The Travel Professor

Ohio "Fireland" road trip part 1

2009-11-07T06:05:00.000-05:00

It’s road trip season! I’m hitting the highways en route to the ‘Firelands” of northeastern Ohio. The motivations for this journey are the Fabulous Food Show, high school football playoffs, an old time hardware store plus a clam bake. Plus I’ve added a couple of shopping stops too.

The Firelands or Sufferers' Lands tract was located at the western end of the Connecticut Western Reserve in what is now the U.S. state of Ohio. The land was set aside for residents of the Connecticut towns of Danbury, Fairfield, Greenwich, Groton, New Haven, New London, Norwalk, and Ridgefield who lost their homes in 1779 and 1781 due to fires set by British forces during the American Revolutionary War. Originally referred to as the "Fire Lands" (two words), it is now spelled as one word, "Firelands."

This heritage is one reason why clambakes are popular and held all over northern Ohio in the fall. Another reason is just that they’re a tasty treat. Who wouldn’t love some clams, chicken, corn on the corn and a bowl of chowder!

Travelling north to the shores of Lake Erie in the late fall means that the convertible stays garaged and I’ll be cruising in the PT Cruiser. This field study trip is scheduled to depart on November 13th-17th. There are a couple of routes that I could travel but a quick Net search indicates that I 64 East to Charleston WV then I-77 North is the one.

Friday Fares 2: Fly free to Europe on inclusive tours

2009-11-06T18:52:00.001-05:00

Your companion flies free to Europe on Trafalgar Tours air-inclusive vacations*. The only air fare charge to your companion will be taxes of up to $190. Of course they’ll still have to pay for the land components.

Contact your travel agent, the Travel Professor or www.trafalgartours.com today!

*Specials terms & conditions apply to this offer.

Friday Fares

2009-11-06T16:29:00.001-05:00

A winter sale from select east coast US cities to Rome, Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam and other European cities was just announced with with prices at just $237 roundtrip (Boston to Dublin). Purchase your tickets by December 31 to get this offer, which is valid for travel between November 1 and December 10, and January 10 and March 31.

Rates do not include the September 11th security fee up to $10, passenger facility charges up to $50, segment fees up to $12, applicable U.S. departure taxes up to $31 or foreign departure taxes up to $80. Additional fees may apply.

For more information contact your travel agent or thetravelprofessor@gmail.com.

Be kind to your travel agent and get out of town!

Which Destination is Right for You?

2009-11-05T14:34:00.000-05:00

Is Hawaii? If so what island(s) Or Europe? Where & when? Is it the Caribbean-cruise, all inclusive or hotel package?

Starting next Tuesday I’ll present a 60 second snapshot of a destination. Then you decide if it fits your travel style and budget.

Feel free to email destination questions to thetravelprofessor@gmail.com.

Destination Thursday: the Bahamas

2009-11-05T05:49:00.001-05:00

In the corners of the world where it's starting to get quite cold this time of year, deciding whether or not to take a trip to the Bahamas is a breeze. The real dilemma: Which island to visit? There are hundreds of Bahamian islands, many of which are secluded cays that offer quiet beaches, sea caves and shipwrecks. Or visit one of the more populous islands of the Bahamas, where travelers can find big-name resorts, casinos, fantastic golf courses, gourmet restaurants, museums and historical sites. Water sports abound with excellent fishing, scuba, snorkel and sailing.

It’s better in the Bahamas!

Disney says China approved Shanghai theme park

2009-11-04T19:28:00.001-05:00

Disneynophiles will need to update their passports as Disney says China approved Shanghai theme park. The approval by the National Development and Reform Commission will allow Shanghai, China's biggest city, and Disney to work on final details for the amusement park, to be located in the city's eastern Pudong district

The jury is still out on Hong Kong Disney but WDW officials believe mainland China is the big move.

I now have to work on saying “the Magic Kingdom” in Mandarin.

And its refresher course time at the College of Disney Knowledge.

