Have you ever heard of National Plan a Vacation Day? It's a real thing and is observed each year on January 31st. It's a day to encourage Americans to plan their time off for the whole year at the start…

I don't call myself an expert on many things, but cruising happens to be one of my areas of expertise. After taking 45 cruises, I've learned a lot of things! Cruising may seem like a simple type of vacation, but…

Airlines have terminology that is difficult to understand. Sometimes it feels like they've created a language all their own. It can definitely make the rest of us confused sometimes! Let's discuss some of the common terms you'll hear. 

Types of…

It's exciting when you're packing for that long awaited vacation you've been dreaming of for months. But before you embark on your trip, there are some very important steps for you to take. Make sure to cross these items off…

We see lots of images and stories about men climbing Mt. Everest, launching surfboards into the Pacific, mountain biking down rocky trails, and commanding yachts or safari vehicles. But the travel industry knows what the average American does not. That…

 A common question I get is "When should I book my trip?" Generally speaking, the earlier the better, but it depends. Cruise lines and land tours publish their best rates months and even years out and offer early bird discounts…

For most of our clients who haven't been, Alaska is on their bucket list. Over the years, we've sent lots of travelers to this great state and we've seen a far share of mistakes that people make when they travel…

2022 has definitely been the year of the travel advisor. Although it's been a hectic and busy year, agents are grateful that travel is back and booming. Most are seeing record-breaking bookings and a higher interest in travel than pre-pandemic…

America has a new nickname- The No Vacation Nation. More than half of all working Americans don’t use all of their paid vacation days, according to an annual report from the U.S. Travel Association. One of the reasons may be…

It's fun to see what people are interested in and what they are thinking about travel right now. I'm a member of ASTA, the American Society of Travel Advisors, and they just released some research statistics that I find interesting…

Here is a question I get asked all the time. "Should we wait until closer to our travel dates to book our travel so we can get last minute deals? The answer is a resounding “No!”  Your vacation time and…

We're hearing a lot these days about the summer travel problems with cancelled flights and over-priced hotels. However, there is one segment of the travel industry that is getting good reviews- the cruise industry. Cruise lines are seeing record bookings…

As you’ve likely heard, travel is booming this year. Because travel restrictions are dropping and places around the world have opened back up, many destinations are going to be sold out or very expensive. That along with soaring gas prices…

While we at Vacations256 will always suggest investing in a passport, if you don't currently have one, there are still a few far-flung places you can explore. Here are five wonderful destinations to consider.

San Juan, Puerto Rico 
Puerto Rico…

You’ve arrived on vacation, but your luggage decided to go its own way. How do you keep from panicking at the thought of a vacation without your clothes and essentials? This happened recently to someone on a trip with us…

If you're looking to drastically speed up your travels- these two programs are what you need! They’re both five year memberships and are fairly inexpensive, but they have very different purposes. Here are the basics of both programs and the…

Cruising has definitely been in the news lately! If you're new to cruising, and ask a cruising fan whether you should give it a try, chances are you'll get a resounding "Yes, you will love it!" Cruise fans are like…

Fear can keep us from living our lives and achieving our dreams, and it's one of the most common reasons why people don't travel. People tell me constantly that they would love to travel, but when asked why they don't…

You may have heard last week that Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on Groundhog Day and that's supposed to mean six more weeks of winter. If it's any consolation, Phil's predictions haven't been all that accurate over the years. However…

2021 was not the travel year most of us hoped for, but hopefully 2022 will be a year filled with new travel experiences. Vacations256 has already planned some spectacular vacations for our clients and ourselves and are looking forward to…

If you pay attention to cruise news, you know that at the end of December, the CDC announced a recommendation that people avoid cruising. This, of course, comes from the recent rise in cases of the Omicron variant of Covid…

With just a few keystrokes, you can find lots of cheap travel deals online. But travel advisors, believe it or not, have access to information unavailable to you to get better deals. Additionally, we receive daily deals via e-mails and…

This holiday season many of us will travel to visit family and friends. Why not make your time on the road as merry and stress-free as possible? Here are some road trip tips for a festive and safe journey! 

Keep…

If the last few weeks are any indication, it could be a record setting holiday season for air travel. Even though the airlines have said they’ll be sufficiently staffed to handle the crowds in the coming weeks, you'll still want…