Plus, Where To Stay & Eat In Miami’s South Beach, This Week’s Best Finds On Rail Holidays, MSC Cruises & More!
For over 20 years, personal development and motivational speaker and author Marc Accetta has traveled to more than 30 countries on six different continents training over 1 Million salespeople. He holds the highest frequent flyer status there is, and the secrets to traveling better – which he shares with you.
Eden Roc (now including Nobu Hotel) or Fontainebleau? The rivalry between these icons – two of the most historically and architecturally significant hotels on Miami Beach – has raged on the oceanfront of Millionaire’s Row since 1955. Further down on South Beach, escalating prices and crowds have made it tough to know where to stay and where to eat without getting fleeced. Mike & James offer first-hand reviews and advice to settle the choices. Plus, Jessica the Deal Guru comes up with the steals on Amtrak Rail Holidays, MSC Cruises, and more!
Transcript
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Hello, I’m Mike Putman.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
And I’m James Ferrara. And Mike, we’re going to talk about a lot today, we’re gonna give up some secrets on Miami. Maybe get a lawsuit or two from one of the hosts. But we also have a very special guest today.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yes, we do. I’d like to welcome our podcast listeners to Mr. Marc Accetta. Marc is a notable global motivational speaker and world traveler, and a good friend. So welcome to the show, Marc.
Marc Accetta
Well, thanks, Mike. Appreciate you having me on.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yeah. And where are you today?
Marc Accetta
I’m actually at home which is a rarity. I live in Dallas, so I’m just running around doing errands here and get old Dallas.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Good. So for our listeners about what percentage of the time or how many days do you spend on the road per year?
Marc Accetta
Well, at the height of my traveling, I was probably only home about 70 or 80 days a year. It was kind of crazy, you know, traveling to all six major continents. Now I’m probably on the road at least 125 days a year, something like that.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
So a little pullback in your older age, I guess.
Marc Accetta
Yeah. Just a little bit. Yeah.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Good. So do you have any kind of idea of how many miles you have traveled over your lifetime?
Marc Accetta
Oh, absolutely. Just on American Airlines alone. I’ve done over 5 million miles that’s documented actual miles flown. So with everyone else thrown in, I’d say it’s a good 6 million
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Wow. And I remember the George Clooney movie. What was the name of that? Yeah, and he was celebrated for traveling his second or third million miles if I remember right.
Marc Accetta
Now actually, Mike, I’m pretty hard on it. It was five so like when I hit my 5 million I was ready for something to happen and I mean, I got a couple of extra upgrades but other than that there was no George Clooney treatment for me when I hit the 5 million miles
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
so they didn’t come over the intercom and and congratulate you
Marc Accetta
know, intercom pilot didn’t talk to me No, no cheerleaders nothing.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
And have they done it on any of your other milestones?
Marc Accetta
No, I mean, now that it was they every million miles on American they give you a couple of free upgrades I know you know that anytime VIP upgrades and they just did the same thing they do for the typical million miles I know that 2 million miles I think they give you lifetime executive platinum but I’ve been fortunate to move up the contours key with all I do with them so which is their highest level over the last couple of years so that’s it really is that’s remarkable that’s that’s been the white glove service I’d never received from an airline before so enjoying that status a lot.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
And James is working on that for for himself and me hopefully to get us get us there through some industry contacts, but we haven’t been able to pull it off yet. Although I’m a very loyal American Flyer, I’ve been executive platinum for 11 years I guess 12 years something like that but haven’t made concierge key yet.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Yeah, I’m Executive platinum out of a gift from the airline I don’t really qualify for in terms of mileage but we do a lot of business with them. Concierge key would be amazing. So my hat’s off to you. I’ll probably get it for me I don’t know about my
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
will be ending this podcast if you get it not by yourself. So a little bit about Marc to his background. So Marc, as I said, Does its motivational speakers that the right way to title you. I mean, that’s the way I title you but
Marc Accetta
yeah, I think that’s a good overall fit. Yeah, I do a lot of obvious leadership, business training. Personal Development is probably the best way to categorize it. But motivational will work I’ll take any of the above.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Okay. And he does this all over the world with generally one to what three day type meetings? And then a few seven day meetings too, as well, right?
Marc Accetta
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, we do. We, you know, the programs. Well, my friend, I know, we worked together for a long time. So yeah, that’s, that’s pretty much to do we have one day, three day and six day actually.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Okay. And just to give our audience a little bit of understanding, what kind of size audiences do you have, typically, and I know, it ranges, but what are kind of some of the Yeah, I mean,
Marc Accetta
you know, for I would say, over my career, the average is to 3000. It I do as small as a couple of 100, but as large as 25,000. So I would say, a very reasonable average would be about 3000.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
I don’t know some of those bigger ones were that you did were were ones that I helped you with, so I can appreciate why you got bigger numbers there.
