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Aug 14
0

Awesome Adventure Cruising with Un-Cruise Adventures!

By | Adventure, Blog, Cruise | No Comments

 

Cruise in Alaska on a Small Ship Offers Unparalleled Experiences

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Size Matters

Many people have experienced the wonders of Alaska on a large cruise ship doing a 7 night itinerary either southbound, northbound or perhaps a round trip on the inside passage – large ships with entertainment and casinos can be a great way to see many of the wonders of of largest of these United States of America – but few have experienced the intimate nature that can only be realized from a small ship cruising Alaska

Itineraries that range from 7 nights to 21 night are available from April until September

There are several companies who offer amazing vacations of discovery that range from adventure to luxury – from wildlife discovery to nature hikes  – to interacting with locals who are completely off the beaten path in areas that simply are unattainable on a larger ship

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One such option is Un-Cruise Adventures formerly known as Innersea Discoveries or American Safari Cruises
Un-Cruise adventures range in style from

  • Active Adventures
  • Luxury Adventures
  • Heritage Adventures

you can even charter your own vessel on ships that range from as few as 22 guests to a maximum of 88 guests on the largest ship in the fleet

A Heritage Adventure is a completely unique experience aboard a Victorian style replica of a coastal steamer which is scheduled for a greater quantity of shore visits and port calls and where on-board presentations are delivered by knowledgeable historians and characters appear in period costume.

Fine wines, Premium spirits and micro brews are included as well as the freshest excellent cuisine

Active Adventures are defined by play – be it in the water, in the woods – or even in the mud. The outdoor activities include more outdoor guides on staff to help with kayaking and stand up paddle boarding – hiking and treking – glacier viewing, glacier hikes, whale watching, wildlife observation & Polar Bear Plunge….all this and more are experienced on a daily basis

Luxury Adventures are slightly different in that although the itinerary might be similar Premium wines, Premium liquors and Micro Brews enhance the gourmet cuisine and finer dining which is served over several courses. Cabins are larger and more luxuriously appointed, the full bathrooms often feature jacuzzis and heated tile floors, Temperpedic memory foam beds and more… Fitness equipment, Saunas, On-deck hot tubs and even complimentary massage enhance the Alaska experience in ways you never thought possible

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Take the Kids on a an unforgettable adventure – let them kiss an iceberg up close and personal!

Take your spouse on that special trip that none of your neighbors, co-workers or Facebook friends has ever experienced

Have a 1-of-a-kind Honeymoon experience

Take yourself to new heights of discovery….experience!

For more info on this or other vacation options get with “Your friends….in the travel business” at EZTravelPad

Aug 08
0

Is a Time-Share a Good Deal?

By | Blog | No Comments

 

A Brief Yet Interesting Conversation

 

time share

I just returned from a local business professionals networking event where I had a brief conversation with a fellow member about her time-share situation and how much she loves it.

Funny thing was, I can’t understand why…

During the conversation she related that a trip to Hard Rock Punta Cana (a fantastic all-inclusive  resort nn the Dominican Republic) will cost her only $2793 for the mandatory all inclusive add-on to the time-share value she and her husband already possess. If they were taking the kids then $3593 for all 4 of them….

Now I know that the Hard Rock Punta Cana is an excellent resort, but that struck me as just a bit higher than I would have expected so I came back to the office to see what my price would be (without the time-share value it must be significantly higher, right?)

  • So what was the retail price I pulled up if EZTravelPad were booking it? $2944 or with adding in 2 children then $3302
  • So what was the price going directly to the Hard Rock website? $2984 (yep, $40 higher)

Both prices (not sure about the time-share though) also include $1500 in resort credits (free money in the casino, spa, golf, tours, room upgrades, etc)

To be fair I do not know some specific details about the time-share cost she related, for example-

  • Were they in some sort of high end suite?
  • What specific dates?
  • Was she talking about 2 weeks instead of just 1?
  • Are there monthly maintenance fees involved?
  • Is there a booking fee per trip?

or…

  • Do they pay her to retain the time-share in exchange for her paying more than she otherwise would on her vacation? (ok, that’s just my humor coming out)

Seriously though, this is just another example of the effectiveness of a great sales pitch convincing a consumer that by pre-paying for vacations that they may take sometime in the future they can save a ton of money – when if fact it is just not the case…. I’ve seen it over and over again

Do yourself a favor – find yourself a good travel consultant who you trust and respect. The odds are that they will help you find the best solution to your unique vacation wants & needs – plus probably find it at a lower price than you could yourself – thus, get you the best “Deal”

If you do not currently work with a travel consultant (agent) then consider giving EZTravelPad a call… and check out the video below for more info!!

