How To Survive Spring Break

The beach was pristine. The clear blue water of the lagoon-style pool beckoned. The food was fabulous and the room exquisite.

After years of planning, Brian Mayers was finally able to escape the pressures of his job with the Anne Arundel County, Md., Fire Department to take a well-deserved break from his three kids. He had arranged for the pet, house, and baby sitters. He and his wife were finally headed to the paradise called Cancun to celebrate an anniversary.

But when Mayers landed in the tropical paradise on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, he found he wasn’t alone.

Thousands of spring breakers were also there, waiting to spoil his dream. “They took over the pool, and when they weren’t in the pool they were taking over the bars,” he remembers. “Kids passing out and vomiting all over this luxury property was not what I had in mind. The hotel even removed all of the fire extinguishers because the kids were stealing them.”

Mayers went on to describe the other antics he encountered, ranging from being flashed from the balcony to having other guests pound on his door at 4 a.m., to enduring food fights at the buffet.

What’s an adult to do?

Avoid hot dates. Spring break comes into full swing every year in early March and continues through early May and it is no longer limited to the college crowd. Today’s spring breakers are younger and more apt to be inexperienced in traveling, and in the case of the spring break ritual — drinking. When you book your trip, keep these two months in mind. Your travel agent can discretely inquire about the guests and get a good feel for you. Some subtle questions to ask your travel planner might include:

How many rooms will accept four people? (Most spring breakers pack as many people in a room as possible.)

Are there any groups that are booked into the resort? (Sometimes schools and travel agencies will sponsor spring break trips.)

How many vacant rooms are there now? (Spring break is a coming of age ritual and is typically planned at least 5 to 6 months in advance.)

Grow up. There is a growing segment of the vacation market that caters to the adult community. While spring breakers are technically considered adults, many of these properties require that you be at least 25 to book your trip, and many will not allow more than two per room. You will see very few spring breakers at resorts such as Sandals, Secrets, The Grand Lido or Couples resorts. If you are looking for a family oriented trip, Beaches or Breezes might be the best choice. What tends to separate these from the rest of the pack are inclusions and price. Any of these resorts will set you back a bit, but if you are seeking a civilized vacation, especially during the danger months, look to an adults-only resort that advertises itself as a resort for adults or couples.

Go to sea. Sometimes, the best way to avoid the spring breakers is to get on a boat as they are getting off of a plane. Again, most cruise lines do not accept individual passengers under 25. While a land-based resort may have hundreds of acres and many buildings, a cruise ship is a big floating hotel with 2,000 people. While they are very spacious, they are still relatively small and the crews are not very obliging towards behavior that would disrupt another guest. Cruising is still a growing business and they want you to return time and time again, and will go to the extreme to disembark a happy sailor.

Avoid the hotspots. While you probably want to go to a beach, think about avoiding the hot spots for spring break. Currently, Cancun, South Padre Island, Daytona Beach, and Key West are the “in” places for spring break with close to 70 percent of all spring breakers heading to one of those destinations. Why not avoid it entirely and head someplace else? To steer clear of the crowds, look to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico’s Riviera Maya, or even the Bahamas or Bermuda if it is a little later in the season. Hotspots will change, however. Fort Lauderdale went to great lengths to shed its spring break image after the city realized that it did more damage to its reputation than good. Any competent travel consultant will be able to give you a good idea where the kids are heading in any given year.

Complain now. If you somehow end up amid a throng of kids, make your dissatisfaction known at the time. Speak to the manager and ask to be relocated to another part of the resort or to another hotel if needed. It is always best to complain at the time of your displeasure. When you return, it is likely that the details will not be fresh — and possibly embellished since you have been stewing for a while and you will not get the resolve you want. The people who have the power to make you happy and correct the situation are on the boat, or in the hotel. If you still can’t resolve it, then get your agent involved when you return.

With a little common sense and some good planning, you can avoid a spring break disaster. There is no reason that your vacation should end up with pool full of anything more than the crystal clear water and other well-behaved guests.

5 Reasons To Fire Your Travel Agent

You probably consider yourself a nice person. So when it comes to dealing with your travel agent, you can’t imagine pulling a Donald Trump and telling your trusted travel adviser, “You’re fired!”

But sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Your travel agent is a professional, after all. And if the relationship isn’t working out, you have to go your separate ways.

So when do you say enough is enough?

1. He’s not into you. Your agent is exactly that — your agent. For the time you are with him, you deserve his undivided attention. If he misses something, your dream trip could turn into a nightmare. Your agent should be either taking notes, or entering information into his computer so he can get to work planning your trip. If he is interrupting your time for personal phone calls, or seems aloof, consider wielding the axe. Does your agent call you back promptly? Answer your questions thoroughly? Seem genuinely interested in your experience? Travel planning isn’t between places. It’s between people.The travel industry is a relationship business. Make sure you have that relationship.

