Luxury Travel by Jackie

Booking World Cruise 2012 on QM2

2010-06-29T09:46:00.000-07:00

Hello Fellow World Cruisers!

World Cruise 2012 opens in just a few short weeks and at this time I'd like to go over booking instructions and procedures with you.

We are accepting BOOKING FORMS as of TODAY Tuesday, June 29, 2010. You will be booked in order received beginning July 15, 2010.

We are only have the following sailings available with GROUP pricing and amenities

Full World Cruise on QM2 Southampton to Southampton

Full World Cruise with EASTBOUND Transatlantic on January 3, 2012

Full World Cruise with WESTBOUND Transatlantic on April 27, 2012

Full World Cruise with BOTH Transatlantic (Offering a full world cruise New York to New York)

Circumnavigation of Australia (28 Days in Australia)

As you may realize, we've been promoting this cruise for over a year and our opt-in list is massive. In order to book everyone in a timely fashion, we have developed a booking form and credit card authorization form. This is the only way we are accepting bookings due to the sheer size of the interest this sailing has generated.

Booking forms will be processed in order received. If you are booking the Australia segment please get a booking form sent to us by 5pm Eastern Time on July 14, 2010. The Australia segment is expected to sell out rapidly!

Booking Procedure

The booking procedure is simple. Fill out the booking form located on our website. Here is the link:

Booking Form:
http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com/3/custom_form.htm

On July 15, 2010 we will pull group space based on booking forms received by July 14, 2010, and, we will begin booking reservations in order received.

Once you are booked, we will forward BOTH a booking number AND a confirmation directly from Cunard. You will then have 72 hours from receipt of your booking number to send us a credit card authorization form. This form will be sent to you along with your booking confirmation.

Your credit card or debit card will be charged DIRECTLY BY CUNARD. You will not see any additional charges from us - ever.

Group Amenities

EASTBOUND TRANSATLANTIC
January 3, 2012
SPECIAL AMENITIES (included at no additional charge to you)

* Complimentary Hotel and Dining Charges per person
* "Welcome Aboard" door decorations (balloons and streamers)
* Cunard Travel Mugs (two per stateroom)

FULL WORLD CRUISE 2012
January 10 - April 27, 2012
SPECIAL AMENITIES (included at no additional charge to you)

Full World Voyage Benefits from Cunard:

· On-Board Credit of up to $3,000 per stateroom (expires 28 February 2011)
· Savings of up to 10% off Early Booking Fares (expires 28 February 2011)
· Complimentary hotel and dining charges
· Gala World Voyage Dinner
· Special commemorative gifts
· Welcome Aboard Reception & Senior Officer Dinner
· World Voyage cocktail parties
· Services of a World Voyage Concierge

Special Note: Additional 5% savings on Bonus Early Booking Fares for World Club Members applies to reservations made by 28 February 2011.

Office EXCLUSIVE Amenities

· A signed copy of the World Cruise book being written by blogger "Around the World 2012" The book will contain the history of world cruises, the 2012 QM2 itinerary, and, tons of photos from the cruise. It promises to be a great keepsake. It will be sent to you in late 2012.
· ADDITIONAL On-Board Credit $75 USD per person (Inside & Outside) $150 maximum per cabin; $150 USD per person (Balcony & Grill) $300 maximum per cabin
· Welcome Aboard" door decorations (balloons and streamers)
· Special in-cabin gift upon boarding
· Special in-cabin gift on Valentine's Day (February 14, 2012)

WESTBOUND TRANSATLANTIC AND AUSTRALIA SEGMENT AMENITIES WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON JULY 15, 2010

Contact Information and About Us

Our Fax Number is:
800-519-8834

Our Email:
JackieThresten@yahoo.com

Please refrain from calling the office during the July 15 - July 18 booking period. Phone calls only slow us down and we need to get everyone booked ASAP. If you need to speak with us, leave a voice-mail and we will get back to you.

About Us

Jackie Thresten began her career as a flight attendant after graduating college with a BS in English. After a number of years with the airlines, marriage and family came along and, Jackie became a professional travel agent. She is currently a luxury travel agent and holds an MCC certificate from CLIA and is also a graduate of the Travel Institute has earned the title of Certified Travel Counselor (CTC).

Jackie Thresten is a home-based travel agent and independent contractor in association with Vacation Central, 560 Sylvan Ave , Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 07632 , USA, Phone: 201-567-8500, Fax: 201-490-1721

IATAN/ARC/CLIA: 31823643

CST # 2057620 FLA. Seller of Travel-Reg. No. ST36832 NV Seller of Travel-Reg. No. 2004-0111.

Please note I will be unavailable from Wednesday June 30, 2010 through Wednesday, July 7, 2010. However, booking forms will still be forwarded to my email account and again you will be booked in order received.

Sincerely,

Jackie Thresten
World Cruise 2012

Royal Circumnavigation of Australia on QM2 in 2012 Opt-In List

2010-05-27T06:51:00.000-07:00

If you are interested in booking the Royal Circumnavigation of Australia on Cunard Queen Mary 2 in 2012, then I'd like to invite you join our opt-in list and forming group for this segment of World Cruise 2012.

We will be offering group rates and amenities for the full Australia segment of World Cruise 2012. Ports of call on the full Australian segment of QM2 World Cruise 2012 include: Sydney, Fremantle, Adelaide and the Whitsundays, as well as maiden visits to Cairns (Yorkey's Knob), Darwin, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Pricing is expected soon (mid-year 2010).

The Australian segment is anticipated to be in huge demand, and, we have received numerous inquiries about the Australian segment to the point we will offer the Australian segment. Keep in mind this is in addition to the Full World Cruise in 2012.

Need more information including dates for the Australian segment of World Cruise 2012? Please visit our webpage at: http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com/3/miscellaneous7.htm

And you are invited to view our photo album featuring nearly 50 pictures of the Australian ports of Call on the Royal Circumnavigation of Australia: http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com/photoalbum/6-6.htm

Circumnavigation of Australia on QM2 in 2012

For Email Marketing you can trust

If you are interested in booking Cunard QM2 for the Royal Circumnavigation of Australia in 2012 please place your email on our opt-in list. There is no obligation to book and you may unsubscribe at anytime. We take spam seriously and your email will not be sold, traded or otherwise compromised.

Pricing and bookings are expected to open mid-year (May/June/July) of 2010

Royal Circumnavigation of Australia on Queen Mary 2 in 2012

2010-05-20T14:31:00.000-07:00

2012 Royal Circumnavigation of Australia

As quoted from Cunard's website

"Queen Mary 2's Royal Circumnavigation of Australia is a first for
Cunard.

The largest ship ever to visit Australia, Queen Mary 2 will call at
eight Australian ports during her time Down Under including Sydney,
Fremantle, Adelaide and the Whitsundays, as well as maiden visits to
Cairns (Yorkey's Knob), Darwin, Melbourne and Brisbane. Her
circumnavigation will also include a call at Bali.

There will be three circumnavigation options -
a 22-night voyage departing Sydney on 14 February 2012, a 20-night
voyage departing Fremantle on 8 February 2012 and a 21-night voyage
departing Adelaide on 11 February 2012.

In all, Queen Mary 2 will spend 28 nights in Australian waters, as she
sails from Cape Town to Sydney via Fremantle and Adelaide, and then
circumnavigates the country. As a result, Fremantle, Adelaide and Sydney
will each enjoy two visits from the liner during her Australian season.

The Australian deployment will mark the longest period of time that
Queen Mary 2 has been based in one country outside of her northern
hemisphere home ports of Southampton and New York.

Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line, said,
"Cunard has strong and proud links with Australia, going back many
years."

'Recognising the enduring appeal and increased demand from Australians
for the unique Cunard Line experience, we are delighted to offer this
series of legendary voyages for our flagship Queen Mary 2 in Australia
2012,' he said."

To view photos of these exciting ports of call please visit:

http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com/photoalbum/6-6.htm

For more information about the Royal Circumnavigation of Australia in 2012

AND

World Cruise 2012 aboard QM2

http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com

The above was reprinted with full permission from Around the World 2012

World Cruise 2012 Email Update

2010-05-19T09:08:00.000-07:00

World Cruise 2012: Updates Volume 3

Hello!

You are receiving this email update because you or someone you know added your email address to our opt-in list. If you no longer wish to receive updates you may remove your name from our list by using the unsubscribe link below.

What's new?
We are expecting pricing and itineraries in mid-year 2010 - which isn't far away!

________________________________________________________
28 Days in Australia!

The largest ship ever to visit Australia, Queen Mary 2 will call at eight Australian ports during her time Down Under including Sydney, Fremantle, Adelaide and the Whitsundays, as well as maiden visits to Cairns (Yorkey's Knob), Darwin, Melbourne and Brisbane. Her circumnavigation will also include a call at Bali.

There will be three circumnavigation options - a 22-night voyage departing Sydney on 14 February 2012, a 20-night voyage departing Fremantle on 8 February 2012 and a 21-night voyage departing Adelaide on 11 February 2012.

Visit our photos of these ports of call at:
http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com/photoalbum/6-6.htm

In addition to the full world cruise. We will be offering group pricing and amenities for this exciting Australia segment of World Cruise 2012 aboard Queen Mary 2.

Pricing is expected to be available in mid-year 2010.
________________________________________________________
Booking Form is now available!

For your convenience, a booking form as been added to the 2012 World Cruise website. This will help speed the booking process and will prove very handy for those living in time zones outside of the East coast of the United States.

Take a sneak peak at the booking form:
http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com/3/custom_form.htm

We respectfully ask that you use the Booking Form for the purpose of an actual booking. If you have questions please use the Contact Us form on the website: http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com/3/contactus.htm or email us at JackieThresten@yahoo.com
________________________________________________________
Have your visited?

2012 QM2 World Cruise website:
http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com/

We are currently waiting for pricing and itinerary. In the meantime, please browse this website.

We're sure you'll agree it is one of the most - if not the most - comprehensive websites for this sailing on the Internet!

Don't forget to check out our photo albums and please feel free to join our message board (even if you don't book with us)
________________________________________________________
Your travel agent

For those who have just signed up, I'd like to introduce myself, my name is Jackie Thresten, and, I will be your travel agent for World Cruise 2012. A website has been made for this group and you'll be able to everything from photos to requesting a price quote on it. I'm sure you find it very useful in the months to come! Please visit the website at: http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com/

________________________________________________________
Your fellow cruiser and book author

As you may or may not know, I am forming this group for World Cruise 2012 in association with a blogger (who wishes to remain anonymous since this blogger will be writing a book on the World Cruise experience.) If you wish to get familiar with this blogger please visit: http://aroundtheworld2011.typepad.com/worldcruiser/

Everyone who books with me will receive a copy of World Cruisers book about World Cruising including 100s of photos from the 2012 World Cruise on Queen Mary 2. This is an office exclusive!!

2012 World Cruise Itinerary - Coming Soon!

We are currently waiting for pricing and itinerary. In the meantime, please browse this website.

We're sure you'll agree it is one of the most - if not the most - comprehensive websites for this sailing on the Internet!

Don't forget to check out our photo albums and please feel free to join our message board (even if you don't book with us)

2012 World Cruise Website

A website specifically for World Cruise 2012 aboard Queen Mary 2 has been made and designed especially for this group. On it you will find:

Photos of the ship and ports of call
Pricing and Amenities for this group
2012 Booking Incentives
Royal Balls Information
Quote Request Form and more

Please visit at:
http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com/

Deposits

As we begin gearing up for World Cruise 2012, questions are sure to arise for example what type of deposit requirements will be necessary. Keep in mind that I will be unable to give exact information until pricing comes out later this year, however, based on World Cruise 2011, deposits will be approximately:

* D5 Inside cabin $5515
* A4 Balcony cabin $8258
* P2 Princess Grill cabin $14,799

Deposits are based upon double occupancy (two people sharing one cabin)

Again, the prices above are just ball park figures, but, many find it helpful as they begin to chart-out their finances for the long voyage.

Q&A

Question: What is the purpose of forming a group for a World Cruise?

Answer: To help obtain the lowest possible price for everyone who is interested in being part of the group.
_____________________
Question: Does this mean we eat together and have activities together?

Answer: No, it isn't that type of group. This group is for pricing and amenities purposes only. You will not be forced into socializing, dining or any other "group" type activities.
_____________________
Question: Can I make payment arrangements with you?

Answer: Absolutely! A world cruise is very expensive, and, I can tailor payments to your special needs and requests. The only requirements are that you make the full deposit as determined by Cunard Cruise Lines and that you make your final payment by the deadline as determined by Cunard Cruise Lines
_____________________
Question: What type of amenities will you be offering?

Answer: As you may or may not know, a world cruise (usually) comes with a variety of amenities, especially aboard a Cunard World Cruise. In the past the following have been included by Cunard as amenities:

* On-board Credit of up to $2,000 per stateroom
* Savings of up to 10% off Early Booking Fares
* Complimentary Hotel & Dining Charges
* Up to $400 per person in Shore Excursion Credits for Grill guests
* Gala World Voyage Dinner
* Special Commemorative Gifts
* Welcome Aboard Reception & Senior Officer Dinner
* World Voyage Cocktail Parties
* Services of a World Voyage Concierge

And, I do believe these same amenities will be included in World Cruise 2012. In addition, I will be offering special amenities to this group as an office exclusive, and, more information will be provided later this year.

Join us on Facebook!

Booking World Cruise 2012 on Queen Mary 2? Join us on Facebook and meet your shipmates! Simply click the link to go to our page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=108081605886749

I will update you as more information becomes available, and, I will do my best not to email you unnecessarily. The next email update will contain the pricing and itineraries we've all been waiting to receive.

I look forward to working with you and to help your World Cruise in 2012 a wonderful, exciting experience!

Warmest regards,
Jackie Thresten

Join us on Facebook

World Cruise 2012

Coming Soon!

Flight Prices

Coming Soon!

Pre & Post Hotels

Coming Soon!

Forward email

QM2 World Cruise 2012 Information coming mid-2010

2010-05-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

For those who are sincerely interested in Queen Mary 2 World Cruise in 2012, I have received word that Cunard plans to release information mid-year 2010. That means in the next several weeks, the information we've all been waiting for will finally be given to us.

If you haven't done so already, place your email address on the opt-in list. People on the opt-in list will receive information first, and, then I will post it in here second. I have made a full and comprehensive website for the sailing and you can enter your email on the first page: http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com

Keep in mind that I am going to have group space for the full world cruise as well as the 28 day segment for Australia. If you are interested in either you should sign up on the opt-in email list.

