What annoys couples most when travelling together?

- April 16th, 2012

 

10% of Canadian couples say vacationing together is frustrating. (Shutterstock)

Few experiences are more romantic than laying on a warm, secluded beach with the person you love most, thousands of kilometres away from your worries.

Of course, a week of incredible closeness at a fab resort can quickly turn nightmarish for couples as those quirks you once tolerated in moderation at home – think loud snoring or tardiness  – begin to peck away at any romantic vacation vibes.

According to a recent survey by online dating network Zoosk.com, 18% of Canadians say vacationing with their honey 24/7 was an “eye-opening experience” that revealed habits they wished remained hidden. Ten per cent of Canadians surveyed by Zoosk added travelling with their significant other was a frustrating experience, while another 5% said the trip was so bad, they couldn’t wait to get home.

According to Canadian men surveyed by Zoosk, the most annoying habits of their female travel partners includes carrying too much luggage, being disorganized, being high maintenance and arriving late at the airport.

Women, meanwhile, say their male counterparts snore too loudly, are messy and are disorganized on vacation.

Both sexes worry about bothering each other after spending so much time together, with 5% of men admitting they worry their snoring will irritate their partner.

Shannon Tebb, certified Life Coach and Dating and Relationship Expert for Zoosk.com, says it’s how you deal with annoyances that will save or break your relationship.

“If you’re taking a trip together, you should already be at a point in your relationship where you are comfortable sharing your feelings and talking out problems,” Tebb said in a press release. “If you feel like you’re getting on each other’s nerves, try and diffuse the situation with humor. Most things couples worry or stress about are not ‘serious issues’, so it helps to realize this and laugh about the situation together.”

Zoosk.com surveyed 1,001 Canadians about their experiences travelling as a couple.

Categories: Vacation time | 3 comments

Prince William & Kate’s top five travel destinations

- April 2nd, 2012

It seems like just yesterday I settled down with a cup of tea and a scone smothered in jam to watch the wedding of Prince William and the former Kate Middleton live from London, England. It was 5 a.m. and despite the early hour, thousands in Canada were doing the exact same thing.

Since their fairy tale wedding on April 29, 2011, Prince William and Catherine, the new Duchess of Cambridge, have thrilled the world with their common touch, good looks and genuinely pleasant demeanour.

The newlywed couple has also participated in a number of official Royal engagements both at home and far across the globe. As William and Kate prepare to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, we take a look at the top five travel destinations of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in their first year of marriage.

North Island, Seychelles. (Courtesy Mike Myers/North Island Seychelles)

1. Seychelles: Prince William and Kate honeymooned on the Seychelles’ North Island in May 2011. The private island has 11 guest villas and the newlyweds reportedly rented the entire island at a cost of $711,459.36 for a completely secluded getaway.  Here, Wills and Kate enjoyed posh accommodations and exciting activities like sea kayaking, scuba diving and boating.

The couple were introduced to the First Nations heritage of P.E.I. with a traditional Mi'kmaq smudging ceremony. (REUTERS/Paul Darrow)

2. Dalvay-by-the-Sea, Prince Edward Island: While the July 2011 Canadian tour of Prince William and Kate began in Ottawa, it was in Prince Edward Island that the couple really relaxed and showed off their true personalities during the events of the day. They joked with each other while competing in a dragon boat race, embraced Canada’s First Nations culture during a traditional Mi’kmaq smudging ceremony and devoured lobsters and clams on the beach. Prince William also captivated the crowds with a helicopter ‘water bird’ landing emergency exercise.

Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge board the helicopter that took them to Skoki Lodge in Banff National Park. (QMI Agency/Stuart Dryden)

3. Skoki Lodge, Banff, Alberta: After making a surprise visit to the wildfire ravaged town of Slave Lake, Alta., Prince William and Kate boarded a helicopter and were flown to Banff National Park where they stayed for a night of private time during their Canadian tour. Skoki Lodge hosted the Royals in their Riverside Cabin. Wills and Kate ate from the same menu as all guests, choosing to dine on beef, baked vegetables and B.C. wine. They also went on a private walk, without security, from their cabin along the local hiking trails.

Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge arrive at the BAFTA Brits to Watch event in Los Angeles. (REUTERS/Mark Large/Pool)

4. Los Angeles, California: Prince William and Kate arrived in California from Canada in July 2011 to promote British trade and investment in the United States. The highlight of their West Coast trip was the BAFTA Brits to Watch gala at the historic Belasco Theater. The Duke and Duchess defined glamour at the event, choosing to dress in a dashing tux and flowing lilac Alexander McQueen dress, respectively. Celebrity attendees like Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Kidman and Tom Hanks were left in awe of the stunning Royal couple.

5. Verbier, Switzerland: After returning from a six week RAF deployment in the Falkland Islands, Prince William returned to Kate, and England, in March 2012. He immediately whisked her away on a ski vacation in the posh Swiss resort town of Verbier. The couple loves to ski and it’s been reported that Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael, have joined the couple on holiday.

