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Apr 29 2011

The Spontaneity of Travel

One of the things I prided myself on prior to having kids was my spontaneity when it came to just about everything I did. It kept life interesting and kept me fulfilled. Now that I have a laundry basket full of responsibilities and obligations, the spontaneousness in me appears to be waning. In short, I over-think way too much. And honestly, sometimes it’s not that serious.

For instance, I’ve been back from my annual BFF getaway for a week and a half now and I just haven’t made the time to sit at the computer and do my review of our cruise on the Norwegian Sky. It’s not that I didn’t want to, it’s just that I’ve been running 60 mph since I’ve gotten back. Pictures are still on my camera, videos need to be uploaded and information shared. Deadlines, meetings, bills, Easter travel, and everything in between have derailed me. I’ve been thinking hard about a crafty post to write when all I should have done was just sit down at my computer as I am now and just write it.

If I thought long and hard about the places I’ve traveled to prior to traveling to them and the activities I’ve embarked in at some of those destinations, my life wouldn’t be colored with the memories of some of the best travel experiences a girl could ask for. Sometimes you have to just throw caution to the wind and just do it. Don’t over-think “Are the kids going to enjoy it?”, “What will they eat?”, “Is this the right time to go?” or “Is this the right place to go to?” – just go! Enjoy! Live, explore, adapt, learn! By all means, you should PREPARE but don’t get so lost in that pre-prep that you shy away from going past “GO”.

Life is short but regrets are LONG. Go somewhere different with your family and simply enjoy.

P.S. I promise I’ll get pictures up next week. Promise, promise, promise.

Mar 09 2011

Top 10 Tips For Getting Away With Great Family Travel Deals

Travel for me always encompasses doing a bit of research for getting the best prices and deals. It’s never a cumbersome effort because in general, I just love saving money. Even if I were a billionaire, I think I’d still look for a break! The following 10 tips are tools that I often use to get some great family travel deals.

TRAVEL PORTALS

1. In order to find the best deals on air, car and hotels, I use travel portal services such as tripadvisor.com or cheaptickets.com. Their results are pretty comparable as they both sweep a number of sites for the lowest prices on the internet.

TRAVEL ALERTS

2. Another way that I keep myself up to date with deals is by signing up for travel alerts from companies such as airfarewatchdog.com, travelzoo.com, and cheapoair.com. Setting up an alert system is quick and easy and the alerts come straight to my email account. Editing or canceling alerts is not a hassle and the sites don’t trash my Inbox with a load of other messages extraneous to what I signed up for.

SOCIAL MEDIA

3. If a company provides the Tweet feature, I sign up for deal tweets to be directed to my Twitter account. If I am searching for deals in preparation for a trip, then I will have their tweets pushed directly to my cell phone. This way I’m getting the alerts instantaneously. For most really good deals, you only have minutes to act on them before they are gone. Case in point: a friend of mine is flying to Paris next month for $175 round trip! Five minutes after purchasing her tickets, the deal was gone.

PLANNING AHEAD

4. The lead-time I give myself for planning a trip depends on the time of year of my trip; how far I’m going; how long I’m going for; if the trip is local or overseas; my familiarity with my destination; and overall, how much planning is involved. I remember that my grandmother would plan her trips 8 – 12 months in advance, which I always thought was unbelievably incredible and super-duper organized. I am no where near to being that good.

A trip to South Carolina or Pennsylvania, two states very familiar to my family, would only require me to plan about 2-4 weeks in advance. All of this is assuming that we are driving, which we normally do. During peak travel such as summer, Christmas, Thanksgiving, & Spring Break, the hotel needs to be booked 5-8 weeks in advance. A trip to California or Florida would require at least a 3 month lead-time for me to get the better deals.

OFF-PEAK SEASON

5. In general, I get the best deals in the off-peak season whether I am traveling on or off-peak. Late September to early October is a great time for me to book Spring Break travel because for the most part, those booking travel at that time are looking at Thanksgiving travel. February is a good time for me to book summer travel because most people are booking travel for Spring Break at that time.

VALUE OF REVIEWS

6. Some deals are best known by other travelers. I enjoy reading reviews on sites like tripadvisor.com to not only find out the best places to go for entertainment but also to get an idea of what people paid for their accommodations. These reviews are a valuable source of information from a variety of individuals, majority of which are not paid employees.

THE ARCHIVES

7. I will also consult the archives of my blog for posts about To-Do-Lists to check the time of year that I booked my travel – the main item on the list. More than likely I got a great price at that time, and I can use that list as a reminder of when my family traveled.

REWARD PROGRAMS

8. Loyalty reward programs through either the airline, the credit card company, or a vacation rewards program can offer you free travel or free nights after you’ve accumulated a specified number of points. All reward cards don’t have to be credit cards if you steer clear of them, however, credit cards often offer generous sign-up bonuses. Many start you out at 25,000 points just for signing up and spending $1000-$2000 in your first three months. Using rewards credit cards takes discipline and organization but they are worth it. The Points Guy is a wonderful resource to learn how to maximize points and rewards.

MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITS

9. Membership companies such as AAA or Costco also have travel programs where there are deep discounts or special membership pricing. It’s an added benefit of membership that many people overlook and rarely utilize.

AFFILIATIONS

10. Last but not least, a professional affiliation can afford a discount on certain travel. Firefighters, teachers, military, government, EMS workers have access to deals that they may not even know about. That access extends to spouses as well. Military personnel, whether retired, veteran, active, or reservist can get discount travel through the military’s own travel services or they can ask a travel vendor if they offer discounts. Most hotels do.

All in all, implementing these 10 tips for getting away with great family travel deals allows us to pay less so that we can travel more. And traveling together more often is the best deal of all.

Jan 14 2011

Your Travel Planning Template: Travel Agent or DIY Travel?

I recently purchased an airline ticket through unconventional means for myself: I worked with a ticketing agent.

In general, I do all of my travel planning online as I’m privy to many different resources that I like, which have worked well for me in the past. This time around, I chose to use an agent because I enrolled in a travel rewards program and in order to get credited rewards points, I needed to book my travel through the company. No problem. It saved me time, though not money per se. I paid the same amount for my flight, purchasing through the ticketing agent, as I would’ve if I had purchased on my own.

What I got in return was 5 rewards points per dollar. This will come in handy as I cash in my points for free travel.

THE INTERNET’S HAND IN TRADITIONAL TRAVEL PLANNING

Generally speaking, do you use a travel agent or do you do all of your planning yourself? Here are a few popular reasons why people decide to use a travel specialist:

group travel
foreign travel
a new destination
limited time

The internet has empowered today’s traveler to easily and quickly plan a trip if they know exactly where to go to get the services that they need. The availability of this information motivates travelers to bypass the travel agent or a concierge service, opting to do all of the work themselves.

Review sites, price comparison sites and search portals are a dime a dozen. Honestly, I can’t tell you who has a leg up or what separates many of them. I have my personal preferences but I think it’s mainly because I’ve been using them the longest.

THE VALUE OF TRAVEL PLANNERS

However, trip planners and travel agents offer more value than simply booking hotels, tours and flights. Many planners and agents offer the value of their personal experience in a destination or with a particular property or tour company.

The sheer convenience of having someone navigate everything and handle problems that may arise would seem like reason enough to use a specialist each and every time we travel. So why don’t we? If I had to take a stab at it, the main reason would be cost. For many people, saving money is a definitive motivation for doing things themselves. In addition, many avid travelers enjoy the process of trip planning, no matter how time-consuming it may be. The remedy to the latter point is to just start planning earlier or visit sites that have “last-minute” booking options.

I have to admit that I am one of those who enjoys the hands-on process. On the flip side, I have no problem paying for convenience, especially if it’s to a foreign country or if I’m planning a group trip. Time is money and if it’s going to cost me too much time, then I’ll outsource that activity.

The question you have to ask yourself is what’s your time worth?

A version of this article originally appeared on EzineArticles.

Jan 01 2011

Family Travel: Disney cruise vacation anyone?

I haven’t quite figured out my plans for my 2011 family vacation yet and I feel slightly behind the ball. However, I remembered an interview I did with a girlfriend who traveled to Disney last year and I figured this would be the perfect time to share that interview with you if Disney is what you’re considering in ’11.

Family travel Disney style is a top choice for families traveling with younger kids. However, taking a cruise means a different level of know-how and travel planning.

I invite you to read the interview in its entirety. My girlfriend offers some smart money-saving tips for family travel on a Disney cruise.

1. When did you go on your Disney cruise? Any specific reason (i.e., pricing) why you decided to go that time of year?

We usually go on vacation the 1st week in June. It is usually a little cheaper and less crowds. This was true for the cruise – we saved about $1500 going then versus [going] a week later.

2. Did you do a combination Disney vacation – 4 days sea/3 days land or vice versa or just a cruise?

Yes, we did a 5 day cruise then 3 days at the park.

3. What was the name of the Disney Cruise ship?

We sailed on the Disney Wonder.

4. What port did you all leave from? What ports did you visit? Where there activities at the ports for both parents and kids? What did you do? Did you/Would you feel comfortable allowing your kids to do a shore excursion without you?

We left from Port Canaveral, outside of Orlando. We docked at Nassau, Bahamas and Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island). There were many excursions that were geared to families. We actually wanted to go to Atlantis to see the aquarium and to the waterpark. The excursion on the cruise cost about $160 per adult and $110 per child. We decided to just book a room at the Atlantis for about $200. We had access to all of the resort amenities as well as the room to shower and let the kids take a nap.

Disney’s private island was great. The beach was good and they even had an adult only section. The kids club actually sits up on a section of the island. We did let the kids play there while my husband and I got a massage in an open air cabana.

All of the excursions required the parents so children couldn’t take them alone. However you could leave your child in the kids’ club onboard while you took an excursion. Perosonally, I wouldn’t feel comfortable doing that.

5. What activities did your family do on the ship? What activities did you do off the ship? DId you see any stage productions/shows? If so, how did they compare to any land Disney shows that you’ve seen?

