Colleen: Never Look Back Vacations

01/11/2024

Norwegian Breakaway Recap- Food and Entertainment Edition!
First the food! It was outstanding! We are self-proclaimed foodies and Norwegian did not disappoint. Our Free at Sea package included 2 specialty dining meals. We ate at Ocean Blu and Le Bistro. Both were very tasty and the presentation was also outstanding. We ate the rest of our meals in the main dining room and the service and food were just as good. Norwegian does a great job with the main dining. They don't offer reservations but we never waited more than 10 minutes to be seated regardless of how crowded it was.

I also want to highlight Norwegian's ability to accommodate food allergies. My husband has Celiac disease and they were able to prepare almost everything on the menu gluten free. My hubby was very happy!!

Now the entertainment! Norwegian had a variety of shows and evening entertainment. Our favorite spot was the Dueling Pianos! The pianists were amazingly talented at both playing and singing. They even had a few of the show musicians join in one night for a fantastic jam session. Other shows included a Broadway like production, a dance show that was unbelievable, comedy show, and some game shows. Norwegian doesn't require reservations for most of its entertainment.

There were a number of other ways to entertain yourself during the day and night. Other options included a casino, a game room, pool and arcade games, a 2 lane bowling alley, multiple bars, and an Ice Bar. Outdoor activities included a ropes course, several pools/hot tubs, waterslides, sports court, and shuffleboard and more.

Overall, we enjoyed our cruise very much and will be sailing with Norwegian again soon. If you'd like more information about Norwegian and booking a cruise please reach out. I'd love to help you enjoy the cruise of your dreams!

31/10/2024

Happy Halloween! Throwing it way back to our family Disney trip and Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party! Lilo and Stitch were the favorites back then! Have a spooky and safe day!

26/10/2024

Recently, my husband and I cruised on the Norwegian Breakaway to Rhode Island, Maine, and Canada. We had a fantastic time and I'd love to share some details with you. Today's post will share details of our accommodations, the Fitness center, and the Spa!

We stayed in a club balcony suite room, which was fabulous! We had a very roomy bathroom with a large shower. Our room also had a comfortable couch and bed with plenty of room in the closets for all of our clothes and suitcases. Our balcony was big enough for the two of us with 2 chairs and a little table to put our drinks on. Some of the perks included with the Club Balcony Room were a complimentary bottle of champagne, a free bag of laundry, afternoon snacks delivered to our room on two afternoons, and two free bottled waters.

My husband and I have never used the spa or salon while on a cruise. However, after touring the thermal suite and spa facilities on the Norwegian Breakaway, we decided to splurge for the week and get the Thermal Suite package. It was lovely! After an activity-filled day exploring our port, we would head down to the thermal suite and hop in the whirlpool. They also offered other areas of relaxation including two different types of saunas, one with high humidity and lower heat and one with low humidity and higher heat. The thermal lounge chairs were my favorite! Dozing on the warm heat was wonderful after a day of walking. They also offer a range of other treatments, such as massages, facials, aromatherapy, and body wraps. Lastly, they have a full service salon with professional hair and nail services for both men and women. If you've never tried using the spa services, I highly recommend it for your next cruise!

Right next to the spa, you will find the Norwegian Breakaway’s fitness center. It is equipped with state-of-the-art machines and a variety of fitness classes to accommodate all levels of exercise enthusiasts. Whether it’s yoga on the deck, high-intensity interval training, or spinning classes, there are plenty of options to keep guests active and energized. The view from the treadmills and the ellipticals was stunning! We decided to do our exercising outside on this trip but if we had encountered inclement weather the fitness center would have been a great option.
Stay tuned for more information about the entertainment, dining, and other details about our cruise! Message me if you have any questions or are ready to book your next cruise with Norwegian!

25/10/2024

Dreaming of visiting Alaska? Join Never Look Back Vacations on Monday October 28th at 7 pm as we host a fun, inspiring, and informative On Stage Alaska event presented by Holland America Line. Learn about the cruise line’s award-winning Alaska itineraries and get your questions answered by the experts. Contact me to reserve your spot today!

11/10/2024

Tonight’s night sky! The first four photos are here in New Jersey. The last five photos are tonight in Iceland! I borrowed those from my daughter!

