Universal Studios Orlando Florida

            After a quarter-century spent living in the shadow of the behemoth that is Walt Disney World, Universal Studios: Orlando has begun to emerge as a respectable theme park. While the razzle and dazzle-Hollywood theme had managed to give Universal a theme of its own; the establishment of Harry Potter World and the continued success of the Marvel line of products allows Universal to exist as a viable alternative to Walt Disney’s Goliath.

          

  The resorts surrounding Universal Studios are top notch. Every resort and hotel is filled with class and professionalism, and is designed to make life as easy as possible for park-goers. For every hotel, there are accommodations that allow for easy transport from the hotel to the park and back. Shuttles and faeries are both available, and run on a regular schedule to each resort. Some resorts also offer guests special deals on Fast Passes, which are an incredible commodity in the park. Fast passes turn an hour wait into a fifteen minute wait, allowing guests the time to see everything there is to see and doing everything they want to do.

(Image Credit: Ian Dagnall / Alamy)

            Disney is going to maintain a stranglehold on all children from birth to the age of ten, but Universal Studios found its niche just above that. The addition of Harry Potter World is an immense appeal to any fan of the series, especially those who fit J.K. Rowling’s intended demographic of children aged 11-15. Universal Studios put a lot of effort into the Wizarding World, and even those who aren’t super-fans will find something to grab their attention. Each of the rides are engaging, and fans of the series are rewarded with references to the series, but strangers to the series will still be entertained by the exhilarating twists and turns of each ride. The lines for the rides in the Wizarding World can often be a bit much, occasionally extending to around an hour. For fans, this wait is worth it. For those who have just a casual knowledge, an hour wait isn’t worth it. However, for those who can handle the line, they’ll be treated to a variety of references, and quite a bit of interesting architecture. One of the largest sections of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is the incredible selection of shops. These shops are densely packed into the park, and almost always have lines out the door, filled with little wizards and witches waiting to get their own wands and robes. For those kids, the wait is worth every second, and the price is worth every penny. It’s an incredible sight to see hundreds of children cloaked in robes and casting spells. There are even certain spots in the park where the spells cause a reaction. For example, if you wave you wand at a fountain, it’ll emit a stream of water. The look of awe on a child’s face after they cast a spell is incredible. All in all, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a bucket list trip for any fan of the series, and an enjoyable for anyone else tagging along. Lifelong fans will likely be inclined to pick up a couple of souvenirs, but the prices and lines may prove to be a bit steep for some park-goers.

   

            While the Wizarding World of Harry Potter signifies a large investment and change for the park, Universal’s Islands of Adventure haven’t seen much change recently, because it hasn’t needed any change. All the beloved Marvel characters and rides are still there, with multiple roller coasters and thrill rides dotting the island. On the inside, everyone is still a kid. There’s an incredibly simple reason why Marvel movies make a billion dollars. People love superheroes. Universal’s Islands of Adventure allows people young and old to indulge themselves. Kids and parents can let loose and watch Spider-Man save the day, they can wave to the Fantastic Four on the street, and get blasted out of the Hulk’s roller coaster.

           

  With Universal’s Islands of Adventure combined with the classic Hollywood charm of Universal Studios, the park becomes an incredibly surreal treat. After waving to Marilyn Monroe on the street and passing rides based on Minions, Shrek, and Transformers, guests can board a train and be transported to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

            If there’s a certain older attraction that particularly appeals to your family, you may want to plan a trip sooner rather than later. Recently, Universal announced a partnership with Nintendo to bring Nintendo licensed characters and themed rides to the Orlando park. With more rides and characters on the way, Universal is showing its ambition and initiative, but this may come at the cost of some older rides.

            For now, Universal Studios: Orlando still has the lovely charm of old rides like ET. For anyone who went to Universal Studios as a child and rode the ET Ride; do it again. The ride won’t be long, and you won’t regret it. Besides, who knows how much longer it’ll be there?

Review written by Liam Griffin

Royal Caribbeans Freedom of the Seas

  We are on the third day of our trip.  This more like a fact finding trip than it is a vacation.  Everywhere we go Marianne is taking pictures and asking question.  "How much would this excursion cost."  What is the cost of the ship's WiFi.  How much is that drink package!  We are on Freedom of the Seas.  It is a beautifully refurbished ship.  It has a long promenade running three quarters of the length of the ship.  It is covered in shops of various types.  Jewelry stores, clothiers and small specialty shops fill the promenade.  There is something there for everyone.

