Sherry Jenkins of Jenkins Travel wins the National Sales Award for selling Grand Pineapple Resorts, one of the brands of Sandals at the Sandals Travel Agency Recognition (STAR) Awards on December 11, 2011, at Sandals Whitehouse in Jamaica.
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10/4/2010 – The U.S. State Department issued an alert yesterday for American citizens traveling in Europe, warning them that European destinations may be under the threat of attack by terrorists. The alert will continue through Jan. 31, 2011. Numerous media report that U.S. and European intelligence agencies have picked up recent signs that terrorists may be planning strikes in the region similar to the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people.
Read MoreWith the objective of limiting and controlling the movement of American Dollars CASH within Mexico, the Mexican Government recently passed a new law which comes into force across the country on 14th September 2010.
With effect from the above date, the use of American Dollars CASH to make purchases in Mexico will not be as free as it has been in the past. Many repeat guests to Mexico who have become accustomed to using American Dollars CASH in Mexico as though they were effectively in the United States will notice the difference. Other payment methods such as Credit Cards of all types and all issuing banks, Travellers Checks, Mexican Pesos and non-American Dollars foreign currencies in cash (Euros or Canadian Dollars) are not affected in any way by this new law.
The most noticeable differences to travelers will be:
1. Hotels and Exchange Booths will only be able to change a maximum of $1,500 USD CASH per person per month into Mexican Pesos. Previously there was no limit.
2. Businesses (including Amstar DMC in Mexico) will only be able to accept a maximum of $100 USD CASH per transaction – but the number of transactions per customer are not restricted.
3. Certain businesses may not be able to, or may choose not to accept American Dollars CASH for any purchase at all (this may include shops etc)
If a customer wants to purchase from Amstar (for example) a tour worth $139 US per person, he will only be able to pay $100 USD of this amount in USD CASH and the remainder will need to be in another form of payment (credit card, Mexican Pesos cash, etc).
As a result of this new law, it is no longer appropriate to advise customers that they should bring American Dollars CASH to Mexico. More appropriate advice would be to inform customers that they should not carry large amounts of American Dollars cash with them to Mexico, but instead they should consider either using a Credit Card, taking Mexican Pesos cash, taking Travellers Checks (of any currency) or withdrawing money locally in Mexican Pesos.
| The Federal Immigration Officers in Cancun have tightened their Passport appearance standards for passengers arriving at the Cancun airport. When passport corners are frayed or peeling the officers have the right to refuse entrance into the country.
There are a variety of reasons that a passport can be considered damaged. It is important to make note that even though the picture can be seen or we may think that it is legible, the people that are checking the document could have a very different opinion. Look for things such as a faded picture, water damage, torn pages and anything else that could be considered to hurt the overall look of the passport. Some common things that can happen to a passport that can cause damage are things like dropping it in water. Carrying it in a back pocket when running around all day and it gets moist and creased. Something could get spilled on it and mar the writing or other details that are needed to be seen clearly. The possibilities are literally endless. When a passport is damaged, it does usually not have a very good outcome. Customs officials look very closely at a passport that appears to be altered in any way and they have every right to refuse entry if they think these alterations were done to falsify documents. Steps for replacing a damaged passport are very similar to replacing an expired passport. The applicant must fill out a passport replacement form and submit the form in the mail along with the damaged passport. The government collects damaged passports so that they cannot aid in the counterfeiting of fraudulent passports. Likewise, expediting a damaged passport is similar to expediting any other passport replacement. A passport may be expedited for a fee of $60 dollars. This fee is charged in addition to the normal passport replacement fee as well as two-way overnight shipping and handling fees. The U.S. Department of State estimates that an expedited damaged passport replacement application will take two to three weeks to process. Some services offer various forms of expedited processing including one-week processing, overnight processing, or even same-day processing. Same day processing fees can sometimes approach $300. |
September 9, 2010
After landing at the Nassau International Airport we were taken by buses to Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort and Offshore Island. It was about a 15 minute transfer from the airport to resort. This resort has 3 room locations. The Royal Village in the secluded gardens, the Manor House 
and the Windsor Building
.
The rooms are well appointed with mahagony 4 poster beds. The renovations of the rooms look great with a more luxurious look.
It has over 10,000 square feet of pools (some are heated in the winter as well). 
Sandals Royal Bahamian offers 9 dining choices. Options include French, Italian, Bahamian, English Pub food, Asian, Southwestern, International cuisine,and even a brick oven pizzeria. There is a restaurant on Sandals Cay, the resorts Private Offshore Island. There is also a restaurant on the Pier called Gordon’s that is included for Butler level guests. There are 7 bars throughout the resort including 3 swim up bars.
There is a conference center here that can accommodate up to 1,000 people theatre style.
The Red Lane spa has a location at the Manor House but they also have spa cabanas on the offshore island, Sandals Cay. The Fitness center is located atop the Manor House and has an amazing view. It beckons you to work out.
The resort has a great Destination Wedding department and they offer the Martha Stewart Weddings.
The layout of this resort is intimate and easy to get around. I enjoy the difference of the 3 villages and love the private island. If you want to get away from it all Sandals Cay is the place to be. 
Call Jenkins Travel today for rates. Currently the Bahamas is offering free Companion Airfare and that can be combined with the Sandals resort discounts.
Read MoreSeptember 8, 2010
We landed at the Providenciales (Provo) airport. It is a small airport but was air conditioned and had several immigrations and customs officials there to greet us. Our ride to Beaches was only about 15 minutes.
