Sandals, Ocho Rios, Jamaica Part I

Grand Riviera Beach and Villa Golf Resort

If you plan on vacationing in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, keep reading for some insight into the Sandals, Grand Riveria. This property is located approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes away from the Sangster International Airport, in Montego Bay.

March is a great time of year to visit Jamaica. The weather is perfect with a low in the 70's and a high in the 80's. Flights are relatively less expensive during this time.

On this property, there are two sections: The Great Manor and Riveria Seaside.

The Great Manor offers all-butler villas with private pools. This is a very hilly property. Golf carts are available to transport guests from their villas to the main lobby. If you stay on this side, you will need to take a shuttle bus over to the ocean side. The shuttle ride isn't far. In fact, the two sections are right across the street from each other and well within walking distance, but the shuttle service is convenient. While the butler service gives guests that extra special treatment, several people I spoke to wished they were on the ocean side.

Riviera Seaside is the property directly on the water. This is where the water sports are including sailing, kayaking, snorkeling, wind surfing, paddle boarding, etc. If guests are interested in becoming a certified PADI scuba diver, there is a pool designated for scuba training.

Sandals Grand Riviera Beach and Village Golf Resort has a choice of 16 dining options. I wasn't able to try all of them, but my favorite was The Reef Terrace. This courtyard outdoor dining experience was awesome and romantic. Dining at The Reef Terrace is a must.

Tips for this resort:

1) The Grand Riveria resort is hilly and requires walking. Females should bring flats and leave the heels at home. Also, the sidewalks can be slippery when wet.

2) The dress code for most of the restaurants is resort casual. Valentino's and Kimonos require evening attire, which means dress pants for the men, closed toe shoes, and a button-up collared shirt. They will turn guests away if proper attire is not worn. These two restaurants require reservations.

3) Kelly's Dockside is dining on the pier. This is only available for guests with butler service.

4) Sandals Grande Riviera has a no tipping policy except for butlers and spa therapists.

5) Have dinner early so you don't miss the evening events.

6) Transfers to the golf course are complimentary. Caddies are not included but mandatory. Carts, clubs
and shoes may be rented. Food and beverages consumed at the club are not included.

7) At the time of this writing, there is a charge of $15 a day for WiFi. Concierge and butler accommodations are not charged for WiFi.

8) If you want to be near the beach, be sure you stay on the seaside.

For additional information on this resort or any other Sandals and/or Beaches resorts, please feel free to connect with me. If you've stayed at this resort, what tips do you have to share?

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Running Sandals Grand Riveria

Do you ever have one of those times when you start out to do something and a situation arises which leads you down a different path? That happened to me this morning. After a hearty breakfast of a made-to-order omelette, fresh fruit (pineapple, kiwi, honeydew), and hot green tea, I decided to go for a run.

The Sandals Grand Riveria isn't the best place to run outside because there isn't really a running path, so I headed to the gym. When I arrived at the gym, the treadmills weren't working and neither was the television. After a call to the front desk, I was informed there was an electrical problem and it should be fixed in an hour. Not wanting to delay my run, I took the Jamaican attitude said "No problem," and headed across the street to the Riveria Butler Villas and Great House.

Here are some pics from my 2.6 mile morning run.

Rock climbing wall and Nicole's.

These butler villas have their own private pool. If you are booking 4 rooms, I suggest staying in one of these villas that way your whole party has the entire villa to yourself. How fun is that?

I'm glad the electricity was not working this morning. I was able to get out and enjoy Jamaica. Running the Sandals Grand Riveria, in Ocho Rio is a little bit different from running the Disney Princess 1/2 marathon, but it's a great way to see the property.

Get in touch with me for more information on this property or any other Sandals or Beaches all-inclusive resorts.

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Half Marathon Equals Half Crazy

Have you ever had those weeks where nothing happens? And then, you have one of those weeks where everything happens? This past week has been one of those non-stop weeks.  Here’s a peek at my week.

After six months of training for the Disney Princess HalfMarathon, this past weekend was the big event. Two girlfriends and I went down to Walt Disney World on Saturday and explored the expo. Excitement and anticipation filled the air as we saw princes, princesses and pixie dust.

The long day started before the sun rose. Sunday, we woke up at 2:30 a.m. for our 3:30 a.m. call time. We were in corral F and started the race at 6:10 a.m. There were so many participants (23,866) it was very difficult to run or even get a pace. We ended up running in the grass beside the pavement, and eventually we got back on the road. 

As a courtesy, slow runners and walkers were to keep to the right of the road, leaving the left for a quicker paced participant. Instead of dodging off the road every time I came up to a runner/walker on the left side of the road, I decided I would politely ask them to move to the right.  As I ran the yellow line on the left side of the road, I said, “Excuse me. Move to the right. Thank you!” Most of the time this worked except the occasional time when a lady had earphones in her ear.  And then, there was that one time when the lady gave me the finger. She was probably the one walking on the yellow line when she should have been the white line, which was on the right side of the road.  You can’t please everyone, can you?

