Picking The Best Vacation Ever?

I am glad you asked.  I just had this conversation with two beautiful people that are very near and dear to me.  They are a young married couple.  She wants to go to Hawaii.  He wants to go on a cruise.  This is a similar situation that happens quite commonly.  It is repeated in any family or group of more than one person everywhere.  Well, in their case, a cruise to Hawaii would be a perfect solution, but an extremely long cruise with a whole lot of water.

So how should couples choose?  How do families choose?  Fortunately, there are some fairly straight-forward answers that will keep the peace.  I just finished a new video on Why I Travel that will give you some ideas on why I like to travel (and some insights on why I became a Travel Agent/Advisor).  I’ve got another recent article called “When Should I Use A Travel Agent”.  Spoiler Alert:  If you want to make traveling easy on yourself and your family, use a Travel Agent/me.  It doesn’t typically cost you anything extra and it will save you a lot of time and grief.  Beyond that, here are some good tips if you really want to travel.

1. Travel ideas.  Here are a few tips for settling “destination disagreements”.
   1. If you can’t decide on a destination initially, perhaps you can start by deciding what type of trip you want to take.
      1. Camping/hiking etc., then state parks, national parks, etc
      2. Car/road trip
      3. Air flight somewhere
      4. Cruise
      5. Train trip
      6. Themed trips:  Golf, fishing, NASCAR/Formula, hiking, hunting, bachelor/bachelorette parties, weddings, reunions, wine/whiskey tours, adult trips (meaning no kids), cosplay, personal/business mixed trips, etc.
      7. Then decide if you want domestic travel or international travel
      8. All of this will help you narrow down your destination choices.
   2. Do you have valid passports NOT within 6 months of expiration.  That might be your starting place if you are thinking of travel across borders.
   3. Watch Aerial America on cable if you have the option.  I watch it all the time, and every week I see somewhere else I want to go.  Hint:  DON’T watch Air Disasters.  You may never want to fly again. (Statistically still the safest way to travel).
   4. Lottery.  How about every traveling family member writes their top 6 travel destination on a piece of paper.  Then you can have a family meeting and see where your commonality is.  Otherwise, perhaps a different person chooses for each new vacation.  Alternately, draw a winner for each next upcoming vacation.
   5. Perhaps your budget is the determining factor
   6. It’s best if you can come to a consensus, but if not, there are a lot of way to come to an agreement.  These are just a few.
2. Dream Big.  Now here is your challenge.  This is where it really starts.  Pick two or three ideas about what your dream vacation would look like.  Everyone has a different idea about what a perfect vacation looks like, and what relaxes them (or recharges their batteries).  This answer WILL be different for everyone.  Feel free to do your research.  Then come to me and let me see what I can do for you.  Worst-case scenario:  I may only save you a little money and a lot of time and grief.  Best-case scenario:  I may save you a lot of money, time, grief, and come up with some other ideas that you hadn’t thought of.  Best idea:  Lets work together to put together your #BestVacationEver. 
3. Set your budget.  Do this first for yourself (and for your Travel Agent).  Be realistic before you even start planning your trip.  Decide up front how much you are willing to spend.  Do you have the cash, or do you want to make payments.  Big Tip:  You will enjoy your vacation far more if it is totally paid for before you go on your trip.  It removes any guilt or purchase remorse and you can just go and enjoy your #BestVacationEver.
4. Plan Early.  Do you want desirable airline seats TOGETHER for a popular trip?  How about that perfect cruise stateroom, (or connected or family staterooms), on the newest ship and at a good price?  How about golf tee-times on the best greens in Ireland, (followed by that whiskey tour or castle tour)?  Perhaps you want to combine those tee-times in Ireland with a European River Cruise.  Maybe you want that perfect over-water hut in Bali, that perfect cabana in Fiji or that perfect room on the Amalfi coast.  Believe it or not, all of those things require reservations a year or more in advance, and that’s just a small sample.  Don’t forget that some destinations, like Alaska, are seasonal only.  My point is that once you have decided what your dream vacation is, it’s never too early to begin planning, budgeting and working with your favorite Travel Agent (me) to make it happen for you.  Don’t forget to tell me if you have a special occasion that you are celebrating.  If you are taking a group of people or family members, I can likely get you a special group rate, depending on the number of people and the event.  Whether your dream vacation is here in the good ‘ol USA, or it’s an international trip, all of this applies.  Don’t you want me to make your life easier for all of this?
5. Set your desired dates well in advance.  Are they flexible or firm?  For things like weddings, group travel and family reunions, especially on peak season travel times, earlier is far better for planning and scheduling.  Anyone who has tried to book a premier wedding venue during peak season times on short notice understands that accommodations and airfare can also be very tricky and expensive.
6. Get your travel details and documents together.  For travel by air or cruise, for each traveler, you will need full names, birthdays, and travel ID’s, enhanced drivers licenses and/or passports (if you are crossing borders).  Some countries require visas and perhaps other travel documentation prior to traveling, depending on your situation.  Some of those documents take time to get in line.  Depending on your destination, some destination will not allow passage if your passport is within 6 months of expiration.  Also, be sure that the name on your ID’s and passports match the name on your reservations.  Cruise lines have been know to disallow boarding if the names don’t match.  Be advised and prepared.  We can discuss other requirements for your destination of choice.

Whew.  That’s already a lot.  Are you beginning to understand why using a Travel Agent (me) is a good idea?  Now, it’s actually time to begin the pricing and booking of all your travel arrangements.  Where do we go from here?  You can do it all yourself, or you can enlist my help to do it all for you.  Did I mention that with a very few exceptions, my services cost you nothing?  Why not use me to help you make your #BestVacationEver?