Posts from the “Singles Travel Tips” Category
Travel, Connect & Grow
It all started with the themes and costumes when members began to do funny or crazy things that I never expected based on my first impression. The best example was nearly 18 years ago, during one of our first cruises when Ron, a mild mannered man, somewhat quiet, wearing glasses and slightly balding, turned into the funniest female impersonator during our first Ms. Singles Travel beauty contest as one the 4 male to female contestants names “Shirley”. Ron not only came alive in the part but was the hit of the event and the laughter in our show room drew cruisers from all over to watch and participate. Ron was no longer a wall flower but the star of the cruise! His ability to take a risk and let his hair down was an inspiration to many.
In our day-to-day lives, we interact with people at home and work who have already judged us and think they know who we are based on our relationships and the past. Those views of us, often keep us in our place, so to speak, and inhibit our creativity or our ability to pursue the real you. Some of us even hear critical comments such as, “you could not”, “you would never be able”, and “it’s not like you to” and so on. Our friends and family truly believe that their “constructive” criticism is to help us when all we really need is a loving and supportive platform to discover who we are and how we want to live our lives.
Stop right now and think about what you do for a living. Did you really choose it for yourself? Reflect on the times and circumstances that lead you to your decision and whether or not it was a pure decision based on your passions or persuaded by someone else close to you.
A place and time free from being judged and with new people that take you for face value without any previous ideas about whom you are make a fertile ground for discovering who you really are deep inside. This is the first step toward healing and personal growth.
Now picture an exotic location with people that may seem to have a similar interest in travel or the destination and are also single, have come all by themselves and come with a long and rich, yet sometimes painful history of their past. I promise that every one of them took great pains to decide whether or not this was the right move for them. Can I afford it, will I be accepted/rejected, will I meet someone, will I get to do everything on my list, and will I fit into that dress /those pants by the time I go? But decide you did and that is half the battle.
Add to that, a team of staffers who are excitedly anticipating your arrival with a weeklong list of fun things for you to try and do, or not. A smiling concierge team trained to watch for the slightest hesitation and provide the support and encouragement to help you overcome it. There is no pressure to perform or participate, but just be you.
For some it takes a few days, others, the entire week. But sooner or later, one connection after the other with the “happy” people that you meet on vacation, you’ll discover that you are not alone and that there are others that truly care about finding out more about you and who you are. People who can’t wait to be entertained by your piano playing, hear about how you like to spend your free time, or learn the same dance so that you can both try it out after dinner. Such an accepting environment is created by the people around you. The more connections the better the vibes and the easier it is to cast aside all the “images” and “misperceptions” of YOU and let your hair hang loose. The best part of all is that there is little risk to fail, because at the end of the trip, you go home and you are your same ole self. But maybe not, perhaps this is just the beginning of the new you. More likely, you’ll have made some new friends and learned something new about yourself. Most likely, you’ll have the time of your life!
How to Plan for the Best New Years Eve
You’re probably thinking “Are you crazy?” I don’t even know what I’m doing next weekend. Or, maybe a twinge of guilt washes over you as you recall last year’s, long forgotten resolutions.
Just because you didn’t make good is no reason to avoid this light hearted holiday that is pure fun and shouldn’t be taken seriously. Even though it’s still seems far away, there are many good reasons for making your plans now and no good reason for waiting. First of all, you’ll have something exciting to look forward to doing, what a terrific topic of conversation at all of the events you attend, you’ll have plenty of time to convince your friends to join you, you’ll get the best deals and you may even pay for your holiday plans over time. The best part is that, by the time New Years Eve rolls around, you’ll be all set.
Even though the economy is slumbering along, New Years travel is always popular and at premium prices. Waiting until the last minute will not net you the same deals that abound in other “off” seasons. Any discount space will have been scooped up by the early birds. Yes, many people do plan their next New Years Eve vacation immediately upon returning home from the current trip.
