The start of of the FIFA World Cup is approximately one year away and with the FIFA Club World Cup currently underway, excitement for next year’s event is growing so I decided to take a look at what ticket options were currently available for sale and compare the ticket offerings and my perceived value against soccer games attended around the world in iconic stadiums in Madrid, London, Manchester and more.

Also, given ticket options at the moment are only for Hospitality Multi-Game Packages and the final draw for the groups wont take place until later this year in December 2025 or possibly Q1 2026, my first immediate thought was would I want to pay for games now without knowing who will be playing? My first step was looking at the schedule for next Summer and seeing what games were offered at the 16 city locations.

Hospitality Overview

FIFA World Cup 2026 hospitality packages are ticket inclusive offerings and series that provide premium seating, exclusive entertainment, and upscale food and beverages, with service levels ranging from private suites to shared lounges and other festive product options within the stadium's secure perimeter. These packages provide an elevated experience beyond the standard ticket offerings and are being provided by On Location, the Official Hospitality Provider selected by FIFA.

As of June 2025, Hospitality Tickets are the only option available, with regular ticket sales to begin sometime in Q3/Q4 of 2025. Note that Hospitality packages are only currently available for matches held in the United States and packages for matches in Mexico and Canada will be available later this year.

Example: San Francisco Bay Area Stadium Hospitality Ticket Packages

The closest venue to where I live that will host World Cup games is Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara and I have watched soccer games and football games here and am familiar with the venue having recently been to a 49ers game with club level tickets, so I decided to use that as an example and see what ticket options were available and at what cost.

The three options available right now include the following three options: Venue Series, Follow My Team and the 4 Match Group Stage Package. Note that there are also 8 Match and Private Suites options that are coming soon and you can Register Interest for them online.

I selected the Venue Series for ‘San Francisco Bay Stadium’ since it includes 5 group zone games and 1 Round of 32 game.

The lowest cost hospitality option is the ‘FIFA Pavilion’, which would cost me $8,275 per person for 6 games for a grand total of $33,100! I don’t know about you, but that price seems steep for 5 group stage games and 1 Round of 32 game, given the fact we don’ even know the draw yet and which teams will be playing in those group stage games.

With the expanded format, it is highly likely you could end up watching two “lower tier” teams play in the group stage, i.e., Uzbekistan vs Denmark or New Zealand vs Albania (if these European teams qualify) or similar types of teams. And while attending a World Cup game is exciting enough, I’m not sure I want to pay $1000+ per person for a ticket to one of these games, even being a huge fan. I’m not sure what FIFA is thinking here, given the current pricing being offered and not knowing who is playing where yet? And just look at the Club World Cup currently underway with lower tier games having low attendance, ticket prices being slashed at the last minute, weather concerns and games in non-soccer specific stadiums, it just doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence in me buying tickets for next year’s World Cup just yet.

Pros and Cons of Buying Hospitality Tickets Right Now

Based on my analysis of the ticket options currently available as of June 2025 and when comparing to having attended games in Europe, here are the pros and cons of buying hospitality tickets right now for games in the United States.

Pros - Why Buying Now Might Make Sense

1. Guaranteed Access in a High-Demand Market

   • With 48 teams and 104 matches, demand is projected to exceed availability, especially for matches in major cities or knockout rounds. Hospitality packages secure you a seat without the stress of being selected in the regular ticket lottery.

   • This is currently the only way to guarantee a ticket to certain games, albeit you’ll have to buy a multi-game or venue package at a substantial cost.

2. Premium Experience in Limited-Capacity Cities

   • Certain cities (like Philadelphia, Toronto, Guadalajara, a few others) have limited match inventory and strong local demand. Packages like the "Venue Series" can offer the only guaranteed way to secure tickets

3. Knockout Round Potential

   • Buying early in cities hosting Round of 32 or Round of 16 games means you're likely to catch top-tier action, regardless of who’s playing. As the tournament progresses, the better teams will be left competing for the World Cup.

4. FIFA Club World Cup 2025 - Use it as a Preview

   • Top matches drew big crowds (e.g., PSG vs Atletico, which I attended at the Rose Bowl), but many group games have had low attendance and quiet stadiums, especially in oversized NFL venues not made for soccer games.

   • Smaller, soccer-specific venues had better atmosphere and engagement, despite lower capacities.

   • Weather and field quality were major talking points, i.e., heat and humidity impacted comfort and pitch conditions, especially where grass was laid over turf.

5. Dynamic Pricing Favors Early Action

   • FIFA has indicated it will use tiered pricing and demand driven models for regular ticket sales, meaning the longer you wait, the more you'll pay, possibly even for less desirable matchups.

Cons - Reasons You Might Want to Wait

1. Team Uncertainty

   • If you're only interested in seeing top teams play (France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, there’s no guarantee they’ll be placed in a group in your chosen city.

   • We won't know the group draw until late 2025 or early 2026.

   • The only known teams are the host countries - USA in Group D, Mexico in Group A, and Canada in Group B

2. High Hospitality Prices

   • Entry-level hospitality packages start at $1000+ per person per match, which is a high price tag if you’re uncertain about the matchups or atmosphere at the stadiums.

3. The Game Atmosphere Isn’t Always Worth the Price (especially in the USA)

   • From the Club World Cup, we learned:

     • Empty upper decks, covered sections, and muted fan noise plagued lower-profile matches in NFL stadiums.

     • The experience may not compare to a Champions League night in Europe at Old Trafford or the Bernabeu, even if you pay more.

     • For some group games, you might get World Cup prices but not a World Cup feel.

4. Stadium Challenges in the U.S.

   • Many stadiums in the host cities not soccer-specific, meaning poor sightlines, shallow crowd engagement, and artificial turf with grass overlays per FIFA regulations.

   • Some stadiums don’t meet FIFA regulation pitch sizes and need significant modifications.

   • Even in hospitality areas, you’re paying top dollar for a converted NFL stadium, not a purpose-built soccer/football cathedral.

5. Travel Costs & Infrastructure Weakness

   • Summer thunderstorms, extreme heat, and poor transit options (especially in southern U.S. cities) can make for unpleasant travel to and from the games.

     • Getting in and out of the Rose Bowl for the PSG vs Atletico Madrid game was a nightmare

   • Add in higher flight and hotel prices due to increased demand and your all-in travel cost could exceed European travel for better quality matches and game atmosphere.

6. Social & Political Uncertainty

   • Varying state laws and political climates could impact travel comfort for certain groups.

