Arranging Your Tropical Travel Air Arrangements There are countless sources for airline tickets. Often the least cost will be to use a consolidator which can save you money because consolidators "buy in bulk." Air tickets purchased as part of a vacation package can similarly save you money because packagers "buy in bulk" and pass the savings on. Contacting me is the best way to find out the least cost source of airfares for your trip. See Consulting Services for information on prices charged for making air arrangements. To book your own air, you can get airline tickets at the best available published rates: You can also buy discounted airline tickets from Auto Europe, subject to availability. Click on the icon: Or, if you want expert advice before you purchase your airline tickets: Click here for an airfare quote. Cruises For most people, cruising is synonomous with taking a tropical cruise. South America and Australia/New Zealand particularly lend themselves to cruises since most of their notable destinations are along the fringes of the continent. And, of course, a cruise is a great way to visit island destinations, such as the Caribbean, Polynesia, Hawaii, and Fiji. You can even enjoy a cruise on a yacht! A cruise means having to unpack only once and being able to sleep in the same bed for the duration of the cruise; what a time saver that is! See Consulting Services for information on prices charged for booking cruises. The cost applied to final cost of cruise. Click here to request a cruise quote. Car rental Renting a car is often the best way to get into the rural areas. Having a rental car allows you mobility and flexibility that you can't get through any other mode of transportation. Contact me about arranging a rental car for you in the tropics. See Consulting Services for information on prices charged for booking rental cars. Click here for information on car rentals. Rail travel Train travel doesn't usually come to mind when considering a trip to a tropical destination, but it should if you are going to such destinations as Australia, New Zealand, and Malaysia. Such destinations offer exceptionally scenic train trips on some deluxe train tours. If train travel is of interest to you on your tropical vacation, I can help. Just send me an email to ask for my assistance planning your rail itinerary and booking your rail tickets or rail passes. See Consulting Services for information on prices for booking rail travel (tickets and passes). Lodging If you want an experience and not just a trip, stay where the locals stay or stay in more unusual lodgings or stay in a the romantic or luxurious resort of your dreams. Contact me about arranging accommodations for you in the Tropics. See Consulting Services for information on prices charged for researching and booking lodging arrangements. The cost is applied to final cost of lodging. Click here to request information on booking a hotel or other lodging. Tours An escorted tour can be an economical, convenient, and informative way to experience such tropical destinations as Australia, New Zealand, and Latin America. The right tour can take you off the tourist track and let you see behind the scenes for a glimpse of how local peoples live and make a living. Or, if you are more interested in an overview that takes you to the most notable tourist attactions, then there are tours that will let you do that with a minimum effort on your part because the logistics of travel are taken care of for you. There is no one tour that fits all travelers, so contact me about arranging a tour for you in your tropical destination. We need to chat about what you want out of a tour, how fast a pace you are comfortable with, how much unstructured time you want during the tour, and what is on your "must see" list of sights and activities. See Consulting Services for information on prices charged for researching and booking tours. The cost is applied to final cost of the tour. Click here for information on tour departure dates and pricing. Vacation Packages A vacation package may be the most economical way to experience many tropical destinations, such as Hawaii, Caribbean islands, Mexico, and South Pacific islands because the parts of your trip are "packaged" by reputable wholesalers. A package will include whatever you wish it to include, such as airfare to your destination, transfers between the airport and hotel, lodging, sightseeing, and admission to local attractions. A package may be for a single city (such as Sydney or Cancun) or for a combination of cities (such as a Sydney and Cairns combo). A package may be for a resort destination, such as to the Riviera Maya. The important thing to know about vacation packages is that you enjoy the economies of scale because the package wholesalers "buy in bulk" and the savings are passed on to you, the traveler. What you often don't get with a package is an itemized breakdown of the prices of the component parts. That's because the wholesaler which put the package together has access to special deals which they pass on to you, the travel consumer. A vacation package is like a fixed price menu; you pay one price for a three course meal and can't tell what the individual prices of the soup, salad, and main course are. Nor do you care as long as the total price for the package-- or the fixed price menu-- is a good deal. Contact me about arranging a vacation package for your tropical trip. See Consulting Services for information on prices charged for researching and booking your vacation package. The cost is applied to final cost of the package. If you prefer to do all the work yourself—no research or booking fees charged—click on one of the icons below to book your package through a wholesale packagers specializing in your tropical destination. For vacation packages to Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific islands, and Central and South America. For vacation packages to Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Mexico, including Pacific coast resorts. For vacation packages to Fiji. For vacations to Sandals & Beaches resorts. For vacations to the Caribbean, Mexico, US cities, and Central & South America. Travel Impressions welcomes you to experience high-quality, reliable and value-oriented vacation packages. This wholesaler personally oversees every aspect of your vacation to ensure it exceeds their high standards of quality. For vacation packages to the South Pacific (Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand), California (including Disneyland), Las Vegas, Reno, and Arizona. For vacation packages to Hawaii.   Click here for last minute specials. Trip Insurance Trip insurance is strongly recommended. Period. It's for your protection. See Ins and Outs of Trip Insurance for more information on trip insurance and for a link to buy this important protection for yourself. Cell Phone Rentals Unless you have a special cell phone, the cell phone you use in the US won't work outside the country. Now you can rent a cell phone that will work. Just click on the Global Phones icon below: Books, Music, Movies, Maps Reading up on your destination, listening to its music, and watching movies set in the locations you will visit are excellent ways to prepare for your trip. Whether it's a guidebook or a novel, a street map or highway atlas, a travelogue on DVD or period movie, a language tape or music CD with all the flavors of your destination, you can buy it at Amazon.com. Spas Imagine a relaxing with a soothing massage next in a luxurious spa set in tropical gardens or next to the softly lapping waves of a warm tropical sea. Major resorts throughout the Tropics offer a full range of spa services. Some destinations, such as Fiji, are particularly good values for travelers who enjoy the spa experience. To find out where the spas are, check out Spa Finder.