Month: January 2023

Adventure doesn’t have to look like bungee jumping, sky diving or scaling Mt. Everest – it’s just a moment of experiencing something new and exciting that creates a new story in your book of life and fantastic memories for your kids childhood.

Here’s why you should say yes to new family adventures:

There’s Nothing Like Experiencing Something New Through a Child’s Eyes
Kids are naturally curious – and, as adults, we forget that even the smallest adventure can be magical to a child. Does your kiddo love the water? Show them the magical colors you can see under the water while snorkeling in Hawaii (did you know I’m a Hawaii Destination Expert and would love to send you to experience the amazing Hawaiian Islands), let them experience a new water park  or splash pad at a fantastic resort in Naples, Florida, or even kayaking in the Gulf of Mexico is quite the adventure.

You Are Creating a Sense of Adventure and Confidence in a Safe Environment
Each time your child experiences something new, it takes the fear out of unknown things. And seeing them successfully accomplish a new adventure helps build self-esteem and self confidence! And with you on the sidelines cheering them on – they’ll get a double boost in confidence!

You Can Talk About Your Amazing Memories Together For Years
Hey mom – remember that time when … (insert family trip here). I love reminiscing about a family adventure with my kids. Retelling these stories year after year will bring your family great joy, and each child will have their own favorite parts of the story of your adventure together.

Need help planning your next family adventure? Whether you’d like to go on a hiking adventure, ride thrilling roller coasters or take your kiddos to the beach for the first time – I’d love to help. Contact me to get a new adventure on your calendar.

Jessica Pratt, Travel Consultant with Vincent Vacations
Jessica.Pratt@VincentVacations.com

I just returned home from a wonderful 4 nights at Secrets Bahia Mita. Let me give you the scoop on this property.

It’s a new build as of 2021. It’s unique for this brand as it’s built in a very long U with one side being Dreams Bahia Mita and the other side is Secrets Bahia Mita. Dreams side is for everyone and Secrets is adults only.

Between the 2 is a big courtyard which is where they had evening entertainment. One of the nights they had an amazing mariachi band. We really enjoyed it.

At night there’s a sports bar called Desires. They play games on the TVs and music when it gets to be about 11PM. One fun tip is behind the big screen is a secret door to their Speak Easy. There’s another bar back there, dance floor and bathrooms. It was a very fun vibe in the evenings.

We stayed on the Secrets side. It was nice having full reign of the property with a lot of restaurants and pool to choose from. One tip I would say is if you’re traveling not as a couple – I would pick the Dreams side. The Secrets side has a more open bathroom without privacy for the shower.
We also were in a Preferred Club junior suite. Perks of preferred Club?
Access to rooftop top pool which had food and drinks service and AMAZING views.
Access to Oleo – a Mediterranean restaurant reserved only for Preferred Club guests. I had the beef short rib and my husband had the mahi mahi. They were both excellent.
Our room also had additional amenities for being Preferred Club which as snacks (Pringles and Peanut M&Ms restocked daily), mini liquor bottles in our mini refrigerator and the bathroom amenities had extras like toothpaste and sunscreen. Great touch!

We also spent time at the spa. There’s this water feature that is shockingly cool that is this huge cylinder with waterfalls going down to the the hydrotherapy area. There’s a large selection of treatments. I opted for a relaxing massage. You can use the hydrotherapy before or after your massage. One thing I loved is they dried my swimsuit during the massage so I didn’t have to put on a cold wet suit after. Great touch!

The beach at the resort is smaller than some in the area and it does have some rocks. There is a lot of chairs though on the beach with drink service. There was also a volleyball net with games going on. The beach isn’t a straight shot down so it wouldn’t be ideal for anyone with mobility issues that want to try and use the beach.

The resort has in it’s name – Surf and Spa. While I didn’t try surfing, there is surfing available right onsite. They also have the boards for you to use. We saw a lot of surfing going on. It did seem to be more entry level waves which would be a fun thing learn while on vacation. We did notice the waves were a little bigger in the morning.

I really enjoyed my time at the resort. Here are some of my tips for who would love this resort the most and what to do.

