An Excellence of a Different Color: Coral Playa Mujeres 2025

I’m a long time lover of Excellence – and an even LONGER lover of the “We Love” Facebook fanpages that got me addicted before my first Excellence Playa Mujeres trip way back in 2016. My husband and I went six years in a row- sometimes just the two of us, sometimes with other couples and family. NONE of us went just once. As the resort began to go through different ownership and some changes, we still loved it – just not QUITE as much. We ventured out. I started booking resorts BEFORE they opened to get a better deal. First, going to the absolute SHOW STOPPER Secrets Impression Moxche in 2023 then to Secrets Playa Blanca the following year. We would absolutely return to both of those – but Impression has now gotten out of our budget.

Before we went to either of those, though, we knew that Coral was being built. The day the reservations opened up online, I booked four different rooms on four different dates because I knew the prices would never be as low again as they were pre opening. A few months before we went, my husband convinced me to do the one-time splurge, and I cancelled the other more reasonably priced rooms and got room 5094 – the oceanfront Honeymoon suite with private pool. I have ZERO regrets and am only sad that, unless we get some windfall, it’s the only time we will stay in this room. (It is now usually about 1300 a night. That’s way out of my budget.)

So we set off on Wednesday, November 19, from Austin to Cancun on a completely unremarkable 2-hour flight. (unremarkable flights are THE BEST), landed in Cancun, through immigration in less than 2 minutes (not exaggerating) and our luggage was out in less than 20. SOAKED, but out in less than 20. Apparently there was a super quick rainfall right after we landed. The weather for our whole trip looked perfect, but there were a few VERY fast rain showers in the afternoons. (Pro- tip. Don’t ever bother looking at weather percentages- you can look at AMOUNTS of projected rainfall. Unless it says it’s over an inch, don’t worry – it will just be scattered.)

Yes, our Seasons transfer would have been included. They are lovely, new vehicles with great drivers. They are fantastic 99% of the time. Regardless, I pay $150 extra and book Kalido. What may seem like a waste of money to some is totally worth it to me. They are always quick to communicate, always arrive early, and allow for ordering drinks on the ride. I also get medical travel insurance through BCBS Global solutions and pay my Visitax. I am definitely risk adverse!

Eduardo was ready and waiting for us when we walked outside and we were to the resort in about 40 minutes – greeted with a cold towel and sparkling wine and checked in within a few minutes in the club lounge.

I had done the pre checkin online, so they didn’t need to scan our passports and had most of my information. I did inquire about getting a Whisper reservation – and was told there weren’t any available during our four-day stay. This didn’t surprise us. I know they are hard to come by. I also get the feeling that if I escalated it, and called day after day, I could have gotten in. One of the people VERY much “in the know” at the resort told me that no-shows are a consistent issue and to expect an announcement in a few weeks about requiring a deposit. I’m MILDLY disappointed we couldn’t get in, but I’ve seen other cool “drinks” shows, and I watched a YouTube “spoiler” video. It would have been fun, but I didn’t need it. The Bear (my husband) was more concerned about Comales. Comales is in Agave, and it is traditional Mayan cuisine prepared in front of you by the chef.

We were told that there WOULD be a Comales reservation, but they couldn’t officially sign us up for that until we got ALL the way checked in at 3 o’clock. The only other restaurants that need (or allow) reservations are the Hibachi style meals at Kanpai or the smokehouse experience at The Grill. Both of those interest me, but not this trip… I had already put together my thoughts of when and where we would eat using the Excellence Collection app. Since we were there for a short trip, and I knew not all the restaurants were open every night, I had put together a table of what we THOUGHT we might do for the restaurants. We didn’t stick entirely to the plan, but I still enjoyed making it!

Ready to get the trip started, we made our way to lunch at Oregano. The Bear laughed at me as I walked directly to it like I had been at the resort a thousand times before. I’ve seen all the maps, watched all the videos. I really did know EXACTLY where we were going. To be honest, it was not the best possible start to our trip. I always like to start at Oregano at EPM because I LOVE the view. The view at Oregano at Coral was pretty, but not spectacular.

And I didn’t love our waiter. He seemed to forget us multiple times, told us they had run out of pizza as they kept bringing it out for other people… so the resort was lacking a little “wow” factor in the first hour. BUT I was thrilled to be there, and the food was fine. I met a fellow “We Love” facebooker (Hi, Gil!) who told us how much we would love Milo, which I had planned on our final night.

Lunch being mediocre is no big deal to us. We really pay little attention to ANY meal except dinner. We did go to Zenith one morning for breakfast, which was tasty and beautiful.

And on our final morning we ordered room service. I really wish Excellence resorts would join the 21st century with room service. As of now, you can’t order from an app. Every time I call, it sounds like I’m calling an incredibly busy call center. The person on the other end, understandably, doesn’t speak flawless English. There is always a lot of repeating and correcting, and often the order that comes STILL has errors. They already require us to have our phones to order from menus in restaurants (which I actually don’t mind. I can see those better than I can see other menus). Why not just add a room service app option?

But other than that, most mornings, I just wait for the Bear to come join me on the beach and bring me a croissant and coffee. I do love my mornings on the beach… but I digress…

After lunch, it was checkin time, and I couldn’t have been any more excited. THE ROOM!! Oh, and how 5094 was all that I expected it to be. The air conditioner was good, the closet was huge, the bed was comfortable, and the bathroom was… weird.

The room had see through, sliding dividers to separate the living room from the bedroom; they would shield people in the bed from those walking by outside if they wanted that. The room was definitely lovely overall.

We never did get around to using the large whirlpool tub with the view to the outside. I THINK it was arranged in a way that people wouldn’t be able to see in unless they were REALLY trying to look.

As for the “weird” bathroom. It was big, but why? It had a big LONG shower, but still only one showerhead and a wand, that could not be used simultaneously. The toiletries and the controls were not in arm’s reach when you were under the water. The floor was treacherously slippery in the shower, and there was no bench and no door of any kind, so using the wand was tricky. I watered the bathroom door and floor multiple times. The water closet was also large- again, for no reason. There was nothing in there except a toilet. In the entire restroom there are only two small hooks to hang anything- no towel racks, no nothing. I also found the hardware and the “marble” odd. It photographs pretty well, but it feels cheap. The marble is clearly a print as identical tiles are placed one on top of the other, and the fixtures feel plasticky. The “brass” or “gold” or whatever is chipping off many of them all over the new resort, and they are loose and non-working in a lot of places. The same can be said for the black paint on particle board. Very odd choices for a higher end resort. And don’t even get me started on the cheap pool loungers at the main AND club pools. I keep wondering if they are temporary.

But boy, oh boy we sure did use OUR magnificent, beautiful pool!! (with great loungers…)

The water was comfortable. It was definitely slightly heated, enough to take the chill off. It was literally the only pool we went in the entire trip! We thought about about the main pool- which was large, gorgeous, and had plenty of chairs, but entry and exit access from the pool seemed a difficult. It looks very sleek, but there aren’t a lot of ways to get in and out of it. The club pool chairs went early- and the pools themselves were pretty small. The rooftop pool at X-lounge is a cool concept, but even smaller with only a few loungers. There are four bali beds available to rent up there. Then, there is another “club pool,” but it would be VERY strange to access it. There IS a ladder from the outside on the pathway by building five. All the rooms have private pools and decks, however, so you would be in the pool, without a lounger, and you’d be in front of other people’s rooms with no drink service. I think a lot of this resort is geared towards people being at the main pool or in private pools in their rooms. Some of those are at the BACK of the resort facing the golf course and VERY quiet. They also wouldn’t get drink service.

Service, overall, during the day was an issue. I’m not sure if they’re understaffed because they can’t find servers, or if they are purposefully trying to keep costs down. There was only one server on the beach and one server at the club pool, and it took a LONG time to get things, for the most part. They were literally running and working so hard, but it’s too much to do. Still, the bars are VERY close and all over the place, so it’s easy enough to get your own.

If lunch IS a big concern for you, getting food during the day is also no issue. Agave and Oregano are open most days for sit down meals. I also love Las Olas right on the beach.

You can also get food delivered from room service, from the beach/pool menu, or stop by Tipico to grab some street tacos. Insider tip: If you like McDonald’s french fries, ALWAYS order extra fries. They are like McDonald’s but better!

As I said, we really don’t give “thought” to food during the day. We do EAT it, but we’re just “grab and go” people. I do think it’s unusual that the Kitchen Table is ONLY open for breakfast. So many people seem to like a buffet for lunch. We only stumbled in there one night to check out Mexican fiesta. We loved it when it was outside at EPM, and it really looked great at Coral, too. That’s one we have on our “next time” list. They layout and the decor in the Kitchen Table are amazing. I’m sure it’s great for breakfast, too.

We only had four nights total booked at this resort, and all of our days look pretty much the same. I like to get up and get down to the beach EARLY. Getting a beach bed is important to me, and I like to see the sunrise, so I’m down there by 6:15 or so. I bring a book and stay put. I usually wasn’t the first one down there, but I got the bed I wanted every day. There are only five total on the “honeymoon side.” There were a few big groups with one or two people reserving MASSIVE amounts of chairs (15 or 16 of them), but the beach concierges were good about removing things if someone else came down and wanted them, and they weren’t being used. It was VERY windy, but that kept it cool. I brought towel clips to use to hold the wall to my bed in place and block the sun. I usually stayed down there until around noon. Generally, the beach concierge would come down and get me set up at around eight. Then, at about ten, drink service was hustling, but spotty, so I usually walked up to the bar right behind the beach. The club bars are double sided with one side walkup, the other swim up. There was a bathroom right around the corner. Again, the design of the bathroom was weird. SO HOT! It had some vents in the top but no other circulation at all. I can’t imagine what it feels like in the heat of summer. None of that stopped those hours on the beach from being wonderful. It wasn’t QUITE as peaceful as some other resorts. The pool music started at around nine, and I felt it was pretty loud, even on the beach. The resort keeps the beach pristine. Unfortunately, the tractors and (what I referred to as) the “beach Zamboni” are loud and smelly… I never went to the Imperial suites side because I knew ALL of those beach beds were reserved for the Imperial suite guests. Yes, the imperial suites are expensive. Regardless, to me, it’s overkill. They have their loungers with their pool. Then, they have reserved loungers on the club pool. AND they have reserved beach beds. I can see having either the pool loungers OR the beach bed, but it’s not like you can be in two beds at the same time. It seems they should have to select one or the other and leave one for other guests. Anyhoo… I was just a lowly honeymoon suite guest, so nothing extra reserved for me. Ha!

I’m not one who goes into the water on the beach. (I don’t really like the sand. I just like the view). The water was choppy while we were there, but minimal sargassum and beautiful color.

The Bear would join me on the beach for a few hours after the sun came up, and then we’d make our way to our pool when it got warm. He was a little disappointed that some of the activities he’d come to enjoy -like rifle shooting and painting – weren’t happening. I heard from some other guests and some of the employees that the app wasn’t always reliable. so they might plan to go to a cocktail lesson or bracelet making, but it wouldn’t occur. I’m not a big one for daytime activities, but I understand that would be really frustrating to people if it was something they really wanted to do.

I was really just enjoying my room so much that, by our last day, I wanted to stay there all afternoon. BUT I had asked the Bear to schedule a hydrotherapy for me when he made his spa appointment. All club guests still get a truncated hydrotherapy included, but I had read that it’s just not worth it for only thirty minutes, so we both got upgraded to the full time. Even though he was getting a massage, he still had to pay to get his extended ($60 per person). I asked him to cancel mine so I could stay in the pool, but they said we would still be charged because it was too late to cancel.

In the end, I’m glad I went. It was a lot of fun! We started in the warm pool with different jets. Then, we got into three different showers with different temperatures and lights. Then, the sauna – followed by the ice room, which was new to me! I liked it, and I might have thrown a few snowballs at the Bear. Then, the steam room where we covered ourselves with sugar scrubs and lotions. Finally, the cold plunge, warm plunge, and walking on river rocks. It all ended with a short shoulder and scalp massage on a heated slab.

I do think the spa’s location is a little peculiar. It’s right there in the hotel lobby. Still, while the Bear was finishing his massage, I could go on a walkabout. (By the way, he said his massage was very good and the rooms were warm and weren’t clinical at all like they used to be at EPM.) I went and checked out Revive (the smoothie bar) and saw a wedding being set up in the gazebo, and saw the non-club rooms and even the private cabanas that could be rented at the back of the resort. They looked like they would be great with a group. I think they are $100 per person with a minimum of four people, but you have your own pool, bartender, and a cook for day. Not a bad deal!

