 This past week, I spent several days in West Virginia hanging out with family and exploring the sights. Having family in WV, I have visited several times, but this time I got out and explored some of the most beautiful places I have seen. Arriving on Saturday gave me the chance to enjoy taco night at my aunt's house—a tradition in their home for decades, and one I love whenever I get the chance to join. They always make tacos with a 50/50 mix of deer and hamburger meat, along with all the toppings. You never know who will be there, but everyone is invited. On Monday, it was time to explore. Although I rented a car, my family decided that a flatlander like me driving in the mountains was a bad idea. Ultimately, I agreed. My cousin took me up to New River National Park and Preserve, which is the newest national park, having received its designation in 2020. There are four visitor centers, overlooks, and countless trails for hiking. If you visit on the third Saturday in October, you can experience Bridge Day by watching professionals base jump from the bridge. We stopped at the Canyon Rim Visitors Center, which has a great overlook for the bridge and the river. There is a small deck where you can view the bridge, but you need to go down the stairs to the next level to get the best view. There, you see the river and the bridge, and it’s spectacular. I will say, if you have any issues with stairs, use caution. There are several steps, but there are resting points. I was there at a great time of year, getting to see the colors of fall light up the landscape. The reds and yellows were out, and as my stay in West Virginia went on, they got even brighter. We headed over the bridge to Fayetteville for a great lunch at The Secret Society Sandwich Shop. The menu is made up of specialty sandwiches named after former presidents and first ladies. I had The Washington—a ham and white cheddar sandwich on a baguette with rosemary mayo and, get this, apple. So good. If you are visiting the area, I highly recommend having lunch here. After lunch, we took the Fayette Station Driving Tour to the bottom of the gorge and back up. The road is one-way and crosses the river on a replica of the bridge used for 100 years. You begin the route on the north side of the river and come out on the south side on US 19. Be cautious driving this road, as it winds up quite a bit and is narrow. It’s a must-do when you visit. On Tuesday, I went to downtown Charleston to walk along what is called The Boulevard, which runs beside the Kanawha River. Along the way, I saw historic homes and ended my walk at the State Capitol Complex. The building, with its gold dome, is absolutely beautiful.  On Wednesday, my other cousins, drove me up to Babcock State Park, which is not far from the New River National Park. You could easily visit both parks, along with Hawks Nest, in the same day. Babcock State Park is home to the Glade Creek Grist Mill, one of the most photographed sites in the world. My understanding is that it’s a replica of the Coppers Mill, which was located nearby. The mill’s location on the rocks, with the waterfall, was amazing. After taking a few pictures and browsing the gift shop, we headed up to a couple of overlooks of the valley. Again, the views were spectacular, showing why West Virginia is such a beautiful state. Rodney noticed that in the parking lot of the mill, cars from 15 different states were represented, highlighting how popular this area is. On the way home, we stopped in Ansted for a late lunch at a local restaurant called Gran Robbie’s—a quaint little café offering breakfast and lunch. The staff was very friendly, and the food was great. The funny part about this trip is that, despite visiting West Virginia several times, I don’t think I’ve ever seen this much of it before. There is still so much more to explore, including places like Morgantown and Wheeling. In West Virginia, you’ll find 36 state parks and 9 state forests and countless small towns to explore. 
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 Last week Carnival Cruise Line answered the call from guests and introduced the Zero Proof Drink Package. The new package will include all non alcoholic drinks with some restrictions. This will be a great option for those who want drinks other than soda but not alcohol. This will include
Excluded will be drinks in souvenir glasses, room service plus other restrictions. The package is currently $30 Per Day Per Person and available to purchase once your cruise is deposited.  As we get closer to 2025, I was thinking about travel trends. These are 5 travel trends I predict for 2025. 1 Solo Travel As I cruise and travel solo, I have seen more and more people hitting the road alone. It not only gives you the freedom to do what you want but no need to wait on others to go. 2 Travel Around the US As the world changes, I see more people hitting destinations here in the US. Specifically historical destinations, National Parks, Alaska and popular cities. 3 Off Peak Travel With homeschooling and more flexibility in jobs, more people will take vacations during off-peak times. For most destinations, summer is the peak time as kids are out of school and they offer warm weather. But peak times bring crowds so some will choose to visit places like Europe during the fall and even winter. 4 Quiet Vacationing This is a new term surfacing this here where employees take vacations without using vacation time. You visit a destination, work during your work hours and explore when you are off. Resorts and cruise lines are making it easier to do this. Be sure to check your work policies before attempting this. 5 Wellness Travel From retreats to spa resorts to cruise ships, wellness travel will see a growth in 2025. I am seeing on cruise ships the focus on wellness including expanded spas, fitness areas, treatments and classes like nutrition and exercise. For more information n travel help planning your next vacation, check out my social media or contact me at the info below.  Celebrity Cruise Lines offers three upgraded experience categories to elevate guests’ vacations: Concierge Class, Aqua Class, and The Retreat. Concierge Class focuses on priority services and enhanced amenities, Aqua Class caters to wellness and spa enthusiasts with exclusive dining and spa access, while The Retreat delivers the ultimate in luxury with suite accommodations, private lounges, and personalized butler service
