Want to Get Married…in Mexico, Jamaica, Bahamas, or the Dominican Republic?

December 8, 2014 By Susan Robson

Many couples ask me…How do couples get married in Mexico, Jamaica, or the Dominican Republic? It turns out, Destination Weddings are as easy as P.I.E.S. (popular-inexpensive-easy-stress free). Because of the romantic, tropical and sea beauty of the Caribbean, it is a popular and favorite choice for destination weddings. But, brides and grooms do need to know the two kinds of ceremonies, and then make the best choice for themselves.

What type of ceremony? There are two types offered…legal (civil) or symbolic.

Symbolic ceremony – I’ll start with the easiest of the two. Picture this ceremony as a “performance”, and remember that it doesn’t change anyone’s marital status. Most couples decide to “legally” marry in the USA prior to their destination wedding celebration, primarily because of the foreign requirements to have a legal ceremony (these will follow). The resort the couple chooses will: 1. tell them how many days they need to be present to assist and direct planning, 2. give the couple wedding package choices, and 3. coordinate & orchestrate the wedding. Couples can “individualize” their wedding by including wedding traditions, and stylizing every aspect to suit their personalities and likes. All of this is coordinated via email & phone calls through the travel agent, wedding coordinator, and the couple.

Civil or Legal ceremony – Generally, there are basic requirements in all foreign countries that remain somewhat consistent, but they will vary depending on the country. For purposes here, generalizations will be given and every couple should contact the Consulate in that country for specifics and to verify all facts and details.

1. Pre-wedding blood tests & possibly chest x-rays done in the wedding location. Documentation: 1. notarized copy of birth certificates and letters stating single status – these need to be translated in the language of the country. 3. 1 – 3 business days waiting period & 2 – 4 witnesses with valid id’s (varies by country). 4. Copies of any divorce decree or death certificate of a previous spouse. 5. Passports & copies.

The legal ceremony is conducted in Spanish by a Judge and translated into English by the wedding coordinator. The wedding certificate translation is at a cost of about $150. In the USA, the State Dept. requires that all wedding certificates from ceremonies in foreign countries, have the Apostille Seal. This can be completed by the wedding coordinator (boy, this person is busy), and is then sent and delivered to a U.S.A. address approximately 90 business days after the ceremony. Registration of the marriage certificate in a couple’s home country should be done once it is received. A wedding planner can be hired in the destination to assist with getting all of the required documents and paperwork complete. Often, a resort’s wedding department can provide information, as well. There are many details to this legal ceremony, so consider contacting the Consulate in the country of the destination wedding. Another general listing of the needed documents and waiting/preparation days for legal weddings:

Documents Needed Waiting/preparation days

Passports and birth certificate Bahamas – 1 day Dominican – 3 days
single status proof Mexico – 2 days
At least 2 witnesses Jamaica – 1 day
registration fee – approximately $300

Do you still have questions? Your travel agent and wedding coordinator can assist you to find the right answers. If you are now ready to begin looking at and planning your destination wedding, please go to www.GoTravelStl.com and begin by filling out the Perfect Destination Wedding and Honeymoon Analysis.

Look for my next blog…Planning a Destination wedding.

Susan

Perfect Honeymoon despite Time Constraints

November 19, 2014 By Susan Robson

Perfect Honeymoon time constraints

Is the Perfect Honeymoon possible, despite time constraints? Like it or not, time constraints can wreak havoc on honeymoon choices.

Time can become a major problem when choosing a honeymoon in several different ways:

Time limitations cutting a trip short

None of us have unlimited time that we can be away. We all have responsibilities to work and family that, while they can be delayed for a period of time, can’t be ignored forever. This constraint can play a role in the honeymoon decision-making process. Inexperienced travelers can in fact find it overwhelming. How much time should be allocated for travel? How many days of leisure will be boring? Is it better to spend less time traveling and more time actually “on vacation?”

As overwhelming as this time factor can appear, there is a simple solution for it – which I outline below.

