Winter travel tip - stay @ a hotel near the airport the night before your flight. Hotels can shuttle you to/from the airport and many offer packages that include parking the entire time you are on your vacation! This is also a great idea for any time of the year if you have a very early flight departure time and you live a ways away from the airport.
Happy & Safe Travels!
Lisa
Email me at: divalisatravel@gmail.com!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Cruise Ship Safety & Security
You see everywhere on the news about cruise ship safety and security. It's a growing concern brought to light by events we've all read or heard about.
When booking my clients on a cruise, the advice and information that I give them is the following:
When booking my clients on a cruise, the advice and information that I give them is the following:
- If you feel uncomfortable, scared or threatened about any situation, leave the area immediately and let the cruise ship security personnel know about it.
- A cruise ship is a floating city. Take the same precautions you would in any city -- be aware of your surroundings, be alert and use common sense.
- Know where your belongings are. If your cabin has a safe, use it. If you don't feel that it is secure enough, you may use a safety deposit box at Guest Relations or the Purser's Office on most cruise line.
- Use the "buddy system". Same as if you were in a city, it's always a good idea not to go anywhere on a cruise ship by yourself, especially at night. If you do go out on your own, let someone know where you'll be and when you will be/plan on returning. I travel by myself a lot for work since I'm a travel agent, and my best advice for those who are traveling by yourself is to be fully aware of your surroundings and the people around you. Keep an eye on your belongings and firmly lock your door to your cabin.
- If you cannot find a traveling companion and it is unusual that you cannot find them, let security personnel know about it immediately.
- Use the cruise line's shore excursions or use a travel agent recommended shore excursion company. You may save some $$ booking your excursions on your own, but your life is too important to risk on an unknown company.
- In case of a fire or other emergency on the ship, if there is a fire, try to act as calmly as possible and get to a designated safe area by cruise ship personnel. This is why it is important to take the lifeboat drill seriously.
- Ships are inspected for safety by the U.S. Coast Guard. Incidents are rare, but keep in mind that these ships are thoroughly inspected for safety by the U.S. Coast Guard. Carnival Cruise Line's Sensation was once delayed for almost 7 hours because the Coast Guard found problems with the fire screen doors, watertight doors and fire station valves. These problems were corrected and the ship was allowed to depart.
Overall, cruising is one of the safest vacations. According to statistics released to the subcommittee and the media by the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL), the 15 major cruise lines received a total of 206 complaints from passengers -- including reports of 178 sexual assaults, four robberies and 24 missing persons -- during a three-year period between 2003 and 2005. Relative to the more than 31 million passengers carried by the cruise lines during that period, the reports of crime were low, ICCL officials said.
Bottom line: Use common sense, be alert and aware and don't suspend reality while onboard ship. Your life and safety and that of your family and friends are most important.
For more cruising info, please contact me at divalisatravel@gmail.com!!Ireland Vacation, Anyone?
It seems that everyone wants to go on an Ireland vacation! The warm days of summer show off the reason why Ireland is called the Emerald Isle. However, fall, winter, and spring offer their own special charms, as well as being amazingly affordable times to travel.
Most destinations have a prime season for travel that coincides with excellent weather. Throughout this "peak season", the crowds tend to be heavy and the prices high. Ireland's peak travel season is the summer months: mid-June through mid-September. When the weather is typically less than balmy, destinations experience a "shoulder season" and a "low season". Shoulder season for an Ireland vacation is April, May, early June and early October. Shoulder season has the distinct advantage of retaining many summer travel perks: longer days, good weather and extended shopping hours. Low season is November through March - the winter-weather months in Ireland.
Rates and crowds lessen proportionally as you travel farther from the warmer months. Airfares are often hundreds of dollars below peak season rates, and hotels offer bargain discounts. But for many, one of the best advantages of traveling in the so-called "off season" for your Ireland vacation is that it's much easier to enjoy and absorb Ireland's renowned culture and avoid getting lost in crowds of tourists. Off-season visitors often find that their hosts, hoteliers and shop keepers engage easily in conversation and provide individual attention, increasing the odds for a fascinating and flawless Ireland vacation.