Be kind to your travel agent & get out of town!

The downsides of a Destination Wedding

2009-11-02T07:39:00.001-05:00

To me some of the biggest negatives of destination weddings can also be argued as positives. One downside is the expense of traveling to and staying at an out of area destination. These costs may really limit the number of people than can afford to travel and attend. So if you have you heart set on having your life long best friend in your wedding you better be sure he/she can afford the trip.

The act of travel may limit participation. My dad hated to travel and almost refused to fly. You know the type and these folks could put a damper on your plans.

Another downside is the planning process. A destination wedding is a complex affair. You need to arrange flights from multiple cities, ground transportation, lodging, food & beverage, etc. I haven’t even mentioned the legal and civil requirements of a marriage ceremony. It can be a very detail oriented and time consuming endeavor.

As the planning and coordinating of your special day can be a little overwhelming I suggest that brides and grooms should work with experienced Destination Wedding planners. These travel professionals work with you to craft the perfect experience and to eliminate confusion, insure that everything is planned to flow smoothly and even save money!

More thoughts on Destination Weddings

2009-11-01T05:50:00.001-05:00

Here are some good reasons why I think that a Destination Wedding is a great concept.

The locations and associated costs can help you keep it small and intimate. Every couple knows the agony of drawing up a wedding guest list. Should they invite second cousins or only first, should they invite work colleagues to the full day or just the evening? All too often the list spirals out of control, including people you feel you should invite but hardly know. The results are out of control expenses.

Speaking of containing costs many resort hotels are now offering free wedding packages and other amenities for the bride and groom. They offer the services of a locally based wedding planner and do most if not all of the leg work.

Many destinations wedding resorts offer all inclusive packages that work out to be great value. If you get married outside of the United States the price of food and accommodation may be lower plus you will not have to pay for a separate honeymoon.

Frequently destination weddings have a bridal registry program where guests can make financial contribution and help lower the cost of your wedding package.

All weddings are special, but a destination wedding can be a truly unique experience. You could combine the wedding with a family reunion, and it is the perfect opportunity for a romantic holiday for your guests.

Relaxing on a pure white sandy beach is a sure way to beat stress, but destination weddings reduce the pressure of wedding planning in other ways too. Wedding packages are usually all inclusive so you don’t have to work through a whole list of suppliers for every aspect of your wedding. Your travel agent and wedding coordinator do all the coordination for you and your guests.

There are some downsides to a destination wedding that I’ll point out later.

Got travel questions or concerns? Email thetravelprofessor@gmail.com.

Destination Weddings defined

2009-10-31T16:20:00.000-05:00

The definition of a Destination Wedding is very simple. It is a religious or civil ceremony that officially celebrates the beginning of a marriage. This takes place in a location in which the bride and groom have traveled to get there, limited only by their budget imagination and local license requirements.

Today many destination weddings occur in Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean or aboard cruise ships. Other couples travel to places like the Great Smoky Mountains or Las Vegas. Destinations are almost unlimited.

A major advantage of this type of wedding is that the bride and groom can travel to their dream destination to start their married life. Many times the destination as serves as their honeymoon.

I’ll continue to point out the advantages and disadvantages of a destination wedding.

It is all in the name

2009-10-30T20:41:00.001-05:00

Sandals Resorts based in the Caribbean recently added Martha Stewart branded “bridal packages” to their destination wedding offerings. I heard that within 15 minutes of deploying the brand they booked over $10,000.00 worth of Martha weddings.

That’s some big business. And destination weddings are becoming more popular. I’ll share the pros and cons of these events in later posts.

Happy travels!

Transatlantic cruise values

2009-10-30T05:47:00.000-05:00

Not too long ago a ship was the only mode of transportation between Europe and the Americas. For decades a transatlantic cruise was a luxurious pretext for amusement, joy, rest and passion… today a transatlantic cruise remains an outstanding, relaxing elegant holiday and exceptional value.

