Do you have a New Year Plan ??

Kelley - Who we areThe New Year always brings a fresh perspective for many people. January is also the primary month of the year where people look forward at their year and make plans or goals. Did you know January is the most popular month to book travel for the year? January is the beginning of what we call “Wave Season”. There are many travel incentives and promotions available in January that makes it very attractive to book now. Just this week alone, Sandals featured a great air promotion and almost every major cruise line had promotions available for sailings in 2015. We expect the promotions to continue throughout the month both for cruise and resort vacations.Planning is the key to the success of your vacation experience. Let’s take a look at some general guidelines that will assist you with planning timeframes!

 

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 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! January brings a great number of promotions for remaining availability in 2015, and the 2016 options.

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 or large events 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 or special event on your chosen day. Even if you aren’t planning a specific event, you really need to secure the dates early for your group. I already have a group on their second choice for November of this year because the resort of their choice does not have the rooms they need for their first choice of dates.

Honeymoons: The best time to start planning your honeymoon is 6-9 months prior to travel – possibly longer for some more exotic options! 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. We can always book the accommodations early, and add the flights later if flights are not available when you are ready to book.

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.

Europe Travel:  The 6 -8 month window is a great timeframe for most European Travel.

Exotic Destinations: Are you thinking about the South Pacific? The Maldives? Asia? An African Safari? Australia or New Zealand? These are best planned 8-10 months in advance . Sometimes we need to look a year in advance for very specialized itinerary or events. Again, we can always book the accommodations early, and add the flights later if flights are not available when you are ready to book.

I hope this overview of the planning time frame has been helpful to you! I am always here ready to assist you with your travel planning.

Happy Travels,

Kelley

Are you ready for your authentic experience that rocks?

IMG_4196Hard Rock all-inclusive resorts are not your average, every day all-inclusive resorts! We’ve all heard of the Hard Rock brand thanks to Hard Rock Cafes and Hard Rock Hotels. Hard Rock started in London as a café to provide the Brits to classic American Food, and the music connection evolved. It all started when Eric Clapton donated one of his guitars to be placed over “his” seat in the place. They now have the biggest Rock n’ Roll memorabilia collection in the world throughout their brand.

 

Each of the Hard Rock All-Inclusive resorts includes an extensive list of amenities in their all-inclusive program. Some of them include:

  • Up to $1800 limitless resort credit (more on this later!)
  • Unlimited long distance in room calling to the continental US, Canada, and Mexico
  • Complimentary Wi-Fi throughout the resort
  • 24 hour room service
  • Non-motorized water sports
  • In room liquor dispenser with brand name whiskey, rum, tequila, and vodka
  • Unlimited a la carte dining
  • Pool and Beachside drink service
  • Complimentary Wedding and Honeymoon packages
  • Kids Club – The Little Big Club

Of course there are many more, inclusions, just too many to list here.

There are currently 4 Hard Rock All-Inclusive resorts with a 5th one coming in the next year or so. The current resorts are:

Hard Rock Cancun with 601 guest rooms right in the heart of the hotel zone is on one of the best beaches in Cancun

Hard Rock Riviera Maya is two resorts in one. With a total of 1264 guest rooms, the resort is divided into an adult’s only area, known as Heaven; and the family friendly Hacienda side. Any adults, regardless of which section they are staying in, can use any of the facilities on the Heaven side. Personally, I loved being in Heaven!

Hard Rock Punta Cana gives new meaning to mega resort with over 1780 rooms. Hard Rock Punta Cana ishome to one of the largest casino’s in the Dominican Republic as well as the most hip and chic night club (Oro) on the island.

Hard Rock Vallarta is currently their smallest resort with 348 rooms. This resort in Riviera Nayarit is nestled between the Pacific Ocean and the Sierra Madre Mountains; the scenery is stunning.

Coming in 2016 the Hard Rock Los Cabos will feature 600 guest rooms with both family friendly and adult-only sections.

