Sanditz Template Feed

Sanditz Travel is the best

Mon, 25 Aug 25 18:17:27 +0000

Elaine is awesome. I can email her and just tell her our thoughts of what we want to do, and in no time at all she has the best vacation & itinerary set up. We just returned from Disney and everything was perfect thanks to Elaine!!!

Great staff

Mon, 25 Aug 25 18:17:27 +0000

Amazing travel options and value!

Return Visit

Mon, 25 Aug 25 18:17:27 +0000

Just returned from our 2nd stay at SRC. Like the first visit and the previous 25 visits to other Sandals locations everything was as good as we could hope for. Food, Bars, Restaurants, Service, and the grounds were what we have come to expect at Sandals. Once again the Jamaican people who work here really make the difference. Some of the nicest you will find. If you visit be sure to check out the bartender at the pool bar named Roderick. His talents and work ethic are second to none. He can be mixing 4 cocktails while taking verbal orders for the next 4 and be joking with everyone else at the bar all while remembering everyone's name. It is quite incredible to watch. Once again special thanks to the G.M. Gerald Christ for keeping a check on us and spending part of his busy schedule to visit with us. One last special thanks for our travel agent Carrie Piekos from Sanditz Travel in East Windsor, Ct. She went above and beyond to get us out a day early before a blizzard that shut down the airport and surely would have cost us a couple of days of our vacation. Would definitely return.

Disney Announces New Theme Park

Fri, 30 May 25 15:43:10 +0000

Disney fans collecting theme park visits will soon have a new and spectacular destination to compare cherished characters, memorable experiences and new thrills. The Walt Disney company has announced plans for its 7th park. The uniquely waterfront resort will be located on an island in futuristic Abu Dhabi.

The Yas Island Disney park will combine Disney’s iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi’s vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture.

Yas Island

Located on the shores of Abu Dhabi – just 20 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and 50 minutes from Dubai, the 10.5 square mile Yas Island already offers vacationing families an extraordinary range of experiences. They include award-winning theme parks such as Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld, and Warner Bros. World, as well as attractions such as Yas Marina Circuit, home to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Yas Island boasts Abu Dhabi’s largest mall, plus Yas Marina, Yas Bay Waterfront, Yas Links golf course, the Middle East’s largest indoor entertainment venue, Etihad Arena, with a year-round line-up of spectacular musical, entertainment and family events. Visitors can choose among ten incredible hotels, including a W Hotel and The WB Abu Dhabi, the world’s first Warner Bros. themed hotel, not to mention 165 dining experiences.

The UAE is home to the largest global airline hub in the world, and is located within a four-hour flight of one-third of the world’s population, connecting travelers from the Middle East and Africa, India, Asia, Europe, and beyond. 120 million passengers travel through Abu Dhabi and Dubai each year.

Disney, Abu Dhabi-style

The new Disney theme park will be at the center of one of the world’s most popular and fastest-growing travel destinations. And it will reflect classic Disney fantasy with Middle Eastern influences and the UAE’s signature spectacular scale and passion for landmark, innovative architecture and design.

Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, says the new Disney “will rise from this land in spectacular fashion, blending contemporary architecture with cutting-edge technology to offer guests deeply immersive entertainment experiences in unique and modern ways. Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati – an oasis of extraordinary Disney entertainment at this crossroads of the world.”

Although no opening date has been given, upon completion, the new theme park resort will offer signature Disney entertainment, themed accommodations, unique dining and retail experiences, and storytelling in a way that celebrates both the heritage of Disney and the futuristic and cultural essence of Abu Dhabi.

The new resort will be built and operated by the company that developed many of Yas Island’s existing family attractions. Disney and its legendary Imagineers will lead creative design and operational oversight to provide a full Disney experience.

The 7th Disney park and the first in the Middle East joins 6 other Disney resorts – can you name them all? Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California; Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida; Tokyo Disneyland Resort; Disneyland Paris; Hong Kong Disneyland Resort; and Shanghai Disney Resort.

START YOUR TRIP!

