Remembering Those Who Served

Saluting Those That Have Served Their Country

Especially Those Who Have Given The Ultimate Sacrifice

Over the years we have been to many military cemeteries, museums, and other sites during our cruise vacations.   One of our most memorable trips was when we visited Normandy, France during a British Isles cruise.  My father had been among the troops landing at the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. He lived through that day and many other horrific days during the war.  Many of his fellow soldiers weren't as fortunate.  He returned to Normandy years later and stood on this hallowed ground.   He wept for his Lieutenant and comrades as he found their graves.

Gone But Not Forgotten

It is fitting that there is a day set aside to honor the war dead.   However, I suggest that we should remember them, and those that lived through the war and have now returned to their heavenly homes, at other times, not just Memorial Day.    

The generation that fought in the two World Wars are quickly slipping away.  My father and his brother, who both fought in the war, are gone now.   They would rarely speak of that time in their lives.   When we were in Normandy, we were fortunate to have a knowledgeable private guide who took us to all the historic sights and was able to show us what it was like then and now.  Without men like that, we might not hear the stories any longer.

If you are fortunate enough to have a living relative who fought in the war,  and if they are willing to talk about it, find out more about that time in their lives.   I suspect they won't want to talk about it.  If they are still able to travel, they may want to go back to Normandy for a final visit like my father did on an anniversary of D-Day.   He went to the very beach that he had landed on so many years ago.  

Of course there are other wars, not just the world ones where we salute the men and women that gave their lives and those that didn't but had their lives changed forever.   Let's not forget them either and be sure to thank them for what they did.

The cruise lines thank the military as well.   There are discounts year-round and often specials around this time of year.  We would be honored to help you plan a trip, land or sea, to the battlefields of Europe or any other destination.

Thank You to All the Military for Your Service 

Memorial Day 2013

Saluting Those That Have Served Their Country

Especially Those Who Have Given The Ultimate Sacrifice

Over the years we have been to many military cemeteries, museums, and other sites during our cruise vacations.   One of our most memorable trips was when we visited Normandy, France during a British Isles cruise.  My father had been among the troops landing at the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. He lived through that day and many other horrific days during the war.  Many of his fellow soldiers weren't as fortunate.  He returned to Normandy years later and stood on this hallowed ground.   He wept for his Lieutenant and comrades as he found their graves.

Gone But Not Forgotten

It is fitting that there is a day set aside to honor the war dead.   However, I suggest that we should remember them, and those that lived through the war and have now returned to their heavenly homes, at other times, not just Memorial Day.    

The generation that fought in the two World Wars are quickly slipping away.  My father and his brother, who both fought in the war, are gone now.   They would rarely speak of that time in their lives.   When we were in Normandy, we were fortunate to have a knowledgeable private guide who took us to all the historic sights and was able to show us what it was like then and now.  Without men like that, we might not hear the stories any longer.

If you are fortunate enough to have a living relative who fought in the war,  and if they are willing to talk about it, find out more about that time in their lives.   I suspect they won't want to talk about it.  If they are still able to travel, they may want to go back to Normandy for a final visit like my father did on an anniversary of D-Day.   He went to the very beach that he had landed on so many years ago.  

Of course there are other wars, not just the world ones where we salute the men and women that gave their lives and those that didn't but had their lives changed forever.   Let's not forget them either and be sure to thank them for what they did.

The cruise lines thank the military as well.   There are discounts year-round and often specials around this time of year.  We would be honored to help you plan a trip, land or sea, to the battlefields of Europe or any other destination.

Thank You to All the Military for Your Service 

Memorial Day 2010

Click to View Entire Album  - American Cemetery Normandy

Over the years we have been to many military cemeteries, museums, and other sites during our cruise vacations.   One of our most memorable trips was when we visited Normandy, France during a British Isles cruise.  My father had been among the troops landing at the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. He lived through that day and many other horrific days during the war.  Many of his fellow soldiers weren't as fortunate.  He returned to Normandy years later and stood on this hallowed ground.   He wept for his Lieutenant and comrades as he found their graves.

Related Blog Posts

Thoughts on Memorial Day
Normandy, France - Retracing History
Normandy, France - Retracing History (Part2)
Normandy, France - Retracing History (Part 3)

It is fitting that there is a day set aside to honor the war dead.   However, I suggest that we should remember them, and those that lived through the war and have now returned to their heavenly homes, at other times, not just Memorial Day.   

There are many opportunities while cruising to visit graves of the fallen troops.   I've already mentioned Normandy, France.   As expected there are many sites in Europe where you can visit graves and also learn more about the wars fought on that foreign soil.

Closer to home you could visit Arlington National Cemetery, before or after a cruise that departs from Baltimore.    On he west coast, you could visit Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery when cruising out of San Diego harbor.  Remember those who lost their lives at Pearl Harbor while in Honolulu.

