Whether you are traveling with children, with friends, as a couple or in a group, here are some useful tips to keep everyone happy and safe during your next vacation.
1. Travel Light- packing lightly makes travel so much less stressful. In addition to not having to pay excess airline luggage fees, it is just easier to keep track of your belongings if you don’t have that many to keep track of. Always take a mental inventory of what you are handing to a cab or shuttle driver and make sure all of the bags are put into the vehicle. If your driver is making multiple stops before you are getting off, make sure your bags are not given to the wrong passengers in error.
2. Make sure you have all your proper documentation required for your destination. Check safety and health advisories from the state department and the CDC for your travel destination. These change frequently so check back often.
3. Forget about traveler’s checks. ATM’s are almost everywhere these days and you’ll get some of the best exchange rates by using an ATM card.
4. Carry small bills- whether you are traveling with local currency or US dollars, keep a good supply of small bills handy for tips, using a restroom and for small purchases. Nothing is a better target for pick pockets than to watch a tourist pay for a pack of gum with the equivalent of $100 bill.
5. Keep zippers in the front- Be careful to have back packs, waist pack and pocket book’s zippers out of sight to prevent easy access from pick pockets. This is especially true if you are visiting crowded public places. I would suggest keeping your wallet on your person (in front pockets or a money belt) rather than in a bag, back pack or pocketbook.
6. Know some key phrases in your destination’s local language. If in the unlikely event that you require assistance, you should be able to ask for police or medical assistance. Also knowing phrases like “How much” or “Where is the bathroom” always comes in handy.
7. Have fun. Travel is meant to enhance and enrich your lives. Have a great vacation!
Monday, June 7, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Review of Royal Caribbean's Serenade of the Seas
I have been on many Royal Caribbean ships that are bigger, newer and perhaps better but the Serenade of the Seas is still a beautiful ship. The Centrum is the hub with the Bolero Bar, guest relations and a small internet café. What makes is spot so special is the gorgeous winding glass staircase and glass elevators that open to the Centrum. Each deck above the Centrum opens up to the center of the ship with glass railings over looking it and cozy areas to sit and relax while watching the action going on.
Not unlike the Promenade of the Voyager and Freedom class ships, the Centrum is where the 70’s party is held, as well as the art auctions and culinary demonstrations. It’s also a great place to relax, have a cocktail and listen or dance to the music played by some of the great bands featured on board.
Since the cruise sailed from San Juan, there were a large number of Spanish speaking guests from Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Caribbean, which is typical, but I was surprised at the large number of European guests on board. It was a mixed group of passengers, including a small number of honeymooners and families along with seniors and everything in between. The ship was full but rarely felt terribly overcrowded, except when you were looking for a lounge chair in the shade around the pool.
My Favorite Places:
The Solarium- this indoor, adult only pool retreat is completely enclosed by glass. With the peaceful sounds of birds chirping and the comfy lounges, it was a great place to relax by the pool but avoid the hot sun and humidity of the Caribbean.
The Schooner Bar- what a great nautical motif bar on deck 6! It is just outside Chops Grill and Portofinos and is a great place to relax and listen to the piano player.
Food- always a big thing on a cruise ship and the food did not disappoint. The dining room food was very good to excellent with a nice assortment of choices. Never once did I feel the need to order from the “always available” entrees. I especially enjoyed the chilled soups, the ‘savory bites’ rolls which are baked fresh daily. Even the desserts, which often had been only so-so were very good. The favorite main dishes at our table were duck, lamb and seafood. Chops Grill was outstanding. The filet mignon was fabulous and make sure to save room for dessert. The Chocolate Mud Pie was huge and to die for. Don’t miss the crepes served up fresh every afternoon at the Solarium café!
Entertainment:
I was on a travel agent seminar at sea, which meant that on both of the days at seas, I participated in training seminars. I really didn’t get a chance to sit and relax by the pool or take advantage of the sea day activities but those that did seemed to enjoy the spa, the fitness center, pool games and more. We did get to take a galley tour, led by executive chef, Andy from Britain. It seemed like the size of a small city with pans and bowls that were large enough to feed a small city. It was amazing!
One of the biggest disappointments on the ship was that the almost all of the shows scheduled for the late seating guests, started at 7pm. We only saw 2 since I prefer not rushing after a port day.
The cruise director, Dennis, was one of the best that I have seen. In addition to being funny, he is also a talented singer. Don’t miss the Love and Marriage game, the 70’s dance party and Quest that he hosted!
The casino was always ready to take your donations although it was a bit too smoky for me, even on the non smoking nights. My husband was still able to make his donations even with the smoke.
The itinerary was Curacao (a beautiful island), Aruba (where we toured a good number of hotels), Dominica (the last visit to this island for the season) and St Thomas (where we spent the day at the Bolongo Bay Beach Resort so that I could check it out for a client’s destination wedding). There were 2 full days at seas, which are always my favorite time on a cruise ship.
Cabins: adequate in size with the infamous Royal Caribbean showers- the joke is that you can soap up the walls, spin around and rinse off! We were assigned an inside cabin for this Seminar at Sea. I would have preferred a balcony but they weren’t available. Almost every night, we came back to a towel animal creation. Obviously missing were the chocolates on the pillows and bathroom amenities like lotions and conditioners.
Service: top notch from our wait staff and cabin steward. The ship was clean and showed no obvious signs of aging.
Would I sail on the Serenade of the Seas again- Absolutely! Would I recommend the ship to clients- without a doubt! In fact, 4 clients boarded the ship as we got off.
Royal Caribbean provides a consistently good product among all of its fleet and the Serenade of the Seas was no exception.
My only complaint- the cruise was too short.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Summer Vacations- Price Forecasts
Although we can never predict how prices of travel will vary from year to year, most forecasts are predicting higher prices for the summer of 2010 than the summer of 2009.
