Bavaro Beach at Barcelo. A great place to just walk in the water and snorkel. Saw several turtles there and some fish.
Check out this beautiful beach in Punta Cana! This is Bavaro Beach in front of the Barcelo resort. I love the turquoise water--it's my favorite! Punta Cana can be tricky though. I've stayed at another resort where the water and sand looked nothing like this and there were some strong waves. If you're headed to Punta Cana and have a resort in mind, and you're picky about the color of the water and sand, do a little research (or let me do it for you ð
). You can learn a lot from YouTube, Google, and reading reviews on websites such as TripAdvisor.
This is how I roll lol. I still think I overpacked, but it's amazing how much more you can get in a suitcase if you roll your clothes! I also don't pack a lot of 100% cotton items because they wrinkle, but go for clothes that have some polyester in them to cut down on the wrinkles. And, those heavy denim shorts get left at home when I'm headed south, I go for comfort and lightweight.
Parade of Chefs, Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas, February, 2024.
I'm always happy to just lay on the beach with a book during my vacations, but if you're looking for adventure, Curacao has that too ððĻðž
SPOTLIGHT CURACAO! This week I'm going to highlight what is quite possibly my favorite Caribbean island--Curacao! Right now, you might be asking yourself "where's that"? Curacao lies in the Southern Caribbean sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, and is a country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is one of the three islands commonly referred to as the ABC islands--Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao. Curacao lies between Aruba and Bonaire, and is approximately 60 miles north of Venezuela. I had the privilege of stopping here for a day on a cruise a few years ago, and it was amazing. The capital city of Willemstad is very colorful and quaint, with brick paved streets and historical old buildings, some of which have been converted into shops and restaurants. Quite simply, it just felt magical walking these streets and being there. The beaches are gorgeous, the buildings and architecture are beautiful, colorful, and amazing, and in my opinion it is a very safe country to visit in these troubled times. The average temperature ranges from 80° to 85° year round, and they do have a couple of all-inclusive resorts on the island. They also have great diving, hiking, watersports, etc. I'll be returning to this little hidden gem next year on another cruise and can't wait but, honestly, I would really love to squeeze in a week sometime and explore all that this magical place has to offer. I'll be throwing some different, very short, videos at you this week of the island. Enjoy watching them and let me know if you'd like to pay a visit to Curacao.
Congratulations Sarah Wolfe! It is really me and you really are the winner!
Parade of Chefs! Liberty of the Seas.
Pulling in to Coco Cay, Bahamas and we have a neighbor ð
JUNIOR SUITES, LIBERTY OF THE SEAS: In case you were wondering about a junior suite, watch the video below. I bid on an upgrade for a junior suite and my bid was accepted! It's nothing fancy, but a bit more space inside and out. Did you know if you stay in a suite on Royal Caribbean you earn double the points towards your Crown and Anchor tier level? That's why I really bid on this room....five more points to be a Diamond member and get 4 free drinks every day for both of us ð
I was excited to book a cruise today to the Southern Caribbean for a client and save her money! She originally approached me about a specific cruise, but given my cruising experience I thought the price was awfully high. I did some searching and found another option for her, same number of days, almost identical itinerary, but a different cruise line. She chose the one I found and saved over $1,300. It's true that travel agents work on commission, but I believe in treating others the way I would want to be treated. You do the right thing! Thank you for the referral Becky. Thank you for booking with me Missy! I hope you see lots of flamingos ð
A quick glimpse at the main lobby area of the MSC Divina. This ship was really beautiful, right down to the gorgeous Swarovski crystal staircases. This ship was completed in 2012 and holds 3500 passengers and 1300 crew. It never seemed crowded when we were on it, and I can't wait to be back on her ð Out of curiosity, which cruise line is your favorite?
Maho Beach, St. Maarten! Ever see those pictures and videos of planes coming in to land and flying extremely low over a beach? That's Maho Beach located directly across the street from Princess Juliana International Airport in St. Maarten! This beach draws thrillseekers from all over the World. Also, take my advice and don't stand near the fence or in the center of the beach when a plane is getting ready to take off or you'll be jet blasted!
Here's a short video of the Villas and Great Bay beach. Enjoy!
