Travel Adventures with Deb

06/22/2024

04/03/2024

Review of Air France's business class:

First, there are a lot of comparisons between Air France's and United Polaris' business class products. We're really into points travel, and snagged these flights at a very deep discount during an Air France points sale (Flying Blue). We've also done a Polaris trip on points. It's a huge savings ($4,000 each round trip versus $750 round trip), so if you love to travel and not using a credit card that allows you to choose from several top carriers for points, you're costing yourself money.

The first two legs of the journey (on Delta) were in economy class because they were short jaunts of 1-2 hours each. In my middle seat I felt miserable and cramped. This business class flight was definitely a huge level up. When you're talking an 8 hour flight, having lay flat seats and room is a game changer.

Air France's business class compartment is very similar to Polaris, but I think the bed itself is smaller. Not by much, but I'm just 5'2" and slept with bent knees. Tom said he was cramped. Still, I slept most of the flight, which helped tremendously to combat the 7 hour time difference from home. This was the first trip I didn't feel jet lagged upon arrival.

I have read reviews about staff rudeness and mediocre food on Air France's business product, but we experienced superb, friendly service from start to finish. The cabin stewards couldn't have been more accommodating!

As to the food, from reading previous reviews I was prepared for the worst, and snacked ahead of time. BAD IDEA. My chef prepared dinner was absolutely wonderful. I ate Every. Bite. I accidentally even ate some goat cheese, which I can't stand. lol

That was dinner. Breakfast, sadly, was another story. Granted, I eat farm fresh eggs on the daily, and really loathe reconstituted egg-like substances. These were bad, even for those. The potato and mushrooms were a weird, microwaved texture. The only thing I ate was the grilled tomato. Luckily, I was still plenty full from my dinner 4-5 hours before.

The amenity kit was "meh." Polaris definitely has a better kit, including a Saks Fifth Avenue down comforter they allow you to keep. Still, that toothbrush came in handy.

The plane was great. The camera on the tail is amazing to watch.

Overall, the service and dinner were superb, and I am very spoiled on business class overseas flights. It would be tough to be crammed in a smaller space for an overseas flight ever again.

I hope this review helps someone considering Air France's business class. It's well worth the point splurge!

04/02/2024

We began our journey with a 5:20 a.m. departure from Birmingham. We pulled an all-nighter the night before, so by the time we landed in Toronto we were already a little jet lagged. We had a quick stop in Atlanta, so we checked out the Delta premium lounge near our gate. It was small, but had a decent variety for breakfast, and a super friendly bartender to start our trip with mimosas.

After previously traveling through the stellar United Polaris lounge area in ATL, the KLM Crown Lounge seemed very basic. But it was pretty and had a good vibe. No nap rooms or showers, but plenty of plush seating, and a decent tapas type buffet. They had a self serve bar, which I've never seen before, but it matched the laid back vibe. We have a 6 hour wait in Toronto, and it definitely helps to be in a quiet environment versus the main terminal, despite its basic offerings.

03/26/2024

Only a week until we head to France for the journey of a lifetime. From Van Gogh's South of France hangouts to see things like the actual location of his painting, "A Starry Night," to the ruined medieval fortress of Les Baux, to the foodie capital of Europe, Lyon, I will be going live so you can journey along with me. I can't promise there will be a video like the one I posted the night I went rogue in Cologne, Germany, but it's a wine themed cruise on the AmaKristina, so it's a distinct possibility. 😳 I dearly, deeply love France, so stay tuned, especially if you're curious about taking a river cruise journey. Unlike ocean cruises that charge extra for breathing, a European river cruise on a luxury brand like AmaWaterways is completely all-inclusive, so it's a better value than you might think. 🇫🇷

11/18/2022

Still trying to decide what to do for the holidays next month? How about a New Year's cruise? It's genius, really. No boring New Year's Eve at home and no drunk drivers. Me, my family, and a group of friends are sailing out of Port Canaveral on the Norwegian Escape to celebrate the holidays. While everyone else is braving the cold weather, we'll be having fun in the sun in the Bahamas, the Virgin Islands, and Costa Rica.

