But then there’s a moment of unbelievable tragedy that occurs that becomes headline news, and then and only then do most travellers become more in tune on how important having such coverage while away from their home country actually is, and unfortunately as much as we don’t like to have our message heard during such a tragic time, it’s probably the best time to really let people know that they should not travel without it while their attention is heightened during such tragic events!

I strongly believe that many travellers understand the value and importance of having travel medical coverage, due to the nature of extremely high medical costs in certain countries. But when it comes to Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, I’m certain to this day there is still a vague understanding of its purpose and why it would be just as important as having travel medical coverage.

What Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance Covers

Before I tell you what trip cancellation and Interruption insurance covers you, I’m first going to tell you what it doesn’t cover.

· It does not cover you for medical expenses for any un-expected medical illness or injury, that’s what your travel medical insurance will cover.

However, it can protect your non-refundable financial investment in the case that if you did fall ill or become injured prior to departing on your trip or vacation. It won’t pay the medical bills, but it will reimburse you for any non-refundable costs that are qualified under the protection plan.

Trip Cancellation Prior To Your Departure Date

Let’s say prior to your travel date you go outside to shovel your walk-way. Of course this wouldn’t apply to people living in areas that never see snow, but follow me on this example anyways.

Now as you’re shovelling you hit an icy patch and wind up breaking your hip. Depending on when this happens, if you go for surgery, and your doctor says that you will not be healed in time for your vacation, this would be covered under your Cancellation policy and you would get all your money back.

Trip Interruption during Your Trip or Vacation

Where trip Interruption would come into play is the moment you arrive at your destination outside your residing country. Here’s one example:

Like the tragic explosion that took place at the Grand Riviera Princess Resort in Mexico, no one ever imagined something like that would happen, and that’s the point we try to put across to our clients that claim that nothing will ever happen to them when they travel!

God forbid anything does ever happen, but on the morning of November 14, 2010, guests having a relaxing breakfast never had the thought in their minds that an explosion was about to occur, and that’s what we mean by un-expected incidences.

You see what followed that day was disbelief, confusion, and shock, especially for guests that had loved ones passed away during that horrible event.

Of course Westjet Vacations was one of the travel suppliers that arranged many Canadian travellers to this resort property, and they did everything possible to accommodate the situation by flying people home early if they wished. They also had an extra plane fly in to accommodate any quests looking to get you back home right away.

But what if you decided to stay and finish off the remainder of your vacation, and later in the week the Mexican Consulate issues an evacuation notice of all guests off the property due to security reasons. The fact that you know have to leave under evacuation orders, not only means you missed the complimentary flight back home, but also means you need to find your own way home via a one-way flight ticket. A one way ticket can easily cost out of pocket around a $1000 or more

This all depends if you can arrange another charter flight with the same vacation company you dealt with originally. So if you required to fly home on a scheduled airline and they happen to only have executive class seats left, you could easily be paying upwards from $3000 – $5000 per person.

Then factor in if your flight has to connect through other cities, has an overnight where you need to stay in a hotel and pay for meals, plus phone calls to notify your place of employment. In the end these expenses will really add up, and these out of pocket costs could easily be avoided if you have Cancellation and Interruption coverage.

Please don’t let tragic situations like what happened in the Mayan Riviera at the Grand Riviera Princess Resort be your wake up call. In my strongest opinion, you should never leave your country of residence without travel medical or trip cancellation/Interruption coverage. Even if at the time you feel it’s an inconvenient expense you could do without, keep in mind that our world works in mysterious ways, and you never want to be caught without coverage that may have you paying for it for the rest of your life!

Several years ago I had the opportunity to visit the Cayman Island via a Caribbean cruise, and couldn’t believe how spectacular this little island gem could be. From that day forward I always wanted to go back and visit, because spending only one day there, I felt was not enough.

There was never a moment I did not feel unsafe, and the people were extremely friendly and spoke excellent English.

Back To Talking About Hell – Grand Cayman!

Seriously, one of the major attractions on the main Grand Cayman island is a small town called Hell, and when you take a  moment to visit this town, and I mean a small moment, you will come across a little post office which dates back to the early 1960’s that was built for the very reason to allow guests to send postcards back home to their loved ones postmarked from Hell.

