There is a country, a principality, a magic kingdom that sits on the Mediterranean coast between France and Italy called Monte Carlo (Monaco)that attracts an incredible number of celebrities. From F1 race drivers, tennis stars and entertainment figures like the late actor Sir Roger Moore. Partly famous for its tax haven status but also for its glamorous lifestyle it’s been home to many top music icons like Bono and Ringo Starr. But, perhaps its most famous resident of all was an actress namedGrace Kelly.
The End Of A Real Royal Fairy Tale
She was a highly acclaimed Hollywood actress in the 1950s who starred in a number of classic films such as Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, and The Country Girl, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. But in 1956, Grace fell in love and married Prince Rainier III, Monarch of Monaco. Grace retired from acting at the peak of her career to focus on her royal duties, to raise her family and support numerous charities. She became the world’s most famous princess and on September 14, 1982she died as a result of a car crash.
Saint Nicholas Cathedral
Today in an alcove in Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Monaco that’s known as the Chapel of the Princes, rests the casket of the American actress and princess, Grace Kelly.She was laid to rest in the Grimaldi family vault in the Chapel of the Princes because of her marriage to Prince Rainier III of Monaco and that made her the Princess of Monaco.
Chapel of the Princes
Saint Nicholas Cathedral
Monaco Royal Palace
Below You’ll Find A Couple Of Our More Recent Posts You Might Find Interesting…
The History Behind The Celebration Of Easter Without question the holiest site in all of Christendom is located in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem. It represents the location where Jesus was crucified and where his body was laid to rest. Today there is a high level of certainty that the location has been actually identified.…
with From Cartagena, Columbia to Ushuaia, Argentina the South American continent is an amazing land of natural wonders and human accomplishments. Explore the islands of the Galapagos or hike around Iguazu Falls, climb up to Machu Picchu or cruise through the Panama Canal. You can even cast off for a trip to Antarctica or walk…
It seems so other worldly, like Mars or the Moon but it’s right here on Earth. It’s so alien that the NASA space program uses it to test rovers and other equipment. Find the answer HERE. Here Are A Few Of Our More Recent Postings You might Find Interesting…
As long as we have our health and the money holds out The Intentional Travelers will continue to explore this amazing world. So to answer the recent inquiries about what our plans are, following are scheduled trips for the first half of 2026:
Torres del Paine
First up in a few weeks is a couple of weeks in Chile with a package tour.(Exottica): We’ll start in the north with the Atacama Desert for several days. Next is time in Santiago followed by a trek south for a visit to Torres del Paine National Park.
Egypt
By the end of February we’ll make our third try at exploring Egypt (wish us luck!). Like most popular itineraries we’ll spend a few days in Cairo seeing the Pyramids and visiting both major museums. After that we cruise the Nile and visit the Valley of the Kings and Luxor. This trip ends with a few days in Dubai.
Africa
After Egypt and before July we return to Cape Town for a cruise up Africa’s west coast with stops at the islands of Saint Helena and Cape Verdi. After about a month we finish in London with a visit to Stonehenge which will also be my third try at visiting (again wish us luck!).
Northern Lights
That’s it so far but we intend to make an attempt at the Northern Lights in Winter. We’re thinking Tromso, Norway and may try and schedule visits to a Scandinavian Christmas Market in that trip.
In 2027 we already have a cruise booked that will take us north along the east coast of South America and across the Atlantic to Europe. Still in2026 we have about a four month hole in the calendar so Judi and I would welcome any suggestions?
Planning A Cruise? Start With The Intentional Travelers Port Guides
So far this year we’ve taken eight flights – all international and we’ve come to realize that we just don’t know what our bags will cost until we check-in at the counter. Twice we expected to pay US$70 per bag and nobody asked for money. On one flight we were told that a carry-on weighing over 15 pounds would cost US$25 but nobody weighed my 35 pound backpack – so no extra fee. Just over a year ago most international flights did not charge for checked bags – PERHAPS NO MORE!
SINGAPORE – 18 NOV, 2016: Travelers enter immigration control at Changi International Airport in Singapore.
The fees charged for baggage are rising faster than inflation and international flights have almost eliminated free checked bags while some are now charging for carry-ons (what’s the difference between a carry-on and a personnel item??) If you want to pick a seat before the flight expect to pay between US$25 and US$45. If I don’t want to pay does that mean that my wife sits in the front of the plane while I’m in the back?? Additionally, there is a growing trend to eliminate any free options for economy tickets – carry-ons, onboard food, maybe using the lavatory?? All of this now requires a reevaluation of economy ticket fares.