How do Hard Rock All-Inclusive resorts set themselves apart from all of the other resorts and resort chains? ” There are many ways, but here are just a few of them:

  • Their mission statement says it all: “To spread the spirit of Rock n’ Roll by creating authentic experiences that rock.” It started all with food and music, and music definitely lives on throughout their resorts! They have live music, DJ’s, and great concerts at the resorts. For example, Bon Jovi did the opening concert at Hard Rock Riviera Maya earlier this year!
  • “The Sound of Your Stay” is their audio experience program that allows you to choose from picks, tracks or mix delivered straight to your room. They will actually deliver a complimentary (for use during your stay) mixing board or guitar to your room so you can practice. You can also download a personalized playlist for your stay.
    The Music Lab Experience that puts you in the middle of the music! They have a Jam Band experience that gives everyone the opportunity to star in their own rock band. Spin Sessions allow you to discover spinning / mixing techniques and even DJ your own live performance. RockTube allows you to be the star of your own music video! You pick your song and they shoot and release your video!
  • Perhaps the most popular differentiator for Hard Rock is their limitless resort credit! Depending on your length of stay, you can earn up to $1800 limitless resort credit! I know, it’s all-inclusive – what would you use a resort credit for? The spa, tours to attractions and activities, wedding packages, dinner on the beach, and golf just to name a few. There are no caps on any one thing; you can spend the credit on what you want!
  • Philanthropy is a very important part of the Hard Rock mantra. The do multiple awareness campaigns throughout the year and give back in more ways than I can list here. A couple of examples are Pinktober (breast cancer awareness that generates $1-2 million each year) and Imagine (John Lennon’s foundation that focuses on children and hunger).

                IMG_4047                               IMG_4048

 

 Are you ready for your authentic experience that rocks?
Happy Travels!

Bucket List

Do you have any bucket list destinations?  
I have checked some off my list, but I still have a considerable list.  My list seems to grow each day! I thought it might be fun to share some of the top bucket list destinations that I am asked about and when the best time to visit them is!

Over Water bungalows-2Tahiti – Bora Bora is one of my most requested destinations for the bucket list honeymoon or milestone anniversary.  French Polynesia basically has 2 seasons, the dry season and the humid season.

The dry season -also called Austral winter- taking place between April and October brings an expected coolness, July and August being the coolest months of the year due to southeast trade winds called maraamu. As a consequence a cotton sweater will often be enjoyable in the evening (or early in the morning).   The humid season -also called Rainy season- starts in November and ends in March. It brings mugginess, humidity as well as heavier and more frequent rains than in the dry season.  Having said that, one important thing to remember, it is the tropics and the weather is not on a schedule!  I have people that have been in the dry season and it rained most every day; I have people that travel during the humid season (often rates are very attractive!) and not one drop of rain.  There are both cruising and resort vacation options for you to visit French Polynesia.

 

African Safari is another top request for bucket list travel.  It is becoming more and more popular for a luxury honeymoon and life milestone destination.  Please don’t worry about Ebola!  The areas where you safari are literally countries away from West Africa.  Remember, Africa is a continent – not a country!  The best time to visit the wildlife parks is from May to safariSeptember.

This is the dry season, there is less vegetation to obstruct your views and animals congregate around waterholes and rivers. This is, in fact, the low season for tourism. South African school holidays should be avoided. The main holidays are in December.  It is winter, so the mornings and nights are cold.  May and September are wonderful because it is less cold and, especially in September, the wildlife viewing is excellent.  October to April is their summer and the wet season.  While it is great for bird watching as migratory birds are present, it is a challenge for big game viewing as there is much vegetation and makes it difficult to spot the animals.  Also, it is quite hot in December, January, and February!

 

Australia and New Zealand are also very popular bucket list destinations.  There are many ways to experience these great destinatiojpegns!  You can take a cruise that will visit some of the major cities in both Australia and New Zealand or there are cruises that concentrate more on one or the other of the countries.   You also have the option of escorted tours, or putting together a fully independent trip for your adventure!

