Many a vacation has gone askew. I for one have heard of many people stating
that they had the worst vacation of their life.
There is one thing you must remember about vacations.
“VACATIONS
ARE WHAT YOU MAKE OF IT”.
When you Plan
A Vacation there are 5 trip planning mistakes to avoid in order to make sure
your vacation is the best it can be.
Avoiding these planning mistakes will help you and your family or
friends get the most out of your vacation.
1. Being Inflexible with Your Dates
Be flexible
about when your vacation can be. By
leaving for vacation on a Thursday rather than a Saturday, you could be saving
a considerable amount of money. Also by
checking different dates of departure you could also avoid connecting flights,
long lines and even get better times to fly.
Choosing set dates for your trip and then refusing to budge is definitely
not wise.
If you're
planning to fly during high-traffic holidays like spring break or Christmas/New
Year, be prepared to pay top dollar for air transportation. Budget travelers may want to seek alternatives
to holiday travel, whether it means taking the kids out of school or begging
the big boss for some extra vacation days.
2. Booking Online
Research your
trip online. Understand what you are
getting and feel comfortable with the experience you are about to have. Although it may feel convenient, booking
online without the help of a qualified travel agent is a crap shoot.
You must
remember, everything can look wonderful online, however talking to a travel
agent (whether by phone or in person) can really make the difference. The travel agent may explain to you that
there is construction at the resort that you are looking at and therefore may
not be a good fit. Also many times the
travel agent has been or knows someone that has been at a certain resort or
hotel and can give you advice on what to be prepared for.
If there is
ever a problem who are you going to call if you booked online? A travel agent is there for you.
3. If it looks too good to be true…..
If it looks
too good to be true, it usually is.
First of all, I'm a big advocate of the travel deal. Getting a bargain
is everyone’s goal, however trying to get a bargain for the sake of getting a
bargain can make you fall into the vacation trap. The vacation trap is the resort that is not
up to par with other resorts, but it was a good deal. Perhaps the food is bland and tasteless, but
it was a good deal. The flight times
actually shaved almost a full day of enjoyment at the beach, but it was a good
deal.
Beware of
discounted tickets or passes that you may not actually use. Also beware of
discounts or special offers for hotels, cruises or packages that you probably
wouldn't book in the first place, or that exceed your budget even with that
percentage off or a free night's stay. Sure,
it feels like you're getting more value for your money if you're paying less
than the original price for accommodations. But if you're still paying more than you would
at a comparable, cheaper place, what's the point?
4. Cramming Too Much In
I have been
guilty myself of cramming too much in. When
this happens, I get home from my vacation and I need another one because it was
just too busy. Also if you don’t leave
some wiggle room for the unexpected then your vacation could become a
nightmare.
If you are
spending thousands on your vacation it is hard not to try and cram everything
in. Who can blame you for trying to get
the most out of your hard earned money?
It is key to leave some “wiggle” room for the unexpected; such as your
missed connecting flight in Atlanta or the broken down tour bus in Italy. If your flight leaves a couple of hours after
the bus is scheduled to arrive then you could have a problem if there was
traffic congestion or even a simple flat tire.
Also it is
smart to leave some space for spontaneous quests. Who knows, you may find a jazz bar with cold
drinks that you fall in love with or even a secluded beach that you want to
enjoy. Part of having a fun vacation is
taking advantage of the treasures that you happen upon.
5. Under-Budgeting
Even travelers
who carefully draw up a budget before their big trip can end up with financial
plans slaughtered by unexpected fees.
Different types of taxes, airline surcharges, costs of airline meals and
snacks, ATM fees, hotel service charges, etc etc can really overwhelm you. Overlook the surcharges and your trip could
cost hundreds more than you bargained for.
The
nickel-and-diming airlines are by far the worst offenders, but hotels, cruise
lines, all-inclusive resorts and car rental companies aren't far behind. Your
best bet is to always read the fine print and to ask your travel agent to
outline exactly what is and what isn't included in the price.