I walked through building five to get back to my room. This, to me, is another place the resort made questionable choices. The corridors are VERY drab with motel looking drywall. I don’t know if this is intentional or something they may change in the future, but with so much of the resort being so “Instaworthy,” the halls are incongruent.

The most bizarre area to me is the area smack dab in the center of the resort, right outside the martini bar and the restaurants, where the nighttime live music is. I can only assume that this area will EVENTUALLY include a Prelude bar or something like that, but right now it’s a HUGE open space without enough seating and only occasional drink service from the martini bar at night.

I feel like I’ve spent so much time talking about what we DON’T do… I’ll talk about what we DO do: that’s hit the bars and the restaurants EVERY night… usually multiple bars and restaurants. At this resort, the menus at each restaurant are very limited, and not all restaurants are open every night. If you care about your dinners, you will likely want to go to the app, read the menus, and do a little planning. If you’re fine with whatever, there won’t be an issue.

So, on our first night, my plan was originally to go to Zenith. I was going to get the clams and the lobster; the Bear was going to get the steak. The more he looked at menus, however, he changed his mind and really wanted to do the tasting menu at Raices. That’s one of the things I LOVE about not having to make reservations! You can go with your mood of the day.

We always try to go to a bar at about five and then dinner at six. The Bear is an early to bed, late to rise guy, and neither of us want to have wait for dinner. So our first bar was X-lounge. The breeze is great, and it’s a lovely place to start and really see the whole resort. We wanted to do a sushi appetizer the first night, but the wait was going to be too long if we wanted to get to Raices at six. We did go up there again another night, and the sushi was quite good, and the view in the dark is SPECTACULAR, too, as is the view in the morning. I do wonder why they would choose to build such a HUGE Las Olas right where it breaks up the horizon. It seems like they could have made a better design choice.

From there, it was off to dinner. Most of the restaurants are in an atrium right beside the lobby/main building. A few are in the main building (Chez Isabel and Magna among them) Aroma, the coffee shop, and Kakao, the chocolate shop, bridge the two buildings. If you like chocolate, don’t skip Kakao; it’s a fun concept! There are shelves full of different types of little chocolates. You can grab as many as you want, and they are made on site. I wish they had to-go bags or something. As it is, you have to carry them around in a napkin. Still, there is no charge unless you want to buy a candy bar, so it’s a fun place to pop in.

Upstairs at Raices, the menu is either a la carte, or you can do the tasting menu which begins on the hour. If a time slot fills up, or you want to reserve for later, you can put your name down at the restaurant for that night only. It’s an adventurous menu of nine small courses. Some of the courses include things like crickets or ants. (The shrimp and crickets was one of my favorites.) The courses were hit and miss. The lamb was VERY overcooked, but the duck was amazing. The chicken with mole was phenomenal! We did do “pairings” with it, but the servers seemed to struggle with that. The wines sometimes came with the courses, sometimes didn’t. Sometimes the pours were VERY skimpy. The Bear ordered the Mezcal “pairing,” which turned out not to be a pairing at all. Instead, it was a tasting that had nothing to do with the meal. The pairings were $50 extra a piece, and kind of fun, but the upsell didn’t add anything to the meal. Still, Raices was good overall, and we’re glad we went. If I had to rate, I’d rate it as our third-place meal out of four; but the top three were all really close.

The following night was Thursday, and we planned to have a drink at the club lounge, then go to Magna. This was likely our least favorite meal. Nothing was bad. It was all just okay. My watermelon salad was probably my favorite part. We’d been told not to bother with the cauliflower soup because it’s nothing like the one at EPM. The restaurant is GORGEOUS and the service was good. We’re not sorry we went, but it didn’t compare with the other three meals.

I like the way Magna set up. It feels very intimate. The Bear says he feels like every time we go to Magna he “orders wrong.” I get it. It often is not one of my most memorable dining experiences. After dinner, we went to wander the Mexican fiesta night for a bit.

My bar on the list for that night was the Sports Bar since Thursday night football would be on. It’s in the main building behind the martini bar, and it’s really a good looking spot. Lots of TV’s. The service the night we were in there was a little abrupt and not super friendly, but I was glad to go.

The Bear was ready for bed, so I hung out a little longer and walked around the resort. I watched one of the fountain shows, which are really fun. They do two a night, and each one I saw was a little different, They do all begin with the same song. (“Excellence is calling you” will get stuck in your head! iykyk! ha!) The best view of the fountains is from the gazebo or from the long walkway alongside the theater.

On Friday night, we went back up to the X-lounge for our sushi and then went to Comales in Agave. Whereas Raices was newer, funkier Mexican; Comales is old school, homestyle. There are ten people around a flattop grill as each guest is served several salsas and a multitude of courses. This was great fun! One of the servers, Mayra, was the same server we had had at Raices. Her laugh is infectious! Each course came with some education about the ingredients, and there were several drinks to try as well- both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. This, to both the Bear and me, was a “don’t miss!” We would probably do it again even if the menu were exactly the same.

We stopped at Agave bar after for a drink. It’s somewhat awkward because there are no barstools there, but they have some rums and tequilas there that you can ONLY get in Mexico and only at that bar, so it’s worth stopping by.

We took our drinks outside to watch some nighttime entertainment and another fountain show. In comparison to the other Excellence resorts, there doesn’t seem to be as much nighttime or daytime entertainment going on. There are a few bands that start around eight, but very few musicians at other times or in the restaurants or bars. It’s very pretty, but it seems to still be finding its vibe.

The main shows start somewhat late for me (930). I did really want to go to the Legends show on Wednesday, but I was just beat! Plus, the theater area seemed very hot. I went to the circus show over the pool, and it was really cute! There was a live band that was fantastic! I loved their version of the Pirates of the Caribbean theme song. I sat in the plastic chairs which the resort had set up for the audience, but I couldn’t see anything from there. I moved to sit in the loungers at the end and had a great view. Then, I went back to the room to finish watching Survivor through our VPN on our Fire stick. Priorities! lol

Four nights is pretty short to do everything we wanted to do. I would probably want at least six. Even the Bear said he could do with one more. On Saturday, however, our final night had come. We were going to go to the sports bar again or the martini for our five o’clock drink when we got a knock at the door and a delivery of wine and cheese. We are “platinum” rewards members, and they honored all of the benefits without our having to remind them. It’s a good reminder to keep that “do not disturb” sign off if you hope that people will bring you goodies! So, no need to rush off to the bar.

Originally, we had planned to go to Lobster House just to order a steamed lobster tail and then to Milo. I like the Caribbean lobsters just fine, but we have already done that so many times at EPM. Also, I wanted to see the inside of Chez Isabel, so we changed our plan and went there since we love escargots. The restaurant is just STUNNINGLY beautiful. If (when?) we return, I want to do a whole meal there! I want all the cheese on the cheese buffet! But, I knew we were going to eat a full meal elsewhere, so we told our waiter we were only going to get a dish or two. I got the foie gras and the escargots; the Bear got a lobster spring roll and the escargots. It was all pretty good. The escargots and the crème fraîche were great, but the potato basket they were on tasted old and stale. It’s hard for me to dislike ANY potato… but…

Then, we went next door and upstairs to Milo. The aesthetic of the restaurant gives it the whole Greek “feel.” I would say a lot of the food was more Lebanese than Greek, but that is fine with me. EVERYTHING on the mezze platter was so good! The falafel, the spanakopita.. just YUM!!! I loved the smoky baba ganoush. For our main, I ordered the pistachio encrusted lamb, and got a perfectly cooked lamb. (Both the one at Raices and the one at Magna were overdone.) It wasn’t just the lamb, though. Everything on that plate was amazing. I also ordered a gyro for us to split. The texture was different than my expectations on both the pita and the gyro, but the flavor was there. The Bear got some lamb sausages and shawarma. They were also incredible. We couldn’t eat everything, but it was all so good! The chef there had trained in Turkey and Greece. We asked if we could let her know how amazing her food was, and she came out to say, “hello.” If you like Lebanese style food, I would really suggest trying this one out. The pictures didn’t turn out as well as I would have liked, but don’t let that discourage you. Even the signature cocktail was amazing.

We try not to be crazy drinkers on the last night, because who wants to be hungover for a travel day? So it was just another quick drink at the martini bar, another fountain show, and then back to the room to finish the bottle of wine.

And then as soon as it started, it was over. Time to pack up again. I knew Kalido would be early for out pick up the next day, and they were. We went to the lounge at the airport and were home again before we knew it. I’m never sad that it’s over. I’m always glad that it happened and looking forward to the NEXT time. Right now, we have Secrets Mirabel booked for next November. They just opened last weekend, so we got a great deal…

Would I go back to Coral? Absolutely. We loved it! I think I hit on the negatives and the drawbacks in this blog along with the highlights, but overall, I think they’re doing a great job with plenty of room to grow into something that is truly exceptional. Impression Moxche is still my current favorite, but the more I look back on these memories, the more I’m realizing how much I really enjoyed Coral.

So another blog done. Time to give the dogs a little love and get ready for Thanksgiving! Mostly, I blog to remind ME of all the details and give me a chance to relive the experience, so I do it as fast as I can when I get home, but I hope others enjoy them, too. As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!

Foray into France: Part V (All that Glitters is Champagne)

Posted by amerarobbins

I know this is going to be the last blog of the trip, but I find that I’m having trouble getting started. I am pretty sure it’s going to be the longest because I feel like there is so much to cover. It’s not just the champagne houses- it’s the food, the town, and the final day in Paris. I try not to think of trips as “once-in-a-lifetime,” but looking back, I realize just how phenomenal this one was!

When we decided to set up this trip, my friend David Johnson was just starting his luxury travel company: Trip Lush Travel. I wanted something quite customized, but I still wanted to be led around. My main focus in the Champagne region was getting a chance to try wines that I wouldn’t be as likely to get in the United States. But, confession time: As much as I love wine, (and I do love it), I have A LOT of trouble discerning between great champagnes and mediocre sparkling. I mean I can tell the difference between Andre and Krug, but it’s not like the difference between Franzia and Cheval Blanc to me. I’m pretty okay with all that sparkles. Still, I want the experience and the stories. We definitely got those!

So, from the boat dock, the four of us were picked up in a Mercedes minivan. That seemed to be the mode of transportation because that’s what all of our transfers were in. I like it! The rear was configured so that we faced each other. Truly, the ride to Reims would have been far faster on the TGV, but once we got out of Paris traffic, the ride was smooth and quick – under 2 hours.

Once in Reims, things got a little hairy. There was a lot of construction, particularly around our hotel: La Caserne Chanzy. Eventually, after backing up and turning around a time or two, our driver got us out to the entrance. The rooms were spacious and cool. Unfortunately, our room wasn’t available, but it was early in the day. They told us they would contact us when they were ready- they didn’t, no big deal. Sadly, the wifi didn’t work most of the time when we were there. The breakfasts were fantastic each day and included with our package.

We spent some time in the gorgeous cathedral just across the street. I loved that the character completely as the light changed. The whole thing was full of the most amazing mismatched stained class throughout, including windows designed by Marc Chagall

I mean, yes, it was ABC (another bloody church), but this one was really worth wandering around in. It’s HUGE and so interesting. I also discovered the fun of using ChatGPT while I was walking around. Almost all of the explanations for everything were in French, but if I took pictures of the signs and uploaded them, Chat translated for me. Very useful! Notre Dame de Reims was amazing. Before this trip, I thought there was only one Notre Dame other than the university. I saw at least three on this trip…

As part of our wanderings, we found another café and a spot to stop and drink some champagnes… I mean, when in Reims… (Oh. and the pronunciation? you say the “ei” like you would say the “a” in France, so it ALMOST rhymes with the American pronunciation of France.)

After our champagne stop, we returned the the hotel and our room was ready. Then, the Bear wanted to go get a few more drinks and another bite to eat. He found Bistro des Anges right behind the hotel. It was a great experience. I asked the somewhat surly bartender what I should order to drink. He said, “Not Coca Cola. Too many Americans come in here wanting Coca Cola.” lol. Fair enough! He also told the Bear he could not have a gin and tonic with Tanqueray because it was “boring.” I had some wonderful escargots and the Bear had an average pate, but then loved the desserts he ordered.

