It is difficult for me to believe that we are well into the month of April as I sit here typing this. I promised myself that I would do two newsletters per month, starting with the one in early January. As you are probably aware, that didn't happen. And while I know that some of you know the reason why, I wanted to take a moment to explain to those who may not know. On February 6 I entered the hospital to have total knee replacement surgery. And, while everything went well during the surgery and hospital stay, the recovery was somewhat hindered, and I had to go back into an outpatient surgery center on March 16 to have the knee manipulated.  It seems it was frozen at 60 degrees, and the doctor wanted me at over 90 degrees.  The healing clock was reset on March 16, and so it's been almost three weeks now, and I'm up to 106 degrees. For those of you with inquiring minds -- the doctor and physical therapist want it at 120-125.  I've not been able to drive since February 5, so to say that I've been a little stir crazy is putting it somewhat mildly, but I do get out for physical therapy and an occasional shopping trip or lunch/dinner, as well as a visit to the doctor. I've got my fingers crossed to be cleared for driving next week, but time will tell.  I thank you all for your patience during my recovery, as it has certainly turned into a journey.    

. . . the sound of silence!

And so, now that I've officially explained why I've been so quiet, I would like to recommit myself to getting two newsletters done each month. I plan to have them out the first and third Wednesdays of each month, so be sure to keep an eye out for them.

This newsletter is going to be dedicated to the topic of when to plan for what type of vacation. I get this question frequently, and very often clients will contact me for a vacation, only to realize that the ship/itinerary/hotel/resort they wanted is sold out.  And, just as frequently, clients are surprised and, in turn, ask me, "how far out do I need to book in order to get (the room/resort/cruise) what I want?"

  

For Caribbean cruises, I recommend that you book as far out as anywhere from 9 months to a year and a half, depending on how popular the ship and itinerary are, and depending on the type of cabin you prefer. The Caribbean is the most popular cruise destination, of course, and also has the most ships and itineraries available. So it is logical then, that there may be less of a need to plan a Caribbean cruise too far out. However, if you've got a specific type of cabin (handicap accessible, a favorite aft-facing balcony, etc.), then it's best to plan as far ahead as you possibly can and get it booked so you're not disappointed.

Spring break trips have to be one of the most-requested trips each year. These should be planned the year before -- so when you're returning from one spring break trip, start thinking of what you want to do next year and get busy narrowing down your options. It's extremely disappointing when a client contacts me for a spring break trip, and we can't get the cruise itinerary they want, or the flights or sold out, etc., all because others planned far enough in advance.  

Have you thought about cruising in Canada/New England?  Start looking at the itineraries for that cruise as early as November/December of the year before you're planning to travel, and certainly no later than January/February/March of the year you're traveling. Not all of the Canada/New England itineraries are created equal, but because it's all about supply/demand, and there are far fewer ships in this area, I wouldn't hesitate to book early.

Want to go to HI during Christmas so you can experience the Mele Kalikimaka that Bing Crosby sang about for so many years?  Plan this one as far out as you possibly can.  The flights, of course, can't be booked until 330 days prior to date of travel, but if you have your heart set on a specific hotel/room type, book it quickly, as this is one "hot" destination during the Christmas holidays.  And there is no better way to spend Thanksgiving than snorkeling near Molikini in Maui -- I promise!  Robert and I did just that three years ago, and I'd love to go back!

European river cruising is a hot commodity right now, and they are booking over a year out, and they are selling out about a year out, depending on the itinerary. I'm cruising with a friend in early December for a Christmas Market cruise itinerary that starts in Prague for a few days of land tours, and I tried to get a client a cabin three weeks ago, only to find out that the entire ship is sold out.  

One last thing -- I have a question for you.  Do you know when the best time to book any cruise is?  (Insert Jeopardy music here.) The answer -- What is while you're on a cruise!  Did you know that if you do that, you will receive free onboard credit, special amenities, etc., depending on the cruise line?  We almost always visit our future cruise desk while we're on our cruise vacations.  Check it out next time you're sailing!

And, no matter the vacation, I recommend that you go ahead and get it planned and on your calendar.  What tends to happen with us, is if we book something and it's on the calendar, we plan everything around it.  Many people have asked me, "how do you plan that far out?  I don't know what I'm doing next week!"  Well, if you had that special vacation on the calendar, it would be the thing that got planned around vs. put off again and again because you didn't plan.  Take time out for you -- you and your family deserve the vacation that you've worked so hard for.  Let it be the priority instead of the last minute decision.  You'll be glad you did.

If you visit my web site -- www.TripleRTravel.com -- you can find the cruising tips document, as well as one for international traveling and a packing list. I hope you find each of these documents useful.