Tips for traveling with kids

Let’s get back to discussing tips for traveling with kids.

• First, you might want to consider boarding early. Yes, I know that will make your trip feel that much longer. But doing this will enable everyone to feel more settled in their places. It will be especially helpful if you do not have assigned seats.
• Everyone getting enough rest is essential for a nice, smooth trip. Consider getting a condo. If you are for sure staying in a hotel or resort, consider getting a suite or at least another room.
• Having free breakfast not only cuts down on costs, it also cuts down on stress. This is one meal you’ll know what you’ll be doing and won’t have to have any discussions about.
• I know a lot of people like to just go with the flow while they are on vacation, but some planning is a good idea when you’re traveling with children. You’ll want to try your best to work your children’s sleeping and eating schedules. Not messing with those will help keep everyone happy and on track.
• But you don’t want to overplan your trip, keeping everyone busier than usual.? Children love afternoons at the pool or movie nights.
• You will want to pack everything that you need, but you do not want to overpack. You don’t want to have more to carry than you have to. A lot of places are going to have washers and dryers that you can use.
• If you aren’t going to a resort that has a children’s program, consider bringing a babysitter. It isn’t going to cost that much extra. And vacations are the perfect times to get in some extra dates.

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MSC Cruises

I’ve decided that I like doing two things at once. Sure, writing about what I am learning about in this travel agent school seems to take me a little longer. But we are supposed to get the word out about the things we’re learning, and writing about the things I am learning does help. And since this school has many different courses, I should keep quite busy for a while.

Today we are going to look at the MSC Cruiseline. MSC stands for Mediterranean Shipping Company. MSC  strives for excellence in everything that they do, and has won a lot of awards for what they do.

• Where do these cruises go? Basically anywhere you would be interested in traveling to. They do Mexico and the Caribbean, they also do Europe and Asia. They also do an excellent South American cruise.
• Let’s take a closer look at some of what they have to offer. When it comes to food, their specialty is Italian. They have a lot of great pasta dishes. You will be able to get a great pizza any time that you’d like. But Italian isn’t the only cuisine that they have. They have a famous Asian chef that is over their Asian restaurants. And of course, they have a pas chef to make sure your sweet tooth is satisfied.
• MSC has partnered with LEGO to bring children and their families experiences they will never forget. They will have all the supplies that you will need for your baby and toddler that you will need.
• MSC also understands your need to keep up with your fitness program while on board. They will help you create the right exercise program while you are on board. They will also help you come up with healthy menus.

I would love to know your thoughts on any of this..

Okay, I know there are ways to book trips on the internet. So why would you need a travel agent? Let’s look at some times you might want to use a travel agent.

 

• Travel agents are great when you and your extended family are going on a trip together. You have a lot of people, some people may have special needs to figure out..People may need to come and go on different days. There are just a lot of details to figure out.
• You might want to book through a travel agent if you are going to a place you’ve never been. You may have a lot of time to do the necessary research. A travel agent can help you to set everything up. We can figure out your complete itinerary.
• And when you’re planning your honeymoon, you probably want to go through a travel agent. You have a thousand other things you need to plan. And this is a special trip you is really do not to mess up. Let a travel agent handle all the details .

Movie places

I am going to try to do this, and hopefully I’ll do a better job than I did yesterday.. I’m still doing a lot of experimenting and figuring things out as I go along… x

I think a lot of us like to watch movies when we want to relax. But have you ever wanted to go to the places where specific movies were made? Let’s look at a couple of these today.

• Do you have any Indiana Jones fans in your did you family? You might want to visit Petra, Jordan where these films were made. This has become a popular destination since the films were made.
• Slovenia might be small, but it is where Narnia was made. If I am remembering right, the place has some absolutely gorgeous spots.

Planning the perfect girls’ trip #2

Let’s get back to discussing how to plan a great girls’ trip. I have several things I’d like to look into more today, but feel like I need to do the normal things first and just see how the rest of the day goes. Let’s pick up where we left off.