The event was a success.  I crossed the finished line and had an incredible time. I participated in the Disney Princess Half Marathon for a tiara medal and got so much more.

Last night, the Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce had the ribbon cutting for my travel agency, located in downtown Mount Dora.  It was a fun-filled evening, meeting new people, networking, and sharing laughs and smiles with the community.  Be sure to check out the photos on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/lifesrudderin the Ribbon Cutting Album. 

The rest of this week isn't slowing down. Keep in touch to see what's happening in this travel agent's life, inside and outside the office.

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Shore Excursions for Your Eastern Caribbean Cruise

So you've booked your cruise to the Eastern Caribbean and now you are starting to look  at the shore excursions.  Don't get overwhelmed on what you should do at each port! Here are my tips for making the most of your stops in San Juan, St. Thomas, and St. Maarten in this specially bundled package.

San Juan - HISTORICAL WALKING TOUR OF OLD SAN JUAN

The past comes alive as you walk along the water's edge and continue down along the city wall. You'll visit the San Juan Cathedral, La Muralla, and the beautiful fountain sculpted by Luis Sanguino called "Raices."  The tour lasts about 2 hours.  If you have time, you'll want to visit the fort, which has a $3.00 admission fee.  Wear comfortable shoes. Bring a hat. Wear sunscreen. Don't forget the camera.

St. Thomas - A LOVELY ISLAND AND BEACH TOUR

This tour takes you to various lookout sites. Your first stop is Raphune Hill and Beacons Point.  Get your camera ready for spectacular views of St. Thomas. Continue to Skyline Drive, Botanical Gardens and Magens Bay Beach. Magens Bay Beach, was rated one of the 10 most beautiful beaches in the world by National Geographic.  Here, enjoy two hours of peaceful serenity by swimming, relaxing, or walking along the shore. Once you leave the beach, you'll be dropped off in downtown Charlotte Amalie to enjoy shopping at your own leisure or you may choose to go back to the ship. This tour is about 4.5 hours.  Ask about the ability to upgrade to a zipline tour.

St. Maarten - SIMPLE BEACH DAY

Who can resist white sand beaches that stretch down the coastline? This Dutch-side beach is family friendly, which means there is no nudity.  Keep in mind that a beach chair, umbrella and snorkel gear are included.  Food and beverages are at your fingertips.

I've already done the leg work for you.  To book this three-port deal, email me at: janelle@cruiseplanners.net.

Ask me about the 3-port Eastern Caribbean Shore excursion deal.

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Disney Wonder

Disney Wonder

Walt Disney said, "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." I have people tell me that they have always wanted to take a Disney cruise, but it's too expensive. Don't let cost keep you from pursing your dream. My tip for traveling any where you've always wanted to go is to start putting money aside in an envelope, jar, or account for that trip. Before you know it, the funds for that trip will magically grow.

I just came off a cruise on the Disney Wonder, to the Western Caribbean, and I have to say that ship is sprinkled with "pixie dust. Check out the video my mom shot.

Disney is timeliness and makes everyone smile, regardless of age. Here are 3 things I enjoyed about cruising Disney.

Dining --- Dining aboard the Disney Wonder is truly original. Each evening, your place of dining is rotated between 3 dining rooms (Parrot Cay, Triton's Palace and Animator's Palate). I liked this because it provided a different atmosphere each night. Our serving staff rotated with us and every night they provided excellent service and made suggestions on what to eat. Our main server, Alvin (not the Chipmunk) always emphasized he gave suggestions and that we could choose anything we wanted. While dining at Animator's Palate, keep an eye on the animated art work.



Pirate Night -- One night that was truly original was Pirate Night. When we came to dinner, at each place setting was a red, pirate bandana. Some guests wore the bandana on their heads, others who didn't want to mess up their hair, wore it on their arm. After the meal, servers paraded around the dining room and invited the guests to join them in a march around the room and the limbo. Then later on in the evening, we made our way up to the deck for the Pirate Party. Music, laughter and entertainment filled the Caribbean air. The evening was topped off with fireworks. What a fun-filled night!

Entertainment -- As a professional singer, I enjoy sitting back and enjoying a great show. Disney is not only the "Happiest Place on Earth," their shows are top notch. My favorite show was Toy Story, The Musical. Literally, words cannot express this show. The cast was phenomenal. The actors who played Woody and Sid did an incredible job! The lighting (including laser lights featuring Tinker Bell flying across the curtain), set design, sound, special effects, etc., all made this show incredible.

