Travel Planning

Category: Blog

  • Mediterranean Travel: Cruise vs.Tour Throwdown Part 1

    Mediterranean Travel: Cruise vs.Tour Throwdown Part 1

    First time visitor to the Mediterranean?  Past Cruiser?  Well, then cruising wins…maybe!  Read on to understand why.

    Sagrada Família church, Gaudi's masterpiece
    Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia Image via Wikipedia

    If you’ve always wanted to visit the Mediterranean Sea (actually means “Inner Sea”), experience the comfort
    and familiar surroundings and conveniences of a cruise ship:

    • familiar accommodations and creature comforts
    • familiar cuisine
    • same staff each day
    • no language barriers
    • convenience of unpacking only once

    A great first time itinerary is a round trip from Barcelona for a “Western” Mediterranean itinerary (focus on Spain and Italy).  Port calls can include:  Villefranche for Nice or Monte Carlo, Monaco,  Civitavecchia for Italy, Livorno for Pisa and Florence, and perhaps Naples.  Some considerations for a cruise:

    • your time ashore to explore these great destinations is limited (OK for your first time in the Med.)
    • you may not get a chance to experience life in the evenings like the locals (also OK for your first visit)
    • pace and duration of the excursions may be long as Rome and Florence are far from ports
    • limited exposure to culture and local dining

    Note: there are many round trip itineraries from different lines, and many voyages begin and end in different cities to provide the opportunity to visit even more ports.  Also note that some lines include either evening or overnight port stays to take in the cities like the locals do as the sun sets.

    Plan to maximize your time ashore.  There are some longer port calls!  Civitavecchia, port call for Rome is normally 12 hours.  What will you do in those twelve hours?  The city is about 1’15” from port.  If you take the tours offered by the cruise line, you may be crowded on a long caravan of buses.   You will “see” many sights for sure…breeze by photo ops.  Will you have time to leisurely tour the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and Colosseum?

    English: Trevi Fountain Panoramic
    Trevi Fountain Image via Wikipedia

    More considerations for your shore excursions:

    • Is there a better way to spend your twelve hours in port (maybe 8 hours for touring)?
    • There are other tour operators that offer a more in-depth tour with far fewer people featuring less time waiting.
    • May even be less costly to to get the most out of your limited time

    Another question, why are you in Europe?  Consider staying a night or two either before or after to experience a wonderful city that offers so much – Barcelona in this example voyage!

    Some experiences to take in during a pre/post stay in Barcelona include:

     

    Have questions?  We’ve got answers! dave@daydreamex.com

    Next time, we’ll explore Mediterranean touring.

     

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  • Affordable and Convenient Tour of Tuscany

    Map of Italy showing the Tuscany region in red
    Tuscany featured on map of Italy

    Daydream Excursions presents…Discover Tuscany Webinar on April 4 at 7pm EDT.

    Join Us for this 30 minute event!

    Daydream Excursions invites you to join us from the comfort of your own computer to view this live online presentation. All you need is an Internet connection to participate in this presentation. You will be able to see wonderful pictures showing highlights of the tour, learn more about the places we will visit and have the opportunity to ask questions about our tour to Italy

    Discover Tuscany: November 27th – December 6th, 2012

    Rolling landscapes savor wines, delicious food, and stunning architecture…this can only be Tuscany. On this special journey you will enjoy walking tours in Italy’s most charming towns, visit magnificent historic monuments and sample mouth-watering cuisine and wines.

    For more information or to register for this tour please contact Dave Rosenthal at Daydream Excursions by phone at (732) 530-6682 or click here.

    Palazzo Aldobrandeschi a Grosseto, Tuscany (Italy)
    Palazzo Aldobrandeschi (Grosseto) (Image via Wikipedia)

     

     

  • Is Mexico Safe?

    Question: Are people from the US still visiting Mexico and is it safe?

    Mexico remains the most popular international destination for U.S. tourists.

    MEXICO CITY, Feb. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — SECTUR, The Mexican Ministry of Tourism revealed that 2011 was a record breaking year for tourism. 22.67 million international travelers visited Mexico in 2011; this represents an increase of 2 percent on 2010, a 5.7 percent increase on 2009, and a 0.2 percent increase on 2008 – historically Mexico’s best year for international tourism.

    Source: MAGIC OF MEXICO TRAVEL NEWS

    Note well:  This article is based on tourism and travel media, US State Department data, and my own opinions and experience.  While I can’t claim any destination as 100% safe, I will certainly NOT recommended a destination if I was not comfortable planning my own trip there.  Mexico is a large country (rivaling the size of Western Europe), but today we will focus on the tourist region south of Cancun, referred to as Rivera Maya.  I especially enjoy advising, planning, and servicing trips to the Riviera Maya for several reasons:

    1) High availability of flights which results in good pricingMap of Riviera Maya

    2) One of the best selections of All-Inclusive resorts – again good pricing and more importantly, good value for your money
    3) Cultural/nature/adventure activities near resorts
    4) Second largest reef system in the world for diving and snorkeling
    5) Famous Mexican hospitality
    6) Mayan Ruins
    7) Maroma – One of the top ten most beautiful beaches in the word.

