Custom Travel

Custom travel allows you, the traveler, to specify the destinations you wish to visit, how long you want to stay, the type of accommodations you prefer and which activities you will do. This tailored approach can be highly structured, with all the details, hotels and transfers arranged in advance, or "on the fly", as one might do when backpacking on a shoestring.

For your honeymoon, unless you have a large block of time during your trip to spend on local logistics, it is highly recommended you work through most of the details prior to departure. This includes booking flights, major ground transportation and hotels well in advance to make sure you get what you want. A good destination expert can be worth their weight in gold when planning a custom itinerary. Because of the complex nature of this kind of trip, someone who is intimately familiar with the local hotels, restaurants and activities can alleviate much of the planning headache while also providing a sense of security that all the details will work.

Destination Advice
Custom travel is ideal for destinations that offer a wide variety of choices, when you move from place to place, or when you want to get off the tourist track. Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand are excellent locations for creating custom itineraries.

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Cruises

Cruises come in many shapes and sizes, from 3000 passenger ships motoring through the Mediterranean to intimate luxury barges cruising the Danube River. A cruise generally follows a set itinerary with stops at different ports of call. By nature, most cruises are all-inclusive since lodging, food and activities are included in the price of the cruise. Before booking, however, check to see exactly what is included, as port excursions and other activities are often extra.

The cruise experience can vary significantly, depending on the size of ship, level of luxury desired and destinations visited. The larger ships will provide a wide array of entertainment, activities and dining options, while the smaller ships tend to offer more privacy and flexibility. Many cruises incorporate themes, such as Disney or eco-tourism (e.g. visiting the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador).

Destination Advice
Cruises are a great option for people who want to visit a variety of destinations, enjoy the full service facilities of a resort, and don't want to worry about continually packing and unpacking. No matter where you want to go, there's probably a cruise option. The determining factor will be season - cruise lines move their ships around the world accordingly. Popular cruise destinations include Alaska, the Caribbean, North America's Pacific coast, Southeast Asia, the South Pacific and the Mediterranean. You can also cruise the Nile, Amazon and Volga rivers.

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Package Vacations

A package vacation is one in which a variety of trip components - transportation, food, accommodation, and activities are bundled together for a single price. The primary benefit of purchasing a package vacation is that it is usually more economical than if you purchased each piece a la carte. What you may sacrifice, however, is choice. Air-inclusive packages often offer a limited number of flight options, while both air-inclusive and land-only packages may only be available for certain hotels or certain activities.

Package options are almost endless - you need to look for ones that appeal to you. Packages are often accommodation based (provided by a specific hotel). For example, an individual property will package room, dinner, special amenities and airport transfers. Others will bundle the lodging with an activity, such as a week of scuba diving or spa treatments. Packages may also incorporate a wide variety of land elements outside of the hotel such as guided tours, dinners at specific restaurants or other activities.

The ultimate form of package vacation is the "all-inclusive" resort. As the name suggests, all-inclusives generally include most destination elements - your room, food, drinks, activities and entertainment. However, depending on the one you choose, it may or may not include alcohol or spa services. Some resorts are all-inclusive by nature, such as Sandals or Club Med. Many other resorts, however, offer an all-inclusive pricing option so ask if this is your preference.

Destination Advice
Most destinations offer a variety of package options. Some of the most popular are Mexico, the Caribbean and Hawaii, but no matter where you wish to travel, some type of package is likely to be available. Whether it suits your needs is, of course, a different matter.

All-inclusives are commonly found in locations where lounging around your hotel or resort property is the primary focus. The Caribbean, Mexico and other popular beach destinations have a large selection of all-inclusive packages. Keep in mind, however, that you are paying for most of your trip elements in advance, so if you decide to participate in activities or dining outside of the hotel, you will be "double paying".

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Escorted Tours

A tour need not mean traveling on a bus where everyone is over 70 (no offense to our senior honeymooners!). A tour generally refers to traveling on a set itinerary with specific dates, usually with a group of people. They can be as basic as a daylong city tour, or as extravagant as a multi-country tour via private jet.

There are a number of key benefits associated with "touring":

• They are often more economical than creating a similar itinerary just for two
  
• They are hassle-free - no need to worry about transportation, schedule or tickets
  
• They provide an opportunity to socialize with other travelers

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