-This would be amazing for Destination Weddings. This resort group does such a top notch job with private events and the guests could pick which side they prefer to stay.
-Be ready to walk. The resort is long and skinny so walking from lobby to beach is quite the hike.
-Splurge for Preferred Club. It gives you access to some great areas of the resort.
-I wouldn’t recommend for anyone with mobility issues. It is spread out and hard to enjoy the beach easily.
-I wouldn’t recommend if you want a true adults only experience. Think of this as a resort with adults only building and pool. You can still hear the kids screaming and playing from Secrets pool.
-Great choice for multigenerational group or families looking for a lot going on. The shows, restaurant choices, waterpark, kids club, and evening nightlife make it a great choice to make lots of people happy.
-Plan a day trip to Sayulita from the hotel. This is a popular surf town that has been made famous by the show Bachelor in Paradise. It was a $31 cab ride each way. It had great unique shopping and restaurants. We ate at Barracuda. It was so good.

Virgin Voyages knows how to do it RIGHT!  The ship is gorgeous and filled with places to lounge, eat, drink, relax and enjoy all over!  Everywhere you turn is another place to SIP and lounge!

The ship is sleek and very Rockstar–even the rooms have moods to create with a touch of a button on the Ipad.  This isn’t your typical cruise… it is very laid back with the option to party.  You get to decide if you want low-key relaxation or hard core party all the time.

Onboard you can find: 5 star food, bars, a tattoo parlor (yes it’s fun to pop in and watch), pools, spa, high end fitness and casino.  You may shake your phone and a waiter will show up with a bottle of Moet Champagne and glasses.

The entertainment is very diverse- we loved the dueling show that is very cirque like.  We also loved Phantom Folktales band that performed throughout the ship.  We might have become their groupies!  Also onboard: Cabaret, a band that performed many events including Scarlet Night.  Scarlet Night that brings all the performers and cruisers together as they celebrate throughout the ship the elegance and beauty of all Virgin has to offer.

All the staff is there to serve and LOVES being employed by Virgin- they love their uniform and how the company is so good to them and in return they want to serve and help the guest have the most SPECTACULAR time.

We felt the excitement from the moment we walked on the ship and started exploring.  The night was gorgeous and filled with free champagne as we set sail that 1st night.  We sailed all night and woke up in Nassau.  Nassau is a great place to go on an exciting excursion OR make spa appointments and spend the day on the ship.  We sailed again that night to Virgin’s private island-Bimini Island.  We enjoyed the perfectly blue, clear water.  A HAPPY day at the beach that ended with a bonfire.  The last day was spent at sea!

Plenty to do onboard with all the classes: nutrition, fitness, facials, botox (you may also get on the ship), acupuncture, game shows.  Food is plentiful with themed, fun, delightful sit down restaurants, grab & go containers to sit and lounge, walk up to pizza, ice cream, sushi, street tacos, diner, ramen, & more!

The room was big and had places to put clothes, store luggage and move around.  We had a big balcony and loved seeing the view.

Virgin is setting sail on so many destinations for 2022/2023- Europe and Caribbean.  Please contact me to find the right ship and itinerary that works for you.  All tips are included, the Virgin app lets you book excursions, make reservations all before you arrive or once you are onboard.  Makes it so easy to plan your day and fun!

I highly recommend Virgin for a quick weekend getaway or European cruise.  You will enjoy the luxury, relaxation, food, music and pampering while onboard this gorgeous ship!

Contact me to BOOK!

Thanks,
Sarah

While I didn’t get a traditional white Christmas this year, I recently returned from a 5 night trip to this small town island with white sand beaches, and I have nothing but good things to say about it. Coming from a small Oklahoma town myself, I appreciate the familiarity and friendliness that comes from living in such a place. Upon arrival, we were met by our host (Denise) at the ferry dock and guided to our rental car agency. On our short 2 block walk to the rental car agency, Denise spoke on a first name basis with 2-3 people walking down the street, as well as a couple of business owners. We knew immediately; we would like this place.

 

When visiting St. John, there is only one way to get there, by boat. You either travel by cruise ship, personal vessel or ferry. We flew into St. Thomas, taxied to the Red Hook ferry station (this is super easy as they have taxis running this route regularly) and ferried over on the Red Hook Ferry which runs every hour on the hour. You can purchase tickets either at the counter (cash only) or online for about $15/person with 1 bag. Masks are required on the ferry.