Australia and New Zealand are in the southern hemisphere and the seasons run opposite of ours.  Mild spring weather lasts from September to November and summer spans December through February.  Summer features longer daylight hours with warm to hot conditions depending on where you are.  March through May constitutes autumn, leading into the cooler winter period of June to August. The climate changes significantly as you head north in Australia near places like Darwin and Cairns. This region lies within the monsoon belt and has just two seasons. Hot and wet conditions prevail from October to March, while blazing arid weather kicks in from April to September.

Alaska is a very popular and easily accessible (with regards to logistics!) bucket list destination. The Alaska season is generally glacier with reflectionmid-May through mid-September, with June, July and August being the peak months.  Alaska is a huge state, to give you some perspective, it is approximately 2 ½ times the size of Texas!   A great way and one of the most popular ways to visit Alaska is on a cruise.  There are also land based tour and vacation options as well.  Due to the vast size of the state, one of the best ways to see the state is with a Cruise Tour.  A Cruise Tour is a combination of a cruise and a land tour, really the best of both worlds!
Your choice of “how” you visit Alaska will really be determined by “why” you are going to Alaska.

I hope this intrigued you and you start to create your own bucket list of destinations to see!

Happy Travels!

Is your Passport valid ??

Is your passport valid?  jpeg

For a passport to be valid, there is more involved than just the actual expiration date.  Let’s take a look at a couple of additional requirements that can determine the validity if a passport.

Many countries require your passport to be good for at least 6 months past the date of travel.  While some countries may be less than that, the general stated recommendations are 6 months past the date of travel.  This is noted on every one of my invoices that go to clients been booking a trip.  Yes, it is important to read the fine print!   When considering international travel, please check your passports to make sure they are not expired and meet the 6 month requirement.  If your passport is not expired, but you will not meet the 6 months, you can renew your passport early.  The general recommendation from the Department of State is to renew your passport 9 months early.  While many people do not do this, you can renew as early as 9 months prior.

Passports must also be free of significant damage to be considered valid for travel.  If the book cover or picture page is significantly damaged, you will need to apply for a new passport.  As stated on the Department of State’s website about passport information “Conditions that may constitute damage requiring you to replace your passport include water damage, a significant tear, unofficial markings on the data page, missing visa pages (torn out), a hole punch, or other injuries.”    If your cover is separating from the book, this is also considered significant damage.   Normal wear and tear is expected for passports.  If the book bends because it was in your back pocket, or the pages start to fan because the book is open and closed so much, these are signs of normal wear and tear.

Passports must also have a certain number of blank visa pages to be considered valid for travel.   Visa pages are the pages in your passport book that get stamped during the immigration process.   The requirements can vary by country, two to four pages is the general recommendation.  This is important to note in the event you are doing a long multiple country trip and will get multiple stamps on your journey.  During the planning process, or once your travel is booked, you need to look closely and make sure you have enough blank pages.  If you do not, you can order additional pages.   You will have to submit your passport book for them to add the additional pages. Also, you can now request larger passport books that have 52 pages instead of the standard 28 pages.  This is generally recommended only for the very frequent traveler or business travelers that have a high percentage of international travel.

I hope this has even informative and has inspired you to go check your passports!  Trust me, you don’t want that surprise at the airport when you are informed you cannot travel because your passport is not valid.

Another question I often receive is about name changes on passports.  All travel must be booked in the name as it appears on your passport.  If you need to change the name on your passport, there are 2 options.  If you are changing it due to marriage or divorce, you can make the change within 1 year with no fee.  There is a specific form (DS-5504) for this submission.  For any other reason, or outside of one year, you will need to submit the standard application form (DS-82 – Application for Passport by Mail) and pay all associated fees.

If you have any questions about passports, an excellent resource for you is www.travel.state.gov.

Happy Travels,

 

Are you ready to Getaway ???

