I’m leaving Bermuda on a …….cruise?

 

Queen Victoria

You could! How cool would that be? Don’t worry about a plane….don’t worry about liquids in your carry-on…don’t worry about how heavy your bags are!

All those worries can disappear as you step onto the Cunard’s Queen Victoria Ports of Call cruise line leaving from Bermuda on April 30.

Where are you going to go? Start by sailing to Ponta Delgada in the Azores before heading to Lisbon, Portugal and the Cork, Ireland, Le Havre, France and finally Southampton, England.

The entire voyage is 12 days and you’ll be left in England to decide what you want to do! Head home? Sure you could. Or you could continue exploring the continent!

You’re choice and since the cruise only cost you $2,990 per person (the starting rate) you may have some pennies to play with!

Though I remember one of the best ways I have ever returned to Bermuda. It was by boat.

Not any old boat, either. It was on the Italian naval vessel, The Amerigo Vespucci. This stunning vessel was sailing around the Atlantic Ocean and I was lucky enough to join them on the portion that took us from Cadiz, Spain to….home, Bermuda!

Reefs crept around us, the blue water welcomed us and the island snuck over the horizon….it was so good to be home.

And now you could have a similar chance on the Celebrity Summit cruise. Ok, so it’s not a tall ship, but it’s still a beautiful boat that will pick you up in San Juan, Puerto Rico take you to St. Maarten before St. Thomas and then Tortola before finally arriving in….BERMUDA!

Even better? the rates start at $830 per person for this seven day cruise. Of course you’d have to get to San Juan which is why if you book this through CTravel you can get a great deal on your cruise and the flight!

Board a plane!

Of course flights are all the rage if you need a weekend away and there are plenty of flight deals going on now. So maybe you don’t want to go to NYC with the snow they’ve got, but what about visiting Orlando, Florida for just $278?!

Or go to Canada? Well, ok, so it might not be particularly warm there, but at least there’s skiing, right?

Of course CTravel has the agent to help you with that…..Brenda Warwick!

Fly to Toronto for $296 or to Montreal for just $304! An hour from Montreal and you’re into the mountains and on the slopes.

Just remember to either visit CTravel’s website quickertix.com or their main website CTravel!

Need help with a winter vacation?

Winter escapes

It’s not easy. It’s never easy picking a place to go on vacation and even harder when you’re faced with the winter grit.

And what are you to do if you’re choosing from Bermuda? We have the sun and sea here, but in the winter it rains, the wind pushes us over and it’s basically…..ok well it’s not winter everywhere, but it’s our winter.

It’s not a perfectly sunny day every day.

So should you go somewhere warmer than Bermuda or somewhere colder? Not an easy question.

I vote colder.

Good thing CTravel is there with Brenda Warwick is there to help you with all of your cold, winter vacation plans.

This is a one-woman skiing machine who knows the best resorts from the East Coast to the West Coast and everywhere in between.

Check out this interview we did with her here on Robyn’s Wanderings .

Maybe you can ask her about out little post last week about skiing in Vail, Colorado. There are lift tickets for just $14.21 a day! It’s true.

Yep about the price of lunch. Ok so maybe it’s lunch with a drink and dessert, but it’s not a stretch at Bermuda prices.

For just $199 a week you can ski for a week in Vail during the second snowiest month of the year ….. April! Imagine flying through the powder of the top ski vacation destination for the price of lunch in Bermuda!

Well make sure you book the ski pass through Brenda Warwick who can also help you find the right resort for your ski trip!

Or maybe you’re interested in staying on the East Coast! I can totally understand that. Heck I wrote the column on it yesterday.

What are plane ticket prices like right now? Well have no fear CTravel is here for you too! Book your vacation through CTravel and right now they have  flight specials for just $258 (without tax) to Boston.

Boston is only about two hours from some of the best resorts in Vermont so what are you waiting for?

Even better is if you contact an agent at CTravel you know they’re going to find the best deal for you! And

Learning to Ski

without you having to stress or spend hours negotiating those airline sites (expedia, hotwire, etc…) which have now dropped American Airlines.

Or perhaps you’re looking for some more deals?! Well good thing CTravel has some amazing Seat Sales on right now!

Even better? Take a vacation for Valentine’s Day.

Book through quickertix.com and prepare to spoil your loved one for Valentine’s Day with a trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico for as little as $358 (before tax).

Or go to Toronto, Canada for $286 (before tax). Want some ideas of what to do in Canada? Well we have that covered here at Robyn’s Wanderings.

