Summer is here! And with it, the busy summer travel season. We recently published an article by our wayfaring client and on-going CIRE Travel Journal contributor, Jamie Edwards, with her best travel tips, tricks and hacks. This week, we’re sharing 13 more travel tips from our CIRE Travel team of experts to ensure you have the most fabulous summer vacation possible!
Eric’s Tips for Planning a Stress-Free Vacation
Eric in the Seychelles
Get travel insurance
“For those big trips, always purchase a travel insurance policy. You never know what could come up… Airline issues (like airline strikes) and political events (like protests or civil unrest) can make travel to your destination nearly impossible. Prices vary depending on the total price of the trip, your age, and the state you live in, but isn’t your peace of mind worth it? An actual example of insurance cost for a recent vacation I planned: The total travel cost was $14,000, including fights, hotels, and activities. The trip insurance was $350 total, covering both people travelling. Also, the “click here” flight insurance may not cover everything. Read the fine print!”
Pre-pay your rental car
“If you’re renting a car in Europe, your best bet is to pre-pay for your rental and all-inclusive insurance. This way, there will be no surprise fees when you pick up the car and no pressure to buy additional, unnecessary insurance. I recently had a client who bristled at the higher, upfront fee and declined to do the pre-paid/all-inclusive option. But when she went to pick up the car, she was hit with an additional $500 in insurance charges. So, what looked to be a deal at the time of reserving, was, in fact, not.”
Travel in shoulder season
“Consider booking your trip in the shoulder season. Not only will you get more bang for your buck, you won’t have to fight the crowds. Over-tourism is real! You can typically get flights and hotels for up to 50% less than what you would pay in high season. If you’re thinking about going to Europe, consider April, May or early June – or October – rather than the summertime. Then it’s the reverse for the Caribbean; you can get great deals in the late spring and summer. You could also consider a post-holiday get-away. You can get good prices on flights and hotels the first two weeks of December (right after Thanksgiving) as well as the second/third week of January (after the first week of the new year but before MLK day).”
Esther’s Tips for Planning an Amazing Vacation
Esther in Morocco
Plan ahead
“Whether you’re organizing the trip on your own or working with a professional travel advisor, you need to plan in advance to get the best experience. Our clients who have the most amazing vacations plan for their spring break and winter holidays a year in advance. Yes! One year! But they get the best availability and most ample choices versus digging through the bottom of the barrel.”
Go off-the-beaten path
“Instead of Rome, Florence, and the Amalfi Coast, look at Puglia’s Bari and Lecce. Instead of Mykonos or Santorini, consider Naxos and Paros. Often times, you’ll find better priced accommodations, equally impeccable service, an overall more authentic experience—and the best part—fewer crowds!”
Katy’s Tips for Planning a Fabulous Vacation
Katy in New Zealand
Embrace being a tourist
“If you’re doing a city stay, consider taking the hop-on/hop-off bus tour on day one. I know, I know… But they are reasonably priced and a great way to get the lay of the land in a new city (plus, you’re probably a little jet-lagged so it’s nice to have a more lowkey first day). Look for one with a live guide as opposed to an audio guide, if possible. Your local guide will know all the secret history and interesting tidbits! If you have a good guide, consider staying on all the way around. Then you’ll be able to make educated choices as to where you want to spend your time for the rest of your visit.”
Trust the travel pros
“Trust the process! It’s not always necessary to know exactly where you want to go on vacation, only that you want to go somewhere! A professional travel advisor can help you find the best location based on when you can travel, what you like to do, and where you’ve been before. You don’t usually go to the mechanic and tell them exactly what needs to be done to your car, you let the expert work their magic. Trust your travel advisor to make recommendations for your vacation destination and you may end up looking at places you never considered before.”
Consider costs
“Sometimes paying more is the better value. It sounds counter intuitive but there are lots of complexities with pricing in the travel industry. The cheapest airfare often won’t include checked bags, seat reservations, and sometimes even cabin baggage. Some seat reservations can be over $100 per person per flight. For a flight with multiple connections, you may find that buying a slightly higher priced ticket that includes baggage and seats works out to be a better value in the long run. A professional travel advisor knows the best way to save you money and will compare all the options, so you don’t have to get a migraine looking at all the fine print!”
Melissa in Paris
Melissa’s Tips for Planning an Incredible Vacation
Pre-arrange airport pick-up
“Book the private airport transfers. There is no price on peace of mind, especially when you’re coming in on a red-eye and got zero sleep on the flight. The last thing you want to worry about is whipping out the local transportation app or not being sure whether your taxi is overcharging you or taking you to the right place.”
Ask the locals
“Though I love a detailed itinerary with all reservations in place (it’s my job, after all!), I always leave some room to let life surprise me. Some of my best meals and sunsets views over the city have come from recommendations from locals. So don’t be shy! Ask the barista who poured your espresso or the friendly local behind you in line. I promise, you won’t be disappointed!”
YinYin in Tokyo
YinYin’s Tip for Planning a Perfect Vacation
Check your passport
“Make sure your passport(s) are up to date and valid for six months after you return from your trip. Sometimes, airlines and/or countries may not allow entry if your passport’s not sufficiently up to date. You never know what may happen so always be prepared. And it doesn’t hurt to also have a photocopy or two of your passport in case you lose it during travels – put one in your suitcase or somewhere safe.”
Amy’s Tips for Planning a Successful Vacation
Amy with her guide, Giovanni, in Rome
Skip the line
“I never wait in line. If it’s worth going to (a restaurant, museum, historic site), it’s worth planning ahead and making reservations or buying advance tickets. And do you really want to spend your precious vacation time waiting in line? When I was in Rome, I arranged for a private tour of the Vatican. Yes, it cost a little extra, but I whizzed by the (very long) line of sweating tourists. When I took my niece to the Empire State Building, we got the express pass and went right to the top. When I went to the cathedral in Seville, I booked the rooftop tour (very cool!). The tour ended back downstairs, inside the church, where you could explore on your own. Everyone else had to wait in the long line outside to get in!”
Use the hotel safe
“It’s rare that you’ll need your passport when touring around a new city or country. And if you do, a photocopy or picture on your phone should suffice. Leave your passport at the hotel in the safe. And leave other valuables there, too. There’s no need to walk around with all of the cash you brought on the trip. Leave some safely in the safe in your room.”
Now that we’ve armed you with some expert travel tips, get inspired to for your next incredible getaway!
CIRE Travel is a full-service travel agency headquartered in New York, NY. Our expert team supports clients across the country and around the world.
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