Marc Accetta
Yeah, I mean, whatever. You’re a featured speaker address.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Right? That’s arena size, right? I mean, you have to be in a big arena
Marc Accetta
for that. We were in big arenas. Most of the time, like, you know, the Toyota place in Houston, the American Airlines in Miami. And the biggest one we ever did was actually in Cowboys Stadium. Not not the you know, the senator there, but the actual football stadium, we tipped over about 25, maybe up to 30,000 seats in there. So that was a lot of fun.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yeah, that was a big, big audience. So share some of your adventures Marc, as you’ve you know, you’ve traveled the world. I know, you’ve seen and done a lot of things, and what are some of the most important travel memories that you have?
Marc Accetta
Well, I’ll tell you a couple of things. First of all, I grew up in New Jersey, and everyone in New Jersey, New York always said, Oh, my God, don’t go to Paris, those people are so rude, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So it was about 40 years, 45 years for I got to Paris, which is my favorite place in the whole world. And what I found that about the people in Paris is they’re not rude, they just if you don’t speak English, they won’t try to speak English as though Americans are so egocentric and think everyone in the world should do things the way we do it. So it’s, and the most ironic thing is, I don’t know how much time you guys spent in New Jersey. But, you know, I think you’d grown up there. Maybe some of the rudest people on Earth are in New Jersey, that they gave me that advice. I’m a huge parents fan. Actually, my daughter went to school in the south of France. So and we’ve done events all over France. So I’m a big fan of France, Italy, really all of Europe. I mean, just I think I’ve gone to about 75% of the countries in Europe and just, you know, a huge fan of that. You know, seeing professional sporting events all over the world. I’ve done that in Asia, South America, going to a football game down there is incredible. rial Madrid, like you know, live sporting events is something I love to do. I always eat local food. That’s another thing when I see any sort of an American chain or fast food somewhere I like run the other direction as fast as I can. And, you know, it’s just so cool to hook up with some local people and find out what they eat. Yeah, I remember eating a durian fruit in Singapore. And you when you check into an airport in Asia, you guys may have noticed this. It says the typical, you know, they have to block or sign through like no guns, no knives. No, no. And then it says, No durian, because the smell of this fruit is so foul. But if you actually can get past that in you eat it, it actually tastes good. But it’s, it’s a very odd thing. You know, I mean, to my knowledge, there’s only a couple of countries and he can get that through. So that’s the stuff I love the most is just having really unique experiences and doing it you know, the way a person who lives there would
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yeah, I’ve been lucky or unlucky enough to have eaten durian with our mutual friend, Monica Perez. And there’s, there’s actually the the most popular video that I’m part of on YouTube is me eating durian so you can listeners you can if you’re bored, you can. You can go to YouTube and put in Mike Patton and durian and you’ll, you’ll see what it’s like but it is it is foul smelling. And the texture probably is worse than the smell.
Marc Accetta
But it is It’s really
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
delicious.
Marc Accetta
I gotta tell you, my wife. My favorite video online, is when we’re on another Asian trip with James Lee. We got a salmon cheek, which was a delicacy. And with the salmon cheek, of course, comes the actual eyeballs. So that’s a big thing. Whoever gets the eyeballs. So he asked if I won. I’m like, now I’m good. Monaco’s, like, I’ll eat it. So he did. And that was the very first video I ever took on my very first iPhone, and you really want to Google, my boy, our boy Monaco trying not to vomit after he ate. This is one of the funniest thing maybe ever put on GPU boots pretty good. Good.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Well, look, we espouse new experiences, and, and trying something different. So that sounds like our kind of story.
Marc Accetta
Yeah, no doubt,
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
some more what I mean, what is your typical travel experience? When you do one of these trainings? I mean, you’re going to Australia, you’re going to Asia, you’re going to, you know, Europe, wherever? I mean, what’s your, what’s your travel experience? Like?
Marc Accetta
Well, I mean, Mike, it’s, it’s my favorite part of it, you know, a lot of people would say, oh, my gosh, you’re on the road again, oh, poor guy, you’re never home. And I’m like, a lot of times, I’d hit the road for three weeks, then, you know, maybe start off in Europe, and then go to Asia, and then onto Australia, and then come back. And I mean, it just truthfully, like being in these places, with Instagram, now, everyone can see vivid pictures and videos of these places, but to actually be there and like it to be all these places that we see so much more commonly now, or at least it and more commonly than, than ever before. It just it’s just too much. I mean, seeing an opera at the Sydney Opera House. And, you know, just again, one of my favorite things to do is just walk around the waterfront area down there and just chill out, relax. It just, it’s so different than anywhere else in the world. You know, I mean, and that’s Cape Town, South Africa. My wife is from South Africa, I spent a lot of time there. I mean, I’ve never seen anything in people remotely close to Cape Town. It’s almost like a combination of being in San Diego with the rocky mountains surrounding you. And it just, again, like some of the restaurants and hotels there have the most breathtaking views I’ve ever seen in my life and sunsets in Santorini. Like, again, these are just like, I just encourage anyone who’s never done these iconic things, like at least once in your lifetime, or more just the feeling of experiencing in person is just overwhelmingly incredible.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yeah, it’s certainly something you cannot replicate by watching a video or, or even virtual reality. Yeah, no. Application. Yeah, yep. Cool. So Marc, when you’re spent a lot of time in the air, of course. Are there certain things like yeah, I’ve got certain things I take on every flight with me? Are there certain things that you just have to have on each flight?