Aug 02
0

Reviewing Riu Montego Bay

By | All-Inclusive Resorts, Blog, Caribbean, Jamaica | No Comments

Riu Montego Bay – a Review

The Riu brand of all inclusive resorts is one of the more popular choices of the many Spanish owned resort chains operating throughout the Caribbean and Latin America, and Riu Montego Bay is one of the more popular choices in Jamaica. As a large hotel & resort brand operating across much of the globe, Riu offers a good value and is certainly a good option for many – but does that mean it’s the right choice for you?

 

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EZTravelPad will try to help you make that decision with some insight, photos, video and more….so read on

 

Recently spending a few nights at the resort gave me a good chance to get a pretty good feel for the pluses and minuses of the resort and traveling with several other travel agents also lent some additional perspective and insight

 

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Overall Design-

 

With nearly 700 rooms in a fairly small amount of acreage, the space to guest ratio is fair – comparable to direct competitors but far from spacious compared to some brands pricing just a bit higher so competition for beach and pool chairs starts early in the day….

 

For so many the all inclusive resort vacation is all about the party and if that is your main focus then this might be a good option for you – especially if you and your group are aged in your 20’s. The party at the main pool’s siwm up bar was definitely on full tilt from 10a-6p daily due in large part to the design of the pool & swim up bar. With in-pool “booths” and tables and jacuzzis and bar stools the architect created a fantastic space for enjoying the pool and the bar

 

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As many resort designs include several sections of room blocks located individually across the resort grounds Riu was no exception but falling a bit short when it came to tying everything together. Many competitors will have covered walkways which offer shelter from the frequent tropical rains that will pop up anytime day or night – your umbrella is the only option for staying dry when walking from room to restaurant – some covered walkways would be a good thing

Rooms are comfortable with decent space, modest furnishings and extra firm mattresses. Bathrooms are spacious yet a huge design flaw in my thinking was that the small bathtubs were very hard to maneuver in since the tubs are rounded as opposed to flat – tough to turn, even stand while taking a shower – good space but poor tubs = fail for me on that aspect

 

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Food–

 

It’s interesting how perceptions are so individual. For example I am generally fairly critical of food quality and selection wherever I travel. I appreciate good food quality and selection – and good service. Interstingly, I found the food selection and quality to be pretty good considering the cost of the resort overall – compared to some competitors I felt they did a good job in this area, but many others that I was traveling with felt the food was less than impressive – and so it goes for opinions….

 

The main restaurant buffet consistently offers a wide range of offerings prepared reasonably well – the a la carte options (both the Italian “Little Italy” and the Asian “Kalu”) that I experienced were more than adequate yet certainly not overly impressive from a culinary standpoint

 

Location-

 

One of the attractive features of this moderately priced resort is it’s close proximity to the airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Being located close to the airport definitely helps to maximize your resort time but it can be a mixed blessing though – being located directly in the flight path means that frequent low flying jets will bring a stop to the conversation for a few seconds several times per day

The beach at Riu Mo Bay is not bad. A bit of seaweed washes us, and sand that is less than powdery is a bit of a drag but overall the space is good and the view at sunset is very good. Few peddlers exist since this is a private beach for guests only, but the occasional salesperson will find their way onto the beach and attempt to sell some things.