Images / renderings courtesy of Disney

Trafalgar Expands From Land Touring into River Cruising

Fri, 30 May 25 15:43:10 +0000

Beginning in 2026, fans of Trafalgar tours have another way to enjoy the expert guidance, meaningful local experiences, cultural immersion and ease of travel they’ve come to expect from their Trafalgar trips. In fact, with the company’s new river cruise ships, you’ll now be able to unpack once for your entire journey as your floating hotel transports you to one Trafalgar experience after another.

The company, which is part of The Travel Corporation (TTC) family of travel brands, is launching 2 river cruise ships that set sail in the Spring of 2026. Each will sail a different river, the two most popular rivers to cruise in Europe: the Rhine and the Danube.

The two ships come from within the ‘family.’ One of TTC’s brands is Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, and two of Uniworld’s river ships are now sailing as Trafalgar Reverie and Trafalgar Verity. Each is home to 128 guests.

Trafalgar Style River Cruising

While both Trafalgar and Uniworld are part of The Travel Corporation, they offer distinct experiences. Uniworld is reminiscent of a boutique hotel, offering an ultra-luxury, all-inclusive experience for travelers seeking the highest level of elegance and personalized service.

When you river cruise on Trafalgar, you’ll experience guided cultural journeys with Trafalgar’s signature warmth, local connection, and ease, offering a flexible and accessible way to explore Europe’s rivers.

Each Trafalgar sailing includes

Guided shore excursions with Local Specialists;
signature Trafalgar moments, including opportunities to connect with locals through “Be My Guest” encounters;
at least one “Make Travel Matter” Experience that supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;
WiFi;
most meals, including delicious regional dining;
Tea time during afternoon sailings;
wine and beer with lunch and dinner (or a cash bar for other cocktails), soft drinks, coffee and tea, plus
onboard entertainment - from regional performances to in-house baking demonstrations;
wellness options from yoga sessions to complimentary bicycles for off-shore excursions, and
The care of an expert Trafalgar Experience Director and Hotel Manager;

giving travelers the support they want without paying for extras they may not use.

Inaugural Trafalgar River Itineraries

Trafalgar begins with two new journeys, an 8-day cruise along the Danube on the Trafalgar Reverie and a 10-day cruise along the Rhine on the Trafalgar Verity.

Best of the Danube: 8-Day Cruise Aboard Trafalgar Reverie

Explore Europe’s rich history and vibrant cultures from Budapest to Passau aboard the 128-passenger Trafalgar Reverie. With a setting as elegant and inviting as its planned journey, the Trafalgar Reverie is fabulously designed with multiple lounges for gathering, a massage room, a fitness center, and seven cabin categories. Highlights include Budapest’s storied landmarks, Bratislava’s medieval charm, and Vienna’s famous café culture. Guests are invited to ‘Be My Guest’ at an exclusive dining experience at Austria’s oldest winery, Weingut Nikolaihof, hosted by the Saahs family, and discover Bratislava’s Cold War history during ‘Life Beyond the Iron Curtain,’ an extraordinary “Make Travel Matter” Experience. Optional extensions in Prague and Budapest allow further discovery.

Best of the Rhine and Amsterdam: 10-Day Cruise Aboard Trafalgar Verity

Travellers aboard the 128-passenger Trafalgar Verity, with its charming 1930s vibe, rich blue and white fabrics, marble-accented bathrooms and boutique hotel elegance, will journey from Basel to Amsterdam, encountering landmarks such as the UNESCO-listed Cologne Cathedral, the romantic Middle Rhine Gorge, and Strasbourg’s charming old town. On this journey, the ‘Be My Guest’ experience visits the Bohrers for lunch at their family-run farm, where for generations they’ve cultivated fresh produce, and guests will learn about artisanal vinegar production during a “Make Travel Matter” Experience at Weinessiggut Doktorenhof. Like its sister ship, Trafalgar Verity offers seven cabin categories and an optional extension in Lucerne.

START YOUR RIVER CRUISE TRIP!

Images courtesy of Trafalgar.

