The Benefits of a Travel Agent in Post-Pandemic Times

[Updated 6/27/2020] If you experienced a recent COVID-related cancellation during the 2020 pandemic, you might be cursing the cruise lines, airlines, or resorts out of an abundance of frustration in obtaining refunds or credits. If you booked your own trip, unfortunately you're on your own. Now imagine if you had booked with a travel professional....

What is a Travel Agent Good For, Anyway?

Today is National Travel Advisor Day. In light of that, I thought this would be a good time to remind the general traveling public exactly what I do as a certified travel planner and how I get paid. Here are a few FAQ to consider when planning your next vacation: First, Booking Methods 101 There...

10 Best Cyber Monday Travel Deals

Get back to travel with one of these outstanding Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday travel deals. Support your neighborhood travel agency or favorite vacation planner and take advantage of one of these 10 best offers: Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos Eden Pool Hard Rock Hotels: Up to 50% off and kids and teens stay free. Booking...

Holiday Travel Tips 2020

Holiday travel for U.S. residents will be very different in 2020. No doubt about it. With the exception of small or expedition cruise ships, vacations by sea are essentially off the table for the rest of 2020 (depending on how the CDC rules on cruising when the current No-Sail Order ends October 31). But that...

What to Expect on Your First Cruise

Are you embarking on your first journey at sea? Or maybe you need a refresher? Here are a few tips to make your cruise a smooth one. Flights. If you aren't cruising from a port close to home, you’ll need to fly to the port of departure. If possible, arrive at least a day early...

Is a Basic Economy Ticket for You?

As a travel agent, I have clients comparing their fare against mine, as they well should. When someone questions a substantially lower fare found through a 3rd party site, more often than not, it's a "basic economy" fare. A Basic Economy ticket can save you money, but just be aware of the limitations that come...

Norwegian’s Offer-to-Upgrade Feature – is it Worth It?

In eager anticipation of your next cruise, you've logged into Norwegian Cruise Line's online cruise planner, and you're greeted by this: Those first four words grab your attention with a promise of a better cabin than the one you've already booked. Then your eyes move on to the words "Submit an Offer ... " and...

Don’t Forget an Extra Camera Battery (or 2)

Remember the olden days of travel photography when you'd be face to face with a destination highlight like Niagara Falls, only to realize you've reached the end of the roll of film in the camera, resulting in a search for overpriced emergency film. Happily, those days are gone, taken over by the age of digital,...

Tuesday’s Travel Tip: Cash is still King

Nowadays, credit and debit cards have made it unnecessary to carry a lot of cash when traveling in the U.S. or abroad. But what if you lose your wallet, the ATM is out of order, or - worst case scenario - the world wide web suddenly crashes? Having some cash ready will come in handy....

Make Efficient Use of Your Cruise Cabin’s Walls

Did you know? Most cruise ship staterooms are constructed from metal. Any frequent cruiser can tell you that some cabins can be a bit skimpy when it comes to storage, specifically convenient wall hooks. While there may be a couple of existing hooks fastened to the wall or door, it's never enough in my experience....