 

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Intangibles–

Overall I found the service to be ok – certainly nothing close to the level of service at some of the higher priced options. Staff was generally polite but not really friendly with few exceptions. It seemed they were going through the motions and doing their jobs but not really loving it so we all found the overall level of service and training of staff to be fair – could definitely use some improvement

Some people only require cold beers and sodas to enjoy themselves – others have a more discriminating palate. I found the limited beverage selection to be disappointing and the wine selection was nearly undrinkable. That said, blended drinks and simple mixed cocktails are hard to ruin so there are options…

Due to the family friendly nature of the resort, if a Destination Wedding is something that you are considering and keeping the budget as low as possible is a top consideration then this is a good choice since people of all ages can enjoy the resort

Check out this video for more…

 

 

Overall I would say that for a certain set of clientele this is a good option – and for others not so much. It’s not so much about price, but finding the right fit and that is exactly what a good travel consultant should be doing for you – finding the best fit for you!

When it comes time for your next all inclusive trip find a travel advisor like EZTravelPad to help insure that you make the best choice possible – after all, wasting money is not fun but wasting life’s most precious commodity (yout TIME) is a shame!!

 

Jul 30
0

Why Consumers DO NOT Use Travel Agents – Please Allow Me To Retort

By | Blog, Travel Tips | No Comments

Study on Why Some Consumers Use Travel Agents – And Why Some Do Not

Disclosure – (This is a re-post of a blog post I did in 2011 but the facts are still as relevant today as they were then)

This was in my inbox this morning – the results of an extensive study into why some consumers use travel agents and why some do not.

It’s funny! It’s sad. It’s real perceptions, correct or not.

Some of it rings true, and some of it just doesn’t – see my views on the reality of the perceptions below each and let me know what YOU think because I would love to know…

  • They don’t trust travel agents and think of us as used car sellers or real estate agents; we don’t work in their best interests.

Is that to say that all real estate professionals and all used car sellers think only of their wallet?

I disagree – and in fact I have been trying to think of a profession that does not include some “bad seeds” and cannot think of any. Do you think that there are not dentists who will sell you a crown you don’t need, or furnace repair people who won’t sell you a furnace when what you need is your filter cleaned- even clergy who don’t truly believe or abuse their position? Every profession includes individuals who will not have your best interests in mind- the trick is to seek out those individuals in whatever profession you are in need of help from, ask for references and trust your instincts. Do an internet search about them and see what it returns – look at their facebook page for comments- positive or negative.

Many travel professionals will go to great lengths to serve and think only of YOUR best interests.

 

  • They don’t see the value of using a travel agent since everything they could possibly want is available online.

Sure- all the information is on the internet. To that point I just did a quick Google search for “best Sandals resort” and got 11,400,000 results. Even something narrow like “things to do while in Grand Cayman” brought 536,000 results so I hope you have some time on your hands because some critical information that you seek might just be on page 637 of those search results…

Think Tripadvisor is a great resource? Think those an unbiased reviews? Sure, some are – others are written by the hotel manager’s wife or the competitor next door. Reading those reviews is almost like reading a Dickens novel-

Review #1 “It was the best of beds”

Review #2 “It was the worst of beds”

Review #3 “The food was superb”

Review #4 “I was eaten alive by bedbugs”

Seriously- who can trust anything there? Your travel pro can source accurate, independent and professional hotel reviews plus network with peers to find out the real story….

You need a friend in the travel business that you can turn to for advice. Most travel professionals put their reputation on the line with each client that they help- and they work for YOU independently. They can let you know if YOUR best fit may be at the resort down the beach, or on the cruise ship that you may never have even considered. Travel pros dedicate their lives to building a loyal following and do it by building trust one trip and one client at a time which earns not only repeat business but more importantly- Referrals.

 

  • They don’t perceive travel agents as professionals; titles, designations, and certifications mean nothing to them.

Designations and certifications on their own are meaningless, except that they do signify that training has been completed and honors have been earned in sacrifice of time and energy. I do not spend time to earn certifications, I spend time to better understand all the nuances of each product – the certification or designation is simply the acknowledgment  of time spent in training. From that perspective they do mean something- they mean dedication.

 

  • They think it’s more expensive to use a travel agent and they think they can find a better deal themselves on the internet.  They see commissions as a form of kickbacks which cloud our judgment and don’t understand how we are compensated.  They hate being upsold, cross-sold, and being presented with solutions that are over the budget they stated.