The next day, Benjamin, our driver picked us up. But Benjamin was more than just a driver. This man is a ROCKSTAR. If you ever happen to travel to the region, he is your guy. He studied the area, has been a concierge at 5 star hotels. Now he teaches other concierges. His wife is a winemaker. He did EVERYTHING we needed. When we finished at a place early, he gave suggestions of what to do. When it was raining, he adjusted. He stopped at locations to take pictures, and he could answer every question and fill-in-the-blanks for anything we wondered on other tours. He called ahead when our timing was off. I can’t say enough glowing things about him.

We did three champagne houses and one lunch each day.

Lanson was our first stop. We were already familiar with this particular champagne and buy it often. I liked starting at one that we know but that is not likely to be found everywhere. They had a very small vineyard right there in town. I knew that there were a LOT of rules for winegrowers in champagne. I did NOT know that all of the vines that are currently planted there are the only ones that ever will be unless the governing authority says someone can grow more. The villages that are Premier Cru and Grand Cru always will be. It’s not about how good the wine is from year to year. It’s only the ones that were designated. And in each village grapes are handpicked when the governing body says it’s time- individual winemakers have no control. Our first host went through the champagne making process with us- with which we were already familiar, but it was good to review -once. By the time we went to our last house on the second day, we asked to forego the explanation. Ha! I’ll be hearing “dosage” in my sleep for years!

Anytime I saw the word “Bouzy” on this trip, I took a picture. Bouzy is one of the villages on Reims Mountain (which Benjamin pointed out is just a hill), and they make some of the best champagne. We’re adopting a golden retriever soon, and his name will be Bouzy. (The French pronounce it BooZEE, which I really like!)

After our first champagnes, Benjamin let us know we’d want to be quick getting to the restaurant because it was one of the most popular in the area. We ate at Brasserie le Jardin on their large covered patio. Lunch and our bottle of champagne WITH lunch were both spectacular, but my strawberry tart for dessert was the true standout! I am not normally a big dessert fan, but WOW!

From there, we had a little time until our second visit of the day. Benjamin drove us through the lovely countryside and stopped so we could take some pictures and see the windmill.

Our next stop was at the very small grower producer A. Margaine. They are father/daughter winemakers going back generations. Mathilde was in Paris, so we got to tour with Arnaud who made his first wine there in 1989, When we went to the kitchen overlooking their garden to taste, Benjamin suggested that he share an older bottle with us, and Arnaud was happy to oblige. It was such a wonderful, casual, authentic experience.

The bookend to our first day of tasting was the much larger Canard Duchene. It’s so interesting to see what the larger houses do with their cellars. All had art installations included in their spaces. I had no idea how long the non-vintage wines sit in there just waiting for the right time to release. I’m not going to lie – the stairs going down to this cellar were TOUGH, and then climbing up all 100 of them at the end was even a challenge! I usually don’t have trouble with up, but I was sucking some wind when I got back to the top!

Almost every winery also had some sort of display that would show the sizes of champagne bottles from split to Nebuchadnezzar which holds 20 standard bottles.

We fell into a routine for the next three nights. After a day of a big breakfast and big lunch, we would go back to the hotel room and have an aperitif and a bottle of champagne (okay, or two) with Paul and Julie. Their room had the cathedral view, so we would go in there for a few hours. Julie, in the best Julie way possible, had an array of snacks she had collected through the trip for us to share for dinner. By night two, both she and the Bear were filching food from the breakfast buffet to add. They called it the “wifi tax” since the hotel STILL didn’t have wifi. Benjamin even bought us some “champagne biscuits.” Truth? None of us liked them, but we did like TRYING them.

We had one more day left in the Champagne region and made our way to Ay, Epernay, and Bouzy the next day.

It was a somewhat stormy morning on and off to start. Our first stop of the day was Philippe Martin. We were supposed to taste on their lovely patio, but because of the thunder and rain, we were moved indoors. Funny enough, I had mentioned during breakfast that we hadn’t seen any winery dogs on this visit. A few minutes into this tasting, I saw a golden retriever walking around outside. Our hostess told me that he couldn’t join us because he was wet. A few minutes later, he stood at the entryway, looking very sad. She said if we were SURE we didn’t mind wet dog, he could come in. We did not mind! U2 (yes, that’s his name), was the BIGGEST cuddle puppy sweetheart. Sure, I liked the wines, too… but the DOG! I did ask to try an “odd” champagne while we were there, and I asked about trying a rose. Our hostess let us know that the popularity in rose goes up and down, so often they don’t produce it at all. She let me try one of the darkest ones I have ever seen.

At that time, we had planned to walk down Champagne Avenue in Epernay, but it was POURING. Benjamin took us for a drive anyway, and called our lunch place, Le Clos Corbier, where he arranged for us to do an additional tasting of their estate champagne, Collard Milesi and their family partner, Domanie Mea. Why not? When it rains, it pours Grand Cru. We followed that with another amazing lunch. I THOUGHT I was ordering light. I got a chef’s salad that turned out to be a PILE of wonderful potatoes in prosciutto. It was AMAZING!

I had been a little concerned that we were going to be cutting it close for lunch with our appointment at Moet Chandon being as early as it was. Benjamin assured us we’d have plenty of time. As it was, we did get a little rushed at the end, but that may also be because a large group came in. We were 10 minutes late for the tour for which we were supposed to arrive 10 minutes early, but it was no problem at all. Benjamin called ahead, and all we really missed was some time to walk through the art installations before the cellars.

So, I know I said that I wanted to go primarily to small houses and grower producers. This is true, but if you’re going to throw a big one in there, why not the biggest in the world? I’m glad we went, but it was definitely nowhere near as personal as the others. I do find the winemaking itself pretty impressive. It’s like Budweiser, you know? No matter how the grains are grown, people want Budweiser to always taste EXACTLY the same. People feel the same about their Moet, so there is craft in making something taste like there wasn’t any craft, and it’s amazing to go into a cellar with MILLIONS of bottles and miles of caverns.

Then, we went to our last winery, which I believe was the favorite for all of us: B Tornay et F. Hutasse. It is a husband and wife team, both with families with Grand Cru estates, and they each have their own part of the caves. We also met one of their twin sons- Remy- who is getting ready to begin an internship at Domain Carneros in California as he is continuing the family business. We told our hostess that we knew PLENTY about the process of making champagne. Our tasting turned out to be private, so she was able to tailor it specifically to what we wanted to know. She took us back into their production facility, and we got to see the machines that are used in place of a human riddler. We were able to ask all the questions that we wanted. In the tasting room, she shared a variety of interesting wines with us, including still wines and a brut natural that had some age on it. It was a TERRIFIC grand finale!

From there we bid a fond and final farewell to Benjamin. The next morning we took the ride from Reims back to Paris for our final hotel of the trip. Paul and Julie went off to stay in the Latin quarter and the Bear and I stayed at Hotel Madison in St. Germain. It had an amazing view of ABC (another bloody church), and was very centrally located.

We made off for our last walkabout and met up with Paul and Julie in the Luxembourg garden. It was such a beautiful place by the Senate to just watch life in Paris. A high school band was playing music. People were playing soccer or stopping at pop-up stands to eat a crepe. Statues and fountains were everywhere, and we got our last peek at the Eiffel tower.

Truth be told, however, this was not your regular walkabout. The Bear had a destination in mind: Le Grand Epicerie. It is a very famous grocery store in Paris, known for the little indoor cafes and the wall of butter! Turns out you can actually vacuum pack it and bring it home with you, The Bear had a lot of fun on this trip, but I’m not sure I ever saw the level of giddiness anywhere else that I saw at this store. We got a small plate of iberico and manchego for lunch right there in the middle of the meat department before traversing the streets a half mile or so back to the hotel- passing Hermes, Rolex and things of that ilk on the way.

Our flight was at 9 AM the next day. As we left Paris at 5:15 AM, we saw the partygoers from Friday night making their way, bleary eyed, out of the bars. Again, we were lucky at CDG- through security in no time at all and into the lounge for the last croissants. We had a LONG layover in Montreal (almost 6 hours), but, again, we were in a lounge with plenty of space. I finished the new season of Ginny and Georgia and finished reading the new Fredrik Backman book. Then, it was one last four hour plane ride… and we’re home.

And now the blogs are done, and I have completely relived every moment of the trip, and I loved doing it!

It’s weird not to have another big trip planned (although I’ve been researching Amsterdam to Budapest on Scenic all day- ha!) Still, I have a new resort in Mexico to try out in November, and I’ll continue enjoying life until then!

What a great trip! And that’s a wrap on France 2025!

Foray into France: Part IV (Calvados, Monet and the beginning of the end)

Posted by amerarobbins

After the beaches and Normandy, it seemed that the main “draw” of the river cruise part had come to an end, but I was excited to still have two more days and new things to enjoy. After the World War II day, we didn’t get into our next port until after sunrise, but we would have a chance to sail again and explore two small villages that day.

I always like the days when you can just look out the window and see what’s up and coming with the day ahead.

On our original plans, we were to take a coach up to Chateau Gaillard, but due to some kind of car show/race, many of the roads were closed, so our excursion plans were changed. People could either make the steep climb up to the Chateau, or they could do a walking tour of Les Andelys and visit a small Calvados producer. I saw enough of the chateau from my room… lol. The walking tour sounded great!

It really was lovely. In general, the stores would be closed on Sundays, but as more boats are docking, more vendors choose to open. It’s a quaint village with ABC (another bloody church). This one was particularly funny. The church was locked, so our local guide went to the bartender across the road because he had the key and could open it for us.

Our visit there was short before we boarded the bus and headed to Les Fermes des Ruelles. What an adorable place with adorable people! This is a family owned farm and Calvados producer – fully committed to the environment and sustainability. We got to hear all about the worms that he uses to till his fields and the many species of birds that returned after he got rid of all pesticides. His products also tasted WONDERFUL! Michel chose to only speak French, but part of the fun of the trip was the interactions between his translator and him.

Our total time at this port was brief, and we took off on the river again in time for lunch. The Seine closer to Normandy definitely had better sightseeing. Still, it was nothing like the sheer beauty and magnificence of the Douro. I have yet to be on the Danube or Rhine, either. Even so, I love the peace of making our way down the river. We docked next at Vernon. The main reason for this was for the ride into Giverny the next morning. Still, we elected to do the brief walk in town, saw ABC, but headed back a little early since it was the night for the last fancy dinner aboard the ship.

This was our first Tauck tour. It seemed that on this one, the tour directors wanted passengers to be sure to stay with the guides much more than those we’ve taken with Uniworld or Scenic. On Uniworld and Scenic both we had quite a bit more free time or moments when the guide would tell us we could either stay with them OR go off and explore on our own. I mentioned in my review that I wish there had been a little more opportunity to do that. We’re adults. Tell us when we need to be back to a meeting point and then allow us to follow or not.

The chef’s signature dinner that night was definitely showstopper! I had one of the best soufflés I’ve ever had in my life, and my friends said that their food was amazing as well. The night ended with a cabaret that was FAR better than I was expecting. Four women performed dances, and one of them sang for about an hour. The main singer performed “My Way” in both French and English. Her eyes first filled with tears, and then they were streaming down her face. Tears were streaming down mine as well.

Then, as the days had all flown by, it was time for the final excursion on the boat: Giverny. Now, I have mentioned that I am not one for art museums. I had no interest in going to the Louvre. That is true. However, to see Monet’s house and gardens? That is a different story entirely. I also understood that it would be one of the most touristy spots we had been to since Versailles, and I hated the crowds and heat there. But it was a nice, cool morning in Giverny, AND Tauck had private access half an hour BEFORE it opened to the public, and that made ALL the difference. We were never surrounded by people, and it made it a very special experience.

This final bus ride was VERY short as it seemed we practically rounded the corner to get to the one-street town of Giverny. This was a good thing. Ha! I had a very late night and a lot of poor drinking choices after the cabaret, and I was FEELING it. I was glad the weather was good! We began in the gardens. I must have taken hundreds of pictures. I went to one of those virtual Monet immersive exhibitions in Cincinnati last May, and I really enjoyed it a lot. But then, to actually BE there in the REAL gardens and the house was overwhelming in all of the best possible ways. We had time to explore the town after. We walked to the end of the street and ABC to see Monet’s grave. We also had access to the museum. Interestingly, Monet’s actual works are at the Orangerie in Paris, not in Giverny. Still, being there was phecomenal.

