(The
E-Newsletter of Aqua Dreams Travel, Inc.)
March
15, 2005
We
have been busy upgrading our systems to help serve
you better, hence the delay in posting our new newsletter.
AQUA
DREAMS TRAVEL, INC HAS BEEN UPGRADING THEIR SYSTEMS
As
some of you probably know, we have been resisting
using an automated attendant phone system. We
have always maintained that we want our phone system
answered by a “live” person. Well, due to our
growing
popularity, the time came that we could not put off
the upgrade. We came to this conclusion after
many months of weighing the good with the bad.
Each staff member has an extension and you can
ask for the agent by name or extension.
Gene
– ext. 222
Dani- ext. 224
Terri
– ext. 225
Nicki
– ext. 221
Yvonne
– ext. 227
CREDIT
CARD PROCESSING UPGRADE
We
have also upgraded our credit card processing system.
Our old system was one that was purchased back in
1997 when Aqua Dreams Travel, Inc. first opened and
no longer works with the newer computers. You will
notice that on our website (which is new redesigned
site)
there
is a section labeled “Make A Payment”. This
is our new credit card authorization form that is
sent to us through a secure server. This new
processing software requires the security code from
the back of the credit card and also asks for a customer’s
email address. The purpose of the email address
is that with this new processing software, when we
actually run the credit card, the system then automatically
sends a receipt to the email address that was entered
on the form.
IN
SEARCH OF A NEW WEB SERVER
Aquadreams
has recently changed servers, if you sent us something
and did not get a response, it probably got lost in
cyberspace during the transition. Please give us a
call or resend your email.
CURRENT
SPECIALS
The Caribbean
Explorer has
introduced a new boat which is based in the Bahamas.
A full week aboard the boat stating at $999.00 per
person.
The Cozumel
Palace, formerly
the Plaza Las Glorias
Hotel in Cozumel,
Mexico
has delayed its opening; but it is said to be the
newest, nicest granddaddy of all-inclusive resorts
in Cozumel. The
7 night package during low season will be only $1248.00
per person double occupancy and
includes all meals and drinks, 5 days of 2-tank boat
dives with Aqua
Safari.
The
Presidente InterContinental
Cozumel Resort & Spa
are
offering a "Spring Special". Book your trip
between now and April
30th, 2005
and travel April 1 -
June
30th, 2005.
Choose your room category and receive a food and beverage
credit during your stay (3 - 6 night stays: $40.00USD,
per room, per stay, 7 or more night stays: $90.00USD,
per room, per stay).
Dining
restrictions apply.
7
night stays are guaranteed and upgrade to DeLuxe
Ocean View when booking a Superior Ocean View
Little
Cayman
Beach
Resort is offering fantastic
travel specials:
May,
2005 – 7 nights, 6 days of diving, meals and transfer
for $1395 per person based on double occupancy (pool
view)
August
8 – September
30, 2005
– 7 nights, 6 days of two tank dives, meals and transfer
for $1199 per person based on double occupancy (pool
view)
April
19 – December
16, 2005
– 7 nights, 17 boat dives, meals, taxes, service charge
and transfer for $1495 per person based on double
occupancy (pool view)
GROUP
TRIPS
Aqua
Dreams Travel, Inc works with many dive shops helping
them arrange their group trips as well as their individual
customer’s trips for them.
There
are often spaces left on their trips, so if we don’t
have a trip going and you want to get in with a group,
please give us a call and we will try to match you
up to a dive shop that has a trip that you could join.
Aqua
Dreams Travel will be traveling back to
St.
Lucia
this
year, August 6 –13.
We are staying
at
Anse
Chastanet. The
7 night package includes accommodations in a Superior
room, breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, snacks and
dinner, 12 beach or boat dives, round trip transfers,
taxes and service charges for $1425.00 per person
based on double occupancy. We
have 4 spots available on this trip and can possibly
ask for more space if needed.
TRIP
REPORTS
Anse Chastanet in St. Lucia by Guest
Editor, Mark Talbot of East Moline, IL
St. Lucia, Land of
the hillside and people with great calf muscles.....
We
landed in a wonderfully small airport that was air-conditioned
by outside air. No
fruit dogs, no fruit bats, just one customs inspector
with a smile that would make Mona Lisa jealous. We
sailed through the great room where we
picked
up our gear and heading out to the bus. The folks
from the resort were waiting to cart us and our gear
to the resort. Just a short distance from the airport,
the road turned into a construction zone that made
the inside of the vehicle resemble a mixmaster (it brought
us all closer together) and allowed us to see the
island as it was before coral-crete
covered the way to the other end of the world.
