Timing and proper planning is a must for your vacation plans! If you don’t plan at the right time, you may find yourself spending more or compromising on your ideal vacation.
As a professional travel agent and Couples Travel Concierge, one of the most commonly asked questions I get, is: When the best time to book my travel? There is no one single answer to that because it can vary significantly depending on the type of travel and the destination. Let’s look at some different scenarios and see if I can shed some light on this for you.
Destination Weddings or Celebration Travel for a group: 9-12 months if you have a very specific date in mind. Many resorts do not allow more than 1 or 2 weddings on any given day, and the venues sell out quickly. Also, if you will have a number of guests traveling with you, we need to secure the room space well in advance to make sure we have space for everyone. As for flights, those can only be booked at a maximum 9 – 10 months out (can be as low as 6 months for some destinations) but the flights can be added later. The important thing is to secure the resort and the wedding day.
Cruise: While it is true that you can book a cruise up until the week of sailing, this is not a good idea. The myth of last minute “cheap” pricing is just that – a myth. Booking at the last minute (considered within 30 days of sailing) basically gives you access to what staterooms are left – or what no one else wanted. These are most often not desirable locations on the ship. The best recommendation for pricing and the availability of the accommodations you want is 6 months prior to sailing. If you are part of a group and want to organize a group cruise, you need to plan at least 9 months prior, preferably one year if itineraries are available.
River Cruise: The best time to plan a river cruise is as soon as the idea enters your head, book one! River Cruises are in high demand and sell out very quickly. One year in advance is the average booking window. I have several clients that have already booked for November of 2016! Yes, 2016! Sadly, I had to disappoint another couple this week because they wanted to cruise this June and the earliest availability for their chosen itinerary and stateroom type is in October!
All-Inclusive Resorts: Much like a honeymoon, the best time to start planning is 6-9 months prior to travel, especially if traveling during the holidays or peak season for the destination. What happens if you book too far out? You may not get the best value! Unless you are looking at an exotic option or a cruise, it is always best to book your flight and resort packages after the air is available for your dates of travel. If you book the flights and resort in a package, the vendors I work with provide better discounts, promotions, or amenities than when you book the air and hotel separately. Can it be booked in less time? Sure! However, keep in mind, the flights may be limited and higher priced (especially for popular destinations or destinations that do not have daily flight service), and the room type or even the resort you want may not be available for you.
Europe Travel: The 6 month window is a great timeframe for most European Travel, with the exception cruising. River cruising should be planned a year in advance (or more!) when possible.
Ocean cruising is best planned 6-8 months in advance.
Exotic Destinations: Are you thinking about the South Pacific? The Maldives? Asia? An African Safari? Australia or New Zealand? These are best planned 10-12 months in advance.
There are a couple of key steps when it comes to planning your vacation travel experience that is every bit as important as the time frame. The first step is to sit down with your traveling companion and talk about what you really see as your ideal vacation experience. Part of the reason the planning process can be so challenging is no clear vision of your ideal experience. I’m not asking you to come up with the resort or even the destination, but a clear understanding of what type of experience each of you is expecting. I can really streamline the process for you if you have an idea of what type of vacation experience you are looking for!
The other key step is to know your passport name. If you don’t have a passport at the time you are ready to book, it is very important that you do know exactly how your name will appear on your passport. For the most part, the airlines no longer allow name changes. If the mistake is more than just a couple of letters, it can result in you having to cancel one ticket and purchase another. As you may have guessed, the first ticket is likely non-refundable so this becomes a very expensive mistake. Now that you’ve read this, go make note of your passport name, and if you don’t have a passport, go get one!
Hopefully this has been helpful and you are now thinking about your next vacation experience. I will be here when you are ready!
Happy Travels 
Kelley