Norwegian is currently combining their "Free at Sea" promotion (which includes alcohol, specialty dining, wifi, and shore excursion credit) with a Black Friday deal that makes the second guest FREE. It's a great way to have a fabulous vacation at a good value. Time is very limited on this offer, so contact us no later than Tuesday morning to book your own New Year's (or different) cruise at this amazing price!

In addition to cruises based out of the US, we can book your cruise for anywhere around the world. We have been there, done that from the Mexican Riviera to the Rhine River in Europe. We know all the tips and tricks to make your cruise adventure the vacation of a lifetime. 205-902-1699.

Need a good reason to celebrate New Year's Eve on a cruise? How about 8?

11/02/2021

ATTENTION: Doctors, nurses, police officers, firefighters, and teachers. If you've ever wanted to take a luxury European river cruise for less than it would cost to take your family to Disneyworld for a week, let me know! Right now, you can sail FREE with a paid guest on an all-inclusive (including adult beverages and choice of four free daily shore excursions!) European river cruise via one of my luxury travel partners. I did one of these two years ago, and it was hands-down the BEST trip of my life. Sailings are now through 2022, and you can pick ANY of their European cruise departures. Please PM me for more info or call/text 205-902-1699. It's the cruise line's way of giving back to those who did so much during the pandemic, and a heck of a steal! Airfare will likely be on sale during Black Friday, so this is the time to make your plans. Let me know if you want more info. If you aren't a frontline hero, who do you know who is? Grab that person and go for it! Total cost for both people on this cruise could be as little as $3,500. That's major news.

08/24/2021

According to the Cruise Lines International Association, the world's largest cruise industry trade association, 74% of travelers who have cruised previously plan to cruise again within the next few years, with 2/3 of them willing to cruise again in the next year. We miss cruising! What about you? Would you cruise again anytime soon? If so, would you cruise within the next year, or within the next few years?

04/20/2021

Information on the European Unions "Vaccination Passport." This is the latest and greatest on travel to Europe for those of you, like me, who are ready to get their wanderlust on. Important: they have three separate categories approved for travel - vaccinated, proof of previous infection/recovery, and "just tested negative." What are your thoughts? https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/eu-vaccine-chief-says-vaccine-passports-to-be-launched-in-june-unveils-document-prototype/

04/20/2021

Want to travel, but do not want the COVID vaccine for whatever reason? If you think you had it in the past, but it was before testing was widely available, a newly FDA approved (for emergency use) test can be ordered that checks to see if your T-cells will mount an immune response to the virus. This should be able to detect past virus infection for much longer than a regular antibody test (that, by the way, has a 25% margin of error!). Why would you do this? If you are like me and don't want to be vaccinated for whatever reason, but still want to travel, this is a way to prove you have had it and gotten over it (necessary for European and possibly other travel as early as June of this year). Cost is around $200 and not covered by insurance, however, if you have a medical savings/expenses account you can use that to pay for the test. The sooner after infection you have the test, the more likely you are to have a positive for the T-cells, so time is of the essence. For more information, go to: https://www.t-detect.com/covid-19/for-patients/

T-Detect Assessment & Payment Portal

04/19/2021

Great article on visiting Disney now or in 2022 when things are “back to normal”: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/best-year-visit-disney-world-2021-v-2022/

When to visit Walt Disney World is a common question, but lately that question has shifted from top weeks to best years for a WDW vacation. Now, it’s whether to go in Summer 2021 for the start of Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary or wait until 2022 when things are back to normal? (Updated Apr...

04/05/2021

Embattled cruise lines are beginning to present their plans to resume service. As they do so, many of them (and I suspect all of them) appear to require passengers be vaccinated against COVID. What are your thoughts on mandatory vaccination of cruise passengers? (This graphic is from Norwegian’s web site.)