Sometimes its good to think a bit outside of the box when it comes to picking your wedding colors, traditional is not always better! When having a destination wedding you don’t have to always use the “Beach theme” and use colors like aqua, try colors like Hot Pink, peach and chartreuse, the bright combo makes a huge statement against a lighter backdrop of blue sky and crystal clear ocean. The color palette a bride chooses for her wedding is very important, it’s kind of announces the tone of the wedding. Bright and electric colors tell a story of fun, adventure and excitement, where as the dark jeweled tones can be more a dramatic, romantic flare. Whichever colors you pick they should definitely make a statement and be “all about you!”

Travel Insurance? London delays? Not sure what your policy includes? Will it pay your hotel costs and meals if your flight is delayed? See the Pre-Paid Legal Link, sign up and they will review your insurance contracts, plus More….

Our trip to The Fairmont Turnberry Isle, a North Miami landmark, was wonderful and we ‘highly recommend’

If you are looking for a hotel stay in Miami or Ft. Lauderdale either before or after your cruise – this hotel has it all.  It is really in the middle of both airports and both piers.

As we arrived from a short ride from airport by taxi, we noticed the parking lot was flooded with shiny Mercedes, Porsches and Ferraris.

We were promptly greeted and directed to the front desk to check in.

Right away, Rachel and I were taken back by the peaceful koi ponds surrounding the entry way, including many koi fish, turtles and waterfalls. The lush plants and flowers were a delightful addition and added a sense of “tropical” to our first impression.

The clerks at the front desk were very friendly and advised us thoroughly of our accommodations. Walking to our room resembled some sort of tropical jungle and along the way we encountered interesting chameleons, playful birds and greenery plants of all kind.

The trip to the room alone was unbelievable, but then our room was amazing. A more than ample king-size bed was lined with linens sparing no expense or thread count, luxurious marble in a large bathroom with Scottish shower and Jacuzzi tub. Our great view over looked the chef’s personal garden where he grew and hand-picked fruits and vegetables used in the delicious dishes made in The Cascata Grille – onsite with beautiful views, overlooks  magnificent golf courses and water features, and offers a fusion of American and Italian flavors from a creative culinary team.

After unpacking and getting refreshed, we proceeded to dinner at The Cascata Grille, which was excellent. We shared an appetizer dish comprised of oysters, bruscetta, calamari and gulf shrimp the size of sand dollars. As our main course we split the crusty margherita pizza, finishing the meal with a cup of hot espresso.

We then went to the pool, which included a lazy river, fun waterslide and cozy hot tub. The pool also included The Laguna Grille, featuring tropical island casual fare on an outdoor open terrace with views of a lagoon-style pool, which serves sandwiches and drinks poolside. We enjoyed the tranquility of the pool area and rested in the sun to the mesmerizing sounds of waterfalls and tropical parrots before retiring to our suite for the night.

The next morning we ‘enjoyed’ the gym’s many amenities including numerous treadmills and weights. Afterwards we took the personal shuttle to the Ocean Club on the Atlantic for some time in the hot sun and got very hungry for lunch. The Ocean Club Grill is a seaside eatery with indoor and outdoor patio dining at the private club. The menu mirrored that of The Laguna Grille at the pool — a pleasant surprise because of the large selection of “beach food.” We then enjoyed some time on the soft sandy beach and gazing at beautiful blue ocean until the sun went down for the night, beautifully.

That night we went to a restaurant in South Beach called Big Pink. The menu here is huge just like the portions while the prices are very reasonable. I ordered the steak wrap sandwich and Rachel had the Philly cheese steak sandwich. Both were extremely large and hearty so we ended up taking half of each back to the Fairmont Turnberry Isle. We then enjoyed a couple of after-dinner drinks at Big Pink before going to Nocturnal Night Club. The club was very fun and we danced the night away until we finally had a cab take us back to the Fairmont Turnberry Isle. The next day we spent playing between the Ocean Club and pool after having a delectable breakfast at The Cascata Grille. The huevos rancheros were excellent and Rachel’s blueberry waffles made me want to order seconds.

That night we went to Big Pink again for dinner and enjoyed the nightlife at the popular club, Nikki Beach, dancing the night away again and drinking exotic beverages. On our last full day at the Fairmont Turnberry Isle, we did some resting & relaxation at the Ocean Club before going to the Aventura Mall and having dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. The food there is just amazing and the shops — Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s — were great. We shared a gelato from a vendor in the mall while shopping in the elegant stores before, alas, catching a taxi to the Ft. Lauderdale airport to go home.

