Important travel news for you.

Cannes Joins the List of Ports Restricting Cruise Ships

Beginning January 2026, larger cruise ships (those carrying over 3,000 passengers) will be limited to just one vessel per day. This quota is a significant change and is expected to reduce large ship visits by approximately 50%, with calls decreasing to 34 in 2026 and further declining to 31 in 2027. Additionally, the city has established a daily passenger capacity limit of 6,000 cruise tourists.

Ships carrying under 1000 passengers will be encouraged.

Cannes joins the growing list of popular destinations such as Venice, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Santorini, Dubrovnik, and Nice beginning to limit cruise ship visits.

Air Travel News

Most recently, strikes by French air traffic controllers have seriously disrupted travel across Europe. Helsinki has experienced disruption due to rolling strikes by ground crew. Travelers can protect themselves from increased costs (but maybe not the hassles) by buying travel insurance that covers delays.

In other news, Jet Blue has pulled out of Miami saying the route was not profitable. Expect Miami air prices to increase. Remember, Fort Lauderdale (FLL) is a viable, and often less expensive option.

Heading to the U.K.?

Don’t forget the ETA is now required

If you are visiting the U.K., you need to apply for and have the new ETA. THE ETA (electronic travel authorization) lets you travel to the U.K. for tourism, visiting family or certain other reasons for up to 6 months. If you are merely transiting through a UK airport and not leaving the airport, you do not need one. Otherwise, learn more and apply at the official site.

New Mexican Tourist Tax

Mexico is now charging a tax on foreign visitors to support sustainable travel throughout Baja California Sur which includes the popular Cabo San Lucas.

As of June 30, 2025, all foreign visitors staying in for more than 24 hours are required to pay what’s called the EMBRACE IT tax, priced at $470 MXN (approximately US$25) per person.

Payment must be made exclusively online through the Travelkore platform, and travelers must show proof of payment at the state’s entry and exit points. The tax applies to all international visitors arriving by land or air at Los Cabos (SJD), Cabo San Lucas (CSL), La Paz (LAP) and Loreto (LTO) airports.

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March 28, 2025

Real ID Required to Fly in U.S. and ETA Needed to Visit the U.K.

The New U.S. Travel Regulation: You Need a Real I.D. to Fly

In the U.S., the implementation of Real ID begins after years of delays.

This means if you are flying domestically in the U.S. you must have an I.D. that complies with real ID or use a passport.

What’s a Real I.D? As of May 7, 2025 a Real I.D. is required to fly in the U.S. It is your driver’s license or state I.D. but with an important distinction—it must have a Star. REAL ID-compliant cards will have one of the following markings on the upper top portion of the card. If the card does not have one of these markings, it is not REAL ID-compliant and won’t be accepted as proof of identity to board commercial aircraft.

To learn more visit the official website.

Here are examples of what it looks like on your license or state i.d:

Visiting the U.K. from the U.S? There a New Travel Regulation

You need an ETA

It’s not really a visa, it’s an electronic travel authorization. You need one if you are visiting the U.K. 

Note: if you are simply traveling through a U.K. airport, and not going through passport control, you don’t need this.  But if you do plan to spend any time in the U.K. you need to do this before you leave home.

It will cost £16 per person. Children and infants need one too. If you do have a visa, you do not need this.

Here’s what you need to know and where you can apply.

Visiting Europe? You Don’t Need This-Yet

The European Union countries are planning to require an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) but implementation has been delayed until at least 2026. If you want to keep on on the news, this is the official site.

More travel information from Far Far Away Travels:

Our Tips to Getting the Best Airfare

Will a Hurricane Mess Up My Cruise?

Airfare Secrets! Two For One

The post New Travel Regulations: Real ID and ETA Explained appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Research shows that the average person who plans their own trip spends over 30 hours researching it. That’s almost a whole work week and many people spend more time than that! As travel agents, we devote ourselves to knowing which cruise will be the best cruise for each client, while also saving them time and money.

How can you avoid wasting time and money on your cruise planning, and get to relaxing sooner? Here are some amazing cruise planning tips.

There are 18 cruise lines and almost 800 cruises in Alaska alone – that’s a lot to research. Save yourself time by working with an expert to pick your cruise..

Tip 1: Before You Choose a Cruise, Think!

The most important cruise planning tip is to think before you book! Don’t jump at the first low price or pretty social media post. Ask yourself, what are you looking to get from your cruise. Are you looking for the best cruise line for your family? Or perhaps a romantic trip for two with no kids? Is there a destination you have in mind?

