Travel agents once were the only way to go when booking a vacation. Today there is the Internet, which makes booking your own vacation easier than ever. While that may be true for some, travel agents are still the best way to go.
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How The Internet Is Competing With Travel Agents For Vacation Planning
From our friends at Romance Travel Concierge ( http://www.romancetravelconcierge.com/bali_trip_for_two.php ): $3.5K BALI TRIP FOR TWO Crowned as heaven on Earth, Bali is embedded in the archipelago of Indonesia by the Indian Ocean, north of Australia. Its hillsides are carpeted by tiered rice patties. The valleys are entrenched with rushing waters.
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Honeymoon in Exotic Bali
As we put on our coats and mittens to brace wintry weather, a tropical wedding sounds fabulous! OR maybe it puts you in the mood for a winter wonderland wedding in Vail or the Swiss Alps! Either way, destination weddings are definitely popular these days, taking just close family and friends to celebrate the experience with you. As fun as it sounds, there are also a lot of “to-do’s” to handle. At Wedding 101 , we have two fabulous guides, Fodor’s Destination Weddings and The Knot Guide to Destination Weddings , as well as the recently released Martha Stewart Special Travel Issue, Destination Weddings & Dream Honeymoons , to help with the where and the wedding planning. All of these sources offer great advice, but the best advice we have to offer is getting hooked up with a fantastic travel agency, and we just happen to have one! Franklin Travel Services Olivia and Jane have been in the business for YEARS and can help you with all the in’s and out’s of planning a destination wedding or even a fantastic honeymoon. Check out their website and give them a call.
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Going Away to Get Married?
Ever had that dream where you’re walking into the girls’ bathroom of your old high school about to shave your hair into a mohawk? Well I had that dream the other night… I was in a tuxedo, and when I walked through the bathroom door, there were Al Bundys in every stall, sitting on toilets with the stall doors wide open, pointing remote controls at TVs which didn’t exist, and bursting into tears about their fear of naked women.
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I’M AFRAID OF NAKED WOMEN! (The Satanic Toilet Monster Dream Remix)
If you travel with a disability, handicap, physical limitation, mobility limitation, or developmental disability, have special needs, or use an electric wheelchair or handicap scooter, it’s a good idea to learn as much as you can to make disabled travel easier. Or if you’re a mature traveler or senior who is a slow walker or just wants a slower pace, becoming more informed about disabled travel services and disability travel resources, will lessen the anxiety that often accompanies disabled travelers. The following travel tips, resources and information for the disabled will help make trips, tours, holidays and vacations a lot easier for you, or for a child with a disability, whether short-term or long-term.
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14 Ways to Make Traveling with a Disability Easier
The past decade was explosive for online travel – we saw the market skyrocket and hordes of new players enter the field. New segments of the market have blossomed, including meta-search which saw a bunch of successful exits with one company now aiming for an IPO (Kayak). Finally, towards the end of the decade, we welcomed a whole new segment dubbed “discovery” or “inspiration:” sites like uptake.com, goplanit.com and joobili.com are all trying to help travelers approach the travel planning process in a way better tailored to their goals
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Online travel predictions for 2010 and beyond
Advance payments of hotel reservations a) The hotel owner will be able to subordinate the acceptance of the order of hotel booking, to the imposition of an advance amount (guarantee or cause deposit). This advance amount will always have the character of guarantee deposit, except for the case in which the hotel owner has specified that it’s a guarantee. If the hotel owner has requested an advance payment, the conclusion of the hotel contract won’t be definitive until the imposition of the amount is not made or demonstrated the evidence of the payment
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Hotels Guide – Part 4 of 4
I just love repeat clients! This, to me, is the highest form of flattery because it tells me I did such a fantastic job last time that they trust me to repeat the same level of service again. I am a travel agent who owns a franchise with CruiseOne , so this client called me inquiring about a 10-nt Eastern Caribbean cruise at the end of January. Unfortunately, the cabin category they want is unavailable, but we are looking at a different ship or cruise line.
