Just a Jen in Mississippi Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 (edited) I know it's a long ways off, but we are enjoying thinking about it and want it to go better than our last two (and only) big vacations. We also need to know about how much to save for. Our first flop vacation was on our honeymoon (almost 18 years ago) and we went to Cancun, Mexico. I hated the language barrier and it just felt too much like Florida. Very touristy. And we were booked at the oldest hotel in Cancun. It was mortifying to be a young newlywed stuck in bathroom because the toilet wouldn't flush! LOL If you remember Katherine B. in TX's account of her Cancun honeymoon, mine was extremely similar! Then we went with our four kids and my mom to Disney last January. It just wasn't my idea of fun and I found it extremely stressful. I don't like crowds and lines so I thought January would be better.....it was still too much for my nerves. Too overwhelming. So, we don't want another disappointment and we really don't know where to start. We're thinking we'd like a Caribbean vacation, on the beach, stress-free, drink in hand, couples massage, tasty local food, historic site to visit (would be a bonus), couples only but not too secluded, kind of place. Heck, we may even renew our vows! There are just so many islands to choose from and as much as I love Florida, I don't want to feel that I could have saved money and just stayed in the states. But I do want an English speaking place. Anyone here ever stay at a place like that? Any recommended websites or travel agents? Things to consider? I just want to be very careful in my planning and expectations this time. Vacations are rare for us, so I want it to be good (and to feel it was worth the money!). Edited December 31, 2008 by Just a Jen in Mississippi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Why the Carribean instead of Hawaii? That's what my first choice would be :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just a Jen in Mississippi Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 Why the Carribean instead of Hawaii? That's what my first choice would be :-) We thought of Hawaii and I'm not opposed to it. I'm just a little afraid of being that far away from my kids........long flight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich with Kids Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 This may sound hokey, but I have always wanted to do a river cruise. The steamboats look so fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 We went to Sandals on Jamaica for our honeymoon. It was heavenly. I can't remember which resort exactly. They are all-inclusive resorts but you can pay more to do excursions to different places on the island. I just remember loving every single moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just a Jen in Mississippi Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 This may sound hokey, but I have always wanted to do a river cruise. The steamboats look so fun. You know, depending on finances in two years, that may be a good option that wouldn't be too far away or too expensive. My mom has done a few of the dinner cruises on the river and has enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommyX8 Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 We went to Hawaii in September for our anniversary. We had a hotel on the beach and it was like $250 for 4 nights. Yes, it is a long flight. And the time difference was difficult to get use to. But, it is a whole different US over there. When we left, there was a big hurricane in the South and the stock market was tanking. We had to go online to find out how things were back on the mainland as they didn't even mention them on the news. So it was actually refreshing to get away from all that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just a Jen in Mississippi Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 We went to Hawaii in September for our anniversary. We had a hotel on the beach and it was like $250 for 4 nights. Yes, it is a long flight. And the time difference was difficult to get use to. But, it is a whole different US over there. When we left, there was a big hurricane in the South and the stock market was tanking. We had to go online to find out how things were back on the mainland as they didn't even mention them on the news. So it was actually refreshing to get away from all that. What did y'all do while there? Any disappointments? I almost need to hear the negatives! LOL I would have been so much better off if people would have given me more of the negatives to Disney than just the typical, "You will have the BEST time of your life!". I've always dreamed of going to Hawaii and that was our first thought. I had just thought we could head to the Caribbean for cheaper from where we live, but maybe I'm wrong. I'd love to hear more about your trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Have you considered taking a cruise? You could cruise the Caribbean (or the Panama Canal). Depending on the style ship you pick, you can have lots of activities or a very quiet, relaxing time. Food is almost always awesome, views are gorgeous, and you get to sit back & relax & still wake up in a new location every day. If you do go to the Caribbean, you could also look into Puerto Rico. There, you wouldn't have to worry about exchanging money & the language barrier would be less. Hawaii is also wonderful. (You could also cruise there, but I think a land vacation there is better.) I love the Pacific (much, much more than the Caribbean). Of course, there are so many wonderful places to vacation (depending on what you're looking for & the distance you do or don't want to go). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 We've done two anniversary trips to Hawaii. ONe with kiddoes and spouses and one without. Both were fabulous. I am entertaining tonight and have things to get done, so I don't have time for a long post. But if you remind me, I will get back to you. We have done really expensive hotels and FRBO condos...each were fantastic for the momen I have sent several friends back to the same condo building that we stayed in on Maui. We did the Big Island, Maui (twice) and one night in Oahu. Skip Oahu except for Pearl Harbor. Gotta run.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 When dh and I went to Hawaii, it was rather touristy, so you'd need to make sure you find a place that is not that way. We were on Oahu most of the time, though, so knew it would be that way. It didn't bother us, but if you want to be away from too many people, that wouldn't be the place to go, imho. You live on the East coast somewhere? Our Honeymoon was to St. Croix--not a long flight from Florida at all! It was out of the way, quiet and not as touristy, had a beautiful beach area, and enough tours and things to keep us busy for about 5 days--which was how long we had, so it was perfect! We are vegetarians, and there was even a place that made to-die-for vegeburgers! :) We loved it there! Just thought I'd throw that idea out there......I can give more details if you wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 (edited) How about a secluded cabin in the N. GA Appalacian mtns. We spent our honeymoon and plan to go back for our 20th anniversary in 2010 in Forest Hills Mtn Hideaway in love nest 3. http://forresthillsresort.com/index.php/Honeymoon-Packages/ Edited December 31, 2008 by lynn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just a Jen in Mississippi Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 [quote=lynn;714029in love nest 3. http://forresthillsresort.com/index.php/Honeymoon-Packages/ :lol: Cute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just a Jen in Mississippi Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 When dh and I went to Hawaii, it was rather touristy, so you'd need to make sure you find a place that is not that way. We were on Oahu most of the time, though, so knew it would be that way. It didn't bother us, but if you want to be away from too many people, that wouldn't be the place to go, imho. You live on the East coast somewhere? Our Honeymoon was to St. Croix--not a long flight from Florida at all! It was out of the way, quiet and not as touristy, had a beautiful beach area, and enough tours and things to keep us busy for about 5 days--which was how long we had, so it was perfect! We are vegetarians, and there was even a place that made to-die-for vegeburgers! :) We loved it there! Just thought I'd throw that idea out there......I can give more details if you wish. I live in Mississippi, so not too far from Florida. The touristy thing is what I'm most afraid of. I guess it's not being around a lot of people that I'm afraid of, but I do want a more hands on helpful approach from the servers/hotel staff, etc. When we landed at Disney, I felt we were thrown to the wolves with the rest of the folks. We were lost even trying to find our room at the mega hotel. I'd like things a little more personalized, where ever we end up. We're not opposed to a cruise either. In fact, dh would like that very much. I guess I'm just a little more afraid of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just a Jen in Mississippi Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 (edited) Have you considered taking a cruise? You could cruise the Caribbean (or the Panama Canal). Depending on the style ship you pick, you can have lots of activities or a very quiet, relaxing time. Food is almost always awesome, views are gorgeous, and you get to sit back & relax & still wake up in a new location every day. If you do go to the Caribbean, you could also look into Puerto Rico. There, you wouldn't have to worry about exchanging money & the language barrier would be less. Hawaii is also wonderful. (You could also cruise there, but I think a land vacation there is better.) I love the Pacific (much, much more than the Caribbean). Of course, there are so many wonderful places to vacation (depending on what you're looking for & the distance you do or don't want to go). Can your recommend (or anyone) a website to look into cruises? There's just way too many choices! :001_huh: Edited December 31, 2008 by Just a Jen in Mississippi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I live in Mississippi, so not too far from Florida. The touristy thing is what I'm most afraid of. I guess it's not being around a lot of people that I'm afraid of, but I do want a more hands on helpful approach from the servers/hotel staff, etc. When we landed at Disney, I felt we were thrown to the wolves with the rest of the folks. We were lost even trying to find our room at the mega hotel. I'd like things a little more personalized, where ever we end up. We're not opposed to a cruise either. In fact, dh would like that very much. I guess I'm just a little more afraid of them.My sister loves cruises! I'm afraid of water and ship-borne diseases that seem to happen so often, so have never been on a cruise. My sister has been fine every time though! The place we stayed on St. Croix was VERY nice, I LOVED it! If you like the personal, one-on-one "royalty" treatment, though, my sister says a cruise can't be beat