Additionally, as a reminder, I have an office exclusive agreement with the travel writer who will be on-board QM2 in 2012 for the full world cruise and will be writing a book about the World Cruise Experience. Each passenger that books the World Cruise or World Cruise segment on QM2 in 2012 with me will receive a complementary signed copy of the World Cruise book when it comes out in late 2012. The book will feature the history of world cruises, a day by day travel journal of the 2012 voyage, and, hundreds of photos to help you remember the voyage!

Questions? Email me at JackieThresten@yahoo.com

Celebrity Silhouette from Bayonne, NJ for Holidays in 2011

2010-05-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

For anyone interested, I just snagged space on the brand new Celebrity Silhouette which will be sailing round trip out of Bayonne, NJ for Christmas and New Year's in 2011. Message me or email me at JackieThresten@yahoo.com for more details. I will have a website for this sailing ready soon.

Itinerary

Date	Ports of Call	Arrive	Depart	Activity
Sat 24 Dec 2011	Cape Liberty, Bayonne, N.J.	5:00 AM	10:00 PM	Boarding
Sun 25 Dec 2011	At Sea	5:00 AM	5:00 AM
Mon 26 Dec 2011	At Sea	5:00 AM	5:00 AM
Tue 27 Dec 2011	Labadee, Haiti	2:00 PM	9:00 PM	Docked
Wed 28 Dec 2011	San Juan, Puerto Rico	7:00 PM	3:00 AM	Docked
Thu 29 Dec 2011	Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas	1:00 PM	10:00 PM	Docked
Fri 30 Dec 2011	St. Johns, Antigua	1:00 PM	10:00 PM	Docked
Sat 31 Dec 2011	Philipsburg, St. Maarten	12:00 PM	8:00 PM	Docked
Sun 01 Jan 2012	At Sea	5:00 AM	5:00 AM
Mon 02 Jan 2012	Nassau, Bahamas	6:00 PM		Docked
Tue 03 Jan 2012	At Sea	5:00 AM	5:00 AM
Wed 04 Jan 2012	At Sea	5:00 AM	5:00 AM
Thu 05 Jan 2012	Cape Liberty, Bayonne, N.J.	1:00 PM	5:00 AM	Outbound Transfer

QM 2 Independence Day Cruise 2011

2010-05-02T06:59:00.000-07:00

Cunard QM2
Independence Day Sailing
5 Nights
July 1, 2011 to July 6, 2011
Featuring fireworks in
Boston Harbor on 4th of July

Day	Location	Arrival	Departure
Thursday, July 1, 2010	New York	--	06:00 PM
Friday, July 2, 2010	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, July 3, 2010	Halifax	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Sunday, July 4, 2010	Boston	12:00 PM	11:00 PM
Monday, July 5, 2010	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, July 6, 2010	New York	07:00 AM	--

Pricing includes insurance from Cunard

Special Amenities include:

Shipboard credit $75 USD per person (Inside & Outside) maximum $150 per cabin
Shipboard credit $150 USD per person (Balcony & Grill) maximum $300 per cabin
Cunard Travel Mugs (two per stateroom)

Prices are TOTAL, NOT Per Person

Category	Type	Single	Double	Triple	Quad
D5	Inside Cabin	$2,365.16	$2,765.98	$3,557.32	$4,348.66
C2	Outside Cabin	$2,720.37	$3,172.54	$4,044.12	$4,915.70
B3	In-hull balcony	$3,039.20	$3,536.32	$4,514.89	N/A
A2	Premium Balcony	$3,619.08	$4,199.66	N/A	N/A
AA	Britannia Club with Balcony	$4,691.12	$5,423.62	N/A	N/A
P2	Princess Grill	$6,374.08	$6,446.44	$8,173.94	N/A
Q6	Queen Grill	$8,299.90	$8,372.26	N/A	N/A
Q14	Queen Grill Duplex	$34,512.45	$34,584.82	$36,793.78	$39,002.74

Single = 1 person in 1 cabin
Double = 2 people in 1 cabin
Triple = 3 people in 1 cabin
Quad = 4 people in 1 cabin

All pricing includes port charges, taxes, and, insurance. Pricing above reflects the TOTAL price due, it is NOT the price per person.

For more information visit the comprehensive website complete with photos, pricing and other important information at: http://www.qm2july12011.websiteworks.com/

4th of July 2011 on QM2

2010-05-01T05:24:00.000-07:00

Cunard QM2
Independence Day Sailing
5 Nights

July 1, 2011 to July 6, 2011

Pricing includes insurance from Cunard

Special Amenities include:

Shipboard credit $75 USD per person (Inside & Outside) maximum $150 per cabin

Shipboard credit $150 USD per person (Balcony & Grill) maximum $300 per cabin
Cunard Travel Mugs (two per stateroom)

Category	Type	Single	Double	Triple	Quad
D5	Inside Cabin	$2,365.16	$2,765.98	$3,557.32	$4,348.66
C2	Outside Cabin	$2,720.37	$3,172.54	$4,044.12	$4,915.70
B3	In-hull balcony	$3,039.20	$3,536.32	$4,514.89	N/A
A2	Premium Balcony	$3,619.08	$4,199.66	N/A	N/A
AA	Britannia Club with Balcony	$4,691.12	$5,423.62	N/A	N/A
P2	Princess Grill	$6,374.08	$6,446.44	$8,173.94	N/A
Q6	Queen Grill	$8,299.90	$8,372.26	N/A	N/A
Q14	Queen Grill Duplex	$34,512.45	$34,584.82	$36,793.78	$39,002.74

Single = 1 person in 1 cabin

Double = 2 people in 1 cabin

Triple = 3 people in 1 cabin

Quad = 4 people in 1 cabin

All pricing includes port charges, taxes, and, insurance

For more information contact Jackie at

JackieThresten@yahoo.com

World Cruise 2012 aboard QM2 Website is now live

2010-04-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

We are currently waiting for pricing and itinerary. In the meantime, please browse this website.

We're sure you'll agree it is one of the most - if not the most - comprehensive websites for this sailing on the Internet!

Don't forget to check out our photo albums and please feel free to join our message board (even if you don't book with us)

Want a quote as soon as pricing is available?
Fill out a quote form!

Website: http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com/

________________________________________

2012 World Cruise Website

A website specifically for World Cruise 2012 aboard Queen Mary 2 has been made and designed especially for this group. On it you will find:

Photos of the ship and ports of call
Pricing and Amenities for this group
2012 Booking Incentives
Royal Balls Information
Quote Request Form and more

Please visit at:

http://www.qm2worldcruise2012.com

2011 and 2012 Group Cruises on Cunard

2010-04-22T10:08:00.000-07:00

Join us for Cunard's President's Cruise departing August 22, 2011 on Queen Mary 2 for an Eastbound Transatlantic Sailing (New York to Southampton)

Departing on Monday, August 22, 2011 from Brooklyn, New York enjoy 7 nights aboard QM2 for the Cunard President's Eastbound Transatlantic Sailing! This cruise is always a sell-out, booking early is a must!

Group pricing will begin at:

Inside cabin $1295 per person plus port charges and taxes

Outside cabins $1595 per person plus port charges and taxes

In Hull Balcony $1895 per person plus port charges and taxes

Deluxe Balcony $2095 per person plus port charges and taxes

Princess Grill $4045 per person plus port charges and taxes

Queens Grill $5445 per person plus port charges and taxes

Prices are approximate and based upon double occupancy

Cunard President's Cruise 2011 - August 22, 2011 - Eastbound (NYC to Southampton)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Join us for 4th of July 2011 on Queen Mary 2

Departing on Friday, July 1, 2011 from Brooklyn, New York enjoy a 5 night Independence Day Getaway aboard QM2. Ports of call include: Halifax, Nova Scotia and Boston, Massachusetts with 4th of July fireworks in Boston Harbor.

Group pricing will begin at:

Inside cabin $1225 per person plus port charges and taxes

Outside cabins $1415 per person plus port charges and taxes

In Hull Balcony $1585 per person plus port charges and taxes

Deluxe Balcony $1745 per person plus port charges and taxes

Princess Grill $2945 per person plus port charges and taxes

Queens Grill $3845 per person plus port charges and taxes

Prices are approximate and based upon double occupancy

Join Our 2011 Cunard Lists for July 4th - Christmas 2011 and World Cruise 2012

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Join us for Christmas 2011 on Queen Mary 2

Departing on Monday, December 19, 2011 from Brooklyn, New York enjoy a 15 night Christmas and New Year's Caribbean Getaway aboard QM2. Ports of call include: Grand Turk; Tortola; Curacao; Grenada; Barbados; St. Maarten; and St. Thomas

Group pricing will begin at:

Inside cabin $2795 per person plus port charges and taxes

Outside cabins $3595 per person plus port charges and taxes

In Hull Balcony $4295 per person plus port charges and taxes

Deluxe Balcony $4695 per person plus port charges and taxes

Princess Grill $8065 per person plus port charges and taxes

Queens Grill $12,465 per person plus port charges and taxes

Prices are approximate and based upon double occupancy

Join Our 2011 Cunard Lists for July 4th - Christmas 2011 and World Cruise 2012

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Join us for World Cruise 2012

TBA

Join Our 2011 Cunard Lists for July 4th - Christmas 2011 and World Cruise 2012

For Email Marketing you can trust

Join our Cunard Lists for July 4th and Christmas 2011 and World Cruise 2012

2010-04-15T05:16:00.000-07:00

Join us for 4th of July 2011 on Queen Mary 2

Group pricing will begin at:

Inside cabin $1225 per person plus port charges and taxes

Outside cabins $1415 per person plus port charges and taxes

In Hull Balcony $1585 per person plus port charges and taxes

Deluxe Balcony $1745 per person plus port charges and taxes

Princess Grill $2945 per person plus port charges and taxes

Queens Grill $3845 per person plus port charges and taxes

Prices are approximate and based upon double occupancy

Join Our 2011 Cunard Lists for July 4th - Christmas 2011 and World Cruise 2012

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Join us for Christmas 2011 on Queen Mary 2

Inside cabin $2795 per person plus port charges and taxes

Outside cabins $3595 per person plus port charges and taxes

In Hull Balcony $4295 per person plus port charges and taxes

Deluxe Balcony $4695 per person plus port charges and taxes

Princess Grill $8065 per person plus port charges and taxes

Queens Grill $12,465 per person plus port charges and taxes

Prices are approximate and based upon double occupancy

Join Our 2011 Cunard Lists for July 4th - Christmas 2011 and World Cruise 2012

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Join us for World Cruise 2012

TBA

Join Our 2011 Cunard Lists for July 4th - Christmas 2011 and World Cruise 2012

For Email Marketing you can trust

Cunard QM2 World Cruise 2012 - Receive Pricing and Information First!

2010-04-09T05:06:00.000-07:00

As Cunard Cruise Lines prepare to open the 2011-2012 sailing season for booking, now is the time to sign up for my opt-in list if you are considering World Cruise 2012 on Queen Mary 2.

What we do know about World Cruise 2012 on QM2

So far we know that Queen Mary 2 will celebrate a Cunard "first" by offering the "Royal Circumnavigation of Australia" as a segment of World Cruise 2012.

QM2 will be based in Australia in 2012 for a total of 28 nights and "will call at eight Australian ports during her time Down Under including Sydney, Fremantle, Adelaide and the Whitsundays, as well as maiden visits to Cairns (Yorkey's Knob), Darwin, Melbourne and Brisbane. Her circumnavigation will also include a call at Bali."

Segments within Australia include: a 22-night voyage departing Sydney on 14 February 2012, a 20-night voyage departing Fremantle on 8 February 2012 and a 21-night voyage departing Adelaide on 11 February 2012.

While no further information about World Cruise 2012 aboard QM2 has been released, The Royal Circumnavigation of Australia will go on sale this spring as part of the announcement of the 2012 World Cruise program.

Throughout the coming months, I will keep you abreast of all the information you might need to know if you wish to book the cruise along with us. I am forming a group for this sailing, and, I will be offering group pricing and amenities. If you wish to be kept informed about the world cruise including pricing and amenities when they are released later in 2010 then I'd like to invite you to sign up on my no obligation opt-in list. There is absolutely no obligation to purchase a world cruise, your email address will not be distributed or sold for any reason, and, you may unsubscribe at any time.

World Cruise 2012 Opt-In List with Jackie Thresten

Princess Reduced Deposit $100 pp for Caribbean Princess February 20, 2011

2010-04-07T06:28:00.000-07:00

President's Week on Caribbean Princess
Departing February 20, 2011
Returning February 27, 2011

Website Click Here
____________________________________________________________

Website:
http://www.caribbeanprincessfebruary202011.websiteworks.com

Deposits: $100 per person through the end of April*
*Subject to change without prior notice

Booking Form:
http://www.caribbeanprincessfebruary202011.websiteworks.com/3/custom_form.htm

________________________________________________________
Take Advantage of Group Pricing And Amenities

This concept scares some people - they hear the word group and fear
they will be trapped with abunch of people they don't know or worse
don't like.

RELAX! Our group offering is solely for group pricing and amenities.
There are no social events, no cocktail parties or other "groupie" activities.

You book just as though you are booking as an individual, BUT, you
get all the benefits of lower pricing and great amenities:

Here's our amenities package for this sailing:

On-board credit
Bottle of wine

Itinerary

Itinerary

Date

Day

Duration

San Juan, Puerto Rico

20FEB11

SUN

DEPART 11:00PM

CHECK IN STARTS AT 0200P

CHECK IN 2:00PM-9:00PM ARRIVE AFTER 3:00PM FOR A FASTER CHECK IN

St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, U.S.A.