If you’ve never gone away for New Years Eve, you don’t know what you’re missing. The weather is generally better than where you live, no planning required once you’ve made your reservation, you won’t be worried about transportation and finding a designated driver because you’ll be within a taxi drive away or onboard a ship. Best of all, you’ll meet so many new people.
Making plans is easy if you start now rather than wait until December. Some great New Years Eve cities areNew York, Miami, New Orleans and Las Vegas. Better yet, consider a singles cruise where you’ll be welcomed immediately into a group and there’ll be no time wasted searching for other singles. Almost every singles travel company offers a New Years Eve cruise; just do a search online for “New Years Eve Singles Cruise”.
Ladies, we’ve all read “He’s Just Not That Into You”, so you know better than to sit around and wait. Guys, this is not a commitment. In fact, most vacations may be changed or cancelled a couple months before departure with no penalty at all. If you do find someone special in the meantime, you may find that including them in your vacation plans is an even better idea.
So many of us wait until the last minute and end up not doing anything. You have nothing to lose by planning early. Picture yourself this New Years Eve surrounded by hundreds of other singles who had the sense to make their plans early and who are having the time of their lives, eating, drinking, dancing, shopping, sightseeing, falling in love and of course, making resolutions! Now go make your plans.
Singles Travel International hosts it’s 16th annual New Years Eve Party Cruise, December 29-January 3, aboard the Liberty of the Seas. Join over 100 single revelers to bring in the New Year!
http://www.singlestravelintl.com/trip_packages/118-new-years-eve-party-cruise
The Allure of an Epic Oasis for Single Cruisers
Doesn’t that sound grand? Only the grandest of adjectives apply for the three new cruise ships that have sailed onto the vacation scene in the last year or so. And with the novelty came a new era for the singles cruise.
Gone are the days of group dining in the same place, same time every night. Now with up to 36 bars and restaurants from which to choose, making a connection may seem even harder to do. Ah, but look behind the curtain and you’ll see that our new palaces at sea are a marvelous way to vacation solo.
The Norwegian Epic introduced Single Studios, 100 square feet of pure privacy in the hippest little space lined up in a private access area for 120 other single cabin dwellers. The lounge is the perfect meeting place day or night with a note board for leaving messages for your fellow cruisers. Finally, a respite from “families with children and couples”. They just don’t get it.
Aboard Oasis and Allure nightlife is endless and variety is king. Remember having dinner and then a show followed by the disco. Unless you gambled, this was the ordinary routine and it was hit or miss from night to night. On my last cruise aboard the Oasis, my head was spinning after dinner. But, I am a multi tasker, super achiever and party animal, so the challenge was on! In one night, I listened to live Jazz, danced at Dazzles, a dance club for my era (no hip hop), laughed my butt off at the comedian, did a Salsa at Boleros, then headed for late night dancing in the Viking Crown to another live band. Are you kidding? It was incredible. This ship is alive with 6000 happy cruisers, which means more singles and dramatically ups your odds of finding fun and companionship.
By day there’s zip lining, surfing, mini golf, basketball, the spa, ports of call, a walk in Central Park, wine tasting, trivia, incredible cuisine and all mapped out for us electronically and conveniently.
Our concierge team at Singles Travel International carries an “Epic” Phone with 24/7 access to cruise staff which keeps us on our toes for all organized events. Smart phone users find other singles using “check-in” on Facebook and text messaging. Of course we feature all of our hallmark meetups from sun-up to sundown including Breakfast Club, Indy Explorers, Happy Hour Club, Hosted Dinners (now in several different restaurants), Late Night Dancing and many more. All of STI’s activities are available via our Exclusive Daily Program for STI members only.
So, although the new ships are enormous, gigantic, awesome, incredible and to some, perhaps overwhelming, there are plenty of ways to make these ships a cozy home away from home and a great place to meet singles.
Singles Travel International has 2 departures (30s and 40s in March and a 50+ for Valentine Week) on the Epic in the winter of 2012 and a Med cruise in June 2012.
https://www.singlestravelintl.com/trip_categories/1-singles-cruises
What am I missing?
