Welcome to the Home of: An Hour with Bob, Bob's Big Adventures, and Zachary's Adventures... On Cox Cable channel 13

 Special Message from the Kent County Jaycees:                            

The JAYCEES want to thank you for such charitable kindness in making the TOYS for TOTS collection a great success!

 Through the goodwill of your warm actions and personal consideration, we were able to collect over one-thousand dollars ($1,000.00) of brand new holiday gifts for needy children around the Ocean State.

Ronnie Holloway, Stella DeGregory, Dwight Colvin, Dave Legault, Jack Lancellotta, Gerry Fitta, Charlie Ambessi,  Lou Pinga, Viola DeGregory, Dario Ionata, Herb Jeschke, Tom Hummel, the Kent County JAYCEES  and the JAYCEE Education & Library Foundation!

Bob's Big Adventure went to South America

March 2006 

Fortaleza and Rio, Brazil

That makes 5 continents

What are the only 2 continents we haven't visited?

Bob Venturini talks Sports

Adam Vinatieri leaves the Patriots!

Ouch!!

Barry Bonds on Steriods!

I'm Shocked!!

The  2005  Victor J. Venturini Memorial

TOYS FOR TOTS Telethon

Thanks to Jim, Aram, Linda, Bob & Muzzy and the security at the WARWICK MALL To the entire staff and the management of all the Chelo's Restaurants,  including Bob, Wayne, Barbara, Matt and dozens more.

Thank you so much for helping to make 2005 our most successful Toys for Tots Telethon ever! 

Thanks to Jay, Joe, Jerome and the entire staff at Mozzarella's Restaurants,  plus Bob at Angelo's on the Hill  and in East Greenwich.  Thanks to the 1025 Club and Eric at Walt's Roast Beef for your contributions.  
There will be thousands of smiling faces on Christmas morning due to your effort. Thanks to Robert Black, Marrisa Beatini,  Jerilyn Sawyer,  Molly Rabuffo and the Man in Black. The music was great!  I’ve received many complements about the singers, the songs and even the sound.  Thanks to Dennis Verducci of Sound Stage. 

It was because of the contributions of my friends and supporters that we filled  (2) 7 ton Marine trucks with great toys and games that were distributed by the Marines at their Fields Point headquarters just in time for Christmas.
  (We collected the equivalent of (28) ½ ton pickup trucks full of toys) That's unbelievable!

We also collected some cash and a few checks including one in the amount of $1,000.00 from Alan Bercovitz of the RI Mortgage Store and $175 from John Hollis of Keller Williams Realty.

                                                                                             Thanks for your friendship, Thanks for your support! 

"A friend in need is a friend indeed"

You folks are always there when I need you.

Sincerely,

Bob Venturini

 Yes, that was me that you heard on WHJJ.  I filled in for Arlene Violet Dec 26th.

  Want to join me on an adventure? 

 How about a cruise? Thailand?  Brazil? Australia

 At Wright's Farm in Harrisville. The best family-style chicken in RI. Say hello to Frank and Joyce!
Wow! What a great show!

Call today to schedule a show at your restaurant or business. 1 (401) 398-0467or 529-9950

On the deck of the Battleship Massachusetts in Fall River with the Brotherhood Blues Band // at the Whaling Museum in New Bedford // at Roger Williams Park Zoo // Olives Restaurant in Providence // Warwick Mall.// the Magic Garden of Tiverton // the Mooring in Newport
Thanks to the efforts of Bob Perrotti, audio/visual instructor at New Bedford High School, we were able to produce many on-location shows last summer.

Bob's Big Adventures: Bob's latest adventure to Key West, Fl. with Zachary.

Also, California and Nevada Cancun, Mexico - at the All-inclusive 1024 room mega beachfront resort of Oasis Cancun - It didn't happen! I was a victim of the 'Bait & Switch'. Although I paid Apple Vacations for the Oasis Cancun, I was sent to the Oasis Beach & Spa (6 months ago it was called the Hotel Calinda). What a scam!!!!!!!!!!!!! Check out www.tripadvisor.com for reviews of Oasis Beach & Spa.

Can you believe that I still haven't

received compensation for this Bait & Switch!

My travel agent contends that it is not her fault.

She suggests that I file suit against Apple Vacations.