Unpacked: Airline Industry Launches New Era for Luggage Handling

Fri, 30 May 25 15:43:10 +0000

Compared to many aspects of air travel, modernizing baggage handling seems, well, pretty ‘delayed.’ Am I the only person who is astounded at the fact that, as airport security has tightened so much when it comes to travelers and their water bottles, people can still just pull any bag off a carousel and walk out the door with it? Or that we let even inexperienced travelers attach their own sticky paper luggage tags, willy-nilly, and just drop them on a conveyor belt, along with thousands of other travelers’ bags, all going to different destinations on different flights… and hope for the best that they’ll show up at the same time and place we do?

It honestly seems like a miracle that baggage so often turns out right rather than wrong.

How Much Luggage Gets Lost?

We’ve all heard horror stories in recent years. COVID and its aftermath wreaked havoc on air travel operations. They were dark years for luggage ‘mishandling,’ as the industry calls bags that are damaged, delayed or temporarily or permanently lost.

Some airlines – and some airports – do better than others. But overall, according to the SITA Global Baggage report, just under 7 bags for every 1000 air travelers worldwide were mishandled in 2023. That’s less than 1% - and a big improvement over the previous (pandemic aftermath) year. Still, that represents over 36 million pieces of luggage – and the tiny fraction is cold comfort if your bag is one of those that goes missing.

Operations improvements and new technology are leading the way in the war against lost luggage.

The Grassroots Air Tag Revolution

Some advances have been driven by travelers themselves.

It didn’t take long for savvy travelers to adapt handy air tag technology to track their personal bags as they flew – despite early pushback from quite a few airlines and jurisdictions. Their concern was apparently the batteries, an unfounded one, as many advocates pointed out.

Not only did airlines quietly stop banning AirTags, but many have done a 180-degree turn. Now, about a couple of dozen airlines make air tag tracking an official part of their lost luggage process, allowing passengers to share the location of missing bags from their app with their airline to help locate and retrieve their bags.

Unpacking a New Era in Baggage Handling

And most recently, the airline industry as a whole has begun a united charge to revolutionize luggage.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched a 10-year “Global Baggage Roadmap” to modernize baggage operations around the world, with its member airlines, airports and industry partners all ‘weighing in’ on the best ways to make sure you and your bags reconnect no matter where and with whom you fly.

No surprise! IATA’s surveys show that:

81% of travelers want better tracking,
74% expect real-time updates on their mobile phones and
67% are willing to switch to electronic bag tags.

So IATA’s plan includes:

Baggage Information Standardization to harmonize how baggage information is shared among airlines, airports, and partners, replacing old legacy systems. This will even “significantly reduce the airline industry's annual spending of USD 1 billion on teletype messaging.” Teletype messaging? In 2025? Wow.
Real Time Baggage Tracking and Automation to provide visibility throughout the journey, using electronic baggage tags, GPS tracking, and robotics.
Streamlining the Baggage Claim Process and “enhancing the customer experience.” All those black bags, you don’t wonder how someone picks up the wrong one once in a while.

IATA thinks that within a decade, no matter where we fly around the world, our bags will be on a new, technology-driven journey right there with us.

START YOUR TRIP!

By: Lynn Elmhirst, travel journalist and expert.

Image: Getty

VIDEO: See it here first: MSC World America Inaugural Cruise Ship Tour

Fri, 30 May 25 15:43:10 +0000

MSC World America has launched! The secret to the success of this new mega-ship is right there in the name - the first MSC Cruises ship designed specifically for the cruising tastes of North Americans. That means you!

But MSC Cruises is not turning its back on its European roots. Instead, the cruise line says it’s delivering the best of both the Old World and the New World on the 6700-guest MSC World America.

It’s not just a new ship for North American families. Just days before the inauguration of MSC World America, MSC also cut the ribbon for a brand new, state-of-the-art cruise terminal, as magnificent and proud as the other mega-ship cruise lines next door in Port Miami.

Alongside exquisite, global-travel-themed, Italian-inspired mosaics on the high-gloss floors, high-tech innovations like biometrics and logistics systems allow you to check in and have your baggage processed in nearly record time, ensuring a seamless, stress-free start to your Caribbean vacation.

This European cruise line has firmly planted its flag in North America!