  Yesterday we watched a movie on the big screen.  I have to warn you.  If you take in a show at the main theaters, bring your winter jackets.  We froze.  After dinner we watched the Super Bowl on the numerous televisions in the ice rink.  It was an exciting game with a sad ending.  The funny thing is, it was warmer there than it was in the theater.

  I have to admit, I like Royal Caribbean better than some of the other cruise lines but the staterooms are smaller.  The staff on this ship is mixed nationality and while they have been very attentive I have had to straighten out a couple of issues they have overlooked in there care of our needs.

  The ship is spotless and like all cruise lines there is continuous maintenance going on.  There are announcements every few ours announcing a painting auction here or a wine tastings or cooking class there.
We have a couple of friends along on this trip and they are a couple of practical jokers.
Today we spent the day in Labadee which is Royal Caribbeans private island, in Haiti. It has beautiful beaches but is rocky - water shoes are very useful here. Wheelchairs are available to take people onto the beach and a trams runs from the ship to the end although it is only a 20 minute walk. Royal Caribbean offers lots of water sports here, a long zip line and even a roller coaster but for me it was the perfect day to just sit in a beach chair and watch the waves and enjoy the sun

Alaska Day 3

So we are finally underway.  The first day is a sea day.  After a fulfilling breakfast in the Windjammer Cafe we explored the ship.  Marianne and I have taken over a dozen cruises with half of them being on Royal Caribbean and each ship is different and unique.   As we moved about the ship among 2,500 of our newest friends we found many small bars and shops catering to our every need,  The ship was having a sale on winter coats as well as gloves and hats.  A friend of mine had taken this trip two weeks ago and he had warned me that once we left Vancouver there would be a drastic change in the temperature,  He was right.  Interestingly enough Royal Caribbean held the clothing sale basically outside near the pool and of course this reinforced the change in the thermostat.  I bought my wife a reversible jacket that was water proof and lined.
We had brought sweatshirts but we quickly realized that it wasn't enough. We continued exploring the ship.

After lunch several of our group went to various classes and programs offered by the ship.  At dinner we joined with the rest of our contingent and shared days activities.  What is nice about this cruise is the fact that it is a majority older crowd.  I'd guess 95% was over fifty.  Which means we had to slow down for the slower crowd and try not to giggle at the wheel chair racer that nearly took out a group of Japanese travelers waiting for the elevator.  I later learned it was a father and son and the father was 98.

Dinner was a sumptuous affair but I swear we were served the happy meal sized version but the wife says that the smaller portions are healthier for me.  Good thing the Windjammer stays open later.  We shared our days activities with the others at our table and I was even able to prank a friend of mine with a surprise birthday celebration at dinner.  Boy was he surprised since his birthday isn't until December, he figured out it was me so I'm watching out for his retribution.

After dinner we took in a musical production.  I can say that Marianne and I have attended musicals on Broadway and the Kennedy Center as well as dinner theater production and I'm sorry but while the actors, singers and dancers had a lot of enthusiasm their director would have been better off with something else because none of us could figure out what the show was about.

Later some of our group found, Derreck Wayne a young ship's entertainer outside the Schooner Bar.  He is an extremely talented pianist and singer.  He has an amazing knowledge of songs from the 50's to the present and pleasing voice to go along with nimble finger that glide across the keyboard with style and grace.

Lastly several of us found a karaoke lounge a short distance away.  I have to admit its fun to get up and sing with an actual band behind me and they made me sound just like Elvis even though Ii missed a word here and there.  Unfortunately they couldn't help some members of our fellow travelers.  Now we know what they did with the money their parents gave them for singing lessons.  They bought candy instead.

Alaska 2016 Day2

It's now our day of departure.  We awoke early, and set out to explore a little of downtown Vancouver.  The streets are already busy at 6:00 am.  Cars are moving and the locals are filling the nearby cafe we found.  The Brekka Cafe makes wonderfully decadent sweet treats from donuts and scones to cakes and pie.  Their teas and coffees were good as well.

After whetting our appetites we strolled back towards our hotel.  It was interesting to see the similarities of Vancouver and Washington, D.C.  The homeless were up and about and quick to ask for money.  They were not aggressive about it and took our "No Thank You" with a shrugged and quickly moved to the next likely mark.

Back at the hotel we touched base with many of our customers and made sure all of their needs were being taken care of and we reminded them to meet us in the lobby at 10:45 in order to meet the buses to the port.

By 10:40, everyone was in the lobby and I felt bad for any incoming guest as we pretty much filled the lobby.  We moved out in groups of ten Marianne made sure everyone had their boarding passed and passport easily available.