Overall the experience at The Fairmont Turnberry was excellent. The service was impeccable along with the excellent service, food and extracurricular activities including the amazing pool, waterslide, lazy river and Ocean Club. I would definitely ‘highly recommend’ the Fairmont Turnberry Isle to anyone looking to for a short or long stay in Florida without all the hustle and bustle of South Beach. That is, of course, if you don’t want the hustle and bustle. If you do, just take a cab 20 minutes down Collins Avenue and Miami is yours!!

CruiseCompete.com offers stranded travelers a more pleasant option to waiting out the volcanic ash cloud disrupting air space  – Transatlantic cruises. Since some experts are predicting this disruption may not sort out for an extended period of time, travelers may want to consider a Transatlantic cruise.

Most Transatlantic cruises are currently sold out, with a few cabins available or possible wait listing — Crossing from one side of the Atlantic to the other can take anywhere from 6 to 8 days, longer cruises are available.

The classic Transatlantic routing between New York and London (Southampton) comes to mind, but there are other routes as well. Travelers in North America can choose from the following departure ports: New York, Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, Miami, San Juan and Galveston. Travelers in Europe and the UK have the option to leave from London (Southampton), Hamburg, Genoa, and Rome among others.

Depending on your departure point, your routing across the Atlantic will take in a wide variety of ports. Time onboard can be spent wisely as all ships are outfitted with a substantial inventory of things to do. All ships offer communication centers where you can make phone calls, use the Internet, and send emails.

The following is a link to a list of Transatlantic cruises offered on CruiseCompete, along with search tools for more options:

http://www.cruisecompete.com/searchresults.php/?limit=100&page=1&order=3&submitok=Apply

Tip: If the link does not work, go to CruiseCompete.com, then ‘Search Cruises,’ selecting ‘Transoceanic’ in the region menu.

Here is what we found when we called lines offering transatlantic cruises:

Cunard

Cunard was sold out for their transatlantic cruises prior to the air disruption. However, Cunard will waitlist you for transatlantic cruise and tell you where you fall on the waitlist for a refundable fee of $500.

NCL

While the April 26 Miami to London is sold out, NCL’s June 24 London to New York has some availability on the Epic.

Celebrity Cruises

May 20 from Miami has waitlist only, as it is currently sold out.

Royal Caribbean Cruises

May 2 from San Juan on the Adventure of the Seas has some availability and allows waitlist option.

In addition, CruiseCompete is offering to assist travelers who are stranded. You can email them at

transatlantichelp@cruisecompete.com

I was really hoping for sunny, hot, blue sky Key West weather, unfortunately Mother Nature had something else in mind! We rented a Jeep Wrangler, hoping to make the 3.5 hour drive from Ft. Lauderdale down a fun,

Driving through the keys, on the Seven Mile Bridge

open air scenic kind of drive, however due to the cold weather we were forced to leave the top up and just enjoy the view from inside.

I have gone to Key West before as part of a cruise, so I was thrilled at the chance to show Alexander around one of my favorite ports of call. As we drove onto the Key, you start to see small signs of the “conch” lifestyle. Beautiful banyan trees, couples bike riding, motorcycles roaring and the tunes of Jimmy Buffet just easing all your stresses away!

First stop was to get checked in at our hotel, The Pier House, located at the end of Duval on the water. We received a beautiful room in the spa section of the resort, which had a beautiful marble and tile bathroom, nice sitting area and quaint patio. Unfortunately we didn’t have a view of the ocean, but we figured we wouldn’t be spending much time in the room so the upgrade wasn’t worth it this time around! Once settled in, we put on our walking shoes and hit the streets or Duval rather! It was already 1pm so we thought we look for somewhere to eat lunch, Duval is full of choices all with amazing atmosphere and food. We decided on a spot called Fogarty’s, a restaurant across the street from The Whistle Bar. We were craving conch fritters, so of course we ordered them first along with an ice cold beer to cheers are arrival. After lunch, we stuck mostly to Duval St checking out all the sights and shops and such, and headed back to the hotel in the early evening to get cleaned up for dinner and Key West nightlife.

There is definitely no lack of nightlife on this small Key; the streets are alive at night. We made the rounds, stopping at the infamous Captain Tony’s for a glass of pirate punch, then on to Irish Kevin’s for a bit of live 80’s rock music and last stop of course Sloppy Joe’s, Hemingway’s stomping ground.

The next day we were big time tourists, Key West may be a small place, but it’s huge in history, so I had a lot to show Alexander. We started with lunch at Alonzo’s Oyster Bar, under the A&B Lobster house, it was AMAZING. We had the fried shrimp and chips and the lobster sandwich, both were to die for! We did however save enough room to walk down the street after lunch and stop in the Blonde Giraffe for a piece of Key Lime Pie.