Are you ready to Getaway?

 

If so, I highly recommend the Norwegian Getaway! This ship is amazing and impressive on so many levels. The staff is absolutely fantastic! I found them to be among some of the most engaged and caring staff members I have ever encountered. The food was outstanding!  We ate at a few of the specialty dining restaurants as well as most of the complimentary ones; each of them had great food and service. While the specialty dining restaurants definitely raise the bar, the complimentary restaurants are some of the best we have experienced on cruise ships. The entertainment was first rate, and there were entertainment options for all ages. While it will be impossible to give a fully detailed review here, I will hit some of the high points of the ship for you. If you want to see some of the pictures from our Norwegian Getaway experience, check out the photo album on my Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/1s53iwl

The Norwegian Getaway takes dining over the top! There are 28 different dining experiences onboard the Getaway! I’m happy to report that I tried many of them! Among the options are 8 complimentary dining rooms (2 of which are reserved for Haven Suite guests),10 specialty dining venues with cover charges ranging from $15-$39 per person and 4 dining options just for treats such as bakery items, gelato, and pizza. It seems no matter where you turn on this ship; there is an opportunity for fabulous food! Whether you are in the mood for French, Italian, Sushi, A noodle bar, A Brazilian Churrascaria, pizza, burgers, or pub food, the Norwegian Getaway can accommodate! Room Service is available 24 hours a day, although it is a limited menu. O’Sheehan’s Pub is open 24 hours so you can get your favorite beer or pub food any time! A couple of my favorites are Ocean Blue by Geoffrey Zakarian (yes, Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian) and LeBistro. Ocean Blue is one of the specialty dining venues; it features seafood and it is outstanding! LeBistro is also a specialty dining venue with French cuisine at its finest, including the chocolate fondue for dessert!

If you want to live the suite life on your Getaway, you must stay in the Haven. The Haven is an exclusive area for the suites and is really a great experience. It is like a ship within a ship!

The Norwegian Getaway has an interesting waterfront experience. Stroll along a revolutionary, quarter-mile oceanfront walkway lined with shops, restaurants and bars. We really enjoyed this area! The Getaway also has some interesting bar and lounge experiences throughout the ship. One of the most popular is the Ice Bar. The Ice Bar is kept at 17 degrees Fahrenheit, and has ice sculptures and a life size alligator throne made completely of ice! They provide you with a hooded coat and gloves and limit you to 30 minutes. Even with the coat and gloves, we did not make it 30 minutes! Not being a fan of the cold, I was ready to leave after about 15 or 20 minutes!

Entertainment is top notch on the Norwegian Getaway. We really enjoyed a couple of the musicals they feature on board. We experienced Wine Lovers The Musical in the Illusionarium venue. If you love comedy and wine, this is a must for you! I even found a wine I liked! We also enjoyed the seven-time Tony Award-nominated musical Legally Blonde. Every sailing has fireworks at sea! Howl at the Moon is the live dueling piano bar, and it was highly entertaining and fun.

The Grammy Experience is both a Grammy museum during the day and a music experience with live Grammy jazz or R&B winners or nominees at night. The Levity Entertainment group provides the stand-up comedy in the Headliners lounge with 12 shows on a 7 night sailing. It is not to be missed if you enjoy live comedy! The Illusionarium offers a magnificent show featuring world-class magicians performing while you enjoy dinner. Burn the Floor is a 45 minute non-stop dance production based on the world renowned Broadway show. Of course I can’t forget about the Nickelodeon characters onboard the ship! There are many opportunities for meets and greets with the characters and even a Nickelodeon Pajama Jam for the younger kids. We saw Dora, Diego, SpongeBob Square Pants, and Patrick multiple times throughout the week.

