Traveling Happy

It's all about the "expectations"!

Those of you who know me are aware that we focus on quality experiences rather than numerous experiences. We don't travel very often, but when we do go, we go "in style".

As veterans of about 10 luxury cruises on Silversea, Seabourn and Regent Seven Seas as well as numerous stays at Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton resorts & hotels one might say that we're horribly spoiled. And one might be right.

But this is a story of a short 5 night cruise aboard Royal Caribbean Lines' Radiance of the Seas. We did this trip with friends on a bit of a lark back in March. I must admit that, although I was greatly looking forward to spending time traveling with people we enjoy, my expectations were fairly low. Traveling with 3,000 people didn't sound like our cup of tea. And, we knew that the food would be far below that to which we have been accustomed.

But, I'm happy to report that we came home with a fond memory of a great trip. Dollar for dollar, it could not have been better!

The key, of course, is to have realistic expectations. Even with the "high-end" products, you are well-guided to understand that perfection is not typically part of the world we live in. Bumps in the road are to be expected - and if that is your attitude you will rarely be disappointed with the experience. Travel Happy; Be Happy!

Cheers,

Dick

Random Rantings on Travel & Life

Life can be a real riot! Here are a few experiences and observations that (mostly) give me a chuckle:

In choosing my next leased car, I'm looking to downsize slightly. The sales guy warned me that the shoulder space and leg room -especially in the back seat- is a little less... 1" to 2" to be exact. He laughed when I said, "Anyone that rides in my back seat is doing so for 15 minutes on average - and every one of them spends at least 10 hours per month in a cramped airline seat."

A person I had just met, not knowing that I own a travel agency, was bragging about the kick-ass air fare she and her mother found on line for a trip to Europe. She said that the fact that they had a quadruple connection (Minneapolis, Chicago, JFK, Madrid, Rome) didn't bother them because they were in no hurry and it would be a fun adventure. (To each their own, eh?) Knowing their exact routing and dates, I had someone in our office check fares. Well, they DID save money... we found Minneapolis/Atlanta/Rome but it was $144 higher per person, round trip.

A client who works in our building booked a trip to London for herself and an old college sorority sister. She called back a half hour later and said, "I don't know if this makes a difference, but Ann lives in Indianapolis."

If you insist upon booking your own vacations on-line look back to my March 9 post which offers some free advice to help you avoid the pitfalls.

Travel Well!

Dick

Vacation Tips: Why Won't They Listen?

A good client of our agency just returned from Mexico and reported that, although there were a lot of good things, the experience was poor - and they won't go back to Mexico.

Turns out, they ignored almost everything we advised. First off, we urged them to book a resort that we have had great "happy traveler" results but they opted for a lesser (cheaper) property. Then, because they were staying during the very, very busy spring break period, we urged them to book the premium section of the resort which would allow them special privileges including better access to the specialty restaurants. They "passed". Then, they did not heed our advice about eating at restaurants away from the resorts, staying in the mid-day sun too long, etc.

It's quite sad... their $2,800 vacation was largely ruined... and they have a negative view of a very nice sun destination.

Why don't people listen to us?

Journey Well,

Dick

Where to Go on Vacation

Just a quick follow-up to the last post...

Several people were surprised by my "where to go" thoughts. Many thought that knowing where they want to go is a no-brainer. But, it isn't!

Here's the problem: You see the TV ads; you see the beautiful beach depictions on the web sites. They leave one with the perception that tropical beach locations are just heavenly - and most are. But some are not. And, even with those that are wonderful, there are good areas and not-so-good areas. (TV ads can even make North Dakota look interesting!)

I remember several years back when a young couple asked specifically for a honeymoon on Waikiki Beach. They wanted a relaxing, romantic atmosphere. As you all know there is nothing relaxing or romantic about Waikiki Beach. We tried to talk them out of it.... to no avail.

Journey On!

