Saving on your holiday

Posted on 28. Dec, 2010 by admin in Travel Tips

If you ask a travel agent how the travel company manages to get their cheap prices, he or she will probably talk about how they buy in bulk and have special deals with airline companies and select hotels, and thus can bring you better prices than the ones you can find yourself. But there’s another aspect to this, that the travel agent himself is probably not involved with, and that is the grunt work of comparing many different price tags from many different airline companies and hotels and the like in order to come up with the best deals.

And this comparison job, even if it’s not always exciting, can be done by you as well. Even better, you can use the internet to help you with it. The internet is ripe with websites that do these kinds of comparisons for you, sometimes searching in hundreds of different websites to find the cheapest option for you. You can, for example, use a website to compare car hire prices. The website will search many different car rental companies’ websites and come up with the cheapest options for the kind of car you want, in the time frame that you indicate. This will save you time and, ultimately, money.

Exploring Holland’s Waterways

Posted on 06. Dec, 2010 by admin in Travel Tips

If you do a search online for a boating vacation, you will have many to choose from.  If you are new to boating, you will be happy to know there is no prior experience required.  Boats steer just like a car does and cruising is always done at a slow speed.  You can choose your destination and then make arrangements for the right size boat for your trip.

Italy, Holland, Scotland and Germany are just a few of the destinations you can choose from. In Holland, boating is a way of life and the best way to see this beautiful country. You can make new friends along the Dutch waterways as you admire the traditional windmills that are found all along the cruising routes. You can also take in some sights such as the Dutch masterpieces by Vermeer, the Dom Tower in Utrecht or enjoy the watersport center in the Friesland region. 

If your next holiday will include these waterway, you might be interested to know you can hire a boat transport company to deliver your personal boat to this area.  How great is that to arrive to find your boat waiting for you.  Just load up and cruise to your heart’s delight. 

Virgin Holidays- Rockstar Service

Posted on 24. Aug, 2010 by admin in Destinations, Travel Tips, USA

At Virgin Holidays, we believe amazing service should come as standard. That’s why Virgin Holiday’s magic touches are made available to all Virgin Holidays customers – not just the VIPs!

We realise that you want to make the most of being on holiday, so we came up with Check in, Chill out, so you can check in for your flight without leaving the beach…or bar.  Airports are a drag.  The holiday only really starts when you get to your destination.  And if you’ve got kids, then airports are living nightmares.  So, to perk up the airport experience, we came up with the VRoom. And when you’re on holiday, you want to make sure it’s as good as it can be.  That’s where Virgin Holidays’ Concierge service comes in – a concierge actually tuned in to the buzz of your destination, not a guy in a suit on kick backs from rip-off restaurants. This belief is what sets Virgin Holidays apart from the competition. That’s why we actually encourage our customers to ‘Ask For the World’.

But how do you express that exclusive treatment in a single thought.  What do Virgin Holidays offer that no-one else does?  We think it can be described as…

“ROCKSTAR SERVICE”

It’s a level of care you’d normally associate with the glamour and excitement of the entertainment elite.  Made available to every Virgin Holidays customer.
 
The Rockstar Service campaign is the latest creative expression of this belief. With Virgin Holidays, you can rest assured that you’ll get intuitive, imaginative typically brilliant twinkle-in-the-eye Virgin service, every single time you travel with us.

What does your car say about you?

Posted on 14. Jun, 2010 by admin in Travel Tips

I have a friend that works in an executive car hire company, and he has a special theory about what kinds of people prefer each top notch brand. Of course his opinion is perhaps extremely biased and maybe even a little offensive at times, but I thought it was worth sharing, even if it’s just for a bit of a laugh.

People that drive Mercedes are never young at heart no matter if they’re driving the new “sports” models.

Driving a BMW means that you have a secret life. You like to look presentable, but at the same time you like to have power and speed hidden somewhere to whip out when you feel like it. Maybe you’re a secret agent.

A person who owns or drives an Audi can’t make up his or her mind about anything. That’s why they drive a car that’s basically a mix of everything that’s around, thrown together in a nice package.

Driving a Volvo means you don’t care how bad the car looks, as long as you’re safe. Hopefully, that won’t mean anything about your love life.

