Author: travelworryfree

Our No Worries Travellers rely on our concierge service when air travel is disrupted, and we’re sharing key lessons we’ve learned over the years through booking worry-free travel for clients just like you.

When flights are changed, here are our FIVE top tips to avoid additional, uncessary trip disruptions:

1) Security Delays – With the increase in security measures across international airports, some of our travellers are taking longer than usual to go through immigration and customs. These delays can impact the transfer service taking you from the airport to your hotels. While transfer services monitor flight delays, they don’t typically account for flight changes, cancellations or lengthy wait times for customs. To help avoid missing a transfer, contact your transfer service once you land.

2) Air Strikes – No Worries Travellers benefit from our relationships with the premier providers of travel services. Air teams with our suppliers are typically notified several hours prior to labor strikes. We count on them to review all impacted tickets, adjust itineraries, and secure new flights with the least disruption possible to our clients.

We will contact you and advise of the situation and new flight information once we are notified, but you also want to be sure that your airlines are able to contact you directly.

To help ensure that you’re noticed about any air impacts in a timely manner, it is critical for you to provide your airlines with your personal contact information.  If you’re travelling in a group, all travellers should provide their contacts, too.

3) Air Schedule Changes – Airlines modify their schedules constantly. Almost daily, the teams at our preferred suppliers process hundreds of schedule changes. If a No Worries Traveller’s flight is changed, we receive notice and are able to advise you of the schedule change. We work with our suppliers to determine any available alternate schedules that are closest to the original schedule. Keep an eye out for all communications from us pre-travel and during travel to ensure you’re informed of impacts and resolutions related to your trip.

4) Missed Flight – If you miss a flight at your own expense (ie. late to the airport, don’t show up, etc.) you will automatically have the remainder of your flights cancelled under the same flight record number. When travellers do not arrive on time, they’re considered a “no-show” and the airline assumes they will be missing the remainder of their flights. Alerts to No Worries Travel and your airline are critical to avoid further unecessary flight cancellations and/or trip delays.

5) Flight Delay or Cancellation – When flights are delayed or cancelled, we are all truly 100% at the mercy of the airline. The airline’s representatives are in full control of re-booking your flight. You’ll want to be first to the counter to discuss your options in a friendly and calm manner. Again, the airline representative is in full control of rebooking the flight.

Impacts on Transfer Services:

Delayed: Transfer services monitor flight delays and should be prepared to pick-up at the new estimated arrival time.  However, we recommend an alert to them to be sure they are there to pick you up at your new time.  In a scenario where you have a forced overnight delay, we work to advise the hotel and transfer services. Keeping No Worries Travel in the loop is critical to help minimize further trip disruptions.

Cancelled: If the flight is cancelled, transfer services need to be contacted timely to advise of the new flight details. We will help with that, if you notice us, and you must also give them a call.

Our No Worries Travel commitment to our clients is that we book travel in a way that is worry-free. Sharing the best of our leisure travel experience, our signature concierge service to select destinations, is what we do.  

Enjoy. Book. Travel, worry-free. 

*These tips were inspired by Europe Express’ “Air Issues 101” and are provided as general reference. These tips may not be reflective of the experience of actual travellers or supplier practice.

 

So you’re heading off for a long-awaited vacation. Here are your No Worries Travel Agents’ Top Five recommendations for a worry-free trip:

1. MONEY – Confirm your daily withdrawal limits to be sure that you can withdraw any cash you need pre-travel, and confirm a branch where you can trade the currency of the country you’re visiting BEFORE you depart. For real-time exchange rates we use www.xe.com
2. FRAUD – Alert your bank and credit card company to dates of travel and destinations to ensure that you have access to funds during your trip, and help them to alert you to any fraudulent use of your accounts.
3. CELL and INTERNET – Contact your cell phone provider to understand text and call capabilities during travel, along with a full listing of options for any travel packages that they offer. You may also want to consider secure internet options that help protect you while on-line, like www.skyroam.com.
4. CONTACTS – Provide your airline or cruiseline with contact information for any in-travel itinerary changes. Someone at home should also have emergency numbers for your trusted repair folk and neighbors so they can be prepared to help, if needed.
5. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO – Review State Department and Center for Disease Control updates for any key facts you’ll need to know about your destination, along with the terms and contact numbers for your trip insurance.

Making travel worry-free. It’s what we do. 

Planning a trip? Contact your No Worries Travel Agent to book today at 408.440.2778 or noworriestravelagent@gmail.com.

 

“How does it feel to be a tourist in your own home town?”

Now there’s a question worth answering … Returning to Monterey for a very special reunion, we thought about things we wish we’d had when we were growing up along this iconic coastline.

