Happy Anniversary!!
My husband Will and I were married on September 18, 1977 in Farmingdale, NJ at the Chapel at Allaire State Park long before it was air conditioned! Somewhere there are photos of sweat dripping off his chin as we said our vows. This year we celebrated our 47th anniversary as we drove our RV home after a trip through New England.
September 18, 1977
For our 45th anniversary we traveled to Sandals Royal Bahamian. This is one of Sandals smaller properties - more deep than wide. Sandals was celebrating their 40th anniversary in 2022 and they made us an offer we couldn't refuse! If you want to celebrate your wedding anniversary at a Sandals or Beaches Resort, and they're not offering a promotion like we got, then let's talk about their Cheers to the Years promotion. It's a free night on a minimum seven night stay in a Club or Butler level room that's not already offering a free night. You will have to travel within 30 days of your actual wedding anniversary and produce a copy of your marriage license. If you want to renew your vows - just the two of you or with family and forever friends - let's talk about their Re-Tie the Knot program.
Direct flights from EWR (Newark Liberty International Airport) to NAS (Lynden Pindling International Airport) in the Bahamas are easy to get and are a little over three hours each way. One of the best things about visiting the Bahamas is that you clear US Immigration and Customs in Nassau so that when you land back in the US you just get off the plane, collect your checked bags, and go home.
When you arrive in Nassau you go through Immigration, go to baggage claim, then Customs (nothing to declare) and through the exit looking for the signs to SANDALS. Once there you'll be checked off a list and your luggage will be tagged. Keep a carryon with you that contains change of clothes, sunscreen, hats, flip flops, etc. In the lounge you'll be able to use the rest room, get a cold beverage and a snack before boarding the shuttle to the resort. It's less than a 20 minute ride. Airport shuttle drivers are NOT Sandals employees and will be expecting a cash gratuity ($5 is a good start. Go up from there if you have lots of luggage).
Once at the resort you'll be checked off another list, given a cold towel, and handed a chilled adult beverage. You'll watch your luggage come off the shuttle and be asked to group them together. If you're a club or butler guest you'll be escorted to the appropriate lounge. If you're in a luxury room you'll head to the front desk. Rooms are not usually available until 3:00pm. Ask where you can change before being escorted to lunch. Ask to go to Calico Cafe (sit down ala carte menu) instead of Kanoo (buffet). There's also the Coco Queen food truck that serves conch and pulled pork sandwiches.
If you're in a butler suite, your butler will come find you when your room is ready. If you're in a club room, go back to the club lounge where you checked in. If you're in a luxury room go back to the front desk. We were in a luxury room in the East Bay building. Our room was ready by 3:00pm and we had a nice view of the ocean. The balcony was narrow but roomy enough for a table and two chairs. The bathroom had two sinks, 2 closets and a tub/shower combo. NOTE: Since we were there in 2022 all the rooms in the East Bay building were renovated and reopened in April 2024.
Without a butler we found it a little challenging, but not impossible, to get loungers with shade at the two bigger pools and the main resort beach without getting up super early. We did find loungers (and peace and quiet) at the small pool in the Island Village and under a platformed gazebo on the back of the private island.
The resort has 3 pools. The quiet pool is outside the East Bay building. It's a huge pool with swim up bar. It's so quiet they don't have a blender so don't ask for a frozen drink while there. The active pool (where the games are played) is outside the West Bay building. This building is all Club & Butler level rooms. All the rooms in this building were renovated during COVID and reopened in 2022. There are club level swim up rooms in this building that are huge but they're in the back of the building with a view of a garden wall. Nice and quiet back here with easy access to beach and water sports shack. The third pool is in the Island Village. If you didn't know it was there you wouldn't know it was there.
We didn't leave the resort having been to Nassau many times before. The Baha Mar resort is a bus or cab ride away and has a casino. The straw market is still in downtown Nassau by the cruise port as is luxury shopping. You can do day trips to Paradise Island too if you'd like. There's plenty to do (or not) while you're on property. One afternoon we were back in our room and I heard drums. Ran down to the Coconut Grove to see/hear the Junkanoo band that dropped in for a performance!
