Why You Really Need That Blue Book

In the past I have written about bucket list travel and if yours includes foreign destination you are definitely going to need a passport, so go ahead and get one. Why? you never know when that great value to a location comes up and don't you want to be ready to take advantage of it? Processing times listed at on travel.state.gov site range from 4-6 weeks. If you have a passport, check the expiration date, because a good rule of thumb for foreign travel is your passport needs to expire 6 months after your return date, and while anyone age 16 and over passport is good for 10 years, in reality it's really 9 years and 6 months. Do you really want to be sweating out waiting for the Fed Ex truck to deliver a new passport a day before you leave?

So maybe really exotic "foreign" locations aren't what you are looking for, but you may not realize that you do need a passport even closer to home. Thinking about getting to a warm weather location in the middle of winter? Let's face it Southern Florida can get too chilly in January & February to sit on a beach. By not having a passport, you are limiting yourself to only a few places to get out of the cold, like Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. If you are looking for all inclusive resorts, the majority are found in Mexico, Jamaica and Dominican Republic.  I spent some time researching flights and resorts for a colleague, who had clients that couldn't get to St Thomas, USVI because of weather and no passports, remember those 3 snowstorms that hit the Northeast last winter? She ended up sending them to Florida and the clients saw the light and are applied for passports when they return. So if you are thinking warm weather for next winter get that passport application filled out.

While a certified birth certificate will be accepted on "closed loop cruises" , Caribbean cruises embarking and ending in US ports, a passport is a much better option to take  along. It is actually recommended by the cruise lines and myself. Why? What happens if there is an family emergency and you need to fly home from a foreign port? Or if you get injured or sick and have to be taken off the ship? Plus from a practical stand point, it's much easier carrying a sturdy passport than an older birth certificate that can easily be torn. Plus countries are requiring passports, like Martinique. If you are on a sailing including that island you will need a passport.

Thinking of an Alaskan cruise+land tour, well you are going to need a passport, because you will start or end your adventure in Vancouver Canada. Yes you need a passport to fly into and out of Canada, even though the majority of the trip will be spent in the United States. Also some of the longer Canada/New England cruises start or end in Quebec City. You may also need one if you are doing a land tour in New England, because some do cross over into Canada.

So go ahead and apply for that passport, it's your key to the world.

Our Story of Travelling with Autism

People always look at me strangely when talking about Disney, because it just doesn't fit with what others think I like. Given the choice, I would rather stay in a real castle somewhere in Europe, but there is something when you walk into Magic Kingdom and look up Main St and see the castle it chokes me up and I will tell you why. It was one of the places that helped our special needs child turn into a confident traveler.

My eldest son is high functioning autistic, being diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome when he was 5 years old. As he puts it now at age 23, he did have "issues" and of course these issues meant that travelling was a challenge when he was younger. Our #1 priority is and was to get him to a level where he can as we put it "function in the real world". We have been lucky to be backed up with a wonderful medical team and a school district who have seen his potential. Of course, getting him used to travelling had it's bumps in the road, but not road blocks. He's now in college working on his accounting degree.

This is one reason I have become  a Certified Autism Travel Professional, and I applaud IBCCES for establishing this program along with their program to certify resorts/hotels/theme parks.

So here are some of our strategies we have used in our travels with special needs,

#1 Prepare and repeat- This was huge in getting him used to TSA security. We practiced at home a lot and then took a road trip to our airport so he could see how it went before he actually had to do it.
Of course now, we have Global Entry with TSA pre-check, so this makes things easier. Also TSA now has TSA Cares

 #2 Sleeping arrangements-How fun was a vacation going to be if we asked him to share a bed with his brother? It would have been an absolute nightmare of no one sleeping, and let's face it no kid special needs or not is in risk of a meltdown with a lack of a good night's rest. So we always looked for accommodations that were multi bedrooms or connecting staterooms on a cruise ship. And as I always tell families, would you spend a week in your master bedroom with your family? Well that's what you are doing when you put 4 people in one hotel room. Plus it gives mom & dad privacy too, wink wink if you know what I mean.

 #3 Plan to include their interests- My son is a history buff, so Pearl Harbor was a must on our trip to Hawaii. Given the choice, he would rather see interesting things than sit on a beach all day. So you can imagine he was over the moon on his delayed grad cruise in Europe and one of his bucket list items is to do a Danube river cruise to see the major cities of the former Austrian-Hungarian Empire

#4 Don't rule out Disney- Yes they have accomodations for special needs, but we have never used them in our trips. By knowing how to "do the parks" we were able to avoid long lines both in Orlando and Anaheim. And the more times we went to Disneyworld, the more comfortable he got with the whole travel thing, from standing in a crowd waiting to watch the fireworks, to trying new foods and liking them. And I will say this from a consumer point of view, not just a certified Disney expert, there is a Disney Difference from the theme parks, resorts, cruise line and tour company.

