Roblin Travel and Cruise

MSc Yacht Club

fraservaroblin — Thu, 03 May 2012 17:37:00 +0000

MSC Yacht Club WOW !!! who wouldn’t want to be spoiled like this.

Even Butler service is available…..

The Yacht Club is located in the front section of 4 ships, it includes priority check in and check out, 24 hour concierge service, compimentary beverages including wine and spirits. You have your own lounge and sun deck pool complex, open to Yacht Club members only.

This would be a great cruise for honeymooners, empty nesters, or those that love to travel to 5 star resorts.

Give us a call to inquire about pricing … it’s really affordable…. 604 792 4696

Standard Balcony Suites On 7-Night Mediterranean Cruises start from $2,049*usd

Family Trip to New York City

fraservaroblin — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:24:00 +0000

A Family trip to New York City has always been on our bucket list. Due to the kids school schedule we had to go on Spring Break in March so we were somewhat concerned about the weather until we got there….they were having above average temperatures! Awesome!

We stayed at the Best Western Plus Hospitality House on 49th and Lexington. We had a one bedroom suite with a full kitchen. They also offer a complimentary breakfast…it was pretty good….eggs, waffles, bacon, etc. For $150 roundtrip they hotel arranged a car service to pick us up and take us back to JFK. JFK is about 45 mins from the hotel…depending on traffice. The hotel is in an excellent location. Walking distance to Times Square, Central Park, Madison Square Gardens, Rockefeller Centre….we pretty much walked our feet off.

We were lucky enough to arrive on St. Patrick’s Day so we were able to see the parade. That was really fun….New Yorker’s take St. Paddy’s Day celebrations very seriously!

Our first visit to Times Square…on St. Patirck’s Day…people

are everywhere! It was an amazing site…all lit up and so much energy!

We had pre-purchased a 48 hr hop on/hop off bus pass before we went to NYC. The office to exchange the tickets was only about 15 mins from our hotel. So on Sunday we started the tour. It was an overcast day and slightly chilly in the morning but it did warm up. We saw so many sites that I can’t even name them all! We went past Central Park and saw where lots of famous people live, that was fun for the kids.

There is also a night tour included with the pass so we did that Sunday night as well and just about froze to death. We had to sit on top of the open air bus to get the whole view but wow…needed scarves and mits! This was the only cold day that we had. The night tour takes you over to Brooklyn as well.

Our second day of the hop on hop off tour we were able to catch the bus just up the street from our hotel instead of walking back to Times Square as we had already exchanged our vouchers. So convenient! This time we headed to SoHo where we got off and did some shopping. We went to Little Italy where we had pizza or pasta and wine for $10! Well, I was drawn in by the wine!

We also headed over to China Town before we jumped back on the bus. China Town is huge…2nd largest in the world. Vancouver is 3rd…just FYI! The tour takes you through the Lower East Side, the East Village, Battery Park and Ground Zero. We also went through Greenwich Village which is one of the safest areas of NYC. I would have liked to have time to go back to this area, Little Italy and SoHo.

Tonight Jamie and Tyler went to a hockey game at Madison Square Gardens. This was Tyler’s first hockey game…pretty lucky to be seeing his first live game at MSG!

Tuesday was spent at Ground Zero, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The Memorial was very sad as you can imagine and tons of police wondering around. Going through security is worse than the airport! You have to pre book visitation times to the 911 Memorial. The new Trades Centre is almost complete now….that is it in the background of the photo below.

Above is one of the original sites of one of the Towers. The foundations have been turned into waterfalls and all the way around the site are the names of everyone who died in 911. There is also a museum but it isn’t open yet.

It was a short walk to Battery Park to catch the boat over to the Statue of Liberty…more security and helicopters flying around. The Statue is under repair so we couldn’t go in but it was enough just to see it.

From here you can take the boat over to Ellis Island. The museum here is huge…4 floors…we spent a couple of hours here. It was surreal to be in the same building where so many people came to America for a better life. Their stories were amazing. Outside the museum is a huge wall that goes in a big circle with all the names of the immigrants…amazing.

Off to Wall Street…..just another short walk again. I wasn’t that impressed with Wall Street but Josh was really excited to be there. We took the subway from here to Grand Central Station…that was an experience in itself but to see Grand Central Station…WOW…it is so huge!