The cruise line aired an ad during the Super Bowl with America’s sweetheart, Drew Barrymore and the suavely European Orlando Bloom having fun with the differences – and similarities – between North American tastes and European sensibilities aboard the new ship.

You can check out the ad here.

Following a spectacular naming ceremony by godmother Drew Barrymore (Orlando Bloom was there, too, to cheer her on), MSC World America sailed to the cruise line’s private island in the Bahamas, Ocean Cay Marine Reserve.

Cruise/travel journalist Lynn Elmhirst was aboard MSC World America for the new ship’s christening and among the inaugural guests who got to be the first ones to experience the new ship.

WATCH THE VIDEO AT THE TOP for her tour of MSC World America’s ‘neighborhoods’, complete with the ship’s standout family fun, entertainment and dining, design and amenities, including some firsts for any ship at sea.

Her final word?

“MSC World America delivers everything North American families have shown they love in a mega cruise ship. The overall design, right down to the position of the slide down into the 12-story courtyard ‘Promenade’ that opens out onto the sea, will feel familiar to fans of other family-focused mega-ships.

“But there are still those touches of European flair: design, hospitality, the exclusive MSC Yacht Club, and brands like Eataly – that give you a sense that you have left home for your cruise vacation.”

START YOUR CRUISE TRIP!

By: Lynn Elmhirst, Cruise/ travel journalist and expert.

Celebrate Jane Austen's 250th Birthday in Britain

Fri, 30 May 25 15:43:10 +0000

If the famous line, "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife,” makes you smile affectionately and fantasize about the green pastures, elegant architecture, style and social intrigues of Regency Britain, you are not alone. For two centuries, Jane Austen’s witty, observant and kind novels have delighted readers and inspired travelers to discover the world of the author and her cast of beloved characters.

This ground-breaking female author’s books still among the most-read English-language classics. And they are also among the most-adapted into film and television, engaging fans who may not even realize they are immersed in the world of Jane Austen. The 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy remains one of the most iconic TV adaptations. Similarly, films such as Sense and Sensibility (1995), Clueless (1995, a modern take on Emma), and Bridget Jones's Diary (based loosely on Pride and Prejudice) have brought Austen's work to new generations of fans, blending classic literature with modern sensibilities.

In 2025, Britain – and especially Jane Austen’s home county of Hampshire – will be celebrating the 250th year of her birth, with special events taking place throughout the year.

Celebrating Jane Austen in Britain: Must-Visit Destinations

From her birth in the village of Steventon in December, 1775, to a later home in Southampton, and a cottage now called Jane Austen’s House in the village of Chawton, where she lived for the last eight years of her life, to Winchester, where she died and where she is buried in Winchester Cathedral, to locations of where the romantic comedies of her stories took place, fans of Jane Austen, the Regency period and Great Britain her novels brought so vividly to life – can retrace her steps and enter the world of Jane Austen.

1. Steventon, Hampshire

Start your journey in the small village of Steventon, where Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775. The village, with its tranquil setting, inspired much of her early writing. Although the house where she grew up no longer stands, the Steventon Church and the surrounding countryside are evocative of the rural England that shaped her stories. Take a walk through the village, imagining Austen's daily life here as she wrote Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice.

2. Chawton, Hampshire

Just a short drive from Steventon, Chawton is perhaps the most significant destination for any Austen fan. This is where she spent the last years of her life and where many of her most famous works were written, including Emma, Mansfield Park, and Persuasion. The Jane Austen's House museum in Chawton is a highlight of the visit, where you can step inside the house where she lived and worked, and see the writing desk where she completed her novels.

Click here for Jane Austen House, Chawton’s anniversary year exhibitions, events and partnerships.

The nearby Chawton House, once owned by her brother, is now a library dedicated to women’s writing, adding another layer to her literary legacy.

3. Bath, Somerset

Bath holds a special place in Austen's life and novels. The author lived in the city for several years, and it appears prominently in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. The Georgian architecture and the famous Roman Baths give the city a sense of elegance and charm that Austen captured in her works. The Jane Austen Centre (pictured above and top) offers a fascinating glimpse into her time in Bath, with exhibits about her life and the period. Walking through the Assembly Rooms and the Royal Crescent (pictured below), you'll see the locations Austen would have frequented, bringing her stories to life.

