The Low Down on Hurricane Season

As a travel agent one of my least favorite times of year is quickly approaching - Atlantic Hurricane Season. Right now most people are excited for the start of summer, but for your friendly travel agent hurricane season is a period of anxiety and stress. Any storm could be the one that messes with my clients perfectly planned dream vacation! I know how excited my clients are for their vacations because we’ve spent months together planning. Nothing makes me sadder than when something messes that up.  

I heard a report on NPR the other day that this hurricane season is supposed to be particularly bad. That statement coming the year after Super Storm Sandy doesn’t make me feel good at all.  Let’s start with the facts about hurricane season and what it means for travel:

Commonly asked questions

Q: When exactly is hurricane season?

A: Atlantic Hurricane Season is June 1 through November 30

Q: What Areas are affected?

A: Hurricanes can affect the coast of the United States, Caribbean Islands, Central America, Mexico and even the northern coast of South America.

Q: Is there a certain time in Hurricane Season that tends to be the worst?

A: Yes, September is the peak. However, August through October are all prime time.

Q: Are there any islands that tend to be off the path of the average hurricane?

A: Yes! There absolutely are - parts of the southernmost Caribbean such as Grenada, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Barbados and Grand Cayman tend to be hit less by hurricanes than other parts of the Caribbean.  HOWEVER, they still can be hit. (I don’t want anyone booking a trip there during hurricane season and blaming me!)

Q: So I should avoid travel during hurricane season?

A: Au contraire! If you want a banging deal to Mexico or the Caribbean, be it by land or cruise ship, you will find them during the peak months of hurricane season. I do most of my personal travel during hurricane season when the deals are hot. I even got married in Playa del Carmen, Mexico during hurricane season. My advice is to be sure to book your trip to a hotel with a great hurricane cancelation policy and purchase travel insurance. If you are someone that suffers from anxiety or has consistently bad luck- I’d say visit the mountains during June 1-November 30 ;-)

Q: Well, what if I am on a cruise and a hurricane goes to the island we are headed to?

A: Cruise Lines frequently re-route the ships out of the danger zones. (Unless, you were on the Disney Fantasy with me last October…our captain thought riding through Sandy would be a good idea. If you like being on amusement park rides for 9 hours at a time, then you’d have no problem riding in a cruise ship through a hurricane!) Bottom line- you will be safe, they will re-route you. You might miss an island on your itinerary, but you will still have a great, safe vacation nonetheless!

Q: So what are they saying for Hurricane Season 2013?

A: Well, no one can know for sure, but experts make their predictions and this is what we are looking at. Several groups have predicted that 2013 will be a particularly active Hurricane Season.

Here are some links to articles about Hurricane Season 2013 Predictions:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/04/16/four-groups-predict-very-active-hurricane-season/

http://www.wwaytv3.com/2013/04/15/nc-state-researchers-predict-active-hurricane-season-for-2013

http://miami.cbslocal.com/2013/04/11/climatologists-hurricane-season-2013-to-be-busy/

For fantastic deals by land or be sea during hurricane season or any time of year, contact me!

Bon Voyage!

The View from my balcony while crusin' through Hurricane Sandy...

The Answers to Commonly asked Questions

(A photo from my window at Sandal's Royal Bahamian) 

There are certain questions that, as a travel agent, I get asked frequently. They are excellent questions and cover information that I wish all of my people knew! Most of them are regarding the ways to get the best deals when traveling, so I’m going to outline the questions and answers here for everyone to benefit!

Let’s start with the most commonly asked question:

Q: What is the best day of the week to buy plane tickets?

A: Tuesdays and Wednesdays are often the best days to find a good deal. This is because that’s the day when the airlines post their new inventory and lower the prices of flights that aren’t selling, as they would like.  

Next most commonly asked question:

Q: What are the cheapest days of the week to fly?

A: Coincidentally Tuesdays and Wednesdays are also generally the cheapest days to fly as well, since you are avoiding both the weekend and business traffic

Q: How far in advance should I purchase my airline tickets?

A: The best time to book is 60-90 days out. As a general rule of thumb, the further out you are flying, the sooner you should get your airline tickets.  If you are inflexible with you dates you should also book further out when there is more availability.  If you are using air miles book as far in advance as you can since mile seats sell out fast - ESPECIALLY if you are traveling using miles during the Holidays.

Q: What’s the best time of year to save money on travel?

A:  If you want to save money and avoid crowds there are certain times of year to save on different places. You can get cruises and land vacations to the Caribbean very cheaply during hurricane season, which runs June-November. (Although I’d recommend getting good travel insurance if you chose to go then!) Europe tends to be less expensive in the winter, because it’s colder. It’s cheaper to go to Asia during the rainy season, just be sure to bring your umbrella and read up on Monsoons!