The most important question to ask yourself is what is your budget? Since the pandemic, many travelers have decided to upgrade their travel and splurge on something they might not have before. But it’s about what works for you! We often see people jump at a low advertised price without realizing they will end up paying more in the end than if they had booked a higher priced cruise that included more. We often prepare spreadsheets for our clients so they can compare apples-to-apples.

If you are using a travel advisor, and you should, tell them clearly what you want so they can help you plan your perfect trip.

Questions to answer for planning your cruise:

• Who is traveling? There are cruise lines that specialize in kids and others that don’t allow children. Will it be multi-generational? Cruising solo is popular, is that you?
• Are you restricted to certain dates? If so, you might want to engage a travel agent (also known as a travel advisor), at no cost to you, who can quickly scan your date range and tell you what is available.
• Do you have certain destinations in mind or do you just want to cruise? Alaska is extremely popular and there is much to know to maximize your experience.
• Do you have a budget? See Tip 2.
• When you stay in a hotel do you stay at a Four Seasons, a Motel 6, or something in between? Cruiselines have the same types of differences in luxury and quality. As part of your research, make sure you know you are getting the cruise you want. The more you tell your travel advisor, the better they can match you to the right cruise.
• Make a list of what you will want, such as:
  • Wi-fi
  • Specialty dining
  • Drinks (many lines charge extra for soft drinks as well as wine, alcohol, etc.)
  • Gratuities. While technically optional, you should pay them. They can be as high as $20 per person per day as only a few crusielines include them in the price.
  • Spa services
  • Shore excursions
  • Room service. Many lines charge extra for this.

Tip 2: Consider Value Over Price For A Cruise

All too often, travelers get drawn in by a low advertised price, only to find out at the end of the cruise they owe money for all sorts of things. Watch for items like crew gratuities, wi-fi, soft drinks, even coffees and dining! These costs all add up, and this doesn’t even include shore excursions. This doesn’t mean cruising isn’t a good value–it is!

Speaking of the value of cruising, we often see people who have sticker shock over the price of a cruise. Then they compare a comparable land vacation and realize the value of a cruise.

If you’re planning a cruise, that more expensive looking choice may be a better value. Look behind the curtain of a “good deal” and make an informed decision. We’ve seen far too many people book a “cheap” cruise, then end up spending more money on all the extras, than if they had booked a “more expensive” cruise that included more. Don’t let that happen to you.

We prepare spreadsheets for our clients who are choosing between different cruises so they can see the actual cost and value of each.

Several cruise lines engage in more honest pricing. They will include beverages, Wi-Fi, port fees, crew gratuities, specialty restaurants, and sometimes even shore excursions. Booking a cruise with one of them can result in a much better and more relaxing experience.

Virgin Voyages includes more with Fair and Flexible pricing

Tip 3: How to Choose a Cruise to Get the Best Price?

This is one of our best cruise planning tips. While last minute deals still exist, nowadays the cruise lines often make the best offers to those who book early. We always suggest booking as early as you can with a refundable deposit. With a refundable deposit, it’s easier to get the price reduced if the price drops later. Or, worst case, cancel the booking and start a new one.

Tip 4: Booking The Cruise

Once you’ve decided what cruise you want to take and when you want to take it, now it’s time to book it. That’s not where the stress ends though.

When COVID hit in 2020, we had quite a few clients booked on cruises. Some of these cruises cost tens of thousands of dollars! Worse, they had not purchased travel insurance. After lots of work and hours on hold, we were able to get all of our clients a refund. People who had booked cruises themselves, had to fight for refunds on their own.

Good travel agents fight for their clients in those situations. Car crashes, job loss, and personal or family illness can happen to anyone. By working with us, we can make it easier for you to recover your money if something goes wrong with your trip. And of course it is why we always recommend purchasing trip protection.

Many people are not aware that it doesn’t cost you anything extra to book with a travel agent. There are exceptions to that, as some travel agents do charge an upfront planning fee, but many, like us, do not. In addition, the travel agent will have your back if things don’t go right.

Working with a travel advisor can be the best way to choose a cruise.

Tip 5: Best Cruises for Families

We think a cruise is the perfect way for a group of friends and family to travel together. We’ve done it many times. Everyone gets to the same place at the same time. On board, you can spend as much, or as little, time together as you wish.

It’s great for multi-generational travel as the kids can have fun all day in the children’s program while Mom and Dad visit the spa and Grandma and the aunties play pickleball or take a painting class. Or, all the adults can just sip margaritas by the pool. Some groups only see each other at dinner because they are so busy with their own activities.  And the children’s programs are so much fun it can be hard to get the kids to leave at the end of the day.

The ship’s photographers will be happy to take as many pictures of your group as want with no sitting fees. You only pay for the pictures you want. No obligation!

