Deals, DEALS, DEALS!!!!!

Ladies and Gents,

I got a little bored at work today and started hunting through my favorite travel sites. You need to know about some of these deals!!!!

MCO to DUB: fly to Dublin for just $590! Delta is selling a 4 night trip on 2/20-02/24. I know that's soon, but if you can do it- GO!! As found on Google Flights.

MCO to LIM: fly to Peru for only $495 the whole month of May... Basically! For a 5 night stay. Really great deal, found on Google Flights.

Athens: Groupon is running a10day trip with Airfare for just $1,999! They have lots of fine print so read it through. But that is an amazing rate on that trip!

Vietnam: Again, Grouping has an airfare and lodging package for 12days! Only $1,699. Great, SAFE opportunity to see this part of the world.

Cruising: From New Orleans you can hop a 7night cruise through the Bahamas for less than $69 a night! Royal Caribbean is offering this for $479 per person and for two separate sailing dates in Feb. Check it out!

More Cruising: From Miami to Barcelona Norwegian Cruise line is offering 11nights for only $509!!! Sure you have to buy a one way ticket back, but for only $47 a night I'm sure you can afford it!

Well that's all for now. It's the prefect season for vacationing. Around the world February is the least expensive month to travel. Keep it in mind and get out of town!

Happy Travels,

~Greet

Let's not lose it, shall we?

As Holiday travel is right around the corner I wanted to impart a few helpful tips on how to avoid the extreme headache of lost luggage. Thankfully I have only experienced this burden once in my many travels, but it was such an ordeal that I've since taken precautions to never deal with it again. So here are my suggestions:

Bold Bags: Black is not your friend. A majority of luggage is designed in black- sorry, I have no idea why. Don't be afraid to let your bag express your personality. This will help others from picking up at claims by mistake. It's also very useful if the airline does misplaces it. You'd be surprised what the airlines will notices and I've seen more than a few guests get a lucky break this way.

Ship It: Services like Luggage Forward or Luggage Free allow for a worry-free travel experience at the airport. You can send your bags straight to your Hotel, Cruise Ship, or even Golf Course. It can be pricey if overnighting- around $150 for a 50lbs bag- but it's not really that much more than the airlines and it's a LOT less than UPS.

Spy on Your Stuff: Just like you're smartphone, you can have GPS coordinates on your bags at all time with the Trakdot. The small box will send location updates through SMS, email or through the Trakdot app and website.

Good Luck to all you traveling this Holiday Season. Hopefully your Holidays are bright!
Safe Travels,
~Greet

There be Pirates in these Waters!

As my time has been spent recently focusing on my work, I know I can not stray too far from home. Luckily for me, I live in Florida and paradise is never too far away. Personally, I have not had the pleasure of visiting any of the breathtaking islands just a few hours from my home. Until recently I have been caught up in the history and elegance of Europe, the wild and ancient ruins of Central America, and the utterly uniqueness of the U.S.
I have started to research the tropical land and seascapes of the Caribbean and what I've found is more than just honeymooners and boozecruises... although there are plenty of those! Here are some of my tips:

Season
Prices vary considerably in the Caribbean depending on the season. To get the best rates, travel during off-season (from July 1 through September 30), which coincides with hurricane season. Many hotels, restaurants and airlines lower their rates (some, up to 50%!) during this period. Don't be crippled with worry about storms: some Caribbean islands fall south of the "hurricane belt" and are rarely affected by the rains. High season is generally from mid December through early January, so it's best to avoid it!

Airfare
Keep a close watch on travel sites that offer frequent fare sales. Be flexible with your dates and try to travel outside high season to get the very best rates on air fares. Many low-cost carriers such as JetBlue and AirTran have entered the Caribbean market, so there are deals to be found if you're vigilant.

Accommodations
Entertain the advantages of renting a villa or condo versus staying at a luxury resort. Some condos or villas can hold between two and twelve people. If you're traveling with several family members or friends, you can easily find a home that can accommodate your entire party in separate rooms.
A beautiful 3 bedroom villa with a private pool and maid service may only run $2000 for a week. With 6 people traveling, this winds up costing only $47 per night per person -- far cheaper than any island resort. There are also small guest houses on many islands that cater to couples and honeymooners. Look into these as they are normally family run, may include some meals, and the prices can be highly affordable. You all know my 1st choice!