I recently planned a vacation and it was the first time I took a singles cruise, so of course, I had tons of questions. I read all of the pages on the website and made my reservation. Then I called to find out if there was anything else I was missing?
I was given basic information like how to schedule my flights, arrange for transportation once in Barcelona (where the ship departs) and was offered an option to book shore excursions. But I felt there was so much more to know!
The STI agent that I spoke to had been on the cruise so she helped answer many of the questions, but you know how it is when you are doing something for the very first time. I was unsure and a bit nervous about going all the way to Europe by myself.
So the first thing I did was get a guide book Rick Steves’ Mediterranean Cruise Ports. I read it cover to cover before my trip on my lunch breaks and after work until I was confident that I knew what I wanted to do in each place we stopped on the cruise.
Armed with my new knowledge, I was ready to make decisions about shore excursions. But wow, they looked so expensive! My cruise was only $999 and I never even thought about any other expenses. Well, doing the Med was a lifelong dream and I had saved up, so I decided to take advantage and see as much as I could. Singles Travel International had tours set up for other members of the group and since I took this cruise to be with other singles, I chose a few of their tours. I also used their chat to meet other cruisers and some of us made our own plans in Barcelona. What a blast we had on the Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus, seeing the sites, eating Tapas and drinking Spanish wines with the locals!
Most of Europe is on the Euro and so everything costs a bit more. I want to share my experience with other single travelers like me who are venturing out for the first time. In addition to the cruise, anticipate spending another $2,000 on thingls like air, transportation and tours. I’m not even going to tell what I spend on leather and gold in Florence! Start saving now! Here are some things to consider before you take the plunge:
Airfare: $1,000-$1,500
Transfers inDepartureCity: $50-$100
Taxis about town if on your own: $1-200
Shore Excursions: $300+
Bar bill on the ship: $300+
Souvenirs: $200+
1 Gelato: $7
Tips to ship staff & tour guides: $100-$150
Entrance Fees/Museum Passes (on own, no tours): $100
I am happy that I took a few days to study about my cruise so that I was prepared. I hate to miss out on anything. There were a few singles that “showed up” and I felt sorry for them because they were stressed trying to decide what to fit in. The STI concierge was super, but many options were already sold out. At the end of the day, my memories are priceless and I’d do it all over again!
Submitted by Barb, a new STI member from the Epic Med cruise.
To Insure or Not to Insure? That is the solo traveler question.
Hello, this is Tammy. Oh hi Chris, how are you? Good, I bet you’re excited for your upcoming singles cruise! Mhm, mhm, ok. Oh, did you want me to add trip cancellation insurance to your package? Mhm, ok, you got it, consider your vacation investment protected!
Now that’s a scenario in a perfect world, we offer insurance and our STI member says go for it, no questions asked. What you don’t know about Chris is that she was attacked by a lion on safari inAfrica! No, that’s not true, that’s just the story she told on the road during her safari after her triple, leg break surgery inSouth Africa in 2008.
On our first day of the trip, after the group had lunch in Capetown, Chris tripped on what? On her new shoes? But nobody ever gets new shoes before vacation! Right. So anyway, she goes down and I kick into action. Not kidding this time, flag the first car and fling open his door to get Chris in and back to the hotel. Ok, I admit, I’m no nurse, maybe that’s not what I was supposed to do, but Chris didn’t have insurance. Once at the hotel, we sent for the ambulance and she spent 2 days in the hospital.
Chris was lucky! South Africahas excellent medical care and at the time, the exchange for the Randwas so favorable that it only cost her several thousand dollars, only! She did not have the option to fly home and get her money back at the expense of an insurance carrier, nor was she able to get a medevac to the best facility for her injury. She was not covered for the follow up care twice during her vacation, not the wheelchair (she did a safari from chair to range rover), not the meds that she had to inject because we were on so many flites and the list goes on.
