Some may call it a “Busman’s Holiday,” I call it a Dream Vacation. Working in tourism, I have the opportunity to perform my job on many cruise ships. My friends and family picture me with a pina colada in hand, plugged into my ipod, lounging on a deck chair poolside. Those who travel with me know otherwise. Free time is rare. Most breakfasts and many lunches are taken in my stateroom as I am working out the logistics for the next event or shore excursion, writing poems or awards, or planning next year’s trips.

So, after much convincing, I finally got Barry to run away with me for two weeks on a transatlantic voyage from Barcelona to Miami. Every cruise line needs to get their ships from one part of the world to another for the start of the season in another destination. During late November and early December, the cruise lines move a good number of vessels from Europe to the Caribbean and South America for the warm weather months. The rates are amazing as they fill the ship with passengers who don’t mind the repositioning itineraries, filled with many days at sea. Our schedule included three ports in Spain including the island of Mallorca, Malaga and Tenerife in the Canary Islands. We were to have a day at sea in between each port, and then seven days from the Canary Islands to Miami.

One of our Amazing Journeys mantras is “everything is subject to change” and it certainly did. As we pulled away from Barcelona on our brand new ship, Celebrity Cruises’ Reflection, we were informed that the ship was performing slower than it should, and in order to get to Miami in two weeks time, we needed to cut out a port, Tenerife. So instead of the last seven days at sea, the new itinerary gave us nine straight days at sea!

On the Costa del Sol onboard our home for the next 9 days at sea. Next stop Miami.

We began in Barcelona on Sunday and enjoyed Palma de Mallorca, where we walked the narrow streets, drank sangria and tasted wonderful pastries made by hand at a traditional bakery. We had our first day at sea before arriving in Malaga. When we arrived there, we took a taxi to Puerto Banus and Marbella. I have wanted to see Marbella and after several visits to Spain, never quite got there, although I was close. I really loved Marbella, an Old Town with narrow streets, beautiful Spanish and Moorish architecture, painted tile street signs, wrought iron balconies, fountains and statues and more. I love walking around these streets – it is the real Europe. Beyond the Old Town, we walked along the boardwalk along the sea. The sun was shining and the day was a perfect 70ish degrees. We ate at a local bogeta (bar?) with olives, manchego cheese and bread, before heading back to Malaga and to our ship. You didn’t want to be late and miss this one – next stop – Miami, 3,927 miles away! Once onboard, the crew battened down the hatches for a long ride home – 9 straight sea days. Everyone seemed to head to the back of the ship as we pulled away to see the last bits of land before it became a distant “dot” left behind. We were all settling in to the idea that we would not see land again for 9 days.

Those onboard seem to all be seasoned cruisers and were looking forward to doing nothing more than drinking coffee, enjoying a good book, having some nice conversations, dancing a little, drinking a lot, exercising, eating and relaxing–whatever it is that makes a vacation a vacation. Many here have taken several transatlantic crossings and come back because a) it’s a great deal and b) they enjoy days at sea.

The Activities Staff is equipped with lots of programs and activities, great entertainment, lectures, art classes and more.

Barry signed up for the Egg Drop contest. He will be dropping eggs from Deck 7 to a target on Deck 3 in the Center Lobby and hoping they won’t break. To do this, he has to find “recycled” materials from around the ship in which to protect his eggs from breaking during the drop and landing.

Christening Celebrity Reflection before we head across the Atlantic on her way to Miami

For the first three days, it appeared we were never too far from land. Since leaving the Straits of Gibraltar a few days ago (I have totally lost track of time – all I know is that when it becomes December, I have to get off), we have sailed off the coast of Morocco, then the Canary Islands, then passing the Azores. Look them up on a map. There are so many islands everywhere! The weather in the North Atlantic was around 68 degrees…much warmer than we expected! It is here in the Atlantic that the Northern Currents meet the Southern currents. This is the very spot where hurricanes originate.

As I write this blog, it is now day five of nine sea days in a row. The Captain tells us today we are at our halfway point and in just two days we will be entering Caribbean waters. Each day the weather continues to get warmer with more sunny days. The pool is getting more and more crowded with passengers. Every two days we add another hour to our day by turning our clocks back before we go to sleep. No need to worry about adjusting to the time when we get home, we are adjusting one hour at a time.

When I travel with groups, I rarely get to see the onboard entertainment, including the acappella singers or guitarist, or piano player. Here, not only have I heard their music many times, I already know all of the songs! We are on a first name basis with the performers, the staff and even the Captain! We find the Captain sitting at the Café with passengers, enjoying coffee, laughing and talking. It’s a much more relaxed atmosphere.

