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ENTERTAINMENT & TRAVEL ALTERNATIVES, INC. A ETA TRAVEL EXCLUSIVE FOR THEME CRUISES! "IDEAS CREATED BY ONE'S IMAGINATION"™
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| ETA MOTORCYCLE CRUISES presents...
TAKE YOUR BIKE ON A CRUISE AND RIDE OFF ON THE ISLANDS THROUGHOUT THE CARIBBEAN!
There is quite a bit of information and photos on this site. We hope you enjoy viewing and look forward to welcoming you on board one of our cruises in the near future.
MEMBER SINCE 1995 CELEBRATING OUR 7th MOTORCYCLE CRUISE SEASON! JOIN US! DATES FOR 2010 ARE NOW LISTED! PLEASE FOLLOW LINKS! FOR ALL 2010 DATES ONLY CLICK HERE: www.cruise-eta.com/motorcyclecruise2010.htm
ALL OASIS OF THE SEAS, 7 night cruises from Ft. Lauderdale, FL FOR ALL INFO PLEASE CLICK HERE ALL TYPES OF MOTORCYCLES ARE WELCOME INCLUDING; Harley-Davidson®, BMW®, Honda®, Yamaha®, Suzuki®, Custom Bikes & Choppers! Sorry... due to the ship's hull configurations, we are unable to accommodate Trikes. *************************************************************************************************************************
******************************************************************************************************************* Welcome... There is quite a bit of information throughout this site. PLEASE take the time to read all of it. We don't want you to miss out on anything! Thank you...
Journey into adventure and... BRING
YOUR BIKE ALONG!
Welcome Aboard! There is quite a bit of information and photos on this site. We hope you enjoy viewing and look forward to welcoming you on board one of our cruises in the near future. Happy viewing!
OUR RIDES INCLUDE THESE WONDERFUL FULLY APPROVED & INSURED ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN & BERMUDA! COME AND JOIN THE #1 MOTORCYCLE CRUISE CO... ETA!
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ETA has been offering these exciting original motorcycle cruises for 7 successful years now and we strive to make our cruises as pleasant and safe as possible. As your business is important to us, choose the company that knows the islands, has rode the islands with our groups with reputable island escorts, is fully approved, has a 7 year proven track record, and most importantly, continues to offer safe, insured & secured rides in the Caribbean and Bermuda. ETA is your one-stop-shop. We handle your cruise bookings, travel arrangements, and all bike related matters. We would never 'farm' you out to another source for a portion of your reservation. That is why ETA stands behind their word... we are there for you from the moment you make your initial booking until we say good-bye on the port at the end of your cruise. We are pleased to say we continue to grow because of you... our guests. Our repeaters list grows continuously. We thank all of you who have cruised with ETA and to those returning throughout the years. We look forward to meeting new friends/clients on future ETA Motorcycle Cruises and becoming part of our cruise family. Go with the company that has continued bringing clients (worldwide) on the fully approved ETA Motorcycle Cruises. Safe Rides!
Steve Wallach, President /
ETA and Tami Newton, Operations Director / ETA ***************************************************************************************************** ALL TYPES OF MOTORCYCLES INCLUDING; Harley-Davidson®, BMW®, Honda®, Yamaha®, Suzuki®, Custom Bikes & Choppers ARE WELCOME! SORRY... NO TRIKES! SPACE IS LIMITED SO DON'T DELAY... CALL TODAY! 615/356-0702 CALL TODAY! 888/711-7447 THIS SAYS IT ALL!!