21FEB11

MON

ARRIVE 7:00AM DEPART 6:00PM

Tortola, Virgin IS/British

22FEB11

TUE

ARRIVE 8:00AM DEPART 6:00PM

Antigua, Antigua

23FEB11

WED

ARRIVE 7:00AM DEPART 5:00PM

St Lucia, Saint Lucia

24FEB11

THU

ARRIVE 8:00AM DEPART 6:00PM

Barbados, Barbados

25FEB11

FRI

ARRIVE 8:00AM DEPART 6:00PM

At Sea

26FEB11

SAT

San Juan, Puerto Rico

27FEB11

SUN

ARRIVE 6:00AM

Pricing

Prices shown include: cruise fare, port charges, taxes, and, insurance through
Princess Cruise Lines

Total WITH Insurance from Princess ( Pricing is NOT per person with the
exception of the single occupancy cabin)

Category	Cabin Type	Single Occupancy (1 person in one cabin) TOTAL*	Double Occupancy (2 people sharing one cabin) TOTAL*	Triple Occupancy (3 people sharing one cabin) TOTAL*	Quad Occupancy (4 people sharing one cabin) TOTAL*
KK	Inside	$1,566.81	$2,142.18	$2,765.07	$ 3,387.96
II	Inside	$1,615.41	$2,206.98	$2,851.47	$3,495.96
FF	Obstructed Outside	$1,761.21	$ 2,401.38	$3,094.47	$3,787.56
D	Outside	$1,890.81	$ 2,574.18	$ 3,310.47	$4,046.76
BD	Balcony Cabin	$2,862.81	$2,941.38	$3,769.47	$4,597.56
BA	Balcony Cabin	$3,122.01	$3,200.58	$4,093.47	$4,986.36
AC	Mini-Suite with Balcony	$3,424.41	$3,502.98	$4,444.47	$ 5,385.96
VS	Suite with Balcony	$5,476.41	$5,554.98	$6,982.47	$ 8,409.96
OS	Suite with Balcony	$6,436.45	$ 6,634.98	$8,332.47	$10,029.96

*Prices above reflect the TOTAL WITH INSURANCE for the number
of people in thecabin. Pricing is NOT per person with the exception
of the single occupancy cabin

Queen Mary 2 Christmas and New Years 2011

2010-03-31T08:23:00.000-07:00

Few things are as elegant or fun as a holiday cruise with or without the extended family. As the cruise lines continue to deploy their 2011-2012 itineraries and pricing (and open them for booking); your thoughts might be starting to wander to booking a Christmas or New Year's Eve Cruise.

All three Cunard ships will be offering holiday season cruises in 2011. Queen Victoria will spend Christmas and New Years in Hawaii; Queen Elizabeth will offer a Canary Islands and Iberia itinerary; and, QM2 will be heading to the Caribbean for the 2011 holidays.

Thinking about booking Cunard QM2 for Christmas and New Year's in 2011? Here's a sneak peak at the itinerary and pricing:

Date	Port
December 19, 2011	New York (Brooklyn), NY
December 20, 2011	At Sea
December 21, 2011	At Sea
December 22, 2011	Grand Turk
December 23, 2011	At Sea
December 24, 2011	Tortola
December 25, 2011	At Sea
December 26, 2011	Curacao
December 27, 2011	Grenada
December 28, 2011	Barbados
December 29, 2011	St. Martin
December 30, 2011	St. Thomas
December 31, 2011	At Sea
January 1, 2012	At Sea
January 2, 2012	At Sea
January 3, 2012	New York (Brooklyn), NY

Early Booking Fares:
Insides from $2995 per person
Outsides from $3695 per person
In-Hull Balcony from $4395 per person
Obstructed Balcony from $4995
Premium Balcony from $6895 per person
Princess Grill from $8365 per person
Queen's Grill from $12,765 per person

Cunard opens 2011-2012 on April 26, 2010 for past passengers and on April 27, 2010 for the general public.

Join Jackie Thresten on Cunard Cruise Lines Queen Mary 2 for Christmas and New Year's in 2011

I am forming a group for this sailing, and, I will be offering group pricing and amenities. If you wish to be kept informed about the 2011 holiday cruise on Queen Mary 2 departing December 19, 2011 and returning on January 3, 2012 then I'd like to invite you to sign up on my no obligation opt-in list. There is absolutely no obligation to purchase this Christmas and New Year's cruise, your email address will not be distributed or sold for any reason, and, you may unsubscribe at any time.

Pricing is approximate based on pre-launch information provided by Cunard

Group Booking Fares:
Insides from $2795 per person
Outsides from $3595 per person
In-Hull Balcony from $4295 per person
Obstructed Balcony from $4695
Princess Grill from $8065 per person
Queen's Grill from $12,465 per person

Jackie Thresten's QM2 Christmas 2011 Group Cruise Opt-In

Cunard opens for booking April 26 for past guests and April 27 for the general public

2010-03-30T06:42:00.001-07:00

Cunard Cruise Line will open bookings for 2011 and early 2012 on April 26, 2010 for past guests and April 27, 2010 for the general public. There are some very exciting itineraries this year, and, I invite you to read about them in my Examiner.com column:

As for group cruises I will be sponsoring in 2011-2012 they include the following:

July 1 - Independence Day Cruise
December - Holiday Cruise
World Cruise 2012 on QM2

Stay tuned for details

Christmas Cruise 2011 aboard Queen Mary 2

2010-03-29T08:44:00.001-07:00

Join World Cruise blogger IAM TRAVELER on Queen Mary 2 for the holidays in 2011.

Reach over 250,000 readers per month for just $30

2010-03-25T07:13:00.000-07:00

Would you like to reach over 250,000 readers every month and pay under $30 for advertising on a major news website? Become my sponsor on Examiner.com

Examiner.com is a subsidiary of Clarity Digital Group LLC

What you need to know:
I can only guarantee your ad will be seen by 250,000 readers or more on my column, not all Examiner.com writers generate this type of readership. Each click is a recorded IP address to help prevent click fraud so the 250,000 or more readers is a true number.

See my articles here: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner

Step One
Click this link: http://examiner.shinyads.com/advertise/226

Step Two
Click the "Start" button on the bottom of the page

Step Three
In "Category" Select "Travel" and in "City" insert "Newark, NJ" and click the "Search for Examiners" button.

Step Four
Locate me (I'm the one with the black horse) and click on the green plus sign, then scroll down and click the "Next" button

Step Five
Upload your banner or have Examiner.com help you make one, and, then click - if your banner needs to be resized, it can be done automatically after you click the next button

Step Six
Proceed to check out

It's that easy! And, by sponsor my column your ad will be seen by over 250,000 people per month.

World Cruise 2012 on QM2 features 28 days in Australia

2010-03-09T14:29:00.001-08:00

Cunard Cruise Line unveiled a "first" for the cruise line on March 8, 2010 by announcing Queen Mary 2's "Royal Circumnavigation of Australia" as part of World Cruise 2012. QM2 will be based in Australia in 2012 for a total of 28 nights and "will call at eight Australian ports during her time Down Under including Sydney, Fremantle, Adelaide and the Whitsundays, as well as maiden visits to Cairns (Yorkey's Knob), Darwin, Melbourne and Brisbane. Her circumnavigation will also include a call at Bali."

While no further information about World Cruise 2012 aboard QM2 has been released, The Royal Circumnavigation of Australia will go on sale this spring as part of the announcement of the 2012 World Cruise program. Care to go on World Cruise 2012 aboard Queen Mary 2 from New York? Find out how by reading the blurb below.

Links related to World Cruise 2012

Early Booking Incentives

World Cruise Expenses

Join Jackie Thresten on Cunard Cruise Lines Queen Mary 2 for a world cruise in 2012

Throughout the coming months, I will keep you abreast of all the information you might need to know if you wish to book the cruise along with us. I am forming a group for this sailing, and, I will be offering group pricing and amenities. If you wish to be kept informed about the world cruise including pricing and amenities when they are released later in 2010 then I'd like to invite you to sign up on my no obligation opt-in list. There is absolutely no obligation to purchase a world cruise, your email address will not be distributed or sold for any reason, and, you may unsubscribe at any time.

The cruise line selected is Cunard and the ship is Queen Mary 2. Dates, pricing, and itinerary will be announced later in 2010. This world cruise group will be departing from New York (Brooklyn) and ending after the full world cruise in Southampton, England or New York (Brooklyn) pending release of the full itinerary from Cunard.

For more info: contact me at JackieThresten@yahoo.com or sign up for the no obligation opt-in list to receive occasional updates. There is no obligation to purchase and you may unsubscribe at any time.

World Cruise 2012 Opt-In List with Jackie Thresten

You may unsubscribe at any time

World Cruise 2012 Group Now Forming

2010-02-04T12:20:00.000-08:00

Yes it's been a long time since I've blogged, October to be exact! However, WAVE season is slowing down, and, I'm getting into a better rhythm with my writing on Examiner.com, so, I can once again turn some attention back to blogging.

I am extremely excited to announce that I have been approached by a fellow blogger to be the official travel agent for the "Around The World 2012" group cruise aboard Cunard Cruise Lines. The author of Around the World 2011 and Around the World 2011 (who wishes to remain known only as Iam Traveler Writer) is forming a group and I am pleased to have been selected as travel agent.

I have booked many people on Cunard world cruises over the years, and, I will be offering competitive pricing and amenities to the group once I receive more information from Cunard later in 2010.

Be sure to place your email on the opt-in list. Your information will not be sold, traded or compromised in any way. You'll receive updates regarding world cruise 2012 including the group rates and amenities I will be offering for the sailing, and, you may unsubscribe at anytime.
http://aroundtheworld2011.typepad.com/around_the_world_2012/

Join The 2012 Cunard World Cruise Mailing List

For more information about World Cruise 2012 please visit:
http://aroundtheworld2011.typepad.com/around_the_world_2012/

For more information about my Examiner.com column visit:
http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner

You never know...

2009-10-30T05:19:00.000-07:00

I'm still learning the ropes about writing publicly but, I was shocked to find out that my article on the 2009 Rockefeller Center tree lighting has been so popular - I was even more shocked when I did a Google search to see if my article came up in the search engine and it did - and from some surprising sources such as World News: http://article.wn.com/view/2009/10/13/Update_Rockefeller_Center_Christmas_tree_lighting_December_2/

Goes to prove you never know what's going to catch people's attention and move your article up the ranks!

2009 Holiday Cruises

2009-10-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

Read this post in Examiner.com: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d26-2009-Holiday-Cruises-from-NJ-and-NYC

2009 Holiday Cruises from NJ and NYC

Whether it's a yearly ritual or if it's your first time cruising during the holidays, there are several options available for those interested in taking a cruise for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or, New Year's in 2009 from both New Jersey and New York City.

2009 Holiday Cruises

Thanksgiving Cruises

Carnival Cruise Line "Carnival Dream" from New York, NY
8 Night Florida and Bahamas (Round trip from New York)
Departing Monday, November 23, 2009 and returning Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Prices begin at $665.06 per person (includes taxes and other fees) for an inside cabin
http://www.carnival.com

Cunard "Queen Mary 2" from Brooklyn, NY
13 Night Caribbean (Round trip from Brooklyn, NY)
Departing Tuesday, November 17, 2009 and returning Monday, November 30, 2009
Prices begin at $1450.09 per person (includes taxes and other fees) for an inside cabin
http://www.cunard.com

Royal Caribbean "Explorer of the Seas" from Bayonne, NJ
8 Night Caribbean Cruise (Round trip from Bayonne)
Departing Saturday, November 21, 2009 and returning Sunday, November 29, 2009
Prices begin at $796.49 per person (includes taxes and other fees) for an inside cabin
http://www.royalcaribbean.com

Christmas Cruises

Cunard "Queen Mary 2" from Brooklyn, NY
15 Night Caribbean (Round trip from Brooklyn, NY)
Departing Saturday, December 19, 2009 and returning Monday, November 30, 2009
Prices begin at $4829.34 per person (includes taxes and other fees) for a balcony cabin - lower categories are wait-list only
http://www.cunard.com

NCL "Norwegian Gem" from New York, NY
7 Night Florida and Bahamas (Round trip from New York)
Departing Saturday, December 19, 2009 and returning Saturday, December 26, 2009
Prices begin at $897.61 per person (includes taxes and other fees) for an inside cabin
http://www.ncl.com

Royal Caribbean "Explorer of the Seas" from Bayonne, NJ
14 Night Caribbean Cruise (Round trip from Bayonne)
Departing Sunday, December 20, 2009 and returning Sunday, January 3, 2010
Prices begin at $2005.79 per person (includes taxes and other fees) for an inside cabin
http://www.royalcaribbean.com

New Year's Eve Cruise

NCL "Norwegian Gem" from New York, NY
7 Night Florida and Bahamas (Round trip from New York)
Departing Saturday, December 26, 2009 and returning Saturday, January 2, 2010
Prices begin at $1399.62 per person (includes taxes and other fees) for an inside cabin
http://www.ncl.com

Holiday Guides to NYC

2009-10-23T08:33:00.000-07:00

For shopping guides to NYC visit my Examiner.com columns at:

Shopping Guide for Macys Herald Square http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d23-Shopping-Guide-for-Macys-Herald-Square

New York City Sightseeing Guide http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d22-New-York-City-Sightseeing-Guide

New York City Restaurant Guide http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d21-New-York-City-Restaurant-Guide

New York City Transportation Guide http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d19-New-York-City-Transportation-Guide

New York City Transportation Guide - visitors guide

2009-10-19T07:02:00.000-07:00

Read my article on Examiner.com: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d19-New-York-City-Transportation-Guide

New York City Transportation Guide

As the holidays continue to draw closer, many people will begin their holiday shopping. This multi-part series is designed to help those visiting Manhattan. It will feature shopping, restaurants, sightseeing, and, transportation. Today's topic is about transportation around Manhattan. If you are seeking information about New York City area airports please visit the following link: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d14-First-time-visitors-guide-to-New-York-CityNew-Jersey--Airports

NYC Penn Station - New Jersey Transit and AMTRAK

Your train is going to arrive under ground and there will be stairs or an escalator up to the next floor. Elevator service is also available, ask a member of the train crew for directions. Follow the crowds to locate the exits and be sure to look for the 7th Avenue exit. If you have trouble, police officers and National Guard members can be found throughout the station and will help direct you to the right place. You can go out the 8th Avenue exit but, it's slightly tougher to get a cab on some days - other days it's easier. If you go out the 7th Avenue exit, it's a safe bet. There is a cab stand right there.

Once upstairs from where your train comes in, follow the signs for the 7th Avenue exit and, again, take the escalator up to street level. Once outside, turn LEFT and you'll see small cab stand. Get on line and there is almost always a line but, it does move quickly - unless it's raining. Then it takes longer.

There is usually a police officer there directing people in and out of cabs. When it's your turn, simply go to the next available cab. The driver will pop the trunk when he sees you have luggage in tow.

Right now, it's $2.50 the minute you put your foot in the door and then an additional .40 each unit. For a further explanation of cab rates click this link: http://www.nyc.gov/html/tlc/html/passenger/taxicab_rate.shtml
And don't forget to tip for the driver!

Guide to Riding NYC Subways

Newcomers to New York often feel a bit intimidated by the famous subway system. But don’t worry, there are only a few things that you need to know to successfully navigate the New York City subway system.