Our new wanderer, Nicola Arnold gave us a complete run down of events in Toronto for all of us to read last Saturday.

Oh you didn’t catch it? Ok well here’s your chance.

Have a happy Thursday!

 

Looking for the Perfect Valentine’s gift?

Swim in the warm waters of the Caribbean!

You know you are! So what are you going to get that special person? Sure you could get them chocolates or waste your money on flowers.

Yep, you could do that.

But why would you when you could………BUY A TICKET TO THE CARIBBEAN! Yes it sounds expensive, but here’s the best part – it isn’t.

Sail from Tampa, Florida to Cozumel, Mexico with the Royal Caribbean Cruise line for four days in a State Room (i.e. nothing but the best for your loved one) for just $529 per person.

And if you’re feeling even more adventurous and depending on how much you have to save things, you could splurge on the Love Affair package for an additional $327 per couple.

The package includes: Private Cocktail Parties – Special Gifts – Couples Workshops on Romance, Finance & Commun- ication – Wine & chocolate covered strawberries in your stateroom – Private Events – and more…

But this cruise is not just about, perhaps, salvaging a relationship or strengthening one, it’s also about visiting a new place.

Cozumel

Explore the ruins’s park in Cozumel or the markets festooned with the local and native produce! That is if you can get yourself away from the pristine beaches.

You’ll be happy you do book this, especially if you do through CTravel who are you local experts on cruises and ensuring you get the best deal!

Since today’s post is all about cruises and because those are where the best deals are these days of economic tightening, why not treat yourself to a second one (after Valentine’s of course) and sail with the Norwegian Cruise Line!

Only it will have to be a small treat because the cruise will only set you back $399 per person for seven days!!! Well that’s for an inside room. If you really want to up your game then you can book the balcony for $599 per person. That is still an incredible savings.

7-Day Eastern Caribbean from Miami Norwegian

For seven days sail in pure luxury from Miami to Nassau to St. Maarten to St. Thomas and ensure you get the best deal you know you need to contact CTravel!

Of course if you’re looking for something a bit more exotic and long distance there is really only one cruise for you: The Baltics!

Yes for just $106 a night per person you can sail from Copenhagen, Denmark to Stockholm, Sweden, Tallinn, Estonia, St. Petersburg, Russia, Helsinki, Finland and Warnemunde, Germany over nine days.

Cruise the Baltics

You would set sail on June 4th and return on June 13th into Copenhagen for the prices starting at $949! What are you waiting for?

Oh the temperatures?! Well have no fear, by then the weather should be warming and the ice should be melting. Heck it’s June right. The average temperature in Stockholm is 70 degrees (Fahrenheit of course).

So call or visit CTravel today for more information and book your cruise for 2011!

Ski Vail, Colorado for the price of lunch!

Skiing!

Yep it’s true! You can ski in Vail, Colorado for $14.21 a day! It’s true. Yep. Ok so maybe it’s lunch with a drink and dessert, but it’s not a stretch at Bermuda prices.

It’s the latest deal from Brenda Warwick, our CTravel ski expert! For just $199 you can ski for a week in Vail during the second snowiest month of the year ….. April! Imagine flying through the powder of the top ski vacation destination for the price of lunch in Bermuda!

This crazy deal also covers the period of spring break! Yep, from April 10th until April 24th, Vail is offering great deals on ski lifts.

Not only can  you ski for $14 a day, but you can also experience the parties! I mean really….isn’t apres ski the best part of the day??!

Well make sure you book the ski pass through Brenda Warwick who can also help you find the right resort for your ski trip!

Are you worried about how much it is going to cost you to fly to Colorado? You’re right from Bermuda, traveling further than the East Coast can get costly as well as tricky with combining flights!

Have no fear CTravel is here for you too! Book your vacation by January 13th and you will be able to fly to Denver, Colorado for $372!  From Denver, public transportation is easy, cheap and frequent to Vail so this is perfect!

Ok so these reduced prices are mid-week and depends on your carrier, but if you contact an agent at CTravel you know they’re going to find the best deal for you! And without you having to stress or spend hours negotiating those airline sites (expedia, hotwire, etc…) which have now dropped American Airlines.

Chicago by Sam Strangeways

Or perhaps you’re looking for some more deals?! Well good thing CTravel has some amazing Seat Sales on right now!

Even better? They match Valentine’s Day! Yep, book your tickets to Chicago for just $272 and fly between February 16 and May 24th!

Of course this depends on the carrier you book through and the days of the week you travel so check out prices on quickertix.com and prepare to spoil your loved one for Valentine’s Day.

