Breakaway on the Breakaway

Last year I shared some impressive details about Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest and most incredible ship. She sets sail on May 12, 2013 from New York City and we couldn’t be more excited!

NCL has been slowly releasing more information on this massive, floating fun zone. In addition to The Waterfront, 678 Ocean Place, Breakaway Casino, The Manhattan Room; there is much more included for its lucky passengers.

My favorite thing about traveling has always been the food, so let’s start with all of the great on-board restaurant choices. Besides the six different complimentary dining options on the Breakaway, including O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill, there are also eight different specialty restaurants from a range of cuisine choices.

• Ocean Blue – NCL’s first-ever fine-dining seafood experience brought to you by Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian.
• Le Bistro French Restaurant – NCL’s signature French restaurant with new Atrium Al Fresco seating options.
• Cagney’s Steakhouse – NCL’s classic, signature steakhouse perched high atop The Manhattan Room.
• Teppanyaki – A guest favorite, Teppanyaki is an exciting hibachi-style dinner and show.
• Moderna Churrascaria – The first Brazilian-style steakhouse at sea, Moderna Churrascaria offers beautiful indoor and outdoor seating options to complement their mouth-watering menu options.
• Shanghai’s Noodle Bar – The largest noodle bar at sea is the answer to your cravings for a taste of the Orient.
• La Cucina Italian Restaurant – This colorful piazza-style trattoria offers family style Italian dining on The Waterfront.
• Wasabi Sushi Bar – Sushi, sashimi and more, artfully presented and prepared as you watch.

In addition to all of the great options already mentioned, the Breakaway went a step further and added some extra tasty treats to their menu. Setting sail for the first time in May is Carlo’s Bake Shop, the famous bakery from TV’s “The Cake Boss”. And if you are looking for a way to cool down while indulging your sweet tooth, check out Dolce Gelato; a true mouth-pleaser.

Believe it or not, Breakaway’s dining options aren’t the only headliners aboard; the entertainment options are out of this world!

Cruise Show Spectacular 2013!

For the past four years, we have had the pleasure of hosting the biggest cruise show of the year in select Pennsylvania cities and, this year, we are back and bigger than ever with Cruise Show Spectacular!

Attending Cruise Show Spectacular is a great way to find out what’s new in the cruise industry, save big with great special offers and register to win fun door prizes. Our Cruise Line Representatives and Boscov’s Travel Specialists will be available to answer questions, so this is the perfect opportunity to start planning your dream cruise.

Check out our participating cruise lines:

• Avalon Waterways
• Celebrity Cruises
• Disney Cruise Line
• Holland America Line
• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Royal Caribbean International
• Viking River Cruises

Find your nearest Cruise Show Spectacular below! For a sneak preview, click here.

Sunday, January 27, 2013
The Crowne Plaza Hotel
Reading, PA
12:00pm-3:30pm
Registration begins at 11:30am

The Crowne Plaza is located just a few blocks from the Berkshire Mall at 1741 Papermill Road in Reading. Please contact Boscov’s Travel at the Reading Mall to reserve your seats. Call 610-779-8640 or email us
bostraveast@boscovs.com.

Sunday, February 17, 2013
The Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey
Harrisburg, PA
1:00pm-4:00pm
Registration begins at 12:30pm

The Sheraton Harrisburg-Hershey is located at 4650 Lindle Road in Harrisburg. Please contact Boscov’s Travel at the Colonial Park Mall to reserve your seats. Call 717-540-4222 or email us bostravcolonialprk@boscovs.com.

Sunday, February 24, 2013
The Sheraton Bucks County
Langhorne, PA
12:00pm-3:30pm
Registration begins at 11:30am

The Sheraton Bucks County is located at 400 Oxford Valley Road in Langhorne. Please contact Boscov’s Travel at the Neshaminy Mall to reserve your seats. Call 215-355-3737 or email us bostravneshaminy@boscovs.com.

Sunday, March 3, 2013
The Ramada Inn
Wilkes-Barre, PA
12:00pm-3:30pm
Registration begins at 11:30am

The Ramada Inn is located at 20 public Square in Wilkes-Barre. Please contact Boscov’s Travel at 15 South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre to reserve your seats. Call 570-823-4141 or email us bostravwilkesbarre@boscovs.com.