Planning Your Trip – Take a few minutes to plan your trip before you leave by visiting HopStop or Trips123. Simply enter your current location and your destination details (you don’t even need the exact address) and find the easiest route via public transportation. You can select which modes of transit (subway, bus, walking) and whether you want the fastest route or the one with the fewest transfers or least walking. For easier trips, just take a look at the latest MTA subway map online before you leave. If you don’t have a chance to plan and have to improvise, have no fear. There are subway maps in every subway station. You’ll find maps near the ticket booth and often on the platform as well. If there’s an actual human in the ticket booth (not always the case now that automated MetroCard machines have replaced people in many stations), he or she can also provide directions. During severe weather or other emergencies, check the latest MTA Service Advisories for any changes in service. You can also sign up to get email alerts whenever there is a service change on your regular subway line.
Paying Your Fare – The days of subway tokens are long gone. It’s all about the MetroCard now. You can buy MetroCards at convenient machines in every subway station, at station attendant booths, and at many neighborhood merchant locations. Subway fare will generally cost you $2.25 per ride, though there are discounted fare options available. If you put $10 or more on your MetroCard, you’ll receive a 20% bonus. Find out what to do if your MetroCard doesn’t work or is lost or stolen. Up to three children under 44 inches tall ride for free when accompanied by a fare paying adult. Seniors and people with disabilities may be eligible to travel for a reduced fare of $1 per ride.
Subway Safety – The New York City subway system is pretty safe as long as you take logical precautions. Take special care when traveling late at night (especially since you may be waiting for trains for long periods on deserted platforms). Travel with a companion if it’s late and ride in a populated car or in the first car (where the train operator sits) or in the middle car (where the conductor sits). Use common sense -- don’t run on the stairs or escalators, keep your bag closed and your valuables tucked away, and avoid riding between cars.
Subway Etiquette – Etiquette is very important when so many people are crammed into such small spaces. First of all, when preparing to board the subway, let people off of the train before shoving your way inside. Take only one seat when it’s crowded -- don’t put your feet up, put your bag on a seat, or sprawl all over the car. Be gallant and give up your seat if you see a pregnant, elderly, or handicapped person standing. Most importantly, keep your hands (and the rest of your body parts) to yourself.

Guide to Riding NYC Buses

Go to a Bus Stop Blue-and-white buses operate to more than 14,000 bus stops throughout the five boroughs. You are usually no more than a few blocks from one of those stops. Bus stops are located at street corners and have a yellow painted curb and a sign that displays a bus emblem and route number. Some stops have shelters with large ads.
See Which Buses Stop There Most stops have a "Guide-A-Ride." This is a rectangular box displaying route maps and schedules. Local-bus routes are designated by a letter followed by a number. Routes with an "M" prefix operate mainly in Manhattan. "B" is for Brooklyn, "Bx" for the Bronx, "Q" for Queens and "S" for Staten Island. Routes with an "X" prefix are express routes. Some stops serve more than one bus. Look at the Guide-A-Ride to make sure the bus you want will be stopping there. Buses display their route number on the front, and sometimes the back. On some of the heavily used bus routes, there is limited-stop service in both directions to make the trip faster for more customers. You'll know whether the bus that arrives is making limited stops if you see an orange "Limited" card in the bus window. Limited stops are at major intersections, transfer points, and major attractions, such as Lincoln Center. Locals make all stops.
Board the Bus When the bus with the route number you want arrives, stay on the curb until the bus stops and the front doors open. NYC buses can "kneel"; that is, they can tilt down toward the curb to make boarding easier. People unable to walk up the front steps of the bus may board using the wheelchair lift. The bus operator has a key to operate this lift, which is located at the rear of the bus. If you're not sure whether the bus goes where you need to go, ask your bus driver. The driver knows how to get around the city.
Pay Your Fare The fare box is directly in front of you as you board the bus. You need the exact fare -- $2.00 in nickels, dimes, and quarters. Bus operators don't make change and fare boxes don't accept dollar bills or pennies. MetroCards, available at subway stations, can also be used to pay your fare on buses. Up to three children can ride buses free when they're accompanied by an adult. (To qualify for a free fare, a child has to be under 44 inches or 111cm tall.)
Ask for a Transfer, If You Need One You can transfer for free between most buses with intersecting routes. Request a transfer ticket from your driver after you pay your fare. A list of each valid transfer point for your route is on the front of the transfer. When you catch your connecting bus, give the transfer to your driver. Transfers are allowed only to continue your trip in a single direction and are only valid for one hour. They cannot be used for your return trip on the same bus line.
Ride Safely If there is no seat available, use the grab bars for balance and move to the back of the bus. There's usually more room there. For the safety and convenience of your fellow passengers, keep your packages and personal belongings out of the aisles.
Signal the Driver to Stop For the driver to stop the bus where you want to get off, push the tape strip located above and beside the windows. You need to signal your driver about one block before your desired stop. The bus will stop at the route's next stop. Stops are every 2-3 blocks, except for limiteds.
Get Off the Bus Try to stay in your seat until the bus stops. To keep out of the way of people trying to board, exit through the rear doors. Once the bus stops, you'll see a green light over these doors to indicate that they can be opened. In some buses, these doors open automatically when you press the tape strip located on the doors.

Metro-Cards

What is a MetroCard?
A MetroCard is a thin card that is used to pay for bus and subway fares in New York City.

What Type of MetroCards Are There?
There are two types of MetroCards: Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards and Unlimited Ride MetroCards.

Where Can I Buy A MetroCard?

MetroCards are available for sale in NYC Subway stations.
MetroCards are not available for sale on NYC buses.
Merchants displaying MetroCard signs in their windows (newsstands, grocery stores, etc.) sell select types of MetroCards.

Pay-Per-Ride MetroCards

Rides are $2 each, but if you put $7 or more on your card, you get a 15% bonus.
- This only applies at time of purchase i.e. if you put $4 and then later $3 on your card you do not get the bonus.
- In effect, if you buy 7 rides ($14) you'll get your 8th ride free.
- In order to avoid having wonky amounts on your MetroCard, you'll want to put $40 on your card, and you'll get a $6 bonus, giving you 3 free rides.
Up to 4 people can ride together on a single Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard.
- If multiple people are riding together on the same MetroCard the first person can swipe the card through the necessary number of times and other riders can walk through the turnstile following them.
Pay per ride MetroCards are refillable.

Unlimited Ride MetroCards

Unlimited ride Metrocards are good for one person to ride the subways and buses as much as they like during a specified window of time.
Unlimited Ride MetroCards can not be used more than once every 18 minutes. This is designed to prevent fraudulent use of the card by multiple people.
- Subway station agents cannot override the 18 minute rule -- you must wait for the time to expire.
1-Day Fun Passes are $7.50 and are good for unlimited Subway and Bus rides on the day of use until 3 a.m.
7-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCards are $25 and are good until midnight on the 7th day.
14-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCards are $47 and are good until midnight on the 14th day.
30-Day Unlimited Ride MetroCards are $81 and are good until midnight on the 30th day.
- Monthly metrocards that are lost or stolen and purchased with a credit or atm card are insured against lost.

How Can I Pay for a MetroCard?

MetroCard Vending Machines inside Subway stations take cash, ATM cards, and credit cards.
MetroCard Vending Machines can only return $6 change, and do so with dollar coins.
Subway Station Booths only accept cash for purchase of MetroCards.
- 1 Day Fun Passes are not available from Subway station booths.

How Do I Know How Much Time/Money is Left on My MetroCard?

When you swipe a Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard through a Subway turnstile, you will see the remaining balance displayed.
MetroCard Readers are available at Station Booths and in Subway Stations and if you scan your card through, it will display the expiration date for Unlimited Ride MetroCards, as well as the remaining balance on your Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard.

Good to Know: Single Ride Tickets

Single Ride tickets cost $2.25
They are available for sale only through MetroCard Vending Machines in Subway stations.
They can only be purchased using cash.
They must be used within 2 hours of purchase to ride a Subway or Bus.
They are valid for one transfer Bus to Bus.

2009 Holiday shops at Bryant Park

2009-10-15T14:31:00.000-07:00

Read my article on Examiner.com: http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d15-2009-Holiday-shops-plus-the-ice-rink-and-tree-lighting-at-Bryant-Park

Photo courtesy of BryantPark.org

2009 Holiday shops (and more) at Bryant Park

If you're looking for something just a little different during the Holiday shopping season in Manhattan, look no further than the Holiday shops at Bryant Park. Opening on November 6, 2009 there will be approximately 120 temporary shops around Bryant Park featuring everything from Holiday crafts to food and drinks - something for nearly everyone!

Holiday Shops are open November 6, 2009 – January 3, 2010

Monday–Friday

11:00am–8:00pm

Saturday

10:00am–9:00pm

Sunday

10:00am–6:00pm

With special extended holiday hours

Ice Staking at Bryant Park

While it's one of the lesser known ice staking rinks, the Bryant Park rink opens November 6, 2009 and will shut down on January 24, 2010. Admission is FREE! Reservations are recommended: http://www.thepondatbryantpark.com/skate/groupreservations?tab=onlineRes

Open Daily

Nov. 6 2009 - Jan. 24, 2010

Hours of Operation

Sunday - Thursday 8am - 10pm
Friday & Saturday 8am - Midnight

General Admission: FREE
Skate Rentals: $12
Lockers: FREE
Locks: $9
Bag Check: $9

*all prices include sales tax and are non-refundable

Holiday in Bryant Park (Tree Lighting - December 1, 2009)
The annual Christmas tree lighting in Bryant Park will take place on December 1, 2009. This year's hosts are WCBS-TV New York newscasters Chris Wragge and Kristine Johnson along with Maurice Duboi and Kate Sullivan. The event will be televised (on December 1, 2009) and the tree lighting is open to the general public and it is free.

How to get to Bryant Park (Directions)

Bryant Park is situated behind the New York Public Library in midtown Manhattan, between 40th and 42nd Streets & Fifth and Sixth Avenues.

By Subway
Take the F, V, B, or D train to 42nd Street/Bryant Park or Take the 7 to 5th Avenue

Nearby Parking Garage if you drive

For a list of nearby garages click here

Christmas at Rockefeller Center 2009 - UPdated information

2009-10-14T12:12:00.000-07:00

Read my article on Examiner.com at: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d12-Update-Rockefeller-Center-Christmas-tree-lighting-December-2-2009

For those anticipating the 2009 Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, I am pleased to offer this updated information. The tree will be officially lit on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 and will remain up until January 7, 2010. I will update this information one more time before the actual tree lighting ceremony on December 2, 2009.

If you are seeking the original article from September 3, 2009 click here.

TREE HOURS AFTER THE LIGHTING CEREMONY ON DECEMBER 2, 2009
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will be lit daily from 5:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. daily, except on Christmas and New Year's Eve. On Christmas, the tree is lit for 24 continuous hours and on New Year's Eve the lights are turned off at 9:00 p.m in anticipation of the New Year's celebration in Times Square.

CHRISTMAS AT ROCKEFELLER CENTER 2009
Christmas at Rockefeller Center is the annual lighting celebration of the tree. Hosts and guests stars are yet to be announced and information will be updated once this information has been confirmed. Below is all the information you will need to enjoy the 2009 Christmas at Rockefeller Center live tree lighting celebration.

DATE, TIME, HOST AND SPECIAL GUESTS

When: Wednesday, December 2, 2009 from 7PM-9PM (tree is lit at 8:55PM)

Where: Rockefeller Center, Rockefeller Plaza, From West 48th Street to West 51st Street between 5th and 6th Avenues

Host: Al Roker (Tentative, unconfirmed)

Special Guests: Radio City Rockettes - others TBA

Tree Origin: TBA

DIRECTIONS

Directions by Subway:

Take the B,D,F,V to Rockefeller Center/47-50th Street station
Take the N,R,W to 49th Street and Seventh Avenue
Take the E to Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street

Directions by Bus:

From 5th Avenue: take the M1, M2, M3, M4 or M5 to 50th street. Buses run north and south
From Broadway: take the M6 or M7 and exit at 50th street. Walk east to Rockefeller Center. Buses run north and south
From 49th Street: take the M27 or M50 and exit anywhere between Fifth and Seventh Avenues. Buses run east and west.

Mass Transit from NJ

NJ Transit trains and buses (http://www.njtranist.com)

From Penn Station

Take the 1 or 9 subway line to 50th Street and Broadway and walk east to Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Center

From Grand Central Station

Take the 6 to 51st Street and Lexington Avenue. Walk west to Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Center

From Times Square

Walk north on 7th Avenue towards 50th Street. Turn right onto 50th and proceed to Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Center.

If You Are Attending The Live Tree Lighting Ceremony:

Arrive early (no later than 6pm but many people arrive as early as 3pm) the ceremony runs from 7 PM to 9 PM. The tree is lit at 8:55 PM
Dress WARM. December in New York City is cold. Heavy coats, hats and gloves are a must for standing in the cold.
If rain or snow is predicted, come prepared with umbrellas and waterproof coats, hats and gloves.
Do NOT drive. Take mass transit to Rockefeller Center.
Expect a huge crowd

Rockefeller Center Area Parking Garages:

Park Fast (http://www.parkfast.pth4.com/)
- 50 W 44th St btw 6th & 5th Ave
- 307 W 44th St btw 8th & 9th Ave
Central Parking (http://www.centralparking.com) - Be sure to check out the on-line coupon

Rockefeller Center Area Restaurants

Sbarro 574 5th Ave - (Pizza and Italian food, take out)
TGI Fridays 604 5th Avenue - (Burger, Bar Food, American fare)
Heartland Brewery - 1285 Avenue of the Americas (6th Avenue) - (Beer, Bar Food, Burgers, Salads, Comfort Food)
McDonald's 1271 Avenue of the Americas (6th Avenue) - (Fast food, burgers, french fries, salads, take out)
Burger King 1251 Avenue of the Americas (6th Avenue) - (Fast food, burgers, french fries, salads, take out)
Bar American 152 West 52nd (between 6th and 7th) - (Traditional American fare, expensive)
Planet Hollywood - 1540 Broadway (theme restaurant, American fare)
Ellen's Stardust Diner 1650 Broadway (at 51st) - (Diner with singing wait-staff)

Need more ideas? Check out Menupages.com: http://www.menupages.com

Rockefeller Center Area Hotels
This is a random sampling of hotels within close proximity to Rockefeller Center based on two people sharing one room for one night (Check In: Wednesday, December 2, 2009 and Check-out: Thursday, December 3, 2009):

Holiday Inn Express (http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ex/1/en/hotel/nycff)
15 West 45th Street
.10 mile to Rockefeller Center
Price: From $491.19 for 1 night including taxes

Omni Berkshire (http://www.omnihotels.com/FindAHotel/NewYorkOmniBerkshire.aspx)
21 E 52nd Street
.20 mile to Rockefeller Center
Price: From $549.65 for 1 night including taxes

New York Palace (http://www.newyorkpalace.com/)
455 Madison Avenue
.20 mile to Rockefeller Center
Price: From $680.52 for 1 night including taxes

Need more choices? Go to Kayak.com: http://www.kayak.com

For more information on the 2009 Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting visit: http://www.rockefellercenter.com/index.php/section/5#/5/-1/-1/86/

The Holidays in NYC from holiday shopping to New Year's Eve

2009-10-02T07:12:00.000-07:00

With the arrival of Fall many people are making their plans to visit NYC now and during the holiday season. I have written several columns that might be of interest to you on these topics. Simply click the link and be taken to my articles on Examiner.com:

New Year's Eve in New York City - Times Square:
http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d2-New-Years-Eve-in-New-York-City-20092010

Rockefeller Center tree lighting 2009 - Date is now confirmed:
http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m9d3-Rockefeller-Center-Christmas-Tree-Lighting-December-2-2009

Holiday Shopping Packages 2009:
http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m9d28-NYC-package-deals-for-holiday-shoppers

New York City Pops Holiday Concert with Sandi Patty:
http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m9d25-Celebrate-the-Holidays-with-Sandi-Patty-at-Carnegie-Hall

Rockefeller Center Ice Rink Opens October 9, 2009:
http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m9d29-Rockefeller-Center-ice-rink-to-open-October-9-2009-staking-begins-on-October-10-2009

Rockefeller Center ice rink to open October 9, 2009

2009-09-29T06:38:00.000-07:00

Read this article on my Examiner.com column: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m9d29-Rockefeller-Center-ice-rink-to-open-October-9-2009-staking-begins-on-October-10-2009?cid=exrss-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner

Another sign that the Fall is upon us is the 2009 opening of the Rockefeller Center ice rink. The rink is limited to just 150 skaters at a time and reservations are highly suggested since this is a very popular venue for locals and visitors alike.

