Expedition Cruises Immerse Travelers in a Destination
For travelers who relish the thrill of setting foot in places where relatively few people have ever been, and who love taking cruises, there’s a way to combine both of those passions.
Interest is growing in expedition cruises, voyages that offer passengers the opportunity to become immersed in unique cultures, ecosystems and histories as they visit remote locations from Alaska to the Amazon.
Expedition cruises use smaller ships, often accommodating fewer than 100 passengers. They’re able to get closer to scenic wonders and out-of-the-way ports. While there’s no shortage of comfort onboard, you won’t find the dazzling shows that large cruise ships offer. Instead, the focus is on awe-inspiring destinations. On an expedition cruise, the sights and sounds of the natural world will dazzle you. To explain what you’re seeing, you’ll travel with a team of historians, anthropologists and scientists who will share their knowledge along the way. The day-to-day scheduling and port stops are more fluid, permitting the flexibility to change course to take advantage of weather or wildlife sightings.
To get a sense of where you can go on an expedition cruise, here are some of the itineraries that have been announced for 2020 and beyond.
Silversea Cruises’ 254-passenger ship Silver Wind is currently being upgraded for polar expeditions, including receiving ice-class status. Voyages to Antarctica are set to begin in November 2020, departing from Ushuaia, in southern Argentina. The ship will be equipped with a fleet of Zodiac boats that allow guests to visit places where they can get a close-up look at penguins, seals and species of rare birds. A range of lectures and workshops will complement the experience.
The Hurtigruten cruise line focuses only on expedition voyages, and it plans to expand to Alaska in 2020 with its ship the MS Roald Amundsen, the first hybrid-powered Alaska cruise ship. A small ship is a great way to see Alaska’s breathtaking mountains and glaciers, as well as wildlife. Travelers will sail through the Inside Passage, calling on places rarely visited by other cruise lines, including historic towns such as Petersburg, a picturesque village founded by Norwegian fishermen. The ship will end its first season in Alaska by sailing the Northwest Passage from Nome to Greenland, then on to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises has just announced 11 new itineraries for 2021 aboard the Crystal Esprit. The intimate all-suite ship has a staff of 90 catering to just 62 guests, offering a highly personalized luxury experience. Unhampered by crowds or lines and with a relaxed ambiance, it’s much like a private club. Curated itineraries complement the experience, with the ship anchoring in gorgeous harbors by night. The Esprit will visit Turkey, Croatia and destinations in the Middle East, with a choice of port calls in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai and Abu Dhabi; Qatar, Oman and Bahrain; or Israel, Egypt and Jordan.
Contact your Travel Leaders travel advisor for assistance planning an expedition cruise or find one through Travel Leaders Network at www.travelleaders.com.
Getaways to Add to Your Luxury Vacation Bucket List
Luxury travel isn’t solely about the level of accommodations anymore. These days, it’s also about the unique experiences, personalized itineraries and destinations that travelers can choose around the world.
According to the most recent travel trends survey conducted by Travel Leaders Group, luxury travelers are most interested in exclusive access, including VIP tours, cars and drivers and customized culinary experiences, or even opportunities for combining their trip with a volunteer project that takes them out of their comfort zone to make a deeper connection.
For train buffs, there’s nothing as memorable as a rail journey where you can sit back and enjoy the magnificent scenery. When you explore the Canadian Rockies aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, you’ll find impeccable service and awe-inspiring vistas as you travel from Vancouver to Banff and Lake Louise. With the highest-level GoldLeaf Service, passengers travel in a bi-level domed coach. Gourmet meals featuring regional cuisine are served in a dining room with large picture windows.
If you have a safari on your bucket list, Travel Leaders advisors can help you plan a vacation that will make the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. On a luxury trip, you’ll travel in a private 4X4 Land Cruiser with a naturalist guide who will help you spot the “big five” — lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and Cape buffalo. In the East African countries of Tanzania and Kenya from July to October you can watch the Great Migration, as more than 2 million wildebeest, zebra and antelope make their famed annual pilgrimage.
Some less-traveled destinations can offer tremendous opportunities for historical, culinary and cultural experiences without the enormous crowds.
To see a part of Europe that’s a little off the beaten path — but still full of charm — consider a trip to one of the cities on the Baltic Sea. Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is a port of call on the Baltic Treasures trip aboard the Crystal Cruises’ ship Serenity. Old Town, with its historic buildings and cobblestone streets, is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Northern Europe.
