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10 reasons why You Don't Need our services......

 

1)   YOU like considering 63,875,077 links when googling Cruise to Alaska. Let our experienced Insider Staff narrow down your search and recommend exactly what you are looking for.

2)   YOU know how to find a hotel room, cruise cabin or resort when the internet says they are sold out. We know how to access the unadvertised Insider Inventory. 

3)   You don't want to save your business 20% on your next annual meeting or convention.  Meetings@Sea is our specialist in creating unique and memorable business events.

4)   YOU know the management Insider Contact when your room or cabin is unacceptable.

5)   YOU don't want Insider Perks like onboard or resort credit, a complimentary bottle of wine or spa service. 

6)   YOU don't have questions about the need for travel insurance or how to use it while on the road. Our Insider Insurance Partner is your 24 hour Consierge around the world.

7)   YOU subscribe to the right Insider Newsletters that tell you about spot 24 hr Travel SALE-Saving 50%.

8)   YOU have an Insider Emergency Contact in that picturesque, remote European town.

9)   YOU like being on the phone and negociating deals during your off time.  We know the Insider Decision Makers who can give you exactly what you want and match any advertised price.

10) YOU want just an average travel experience with no ungrades, amenities or special treatment.

"Oh-so you want just an average vacation."

 

 

Retro Road Trips

 

Classic Americana is my pick for new hot trend in travel. A themed trip through the past is the perfect way to take your mind off whatever is presently bothering you. Retro retreats, classic road trips, and theme hotels create the stage for fantasy vacations that will satisfy any figment of your imagination.

Americana road trips are easy to plan, go light on your wallet and create vivid memories. Decide on your trip’s theme and lay out the route with a Google map. The Trails of Bonnie and Clyde is my latest client request. I put them in a vintage Ford Deluxe Sedan and sent them out to stops including the Ambush Museum in Gibsland, La., and Bonnie & Clyde’s Diner in Shelbyville, Ind. Hotels range from roadside kitsch to the luxurious Eldorado Shreveport.

Route 66 remains the Mother Road of car trips. “Get your kicks on Route 66” with 2,000 miles of fabled Americana from Chicago to Los Angeles. Even with the Grand Canyon as a centerpiece, Route 66 is not found on modern maps. The two lane byway was out paced by the eight lane highway. But the classic motels and Chicago back streets still make it the best of the best road trips. Rent a VW camper for this one.

Every road trip should include motels in the American kitsch genre. This is a booming business with more travelers exploring the U.S. You can stay in an Airstream camper in Shady Dell, Ariz., or the Heartbreak Hotel across the street from Graceland. Las Vegas is the King of Kitsch, with deals in almost every hotel.

The next few years will be ones of hope, rejuvenation, and recovery. America could certainly use all the tourist dollars it can get to help revitalize small towns brimming with history and folklore. When you think about your next trip, consider one made in America.

 

 

Insider's Tips on fixing your derailed trip

 

You have no doubt heard of unfortunate experiences some people have with online travel sellers. Here is one example of how booking a trip online can end up costing do-it-yourself vacation planners money, headaches and even the trip. (Thank you to my colleague Christopher Elliott)

PLEASE copy the info below. It could come in handy if you find yourself trying to fix what you thought was the perfect vacation.

 

"I need your help with a vacation to St. Kitts that was missing a key component: our airline tickets. I  booked and paid Expediocity $2,521 for the package, which was supposed to include hotel, transfers and airfare. But when we arrived at the airport, I discovered that our tickets hadn’t been issued. I had received an email from Expediocity the day before, confirming our reservations. I called their customer service department, which asked me to buy new tickets. They agreed to reimburse me the difference between the package price and the tickets, which came to $871. Three months later, I still had no credit....."

"Let’s Make a Deal !"

 

 

DON’T WAIT to take advantage of the amazing sales available, in all areas of travel. The deals will come to an abrupt end as soon as the economy gains sustained upward momentum. 

It is just killing the travel industry to offer their products at reduced rates.

So a gentle manipulation happens. They are sort of offering sales.

And that is exactly what you need to be looking out for. Are you really being offered a deal?  Are you paying to take advantage of the offer?  Can you get a better deal than the one you are being offered?