Jane Austen Festival in Bath, held every September – 250th anniversary in 2025 - dates are September 12-21, 2025.

4. Winchester, Hampshire

The final stop on Austen’s journey, Winchester, is where she spent her last days and where she was buried in the magnificent Winchester Cathedral. Visitors can pay their respects at her tomb, which is located in the cathedral’s north aisle. The city itself is steeped in history and offers an atmospheric setting for those following in the footsteps of Austen, with its medieval streets and serene cathedral close.

Winchester Cathedral unveils a Jane Austen statue in 2025, also celebrating with a special service, theater performances and tours.

5. Lyme Regis, Dorset

For those wishing to experience the dramatic landscapes that feature in Austen’s novels, Lyme Regis on the Dorset coast is a must-see. The seaside town plays an important role in Persuasion, where Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth’s relationship is brought to a turning point. The town is famous for its fossil-filled cliffs and beautiful coastal views, making it a wonderful destination for both literary pilgrims and nature lovers.

These destinations provide not only a chance to immerse yourself in the settings that influenced Jane Austen’s writing but also an opportunity to step back into the elegance and grace of Regency-era Britain. For anyone captivated by Austen’s wit and keen social observations, visiting these spots offers a personal connection to one of England’s greatest literary figures.

START YOUR LITERARY TRIP!

Images courtesy of Visit Britain:

Top Images: Jane Austen Centre

Image of Bath: VisitBritain/Andrew Welsher

Amsterdam at 750: Still the City of the Future

Fri, 30 May 25 15:43:10 +0000

In 1275, no one could ever have imagined that a simple dam on the Amstel River would become a city that pioneered so many elements of modern life in the 21st century. As Amsterdam marks ¾ of a millennium, travel lovers with 20/20 hindsight can celebrate the European capital’s contributions to shaping our world today, as well as what continues to make it a beacon for visitors.

The Dutch capital marks its official start by that 13th-century document granting it city rights and allowing local residents to build a dam to manage the flow of the Amstel river without paying tolls. This pivotal moment was the foundation of transforming a tiny fishing village into a thriving urban center.

And it didn’t take long for Amsterdam to become a hub for trade, culture and innovation.

Cradle of Modern Commerce – with the Architecture and Culture to Match

Key features of the modern Western World’s economic structure harken back to the 17th century when Amsterdam became the center of global finance and commerce:

The Dutch East India Company, founded in 1602, imported spices, textiles and precious metals from the Far East. It was the first company in the world to offer publicly traded shares.

And said to be the most valuable company EVER: valued at its peak at over $8.2 trillion in today’s dollars – far more than even today’s mega corporations. (Today’s most valuable companies are Microsoft, Apple and Nvidia, each worth less than half that.)

The Amsterdam Stock Exchange, also founded in 1602, was the world’s first modern stock market (the city was also home to the first-ever international bond market and other banking and insurance innovations).

Immense trade fortunes translated into cultural and architectural riches, including:

The famous network of canals, lined by storehouses topped with signature rooflines;
The famous Dutch school of painters; and
landmarks like Dam Square and the Canal Ring
which are lasting reminders and modern-day visitor attractions of this era of prosperity.

Social Innovation, Technology, Sustainability: The Birth of Modern Lifestyle Trends

Not only was Amsterdam the cradle of modern capitalism.

