Beaches

Discover Sandals Resorts in Montego Bay!

November 30, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Our Marvelous Mouse agent Jen McGurn shares with us her recent experience at Sandals Royal Caribbean and Sandals Montego Bay! Protocols and procedures are always changing, be sure to check with your travel agent for the most up to date Covid requirements for your destination. If you do not have an agent reach out to us! We would love to curate your next adventure!

I recently had the opportunity to spend 5 days at Sandals Royal Caribbean Resort. During my stay, I toured the resort, as well as Sandals Montego Bay. Join me as I share information on both resorts, as well as talk about the health screening process required for entry into Jamaica and the safety protocols in place at the resorts.

Let’s start by talking about my trip preparation and arrival in Jamaica. Jamaica is requiring a negative COVID test for entry. At the time of this post, you need to be tested between 10 and 2 days prior to travel. My husband and I both tested at a local Urgent Care Facility and thankfully tested negative. Jamaica is very specific about the documentation you need to present in order to be allowed entry. This is where having a travel agent can be especially helpful! We literally saw people being denied entry because they did not have the proper paperwork! We made sure everything was in place, applied for our Travel Authorization and anxiously awaited our trip!

At our airport, we were required to present the appropriate forms and test results prior to check in. Once we arrived, all of our documentation was checked again at Customs. We booked a service called Club Mobay and I would never travel to Jamaica without it. We were greeted at the gate and escorted through the entire process. We bypassed a huge line and went straight through. The entire process took about one hour from touch down to resort shuttle.

Now, on to the fun stuff! Sandals provides complimentary transfers to and from your resort. For the transports, whether a shared shuttle or private vehicle (based on your room category), masks are required by the driver and all passengers. The 2 resorts in Montego Bay that I visited are a very short ride from the airport. We were greeted at the entrance with cool towels, water and porters who handled getting our luggage right to our room.

As guests booked in a Butler category room, we were taken to the Club Sandals lounge for private check-in. We were offered a variety of finger foods and beverages. We decided to toast the start of our vacation with champagne. Our Butler greeted us once check-in was complete and gave us a walking tour of the entire resort, even stopping to make sure we had the drink of the day right off the bat! He also gave us a complete overview of our room and asked what we would like to have our in room mini bar stocked with during our stay. Our room was absolutely beautiful! We had a large balcony that overlooked our semi-private pool, a King Size 4 Poster bed, and a jetted tub/shower combination. We also were located just steps from the main pool, dining and 2 bars!

Throughout our stay, we took advantage of the Water Sports that are included with your stay. We went snorkeling and enjoyed a ride on a glass bottom boat. We also spent quite a bit of time on the private island, which is just a short, complimentary boat ride away.

Let’s talk food and drinks! Between the two resorts, you have 21 Restaurants to choose from. They range from counter service options for pizza, sandwiches, Jerk Fish or chicken and Empanadas to full service, gourmet dining. There is something for even the pickiest eater. We primarily ate at our resort , but we did enjoy two of our favorite dinners at Sandals Montego Bay. We also loved Cafe de Paris, where we would go for iced coffee and sweet treats.

There are several bars located on each property, including swim up bars so you don’t need to leave the pool to get a drink! Each resort has a drink of the day, as well as your favorites. The bartenders are super accommodating and the drinks are made with top shelf liquor.

Alright, back to that Butler! Butler service is absolutely worth the splurge! Shout-out to Nicolas and Steve, our amazing Butlers. In addition to making dining and activity reservations for us, they also escorted us to dinner each night. Each night, they would check in to see what we would like in our cooler that they filled for us when they reserved us a spot on the beach. We were greeted by a treat or two each afternoon. We returned to fresh cookies, fruit and cheese plates, champagne, a bubble bath and flower petals on the bed. It was heavenly.

Having a Butler also means you can have room service. I awoke each morning to a delicious breakfast with fresh coffee and a Mimosa. Another perk of having a Butler is the private transfers to and from the airport. Nicolas escorted us to the BMW waiting for us on our final day, introduced us to our driver and loaded our bags into the car.

In addition to experiencing the resorts for myself, I also spent a day touring the resorts and seeing a wide variety of room categories.

I was so lucky to get to tour both an Over the Water Villa and and an Over the Water Bungalow! Check out my walkthrough below!

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2810553289234044

Regarding COVID, Sandals is taking every precaution to keep guests safe. As I mentioned, everyone entering the country must provide a negative COVID test. Temperatures are checked upon arrival and it is possible that you will be retested at the airport.

