Planning a Vacation

[Shift_450R]

The girlfriend and I are planning on going on a trip sometime this year (probably around February) to a southern country (somewhere in the Caribbean, Mexico, or South America) and we don't know where to begin.

How reliable are online bookings? Are there any good sites? Or should we go through a travel agent?

Is there anything to know before we book a trip (bad times to go, good times to go, shots we'd need to get...)? I've never done anything like this so all the help we can get would be greatly appreciated. Any tips or advice would be sweet.

Thanks

[mephyst]

Online travel sites are very good and reliable. Personally, with my vacations I usually have a travel agency match the price of online and I have never had a problem with that! That it's just more insured and if you have ANY problems you aren't stuck in some foreign country with no one to really call for help. If you have a travel agency they will do everything to help you out and 99% of the time upgrade your entire trip.

Some of the big sites are good (expedia, orbitz) My favorite is Cheaptickets.com because they usually have the best prices. Good luck, and if you are thinking about somewhere in the Southern countries I would probably stick with Mexico. It's more affordable for an amazing time... I don't know how February is exactly, but I'm sure it's nice in places such as Cancun. Are you looking to relax but still be able to go to clubs and such? I would honestly wait more towards Spring time to go. ;) I'm going back to Cancun for Spring break 2008. Talk about a parrrrrrty.

[Shift_450R]

Thanks for the help. I dont want to leave at a time like Spring Break because when I go, I don't want a million people there. I wanted to pick a time where I could go and just relax and have fun doing other things other than partying.

And if it were spring break when I went, I guarantee the girlfriend would kill me. I don't do so well around drunken women who are easily persuaded to rip their tops off.

[Giz400ex]

First thing I would check on is that if your g/f and yourself are gonna be together that long? I wouldn't make it so far down the road. Trying to save ya by going down there by yourself:( But, I do everything online and have had no probs. I always fly Southwest (if possible) and I would do a little homework about what the weather is down there normally that time of year ect..

[<DRS>GPF]

BVI's.. but youll need a passport..

theyre much cleaner and have far less thieves in the shadows than the US regulated islands. (it has to do with actual law enforcement)

i wouldnt fly southwest unless your impoverished and cant afford another $20 to$30 for a decent, organized airline.
dont get me wrong, the SW people are nice, but too weak and scared to enforce any semblence of order. (like the luggage qty. and size rules)
the A-B-C boarding and seating method is rediculous and truly brings out the adolescent a-holes of the world.

[Quad18star]

We went to Cuba last winter , and had a great time , despite the crappy weather we received ( just bad timing ... 30C before we got there , 20C while we were there , 30C after we left). If you go to Cuba , stay in Varadero.

Things about Cuba that I liked ... we went in February which is spring break season ( spring break runs Feb to March) and it wasn't too busy . Most spring breakers go to Mexico ... so Cuba only had a handful ... plus no Americans in Cuba either since they can't go there. Cuba is fairly cheap ... all inclusive vacation leaving right from town here for less than $3000 taxes and insurance included . Could have been less than $2500 had we left from a major airport like that in Toronto. Cuba felt very safe to walk around .

Online booking is safe. IF you can , wait until 3 weeks before you leave to book ( as long as you flexible on destination) ... you'll get the trip less than half price. Itravel2000.com has a great reputation .

We had booked with Sears and we were pleased. They usually offer 12 equal payments with 0% interest if you don't want to pay all at once.

Our next vacation will be to Punta Cana Dominican Republic. Heard many good things about it from friends that have been. But unless you go early in February , you'll get a lot of spring break party goers from the 2nd week to Feb to the end of March.

If you're looking for hotel information , www.tripadvisor.com will be your BEST FRIEND. Great reviews from people that have been . They'll tell you the good , the bad ... and what you should bring with you that the hotel might not have.

My suggestion , go to Canadian Tire or WalMart and buy a small Bubba insulated cup ( 26oz I think) . Your drink will stay cold for hours ( if it lasts that long) and you won't be running to the bar every 10 minutes for a drink .

[Giz400ex]

Originally posted by <DRS>GPF
BVI's.. but youll need a passport..

theyre much cleaner and have far less thieves in the shadows than the US regulated islands. (it has to do with actual law enforcement)

i wouldnt fly southwest unless your impoverished and cant afford another $20 to$30 for a decent, organized airline.
dont get me wrong, the SW people are nice, but too weak and scared to enforce any semblence of order. (like the luggage qty. and size rules)
the A-B-C boarding and seating method is rediculous and truly brings out the adolescent a-holes of the world. Well, why pay more and get less and last time I was on there airline, there was limit on how many pieces of luggage we could have and a weight limit. As for the boarding..... who cares!! Just get me on the frigin plane and lets go! But I guess its all about "opinion".

[Shift_450R]

Originally posted by Quad18star
We went to Cuba last winter , and had a great time , despite the crappy weather we received ( just bad timing ... 30C before we got there , 20C while we were there , 30C after we left). If you go to Cuba , stay in Varadero.