In its eminently practical, ‘live and let live’ way, the city has also been at the vanguard of ways of life other places have – often slowly – followed:

Tolerance:
If you think it’s about the famous Red Light District and window shopping legalized prostitution, you’re missing the point. In the 1960s and 1970s, Amsterdam became the epicenter of movements focusing on sexual freedom, drug policy reform, and LGBTQ+ rights, positioning itself as one of the most progressive cities in the world.
The city continues to shout out its commitment to reducing barriers and eliminating outdated laws, with inclusivity being part of everyday life as well as celebrations for residents and visitors alike.
Cycling Infrastructure:
In the 1970s, Amsterdam became a leader in sustainable urban mobility by developing its extensive cycling infrastructure. The city’s commitment to green transportation has had a lasting impact, making it one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world and a model for other urban centers. There are more bicycles than people in the city today! And even visitors embrace cycling as the best way to navigate the city.
Sustainability as a Way of Life:
Beyond bicycles, Amsterdam leads the world with a new, circular economy by reducing waste, promoting the reuse of resources, and minimizing the environmental impact of the city.
Inventor-Friendly:
Today, Amsterdam is also recognized as a hub for startups and technological innovation, home to numerous startups, incubators, and venture capitalists supporting new ventures and groundbreaking solutions.

The combination of historic culture and architecture, and leading-edge modern lifestyles, makes Amsterdam a magnet for visitors, 750 years after permission for that first dam.

Amsterdam 750 Celebrations

The city’s celebrations run through October 2025, featuring a diverse array of events that highlight Amsterdam's cultural heritage, artistic achievements, and vibrant community spirit.

Festival on the Ring A10 – June 21, 2025
On the longest day of the year, the 15-kilometer Ring A10 motorway is transformed into a vibrant, festival space featuring music, dance, theater, and sports, celebrating the city's dynamic culture and community.
SAIL Amsterdam – August 2025
SAIL Amsterdam, a grand maritime event, returns in 2025 to coincide with the anniversary celebrations. Tall ships from around the world gather in the city's harbors, offering a spectacular display of maritime heritage.
ARTZUID 2025 – Summer 2025
The ARTZUID sculpture biennale presents "Enlightenment," an exhibition reflecting Amsterdam's values of freedom and tolerance. The outdoor display features works by renowned global artists set against the backdrop of the city's urban landscape.
Special Exhibitions
Major museums, including the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum, are hosting special exhibitions throughout the year, showcasing Amsterdam's artistic legacy and contributions to global culture.

For a comprehensive list of events and activities, visit the official Amsterdam 750 website: amsterdam750.nl.

START YOUR TRIP!

By: Lynn Elmhirst, travel journalist and expert.

Images: Lynn Elmhirst

VIDEO: Incredible Tulip Time Scenes from an Emerald River Cruise in the Netherlands

Fri, 30 May 25 15:43:10 +0000

Windmills and tulips and river cruising, oh my! Springtime serves up the most iconic sights and moments of Dutch culture – and a river cruise may be the best way to experience them all.

Our Emerald river cruise sailed round trip from Amsterdam, navigating the Netherlands’ vast network of inland waterways, canals and rivers through countryside, picturesque villages and dynamic cities. We dipped into Belgium, then swung up again to complete our circuitous route back in Amsterdam.

It was a celebration of spring and a hit parade of the most charming elements of Dutch culture.

Windmills tie with tulips as the symbol of the country, and one of our shore excursions was to Zaanse Schans, a living museum along the river, where several windmills have stood for centuries. In recent years, other historic windmills from different eras were brought to the same site. We visited on a windy day – “the millers are happy!” said our Emerald Cruises guide. So the windmills were in full operation: pumping water, grinding paint powders, or harnessing the power of the wind to perform other tasks.

We visited Delft – the town synonymous with the Netherlands’ beloved rich-blue and whiteRoyal Delft porcelain, where we learned the process that is still used today – and even got to try our hands at painting a Delft tile of our own!

On board the Emerald Sky, another cultural craft project: painting our own wooden Dutch clogs. They’re only part-cliché. As our local artist explained, clogs are still worn by some farmers today, and they’re remarkably comfortable, as well as recognized as safety footwear! Inspired by our trip to Delft- and not very good at painting – I painted my clog in Delft blue and white. The hand-sized clog is a much more manageable size than some of the canoe-sized clogs that are scattered throughout the Netherlands for visitors to take jokey photos with!

But what everyone’s here for in springtime is the tulips. Horticulture is big business in the Netherlands, which produces nearly 2/3 of the world’s spring flower bulbs.

That means that, every springtime, vast fields of tulip farms are blanketed in blooms – a spectacle you have to see to believe!

