Ten Commandments & One Suggestion

I sometimes have difficulty getting rid of paper as evidenced by my keeping a copy of “Ten Commandments for Travelers” since, according to the date on the paper, 1982.

Had it been written in calligraphy and framed, it may have made sense to keep it. Instead, this is a narrow paper “stuffer” that we use to put in ticket jackets of clients heading toward exotic (and not so exotic) destinations. Through the years it has moved between desk and file cabinet drawers with the intention of “someday using it again for something.” Today I decided that our blog is a great way to use and share it! For your enjoyment… and perhaps to keep in mind during your travels:

Ten Commandments for Travelers

1. Though shalt not expect to find all things precisely as they were at home, for though hast left home to find things different!


2. Though shalt not take anything too seriously for a carefree mind is the cornerstone of a good vacation.


3. Though shalt not let other travelers get on thy nerves, for thou art paying good money to enjoy thyself.


4. Though shalt not worry, for he that worrieth hath little joy.


5. Though shalt not judge all people of a country by one person with whom though hast had a problem.


6. Blessed are they who can wait and smile for they will enjoy themselves.


7. Though shalt do only somewhat as the natives do.


8. Though shalt carry the American Passport with thee at all times in a safe place, nor shall ye pack it in thy suitcase, for it is said that a man without a Passport is a man without a country.


9. Thou canst be welcome in every land. Treat thy hosts with respect and thou shalt be an honored guest.


10. Bless they travel agent for s/he worketh hard in thy behalf.



Now for the suggestion. “Use it or lose it.” If you have something old in your office or home that you have planned to “use someday” for a very long time, get rid of it. Trash it, recycle it, donate it or repurpose it. I walked that paper to the trashcan and dropped it in. It might only have been a small piece of paper, but sharing the quote and ditching the paper felt good!

Bring Home the Memories Contest - Win a Free Digital Camcorder!

What is the best part of a vacation? The expectations beforehand? The actual experiences of the trip itself? Or is it the memories afterward? Whether it’s a family vacation, group trip, honeymoon or a girls’ getaway, it’s the memories that take that short time into the future. We enjoy photos, journals, videos and souvenirs to help keep those memories with us.

Our Girls’ Getaway Cruises brands, “Chicks at Sea” and “Eat, Pray, Love Cruises”, are sponsoring a contest called “Bring Home the Memories” with a grand prize of a Vivitar Digital Video Recorder 910 for one lucky winner to use for capturing many future memories with photos and movies. There will also be at least a half dozen prizes of fun items from cruise lines and Connie George Travel Associates.

Entering the contest is easy! You’ll receive one entry for every travel tip you submit to us via this blog, our Facebook page or Twitter.

Contest rules:

* Contest is open to anyone 18 years of age or over. Participants must reside in the U.S. and have a U.S. address to which prizes can be mailed.

* Entry is by submitting a travel tip. Travel tips can pertain (but are not limited) to cruising, flying, hotel/resort stays, safety, traveling with children, traveling with a disability or safety. Tips must be valid suggestions (i.e. no “Tie your laces after you put your sneakers on.”)

* You cannot submit the same tip more than once.

* Maximum of 10 tips per week (9/20-26/10, 9/27-10/4/10) per person, per home.

* Entrants agree to their tips possibly being included in future literature from Connie George Travel Associates.



* 3 Ways to enter:

1. Twitter- Tweet your tip using the hashtag #CGTAELP
2. Facebook- Visit us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/cgta.travel and “comment” on the wall post about the contest with your tip
3. Blog- “Comment” back below on this blog with your tip

The winners will be selected between October 5-10, 2010 by award-winning Frommers.com travel columnist and accessible travel guru, Candy Harrington.

Winners will have 48 hours to respond with contact information that includes a U.S. postal address. If there’s no response within 48 hours, a replacement winner will be drawn.


Grand prize is a digital camcorder. Win a Vivitar DVR 910. This great recorder will allow you to take still shots and videos to share with family and friends. Includes software which will even enable you to upload movies for YouTube! Additional prizes will also be provided.

Interested in a girls getaway cruise?

Click here to learn about our exciting opportunities.