Once back on the boat, there were several activities planned for the afternoon including some tours and a painting class. I’ve neve done one of those “sip and paint” kinds of things before, so I thought “Why not?” We each chose a famous painting and were given very vague instructions of what we should do as we created our own interpretation of it. We had a very rough sketch in pencil and then began to mix our colors and “fill in.” I liked it enough that I’d like to do it again. My friend Julie liked it enough that she’s thinking about taking a class. The Bear did not feel that way AT ALL. Cooking is his art, and when the painting in front of him felt out of control to him, he despised it. I didn’t mind so much that my painting was out of control. I didn’t like it enough to keep it, but it made me smile while it was happening. SOME of the people on board though, WOW! There were some real artists in the group.

I didn’t choose to take part in any of the other activities of the day. Instead, I sat up top, had a few more glasses of wine, and read my book.

Our driver was coming to pick us up at 9 AM the next day to take us to Reims and Epernay for a few days as this first part of our journey had come to a close. I reorganized the suitcase and packed up the room and reflected on what a wonderful trip it had been.

I hope to do another river cruise sooner rather than later. I think I’d really like to go more towards those central European countries where I haven’t been, yet. Between Uniworld, Scenic, and Tauck, my favorite line for river cruising is Scenic-by more than a nose but not by a mile. I feel so thankful that I have a chance to have these experiences in my life, and I was glad this trip wasn’t over, yet! I still had the pop of champagne to experience at the end! If you want to experience the part of my trip after the ship with me, you can get there here.

Foray into France: Part III (Joan of Arc and D-Day)

Posted by amerarobbins

The reason that we originally booked this particular cruise, and one of the reasons we were lucky enough to have Paul and Julie join us was inching closer. I was definitely surrounded by World War II scholars. My amount of scholarship on war is slim. This includes the Hundred Years’ War. My knowledge of Joan of Arc before this was that she dressed in men’s clothing and was burned at the stake – end of knowledge. I love trips for the beauty, for the culture, but also for learning. These days in Normandy were GREAT for all of that.

The Bear is the only one who cooks at our house, and he LOVES it. It’s a passion for him, so I always know if a trip into the market is a possibility he will be there, so in Rouen, we began our day taking the walk to the market. Rouen is a LOVELY city. You can see the mix between English and French influence everywhere as Normandy went back and forth and back and forth over the years between each country. The market was small, but the food was so fresh it glistened. Since we were in France, we were again eating cheese in the morning, and it was wonderful! We got to hear the story of the heart-shaped cheese of Neufchatel and how love can be a little salty…

We returned to the boat to spin right back around and go back again to learn a little more about the history of the lovely town of Rouen. The major landmarks in the small city are Notre Dame de Rouen and the Gros-Horloge-which is a big, beautiful clock. Then, nestled in this very charming town there is a spire that marks the place where Joan of Arc burned to death. Up until this point, this cruise had not felt like an “ABC” cruise -which many tourists had dubbed the “another bloody castle” or “another bloody church.” In Rouen, we doubled up on the gothic cathedral and then the modern and very Scandinavian Joan of Arc church. I thought Rouen was adorable. I also thought it was significantly more geared towards tourists and shoppers than some of the other places we had been to this point on the trip.

We stopped at Richard’s cafe (Apropos, since the Bear’s name is Richard) and had lunch. Then, we had some exploration time. Our guide had mentioned a Joan of Arc museum that included some interactive elements and that she said was different than what you would normally expect from a museum. I knew it was in the Archbishop’s palace, and it sounded really interesting, so I suggested that we try that for our free time.

We did, and I was DELIGHTED. However, I may have been the only one in our group who was. Ha! it ended up not really being a museum. Instead, you watched a movie projected on walls in several different rooms. In each room, you would watch approximately a 10 minute clip where the trials of Joan of Arc were reenacted. (Spoiler alert: so that she could be canonized, she was found “not guilty” after her execution.) You move from room to room in the palace. It was very corny, and very Disney, and totally up my alley.

In my favorite moment of the day, after you see her burned, you ascend to a small watchtower at the top of the palace. Turns out there is only one way out from the watchtower, and it’s the same way you go in. I neglected to mention that when we entered the first room, there were the four of us and three other adults in the room. Just before the lights went off, two teachers and about 30 young school children – third grade or so- entered. Hahahahahahah. NONE of us have children or planned on vacationing with them. To be fair, the children were very well behaved. At one point, we had to ascend MANY stairs on a winding staircase to go towards the top of the building. Then, even more to the watchtower. I was near the back of the group- one man was behind me. When I entered the watchtower, I saw the panicked faces of Julie, Paul, and the Bear. Around them were thirty yelling children. Julie yelled to me “turn around!” I tried to, but the man was still behind me, and he had to be able to go up to go back down. She yelled again, “Turn around!” with so much panic I almost pushed the poor man down the stairs. It was definitely a highlight of my day! I’m still sad I didn’t get a picture.

We spent time sailing through the salt cliffs again that afternoon until we got to our docking spot for that evening in Duclair.

That evening, we had a five minute bus ride to the Chateau de Taillis for dinner. It was definitely a hot night, and we met the owner outside for a cocktail reception. Many of us started grabbing chairs and tables and looking for shade. It was a lovely spot, but the heat was unprecedented in this part of France where it is more often cold and rainy than hot and steamy. Still, dinner was quite good, and we had a chance to meet some new people at our table. One of the couples had been traveling for 35 days! It’s amazing to me how many people will string several trips together. The grounds were lovely, and they had friendly goats and other animals that we were able to greet after dinner.

The next day would be a long and emotional one with the two hour ride to the D-Day beaches.

We had our earliest departure at 7:45 as we set off for yet another hot day. Our first stop was at a convenience store/ rest stop- The Bear called it the “Buc-ee’s of France” before we picked up our amazing guide, Florent “Flo” Plana. I’m not sure about the guides the other groups got, but I feel so fortunate he was ours. He has a mission of telling as many stories of as many World War II veterans as he can, and he seemed to simply know EVERYTHING. He’s not just a guide. This is his life’s work. During the summers, he guides. During the winter, he seeks out veterans in the United States and Canada to hear more stories.

We started our day at Pont du Hoc. It was impossible for me not to visualize the soldiers as they made that climb. Looking at the bunkers and the collapsing walls just added to the emotion of the day. From there, we went to Omaha beach. It was surreal to see families spending the day enjoying the unusually warm weather. In my mind, I pictured the ships and heard the guns. Carl Sandburg’s poem rang in my head while I looked out in awe:

Pile the bodies high at Austerlitz and Waterloo.
Shovel them under and let me work—
I am the grass; I cover all.

And pile them high at Gettysburg
And pile them high at Ypres and Verdun.
Shovel them under and let me work.
Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor:
What place is this?
Where are we now?

I am the grass.
Let me work.

We had a break in the day as we went to a lovely lunch at Chateau le Cheneviere. I can definitely see myself wanting to return there to spend more time in Normandy. I know the Bear would really have loved a chance to go to more museums and see more history than we could during the time that we were there.

Our final stop for D-Day was at the American cemetery. We stopped at the wall of the missing. As Flo was telling us the story of one of them men, bells began to play the Star Spangled Banner. Everyone paused and listened. That was followed up by Taps. I just let the tears roll down my face as I thought of where I was, and I what I was seeing. Then, some young American service people ran out of the gates, and I felt such gratitude. It was an interesting time to be in France. I will say that everyone we encountered in Normandy still talked about how grateful they were for what the Americans did in the 1940s. Our guides told us how parents taught them to respect and thank us. The whole day was emotional and remarkable. Seeing all of those crosses in such a silent and sacred place. It was truly an unforgettable experience.

We took the two hour drive back to the boat and saw that most of the very small town had been taken over for a music festival. We cleaned up and went to dinner for a seafood buffet then listened to the sounds as we sailed away for the next day in Les Andelys. It was hard to believe it was getting to be the end of the trip already!

Foray into France: Part II (the boat, Paris orientation, and Versailles)

Posted by amerarobbins

After we finished our time on our own (the blog for that is here) on Monday, by midafternoon Tuesday it was time to board the boat. Our friends Paul and Julie, whom we haven’t seen since October, were waving at us from the sun deck!

I always forget to take pictures of the boat itself, but those are easy to find online. We were on the Tauck Sapphire. The ship was lovely. We were in room 317. It’s the very back room near the stairs by Arthur’s. The room is VERY small and is one of its kind on the boat. The cost is significantly lower than the other larger rooms with French balconies. We didn’t necessarily realize that most of square footage from this room was going to be taken away from storage and from the bathroom. The closet was TINY, and there were a couple of cubbies on the side where we could put clothing as well.

Had I known, I would have brought some removable command hooks. The walls aren’t metal like an ocean cruise, but I could have put up some 3M strips. The bathroom was actually hilarious. The commode portion was smaller than an airplane, and it was up very high for some reason. And the shower? The entrance was SO narrow that the Bear and I had to suck in and hope we didn’t eat too much on the cruise to enter Ha! If that weren’t enough, the towel racks were aligned so it made the passageway even narrower.

Still, no real complaints, it made for a laugh! And, it was so close to the all-day casual dining spot that we could pop in to Arthur’s any time for a coffee. Plus, it was like we had a second bathroom right outside our door. I’m not a big breakfast eater before an excursion, so it was great to walk in just to get a quick yogurt in the mornings.

This cruise was unusual to us because it didn’t actually go anywhere at all the first day. It stayed docked all night long. This could be good for anyone who had any sort of flight problems. Still, like most river cruises, each evening began with a cocktail hour explaining the plans for the next day, followed up with dinner, and then ended with cocktails and generally some entertainment. We had an onboard pianist, Arsenio, and were introduced to the staff that evening. Most of the staff were from eastern Europe, particularly Hungary and Romania. Interestingly, very few spoke French. Some struggled a little with English, but most servers were incredible The hotel manager and the tour guides were fantastic, too! It was a great crew all around.

I know some have been upset with Tauck that they don’t giver a paper itinerary anymore. Instead, you scan a QR code that gives specifics of the day to day. I actually liked it, but it only did three days at a time, so if you forgot to screenshot, you couldn’t go back. Luckily, I didn’t forget.

The dinners on the ship were quite similar and there was plenty of variety. The choices changed every night, but if none appealed, there was always the option for chicken, steak, or fish. We never ate at Arthur’s, which offered more casual options,. It was also open all day long and all evening. I didn’t get breakfast or lunch pictures, but they were what you would expect and quite good. Both had buffets including meats, cheeses, salads, fruits, etc – and butter. Don’t forget the butter! But, also, both breakfast and lunch had a la carte that could be ordered in addition. I had a GREAT Rueben for lunch one day, and the fries were incredible.

The only two nights that were different for dining were the seafood buffet and the chef’s dinner- which was one of the best meals I’ve had on any cruise, ever. One night, we also had dinner at a chateau. The first night’s dinner wasn’t particularly dressy. On the chef’s dinner night and at the chateau a FEW men dressed in blazers, but long pants and a collared shirt were more the norm. On regular nights on the boat, men sometimes wore shorts. Women, for the most part, either wore dresses or nice blouses and capris or pants. On the excursions, most of the men wore shorts- including many of the local guides.

For our first day, since we had never been in Paris before, the Bear and I opted for the city orientation tour. Both still suffering from jet lag, however, we didn’t really sleep the first night on the boat. The bear decided to forgo to bus trip to sleep in. I’m really glad that Tauck started the trip this way. It was a very SLOW start to sit in an air conditioned bus while we stopped only once for a closer view of the Eiffel Tower. Other then that, we just saw landmarks through the windows. The traffic was nuts, and I was fine with that plan. The tour ended going inside the VERY crowded but very beautiful Palais Garnier which I had only seen through the windows of the hotel the days before.