• Some friends don’t need much except to have a place to gather and some nice food to enjoy themselves. Other groups will want to go to some of the more exotic locations. If your group is trying to start their annual trips together, it might be wise to have a gathering and discuss what everyone is thinking as far as overall budget. Is it going to be easier to gather in each other homes, or do people want to mark places off of their bucket lists? One of you might want  to play hostess more often than the others to cut down on her costs. You can find solutions that work best for your group.
• If one person is planning the whole thing, this lady will want to give some clues. You might want to get creative with the e-mails you send your group. Some people will go a step farther and send cute little packages to give hints. Groups who are going go somewhere exotic will usually meet at one member’s house, and then they do the reveal at the airport.
• This is a girls’ trip, so you are going want to have comfortable places where ere you can sit and gab. You might want to have one more than one place like this in case your group wants to split up for whatever reason.
• But as much as girls like to just sit and talk, you will want to have a few activities planned. Especially if you are going somewhere you’ve never been, you’ll want to get out and enjoy some of the sights. The planner should have a pretty good idea of the things your group likes to do.

Have you done anything like this? I would love to hear about it.

Go play in your favorite video game

[Disclaimer : I have never been into video games. I have never enjoyed playing those type games. I hardly know anything about any of those games. I’m just going to tell you what this article says.]

I may not know much about these games, but I know they are pretty popular. I know some children, and adults, absolutely love these games. If they aren’t playing them, they’re thinking about playing these things. So let’s look at some places you can play these games in RL [for those that don’t know, RL is real life].

• The first one is, of course, Mario Brothers. I do remember sitting and watching people playing these games. Who doesn’t dream of getting into these games? The closest thing you can get to this is in Tokyo.
• There is always Pokemon Go. And I know that you can play that anywhere. The cool thing about this game is that you have to play it outside.
• In l Las Vegas you can play Any Resident Evil. There you can play zombies to your heart’s content
• .And now I have good news and bad news good news is that  Nintendo is building its own amusement park. The bad news is that it will not be ready until 2020.

Flying standby

There is so much to learn and figure out when you are in the travel business. One person can not learn everything.. Today let’s look into what what it means to fly standby.

Flying standby is a good way to fly if you don’t especially care when you leave or come back. It’s usually the least expensive way to fly, you’ll usually pay around twenty-five dollars, but you are not guaranteed a seat. So if you think that flying standby would be a good fit for you, here’s what you should do.

• Firs, you will want to see which airlines have this option available . You will want to read up your chosen airline’s policies to make sure that you, and they, play by the rules.
• A lot of times they’ll want you to purchase a normal ticket. Sometimes you can get away with a friend flying. Again, you will want to know the specific policies.
• Another thing that would be good to remember is that you do not want to have checked luggage. They’ll more likely to take you if you don’t. You’re allowed one carry on and purse in most situations. The day before or the flight, you will want to look at the airline’s website to get the latest info on the flight. You will not want to check Expedia or Priceline, they are not going to have the latest information.
• You are going to want to get there at least two hours in advance. You will want to go to the ticketing agent, and let them know that you’re interested in flying standby.
• Next you will want to proceed through security and all that. Be sure to let the people at the gate know that you want to fly standby.
• At the time of the flight, the gate people will be able to let you know whether you’ve made it on.

I would love to know your thoughts  about any of this.

Friend reunion #1

Let’s face it. People in America tend to be busy. Most everyone has a career they’re trying to build. They have a family that they’re trying to keep up with, both immediate and extended. But sometimes it’s good to plan a getaway with old friends people you love but don’t get to see that often anymore. Maybe it’s the group you hung out with in college, or the group you and your husband were part of when you were getting to know each other. Whatever group on you’re thinking about, it’s time to get together. Today let’s look at some tips to help you plan a trip like this.

• First, who all do you want to come? Is it just going to be a couple of close friends? Do you want to include their spouses? Should you include children too.?
• You will want to get a feel for who all may be interested in doing something like this. One of the best ways to do this is to send out an evite and see who all responds.
• The next thing that you will want to do is to create a Facebook group where everyone can discuss where they want to go and what they want to do.
• And if you would allow me, I would love you book your trip. I can help you figure out where the best place might be. I can help you coordinate flight schedules.

Ways to save in Europe

Going to Europe can be expensive, especially if you want to go during the summer months when everyone when everyone wants to be there because school is out and things like that. Today let’s look at some ways you can save money and also have fun.