Don’t Let Cruising Sabotage Your Diet

I had a problem after my second cruise. I realized on my first cruise that I was addicted to cruising. I realized after my second one that I couldn’t afford to gain five pounds each time I went on one! Working with a newly devised plan, I managed to actually lose two pounds on the third cruise! Here’s how I did it:


Beverages-
Think about what you drink. A Pina Colada has over 600 calories. In comparison, a Cosmo is a slimming 150 calories. Substitute your Coke with a Diet Coke in your high 180 calorie “Cuba Libre” (Rum and Coke with Lime). Beer and wine beat out mixed drinks on the calorie count, but a light beer or wine spritzer are even better choices. One of many online sources to read further about calories in alcoholic drinks is on BNET. 

Terrific substitutions for sodas and alcoholic beverages are diet sodas and juice spritzers requested with your favorite juice mixed with seltzer water. Coffee, tea and unsweetened iced tea are all calorie- and cost-free. Of course, best of all is water. In addition to the tap water which is safe to drink, all ships offer bottled water for purchase.

Speaking of water, be sure that you do drink lots of it. Water will help fill you up so you’re less hungry and it will keep you from drinking more calories because of thirst. Drinking water will also help keep you hydrated which is especially important if you are cruising in a warm climate.

Food-
You’ve heard about the massive amounts of fantastic food that is available. It’s true. But that doesn’t mean that you have to eat it all. Cruise lines are now offering “healthy choices” on their menus which makes menu selection easy if you are food choice challenged.

See something yummy on the regular menu, but just reading the description of how it’s prepared starts raising your cholesterol? Don’t be shy! Simply ask that they prepare your meal without the sauce. There are lots of fish and chicken entrees throughout the week. Be sure to take advantage of all of the wonderful fresh vegetables and fruits throughout your vacation.

Don’ skip meals. It may sound like a silly suggestion given that there’s food available all of the time, but it’s easy to get off schedule when you’re on vacation. You may be busy doing something exciting or maybe busy with relaxing. Remember to eat small healthy snacks between meals.

Exercise-
Cruise ships have gyms and some of those gyms compete with (or beat!) many landside gyms. View this video to see the state-of-the-art gym available on Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. You don’t have to do a traditional work-out to burn calories. You can jog on the deck or take a fitness class. On some ships, you can work off a dessert by shooting hoops, climbing a rock wall or going skating! Another simple option is to opt for the stairs instead of the elevator. With the size of many of today’s ships, that can allow you to fit in many short workouts!

I’m not saying someone who is trying to keep with a healthy diet shouldn’t enjoy treats you might not have in home, but like Rachel Ray says, “All things in moderation.” With so many foods, beverages and activities to enjoy, give consideration to your choices so you don’t come home to feeling guilt or added pounds!

Grandparents Day Reflections--- Building Memories While it's Possible

National Grandparents Day is September 12. It always falls on the first Sunday following Labor Day. I had planned to write an article about multi-generational cruise vacations which have become so popular. I even have permission from a client to use their three generation family cruise photo for the blog.


But when I sat down to write this evening, I had a change of mind. (female prerogative! )  I promise to later write the previously planned blog. But today I’m going to instead tell you about my grandparents, “Nanny and Pop Pop Parkin” who passed away years ago. The sun pretty much rose and set on my grandparents as far as my brother, cousins and I were concerned.


Early in their marriage, my grandparents went to London and, when I was very young, they went to Mexico. I remember because they brought back a silver charm bracelet and a pair of maracas for me, all of which I still have. I was fascinated by these exotic gifts from a foreign country! A few years ago, I was amazed to find Nanny and Pop Pop’s on a 1938 ship’s passenger manifest from the s.s. Monarch of Bermuda on Ancestors.com. What a neat find that was among the many incredible family facts I found there!

Mexico was their last overseas trip. I never got the impression that Pop Pop was all that interested in travel. He was happy in his home, work, church and especially when his daughters and their families visited. Frankly, I think being in the Army stationed in Pearl Harbor in 1941 gave him his fill of foreign travel and I believe the international vacations after that were done out of love for my grandmother. But Nanny, well, I think she was a traveler at heart. She loved her home and family, but I can also picture her being in awe of the sites, sounds, smells and tastes of the world.

