30 May

Cheap Airfare

Everyone is looking for cheap airfare. Right? Who wants to spend a lot of money on an airline ticket? How many times have I heard “I want the cheapest airfare!” You should be careful what you ask for…..

The 3 major U.S. carriers – American, Delta and United Airlines have rolled out ‘Basic Economy’ airfares. Yes, they are cheap. But what do you get for paying next to nothing for the airline ticket? Next to nothing. Less is more, right? Not necessarily.

You will not get a seat assignment in advance. If you are traveling with children, this can be a problem. You will not have access to the overhead compartment. If you bring an item onboard that is too large to go under the seat infront of you, they might gate check it-for the full on checked bag cost. Banking on that upgrade? Not going to happen with a Basic Economy fare, no matter what your frequent flyer status is. Have a change of plans? You will be purchasing another ticket because Basic Economy fares cannot be changed, even for a change fee. ‘Use it or lose it.’

These fares are being offered in most domestic markets and some short haul international markets. What this means is that reading the fare rules is more important now that ever before. For the consumer and Travel Advisors. If you aren’t aware of the fare rules  of the ticket you purchased, you will be in for some unpleasant surprises when you arrive at the airport.

What the airlines hope to accomplish by this is enticing their customers to purchase up to the next highest fare. Most people don’t want the ‘nickel and dime’ mentality of bare bones airlines that charge you to purchase your ticket, charge you to pick a seat, charge you to check-in online, charge you to check your luggage and charge you to have a carry on. I don’t know many people that travel without luggage or a carry on, or don’t care about which seat they get when they fly.

The moral to this story is read the small print. Don’t click the ‘Buy Now’ button unless you know exactly what you are buying. Know what is important to you when you travel and if you are traveling with children, do not assume you can fix this at the gate the day you board your flight. There are a lot more people flying these days than ever before, so it is a good idea to purchase the correct airfare to fit your needs right from the start. I go by the adage ‘better safe than sorry’.

 

13 May

I’m Back!

I’m back from a wonderful 6 day getaway cruise! We took a repositioning cruise on Island Princess from Long Beach, California to Vancouver, BC. Too bad we could not continue on to Alaska…..maybe next time. Here is my review of our cruise. (And my photobombs, I am getting pretty good at that!)

When we sailed away from Long Beach, we were on Deck 15 overlooking The Sanctuary. That is an adult only area at the back of the ship with comfy lounge chairs and servers that bring you light snacks and healthy beverages. We learned it is $40 for a full day and $20 for a half day. All the Princess ships have one.

Our first day at sea was a bit cold and windy. We were going to hang out in The Sanctuary, but it was closed……bummer. We had our only formal night during the cruise, since it was a sea day. I got to sing with the band! So cool! When you little and cute you get to do lots of fun things! I got special pictures taken in pretty decorations….so fun!! We had ROUGH seas that night. 60 mph winds with 25-30 foot swells. Like riding a crazy roller coaster!

We made it to San Francisco just fine, despite the wind. What a great day! We rented a car and drove to Santa Rosa, stopping to take pictures from the Sausalito side of the Golden Gate Bridge. Beautiful day for a drive in the lush wine country. When we got back to the city, we went to the top of the Coit Tower. Amazing views! We returned the car and went to Pier 39 for some clam chowder in sourdough bowls. Just a traditonal, touristy thing I do! Great day!

The next day at sea was crazy rough again – same 60 mph winds and 25-30 foot swells. The captain decided that we would skip our next day’s port of Astoria, Oregon due to all the chaos. We spent the day rockin and rollin – I felt like I was in a big cradle and wanted to sleep all day.

The day we were supposed to be in Astoria, was beautiful! Sunny and only a bit breezy – a chamber of commerce day! Mid-day out by the main pool, they showed a Bryan Adams concert on the jumbotron. What a wonderful afternoon! We got some sun and heard some great music. All in all a great day!!

Our next stop was Victoria, BC. A quaint city with lots of great history and awesome views! We walked a lot of miles that day, getting our land legs back from all the rocking seas. Felt good to be on solid ground! We saw the Parliament Buildings and The Empress Hotel, where they hold high tea every afternoon. (High priced as well – $86 per person!) We took a water taxi to Spinnaker’s Brew Pub and had a great lunch and tasted amazing craft beers! Lovely afternoon in perfect weather – sunny and mild temperatures. No wind either!

The cruise ended the next morning in Vancouver, BC.  Also a great city with amazing views, although lots of high-rise buildings in down town. We toured Stanley Park on our way to the airport. A great way to take up some time before checking in for our flight home. We were in first class on the flight – SWEET!! All in all we had a fabulous time and enjoyed our Princess Cruise very much. Contact Infinity Travelaz to book your next cruise! You won’t regret it and you might have as much fun as we did!