See, I was right! Cheap is not good. Here’s a list of the dirtiest hotels in the US according to Trip Adviser reviews.
(These are pretty gross so don’t click that link if you have a weak stomach.)
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CRAP!
A good travel agent will try to make sure you get good value for your money but a good travel agent will NEVER recommend the cheapest vacation. And it has nothing to do with the fact that travel agents work on commission.
Yes, your travel agent will make more if you go on a $5000 vacation than if you go on a $4000 vacation. But what’s the benefit of that extra $100 if you feel like you were taken advantage of and don’t ever book with them again? More than anything a travel agent wants you to come home talking non-stop about the fantastic vacation you had. They want your repeat business and referrals. That’s not going to happen if you just spent a week in a dirty room with a view of the dumpster.
All things being equal, your travel agent will recommend the options with the lowest price but there are a few things that will trump price every time.
Reputation
A travel agent will almost always book your vacation through a wholesaler. Because they book so many room nights, wholesalers can negotiate lower pricing on hotel rooms, car rental, and sometimes airfare, and are able to pass those savings on to you. And because they can book everything from your hotel room to your airport transfers, it make the booking process much easier – one payment, one set of documents, one contact if there is a problem. Unfortunately, not all wholesalers are created equal. Travel agents talk, and if one of my clients is mistreated by a wholesaler, I’m going to make sure my agent friends know about it. If a friend of mine is having a hard time getting paid by a wholesaler she used, she lets me know – they may be having financial problems, don’t book with them! So while one wholesaler may have a lower price your agent may not recommend them, or even ask for a quote from them, because they are known to be unreliable.
Relationship
Yes, travel agents sometimes have special relationships with wholesalers and other travel suppliers. This is often discussed as if it’s a bad thing – as if your travel agent will recommend a company that is higher priced or not as perfect a fit for you just because they’re friendly or get a higher commission. Yes, your agent may receive a higher commission, but that’s because your agent books with them A LOT! That means a) your agent trusts them and b) the wholesaler doesn’t want to lose your agent’s business. They will go out of their way to make sure everything runs smoothly and to fix things if they don’t.
Quality
If you want the cheapest hotel in Vegas you can have it, but you’re going to have to book it yourself. In travel you often get what you pay for. So that $30 a night hotel room is going to be worth about that, maybe less. And I’m not going to book it for you because I know it’s crap and I don’t want you blaming me when you check in and find a rat napping on your pillow.
So just because you find something cheaper on the internet doesn’t mean your travel agent was trying to rip you off. And if what you want is the cheapest vacation on the internet? Book it yourself.
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I wanted to start this post by saying that it’s no secret that I love river cruising. Unfortunately I can’t. I’ve written a couple of posts about river cruising but I haven’t posted them yet, so unless you know me in real life you wouldn’t know how much I love it. You’re just gonna have to trust me on this one – I LOVE RIVER CRUISING!
I’ve been on river cruises with just my husband and with my kids. We always have a great time and look back on those vacations as some of our favorites. They pace is relaxing and there aren’t a lot of distractions that pull us apart so it’s a great opportunity to be connect in ways we can’t or don’t at home or on other types of vacations.
River cruising isn’t for everyone, though. The pace is slower, there aren’t any big, Vegas style shows or casinos and you won’t find any rock climbing walls on board. You won’t find huge, 24 hour, all you can eat buffets, either. There’s just a single dining room that serves 3 meals a day. Don’t let that scare you, though. You won’t go hungry. Most ships have some type of food available all day and honestly, we were so full after breakfast that we usually skipped lunch so we could eat dinner. We felt like there was another meal starting 5 minutes after we finished the previous one.
Because of the slower pace, this type of cruise attracts an older crowd so another thing you won’t find on a river cruise is a children’s program. Well, there weren’t any children’s programs. Tauck Bridges, the family travel division of Tauck Tours, is changing that with their Family Riverboat Adventure on the Danube. They tested out the family river cruise last year and the demand was so positive they are offering more this year.
This cruise will take you from Budapest, Hungary to Regensburg, Germany. You’ll explore 4 countries, experience different cultures, learn a little history and have a ton of family fun along the way. Your children will take part in a scavenger hunt, go whitewater rafting on a controlled course and enjoy a dinner of Slovakian specialties. And that’s just the first full day! Other activities include visits to castles, a strudel making class, a tour of Mozart’s Salzburg and wine tasting. (Chill out! The kids get taste grapes.)
If you’ve always wanted to go on a river cruise, but were afraid your kids would be underwhelmed, this is your chance. TAKE IT!
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