Of course the theme caught on, because nothing was funnier than sending a postcard that came straight from Hell.

How did this little town get this infamous title? Simple, when you get there you can view a spectacular rock formation that  dates back almost 1.5 million years ago, and was told to be created by weathered ironshore consisting of coral or bivalve fragments. This eerie black rock formation is none the less spectacular to view, and I’m sure depending on who you talk to, would have several different interpretations.

Once you take a quick visit to the town of Hell, and send off your postcards, leaving Hell is just as fun as arriving there, and with so much to do and see in the Cayman’s, your time in Hell should be short and sweet.

The Cayman’s Consist of Three Islands That Each Offer Unique Experiences

There is the Grand Cayman Island, where the town of Hell is located. This main island offers a variety of other attractions, including the extremely popular Stingray City! This has to be one of the most spectacular places to visit, and the fact that you have an opportunity to feed and pet live stingrays in their natural habitat is very cool.

Other attractions on the Grand Cayman Island to visit are Boatswain’s Beach (Cayman Turtle Farm), Rum Point, and if you’re in to Flora and Fauna, the Grand Cayman’s Q. E. II Botanic Park. Back to the Turtle Farm, you have the opportunity to see over 16,000 turtles ranging from only 6 ounces and all the way up to an incredible 600 pounds!

Cayman Brac is the next island of this small chain that offers a very unique experience when you visit, from awe inspiring cliffs, to extraordinary caves and sinkholes for the avid explorer. However, what brings people back to the Cayman Brac is the scuba diving.

The smallest and least inhabited of the island chain is the Little Cayman. There it’s all about the relaxation, scuba diving and fishing. You will find divers from all over the world experiencing the famous Bloody Bay Wall and Jackson point combined offering over 6000 feet of colourful Coral gardens!

If spending private time is your thing, then you will be content on many of the empty beaches available, or make your way to South Hole Sound Lagoon for a private swim. If you enjoy fishing and wildlife exploring, this little Cayman Island is for you.

You Can Access The Cayman Islands By Air Or Sea!

What’s great about the Cayman’s is the accessibility from air or sea. Many airlines fly there from a variety of gateways in Canada and the United States, including a selection of vacation charters that enjoy sending vacationers to the Cayman Islands. Not to mention the numerous cruise ships that offer the Cayman as one of their popular port stops for the day, and that’s a great way to have a small taste of the island and what it has to offer.

If you’re looking for a little piece of paradise with so much to offer in sightseeing, activities, and delicious cuisine, the Cayman Islands are a must visit. For such a small island, it rivals many of the major Caribbean Islands out there today!

Remember when you visit the Cayman’s, don’t forget to make a trip to the town of Hell, because from that day forward, if anyone ever tells you to go to Hell, you can respond, I’ve been there.

I had someone just ask this question less than a week ago, and my first response was, no way! I told them that a cruise ship would never leave a port without you, but as I did a little bit of research on this topic, I came across this great cruise information site, this is when I stumbled on a YouTube video that was showing a couple running for their lives as the cruise ship was sailing away.

Now this is the first time I have ever heard of this happening, so I’m not exactly sure how often passengers are left stranded at the port scratching their head wondering where their ride went.

As a travel professional I take this situation very seriously, because as some of you may find this quite humorous, I can’t imagine the expense it would cost someone to find their way to the next port of call, or the cost of a one-way flight back home. I question the fact that if the cruise lines keep possession of your passport, how are you able to obtain a flight without it if the airlines require you present one at time of boarding.

I encourage you to watch this video of this poor couple that missed the ship, and listen as the couple taking the video talk about the situation. It’s kind of surreal, but a reality in this case:

Here Are A Couple Of Valuable Tips So Hopefully This Doesn’t Happen To You!

Alright, you’re planning to go on your very first cruise, you just watched this video, and you’re thinking that now you don’t want to leave the ship. Don’t worry, because if you follow a couple of my tips, you can experience all that each port has to offer without the fear of your cruise ship setting sail and leaving you behind.

Tour Tip #1:

Even though it’s true that when you purchase excursions and tours from the cruise lines that they’re more expensive, but with that price comes a guarantee. It’s always best to verify with the cruise lines prior to purchasing your tours with them whether they have a policy to wait for you if you happen to be late or something goes wrong during your tour that causes delay. Most cruise ships offer this guarantee, and for the extra money you pay, is peace-of-mind.

