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Follow My Caribbean Winter Getaway and Win a Free Cruise

11/30/2016

Carnival Vista will be my home for the week as I sail in the Caribbean during the national conference for Cruise One and Dream Vacations.

By John Roberts

Win a Free Cruise!

That's right, you can win a free cruise for two on Harmony of the Seas. Just by making a quick and easy post to your Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts.

I knew that would get your attention, so I figured there was no sense in delaying the most important news in this post. The full details follow, but first, let me tell you how this whole contest came to be and why I am the first one telling you about it.

This weekend, I'll be boarding one of the best new cruise ships to come along in years. Sailing on Carnival Vista, with all of its amazing restaurants, bars and activities, will be awesome enough. So will the fact that I'm cruising down to the Caribbean, which is one of my favorite destinations -- especially because it's December, and I live in New Jersey.

But what makes this cruise special is that I will be sailing with hundreds of cruise professionals onboard Carnival Vista for the Cruise One, Cruises Inc and Dream Vacations national conference. This means I'll have access to the people who know the most about cruise travel.

They have years of expertise and all sorts of good tips. I am going to be roaming the ship all week and sharing our cruise experiences so you can see why I love this type of travel so much.

As you know, I'm a big cruising fan, and I share a lot about what I learn about cruising on this website every day. But I'm always amazed by how much more I can learn just by being around fellow travelers.

I'll be seeking out new advice, money-saving tips and ways to have a better cruise as I hang out with the pros from Dream Vacations. If you have never cruised and are interested in knowing exactly what these trips can offer or if you are a veteran cruiser, I urge you to follow along and join in during the week.

Ask your burning questions about cruising, and I'll work to get you answers. Mainly, though, I'll just be enjoying the cruise and showing you what it's all about.

Go ahead, fire away! Post questions in the comments below this post or on any of my homes on social media -- where you also can see what we're up to on Carnival Vista from December 3 to 11 as we sail out of Miami and stop at cruise ports in Grand Turk, the Dominican Republic, Curacao and Aruba.

Follow along on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to look for daily posts, photos and info about this cruise and cruising in general. Look for the hashtag #MyDreamVacation.

As I said, this is a unique opportunity. I'll be cruising with cruise experts.

What do they know that can help you enjoy a dream vacation?

Speak up: What do you want me to ask? Are you considering your first cruise and want to know what to expect? Are you a veteran cruiser looking for new ways to have fun, save money or pack?

The best part! Dream Vacations is giving away a free cruise for two. And the winners will sail away for a vacation on the biggest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean's brand-new Harmony of the Seas.

It's extremely easy to enter.

Now, here come all those sweepstakes details you've been looking for.

Just tell the world all about your idea of a dream vacation by posting to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and using the hashtag #MyDreamVacation. The contest runs from December 3 to December 9, and the winner gets a 7-night cruise for two on Harmony of the Seas.

Check out all the info here -- you know, the rules, ways to enter, legal stuff and most importantly the details of your prize.

Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you join in the cruise conversation all week.

Remember, look for #MyDreamVacation posts each day to see what I'm up to onboard and ashore in the Caribbean on Carnival Vista. To learn more about the travel pros I'll be hanging with, check out DreamVacations.com.

Happy travels, always!
JR

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Europe Biking Trip Is a Delightful Adventure Down Memory Lane

11/28/2016

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Biking in the Wachau Valley in Germany at the Danube River

Matt and I took a biking river cruise with AmaWaterways and Backroads this summer. The journey traced the Danube River and put us in amazing destinations in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic.

By John Roberts

The afternoon sun was quickly setting as we traced the path of the Danube River, which had been a constant companion for several days during our weeklong biking trip.

Now, as we followed the final miles of another lovely day's ride and pedaled through a bountiful vineyard in the Wachau Valley in Austria, I was suddenly struck by the powerful sense of nostalgia that I was experiencing.

I was enjoying this cycling journey with my best friend, Matt. Who would have thought that two kids who grew up in the countryside of Upstate New York -- and whose idea of a biking adventure was a nightly pedal of about 12 miles roundtrip to Bristol Mountain and back on a rural road -- would now be exploring scenic European villages, hills and cities from a bike seat?

It had been almost three decades since we had been biking together. As teenagers, our bikes served as outlets to relieve boredom, a way to wander beyond our immediate neighborhood, kill some time and even occasionally as a necessary mode of transport when Mom wouldn't drive us to a friend's house.

When we turned 16 and secured our driver's licenses, the bikes got used less frequently, until they began gathering dust and eventually were donated or sold off at a yard sale, probably.

Now, we were gliding along the roads and paths of the Danube and climbing the hills into the countryside of Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary as we made our way from the town of Vilshofen in Bavaria to the picturesque capital city of Budapest.

The wind whistled through my helmet and a smile grew on my face as we finished that ride in the Wachau Valley.

"Can you believe we are riding again? And here!" I said to Matt.

"This is awesome!" he replied.

Perhaps unsure in the saddle in our early miles during the week, we quickly regained that old form.