ETA Guest March 10, 2007 cruise aboard Navigator of the Seas.... Whoever said the second time is never as good as the first. We just got back from the 3/10 cruise (our second motorcycle cruise-now planning the third and the fourth) This cruise went off really without a hitch. The rides were great, stops great, ship and ships staff were fantastic. This really way outdid our first motorcycle cruise. Ok so there was one problem, I ordered only sunshine and it did rain for 20 minutes in St. Marteen. Steve did such a fantastic job, the logistics must be a nightmare but everything just flowed no glitches. Debarkation was fantastic, off the ship first, special line for our group. Any questions or concerns were handled right away. We even had our tee shirts before we left for the cruise. Steve met us in the parking lot at the pier, we were escorted to Homeland Security as a group, then escorted onto the docks as a group. No one was left behind at any phase of this cruise. San Juan is certainly not my favorite place to ride but it went smoothly without the police escorts, We did not get split up at any point (but someone did lose a doo-rag and we had to turn back for that) This time the weather was good and we got to ride through Old San Juan ( first time there is was raining and Steve wisely cancelled that part due to the cobblestone streets which was a very wise decision) We had a nice stop for an hour or so at a beach bar. The ride on St. Thomas was once again very thrilling. They have some great roads with super twisties and some hairy turns. Got to meet up with several people that were escorts on our first and it was nice they all remembered who we were. Had a great lunch stop at Iggy's. St. Maarten was another great ride and the stop at Waikiki was super. To anyone thinking of this cruise just remember there will always be someone who wasn't satisfied (3 apples- inside joke) but on our cruise the people were very nice, no problem cases, everyone played by the rules. Steve spelled out what is and isn't acceptable regarding the bikes. They have a great relationship with the staff of the cruise line and in turn that makes things a lot easier on his group. There is one thing no one else will have on their cruise that we had and that is "tackleberry" Thanks Steve. Ed & Kathy M.
SPACE IS FILLING UP SO CONTACT US TODAY! 615/356-0702 CALL TODAY! 888/711-7447 Pricing is based on the date of the cruise and time of year. They do go up so book early! Pricing can change at any time due to cabin inventory set by cruise line. ETA has the right to cancel any bike cruise date listed that does not have a minimum of 12 bikes booked. Prices are in US Dollars and are based per person, double occupancy and includes all PORT CHARGES, TAXES AND CONFIRMED BIKE SPACE. Fuel Surcharges have been dropped by cruise line! All fuel surcharges originally set by the cruise line have been deleted from all prices listed. ETA is Celebrating 7 YEARS of Bike Cruises! Go With the Pros! ALL 2010 OASIS OF THE SEAS, 7 night cruises from Ft. Lauderdale, FL FOR ALL INFO PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR ALL OTHER 2010 DATES CLICK HERE: www.cruise-eta.com/motorcyclecruise2010.htm ******************************************************************************
ALL PRICING LISTED IS IN US DOLLARS PER PERSON BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY AND INCLUDES: CRUISE FARE, PORT CHARGES, TAXES, SECURED BIKE SPACE & FEES. CHECK OUT OUR SLIDESHOW! CLICK ON PLAY!
*************************************************************************************************** Check out these photos taken by Bruno in St. Maarten (Caribbean Eagles) CLICK: Picasa Web Albums - Bruno - Dec 6, 2008 **************************************************************************************************************************** 615/356-0702 CALL
TODAY!
888/711-7447
******************************************************************************************************** MONTHLY PAYMENT PLAN OPTION IS OPEN TO ALL DEPOSITED GUESTS! ETA IS PROUD TO OFFER ALL GUESTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE MONTHLY PAYMENTS ONCE YOUR DEPOSIT HAS BEEN MADE. THERE IS NO SET LIMIT ON THE MONTHLY PAYMENT PLAN. YOU CAN PAY AS MUCH AS YOU LIKE UP UNTIL FINAL PAYMENT IS DUE. ************************************************************************************************************* ALL 2010 OASIS OF THE SEAS, 7 night cruises from Ft. Lauderdale, FL FOR ALL INFO PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR ALL OTHER 2010 DATES CLICK HERE: www.cruise-eta.com/motorcyclecruise2010.htm ********************************************************************************************************
********************************************************************************************************************** ALL 2010 OASIS OF THE SEAS, 7 night cruises from Ft. Lauderdale, FL DATES WILL BE LISTED SEPARATELY. PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR ALL OTHER 2010 DATES CLICK HERE: www.cruise-eta.com/motorcyclecruise2010.htm ****************************************************************************************************************************** MAKE YOUR DEPOSIT NOW! RATES will go up for Bike Space closed to date. ********************************************************************************************************
Rate is based USC per person, double occupancy, cruise only and includes all port charges, taxes, fees, and bike space. Deposit is as follows: $300pp for 7nt cruises, $400pp for 8nt cruises, $450pp for 9nt cruises, $500pp for 12nt cruises, $550pp for 13nt cruises due at time of booking. Balance due no later then 75 days prior to cruise date. Single occupancy is 200% of cruise fare. Two options for Cancellation Insurance available and suggested through ETA. FOR ALL 2010 DATES ONLY CLICK HERE: www.cruise-eta.com/motorcyclecruise2010.htm ******************************************************************************************************** 615/356-0702 CALL
TODAY!