Here are our top five:

Five – The best clam chowder is in the palate of the beholder.  Tastings are available as you make your way down the wharf. Our favorite is at Old Fisherman’s Grotto.

Four – Walking along the coastline is much improved now that the railroad tracks of our youth are nicely paved and beautifully landscaped walkways. Better yet, rent a bike and enjoy.

Three – Picnic spots have multiplied with great options from the wharf to the Coast Guard Pier and throughout Cannery Row.  Our favorite sandwiches still come from Troia’s Market.

Two – Since we weren’t of drinking age, we didn’t appreciate the option of enjoying a glass of wine on the outdoor tables at the Monterey Plaza Hotel but we can now 🙂

One –  Our all-time favorite Monterey re-dux. Cruising along The Asilomar at sunset was a favorite past-time, and is even better with the mini-cars available at the Portola Hotel.

For trips and tips, contact your No Worries Travel Agent at 408.440.2778.

Enjoy. Book. Travel.

 

 

In March, Dana was highlighted in a travel agent blog, recognizing her almost 50 years of Disneyland Resort experience.

In the words of the blog’s author, Mary Stein,  “…Believe me when I say that travel agents know more than Google when it comes to insider Disneyland info.”, and these agents, “…loaded my brain with amazing Disneyland insights.” To be picked as one of three experts was an honor.

Here’s the best from Mary’s interview with Dana:

“Always get the Disney Club Service when you stay on property. It includes a simple breakfast spread and bottled water and snack service throughout the day . . . Your client can save on meals that way. When [your client] goes to Disneyland, have them start at Tomorrow Land and work their way around to the right to go on every ride. Don’t worry about long lines. You’ll waste more time running around looking for shorter lines than you will waiting in line.”

Here are Dana’s comments on different age groups:

 

Here’s what we’ve learned from listening to our No Worries Travellers.

It’s important that we book all types of domestic and international leisure trips, for a diverse range of travellers; that we maintain professional organization credentials with ASTA and CLIA;  and stay current with a ton of destination and supplier credentials.

But, it’s more than that for our clients.  Here are their Top 4 Reasons to book with noworriestravel:

Access.  Having 24/7 access to booking options through noworriestravel.com — it’s not all that we do, but it’s a good, first start. Plus, we’re here on weekdays/evenings once you’re off work, and from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the weekends.  Those hours are rare in this field, but our clients tell us they rely on our being available when they need to reach us, and we’re here for them.

Service.  Our hours are just the start of our level of dedication. Booking with us, you go beyond the limits of basic search engines, with rapid access to industry tools and easy connections to established supplier contacts who  ensure that we provide the best trip options. They may also help us secure amenities that just aren’t available without us and, if things go wrong — and they can — we have solid back-up to fix things quickly.

Relationship:  Travel is intensely personal.  The best trips match your budget, while they reflect your dreams, individuality and lifestyle. No Worries Travellers are referred to us, or find us by searching our website, blog, testimonials and reviews. We listen and connect during those initial contacts: what are you looking for, what options best fit your travel needs, you want to … wow.  Because your trip is not just a sale to us, that first contact is usually the beginning of a connection for all of your future travel.

One more thing — this is what really seals the deal — No Worries Travellers feel good when they work with us.  They share thoughts and concerns, hopes and expectation, and they relax and laugh. Put simply, every new inquiry, every repeat booking, and each and every referral of friends and family brings a new opportunity to make travel worry-free, and we love it — it’s what we do.

Start your own No Worries Travel relationship. Contact Your No Worries Travel Agent at noworriestravelagent@gmail.com today, like now 🙂

While some choose to jog up Mount Tapioi on Raiatea, a steady climb worked for us. Over about an hour, we trekked to the top, got to know our fellow hikers, rested with some kids and a dog who needed a break, watched horses and a few cows, and shared plenty of water. Having hats, sun umbrellas and some electrolyte powder really helped out in the heat. While it may not be the tallest peak on the island, we sure enjoyed the amazing views from the top. Take a look at the lagoon, neighboring Taha’a and even Bora Bora. A trek worth making.

Check out cruise options for Tahiti at www.noworriestravel.com

 

 

Maid-of-Honor Dilemma: With a bride to support, her sweet sister was in a quandary. “We’ve got a great destination for this great destination wedding, but how can we possibly see the nearby Mayan Ruins with all of the wedding activities?” Worse, “How could we possibly miss them?” We told her that she really had options. If the day trip to Chichen Itza isn’t do-able, we recommended Tulum. It’s more of a half-day option and, with our favorite no worries supplier, the whole wedding party could even be accommodated — kids and adults alike.  Made her day — big smiles all around.

You can find your own Riviera Maya options under  “Sunny Vacation Destinations” at noworriestravel.com. Check them out, and let us know if you’re ready to plan your trip.