Seasonal time factors for a honeymoon

We all have the friend who got an amazing discounted rate for their tropical vacation, and who then arrived to discover the beaches were uninhabitable because it was jellyfish season. The time of year can affect whether your honeymoon is filled with blissfully warm days and cool evenings, or whether it feels like you are visiting hell on earth. An experienced travel agent will help you determine whether your vacation will be heaven or hell, based on seasonal factors.

Travel time ruining a honeymoon

Although I touched on this earlier, it is important to decide in advance how much time you and your new spouse are willing to devote to the travel time needed to get to your destination. Flight accommodations are rarely comfortable for a long haul. You have to decide whether a visit to a new location is worth being limited to small spaces and airport inconveniences for a period of 12 to 18 hours.

Time problems can be solved

As overwhelming as the time factor can seem to be when planning your honeymoon, it’s not the most important factor to solve. If, instead, you look at and answer a few other key questions, the time factors become virtually nonexistent.

Answer these questions and gain enough time for the perfect honeymoon

What is the main thing you’d like to achieve on your honeymoon?

What emotions would you like your honeymoon vacation to elicit?

How much interaction do you want to have with other people?

Do you want to party or be by yourselves?

When you think about a honeymoon, do you picture more relaxation, activity, or excitement?

Once these questions are answered, make sure you ask them of your fiance.

The secret to time and money for vacation

Now notice that all of the above desires can be fulfilled independently of the time and money spent on the vacation. As long as you have clearly named what is important to you for your honeymoon, an experienced travel agent can help you find a vacation that matches your desires perfectly. The secret is to realize that location, time and money are arbitrary – that the product of the vacation is what you are going for.

Do a free honeymoon analysis

I offer a free honeymoon analysis to help people just like you discover the perfect honeymoon. It is a free and fun survey that will give me the information I need to isolate and suggest the perfect honeymoon for you. There is no obligation for taking the survey, and I promise I won’t sell your identity or bother you with a bunch of phone calls. This is my opportunity to help you. I’ll call or email my suggestions to you within a day or so. Start the free honeymoon analysis now.

Susan

Hot New Caribbean All-Inclusive Resorts!

November 3, 2014 By Susan Robson

Whether you are planning a Destination Wedding, Honeymoon, or family vacation, be sure to check out the new Caribbean All-Inclusive Resorts for 2015. How about an All-Inclusive on St. Martin, St. Thomas, or the Bahamas? Do any of these intrigue you? If you love Jamaica and Cancun, there are two new brand choices for you there, too!

Dreams Sugar Bay St. Thomas

Dreams Sugar Bay, St. Thomas

Brand new to the Caribbean All-Inclusive Resort market on St. Thomas, is a brand with which many travelers are already familiar. Dreams Sugar Bay St. Thomas is just opening this month, November 2014. Dreams, if you aren’t familiar, is an Unlimited-Luxury Inclusive for couples and families. This resort offers 294, luxuriously appointed rooms and suites that offer waterfront views of the bay or ocean and authentic island decor. St. Thomas’s beauty can’t be missed on the secluded beach, or in any of it’s three interconnecting pools with caves and waterfalls. Savor the island flavors at any of Dream’s seven gourmet specialty restaurants, bars, and grill/snack areas.

Dreams Sugar Bay All-Inclusive in St. Thomas

Dreams Sugar Bay, St Thomas

Beach walking/running, mini-golf, tennis, snorkeling, kayaking, volleyball, and so much more is always pulling at guests to keep them busy. To ensure your vacation is full of fun, games, and laughter both day and night, the Entertainment Team is on the job…and they are relentless! Entertainment doesn’t stop with the “older” kids, either, the supervised Explorer’s Club keeps younger explorers busy. Following your Dreams is easy on St. Thomas…Dreams Sugar Bay, St. Thomas, is located convenient to dining, nightlife, and shopping in Charlotte Amalie, I’ve only heard, is of the best! Be sure to leave enough time to ferry to neighboring islands such as St. John and the British Virgin Islands (passport required). Have you experienced Unlimited Luxury at a Dreams property in another destination?

