when things go sideways

In spite of the best planning, sometimes things go wrong when you're traveling. And there have been lots of challenges for travelers of late.

Hurricanes Irma and Maria have devastated a handful of ports in the Caribbean, and many cruise itineraries have had to be rerouted for the foreseeable future. Because of a dispute between the US and Turkey, visas for all travel to Turkey have been canceled and Turkish Air has had to issue refunds to all travelers. And also last week, a major air strike in France forced thousands of travelers to rebook when the DGAC (French Civil Aviation Authority) has requested airlines to reduce flights from airports in Paris. 

Fewer than 10% of the ports in the Caribbean have been affected by recent storms. And between now and October 31, Princess Cruises is offering an incredible deal on Caribbean and Panama Canal Cruises, with $1 deposits and free gratuities. Contact us to book today!

We've been reminded of this a couple of times, recently, as a matter of fact. For example, we have a group of travelers in Morocco right now, and two days before they were scheduled to check-in, we got word that a pipe exploded in their riad. In order to make urgent repairs, they'd have to be re-booked to a different property. Fortunately, we were able to work with our vendor to find a comparable riad (which might actually be a little nicer than the property they originally booked), that had seven rooms available. Even though it was late on a Friday in New York, and past close of business in Morocco, we got it confirmed right away.

Another time, we had travelers who'd booked a trip to Italy, when, at the eleventh hour, their flight to Milan was canceled, and they were re-booked on flights that required a connection in Helsinki. That meant that they'd be arriving too late to catch their train to San Remo. We were able to help them re-book their hotel, and adjust their train tickets at the last minute.

Sometimes these types of things happen, even with the best planning. But when you're on vacation, you want to be enjoying yourself. You don't want to spend your time on vacation trying to rebook a hotel or figuring out a new plane ticket. That's where we come in. By booking your trip with a travel professional, if something goes wrong, we've got the resources and contacts that can fix it so that you don't have to spend your vacation dealing with the arrangements.

We also have a preferred relationship with AIG Travel Guard to get you the best pricing on comprehensive travel insurance. Travel Guard insurance goes well-beyond the cancellation insurance offered by airlines, cruises, and tour operators. If you need to cancel your trip, return home early or get emergency medical treatment, Travel Guard will have you covered. Their policies can cover everything from lost or delayed luggage to emergency medical evacuations. So, if your bag was lost with your insulin inside, and you need help to have your emergency prescription filled, Travel Guard can help. Or if your wallet and passport are stolen while you're abroad, you can call Travel Guard for assistance. It's also not very expensive, considering the number of "what ifs" it covers.

If you're planning a trip, and you'd like the peace of mind that comes from booking with a travel professional or you're looking for good pricing on comprehensive travel insurance, let us know! We're here for you!