2. He doesn’t stand behind his product. Face it, Murphy is alive and well in the travel industry and things routinely do go wrong. Usually it is not your agent’s fault, and usually it is beyond the control of most everyone. But your agent should be your advocate to the travel supplier or insurance company when you experience a problem. Your agent should direct you and act as your agent in any dispute. He should be able to tell you what is reasonable and what is not. Again, it is best to trust his judgment here as he has a good idea of how travel companies react to different issues. If your agent leaves you floundering to handle it on your own, consider a pink slip.

3. He’s only interested in a commission. Your agent should not pressure you into choosing his preferred travel supplier unless it also meets with your wishes. All agents have their favorites for many reasons including service, money, and perks. While this may seem a bit unethical, a preferred relationship will also garner benefits for the traveler as well. Upgraded accommodations, additional amenities, VIP treatments are all routine for someone with a preferred relationship. But remember, the customer is always right. If you know what you want, do not be pressured into a travel supplier unless your agent can provide a compelling reason.

4. He’s an amateur. You deserve to be and should demand to be treated professionally by a professional. While it has been said time and time again, check out your agent. While most agents — store, Internet, or home-based are very professional, there are some bad apples out there as well. Ask for referrals. Our office will gladly print out a reference list at the drop of a hat. Check them out with a trade organization or the Better Business Bureau. Scope out their office or workplace. Look at their correspondence. When the carbonized receipt book comes out — run.

5. He gives you the creeps. Perhaps the best reason to fire your travel agent (or any professional, for that matter) is simply because something does not feel right. In life, a lot of problems can be avoided by going on instinct. Your stomach is churning for a reason. Don’t take the chance. Fire him.

Your travel agent is your best advocate for a great travel experience and can almost always offer more than a dot-com agency — especially when things go wrong. Just make sure that he is responsive, reliable, trustworthy, and professional.

Otherwise, cut him loose.

Hey, Where Are All The Deals?

The bargains everyone has been snatching up the past few years are gone. Look at a typical week-long vacation for a family of four to the Riviera Maya, Mexico’s newest hotspot. That family, traveling from Baltimore on a charter flight, staying at a middle of the road all-inclusive resort, paid $2,158 in 2002. The average price for 2005 is $3,774.

Ouch.

While the deals may be vanishing, consider the following and you may just find a solution that will please both you and your wallet.

Remember the past. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 had a devastating impact on the travel industry. People were afraid to leave their homes, much less fly to another country. Toss in a recession, SARS, and the Iraq war. The travel suppliers were practically giving their product away — weeklong cruises for $399, all-inclusive resorts for $125 per night. They needed to survive, and they did. Things have calmed down now and they need to make up for four years of weak balance sheets.

Plan ahead. Over the past few years, travelers have been snatching up last-minute bargains. Today, those “deals” are the lovely rooms overlooking the dumpster or adjacent to the noisy elevator. They might be ideal for a quick weekend getaway, but not for any type of prolonged vacation. Do a little advance planning. You can never book too early. Besides, any competent travel agent will be monitoring the pricing on your behalf to catch a price drop.

Look for the offbeat. Cancun, Punta Cana, Riviera Maya, Jamaica, and St. Lucia are all wonderful vacation destinations. The problem is, they know it. Why not look to something every bit as beautiful, but still relatively undiscovered? Central America has some fabulous beaches and some of the world’s best eco-tourism. Costa Rica and Belize offer the Caribbean lifestyle without all the crowds and the high costs. There are many small unique Caribbean islands which are begging to be discovered without breaking the bank.

Go Euro. Yes, the dollar is taking a beating against the euro and pound. But wmall, independent hotels remain plentiful and reasonably-priced. While winter is the high season for the Caribbean, it is the off-season for Europe. Explore the continent without the crowds and save a few bucks to boot. Even if you opt for more upscale digs, what you may save in airfare will offset the cost. Northwest Airlines recently ran a sale of $158, round trip plus taxes and fees to Paris. If cruising or escorted tours interest you, buy the trip with American dollars and save even more.

Head out to sea or to an all-inclusive resort. Historically, cruises and all-inclusive vacations are priced to knock your socks off. If you are traveling with children, or big drinkers, this option may just save you money. In addition to the entertainment and activities, all meals are included. With the all-inclusive resorts, your drinks are also typically included. You will be requested (or required) to tip on a cruise line, but it is discouraged at most all-inclusive resorts. You may pay more up front, but in the end, if you have hungry kids, or thirsty adults, you may just end up saving a bundle.

Use a travel agent. This is not another shameless plug. Pricing can change hourly and travel suppliers are always putting something on sale, and not necessarily to the Internet. While the airlines have embraced the Internet as the end-all and be-all, the cruise lines and the travel suppliers still rely heavily on traditional travel agents to fill beds and berths. It is not unusual to receive a message about a two-hour sale. Royal Caribbean does this weekly. A good consultant will be watching these for you and will make sure you have the lowest price available. After all, your consultant is not as interested in this sale as he is in the future sales. This is a relationship business.

Bottom line: today’s high travel prices don’t have to keep you grounded. Plan ahead, consider some other alternatives, use a little common sense and the resources available to you and you should be able to find the perfect vacation to make you, your family — and your wallet — happy.