RIU Palace St. Martin

Guests at the Riu Palace St. Martin, will find that they are enjoying the best accommodations and services that the island has to offer. People find that this resort, like the best of the RIU brand, is known for it’s consistency of service, food, and accommodations. The three restaurants on the property, offer a rich variety of flavors from colorful Caribbean, Asian, and French cuisine’s. Riu Palace St. Martin is the most comprehensive vacation spot on the island, nestled between one of St. Martin’s most beautiful beaches and the National Nature Reserve at Anse Marcel cove. All types of travelers, both the adventurous and relaxed alike, will find that they don’t want to leave this blissful island paradise, during their luxurious stay at Riu Palace St. Martin.

RIU Palace St. Martin

Snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing, and kayaking are all very popular in the azul blue waters of St. Martin. For guests looking for more relaxation, an infinity pool and over a mile of pure beach space is available to lounge and splash in and out of the soft waves.

Travelers should not miss out on exploring and all that there is to see and do on the island. Sint Maarten offers 14 world-class Vegas-style casinos. Maho Beach is awesome for watching incoming jets flying in for a landing just a few feet over your head. Orient Beach, on the Riviera of French St. Martin is the most popular beach on the island due to it’s natural beauty.

RIU Palace Antillas, Aruba

RIU Palace Antillas is now adults only, All-Inclusive

RIU Palace Antillas, Aruba

Another new Caribbean All-Inclusive Resort, formerly a Westin, is the new Adults-only (18+) RIU Palace Antillas. It is found on the shores of Palm Beach in Aruba and has the calm clear waters and white sand that make every Palm Beach an ideal location for swimming, snorkeling, and sunbathing. This exciting and elegant resort, balances fun and luxury to make the Riu Palace Antillas an ideal location for making the most of your Caribbean vacation.

Now a 24-hour all-inclusive experience means round-the-clock access to 4 fabulous restaurants, including room service at all hours of the day and night. A range of restaurants are available, including a buffet with live cooking stations and themed buffet nights, as well as three specialty restaurants (reservations required). Krystal offers Fusion cuisines, Rimini features Italian specialties, and Malmok shows off as a steak house.
After dinner, RIU Palace presents evening shows, live music, a casino and disco, to dance the night away. In Mexico, the Michael Jackson shows are among RIU Palace’s best. What shows might be popular in Aruba?

Baha Mar Resort, Bahamas

5 stunning resorts all under the Baha Mar, Bahamas

Baha Mar Resort opening December 2014

This is an opening that I’m really intrigued by–The Baha Mar Resort, opening in December in the Bahamas, with no less than FIVE different hotel brands inside. Talk about BIG!

Melia Baha Mar Resort, Bahamas

The complex, nicknamed the “Bahamian Riviera”, has these credentials: will have a total of 2,900 hotel rooms and residences, a 100,000 square foot casino, a Vegas-style water show, an 18-hole, 72-par Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, an ESPA spa and more than a dozen pools. Plus, a 200,000 square feet convention center. I know, HUGELY!The 5 resorts that are going to debut:

Baha Mar Casino & Hotel: The centerpiece resort of Baha Mar, this casino-hotel is promising a “Vegas-like experience in the Bahamas.

Rosewood Baha Mar: Managed by Rosewood, this will be a 200-room and residences property. The villas will be the main attraction for it’s luxury items, services, and accomodations.

Mondrian Baha Mar: The Mondrian at Baha Mar will have 300 “distinctively styled room.”

Grand Hyatt Baha Mar: The Grand Hyatt will have 700 “incomparable rooms blending authenticity and luxury.”

Melia’ Baha Mar: The Nassau Beach Resort will be taken over and incorporated into the Baha Mar Complex by the Melia’ brand on December 1st. This will be the only Caribbean All-Inclusive Resort in the complex, with 5 restaurants & 3 bars, including a swim-up bar. The guests have access to Baha Mar’s amenities and activities.

This just looks like there is going to be something for everyone. Do you think Atlantis…has met some competition?

