Price vs. Value at All-Inclusive Resorts

I ask lots of questions with a new client to figure out what resorts will work best for them. Some people get impatient and just want me to spit the prices out & get on with it, but get it when they come back raving about how absolutely perfect their vacation was. If you want an order taker you can just use the website booking engine, but if you want advice you come to a real person right?

Just looking at price you're missing a big piece of the vacation puzzle.  Value!  If resort A is $100 more than resort B and you just pick it based on price alone you could be costing yourself more in the long run.  Without knowing what is included you really don't know if it's the great value you think it is.  At resort A let's say you spend $45 for Internet access, $50 for extra babysitting for a dinner alone and then another $30 for an upgraded meal at dinner; you've surpassed the difference already.  Those are just a few things that some luxury resorts include in the rates.  Some people don't want Internet, will  never leave their children at a kids club and only eat chicken so for them that $100 savings is best.   That's why we really work together to asses your needs and make sure you get the best value.  Of course the ultimate decision lies with you, do you want cheap or do you want an amazing deal?

greatscottgetaways.com

Is Freestyle Cruising For You?

We are fresh off the Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ship, the EPIC.  My husband has wanted to sail this ship since we first heard about it.  I have heard mixed reviews and was anxious to see what the real deal on this cruise really is.  People seem to either love it or hate it, not much in between.  My opinion?  People are buying someone else's perfect vacation instead of their own.  Sometimes it's because of price, other times it's because a friend went and loved it.  If someone hasn't taken the time to find the right experience at the right time you are heading for disaster if you're not a flexible person. One person I met on board complained that they had been on 16 cruises and this one just did not measure up to x,y or z line.  Well, the ones she mentioned were all traditional cruise lines with a generally older crowd.  If you want the over the top service on NCL, go for one of The Haven suites where you'll get butler service and still have access to the awesome entertainment for the kids or grand kids.  If you know you want a quiet ship 24/7 then EPIC is not for you at all.

    I heard the exact opposite from younger cruisers that had sailed on those other lines and hated them.  Yes, most ships  have kids clubs, but EPIC offered plenty of activities outside of the club for families to enjoy together.  My son loved Blue Man Group and wanted to go again. There was a family White Hot Party that began just a little before the adults and Nickelodeon shows at the pool for them 2 days.
Lots of people figure Disney or Carnival are the only cruise lines with great kids activities.  I personally don't care for wall to wall Disney and need a break from kids on vacation.  When we pulled into port beside the Disney Magic in Nassau and could hear Disney movies blasting from their pool deck on our balcony I thought I am so glad I don't have to hear that every day!  (Not to mention no casinos on any Disney ships)  One day we will give them a try, but most families that have asked to book Disney thought that was their ONLY option.
 If you enjoy set table mates and dining times Freestyle is probably not going to work for you.  If you have small children that you want to enjoy dinner with you in the dining room, a traditional 2 hour long dinner may not work for you.   That doesn't mean you can't change from one vacation to the next.  I have done both and enjoyed the formal dinner on Celebrity, but appreciated the relaxed dining this time on NCL.  We were able to eat early one day,  then enjoy a late dinner alone the next while my son enjoyed the activities in the kid's club.  We didn't have the same server each day, but you can request one if you like.
One other sticking point with people is the charge for the specialty restaurants.  It seems the perception is if there are so many paid dining options, the main dining rooms must be horrible.  No true at all!  We ate all of our meals in the free dining rooms, except one dinner at the Cirque Dreams show.  Before the cruise we intended to try at least one specialty restaurant, but we checked out the menu at Taste before going to dinner each night and always found something we wanted so we ended scrapping the specialty restaurant plans.   I've heard other complaints about the perceived nickel and diming, my husband included!  When I pointed out that to sail on the other new ship we would have spent at least $300 more per person before we even sailed he realized that it really did balance out if someone chose to eat in the specialty restaurants more often.
My only complaint is the way seating is done for Cirque Dreams.  The line for 'premium' seats wrapped around the corner 45 prior to show time, while the standard seats walked right in.  Basically there are only a handful of standard seats that are sold out early, then everything else is premium....so it's not really premium, just regular tables and a few booths with slightly obstructed views.

The stars of the cruise were definitely the crew in Recess and the Nickelodeon team.  My son was absolutely exhausted by the 4th day, but still begged to go back.  I did not hear one single family say their kids did not enjoy the activities....from the 2 year olds to teenagers.

For more pictures check the Great Scott Getaways Facebook page.
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Travel Insurance and the Unexpected

My eyes have been glued to news about the Costa Concordia tragedy since it happened.  While they are still searching for about 20 missing people at this time, I'm amazed that nearly 4,000 people were able to get to safety without organized direction from the crew.  The pictures, video and firsthand accounts on Cruise Critic have been amazing are riveting. 
Once Costa released their statement  that travelers scheduled to sail on the Concoridia will  have their cruise fare refunded by Costa, but not airfare and other expenses I wondered if most of those people were prepared.  With airfares from the United States easily $800 or more, a family could potentially lose thousands of dollars without insurance.  People don't take insurance nearly as much as they should in my oppinion.  Everyone seems to think there is no way their trip will be cancelled or they don't need medical coverage since they're young.  The last few years have been one freak occurance after another that should highlight the fact that we need to be prepared for the unexpected.  Remember that in a foreign country things will not function as you expect them to at home (even in the most developed countries, customs are different) 

A Luxury Cruise with the Kids?

