Mike and Darlene’s Weekly DEAL!
May 27, 2011

Good Morning Everyone, and Happy Friday!

We’d like to start this DEAL off by thanking all of you veterans out there, active, and retired, for your service! It takes a special kind of person to give up time with family and friends to serve your country, (we have an Iraq vet in our family, we know it’s not easy) and we want you all to know that we are very grateful to all of you.

Now for the DEAL! Yikes! Oceania Cruise Line is holding a “Historic Savings Event” with savings of up to 75% off cruise fares. If you’ve ever wanted to try a “premium” cruise line (in between contemporary like Royal Caribbean, and luxury, like Crystal), this is the time!!!

We think Oceania, like Azamara, is “premium, plus”. The ships are small (less than 700 guests), the ambiance is casually elegant…no need to pack a gown or tux; this cruise is made for those who want elegance, not stuffiness.

The very best value in the current sale (that ends on May 31!) is a 12-night Caribbean cruise on December 10th, 2011. This cruise offers a wonderful overview of the Western Caribbean, and with a Miami departure, air-fare will be easily obtained and reasonably priced for almost everyone. One more thing…this cruise is aboard Oceania’s brand new ship, the Marina!

Oceania Cruises Marina
12-Night Sapphire Seas, Miami R/T

Sat 12/10/11 Miami, Florida – Embark – 06:00 PM
Times subject to change.

Sun 12/11/11 Key West, Florida
08:00 AM – 03:00 PM

Mon 12/12/11 Cozumel, Mexico
12:00 PM – 06:00 PM

Tue 12/13/11 Belize City, Belize
08:00 AM – 06:00 PM

Wed 12/14/11 Roatan Island, Honduras
08:00 AM – 06:00 PM

Thu 12/15/11 Cruise Caribbean Sea

Fri 12/16/11 Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
08:00 AM – 06:00 PM

Sat 12/17/11 Colon, Panama
08:00 AM – 04:00 PM

Sun 12/18/11 Cartagena, Colombia
09:00 AM – 06:00 PM

Mon 12/19/11 Cruise Caribbean Sea

Tue 12/20/11 Georgetown, Grand Cayman
08:00 AM – 05:00 PM

Wed 12/21/11 Cruise Straits of Florida

Thu 12/22/11 Miami, Florida-Disembark 07:00 AM
Times Subject to change.

We’ve just re-checked availability, and because of the historically low fares*, this ship and sail date are selling out FAST! Interiors and ocean views are already sold out, but there are a few balconies left starting at $2249.00 per person, (including port fees) for this beautiful 12-night cruise! And to sweeten the DEAL, each stateroom will receive a $500.00 shipboard credit! That’s right, $500 bucks to shop with or book shore excursions, on the house!

And, if the Western Caribbean is not where you want to cruise right now, there are LOTS OF OPTIONS included in this sale! Europe, Asia, Panama Canal, South America…they’re all on the list, with sail dates from September 9th, 2011 to May 24, 2012! But remember, you must book by May 31, 2011 to take advantage of this promotion, so give us a call TODAY at 1-800-267-7613 and we’ll help you find the date and itinerary that works best for you.

Until then, have a great weekend, and a safe holiday.

Darlene & Mike
1-800-267-7613
http://www.kdscruisesandtours.com
kdscruises@gojade.org

*Fares include port fees/tax. Airfare, transfers and insurance are additional. Fares are based on double occupancy and are subject to change and availability.

And if you’d like to recieve the DEAL in your very own in-box, just drop us a line at kdscruises@gojade.org, we’ll sign you up-it’s FREE!

Get Out the Map May 27, 2011

Like the Earth Was Painted Red
By Mike & Darlene Jordan

A lot of places in the U.S. and around the world tout beautiful vistas and gorgeous colors. We’ve seen many of them and are looking forward to more.

The coast of Maine at Bar Harbor is breathtaking, as are the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina, the Glaciers of Alaska and at Glacier National Park in Montana, to name a few.
But there are few places that can match the sheer size and amount of absolutely jaw-dropping views and red sandstone rock formations of Southern Utah. We touched on this a little last week, but wanted to expand on it because there just aren’t that many places in the world where it seems like a group of the most incredible artists got together and sculpted and painted the earth just for the pleasure of passing motorists.