 

After a short 15 min ferry, you’ll arrive in Cruz Bay, St. John. This is the hub of the island, where the majority of restaurants, shops and rental options are located. It’s a quaint little town of about 4,500 locals and easy to get around by walking. Parking is limited, however, so be prepared to pay if you are in town. There are a few options for brunch, as well as, several lunch options easy to walk-in and get a table. However, for dinner, it’s best to have a reservation. Must try restaurants are 1864 The Restaurant and The Lime Inn. I cannot say enough good things about either.

 

If you are planning to do any exploring on the island, you have a couple of options. You can taxi to some of the more popular beaches that have food and rentals located on-site and plan to spend the day, or you can rent a vehicle (I highly recommend a Jeep due to steep, winding roads). We wanted the freedom to explore on our own terms, so we rented a 2 door Jeep. It was nice to be able to leave our snorkel gear, ice chest, beach chairs etc. in the back every night instead of having to haul it in and out from our room.

 

The Beaches

 

Honeymoon Beach is about a 10 min drive from Cruz Bay and is a great spot for a day trip. They have a beach bar and water sports hut for rentals. You have to shuttle to the beach as it’s off the main road quite a ways. The R/T shuttle is $10/person, but you can purchase an all-day pass for $49/person which gives you use of the paddle boards, kayaks, snorkel equipment, beach chairs, and more. Snorkeling was great off the beach; we saw several stingrays and crabs.

 

Trunk Bay is the most photographed beach in the world and can get quite busy/crowded by noon or later.  I highly recommend arriving early. This is another beach that offers snorkel gear for rent, has a beach bar and some other amenities. I loved the small island off shore that is easily accessible for snorkeling. We saw an eel and tons of fish.

 

Cinnamon Bay was my favorite beach. The water was calm, the snorkeling was fantastic and the views were incredible. There is a beach bar but it was under construction during our time on the island.

 

The last beach I’ll mention is Maho Bay. They have a beach bar, and water sports rentals just across the street from the beach, but the best part about Maho Bay is the sea turtles. This bay has a lot of sea grass, and the water is a little murkier than others which makes it prime feeding grounds for sea turtles; we saw 4-5 turtles. So fascinating!

 

Now, let’s talk about accommodations. As I said before, St. John is only about 20 square miles, and on top of that it’s 60% national park that cannot be developed for tourism. Thus, your options for staying on the island are limited. But while I was there, I was able to visit and tour a few locations offering budget and more luxurious options.

 

Hotel Cruz Bay

This boutique property is owned and operated by our hosts Dave and Denise. They bought the building that is now Hotel Cruz Bay and renovated it after getting married on the island and having trouble finding affordable options for their guests. This small hotel is about 2 blocks from the ferry dock and centrally located in Cruz Bay, easy for dining and shopping. There are a few different room categories including standard, standard with French balcony, standard with cathedral ceilings, and a penthouse suite. They are basic, clean rooms to call a home base for your adventures on the island. They also offer amenities such as grab and go breakfast and coffee and ice chests for guest use during the day.

 

The Suite on the Beach is the bottom half of a private residence (Dave and Denise’s home) that is rented out. The house is located in Peter Bay, and you get access to the private beach with lounge chairs. The 1 bedroom suite comes with a full kitchen, beach towels, ice chest, ice maker, and more. We had everything we needed, and the quiet, private accommodations couldn’t be matched.

 

The Hills St. John

This 11 building, 22 unit villa property was a surprise. High up in the hills overlooking Cruz Bay, this property offers 2, 3 and 4 bedroom villas in a gated community. Some offer private pools, but the property has a community pool, as well. There is a clubhouse with a grill and in-house chef that is open daily for food and drinks orders, a pool table, big screen and a community patio area for weddings, receptions, parties, etc. Each villa has a full kitchen, a grill on the patio/balcony, and ice chests, beach chairs, and beach towels are included for guest use. Once booked, guests have the opportunity to order ready to heat family style dinners prepared by the chef that will be waiting in their refrigerator on arrival.