After that, I had a few hours of the formerly dreaded “free time.” I am not a shopper. I’m not likely to explore on my own, BUT this time, I had friends with me who had been to Paris before MANY times! So, they gave a list of local suggestions, I opted for the Pantheon and going to see dead guys, and it was truly impressive to see the tombs of so many recognizable names in France: Victor Hugo, the Curies, Voltaire, Josephine Baker… and many more…

From there, we stopped for lunch at a bistro. Tauck “gave us” 30 euros to spend. That part made me laugh! It’s literally a $20,000 trip for a week, but they gave us 30 euros. Kinda cute, but kinda funny. We had been taught by our local guide earlier that day that the way to be French was to sit at a cafe, stare straight forward at other people, and judge. Ha! She was very dry, very beautiful, and very funny. I’m not much of a judger myself, but I enjoyed the concept.

I had an opportunity to tour the inside of the Louvre, or to go back to the boat. I opted for the latter. The opera house had been so crowded, I couldn’t imagine the Louvre! That night, we were going to do the sail away. I was excited! Yes, we were only going a little tiny distance to Poissy… but why be on a boat if you don’t move, and the views from the top were amazing! The bear was still feeling like hibernating at that point, which made it extra fun to have Paul and Julie on the boat, too. I often go to the nighttime entertainment on boats and at resorts solo, but I like going with friends. I wasn’t expecting much from the jazz trio, but they were FAR better than I was thinking. It was a very talented and very fun time with some HILARIOUS audience participation.

It was amazing the amount of daylight we had on the cruise. The sun came up around 5:30 every morning and didn’t set until almost 11. The days were hot but beautiful- and definitely not as hot as Texas. The next day was for the morning at Versailles.

I was so excited about Versailles! On our last European trips we had only gone to spots that were more off the beaten path. On this cruise, I felt like we were hitting all of the biggies! Versailles to me was an equal combination of impressive and gaudy. The amount of money represented is both vile and awe inspiring. Still, it was interesting to me to learn that I have always believed the propaganda surrounding Marie Antoinette and the quote of “let them eat cake” – which never even happened. I was not surprised that the palace was filled with absolute SWARMS of people, and I was glad to have “on our own” time in the garden. It’s so massive that we only explored part of one half. We went to the more manicured section, but it does give us a reason to return some day.

On the way back, we all got to have a macaron from our tour guide and then spent the afternoon sailing. I love the sailing days when you have no choice but to hang out and relax. We passed lovely little towns on the way to Rouen and attended a fun cooking demonstration where one of the chefs prepared a very rich and tasty Mushroom Bourguignon. (Apparently the key is that you must use at least three different types of mushrooms and pay attention to the times when you add each type.) Then, up on top of the deck, we saw the lovely scenery as we made our way to Normandy.

Prior to the evenings briefing, the crew provided us with an “Apero.” This was a new term to me, and I realized it’s what I actually love to do for dinner ALL the time. It was some sausages, cheeses, escargots, and frog legs all paired with wines. This is what I would eat every day of my life if it were possible.

After the mushrooms and the cheeses, there was no need for any dinner, so it was back up to the sun deck to watch the world continue to go by before our excursion the next morning.

Foray into France 2025: Part I (Pre- cruise)

Posted by amerarobbins

Since my mom started taking trips to Europe with her boss back in the 90’s, I have been VERY interested in going to Europe. Then, as the Bear and I got more and more into the wine world and more of our friends had been places, it became a near obsession for me. Still, neither of us are very daring- particularly in unfamiliar situations- and the idea of going on a big trip overseas, with just the Internet or travel agent to plan, seemed daunting.

I glommed onto the idea of a river cruise. We did our first on the Rhone on Uniworld in 2022, and the European travel bug only got worse. As soon as we were home, I had decided I wanted to do another river cruise in Italy, but realized that there really weren’t any great ones that got me to the gorgeous interior of Italy, so we went with a land tour with Tauck in 2023. We enjoyed the land tour just as much but missed having a hotel that moved as opposed to us moving. I “accidentally” planned a river cruise through Portugal for the following year with Scenic and had ANOTHER amazing time. When we returned from the Douro, I started looking at small ocean cruises on Seaborn and Regent Seven Seas. (We like to travel fancy, what can I say). I knew that the Bear (my husband, Richard) REALLY wanted to do Normandy and D- Day. I had been researching many of the small boat ocean cruises, but I kept drifting back to the rivers after our other amazing trips. Many told me that the Tauck boats were the best, so I ended up booking the Impression from the Seine through my sister-in-law with Fairy Godmother travel. She specializes in Disney, but can book almost anything. Then, the Bear surprised me on our Douro cruise when he said that he wanted a few more days! (He has NEVER said that before!) So, I came up with the idea of tacking a few days on at the end in the champagne region. He was all for it! Then, I contacted my European expert friend to customize a few days in Reims and Epernay for us. I asked if anyone else wanted to go, too – and to my surprise and delight, two of our long time “winey” friends decided to join us.

Well, surprise and delight and – a little concern. Our friends are VERY experienced world TRAVELERS; whereas, the Bear and I are TOURISTS. We enjoy people ferrying us around, leading us by the noses, and telling us what to do and where to be. I was worried our friends would be bored and frustrated. Still, they reassured me multiple times on the trip that they really loved the sailing time, the views, the plans already being made. They would wake up early and go exploring on their own before getting to hear more about the places on the slower paced tours, and found a way to make it work for them.

After a year of anticipation, it was time to embark on the trip in June 2025. Since we had already done a previous trip with Tauck, we got to take advantage of the “gift of time” . I’m not sure if this perk is going to stay around forever, but it’s pretty amazing! You get one day before or one day after at a hotel paid for by Tauck. They also take care of the transfers associated (from airport- to hotel- to ship at the beginning or vice versa at the end.) And the hotel is the quality you would expect from Tauck. Our reservation was at the VERY five star Intercontinental Le Grand in the heart of Paris with a view of the opera house. Ooooh la la indeed!

So, according to the Bear, a trip across the pond MUST be done business class. I’m definitely not one to complain about that! However, the PRICE of those flights is astronomical, so a few years back I invested in the best travel card ever- the Chase Sapphire Reserve. It covers travel insurance, Global Entry, and a HOST of other things… But. most importantly, are the points. We use the card to pay for most things in our day-to-day life. Most years, the card pays us back for at least one of our round trip business class tickets. This year, I used 300k points and $2,500 total for the two of us to fly on Air Canada.

Our trip on the way there had a stop in Toronto, and it was the FIRST thing on the trip that I was really excited about. When you book an overseas flight business class on Air Canada, Toronto has a “Signature Suite” that is more than just their regular business class lounge. I love flying business class, and I also love lounges. We got to start at the rather nice United lounge in Austin before Toronto.

I will say based on some YouTube videos and things I saw, I expected the Signature Suite to be a LITTLE swankier and feel a little more like a high end restaurant, but it definitely wasn’t bad. The food and the wines were good, and it was a nice included interlude between flights.

When it was time to board, we got all settled into our little cubbies. (I love having a dedicated overhead bin and all kinds of storage space, a lay flat seat, and the other things that come with business class.) They started bringing food again, and by the time dinner service was over, there were really only about four hours left of the flight- barely enough time for a nap. I mean, sure, I could forego the dinner service, but it’s all part of the fun to have some little bites…

We actually landed in Paris around 10 AM and about 20 minutes early. We had heard horror stories about CDG, but on both ends of out trip it was empty and easy to navigate. Since we were so early, we did have some trouble finding our driver. But after a few phone calls and texts, they sent us SOMEONE. His sign said “Emirates” not “Tauck,” but our names were on his sign, so we went with him!

We got in a nice Mercedes van, which seemed to be the regular for our trip. He did get the backend stuck on a fence, which was a pretty funny way to start. Still, off we went. Paris traffic is NO JOKE. The city has been made EXTREMELY bicycle friendly, which has made it EXTREMELY vehicle UNfriendly. Motor bikes whip in and out of lanes, but cars sit still. It took us almost 2 hours to go 17 miles.

Once we got to the hotel, our room was ready!!!! We went upstairs, cleaned up, and took a pretty solid nap for the next four hours or so!

As I have said, we are not very good “travelers.” We struggle with what to do without someone telling us, but we have friends who have been in Paris MANY times. And we definitely know our way around a bar… (that’s actually one of the reasons we go with the cruise lines we do- we want all of our drinks included.)

So, off to Willi’s we went. The streets of Paris were what I had always seen in movies. Flower shops, bakeries, statues galore… and SO many people.

The wine list at our first stop was great. With all the food we had eaten over the last 24 hours, we only ordered a “few bites” before we went to our NEXT bar- the iconic Harry’s New York bar where you are supposed to go find your college pennant. I was looking all over for mine, but in a crazy coincidence, I was actually sitting right beneath the Baylor pennant and didn’t even see it until the Bear pointed it out to me! After a cocktail there, we ventured back to the hotel for – you guessed it: another cocktail (or two) in the hotel bar before going back to the room for the night.

I have found that I have the most trouble the morning AFTER a long flight. Jet lag doesn’t hit me until later, and it affects EVERY part of me. I sweat, I shake, I’m disoriented. It’s a mess. (I’m guessing the cocktails didn’t help), BUT our transfer didn’t come to take us to the ship until 3 PM, so there was no way I wanted to waste a day. We looked at the map and saw that the Louvre was not far away.

Confession: I had no interest in going INSIDE the Louvre. I do like museums – history museums, science museums… BUT I don’t enjoy art museums. I know… I know… No culture right? But, to me, it makes no difference whether I am looking at the art on a computer or a print of the art, or the REAL thing… I just don’t care that much. I still wanted to SEE the Louvre, however. So, off we went. In the “okay, some things can be kept private, Tamara” part of this blog- we got about a mile away from the hotel, and my body decided it needed to evacuate everything I had put in it for the last 24 hours. I had the SAME thing happen to me on a walking tour in Porto- also the morning after our flight. I got to find out the hard way that Parisians REALLY don’t care if you’re having an emergency in Paris. I walked into a hotel, and NO WAY was the hostess at the café going to let me use their restroom. I told her we would take a seat and would buy food. She said they didn’t have any reservations available. I told her it was an emergency. She told me there was another café a block up the street… I did make it: BARELY. And why is it that every restroom in Europe is either at the TOP of a long windy staircase or in a basement? We did have to buy a soft drink and water to use that restroom, but it was worth it. (Side note: I am fat. I’m not curvy or thick. I’m fat. France was VERY hot and crowded while we were there. On more than one occasion, people oinked/snorted at me on the street in Paris. It is what it is. I’m just throwing that out there in case anyone who is self-conscious happens to be reading this and would be very bothered. I’m self conscious, but I’m not very bothered. I ignored it, but it stung. )

We continued our walk across the street through Tuileries Garden to the Lourvre. We saw the very cool little Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel… and when I spun around, I realized I got my first view of the Eiffel Tower!

We went back to the hotel after that to cool off for a little bit. (I am INCREDIBLY glad I brought my neck fan. I was thinking I wouldn’t need it, but Europe was under a heat dome while we were there, and the streets were SO stuffy. Plus, the air circulation in those old buildings is so bad!) Then, we took one last excursion to the truffle shop and bought some truffles there – and some chocolate at another shop we passed- to take home.

Back at the hotel, the groups were starting to gather for the Tauck transfer. It was pretty easy to tell us apart from the people there for the Paris air show. Paris is a VERY chic city, and one group of people were wearing suits that cost far more than my entire wardrobe. They were young, fit, and looked rich. We Tauck people ranged in age from a few teenagers to people in their late 80s. I would say that the median age were likely in their early 70s. (I’m 52, the Bear is 49). This particular cruise of 90 people were all from the US. We all looked like we were prepared to be led around cities.

Two large luxury busses came to pick us up and we went through Paris for about a 20 minute ride that took us only about three miles.

I was glad the river was at a level where we were close to the city center at Port de Javel bas, because I had heard when it’s too high, the port is a long way away.

So… an entire blog finished, and we had yet to board the Sapphire! I’ll pick up there for part Deux!

Whatta Secret!: Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres 2024

Posted by amerarobbins

Ah, the November vacation to Mexico! I look forward to you so!!! I believe this is the ninth year in a row that the bear (my husband) and I have taken off for four or five nights of pure relaxation!

And every time, the day we get back, I blog to try to remember as many details of the trip as possible.

I booked this resort last November, knowing it wouldn’t open until February 2024, and kept watching the Facebook fan sites, anxiously waiting to see that EVERYTHING would be open before our arrival. The dates on certain areas kept getting pushed further and further back.