Finally, sports cars. Nobody will be taken serious if they drive a sports car, be it a Ferrari, Lambo or a Porsche.

Deals and Deal breakers

Posted on 10. Jun, 2010 by admin in Travel Tips

When looking for hotels, there are some things that you need to watch out for, while there are others that you should jump into right away.

Of course, if you find a listing for cheap luxury hotels, than that’s definitely worth a look. There is the odd chance that it may be a scam, but there are ways you can weed out the bad seeds right away. A good hotel will be transparent in all aspects of what it offers, and that means being direct about all of its facilities. Some hotels will claim that they have a swimming pool “in good proximity” or a golf course “within walking distance”. This often means they’re far. A decent hotel will be realistic and true about how far these facilities are, and will also be keen to provide transportation to wherever you want to go.

Another thing to watch out for is the location of the hotel. Just because it claims to be “close to the center of town” or “in a good, safe neighborhood”, this doesn’t mean it’s true. Most good hotels offer pictures or the surroundings. A simple Google search and a search for reviews on the hotel will give you a good idea of how good it is.

Booking Your Accommodation

Posted on 09. Jun, 2010 by admin in Travel Tips

If you’re going on holiday, odds are you’re going to need to book a place to stay. Whether it is a hotel, a luxury resort, or a hostel, your accommodation is one of the biggest parts of your vacation planning. But how should you book it? These days, you have a variety of options. Here are some ideas on how you can book cheap hotels, resorts and more.

The first, most obvious, and most popular option is to book it yourself online. Comparing prices, searching for specific criteria, and reading reviews can all be done online. Special discounts are also available for those who reserve their rooms online.

Another choice is to contact the hotel or accommodation provider directly. This may seem old fashioned, but it’s a little known fact that sometimes hotels offer special deals if you book through them directly. Calling your possible accommodation candidates directly can result in some great discounts.

The final choice is to book through a travel agent. Many agencies are given special deals and discounts to offer their customers on behalf of the hotel. These deals cannot be found online, which means big savings for you. Early bird, and last minute specials are also available through travel agencies.

Prepare For Your Vacation

Posted on 16. May, 2010 by admin in Travel Tips

Preparing for your next holiday isn’t just about booking the hotel and flight and the best travel deals, and starts before you begin packing. Depending on your destination, there may be a few extra things you will need to remember to do before departing. Same goes if you’re traveling with your family, that includes small children particularly.

If you’re heading off to a distant location you’ve never visited before, you will want to study up on the area. More than just what you want to see when you’re there, and the local tourist hot spots, but also for safety precautions. If you are traveling with small children, it is a good idea to know where the nearest hospital is to your hotel, or your accommodation.

If you’re destination is remote, in an exotic part of the world, you will also need to ask your doctor about any vaccinations you might need. Some diseases are specific to particular regions in the world, such as Malaria. These shots must be administered before your departure, and often require a few weeks before you leave. Same goes for legal preparations, such as traveler’s insurance, ask your current provider if there is any coverage for abroad.

Travel tips for a hassle-free trip

Posted on 21. Nov, 2009 by admin in Travel Tips

Are you getting ready to finally go out and travel? Planning for a trip can certainly be very exciting – in fact, it can equally as exciting as going on the trip itself. However just to help you prevent any possible mishaps or during your trip, here are some simple travel tips that you should follow in order to have a hassle-free trip.

• Always have a detailed copy of your travel itinerary. This is very important especially if you are going to a country that does not have English as its main language because chances are, not only will you encounter a major language barrier with the locals, street signs as well as maps will also not be in English. In order for you to be able to make better sense of things, your travel itinerary should have a detailed description of the places you will be visiting, its address – preferably written in English and in the local language as well as phone numbers that you can call to ask for extra information or some assistance. This way, if you find yourself getting lost or you’re having trouble communicating with the locals regarding on where you want to go, all you have to do is point at your travel itinerary and hopefully they will also be able to understand you better.
• Keep all important documents like your passport, tickets, travel itinerary etc. in a plastic envelope that is hopefully waterproof as well. Aside from helping you organize things in your bag, it will also be a lot easier for you to look for it and lessens the chances of you leaving anything out.