Wednesday was just a shopping day and wandering around the city on our own. The buildings are so amazing and the architecture is incredible.

Tonight we went to see Death of A Salesman starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Andrew Garfield. It was playing at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre which was absolutely stunning! Unfortuntely, no cameras allowed! We bought our tickets before going to NYC…there is a 1/2 price ticket stand at Times Square but we didn’t want to waste any of our time standing in line.

After the play, which was incredible, we waited outside to try to get autographs….we saw Andrew Garfield up close but not close enough to get a signature. But…Liza Minelli, Alan Alda and Tony Danza all came out the stage door too so that was cool to see! We walked back to our hotel at 11 pm and didn’t feel uncomfortable or nervous.

The next couple of days were spent touring the city and shopping. The day we went to Central Park it was 80 degrees….so nice! It is a beautiful, amazing place…in the daytime. Not safe at night. We saw John Lennon’s apartment where he was shot and in Central Park there is a memorial to him.

One thing I really wanted to do while I was there was to go skating in Rockefeller Centre. So…Tyler and I went on our last night. It was so fun…expensive but fun! Even in 80 degrees the rink was still open!

I would definitely go back to New York and it is a fantastic family vacation. There is so much to see and do for everyone and all ages.

Disney Aulani Resort Hawaii

fraservaroblin — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:56:00 +0000

Hawaii is one of my most favorite places on the planet and I absolutely Love all things Disney. So you can imagine how excited I was to have 2 of my favorite things rolled into one. I stayed one week with my family at the new Disney Aulani Hotel.

It is located in a quiet area called Ko Olina in the south west side of Oahu. aprrox 45 mins from airport, 55.00usd taxi fee each way.

So, it is away from the hustle and bustle of Waikiki.

The Aulani hotel is breathtakingly beautiful set in front of it’s own private lagoon. Every single detail of the property has been carefully thought out. This is not an amusement park, they have touches of Mickey, but it is definitely more Hawaii.

. There is just so much to do at the hotel, amazing pool area with waterslides, lazy river and huge waterpark for the kids

. There is a gym and spa and off the charts amazing kids club called “Aunty’s Beach House”, they also have a special club for teenagers too. There are so many activities you can enjoy , evening entertainment, storytelling by the fire, movie nights under the stars.

Characters could be found walking around, great photo

opportunity with the kids.

They have a rainbow reef on site, where you can snorkel with the fish and also an interactive Stingray Experience

( both for a fee ).

I could seriously go on and on, but it is something you really just have to experience to fully understand how amazing it is.

Two thumbs way up !!! Email me for more info Kim@roblintravel.com

ALOHA !!!!!

Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba Feb 2012

fraservaroblin — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 20:56:00 +0000

Susan froM our Chilliwack office , has just returned from Cuba, this time travelling to Cayo Santa Maria, instead of Varadero area. Here are some of her comments…
This is a fabulous beach destination. There is 12 km of white powdery sand beach. When we were there, sometimes the water is as smooth as glass, but there were days when the wind picked up that you did get some good waves coming in and red flag days. Sometimes the beach is pure white sand with no seaweed, but again when the ocean got stormy there was seaweed in the ocean and some days plenty that got washed up on shore. The beach was fantastic for walking on.

We stayed at the Memories Azul section. It is a very large resort, and the Azul side has more hills going up and down. The property is wheelchair accessible, but I would tend to recommend the Paraiso side, for those that don’t want to walk up and down hills, and the Paraiso side is also closer to the little village. The Azul side has the quieter beach section at the one end.

Rooms were a good size, very clean. There is a small fridge with a large bottle of water, 2 beer and 2 pop. They will replace whatever you use from the fridge once / day. There is a one cup coffeemaker in the room, and a safe with no charge.
If you are interested in doing any tours, the Catamaran trip is very popular and can get booked up. It is about 99.00/ person and includes a dolphin encounter, and a snorkeling trip on the Catamaran. In the Azul section there was a Sunwing tours desk to book tours, and a Gaviota tours desk. They both sell the same tours, and Sunwing was always lined up, so we booked our tour at the other desk, and did not have to wait in a long line. She also arranged a tour by cab for us to go to Santa Clara and visit the sights.