According to a USA Today article , they are suggesting to buy your summer airfare now and not wait for a sale that may not come. Domestically, the merger of Delta and Northwest has cut competition. All domestic carriers have cut capacity- most recently Southwest announcing a 4% cut in capacity. Internationally, British Air has cut flights from the NY/NJ airports to London by 23% and the British government has increased airport fees- both causing spikes in the prices of airfare. There may be some countries where prices are lower but the average summer airfares to Europe will be in the $1000+ range.
It’s all a matter of supply and demand. If there is more demand for a product, the price goes up. In the days of old, an airline would add another flight if there was enough demand. Now, the price just goes up and when the flight is sold out- you are out of luck.
In March, I booked 3 swim up suites in the adults only section of an all inclusive property in Punta Cana for a group of friends taking a 7 night vacation in mid August. Another couple booked a slightly lower room category (a junior suite with direct pool access) for the same time frame with the same airfare, etc for $100 per person less than the swim up suites. There were 2 more guests who wanted to join the group of friends but weren’t going to be able to deposit the vacation until the beginning of April. The original group paid just under $1775 per person for the hotel, transfers, airfare and travel insurance for their swim up suites and just under $1675 per person for the junior suites. When the last 2 guests were ready to book, just 3 weeks later, the same swim up suite with the same airfare and the same insurance and transfers, was $2033 per person. I offered them the junior suite as an alternative but that price was still $50 more than the other couple paid 3 weeks ago. Why the difference in price in just 3 weeks? Again, supply and demand play a roll. There are many less swim up suites available and when a few of them book up, the hotel feels that they can raise the rates of the other available ones. All of these clients included insurance that include price protection, so if prices do come down prior to their departure, I can get them reduced but there are no guarantees that the prices will come down.
Let’s talk a bit about cruises. Last month, I booked Barry and Judy on a 7 night cruise to Bermuda on the Celebrity Summit sailing from Bayonne on June 27. There was an unheard of New Jersey resident rate and their upgraded balcony cabin came in just over $3100 with taxes and fees. That same exact cabin is now $500 more, just 3 weeks later since Celebrity removed the NJ resident rate. It was such a hit, that Celebrity filled the number of cabins they wanted to at the reduced rate and now felt that they are able to sell the cabins for a higher fare. Will they end up with available cabins at the end and have to lower prices? It is likely but that last minute sale may very well come out as a balcony guarantee special where you can book a balcony cabin but not know your cabin # until the day of embarkation. You could end up with the cabin way forward (not a pleasant location for a Bermuda sailing) or you could end up with a great mid ship cabin. It’s a gamble but you could save some money.
In February, Ms. D. booked an interior cabin on the Norwegian Jewel for herself and her son sailing from NYC on June 26 to Florida and the Bahamas. Her friend was also sailing with her 2 sons and I was able to lock in 2 interior cabins close by each other- a double cabin for Ms. D and a triple cabin for Ms. F. Ms D. was paying just over $2000 for the 2 of them. Ms. F. was paying just over $2850 for her cabin for 3 guests. Just yesterday, Ms. D. called to ask if she can switch her cabin to hold 3 guests since her other son didn’t get the job he hoped for and now wanted to come on the cruise. Unfortunately, there were no interior or ocean view cabins for 3 guests left available so she had to go into a balcony cabin at an additional cost of $2000. Again, supply and demand was in effect. On April 2, NCL implemented a 7% price increase on their cruises since sales had picked up enormously since the beginning of the year. Ms. D. could have told her son that he couldn’t join them on the cruise at this time but NCL was betting that more guests will opt to go for the higher priced cabin to accommodate them, and in this case, they were right.
On the opposite note, last month, I was able to reduce prices for some clients on the June 23 and July 2 sailings of the Caribbean Princess sailing from New York. Those prices were limited to past guests and select categories of cabins but I was able to save my clients up to $500 per cabin.
Are there vacation bargains out there? Yes, and I can certainly help you find them but don’t think you’ll be able to take a 12 night Alaska cruise tour this summer for $1200 for an ocean view cabin. The distress sales of 2009 are on their way out!
If you haven’t booked your summer vacation yet- what are you waiting for? Give us a call or send us an email so we can help you plan your next vacation!
Looking forward to sending you away very soon!
According to a USA Today article , they are suggesting to buy your summer airfare now and not wait for a sale that may not come. Domestically, the merger of Delta and Northwest has cut competition. All domestic carriers have cut capacity- most recently Southwest announcing a 4% cut in capacity. Internationally, British Air has cut flights from the NY/NJ airports to London by 23% and the British government has increased airport fees- both causing spikes in the prices of airfare. There may be some countries where prices are lower but the average summer airfares to Europe will be in the $1000+ range.
It’s all a matter of supply and demand. If there is more demand for a product, the price goes up. In the days of old, an airline would add another flight if there was enough demand. Now, the price just goes up and when the flight is sold out- you are out of luck.
In March, I booked 3 swim up suites in the adults only section of an all inclusive property in Punta Cana for a group of friends taking a 7 night vacation in mid August. Another couple booked a slightly lower room category (a junior suite with direct pool access) for the same time frame with the same airfare, etc for $100 per person less than the swim up suites. There were 2 more guests who wanted to join the group of friends but weren’t going to be able to deposit the vacation until the beginning of April. The original group paid just under $1775 per person for the hotel, transfers, airfare and travel insurance for their swim up suites and just under $1675 per person for the junior suites. When the last 2 guests were ready to book, just 3 weeks later, the same swim up suite with the same airfare and the same insurance and transfers, was $2033 per person. I offered them the junior suite as an alternative but that price was still $50 more than the other couple paid 3 weeks ago. Why the difference in price in just 3 weeks? Again, supply and demand play a roll. There are many less swim up suites available and when a few of them book up, the hotel feels that they can raise the rates of the other available ones. All of these clients included insurance that include price protection, so if prices do come down prior to their departure, I can get them reduced but there are no guarantees that the prices will come down.