for that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just a Jen in Mississippi Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 My sister loves cruises! I'm afraid of water and ship-borne diseases that seem to happen so often, so have never been on a cruise. My sister has been fine every time though! The place we stayed on St. Croix was VERY nice, I LOVED it! If you like the personal, one-on-one "royalty" treatment, though, my sister says a cruise can't be beat for that! LOL, that's exactly the reason I haven't wanted to go on a cruise!!! Or the missing/thrown overboard cases!! But I know of folks that go every year and love it. I guess I need to look into it. My 13 year old is begging me not to go on a cruise because of "Titanic"!:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Can your recommend (or anyone) a website to look into cruises? There's just way too many choices! :001_huh: Well, we've always cruised w/ Windstar & Holland America. Windstar is a smaller sailing ship line that is part of Holland America (at least it used to be -- I think it still is). I believe Windstar ships are considered large sailing yachts. If you want romantic, intimate, wonderful cruising, I very highly recommend Windstar. (With Windstar, we cruised Tahiti on our honeymoon & have also cruised in the Caribbean.) I can just go on & on raving about the Windstar line.... Holland America is more along the lines of the jumbo-sized ships, but service is still amazing. Also, Holland America is not a 'party' line so there tend to be much older people on board (esp. when we did the Panama Canal -- I think were were 2 of about < than 50 people on board who were under the age of 75, lol). We also cruised Alaska w/ Holland America. (Part of the reason we originally chose Holland America is because of they also speak/write Dutch & my dh is a native Dutch speaker.) I know there are lots & lots of cruise lines, so maybe someone else can speak up about some of the other cruising companies. We've always been really happy w/ the Holland America/Winstar lines & have stuck w/ them through our cruise travels. It really does depend on the destination you're looking for, the atmosphere (party, casual, lots of onboard activities or not, etc...), and the pricing you want. A travel agent could probably give you a good rundown of the different options too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brindee Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 LOL, that's exactly the reason I haven't wanted to go on a cruise!!! Or the missing/thrown overboard cases!! But I know of folks that go every year and love it. I guess I need to look into it. My 13 year old is begging me not to go on a cruise because of "Titanic"!:lol::lol: That's funny--I always say if I ever DO go on a cruise it'll be to the Carribbean--cuz at least if the ship goes down, the water will be warm enough to last awhile in!:tongue_smilie: I still say one of the Virgin Islands would be great--and you can fly there! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 I live in Mississippi, so not too far from Florida. The touristy thing is what I'm most afraid of. I guess it's not being around a lot of people that I'm afraid of, but I do want a more hands on helpful approach from the servers/hotel staff, etc. When we landed at Disney, I felt we were thrown to the wolves with the rest of the folks. We were lost even trying to find our room at the mega hotel. I'd like things a little more personalized, where ever we end up. We're not opposed to a cruise either. In fact, dh would like that very much. I guess I'm just a little more afraid of them. Sandals staff was wonderful...kind & helpful...cool Jamaican accents, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in MD Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 The Turks and Caicos Islands are amazing - and I'm not saying that just because I work for a resort there :) If you're looking for something that is (somewhat) off the beaten path, quiet, and romantic, the T & C Islands are it. Plus it is only a 90-minute flight from Miami. I work for Ocean Club Resorts, but there are a lot of other options on the islands. You can check out the Tourist Board website for recommendations. Heather in MD So, we don't want another disappointment and we really don't know where to start. We're thinking we'd like a Caribbean vacation, on the beach, stress-free, drink in hand, couples massage, tasty local food, historic site to visit (would be a bonus), couples only but not too secluded, kind of place. Heck, we may even renew our vows! There are just so many islands to choose from and as much as I love Florida, I don't want to feel that I could have saved money and just stayed in the states. But I do want an English speaking place. Anyone here ever stay at a place like that? Any recommended websites or travel agents? Things to consider? I just want to be very careful in my planning and expectations this time. Vacations are rare for us, so I want it to be good (and to feel it was worth the money!