Hot Air

 

 

 

Once a year I feel compelled to have a public rant about all the frustrations associated with flying.  The other million rants are private ones with clients and friends.  We are all expressing our confusion, lack of  understanding and sheer amazement with most Airlines.  The skies are not friendly. 

 

 There is continual news from this huge/complex industry and I thought I’d pass some along.

Travel in Uncertain Times

 

We’ve got pirates threatening the oceans, drug lords the land and a virus spreading to every continent.  The price of a vacation has now risen-despite the dropping cost.  Are we safe to travel this summer or should we just take the family on a quick and close adventure to that Holiday Inn near Six Flags, 5 miles away?  Here are a few facts from travel industry insiders to help you relax about your annual family vacation, romantic get away or high sea adventure.

I just returned from the annual Travel Convention in Las Vegas where the CEOs from all markets of the industry addressed the current economical conditions.  This column reflects some of what we discussed.  Jo

“May you live in interesting times” – an old Chinese proverb

      The present economy has affected travel across the nation and around the world.  There is a shift from splurge-you are worth it to bling is bad.  Travelers in all price ranges are asking for more value for their travel dollar. 

      Smart hotels and cruise lines are finding ways to reduce out of pocket travel  expenses without cutting the actual price for their products.  Fuel surcharges are being rebated, trip deposits are lower and  cancellation penalties are relaxed.  Most reasonable requests are given consideration.

     The shift is to more meaningful experiences, more travel with family and friends.    We are not cutting out our vacations, but shifting to shorter and closer trips.  Travel is tonic for the soul, the great stress reliever, a relationship builder.  We want personal enrichment, unique adventures and exploration of the unusual.  We will always travel.  But today the rules are changing.

     Vacations must be experience driven. Not only from the trip’s focus but from the ease with which travelers can trade up in hotel suites and cabin categories.  Travelers are not trading down once they have experienced a certain comfort level.  They want to maintain that experience level and are asking  for  and getting upgrades. 

     America is still capable of surprising the world.  How fun.  We surprised so many people, on every continent, by electing Sen. Obama our president.  This one  event could also jump start America’s tourist industry. Which in turn will pump vitality back into our economy.

    Obama stresses the need to improve our image and fix the economy. Travel and tourism can easily be a part of the solution.  It is a proven part of economic and job development, stretching across most of our states.

     The world seems interested, once again, in exploring America.  Foreigners invariably have a more favorable impression of the U.S. after they have visited.  Obama’s election has already had a positive effect on our country’s image.  Now we need to polish off our tourist attractions, shake off the welcome mat and proudly show the world our diverse cities and countryside.

     Pres. Obama must hold a balance between environmentally green policies and encouraging the transportation industry to grow and expand. Priority should be given to building a high speed rail system between major cities.  Trains can be a pleasant alternative way to travel that can relieve the pressure from over burdened airports.

 

                                    As president, Obama can restore free trade with Cuba and blow open the  tourist industry.  Cruise ships will pour thousands of people a week into harbor towns, creating a building boom and new Caribbean Mecca.  Trump is just one of the many investors patiently creating blue prints for Cuban tourism development.  Raul Castro has agreed to meet with Pres. Obama, but on neutral ground and  suggested Guantanamo Bay.  What point is he making with that gloomy summit destination.

 

Caribbean Peak Season Deals

     It there is a silver lining in the  cloud of economic gloom, it has to be the incredible deals being offered for the peak Caribbean travel season.  Resorts are eliminating minimum stays and blackout dates for sale rates and all-inclusive pricing has never been lower. Free nights are even being offered and up grades can be had for the asking.

     If you are considering a trip to the beach between January and March, reserve now.  They may be offering good deals but hotels, resorts and cruise lines want to know ASAP that you are coming.  If you are still uncertain, pick dates that may work, and  put a hold on a room or cabin. 

     Don’t give up your vacation out of fear.  Spend your money wisely on  travel. Down time with your family, spouse, or partner is more important now than ever.  Set your budget and ask for terms that you can live with. Then ask me or your travel agent to negotiate your vacation.  Hotel managers love to hear about people who want to visit and they will work hard to make you happy.

    The travel game is changing because yes – we are living in interesting times.

