Cruising with Jen Mitchell
My Travel Blog

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Please join Chef Vincenzo Betulia for the


Campiello Culinary Cruise & Tour of Italy

September 15-25, 2010




To Benefit Garden of Hope and Courage




Including a 7- night cruise aboard


Seabourn Spirit



Limited to 24 guests !!

Call early to reserve your spot on this

exclusive journey through Southern Italy





Campiello Culinary Cruise & Tour Includes:

· Culinary events with Chef Vincenzo Betulia

· Betty Maclean Travel Escort

· Three nights at the Hotel St. Regis Rome including breakfast daily, two lunches, and two dinners

· An intimate dinner at the Chef’s table

· Private after hours tour of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel

· Sample Sicilian specialties including Marsala wine

· Shop with Chef Vincenzo in a local Roman market for ingredients to cook dinner with the Chef in a traditional country farmhouse

· Attend a private wine tasting and than enjoy a homemade Sicilian meal served in a private home in Catania

· Scenic drive down the Amalfi Coast

· Participate in hands-on pizza making lesson

· All Suite Accommodations

· All onboard gratuities

· Complimentary liquor and wine onboard Spirit including wine and spirits

Price for Cruise & Tour: From $10,000 per person*, based on double occupancy in starting suite - ask agent about additional suite categories.

Deposit: A 25% deposit is required to reserve your spot.

Final Payment: Full payment due May 1, 2010
Cancellation penalties apply. See agent for details.
Optional Trip Cancellation Insurance is highly recommended.

Exclusions: Fare does not include international air to Rome; additional tours, alcoholic beverages and meals which are not included on itinerary; passport fees; phone calls; premium spa and other personal services.

Disclaimer: Rate is based on a minimum number of travelers. Fares are capacity controlled, subject to availability and may change without notice.Activities, special guests, properties and itinerary are subject to change. Cancellation penalties begin at $600 per person from time of booking until final payment in which additional penalties apply. We strongly recommend purchasing Travel Insurance to protect against injury, illness and unforseen circumstances in the destination.

Contact Jen Mitchell at Betty Maclean Travel, Inc.

www.BettyMacleanTravel.com/campiello

239-513-0333 Jen@BettyMacleanTravel.com

Monday, November 2, 2009

Betty Maclean Travel Announces Their Fall Presentations

Its time for our Fall client events here at Betty Maclean Travel. If you live in the area and would like to attend please call or email us to RSVP! For more details click on the flyer below:


Short Boston Getaway




Will and I took our first solo vacation in about a year this past weekend. We had the most fabulous time ever in Boston. What a great city to get away to for a long weekend. We stayed at one of our favorite hotel chains- Fairmont. The Fairmont Copley Plaza located centrally in Copley Square, and is one of the most historical buildings in the area. It was the most gorgeous hotel inside and out. We got there on a direct flight on Jet Blue and was lucky enough to get there without any hassle. I would have to say that Jet Blue is now my favorite airline to travel on for Domestic flights. I would highly recommend paying the additional $10-15 per leg for a premium seat. On Jet Blue you are able to pre-select an exit row seat which has the extra leg room, a real bonus when your husband is 6'5". Each seat has a personal TV with many channels to choose from.



We landed in Boston and took a cab to the Fairmont Copley Plaza. We were greeted by a friendly door man and walked into what could have been a museum. Our room was very spacious and comfortable.

I would have to say the weather held up for most of the three nights of our stay, which meant plenty of walking. We just loved walking everywhere we went and when we got tired we took the T. Some of the things we did while we were there: Walked the Freedom Trail, Ducks Tours, Museum of Science, lots of dining out!





I would have to say the main purpose behind this trip was to go to Fenway to see the Red Sox. Will is from New England and is a huge Red Sox fan, so I surprised him with tickets and planned a nice getaway for us. We had great seats and had a great time together at the ball park! We were even able to walk to and from the park from our hotel which was a short distance from Fenway.




Both of us said that our favorite meal was at the Barking Crab. The atmosphere was casual, it was outside but covered so we stayed warm, and the food was great! I got the crab legs and he got a basket with a variety of fried seafood. We shared some fried clams and raw oysters as an appetizer. If we didn't walk back to our hotel I don't know what I would have done. Lets just say we were STUFFED. For breakfast a must try is Mikes Diner. It was a local, friendly, delicious place to go eat. The place has a steady line but is well worth the wait. Our last night we ate at Piattini Wine Cafe on Newbury St. Piattini's is a small little Italian restaurant that you really must have a reservation for. Thanks to our concierge we were able to get in last minute. It was in a perfect location for a romantic walk down the street after dinner. I would also recommend taking a day stroll down Newbury street for some upscale shopping or window shopping if you prefer. You may even catch a celeb. walking down the street! Last but not least, we ate a quick lunch at Fanuel Hall, which never disappoints. Fanuel hall is like a giant food court with something for everyone.