Off-peak Ireland is one of the best travel bargains worldwide... short daylight hours and cool weather provide a new, moody perspective on the country. Celtic architecture and cool seascapes fill mornings of exploration, and crisp afternoons call for cozy Irish sweaters and refuge in a warm pub, where visitors mix with the locals.
One of the great attractions of Ireland is that many of its amazing sites are in the wide-open: the cliffs and shores, castles, cathedrals and great stone circles are accessible throughout the year. The countryside, too, holds its famous green, even in the winter when visitors can trace the landscape of long stone walls against a leafless sky and emerald-colored hillsides.
To ensure your comfort while you wander through Ireland, bring heavy sweaters and outdoor clothing and hats. Warm, comfortable (and preferably waterproof) shoes are a must, and pack turtlenecks and windbreakers for good measure. The good news is that because Ireland is situated on the eastern Atlantic side of the Gulf Stream, temperatures are typically more moderate than in continental Europe. Ireland's average winter temperature is a relatively mild 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Your best resource for planning your off-season itinerary is a good travel agent (me!) to ensure that you experience the best aspects of traveling during this time. Travel agents can connect you to highly regarded tour operators who are financially sound and have a reliable history of taking care of the agent's clients; Ireland can be equally enjoyed through a fully escorted or independent tour, and often at additional savings over already low rates. In addition, an agent is an invaluable source of insider tips and research materials that take the worry and hassle out of planning an enjoyable, quiet, and affordable trip to Ireland.
I can offer packages for travelers with a variety of travel options to suit your needs. Choose from independent vacations, escorted tours, golf vacations, city breaks, B&B’s, hotels, castles and more. I can custom design vacations for travelers giving them the capability to create their very own personal Ireland vacation.
So pack a sweater and have the Emerald Isle to yourself! Contact me with questions on your Ireland vacation at divalisatravel@gmail.com!
Most destinations have a prime season for travel that coincides with excellent weather. Throughout this "peak season", the crowds tend to be heavy and the prices high. Ireland's peak travel season is the summer months: mid-June through mid-September. When the weather is typically less than balmy, destinations experience a "shoulder season" and a "low season". Shoulder season for an Ireland vacation is April, May, early June and early October. Shoulder season has the distinct advantage of retaining many summer travel perks: longer days, good weather and extended shopping hours. Low season is November through March - the winter-weather months in Ireland.
Rates and crowds lessen proportionally as you travel farther from the warmer months. Airfares are often hundreds of dollars below peak season rates, and hotels offer bargain discounts. But for many, one of the best advantages of traveling in the so-called "off season" for your Ireland vacation is that it's much easier to enjoy and absorb Ireland's renowned culture and avoid getting lost in crowds of tourists. Off-season visitors often find that their hosts, hoteliers and shop keepers engage easily in conversation and provide individual attention, increasing the odds for a fascinating and flawless Ireland vacation.
Off-peak Ireland is one of the best travel bargains worldwide... short daylight hours and cool weather provide a new, moody perspective on the country. Celtic architecture and cool seascapes fill mornings of exploration, and crisp afternoons call for cozy Irish sweaters and refuge in a warm pub, where visitors mix with the locals.
One of the great attractions of Ireland is that many of its amazing sites are in the wide-open: the cliffs and shores, castles, cathedrals and great stone circles are accessible throughout the year. The countryside, too, holds its famous green, even in the winter when visitors can trace the landscape of long stone walls against a leafless sky and emerald-colored hillsides.
To ensure your comfort while you wander through Ireland, bring heavy sweaters and outdoor clothing and hats. Warm, comfortable (and preferably waterproof) shoes are a must, and pack turtlenecks and windbreakers for good measure. The good news is that because Ireland is situated on the eastern Atlantic side of the Gulf Stream, temperatures are typically more moderate than in continental Europe. Ireland's average winter temperature is a relatively mild 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Your best resource for planning your off-season itinerary is a good travel agent (me!) to ensure that you experience the best aspects of traveling during this time. Travel agents can connect you to highly regarded tour operators who are financially sound and have a reliable history of taking care of the agent's clients; Ireland can be equally enjoyed through a fully escorted or independent tour, and often at additional savings over already low rates. In addition, an agent is an invaluable source of insider tips and research materials that take the worry and hassle out of planning an enjoyable, quiet, and affordable trip to Ireland.
