Okay this cartoon is over the top, but how many times have you seen those ads or emails with pricing like this? Or perhaps a TV commercial for an incredible price on a river cruise? Sometimes you look and find out that the price when you want to go is 4x more than the ad. But how do you know if it's a deal or not? Contact your favorite travel consultant. Why? Because this is what they do everyday, not just when an ad or email catches their eye.
That really "great" price is usually for an inside cabin(no windows) and it usually is the smallest cabin on the ship and in probably the least desirable location. On a certain cruise line this stateroom is so small it just has bunkbeds. This could be very far forward or back on the ship and on a low deck where you will feel a lot of movement. It could be also under the theater, night club or pool deck, so it could be noisy very late at night or first thing in the morning with the crew moving deck chairs around. And the ad is not giving you the "full" price, taxes and port fees need to be added on to the fare. Depending on where you are sailing & to they can add a significant price to your total price. So is this looking good to you?
Also there are the additional costs to cruising, do you know about these? A travel consultant will explain gratuities, drink prices, shore excursions and transfers to and from the airport. And they will also go over the payment process, as there are cruise lines out there that do require you to pay in full to get that great price(a few river cruise lines) and that could be more than a few months before your sailing. The majority require a deposit and final payment at 90 days before. With paying in full that far in advance a travel consultant will go over why you need to consider travel insurance if something happens before your trip.
Like the cartoon, their are many airlines that advertise a "great deal" fare but you need to look a little closer than just price if it's a deal for you. Is it Basic Economy, which most of the legacy carriers offer and has a lot of restrictions. Does the airfare have extra costs, like fees for carry on bags, reserving seats together if you are travelling with young children? Well you need to add those to the fare. Most airlines charge for checked bags and they better not be over the weight limit. Overweight charges are scary expensive. And if you are heading to Europe, if you think our budget airlines are bad with fees, their European counterparts are worse. Then did you look at your overall travel time on that "great deal"? Met a honeymoon couple from Washington DC in Jamaica who had a 6 & 8 hour layovers on their flights. So they basically wasted two precious days in airports, when there were two direct flights and numerous ones with better connections.
A travel consultant gets to know you and your traveling party. They take in consideration your budget, type of trip you want to take, what accommodations you like and how long you want to be gone. Then they go to work to find the best deal that is the right fit for you. They can handle all your travel needs, so you just have one person to call and they are your advocate if something goes wrong.
But you may think this will cost you extra? No most travel consultants don't charge a fee, they are paid commission by the vendors they use. They recommend the best trip for you and your budget, because they are not about the "one night stand" trip, they are in it for the long term. They want you to call again and again for your travel needs.
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