Recently we booked a flight from Rome to Amsterdam with KLM where if we selected an economy ticket we would have paid US$70 per bag but if we selected Economy Plus that included one free bag each and the fare went up by just US$37???
Because of all that you need to use this guide as a starting point and a way of comparing airlines, but you also need to confirm current fees at the time of booking. For example from October 2023 to May 2024 Delta raised the charge for a first bag from US$30 to US$35 and 2nd bag from 40 to $45. For Frontier Airlines there is no published price list – you’ll need to check your flight by logging in on their website HERE???
Some US based airlines will allow you to prepay for your bags using points, but mostly only on domestic flights?? We’re expecting card readers to be installed on lavatory doors soon to get in…
Frontier Airlines Checked Bags 1st – $40 to $75, 2nd – $50 to $60 3+ – $75 to $80 Overweight Bags 1 – $100 Oversized Bags 1 – $100. Carry On 1 free – The size of your one included personal item will be checked during boarding. Items larger than the allowed dimensions are subject to an additional charge of $35 plus.
Spirit Airlines Checked Bags 1st – $40 to $75, 2nd – $60 to $100 3+ – $85 Overweight Bags 1 – $30 to $100 Oversized Bags 1 – $100 to $150 Carry On 1 – $37 to $65. Fees may be waived based on member status.
Sun Country Airlines Checked Bags 1st – $35, 2nd – $50, Overweight Bags 1 – $100 Oversized Bags – $100 to $150 Carry On 1 – Free
United Airlines The airlines no longer publishes a baggage fee schedule. To calculate cost based on a flight and bag description click HERE.
Virgin America Checked Bags 1st – $35 2nd – $50+ Overweight Bags 1 – $50 to $100 Oversized Bags 1 – $100. Carry On 1 – Free
U.S. & International Airlines Baggage Fees on Most International Flights
El Al Israel Airlines Checked Bags 1 – Free 2 – $85 to $100 3+ – $85 to $200 Overweight Bags 1 – $55 to $100 Oversized Bag 1 – $85 to $200 Carry On 1 – Free
WestJet Checked Bags 1 – $19 to $22 2 – $26 to $30 3+ – $74 to $87 Overweight Bags 1 – $55 to $65 Oversized Bags 1 – $55 to $65 Carry On 1 – Free
Because of the constant changing fees consider the above information for comparison purposes only. To help you reach an informed decision check with the actual airlines. Following is a collection of links to a number of individual airlines baggage web page*
They come in all sizes, configurations and yes, prices and it’s not uncommon for a cruise to offer you a cabin upgrade. Understand, there may be valid reasons to turn down a stateroom upgrade.
If you do more than a few cruises, chances are you will, at some point in time, be offered an upgrade. Generally upgrades fall into a several categories:
Upgrades at discounted rates
A promotional offer
Complimentary upgrade
Last minute upgrade offer at time of sailing
Usually the first reaction when offered an upgrade is elation over your luck, but don’t jump at that offer right away. There are a few things to consider, so be sure and ask a few questions.
If you’re being offered a stateroom upgrade ask if the usual category perks are still included with the upgrade. They can include complimentary spa use, a special restaurant, preferred seating at shows, preferred boarding to tenders. Often the upgraded does not include those perks and you need to consider if the change in stateroom location is worth the little extra room?
Additionally, often the cabin upgrade is in a less desirable location. Could it be noisy being near to an area that operates late into the night? Is it still on one of your preferred decks? Be sure and check a ship map to see if it is next to a void where there could be machinery or elevator noise?
There is also an upgrade on booking called “run of the ship”. What that means is you will be guaranteed a specific stateroom upgrade but you’ll learn about the actual location when you board the ship. That means the stateroom could be on a lower deck, a high deck, all the way forward or include an obstructed view. While you can save money in booking by accepting “run of the ship” staterooms, that is a decision you consider in relationship to your budget and if the savings is worth the possible inconvenience. In the case of this upgrade there usually isn’t a reduction in fare.