Please Note: After reading some comments on the Internet, there was a case where a couple did purchase a cruise ship tour, however, even though the tour company did bring them back to the ship on time, this couple decided to venture off to take some pictures. The fact that this couple returned and were recorded by the tour company as being back, didn’t matter to the cruise company, because the fact they ventured off after the tour. The cruise company claimed they were not responsible for the couple not getting onboard the ship. Just keep this in mind if and when you do book a tour with the cruise ship.

Tour Tip #2:

If you’re not willing to pay the over inflated tour prices from the cruise company, and you’re more inclined to venture out to find a bargain, my best advice is to embark as early as you possibly can, preferably in the morning, and go find a tour or excursion you would like to do that will be completed early in the day. You see even if something were to happen where the tour was delayed, you will still have time to make arrangements to get back before the required boarding time.

Tour Tip #3:

You know the old say “ @#%$&! happens”, or “Murphy’s Law”, well take that to heart whether you’re on a cruise vacation or even a land vacation, because if something is going to go bad, you may not have control over the situation. Being prepared for a worst case scenario is the best medicine you can prescribe yourself.

- Take extra ID, I recommend that you take it with you while on you tour, along with a photocopy of your passport. If for any reason you need ID to get another passport issued or book a flight.

- Take a small bag with extra clothes and some personal amenities, such as a toothbrush, toothpaste, and deodorant. If you get stranded and have to overnight at your current destination, at least you won’t have to pay for extra amenities.

- Last but not least. Make sure you have cash on you, and possibly your bank card. Chances are the port you’re visiting will have access to a national bank that will allow you to do withdraw cash or cash transfers if needed.

In conclusion to this unfortunate incident is that proper planning and being aware of your time is extremely important, and if you happen to lose track of time and the ship leaves without you, well that’s an expensive lesson learned, right? However, there is a possibility where an unexpected situation occurs and it’s totally out of your control, so it’s always best to be prepared even though you may think it will never happen to you.

I hope you found this information helpful, and it will allow you to enjoy your next cruise vacation without the worry that the couple in the video had to experience.

Well there’s no question millions of people are going to be glued to their television sets next Wednesday evening as the new American Idol will be crowned with the victory. Now after the season finally, many of you may be dreaming of the 2011 season, and who will be the lucky person to be chosen to sing among millions of potential screaming fans.

Sounds exciting I bet, but one problem. You have to line up among thousands of potential contestants for hours to fight for limited spots, right? What if we tell you that there may be a loophole and it all starts at Disneyworld. Say What! What you talking about Willis?

Yup! Disneyworld has been successfully running the American Idol Experience for almost a year now, where you could have the opportunity to be that lucky contestant to move to the front of the line at the next American Idol auditions. Sounds to good to be true, don’t take my word for it, check out these videos below that will explain everything to you.

Just think about it, go to Disneyworld and have a fun vacation and in the process try and become a singing sensation!

For information on how you can take part in the American Idol Experience, we encourage you to visit Disneyworld’s website where most if not all your questions will be answered. Click this link here: Disneyworld’s American Idol Experience! Good luck and say hi to Mickey and Donald for me while you’re down there.

In a travel agent’s perspective, this means opportunity for the vacationer that is searching for a more unique holiday experience that goes above and beyond the average all-inclusive package or pre-designed vacation tour!

No denying F.I.T. can be a term that stands for so many things. However,  allow me to explain to you what it means to me as a travel agent!

F + I + T = Fully Independent Tours!

Fully Independent Tours are like a buffet, and our vacation suppliers allow us to pick and choose the travel components that will best meet our vacation client’s needs.

Let’s look at an example of an African Jungle Tour. You want to take a Safari tour in South Africa, however, you don’t want to be a part of a prepackaged tour that departs on a specific date, has a set itinerary, and a group too large for that intimate experience.

Plus add the fact that you want the wild safari experience, but at the end of the day, you want to relax and sleep in a luxurious resort style hotel, not a tent.

What we do after listening to you, is approach one of our Adventure Tour suppliers that provide all the vacation components that you’re wanting, and they help us piece them all together to make your African Safari the way you like.