Aside from the entertainment, there are certainly enough activities to occupy your time throughout the week. Do you like the water? They have an Aqua Park that has 5 multi-story water slides! There are 2 swimming pools and 4 hot tubs as well. They also have a pirate themed kid’s themed aqua park complete with SpongeBob Square Pants and friends! Do you like a little more adventure? Check out the sports complex onboard the Norwegian Getaway! You can experience the largest ropes course at sea; you can walk the plank, or climb the rock wall. There is a 9-hole miniature golf course, basketball courts, and more.

Of course my idea of activity involves the spa, and Norwegian Getaway does not disappoint! I love the thermal suite with the vitality pool, the dry sauna, and the spa salt room. They have over 50 different spa treatments to choose from, and yes, I did experience a spa treatment. The spa is also home to the Fitness Center, featuring free weights, TRX training, the latest cardio equipment and a schedule full of classes. Sadly, I had to miss out on the boot camp training this trip because my shoulder is still recovering.

It’s impossible to cover everything we did and keep this review to an article as opposed to a book! In summary, I can honestly say I would recommend this ship to almost anyone!

Please remember to check out my pictures at http://on.fb.me/1s53iwl and contact me when you are ready to plan your Norwegian Getaway!

Happy Travels!

Are you a Freestyle Traveler ??

This weekend we depart on Norwegian Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Norwegian Getaway and will be cruising in the eastern Caribbean.

The thing that Norwegian Cruise Line is most well-known for is their FreeStyle cruising.  FreeStyle cruising is many things to many people.  With some of the newest ships in the industry, Norwegian Cruise Line currently boasts the youngest fleet among major North American cruise lines.  Norwegian continues the expansion and modernization of their fleet with the Norwegian Escape set to debut in 2015

FreeStyle cruising is a great choice for the independent folks who want to truly do it their way.  There are no set dining times, no set dining tables, and no formal nights!    FreeStyle dining is fantastic for those long port days on port intensive itineraries.  You no longer have to leave your destination early to get back in time for dining, or on nights when you are hungry early, you don’t have to “snack” before dinner.  Your vacation truly is whatever you want it to be.   Some of the dining options (which can vary by ship) include a wide variety of complimentary dining with up to 3 main dining rooms, a buffet, and 24 hour room service.  Specialty dining is also creative and varied throughout the fleet.  Experience the fine cuisine of Ocean Blue by Geoffrey Zakarian. Indulge in succulent meats at Moderno Churrascaria or on Certified Angus Beef® at Cagney’s Steakhouse, exclusively on Norwegian. Dine on expertly prepared chicken, steak and shrimp at Teppanyaki. Or savor French cuisine at Le Bistro and go for Italian at La Cucina. They’re all on board – and they’re all delicious. Cover charges for the specialty dining venues range between $15 – $99 per guest; with $25 being the average.  Having experienced many of them, I can honestly say they are more than worth the coverage charge!

Norwegian also touts their FreeStyle entertainment and FreeStyle accommodations.

When it comes to entertainment and activities, they have truly raised the bar!  They have bowling alleys, Wii sports, multiple supervised recreational programs, and a golf program with Elite Golf.  The entertainment is first rate with options on some ships such as Blue Man Group, Second City Comedy, Howl at the Moon, amazing production shows, White Hot deck parties and more.  On the new ship, the Norwegian Getaway you will be able to see the musical Legally Blond or Wine Lovers, the musical.

With regards to the FreeStyle accommodations, the choices are vast!  There are the traditional interior, ocean view, balcony, and mini-suites for you.  Norwegian also caters to the solo travelers with their studio cabins.  The studio cabins are specifically designed for the solo traveler complete with their own social gathering area.  The suites are where they have really stepped up the FreeStyle accommodations.
They have recently introduced The Haven.  The Haven is a ship within a ship feel!  Hidden away at the top of the ship is an exclusive enclave with the most luxurious, well-appointed and spacious accommodations. Not only will you have access to all the ship has to offer, you’ll enjoy the personal service of a 24-hour butler and concierge throughout your entire stay.

This is only the tip of the iceberg of Freestyle cruising on Norwegian Cruise Lines.  I’m happy to share any additional information if you have questions.  Be on the watch for an upcoming article dedicated to the new Norwegian Getaway.