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Tulip fields, the world’s biggest spring garden and more Tulip Time scenery!

Guests on our river cruise get to see the tulip fields on their way to Keukenhof – the world’s largest spring flower garden, and the highlight of our Emerald Tulip Time river cruise.

The entire journey was experiencing one vividly colorful, record-breaking tulip spectacle after another: from tulip fields, to Keukenhof garden… to the world’s largest flower auction house.

The Royal FloraHolland auction house is the size of 200 football fields and auctions 50 million cut flowers – every day! Even if you’re not into flowers, the phenomenal logistics of the intake of that many highly perishable products, auctioning them off to buyers around the world, sorting all the supplier’s blooms into different orders for buyers and handing them off to be shipped worldwide while still fresh – is mind boggling and was one of my favorite shore excursions.

SPRING FLING

Of course, you can sail the entire river cruising season in the Netherlands. But if you want to experience one of the most iconic, seasonal river cruises – and be simply blown away – by the spring wind powering those windmills, as well as the incredible colors and spectacle of one of the most famous floral phenomena in the world! A Tulip Time river cruise must be on your life’s bucket list.

START YOUR TRIP!

Story and video by Lynn Elmhirst, cruise/ travel journalist and expert.

RIU Resort-Supported Eco Project Reports Triumph for Turtles

Fri, 30 May 25 15:43:10 +0000

Over 150,000 hatchlings of endangered loggerhead sea turtles were released during the latest nesting season from hatcheries in the Atlantic archipelago of Cape Verde, including one in front of RIU’s hotels. What’s more, local eco organizations also reported successes in helping mitigate the negative effects of climate change on the critical turtle population.

The country of Cape Verde (also called Cabo Verde) is made up of 10 volcanic islands in the central Atlantic Ocean, about 500 miles west of the coast of Africa. A maritime hub in seafaring days, the country is now a growing holiday destination. Culturally, it’s a melting pot of African, Brazilian and Portuguese cultural influences. The islands of Cape Verde enjoy year-round sunshine, consistently pleasantly warm weather, volcanic mountains and lush valleys, not to mention crystal clear waters and stunning beaches on islands like Sal and Boa Vista.

The waters surrounding Cape Verde are rich in marine life, and visitors can go whale watching and encounter various other creatures of the sea. Notably, it has important nesting sites for loggerhead sea turtles, particularly on Boa Vista. From July to October, visitors can witness turtles laying eggs on the beaches. (Always do so responsibly with guidance from park authorities and environmental groups!)

RIU Hotels and Resorts operates six of its nearly 100 properties in Cape Verde. Through its sustainability initiative, the company supports two local conservation organizations involved in helping ensure the success of loggerhead sea turtle nesting to maintain and restore the threatened population of this majestic species.

Projeto Biodiversidade and BIOS Cabo Verde have set up hatcheries on the islands of Sal and Boa Vista, which help make Cape Verde home to one of the world’s most important nesting populations of loggerhead sea turtles.

Turtle hatching by the numbers

In the latest season, almost 115,000 births were recorded on the island of Sal, while there were more than 34,500 on Boa Vista.

Boa Vista hosted 60% of Cape Verde’s turtle population last season, with 22,427 nests in the Tartarugas Natural Reserve alone. Six hundred of these nests were protected in hatcheries with a hatch rate of nearly 80%, which led to 34,592 hatchlings being released into the sea.

What’s more, 7,576 turtles were monitored, and 169 were rescued.

Projeto Biodiversidade recorded 36,587 nests on the island of Sal. A total of 2,225 were protected in hatcheries, one of which is located in front of RIU’s hotels. The hatch rate reached over 82%, and 115,962 hatchlings were released into the sea.

A 17-mile stretch of coastline was patrolled, and 1,645 turtles were monitored.

Mitigating the effects of climate change

On Sal, the hatcheries were shaded to help reduce the egg incubation temperature. Just a couple of degrees makes a difference in increasing the proportion of male turtles, a key measure to counteract the effects of climate change.

BIOS Cape Verde also continued experiments on nests to mitigate the effects of global warming and obtained promising results in terms of hatchling sex ratios.

