December 2022

12/2/2022

Greetings Friends,

I hope the last First Friday email of the year finds you in good health and spirits. The holiday season has arrived, and my family is getting into the swing of things. Our tree is up, the candles are in the windows, and our new elf friend "Jingle-Jangle" has made his appearance.

We had a nice Thanksgiving last week. In the morning, I skipped my usual Turkey Trot. Although we did stay active and went for a family swim at our local athletic club. In the afternoon, friends came over and we had a nice meal. Having four kids under six made for some craziness, but we all had fun.

Another highlight during the month was going to our City's holiday parade. This was the second year we've gone and luckily the weather was warmer than last year's bitter cold temps. The main features are all different fire trucks and vehicles from the past 100 years or so. Both kids love seeing everything. At the end of the parade, Santa lights a tree, and there is time to explore the different vehicles.

Last weekend, we spent a morning in Downtown Madison. This is one of our kid's favorite places to visit. We started at the Madison Children's Museum. Next, we rode a Christmas-themed trolly around Capitol Square and up and down State Street (one of the main and iconic streets in Madison). Went inside the Capitol to see if the tree was done (it wasn't decorated yet). And we finished up with pizza for lunch.

The end of the year is a good time to check your passport and make sure it is still valid. I just realized last week that my daughter's expired this past July, and we are going on a cruise next summer. On our agenda in the next month is going to be taking care of this.

2022 has been another fantastic year for Blue Sea Vacations. I helped more people travel than any previous year - honeymooners, families, couples, friends, and groups. The majority of you came back having experienced a wonderful vacation. I'm thrilled to have played a small part in your journey.

Looking ahead, the demand for travel doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. After spending the better part of two years isolated, many people want to get out, explore, and reconnect with friends and family. I'm always happy to help you plan your next vacation.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend and holiday season,

Brian

Contact Today

See previous monthly emails here.

November 2022

12/1/2022

View this email in your browser

Greetings Friends,

I hope you are doing well and enjoying November, the shorter days, and the cooler weather. I think I'm one of the only people that like Standard Time more than Daylight Saving Time. Don't forget to turn your clocks back this Sunday.

October went by quickly, with plenty of activities to keep us busy. At the beginning of the month, our daughter, Sarah, turned six. Time really flies. I think her favorite gift was a number of different Lego kits. Suddenly, we've been doing them non-stop for the past few weeks! We had a birthday party for her that included swimming, food, and playing in an open gym. We had a great time, especially the birthday girl,

Even with cooler weather, we were able to get outside as much as possible in October. Sandy and I had a date night and went to an art installation/light show at our local botanical gardens. We've been plenty of times during the day, but there was something amazing being there at night, looking at art installations that were enhanced by the environment. We'll definitely be going back next year.

At the end of the month, we snuck a trip to one of our favorite places, Devil's Lake. We did a hike, where the kids didn't complain as much as normal! After we came down, we had a picnic lunch, and I decided to take a dip in the cold water. It was refreshing.

As always, the end of October brought Halloween and all the activities that surround the holiday. Peter was a firefighter and Sarah went as a princess (for the second year in a row). We went to a few events leading up to Halloween that were fun. On the night itself, we went out for the full two hours that our City designates for trick-or-treating, and made it almost through our whole neighborhood. We'll conquer it one of these years. The kids received more candy than in past years - and I've been sneaking Snickers bars all week.

In November, I’d like to highlight El Dorado Casitas Royale. You might remember back in February I highlighted El Dorado Royale. The Casitas Royale is an adults-only resort right next door. Out of all the resorts that I visited when I was in the Riviera Maya region last year, this one stood out the most.

The resort is unique in a few ways. For starters, it's based around eight enclaves or sections, each with its own pool and swim-up bar. It has an intimate, low-key feel. The rooms were all very nice. One feature that I loved was the outdoor shower. Similar to the El Dorado Royale, something about this resort felt authentic, like you were more immersed in the culture. We had lunch, and the service was top-notch. I'd love to go back and stay for longer.

I know I say this monthly, but it really isn't too early to think about your 2023 vacation. As always, if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to reach out.

Have a great weekend and a wonderful Thanksgiving in a few weeks,

Brian

Contact Today

October 2022

12/1/2022

View this email in your browser

Greetings Friends,

October is here and I hope this monthly email finds you doing well.

September came and went for our family. Over Labor Day weekend, we made a trip to the Milwaukee County Zoo. Sandy and I went once a decade ago. I had forgotten had big it was. We spent the whole day seeing animals and watching shows. On the way home, we went to Kopps, which is in my opinion the best custard in Wisconsin.