888/711-7447
********************************************************************************************************************** OASIS OF THE SEAS, 7 night cruises from Ft. Lauderdale, FL DATES & RATES WILL BE LISTED SEPARATELY. PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR ALL OTHER 2010 DATES CLICK HERE: www.cruise-eta.com/motorcyclecruise2010.htm ***************************************************************************************** FOR 5/7 NIGHT CRUISE: Fuel, Port Services, Insurance for all island rides are additional. Cost $150 cash per bike - not per person. Price may change at any time due to local island fee increases or decreases because of oil and/or fuel prices worldwide. FOR 9 NIGHT CRUISE: Fuel, Port Services, Insurance, for all island rides are additional. Cost $175 cash per bike - not per person. Price may change at any time due to local island fee increases or decreases because of oil and/or fuel prices worldwide. FOR 12 NIGHT CRUISE: Fuel, Port Services, Insurance, for all island rides are additional. Cost $250 cash per bike - not per person. Price may change at any time due to local island fee increases or decreases because of oil and/or fuel prices worldwide . **************************************************************************************************************
********************************************************************************************************************** AS OF THIS DATE, ENTERTAINMENT & TRAVEL ALTERNATIVES, INC, (ETA) IS APPROVED BY ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTL. AND THE ONLY TRAVEL COMPANY & EVENT PLANNER SANCTIONED BY APPLIED GOVERNMENT AND ISLAND AGENCIES LICENSED TO ALLOW GUESTS TO BRING THEIR PERSONAL INSURED MOTORCYCLE ON A CRUISE AND RIDE OFF ESCORTED ON THE ISLANDS. IF YOUR TRAVEL AGENT TELLS YOU THEY CAN BOOK THIS CRUISE FOR YOU... THEY CAN'T! YOUR BIKE WILL BE DENIED BOARDING IF NOT BOOKED THROUGH ETA ON ANY ETA MOTORCYCLE CRUISE. **************************************************************************************************************
ABOVE PRICING INCLUDES CONFIRMED BIKE SPACE and BIKE GRAB®
******************************************************************************** PARKING AT PORT OF MIAMI, PORT EVERGLADES, PORT CANAVERAL & PORT LIBERTY/NJ ETA does not set the parking prices in any of the parking areas. Please make sure that if you are traveling with a trailer be expected to pay a premium for parking. You do have a choice by dropping off your bike(s) and finding your own parking facility away from the pier. Please contact Royal Caribbean Intl. direct for complaints about any parking rates.
PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS: YOU
MUST HAVE A VALID PASSPORT or BIRTH CERTIFICATE & PHOTO ID FOR ALL CRUISES LISTED RENTALS ARE AVAILABLE ON A LIMITED BASIS. PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE DIRECT FOR INFORMATION IS IT WORTH IT? YOU TELL US! (All quotes are direct from past clients)
615/356-0702 CALL TODAY! 888/711-7447 *************************************************************************
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HE bikes wait in the hull.