One afternoon's entertainment.For our anniversary we rented a beach cabana that comes with butler service. Our cooler was filled with water and beer. Our butler ran drinks for us and brought us lunch. We had our own loungers in addition to a big comfortable day bed. That night we had the candlelight dinner on the beach. Our dinner waiter worked hard to get me a full lobster tail. It was delicious!!
There is a boat that ferries guests from the main resort to the private island during the day. The resort owns 1/2 the island. The other 1/2 (separated by a wall and a guard) has a private home and is used by cruise ships as a beach excursion. The line forms early for the first crossing and the boat will come back and get guests standing in line that don't fit on the first one. Highly recommend being on that first ferry, getting chairs upon arrival, then getting in line for lunch. The Aralia House restaurant on the island is only open for lunch and if you're not in line before the 2nd timed ferry gets there you'll wait for an hour or more to be seated. Food is good! Highly recommend the ribs and the jerk chicken. There's no Jerk Shack here so this is the only place to get jerk. The island has a pool with swim up bar and there's a bigger bar in front of Aralia's. There's good snorkeling off the back side of the island and they do offer snorkeling equipment if you don't bring your own (my mask has my prescription in it). The Red Land Spa also offers massages on the island. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!. If you have a butler they'll fill a cooler for you to bring with you but they don't come over to the island. The Sandals side of the island closes at 4:00pm. DO NOT miss that last ferry!!
The island is available for private events such as destination weddings after 4:00pm each day. There currently is no additional charge for this. Their new Aisle to Isle Program is competitively priced with lots of inclusions and discounts available when ten or more guest rooms are booked. Former award wining professional wedding planner here! I speak Sandals and Beaches Weddings.
For meals hubby loves the buffets at Kanoo or Tesoro for breakfast. I like room service. There's also Sweet n Tings for coffee, crepes, and other sweets and LaPlume for an ala carte breakfast. you will roast sitting at tables near the floor to ceiling glass windows on a hot sunny day. For lunch we both liked Tesoro (for pizza), Calico Cafe, Aralia House, and Coco Queen. For dinner we like Tesoro (for the antipasto buffet) Butch's, Gordon's on the Pier, and LePlume. There's also Kimono's (think Benihana), Soy (Sushi), and the Queens Pearl for dinner, and late night dining. Royal Bahamian has been very strict about the Resort Evening dress code for men. Bring a pair of long pants and closed toe shoes. Women can wear almost anything except a bathing suit. Kimono, Butch's and LePlume require reservations. You can make one reservation on the Sandals app two weeks prior to arrival. The app is wonky. You may need to try multiple times. If it doesn't work, or you want to make reservations at all three, you can do it when you get there.
We enjoyed our stay and keep it as a option for quick getaways. The weather in the Bahamas is a little chilly in the winter (low 70s) but still better than NJ in February but may not be great swimming weather. Having been there in April, October, and November I can tell you that it does get hot there - damn hot! Check your trusted weather app for more complete info,
We've also celebrated our anniversary at Sandals Royal Caribbean in Montego Bay, Jamaica and Sandals Grande Antigua. If you'd like more info about any of the Sandals or Beaches Resorts (I've been to them all), the Cheers for the Years promotion, their Aisle to Isle destination wedding program, or anything else related to their properties please let me know!
Europe by Tour Bus
WELCOME to my experience on a 12 day Southern Riviera trip with Go Ahead Tours from Barcelona to Florence that included quite a few UNESCO sites. My traveling companions were my friend Kay & her friend of a friend Carole (the 3 Amigos) + about 20 other people. We booked our own flights & airport transfers. After paying the deposit I booked my Polaris seats on United with points and put the trip on a back burner. I was still a wedding planner and had six weddings & events to get through before departure. Look for "Had I known" notes throughout. As departure day approached I got out my passport, checked the 10 day weather forecast (found my travel umbrella and Asics rain jacket), borrowed a TravelOn crossbody bag from my friend Karen, packed my carryon and back pack (no #BigBlueBag this trip), and bought 500 Euros (not enough).
