Do Not Use 800 Numbers When Booking Trips

September 24, 2008 at 11:01 am · Filed under Travel_Trip

The theme of modern society seems to be give me convenience or give me death. In the case of booking trips, this convenience will really cost you.

Do Not Use 800 Numbers When Booking Trips

Toll free numbers are touted as a service offered to make our life easier. If I need to call a business, the toll free number allows me to do so without spending a dime. The real question, however, is just how much money are we saving? In fact, are we saving any when it comes to vacations?

When booking a trip, there is an inherent desire to get everything done as easily as possible. This makes sense since who wants to call airlines, car rentals, hotels and so on? In each instance, however, using the toll free number can really cost you.

Here is some breaking news. When you call a toll free number, you are getting a national call center who more or less has a set list of prices. In many instances, these prices are actually higher than if you just walked into the business at your destination. In exchange for the convenience of a toll free number, you are paying a premium! Let’s take a closer look.

Car rentals are the most obvious area where you get killed using the national toll free line. They may give you a slight upgrade, but nothing compared to the local office. The best approach is to contact the lot the morning you are flying in to simply see if they expect to have extra cars. Don’t reserve one unless they are going to be tight. Upon arrival, just stroll over and ask for a deal. They will always give you upgrades and tremendous pricing. Even better, take a cab into town to a local car rental. You will save anywhere from thirty to fifty percent on the pricing.

Hotels and toll free numbers are also a bad mix. The call centers are concerned about overall sales across the entire chain. The desk clerk of a hotel, however, is only concerned about his bookings. This gives you an opportunity to score a deal. Instead of calling the toll free national number, find the local number and see what you can score. Unless there is a convention in town, you can usually do very well.

Face the facts. Using a toll free number doesn’t save you much on calls. It can, however, cost you a bundle in your travels.

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of travel accessories.

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Fun Limousine Trip in Texas

September 23, 2008 at 3:03 am · Filed under Travel_Trip

Are you looking for some great fun things to do in Texas, but are not sure if you will be able to find all the places that you would like to go? Well, forget about driving there yourself, book a limousine and have the driver do all the driving work for you and your pals.

One of the best choices that you will make when planning your trip to Texas would be to charter a limousine and travel around the places of your choice in Texas in style in the limousine. With a limousine that you have booked, you do not have to worry about the designated driver among your pals, getting lost and turning up at some strange area, looking for a parking space so that you do not have to walk a distance to the place of visit and so on. Anything and everything that has to do with driving and traveling is taken care of by the limousine driver.

Once you get into the limousine, ask your limousine driver to bring you and your pals to Orange’s Super Gator Tours to enjoy a cruise through the beautiful, serene southern swampland. This unique environment is the home of alligators, nutria, turtles, raccoons, egrets and many other waterfowl. A ride in the airboat will take you gently across the boggy waters to give you some real hands-on lesson in the natural sciences.

After that, have your limousine driver take you and your pals for lunch at Beaumont and also for some museum-hopping time. Some of the great choices of museums to visit are the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, showing works by Texas artists, the Babe Didrikson Zaharias Museum that immortalizes the world’s greatest female athlete. If you and your limousine pals decide to just visit one museum, get your limousine driver to bring you to the Spindleton/Gladys City Boomtown Museum and see for yourselves how they have re-created Gladys City, the the world’s first oil boomtown, which appeared virtually overnight in January, 1901, after the Spindletop oil well blew in.

When you are through with historical facts, you and your limousine pals may choose to wind down at Port Arthur and try some of the local cuisine at one of the pubs or restaurants at Pleasure Island, which happens to be a recreational area that was said to be once a favorite hideout of pirates. Finally, when the day is over, you and your pals can now return home in the limousine that you have booked for this wonderful trip.

UsCoachwaysLimousine is a leading US-based limousine service provider with an impressive list of limousine service clients. Check out http://www.uscoachwayslimousine.com

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How to Plan Your Trip to Cancun in 10 Easy Steps!