Disney Wonder was voted the friendliest ship around. I can see why they respectfully earned this honor. Everyone made this voyage memorable. If you'd like more information on the Disney Wonder, Adventures by Disney or any other travel destinations, let me know.

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Top 10 Silly Questions from Passengers

When I was in the classroom (I am a former educator), I always encouraged students to ask questions because any question is a good question.  And usually, they were.  However, here are some humorous questions adult passengers have asked staff while aboard cruise ships.  The questions are real.  The answers are what the staff wanted to respond with but couldn't. 

1) Q.  Is the water in the pool rough because it's seawater? 

A. Yes. Haven't you noticed that the ocean is rougher than a fresh bodies of water? (ponds, lakes, bathtubs, etc.)

2) Q. Does the crew sleep on board?

A. Of course not, late at night a water taxi picks them up and takes them home!

3) Q. Do these stairs go up OR down?
A. Yes!

4) Q. Does the ship make it’s own electricity?
A. No, don’t you see the long extension cord trailing behind the ship?

5) Q. Which is the sunny side of the ship?
A. The captain spins the ship around daily so everyone gets an even tan

6) Q. Which elevator takes me to the front of the ship?
A. Ask the elevator operator when you get on, he will take you anywhere you want to go.

7) Q. What do you do with the ice carvings after they melt?
A. We re-freeze the water and use it for frozen drinks.

8) Q. What time is the midnight buffet?
A. Usually around 11 PM or so. We tried doing it right after breakfast but most people weren’t real hungry.

9) Q. How do we know which pictures are ours?
A. The people who look totally clueless . . . . those are probably yours.

10) Q. Is this island totally surrounded by water?
A. No, part of it is surrounded by sand, but it’s all clearly marked

What are some questions that you have heard others ask?

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Cruising Disney

Tips from Disney Cruisers

Pixie dust, princesses and pirates make a great vacation.  Read what others have to say to make your Disney cruise experience even better.

Greg B.

Resist the temptation to drop the kids off in the A.M. and leave them there 'til midnight. Take them to the stage show. They will love it!

Amy R.

Online Registration: 
Register online when you are able to (A couple months in advance of your cruise). Also do the kids' club registration online.  Print out all registration info and take it with you. If there is a line for the kids' club registration in the port terminal, do not wait in it. By pre-registering online, all you need to do is take your paperwork to the kids' club on the ship and turn it in.  They will give the kids' their Mickey Bands (kids' club ID's/tracking devices) within a couple of minutes. My kids LOVED the kids' club on the ship and at Castaway Cay.  Definitely take advantage of it!

Clothes Pins: 
Bring clothes pins to hang wet bathing suits and cover ups in the bath tub/shower.

Candy/Snacks: 
I bought several boxes of "movie candy" before we left.  Snacks are available to buy at Preludes during the show, but they are expensive.  If you don't bring snacks, grab some cookies or chips from Flo's Cafe before heading to the show.  These are free. You can also order cookies from room service. Mickey Bars (ice cream Mickey Heads covered in chocolate) are free through room service even though they are not on the menu. You can also get Mickey Ear Bars in the restaurants for dinner! 

Alcohol/Bottled Water: 
If you plan on buying drinks on board, you may want to pack your own liquor, beer, or wine.  Disney lets you bring as much as you want in your carry-on luggage.  It can’t go in your checked luggage.  If you take a bottle of wine to dinner, they will charge you a corking fee.  You do have a small refrigerator in your room to keep it cold!

$1 bills:  
If you plan to order from room service, bring an envelope of ones to use for tips.  Everything through room service is free, but you have to tip.

Pirate Night: 
Disney has a family themed pirate show with Mickey and Friends at 7:45.  Pirate fireworks start around 10:30 with a pirate show (Captain Jack, etc.). Everyone gets a Mickey Pirate Bandana, but take other pirate gear if you have any.  I also took "glow" necklaces and bracelets for my girls.

Rich P.

The pool deck of the Fantasy is amazing (with movies on the big screen, great pools, and the Aqua Duck), but the deck surface gets unbearably hot.  You’ll want flip flops for the whole family.

If you have a large family, consider getting two connecting ocean views over one family stateroom.  We got one family stateroom on deck 10 for our family of 5. We used our veranda a couple times. It was a nice room but tight.  My brother is going in a couple weeks and got 2 connecting ocean views.  His kids will have a separate room and he is spending less money.

Try a different boutique bar every night.  There are many small and beautiful bar spaces around the ship.  Make sure you get around to see them.

Go for cruises longer than 3-4 days.  It takes most folks a few days to settle into ship life.

Have the ship's photographers take a lot of pictures of your party and buy the digital photo package (you get all photos on a disk).  You just spent a lot for a great cruise--get those pictures!

If you've got great vacation tips to share, click here.

To request additional information or to secure your voyage on Disney, please click here.

What's your destination?

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