Sunday, March 17, 2013
The Estonia adjacent to the Holiday Inn Express
Easton, PA
12:00pm-3:30pm
Registration begins at 11:30am

The Holiday Inn Express is located at 90 Kunkle Drive in Easton. Please contact Boscov’s Travel at Palmer Park Mall to reserve your seats. Call 610-250-2772 or email us bostraveaston@boscovs.com.

Hammie Shares His Love of Travel

Now that you have met Hammie, let me introduce you to his friend Holly!

Holly is Hammie’s friend from up North. She has a sparkly personality and likes to play all the reindeer games…like hide and seek and travel trivia.  Holly is our little music lover!  She is very light on her feet and although she is Native Alaskan by birth, she loves to groove to a Latin beat! Her dream is to go to Mexico and South America!

Much like Hammie, Holly loves to travel, but always books travel by herself. While decorating for the holidays one day, she asked Hammie how he is always so relaxed when planning one of his many journeys when she is always ready to pull her antlers out.

Hammie told her all about his great Travel Specialist at Boscov’s Travel and how they handle all of the stressful parts of booking a vacation. He also told her about how during his last visit to book his next journey he got a $50 Boscov’s Department Store gift card just for being a past client and booking a qualified trip! He also told her that if she booked a trip before December 29, 2012 she could get a $25 if she told them that Hammie referred her.

So Holly decided to give Boscov’s Travel a try. She stopped in and booked her own qualifying trip and decided that from now on she was done trying to book her own trips. From this point on, she would let her new Travel Specialist take care of all of her travel needs. (She was also super excited about earning a $25 Boscov’s Department Store gift card.)

So in the end, Hammie got his $50 gift card for booking as a returning client, Holly got her $25 gift card for being a referred client and Hammie got an additional $25 gift card for referring Holly. They can’t wait until they can go shopping to buy fun things to take on their trips!

Photos courtesy of Dawn Rettinger of www.dawnrettinger.com.

Click here for more information on the Referral Program or call or visit your local Boscov’s Travel Specialist for full details. 

Come Celebrate With Us!

We are celebrating YOU during the month of July with prizes and special offers!

Stop by your local Boscov’s Travel any time during the month of July to register for great prizes, no purchase necessary. We’re also featuring special offers and incentives for bookings made by July 31st. Click here for contest rules.

We look forward to seeing you and thank you for being a Boscov’s Traveler!

…And Baby Makes Three or Four or More! The Pleasures & Pitfalls of Family Travel

Family travel brings to mind happy memories and nightmares. It is a wonderful bonding opportunity and a minefield for conflicts. In spite of the many pleasures, travel is stressful and travel with children of any age often adds to the stress. Use these tips from a former flight attendant and family traveler to reduce the stress and add some fun to family travel…

Is the beach ball half empty or half full?

1. Seek out attractions and activities that appeal to everyone. While most travel activities are group-oriented, respect the individual interests of each family member. Join forces to create a destination wish list that gives everyone a taste of their favorites from dining to diversions. Create a contest with rewards for finding the most unique travel destination experiences. Also, establish a family travel budget. Give each child a travel allowance to reduce constant pleas for souvenirs and snacks.
2. Buy each child their own age-appropriate luggage. Choose kid luggage that is pulled easily or worn as a hands-free backpack. Be sure you can juggle their bag and your own in the event of a mid-travel meltdown. Teach school-age children to be smart travelers. Allow them to create their own packing list and pack their own luggage (with supervision). For infants and toddlers, use individual large zip-locked bags to separate each family member’s clothing. Pack at least two changes of clothing in a carry-on bag. Accidents and travel go hand-to-hand, especially with infants and toddlers. Check out some of the cute, kid-friendly, Disney themed luggage and backpacks at Boscovs.com.
3. Discuss and practice clearing airport security ahead of time to take the uncertainty out of the process and avoid misbehavior. Check and re-check carry-on bags to ensure there are no tools or toys that could be mistaken for weapons. Be prepared for “owies” with a small first aid kit. Take medications and medical records for chronic illnesses and a current photograph of all young travelers, including teens, in carry-on luggage.
4. At your destination, stay alert. Child-proof hotel rooms for toddlers—no matter how much you trust your child. Check out companions they meet and the activities they participate in at hotel and cruise ship camps. Know when, where and what teens are up to. Check rooms and baggage. Yes…snoop! Don’t take any chances with current travel security and stringent drug laws. Be safe… not sorry.
5. When traveling with infants and toddlers, invest in a combination (FAA-approved) car seat/stroller. You would never hold an unrestrained child in an automobile, and holding a baby in an airplane (especially for take-off and landing) is dangerous. If a sudden stop occurs or the flight encounters unexpected turbulence, it is almost impossible to keep a firm grip on a baby in arms.
6. Chill out! Stay flexible and calm. Children take their lead from you. If you are visibly upset and stressing out, they will meltdown and add more to your stress. When Murphy’s Law rears its ugly head, be prepared with Plan B and even Plan C.

