VITAL INFORMATION for first time cruisers

December 24, 2019January 15, 2020

VITAL INFORMATION for First Time Cruisers!

Cruise to Venice on Azamara or Royal Caribbean

Ciao everyone!

As you know, Pete, Andy and I here at Super Savvy Travelers, are masters and booking cruises and finding the best travel deals and experiences.

Whether you are interested in rock bottom pricing or loading up as many amenities as you can for a fair price, we are the truffle pigs of the cruising world and we can root out the best of the best for you.

That said, I spend a lot of time with first time cruisers explaining some basics about what to expect when you are cruising. Here are some points that you will want to remember when you call to book your first cruise.

The price you see on almost any website is not what you will be paying

The price you see on pretty much all web sites that offer cruises is called the lead in price. This is only the base price for the cabin per person. This DOES NOT include taxes and port fees which depending on the sailing can vary. Call us and we will get you the real price for comparison purposes.

Gratuities ARE NOT included

Gratuities in cruising lingo are basically tips and they cover everything from waiters and waitresses, to cabin stewards to bar tenders. In short it covers anyone you would normally tip. Gratuities vary based on cruise line and cabin type. They are normally around $13.50-$17.50 per person per day.

You can pay the gratuities up front or pay them on the last day of your cruise.

If you had fantastic service from someone, please feel free to tip them in addition. On Azamara and Royal Caribbean Pete and I had amazing service from our cabin stewards so we gave them an extra tip. You don’t have to tip extra but you can.

Travel documents and your cruise account

Things have changed a lot since the early days of travel. We used to receive tickets and boarding passes in the mail or via Fed Ex.

This is no longer the case. Most cruise lines have websites set up to make it easy for you to check in (provide vital information the cruise line will need), down load your travel documents and purchase dining and beverage packages and shore excursions.

The websites are well set up and easy to manage. Pete, Andy and I are always ready to assist you to negotiate these sites if you need help.

The check in process requires that you enter credit card information. The reason for this is that when you board, you will receive a cruising card. With this card you will purchase everything that you purchase onboard the ship.

The cruise card is also vital as you will need it to get on and off the ship. The cruise lines keep close track of everyone so they don’t lose you. Make sure you keep your card in a safe place!

At the end of your cruise you will visit accounts on the ship and settle up for any extras you purchased while on the cruise. It is wise to keep track of what you are spending on board so that you are not surprised with a big bill at the end of you cruise.

Passports

Many closed loop cruise itineraries (Closed loop means it begins and ends in the same cruise port) do not require passports but you will need accurate travel documentation when you travel so it is best to check, check, double check before sailing and passports are the best documentation.

Your passport must valid for 6 months beyond your travel dates. Make sure you don’t need to renew before traveling.

Allianz who we use for travel insurance has a great blog post that goes over this. However if you are in doubt check with your travel professional. It would be extremely disappointing to arrive at your cruise port and not be allowed to board because your travel documents are not in order.

In addition, if you are not a US citizen, there may be certain visa requirements. Check with your embassy to ensure that you have what you need to travel.

Traveling With Children

If you are traveling with children or minors who are not your own, you will need special documentation (normally a notarized letter of authorization form the parents) stating that they are allowing you to take the child with you on the cruise. This is true even if you are the grand parent. Check with your travel pro again to ensure that you have everything you need to travel with the littles.

Element5digital — Thank you Element5 Digital

Traveling While Pregnant

If you are pregnant or planning to be while you cruise, be aware that certain airlines will not allow you to fly if you are in the final stages of your pregnancy. If there is a chance that you will get pregnant and your cruise is booked many months out, ensure that you get refundable deposits and trip insurance that will cover this if it occurs.

DUI’s and Felonies

If you have a DUI or a felony you may not be able to cruise to certain places. Canada has strict rules against allowing people with certain infractions into the country. Always check with your travel professional if you have DUI or felony on your record.

Travel Insurance

I know that many people do not elect to purchase travel insurance as they have not factored that in as an expense.

I always carry travel insurance when I travel. Even if you are a lucky person or do not have many health issues, if something comes up in terms of accident or illness, it is INSANELY expensive to be air lifted off a ship. In addition the airlines may insist that you have a full time nurse with you if they fly you home. These costs can add up very rapidly and end you up with a huge bill.

