Why Use a Travel Professional?

“Do people still use travel agents?”

It’s a question I hear often, and my answer is always the same…

ABSOLUTELY! At least, the smart ones do.

While the internet is chock full of information about every destination under the sun and there you will find a multitude of web sites dedicated to allowing you to book your vacations yourself, travel professionals still provide a valuable service for today’s savvy vacationers.

A quick Google search will put hundreds, if not thousands, of articles, blog posts, reviews, trip reports, photos and more at your fingertips. It can be more than a bit overwhelming!

How do you know what information is up to date and correct? Can you be sure those reviews are accurate and unbiased? Are those photos current and unedited, the Kardashians aren't the only ones photoshopping pictures.

And if you’ve ever said to yourself that you would never book with a travel agency because you prefer to do it all yourself, let me fill in on a little secret…

Those web sites you are using to search for the best price? They are all travel agencies.

Not only that, they typically have more restrictions and fees than working with a personal travel advisor should you need to make a change or cancel your vacation unexpectedly. And then there is the issue of customer service, or in the case of many of these big online agencies, “customer no-service.”

Take a moment and compare the cancellation policies of your favorite travel discount website with those of the airline or resort directly. You’ll usually find them to be rather unforgiving. When you work with a travel professional, we typically have multiple travel partners we can use to customize your vacation, and we will take their cancellation and change policies into consideration in selecting the best option for your family.

And what about payments? Most of the time you will need to pay for your vacation in full when you book with an online discounter. A travel professional will be able to book your trip with a deposit and in many cases will allow you to make multiple payments on your vacation if you'd like to spread the cost out before you travel. And we also can place a courtesy hold on a vacation including those that involve airfare, so you have a few days to decide.

As a travel professional, I work with my clients providing them with top-notch service from the time they reach out to me until well after they return from their vacations.

I take the time to listen to their vacation wants, needs and expectations. I get to know them. I ask lots of questions to help make sure that the recommendations I make are right for them.

Sure, some of my clients come to me knowing exactly what they want down to the specific details, but more often than not what they've found either isn't the right option to meet their expectations, or it isn't the best value for their hard-earned vacation dollars. I am able to use my personal experience and vast industry network to recommend options tailor-made to meet their wants, needs, expectations, and budget.

Once we've found the perfect destination for them, I make sure that the options that go into their itinerary are the best value for their budget. I've spent years cultivating a network of relationships within the travel industry, and as a result, I am often able to secure additional perks or upgrades for my clients that they would not have been aware of had they planned their vacation themselves.

The services of a travel professional don't end once you book your vacation. In fact, that's often where the essential services begin.

It's often the small details that make the difference between a good vacation and a well-planned, well-executed, outstanding vacation. Knowing that all of those little details are taken care of and have been double and triple checked by a professional means you can relax and enjoy your time knowing everything is taken care of for you, especially if you have food allergies or dietary restrictions.

 For a client with a child with multiple food allergies, I notified their pre cruise hotel along with the cruise line. Due to the allergies the child rarely ever had desserts, the cruise line made a special dessert for him at lunch and dinner along even on their private Island.



You can also relax knowing that if anything should go wrong, you’ve got a professional in your corner helping to solve any problems and advocate for you should the need arise.

Whether it’s transportation delays or an issue at your resort, you need only contact me, and I will be working behind the scenes to resolve the situation. Because of my connections and the resources available through my travel partners, I can often facilitate a resolution sooner than you might expect.

During the Polar Vortex in January had a client delayed enough to put their connecting flight at risk, while they were en route I worked with the suppliers air desk to get them rebooked on the next flight if needed, also checked gate assignments found their flights were next to each other. Texted all info to client so she would see it when she landed. They made the flight, also this was a 6:20am departure so I was up to make sure they got off. Is that online agency going to do that?

Working with a travel professional is like having a personal concierge dedicated to ensuring that your vacation is expertly planned and customized to your  unique expectations. Allowing someone else to take care of the details and eliminate the stress and overwhelm of planning is a luxury you deserve to experience.

I don't lay down on the job when you are traveling, but you may want this business class seat on Air France to Paris.

Planning the perfect experience begins with scheduling your vacation consultation call. Click here to get in contact with us. We'll discuss the details and what you are looking for in your dream vacation. I'll give you my suggestions and explain how we can best work together to plan the vacation of your dreams. 