Dick

Booking Your Vacation On-Line

Here's some free advice for those who enjoy combing the websites for their vacation package...

There are many perils to on-line booking unless you absolutely know the destination and the resort from from personal RECENT experience. So, if you are going to shop for yourself, here are some things be mindful of:

First, do you know WHERE you want to go? We've seen so many instances of people going to an absolutely wrong destination for their personal interests and lifestyle.

Second, (assuming you have chosen the right destination) different resorts (or cruise lines) may "look" similar on the websites but there are distinct differences in their ambiance, their quality and their clientele. These can make or break your vacation experience!

Third, trusting the pictures and information found on web sites can be a fatal mistake. Photoshopped pictures, very old pictures, bogus testimonials on Trip Advisor and other such sites and deceptive pricing are the major areas of concern.

For more detail, here is a paper I wrote on this subject.

Go ahead and have fun searching... but then, why not enlist a travel professional to review your selection before you hit the "Buy" button. 99% of the time, they will be able to book the very same vacation for you at the same price - and no additional charges. Some agencies now provide a "Trip Validation Service". For a nominal Advisory Fee (my agency charges $75), they will "validate" that you have made a correct choice - and that the price shown is valid (no tricks or hidden charges). With a professional opinion supporting your selection, you can go ahead and "Buy" with confidence.

Cheers,

Dick

Riviera Maya - Know Before You Go!

Sharing a Martini with a new acquaintance recently, the subject of vacations in Mexico came up. He had just come back from Mazatlan (not one of my favorites) and I asked if they had ever been to the Riviera Maya, south of Cancun.

He said they had been there once and didn't like it. "The Riv" is one of my travel company's most popular destinations so, needless to say, I was surprised!

They didn't like that they were in the middle of nowhere and couldn't do a thing without taking taxis. It turns out that they found a resort that "looked nice on-line" and booked it without giving any thought to details other than pictures, descriptions and prices.

We know the resort where they stayed - and it is a very nice resort that we have sent clients to for the 7 years since it was built. But, we would have never recommended it to these folks! They were interested in "seeing & doing". We would have recommended one of several great resorts within easy walking distance to downtown Playa del Carmen.

The place where they stayed is perfect for people (like us) who are going for "resort living"... to enjoy the pool, the beach, the spa, the fine dining and the cocktail lounges... and a couple books. But, it wasn't right for these people!

That's why a good travel counselor is worth their weight in gold! If you don't have one, find one! Dispelling the myth, a travel agent will usually save you money... and will always assure the right situation for you!

Cheers,

Dick

No Snow in the Sunny Virgin Islands!

We just returned from managing a Corporate Incentive Meeting in sunny St. Thomas. (Nice duty, eh?)

The massive snowstorms that blew through Georgia and the Carolinas, then up through the Northeast on the day before the group (people coming from 24 states) was to fly caused quite a mess... and that is putting it mildly!

We needed to be on site at least one day before the group was to arrive. Since we were connecting in Charlotte, we thought we had better get out while we could. It took us 26 hours and two stops to get there, but we did get there. From then, it was up to our great travel staff back at the office to find ways to get the other 110 people there - a task that they accomplished in stunning fashion!

Arrivals ranged from being on-time to being 10 hours late - with multiple connections and geographic routes that would otherwise be ridiculous. Here's one: Portland to San Francisco to Dallas to San Juan to St. Thomas. Another: Boston to Pittsburgh to Philadelphia to Miami to St. Thomas.

To be honest, I don't know how our crew pulled it off! Kudos to them all!

Cheers,

Dick

Destination Weddings on the Riviera Maya

Destination Weddings are the hottest trend in the country... and they now account for almost one fourth of all weddings! WOW!

My travel agency, Gateway Express Travel has almost accidentally become a leading resource for weddings on Mexico's Riviera Maya (among other beach destinations).