We
arrived at the resort and were briefed on the whereabouts
of the dining area (the best is first), the dive
shop location (five stories down the hill), our room
locations (five stories up the hill), and the fact
that there are no televisions or phones in any room
in the resort (a true vacation get-a-way) lets you
start relaxing as soon as the unpacking is complete.
Okay,
now for the bad part……
We
awoke to the sounds of nature the next morning. A
pleasant trek down the hill to the dining area provides
a good warm up for the day.
Breakfast
is served from a menu or from the buffet. Either way,
there is plenty of choice! Water pistols are provided
for use on the visiting small birds that love to strip
away pink sweetener packets (yes, birds are calorie
conscious) from the tables.
It
gets worse….
After
some breakfast entertainment, it is time for a leisurely
stroll down to the dive shop at the beach area. The
shop has plenty of locker space for the vast array
of equipment we think we need. The Boat Captains and
Dive Masters greet you with a warm smile, a handshake,
and a forecast for the day. A dive briefing about
the area is the topic when all are gathered at the
beachfront. We are busy listening and the crew is
busy toting all of the gear on board the dive boats.
Oh
the agony…..
We
all board the boats for the area mentioned in the
briefing. A short time later, the crew announces our
arrival and gives a final briefing before we enter
the water. Under the surface, we are greeted by healthy
coral, brightly colored fishes, and 60 ft average
visibility. Mild currents in some areas provide an
easy glide from sight to sight. Waving hands from
the snorkelers
provide silhouettes for the deeper explorers. Strobes
from all levels of photographers and lights from the
reef explorers illuminate the reef and expose the
smaller critters during the dive. Returning to the
boat, a helping hand at the surface lands your gear
on the boat and guides you to your seat. Fresh fruits
and juices fill your cheeks as you reach for the clipboard
to sign off and record the dive. All of the gear is
changed for you as you rest and the boat travels to
the next site.
I
can’t take any more…..
Once
back at the dock, we step off of the boats onto the
beach and rinse our gear in large tanks. Cool showers
rid us of our salty skins and camera tanks hold the
soon to be seen images of the day. After a short lunch,
some of us head toward further relaxation. The Kai
Belte
Spa provides some of the most enjoyable relaxation
found in the leeward Islands. I didn’t get the cucumber
treatment for my eyes (it would make me hungry knowing
salad was within reach) but did indulge in deep tissue
therapy massage.
After
evening meals with friends old and new, local entertainment
helped the days become fond memories before taking
a leisurely walk to our rooms. Time for aquadreams to take hold.
Sweet Home
Alabama!!!!
Nights
provide the hushed sounds of the rain forest that
engulfs the resort. Bed netting keeps out the few
crawlies that transit the open air rooms. Ceiling
fans stir the gentle night breezes. No
alarm clocks needed here. Birds calling each other
at sunrise gently nudge you from sleep. Sounds of
passing fishing boats and smells of your personal
coffee maker entice you into the morning air.
Returning
to home leaves you with great memories, a relaxed
attitude, and a desire for more time in the islands.
St.Lucia - Wonderful
people, great memories, and nature at it’s finest.
Mark
Talbot
Tobago
on the Peter Hughes Wind Dancer-Tobago, January
2005 by Yvonne
I
had the pleasure of visiting Tobago
with one of the islands ‘favorite sons’, Peter Hughes.
Peter
and Terri Huber, of the Dancer Fleet, hosted a dozen
travel professionals on a weeklong cruise on the Wind
Dancer. Though
Peter offered repeated apologies for the highly unusual
rainy weather that limited most of our diving to the
sites off Speyside,
it was easy to look beyond the temporary conditions
and see why he loves this island so much.
Experienced
divers will enjoy a type of high energy diving found
nowhere else in the Caribbean.
The
diving in Tobago is not for
the inexperienced diver. The Atlantic
Ocean from the
east meets the Caribbean
Sea on the island’s
west side, creating a confluence of strong currents.
These currents
are rich in nutrients that feed an abundance of marine
life.
Diving is
all drift. Groups
of 8-10 divers dive off 2 tenders powered by two outboard
motors. Tanks,
BC’s and regulators stay on the tenders between dives;
tanks are filled on the tenders. Nitrox
EAN32 is available.
Dive
sites are minutes away from the mother ship.
Divers
enter the water in a choreographed mass back roll
off the sides of the tender. All
dives are lead by a staff dive master carrying a floatation
marker.
A
mandatory safety sausage attached to a line and reel
was provided by the boat to each diver.
The
best way to dive Tobago
is from a liveaboard boat. The
Wind Dancer’s normal itinerary departs from Scarborough on the southeast
side and follows a clockwise course offering divers
that chance to dive all sides of the island, if weather
allows. I
would describe the diving around Tobago
as ‘Super Sized’. The
Caribbean’s
largest recorded brain coral is found at ‘Special’
off Speyside.