#5 Cruise- I have been cruising since 1980 when my mom took us on the "Love Boat" aka Pacific Princess to Alaska and as a parent myself I find it a great way to travel with kids period. I'm pampered by not having to cook,clean or worry about did we take the wrong way. It's a super way for those on the spectrum to travel. You are in the same bed every night and come back to familiar food.

Tortola, British Virgin Islands 

#6 Plan downtime- Having some time when they can just watch tv, get on the computer or do whatever your special needs child does to release anxiety is good. Vacation time is structured differently than what they are used to at home and even with preparing and knowing ahead of time, you sometimes may have to cross an activity offer your list or plan that downtime into your schedule. Even if you don't have special needs children, edit your must see list. A vacation is supposed to be re-charge your batteries and connect as a family. Each family is different, but you don't need to take a vacation to recover from your vacation.

Taking a break for lunch

It's Time to Go! My Favorite Tips for Family Travel

It's getting to be that time of year that families start packing their bags with spring break upon us and summer fast approaching. So I would like to offer some tips to make this year's family vacation memorable and stress free.

Travelling with a young one under 3 and would love to have some adult time? This is a tricky one because most kids clubs both on land and sea start at age 4 and require potty training. Of course Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean on certain ships have a pay for nursery for your youngest, but what about land? Beaches Resorts, with 2 locations in Jamaica and the Turks & Caicos has certified nannies with a ratio of 3:1 included, but after hours care is extra. Karisma Resorts' Generations & Azul brands offer babysitting/nanny service for a fee. Another idea, invite the grandparents along, if they are anything like my late mother, she would insist you go out to dinner every night while she fusses over those kids. And don't think you need to pack a suitcase full of diapers & other supplies, there are companies who will have your favorite supplies waiting for you.

Thinking about visiting my friend Mickey at Disney World? Have you made your dining reservations yet? How about making your FastPass+ selections and what colors did you pick for your MagicBands? Still want to plan this yourself? Our travel agency’s knowledge of Disney products has earned us the distinction of being named an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. We were given this special designation by Disney as a result of our agency’s ongoing focus and commitment to planning customized, magical trips to the Disney Parks, Disney Cruise Line® and other Disney vacation destinations worldwide. Plus my insider knowledge gleaned from our many land & sea Disney trips.

Sailing the seas this summer? My December Cruise Tips give some of my top tips for cruising, which are even more important when travelling with toddlers to teens. Let's face it at any age kids don't like to wait and they do less well than us adults having to wake up at some ungodly hour to catch that early flight to the port. So flying in the previous day can help with those sulks and tantrums waiting to board the ship. Since your big suitcases will be delivered to your stateroom later, make sure you pack those swimsuits in your carry-on, because those slides will be calling your kids before they even see them.

Have a family unit bigger than 4 people and you haven't booked your trip yet? Get to it now! Those types of accommodations book fast, so don't wait. Depending on your family make up of ages, consider 2 rooms/staterooms, come on mom & dad do you really want to squeeze into one room and not have your privacy and worse have to share a bathroom with teens?

Also if you can't afford to leave a favorite toy or blanket, make sure that is the first thing that goes in the bag. Trust me on this, we made it to older childhood and luckily didn't leave a blankie behind. But watch what goes in a carry on. One of our bags was given extra time in the x-ray machine do to someone's Godzilla & friends collection, our eldest was in charge of that bag. He assumes that it was Hedorah, who is shaped a lump that caused TSA to give the bag an extra look or the TSA agent was just checking out my youngest's  Godzilla collection. Silly as it maybe it's moments like this, as the kids grow up that you remember. They are only young once, don't miss your chance to take Godzilla to the beach!

Come Home in Your Skinny Jeans

  Yes you really can get off a cruise ship or leave an all inclusive resort wearing your skinny jeans. There is no reason to bring your yoga pants if you follow my few rules about staying in shape while on vacation. I have kept off 50+ pounds since 2010 and I travel regularly, so I will share my secrets with you and if you are a regular here, you know I love food.

Workout- Just because you are on vacation, don't take a break from working out. My workout clothes always come with me, because I want to have that dessert tonight or my amaretto on the rocks for a night cap. So I will hop on the elliptical or treadmill for 30 minutes a day to burn off those extra calories.

Don't Wait for the Elevator- When I am on a cruise I take the stairs to get where I want to go instead of the elevator most of the time. If that is too much for you just get off the elevator a deck or 2 before your desired location and walk the rest of the way. This also works at resorts too.

Pick Active Shore Excursions- You may have been sitting around by the pool or the beach for a few days, get out and try some snorkeling or a walking tour of town. And yes if you are at an all inclusive get out and discover the country you are visiting either on your own or a scheduled tour.