   • International guests may prefer cities perceived as more welcoming or progressive.

   • Government agencies posting about ICE and CBP agents being at Club World Cup games

Should You Buy 2026 FIFA World Cup Tickets Before the Draw?

I am interested in attending World Cup games next year in 2026, but at this time do not want to pay over $1000+ per person a for multi-game hospitality package and not even knowing which teams would be playing at that venue.

If FIFA decided to offer single game hospitality tickets for knockout stage games, I would be a little more interested, but would likely still wait to see what regular ticket options/pricing will look like first and then make an informed decision on what the best ticket options would be for me and my family. Not to mention it would be a lot easier to buy tickets as well once the group draw takes place and you’ll know who is playing where.

NOTE: This post was originally published on The Family Travel Guy: https://www.thefamilytravelguy.com/blog/fifa-world-cup-2026-hospitality-tickets-worth-the-cost

Wishing you all a Happy Holiday Season & Cheers to a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year in 2024!

As the New Year approaches, we’ll all be taking time to enjoy the holiday season with family and friends and I’m sure many of us will be thinking about future travel plans and adventures for the coming year. Whether you're dreaming of a beach vacation, a city break, or an adventure in the great outdoors, there's no better time to start planning your next trip.

I hope you have some exciting trips planned for the new year and if you don’t have anything planned just yet, I hope I can provide some travel inspiration for the coming year.

I started this newsletter, The Family Travel Bulletin, to keep you up-to-date on the latest travel news, special offers, insights and blog posts over at The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

Share The Family Travel Bulletin

Going forward and starting in 2024, I will be planning on posting monthly recap newsletters here on The Family Travel Bulletin that go out via email only once a month, but other more frequent posts including hotel reviews, destination guides and articles will continue to be posted on a more frequent basis and won’t be sent out individually via email.

Newsletter Schedule for 2024

The Family Travel Bulletin will be delivered to your inbox once a month in 2024. With a busy schedule, sending out weekly recap emails started to get harder as the year went by and I felt I wasn’t able to keep up with a weekly email/posting schedule and still provide good content.

The Family Travel Bulletin, sent out monthly, will continue to include a curated summary of family travel news, special travel offers/insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy, with the main goal being to to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize for value along the way.

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

🎶 You better watch out, You better not cry, Better not pout, I'm telling you why, Because my 2023 Nice & Naughty List has come to town 🎶…or it goes something like that!

I thought it would be a fun idea to look back at our travel this year and see who made our nice list and who made our naughty list in the world of travel; from airlines, hotels, and more. Everyone has a different experience when it comes to traveling since there is no correct way to go about it, as budgets, locations, and much more come into play.

The 2023 Nice and Naughty List below is based on our experience traveling this year and things that we loved and made the Nice List and things that we didn’t like and made it onto our Naughty List.

2023 Nice List

• Marriott Bonvoy Loyalty Program Benefits: From breakfast benefits, room upgrades and more, we made very good use of the Marriott Bonvoy program for value-added benefits at all of the hotels we stayed at that include: Amsterdam Marriott Hotel, Marriott Rome Grand Flora, Sina Villa Medici, Autograph Collection, JW Marriott Venice, JW Marriott Madrid, St Regis Bal Harbour, Ritz Carlton South Beach, Solaz Loas Cabos, Courtyard Marriott Anehim Theme Park Entrance, MVC Desert Spring Villas, Westin Anaheim, US Grant San Diego & Marriott's Grand Chateau

  

  • Honorable Mention: If you don’t have hotel loyalty status, then Marriott STARS/Luminous Benefits are the next best thing!

• TSA PreCheck: This is a no brainer if you fly even once or twice a year. The time savings from waiting in line and not having to remove shoes and other items is very convenient.

  • Honorable mention: Airlines adding flights to SMF and SFO: I always love when airlines add non-stop flights and new routes close to where we live, making it easier to get to the destinations we want to travel to. New routes on Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines & Delta (to name a few) have me excited for 2024 trips we are planning.

• T-Mobile International Data Plans: Most data plans are not very friendly when it comes to international travel, but I have found the 30 day pass for high-speed international data to a good value for our trips abroad.

  • Honorable Mention: Google Fi

• Train Travel in Europe: When it comes to traveling between major cities in Europe, taking the train is almost always the best option. The high-speed train network in Italy is so good and Eurostar makes it easy to get from London to Paris.

  • Honorable Mention: Private Tours in Europe: When you want to visit popular museum and attractions in Europe, there is no better way that with a private tour. We have used Context Travel, Family Twist and Meet the Families for Locals on our trips to Europe.

• Perfect Day at CocoCay: This private destination exclusively for Royal Caribbean guests, located in the Bahamas, is the perfect way to kickstart a cruise trip where you’ll find endless ways to chill out and enjoy beautiful beaches and pristine water, plus thrilling experiences like the incredible Thrill Water Park, ziplining and every water sport you can imagine.

• Premium Economy on long-haul flights: Premium economy hits the sweet spot when it comes to longer flights with more legroom, better meals and more recline. If you can score a seat here with miles even better!

• Disney Holidays: From the festive themes, festive foods and holiday magic, there is no better way to kick-off the holiday season than with a trip to Disneyland or Disney World.

2023 Naughty List

• Hotel Resort Fees: There is nothing more than I hate than mandatory hotel resort or destination fees that seem to provide basic services that should already be included in the room rate.

  • Honorable Mention: Mandatory valet parking: I can understand when some hotels only offer mandatory valet parking when in a major downtown area, but for those hotels where there is a huge parking lot available, it makes no sense to me.

• Crying and/or Obnoxious Kids on Airplanes: This one can be controversial, but parents need to do a better job of policing their own kids on airplanes. I’ve been there and I know how frustrating it can be trying to calm down a baby, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I can put on headphones for a crying baby and that’s fine, but kids kicking the seat in front of them repeatedly or screaming is just bad parenting. On our 10 hour flight from San Francisco to Amsterdam, I had to turn around twice to firmly ask and then raise my voice at the parents to please have their older child (4-6 years old) to stop kicking our seats. The older gentleman next to me, who spoke little english, thanked me for speaking up and asking for it to stop.

  • Honorable Mention: People talking at the airport (with disregard for their surroundings): Literally no one cares about your super load phone conversation while at the airport. If you need to talk, go find a corner or somewhere where people don’t have to listen to you.

• Southwest Early Bird Check In: While I do like Southwest Airlines for their mostly low prices and sales on the routes we fly, I think Early Bird can be done a little better.

