Planning Ahead
When planning for your next big vacation, take plenty of time to make a thorough and detailed plan. In setting the budget be sure to calculate for variables like currency exchange rates, the distance and often substantial cost of transportation from the local airport, to your hotel, the cost of making long distance calls from your US cell phone, the cost of renting a car locally, and even the possible inconvenience of delayed or lost luggage. We can help you get the accurate information you need ahead of time, so you can spend your vacation having fun.
Escorted Tours
You may not be familiar with this type of travel, or you may know them as “motorcoach tours”. And, if you’ve never experienced one you probably have a preconceived notion of what it may be like. Escorted tours have many advantages and can provide a very rewarding travel experience. All of the logistics of planning the itinerary and reserving accommodations are taken care of for you, all the transportation and often many of your meals are included. A tour escort accompanies and guides your trip from beginning to end, and because they are usually from the region they can provide invaluable assistance should an unexpected problem arise.
The escorted tour industry has evolved to accommodate the range and variety of today’s traveler. From hot air ballooning over France’s Burgundy region to a leisurely exploration of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, there are escorted tours to satisfy every travel curiosity. Travel Muse can help you find the escorted tour that fits your travel needs.
Passport and Visa Information
When it comes to getting a passport in time for your next trip, better be safe than sorry. The Bureau of Consular Affairs of the US Department of State continues to publish in its web site that the normal processing time for a routine passport application is from 10 to 12 weeks. However that may not be enough time considering the unprecedented number of applicants. If you are planning a trip outside the United States you may be wise to allow 16 weeks’ processing time. Detailed information about US passport applications and related fees are available at: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html.
If you are a US citizen, and you are unsure about whether the country you plan to visit also requires a visa, you can verify requirements for each country at the U.S. Department of State web site.
Travel Insurance
There are a number of ways in which your travel investment can be put at risk, even before you leave home. Cruise lines and tour companies require payment in advance, usually several months prior to departure. And they begin assessing cancellation fees as soon as your payments are made in full. The closer you are to your scheduled departure the higher the cancellation fees become. Last minute cancellations can mean a complete loss of your travel investment.
Protect your investment and your family by purchasing travel insurance. Most tour and cruise companies offer travel and cancellation insurance, however their policy will not protect you in the event that their company goes out of business. Another option is to purchase insurance through an independent carrier, such as Travel Guard, which also provides protection in the event of tour or cruise supplier default.
A comprehensive travel insurance policy usually includes coverage for trip cancellation and interruption, baggage and personal effects loss, medical expense and emergency medical transportation. Ask us for more information regarding your travel insurance options.