About an hour off the coast of Naples, the small, mountainous island of Ischia is perfect for travelers who want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the nearby Amalfi Coast. Ischia, in the Tyrrhenian Sea, offers some of the best beaches in Italy. Outdoor enthusiasts can head to the town of Fontana, where they can hike to the top of Mount Epomeo, rising more than 2,500 feet above sea level and offering stunning views.
To really get away from it all, take a Silversea or Windstar cruise in the South Pacific, where you can uncover hidden spots like the Tuamotu Islands, a French Polynesia chain of nearly 80 islands and low-lying atolls. Manihi, built on a coral reef, is less than two hours by air from Tahiti. Known as the Island of Pearls, its lagoon is perfect for scuba diving.
For help planning a luxury vacation, contact your travel advisor, or connect with one through Travel Leaders Network at www.travelleaders.com.
LGBTQ-Friendly Cities for Pride Celebrations
Cities around the world will hold Pride Month celebrations this summer, making it a perfect occasion for LGBTQ travelers to plan a trip and join in the festivities.
This year, New York City marks the 50th anniversary of Pride celebrations. The entire month of June is packed with events — from rallies to performances, parties and exhibits. There’s a festival of LGBTQ plays June 13 to July 6, a concert honoring 50 years of divas on June 23 and a culinary evening on June 28, with cooking demonstrations and a tasting menu. The month culminates with the annual Pride parade along Fifth Avenue on June 30.
In San Francisco, this year’s Pride theme is “Generations of Resistance.” Civic Center Plaza will take on a festive atmosphere on the afternoon of June 29-30, with entertainment and dozens of exhibitors and food vendors. On June 30, the Pride parade will be held along Market Street. San Francisco is also a great starting point to explore northern California, including the wineries of Napa Valley and the redwoods in Muir Woods.
Key West, the southernmost point of Florida, is known for its laid-back lifestyle and welcoming atmosphere. This year’s Pride Week will be held June 5-9, with parties, musical performances, theater, film screenings and a parade. For restaurants and nightlife, check out downtown’s vibrant Duval Street or the waterfront Mallory Square, where people gather nightly to watch the sunset.
Canada leads the list of gay-friendly destinations, according to an annual index compiled by the travel publisher Spartacus, and Toronto’s monthlong Pride celebration has become one of the country’s major artistic and cultural events. Activities include Nuit Rose, a free festival of LGBT-focused art and performance, a weekend street fair with a spotlight on local artisans, and the Pride parade, on June 23. To celebrate with a French flair, Montreal Pride takes place Aug. 8-18, with a Community Day on Aug. 17 along Rue Sainte-Catherine, in the heart of the city’s gay neighborhood, and a parade on Aug. 18.
Austria also ranks highly on the Spartacus index, and Vienna hosts EuroPride from June 1-16. Pride Village, in front of Vienna’s City Hall, will be a center of activities, with food, drink and entertainment. Other events include a street festival, beach day, a movie night and a 5K race, with a parade on June 15. While you’re there, you’ll also want to tour the city’s museums and palaces and try some of the desserts, like the Sachertorte, for which Vienna is famous.
Sweden is another country high on the list of welcoming places for LGBT travelers, with gay and gay-friendly hotels, bars and restaurants spread throughout the capital of Stockholm. The annual Stockholm Pride takes place from July 29 to Aug. 3, with street parties and a parade. Fans of ABBA will want to check out the museum devoted to the Swedish pop group.
For help planning a Gay Pride Month trip, contact your travel advisor or connect with one through Travel Leaders Network at www.travelleaders.com.
Entertaining Cruise Activities for Children
With lots of activities that appeal to kids — including the child in all of us — a cruise can be a terrific choice for an action-packed family vacation.
Whether your children love to climb high and go fast, pursue a passion for art, music or science, or hone their skills in the kitchen, they’ll find more than enough to keep them busy on a cruise ship.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line offer truly heart-pumping attractions. The Ultimate Abyss®, on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas® and Harmony of the Seas®, is one of the cruise world’s most thrilling slides, with a 10-story drop. On Quantum Class ships, the skydiving simulator RipCord® by iFly® allows kids — and adults — to experience the rush of floating on air.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Joy and Bliss feature two-level racetracks built for competition, where kids can zoom along at up to 30 miles per hour. Several Norwegian ships also have escape rooms with a carnival theme — kids must solve puzzles to “Escape the Big Top” before time runs out. Norwegian’s ropes course features The Plank. Eight feet long and six inches wide, it extends over the ocean to give kids the experience of walking the plank, just like a pirate but with a secure safety harness.