Marc Accetta
Yeah, no doubt, I always have my Bose headsets, no matter what. And I keep my air pods which I kind of get on the plane with my phone, do whatever I’m doing last minute work. Then I put those away and throw in the Bose headsets and I download my MacBook. I’m sorry, not my MacBook but my iPad Pro is one of the things that can’t travel without that which connects of course of headphones and I’m big on downloading. That’s where I get that some fun. I’m in front of people all the time when I’m on an airplane. I don’t want to think I don’t want to talk I just want to get one of those nice little pod seats and that’s where I do my binge watching you know, my latest delicacy was blowing through Yellowstone all four seasons on about three or four different international flights I could just blow through them so the those two things are my absolute 100% Go to I carry you know I always have stuff in my bag in case you know I get a headache or something like that. It’s not that just different. You know, aspirin or I can pick the name of the thing I used it little not signage app, whatever it is, but I’ve always got that with me. I always bring I usually travel in a T shirt or a light shirt and then I’ll bring in my bag I’ll stuff in some kind of sweatshirt because as you guys know that cabin temperature can Very, rather dramatically, especially on you know, from us to Australia and it’s 60 hour flight you may be freezing for two hours and then making for a little while so, you know, having that extra layer of something is always been very beneficial to me. And I usually travel with like eye drops as well in case my eyes get dropped or dry dry during the trip or think those are the main things that I make sure I’ve got with me at all times.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Cool. Do you have any do you have like a specific suitcase? I mean, like for me, I have one suitcase that I keep kind of halfway pack because I don’t know when when I might be heading out the door. And that is my go to suitcase Do you have a suitcase you keep like that and is a specific brand or anything?
Marc Accetta
Yeah, I to me, their Mac Daddy one. It’s the soft casing but it’s like a hard case. But they have the they have the metal one. I had the metal one for about a week and had to give it back and wait, what it just wait too much. Senator natural light.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yes, same for me. I mean, I’ve got I actually broke away from Utsumi and ordered one of these hardcase it was plastic. And I actually used it on this trip to Miami this week, one time and I just took it back to ups to drop off to send it back because it just it doesn’t work for me. And even though the the the Timmy is called an alpha two, I think is what you’re talking about the typical black one, that it has some flexibility in it. So you can you know, if you go somewhere and you see something you just have to have or you buy some more clothes. You know, it’s always nice to be able to kind of make that thing expand a little bit. And,
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
look, you’ve got three probably have the most frequent travelers right here. And I agree, I need a soft sided case to give me a little expansion room, but I am waiting for the ones that you can sit on and they have a little motor in them and you can drive them through the airport. I keep seeing commercial but I haven’t actually seen one yet.
Marc Accetta
Yeah, no, those look pretty cool.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yeah, is actually on my flight back on Sunday, I saw a kid and the mother was pulling them on one of those suitcases same concept. And they’re just getting off the plane and the kids. She’s pulling the kid and the thing flips over and he hits his head on one of the the railings that keep people separated while they’re in line for for the flight. So change. I don’t know if that’d be a good idea for you or not. But
Marc Accetta
I could see you on race. We could go on.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yeah, that would be fun. That would be cool. But
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
I want to travel like they did in the 1920s I want big Louis Vuitton trunks, and a Sherpa to carry them for me. That’s the way it should be done.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
But I have traveled with both of you. I’ve traveled both you guys extensively and you guys are talking about your roller boards. But you both carry, you know, jumbo check bags, you know with crazy amounts. Yeah. I would never do. But
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
shoes and suits and sport jackets and more shoes. I mean, I can’t get away with a rolling bag.
Marc Accetta
Yeah, that’s funny. Remember when we flew on EasyJet? Mike, I’d never flown on Easyjet and you had your carry on. And I had a check bag and you were nice enough to pick up our tickets. And then I had to check my bag and the bag cost more than the ticket
Marc Accetta
I still have a photo of you drinking wine at one of those little wine bottles with a straw. That’s, that’s actually every time you call me. That’s the picture that comes up to me.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
That was years ago. We’re coming back from the south of France if I remember, right.
Marc Accetta
Yeah, that’s right. We’re Chateau rubine.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Love that. You got to show that photo with me, please.
Marc Accetta
Oh, there’s many photos I have of Mike that I’d love to share with the work, actually.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Well, we’ll skip over that subject here for the moment but So Marc, what’s your next trip? Where are you going next?