    Question: when  the news media reports about violence in Mexico, why do they show Cancun?

    Most media reports of violence in Mexico fail to mention nearly all of these incidents take place along the border and far away from popular resort areas frequented by U.S. tourists.

    Reality – Please read for yourself…Official US State Department Warning February 8, 2012 U.S. State Department/Mexico

    “Quintana Roo: Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya and Tulum are the major cities/travel destinations in Quintana Roo –see map (PDF, 286 kb) to identify their exact locations: No advisory is in effect.”

    Read this list to bring things into perspective:

    • The distance between the U.S./Mexico border, where much of the
      violence takes place, and Cancun is over 1,400 miles.
    • Those individuals trying to lump Acapulco into the list of top Mexico destinations
      U.S. travelers visit are misinformed. It has been decades since it was a hot
      tourist destination – today it is more of a destination for Mexican nationals rather
      than U.S. tourists.
    • USA Today provided some statistical comparisons in the fall of 2010 between Mexico and the U.S.
      Yucatán, the Gulf of Mexico state known for its beaches and Mayan
      ruins, had a murder rate of 2 per 100,000 which is comparable to
      Wyoming and Montana.
    • Washington, D.C.’s murder rate is nearly quadruple to that of the Mexican
      capital, Mexico City. Washington’s murder rate was 31.4 per 100,000
      people in 2008; Mexico City’s rate in 2009 was 8.
    • Cancun, Los Cabos and Acapulco are at least a two-hour flight away from the main areas impacted by drug related violence. For example, the distance from Cancun to Ciudad Juarez is 1,312 miles – approximately the same distance between New York and Miami (1,290 miles), Chicago and Laredo, Texas (1,395 miles), or Los Angeles and Oklahoma City (1,328 miles).

     

     

     

     

  • Getting around Barcelona: The tips

    I welcome this guest post with tips and hints to get from the Barcelona airport (airport code BCN) to hotels, cruise ships, and around the city.

    Barcelona is a beautiful city but it is a good idea to research travel[…] options and [hotel] transfers before arriving. Barcelona Airport is situated just 14km away from the centre of the city and is the main airport.

    Airport to Hotel Transport

    Bus
    There are two bus services which run from Barcelona Airport to the centre of Barcelona. The first is the Aerobus, which is the fastest service and will take passengers from the airport to Plaça de Catalunya. This is a great option if the hotel is not far from this area or one of the places it stops at along the way. The other bus available at the airport takes slightly longer than the Aerobus but is cheaper.

    Train
    There is a train station at Terminal 2 of Barcelona Airport and there is a shuttle bus which will take passengers to it from Terminal 1. The trains run every half hour, Monday to Sunday and travel to Sants then through Passeig de Gracia, ending up in Barcelona-Sant Andreu Comtal. There are connections to bus and metro lines if the train does not stop near your hotel.

    Taxi or Car Hire
    There is also a taxi service available at the airport, which takes about 20 minutes into the city. This can cost 30 Euros plus but it will take you straight to your hotel, making it more convenient if you have a lot of luggage. The cabs are yellow and black and available at every terminal. There is also the option of car hire and there are plenty of companies to choose from at the airport.

    Hotel to Cruise Ship Transport

    Bus
    If you are traveling to a cruise ship, the Blue Bus runs from each of the cruise port terminals to the Christopher Columbus monument (in Barcelona city centre) and back. It runs in coordination with the arrival and departure of the cruise ships and has no set timetable. Some of the terminals are within walking distance of the city centre, but this is probably not advisable in the hot weather with luggage.

    Taxi
    Taxis can be easily caught on the street but can also be hired from any hotel. They take around 10 minutes to the cruise ship terminals and only cost around 8 Euros.

    Other Options

    There are plenty of transport options for getting around the city and visiting the attractions. Barcelona has a great metro system which runs regularly and punctually. It is especially useful for short journeys when the weather is just too hot to walk around in. This is the cheapest transport option for short journeys, although taxis are relatively inexpensive at 10 Euros for a 15 minute journey.

    If you are interested in car rental Barcelona Airport has a range of car-hire companies to choose from, including Europcar, Avis and Hertz. This is a good option if you want to get from place to place without the need for public transport

    EMID – EM-CL1

    Managed by www.contentnow.co.uk

     

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  • Alaska – Three ways to visit

    Do you dream of visiting Alaska?

