http://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/http://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/the-romance-of-travelhttp://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/the-romance-of-travel I admit it – I’m a travel-romance junkie. When I plan a trip I actually look up things like moon charts to see if there will be a full moon smiling down on my destination and what flowers will be in bloom. Then I check for waterfronts –rivers, lakes, bays, vast expanses of ocean – doesn’t really matter becausethey all present an opportunity for romantic strolling .Smart waterfront communities ...Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:32:59 -0500http://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/with-a-cruise-it-s-all-about-service-after-the-salehttp://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/with-a-cruise-it-s-all-about-service-after-the-saleIf you book alone you're on your own -- internet booking engines just take your money then leave it all up to you. Sure, it looks easy, but there are good reasons to book with someone you can trust to be on your side. Direct bookings aren't much better -- here are some common problems that I see people run into all the time:#1. Even if you are lucky enough to get a real person on the phone, the...Mon, 16 Jan 2012 19:52:57 -0500http://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/top-tips-for-2012-travel-planninghttp://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/top-tips-for-2012-travel-planningThis year will present some excellent opportunities for travel bargains and enhanced experiences, but you will have to plan in advance in order to take advantage of them. Here are my top recommendations:#1.  Christmas falls on a Tuesday this year, so the cruise lines are sticking totheir regular routes, making pricing and scheduling a lot easier for you. Iespecially like the 5-night Carnival Tr...Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:59:45 -0500http://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/why-you-should-consider-a-holiday-cruisehttp://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/why-you-should-consider-a-holiday-cruise   OK, I guess the fantastic food and myriad dining options are obvious reasons that come to mind -- and wouldn't it be a lovely gift to the holiday hostess if you could free her up to really enjoy the holiday this year without all the work of cleaning and cooking and entertaining? And if YOU are that person, how about bestowing this precious gift on yourself?  You've worked hard and deserve a ...Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:48:15 -0500http://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/how-to-plan-an-alaska-cruise-vacationhttp://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/how-to-plan-an-alaska-cruise-vacation An Alaska cruise is one of the best vacations you’ll ever have!  It’s not an inexpensive proposition, however, so you’ll want to make the most of the time and the budget that you have forit.  Basically, there are 2 ways to “do”an Alaska cruise:Sail round-trip from Seattle, Washington or Vancouver, Canada.  Airfares to/from Seattle are typically cheaper and the flights are easier, so this is wh...Wed, 02 Nov 2011 17:19:09 -0400http://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/bargain-alerthttp://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/bargain-alert With Christmas and New Year's falling on Sundays this year, some of the cruise lines with regular 7-night Sunday-to Sunday cruise routes have changed up their normal itineraries to encompass both holidays.  That means they have to work in a shorter cruise somewhere along the way to get back on the regular rotation.Luckily for you, these altered routes give you the perfect opportunity to enjoy ...Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:03:01 -0400http://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/recipe-for-mackinac-fudgehttp://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/recipe-for-mackinac-fudge...and now you can have it any time you want without having to go there to get it: 2 cups sugar1 cup half-and-half2 one-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate2 tablespoons light corn syrup1/2 teaspoon salt2 tablespoons butter1 teaspoon vanilla extract1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans Combine sugar, half-and-half, chocolate, corn syrup, and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat u...Sat, 17 Sep 2011 14:15:06 -0400http://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/what-s-new-in-local-cruisinghttp://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/what-s-new-in-local-cruisingWe’re so fortunate in the Dallas area to have 2 nearby cruise ports – Galveston and NewOrleans.  They’re just a drive or inexpensive flight away, so we can enjoy a fun and relaxing cruise vacation whenever we want.  The ports are home to Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and starting September 2012 – Disney, and Christmas week 2012 – Princess.Let’s meet the fleet:Carnival Cruise Line’s curr...Sat, 27 Aug 2011 19:16:02 -0400http://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/price-matchinghttp://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/price-matchingNow and then someone will ask me if I “price match” and the answer 99% of the time is YES!  Because 99% of the time the cruise lines and the favored suppliers of Cruise Planners and American Express have the exact same prices/packages that are advertised out in the market .In the case of cruises, many times we have an even better deal because of our block-space rates, and special incentive offe...Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:25:38 -0400http://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/see-america-cruiseshttp://www.cruiseplanforyou.com/blogPosts/view/see-america-cruisesYou don’t have to fly to an exotic foreign port in order toenjoy a beautiful, interesting cruise. There are several easy-to-do cruises that set sail from America’s ownshores and take you to some of her most iconic cities and seascapes.#1: Alaska     Sailconveniently from Seattle! Enjoy a day or two exploring this charming citynestled against the scenic backdrop of mighty Mount Ranier, then boar...Sun, 26 Jun 2011 16:20:22 -0400