Happy Travels!

Know before you go !!

 

Travel is always easier if you know before you go! The challenge of course is that we don’t know what we don’t know! I always try to provide a great deal of info to my clients when they travel, but sometimes there are things I consider so “routine”, that I may not mention if not asked. Let’s look at the basics of leaving the US and re-entering the US on flights.

 

 

jpegSomething to know before you go is that you will have to meet the entry/exit requirements of the destination. Some destinations have very stringent requirements when it comes to criminal history. Regardless of whether you have a passport or not, there are certain criminal histories such as felony (or even some misdemeanor) convictions that will deem you ineligible to enter their country. Being behind on child support is another issue in many destinations. Please, do yourself a favor and discuss this with your travel professional prior to booking or traveling. Trust me when I tell you it is an awful phone call when someone has been denied entry to another country.

 

Speaking of passports, your passport must be in relatively good shape. It cannot be damaged, separating, missing pages, or anything. These types of things can deem your passport invalid for travel.

 
Something else to know before you go is that on the flight to your destination, the flight attendants will pass out immigration and custom declaration forms for you to fill out. These forms must be filled out prior to passing though immigration and customs in your destination. The forms will require your passport information, address (or name of resort) in destination, and your departing flight information. It will serve you well to keep your itinerary and passport within reach during your flight, that way you aren’t scrambling to get the info or trying to fill out your forms while walking to the immigration line.

 

Upon arrival in your destination, have your passport and forms handy. You will need to provide them to the immigration offer. They will sometimes ask you a couple of questions, most often they ask what is your purpose for the visit and how long are you staying. They do this while they are checking for any “flags” on your passport. (This is where my advice above about past history can come up) Some destinations will provide you with a tourist “card”, often just a piece of paper, upon entering the country. Do NOT lose this….

Once you have passed through immigration, you will proceed to the baggage claim area. You will need to pick up your luggage at the conveyor belt and then head to the customs lines. Your baggage is often screened by an x-ray scanner and / or hand inspection by officials. Once you have cleared customs, you are on your way to the vacation you have been waiting for! Just a note – in many countries, time share sales are very aggressive in the airport. In Cancun for example, I tell people once you have your bags, head for the double doors as quickly as possible. Do not make eye contact or engage in conversation! The time share people will have very enticing offers to get you to listen. Do yourself a favor and don’t. Head to your pre-arranged transportation and start your vacation!
Sadly, all vacations come to an end.

If you are in a country that gave you a tourist “card” upon entry, you will need to present that when exiting the country. Do not lose this; you would not believe the headaches involved for losing a 2 x 2 inch piece of paper in some countries! Some countries also require an exit “tax” to be paid. It often has to be paid in local currency and cash only.

 

Customs Declaration   Customs Declaration Back

 

On your flight back to the US, you will be given customs forms to fill out to re-enter the US. Again, you will globalneed your passport and flight information, so keep your passports handy on the flight. Once you land, you will proceed to immigration. Many airports in the US now have kiosks which have really helped to speed up the process. Of course I always recommend Global Entry! Global Entry takes all of the hassle away.

 

If your first airport arrival in the US is your home airport, after customs you retrieve your bags, proceed through customs, and head home. If your first airport is a connecting city for you, you will retrieve your bags, proceed through customs, re-check your bags, proceed back through airport security, and on to your gate. As a note, if you purchased any beverages or liquids in one of the duty-free shops over the carry-on allowance, you will not be able to take it through security. You will need to pack it in your checked bag before re-checking your bag.

I hope this has been helpful! Remember, we don’t know, what we don’t know, and it’s helpful to know before you go!

 

Happy Travels!

Kelley

 

Is it too good to be true ??

