Travel FAQs
As travel advisors, we get LOTS of questions from clients looking for guidance that ranges from ‘how much should I budget for my upcoming honeymoon’ to ‘is travel insurance really worth it’? If you’ve asked yourself these questions, you are in the right place! Keep reading for answers to our most commonly asked travel questions.
Travel FAQs
Is travel insurance really worth it?
Yes, yes, and YES! As a travel advisor, I always recommend travel insurance. Period. If we’ve learned anything in a post-Covid world, it’s that travel is a luxury and it doesn’t always work out the exact way we planned. Travel insurance is a small way for you to insure that your investment is covered if Mother Nature has other plans for you. Don’t overthink travel insurance - just get it, move on, and know you are covered.
The quick on most travel insurances: Depending on the insurance plan you purchase, you are covered if your trip gets cancelled due to weather-related instances, family emergencies, or last-minute cancellations. If you read the fine print on hotel & flight reservation policies, they aren’t always (or sometimes at all) liable to cover expenses due to outstanding circumstances. When you are investing in a special and expensive vacation, pay the relatively small price to insure your trip is covered for worst-case scenarios. I especially recommend travel insurance if you are planning to travel to the Caribbean during hurricane season. Also, travel insurance often times covers medical-related accidents while traveling which is a no brainer for some of our thrill seekers!
*All travel policies are different. Always read your policy in detail to make sure your trip is insured in the way that fits you best prior to purchasing.
Is it more expensive to book with a travel advisor?
No! We sell travel the exact same way that resorts/airlines sell rooms and tickets. When you book a hotel room or flight through a travel agent, you aren’t paying more than you would pay if you booked online yourself. Depending on the complexity of the trip, you might be subject to travel agent fees to help cover the cost of building custom proposals & itineraries for our clients. We will always notify clients up front if we charge fees outside of the amount charged for accommodations/flights/tours.
When is the cheapest time to travel to the Caribbean?
The cheapest time to travel to the Caribbean is September through December - not during a holiday. This is considered hurricane season in the Caribbean and temperatures can dip lower than any other month which is why it’s considered ‘off-season’. This doesn’t mean it’s not still a beautiful time to travel but your chances of inclement weather are increased. While the chances of you traveling during this time and having to reschedule your trip because of a hurricane are slim, I highly recommend getting travel insurance during this time of year in case weather does get in the way. With all of that being said, you can find some great travel deals during this time of year if you are looking to save some money.
How much tip money should I bring to an all-inclusive resort?
While tipping is always a personal decision, I do have some recommendations on how much and when to tip at an all-inclusive resort. First off, a lot of the staff members that work at all-inclusive resorts make the majority of their money from tips. If you experience great service, be sure to tip your staff!
I would recommend tipping $1-$2 per drink or tipping $5-$10 for a few hours of pool/beach service. As for any sit down meals, I would recommend $5-$10 for lunch service and $15 - $20 for dinner service. One area that a lot of people forget to tip in is room cleaning and turndown services. Don’t forget about the lovely people keeping your room clean and cozy! Leave a few dollars a day in your room for your cleaning crew. Overall, I would plan to bring around $200 in cash for a 6-night stay. You will likely come home with cash but you will have peace of mind knowing you are taking care of the staff who are working hard to make your vacation luxurious. Also, remember to tip according to the experience that you have. If the staff goes above & beyond and you are impressed, tip accordingly.
How does your booking process work exactly?
Booking with a TH Travel advisor is super simple!
Fill out a client inquiry form here on our website. Be sure to select which advisor you want to work with.
Your preferred travel advisor will be in touch within 24 hours to schedule a quick welcome call. During this call, you will get to know your advisor and give all of your travel preferences and wishlists.
Your travel advisor will work their magic and build a custom proposal for your review.
You will work closely with your advisor to further customize your travel itinerary that fits your travel style and budget.
Book travel! Your advisor will take care of booking every aspect of your vacation and keep you up to date with confirmations and payment schedules.
Vacation time! Your advisor will provide you with all of the relevant documentation & travel tips and tricks prior to departure. Should you run into any hiccups or need assistance while traveling, your advisor is there to help!
How can I pay with points?
We work closely with specific airlines and vendors that do often times allow you to use and accrue points for portions of your vacation. Before you book your next vacation yourself with points, reach out to us so we can see if we are able to take care of designing your dream vacation and still allow you to use your points.
What are the perks of booking through an advisor?
While I could spend all day talking about the perks of using a travel advisor, I’ll leave it to a few of my favorite benefits below.
We take care of all of the hassle of booking hotels, flights, transportation, tours & more for you. You tell us what type of vacation you are looking for and you won’t have to lift a finger to make it happen.
We work with on-the-ground experts in every destination we send clients to. You won’t have to wonder if a resort you found on Instagram really lives up to its name. We’ve been there or have credible partners who have.
We take care of any travel hiccups that come your way. If your flight gets cancelled or delayed and changes your travel plans, you don’t have to handle this alone. We have specific travel advisor contacts through all of our vendors that will take care of any issues that come up significantly faster than you would be able to alone. Think of always having a personal travel concierge on your side!
We can often times bundle travel packages & score you some deals. We work closely with airlines that offer bundling flights & resort stays to save you money.
Since we are experts in the field, we help you make travel-smart decisions on where to vacation, what time of year to travel, and what resorts are best suited for your travel preferences.
You are supporting a small business! I will let you in on a secret - no matter how you book travel, someone is benefiting from your bookings. Why not support a local travel advisor?!
Which destinations should I avoid because they are unsafe?
We get this question ALOT! The good news is, we only send clients to resorts and on tours that have been well vetted by the TH Travel team or travel partners we work closely with. With that being said, there are areas of every popular travel destination that some would consider ‘unsafe’. My advice for someone who is wanting to travel to a more unknown destination or to a country that has a reputation of being more crime-ridden, is to hire a travel advisor. We would never send clients to a place that we don’t have trusted on-the-ground partners at. Some destinations that are commonly known for being ‘unsafe’ are some of the most beautiful places that I send clients to all of the time. The difference is, we work with our travel partners and adhere to local government advisories to ensure our clients are staying in 4-5 star properties that are extremely safe. If you take anything from this answer, please keep an open mind & hire a travel advisor. Don’t miss out on some of the most beautiful destinations in the world based on misinformation.
What is the average budget for a honeymoon?
One thing travel advisors have to do all of the time is help set realistic expectations for vacations and honeymoons are no exception. See below for a common breakdown of what a 4 to 5 star honeymoon would cost based on destinations. The prices are just estimates based on recent honeymoon travel.
$5000 - $7000 will typically get you a club level room at a 4 to 5 star all inclusive resort in larger countries in the Caribbean.
$7000 - $10,000 will typically get you a 5 star resort in larger countries in the Caribbean like Mexico, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Antigua, and the Bahamas.
$10,000 - $15,000 will typically get you a 5 star resort in more remote islands in the Caribbean like St. Lucia, Anguilla, Turks & Caicos, St. Barths, and also Hawaii. This budget will also get a honeymoon couple a 4 to 5 star European honeymoon like Greece or Italy.
$15,000 & up opens up lots of travel opportunities for honeymooners. My recommendation - Bali or The Maldives!
