As a luxury travel experience advisor, I do everything I can to help my clients prepare for the best possible vacations. The last thing you want to hear about is bad weather, cancellations, delays, and/or overbooked flights causing you to get bumped off. This post offers you six tips to help you avoid any disappointment when on vacation.
Arrive airport Early!
- Plan on arriving at the airport in plenty of time to get your luggage checked in, pass through security and if need be, immigration. If you’re flying internationally, allow a good three hours. For domestic flights, you can allow less time, but it is always better to be early than late.
2. Another way to avoid disappointment when on vacation is to always give yourself one day’s leeway if you must get to at a destination on a specific date. This is especially important if you are embarking on a cruise. Book a flight that will allow you to arrive a day early. Airlines often delay flights due to unforeseen weather, problems with aircraft maintenance, staffing, traffic, etc.
3. Although you may be tempted, avoid purchasing the lowest non-refundable airfare. Should a flight be oversold, and you are holding one of these tickets, you stand a good chance of being asked to take another flight. This usually occurs before you board the plane and they do offer financial compensation. However, because of the public’s outrage over the United incident when a passenger was dragged from his seat and forcibly taken off the plane, the airlines have changed their policies. Now, passengers can never be forced to leave their seats against their will.
4. Two weeks before you’re planning to leave on your trip take out your passport and thoroughly inspect it. You want to ensure that it is in good condition and that it won’t expire within six months. This gives you enough time to get to the passport office for a renewal or replacement if you’ve misplaced it or it’s about to expire or is damaged in some way.
Trip Protection Insurance
5. It is strongly recommended to purchase Trip Protection Insurance that includes medical coverage and for unforeseen situations like lost luggage and delays. Unfortunately, things can happen when you’re on vacation and it’s best to have insurance against any losses. An unexpected emergency could arise at home involving a loved one that requires you to cancel your vacation. Something unexpected could happen during your trip that necessitates a change. Some credit card companies offer Trip Protection Insurance, but the coverage is usually very limited. Read the policy thoroughly to ensure you are adequately covered, especially if you have any pre-existing medical conditions.
- My final tip to avoid disappointment when on vacation. Always place your passport, credit cards, cash and any other important personal items in the hotel or ship’s safe when you arrive. Keep them there for the entire trip to ensure that they do not get lost or stolen. Carry a minimal amount of cash with you each day while touring and if you have two credit cards, leave one behind in the safe so you have a backup should you lose the one you’ve been carrying.
Conclusion for any disappointment when on Vacation
My hope is that your travel experience goes without any hitches and that these six tips will help you along the way. Of course, having a travel experience advisor at your beck and call should something go wrong would relieve a lot of the stress of travel and be the safest way to ensure you have the best vacation ever.
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