Family Travel
Check out family travel tips here! Read about the best activities while on vacation, travel destinations and cruise deals when traveling with your family.
The 10 Most Affordable Caribbean Hot Spots
TripAdvisor has priced 10 beautiful Caribbean island destinations, comparing the cost of a one-week trip for a group of four people for this early spring season. Included, in the price analysis is the average cost of round-trip airfare from the continental US, a seven-night hotel stay, six dinners and a half-day snorkeling excursion. Here are the top 10 value destinations, with the cost of a weeklong trip for four people.
- Puerto Rico – $4,609.00
- Jamaica – $4,631.00
- Trinidad & Tobago – $4,771.00
- Dominican Republic – $5,315.00
- St. Maarten / St. Martin – $5,566.00
- Bahamas – $5,815.00
- Curacao – $5,833.00
- Bermuda – $6,064.00
- Aruba – $6,260.00
- Grenada – $6,622.00
Why not plan a trip to one of these affordable destinations for this early spring season? Please call Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a land vacation request quote and let us book your next affordable getaway today!!
11 Things To Do On Board The New Norwegian Getaway
The new 4000 passenger Norwegian Getaway debuted in Miami earlier this year, the biggest ship to ever cruise year-round from the city. Onboard the Miami-centric ship, cruise passengers will find an action-packed environment that aims to bring the excitement of the Magic City to sea. Here are 11 favorite activities to do onboard the Norwegian Getaway.
- Watching “It’s Magic“: The one-of-a-kind Illusionarium dinner show.
- Sipping Mojitos: Head to the Sugarcane Mojito Bar to taste six varieties of mojitos.
- Whirling Down Slides: Try one of the five colorful waterslides above Deck 16 at Getaway’s Aqua Park.
- Walking The Plank: Put on a harness and fulfill your pirate fantasies! Step onto a plank the protrudes 8 feet off the ship, with nothing but sea 180 feet below!
- Playing Mini Golf: A round of mini golf on the ship’s 9-hole, pirate-themed course is a nice diversion, especially for families.
- Hanging With SpongeBob: As part of Norwegian’s deal with Nickelodeon TV, characters including SpongeBob appear in a bunch of places shipboard, including the décor at the Kids’ Aqua Park and Splash Academy playrooms.
- Eating Cuban: Fulfill your appetite with classic dishes like black beans and rice, pulled pork, fried yucca and empanadas at the open-air Flamingo Bar & Grill.
- Participating in a Game Show: Crowds gather in the three-deck atrium — with its giant video screen — to play “Deal Or No Deal”, compete in trivia contests and hear what comes out of the mouths of fellow passengers during “The Perfect Couple Game Show”.
- Going Dancing: Dancing the night away onboard the Getaway doesn’t mean just busting a move in the disco. Theme nights include an 80’s party, complete with fireworks, at the outdoor club Spice H2O. In the Tropicana Room, a dramatic dining space designed to look like a 1940’s supper club, you can dance to tunes by an excellent Latin trio.
- Listening To Music: The GRAMMY Experience is a new club featuring Grammy award-winning musicians. The décor includes cases filled with funky Grammy memorabilia such as bright yellow Jackson Five jumpsuits, circa 1977.
- Seeing A Show: Head to the theater for the cutesy “Legally Blonde: The Musical” and a sizzling Latin version of the Broadway dance show “Burn The Floor”. For laughs, catch a performance by topflight comics. Or sample “Wine Lovers the Musical”, where lunch and a wine tasting get the comedic treatment.
Make your next cruise vacation aboard the Norwegian Getaway a reality. Call Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a cruise vacation quote request and let us plan your next “Getaway” on board this incredible new ship!
2014 Cruisers’ Choice Awards Winners
Here are the most notable winners of the 2014 Cruisers’ Choice Awards:
- Disney Fantasy (Disney Cruise Lines): Best Large Ship
- Disney Wonder (Disney Cruise Lines): Best Midsize Ship
- Seabourn Quest (Seabourn Cruise Line): Best Small Ship, Best Small Ship for Public Rooms & Best Small Ship for Value-for-Money
- Carnival Liberty (Carnival Cruise Lines): Best Large Ship for Value-for-Money
- Oasis Of The Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines): Best Large Ship for Fitness
- Oceania Riviera (Oceania Cruise Lines): Best Midsized Ship for Cabins
- Norwegian Sun (Norwegian Cruise Lines): Best Midsized Ship for Value-for-Money
- Regent Seven Seas Navigator (Regent Seven Seas Cruises): Best Small Ship for Cabins
- Crystal Serenity (Crystal Cruise Lines): Best Small Ship for Dining
- Celebrity Silhouette (Celebrity Cruises): Best Cruises to the Mediterranean
Why not make your next cruise vacation on board one of these beautiful ships? Please call Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a cruise request quote form so we can begin planning your next incredible cruise getaway!!