Riding to horse farms and castles. Alongside busy roadways and along dirt and gravel paths.

Through those vineyards and into apple and pear orchards.

Through fields of corn and sunflowers.

In rain and sunshine.

On flats and rolling hills.

Our longest ride took us from one European capital to another -- crossing the old Iron Curtain territory as we traveled from Vienna to Bratislava, Slovakia. Our legs and rumps held up fairly well for a pair of guys now nearing their 50th birthdays.

Matt and I built much of the foundation of our enduring friendship during our bike rides as youngsters.

Getting back up in the seat in Europe reminded me of the power of the bike. It can take you off the beaten path to explore a new place. It can propel you toward your fitness goals.

Or help you escape life's daily grind for a few precious moments.

And I also discovered that a bike can take you back in time -- to when you first found that joy of riding with your best friend.
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Thanks for reading. I hope you're now motivated to rekindle an old passion, too.

Happy travels!
JR

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Holland America Koningsdam Makes Splash with Fitness Amenities

11/18/2016

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TRX classes are just one of the group fitness sessions you can pay for on Holland America Koningsdam.

By John Roberts

Sure, the newest Holland America ship, Koningsdam, charts a new course in entertainment and dining.

With its revolutionary Music Walk venues that keep passengers singing and dancing well into the night, and restaurants like the Culinary Arts Center, Sel de Mer and Tamarind that serve up foods to suit a wide variety of tastes, travelers will thoroughly enjoy this cruise ship.
Your health and fitness regimen doesn't take a back seat on Koningsdam, either. I took a cruise on Koningsdam and found several ways the ship works for travelers who like to stay fit.

The gym offers all the equipment you need to keep up your fitness program.

Ryde fitness class on Holland America Koningsdam

The Gym -- The large and well-equipped gym has dozens of pieces of standard cardio equipment (treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes and rowing machines) as well as Precor brand weight-training stations for all muscle groups. The fitness center has a free-weights area with benches and dumbbells that go up to 75 pounds and a Smith machine and universal cable machine. Other pieces include Expresso bikes with programmed routes and scenery to track your ride, a Total Gym exerciser and NuStep and SciFit trainers. So, you can see that the area is fully outfitted for almost any workout regimen.

Fitness Classes -- Sign up for classes like Pilates, yoga, TRX (fees $12 to $20). Other free classes like morning stretching also are available. The ship also has a dedicated Ryde studio for the popular spin-style classes ($20).

Thalassotherapy pool in Greenhouse Spa on Koningsdam

The thalassotherapy pool in Greenhouse Spa can help ease sore muscles.

Spa -- Several treatment rooms offer a range of massages, from Swedish to hot stone and more. Also, you can get passes to the Greenhouse Spa to enjoy use of the saunas, ceramic heated lounging chairs, thalassotherapy pool (it's a really cool circular one with cascading showers and overhead twinkle lights for night-time use), steam room and hot tubs. The passes are $40 for one day or about half that price per day if you buy a full-cruise pass.

Outdoor fitness area on Koningsdam cruise ship

Basketball court on Koningsdam cruise ship

Jogging Track -- Koningsdam features the standard small jogging track seen on most cruise ships. The track on Deck 11 takes 12 laps to complete a mile. It is clear of loungers and other inconveniences found on some ships. However, a better space for avid runners is the promenade on Deck 3. The outside deck there encircles the entire ship and takes just three laps per mile and offers cover from the sun and winds that can make an outdoors run in the Caribbean a bit brutal.

Outdoor Fitness -- Just off the jogging track, you'll find a range of fitness equipment and activities. Workout stations on the outside deck include a strider and chest-press machine as well as bars for modified pull-ups, push-ups and stretching. Nearby is the sports court, where people play basketball or soccer.

Spa Verandah staterooms are located close to the Greenhouse Spa and the fitness center and come with wellness amenities like yoga mats, Fitbits and Vitamin Water.

Spa Verandah Cabins -- These staterooms are located on Decks 10 and 11 close to the Greenhouse Spa. In your room, you get fresh fruit refilled daily, Vitamin Water, Fitbits and a yoga mat.

Healthy Food -- I've always said you can find plenty of healthy options around a cruise ship, especially by curating your own plates full of goodness with all the ingredients available at the buffet, from fresh salads and veggies to lean proteins likes chicken, turkey and sushi. Koningsdam also has a healthy gourmet dining experience with its Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine. The dedicated space on Deck 2 features cooking classes during the day and a farm-to-table concept dinner event ($39) in which chefs explain how they are preparing each course you are enjoying. Meals include responsibly sourced fish and beef dishes and salads and appetizers complemented with greens grown onboard the ship.
What do you think? Would you like to sail on Koningsdam?

At the Culinary Arts Center, the chefs give a show and explain the ingredients in your farm-to-table inspired meals.

Thanks for reading.
Travel happy! Travel fit! Travel often!
JR

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Follow My Caribbean Winter Getaway and Win a Free Cruise

Europe Biking Trip Is a Delightful Adventure Down Memory Lane

Holland America Koningsdam Makes Splash with Fitness Amenities

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