Packing Tips/ Help

Don't we all need to learn how to pack better? I know I always over pack. Over the years I have gotten better at it, but wouldn't it be nice to travel with one light weight suit case. Do you really need 5 pairs of shoes for a 7 day trip?? How many outfits to you REALLY Need for a cruise? This lady really gets it. The checklist for packing is free. Some of her products have a cost. But the free ones are really useful. Check out her website, which has helped me big time:

http://www.packitup.com/pilot.asp

Traveling to Mexico

Hello.. If you are are traveling to Mexico in the near future, many travel companies are allowing refunds on packages and trips that aren't usually refundable. Usually they give you a credit to rebook a trip with them later. So if you are feeling uneasy about traveling to Mexico, call your travel agent or company you booked your trip with.. Most likely they will allow you to re book a different trip.

Small Ship cruises

Are you looking for more of an up close view of the places you visit? Are you looking for something smaller and don't want to deal with the big dinners, shows, casino, lines, etc. Then a small ship cruise might be right for you. They can get into the smaller ports and places you can't see on the big ships, so that you can get to know the place you are visiting. Small ships are really a more personalized way to cruise. Let me know if you would like to learn more.

My New Business

Hi all,

I have started my own travel related business. Dream Vacations by Jacob Roberts. If you would like help with booking your travel, I would be honored to help you. Travel is my passion!! Just e-mail me if you would like me to assist you.
Best way to reach me is at jjroberts707@comcast.net.

Europe is on sale summer 2009

Thanks to recession-induced price cutting, this is a GREAT time to travel to Europe. Right now airfare, hotel accommodation, etc are really cheap. Book as soon as you can. In the past you could wait for last minute deals. In today's economy airline and hotel "great deal" seats or rooms are booking up quickly. According to travel experts airfare to Europe is currently 50% lower than it was last year. Also the last summer the Dollar sank to a record low against the Euro and pound. I traveled myself during that time and it was really bad. This summer it has improved quite a bit. The dollars value is up 20% vs. the euro and 30% vs. the pound.

Cruises-the new way to travel on a budget

Cruises can be a great way to travel on a budget. Expenses can be very controllable on a cruise. Lets say you do a 7 day Mexican riveria cruise from San Francisco. If you live in the bay area, you can avoid airfare. Once your on the ship, your cruise fare includes your stateroom, your food and beverages (excluding alcohol and soda), entertainment. Whats not included is things like souvenirs, tours at each port, money for casino on ship, & misc. spending cash. So as you can see the things that are not included are very controllable. I usually buy the tours that the ship offers, but you can also have a great time by doing your research on each port ahead of time and doing a self guided tour. A great site for this is cruisecritic.com.

Best way to get a deal on airline tickets

It can be difficult get a great deal on airline tickets. Prices change all the time, things go up and down. In order to get a great deal, you will need to spend time searching the internet. I would start by looking at travel sites like travelocity.. Then you could also search individual airline sites to see what you come up with. If you don't have time for all that, let a professional do it for you. Travel professionals can help you get a good deal, so if you don't have time to do the research yourself call a pro.

Destination--The Philippines

Hello,

This posting is surrounding a destination I recommend. The Philippines. I have visited multiple times and love the place. It's not what you might expect. In my opinion, it is Hawaii at a much lower price. The beaches are beautiful, the cities are great, and the people are very warm and friendly. I have visited Manila (Makati area) and really enjoyed that. The shopping is great and hotels are 5 stars. I have also visited Bohol in the South which has wonderful places to stay and great beaches. And one HUGE plus is your money goes so far there!!!

If you have questions about The Philippines, contact me at jjroberts707@comcast.net

Frequent Stay or Flyer programs

Always sign up for free frequent flyer or stay programs. Many times you get better rooms or better seats if you are part of the program. I know when I stay at hilton hotel, they have a hilton honors floor where the rooms are nicer, in better locations, and have more amenities.

Travel inurance

Hello,

Always consider travel insurance on more costly trips. I always purchase travel insurance on my cruises. You have to remember you are protecting your vacation funds. If something happens to your trip, you can get your money back in many situations. (illness, weather related issues, trip delay, accident coverage, theft, lost baggage, medical evacuation, etc.)Meaning you may be able to use the funds later to take another trip, rather than just being out of luck. My advice is check it out and be aware of your options. Here are some reputable companies that offer this product:

Travel Guard:

http://www.travelguard.com/

Travelex:

https://www.travelex-insurance.com/consumer/welcome.aspx

AIG:

http://www.aigtravel.com/

Best travel magazines

Good morning,

If you are serious about travel magazines, I recomend the following ones to you:

Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel:

http://www.budgettravel.com/

This magazine has great articles and is a wonderful way for you to plan your future trips.

Cruise Travel:

http://www.cruisetravelmag.com/

If you are a die hard cruiser like me, you must have this magazine. I am taking a cruise of the Caribbean in Dec, and will start my cruise in San Juan. The magazine told me all about San Juan and what do do, where to stay, etc. Check it out.

Fare Compare.com

Sorry it's been so long since my last post. Check out this site. This is a great way to get great deals on flights. You can sign up for alerts.. and they will e-mail you when deals come up for your selected destination. I have signed up to get alerts from SFO to San Juan Puerto Rico. I am planning a trip towards the end of the year.

http://www.farecompare.com/

Good to know about renting a car

I know many people have had issues with renting cars. Here are a few "good to knows" if you are renting a car:

• Always inspect the car, and note any damage of any kind. Even if its a very small scratch or ding, you must note it. I would recommend taking a pic with your cell phone too. If you don't note the damage they may pin it on you when you return he car.
• If you use your credit card to pay for your rental car, most cards offer free Auto rental collision and theft coverage. Meaning you don't need to buy the expensive insurance from the rental agency. In fact if you buy the insurance most times it invalidates your cards free coverage. Always check with your auto insurance company to make sure your covered.
• Always return your car with a full tank, or they may charge you huge amounts for each gallon.
• Check out the FTC's site on renting cars: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/autos/aut07.shtm

Destination Information

Good Morning,

Ok so your ready to travel. Now what? Want to learn about the destination your visiting? Looking for something to do, or want more information about your hotel? Want to go where the locals go? The following sites are sites that have really helped me:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/

http://travel.yahoo.com/

Seat Guru

Good Morning,

Ever wonder what type of seats you will get? Ever wonder what seats are the best? How much leg room you will have?? Well check out seat guru. Site is: http://www.seatguru.com/

Cruise networking site

Hello,

If you know me, you know I love to go on cruises. Checkout this site. Cruise critic is great for meeting people who will be on the same voyage, finding out good to know type things about ships and ports, and all kinds of other info. Check it out. Jacob

Heres the site:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/

Packing tips

Hello,

I would like to share a great website with you. http://www.packitup.com/
This site gives fantastic tips on how to pack properly and even has great checklists. I have used this site before, and it really helped me to minimize what I bring on trips.

My Brand New Travel blog

Hi,

I just wanted to start a blog to share travel related info. Travel is my passion and I hope to share beneficial info with friends and contacts.