Old San Juan, Puerto Rico has to be one of the most romantic cities in the world. Streets of slate blue cobble-stones weave through colonial buildings constructed by the Spanish in the 1500’s making San Juan the oldest city under the United States flag. Popular with jet-setters since the 1950’s, San Juan is experiencing a resurgence of interest from travelers especially on cruise ships. Ships dock just steps from the historic downtown making it convenient to explore the Old City. While there I recently had a chance to make a few discoveries of my own. Here are some of my fun facts and insider’s tips;

Short-cut to the Bacardi Rum Factory – Started in Cuba in 1862, Bacardi is the second oldest rum distillery in the world after Mount Gay in Barbados. After the Revolution in 1962, the Bacardi family moved the enterprise to the nearby island of Puerto Rico where it grew into the largest rum distillery in the world. Called the Cathedral to Rum; the factory is located across the bay in Cataño. Though you can take a tour, busses must make the long drive around the bay to the factory making their stay short when there is much to see. I found out that right next to the cruise terminal is a small local ferry that runs daily. It charges only .75 cents each way and takes about ten minutes! From the ferry landing turn to your right and continue one block and you’ll find shuttle buses that leave for the factory – they charge $3.00 each way. Once there the tour is FREE and you also get two complimentary drinks! In addition to the guided tour there are beautiful grounds for relaxing and a gift shop which is the only place in the world where you can purchase special bottles of “Bacardi Reserva.”

Smallest Apartment Building in the World – With all the historic monuments to be visited in Old San Juan, leave it to me to find “The Smallest Apartment Building in The World.” Yes, it’s true. Constructed in the 16^th century, this building nestled between two other large houses measures only 18 feet in width. It is very close to the Park of the Doves (or Pigeons for the less poetic) on a section of the old wall. The bright yellow structure can be seen from the ship as you enter or leave the cruise terminal. Though this house is in the Guinness Book of World’s Records no explanation is given how it came to be. Looking at the building so tightly squeezed between the other structures, there has to be a story there!

Mama mia! When the SeaDream I, sailed into Gustavia Harbor, in St. Barts - she turned heads! This sleek, sexy ship has 54 outside staterooms that measure 195 square feet. The master suite has 450 square feet with private master bedroom and bath, living and dining room and guest bath. There is a spa, fitness center, casino, 24 hour room service and boutique onboard plus beautiful bars and dining revenues. Their slogan is, “its yachting, not cruising,” and they promise once you try a SeaDream yacht you will never cruise again.

The SeaDream I is elegant and the people I met onshore were very happy with what they were experiencing. Being so impressed with the grand entrance she made, I went online to look at their website. It looks like the perfect environment for the independent, motivated traveler who wants comfort and luxury without the fuss. With longer stays in port and a more low-keyed environment onboard, it feels like one’s own yacht. Certainly it won’t be for everyone – there’s no “big” entertainment, activities or events – however, there is staff, equipment and resources for enjoying days at sea and exploring in port. As I said, I think SeaDream Yachts are ideal for the independent and self motivated traveler who wants comfort and luxury without the fuss. Sounds great to me!

The cruise ship terminal in Bridgetown, Barbados is so large it can now accommodate eight ships at one time. Not only are they calling on the island for traditional one day port stops, many cruise lines are now using Barbados as an embarkation and debarkation point port as well. Departure out of Barbados allows ships a chance to visit Caribbean and South American ports not accessible from Miami or Ft. Lauderdale on a typical seven day cruise. One such itinerary that particularly caught my eye was offered by Fred Olsen Cruises.

From Barbados the Braemar sails to Manaus and back in fifteen days. All the Amazonian stops are included like Santarem and Parintins including an encore presentation of the ever popular Boi Bumba Festival. Though most of the guests are coming from the United Kingdom, the chance to see the Amazon with the convenience and added savings of flying round-trip out of Barbados makes the opportunity an attractive one not to mention the opportunity to spend a few extra days in Barbados!

These days many people rely upon their Blackberry or iPhone for more than telephone calls; these portable devices have become indispensable for the storage of everything from personal information to photographs. Compact and user friendly they are the perfect travel companion for anyone needing to stay in touch friends, family or the office. So what if the unthinkable happens – you lose it!

Now there are several services that allow you to register your product online. Simply sign-up for the free lifetime membership; enter the product information for your items and they are automatically submitted into the data base. If anyone finds you phone, camera, whatever – there is a telephone number and email address to contact; everything remains anonymous. The service then contacts you with instructions on how and where to collect your belongings. Security labels with all the printed information can be purchased for less than $5 USD.

For more information contact zReturn.com or search for any online service specializing in tagging goods.