TSA and Trade Shows

It's been a while since my last blog post. September was a crazy month for me! The American Society of Travel Agents Trade Show in Las Vegas took place in early September, then we were off to New York at the end.
I have never been so happy to see my own bed! I love to travel, but too much can take alot out of you. At least airport security does! Vegas was awesome! Of course I had a great time personally, but I learned so much and met so many great people that will help me serve my clients even better for the rest of this year and 2010.
One of the hot topics at the show was fees. Many of us have recently moved to fees, while others have done it for years. I reluctantly moved to this model in August when it became impossible to continue providing the same great experience for everyone with an increase in the 'shoppers and tire kickers'. I wrestled with this decision because I did not want to discourage first-time cruisers and those unfamiliar with the value of using a travel agent. The more I thought about it and researched I found that those time wasters do know the value and that's why they wanted my free information to go book online. If they knew what they were doing in the first place they'd never ask for my help. I'm talking about people that will talk for hours, call everyday for 2 weeks, then disappear or tell me they booked on Expedia to save $10. When I added up how much time I was spending on things that never materialized it was apparent that there was no way I could continue without weeding out some of those types......Oh and the worst offenders are the ones that have the nerve to come back and ask for help once they realize that $10 savings was a room with no windows (true story) or a non-refundable room that they now need to change. You may think you're saving tons of money booking online, but most of the time a vacation is a significant investment that should be carefully planned. A call center employee does not have an incentive to make sure you understand all the fine print when they'll never speak to you or see you again.
I also took a seminar on cloud computing that left my head spinning, but has started to slowly sink in. I have a new Google Voice number, 678-4KenyaS and am trying to see how Google Docs can help me as well.
I came back so motivated and have been on a roll since then.
New York is another story! That city drains me! I'm always talking about managing your expectations and making sure you're honest about what types of hotels and restaurants you enjoy. Now if someone else were asking me those questions I can firmly say I do not care for cities! Once you have seen the monuments and historical sites they all start to look the same. Restaurants the size of my closet and the cost of my mortgage do not excite me! I didn't have a choice in the hotel since it was a business trip for my husband. It is one I definitely would not have chosen for myself.

If you watched Dave Chappelle's show I feel like Vegas is that episode where he talked about what the Internet would be like if it was a real place.
On the traveling with kids front, my mom took care of my son while I was in Vegas. He did fly to NY with us. I always dread flying with him because getting through the airport is such a hassle. Then I'm on pins and needles the whole flight hoping he doesn't kick the seat the entire time and praying he goes to sleep....He never does though! For the most part he is a very good sport and a pro at flying already. He even knows the drill when we get pulled to secondary screening by TSA. Funny how that's supposed to be random but I get it about 75% of the time. The guy I sat next to on the way home said he has never had that happen. (Huge thank you to him for playing trains and coloring. He was the nicest seatmate I've ever had!!! NO evil eye from childless people for an entire flight was great) I'm starting to wonder if I share a name with someone on the watch list or something. Notice I didn't use that word, I don't want to get flagged even more! It's so bad I know the mark they put on your ticket at check-in. I want to tell the person at the counter, 'Come on, I know what that means!" If I was carrying something I'm not supposed to I'd know to get rid of it now. My husband is a G-man through and through, but they have really got to get their acts together at TSA!

Odd cruise news and passports

A passenger who reportedly jumped off a balcony on the Carnival Sensation was rescued by the crew of Disney Wonder last week. He was treading water for about 90 minutes before he was rescued. (There is a You tube video, but listening to someone scream for help in the dark freaked me out a little, so I'm not linking it.)
In July, a vehicle accident during a RCCL shore excursion sent several people to the hospital in St. Thomas. Notice in the cruise critic report at least one couple had to stay behind on the island for treatment. Why is this important? The most obvious point is of course ALWAYS GET INSURANCE. No matter your age or general health accidents are possible anywhere. Know what your policy covers, and make sure you save receipts and contact the insurer as soon as possible.
The next maybe not so obvious point is about passports. I hope you already have yours,but if not just do it! Then you'll be ready to travel whenever the mood strikes...not 6-8 weeks later once your passport arrives. The rules on passports and cruising have been so confusing in the last few years. There's passport books, passport cards....do you need one if traveling by sea and not air, blah blah, blah. Always check the current regulations with the State Department for requirements before traveling.
Although, St. Thomas is a U.S. Virgin Island, what would have happened had this couple needed to fly from a non U.S. Port...and they did not have a passport book since they were 'only going on a cruise'? It is a bit more expensive to get the book vs. the card, but it's worth it in my opinion. You never know when you'll need it.

Why you should purchase travel insurance

I have always offered insurance to each and every client and require a waiver from those who choose not to purchase it. We are just such a litigious society these days and I don't want to leave myself open to liability in case someone realizes too late they did need the coverage.
So why is insurance so important? Check out Peter Greenberg's advice. Though the article is a couple of years old it is still relevant. Maybe even more so with the steady decline of airline service and increase of fees!
Maybe I'm extra cautious from personal experience with all types of insurance, but I always get it. (living in south Florida we had 5 car accidents in 2 years, only 1 our fault...my health insurance hates me I think) Luckily I've never had to make a travel insurance claim, but the peace of mind is definitely worth it. I have heard some horror stories from people who did.
My personal top reasons to buy travel insurance.....