 Its 7:00 AM and you start hearing the movement in the hallway, you look out the window and discover, you are back in your port, the cruise is over.As sad as it is, all cruises must come to an end so here are some tips to make debarkation day easier. On that last day when you are leaving, a lot is happening. The luggage is being removed, passengers are exiting the ship and the crew is preparing for the next group of passengers boarding that day. A lot of people do not realize the ship will debark passengers in the morning by 9 AM and embark a whole new group of passengers for the remainder of the day and push away by 3 or 4 in the afternoon. For you as the passenger, there are steps you need to take to make it smooth. On the morning of your last full day on the ship, you will receive debarkation paperwork including instructions and luggage tags. Also on that last day, they will typically have a debarkation talk, which is recommended for at least one person in your party. Study all the information as ports can be different and cruise lines can vary in their process. Most cruise lines will have the same options for luggage including self assist or can be called express and the porter can remove the luggage for you. Self Assist. With this option, you will carry your luggage off the ship with you as you leave. This allows you to leave the ship really at any time after they have released you and you are typically the first to get off the ship. This can be great if you have a flight to catch or just want to get on the road. But remember, if you choose this option, you will be responsible for getting your luggage all the way to the terminal through immigration with no crew assistance so be aware of your capabilities. Porter Assist. When you just have too much luggage or not in a hurry to debark the ship, this is a great option. The night before, you will place the number of luggage tags on your luggage and place them outside your stateroom during the advised times, usually before 10 PM. Keep a carry-on with items for the next day including your passport. On the morning of debarkation, they will call numbers associated with the tag numbers and when yours is called, you can head to the gangway and to the terminal. Now, do not try and get off the ship before your number as the luggage with your tag number is not ready to pick up.  When you arrive in the terminal, you will be directed to an area with signs displaying the luggage tag numbers. There you will find your luggage and move on to Customs and Immigration. There should be porters there to help with your luggage so have some cash to tip. For Miami, Port Canaveral, and Fort Lauderdale, most of the terminals have facial recognition for passport holders. You will have two lines, one for those using a birth certificate and state-issued ID and one for those using a passport. You will notice, the passport line will be much shorter so another reason to get a passport. Once outside the terminal, signage will direct you to your transportation choice or to the parking garage. I recommend having your transportation arranged ahead of arriving back in port as it will make it less chaotic. Lastly, start planning your next cruise.  Cruising, in my opinion, is one of the best vacation options. You board the ship, unpack and visit fantastic destinations all while eating great food and enjoying fun entertainment. Whether you want to destination focused cruise, fun filled party cruise or just pure relaxation, there is something for you.
Cruise can be different than a land vacation as you are boarding a ship to sail on the ocean so there are different things you should know. Check out my list of 8 things you should know.  In January I had the opportunity to sail my first Celebrity Cruise Line cruise on Celebrity Silhouette to Key West and Nassau, Bahamas. Today I review my experience with the good and the bad, not a lot of bad. I do have a review of my stateroom already posted. Celebrity is considered a premium cruise line and it's reflected in the amenities, service and design of the ship. From marble floors, to comfortable seating throughout the ship. An example of something that stuck out to me was at the pool. If you have sailed on Royal or Carnival, you have to check out the towels for the pool but on Celebrity, they are waiting for you on the chairs. And if you need more, there are always plenty at the stand. Lets talk about my favorite parts of Celebrity Silhouette.
 For my first voyage with Celebrity Cruises, I opted for the Prime Verandah Stateroom on the Celebrity Silhouette. Choosing the right stateroom can greatly enhance your cruising experience, and I was eager to see what this selection had in store.
 Recently on a Facebook Cruise Group I read the question, should I use a credit card or cash when making purchases while in port. Its a great question and I am sharing my thoughts in this weeks travel tip.
 On one of my cruises, I visited one of the most beautiful islands I had seen, Curaçao in the Southern Caribbean. If your next port of call is the picturesque island of Curaçao, get ready for a delightful blend of vibrant culture, stunning landscapes, and exciting activities. This Caribbean gem has something for every type of traveler, ensuring that your stopover is nothing short of memorable.
 On December 23. the brand new Carnival Jubilee will make her debut in Galveston Texas. Jubilee will be the third in the Excel Class ships and will feature all of the favorites from Mardi Gras and Celebration including the rollercoaster BOLT.
 Tuesday, my last day in Boston was expected to be the best weather of the trip so I was up early. One of the places, of many, I missed was the Public Gardens near Boston Common. So I made a coffee in my room and headed over early.
 On Monday I had planned on taking it easy as the forecast had more rain. After a visit back at Bruegger’s Bagels, I headed across the street to the Old South Meeting House.
 Boston Common with the State Capital in the background Sunday was probably my busiest day but the least amount of walking as I took the Old Town Trolley. This is one of the best ways to get around Downtown Boston as you get a fully narrated tour along with the ability to hop on and off at 14 different stops throughout the day. I started my day with a cup of coffee and a bagel sandwich from Bruegger’s Bagels and it was fantastic. The only thing is, I had to just go back to the hotel to eat as they had no seating for some reason. After that, I went for a walk at Boston Common just a couple blocks from the hotel This is such a beautiful park framed by Tremont St, Boylston, Charles, and Beacon. People were out walking their dogs, running, walking and just enjoying the park. Made me wish I lived near something like this.
 Boston Faneuil Hall Over the past couple of years, I have read some books about the creation of our country including the Revolutionary War and the patriots in Boston. I quickly added Boston to my bucket list and recently crossed it off with a visit to Beantown.
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