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There are so many excellent blogs to like and follow I spent an entire evening and afternoon trying to finish assignment 8 before I could begin assignment 9.

The blog that had me thinking the most is FiftyFourandAHalf  the post “All we are saying is give peace a chance”

You may have read or heard about this group of 47 Republican Senators who signed “An Open  Letter to the Leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran”

It made me try to remember how many Presidents have I seen in office.   There have been ten Presidents:  John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, James Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, William J. Clinton, George W. Bush and finally Barack Obama.

My point – I have never in my lifetime seen a congress do anything like this before.  I am just praying for a new congress who will put us, “we the people” first.

Random Thought

Spring Break Take a Cruise!

Carnival Splendor

Carnival Splendor

There’s no limit to the number of families with children that have a week out of school for spring break. Don’t forget about all of the college students looking for fun  and some relaxation from their hectic class schedules.   My suggestion for your spring break getaway,  take a  cruise to the Bahamas!   It’s a short 3 or 4 day cruise and you do not have to be away the entire break.   Choose anyone of favorite cruise lines during the months of March and April to find the best values for a short cruise.

Plan ahead if you want to take a cruise longer than four days!

Random Thought

It’s A New Day….

Las Vegas-The Venetian

Las Vegas-The Venetian

My blogging 101 assignment is to identify my audience. This assignment made me realize that I don’t like the name of my blog “Travel Memories”.  I work full-time and run my travel business. I may have time for my personal travel, three to four times a year. I don’t want my blog to be only about travel memories. I want it to be about different destinations, hotels, cruising, travel tips, how to plan your dream vacation and travel news. I would like to help people who believe they cannot afford to travel now. They feel that they have to put off their travel until they reach the magic number “retirement age”.  I love to help people plan travel in advance.

This is a place to express my random thoughts on travel and share information.

What I plan to do is to create another page within this blog titled memories. Sharing your travel memories with me will be great!

I have decided my new name will be “Carol’s Random Travel Thoughts.”

Blogging 101 -Following

I just spent a few hours on WordPress reading some wonderful blogs, written by talented writers with beautiful templates. I can do this for a few days, however I do have to go to work tomorrow. I think I will pick this up again on Saturday when I have just a little more time to relax.

I did learn something about blogging today. I have a long way to go!!!

I had to think awhile about a tagline I could use to express how I feel about travel in a few words. I started off with “ Lasting impressions on your heart priceless. Boring! It just didn’t reflect fun. I thought about Live, Love and have Fun. I think this has already been taken.

So what do you think about this? “Let’s say it together. Priceless”

I think a little humor goIMG_2547es along way, plus I was thinking of Al Green “Let’s stay together.” I might have just dated myself, but oh well!

My definition of Priceless:

It’s all about creating an experience when you travel. It is memories from the experience that can be relived over and over again.

That’s Priceless!

The Why?

I love to talk about travel.  My own travel memories are what I had in mind when I started this blog a few years ago.  However, my thoughts have changed. I am not only interested in sharing my memories, but to share my knowledge of the travel industry and a few of my random thoughts.  There’s a whole world out there to experience.  That’s what life is about making lasting memories.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

This is a day to celebrate love and the special people in your life.  If you are not on a cruise now, you can always plan for Valentine’s Day next year.  Princess Cruise lines offers:

Ultimate Balcony Dining

Enjoy an intimate, romantic dining experience with breathtaking views and a special meal served by your own dedicated wait-staff on your stateroom balcony. Ultimate Balcony Dining features a hosted cocktail party, fresh flowers, champagne and a deluxe four-course meal featuring delicate sweet lobster tail or juicy steak among many available delicacies.

For those who want to start the day with a romantic meal, opt for a breakfast which includes specialty pastries, fresh fruits, quiche, smoked salmon and other special treats served with a half bottle of French champagne.

How about next year planning a romantic cruise for two with the ultimate balcony dining experience. 

Carol Steele, MCC

carol@getupgoworldtravel.com

Cruise vacations have never lost popularity,  however what seems to be gaining in 2011, is the requests for a river cruise.  Most clients who request a river cruise start to plan at-least a year in advance.   Unlike the large ships that can accommodate thousands, river vessels carry 150 to 300 people.  You are bound to meet interesting people and make new friends.

China seems to be the most popular destination.  Viking River Cruises has an itinerary where you can visit China’s key highlights in just 12 days.  I think that the learning experience you receive, time you spend in each destination including your tours in the cities and the fact that there is no need to pack and unpack makes this a stress-free cruise vacation. 

Both experienced and first-time travelers have discovered the joys of river cruising, making it the fastest-growing segment of the cruise/travel industry.  The price you pay and what you receive on a river cruise is unbelievable. 

Carol Steele MCC

Cruise Specialist

Email: carol@getupgoworldtravel.com

First Time Cruisers

I remember when I received a group of first time cruisers.  They were not really sure of where they wanted to travel, let alone what cruise line would be the best fit for their personalities.  Depending on what their expectations were, I would be able to narrow down my search and find them a cruise that they would always remember.  After speaking with the group leader, it was very clear to me that they have painted a picture in their mind of a small ship rocking and rolling all over the ocean. I needed to address and dismiss those thoughts as soon as possible.

The first thing I did was set up a cruise night for everyone.  I played videos of the two different cruise lines I thought would best fit their personalities. Once they watched the video of the different cruise lines it was a winning situation. They were amazed at how large a cruise ship really is and all of the activities they could participate in while onboard.

We talked about what information was required for both the airline and cruise.  I answered all of the questions that they had. I also gave them an idea of what they could expect while on their cruise.   The ladies main concerns were what to pack and passport requirements. The group made the final choice that night with their first deposit.    I must tell you that my first timers are now my third timers.  They love to cruise!

Carol

carol@getupgoworldtravel.com

www.getupgoworldtravel.com

 

Chicago Blizzard 2011!

Boy-O-Boy!  When I first started this blog I was talking about the bad weather and the travel issues New York was going through.  Now I have to show you a picture of what Chicago has been dealing with since the blizzard.