Cruise ships generally offer clubs that group children by age. Holland America Line’s Club HAL, for example, has programs designed for kids ages 3 to 6, 7 to 12, and 13 to 17. Activities range from a Pirate Treasure Hunt, Painting Picassos and Sing-Along Storytime for the youngest passengers, to ice cream eating contests and gaming tournaments for tweens to trivia contests, karaoke, craft projects and volleyball tournaments for the older kids.
Sports fans aren’t left out either. Kids will find opportunities to indulge in their favorite activities, from basketball to mini golf, climbing a rock wall, swimming and on some ships, ice skating or roller skating. If your child’s “sport” is playing arcade games, cruise ships have that covered, too, but cruise ships are great places for children to explore a new interest, too.
Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Science Lab lets young passengers try their hand at science experiments, with topics like Fossil Fever, Power of the Sun, Volcanoes and Space Mud. In the Imagination Studio, aspiring artists can paint, sculpt and do craft projects. The SeaPlex® on Quantum Class ships has a Trapeze School, where kids age 6 and older can take lessons. Or the FlowRider® Surf Simulator, where they can take surfing lessons.
Celebrity Cruises, which has more than 500 activities for children, has a strong STEM offering for those interested in science, technology, engineering and math. These activities are powered by experiments, demonstrations and everyday science that will amaze young minds and keep them interested long after the cruise ends. Also on Celebrity Cruises, young foodies can have fun with activities like Cupcake Creations and Pizza Masters, and get a chance to go behind the scenes to the ship’s kitchen. On Princess Cruises, dessert lovers can learn the art of cake decorating — and enjoy the results with their family.
For help finding the right cruise ship for your family, contact your travel advisor or locate one through Travel Leaders Network at www.travelleaders.com.
Business Travel: What to Know Before You Go
Some of the most important decisions about your business trip are the ones you make before you leave home.
Whether it’s packing, making sure vital documents are updated or simply ways to make your business travel run more smoothly, here are some tips to keep in mind.
A passport is valid for 10 years and with a date that far into the future, most of us aren’t thinking about when it expires. But if you’re going to be traveling internationally, it’s important to check the expiration date on your passport. The U.S. State Department advises that some countries require for your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your trip. Some airlines won’t even allow you to board if this requirement isn’t met.
Although you have e-tickets on your phone, printing out your boarding pass and confirmation numbers for things like a rental car and hotel will give you extra peace of mind. For international trips, be sure to bring a photocopy of your passport, too.
To save time going through airport security, frequent fliers should consider signing up for the Transportation Security Administration’s Precheck and Global Entry programs. You can fill out an application online in about five minutes, and then schedule an appointment at any of more than 380 enrollment centers nationwide to complete the process, which includes a background check and fingerprinting. Global Entry offers the benefits of TSA Precheck plus expedited customs screening for travelers returning home to the United States.
If you’re on the road a lot, invest in good luggage that’s easy to pack and maneuver through the airport. Ideally it should be made of material that will stand up to wear and tear. It’s also a good idea to buy a digital luggage scale. About the size of a corkscrew, it’s easy to carry and will ensure that you don’t go over airline weight limits and incur a hefty fee.
When it comes to packing, think versatility. Bring articles of clothing that go with everything, and that you can layer, including dark-colored items that will hide stains in case spills happen. When it comes to keeping dress shirts looking fresh, minimize wrinkles by packing them in bags from the dry cleaner’s. Make room for items that will help you sleep, like a neck pillow, eye mask or headphones.
While cheaper isn’t always better — especially if it costs you valuable time —it’s worth comparing the cost of various modes of transportation to the airport. For example, weigh the cost savings of parking your car in a lot farther away, or off the airport property, versus the time it’ll take you to get to the terminal. How does taking a taxi or public transportation compare? Sometimes the most convenient way is better, but other times, you can get where you need to be on time while saving your company a little money.
For help booking your next travel plans, contact me.
