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I’m a birthday celebrity get me out to there

23rd November 202423rd November 2024 funtime65

Because I knew they wouldn’t forget… I’m a birthday celebrity get me out to there.

The ‘there’ being the Bahamas which our friends at Celebrity Cruises had taken us to for the maiden voyage of Celebrity Edge.

On their tender, or boat, to give us sight of the islands.

Before turning right back without getting off.

Although, of course, getting back on board the $1m super cruise ship is never a hardship.

And also because they know how we flow Celebrity are luring us out again with a special birthday inducement.

Of a €50 saving per stateroom Ocean View, Veranda Concierge Class or Aqua Class €100 per stateroom saving or the Retreat stateroom €200 saving.

With the code BIRTHDAY to redeem.

Bahamian rhapsody

Our gaze fixed on Key West and the Bahamas, both of which have been on our horizon but honed out of view the nearer we got to them.

With suitcase packed and passport at the ready when the US shut the door behind them when Covid visited.

And this beardie missed out on his chance to walk in the footsteps of Ernest Hemingway

And hook up with the second-most famous Glaswegian Billy Connolly, after myself, in his adopted land.

Celebrity is offering four nights on board Celebrity Summit.

Leaving from Fort Lauderdale from €365pp with up to 75 per cent off for a second guest and a saving of up to €700 per room.

As part of their Black Friday event with flight offers too.

While if you want to follow the other celebs to the Dom Rep.

Then Celebrity is also offering an Eastern Caribbean cruise from €365pp.

Happy Birthday to me

Now, as much as our cruise chums make us all feel unique we suspect that they are offering every one of their past clients this offer.

But, hey, we’ll keep the fantasy going because that’s what sailing on Celebrity is.

So you can keep your Aussie jungle, I’m a birthday celebrity get me out to there. To the Bahamas.

Countries, Food & Wine, Ireland

Mixing with loveholidays

26th October 2023 funtime65

If you want to check out the leading online providers of vacations out there you’d better be mixing with loveholidays which is, of course, what we’ve been doing this week.

Which is the way with cocktail-making, my Saturday night go-to treat for the Scary One, but which is equally applicable to travel.

And for all the experience of 35 years of globetrotting and scribbling about it (all for you you understand) I always know that there is someone who knows more.

And that that someone is the travel provider who makes our dreams come true.

Back when I started out on this road computers were only what you saw on James Bond films where now we all have them.

The danger, of course, unless we’re careful it can all become a bit dehumanising but with the best online operators and here’s where loveholidays come in they bring the personal touch.

For consumers and for those us who are the bridge between the trade and the public… me and my pals.

Do you like Pina Colada?

Double jig time: With Mr Loveholidays Clem and old pals Eugene and Catherine

And in the interests of research and with. thirst and a hunger on us we gathered at the French-inspired Green Hen in Exchequer Street, off Grafton Street in Dublin to mix.

And when we say mix, of course, there’s the craic but also a mixologist on hand to walk us through making our own Pina Colada.

With a mini-bottle of rum, and coconut milk, pineapple and lime juice all set out for us.

As well as a jigger and two shakers.

Now this is what you want to do..

Take 1 oz coconut cream, 1 oz white rum, 3 oz pineapple juice

Mix with crushed ice until smooth and pour into chilled glass, garnish and serve.

Lovin’ it

Now, as we always associate Pina Coladas with the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico who recreated the vibe for us at the American Travel Fair in San Antonio.

Then we’re giving you a sample couple of loving.com deals that they’re promoting as part of their long-haul offerings.

With Cancun being noted as an adults-only magnet loveholidays are urging us.

In the words of Rupert Holmes to come with them and escape.

Love, as they’re affectionately known in the circles, offer us seven-days all-inclusive at the Golden Parnassus Resort and Spa.

Down from £1,534 to £1,058, travelling on March 12.

Dom from home: Melia Punta Cana Beach Wellness

Or you can go to one of the favourite isles of the rich and famous, the Dominican Republic.

Or Dom Rep as it’s called among the cogniscenti.

You’ll get seven days AI at the Melia Punta Cana Beach Wellness.

Down from £1,727pp to £1,170pp, travelling on April 19.

Love Vegas

While we’re taken too by an old favourite in Las Vegas where the cocktails are always flowing particularly at Harrah’s on the Strip.

Love are offering us seven nights from New Year’s Day (room only) at the nearby Venetian, complete with gondolas!

Down from £1,210 to £874pp, travelling on January 1.

Of course, seeing we all love holidays, we’ll be bringing you more loveholidays.

Short-haul, city breaks and long-haul deals to cheer us up.

Because we all love, love, love, mixing with loveholidays.

Caribbean, Countries

Where is the Bounty island?

4th November 20224th November 2022 funtime65

It’s been a cause for desolation rather than celebration that everybody’s favourite mini-chocolate is being cut from your Christmas box, and it’s prompted us to ask where is the Bounty island of the iconic advert?

Well, unsurprisingly it was the Caribbean where the actors sizzled and sensualised to the backdrop of Try A Little Tenderness.

And all with the payoff tagline A Taste of Paradise.

It was a natural location, of course, with coconuts aplenty all across the Caribbean.

Dom rule

Now you would be forgiven for thinking that the Dominican Republic on the east of the island of Hispaniola is a relatively recent tourist discovery.

With Boris and Carrie Johnson and their brood of little blondies the latest celebs to grace the island with their presence.

Following in the sandsteps of the Bill and Hillary Clintons of this world.

