Change, Change, Change

Have you noticed that everything is changing lately. In the travel industry changes are happening every day also.
The Caribbean Islands and the Bahamas were a, excuse the pun, HOT destination in the 60's and 70's, you would book a flight and a hotel and show up at the airport in a sport coat, get on your flight, be served a meal and drinks and arrive at your island destination fat and happy, so to speak. Your vacation was spent between the hotel pool and the beach, dressing for dinner every night and then seeing a show or hitting a casino. With 4 or 5 days and nights of that you went home feeling relaxed and refreshed. The flight home was as pleasant as the flight to your vacation.
Not anymore, too frequently I hear people saying "Flying isn't fun anymore" it is too easy to blame it on September 11 and all that but the fact is it started when a few good airlines went out of business and the remaining ones realised they had to and could CHANGE, with fewer airlines to choose from they didn't have to compete for your business so they did change, to their advantage.
Yes, some people cruised instead of flying to the islands but that was before there were as many ships as there are now and prices were comparatively higher. Here's a clue for you as to where I am going with this rant. The price of Cruising has not kept up with inflation
Where you had to hope to find a ship going to the destination you wanted that still had a cabin available anywhere on the ship let alone exactly where you wanted to be on the ship you now have a choice of ships and accommodations at a similar price to what was being paid in the 60's and 70's. And guess what, Cruising is still the funnest vacation there is. With MORE cruise lines and MORE cruise ships and MORE cabins and MORE destinations, oh yes and MORE people cruising you, the consumer benefit from this change. In time people will look back and say "This is the heyday of cruising" I know it is going to change someday but until it does don't miss out.

Where have we been?

Where have you been and where have I been,my last post was May 31, 2007. That was 3 months ago. I hope you had a nice summer and have many lifetime memories from the summer of 2007. I know I do. We didn't cruise at all this summer, probably the first summer in the last 15 that I haven't cruised, I even cruised 2 times in 1995 when I had a heart attack, that's how much I love cruising. Don't get me wrong, I still love cruising, this past summer just seemed like one where I would enjoy kicking around this country of ours and seeing some of America. We visited Baltimore for a long weekend,what a great city that is. We saw a Baltimore Orioles game with my Father on his 85th birthday, the Orioles lost but my Dad lit up the stadium with his smile when they flashed "Happy 85th Birthday Jim Russo" on the scoreboard at the end of the 4th inning. We also visited Bayonne NJ, the home of Royal Caribbeans "Northern Port" also Celebrity and Azmara Cruises use that port. It is an easy port to get to by plane or driving and as an added bonus you get to sail past the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. God Bless America. We also spent a little time in Maine on the coast and in the mountains of Vermont. My trout fishing skills were put to the test this summer and the trout won that battle.
Before I sign off here I have to remind you about passports. If you don't have one, get one. If you need help ask me and I will give you the guidance you need. After all I am a travel professional.