DAY 1: On departure day Hubby drove me to EWR. He could sense I was a little nervous. "You'll be fine!" he said, "Go have fun." My apprehension wasn't about the trip, it was about trying to find Kay in the Barcelona airport. Her plane was arriving about an hour before mine. I was being cheap and didn't want to take my phone off airplane mode. Turns out there was nothing to worry about - found Kay in the line for immigration.
Once through immigration we picked up her suitcase, passed through customs (nothing to declare), found our tour guide Tini who showed us where the cab line was, and off we went to Hotel 1882 which is now called Radisson Blu 1882. It was lovely, clean, and had a great breakfast buffet. After check in we had some time to get settled before our first meeting as a group. Guess who fell asleep and was late?? We had three nights in Barcelona.
BARCELONA: Our stay in Barcelona included a tour of the Segrada Familia Basilica which was within walking distance of our hotel and a Paella dinner (meh) at a local restaurant complete with homemade Sangria (delish), We opted for a day trip to Montserrat which is a Benedictine Monk retreat that's known for the Black Madonna. We took a cable car up from the lot where our tour bus was parked. There was a funicular that looked like it was going straight up which we did not take. Lots of people hiking and enjoying the area including a farmer's market.
Back in Barcelona we took a late afternoon walk down Las Ramblas. It's a busy pedestrian shopping and hotel area that's filled with tourists, locals, gypsies, and pickpockets. It was fun to walk from our hotel all the way down to the sea. We found a restaurant with a waterview, had dinner, and took a cab back to the hotel. While we were doing this some of our tour mates did the optional (at extra cost) dinner and flamenco show. Those who went said it was fantastic. The next afternoon Carole & I did the Red on/off bus tour of the city and saw lots of Gaudi architecture and then met Kay for tapas at a restaurant she found on Yelp (another meh). If I had known we were going to be in Barcelona for so long I would have done some research on where to eat. Barcelona is a beautiful city with lots to offer. Give yourself enough time to take it all in.
DAY 5 on to FRANCE: After three nights in Barcelona we got on the bus. It had big windows, comfy seats, air conditioning, and flat bottled water for 1 Euro. Everyone had plenty of room to spread out. Had I known we were traveling long distances by bus I would have brought a neck pillow for napping. On our way to Montpellier in France Tini gives us information on where we are going, how long we will be there, when & where to meet before getting back on the bus. DON'T BE LATE. We stop at the medieval castle at Carcassonne. It was lovely to get out and walk around this area that's now filled with shops, restaurants, and men dressed as knights. Kay & Carole each ordered Cassoulet for lunch. One serving was big enough to feed all tree of us & then some. We stayed one night at the Crowne Plaza Montpellier Corum.
The next morning we're out bright & early heading towards Antibes. Our first stop is Nimes and a tour of the Arena of Nimes, After that we're on own for a few hours so we took a walk down a tree lined street with spillway in the center that ends at a beautiful park. As we made our way back to our meeting place we found a lovely outdoor bistro for lunch. Back on the bus our next stop was Pont du Gard. It doesn't look like much upon arrival. As we kept walking we saw the aqueduct. Holy cow! We took the time to watch the video of its construction. Fascinating and highly recommend. The area is a park. Locals were picnicking, hiking, and kayaking. Final stop for the day was our hotel, AC Ambassadeur Antibes-Juan les Pins. Our bus driver did such an outstanding job backing that behemoth down a very narrow street that we gave him a standing ovation. The hotel was within walking distance of the Plage de Juan les Pins which is a promenade along the beaches on the Bay of Cannes. The Cannes Film Festival and the F1 Grand Prix in Monaco were just days away and there were many yachts at anchor off shore. We found a restaurant on the beach that served Nicoise salad. We couldn't believe how lucky we were to be sitting there.