  • If I’m paying for Early Bird to have automatic check-in to get a better boarding position, there is no way I should end up with a B or C boarding position.

  • Also, when paying for early bird, why do some airports allow boarding from the front and back? This literally defeats the purpose of trying to get a good seat or together when traveling as a family (looking at you Long Beach Airport LGB Southwest boarding!)

• Disney Genie+ Service and Lightning Lanes: While I love Disney during the holidays, the annual price increases plus almost having to purchase Disney Genie+ to have a good experience at the parks is a bit too much, in my opinion. And the on top of that having to pay even more for certain rides with Lightning Lanes is a bit much, but I can’t fault Disney if people keep paying for it.

• Inconsistent Benefits with Marriott Bonvoy: Marriott Bonvoy made my Nice List and while we do get great value-added benefits at hotels, the inconsistencies from the hotel brands can be frustrating and the terms & conditions need to be cleared up. I should’t have to fight for the benefits guaranteed in the program or try to educate hotel staff on the benefits. Also, the use of Suite Night Upgrades is almost useless, as they never clear.

• CLEAR without TSA Precheck: CLEAR starts at $189 per year, which is much more than TSA PreCheck and having CLEAR without TSA Precheck means you only bypass the security lines, but not the screening portion.

• Airline and Hotel Award Pricing: Everyone loves saving money and being able to use points or miles for their travel, but recent award pricing changes make the value received hard to find.

  • From Marriott and Hilton having one night awards starting above 100k points for some hotels to airlines making award availability limited and increasing the miles needed, it is getting harder to find good value for miles and points.

I found it hard to limit my Travel Nice & Naughty List to only seven items for each category, as I could have added many more. What do you think of my 2023 Travel Nice & Naughty List? What would you add to the list? Comment below and add your items for the Nice List or the Naughty List!

RECENT BLOG POSTS

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Round-up of travel tips, insights and news you can use for your next trip

• Where to Go in 2024: The 25 most exciting places around the world to visit next

• Flying with kids? Parents’ best tips for a meltdown-free ride.

• The overhead bins are empty. Why do airlines make you check your bag?

• Why Do Airplanes Dim the Cabin Lights During Takeoff and Landing?

• Elves wanted: Spend the holidays at Santa’s Official Post Office, now on Airbnb

• Amsterdam Introduces New Rules to Address Overtourism

• Alaska-Hawaiian Airlines merger explained: Cheaper fares, better points, DOJ hurdle

• Prime Student members can now book $25 flights home for the holidays—here’s how to get the deal

• This is the worst day, the worst airport to fly: What to know for a smooth holiday flight

FAMILY TRAVEL OFFERS & INSIGHTS

Featured Special Offers of the Week

• Special Savings at Disneyland Resort Hotels in 2024

  • Save up to 20% on Sunday to Thursday night stays at a Disneyland Resort hotel from January 15 through March 7, 2024.

• A December to Remember in Yountville

  • The Estate at Yountville: Rates starting at $499/night, Bottle of Sparking Wine, Spa Essentials Amenity Kit, plus Daily Breakfast. Book and stay now through December 31, 2023.

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

It’s that time of the year where we’ll start seeing travel offers, deals, special savings & more during the week leading up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday! Now would be a great time to keep a look out for any hotels or destinations you may be planning to visit as the holiday seasons kicks off or next year into 2024 to take advantage of any special offers available in the next few weeks.

In this pre-Thanksgiving newsletter, you’ll find a curated round-up of some great offers and savings available for hotels, flights, travel gear and more during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

If you find any value in these special offers and deals, please feel free to share this newsletter with others!

Share

I’ll be keeping a look out for more offers that pop up between now and Cyber Monday and will add any more travel offers I find and come across in next week’s newsletter!

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FAMILY TRAVEL NEWS

Round-up of travel tips, insights and news you can use for your next trip

• The 24 Best Places to Travel in 2024

• 2023 Family Holidays at California Hotels

• 2024 Trending Destinations Off the Beaten path from AMEX Travel

• Southwest Airlines: Devaluation Of Rapid Reward Points Coming In 2024

• Here are the ‘unwritten rules’ of air travel

• Why I Finally Bought Annual Travel Insurance (And Why You Should Too)

• Discover the latest and greatest trends in global travel

• Alaska Airlines is rolling out new global award redemptions

FAMILY TRAVEL OFFERS & INSIGHTS

Featured Special Offers of the Week

Here is a curated round-up of some great offers and savings available for hotels, flights, cruises, travel gear and more during Black Friday and Cyber Monday that I have come across so far this holiday season:

• Context Travel: Save 15% off tours, audio guides and more. A promo code will be provided on our website when the sale goes live. Sale cannot be combined with any other promotion/discount.

• Royal Caribbean Early Access Black Friday Sale: Up to $700 off + 30% off all cruises + Kids sail free*

• Black Friday, the Fairmont way: Book by November 27, 2023 to unlock savings of up to 30% off your stays through June 30, 2024 at participating Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

• Hyatt: Three rewarding offers from around the world

  • Americas and Caribbean: Earn 2X points—with an additional 5% savings.

  • Europe, Africa, and the Middle East: Save up to 20%—plus members enjoy an additional 5% savings and free breakfast.

  • Asia Pacific and Southwest Asia: Save up to 20%—plus members enjoy an additional 5% savings.

• The Auberge Friends & Family Sale

  • Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts Collection Friends & Family Offer: Auberge Friends & Family Sale to save up to 30% on guest rooms, suites, and spacious two-bedroom residences when you stay 3 nights or longer. Book by November 27, 2023, for stays now-December 18, 2024.

  • Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection: Save up to 35% on select dates through April 30, 2024. Contact your preferred travel advisor, call or check availability online with promo code FRIENDS23.

• The Estate at Yountville: Escape to the serene landscape of The Estate and save 30% on stays now through April 30, 2024. With this limited time advance Black Friday offer, you'll also receive a complimentary bottle of champagne and a Serenity Essentials amenity kit from our luxurious spa, plus a European-inspired continental breakfast is included each morning of your stay and is the perfect way to start the day!

• Carneros Resort & Spa: Cyber Monday Sale offering rates from $525 a night plus a complimentary daily breakfast buffet at Hilltop.

• Marriott Bonvoy Special Offers: Check back here for special Black Friday and Cyber Monday savings

• Legoland Black Friday Offers: Check back here for special Black Friday and Cyber Monday savings

• Poggio Amorelli Wine Christmas Sale: Use Discount Code SANTAMORELLI20 for exclusive savings

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

The older I get, the more I can relate to the Grinch. Between the crowds, cold weather, traffic, and expensive plane tickets and hotels, holiday travel can sometimes be more stressful than fun, so I always try to keep our travel around the holidays shorter than I would during other times of the year.

