Monticello Travel and Cruise

Exploring Autumn In New York

2010-10-22T15:29:00.000-07:00

How can one season in one place, inspire so much? Autumn in New York. Ask any New Yorker, and chances are the season is their favorite time of year in the Big Apple. The refreshing crisp air, the sunny skies, make for a great get-away following the hot humid summer months. A trip to New York this time of the year finds the historic Central Park flowing with color, and tree-lined neighborhoods piled high with fallen multi-colored leaves. But it's not all about the outdoors, a large part of the appeal this time of the year is the reopening of the performing arts and cultural season. Check out the New York Philhamonic or the Metropolitan Opera for great additions to a wonderful getaway. For more information, or suggestions on travel accomadations give us a call.

We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service. Please feel free to contact us if we can help you in any way.

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Saturday by Appointment

Telephone: 574-583-9211 toll-free

E-mail: monticellotravel@gmail.com

Travel Stories

2010-09-18T10:11:00.000-07:00

From True Stories in Frommers Budget Travel Magazine:

"While vacationing in Florida, my friend would sneak onto a private golf course early in the morning to jog. His glasses would fog up when he runs, so he didn't wear them. He was careful to keep off the greens and to jump over the landscaping logs that were all around the course. One day he saw a groundskeeper heading toward him and figured he was busted. Instead, the man stretched out his and said, 'I just want to shake your hand. I ain't never seen nobody jump over the gators like that!' Those landscaping logs were really alligators catching some early morning sun.

Bahama Breeze Resort -Specials

2010-08-26T05:37:00.000-07:00

Save up to 55% on trips books by August 31.

In an island nation known throughout the world for its spectacular beaches, only one beach can be the best. That beach is Nassau’s legendary Cable Beach. And that’s where you’ll find Breezes Bahamas, the first and only Super-Inclusive resort in The Bahamas.

Everything you could possibly want in a tropical getaway is at your fingertips, and it’s all included. All your meals. All your drinks. All your entertainment. All just minutes from the airport, and just a short stroll from the excitement and nightlife of Nassau’s glittering casinos. There’s no end to the fun you can have at Breezes Bahamas. You’ll find spectacular water sports in the clearest Caribbean waters you’ve ever seen. There’s a rock-climbing wall, tennis and beach volleyball. There’s even a circus school complete with flying trapeze to help take your vacation to a whole new level.

At night, you can take your chances at one of the nearby casinos…or bet on a sure thing at Breezes. There’s always something fun going on, including a lively piano bar that stays open til you say when. And the best part is, your wallet never leaves your pocket.

Breezes Bahamas welcomes singles, couples and families, 14 years and older. www.breezes.com

Resort Highlights

All meals, from breakfast buffets to dinner feasts.
Even late night snacks. All you can eat, all the time.
All drinks, from soft drinks to top-shelf premium brands.
All entertainment.
All tips & gratuities.
All provided land and water sports and top-of-the-line equipment.
All hotel taxes and airport transfers*.
And MUCH, MUCH MORE!

We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service. Please feel free to contact us if we can help you in any way.

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Saturday by Appointment

Telephone: 574-583-9211 toll-free

E-mail: monticellotravel@gmail.com

Visiting Vegas: The Volcanic Eruption at the Mirage

2010-07-28T10:33:00.000-07:00

Visiting Vegas: Take in a Volcanic Eruption at the Mirage.

"Among the many Las Vegas things to do on the strip, starting at 6 pm and ending at 11:30 pm, you can go to the Mirage and witness the eruption of the Volcano. This occurs once every 15 minutes." ~ Destination 360

For current Las Vegas specials from Monticello Travel and Cruise, click here.

Island Exploring in Cozumel

2010-07-26T16:24:00.001-07:00

Sometimes the best adventures are the ones you find yourself. On our most recent trip to Cozumel, Stacy and I (Matt Q) bypassed the standard Carnival Excursions to find a few spots off the beaten path. While I wouldn't recommend this for everybody, Cancun is a location that we feel comfortable enough to explore.

One of our stops was the Cozumel Beach Club, The Money Bar. It's a small restaurant/bar that sits right of the Dzul-Ha reef. Equipment rental and lockers are available on-site, and the reef is fairly easy to navigate.

Everyone has a different level of comfort exploring different city's, and some areas are easier (and safer) to explore than others. Be sure to do your research before you take off on your own. Most information can be found through the local visitors bureau, which usually has an online resource available. Also check out travel publications such as Frommers or Fodors, and online resources such as TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet.

Also, check out Stacy's blog about the rest of our adventures in Cozumel: Squirrel Chatter: Colorful Cozumel.

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Monticello Travel and Cruise - Vacation Specials!

Visiting Vegas: Swim with the sharks!

2010-07-26T05:39:00.001-07:00

Visiting Vegas: Swim with the sharks!

Swim with the sharks, or at least next to them, at the notorious Golden Nugget Pool.

Golden Nugget - The Tank

For current Las Vegas specials from Monticello Travel and Cruise, click here.

Best Airports in the United States

2010-07-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

Top Large Airports according to the 2010 J.D. Power Survey
1.Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County
2.Denver International
3.Minneapolis/St.Paul International
4.Orlando International
5.Phoenix Sky Harbor International

JD Power Survey Article

And here's a picture of me at the best Small Airport, Indianapolis International.

Confused by the travel deals you find online?

2010-07-19T06:58:00.000-07:00

We're here to help you sort through what's true & what's too-good-to-be-true. One of the biggest advantages of going with a travel agent over booking online for your vacation is if something goes wrong - you have someone there to help you and straighten things out. You're not left stranded to sort through delayed or canceled flights, etc on your own. You have someone you can call to get advice and to help.