Finally, if your group is large enough, there may be extra perks and discounts available. A good travel agent can not only help you choose a cruise but can save you many headaches by keeping track of what all the aunts and uncles and nephews and nieces want.

Popular cruises for families are the Royal Caribbean (RCCL) and the Disney Cruise Line (of course). But don’t overlook cruises like Celebrity and Princess who have excellent children and teen programs. Princess especially in great for Alaska and we consider the Princess Plus program to be one of the best values in cruising.

Tip 6: Cabin Selection on a Cruise

Some people care passionately about their cabin location, others not so much. If you don’t care, you can often choose to book a “guarantee” cabin at a slightly lower price. This means they guarantee you a cabin in that category such as a balcony or suite, but you won’t know which exact one it is until just before you board.

When choosing a cabin, here are some things to think about:

• Who will share what kinds of cabins? If the kids are teens, you can book a balcony cabin for the parents and an inside cabin, across the hall, for the kids.
• Do you need the cabins to be close together? Do you need the cabins to have a connecting door?
• Does the cruise ship sail up a coastline? (We’re looking at you, Alaska) If it does, then one side of the ship is going to have far better cabin views than others.

Tip 7: Best Cruises for Adults

Cruise planning tips for sailing without children. Two cruise lines do not allow children at all: Virgin Voyages and Viking Ocean.

Other cruise lines allow children but you will find fewer, depending on the season and itinerary. These include Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, Silversea, and Oceania. We like Azamara for its extended stays at many ports.

Newcomer Virgin Voyages is winning every award in sight and is winning over veteran cruisers from other lines. Check out our posts about sailing on Virgin.

We also are big fans of Cunard, which offers a sophisticated experience. You can actually sail between New York and England, often for less than the price of flying business class. Seven nights of great food, entertainment and accomodation–and no jet lag!

Tip 8: Upgrades

In the not-too-distant-past, veteran cruisers would sometimes experience the “Upgrade Fairy,” meaning the cruise line gave them a free upgrade. Nowadays, that is incredibly rare. More and more cruise lines have programs in which you make blind bids on upgrades should they become available. Some examples are Princess Upgrades, Royal Caribbean’s Royal Up, Virgin’s Level Up, and Celebrity’s Move Up.

We hope these cruise planning tips help you choose your cruise. If you need suggestions for getting the price on airfare, check out this post.

Check out this recent New York Times article describing why so many people of all ages are taking their first cruise.

If Athens is on your itinerary, be sure to read our article about one of the best museums in the world, the Acropolis Museum.

Ready for More Great Travel Tips?

Every week we share our favorite travel secrets and tips. You can view them all here.

The post Amazing Cruise Planning Tips appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Okay… we. We don’t actually say that. Still, booking a cruise during Wave Season makes a lot of sense. The cruise lines all roll out strong offers for January through March when most travelers book for the year. It’s consistently the best time to book.

There are plenty of sales that are being offered, but we want to highlight the promotions that we think our clients will have the most interest in. The are presented in alphabetical order, of course.

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Offer: Save up to 30%, a value of up to $10,000 per stateroom. The sale also adds up to $600 onboard credit on select expeditions. Solo travelers also enjoy a Single Supplement from only 125% on many expeditions.

Eligibility: The offer is valid on select 2025 and 2026 expedition sailings. Must book by February 3^rd.

Our opinion: Atlas is a new line and we don’t have a long history to compare and see how “good” of a deal this is. However, we can say that for solo travelers this is quite a nice offer and if you’ve been thinking of trying Atlas, $600 in credit is not a bad deal.

Azamara

Offer: The luxury cruise line known for longer port visits is offering up to $1000 in onboard credit. How much credit you receive is based on which category of stateroom you book. The higher tier of room booked, i.e. suites, the more credit is offered. Lower tiers, such as interior rooms, get less, to a minimum of $200.

Eligibility: The offer is valid on select 2025 sailings and you must book by February 28^th.

Our opinion: We like this sale because it’s straightforward. Onboard credit is a known quantity and that’s always a good thing.

Cunard

Offer: Up to $800 Onboard Credit per stateroom. Plus, a Drinks Package and Hotel and Dining Service Charges are included when you book a Grills Suite.

Eligibility: The offer is valid on all of Cunard’s sailings, but you must book by March 26^th.

Our opinion: Once again, we like this sale because it’s straightforward. The suites earn more credit, but the offer is solid for all categories of stateroom. For a line that costs less than people often imagine, this is a handsome offer.

Princess

Offer: Up to 40% off and up to $200 onboard credit, plus FREE room upgrades and FREE 3rd & 4th guests.