And read Sam Strangeways’ account (it’s linked to her photo on the left) of her visit to Chicago for tips on where to eat, sleep and enjoy this windy city!

Of course check back here tomorrow for more adventures in Vermont (my latest destination) and enjoy your Thursday! Your CTravel Thursday!

Looking to get your Jazz on?

All that Jazz!

Fancy doing it on a cruise? Well you’ve got one more day to book a trip that includes, not just some of the best jazz artists, but also the Caribbean. What could be better?

How about the 2011 artist lineup? David Sanborn, Alonzo Bodden, Simone, and so many more that you can visit here. And then again there are the countries! Nassau, San Juan, St. Maarten and Half Moon Cay. Then of course there is the price! For nine days sail through the Caribbean, listen to the soothing sounds of Jazz and do it all for just $2,599 if you book with CTravel. But remember you only have one more day so visit their website or their offices on Queen Street for more information. While you’re there you might want to also ask about their special deal just for Bermudians. Bermudians who want to visit New York. That includes staying in the luxurious Fitzpatrick Hotel in New York Fitzpatrick hotel for just $199 a night. That will also include the use of their health club, special offer coupons and it is available from Thursday to Sunday! Why not treat yourself after Christmas for a little vacation? And even better when you book through CTravel then you can also book your theatre tickets! Well not just theatre tickets, but discount tickets for the any event you’re interested in seeing while you visit the Big Apple. Check out what is available here. And finally as a little bonus. A trip that is fun and out there for you….how about experiencing the haunting images of Vietnam or the beautiful ones of Cambodia Experience a vivid world of monks in saffron robes, rice paddies, floating markets & ancient temples with a private guided tour. Visit Hanoi, which is a lively mix past & present, the limestone karsts of Halong Bay, culturally decadent Hue, charming old Hoi An & Ho Chi Minh City before voyaging to Cambodia to explore the ancient temple complex of Angkor Wat. Enjoy an overnight cruise on Halong Bay, water puppet show, Tai Chi, cooking class, cycling, river cruises, hot air balloon ride, elephants & more. Featuring a great mix of 4 & 5 star hotels, private guide, driver & internal flights, this tour promises to be the trip of a lifetime. For 14 days it will cost you just $3,794 per person! How crazy is that? I know how crazy it is because I’ve traveled through that part of the world. It’s a trip that is priceless but with a visit to the helpful staff of CTravel you can also visit the stunning countries of South East Asia. All the best on your vacation choices!

 

You walk like an Egyptian….

Egyptian Pyramids

Yeah tell me something I don’t already know.

No, I’m not talking to the 80’s hit by The Bangles. I haven’t quite lost my head like that yet. Though….No no I haven’t lost my head like that at all.

Who was I talking to? Well just about every Egyptian man who lined the streets of Luxor desperate to get hold of me or catch my attention.

I’m not being vain. Believe me. The last think I wanted was to catch their eye. It was just something they did! To everyone!

What am I talking about? Well I’m talking about my trip around the world last year, that landed me in Egypt for two weeks. I went from Cairo to Aswan to Luxor and back to Cairo again.

It was an incredible trip that I did by train. Have you ever woken-up to see the Nile drift by you? I didn’t think so. It’s stunning.

Which is why you should book to go NOW! Don’t delay. Why? Well for one reason the CTravel agency in Bermuda can get you a great deal.

In fact if you book by December 31st you can received a discount of as much as $700 on a ten day trip through Egypt! Four of those days will be on a boat.

Need I say more? Well you’d be traveling the same route I did. But unlike the backpacker I was, you will travel from Cairo and along the Nile, in the company of distinguished Egyptologists, who will happily explain both modern and ancient Egypt.

Visit bazaars alive with color and fragrant spices, and gain an appreciation for Egypt’s unique diversity. And the best part? Sailing along the Nile on the 47-guest Salacia.

So make sure you contact CTravel today to book your discounted tour of Egypt.

Or do your cultural tendencies lean toward the musical kind? Perhaps a little Jazz will lighten your day? How about for nine days?

Jazz Cruise

Yep well through the company My Escapades and CTravel, you could be sailing with 80 Jazz greats for nine days!

With the likes of Johnny Mandel, James Moody, Wycliffe Gordon, Jeff Hamilton, Jon Gordon, Freddy Cole, Shelly Berg, and Ernie Adams to name a few.

Imagine listening to the soothing sounds of Jazz while navigating through the Caribbean! From Fort Lauderdale to Nassau, San Juan, St. Maarten and Half Moon Cay, you’ll have an amazing time for the price of just $2,599 per person.

