Business Class Flights: What to Know Before you Book
Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast
Today we are talking about what happens when you turn left on the airplane and fly business class! Now that Kim and Tamara have flown business class on many airlines including Delta One, Aer Lingus, TAP Airlines, Emirates, Finnair, Condor, Avianca, and others. Whether you are booking on points or paying cash, there are some things that you need to know first. Episodes Highlights Research what aircraft is flying the route you are looking to buy because the business class can vary dramatically depending on the plane and the layout Keep in mind that the airline can still change the aircraft...
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Ecuador Travel Tips & Itinerary
Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast
We recently talked about Tamara's trip to the Galapagos but today we are talking more about the logistics about traveling to Ecuador and some travel tips. Tamara spent 17 nights in Ecuador, including 5 nights in the Galapagos and found it a warm and welcoming country with beautiful and diverse landscapes. Amazing Ecuador helped Tamara organize her trip. Episode Highlights Most flights from the U.S. come into Quito or Guayaquil It is only 3.5 hours from Miami There are many regions including the Cloud Forest, Rainforest, volcanoes and mountains, National Parks, Galapagos, and more Tamara...
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Mother-Daughter Trip to Switzerland (Plus Swiss Travel Tips!)
Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast
Kim and her daughter Mia just got back from a mother-daughter trip to Switzerland. They celebrated her high school graduation with a grad trip and since Mia loves mountains and she was already going to be in France with a school trip, Switzerland was her top choice! They visited Geneva, Zermatt and the Jungfrau Region because they really wanted to focus on the mountains. Altogether they spent eight nights in Switzerland and they moved around a lot. The itinerary included: 1 night in Geneva 2 nights in Zermatt to see the Matterhorn 2 nights in Grindelwald 2 nights in Wengen 2 nights in Lucerne...
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Galapagos Cruise Aboard the Galaxy Yacht
Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast
Tamara is just back from a 5-night Galapagos Islands cruise on board the Galaxy Yacht. She was hosted on this trip by but all opinions are her own. Galaxy Expeditions operates a number of yachts in the Galapagos and also can arrange for land travel in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. The Galaxy Yacht has eight cabins for a maximum of 16 passengers. Episode Highlights You need to fly to the Galapagos from either Quito or Guayaquil in Ecuador (1.5 - 2 hours) At the airport before leaving the mainland, you need to purchase your tourist card and have your luggage inspected and zip tied to protect the...
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Tips for Finding and Booking Day Tours and Travel Experiences
Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast
On this episode we are sharing some of our top tips for finding good guided day tours or special experiences when you are traveling. We will walk through how to find them, how to book, and tips for taking city tours. Episode Highlights On your arrival day, don't schedule a guided tour since your plane may not be on time and you may be tired from traveling. If anything, look at doing something impromptu like a hop on hop off bus or just walking around on your own. On your first full day in a city, it is helpful to take a guided tour to get the lay of the land and get recommendations from a...
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Hotel Pitfalls: What to Look Out for When Choosing Where to Stay
Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast
What should you look for when choosing a hotel, and what are some pitfalls you can try to avoid? Get ready for summer travel with this week's episode full of tips and laughs. Episode Highlights Pay attention to the bathroom layouts when viewing photos and reviews as a new hotel trend has been for more open bathroom layouts or glass doors/walls which may not be great for families or friend groups Hotels are getting better at sustainability initiatives but many are just paying lip service so if this is important to you, look for companies truly dedicated to environmental issues and offer things...
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Breaking Down the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar
Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast
Tamara is just back from a multi-generational trip to the Grand Hyatt Baha Mar. If you have ever wondered what it is like to stay at one of the popular Baha Mar Resorts, now is your chance to get the scoop and see if it is really the vacation of your dreams or not. Episode Highlights: This was a multi-generational trip with 14 people ages 17-83. There were a lot of considerations when choosing a destination including budget, activities, direct flights, and mobility issues. Tamara also considered the Hyatt in Aruba, the Hilton Zemi Beach House in Anguilla, and the Westin or Kimpton Seafire in...