Eligibility: The promotion ends February 28, 2025

Our opinion: The real deal here is the 3^rd and 4^th sailors are free. This means that a family of four can sail Princess for much less during this sale. It’s a great way to take a family vacation and we are impressed with Princess’ kids programs, which is often celebrated by family travelers.

Regent Seven Seas

Offer: Free 2-Category Suite Upgrade, 50% Reduced Deposits, and 20% Savings on Select Voyages

Eligibility: Available on all ships and destinations. Promotion ends February 28, 2025

Our opinion: Regent is the ultimate in all-inclusive cruising and this sale is allowing you to upgrade your suite while booking at a lower suite’s fare. Let’s be honest, if you’re booking Regent, you probably aren’t worried about a sale. Still, the offer is nice.

Seabourn:

Offer: Up to 15% savings, with up to $1,000 USD in shipboard credit per suite, along with reduced deposits on Seabourn Ocean voyages and Expeditions to all seven continents.

Eligibility: The promotion ends February 18, 2025

Our opinion: For those interested in sailing to exotic locations, like Antarctica, or trying a truly luxury cruise, this is a good time to do it. Like we’ve said repeatedly, onboard credit is a dependable offer because you know what you’re getting, and a low deposit isn’t a bad thing either.

Viking:

Offer: Viking is offering reduced fares on river, ocean, and expeditions cruises. There are also additional perks available on select sailings, including free international airfare and a deposit of $25.

Eligibility: Offer ends on January 31^st, 2025.

Our opinion: We can’t say too much about the reduced rates, because rates are always changing, but if you select a cruise with the free airfare, that’s a good deal. Airfare is pricy and that’s a way to save hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.

If you would like to book Viking ocean with us as your travel advisor, use this link.

Virgin:

Offer: 80% off a 2nd Sailor and up to USD $300 in Bar Tab based on voyage length, with longer voyages awarding more credit.

Eligibility: Available on all 2025 and 2026 voyages. Offer ends on January 30^th, 2025.

Our opinion: Getting any amount of Bar Tab is always good and a very popular promotion for the company. Having sailed Virgin quite a bit myself, $300 can go a long way in drinks.

If you would like to book Virgin with us as your travel advisor, you this link.

Windstar

Offer: Windstar is offering an interesting sale. If you book with them you’ll have a choice of three options; onboard credit of up to $1,000 per suite; a night at a hotel before or after your cruise; a complimentary All-Inclusive experience (only available when booking a  Premium Suite).

Eligibility: Offer ends on March 31^st, 2025.

Our opinion: Since you always want to arrive at least one day before a cruise leaves, this seems like a can’t lose deal. When a luxury cruise line is offering to put you up in a hotel for a night before, take it.

As I said, there are dozens of Wave Season sales from different lines and the ones presented above are from the lines our clients sail the most. If you are interested in offers from lines not listed above, please reach out to us. During Wave Season, many lines run a series of flash sales rather than static offers, making it difficult to present them here.

The post We Love These Wave Season Sales appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Recently , Virgin Voyages has rolled out some excellent new offers, giving you even more ways to save on your next cruise. If you are a returning Virgin guest who refers a friend, or if you are a solo traveler, or if you are military or first responder, you can qualify.

We’re detailing who’s eligible, and how to make use of these big new Virgin Voyages deals.

Refer a Friend

If you have sailed Virgin before and you have a friend who has not, you can each earn $150 bar tab on your next Virgin Voyage.

First, the referring sailor needs to have sailed on at least one Virgin Voyage (special rate sailings and free sailings don’t count). Second, the referred sailor cannot have ever sailed or booked with Virgin before. The two sailors need to make separate bookings (so you can’t refer your cabin-mate) and can’t be First Mate travel advisors or Virgin employees.

To make a referral simply go to this website and use the email linked to your Virgin account. You’ll get a link to share with your friend who’s never sailed before. Then once your friend makes a new booking with the link and is 45 days out from their voyage, you can each get the bar tab on any cabin as long as it’s not a Lock-it-In Rate.

This offer can be combined with:

• My Next Virgin Voyages (Referrer only)
• Blue Extras/Deep Blue Extras
• Splash of Romance
• Most Current Public Promotions

This offer can’t be combined with:

• Lock-it-in Rate Cabins
• The same cabin for both Referrer and Referee
• Special/Free Offers
• Only one Referral Key allowed per cabin

Important: If your friend wants us to be their First Mate travel advisor on the trip, when they call Virgin to make the booking with the access key, they need to ask to have us assigned to the booking. We are registered as Gretchen Dziadosz ASAP Cruises.

