Need Advice Travel Agent - not a cruise

Any recommendations for a local travel agent? I am not looking for a cruise... rather a family vacation to Mexico or the Caribbean, and I'd like to pick a travel agent's brain who knows about family-friendly resorts.

Thanks!

 

Have your tried looking into ClubMed, Sandals or Beaches Resorts (directly with the resort not through a travel agency)? Their websites allow you to search their portfolio of properties and specify family friendly packages.

IMHO and experience: Sandals & Beaches are the best for Caribbean. Depending on location Beaches has a ton of stuff for kids. ClubMed Cancun is excellent for younger kids (although our little man was just a baby when we went, but they provided us a baby nurse for our entire stay).

We've booked past all-inclusive vacations with the ones I mentioned and we ended up by-passing the Travel Agent fees, saving us 8-21% off the package fees..

 

www.tripadvisor.com is a great website for travelers' reviews of hotels, sightseeing, and more. The Fodors.com website has excellent user forums for Q&A and research as well. Unfortunately I don't know a travel agent to recommend. But using those websites has always been my go-to method for choosing hotels.

 

Be aware that most of the stuff on tripadvisors has devolved into people in the industry posting positive comments about themselves and sniping at their competitors. Also, I have seen my own (thoughful, well written) negative comments removed so I assume it's got something similar to yelp where if you pay them they will clean up your profile. Like everything in this world, take it with a grain of salt and just use it as one reference when researching something like a vacation.

 

Sorry, no advice on travel agents, but we have had two tremendous all-inclusive family vacations for reasonable prices at Riu Tequila in Riviera Maya south of Cancun through Apple Vacations specials. Riu Tequila's the best value of the various Riu's there, because it's a walk to the beach, but it's really nice. Last time we went I think it was about $3K including airfare, ground transportation, room, food and drink for a family of four for a week.

 

So you guys typically book directly with your chosen resort and then do your flights separately? (We may be using miles for our flights, so we'll have to book them separately.)

But how do you get the best hotel price? Directly with the resort? (We're looking at Beaches Turks& Caicos at the moment but haven't decided fully.)

 

Having only been to Grand Turk, I can say that place was awesome. As for any Place in Mexico, I wouldn't plan on that area anytime soon. crime is way too bad.

 

Are you saying "that area" as the entire country of Mexico? Really?

 

i used traveloicty to put together a flight and hotel package and it was over $100 cheaper than doing the 2 separately. but it was a bit time consuming did internet research and called places...

 

Yes the entire country of Mexico, go to http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_4787.html and look at the travel warnings, Syria, Uzbekistan and Mexico, TOP 3. With all the drug cartels fighting the police and each other, it's a mess. From Mexico City North, unsafe. The fighting is even spilling into the tourist areas, so why put yourself in a bad spot. And it's too Bad cause I love Cabo, but until it settles down there I wouldn't even consider it.

 

I believe you are mistaken. The warnings are in reverse chronological order (most recent first) and not in order of importance. The specific update for mexico specifically mentions the border areas and does not emphasize Cabo or the Cancun area. I'd still go to those touristy areas in a heartbeat. I believe you are no less safe there than in the touristy areas of DC or NYC.

Bear

 

I don't think so, so enjoy Mexico, I'll pass and take my chance in NYC.

 

I've been to Mexico numerous times, most often in the northern border towns just south of California and Arizona. Places I would NEVER take my kids today. We made the decision, since prices aren't much different, to hit Turks & Caicos so that we didn't have to deal with any stress about our kids flying to Cancun. I know Cancun is not the hotbed of criminal/drug activity. It might well be perfectly safe. But we decided to play it PERFECTLY safe and take the kids elsewhere. Partly because of this issue, and partly because the beaches look nicer and less populated anyway! It's a win-win.

 

Grand Turk was great. Beaches were amazing, people were awesome. I'd go back again.

 

I also liked Grenada, we went there on a whim. Nice and tropical.

 

The State Department's comment on Mexico is:

Millions of U.S. citizens safely visit Mexico each year, including more than 150,000 who cross the border every day for study, tourism or business and at least one million U.S. citizens who live in Mexico. The Mexican government makes a considerable effort to protect U.S. citizens and other visitors to major tourist destinations. Resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico generally do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major trafficking routes. Nevertheless, crime and violence are serious problems and can occur anywhere. While most victims of violence are Mexican citizens associated with criminal activity, the security situation poses serious risks for U.S. citizens as well.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_5440.html

 

We booked Turks & Caicos using Ruth at tripguy.com.

 

I have been reading Tripadvisor posts for several years now. Yes, you can figure out the regulars that likely get perks you will never see. But it is a great resource for information and pictures people take while on vacation.

I started out researching Apple Vacations back in 2006 and ended up working with a travel agent that could book Apple for me and has other resources at her disposal. I like the idea of having a person to talk to before and after our trips. So far I have not had to reach out to her while vacationing, but it is nice to know she is there. She also gave me some information about traveler's insurance, which I have purchased each year. (Apple AVOK is way too expensive, in my opinion) Her name is Michelle Bemis, and she works for McCabe World Travel in McLean VA.

We are a family of 4 (2 girls, 12 and 9) and we have traveled to 5 different all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, in the past 5 years. We are going to our 6th resort next month. There are so many to chose from. I do not feel comfortable about traveling to Mexico, but I have looked at many resorts there (particularly the Iberostars).

 

Oops, forgot the phone number for Michelle Bemis: (703) 762-5049.