The passengers onboard really get it. Don’t feel like dressing up for formal night? No problem, do as you please. No one here needs to be “entertained.” Most knew the program they were signing up for and are happy treating the ship as if they were in their own backyard, on a relaxing afternoon.

It’s not for everyone though. One couple told me they were going to put in an application to work onboard, so they would have something to do.

Most here are past passengers. Of the 2,950 passengers on this full sailing, 2,500 are past passengers. Of those, 1,400 are Elite Members of the Captain’s Club (frequent traveler program). These are those passengers with 10 cruises or more on Celebrity. Generally for these passengers, there is a club that is open from 5pm – 7pm with complimentary drinks and hors ‘d’oeuvres. Because there are so many of us and no onboard lounge is large enough, they give each of us three drink coupons each night to use at whatever bar we choose. Each night from 5 – 7pm every bar is packed with passengers and their free drink coupons.

Is a Transatlantic sailing or other repositioning cruise for you? Let us know! The price is right, that’s for sure. They are all two weeks in length, with a full week at sea and a full week of a “regular cruise itinerary” with port days and sea days. Generally you could get a cruise like this for about $50 pp per day, based on double occupancy (plus tax, gratuities and airfare). Really reasonable, right? But you have to love sea days and be comfortable with lots of down time. Still, with 15 bars, 10 restaurant choices, a fantastic exercise facility and spa, pools and jacuzzi’s, not to mention all of the entertainment, bars and restaurants…there is so much going on to pass the days away.

I have wanted to do this for a really long time and I’m so glad I did it. Still, with 4 straight sea days behind us and 5 more to go, it’s a long time at sea. WILSON!!!!

But honestly, we are loving it. As this is my 99th cruise, having had this experience, I can now finally call myself a true sailor!

As we delve into the pinnacle of Jewish observance with the Day of Atonement soon upon us, for some it is a day of conflict even before it envelopes us with its true meaning. 

Yom Kippur falls on a Wednesday this year. Midweek.  For those who work in Jewish communal work or with Jewish clientele like Amazing Journeys, taking the day off to pray is a non-issue.  For many, however, the necessity of taking a day off can be lost due to the responsibilities of work, the pressures of school, or the non-compliance of a boss or administration recognizing the significance that this day is to our heritage.

Interestingly, the contrast between how society treats Christmas, for example, and how it treats the Jewish High Holy Days is apparent to some. Jewish law requires a halt to work on Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana, which are not legal days off. Religious strictures on working are generally looser for Christians on Christmas. Yet Christmas is a legal holiday.

Under federal law, employers in businesses of more than 15 workers must ”reasonably accommodate” religious needs unless they can demonstrate ”undue hardship.” A religious need includes taking a holiday off. An accommodation can include allowing a holiday swap.

This doesn’t mean that other veins comply with the need.  The sporting world, for example doesn’t pause their schedule.

Hall of Famer baseball players Hank Greenberg and Sandy Koufax, both Jewish, were faced with the dilemmas of playing important games during the high holidays. Greenberg was quoted:  “The team was fighting for first place, and I was probably the only batter in the lineup who was not in a slump. But in the Jewish religion, it is traditional that one observe the holiday solemnly, with prayer. One should not engage in work or play. And I wasn’t sure what to do.” –

In 1934, Hank Greenberg of the Detroit Tigers decided not to play in a game during a tight pennant race because it fell on Yom Kippur. In 1965, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax missed a World Series game in observance of Yom Kippur.

In some industries, it can be a simple matter of tit for tat.  For many Jews, working on Christmas is payback to gentile colleagues who fill in on Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana. Other Jews view working on Christmas as a way to fulfill tenets of the faith. Many Jews speak of working on Christmas as obeying an unwritten rule, or upholding a social contract… or just being a mensch.

The topic is often not discussed but is rather part of the social grease that keeps society working smoothly. The practice tends to keep everyone happy and adds an underscore the words ”happy holidays.”

On Yom Kippur, may you, your family, Israel and its people be sealed in the Book of Life for a year of life and peace.

Boy, does Amazing Journeys have a lineup for the ages!  If you are starting to think about traveling in the next year, just you wait and see what we are going to be offering!   We are aware that the information that follows will fill your plates with so many exciting possibilities that you’ll be asking your boss for extra vacation time.  This is why we are letting you know NOW what’s in store for the coming year.  Get those vacation request days in before your co-workers and lock in what we proudly proclaim will be one of the best–if not THE BEST–vacations of your life! 