Marc Accetta
Actually, I’ve got I leave tomorrow for Vegas and then fly on to Orlando. I have two brand new clients. I’m going back to back and then after that I’m headed to Athens for a big event in November so I’m excited about love Greece. One of my faves.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Me too great. Eat food. Great food in Athens. Oh good, we’re good. And who’s your favorite football team this week? College football team.
Marc Accetta
Oh, you’re so funny. I Unlike you, I never switch. I’m an Alabama fan. My daughter went there. I paid $45,000 a year for the right of being an Alabama football fan. And I’m proud of it. It’s interesting when Clemson is good year from that Carolina when a good year back in North Carolina.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Marc never called for Alabama until they won a national championship.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
I liked this guest.
Marc Accetta
Daughter I didn’t. I wasn’t not a college football fan at all. And then I got into it. And I’m telling you I paid for the right how much tuition money did you pay for Clemson? Which is an undergrad in North Carolina? That’s the answer the question.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
I’m not a Clemson supporter. I’m a Georgia supporter. And yeah, who happens to be number one
Marc Accetta
in Florida when they’re in the ironic thing is you’re not unless they’re in the championship game, then all of a sudden you are so
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Alright guys, let’s bring this back to travel show.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Well, good. Any other travel hacks you have Marc, anything you do when you go check into a hotel. And by the way, James explained a couple of weeks ago that when he checks into the hotel, the first thing he does is ask the concierge to send fresh flowers up to the room for which he pays for two by the way, which, which was really interesting. But anything you do when you check into a hotel room that might be a tip or a hat for our listeners?
Marc Accetta
A great question, I usually unpack my bag right away and plug all the plugs in travel, you know, with adapters again, with all the international travel, got to have the adapters that convert because otherwise you’re gonna be stuck at the mercy of the hotel or you’re not gonna be able to plug in so you know, virtually every airport has got the good the ones where you can convert to virtually anything you have. That’s that’s a good thing to check before you’re going to a country to do this. See what kind of chargers they use. I would say that’s my main deal. And I do use the contours. I’ll tell you though, for years, I didn’t use the golf gears. And there’s times now where I’ll pick a specific hotel one over the other. They’re about the same based upon how engaged the concierge are because I found some of the very best restaurants you know, gotten great tickets to shows that the 11th minute and plays like Broadway in London, strictly because of that one time I got into in Tokyo. It was Jeff off our friend Jeff’s birthday and I wanted to bring him to the Giro love sushi place I’m sure you’ve heard of that’s a three star Michelin first three star Michelin sushi restaurant in the world couldn’t get in there, even through the concierge at the Oh core hotel. But they got us into a place called our gawa. So once they booked it, I did some Googling and at the time, it was the most expensive restaurant in the world according to Forbes, and to this day, like of all the steak houses in Dallas, which there’s so many all the best steak houses. Nothing is even 20% is good is Argo is frickin unbelievable, would have never had without the concierge.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
And what was that tab if I might ask?
Marc Accetta
It was expensive. It was for the four of us. So it was about I guess about $4,500 Something like that. The stakes were the stakes were 800 Each, I remember that. Wow. Wow. I’m telling you though, we brought Monaco back there, brother, it’s worth every penny. I know it sounds grossly overpriced. I everyone who loves they should do that once in their life.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Well, you have it for Marc,
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
I agree with you Marc, use the concierge something we say here all the time. But of course guys, you know, even though the country is happy to just provide service, it is customary to take care of the concierge a little bit when they do something good for you like find your good. Oh, right. And then you’ll find them very eager to take care of you again.
Marc Accetta
Yeah, no, and that’s that’s great that you say that because it is unbelievable how many travelers wouldn’t think to do and I guess, you know, I know myself when I was younger and didn’t know. I just didn’t know any better. But once you would you just give them it doesn’t have to be a gigantic tip just showing some appreciation. They really do double down like you said on anything else you need the rest of your day or even Remember you with future stays awesome.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yep. Very good tip to tip as a very good tip. Yes. Well, Marc, thanks so much. I mean, you’ve been very gracious with your time with us here on the tours too loud. And we I’m sure our listeners have appreciated. You know, some of your tips and your stories. And you know, we’d love to have you back on on a future podcast.
Marc Accetta
Yeah, I would love it. I think what we need to do if I may be so bold is to bring Monaco Perez, I mean, he he’s probably about 2 million lifetime miles, maybe three. So I think you know, if you know if you guys are up for that, that would be a very entertaining show.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yeah, one of the funniest people on the planet. That guy, so. But thanks again, Marc, for spending the time with us. We really appreciate it and look forward to catching up with you in person soon.
Marc Accetta
All right, I look forward to Thanks for having me on guys. It was a blast.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Thank you, Marc.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
We’re very happy to have Jessica deverson. With us again this week. Hello there, Jessica.
Jessica Deverson
Hello there, guys. How are you?