More coming in my next blog…Hyatt Ziva & Hyatt Zilara in Jamaica…Azul Sensatori in Jamaica…

Susan

Jamaica Gets All Right!

October 25, 2014 By Susan Robson

Jamaica Gets All Right

A week ago, I attended the Jamaica Tourism Board’s dinner and seminar at Maggiano’s in Clayton, MO. It was a fun evening, full of “ya mon’s” and great reggae music accompanying the videos of Jamaica. As a group of travel agents, we got the latest updates to what is happening and changing in Jamaica. Have your travel experiences included a trip to Jamaica in recent years?

Jamaica’s Hotel and Tourism sectors are expanding and improving on a wide scale basis. It’s product continues to change & evolve to meet the preferences and the diverse needs of all types of guests: families, couples, singles, nature-lovers, and adventure seekers. Everyone can find something to love in Jamaica with the new attractions, hotel and resort developments and renovations, infrastructure development, new restaurants to satisfy all tastes, and so much more. Some new resorts and entertainment options are now appearing, while the existing resorts and attractions are stepping up to make improvements and renovations to their properties. Some of the new properties include: Karisma’s Azul Sensatori, Hyatt Ziva and Hyatt Zilara, RIU Palace Jamaica, and the Moon Palace Jamaica Grande.

Did you know there are 3 International Airports in Jamaica? The 3rd Int’l Airport, Ian Fleming International Airport, located just 5 miles East of Ochos Rios, is named after the author of the James Bond novels (who wrote most of his books in Jamaica). The Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, is currently working on phase 2 of it’s expansion project & opening a new section containing: a Customs area, police station, baggage delivery systems, rental car agencies, tour operators, food & beverage outlets, and hotel arrival lounges. And in the Kingston Airport, the expansion is working in 3 phases, including a new 2 level passenger pier, several jet bridges, 66 additional airline check-in positions, and the most current and updated airport technology.

Making travel easier for residents and visitors, Island-wide road improvements are continuous. An example of this would be the North Coast Highway and Highway 2000 both cut the driving time from Ochos Rios to Kingston to just a little over an hour.

Do you know how many cruise passengers arrive in Falmouth, Jamaica, in the month of April? This is amazing…50,000! And, a ship the size of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas can be accommodated in the pier. Arriving passengers will find more than 40 attractions in and around Falmouth. The Ports Authority of Jamaica and RCL have joined together to create this joint venture.

And, what else is everyone waiting for? If you guessed new resorts, you’re correct! Karisma Hotels, famous on the Mexican Riviera Maya, has just opened the Azul Sensatori Jamaica, formerly Beaches Sandy Bay in Negril. This all-inclusive property has 140 rooms and is gourmet inclusive for couples, singles, and families – a truly multi-generational resort.

Ochos Rios – The Moon Palace Grande (formerly Sunset Jamaica Grande) is re-opening in late spring of 2015, and is the Palace’s first hotel outside of Mexico. When complete, it will feature 730 renovated & modernized guest rooms, restaurant upgrades, and a 17 acre beachfront on the longest private beach in Ochos Rios.

At Jewel Runaway Bay, a $5 million dollar waterpark is being constructed to open early in 2015. The resort has just completed a $20 million dollar renovation & building of new suites, pools, and restaurants. A new low rise block of 30 rooms, with oceanfront appeal, was added on the West beach.

Montego Bay – Sandals Resorts Int’l plans on building 5 over the water villa suites on it’s private island in Montego Bay. Each villa will have glass floors, a private jacuzzi tub with steps leading directly into the ocean, king beds, over the water hammocks, and soaking tubs. Do these sound like Bora Bora, but without the 20 hour flight? Traveling to Jamaica from St. Louis on a charter flight, is a quick 4 – 4 1/2 hours. Projected date of completion is late 2015

Montego Bay – Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall, situated in a privileged pristine white sand beach with spectacular views of the Caribbean, welcomes guests of all ages, and will open following a multi-million dollar renovation that has totally recreated this former Rose Hall. Right next door is the Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall, a gourmet indulgent escape for adults, couples, friends and individuals.

