American Airlines recently announced that it will begin new nonstop service to 6 cities starting June 7th. Two of those cities are Omaha and Des Moines. I have already seen how this will benefit us in getting to international destinations like Cancun and London. There could be either some short or long layover times but in the end it does keep a few more dollars in your pocket. In the case of one client, they could meet in Philadelphia and fly over to Europe together and not have to find a common connecting city. In certain cases, I've seen Des Moines offer slightly lower pricing because they are closer to the East which means less time and fuel lost/used.
Cruises & Tourism comes back to San Juan
Unless you have been under a rock or in living off the grid, you know that #PuertoRico got hit not once but twice but hurricanes in the month of September. At one point, 95% of the island was without power. Progress is being made but many of the rural areas of the island are still struggling without power, clean water and basic supplies.
Not taking into account all the things being said in the media, Puerto Rico has done a lot to bring back one of it's main sources of income - tourism. Today, December 20th, was the official "Grand Re-Opening" of the island to tourists after Irma & Maria. One cruise line, #RoyalCaribbean, did start sailing again on a limited basis back in October, most of the major cruise lines that have San Juan as it's home port, began normal service back in November and saw over 7000 cruisers on the 30th alone. There are and were great deals for those who are willing to sail from San Juan through the end of December to the first week of January.
As of now, there are close to 100 hotels now open in the San Juan area taking reservations for those who still want to come in or stay after their cruise. After all these people have gone through, they are standing strong together with a lot of help from celebrities and those who see them as equals and US Citizens. Please consider sailing from San Juan on your next cruise - it isn't just for your entertainment or relaxation but to help a culture rebuild. #PuertoRicoRelief
Delta makes changes to Basic Economy
If you haven't seen it or experienced it yet, Delta, as with many of the other major airlines have introduced a new fare called #BasicEconomy. This can be the least expensive option in some markets but there is a catch to get the lowest fare. No changes are allowed whatsoever and all you are allowed is your carry on and/or personal item. There are no preassigned seats and won't get your boarding pass until you check in that day.
But for some flights, but primarily for international flights, you will now pay $60 to check in a bag and $100 for a second bag when you have a Basic Economy ticket. So, while you may be saving money on your ticket, you may end up paying more in the end if you have to check a bag or two. So, make sure double check but know that we will always check all your flight options to make sure you are getting the best benefit from your ticket.
Delta Basic Economy to charge $60 for first checked bag on certain International flights
Beaches Turks & Caicos opens ahead of schedule
Category 5 hurricanes brought death and destruction to a major part of the Caribbean. It all but eliminated 4 islands but other islands were lucky. One of the islands that saw significant damage was Turks & Caicos. While most are still trying to repair and rebuild, #BeachesTurksandCaicos was able to complete and open ahead of schedule on December 14th. The parent company, Sandals, has said it has opened better than it was before. While it sad to see what has happened, it has allowed many resorts to rebuild and renovate to offer new amenities. In total, Beaches Turks & Caicos will have 21 restaurants to offer families including the first #IndianRestaurant. While this is an expensive place to visit, it is an experience you and your family will never forget.
Beaches Turks & Caicos
Cabo San Lucas Group Trip - October 7-21, 2017
We have tried the past couple of years to host a trip to somewhere warm and fun but it never seemed to work out mainly from a timing stand point. This year we got everything to line up and made our first host trip to Cabo San Lucas this past October. It was a short and sweet trip of 4 night to the Riu Santa Fe in Cabo.
The cost seemed to be a great motivating factor for couples and friends - being under $1000 per person. For a single traveler, it was just over $1009 but still not bad considering you were getting an Oceanview room. Overall, the time away was perfect for most - an extended weekend. For others, it worked out even better as it was over Columbus Day so a free day of vacation.
Talking with the group - everyone had a good time overall. There were a few concerns but nothing from a safety standpoint when it comes to alcohol. Some said that it tasted a bit more watered down but you kept a good "buzz" throughout the day - and not something that made you ill or pass out. The biggest concern was the quality of the food at some of the restaurants. The best meal I was told was at the steakhouse, which is a bit surprising but not totally. Besides, who doesn't love a good steak!?
Some of the group did an excursion off property - a sunset booze cruise. It wasn't the huge boat that had you in like sardines but a smaller catamaran style with just enough people to interact but not claustrophobic. No big meals but simple finger food - of course enough chips & salsa for everyone. Those who went said it was a lot of fun. In fact, was told that one of the "bigger" booze cruises there needed up being stopped by the local police because they had too many people on board. Not sure what happened in the end but I'm sure many people were upset.
One of the big things I was told by the group was that they had more fun off property than onsite. That they would bring more money next time to go explore the town and places to eat. One said, they had to leave the resort to find something more to their taste and dietary needs. Again, they said, that the resort was nice but wouldn't be a choice for them in particular in the future.
Also, during this time was a huge event - for those of you rock fans - it was Sammy Hagar's 70th birthday party. Yes, many of us are old or not old enough to know the name. Cabo was practically sold out for a week and this with a tropical storm that had come in a month prior which dumped a year's worth of rain. The big thing to take from this is that there were no security issues at this time. People were going into town and having a great time. So no matter what the government may say about "travel warnings", you need to talk with those who have been there or deal with this on a day to day basis. Remember, the media and government's job is to scare you - and they do a good job most of the time. If you hear of news about warning or safety issues, get in touch with someone, like myself, who is in the travel industry. We have our contacts in these areas who can give us first hand knowledge of what is really going on.
Thank you to everyone who went on this group trip and had a great time in Cabo plus made a few new friends at the same time. We will be doing this again and hope to have details shortly after the new year.
Safe Travels - Bon Voyage!
New Passport Process in Omaha - Effective October 1, 2017
As many of you know, for awhile to apply for a Passport in Omaha meant you had to go to specific Post Office locations to make an appointment. Then tings changed a few years ago - there is now a central location to apply which is the Omaha Passport Center. This is/was a Postal Impression located at 5346 S 136th St in Deerfield Plaza (Millard). You had to call to make your appointment but now another change has come. Effective October 1, 2017 you now set your Passport Application appointment online. I've provided a link below for your convenience.
The online scheduler also applies to the one post office location in Bellevue as well as in Council Bluffs. However, if there are no appointments available soon enough for you, the other option I highly recommend is going to the Sarpy County Courthouse - Clerk of the Court. No appointment is necessary - they will accept applictions during their normal business hours.
https://tools.usps.com/go/pages/schedule-appointment/index.jsp?locationId=1378217