So, yesterday I went to a local luggage store to get repaired my relatively new but vigoursly used piece of luggage that was brutally bruised by American Airlines on my way home from Barcelona (and the Amazing Journeys Mediterranean Cruise that just concluded). Funny how the airlines have a Claims Office near baggage claim in every airport but for some reason to take no responsibility for virtually all kinds of damage that’s inflicted due directly to their handlers’ mis-care. Broken wheel? Not covered! Tear in the material? Not covered! Zipper torn wide open exposing all your personal belongings? Too bad–not covered!! Someone please explain..what responsibility doesthe airline have when it comes to the damage their mishandling causes?

 It doesn’t happen often, but once in a while I’ll get a call from someone who says “I don’t like cruising” or “Cruising’s not for me”. My immediate response it to ask “How many cruises have you been on?” Usually the answer is either ‘never’ or ‘one, about 15 years ago’. And when I further ask why cruising might not be up one’s alley (or ocean), one of the most common reasons is seasickness.
Now I respect one’s individuality when it comes to travel and I totally understand that not all kinds of travel are good for all kinds of people. But if you haven’t tried a cruise in the last 7 or 8 years, you’ve really missed an evolution in the industry. There are many reasons to take a cruise, but the little ditty here in today’s World According To blog is more about ruling out “seasickness” as a reason not to. The following bits of info should clear up a few falacies:

-Every year the words “state-of-the-art” take on a whole new meaning. The newer and newest ships are equipped with better and better Global Positioning Systems (GPS), advanced equipment and even “wings” (think airplane) underneath the ship to stabilize motion.

-The sensation of sea legs is a real phenomenon. During or even after your first cruise, you may feel like you body is on a moving sidewalk for a short while, but it subsides after a short while and goes away completely after you take on another cruise vacation. These feelings are mostly effected by your lower extremeties and shouldn’t have any effect on feeling nasty in the noggin.

-A ship is not a “boat”. Today’s passenger ships are designed with all the comforts of luxury hotels; from the structure of the vessel itself to personal amenties as common as the little shampoo bottles in the bathroom and concierge service, to some unique amenities such as your own personal stateroom attendant who oversees the tidiness of your room ’round the clock and even makes cute little towel animals to greet you at night. If need be, he can even provide you with some warm milk and hot water bottle if the ocean is too much on your motion. While your amenities are designed to keep you cozy, most of the time…you won’t even know the ship is moving.

-Pills Pressure Points & Patches: All three offer outstanding remedies for the sensitive type. On the rare occasion that the ship is rocking before its docking, dropping a bonine pill down the hatch provides a safe and effective cure of the “whoa’s”. The patch behind the ear is the most popular preventative measure to take; it provides a timed-release dosage of small amounts of medication to help you cope. Put this on before the cruise and you’ll never feel queasy again. You may get a raspy voice or a little bit of blurred vision (side effects), but your cruise will sail on happily with you on the bow screaming “I’m king of the world!!”. Finally, you could opt for the wrist band pressure point remedy. These bands provide no medication but supposedly they massage pressure points that help eliminate supress the sway.

-Another consideration if you’re still worried about motion on the ocean is to take an “inland” cruise like Alaska or the Mediterranean . These types of cruises typically sail fairly close to land; the area of ocean where its less likely to have excessive motion.

-And finally..choose your cabin strategically. Simple physics states that the lower and more center of gravity you place an object, the more stable it is. Select your cabin on a lower floor and as center to the ship as possible–even an interior cabin versus an ocean view cabin will have a more positive effect on supressing motion.

Now, get out there and take a cruise. If you don’t have fun, you can have all your pumpkin seeds back.

Over the years as times have changed, so has the needs and wants of the world traveler. There are a few time-tested suggestions, however, to help you save some dough as alternate means to the more familiar all-inclusives, cruises and organized tours.

Want to fly cheap? It might be time to break some bad habits. As the economic slump lingers and both business and leisure travel declines, fares are getting cheaper as airlines try to fill seats. What tricks of the trade can you use to get the very best prices?

“Short but Sweet” – These three words truly sum up the perfect weekend from which our group aboard our Amazing Journeys Reunion Cruise has just returned. From 44 fun-loving/fun-having passengers to the absolutely perfect weather, to the Clear Kayaking excursion, a delicious BBQ on the beach, our special”Reunion Union” event, the late night Phil Wang concert, Questing with our own “Tasty Treat” (Mark Milgrom), great meals, free drinks, pool time, and the scores of new (and old!) friendships…..what a weekend chock-full of memories! Majesty of the Seas, although Royal Caribbean’s oldest ship, was a spectacular setting amidst her newly refurbished interior and glorious decor. Majesty looked like a new ship, fresh from the shipyard…and she provided us with a perfect home for the perfect weekend.

To those of you who joined us, thanks and thanks again. To those who didn’t join us, its never too late to make some plans. With almost a trip a month, you too can get away for some “R & R”, great destinations and boatloads of fun.

To celebrate abundance–as in the glory of spring, the joys of the Bahamas, and the oodles of friendships and romance that have blessed Amazing Journeys for 17 years–we are headed to Miami in just a few days to embark on a reunion weekend cruise to Nassau and Coco Cay. Forty four excited travelers from 16 US states and Canada will embark upon Majesty of the Seas on Friday for what is going to be a truly amazing weekend filled with fun, warmth, adventure and did I say…fun? We have a weekend chock full of great activities for our group including kayaking, snorkeling, “banana boating”, parties on board and some very special events honoring our past and first time passengers.
If you didn’t make this one, its never too late to plan a future Amazing Journey. We’re headed to Peru, Japan, Alaska, the National Parks and Spain..all in the coming months. Don’t miss out–call us today and be part of an Amazing Journey that will be a vacation that could change your life!

 Won’t I Get Fat?
Okay, we know the rumor that the average person gains about five pounds on a one-week cruise. But for those watching calories, be assured there will be low-fat (and often low-carb) options on the menus and many healthy choices at the buffets; the newest trend is trans-fat free food. Meantime, you can burn calories by working out in the ship’s gym, walking fast or jogging around the various decks (we like ditching the elevators in favor of the stairs), and mountain biking, hiking and kayaking at the ports.

The Peru Export and Tourism Promotion Board has released their 2008 global tourism figures confirming North America as Peru’s fastest growing tourism market. Visitor arrivals from North America have increased an impressive 34% since 2004, with a 15.3% increase from the United States and 22.7% increase from Canada in 2008 alone. A favorable exchange rate, affordable value packages and increased accessibility with direct service from eight major US and Canadian gateway cities, coupled with a growing tourism infrastructure and experiential community programs have made Peru a top destination for North American travelers.