Charles and Lillie Woodrows

The Woodrows and others stayed at sea for almost nine hours before it was deemed safe enough to continue island hopping. Despite almost participating in one the worst natural disasters of the past century, they still describe their experience as “most enjoyable.”

“It’s hard to pick a favorite island in Hawaii as each has its own distinct beauty,” said Charles. “It’s very difficult to pick one over the other and I don’t think I can.”

Their vacation was even more enjoyable because they saved money by using Cruises, Travel and Attractions’ travel agency and utilizing its website, www.thevacationstationmembers.com.

When it was all over, they rated the company’s customer service as excellent.
Best of all, because the Woodrows are members of Cruises, Travel and Attractions, they received a rebate check after their vacation was over, saving them even more money. While they are staying closer to home for their next vacation, Cruises, Travel and Attractions will still be available to help them plan their trip and keep more money in their pockets.

Charles and Lillie Woodrows

Charles and Lillie Woodrow of Hopkins, South Carolina, have been members of Vacation Inspiration for two years but didn’t decide to take their first trip to Europe until last year.

“We had a good experience, so we booked another vacation this year through Cruises, Travel and Attractions and headed to Hawaii,” said Charles Woodrow. “While we won’t travel as far from home next time, we will definitely utilize our membership with Cruises, Travel and Attractions again.”

A 15-day vacation to Hawaii is a dream vacation and one the Woodrows won’t soon forget – but for another reason.

“We were on a cruise visiting some of the Hawaiian Islands when the earthquake and tsunami hit Japan,” Charles explained. “It was incredible, but we were kept informed of what was happening the entire time. The cruise line took us out to sea for about 25 miles to avoid getting hit ourselves. It was definitely a new and once-in-alifetime experience for all of us.”…

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Charles and Lillie Woodrows

The Woodrows and others stayed at sea for almost nine hours before it was deemed safe enough to continue island hopping. Despite almost participating in one the worst natural disasters of the past century, they still describe their experience as “most enjoyable.”

“It’s hard to pick a favorite island in Hawaii as each has its own distinct beauty,” said Charles. “It’s very difficult to pick one over the other and I don’t think I can.”

Their vacation was even more enjoyable because they saved money by using Cruises, Travel and Attractions’ travel agency and utilizing its website, www.thevacationstationmembers.com.

When it was all over, they rated the company’s customer service as excellent.
Best of all, because the Woodrows are members of Cruises, Travel and Attractions, they received a rebate check after their vacation was over, saving them even more money. While they are staying closer to home for their next vacation, Cruises, Travel and Attractions will still be available to help them plan their trip and keep more money in their pockets.

In the mid-1800s, the area was known for producing world-famous Indian River oranges and grapefruit, and pineapples also thrived in the sandy soil. The small towns that once dotted the island–Georgiana, Courtenay, Tropic, Fairyland, Orsino, Angel City, Wilson and Indianola among them–have vanished, leaving Merritt Island to be administered by Brevard County. Water and sewer service come to the island’s residents from the nearby town of Cocoa.

There’s more to do on Florida’s Space Coast, however, than lounge on the beach, search for seashells and gaze at space shuttles soaring skyward…

Originally named Artesia, Merritt Island is located just six miles southwest of Cape Canaveral, the heart of America’s space program. Because of its central location in Brevard County, between Titusville and Melbourne, the area has developed into an economic hub, tucked between the Atlantic beaches to the east and the mainland cities of Rockledge and Cocoa to the west. There’s more to do on Florida’s Space Coast, however, than lounge on the beach, search for seashells and gaze at space shuttles soaring skyward. Residents and visitors enjoy golf, tennis, horseback riding, hiking, biking, surfing, water-skiing, windsurfing, snorkeling, boating, sailing and shopping. Parks provide playgrounds, picnic tables and barbecue grills, and nearby historic Cocoa Village offers tree-lined streets and a wide variety of shops, cafes and art galleries.

In addition to the Kennedy Space Center, nearby attractions include the Astronaut Hall of Fame; the American Police Hall of Fame in Titusville; and the Veterans Memorial Center, which includes a military museum.