From the flights and airline of your choice, to the date you want to leave and return, plus the exact tour itinerary that follows with each stop at a luxurious exotic resort hotel where you can unwind with your small intimate group!

How does that sound to you as the perfect vacation? I’m sure you’re dreaming of it right now. Oh, you’re not into safaris and wild animals, okay, no worries, because we can offer you so much more.

F.I.T. Vacations Can Range From All-Inclusive Resorts To Specialty Eco-Tours!

Many of us have been seasoned by the traditional All-Inclusive vacation package, and may think that there are no other options. This is far from the truth, because we have access to so many F.I.T. Suppliers that are willing to put your dream vacation package together, and provide you everything you’re looking for in a unique holiday.

However, there are a couple things you need to know, and the first being that you will have to expect most Independent Tours to be a bit more in cost than standard prepackages. But if you plan your trip in far in advance, the supplier may have access to airline, resort, and tour discounts that can bring this cost down!

Think Bulk Vacation Sales Versus A One Time Specialty Holiday Order…

No question a pre-packaged vacation or tour is going to be less expensive, because it’s sold in volumes to the public. The package price is a set cost, and you will find very little flexibility in these packages.

They have preselected travel components, such as a charter flight, property, and transfers that will pick you up at the airport and return you after your trip. You must fly out on a specific day and select time, and there is no negotiation with the supplier if the resort is only offering one type of room category in the package offered. You may be able to upgrade when you get to your resort property though.

With a F.I.T. Vacation, you will pay more, but you’re paying for quality and flexibility, so if this is important to you, this style of vacation is the way to go! The tour company you go with will take care in selecting the exact individual travel components you want, and then piece them all together for you. So you are pretty much paying for the vacation experience that you want, and always have dreamed of having, and many vacationers are starting to prefer it that way.

Let’s Recap The Benefits Of Traveling On A Fully Independent Tour?

-  You can choose the flight date, time, and airline.

- You can select the duration of stay. Unlike prepackaged vacations that normally have 7 or 14 day durations, your F.I.T. vacation can be as long or as short as you like.

- You can select any type of accommodation that fits your style and comfort needs, and you can even combine different hotels, resorts and other properties to make your stay completely unique.

- Tour components such as the example above where you can be a part of an intimate safari tour that spends more time with the animals and with less people on your tour, versus the traditional safari tours that are on a set itinerary.

There’s no question that if you don’t have a set budget, you can create your dream vacation, and many independent vacation suppliers out there today can make this happen.

But also keep in mind that we have access to many other tour suppliers that cater to travelers who enjoy the off-the-beaten path holiday, and can provide you the best of both worlds, and this is a set package, with a la carte offerings. Which means by adding additional vacation components, you can make your vacation unique, but still take advantage of the great semi-packaged savings.

In the end the choice is yours, and you may have so many more options at your fingertips that you might not have been aware of until now!

What am I talking about? Well recently Cuba announced that anyone entering their country as a tourist and other means I will not talk about here, it’s now mandatory that you carry travel medical insurance coverage prior to entering Cuba!

Over the past couple of months the Cuban Government issued a list of authorized travel insurance providers, and to my current knowledge, if your insurance company is not on their list, it will not be valid.

What Happens If My Travel Insurance Coverage Is Not On Cuba’s List?

If your preferred travel insurer is not on the list, then you do have the options to purchase any of the white listed insurance companies, or you can opt to purchase medical insurance in the airport the moment you arrive in Cuba. However, we hope to have more information and details on the cost and coverage they will be offering, because at this time it seems to be somewhat vague.

Will This Impact Tourism To Cuba From Confused Or Angry Canadians?

There’s no question that as each Canadian listens to this controversial story, no one really understands the true nature behind it! As a travel professional I have been selling my clients travel medical insurance to all destinations outside Canada, including Cuba, and have always expressed the importance of this coverage when visiting countries outside of Canada.

To my knowledge, I was not aware that Cuba’s medical services were being offered to foreign travellers for free, and in my opinion, I don’t know of any country that would be able to do such a service without losing a ton of money in the process.

