Many people do not understand what a travel agent does and they think that the trip will cost more if they call one. Sometimes a travel agent will save you money on travel. Other times the trip may cost the same as what you expected, but you have the confidence that all the arrangements were booked correctly.

Making mistakes when booking a trip yourself can be very expensive. Some people buy airline tickets for the wrong dates or sometimes they may even book the wrong cities, others make reservations not using their names as they appear on their driver's license or passports. They may arrive in a foreign country and find out their name that they gave the airline does not match their passport names and they could be denied entry to that country, or they may have to buy another airline ticket or pay a penalty to change the name on their ticket. There are many critical steps that have to be taken when embarking on an international itinerary. Beside passport requirements, you need to know if a visa is needed, etc. There may be certain shots required to stay healthy in specific parts of the world.

With domestic travel, making arrangements can be complicated. Airline reservations, car rentals, hotel reservations, sightseeing tours, dinner reservations, spa visits, golf tee times all need to be arranged in advance. A good travel agent can assist with all of these details that will make your trip more enjoyable.

Just purchasing airline tickets can be involved. Travel agents can check the rates on multiple airlines and check schedules and flight connections to offer the best deals. They can book specific seat assignments, make special requests for wheelchairs, special meals and enter frequent flyer information into the record, as well as keep track of credit card information and travel preferences, so that you do not have to repeat all those details every time you book a trip.

Most travel agencies charge fees to book airline tickets which range from $25 - $40 depending on whether the trip is domestic or international, coach or first class. If a package is booked with the hotel, car and air, our agency waives the booking fees. On some international airline tickets, the fee is included in the price we quote when we price consolidator tickets. Consolidator tickets are wholesale tickets that have been contracted in bulk by tour operators and travel agencies.

Some people call to book a trip and they give many specifics they have already decided on like certain room types or specific airlines and they may have seen a package advertised in the paper that they like. Tell your travel agent as much information as you can so that you get exactly what you want. A good agent will offer feedback on particular resorts and trips.

We can also help manage your frequent flyer miles to help you maximize your travel dollars.

We charge between $50 - $100 per ticket for arranging frequent flyer reservations. We can also advise when to use a purchased ticket or a free ticket that you have already earned.

It has been a very busy week in Mexico and today we make the long journey back to Atlanta. Thursday we took a boat five miles out to the reef and we went snorkeling. The reef was amazing and there were several large schools of colorful fish. The water was only about six to nine feet deep.

On Friday night we took a taxi down to our favorite little town of Playa del Carmen, where we bargained with vendors and saw the world's largest cigars in front of the exotic tobacco shops. We had a very fun dinner at Senor Frogs where the tequila was freely flowing and people were dancing on their chairs & tables. Lots of fun was had by all.

Cooper won the poolside movie trivia contest and had to perform a dance off to break the tie.  He moonwalked and was cheered on by a huge crowd. We also filmed a segment for Where The Hell Is Cooper, upcoming film to be posted on youtube.  

There is great entertainment at night in the theater.  We typically dine, have drinks at the lobby bar and watch the dance performance.  

We have met lots of honeymooners and anniversary guests from England, Austin, Detroit and a very interesting hair & makeup designer from Maryland.  

Paradisus Riviera Cancun Resort, Puerto Morelas, Mexico

The Paradisus is a member of the Leading Hotels of the World, which is a very exclusive group of 5 star luxury hotels and resorts.  This is certainly one of the reasons we chose this property to spend our family vacation. Time is precious and so is money and this is the reason we are extremely careful when choosing destinations for our clients.  

Travel is not easy in today's world.  First of all, planning a holiday can be time consuming, complicated and stressful.  This is a great reason to work with a knowledgeable travel agent that can advise you on your choices and help you decide where you want to go.  On the first day of every vacation I am typically worn out from waking up so early and driving to the airport to arrive three hours prior to the flight.  You have to make sure you have all the correct documents to travel with such as passports, etc.  Then you fly several hours to your destination and book a transfer to your resort.  We flew to Cancun and then drove 15 miles to the town of Puerto Morales. 

When we arrived at the Paradisus, they told us our room would not be available till 3 pm so we ate lunch and then took our luggage to the room, that was still not ready.  We changed into bathing suits and went for a swim and had pina coladas and Pepsis.  We cannot believe that the resort does not serve Coke products.  Guess I will drink lots of Coronas and margaritas.

We then went to make dinner reservations and found out we can only make reservations 24 hours in advance.  Then they proceeded to tell us that we would have to eat at the buffet the first night.  I told them that we were not eating at the buffet and wanted reservations at the Japanese restaurant.  They offered us 2 seats at the tepanyaki table for the kids and 2 seats at the French restaurant an hour later.  At 10 till 6 the skies opened and a heavy rain quickly stirred.  By the time time we arrived at the lobby, the rain was leaking through the thinnly worn palapa roofs and drenching the marble floors and everything else in it's path.  We braved the weather to head across the property to the Japanese restaurant where we waited until 10 after 6, when no one else showed up for their table.  The hostess, Yukiko seated all 4 of us where we enjoyed sushi, scallops, shrimp, steak and chicken hibachi.  We drank Chardonnay from Chile and had dinner with a very nice family from Leon, Mexico.  Afterwards, we had drinks with them at the lobby bar where we were introduced to Centurian tequila.

Paradisus Riviera Cancun Resort, Puerto Morelas, Mexico

On Sunday morning we woke up more rested and a little less uptight.  As a travel agent it is very hard to filter the first impressions of the property, the guests, the employees and just turn off the sight inspector instincts prior to having your first cup of coffee, but somehow I manage.  Before I make it to the breakfast buffet, I stop off to make dinner reservations for the next night or I will never get into the restaurant of choice and I will have to eat more buffet food which I avoid in every way.  I secured a table in the French restaurant for 6 pm.  Now I am off to breakfast where I find the pleasant sounds of a flutist that gently helps my mind to wake up along with the help of a cup of very strong coffee.  After multiple trips to load up on mango, papaya, melon, croissants, chilaquiles, tortillas and some of the best barbecue I have ever had, I manage to slowly make my way back to the room to change into my bathing suit.

Paradisus Riviera Cancun Resort, Puerto Morelas, Mexico

We arrived on Saturday and were tired from waking up very early, after only three hours of sleep.  The first day is always a bit of a blur.  We settled into our resort after lunch and a swim in the pool. We tried to be open minded to the beauty of the property through our discerning eyes.  Yes everything is beautiful but it is difficult to remove our travel agent glasses that see every little detail and flaw of the resort.  After a night of no sleep it is easy to be critical but at the same time just be glad we have arrived, and hopeful that the resort will meet our expectations for a fun filled holiday with the family.