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 If you go to the Caribbean, make sure you are updated on the damage done by the recent hurricanes--it was quite extensive in some parts. FWIW, my brother and his wife love St. Baarts--not touristy but plenty of services, excellent beaches, and they like a fancy lifestyle on vacation (if that makes sense). I've never been there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kari C in SC Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 We have been to St. John twice. I think it might fit your wants. It is a US territory, so no language problems. It is a small 8 mile island with a new beach to discover each day. There are some historic sugar mill ruins to explore. It is small and quaint. They only have 2 resorts on the island and they are pretty expensive. Your best bet is to rent a villa or a condo. We rented a whole villa our first time and it was so wonderful. Our second time, we cut our budget in half and rented a studio apt. It was still great, just not as fancy as our first trip. There is not a whole lot to do as far as tourist trap type stuff. There are just the most beautiful beaches and crystal clear blue water to explore. We snorkel everyday right from the beach. They have some nice places to eat and some shopping. We stuck to the more informal dining and cooking at the house. You can take the ferry back to St. Thomas for more tourist stuff. We did that on our first trip, but skipped it on our second. On our second trip, we did more hiking to the ruins, etc. After our second trip, we thought we would like to try a new island, but now it has been 2+ years and I am really thinking I want to take our kids back there to snorkel. Just dreaming though. Oh and there is an awesome book called Feet, Fins and 4 Wheel Drive that gives you the best tips for St. John. I hope this helps. I really think you would love it! Our 20th anniversary is in June of 2010... now I want to start planning a trip too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just a Jen in Mississippi Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 Thank you all so much! You've all given me some things to think about and locations to look into. I also appreciate the warning about hurricane damage! I wouldn't have thought of that. I'm sure I'll have more questions as time goes on! Happy New Year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginger Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I vote for a Sandals in Jamaica. We went to Jamaica for our honeymoon, and it was awesome. So beautiful there...beaches, mountains, rainforests. We took an excursion where they drove us to the top of the mountains overlooking Kingston, and then we biked downhill through the rainforests. I think it was like 25 miles. It was one of the most amazing things we've done(and it was raining at the time, adding to the effect). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just a Jen in Mississippi Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 I vote for a Sandals in Jamaica. We went to Jamaica for our honeymoon, and it was awesome. So beautiful there...beaches, mountains, rainforests. We took an excursion where they drove us to the top of the mountains overlooking Kingston, and then we biked downhill through the rainforests. I think it was like 25 miles. It was one of the most amazing things we've done(and it was raining at the time, adding to the effect). You know, I took an online quiz and it said I should go to Jamaica! I've read that the people are so friendly there. It's definitely in the running. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Mackinac Island. It's where the Jane Seymour/Christopher Reeve movie, Somewhere in Time, was filmed. I have not been there (yet) but I know people who have, and they loved it. The Grand Hotel is where *I'd* want to stay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
percytruffle Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 We discussed, at length, a planned trip for our 20th also. We were leaning toward Hawaii and then decided we just didn't want to spend that money and invest that time and then perhaps be disappointed in the end. We bought ourselves a canoe instead and have taken many, many small day trips to lakes and rivers nearby. Not what you had in mind, but it has worked fabulously for us. We just strap the canoe on the car on any nice afternoon and go for a paddle. It has been the everlasting trip. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MommyX8 Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 What did y'all do while there? Any disappointments? I almost need to hear the negatives! LOL I would have been so much better off if people would have given me more of the negatives to Disney than just the typical, "You will have the BEST time of your life!". I've always dreamed of going to Hawaii and that was our first thought. I had just thought we could head to the Caribbean for cheaper from where we live, but maybe I'm wrong. I'd love to hear more about your trip. We went to Waikiki. It was interesting and certainly for tourists. We went to a luau. We shopped in the International Market. One day we rented a car and went to the north side of the island. We had lunch on the beach in the sand. We saw the turtles and sting rays. The beach we went to only had about 10 people on it. We met a man who had lived on the island for 38 years. He said that he remembered wearing a long-sleeved shirt once. Once. :001_smile: When we go back, we will go to a different island. There is an island that is zoned so that no building can be higher than a palm tree. That is where will will go next time. I sat in coach on the long leg home from Hawaii and the lady that I sat next to said that she paid about $575 each for their tickets to Hawaii. Not bad if you buy in advance. We were there in September, which is a low time for travel, hence better deals. I don't have a passport, so our scope was limited. I think that I will fix that this year, though. If I had my way and could afford it, I'd move to Hawaii. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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