On this past trip, we entered Utah from the west on Highway 56 through Cedar City and climbed into the mountains via Highway 14, the Markagunt Plateau Scenic Byway. We hadn’t been on the road for 10 minutes when around a bend came the most incredible sight of a snow covered mountain with erosion-formed hoodoos framed by surrounding forest. A Hollywood producer couldn’t have reproduced that one vista with all of the computer graphics at his disposal; and this was just the start of our afternoon drive.

Unfortunately, snowpack did not permit us to stop at Cedar Breaks National Monument, but the scenery that followed more than made up for that. We’ll get back there someday.

Our route took us north and then east on Highway 12 through the northern portion of Bryce Canyon National Park. Note that we didn’t officially enter the park, although park rules apply to any vehicle driving through the park’s boundaries. Bryce Canyon is an incredible place, but we just didn’t have time for the visitor’s center and the main park road where an admission fee is required.
Still, the earth seemed as if painted red. Rock formations surround the drive everywhere you look. It’s really not fair to whoever is driving. Park traffic can be heavy during the high season and it’s not advisable to take one’s eyes off the road. But you can’t help it. Just imagine: if this is the part of the park you get to see for free, how incredible must the part be that you have to pay for?

We left Bryce Canyon and got our mouths closed just in time to drive up Escalante (The Grand Staircase). This road climbs to a pass between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks and is one we discovered several years ago when traveling the opposite direction. It climbs the surrounding canyon in a winding road where the views and formations continue—at some points you’ll even see down into the canyon on both sides of the road! The Escalante Staircase is a must see when traveling in Utah!

We stopped in the town of Torrey, near Capitol Reef where the rock formations continue, perhaps even more spectacular than we’d seen the previous day. In the past, we’ve headed south from Hanksville on Highway 95 through Glenn Canyon and White Canyon, crossing the north end of Lake Powell. Only time prevented us from doing it again.
If you’re looking for an inexpensive (well, except for gas) vacation you’ll never forget, Utah has a lot to offer. We’ll be going back soon…only this time we’ll stop and take it all in.

Until next time…get out the map!
Mike and Darlene Jordan are franchisees of CruiseOne., and are based in Southern Colorado. You can contact them at 800-267-7613 or by email at mjordan@cruiseone.com.

Hello Everyone, and Happy Friday, er…Saturday!

We’re a bit delayed with our DEAL this week. We were going to prepare it yesterday, but we heard from several sources that TODAY was to be the end of the world, so we thought…would we just be wasting our time? But we got up this morning, and things seem to be fine, so here’s our deal:

Since we’re pretty confident now that those predictors were all wet, and we all have some time left, we’re giving you a great DEAL to book for November 18th, 2011. We’re featuring the sophisticated and beautiful Celebrity Equinox, sailing a 10-night round-trip Rome itinerary:

Celebrity Cruises Celebrity Equinox

10-Night Eastern Mediterranean, Rome R/T

Fri 11/18/11 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy –
Embark – 05:00 PM Times are subject to change.

Sat 11/19/11 Messina, (Sicily) Italy
10:00 AM – 07:00 PM

Sun 11/20/11 Valletta, Malta
08:00 AM – 05:00 PM

Mon 11/21/11 At Sea

Tue 11/22/11 Chania, Crete, Greece
07:00 AM – 04:00 PM

Wed 11/23/11 Rhodes, Greece
09:00 AM – 06:00 PM

Thu 11/24/11 Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey
07:00 AM – 06:00 PM

Fri 11/25/11 Athens (Piraeus), Greece
07:00 AM – 05:00 PM

Sat 11/26/11 At Sea

Sun 11/27/11 Naples, Italy
07:00 AM – 06:30 PM

Mon 11/28/11 Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy – Disembark – 04:30 AM
Time are subject to change.

And what an itinerary it is! Only two sea days on this 10-nighter, you get to see a LOT of the Eastern Mediterranean on this one! I don’t have to say much about the port calls, you’ll recognize these ports, most of us have been reading about them or seeing them in movies or on TV for our whole lives…here’s your chance to experience them for yourselves!