Pop Pop died in 1982. Nanny and I started talking about us traveling in the future. The look in her eyes would change for a few moments and I knew it was a few minutes’ reprieve from the sadness of her loss. Unfortunately we never got to fulfill those last travel dreams together because Nanny died from a broken heart only a few months after Pop Pop. I’m happy she had those travel dream diversions and know that I would have loved traveling with her. It’s my loss that I never got to have those adventures with her.

Traveling can be an amazing experience. Grab any opportunity you may have to do it with your grandparents or grandchildren. There may be lessons gained.  And memories that will last through generations.

Nanny and Pop Pop…. Thinking of you and loving you as much as ever.

Access Comes in Many Forms

July 26 was the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Our agency has an Access Travel Team which specializes in accessible cruising. Many conversations last week among our specialists and with colleagues who are involved with “access” in the travel industry were retrospective. Stories and memories that made us laugh, some that reminded us of times when we had wanted to bang our heads against walls and a few that were emotional. “Access” still isn’t perfect, but we’ve come a long way and can appreciate all that’s happened so far that has created possibilities for many more people to travel…. And to do so more safely, comfortably and enjoyably.

Clip from our interpreted commercial.

This week Connie George Travel Associates had a commercial on an internet radio station. Our commercial was about our experience of booking cruises for people who have various abilities. It was a great way to celebrate the anniversary of the ADA because of the show’s unique nature.

What made it unique is that this is the first time ever…. ever… that deaf people could enjoy a radio show focused on the deaf community.  While there have been some test pilots of a handful of broadcasts having been live-captioned such as the 2008 elections, there's never been a commitment near this level.  

Think about it. Deaf people have not been able to enjoy the radio. But Wednesday night, Toginet Radio on the internet debuted a new weekly show, “The Keith Wann Show … Cultural Bridges”, that can now be enjoyed by the deaf community worldwide. The show's subject matter is deaf culture-related and the show is live captioned during the broadcast so anyone with internet access can “read” the show as it’s taking place. Deaf people who miss the show can view an ASL interpreted version that’s posted the next day and hearing people who miss the show can later listen to a podcast. What a great way for deaf families to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ADA and also a wonderful way for hearing people to better understand deaf culture and to learn that we have more similarities than differences. How’s that for available and inclusive?

I’m not at all surprised that Keith has managed to come up with the first ever inclusive radio show. I met Keith back in 2006 when he was a workshop presenter and an entertainer for an ASL interpreter conference that our agency booked on a cruise.. I’ve never known anyone with as much creativity and energy as this guy. Keith is a coda (“children of deaf adults), comedian, actor, speaker, teacher, husband, father, entrepreneur and volunteer who comes up with innovative ways of truly bridging the deaf and hearing worlds.

The past 20 years has been a pretty wild and exciting ride for people with all types of ability levels. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next 20 years will bring!

~ Connie

Seeing & Feeling the American Spirit This Weekend

I enjoyed a tour of American Cruise Line’s ship, American Spirit, over the weekend. She is nearing the end this season’s 7 night Philadelphia- Potomac River sailings from Philadelphia which stop at Havre de Grace, Chestertown, St. Michaels, Annapolis and St. Mary’s City in Maryland as well as Mount Vernon and Alexandria in Virginia. The stop in Alexandria enables people to also visit Washington, DC.

American Cruise Lines offers an opportunity to sail on one of the few U.S. registered cruise ships for what is referred to as “river ” and “coastal waterways” cruising. This is not traditional cruising in the way that most people consider a cruise to be. If you misinterpret what you think the experience is, you’ll be disappointed. However, if you know what to expect and this is the experience you’re looking for, you’ll quickly realize why this line has such a high repeat booking rate among a loyal clientele.

At over $6000 for a double cabin, you’ll find that the average guest is retired, financially comfortable, prefers a casual setting, enjoys a relaxing evening over splashy entertainment, loves American Heritage and wants to see multiple sites without changing hotels. While this isn’t the type of boat that Mark Twain would have sailed on, the quiet wonders of sailing to some of America’s history-filled port cities will have you think of him and a way of life as old as our country.