 

Is it too good to be true?travel-scams

Recently, there has been a trend of “it’s too good to be true” scams. You have probably received the emails from someone telling you their “uncle”, “father”, whomever, has left them a large sum or money and they need your help to access the funds. Or perhaps you’ve been called by someone saying you have “won” a “free” government grant and they’ll deposit the money in your account if you give them your routing and account numbers. The list of scams like this goes on… Sadly, there are several scams out there related to travel as well.

Just this week there was an article about several local college students that were victims of a travel scam. They contacted a “travel agency” they found online through a website much like Craig’s List regarding airline tickets back to India over the holiday break. This agency gave them a price that was several hundred dollars less than any other ticket prices they had seen online or by calling other agencies. These young students thought they really had found a great deal… until they found out the airline tickets were not real. The agency had purchased tickets with their money, and then cancelled the tickets.

There are also other types of travel related concerns. I hesitate to call them scams, because in many of these cases, you do actually get “something”, but it certainly isn’t what you think you’re getting. Many time share programs are now called “Vacation Clubs” and they entice you to their presentations under the premise of a free “trip” or “cruise”. Make no mistake, it isn’t free, the costs are not fully disclosed, and it is high pressure sales once you are there. Too many people find themselves owning a time share that they will never get their money’s worth out of. Then there are travel deals found on Craig’s List or Groupon. While Groupon and Craig’s List can be great for many things, travel isn’t usually one of them. Nearly every investigative news program out there has done an expose on “Groupon gone bad” vacations. I personally have had to try and help people that contacted me from another country when their Groupon “deal” turned out to be a very expensive vacation. Is every Groupon travel deal bad? Probably not, but how will you know?

There are definitely some red flags that you should be aware of when planning or booking your travel with online agencies, or someone who calls you with the deal of the day.

  • A request for a wire transfer or “money gram” directly to the travel agent or agency – Reputable travel agencies will rarely (almost never!) do business this way. If a wire or electronic transfer of funds is required, it is usually by the actual travel supplier (cruise line, airline, etc.), not the agency.

  • Cash Payments Required – This is an easy way to lose your money. Most reputable travel suppliers now work with credit cards or electronic transfers. While paying cash is admirable and keeps your finances in checks, it is very hard to recover in the event of theft or misappropriation of funds.

  • Invoices that only reflect the travel agency information and make no mention of the actual travel supplier being used for your travel

  • Pricing that is significantly out of line compared to other prices for the same airline ticket or vacation package. Many travel suppliers have “no-discounting” policies. This makes it a level playing field for all agencies. That is not to say everyone will have the exact same price on a package (because there can be variables with air, transfers, insurance, etc.), but if the difference is more than 25%, you should question it. For example, Disney and Sandals do not allow any discounting. Agencies that do this are in violation of the operating terms and conditions. While there can be differences in other components, the pricing for the actual resorts are the same. Do you really want to work with an agency that is willing to “break the rules”? If they are willing to break the rules with their travel supplier, what other boundaries are they willing to cross?

    If you are going to spend your hard earned money on a vacation experience, please, work with a travel professional so you know what you are getting and get what you are paying for!

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Kelley

 

How do you choose ??

There are all-inclusive resorts suitable for everyone, how do you choose the right one for you? We all know that when it comes to vacation travel, the All-Inclusive resorts remain a very popular choice. All-Inclusive resorts offer some of the best value for your money; the choices are vast and there is a resort out there to suite any traveler interested. The all-inclusive resorts of today cover a wide variety of styles, budget, and clientele. When choosing your resort, it is important to understand the differences and options available. The proper resort choice will definitely make or break your vacation experience.

All-Inclusive resorts are located in many of the sun-drenched islands and countries of the Caribbean and Mexico. The largest concentrations of all-inclusive resorts are in Jamaica, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. There are others scattered throughout the Caribbean – such as St Lucia, Antigua, The Bahamas, and Costa Rica, to name a few.