You may have traveled with us in 2012 or maybe in 2011…..or maybe not for a few years. Or, dare we say….not yet at all?  In any case, you’ll need to hold on tight as we tempt, tantalize and treat you to a lineup of Jewish singles trips for 2013 that you will want to start planning for now.  We are in the throes of putting the final touches on many journeys that are amazing throughout next year, but its not too early to start planning for them. 

Firstly, check out our website (www.amazingjourneys.net) for details on Jewish singles trips that are currently available and sizzling hot:

-Northern California (August 26-Sept 3, 2012); Just ONE spot left!

-New Mexico and the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta (October 12-17, 2012); Only 7 spaces left!

-New Year’s Southeast Asia Cruise (December 23 – January 6, 2013); Over 70 people booked!

-Brazil including Rio, The Amazon and Iguazu Falls (February 21-March 2, 2013)

Now that’s what we’re selling today.  In the days and weeks ahead, stay tuned for this AMAZING array of 2013 AMAZING JOURNEYS….and start making plans to join us!

Israel: May 2 – 13

Italy/Croatia Cruise: July 19 – 31

Alaska: August 16 – 23

Heli-hiking in the Canadian Rockies: Summer

Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Tetons: Summer

Baseball Lover’s Dream Weekend: Summer

African Safari to South Africa and Botswana:  Fall

Australia and New Zealand:  Fall

Granted that some of these trips are well over a year away, but there are benefits to starting the planning process now.  Send us a note that you are interested in any of our destinations and we’ll place your name and email address on an “interest list”.  Interest Lists receive advanced and priority notice of all trips when they become available, and allow those individuals to capture what is sometimes very limited space or, as in the case of our cruises,  the very best stateroom location.

Amazing Journeys; going strong for over 22 years and heading towards even more amazing destinations.  We hope you’ll join us!

Amazing Journeys and 65 amazing travelers have started our vacation, exploring the countries surrounding the Black Sea.  Starting out in Istanbul, Turkey we sailed on the Azamara Quest to Varna, Bulgaria on Monday and are exploring Constanta, Romania today.  We have had beautiful warm weather so far and are looking forward to a few days in different cities of Ukraine coming up next.  Here’s a few pictures of our amazing journey so far!

In the spring in the city of Seville in southern Spain, a week-long celebration takes place that draws over one million people a year – the event is called “La Feria de Sevilla”. Over the years, Feria has become an internationally known celebration of flamenco, bullfighting and fun. Flamenco is an integral part of the tradition because Seville is considered to be the cultural epicenter of flamenco culture and music. 

During Feria, a temporary “tent city” is born and the make-shift “tents” (or as they are known in Spanish, “casetas”) divide the land into different dance halls and private areas that are filled each evening with dancing and life lasting from 9 in the evening until 6 or 7 in the morning.  Every tent is set up differently with a unique atmosphere and different customs. Visitors roam around the fairgrounds until they find an open tent with a good vibe to have a drink, watch performances and experience the atmosphere.

The women are known to dress in their most spectacular gowns, usually brightly colored flamenco dresses inspired by Gypsy fashion. The most common beverage drunk in during the Seville Fair is Spanish sherry wine, very famous in southern Spain. Often, to battle the heat of April in Seville, the sherry wine is mixed with 7-up or sprite to produce a drink known as “rebujito”.

In addition the the long nights of stomping, clapping and celebrating in the casetas, Feria also offers a wide range of other events during the day. Andalusian horse parades with decorated carriages are daily processions as they make their way through the city and fairground.  The equestrian events are usually accompanied by singing groups who serenade crowds with traditional Sevillian ballads and guitar music. Many of the parade participants are members of Seville’s upper class aristocracy and normally dawn exquisite traditional Andalusian outfits with wide-brimmed “bolero” hats and short-cropped jackets. Of course, not to be missed during Feria are the afternoon bullfights. The bullring in Seville is known as one of the most beautiful in Spain and is commonly known by the locals as “the cathedral”.

Our Amazing Journeys travelers had the opportunity to experience the thrill of Feria. They sipped on sherry, explored the casetas and danced until the wee hours of the morning soaking in every bit of the tradition as possible!

After a long and committed relationship with couples and families, the travel industry is hitting the singles scene full force. There is a growing number of companies exclusively catering to unattached travelers organizing journeys that mix high-end vacationing with coed bonding. Many of these outfits are going beyond the old lonely hearts Carnival booze cruise, rolling out extended excursions to both nearby US National Parks and far-flung locales like Asia, Australia, South America and even Spitsbergen, Norway. 