Let’s talk a bit about cruises. Last month, I booked Barry and Judy on a 7 night cruise to Bermuda on the Celebrity Summit sailing from Bayonne on June 27. There was an unheard of New Jersey resident rate and their upgraded balcony cabin came in just over $3100 with taxes and fees. That same exact cabin is now $500 more, just 3 weeks later since Celebrity removed the NJ resident rate. It was such a hit, that Celebrity filled the number of cabins they wanted to at the reduced rate and now felt that they are able to sell the cabins for a higher fare. Will they end up with available cabins at the end and have to lower prices? It is likely but that last minute sale may very well come out as a balcony guarantee special where you can book a balcony cabin but not know your cabin # until the day of embarkation. You could end up with the cabin way forward (not a pleasant location for a Bermuda sailing) or you could end up with a great mid ship cabin. It’s a gamble but you could save some money.
In February, Ms. D. booked an interior cabin on the Norwegian Jewel for herself and her son sailing from NYC on June 26 to Florida and the Bahamas. Her friend was also sailing with her 2 sons and I was able to lock in 2 interior cabins close by each other- a double cabin for Ms. D and a triple cabin for Ms. F. Ms D. was paying just over $2000 for the 2 of them. Ms. F. was paying just over $2850 for her cabin for 3 guests. Just yesterday, Ms. D. called to ask if she can switch her cabin to hold 3 guests since her other son didn’t get the job he hoped for and now wanted to come on the cruise. Unfortunately, there were no interior or ocean view cabins for 3 guests left available so she had to go into a balcony cabin at an additional cost of $2000. Again, supply and demand was in effect. On April 2, NCL implemented a 7% price increase on their cruises since sales had picked up enormously since the beginning of the year. Ms. D. could have told her son that he couldn’t join them on the cruise at this time but NCL was betting that more guests will opt to go for the higher priced cabin to accommodate them, and in this case, they were right.
On the opposite note, last month, I was able to reduce prices for some clients on the June 23 and July 2 sailings of the Caribbean Princess sailing from New York. Those prices were limited to past guests and select categories of cabins but I was able to save my clients up to $500 per cabin.
Are there vacation bargains out there? Yes, and I can certainly help you find them but don’t think you’ll be able to take a 12 night Alaska cruise tour this summer for $1200 for an ocean view cabin. The distress sales of 2009 are on their way out!
If you haven’t booked your summer vacation yet- what are you waiting for? Give us a call or send us an email so we can help you plan your next vacation!
Looking forward to sending you away very soon!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Bad weather and Travel Insurance
The winter of 2009-2010 will be known as one of the worst and snowiest that we, in the north east, have ever seen. Washington DC got more snow than Buffalo, NY. Philadelphia got blasted with one blizzard after another. New York and New Jersey recorded near record snowfalls. In other words, the weather played havoc with traveler’s plans.
One of my colleagues called me after a horrendous storm that affected her clients to the point that 2 out of 3 couples missed their cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas set to sail from Fort Lauderdale on Feb 27, 2010. The third couple drove down to Florida from NJ and left early enough to miss the storm. They were able to embark on the cruise as planned- but without their friends.
I decided to devote my March Feature of the Month to the topic of how travel insurance can play an important role in bad weather. I used my colleague’s client’s example as my basis for the questions that I posed to 3 of the travel insurance companies that I offer to my clients. Only 2 of the three responded to the scenario and questions. The policies that were compared were Travel Insured’s World Wide Travel Protection and Travel Guard’s Gold Plan (Protect and Assist). Access America did not answer since their communications department was working on a special project.
Here was the scenarios and questions posed:
Couple #1 and Couple #2 were flying down on Continental. Due to the storm that hit Newark on Thursday Feb 25 into Friday Feb 26, thousands of flights on Continental were cancelled. To the best of my knowledge, the airport was NOT officially closed. Since they were flying out on the day of the cruise, they scheduled the first flight out of the day. None took insurance, which I always recommend to my clients.
On Friday Feb 26, they were told that their flight was cancelled for Saturday 2/27 and that they could NOT be re accommodated on ANY flight that would get them to the ship in time for embarkation. They checked multiple airlines flying from all of the major NY/NJ airports as well as Philadelphia.
Question #1- could they have cancelled their cruise at this point had they taken out your insurance policy?
Next, scenario: the agent was able to get them flights to St Thomas (the first port of call). The flight is on Monday 3/1. The ship gets into St Thomas on Tues. 3/2. The clients were required to pay a fee to change the tickets to St Thomas (since they were originally set to fly to Fort Lauderdale). The change fee was $250 per person. They are now staying in a hotel for 1 night in St Thomas prior to embarking on the cruise. The hotel cost is $250 per room. With this change, they are still missing 2 full days of the cruise which cost $1400 per person, with all taxes and fees.
Question # 2: What can the clients claim on their policy for reimbursement for these out of pocket expenses? Again, which category does this fall under?
Question #3: What does your insurance company offer to the client to assist with making all of these changes?
These were the responses from my sales managers at Travel Insured (TI) and Travel Guard (TG):
Question #1: Could the clients have cancelled the vacation since their flight was cancelled and they would miss the cruise.
TI- Based on the info provided it appears that they would have coverage under Trip Cancellation and would be able to claim for the entire cost of their cruise. The time frame for weather delays/cancellations is as follows (details of each will be answered in the remaining questions):
3 hour+ delay – eligible for missed connection coverage
6+ hour delay – eligible for trip delay
24 consecutive hour delay – eligible for trip cancellation
The key for trip cancellation is not being able to be rebooked within 24 hours of the original scheduled departure time. In this example, they would not have been eligible for trip cancellation had Continental been able to get them on a flight later that same afternoon, even if it meant missing the cruise departure. Clients need to be conscious of time frames and flight schedules; just because the gate agent tells them they will be covered by insurance does not mean they will be. The key thing to remember with weather events is that they cannot be accommodated within 24 hours of their originally scheduled departure time.
TG- Travel Guard’s Gold plan covers for cancellation of travel arrangements due to severe weather conditions. So in this particular situation, the insureds would have been covered for cancellation of their cruise since their air transportation was cancelled due to inclement weather. There is no requirement that the airport be shut down for a determined amount of time such as 12 or 24 hours before benefits would be payable.