In the words of Hodding Carter, “There are two lasting bequests we hope to give our children, one is roots; the other is wings.” With practice, a healthy dose of patience and a positive outlook, family travel creates memories that last a lifetime and wonderful wings.

Family Travel Sale
We’re having a Family Travel Sale! Book May 7-12, 2012 for great special offers on Disney vacations, cruises, tours and resort getaway. Click here to view our email announcement for more information.

For more information on family travel and other great travel tips, contact your local Boscov’s Travel Specialist, email travelrequest@boscovs.com or call 800-755-8020.

The BIG January Cruise Sale 2012

Winter has been making its presence known and even snow bunnies are dreaming of warmer destinations at this point.

So, how do Boscov’s Travelers beat the winter blues? By taking advantage of our annual BIG January Cruise Sale and making their 2012 vacation dreams a reality!

That’s right, our BIG January Cruise Sale is back and making waves! Book a cruise January 9-14 to receive discounts, complimentary upgrades, onboard credit, free dinner and more from these participating travel providers:

• Royal Caribbean International
  
• Norwegian Cruise Line
  
• Celebrity Cruises
  
• Holland America Line
  
• Disney Cruise Line
  
• Carnival Cruise Line
  
• Avalon Waterways
  
• Travel Insured

We look forward to seeing you in 2012!

Click here to view our sale circular for details.

Contact your local Boscov’s Travel Specialist or call 800-755-8020.

9 Ways to Save on Travel in 2012

If your travel budget is tight, take heart. In many ways, there’s never been a better time to travel than 2012. Competition for tourism leads to travel deals and savvy planning also saves travel dollars.

1. Flexibility pays.

Tweak travel time for significant savings. Peak or high season travel always costs more and destinations are crowded. Travel off-season or on the shoulder season. It’s not necessary to go to Asia during monsoon season or the ski slopes when they are bare! Booking a getaway as little as a week or two, pre-or-post peak periods saves 20% or more.

2. Consider alternatives.

Compare airfares at alternative airports within a metropolitan area, such as LaGuardia, JFK and Newark in the New York area; Reagan National, Dulles and Baltimore in the Washington DC area; and Miami and Fort Lauderdale in Florida. Get the best rates on lodging a few miles away from the center of big cities and theme parks. Ask about free shuttles and public transportation.

3. Discover the value of cruising.

Cruise fares include lodging, all the food you can devour, round-the-clock on-board activities/entertainment, free kids camps and plenty of personal attention. Although charges for gratuities, shore excursions, cocktails and gambling can add to the bottom line, rock-bottom basic cruise rates hover as low as $60 per day per person for a seven-day Caribbean cruise. Pick a port within driving distance, such as Baltimore, Maryland; Bayonne, New Jersey or New York City; and save on air travel.

4. Beat the Euro.

Book a Mediterranean or European cruise or tour paid for in your home country’s currency. The more all-inclusive the better. Make certain that once a deposit is made, the price is locked in and not subject to change with fluctuating exchange rates, including: Eastern Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Argentina and China.

5. Rely on a professional.

While the Internet brings the world to your fingertips, the amount of information is overwhelming. Don’t be too quick to click. Unwary travelers discover that online deals are not always what they seem. When professional travel agents understand personal interests and budgets, they are masters at comparing travel options and uncovering legitimate promotions and perks that won’t weaken the wallet.

6. Join the clubs.

Inquire about senior, corporate and first responder discounts. Enroll in airline, hotel and rental car membership programs. Members get preferred rates and rewards. Factor in freebies like complimentary breakfasts, free parking, free Internet access and free local shuttle transportation.