With Diamond Jubilee visits planned for the young Royals to Malaysia, Singapore, the Soloman Islands and Tuvalu this year, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge’s world travels are just beginning.

Categories: General | 1 comment

Prince Harry welcomed at Half Moon

- March 16th, 2012
Prince Harry at his private villa with Half Moon staff. (Courtesy Half Moon)

Half Moon, a RockResort located in Rose Hall, Jamaica, had the honour of welcoming Prince Harry on March 7.

The Prince, on a tour of the Caribbean and South America for his grandmother – the Queen’s – Diamond Jubilee, took a break from meeting dignitaries and attending Jubilee events to rest and relax at one of Half Moon’s private villas for a night.

Guests who want to stay like a Royal at Half Moon will be interested in the resort’s Royal Summer promotion.

Available from April 16 to Nov. 15, 2012, the package includes a 20% discount on stays at four, five, six and seven room villas, a private poolside barbecue and the services of a butler, cook and housekeeper.

Rates start at $940 per night for a four-room villa stay.

Visit halfmoon.rockresorts.com for full package details.

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Make the most of your London Olympics trip

- March 7th, 2012

If you’re planning to travel to London, England for the 2012 summer Olympic games, you’ll want to make the most of your trip, whether that means finding budget accommodation, visiting other attractions that interest you while there or just scoring tickets to an Olympic event.

Tips from travel sites Cheapflights.ca and Fodors.com can help maximize your enjoyment – and save your wallet –  during your London Olympics trip.

Cheapflights.ca, a leader in online travel deals, wants travellers to get the most for their money.

The site suggests travellers look for Olympic events that are free and easily accessible. The Olympic marathon course starts and ends at The Mall near Buckingham Palace, with runners passing plenty of London landmarks on the marathon route. Men’s and Women’s events from cycling to race walking also take place throughout the city and are free to watch.

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Giant Olympic Rings on a barge float past the Old Naval College at Greenwich on the river Thames in London on February 28, 2012, as organizers celebrate 150 days until the start of the 2012 London Olympics. AFP PHOTO/MIGUEL MEDINA

Other tips for a frugal Olympics vacation from Cheapflights.ca include joining the crowds at public viewing sites to experience all the energy of the Olympics without the price tag, visiting cities around London that are also hosting Olympic events (sailing in Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour, for example) or taking a pre-Olympics tour now to see completed venues.

For all of Cheapflights.ca’s tips for a budget-friendly Olympics experience, visit their budget Olympics guide.

Meanwhile, Fodors.com has also released a series of tips for travellers who are attending the London Olympics.

As Fodors points out, London is the first Olympic host city that has asked businesses and tourist attractions not to raise prices during the Games. More than 60 attractions, including the Tower of London and Kensington Palace, have signed on to this promise, allowing tourists to maximize their time in London by visiting popular non-Olympic tourist attractions.

Fodors also suggests tourists save on lodging by renting an apartment from a Londoner through a website like AirBnB.com. “Also, be sure to cast a wide net in your search to include lodging options outside of central London — the city has some 33 boroughs where you can bunk down, after all, and the rooms only get cheaper the further out you’re willing to go,” says Fodors.com.

And,while most Olympic events tickets have been snapped up, companies like Thomas Cook and CoSport are offering hotel and ticket combo packs for purchase, says Fodors. A limited number of tickets will also be released this spring by the London Olympics committee through london2012.com.

Visit Fodors.com for more Olympic travel tips from Fodors.

Categories: Vacation time | No comments

Oscar noms to travel with Rocky Mountaineer

- February 27th, 2012

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(Photo courtesy Rocky Mountaineer)

Nominees in the acting categories at this past weekend’s 84th Academy Awards - from George Clooney to Meryl Streep – received a special Canadian surprise in their Oscar goody bags thanks to iconic luxury rail company Rocky Mountaineer.

The train company, known for its scenic tours by train through the Canadian Rockies, included two adult tickets for a rail journey from Vancouver to Banff in the Red Carpet Style Lounge nominee gift bags, handed out by Secret Room Events on Feb. 22. 

Gourmet meals in a private dining car, access to a Rocky Mountaineer host, GoldLeaf Service, and accommodations at two luxury hotels in Vancouver and Banff were also included in Rocky Mountaineer’s nominee gift.

Though celebrities can no doubt afford to purchase all the luxury products featured in the coveted gift bags, Oscar organizers still spend time each year hand-selecting the items to be presented to nominees. A-list stars can expect to receive gift bags with tens of thousands of dollars of free merchandise, services and travel inside.

The price of the Rocky Mountaineer gift varies depending on departure date, but a quick Internet search for a departure of April 23 put the price tag at $2,299 per person, not including taxes or luxury hotel room upgrades.

Other items given to Oscar nominees this year include a $135 bedazzled bottle of Purell hand sanitizer, a $15,000 bottle of Disaronno liqueur, a five day African safari, $50 brownies and unlimited blowouts at a hair salon in Beverly Hills.

Visit rockymountaineer.com for more information on Rocky Mountaineer.

Categories: General | 2 comments

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