Question #2: What can the clients claim on their policy for reimbursement for these out of pocket expenses?
TI- The clients would have Missed Connection, Travel Delay and Trip Interruption available to them. First, Missed Connection (after 3 hour delay) would reimburse the change fees and additional fare up to $500/person to help the client reach the first port of call. It is important to note that there is a maximum limit on this coverage so the client may not receive the entire additional cost. The maximum on Worldwide Trip Protector is $500 per person.
Trip Delay (after 6 hours) would provide reimbursement for hotel expenses, meals, etc up to $200/day/person maxing out at $1,000/person.
Lastly, they would have trip interruption available to cover the unused days of the cruise. Assuming the cruise is 7 days, and they missed 2 days cruising, they would receive $200/day for the missed days on the ship. This is determined by taking the total per person cost of the trip and dividing by the number of days traveling. In this case, $1,400/person divided by 7 days is $200/day.
TG- The insureds would be covered for the air ticket change fees under their Trip Cancellation/Interruption benefit. The two “lost” days of the cruise would also be covered under Trip Cancellation/Interruption. Travel Guard would pro-rate the daily cost of the total cruise to come up with the per-day amount. The hotel charge for the night in St. Thomas would be covered under the Trip Delay benefit of $150 per person/per day up to 5 days.
Question #3- What does your insurance company offer to the client to assist with making all of these changes?
TI- We always recommend the clients contact their travel agent to help them make arrangements but our 24 hour assistance that is included in the policy will help them rebook the flights, book hotels and any other related services that they would need help with.
TG- Travel Guard’s GOLD plan includes 24/7 Emergency Travel Assistance Services at no additional charge. Travel Guard’s assistance reps will make emergency or last-minute travel changes such as rebooking flights, hotel reservations or ground transportation, as well as tracking lost luggage. In addition all policyholders receive a full menu of concierge services, emergency medical assistance, pre-trip advice, email and telephone message relay, assistance for replacing lost travel documents, obtaining cash advances, or language translation.
I want to thank both of my sales managers for the responses and their assistance in helping me to post this blog. It is important to remember that with both policies, these clients would have been able to cancel their cruise OR get reimbursed for the out of pocket expenses that they incurred (some limits do apply).
In this case, since the clients did not have insurance, they lost a considerable amount of money (over $1500 in lost days on the cruise, change fees plus hotel in St Thomas). In both cases, for these clients who are 65 years old with a trip valued at $1700 per person, the insurance would have cost less than $260 per couple. Prices are much less for younger travelers since travel insurance is based on the age of the traveler and the price of the trip.
The morale of the story- both couples now swear that they will take out travel insurance the next time they book a vacation.
Please realize that bad weather is not only for hurricanes and blizzards. Many times, flights will be cancelled due to very high winds or very heavy rain.
What do you think- would you rather lose $1500+ or spend $260 to begin with?
One of my colleagues called me after a horrendous storm that affected her clients to the point that 2 out of 3 couples missed their cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas set to sail from Fort Lauderdale on Feb 27, 2010. The third couple drove down to Florida from NJ and left early enough to miss the storm. They were able to embark on the cruise as planned- but without their friends.
I decided to devote my March Feature of the Month to the topic of how travel insurance can play an important role in bad weather. I used my colleague’s client’s example as my basis for the questions that I posed to 3 of the travel insurance companies that I offer to my clients. Only 2 of the three responded to the scenario and questions. The policies that were compared were Travel Insured’s World Wide Travel Protection and Travel Guard’s Gold Plan (Protect and Assist). Access America did not answer since their communications department was working on a special project.
Here was the scenarios and questions posed:
Couple #1 and Couple #2 were flying down on Continental. Due to the storm that hit Newark on Thursday Feb 25 into Friday Feb 26, thousands of flights on Continental were cancelled. To the best of my knowledge, the airport was NOT officially closed. Since they were flying out on the day of the cruise, they scheduled the first flight out of the day. None took insurance, which I always recommend to my clients.
On Friday Feb 26, they were told that their flight was cancelled for Saturday 2/27 and that they could NOT be re accommodated on ANY flight that would get them to the ship in time for embarkation. They checked multiple airlines flying from all of the major NY/NJ airports as well as Philadelphia.
Question #1- could they have cancelled their cruise at this point had they taken out your insurance policy?
Next, scenario: the agent was able to get them flights to St Thomas (the first port of call). The flight is on Monday 3/1. The ship gets into St Thomas on Tues. 3/2. The clients were required to pay a fee to change the tickets to St Thomas (since they were originally set to fly to Fort Lauderdale). The change fee was $250 per person. They are now staying in a hotel for 1 night in St Thomas prior to embarking on the cruise. The hotel cost is $250 per room. With this change, they are still missing 2 full days of the cruise which cost $1400 per person, with all taxes and fees.
Question # 2: What can the clients claim on their policy for reimbursement for these out of pocket expenses? Again, which category does this fall under?
Question #3: What does your insurance company offer to the client to assist with making all of these changes?
These were the responses from my sales managers at Travel Insured (TI) and Travel Guard (TG):
Question #1: Could the clients have cancelled the vacation since their flight was cancelled and they would miss the cruise.
TI- Based on the info provided it appears that they would have coverage under Trip Cancellation and would be able to claim for the entire cost of their cruise. The time frame for weather delays/cancellations is as follows (details of each will be answered in the remaining questions):
3 hour+ delay – eligible for missed connection coverage
6+ hour delay – eligible for trip delay
24 consecutive hour delay – eligible for trip cancellation
The key for trip cancellation is not being able to be rebooked within 24 hours of the original scheduled departure time. In this example, they would not have been eligible for trip cancellation had Continental been able to get them on a flight later that same afternoon, even if it meant missing the cruise departure. Clients need to be conscious of time frames and flight schedules; just because the gate agent tells them they will be covered by insurance does not mean they will be. The key thing to remember with weather events is that they cannot be accommodated within 24 hours of their originally scheduled departure time.