Since most of the luxury lines are not very family friendly what do you do if you want an upscale cruise experience with all the amenities of a big ship? Try one of the lines that have separate enclaves for suite categories. NCL offers The Haven, while MSC offers the Yacht Club. The posh suites are surrounded by exclusive amenities accessible only to guests staying within the complex.
Both NCL and MSC areas are complete with a private pool, sundeck and restaurant.
You will also have priority access to other areas of the ship like specialty restaurants, shows or the spa with reservations made by your personal butler or concierge. The MSC Yacht Club guests also enjoy unlimited complimentary beverages. (wine, cocktails and juices)

The concept of both is a ship within a ship, so you can have all the benefits of luxury cruising without giving up the activity of a larger ships like fun kid's clubs, Broadway style shows and late night discos.

Cheap Vacations! Hurry Up & Buy Before You Read.

$599 Cancun 4-Star Resort Vacation or $69 for 5 days in Hawaii. Don't these seem obviously too good to be true? Nope! There are always a few people willing to take the bait. Since part of my service is matching verifiable prices offered by the big online agencies I've seen my fair share of these ads. Google any particular destination or resort and you'll find thousands of cheap deals. I'm always surprised that people don't see right through these tactics. If this vacation typically costs $2,000 how in the world can someone offer is for 1/4 of the price? By obligating you to a timeshare presentation, of course! If you're on the hook for a decade of payments and fees, what's a little loss now?

Read the fine print on most of these unbelievable deals and you'll inevitably find a reference to some sort of timeshare pitch. They promise to only take a few minutes of your time, but search again for comments and you'll find hundreds of people who were held up on their vacation for hours or a whole day while subjected to high pressure salespeople or worse, stranded at another location after they refused to buy. Don't waste valuable vacation time, use a trusted travel advisor.

Should You Upgrade to the Club or Premium Section?

One of the things I love about Riviera Maya is that even the lowest category rooms at a resort are typically more luxurious than comparably priced resorts at other Caribbean beach destinations.

Is it worth it then to upgrade to premium sections at a resort? My usual answer is it depends. At resorts that charge for WiFi, it is included in the premium section. At others, upgraded mini bar selections and room service menus are included along with reserved sunbeds on the beach. Concierge services may include priority reservations at specialty restaurants that may be hard to get otherwise. If you're on a honeymoon or otherwise special trip go for it! If you're spending lots of time at the resort in your room, you'll probably appreciate the perks.

At most Sandals & Beaches resorts room service is only offered in concierge and Butler category rooms. I think it's definitely worth the upgrade there. There's nothing better than room service if you have an early flight out, or if you've come
back to your room exhausted from excursions or clubbing.
The internet access is a big one! Let's say it costs $15/day for access in regular room categories, but the premium room is $300 more during your week. If you use 2 devices, you're already close to paying for the upgrade anyway. Be sure to ask what amenities are included at your resort to see if it makes sense in your case to upgrade.



(Pictures from the Preferred Clubs at Secrets Maroma Beach and Dreams Riviera Cancun)

What Hurriicane Irene's Stranded Cruise Passengers Will Do Next Time...

This story caught my eye in the stories about Hurricane Irene. 450 passengers stranded in Puerto Rico.

Boy did this strike a travel warning nerve for me! Not only did so many people miss out on a fabulous vacation, plenty of them lost much of their vacation investment unnecessarily. We can't control the weather, but here's my top 3 tips to minimize your risk of loss should this happen on your trip.

#1 Use a Travel Advisor (especially for first time cruisers)

Service doesn't end after the sale. Too many people are focused on price and forget issues can come up where you'll need someone on your side trying to help.

#2 Buy Insurance

Many people in the comment section jumped on RCCL and noted how they will cruise Carnival next time. Well, Carnival has had their share of poor customer service responses in the past also. That is a risk you take with any large company. Sometimes the bottom line will be more important than the welfare of their customers. Don't rely on them to do the right thing. Protect yourself!

#3 Get a Passport

Note how even the cruisers Carnival accommodated needed to have a passport to fly to Barbados. Since only about half of the people took the offer I would bet the other half were told there;s no point in getting a passport by their neighbor or the call center just trying to make that sale. I know it's expensive relative to the cost of a short cruise. Just do it! That $100 just saved some of these cruisers' vacation.

I truly care about each of my clients' experience. No one can guarantee a flawless vacation, but most travel professionals will do everything they can to help YOU when needed. If I had a dollar for every time someone chose to believe the cruise line that they would be fine with just a birth certificate! You may be fine, or you may end up paying for a flight home instead of going to the next port when something like this happens.

Once, I had a client that booked their first cruise during hurricane season with no insurance and arrived at the port on the day of departure. They liked to live on the edge! I nearly had panic attacks for a week on that one. Luckily they arrived back with no incidents, but I hope this story is a strong warning for them the next time and to everyone else.