According to the latest census, nearly half of all adult Americans are unmarried. With young people waiting till later in life to settle down and with more boomers retiring and getting their second wind, the travel industry has a lot of potential single clients. Research has found that 26 percent of leisure travelers took at least one trip by themselves last year. So while many others in the business are just starting to recover from the recession, solo-specific tour operators are reporting two or three times as many 2011 bookings as the industry overall.

Of course, going solo isn’t without its quirks. To begin with, singles-only companies sometimes avoid the single supplement by matching travelers with roommates, a delicate procedure. Then there’s the age factor: Since these trips draw nearly all ages, age-specific trips can lend itself to some people who miss the spectrum to feel left out….yet if a trip is open to too wide an age range it can tend to be too diverse for an interest group.

And women hoping to be surrounded by travel-loving men may be disappointed to discover that the clientele skews so heavily female that a few companies even reserve “emergency” spots for men. 

If you’re already humming the theme to The Love Boat, you’re not far off; while Julie and Gopher may not have been aboard, most early singles tours were cruises. Singles cruises today are no longer limited to just romantic Caribbean getaways.  Quite the contrary as experienced cruisers “outgrow” the fun in the sun idea in lieu of more destination-oriented endeavors.  Indeed, ocean-faring trips are still popular and becoming even more broad with cruising opportunties that not only include Europe, Alaska and Southeast Asia, but unique cruising experiences to far away places like Antarctica, Galapagos Islands and The Amazon.

Still, the singles-travel market now looks much like the general travel industry, with its constant stream of new and more unusual trips designed to appeal to experienced travelers. But no matter how much these companies tout their travel bona fides and stress that they’re not dating services, they say vacationers only care about one thing: more than where they are going, a recent survey showed that they want to know who else is going.

Despite even exotic destinations, it’s really the social side of the trips that has prompts many to sign up again and again.The preponderance of repeat bookers, though, can be intimidating to travelers who show up without knowing a soul. Travelers also report that the trips sometimes develop their own cliques, and even the companies admit that there are often one or two people who need a lot of help being eased into the group. Amazing Journeys, for example works diligently to “cater to the solo traveler”- expressing to first time travelers that everyone traveled with us for the first time once.  By nourishing the lasting value of repeat business while cultivating and catering to first time travelers, Amazing Journeys has had exceptional results in blending the two sources into each and every successful trip.

Hey dude…man up!  Its always fun to take a VAcation with that special lady…or that special group (Amazing Journeys!) but every once in a while you need MANcation with your buds for a no-ladies-allowed adventure. You’ve outgrown the Spring Break mentality but you’re looking for something fun, accessible and yes….manly.

Uphold your end of the man code by planning a fishing trip in San Diego, a trip to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, ski weekend to Lake Tahoe, a Vegas Weekend or a visit to legendary Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Here are a few other ideas with links on how to learn more:

Lingerie Bowl – The Lingerie Bowl is the ultimate fantasy football game, an annual Super Bowl alternative special. It’s full-contact football and the female athletes wear, you guessed it, just lingerie.  Really!

Amazing Journeys’ glorious vacation  to China has come and gone, oh too quickly. Thirty folks from 4 countries all convened in New York for a 13+ hour journey across the globe for a tour that was chock full of unbelievable experiences.  For ten fascinating days, we toured some of the most famed highlights in the world, tasted not-your-neighborhood-takeout Chinese food, shopped for pearls and silk, witnessed arguably the greatest archeological  find in history and hiked a wall that was really Great.  The tour began in Beijing and traveled through Xian and into Shanghai….and while it was a little chilly in the beginning, the warmth of such a great group enjoying so many wonderful experiences together meant that new friendships and amazing memories would not soon be forgotten.

From posing like a Terra Cotta Warrior to shopping from the “Hallo” people for “one dollah, one dollah”…. to hiking The Great Wall and biking through a Hutong neighborhood…..from making silk to making friends, …from anxious toilet experiences to exciting cultural performances… and from navigating traffic like nowhere on earth, to feeling a vibe like nowhere on earth, it really was, by definition, an amazing journey.

We sincerely thank all 30 of our guests; our newest AJ friends, for entrusting us with their travel plans and  for being part of such a memorable destination.

As they say in China..”XieXie”

Didn’t get a chance to visit Asia on this trip but wished you had?  Join us on our Asia Cruise for New Year’s Eve!  We set sail to the exciting ports of Hong Kong, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore. Sign up by this Friday, March 30 and you’ll get a $100 ship board credit!

Our Amazing Journeys China tour is off and running. Beijing is the first stop for four nights and here are a few moments of all the memories-in-motion!