04/10/2024

Some highlights from the last few days-
We took a tour of the lighthouses in Portland and visited Longfellow’s childhood home. Yesterday we took a day to relax without a guided tour and explored on our own in Bar Harbor. We found the fantastic Abbe Museum, which is dedicated to preserving and promoting the culture of the indigenous people from Maine. The weather was beautiful so we took a lovely stroll along the shore path as well as enjoying a fantastic lunch. Today we visited the lovely Port of St. John in New Brunswick Province, Canada. It is the only city located on the Bay of Fundy. The day started out a little foggy while we were at the Reversing Falls, but the fog cleared out and we enjoyed another beautiful day exploring the oldest market in Canada, visiting the Stone church, and the Firehouse Museum. Fun fact, there is no longer a waterfall at the reversing falls. It collapsed in years ago due to the changing landscape so it’s just a series of rapids now. Sadly, we did not get to ride the reversing rapids as we had hoped due to mechanical issues with the tour operators ship. We’ve also enjoyed delicious meals and fantastic entertainment on board the Norwegian Breakaway. I’ll be sharing more details specific to Norwegian and the ship next week once I return home. Overall it’s been a fantastic trip so far!

01/10/2024

Yesterday we toured the Breakers and Marble mansions, two of the Vanderbilt establishments. Just beautiful! Also enjoyed a beautiful afternoon, touring the grounds and along the wharf in beautiful Newport, Rhode Island . Already planning our trip back for a long weekend here.

30/09/2024

Good morning from Newport Rhode Island. Heading to our tour of the Vanderbilt Mansions. Stay tuned for more later!

30/09/2024

We set sail today on the Norwegian Breakaway. It was a little rainy leaving Manhattan, but our Lady was still standing tall. We finished our night with a delicious meal and some entertainment. Next stop- Newport Rhode Island.

29/09/2024

Client Spotlight of the Week: Holland America cruise to Alaska!
My client and her son went on their dream vacation, an Alaskan cruisetour and this is what she had to say.

We had the most amazing time! Colleen had us so well prepared. Holland America was a well oiled machine!!! Everything was perfect! The staff was very friendly, everything was clean and the room was wonderful! I highly recommend doing the land portion first then the cruise. The Pinnacle steakhouse meal was so delicious! Overall a 10/10! I highly recommend Colleen and Holland America for your next adventure!

If Alaska is on your bucket list I'd love to help you cross it off by planning your trip. :) Message me or email me to find out more about my complimentary services.
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26/09/2024

Happy Daughters Day! Love you today and everyday! ❤️

23/09/2024

Client Spotlight location for the week: Aruba!! My clients C and P recently visited the Happy Island and this is what they had to say.

We are back from Aruba and missing it! The trip was fabulous! We want to thank you again for making our 10 year anniversary trip perfect!! Your recommendations were perfect! Our room at RIU was perfect! Woke up every morning to an outstanding view of the pool and beach. The family side of the RIU fit our needs perfectly! We met so many friendly people. We did Around Aruba UTV tour! So much fun! The animal rescue Phillips Garden at the beginning was so heart warming! We did DePalma Tour Sunset Sail! Beautiful! The restaurants and buffet were great on the family side! The swim up bar and pool entertainment was great! Our flight there and back were perfect. The information you sent was great. Thank you again!

I was thrilled to help C and P plan their trip and I'm so thankful they had a wonderful time. If you're celebrating a special occasion or just want to get away I'd love to help you find the perfect vacation spot too! Message me and let's get started!

22/09/2024

Happy Sunday! One week from today I will be setting sail on a cruise!! It will be my first time on Norwegian and I am looking forward to sharing all about Norwegian Cruise Line and my experiences with you! Stay tuned for more information!

20/09/2024

Iceland Adventures continued! One of the unique things to do in Iceland is visit the hot springs. You can find them throughout the country. Some are more like a resort pool while others are more natural. Blue Lagoon is probably the most famous one but there are others that are just as wonderful. I visited two different ones on my trip, Hvammsvik Hot Springs and Forest Lagoon in Akureyri up north, and they were heavenly! Fun fact, they usually have a hot spring bar as well!

15/09/2024

Client spotlight! Summer is over and my clients have traveled many places! Over the next few weeks I will be highlighting some of the locations they visited and what they had to say. L and M honeymooned in Hawaii and I can't thank them enough for trusting me with their trip!