MONACO: The next day our bus took us along the cliffs of Cape Ferrat.. On the way we stopped in Eze (you may have seen it on Below Deck Med). You could either hike up to Eze or go to the Fragonard perfume factory. The 3 Amigos chose the perfume factory and a little shopping. Back on the bus to the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens. What a spectacular place with an even more spectacular history. I was in heaven here. Then it's on to Monaco for a few hours. As mentioned they were setting up for their annual F1 race. We saw the Palais Princier de Monaco and the Cathedrale de Monaco where Princess Grace and King Rainier are entombed. NOTE: Churches in Europe have very specific dress codes - knees and shoulders must be covered. We saw people turned away by the nuns in Monaco for not being dressed appropriately.
DAY 8 ENTERING ITALY: We leave Monaco and the French Riviera and head to Italy and the town of Rapallo. Along the way we went over a bridge that ran parallel to the Ponte Morandi. This is the bridge that collapsed just 9 months before. Tini and our driver told us that they had been over that bridge many times including a few days before it collapsed. Scary stuff. Our two night stay was at the Europa Hotel Design. I could see the water from my room if I looked sharply to the left. The 3 Amigos took a walk looking for dinner. We found a lovely neighborhood bar with outdoor seating. We ordered drinks and were brought lots of delicious snacks too. No need for dinner! Taking a shower that night I realized that the hotel did not provide washcloths. If I had known I would have brought one with me.
DAY 9 CINQUE TERRA: From Rapallo we take a ride along the cliffs that look out over the Ligurian Sea where you can see mussel farms, yachts, and seaside villas on our way to Cinque Terra. We are dropped at a ferry terminal in Porto Venere and had some time before taking the ferry to Monterosso. We walked into the Church of St Peter and then down along the water while we ate croissants filled with Nutella (very big in Europe). The ferry was a fun ride that stops at all the towns. When get off in Monterossa, we are in a little slice of Italian heaven. The 3 Amigos walked up and down the cute shopping areas looking for souvenirs and a place for lunch. My only request was to eat outdoors. We found Ristorante Ciak - Monterosso. When I tell you the entrees we ordered - mussels in white wine, garlic & olive oil,; gnocchi, and pasta Bolognese - was so good that we all wanted to lick our plates please believe me. It is my goal to get back there again. We took the train from Monterosso back to Rapallo for the night.
DAYS 10 - 12 FLORENCE: In the morning we boarded the bus for the LONG ride to Florence. Along the way we passed the Carrara marble quarry on our way to our first stop at San Gimingnano another UNESCO Heritage site. The views of the Tuscan countryside were amazing. Back on the bus Tini asked us if we wanted to go to a winery for lunch at additional cost. YES we all said so our next stop was Tenuto Torciano Winery. Lunch was delicious with wine pairings for each course. Like the wine, the olive oil, the balsamic vinegar? Buy a case or two or ten and they'll ship it to you for free! Back on the bus, Tini and our driver decide to make a stop at the Florence American Cemetery. It's getting close to Memorial Day and they thought we would enjoy it. It's breathtaking and heartbreaking. Scouts from the local US military base were there putting American and Italian flags at each grave.
ARRIVING IN FLORENCE When we finally reach the Hotel Corona d'Italia there was a car parked in the space reserved for our bus. Tini and the car's driver exchanged words with lots of hand gestures. The hotel is small as are the rooms but it's centrally located just a few blocks from the Santa Maria Novella train station and around the corner from the Central Market. It had an amazing restaurant where we had our last meal as a group on our final night. If I had known about the Central Market I would have made it a point to go there. We had a guided tour of the city surrounding the Piazza della Signoria. After the tour Tini took us to a leather shop. Florence is known for leather goods. There are literally hundreds of places to buy leather including the walk through markets near the Ponte Vecchio. Make sure to look for the Made in Italy certificate (as opposed to made in China, etc). Avoid the sellers showing you that their leather doesn't burn (because real leather doesn't burn at the temperature from a lighter). The weather had been cool and damp up until this day when it got sunny and hot. Our last day was our free day so the 3 Amigos walked this beautiful city and took in some the sites including the Ponte Vechhio. If I had known I would have bought tickets in advance for the Accademia Gallery to see David and for the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral aka the Duomo. Florence is an amazing city filled with art, history, and good food. It deserves as much time as you can spend there.