Miller Genuine Draft flows from golden cans. A piano player, knowing his
audience, segues from "Hotel California" to "Bohemian
Rhapsody." In Dizzy's Lounge atop Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas, a
gang of bikers considers the itinerary for a weeklong Caribbean cruise just
underway: Wednesday in St. Maarten; Thursday in St. Thomas. First up is San
Juan, P.R. On Tuesday we ride.
"Our tours are not the usual tours," promises Steve Wallach, organizer of the [Motorcycle] Cruise. He speaks into a microphone to be heard above the piano. "We will not just be riding past government buildings or anything like that. We will be stopping to shop. And yes, we will be stopping at bars."
Cheers wash out the classic rock. Glasses clink. Tattoos are compared: a black scorpion inked on the triceps of Bob Earley, a firefighter from Winter Springs, Fla.; the block letters "Harley" and "Davidson" snaking down the right arm of Barry Nelms, who owns a bar in Poplar Branch, N.C. Most of the bikers have never met before. All have gathered on this ship for a vacation so perfectly attuned to their desires they can barely believe it.
"It's just about he neatest thing in the world," says Bill Liptak of West Palm Beach, Fla., who goes by Bad Billy. "I mean, where else can you get on a boat, go to different countries and just ride without worrying about red tape or anything?"
Nowhere else, actually. While theme vacations for motorcycle enthusiasts are as common as other "niche cruises" aimed at bluegrass musicians or, say, readers of The Nation, Mr. Wallach is the first to offer a benefit not found on other [motorcycle] cruises: His clients are allowed to take their own bikes on board; on other full-size cruise ships, passengers must rent bikes at each port of call.
"Your own bike is everything," says Pam Griggs, a passenger and a paralegal from Grandy, N.C. "Any of these guys, they know every click their engine makes, they know the sound of their muffler. If you put them on a strange bike they have no idea what they're in for."
On each of six annual [Motorcycle] cruises, up to 70 people take as many as 35 bikes onboard. Each passenger is paying $1,100 to $1,500 for a stateroom bed, a bit more than regular passengers pay. Included in the premium are a few perks. Harley riders, personally rolling their bikes off the ship, are the first off every port. At the mandatory immigration check on St. Thomas, the bikers skip to the front of a long line of other passengers. White luggage tags are distributed at the end of the cruise, allowing the bikers to clear customs first.
Attendance on the first cruise of the season, in December, is down slightly. Although the ship has sold out, some bikers have stayed home to repair houses ravaged by the hurricanes that struck the Southeast. Those who make it onboard include a trio of firefighters, the owner of a construction company and Nolan Clark, a heavy-equipment salesman from Fredericksburg, Va. With his bushy mustache and blond hair matted down by a black baseball cap, he's the spitting image of his idol, Dale Earnhardt.
"I like to say it clears out the cobwebs," Mr. Clark says of the time he spends on his black-and-silver Road King Classic. "You ride for 15 minutes after work, and you just forget about everything that was botherin' you."
The ship glides out of Miami on a Sunday evening. Fading sunbeams reflect crimson neon onto the windows of Miami Beach. Monday is a sea day, free time to pound daiquiris, lose at blackjack and watch professional figure skaters wobble on an undulating sheet of ice. The weather is tropical, and warmer with each mile from port. Flying fish soar away from the ship's hull. At night, meteors streak across the sky as if carried by the firm breeze.
With only a few dozen bikers dispersed among 3,100 other passengers, this isn't Bike Week at sea. There is no female coleslaw wrestling on the Peek-a-Boo bridge, for instance. There's only a random black Harley T-shirt spotted on the line for the buffet, mingling with tourists from Shanghai, Shreveport and Quebec City. A tribal tattoo winds around the arm of a woman tanning poolside. In the karaoke lounge, Earle (Buddy) White sings Toby Keith with a Carolina drawl.
