notch massage from one of the best spa’s in Belize, Black Orchid.  They can come to your room, your dock, or you can come to their relaxing, fully appointed spa by boat.  They’ll pick you up at your resort.

Romantic Thing To Do #7) Wine Tasting at Rendevous Restaurant – They make their own wine, and are also one of the only distributors of Conch Pearls in the world.  Come sample the wine, taste their amazing treats and food, and see some amazing conch pearls.

Romantic Thing To Do #8) Belizean Night at Captain Morgans Retreat – Every Tuesday night, Captain Morgans hosts a Belizean Night with food, crafts, music and libations!  Dance to the sulty Belizean beats together as you learn to move like a local

Check out:  http://romantictravelbelize.com

When Jenny Johnson and John Ericson got married, they didn’t bother registering with the traditional registries. “We’d lived together for several years and had already had the household items we needed,” explains Jenny.

Instead, Jenny and John used a honeymoon registry for their bridal registry and became part of a growing trend of couples seeking non-traditional wedding gifts. Nearly 80 percent of the guests at the Johnson-Ericson wedding gave gifts from the couple’s honeymoon itinerary by selecting gifts from their honeymoon registry.

“Parts of our honeymoon included Spanish Language courses in Cusco and hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu in Peru,” says Jenny. “It was so much more fun creating a gift registry that included these experiential gifts we would always remember. Our honeymoon was filled with fantastic adventures we will never forget, and allowed us to tie these special gifts to our loved ones back home.”

Jenny and John’s guests enjoyed viewing their honeymoon registry/adventure and shopping online, choosing from activities such as mountain biking around Cusco or flying over the giant geoglyphs known as the Nazca Lines. Guests were “rewarded” with thank you notes that included photos of Jenny and John enjoying the various activities that their guests had purchased as their wedding gifts. By using a honeymoon registry as their bridal registry choice, Jenny says their honeymoon “became a trip of a lifetime.”

With Honeymoons.com Honeymoon Registry, couples can create a FREE honeymoon registry account. In addition to the honeymoon registry, you will also be able to access popular wedding planning features such as a customizable wedding website, a wedding blog, and an online photo album.

“Honeymoons.com is all about helping a bridal couple create and enjoy their perfect honeymoon experience on-line. Offering a honeymoon registry along with the wedding websites are great “value-added” tools for any bride during this very exciting time in her life.” says Tom Curtin, Executive Vice President of Honeymoons.com.

Couples using Honeymoons.com Honeymoon Registry can create a honeymoon registry for traditional as well as exotic itineraries. For example, in addition to the popular destinations of Europe, Hawaii, the Caribbean and Tahiti, Honeymoons.com offers honeymoon registries for safaris in Africa, trekking in Thailand, and a variety of cruises as well. Wedding couples can book their own travel or through their travel agent and then use the Honeymoons.com Registry to create a honeymoon registry that reflects not only their chosen honeymoon destination, but also their interests and desired honeymoon activities.

According to Curtin, “Over 80% of today’s couples use the internet to plan their wedding and honeymoon. A honeymoon registry just makes sense for today’s couples who no longer need (or want) the traditional wedding gifts and prefer a convenient, online honeymoon registry option.” Curtin adds, “And for those couples worried about etiquette, the Emily Post Institute of Etiquette says that “honeymoon registries are a perfectly acceptable bridal registry option.”

If you’re a bridal couple looking to create a fabulous bridal registry, ask yourself, do I need another towel, toaster or blender? If your answer is “NO”, then click here to create your Honeymoons.com Honeymoon Registry!

The Wentworth.

Wentworth By the Sea is one of the last “grand hotels” of New Hampshire is a Victorian wedding cake of architectural character and is the only grand hotel on New Hampshire’s small (18 miles) but charming seacoast. Overlooking the Atlantic, the hotel was just named to the Travel + Leisure readers’ choice list of Top 25 Destination Wedding Hotels in America for its luxurious accommodations, beautiful public spaces and garden, waterfront suites and seasonal bistro restaurant and full service spa.

Perfect for a summer getaway.

For honeymoons, Wentworth extends past the resort itself to encompass all of Portsmouth, NH – a place that buzzes with great restaurants, distinctive sales-tax-free boutique shopping and tons of history.