On resort, guests are only required to wear masks when using the shuttle service. Masks are optional the rest of the time. Staff is wearing masks at all times. Rooms are cleaned based on an 18 Touchpoint system. Rooms are cleaned and then sealed from the outside. The common areas throughout the resort are constantly being cleaned. Hand Sanitizer is also required when entering a dining or shopping are. Sandals has over 20 All Inclusive Resorts throughout the Caribbean. At each resort, there are numerous room categories. Being able to experience these resorts first hand is so important for me as your travel partner.

As a travel agent, I am familiar with each category and notice details you may not, such as which rooms have very high beds, whether there is a deep tub to step into or a Walk In Shower (or BOTH!), which rooms are closest to dining and which are right on the beach. So much goes in to choosing the best room for your wants and needs. I also have built personal relationships with the General Managers and Hotel Managers. They encourage us to contact them prior to our clients visiting so that they can take extra good care of them. Additionally, if an issue should arise, I know exactly who to call to get it taken care of ASAP!

If you are engaged, and dreaming of a destination wedding, Sandals is the place for you! Couples receive a free wedding ceremony with a 3 Night Stay. A wedding specialist is assigned to you and they help you create the wedding of your dreams!

Sandals Resorts are All Inclusive.

That means you do not pay extra for any of the inclusions below:

Meals
Drinks, including Top Shelf Alcohol
Entertainment
Water Sports
Round Trip Airport Transfers
Gratuities

If you are interested in planning a romantic escape, honeymoon, vow renewal or destination wedding at one of Sandals stunning Caribbean Resorts, please reach out to Jen or any of our Marvelous Mouse agents! We would love to help you plan an experience you will never forget!

Come Relax on Seven Mile Beach at Sandals Negril

November 12, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Marvelous Mouse agent Lindsay Smith recently traveled to Sandal Negril! Our agents are staying current on all Covid requirements and protocols! When you are ready to travel reach out and let us put our expertise to work for you!

If you love spending hours on a gorgeous beach during your vacation, put Sandals Negril on your list for your next getaway. Located on Negril’s famous Seven Mile Beach, there aren’t many places on the resort where beach access and views aren’t just a few steps away. Non-motorized water sports are included and you can spend as much time as you’d like snorkeling, kayaking or trying out the AquaTrike! Still want to take a dip in a pool? There are two pools on property that offer swim up bars and plenty of entertainment during the day, such as a DJ, trivia, volleyball and much more!

Many of Sandals Negril’s rooms offer immediate beach access, such as the Honeymoon Beachfront Two Story One Bedroom Butler Villa Suite with Tranquility Soaking Tub. This beautiful room offers spectacular views of the ocean from the bedroom on the top level and a butler that caters to every request! My butler made sure I had beach chairs reserved each morning, a cooler full of my favorite drinks and fun snacks through the day, such as the famous Jamaican beef patties! Swim out rooms are even available for direct pool access – and you can even enjoy a view of the beach from these rooms as well!

There are many dining options on property and most offer open air seating and a gorgeous view of the beach. Barefoot by the Sea was one of my favorite breakfast spots and also offers delicious seafood options in the evening. Another one of my favorites was the Beach Bistro, which offers quick bites throughout the day. Each restaurant has a unique cuisine and there is always a new dish to try, along with fantastic cocktails and frozen beverages!

Sandals Negril is high on my list as one of Jamaica’s best resorts. The resort is perfect for couples that are looking for plenty of on-site amenities but still want a more intimate-sized property where you can relax and recharge!

Traveling With Children Who Struggle With Anxiety

August 19, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Anxiety? It’s a word that we hear very often today! Does your child struggle with anxiety and does this make you anxious and maybe even prevent you from traveling.? If so, here are some tips to help:

Include your child in the planning phases so they know what to expect.

Give them a copy of the travel schedule (if old enough of course). My son does well with a calendar with times and events so this may help when traveling as well.

Plan, plan, plan and plan again. Make sure that your vacation is planned and your son or daughter is aware of the plans.

Pack some things that you child loves and that may bring them comfort (stuffed animal, blanket, pillow, etc).

Go in with low expectations. I know this may be viewed in a negative manner, but we always travel knowing that it might not go the way we planned. If you have a picture perfect vacation in your head, it probably won’t happen.

Know when your child has had enough and needs a break. Being over-stimulated and riding rides for 12 hours straight may call for a break. Monitor your child’s body language, mood, etc.

I hope this has helped gain some ideas on how to travel with an anxious child. Please don’t let anxiety stand in your way of traveling. You can do it! Life is short, take the trip, and make the memories.

Thank you to our Marvelous Mouse agent Brenda Schruefer for these helpful tips! Many of our agents specialize in helping families with special needs. Reach out when you are ready to plan your next vacation, we would love to help!

Why You NEED Travel Insurance!