San Juan is the first port, on Tuesday morning. As the ship slowly docks, the bikers gather in the hull. Dressed in chaps and heavy boots, they unstrap Sportsters and Heritage Softails from stabilized racks. Crew members ask to have their pictures taken with the bikes. When the door opens, Bart Bornack of Kissimmee, Fla., rolls off with his girlfriend, who wears a leopard print bikini top, cut-off denim shorts and a black helmet affixed with instructions to "Bite Me!"
State police, blue lights flashing on their own bikes, stop traffic as the Harleys roll out of the port onto the highway. Stop signs and traffic lights are ignored. It's the type of treatment usually reserved for heads of state, and the bikers are outranked only once, by a motorcade bearing Puerto Rico's governor. One pedestrian salutes with a middle finger.
The bikers wind along the coast, past waterfront cemeteries and an indoor cockfighting arena, down to Piñones Beach. Turquoise waves break on a coral seawall. A dog subdues a green iguana fully half his size. Revving engines cause a girl and boy, neither older than 3, to explode into aerobic spasms of joy.
The bikes park along a row of thatch-roofed shacks. Entrepreneurs drop rolls of cornmeal and crayfish into caldrons of fat, selling the greasy results - alcapurias con cangrejos - for $1 apiece. Inside El Pulpo Loco bar, salsa rhythms set a soundtrack. Plastic cups of Presidente beer are drained, refilled, then drained again.
"We'd been on a couple of cruises before," says David Smith of Columbia, S.C., the owner of a yellow Road King he assembled with parts acquired on eBay. "We'd get off the boat at San Juan, go into the first bar we came across and park it there for the rest of the day," he said. "With this you get to roll around the whole island."
Leaving Piñones, the bikes, which rode two abreast on the highway, narrow to single file for the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan. As the procession winds from El Morro back to the boat, tailpipes roar loudly enough to trip car alarms.
It took Mr. Wallach two years to set up his [Motorcycle] Cruises. He needed to negotiate with port agents, pier agents, multiple governments and officers at Royal Caribbean, the only cruise line he's affiliated with.
"We had to first get approval from one agency before we were able to move on to the next agency, then so on and so on until all the agencies were in sync," he says. "We had to ensure that all of the necessary paperwork for each motorcycle and operator were valid and that our company ensured that all matters pertaining to safety, both on a ship and on each island, were properly set."
"It's good for tourism; it's good for local businesses," says Theo Heyliger, tourism commissioner of St. Maarten, the cruise's second port of call. "This is niche marketing that we want to grow."
The St. Maarten ride begins early Wednesday morning. Leading the tour are a local gang known as the Caribbean Eagles, its members dressed in weathered black leather vests. Stops include the island Harley dealership, the Iron Horse Saloon and a scenic overlook where Bart Bornack parks his deuce to snap pictures.
"We got time to slam a few beers?" he asks, eyeing a roadside shack.
A motorcycle provides a chance to see and feel the island in a way that can't be matched in a car. It's easier to catch the details: thousands of miniature yellow butterflies fluttering in bushes; a goat silhouetted atop a ridge; a wrought-iron lattice entwined with flowers.
An island radio station tracks the parade as it winds from the Dutch side of the island into French St. Martin. Whenever the road stretches out a bit, engines open in a blast of muscle. Schoolchildren in pink uniforms follow the noise across a playground, poking hands through a chain-link fence to wave. The irresistible rumble prompts mechanics to drop tools and run to the road.
"I like riding through the neighborhoods, looking into the different houses as we pass," says David Smith. "You get to see all these people come out of their houses, and you can tell that your bike easily costs more than their house does. It makes you think."
As the riders climb over a crest, a stunning vista unfolds. Pastel houses decorate steep green hills like ornaments on a Christmas tree. Sailboats dot the bay like confetti dropped on Times Square. The trip ends at a beach on the French side. Bare toes dip into the sand. Pork and rum punch are shared with the Caribbean Eagles.
"I've been to St. Maarten like 10 times but this is the first time I've seen something like this," says Vida Burns of Columbus, Ohio. "It's not touristy. It's from locals that you get the stories about the island, you get recommendations on cool places to eat, you meet wonderful people. You don't get that on the boat."