Dining
Some of the very best dining in the islands is the local fare being served from small shanties on the beach grilling fresh seafood or corner stands with scrumptious and budget priced dahls, rotis and johnny cakes. You can gorge yourself on fresh local food cooked by islanders on less than $10 per person.

Activities
The natural beauty of the islands allows for a variety of activities such as sailing, hiking, horseback riding, bird watching, river rafting, zip-lining, golfing, or touring historical sites. I've recently become a fan of diving, but just be care that you're going with a legitimate operation- Safety first!
Coupled with the array of beach activities available, it can be fairly inexpensive to find engaging sports for everyone to enjoy. Of course, most islands also have cultural centers where you can see how life was in the past, as well as museums and other public events.

Hope these help you. I'm excited to plan a trip soon. Keep an eye out for it ;)

~Greet

Lost but not forgotten

My title says it all today. I have been very lost lately, in work and career advancement. I have not taken the time to focus on my passion for travel and for sharing my passion with you, my readers. I'm hoping to change that. I'm trying my hardest to find a balance of work and personal time. This is a challenge everyone must face at some point in their careers, I'm just lucky enough that my passion for travel bridges my work and my personal loves.

But as I said, you are not forgotten! I recently was able to touch base with one of my great travel companions who will be visiting my this November and she reminded me of something I've been meaning to share with you all. She is my ticket to affordable travel!

Now how is that possible? Ever heard of a Buddy Pass?

A buddy pass is a coupon that is exchanged for an open seat on an airplane. When using a buddy pass, one doesn't pay for the actual flight, but pays for taxes and fees. Passengers using buddy passes are non-revenue, standby passengers who get the last open seats on flights after revenue passengers and airlines allocate buddy passes to employees that they can give to friends and relatives.

If you ever have the opportunity to travel this way, TAKE IT!!!! Often times these open seats are in first class! That's how I got to experience the luxury of Delta's First Class. It's been hard to go back to coach, but I really have NO money so I simple must.

This is why I have founded my new goal in life: Marry A Pilot!
Just kidding, but if he's dreamy then maybe I'm not ;)

Safe Travels, Friends! 

50 posts and still going!

Greeting readers.
I hope this post finds you warm and safe. To all the people effected by the blizzards in the North East, I hope that you are being smart and staying in your homes. It's been a rough year for them and my heart goes out to them!
I wanted this, my fiftieth, to be a "good news" sort of post; so here it goes "Good News, Everyone!"
Despite all the bad publicity, air travel safety has never been higher. Today is the 4 year anniversary of the last fatal aviator crash! And it's been more than a decade since the last accident involving a big domestic carrier.Globally, air travel has also been remarkably safe. "Overall, it was the certainly the safest year ever," Paul Hayes, director of safety at Ascend, told the Wall Street Journal. Last year "was almost twice as safe as 2011, which itself had previously" attained the distinction of being twice as safe as the year before, Hayes said. The safer skies for travelers can be attributed to more reliable planes, better navigation technology and improved sharing of flight information and hazards among regulators and airlines, and YOU. 
Travelers are wiser than ever!  We've finally stop fighting all the security measures and embraced the fact that you can take no more than 4 oz of shampoo in your carry-on case. Of course, that being said I just dealt with a guest at my front desk the other day whose bags were delayed and she had placed her medications in her checked luggage... DON'T DO THAT! So it's still not 100%, but we are getting so much better.
So OFFICIALLY, I would like to thank you, fellow travelers. You are helping keep the skies safer!
Happy Travels,
~Greet

Comparing Frequent Flyer Miles

Everybody wants to know which airline has the best frequent flier program, but there's no one-size-fits all answer. Its based on who you fly with most often, where you're going and how do you want to spend your points. Here are some general guidelines about award-bookings rules and fees that may sway your loyalties. Most programs have similar rules and award levels, except for JetBlue and Southwest, which award points- not miles.
Besides fees to make changes or book a ticket at the last minute, you usually have to pay taxes and security fees when you travel on an award ticket sometimes a surcharge of $10-$30 if you book over the phone.