TG- Travel Guard’s Gold plan covers for cancellation of travel arrangements due to severe weather conditions. So in this particular situation, the insureds would have been covered for cancellation of their cruise since their air transportation was cancelled due to inclement weather. There is no requirement that the airport be shut down for a determined amount of time such as 12 or 24 hours before benefits would be payable.
Question #2: What can the clients claim on their policy for reimbursement for these out of pocket expenses?
TI- The clients would have Missed Connection, Travel Delay and Trip Interruption available to them. First, Missed Connection (after 3 hour delay) would reimburse the change fees and additional fare up to $500/person to help the client reach the first port of call. It is important to note that there is a maximum limit on this coverage so the client may not receive the entire additional cost. The maximum on Worldwide Trip Protector is $500 per person.
Trip Delay (after 6 hours) would provide reimbursement for hotel expenses, meals, etc up to $200/day/person maxing out at $1,000/person.
Lastly, they would have trip interruption available to cover the unused days of the cruise. Assuming the cruise is 7 days, and they missed 2 days cruising, they would receive $200/day for the missed days on the ship. This is determined by taking the total per person cost of the trip and dividing by the number of days traveling. In this case, $1,400/person divided by 7 days is $200/day.
TG- The insureds would be covered for the air ticket change fees under their Trip Cancellation/Interruption benefit. The two “lost” days of the cruise would also be covered under Trip Cancellation/Interruption. Travel Guard would pro-rate the daily cost of the total cruise to come up with the per-day amount. The hotel charge for the night in St. Thomas would be covered under the Trip Delay benefit of $150 per person/per day up to 5 days.
Question #3- What does your insurance company offer to the client to assist with making all of these changes?
TI- We always recommend the clients contact their travel agent to help them make arrangements but our 24 hour assistance that is included in the policy will help them rebook the flights, book hotels and any other related services that they would need help with.
TG- Travel Guard’s GOLD plan includes 24/7 Emergency Travel Assistance Services at no additional charge. Travel Guard’s assistance reps will make emergency or last-minute travel changes such as rebooking flights, hotel reservations or ground transportation, as well as tracking lost luggage. In addition all policyholders receive a full menu of concierge services, emergency medical assistance, pre-trip advice, email and telephone message relay, assistance for replacing lost travel documents, obtaining cash advances, or language translation.
I want to thank both of my sales managers for the responses and their assistance in helping me to post this blog. It is important to remember that with both policies, these clients would have been able to cancel their cruise OR get reimbursed for the out of pocket expenses that they incurred (some limits do apply).
In this case, since the clients did not have insurance, they lost a considerable amount of money (over $1500 in lost days on the cruise, change fees plus hotel in St Thomas). In both cases, for these clients who are 65 years old with a trip valued at $1700 per person, the insurance would have cost less than $260 per couple. Prices are much less for younger travelers since travel insurance is based on the age of the traveler and the price of the trip.
The morale of the story- both couples now swear that they will take out travel insurance the next time they book a vacation.
Please realize that bad weather is not only for hurricanes and blizzards. Many times, flights will be cancelled due to very high winds or very heavy rain.
What do you think- would you rather lose $1500+ or spend $260 to begin with?
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
How cheap does a bad vacation have to be before it becomes OK?
This is a question that was posed by a wonderful speaker and motivational travel agent trainer, Nolan Burris, at one of his seminars a while back but I think it is the time to bring it up again.
With all of the options in booking travel, why should you work with a travel professional? Isn’t it just easier and cheaper to do the research online and just book it all yourself? Yes, you could do that if you just want the cheapest trip out there and aren’t looking for the assistance, guidance and expertise that a travel professional can offer.
Let me give you an example:
Did you hear about the honeymoon couple that booked their Greek Island honeymoon through one of the big online agencies that starts with an E? They were traveling in November. That would bring up a red flag in any good travel professional’s eyes. Honeymoon couple gets to Santorini and finds a cab to take them to their hotel which is closed for the season. Unfortunately, they booked it online so there was no one to advise them that the season in Santorini is May-September and most hotels are closed down in October for the winter. What did the honeymoon couple do? Obviously, they didn’t get the honeymoon of their dreams. They did, I believe, get their money back from the big online agency for that part of their trip.
If a honeymoon couple insists on visiting the Greek Islands in November, I might have suggested a Mediterranean cruise that instead. A couple of cruise ships still stop at numerous Greek Islands in November as Meredith and Matt did aboard the Celebrity Solstice this past November.
Let me give you another example:
You want to go to Maui for a vacation and you do all of your research online. How hard could Maui be to book? It’s part of the US and they use US$ and they speak English.
So you find a great deal at a great property in Maui that is right on the beach and you book it with airfare. The price is too good to be true and they are giving you a 3rd night free and breakfast, too. Also, the reviews on all the consumer websites were really good. Perfect- you put down your credit card # and you start to pack.
OK, the flights weren’t ideal. The lay over in LAX was a bit longer than you expected but you’re on vacation, so you can deal with it. You finally arrive in Maui and it is almost dark there. You get to the airport and figure you’ll just hop a cab to the hotel in the Ka’anapali Beach area. Shouldn’t be too far and, anyway, you don’t need a car in Maui, right? Fifty five minutes and $100 later, you arrive at your gorgeous hotel. The lobby is everything you read about. It looks like you are in a tropical rain forest. You forget about your $100 cab ride and put it behind you. Your bell hop takes you to your terrace view room. That sounds so great- terrace view. Too bad it’s dark by now and you won’t be able to see the view until tomorrow morning.
The room is nice- great bathroom, comfy bed, big TV. You put down your bags and go get a bite to eat and wander around the hotel just a bit before going back to your room to unpack and go to bed. It’s a long flight to Maui from the East Coast.
Every few minutes you are hearing a weird noise. Beep, Beep. Sounds like the noise when you are locking your car door. You just ignore it thinking that you must just be tired. You settle into your wonderfully comfortable bed and then hear a car alarm go off.