Food & Drink- Personally I try to eat my regular diet with some indulgences when on vacation. Okay those bagels, cream cheese and smoked salmon do call my name at breakfast, but I will only go with half a bagel and a light smear of cream cheese. I do get lean protein and veggies so I can try the desserts, especially if there is anything chocolate! I tend to stay clear of high calorie drinks like Pina Coladas, and stick with something lighter like wine or a vodka & tonic but I also drink plenty of water. Not only will it help you feel full, it will help keep you hydrated if you are somewhere warm and flying also effects your hydration level, so don't skip your water! Most resorts and cruise ships have low calorie options clearly marked on the menu and the portion sizes are much smaller than say your well known sit down chain restaurant, so while you eat more courses it is probably less food.

Know your level of fitness before you go- I always advise my 1st time Walt Disney World clients about the amount of walking you will do in a visit, very easy to hit that magic 10,000 step mark per day. Most excursions either at a resort or when cruising usually have good guidelines on how active the tour is. If it looks like too much on paper for you or someone in your group it probably is. So maybe start an exercise program, even just starting to take a daily walk will get you into Disney shape before you go. Who wants to spend time on vacation nursing sore muscles from overuse?

You don't need to diet on vacation but strategically pick where to indulge and by adding some activity to your day, you too can wear your skinny jeans home too!

Let's Play What's A Great Deal

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.



Next Time Do It With a Group

Have you ever gone on vacation with your spouse/partner or immediate family and seen groups just having a great time and wondering wow wouldn't that be fun. Let me tell you yes it is, lets face it if you have someone who just likes to lounge by the pool and you want to check out all the amenities of your resort or cruise ship, you end up by yourself. Then lets talk kids, you can lead one to a kids/teen club but you can't make them participate, and then don't you always dread that they will sulk about friends back home and turn into trip killers. No you don't want to be that person yelling I spent X number of dollars, have fun! Or you would just like to get away with friends and let dad hold the fort down for awhile. Tired of spending the holidays with pots & pans instead of your family? Why not gather everyone and go somewhere, enjoy time with them and let someone take care of you.

What are great ways for groups to travel? All inclusive resorts, cruises of any type and tours. Don't like the idea of a big bus tour, go with a tour designed just for your group. And you don't have to have a huge amount of people to do this cost effectively. Big cruise ship not your cup of tea, how about renting a yacht complete with captain, crew and cook for a week?

Here are a few ideas for you;

Want to show those kids/grandkids the world? Yes there are companies that specialize in this, so everyone has a great time and they keep the kids engaged with activities like a scavenger hunt at the Louvre.

Looking for a girls getaway plus a little holiday shopping, A Christmas market river cruise either on the Danube or Rhine, where you'll be able to find unique items to give to your loved ones.

Have a bunch of friends that are Downton Abbey fans, why not play the part by sailing to England on the Queen Mary 2. Have afternoon tea, dress for dinner and pretend your Lady Mary. Then spend a few days in London and head out for a tour of Highclere Castle.

I know you are thinking this would be all a big headache to put together, and you don't have time to herd cats. That's where a group travel professional comes in, they know who to work with to give you the trip you want and answer all those questions that will arise. This leaves you to just be able to count the days till your departure. Give me a call, professional cat herder(aka group specialist) and let's get your group on!

December's Cruise Tips

I love looking at some of the lists on how to do lists for cruises. As a 35 year veteran of cruising, former business road warrior, family traveler(2-4 trips per year) and now in the travel industry, I think some of these lists offer some good advice, but here is my advice for 1st time or infrequent cruisers.

Don't get to the ship early, no you don't get some prize for being the first person on the ship. Any way if you did it would be some tchotchke with the cruise line logo on it. What you do get is to stand in line to get through security and then wait until they are ready to let you on the ship. So I say hang out at your hotel a little longer and have another cup of coffee, because you never know if that wait is going to be made longer by the Coast Guard doing a surprise inspection, or some previous week's cruisers who don't disembark when they are supposed or the computer system crashes. My associate ran into all three of these situations in one weekend of doing ship inspections! I dislike lines, so if I go a little later I usually can breeze right on.

Fly in the day before, but not for the reason you think. It is so much more relaxing way to get ready for your cruise, wake up at a normal time, have a leisurely breakfast and head to the port. Where if you fly in the same day, besides leaving your fate in the hands of mother nature and the airlines, you'll have to be on an early flight, so getting to the airport before dawn. Considering you'll probably some of the first people at the port, see above.

Over-packing, well I see this advice on every travel blog and then see the number of bags people bring, no one is heeding this advice!  Some cruise ship cabins are a little tight on storage, this goes for river and ocean ships. I sailed this summer on a 10 day cruise with one checked bag that weighed in at 38 pounds and I came home with stuff that I didn't wear. The family did a 17 day trip to Hawaii with one checked bag and 2 20" carry-on size bags. My packing philosophy is another blog topic.

Have fun and relax you are on vacation! No cooking, cleaning or laundry. Pack your sense of humor and have a great time.