People who are accustomed to island living know how to enjoy the laid-back lifestyle, so it’s not surprising that the Montagne family of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, enjoyed their most recent 14-day vacation to the island of St. Martin.

Robert and Carolyn traveled with their family to Philipsburg on the Dutch side of the island.

“We chose St. Martin because we had stopped there previously on a cruise and knew we wanted to go back. The food was good and it has beautiful scenery,” said Carolyn Montagne. “It is a very relaxing place to go, with beautiful water. I recommend anyone to take a trip out there.”

As new members of The Vacation Station, their trip to St. Martin was their first booking.

“Everything, all of the scheduling, was done promptly, within 48 hours of me contacting them,” said Carolyn. “The whole experience was great and St. Martin was very pretty.”

“The Vacation Station placed us at a great resort that had a good price and location. Since we travel often to see family and usually stay in nearby hotels, we appreciate the prompt rebate checks,” she added.

In the first six months we have been members, we took a trip to Chattanooga, Tenn., in October, rented a car in March and had a weekend getaway to a Bed and Breakfast in Glasgow, Ky.,” boasted Jodi Henderson.

“The Vacation Station is very helpful and prompt, whether I contact them by email or by phone,” said Jodi. “They are very customer-service oriented and just keep getting better.”

The Hendersons have utilized the travel agency to book hotels, services and rental cars…

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.

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-a-lifetime experience for all of us.”
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Jekyll Island, one of the Golden Isles near Brunswick, Georgia, qualifies to be called unique.

Unlike many island communities, where condos and homes are packed as tightly as possible, Jekyll has retained its natural beauty. By law, only 35 percent of the island can be developed, leaving nearly two thirds of Jekyll in its original, natural state. This limited development–along with limited access to Jekyll Island itself–keeps the population in check and ensures that the 10 miles of unspoiled beaches remain that way.

“Georgia’s Jewel” offers much to the nature lover. The beach, of course, is ideal for walking, sunning and shell collecting, and you might even catch a glimpse of island wildlife such as deer bounding through the wooded dunes. Bird-watchers also are in for a treat; in addition to the local population, Jekyll Island is a resting spot for many migratory species along the Atlantic Flyway. In fact, the Island has been designated an “Important Birding Area” by the Georgia Audubon Society.

“Historic sites abound on the island, but the most impressive is the Jekyll Island
Historic District.”

While cars are permitted, many residents and visitors find that the best way to enjoy the island is on horseback or along more than 20 miles of paved bike paths. Situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, Jekyll Island offers a wide variety of water sports and activities, including kayaking, canoeing, fishing and boating.

As a natural habitat, Jekyll Island–like many island communities on the Southeast coast–is protective of the area’s sea turtles. The $2 million Georgia Sea Turtle Center, located in the historic 1903 Power Plant Building, was scheduled to open in June 2007.

Historic sites abound on the island but the most impressive is the Jekyll Island Historic District. In 1886, the island became a winter retreat for some of America’s wealthiest families, who built elegant “cottages” along the river as part of what was called The Millionaires Club. Today, most of those homes have been restored through the efforts of the Historic Preservation Department, a division of the Jekyll Island Museum. The cottages, the Jekyll Island Club Hotel and many boutiques make up the Historic District.

For decades, only the wealthy enjoyed the natural beauty of Jekyll Island. Now it is your turn.

“We went for a week at a condo at Emerald Beach, and we were extremely pleased,” Lynn said. “It was just as they said it would be.”

“You could go online and look at the options, so you knew what you were getting,” Bill chimed in.
Another wonderful vacation was a cruise, a first for the Meyers. Booking the cruise and other arrangements were simpler thanks to CTA.

“We went out of Mobile,” Lynn explained. “All our questions were answered ahead of time. We were a little apprehensive because it was our first cruise, but everything fell into place.”

“We had a great time,” Bill added. With such great experiences during their first years of membership, the Meyers look forward to much more travel during their retirement years. And there is no doubt they will continue to save money during those vacations.

“They not only give you the best price available, you get a rebate on top of that,” Bill said.
The savings are impressive. Bill estimates they saved between $1,500 and $1,800 in just their first year. “I was impressed when I added up the
numbers,” he said.

The Meyers are looking forward to trying some of the “hot weeks” Atlanta’s Cruise, Travel and Attractions offers, when prices are exceptionally reasonable. They have also shared their experiences with friends, many of whom “are in awe,” according to Lynn. “We’re glad we took a bit of a risk to join, because the results have been great,” Lynn added.

Bill agreed wholeheartedly. “It’s a good deal,” he said.

It only took a postcard in her mailbox to pique Lynn Meyer’s interest in learning about Cruise, Travel and Attractions (CTA) of Atlanta, Georgia. It sounded like a good idea, and it was just a short trip to the nearby office to find out more. It turned out to be the first step to many journeys she’s taken with her husband Bill.

We went with a very open mind to hear what the program was about,” said Lynn.

Bill jumped in saying, “It turned out very interesting.” He continued by explaining that the CTA of Atlanta, Georgia folks actively work to find out where you would like to vacation – then they come up with suggestions.

“It’s kind of a neat idea,” Bill said.

The Meyers have been members since the summer of 2009, and they were anxious to try a variety of plans offered by CTA. For example, they wanted a vacation in Florida’s panhandle, so the staff at Cruise, Travel and Attractions presented several options from which to choose.