Medical coverage
It's not just for old people! One couple on vacation in Greece found themselves needing emergency medical attention when the husband slipped and hit his head on a rock during a shore excursion. This will also cover you if you need assistance replacing your prescriptions, or if you personal health insurance does not cover you outside the U.S.


Lost or delayed baggage
The airlines lose an average of 10,000 bags PER DAY! Yep, not a year. It's still a small percentage of the total amount of luggage handled, but it still sucks when it's yours. What happens when your bags are delayed and you're hopping on your cruise ship in a couple of hours. Who's going to reimburse you for all the clothes you have to buy till you get back? (Well, let's hope you're not in this situation b/c you've also taken my advice to never fly in on the day of sailing, but that's another blog)

Travel Guard covers your kids free!
pretty self explanatory, you can't beat free.

Hurricanes
Cruisers biggest fear behind 'not being able to drink all that water'. Get your money back, not just a cruise line voucher in the event your trip is canceled.

NY Times says 'Worst Part of A Trip May Be Booking It on the Web' My thoughts exactly!

A New York Times article this week expressed consumers growing frustration with online booking. According to Forrester Research, people are getting frustrated with all of the small print restrictions a room categories that they must sort through using an online only booking. “Travel companies expect the consumer to behave like a travel agent,” he explained. “The question I always ask these guys is, ‘Could your mother-in-law use your Web site without having to call you for help?’ The answer is always no.”

Top 10 Tips to Overcome Airline Stress

Check out Forbes Traveler's Top 10 Tips to Overcome Airline Stress. I don't know if you can overcome the airline stress, but there are some great tips to deal with it. Airports and flights are just a necessary transportation evil to me. They are a pain to deal with! One of the best parts of living in South Florida was not having to fly to go on a cruise. I wish I could just wake up in my chosen destination without having to go through this pre and post trip torture.
These travel cartoons pretty accurately reflect my view of air travel these days.

Twitter, Resorts and Cruises with Kids

I just started tweeting regularly last week and I'm hooked! I have had a Twitter and Facebook page for quite a while, but never did anything with them because just looking at them gave me a headache.
I posted a link to a Top 10 article about traveling with kids that I found pretty useful on Twitter. http://www.sallybernstein.com/travel/with-kids/topten/
(My blog earlier this year is worth a read again on this topic. http://greatscottgetaways.blogspot.com/2009/04/family-friendly-travel.html In my humble opinion of course! =) )
The summer is winding down so the deals are back once the big kids are in school. If you've got little ones, or are willing to sacrifice a school day, fall and winter are good times to get lower rates and less crowds.

In trying to find the right vacation for you, think about what your goals are. Do you want lots of togetherness with the kids because you're working so much otherwise? Are you a grandparent who relishes this time with the grands? Do you want the kids to have a structured supervised play program more like day care at home? Many places are family friendly, but cater to different ages. One resort offers a toy menu at check-in for delivery to your room, Gerber baby food so you can travel light but no structured program for kids under 4. That means you will do everything with the kids unless you switch out or bring Grandma along. Some hotels offer babysitting services for additional fees that do allow you a free night for dinner for two during your vacation. (One of the tips on the list is to split up so everyone enjoys the vacation!)
On cruises, the one that would seem the most family friendly (Disney) does have some great family stateroom features, but limited options for the un-potty trained. Some parents would never think of leaving kids in a kids program anyway, while others wouldn't enjoy a vacation without one. (I fall into the latter category) Just do some thinking about which one you are. Still one of my best bets is Beaches Resorts by Sandals. Their kids programs from babies to teens is included in the rate. The little ones looked like they were having a great time with the Sesame Street theme and Crayola projects. I even saw some Dads hanging out in the Xbox lounge looking like they were enjoying it more than the kids. ( I hear the new Italian Village at Turks & Caicos is amazing and can't wait to visit) Carnival gets great reviews for their children's program as well among the cruise lines.

Traveling with the Flow

I ran across an interesting quote today online that sums up my views on travel.

"travel" and "travail" have the same Old French root. Go with the flow and treat travel as the character-building endeavor it invariably is."

I like to check out reviews when I have free time and it seems most often complaints arise when people either don't have reasonable expectations (which I addressed in an earlier blog) or are so rigid that one little mishap snowballs into a ruined vacation. Remember that you are visiting a foreign country with different customs. That is the very reason why we are visiting them! Natural beauty combined with an unhurried pace characteristic of the Caribbean is the anecdote for our American plugged-in, fast paced routines.
If you allow it, you'll learn something. We have enjoyed so much getting to know the crew and staff of the ships and resorts we have been to. (usually more than fellow guests) I remember all of my head waiters in the dining room of cruises and of course the bartenders at resorts! Not in a patronizing way, but a genuine personal exchange. I've met someone working to ensure a better life for their children back in the Phillipines, an Ivy League hospitality trained crewmember from India and an Irish-Mexican singer moonlighting as a waiter until they moved back to Ireland with family. Tell me you can get stories like that on your average day at home. Listening to someone can put a whole new perspective on your life and opinions. I met someone in Cancun that was heartbroken over not being able to visit their children in America...put a whole new spin on the immigration issue for me. Another great quote I posted earlier is "Travel is fatal to prejudice..." When you relax you can't help but see we are all much more alike than different. And believe me, once you stop acting like a walking American wallet more than likely you'll be treated better.