New Virgin Voyages Offer for Military and First Responders

Next, members of the U.S. military and first responders can get up to 15% off a sailing. There are a limited number of sailings, and the savings varies from 5 to 15% available for this rate right now but keep an eye out for more over time.

To use the rate, you must be an active or retired member of the U.S. Military or a First Responder, enter the Access Key: SERVICERATE at checkout. You may be asked to provide proof of your status when boarding the ship. You can either book through our link using the key or ask us to book it for you.

Qualifying Individuals:

Active members, veterans, spouses, and surviving spouses of the United States military branches

• Army
• Navy
• Air Force
• Marine Corps
• Coast Guard
• Space Force
• National Guard
• NOAA Corps
• U.S. Public Health Service

First responders, including

• Firefighters
• EMTs (Emergency Medical Technicians)
• Police Officers
• Paramedics

This new deal from Virgin Voyages applies to any non-RockStar cabins and non-lock-it-In cabins. It can be combined with most public promotions, but not special offers/rates/free cruises. It does not combine with the use of an My Next Virgin Voyage (MNVV) certificate.

Hurry! This Virgin Voyage Offer Ends Soon: Solo Travelers

Virgin is currently offering an excellent promotion for solo sailors on select cruises. This is the best solo offer on Virgin we have seen in sometime. But hurry, the offer is due to end December 31.

If you have more questions, reach out to us!

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What can you do at Virgin Beach Club at Bimini?

Before we talk about the cabana specifically, let’s go over what’s available to do at Bimini. The main draw is, obviously, the beach. Its long, sandy, and warm, everything you want in a Caribbean beach. Even if you come from a place without miles long, sand strewn coastlines at the ready, the Virgin Beach Club at Bimini fits into the mental image of paradise.

The warm ocean water awaits, just feet away from you, but there’s also a pool for those less inclined to partake in anything that has a tide. There’s beach chairs everywhere you look, so there’s no shortage of seating. At one of the two pools there’s a DJ and at the other there’s a net set up to play pool volleyball. The bars (did you really think there wouldn’t be bars?) have a set cocktail and beer list and there’s lots of supply. Conveniently, any drinks that you order are charged to your cabin through your Virgin Voyages wristband, exactly like it would be on the ship.

There’s nothing quite like a warm sandy beach, and the Virgin Beach Club at Bimini certainly offers that.

Perhaps best of all, the Beach Club is included on Virgin. Other lines stop at Bimini and go to this resort. When they do, though, it is not included – it costs extra. When you are at the Virgin Beach Club at Bimini, the food is included as are soft drinks. Other lines stopping there can’t claim the same.

Besides drinking and lounging, guests can also choose to go on an excursion at Bimini. They offer snorkeling, kayaking, cultural tours, jet ski tours, even painting! Some of the most talked about are the stingray and dolphin tours though. Not all of those are, strictly speaking, at the beach club, but they are all available through Virgin at Bimini.

What’s the Virgin Voyages The Beach Club at Bimini like?

These pictures should give you a pretty good idea of what the Bimini facilities are like.

Everyone will have access to seating, but getting there earlier would get you more choice. The pools and beach are lovely. The music is loud, for good or for ill is up to you, but you can find seating far away from it if you aren’t in love with the beats – a travel agent can you help figure out which areas are the quietest or loudest if you care.

Bars and bathrooms are located throughout the club, but mostly toward the edges. Keep that in mind with your seat selection. Whether you want to party or nap in the sun, there’s a place for you here. As I’ve said many times before with Virgin, it’s rep as a fun party line is well earned, but it’s also a very chill relaxing line, where you can leave socialization to others. Bimini is no exception to that experience.

What’s it Like to Have a Private Cabana at Virgin Beach Club at Bimini

The cabana itself can hold a maximum of 6 people. There are two chaise lounge seats inside the cabana itself. Then there are two beanbag chairs just outside the cabana. Finally, two more chaise lounge beach chairs sit out in the bright light for those who want to sunbathe or dry off from the water.

You’ll also have access to some small and medium-sized tables where drinks and food will be set. Towels are provided at the cabana to lay on or dry off with. Everything we touched or sat on was very comfortable. I even took a brief nap in the shade on the chaise inside the cabana. I’ve got scoliosis and it makes getting comfortable enough to fall asleep a bit of a fussy affair, so being able to enjoy a nap on something says volumes about its comfort.

There’s not much that can beat that view. The sea breeze was lovely frome the shaded cabana.