Program      Cost to Change      Fee to Redeposit Miles     Surcharge     Days Before Booking

Alaska Air        $75 or free within 3              $75                    $60 within 3           330
800-252-7522    days of booking                                      weeks of departure
alaskaair.com

American           $100 (no charge to          $100         $50 for travel within 7-20 days      331
AAdvantage,      change date or time,                          $100 for travel within 6 days
800-882-8880
aa.com

Continental            $50                     $50              $50 within 4-14 days             330
OnePass,                                                                 $75 within 3 days
800-621-7467
continental.com

Delta SkyMiles,          $50               $75               $75 within 20 days                 331
800-323-2323
delta.com

JetBlue TrueBlue,             $45                       n/a                        n/a                      n/a
800-548-2583
jetblue.com

Southwest                 None                     n/a                           n/a                   about 90
Rapid Rewards,
800-248-4377
southwest.com

United Mileage         $100 (no charge for              $100             $50 within 7-13 days,         330
Plus,                         change to date or time)                                 $75 within 6 days
888-467-0507
united.com

US Airways           $100 (no charge for      $100       $75 over phone within 14 days       330
Dividend Miles,     change to date or time)                     No charge online
800-428-4322
usairways.com


There you have it, you can make your own decisions from here. Each person has different goals, so find the program that works best for you!
Happy Travels,
~Greet

The 24 hour Rule

Most travelers don't know but when you purchase a plane ticket, you usually have 24hrs to change your mind and receive a full refund. That grace period was originally established by the Airlines Reporting Corporation, which handles ticketing services  behind the scene for more than 130 airlines. It was adopted long ago to give customers a chance to address any second thoughts or for a travel agency to review and correct any issues.
Most  airlines and travel agencies still offer customers 24 hours to cancel and get a full refund. Companies don't go out of their way to inform you of this, which is why I'm here! If you get your ticket receipt via email, read the fine print- you'll most likely have to call for any chances.
Just keep in mind, that if making changes you can only book currently available fares!

International Gateways

So traveling aboard is expensive, right? Well, DUH! And that's not going to change any time soon, but you can dampen the cost by know some important tips. Tips like it's cheaper to fly into some airports than others. Today's blog is all about the importance of International Gateways.

Dublin- The capital and most populous city of Ireland.The English name for the city is derived from the Irish name Dubhlinn, meaning "black pool". Dublin is situated near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and the center of the Dublin Region. It is also one of the most affordable airports in the EU. It's a great access point to the UK and Western Europe. There is this wonderful little gem of an airline called Aer Lingus who travels from major US cities to Dublin for a decent rate.
              Another great thing about DUB is that they also service the smaller, cheaper airlines that are great for traveling around Europe. Airlines like Ryan Air and Jet Blue, often use smaller, more remote airports to save on taxes and fees so you the traveler will save as well, but Dublin is one of the few LARGE hubs. This makes it very easy to fly in on an affordable roundtrip ticket and then hop to your final destination for a steal.

Barcelona- the capital of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain. I have NO IDEA why it is so affordable to fly here. It's a city filled with amazing art and architecture. Plus some beautiful beaches! Either way, it's the traveler's gain, so take advantage. Especially if you're looking to hop down to Morocco, which can easily be done.
                Now BCN is as large of a hub, but it does offer another alternative: Rail access. If you have always dreamed of roaming the trains of Europe, this is a great jumping point. From Barcelona it is just an overnight trail to amazing destinations like Paris or Roma.

Frankfurt am Main- I know what your thinking ("WHAT?! How?? and No way!"), but read me out! While it is only the 5th largest city in Germany, Frankfurt is the economical mecca of this strong EU nation. With all this financial business going on, it makes sense that flights are easier to find and may cost a little less. The airport connects directly to the rail system and the city is a great launching area for the romantic countryside.

San José- The capital of Costa Rica is a great link into the Central American jungles. Travel through central and south America can be spotty at best, but by flying over some of the more hostile areas you can easily link up with a more reliable bus system. Flights here can very throughout the year, but most affordable is during rainy season. Don't let a few sprinkles dampen your thirst for adventure!

As far as Asia goes, it gets a little more tricky. The single largest market for Asia-USA service is to/from/via Tokyo/Narita, followed by Hong Kong. Depending on time and cost, you can also price out travel to  Canada. Air Canada has an extensive network of Asia-Canada service including numerous Toronto non-stops aside from their Asia gateway city of Vancouver. Taipei also offer some attractive carriers who are generally seen as budget friendly: China Airlines and EVA Airlines.

Please add comments if you have related tips of your own!