Harrah’s Las Vegas opened in 1972 as the Holiday Inn Center Strip. In 1992 it changed names to Harrah’s Las Vegas and is managed by Caesars. The property has undergone multiple renovations over the past 50 years; but it is clear it is not a modern resort property. The rooms … Read more
Amex Offers are promotions that you can add to your card so that when a purchase is made, you receive either a statement credit or Membership Rewards points. Recently there was an offer for Hyatt’s Independent Collection Brands, including JdV, Unbound, and Destinations. The offer was “Spend $400 or more, … Read more
After my Virgin Voyage, I needed to get back to Seattle. I was able to us Alaska Airlines miles to book a one way ticket from Nice, France to Dublin and then Dublin on to Seattle. The Nice to Dublin flight was in Economy (no Business Class offered) and the … Read more
The Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin opened in fall 2019 with 234 rooms. It is not Hyatt managed, but instead managed by a third party – the Hodson Bay Group. It is a Category 4 property which means Category 1-4 Free Night Certificates can be used. I booked two nights … Read more
The Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is surprisingly large with two separate terminals. I was flying out of Terminal 1 to Dublin (which happens to not be in the Schengen Area). The flights outside of the Schengen Area have an isolated area past passport check. There is one lounge in the … Read more
After sailing with Virgin Voyages, I flew from Athens to Nice, France for a two night visit before flying on to Dublin. The Hyatt properties near Nice were extremely expensive (August is peak season), so I decided to try the Crown Plaza near the Nice airport. The property is new … Read more
This summer I took three cruises. Each was the same length (7 days) and each was on a different cruise line in a different part of the world. Each cruise had four ports and two sea days. On each ship I booked a balcony stateroom. Three Cruises The first cruise … Read more
New to Virgin Voyages? Get a free $150 Bar Tab (beverage credit) for your first cruise when you sign up with this link: https://share.virginvoyages.com/alanwaite In April, I sailed Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady and reviewed the fantastic entertainment aboard that ship. With the launch of Virgin’s third ship, Resilient Lady, a whole new … Read more
I am currently on my second cruise with Virgin Voyages as a single sailor. Are you thinking of taking a Virgin Voyage as a party of one? Here are my thoughts and tips for you to consider. New to Virgin Voyages? Get a free $150 Bar Tab (beverage credit) for your … Read more
Athens is the third home port for Virgin Voyages, with the Resilient Lady sailing out of Piraeus starting with her maiden voyage in April 2023. I sailed on the Greek Glow itinerary in August 2023. Below is my experience with embarkation. New to Virgin Voyages? Get a free $150 Bar Tab … Read more
Story Hotels are a set of three hotels in Sweden that recently joined Hyatt as JdV properties. They are full integrated with Hyatt; meaning you can earn points, book reward nights, and are entitled to World of Hyatt elite benefits. I booked two nights after my Holland America cruise that … Read more
Eidfjord Hike for Cruise Passengers Eidfjord is a beautiful port for cruises in Norway. The town itself is quite small (but there is a grocery store). If you don’t want to do an excursion and instead just explore the area on your own, you are in luck. There is a … Read more
Holland America’s Club Orange Explained Club Orange is a paid add on for Holland America Line cruises. It is completely separate from their Mariner Society loyalty program which rewards return passengers. Club Orange can be purchased by anyone whether it is your first cruise or 100th cruise. Cost Club Orange … Read more
Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam Entertainment Review Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam, part of the Pinnacle class of ships, offers entertainment options focused on music and dance. This is exemplified with their “Music Walk” on Deck 2 that includes three music venues and the World Stage theater. You can also see … Read more
Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam Dining Review I just completed a seven day cruise on Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam; one of the ships in their largest Pinnacle Class. The ship has four specialty dining restaurants (that cost) extra; however I only tried one during my trip. I did try out … Read more