If I wanted to, I could have stayed in that chair all day because the private cabanas also come with a dedicated attendant who will bring you food and drinks. I never needed to get up for anything. Our attendant simply asked what we wanted and then brought us that. Our attendant checked in frequently, at least once every 15 minutes.  By the way, for those of us who like blue flavored things, I do recommend the blue flavored drink.

There were some real delights on the menu, like the fried cassava root (front and center).

Now, I know that this will sound like I’m a hopeless technology addict (not an entirely unfair accusation), but my favorite feature was having access to a power outlet. Every private cabana has its own dedicated power outlet. You can charge your phone or tablet while at the beach! Look, I know, people often deride others for refusing to “unplug” on their vacation, but we’re all allowed to have fun in our own way. If you want to share pictures or just play some mobile games, you’re covered. They even have wi-fi at the beach, and it matches the ship wi-fi, so you don’t even have to do anything extra to connect. There’s no need to worry about a data plan here! Feel free to call your friends on Whatsapp and make them jealous.

Was it worth it?

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, value is subjective. Only you can make that determination, but here’s a breakdown to help illuminate the differences.

You don’t need a private cabana to enjoy the pool, which was very popular by the end of the day. This picture was almost right at opening, so there weren’t many people there yet.

Right now, it’s $650 to reserve a private cabana on the beach. I won’t mince words, that’s a fairly hefty sum of money for roughly 6-8 hours of time on the sand. That’s especially true, if you consider that you already have access to the Virgin Beach Club at Bimini as part of your cruise. When you compare that cost against the total cost of a 5-day cruise in a sea terrace cabin, averaging around $2300, the price of that cabana is like adding an additional 25% to the cost. Now, yes, there’s $100 of bar tab included at Bimini, but even then the cost is still high at $550.

Further, if you find any of the excursions on Bimini interesting, then you’ll be allowing yourself even less time to enjoy your private cabana. I do not recommend that you book both an excursion and a cabana, it’s one or the other in my opinion.

In fairness to Virgin, the Beach Club at Bimini is an excellent value for their customers. Other lines have similar private beaches to Virgin and the costs on other lines are similar, or more, for an equivalent experience. They also have similar conflicts with excursions, all because of that pesky linear time thing…

Now it may sound like I’m rather down on these private cabanas, but I’m not. I don’t think that they’re valuable to a solo traveler or even a couple, but I do think they are valuable for a group.

Get the party started

If you’re getting together with a bunch of people, a private cabana is the perfect way to get yourself a little space of your own. Celebrating a birthday, meeting up with some friends you haven’t seen in a while, getting together with your siblings because you don’t get to see each other as much these days. Those are all perfect gatherings for a private cabana.

We had 6 folks in the cabana next to us, but there was more than enough room for us all and we hardly heard them. You can have a very relaxing time as a group in the cabanas like the ones on the left.

The Virgin Beach Club at Bimini is a great place for groups like that to meet up, but you’re left a little bit at lady luck’s mercy for space. Remember, seating is first come, first served, and if there’s 5 or 6 of you in a group, that’s harder to find a cluster of chairs for. And someone is always getting up to get a drink or grab some food, which interrupts doing the thing you probably want to be doing – talking with each other!

Split the cost of a private cabana, set your stuff down, and let an attendant handle all the rest. It’s what you really want to do anyway. But if it’s just a couple of you, grab some chairs and enjoy the sun, there’s better ways to spend the money on your vacation.

The post What’s a Private Cabana Like at Virgin Beach Club at Bimini appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Dive in and discover new deals that will help you cruise on the cruise line that keeps winning award after award. There are Virgin Voyages deals galore that can be stacked: Free Bar Tab, 80% off the second sailor, solo deals on virgin voyages, and a bigger paid in full discount.

Best of all, you can combine them!

Relax and Refresh on Virgin

Virgin Voyages Deals: The WAVE Season Sale that Lasts until January

Veteran cruisers know that Wave Season, when some of the best offers of the year occur, starts in January. However, always willing to break the rules, Virgin has jumped ahead of the line and begun their Wave Season offer right now. And it can be combined with some of their other amazing deals.

With The Wave you get BOTH:

• 80% Off for a Second Sailor on eligible cabins
• Free Bar Tab – Up to $300 in Free Drinks depending on the length of your cruise

You can use this credit to enjoy premium cocktails, non-alcoholic beverages, specialty coffees and more.

Check with us for restrictions and pricing

AND these offers can be combined with the use of a My Next Virgin Voyage (MNVV) certificate—and we have some for you. It also combines with the Pay in Full Offer. What’s an MNVV? Keep reading.