Jamaica, where nothing is a problem “mon”, is an island paradise where reggae, romance and the Caribbean sun come together. It’s vibrant Blue Mountains tower above the shimmering sands and “true blue” turquoise waters. Did you know that Jamaica was the pioneer of the all-inclusive vacation concept? Most travelers find this to be an island that just “does it better”.

Susan

Finding the Perfect Honeymoon Location

October 16, 2014 By Susan Robson

Perhaps the most difficult decision to make when planning your honeymoon is the choosing a location to honeymoon. All of your difficult planning, expense and time hinge upon your choice of a correct destination. After all, once you’ve committed with airfare, hotel and time, it’s difficult to reverse course and go somewhere else.

Choosing a honeymoon destination can be a stressful decision. What if the location you choose isn’t perfect? Will it not have the amenities you need? What if the weather is bad or the service is rude? Are the locals friendly or will you and your new spouse feel uncomfortably out of place?

Resources for choosing your honeymoon destination are difficult to find. How do you know that the reviews are honest and not bought? Although some people like a destination, others hate it. How does one make the best decision possible?

Choosing a honeymoon destination is secondary

As a travel agent with decades of experience, I have found that my clients are always surprised by my statement that location is secondary. Unlike real estate, which is “location, location location,” vacation destinations are not a primary concern – they are secondary. They come after a vacationer has answered questions of primary importance:

What are your goals for this honeymoon?
Do you want adventure or relaxation?
What emotion do you want your location to invoke?
How much do you want to do yourself, and what would you like taken care of for you?
What do you envision yourself doing while on vacation?

The answers to these questions and a few others can help an experienced travel agent guide you to making the perfect honeymoon destination choices.

My clients work with me as their agent not to get discounted service, but because they can use my decades of travel experience to help them decide what vacation will be the most stress-free and enjoyable for them.

Anyone can log on to a discount airfare site and book a flight. When these made their appearance, most travel agents closed shop. However, a website can’t help you make the hard decisions that will help you get the most out of the resources you have. A discounted plane flight to a horrible destination isn’t a discount – it’s a waste of money and time.

Use my expertise for free

I have been helping honeymooners book their perfect honeymoon for decades. It is my joy and my passion to help couples find a vacation they will truly enjoy – one that helps them celebrate the most significant event of their lives.

Now there’s a way to use my expertise for free. Simply take my free Honeymoon Finder survey. This free and entertaining survey helps you explore the things that are most important to you and your future spouse about your honeymoon. I then take this information and craft a suggestion for you that fits your needs and wants. There’s no obligation to you, and I don’t sell your identity to anyone or annoy you with a bunch of phone calls. However, I can guarantee that within a day or so of filling out my honeymoon finder quiz, I will get you a honeymoon suggestion that will work for you. Take the free and fun Perfect Honeymoon Finder now and start on the road to finding your perfect honeymoon destination.

Don’t keep this a Secret…Secrets Playa Mujeres!

October 12, 2014 By Susan Robson

The brand new All Suite Unlimited Luxury Included, adults only Resort, set along the famous white sands of Playa Mujeres.

Don’t keep this a Secret…Secrets Playa Mujeres!

Sharing my travel with you…

Just two weeks ago, I traveled to Cancun/Riviera Maya to do a “hard hat” site visit of the brand new adults only, Secrets Playa Mujeres. I knew this new resort was going to be incredible, but I didn’t realize just how totally captivating it would be. The natural splendor mingles with the architectural beauty to mesmerize every part of you. What are the priorities & features in a resort that you ask for when you begin to look for your next destination?

First though, I wanted to know more about Playa Mujeres…Where is it? What excursions can vacationers experience? What are the beaches like? What resorts are there besides Secrets Playa Mujeres?