I had a friend who went for a few days long cruise and ended up with a $10,000 bill because something happened. In addition he had to cut his trip short and was not compensated for this either.

Food Allergies and Mobility Impaired

Almost all cruise ships in this day and age have facilities for mobility impaired passengers. The staterooms are specially equipped so you should book in advance if you need one to ensure that you get what you need.

In addition, food preferences and allergies can also be accomodated.

Last year I had a family cruise for the first time. Their son had some severe allergies, so severe that they had to bring all of his food onboard.

The cruise line not only allowed them to bring the food onboard but they also had their chefs thaw and heat it for them so that they could all have family dinners together. they were so happy because this was the first vacation they had ever taken as a family and now it opened the door to more wonderful family memories for them.

Get a Taste of Where You Want to Spend More Time

Cruising is such a great option for travelers. I love it because while you don’t get a lot of time in the ports, you can get a taste of which areas and cities you might want to spend more time in.

Pete and I cruised to the Greek Islands last September and we fell in love with Corfu and decided to plan a trip there for a week. The other areas were nice but Corfu was extra special. Had we not cruised, we would not have known where we would like to spend more time.

Fish plate ceramics — Gorgeous ceramic fish plate

Cruising is Great Value

Pete and I are constantly amazed at some of the cruising values we can find. Our hosting agency, Avoya, reserves group space on selected sailings and we as independent agents get to sell them for the group price and with all the amenities. Essentially we are leveraging buying power when we do this and we get to pass the savings on to you.

You can cruise for less (and sometimes way less) than $200 per night. And when you consider that this includes all of your food and all of your travel from place to place, most of your entertainment and the fact that you only have to unpack once and you do not waste valuable vacation time traveling from place to place, you can see the cruising is a spectacular deal.

Check out our Youtube videos on our favorite ships and itineraries here and here.

Pete, Andy and I have access to the best booking engines ever and the best rates through Avoya. We can also sometimes sweeten the deal in other ways as well.

Give us a call and let’s book our first cruise!

April 21, 2019April 21, 2019

The Power of Cruise Groups!

We at Super Savvy Travelers are Independent Agents affiliated with the Avoya Travel Network, and through this affiliation we can give you access to Avoya’s Open Promotion Groups. Avoya books large numbers of cabins on most ships under a special group fare codes, which are then available for us to use for our client bookings. Because Avoya is able to book these cabins at a large discount, we can pass the corresponding savings on to you.

Avoya is also affiliated with American Express Travel, who also book cabins into groups. Through our affiliation with Avoya, we can also get access to these special group rates and amenities.

This doesn’t mean that you are booking into an actual onboard “group”; instead, you’re booking into a group fare code, which allows you to receive the associated group discounts and amenities without actually “being in a group” .

By booking your cruise through us, you can often get access to very significant savings on your cruise. For example, a client recently called me directly from the cruise ship he was on, because he had gotten what he thought was a good discount from that cruise line for pre-booking his next cruise.

Even though he was offered a lower deposit as well as on-board credit, I was able to beat his deal by several hundred dollars by taking advantage of an existing American Express group on the cruise that he was interested in.

Another client also contacted me about a cruise she was excited about, and was actually considering booking directly with the cruise line after getting a quote from them. Although the cruise line was offering several deals at the time, I got her a quote, this time taking advantage of an existing Avoya group rate, that beat her quoted rate by several hundred dollars, and with additional onboard credit included.

Only independent Avoya travel agencies can gain access to these Avoya groups and Super Savvy Travelers is proud to state that we are an Avoya Independent Agency.

In addition to Avoya’s group rates, we also offer all special promotions only offered through Avoya as well as all promotions offered by the cruise lines.

Contact us today to take advantage of these special group rates and other fantastic promotions you can only get through Avoya, and the personal dedicated attention and expertise you always get with Super Savvy Travelers.

January 28, 2019February 1, 2020

How Travel Will Save the World

The news today is off the charts. Man’s inhumanity to man is blasted from the front pages and TV headlines.

Every day we hear about things happening “over there” that are so atrocious, we can’t even believe someone would actually do them to another living being and yet, they seem to happen more and more.

And the same newspapers and tv anchors are desperately trying to make us believe that this is all the “new normal”, that it is somehow understandable that someone kidnaps another living being and uses them for sex slavery or beheads them in front of their family or sends bombers to their villages to bomb them into eternity.