Here's a "free tip" for anyone planning such a project: NEVER go to a resort that doesn't specialize in weddings. Making everything run smoothly is not as easy as one might think. My further warning is that many resorts that CLAIM to be experts in weddings, are not!

If you know anyone so inclined, please warn them that this is not a do-it-yourself project! Find a good travel consultant (hopefully us!) that is experienced with this specialty. There are so many elements involved that even experienced travelers typically don't consider.

I will be happy to share more tips with anyone thinking of doing this... totally without any obligation to plan their event with my agency. Just email me: dick@gatewayexpress.com

Cheers,

Dick

Istanbul to Athens with Silversea Cruises

Well, another wonderful Silversea Cruise is in the books... our 6th with Silversea. And what a journey it was! We repeated an Istanbul to Athens itinerary that we did with Seabourn Cruise Line in 2001... just 7 weeks after 9/11. Not knowing if our travel agency would survive the aftermath of 9/11, (Our 4th quarter sales that year was a 'negative'... we sold little and refunded much of what had been sold that summer.) this journey was not exactly comfortable for us... most of it became a blur very quickly. (To put our nervousness on that first trip in perspective, the bombing in Afghanistan began as we sat in the World Club lounge waiting to depart for Istanbul!)

So this "do-over" was almost like a first time! Actually, this itinerary included two very interesting new port stops for us... Haifa, Israel and Alexandria, Egypt.

Adding to the intrigue, we sailed to Haifa from Limosol, Cypress - the very route taken by that ship that the Israeli Security Force intercepted last summer... the supposed "relief supply" ship that turned out to be terrorists smuggling arms to Gaza!

Arriving Haifa, we experienced Israeli security measures as officials came aboard to interview every single passenger - even those who would not be disembarking - before allowing anyone off. Our day trip to Jerusalem was one of the most meaningful days we've ever spent. More on that next time.

Our next stop would be in Egypt and we learned that if one has an Israeli stamp in their Passport they will not be allowed into Egypt - ever, not just on that trip. As result, Israel stamps a separate, unattached page.

Sometimes, your travels are intriguing in that you learn how awful certain places in the world can be. Enter Egypt! I've been in some pretty scurvy places in my 40 years of traveling, but Alexandria, Egypt is the dirtiest city (3 million people crowded into a shoe box!) we've ever seen. Garbage lined the streets everywhere. Filth reined supreme!

Our long day trip through Cairo (not as disgusting as Alexandria, but close) to the Pyramids and The Sphinx was less than comfortable - but seeing those sites is a must... truly awesome! Each tour bus had an armed security guard on board. And the buses stayed together in caravan mode. We were on the bus for 4 hours without a rest stop because they don't dare stop and let tourists roam. The bus had a "restroom" but you wouldn't want to go in it until it would become an "emergency"!

After seeing the sights and riding camels, we stopped at a shop in Cairo. During the stop, the armed guards stood outside the bus with rifle in breach position... so comforting!!!

Our cruise ended in Athens which has, on previous visits, not been among our favorite cities. This time, after a day in Egypt, Athens seemed like a garden spot. We enjoyed Athens much more than ever before.

Despite these comments, I would heartily recommend this experience to anyone!

Cheers,

Dick

Gateway Express Travel of Minnesota

Note: This post is an update of one posted about a year ago. The original post was among the most "liked" of any I've done.

My agency's most popular sun destination is Mexico's Riviera Maya. If you look at our web site (and I really hope that you do!) you'll see that we feature 3 or 4 different resort groups along this fabulous coast.

Every one of them is 4-Star or better; and every one of them is very high quality. So, why do we "specialize" more than one? The answer is simple: Every client has a little different set of interests.

For example, our personal favorite has the very best cuisine and a fabulous spa. And, we love fine dining as well as nice spa facilities and service. But, we are not beach people! We prefer being around the resort's pools. This particular resort does not have a particularly great beach. In getting to know our client, we learn that they love walking the beach and playing in the ocean. Further, they are not spa people. So, for them, our favorite is not right for them. We recommend another resort that does have a gorgeous beach.