The best part for Bermudians is that price includes flights from Toronto to Ft. Lauderdale to begin the trip. With the introduction of WestJet that’s an easy and cheap connection to make!

Or are you looking for something more hardcore? Maybe a trip up and down the world? How about from Cape

Rome

Town, South Africa to Rome, Italy?!

Well Princess Cruises through CTravel are offering a cruise in April next year that costs only $5,499 per person and is 26 days!

How cool would that be? It would be.

You’d be taken to Namibia, Ghana, Senegal, Togo and then to Spain, France and of course Italy!

And the price starts at just $5,999 per person for the 26-day cruise!

Of course I’m missing some of the countries in the list, but you wouldn’t when you travel in style with Princess Cruise lines!

So make sure you enjoy your holidays now, book your holidays for later and of course come back tomorrow for more Robyn’s Wanderings!

Travel through the Caribbean for Seven Days for less than $400!

Escape the cold on a cruise

Want to escape next year? Why don’t you head to the Caribbean? Worried about the cost? Well don’t worry. I know, I know it’s cold right now and you want somewhere warm.

But the Holiday shopping is eating into the vacation……well it can’t on the Princess Cruises offered by CTravel.

In the new year, the Cruise line is offering cruises to the Caribbean for just $349 for seven days of turquoise water, white sand and…..WARM!

Where can you go? Leave from Ft. Lauderdale, head to San Juan, St. Thomas and Dominica, Bonaire and Aruba! Well that’s just one of the Princess Cruise’s great deals for the New Year. Check with CTravel for your local representative with all the booking abilities!

 

Seven-day cruise

But maybe you’re still looking for a Christmas Gift that gives back? Are you struggling with that person in your life who has everything?

Well, you and I both know that at some point everyone needs to leave Bermuda. It’s Rock Fever and you know at some point next year the gift certificate you purchased from CTravel will be needed.

So what are you waiting for? Purchase the gift Certificate by December 18 (CTravel is open on Saturday the 18th) and you could also win.

 

That’s right purchase a Gift Certificate from CTravel and you will be entered into the draw to win two American Airlines tickets to anywhere in The United States.

 

American Airlines Gift Certificate!

You’ve got three more days to purchase a gift certificate so take the opportunity to take one more person off your list!

And while you’re visiting CTravel in their Queen Street offices why not ask about another deal….Save $1,000 off your trip to Egypt in the New Year if you book by December 31!

Passage through Egypt has been developed to reveal in depth all that Egypt travel has to offer — the celebrated sites along with the less-traveled.

Leading Egyptologists join you as we see the great Pyramids, the impressive monuments and inspiring paintings and statues – built with techniques still not fully understood by modern engineers.

Your trip will include three days in Cairo before explore all of this aboard the Salacia, and along the Nile for seven days and then on land for another seven. Luxor will be fully enjoyed with some of the less known temples.

And all of this could be booked for less than $1,000 if you book by December 31! So call or visit CTravel to ask about your trip to Egypt next year!

 

Have family/friends in Canada? Find flights from Halifax to Bermuda for $99!

Fly to Bermuda for $99!

And no, you don’t have to flap your arms or kick with your feet! No! The airline running this special is none other than Air Canada and the person to book these tickets with is no other than CTravel!

That’s because while Air Canada runs the special on their site for $99 for another 14 hours, CTravel has until December 16th to book!

And even better? CTravel can offer your friends and family flights home from Toronto for $149! What a deal?! What are you waiting for? Visit their Quicktix website to book your flights or give the agents a call!

CTravel Deals!

So bring your family and friends back home for the holidays and buy your Christmas gifts at the same time!

That’s because CTravel is also offering the chance to win two free tickets on American Airlines to anywhere in the United States.

Yes, they ran a contest that ended on November 30 and here is the next installment! So don’t delay!

Make sure you get the traveler in your life the Christmas gift they want – a CTravel gift Certificate – and be entered for a two tickets to anywhere in the Continental United States.

I can’t think of a better way to spend your new year!

What are you waiting for? Visit their offices on the first floor of the Bermudiana Arcade in Hamilton or visit their website for more information.

And perhaps the traveler in your life can put it toward a trip of a lifetime – the Arctic. I mean it feels like the Arctic out there in Bermuda right now, so why not go and actually experience it!?

Book soon because these amazing trips that are organized by the Arctic Kingdom Polar Expeditions Inc. are

Visit the Arctic

the only land-based travel experiences in this part or the world.