Looking at all this, one could easily start to think that there is no hope for mankind and that it is only a matter of time until we all end up like characters in a Greek tragedy, just one big, red lump on the stage when the curtain comes down.

If you believe the news, this is where we are headed and there is nothing you or anyone can do about it.

However for every problem, no matter how thorny, there is at least one solution.

And when the problem comes down to international relations, the only thing that resolves anything is communication.

Why travel will save the world

Before my husband and I bought our place in Southern Italy, I had no idea who the people were who populated those regions.

I never noticed their disasters, their troubles, their upsets as I had no idea who they were.

But now I have been there many times and have grown to know and love my Italian neighbors.

Their loves are my loves.
Their losses are my losses.
And their hopes and dreams for a great life are mine as well.

I feel this way about all of the places in the world I have visited. One cannot go to a place and submerge into the beauty of its culture without falling in love with the people who have created it.

And this is why travel will save us.

Santa Domenica Talao Kitties 2 — Resident of Santa Domenica Talao, Calabria.

Suddenly we are not ok with some politician dropping bombs on our friends. When someone threatens them, we cannot turn our backs.

And the more places we visit, the more we must be involved in the care and handling of these places by our governments.

We the people of our countries have all the power. Our politicians only have what we give them.

When enough people befriend each other from other countries and cultures, our politicians and the bad news, lapdog media will be brought to heel and atrocities will end.

So if I have not yet convinced you that it is your duty as a citizen of our planet to go out and visit all the other citizens of our planet, let this article gently guilt you into planning a trip.

If you don’t know where to start contact me. We can plan your dream trip.

February 15, 2018May 6, 2018

Take Rome Off Your Bucket List and Put It On Your To Do List

Wonderful Romans

Why is Bella Roma so internationally loved?

Rome is wild, loud, beautiful, and always unpredictable. There is honestly so much to love about Rome that I am doing her a disservice listing only 5 things to be crazy about.

Go to Rome armed with these 5 things and make up your own list of favorites.

Michelangelo's Pieta, Rome, Italy — Michelangelo’s Pieta, St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome, Italy

1) The Vatican Art Museums

Rome is a city filled to the eyeballs with art. It is everywhere.

A trip to the Vatican Art Museums is a must when visiting Rome because it is the greatest collection of fine art in existence. Much of it is Renaissance Art.

The Vatican Museums were originated by Pope Julius II in 1506.

At that time, Michelangelo was working at the Vatican for Pope Julius and the pope had Michelangelo go and look at a sculpture that had just been found and unearthed in a roman vineyard.

Michelangelo confirmed that this sculpture was the original Laocoon and his sons which had been praised in the writings of Pliny the Elder centuries before.

Based on the recommendation of Michelangelo, Pope Julius purchased the statue and placed it on display in the Vatican.

Since that time, different popes have added art to the museums and have had to add new wings to accommodate it all.

A tour through the Vatican Museums is like taking an art bath. You see it, breathe it and take it in through your pores.

Like a perfect bath, it refreshes you and gives you new life.

Make sure you avoid the lines and headaches by booking yourself a tour. I like Through Eternity Tours in Rome because their tour guides are well trained, personable, entertaining and professional.

Book months in advance because they fill up, especially in Summer.

The museum contains paintings by Caravaggio, Leonardo Da Vinci, Raphael and, the entire Sistine Chapel ceiling painted by Michelangelo between 1477 and 1480.

The museum tour includes a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica which contains the amazingly beautiful Pieta sculpture, sculpted by Michelangelo from white Carrera marble when he was only 24 years old.

Michelangelo was such a prolific artist and you will see many of his pieces on this tour. You will see why he is still the most beloved artist ever born and so cherished by Italians.

Cafe in Rome's Jewish Quarter Super Savvy Travelers — Cafe in Rome’s Jewish Quarter

2) Café

Or Café Macchiato or Café Latte, or Cappuccino.

When ordering coffee in Rome, understand that if you order coffee (or café) you will get a tiny cup filled with fiercely strong and biting espresso.

The Italians don’t fool around with their coffee. It is a source of pride.

If this is too much for you, you can order a café latte. Don’t confuse a cafe latte at Starbucks with a cafe latte in Rome.