The kids LOVED the kids club. There were times we went to pick them up and they told us to leave and come back. The shows were amazing. The best quality than the other cruises I have been on. We went to [several] family parties they had on board. The kids really liked the Pirate party and the fireworks display. There were tons of on-board activities, including family games, and first-run movies.

6. Do you mind sharing an approximation of what it costs a family of 4 to take a Disney cruise?

It was a little under $4000

7. Was there stateroom babysitting service available?

No, but they had a nursey that stayed open until about 1 am.

8. Were you able to partake in any adult night-time activities?

Yes. The kids club stayed open until midnight. One night we let the kids stay until 11pm. They did have a few different clubs, adult party areas.

9. How many pools were there? Did you ever feel over-crowded?

There were 2 general pools and an adult-only pool. We didn’t use any pools onboard. They were crowded and I personally don’t like cruise ship pools. Not enough water per person sitting in it. We spent the entire day at the water park at Atlantis and the next day at the beach. We were watered out.

10. What type of room did you have? How were the room attendants? Did they do special things for your room and your kids nightly (such as towel creatures, etc.)?

We had a standard room with a window. The rooms are set up for families. There is a curtain separator for the kids side and the adult side. Also there are 2 bathrooms in each room. One with a shower and a sink and the other has a toilet and a sink…very convenient.

11. How did you feel going to Disney’s private island compared to times that you’ve been on a cruise and stopped at ports where there were other cruise ships?

No, we were the only ship there. They also feed you on the private island…the food was great!

12. How was Disney cruise’s food? Would you compare it favorably to other cruise lines or no? How many buffet lines were there? Were they over-crowded? Can you remember what your wait time was? Could you get food 24 hours a day or were there specific times the buffet was available?

The food was just OK. I enjoyed the food better on other cruises, but it wasn’t bad. They had a great kids selection. There was 24-hour room service at no additional cost. They had sandwiches, pizza, salads, even a fruit and cheese plate. Also you could get Mickey ice cream bars.

There were 2 buffets. Unlike other cruises where there are multiple stations you could go to, there is just one line, more like a cafeteria. It made the line move a little slower, but it made it much easier to navigate with children. They also have a pizza place, and a hot dog stand that served burgers, chicken sandwiches and fries. Finally they had a deli that served healthier options like salads, sandwiches, wraps and fresh fruit.

13. How many specialty restaurants were there? Did you eat in any of them? Did you have to sit with another family in the general dining room during your seating time? Did you have early or late seating?

There was one adult-only restaurant. We didn’t eat there. We didn’t sit with another family.

14. Did you do any spa services? How did their spa compare to other spas that you’ve been to?

We got a massage on the private island in an open air cabana. It was great but extremely pricey.

15. Have you ever been on another cruise line with your kids? If so, how does Disney compare?

I’ve been on Carnival but not with the kids.

16. What other special activities did you partake in (wine tasting, galley tours, art tour, etc.) and how was the ship’s customer service?

We did a tequila tasting…it was fun. The service was impeccable on the ship.

17. Disney travels all around the world. Would you consider taking a Disney cruise to somewhere like the Mediterranean or use a different cruise line?

If I were taking the kids, I would definitely choose a Disney cruise.

A million thanks to my friend Romica Brashear for taking the time to answer my 1 million questions!

Sep 12 2010

Chesapeake Pirate Adventure

The advantages of living near water easily includes having a few extra summer activities for you and your kids than those who may be land-locked. For a few years now I’ve wanted to take my oldest son on a pirate cruise. A little brother later, it was a necessity this summer. Oftentimes locals don’t take full advantage of all that their city has to offer. Being involved in mommy groups and writing about family travel afford me the motivation to do a little extra exploration.

The Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake was an adventure into a child’s imagination, creating ideas of what it would be like as a pirate on the waters of Annapolis. The ripe ages of 4-8 are ideal for this type of activity but appropriate for children of all ages. All parents need to do is get their kids to the ship, purchase their tickets, sit back and enjoy the cruise. Granted, a nice cold margarita or light wine would complete the parent’s experience, nonetheless, a dry cruise is just as enjoyable.

My active 2 year old was surprisingly docile as he watched his big brother and the other little boys run around the deck of the pirate ship engaging in role play. The captain and lead pirate did a great job reenacting what it’d be like on the seas searching for treasure, and “avoiding mermaids”. Here are some of the things the boys got to do for an hour and fifteen minutes:

Learned pirate-speak
Dressed up in pirate gear (complete with face paint, eye patches and tattoos)
Hoisted sails
Shot water cannons at a rogue pirate in a nearby fishing boat
Yelled at Naval Academy midshipmen rowing for crew practice
Followed a treasure map
Spotted and rescued a treasure chest bobbing in the water
Partook in “Grog” (a.k.a. soda) at the end of the adventure

All in all, my oldest was able to flex his imagination muscles while my youngest flexed his legs running across the deck. Passing through the downtown Marina, eyeing the various yachts and leisure boats, mommy was able to use her own imagination.

More than just a boat ride for kids, the Chesapeake Pirate Adventure is a time for relaxation, exploration and fun along the historic waters of Annapolis.

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