CruiseOne - Freehold, NJ 07728 Cruise Specialists

CruiseOne - Freehold, NJ 07728 Cruise Specialists

Who says "Bigger is Better"?

Bigger is not always Better!

Americans tend to want everything BIG! Big houses, big cars, big sandwiches....(Okay, get your mind out of the gutter!) ...and big cruise ships. But is "Bigger really Better?" I think when people put an emphasis on wanting something "Bigger", they loose sight of the special qualities that make "smaller" things amazing. For example:

Expedition vs Porsche

Mansion vs Small Cottage by the sea

Boeing 747 vs Brazillian Jet

Big Mac vs Sliders

Hot Dog w/the Works vs the Cocktail Weenie

Get my point? Small things are just as special (if not MORE) than Bigger things...it just depends on what you want to get out of it. Cruise Ships are the same. Sure, GINORMOUS Cruise Ships such as Royal Caribbean's "Oasis of the Seas", Celebrity's Solstice or NCL's "Epic" do offer amazing options. The size of the ship is enticing, and they really are incredible.

I have often said to friends that "If someone goes on a Super Size Cruise Ship and doesn't have a good time, they must be a drag... because there is something to please everyone". Entertainment, dining, sports, shopping, gambling, spa & more! So easy to have fun, relax and do whatever you want. The Newest, Biggest Cruise Ships are definitely awesome. But what about the smaller ships?

At one time, THEY were the Biggest & Best. Now considered "Small" and "Older", do they stand up to the task of impressing guests? (Again, Keep that mind out of the gutter!) I say "Absolutely!" Smaller ships offer the same activities that Bigger ships offer & many attributes that larger ships don't. In fact, smaller ships actually go overboard (no pun intended) to impress guests. One big plus - Service tends to be a bit more intimate (bartenders & waiters know your name & your favorites!) and special. And Cruise Lines do pamper the "Old Girls" with facelifts to keep them young and fresh, while retaining the classic style we know and love. Some of my favorites - "The Celebrity Century", Royal Caribbean's "Majesty of the Seas" & "Grandeur of the Seas" & The "Sun Princess". I have sailed on these ships many times before and each time more impressive then the last!

So, don't be fooled by the size of the ship, after all, Small Ships stand right up to the Big Ships, offering a slightly different, but equally impressive vacation experience!

Want to compare ships? Click HERE!

The Angry Steward & the Carry-on Luggage

"I've Had Enough of Carry-on Luggage!"

In case you are one of the 10 people in America that hasn't heard of the Flight Attendant who just "Had Enough", let me update...

Steven Slater, a 38 year old Jet Blue flight attendant, decided "enough is enough" after his flight landed at JFK Airport on Monday. Slater cursed the passenger (dropping the "F bomb" 3 times) over the intercom, grabbed beers from the galley, deployed the emergency slide and walked away from the plane!

Although stories about exactly what happened change by the minute ( 2 women fought over storage bins space resulting in Slater getting hit on the head & a woman passenger who was forced to check her bag was enraged upon landing that her bag was not immediately available and proceeded to curse him)... I can just imagine what happened, because I have seen it hundreds of times! It all comes down to CARRY-ON LUGGAGE!

Air travel has changed. Years ago everyone checked their bags and overhead space was used for blankets and pillows (luxuries long forgotten on planes) and the occasional SMALL carry-on bag used by the consummate business traveler. I believe that passengers began carrying on ALL of their luggage in an effort to shorten travel experience (not having to wait for the baggage handlers to deliver the baggage in typical union style "snail delivery").

The amount of luggage brought aboard planes has created many issues, along with a lot of stress. Ridiculously long boarding times add to the frustration. (I would rather wait at the baggage terminal then have to board a plane and sit for an extra 45 minutes!)

I have sat on planes as many flights board and watched how passengers behave as they heave luggage and squeeze the bags into the overhead bins. One thing I have noticed is that passengers in the rear often store their luggage in the bins in the front of the plane (for ease when they exit). Common sense will tell you that this will inevitably cause an issue when the passengers who are sitting in the front actually board last and there is no room for their carry-on and they are forced to check their bag.

I have often mentioned it to the flight attendants, who could easily solve the issue by making sure that everyone stores bags above their own seat. But I have never had a flight attendant actually make that effort. So, I watch and wait for the inevitable angry passenger.

Let's face it, we are not all friends on that plane. Each passenger is only interested in making their own life easier. Like a bunch of children in a classroom. But kids have rules in class. They cannot just drop their backpacks anywhere, they cannot just skip the line, they cannot speak rudely to the teacher and they have to be respectful of each other. Like teachers, flight attendants should be there to make sure that the rules are followed that best benefit the whole group. I know it is more work for them, but in the end would make everything much more pleasant if we KNEW the rules and HAD to follow them.