Now is the time to start planning 2024 travel, if you haven’t done so already. You can wait on last-minute weekend getaways or short trips you may take in 2024, but for any major vacations I can’t stress enough how important it is to plan ahead, especially for popular destinations to get access to better availability, better points/miles availability, better pricing, and many other benefits on hotels, flights, car rentals, tours, cruises and more.

Personally, I like to plan around the kids school and sports schedules and around major holidays to avoid any major disruptions to everyone’s schedule and maximize my vacation time.

I’ll be diving into more details on how we planned some of our 2023 international trips to Amsterdam, Los Cabos, Bahamas, Madrid, Italy (Rome, Florence, Venice) and how we saved a lot of money by not only pre-planning our trips, but how we did it by utilizing points, miles, special offers, promotions and credit card benefits.

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• Lyft Guarantees Airport Rides Will Be on Time — or They’ll Pay Up

• The Best Time to Book Holiday Travel—and How to Save

• Why Thanksgiving Is Actually the Best Time to Travel Abroad

• How a looming government shutdown could affect holiday travel

• 20 Best European Cities to Visit in the Winter, According to Travel Experts

• The 9 Best Historic Hotels in the United States

• Don’t Touch That! The Dirtiest Parts of the Airplane Cabin, Revealed

• What to do if you get sick on a cruise

FAMILY TRAVEL OFFERS & INSIGHTS

Featured Special Offers of the Week

• Special 20% Off Southwest Flights Promo Code [All Routes]

  • This offer is courtesy of Max Miles Points & You can get a 20% discount on Southwest flights by using the code MAX20. All flights and all routes for flights between December 1, 2023, and March 6, 2024.

  • Expires today on November 11th at 11:59 PM (Pacific Time), so act fast!

  • Blackout dates to keep in mind: December 22-23, 26-28, 30, 2023; January 1, 2024; Orange County (SNA) travel blacked out 12/1-1/2

• ​Score EPIC savings of up to $700 + 30% off your travel crew during Royal Caribbean’s Black Friday Preview Flash Sale

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

Some of life’s most memorable moments are experienced while exploring and connecting with your family on vacation and even more so during the holiday season.

Based on reports, the 2023 holiday season appears set to be a busy one in airports and hotels, as nearly half of Americans plan to travel, so it is essential to be prepared for whatever journey you have planned from now until the end of the year.

Travel Tips for Less Stressful Holiday Travel

Here are some tips to make help your trip as smooth as possible this holiday travel season:

• Plan ahead (when possible)

  • The earlier you start planning your trip, the more likely you are to find good deals on flights and accommodations. And if you're traveling during the peak holiday season, it's important to book your travel plans as early as possible (it may be a little late now for good pricing/availability if you haven’t already booked that flight or hotel stay!)

• Be flexible with your travel dates

  • If you can, try to be flexible with your travel dates. Traveling during the week instead of on weekends can often save you money on flights and accommodations.

• Make sure you have the airlines app downloaded and ready to use

  • In case of delays or cancellations, having the airline's app on your phone can be a lifesaver. It allows you to rebook swiftly, avoiding long lines at customer service desks or help lines.

• Fly direct/non-stop when possible, especially during potential bad weather/storms during the holidays

  • I always prefer flying non-stop to avoid potential delays, missed connections and probability of lost luggage.

  • Connecting flights canincrease the risk of complications, particularly if the first leg encounters a delay.

• Early morning flights

  • Try to take early morning flights, if at all possible, to reduce the chances of being caught in cascading delays and cancellations.

• Buy Travel Insurance and/or Use the right Credit Card when booking

  • Travel insurance can come in handy for any flight delays/cancellations or if someone gets sick (flu, covid, etc) during the trip.

  • Most premium credit cards provide a level of protection and benefits for delays, cancellations, lost luggage, etc, but another good way to get more peace of mind and comprehensive coverage is with a travel insurance policy.

  • I personally purchase a yearly family travel insurance plan that covers all of our trips, in addition to using the right premium credit card for added benefits.

• Make use of essential travel technology

  • Use Apple AirTags (or similar devices) to track your luggage

    • If you remember the last holiday travel season of 2022, it seemed like there were stories of lost luggage and delayed/cancelled flights in the news every day. If the airlines lose your luggage you can at least track it and no where it is with an AirTag. I place on in every piece of checked luggage and in our backpacks (in case someone tries to take it)

  • Download offline maps to save on data

    • You can save an area from Google Maps to your phone and use it to navigate, even when you're offline and don’t have a data connection.

  • Pack a portable charger for your devices.

    • You don't want to be stuck with a dead phone when you're out exploring a new destination or stuck at the airport

• Keep electronic copies of all important documents

  • Have electronic copies (stored securely) of passports, travel itineraries and other important documents you may need

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• Disney Eats: Foodie Guide to Holidays at the Disneyland Resort 2023

• JetBlue Announces Seasonal Flights to Dublin and Edinburgh

• Disney Eats: Foodie Guide to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2023

• New Maps updates: Immersive View for routes and other AI features

• Europe’s New Entry Requirements Won’t Launch in 2024 After All

• 7 rules for red-eye flights: No bare feet or lavatory hogging

FAMILY TRAVEL OFFERS & INSIGHTS

Featured Special Offers of the Week

• Terranea Resort (Los Angeles, California, United States)

  • Stay 4+ nights on the coast and get up to 20% off and up to a US$200 nightly resort credit.

From additional hotel credits in Santa Monica to a guaranteed room upgrade in New York, enhance your next getaway with limited-time offers and exclusive amenities from these exceptional Virtuoso hotels and resorts.

Find more extraordinary stays in the Virtuoso Best of the Best ›

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

Travel Insurance policies and protections can come in the form of plans you purchase or may have access to from premium credit cards that protect you from certain financial risks and losses that can occur while traveling. These losses can be minor, like a lost or delayed suitcase, or can be significant, like a last-minute trip cancellation or a medical emergency overseas.

From unexpected medical emergencies while traveling overseas to trip cancellations or lost baggage, unforeseen events can turn your dream vacation into a nightmare. This is where travel insurance comes into play, offering a safety net that provides financial protection and peace of mind. In most scenarios, travel insurance would reimburse you for your covered financial losses after you file a claim and the claim is approved.