Another element: A client matching the desires noted above may have been to XYZ Resort seven years ago, loved the beautiful beach and want to go back. What was a beautiful beach before the last hurricane is now gone. We know that... but do they? Will that resort honestly point out that their beach is gone?

Now, if you look them up on-line, the pictures and descriptions are lovely. The price for each is about the same. But these nuances are not contained in the information. That's why you need a professional!

We've been there. And, we get constant feedback from the clients we've sent. Rely upon a good travel agent!!! I would hope you choose Gateway Express Travel, but there are many good travel agencies out there!

(One final note: Many people think that reviews on TripAdvisor will guide them. But, it is becoming increasingly evident that many reviews are skewed. Resort owners and managers posing as past guests are making glowing comments AND people connected with competing resorts also posing... this time to unfairly criticize a resort. Beware!)

Cheers,

Dick

Silversea Cruises Rock!

Our annual bicker-fest with 6 relatives is well-underway! (Just kidding... our party of 4 couples get along great on these European Cruises!!!)

I’ve sung the praises of Silversea Cruises many times in the past - and here I go again! This time it’s more Asia than Europe though with 3 days in Turkey, a day in Israel and 2 days in Egypt... along with some Greek Isles and Athens.

This one is about as exotic as we’ve done... Istanbul, Kusadasi (Ephasis), Jerusalem, Haifa, Alexandria, Cairo (and the Pyramids) and Cypress.

I can’t think of a possible way the Silversea staff could be any more perfect in anything they do. How easily we can get spoiled!

Talk to you later... it’s cocktail time!

Dick

Cruising through the Aegean Sea

Well, we're 8 days from our luxury cruise from Istanbul to Athens aboard Silversea Cruise Line. Can't wait... in my business, we constantly see our clients off as they depart on their grand adventures while we just stay and work. Now, it's our turn!!!!!

We were puzzled over the State Department comments a couple weeks ago regarding increased terror threats in Europe. They really didn't warn Americans to rethink traveling abroad - they just said we should be more aware of our surroundings and be vigilant and careful.

Sounds like common sense to me... even if one is downtown Minneapolis at night after ball game, theater or dinner.

Cheers,

Dick

Cruising through Southern Europe

Those of you who know me are aware that I'll do anything to stay off the road during Minnesota summers. But, as the leaves start to turn color it's time to start thinking about breaking out the Tumi.

Our annual Autumn sojourn to southern Europe is just 5 weeks away. Again aboard Silversea Cruise Line, this year we'll be starting in Istanbul and ending 11 days later in Athens. Shortly after 9/11 2001, we did a similar itinerary but with a fair level of anxiety given the times. This "do-over" will be considerably more relaxed - and we are making our first-ever visits to Israel and to Egypt.

We have been urging our clients at our travel agency to "move up to luxury cruising" because the bargains are truly ridiculous! (Check back to my blog post on this.)

Cheers,

Dick

Listen to your Travel Advisor!

... and, if you don't have one, get one!

At Gateway Express Travel, we always advise cruise clients to get to the port city one day prior to sailing. Last week, a client embarking on an Athens departure declined our suggestion... after all, their KLM flight was arriving at 10:00 AM and the ship wasn't sailing until 6:00. What could go wrong, eh? Well, their 3:00 PM Delta flight to Amsterdam was two hours late departing Minneapolis meaning that they would miss their KLM connection.

Two of our agents worked well past our 5 o'clock closing time trying to get them to the ship in time. The best option, given the new arrival time in Amsterdam had them arriving Athens at 3:30 PM. The problem was that the cruise port is 2 hours from the airport - and there was the matter of waiting for luggage upon deplaning.

Without a Travel Agent, you're on your own!