By August, however, everything was open, but a NEW problem emerged. I always book my room way before I book my flights. When I looked to book for this trip, flights going into Cancun were $1500 more on Thursday than they were on Wednesday!! What? are you KIDDING me??? To add another night to the reservation was going to be OUTRAGEOUS. So, I thought this was our chance to do something we had always talked about- spend the night before at a hotel by the airport.

After a lot of questions and research we went with Fairfield Inn. We were getting to Cancun a LITTLE earlier than we wanted to. We’re not the type to venture around and shop in downtown Cancun or do excursions, so staying out at the airport was fine with us. Landing at noon, however, was going to make for a long day of nothing.

As a seasoned Yucatan peninsula traveler, I know not to REALLY bother looking at the weather. It’s okay to look at AMOUNTS of rain; If it says more than an inch expected, there is likely to be significant rain. Anything else, just a few passing showers- and no worries. Still, our weather for this trip looked GLORIOUS- EXCEPT for our flight day. I was seeing thunderstorms for the whole morning. We crossed our fingers and took the two hour flight.

As it turned out, our timing was just about perfect. Our captain let us know that we were circling but looking for a break in the storms. We MAY have been diverted to Belize. I shrugged and didn’t really care. We could add another country to the list, and it would take up time before getting to the Fairfield Inn. In the end, we hit our window and landed in Cancun pretty much on time. Other people at our resort were not so lucky. Some had to take bus rides from other parts of Mexico when their planes were diverted or sit on tarmacs for hours- losing a full day.

When we exited the plane, immigration was virtually empty, and we just walked through. The longest I’ve ever waited in line is 30 minutes. There is no real reason to expedite in Cancun- and it’s SUPER expensive.

We stopped at the little duty free in terminal 4 to get a bottle of rum and a bottle of wine. The in-room liquor at Secrets is very limited, and there is no in-room wine at all. We prepared to wait for our luggage. Yes, I definitely have friends and family who are “team carry-on.” I don’t want to mess with all that! Bags are free on Southwest, so I just load up and take whatever I want. It took less than 30 minutes for our bags to arrive, and then I followed the directions on the Fairfield Inn site to go wait for our free shuttle to the hotel.

This made me more nervous than anything else on the trip. I always book with Kalido. I had them booked for our transfer from Fairfield Inn the next morning to Secrets and from Secrets to the airport, and I know I can rely on them 100% of the time. The bear and I trudged through the gauntlet and out to “slot 26” and I What’s Apped the driver and called the hotel desk. I was informed the bus would be there in about 30 minutes, so we waited. I could tell the bear was restless beside me. We were surrounded with exhaust fumes and not feeling certain about the ride, but in just about exactly 30 minutes a very nice bus showed up, and took us on the 15 minute ride to the Fairfield. I didn’t mind that it was a rainy day! It made me feel like I wasn’t missing out. If it had been sunny, there was actually a nice sized pool and a well stocked bar. As it was, we really just ate lunch, had a few drinks, and then put our firestick in the TV and hung out in the room waiting for our vacation to start.

I had scheduled to have Kalido pick us up at 8 o’clock the next morning to go the the resort. I LOVED this idea so much! The bear and I put on our swimsuits and coverups and packed our beach bags. Everything else was able to stay in our suitcases until our room would be ready later in the day. As usual, Kalido was early to pick us up. The resort was just under an hour away, past Playa Mujeres to the north. No champagne greeting that early in the morning, but we did get taken into the Preferred Lounge immediately. Check in was very smooth. I declined the orientation from a butler and also declined the presentation to get coupons. The vacation club did make me sign that I had declined, but that was the last we saw of them.

And we started our first day sitting beside the water at Sea Side for preferred club breakfast. There is no preferred restaurant at this resort,: Sea Side is for preferred only for breakfast, and is the only ala carte breakfast other than room service.

But you can also elect to just get food at the preferred club lounge or pick things up from Coco Café. Market Café is the buffet for breakfast, and it is EXTENSIVE and gorgeous! I don’t know that I’ve ever seen so many separate “stations” for food. Personally, though, I find buffets quite overwhelming and I am uncomfortable going to stand and wait at stations while someone cooks, so I prefer a restaurant menu. My first morning choice was a fail. The egg white frittata was somehow both over and undercooked and had no seasoning at all. It was supposed to have goat cheese, but didn’t. The bear’s Motulenos were good and so was the French toast we shared. The yogurt parfait was AMAZING. I had one every day! I was excited that this resort DOES service bloody marys and mimosas before ten- no other alcohol until ten, but you can get those at the restaurants. You can also get Coco Café to add a little splash of liquor to your drink.

All of my other breakfasts on the trip were good – particularly the Croque Madame at Sea Side. The only other fail was the watery, under-seasoned egg in the preferred club lounge. Still, the croissants in there MORE than made up for it! Such buttery goodness!

Our butler Rafa got in touch with us through What’s App and let us know that he would find us later in the day to take us to our room so we wouldn’t need to go back up to the lobby to get room keys. We decided we’d start at the club pool. This is NOT an early riser “towel game” resort- or at least it wasn’t at all while we were there. Rafa told us they were at 90% capacity, but we never had any trouble finding a place to be. Before arriving, I had planned to rent a Bali bed, but the shaded loungers on the preferred side are no longer for renting, they are included. I didn’t really want one on the main pool, and the ones on the beach are WAY far down on the preferred side I never did see anyone in those.

*Bad picture of the Bali beds, but that’s the bank of them, right next to the preferred club beach bar*

In the end, I ended up in the SAME lounger in the shade at the preferred pool every day and loved it. I chose the one at the end closest to the pool entry and just down the path from the restrooms.

Some of my odd questions about resorts are about pool entries and restrooms. There were restrooms EVERYWHERE at this resort, which is great! By the preferred pool, there is one beside the bar in the outdoor lounge, BUT there is also a larger hidden one BEHIND the preferred lounge.

Also, I’m fat and have bad knees and stepping into pools can be treacherous. They were all great here. It’s a TINY first step: not quite a beach entry, but easy to navigate, and none of the surfaces are slippery in the pool or out of it.

The loungers were VERY comfortable and adjustable. I did venture to Market Café for lunch one day, and I had big intentions of going to Oceana. Instead, we either got snacks from the Preferred club lounge or had the pool servers bring us lunch from the Barefoot Grill.

Things are so close and compact, we EASILY could have gone over there ourselves, but when you get so comfortable…

At around two, I messaged our butler to see if our room was ready, and it WAS! We had booked a tropical view room, but when we showed up to check-in, I was told we had an ocean view room? I certainly wasn’t going to correct them. We ended up on the top floor of building 4- room 4508- overlooking the “social pool” and the “infinity” pool, and it was GLORIOUS! There is ZERO filter on any of my pictures. Yes, that IS the color of the water.

I realized I neglected to take pictures of the room, but this is the room video. If you see a strange creature lurking in the water closet, worry not, that is just the bear in there, standing up, and staring at his phone because he didn’t want to be in the video. It’s not the greatest video, but I felt like I couldn’t blog without including room pictures. Still, all the club rooms look basically the same, so you can find MANY pictures of them everywhere. The shower floor is river rock, which is a little odd. The bear didn’t like it on his feet, but the room overall was great.

I did find the layout of the pools in the main part of the resort to be unusual. Other than the jungle pool, which is almost exclusively for reserved/paid beds, there are only these two other pools, and they are side by side. The “social” pool has a few rentable Bali beds and then plenty of other seating around it. The only usable swim up bar (there is one in the jungle pool, but it doesn’t look like they intend to use it) is in the “quiet” pool- which can never be quiet because it butts up against the “social” pool. And, much like Moxche, I never saw anyone in their swim ups. There is very little privacy, but also no way for servers to be able to come to the swim up. I would not like them.

Actually, everything was pretty close together. The preferred pool is just on the other side of the Barefoot grill, so some of the sound from the activities drifted over there during the day. One day, in particular, a LARGE group (around 400) of travel professionals were having a beach BBQ for a few hours in the afternoon. There was no way to be at any of the pools on the main level or on the beach without hearing the bass thump. People go to resorts for different reasons. That group was definitely there to party.

Me? I go to relax and read during the day and enjoy date night dinners.

I often plan out every meal before we even get to the resort, and I THOUGHT we were going to do Asada on the first night, BUT due to that convention of travel professionals some of the resort events were changed. They didn’t do Asada. and there were no shows at the theater-instead they were moved out to the main bar- Rendezvous.

Rendezvous is the hub of the resort, and the bear liked that. He did not enjoy that Impression Moxche only had small bars sprinkled throughout the property. Some afternoons Javier did classes at Rendezvous. Both the tequila class and the cocktails class were fun and interesting. Sitting at the bar itself is a little odd because the chairs are very low, and the bartenders serve from a sunken area.

There is a TON of seating outside the bar, too – including many firepits. Firepits are actually all over the resort, and they’re gorgeous. The weather while we there at night was in the high 60s so sitting by them was terrific. The ones on the beach just outside Sea Side are a little odd because you have to walk in the sand to get to them, which can be tough if you’re dressed for dinner. This is a brief video of that area at night.

Getting down to the beach itself, though is great. There is a boardwalk from both the preferred area and from the infinity pool . Then, there is a boardwalk that stretches between the preferred area and the regular area behind the dunes. It is flanked by pool bars with swings on both ends. I thought it was surprising that so many loungers were set up behind the dunes, but there are plenty in the front as well. The beach is very long, but not very deep. It appears that maybe the preferred side isn’t quite done, yet?

There were no tractors picking up seaweed because there was no need! A few people were out there with rakes, but the water was crystal clear. The red flag was up the whole time we were there. I did see a few people in the water. I can’t speak to whether or not water shoes are necessary because I’m someone who likes to LOOK at the ocean, but I don’t like sand. I go to the beach every morning for sunrise before retreating to a pool, and this beach was AMAZING for sunrise.

This video shows a little more of what the beach is like in the morning (and you can hear the sound of the waves.)

Part of what I love about a four or five day beach vacation is falling into that same routine. Every morning I naturally wake up just before sunrise, and I make my way to set up “my spot” before spending the next thirty minutes watching the sun come up. Then, I go back to “my spot” until it’s time to go back to the room to get ready for dinner. (This video shows the walk from building 4 to “my spot” on the preferred club pool.)

Even if I usually end up doing a lot of nothing, I love resort apps that have daily activities listed. Secrets’ app is great, and our butler also sent us a daily message. I didn’t love the daytime activities at this resort. They had a lot of pool type activities (aqua bike, water aerobics, water volleyball), and physical activities but not a whole lot of other things. I do think there was bracelet making one day, but rarely were there things like tours, or cooking classes, Bingo, or trivia games. The entertainment team was definitely hard working, and this is a new resort. I’m thinking they’ll add more things in more locations in the future.

One afternoon, we did go to the spa. With preferred, the hydrotherapy is supposed to be included; but getting that booked was more difficult than we expected. At first, we were told it was subject to availability and all spots were full the entire time were were there, BUT we would be able to get it if we booked a massage. The bear did book a massage, and they told him to get there about 45 minutes early for his hydrotherapy. I mentioned this to the spa concierge, and they told me that I could accompany him for HIS massage and get my complimentary hydrotherapy at the same time. When we got to the spa, the receptionists seemed confused and somewhat annoyed, but we had confirmation numbers, so they were able to get us in. The hydrotherapy area was close to empty, so I’m not sure what the problem was, and the people who led us through there were WONDERFUL. We were able to enjoy it as a couple. The spa is GORGEOUS, and this was one of my favorite hydrotherapy circuits EVER. The sauna and steam room were at the perfect temperature, the ice bath was FRIGID, and the hot tub was hot. All of the jets were amazing. I did not do any add ons, but the bear said his massage was great.

While he finished his massage, I wandered the resort’s other level

Almost everything is in a semicircle at the pool/beach level around Rendevous,

Up one flight of stairs from the main area is the spa, the indoor sports bar/night club – Desires, the gym, the theatre, the Jungle Pool, and the outdoor sports bar – Sugar Reef, which is beside the jungle pool. The ballroom and courtyard are also on this elevated level.

I had intended to get a bed and hang out in the jungle pool since it was 3:30 in the afternoon. Still, ALL of them had reserved signs on them. I didn’t ask anyone if I could just try one out for an hour or so. I wasn’t going to pay for a bed that late in the day. Still, the pool is a beautiful area.