I understand Slaters frustration. I have met those obnoxious, angry passengers. I have often wanted to stand up and drop the "F bomb" at them and I would have loved to actually hear a flight attendant do it over the intercom! (I actually applaud Slater for not opening the emergency slide and pushing the woman down it!)

But in the end, the Carry-on Luggage is the culprit, the stressor. If the attendants don't make the rules and enforce them rigidly, there will always be stressful situations. I say, either enforce the rules or ban carry-on luggage. It is that simple.

Oh...and by the way, next time passengers are held captive on the tarmac for hours & are enduring extreme frustration...maybe WE should grab a beer and slide off the plane!

Good Health requires Good Friendships!

Good Friendships = Good Health

It is Official! According to studies done by Brigham Young University and May Clinic, friendships are good for your health! In fact, having friends is just as important as stopping smoking and more harmful than not exercising!

Of course, I have always know that. Through some tough times, it has been good friends that have been my rock, my "sounding board", my safety net & my comfort circle.

Good friends are important for your health, even offering a 50% chance of a longer life!

BENEFITS of FRIENDSHIP

• Increase your sense of belonging and purpose. (Feeling needed when a friend is going through a tough time)
• Boost your Happiness (When I share stories with friends, I learn to laugh at my troubles!)
• Reduce Stress (It is no fun to go out for a Martini alone! )
• Improve your self -worth (Feeling loved and needed)
• Decrease your risk of serious mental illness (When I need to rant, I can pick up the phone! They understand.)
• Help you weather traumas such as Divorce, illness, job loss or death of a loved one. (When my first husband died, I relied on God, family & FRIENDS!)
• Encourage you to change unhealthy lifestyle habits (WHAT! No martinis! well, that depends on the friends!)
• Shares in good times (New baby, new house, new job, new hubby! Celebrate & laugh together!)

Just knowing that friends are there to lean on through the good times, celebrate with through the happy times and LAUGH THROUGH BOTH is a comforting and reassuring. Sometimes I just need to hear that "opposing" opinion to challenge my thoughts and make me think. That is why I personally think it is good to surround yourself with friends that are diverse - different back rounds, political opinions, styles, desires. One thing that is a MUST is that we share the same social values. That is the basis of trusting in their thoughts.

Surround yourself with good friends and live a happy healthy life!

So ask yourself a few questions...

Do you have a BFF?

Is your group of friends diverse?

Am I friends with people who help my mental state or hurt it?

Do I nurture my friendships?

And the biggy.....

AM I A GOOD FRIEND?!

More stuff on that later!

Me and My Mac

Me and my Mac....

I really do love my husband. Infact, I really do LIKE him. It is nice that after 15 years and 5 kids (blended family.. I get extra points for that!) that we actually love spending time together! We are very active...we walk, we bike ride, we vacation, have beach days..we really enjoy our time alone. In fact, some people think it is odd that we do spend so much time together. But not us...

Sound perfect? Well, I am going to be honest, we do have one major problem right now...and that is the affair that I am having with my MAC! Difficult because of the time my MAC takes away from our time together.

I love my Mac. I love anything APPLE! I cannot imagine life without my mac. Ohh the things I can do on my MAC!

My husband doesn't understand. He is a PC guy (UGggg). He finds MACs to be complicated, problematic, non-traditional. ME, I find MACs to be inventive, creative, uber useful, inviting, engaging, exciting....I could go on and on!

My affair started a few years ago, when my first MAC came into my life. It was my husbands fault (a birthday gift) and his regret. I instantly became attracted to my MAC and the affair has never stopped. 35,000, 26 movies, 3 Keynote Presentations, 2 businesses, 6 webpages later...I am still looking forward (and excited about) my future with my MAC.

My Husband thought that it was great to get me interested in things...and then came the Macbook Air. That was actually dangerous, because it is so light & fits in my pocketbook and travels with me everywhere! He started feeling left out a bit. He was actually happy when I was beginning to run out of storage space on my AIRBOOK...but THEN i discovered the EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE! My possibilities on my AIRBOOK became endless...now I was not only dragging around my AIRBOOK, but also my EXTERNAL HARD DRIVES! (Hey, you never know when you might need it!)

I am not on my second generation of IPHONE which means that even in the situations where I don't have my pocketbook to carry around my AIRBOOK, I am still never without access to my MAC (via my iphone). Will it ever end?