Beaches Turks & Caicos has 3 villages. The Italian Village, the French Village and the Caribbean Village. 
There are 16 restaurants on the resort — including culinary treats of Caribbean, Japanese, Italian, French, Seafood, Tex Mex and even Sushi. Two of the resorts are adult-only. The Butler level suites offer 24 hour room service as well.
The resort also features 7,000 square feet of retail shopping space. I was able to get a massage in the Red Lane Spa & Gym, and it was a great treatment.
Pirates Island themed aquapark offers 9 slides, a lazy river,
surf simulator, water cannons, cranks and spray features. There are also 4 pools (3 of which are heated) throughout the resort. The beach is pristine (it is a 12 mile stretch of walkable beach) and the water is calm and a gorgeous turquoise! 
The Sesame Street characters are here for the kids (and kids at heart). Big Bird just came to Beaches and we got to meet him upon our arrival. Today we saw the kids baking chocolate chip cookies with Cookie Monster and Erine 
had a rubber duckie hunt. There is programming for kids of all ages and you can even pay for private in room baby-sitting if you desire.
For the tweens and teens there is a Scratch DJ Academy, Club Liquid – the dance club, and the X Box Games Garage with plasma screens and the latest games on the market.
This resort is the perfect place for families to share special occasions, such as a reunion, or for girlfriends to come for the BFF weekends, and for couples to celebrate their love. 
The tropical gardens and graceful palms welcome you. The sunsets 
are the perfect end to another day in Paradise.
Beaches Resorts are for everyone. Call Jenkins Travel today for rates. The Wonderfall sale is on now!
Read More
Sandals Emerald Bay ~ Exuma, Bahamas – September 7, 2010
We landed at the small Exuma airport and were taken to Sandals Emerald Bay. It is about a 12 minute ride from the airport to the resort. The resort is beautiful. The 1 mile white powder sand beach and crystal blue water beckon you to relax. 
The resort itself offers 183 suites all with Butler Service. It also boasts a Greg Norman par 72 Golf Course (greens fees are extra). 6 of the holes from the course have stunning ocean views.
They boast a spa of 16,000 feet with 17 treatment rooms.
The resort offers 3 pools, one of them being the Caribbean’s largest zero-entry pool. 
Each suite offers 24 hour room service, and there are 5 restaurants to choose from while at the resort. Dining options include: Barefoot by the Sea featuring fresh seafood served with white glove service while you dig your toes in the sand; The Drunken Duck serving authentic Irish Pub cuisine; Bahama Bay offers breakfast and lunch buffets and offers several theme nights for dinner – Asian, Bahamian and Mediterranean; Il Cielo serves authentic dishes from Tuscany, Italy; and Dino’s Pizzeria provides crisp, thin crust, pizza made in a wood-fired oven. You won’t go hungry at this resort! There are 5 bars on the resort one being a swim-up pool bar.
Sandals Emerald Bay offers a wide variety of watersports including kayaks, windsurfing, hobie cat sailing, paddle boats, guided snorkeling tours and SCUBA diving (if you are certified). You can take a resort course for diving certification at a cost of $75 per person.
Sandals Emerald Bay also offers Martha Stewart Destination Wedding packages.
The resort has 3 villages. The Emerald Village is the village with some Garden View and some Ocean View suites. The higher floors would have a better view. The Ocean Village have great views on the higher floors and a wonderful tropical breeze. The Seaside Village is the closest to the ocean and will have the most spectacular views.
This would be a great resort for a couple that wants to relax and unwind. There is a quiet pool and a pool with some activity during the day. There are evening events you can go to if you prefer or you can enjoy each other’s company. Some of the Island Routes tours for this resort include swimming with the pigs, 007 Thunderball tour, and a private island for the day.
There are some great promos for this resort right now and they are offering free companion airfare to the Bahamas. Please call Jenkins Travel for a quote! You will love this resort!
Well, I’m happy to report that Mom and I were able to beat the winter weather and get back to Lancaster after a 5-night Western Caribbean sailing on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas. This was my first sailing with RCCL, but I’m sure it will not be my last.
As for the ship, it was beautiful. The room was spacious for a cruise ship, but the balcony really made it special. For clients that worry they may feel a bit “couped up” on a cruise ship, I definitely recommend a balcony. There’s just something about having your own, private outdoor space that makes you feel more at home on the ship.
Food was great and the service in the dining room was excellent. Alternatives for dining times and locations have been growing in popularity among cruisers, and RCCL has answered the call. First, you can choose ???? dining which gives you the option to dine in the main dining room anytime between ? and ?. If that doesn’t suit, you can pay a small upcharge to check out Portofino, Chops or Johnny Rockets. And if none of that meets your needs, you can always just hit the buffet. Trust me, you’ll not go hungry on any cruise, RCCL is no exception to that rule.
Entertainment on board was great. I especially enjoyed the comedians and seeing an ice skating show at sea. Other amenities we really enjoyed were the mini golf course, the adults only solarium with its own pool and comfy deck chairs as well as the spa.
Our western-Caribbean itinerary included stops at RCCL’s private island in Labadee, Haiti and also in Jamaica. The private island was very nice and it was heartening to see the RCCL staff offloading more than 150 skids of relief supplies and medicine to be forwarded to Haitian earthquake victims. RCCL should be applauded for the aid they are delivering to the Haitian people in addition to the revenue streams their business their already provides.
For an overall relaxing getaway, a cruise is always a good alternative. RCCL’s Navigator of the Seas won’t disappoint!