The Dancer Fleet partners with R.E.E.F. inviting guests
to participate in fish counts.
It
was easy to identify 75-100 different species of fish
on every dive.
I
saw queen angel fish the size of turkey platters.
Basket
sponges as large as china cabinets, collapsed into
crescents by the currents, appeared to be gently embracing
Mother Ocean’s precious
treasures. We
dove with a turtle at least 4’ in diameter.
Divers
on the ‘other’ tender saw hammerhead sharks.
Due
to the nutrient rich waters, typical visibility is
60-80’.
Due
to the rainfall on my trip, it dropped to 20-60’.
Though
often promoted as the place to go to see manta rays,
the staff report sightings are becoming increasingly
rare in open ocean.
If
a week at sea is not for you, there are several charming
land based dive operations on the northeast tip around
Speyside. Though
I did not get to experience the diving off the southern
or western coasts, there are land based dive operations
near Scarborough
as well. Be
sure to take a couple days to explore the island’s
incredible topside attractions. Tobago’s
interior is a lush rainforest flowing with rivers
cascading over secluded waterfalls. The
exotic trees are home to rare birds, butterflies and
island creatures. The
historic waterwheel at the Arnos Vale sugar estate
creates a memorable and romantic setting for a special
dinner.
Turks
and Caicos-
Looking
for a tropical island getaway that is easily accessed
from the US? Consider
the Turks
and Caicos Islands.
Providenciales
(Provo
for short) is a short flight from US gateways.
The largest
of the TCI islands, Provo offers 12 miles of sugar
fine white sand on Grace Bay, most of which is still
undisturbed by the island’s prolific development.
On Provo you can
find accommodations that range from modest boutique
properties (Sibonne),
US style hotels (Comfort Suites), large all-inclusive
properties (Club Med and Beaches), private homes and
villas, to luxurious condo properties.
Divers of
every skill level will enjoy the diversity found in
shallow reefs off Grace
Bay
and exhilarating walls at NW Point and West
Caicos.
The island offers the best options for shopping, dining
and nightlife.
Top
side activities include an 18 hole
golf course, mini golf, tennis, windsurfing, horseback
riding, parasailing, fishing, sail boat charters and
a limited number of motorized watersports.
Divers
come to Grand
Turk
for the fantastic diving and laidback lifestyle.
Think of
the island offering ‘funky charm’ with its walled
streets where donkeys, goats, chickens and dogs roam
freely!
Accommodations
are all small motels or guesthouses.
Dining
options are limited but lively.
One
of the dive operators moonlights as the island’s troubadour
providing live music several nights a week. Parts
of the wall off Grand
Turk
are accessible as a shore dive and other sites are
just a short boat ride away.
For
a real step back in time, head to Salt Cay!
Dive
sites here are visited by only a few hundred divers
each year, so remain in pristine condition. Mid
January – Mid March humpback whales migrate through
the Turks Head passage. Whale
song is sure to be heard underwater and surface sightings
are likely. (You
can not scuba dive with the whales)
Guest
Reports, we would love to include a guest report in
our newsletter. Please
feel free to send us your report and we will try to
print at least 2 of them in our next newsletter.
Please keep
them brief, Send them to gene@aquadreams.com
STAFF
BIOS
Dani-Dani has been
certified for about 3 years and is a relative newcomer
to diving.
She has been
to some of our destinations and is looking forward
to a trip to Utila and Roatan
in July. Dani
is a Cayman Islands Specialist and will be providing
an update since the Hurricanes of the summer almost
destroyed the island
Gene-Gene
has been certified since 1967 and has many dives under
his weight belt!
Gene
is also an agent in the office and specializes in
groups.
His
knowledge of the islands is truly amazing.
He
tries to get in a dive every month, sometimes diving
in the colder water of Florida
during the Winter.
Gene retired
after 26 years in the Mental Health, Alcohol/Drug
Abuse area and decided that Terri was having just
too much fun and wanted to join her in her business.
Nicki-
Nicki
is our newest employee.
She is the
person that does all of our documents, and keeps us
in line!
Nicki is
from Indiana
and has a great eye for details.
She
is looking forward to being able to go to the destinations
that we work with to see for herself all of the places
that she does documents for.
Don’t be
surprised if you get a call from Nicki if she is missing
some piece of information that she needs from you.
Terri-Terri
is the founder of Aqua Dreams Travel. Inc. She
is an avid scuba diver and as been diving since 1990.
She
has traveled throughout the Caribbean over the
past 15 years and has been a Dive Travel Specialist
since they first started that designation.
She
still functions as an agent while also interfacing
with our vendors and supervising the other agents
in the office.
Yvonne-
Yvonne
joined Aqua Dreams in December 2003.
Certified
in 1990, she brings with her over 14 years diving
experience.