Plan a cruise to one or more destinations that tell the history of war.  Many cruise lines honor the active and retired military by offering special discounts.   Check with your cruise specialist for more details. 

Thank You to All the Military for Your Service

Where in the World Does Celebrity Cruise - Vol. 2

Bermuda

Yes folks, our second destination in our series on Where in the World does Celebrity Cruise in 2010/2011 is Bermuda. For those on the East Coast of the U.S., you have a destination where you can truly escape from it all without having to venture too far.

Each of the Celebrity Bermuda itineraries offers at least one overnight in King's Wharf, providing you an ample opportunity to experience a phenomenon found in few other places – beaches with pink sand.

This is Celebrity's Bermuda – so close to home yet so different from any other place. Choose from 6 to 8-night cruise vacations to Bermuda from New Jersey or San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Celebrity Summit ®

Sailing from Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey

7-Night Bermuda
4/25; 5/9, 5/23, 5/30; 6/6, 6/13, 6/27; 7/11, 7/25; 8/8, 8/22; 9/5/2010

Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey; Kings Wharf, Bermuda (overnight 2 nights); Cape Liberty, Bayonne, NJ

7-Night Bermuda & New England
5/2 & 6/20/10

Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey; Newport, Rhode Island; Kings Wharf, Bermuda (overnight); Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey

7-Night Bermuda & New England
05/16/10

Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey; Newport, Rhode Island; Boston, Massachusetts; Kings Wharf, Bermuda (overnight); Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey

6-Night Bermuda & Caribbean
10/24/10

Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey; Kings Wharf, Bermuda (overnight); Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; San Juan, Puerto Rico

Sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico

8-Night Bermuda & Caribbean

4/17/10

San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Tortola, B.V.I.; Kings Wharf, Bermuda (overnight); Cape Liberty, Bayonne, New Jersey

Form a Group Sailing to Bermuda -

We have Special Pricing thru August 31st

Please submit your Group request here.

Call me or email me requesting more details about these cruises.

Cruising Bermuda

Continuing our quest for a new cruise destination beyond the Caribbean, we next turn our attention to Bermuda. While often thought of as part of the Caribbean, Bermuda is actually located 650 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, 774 miles from New York City and 3,000 miles from London. The 21-mile-long island is two miles at its maximum width. Bermuda has a year-round mild semitropical climate, with temperatures ranging from 68 to 84 degrees and relative humidity from 71 to 84 percent.

As the climate is ideal year-round for sports, active travelers can enjoy some of the best wreck diving in the world, scuba diving, over 80 tennis courts and top-rated golf courses. Bermuda also has yacht-racing, museums, a top-rated aquarium, cricket and of course, its famous pink sand beaches. Wherever you are in Bermuda, you are never more than a mile from a beach.

Bermuda's many forts help to trace its interesting maritime history. All British built, they give visitors an idea how important Bermuda was to the British government for centuries, as well as to its allies, the United States and France, during World War I and II. Most of these forts have been restored and offer magnificent views.

Because of these many attributes, Bermuda has also become a popular cruise destination, with major lines visiting here from April to October, when temperatures are in the 70s and 80s. The three main ports-of-call are Hamilton, St. George and King's Wharf in the West End. Cruises to Bermuda typically originate in New York or Boston and some are part of Transatlantic crossings.

Surrounded by turquoise water, Bermuda beaches are famous for their pink sand. This unique colored sand is from finely pulverized remains of calcium carbonate shells, plus skeletons of invertebrates, including clams, corals and forams. This rare mixture offers another amazing feature: the sand does not get hot, even in the summer!

Bermuda boasts over 150 restaurants, with something to please every palate and for every price range. Hamilton is noted for its selection of international cuisine, including Caribbean, Indian, Italian, Greek, Chinese, English, French and Mexican.

Shoppers can find everything from sophisticated department stores to exclusive boutiques, as well as antique stores and art galleries in Bermuda, with a wide selection of both goods and prices. Bargains are available in Hamilton and St. George's as well as other parts of the Island. The Royal Naval Dockyard in the West End offers extensive shopping facilities.

Bermuda has established itself as one of the world's top dive destinations by offering ideal conditions. Aquatic adventurers can immerse themselves in summer water temperatures averaging 83 F, considered to be the clearest water in the Western Atlantic and the world's most northernmost coral reefs. The ocean floor is covered with hundreds of wrecks dating from the 15th to the 20th century, earning it the title "Wreck Capital of the Atlantic."

Bermuda is a unique island offering visitors beautiful beaches, dive sites, fine dining, history and much more in a relaxed, genteel atmosphere with a distinct British flavor. There is something for everyone in Bermuda. It is a great alternative to a Caribbean Cruise Vacation.

In future articles, we'll take a closer look at a seven day cruise to Bermuda. I hope by now you are starting to realize that there are fabulous destinations to cruise to beyond the Caribbean.