In the past year or so, I see a change in the way my clients are booking travel, but they are still booking.
People do not want to give up their well-deserved and earned vacations if they don’t have to. They may tighten the belt a little when it comes to the amount they are spending on a vacation, but they still see the importance in taking time off from the every day and traveling. While some may still be doing the “stay-cation” to cut corners, I think the majority is looking for that escape that you get when you are lounging on a beach, cruising the seas, touring exotic places…you get the picture.

The other change that I have noticed is that consumers are planning and booking their trips closer in to the travel date. While some may think this is the best way to get a great deal, that’s really not all that true.
There may be times when that works out well, when the price and the perfect package align. That’s not the reality most of the time, especially when you must have a flight to get to your destination, whether it be a cruise or all-inclusive or other land package. Sure, if you live in Florida or near other cruise port areas, you can book a last minute cruise and get a great deal. But, is it the cruise ship, or the itinerary that you really wanted? Or, is it the ship or itinerary that isn’t selling very well? Some people may be fine with just doing something and getting the best price. I have had clients tell me this when we are planning their trip, only to find out that they weren’t as thrilled with their vacation upon returning. What I have learned over the years is that when a client says that they want a great deal, what they really mean is that they want a great value.

And, if you think you are going to find a great value booking close in when your travel plans require air fare, you may be mistaken. I have received many calls in the past few months from clients stating that they saw such a great last minute deal on a cruise or resort. What they don’t realize is that unless that deal includes air, they may be paying a lot more for the air portion than they would have if they planned earlier. In fact, they could be paying more for the air than they would be on that “great deal” they saw advertised for the cruise or resort. Well, okay, maybe there is a flight that costs less, but then again it has 2 layovers and takes your entire first vacation day just to fly to your destination. Not a great value in my mind.

So, what’s a travel professional’s recommendation for a great travel value? First, think about what type of vacation you are interested in, or the destination that you would like to travel to. Consider planning your vacation approximately 6 months prior to departure (some types of vacations may require earlier booking and some may be okay to book a little closer in.) Contact your travel professional to discuss your options. Be clear about what your expectations and preferences are (contrary to popular belief, we are not mind readers.) If you truly are flexible as to the destination or type of vacation, then realize that you do have to give some type of parameter for your travel professional to work with. Yes, the dreaded “budget” word is going to be mentioned. I know that people do not like giving that piece of information. They feel like they will not get the best deal that way. However, please consider that by simply telling me you want a “great deal” I have no idea what that means. Mrs. Smith’s idea of a great deal may be an all-inclusive resort vacation with airfare for 7 nights for under $1K a person; while Mr. Jone’s idea of a great deal for the same type of vacation may be a couple K’s more. (See, this is where the mind reader part comes in…I’m not one.) Everyone has different tastes, expectations, preferences and budgets. As a travel professional, I can only do my best work for you, when you give me the information I need when I ask you questions during our consultation. C’mon, say it with me, “Help me, help you!”

If you are still apprehensive, thinking, “what if a better price comes up later?” There are ways to combat that fear. For example, there are some travel protection plans that allow a “best price guarantee” and generally speaking a cruise price can be readjusted after deposit. I have adjusted prices on trips for clients many times and they are always so happy that they booked early. By planning ahead, you not only will get a great price, but also the vacation that you want. In other words, a great vacation value!