Internet access is extremely slow, and sometimes you cannot even get a connection. A card can be purchased from the telephone shop at a cost of 6.00 for 30 minutes. It may take you the full 30 minutes to sign on and send one message. The connection is generally better in the morning.

Susan can be reached at our Chilliwack office, 604 792 4696

Day 4

fraservaroblin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:11:00 +0000

A bit overcast this morning, but still very hot. It is a perfect morning for shopping in Playa del Carmen! I will make sure to bring back some vanilla.

Day 2 and 3

fraservaroblin — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 17:10:00 +0000

We have spent the lst couple days relaxing by the fantastic pools here and the beach. The Iberostar Paraiso Beach is a very larg resort, so we are getting a lot of walking in! The Mexican show last night was fantastic!

Christmas in the Mayan Riviera

fraservaroblin — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 16:11:00 +0000

We are sitting at the airport waiting for our flight to Cancun. This will be the first time we have gone away on a sun holiday at Christmas. I have actually enjoyed not having to stress about preparing for Christmas this year. I will try and keep you posted once we arrive.
Posted by Susan

Jamaica November 2011

fraservaroblin — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:21:00 +0000

Getting to Jamaica was a bit exhuasting….we left Vancouver at 11 pm and arrived in Toronto at 615 am. We had a 4 hour layover that we spent at the Plaza Premium Lounge. We arrived in Montego Bay at about 230 pm and enjoyed some time in the Sandals lounge where you have free drinks…depending on the room category you have booked at Sandals/Beaches you get more amenities.

Off to Sandals Whitehouse….a long, 2 hour bus ride on a road filled with potholes! Beautiful resort, all oceanview rooms, very large property. The rooms were very large, very comfortable bed and nice jacuzzi tub as well. This is a very isolated resort…excellent if you are just going for rest and relaxation on an incredible beach!

Our next stop was Beaches Negril. This resort is about an hour from Sandals Whitehouse. This is a very large family resort. The beach is beautiful….part of the 7 mile beach and the water is incredible. This resort has 1, 2, 3 or 4 bedroom connecting rooms…excellent for large families travelling together. A great waterpark and lazy river. The Sesame Street characters are always around to see the kids and they put on a great family show in the amphitheatre.

We toured the Grand Pineapple Beach resort. This is in Negril and is for budget travellers. It is a very small resort with limited amenities, entertainment and dining options.

Part of the resort is on the beach and the other part is across the road. The pool is in the section across the road. It is a very small but incredible beach, again because it is in Negril.

The rooms are very basic but clean.

Beaches Sandy Bay was one of my favorite resorts although the rooms could use some updating. The rooms are large, some loft units and some with kitchenettes. I did find the pool area quite small but with that beach, who needs a pool?

Sandals Negril is a very high end resort, again on the 7 mile beach. Some parts of the beach are quite narrow but overall, amazing. It is a very active resort during the day, lots of young couples but a bit quieter in the evening. The rooms are beautiful…especially the swim up rooms with butler service. Incredible and on the best part of the beach, as well.

Rics Cafe is a great tourist attraction. It is located in Negril, about a 20 min bus ride. Here you will find the best place to see the sunset as well it is where the locals and tourists can do some cliff jumping.

We were fortunate enough to visit one of the local schools that is part of the Sandals Foundation. It was an incredible experience and certainly makes you appreciate what you have. The kids were adorable…we all brought gifts and school supplies for them. The school we visited was located in Negril.

We headed off to Montego Bay which is about an hour and a half from Negril. The first resort we stopped at was the Sandals Carlyle. This is a small, intimate resort located near the hip strip. There is no beach at the resort but there is a small public beach across the street. They do provide a shuttle to the other Sandal Resorts where you have full access to the beach, restaurants, etc. This resort has the highest repeat clientele of all Sandals resorts.

The Sandals Montego Bay is a beautiful, large resort. The only thing that may stop clients from going here is that it is located right next to the runway of the airport. Once we were there, I didn’t really notice the planes but it may be a deterrent for clients which is too bad because it is a beautiful resort.

