Thank you so much for voting us the best travel agency in Canton! We are incredibly honored.

Thank you for trusting us with your family’s vacations. Your belief and trust in us through the years means a lot!

Unfortunately it’s a fact of life, there are scammers out there. It doesn’t matter where you travel in the world, you might encounter someone looking to make a quick buck through shady means.

While cruising, I have come across three main “Scams” in port cities. They range from small time to not so small time. But don’t fret, they are avoidable with a few common sense precautions.

The “Free” Flower/Jewelry

This scam is super common all over the world. How it works is someone offers you a flower, or a small piece of handmade jewelry, usually a bracelet, for “free” but then they demand you give them a few dollars for the item.

Luckily this scam is super easy to avoid. Just give a firm “No Thanks” to anyone that offers you anything for “free” on the street and keep walking!

Fake Jewelry

This isn’t a common occurrence but it’s not unheard of for someone to realize later that the jewelry they purchased isn’t real, either the stone is fake, or it’s not real gold are the ones I hear about the most.

Your cruise line probably has a list of the stores they recommend in each port, I highly recommend picking up a list at the port shopping desk. I also recommend using your credit card, not your debit card, so you have more purchase protection. Just make sure you use one that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees.

Currency Swapping

You might encounter an unscrupulous shop that tries to take advantage of your lack of currency exchange rate knowledge. They might offer you significantly less change, or charge you more than they should.

I know someone who bought an item of jewelry, they told her her credit card was being charged in Pesos when actually she was being charged in US Dollars. An expensive mistake!

If you know you will be doing a lot of shopping, it makes sense to get some local currency. Make sure you have a general idea of what the current exchange rate is, and double check before you pay, bust out a calculator if you have to. And make sure you confirm the currency you’re being charged in for any credit card transactions.

Don’t be afraid! Just be aware of your surroundings, use caution, and remember: If something seems to good to be true, it probably is!

I’m pleased to announce that Aida’s Adventures LLC is now IATA (International Air Transport Association) accredited! IATA agencies must meet financial, experience, security and other high benchmarks. IATA accreditation is globally recognized. IATA accreditation is a world class accreditation, and one of the best accreditations a travel agency of any size, anywhere in the world, can carry.

In short, that means you can trust that our agency meets high, globally recognized, standards. We’re excited to start this new chapter!

Hi, I’m Ashley! And I am the newest travel advisor with Aida’s Adventures!

I graduated from Baldwin Wallace University with a dual-degree in Human Resource and Marketing. While there, I traveled to China as part of a study abroad program. After graduating, I took some time off and taught English in the Dominican Republic before completing my Master’s at Kent State University in Higher Education Administration and Student Affairs.

I’ve spent most of my adult life in Cleveland and am an avid Cleveland sports fan. I am currently in law school at The University of Akron and hope to one day work in administrative law! When I am not at school, you can probably find me in Canton where I live with my fiance. We like to spend the weekends playing board games with our friends, dreaming about future travel or watching our favorite youtubers. I look forward to helping to make your travel dreams come true!

Keeping your Kids Safe in Busy Parks

While on my last trip to Florida, my husband and I found a lost child in a theme park. (Don’t worry friends, this story has a happy ending!) So I thought it would be a good time to share some helpful tips on lost children.

Kiddos getting separated from their parents in crowded theme parks is not uncommon. There are a few things you can do to help prevent it from happening and help reunify your family quickly if it does!

Before you leave your hotel in the morning, take a picture of your kids, so you will be able to say EXACTLY what they are wearing.

Consider writing your phone number on your child or their clothing somewhere. I have seen temporary tattoos on Etsy that work well!

Prep your kids ahead of time. If they are old enough, have them memorize a phone number. Make sure they know their parents real names, both first and last.

Tell your kids if they get lost to IMMEDIATELY seek assistance from anyone with a name tag. Teach them how to identify people who work there!

A common reason kids get lost is that parent 1 thinks the kid is with parent 2 and vice versa. So if you are “handing off” a kid, make sure both parents/adults acknowledge it.

If your kid gets away from you in a crowd STAY PUT. Odds are good your kid didn’t wonder far, so don’t go far!

IMMEDIATELY flag down the nearest employee so they can assist you.

If you see a child that is clearly without an adult, and clearly not old enough to be without their adults, flag down a team member. Which is exactly what we did when we saw our new friend all alone! Thankfully they had him reunited with his grown up’s in no time!

Today is Travel Advisor Appreciation Day! Every May 4 I celebrate with my colleagues all over the world.

But I want to take a moment to appreciate you, my clients.

Thank you for trusting me with your honeymoons, your weddings, your family reunions and countless vacations.

I’ve been privileged enough to do this for 5 years now and there’s nothing I would change about the last 5 years, expect maybe having to file self employment taxes!

Without you, none of the last 5 years would have been possible. Thank you for supporting my business, which started out as a hobby and has grown and grown into something much more!

I love making magic for you, and I hope I get to do it forever!