April 27, 2020 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Thank you Jen McGurn for sharing your personal experience!

This post isn’t fun or exciting, but it is important and this tip could potentially save you thousands in the long run.

When you are budgeting for a vacation, it is really important to build the cost of travel insurance into that budget. Travel Insurance is extremely reasonable. Generally speaking, a family of four can expect to pay under $200 for a week’s vacation. Of course that price varies based on destination, ages and length of travel.

But let’s talk about the WHY? First of all, travel insurance offers cancellation coverage. Depending on the plan, there will be a variety of covered reasons including, but not limited to: severe weather, illness, an act of terrorism and even termination of employment. Some plans actually offer Cancel for Any Reason.

Travel Insurance also protects you in the case of delayed or interrupted travel. Imagine you have booked a $6,000 cruise and your flight is delayed. You, in turn, miss the ship. The ship is not waiting for you and they have already been paid. Without insurance, you are really out of luck.

With that being said, exactly what does an airline owe you if your flight is cancelled or delayed? Every carrier has its own set of policies. Typically an airline will offer compensation if they are responsible for the delay, however, if the delay or cancellation is weather related, the result of a labor dispute or caused by some other unforeseen circumstance, they most likely will not offer a refund or cover lodging and meals.

Let’s talk about health and emergencies. You may be thinking, “I have health insurance. I’ll be fine.” That is true to an extent. BUT – most health insurance plans do not cover you when traveling internationally.

Also – and this is BIG – travel Insurance can cover medical evacuations or transport.

Case in point, several years ago while visiting Myrtle Beach, my father contracted MRSA and experienced many complications from his diabetes. He was taken to a local hospital and his health insurance covered his medical treatment. His stay became quite lengthy and we were told he most likely would not survive the drive back home to Maryland. The cost to have him medically transported home where he could be treated by his own doctors was more than any of us could possibly afford.

Additionally, had he not survived, we would have faced a huge cost to get him home for a funeral. After 3 weeks, he was released against medical advice and my mother drove him home where he was readmitted for treatment by his doctors.

Had he had travel insurance, the situation could have played out very differently. He could have been treated at home and my brother, sister and I would have been able to visit and help our mother out.

I have also been on two separate cruises where an individual had to be medically evacuated. During a recent training, our Travel Insured rep informed us that helicopter evacuations can exceed $30,000!

When you think about all of the “what-ifs,” doesn’t it just make sense to protect yourself?

Tips for Traveling with Kids

June 13, 2019 By Marvelous Mouse Travels

Thank you so much to Stephanie Novarro for this great information on traveling with littles!

Anyone who know me knows that I love to travel. I have been traveling with my kids since my daughter was 4 months old. Some people look at you like you are crazy and wasting money on trips that the kids will never remember. But others, like me, understand why traveling is so important and they do it to.

Traveling with little ones, whether driving or flying, is different than traveling alone. The first trip we took with our daughter was supposed to be a quick 3-hour car ride down to Galveston for a long weekend. Well at 4 months old you can imagine that the car ride took closer to 6 hours with stops to feed and change her. If you are worried about the travel part of the trip, don’t be and just go with the flow and you will have a great time. Make sure you plan ahead for extra travel time for feedings or potty breaks for the little ones. I will forever remember our daughters first time at the beach.

When you are flying with small kids it is important to make sure you have enough supplies in your carry on to keep the kids fed and entertained. On a recent trip back home to NY we had our two kiddos with us. At the time, our daughter was 2 and still in diapers and our son was only 4 months and still drinking formula. Our flight was diverted to Pittsburgh because of bad weather in the tri state area and eventually a couple of hours later the flight crew timed out. You can imagine what happened next; there we are with 2 small kids, 2 car seats, a double stroller and luggage boarding a bus to a hotel for the night in Pittsburgh. Had I not packed enough supplies in my carry on being stuck in Pittsburgh could have been a disaster.

How we react as adults in these situations will have an impact on our kids. Were we upset that we were stuck in the airport with 2 kids, sure we were but we never let our kids see our frustrations. While we were in the airport my husband and daughter rode the moveable sidewalks back and forth for what seemed like hours. She LOVED it; she thought it was the best thing. They even stopped and got some Hershey Kisses at one of the newsstands.

Some of the things I always keep in my bag for my kids are SNACKS, lots and lots of SNACKS! I like to have more diapers and wipes than I think I would actually need because who knows how many blowouts your kid will decide to have on the plane. I also take crayons and a coloring book, and of course the iPad.

My advice to you is not to be afraid to travel with your kids when they are babies or even young kids. In most cases, the kids are better travelers than some adults. Make the memories with your kids. My daughter loves to fly and loves to talk about all of our past adventures.