Now you aren’t imagining it and you go to sliding glass doors and step onto your lanai to realize that your terrace view is actually of the parking lot. This might be happening all week long (:
Had you called a good travel professional, especially one who has been to Maui, they would have recommended you rent a car – probably for less money than a round trip cab ride to the airport and they would have been able to get you that same deal but would have recommended the mountain view room instead.
Again, how cheap does a bad vacation have to be, before it becomes OK?
If you are ok with a vacation like the 2 described above, by all means, please book your vacation online. If you are looking for an experience, please contact me at mindy@myvacationlady.com
With all of the options in booking travel, why should you work with a travel professional? Isn’t it just easier and cheaper to do the research online and just book it all yourself? Yes, you could do that if you just want the cheapest trip out there and aren’t looking for the assistance, guidance and expertise that a travel professional can offer.
Let me give you an example:
Did you hear about the honeymoon couple that booked their Greek Island honeymoon through one of the big online agencies that starts with an E? They were traveling in November. That would bring up a red flag in any good travel professional’s eyes. Honeymoon couple gets to Santorini and finds a cab to take them to their hotel which is closed for the season. Unfortunately, they booked it online so there was no one to advise them that the season in Santorini is May-September and most hotels are closed down in October for the winter. What did the honeymoon couple do? Obviously, they didn’t get the honeymoon of their dreams. They did, I believe, get their money back from the big online agency for that part of their trip.
If a honeymoon couple insists on visiting the Greek Islands in November, I might have suggested a Mediterranean cruise that instead. A couple of cruise ships still stop at numerous Greek Islands in November as Meredith and Matt did aboard the Celebrity Solstice this past November.
Let me give you another example:
You want to go to Maui for a vacation and you do all of your research online. How hard could Maui be to book? It’s part of the US and they use US$ and they speak English.
So you find a great deal at a great property in Maui that is right on the beach and you book it with airfare. The price is too good to be true and they are giving you a 3rd night free and breakfast, too. Also, the reviews on all the consumer websites were really good. Perfect- you put down your credit card # and you start to pack.
OK, the flights weren’t ideal. The lay over in LAX was a bit longer than you expected but you’re on vacation, so you can deal with it. You finally arrive in Maui and it is almost dark there. You get to the airport and figure you’ll just hop a cab to the hotel in the Ka’anapali Beach area. Shouldn’t be too far and, anyway, you don’t need a car in Maui, right? Fifty five minutes and $100 later, you arrive at your gorgeous hotel. The lobby is everything you read about. It looks like you are in a tropical rain forest. You forget about your $100 cab ride and put it behind you. Your bell hop takes you to your terrace view room. That sounds so great- terrace view. Too bad it’s dark by now and you won’t be able to see the view until tomorrow morning.
The room is nice- great bathroom, comfy bed, big TV. You put down your bags and go get a bite to eat and wander around the hotel just a bit before going back to your room to unpack and go to bed. It’s a long flight to Maui from the East Coast.
Every few minutes you are hearing a weird noise. Beep, Beep. Sounds like the noise when you are locking your car door. You just ignore it thinking that you must just be tired. You settle into your wonderfully comfortable bed and then hear a car alarm go off.
Now you aren’t imagining it and you go to sliding glass doors and step onto your lanai to realize that your terrace view is actually of the parking lot. This might be happening all week long (:
Had you called a good travel professional, especially one who has been to Maui, they would have recommended you rent a car – probably for less money than a round trip cab ride to the airport and they would have been able to get you that same deal but would have recommended the mountain view room instead.
Again, how cheap does a bad vacation have to be, before it becomes OK?
If you are ok with a vacation like the 2 described above, by all means, please book your vacation online. If you are looking for an experience, please contact me at mindy@myvacationlady.com
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Tipping Around the World
Knowing what and when to tip, is always a question, especially when you are out of the country. Different parts of the world have different customs which can affect the type of tip you might be expected to offer for services rendered.
Don’t tip in Japan- it is considered an insult. In Vietnam, it is illegal. In many parts of South and Central America, service charges are already added in to a restaurant bill so tipping is not expected. In New Zealand, tipping is not expected at all.
I’ve included some common tipping practices that may help you out a bit.
Waiters
In the US and Canada, 15-20% of the pre tax bill is expected
In Mexico, the Caribbean and the Bahamas, it might be 10-15% (check first because it may already be included in the Caribbean)
In South America, a service fee is typically included in Brazil and Costa Rica. 10% in most other countries
In Europe, the tip is usually included but if not, a customary tip is only 5-15%
In Australia, a tip for top notch service should be between 5-10%, otherwise a tip is not expected.
Bartenders
In the US and Canada, leave $1-2 per drink or 10-15% of the bar tab
In the Caribbean and the Bahamas, 10-15% is fine but 10% in Mexico is typical
In South and Central America, $1 per drink or 10% of the bar tab, if a service fee is not already included
In Europe, 5-10% is fine.
In Australia and New Zealand, tipping is not expected
Concierge
In the US and Canada, the tip should be based on the complexity of the services rendered- usually between $5 and $20
$2-5 in Mexico and between 5-10% of the bill in the Caribbean
In South and Central America, 2-5% of the bill
In Europe, $5-$30 depending on the complexity of the services
Porters
$1-2 per bag in most parts of the world is acceptable.
Maids and Housekeeping
In the US and Canada, $3-5 per day
In Mexico and the Caribbean- $2-5 per day
In South and Central America, $2-3 per day
In Europe, it varies by region from nothing to $5 per day
Taxi Drivers
In many parts of the world, like Europe and South and Central America, just round up the fare. In Mexico, just give the driver some spare change. In The US and Canada, 15-20% is customary while 10-15% is typical in the Caribbean.
Again, these are strictly guidelines. Each country might have its own norm so before embarking on your vacation, please check with me for the customary tipping at your destination.
Don’t tip in Japan- it is considered an insult. In Vietnam, it is illegal. In many parts of South and Central America, service charges are already added in to a restaurant bill so tipping is not expected. In New Zealand, tipping is not expected at all.