Costa, Royal Caribbean, Holland American and other major cruise lines are offering westbound departures in November and December. Each cruise liner will offer a different itinerary specially crafted for its unique routes featuring attractive and historic ports of call and days at seas.

I’ve seen some incredible special fares for this transatlantic cruise season so contact your travel agent today. Don’t have an agent the email thetravelprofessor@gmail.com and I’ll assist in selecting your dream cruise.

Happy birthday to Internet

2009-10-29T06:35:00.001-05:00

Yes the Net was born on Oct 29 1969 when two colleges linked computers & sent the 1st electronic message.

Where would we be without all this instant communication & information?

Got travel questions? Email thetravelprofessor@gmail.com.

Extended stay hotels

2009-10-22T05:08:00.002-05:00

A student stuck her head into my office the other day and asked “We want to go on vacation but there are 4 of us (husband, wife & 2 small children) and a regular hotel room is too small. Due to the ages of our kids two rooms isn’t a good idea plus that is more expensive. Do you have suggestions?”

I replied that an extended stay hotel might work. In addition to a sleeping area they generally have a work area plus a semi furnished kitchen. Rates can be very reasonable especially when staying a week or longer.

Some chains to check out are Intown Suites, Extended Stay America and Value Place hotels. There are other brands so be sure to research the rates at all properties. Better yet call your travel agent and let them shop for you.

Be kind to your travel agent & get out of town!

Plan well in advance and try to avoid holidays and peak travel periods. If you must travel during these times then expect to pay a room surcharge or higher rate.

To the Traveling Public

2009-10-21T06:38:00.001-05:00

You may not have read recent articles in the press about how useful a good travel agent can be. The Los Angeles Times just published a column, noting that “Travel consultants are like having a knowledgeable friend along…these travel guns aim to make sure you have a deeper, richer experience tailored to your tastes and interests…. Many specialists use their depth and breadth of knowledge and create a detailed itinerary for you that becomes a playbook for your vacation.”
(http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/travel-consultants-h-5074)

The New York Times recently published an article citing how some consumers have gotten burned using online travel agencies and are now turning to real, live agents who can help them save time and money when booking a trip. (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/04/business/04frustrate.html?_r=3&ref=business)

CNN.com posted a follow-up story on how online travel sites are flooded with overwhelming options, all claiming the best deals. “Extra fees nestled into the fine print amid blaring advertisements. Pounding 16 digits into the telephone after you've booked the wrong flight before finally getting a human voice.” (http://www.cnn.com/2009/TRAVEL/08/12/travel.agent.comeback).

These three articles indicate that the time is right to return to the practice of using a travel agent.

I specialize in vacations to Europe, warm weather beaches, cruises, historic/cultural venues and group educational experiences. Some of my professional credentials include a Certified Travel Consultant (CTC) designation, Certified Cruise Consultant, Destination Specialists (DS) North America, Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Hawaii along with plenty of individual country specialist and destination certifications.

Let me assist you in crafting your next vacation and I promise to use all of my knowledge, skill, industry contacts and contracts to make it your most special trip ever. Feel free to email thetravelprofessor@gmail.com or call 740.550.9540.

Not interested in one of my specialty destinations? There are many other area agents that specialize in Asia, South America, Gatlinburg, the Beach or Branson Mo. For example Crystal Bays at Ironton AAA is a Disney World encyclopedia. What she does for a Disney traveler is incredible. For business travel needs contact the agents at Travel World. Next week I’ll share some thoughts on locating the perfect agent for your travel needs.

Get in touch with any professional travel agent and allow them to plan your dream getaway and cut through the travel red tape.

Conducting your travel business with a live local agent just makes too much sense. You’re dealing with a neighbor and keeping money in the community. Don’t leave your precious vacation or business time to fate. Get the services of an expert, as you would with an attorney or accountant.

Be kind to your travel agent and get out of town!

Hotel stay, park & fly

2009-10-16T04:44:00.002-05:00

To JP: Here is an explanation about why your recent hotel stay was more expensive than the room rate you confirmed on-line.