Check in at the Royal Caribbean was slow and they could have used a bit more air conditioning as the 2,500 passengers lined up to get checked in.  Next we went through U.S. Customs and Immigration.  This a little different as we would normally do this at the end of a trip not the beginning.  If you were a U.S. citizen it went quickly as they had six kiosk open but if you were not then you had one kiosk and you waited and waited.  Finally as the non U.S. citizen line began backing up due to manpower and computer issues they finally added another two kiosk.

Things went smoothly after that and we were on board and with beer in hand we moved about the ship exploring its hidden secrets.  It had been awhile since I've been on a Royal Caribbean Ship and I had forgotten the little treats, i.e. shuffle board, pool tables, ping pond and good food.

As promised we had access to our cabin at 1:00 pm and we managed a short nap before the muster drill.
Dinner was a grand experience but I personally think the portions could be a little larger.  After dinner the ladies of our group found a fantastic young piano player in the schooner lounge and spent the rest of the evening singing and making merry.

Alaska 2016 Day 1

We all safely arrived in Vancouver yesterday after an adventurous day.

Several of us were flying Delta , which after their computer outrage on Monday did mean a long layover. Auto correct is definitely not my friend. Since my group was going to be running late I had to get one of the other agents traveling with us to meet up with my clients from Japan. They had a hard time because instead of typing "Look for a blond girl with 3 Japanese people", I typed "Very Blind Girl." .  This led to a mad scramble throughout the airport looking for the "Very Blind" girl.  Needless to say three jumbo jets arrived at 

the same time and it appeared as if it was an Asian invasion. She was found eventually sans the white cane.

Of course this is on top of the fact that all the Delta flights were delayed. We finally arrived at our hotel (Century Plaza Spa) it was a welcome relief.  Several of our group arrived before us and asked the local hotel staff their recommendations for a good restaurant.  They ended up in a restaurant with great food and outstanding service, it also happened to be a restaurant that was heavily favored by the LGBT community.  It was a great time had by all.

Then one of our travelers decided to go to the local grocery store three blocks away and grab a case of water, unfortunately he exited the store via a different door and ended up going in the wrong direction from the hotel and became hopelessly lost.  His daughter was able to finally get in touch with him on his cell phone and grabbed a cab and picked him up. (Whew!)

I've been traveling internationally for over thirty years and assisting my wife with her travel business for ten.  I've learned that when you escort a group of travelers (31 on this trip) you are always going to have some excitement, bur for Pete's sake can't we get on the ship before it starts.

Review of the Carnival Pride

So way back in January Carnival invited me to cruise on the Pride out of Baltimore.
I have so many clients that love sailing on this ship due to the convenience of sailing out of Baltimore, but for me personally it has never been of interest. After all when I cruise I like it to be warm and sunny and spend my time at the pool or on the beach or exploring new ports of call. This cruise sailed in January.

And as you can tell from the above picture we actually had snow on the pool chairs

My second issue before with this cruise is I don't think it has a very exciting itinerary.
We sailed to Port Canaveral, Nassau and Freeport - although on some cruise they do skip Port Canaveral and visit Grand Turks instead

Surprisingly enough I loved this cruise. The ship is definitely older than a lot that I have been on but that was part of what I loved about it, yes maybe it was older but it was built better than the ships that are being built today and so it was designed to last longer.

Walking on board, the first thing I noticed is the atrium is not a wide open space like on most cruise ships

But on a cold winters day it did feel cozy. 

The ship itself in my opinion is quirky with a strong Renaissance feel to it,

One of the funniest things I heard on board was a fellow passenger in the elevator saying how she wouldn't recommend this ship to anyone as it had too many pictures of naked people on board!.

The big question I always ask myself after I cruise is "Would I sail on this ship/itinerary again?" and in this case I would give it a big DEFINITELY

Even though it was cold as we sailed down the coast we did have 2 beautiful sunny days in the Bahamas. The entertainment on the ship - especially the Piano Man was amazing,and the staff among the friendliest I have experienced in a long time

Since it was cold on board we spent a lot of time participating on the on board activities and meeting people. There is nothing like a 3 hour sea day brunch with some very friendly people.We never felt that we had to hurry up and do something or to get somewhere which really made it the perfect getaway

For those that wanted to spend time in the pool they do have a cover so it is not freezing - although I still thought it was too cold. There were a lot of people hanging out there and kids playing in the water

During the summer I think this cruise prices way to high but for a winter getaway, with the lower prices I think it is perfect.

I actually thought about checking prices to take my husband or a group of girlfriends in January 2015 but the Pride is getting a face lift and will be in Tampa until March so maybe I will hold off until the following year. I just hope that the "facefit" doesn't take away her charm and quirkiness