Home for the Holidays??

 

 

Holidays are family gathering times.

If you are the Host,  a lot of thought,  money, and stress goes  into feeding and entertaining your multi generational families.   How  to keep the kids and the grandparents occupied, day after day.  The kids usually win out and everyone ends up at the zoo and latest G rated movie. 

but there are options you ought to consider -

     Don’t count out holiday travel as being too costly, complicated or difficult for the grandparents.  Hotels, resorts, national parks, cruise lines and trains are all rolling out the red carpet for financially challenged vacationers in this tough holiday season.   If you have already made vacation plans and paid full price – consider asking your travel agent to negotiate some amenities.

If you haven’t considered traveling – give it a second thought.

     One of the – hands down- easiest, fun, surefire ways to make all generations happy and content  is to take everyone on a cruise.  The value  is substantial when you look at what is included – your cabin, all meals and snacks and room service, transportation between cities, entertainment, the gym, pools and many age specific activities.  The four year old has nonstop, supervised activities all day, teen agers can be entertained all day and night and seniors have the spa, whirlpool, dance classes and  yoga. 

     Now isn’t this a much more relaxed way to host a family gathering? No matter what direction everyone goes  during the day, the family dinner will become a lively time of sharing what everyone did all day.

     There are cruise ports all along our coastlines so drive  to your departure city.  If you leave out of New Orleans – take Amtrak for additional  multi gen friendly adventure.  Both coasts of Florida and Mobile have ports.  Also Charleston, Baltimore, and  NYC. Get to your departure city a day early and do some exploring.

     Cruise Ships are all wheelchair, cane, site impaired friendly.  Their theatres and casinos handle chairs and scooters.  Ask for one of the special cabins, according to your needs.  Don’t expect special, preferred treatment because you will be able to easily get around  with everyone else.

     Do ask for a wheelchair  (you have a sprain) at the airport.  That will get you and your party  to the front of the lines and boarded early.  If you can fly on the holiday itself, you will get better fares.  If not,  fly on Nov. 22, 25, 29  and Dec. 20,23, 31.

     If you end up staying  home for the holidays – turn on the Travel Channel and get the kids to talk about the world.  Ask the Grandparents what places are still on their bucket list and think about laying on the beach while someone else  cooks your whole family dinner.

Are current economic conditions affecting the Travel Industry?

 

It Depends on who is answering that question.

Hard-er times have not been with us for very long.  Relatively speaking.  Most people have financial reserves to carry them for the short term.  Travel is not  an extravagance for people who do most of the leisure traveling.  It is more of a necessity.  Raising a plane fare by $100, a hotel suite by $50, or restaurant tab by $75 does not phase people who really want to go to Banff.

      American travelers are staying on our continent and European travelers are flocking to our popular cities – New York, Vancouver, Cancun.  Local economies are  stimulated  by American and Foreign travelers. People are going on StayVacations (thank you Travel Channel).  Travel is by car or train and close to home.  Going to that downtown hotel suite on the club level for two nights is possible when you don’t have to fly there.  You can easily forget what city you are in when enjoying the  spa Jacuzzi at The Ritz.

     Independent Contractors in businesses affected by the economy are taking the slow time to travel before the recovery begins.  I have not taken a week’s vacation since last October, my travel business has been that demanding.  But I will be cruising  Alaska’s Inside Passage in a couple of weeks.  Holiday travel and spring vacations are just beginning to be  planned.   Also - the self employed  are better prepared for  lean times.

     Hotels of every star rating  and even the  luxury cruise line Crystal are promoting streamlined prices, more perks and special enticements  to travelers.  At the same time fuel charges are being added to cruises ranging from $8-15 per day.

     Travel Suppliers are once again realizing how their financial slice of bread is buttered – Travel Agents.  When my clients are thrilled by the 2 category upgrade into the presidential suite – I bring the resort more business.  I never make decisions for my clients on where to stay but will tell them that this hotel is offering complimentary monogrammed stationary  and half priced spa services.  It is hard not to be enticed.

      I will not even discuss the constant changes in the crumbling airline industry.   Please just raise the price of my ticket by $50 instead of nickel and diming me for every extra!  This is big time buyer beware.  Check on your airlines if it is a smaller one.  Air Tran is down sizing in Atlanta and Delta reducing routes.

