Plan To Go Agreement

Posted by Unknown


Dear Loyal Clients of Value Cruises and Travel,

As of August 8, 2011, Value Cruises and Travel  will require a Plan to Go Agreement and Deposit on all itineraries.

In order to perform the professional services required to plan and arrange your travel a deposit is required. The deposit is non-refundable, but 100% is applied toward your final payment of your vacation.

Vacation planning involves much time. My work is based on years of personal experience and professional expertise. I research cruises, hotels and tours to meet your specific needs, contact suppliers, coordinate transportation, and draft itineraries according to your specific needs.

Your final itinerary and documents will give you as smooth a vacation as is possible. Once Value Cruises and Travel has constructed your itinerary, you are free to shop it on the Internet, or wherever you would like. If you choose to book your vacation with another agency, the Plan to Go Deposit will be retained by Value Cruises and Travel as payment for services rendered. All vacations arranged through Value Cruises and Travel offer peace of mind, as we are experienced professionals in the business of planning travel for sophisticated travelers who demand the most professional individual attention to detail and execution of a well planned vacation.

Planning for group travel is different than independent travel but still requires a Plan to Go Deposit.  However, the deposit for a group is a flat fee of $200.  Contact me to discuss group deposits and how application to final payments should be made.


We thank you for entrusting your travel needs to us and look forward to working with you more in the future.


Ms. Talia Foster
Cruise and Travel Specialist
Certified Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Specialist
Toll Free: 1-888-440-8713 ext 1

Category: , 0 comments

FREE US Travel Guides

Posted by Unknown


Get your FREE Travel guided and brochures for destinations all over the US.




Ms. Talia Foster
Cruise and Travel Specialist
Certified Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Specialist
Toll Free: 1-888-440-8713 ext 1





Material Connection Disclosure
Unless otherwise expressly stated, you should assume that Value Cruises and Travel has an affiliate relationship or other material connection to the providers of goods and services mentioned by, recommended, hyperlinked to, or otherwise referenced on Value Cruises and Travel In addition, you should assume that Value Cruises and Travel may be compensated monetarily or non-monetarily when you visit, purchase goods or services from, or take any other action on a third-party website mentioned by, recommended, hyperlinked to, or otherwise referenced on Value Cruises and Travel. You should always perform due diligence before buying any goods or services online or offline.

Category: , , , , , 0 comments

5 tips for travelers during Ramadan

Posted by Unknown

5 tips for travelers during Ramadan



By Alison Bing, Lonely Planet
Ramadan Mubarak! With the Muslim holy month of Ramadan starting, now's a good time to learn to say 'Happy Ramadan!' − especially if you're considering travelaround August and September to countries with majority Muslim populations, like Indonesia, Egypt, Turkeyand Morocco. With a few pointers, you can join a happy Ramadan already in progress.
1. Know the basics Ramadan is a lunar month dedicated tosawm, or fasting, one of the five pillars of Islam. From sunup to sundown, the faithful abstain from food, drink, tobacco and sex to concentrate on spiritual renewal. After sunset, there's a euphoric iftar, or meal, to break the fast, followed by a late-night feast and sahur, a meal before the sun comes up and fasting begins again. Yet Ramadan isn't all daytime discipline and nightly parties: it's a time of generosity and zakat, or charity, another of the five pillars of Islam. Fasting isn't easy, so everyone slows down during the day − but you'll also notice people going out of their way to extend small kindnesses.
2. Plan aheadLike any holiday, Ramadan affects business as usual. Many venues operate with limited hours and staff, so try to book accommodation, transport and tours via Internet or phone before you arrive. Even if offices have posted hours, call ahead to ensure someone's available to meet your needs. Most restaurants close by day, so pack lunches or reserve ahead at restaurants that open for lunch in tourist areas.
3. Shift your scheduleNightly festivities trump early bedtimes during Ramadan. Sunset streets come alive with light displays, music and offers of sweets at every intersection. After an iftar of dates, soup or savory snacks, people of all ages binge on sweets until the late-night feast − followed by more visits and sweets, until wired kids finally wear themselves out.  There's no rush to get up the next day, unless shopping is on the agenda. Stores often close in the afternoon, and bargaining is more pleasant before midday heat kicks in and lack of water is felt. As sundown approaches, the mood turns upbeat, with Ramadan finery on display and tantalizing aromas filling the streets.
4. Get into the Ramadan spiritDon’t worry: You won't be expected to fast during Ramadan. According to tradition, even Muslim travelers are exempt from fasting − it's hard to do at home under controlled conditions, let alone in unfamiliar places. To show your support, avoid eating or drinking on the street in front of people who are probably fasting, and grant people privacy at prayer times.
5. Accept hospitality When a new friend offers you special Ramadan sweets or invites you to a family feast, polite refusal would be crushing. You're not obliged to return the favor or eat the sweets: You honor givers just by accepting their generosity in the spirit of Ramadan. Kindness can be repaid by practicing zakat, and giving to a local charity.

