When Life Gives You Lemons, Order the Lobster!
These are the times we must be creative about how we spend our time, how we connect with our friends and family, and how we keep ourselves amused without restaurants, theaters, gyms, and sports. Technology, medical advances, and innovations in communications, travel, and information-sharing have provided us with access to more knowledge and more varied experiences than any generation in human history. Yet few of us take the time to digest and synthesize that knowledge into meaningful living messages; what past generations have called “wisdom.” Let us be thankful for this opportunity; to embrace the change of pace with gratitude. Let us reflect on what we have, what we’ve accomplished, who we’ve become, and who the people are that have helped us along the way.
If you have had to cancel your travel plans due to the pandemic and have had the good fortune of working with Sweet Magnolia Travel, then you can appreciate how seamless the experience has been. You didn’t have to wait on the phone for an hour listening to horrible music. Instead, you got a phone call saying “Here are your options” and another with the message “Everything is handled.” Travel agents are trained in the art of crisis management, protecting the three most important things to you; your family, your time, and your money. It is a good idea to consult an expert for information and guidance, so that you can have confidence in your travel and spend your time enjoying your vacation, or in this case, your staycation.
Having hundreds of suppliers to choose from, travel experts know which one will offer the perfect vacation for you at the price you want to pay for it, as well as which suppliers are will be there for you when you need them. Delta Vacations has been one of the most reliable in leading to customer satisfaction during the COVID-19 crisis, offering clients 100% of their money back in cash and/or a voucher to be redeemed within the next year. Carnival offers 100% of clients’ fares back to them, in addition to offering a $300 onboard credit to clients sailing 3-5 days and a whopping $600 onboard credit to those sailing 6 days or more. Carnival offers great online resources to help with booking, and it is a good thing; it is futile to try to speak with a Carnival agent. While Expedia is useful in booking vacations at rock bottom prices, there are no online resources to help with refunds to date and no agent available when you need one the most.
Travel industry observers think there will be a lot for bargain hunters to like in the coming days, especially as they consider the typically expensive summer vacation season. Resorts and cruises will slash prices in the oncoming months in the effort to increase occupancy, but will more than likely raise them when the global pandemic is a fleeting memory to try to recoup massive losses. It is my humble opinion that clients should book travel for spring and summer of 2021 now, knowing that they can easily change plans if necessary. We all need something to look forward to, especially if we can get a good deal on it!
While we are waiting for the world to regain some new degree of normalcy, and at the least safety, we have time to count our blessings, to let our loved ones know how much they mean to us, and to make plans for the future. We should take this time to dream about the things that set our souls on fire, like the next trip we want to take with our loved ones. Call Sweet Magnolia Travel today to research your vacation so you don’t have to, and make the most of your staycation!