I've said I've wanted to do these types of travel news posts for a long time, but with kids and life's craziness, the timing was never right or so I said.  I have a new working schedule this year, and I'm committed to being the best travel journalist I can be from my desktop. My personal travels are very curated due to my kid's schedules so I'm in Raleigh a lot. Despite my not traveling, I still get a lot of travel news.



I get about 100 press releases a day promoting travel-related topics. I glance at every single one, but I read the ones that interest me.  I usually save them then I forget about them and the post never develops.

Y'all, I had three thousand emails in my inbox until two days ago.  For these monthly posts,  I'll pick out up to 20 travel stories or news that peaked my interest in the month. You'll start seeing travel news that will help you plan future travels. Like in this post, we talk about Christmas and 2018.  This is a very curated segment of news from my perspective so it is unique to my own blog because it appealed to me. Who knows. I may have weird taste. Some may think what I pick to feature is just plain odd because you will find a lot of hotel news here.  I am choosing up 20 news snippets to highlight because isn't hindsight, twenty-twenty? Eventually, I needed to do something to play on those words and my last name.

Travel News for Volume One: September 22, 2017 

1. JW Marriott partnered with The Joffrey Ballet to produce "Behind the Barre" a series of workout videos available on demand for travelers staying in the brand's guestrooms around the world.  It's now available at the JW Marriott Essex House and will roll out across select JW Marriott hotels this fall. The series features customized barre class videos that can be tailored to any fitness level, inspired by three key wellness states – calm, balance and invigorate.  I don't have a list of the hotels that will have this perk, but it's good news for people who like barre exercise. 

Photo from Norwegian. The new Norwegian Bliss will sail to Alaska

2.  Norwegian Cruise Line will have a new ship to set sail in June 2018. This will be its sixteenth ship and will travel to Alaska and the Caribbean with select voyages to the Mexican Riviera beginning in June 2018. The ship, which will be christened as the Norwegian Bliss will boast many firsts at sea for the global market including a two-level electric-car race track and an open-air laser tag course. The ship's exciting new features will join the brand's signature elements of freedom and flexibility that Norwegian is known for across the globe including a myriad of dining options and a vibrant onboard atmosphere fueled by dynamic intimate spaces and a multitude of bars and lounges, award-winning youth programs and more. In its inaugural summer season, it will depart from Seattle for a seven-day cruise to Alaska.  Go to the Norweigan Bliss site for more information.  Inside prices start at around $1,400 per person and ranges up  to $6,000 for the Haven, which is a 1300 square-feet butler suite. 

• Walt Disney World Resort offers an array of holiday fun (Nov. 9 – Dec. 22), including the transformation of Cinderella Castle into a glistening ice palace at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party; the Candlelight Processional at Epcot features an exciting line-up of new celebrity narrators including Neil Patrick Harris, Pat Sajak, CCH Pounder and Trace Adkins; and a free-entry holiday wonderland at Disney Springs showcases carolers, performances and a meet-and-greet with Santa.
• Universal Orlando Resort invites guests (Nov. 18 – Jan. 6) to the Macy's Holiday Parade at Universal Studios, where the streets are filled every evening with the same larger-than-life balloons seen in Macy's famous Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. Meanwhile, at Universal's Islands of Adventure, families will light up with holiday cheer as Grinchmas comes to life throughout Seuss Landing. New to this year, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be transformed with wondrous, holiday spirit.  
• Waves of holiday spirit splash over the park during SeaWorld Orlando's Christmas Celebration (Nov. 24 – Dec. 31). In a wintery, watery wonderland, guests of all ages will enjoy stunning live shows inspired by the natural world, a glittering sea of lit Christmas trees and beloved Christmas character Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and friends.
• LEGOLAND Florida Resort offers families one-of-a-kind photo opportunities with a life-sized LEGO Model Santa Claus and 30-foot-tall LEGO Christmas tree during Christmas Bricktacular, taking place select dates in December.