Category: , , 0 comments

Some cruise lines take the 'all' out of 'all-inclusive

Posted by Unknown



By Sean O'Neill, Budget Travel
The days of all-inclusive cruises including the cost of all of your meals seems to be vanishing.
For a few years now, cruise ships have been offering "premium" dining at a higher price. ("Want a steak dinner? Splash out for a night at a higher price.") But in 2011, a mania for up-charging for meals may be kicking into gear.
Case in point: Royal Caribbean International  has bumped up its fees for a couple of its so-called "premium" restaurants: Rita's Cantina and the Seafood Shack on Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas.
Passengers used to pay $8 for meals at Rita's Cantina, for instance. They'll now pay a fee of $3 to dine at the restaurant and then pay a price for each item ordered a la carte, too. The 15 percent gratuity isn't included either. (A tip of the hat to Cruise Critic for breaking this story.)
The first absurdity here, I think, is that cruise company RCI considers Rita's Cantina and Seafood Shack to be "premium restaurants."
Rita's Cantina and Seafood Shack serve the type of food that ought to be included in the "all-inclusive" price in the first place. The menu at Rita's Cantina includes such glamorous items as chicken tacos ($2) and taco salad ($3), while Seafood Shack goes all fancy with a basket of grilled jumbo shrimp ($7). Cruise Critic says that these changes amount to a price hike, noting that a meal with guacamole, a quesadilla and grilled chicken that cost $8 in the winter now costs $11.25.
But, of course, that's because there's now ultra-premium restaurants, like Chops Grille. I'll agree that Chops Grille, with its selection of prime rib and lobster dishes, counts as a premium restaurant. I also agree that it's nice to have the option of splashing out on a fancy meal during a cruise. I'm willing to pay an extra cost for the meal, which is now $30 per person (a fee hiked by $5 this year).
Yet the danger here is that all cruise lines will begin to serve sub-standard food in their main dining rooms. After all, by making the dining hall experience less attractive, a company can make more money by upselling customers on fee-based meals elsewhere on-board.
I don't mean to pick on RCL, which offers an outstanding cruise experience overall. That corporation just happens to have been the latest one to do this.
Another example from this summer:
Norwegian Cruise Lines has put into place a $4 fee for late night room service. Room service used to be free. Royal Caribbean instituted this fee about two years ago.
In another twist, if you order a pizza to your room on Norwegian, you'll pay $5 at any time of day.

Category: , 0 comments
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
Powered by Blogger.

Hello and Welcome to Value Cruises and Travel. Allow us to take the labor out of finding the best land vacation or cruise for your budget. We at Value Cruise Escapes work with our clients to find the best vacation package for you. Our service is impeccable, our priority is your satisfaction. Value Cruise Escapes highly competent and focused vacation specialists will work to find the get away package for you -eliminating the pain points involved with random, un-vetted & disastrous bookings with lesser travel companies. You are strategic & savvy in all that you do; it's time to apply that same wisdom to one of the most important vacation decisions of your life. We will do our best to make sure your vacation is fun, pampering and enjoyable.