Ultimately, I ended up at the Sugar Reef sports bar, watching the Bears lose… Again. It’s very odd that they have these HUGE lamps and decorations hanging up IN FRONT of the TV’s above the bar. Not very good design, but still very cool to sit in a bar in the middle of a jungle watching some football!

After daytime activities, we would go back to the room. I would get a BIG glass of wine-to-go from somewhere; then, go sit on the balcony to listen to whatever band was playing that afternoon at the social pool. We are VERY MUCH wine drinkers. We travel for wine. The wine at this resort was no better or worse than others. I mostly stuck to the Sauvignon Blanc and the Carmenere (assuming the carmenere hadn’t been opened too long!)

Sometimes we ordered room service as appetizers. None of it was great, but it was all pretty good. They do have the “magic box” that many resorts have, so the food is delivered without your needing to open the door, and then you can put the plates back in there after for pickup.

Anyway, on that first night since Asada wasn’t happening, we decided to go to Bordeaux (the French restaurant) for dinner. The decor at the restaurants was GORGEOUS. They all have both indoor and outdoor seating. Men need pants if you’re going to eat indoors. The food at all the restaurants was hit or miss, BUT the managers REALLY wanted feedback -positive or negative. They said that they were all still learning at a new resort and were committed to being a top resort. When I’m looking back at my pictures from Moxche, which I would give 5 stars when it comes to food, I can see a lot of difference in technique, and I know the flavor was different. Playa Blanca is about what I expect from AI food.

Bordeaux: I’d give this meal 3 out of 5 stars. Service was great, and things were paced well. Things were tasty, and all was beautiful.

El Patio There were ENORMOUS groups at El Patio. It was the travel professionals’ free night, and groups of 10 to 12 were coming in. They had also been at the Preferred Club lounge beforehand. They were very nice, but any group that large does change the vibe of certain places. The restaurant handled it very well and put the larger groups in different places. I’d also give this 3.5 out of 5.

Himitsu- Teppanyaki It was surprisingly difficult to get this one scheduled. I was told by one person that scheduling could only happen on the app and that they opened at midnight for the day of only, another person told me it was at noon, and I could look several days ahead. Eventually we did get it scheduled. It was our first time to do the hibachi/presentation style at a resort in years. We usually forgo the “show” but decided to do it here. The room itself and the restaurant are both STUNNING. The service from the waiter was great, and it was wonderful to have some sushi and miso soup before the presentation. Each room seats 8, and it was just like any other hibachi I’ve been to, except I believe the food was better. I didn’t love the tempura ice cream: it was a little mushy. Still, I’d call this one 4 out of 5.

Mexican fiesta On our last night, we could have gone to Italian or one of the seafood restaurants. I WANT to like seafood, and I can find things to eat anywhere, but I just don’t love it. We always seem to put Italian at the bottom of our lists at any resort. We like it, but it usually doesn’t make the cut for us on a three or four night list. The bear absolutely LOVED the Mexican fiesta that Excellence Playa Mujeres used to have. The last few times we had been to EPM, it had been pared down a bit. We had high hopes for Secrets. As with the rest of the resort, the courtyard experience was stunning. The food was all good, but none was exceptional. They did have taco stations and quesadilla stations, but not quite the variety that I would hope for at a Mexican fiesta. Still, another 3 out of 5 stars.

But the entertainment at the fiesta was WONDERFUL. The bear is a South Texas native so he ALWAYS loves some good dancers, a lasso show, and incredible mariachis…

The bear and I are by no means the late night party kind of people. I love that the shows started here at 830, and most nights I was at those solo. There was no chance we were making it back to the nightclub for karaoke or silent party, but the people whom we met who had gone gave them RAVE reviews.

The shows here are the same kind of performers that I have seen at every resort. They work hard and do a good job. During the early evening, there are generally live musicians. The first three nights we were there they had a fire show on the beach, a magic show, and the “elements” show -which was pretty interesting with dancers and a live band. I would like to see it when they do it full scale in the theater.

The best part was that whatever we didn’t feel like staying out to watch, we could at least hear from our balcony at night.

I can’t ever help comparing resorts. I have loved every one I’ve been to – I just loved some more than others. Secrets Playa Blanca was amazing, and I’d love to return in a few years as the resort has a chance to grow.

For right now, I’d probably have it in 3rd or 4th place or the resorts I’ve been to. If I’m FORCED, my ranking looks like this:

1. Secrets Impression Moxche
2. Excellence Playa Mujeres (particularly 6 or 7 years ago)
3. Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya
4. Secrets Playa Blanca
5. Excellence Riviera Cancun
6. Live Aqua
7. Haven Rivera Cancun
8. El Dorado Maroma

Again, this is not a knock on any of those in the bottom half. I loved them, too (and have reviews for all except Live Aqua if you’re interested)

So next November, it’s Excellence Coral. We drove by it on the way to Secrets, and WOW this stretch of beach is amazing! I’m excited for next year!

I may have another trip coming up in April as well- before I’m off on my third river cruise in June – this one from Paris to Normandy.

Oh, how I love vacations!

Feel free to ask if you have any questions…

Delightful Douro: Days 6 and 7- The End.

Posted by amerarobbins

We woke the final morning to our last day in the Douro wine region. Our tour director, Filipe, kept reiterating how we were moving from the gorgeous area to the cold, rainy Atlantic region. Actually, I liked them both!

But the bus ride up through Pinhão to the village of Provesende was so out-of-this-world GORGEOUS, I couldn’t stop taking pictures. Every time I’d go to put my phone back in my purse, I’d find myself sticking the lenses against the bus window again. We even stopped on the way for one quick photo opportunity. We knew this visit was going to be a quick trip because the boat was leaving the dock to meet us in Regua again before we went back to Porto that afternoon. We considered staying on the boat because we knew how pretty the journey would be. Still, since the bear was feeling well enough to do things, he didn’t want to miss another day. And, AGAIN, so glad we went! If we stayed on board, we could have had a walking tour in Regua, but we really kinda did that on our own at the beginning of the trip.

We began wandering another quaint village, again with so many empty homes, and always another church…

Then, we went to Morgadio da Calçada. Here we had a chance to explore the lovely bed and breakfast, watch a basket weaving demonstration and sample and buy some excellent Niepoort produced port, grown at the manor house.

After our quick trip, we returned to the boat. Lunch was an all seafood buffet as we took off less than five minutes after we arrived on board. They were QUICK with pulling up that gangplank. That afternoon, we participated in a local cheese, meats, and sausage pairing by our wonderful chef and sommelier.

Once back in Porto, we had the opportunity to attend a concert at the Sao Francisco Church. Again, we discussed the possibility of not going. I’m not sure why we even bother having this discussion all the time! We ALWAYS end up going and always being glad! We took the short walk to the beautiful church where a string quartet accompanied two opera singers with some of the most recognizable and beautiful music ever – whether it was Mozart or West Side Story, the sound was clear and beautiful. As they ended with “Con te partirò,” I was wiping the tears streaming down my face.

Once back on the boat, Guido led us in a fabulous music quiz which involved a lot of “bonus points” for doing various things, so the very competitive bear ended up belting “Sweet Caroline” into a microphone and “encouraging” me to join a conga line as we did “The Locomotion” around the whole third deck. We didn’t win, but we did come in third place.

We knew we had one day left of our trip, and both of us were still feeling a little sad that we had missed the Lello bookstore before the start. When we heard the briefing letting us know that our afternoon in Porto would be free, we went to the website to buy a “ticket” and schedule a time to visit. The bookstore tickets aren’t actual tickets – they are 8 euro vouchers that can be redeemed for purchase, but without a voucher and a time, without a tour, you are unlikely to get in.

The last day was one of the hardest choices for me for excursions. We knew we didn’t need to do the tour of the city because we had already done the main focal points for that, and we didn’t really need to go to ANOTHER church, but the other two choices were to go to Guimarães to see the palace and the city… OR to Quinta da Aveleda for the gardens and the tasting. Well, usually if the option says “tasting,” I’m there, so off we went.

The garden here, OH MY! Have I said a few times during these blogs “the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen?” Well, when everything is “the most beautiful” I have to keep repeating it. It was a traditional English garden – only not so traditional. It combined the redwoods of California with the eucalyptus of Australia with the cherry blossoms of Japan, all making for one incredible family retreat just outside the winery itself. All full of wildlife: ducks, peacocks, and even miniature goats who were glad to greet any visitor handing them a treat from the ground.

We got to wander through the huge cave where they were making their own brandy before trying some of the wines grown on their property.

Back to the boat for the last bus ride before we were on our own for the afternoon. This time, we were FAR smarter as we went to the top of Porto – we called an Uber! We probably could have made use of the hop-on-hop-off bus, too but the Uber was easy and inexpensive. The line for our chance to look around the bookstore wound around the block, but it was very well managed, and we got in within fifteen minutes of our selected time. It was definitely the MOST touristy place we’d been to on our trip, and somewhat overwhelming, but every bit as beautiful as we expected.

We wandered our way slowly back down the streets of Porto, stopping in interesting stores to look at souvenirs and stores full of MASSIVE collections of port wines. The riverfront was VERY lively on this Sunday evening- musicians playing everywhere, indoor and outdoor restaurants open, people walking everywhere!

And then, just prior to dinner, our boat left the dock one last time to do the “six bridges tour” where we began at the mouth of the Atlantic ocean and made our way back to our final point for the last time, having the opportunity to observe the houses and the graffiti along the banks. Again, we were told that our trip was too short and we should do the 10 day trip instead. Already, we’re considering booking that for October 2026.

Our final dinner included one of the best lamb chops I had ever had! And just like that, it was time to say our goodbyes and have our luggage ready for pick up the next morning.

We received notification the next morning that our flight would be delayed for an hour- no big deal, we had PLENTY of time in Newark. When we let the tour directors know, they also delayed our transfer an hour, which was lovely!

The Porto airport is small and easy, and everyone can have lounge access if they pay for it. We had ours included with our business class flights. It made me smile that even at the airport, you could get the wonderful tarts and cod dumplings!

We had made a pretty big mistake that I’m glad didn’t turn out to be a tragedy! We realized that no one had so much as glanced at our passports when we got off the plane in Portugal, but we didn’t think much of it. When our flight started boarding, we went to go to the gate only to find that we were to go through passport control AFTER the lounge, and there was QUITE a line. OOOPS!!! We won’t make that mistake again (maybe). In the end, the line only took us about 10 minutes, and we were fine – our flight had been delayed by a few minutes more.

We had a relatively small plane to go back to the US. It only had one aisle and business class on United was a 2/2 configuration. All seats behind us were 3/3. Still, the flight was comfortable, the wine and food were good, and the view of New York coming into Newark was lovely.

And being delayed in Porto was actually an advantage because it cut our 5-hour layover in half! We arrived from Newark back in Austin at just before midnight -exhausted and trudging to our Lyft, but had an AMAZING journey.

We still have a few more little trips before next summer, but our next BIG trip is Tauck on the Seine for Paris to Normandy in June 2025. We can barely wait for that adventure, but for now, I was so glad to get to spend time with this one again!

Delightful Douro: Days 4 and 5 of 7

Posted by amerarobbins

It’s so weird, by day four of every trip, I start to feel like it’s getting a little too long. I’m surprised that we’re only half way through, and I start wondering if I made a mistake booking. But always, by day seven, I’m sad it went so fast and wish I could have more time.

So on the morning of Salamanca, I was going back and forth in my brain. Is it going to be too hot? Do I really want to go for an hour and forty minute bus ride- each way? In the end OF COURSE I went, and OF COURSE I was glad! It was our one day in Spain. I was bummed to realize that I had gone to bed early the night before and forgotten that the Flamenco dancers were going to be on board! I was sad to have missed them. Anyway, on our day in Spain it was SUPPOSED to be in the 90s. It said so all week, but I had EXTRAORDINARY luck with the weather, and it never got above 84. It stayed cool and breezy in the shade. The same had been true all week. We had AMAZING weather. I don’t know that I would want to do this cruise in August, but I sure do want to do it again in October.

All free bags of laundry needed to be done by the fifth day of the tour, so that morning, we shoved our laundry bag FULL and left it on the bed. The bear and I are not small people, and I managed to get a pair of capris and a shirt in there, and the bear got two full days worth of clothing, including all undergarments, all in the same bag.