Not everyone is so lucky and I want to keep this upbeat so we won’t go there, but it happens. According to our contacts at Travel Guard, my fave company for many reasons, and I will explain later, they perform at least one emergency medical evacuation per day!
Nobody ever wants to cancel a trip before or during, but is happens. Volcanoes erupt over theAtlantic, airplanes bomb buildings and the not so dramatic, kids get sick or your boss says it’s not a good time after all.
So what is travel insurance anyway?
Travel insurance, often termed trip cancellation/interruption insurance is as varied as any other insurance policy and that’s what makes it so confusing. Here are some major facts that help sort it out.
1. No deductible, but there is usually a minimum for a claim, generally about $200.
2. The most comprehensive policy should include insurance for canceling before you go (trip cancellation) and for canceling once you are on the trip (trip interruption).
3. Most policies cover cancellation before you depart for death and medical reasons only, but the list of relatives is long and deep.
4. Most policies cover you if you already suffer from a medical condition such as diabetes or MS as long as it has been under control for a specified amount of time AND you purchase the policy within 14 days of your trip deposit . (that’s pre-existing condition)
5. Medical and dental attention on the road, sometimes up to 50,000 in coverage. When something happens, you, a friend or travel director calls the insurance company and they recommend a facility and cover the expenses for you with no out of pocket. On a cruise ship, you may be required to pay the bill and submit to the insurance company as a claim after the trip.
6. Emergency medical evacuation in the event that you are hurt more than any doctor in that country knows how to heal. Get out now to save your life. Thanks to an STI member on our Canyonlands Adventure, I got a free helicopter ride out of theGrand Canyon, stunning for both of us!
7. Most polices cover trip delay, which means you are covered up to a maximum amount (it varies) for things like missing your plane, getting on the next one (at insurance company’s expense) even if not until the next day. They pay the fare difference, your hotel accommodations, meals and transportation costs. They’ll even fly you to the next stop if you were supposed to get on a cruise ship and didn’t make it on time. If you are ever in a situation where flights are all cancelled or airports closed down due to weather, as an insured, just throw up your hands and go home. You will get your money back.
8. Baggage delay and loss is important when you don’t get your bags on vacation and it happens every day by the thousands. If it hasn’t happened to you yet, your odds are getting better! This part of the policy allows a maximum amount per day to purchase the basics until you get your bags. If you never get them, the allowance increases.
9. Options are generally available for cancellation for any reason. It will cost approximately 20% more, but for many, the best coverage.
10. Policy prices are based on your age and the cost of your total trip, so insure only those elements that are non-refundable.
Single travelers and single cruisers who should take insurance:
1. Singles sharing with someone that they do not know and were matched to save money.
2. Single parents and single pet owners
3. Single travelers with ailing/aging parents or other family members
4. BUSY single executives! If the deal of a lifetime hits your desk, what are you going to do?
5. Mature singles, even if healthy.
6. Single travelers that suffer a medical condition
7. Singles that live anywhere and have a good chance for severe weather conditions like, um, winter. If you are from a wintery place and plan to fly out of your home town in a wintery month, you should be purchasing insurance.
8. Singles that take adventure vacations such as hiking, biking, rafting, climbing, etc.
9. Singles who insure everything else you own, house, car, and wouldn’t want to lose.
10. Singles that travel solo, on their own.
Oh, I promised to tell you why I love Travel Guard. On the 10th anniversary of 911, it is fitting to commend Mr. Noel, then CEO at Travel Guard, who was the only travel insurance executive who honored every customer that had a Travel Guard policy even though a “terrorist clause” had not even been a part of travel policies at that time. We were able to help all of our stranded members and those awaiting a trip, at no cost to them, thanks to Travel Guard. We have never offered any other company to our very important Singles Travel International members.
If you have a travel insurance story, let’s hear it. I barely scratched the surface, I’ve traveled with you guys for 18 years and I know who you are!