Many airport area hotels offer a package that includes your pre departure hotel room plus parking. The number of free parking days varies by property. Be sure to inquire about how free days are included in your room rate and what any additional days of parking would cost.

The stay, park & fly rate is generally not listed on the Internet so I suggest that you contact the hotel directly to obtain the correct price. I recently priced a hotel stay at $55.00 but this did not include free parking. I had to upgrade to a $79.00 rate which did include free parking and airport shuttle.

I believe that this is what you experienced.

To help prevent rate check in shock conduct your pre-arrival research and arrived as an informed traveler. Better yet contact a travel agent.

Happy travels!

Air travel updates

2009-10-15T05:23:00.002-05:00

If you have not traveled by air recently there are some new changes that you should be aware of. You are now required to provide new personal information required when you book a flight. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has introduced Secure Flight, a federally mandated program designed to help enhance the security of domestic and international commercial air travel through the use of improved watch list matching.
According to this program here is what you’ll need to provide:

• Full name, exactly as it appears on the current (non-expired) government-issued photo ID that your passenger(s) will be traveling with

• Date of birth

• Gender

I also suggest that you provide plenty of telephone & electronic contacts. This boils down to your home, business, cell and destination phone. Also give them the email addresses that you frequently check. Schedules and delays do occur so give your airline partners as many options to contact you as possible.

Happy travels!

Wolrld's Largest Cruise Night is today

2009-10-14T07:23:00.001-05:00

The World’s Largest Cruise Night (WLCN) is here! Go to http://wlcn.cruising.org/TravelProf for specials prices, discounts and promotions.

You can now follow the Travel Professor on Twitter and Facebook.
• The Twitter link is www.twitter.com/TheTravelProf.
• On Facebook go to www.facebook.com/TheTravelProfessor

Be kind to your travel agent and get out of town!

Bon voyage and happy travels!

World's Largest Cruise Night is coming

2009-10-13T06:14:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow Oct 14th is the “World’s Largest Cruise Night (WLCN)”! To promote the value of vacationing at sea the cruises lines are offering many special fares and promotions.

I’ve partnered with the 24 member lines of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and can help you with information on cruise vacations, exceptional WLCN offers, discounts and promotions. Be sure to visit me at http://wlcn.cruising.org/TravelProf.

Bon Voyage! Happy Travels!

Columbus Day

2009-10-12T06:21:00.000-05:00

Columbus Day honors the explorer Christopher Columbus, who first landed in the New World on October 12, 1492. While Columbus's nationality has never been positively identified, many believe he was of Italian descent, and throughout the nineteenth century, Italian-Americans held celebrations in cities across the United States to honor his memory. In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed October 12 Columbus Day. President Richard Nixon later declared Columbus Day a national holiday to be observed the second Monday of each October.

It is still debated as to whether he first landed on one of the islands of the present day Bahamas or the island of Hispaniola shared by the nations of Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Regardless of the exact location Columbus is still credited as the first European to discover the “New World”. I’m sure that Viking explorer Leif Erickson would debate Columbus and you on this topic.

There are ancient Norse myths and stories that talk about a rich fertile land west of Greenland. It is described as a rich fertile place with an abundance of grape vines.
One such story recalls on his voyage to Greenland how he sailed off-course and arrived in a place he called 'Vinland', because of the abundant grapes growing there, and the general fertility of the land. In another - the Groenlendinga saga - he heard of a land in the west from an Icelandic trader, and went to find it. Reportedly in 1003-1004 AD he landed in modern day Canada.

Although precise identity of Vinland remains uncertain various locations on the North American coast have been identified as possible site. In 1963 archaeologists found ruins of a Viking-type settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows, in northern Newfoundland, which correspond to Leif's description of Vinland.

The truth may never been known but this makes for a great story and even a Hollywood movie. Better yet you make the call.

Happy travels!

