|
Get the best cabin for less
Book well in advance, say 2 years, for the best cabin
on most vessels at no extra cost. The best cabins - away from
staircases and Discos, nearest the lift, near the pool - cost
no more than the worst cabin in that price category. But there
are only a few of them, sometimes only one. Once they are
booked, you have to settle for less.
Book in early - very early. You will not only get the cabin
you want but also can take advantage of "Early Bird"
discounts.
See Europe by Car, Rail or Coach
Tour?
Car rental and Railway companies claim that the best way to
see Europe is by car or rail while the coach companies say
just the opposite. Who is right?
It depends entirely on your itinerary. All modes of travel
have their advantages and disadvantages. In a group, everything
is organised for you and you can go straight past the long
queues of individual travellers for your guided, pre-booked
tour. You "pay" for this by being tied to the tour
schedule.
Travelling by car gives you ultimate freedom to go where you
like, but parking in a city may be difficult and expensive.
Petrol is expensive ($ 2 per litre and up) but they do not
have any petrol guzzlers. Expect to use 4 to 8 litres per
100kms for a manual car and diesel fuel is cheaper than regular
petrol.
The rail network in Europe is second to none. Fast trains
(up to 350 km/h) run in hourly intervals between the major
cities and in two hourly intervals between smaller centres.
Most train stations are in the centre of the cities. For the
independent traveller there is no better way to see the cities
of Europe.
Often a combination of all modes of travel is the best option.
come to us for advise.
Hotels In Europe
Make sure you know where they are located. Do they have a
shuttle bus, laundry nearby, and safe custody for your valuables?
Hotels can make or break a holiday. Landmark Travel can ensure
your hotels meet all your needs, and offer suggestions. The
savings on transportation often pays for a better located
hotel.
Trust A Human-Not A Computer.
Experience has shown that you cannot always trust computers.
You cannot complain to a computer, or get an explanation.
A computer cannot and will not tell you if room booked is
in a red light area or is badly managed. A Travel Agent often
can.
We do use a computer to research and book, but we add accountability
and experience to the information.
Not all Coach Tours are Equal
Coach tours can vary dramatically in price for similar itineraries.
Compare the standard and - more importantly - the location
of the hotels. The cheaper tours often stay out of town and
the only way to do some sightseeing is buying "optional
tours" at inflated prices.
Also check the inclusions - see below
To See Or Not To See
When booking a coach Tour ensure you know whether you see
a sight, visit a site, or sightsee a site. A Coach Company
can let you "see" the Eiffel Tower from 1 km away
or you can alternatively "visit" that same site
by disembarking and entering. Read the brochures carefully.
Read, re-read and compare to ensure you are getting what you
expect. Be not afraid to ask us for assistance.
Do Not Pay For All Optional Tours
Optional tours can be very, very expensive, and some are not
worth it.
Get Landmark Travel staff to assist, by giving a comparative
breakdown, and then you can decide before you depart.
Foreign Affairs Travel Advise
Publishes and frequently updates travel advice and keep a
list of embassies, consulates and other useful information.
The phone number of the relevant embassy is very handy when
you loose your passport or get into difficulties with the
local authorities.
Airfares Can Be So Unimportant
When you consider that over 75% of your travel budget is spent
on accommodation, transport, food and tips, it makes little
sense to choose your travel agent based on the cost of the
airfare.
Talk to a travel agent about your entire trip. Always consider
the value of the service and expertise you encounter. Professional
advice has, and always will, save you money and avoid many
pitfalls. The cheapest airfare is not always the best airfare.
Talk to us and see, whether we can make a difference.
Not All Rental Cars Are The Same
We have heard of cheaper car rentals booked locally where
the traveller's credit cards are billed for extra service
fees, petrol costs and car damage - after they have returned
the car. Consider the time it takes to rectify this.
The hidden cost of hiring a car
Expect taxes and insurances to possibly cost you more than
the actual car hire. The Governments and Airport Authorities
are surcharging rental vehicle companies, and insurance premiums
are rising. This can inflate the "quoted price"
quite considerably.
Prepaid car rentals booked through us are
inclusive of most taxes, surcharges and insurance. They can
save up to 40% over local rates with the same company. However
a small local car rental company will often be "cheaper".
If all you do is drive around the area this probably meets
your needs. If you plan on touring you better think about
the consequences of a breakdown far away from the place of
rental.
The little things that count…
A considerable part of your budget
will be local public transport, entry fees for museums and
other attractions. There is a plethora of passes which may
be purchased here or overseas. Some save you money, some are
just convenient.
As a rule, purchase anything you can before you leave. The
price is pretty much the same. Once you have tried to communicate
with a teller at the Paris Metro station, you will always
prepay anything in the future. Not only will the teller talk
to you in French but you will hear the response through a
loudspeaker that used to be a foghorn when it was still in
good voice.
When you compare the price of the Paris Metro Pass, you need
five trips per day to break even. You never have to queue
up though or buy single tickets at the vending machine.
The Paris Museum Pass is around $ 30 per day. Admission at
the Louvre is € 7.50, at the Musée d'Orsay €7,
but you can bypass the long queues who have to purchase their
tickets first. How much worth do you put on two hours of your
holiday time?
|