Debbie Linder
630-3656210
For travelers who relish the thrill of setting foot in places where relatively few people have ever been, and who love taking cruises, there’s a way to combine both of those passions.
Interest is growing in expedition cruises, voyages that offer passengers the opportunity to become immersed in unique cultures, ecosystems and histories as they visit remote locations from Alaska to the Amazon.
Expedition cruises use smaller ships, often accommodating fewer than 100 passengers. They’re able to get closer to scenic wonders and out-of-the-way ports. While there’s no shortage of comfort onboard, you won’t find the dazzling shows that large cruise ships offer. Instead, the focus is on awe-inspiring destinations. On an expedition cruise, the sights and sounds of the natural world will dazzle you. To explain what you’re seeing, you’ll travel with a team of historians, anthropologists and scientists who will share their knowledge along the way. The day-to-day scheduling and port stops are more fluid, permitting the flexibility to change course to take advantage of weather or wildlife sightings.
To get a sense of where you can go on an expedition cruise, here are some of the itineraries that have been announced for 2020 and beyond.
Silversea Cruises’ 254-passenger ship Silver Wind is currently being upgraded for polar expeditions, including receiving ice-class status. Voyages to Antarctica are set to begin in November 2020, departing from Ushuaia, in southern Argentina. The ship will be equipped with a fleet of Zodiac boats that allow guests to visit places where they can get a close-up look at penguins, seals and species of rare birds. A range of lectures and workshops will complement the experience.
The Hurtigruten cruise line focuses only on expedition voyages, and it plans to expand to Alaska in 2020 with its ship the MS Roald Amundsen, the first hybrid-powered Alaska cruise ship. A small ship is a great way to see Alaska’s breathtaking mountains and glaciers, as well as wildlife. Travelers will sail through the Inside Passage, calling on places rarely visited by other cruise lines, including historic towns such as Petersburg, a picturesque village founded by Norwegian fishermen. The ship will end its first season in Alaska by sailing the Northwest Passage from Nome to Greenland, then on to Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises has just announced 11 new itineraries for 2021 aboard the Crystal Esprit. The intimate all-suite ship has a staff of 90 catering to just 62 guests, offering a highly personalized luxury experience. Unhampered by crowds or lines and with a relaxed ambiance, it’s much like a private club. Curated itineraries complement the experience, with the ship anchoring in gorgeous harbors by night. The Esprit will visit Turkey, Croatia and destinations in the Middle East, with a choice of port calls in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai and Abu Dhabi; Qatar, Oman and Bahrain; or Israel, Egypt and Jordan.
Contact your Travel Leaders travel advisor for assistance planning an expedition cruise or find one through Travel Leaders Network at www.travelleaders.com.
Getaways to Add to Your Luxury Vacation Bucket List
Luxury travel isn’t solely about the level of accommodations anymore. These days, it’s also about the unique experiences, personalized itineraries and destinations that travelers can choose around the world.
According to the most recent travel trends survey conducted by Travel Leaders Group, luxury travelers are most interested in exclusive access, including VIP tours, cars and drivers and customized culinary experiences, or even opportunities for combining their trip with a volunteer project that takes them out of their comfort zone to make a deeper connection.
For train buffs, there’s nothing as memorable as a rail journey where you can sit back and enjoy the magnificent scenery. When you explore the Canadian Rockies aboard the Rocky Mountaineer, you’ll find impeccable service and awe-inspiring vistas as you travel from Vancouver to Banff and Lake Louise. With the highest-level GoldLeaf Service, passengers travel in a bi-level domed coach. Gourmet meals featuring regional cuisine are served in a dining room with large picture windows.
If you have a safari on your bucket list, Travel Leaders advisors can help you plan a vacation that will make the most out of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. On a luxury trip, you’ll travel in a private 4X4 Land Cruiser with a naturalist guide who will help you spot the “big five” — lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and Cape buffalo. In the East African countries of Tanzania and Kenya from July to October you can watch the Great Migration, as more than 2 million wildebeest, zebra and antelope make their famed annual pilgrimage.
Some less-traveled destinations can offer tremendous opportunities for historical, culinary and cultural experiences without the enormous crowds.
To see a part of Europe that’s a little off the beaten path — but still full of charm — consider a trip to one of the cities on the Baltic Sea. Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, is a port of call on the Baltic Treasures trip aboard the Crystal Cruises’ ship Serenity. Old Town, with its historic buildings and cobblestone streets, is one of the best-preserved medieval cities in Northern Europe.