For your travel planning…

Amy@ARoomWithAViewTravel.com

There are many positive things to say about our stay at the RIU Vallarta, but overwhelmingly the most postive comments I heard were about the terrific staff and entertainment crew at the resort. I believe I can safely say that all of the women in our group would agree that the trip was a hit largely because of them.
Yes, there’s the beautiful beach that goes for miles in either direction and is surrounded by silhouettes of mountains. The tropical setting complete with amazing sunsets. A very pretty resort, good food and plentiful frothy and fun drinks. But, the thing that everyone talked about the most was the friendly, funny, hard-working staff and entertainment crew. The bartenders were kept extremely busy making their special (and colorful!) concoctions, such as their amazing Rainbow shots. They easily played dual roles of mixologists and comedians. No matter how busy they were, they always had a smile on their face and the ability to joke around with the guests. David and Manuel by the pool bar; Paco, JoseLuis and little Ezekiel in the courtyard bar all left us with sore facial muscles from laughing so hard. The entertainment staff work amazingly long hours, yet never seemed to lose their steam. They not only ran the requisite activities during the day (pool games, dance classes, excercise classes, etc.) and the entertainment or shows at night, but also kept the disco hopping late night. I’ve stayed at my fair share of all-inclusive resorts, and I have never been to one that had this active of a disco. Maybe it was just the right combination of guests staying at the resort while we happened to be there, but I don’t think so. I think it was mainly due to the efforts of the entertainment crew. They were so good at interacting with guests, getting them to dance and generally looking like they were having a great time doing it, that you almost forgot that they were working. For those that wanted to venture off the resort, they also made arrangements to take guests downtown (the Malecon) to go to dance clubs. Most of our group decided to do this one night and it truly was one of the highlights of our trip. Not only did we have VIP passes to get into some jam-packed clubs, we felt safer this way, and it was such a blast dancing with Pepe, Jesse and Fernando. (Believe me, these guys can dance!) I think it really made us feel special and isn’t that what everyone wants on a vacation? Whether it’s the way you are greeted at the door, the way your room is turned down at night with that cute little towel animal or the way that your food is beautifully presented, it’s all in the personal touch that counts when it comes down to it.

To make your reservation at the RIU Vallarta, contact Amy at A Room With A View-Cruise & Travel!
800-571-3159

Sail round trip from Fort Lauderdale on the beautiful Crown Princess to the Western Caribbean, 1/16/10.
Balconies start at $699 plus gov. fees/taxes.

Sail round trip from Los Angeles on the lovely Sapphire Princess to the Mexican Riviera, 1/9/10.
Balconies start at $699 plus gov. fees/taxes.

Prices are based on double occupancy and are subject to availability. Other categories of cabins available: Inside starting from $449 and Oceanview from $499 plus gov. feex/taxes. Other itineraries and sail dates also available during this special sale. Contact us for more information.

Airfare, travel insurance and optional pre or post-cruise hotel stay are additional and available upon request.

Hurry, contact A Room With A View today! This is a limited time offer and with balcony rates this low they won’t last long!

A ROOM WITH A VIEW – CRUISE & TRAVEL
800-751-3159 Toll Free
Amy@ARoomWithAViewTravel.com

Oasis of the Seas Ship Facts

Harri Kulovaara, Royal Caribbean’s executive vice president of maritime, said that it is hard to describe the Oasis of the Seas in words.
He was right. So here is an attempt to do it with numbers:
1.7 million – hours spent designing the ship.
8,000 – person years working on the Oasis.
15 – architectural firms involved in Oasis-class design design.
3,000 – miles of cable on the Oasis.
2,300 – workers still onboard.
2,160 – crew members that will staff the Oasis.
95% – percentage pulled from existing Royal Caribbean ships.
2.5 years – average experience of each crew member.
5,000 – cumulative years of customer service on Oasis.
24 – restaurants on Oasis.
37 – bars.
13 – retail outlets.
12,000 – Number of plants that will be transplanted onto the grounds of the Boardwalk neighborhood of the ship.
30,000 – weight of cars equivalent to the weight of Oasis’ hull.
650,000 – liters of paint used on Oasis.
2.4 million – square footage of the Oasis
150 – suites on the Oasis.
2,700 – deck chairs on the ship.
6 and 3 – maximum and minimum number of trips up and down per hour the Rising Tide bar can make.
21 – depth in feet of the diving pool in the AquaTheater.
139,000 – gallons of water in the AquaTheater pool, more than all the pools on the Freedom of the Seas combined.