• Most European cities are going to have one fancy/expensive market where they want all the tourists to go. Don’t go there, unless you just want to get a selfie for your favorite social media site. Instead you will want to go to the market where the locals shop. That will give you a better idea of how they live anyway.
• Things are going to be a lot more reasonable if you go to small towns in Eastern Europe. For the best prices, you will want to go to the lesser known towns.
• Europe is going to have parks anywhere you might go. Go to their market to get your favorite picnic food, and then enjoy an afternoon in the park. This is an inexpensive way to enjoy an afternoon.
• A lot of these cities are going to have city passes. These will get you into their museums and different attractions for a reduced price. The more you use the passes, the more you’ll save.
• Europeans love to party and have fun. There are always going to be citywide parties everywhere, especially during the summer month. These parties are often going to be free, so go for it.
• One of the best ways to get from Point A to Point B is to go by bus. You are going to find that this is going one of the least expensive ways to travel.
• Walking tours of cities have become big in Europe. These are often led by someone who has lived in the city all their lives. This is going to give you a great overview of city. They might ask for tips, but this is going to be a lot less expensive than formal tours.

Tips for traveling with kids #3

Today let’s look at some more tips on what to do when traveling with children..

• You’ll want to do as much of the pre-boarding stuff as you can before you and your children reach the airport. This will help you avoid some of those long lines children tend to get so antsy in. You are going to be able to do a lot of it from your smart phone.
• If you plan on doing a lot of international traveling with your kids, you might even want to look into Global Entry. It does cost one hundred dollars, and I think that is per person. But this is going to allow you to skip even more long lines.
• Especially if you’re traveling with small children, you’ll want to skip guided tours. These type tours are usually pretty boring for children. If there is a tour you’d really like to do, consider getting a babysitter while you go.
• There is a time to save money and a time to splurge a little for the sake of convenience and sanity. You might want to take the taxi instead of doing public transportation. You might want to splurge on that extra room or bringing a babysitter along.
• And it’s perfectly okay to have a day where you have absolutely nothing planned. Vacations are supposed to be relaxing. Spend at least a day or two by the pool and/or in front of the tv.
• My favorite trips are when we go see family or old friends. It’s always fun to get to see people you don’t see on a regular basis. This will probably help you save a lot on costs.. You may not need to get a hotel, and you may get some free babysitting time.
• Do you want to teach your kids financially responsibility? Give them each a small budget for the extras, like souvenirs or extra treats. I think that’s about it.

I would love to know your thoughts about any of this.

Tips for traveling with kids #1

 

Okay, most of us feel like the best part of the trip is spending time at your actual destination. Getting there is often not fun. Today let’s look at some tips that might make the travel time more bearable, especially for the little ones in your family.

First, please bring snacks on any adventure you take. If it is going to be a long trip, you will want to bring a good variety of snacks. Bring snacks that your kids will consider special. Bring something nice for the adults as well.

• I said to bring snacks that everyone will enjoy, but you don’t want to bring too many sugary snacks. You don’t want your children bouncing off the walls whether you’re driving or flying.
• Families with children tend to sit in the back of airplane. This works well for a couple of reasons. Other people will thank you for trying to keep the noise in one place. You will also be near the bathrooms.
• Kids are going to get bored on long trips. I know that a lot of parents want to limit the amount of time their children are on screens. But a trip is one place you may want to bend the rules. Hopefully once you reach your destination, your children will have plenty to do and won’t want screentime.
• Flying early in the morning may be one of the best ideas ever. This is the least popular time to fly. So you won’t be fighting as many crowds. You may get a discounted flight. And your children might even sleep some on the way.
• Noise cancelling earphones are always a good idea for anyone. Bringing them for children might help them sleep. It will also help when they play on the tablets.

We are going to discuss this more tomorrow. I would love to know your thoughts.

Cruise tips #3

We’ve been talking about cruises and ways you can save money. Let’s get back to that discussion.