The Harleys rode in three of four ports the ship stops at, with Nassau the only exception. It's possible to rent bikes at each stop where the group rides, though Harleys are heavy and require skill to operate; one novice renter who joined the ride only in St. Maarten laid down his bike three times, once when a goat darted in his path. It's also permissible to take Hondas or other motorcycles, though no one has yet had the guts to do so.
For two people on a seven-day cruise, incidental purchases - a few cocktails at bingo, a Spinning class, onion rings at the Johnny Rocket's restaurant - can easily surpass $1,000. Add massages, scuba lessons and a heavier payload of alcohol and the costs can quickly double.
"I had tears coming down my eyes," says Pam Griggs, back aboard the ship after the St. Thomas ride. "All week I said to myself that I can't believe I'm in San Juan. I can't believe I'm on a motorcycle in St. Maarten and then St. Thomas. We had spent so long thinking about it and planning it and talking about it, and here we all were actually on the islands, on our own motorcycles."
Ms. Griggs and her friends are so delighted by the cruise they're already talking about a return trip next year.
"And we're all thinking of getting tattoos to commemorate our ride," she says.
For the Bikers of the Caribbean, can there be a more perfect souvenir?
Cruise Information
For more information: Steve Wallach, Entertainment and Travel Alternatives, (888) 711-7447; www.cruise-eta.com/harleycruise.htm.
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don't just think about it...
get
out there™
TO OUR SPONSORS AND ENDORSERS, WE THANK YOU:
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615/356-0702 CALL ETA TODAY! 888/711-7447
EMAIL US AT: etatami@comcast.net
ETA's Cruises support through donations the following,
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it's time to ride......
Photo courtesy of Harley-Davidson at Cool-Springs, Franklin, TN
This cruise event is not affiliated nor endorsed by; Harley-Davidson, Inc®., Harley-Davidson Motor Company®, Honda®, Yamaha®, Suzuki®, BMW®
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out there...™ 
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MEMBER OF
Welcome
Aboard!
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
A Word from ETA -
IGGY'S BEACH
RESORT BAR
AT BOLONGO BAY is probably the best food and one of the most
secluded beaches on St. Thomas. We spend a few hours at this wonderful beach
resort! Optional lunch is available in our own private covered area. Here you
can relax and take a short nap on hammocks located along this wonderful paradise
or swim in a crystal clear pool or the ocean! No matter what you do, there's
plenty of everything just for us! This is an optional lunch stop. We are
here for approximately 2 hours.
Waikiki
Beach Resort is one of our stops in St. Maarten. Located at Orient Beach,
French side, this fantastic beach is filled with so much to do including
Parasailing, Boating, Surfing, The Bananarama Ride, Beach Massages and a view
left to your own imagination. ETA offers a special optional excursion package for all ETA
Guests. Included is a wonderful freshly made buffet with Chicken, Ribs, Fish,
Fries, Salad, and great French Bread! Open rum bar is also included and beers
are discounted! The price for this is $30USC per person. Waikiki handles the
Euro so by paying in US, you are enjoying the savings! All guests will enjoy
riding their bikes through Waikiki bar area and restaurant and drive right onto
the beach. Our Host, Albert, has a custom flooring that is built and set
directly on the beach just for our bikes! This is truly an amazing feature! 
Buccaneer Beach
is another
one of our great stops in St. Maarten. Located on the Dutch side of the
island, their food is fantastic! Their drinks are the coldest! Their beach is
incredible! Our Hosts, Jill and Bernard have really made this a wonderful place
to stop! Your package includes on grill choices of beef, chicken, ribs along
with fries and so much more! They are known throughout the island for their
pizza! Open bar while we're there! The price for this is $30USC per person. We
park around the bar with all of the bikes when we arrive! What a sunset
view! Only on our 9 and 12 night cruises.
THE BIG MOO
- Seth Godin