Virgin’s Food Wins Major Awards and You Never Pay Extra for Specialty Dining

Another Virgin Voyages Deal: Up to 10% Savings If You Pay-in-Full

If you choose to pay the full balance at the time of booking you save up to 10% more off your cruise fare. This option can be combined with the Wave 2025 offer but is only available on select cabin types and itineraries.

To qualify for the Pay in Full Discount, a booking must meet these requirements:

• Be fully paid, covering the complete invoice amount (including voyage fare, taxes, and fees), within two hours of making the reservation.
• Be made at least 180 days before the sail date.
• Eligible Cabins for the “Paid in Full Discount” Offer are:
  XL Sea Terrace, Central Sea Terrace, The Sea Terrace, Limited View Sea Terrace, The Sea View, and The Insider. Lock-it-in cabins are excluded.

The “Paid in Full Discount” Offer is combinable with the Wave 2025, My Next Virgin Voyage (MNVV), and Affinity Circles (Groups).

Virgin Arrives in Alaska!

Virgin’s newest ship, the Brilliant lady will set sail for Alaska in and you can grab a cabin now. Sailings from seven to twelve days out of Seattle and Vancouver from May through September 2026. And don’t forget Virgin will start sailings from Los Angeles too!

Have a Whale of a Time with Virgin

My Next Virgin Voyage Certificates (MNVV)

My Next Virgin Voyages (MNVV) certificates are one of the best deals you can get in cruising. They are certificates you can only purchase while sailing on Virgin. However, because they can be transferred to another person once, and because they represent such great perks, we buy up batches when we sail with Virgin so that we can share them with our clients. These certificates involve a $300 deposit that is applied to the cruise price.

• If you book a cruise of 4-5 days with your MNVV: You get $150 discount off the price of your cabin and $150 Sailor Loot (On Board Credit) 
• If you book a cruise of 6-8 days with your MNVV: You get $200 discount off the price of your cabin and $200 Sailor Loot (On Board Credit) 
• If you book a cruise of 9 days or more with your MNVV: You get $250 discount off the price of your cabin and $250 Sailor Loot (On Board Credit)

We have a limited supply of MNVVs, though we try to restock whenever we can. If you are interested in using one of our MNVVs, please reach out to us to learn more about the process.

Great Solo Deals from Virgin Voyages

Virgin has long been recognized by solo travelers as a great cruise line. The open accepting atmosphere makes everyone feel welcome. And now, finally, there are solo deals on Virgin Voyages–dozens of them.

The post Fantastic New Virgin Voyages Offers appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

A white Christmas is not your speed? Looking to escape the winter blues? Or are you just looking to take advantage of the kids being off of school for a while? Change the Christmas trees for palms and consider one of the many popular destinations for a Christmas vacation.

Cruising for a Tropical Christmas

While last-minute cruise deals are much harder to find than in the past, they still exist. You do need to be flexible as to dates and cabins. 

Virgin Voyages Bimini Beach is beautiful.

Richard Branson’s new cruise line is winning every award in sight and they do things differently. Virgin Voyages has done away with the main dining room and buffet; every night is specialty dining with 20+ eateries.  And there is no extra charge for any of them! Virgin fares include crew gratuities, wi-fi, group fitness classes, gelato-style ice cream, and much more.  No one under 18 allowed but adults are encouraged to embrace their inner child. Virgin sails the Caribbean out of Miami. Contact us about December sailings, and we will put together some special offers not available by booking directly through the website.

Celebrity Cruises, the upscale cruise line known for its food and excellent service, still has space.  When you sail in December you enjoy traditional holiday meals created by a Michelin-starred chef and decorating with no prep or cleanup. You experience festive holiday shows and carolers. Everyone gets to enjoy downtime during the holidays to spend with those who matter most. Corks pop on New Year’s Eve.

We love Princess Cruises because it not only offers a high-quality cruise experience, but also lets us help you pile up the perks. The December 16 sailing of the new Sky Princess looks especially fun for a tropical Christmas. If booking Princess be sure to consider the high-value Princess Plus add-on.

A Hawaiian Tropical Christmas

If you’re looking to stay in the U.S. for Christmas, look no further than Hawaii for a tropical Christmas vacation.

Hawaii Wants Visitors

After the devasting Maui wildfires, tourism to Hawaii has understandably declined.  As a result, flights and accomodations are much more inexpensive than usual.

Now the islands are asking for the support of the traveling community and are making excellent travel offers for the holiday season. Also, you can our Best Hawaiian Travel Tips. We also share how to choose the best Hawaiian island to visit.

Christmas in Mexico

Because of its strong Christian traditions, Mexico is a fantastic place to get into the Christmas spirit without dealing with the Christmas weather.