London for the Teenager in Your Family

       London is a great city to visit with your family.  From the history, culture, attractions, and the energy; London has something for everyone.  But beyond the major attractions like the Tower of London that everyone seems to enjoy; if your like my family, the hardest members of your family to please when you travel together are the teens.  On their best days teens always seem jaded and hard to please.  Factor in traveling together to another country and the stress levels can rise quickly.  Traveling with two teens of my own, I have found that finding finding features or activities geared toward their interests will keep them more involved in the trip which intern will reduce your stress level, and in the end allow the entire family to enjoy and have a great vacation.  When it comes to finding those activities focused on the interest of your teens, there is no better place to look than London.  Here is just a sample of the activities that will make even the most hard to please teenager have a great time.

1. The London Dungeon
       Teenagers love to be scared.  Horror movies would not be so popular if this wasn't true.  When the kids were younger they would probably have been to frightened to go in this place, but now they are the perfect age.  I love the London Dungeon because of it's good giggly-scary fun and you will have a real adrenalin rush.  Plus the actors are there to real entertain, so bring it on!

2. Jack the Ripper Tour
       Keeping with the "they like to be scared" theme, a walking touring the evening hearing about the gruesome tales of Jack the Ripper in Victorian London is another option for older kids.  The walk follows the streets around the east end where the murders took place and the tour guides don't hold back with their honesty, but are also entertaining.

3. Clothes Shopping
       Almost all teenage girls, ( and even many teenage boys), like to shop for clothes.  When you come to London they will want to be able to choose something their friends don't have back home.  Tour first stop should be to the "mother of all" department stores, Harrods.  Then head to Top Shop at Oxford Circus for some great High Street fashion.  Its flagship store is big enough to demand a few hours of your shopping time.  Further along Oxford Street, is the enormous Primark store which has very cheap fashion clothes in all the latest styles.

4. Afternoon Tea
       Teenagers love being treated like an adult; and in London the ultimate in adult activities for many visitors is enjoying afternoon tea.  When you treat your teenage daughter to the tradition that is the afternoon tea, the service along with the nice tea and cakes will make them feel real special.

5.  Madame Tussauds
       Like it or not, celebrities play a big part in teenager's lives and getting up close to some big names can be fun for all.  It's all about having fun here so there's music playing when you arrive and you can hug your idols and get some great photo opportunities.  There are pop stars and actors, as well as sports legends and historic figures.  Try sitting in the US President's chair and pretend your the commander-in-chief.

6.  Celebrity Character Tours
       Speaking of celebrities, teens love so many celebrity characters, that they read about see in a movie, that are based in London.  From Harry Potter, to James Bond, to Dr. Who; the will love taking tours around London seeing the real life locations for where their favorite characters lived out their fantasies.  The story telling is fun and interesting, and this is a great way to see areas of London outside of the normal tourist areas.

Planning a Great Multi-Generational Family Vacation

So why is the multi-generational family travel  a growing movement?  Because families are realizing that family vacations provide opportunities to enjoy leisurely activities together, to get to know one another better, and to develop more appreciation for each other.

The trend includes family members of all ages, from grandparents down to small children.  According to a recent survey, 66 percent of grandparents travel with their grand kids.  They either travel alone with the little ones or with the entire family.  Among U.S. parents with kids living in their household, 44 percent of kids take at least one trip a year with their parents/grandparents.

Tips to Ensure the Best Family Vacations

For most, traveling goes smoothly.  There can be challenges, however, especially with larger groups.  To ensure your multi-generational family vacation is fun, safe and rewarding, keep these tips in mind.

1. Get the Whole Family Involved.  You probably have a family member or two who will say "I don't care what we do, you can decide," but rarely do they mean it, or if they do, they may regret saying it once the trip begins.

For the best family vacations, include everyone involved in the decision making process, from where to visit all the way to what activities they want to be part of.  When everyone feels like they have a say, they are more likely to feel like they played a part in making the trip a success.

2. Choose Your Destination Wisely.  There is no right or wrong place to vacation; the key is to visit a place that everyone will enjoy.  Talk about your preferences as a group and then come to a compromise where everyone will have fun and be happy.

3. Plan Something for Everyone.  No matter where you are traveling or what time of year, you will find plenty of tourist types of activities.  However, the key is making sure that a few of your activities are appropriate for all the age groups you are traveling with.  The wider the age range in your extended family, the more opinions you will want to consider.