This year's travel nightmare was, and is, the oil spill as it effects Florida beaches - especially for people who booked trips on their own. Travel agents book through national tour operators and we're able to switch customers to places like South Carolina, and do it at no charge.

This quote from the USA Today article, Best Ways to Book: Travel Agent or Online?, sums it all up:

"...buying travel online is a lot like ordering a hamburger at a fast-food place...It may look like a hamburger, but you have no idea what you're actually getting."

What a travel agent will do for you that the internet won't:

• Double-check dates to make sure everything matches up. Agents can void double bookings, which is almost impossible on the Internet.

•Make sure you have all the necessary documents for travel, including a passport.

• Search for the cheapest fares. Travel consultants find lower airline fares 93.6% of the time for an average savings of $80.

At Monticello Travel & Cruise, you're working with a real person, with real travel experience, who can help guide and direct you to the best deals and best vacation experience.

WORKING WITH AN AGENT

Seek out a specialist. Anyone can book a Eurailpass or a Caribbean cruise. However, it's better to sit across from an agent who has been there, done that.
Be wary of an agent who seems in love with a particular cruise or vacation package. Maybe the agent has legitimate reasons, but a travel agent who excludes certain vendors may not have your best interests in mind.
Meet an agent face to face, if possible. You'll get a sense of the agent's professionalism and he or she will be more likely to take good care of you than someone on the other end of an ``800'' line.
Ask about research fees upfront. Will you be charged for an agent's research, even if you don't book any travel arrangements? If so, does the fee seem reasonable?

DON'T

Put up with high-pressure sales that don't allow time to evaluate an offer.
Go to an agent's office without doing research. Use the Internet or ask friends who have taken similar trips so you can judge if the prices and deals a travel agent offers seem comparable.

Sources & More Information:

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Chat with your personal full-service travel agent anytime!
Call Sue at 888.583.9211 toll-free or email monticellotravel@gmail.com

Visiting Vegas: Extreme Crab Legs at Mandalay Bay

2010-07-18T20:32:00.000-07:00

Visiting Vegas: Extreme Crab Legs at Mandalay Bay

"If you can only hit one buffet in Vegas, take the tram down to Mandalay Bay. In addition to having one of the nicest dining atmospheres of any buffet I've been to, they have a good assortment of entrees from seafood to pasta to specialty pizza including some of the biggest crab legs I've ever seen." ~ Goingtovegas.com

For current Las Vegas specials from Monticello Travel and Cruise, click here.

Visiting Vegas: Gondola Rides at the Venetian

2010-07-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

Visiting Vegas: Gondola rides at the Venetian

No trip to Venice — or The Venetian — would be complete without a graceful and romantic glide down the Grand Canal in an authentic Venetian gondola. Float beneath bridges, beside cafes, under balconies and through the vibrant Venetian streetscape as your singing gondolier sweeps you down the Grand Canal for a ride like no other. A relaxing and romantic gondola ride reveals all the charm, excitement and passion that is Venice — and The Venetian.

www.venetian.com

For current Las Vegas specials from Monticello Travel and Cruise, click here.

Visiting Grand Cayman

2010-07-17T08:06:00.001-07:00

On our most recent trip to Grand Cayman, we did a little shelling on the beaches just off the pier.

The we stopped at our favorite shipwreck spot to snorkel. About 70 yards off shore, lies the old freighter, Cali. It's a great beginner's snorkel spot. For more information on the wreck visit DiversDown.

We even had a little friend swimming with us. This sea turtle swam right out of the corals underneath us.

After exploring the Cali, we worked up quite an appetite. Luckily, the Hammerheads is located just above the entrance to the Cali, and we were able to get a delicious burger and a nice cold beer before heading back out into town.

Visiting Vegas: The Bellagio

2010-07-13T06:43:00.000-07:00

View of the Bellagio at Sunset

"This is the luxury resort that ushered in the new post-Vegas-is-for-families elegance epoch, and it was so successful that many of its attributes can now be found, in varying forms, up the street at the Wynn resort. It's hard not to compare the two, and which you prefer will depend on your aesthetics."

Read more: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/lasvegas/H24964.html#ixzz0tZY35N9R

For current Las Vegas specials from Monticello Travel and Cruise, click here.

Travel Tip: 3floz.com

2010-07-03T18:55:00.000-07:00

3floz.com is a one stop shop for all of your favorite TSA friendly beauty products - pretty awesome idea! No more leaving your favorite beauty products at home or trying to squeeze them into into travel containers before a trip.

http://www.3floz.com/

Featured Travel Special: Alaskan Tours

2010-06-29T07:11:00.001-07:00

ALASKA TOURS

* Groups of 6 to 23
* Activities for All Ages
* Custom Tour Planning
* 1 to 14 days
* Exclusive Travel
* Luxury Transportation
* Educational and Fun
* Experienced Alaskan Guides

Call 1-800-795-1438 to speak with an Alaskan Tour Guide

Experience a unique and personal tour of Alaska. Travel in comfort and meet real Alaskans. See spectacular scenery and enchanting wildlife. This is not a motorcoach! Get away from the crowds and see Alaska upclose!!

Alaskan Tour Guides offer tours of Alaska that become one of the most memorable journeys in your lifetime. Special attention to details are made so travelers fully enjoy and appreciate the adventure, the spectacular views, the rich culture, and loads of fun. Our extensive knowledge and understanding of travel in Alaska goes a long way in making the most of your visit. Guides are all long-time residents who use their experience to educate and entertain throughout your travels. Don't just visit Alaska, discover it, participate in it and learn about a truly mystical, magical place.

Learn more...

Take advantage of these offers today - call Sue at 888.583.9211 toll-free!