Landscape rich in wildlife & greenery

On one side of Secrets Playa Mujeres is the Mexican Caribbean and on the other is a wetlands wildlife preserve. The area is totally removed from the Cancun commercialism. It’s an untouched landscape, rich with the beauty of wildlife and greenery. There are not many resorts located here, yet, but you will find Secrets Playa Mujeres, Excellence, The Beloved, and Villa del Palmar.
Secrets Playa Mujeres is only about a 30 minute ride North of the Airport.

Across the water is Isla Las Mujeres, Isle of Women, named after the statues that were found on the island by the Spanish. A short ferry ride from Playa Mujeres/Cancun will bring you to this island and small town where you will find excellent shopping, great restaurants and fantastic beaches. The most common mode of transportation is golf carts/mo-peds. It would not be difficult to find activities to fill an entire day here – enjoy snorkeling, kayaking, zip lining, turtle farming, swimming with dolphins, and investigating the Mayan ruins.

Scuba diving or Snorkeling

The excursions that will be available from Secrets Playa Mujeres, are all of the excursions that you would be able to access in Cancun.
*Explore sacred Mayan archeological sites – the ruins of Tulum, Coba, and Chichen Itza. On one of your trips to Cancun, plan to see what has been declared one of the “7 Modern Wonders of the World – Chichen Itza”.
*Swim with dolphins, sea lions and manatees.
*Zip line through the Yucatan jungle, or over the Caribbean sea.
*Swim in one of the famous cenotes, which are 5 million year old wells, formed from sinkholes.
*Snorkel or scuba dive at the Great Mayan Reef, the largest coral reef in the Northern Hemisphere.
*Pet a shark, snuba (snorkeling and scuba combo).
*Visit an actual Mayan jungle village, Pac-Chen, to experience ancient traditions.
*Ride a jet ski, parasail, or the newest water gizmo.
*Shop at flea markets, designer boutiques, outlet stores, or handmade artisan shops.
*Enjoy and evening performance by Michael Jackson, or a Mayan fire dance.
*What other excursions can you imagine doing?

The Secrets Playa Mujeres that I viewed was a work in progress. If you can imagine, stone work being cut and laid (and stone dust flying everywhere), walkways being poured, workers sweeping up to try to keep the layers of dirt to a minimum, wood inlays being cut & placed, pipes being installed, tests being run, and a very hot sun on a humid day.
I loved seeing the stone and marble work being done. I was told that the Egyptian Marble was shipped here from Egypt! It added a grandeur, mythical and mysterious feel to work in progress.
We, Claudia, my husband, and I roamed around and investigated the property for about 2 hours.

After we finished that tour, I’ve thought a lot about what was so captivating about this property.

Junior Suite Oceanview

1. First, every room category at this resort will have a view of the ocean…even the entry levels. The Preferred Junior suites sit within a stone’s throw of the beach and water.
2. Next, your first view of a suite, is the elegant and massive suite door. It’s statement to you, “you are welcome to enter!” The room finish is in a rich dark mahogany type wood furniture and appointed with ivory, tan, and brown. All beautiful against the Azul blue waters of the ocean just outside your balcony.
3. The beach (unfinished) looks like it is going to be a fabulous long ribbon where, someday, vacationers will walk it’s long stretches. It is protected somewhat, by the Isla Las Mujeres, just across the bay from it’s shores. The sand is soft beige tones and feels almost like powder between your toes.

4. This resort has 2 beautiful, captivating swimming pools…the alluring infinity pool, and the other is a free form, relaxing natural shape that appeals to and creates a feeling of calm and quiet.

Seaside Grill Restaurant

Oceana Restaurant

5. Secrets Playa Mujeres will boast 8 exceptional dining choices when complete. One for each night of your stay!

6. Rendezvous and Showtime will serve top-shelf spirits and present nightly entertainment and nightclub options.

And finally… 7. The personnel that I met and spoke to, seem to be very warm, interested, and involved individuals. One of them was the General Manager, Ricardo Bravo. Even tho he was extremely busy, he took the time to talk to me about his resort and the upcoming opening. He was interested in the questions that I had and took time to make sure that my tour was complete.

