HOW TO SAVE TIME WHILE TRAVELING

Everyone wants to make the most of their vacation time.

It’s one of the main reasons travelers turn to professionals.

Travel advisors can streamline your vacation so you spend

less time waiting and more time enjoying.

Here are a few of our favorite ways that you can

save valuable time on your next getaway.

Subscribe to a Pre-Screening Service

The first bottleneck many vacationers face is waiting in the long security checkpoint line that seemingly snakes for miles through the airport. To bypass this wait, join a pre-screening service that accelerates the security process.

• TSA PreCheck gives you a faster screening experience at domestic airports that is often less obtrusive.
• Global Entry expedites entry via air, land and sea into the U.S. and includes TSA PreCheck.
• CLEAR uses your eyes and fingertips to verify your identity and keep you moving through the security process.

All three programs cost money to join, but several

travel credit cards waive the fees.

Choose Priority Boarding

Start your cruise off on the right, faster foot with priority boarding which allows you to use a dedicated security and check-in lane. This lets you skip the usual long lines at registration, and typically your accommodations will be ready before others. Priority boarding is often an included perk for suite passengers and cruise line loyalty members, but many cruise lines allow any passenger to pay for this worthwhile privilege.

Schedule Transfers

After a long flight to your destination, the last thing you want to do is queue up in a long taxi line or try to figure out where exactly your Uber driver might be. Have a professional transportation service booked and ready to whisk you away as soon as your luggage is secured. These services can either meet you inside the airport or can be easily accessed near the taxi area.

Buy Advanced Tickets

Most main attractions and museums require a ticket to enter. And for anyone who’s seen the early-morning line at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence meander down and around the Piazza della Signoria, you know how long those ticket-purchasing lines can be. Skip this line by buying tickets online before you go. Most sights have a limited number of spaces each day, so if you buy your

tickets in advance, you can guarantee your place. 

Use a Travel Advisor

When a travel advisor plans your vacation, these tips and more are usually baked into the entire experience. We excel at making your travels as smooth and stress-free as possible, so you never have to worry about a thing.

How to get to your hotel? Tickets to the museum? Details on shore excursions?

Relax...we have it under control.

PICKING THE BEST CRUISE CABIN

While cabins once were simply classified as inside, outside, veranda or suite, some ships now have more than 20 categories. Choosing one based on price alone is not wise. If you don’t like your cabin, you won’t be so thrilled with your cruise, and we don’t want that to happen. With that in mind, here are some helpful insights into picking the cabin that’s best for you.

Main Cabin Types

• Inside Cabins: roughly 120-180 square feet, with no porthole or window
• Outside Cabins: typically mirror images of interior cabins but with ocean views via a porthole or window
• Balconies or Verandas: slightly larger cabins with sliding glass doors, giving you access to a small balcony large enough for a couple of chairs and a small table
• Suites: expanded balcony rooms with either a small sitting area or separate bedrooms. They can be massive with multiple rooms, a grand piano or even a private whirlpool on your balcony.

Location, Location, Location

Usually, the least expensive, lower-deck cabins are best for those who feel the effects of motion discomfort the most, for they provide a smoother ride in rough seas. The downside is proximity, for they are the farthest from, well, everything you’d want to do on a ship. Cabins on the higher decks usually cost more, but they are close to all the fun stuff, making it immensely easier to run back to your cabin after lunch to grab your novel before hitting the pool deck. Midship cabins offer a good compromise when it comes to cost, proximity and motion control. Some staterooms are located in a private part of the ship with an exclusive restaurant and sun deck. Location matters.

Time Spent in the Cabin

Today’s ships are packed with enough activities to keep you on your toes (or on a rock-climbing wall) 24/7. But don’t assume you’ll never step foot inside your cabin. With so many things to do on board, you’ll need a good place to chill between activities. Or maybe you’ll just need a quiet sanctuary to relax, watch a movie or have a private dinner on the balcony. Every passenger spends different amounts of time in the cabin, but you’re likely to spend more time in there

than you originally think.

To Splurge or Not to Splurge

Cabins range from compact to grandiose, with price tags to match. The least-expensive cabin on every ship is an interior one with limited space. Spend a little more, and you get an outside cabin with a window, and oh what a difference that window makes. Spend a little more and you get a balcony, where you can enjoy fresh air as you watch the next destination slide into view.

Spend a little more and you’re in a suite, a luxurious home base for your

family to reconnect after a day of adventuring. A splurge to a higher cabin category goes a long way, in our professional opinion. No one has ever complained about booking a suite, but we understand that budgets vary.

Your Cabin Is Ready

Each ship is unique, and new ships are launching yearly. How is it possible for you to keep track of all the different cabin types? Easy - ask us!

 Travel advisors make it their business to sail on or tour as many cruise ships as we can, so we have seen many of the cabins first-hand.

Feel free to pick our brains about your next cabin selection any time.

BENEFITS OF LONGER VACATIONS

 Have you ever needed a vacation after your vacation? Did you spend so much time and energy trying to jam in all the attractions and activities during your vacation that you returned home exhausted and in need of more rest? It doesn’t have to be that way. Extending your vacation by a few days gives you the time and space to achieve your to-do list while also taking a few moments off to relax.



More Time to Get into Vacation Mode

Vacation mode is not a myth. It takes time to shake off the daily routine and mentally accept that you’re far away from the hustle and bustle of home life. When you give your vacation the proper space it deserves, you put yourself in a better position to de-stress and embrace the numerous benefits a vacation should provide. These include a better mental state, greater physical health

and a boost in overall happiness.

More Time to Explore

If you’re traveling far for your vacation, it makes sense to explore as much of that region as you can. Extending your vacation gives you the time to properly explore your vacation destination, take a day trip to a lesser-known area

or even dip into a neighboring country for the day. For cruisers, a longer vacation lets you book a pre- or post-cruise experience. These are packages booked through our agency that allow you to tour the city your

cruise embarks from or arrives at.

More Time to Stay Updated

In today's working environment, many people are finding it possible to work remotely without missing a beat. If you are able to do this, then bringing your laptop to another destination and putting in a few hours of work is worth it if it means extending your vacation. Plus, work tends to be more enjoyable when you’re typing away from a tropical resort,

listening to birds chirp and smelling tropical flowers.

Just make sure not to overdo it!

Step away from the devices when you are not on the clock.

Travel Leaders Network

President's Circle

We are proud to be members of the

TLN President's Circle, an honor which provides us with exclusive offers that

we can pass on to you!

#TravelBetter

Passport Reminder

 Double check the expiration date

on your passport.

Make sure your travel documents are valid for at least six months past the dates of any planned international trips.

More details are available at this link.

What is ETIAS?

The rules of travel to Europe are changing.

The new regulations are called the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).

When the system launches in early 2024,

all visitors who currently travel to Europe visa-free, such as citizens from the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, will need to apply for travel authorization and receive approval prior to their departure.

♦️ ETIAS is currently not in operation and applications are not yet collected. ♦️

You can find more information at this link.

#StayTuned