Both cafe latte and capuccino are perfectly blended combinations of milk, coffee and in cappuccino, chocolate.

Don’t order a “latte” as we do here in the states or you will get a glass of milk.

Having heard that ordering coffee with milk in it after lunch was taboo all over Italy, I put this to the test in Cremona one afternoon.

My friends and I entered a small café and a tiny Asian lady attended us.

My friends ordered their café and I looked at her and asked for a café latte. Her perfectly crafted eyebrows shot up into her hairline in surprise.

She covered it well and brought me my café latte but I am sure I was forever branded a tourist in that shop.

A café macchiato in Italy is espresso with a small amount of milk in it but still strong. I have ordered this after lunch and the eyebrows rose minimally so I think it is ok.

If you like your coffee a little weaker, you can order a café lungo which is an espresso with a small amount of water in it.

The Italians, recognizing that Americans drink our coffee differently, have created a café Americano which is espresso with more water.

The coffee in Italy is, to my mind, the best in the world. Great care is taken to make it perfect and bar staffs are well trained.

Even the ground coffee you purchase in the supermarket is top notch even though it is inexpensive.

Order a cafe, dump a packet of sugar in it and stir. You are rewarded with a couple mouthfuls of the sweetest, bitterest, most fragrant and coffee-est sip you can imagine.

You digest your food better and you are wide awake for several hours.

3) Shopping

Rome has several fine shopping districts including the Via Veneto, which is a street dedicated to shopping and outdoor cafes.

It is a beautiful tree lined street and an afternoon spent in a sidewalk cafe watching the beautifully dressed Italian businessmen and women go by is a treat.

Italy is well known for fine Italian leather goods. Italian leather crafting goes back centuries.

The Via Veneto has many fine leather emporiums however I have found that going a few streets over can save you money.

Aside from the shopping that you would normally expect from a large city, Roman streets are a riot of colorful outdoor markets.

Every day you can purchase fresh produce and other delectables at the Campo De Fiori (literally, The Flower Market). This market has been going strong since medieval times.

4) The Food!

The Italians have raised cooking to a fine art form and almost every restaurant I tried has been amazing! A similar meal here in California would be ruinously expensive.

I never go hungry in Rome. Even when I have just eaten I am eagerly looking forward to my next meal.

Even those with dietary restrictions can relax as vegetarian cuisine is always available and I had no trouble finding gluten free meals that were unbelievable.

Only once have I had a bad meal in Italy and that is when Pete and I unadvisedly ducked into a restaurant right next to Termini Station, the main train station in Rome.

Pete’s pizza was hard and burnt and my Roman artichokes hung their heads limply as if they had a severe case of erectile dysfunction.

It was sad.

Whenever possible, stay away from any eating establishment close to the train stations, the monuments or any of the touristy areas.

If you find yourself in a touristy area and you are hungry, walk a few streets away from the attraction and you will likely find a great place.

In my experience, you are not taking much of a chance as most restaurants are operated by people who have pride in what they serve you. I can guarantee you that when in Rome you will eat well if you look for restaurants not geared for tourists.

5) The history!

Rome was the seat of the entire Roman empire which encompassed all of Europe, a big chunk of the Middle East and the United Kingdom and then some. It was HUGE and Rome was the center of it all.

Everywhere you look in Rome are ancient ruins dating from different times and civilizations in the past.

Sweeping your eyes from one side to another at any raised point in Rome presents a dizzying array of structures each with its own history, people and civilization.

Any of these magnificent structures generally has a tour associated with it. You can learn so much history here in a few days. And the history itself is standing right in front of you.

6) Lastly and bestly, The Italians!

I know I promised you five great reasons but I am including my favorite one as a bonus reason.

The Italians I have met in my travels have been the most amazingly wonderful people.

But what would we expect from the descendants of the greatest ancient empire in the world?

Go and visit them. Visit their cities and revel in their art. There is a reason that the great artists wound up in Italy. And Rome is where it all begins.

Start planning your trip to Rome. Contact us. We have some of the most radical travel pros standing by and we can craft a perfect vacation for you.

January 27, 2018May 7, 2018

Vital Things You Must Not Forget When Traveling Overseas

Vital things you always forget to pack

You just arrived at your destination. You have planned your trip for months and everything is supposed to be perfect.