What Does Travel Insurance Cover?

Travel insurance typically covers a range of unforeseen events and expenses that can occur before or during a trip. The exact coverage can vary depending on the insurance provider and the specific policy, but here are some common items that travel insurance typically covers:

• Trip Cancellation: Reimburses you for non-refundable trip expenses if you have to cancel your trip due to covered reasons such as illness, injury, death of a family member, or other unforeseen events.

• Trip Interruption: Provides coverage if you have to cut your trip short and return home due to covered reasons.

• Travel Delay: Offers compensation for additional expenses (accommodation, meals, and transportation) if your trip is delayed due to covered reasons such as weather, airline strikes, or natural disasters.

• Baggage and Personal Belongings: Covers lost, stolen, or damaged luggage and personal items during your trip.

• Emergency Medical Expenses: Pays for medical treatment and hospitalization costs if you get sick or injured while traveling. It may also include emergency dental care.

• Evacuation and Repatriation: Covers the cost of emergency medical evacuation to the nearest adequate medical facility or repatriation to your home country if medically necessary.

• Accidental Death and Dismemberment: Provides a benefit to your beneficiaries if you die or lose a limb or sight due to a covered accident during your trip.

• Rental Car Coverage: Offers insurance for rental cars, including collision damage waiver and liability coverage.

• Trip Delay: Provides compensation for additional expenses due to trip delays, such as accommodation and meals.

• Cancel for Any Reason: An optional add-on that allows you to cancel your trip for reasons not covered by standard cancellation policies, such as personal reasons or concerns about the destination.

• Pre-Existing Medical Conditions: Some policies cover pre-existing medical conditions if certain conditions are met, while others exclude them.

• Emergency Assistance Services: Typically, travel insurance policies provide access to 24/7 emergency assistance services, which can help with medical referrals, travel arrangements, and other emergencies.

It's important to read and understand the terms and conditions of your specific travel insurance policy. Coverage and prices will vary and some policies may have exclusions or limitations.

When is Travel Insurance Worth the Cost?

Whether travel insurance is worth the added cost depends on various factors, including your personal circumstances, the type of trip you're taking and your personal risk tolerance.

For domestic trips, I would typically go with Option 1 below, but for international family trips, I like the peace of mind of having a travel insurance policy, Option 2, that can cover a wide variety of scenarios that could occur while overseas.

• Option 1: If you have a premium credit card that offers some protections, be sure to review what it actually covers, how it is activated, how to make a claim and what documentation is needed.

• Option 2: Travel insurance policies typically offer more comprehensive coverage, higher coverage limits, but can come at an added cost.

I personally purchase a yearly family travel insurance plan through Allianz that covers all of our trips on an annual basis, in addition to using the right premium credit card for added benefits and protection.

The Allianz AllTrips Premier Plan comes at a reasonable annual cost and offers a decent amount coverage for travel delays, cancellations, lost/delayed baggage, medical emergencies and more, but there are many companies like AIG, Seven Corners, and others that offer similar policies for only a single trip or annual policies.

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THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

The holiday travel season is coming up and if you plan on flying anywhere and braving the skies between now and the end of the year, you’ll need a game plan to avoid (the sometimes inevitable) headaches.

I’m sure we’ll start seeing the news reports soon enough of how holiday travel will be busy this year and see all of the delayed travelers, complaints and cancellations. While some of these issues can be hard to avoid and out of your control, the below tips can help with planning and provide some relief if you do encounter delays.

Five Travel Tips for Less Stressful Holiday Travel

Here are some tips to make help your trip as smooth as possible this holiday travel season:

• Make sure you have the airlines app downloaded and ready to use

  • In case of delays or cancellations, having the airline's app on your phone can be a lifesaver. It allows you to rebook swiftly, avoiding long lines at customer service desks or help lines.

• Fly direct/non-stop when possible, especially during potential bad weather/storms during the holidays

  • I always prefer flying non-stop to avoid potential delays, missed connections and probability of lost luggage. Connecting flights increase the risk of complications, particularly if the first leg encounters a delay.

• Early morning flights

  • Try to take early morning flights, if at all possible, to reduce the chances of being caught in cascading delays and cancellations.

• Plan ahead & leave a day or two early

  If you have anything scheduled at your destination you can’t afford to miss or are embarking on a cruise, build in at least a day of buffer time in case flights are canceled or delayed.

• Buy Travel Insurance and/or Use the right Credit Card when booking

  • Most premium credit cards provide a level of protection and benefits for delays, cancellations, lost luggage, etc, but another good way to get more peace of mind and comprehensive coverage is with a travel insurance policy.

  • I personally purchase a yearly family travel insurance plan that covers all of our trips, in addition to using the right premium credit card for added benefits.

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  • Book Now through December 20 2023

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

The most festive time of the year is here and what better way to celebrate than with a trip to your favorite theme park.

Halloween Time celebrations are currently underway and then the Holiday Season begins at major theme parks like Disneyland, Disney World, Universal Florida and more!

Visiting during this time of the year is some of the most magical and memorable times to visit. With holiday decor, seasonal treats and surprises, special entertainment and holiday themed attractions, there's no question why everyone love traveling during these festive times. The best part is, the extra fun is included with your regular theme park admission!

Here’s a quick look at some of the festive events going on at theme parks this year:

Disneyland

• Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort: Halloween Time materializes across the Disneyland Resort from Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, 2023. If you’re a big Halloween fan, that means you can get an early start on the festivities!

• The Holidays at the Disneyland Resort are returning Nov. 10, 2023, through Jan. 7, 2024! Enjoy festived decor and transformed attractions throughout Disneyland Resort, Delight in seasonal spectaculars and holiday entertainment and Experience cultural celebrations in Disney California Adventure Park with Disney Festival of Holidays

Disney World

• Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: This frightfully fun experience returns on select nights, from August 11 to November 1, 2023.

• Celebrate the Spirit of the Season – November 11 through December 31, 2023 and get wrapped up in all things merry and bright, with sensational sights and holiday delights all throughout Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. Special holiday events include Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (select nights November 9 to December 22, 2023, Disney Jollywood Nights (select nights November 11 to December 20, 2023) and EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays beginning November 24th.

Universal Studios Hollywood

• Halloween Horror Nights: Experience Southern California’s Scariest Halloween Event with 8 Terrifying Haunted Houses and the Terror Tram

• Holidays at Universal Studios Hollywood includes celebrations like Experience Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Grinchmas, along with special holiday treats, merchandise and entertainment.