4. Be Clear on Financial Responsibilities.  When putting together all the details, make sure to consider everyone's travel budget and discuss who will pay for what.  you may have one person who foots the bill for the majority of the trip or everyone may be responsible for paying their own way.  It's important to talk about all of this up front so everyone knows about their financial obligation, not just for the major costs like airfare and overnight accommodations, but the smaller expenditures as well.

5. Take a Break From the Family.  Even though it is so much fun to travel with family members, everyone needs a little time away from each other.  Take time to enjoy an afternoon without the rest of the group or divide the kids amongst the grownups.  Then regroup at the end of the day to share special stories about your experiences.

6. Turn to a Vacation Planner if You Need Help.  Planning the best family vacation, for most, is part of the fun; but if you're feeling overwhelmed or your group is having trouble agreeing on family travel ideas, you might prefer to have a planner help.  They offer many options to remove stress from your travel preparation and help coordinate the trip.

7. Capture Every Moment of Your Trip.  Since multi-generational trips don't happen as often as we would  like, make sure to grab hold of the memories.  Knowing this is a special trip, take lots of pictures and videos including a number of silly photos to recall the funny moments.

More and more, families want to travel together.  Instead of grandparents heading on vacation alone, or just mom, dad and the kids taking a trip, everyone wants in on the fun.  Traveling together creates solid bonds and special adventures that often can;t be found anywhere else.

Get Your Hula On!

Hawaii, for those of us east of the Mississippi is one of those once in a lifetime or once every few years type of trips, well 4 year ago we made our first trip to Hawaii. We were there for around 2 weeks and spent 2 days in Honolulu and time on Kauai and the Big Island. 2 week+ vacations are hard to plan for; work, family constraints and kids' activities make that hard. I love to find the "best bang for the time & money".

If you only have a short time and want to see all the islands I would suggest Norwegian Cruise's Pride of America, sailing weekly out of Honolulu. You will get to see all the islands, with overnight stays in Maui and Kauai, plus on the Big Island you will stop in Kona and Hilo. Add a few days pre-cruise in Honolulu and you can see all the islands in 9 days!

For those who would never consider a cruise, here are my top reasons to consider sailing on the Pride of America

1. You can't see all the islands in 9-10 days. Well you could but mostly you would see the inside of airports and not seeing the unique beauty of each island.
2. Hawaii is expensive Since they are islands, most food supplies must be shipped in, so food is expensive in the islands. With cruising your food is included in your fare, making it easier to stay within your budget.
3. Golfers rejoice Golf on every island and there are plenty of excursions to keep your non-golfing partner or spouse happy!
4. Unpack once, hitting more than 2 islands, packing and repacking becomes a real chore, especially if you are travelling with the kids.
5. Two stops on the Big Island, Kona is great for hitting Hapuna Beach and snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay, while Hilo is much closer to Volcano National Park.

Cruising on the Pride of America, offers you a great way to control your budget, get a taste of all the Hawaiian Island and saves you the headache of repacking and multiple airports.

Maybe It's Time for A New Suitcase

First time I remember seeing people get hit with overweight fees for their bags was back in 2006. Checking in for a Thanksgiving week flight, a family of 3 ahead of us had to cough up $280 for their three bags. Needless to say, they were those 28" traditional soft side suitcases. Of course I was a little worried, because Big Red(if you don't know we like to nickname stuff in my family) was the next size down, but luckily it was fine. After that the bags always went on the bathroom scale to make sure they were under 50 lbs. A few years later I was in the market for a bag that bridged the size from Big Red to our collection of those ubiquitous black 20" wheelies that everyone uses for carry-ons. I came across a soft wheelie duffle bag from High Sierra, 24" and it only weighs 7 lbs. Eye roll from my husband, on why I needed that. Well come one of those winter long weekends and we are headed up to Boyne Mountain to ski. He volunteered to pack, and came down stairs amazed at what he could get into that bag, ski pants, ski gloves, snow boots and goggles and he still had room and it didn't feel that heavy. Of course this bag has a nickname also, Angry Orange, so you can guess what color it is. It's a tough bag it's been on 4 cruises, various other flying trips and it handled 6th grade Camp Michindoh with my youngest. Other than a few dirt marks, it still looks great and nothing has fallen off.

So when ebags had a sale I purchased the above bag, which is a TLS Mother Load 29" Wheeled Duffle. I really like the two sections, which is great when I have to do a dual trip, vacation stuff in one section and business clothes in the other. I used it this past summer when I was in Europe for 10 days I weighed it before I left and it was only 38 pounds and that included 4 pairs of shoes! I promise I will do a blog on how I decide what to bring on a trip.