Seahorse at the Key West aquarium

With our bellies full we were ready to explore, first stop, the Key West Aquarium. The giant turtles, stingrays, the SHARKS, and all the beautiful sea life were quite interesting. There was also a man offering to let you have your picture taken while holding an alligator, I kindly said NO and ran the other direction, no alligators for me thank you kindly! After walking around Mallory Square we decided it was time to flag down a Pedi-bike to take us to the opposite end of Duval to see the Southernmost point.

Southermost Point in the USA, 90 miles to Cuba

I think everyone hopes for a more dramatic sight, but the buoy is just that, a giant buoy marking the southernmost point of the US, but still a very cool landmark! From there it’s a short walk to the Butterfly and Nature conservatory. It was a nice change from the abnormal chilly weather, to step into the conservatory at a humid 85? a perfect environment for the butterflies and plants. They say if a butterfly lands on you its good luck, well consider Alexander lucky then because he had a beautiful one attached to his arm the entire time inside! We decided to walk back into town so we could stop and see a few more sights, the Hemingway House and the “Little White House”, were just a couple. Our sightseeing made us quite hungry so we decided to go to Kelly’s for happy hour, great wings and cold drinks. It was getting late and we wanted to get down to the pier to watch a famous Key West sunset, so we hurried through our happy hour and followed the crowd down through Mallory Square to the pier. The sunset was incredible!

Key West Sunset

With our time in Key West almost over we made the most with our final night, an amazing dinner and once again taking in all the Conch nightlife had to offer.

Our trip to the Keys was brief, but filled with relaxation, history and amusement. You can go to Key West for 2 days or 2 weeks and never get bored of all that the “conch lifestyle” has to offer!

After so very much planning and research we decided on French Polynesia. We could not resist just one island so we decided to go to 3 of the Tahitian islands.

Our flight on Air Tahiti was pretty good; try for an emergency exit seat. It was so very long I thought my new husband would go crazy; I should have packed a baby bag for him to keep him busy. If he was good, I could have given him a little gift every hour to keep him happy. In the end to was all worth it and he said he would do it again.

We arrived, tired but very excited in Papeete and were greeted with Leis and a Tahitian Man. We had amazing service, they were so happy to have us at the Radisson Hotel. We choose this hotel due to wanting to see the black sand beach and yes, it was very private. The room was very modern and gorgeous, overlooking the ocean, the views were beyond staggering and the Jacuzzi on the patio was not bad either. We were only there for 1 day – we treated ourselves to massages in their luxurious spa and went out in downtown Papeete to eat at the Roulettes, a well known spot next to the harbor where you eat from travelling restaurants.

We rank this The Radisson Hotel, Papeete, as 7 out of 10.

Next stop – we flew inter- island to Moorea, the hotel staff were there waiting for us, it’s nice not to have to worry about getting there. It’s about a 10 minute drive from the Moorea airport to the Moorea Pearl where we stayed. We arrived to hot lemon scented hand towels, citrus water and an open air lobby, we booked a garden bungalow and after a quick tour of the resort we were guided to our room. It was our own little thatched roof hut, complete with kitchenette, cozy sitting area and a lovely backyard area with a private plunge pool and chaise lounges! The Pearl, unlike a few other resorts is only a 5 min. walk to town, where we bought beautiful souvenirs, stocked up on groceries and filled our stomachs with Pizza from a local restaurant. We rented a car for a day to tour the island, and visited places like the Moorea pinapao jus factory (pineapple juice) and drove up the mountain to the overlook for an incredible view of the two bays.

Moorea, French Polynesia

Our favorite night in Moorea we went to eat at a small local restaurant, Te honu iti, The Little Turtle, which sat right on the bay so as we ate the most amazing meal of our lives we were kept entertained by the stingray and sharks that swam right along the edge of your table.

We rank the Moorea Pearl Hotel as 9 out of 10.

Our last 4 days in Tahiti brought us to Bora Bora, after an hour flight we finally landed on this tiny little strip of land. The airport is completely surrounded by water and only accessible by boat. Our hotel staff greeter from the St. Regis met us with yet other lei and helped us aboard our boat for a 10 min boat ride to the resort. Our arrival at the St. Regis Bora Bora was unlike anything we had ever experienced, a row of hotel staff each one with a specific job to get you checked in and comfortable. Once checked in, our “butler” took us on a golf cart tour of the resort and property, ending at our room, a deluxe overwater bungalow. This bungalow was mind-blowing, glass bottom floors in each room, our own private deck with access right into the sparkling blue waters, a living room that was the size of a normal hotel room, bathroom with all the amenities and a view from our king size bed that was unbeatable.

