Cruising

 

(A photo of The Disney Fantasy and Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the  Seas)

With the endless delicious buffets, cruising can seem like a dieter’s nightmare. However, there are ways to stay fit and still have fun on a cruise. There are 12-14 floors on the average cruise ship and most people take the elevators. Much to my Mother’s dismay on our last cruise, we took the stairs about 90% of the time. I can tell you, after walking up 6 or 7 flights of stairs I felt a lot less guilty about drinking a mojito or getting a fro-yo!Cruise ships are also equipped with state of the art workout facilities. Most of them are in the front of the ship looking out over the ocean! It makes your jog much nicer. Cruiseline’s also offer a variety of fitness classes as well which can be a lot of fun. I attended an amazing sunrise stretch class on my last cruise and it was definitely a great way to start the day and stretch after all the flights of stairs I walked to get there! There are also dance classes on cruises. They are a fun way to stay active and out of the sun for an hour or so. Also, learning a new dance can provide not only some great exercise but also learning a routine is great for your brain and helps prevent Alzheimer’s- that is what I call a win-win!

Most cruise line's offer Lighter Fare for the diet conscious cruiser! Let your Travel Agent know of your dietary needs and they will notify the cruise line and make sure that the Chef meets with you and you will have plenty of healthy good food during your cruise! This is a photo I took of one of the Menu's on the Disney Fantasy!

This is a photo of the Rainforest in the Spa on the Disney Fantasy! If you are going on a Disney Cruise a visit to the rainforest room at the Spa is a must. It is the ultimate relaxation. 

Disney Cruise Line currently has a promotion for sailings out of Galvaston, Texas and Miami, Florida where kids 17 and under sail FREE!!! Now that is what I call Disney Magic! Contact me for details! 

Happy Cruising! 

Healthy Travel to Foreign Countries

I’ve been so blessed in my life to have lived in foreign countries. I lived for one year in Spain and one year in Germany. I learned a lot about creating a healthy lifestyle and culture from living in these two places.  In Spain I learned the value and health benefits of relaxation. A country where the majority of the population takes an afternoon nap is fine by me! Every afternoon my host family and I would sit down to a spectacular meal (always healthy- the Mediterranean diet) as a family chat and dine. Then shortly after we would all take a nice siesta. After the nap, back to school or work we’d go! It was wonderful.

When exploring a new place you are generally faced with dozens of options of how to do that, which sites to see, etc. I always opt for a walking tour.  In addition to being generally less expensive you have all of that added exercise walking from one attraction to the other, and you truly get to see and experience the city as you walk by the small shops and stroll along with the cities residents instead of the other tourists on the bus. Exercise, greater cultural learning, AND cheap- that’s what I call a win-win situation! There are many books out there where you can find great information on walking tours. I generally use the Lonely Planet Books, but there are dozens for any given location out there and some books written specifically about walking or biking tours through various countries. Contact me for information on active tours! 

The first photo is a shot a took while on a hike in Bavaria, Germany.

The second photo I had someone take of me while I was walking through the city of Strasbourg, France. 

Bon Voyage!

Beach Vacations

Although for a lot of us the idea of lying on the beach tanning with a cocktail in hand is the greatest draw of a beach vacation, it is not the healthiest activity…though I do advise doing it, just not all day.  You are at the beach! Go swim in the ocean, snorkel, scuba dive, walk  or jog on the beach.  Another favorite activity of mine is yoga on the beach. If you haven’t tried it- you must!

Not into sand or sea life? Not a problem, most beach destinations also have a plethora of pools for swimming in. Not a water person in general? If you cannot handle the sand in your toes- walk through the cute little downtown that most beach destinations have or the boardwalk. And then after you have thoroughly exhausted your physical options- lay down on the beach chair with your pina colada. I mean after that 30 minute walk, swim, jog, dive, etc., you sure do deserve it! 

This is a photo of my husband Jon. He found a Horseshoe crab shell while we were on a guided nature walk on the beach in Hilton Head, SC.

