Mistakes to avoid when planning your vacation

There a many little things that can cause problems when planning your vacation. You've decided that you're ready to go, somewhere, and start thinking about where you'd like to visit.

• Make sure you have an honest budget. Decide how much you are willing to spend, but be prepared for the extra incidentals. The cost of a cruise does not always include food and drinks on board, or shore excursions, flights, and transfers. Make sure you allow for souvenirs and gifts. Vacations at resorts may mean paying additional fees for diving or fishing trips or other activities.


• Be prepared for the amount of time it may take you to get to your destination. Long flights are physically stressful, and jet lag can eat into your travel days.


• Be flexible while making your plans. You may be able to get better pricing if you can fly at night, or change your dates by a day or two. Planning for pre or post cruise dates can give you extra time in case of flight delays or other unexpected problems.


• Buy Cancellation insurance. You never know when an illness or job loss may force you to cancel your travel plans. Having insurance will guarantee that you don't lose your investment.


• Don't over pack. Take 1/2 of what you think you're going to need. Especially with today's luggage restrictions. And you want to leave room to bring home items you may purchase.


• Pay attention to the details. Make sure you check the dates on your passport to make sure it is valid for at least 6 months after your return. Check if you need visas. Read all your travel documents when your receive them. Waiting to check your documents until the last minute can cause serious problems if there are mistakes in spelling, or dates, or flights.


• Use a qualified travel consultant. A travel consultant can help you plan for all the details and make sure you are using reputable tour operators, or rental car companies, or help choose the cruise line that is the right one for your needs, and will know if there are problems with a hotel or resort property. Travel consultants are able to check for the best prices, new offers, and make suggestions you may not have thought of, and can keep your vacation on budget.

One quick tip...when traveling in Europe, do not tip more than 10%. That is all that is expected, and Americans tend to tip 15-20%. You don't have to.

Much thanks to @GMarketingGuy for todays blog idea!