Happy New Year to you! May you enjoy your "dream vacation of a lifetime" in 2015. Maybe it’s that special anniversary or much needed family bonding vacation, well this is the year to do it! This is the perfect time to book your tropical island vacation or European adventure.
GOOD TRAVEL CENT$ FOR SAVVY TRAVELERS
Did you see the exchange rate for Europe? It is at its lowest in years and a fantastic time to travel is this year. If you are considering travel to Europe or other international locales and need to purchase your airline tickets, always check with consolidators (ticket brokers). They may offer discounted rates that can be of substantial savings depending if it is an economy, business or first class ticket. There may be restrictions to obtaining the much lower rate; no frequent flyer miles or stiffer cancellation penalties. Check with the company you purchase your ticket from and make sure you know how the details before you purchase.
THIS MONTH’S TRAVEL TIP
Traveling outside the United States? Call the customer service department of your credit card company before you travel to find out if there are any foreign-transaction fees. Some cards may waive that fee so it’s good to find out ahead of time. Those foreign-transaction fees (anywhere from 1-3% per transaction) can really add up over the course of a vacation. Check your credit card statement carefully upon your return and contact customer service right away to inquire about any charges you do not recognize. Do some research on International Credit Cards and you’ll reap the rewards of those that give you points or perks, cash back or bonuses. Airline credit cards often offer rewards for miles, free upgrades, free bags, and other perks. All these little perks add up and that’s even more savings for you!
ON LOCATION IN THE TAHITIAN ISLANDS
In November I traveled to Tahiti and sailed the casually elegant Paul Gauguin Cruise Line. It is a small and intimate ship that sails throughout the Tahitian Islands of Moorea, Bora Bora, Huahine, Tahaa. It won Travel & Leisure Top Small Ship Cruise Line for 2014, which is quite impressive. The staff is warm and friendly and made me feel welcomed from the moment I stepped on the ship to the moment I sadly waved good-bye to the staff and new friends. This cruise is very unique and much different from the large ships. They are able to maneuver into areas that larger cruise ships just can’t. Some fun activities I enjoyed while on the cruise was the hike to Magic Mountain in Moorea, the Tahaa Island beach party and my motu experience in Bora Bora.
Hiking
The Magic Mountain in Moorea has the most spectacular views!
Party Time
Is there such a thing as too much fun? If so, this would top my list having way too much fun at the Tahaa Private Island Beach Party. We had a private island for the full day to enjoy water activities, beach picnic, drinks and music.
Relaxation
A private island motu (small island) experience in Bora Bora, is where I felt I had the whole motu to myself for total relaxation. End your vacation at Bora Bora and the island feeling will stay with you long after you return home.
Visit my blog to read more about
The Top 5 reasons to sail Tahiti with Paul Gauguin Cruises
FROM HAPPY TRAVELER
"We had a great time in Tahiti. The islands were everything we dreamed of and more. We had no problems with travel or logistics. All our transportation went well and smoothly. The InterContinental Moorea was very nice, our bungalow had an excellent location and view. We would have liked to spend more time in it, but most of our time was spent exploring the island.
The InterContinental Thalasso in Bora Bora was impeccable from arrival to departure. We took advantage of all the amenities and services. It is truly a five star resort. I thought we got good value for our money. We will definitely be back at some point and plan to stay longer. Thank you for planning this trip for us. I appreciate your expertise with this confusing process. We will use you again in the near future!"~ H.P.
"Thank you again for everything. So you know, you are one of my favorite people (and we never met). Every time I deal with you I am dealing with going someplace fun!" ~ R.V.
MESSAGE FROM MARGI
It is prime time in the Rocky Mountains for an abundance of winter activities. Enjoy skiing, dog sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in Breckenridge, Vail, Winter Park, Steamboat Springs or any of our beautiful mountain towns. Warm up after a day outdoors with a soak in the hot tub at your cozy Colorado lodge. Treat yourself to a fine dining experience by the fireplace at any of our exceptional restaurants. See you on the slopes!
“I travel because I would rather see something once than read about it a thousand times.” – Steven Manson
Happy Travels!
Margi Arnold, CTC, Luxury Travel Advisor, President