Q: How can I get my dream vacation for a discounted rate?

A: Consider focusing on the type of vacation you would like to create, rather than a specific location. For example, you want a relaxing tropical beach vacation and search several destinations rather than having your sights set only on St. Lucia. Maybe a flight to Jamaica or Cancun, Mexico will give you the same type of experience for a fraction of the cost.

Q: The best place to book flights?

A: Why my website of course! www.danasglobaltravel.com

For more information or if you have any further questions do not hesitate to contact me at danasglobaltravel@gmail.com.

Cruising

 

(A photo of The Disney Fantasy and Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the  Seas)

With the endless delicious buffets, cruising can seem like a dieter’s nightmare. However, there are ways to stay fit and still have fun on a cruise. There are 12-14 floors on the average cruise ship and most people take the elevators. Much to my Mother’s dismay on our last cruise, we took the stairs about 90% of the time. I can tell you, after walking up 6 or 7 flights of stairs I felt a lot less guilty about drinking a mojito or getting a fro-yo!Cruise ships are also equipped with state of the art workout facilities. Most of them are in the front of the ship looking out over the ocean! It makes your jog much nicer. Cruiseline’s also offer a variety of fitness classes as well which can be a lot of fun. I attended an amazing sunrise stretch class on my last cruise and it was definitely a great way to start the day and stretch after all the flights of stairs I walked to get there! There are also dance classes on cruises. They are a fun way to stay active and out of the sun for an hour or so. Also, learning a new dance can provide not only some great exercise but also learning a routine is great for your brain and helps prevent Alzheimer’s- that is what I call a win-win!

Most cruise line's offer Lighter Fare for the diet conscious cruiser! Let your Travel Agent know of your dietary needs and they will notify the cruise line and make sure that the Chef meets with you and you will have plenty of healthy good food during your cruise! This is a photo I took of one of the Menu's on the Disney Fantasy!

This is a photo of the Rainforest in the Spa on the Disney Fantasy! If you are going on a Disney Cruise a visit to the rainforest room at the Spa is a must. It is the ultimate relaxation. 

Disney Cruise Line currently has a promotion for sailings out of Galvaston, Texas and Miami, Florida where kids 17 and under sail FREE!!! Now that is what I call Disney Magic! Contact me for details! 

Happy Cruising! 

Healthy Travel to Foreign Countries

I’ve been so blessed in my life to have lived in foreign countries. I lived for one year in Spain and one year in Germany. I learned a lot about creating a healthy lifestyle and culture from living in these two places.  In Spain I learned the value and health benefits of relaxation. A country where the majority of the population takes an afternoon nap is fine by me! Every afternoon my host family and I would sit down to a spectacular meal (always healthy- the Mediterranean diet) as a family chat and dine. Then shortly after we would all take a nice siesta. After the nap, back to school or work we’d go! It was wonderful.

When exploring a new place you are generally faced with dozens of options of how to do that, which sites to see, etc. I always opt for a walking tour.  In addition to being generally less expensive you have all of that added exercise walking from one attraction to the other, and you truly get to see and experience the city as you walk by the small shops and stroll along with the cities residents instead of the other tourists on the bus. Exercise, greater cultural learning, AND cheap- that’s what I call a win-win situation! There are many books out there where you can find great information on walking tours. I generally use the Lonely Planet Books, but there are dozens for any given location out there and some books written specifically about walking or biking tours through various countries. Contact me for information on active tours! 

The first photo is a shot a took while on a hike in Bavaria, Germany.

The second photo I had someone take of me while I was walking through the city of Strasbourg, France. 

Bon Voyage!

Beach Vacations

Although for a lot of us the idea of lying on the beach tanning with a cocktail in hand is the greatest draw of a beach vacation, it is not the healthiest activity…though I do advise doing it, just not all day.  You are at the beach! Go swim in the ocean, snorkel, scuba dive, walk  or jog on the beach.  Another favorite activity of mine is yoga on the beach. If you haven’t tried it- you must!

Not into sand or sea life? Not a problem, most beach destinations also have a plethora of pools for swimming in. Not a water person in general? If you cannot handle the sand in your toes- walk through the cute little downtown that most beach destinations have or the boardwalk. And then after you have thoroughly exhausted your physical options- lay down on the beach chair with your pina colada. I mean after that 30 minute walk, swim, jog, dive, etc., you sure do deserve it! 

This is a photo of my husband Jon. He found a Horseshoe crab shell while we were on a guided nature walk on the beach in Hilton Head, SC.

The other photo is me "attemping" to paddle board on the Sea of Cortez in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico!

What are you favorite healthy beach activities?