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Repeat Clients
Well, it is a new year and a new decade! Wow, that 10 years went really fast! Hopefully your new year will be happy, healthy and prosperous. This should be a really great year to travel. The cruise lines are all bringing down their prices to entice more people to cruise. There are going to be more weddings this year, since people held off last year. They want to get married and while they may not have the big fancy weddings that they would have had, they are still having the luxurious honeymoons. A word to everyone getting married, don’t scrimp on your honeymoon. It is a once in a lifetime trip…do it up and go where you’ve always wanted to go. There are a lot of bargains out there which are not ‘cheap’ but they certainly are less expensive than they would have been in previous years. Another thing that you may want to consider if you are getting married this year is a destination wedding. At most resorts, they will comp your wedding costs (the actual wedding itself, not the reception) if your wedding party is 10 or more rooms. While you won’t have the large reception that you may have dreamed of, you will have an exotic wedding with your family and close friends, which may be more memorable than a large wedding! And be sure to use a travel agent for all your vacation needs, whether it is for your honeymoon, destination wedding, babymoon or just a getaway. If anything goes wrong, you will be glad that you have that agent to be there for you! If you don’t have a travel agent, please call Two Sisters Travel at 1-800-614-8514 or email info@twosisterstravel.com and we will be glad to help you with any of your vacation needs. Be sure to check us out on the web at www.twosisterstravel.com or on Facebook – just click on box on the right. And if you are in New Jersey and getting married, come visit us at the Elegant Bridal show at The Kove in Edgewater Park on January 19th and at Ron Jaworski’s Valleybrook Country Club in Blackwood on February 7th.
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Happy New Year!
As a travel agent, everyday I hear people say that they saved a bundle booking their travel online with one of the internet travel services. When I ask them why they didn’t call me or use another travel agent, they tell me that they thought that this was the only way that they could get such a “good’” deal. People just don’t understand that travel agents can not only get them the same “deals” but give them more value than the online travel companies. Below are the top 10 reasons why you should use a travel agent: 1. Expert Guidance . Travel agents are experts in the field of travel. They are there to find the right product, at the best price, for your needs. 2. Personalized Service . Using the services of a travel agency means you are not booking with an impersonal website or some voice a 1000 miles away. You are talking to your neighbour, someone who knows you and what you value in your travel experience. Someone who takes the time to find out what is important to you and finds the vacation that is just right. 3. Customer Advocate . If you have problems while you are away, your travel agent is there to assist you in resolving your concerns. If you book with a travel agency, you are less likely to experience flight, city or accommodation changes by the tour operator, as they know we will be there to stand behind you
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10 Reasons why you should use a Travel Agent
If you are getting married next year, be sure to attend bridal shows to get information that you will need for your wedding and honeymoon. Two Sisters Travel will be at the Elegant Bridal show on January 19, 2010 at The Kove in Edgewater Park, NJ and at the Elegant Bridal show on February 7, 2010 at Ron Jaworski’s Valleybrook Country Club in Blackwood NJ. Be sure to come to the show, we will be there to give you some information to start planning your once in a lifetime Honeymoon! Just stop by our booth and sign up so that we can contact you to begin your planning. If you are thinking about a destination wedding, we can help you with that also
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Bridal Shows – January 19 and February 7, 2010 -
This is from our FAQ page on our website : Why should I use a travel agent, rather than planning my trip online? Planning a trip can be confusing and time consuming. A travel agent has the knowledge and experience to ensure every aspect of your planning is smooth. This means saving you money on transportation with early booking discounts or special fares, booking hotels and resorts that are well-suited to your needs, and notifying you of any travel advisories that you should know about
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Why should you use a travel agent?
NEWS PRESS RELEASE For Immediate Release Contact: Patricia OKavage 1-800-614-8514 716-809-4890 patty@twosisterstravel.com PATRICIA OKAVAGE OF TWO SISTERS TRAVEL COMPLETES PhD @ SEA PROGRAM Norwegian Cruise Line University’s new program at sea promotes continuing education for its star students. Westampton NJ December 21, 2009 As the next generation of Freestyle Cruising® continues to evolve, NCL University – NCL’s CLIA-accredited online travel agent “college” – expands the higher education program for its travel partners from the computer to a real-life Freestyle Cruising experience at sea. This in-depth, on-board, weeklong event includes an NCL executive host, a 15-credit CLIA public relations seminar, behind-the-scenes ship tours, panel discussions and group activities
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Patricia OKavage of Two Sisters Travel Completes PhD@Sea Program!
