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9 Common Travel Mistakes to Avoid

9 Common Travel Mistakes to Avoid

Planning a vacation can require careful decision-making, however, travel mistakes are common. But there are a few things you can do to avoid these mistakes, like verifying all the details, double-checking booking information, and finding the best deals online for all-inclusive travel booking. Seeking recommendations, checking reviews, and booking top-rated accommodations can also help you avoid hassles on vacation. So, here are a few common mistakes you should avoid when planning a vacation:

Booking at the last minute
Of course, you can snag an excellent deal at the last minute if you find the right all-inclusive vacation package, but often the booking price skyrockets closer to the date of accommodation. So, avoid this travel mistake and always book ahead of time. However, when booking months in advance, you should opt for a refundable ticket in case you want to cancel the booking or find a better deal later.

Overlooking hidden charges
While looking for top all-inclusive trips and stays, you may find unbelievable deals and extremely affordable prices. But an all-inclusive package might not always include everything. So, not calculating the additional costs, such as for excursions, transportation to and from the airport, and tips, could be a huge mistake. You should read all the terms and check if you can customize the package to avoid any additional expenses on the trip.

Not considering your options
Often people opt for all-inclusive packages as they seem like an easy choice, especially for a honeymoon. But before finalizing the first option, take the time to learn about your options. Is there another destination you would like to consider? Are there better packages offered by other companies? Can you find a less-expensive version of your chosen all-inclusive package that is more suitable? Of course, you can still opt for the first package you like, but it is better to consider cheaper, more customizable, and more convenient options to avoid any hassles or regrets.

Not understanding all-inclusive pricing
If you are considering opting out of all-inclusive vacations because you may not be able to drink or eat enough to make every buck count, understand it is not standard pricing. For instance, appetizers that typically cost $15 might cost $30 in an all-inclusive resort, and drinks that usually start at $15 might be priced at $30. As the prices are inflated, you may be able to make the most of all-inclusive packages

Choosing the wrong time to travel
For instance, Mexico has idyllic, pristine beaches and is a mecca for all-inclusive vacations. But as the weather there might not be like in the country, you should find out the best season to visit the country. Winter is its peak tourist season when people travel south from colder temperatures to enjoy the fresh air and warm weather. On the other hand, summer is the rainy season in Mexico, making hotels slash their all-inclusive vacation prices. So, consider checking your destination’s best season that meets your requirements and budget.

Not reading the fine print
Ignoring the terms and not checking the details of their booking is the biggest and often the most expensive mistake travelers make. So, you should read the fine print multiple times to ensure that you do not miss anything, especially if the package seems too good to be true. Typically, all-inclusive packages do not include gratuities and taxes that can add thousands of dollars to your overall charges. These packages may even help you save some money. Regardless, you should understand what you are agreeing to when booking a stay or a trip. It helps you plan your vacation expenses if you know what’s covered in the package and what’s not. Additionally, do not forget to read the refund and cancellation policy before booking.

Not carrying extra cash
You may believe that as you have paid for most things, you might not lead a lot of cash on your trip. But you cannot predict emergencies and sudden expenses. What if you want to take up an excursion or explore a place not covered in the package? Or if you have to buy something you forgot to pack? Of course, you may plan to use a credit card, but what if cards are chargeable or the vendor has a cash-only policy? So, you should always carry a little cash on your vacation.

Not checking the reviews
When you book an all-inclusive vacation, you should check customer reviews for almost everything in the package, starting from the company, third-party platform, or agent that helped you book the trip. Also, check ratings and reviews of the hotel or cruise and all the items in the itinerary. You should also compare your options and see if a better-rated company is offering a better package. Reading reviews can save you from a bad experience. However, you should keep an eye out for paid reviews or promotions and check only trustworthy sites. While negative reviews are inevitable and you will find cons, you should ensure that the negative aspects do not outweigh the benefits of the package you book.

Paying for unnecessary services
In all-inclusive packages, multiple amenities are pre-included. However, you may not need all of them. For instance, if you do not intend to visit the casino, benefits or deals for casino games might be unnecessary. If an event or service is included in the package, you are paying for it. But you don’t have to; just review all the services included in your package and see if you can customize it to cover only the things you will need. Speak to your agent or booking platform and see if you can save money by choosing an alternative package. You can also request them to include some things from other packages without swapping the whole package.

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4 best budget cruises in the world

We often set out on a journey to reach a charming destination. What we miss out on realizing is that being on a journey itself should be a beautiful and enriching experience. A cruise vacation is a great example of that. You spend a couple of days or weeks on a ship, bask in the luxurious services provided on the cruise, and unwind yourself. You do not necessarily have to save up on a lot of money to go on a cruise vacation. Let’s take a look at the top four budget cruises you can choose from.Costa CruisesCosta is one of the most affordable and budget-friendly cruises of the Mediterranean. One of the more exciting parts about being on its cruises is befriending different kinds of people. It will give you ample opportunity to do that as it attracts guests from different countries across the globe. A large number of people come from the United States and different countries in Europe. You can choose a cruise for two days or a complete and elaborate round trip of 112 days. Whether a short trip or a long vacation, being on the Costa Cruises will be a memory you will cherish for life.MSC CruisesDuring certain parts of the year, you get to spend a night on the MSC Cruises by paying just around $100. If you happen to be on its cruises during the peak season, the charges will not be very high either. If you are planning a cruise vacation with family, MSC Cruise would be a very good bet for you. It offers several perks to families like letting kids under the age of 11 sail for free and allowing those aged between 12 and 17 to sail without paying during specific seasons. It has some wonderful attractions for grown-ups, too. It offers an adults-only pool and a bunch of theatres where 4D movies are screened.Princess CruisesIf your kids are too young and good with staying back home while you go on a vacation with your partner, then Princess Cruises is a good option for you. The Princess Cruises, owned by Carnival, are exclusively for individuals who are above the age of 18. With 17 ships under their fold, the cruise covers Mexico, Caribbean Islands, Alaska, and Europe. You can either spend a leisurely day on the cruise or be a part of the complete itinerary, which goes up to 72 days. The poolside movie screenings are one of the cruise’s major highlights. Norwegian Cruise LineMost of the cruises come with their set of dos and don’ts – rules and protocols which you need to follow while you are on-board. The Norwegian Cruise Line lets the travelers be themselves. There is no dress code, guidelines, or any map you need to follow while you are sailing. The cruise consists of 17 vessels in its fold and can accommodate as many as 4,266 passengers at any given time. There is one crew member to cater to two or three passengers. Thus, you will have nothing to complain about when it comes to the service provided on the cruise.