7. Capitalize on local promotions.

Make the first stop at your destination the local tourism office or chamber of commerce and stock up on local discount coupons and inside tips. Many major cities offer a “City Pass” (citypass.com or smartdestinations.com) that provides admission to multiple attractions, and shopping and dining discounts at savings of 50% or more. In Europe, 44 cities offer a European City Card (europeancitycards.com) with similar savings. Purchase passes online prior to arrival for additional savings.

8. Safeguard your vacation investment.

Unforeseen events, illness and other problems that cause vacation cancellations are costly. Some medical insurance plans and Medicare do not cover illness or medical evacuation at international destinations. When trip costs cannot be recovered, it pays to spend a little money to protect your travel investment.

9. Take advantage of special offers.

Deals and special offers can lead to big vacation savings, like dollars off, cruise on-board credits and more. We update our travelers often regarding special offers, so like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or contact your Boscov’s Travel Specialist and ask to be signed up to receive updates via email.

Next week is National Cruise Vacation Week ― which means savings for YOU!

It’s no secret ― we are bananas about cruising. And with countless ship and destination options, amazing entertainment, delicious food and super cool towel animals; what’s not to love?

We are celebrating National Cruise Vacation Week with special offers from our favorite cruise lines. All you have to do to receive these special bonuses is book your cruise October 17-22, 2011, with your Boscov’s Travel Specialist!

Click here for more information.

Travel Enrichment Seminars: Free Public Travel Events!

Every fall, we play host to many free, educational travel events throughout our locations. This year’s Travel Enrichment Seminars include Cruising, Walt Disney World, Group Travel, Escorted Tours, Alaska, All-Inclusive Resorts and more. The type of events offered will vary by location, so be sure to check out our Events Page at the link below.

Attending an event is a fun and easy way to get more information about exciting destinations you’ve thought about and different ways to see them. You’ll often find special deals, offers and prizes just for attending.

We’d love to see you there!

Click here to visit our Events Page for details.

Dori and Friends 11th Annual Cruise

Anyone who’s ever met Dori and heard her crack a joke, with that sassy Southern accent, knows she’s lots of fun to be around. Cruisers come back year after year to travel with her and she’s always looking for new friends to add to her posse.

If you’ve ever thought about taking part in an escorted group cruise, 2012 is your year. Our escorts are highly experienced and provide their cruisers with the peace of mind that comes with knowing there’s an expert there to assist with their every need.

Having cruised more than 30 times, Dori knows the best ships and destinations. This year, she has chosen a 7-night Eastern Caribbean itinerary aboard the Carnival Pride, conveniently departing from Baltimore.

In addition to three fun days at sea, this cruise will make stops in the following ports:

Grand Turk

Largest of the Turkish Islands yet, surprisingly remote; Grand Turk offers plenty of sun, sand and activities. Enjoy diving near the island’s protected coral reef; Cockburn Town, featuring a wonderful selection of historical buildings and rustic charm, along with The Turks and Caicos National Museum and more.

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

Largely undeveloped and with a beauty and serenity that is second-to-none, it’s no surprise to find Half Moon Cay has earned the rating of “Best Private Island” four years in a row by Porthole Cruise Magazine. Featuring an international bird sanctuary, horseback riding, stingray adventures, Half Moon Lagoon Aqua Park, nature trails, air-conditioned private beachfront cabanas and more; there are plenty of opportunities for fun.

Freeport, Bahamas

Enjoy shopping at the island’s duty-free shops, where you’ll find excellent deals on cameras, watches, porcelain and fine jewelry. After that, try snorkeling, sailing, scuba diving, golfing on one of the most impressive courses in the world or relaxing on one of the many white sand beaches.

Package Details

7-Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise
Aboard Carnival Pride
June 17, 2012

• Transportation between Salisbury and South Locust Point Cruise Terminal in Baltimore, Maryland
• Seven nights cruise accommodations
• All included meals and entertainment while aboard the ship
• Services of Dori Mowbray, professional Boscov’s Travel Escort
• Onboard amenity of $50 shipboard credit per person

From $1,186* per person

For more informatino or to book your cruise, call Dori at 410-219-9063 or email dmowbray@boscovs.com; contact your local Boscov’s Travel Specialist or call 800-755-8020.

*Price and package is subject to availability at time of booking. Based on double occupancy in an inside cabin.