I found out about the “secret” suite onboard Independence, Liberty and Freedom of the Seas by happy accident. As a travel agency owner, I work very closely with the brands I sell. I happened to be talking to my contact at Royal Caribbean when I mentioned to him that I would be visiting them on the Independence of the Seas in a few weeks. “Have you heard about the secret room? There’s a secret room on that one.” he asked me. The room happened to be available and the rest is history!

The story goes that this cabin was supposed to be a Promenade view room. But because of the placement of the Cows on top of Ben and Jerry’s, there wasn’t a whole lot of Promenade viewing going on. So someone at Royal Caribbean decided to have some fun with it and the Ben and Jerrys Suite was born. Guests who stay in the Ben and Jerry’s Suite get some, but not all, of the perks of a traditional Suite. And, best of all, you get free Ben and Jerry’s ice cream!

The Suite sleeps 2, and the beds can be set up apart or together. It also features unique cow artwork.

We had this letter in our room, which describes the benefits of the Ben and Jerry’s Suite. The ice cream coupons were paper coupons, so we were able to share them with another cabin. The other perks were exclusively for the people staying in our room. I really enjoyed having access to the Suite lounge in the evening, we especially enjoyed the complimentary cocktails and mocktails. We also received priority disembarkation, the Concierge literally escorted us off the ship. Our concierge, Grecia, also offered to make reservations for us. The concierge can do anything Guest Services can do, so having access to her, and subsequently not having to wait in the long Guest Services line, was nice.

Note that we did not get priority embarkation, access to a Genie, or an invitation to the special welcome or disembarkation breakfast at Chops. However, since the Ben and Jerry’s suite is priced like a standard Promenade View cabin, I can’t really complain! Also did I mention the free ice cream?

I’m not going to reveal the cabin number to help keep this special “Secret Suite” a secret! So if you’re Interested in staying in the Ben and Jerry’s Suite, you’ll have to contact us for a quote for this “secret” stateroom! We provide cruise planning services free of charge for our clients!

We had a wonderful trip celebrating our 30th birthdays onboard Independence of the Seas. Check out the gallery below for more photos of the Independence. She is a gorgeous ship!

I just got home from a cruise to the Bahamas on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, so I thought I would sit down and write about the question on everyone’s mind: What is it like to cruise right now?

Before the Cruise

Covid protocols started before we even boarded! First and foremost, EVERYONE over the age of 12 must be fully vaccinated to sail on Royal Caribbean. They will check, and double check, your proof of vaccination. You are encouraged, but not required, to upload a picture of your vaccine card up to 30 days before your cruise, and then you must bring the card with you to the port. My vaccine card was looked at at least 3 times. I would advise bringing the actual card, not a picture.

The other major protocol in place is that you must get a covid test before you can be cleared to sail. Vaccinated guests must get a test up to 2 days before sailing, and unvaccinated kids must get 2 tests, one up to 3 days before sailing and one on embarkation day.

My husband Bruce and I personally opted for the home tests offered by Royal Caribbean as we felt that would be easier. And it was incredibly easy. We sailed on a Sunday. So Friday morning I got up early, and used my webcam to call into the testing line. They asked for my ID, walked me through completing the test, and then read my results 15 minutes later. I had a certified test result in my email box about a half an hour after I started. Super Easy. If you go this route I have 2 suggestions. 1. Buy an extra test, Bruce’s test didn’t have any liquid in it and apparently faulty tests are not uncommon. 2. Have a back up plan. There’s a walk in clinic near me that offers walk in testing, that was my back up plan.

Embarkation

We had a strict time that we had to check in for our cruise, and they were enforcing it. We sailed out of Bayonne New Jersey, and I had heard that Bayonne was one of the fastest to get from “curb to cabin.” I don’t have a lot of experience cruising, I’m more of a theme park specialist, but I’m telling you it was fast. Our check in time was at 11:30, we rolled up at 11. We were parked, through security, and on the ship by 11:30.

We waited in a socially distanced line, of only vaccinated adults, (unvaccinated kids are checked in in a separate area). First we cleared a small “airport style” security area. Then we checked in. They asked for our passports, vaccine cards, and test results. Our vaccine cards and test results were checked by more than one person. We were then given a special wristband to wear showing that we were vaccinated which would allow us access to “vaccinated only” sections of the ship. And we were off!

Onboard Protocols

The most obvious Covid precautions were masks. Masks were required indoors unless actively eating or drinking. And this was enforced. Crew members were quick to remind people to pull their mask up over their nose or hand a paper mask to those who “forgot” their mask. Masks were optional outdoors, or in vaccinated guest only areas, such as the Casino. All crew members wore masks at all times.

Like many cruisers, our first stop was the buffet. Outside of all food locations were hand washing or sanitizing stations. There were crew members stationed there that would make sure everyone washed their hands or sanitized before entering.

Every other table was blocked off for social distancing purposes.

Tables were sanitized in between guests.

At the buffet, crew served us instead of it being self service. I really liked that the crew were serving us for a few reasons. 1. We’ve all seen someone do something not great at a buffet, this puts a stop to that. 2. It really cut down on the food waste since the crew were serving smaller portions than you might have taken. (Although you could, of course, go back for seconds!)