Just after Christmas, I love to begin thinking about a vacation getaway . Even if it’s only for a few days, it seems to help break up the winter a little bit and makes the gray and damp days a little more bearable. January and February are a great time to travel because it is a cheaper time of year to do so, especially if you are a cruise enthusiast. You will get a real bang for your buck when you book a delightful cruise to the Caribbean or Mexico during January or February. I like to think of a cruise as an all-inclusive vacation on water. It’s like being on a floating hotel with all of the perks and benefits of some of the most exclusive resorts around and surprisingly much less expensive. Travel agents are a valuable source for many travelers. They are a wealth of information when it comes to planning a vacation that is within your budget, but still allows you to have the kind of trip you are looking for. Their services do not cost you a penny, so why wouldn’t you take advantage of their expertise to plan one great vacation on your terms and with your budget in mind? As a travel agent, I generally will sit down with someone planning a trip and find out what they are looking for in a vacation, where they want to go, and what their budget for the trip is. Customers are always very surprised to learn that the trip they’ve been hoping to take for the last three years is really quite affordable. The internet has opened up a whole world of travel options for consumers. But, a travel agent can fine tune your wants and desire into an incredible trip that won’t break the bank for you. They will add their personal touches and couple it with your budget and expectation and create a trip that is unlike anything you could do yourself or that you could create on a travel website. It is the customer service that is missing from the others. So, if you haven’t tried the services of a travel agent, you are in for a big treat. Your trip planning will be absolutely effortless and you will look forward to the trip instead of stressing out wondering if you’ve covered all of your bases. Leave the travel planning to the expert. You’ll be so glad you did.
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January and February…A great time of year to take a vacation
As you can see from my previous posts, I recently went on a cruise to the Western Caribbean on NCL’s Jewel. This time we were in a balcony cabin. It was nice sized but the set up made the room seem small. There is a nice balcony, large enough for 2 chairs and a small table. As you walk into the cabin from the balcony, there is a small TV above a small table with a chair in the right corner. To the left is a love seat and small coffee table. Next are two twin beds (which are made into a queen bed for a couple traveling – I was traveling with my sister so we had twin beds). The passage from the living area past the beds to the bathroom/closet area is very tight and only one person could navigate it at a time. The bathroom was a nice sized bathroom. There was a separate area for the commode which had a door that could be opened and closed. On the other side of the sink was the shower, also with a door instead of a shower curtain. That was nice because it kept the bathroom floor from getting wet from the shower. The sink area was nice and big but did not have a lot of shelves so we had to keep our makeup and most cosmetics out in the room. There was not a lot of places to store items
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Balcony Cabin on NCL’s Jewel
Are you a constant traveler and always looking for a great travel deal in the UK? You might find the best way to obtain such a travel deal is by looking into buying a package deal. Many of these package deals include flight, VAT taxes or other types of taxes, hotel, car rental, and some may even include food plans
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Travel Packages In The Uk
Finally we arrive at the ruins. We get a 10 minute break to go to the bathroom, get water and you intend to video tape the ruins, pay for a permit. It is only a $4 charge so I go ahead and get my permit since I usually like to video tape as well as take pictures. We all meet and then it is on our way to the ruins. There is a quick stop for picture taking, something that is set up by the tour company probably to make a little extra money and then off to see the ruins close up. This is a small settlement and was just discovered recently. It is only about 35% excavated, but there is still a lot to see. Our first stop is at the first building and Diana gives us a lecture about the settlement and a history about the Mayan culture and how it relates to the other ruins that are in Belize and also near Cancun. We find out that she was one of the first tour guides for these ruins so we know that we are in good hands with her. There is plenty of time for pictures and then off to the other areas. We pass by one mound which they believe is part of a house but it has not been excavated yet so they will learn more once that is done, We circle around the one building and get to look at the other side and find an opening that is an entrance into the building. We are allowed to look in but can go no further. While there, Diana points out a chicle tree, which was chewed by the Mayans. This is also where ‘Chiclets’ gum originated… although they no longer use the chicle for the gum. She also points out what is thought to be the area where human sacrifices where done. She explains that it was an honor to be a sacrifice and that only the best were given that honor. We go a little further and come to an area that looks like it may have been a courtyard. There are steps everywhere that lead nowhere. Diana explains that this was the area where the houses were. They believe that the steps led to the houses of the different families. We walk a little further into the forest and come across a stone wall that is built into a hill. As you look up the hill, through the trees, you can see the top of another Mayan temple. We get more information and then are lead to 2 stairways. The first has 32 steps and it is quite steep. The second is 16 steps and looks easier to navigate. We are given the chance to climb up the stairs, but can also stay down below if you are unable to climb. I make it to the top of the 16 steps and it opens up to 2 large temples. They sit on top of the highest point in this area and there are no trees surrounding them. The Mayans picked this area because they believed that the sun was a god and they wanted to have their temples in an open area where there was lots of sun. At one point you could look out over the land and see fields and banana trees. It seems like you are on top of the world and looking down. We have come to the end of the tour and it is back to the area where we can again have a bathroom break, get some water and look at some wares that local merchants have for sale. After about 15 minutes it’s back on the bus for the trip back to Costa Maya. Our hosts are at the bus with water and soft drinks for us and then we are off. Once back on the road, Diana announces that it is siesta time so we can catch a short snooze on the way back to the ship