The Private Lagoonarium at St. Regis, Bora Bora

Every night at 6pm a boat arrives at the resort to take you to the main land of Bora Bora if you want to dine or shop. The gourmet food at our resort was to die for, however the cuisine and atmosphere at the main island restaurants was remarkable. The St. Regis boasted the most wonderful natural lagoon for guests to snorkel and swim, snorkeling in the lagoon was our favorite thing to do, especially when the sea turtles were active and swimming around us. The Islands are known for their collection of black pearls, I of course had to do a bit of negotiating, but my husband finally gave in and we purchased a beautiful pair of black pearl earrings, STUNNING!

We rank The St. Regis Hotel as 10 out of 10. If we had it to do over again we would fly straight to the St. Regis and skip the other islands. However this was a very expensive hotel and the same one that is used for the movie Couples Retreat! It’s actually more beautiful than in the movie.

Leaving the French Polynesian Islands was bitter sweet, but my husband and I made memories there that will last a lifetime. It was truly the perfect paradise to start our new life together.

Rachel Garrett

Expertise: Experienced traveler with a young and fresh point of view if you are looking for the exotic and also southeast USA, especially Florida. She knows Florida inside-out!

Advice – Although traveling can be challenging on the details side, it’s a wonderful way to create memories and dreams.

Rachel has been to Mexico, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Canada, Hawaii, Tahiti and hundreds of locations all over the US.

One of her favorite places is where she spent her honeymoon recently – the South Pacific/ French Polynesia. She has plenty of ideas for travelers looking for the same.

The South Pacific / French Polynesian Islands offer exotic, gorgeous settings that also are secluded and private, with a very rich and interesting history. Wonderful hotels she recommends are the St. Regis Bora Bora Resort, Moorea Pearl Resort & Spa, and the Radisson Plaza Resort (Papeete) Tahiti.

In Florida, strong recommendations in Hollywood / Ft. Lauderdale for the Hard Rock hotel, the Bahia Mar, and even the more economical Sheraton Yankee Clipper Hotel.

Miami / South Beach recommendation is the Ritz. Same for Naples – the Ritz.

If you’re thinking South Carolina / Hilton Head, Rachel recommends the Villamare villas & condos.

If you’re headed to the Western US, she loves the Stanley hotel in Colorado, which is where the Shining movie was filmed.

In Mexico, she suggests the Marriott in Puerto Vallarta. Marriott for Toronto as well.

She’s been on Celebrity Cruises and loves cruising.

Other favorite places – Maui without a doubt, in part because it is exotic, romantic, beautiful and memorable – but also still USA and somewhat more accessible. She loves to tell people about Haleakal, or the East Maui Volcano, a massive shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the island. In Maui, Rachel recommends Grand Wailea.

Another favorite is South Beach, Florida, and the Delano Hotel. It is the ultimate world-class urban resort and self-contained destination, a cool haven of relaxation in the middle of one of the world’s most vibrant communities…never a dull moment…sushi bar in lobby is awesome, nightlife is endless, alive at all hours.

Favorite thing to do when not traveling: Rachel likes to hang out with her husband and dogs and loves to shop, spend time with her mother and plan her next trip.

Rachel grew up moving about the US with her family, living in such states as Florida, Georgia and Michigan. She also toured many southeastern US states while playing soccer in high school and early college.

Rachel attended Brenau University in northern Georgia and ultimately took a different route. She graduated from William Beaumont Hospital’s Program of Radiologic Technology in Royal Oak, Michigan,

Rachel is an Interventional Radiology technologist with Beaumont Hospital.

When Rachel’s not working, she enjoys traveling with her husband, mother, family and friends.

Alexander T. Garrett

Alexander has been traveling to many US locations and many amazing locations around the world. He has been to Florida, California, New York, Las Vegas, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Canada, Tahiti, Mexico and Italy. His love for travel started at an early age and he continues to explore new destinations every year.

Alexander has been on numerous Royal Caribbean International cruises and has had the privilege of staying at some of the finest resorts in the world – the Ritz in South Beach, Naples, and Palm Beach; in Miami the Sanctuary and the Fairmont Turnberry Isle, and The Breakers Palm Beach.

His most memorable place was on his honeymoon at the St. Regis in Bora Bora. He also has wonderful childhood memories from living at The Wentworth by the Sea in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Alexander loves Las Vegas, is an expert regarding many hotels there and enjoys the Hard rock Hotel, Bahia Mar, Yankee Clipper& Ritz in Miami/Fort Lauderdale.

His travels also include visits to these lovely properties, St. Regis Bora / Bora, Moorea Pearl Moorea, Radisson Papeete, Marriott in Puerto Vallarta and Toronto, Grand Wailea in Maui, Celebrity cruise lines, The Stanley Hotel in Colorado, and Villamare in Hilton head

Alexander Garrett was born in Exeter, New Hampshire, and moved about the US until settling with his family in Rochester, Michigan. He received a BS in Business Administration from Oakland University works for Guardian Insurance Company in Michigan.