Things about Cuba that I liked ... we went in February which is spring break season ( spring break runs Feb to March) and it wasn't too busy . Most spring breakers go to Mexico ... so Cuba only had a handful ... plus no Americans in Cuba either since they can't go there. Cuba is fairly cheap ... all inclusive vacation leaving right from town here for less than $3000 taxes and insurance included . Could have been less than $2500 had we left from a major airport like that in Toronto. Cuba felt very safe to walk around .

Online booking is safe. IF you can , wait until 3 weeks before you leave to book ( as long as you flexible on destination) ... you'll get the trip less than half price. Itravel2000.com has a great reputation .

We had booked with Sears and we were pleased. They usually offer 12 equal payments with 0% interest if you don't want to pay all at once.

Our next vacation will be to Punta Cana Dominican Republic. Heard many good things about it from friends that have been. But unless you go early in February , you'll get a lot of spring break party goers from the 2nd week to Feb to the end of March.

If you're looking for hotel information , www.tripadvisor.com will be your BEST FRIEND. Great reviews from people that have been . They'll tell you the good , the bad ... and what you should bring with you that the hotel might not have.

My suggestion , go to Canadian Tire or WalMart and buy a small Bubba insulated cup ( 26oz I think) . Your drink will stay cold for hours ( if it lasts that long) and you won't be running to the bar every 10 minutes for a drink .
Thanks for the help everyone.

When you go to places like Cuba and mexico and that and you pay for an all inclusive trip, can you venture out and do your own thing as well? The reason why I ask is because I want to go scuba diving down there in the ocean and the only thing that the all inclusive trips offer is only a beginners lesson in a swimming pool. Do private places offer the skuba that im looking for?

[Quad18star]

Originally posted by Shift_450R
Thanks for the help everyone.

When you go to places like Cuba and mexico and that and you pay for an all inclusive trip, can you venture out and do your own thing as well? The reason why I ask is because I want to go scuba diving down there in the ocean and the only thing that the all inclusive trips offer is only a beginners lesson in a swimming pool. Do private places offer the skuba that im looking for?

Of for sure you can man.

For most places , an All-Inclusive vacation means it includes your 3 meals daily , all your drinks and non-motorized watersports ( peddle boats , boogie boards, small catamerans, etc) . Some places will offer introductory scuba in the pool for like 30 minutes or an hour . Some will give you bracelets that let you enter into Discos ( clubs) for no charge.

If you're a licensed scuba diver, you can go to numerous tour operators and they'll take you out for whatever the cost includes ( half day , 2hours , whatever it is).

But just because it's All -Inclusive doesn't mean you have to stay on the resort grounds. You can go walk the streets , check out the markets or whatever else . Your resort will most likely have someone come around or your tour operator will be there to sell you excursion package. When we were in Cuba we went on a Dolphin Swimming excursion. Basically it brought us to this area that they train dolphins and give shows. We were there for a few hours ... we got to swim with the dolphins for about 45 minutes . The trainer got them to jump over us and stuff. Then they put on a show for an audiance ( jumps through hoops , different swimming things with the trainer , ect) . That cost us around $80 per person extra.

Most of the time , excursions are NOT covered in your trip costs. Discuss it with your travel agent.

Cuba we felt very safe to walk around .

Mexico has had a lot of Canadian murders lately ... personally I wouldn't go there right now.

Jamaica you are advised to stay on your resort grounds and not wander off the grounds .

Dominican I heard is fairly safe to wander off the resort grounds ... but lots of peddlers and beggers.

Our trip was around $3000 .... we brought along an extra $800 for EXTRA spending money. We came home with 5 cents left in our pocket . LOL .

We bought gifts for family, did a dolphin excursion , bought pictures from the dolphin swim, bought 4 bottles of Rum , 2 cans of beer to take home , ate out at a few places for lunch while walking the town and gave tips to the bartenders and hotel staff .

[Quad18star]

Here's a link to pictures and information from when we went to Cuba in February .

In the 2nd picture you'll see the Bubba Mugs I was talking about . They are a MUST when travelling ... unless you want to drink out of small Dixie cups for a week.

Oh ya ... I laos bought some Cigars !!! :D

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=285380&highlight=Cuban+vacation

[Shift_450R]

Thanks for the help. Cuba looked wicked. I am really considering Varadero (sp?). I just gotta get in touch with a travel agent here in the next couple of days (if I can get a day off) and see what pans out.

[tgreenz400]

i would suggest going to cancun. ive been their 3 times and we've had somthing new to try each day of every trip. plus it has a great nightlife. btw it has one of the best beaches and water in the world

[mephyst]

Originally posted by tgreenz400
i would suggest going to cancun. ive been their 3 times and we've had somthing new to try each day of every trip. plus it has a great nightlife. btw it has one of the best beaches and water in the world

I second that... Cancun can be extremely relaxing or extremely crazy no matter what time of the year you go. I have been to Cancun, Cabo, Alcapulco, Mexico City and a few other small towns in Mexico for all separate vacations. Cancun is absolutely beautiful... The water/beaches are just amazing and the nightlife is excellent!