• First, most cruise ships are going to have spas with all kinds of treatments you can enjoy. To save money on this, you will want to wait until towards the end of your cruise to indulge. The reason to do this is that they’re likely to put treatments on half price at the end of your cruise.
• Okay, at the risk of sounding self seeking, please talk to me about your hopes for your next cruise. I’m always getting e-mail about cruise specials. I may also be able to get you extra perks.
• Do you feel like messing around on the internet? You might want to look around. A lot of cruiselines have gift cards that are available if you look in the right place.
• Most the time you are going to only be in your room to sleep and do your grooming. Having a large room with this beautiful view is going to be completely unnecessary. You will be having way too much fun to want to be in your room.
• Go on and try to book your excursions before your cruise, that’s another way you can save. And I can help you book these excursions if you do book early.
• There will also be free things you can do in the ports you stop in. Walk around the beach. Walk around the town, you can window shop without it costing you anything. The one exception to this might be if you are touring somewhere where you might be in potential danger. A way around this might be to get a group together that wants to do to a free tour together.
• Some people like to eat in the ports they stop in. But that is going to cost you money. But remember that you can eat on your ship at no extra cost.
• Like a lot of merchants these days, many cruiselines are going to have loyalty programs. You will be able to get deal with and perks when you join a cruise loyalty program.

I would love to know your thoughts about any of this.

Cruise tips #2

Yesterday we ended by talking about food. Today let’s start there.

• Cruise ships may give small portions when it comes to the dishes they serve at their restaurants. But another thing that you will want to keep in mind is that most cruise ships are going to have at least one buffet. And you will be able to visit as often as you would like. These are often opened even late at night in case you need food after enjoying the shows or whatever.
• Some cruises are going to have drink packages. You will want to know exactly what is included in these deals and what isn’t be sure to get refills on your drinks right before you leave the restaurant.
• So let’s say that somehow things get crazy right before your trip and you forget to bring your booze. Is there any way you can get adult beverages without spending a fortune? Your best bet is to buy a round for your friends.
• Sometimes cruises will allow you to bring your own sodas and juices. This is probably less expensive than buying a drinks package. You will need to check with your cruiseline to make sure of their policies. Or I can help you figure that out when you book through me.

Tips to save on cruises

Summer is coming, and there are vacations to be planned. One of more inexpensive ways to travel is to take a cruise. And one of the reasons for that is that cruises tend to be all inclusive vacations, meaning that you are going to get your accommodations, most of your food and drinks and even a lot of your activities for one price. But today let’s look at some tips that could save you even more.

1. First, adult beverages can get rather pricey on a cruise. You are often allowed to bring one bottle of wine per person on a cruise. But you can hide other bottles of liquor in your luggage if you want to. The point is that it is often quite expensive to buy alcoholic beverages on a cruise
2. . Always be looking for cruise deals. And that’s true whether or not you have booked your cruise. You can rebook your cruise as long as it’s outside your cancellation window. Actually, I would love to help you book your cruises. Please let me know if you are interested.
3. Many cruises are going to offer last minute deals. To get in was on the deals, you are going to be booking within ninety days prior the cruise. I can help you look for these deals if you are interested.
4. There are all kinds of credit cards that offer travel rewards as their incentives. Get the right combination of cards and you might manage to get yourself a free cruise.
5. If you are on an all inclusive cruise and you find that the food portions are too small for you, don’t forget that you can order more than one appetizer or main dish.

I think we may get back to this tomorrow. Please let me know your thoughts.

 

Places to go

Where do you want to go on vacation this summer? I would love to help you plan your trip. Please let me know if you were interested. Today let’s look at some other destinations that you might be interested in.

We’ve talked about the Caribbean a lot on this blog. But this is a great spot. There is so much you can do. Fun in the sun is only the beginning. And there are so many ways you can go. Do you want to cruise? Do you want to go and stay on one island?

Playalinda Beach is in Florida. This is a quiet beach. But there is a lot to do right around there. It is near Orlando. It is near the space center. Do you want to do something a little different?

Why not go to Croatia. This is an absolutely beautiful place. And if you go in September you will beat the crowds.

I would love to know your thoughts on any of this.

Memorial Day is right around the corner. Have you made any plans for your summer vacation? Let’s look at some US destinations that you might want to consider.

This might not be the most original, but your children would probably love to go to Orlando. Your young children’s dreams will come true if you take them to Disney World. Older children will thoroughly enjoy Universal Studios, or maybe they would enjoy Busch Gardens or Sea World.

Or you may want to visit New York City. Go see the Statue of Liberty. Enjoy an evening on Broadway and take in a play. Walk around Times Square. Go through some of their muxseums or walk around the 9/11 Memorial.

If you want to do something on the educational side, you might want to go to to Washington DC. You are going to be able to see all the memorials. There will be a lot of museums, including the Smithsonian. You will be able to see the White House, Capitol building and the Supreme Court.