 

The Westin St. John Resort Villas

While I wasn’t able to tour this property due to Covid restrictions, I feel that it’s worth mentioning. The Westin sits beachfront in Great Cruz Bay and offers family condos and villas with familiar amenities including a spa, resort style pool and fitness center. They have a private ferry (additional fees apply) that takes you directly to the resort, a car rental company on-site, and taxis are at the ready for transfers to and from popular beaches at a fixed rate. Since I didn’t get a tour of the property, here is a post with some detailed pictures and good information: https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/westin-st-john-resort-villas/

 

If you like to explore and sight see, St. John is the place to visit. There is so much to do and see, and I felt safe the entire trip wherever we ventured. I’d love to send you!

We just returned from a wonderful week aboard the Disney Fantasy.

Disney just started sailing again in August and yes there are some changes so I was happy to check it out so our clients can be more in the know.

Disney welcomes everyone over the age of 6 months to cruise. At the time of our sailing, anyone under the age of 12 and not vaccinated had to test prior to arrival at the port. Starting on sailings January 13 and onward, everyone 5 and up will have to be vaccinated so this will just apply for the under age 5.

COVID Testing

Once we arrived at the port they had testing tents set up. It was an easy process with a lot of people directing everyone. It’s a self test while they watch to make sure you do it correctly. My kids liked that they got to do it and it helped with the nerves. We were then directed to another tent to await results. After we were given an all clear (about 30 minutes later from the testing time) we were directed to check in for the cruise like normal. This was our 3rd Disney cruise so it all seemed similar but no paperwork. It’s a check in online process now and after we did everything we had a QR code. We kept it readily available as this is what they scanned about 5 times at different points to access our information. If made it so much easier than having a bunch of papers to keep up with.

We were told the ship was about 40% full and they would sell up to 50%. We didn’t experience long lines or crowds. It was really nice to have access to chairs and things like that.

Now what was different?

Kid’s Club.
The kid’s club is still included but you make a reservation for their time. We reserved right after dinner each night so the kids could be served quickly and head to the club while we leisurely dined. They did this so they could control the crowds. The kids told me they did games with them and they stayed with their color group. I am assuming so they didn’t all congregate in one area. They asked to go every night and came back with all sorts of prizes from scavenger hunts and competitions. They loved it. I was told I could make more reservations than the 1 per day it allowed on the website in person just based on availability.

Fireworks.
They still had fireworks but they did 2 smaller shows to correlate with your dining. Typically the deck is packed with no elbow room for fireworks. Cast members delegated a spot with a dot on the ground for each family group. They played music and had a dance party outside where you had your own space. It was awesome.

Masks.
Masks were required when you were inside and not in your stateroom. I will say I appreciated that they were not mask nazis like I was expecting. A gentle reminder if you forgot or they offered a disposable one. They were very positive and accommodating.

Spa.
If you’re a person who loves the hydrotherapy experience before a massage this was amazing. For $175 you reserved the Rainforest Room for 2 hours. You could have up to 10 people from your family and it was totally private for the sauna, steam room, jacuzzis, heated loungers and more.

Excursions.
If you’re traveling with unvaccinated children, a Disney escorted excursion is the only option for leaving the ship with the exception of Castaway Cay. While porting in Castaway, there’s not excursion purchase required.
We chose Swimming with Dolphins in Cozumel and a Beach Break in Jamaica. Vaccinated guests have the option to explore on their own using or booking whichever vendor their choose for activities.
When we returned from the Disney excursions, we were able to head off and do a little shopping on our own as long as the kids stayed on the ship.

Characters.
We saw the characters all the time. The Princesses, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto and more were in the atrium for pictures and chatting. What was different? While you spoke to them they asked you keep your mask on. They had you stay 6 feet away. When you were ready for a picture you could turn and take off you mask and smile. It was a great compromise to still get those great photos and safely interact with all the favorites.

Entertainment.
They still had the same great entertainment onboard. During our sailing they did Aladdin, Frozen and Disney Believe which is a compilation. What was different is they had cast members seat you so you stayed 6 feet away from other parties and had every other row blocked off. It worked this same way with the smaller shows like they had a great ventriloquist onboard and a magician.
There is also a movie theatre onboard. They no longer sell popcorn for the shows but they had a lot of great first run movies my kids were excited to see that are currently in theaters.

Time to Book?

Is now the time to book a Disney Cruise? Our answer is yes! They are only little for a short time. The prices are lower than I’ve ever seen before and Disney has made the experience as safe as possible without having the measures be impactful to your vacation experience.