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8 Mistakes to Avoid While Booking a Hotel

Booking a hotel seems like a pretty easy task. However, certain significant mistakes you can be making with regard to hotel bookings might very easily make or break your trip. For instance, if you have pets and you book a hotel with no pet friendly policies, it is not going to be a pleasant experience dealing with it at the eleventh hour. This article discusses 8 common mistakes people make while booking hotels. Only considering the looks and not the location aspect Imagine you are looking for Vegas hotels with the most luxurious rooms, stunning views, and a private jacuzzi. However, when you reach there, you find out, it is not the most easily accessible hotel. In such a case, all its beauty goes down the drain. So, when scouring through the hotel options, you must always look for one well-connected to the attractions or the main city center. It can save you immensely on expenses and commute.  Also, if traveling for work, ensure your hotel is near the eateries or restaurants where you can order or dine in. When you plan a holiday, make a note of all the places you may want to visit and pick a hotel not far from there. However, you must always check with the concierge about the accessibility and transport arrangements in advance if you have to book specific pet-friendly hotels or have a particular place in mind away from the city. Booking a hotel with no cancellation policy Some hotels and websites offer a generous 15-20 percent off when you book a hotel room with them. However, they do not refund your money if you cancel the reservation later. Hence, you must always book hotels that have well-defined cancellation policies.  Not pre-informing the hotel about late check-out or early check-in At times, your arrival time at the hotel is earlier than the usual check-in time, or you might want to stay two hours longer than the specified check-out time. In this case, you must always pre-inform the hotel about the timings so they can adjust accordingly. Usually, when you do not inform them in advance, hotels charge extra for these amends.  Not using credit cards while booking the room When making hotel bookings, credit cards are the best mode of payment. They can fetch you cash-back bonuses, free night stays, and rewards like airline miles. Moreover, credit cards offer guarantees that cash or debit cards do not, such as immediate refunds for mischarges or fraud protection. But how do you find credit card offers? Usually, you can find them specified on the booking platform. However, if booking directly from the website, you can look for hotels offering credit card discounts in the search engine, and it will provide a list of all the credit card offers currently applicable. You might not know that hotels also demand an incidental deposit when using a debit card as a safeguard against the overdraft fee if your account has insufficient money. While some, like Encore Suites, will refund these incidental deposits, most of the hotels do not refund the money until two weeks. So, be wise and always make payments with credit cards to receive several benefits when booking accommodations.  Not requesting hotels for a price match You can find several third-party, price-match portals online. While some are more trustworthy than others, you must always perform a price-match comparison to ensure you are locking the hotel at the best rate. However, please note some sites offer a relatively lower rate than others when booking a non-refundable stay. We do not recommend booking with such platforms, especially if your travel date is far. Instead, you can directly call the hotel and check if they match the price to the online listing. While most might not honor the price, some may discount the rate even further if you book directly with them. It does not hurt to ask. Not requesting a specific room if you are a light sleeper When traveling, it always helps to inform the hotel staff about your preferences. You travel to relax and recuperate and not live by the schedule. So, if you are a light sleeper, let the hotel staff know. They will accommodate your preferences and give you a room away from the elevator, facing the least busy courtyard or street, or on a higher floor.  Not paying heed to the reviews When staying with the hotel for the first time, it is quintessential to check the reviews. With social media, it is today easier to find the good and the bad about any place in the world. So, please do not ignore the feedback from people who have stayed with them. You can find the reviews on booking platforms, Facebook, Google, and Instagram. Carefully read through what the other travelers have to say. However, some people are nasty and impossible to please, and some feedbacks are not directly relevant to the hotels. So, please be wise and skim through the vital information. In addition, you must also check how the hotels reverted to this feedback. Customers usually feel more confident staying with hotels that acknowledge their mistakes and work towards getting better for their customers. Not confirming what's included or excluded Lastly, always ask the hotel what comes in your room fare. So from parking to internet, pool, gym, meals, and breakfast, you must know what you get in the price paid. Beyond this, you must also get a confirmation of the room's features. For instance, if you specifically desire a king bed, ask them if it is guaranteed as part of your reservation. Similarly, is the refrigerator guaranteed to be in your room or subject to availability? It always helps to know what you can get and what's free. Simultaneously, ask what's chargeable or excluded. For instance, some hotels do not allow pets or children.

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Everything you need to know about chronic fatigue syndrome

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What you should know about depression

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Gout – Diagnosis, stages, and prevention

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