The question on my mind and I’m sure on many others throughout the travel industry will be; how is this going to impact tourism to Cuba? My guess is for travellers that love to visit Cuba year after year this is not going to affect them. But for vacationers that are planning to get away next winter may re-think going to Cuba and may select another vacation spot, such as the Dominican, Mexico, and Jamaica to name only a few.

I’m thinking anyone that’s undecided and had Cuba on their list, will be looking at the pro’s and con’s. I would be almost certain any traveller that snubbed or made an effort to rebel against medical coverage this would be a major deciding factor for them.

Let’s Get To The Real Issue At Hand About Travel Insurance!

You see, in my opinion it doesn’t matter to me whether a country such as Cuba issues a mandatory statement to carry medical insurance or not. I have been telling my clients for years that travel medical along with sufficient cancellation & interruption coverage is crucial for anyone travelling outside of their country.

It’s not just about the country you’re visiting! I love to give people true scenarios and occurrences that paint the reality of what could happen at any moment during or after a vacation.

One example I talk about with passion is when a traveller decides to visit a Caribbean Island, and we will use Cuba. Let’s say you made the choice to not purchase a preferred Canadian travel medical policy and decided to go with Cuba’s local coverage.

Now you’re having a great time in Cuba, and then all of a sudden you start feeling extremely sharp pains. You contact the insurance company from the policy you just purchased, and you pray that the person on the other end speaks English. Okay they do speak English and the next step they recommend make arrangements to get you to the nearest Cuban hospital.

After all the tests are done, they claim it’s your appendix and it has serious damage. The hospital provides you medication and sends you on your way.

Let’s fast forward. You were extremely happy that you purchased the Cuban medical coverage, and your tests and medication was covered. Your trip is over and you’re about to board the plane to arrive back into Canada.

Here’s Where The Proper Travel Insurance Coverage Makes A Difference!

You’re sitting on the plane thinking about your close call at the Cuban hospital, and feeling very lucky with your choice. Then all of a sudden, you start getting extremely jolting pains that feel that someone knifed you repeatedly.

At this very moment the pain is so excruciating that you yell for the flight attendant to help you, and at that moment the pain is so bad that you are virtually passing out. Good thing the flight attendant is recognizing your signs, and realizes that you may have experienced a burst appendix.

Having to make a quick decision, the pilots flying the charter flight back to Canada announce that due to the serious nature of the situation, they’re going to have to land in the closest available city, guess where?

You guessed it! These pilots now have to land in the closest city which happens to be the United States. Wow, who would have expected this to happen? Probably no one, yet this is an occurrence that has happened before, and can easily happen again.

The fact that you’re now admitted to a United States hospital changes everything. Does the Cuban medical coverage provide protection anywhere outside your country, more than likely not. Do you now have medical insurance to cover your surgery costs and the days you may need to recover in the U.S. hospital, nope!

With no medical insurance coverage, you will now be responsible for paying full medical costs, less what your province of residence may or may not cover. Less than 30% off the top of my head, and of course there will be restrictions to what is covered.

Let’s say you were in the hospital for 4 days, which includes the surgery. Do the math, because to knowledge some hospitals in the United States charge somewhere between $2000 per day and up, and that doesn’t include the surgery costs. I’m thinking that before you walk out the hospital door, your bill is going to humongous!

The moral of the story here is that no matter if a destination country now requires mandatory medical insurance or not, it’s always in your best interest to find the best coverage that not only will protect you at the destination you’re visiting, but also anywhere in the world, just in case something unexpected happens that’s totally out of your control.

As you can see in my example, you made the smart choice to purchase the Cuban medical coverage, but was it the smartest choice? I leave that up to you to decide.

Remember, we offer the best coverage in the travel industry to date, and guess what? It’s on the Cuban approval list!

Oasis of the Seas – In St. Thomas USVI

Oasis of the Seas arrives in St Thomas to the sounds of the Caribbean and the beauty of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Relax on the beach or explore this tropical island destination, which serves as port to the inclusive Oasis of the Seas cruise ship.

Oasis of the Seas – In St. Maarten

It takes a lot of work to prepare for the world’s largest cruise ship, but a chance to visit the tropical beauty and Dutch and French heritages of St. Maarten makes it worth it. Discover what makes this island such a priceless destination.