There is something magical about landing on the mystical island country of Iceland. From the basaltic lava rock formations, that make you believe in fairytale trolls, to the highlands that feel like you just walked into Middle Earth, there is never a dull moment driving on Highway 1. During the summer months you get a little rain here and there, but you get nearly 20 hours daylight for all your outdoor activities! With so much to see and do I decided to start my Iceland story by doing a short stay in Reykjavik and a self-driving tour along the western side of the island.

Before I begin, I want to preface that I only booked one excursion before I went and did very minimal research just to even see if 3 days in Iceland could be enough to see anything at all. Let me tell you, for a tight budget and a lot of energy filled snacks, my days were filled to the brim with adventure! Waterfalls, active volcanoes, and even trying shark meat were just things that I happened upon. However, you are in luck because I have now done the first hand research for you. So here it is, your 3-day guide to self-driving western Iceland!

I started my first day by landing at the Keflavik Airport early in the morning so I could get a full day in. This airport is a quick 45-minute drive to the capital city of Reykjavik, however that was not where I went first. After picking up my rental car keys by the exit doors of the airport, I drove a short 15 minutes to the Blue Lagoon. As soon as I got to the Blue Lagoon I quickly changed the GPS on my phone to read as Kilometers instead of Miles, it makes a difference, I promise! The Blue Lagoon is one of the 25 wonders of the world. Even before you get to the lagoon, you begin to see the creamy blue color of the silica rich water in the creeks running alongside the road. Once inside the lagoon, the heat from the geothermal seawater loosened my tight muscles from the plane ride. A mud mask and a signature “krap” icee later, I was off to my next location.

I then began the 3-hour drive to Vik to see the black sand beach. More about that once we arrive there. Along the way I knew I would be on the road often, so I stopped at one of the many BONUS grocery stores all over the island. The one I stopped at was in Selfoss. These grocery stores will not have flat water or tap water. Tap water in Iceland is free and clean, so you can use any water fountain or sink to fill your water bottle if you prefer non-carbonated water. This set me back up to take Highway 1 south to Vik. The Black Sand Beach of Vik is beautifully settled in a valley that, once upon a time, was the outflow of an ancient volcano. This black lava rock has been beaten and broken by the waves of the Atlantic Ocean to create the sandy texture of the rocks. Be warned, if it’s raining, the rocks will stick to everything!

Once I got my fair share of rain and rock, I headed for the hotel in Reykjavik. Along the way I saw a billboard for a free glacier hike, I immediately took a right turn and headed for the Solheimajokull Glacier. A short 5-minute walk from the parking lot, you come up to a glacier lagoon that is at the mouth of the 11 km long glacier! 15 minutes down the road from the glacier is the picturesque Skogafoss waterfall! You can take pictures at the bottom of the glacier and waterfall or hike up to the top of the and glance from the overlooks at both locations! After staring at the waterfall for way too long, I decided to make the trek back to Reykjavik to check into my hotel and call it a night. For hotel details, contact me with my information at the bottom of the article.

Day two was met with a breakfast buffet and an eye-opening drive to the Snaefellsjokull Peninsula just north of Reykjavik. Once I got to the town of Borgarnes, I stopped at the gas station right off the road and then headed on Highway 54 to the Bjarnarhofn Shark Museum. One thing about the gas stations, you fill up your car and then go into the station to pay for the gas you just put in your car. Crazy right?! Once I finally arrived at the shark museum, I hoped out and took in the views! This place is a must see. You even get to try shark liver! I won’t tell you how it tastes, you’ll just have to try it for yourself. I continued along highway 54 and saw Kirkjufellsfoss, the Ondverdarnesviti Lighthouse, stopped at Saxholl Crater, the Black Church, and a few other hiking trails that I spotted on my drive. Made it back to Reykjavik and called in a night.

Day three was filled with whim and adventure! Remember that excursion I had talked about? That is what I did this morning. I went snorkeling between the continental plates! Yes, it was freezing and yes, we wore very unfashionable dry suits, but it was such a cool (pun intended) experience. Want to go on this excursion? I can book it for you! While I was there a sweet couple from Tennessee convinced me to cancel my plans of driving the inner island and heading three hours south to hike an active volcano! I asked no questions and was glad I didn’t, cause if I would have asked how long the hike was (4 miles round trip) I would not have gone. If you can’t do steep incline or long hikes, Geldingadalir Volcano is not the excursion for you. I recommend doing the Golden Circle drive, this was what was on my schedule to begin with. I did the hike, got to walk on freshly dried lava and even saw some molten lava! I am so glad I said yes to whim and went with my gut.

