It’s funny, when people find out that I own a travel agency, the topic of travel planning inevitably comes up. The one thing I have learned is that many people have no idea how to work with a travel professional. As a travel concierge, I specialize in creating travel experiences that are tailor made for you! Keep in mind that perfect vacation experiences don’t just happen; planning requires thoughtfulness, patience, careful attention to details, and a lot of decision-making along the way. Working with the right travel professional can streamline the process, insure no details are overlooked, and increase your value and experience dramatically.
Before you contact a travel professional, there are a few things you need to consider. Thinking about these key items will help the travel concierge make thoughtful and appropriate recommendations for creating your ideal honeymoon. You may not know the exact answers before contacting your travel professional, but just thinking about them will get you ahead of the planning process. Here are 5 key questions you should ask yourself:
1. What is your priority for this experience? Think about choosing up to 3 of the following: romance, quiet, activity, adventure, food / wine, culture, tropical beach, or exploring cities. Of course you could have completely different ideas! Remember this is your vacation and your future memories! Close your eyes for a minute and picture exactly what you want!
2. Do you have a specific destination in mind or are you looking for someone to help decide? If you do have a destination in mind, what attracts you to that particular destination? If you don’t have a specific destination in mind, the answers to question 1 will help your travel professional guide you.
3. What are your preferred travel dates or window of time? Believe it or not, saying “I can travel anytime” isn’t actually helpful to your travel professional, and if you really think about it, it’s not actually true! There’s always that “1 thing” you forgot about. You really need to narrow it down as much as possible. If you can’t give a 2 week time frame, give a month or at the most 2 months.
4. How long do you want to be gone? This can make a big difference on your destination options. For example, you won’t be visiting the south pacific nor doing an African Safari if you can only be gone 5 days.
5. What is your budget for your vacation experience? While you may not know what “things cost” (I hear this all of the time), you certainly know what you can and / or will spend. A budget isn’t an exact dollar amount but a range. Knowing your budget range upfront can help set realistic expectations and eliminate a great deal of frustration during the planning process. This is usually the hardest part for everyone. A way to make this easier is to consider the following sample ranges: Less than $5,000, $5,000-$7,500, $7,500-$10,000, $10,000-$13,000, $13,000 – $15,000, and over $15,000.
Remember – budget has nothing to do with “price” – budget is what we use to create your experience and provide you with value for your dollars! Price is what you pay, Value is what you get!
Once you have thought about these key elements, the real fun begins!! Then we move on to the types of vacation experiences: all-inclusive resorts, multi-destination, river cruises, escorted tours, or cruises are just a few of the options!
Remember, your vacation experience is all about you! Let’s spend your hard-earned money in a way that provides the most value and creates ever lasting memories!
Happy Travels
Kelley
a few ideas to get you thinking about romance on your cruise:
During my visit last week, I stayed at Sandals Whitehouse on the South Coast. This resort features 2 ½ miles of beautiful white sandy beach. The resort is beautifully landscaped; the food and service were excellent. It is a somewhat quiet resort, but that does not equal boring; there are plenty of activities available for you at the resort as well as off resort excursions as well.
TSA screening uses the 3-1-1 rule for liquids, fluids, and gels to be carried on to an airplane. In a nutshell – that is no container larger than 3 oz., in a 1 quart zip lock baggie, and 1 per person. Technically the allowable size is 3.4 oz., but 3 oz. is much easier to remember when it comes time to pack! Always remember to remove your zip lock baggie from your carry-on (unless you are qualified for TSA Pre-Check) and place it in one of the bins for security screening. Each time security has to search a carry-on bag it slows down the line. If you have any doubt about something being considered a liquid, fluid, or gel it is safest to put it in your checked bag. You should also declare larger liquids. Medications, baby formula and food, and breast milk are allowed in reasonable quantities exceeding three ounces and are not required to be in the zip-top bag. You must declare these items for inspection at the checkpoint. Please remember and be patient as officers may need to open these items to conduct additional screening. Remember, the 3-1-1 rule only applies to liquids, fluids, and gels; it does not apply to pills or powders.
For general security information, screening processes, and information about carry-on items, please check the TSA website at 
remember to confirm your airline allowances prior to travel so you don’t have any surprises at the airport upon departure or return! With the exception of Southwest Airlines, all airlines now charge for checked baggage when purchasing the least expensive (and in some cases any!) tickets. There are also weight and size requirements for your checked bags. Each airline will have their specifics, but a good rule of thumb is no heavier than 50 pounds, and no bigger than 62 linear inches. These requirements will vary among airlines, please check! As a note, the international carries have very different standards for their flights that originate in countries outside of the United States. If you are uncertain of the requirements, please check with them so you don’t find yourself re-packing in the midst of a very busy airport in another country.