Reducing poaching

The organizations also report good news that there has been a significant reduction in poaching over the last few years, falling from 440 cases in 2021 to just 110 in 2024 on the island of Sal. The nurseries are monitored by volunteers from both organizations, supported by RIU, which provides food at the beach surveillance team’s camps.

RIU support for wildlife in other countries

RIU is involved in programs to protect a variety of animal species and their habitats in Mexico, Jamaica, Mauritius and Aruba, where it supports projects that work to preserve jaguars, green macaws, whale sharks and cottontail rabbits, among other species that enrich our travels and our wonder of the world we live in.

START YOUR TRIP!

Images courtesy of RIU Hotels & Resorts and their partner organizations.

When is the Jamaican Rum You're Drinking Not Jamaican?

Fri, 30 May 25 15:43:10 +0000

It’s only champagne if it’s from Champagne. Ham from Parma is equally exclusive. And now, some rum producers in Jamaica are causing quite a ‘stir’– working to tighten rules that identify varieties of the Caribbean’s most famous spirit by ‘appellation’ or geographic origin.

Champagne, Parma ham, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and many other foods, wine and spirits work to get these designations to protect the authenticity, heritage and production methods of a uniquely-produced regional food or drink. The appellation or GI (Geographical Indication) label verifies to buyers that the product has guaranteed qualities, characteristics and even reputation inherent to that specified region, even if made by different producers within the destination.

For travelers, tasting and buying products with an appellation ensures you’ve got your hands on the real thing, the authentic flavor of the destination. GI labels also protect local economies investing in heritage traditions from inferior imitators inside or outside the region.

In addition, strong GI’s become an anchor tourist experience in a region, enhancing travel opportunities.

Rum’s the word

The ‘rum’ble in the rum industry in Jamaica could affect what mojito, daiquiri, or souvenir bottle of rum you choose on your next trip to the Caribbean island.

On one side, six rum companies who want tighter rules about what can be permitted to be labeled “Jamaican rum.” The country’s Intellectual Property Office (JIPO) has already approved changes that now require any spirit called “Jamaican rum” to be aged within the country.

But the tighter rules are being challenged by opposing producers who do part of the rum-making process in Jamaica, while sending it off the island for ageing. In fact, one of the biggest producers says the new rules would put it out of business.

The increased restrictions are not unprecedented in the world of global GI. In fact, on-location ageing of GI spirits is pretty standard.

Scotch whisky must be produced entirely in Scotland, including maturing for at least three years. Tequila must be aged in Mexico. Cognac must be aged in France.

An opinion piece in the Jamaican Gleaner by Clement Lawrence, the chairman of the association of rum producers, in favor of tightened rules, asserts:

“In the context of rum, terroir refers to how Jamaica’s specific environment, its tropical climate, humidity, soil conditions, and traditional methods affect the fermentation, distillation, and, especially, the ageing of the rum. This is why rum aged in Jamaica develops a different flavour profile than the same rum aged in, say, Europe or North America.”

He adds, “In tropical climates like Jamaica, ageing occurs at 2–3 times the rate of temperate regions. The interaction between spirit, wood, humidity, and temperature uniquely shapes the rum’s chemical composition, its colour, body, and aroma. Ageing in Jamaica is not incidental, it is defining.”

The six companies in favor of the on-island ageing rule point out that a stronger GI is needed to meet standards in the spirit’s two biggest international markets: the US and the EU. It would protect Jamaican rum against imitators and also add to its reputation as a premium spirit made to the highest, exacting standards. Plus justify higher prices required to maintain those standards.

Lawrence concludes – as would many a tippling traveler – that Jamaican rum is “a world-class product, deserving of the same protections and reverence as its global peers,” like Cognac, tequila, champagne and other strictly-regulated GI beverages we travel to enjoy in their places of origin.

START YOUR TRIP!

Image: Getty: Appleton Estate Jamaican Rum Factory store and bar inside the Falmouth Cruise Ship Port, Jamaica.

Editorial note: Appleton is one of the producers in favor of tighter, on-island ageing rules.