"A Good Buy Is About Value Not Price"

I stole the above quote from Julia Scott, who blogs about saving money on groceries, gas and movie tickets, among other things. The minute I read the quote I knew it applied to what I sell as well, travel!

Let me give you a small example: Southwest tickets to El Paso are running $275. per person...but I can find tickets for you on Continental for only $200. per person. Sounds like and easy choice, right? Are you planning on taking check through luggage? On Continental taking a check through bag will cost you at least $25. for the first bag and $50. for the second. On Southwest, both bags are free. Found out you really can't go to El Paso after all? Southwest will let you change dates and only charge you the difference in price, if there is any. Continental will charge you a minimum of $150. to change the tickets PLUS any difference in price. It gets worse. You were going with your brother to El Paso, now he can't go at all, but your best friend can go on just those days. Sorry, Continental will not let you change a name on a ticket...but Southwest will, no problem, no charge (other than a fare difference if there is one).

So now, which is the best buy? If you absolutely are going to make the trip and you are only taking carry on luggage, Continental, of course. If you are checking through baggage; or not sure if you will make the trip; or not sure if the person going with you will make the trip, the $275. fare is suddenly a much better deal.

It works that way with a lot of things in travel. Unfortunately, Mexico is plagued with "The Curse of the Time Share Vendors". They are everywhere (except Manzanillo). They are in the airport, they are on the streets, and, worst of all, they are in the lobby of your beautiful hotel.

They all want to sell you a time share, and they make it sound so remarkably user friendly and a great value. Time shares work for some people. I know perhaps two families who have actually managed to use their time shares well. For most people, you are purchasing something that will cost you money and make your life more difficult.

For the cost of purchasing and maintaining the average time share, you could treat yourself to a lovely vacation to any destination you choose at least once a year. Pick a destination, pick a hotel, have your flights, transfers and trip insurance included and you have a vacation.

With a time share, you must reserve the time share far in advance of using it....sometimes, for prime time, at least a year in advance. Then you have to worry about air fare to get there. Air cannot be booked a year in advance, so you must start the process of checking air fares with me or on your computer once a week or more to find the right price, IF you find the right price.

I can tell you where the air fares are lowest and we simply book your vacation there! No worries about the time share being available. No worries about trading your time share for the one where there is less costly air...we just book a vacation and you can pay it off over time...simple!

Two sad time share stories. Clients were so excited because, after much struggle, they had booked their time share in Cabo for the week of New Year's Eve, New Year's Eve 1999. WooHoo...gonna party in Cabo like it's 1999, except they forgot to book their air fare. When they started looking, the only air fare available was over $800. per ticket and not available for the days the time share was booked. To even get that air fare, they would have had to fly in two days early, get a hotel, and then stay two days past their time in the time share, getting another hotel. They scrapped the trip, too much money.

Sad story number two was a woman who was thrilled because she was able to get her time share in Cancun, stay a week, and then follow that week with another one at her time share in St. Maartin. Lucky break! Until she found out the cost of air fare from LAX to Cancun, then to Miami, then to St. Maartin, then back through Miami and then back to LAX. The air fare alone was enough to pay for a whole vacation.

Cruise vacations vs all inclusive vacations are another area where you must weigh your choices carefully. There are some great cruise buys. And a cruise can be a perfect vacation with great service. However, do you like to have a few drinks during the day and evening? Remember, each and every alcoholic drink is a cost item on a cruise. Also, don't forget the tips on a cruise ship...because the cruise line sure won't let you forget! Your credit card is charged for tips as soon as you board the ship. Love your sodas? Extra cost on a cruise. And don't forget shore excursions...that's another cost item. Don't drink alcohol or sodas? LOVE iced tea? Factor in the cost of the tipping to the cost of the cruise and the cruise just might be a great deal for you.
Cruises have special restaurants that are an extra cost. For example, to eat in the special dining room on Carnival Spirit, and that IS a lovely dining room with special menu, the cost is $35. per person. Not interested in a special menu and special atmosphere...no problem!

Compare the above to an all inclusive resort. At the all inclusive resorts I recommend, everything is included, all the tips, all the alcohol, all the specialty restaurants, some excursions. Perhaps a better value than the cruise. Even at the best of all inclusive resorts, there is always a special wine list and it is a cost item to order a bottle from their special wine list. That really isn't too great a problem for most people.

However, not all all inclusive resorts are created equal! I am aware of some that have special menu items that cost extra....extra for lobster, extra for the good steaks, extra for this and that. I prefer NOT to send people to those resorts! I also prefer to use resorts that are totally all inclusive, as opposed to those you can book with or without a meal plan. My exception to that rule is Royal Plantation in Jamaica. Book it European Plan (no meals) or book the meal plan, called the Royal Plan...it's ALL good!

When I book your vacation I try and explain the choices carefully. Look for value in what you are purchasing and consider your life style when you make the choice. Not everyone who goes to an all inclusive resort is looking for unlimited alcohol. All of the fancy drinks with fruit and umbrellas...boat drinks...can be made without alcohol. They are cool, refreshing and delicious...and if you are paying for them drink by drink they are almost as expensive as the same drink WITH alcohol! If you love those fancy drinks without alcohol you still need an all inclusive resort, because the cost can mount up very quickly.

Consider value when you are looking for your vacation. We can discuss what value means to you and which places I consider to have the best value. Right now, at this moment in time, I am seeing my best prices in Mexico at all inclusive resorts; on cruises; or in Hawaii (no all inclusive resorts there). If you were hoping for Tahiti I would really recommend a cruise, prices being what they are in Tahiti and no true all inclusive resorts being available there. Fiji, however, has some marvelous all inclusive resorts and is often a much better value than Tahiti.

Share with me what you most like to do on your vacation; what you are hoping to find on your vacation; and what your budget is. I will help you find something that works for you!

Until next time,
Sonia

As always, don't forget to check out Kiva.org