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
And Jessica, of course, is the deal Guru here at no tourists allowed. She does us the service every week of calling through all of the deals that come across her desk just as a travel marketing expert, and sort of curating for us the best of the best each week. So Jessica, what did you bring for us this week?
Jessica Deverson
Yeah, so I have three great deals for you. So we’ll start with Southwest vacations. And that’s obviously Southwest is probably a familiar airline for everyone. But southwest vacations is a is a great vacation company that incorporates southwest Arif. And so right now they’re doing an early bird savings event. So if you plan ahead, you can save up to $200 on your vacation when you book, flights and a hotel package. And you can book that anytime between now and mid November. You can travel anytime between now and April of next year. And, you know, the destinations are the usual favorites, US cities, Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and so on. So, but for that offer, you’ll need a promo code. And so you definitely have to contact your Travel Advisor to book that early bird savings with Southwest vacations.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Hey, Jessica, you know, when I lived out west, southwest, of course, was very important. The cost of airfare, as everyone knows on Southwest can be very discounted. So the vacation package when it comes together, you know usually represents a really great value. And one of the secrets living in Southern California was that Southwest vacations was where you went to book your ski packages, your ski travel. So that’s something everyone ought to look into. Now, of course, Southwest is strong elsewhere, not just out west. So if you live in a market, where Southwest Airlines is a big player, and you’re a skier, I suggest you look into those ski packages.
Jessica Deverson
Yeah, definitely. Now’s the time to book that. Next up, we have another you know, popular name. That’d be Amtrak but we’re talking Amtrak vacations, which includes obviously Amtrak rail, and they’re having a pre Black Friday sale. So earlier and earlier every year, we’re in October and talking cre Black Friday, but it’s great for you guys. It’s great for the deals. So Amtrak vacations is your one stop shop for trips that include the rail, but then also hotel sightseeing tours, meals, car rentals, and more. And when you book on an Amtrak train, it’s so much more than just getting to your destination just hopping on a flight or something like that. You get to stretch out relax and just watch the scenery go by. So it’s a really great way to travel on on rail. So with the pre Black Friday sale right now you’ll save $300 per couple if you booked three to six Night vacation packages 400 If you book seven to nine night rail, and that real packages and then $500 You’ll save for 10 nights or longer real vacation packages. And then solo travelers can also save to solo travelers will save anywhere from $150 to $250 per person. Obviously depending on the length of the trip. And to receive the software you’ll need to book through your Travel Advisor they actually have to contact Amtrak vacations. And this offer is available until November 22 of this year and tons of destinations to choose from here. So you will have national parks including Yosemite, Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon Zion You could do New England fall foliage, cross country rail trips, there’s one called the California Zephyr and that’s named by many as one of the most beautiful train trips in all of North America. And that goes from Chicago to San Fran. And then you know, just regional regional options as well. So the Northeast Midwest Pacific Northwest and more. I actually took a up the coast one time I did all the way from I think it was LA or San Diego I forget in California and I did a two week solo trip up the coast of California through Oregon and why am I blanking on the other state? Yeah.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Well, you know, Jessica, I think that this is very cool. We don’t often talk about real vacations and Amtrak vacations as part of a family of brands that includes Yankee holidays and rail Booker’s. And so through those other brands, you even get into Canada and, and the UK, and Europe. And some real specialty trains like, as you mentioned, through the Rockies, through the Canadian Rockies, beautiful national parks in Canada, but that you could fly to all of these play between all of these places. This is a choice you make for a certain experience and a certain style of holidays as you say very relaxed and you hang out in the lounge car or the bar car or whatever. And you know the the sort of what do you call it street wisdom? Is that trains put you in a certain kind of mood
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
sleepy mood
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
well maybe for you Mike but yes, trains make you a little romantic right what else you got just
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
let’s move that right along.