And if you simply seek a peek at the unspoiled beauty of the Florida coast, you can visit Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, located adjacent to the Space Center. The 22-square-mile wetlands area, managed by the federal government, attracts more than 300 species of birds and also is home to ghost crabs, loggerhead and green sea turtles, raccoons, bobcats, alligators, manatees, dolphins, bald eagles, ospreys and even the elusive Florida panther. You can see many of them along the seven-mile-long Blackpoint Wildlife Drive.

Dolber is a veteran traveler, but when his wife mentioned casually that there was a Cruise, Travel and Attractions location in town, he said, “OK. What’s that?”

It wasn’t long before he found out not only “what” Cruise, Travel and Attractions is, but how much he could save by becoming a member. He learned firsthand that the savings could be considerable.

“How we used Cruise, Travel and Attractions is primarily through my business. I’m a corporate pilot, and I’m away from home a fair amount,” Dolber said. “That means hotels,

rental cars and things like that, and Cruise, Travel and Attractions gives you a rebate off the basic rack rate.”

Dolber went on to say that CTA Vacations are ideal for those who do a fair amount of traveling. The Dolbers thought that a membership would work well for them, although they couldn’t have guessed how much it ultimately would save them.

“We bought a membership in June 2009,” he said. “By February 2010, I had received mypurchase price back from the receipts I had submitted up to that time.”

Since then, the Dolbers have continued to travel and submit receipts.

“I’m considerably ahead now,” Dolber said. “Truthfully, it is about a 90-percent return on my investment. I wish my stock market portfolio did that.”

Even though the Cruise, Travel and Attractions seminar the Dolbers attended was impressive, they were skeptical about a plan that sounded too good to be true.

“One thing I was concerned with was their reputation, because I had never heard of them. I did a check and found out they were fine,” he said.

Joining Cruise, Travel and Attractions has allowed the Dolbers to visit new places together in addition to his many businessrelated trips. Of course, this might be what his wife had in mind when she suggested it.

“My wife and I always wanted to take a cruise, but we didn’t have the opportunity until this year,” Dolber said. “We left from Florida and went to Belize, Mexico and the Cayman Islands.”

“The stateroom had a really nice balcony,” he continued. “The rack rate was $3,400. When we got back, I submitted the receipt to Cruise, Travel and Attractions and they sent me a check for $1,000.”

About the customer service at Cruise, Travel and Attractions, Dolber said, “They are great.”

Would he recommend Cruise, Travel and Attractions? “Absolutely,” he said. “If you do a fair amount of traveling, it works out pretty well.”

By Barbara Patrick

“We can design any type of vacation, and, regardless of how much time it takes, we’ll put together the vacation that’s right for you. We really like helping people get what they want,” said CTA Sales Manager Mark Young. “In addition to our high level of customer service, the low prices and rebates can save you thousands of dollars over the course of your lifetime.”

“We can get you on any cruise line, in any type of cabin and in any price range,” Young said. “With most travel agents, you’ll have to pay for their markups and commissions. And if you try to do it yourself on the Internet, you might be rerouted to India or someplace like that. We provide top-of-the-line customer service, and it doesn’t cost you a penny.”

CTA-PLANNED VACATION OFFER THE WORLD

Vacation condos – studio and 1, 2 and 3-bedroom units in many of the world’s most sought after resort locations – are also available to CTA members. Destinations range from Tampa and Savannah, Georgia, to Charleston and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the mountains of the Western United States, Central America, Hawaii and Europe, and their average cost is only around $599 per week, according to Young.

‘Hot Weeks’ feature vacations at destinations throughout the United States and abroad. For those who love the beach, options include Brigantine, New Jersey; Kaunakakai, Molokai, Hawaii; Cancun, Mexico; Ventnor, New Jersey; Fort Walton Beach, Florida; Hilton Head Island, South Carolina; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The mountains are also popular, at Teton Creek Resort, Idaho; Heber City, Utah; and Granby, Colorado; while other ‘hot’ locations frequented by CTA members include Las Vegas, Stowe, Vermont; Reno, Nevada; Puerto Rico; and the Dominican Republic.

CTA SAVES YOUR TIME AND MONEY

Cost, though certainly an important factor, is not the only reason to choose Cruises, Travel and Attractions. The company works only with three-, four- and five-star properties and offers a wide range of vacation options, from cruises to condos to luxury resorts to tours.