Neat Kids Program in Rome by Waldorf. Photo by Waldorf

Andia located her new shop in a bustling area of Cary that is primarily residential with suburb type shopping and entertainment villages nearby. This part of Cary is very close to the Research Triangle Park so it's quite convenient for those who have business in the park to visit this side of town. Andia's  is just 15 minutes away from the Research Triangle Park. If you want to stay in Cary or Morrisville when visiting my area, find your hotel via my Book Your Hotel tab.


Andia's ice cream can be found in several restaurants and other locations in the Triangle.  Whatever you do, don't visit Andia's on a Monday. You'll be disappointed. It's the only day of the week the retail shop is closed.

Luckily for me, I can count on my husband to keep me in the know on this eclipse thing happening on August 21.  The other night I said, "I heard you need special glasses."

He responded, "I already ordered a four-pack on Amazon."

I said, "What time will it be?"

He said, "I am not sure, but I won't be at work."

I laughed, "So, you aren't going to work late at the office like you do most nights."

He looked at me with that look that only husbands can do. "It's in the afternoon."

I said, "Oh, I thought it was at night."  I kid you not. I did say that as embarrassing as it sounds now. Now, I'm writing it down for all to think I am the biggest idiot on the planet.

But now that I've researched, I told him that the Primland Resort in Virginia was having special events for a week.  We love that place and it has this big huge planetarium, and the astronomy department will guide you through the eclipse. I thought it may get him in the mood to pack his bag, but he ignored me.

Photo from Columbia Tourism

The world is going crazy for this viewing of two minutes and 36 seconds, I think.  Columbia, South Carolina will have the longest viewing apparently so you all go on ahead and travel down (here's my Book your Hotel Tab filled with my media affiliates. My sites takes you to their site for the best rates.) and see it. I heard rooms are sold out though because the masses are flocking there. Lucky for you. My inbox is filled with travel releases to South Carolina and other states in his path.  I've tried to educate myself on this special day.

Do not go to the bathroom around 2:35 pm or you may miss this viewing window. Hold your pee and put on your glasses. Now that I know it's the daytime, it can be very damaging to the eyes.

If you want to go to Columbia, here's some more information for you.

http://totaleclipsecolumbiasc.com/

And if you want to go to the beach, the Pawley's Island area of South Carolina is prepping big time for the viewing. Their viewing will be after Columbia by a few minutes.  This is known as the hammock coast of SC. I don't know about the eclipse, but grabbing a hammock and just seeing this sunset would be amazing. 

Photo credit: Hammock Coast Tourism and Austin Bond Photography

• Brookgreen Gardens, one of America’s premier outdoor sculpture gardens, will be hosting a Solar Eclipse Festival. The event will feature live music from Oracle Blue, free eclipse glasses, live streaming of NASA’s coverage of the eclipse as it crosses the USA, and live streaming coverage of the aviary in the Lowcountry Zoo, among other activities. 
• Rover Boat Tours, a 4.5-star experience, according to TripAdvisor users, is offering a Total Eclipse Cruise, a tour along the smooth inland waters leading to a barrier island where Winyah Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. The view of the eclipse from the water will be spectacular. 
• The Marshwalk in Murrells Inlet will be hosting Eclipse Day, offering people the opportunity to combine the natural wonder of the eclipse with the beauty of the Marshwalk. 
• Black River Outdoors, one of the most popular outdoor adventure companies on the South Carolina coast, is providing a Total Eclipse Kayak Tour. While the eclipse will be the star of the show, tour participants will also be able to experience native wildlife including wading herons, egrets and alligators.
• A special Eclipse Viewing Party at Kaminski House will feature a wedding as the totality of the eclipse passes over. 
• Parts of historic Front Street in Georgetown will be closed and there will be a DJ playing music, glasses that allow spectators to safely view the event, hydration stations, and multiple places to enjoy the eclipse. The City of Georgetown will also be providing public transportation to Front Street to help alleviate crowding. 

As for Raleigh, N.C, I have no idea what time to put on those glasses. Some say 2:44 may be the best time. We will see a partial eclipse and not the full shebang.