Peace Treaty

Just named a Federally-designated “Preserve America Community,” Portsmouth is one of 120 National Trust for Historic Preservation “Distinctive Destinations” (thanks in part to Wentworth’s restoration) and boasts 7 National Historic Landmarks (including a Navy submarine) and The Music Hall – an “American Treasure” that hosts live performances by names such as J Geils, Herbie Hancock, Joan Baez, Joan Armatrading, readings by Joyce Carol Oates and Simon Winchester, and HD Live @ The Met and National Theatre of London broadcasts.

The Marina

As a “college town” for the nearby University of New Hampshire at Durham, Portsmouth boasts live music nightly (as does Wentworth) and a convivial sidewalk caf and ‘deck’ (overlooking the harbor) scene. And, oh yes: watersports, sailing, whale watches, deep sea fishing (even surfing) and beaches – private, sandy, secluded nooks past fields of wildflowers and the Hampton Beach boardwalk and casino-act alternative.

The Wentworth was originally built in 1874 and Wentworth was saved by the community years later. The hotel was an empty shell in 1996 when placed on the National Trust’s “most endangered sites” list.

The Music Hall

The current owner/operator Ocean Properties invested $30 million in a total restoration, reopening in 2003, Wentworth By the Sea is a member of the National Trust Historic Hotels of America program because the resort is steeped in history. Her 21st century hospitality echoes the generous welcome the hotel provided on behalf of President Theodore Roosevelt by hosting (at no charge) the Russian and Japanese diplomatic entourages negotiating the Treaty of Portsmouth in 1905 at the nearby Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. President Theodore Roosevelt would win the Nobel Peace Prize for ending the Russo-Japanese War by inviting both sides to negotiate in Portsmouth (though he never came).

Wentworth At Night

The Wentworth has been featured on the Conde Nast Traveler Gold List of the world’s best places to stay — 1 of just 2 NH hotels on the list, Wentworth was named to the inaugural National Geographic Traveler list of historic hotels that exude a “sense of place.”

The Wentworth Dining Room

Wentworth By the Sea is a grand hotel that handles details flawlessly. While couples enjoy the ocean views, the hospitality crew in the full-service Spa at Wentworth and the Wentworth Dining Room (where an equally-stellar culinary team showcases locally grown, raised and fished ingredients) takes care of the comforts. Whatever the season: the holidays sparkle with classic New England Christmas lights and details. Winter is a wonderland with a 6-week Wine Festival.

A Wentworth Suite

Summer is high season on Great Island (where New Castle is located, just 3 miles from downtown Portsmouth) surrounded by water views!

This magical retreat is perfect for your honeymoon or your next Romantic Weekend!

Be sure to visit Wentworth by the sea on line at http://www.wentworth.com.

Feel free to email marie@marieomara.com with any questions about this or any other property on honeymoons.com!

Help Marie Pick where she should go on her honeymoon!  Here is an option!

Your Suite Ready For Romance

Well, there’s no place like Paradise for the ultimate honeymoon…that is, the Windows to Paradise: Las Ventanas al Paraiso, A Rosewood Resort, Los Cabos, Mexico.  From the Director of Romance who plans every memorable moment to the butler who serves your afternoon margaritas on your private terrace, the resort’s service and attention to detail are unparalleled.

Romantic Dinner on The Beach!

In fact, Las Ventanas was designed to mimic the curves of a sensual woman …. take a look at the serpentine pools, the curving white adobe walls, the flickering gaslights at night. You’ll look your beautiful best by candlelight, enjoying dinner for two under the stars. How about Cinema al Paraiso – a movie just or the two of you right on the sand, snuggled under a serape sipping champagne while watching your favorite film.

Does anything get any more romantic then this!

By day, you can cruise along the coast in a convertible mini Cooper, cruise the Sea of Cortez in a luxury yacht, snorkeling in the warm waters of one of the most abundant oceans anywhere. In short…there’s no place like Paradise!

www.lasventanas.com

UPS offers ‘luggage boxes’ as alternative to checking bags!

Since the latest news that our nation’s airlines have collected 33% more revenue in THIS year ALONE from checked luggage fees, UPS has stepped up to the plate and now offers an alternative to the hassle and we stress hassle, along with the additional expense of lugging a suitcase through an airport.

The nations largest package delivery service announced last week that it was selling specially designed boxes that resemble suitcases. Passengers can ship the “luggage boxes” to their final destination to avoid the airlines’ check-in lines and luggage fees.