Sadly, he was starting to feel some tour effects that morning. Too much drinking, too much eating and just some regular tummy tightness. Regardless, he was up for the day. We had a quick pit stop about an hour into the ride at a lovely Casa Conrado for coffee and restrooms. It looked like I would expect a café in Spain to look!

Then, off again for the last 45 minutes of the trip. By the time we got to Salamanca, the bear was feeling a little worse for the wear from the winding roads. Still, he started to perk up some after we got off the bus.

In Spain, we met with a local guide. Many of the times in Portugal our tour directors doubled as local guides. They were all Portuguese people, often from villages just kilometers away from where we visited. Our guide started us in Plaza Mayor, surrounded by the golden buildings of Salamanca.

From there, we went to visit the central market for some lovely olive and Iberico ham.

Then, we wandered the city streets past the old location of the university and gorgeous parks. We ended up at the Cathedral. We got to hear the story of why the frog is on the front of the university and how an astronaut made its way into the beautiful sculpted baroque and gothic mixture in the sculptures on the cathedral entrance.

After this, we had nearly three hours of free time. What the bear and I have learned is that we are TERRIBLE at free time. We’re not shoppers. We could have gone to a couple of museums, including an art deco one, but three hours to fill is a lot for us. Since we knew in advance that we would have time in the city, we did some research and found a one Michelin star restaurant just a 10 minute walk from the cathedral. We LOVE one Michelin star spots because they’re usually wonderful without being pretentious or fussy, so off to Víctor Gutiérrez we went! I asked the bear if he was sure he was okay because I didn’t know if a 13 course lunch menu would be good in his tight tummy, but he thought he would be fine.

The restaurant was very small, but it didn’t matter that we didn’t have a reservation. We had emailed the day before to see what the dress code was, and there wasn’t one at all, so it was fine that the bear was in shorts and I had was wearing a summer dress. There were only about six tables total in the restaurant, but we were able to walk in, and the server remembered us from our email. We were not expecting them to speak English, but it was a pleasant surprise that she did. There is no menu; it was a prix fixe of wonderful goodness with a wine pairing if you like. I chose not to do the pairing, but took sips of the bear’s wine to try.

This Peruvian, Japanese, Spanish infusion meal was so thoughtful and so lovely. It had the best “kale chips” I’ve ever had. But by the time we got to the tennis ball sized filet with the meat course, I was so full I could only take few bites – a shame because the merengue dessert was so lovely and delicate. It was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten! For the two of us it was right at 200 euros, which we felt was more than reasonable. We’ve been known to spend a lot of money on pairing menus in the past (looking at you Joel Robuchon). This fabulous meal did the PERFECT job of filling our free time and our tummies. We walked back to Plaza Mayor with about 30 minutes left to do a lap of the square and look down the side streets.

The winding bus ride on the way back to the ship was tough on on the bear. We did make another stop at the café on our return to be sure we never spent more than an hour riding.

When we got back to the room, all of our laundry was done, pressed, and folded. After such a long day, we ordered some light room service for dinner, but I couldn’t resist getting one of those amazing Portuguese tarts straight from the oven! Room service came quickly, and you could order anything you want from the room service menu OR from the restaurant at any time for no extra charge. There’s a mirror behind the photo, so you ARE seeing double. Since our room didn’t have a balcony, there was no table, so we just put the food on the small vanity and ate in bed.

I went up to the deck that night to catch the sunset before putting a period at the end of the day. I watched the dance party under the stars that our amazing entertainment director, Guido, had put together and considered participating. Instead, I decided that fantastic bed was calling me.

The next morning the bear was still struggling, so I set off for the excursion solo. I could either go see a museum of rocks in the Coa Valley or tastes of sugared almonds and olive oil. THIS decision was one of the easiest for me, so off to more food I went! The village was tiny but beautiful. It did, however, make me sad. Portugal has one of the lowest birth rates in the world and the population is forever getting smaller. Each of these quaint villages is full of empty houses because people have left to find other work in other parts of the world, and Portugal itself is getting left behind.

We had a chance to stop at the home of the lovely Isabel. She is the 6th generation to live in the house and her daughter Andrea stays there with her. She teaches cooking classes at her home, Casa Painova. This is one of the opportunities that is only available to Scenic cruises to come join her for demonstrations. I was so mad at myself! I forgot to bring any money with me, so I wasn’t able to buy their olive oil or almonds! It’s easy to forget your money on a Scenic cruise. Everything is prepaid, so you’re never having to take out cash for anything.

On the way back, we stopped briefly at a lookout point, and I saw one of the most beautiful views I have ever seen in my life. But it seems I say that A LOT on this trip! They were ALL gorgeous!

When I got back to the boat, the bear was still having a hard day. I tried to get him to take a Zofran. I always get some prescribed for trips where I think it’s possible one of us could end up feeling sick, but he still thought he might be feeling better on his own. I knew our cruise was starting again, and I wanted to be up top. Plus, we had been informed that there would be a traditional Portuguese BBQ.

I felt terrible for the bear because he wanted to partake so badly. He LOVES sardines and cod and all of the things that I mostly tolerate. I tried them.. AND the Morcela (pigs’ blood and rice made into sausage). I’m always willing to try EVERYTHING. I tell people I would have eaten the bat soup in Wuhan, and I’m not kidding. Now, there is A LOT I don’t like, but I’m always glad I tried. The sangria with the BBQ was WONDERFUL.

After the bear went back down to the cold, dark cabin, I grabbed my book and watched the scenery go by (and drank a little more sangria). I am NOT the cook in our house, he is, but I was in LOVE with those Portuguese custard tarts (Pasteis de Nata). There was a cooking class going on, and I assumed (correctly) that if I went, I would get one!

After that, there was a lecture on cork (Portugal produces most of the world’s cork) and a trivia game I could have attended, but I decided that the deck and the vinho verde were calling to me.

At this point, the bear did decide to try a Zofran, and within a short time he was feeling human again. It may have been the Zofran, it may have been just the time, but we were BOTH so glad it could come out and be among the living again- albeit carefully at first.

There were more games and a band on board that night, but we went to bed quite early. The turndown service still came by and gave us our nightly chocolates and the minibar restocker brought me more diet Coke and a bottle of wine. We said those people were like ninjas! They were in and out of our room with service so quick it was amazing. We decided to make it a movie night. There was a pretty good selection on the in-room television. We had already watched the documentary A Year in Port , which I would HIGHLY recommend. It could be good to watch BEFORE you go, but I may watch it again after because I got to see all of the places mentioned. Instead, we watched Sully, because who doesn’t like to watch movies about airplanes crashing in New York two days before they fly into New York?

We thought we heard the music start upstairs in the lounge and were surprised by how loud it was. Turned out, it was a festival outside, as we realized when we heard cannon shots the next morning to start our final day in the port wine region- which will also lead me to my final blog of this journey…

Delightful Douro: Days 2 and 3 of 7

Posted by amerarobbins

It was nice to start the week slowly. There was to be no bus excursion on day one and nothing to do except sail until later in the day. Other tours I’ve been on have been “go, go, go!” Although there was plenty to stay occupied, the overall pace of this trip was FAR more relaxing than others.

We had quite a bit of sailing to do on the first morning, and we started at 5:45. With our room all the way at the back of the ship, we definitely felt the rumble as the motors started, and I immediately opened the shade to lay back in bed and watch the world.

Since we knew we’d cruise for awhile, the bear went up a deck and got us some fancy coffees and croissants, and before breakfast we made our way through our first lock. There are five total on the river, and they never cease to be fascinating to me. Going up and down stairs on a river is the coolest thing! I’m also amazed by the way that the boat itself adjusts to the low bridges as we just barely slide under.

We could have engaged in some of the activities of the morning, including tile painting and another class. Instead, we just had a big breakfast and took part in the next lock. That afternoon, shortly after lunch, it was time to enter what was the mouth of the Douro valley and the beginning of the port industry at Regua.

We had a chance to visit the port museum there. There was a fun interactive part where we got to smell the different aromas we could expect in port and the REALLY fun interactive part where we got to TASTE port, including a 10-year tawny and my first port cocktail: white port and tonic. I’ve never thought of using port as part of a mix, but they did this a lot in Porto. The museum was just a walk from the ship, so we could look around town a little as well as we made our way back.

Back on the ship, it was again time to eat. We had some fantastic starters; then, I chose a vegetarian option that was very tasty but very small. The bear loved his octopus. We didn’t meet any real “friends” on this trip. We are on the younger side (I’m 51, the bear is 48), and that may have had something to do with it. Most of the other people on the cruise were retired and seemed to be in their mid to late 60s up through early 80s. Still, most nights we had the opportunity to meet new people and dine with others. There were no tables for two on the ship in the larger dining room, but many nights you COULD sit with just two at a table for four or more if you desired. Many nights we did, some nights others joined us.

After dinner, we took second place in a trivia contest before retiring to bed to look forward to the next day and our first bus excursion to Lamego.

This was one of the days I had the most trouble deciding which tour I wanted to take, and also one of the tours we were supposed to decide in advance. Initially, I had chosen to go to Mateus Palace with the gorgeous architecture and gardens. Once hearing the overview, I changed my mind to Lamego. Kayaking was another option on this trip, but we’re not much for kayaking and even the tour director seemed to indicate the conditions weren’t particularly favorable for it.

Even if you didn’t take an excursion at all, the entertainment director led short hikes through the areas on the riverfront, or you you could just stay on the boat. Unlike the cruises that sailed at night, however, the excursions were quite short. Normally, you were only off the boat for four or five hours a day.

Ultimately, the idea of more port and trying some Portuguese food led us to choose Lamego. (And it was decisions like these that made us decide we want to return on this trip so that we could do both.)

On this cruise, Scenic told us we’d never be on the bus for more than about an hour at a time, and most of the rides were actually around 30 minutes. Like other luxury cruise companies, the busses are very nice. They have HUGE picture windows on both sides and in the front. There is even a bathroom on the bus, but you are pretty much discouraged from using it and would likely have to be a contortionist to get in it. We were told in Portugal that you are only allowed to use it if the bus is stopped and pulled over on the side of the road.

So, we were in a country in Europe that is primarily Catholic… and when you’re in Europe, you look at a lot of churches! So today was the day for the first one. Six hundred and eighty six steps up from the city center is the cathedral. A truly remarkable place! People had the option of walking down the stairs (which women climb UP on their knees during the “Our Lady of Remedies” celebration) or the option to take the shuttle. I went down ONE flight of stairs… and turned around and went right back up and took the shuttle. I decided not to destroy my knee for the rest of the trip. The bear walked down and told me that although it was very pretty, I had made the right decision.

Back in the city center we admired some statues, went into some shops, and wandered a museum on our free time before taking the bus back to the ship.

We knew we’d be having a bigger meal that night because we had been invited to our Portabello’s dinner, so we elected to go the lighter route of just having the river café food that day. for lunch. Besides, hotdogs and grilled cheese sandwiches always hit the spot.

Then, for the remainder of the afternoon, I saw the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever witnessed in my life. Words can not begin to describe it. As we passed by winery after winery – port house after port house. We passed through the heart of the port wine region, and I couldn’t take enough pictures. It’s been a week since I had this amazing day, and it’s hard to believe it was even real. It was nearly eight hours that we sailed through the most beautiful sights I’ve ever beheld. Several people got in the pool. There were other activities going on as well, but most of the 96 people aboard sat on the top deck to watch while bartenders and butlers brought us snacks and drinks. It was amazing!

Eventually, it became time to get ready for our Portobello’s dinner. The dress code for all dinners was “smart casual” and most women wore dresses or nicer tops with their bottoms. Men wore trousers and collared shirts – button down for the most part. A lot of what I read said that people weren’t dressy and “no one” wore jackets. That was not the case on my cruise. Some were more casual than others, but for the most part people dressed for dinner, and they especially dressed for the Captain’s dinner on the second night, their Portobello’s invitation, the concert, and some dressed for the final night.

Portobello is a set, five course menu. All Scenic cruises have it, although the restaurant has different names on different ships. The idea is to highlight the cuisine of the area, while the chef cooks in a live presentation. It was fantastic. The clams were AMAZING!

It had been an absolutely amazing day, and I knew the next day was a BIG one. It was time for the 2 hour bus ride into Salamanca for the all day excursion.

Part-Time Teacher; Full-Time Human

This is a public service! I don't want to clog your news feed with random brain droppings!

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