At dinner that night at our hotel (delicious pasta, fish, chicken, and pizza) we said our goodbyes and tipped Tini. We tipped our bus driver when he dropped us off in Florence. The next morning I was going to Rome via the train along with a couple from the tour. Tini walked us to the train station, helped us buy our tickets, and showed us where to get the train. Saying good bye to my new friends and the safety of the tour was hard but I was ready for some alone time.
WRAP UP: All in all I truly enjoyed this trip. Our group was comprised of couples, a family of four, several single ladies, one single guy, and the 3 Amigos. It was nice to make new friends and not have to think about where I was going, how I was going to get there, and where I was going to stay. I got to see and do things I'd never have done on my own. It was very cost effective given everything that was included (hotel accommodations, breakfast daily, two dinners, admission tickets and tour guides in most locations). Go Ahead Tours fits that middle price point. Hotels are clean and centrally located. Our tour guide Tini was friendly, fun, knowledgeable and shared interesting history as we rolled along for hours at a time. Fellow travelers raved about other tours they've done with this company throughout Europe. Would recommend to anyone going to Europe and wanting to not think about much but still see and learn a bunch.
Sandals Emerald Bay Resort
Do you play golf? Want an oceanfront resort with every amenity? Then Sandals Emerald Bay is the resort for you!
Located on Great Exuma in the Bahamas this resort was a Four Seasons before Sandals took it over, gave it a $20 million face lift, and opened it as Sandals Emerald Bay in January 2010 first as an all butler-suite resort and now as butler and club level rooms. 
Unlimited rounds at the Greg Norman designed 18 hole par 72 golf course at Sandals Emerald Reef Golf Club are included for all Butler suite guests. Two rounds are included for club level guests. You may have seen the course on the Golf Channel's 2014 "Playing Lessons" or the 13th season of "Big Break."
This resort is lush, luxurious, and well appointed. From the pool, to the beach, to the gardens. Relax and enjoy! Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the resort.
What a place for a destination wedding! Choose from a variety of places for your ceremony, cocktail hour, and wedding reception. Host your guests for a welcome reception at the private pool at your Sandals Emerald Bay Royal Estate Love Nest.
Picture yourself in a comfy lounge chair with an adult beverage on the silky white sand beach. Now CONTACT ME to book your reservation today!
Sandals Barbados
Sandals Barbados is the newest of the 21 Sandals, Beaches, and Grand Pineapple resorts scattered throughout the islands of the southeastern Caribbean's most beautiful beaches. Opening in January 2015 this jewel located the St. Lawrence Gap area of Barbados has everything you would expect at a Sandals Luxury Included resort and more!
When you arrive at Grantley Adams International Airport (BGI) you'll go through Immigration and Customs. You will get the immigration form on the plane (bring a pen and look at it carefully BEFORE completion - I speak from experience). Once through immigration they will give you the departure stub - put that in your passport and bring it with you when you leave. Take your luggage outside the terminal to the Sandals Barbardos transportation area where you will be greeted warmly with cool towels and cold bottles of water (it took me 30 minutes from the time the plane landed until I got to the Sandals desk with carry on only luggage). Check in and your luggage will be tagged and put on a truck that follows the shuttle to the hotel. NOTE: Shuttles are provided by outside companies. The drivers and baggage handlers are not Sandals employees and should be tipped. The airport has FastTrack Service should you wish to take advantage of it.
A 15 minute ride brings you to the resort. Once on property you'll be directed to the main check in desk or the Club Lounge for Club level and Butler service rooms. Regardless of room category you'll need a credit card on file for any incidentals such as photos, spa services, off-site excursions, or gift shop purchases. You will also need your return flight info. Tips for Butlers should be paid in cash before you check out. Please do not attempt to tip any other employee. If they accept they will be fired. Once checked in you'll be escorted to your room and given a brief tour of the grounds and the features of your room. Your bags will soon follow.