Universal Orlando

• Universal Orlando Resort's Halloween Horror Nights runs from September 1 through November 4, 2023. The event features 8 haunted houses, 3 scarezones, The Terror Tram, Spooky-themed food and drink and Death Eaters roaming the streets of Hogsmeade

• Holidays at Universal Orlando features Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s, Grinchmas, and Christmas in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter

LegoLand California

• Brick or Treat: The Brick-or-Treat Monster Party transforms Legoland into a fun-filled Halloween escape with tons of candy, not-so-scary new shows, and silly monster LEGO characters.

• Holidays at Legoland: Starting November 18th, experience the Holidays at Legoland where the entire Resort is bursting with holiday cheer.

We have visited many of these Theme Parks for Halloween and during the holidays and love experiencing all of the festive fun. Our favorite is Disneyland during the holidays, as it is a quick trip for us and we enjoy all of the holiday treats, decorations and holiday entertainment.

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  • Disney+ subscribers can save up to 35% on rooms at select Disney Resort hotels from stays most nights October 22 to November 2, 2023, and November 26 to December 25, 2023.

• Save Up to 15% on Select Stays at Select Disneyland Resort Hotels

  • Save up to 15% on Sunday to Thursday night stays at select Disneyland Resort hotels from October 22 through December 21, 2023:

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• Play, Stay and Enjoy a Disney Dining Promo Card This Holiday Season—and Beyond!

  • Get up to a $1,000 Disney Dining Promo Card when purchasing a non-discounted 5-night, 4-day vacation package that includes a room at a select Disney Deluxe Resort or Disney Deluxe Villa Resort plus Theme park ticket(s).

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

Florence, Italy, is a city of unparalleled beauty and culture. Known as the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence is home to some of the world's most iconic works of art, architecture, and sculpture. From the towering Duomo to the delicate sculptures of Michelangelo, Florence is a feast for the senses.

Florence Overview

Florence, Italy, is a captivating city where history and modernity coexist seamlessly.

Its iconic Florence Cathedral, the Duomo, stands as a testament to its architectural splendor. The city is a living museum, housing treasures like the Uffizi Gallery, where Renaissance masters' works come to life. Florence's streets, winding through a UNESCO World Heritage historic center, are a journey through time, where each corner tells a story. The aroma of Tuscan cuisine lures you into traditional trattorias, offering culinary delights like bistecca alla Fiorentina and ribollita. Along the Arno River, picturesque walks reveal stunning sunsets and a romantic ambiance. Florence is a city that captures hearts and minds, an invitation to explore and fall in love with Italy's essence.

If you're a first-time visitor to Florence, there are a few things you should know:

• Florence is a city that effortlessly marries the old-world charm of the Renaissance with the vibrant pulse of modern Italian life

• Florence is relatively small and compact, making it easy to explore on foot.

  

• Florence is a popular tourist destination, so it's important to book your accommodation and tickets for popular attractions in advance.

Know Before You Go

Here are a few things to know before you visit Florence.

Currency

• The currency used in Florence, as well as in the rest of Italy, is the Euro, abbreviated EUR.

  • The Euro comes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euro bills, as well as 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cent coins, and 1 and 2 euro coins.

• The exchange rate, as of October 2023, for $1 USD is 0.95 EUR.

  • If you are exchanging money at an ATM, ensure you always use a debit card that offers fee free cash withdrawals and you never select the option for the ATM to the conversion for you. Always let your bank make that conversion as you will get a better exchange rate and won’t have to pay a huge markup.

Travel Adapters

• In Florence, the electrical sockets used are Type F sockets, which are also used in many other European countries.

• A standard universal travel adapter will allow you to plug a variety of plugs into a variety of sockets. It is also important to note that a travel adapter will not convert the voltage or frequency. If your device/appliance is not rated for 230 V, you will also need to bring a voltage converter.

Language

• The official language of Florence is Italian, but English was spoken widely as well during our time there.

Climate During the Year

• Florence experiences a Mediterranean climate with distinct seasons characterized by warm Summers and mild but chilly Winters.

• When we visited there earlier this year in April, it was colder at night, but not unbearable and warmed up quite nicely during the day, typical of a nice Spring day.

Transportation System in Florence

• The historic center of Florence is relatively compact and many of the city's major attractions are within walking distance of each other. Walking is a great way to explore the charming streets and alleys of Florence.

• During our visit, we only used a taxi/Uber when visiting Piazzale Michelangelo, which offers sweeping panoramic views of the city.

When to Visit

The best time to visit Florence largely depends on your preferences and what you plan on visiting during your stay, but I would say the best time to visit is during the spring (late March to May) and autumn (September-October) for mild weather and fewer crowds. Even when we were there in April, the main tourist areas of Florence seemed crazy crowded, likely from day visitors from cruise ships, and I can’t imagine how busy it gets during Summer peak travel.

How to Get There

There are several ways to get to Florence, with the easiest options by air or by train.

• The main airport serving Florence and the Tuscany Region is Amerigo Vespucci Airport (FLR)

• Florence is well-connected to the Italian rail network and is served by Florence Santa Maria Novella (SMN), which is located just outside the City Center. You can reach this station from various major cities in Italy and other European destinations.

Where to Stay

There are many great options to consider staying at when visiting Florence that depend on your particular preferences (travel style, hotel location, etc) and budget.

One of the things to consider when traveling to Florence (and Europe in general) with kids is being able to find hotels that accommodate up to 4 people in one room or suite. Most hotels have a maximum occupancy set at 2 or 3 people per room, even for larger suites sometimes, so it can become very challenging to find a hotel and room category that will work for you and not break the bank at the same time. If if you can't find a room for at least 4 people, then you may end up having to book two rooms (and not break the travel budget) and hope the hotel offers connecting rooms.

For our most recent trip to Florence, we stayed at the Sina Villa Medici, Autograph Collection, which is located in an early 19th-century historic palazzo in the heart of Florence. We selected this hotel due to the family rooms that it offered for a family of four and since we have hotel status (Marriott Bonvoy Titanium) that unlocks extra benefits/amenities like daily breakfast that easily saved us ~$80-$100 a day.

Other great hotel options I would recommend include:

• Virtuoso Travel Hotels in Florence: Hotels where you can get extra value and benefits/amenities lie daily breakfast, hotel credits and more.

• Other hotels I would recommend include the St. Regis Florence, the Westin Excelsior Florence, as well as other hotels that can offer value-added benefits from Marriott STARS/LUMINOUS, Hyatt Prive, Hilton Impresario and more.