The answer to that question is "I hope not!" I love my affair with my MAC, and do not see any end to it! And my husband...he will just have to understand. Of course, he does get annoyed when he wakes up in the middle of the night and it is in bed with us. Or when we are on a dinner date and he catches using my IPHONE under the table. I guess I should learn to control myself, or I will NEVER get an IPAD! (He told me that is where he is drawing the line! LOL)

SHHHhhhh....I will keep you posted when I finally get one!

Windstar Cruise 2011

Windstar Cruises

"Why now?"

You deserve to treat yourself

In this stressful life, it is so important to restore your body and soul. Experts say that couples that take time out to vacation together, spending time without the stresses of daily life , have happier, healthier long term relationships then those that don’t. There is no time like NOW to plan your escape!

For so many of us, the Holidays are the most stressful time of year. All the preparation, family drama...and then come the “after Holiday Blues”...

Now imagine that when the real stress begins, you can look across the table and smile, knowing that when it is all over you will escape on a fantastic getaway for a week of sailing on a Windstar Cruise.

YES, a week of relaxing with the gentle breeze, turquoise ocean, amazing service, culinary perfection and romance in the air...EVERYONE DESERVES THAT!

Think of it as an investment in your physical and mental health!

“A Happy Wife is a Happy Life” and a “Happy Couple is a Happy Family”!

YOU DESERVE TO GETAWAY!. And there isn’t a better time then right after the Holidays!

What’s so special about a Windstar Cruise?

A Windstar Cruise is a refreshingly casual onboard experience appealing to even non-cruisers who want to experience the romance of the Sea without the confinement, crowds, regimentation or stuffiness often associated with “conventional” cruise ships. As one of the privileged few (148 guests) you the feel as though you are on your own sailing yacht.

Our favorite Cruiseline...Windstar! We have a group sailing round trip from St Martin to St Martin. We will be visiting St kitts, Tortola, Jost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda, & St Barths.

This is a small, casually elegant sailing ship. Great way to start off the New Year and at a FANTASTIC price of $1555 per person INCLUDING accommodations, meals, entertainment, Bottle of wine, Bonvoyage party, Port charges. Let me know if you are interested!!! Pricing is the best I have seen and space will be going fast!

Call today to reserve your stateroom. Call for more details...732-577-9150
go to www.morethanjustacruise.com for more details. Click on Windstar 2011

Everyone deserves to be pampered...

I Might Never Leave This Hotel...

Does "Squatters Rights" apply?

Beautiful summer day in Manhattan. Hubby asks me to drive in to meet him and spend the night (long business hours...) at the Ritz Carlton on Central Park. "I WILL BE THERE IN 45 MINUTES!" I say quietly.....but screaming in my brain! The chance to experience The Ritz, Central Park NYC...I can't get there fast enough. I have read about so many celebrities, dignitaries and politicians staying at the Ritz, so why not me!

So here I am, after being escorted to the lobby "suite" by the kindest Gentleman (Front Desk Receptionist) to await my suite. Okay...I am already pampered and I haven't even entered the room. Actually, if I left right now, I would have great things to say about this hotel...but there is not a chance I am leaving until I experience that room, not after the last half hour of being in the lobby! I almost don't want to go up to the room yet (even though it is ready), similar in the way that I wait to open a gift...anticipation is half the thrill.

But now I am ready..

By the way, I have stayed at the Four Seasons in NYC many times, so when I say this is impressive....I know what I am comparing it to. SO far, the service is "wildy over and above". Is that an appropriate description? It would be if you were sitting here.

Finally made the decision to head up to the room..I MEAN SUITE! After the silent glide up the elevator, and the "OMG! I could live here" reaction to the suite, I am now settled into the comfort of this classic, beige, comfy poofy room. As I sit here, among the traditional decor, I always wonder "Is Buckingham Palace this comfortable? Because, the traditional decor of Buckingham Palace is so NOT comfortable looking! But this is.

Of course, the bathroom was my first stop (I AM a girl) and I think it has the most amazing marble I have ever seen. It looks like soft, swirly, caramel ice cream. Beautiful. Bathroom amenities...Yes, I have everything I need and more AND top notch!

Comparable to the Four Seasons...Different. Service is definitely better (which makes EVERYTHING BETTER!). Room is comparable but styled differently. Bathroom is absolutely awesome in both.

Well, I have been here for 2 hours. I have a huge smile on my face. About to climb in the shower to get ready for dinner at Scotto's. Life is good at the Ritz Carlton.

The Ritz Carlton got me at "Welcome to the Ritz". Click here to see more and reserve your stay!