Cunard Sale September 26 2009 - October 3 2009

2009-09-25T04:54:00.000-07:00

A reminder that I am having an exclusive Cunard Sale beginning on Saturday, September 26, 2009 and runs until Saturday, October 3, 2009.

Reduced Deposit - 2nd passenger Deposit Waived!
Onboard Credit per Stateroom

This Sale Applies to New Booking Only. Combinable with all EBS, Group, regional and past passenger fares. Excludes 4-day Southampton voyages on the Queen Victoria.

2010 CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR'S IN THE CARIBBEAN
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION
http://cunardqm2christmas2010.yolasite.com/

This is a great opportunity to take advantage of our Cunard Specials including our fantastic 15 night Caribbean Christmas/New Year's sailing round trip from NYC aboard Queen Mary 2.

"Now is the time to book your 2010 Holiday Cruise and for those in the luxury market there are few cruise lines that can equal Cunard Cruise Lines. Offering the convenience of departing and returning from New York City your Christmas and New Year's cruise aboard Queen Mary 2 is sheer elegance from start to finish."

*****************************************************************************************************************************

We regret we may only book this Cunard Christmas 2010 Sailing for USA and Canadian Residents Only

*****************************************************************************************************************************

Request a quote today. Click here to be taking to our quote form

Sorry phone calls are reserved for our booked clients. This helps us pass the savings on to you!

Special Amenities from Luxury Travel by Jackie for the December 19, 2010 QM2 Holiday Cruise

Shipboard credit - $25 USD per person (Inside and Outside); $50 USD per person (Balcony & Grill)
Spa credit - $25 USD per person (Inside and Outside); $50 USD per person (Balcony & Grill)
Souvenir Bottle of Wine with Gift Box
Festive "Welcome Aboard" door decorations

For more information about this Cunard Christmas and Holiday Cruise aboard Queen Mary 2 or to book another sailing Cunard Cruise please email Jackie Thresten at JackieThresten@yahoo.com

Join Jackie on Carnival Magic's Inaugural in 2011

2009-09-23T07:19:00.000-07:00

Read my article on Examiner.com about Carnival Dream's maiden voyage: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m9d23-Carnivals

Carnival Cruise Lines newest, largest ship in the fleet "Carnival Dream" departed on Monday, September 21, 2009 from Civitavecchia (Italy) for it's maiden Mediterranean voyage. The 130,000 ton ship will sail three 12-night cruises in the Mediterranean before making a Transatlantic crossing to New York City where the ship will be named. While in NYC, Carnival Dream will offer a "cruise to nowhere" and two 8-day cruises to the Bahamas and then finally relocate to it's home-port in the USA, Port Canaveral, Florida.

Carnival Dream is a new design concept for the Carnival fleet and some of the features you will find on this ship include a new two-lane racing slide; a new top-deck night-time laser show set to music from bands including Styx, Van Halen, Boston and Pink Floyd; and, Carnival Dream has incorporated a new comedy club which offers both family-friendly as well as adult rated shows. This new ship design is causing a lot of buzz and so far the feedback has been very positive.

Unfortunately, 2010 has eliminated Europe from the Carnival fleet schedule. Carnival is hinting (but not confirming) they will be back in the Mediterranean in 2011, when sister ship Carnival Magic launches.

I am forming a group for the inaugural sailing on Carnival Magic which is scheduled for June, 2011. When more information becomes available, I will post it. However, in the meantime, if you'd like to take advantage of being part of the Inaugural on Carnival Magic in June, 2011 please enter your email address below.

I abide by spam rules and regulations and your email will not be bought, traded or sold and you will not receive unsolicited emails other than about Carnival Magic from me.

Announcing 4th of July on Cunard and Cunard Sale

2009-09-19T05:30:00.000-07:00

Now is the time to start thinking ahead to next summer, and, if you are like many people who plan on taking either a long or short vacation during the 4th of July holiday in 2010, why not consider a 5 night cruise aboard Cunard's Queen Mary 2? This is the perfect opportunity for those who want to try Cunard but, might not want to commit to a long trip on a ship. The short voyage highlights two ports of call: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and Boston, Massachusetts which includes fireworks in Boston Harbor on July 4, 2010.

Cunard is synonymous with elegance, class, and, refinement. You will not find silly pool games, ice staking rinks or rock climbing walls on Cunard ships. Instead, on Queen Mary 2, you will find a planetarium, lectures, cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, art auctions, high tea, and, other more refined activities.

Children also have a variety of activities to keep them busy during the voyage. The Play Zone and The Zone feature equipment and entertainment for children of all ages. The children's program has a permanent staff, nursery nurses, and, British nannies.

Young guests ages 1-6 years may join "The Play Zone". The Play Zone features a nursery for infants/ toddlers, video games and movies, a secure outdoor area with climbing, and a multi-purpose activity area.
Children ages 7-12 years may join "The Zone" where they will find video game stations, air hockey, table football, discos, karaoke, arts and crafts and a lounge area with two 42" plasma screens for videos and movies.
Teens ages 13-17 will also use "The Zone" during certain hours as designated onboard.
The service for all children and teen programs are free of charge until midnight and are supervised by qualified British nannies as well as youth and teen coordinators.

The 4th of July itinerary for Queen Mary 2:

Day	Location	Arrival	Departure
Thursday, July 1, 2010	New York	--	06:00 PM
Friday, July 2, 2010	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, July 3, 2010	Halifax	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Sunday, July 4, 2010	Boston	12:00 PM	11:00 PM
Monday, July 5, 2010	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, July 6, 2010	New York	07:00 AM	--

Prices with insurance from Cunard

Category	Single Occupancy	Double Occupancy (price in parenthesis is total for all passengers)	Triple Occupancy (price in parenthesis is total for all passengers)	Quad Occupancy (price in parenthesis is total for all passengers)	On-Board Credit and amenities
D5 - Inside Cabin, no windows or balcony	$2406.19 total	$1397.28 per person ($2794.56 total)	$1397.28 first and second passenger. $743.57 for third passenger. ($3538.13 total)	$1397.28 first and second passenger. $743.57 for third and fourth passengers. ($4281.70 total)	$100 per cabin and special Bon Voyage door/room decorations
C3 - Outside Cabin with window, no balcony	$2756.05 total	$1597.35 per person ($3194.40 total)	$1597.35 first and second passenger. $823.81 for third passenger. ($4018.51 total)	$1597.35 first and second passenger. $823.81 for third and fourth passengers. ($4842.32 total)	$100 per cabin and special Bon Voyage door/room decorations
B3 - In-Hull Balcony Cabin	$2958.26 total	$1712.90 per person ($3425.80 total)	$1712.90 first and second passenger. $930.80 for third passenger. ($4356.80 total)	N/A - Quads are no longer available in this category.	$200 per cabin and special Bon Voyage door/room decorations
B1 - In-Hull Balcony Cabin	$3088.79 total	$1786.72 per person ($3573.44 total)	$1786.72 first and second passenger. $930.80 for third passenger. ($4504.24 total)	N/A - Quads are no longer available in this category.	$200 per cabin and special Bon Voyage door/room decorations
A4 - Deluxe Balcony Cabin	$3263.18 total	$1886.22 per person ($3772.44 total)	$1886.22 first and second passenger. $1037.79 for third passenger. ($4810.23 total)	N/A - Quads are no longer available in this category.	$200 per cabin and special Bon Voyage door/room decorations
AA - Britannia Club Deluxe Balcony Cabin with Single-seating dining in the Britannia Club restaurant	$4665.82 total	$2688.65 per person ($5377.30 total)	N/A - Triples are no longer available in this category.	N/A - Quads are no longer available in this category.	$200 per cabin and special Bon Voyage door/room decorations
P2 - Princess Grill Mini-Suite Balcony Cabin with Single-seating dining in the Princess Grill	$6209.69 total	$3130.52 per person ($6261.04 total)	$3130.52 first and second passenger. $1706.48 for third passenger. ($7967.52 total)	N/A - Quads are no longer available in this category.	$200 per cabin and special Bon Voyage door/room decorations
Q5 - Queen's Grill Suite Balcony Cabin with Single-seating dining in the Queen's Grill	$9188.29 total	$4619.82 per person ($9239.64 total)	$4619.82 first and second passenger. $2187.94 for third passenger. ($11,427.58 total)	$4619.82 first and second passenger. $2187.94 for third and fourth passengers. ($13,615.52 total)	$200 per cabin and special Bon Voyage door/room decorations
Q1 - Queen's Grill Grand Suite Balcony Cabin with Single-Seating dining in the Queen's Grill	$34.491.43 total	$17,271.39 per person ($34,542.78 total)	$17,271.39 first and second passenger. $2187.94 for third passenger. ($36,720.72total)	$17,271.39 first and second passenger. $2187.94 for third and fourth passengers. ($38,916.66 total)	$200 per cabin and special Bon Voyage door/room decorations

Table Key
Single Occupancy - One person in one cabin
Double Occupancy - Two people in one cabin
Triple Occupancy - Three people in one cabin
Quad Occupancy - Four people in one cabin

N/A - Not available

Single Seating - You may arrive in the dining room for dinner anytime during normal dinner times in the restaurant and your table is exclusively yours for the entire dinner. (In other words there is no second seating.)

Prices include port charges and taxes. Additional fuel surcharges may apply as deemed necessary by Cunard Cruise Lines.

Triple and Quad occupancy are subject to capacity control as deemed by Cunard Cruise Lines, therefore, it is highly recommended that you book early should you need a cabin that can accommodate three or four passengers.

There are no discounts for children. Children are charged rates as presented above regardless of age. Infants must be at least 6 months old at the time of sailing or boarding may denied and no refund issued.

On-Board Credit. This amount is NOT additional to prices listed above but rather it is money placed on your account on-board the ship and may be used to cover charges made on-board such as alcohol or items from one of the gift shops. There is no additional charge to you for on-board credit.

Bon Voyage door/room decorations consists of balloons and streamers. These are not standard and are considered an amenity for this voyage.

Cunard Sale

September 26, 2009 through October 3, 2009 enjoy reduced deposit requirements and additional on-board credit (this is in addition to existing on-board credit).

Questions or to Book
To Book or if you have questions about the July 1, 2010 Sailing on Queen Mary 2
Email Jackie Thresten at JackieThresten@yahoo.com

A Trip of a lifetime World Cruise 2011

2009-09-18T07:55:00.000-07:00

I announced World Cruise 2011 in my Examiner.com column today, you can read about it here:
http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m9d18-A-trip-of-a-lifetime--world-cruise-2011

As a travel agent, it's fun booking clients on "dream" trips. Just this week, my husband and I decided that after 10 years of talking and saving for our dream trip, we are finally going to pursue it. We are now booked on Cunard's Queen Elizabeth for her maiden world cruise voyage in 2011. We will be taking the full 95 day cruise from New York to Southampton and then finishing up by transferring over to Queen Mary 2 once in Southampton for a Transatlantic sailing to New York which brings us to a total of 102 days.