      Travel insurance looks really good now.  In fact – policies are also changing with the times.  You can get a very basic medical plan for NOTHING.  Yes $0.

      The Travel Industry is once again leading businesses in adapting  to change.  Neither the Internet nor an unstable economy can keep people from wanting a travel agent to take care of things so they can just  go away,  relax and forget about it all.

Jo Giraudo jo@insidertraveler.com

 

Your Next Vacation – Consider One Made in America

 (c) by Jo Giraudo, Travel Consultant

     There is no need for you to fore go a family summer vacation,  romantic get away or self discovery adventure just because the economy continues to stall. Your home is worth less, your stocks are down and there is little any of us can do to fix the big picture.  So we might as well just continue moving forward as best we can and by all means take a Vacation .  To get more bang for your  deflated  buck, consider a trip in the U.S.   

What does an American vacation  look like?  There are far more options than the usual trips to Disney, Time Square and the monuments of D.C. And they range from five star luxury to roughing it in eco outposts.

First- how to get around – the new buzz word in travel is Amtrak.  Go to www.Amtrak.com and you will be amazed at how they are realizing their star potential. There is now a department called Amtrak Vacations.  They have regional tours, cross country treks, cars that will carry your car to your destination, overnight entertainment, and weekly specials.

     For luxury travel visit www.AmericanRail.com. They specialize in nostalgic North American private rail tours.  And www.GrandluxRail.com is the American Orient Express .   Luxury cars are attached to the back of Amtrak’s regular trains.  They are separate experiences with five course dining, 500 thread count sheets and piano bars.

     If you want to be on the water, every major lake and river in the US has barges and mini cruise ships ready to show you an American experience.  There are riverboat ports all over inland America from Little Rock AR to St Paul, MN.  Check out www.RiverCruiseTours.com  to get ideas.

America is overflowing with destinations to satisfy any travel desire.  Need some ideas?  Here are a few:

National Parks and Historic sites:  Buy the $7.50 Passport to your National Parks. There are 395 listings all across the US. Make it a goal to visit all of them in your life time.  Amtrak is a perfect way to journey from park to park.

Santa Fe, NM: Start with the natural beauty -- landscapes that inspired Georgia O'Keefe. Enjoy unique settings and sweeping vistas as you hike in the high desert. Add a history and multicultural aspect -- from ancient Agassiz ruins, to living history at Taos Pueblo, to isolated Spanish towns founded centuries ago. Throw in some cool adventures!  Want to climb ladders to an ancient cliff side cave dwelling?  Go whitewater rafting on the Rio Grande?  Ride horseback across the desert?  Sounds like you could be in Mexico or Spain.

Napa Valley & San Francisco, CA: Sipping fine wines while chatting with experts, musty cellars stacked high with oak barrels, outdoor dining under the warm California sun, and acres of trellised vineyards stretching out before you... Feeling the wind in your hair as you sail across the bay, with the San Francisco skyline sparkling, and the sun setting behind the world-famous Golden Gate Bridge... No you are not in Italy.

Alaska & Yukon : From Glacier Bay's icy spectacles and migrating whales to Dawson City,  destination of many a Klondike gold seeker - Alaska and its Canadian neighbor, the Yukon, are still largely untamed wilderness.  Explore their natural beauty, and meet the people who call this wild, challenging place home. No it’s not the Arctic Circle.

San Juan Islands: As your boat heads out toward the islands, you can feel the worries slip away...  Between the Washington mainland and Vancouver Island, lie the unspoiled San Juan Islands.  A visit is like stepping back in time, with no high-rises, freeways or fast-food chains. It's a nature-lover’s paradise, with hundreds of islands, 200 species of birds, and the most bald eagles outside Alaska.  The waters are famous for killer whales (orcas), and abundant with porpoises and seals.  Like the U.K.?