Jessica Deverson
All right, so last but not least, we have MSC Cruises, so MSC just named their very next ship which is the MSC world America. MSC world America will actually call and it’s named such because she’ll call the United States home when she debuts in 2025. As that ship will be dedicated to cruising the Caribbean and her sister ship the innovative MSC world’s Europa. Beautiful looking ship launches this December actually. And then in other news MSC was recently nominated for the travel weekly Readers Choice Awards for Best cruise line Europe and best private island and their island is ocean que MSC marine reserves in the Bahamas. And if you haven’t heard of it, it’s a beautiful destination with crystal blue waters and over two miles of beachfront and ocean que that marine reserve is founded on a commitment to ecological principles. You know that it shapes everything from how they build their venues to how they run the island to the kinds of activities they feature so really cool private island if you haven’t had the chance to check it out yet and now they’re up for an award and right now MSC has a really great offer really, really good offer. So whether you’re looking to take a quick getaway a couple of days are a really long cruise you can set sail with actually free balcony upgrades plus up to $500 onboard credit and on top of that kids sail free so really great deal right now.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
That’s a killer deal. And to get a balcony upgrade alone that would be a fantastic deal but also to get onboard credit and have your young endoscope free to that’s a heck of a deal.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Are you going to buy that to Mike I mean every time we have a guest or an offer Mike’s out there buying it
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
yeah MSC private island and you know James we just got back from and Jessica to we just got back from the carnivals private island a couple of months ago. And beautiful. Yeah, I was gonna say and if there’s something better than that, I need to go check it out.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
That was halfmoon key and we were all kind of stunned. Yeah. How beautiful was you know, MSC is the largest shipping company in the world. Because in addition to the cruise line we’re talking about. They have a very big cruise business in Europe. And they have a shipping business on top so the family that owns MSC really controls the largest shipping company in the world, even though the brand is still getting known here in the US and a number of years ago when they announced they were going to be rolling out seven or eight new chips and they were going to be spending billions and billions of dollars on all this hardware. I was a little skeptical. You know, because I mean sounds like a great plan. little difficult to pull it off. Well
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
to go from a shipping company to a passenger cruise. SLon you know, the only thing in common is you’re on the water.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
They but they have been sort of stunning the industry with these ships, their role seascape, and they’re rolling out these beautiful, innovative, you know, Italian design looking ships. And it’s really quite something so and just because talking about the latest one and still want to come, they really did pay off on that promise they made a number of years ago.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yeah, I’d have to say it’s one of my favorite, if not my favorite mass market cruise cruise lines. And, you know, they do it, they do a really good job, lots of very good service, very good food quality. And for our listeners, if you’re riding down the road, and you see a container truck that says MSC on the side, and I think their colors are typically kind of like a muted yellow. That’s the same company. That’s the shipping company, you’ll see these containers all over the world. And for
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
a really discounted price. You can stay in one of them. No, listen, we were all together recently one of the most popular destinations in the country in the world, maybe. And that’s in Miami, Florida. Jessica and I attended event of followed by another event that Mike and I put together. So I was down there for a week. And we had some really memorable experiences. We started out at the new Nobu Hotel, which is within the famous the legendary Eden Rock Hotel and you probably know the hotel next door to the Eden Rock The Fountain Blue. Back in the 50s and 60s, these were the places to stay. And both of them have had nine lives you know, renovated and rebirth and re launched. And, and it’s happened again, the Fountain Blue looks spectacular. I did sneak over there just the last morning for breakfast and to have a peek around. And I must say it is a world class property. The Eden rock, which contains Nobu is more of a mixed story, isn’t it? Jessica? I was hosted there. So I was given a rockstar suite called the Zen suite in the Eden rock tower, the original tower designed by Morris Lapidus and a landmark but the whole interior has been redone in the style of sort of Japanese spa with the Nobu brand you have a separate check in and my room was spectacular. My bathroom was the size of a typical sleeping rooms typical bedroom in a normal hotel, so I’m not going to complain about that at all. I had a TV that kind of comes up out of the cabinet when you press a button so I sat there and I made it go up and down and up and down. Having a good time. And a wraparound terrace really beautiful. But the rest of the hotel onto a new tower that’s not the original tower is under the Eden Brock Eden rock brand still and I think we thought it It needs a renovation we thought that part of the hotel needs an upgrade and an update Wouldn’t you say Jessica?
Jessica Deverson
Ah yes I would. Because my room with you know, no windows and no wraparound porch and no hidden TV was not quite up to your to your room standard. I will say the service really great. The all the staff and employees were really lovely really helpful. So kind. So yeah.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
They told me that the elevators which you know, our brass and steel and they they’re, they’re the original elevators from the hotel. They told me they’re landmarked. So they’re not allowed to upgrade them and change them. And maybe that was true of your room, too.