About an hour off the coast of Naples, the small, mountainous island of Ischia is perfect for travelers who want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the nearby Amalfi Coast. Ischia, in the Tyrrhenian Sea, offers some of the best beaches in Italy. Outdoor enthusiasts can head to the town of Fontana, where they can hike to the top of Mount Epomeo, rising more than 2,500 feet above sea level and offering stunning views.
To really get away from it all, take a Silversea or Windstar cruise in the South Pacific, where you can uncover hidden spots like the Tuamotu Islands, a French Polynesia chain of nearly 80 islands and low-lying atolls. Manihi, built on a coral reef, is less than two hours by air from Tahiti. Known as the Island of Pearls, its lagoon is perfect for scuba diving.
For help planning a luxury vacation, contact your travel advisor, or connect with one through Travel Leaders Network at www.travelleaders.com.
LGBTQ-Friendly Cities for Pride Celebrations
Cities around the world will hold Pride Month celebrations this summer, making it a perfect occasion for LGBTQ travelers to plan a trip and join in the festivities.
This year, New York City marks the 50th anniversary of Pride celebrations. The entire month of June is packed with events — from rallies to performances, parties and exhibits. There’s a festival of LGBTQ plays June 13 to July 6, a concert honoring 50 years of divas on June 23 and a culinary evening on June 28, with cooking demonstrations and a tasting menu. The month culminates with the annual Pride parade along Fifth Avenue on June 30.
In San Francisco, this year’s Pride theme is “Generations of Resistance.” Civic Center Plaza will take on a festive atmosphere on the afternoon of June 29-30, with entertainment and dozens of exhibitors and food vendors. On June 30, the Pride parade will be held along Market Street. San Francisco is also a great starting point to explore northern California, including the wineries of Napa Valley and the redwoods in Muir Woods.
Key West, the southernmost point of Florida, is known for its laid-back lifestyle and welcoming atmosphere. This year’s Pride Week will be held June 5-9, with parties, musical performances, theater, film screenings and a parade. For restaurants and nightlife, check out downtown’s vibrant Duval Street or the waterfront Mallory Square, where people gather nightly to watch the sunset.
Canada leads the list of gay-friendly destinations, according to an annual index compiled by the travel publisher Spartacus, and Toronto’s monthlong Pride celebration has become one of the country’s major artistic and cultural events. Activities include Nuit Rose, a free festival of LGBT-focused art and performance, a weekend street fair with a spotlight on local artisans, and the Pride parade, on June 23. To celebrate with a French flair, Montreal Pride takes place Aug. 8-18, with a Community Day on Aug. 17 along Rue Sainte-Catherine, in the heart of the city’s gay neighborhood, and a parade on Aug. 18.
Austria also ranks highly on the Spartacus index, and Vienna hosts EuroPride from June 1-16. Pride Village, in front of Vienna’s City Hall, will be a center of activities, with food, drink and entertainment. Other events include a street festival, beach day, a movie night and a 5K race, with a parade on June 15. While you’re there, you’ll also want to tour the city’s museums and palaces and try some of the desserts, like the Sachertorte, for which Vienna is famous.
Sweden is another country high on the list of welcoming places for LGBT travelers, with gay and gay-friendly hotels, bars and restaurants spread throughout the capital of Stockholm. The annual Stockholm Pride takes place from July 29 to Aug. 3, with street parties and a parade. Fans of ABBA will want to check out the museum devoted to the Swedish pop group.
For help planning a Gay Pride Month trip, contact your travel advisor or connect with one through Travel Leaders Network at www.travelleaders.com.
Entertaining Cruise Activities for Children
With lots of activities that appeal to kids — including the child in all of us — a cruise can be a terrific choice for an action-packed family vacation.
Whether your children love to climb high and go fast, pursue a passion for art, music or science, or hone their skills in the kitchen, they’ll find more than enough to keep them busy on a cruise ship.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line offer truly heart-pumping attractions. The Ultimate Abyss®, on Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas® and Harmony of the Seas®, is one of the cruise world’s most thrilling slides, with a 10-story drop. On Quantum Class ships, the skydiving simulator RipCord® by iFly® allows kids — and adults — to experience the rush of floating on air.