A Tropical Christmas in Brazil

As another strongly Catholic nation, Brazil knows how to do Christmas. While not as famous as their Lent celebration, Carnival, there is a lot to do in Brazil for Christmas. And the weather is warm enough to hit the beaches.

Attending a “Missa do Galo” (Midnight Mass) at one of Rio’s historic churches, such as Candelária Church or the Metropolitan Cathedral can be ver memorable.

Merry Christmas for the Santa Chamelon

Subdued Tropical Christmas Choices

If you are looking for a relaxing tropical vacation with fewer Christmas-themed festivities, consider traveling to some of the non-Christian parts of the world. Malaysia and Vietnam offer beautiful views and beaches without decking the halls.

Ready for More Great Travel Tips?

We share our favorite travel secrets and tips every week. You can see them all here.

The post You Can Still Have a Tropical Christmas in 2024 appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Planning to cruise soon? Storms and strikes both might end up causing issues with your cruise.

Stormy Weather and Issues in Cruising

After Hurricane Helene, you might be hoping that we are clear of storms causing chaos this year. Unfortunately, two more storms look to be on the horizon. While cruise ships usually move around the storms, a storm can cause delays or port changes. However, one of the biggest causes of disruptions in cruising is actually airports.

Most people arrive to the cruise port by air. As we just saw with Helene, to avoid dangerous weather situations, airlines need to delay, cancel, and change flights. A big weather event can cause hundreds of would-be cruise guests who are flying in the day of the cruise to literally miss the boat.

To avoid issues in cruising follow our two simple recommendations.

First, arrive at least a day early. The stress of trying to get from airport to port on the same day as the cruise, hoping the airline doesn’t delay, or worse, cancel can be bad. The price of one night in a hotel near the cruise port is definitely worth it. We keep lists of desireable hotels near most of the major cruise ports if you would like a recommendation.

Second, buy trip insurance! We always recommend it, not just to avoid disruptions in cruising, but also for any and every trip. Even if your cruise leaves on time, a lot of health insurance doesn’t cover everything overseas, and trip insurance can be lifesaving if something goes wrong. Also, airlines are not required to provide compensation for weather-related delay expenses, but many insurance plans provide this coverage.

Strike May Cause Issues in Cruising

The International Longshoremen Association (ILA) is currently in negotiations with various companies in the cruise industry to ensure that their members are paid fairly in the face of global inflation. On October 1, they began a strike that affects ports on the entire East Coast and the Gulf Coast.

Longshoremen are the workers who prepare the ship for departure and handle the cargo, such as delivering the food you eat on onboard. There is a chance this will cause schedule delays may be the primary fallout for the average cruiser.

If you have any further questions about possible disruptions in cruising, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

The post Possible Upcoming Disruptions in Cruising appeared first on Far Far Away Travels.

Princess Cruises just announced changes to the much-loved Princess Premier package. But also, a new price.

Is the Princess Premier Package the Best Deal in Cruising?

We are no strangers to cruising, and we believe that Princess Plus and Princess Premier Packages are some of the best deals that you can get from all the cruise lines. They are daily packages that include drinks, Wi-Fi, and gratuities as well as a slew of other bonuses. We believe choosing one or the other is a great choice for any Princess Cruise. Believe me, we’ve explored every aspect of Princess.

That being said, Princess has recently enhanced their Premier Package. But with those bonuses comes a slightly increased cost. We’re here to tell you everything you need to know about these packages.

What is a Princess Plus and Princess Premier Package?

Princess Plus and Princess Premier are add-ons that you can get for any Princess Cruise voyage. Here is the breakdown of what they offer.

As you can see, you really get a lot of bang for your buck with these packages. Many cruise lines offer just drinks packages at higher prices!

So, What’s Changed?

The big changes are that Princess Premier previously limited the number of drinks, which is now unlimited. Before, you were allowed only two complementary Specialty Dining options per cruise. Now with the Princess Premier Package, you can go to the specialty restaurants every single night. You are now also allowed unlimited Casual Dining.

With these increased bonuses, however, Princess prices did increase from $80 to $90 per day. Despite this slight increase in price, the overall value of these packages can’t be found anywhere else.

We consider the Plus package value proposition to be fantastic for most travelers, as the price for tips ($16-$20 per person per day) and wi-fi alone (a minimum of $24.99 per day per device) costs up to $55 per day when purchased separately and that is without drinks or desserts or fitness. Whether the Premier is worth it to you depends greatly on your likely use.

For more information about cruising in general, check out our tips and suggestions! If you are interested in cruising, don’t hesitate to reach out to us anytime.

Interested in other cruise news?

See why cruise advertising is becoming clearer

What’s it Like to Sail Cunard?

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