Here is what we did for these poor souls:

• Protected them on a new flight to Athens.
• Notified the cruise line of the problem.
• Rearranged the transfer with the transportation company.
• Begged the cruise line to hold the ship (good luck).
• In the event that they would not make it, we booked an Athens hotel and booked flights to the next port.

Because we made sure the cruise line knew exactly where our clients were, they were able to determine that holding the ship for 15 minutes would be enough - and that, they were willing to do.

Even though they made it, it probably took 3 days to relax and enjoy their cruise. Don't let this happen to you!!!!

Cheers,

Dick

Note #1: Even without the flight problem, having a day in Europe to rest away the jet lag is the way to go. Board your cruise ship refreshed!

Note #2: This is the second such horror story in two weeks. A nearly identical problem occurred with Alaska-bound cruise clients.

Follow Up to my last Post...

I wanted to add updates on two topics in my last rambling... first, many have heeded my earlier urging to seize upon the value opportunity and visit Europe in 2010. My travel agency's Europe bookings this summer have exceeded those of any of our previous 24 years in business! Travel in October and November is very strong... in fact much is already sold out!

Secondly, I mentioned that we feel very safe in having cruise stops in Israel and Egypt in October. One of the great things about cruise vacations is that you can plan many months in advance and know that IF something "hits the fan" later on, the cruise line simply alters their itinerary to avoid civil disturbances or severe weather.

Go for it!!!!!!

Dick

Europe, Here We Come!

Strike while the iron's hot! If you have putting off a trip to Europe in the last couple years because of our weak economy and the lousy exchange rates which make things very expensive for Americans, the dawn has come!

Sure, we have our issues here at home. And you have all had a steady diet of news about the problems with the Euro - mostly due to the economic troubles of Greece, Spain, Portugal and Ireland. What you may not have surmised is that your buying power in Europe now is nearing all time highs.

We, at Gateway Express Travel, actually had a couple clients who had previously booked trips to Greece for late summer call us to cancel because of all the news of turmoil in Athens. We pointed out that this is absolutely the best time to see Greece because of the value. (Note: We are returning to Greece and Turkey in October so we are, in a sense, putting our money where our mouths are!) The other issue bothering people who see the constant clips of civil unrest on the network news is safety.

While a large portion of the Greek citizenry is upset over cuts to government goodies, the more terse agitation is the work of a small number of anarchists - the same ones that cause trouble whenever the G-8 meets... the same ones that caused trouble in St. Paul during the Republican Convention two years ago. These more violent demonstrations are localized around the capital building in Athens. But that's what the news industry loves... so that's what you see over and over!

Go for it! There are always reasons to hesitate: Volcanoes, Floods, Oil Spills, Hurricanes (the mere threat of), Economy, etc. Don't be dissuaded!

Cheers,

Dick

Another Note: I mentioned our October trip... included in our 10 day cruise are stops in Israel and Egypt. Despite all the news, we feel totally safe and are greatly looking forward to these visits! Of course, safe travels anywhere require a great deal of good old common sense! In 2001, we left for Istanbul on the very day the U.S. began bombing Afghanistan. Nothing bad happened to us.

On-Line Travel Booking is FUN!

A speaker at an annual Travel Industry Conference in Las Vegas asked the room full of agency owners and managers why people book their trips on-line. We came up with several theories which all seemed to point back to a common theme: Because they think it's cheaper. We were all "close, but no cigar". At least according to this market research analyst.

He said their findings conclude that they do so because it's fun! Well, you could have heard a pin drop in the room! To travel professionals who spend 40 to 50 hours a week doing this for a living, it is anything but fun. I started to think through some of our experiences...

A close relative who buys everything on-line including meat and tropical fish called me a year ago as he was researching a cruise vacation for 2 couples. They settled upon a great deal on a given Princess sailing. We checked into it and found a price that was $172 per person lower for the very same cabins! In addition, through our affiliation with Vacation.com, each couple got a complimentary bottle of wine and two plush robes to take home.

