Lisa in New York

It’s up to you New York!

/in /by Lisa Mousley, The Caribbean Dream Queen

New York is a fantastic destination at any time of year. It is great as a destination on it’s own or as part of a twin centre with another city in America, a Caribbean Island or maybe a week in Orlando.

Lisa was there in September to discover it’s delights.

Lisa in New York

Lisa in New York

When I found out that I had won 2 flights to New York with Delta airlines at a travel agents promotion evening I was over the moon. I hadn’t been to New York for about 30 years and my husband had never been so we were both very excited to be going.

We picked a weekend at the end of September and the weather was fantastic – 31 degrees! Apparently this was about 15 degrees above average for the time of year.

Despite most clients wanting to be in the busy Times Square area of New York, I decided to choose a hotel in Greenwich Village. This was a great choice as there were plenty of really nice bars and restaurants within walking distance of our hotel, many of which had an outdoor seating area which was very welcome considering the heat. I do recommend that you get away from the main ‘chain restaurants’ in the tourist areas and do try some of the independent eateries a bit farther out.

On the first day we walked to Times Square in half an hour, stopping at The Empire State Buiding on the way to collect our sightseeing tickets. After that we just hopped on the subway a couple of stops. The subway is easy to use, once you have worked out which direction you are going, and costs $2.60 per journey, no matter how many stops you are going.

We purchased the 72 hour Gray Line hop-on hop off bus ticket, which was well worth it. We used this to get around the city and see the sights in the process. We also used it to get across to Brooklyn and then walked back over the Brooklyn Bridge. I highly recommend you do it in this direction as you get a fantastic view of the New York skyline this way.

John on Brooklyn Bridge

John on Brooklyn Bridge

Before we went over to Brooklyn we got off at the 9/11 Memorial Plaza. The 8-acre park is composed of a grove of nearly 400 white oak trees, and the largest manmade waterfalls in the United States. Set within the footprints of the original Twin Towers, each pool is approximately 1-acre in size. It was quite moving to see the names of all the people who lost their lives, honored in bronze around the twin memorial pools.

Statue of Liberty

Lisa with the Statue of Liberty

We also got one free hop-on hop off cruise included in the ticket which we used to get from Battery Park, where we had just got off the Ellis Island & Statue of Liberty ferry, up to towards the Meat Packing District. My husband is a real ale fan and he was happy to discover that there were quite a few bars around here serving craft beer. After lunch and a sample of the local ale we went to find the High Line, which is a converted historic freight rail train track elevated above the streets. It is about 1.45 miles long and is fully accessible for the disabled. It has many points where you can access or leave the line along the way but we walked the whole way, finishing up in Chelsea, not far from our hotel in Greenwich Village.

Our last day was spent discovering the northern part of the city, taking the Grayline bus around the Upper West side and seeing where all the very rich live, as well seeing Harlem and finally getting off for a stroll around Central Park. As it was Saturday the park was very busy with a music festival going on, lots of people jogging, strolling, riding horse & traps and we also saw a couple of wedding parties having their photos taken.

I am not a shopper but I had to go into Tiffanys. I thought I might like to buy a keyring to add to my lifelong collection, but at $275 each I decided against it!

All in all it was a fabulous weekend that we both thoroughly enjoyed.

Why am I writing about New York on a Caribbean Holidays website? Well because it is a fabulous city to twin with a holiday in the Caribbean. A few hectic days and nights enjoying the hustle and bustle of New York followed by maybe a week chilling out in Antigua, Barbados or Mexico. What could be better?

Top Tips For Booking Your 2018 Holiday Now

/in /by Lisa Mousley, The Caribbean Dream Queen

 

Planning your holiday is an exciting time, but it can also be a daunting task, and some holidaymakers find searching for the perfect getaway quite stressful.

Now is the perfect time to turn your thoughts to your travel plans for 2018 and find a hassle-free holiday of a lifetime. We have put together a short guide with reasons why now is the best time to organise and prepare your perfect 2018 holiday.

Book early for the best value and widest choice

Booking a holiday always seems to bring about the same dilemma, will I save by booking early? Or are their better deals available at the last-minute? The simple answer is, generally, the earlier you book your holiday, the better value you will receive.

Booking early means that you can take advantage of early booking discounts, great added value offers and the widest choice.

You will have the pick of the bunch so to speak – the flight date and times you want, the best seat on the plane, the hotel room with a view, the cruise itinerary you have always dreamt about, and the cabin that suits your needs. This is even more relevant if you are looking to travel during peak periods.

As January is usually when airlines and tour operators slash their prices to fill their order books for the year ahead, it’s a great time to snap up a bargain and book your holidays early, reducing the stress of finding the right holiday later in the year.

Be flexible with your travel plans

As much as booking early will give you the widest choice, being a little flexible with your travel plans can really pay dividends. Flights, for example, a day before or a day after your intended departure date may save you a good amount of money, even looking to travel earlier or later in the day can make a difference to prices.

A slightly bigger ask, but if you can be flexible with where you go on holiday, as in the hotel, resort or even destination, you could open up options that could save you money, or better still improve the quality of your holiday. Just think about it, changing destinations could mean the difference between a 4-star hotel, and a 5-star all-inclusive resort for example!

Do your homework

Your travel agent can, and will, help to recommend where you could go on holiday, but it’s always advisable to do a little research before you start your booking process.

Start by thinking about your favourite holiday destination, your budget and style of holiday you would like. Then check our website for some examples of current holiday deals, to get a feel for what offers are available and whether they would fit your budget and expectations.

We have put together a range of amazing destinations for you to choose from, from the finest resorts in the Caribbean and Maldives with a premium all-inclusive concept; family trips to the Walt Disney theme parks, and journeys to the historic streets of vibrant European cities.

If you prefer to travel in small groups, there are some interesting options for escorted tours. These could include a journey to the world-famous Golden Triangle including a safari in Ranthambore to see the elusive Bengal tiger, a visit to enchanting Vietnam with a cruise on the Mekong Delta, or an exciting 4×4 adventure holiday in Iceland.

Getting a good feel for the type of holiday you are really looking for will help your travel agent tailor make your perfect trip, and deliver on your expectations.

Book with a local travel agent to save time and money

Lots of choices can be a good thing, but it does also mean you may find it hard to find exactly what you want. The internet is OK for booking simple holidays, a flight and hotel for example when you know where you want to stay and who you want to fly with. However, your local travel agent will likely have access to far more relevant holiday options. Furthermore, their experience and knowledge is really where they shine.

Your travel agent will be able to create a holiday tailored to you, by accessing a huge range of product from tour operators, hotels, car hire companies and more. During sale periods, they will know which offers are relevant to you, and significantly cut down the time you would otherwise spend researching what to book and with whom.

Booking with your local travel agent will ensure you receive exceptional value for money, and you will also benefit from genuine peace of mind, knowing that should anything go wrong with your holiday, they will be there to help fix the problem – in person, over the phone or on email.

Another huge benefit travel agencies have over booking on the internet is being able to pay in instalments. You can often secure your summer holiday in January, by paying a small deposit.

Watch this video to find out why you should book your holiday with a travel agent.

Don’t delay, book today

Our final tip is, don’t delay in booking a holiday if you find what you are looking for today. Holiday prices change almost by the minute, so whilst a price may be available today, if not secured with a deposit, it could be more expensive tomorrow, or worse, not available at all!

For more details of our exciting 2018 holiday offers, look on our website or call us today and speak to one of our travel experts.

https://www.caribbean-boutique-holidays.co.uk/caribbean-holidays-special-offers.html