These new, and incredible, UPS shipping boxes include carrying handles and come in two sizes.

UPS officials have said that the creation of these new boxes was simply to make life easier for frustrated travelers.

“It’s meant to be a convenience,” said UPS spokeswoman Susan Rosenberg.

She agreed that airlines can usually deliver luggage faster than UPS but said luggage shipped by UPS can cost $30 to $80 less per package, depending on the route and the weight of the box. Rosenberg noted another advantage to the UPS luggage box: A tracking number lets passengers know its exact location.

So what is our take on this? How can you beat this method when shipping something important like a wedding dress or even, your honeymoon clothing! Why worry about carrying it when all you would need to do is….SHIP!

Your Suite Ready For Romance

Las Ventanas’ ‘Mini-Moon’ Is the Perfect Match for Couples Who are Short on Time (or Funds), but Want A Five Diamond Romantic Getaway or Honeymoon!

Don’t have the time or the funds for a full-on two-week honeymoon at a top resort? Head to LOS CABOS, Baja California, Mexico, when you want to escape for just a few days to someplace extraordinary honeymoon or RELAX?

Relax with a massage!

Then Las Ventanas al Paraíso, A Rosewood Resort has the perfect match for you – a ‘Mini-Moon’ to the only Five Diamond resort in the destination of Los Cabos.

Las Ventanas has been widely heralded, particularly with awards and kudos from magazines and travel organizations, as one of the world’s most romantic resorts. It originated the concept of a Department of Romance – which will work closely with you and your one-and-only to plan and create personalized romantic experiences that fulfill your desires and fantasies.

There is an irresistible magic at Las Ventanas – embodied in the intimate ambiance and personalized service – that is a sensual magnet for lovers. A third of the resort’s business is weddings, honeymoons and anniversaries; a civil marriage ceremony can be arranged on property, whether you plan well in advance or elope.

The Resorts Pool

Las Ventanas’ Mini-Moon, called the Runaway to Paradise Package, includes: A suite for three nights, full breakfast for two daily, a welcome margarita for two at the Tequila, Ceviche & Sushi Bar, a Herbal Healer Massage for two (60 minutes), unlimited use of spa and gym facilities, roundtrip airport transfers, and LVP Air Meal for two for the trip home. Rates start at $2,458.

Las Ventanas has been among the world’s most acclaimed resorts since it opened in 1997. It brought, for the first time, the highest international standards of luxury and service to Los Cabos and played a lead role in elevating it to Mexico’s most upscale destination. Las Ventanas features 71 exceptionally spacious suites with exquisite furnishings, unique appointments hand-crafted by Mexican artisans, magnificent views and individual telescopes for stargazing;  three different dining choices, including The Restaurant, the Sea Grill and the Tequila, Ceviche & Sushi Bar;  and the most extensive  array of ultra-luxury amenities of any resort, from Pool Butlers to private movies on the beach to aromatherapy turndown.

Sunset Dinner On The Beach

Visit the Site here at www.lasventanas.com

Las Ventanas is part of Ty Warner Hotels & Resorts, LLC, founded by entrepreneur Ty Warner for the purpose of acquiring one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable luxury hotels and resorts throughout the world.

A few weeks back I boarded a flight to the Dominican Republic on US Airways flying first class from NY to Charlotte and then direct to the Dominican Republic. I have had numerous things shock me as well as surprise me in my travels over the years, but this first class experience left me in awe and even angry. I was angry for the people with me in First Class who paid the extra money or miles to experience the luxury normally associated with First Class and even angrier for the newlyweds setting out on their much awaited and planned honeymoon.

For us, this bad experience didn’t sour our vacation, we just made a mental note to avoid this airline in the future and made light of the situation with the people around us.  However, I couldn’t help being upset for the couple in front of us who were on their honeymoon, her proudly wearing an adorable “The Bride” T-shirt and her groom, although mortified, wearing his “The groom” T-shirt were heading out on their once in a lifetime honeymoon vacation.

For them, having never flown first class before were let down to say the least, especially after having saved up for this honeymoon adventure and splurging to experience the FULL red carpet experience that “First Class” was said to bring. Shortly after take off with bad service and the chatter of the angry people around them, they began to realize they had wasted their money.