Travel Tip: Something I don't stress enough to my clients but should is to utilize the Concierge! They are there to help you and they know all the best places to eat, shop, and sight see. They will tell you how to get there and make reservations if needed. If there is a sold out show that you would like to see, they might just be able to get you those tickets.




Well that's all folks! My next review should be on the Crystal Serenity sometime at the end of December, so keep an eye out. This will be my first cruise on Crystal and I'm definitely looking forward to it. Actually both Will and I are going so he is very excited too. We will be going to St. Maarten, Aruba, St. Barts and Grand Turk.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Holland America Line Presentation

Join Betty Maclean Travel for our first fall client event! We would love to have you as our guests to learn about Holland America's new ships, itineraries and specials! Come hear about Holland America's new Mariner Society benefits program, ideas on last minute holiday travel, and our exclusive special savings for all those who attend. I hope to see you next week!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Veendam's Signature of Excellence II Complete


As part of its ongoing Signature of Excellence, Holland America Line will continue to upgrade and add enhancements and new features to five of the line's most popular ships. Over the next two years, the ms Statendam, ms Ryndam, ms Maasdam, ms Veendam and ms Rotterdam will undergo extensive dry docks to create new venues, new staterooms, new décor and more. The program began with the Veendam, and the last ship is slated for completion in early 2011. View the ms Veendam Slideshow, reflecting new Signature of Excellence enhancements.

The investment in this new series of enhancements will include new entertainment and enrichment options and all new stateroom décor for all five ships. For the Veendam and Rotterdam there will be additionally a new resort pool concept and innovative lanai staterooms.
Signature of Excellence features and amenities are evident in every aspect of the Holland America Line cruise experience, offering guests more luxurious accommodations, more enticing destinations, enhanced dining experiences, more creative activities and even higher levels of service.

Please explore the video link detailing the planned enhancements.


The Veendam is cruising Alaska this summer and her Signature of Excellence is complete. To book a last minute cruise on the newly refurbished Veendam this summer call Jen @ 800-865-8111 or email @ Jen@BettyMacleanTravel.com. There are tons of offers for Alaska this summer and using a travel consultant to do the research is the way to go, so call now to find out more.

SeaDream Yacht Club on Travel Channel!!



If you can't make our client event next Thursday featuring SeaDream Yacht Club don't miss Saturdays episode of Cruises we Love June 20th on the Travel Channel!!!
If you like what you see, call Jen Mitchell @ 800-865-8111 or email Jen@BettyMacleanTravel.com to make your reservations.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

SEABOURN ODYSSEY NAMED ON JUNE 24

VENICE TO SHINE AS SEABOURN ODYSSEY
IS NAMED ON JUNE 24, 2009

Guests/godparents to savor rare experience of anointing the cruise industry’s first new luxury vessel in six years at intimate ceremony in spectacular setting

June 8, 2009 (Miami) – The Yachts of Seabourn is planning an intimate ceremony for the naming of the newest addition to its award-winning fleet: Seabourn Odyssey. The highly anticipated event, set for June 24, 2009, will take place on deck as the sun sets behind the unmistakable skyline of Venice, Italy.

While naming ceremonies typically invite attendees to watch from shore as an honorary “godparent” names the vessel and breaks a bottle on its bow, the anointment of Seabourn Odyssey will be held on board with guests booked on the maiden voyage. Collectively, all of the guests will act as godparents, initiating the anointment with a bottle of Italian prosecco and giving the yacht its name. Each will receive a commemorative certificate from the event, and their names will be affixed to a plaque to be displayed on board.

With Venice as the backdrop, the colorful heritage of the city will be a touchstone throughout the daylong event. Guests arriving at Stazione Marittima terminal will be given a red carpet welcome, complete with musicians playing and festive banners and garland. Once all are on board, Seabourn Odyssey will depart for a stately cruise down the Guidecca Canal to Riva dei Sette Martiri, a docking location near the Piazza San Marco, where it will be moored for the ceremony.

An early dinner served in Odyssey’s superb dining venues will precede the ceremony. With darkness set to fall in Venice after 9:00pm, guests will return to find the deck transformed and the sun gilding the domes and turrets of the city – an enticing view to be enhanced by ceremonial music.

Though many details of the ceremony are being kept hush-hush, Seabourn has revealed that a magnum of sparkling prosecco spumante will be used to anoint Odyssey. The bottle will come from a vineyard in northeastern Italy, near where the vessel’s hull was crafted, and will be broken by means of an ingenious mechanism designed especially for the event.

For more information or to make a reservation, contact Jen at Betty Maclean Travel at 1-800-865-8111 or Jen@BettyMacleanTravel.com.

**Ask me about our Voyager Club sailings and the benifits that come with it FREE! When calling mention you heard about this on our Travel Blog!!!