I’ve included some common tipping practices that may help you out a bit.
Waiters
In the US and Canada, 15-20% of the pre tax bill is expected
In Mexico, the Caribbean and the Bahamas, it might be 10-15% (check first because it may already be included in the Caribbean)
In South America, a service fee is typically included in Brazil and Costa Rica. 10% in most other countries
In Europe, the tip is usually included but if not, a customary tip is only 5-15%
In Australia, a tip for top notch service should be between 5-10%, otherwise a tip is not expected.
Bartenders
In the US and Canada, leave $1-2 per drink or 10-15% of the bar tab
In the Caribbean and the Bahamas, 10-15% is fine but 10% in Mexico is typical
In South and Central America, $1 per drink or 10% of the bar tab, if a service fee is not already included
In Europe, 5-10% is fine.
In Australia and New Zealand, tipping is not expected
Concierge
In the US and Canada, the tip should be based on the complexity of the services rendered- usually between $5 and $20
$2-5 in Mexico and between 5-10% of the bill in the Caribbean
In South and Central America, 2-5% of the bill
In Europe, $5-$30 depending on the complexity of the services
Porters
$1-2 per bag in most parts of the world is acceptable.
Maids and Housekeeping
In the US and Canada, $3-5 per day
In Mexico and the Caribbean- $2-5 per day
In South and Central America, $2-3 per day
In Europe, it varies by region from nothing to $5 per day
Taxi Drivers
In many parts of the world, like Europe and South and Central America, just round up the fare. In Mexico, just give the driver some spare change. In The US and Canada, 15-20% is customary while 10-15% is typical in the Caribbean.
Again, these are strictly guidelines. Each country might have its own norm so before embarking on your vacation, please check with me for the customary tipping at your destination.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Tips on Overcoming Jet Lag
Jet lag is an actual physical reaction to a rapid change in time zones. It affects many travelers, even the most seasoned fliers like flight attendants and pilots. Common symptoms can include disorientation, irritability, fatigue, swollen limbs and eyes, headaches, cold-like symptoms, and irregular bowels.
Flying long distances can be debilitating. Dehydration, unfamiliar foods, cramped spaces, recycled air, lack of sleep, uncomfortable clothes, continual low-level noise, connections that disrupt sleep, and other factors all add to the misery of flying and jet lag.
Flying within the same time zone (ie: Seattle to Cabo San Lucas) won't produce jet lag in the true sense but the effects of the long flight might feel quite a bit like classic jet lag. In most cases, you're just tired from the flight, and a good night's sleep and perhaps some exercise will set things right.
On long flights -- especially red-eye flights -- you can lose several hours of sleep time, which can really effect your body, even without the jarring time change. If you live by a regular schedule (ie: up at 6 a.m., in bed by 11 p.m. every night), watch out. Jet lag can hit you the hardest. Luckily, if you are traveling with kids, they are nearly immune to jet lag.
A general rule of thumb to keep in mind before any long trip is the 1:1 ratio: allow yourself one day to recover for every hour time difference you experience. So for Californians visiting the New Jersey, give yourself at least three days to fully adjust to the new time zone. If you are returning from Hawaii to New York, it could take you almost a week to recover- and believe me, that is true.
Before You Go
Treat your body well before you fly. Exercise, sleep well, stay hydrated and don't drink alcohol. The last thing you want to do is get on a long-haul flight with a hangover.
Some like to exercise before they go to the airport which can actually help you sleep better on the plane. Try to walk and move around at the airport before you board your plane. Don't just park yourself at the gate and read a book.
Try to adjust your habits before you leave. If you are traveling from the East to West, and you will have a three-hour time change, try to adjust your internal clock. Three or four days before you leave, start to stay up a little later than usual, and sleep in a little longer. If you become accustomed to falling asleep at 1 a.m. and waking up at 9 a.m. on the East Coast, it will be the same as falling asleep at 10 p.m. and waking up at 6 a.m. on the West Coast. Do the reverse if you are traveling from west to east.
Interesting idea:
Wearing two watches, one set to the current time, and one to the time at your destination, can help you prepare yourself mentally for the coming time change. Many business travelers also use this tactic to stay in touch with what's happening back at the office.
During the Flight
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of nonalcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids. Don't be afraid to ask your flight attendant for extra water. I will typically bring an empty 16 ounce water bottle with me and ask the flight attendants to fill it up for me. I'll have it for a couple of hours and not have to bother them too much during the flight.
If you can, get up out of your seat at regular intervals to walk and stretch. You can also do exercises like toe raises, isometric exercises, stomach crunches and shoulder shrugs right in your seat. On a flight to Tokyo a number of years ago, the Japanese business men were all doing an exercise routine during the flight. We thought it was odd back then, but they were probably feeling the best of all of the passengers.
Other ideas: Get up to wash your face, brush your teeth or just stand up for several minutes. Wear loose-fitting clothing that will be comfortable during the flight. Bring a neck pillow, blanket blindfold or ear plugs -- these are invaluable on red-eye flights. Also, avoid any snug footwear since it is likely that your feet will swell during the flight. If you are wearing shoes with laces, open up the laces to give your feet a bit more space.
Medications and Vitamins
Melatonin is a chemical in the body that helps regulate sleep cycles. It can be taken in pill form, and many travelers swear by it for fighting jet lag. However, as popular as melatonin is, it's controversial. I have not used this and can't vouch for it's effectiveness. What I have tried instead, is a prescription sleep aid that will give me about 4-5 hours sleep when taking a red eye.
A bag of dried cherries is another natural remedy that some travelers use. In 2007, The New York Times reported that dried cherries may help alleviate jet lag. Some travelers use antihistamines (like benedryl or tylenol PM) and motion sickness pills to induce sleep on planes, at hotels, in airports and on layovers. While they work for some, they may not work as well for you, so try them before your trip.