But the location managers looking for the taste of paradise plumped for Saona beach from all of the idyllic options throughout the Caribbean and the world.

Now we’ve been over BoJo’s Casa de Campo retreat in these pages over the Isla Saona.

Isla Saona

So today we’re focusing on the Bounty Island, or Bounty Isla, or Isla Saona.

Saona Beach House tell us that they have cosy houses that offer the opportunity to enjoy virgin nature.

On an almost deserted island where you will have the chance to relax on beaches just for you.

So if you want the con vista la mar, that’s seaside view to you and me, but always better in Spanish then it’s from $79 a night.

And it’ll be pure peace apart, of course, for the beautiful people posing out front.

A coconut falling from a tree. And somebody out of shot singing Try A Little Tenderness.

Caribbean

The CaribBorisean

21st October 20221st November 2022 funtime65

It’s the question on everyone’s lips which West Indian island is The CaribBorisean on?

With the king over the water planning a return to take power, editors will have dispatched journos to the Windies to get BoJo.

We know, of course, that the former PM is a big fan of the Caribbean.

And he has been known to visit St Vincent and the Grenadines and Mustique in particular.

A Scot’s Mustique

Mustique we know, of course, as being Princess Margaret’s favourite getaway.

And she had a Scot, entrepreneur Colin Tennant to thank, the businessman buying the island in 1958.

And turning it into a playground for the rich and famous.

Which is where Boris Johnson comes in.

And with $100,000 in his pocket from his speaking engagement in Colorado Springs in the US.

It’s where you might expect him to be now.

Mia Casa, tua Casa

Only the smart money as to his whereabouts seems to be is the ‘in’ Caribbean resort Casa de Campo

The Dominican Republic resort has been the go-to destination of Presidents and politicians for years.

And if you found yourself sitting cradling a rum punch across from Bill and Hill and BoJo and Carrie you wouldn’t be surprised.

You’d maybe want the Premier Club then.

Dom from home

Our Dom friends from the Caribbean Road Show tell us:

It is a place for guests to gather in their own exclusive bar and lounge area.

And enjoy best beverages and a unique selection of complimentary canapes and appetisers from their executive chef.

We expect, of course, that BoJo, whose childhood ambition was to be world king, would want to stay in the Presidential suite.

A three-bedroom suite with a private office area and full kitchen.

There’s a separate staff entrance, full dining room table for up to eight and a spacious family room for his spacious family.

Located on the second floor, guests also have the option to have two additional rooms and enjoy the entire floor in privacy.

And the rooms are on sale now for arrivals from 21 December through to December 2024.

Stay where you are

As fans of the Caribbean ourselves and having trod on the same Nylon Beach as Princess Margaret partied in Tobago.

We can see why he would want to take off for the Windies.

And wonder why he would want to swap T-shirts and Bermuda shorts for Aran sweaters and tweed troosers on this cold, drizzly isle.

Whether Britain goes for a new old PM in Boris Johnson or A.N. Other then one thing is for sure.

The CaribBorisean won’t be a stranger to the Casa de Campo in the Dom Rep in the future.

While Rishi Sunak and his wife Ashkanta Murty (she’s disclaimed me somewhere along the line) won’t be welcome.

Despite their hundreds of millions.

Ashkanta is a non-Dom you see.

Caribbean, Sport

Dom Rep it up

19th August 202219th August 2022 funtime65

So we bought my Dear Old Dad a book of the world’s most difficult golf holes though the Teeth of the Dog where they like to Dom Rep it up wasn’t on it.

The book was, of course, a joke with tees on one mountain and the green on the other among the ‘holes from hell’.

And bless him, Dad was incredulous and slightly nervous even looking at the holes.

On account that he took a 7-iron off the tee at a particularly difficult par-5 at his local Hilton Park Golf Club, near Glasgow.

Teeth of the Dog

The Teeth of the Dog in Casa De Campo is one of those courses which will test all those Sunday golfers, like Dad and me, but it’s for real.

Casa De Campo, which my old chum and expert on all things Caribbean (and golf) Clem Walshe, came on my radar.

When we all met up for a Caribbean Road Show in Dublin.

And the Dominican Republic resort brings news to us that it has been voted No. 1 golf resort in the Caribbean.

All of which hasn’t escaped the notice of the world’s A-listers.

Grand Slam Dunk It

Grand Slam Dunk Michael Jordan is a fan.

As well as Jennifer Lopez, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg and Dennis Quaid.

While Bill Clinton has even got his molars into the Teeth of the Dog.

The specs are that it was designed by Pete Dye with seven of the 18 holes on the 7,357 yards course playing right along the Caribbean Sea, 20 feet above the surf.

For those golfies among you Golf Digest placed The Teeth of the Dog at No.20 in its top 100.

It was topped by Royal County Down at No.1 but with Gullane’s Muirfield.

Up the road from me here in New Berwick, at No.7.

On the Teeth of the Dog the sea is on the left on holes five through eight.

And on the right on holes 15 through 17 and every hole is unique and scenic.

The rates

Now there are three courses at Casa de Campo in La Romana.

The geniusly-named Dye For and the more traditional The Links building the trinity with our Teeth of the Dog.

We’re told that with your all-inclusive stay you can enjoy daily golf across all three award-winning courses at a reduced daily rate.

The nightly rates per person are between $65-$95 and follow the site for other rates.

The resort also boasts eight outstanding restaurants.

And the stunning Minitas Beach Club, a Marina and an Equestrian Center featuring Polo.

There’s a shooting course too.

While there’s great shopping, and three private pristine white sand beaches.

So go on Dom Rep it up.