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Costa Maya Mexico – December 10, 2009 (Part 2)
Located between the Philippine and the South China seas in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is an exceptionally charming archipelago of 7,107 enchanting islands, covering an area of 300,000 sq km, and consisting of Mindanao, Luzon, and Visayas, thereby forming the nation’s main island chains.Acknowledged as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’, the Philippines boasts of an array of attractions comprising beautiful islands, fantastic beaches, astounding volcanoes, unique wildlife, awe-inspiring landscapes, and world-renowned diving destinations. With hundreds of awesome tourist destinations, the Philippines cater to all types of vacationers, such as honeymooners, nature lovers, adventurers, and wildlife explorers
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Manila, Gateway To The Charming Exotic Philippines
Well, it’s finally here! Leaving later today to fly to Fort Lauderdale and then off to the Western Caribbean tomorrow on NCL’s Jewel. I am so excited! And getting out of here just in time, they are calling for snow tonite! We are staying at the Comfort Inn South, Cruiseport in Fort Lauderdale tonite. They have a good deal – they will pick us up at the Fort Lauderdale airport (complimentary) and take us back to the hotel for one night there. Breakfast in the morning and then they have a shuttle that will take us to the Port of Miami. All included in the price of the hotel room and the cost was actually less than if I had booked the shuttle to Miami separately! If we were cruising out of Fort Lauderdale, the shuttle to the port would be complimentary. This hotel is a great place to stay if you come into town early for your cruise. I am really looking forward to this cruise. It is my PhD@Sea cruise. I know, you have no idea what that is. Well, each cruise line has their own ‘university’ that you attend to learn more about their cruises and they also give valuable information on sales, marketing and that sort of thing that will help to grow your business. Some cruise lines either give you a free or reduced cruise so that you can experience what it is like to cruise on their ships. Some will give you an inside cabin or reduce the cost of one of the upper class cabins, some will give you a balcony cabin. NCL gives you a balcony cabin for a reduced cost. Yes, we have to take additional classes while we are cruising but that is only on the days that we are at sea and only for part of the day. One thing that NCL includes on these PhD@Sea cruises is a behind the scenes tour of the ship. That should prove to be very interesting! We get to go into the kitchen, laundry room, up to the bridge… all the places that you don’t normally see when you cruise. NCL just started offering these tours for an extra cost to everyone, will let you know if it is worth the cost! There is quite a group of us going on this cruise and can hardly wait to meet everyone who will be there on this PhD@Sea! This cruise is on the Jewel. We are going to the Western Caribbean and will have port stops at Roatan, Honduras; Belize; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Great Stirrup Cay (pronounced ‘Key’). Looking forward to the shore excursions – there are lots of things to do at each stop! Since I have never been to any of these places, I will definitely be taking some of the excursions. I always recommend that you only take shore excursions that are either offered through the cruise line or on a reputable company that your travel agent can find for you. Don’t just walk off the ship and take an excursion with someone who is waiting at the docks, you never know what could happen. Yes, some people have been very lucky and found a great excursion for a very inexpensive price, but think about it people, this is a foreign country and you never know what could happen to you while you were on this excursion! You want to make sure that they are certified by their country to give these tours and have everything that is necessary for you to have a nice visit to their country and return safely to the ship. The cruise lines check out the tours and contract with the best to give you the best tour there. And the best thing is that if you take a tour that is offered by the ship and you are late getting back to the ship, they won’t leave without you! Well, I think that I have gone on enough for now. Hopefully I will be blogging along the way on this trip. Check out Two Sisters Travel on Facebook too, I will try to post pictures and video there
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Leaving on a Jet Plane…
I certainly did during my inspection cruise on the Sapphire Princes. As a travel professional, I’ve chosen to learn mostly about cruising. I have to know all about ships, learn which ones have what amenities and what clients would be best suited for each kind or brand of ship. From ocean cruising, river cruising, barges, paddle wheelers, luxury, premium, contemporary, how many passengers each one holds, what ports do they visit, which ones are really “all inclusive”, what works better for children, honeymooners, seniors, young adults, weddings, adventurers, golfers, the handicapped, explorers…everyone has their own idea of a “dream” cruise and it’s my pleasure to make that dream come true. So, one of the designations I have after passing all the tests and answering all the questions correctly, is achieving the rank of Commodore with Princess Cruises. The “perk” for succeeding at that was a graduation cruise on one of their ships
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Do You Feel Like A Princess?