The other photo is me "attemping" to paddle board on the Sea of Cortez in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico!

What are you favorite healthy beach activities?

Family Vacations

With Thanksgiving being a few days away, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about family vacations! Which also applies to visits with family, even if you don't consider it a "vacation." 

Play with your children or someone else’s if you don’t have any. Build a sand castle, run to every ride in Disney World, leap into every pool or lake.  Not only will you be assured a good night’s sleep in a strange bed, you will have had a blast! Go for a walk as a family -- with kids, call it a Nature Hike or Adventure to find a hidden pirate treasure.  

You don’t have any kids in your family? Not a problem!  After a large meal instead of sitting around watching TV, encourage everyone to go on a walk together or, my personal favorite, have a dance party! It will not only be healthy but also create laughter and lasting memories! Another fun filled option is playing an active game.  If you have a large group head outside and play a family kickball game! Is it raining? Play charades or guess the picture. Something where you are on your feet, flailing your arms and having fun! 

This is my nieces and I swimming in a lake this past summer:

Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!

Healthy Travel Series

I am both a travel aficionada and a travel agent. Traveling brings me a sense of joy that nothing else does. I’ve recently realized that for me travel and health really go hand in hand because I always manage to have healthy vacations.  As matter of fact when I got married in Mexico last year I was there for 8 days at an all-inclusive resort and I managed to lose 2lbs without even trying! I go weeks at home trying to lose 2lbs and usually end up gaining 1lb! J I recently had this aha moment that I can use the same mechanisms from traveling that I do at home. I wanted to share my knowledge and tips on how to travel healthy despite the tempting circumstances.

Try to stay at a hotel near a park or a nice place to walk, jog, bike or do whatever you enjoy, even if that is going to the gym.  Most hotels now have fitness centers on site. You can find out on their website what they offer. My husband and I went to Sandal’s Royal Bohemian where the gym is on the 5^th floor and looks out over the ocean. The view is literally breathtaking. My husband, who has never gone to the gym in his entire life, went to the gym almost every day of that trip!

So for the next few weeks I will be doing a healthy travel blog series! I hope you get some new fun ideas from it and enjoy!

A photo of some friends and I at a Pole Dancing class while on a girls weekend in Charlotte, NC! (What we lacked in talent we made up for in enthusiasm!) 

Bon Voyage!

To go All-inclusive or not to go All-inclusive, That is the Question

I often have clients ask whether or not they should stay at an all-inclusive
resort; the pros, cons etc. It is an excellent question, so I decided to address the issue
here for everyone to refer to before making the decision.
In today’s travel industry where the cost of your flight can easily be more
expensive than a week’s hotel stay, vacation expenses can add up pretty quickly
for travelers. Most travelers want to stay within a specific budget, and staying
at a normal resort makes budgeting particularly difficult. If you haven’t been to
the specific destination before and you don’t know the cost of things in that area,
creating a budget can be particularly difficult. You might want a secluded beach
resort, but get there and find out the nearest restaurant is a 15 minute cab ride
away. Now you’ve got to factor round trip cab rides into your budget, not to mention
all the time you’ll spend traveling back and forth for meals. Sometimes an all-
inclusive can just be more of a hassle free holiday.
Knowing what you are spending before you head to the airport can help you
feel at ease. Of course, the all-inclusive will be more expensive upfront than an a la
carte resort, but don’t let this be a deterrent. You need to remember all of the things
you are getting for your money. All-inclusive resorts should include a minimum
of 3 meals per day, all beverages (including alcoholic drinks), a wide variety of
daily activities, nightly entertainment, AND gratuities. There are some hotels that
go above and beyond the basics of all-inclusive and include transfers, motorized
water sports, 24/7 snacks, fitness classes, children’s programs, spa treatments and
excursions!
These are not one size fits all resorts and there are a wide variety of all-
inclusives that meet the needs of any kind of traveler. Whether you want something
family friendly, budget friendly, 5-Star luxury, or adult only, those are out there too!
They range in size from small boutique hotels, to large 700+ room properties. It’s
about finding the property that best meets your needs.
A common question I get is, what about the food? As a foodie myself, I
appreciate this question! At some all-inclusives the food will be rather basic and
nothing to write home about. At others the food is quite exceptional. Quality food
is becoming more important to a lot of people and the resorts are taking note and
providing guests with what they want. On that note, keep in mind that if you are
going to the cheapest resort you can possibly find, the food isn’t going to be as
spectacular as something with a slightly higher price tag.
All-inclusives offer great value to their guests and more often than not doing
an all-inclusive comes out less expensive than if you do a comparable vacation a la
carte.
A few tips to help you with your all-inclusive vacation:
1. Make your dinner reservations for specialty restaurants immediately upon your arrival, as they generally fill up fast!
2. Confirm with your travel agent where you can locate your transfer company at the airport! (Especially, in Mexico where you will be bombarded with Time-Share sales agents.)
3. Early risers will get the best seats by the beach, pool, and the swim up bar! Get those towels out early if you can! 
Hopefully you understand all-inclusives a bit better now! Please let me know
if you need any help determining if an all-inclusive would be the best choice for you
and your family, and which property would be the best fit as well.
Remember, don’t just dream it- DO IT!