The most important event occurred right after Labor Day when Sarah started Kindergarten. When September 6 rolled around, she was ready! Sandy and I were both incredibly proud of our girl!

Toward the end of September, our family went apple picking. This is always a favorite fall activity. We normally don't go so early in the season, and it was nice to get some different apples than we were used to. We've been going for the past five years, and it's been crazy seeing the kids grow up each year.

In October, I’d like to highlight another cruise line, Princess. In June 2016, Sandy and I took a Babymoon on a Princess cruise to Alaska. Princess is an excellent cruise line that tends to be geared more toward adults.

We had a great time seeing the shows, relaxing, and watching the scenery around us. The food was especially high quality. There was an afternoon tea each day that was a highlight for me. The service on the ship was great. After a few days, I was laughing hysterically with the servers.

An exciting part of the cruise was all the different ports we were able to see. We kept it low-key due to Sarah being in Sandy’s belly, but we still had the chance to see some amazing natural wonders. One key aspect that we were able to do was cruising through Glacier Bay. I always recommend having this on the itinerary if you can. You have the chance to sail through a beautiful bay, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. Glacier Bay is a national park, and park rangers came on the ship to give insight into what we were seeing.

As the days get shorter and the air gets colder, many of you are beginning to think about a winter or spring getaway. Now is the ideal time to start planning.

If you have any questions or travel needs in the future, don't hesitate to let me know.

Have a great weekend,

Brian

Contact Today

September 2022

12/1/2022

View this email in your browser

Greetings Friends,

I hope this letter finds you doing well as we begin September.

August was a jam-packed month for us. There was the usual swimming and soccer each week. But we also enjoyed seeing concerts this month.

Our whole family went to a concert in our town with a 90s cover band. To be honest, the kids were more excited to play on the splash pad. Sandy and I enjoyed hearing the anthems from our youth. Sarah has gotten into Kidz Bop, and they were performing at the Wisconsin State Fair outside Milwaukee. Sandy took her, and from the videos and pictures, Sarah looks to have had a fantastic time. A month later she's still raving about it. And my favorite band, Phish, played at the legendary Alpine Valley in Wisconsin, where I saw two concerts in mid-August. I was lucky to have two of my best friends join me, and it was an incredible weekend. To answer your question, yes, I saw Phish twice in New York, and twice in Wisconsin this summer.

Even though it wasn't a concert, Sandy and I saw the touring production of "Hamilton" when it came to Madison in August. We both loved it!

We also snuck in a visit to Picnic Point - one of our favorite Madison nature walks.

By the end of the month, the new school year was upon us. Sandy went back to school this week and Peter started daycare. Sarah enters Kindergarten next Tuesday. I can't believe it.

Over the last few months, there has been a rising interest in cruising. I actually booked a cruise for my family to go on next summer (our first since 2018, when we only had Sarah).

Instead of doing a "resort" this month, I'd like to highlight a cruise line. Specifically, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. This was the first cruise line I sailed with, all the way back to a New Year's Cruise 2013-2014.

I like to say that Royal Caribbean offers something for everyone. We had a group of almost twenty people, and I felt like everyone in our group was able to find something that they could enjoy. There was always great entertainment and music. Sandy and I loved our first experience with a silent disco. And I should note that the food was really terrific. Never did we feel like we were having bland, boring meals.

Another great feature that I always like to mention about Royal Caribbean is their private island in the Bahamas, Coco Cay. This beautiful island has beaches, pools, waterslides, food, drinks, and entertainment. I thought it was great when we visited almost nine years ago, but I know they've made plenty of updates that I've only heard wonderful things about from my clients.

Because we sailed over the New Year's holiday, Royal Caribbean didn't pass up the opportunity to celebrate. There was a special dinner, a big balloon drop, and bands. Everyone I was with had a great time.

Besides cruises, I've still been helping clients find all-inclusive vacations for this upcoming fall, winter, and spring. And there is still demand to go to Europe. Thank you to so many of you that have been extra patient while traveling. I know it isn't easy, but a little patience can go a long way.

As always, if you have any questions or travel needs in the future, don't hesitate to let me know.

Have a great Labor Day weekend,

Brian

Contact Today

December 2022

Greetings Friends,

November 2022

Greetings Friends,

October 2022

Greetings Friends,

September 2022

Greetings Friends,

From your
travel advisor

Archives

Categories

Connect

December 2022

Greetings Friends,

November 2022

Greetings Friends,

October 2022

Greetings Friends,

September 2022

Greetings Friends,

From yourtravel advisor

Archives

Categories

Connect

From your
travel advisor