Her career
started in dive retail sales and grew into a passion
for dive travel.
Yvonne is
a certified Caribbean Travel Specialist through the
Institute
of Certified
Travel Agents.
Employing
both her personal knowledge from travel to Caribbean
destinations and the courses she has taken, Yvonne
is a destination specialist for the Bahamas,
Belize,
the Cayman
Islands, and the
Turks and
Caicos Islands.
Future
Agent Position-
Could this be you?
Aqua
Dreams Travel, Inc. is currently looking to add a
new agent.
Please
contact Gene or Terri if you are interested in living
in Florida
and joining our team.
ODDS
AND ENDS
Travel
Tips
Since
9/11 more countries are now requiring a Passport to
enter the country. Some
require that the Passport be valid for 6 months after
departing the country. So
if your Passport is close to expiring, it may be worth
renewing it now before the travel bug bites you and
leaves you having to pay for an expedited Passport. Whenever
traveling outside of the United States, you must have
proof of Citizenship, whether that be a Passport or
a certified copy of your Birth Certificate and a Government
Issued photo ID, you will need proof of Citizenship.
Please ask
your agent if you do not have a Passport to verify
if you can get into the country with a Birth Certificate
and photo ID. Generally
South and Central American require Passports. You
can also look for entry
requirements on-line by going to http://travel.state.gov/
this
website is
full of helpful information when planning a trip.
You
can also check with your airline for this information.
When
you have made arrangements for your vacation, make
sure you go over everything in your invoice.
We make mistakes
occasionally and need you, our customers to keep us
straight!
Mainly, if
we are doing airline tickets for you, be sure the
names are spelled correctly (and as they are on your
Passport or Birth Certificate) and that the dates
are correct.
When you
receive your documents from us in the mail, be sure to
open and look to be sure all is as you expect. If
anything has changed or does not make sense, let us
know immediately so we can clear up the problem.
When
you travel, take your sense of adventure and sense
of humor. Things
are not like they are at home.
That
is why you are there!
If you encounter
problems with your hotel or dive operator, let them
know.
Give them
the opportunity to fix the problem. It
can’t be fixed if they are not given the opportunity.
Having
the most realistic expectation for your dive adventure
is central to having a good experience. Our advice:
Thoroughly ask all of your questions before you book
your next trip. Since we have visited and dived every
destination that we actively promote, we should have
the answers for you and if not, we will get them.
Please remember, though, keep your expectations realistic:
Weather and sea conditions change. Your long anticipated
whale shark or manta may be visiting another island.
Your flight may be late or delayed. It all happens.
That is why dive travel is always an adventure. Expect
the unexpected!
Also
a reason for purchasing travel insurance.
ISLAND
UPDATES SINCE HURRICANES OF 2004
I’m
sure all of you know it was a devastating Hurricane
season last year. Here
is a brief update on the islands that were most affected:
Cayman
Islands: Little Cayman and Cayman
Brac
were not really affected and those islands have pretty
much remained opened to tourists. Grand Cayman however
is a different story. As
of today there are still only a handful of hotels
open to tourists, Cobalt Coast and Compass Point being
a couple of them.
The
island officially opened to tourists on Nov. 20th.
There
are several restaurants open and also a few condo
properties/villas/guest houses.
Grenada:
St. George’s, Grenada,
January
14, 2005 - - “Grenada is rebounding remarkably
well. Everyday the landscape turns greener, the infrastructure
improves, new attractions are opening and the hoteliers
are resolute in their determination to enhance the
accommodation plant,” said Naline Joseph,
head of Marketing at the Grenada Board of Tourism.
Dive
Sector:
Since
Hurricane Ivan did not create a big surge or high
seas, Grenada's
reefs and wrecks were undisturbed by the storm.
All dive
shops are therefore currently in full operation.
Most of the
hotels are all back opened again and tourist attractions
are mostly open as well.
WEBSITE
We
have just finished a”make over” on our website be
sure to look around. Give
us your feedback.
ON
THE ROAD AGAIN
Our
2005 Dive Show Calendar, we hope to see you at one
of the below shows:
Beneath
the Sea
Secaucus
New
Jersey
Booth
# 317
March
18 – 20
OceanFest
Ft.
Lauderdale, Florida
Booth
#310
April
15 – 17
Scuba
Show
Long
Beach, California
Booth
#305
Seaspace
Houston,
Texas
Booth #607
June 3 - 4
Terri, Dani, Yvonne, Nancy, Niki & Gene
March 15, 2005 © Aqua Dreams Travel, Inc. ---Fl
Seller of Travel # ST-22259
__________________________________
Aqua Dreams Travel, Inc.
4708 SE 8th Ct. #3
Cape Coral, FL 33904
(1-888-322-DIVE)
info@aquadreams.com
|