    Mendenhall Glacier and frozen Mendenhall Lake ...
    Mendenhall Glacier

    What stories do you want to bring home?  Is it better to go by cruise, land tour, or cruise-tour?

    Some quick facts about the “Great Land:”

    • Home of 19 of the 20 tallest mountains in the US
    • 4x the size of California
    • Contains one-half of all US natural parkland
    • Highest concentration of bear and bald eagles on earth and more caribou than people

    Alaska Cruises start at 7 Days Round trip or Northbound and Southbound one-way itineraries with available land-tours to combine the best of land and sea.

    There are three basic ways to “do” Alaska:

    1) Round trip cruise from Seattle or Vancouver (limited  cruises from San Francisco):

    Experience the scenic inside passage – Alaska cruise ports may include:

    Juneau – the Capital city featuring featuring Mendenhall Glacier and majestic mountains.

    Skagway – the gateway to the Klondike; Klondike National Historical Park commemorates the place where the prospectors first arrived.

    Ketchikan – the salmon capital of the world; venture outside town to see a forest of hand-carved totem poles.

    Other ports include Sitka, with its totem pole lined paths, and Icy Strait Point which is prime for whale watching.  Various itineraries also may include Glacier viewing days featuring Glacier Bay National Park (with the 40 story high Margerie Glacier), the five mile long Hubbard Glacier, and College Fjord – 16 dramatic Glaciers named after Ivy League Colleges.

    One my favorite parts for planning an Alaska trip is suggesting shore excursions.  Shore excursions related to the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau include flying, heli-sightseeing, walking, dog sledding, or kayaking along the base.

    2) North-bound Alaska Cruise ending  in Whittier or Seward followed by land tour

    You will depart from Seattle or Vancouver and continue North bound through the inside passage.  North or south bound one-way cruises may afford you the opportunity to visit Hubbard Glacier.  Then transfer to luxury rail for a land tour of Denali National Park, Mt McKinley, and perhaps Talkeetna. You also  have the option to continue on to Fairbanks.  The North bound options is less expensive than option (3).  With this option, you will fly home from Anchorage or Fairbanks. Further, flights are generally at off hours and make for a long flight home.

    3) Tour from Anchorage or Fairbanks followed by a South-bound Alaska cruise.

    Fly to Anchorage or Fairbanks to begin your land tour first as in (2), then cruise and fly home from Seattle or Vancouver (More $$ than (2), but a more convenient flight home).  My commentary about flying to Anchorage or Fairbanks first:

    • Enjoy a better “operational tempo” – get the long flights done first
    • Go on your active land tour
    • Relax on your South Bound Alaska cruise
    • Enjoy a more convenient flight home.

    Visiting Alaska is an authentic travel experience which cannot be duplicated.  Being in Alaska affords you the privilege of viewing nature as it was thousands of years ago.   Cruising and touring Alaska between the months of May and September gives you the opportunity to experience this state’s  pristine beauty at its finest.  Some glaciers are best experienced from sea; while, sites like Denali, with its unique flora and fauna must be visited by land.  Thus, the optimal way to visit Alaska is by taking a cruise combined with a scenic rail tour.

    Questions? comments?

     

     

  • Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg, VA

    This is it for Daydream Excursions’ Williamsburg Week.  After going to Colonial Williamsburg, we stopped at the Great Wolf Lodge and I had to go in and take a look.  I’ve heard a lot about the location in the Poconos and had to see for myself.  Watch the video and see my reaction to the massive indoor water park bolted on to the back of this large resort!  There a numerous activities for the kids with games and activities all over the place.  There’s also a nice bar for the parents!   Please contact us with your comments or questions.  Thanks for reading.

     

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  • The Magazine Colonial Williamsburg, Va

    Magazine…what magazine? A magazine is a place where firearms and ammo were stored.  This is another installment from our Daydream Excursion’s Williamsburg Week.  What did you think of our posts? Want more? Thanks for reading.

    English: Colonial Williamsburg magazine for ho...
    Image via Wikipedia
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  • Visit the Maze in Colonial Williamsburg

    More video from Williamsburg week. Come visit the Maze behind the Governor’s Palace in Colonial Williamsburg. Will we make it out?

  • Governor’s Mansion Colonial Williamsburg, Va

     

     

    We’re back with more of Daydream Excursion’s Williamsburg week.  This is the first video in Colonial Williamsburg. Come explore with us as we trek through Colonial Williamsburg.
     

     

  • Busch Gardens as “Christmas Town”

    Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Va transforms into an elegantly decorated “Christmastown” during the holiday season.  The rates go down as almost all rides are closed but there are many shows and the park is just beautiful.  It was especially enjoyable as the weather was over 60 degree with  a little rain which kept the crowds at bay.  There’s a wonderful show in Germany in Das Festhaus, one of my personal favorite places to visit.  More to come as Daydream Excursions blogs Williamsburg week.

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