My attorney, Paul A. Lancia has filed a suit against Apple Vacations & Anchor Travel 

 Here is a copy of the letter I sent to the Attorney General's office in R.I 
Subject: Bait & Switch
Date: Friday, February 20, 2004
Sent to: Attorney General Patrick Lynch

Dear Patrick,
I was recently subjected to one of the worlds' oldest cons - The 'Bait & Switch'
I purchased a 7 night all-inclusive package from Apple Vacations of Los Angeles, CA for $1,112.00. I was shown pictures and the description of the Oasis Cancun in a new Apple brochure. Having been to Cancun several times, I was not only familiar with the hotel, it was the only hotel that I was interested in.
It was the Oasis Cancun or I was going to Houston with friends (hoping to get Superbowl tickets - all 6 got into the game!)
I got off the plane in Cancun and got a heck of a shock.
I expected to be taken to the Oasis Cancun* (description below) in a beautiful tour bus instead, I was sent in a small van to the Oasis Beach & Spa! (formerly the Hotel Calinda and owned by the same company that also owns the Oasis Cancun, Oasis Playa and the Grand Oasis).

I asked a desk clerk and found out that they overbook the Oasis Cancun, by an unbelievable 40% and send the overflow to their recently acquired property - Oasis Beach & Spa. (Hotel Calinda)
It is like paying for the Westin in Prov and getting sent to the Motel 6 in Seekonk.

*Oasis Cancun (rack rate $210.00 per night) Hotel features a 1/4 mile long series of connected swimming pools with 2 swim-up bars. Five restaurants. It has 1,024 rooms on 32 acres of lush tropical gardens. On a 1/2 mile of beautiful white sand beach.

Oasis Beach & Spa (rack rate $105.00 per night) has 400 rooms, is less than half the size, has 3 swimming pools, 2 restaurants and the beach is 1/4 the size of the Oasis Cancun. It seems to cater to heavy smoking, non-English speaking patrons. Very few Americans!
The location of the Oasis Beach hotel is close to the town and in the least desirable area of the hotel zone. Their beach is small and next to the inlet from the lagoon - subject to the constant wake of the speed boats leaving the lagoon and tour boats docked next door.

Oasis Cancun, one of the most popular resorts in Cancun, is surrounded by the best hotels, restaurants, malls and night clubs in Cancun.

 Apple Vacations was unable or unwilling to rectify the problem.
The Apple rep. Martha, told me I would be responsible for the price difference between Oasis Beach and Oasis Cancun if a room became available at Oasis Cancun.
I told her I wanted to return home immediately.
Martha said that I had to pay for the flight if I wanted to return home early.
I spent $40.00 calling my travel agent. I also called the insurance company (I paid for trip interruption insurance).
I wasted 3 mornings waiting for Martha to rectify the 'mistake'. She was never on time and difficult to find. (Her hours were posted as 8 to 9am and 11am to noon) On Monday I waited in the hotel lobby until 11:40am before she arrived. Tuesday was about the same.
My vacation was ruined! I planned on using the huge pool at Oasis Cancun to swim laps for exercise of my injured back.

Instead I was offered a visitor's pass which required me to take a taxi or a bus to the hotel I thought I had paid for! (the bus stop is at least 1/4 mile from the Oasis Beach entrance)
Oasis Cancun is several miles away! The whole experience was surreal!

Also, I hoped to mix with other single English speaking people during my stay at the 1024 room Oasis Cancun. With it's 3 swim-up bars and 5 restaurants.
Instead, I ended up surrounded by heavy smoking French and Spanish speaking people. Some were very rude as they cut the buffet line and smoked during breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I would not have gone to Cancun had I known I was going to Oasis Beach & Spa which is not even in the Apple brochure!
I was charged $1112.00 US dollars while others paid $900.00 in Canadian dollars.
(The bracelet I was required to wear in order to get any food or drink curiously read - Hotel Calinda!)
Oasis Beach is used for the 'overflow' from overbooking at Oasis Cancun. I spoke with dozens of people who experienced the same fate.
Oasis Beach - too many smokers. - A/C didn't work in my room or did the windows open, Wednesday I changed to room with air conditioning
There was no A/C in the corridors. The only ice machine was six floors away!
The most important factor in real estate is Location! Location! Oasis Beach was too close to the old town & too far from everything, plus it didn't compare to the hotel I paid for.

It was a total rip-off!
I have given Apple Vacations ample time to respond, now
I have filed a formal complaint against Apple Vacations and Anchor travel of Pawtucket, RI for showing me one hotel and booking me in less expensive one.
They have no defense. No one can say that I was looking at the wrong page or the wrong hotel in the Apple brochure. There is no listing for the Hotel Calinda or the Oasis Beach anywhere in the Apple brochure.
It's a classic 'Bait and Switch'

August 2004: Anchor Travel sends me a $100.00 non transferable voucher from Apple Vacations 'to make good for 'the royal screwing' they gave me!