The resort wedding coordinator, Claudia , actually gave me the tour of the resort. She had a bubbly, happy and warm personality. Every time she talked about Secrets Playa Mujeres, she would just beam with pride. Both she and the General Manager worked together previously at a Dreams property, so they seemed to come together perfectly to make this resort have the cohesiveness that it needs from the personnel that will be hired. They assured me that most of the personnel will come from other Secrets and Dreams properties.

This new and upcoming area in Playa Mujeres, seems to be the likely expansion direction of Cancun – North. Being so close to the airport, offering beautiful beaches and a wide range of activities and excursions, should only lead to it being one more great choice in destinations for travelers. I’m going back to Secrets Playa Mujeres to stay for a full week in February, to see how it’s changed, and if it lives up to my expectations. I’ll be back with an update then!

Until then….Susan

Travel insurance…Don’t leave home without it!

September 24, 2014 By Susan Robson

As more and more travelers seek the four corners of the world, it’s important to know what is available in travel insurance and what coverage it provides. Do you know the difference between the various kinds of travel plans available?

Generally, travel insurance includes two important parts: medical coverage and trip cancellation.

Travel medical insurance coverage is not given as much thought today as it deserves. Illnesses or injuries can happen at any given moment and on any fabulous trip. A simple & quick trip to the emergency room for a twisted ankle or wrist, can yield a bill well into the thousands of dollars. Travel insurance allows travelers to be reimbursed for their medical expenses when they return home. Most travelers aren’t aware that many personal insurance policies don’t cover out of the country medical costs that are incurred in foreign countries , i.e….as soon as they leave the soil of the USA or board a cruise ship with a foreign flag (and most are registered in foreign countries).

My own travel experience:
What if Susan had not purchased insurance in this case? Susan was vacationing in Jamaica with her husband and friends. Her husband needed medical attention after he had a motor cycle accident, breaking his arm. He was admitted to the hospital in Montego Bay without a problem, but that was the last time they used the word “easy”. Surgery was needed, so a med-evac was necessary, and the hospital bill in MBJ had to be paid. A medical assistance team, from their insurance company, stepped in and facilitated the transfer to the USA and full payment. Had Susan and her husband not had insurance, the total cost would have exceeded $75,000.

This example is another reason to support the purchase of travel medical insurance. Advance payment is often required by medical facilities in many foreign countries, particularly in developing countries, which takes an unfortunate illness or injury to another level. If pre-pay isn’t required, then the patient isn’t released until they pay. Often, a medical insurance assistance team assists you by dealing with the foreign hospital and personnel.

The second part of most insurance coverage is cancellation protection. If travelers are a family of four, then it is pretty clear that there is a greater likelihood that one of the four could become ill, or be injured, prior to/or during the period of travel. But if the travelers are a healthy young couple, they often believe that nothing can happen to them. What they overlook is the possibility that someone in their extended family may have an issue that could cause the couple to feel the need to stay home. If insurance is purchased, it gives the travelers peace of mind that they can cancel and get the return of their money (minus the cost of the insurance). Cancel for any reason is an extended, and usually an optional plan choice, that adds additional cost. Would this option give you peace of mind?

The world we live in today can be unpredictable and violence can occur in a region without warning. Certainly, travelers should heed State Dept. warnings and information. But, what if a country’s economical or political stability deteriorates during a visit to a country? Travelers would want their travel insurance to assist them with evacuation plans set up through government assistance and intervention. Without insurance assistance, would you know who to call if trouble showed up?

Consider travel insurance an important part of a total experience…sunscreen and hats for sun protection, comfy shoes for walking, clothing for day and night…you pack your suitcase to be prepared. Don’t forget to pack your travel insurance.

Get your Free Vacation Analysis by going to my website, www.GoTravelStl.com.

What is packed in your suitcase?

The perfect honeymoon – how to get preferred perks on your flight

July 21, 2014 By Susan Robson

This is a draft.

Our new Chesterfield Missouri Travel Agency Website

April 14, 2014 By Susan Robson

We have just launched our new website – please take a look at our new Perfect Vacation Analysis. We think you’ll love it!