I can offer packages for travelers with a variety of travel options to suit your needs. Choose from independent vacations, escorted tours, golf vacations, city breaks, B&B’s, hotels, castles and more. I can custom design vacations for travelers giving them the capability to create their very own personal Ireland vacation.
So pack a sweater and have the Emerald Isle to yourself! Contact me with questions on your Ireland vacation at divalisatravel@gmail.com!
Destination Weddings
Is the wedding of your dreams not in a church but on a beach somewhere with your toes in the sand right next to the ocean? Is it anywhere but here? A destination wedding may be just what you have always wanted! These weddings are growing in popularity, partly because of the exotic locales, but also as prices for weddings have gone up significantly over the years.
Destination weddings outside (and inside!) of the USA can be a challenge and help from an expert on destination weddings at is just what you need! I have been planning destination weddings for years and can help you plan the wedding/honeymoon in the location of your dreams.
Please note that some international destinations are easier to get married in than others. Here's a short list of the easier ones:
Destination weddings outside (and inside!) of the USA can be a challenge and help from an expert on destination weddings at is just what you need! I have been planning destination weddings for years and can help you plan the wedding/honeymoon in the location of your dreams.
Please note that some international destinations are easier to get married in than others. Here's a short list of the easier ones:
- Jamaica
- St. Lucia
- Antigua
- Bahamas
- Turks & Caicos
- Cruise Ships
Mexico and the Dominican Republic are getting easier, but keep in mind -- destination weddings in countries that are not primarily English speaking can be more difficult. For example, the Dominican Republic requires all documentation to be translated into Spanish. This can add extra $$ to your overall wedding package.
For an international destination wedding, you will need to provide proper documentation for the wedding. These requirements differ from what you need to enter/exit a country. Common requirements are:
- Notarized Certified Birth Certificate (issued by the Country, State or County you were born in)
- Notarized Divorce Decree or Final Judgement (this is a 1-2 page document, not the document that says who gets what)
- Notarized Death certificate and related marriage certificate (if your former spouse is deceased)
- Notarized Legal Adoption Papers or Legal Name Change
Some countries require more, some less. As your wedding expert, I will give you all of the requirements for your wedding specific to your destination chosen.
Please keep in mind that destination weddings while they sound wonderful to the bride and groom, it may limit how many can attend. Sometimes price gets in the way or some of the guests may not want to leave the country. This can often cause the bride and groom to change their plans to fit what their families want rather than what they want.
To get around this potential problem, many couples will go away to get married and then throw a party for everyone once they get back. For example, one of my clients got married in Jamaica on October 1st and they had no guests attend the wedding. When they got back, they threw a Halloween party (costumes and all) for everyone. At the party, they showed their wedding video and served for the dessert Jamaican wedding cake. Everyone had a blast!
Destination weddings can be anywhere and anything that you want them to be. Finding the best can be a journey in and of itself, but the end result can make dreams reality and provide many loving and lasting memories.
I can help you in this journey -- contact me with any questions at divalisatravel@gmail.com!
Honeymoon & Vacation Planning
Honeymoon planning
Recently I met with a really nice couple for honeymoon planning. My favorite trips to book are often honeymoons and Disney packages. The people going on these trips are enthusiastic, funny, optimistic and above all, excited. That excitement gets me excited about the trip I want to book for them, to fulfill their dreams in a way.
Honeymooners often have a "vision" of what they want for their honeymoon. (Sometimes it's a budget-based vision, but that's okay too!) It is a fun challenge to bring their vision to life for them or if possible, to pleasantly surprise them! What can be really interesting during honeymoon planning is that each couple's vision of their perfect dream honeymoon can be completely different. And sometimes completely different than what their agent expects. This is where we take ourselves out of the picture so that we focus on what our clients want and need for their trip. If we leave ourselves in the picture, it simply doesn't work.
Give Us More Info, Please!