There are 3 main types of All-Inclusive Resorts:

Couples Only
Cater to the romance and celebration clients – think honeymoon, destination weddings, and anniversaries. Of course no special occasion is required to enjoy the adult only atmosphere.
Most often 4 star properties and above

Adults Only
Restricted to adults only, but not couples only.
Great for couples, groups of couples, girlfriend getaways, or the “guys trip / mancation”
Most often 4 star properties and above

Family Friendly
Large range of family friendly dining, entertainment, and activities
Many have adult only areas or sections
Many are great for destination weddings, couples, girlfriend getaways, or the “guy’s trip / mancation”.
Available in all budget ranges

Inclusions are as varied as the resorts themselves – some questions to consider:

  • How important is dining? Do you prefer buffet or A’ la carte dining? Are you willing to make reservations?
  • Is room service important to you? Butler service? Concierge service?
  • Do you prefer premium brands of alcohol or domestic brands (consider the country you will be in!)?
  • Are you a beach bum or a pool person?
  • What type of activities do you enjoy on vacation? Do you like water sports?
  • Do you like a large mega-resort, smaller boutique resorts, or something in between?
  • Do you want to stay mostly on the resort or do you want to enjoy the area and local culture?

When it comes to budget, as a general rule, resorts fall in to the following categories:

Budget – usually 2-3 star properties

Moderate – usually 3-4 star properties

Luxury – usually 4.5 -5 start properties

Exceptional Luxury – usually 5 star +

It can’t be overstated – choosing the right resort is the most crucial part of your vacation experience. Make sure your choice suits your lifestyle and expectations. Remember, price is what you pay, value is what you get. If you choose based on price alone, it may not be the value you think it is. The reverse is also true; you can certainly overspend on your vacation without getting any extra value.

As a Couples Travel Concierge and Travel Professional, I can help you sort out all of your options. Don’t hesitate to contact me when you are ready to book your All-Inclusive Resort vacation experience.
Happy Travels

Do you have any upcoming celebrations ?

 

Do you have any upcoming celebrations?

Travel is a great way to celebrate any occasion! There are the obvious reasons; Destination Weddings, Honeymoons, Anniversary, and Birthday. Let’s looks at some other reasons; Do you want to propose to that special someone? Did you just get engaged? Of course there are some other fun occasions to celebrate such as bachelorette parties, bachelor parties, graduation, family reunions, class reunions, and a baby moon. There are also life milestones such as becoming an empty nester, retirement, recovery from a lengthy illness, or even a memorial trip in honor of someone special.

What makes celebration travel different? Depending on the type of travel you are planning, the options are extensive. Celebration travel is fun! Whether you travel as just a couple, or as a group, we can customize your celebration to make it special and personal just for you !!

Is it just the 2 of you traveling? If you are at a resort we can arrange for couples massages, dinner on the beach, special room decorations, a private tour or activity, private limo transfers, and more. Are the 2 of you going on a cruise? Depending on the cruise line, there are many ways to make your cruise special; upgraded stateroom category, stateroom decorations, dinner in a specialty restaurant, spa treatments, private excursions, and private stateroom dining on your balcony just to name a few. Often you can even get the staff involved in your “surprise” if you are planning a surprise !!

Are you traveling as a group? If you are going to a resort, we can arrange private group transfers for your whole group if everyone is arriving together, private functions just for your group, arrange for gifts to be delivered for the group, private activities off resort, and more! How about a spa day for the ladies? Or a fishing trip for the guys? Cruises are great options for groups! Group amenities can range from onboard credit, bottles of wine, or snacks, to private functions or meetings for your group. We can also arrange for group dining so everyone can dine together each evening.

Did you know you can do a travel gift registry for your celebration? It doesn’t matter the type of celebration, there is a gift registry available for you!

For more information about celebration travel, check out my website at   www.cruisevacationsandmore.com

You will find sections on Group Travel, Romance Travel, Celebration Travel, Couples Travel, and many more Travel Resources.

Remember, vacations are meant to be experienced, not just taken. Let me help make your vacation a celebration!

Safe Travels,