After the hike, I headed back to Reykjavik for an early evening. I got back to my hotel, got cleaned up and headed for the bar district. I parked in a parking garage (NOTE: the parking garage closes at midnight and your car will be locked in. Set an alarm on your phone to be back before then or you can’t get your car till 5am) and walked up and down at all the eye-catching murals and art-work on all the buildings, took some selfies and sat down at the Labowski Bar. An homage to the movie “The Big Labowski”. Their signature drink is a mule, so everything on the drink menu was based on that. After a few bar hops, I had to taxi back to my hotel, because I locked my car in the parking garage. Don’t be like me and be prepared!

All in all, this short self-drive around western Iceland was one that I highly recommend anyone doing if they have a few vacations days to spend. Interested in booking this trip? Contact me with the information below and I would be happy to help get you to my favorite destination thus far!

Travel by Racine w/ Vincent Vacations on Facebook

Email: racine@vincentvacations.com

 

No matter what type of travel couple you are – Hawaii can check the box. Whether you and your spouse love adventure, romance or relaxation (or a combination of all of the above), Hawaii is sure to please. Hawaii is one of the top destinations for honeymoons and anniversaries and here’s why:

There’s No limit to the Romantic Adventures you can have
• Enjoy a Picnic at the Beach. …
• Take a daylong adventure along the Road to Hana
• Sip Mai Tais on a Sunset Cruise. …
• Visit an Authentic Hawaiian Luau. …
• Experience a Private Helicopter Tour. …
• Have a romantic Oceanside Dinner for Two
• Watch the Sunrise atop Haleakala Crater. …
• And so much more

The amazing weather
Weather in Hawaii is amazing year-round. The best time to visit? Any time. The weather is always somewhere between 70-90 degrees.

No Passport required
That’s right! Hawaii is a part of the USA, meaning, there’s no need for a passport to travel there. It makes it so easy to just call your favorite travel agent to book the trip, grab your luggage and go.

Sunsets and Rainbows
This should need no further explanation! Watching the sun set into the ocean and leave a sky full of pinks, purples and reds is a magical view you won’t get anywhere else. And the colors in the rainbows are more vibrant than anywhere I’ve ever seen.

Unique and Memorable Destination
No where else in the United States can you find such variety in one destination. From beaches and mountains, to waterfalls and hiking and everything in between, your anniversary trip to Hawaii will be remembered forever. And if you’ve never experienced the Aloha Spirit – the warm welcome you will receive at every turn in Hawaii – well, it’s not really something I can put into words – you just need to experience it for yourself.

If you’re ready to book your anniversary trip to Hawaii, the best time to start planning is now. As a Hawaii Destination Expert, I’ve studied the islands in depth and visited multiple times and I’d love to send you too!

Jessica.Pratt@VincentVacations.com

Jessica Pratt – Edmond, Oklahoma Travel Agent but my Heart Belongs to Hawaii

I would like to start off by saying, “What a magical place!”

I am just returning from a holiday weekend where we stayed at the JW Marriott, Marco Island. This is the flagship of Marco Island. When I was checking in I heard one of the employees say it was the busiest Marriott in the United States. I believe it and for good reason. Here’s how the weekend played out.

The JW Marriott Marco Island Resort & Spa, or the JW, as I will refer to it going forward in this blog site, is about 1 hour from the Ft Meyers airport / RSW. It sits on an amazing massive white sand beach (they even have food and drink service on the beach!).
The resort has a large conference center and can quickly fill up with groups, so this is somewhere I’m glad we booked early.

The room options are mainly 1 king or 2 queen beds with some adjoining doors for those traveling in larger families. There are multiple restaurants on site including one of the best wood fired pizza places. The pizzas run $18-$22 and a Caesar is $14. Tip – The salads are meant to share just like the pizza so just order one per 3 or 4 people with your pizza. In addition to the pizza place, there is also an adults only restaurant, sushi bar, and more. We really had more choices that we didn’t get to try all of them.