So if you are planning on hitting the road or skies in the near future take a look at your suitcase. I am not a fan of those lightweight hard side bags. They tend not to last more than a few flights if you are checking them, seen more than a few on the baggage carousel that are cracked.

Here are my tips:

1. Always weigh your bags at home, I use my bathroom scale and for a checked bag I don't want it to weigh more than 45 pounds. I have found my scale is pretty accurate, but leave some room for purchases and scale variations.

2. If you have too much get that 2nd bag out, 2nd bag fees are usually less than overweight charges. I have seen Delta want to charge $100 for 5 pounds.

3. Know your airlines weight restrictions, yep the usual suspects are 50 pounds, but you fly Spirit it's  only 40 pounds.

4. If you have to pay for bags, figure out when is the best time to pay for them. Spirit and a lot of the European budget airlines have price breaks on when you buy bag fees. Cheapest when you buy the ticket, more expensive when you check in online and you really pay through the nose when you do it at the airport. And we all think Spirit nickels & dimes us, you haven't seen the European budget airlines!

5. Some airlines are weighing your carry-on bag, the 20" ones that are so loved by road warriors. Air Canada & Hawaiian have started to do this.

So if your old suitcases don't look like they will make another flight or you are just plain embarrassed by them, check out some of the newer lightweight bags.

Get The Right Resort For You

Oops guess the girls missed the part about "senior" singles all inclusive resort. Looks like they focused on the "bright shiny thing" aka the price and didn't catch who the resort actually caters too. So now that vacation they have been eagerly anticipating is not what they wanted. So they either sulk for the entire time or make the best of it. Has this happened to you? Went to a resort and found that it was either too loud, too quiet or too many or not enough kids?

Don't want to be a subject of a cartoon after your next vacation? Call your travel consultant! They want you to have a great vacation, whether you are looking for a resort to let your hair down and party hardy or taking the kids and your mom for a holiday trip so she can spend time with her family instead of being stuck in the kitchen for days. A travel consultant asks the right questions and then goes to work finding the resort that is right for YOU and your vacation objectives. They do this everyday and have their fingers on the pulse of the travel industry.

Besides looking for a family or adult only resort and what your budget is, a travel consultant will ask how long are thinking about going for? Are you a beach person, who wants a long stretch of sand or are you looking for a cove where the water is calmer for your younger kids? And speaking of kids, how old are they? A travel professional wants to know your party's likes/dislikes and what you would like to do on vacation. Are you happy sitting by the pool or does that drive you crazy? By getting to know you, the can narrow down the selection to 2-3 resorts to present to you and help you pick the right one for you and your budget.

How long would it take you to do this yourself? Travel Professionals save you time and make vacation planning stress free for you by providing all the components you need for a great trip.

Also they have your back if something goes wrong, they will be your advocate and spend that time on hold to get something taken care of for you. Most of us get calls from people who have booked themselves via online or the stores that specialize in bulk toilet paper and ask for help. Since we are not the agent of record we can't. This is especially painful for customers who "used" us for research and went and booked themselves. Nothing we can do other than tell you to call that 800 number and hope someone can assist you.

By developing a relationship with a travel professional, you'll find someone who will find the best trip at the best price for you. Plus as an added bonus you get someone who will always be excited to talk about your trip with you.

Selecting The Right Family Vacation

When choosing a family vacation there are lots of things to consider including climate, available vacation time, how much you want to spend and whether you want to drive or fly.  If you only have a short weekend, you might want to consider a quick city getaway or even a short three or four day cruise.  We have done both, and they can really give your family a nice break from the daily grind.  With short weekend trips you may even want to consider options where you can drive instead of flying.  Flying can be quite the hassle these days, and if your time is short, you may not want to risk 8 hours in an airport while your flights are delayed.

With a week of vacation time, you can do almost anything...within reason.  There are excellent vacation packages and hundreds of cruises to choose from that leave on both Saturday and Sunday, making it very convenient.  You will also find that many hotels offer you a package rate when you stay an extended period.  Look for hotels that give you free nights when you stay 3, 4 or 5 nights.  Even if you do not see it when booking, be sure to ask.  I always say, "Good things come to those who ask."

If you have vacation time, you may want to consider an international vacation.  This is the perfect time to visit Alaska, Europe, Asia or even the South Pacific.