Each of their trips is catered to your likes and their groups are small, between 4 and 12 adventurers.

Any Inuit guide will tell you that a larger group size compromises your ability to feel and see what the Arctic has to offer.

So from visiting the Polar Bears in the Arviat Polar Bear cabins set directly on the shores of Hudson Bay to chilling in the Arctic Igloo Domes in the rarely visited and spectacular Torngat mountains, they have everything.

Helicopters, polar bears, sizzling northern lights and sightings of rare caribou herds make this a world class unforgettable adventure.

Don’t wait long though! These vacations are filling-up so make sure you contact the representative at CTravel for your Arctic Vacations and stay warm on Bermuda’s roads!

Need a different trip? How about Orbiting into Space

View of Earth from Above

Looking for a thrill on your next trip, but not sure where to find it? Have you ever traveled at almost 2500 mph? You know, more than three times the speed of sound? Want to take the pressure off? I mean completely off? You know, zero gravity off?

How about traveling like that thousands of miles above earth? Why not head to space with Virgin Galactic?! Yes since 2005 the company founded and headed by Sir Richard Branson has been offering reservations for the $200,000 spots on their spaceships since 2005.

AND DID YOU KNOW?!? Bermuda has it’s very own travel agent to help you book? You guessed it. We do. CTravel. In fact Brenda Warwick at CTravel can help you place your reservation for the FIRST(!!!!) commercial sub-orbital space odyssey.

I mean how cool would that be? For the starting price of $200,000 with refundable deposits starting from $20,000, flying around space could be YOU!

Check out Virgin Galactic’s Website for the history and run-down of what you will experience while you’re above Earth!

Is that a little to extreme for your liking? What about a weekend in New York? Yeah I thought you might like that and luckily CTravel has some great deals that can help you stay without costing you a fortune!

Sound even better? I thought so.

The Fitzpatrick Hotel in New York

For just $199 a night you can stay at the Fitzpatrick hotel in Manhattan!

This beautiful hotel offers the Irish hospitality to Bermudians who book through CTravel.

And their offer even provides you with the use of the gym and gives you special discounts at stores!

Sounds like a deal to me.

But what are you going to do in New York? Well have no fear. At this time of year there is so much to do in New York it is hard to know what is good or bad or even where to get the best tickets.

How about staying local for that? Well did you know that you could also find tickets for Wicked, The Lion King and just about any theatre show or concert you want with CTravel?

Well you can! Check out Keith Prowse’s purchasing site. How about cheap tickets to something in London? Yep you can do that here too! So what are you waiting for?

Plan your trip to New York or to the moon (ok not the moon, but you get it) and visit here tomorrow for your Advent chocolate. What am I talking about?

Well come back tomorrow and find out!

You’ve got six more days

toooooo…………..

To do what? To be entered into a draw for TWO FREE American Airlines’ tickets to anywhere in the United States. Go to Vegas! Visit Chicago! Enjoy the streets of Boston! And do it for FREE!!!

But how do you enter? Well that’s easy. Visit CTravel either online or in their Queen Street store and purchase that gift certificate you need for the traveler in your life.

That’s right. Buy a gift certificate, or two, finish that Christmas shopping and be entered for a trip to the United States!!! I can’t think of a better deal.

Or maybe you’re looking for a cruise that departs from New York and encapsulates all the glamour of the old sailing ships?

Well Cunard through CTravel are offering the amazing deal of a 15-day cruise that leaves from New York on December 19 and takes you to: Grand Turk, Tortola, St. Maarten, Curacao, Grenada, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Thomas and back to New York.

The list of destinations are so long, writing them took ten minutes. Luckily booking the amazing trip will only take so long with the help of the professionals at CTravel and will cost you just about the same.

For all of this it will cost you $1,499! What are you waiting for? Book your Christmas cruise today!

Queen Mary II will take you from New York to New York

Fancy heading to the Azores for Christmas? Well Cunard is offering a 16-day cruise on its sister ship the Queen Victoria for rates starting at just $4,395.00.

Cruise the Canary Islands. Sail the waters of the Atlantic before approaching the island of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria with spectacularly lush vegetation, abundant clear waters and floral wealth. On Tenerife, gaze at El Teide, the highest mountain in Spain and experience the rich diversity of its landscape and sunny climate.

How can you resist? Well don’t! Spend your Christmas in another beautiful tropical environment!

Visit Ctravel online or in the Queen Street store to book your trip today!

Happy Thursday and visit tomorrow to learn about the visas you will need!