These are the two ports of call you will be visiting if you decide to join us on our hosted group cruise. Not only will you have an incredible cruising experience onboard the Oasis of the Seas, but these exotic ports of call will amaze you in every way possible. From shopping and cuisine, to culture and the feeling of relaxation as the warm Caribbean breeze and Cool waters will truly sooth your souls.

To find out how you can join us by visiting our contact us page or you can easily Pre-Register here: Hosted Group Cruise Pre-Registration

See you on the inside very soon!

During most of their news hour, they took some time showing us what this massive cruise ship has to offer, and it was nothing but spectacular. To see the video footage from the ABC network morning show, you can view their video here:

Some of the incredible facts that were brought up about the ship were:

1. If the ship stood on end, it would be higher than the Empire State Building in New York. It actually spans over 3 football fields in length.

2. The width of the Ship is 208 ft, and because of the width of this ship, the port authority in Ft. Lauderdale had to build a special dock area for the Oasis of the Seas ship.  Wow!!!

3.  As one of the largest ships, it can carry approximately 6000 passengers, and I wasn’t exactly sure if that was uncluding staff, which I don’t think it was! Add around a couple of thousand staff members onboard, and you have a ship that has more people than some small cities in Canada and the U.S.

4. Of course as you can already tell, the Oasis of the Seas is enormous, and at over 225 thousand tons, that would equivalent weight to over 45,000 elephants. Unbelievable!!!

With a ship like this being one of the largest in the world, there’s no question it’s going to be a lot of activities and amenities to keep you busy and entertained.

From spectacular Theatre style water shows, to a variety of dining venues to tantilize the taste buds. If sports is your game, you can take part in their onboard mini golf course, or have a game or two on their tennis, volleyball, or basketball courts.

If that’s not enough, for the adventure seekers, you can whisk across the ship on their Zip line, or surf the waves on one of two FloRiders.

For the people that want to just relax, no problem, because you will have access to a number of swimming pools, and jacuzzi tubs. So many it was hard to count all of them.

After a full day of activities, no cruise would be complete if you didn’t experience a soothing full body massage in their onboard spa!

As I watched the Good Morning America show, it was plain to see that the Oasis of the Seas was a ship that had so much to do, but also offered places where all guests sailing could sit, relax and take it all in. I could talk about this ship for hours, but I will leave that for another post.

I hope if you ever get a chance to sail on this spectacular vessel, that you drop us a note and tell us all about it. Maria and will be hosting a group cruise on the Oasis of the Seas in January of 2011, and we’re hoping that you can join us during that time.

We will be providing more details on why we chose 2011, why you should be joining us on this cruise, and what to expect if you did. Stay tuned for future posts and information on this ship, and if you have any feedback we would love to hear it.

CNN.com talks to a 69-year old woman who has travelled to 67 different countries already, either with family, friends or with complete strangers! What does she do when she is not compatible with someone? Simple: she dumps them! I know it sounds harsh, but it does prove a point: if you’re not getting along with someone, why let them cramp your style, or worse yet, ruin your trip? This article really opened my eyes to the whole aspect of taking trips alone.

Check out the story here…

Let me know what you think! I would love your feedback on this subject! Please post your comments…don’t be shy!

Royal Caribbean will also introduce their new “neighborhood concept” with seven new areas onboard the Oasis:

Central Park: Take a stroll down this area with beautiful trees and grass (yes, on a ship!), this will be the first living park at sea.

Boardwalk: This fun family area will take you back to the carnival days! It will be a lively area with eateries, shops, carnival games, and the first-ever carousel at sea.

Royal Promenade: The “heart” of the ship. Will be home to shopping, dining and entertainment, including the very first moving bar at sea!

Pool & Sports Zone: Learn how to surf, soak in the rays at the beach or sports pool, or watch the kids have a blast at the H20 zone.

Vitality at Sea Spa & Fitness Center: Home of the luxurious spa and state-of-the-art fitness center.

Entertainment Place: The nightclub area onboard. Plan your nights of fun at the theatre, the dance lounge, nightclub, casino, or comedy club.

Youth Zone: Encompassing over 28,700 square feet of fun for kids! Includes teen areas, a nursery for infants and toddlers, themed play areas, and many activities for kids of all ages.

Are you getting excited yet? Stay tuned for more on this spectacular ship, because it’s certainly not the last you will hear of it on our blog!