The slight difference, and I stress the word “slight”, of First Class and Coach on this US Airways flight was that first class offered 12 larger seats then coach, served an inedible meal (that they ran out of after passenger 7) a few choices of complimentary alcoholic beverages, (which ironically they ran out of twenty minutes into the flight) leaving you with vodka or beer or wine to choose from and some of the WORST service I have seen. One thing that comes to mind is when I went to use the ladies room, I had to interrupt the flight attendant from reading her newspaper to let her know that 4 people needed a beverage and after sucking her teeth she reluctantly got up to help them. I was waiting for the pilot to come out and ask someone else to fly the plane!

Had the couple just flown coach they could have purchased the following: 4 Vodkas, or any alcoholic beverages that were served in First Class, 2 Salads, the same that were served in first class, and exaggerating that the items were each priced at $10.00 (I am sure they were less) it would have cost them a grand total of: $80.00 verse buying two “First Class” tickets.

That being said, when I think of my experiences in first class I envision the over friendly and wonderful service, the private closet to hang your coat, the welcome cocktail in a normal glass, a sip of champagne or mimosa, the decent if not great food and that special feeling that first class just gives you. It is the best way to fly and the BEST way to start off your honeymoon when you do your homework and know the airlines and the plane.

Things you should look for BEFORE splurging the extra money you could EASILY use somewhere else in your trip! (i.e. couples massages, excursions, tours, or even a fancy dinner.)

Things you should consider before booking first class!

• How long is your flight?

• (If your flight is only 2 hours, you may want to consider saving the cost of this first class ticket and putting it into something on the trip that you will enjoy more)

• Also on the shorter flights you will notice some airlines offer very little service in the First Class / Business Class area.
• How old is the plane you are flying?

What airline you are flying!

(This makes a huge difference. You need to do your homework here, check the airlines first class reviews.)

• Find out what kind of lounge the airline offers and be sure to make sure you are able to get into the lounge pre and post flight.

• Does the lounge offer complimentary alcohol or food

• Use of private bathrooms

What kind of plane you are flying!

This is so important! If you are flying an older plane, the first class “services” may be little, if not any different then regular seats! The older planes may have a bigger seat, but first class Experience is not always equal on every airline and every style plane! In some cases I’ve experienced

• Plastic glasses

• No meal or only a boxed cold lunch

• Very little bar service

• No champagne

• Single rows of seats so you will not be together!

Doing your homework on this will not only save you money, but also let you know what to expect when you got there so you are not disappointed.

As someone who spends her days discovering and reviewing places to vacation and honeymoon, it does make it incredibly hard to choose where I spend my time away for my personal vacations. This past November we decided to travel with our families to Mexico to enjoy a cruise down the Pacific coast. Since we were heading out with our parents, we wanted a vacation that would be accommodate all of our ages and keep us together to still feel like a family vacation. We didn’t have a lot of time to plan and knowing that we wanted to visit LA, we had an idea of where to look and with the trip around the corner we searched cruises and booked the first one we found that fit the time frame we knew we had.

The Princess Sapphire

That being said we booked the Sapphire Princess Mexican Riviera 7 day cruise. We booked a variety of suites for our group; we had two Penthouse Suites and two mini suites. It was great to see the difference in rooms and if you have never cruised before then you know you will want to spend the extra money to get a room with a balcony, it makes a huge difference. And if you like space, you will want to book the biggest room your budget allows.

The Portinfino Suite

We flew private out of NJ the morning of the cruise, so we were not concerned about missing the boat or being late, however with airports and security as tight as they are today, you need to leave plenty of time! Remember, the BOAT does not wait for anyone. If your flight is more then 5 hours and the window is very close to the final boarding time, you should consider traveling the night before to ensure you do not miss the boat. ALL cruisers should also know that you can usually board the ship much earlier then the paperwork says, so you will want to be at the ship on time, if not earlier! The best way to check this is to call the ship and ask them what time they are going to be letting passenger’s board. You will also want to ask if your room comes with any special boarding time or VIP service. We landed with a few hours to spare, so we had brunch and arrived at the boat in time for the VIP boarding offered with our suite.

Our Deck Chairs

VERY IMPORTANT. When you book your cruise you must take the insurance. If you wake up the week you are going on a cruise with an upset stomach, cold, flu or anything contagious, you risk being quarantined in your room for your entire trip. You will be asked, the second you arrive at the dock, to fill out a health questionnaire. You need to be honest here, but be reasonable, if you have a headache and travel has you feeling nauseated and exhausted do not put that down! You only have to put down if you have a virus, flu, or anything that can be contagious and if you do, you should consider postponing your cruise. A week in your room with no outside contact can really ruin a trip.