American Spirit offers open and comfortable public areas, and a feeling of Americana. Cabins are large by river boat standards and feature two twin beds which can convert to a double bed, a flat screen satellite TV w/DVD player, closet, dresser, desk and chair, hair dryer, large opening picture window and internet access. Bathrooms offer a little more space than most ship bathrooms and are nicely decorated. Accommodations remind me more of a floating B&B.

In fact, the entire ship’s atmosphere is somewhat like a B&B as you feel like a welcome guest into a home. The feeling is intimate as she holds only 100 guests. Most of the staff are young, but all are respectful and eager to please. The ship offers an unusual 1:4 ratio of crew members to guests which is much better than the industry norm. Crew and guests’ name lists are on a bulletin board to enable a quicker rapport among everyone.

One of the line’s strengths is the lecturers which speak about the local history, nature and culture. If weather permits, there is often a time of kite-flying off the ship while guests sip Bloody Marys. There is also a weekly Bingo game.

American Spirit along with American Glory, American Star and the new Independence sail in the waterways of eastern USA while the company’s only paddle wheeler, Queen of the West, sails in Washington and Oregon.

An American Cruise Lines cruise package includes your accommodations, prepared-to-order breakfast, lunch, dinner, limited beverages (coffee, tea, soft drinks & juice), snacks, a daily cocktail hour prior to dinner, beer & wine at lunch & dinner, guest lecturers and internet access. Warm, fresh cookies are included in the mornings. Evenings offer complimentary ice cream sundaes and root beer floats along with the opportunity to purchase alcoholic drinks.

I would consider this ship to be friendly for slow-walkers, but not accessible for a full-time wheelchair user. Read more about American Spirit's accessibility here.  

Ships in the American Cruise Lines’ fleet are available for group bookings and also chartering for exclusive use for groups of 49-120 participants. Our agents would be happy to share more information with you regarding these ships as we assist you with your individual or group travel plans.

Red, White & Blueberry

Happy Fourth of July! It’s that time of year when we get nostalgic and also when we think of “red, white and blue” in flags, clothing, décor and even food. It’s that last part that I’m thinking of as I write this.

Growing up in the ’60s and ‘70s, my family was super traditional in what we ate. I’m not sure how much was a sign of the times, part of being in the suburbs or how much was just my parents’ comfort zone.

I didn’t know that lettuce was available in any form other than iceberg. With the exception of Kaiser rolls now and then, all of our breads were in bags with “Stroehmann” stamped on them. The jelly in the fridge was always strawberry or grape. I remember it being a pretty big deal that we occasionally bought La Choy’s canned Chow Mein which was pretty adventurous for us!

But over the years I have learned to try and enjoy a much more vast variety of foods. English muffins make for great burger rolls, toasted bagels are among my favorite carbs, salads with nearly every type of lettuce imaginable, very little canned foods, lots of ethnic goodies and there’s more than one way to make a grilled cheese sandwich. I’ll try a lot, though a friend laughs at what she refers to as two of my food rules…. I don’t do veggies in jello and I can’t grasp the concept of fruit in a salad.

Now I prefer blueberry, raspberry and blackcurrant jam. Blueberry jam always reminds me of when I cruised to Bar Harbor. As Maine is the world’s largest producer of wild blueberries, a jar of locally made blueberry jam seemed like a good choice of souvenir to pick up for someone who enjoys trying local foods. See, blueberry and blackcurrants jams not only taste good to me, but they invoke memories of trips which is neat when I’m home having a PB&J sandwich made with one of them.

Get some free blueberry jam & jelly:

To give our clients a “taste" of your upcoming trip, we have teamed up with Bar Harbor Jam which is producing specially made gift boxes only for our clients which include their award-winning Wild Blueberry Pepper Jelly and their Wild Maine Blueberry Jam. When you book your Canada / New England cruise sailing this year with Connie George Travel Associates by July 30, tell our agent where you read about getting your free gift box and we will be sure you receive your free jam and jelly gift box (one box per cabin). Maybe you’ll also get hooked on blueberry jam!

Meanwhile, to help you celebrate the holiday, I want to share some terrfic free recipes for some great looking “red, white and blue” deserts I found on Food Network's website. Amaze your family and friends with this weekend with some red, white and blueberries. Enjoy!