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My husband Shayne and I just got back from our honeymoon on the Carnival Triumph and have so many new memories and friends to take with us.  We could not have had a better honeymoon J

Our ship took off the day after our wedding so the first thing we did on board was buy a drink and sit out on our balcony and watch the boat depart from Miami.  From there the great times just never stopped.

I will never forget all the places we got to see and all the friends we made along the way.  Although our snorkeling excursion got cancelled in Mexico we were able to trade it for a new one where we got to ride horses through the Mayan Ruins.  Though I learned riding horses is not really for me we had a great time and made some close friends. It gave us a chance to meet and talk to other guests we may not have talked to. The best part was afterwards we got an authentic Mexican fiesta. They served us authentic Mexican food, Coronas and margaritas, and even got to knock down a piñata.  It was a blast and made friendships that will last for years to come.

Jamaica is also a place I will never forget and hopefully get the chance to visit again. We climbed Dunns River Falls and what an accomplishment! It is such a rush and the leaders really make the experience worth while. That is something we will definitely do again if we are ever there.  After all that work we enjoyed the afternoon at Dolphin Cove laying out and enjoying the nice beach. Part of our excursion included a private cabana and an attendant to provide us lunch and a foot massage. Let me tell you that was the best foot massage ever!

Another big part we love is the food! If you are on a diet a cruise is not for you J We especially loved dinner because we got to sit and chat with new friends while enjoying great cuisines you do not experience everyday.  Their desserts were my favorite- especially the chocolate melting cake. I am getting hungry just thinking about it J  The waiters even sing and dance for you a few nights which you don’t experience at normal restaurants.

The crew was so welcoming and really helped give us a great honeymoon we would never forget.  It was nice to come back to the room with our room service attendant welcoming us back and asking how our day was. They really knew how to make our experience special. I will never forget our last formal night. I get a tap on my back from the hostess and she tells me that someone had given her a gift for me. So confused she handed me a wrapped box in tissue paper. Looking at my husband I open it and its diamond earrings as a wedding present. He had snuck out when I was getting my hair done and after he purchased the earrings the sales lady wouldn’t let him take them but said it needed to be special.  She arranged everything and really made the night special and is something I will never forget.

The only complaint we had of our honeymoon is that it went by so fast (and that we gained a few pounds from all the great food)!!!  Before we knew it we were married a week and saying good bye to the crew and all the friends we made.  Now we just need to decide what cruise we would like to do next J

Sheona

MailPound

I’d like to start by thanking MailPound for the opportunity to be part of their new ‘blog’.  Now, let’s get down to business. 

Many of you reading this entry have experienced our Ask Me Love Lunch training sessions and some of you have taken a pro-active step by becoming part of our Ask Me Agent program.  For those of you who are still wondering who we are and what we can do for you, we invite you to experience our Love Lunch presentations by visiting the Seminar section of MailPound.com.  There, you’ll find an entire library on previous Ask Me Love Lunch webinars and educational insight to answer all your questions. 

Our message today is simple – how are you making your mark within the $10 Billion Destination Wedding & Honeymoon niche market?  What are you doing as a travel professional to set yourself apart from all the others and more importantly, capitalize on this recession proof niche?  Yes, that’s right – romance travel is recession proof.  And if you don’t believe us, then believe the experts who have conducted and published extensive research to prove this.   

We all know 2008 has been a challenging year for the travel industry and to be quite honest, none of us know when that much anticipated turning point will actually make its mark.  What we do know, however, is that the turning point for our beloved travel industry will in fact, make its mark…and when it does, will you be ready? 

Simply put - travel is a competitive field and to survive, you need to develop a niche, become a specialist and establish a brand.  You CAN do it – we can help…all you have to do is ‘ask me’.

Until next time…

Marilyn Cairo & Hilary Lanzer

Co-owners – Ask Me About Destination Weddings/Honeymoons

I would like to take this opportunity to say “thank you” to those of you that joined us Monday for MailPound’s workshop at the TRADESHOW.  We were so excited about the participation and your enthusiasm!

Cheers,

Debbie

Jessica Martinez with me at the seminar 

Thank you all for joining us!!

We are in sunny Orlando, Florida for THE TRADESHOW! 

Due to the impending hurricane we took an earlier flight in hopes of avoiding any delays.  Not only were we successful in avoiding delays but we also added a half of day to our Orlando stay!  J

Once we checked into the Portofino hotel we took a water taxi to Universal City Walk.  I definitely felt guilty being here without the kids! 

The TRADESHOW had pre-conference tours for the attending travel agents.  Many took advantage of complimentary sightseeing, hotel inspections and free admission into Universal Studios! 

Below are some pictures from the Portofino hotel. 

Enjoy,

Debbie

MailPound President, Bob Maier enjoying the view

At Universal City Walk

Me with Steven Coy, The Travel Institute and Jessica
Martinez of Carnival's goccl.com blog after setting up
our booth

Want to tap into the $18 billion Faith Tourism Industry?  Kevin J. Wright, president of the World Religious Travel Association can help get you started!  If you missed last week’s Coffee Break, it is now available on demand.  Kevin’s informative presentation provided agents with an overview of the rapidly growing industry, including tips on expanding your presence in the marketplace.  

You can also catch Kevin at The Trade Show this weekend in Orlando, FL.  His seminar, The New Era of Faith Tourism: How Agencies Can Capitalize on This Robust $18 Billion Market, should prove to be not only educational and informative, but entertaining, as well.  Click here to read more about his seminar and see if you are ‘Smarter than a Religious Travel Intern’!

Welcome to the MailPound Blog!  

We will be posting all next week from THE TRADESHOW in Orlando. 

If you are there please stop by our booth, #102 and say hello!

Thank you & come back soon!

Cheers,

Debbie