Here is my response:

Nancy McAdams

        I can not let Apple Vacations or Anchor Travel get away with this 'Bait and Switch'

Would I travel to Cancun again?

Absolutely! It is a great vacation spot.

Would I book through Apple Vacations again?

No Way!

Do you know of anyone with a similar experience dealing with Apple Vacations or Anchor Travel?
Contact me at bob@bobsadventures.com

Latest trips:  

 South America - Fortaleza and Rio, Brazil               Camp Shelby in Hattesburg, Mississippi

Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket, Thailand 

Northern California & Lake Tahoe, Nevada with Zachary.

I booked it myself through Southwest Airlines. $226.00 each (Providence to Oakland, CA)

Check out BOB & Zachary on a Cruise to the Eastern Caribbean....and BOB'S recent trip to Finland, Estonia and Sweden. Bob went to Puerto Rico with General Centrocchio. He also visited the Azores on the way to Hungary with the RI National Guard. They flew to the Balkans in their C-130 loaded with toys that Santa delivered to two orphanages in Hungary on Christmas Day.

Victor J. Venturini Memorial Toys For Tots Telethon - Dec 7, 2004 was a HUGE success! Thanks to you, there will be thousands of happy kids on Christmas day. During our 4 hour live show from the Warwick Mall we filled 2 1/2 huge military transports with thousands of toys! THANK YOU once again! A special thanks to Steve Aveson & Tony Petrarca CBS 12 // Wendy Cicchetti, Jim Hummel (& his twins) ABC 6 // Gene Valicenti, Margie O'Brien & Barbara Morse of NBC 10 // Melissa Corcoran - Miss RI director. Singers: Billy Musto, Robert Black, Jerilyn Sawyer & Matt Thomas // Tony (the Dancing Cop) // Danoe the Clown // Special thanks to Ken Duffy of Hasbro. Chelo's Restaurants really delivered this year!    Special thanks to Wayne Hemond, Barbara and the employees of all nine Chelo's locations / Joyce Galleshaw of Wright's Farm // Thanks to: The Marines, to Jim Curcio, Linda, Bob Brazil, the owners & employees of the Warwick Mall. RocJo Productions, Flash Printing, Sign Man Says, St Leo's School

Lets begin work on Toys For Tots 2006!
We are open to new ideas! We are interested in a second location next year (2006). Become a location for toy drop box. Get your workplace involved! Call Bob at 401 398-0467or email bob@bobsadventures.com

Bob's next stop:   Florida, Finland, Italy or Australia

Bob journeyed to the desert of Las Vegas, NV: to video the people and places in the city that doesn't sleep! Like classic cars? Wait till you see the collection at the Imperial Palace. It's second to none! Ever seen the Hoover Dam? You will if you watch Bob's Big Adventures. You will explore every nook & cranny of one of Wonders of the World.

SPRING BREAK: in Ft Lauderdale.

ALSO A VISIT TO USEPPA ISLAND: off the coast of Ft Myers, Florida's Gold Coast, leased by the CIA to practice & plan for the Bay of Pigs invasion of CUBA!

Watch Bob push the preverbal envelope by walking through casino after casino with the camera running, capturing candid shots of the human element in Sin City.

Closer to home: learn more about our own state by following Bob to Newport, Charlestown, Warwick, Providence, Westerly, Smithfield, Foster, Bristol, Block Island, Rhode Island; Our region: Boston, Fall River, Whitinsville, Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts; Burlington, Vermont & numerous other cities and towns in New England.

AN HOUR WITH BOB: Any ideas for this popular Variety show?

Zachary's Adventures: A 7 day cruise on the 70,000 ton Sensation (Carnival Cruise Ship) Zachary visits the fish in Cozumel, Mexico -- wander around the turtle farm in the Grand Cayman Islands -- and stroll through the streets of ----New Orleans, Louisiana during Mardi Gras. Z went to Universal Studios in Orlando, (home of Jaws & Back to the Future.) Gatorland, (See thousands of alligators & crocodile in their natural habitat) Lion Country Safari in West Palm Beach (drive with Zachary through acres of land filled with wildlife from around the world) & visit the killer whale at Seaquarium in Key Biscayne, Fl for thrilling adventures!

A Feb 2003 cruise aboard the only 'non-smoking' ship out of Miami, the 70,000 ton Paradise, Zachary visited - the famous Atlantis Hotel in Nassau, Bahamas, the old fort in Puerto Rico and a jeep drive on the opposite side of the street around St Thomas.

Zachary wants to visit Rome, Italy this summer. Any ideas? Suggestions? Free airline tickets?  Australia

Copyright Bob's Big Adventures 2005 all rights reserved.