Like many great ideas, this one had a lot of help from a trip to the pub. James Whittle and Tom Caulfield had hardly any experience in rowing, but that didn’t stop them from recently completing an insane, 54-day row boat trip across the Atlantic Ocean in a ship they called Tempest Two. I was lucky enough to catch up to the two British lads recently at Sugar Bay Resort in Barbados, where they were recovering from their ordeal – and trying to make sense out of a return to something like a normal life. “I think I was inspired Read more
Caribbean
This is shaping up to be quite a Leap Day for travel lovers. It’s barely noon in Toronto and I’ve already seen several really, really good deals for folks looking for travel bargains. Here are a few I’ve noticed so far… Air Canada Vacations: I got an email just after noon EST to say folks can save up to (yes, it seems there’s always that famous catchphrase, “up to”, but still) 50 per cent on trips to the Caribbean and Mexico with ACV. You also can get Aeroplan bonuses of 2,900 miles until March 3 for May and June departures, Read more
A lovely beach. A relaxed but upscale environment. And super-friendly staff. This was my first experience at Sugar Bay Resort on the southwest coast of Barbados, but I hope it’s not my last. My wife and I only had one day as we were getting ready to head out on a cruise with Sea Dream Yacht Club (more about that in another report), so we made the most of it by staying on the property for our 21-hour visit. We were greeted with a cold, eucalyptus-scented towel when we checked in the covered but airy lobby, which features a couple Read more
It started small and has mushroomed into a massive, mid-winter occasion that leaves some folks jubilant and others horribly confused. The “wave season” in the cruise travel business sounds a lot like the Super Bowl, but in this case it’s about saving money on a great vacation. Wave season started as a one-day cruise sale a couple decades ago and is now a weeks-long bonanza featuring hundreds of deals, discounts and extras ranging from free Wi-Fi to on-board spa treatments. “Wave season is sort of the Black Friday or Cyber Monday of the cruise space,” said Jason Sarracini, chief operating Read more
I didn’t get anything directly from the JetBlue folks, but I spotted in the business section this morning that JetBlue will be adding flights from Buffalo-Niagara International and Los Angeles International (LAX) starting June 16. It’s a bit of a drive for some Torontonians, and there’s the U.S. dollar strength to worry about. But I went online this morning and found seats for a flight to LA on June 18, with a return June 26 (on the red-eye) for about $300 U.S. Even with the horrendous exchange rate we’re stuck with right now, that’s about $418 Canadian dollars. On Air Read more