For me, I will avoid the crowds and either go to our neighborhood pool or my favorite brewery up the street. If I have to wear those silly glasses, I might as well as have a nice North Carolina craft beer and take advantage of my husband not being at the office.

But if you really want to know the truth, I would rather be at the Primland Resort doing some spa treatment. They have nice windows. I can look out the window.

What reward program do you use most?

Let's face it. As much as we want it to be, life is not perfect. And that means our travels, too.  So, what is a traveler to do when things don't go quite as planned or as you had hoped? I don't talk too much in this space about bad travel or hotel experiences because I've been really lucky through the years.  In past years, my only real complaints seem to center around the coffee experience in a room. I hate when a coffee maker is not provided and I dislike it, even more, when stirrers are not left in the room. I get so irritated when not enough coffee, creamer or sugar for the guests are in the room either. In the scheme of things though that is just petty stuff. That's not really a big deal.

But, what happens when you plan a family getaway and the pool is closed in the middle of summer and that pool was the only reason you booked in the property in the first place? Or, perhaps you've been sightseeing all day with four kids and you go to check into your hotel and room is still not ready one hour after check-in and it's 5:00 pm. What if the room is dusty? What if the bathroom shower curtain is soiled? What if the entire hotel is just a mess?



Our vacations or even short one-night getaways are events we look forward to and have spent our hard-earned money for us to go.  As travelers, we all expect a few basic things when we stay in a hotel. When those basic things are not met, you need to complain, but still be respectful to staff.

That's what I did. All of the above mishaps are a true story and it happened to me and my friend on our annual kid's getaway in June. I can't complain about the coffee because the room was so dusty that I was afraid to use the coffee maker.

There is no need to bash a hotel chain because it is was just one property.  But folks, TripAdvisor doesn't lie. In some ways, I could kick myself in the butt for not taking my own advice and reading up on TripAdvisor before I booked this Double Tree by Hilton waterway property in New Bern, N.C. But, we needed the location. We liked the pool, loved being on the water and this particular hotel had the best room set-up of connecting rooms that met our needs.

The New Bern water-front is beautiful

This was my friend's first introduction to this hotel brand. Needless to say, she was not impressed.  I've stayed in this brand before and this is certainly not the norm. No, this is not a luxury hotel, but even with three-star properties, cleanliness and efficiency need to be priorities.
The staff could not help the pool situation. That is not their fault. It was a huge inconvenience for every traveler there. Had I known in advance, we may have canceled. In the hotel's defense, they did arrange transportation to a local YMCA that closed at 7 pm if we wanted the service.  Going to a Y pool is just what two Moms want to do when they pay over $300 for two rooms for one night for a quick getaway.

Yes, we want to lug across town to a pool that will close almost as soon as we get there. Never mind that we all wanted to enjoy a restaurant downtown then have the kids swim later in the evening when we were back to the hotel for the night. We had visions of the kids swimming after dinner while we sat poolside on the water sipping on a cocktail. I had already picked out my chairs below.

The pool was closed during our stay and has been closed a lot this summer. Not sure if it is back open or not.

Front desk staff cannot help that the room is not ready.  But, hotel check-in is at 4 p.m. Rooms should be ready. And when rooms are ready, they should not be dusty. The entire hotel needs a renovation. Staff can't help that the tubs are peeling, the shower curtain is stained and the wallpaper is old, but they still have a responsibility to do a good job with cleaning.

Is there a positive in this story at all?

Yes, the beds were comfortable and we ended up sitting by the waterway in the evening which was nice. We were able to walk to dinner with ease.  We also enjoyed many aspects of New Bern that I will share with you later.

Plus, our kids enjoyed being together. This was our 5th year of taking an annual trip. We have had some good ones through the years. Even though this one was not perfect, being together was still fun.



The manager knew I wasn't happy when I kept going downstairs to check to see if my room was ready. Only one of the two were ready at 5:30 p.m. My friend was really irritated. We had unhappy kids. The desk manager asked what she could do to make this hotel fiasco up to us. I asked for complimentary breakfast for all of us. It, at least, saved us $60.

What would you ask for if you had been in our shoes?