The resort is easy to navigate (see map above) with plenty of places to eat a meal or get a snack, order an adult beverage, have a cup of coffee, swim, or relax in a comfy chair . There are 12 dining options ranging from a hot dog cart for lunch by the main pool to the choice of Indian, Italian, Seafood, Sushi, Japanese, or Butch's Steakhouse for dinner. Some request reservations. Always check with the Culinary Desk (or your Butler). There's plenty of casual dining too. You won't starve I promise! Club rooms come with room service from 8:00am -10:00pm daily. Butler suites have 24 hour room service.
You can do as much or as little as you like. There is a volleyball game in the main pool each afternoon. You can take a yoga class, go to the spa, relax on the beach, or do an off-site excursion through Island Routes.
Your stay at Sandals Barbados includes non-motorized water sports, SCUBA diving (certification available at additional cost), and snorkeling (2 off-site trips on Fridays - morning & afternoon. Spaces fill quickly so sign up the day you arrive). Actually saw the Sandals Barbados dive boat when my husband and I were in Barbados snorkeling during a cruise stop to the island. The boat stood out as being brand new and state of the art compared to the others at the same location.
Destination wedding? Get married with your feet in the silky white sand or on an open air patio. Choose from 6 cake flavors including 3 new ones and 10 signature drinks. Decisions, decisions! Sandals WeddingMoons makes it easy to plan the destination wedding of your dreams! ASK ME for details!
In brief, I loved it here and would go back again in a heartbeat. Barbados is a fabulous island with lots of shopping and nightlife. Stay at the resort or venture out - it's up to you! There is already an addition under construction that will be ready mid-late 2016 with additional guest rooms, a new pool, and another restaurant. Construction of two beach jetties to help calm the ocean in front of the resort should be done by the time you read this.
Want more photos? Follow us on INSTAGRAM @ATBWeddings! Want more info on how to book your honeymoon, vacation, or destination wedding at Sandals Barbados or any Sandals, Beaches or Grand Pineapple Resort? Contact me and I will hook you up!
Sandals Ochi Beach Resort – Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Sandals Ochi Beach Resort was formerly known as Sandals Grande Rivera. By any name it is a sprawling property that has two sides - Seaside and Hillside - and a total of 15 restaurants that are available to all guests. There is constant shuttle transportation available between the two. If you're in a suite in the Hillside Butler Village you have literally 24 hour access to a butler driven golf cart.
Our tour started on the Hillside. The views from the top are spectacular. There are private and semi-private villas, some with their own pools. There's a rock climbing wall, shuffle board court, and dozens of places to host a wedding ceremony and reception including a permanent tent that can hold up to 350 guests. There's also a huge swimming pool.
Go back down the hill and across the street and you'll be in the Seaside Village. A weekly white party and chocolate buffet is located at the Manor House. We saw a man and a woman walking around among the guests covered in chocolate. There were chocolate cakes, chocolate cocktails, chocolate candies, and chocolate covered fruit. More ways to serve and eat chocolate then I have ever seen!
Sandals Resorts has a Loyalty Recognition Program. We met a woman who was proudly wearing her gold sandals pendant for achieving (way beyond) the Platinum Level. Everyone knew her by name and asked about her husband (who had already gone to bed). When asked why they kept coming to Sandals she said "My husband and I have been to many other hotels and resorts around the world. We keep coming back to Sandals because we love it. We are treated like this no where else. Who wouldn't want to keep coming back?"
The Ochi Beach club is accessible to guests from both Sandals Ochi Beach Resort and Sandals Royal Plantation. The gazebo at the end of a boardwalk features a hand carved ancient door (said to be good for fertility) and views of the ocean from a hidden hammock or lounge chair. There's a pool, bar, fire pit patio, volleyball court, and food service. You can have a set up for a wedding reception or corporate dinner on the long pier.
This is a lively resort though it can also be private and secluded in the Hillside Butler Village. Lots of room categories to choose from. This is the resort for those who want to choose between doing a lot, doing a little, or doing nothing. You won't be sorry no matter what you choose.
