The time to reserve your vacation is now!

The time to reserve your vacation is now!

It is time for a vacation, right?
Some things you have to know before you reserve your trip:
In a perfect world you would know where you want to go, when you want to go, and how much you want to pay. In that case, just visit our website, book your trip, and pay. It is so simple in theory, however, you and I both know that never happens.
The reality is, you probably don’t know where you want to go. You don’t even know when you want to go (except that you probably want to go when everyone else wants to, during holidays), or who you want to go with.
I love when clients call, make a reservation, and when I get to the part when I ask the second person’s name, they tell me “to be announced”. That may work for T.V. guide when promoting a sporting event, but American Airlines will not accept TBA. They need a name, the same name that is on the person’s passport. They don’t want to see “girlfriend”, “boyfriend”, ex-wife, maiden names, or nicknames.
You may only know your significant other as Bubba or Bambi, but chances are those names do not appear on their official papers!
Now let’s say you have the right name, and you’re all set to go, but you get home from work early and unannounced and catch your traveling partner doing something unthinkable….a week before your getaway is scheduled (true story), or they get a huge promotion at work and cannot go (better story), and so you simply want to change the name on the ticket and be on your merry way. I wish it were that easy.
It isn’t. There is a penalty and it could cost you hundreds of dollars.
While I am offering free advice, I will remind you to make sure you have a valid passport.
If you are going to do research and check the internet for reviews of hotels, do it before you book the trip and pay for it. I have clients that specifically ask for a resort, only to come back to me a week before their trip to tell me that they read that “the room service took 2 hours, no beach chairs in the shade, the rooms smell like mildew, there were no washcloths in the bathroom, or the swim-up bar closed too early.
At this point, what do you want me to do? First, you cannot believe every review you read and second, the hotel will charge a penalty for canceling.
If you are too lazy to do your homework, ask us here. We do not mind answering whatever questions you might have BEFORE YOU BOOK, but after you book, once again, you are out of luck. I just had one of my favorite clients call to try to change hotels in Cancun because she just found out that they do not offer room service, and why didn’t I tell her. I thought she was joking, but she wasn’t, and now she is no longer one of my favorite clients. I am good at my job, but how was I supposed to know that room service was a requirement?
Speaking of bad luck, stop going back to our website checking the prices to see if they have changed (after you paid). Most of the time, the price will go up (as the seats sell out), but sometimes they the rates drop, and you feel ripped off. I don’t blame you, but it isn’t our fault, and there is nothing we can do. Every hotel that goes on sale specifically states “for new reservations only”. I’ve tried to cancel the room and rebook it a few days later (thought I was tricky) only to scolded.
If the air goes down, we cannot refund you the difference. Call the airline directly and try with them. I’ll give you their number. I wish we could help you, believe me.
I recently lost some weight, and bought this beautiful dress. It cost double what I wanted to spend, but it was so pretty and I bought it.
Ten days later, the dress was 75% off! I was furious. It even happened to me recently with my tickets to Aruba for Christmas. I knew holiday travel would fill up fast, so I ran my tickets 3 months in advance. A week before my trip, the air was $200 cheaper per person. It barely ever happens like that, and I do not advice you to wait until the last minute. It sucks when you find the same thing cheaper after you pay, but one thing I can assure you, our rates are always the lowest. Hopefully, you paid the lowest price.

My boss is coming back from a sales conference in the Bahamas today, where he met with all the hoteliers in the Caribbean and Mexico, so stay tuned for some really great prices to all of our destinations. Get ready to have some fun and save some money!

Until next time, I remain your friend and agent,
Beth

Happy New year to all our friends and valued customers

Happy New Year my friends.

I just got back from a week in Aruba. I know I went during the holidays which is the worst time to travel (crowded and expensive), but that is how I knew it was so bad.
Actually we went to Aruba, to the Occidental Grand. It was much better than I expected, and quite enjoyable. Yes, you had to get up at 6am to get a good shady spot by the beach, and yes you had to fight to get into the best restaurants and the best times, but overall, it was a great place.
Aruba is not cheap. My Mom describes Aruba as “civilized”. Everyone who works at the resort speaks a minimum of 4 languages and even when it rained, it cleared up quickly. The beaches are fantastic and if money is no object, go to Aruba with confidence. I guarantee a good time!
While we are on the subject of upscale destinations, there are a few other really nice Islands for you to check out. Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Jamaica (in that order) are still going to give you the most for your money, but maybe you already went to those places. Maybe you know you are going to get a huge tax refund this year, or a distant relative you never even knew left you a boatload of money. Have I got some places for you!
Aruba is great. There are some real five star hotels, like the Hyatt and the Radisson. If you get the Royal Service at the Occidental, it is also a 5 star resort.

My pick of the day is Turks and Caicos. What an unspoiled paradise. There are no big resorts except Beaches (the best family all-inclusive in the Caribbean if you ask me) and an adults only Club Med (just average if you ask me). Turks and Caicos has great condo/hotels and are perfect for honeymooners, couples, and families. It is not a Spring Break destination which also makes it great. It is easy to get to and really low key.
The Royal West Indies resort, the Sands at Grace Bay, The Tuscany, the Regent Palms, are all fantastic and not overpriced. If you want a new place, not all-inclusive, give us a call for a quote. I have a feeling in the next year or two, Americans are going to discover these Islands in a big way which will cause the prices to rise and it may lose some of its charm.

My other hot tip for the New Year is to check the internet, do all your comparison shopping, and then call us before you book. The internet is a great tool, but there are some things the computer just cannot do. Sometimes we have unadvertised specials that are limited in inventory so not put online. The other benefit is that we know the destinations and the resorts. For example, certain resorts have renovated wings or vaulted ceilings on higher floors. We also know which resorts are offering real deals and discounts. Travel Companies have deals and “partnerships” with certain resorts and they may promote those resorts more than others. If you call, we will give you the real deal, and then some.

Last tip for the week: Start planning your Summer vacation now. At least get an idea of what it will cost inclusive of those nasty taxes.


This is not a tip, but a strong suggestion. Enjoy life everyone. Life is so short and unpredictable. My New Years Resolution (one of many) is to work hard and play hard. Life can be really good if you just take time to appreciate it.

Fondly, Beth