Here’s the DEAL: Call us at 1-800-267-7613 BY MONDAY, MAY 23RD, and in addition to the low fares* listed below, you’ll get $50 in shipboard credit for each stateroom booked. (Hint-take your family!) You’ll also receive a Celebrity Coupon booklet worth up to $150 in onboard savings!

Interior staterooms start at only $799 per person, plus tax-a steal for a 10-night cruise with this amazing itinerary! (Plus coupon book, plus shipboard credit)

Ocean View staterooms start at just $100 more per person, that’s $899 plus tax, a great bargain! And, any reservation for an ocean view or higher category can take advantage of a 50% reduced deposit. (Plus coupon book, plus onboard credit)

And now, for the icing on the Equinox cake: Book a balcony with us, by Monday the 23rd, and your ship gratuities are ON THE HOUSE! That’s right; gratuities worth approximately $115 per person are paid for you if you book a balcony or higher category! (Plus coupon book, plus shipboard credit AND reduced deposit)

But remember, you MUST book with us and deposit by Monday. But why wait??? For the best stateroom selection, call us NOW at 1-800-267-7613, or email us at kdscruises@gojade.org to book your dream trip to the Mediterranean. You’ll get to brag to your friends that you’re spending Turkey Day in Turkey! They’ll probably want to join you, just so they don’t have to hear that anymore!

We’re here all weekend, give us a call. We’ve even found some decent airfare, but airfares change constantly, so the sooner we get you booked, the better.

And if you’d like to get the DEAL in your inbox on Fridays, email us and we’ll add you to our subscriber list…it’s FREE!

Darlene & Mike
http://www.kdscruisesandtours.com

*Fares are based on double occupancy and are subject to change and availability. Fares include port fees. Taxes, airfare, transfers and insurance are additional

Get Out the Map May 21, 2011

Family Road Trip
By Mike & Darlene Jordan

Normally, we love road trips. There’s nothing like heading out for parts unknown; stopping here and there, taking a road just to see where it leads. One finds the coolest places that way.
Sometimes, though, the road trip has a specific destination, and that destination isn’t always near anything “special.”

Oh, there was something special at our destination of Twin Falls, Idaho, all right—two beautiful grandchildren. We decided we’d head straight up there in about a day and a half drive and see them (and their folks, too) and take our time and see a few sights on the way back, allowing 3 or 4 days for the return. Our main objective was to avoid spending 10-12 hours a day driving. Because our usual pet-sitters were on their own road trip, we were traveling with our little lhasa apso, too.

Tip #1: 3 or 4 days is not enough for an open-ended sightseeing trip, especially if you want to avoid spending 10-12 hours a day driving.

The drive up was fine-wonderful weather, excellent new hotel in Layton, Utah, where we spent the night, and we had a wonderful, albeit short, visit with the grandkids. Unfortunately, other than the big hole in the ground right on the north edge of town (actually a beautiful gorge with river, waterfalls, parks, etc.), there really isn’t much sightseeing near the town…or on the way home.

We decided to start our homeward journey by taking the back roads south through Elko, Nevada, and we thought we’d stop and play there for the afternoon and spend the night. It was a pretty drive past beautiful farm country and in and out of the aforementioned canyon, which extends for miles east and west of Twin Falls. You can’t do 75 mph on the back roads, though, and we didn’t arrive in Elko until early afternoon.

Tip #2: Most of the hotel/casinos in Elko don’t take pets, and you don’t want to stay in the ones that do.

After a quick lunch at a Basque restaurant (we didn’t see any Basque food on the menu), we started looking for a place to stay. It didn’t have to be a hotel casino, but our usual favorites (Hilton, Hampton, Holiday Inn Express) didn’t allow pets, nor did the only really decent casino/hotel. We found one that would, got the key from the front desk and went to check out the room. When we tried the door, the key worked but the door chain was latched, the TV was on and we could see through the window that someone’s clothes were on the bed! We cancelled and decided to move on. Elko just didn’t seem that inviting.

Our favorite little Nevada town of Ely was only a few hours away, so we headed that direction over some of the most deserted highways we’ve ever driven. Heading south on Highway 278 toward Eureka, we didn’t see another vehicle—not one—heading the same direction we were for almost 90 miles and only a half dozen or so coming the other way. By the time we reached Eureka, it was about 4:30 p.m., we’d been on the road since 9:00 a.m. and we were ready to stop.