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Joy and Bliss feature two-level racetracks built for competition, where kids can zoom along at up to 30 miles per hour. Several Norwegian ships also have escape rooms with a carnival theme — kids must solve puzzles to “Escape the Big Top” before time runs out. Norwegian’s ropes course features The Plank. Eight feet long and six inches wide, it extends over the ocean to give kids the experience of walking the plank, just like a pirate but with a secure safety harness.
Cruise ships generally offer clubs that group children by age. Holland America Line’s Club HAL, for example, has programs designed for kids ages 3 to 6, 7 to 12, and 13 to 17. Activities range from a Pirate Treasure Hunt, Painting Picassos and Sing-Along Storytime for the youngest passengers, to ice cream eating contests and gaming tournaments for tweens to trivia contests, karaoke, craft projects and volleyball tournaments for the older kids.
Sports fans aren’t left out either. Kids will find opportunities to indulge in their favorite activities, from basketball to mini golf, climbing a rock wall, swimming and on some ships, ice skating or roller skating. If your child’s “sport” is playing arcade games, cruise ships have that covered, too, but cruise ships are great places for children to explore a new interest, too.
Royal Caribbean’s Adventure Science Lab lets young passengers try their hand at science experiments, with topics like Fossil Fever, Power of the Sun, Volcanoes and Space Mud. In the Imagination Studio, aspiring artists can paint, sculpt and do craft projects. The SeaPlex® on Quantum Class ships has a Trapeze School, where kids age 6 and older can take lessons. Or the FlowRider® Surf Simulator, where they can take surfing lessons.
Celebrity Cruises, which has more than 500 activities for children, has a strong STEM offering for those interested in science, technology, engineering and math. These activities are powered by experiments, demonstrations and everyday science that will amaze young minds and keep them interested long after the cruise ends. Also on Celebrity Cruises, young foodies can have fun with activities like Cupcake Creations and Pizza Masters, and get a chance to go behind the scenes to the ship’s kitchen. On Princess Cruises, dessert lovers can learn the art of cake decorating — and enjoy the results with their family.
For help finding the right cruise ship for your family, contact your travel advisor or locate one through Travel Leaders Network at www.travelleaders.com.
Business Travel: What to Know Before You Go
Some of the most important decisions about your business trip are the ones you make before you leave home.
Whether it’s packing, making sure vital documents are updated or simply ways to make your business travel run more smoothly, here are some tips to keep in mind.
A passport is valid for 10 years and with a date that far into the future, most of us aren’t thinking about when it expires. But if you’re going to be traveling internationally, it’s important to check the expiration date on your passport. The U.S. State Department advises that some countries require for your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond the date of your trip. Some airlines won’t even allow you to board if this requirement isn’t met.
Although you have e-tickets on your phone, printing out your boarding pass and confirmation numbers for things like a rental car and hotel will give you extra peace of mind. For international trips, be sure to bring a photocopy of your passport, too.
To save time going through airport security, frequent fliers should consider signing up for the Transportation Security Administration’s Precheck and Global Entry programs. You can fill out an application online in about five minutes, and then schedule an appointment at any of more than 380 enrollment centers nationwide to complete the process, which includes a background check and fingerprinting. Global Entry offers the benefits of TSA Precheck plus expedited customs screening for travelers returning home to the United States.
If you’re on the road a lot, invest in good luggage that’s easy to pack and maneuver through the airport. Ideally it should be made of material that will stand up to wear and tear. It’s also a good idea to buy a digital luggage scale. About the size of a corkscrew, it’s easy to carry and will ensure that you don’t go over airline weight limits and incur a hefty fee.
When it comes to packing, think versatility. Bring articles of clothing that go with everything, and that you can layer, including dark-colored items that will hide stains in case spills happen. When it comes to keeping dress shirts looking fresh, minimize wrinkles by packing them in bags from the dry cleaner’s. Make room for items that will help you sleep, like a neck pillow, eye mask or headphones.
While cheaper isn’t always better — especially if it costs you valuable time —it’s worth comparing the cost of various modes of transportation to the airport. For example, weigh the cost savings of parking your car in a lot farther away, or off the airport property, versus the time it’ll take you to get to the terminal. How does taking a taxi or public transportation compare? Sometimes the most convenient way is better, but other times, you can get where you need to be on time while saving your company a little money.
For help booking your next travel plans, contact me.
Debbie Linder
630-3656210