Eco Friendly Cruise Lines

It sounds like an oxymoron, right? Cruises in general are not at all eco friendly, but they are a lot of fun! Fortunately, in the past few years cruise lines have been doing their part to be friendlier to the oceans. If you are considering a cruise, I suggest you first educate yourself on some of the steps that vendors are taking to stay green; that way, on your next cruise you can be sure to support a company that shares your eco friendly attitude!

Here is some info on what various cruise lines are doing:

Celebrity Solstice: The Solstice is the first solar powered cruise ship! But aside from that, Celebrity has not done too much. All of their ships have environmental stewards on them to provide staff and guest education, and they also have advanced water purification systems so that they aren’t dumping so much grey and black water into the ocean.

Disney Cruise Line: Uses the water generated from the air conditioner to do laundry! They also mandate that their staff be educated on green practices.

Carnival: Aboard the fun ships waste is either recycled, incinerated, or off loaded for disposal on land.

Costa: This beautiful Italian cruise line has received the “Green Star” award for all 11 of the ships in their fleet! They meet all of the energy protection standards.

There is one cruise line though that goes above and beyond the industry standard and is truly an eco-friendly inspiration for all other cruise lines, and that is…

Holland America

They are by far the greenest of all cruise lines. They have gone above and beyond to be efficient and reduce waste.

· They have a black water treatment system, so they aren’t sending sewage directly into the ocean.

· They treat grey water as well before putting it into the ocean.

· They put NO waste overboard.

· They have environmental officers on each and every ship and the staff is eco educated.

· They have a towel reuse program so that they are not using water to wash 3,000+ towels per day.

· They have installed low flow toilets, shower heads and faucets.

· They use green, non-toxic cleaning supplies on all their ships, as well as natural detergents that are plant based.

· They create routes around tide schedules to maximize their fuel efficiency.

· They put their money where their mouth is by offering senior staff a monetary incentive to encourage fuel conservation!

For further information on this impressive cruise line, visit their website and check out their Sustainability Report! It is remarkable!!! Their work to be green as not gone unnoticed and they have won several awards including: Marine Environmental Business of the year 2010, Responsible Tourism Award, Gold Medal Best Eco Friendly “Green” Cruise Ship, ms Zuiderdam, Green Planet Award for outstanding environmental standards, and Best Eco Friendly Cruiseline from Porthole Magazine!

Our caps off to you Holland America, and I don’t know about you all, but I look forward to cruising with them real soon! They are currently offering 7 night Caribbean cruises starting at $549... Alaska cruises starting at $499...anddddd Pacific Coastal cruises starting from $249!

I hope you found this information useful and can use it when selecting your next cruise line!

Bon Voyage!