Dietary Tactics
The so-called "jet lag diet," an alternation of feasting and fasting for three days leading up to a long-haul flight, was very popular a few years back. The military tested the diet, concluding, basically, that it is bunk. Nonetheless, Ronald and Nancy Reagan used it during their White House days, and some travelers still do. Again, I haven't tried this so please use caution when trying anything new before a long flight.
Try to restrict your diet to foods that are easily digested, like those that are relatively high in fiber but not too rich. Fats tend to keep you awake, while carbs usually put you to sleep. If you need to stay awake to help you get on local time, eat peanuts, eggs, meats and other high-protein or fatty foods. If you need to fall asleep, eat carbohydrates like pasta or bread.
Caffeine is also useful if you need to stay awake, but don't go overboard. While it might seem tempting to guzzle several cups of coffee when your eyelids begin to droop, you could end up wide awake at 1 a.m. Be sure to implement all dietary changes in moderation.
Overall, if you have to take a long flight, try to take care of your body before your flight as best as possible. If you are run down before you leave, breathing recycled air for 8 hours might make you sicker than before you left. These days, with so many viruses going around, please don't get on a plane sick, since you will likely infect the entire plane.
Flying long distances can be debilitating. Dehydration, unfamiliar foods, cramped spaces, recycled air, lack of sleep, uncomfortable clothes, continual low-level noise, connections that disrupt sleep, and other factors all add to the misery of flying and jet lag.
Flying within the same time zone (ie: Seattle to Cabo San Lucas) won't produce jet lag in the true sense but the effects of the long flight might feel quite a bit like classic jet lag. In most cases, you're just tired from the flight, and a good night's sleep and perhaps some exercise will set things right.
On long flights -- especially red-eye flights -- you can lose several hours of sleep time, which can really effect your body, even without the jarring time change. If you live by a regular schedule (ie: up at 6 a.m., in bed by 11 p.m. every night), watch out. Jet lag can hit you the hardest. Luckily, if you are traveling with kids, they are nearly immune to jet lag.
A general rule of thumb to keep in mind before any long trip is the 1:1 ratio: allow yourself one day to recover for every hour time difference you experience. So for Californians visiting the New Jersey, give yourself at least three days to fully adjust to the new time zone. If you are returning from Hawaii to New York, it could take you almost a week to recover- and believe me, that is true.
Before You Go
Treat your body well before you fly. Exercise, sleep well, stay hydrated and don't drink alcohol. The last thing you want to do is get on a long-haul flight with a hangover.
Some like to exercise before they go to the airport which can actually help you sleep better on the plane. Try to walk and move around at the airport before you board your plane. Don't just park yourself at the gate and read a book.
Try to adjust your habits before you leave. If you are traveling from the East to West, and you will have a three-hour time change, try to adjust your internal clock. Three or four days before you leave, start to stay up a little later than usual, and sleep in a little longer. If you become accustomed to falling asleep at 1 a.m. and waking up at 9 a.m. on the East Coast, it will be the same as falling asleep at 10 p.m. and waking up at 6 a.m. on the West Coast. Do the reverse if you are traveling from west to east.
Interesting idea:
Wearing two watches, one set to the current time, and one to the time at your destination, can help you prepare yourself mentally for the coming time change. Many business travelers also use this tactic to stay in touch with what's happening back at the office.
During the Flight
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of nonalcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids. Don't be afraid to ask your flight attendant for extra water. I will typically bring an empty 16 ounce water bottle with me and ask the flight attendants to fill it up for me. I'll have it for a couple of hours and not have to bother them too much during the flight.
If you can, get up out of your seat at regular intervals to walk and stretch. You can also do exercises like toe raises, isometric exercises, stomach crunches and shoulder shrugs right in your seat. On a flight to Tokyo a number of years ago, the Japanese business men were all doing an exercise routine during the flight. We thought it was odd back then, but they were probably feeling the best of all of the passengers.
Other ideas: Get up to wash your face, brush your teeth or just stand up for several minutes. Wear loose-fitting clothing that will be comfortable during the flight. Bring a neck pillow, blanket blindfold or ear plugs -- these are invaluable on red-eye flights. Also, avoid any snug footwear since it is likely that your feet will swell during the flight. If you are wearing shoes with laces, open up the laces to give your feet a bit more space.
Medications and Vitamins
Melatonin is a chemical in the body that helps regulate sleep cycles. It can be taken in pill form, and many travelers swear by it for fighting jet lag. However, as popular as melatonin is, it's controversial. I have not used this and can't vouch for it's effectiveness. What I have tried instead, is a prescription sleep aid that will give me about 4-5 hours sleep when taking a red eye.
A bag of dried cherries is another natural remedy that some travelers use. In 2007, The New York Times reported that dried cherries may help alleviate jet lag. Some travelers use antihistamines (like benedryl or tylenol PM) and motion sickness pills to induce sleep on planes, at hotels, in airports and on layovers. While they work for some, they may not work as well for you, so try them before your trip.
Dietary Tactics
The so-called "jet lag diet," an alternation of feasting and fasting for three days leading up to a long-haul flight, was very popular a few years back. The military tested the diet, concluding, basically, that it is bunk. Nonetheless, Ronald and Nancy Reagan used it during their White House days, and some travelers still do. Again, I haven't tried this so please use caution when trying anything new before a long flight.
Try to restrict your diet to foods that are easily digested, like those that are relatively high in fiber but not too rich. Fats tend to keep you awake, while carbs usually put you to sleep. If you need to stay awake to help you get on local time, eat peanuts, eggs, meats and other high-protein or fatty foods. If you need to fall asleep, eat carbohydrates like pasta or bread.
Caffeine is also useful if you need to stay awake, but don't go overboard. While it might seem tempting to guzzle several cups of coffee when your eyelids begin to droop, you could end up wide awake at 1 a.m. Be sure to implement all dietary changes in moderation.
Overall, if you have to take a long flight, try to take care of your body before your flight as best as possible. If you are run down before you leave, breathing recycled air for 8 hours might make you sicker than before you left. These days, with so many viruses going around, please don't get on a plane sick, since you will likely infect the entire plane.
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