Tip #3: Eureka’s dumpy hotels don’t take pets either.

We knew that the Hotel Nevada in Ely does take pets. It would be at least another 90 minutes to get there. It’s not the Ritz, but it’s a fun place where we’ve stayed before and by the time we got there, we’d been on the road for about ten and a half hours, but we had a place to stay.

Vowing that we’d do some sightseeing the next day in one of Utah’s beautiful national parks (really…if you haven’t been to Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches, or Canyonlands National Parks, you’re really missing a treat) we started heading east into the Beehive State.

Once you get into southern Utah, though, the roads start to wind. Yes, they are some of the most beautiful roads you’ll ever drive on, but you won’t be doing 70. We made it into Bryce Canyon N.P. by mid afternoon, marveling at the incredible and colorful rock formations.

Tip #4: National Parks don’t like dogs, either. (Didn’t matter…it was raining anyway.)

We actually knew about the National Park dog rule, but we did stop for a short hike to a place called Mossy Cave, and immediately came across a no dogs sign. Somewhat discouraged and now about 7 hours into the driving day we headed for Escalante, another of Utah’s most incredible drives. The shadows were getting long, and we were getting cranky. We stopped in Torrey for the night.and ate at a bad restaurant. We were ready to go home. It meant another 10 hour driving day, mostly in the rain.

We loved seeing the family. We don’t get to, very often, and, yes, we’ll go again. Next time, we’ll fly.

Until next time…get out the map!

Mike and Darlene Jordan are franchisees of CruiseOne., and are based in Southern Colorado. You can contact them at 800-267-7613 or by email at djordan@ cruiseone.com or mjordan@cruiseone.com.
http://ping.fm/6uuBi

Get Out the Map May 6, 2011

The Mouse At Sea
By Mike & Darlene Jordan

Sometimes, when we’re talking to someone about a potential cruise, we’ll bring up the Disney Cruise Line as an option. Some of the adults we talk to immediately roll their eyes and give us a “you’ve got to be kidding” look. They’re obviously the ones who don’t have children or grandchildren. Little do they know…Disney Cruise Line isn’t just for kids—more on that later.

For the ones with kids, we’re usually telling them something they already know. Disney Cruise Line has become a force in the cruise industry offering 3 ships (the all-new Disney Dream made its maiden voyage in January of this year. It’s longer and taller than its cousins, the Disney Wonder and the Disney Magic.

Although the cruise line came along almost 5 decades after the building of the first Disneyland Park, the Disney franchise’s characteristic attention to detail, creativity, and wonder is evident in the company’s ships, as well.

Case in point: one of the Disney Cruise Line restaurants, the Animators Palate. In this dining room, the décor at the beginning of mealtime is all black and white. As the meal progresses, the black and white motif gradually changes to color!

Unlike ANY other cruise lines, Disney incorporates a rotational dining system. Guests dine in a different restaurant every night—their waiters and busboys rotate, too—giving everyone a chance to experience every dining option available.

The cruise line does cater to the child in all of us. Disney characters do make appearances on deck, in shows, and all around the ships.

There’s also a lot of the Disney magic in the extensive children’s activity programs offered on board. Activities are age-appropriate, starting with toddlers until age 3, 3-10 year-olds, 11-13, and 14-17. Even the most jaded teen-ager will find something to do here. The teen club is 9,000 square feet with its own outdoor space (new to the Disney Dream) with sun deck and wading pools.

But…we said it’s not just for kids. That’s true. The Disney ships have family areas but also adults-only areas, including adults-only pools. That’s great for those of us who travel without kids and can’t abide the “Marco…Polo….Marco…Polo” water torture for more than a nanosecond. The adult areas don’t stop at the pools, though. One of the most popular restaurants at sea, Palo, which is exclusive to Disney ships, is closed to anyone under 18. This place is so popular that the new Disney Dream has added another adults only restaurant, Remy, with a French atmosphere and cuisine.

We’ve had clients call and have us make reservations for Palo months ahead of their cruise in order to make sure they get a table. These same people are retired and travel on Disney without children or grandchildren! They just love the Disney experience.