Here is the amazing itinerary:

Day	Location	Arrival	Departure
Thursday, January 13, 2011	New York	06:30 AM	05:00 PM
Friday, January 14, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, January 15, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, January 16, 2011	Fort Lauderdale	07:00 AM	05:00 PM
Monday, January 17, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, January 18, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, January 19, 2011	Aruba	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Thursday, January 20, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, January 21, 2011	Limon	08:00 AM	07:00 PM
Saturday, January 22, 2011	Panama Canal	06:00 AM	04:00 PM
Sunday, January 23, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, January 24, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, January 25, 2011	Acapulco	09:00 AM	06:00 PM
Wednesday, January 26, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, January 27, 2011	Cabo San Lucas	08:00 AM	02:00 PM
Friday, January 28, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, January 29, 2011	Los Angeles	07:00 AM	06:00 PM
Sunday, January 30, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, January 31, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, February 1, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, February 2, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, February 3, 2011	Lahaina	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Friday, February 4, 2011	Honolulu	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Saturday, February 5, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, February 6, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, February 7, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, February 8, 2011	X Intl Dateline	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Wednesday, February 9, 2011	Apia	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Thursday, February 10, 2011	Pago Pago	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Friday, February 11, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, February 12, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, February 13, 2011	Port Denarau	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Monday, February 14, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, February 15, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, February 16, 2011	Bay Of Isles	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Thursday, February 17, 2011	Auckland	07:00 AM	08:00 PM
Friday, February 18, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, February 19, 2011	Wellington	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Sunday, February 20, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, February 21, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, February 22, 2011	Sydney	07:00 AM	--
Wednesday, February 23, 2011	Sydney	--	12:00 PM
Thursday, February 24, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, February 25, 2011	Melbourne	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Saturday, February 26, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, February 27, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, February 28, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, March 1, 2011	Fremantle	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Wednesday, March 2, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, March 3, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, March 4, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, March 5, 2011	Bali	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Sunday, March 6, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, March 7, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, March 8, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, March 9, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, March 10, 2011	Hong Kong	08:00 AM	--
Friday, March 11, 2011	Hong Kong	--	06:00 PM
Saturday, March 12, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, March 13, 2011	Nha Trang	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Monday, March 14, 2011	Phu My	08:00 AM	07:00 PM
Tuesday, March 15, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, March 16, 2011	Laem Chabang	07:00 AM	07:00 PM
Thursday, March 17, 2011	Ko Samui	09:00 AM	05:00 PM
Friday, March 18, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, March 19, 2011	Singapore	08:00 AM	08:00 PM
Sunday, March 20, 2011	Port Kelang	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Monday, March 21, 2011	Penang	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Tuesday, March 22, 2011	Langkawi	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Wednesday, March 23, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, March 24, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, March 25, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, March 26, 2011	Cochin	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Sunday, March 27, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, March 28, 2011	Mumbai	07:00 AM	06:00 PM
Tuesday, March 29, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, March 30, 2011	Muscat	08:00 AM	04:00 PM
Thursday, March 31, 2011	Dubai	08:00 AM	--
Friday, April 1, 2011	Dubai	--	06:00 PM
Saturday, April 2, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, April 3, 2011	Salalah	12:30 PM	06:00 PM
Monday, April 4, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, April 5, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, April 6, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, April 7, 2011	Aqaba	07:00 AM	07:00 PM
Friday, April 8, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, April 9, 2011	Suez	03:00 AM	04:00 AM
Saturday, April 9, 2011	Suez Canal	06:00 AM	04:00 PM
Saturday, April 9, 2011	Port Said	05:00 PM	06:00 PM
Sunday, April 10, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, April 11, 2011	Athens	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Tuesday, April 12, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, April 13, 2011	Civitavecchia	07:00 AM	07:00 PM
Thursday, April 14, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, April 15, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, April 16, 2011	Lisbon	08:00 AM	--
Sunday, April 17, 2011	Lisbon	--	01:00 AM
Monday, April 18, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, April 19, 2011	Southampton	06:00 AM	--

And those interested in joining us on this trip should contact me at JackieThresten@yahoo.com for more information regarding pricing and amenities being offered. You can also take advantage of being part of history by booking the first segment on Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 or Queen Victoria as all three ships meet in New York City on January 13, 2011 for a Royal Rendezvous. For those unable to join us on this journey, I will be reporting live from the ship and giving updates as we prepare getting ready for this trip of a lifetime.

For more information: Contact your local travel or Cunard for details about World Cruise 2011

World Cruise 2011 Aboard Queen Elizabeth Now With Blogger SWF42

2009-09-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to announce that blogger SWF42 will be on Cunard Queen Elizabeth's maiden world cruise from New York to Southampton.

Join blogger Single White Female 42

Blogger SWF42 will be joining this sailing. A Meet and Greet session is being arranged, and, signed copies of her book about the 2011 World Cruise will be issued to everyone that books through this agency!

Email me for details at JackieThresten@yahoo.com

A Worthy Cause - Book with me to Make A Difference

If you follow SWF42's blog, you will know she is a kind, generous woman with a big heart. Together we are pledging 10% of all commissions earned on my bookings on Cunard during 2010 and 2011 and 10% of all SWF42 book sales to charity.

For more information the World Cruise on Queen Elizabeth in 2011 please visit:
http://www.worldcruise2011qe.websiteworks.com/

Join me on World Cruise 2011

2009-09-14T10:57:00.000-07:00

I am extremely pleased to announce that I will be sailing on Cunard Queen Elizabeth for the full world cruise in 2011 along with my husband Joseph. I will be offering group space on this sailing so please stay tuned as I update my website.

In the meantime be sure to check out my column on Examiner.com Today's entry is about visiting NYC and how much it really costs.

http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m9d14-A-realistic-budget-for-a-week-in-New-York-City--Part-2

A four part series about visiting NYC - A Must Read

2009-09-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

Follow my four part series on Examiner. com about a week long visit to New York City. It features real pricing, incidentals, and, general information about budgeting for a visit to NYC during the peak pre-Christmas shopping season. Click the link to be taken to my column: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m9d12-A-realistic-budget-for-a-week-in-New-York-City--A-4-part-series

A new sponsor for this blog - welcome UPrinting

2009-09-11T05:18:00.000-07:00

I am both honored and proud to announce this blog is now being sponsored by UPrinting. Uprinting is an online printing company offering products such as business cards, postcards, posters, flyers, brochures and much more.

Visit Uprinting by clicking the logo below or the logo on the right hand column:

Color Brochure Printing

Thank you UPrinting.com for your sponsorship!

Cunard Sale September 26 - October 3 2009

2009-09-08T09:49:00.001-07:00

I am hosting a Cunard Sale from Saturday, September 26, 2009 through Saturday, October 3, 2009.

* On-Board Credit Booking Bonuses
* Reduced deposit requirements

Enjoy the benefit of on-board credit bonuses (even if the sailing already has on-board credit, during this special sales event you'll receive ADDITIONAL on-board credit) AND deposits are 50% their normal amount so if the normal deposit required is $500 during this special sales event your deposit drops down to just $250!

These special deals are only available to NEW BOOKINGS!

Take advantage of this Cunard Sale to book the 2010 Holiday Cruise! Click here for details: http://cunardqm2christmas2010.yolasite.com/

Or the July 1, 201o sailing for 4th of July, I do not have a website ready for this sailing yet but email me for quotes today!

or email me for a quote at:

JackieThresten@yahoo.com

Sorry this sale is ONLY available from Saturday, September 26, 2009 through Saturday, October 3, 2009. Cunard sales do not happen often so be sure to take advantage of this one to obtain the best cabin locations and pricing PLUS the added bonuses of the reduced deposit PLUS additional on-board credit!

Update on 2,000,000 visitors

2009-09-07T15:23:00.000-07:00

Well I have 34 hits so far, so, I guess it's working but certainly not what I was expecting, I thought the delivery of visitors would occur faster. If you are interested in signing up for this service here is the link: http://www.trafficapple.com/

If that link doesn't work try: http://www.earnvisitors.com/

Overall, I really wouldn't recommend it but, if you want another source of hits, it might work out ok for you.

2,000,000 Visitors FREE?

2009-09-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

Well I don't know if I'm a sucker or not but, I did sign up for this service:
http://www.trafficapple.com/

If that link doesn't work try: http://www.earnvisitors.com/

You have to sit through 1,000 automated "clicks" before you account is activated. I just made the 1,000 mark and now we'll see if I get any hits. If it's legitimate I will post about it again. They claim they will send you 2,000,000 hits free if you go through the process...

We shall see... I'm not promising anything, I'm just passing along what I found out...

Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-04T09:50:00.000-07:00

Wishing everyone a safe and fun Labor Day weekend!

~Jackie

Christmas & New Year's on QM2 in 2010

2009-09-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

Follow my column on Examiner.com: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner

Get A Quote

For more information about this Cunard Christmas and Holiday Cruise aboard Queen Mary 2 please

Email me at JackieThresten@yahoo.com

ITINERARY Day	Location	Arrival	Departure
Sunday, December 19, 2010	New York	--	06:00 PM
Monday, December 20, 2010	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, December 21, 2010	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, December 22, 2010	Grand Turk	08:00 AM	01:00 PM
Thursday, December 23, 2010	Tortola	09:00 AM	06:00 PM
Friday, December 24, 2010	St Maarten	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Saturday, December 25, 2010	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, December 26, 2010	Curacao	09:00 AM	02:00 PM
Monday, December 27, 2010	Grenada	09:00 AM	06:00 PM
Tuesday, December 28, 2010	Barbados	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Wednesday, December 29, 2010	St Lucia	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Thursday, December 30, 2010	St Kitts	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Friday, December 31, 2010	St Thomas	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Saturday, January 1, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, January 2, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, January 3, 2011	New York	06:30 AM	--

PRICING AT A GLACE

For current pricing and availability please email JackieThresten@yahoo.com

Category	Location	Price/Rate*
Standard Inside (D7)	Inside	2,995.00
Standard Inside (D8)	Inside	2,995.00
Standard Inside (D6)	Inside	3,045.00
Standard Inside (D5)	Inside	3,095.00
Standard Inside (D4)	Inside	3,170.00
Standard Inside (D3)	Inside	3,245.00
Standard Inside (D2)	Inside	3,320.00
Standard Inside With Atrium View (D1)	Inside	3,470.00
Standard Oceanview (C4)	Oceanview	3,695.00
Standard Oceanview (C3)	Oceanview	3,695.00
Standard Oceanview (C2)	Oceanview	3,820.00
Standard Oceanview (C1)	Oceanview	3,945.00
Premium Balcony (Obstructed View) (B5)	Balcony	4,245.00
Premium Balcony (B4)	Balcony	4,245.00
Premium Balcony (B3)	Balcony	4,395.00
Premium Balcony (B2)	Balcony	4,595.00
Premium Balcony (B1)	Balcony	4,845.00
Deluxe Balcony (A3)	Balcony	5,195.00
Deluxe Balcony (A2)	Balcony	5,595.00
Deluxe Balcony (A1)	Balcony	6,095.00
Britannia Club Balcony Stateroom (AA)	Balcony	7,010.00
Junior Suites (P3)	Suite	8,295.00
Junior Suites (P2)	Suite	8,295.00
Junior Suites (P1)	Suite	10,795.00
Suites (Q7)	Suite	13,995.00
Suites (Q6)	Suite	13,995.00
Suites (Q5)	Suite	16,195.00
Penthouse (Q4)	Suite	20,195.00
Royal Suites (Q3)	Suite	24,195.00
Queen Mary & Elizabeth Suites (Q2)	Suite	30,595.00
Grand Duplex (Q1)	Suite	34,795.00

Christmas & New Year's Cruises 2009

2009-08-31T05:47:00.000-07:00

Read this article on my Examiner.com column: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m8d31-A-Cruise-For-The-Holidays

***
NOTE: I am organizing a group cruise on Cunard QM2 for the holidays in 2010. For more information including pricing and deposit requirements email me at
JackieThresten@yahoo.com
***

As traditional families continue to fall by the wayside, many people are turning to vacations during Christmas and New Year's week instead of the tired routine of the Holidays at home. One of the more popular vacations to take during the holidays is a cruise vacation. In most cases, it isn't too late to book a holiday cruise for 2009.

The following are the cruises available from NJ & NYC in 2009 for the holidays:

From Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ

Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas departs December 20, 2009 and returns January 3, 2010. This is a 14 night Caribbean cruise and ports of call are as follows: Cape Liberty Cruise Port, New Jersey; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Bridgetown, Barbados; Roseau, Dominica; St. John's, Antigua; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Basseterre, St. Kitts; Cape Liberty Cruise Port, New Jersey.

Cabins remain available for this sailing and pricing begins at $2005.79 per person. Visit Royal Caribbean for more information at http://www.royalcaribbean.com

From New York, NY (Manhattan Pier)

NCL's Norwegian Gem departs December 19, 2009 and returns December 26, 2010. This is a 7 night Florida and Bahamas cruise and ports of call are as follows: New York, NY; Port Canaveral (Orlando), FL; Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas; Nassau, Bahamas; New York, NY

Cabins remain available for this sailing and pricing begins at $897.61 per person. Visit Norwegian Cruise Lines for more information at: http://www.ncl.com

This same sailing is also available as a New Year's Eve cruise which departs December 26, 2009 and pricing begins at $1399.62 per person

From New York, NY (Brooklyn Pier)

Cunard's Queen Mary 2 departs December 19, 2009 and returns December 26, 2010. This is a 15 night Caribbean cruise and ports of call are as follows: New York, New York (Brooklyn); Road Town, Tortola, BVI; Curacao, Caribbean; Grenada, Caribbean; Bridgetown, Barbados; St. Lucia, Caribbean; Dominica, Caribbean; St. Kitts and Nevis; St. Thomas, USVI; New York, New York (Brooklyn)

Only a few cabins remain for this sailing and pricing begins at $2379.34 per person. Visit Cunard Cruise Lines for more information at: http://www.cunard.com

Examiner Bio NJ & NYC Fall And Holiday Events 2009

2009-08-27T06:45:00.000-07:00

Read this article on my Examiner.com column: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m8d27-NJ--NYC-Fall-And-Holiday-Events-2009

As summer begins to draw to a close, the greater NYC and NJ area will begin gearing up for 2009 Holiday season. Here is a list of some dates for fall and holiday activities in 2009. This list will be updated as more events are announced.

Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy, NYC runs from September 10 - September 20, 2009
The 82nd Feast of San Gennaro kicks off on September 10, 2009. The Grand Procession Parade will take place on Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 2 PM
Website: http://www.sangennaro.org/

Rockefeller Center Ice Rink Re-opens October 9, 2009

The Rockefeller Center Ice Rink is scheduled to open on October 9, 2009

Website: http://www.patinagroup.com/restaurant.php?restaurants_id=74

Columbus Day Parade takes place on October 12, 2009 from 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM
The 65th Columbus Day Parade will proceed down Fifth Avenue on Monday, October 12, 2009
from 11:30 AM - 3:00 PM
Website: http://www.columbuscitizensfd.org/columbus.shtml

Trump Wollman Ice Rink re-opens last week of October, 2009
The Wollman Ice Rink located in Central Park is scheduled to reopen the last week of October, 2009
Website: http://www.wollmanskatingrink.com/main_wollman.htm

NYC Halloween Parade will take place on October 31, 2009

The annual Halloween parade will kick off at 7pm in Greenwich Village. The parade can be viewed on 6th Avenue from Spring Street to 21st Street from 7 - 10 p.m. Parents be advised this is an adult oriented parade not suitable for children

Website: http://www.halloween-nyc.com

ING New York City Marathon will be run on November 1, 2009

The 40th running of the NYC Marathon will take place on November 1, 2009.

Website: http://www.nycmarathon.org/index.htm

Holiday Market at Bryant Park & Ice Rink opens November 6, 2009

The Holiday Market at Bryant Park opens on November 6, 2009 and will remain open through January 3, 2010.