Things To Do

There are many things to do and see while visiting Florence, as the city is full of iconic landmarks, historic palaces, and a vibrant cultural scene with a rich history.

Here are some of the top attractions and activities to consider during your visit to Florence:

• Florence's Historic Center: Explore the heart of Florence, a UNESCO World Heritage site, filled with charming streets, historic buildings, and vibrant piazzas like Piazza della Signoria.

• Uffizi Gallery: This world-famous museum houses a vast collection of Renaissance art, including works by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo.

• Galleria dell'Accademia: This museum is home to Michelangelo's David, one of the most iconic sculptures in the world.

• Ponte Vecchio: This medieval bridge is lined with jewelry shops and offers stunning views of the Arno River.

• Duomo: This cathedral is one of the most iconic landmarks in Florence. Its massive dome was designed by Filippo Brunelleschi and is considered to be one of the greatest engineering feats of the Renaissance era.

• Piazzale Michelangelo: This hilltop square offers panoramic views of Florence. It's the perfect place to enjoy a sunset or picnic.

• Visit the Basilica of Santa Croce: This church is the final resting place of many famous Italians, including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli.

• Explore the Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens: This former royal palace and its gardens are a beautiful oasis in the heart of Florence.

• Explore the Tuscany Region and go Wine Tasting: We explored the flavors of the Chianti Region which included stops at small towns (Castello Di Gabbiano, Greve in Chianti and Montefioralle), olive oil / wine tasting at Fattoria Montecchio and a tour with lunch/wine tasting at Poggio Amorelli.

• The Galileo Museum in Florence, Italy is one of the most important museums of science and technology in the world. It houses a vast collection of scientific instruments, including many of Galileo Galilei's own instruments.

Where to Eat

The city center of Florence is very walkable and no matter where you are in the city, it seems like there is a cafe or restaurant around every corner.

The places we ate at largely depended on which part of Florence we were in around lunch or dinner time and location mainly dictated the available restaurant options for us.

For example, I always like to plan ahead and research food options closest to where we would be in the city, so we don't have to hunt around too long to get a bite to eat. Knowing what options we have near us and where they are located comes in handy when traveling with younger children, but for this trip I didn't make a list of places to eat at and figured there would always be something close by where we were that would work for everyone.

For breakfast each morning, we ate at the hotel, using our Marriott Bonvoy Titanium breakfast benefit, which easily helped us save over $80-$100 a day on breakfast alone.

While exploring Florence, other sit-down restaurants we enjoyed on this trip included:

• Harry’s Bar, The Garden

• Cafe Gilli

• Caffe Concerto Paszkowski

• Caffe Perseo

• Spice India Ristorante Indiano Firenze

Florence is a city with a rich culinary tradition, known for its fresh ingredients, simple dishes, and bold flavors. Here are some of the must-try foods in Florence:

Bistecca alla Fiorentina: This Florentine steak is a thick-cut T-bone steak that is grilled over wood or charcoal. It is served rare and seasoned only with salt and pepper.

Ribollita: This hearty soup is made with stale bread, beans, vegetables, and olive oil. It is often served with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Pappardelle al cinghiale: This pasta dish is made with wide noodles and a wild boar ragù. The ragù is made with wild boar meat, tomatoes, wine, and herbs.

Overall Impression

If you're considering a trip to Florence, I hope some of the information here can help you plan out your next trip. There is so much to see and do, so be sure to plan ahead and add some of the city's top attractions to your itinerary. Or better yet, consider a private or semi-private guided tour so you don’t miss out on anything and learn all about history along the way. I highly recommend Context Travel for this, as well as Family Twist.

I hope this destination spotlight guide helps you plan out your next trip to Florence and gives you a glimpse into highlights of the city, as well as a look the best places to stay and things to do and see in this unique destination.

The Family Travel Guy

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: About Me | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile

If you’ve been following along here, you’ll know that I am strongly in favor of obtaining hotel status to help maximize the benefits you receive when traveling. Last week, I discussed why the “golden age” of airline status is over and unless you travel for work or spend enough money with a particular airline, chasing airline status just isn’t worth it, in my opinion.

I always want to optimize the value I am getting from my hotel stay, whether it is in terms of overall cost, value of points being used, or other perks like free breakfast, room upgrades, special offers for free nights, or other promotions that may be available. These perks help save a tremendous amount of money, especially when traveling as a family of four and can come from having hotel program loyalty status or booking through a hotel collection.

I have Marriott Bonvoy Titanium status that unlocks free breakfast at almost every Marriott hotel brand we stay at, club lounge access (if available), welcome amenities, room upgrades (better view, larger room, suite upgrades), extra points, late checkout and many other perks. Obtaining Marriott Bonvoy status is fairly easy right now and having a Marriott Bonvoy personal and business credit card helps get me more than halfway there towards Platinum Status, where most benefits you want access to will start. Add on a few Marriott promotions throughout the year and a few trips and we are at Titanium.

The perks received from having a worthwhile hotel loyalty program status depends on how you value the benefits and can depend on each hotel, but I would say the breakfast benefit can range from ~$40-$100 per day and the other benefits like room upgrades, late checkout and amenities just make your trip a little more enjoyable. Not to mention that benefits are typcially much better when traveling outside the United States, as lounges can include alcohol in the evenings and almost a light dinner, which can help optimize the value you receive even more!

It is fairly easy to obtain a high enough hotel loyalty program status where you can start unlocking benefits like lounge access, free breakfast, room upgrades and other benefits that help make family travel easier and stress-free. And even if you don’t have status or don’t care for it, you can still optimize your next hotel stay and get the elite experience to make yourself a VIP.

It almost feels too easy right now to get status and when everyone is an elite, no one is an elite. I’m sure we will see changes in the future with popular loyalty programs from Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton and IHG, as obtaining status has been easier than in the past, but until then having hotel loyalty program elite status is a no-brainer.

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  • Plus, book through Oct. 4 on stays of 4 or more nights and get a $150 Resort credit!

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

Customer loyalty has been a longstanding, critical component of revenue generation and customer retention strategies for airlines, hotels, and car rental suppliers. These loyalty programs help prevent passengers from flying on other airlines or hotel guests from choosing another brand by incentivizing them to remain loyal through the accumulation of points and rewards.

In a nutshell, airlines, hotels and other travel providers provide loyalty programs to incentivize their customers to book with them and in return will offer extra benefits based on a variety of factors that may include how often you book with them, how much you spend with them, if you have their co-branded credit card, and many more that in turn allow you to increase your level of status within the program.

