Category: travel

Are Travel Agents Obsolete?

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I am currently in the process of booking my families summer vacation.  I feel that I am very hands on when it comes to finding the best deals, especially in the summertime when deals are few and far between.  The amount of travel websites on the innerwebs can seem overwhelming.  These travel web sites have been very successful at facilitating travelers to book their own airline and hotel reservations online.  So with this huge push from the internet to take over the travel industry, one has to ask, “Are travel agents obsolete?”

If you have browsed some of these travel sites, you have observed that they are amazing in the diversity of travel options that they make available.  And it is impossible to deny that many thousands of people have taken advantage of these services.  Then, there is the business traveler.  The business traveler has needs that are somewhat different than the typical airline passenger.

There are some very specific services that a living and breathing travel agent can provide that simply cannot be replicated by an automated web site like Kayak or Hotwire.   Some of those services that a seasoned business traveler would be hard pressed to live without include…

  1. Focus You as a business traveler are not arranging this trip for entertainment.  You have specific business objectives in mind.  So if you must take time away from preparation for your business task to worry about travel itineraries, hotel and rental car reservations and the like, that is time that you are not being productive for your business.  If you can call a talented travel agent who knows your travel profile well and delegate those arrangements to that agent, they do their job in finding just the right accommodations for you and you are freed to do what you do best, focus on your business and the upcoming business trip.
  2. Economy It is difficult to find that balance between finding the accommodations that fit the demanding schedule of a businessperson on the road and is respectful of the companies travel budget as well.   If you use an automated online travel service, you may have to sacrifice convenience, schedule or location for economy.  A good travel agent will work hard to get you the right itinerary while getting as close the corporate travel cost restrictions as possible.  And they will do it without taking up a lot of your time.
  3. Back up. You don’t need help if your trip goes completely as planned.  But if you encounter problems on the road, you can find yourself in need or rescheduling flights and finding new accommodations to work around canceled flights, weather issues or other unexpected interruptions to your plans.  These travel disasters are not mindful of your tight deadlines to meet your business goals.  But if you have a travel agent who is dedicated to providing you service, he or she can find those alternative routes and resources to do all they can to get you to your destination so you can conduct your business on time.
  4. That personal touch. You may have travel preferences that you want to achieve with each trip you take.   A travel agent has your profile and your travel history so they can do what they can to accommodate your preferences.  But moreover, if you have specific special needs such as a diet limitation or a need for accommodation due to a disability, it will be a travel agent that sees to it that your needs are provided for and you are well taken care of on the road.

 

  1. Complications. If your travel itinerary involves making connections with other business partners who are traveling from diverse offices, complex travel schedules and itinerary challenges that just cannot be described to the generic screens of an online travel service, you can explain these complications to your travel agent and they can work with other travel agents working to organize the meeting and see to it that your itinerary meets your requirements.

 

While the online travel services do provide a valuable and affordable alternative to the general traveling public, it is easy to notice their limitations if you are trying to book a trip that is tricky or if you have specific needs that the screens do not anticipate.  That is why working with a human travel agent guarantees that this travel professional will dedicate themselves to the task of making sure your trip works to your specifications and that you get to your destination ready to conduct business and be successful in your achieving your goals.

The Beginners Guide to Finding the Perfect Hotel Room (at a reasonable rate)

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After finding reasonable airfare, it is necessary to find accommodations when staying in a city where I do not have any family or friends.  I believe I spend an unbelievable amount of time researching when it is time to book a hotel room. The number one factor for me is location followed up by value. I spend an embarrassing amount of time reading reviews on Yelp. Then I have to follow up to see if the reviews corroborate with TripAdvisor.

Regarding that value component, I hit the interwebs and Reddit to find the lowest rates. Through all that work I realize that my best option is to go to the hotel’s corporate website and join their rewards program.

Through that I found my latest hotel find, Courtyard by Marriott New Orleans French Quarter/Iberville in New Orleans, LA. This Marriott branch was conveniently located about two blocks away from Bourbon Street. The staff was very friendly and allowed us to check-in early! I was struck with how large the rooms were and very clean. The beds felt cozy and I liked how the room had a living area and sleeping quarter.

The bathroom was clean and the cleaning staff did a stellar job of cleaning the room daily. I appreciated that the staff was on point. Being that we were in New Orleans, we had several late nights and even later mornings (really afternoons). I was impressed that no matter what time we left, we always came back to a clean room.

The bathroom was stacked with plenty of white towels and standard shampoo/conditioner/soap if needed. Since I bring my own products, these were not sampled. The shower was hot and could get even hotter (which is always a plus to me).

The only surprise (I will not call it a disappointment) was the view. We had the perfect view of a pretty sterile looking courtyard. Another surprise was the entry to the hotel. You must come up from the street level on the elevator. Then you need to find the registration desk. Again, not a big deal but it did take some getting used to.