Website: http://www.bryantpark.org/amenities/shops.php

Ice Rink at Bryant Park opens November 6, 2009

The ice rink at Bryant Park also opens on November 6, 2009 and will remain open through January 24, 2010

Website: http://www.bryantpark.org/amenities/thepond.php

Wintuk From Cirque du Soleil opens November 11, 2009 at Madison Square Garden

The Cirque du Soleil family holiday show Wintuk opens on November 11, 2009 and runs through Janaury 3, 2010

Website: http://www.thegarden.com/events/cirque-du-soleil-wintuk-2009.html

Radio City Christmas Spectacular opens November 13, 2009

The 77th annual Christmas Spectacular kicks off with the first performance at 11am on November 13, 2009. Tickets are on sale now

Website: http://radiocitychristmas.com/

The Metropolitan Museum Annual Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Creche opens November 25, 2009

The annual Metropolitan Museum Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Creche is scheduled to open on November 25, 2009 and will run through January 6, 2010

Website: http://www.metmuseum.org/special/se_event.asp?OccurrenceId={DDAFAB34-F33A-4480-AE7B-102CC4C66205}

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is November 26, 2009

The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will take place on November 26, 2009. The parade begins at 9AM and 2009 marks a new route for the parade

For more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macy%27s_Thanksgiving_Day_Parade

NYC Ballet Nutcracker opens November 27, 2009

The annual Nutcracker ballet at Lincoln Center opens on November 27, 2009 and runs through January 3, 2010. Tickets go on sale September 28, 2009

Website: http://www.nycballet.com/ticketing_info/nutcracker_schedule.html

Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square is November 30, 2009

The 10th annual Winter's Eve festival will be held on November 30, 2009 beginning at 5:30 PM

Website: http://www.winterseve.org/

Westhampton Beach Annual Holiday Christmas Tree & Hanukkah Menorah Lighting is December 5, 2009

The annual Holiday Christmas Tree & Menorah Lighting will take place on December 5, 2009 at 5:30 PM at The Westhampton Beach Village Green Mill Road & Main Street

Website: http://www.whbcc.com/pages/event_detail.asp?eventid=313

The Nutcracker ballet returns to the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ with performances December 18 - December 27 2009

The annual Nutcracker ballet at the Paper Mill opens on December 18 and runs through December 27, 2009. Tickets are on sale now.

Website: http://www.papermill.org/stage/shows.php?ID=17

A Hotel For The Relatives During Thanksgiving?

2009-08-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

Read this article on my Examiner.com column:
http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m8d26-A-Hotel-For-The-Relatives-During-Thanksgiving

A Hotel For The Relatives During Thanksgiving? It's Just One Reason We Have Hotels In The First Place!

It's a source of tension between you and your better half; you know the holidays are on the way, and, it's your turn to host, and, sooner or later you need to discuss where the relatives will be staying during the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Have absolutely no guilt in suggesting a hotel for the holidays! At first it might be perceived as cold hearted or unwelcoming, but, the reality is nothing is further from the truth. The holidays are hectic enough, and, nothing is going to upset your household routine faster than having relatives under foot.

Reasons To Send Relatives & Friends To A Hotel

Cold hard facts. For example, if your home only has 1 bathroom and you're expecting 10 relatives, explain your limited resources of facilities. It could be the wake up call your relatives didn't even think about asking you.
A matter of health. While we love our family and friends dearly, we don't need or want the cold or flu they might be bringing with them. It's better if for everyone if goes to their own respective rooms, outside your home, to help reduce the chance of you and your family coming down with whatever bug your guests brought as an unwelcome present.
It's your home, it's your right. Sure, Aunt Bertha might get her nose out of joint because you didn't ask her to stay at your home, but, it isn't going to kill her to pay for a hotel either. Don't let guilt pressure you into unwanted house guests!

Be Armed And Ready! Getting Good Hotel Rates

If you know you're going to have a lot of people visiting during the holidays, now is the time to start contacting hotels, and, seeing what type of rates they can offer. Group rates vary by hotel policy, and, while it might not be possible to negotiate a true group rate, you can certainly try to get a lower rate if you are booking more than 2 or 3 rooms for your relatives.

Tips to follow when negotiating with a hotel:

Do NOT go through a Central Reservations number. Instead call the specific hotel and ask to speak to a manager. Make sure you get the manager's name and full contact information before hanging up.
Do your research BEFORE you call. If the best the manager can do is offer you a "rack rate" (the normal rate) then take your business elsewhere. In today's economy, the hotel should be willing to negotiate! Even if it's something as simple as having breakfast included for the rate they are offering, it's an amenity for you or your group and the hotel is filling empty rooms. However, you must be willing to really walk away from the negotiation table if the hotel will not budge on price or upgrades or amenities.
Get it in writing! This is perhaps the most important step. Once you and the hotel manager agree upon pricing and terms, ask for it in writing with your name, dates, number of rooms, prices (including taxes) and amenities (if any are included) with the managers name, contact information and signature. This way the hotel cannot say they aren't aware of the arrangements or they cannot honor the deal made over the phone.

Random Examples of Current Rack Rates for New Jersey and NYC For Thanksgiving Weekend

Rates are based upon arriving Wednesday, November 25, 2009 and departing Sunday, November 29, 2009 for 2 adults sharing 1 room:

New Jersey Hotels

Madison Hotel, Morristown, NJ (http://www.themadisonhotel.com/) Deluxe Room with: Continental Breakfast, Free Parking, and, Free Wireless Internet. Total for 4 nights $587.00 including taxes (Expedia.com)

Crowne Plaza Paramus, Paramus, NJ (http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/1/en/hotel/pamss) King Bed Leisure Room. Advanced purchase required. Total for 4 nights $601.90 including taxes (hotels.com)

Hilton Garden Inn, Bridgewater, NJ (http://hiltongardeninn.hilton.com/en/gi/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=EWRBRGI) Standard King Bed Room. Advanced purchase required. Total for 4 nights $312.80 including taxes (Hilton.com)

Crowne Plaza Philadelphia-Cherry Hill, NJ (http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/1/en/hotel/cpcrw) Standard King Bed or 2 Double Bed Room. Advanced purchased required. Total for 4 nights $442 including taxes (Orbitz.com)

New York City Hotels

Bedford Hotel, 118 East 40th, Manhattan (http://www.bedfordhotel.com/) Standard Room. Advanced purchase required. Total for 4 nights $770.56 including taxes (easyclicktravel.com)

Holiday Inn, 440 West 57th, Manhattan (http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hotel/nycup) Standard Room with King Bed. Advanced purchase required. Total for 4 nights $926.92 including taxes (cheaptickets.com)

Hotel le Bleu, Brooklyn (http://www.hotellebleu.com/) Standard King Room with Continental Breakfast. Advanced purchase required. Total for 4 nights $934.66 including taxes (hotels.com)

By making arrangements now, you will save money and multiple headaches when the holidays arrive.

Girl's Shopping Weekend In NYC (2009)

2009-08-25T09:46:00.000-07:00

Read this article on my Examiner.com column: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m8d25-Girls-Shopping-Weekend-in-NYC

Also Note: On the right hand column there are holiday activities with dates. These will be updated as more events are announced

One of the greatest pleasures in life for many women is the ability to leave work, husbands, and, children behind, and, head out for a "Girl's Shopping Weekend" and what better (not to mention closer) destination than New York City? And what better time than Autumn to organize your "Girl's Shopping Weekend?" Many hotels are realizing the demand for these shopping packages and they are becoming more and more common. Likewise, tour companies (who put packages together) are also jumping on this bandwagon, and, there are some great deals (especially in the luxury market) for 2009. Here are a few examples:

New York City Vacation Packages (http://www.nycvp.com) offers shopping packages for 2 nights (or longer) at a 3 star or better hotel and includes a "Gotham Shopping Tour" along with numerous amenities including savings certificates for Bloomingdales (11% savings certificate) and Macy's (10% savings certificate).

Example Shopping Package for Columbus Day Weekend (based on 1 room shared by 2 people; and arriving Friday, October 9, 2009 and depart Monday, October 12, 2009):

Doubletree Metropolitan Hotel from $615.50 per person
Sofitel New York Hotel from $689.50 per person
Hilton New York from $698 per person
Doubletree Guest Suites Times Square from $726.50 per person
Inter-Continental Barclay from from $751 per person
Westin New York at Times Square from $839 per person
Essex House from $874 per person
New York Palace from $891.50 per person

Preferred Hotels & Resorts (http://www.preferredhotels.com/preferred_hotel/index.aspx) offers offer packages and advance purchases on rooms if you're more the take charge type and would rather piece your trip together yourself.

Example Shopping Package for Columbus Day Weekend (based on 1 room shared by 2 people; and arriving Friday, October 9, 2009 and depart Monday, October 12, 2009 AND reflects PREPAYMENT that is non-refundable):

The Carlton Hotel on Madison Avenue from $457.36 per person
Dream Hotel from $583.04 per person
The Sherry–Netherland from $778.30 per person

The Leading Hotels of the World (http://www.lhw.com) also offer packages and advance purchases on rooms if you're more the take charge type and would rather piece your trip together yourself.

Example Shopping Package for Columbus Day Weekend (based on 1 room shared by 2 people; and arriving Friday, October 9, 2009 and depart Monday, October 12, 2009 AND reflects PREPAYMENT that is non-refundable):

The Pierre – A Taj Hotel from $893.33 per person
Trump International Hotel & Tower NYC from $1042.50 per person

For more information: Visit the websites of the packagers supplied above or contact your local travel agent to begin planning your own NYC Girl's Shopping Weekend.

Royal Rendezvous 2011 AND World Cruise on Queen Elizabeth 2011

2009-08-24T07:25:00.000-07:00

View my article on Examiner.com: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m8d24-Royal-Rendezvous-2011?cid=exrss-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner

It's a rare event when all three Cunard ships are in the same port on the same date. On January 13, 2011, New York City will experience the wonder and excitement that has been dubbed "the Royal Rendezvous". It is also the kick off for World Cruises for both Cunard's Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary 2, while Queen Victoria makes her way through the Panama Canal and after visiting ports on the West Coast is off to Hawaii. The last Royal Rendezvous in New York City took place on January 13, 2008, and, in spite of freezing rain hundreds of people gathered in Battery Park to watch the fireworks show that sent off the three Queen's on their respective voyages. The 2011 Royal Rendezvous promises to be equally as spectacular!

For those interested in the World Cruise from New York to Southampton aboard the new Queen Elizabeth the 95 day voyage is as follows:

Day	Location	Arrival	Departure
Thursday, January 13, 2011	New York	--	05:00 PM
Friday, January 14, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, January 15, 2011	Fort Lauderdale	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Sunday, January 16, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, January 17, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, January 18, 2011	Barbados	09:00 AM	06:00 PM
Wednesday, January 19, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, January 20, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, January 21, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, January 22, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, January 23, 2011	Salvador	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Monday, January 24, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, January 25, 2011	Rio De Janeiro	08:00 AM	11:00 PM
Wednesday, January 26, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, January 27, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, January 28, 2011	Montevideo	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Saturday, January 29, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, January 30, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, January 31, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, February 1, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, February 2, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, February 3, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, February 4, 2011	Cape Town	12:30 PM	--
Saturday, February 5, 2011	Cape Town	--	06:00 PM
Sunday, February 6, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, February 7, 2011	Durban	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Tuesday, February 8, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, February 9, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, February 10, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, February 11, 2011	Mauritius	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Saturday, February 12, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, February 13, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, February 14, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, February 15, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, February 16, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, February 17, 2011	Fremantle	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Friday, February 18, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, February 19, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, February 20, 2011	Adelaide	08:00 AM	01:00 PM
Monday, February 21, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, February 22, 2011	Sydney	07:00 AM	--
Wednesday, February 23, 2011	Sydney	--	05:00 PM
Thursday, February 24, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, February 25, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, February 26, 2011	Chc-lyttelton	09:00 AM	06:30 PM
Sunday, February 27, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, February 28, 2011	Auckland	07:00 AM	--
Tuesday, March 1, 2011	Auckland	--	01:00 AM
Wednesday, March 2, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, March 3, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, March 4, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, March 5, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, March 6, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, March 7, 2011	Guam	07:00 AM	06:00 PM
Tuesday, March 8, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, March 9, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, March 10, 2011	Yokohama	07:00 AM	06:00 PM
Friday, March 11, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, March 12, 2011	Nagasaki	07:00 AM	05:30 PM
Sunday, March 13, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, March 14, 2011	Xingang	06:00 AM	08:00 PM
Tuesday, March 15, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, March 16, 2011	Shanghai	07:00 AM	07:00 PM
Thursday, March 17, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, March 18, 2011	Hong Kong	12:00 PM	--
Saturday, March 19, 2011	Hong Kong	--	11:59 PM
Sunday, March 20, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, March 21, 2011	Nha Trang	07:00 AM	05:00 PM
Tuesday, March 22, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, March 23, 2011	Laem Chabang	08:00 AM	06:30 PM
Thursday, March 24, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, March 25, 2011	Singapore	09:00 AM	09:00 PM
Saturday, March 26, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, March 27, 2011	Phuket	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Monday, March 28, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, March 29, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, March 30, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, March 31, 2011	Mumbai	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Friday, April 1, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, April 2, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, April 3, 2011	Dubai	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Monday, April 4, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, April 5, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, April 6, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, April 7, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, April 8, 2011	Safaga	07:00 AM	07:00 PM
Saturday, April 9, 2011	Sharm El Sheikh	07:00 AM	06:00 PM
Sunday, April 10, 2011	Suez	04:00 AM	05:00 AM
Sunday, April 10, 2011	Suez Canal	06:00 AM	04:00 PM
Sunday, April 10, 2011	Port Said	05:58 PM	06:00 PM
Monday, April 11, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, April 12, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, April 13, 2011	Civitavecchia	07:00 AM	07:00 PM
Thursday, April 14, 2011	Monte Carlo	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Friday, April 15, 2011	Barcelona	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Saturday, April 16, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, April 17, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, April 18, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, April 19, 2011	Southampton	06:00 AM	04:30 PM
Wednesday, April 20, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, April 21, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, April 22, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, April 23, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, April 24, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, April 25, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, April 26, 2011	New York	06:30 AM	--

Inside Cabin Category D7 - $18,934.22 per person includes port charges and taxes. Cunard includes: $500 per person on-board credit and Pre-paid Gratuities (a $1045 per person value). Deposit (based upon price quoted) is $5,520 for two passengers. Insurance is available through Cunard for an additional $1,654.12 per person

Unobstructed Outside Cabin Category C4 - $22,634.10 per person includes port charges and taxes. Cunard includes: $500 per person on-board credit and Pre-paid Gratuities (a $1045 per person value). Deposit (based upon price quoted) is $6,630 for two passengers. Insurance is available through Cunard for an additional $1,986.76 per person

Balcony Cabin Category A5 - $28,034.10 per person includes port charges and taxes. Cunard includes: $750 per person on-board credit and Pre-paid Gratuities (a $1045 per person value). Deposit (based upon price quoted) is $8,250 for two passengers. Insurance is available through Cunard for an additional $2,472.19 per person

Princess Grill Cabin Category P3 (limited availability for P3) - $48,034.44 per person includes port charges and taxes. Cunard includes: $1400 per person on-board credit and Pre-paid Gratuities (a $1045 per person value). Deposit (based upon price quoted) is $14,250 for two passengers. Insurance is available through Cunard for an additional $4,270.23 per person

Queen's Grill Cabin Category Q6 - $64,533.77 per person includes port charges and taxes. Cunard includes: $1400 per person on-board credit and Pre-paid Gratuities (a $1045 per person value). Deposit (based upon price quoted) is $19,200 for two passengers. Insurance is available through Cunard for an additional $5,753.51 per person

To book the World Cruise on Queen Elizabeth New York to Southampton email Jackie Thresten at JackieThresten@yahoo.com Past Passengers please include your Club number!