When it came to shows and other entertaining, we had options. You could choose an “Everyone” show, where masks and social distancing were strictly enforced, or a “Vaccinated” where socially distance measures weren’t so strictly enforced. My husband and I choose to attend to attend the Vaccinated shows, because we wanted to leave the seats open for kids in the other shows. But you can attend whichever option you are most comfortable with (assuming you are vaccinated of course)

Perfect Day at Cococay

Perfect Day at Cococay is Royal Caribbean’s private island. All of the protocols being followed onboard are being followed at Cococay. Because everything is outside, except like the bathrooms obviously, we pretty much didn’t wear a mask all day. After all, masks are not required outdoors. I slipped mine on when I went in the restrooms and when we were on the trams, and that was about it. Crew were masked.

Ports of Call

Vaccinated guests are free to get off the ship with or without an excursion booked. Unvaccinated kids need to have an excursion booked in order to get off the ship, with the exception of the private islands. My husband and I choose to take a scheduled shore excursion even though we didn’t “have” to as vaccinated travelers. We took a glass bottom boat tour of a coral reef, and a brief bus tour of the city.

After we were done, we did walk around Nassau. Royal advised us to take our vaccine cards with us, which we did, but we never needed them. Our vaccinated wrist bands were good enough for us to gain entry to venues that required vaccines. I think the businesses near the cruise port are just used to cruisers. However, I would definitely take the card with me, you just never know.

Disembarkation Protocols

Even Disembarkation was socially distanced. No more waiting around in the lobby, they asked everyone to get breakfast and then go back to their stateroom and wait for their number to be called. No announcements either, they had a special channel on our TV we were supposed to watch. Bruce and I had a super early debarkation time. So we basically grabbed a quick breakfast, by the time we ate it was time for us to get off!

The other protocols were the same as before. We left our bags out the night before, we had special tags to put on them, etc.

Would you go again?

This is the question everyone has been asking since and I got home! And the overwhelming answer is YES. We had a wonderful trip, we felt very safe. After all, how many places have you been lately where everyone was vaccinated and tested recently? I joined a Facebook group for our cruise and we haven’t had a single reported case post cruise even though we have been home for more than week. I think cruising is an incredibly safe and fun way to travel right now!

Want to take your own cruise? Aida’s Adventures has 5 years of experience in planning and preparing the ideal trip for every kind of traveler. Call or text us today! We have access to special cruising offers that are not available to the general public!

Emily Householder Stacey is the owner and head travel agent of Aida’s Adventures, based in Canton Ohio. Emily has 5 years of experience planning amazing trips for her clients. Emily also writes for L.A. Family travel as a regular contributor and wrote a book called Eat Like A Local: Ohio.

The first step is not to panic! I live in Ohio, and since my agency is based in Ohio, most of my clients only experience when it comes to hurricanes is watching Jim Cantore get blown around on The Weather Channel. I don’t want to make light of hurricanes, they can be a serious problem and life threatening if it’s a severe storm. Obviously if your trip is in the path of a severe storm, we will be helping you cancel. But not every tropical storm or hurricane is that severe. Of course our first priority is our clients safety. And I’m sure that’s your first priority too! Our agency will be here for you every step of the way if you have utilized our services to book your trip. One of the major advantages of working with a travel agent is, if something goes wrong, we will have your back and help you out!

If you’re traveling to a hurricane prone area during hurricane season (June 1- November 1) we generally recommend that you buy travel insurance early. Why early? Insurance companies generally won’t cover a policy bought after a storm has been “named.”

So what happens if you have a trip planned and then a minor hurricane hits the area? It’s going to depend on a few factors.

If you are taking a cruise that is supposed to travel through the path of a hurricane, the cruise line will almost certainly change the itinerary. I like to say it’s a multi billion dollar boat, they aren’t going to drive it into a hurricane. Once we get an updated itinerary from the cruise line, we can go over it with you and discuss your options. If you really had your heart set on a particular destination that they are now skipping, we can look at cancelling/postponing. If you like the new itinerary, then we can help you make any changes you might need to make to shore excursions and the like.

If you have a land vacation, you might be wondering if you should still go? There’s a few factors to consider. How severe is the storm? Is your destination right in the path of the storm or on the edges? How far inland will you be? Will the attractions you want to visit be open? How comfortable do you feel visiting? Can you easily reschedule?

I highly suggest checking local news in your destination if you’re worried about the impact of the storm on your trip. You should be able to find a few local news station with a google search. If you’re heading to the Orlando area, I’m a big fan of Eric Burris. I follow him on social media year round since our agency has a lot of clients heading to Central Florida.

When I was in high school, my family visited Myrtle Beach right after Hurricane Charlie had come through. Charlie hit Myrtle Beach on our arrival day, so we simply delayed our arrival by a few hours. It was a category 1 storm, so other than the some lounge chairs in the condo pool, it really didn’t affect our vacation. I even have a t shirt that says “I survived Hurricane Charlie”, although as my cousin pointed out, we really just hid out from Charlie in West Virginia! I had clients move their trip to Charleston SC to avoid a hurricane in Florida, and they ended up loving Charleston so much they go there every year!