You start unpacking and to your horror, you forgot to pack something vital.

What should be the first day of a fabulous vacation is now spent desperately trying to find this item instead of relaxing on the beach, exploring a new city or even a well deserved nap.

Even the simplest of trips requires a ton of super savvy planning in order to make it smooth and enjoyable from start to finish.

In all the rush and planning, there are always certain things you forget.

Print this article and use it as a check list.

1. Prescription medication

I have to take thyroid meds every day or I turn all grey and go right to bed. If I do not have these it is vital that I get some right away. The same is true with many prescription meds for many people.

You never know exactly what medications are available in other countries and minimally, you would probably have to see a doctor in order to get them.

If you arrive on a weekend, that makes a couple of days without your prescription.

Make sure you have enough of your prescription meds to see you through your entire stay.

Put these in your carry on luggage in case your luggage takes a side trip to Rangoon.

2. Your passport

Sounds like a no brainer but I have gotten all the way to the airport and realized I left my passport on the nightstand at home.

There is nothing like the sinking feeling that occurs when you realize what you have done.

Save yourself some grief.

3. Your chargers

Add to this list, your phone charger, your computer charger, your tablet charger and anything else you can think of that requires a charger. You can probably replace them where you are going but again, it takes time.

4. An electrical transformer

In many countries, especially in Europe, the plugs are different and you will need a transformer to use your appliances. You will not be able to plug your blow dryer into a European outlet.

5. Your phone

Make sure you have it and call your provider to ensure that it will work where you are going. If you are traveling with others or meeting others at your destination, you need to ensure that you can call and text each other. This does not happen automatically. You have to set it up.

6. Money in the currency of your destination

Change your money before you go. If you change it in the airport when you arrive or in any of the money changing stores or kiosks near any of the monuments, you will get charged way more than you should.

Your bank will need some notice as many of them do not carry different currencies as a matter of course. At least two weeks prior to your trip, order some new currency from your bank and get as much as you need.

If you have to change money at a bank when you arrive, ensure that you bring your passport and plan to spend at least 45 minutes there.

Or you can use the ATM for smaller amounts but there is a limit for each day.

When using the ATM, make sure you know what the limit is in the currency of your destination. Your dollar limit means nothing to a foreign ATM.

7. An over-the-shoulder-travel bag with reinforced straps

In most cities with any amount of tourism, thievery is rampant. Thieves have many ways of distracting you, grabbing your bags and even cutting the straps of your bag in order to steal from you.

Remember, a thief’s job is to figure out more effective ways to steal from wary travelers and they work hard at it. The scams and tricks they have are numerous.

If you have a bag with reinforced straps that goes over your shoulder and preferably under your jacket, it could save you losing your bag with all it contents.

8. Your ATM PIN

In different countries, PIN numbers may be different. In Italy they have to be four digits. Make sure you find out what the requirements are in your destination country so that you don’t get there and find out that you can’t use your ATM card.

9. Advise your bank that you are traveling

If your bank detects activity in a different part of the world than you are normally, they may freeze your account as a fraud prevention measure. You can avoid this by advising them before you leave that you will be in another country and how long you will be gone.

10. Tickets and reservations for attractions

With most of the popular attractions in any city, they book up fast. For this reason you see people waiting in lines snaking back and forth and they look like they have been there for hours.

Vacation time in your destination is priceless. You only have a certain number of hours in any given city. You do not want to waste it by standing in line.

Decide in advance what attractions you want to see and reserve your place online before you go. Some of the attractions book up months in advance like Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper in Milan.

If there is something you simply must see, check it out way in advance to ensure you don’t miss it.

Additionally many cities with a lot of attractions have discounts and passes you can buy that will save you tons of money and sometimes allow you to skip the lines.

In Florence you can buy the Firenze Card which costs 72 Euros and allows you 72 hours to access the museums and exhibitions on the Firenze Card circuit. You also get priority access to some museums saving you more time and allowing you to get more for your Firenze Card buck.

Other cities may have similar offers so go online and check it out.

Now that you have packed all the vitals and made all your reservations, you are ready for a stress free trip to your dream vacation.

For future dream vacations, check out our limited time travel deals. Taking advantage of these will stretch your travel buck and make you an even more Super Savvy Traveler.

Have fun!