Advanced travel degree from MLT University

2009-10-10T04:33:00.000-05:00

I recently had the opportunity to attend MLT University. My course of study included more than 40 classes taught by destination experts. Each class was packed full with in-depth destination information, sightseeing options and updated property information.

This year’s MLT University line-up of classes included every major leisure travel destination throughout the U.S., including Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean, Europe and Asia.

My elective classes included learning more about Delta Vacations and Continental Airlines Vacations packages along with Romance Honeymoons and Destination Wedding packages. These two carriers fly to most of the world’s most popular vacation spots and they offer some great prices and value added package getaways.

The resounding theme in all sessions was “now is the time to travel’! There is a world of added value affordably priced tour packages available. Many of the suppliers compared their current rates to price ranges that date back to the 1990s.

The capstone educational event was a tradeshow where I had to meet with over 200 hotel and destination partners and discuss their 2010 vacation offerings.

I’d be glad to share my knowledge about what’s new for 2010 with you so email thetravelprofessor@gmail.com.

Be kind to your travel agent! Get out of town!

World's Largest Cruise Night (WLCN)

2009-10-08T04:44:00.000-05:00

The World’s Largest Cruise Night (WLCN) is being held on October 14th. This exciting event is designed to showcase the incredible choice, diversity and value of cruise vacations. I’ve partnered with the 24 member lines of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) to help provide travelers with information on cruise vacations and special offers and discounts associated with the WLCN.

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES Carnival awards “Cash Back” of $70 to $200 per stateroom on bookings of selected 2010 voyages from a variety of North American homeports.
ROYAL CARIBBEAN features discounts of up to $200 off per stateroom, onboard credits of up to $100 per stateroom, reduced deposits or special amenities for bookings on select departures made during October 12-16.

Check out all the specials at http://wlcn.cruising.org/TravelProf.

Bon Voyage!

BS in "FUN" degree conferred.

2009-10-03T04:52:00.003-05:00

I have successfully completed the course of study approved by Carnival Cruise Lines “Fun” Team and am therefore awarded the degree in “Bachelors of Fun” with all the rights and awesome privileges thereunto pertaining and am now proclaimed a certified “Carnival Funologist”!

My plans are to continue my higher education at Carnival University with the goals of achieving advanced degrees in Masters of Memories and eventually a Ph.D. of Awesome.

Got travel questions? Email thetravelprofessor@gmail.com.

Pinktober at the Hard Rock Cafe

2009-10-02T06:10:00.002-05:00

Join forces with Hard Rock, Melissa Etheridge, the Bangles, and a host of musicians around the world for Pinktober, the campaign for breast cancer awareness. Hard Rock Cafes and Hotels everywhere are hosting Pinktober parties and live music events, raising awareness and money for local, national, and international charities.

Head up to Ohio's North Coast and Cleveland OH to check out the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Browsing a museum can work up an appetite so let's venture over to Hard Rock Cafe.

Another road trip option is a journey to Louisville KY. Being a baseball fan I'd check out the Louisville Slugger Museum before traveling to the HRC.

Show your support by attending an event or by purchasing Pinktober gear and apparel.

National Cruise Vacation Month

2009-10-01T03:48:00.005-05:00

October is National Cruise Vacation Month, and October 14, 2009 is the fifth-annual World’s Largest Cruise Night (WLCN) – an event that will educate travelers on the pleasures of cruising.

The Travel Professor will have a special web site for this event. Be sure to visit http://wlcn.cruising.org/TravelProf.

Happy travels!

Student air travel specials

2009-09-30T03:39:00.001-05:00

Staying on an educational theme college students can get crazy low prices on airfare from Lufthansa Airlines. Winter break backpacking trip across Europe is still possible. Fly to London, Paris, Amsterdam or one of several other popular cities from just $159 each way.

For information and reservations contact your travel agent or visit https://generationfly.com.

Check out the other carriers as they frequently match specials offered by their competitors.

Happy travels!