The 10 Best Chinatowns Across The USA
Chinatowns are cities within cities; adventurous, bustling, full of distinctive signage, street vendors selling unusual items, specialty shops, a noted lack of big chains, a variety of dialects being spoken, and multitudes of unique and exciting food choices. From the country’s oldest Chinatown in hilly San Francisco to the smaller but just-as-bustling Chinatown in Philadelphia, visitors have the opportunity for instant cultural immersion, and below are identified as the ten best Chinatowns in America.
- San Francisco
- New York
- Chicago
- Seattle
- Philadelphia
- Honolulu
- Boston
- Los Angeles
- Houston
- Washington, DC
Let us make this unique & cultural vacation a reality! Please call Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a land vacation request quote, and begin packing your bags to one of these great destinations and enjoy their awesome Chinatown experience!!
10 Cruise Ships To Sure Please kids
Cruise lines cater to more than 1.5 million kid vacationers a year. It’s no wonder cruise ships are such a draw for families — there’s lots of stuff for the younger set to do. While the kids are occupied in organized activities programs, adults get to enjoy some downtime. When the whole family is ready for some togetherness, waterslides and other fun play areas provide places for creating memories. These 10 cruise ships have the most kid appeal.
- Oasis Of The Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruise Line)
- Allure Of The Seas (Royal Caribbean Cruise Line)
- Norwegian Breakaway (Norwegian Cruise Line)
- Norwegian Getaway (Norwegian Cruise Line)
- Disney Dream (Disney Cruise Line)
- Disney Fantasy (Disney Cruise Line)
- MSC Divina (MSC Cruises)
- Carnival Breeze (Carnival Cruise Line)
- Carnival Sunshine (Carnival Cruise Line)
- Royal Princess (Princess Cruises)
Let us make this cruise getaway a reality!! Please call Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a cruise vacation quote request so we can begin planning your next memorable family cruise vacation!!
The Six Best Caribbean Resorts for Families
The Caribbean has some of the best sands and the friendliest family resorts. At these six diverse properties, you and your children can encounter dolphins, ride horses in the surf, snorkel through schools of tropical fish, learn sailing or simply sit and chat.
- Atlantis Paradise Island (The Bahamas)
- Club Med Punta Cana (Dominican Republic)
- Half Moon Resort (Montego Bay, Jamaica)
- Grand Velas Riviera Maya Resort (Just South of Cancun, Mexico)
- Coconut Bay Resort (Saint Lucia)
- Beaches Providenciales Resort (Provo, Turks & Caicos)
With this harsh winter 2014 season in full swing, let us plan your next family vacation to one of these six wonderful destinations. Please call Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us an air/land vacation request form so we can make this next family getaway a memorable reality.
10 Questions to ask your Cruise Travel Agent
For first-time cruisers and experienced cruise passengers too, travel agents can be an invaluable resource. They can help you get through the nuances and intricacies of planning your cruise vacation and even save you money during special sales/promotional events as well as other times during the year too. However, you need to know what you want before starting a conversation. Here are the 10 key questions to ask your cruise travel agent when planning a cruise:
- Do you have any experience in cruising? (You want to work with an agent that has first-hand experience with being on a cruise and familiarity with all the major cruise lines)
- Are there any special offers that apply to me? (Cruise lines target offers – such as senior discounts, residential discounts and military personnel discounts)
- Can I save by tweaking my travel dates? (You may have specific cruise dates in mind, however, if you are flexible, your agent might save you a bundle by booking you a week earlier or later. High season usually occurs Memorial Day through Labor Day, Passover/Easter week & Christmas/New Year’s break)
- Where will my cabin be located? (Not every cabin in the same category is created equally. One may bring the benefit of a larger than normal balcony, another may be located in a particularly noisy area of the ship. Choosing a specific cabin may or may not be the best way to go. Your agent will guide you in this realm)
- Can you do anything for me? (Travel agents may be able to sweeten the pot with incentives such as onboard spending credits, a bottle of champagne upon arrival in your cabin or a dinner at one of the ships’ restaurants. It doesn’t hurt to ask.)
