5 Reasons to Visit St. Lucia

I recently had the privilege of traveling to St. Lucia with the St. Lucia Tourist Board to experience the island and visit many of the resorts. It was every bit as magical as I had imagined it would be, and I'm convinced that this island has something for everyone.  Here are 5 reasons why you might want to consider traveling to St. Lucia:

1) St. Lucia is widely considered to be the Hawaii of the Caribbean due to its volcanic origins and varied terrain. There is a "drive through volcano", rain-forests, and beautiful beaches. And, for many people in North America, it's closer to home, easier to get to, and less expensive.

2) The people on the island are very friendly and hard-working, and the official language is English, so there is no language barrier. The tourism business is their primary business and they understand how to make travelers feel welcome.  I met so many warm and genuinely good people on this island that I hated to leave.

3) The beaches are gorgeous! There are volcanic sand beaches and there are imported white sand beaches and everything in between, but no matter which beach you are on, it's beautiful and the water is warm and inviting.  I saw some beaches with surf and wind (which the kite boarders were enjoying), but most of the beaches in Rodney Bay, Castries, and Soufriere, were calm and inviting.

4) There is a resort here that is just what you are looking for. I was so impressed with the wide variety of resorts catering to just about every price point.  There are off-beach, budget properties for those who want to keep it simple, there are mid-range large all-inclusives, there are small, stunning boutique properties, and there are over-the-top "I think I died and went to Heaven" properties.  Try one (or better yet, try two)!

5) There are so many great activities and excursions on the island. While there, I visited the volcano and mud-baths, took a Segway tour in the rain-forest (highly recommended), visited a casino, and took a catamaran sail along the coast.  There is also horseback riding, kite boarding, zip-lining, hiking, snorkeling, and diving. You can be as busy as you wish or simply relax and enjoy this wonderful Caribbean island.

For a long time, St. Lucia had been on my list of islands that I'd love to see first-hand.  It surpassed all of my expectations and is, without a doubt, one of my very favorite Caribbean destinations. But don't take my word for it - go see for yourself!

Fun 'n Sun Travel & Cruise provides friendly, personal, professional service in order to plan each and every client's dream vacation, destination wedding, honeymoon, or cruise at one of the best prices available. Call us at 1-855-557-5588, visit us on the web at fnstravel.com, or email us at info@fnstravel.com.

8 Easy Tips for a Smoother Vacation

Taking a vacation can be one of life's greatest pleasures, but getting there can be anything but.  Here are a few simple tips (most learned the hard way) for ensuring that traveling  to your ultimate destination doesn't put a damper on your enjoyment.

1) Don't schedule a "crack of dawn" flight - It can be very tempting to think that you'll be arriving at your destination with a large part of the day left to enjoy yourself, but remember that you'll need to arrive at the airport at least 2 hours in advance of your flight.  So, if you're going to have to get up at 2:00 am after only a couple hours of sleep to be at the airport at 4:00 am for your 6:00 am flight, think about how exhausted you'll be when you arrive at your resort after a long day of traveling.  A flight that leaves at mid-morning can allow you to arrive well-rested and in a much better frame of mind.

2) Don't gamble with a tight connection - If you don't have a direct flight, be sure to leave yourself adequate time to change gates and planes.  A slight delay in your departure time can wreak havoc on your ability to make your next flight.  Do yourself a huge favor and allow at least an hour for domestic layover, more for international ones.  Missing your connecting flight is a great way to get your vacation off to a bad start.  Don't take that chance.

3) Check your passports before you book a trip -  Make sure that you will have at least 6 months after your return date before your passport expires.  Apply for or renew your passport before you book. Many people wait until after they've booked their trip to apply for a passport, but delays can and do happen.  There are few things more stressful than looking at the calendar and wondering if your passport will arrive on time.

4) Turn off your data roaming before you board your international flight - As soon as you land and turn on your phone, data roaming charges kick in, and they can be exorbitant.  Call your cell-phone provider before you leave to find out if you'll have coverage and arrange for an international data plan if you'll need it. Otherwise, keep your data roaming off and use the hotel's wi-fi to keep in touch with family and friends back home.