There are multiple pools which are heated in the winter to the low 80s. There’s a large resort style pool with cabana rentals and a family pool with 0 entry, slide, waterfall, spraying splash pad type things and more. Each pool had a casual outdoor dining option next to it with the family pool having the tiki bar with the most amazing Miami Vice frozen drinks. Tip- If you don’t know what a Miami Vice is then it’s half pina colada and half strawberry daiquiri. It’s a perfect combo. They have the machines right there so it’s a perfect ice purée. They will also serve these poolside with a great staff working drink orders with little flags at the chairs.

Tip – I loved how they had a water station where you can use their cups or a refillable bottle at no charge. I told my kids that was their option during the day and the fact that it was DIY made it more fun for them.

One of the highlights of this resort is 10K Alley. This is on level 5, and an oasis of fun. For starters, it was the largest arcade I’ve ever seen at a hotel. We joked we had Dave and Busters right there on site. In addition to video games, 10K also has bowling (smaller ball version where you don’t have to put your fingers in it and not special shows required). Bowling was $10/game (not per person) and was a hit. You can also order food and drinks to be served at your lane.
In addition to bowling, 10K also has neon mini golf. It’s a small course of 6 holes and runs $8/person. Tip- Don’t play the last hole and let the kids play to their heart’s content before the last hole, so it’s not $8 over and over again.

We explored a little outside of the hotel mainly to just try restaurants. Our two favorites –

1. Snooks Inn – This is how I picture Saturday nights on an island. It’s a restaurant on the docks. There’s a huge outdoor bar with live music and people just enjoying the fun atmosphere. There’s indoor and outdoor seating. I heard from multiple people to order the blackened grouper and I’m so glad I did. It’s melt in your mouth fresh. The meals also come with a great salad bar and pickles. I should have asked about the pickles but they had a whole tub of HUGE pickle slices which were so crunchy. I’m salivating just writing about them. If you eat off hotel property, Snooks needs to be on your list. During the day you can also arrive by boat and that just sounds so fun to me. It’s a destination in itself.

2. Doreen’s Cup of Joe – WOW! This breakfast place has indoor and outdoor seating, a huge menu and some of the best OJ I’ve ever had in my life. This place is a well oiled machine with a stream of customers, a line to put our name on the list but then we only waited about 30 minutes for a table on a holiday. They have fresh squeezed Florida orange juice like pressing it right there while you wait. Wow! I keep saying wow but yes I was wowed. So good! I ordered the famous Crunchy French Toast which I will now dream about until we go back to Marco. It was cornflake crusted with strawberries and whip cream. My husband had their Mexican Skillet. He loved it and it came with a fresh made biscuit. Tip- He asked for a side of gravy and for a small charge he turned that biscuit into biscuits and gravy. Brilliant! Please be aware – they do not have a children’s menu or coloring/entertainment. They do offer simple meals that pleased my kids like plain pancakes or a scrambled eggs/bacon/toast option.

A couple of expenses to keep in mind when planning this vacation while staying at the JW. There’s a parking fee of either $25/night for self parking or $30/night for valet. We had plans to do self parking but we kept going out and about with kids falling asleep on the way back so valet was so convenient.

There is also a resort fee of $33/night plus tax. The resort fee included wifi (and really wifi is important here since it seemed data signals were pretty low), q hour tennis court rental, 2 spa fitness classes 2 chairs and umbrella on the beach during the day, and golf course shuttle.

There is a lot to do in and around Marco Island. We would have taken advantage of more if we stayed longer.

Family Vacation Must do’s when we go back

– Rent a boat. There’s a ‘10,000 Island’ boat tour where you will go to one of the only places in the world that have both alligators and crocodiles.
– Day trip to the Naples Zoo. We passed by and it looks really nice. It would be a great half day excursion with littles.
– Ferry to Key West. I think this sounds fun. It does look long but I love a Key West day trip. The added bonus to arrive by boat is intriguing to me.

All in which I’m sure you can tell, we loved the JW and Marco Island in general. We have always been big Hawaiian family vacationers and we had that Hawaiian island feel for an easy quick flight for a weekend trip.