After boarding the ship, which was flawless and easy, even with the brief security check and a short line, we were on the ship and heading to our room. We were very happy with our room, The Portifino Suite, and were thrilled to find chocolate covered strawberries in our room in addition to a complimentary mini bar set up with both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. Our room was spacious with a sitting area, two TV’s and had an amazing balcony with a table for four in addition to two lounge chairs. Our suite also had a large bathroom with shower and a great Jacuzzi tub. Also, with the Penthouse suites you are welcome to take advantage of the boats DVD library in addition to in suite balcony dining. Taking a suite on a boat like this can be the difference on how you enjoy your cruising experience and for your honeymoon or special occasion, shop around and splurge for the room.

Sunset from our room

My overall experience on the ship was quite disappointing & a bit frustrating. When I think about the best part of the cruise, aside from spending time with our family, it was our suite. To list all the items that were disappointing would become cumbersome and honestly get me aggravated all over again. However, with interest to those planning a cruise, I will list a few things so you can avoid them should you decide to take a cruise, and more importantly a Princess Cruise.

1) You will want to plan your evenings and days in advance. Do not rely on the ships entertainment and schedule. We were shocked to find out that although it was listed in the Princess Patter, it would not mean it was guaranteed to happen. On more then three occasions we went to scheduled events and were told they were canceled and or to just find an empty room.

2) Should you be up past midnight, the food at the buffet was not edible and the only entertainment on the ship is the disco. So if are not willing to sit in at an empty disco listening to loud music, you should plan to play some cards or a game together.

3) They spent more time trying to sell us on additional items i.e. wine tastings, art auctions, photos & food items not included in your package then they did on entertaining the guests with what they paid for.

4) In the past when I was on a cruise ship, I always looked forward to the cruise director and being entertained with the traditional not-so-newly -wed game show and other fun shows, however on this ship not only did we not see the cruise director, his assistant was so obnoxious it was the talk of the boat. Making it near impossible to sit through any of his shows.

I could go on and on with lists of things we felt were wrong, but I think you catch my drift. What was the most discouraging thing about this entire vacation was that after our cruise experience I tried to contact Princess to ask them questions and see what they had to say for this and to check if this was just a rare occurrence or unique to this particular voyage. However, I was told that any problems I had should be put in writing and in 4 to 6 weeks I would, possibly, hear back from someone regarding this! I was completely taken back that they spend so much money and time to get people on the ship but take so little effort to care for any customers after leaving. I didn’t let this stop me, I even put a call into the director in charge of customer service to ask if I could speak to her before I wrote my review to give them the opportunity to explain why things went so differently then I expected. However after two calls and no call back, I assumed that it is not important enough for them to handle individual problems.

My purpose for this blog is to make anyone aware before they travel that you NEED to do your homework before you book and be your own travel advocate.

Ask for:

1) Copies of what entertainment is usually like on board

2) A sample of the itineraries and ship details

3) Take nothing for granted, ask as many questions as possible and more importantly be sure to be aware of what your package includes to make sure you get it! Once you are on the ship you won’t remember what was part of your deal and what was not!

4) Before you book, you should investigate what the cruise lines customer service policy is before you book! If it is 4 ~ 6 weeks till someone addresses your issues, you can assume that they are to inundated with complaints to keep up or they simply do not care.

5) You will want to ask your room steward to explain how things work on the first day.

6) Arrange your post travel arrangements BEFORE the trip and do not rely on the cruise ships Internet. At 5am on the last day of our trip we went to confirm our car service on line and when we had no more Internet we were told the cruise was over and Internet was over. We still had 5 hours to disembark and no way to confirm our arrangements. It was a real frustrating moment.

Not everything about this trip was a bust for example we took some of the excursions the ship offered and we were thrilled with the service and arrangements of each one. In addition to that, we enjoyed the ships food, aside from the midnight buffet, and found that he dining selections were way above average and the wait staff at our table was wonderful. Would I ever go on a cruse again, yes there is no doubt? However, the bad taste left in my mouth from no return call or a care that we were unhappy left me certain to never board a Princess Ship again.

In Puerta Vallarta on a ship excursion as a dolphin trainor for the day!