For More Information and to Make Your Reservation Onboard the Oasis of the Seas, Contact:
A Room With A View – Cruise & Travel Toll Free 800-571-3159 or Email Amy@ARoomWithAViewTravel.com

Contact Amy at A Room With A View to Make Your Reservation at an Iberostar All-Inclusive Resort!
Toll Free 800-571-3159
Amy@ARoomWithAViewTravel.com

A Room With A View – Cruise & Travel

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Toll Free 800-571-3159
Amy@ARoomWithAViewTravel.com
www.aroomwithaviewtravel.com

Click on the link to view great cruise pricing for couples on Celebrity Cruises! Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal and Mediterranean itineraries for 2009 and 2010 sail dates.

Contact Amy at A Room With A View to Make Your Reservation (Starring You) on Celebrity!
Toll Free – 800-571-3159
Email – Amy@ARoomWithAViewTravel.com

Mention that you saw this on Amy’s View and get a free Bon Voyage Gift for your cruise!

Now is the time to start planning your winter and spring vacations for 2010! Prices are amazing and if you have a group (Family Reunion, Girlfriend Getaway, Couples Getaway, Friends & Family, Church Group, etc.) the earlier the better for vacation planning.

Check out the special group rates available exclusively through A ROOM WITH A VIEW and contact me if you have a group that would like to take advantage of these terrific offers (and possible group perks) or if you would like to book into a group to take advantage of the rates.

Hurry, these prices and cabins won’t last long! Call Amy today to secure your place on the Carnival Valor or the Carnival Victory!

WOW, Balcony stateroom for $764.25 per person and that includes the government fees/taxes!
Oceanview cabin for $644.25 per person
Inside cabin for $544.25 per person

*Your group books 5 or more cabins and receives a $100 onboard credit per cabin!

7 DAY EXOTIC WESTERN CARIBBEAN ITINERARY – Carnival Valor January 31, 2010
Sunday, Jan 31
Miami, FL
4:00pm
Monday, Feb 01
Fun Day At Sea
Tuesday, Feb 02
Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
7:00am
4:00pm
Wednesday, Feb 03
Isla Roatan
12:00pm
7:00pm
Thursday, Feb 04
Belize
8:00am
5:00pm
Friday, Feb 05
Cozumel, Mexico
8:00am
5:00pm
Saturday, Feb 06
Fun Day At Sea
Sunday, Feb 07
Miami, FL
8:00am

_____

Great Southern Caribbean itinerary on the Carnival Victory! Balconies at $881.37 per person includes government taxes and fees!
Oceanview at $711.37 per person
Inside cabins at $591.37 per person.

*Your group books 5 or more cabins and receives a $100 onboard credit and bottle of wine per cabin!

7 DAY SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN ITINERARY – Carnival Victory March 7, 2010
Sunday, Mar 07
San Juan, Puerto Rico
10:00pm
Monday, Mar 08
St. Thomas, USVI
7:00am
5:00pm
Tuesday, Mar 09
Dominica
10:00am
6:00pm
Wednesday, Mar 10
Barbados
8:00am
5:00pm
Thursday, Mar 11
St. Lucia, WI
8:00am
5:00pm
Friday, Mar 12
Antigua
8:00am
6:00pm
Saturday, Mar 13
St Kitts, WI
7:00am
4:00pm
Sunday, Mar 14
San Juan, Puerto Rico
7:00am

All pricing based on double occupancy, includes government fees and taxes is subject to change until guaranteed with a deposit. Airfare, travel insurance and gratuities are additional. Itineraries are subject to change. *Group amenities are only available if 5 or more cabins sail in a group. Ships Registry: Panama

Contact Amy at A ROOM WITH A VIEW! Toll Free 800-571-3159 or Amy@ARoomWithAViewTravel.com For More Information or to Make Your Reservation!