Last week he emailed me again... this time because he had just discovered that airfares have risen considerably. Best he could find to Fort Myers or Tampa for a week at their timeshare in December was $537 per person. We found and booked them on an air & car package for $496 per person including a luxury class car for the week!

Maybe you can buy commodities such as tropical fish or DVD's cheaper online but travel is NOT cheaper on the net. The net is great for "kicking tires"... we all look around online. But, our mantra is "Look, but Don't Book"!!!!!!

Cheers,

Dick

Business Meetings and Incentive Trips

We do a fair amount of meeting planning for corporate clients. I just read 4 trade articles on the subject. Four gasbag 'experts' pontificating while saying nothing new!

One was billed as a "futurist". His article was entitled, "Futurist Predicts Eight Meetings Trends". Well, always wanting to be cognizant of new trends, I thought this article might be useful to us. Think again! More of the same old blah, blah. One example: 14 paragraphs of word pollution equated to, "As virtual meetings gain in popularity and present huge cost savings, there still is a need to get your management team or your sales team together in person for personal interaction." GOSH... do ya think?

Take a look at the Meetings Page on our website!

Cheers,

Dick

Deluxe Cruise for $649? RIGHT!

You all know that I have always been a big proponent of cruise vacations. They continue to be a very good value when compared with "land-based" touring.

But cruise lines' pricing has become a total joke. First Class lines like Royal Caribbean (just to name one) are showing us and you "special offer" prices like $649 for an ocean view cabin on a 7 night cruise. In reality, this cabin costs you almost double that figure... about $1,000 not including airfare. The simplified explanation is that all their costs of "parking" at the various stops are referred to as "taxes"... and the price you saw does not include taxes or fees.

This is more than deceptive! If you paid $70 to park your car at the airport (government parking facility) for 4 days, is it a "tax"? Port costs are a normal cost of operation the same as their payroll costs or provisioning costs. So why is that not included when they determine what they need to sell that cabin for in order to make a nominal profit?

I have always defended the cruise industry against moronic criticisms. Look at my post "Travel Writers are Dinks" from two years ago for a good example!

Cruises are wonderful... but a good 7 day cruise with airfare is going to cost you at least $1,400 per person even with the great specials that are out there now.

Cheers,

Dick

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Here's Why You Need a Travel Agent

My agency's most popular Sun Destination is the Riviera Maya. If you look at our web site (and I really hope that you do!) you'll see that we claim to feature 3 or 4 different resort groups along this fabulous Mexican "sun coast".

Every one of them is 4-Star or better; and every one of them is very high quality. So, why do we "specialize" more than one? The answer is simple: Every client has a little different set of interests.

For example, our personal favorite has the very best cuisine and a fabulous spa. And, we love fine dining as well as nice spa facilities and service. But, we are not beach people! We prefer being around the resort's pools. This particular resort does not have a particularly great beach. In getting to know our client, we learn that they love walking the beach and playing in the ocean. Further, they are not spa people. So, for them, our favorite is not right for them. We recommend another resort that does have a gorgeous beach.

Another element: A client matching the desires noted above may have been to XYZ Resort seven years ago, loved the beautiful beach and want to go back. What was a beautiful beach before the last hurricane is now gone. We know that... but do they? Will that resort honestly point out that their beach is gone?

Now, if you look them up on-line, the pictures and descriptions are lovely. The price for each is about the same. But these nuances are not contained in the information. That's why you need a professional!

We've been there. And, we get constant feedback from the clients we've sent. Rely upon a good travel agent!!! I would hope you choose us, but there are many good ones out there!

(One final note: Many people think that reviews on TripAdvisor will guide them. But, it is becoming increasingly evident that many reviews are skewed. Resort owners and managers posing as past guests are making glowing comments AND people connected with competing resorts also posing... this time to unfairly criticize a resort. Beware!)

Cheers,

Dick