Meet the Experts: 2009 Travel Bloggers' Caravan & Giveaway

Who are the travel experts behind the blogs? We write columns, both online and in print for newspapers and magazines. We write travel guidebooks. We also host web sites and blogs.

This December, we've banded together to spread holiday cheer to our readers. Just visit the Cruise Diva each morning from December 1–15 to find the link to the travel expert of the day. From there, visit that expert's blog and then enter to win the prize (or prizes) offered. The prizes range from hotel gift certificates and overnight stays to digital cameras and noise-cancelling headphones to camera bags and luggage to travel guidebooks and DVDs so you'll want to follow along.

Today's stop is at expert Andrea M. Rotondo's LuxuryCruiseBible.com where the prize is a $100 Marriott gift card. Tomorrow's Caravan stop is DreamofItaly.com where Kathy McCabe is giving away a one-year online subscription to the Dream of Italy newsletter & DVD.

Want to know more about the participating travel bloggers right now? Let me introduce...

Ellen Barone: EllenBarone.com
Travel expert Ellen Barone did what many of us only dream of doing: at the age of 35, she traded a successful academic career for the wild blue yonder and set out to explore the world and herself. In the decade since that intrepid decision, she has turned passion into profession, journeying to more than 60 countries in search of evocative images and life-enriching adventures. Founder of the travel website EllenBarone.com—a popular online portal "keeping travelers in the know and on the go"—hundreds of thousands of visitors turn to Ellen hoping to better inform their travels and their lives. Catering to individuals who enjoy a traveler’s lifestyle, the site is one-stop shopping for expert advice, vacation tips, product reviews, photo galleries and travel articles to help readers travel better, smarter, and more inspired.

Jeanine Barone: JTheTravelAuthority.com
Jeanine Barone is a New York City-based travel writer who's written for just about every major travel magazine, from National Geographic Traveler to Travel + Leisure, as well as the Boston Globe, and other newspapers. She also blogs and is frequently asked to guest blog about her journeys. Her adventures can also be heard on various radio programs, such as KPAM in Portland, Oregon. When she's roaming the world, she's seeking out what she calls "hidden treasures," in other words authentic experiences that provide insights into the heart of the land and its people. Known as an ultra savvy traveler, Jeanine is frequently asked to write about her travel tips (including how to stay healthy on the road) and her packing strategies, considering she prides herself in never checking luggage, even on a 7+ week journey.

Joshua Berman: The Tranquilo Traveler
Joshua Berman is an award-winning Spanish teacher and trip leader who has spent most of the last decade living, traveling, and working throughout Central America. He is the author of Moon Belize, and the coauthor of Moon Nicaragua and Moon Living Abroad in Nicaragua. His articles have appeared in a range of print and online publications, including National Geographic Traveler, The Boston Globe, Yoga Journal, and Transitions Abroad. His website is joshuaberman.net.

Nancy D. Brown: What a Trip
Nancy D. Brown is the Uptake.com Travel Editor, writes the What a Trip blog and is a Contra Costa Times Lamorinda Sun columnist. She is the online travel editor for Diablo magazine and writes the “Traveler Making a Difference” column for Escapes magazine. Recent trips include hiking Switzerland, snorkeling Mexico’s Paradise Reef, and paddling with the Hawaiian Sailing Canoes. Next stop: horseback riding in Germany and Norway.

Linda Coffman: CruiseDiva.com
Linda Coffman is an award-winning freelance travel writer who has been dishing out cruise travel information and advice in print and on the Internet for more than a dozen years. An avid cruise passenger who enjoys sailing on ships of every size to any port worldwide, Linda spends most of her time cruising the Caribbean and writing for Fodor's Travel Publications. She is the author of Fodor's The Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises, The Complete Guide to European Cruises, and contributes to six other Fodor's guidebooks. In addition, Linda created CruiseDiva.com in 2001 to provide unbiased and practical cruising information to Internet users who research their travel choices online. CruiseDiva.com was named a "Best of the Web" Leisure Travel web site by USA Today. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says, "The Cruise Diva's site has good information, lots of practical tips and lots of attitude."