Sometimes it is more expensive to use a travel agent – other times it is not. Many agents do not charge fees over and above the list price (EZTravelpad does not). Besides, if your price to book the Holiday Inn is the same price as your travel agent’s price to book the same Holiday Inn, what difference does it make whether someone earned commission?

Commissions are not “kickbacks” – they are the cost of doing business.

If a hotel or resort or cruise line must service the reservation themselves they must hire staff, pay insurance, perhaps provide work space – they must pay taxes, legal fees, administration, communications infrastructure, provide equipment, supplies and more- and these expenses are largely “fixed” overhead. If they can outsource many of those functions to independent businesses (travel agents) they can offer more competitive pricing. Additionally, what are Expedia, Orbitz, Priceline & DirtCheapResorts.com? They are travel agencies plain and simple.

As for being upsold- I did a search yesterday in the course of quoting a Honeymoon for a couple to Florida. The online provider offered Loews Don Cesar in St Pete – a great resort, but there was no option to upgrade to an oceanview and I have personally stood in the room category they quoted and know that if it were MY Honeymoon I would not appreciate the view of the parking lot. Sometimes being made aware of premium options is a valuable service!

 

  • Even if they wanted to use an agent, they don’t know where to find one since agencies have all gone out of business (or gone home based).  Those agencies that do still exist have agents with no enthusiasm, they’re overly negative, fat, old, pushy, semi-retired smokers who work in dusty offices with faded posters and may still live at home with their mothers.

That is SO funny! That is ME!! I just can’t seem to get my hands on any of those faded posters though- Dang it!

Ok, seriously – that is not the portrait of me (although I could stand to lose a few pounds)…

But- One thing in life that is certain – change. Some agents have become burned out and moved on- victims of changing times. Other agents stubbornly hang on wishing for “the good old days” that will never return.

Yet, there are MANY great agencies that do fantastic work and their clients LOVE them. Many agents reinvented themselves because technology and communications liberated them to be able to do business outside of their traditional office from 9-5 M-F. Now you are likely to be able to reach your travel professional be phone, email, text, Facebook, Skype, etc. late into the night, very early in the morning, on holidays or even while THEY are on vacation (which is probably more of a working holiday as they experience new destinations so they can better provide opinion and experience for their clients).

There are many well established agencies that are totally client focused, and many new agencies that have opened within the past several years. New agencies mean new and fresh ideas and energy. I may be old and fat and smoke and live with my Mom (or not), but I have an energy and a zeal that many seasoned agents no longer possess. I love the opportunities to see and experience new things in my life, and I am constantly excited to help others experience some of those things as well –

THAT is why I am in this business.

Where do you find an agent? Look on your Facebook page – do a Google search for agents that specialize in the type of trip or destination that you desire, use the search field on the website of the resort or cruise line or tour operator you are considering – in short, use the internet! Or- ask a friend…

 

  • They might use an agent if the agent could give them “special” knowledge or deals that they could not do themselves or find on the internet.  Those that do use an agent recognized that there can be a value to expertise and they may save time and money.

If your selected travel professional is not giving you “special” knowledge then find one that does!

Deals are great- but sometime the best “deal” is free advice or an insider’s tip or a word dropped to management to take special care of my special client. Can your travel agent find you a good deal? Sure- but they can offer a great deal more than that! If not, contact EZTravelpad and see for yourself.

 

Apr 30
0

Considering a Destination Wedding in Paradise?

By | Blog | No Comments

Destination Weddings in Caribbean + Sandals = Awesome!

There are literally hundreds and hundreds of great options for a Destination Wedding on the beach – in the US, in the Caribbean, Mexico and beyond

If the Caribbean is your style, then the clear leader is Sandals resorts – see part of the reason why in this quick video

 

See much, much more on Sandals wedding program and the various resorts here

When it’s time for you to sort out the details of your beachside fairytale look for help with a travel agency specializing in Romance Travel, Honeymoons & Destination Weddings

Look to EZTravelPad “Your friends….in the travel business” for expert help and guidance – all complimentary (no fees)!

Need reassurance? Check out reviews at The Knot and WeddingWire