5) Pack a quick change of clothes in your carry-on - That way, if your bags are lost or delayed, you'll at least have the clothes you brought with you.  In addition, if you arrive at your resort or hotel prior to check-in, you can change clothes quickly and head out to relax by the pool or have a bite to eat while your room is being readied.

6) If you're traveling for a cruise, plan on arriving at least 1 day in advance of your sailing date -  This will greatly reduce your chances of missing your ship and give you a chance to rest up and do a bit of sightseeing in your departure port.  Trust me, catching up with your long-departed ship is not an enjoyable experience nor is it a good way to start your well-earned vacation.

7) Call your credit card company before you depart - Many credit card companies will flag your international activity as possibly fraudulent and may deny to authorize  your payment.  If you call in advance and tell them you'll be traveling, you'll avoid your card being declined for that special purchase.

8) Schedule special activities in advance- If you're planning for a romantic dinner on the beach or a special excursion that you want to make sure you take while at your destination, be sure to finalize your arrangements in advance. Popular excursions can and do sell out well in advance. Avoid disappointment by making reservations and arrangements at least 2 weeks prior to departure.

Do you have any other tips to share for how to make sure your trip gets off to a good start?

Fun 'n Sun Travel & Cruise provides friendly, personal, professional service in order to plan each and every client's dream vacation, destination wedding, honeymoon, or cruise at one of the best prices available. Call us at 1-855-557-5588, visit us on the web at fnstravel.com, or email us at info@fnstravel.com.

Group Travel Made Easy

Congratulations!  You've got a group of people who want to travel together.  It could be a destination wedding, a family reunion to an exotic location, a golf group, a group of friends just wanting to get away together,or a bachelor or bachelorette party.

If you're leading the group, it can be overwhelming to think about coordinating travel plans for a large (or small) group. But once you know the ins and outs, you'll see that there are ways to make sure that:

• Your group stays together
• Availability of rooms is guaranteed at your chosen resort
• Your guests save money
• You and your guests gain access to exclusive perks and upgrades.

First we'll start with the questions, "What is a group?" and "How many people do I need to qualify as a group?". In general a group is considered to be a party of people traveling together that will occupy at least 10 rooms.  For some resorts and group promotions, a group may be as small as 5 rooms, so be sure to check with your travel agent as you may qualify for some group bonuses such as a free room or upgrade. Read on below for more details about these potential bonuses.

Don't make the mistake of letting your guests book on their own.  They will get no discount, your group will get no special amenities, and the resort might not even know you are all traveling together.  There are better ways to book group travel:

1. Block group space with your agent - if you know how many people will be coming, what type of room they want, and how many nights they will be staying, this could be the best way to book your group.  A deposit will be required for all the rooms and there may be penalties for dropping rooms from your reservation, but your pricing will be locked in and your rooms are being held just for you. In addition, you don't have to worry about the resort selling out and some of your guests not  being able to secure a reservation (this happens most often with peak travel time to a popular resort). Also, many resorts will offer perks and extra amenities to groups booked this way - room upgrades, free rooms, complimentary group gatherings, or a free wedding package. The resort will also make every effort to keep your guests as close together as possible.
2. Book using a group code - this option is perfect if you don't want to put down a deposit and/or you're not sure of how many people will be coming. Using this method, your travel agent will secure a group booking code for your guests that 1) tells the resort who is traveling together and 2) provides a discount for your guests whenever they get around to booking. The downside is that pricing can vary based on when the traveler books and no rooms are being held aside for your guests, so the resort can sellout before all of your guests have booked.  Extra amenities are usually provided for groups booked in this manner, just as they are for blocked group space.. 