September 21, 2008 at 8:08 pm · Filed under Travel_Trip

Cancun has always been a popular spring break travel destination. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or planning your first trip, there are several important things to keep in mind before calling your travel agent and booking your next vacation to Mexico:

1. Time of year: While “Cacun in the Springtime” is very fun, the truth is that you’re most likely to spend many days outside, because the weather can be humid and hot. Sometimes there is rain, but if you’re not sure of weather patterns, check with your travel agent who can advise you on rainy seasons or other weather-related issues for traveling to a specific spot.

2. Your Budget: Decide how much you’ve got to spend, and don’t forget to include extras like tourist attractions, getting around, souvenirs and meals (which are typically much cheaper in Cancun than in the states). If your budget is smaller, consider visiting Cancun, looking for packaged tours, or, if you’re flexible, book a “last-minute” trip, which can often save you 30% or more. Check out the current exchange rate between your currency and that of the country you’ll be visiting, to have a better idea of what your vacation is going to actually cost you. Whenever possible, travel during an off-peak season to save even more.

3. Your secret dreams or “someday” wishes: For most of us, taking a vacation is something we get to do only once a year, and often plan and save the whole year for. So if you have always wanted to visit somewhere or do something special — why wait? Include it in your next vacation plans.

4. Political Climate: While most countries that rely on tourism make every effort to ensure the safety of tourists, these days it’s always a good idea to keep up on the current political climate of the country you’re planning to visit, especially if there have been problems in the past.

5. Your own “internal clock”: If you prefer sleeping in in the mornings, and “doing your own thing” then a guided tour is probably not for you. Most guided tours start early in the morning, and you’re on the go until evening. You may visit several cities in a country or countries within a specified amount of time, and you’re required to stay with the group.

On the other hand, if you don’t like traveling alone, you enjoy the companionship of others and getting to see as much as possible in the time you’ve got, a guided tour or cruise may be just the thing for you.

6. How you like to spend your time: Take a little time to think about what you like doing before planning your trip. Do you prefer the water, or the mountains? Lying on the beach, or rock-climbing? Adrenaline rushes or visiting a museum?

While going outside your comfort zone and trying new things can be a great experience, spending your time doing something that bores you silly or makes you uncomfortable and unhappy just doesn’t make sense. Once you know what you want to do, figure out what you’ll have time to do. Many times, in an effort to get the “most bang for our buck” we tend to over plan the vacation, and end up needing a vacation from the vacation when we get home! Prioritize your list, and be willing to save some activities or attractions for another trip.

7. Use the resources that are available to make your trip special and save money: Today’s travelers have numerous options when planning their vacation. You can use the Internet to find out more about the cities or countries you want to visit, check out prices, even book your flight or hotel room. If you’re visiting a place for the first time, check with a travel agent, talk to someone who’s “been there, done that” on an Internet Forum, or contact local chambers or commerce or travel councils to get more information about where to go, what to see and what to do.

8. Get organized: You can use trip-planning software, or your own favorite organizing system to organize and plan your trip. Don’t forget things like making sure your passport and picture ID are up-to-date, finding out if travel insurance is something you need, and how and where to exchange your money. The more organized you are in the beginning, the better vacation you’ll have.

9. Pack lightly: Most of us take too much on a vacation, and end up lugging heavy suitcases and other bags along filled with items that we either don’t use or don’t need. When planning your trip, look at your wardrobe and pack as lightly as you can. Take only what you’ll really need, and remember that if you forget or end up needing something, chances are you can get it once you reach your destination.

10. Have fun! Get organized, make your plans and expect the best. That way, once you’re on your way, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy yourself. But remember, there are very few “perfect” vacations, so if something does go wrong, try to relax and “go with the flow” as much as possible. Experienced travelers say that sometimes their best vacations have been the ones where the unexpected happened.

Please visit my website at: http://www.cancunvacationoil.com For more tips please visit cancun vacation today and relax in the sun!

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