John DiScala: JohnnyJet.com
John E. DiScala (a.k.a. Johnny Jet) travels around 150,000 miles and visits over 20 countries each year. He and his website JohnnyJet.com have been featured over 1,800 times in major publications and broadcasts. JohnnyJet.com has been named "one of the top best money-saving web sites for travel" by Budget Travel Magazine, while the L.A. Times calls it "one of the top 10 essential travel resources on the internet." Outside Magazine touted Johnny for having one of the world's best "dream jobs." Every week, Johnny hosts a "travel website of the week" for several radio stations around the country, he writes weekly for Frommers.com and he has written for USA Today, The Boston Herald, LAX Magazine, and Coast Magazine. He also publishes Johnny Jet’s free weekly travel newsletter.

Terri Fogarty: EuropeUpClose.com
I fell in love with Europe on my first trip to Paris more than 20 years ago. Since then, my husband Bill and I have traveled all over Europe, taking trips on the average of twice a year. During this time I have also run my own Europe-focused travel agency, planning hundreds of trips to Europe for my clients, friends, and family. Europe has won me over because Europeans seem to understand what life is all about: family, friends, and food. They have a deep appreciation for history and culture and in my opinion have perfected the art of living. At EuropeUpClose.com we have more than a dozen writers who are experts on European travel, and our articles are designed to share our years of first-hand travel experience… what we learned and what we love. EuropeUpClose.com is an evolving and constantly updated travel guide, offering daily tips and travel suggestions.

Andrew Hickey: TheBrooklynNomad.com
Andrew Hickey is the "Brooklyn Nomad" and he is always on the lookout for a great deal to...well anywhere. In addition to his blogging duties, Andrew is the social media manager for CheapOair.com's all-new travel blog and contributor to Oyster Hotel Reviews "Locals" blog. Check him out at TheBrooklynNomad.com.

Donna L. Hull: MyItchyTravelFeet.com
Donna L. Hull is so obsessed with travel that it makes her feet itchy when she’s not out exploring the world. In her blog, she writes about active travel for baby boomers, covering domestic and international destinations. Using her personal experiences and references as a travel writer, she advises boomers on where to go, what to do, where to stay, and how to prepare for an active trip. The Tucson-based freelance writer and photographer also writes for Uptake.com, iExplore.com, and is an "Outsider" at AdventureUs.com. Some of her print publication credits include AZ3Sixty Magazine, Oro Valley/Marana Magazine, Lovin Life After 50, Fifty Plus, and Her Sports Magazine.

Kristi Marcelle & Amie O'Shaughnessy: CiaoBambino.com
Ciao Bambino is a family travel resource. Written by and for parents, we publish destination travel tips, advice, and comprehensive reviews of the best accommodations for families with kids of all ages.

Kathy McCabe: DreamofItaly.com
Kathy McCabe is the founder, editor and publisher of the award-winning subscription travel newsletter Dream of Italy. The seven-year old newsletter has been lauded by USA Today, National Geographic Traveler, and others for its insider travel advice that can't be found elsewhere. Earlier this year, McCabe was named a top travel "tweeter" on Twitter by several publications including The Telegraph (UK).

Shannon McKenna Schmidt & Joni Rendon: NovelDestinations.com
Joni Rendon and Shannon McKenna Schmidt are the co-authors of Novel Destinations: Literary Landmarks from Jane Austen’s Bath to Ernest Hemingway’s Key West (National Geographic Books). They blog about literary travel at http://www.noveldestinations.com/. Joni’s work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Continental, and other publications. She currently resides in London, England and works at the Charles Dickens Museum. Shannon’s writing has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, The Miami Herald, and other publications. In April 2010, she will be leaving Hoboken, NJ, to set out in an RV and travel the U.S. and Canada for several years.

Andrea M. Rotondo: LuxuryCruiseBible.com & LuxurySafariExperts.com
Ship ahoy! LuxuryCruiseBible.com is devoted to helping travelers plan unique journeys aboard luxury cruise ships, river boats, and yachts throughout the world. Sail the Maldives on a catamaran, explore Burma's Irrawaddy River on a sleek purpose-built vessel, or cruise the South Pacific on an intimate yacht. Every voyage is an adventure! Mysterious, beautiful, majestic, fragile... the continent of Africa beckons! From the tombs of ancient kings and queen in Egypt to silverback gorillas in the mountains of Uganda to the Kalahari Desert blanketing much of Botswana, Africa offers a range of once-in-a-lifetime experiences. LuxurySafariExperts.com distills the options for visitors interested in seeing the sites and wildlife of Africa without sacrificing exquisite accommodations and excellent service.