I have been extremely busy booking trips for families heading to Barcelona this summer for the FINA World Championships!  I am working day and night, but am loving every minute of it!

Every family has their own ideas and travel desires, and I am having so much fun helping them make the most of their trip to Spain!  As those who know me already know, Spain holds a special place in my heart.  Not only because I have been there countless times and have traveled all over the country, but because my husband is Spanish, and now I have two daughters who are part-Spanish as well.

It is so rewarding to be able to put all of my knowledge and experience to good use.  I find that people are really appreciating the guidance, as they recognize how challenging it can be to plan travel to another country on your own (especially when you don't speak the language).  I have been doing everything from booking flights and hotels, to booking airport transfers, excursions, and side-trips, to calling hotels to making special requests. I am even planning a group winery tour (which for those of you who have been on one of those with us, you know how fun they can be:).

On that note, I am planning to unveil plans for our Summer 2014 Wine & Dine Spain group trip within the next few months.  I have already had several people inquire about it, so stay tuned--I promise it is going to be unforgettable!

I'll leave you with pictures from my previous travels to Barcelona, and invite those who have traveled to Barcelona to also share your memories!  I really wish I could go to the World Championships in July, but will have to settle for our trip to Spain in August (two weeks in Alicante on the beach should not be too bad:)

My inspiration for this month’s blog came from an article I read Expedia: Bad for the Traveler, Bad for the Hotel.  If you don’t feel like reading it (although I think it is very eye-opening and educational), it basically exposes the downside of online booking engines such as Expedia and how they hurt both the traveler, as well as the supplier. 

 It still surprises me, when I tell people what I do, and several respond by saying “Do people even use travel agents anymore?”.  Despite the obvious rudeness of their response, I like to use it as an opportunity to talk about what I do and why I do it, and hopefully help them to realize the value in having a good travel agent.  

 Many people believe that booking with a travel agent costs more than booking your own travel.  Many times, this is simply not the case, as your agent not only has access to many suppliers that they can scour for the best deals, but also because they might have the ability to price-match any identical deal you were to find.  It is true that some agents do charge a small fee for their time (I, for the record, do not charge fees at this time), but many times that fee is more than off-set by the value they can provide both in price and customer service.

 What most people don’t realize is that online booking engines such as Orbitz or Expedia, are simply just travel agents, without the personalized service.  As a travel agent, I am paid a commission by the supplier when I sell their product.  Orbitz or Expedia would be paid the same commission (or many times more) when you book with them. By choosing to use a good travel agent, not only are you maximizing your vacation dollar, and taking the stress out of the planning and travel processes, but you are also supporting a local small business. 

As it reads in the article, these large companies not only have very little concern for their suppliers (such as the couple featured who had their hotel taken down Expedia), but they also wash their hands of any responsibility to you (the customer).  If you have ever booked a hotel room from an online booking engine, you probably realized that you are usually given the worst room they have to offer—if you are lucky enough to get a room at all.  Many times hotels will over-book, and push-out their low-end paying customers or downgrade them to a room below the category they purchased.  In fact, the last hotel I booked through Orbitz actually had a Kleenex (not sure if it was used or not), shoved in the peep hole of the room (which was at the end of the hallway of the top floor and reeked of smoke).  Don’t expect Orbitz or Expedia to be quick to advocate for you in these situations. 

So the next time you are planning travel, do consider how you want to spend your vacation dollar, who you want to support, and who you want supporting you.  A good travel agent works for you, and becomes as invested in your vacation as you are.  We do this because we love it, and make sure to go the extra mile for our customers (which, after reading this article, I think it is safe to say that Expedia does not).

Unfortunately, the phrase Buen Viaje, does not really translate to English, but can defined as "safe travels". Most people are more familiar with the French expression Bon Voyage, which is the equivalent of Buen Viaje.

I chose the name Buen Viaje Travel because I feel it represents who I am and what I do: a bilingual Spanish-English family who loves travel!  

Tired of working at a job that brought me more stress than joy, I decided to turn my travel-planning hobby into a job.  The greatest thing about this is that I have found a way to make money doing what I love, but not by passing the cost on to my clients.  As a travel agent, vacation suppliers pay me a commission to sell their product.  What many people don’t realize is that book-it-yourself websites such as Orbitz or Expedia are really just travel agents who are paid commission by the suppliers just as I am, but without the personalized service of course:).

More than making money, this venture is about building something that I believe in and am passionate about, and helping people plan the vacation of their dreams.  Planning travel is like putting together the pieces of a puzzle—for some people that is stressful, but for me putting it together and seeing the final product is what I love to do! 

I am looking forward to this new adventure in my life. I am hoping that I am able to overcome people’s preconceived ideas about travel agents, and helping them realize that having a good one can save you time, money, and stress, and let you do nothing more than sit back and enjoy your travels! 

¡Buen viaje!

We really don’t get to travel as much anymore now that we have kids, but Roberto and I did just return from and unforgettable Western Caribbean vacation. We went on a 7-day cruise on Royal Caribbean’s acclaimed ship Oasis of the Seas®, and it was a trip that is going to be hard to top.

 This was not our first cruise, but this ship (and its sister ship Allure of the Seas®) is phenomenal, and unlike anything I have ever seen before.  The ships made their maiden voyages in 2009, and have all the amenities and luxuries that any cruiser could ever want or need.  From the promenade jammed with shops, restaurants, lounges, and bars, to the Central Park with outdoor cafes and live vegetation, designers of this ship did not overlook any details.  We even partook in a round of mini-golf, as well as ice skating and aqua shows.

We did make stops at three ports of call, which was just about right so there was still enough time to relax and explore this spectacular ship. Our first stop was in Labadee®, Haiti, which was a private beach owned by Royal Caribbean®­­­­­­.  Although it certainly did not have the true feel of Haiti, it was an enjoyable day on a beautiful beach topped-off by a Royal Caribbean® barbecue on the beach (which was a huge plus not having to go back to the ship to eat lunch).

Our second stop was in Falmouth, Jamaica (not far from Montego Bay).  This was another beautiful day at the beach with opportunities for great shopping and a chance to take-in a little Jamaican food and culture.

Our final port of call was Cozumel, where we had a day to shop, sight-see, adventure, and once again, bask in the sun on the picturesque beaches of Mexico.  With excursions such as swimming with the dolphins, snorkeling, and scuba diving, our day in Cozumel was busy.

I cannot say enough about our cruising experience on the Oasis of the Seas®.  There was so much to see and do on the ship that we didn’t have time to do it all. We missed-out on the zip-lining, rock climbing, and the Flow-Rider wave pool, so I am thinking maybe we will have to try the Eastern Caribbean itinerary next year:).

If you are interested in learning more about Royal Caribbean cruises, contact me, or check-out the Royal Caribbean link on my website.