The Sandals Royal Caribbean is another one of the smaller resorts. The beach is not very good here but the resort itself is very nice. This is the only Sandals resort that has its own island. You can take the boat over to the island and enjoy a nice dinner at the Thai restaurant. It is a very unique feature.

Our last 2 days were spent at the Sandals Grande Riviera in Ocho Rios. Ocho Rios is about 2 hrs or so from the airport. While in Ocho Rios we also toured the Sandals Royal Plantation. This is another very small resort for more high end clients. There isn’t much of a beach here and the sun seems to disappear early in the afternoon. The rooms only have french balconies so not a good resort for a client who likes a full balcony. You can also hear the music from the nearby Sandals Grande Riviera which could be a problem for some clients.

Beaches Boscobel is another of the family resorts. It is a very large resort on a hill so it may not be best suited to those with mobility issues. The kids waterpark is fantastic and all of the Sesame Street characters are here as well…with the exception of Big Bird. He is only at Beaches Negril because of his height!

Sandals Grande Riviera is a huge complex. Part of the resort is on the beach and part is across the street on a hill. Across the road is a magnificent pool…it is massive! On this side you have all of the butler suites and room categories with private pools. The beach is quite narrow although there is a one section by the pool that is quite wide but the area near the water is narrow. I enjoyed this resort but I found that our room location was not ideal…it was right near the walkway between the restaurants and bars so it was quite noise late at night. The rooms were fantastic but the beds are quite high off the ground. This is the resort you would go to if you like golf as it is included and is a short ride from the hotel.

Jamaica is a great destination and the Sandals/Beaches resorts are pretty incredible. Next time, I look forward to enjoying more of Jamaica and exploring the area.

the italian job

fraservaroblin — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 07:26:00 +0000

Ok so here is the start of my blog, no pictures yet just a quick update. As always the trip over was long and boring we really need to work on that transportation thing, having said that last night less than twenty four hours after I left Chilliwack I was sitting in a cafe at the Rialto bridge have a cold glass of Prosseco and watching the world go by waiting for my friends.

|Venice is truly a beautiful city in the summer time lots of people here so I guess tourist season is going well. We had dinner at Al Fontego a resturant that Mike, Denise and I loved last year and once again had a fantastic experince same waiter as last year, even more amazing in this town is that I managed to find the resturant first time. If you have ever been to Venice you know that can be a challenge.

Anyway thats all for now, got to go out and try to find this coffee shop that has the best coffee I’ve ever had, later today we board the Wind Surf will try to get some pictures on then of our departure out of town.

Disney Wonder

fraservaroblin — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:49:00 +0000

I had the opportunity to tour the “Disney Wonder” before she headed back to Alaska, where she has been sailing since May.

The “Disney Wonder” being 13 years old was not showing her age at all! It is has a modern but classic ocean liner feel with a touch of Disney through out.

The Disney Cruise Line does cater to families of all ages and does have areas of the ship that are adult only sections.

One of those areas is Route 66 which after 9pm becomes the adult only area. It has a nightclub, plus there is Cadillac Lounge which is a piano bar and Diversions which is a games room lounge.

There are 3 main dining rooms and unique to Disney they offer rotation dining. You have your set dining time, table number and wait staff but each night you eat in a different restaurant.

One of the restaurants is Animators Palate which when at the start of the meal everything is black and white but as the meal progresses the room becomes more colorful. You will notice in the photo the tables were covered but they wouldn’t let us peck to see what was underneath.

The staterooms were a good size and fit 4 passengers comfortable. In the Deluxe Insides and Ocean view cabins they have a split bathroom so that if someone is using the shower there is still a toilet and sink to use. This is great when traveling with a family.

There are 3 pools to cater to everyone. The 1^st is the adult only quiet pool with its soft music and comfortable loungers. The center pool is the family pool with a jumbo screen on the funnel where they show movies and cartoons all day and into the evening. This pool also has a retractable dance floor so at night they have deck party here. The 3^rd pool is the children’s pool with water slide and baby splash pool.

When we were making our way off the ship, passengers were embarking and that is when the Disney staff went into action. Each family group was announced as they entered the atrium and the staff clapped and cheered as Snow White waved from the balcony and Goofy hugged the little ones that squealed with excitement. I can just imagine what great family memoirs are gong to be made in the week onboard the Disney Wonder.