If you’re interested in an upgrade there is really no way to understand how to go about getting one. Your chances do improve with your frequent cruising status on a cruise line and that is based on the number of cruises you’ve taken. Also remember the cruise ship knows a lot about the desirability of specific staterooms onboard and they intend to get some advantage out of making the offer. Sometimes it’s intended to increase your loyalty to their cruise line and that’s the real win-win!
If you’re picky about cabin location, understand you usually cannot choose the location of your upgrade stateroom or suite and if you’re excited about the upgrade for the increased perks, you need to know that most cruise lines don’t offer those perks with a free or discounted upgrade from a standard class cabins. So be sure you understand everything that offer includes.
There is also a new twist that’s been added to cruise stateroom upgrading. Usually shortly before your sailing you may get an offer to bid on an upgrade. Like any auction you’ll be bidding against other passengers so keep that in mind when making an offer. From the cruise’s point of view, if the ship has unbooked cabins that’s time-sensitive inventory that will have no value when the ship sails. This offer simply gives them an opportunity to get paid something for upgrading your booking that represents no actual cost to them. When thinking about bidding keep in mind that all of the same cautions still apply.Just like all transactions, in upgrading the caution “buyer be ware” is good advice.
Planning A Cruise? Start With The Intentional Travelers Port Guides
Every tourist with a camera or cellphone can’t walk by without “shooting the bull”. Same with us on a visit to, Estonia’s Tallinn, except in our case it was raining and in haste we thought it was a pig.
It’s actually called The Black Angus by Tauno Kangro, and it’s a bronze sculpture that’s been sitting on a bench outside the Goodwin Steak Restaurant on Viru Street in Tallinn since 2011. The sculpture’s website is HERE.
When you have a limited number of days to visit a country you just keep going, even when the weather turns foul. Such was the case when we traveled to Blarney Castle. Not so much cold but a persistent on and off drizzle. I’m still not sure what brought us to pick Blarney over a dozen other famous Irish castles but I think it was the name recognition more than anything. The bonus in picking Blarney was also going to kiss the Blarney Stone but I was told that the last thing I needed was to increase my “gift of gab”.
Admission to Blarney Castle requires purchasing tickets, with prices around US$27.00 for adults and discounts for students, seniors, and families, covering entry to the castle and gardens, and no extra fee for kissing the famous Blarney Stone, though tipping the attendant who assists you is customary. Booking online in advance is often recommended, and prices/hours vary seasonally. Buy tickets at the Blarney Castle website HERE.
Blarney Castle is a medieval stronghold in the town of Blarney, near Cork, Ireland. The keep was built by the MacCarthy of Muskerry dynasty in 1446. The castle is now a partial ruin with some accessible rooms and battlements. At the top of the castle lies the Stone of Eloquence, better known as the Blarney Stone.
The entrance to the property is well laid out and there is a nice stream flowing through the estate. The gardens surrounding the property are worth a visit provided the weather is accommodating and there are also a number of out buildings and exhibits.
The grand hall
The castle itself stands about ninety feet tall with the interior mostly gutted. Upon entering the castle you find yourself standing in the cellar and looking up through the grand hall with its floor completely missing. You can see the stone supports that used to hold the floor just below the halls fireplace and what remains of the two story vaulted ceiling above that
Getting to the top of the castle where the Stone of Eloquence is located is a climb up a narrow stone spiral staircase with only enough room for one person at a time to ascend. Before you start your climb they stress that it is a one-way climb (descent is by another narrow staircase) and once you start you cannot back down, so make sure you are up to the climb.
The castle top
As we ascended there were a number of small chambers off the stairs as well as defensive slits for fighting off attackers. Once we reached the top there was a pretty steady rain falling but people were still laying on their backs to stick their faces out to kiss the stone. By that time I wasn’t keen on going through with kissing the stone and had concerns that I didn’t have enough sanitizer with me considering the number of people that preceded us.
Once back down and wet we headed off to find a pub and an Irish Coffee. In the center of the town we found the Muskerry Arms – cozy, friendly and makers of great Irish Coffees.
Besides the castle the village of Blarney was home to the Blarney Woollen Mills built in 1823. In its day it was known for spinning and weaving wool. The mill closed in 1973 after which it was re-opened as an Irish heritage shop.
Planning A Cruise? Start With The Intentional Travelers Port Guides
U.S. Airlines Baggage Fees on Domestic Flights
U.S. & International Airlines Baggage Fees on Most International Flights
The Intentional Travelers 