- Have you cruised to this destination? (Your travel agent should be able to offer some advice on what to see and do at any destination port)
- What are the dining options onboard? (On many ships, you need to decide upfront whether to do early or late seating at assigned tables or an open-seating option. You may also want to make reservations at one of the ship’s popular specialty restaurants one evening. This is another area where your cruise travel agent can be a helpful guide)
- Should I buy travel insurance? (You are investing money when you book your cruise. Make sure you understand what is covered and what’s not. Also make sure you understand how the cruise payment plan works — with a deposit upfront. A travel agent can take you through what happens if you need to cancel, including the difference between cruise line and third-party insurance policies)
- What happens if the price of the cruise drops? (Some cruise fares have non-refundable deposits, but most do not. A good travel agent will help you watch for price changes and help you grab a lower fare if one becomes available — within the change period allowed)
- Will I be able to reach you if I run into a problem? (The big difference between a do-it-yourself approach and working with an agent is customer service. you want someone who will know your needs and be there when you need them)
Bargain Travel prides itself on customer service and serving its clients. When you are ready to book your next cruise vacation, please give us a call at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a cruise quote request form and allow our experienced staff to take care of all your travel needs.
Five Best Places to Dive & Snorkel in the Caribbean
Choosing the Caribbean’s five best dive/snorkel destinations is like picking the best five places to live in America. Everyone wants something different. At least divers and snorkelers usually want the same essentials: easy entry, clear water, healthy corals and lots of marine life. Four of these sites possess these in abundance while Bimini’s distinctive wild dolphin swimming focuses on animal encounters. Below, are the five best Caribbean dive/snorkel destinations:
- Bonaire – Bari Reef
- Little Cayman – Bloody Bay
- British Virgin Islands – Wreck of the RMS Rhone
- Bimini – The Bahamas
- Saint Thomas, USVI – Cow & Half Rocks
To plan your next Caribbean dive & snorkel vacation, please contact Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a land request quote so we can make this memorable vacation a reality!!
10 of the World’s Most Beautiful Ice Skating Rinks
With the 2014 winter season in full swing, what else could be better than putting on some ice skates and visiting one of these beautiful international rinks:
- Baniff Lake Louise (Baniff, Canada)
- Bondi Winter Festival Ice Rink (Sydney, Australia) [Late June – Mid July]
- Eiffel Tower Ice Rink (Paris, France)
- Evergreen Lake (Evergreen, Colorado)
- Red Square Rink (Moscow, Russia)
- Rideau Canal Skateway (Ottawa, Canada)
- The Rink At Rockefeller Center (New York City)
- Shichahai Lake (Beijing, China)
- Somerset House (London, England)
- Vienna Ice Dream (Vienna, Austria)
For more information about any of these special destinations, please contact Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a land request quote so that we can make this memorable vacation come true!!
Top Five Off-Peak Destinations For Winter 2013/2014
Before you grumble at the arrival of frigid winter weather, remember that the upcoming season heralds untold affordable off-peak travel opportunities. Here are five awesome destinations where the colder part of the year bears off-peak affordability:
- Nashville, TN – With a packed schedule of swoon-worthy musical performances year around, Nashville doesn’t have the most distinct high and low seasons of all the destinations on this list. But overall, hotels and flights tend to get a little less expensive during the winter, making a trip to this vibrant American city a bit more affordable during the colder months.
- Rome, Italy – Thanks to Pope Francis I, tourism is up in Rome. Rome can get pretty packed as it is, but you can beat the crowds in this already popular travel destination by going in the off-season.
- United Kingdom – The U.K. is a burgeoning cruise market. And cruising is, for the most part, a very economical way to explore international lands, especially for American travelers visiting destinations with unfavorable exchange rates.
- Russia – Admittedly, venturing to Russia in the winter may seem like a daunting endeavor. But for hardly, well-prepared travelers who appreciate a hot bowl of borscht on a blustery, dark evening or find the idea of domed cathedrals covered in snow appealing, a winter itinerary yields benefite aplenty, one of which is that prices for airfare are wonderfully low.
- Kyoto, Japan – Unlike ultramodern Tokyo, Kyoto is an old soul, with abundant World Heritage sites (17 in total), an authentic geisha district, ancient temples, and peaceful Zen rock gardens. If the historical city’s are on your must-see list (as it well should be), you’ll want to head there soon.
Let Bargain Travel plan your next off-peak winter destination vacation. Please contact Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a land quote request or cruise quote request so that we can begin planning you next affordable off-peak winter getaway.