For those interested in being on-board one of the three Cunard ships for this event there are shorter voyage options available that will allow you enjoy the thrill of the Royal Rendezvous without the commitments of the longer voyagers for which they set sail:

Queen Victoria from $3,399.82 per person for 17 Days - Panama Canal Cruise - New York to Los Angeles

Cunard's Queen Victoria will be part of the Royal Rendezvous on January 13, 2011, and, there is a 17 day segment available for $3,399.82 per person for an inside cabin (including taxes and port charges and based upon 2 people sharing one cabin). The itinerary for this 17 day voyage is as follows:

Day	Location	Arrival	Departure
Thursday, January 13, 2011	New York	--	05:00 PM
Friday, January 14, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, January 15, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, January 16, 2011	Port Everglades	07:00 AM	05:00 PM
Monday, January 17, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, January 18, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, January 19, 2011	Aruba	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Thursday, January 20, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, January 21, 2011	Panama Canal	06:00 AM	04:00 PM
Saturday, January 22, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, January 23, 2011	Puntarenas	07:00 AM	06:00 PM
Monday, January 24, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, January 25, 2011	Huatulco	09:00 AM	05:30 PM
Wednesday, January 26, 2011	Acapulco	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Thursday, January 27, 2011	Manzanillo	09:00 AM	04:00 PM
Friday, January 28, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, January 29, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, January 30, 2011	Los Angeles	06:00 AM	--

Queen Mary 2 from $4,563.42 per person for 23 Days - New York to Capetown via South America

Cunard's Queen Mary 2 will be part of the Royal Rendezvous on January 13, 2011, and, there is a 23 day segment available for $4,563.42 per person for an inside cabin (including taxes and port charges and based upon 2 people sharing one cabin). The itinerary for this 23 day voyage is as follows:

Day	Location	Arrival	Departure
Thursday, January 13, 2011	New York	--	05:00 PM
Friday, January 14, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, January 15, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, January 16, 2011	Port Everglades	07:00 AM	05:00 PM
Monday, January 17, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, January 18, 2011	Barbados	09:00 AM	06:00 PM
Wednesday, January 19, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, January 20, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, January 21, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, January 22, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, January 23, 2011	Salvador, Brazil	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
Monday, January 24, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, January 25, 2011	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	08:00 AM	11:00 PM
Wednesday, January 26, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, January 27, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, January 28, 2011	Montevideo, Uruguay	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Saturday, January 29, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, January 30, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, January 31, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, February 01, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wed, February 02, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, February 03, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, February 04, 2011	Cape Town (overnight)	12:30 PM	Overnight
Saturday, February 05, 2011	Cape Town, South Africa	Disembark

Queen Elizabeth from $3,490.29 per person for 16 Days - Panama Canal - New York to Los Angeles

Cunard's Queen Victoria will be part of the Royal Rendezvous on January 13, 2011, and, there is a 16 day segment available for $3,490.29 per person for an inside cabin (including taxes and port charges and based upon 2 people sharing one cabin). The itinerary for this 16 day voyage is as follows:

Day	Location	Arrival	Departure
Thursday, January 13, 2011	New York	--	05:00 PM
Friday, January 14, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, January 15, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Sunday, January 16, 2011	Port Everglades	07:00 AM	05:00 PM
Monday, January 17, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, January 18, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Wednesday, January 19, 2011	Aruba	08:00 AM	05:00 PM
Thursday, January 20, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Friday, January 21, 2011	Limon, Costa Rica	08:00 AM	07:00 PM
Saturday, January 22, 2011	Panama Canal, Panama	06:00 AM	04:00 PM
Sunday, January 23, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Monday, January 24, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Tuesday, January 25, 2011	Acapulco, Mexico	09:00 AM	06:00 PM
Wednesday, January 26, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Thursday, January 27, 2011	Cabo San Lucas, Mexico	08:00 AM	02:00 PM
Friday, January 28, 2011	At Sea	--	--
Saturday, January 29, 2011	Los Angeles, California	Disembark

For more information contact Cunard Cruise Lines at 1-800-7CUNARD (1-800-728-6273) or contact your local travel agent. All three sailings are open for bookings. Prices are subject to change without notice but are deemed accurate as of August 24, 2009.

Royal Rendezvous 2011

2009-08-24T06:11:00.001-07:00

Royal Rendezvous 2011

Posted using ShareThis

If you want a travel game that will frustrate you, humble you and completely get you addicted, try this

2009-08-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

The Travel IQ Challenge by TravelPod.com

http://www.travelpod.com/traveler-iq

This Traveler IQ challenge compares your geographical knowledge against the World's Original Travel Blog's other 4,440,534 travelers who have taken this challenge as of Sunday, August 23, 2009 at 02:55PM GMT. (TravelPod is a TripAdvisor Media Network partner)

Cunard - A World Apart

2009-08-21T06:29:00.000-07:00

View this article on my Examiner.com column: http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m8d21-Cunard--A-World-Apart

The name alone is synonymous with luxury travel. It also invokes images of the glamor and wealth of a bygone era. Today Cunard Cruise Lines still stands alone as the leader in Transatlantic crossings and World Cruises; but, did you know Cunard offers everything from short get away voyages that are 5 days or less in length to special Holiday cruises to the Caribbean? Welcome to today's Cunard!

A Cunard Cruise isn't just a vacation, it is a luxury travel experience. From the moment you step foot on-board a Cunard ship you will be treated like royalty from white-glove embarkations to the outstanding services of the crew and officers, this isn't your ordinary cruise. Unlike the mainstream cruise lines who target to the masses, the typical Cunard passenger stands a bit apart in terms of having higher education levels, enjoying a variety of intellectual activities, and, basks in the refinements of their surroundings.

While Cunard Cruise Lines homeport is Southampton (England), you can regularly find at least one Cunard ship in New York making it a wonderful opportunity for those living in the New York City tri-state area to experience the elegance of one of the Cunard Queens. One very popular sailing is the 4th of July Getaway which has been a favorite for many during the past few years. In 2010, the itinerary is as follows:

Cunard Queen Mary 2
Departing July 1, 2010
5 Nights

Day	Port	Duration
1 July	New York	Depart 6:00PM
2 July	At Sea	Full Day Cruising
3 July	Halifax	Arrive 8:00AM Depart 5:00PM
4 July	Boston	Arrive 12:00PM Depart 11:00PM
5 July	At Sea	Full Day Cruising
6 July	New York	Arrive 7:00AM

Pricing For An Inside Cabin (based on double occupancy - 2 people sharing one cabin):

Fare Summary	Guest 1	Guest 2	Total
Voyage Fare^†	$1,295.00	$1,295.00	$2,590.00
Gov't Fees and Taxes	$51.35	$51.35	$102.70
Subtotal	$1,346.35	$1,346.35	Total Price (USD) $2,692.70

^†Voyage Fare is subject to change until this voyage is reserved.
Cunard reserves the right to impose a fuel supplement of up to
$9 per person per day on all passengers if the NYMEX oil price exceeds
$70 per barrel, even if the fare has already been paid in full.
Launch Savings are reflected in the Voyage Fare for US and
Canadian Cunard World Club Members if applicable.
^‡Air fares are subject to change until final payment.
^§Government Fees and Taxes are subject to change.

The highlight of the 4th of July Getaway sailing is the fireworks display in Boston Harbor. This sailing is a tremendous chance to "try Cunard out" to see if this luxury cruise line is the right fit for you. For those who wish to extend their vacation, Cunard is offering both pre and post hotel stays in New York City. Booking early is highly recommended since this sailing is always a sell-out.

For more information visit Cunard on line at: http://www.cunard.com or call Cunard reservations at 1-800-7-CUNARD (1-800-728-6273) or contact your local travel agent.

Atlantic City for Labor Day Weekend

2009-08-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

With just a few weeks left in what most consider summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day), you might be thinking about a quick get away for the long Labor Day weekend. You don't want to venture too far away, and, yet you want something fun where there are lots of choices of things to do, restaurants, and, nice hotels.

For those in the greater NYC, NJ, Philly area the answer is a simple as Atlantic City! Atlantic City has room at the following hotels (based on rates quoted on August 20, 2009 and based upon checking in on September 4, 2009 and departing September 7, 2009, double occupancy (2 people sharing 1 room):

Caesars Atlantic City: $1312.51 including taxes for 3 nights in a Premium Room

Bally's Atlantic City: $913.56 including taxes for 3 nights in a Classic Room

Tropicana Atlantic City: $1191.38 including tax for 3 nights in a Classic Room

Sheraton Atlantic City: $957.04 including tax for 3 nights in a Traditional Room

In addition to the world famous Atlantic City boardwalk, don't forget Atlantic City has been attracting upscale restaurants in recent years including:

Headliner shows in Atlantic City for Labor Day 2009 weekend include:

Journey at the Borgata September 4 and 5 at 8pm
Big & Rich at Resorts September 5 at 8pm
Pet Shop Boys at Showboat September 6 at 9pm
Anita Baker at Caesar's September 5 at 9pm

And many more shows are available, check hotel websites for details.

Lastly, if you find the idea of Atlantic City appealing but, don't want the hassle of driving the Parkway, take advantage of the ACES train, a new service offered by AMTRAK from New York Penn Station and Newark Penn Station with non-stop service to Atlantic City on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays! Check it out: http://www.acestrain.com/

Welcome to Luxury Travel by Jackie

2009-08-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'm Jackie and I was just hired as the Newark Luxury Travel Examiner it will be a few days before my first article is written but, I wanted to get my blog going since it was suggested that it is a great way to pick up readers and direct them to Examiner.com

About Me:
I began my career as a flight attendant after graduating college with a BS in English. After a number of years with the airlines, marriage and family came along and, I became a professional travel agent. I am currently a luxury travel agent and hold a MCC certificate from CLIA and I am also a graduate of the Travel Institute and have earned the title of Certified Travel Counselor (CTC). My favorite destinations include: Bermuda, Italy, and, Aruba. I am a semi-professional equestrian in my spare time.

I live in Northern New Jersey and have been a "Jersey girl" my entire life. I am married with grown children, and, I simply love traveling.

About This Blog and About My Examiner.com Column
I have been talking about writing about travel for the longest time and my clients have often encouraged me because I seem to have the knack for giving information in a clear manner. It was actually my husband who stumbled upon Examiner.com and after several months of his pushing, I finally applied and received the good news today that I was accepted as a writer!

So thanks to my dear husband for the push. And an equally big thanks to my kids for getting this technologically challenged woman set up in order for me to write. I've even joined Twitter (and I'm still not sure what the heck it is or does!)

I will conclude today's entry by saying thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my blog. I will have some type of system set up so you can read my Examiner.com articles as they are written. My column will be about Luxury Travel tips, deals, and general information for those living in the greater NJ and NYC area.

I look forward to both informing and entertaining you both in this blog and in my column.

~Jackie

Luxury Travel by Jackie

Booking World Cruise 2012 on QM2

Royal Circumnavigation of Australia on QM2 in 2012 Opt-In List

Royal Circumnavigation of Australia on Queen Mary 2 in 2012

World Cruise 2012 Email Update

QM2 World Cruise 2012 Information coming mid-2010

Celebrity Silhouette from Bayonne, NJ for Holidays in 2011

QM 2 Independence Day Cruise 2011

4th of July 2011 on QM2

World Cruise 2012 aboard QM2 Website is now live

2011 and 2012 Group Cruises on Cunard

Join our Cunard Lists for July 4th and Christmas 2011 and World Cruise 2012

Cunard QM2 World Cruise 2012 - Receive Pricing and Information First!

Princess Reduced Deposit $100 pp for Caribbean Princess February 20, 2011

Queen Mary 2 Christmas and New Years 2011

Cunard opens for booking April 26 for past guests and April 27 for the general public

Christmas Cruise 2011 aboard Queen Mary 2

Reach over 250,000 readers per month for just $30

World Cruise 2012 on QM2 features 28 days in Australia

World Cruise 2012 Group Now Forming

You never know...

2009 Holiday Cruises

Holiday Guides to NYC

Shopping Guide for Macys Herald Square http://www.examiner.com/x-21128-Newark-Luxury-Travel-Examiner~y2009m10d23-Shopping-Guide-for-Macys-Herald-Square

New York City Transportation Guide - visitors guide

NYC Penn Station - New Jersey Transit and AMTRAK

Guide to Riding NYC Subways

Guide to Riding NYC Buses

Metro-Cards

2009 Holiday shops at Bryant Park

Holiday Shops are open November 6, 2009 – January 3, 2010

Monday–Friday

Saturday

Sunday

With special extended holiday hours

Open Daily

Hours of Operation

Christmas at Rockefeller Center 2009 - UPdated information

The Holidays in NYC from holiday shopping to New Year's Eve

Rockefeller Center ice rink to open October 9, 2009

Cunard Sale September 26 2009 - October 3 2009

Join Jackie on Carnival Magic's Inaugural in 2011

Announcing 4th of July on Cunard and Cunard Sale

A Trip of a lifetime World Cruise 2011

World Cruise 2011 Aboard Queen Elizabeth Now With Blogger SWF42

Join me on World Cruise 2011

A four part series about visiting NYC - A Must Read

A new sponsor for this blog - welcome UPrinting

Cunard Sale September 26 - October 3 2009

Update on 2,000,000 visitors

2,000,000 Visitors FREE?

Labor Day Weekend

Christmas & New Year's on QM2 in 2010

Christmas & New Year's Cruises 2009

Examiner Bio NJ & NYC Fall And Holiday Events 2009

A Hotel For The Relatives During Thanksgiving?

Girl's Shopping Weekend In NYC (2009)

Royal Rendezvous 2011 AND World Cruise on Queen Elizabeth 2011

Royal Rendezvous 2011

If you want a travel game that will frustrate you, humble you and completely get you addicted, try this

Cunard - A World Apart

Atlantic City for Labor Day Weekend

Welcome to Luxury Travel by Jackie