This might be a little bit of a rant, so please bear with me. :-)
During honeymoon planning it is important to be a part of the process. If you give me good, detailed information, that helps me find the best trip for you. For example, if you tell me that you want nonstop flights -- no connections, that's fine. But if you qualify this with "I'm a nervous flier" or tell me that you're claustrophobic, that tells me exactly what you want and why it's important to you. I don't care why you ask for certain things, but if you tell me as much as you can, honeymoon planning or vacation planning will go much easier.
On the flipside, if you are very specific and tell me that you only want nonstops and you can only go on these dates, that's what I'll give you. Standard procedure after I've given these to you is that I call to follow up and see if you have any more questions or if you're ready to book. Sometimes when I follow up, I am told that you already booked online. When I ask if it was the same as what I quoted you following your parameters, I am often told "no, we're leaving on a different day now" or "no, we are changing planes".
Can you imagine how frustrating/confusing this is? I have put a lot of work into pricing your request and when I am told that you can do things that you ruled out when you first contacted me I feel a bit like my time has been wasted. Not to mention, I just worked for you for free with a lot of time and effort with zero outcome. Please note: I don't get paid unless you book with me. Ultimately, it is your choice how you book your trip, and all that I ask is to give me or your agent a fair chance for your honeymoon planning and vacation planning.
Contrary to popular belief in the travel agent community, I believe that competition is good for us and keeps us "real". There is enough business for all of us in the travel business, and it is our job to promote ourselves and tell you through our actions and words why you should book with us and what makes us different. We have to show you why we may have more value to you than an online travel site or the other travel agency nearby.
Between the traveler and the agent, there is a relationship. The more give and take from each side, the more patience, the more communication, the more information, the better it is for both of us.
For questions about honeymoon and vacation planning, contact me at divalisatravel@gmail.com!!
Recently I met with a really nice couple for honeymoon planning. My favorite trips to book are often honeymoons and Disney packages. The people going on these trips are enthusiastic, funny, optimistic and above all, excited. That excitement gets me excited about the trip I want to book for them, to fulfill their dreams in a way.
Honeymooners often have a "vision" of what they want for their honeymoon. (Sometimes it's a budget-based vision, but that's okay too!) It is a fun challenge to bring their vision to life for them or if possible, to pleasantly surprise them! What can be really interesting during honeymoon planning is that each couple's vision of their perfect dream honeymoon can be completely different. And sometimes completely different than what their agent expects. This is where we take ourselves out of the picture so that we focus on what our clients want and need for their trip. If we leave ourselves in the picture, it simply doesn't work.
Give Us More Info, Please!
This might be a little bit of a rant, so please bear with me. :-)
During honeymoon planning it is important to be a part of the process. If you give me good, detailed information, that helps me find the best trip for you. For example, if you tell me that you want nonstop flights -- no connections, that's fine. But if you qualify this with "I'm a nervous flier" or tell me that you're claustrophobic, that tells me exactly what you want and why it's important to you. I don't care why you ask for certain things, but if you tell me as much as you can, honeymoon planning or vacation planning will go much easier.
On the flipside, if you are very specific and tell me that you only want nonstops and you can only go on these dates, that's what I'll give you. Standard procedure after I've given these to you is that I call to follow up and see if you have any more questions or if you're ready to book. Sometimes when I follow up, I am told that you already booked online. When I ask if it was the same as what I quoted you following your parameters, I am often told "no, we're leaving on a different day now" or "no, we are changing planes".
Can you imagine how frustrating/confusing this is? I have put a lot of work into pricing your request and when I am told that you can do things that you ruled out when you first contacted me I feel a bit like my time has been wasted. Not to mention, I just worked for you for free with a lot of time and effort with zero outcome. Please note: I don't get paid unless you book with me. Ultimately, it is your choice how you book your trip, and all that I ask is to give me or your agent a fair chance for your honeymoon planning and vacation planning.
Contrary to popular belief in the travel agent community, I believe that competition is good for us and keeps us "real". There is enough business for all of us in the travel business, and it is our job to promote ourselves and tell you through our actions and words why you should book with us and what makes us different. We have to show you why we may have more value to you than an online travel site or the other travel agency nearby.
Between the traveler and the agent, there is a relationship. The more give and take from each side, the more patience, the more communication, the more information, the better it is for both of us.
For questions about honeymoon and vacation planning, contact me at divalisatravel@gmail.com!!
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