Jessica Deverson
So you’re saying I stayed in a landmark room now I feel special and honored.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
I had some criticisms criticisms of the service I marketed on five as a five star hotel. I didn’t feel the service rose to that level at all. It’s very limited in terms of food venues. And the ones that are there are incredibly expensive. So fair warning, the Nobu Restaurant we ate one night is spectacular. I mean, you’ll never get better sushi in the United States. It’s really special. There are several of them around the world, Las Vegas, New York the original of course, but it but it is very dear. I mean it is very expensive. And I felt the other venue on the property. Also very expensive but not was Nobu brand
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
was that the Panda Express the other restaurant.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
It’s an ocean, you know, very lovely indoor outdoor Ocean Side space overlooking the spectacular Beach, that part of Miami Beach is really beautiful. So because these hotels were built 100 years ago were most there, they have the best possible locations. So the restaurant was beautiful, but very much like a South Beach con sort of attitude where the bottles of water costs like what you think a steak should cost. And I thought the practices were a bit predatory and so on for for normal customers. I thought it was really out of line. So I’m not a big fan, right love the feel of the Nobu side of the hotel, but overall, not a big fan. And when I compared it to the property next door, the famous Fountain Blue, which now is a brand by the way, the newest hotel in Las Vegas will open next year, a mega resort called the Fontainebleau so they’ve turned it into a brand. And I thought that was far more impressive. And you can see the money that’s been put into that property. That property has had a complete facelift. You don’t recognize it as a property that was built 80 years ago. You it looks brand new and very impressive. Now we moved on from that Mike and I had other business. And since we weren’t being hosted, we looked for a real value in South Beach, which can be hard to do. I don’t want to leave the rest of the story to Mike.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yeah, so we I wasn’t part of that first part of the trip, unfortunately. But we did have a an off site meeting in South Beach. And so I was looking for a place in South Beach that was you know, maybe a little bit outside of the action, but not too far away. And but looking for a good value. So and of course good value and cheap are not the same thing. No one wants to stay in a cheap hotel. Right. But people want to stay in a hotel. That’s nice, but yet has a good value. And that is exactly how I would characterize the Kimpton Palomar itself beach. It’s on Alton Road, which it’s in Miami Beach, you’ve got the beach on the east side. And on the west side, you’ve got the bay, the bay. Yeah. And so this is a little bit closer to the bay side. And, but a beautiful property and Alton road kind of runs into Lincoln Road. And for those of you who’ve been to South Beach, probably know Lincoln Road is a very popular road that runs east to west and has like tons of shops and restaurants and bars. It’s a it’s a pedestrian mall. No. Yeah, yeah, it’s a good way but so very, very convenient to that. But I went there. As we were looking for hotels, I went to one of my travel club sites set up power, or my company powers. And we found this particular hotel which is normally $300 A night plus tax. i We ended up having it for $115 a night. So got a very good, very good price for an excellent hotel. It’s a modern hotel, a very small lobby that was connected to a great restaurant, that we had a couple of meals there and
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
called Morini, an Italian restaurant, which we loved. I mean, the food was really good and lots of outdoor space, right?
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yeah, it was great. And the rooms were modern, well appointed, very well appointed and spacious. Yeah, it was a great, great property. I would recommend it to anyone. And especially if you’re trying to get out of that. I mean, it’s great to be in the middle of all that stuff. But it in South Beach, it can get a little hectic. A little job.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
I mean, I would say first of all, we should clarify for everyone. There are no paid endorsements on this program. So this is us just being real with you about our travel experiences. We have no benefit to talk about a particular hotel, a good or bad The we receive no payment, no special anything. This is just us sharing with you. But, Mike, I was a little suspect when you came back to me with that rate. And I looked at where the hotel was, I thought, oh, gosh, you know, this is going to be a mike Putman production, and I’m going to wind up in some scary part of South Beach. And in fact, I was dead wrong. You’re right about the location. It is on one end of the Lincoln Road Mall, just not the busy and on South Beach, like by the Shore Club. It’s the other way. And yet, it’s, I mean, you walk out the door of the hotel, you’re at the Lincoln Road Mall. And so there’s plenty to do plenty of restaurants and all that. There’s also a part of Miami of South Beach that I had not visited before sunset Harbor, which is a couple of blocks away. So we in a memorable part of our stay, I decided we should take some of the complimentary bikes from the hotel. And we went on a bike ride, Mike, myself and our chief information officer from Intel travel, we went on a bike ride. It was a pretty short bike ride to a long boozy dinner. But but it was a bike ride. And we went over to we burn some calories. Yeah. We went over to this area, and it was really beautiful. shops, stores. Restaurants, we had a tapas dinner. But what I want to say about the hotel is it’s really designing right even from the outside look at the facade of the hotel. And they purposely went for a high style look to this hotel. And then once you get inside, all the furniture, the decor, it, it’s really good. It’s really thoughtful. It’s kind of artful because of this part of town that you’re in, they decided to go in that direction. There’s a rooftop pool and cabanas. I mean, it’s a surprising hotel, in a surprising part of town. It’s right on the canal that connects the bay to the ocean, actually, so little boats are going by, there are all these outdoor spaces and lounges where you could hang out. I’d say it was a find. And it was a find at the regular rate because even the regular rate is something quite a bit less than staying on Ocean Drive, or in the Art Deco district, which is what everyone thinks of when they think of South Beach. And yet, you could bike over there or even walk over there or take an Uber or whatever. But it’s a fraction of the cost then on top of it. Mike’s inventory and technology. And by the way, Intel travel uses some of the same so I found it Intel travel at the same rate that made it just a downright steal. Really, I’ve spent $500 a night for a basic room in South Beach. And even where I was at Nobu and a king room at Nobu for the extra night that I was going to add on was $500 a night. So for what 25% of that you could stay and have the kind of experience we had at this Kimpton Palomar. So then we went out to dinner quite a bit. Jessica, you got out to something interesting.