Colleen absolutely made our honeymoon dreams come true! From the moment we started planning, she was incredibly helpful, patient, and knowledgeable. She listened carefully to our desires for a perfect honeymoon and tailored our itinerary to perfection. Our time in Oahu and Maui was beyond magical, thanks to Colleen's expert planning. She provided many options of activities on each island that allowed us to create the exact honeymoon we wanted. Every detail was taken care of, and we felt completely relaxed and pampered. We can't thank her enough for creating such an unforgettable experience! Colleen is truly the best travel agent we've ever worked with and we highly recommend her to everyone!

If you're thinking of planning a trip to Hawaii I'd love to help you plan it! Message me today!

13/09/2024

Happy Friday! Recently I visited the beautiful country of Iceland! One of the highlights was hiking the Sólheimajökull Glacier! This is located on the South coast about 3 hours drive from Reykjavik. We also stopped in Vik for some black crust pizza and a lava show. Stay tuned for more posts about Iceland and all of its beauty! If you're interested in planning a trip there message me and I will help you plan the trip of a lifetime!

11/09/2024

Never forget! Honoring all those who lost their lives in the horrific attack on 9/11/2001. Also honoring all of the first responders and other Americans who are still living with the aftermath of the tragedy.

06/09/2024

Travel Tip of the Week: Travel Protection Plans!! Do I recommend them?? YES!!!

Have you ever had a missed connection or flight delay?? How about lost luggage?? or worse yet a medical emergency on vacation!! All of these things are covered when you purchase a travel protection plan. I have had several clients who experienced these emergencies while traveling (including myself!) and the ones who had protection got their money back and/or were reimbursed for lost luggage and missed activities. Sure they cost extra but if you are spending your savings on the vacation of your dreams it's worth it to spend a little more to protect it. Always protect your investments. :)

23/08/2024

Day three in Iceland was all about the south coast. We started our day at Seljalandsfoss waterfall which you can walk behind. Be prepared to get wet if you visit here lol.
From there, we headed to the main attraction of the day, the Solheimjokull glacier. If you have never walked on a glacier, I highly recommend it. The views are spectacular and the experience is a once in a lifetime. We were blessed to have beautiful weather with no rain and only moderate winds.
Our next stop was Dyrhólaey Lookout point. Dyrhólaey is a rock formation in the water. It also happens to be the location where the puffins nest. Sadly, the puffins were already gone so we didn’t get to see any today.
Our last stop of the day was Vik. Here we visited the black sand beach called Vikurfjara. We also saw The Lava Show where we saw a live lava demonstration. For dinner we indulged in some local black crust pizza. It tasted delicious!
On our way back to Reykjavík, we saw the current eruption reflected in the clouds from the road.

22/08/2024

On our second day in Reykjavík, we spent the morning completing all of Erin’s shopping needs with a trip to the mall, the grocery store, and the electronics store, otherwise known as Elko. We had a delicious lunch at Britt Braud, a lovely little bakery by one of the fjords. After lunch, we took a wet but lovely walk along the fjord and climbed onto a small lava rock beach. Thankfully, the rain subsided, and we went to dinner at a delicious restaurant for some lamb steaks. Did you know that Bernaise sauce is an Iceland favorite? I took a moment to admire the cathedral at night on my way back to the hotel. It is absolutely beautiful. Time for some sleep - tomorrow we tackle the glacier!

20/08/2024

Made it to Iceland late last night. Woke up to a beautiful sunny day today. The second Picture is a view from our hotel and the next picture is at the Cathedral in Reykjavík which is a block away from my daughter’s new apartment. Spending most of today shopping and getting her set up for her move here. Had a delicious lunch at the Iceland IKEA!

20/08/2024

30/07/2024

We ended our day at two of my favorite places. The Boathouse is a great waterfront restaurant on Naples Bay with lots of fresh seafood options and yummy cocktails. After dinner we stopped by Tin City for some ice cream and fun! More on Tin City tomorrow!

29/07/2024

We took a day today to play! After a yummy breakfast, we headed to Marco Island, where we took a boat ride with Captain Jack. We saw lots of beautiful scenery, wildlife, and best of all got to go shelling! Then we made a stop at the beach on Marco Island before heading back to the condo to freshen up. Stay tuned for tonight‘s adventures!

28/07/2024

We had a busy day picking out furniture for the condo in Naples. Our sales rep, Migena, was outstanding!! Without her help we would still be there! Now it’s time for some fun!!