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!

In 2009, I had the opportunity to travel to some great destinations including:

• Sandals Grande Antigua (January)
• Walt Disney World – Orlando, FL (March)
• Beaches Turks & Caicos (May)
• Royal Plantation, Sandals Grande Ocho rios, Sandals Dunns River Villaggio – Ocho Rios, Jamaica (July)
• Sandals Royal Bahamian – Nassau, Bahamas (October)
• Disney Cruise Line – Disney Magic, Castaway Cay, Cozumel & Grand Cayman (November)

In addition to getting to see these destinations in person, I had site inspections on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas, the Norwegian Gem, Carnival’s Pride, Holland America’s Eurodam and was on board for the Inaugural sailing of Carnival’s Dream. Each of these opportunities helps me to gain valuable knowledge of the wide variety of vacation possibilities there are available to you, my valuable clients. I know, it’s tough work but someone has to it!

The WDW trip was a new adventure for Jenkins Travel for a couple of reasons. First, we coordinated and escorted that trip for a group of 310 people affiliated with Studio 91 in Mechanicsburg, PA. The group performed on the Waterside stage at Downtown Disney. The second reason that booking was so exciting was that it came to Jenkins Travel courtesy of an outside sales agent, Danielle Plessl. Danielle has been working with us now for about two years and 2009 saw her book of business growing dramatically. Thanks for all your effort Danielle, and keep up the good work!

Looking ahead to 2010, our escorted 10-day alpine trip with a stop at the world famous Oberammergau Passion Play is set to go in May. There is still space available, so if stops in Germany, Austria and Switzerland would appeal to you, let us know. The passion play only takes place once every 10 years, so it truly is a once in a lifetime opportunity!