There you have it, booking a group can be a snap! Once you have made the group arrangements, be sure to let everyone in the group know what they need to do and who they should contact.  You can even start a facebook group or a special webpage to keep everyone up-to-date. Don't forget to think about special events for your group.  Private dinners, themed excursions,  photo opportunities, vow renewals, spa and golf outings, and more can all be arranged in advance by your travel agent.

Fun 'n Sun Travel & Cruise provides friendly, personal, professional service in order to plan each and every client's dream vacation, destination wedding, honeymoon, or cruise at one of the best prices available. Call us at 1-855-557-5588, visit us on the web at fnstravel.com, or email us at info@fnstravel.com.

Three Reasons to Book Your Resort Stay With a Travel Agent

Many people that I discuss travel arrangements with indicate that they "just book their hotel stays online", because it's easier.  They seem to think they are saving time or money by booking with a large Online Travel Agency (OTA). I feel obliged to let them know that booking their travel plans with an OTA can have some negative consequences. Consequences they might not have considered.

1. Hotels and resorts frequently overbook just like airlines do.  
   
   
   
   They know that statistically a percentage of guests will cancel their reservation or "no show".   But what happens when the expected number of guests DON'T cancel? In this situation, customers get "bumped" or "walked" just like at the airport when a flight is overbooked.  There's a finite number of  rooms, so somebody needs to stay elsewhere. The hotel or resort sends these customers to another hotel or resort that has vacancies, and I bet you can guess which customers get bumped first -  those who booked through OTA's. Who are these travelers going to call or complain to, 1-800-CHEAPBOOKING?  Good luck with that.  The folks that will only get bumped as a last resort?  Those that booked through a travel agent. Those people have an advocate they can call who has pull with some major suppliers, so they are usually, but not always, left untouched.
   Case in point: a travel agent I know recently booked a destination wedding group during peak season at a large resort.  When the guests arrived, all those that had booked through the travel agent as part of the group were accommodated.  Those that had booked online were "walked" to a different resort and were unable to stay with the rest of the wedding party. The travel agent was unable to help those who had not booked with her, and those folks had no one to turn to.
   Which leads us to reason number 2...


2. Peace of mind knowing you have an advocate.
   
   
   This past winter, I had some clients stranded in Mexico at a large resort due to a big winter storm back home that had shut down their airport.  The resort told them they were going to have to move to a different hotel due to incoming customers.  I made a couple phone calls and, lo and behold, the customers could stay in their room (and at a discounted rate, which their travel insurance covered).  So, although the customer was unable to return home as scheduled, they were able to spend a couple of extra days in comfort.
   A similar situation occurred that a friend was telling me about last night.  In this scenario, the resort had been booked online (not with a travel agent), and it didn't have a happy ending.  The customer's flight was cancelled and he was "walked" from his 5 star resort to an airport hotel to await his rescheduled flight.  This poor man had strangers pounding on the door late at night demanding to be let in to the room.  Needless to say, this was very scary for the traveler, and he ended up sleeping fitfully, clutching his 5 iron for protection.


3. Pricing.
   A good travel agent will provide you with some of the best pricing available.  You may not be aware of it, but we shop for the best pricing on your behalf by checking with several suppliers. We also know which suppliers may be having a special promotion that may apply to you.  For example, a repeat client was recently looking for the best pricing on an adults-only luxury property.  They found a veteran's discount on the resort's website that was only available by booking directly with the resort. They called me to see if I could match the price for them.)  I ended up not only being able to match this pricing but being able to beat it by several hundred dollars.  I knew that one of my suppliers was offering an airfare credit that would apply to their trip and would result in significant savings.  

So, the next time you are thinking of booking online, take a minute to call your travel agent and see if they can book it for you. You'll be less likely to be "walked", have an advocate if the unforeseen happens, and get some valuable expertise in finding the best pricing.

Fun 'n Sun Travel & Cruise provides friendly, personal, professional service in order to plan each and every client's dream vacation, destination wedding, honeymoon, or cruise at one of the best prices available. Call us at 1-855-557-5588, visit us on the web at fnstravel.com, or email us at info@fnstravel.com.