The television was equipped with Wifi and they even had Netflix. Full disclosure, I do not travel often so finding out that Netflix is now a “thing” to have on the hotel room television is a score. I was glad the location was away from the “activity” (read noise) of Bourbon Street.

I look forward to going back to New Orleans. I would stay at the Courtyard again but I usually try to stay in a new hotel everytime I go out of town.

How to Fly Frugally

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A few positive financial changes in our household have allowed me to travel more frequently.  While still frugal, I have a few hacks that I have found that have really helped me to save money, time, and my sanity when it is time to fly the (not always so) friendly skies.

1.  Be nice.

Yes, seriously.  Being naturally easy-going, being laid back and nice is not too difficult for me.  My husband is 6’8.  He usually has a very uncomfortable time flying.  Being frugal, we don’t want to pay to upgrade his seat.  So when we travel together, I ask for a seat with more leg room for him.  I greet the ticket agent with a smile, show them my husband, and explain that we don’t need to sit together.  This works about 80% of the time.  The other 20% of the time, they don’t have the room to accommodate this request.  Unfortunately if this happens I’m not going to walk away upset.

2.  Join your airlines frequent flier club.

The past few years, I’d be lucky if I found myself needed air travel at least once a year.  Now that I’ve vowed to travel more often, I have joined the frequent flier club to every airline I use.  I keep an open mind to airlines and although I do have a favorite, I will fly almost any airline with a good rate.  I live near three major airports, which is a huge advantage when it is time to travel.  I do have a preferential airport but that’s due to the proximity to my home.  I’ll go to another airport if I feel that it makes my air travel less stressful (i.e. no layover) or if it really is a great deal.

3.  Tweet, Facebook, Yelp, or any other type of review your POSITIVE as well as your negative experience.

We’re quick to review something when we’re pissed off but how about when you are satisfied?  I enjoy writing reviews.  Most of my reviews are positive.  I’m usually a pretty easy person to please so it takes the moons being aligned just right, to piss me off.

Do you have any hacks you’d like to share?  Comment below and don‘t forget to subscribe!

Behind the Scenes of My Vacation, Travel with TeacherCes. Review, SLS South Beach Luxury Hotel

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SLS HotelLiving up to some of the words in its title, SLS South Beach Luxury Hotel is a hotel on the beach and quite luxurious.  Upon entry onto the property, I made note of the offer to rent a luxury Lamborghini.  Making note does not necessarily mean that I will blow my latest paycheck on such opulence but it is always nice to know that the option is there if I so choose to do so (which I don’t by the way).  

The front desk check-in was actually to the side of the entrance.  I made note of the imported Brazilian Cherry Wood (note, I have no idea what type of wood that was used for the front desk so Brazilian Cherry Wood sounds good, but probably not true).  The staff at the front desk was very friendly, I mean friendlier than the average hotel friendly, and very accommodating to hold my bag while I look for the rest of my party. Fortunately, I found my friend quickly in the lounge/bar area and proceed to enjoy a Jasmine’s Margarita which I found tasty and not too heavy with the blanco tequila pour (but they could have been heavy with the pour and it would have been alright with me).

I found the elevator quite intimate (small) on the ride up to the fourth floor.  IMG_0010I think it is safe to assume that most older buildings on South Beach have elevators that might be on the smaller end.  The hallways were a cross between dark like the club or dark like those cheesy haunted houses that pop up every October.  Not feeling the dark hallway at all, put in some light.  The hallway also had a very pungent marijuana odor that was on and off throughout the stay at SLS (not judging but you should know this).  

The room was very sexy and very small.  No closets or dressers anywhere to be found. However the beds were very plush and comfortable.  I appreciated that the room was facing Collins Avenue, yet one could not hear noise from the street.  That my friends is always a big plus.  The bathroom was also on the smaller end but if you like showering with multiple people, this is the hotel for you!  The bathroom had the longest shower, with rain-shower type head on one end and a more traditional head on the other.  Since I find great joy in showering alone, I only used the rain-shower head and left the other head off.  

Overall, SLS lives up to its brand of style, luxury, and service.  Yet with that there is a hefty price tag that comes with it.  My hat is off to those who come here often but this is a great hotel for celebrating a special events for the “average” person.  

Why is a Disney Cruise Better than a Carnival Cruise?

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cruise-ship-floating_MkYuq8__Asking for a friend (not really, I’m asking for myself).  

If a Disney Cruise sounds like an awesome idea but you can’t afford it, what would be a great alternative?  I can’t see paying what they are asking for at this time for my family of four.  I’m thinking about either just taking the fam to the actual Disney World or taking a Carnival/Royal Caribbean cruise this summer.  We don’t go on family vacations every year so I want to make it semi-special this year.  Of course if you are a representative from Disney, Carnival, or Royal Caribbean I would be more than happy to blog and Instagram about my experience.  What is a good family oriented cruise line?  Leave your comments below.