As a travel advisor, I often help clients avoid costly, yet common, mistakes. These travel mistakes have the potential to get your “once in a lifetime” trip off to a bad start, or worse yet, ruin the entire vacation. Keep these in mind when planning your next trip, bypass these costly mistakes, and maximize your enjoyment.
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“Winging” it:
There’s a lot to be said for spontaneity and allowing yourself time to enjoy “spur of the moment” experiences, but when it comes to planning your vacation, the critical pieces should be planned well in advance. Many of the best tours and attractions sell out weeks (or even months) in advance, and arriving on the spot can be a recipe for disaster. Most major tourist attractions are plagued with ticket queues, and entry lines that can be hours long.
If attractions such as the Vatican Museum, the Palace of Versailles, the Uffizi Gallery, or the Anne Frank House are on your list of “must see” attractions, be sure to secure your tickets and your tour in advance. Otherwise, you’ll spend hours of your valuable vacation time waiting on line, or worse yet, unable to visit an attraction that you had your heart set on seeing.
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Flying Economy (on a long haul flight):
Seating on many of the major international airlines is often no roomier than on domestic flights. Seat pitch in economy is often in the 31 inch range. That’s awfully cramped for a long haul flight that will last for 6-8 hours (or more). While business class or first class seats are not in everyone’s budget, premium economy or “extra legroom” seats are often only slightly more. A little more space can make a world of difference in the comfort level of a seat that you’ll likely be trying to stretch out and get some shut eye in.
Check your airline to see what’s offered for seating and fares before buying based on price. You may find that you’re better off with a slightly higher fare on an airline that offers more cabins and/or more seating options. Bonus: Premium economy seating often comes bundled with additional perks such as priority check-in, more attentive service, better food options, and more mileage points.
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Skimping on Excursions:
All tours and excursions are not created equal. The experience of a private or small group tour is vastly different from that of a larger group. In addition, many of the most exclusive experiences (such as the Colosseum underground or the Vatican Scavi tour) are highly regulated in terms of the number of visitors permitted each day.
Yes, private or small group tours are more expensive, but they often provide that “wow!” factor that will be missing in a larger group. Excursions can often be tailored to your particular interests and needs. For example, a wine tour can be customized with a driver to visit the vineyards you’re most interested in seeing, and a picnic lunch can be arranged to enjoy the views. That’s a much different experience than boarding a bus of 40 or more, doing a tasting “en masse” and adhering to someone else’s schedule.
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Packing Valuables in a Checked Bag:
Never pack anything that you can’t afford to lose in your checked bag. This includes: jewelry, medications, electronics, documents, currency, and more. Put these items in your carry-on bag, and keep an eye on your bag at all times. Having them in your possession will minimize any issues with theft and will ensure that if your checked bag doesn’t join you in your destination, you won’t be scrambling trying to replace medications or other valuable items on arrival.
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Not allowing enough time in a destination:
I often get requests from clients who want to visit 3, 4, or more destinations in the 1 week they have set aside for their European vacation. It seems to be the American way. I encourage clients to consider the time it takes to travel between destinations, check in to hotels, pack up their bags, etc. It takes hours of time and usually at least half a day (depending on distance) to move from one city to another. We often pare back the number of destinations in order for them to have at least 2 or 3 nights in each spot. In addition, most travelers like to have 1 night on the front end to recover and rest from their journey.
If you plan on staying for only 1 night in a destination, you can probably hit a few of the major highlights. It’s the juicy bits that will be missing: wandering neighborhoods, stopping in cafes, enjoying the view from a hilltop, popping into colorful shops, watching people, and engaging in conversation with locals. These are the immersive experiences that make traveling so memorable.
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Booking an Airbnb Rental:
Travelers attempting to save money on accommodations are often tempted by Airbnb pricing compared to that of a hotel. However, there are too many nightmare stories to make an Airbnb rental a risk worth taking. Problems such as canceled reservations, accommodations that don’t match what was advertised, and hidden cameras lurking in rental bedrooms have been known to occur. (Google it and see what pops up.) These properties are completely unregulated, dodge taxes that are much needed by the municipalities, and drive locals out of urban centers when pricing/rents skyrocket due to properties being purchased for short terms rentals.
In addition, Airbnb rentals don’t have daily housekeeping, laundry service for bedding and towels, concierge services, onsite dining, or many of the other conveniences offered by hotels. Yes, it may turn out to be fine, but there’s little to no recourse if it doesn’t. Don’t gamble on this important piece of your trip.
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Choosing an Early Departure:
Vacationers often want to arrive as early as possible at their destination, but choosing an early departure (or short connection) can be a big mistake. That 6:30 am fight may look appealing, but for international flights it’s recommended to arrive 3 hours prior to departure, and travel time to the airport needs to be factored in. If your flight will require you to be up at 2:30 am, consider taking a later flight. That way you can arrive refreshed and well-rested rather than tired and frazzled. Keep in mind that standard check-in time at most hotels is generally 3:00 pm or later, so with an earlier arrival, there’s a good chance your hotel room will not be ready.
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Declining the Travel Protection:
Clients sometimes decline the offered travel protection and seem to think of it as a needless expense, but it’s valuable protection that deserves consideration. Nobody plans to have something catastrophic prevent them from traveling. Examples of this are a death in the family, a major illness, or even a car accident on the way to the airport. If you have to cancel your trip, penalties can be 100% of the amount paid, regardless of the reason for canceling.
Travelers also don’t plan on getting seriously ill or injured while they are away. Unfortunately, it can and does happen, and most health plans don’t provide any medical coverage outside of the USA. Foreign hospitals often require a substantial payment upfront, and medical evacuation can run into the tens of thousands of dollars.
A good travel protection plan will cover all of these events up to certain limits. Don’t risk being bankrupted by a medical emergency in a foreign country. The premium for the insurance is a small price to pay for the peace of mind it offers, and it’s often a small fraction of your total trip cost.
We Can Help
If you’re wondering about planning, logistics, flights, accommodations, and excursion options for your next vacation, contact me so that I can find the best option and fit for you. Don’t settle for cookie cutter planning or the same vacation/experience that a friend or neighbor had, let me work to create and customize a trip that best fits your travel style and desires.
Fun ‘n’ Sun Travel & Cruise creates unique, memorable, and stress-free custom getaways to Europe, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Call us at 1-855-557-5588, or visit us on the web for more information.