Jessica Deverson
Yeah, so while I was on, at the conference in Miami, we went to I was invited by Celebrity Cruises. To experience the South Beach Seafood Festival, which I’ve never done. I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of seafood, but I’m definitely a when in Rome kind of person. So I was there. I tried my best to try everything. Whether I liked it or not was a different story. But this Seafood Festival was really interesting. There was like 10 Seafood categories from Seville che to tacos to surf and turf to sushi, and so on and up to 10 categories. And every category they had two stellar chefs in that category from the area from South Florida. And each year you went to each booth and you tried everybody’s different special dish specialty dish, and then you got to vote based on what you liked in that category on all 10 categories. So needless to say there was a ton of food, a ton of wine, a ton of tequila, and it was right on the beach and it was a really great experience. Very fun. I I really recommend it. And it’s it was actually a Friday night before the festival started for the weekend. So it was kind of a VIP event that you can you can book ahead of the Seafood Festival weekend. So really fun experience.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
That was right on the beach off Ocean Drive, right, I saw the tents over
Jessica Deverson
girls and heels and everything.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Now I went out one night to one of my favorite places in Miami, which is called Juvia. And Juvia is a rooftop restaurant slash nightclub. And the food is Peruvian Asian fusion. So very Miami, getting into all these creative fusion cuisines. It’s full of beautiful people. And as the night goes on, it really turns into sort of a bumping nightclub up on the roof of what I think is a parking structure. But really splashy, top end, South Beach and that’s right on Lincoln Road Mall. And another night, I went to what I think is my favorite restaurant in Miami. And that’s my bizarre, and it is the famous chef, Jose Andres, you may see him he’s the one who when there is enough natural disaster in the world. Now, he and his team mobilize. And within 24 hours, they are at the site. They’re in that country where there’s an earthquake, they’re in Puerto Rico, feeding people after the hurricanes, they just He’s amazing. And his restaurants are also amazing. And my bazaar has two sides to the menu. One is traditional Spanish tapas, and the other is creative contemporary tapas. So for example, there is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the creative side. But it’s made with Fogra and all kinds of interesting ingredients very upscale, that the food will blow you away. It’s full of chemistry and magic and overflowing with smoke and beautiful presentations in a really beautiful room at the SLS hotel, on the beach at South Beach. So really fun. And Mike, we even got you out to eat. We had a tapas dinner one night, we had some Italian food.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yeah. And then we went to actually my favorite restaurant in the world. It’s not the best restaurant in the world, but it’s my favorite one. And that’s Joe’s stone crab, which is at the very southern part of South Beach. It’s on First Avenue, I believe, as a matter of fact, and legendary restaurant that’s been open for, I don’t know, 80 years or so. And just great service really good food. And when you go to a place and all the waiters are 50 years old, or plus, you know, it’s got to be it’s gotta have some good service. And the restaurant only opens about I think it’s eight months a year. So they just opened back up for the season on October 14. So we were we were in there pretty early, and had a wonderful meal and some nice wine and just a great evening.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Of course a restaurant called Joe’s stone crab is famous for stone crab claws. And they were pretty amazing. They come in like different sizes jumbo colossal. They’re they’re pretty pricey, like getting lobster I guess. But there’s only a few places where you can get the real thing and where it’s fresh. And we were very happy with the with Joe’s Stone crabs,
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
but it’s nowhere near the price of lobster is about triple of what what do you what do you think a good lobster meal might call so it would be about three times the amount so and I do like it much better than than lobster. To be honest. I think it’s much tastier. But the great experience.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Mike liked it so much. He brought some crab claws back to his hotel, mini fridge.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
James as typical over ordered, I told him to stop ordering stuff and he just kept going and so I went home with about $150 worth of stone crabs.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Am I okay, well so that’s a little bit of Miami please take away from this that sometimes when you go to a destination and there’s a sort of crowded version, look for the other versions, right look for the neighborhoods you have explored yet, look for sort of alternative places to stay, and you might find an incredible alternative way to experience the destination. That’s what I feel about the way we visited Miami.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
Yeah, it was great, fantastic, fantastic experience. I do want to remind our listeners, we do have a contest with the trip to Florida as a matter of fact. So if you go on to our site, no tourist allowed. And you scroll down to the bottom, you will see a section where you can enter our prize giveaway. And we’re giving away three nights at a Universal Resort in Orlando, Florida. So there’s lots of ways to increase your chances of winning, like sharing, no tourist allowed with your friends, subscribing to the podcast and also answering our mystery Question of the Week, which James is getting ready to tell you about. James, what is our mystery Question of the week?
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Our mystery Question of the week is what is the name of the hotel within the hotel at the famous Eden rock in Miami Beach.
Mike Putman, Custom Travel Solutions
All right hotel within a hotel at the Eden rock in Miami Beach. So we just spoke to James spoke about that just a few minutes earlier. So hopefully you guys are listening. And if you’ll go to no tourists allowed.com Scroll down to the bottom where the giveaway section is and enter your correct answer along with your email address. You’ll get fathered into additional entries into the contest. So do that to increase your odds. And we’d like to thank you very much for listening in today. And please tell your friends about our podcast if you like it and if you don’t like it. Don’t tell anyone.
James Ferrara, InteleTravel
Thanks everybody.