The Berkshires:  When Daniel Chester French, who carved Abraham Lincoln’s figure for the Lincoln Memorial, was asked about his home in the Berkshires, he replied: “I live here six months of the year—in heaven. The other six months I live—well, in New York.”The Berkshire Hills, on the New York/Massachusetts border, stretch for about fifty miles north to south, encompassing several little villages from Williamstown in the north to Sheffield in the south.  Shop at antiques shops, crafts stores, and farmers markets. Indulge in amazing food. See the houses of great artists and writers, and settle into welcoming inns and resorts. No it’s not the French countryside.

 

 

 

     Don’t give up on your vacation this year.  Discover America’s charm, beauty, raw nature and vast variety.  Spend your money here where it can help our economy and our people recover and prosper.  Viva Americana !

Jo@InsiderTraveler.com

7 NEW Wonders of the World

The campaign to pick the seven new wonders was begun in 1999 by Swiss adventurer Bernard Weber. His Switzerland-based foundation, called New7Wonders, received almost 200 nominations from around the world. The list of candidates was narrowed down to 21 by early last year. Voting took place over the past six years.

The sites were selected according to a tally of around 100 million votes cast by people around the world over the Internet and by cell phone text messages.

The new architectural marvels were presented during a show which included appearances by American actress Hilary Swank, Indian actress Bipasha Basu, and British actor Ben Kingsley, as well as performances by Jennifer Lopez and Jose Carreras.

Click Here to View Wonders 

COLOSSEUM, ITALY The giant amphitheater in Rome was inaugurated in A.D. 80 by the Emperor Titus in a ceremony of games lasting 100 days. The 50,000-seat Colosseum, which has influenced the design of modern sports stadiums, was an arena where thousands of gladiators dueled to the death and Christians were fed to the lions.

GREAT WALL OF CHINA The 4,160-mile barricade running from east to west in northern China is the longest man-made structure in the world. The fortification, which largely dates from the 7th through the 4th century B.C., was built to protect the dynasties from invasion by the Huns, Mongols, Turks and other nomadic tribes.

TAJ MAHAL, INDIA The white marble-domed mausoleum in Agra was built by Mogul Emperor Shah Jahan between 1632 and 1654 for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth. The complex, an example of Mughal architecture combining Indian, Persian, and Islamic styles, houses the graves of the emperor and his wife, as well as those of lesser royalty.

PETRA, JORDAN The ancient city of Petra in southwestern Jordan, built on a terrace around the Wadi Musa or Valley of Moses, was the capital of the Arab kingdom of the Nabateans. It also flourished under Roman rule after the Nabateans were defeated in A.D. 106. The city is famous for its water tunnels and numerous stone structures carved in rock, the most impressive of which is probably Ad-Dayr, an uncompleted tomb facade that served as a church during Byzantine times.

CHRIST THE REDEEMER STATUE, BRAZIL The 125-foot-tall statue of Christ the Redeemer with outstretched arms overlooks Rio de Janeiro from atop Mt. Corcovado. The statue, which weighs more than 1,000 tons, was built by Polish-French sculptor Paul Landowski in pieces in France starting in 1926, then shipped to Brazil. The pieces were carried by cogwheel railway up the mountain for assembly. The statue was inaugurated in 1931.

MACHU PICCHU, PERU Built by the Incan Empire in the 15th century, the giant walls, palaces, temples and dwellings of the Machu Picchu sanctuary are perched in the clouds at 8,000 feet above sea level in the Andes mountains. It remains a mystery how the huge stones were moved into place for the construction of the remote city.

PYRAMID AT CHICHEN ITZA, MEXICO This step-pyramid surmounted by a temple survives from a sacred site that was part of one of the greatest Mayan centers of Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. Built according to the solar calendar, it is placed so that shadows cast at the fall and spring equinoxes are said to look like a snake crawling down the steps, similar to the carved serpent at the top.

Want to visit the Wonders? contact Jo@InsiderTraveler.com

What would you do if....

...the hotel room with ocean view, that you booked online, is right next  door to the new 15 story luxury condo complex - still under construction, and you can only see the ocean when you lean over the balcony and look around the palm tree...

Insider Tip:  
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO. There are three websites that give unbiased, honest and up to the minute information about all types of lodging.  You will not be surprised when you arrive.

....you spent $6,000 for your vacation and the day before, your Dad is sent to the hospital in critical condition....
Insider Tip:
If you have certain travel insurance, you can recover the trip cost.