I’ve gone to Disney World four times since it has reopened after shutting down because of Covid. Each time it became busier and busier and then eventually Genie + was introduced. Many were skeptical that a once free service now costs $15 per person per day and doesn’t include every single one of the rides. In each of the four parks there are two rides that are an additional amount in order to use the lightning lane (formerly known as the fast lane)… One of which is the most coveted ride in the galaxy, “Rise of the Resistance.” I decided to go to Disney World over Christmas 2021 and check out what Genie + was all about. Christmas is one of the busiest times of the year so it was a good time to see if Genie + would save time.

The differences:

Both systems allow you to pick an hour timeframe to return to the specific ride. The old fast pass system allowed you to pick three rides in advance (like 30 days in advance). With Genie +, you’re picking the rides the day of… One at a time. You can pick the first ride at 7am the day of, and if that ride is scheduled more than two hours after the park opens, you can pick another ride at that point (two hours after the park opens, whichever park(s) you are attending that day). Then after you ride the ride you selected you can pick a different ride two hours later. It sounds super complicated but honestly once you do it the first day you get the hang of it. As far as the rides that are not included, you can pick those at 7am as well.

The Verdict:

I hate waiting in lines and even on the busiest of weeks I was able to zip through lines no problem. You do want to be on top of your game when it’s time to make another reservation. Also, they can fill up so pick the busiest or your favorites first. I also purchased the separate rides such as Rise of the Resistance and I walked right in. It was the same for Genie + fast pass lines. Gone is the day of just waiting in another line! I zipped right in and it was amazing.

So my advice, I 10/10 recommend you try Disney’s newest fast pass system, Genie +!

In December 2021, I had the privilege of  going on the adult only, brand new Virgin Voyage ship, Scarlet Lady. I absolutely loved this experience and am thrilled to have experienced it first hand so I can share the details with you, my clients.

Our five night cruise went in and out of Miami with stops in Costa Maya, Mexico and the beach club on Bimini island in the Bahamas. The room category we selected was the Sea Terrace room with a balcony.  I loved the design aesthetic of the room with everything being sleek and modern. It has a minimal feel but does not lack in any way.  Some of my favorite features of our cabin were the hammock on the balcony, the media tablet which controls the lights, the curtains and the entertainment options, and many storage options.

What Sets This Cruise Line Apart?

You might wonder what sets this cruise line apart? There are several things with the main being  that it is adults only. It is a sophisticated and stress free way to cruise. It also includes many things that other cruise lines charge you extra for…. wifi, tips, basic beverages including soda, group exercise classes and specialty dining.

Speaking of dining, the food is absolutely incredible! Instead of your traditional dining room set up on most other cruises, you have access to six unique dining experiences each specializing in a different type of food. We were able to experience all of them except one and I am still dreaming of what we ate! It is the best food I have ever had on a cruise!  Not only is the food so, so good, the ambience of each restaurant makes each meal feel like a special occasion dining experience.  Here is an overview of each restaurant.

Restaurant Overview

The Wake- a high end steakhouse with unbelievable views at the back of the ship.
Pink Agave- elevated mexican food in a beautiful setting.
Razzle Dazzle- a veggie forward with some of the best gazpacho I have ever had!
The Test Kitchen- wow! This was a truly unique experience, part lab, part cooking school, this set menu will leave you in awe!
Gunbae- Korean bbq with an emphasis on social engagement. This is the only one we didn’t get to try and will be at the top of my list next time we sail.
Extra Virgin- Italian with a twist! I had the crispy artichoke antipasto and the steak. This was one of the best meals I have ever had!

My Favorite Stop

My favorite stop was Bimini because we got to spend the whole day at the private Bimini Beach Club. It was an easy tram ride from the ship to the club. The club is just fabulous with the prettiest beach, two large pools, amazing food and a super fun vibe. I loved it so much and consider it one of my favorite vacation days. We walked up and down the beach several times and came home with several large conch shells.  The bond fire lighting ceremony, complete with live music, is the perfect way to end the day.

Ship Entertainment 

The entertainment on the ship is a lot different than traditional cruises. There are no Broadway style shows as they focus more on immersive, unique entertainment options. The Duel Reality was our favorite show as it was a fast paced retelling of Romeo and Juliet with an acrobatic twist. The performers were incredibly talented and that show is one I won’t soon forget.  I will say, the entertainment was not my favorite but that was ok since everything else surpassed my expectations.

Overall, we loved this cruise! I would love to help you book your own experience on this beautiful ship!