That experience continues off the ship during its stop at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in the Bahamas. As on the ship, the island has activities for kids of all ages and adults, too, including an adults-only beach called Serenity Bay that’s well separated from the family beach. Again, no one under 18 allowed.

One major consideration if you’re considering a Disney cruise vacation. Like all Disney vacation options, the cruise line is extremely popular. Unlike other cruise lines, there are only 3 ships in the fleet. High demand plus a low supply equals fairly high cost.

The best time (price-wise) to consider a Disney cruise is during the low part of the cruise season, which is any time kids are in school. Prices are quite a bit lower in the fall and winter months. Holiday sailings are very expensive (as they are on all cruise lines) as are the spring break and summer seasons.

Still, for a family looking for a great getaway that has something for everyone, a Disney cruise should be on the horizon.

Until next time…get out the map!

Mike and Darlene Jordan are franchisees of CruiseOne, and are based in Southern Colorado. You can contact them at 800-267-7613 or by email at mjordan@cruiseone.com.

Mike and Darlene’s Weekly DEAL! May 6, 2011

Hello Everyone, and Happy Friday!

First of all…thanks so much to all of our new subscribers…and Welcome! We hope you’ll enjoy your first Weekly DEAL!

It’s not very often that we come across a real DEAL on a holiday cruise, but we’ve found one for you this morning! Imagine taking the whole family on a cruise for Thanksgiving, inviting your friends too, and having a huge gathering for a holiday meal, and no-one in the group has to cook or clean!!! You’ll be a hero for years to come, and think of the memories everyone will have.

Our featured cruise this week is aboard the Norwegian Spirit, sailing on November 20th, 2011.

First, you’ll visit Costa Maya, Mexico and Belize after a relaxing day at sea. Then, you’ll spend Thanksgiving Day on the island of Roatan, in Honduras, and have Thanksgiving dinner aboard ship, on your way to the beautiful waters of Cozumel, Mexico. What a way to start the holiday season!

Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Spirit November 20th, 2011

7-Night Western Caribbean, New Orleans, R/T

Sun 11/20/11 New Orleans, Louisiana – Embark – 05:00 PM Time subject to change

Mon 11/21/11 At Sea

Tue 11/22/11 Costa Maya, Mexico
10:00 AM -6:00 PM

Wed 11/23/11 Belize City, Belize
8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Thu 11/24/11 Roatan Island, Honduras
08:00 AM – 05:00 PM

Fri 11/25/11 Cozumel, Mexico
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Sat 11/26/11 At Sea

Sun 11/27/11 New Orleans, Louisiana – Disembark – 8:00 AM Time subject to change

Fares* are great on this one, especially for families! But, availability is very slim already, and there are only interior and ocean view staterooms left that will accommodate 4 guests in a room (quad occupancy). But check out these DEALS! Interior Quads start at just $723.76 per person for the first two in the room, and the fare for guests 3 and 4 is only $393.76 per person! That averages out to a little less than $560 per person for a 7-night cruise with 4 port calls!

Upgrade to an ocean-view quad and the first two in the room go for only $933.76, with the fare for the 3rd and 4th in the room staying at only $393.76 per person. You’re still averaging less than $670 per person on a great cruise! AND, these fares INCLUDE port fees and TAX.

Now, if you have a whole family going, you may need some double occupancy rooms too. The good news is, there are still plenty of those left:

Interior doubles start at $723.76 per person.

Ocean View doubles start at only $793.76 per person, and you can book a double occupancy Balcony Stateroom for only $989.09 per person…on a HOLIDAY cruise! There are also some suites still available; call 1-800-267-7613 for a quote if you prefer a suite for this cruise.

And, while space lasts, you’ll also get a $75 ship-board credit per stateroom!

So, don’t wait-call us today at 1-800-267-7613 and let us know how many rooms you need, and we’ll get busy holding your Thanksgiving cruise space!

Until then, have a great weekend, and everybody, think RAIN for the Southwestern part of our country.

Darlene & Mike
http://ping.fm/1DPhm
kdscruises@gojade.org
1-800-267-7613

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*Fares quoted include port fees and tax, and are subject to change and availability. Airfare, transfers and insurance are additional.