The Best Time to Travel

"What is the best time to visit destination 'XYZ'?" That is a common question I get asked by travelers wanting to visit a variety of places. It is a logical question to ask. So I felt like I needed to take a few moments and address the question generally to show the different ways that the question can be answered.

Most people really expect someone to answer that question in relation to weather and crowds etc. Now here is the thing to consider, in most cases, the better the weather also means the larger the crowds. Europe's best weather months really coincide with their peak travel season. That also translates into higher travel costs.

So the best time to travel to somewhere in Europe is really during times that are considered the "shoulder season" or off-season. There are a lot of destinations in Europe where the weather is rather temperate all year and can offer great savings opportunities if you can travel during off-season dates which are usually early Spring or early to mid-Fall and not around major holidays.

But for almost every "pro," there is a "con" to also consider; traveling to Europe during off-peak times can have limited accommodation and activity options. Some hotels in Europe actually shut down during the off-season to refurbish or simply to take their own vacation so you need to make sure you plan well in advance and don't just show up in a town and expect to find a room to sleep in for the night. There may not be any. But if you prefer to walk down less crowded streets, then off-season travel in Europe may be the thing for you.

Ok...so what about places like the ever-popular Caribbean? What are the best times to travel to that region? This answer will cover all options (i.e. cruises to the area or staying at a resort). In my opinion, the best weather in the Caribbean is during the late Fall and Winter months. The temperatures are a little lower or less hot I should say and with much less humidity. Crowds are also lower in the late Fall months due to so many travelers still being concerned about traveling to the area during the hurricane season. So that brings up a con again. If you travel to the Caribbean between the months of August and the end of November, you are technically going during the region's hurricane season. That means great prices in most cases (big pro) and much lower crowds, but it also means you need to be prepared for changes to your itinerary if a hurricane were to develop and start heading towards your destination. Cruise ships will divert to other ports of call or cancel itineraries all together if their scheduled route is in the path of a possible hurricane. They have the right to change their itinerary at any moment if they feel the possible safety of its passengers and crew are in jeapordy due to weather. A good way to get some peace of mind if you are traveling during that time of year is by purchasing travel insurance. Most plans will cover delays or cancellations due to weather etc. (check each plan for details of what is covered before hitting the purchase button).

So are you seeing that the answer to the question can vary a lot? I really prefer to travel during those off-peak times and that may or may not coincide with the greatest weather etc. But it may offer a better overall experience because of less congestion and keeping more money in my pocket at the end of the day.

What have you experienced when traveling at different times of the year? Do you have your favorite time to travel to a particular destination? I am interested in hearing your answers or questions.

Travel Tip of the Week-Package Vacations

Travel Tip of the Week-Disney Parks Related

Here is my travel tip of the week. Please leave feedback or comments if you can. Thanks for stopping by.

How Do I Know Which Cruise Line to Go On?

Holland America, Cunard, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Disney, NCL, Princess and the list goes on. I just mentioned a small percentage of the total number of cruise lines at your disposal for a possible cruise vacation. The choices can be overwhelming to so many travelers. How do you make a choice? Do you choose solely on price? Do you choose based on where the particular ship is cruising to along with price? Do you base your decision on size of the ship?

I want to help by clarifying some of the differences between the various cruise lines and hopefully will aid you in deciding what would be the best choice for your next cruise getaway. You really have to decide on what type of vacation do you want to have. Do you want peace and quiet? Do you want luxury mixed in with a little adventure? Do you want it to be something for the whole family?

So let's start by look at Carnival Cruises. Carnival has given its self the name, "The Fun Ships." Their cruises tend to lean heavy on the fun and less on the formal. They tend to attract a "fun" crowd that prefers party over peace and quiet. Carnival has ships of all sizes appealing to a large and diverse crowd, but make no mistake about it, if you want something more along the lines of rest and relaxation, their cruises may not be for you, especially over the spring and summer months.

So then what about a cruise line like Royal Caribbean? Royal Caribbean offers a fun and adventuresome atmosphere. Their itineraries are designed to offer passengers a chance at adventure in their various ports of call. But they also try to cater to those looking to get away from it all. They are a nice option for both the fun crowd and the relaxing crowd.

Norwegian Cruise Line is another one closer to the style of Royal Caribbean. Their "free-style" approach offers guests the freedom to set their own schedule which should help guests feel more like they are truly on a vacation.

The 3 cruise lines I just mentioned also tend to be tailored towards the trendy crowds with their more contemporary decor various night clubs and activities. So if you like things more formal, then these 3 might not be to your liking as much as some of the other options.

If you want more of a formal cruise reminiscent of the days when cruising meant black-tie dinners and balls, then you might want to look at Celebrity, Princess Cruises, Holland America, or Cunard. These will offer a much more formal setting in many cases. They also will be tailored towards those who like to have educational offerings on their cruises in the way of seminars or classes. Their demographic tends to be more older ranging from the mid-40's to the early retirees.

Now where does this leave those of you who want a cruise for the whole family? Naturally Disney Cruise Line comes to mind for those of have children, but don't overlook Carnival or Royal Caribbean when it comes to family activities. Again...if you want a fun and adventuresome cruise for your entire family, they all 3 have programs designed for kids of all ages and will have entire areas of the ship devoted to all age groups.

If you want your children to have as much fun as you though, you may not want to carry them along on a Cunard, Holland America, or even a Princess cruise. They all boast of having activities for kids, but they are not as organized nor do they devote the space for children as Disney, Royal Caribbean and Carnival do on their ships.

