Achievable…But Unbelievable!

Happy New Year! If you're starting the new year off by setting a variety of goals and you're a Close To My Heart Consultant, then let me tell you this: One of your goals MUST be to strive to earn the 2013 Close To My Heart incentive trip to the beautiful Caribbean! Not only is this trip jam-packed with unbelievable destinations, it's also incredibly achievable. I can't recall any program in recent memory that we've offered that is so achievable. With a little planning and consistent effort, you and a loved one CAN be a part of this paradise, even if you've never considered yourself a "cruise earner." I invite you to check out the points and requirements and prove for yourself how very possible earning this trip can be for you.

And if you need a little additional motivation, here's a guest blog post from Monica Wihongi, our Vice President of Training, Events, and Consultant Services. Last month, she did a site inspection (ah, the drudgery of her job!) on the very Celebrity ship we'll be sailing on from Puerto Rico in the spring of 2013. Enjoy!

Hi! Monica here, recently returned from the ever-beautiful Caribbean. Even if you've sailed with Close To My Heart before to the Caribbean, we're visiting several ports for the first time—such as St. Croix, St. Kitts, Dominica and Grenada—and sailing with Celebrity cruise lines, which will be a fun and different experience. The ship is being completely updated prior to our sailing, so the best will be even better! Still, I included some shots of the ship so you can see the grand swimming pool deck, expansive dining room (and buffets!), complete with baked Alaskas at every table! That treat was really a highlight for me and my little traveling partner, Maya.

In St. Kitts, Maya and I took a catamaran ride to a private snorkeling spot where we got to see all kinds of beautiful marine life. Stunning! 

I LOVED Dominica (pronounced Dom-in-EEK-uh), which was a lush, dense rainforest. If you're a hiker or outdoor enthusiast, you'll find a ton of adventures waiting for you here. I highly recommend taking an aerial tram to see the best views of the waterfalls and jungle canopy. Check out my photos—isn't this island the place of dreams?

St. Croix is a one of the US Virgin Islands, and it surprised me with its vibrant culture and rich history. It's clean, lovely, and ideally suited to a day at the beach or an insightful city tour. 

Grenada is also well known for its lovely beaches, but locals refer to it as "little San Francisco" because of the steep hilly streets. Such an interesting place to spend a day; we went to an 1800s fort (and still managed to sneak in some quality beach time!)

And then, although we've visited it before, I have to mention St. Thomas, also in the USVI. I absolutely love this place and like to dream of owning a beach house on nearby St. John. Did you know that St. John is five miles long, five miles wide, and is home to 5,000 inhabitants? Most of the island is national forest land, so it's not overly developed nor overly commercialized. If you sailed with us on the Epic, you may have taken the excursion to Trunk Bay, one of the most famous, pristine, white-sand beaches in the world. I couldn't resist the allure—didn't even try!--and we spent the afternoon enjoying paradise.

And finally, I wanted to include a sunset I shot from the trip. Gorgeous! Although the sun may have set on this past cruise, I'm excited to take the trip again in 2013 with many, many, many of you! Make your plans, set your sights, and believe in the dream right now and we'll see you there!