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Packing 101: Tips for Summer Travel
Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast
Get ready for your summer vacation and future travel with these expert packing tips! From carry-on to checked bags, here are some things to keep in mind when packing for your next trip. Episode Highlights: Use a packing list! It helps you not forget critical items. Start creating your packing list early in your Notes app Kim has an outfit planner that you can sign up for on Stuffed Suitcase Pay attention to your itinerary to figure out what you need to bring for each activity Also pay attention to the weather forecast for your destination Try to minimize the number of shoes that you bring on...
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Road Trip Tips (Plus Some of Our Faves!)
Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast
It is summer road trip season so it is time to recap some of our best road trip tips from preparing, planning, packing, and more. Plus, we share some of our favorite road trips. Episode Highlights Before you head out on a road trip, make sure your car has been serviced recently and check the tires to make sure the pressure is correct. You may also want to top off your fluids and use the bug windshield washer fluid. Bring a go-to kit with wipes, sanitizer, tissues, lip balm, moisturizer, sun screen, and eye drops. Also bring a couple of extra baggies or ziploc bags. Bring a trash bag for the...
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Where to Stay in the Turks and Caicos
Vacation Mavens Travel Podcast
Tamara recently took a travel agent FAM trip to Turks and Caicos and spent two nights at The Palms and two nights at The Shore Club. She also visited many other properties and today she shares her insights into each to help you decide where to stay in Turks and Caicos. Episode Highlights Turks and Caicos is known for its beautiful beaches and not for all-inclusives or as a party island Most of the hotels have great accommodations for families with 1, 2, 3-bedroom accommodations and up (including villa rentals) When arriving, be prepared for a long wait at passport control/immigration. Expect...
info_outlineTamara is just back from a 5-night Galapagos Islands cruise on board the Galaxy Yacht. She was hosted on this trip by Galaxy Expeditions but all opinions are her own.
Galaxy Expeditions operates a number of yachts in the Galapagos and also can arrange for land travel in Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. The Galaxy Yacht has eight cabins for a maximum of 16 passengers.
Episode Highlights
- You need to fly to the Galapagos from either Quito or Guayaquil in Ecuador (1.5 - 2 hours)
- At the airport before leaving the mainland, you need to purchase your tourist card and have your luggage inspected and zip tied to protect the islands from bringing in invasive species
- A delegate from Galaxy Expeditions met her at the airport to walk her through the process
- Once you arrive in the Galapagos, you need to pay an entrance fee to support the National Park ($200 per person) and they reinspect luggage, which takes about an hour on arrival
- You then meet your group and take a bus to the port where you load onto zodiac boats to get to the yacht
- A 5-night cruise was a nice amount of time to reach many of the islands and see a ton of wildlife but longer would be more tiring and could get a little repetitive
- Most of the cruises in the Galapagos are 16-32 or maybe 50 passengers
- If you are prone to motion sickness, you will feel it, especially at night as they moved from place to place
- The engines are also loud so bring ear plugs or a sound machine to help drown it out
- I'd recommend bringing Dramamine or seasickness meds as well as sleep aids
- On board, there were two solo travelers, a few couples and a mother-daughter duo from Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and the USA
- The food was really good and breakfast was usually a buffet and lunch was a buffet or served and there were usually two options for a dinner entree
- They also served light snacks and fresh juice or tea after excursions
- Excursions and meals are included (alcohol is not)
- Excursions start early and stay busy all day. The first excursion of the day is usually at 6 - 7 am
- There are typically two hikes per day and one to two snorkeling excursions per day
- They provide wet suits and snorkel gear on board
- The week started busy and got a little less so towards the end, which was appreciated
- Tamara saw sea turtles, fish, penguins, frigate birds, blue, red, and brown-footed boobies, sea lions, iguanas, and Galapagos tortoises
- There is a naturalist guide on board that leads every excursion and provides so much information about the wildlife and ecosystem
- The islands Tamara visited on Galaxy Yacht itinerary C are: Santa Cruz, North Seymour, Bartolome, Santiago, Genovesa, South Plazas, and San Cristobal