I am only mentioning those main cruise lines that are not considered to be in the "lifestyles of the rich and famous" category. There are others that are simply devoted to pure luxury and most of my clientele are every day folks (like me) who are not looking for a cruise that costs similar to a year's house payment. :)

So with all of this said, I do not recommend you looking at a cruise solely because it is advertised as the cheapest etc. That cruise line and ship may not be to your liking or fit your personality or vacation desires. A good cruise specialist can help you choose the right cruise that fits your budget so you don't ever go on a cruise and look around and ask, "what in the world am I doing on this ship??"

So many cruise lines are visiting similar ports of call around the world so you have lots of choices. If you want a cruise in the Mediterranean, you can choose between Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Princess, and others. Choices are abundant so don't feel like there is not a cruise for you. Maybe you have yet to sail with a cruise line that more to your style and way of life.

How have your experiences been? Have you found one cruise line to be better than some of the others that you have sailed on? Let me know of some of your experiences. Thanks for reading.

Travel Tip of the Week-Which Cruise Do I Take?

Getting Off To A Good Start

Ok...so you are sitting there thinking about taking a vacation, or as I like to refer to it, a journey. You are pondering all of the places you have thought about visiting and trying to figure out that first step. Do you search for hotels first? Do you look into airfare? What about things to do in a particular place? The questions can seem endless and sometimes can get overwhelming.

So I want to give you a first step that you might think about before doing anything else. Ask around and find a "reputable" travel consultant or agent. Notice that I said reputable. That is the number 1 qualifier for selecting a good travel agent. Like so many other professions in this day and age, there are hoards of people who claim to be professionals or experts in the field of travel while their actions and credentials are telling a different story.

Social media sites have been inundated with people who say they are the expert at XYZ and some put their trust and even their money with that person while never checking to see what qualifies them as being the so-called expert.

Numerous travelers can share their horror stories from various vacations where they put their trust in a travel agent that they selected off the internet. I am here to tell you that bad experiences can be avoided if you take one simple step before choosing your next travel consultant. Here it is.

Check for credentials and references.

Technically that is 2 steps, but really it is the first step in the process of making sure you have the best vacation possible. Asking for references should be mandatory and any good travel consultant will gladly send you a list of clients who they have helped and who have offered to be a reference for that particular professional. Then ask for credentials or ask about their own experience in travel. For example, there are designations such as CTC, CTA, ACC etc that tell you that a particular agent has a certain number of years experience in the field of selling travel and he/she has completed some extensive training and has passed an exam showing their proficiency in their field. I am currently a CTA which stands for "Certified Travel Associate" which means I have completed the mandatory hours of course work and successfully passed the exam awarding me with that professional designation. Designations set those who have chosen this profession to be their full-time job apart from those who only get into a profession for their own personal benefit and only tinker in the business.

This does not mean that every agent or consultant who does not have a certain designation is not proficient in the field of travel. Some agents may never be called a CTA, or CTC but their experience in traveling to a variety of destinations sets them apart from those who are not serious about being a true travel professional. So ask..."Do you possess any certifications or have you traveled extensively?"

Remember this; a travel agent's services are always free unless a fee is agreed upon upfront. Take advantage of all of the ways a true travel professional can help with the trip planning process and take a moment to qualify that particular person before allowing them to make any reservations on your behalf.

Have you had a bad experience with a travel professional? I would like to hear some of your experiences so please feel free to comment and share. I am determined to put the word "professional" back into the industry I love and you can help me with that by only agreeing to do business with those who are truly in travel to help and consult clients and who possess the highest level of professionalism possible.

Cruise Excursion...Who Should I Book Through?

My last travel tip video was related to cruise excursions and I addressed the pro of booking the excursion through the cruise line versus going through another supplier etc. As I stated in the video, the number one pro for booking an excursion through the cruise line is that the cruise will have a record of everyone who is on any of their excursions which means they will wait for you to get back on board if your excursion happens to run a little late etc. If you go through another supplier or just decide to go on your own in any of the ports of call, you are responsible for being back on board before the scheduled departure time. The ship will leave you if you are not back and it is up to you to get to the next port or back home and at your own cost if that ever happens.

Now with that said, here are some cons for booking your excursion through the cruise line. Cost is one negative. Typically the cruise line will charge a bit more for the same excursion that could have been booked from a private excursion company. For example, a "Swim with the Dolphin" excursion in Cozumel Mexico would cost @$139.00 per person through one of the larger cruise lines while costing only $108.00 through a private excursion company. That is significant savings for a family of 4.

Another negative is the selection. If you book through the cruise line, you are limited to their selection of excursions for a particular port of call. You may do some research and find that there were choices you would have never known about that better suits your own preference and interests from some other excursion vendor.

One other negative is that you are tied to the cruise line's schedule when you book an excursion through them. They will dictate when you are to proceed to your designated excursion area and sometimes their organization is a bit lacking which means you may be late getting started and have less time at whatever you were planning on seeing or doing. For example, we had booked an excursion in Cozumel Mexico through Royal Caribbean. It was going to be a full day on a private island with lunch included. The cruise line had overbooked the excursion and neglected to tell the local tour guide in advance which meant that he had to scramble to find additional transportation to the actual excursion location. That put us off schedule by almost 2 hours which then shortened our time on the private island. Smaller, private tour companies are not reliant on what a cruise line does at the last minute and are more prone to being on time.

So in summary, if you are new to cruising, you might want to book your first excursion through the cruise line so you can get a feel of how it all works etc. But on your next cruise, feel free to look around for other alternatives and you will be pleasantly surprised to see how easy they can be to book and how reliable they are when it comes to picking you up and getting you back to the ship on time.

If you need information for some private excursion companies, please send me a message or leave on comment on this blog.