CTA does business with most of the world’s top cruise lines, offering vacation possibilities that will take you places spanning virtually the entire globe: Alaska, New England, Italy, Africa, India, the Black Sea, the Red Sea, the North Sea, Hawaii, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, South America and even Antarctica, and every place in between.

Cruises, Travel and Attractions’ Sales Manager Mark Young explains that Cruises, Travel and Attractions is able to offer deep discounts on quality vacations at locations throughout the world because the company uses the same concept utilized by wholesale clubs such as Sam’s and Costco. Since it provides services to thousands of members and many of them vacation often, Cruises, Travel and Attractions is able to purchase large blocks of space at most of the world’s top resort destinations. The company prides itself on its success in negotiating the best possible price for its clients, and Florida is enjoying this great service provided by CTA’s Tampa office.

“We have created our resort search system to allow you to choose the areas you would like to visit, as well as the number of bedrooms and the time of year, be it prime or low-demand season.” In other words, Cruises, Travel and Attractions will make it easy for you to plan memorable vacations and save money as well.

READ MORE: Save on Vacations with CTA Part 2

The finely ground quartz crystals, which look more like the sugar in your morning coffee than the sand that squishes between your toes, originate in the Appalachian Mountains. The residue flows down the Apalachicola River to the Gulf of Mexico, where currents create sand drifts along the Gulf Coast, from east of Panama City, Florida, to the shoreline of Alabama.

A key part of Florida’s Emerald Coast, Destin attracts millions of visitors every year. The city’s population averages only around 12,000, but, during tourist season, its numbers normally balloon to the 40,000 range. There are 12 separate beach access points, and fishing vessels can be chartered from the harbor. In fact, Destin calls itself “the world’s luckiest fishing village” and lays claim to the largest fishing vessel fleet in the Sunshine State.

The city of Destin is situated on a peninsula that separates the Gulf of Mexico from Choctawhatchee Bay. Originally an island, it slowly but surely became part of the mainland through the handiwork of hurricanes and changes in sea level.

The city’s water entrance is through Destin Harbor, a lagoon that lies between the beaches and the main peninsula. The lagoon is formed by a sand spit named Holiday Isle, where many condominiums line the harbor. The city is connected to Niceville, Florida, by the Mid-Bay Bridge. The larger municipalities of Panama City and Pensacola are located to the east and west, respectively.
The area is named for Capt. Leonard Destin, a fisherman who settled there between 1845 and 1850. The captain and his descendants remained for decades and were instrumental in launching the area’s fishing industry.

Destin was incorporated as a municipality in 1984 and has experienced rapid growth since. The city features a grand assortment of hotels and motels as well as condominiums. Private homes are available for rent for anyone who wants to see and feel the unique sand, play nearby golf courses or cast a line into Destin’s fertile waters.

Today, Pensacola is a thriving Gulf Coast city of approximately 54,000 residents. Naval Air Station Pensacola, located on the same ground as Don Tristan de Luna’s original settlement, is home to the renowned Blue Angels.

Rich in history, the Pensacola area has been described as having the world’s whitest beaches and being the cradle of naval aviation, the western gate to the Sunshine State, America’s first settlement, the redneck Riviera and the red snapper capital of the world. Its most popular nickname, however, is The City of Five Flags, for the five governments that have ruled the area: Spain, France, Great Britain, the Confederate States of America and the United States of America. Pensacola Bay was also known as Polonza or Ochuse by the Spanish who re-established the area in 1696. Pensacola grew to become the largest city in Florida and the capital of the British Colony of Western Florida in 1763. Because of its location south of the original British Colonies and on the dividing line between French Louisiana and Spanish Florida, along the Perdido River, possession of the city has changed several times.

Pensacola offers a huge variety of attractions, from amusement parks to the zoo and everything in between. Water sports abound, but there are also golf courses to play, historic sites to visit and a host of shops and dining establishments to explore. The Florida Panhandle is an excellent place for nature lovers, with many parks and trails. In addition, residents and visitors enjoy festivals such as Mardi Gras and the Fiesta of Five Flags.