Over the past few years, many airlines and hotels have made negative changes to these loyalty programs by increasing redemption costs, limiting lounge access, changing benefit level requirements, to name a few, among many other changes. It makes it hard to try to chase status when the requirements seem to change so frequently.

When everyone is an elite, no one is an elite

Based on my experience with traveling as a family of four, loyalty programs can be a big factor when deciding where we stay, who we fly with and who we book a rental car with.

I have found that having hotel elite status and car rental status can be worth it, but chasing airline elite status just isn’t as lucrative, at least for us.

Unless you’re a business traveler or someone who spends a lot of money annually on flights (i.e., books first class/premium regularly), the requirements to get a worthwhile level of airline status isn’t worth chasing.

Everyone’s experience will be different, but for a majority of travelers airline status is not worth it and the return on investment just isn’ there.

For example, many airlines made it easier to gain status due to the pandemic by extending elite status and waiving certain requirements, which led to a record number of loyalty program elites.

This record swell of elite status members, as well as the changes below has led to the slow demise of the “Golden Age of Airline Loyalty Programs”

• High mileage redemption values for reward flights

  • Redemption values for reward flights has increased drastically over the past few years.

    • The cost of using the miles or points accrued from spending on travel or using a co-branded credit card to book flights has drastically increased and it now takes more miles or points to book those dream vacations.

• Too many elites & Lower ROI

  • Taking advantage of perks such as upgrades to better seats has become increasingly difficult.

  • Restricted lounge access or increased cost

• Co-Branded Credit Card Changes

  • Co-branded credit cards are a huge profit generator for airlines, but frequent changes or “updates” to the benefits makes it hard to justify keeping these cards over the long-term

  • For example, Delta just announced major changes starting in 2024 to their industry leading Delta SkyMiles Programs that makes it harder to gain status with credit card spend

The main advertised benefits of frequent flier perks are harder to access these days since these programs have reached record membership levels and fuller flights and more people with status mean that getting an upgrade to first or business class is almost impossible and airport lounges are overcrowded with long lines and increased costs just to get in for a chance to grab free drinks and a place to relax before a trip.

The average traveler is better off being a “free agent” when it comes to airline loyalty programs.

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• Delta Air Lines will restrict access to its Sky Club airport lounges as it faces overcrowding

• Global Entry Processing Times Are Surging, Here's What to Know

• Lost your ID, phone or credit card? Here’s how to travel without them.

• These Are the World’s Largest Airports—and More Than Half Are in the USA

• Icelandair's Fall-Winter Round-Trip Deal to Europe

• Delta, United must face class action over US airfares

FAMILY TRAVEL OFFERS & INSIGHTS

Featured Special Offers of the Week

• Southwest Fall sale to high-tail it outta town. One-way as low as* $49

  • *Book by 9/17 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. 30-day advance purchase required. Other restrictions apply

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

In this series titled, "Just Got Back", I go over a quick trip itinerary report for our Labor Day trip to Los Cabos that some of you may find interesting and useful, as I always try to optimize our family travel itineraries and maximize value in the form of cost savings, time savings or other value I can find.

This trip was planned kind of at the last minute, as we shifted our original plans of visiting Maui in mid-August due to the devastating fires on the West side of the island.

The trip itinerary below gives you a quick glimpse on where we stayed, how we got to Los Cabos, some of the highlights of activities we did in each city, where we ate and some of our top recommendations on things to consider adding for your next trip here.

Los Cabos

Situated at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula, Los Cabos is a destination that offers something for everyone whether you're seeking relaxation on pristine beaches, thrilling water sports adventures, or a taste of authentic Mexican culture, this enchanting destination has it all.

The Los Cabos region encompasses the cities of Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, as well as the Tourist Corridor that connects the two cities.

Our trip started with a direct non-stop flight from Sacramento (SMF) to Los Cabos (SJD) on Southwest Airlines and private transportation to/from the airport that we booked through the hotel. We used our Southwest travel credit from our cancelled Maui flight for this flight. Since this route is seasonal, there wasn’t a non-stop return flight, so we flew back using JetBlue miles from Los Cabos (SJD) to Los Angeles (LAX) and then back to Sacramento after staying in Los Angeles for a night.

For this five night trip, we stayed at Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos, which is located approximately halfway between both cities. The resort is stunning and boasts amazing restaurants. From the moment we arrived, we felt transported into a realm of elegance, comfort, and unparalleled beauty.

We spent most of our vacation just relaxing at the resort, but did book a private boat tour with Papillon Yachts that included private transportation to/from our hotel to the marina in Cabo San Lucas, food and unlimited bar, water activity gear and a relaxing tour of the Sea of Cortez and Arch of Cabo.

In the coming weeks, as I get back up to speed from vacation mode, I plan on adding reviews of our experiences of the hotel and boat tour over at The Family Travel Guy.

In the mean time, you can find content in the form of Instagram Reels for Los Cabos that include some of the highlights of our trip.

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• What's the problem with overtourism?

• What’s the Best Way to Engage With and Honor Local Cultures When I Travel?

• Is Now the Right Time to Travel to Maui? We Asked Locals.

• Save Big On Hertz Car Rentals With Your Amex Platinum Card!

• This Country Just Became the First to Introduce Digital Passports

FAMILY TRAVEL OFFERS & INSIGHTS

Featured Special Offers of the Week

• Complimentary Night Promotion at Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos

  • Make the most of your escape to Los Cabos by staying more and paying less with the pay for 5 and stay for 7 offer. Plus includesMarriott STARS Program Amenities

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

If you made it this far, you likely noticed I sent this week’s Family Travel Bulletin out late and missed the typical Friday date due to a stomach bug our daughter picked up from the airport food in Los Cabos on the way home and then a busy weekend of soccer games for both of the kiddos.

Many cruise companies provide Virtuoso travel advisors exclusive amenities that are not available to competitors. These amenities help provide even more value for next cruise in the form of onboard credits, special offers, speciality dining, spa treatments, and more.

You may be wondering why, but cruise lines bookings trend strongly towards travel advisor/company bookings, as opposed to being booked directly with the cruise line. And despite an increase in online bookings in other segments of the travel industry, travel advisors continue to be one the most important distribution channel for all cruise lines.

Cruise lines that offer Virtuoso guests exclusive benefits include the following companies:

• Abercrombie & Kent Cruises, AmaWaterways, Aqua Expeditions, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Aurora Expeditions, Australis, Avalon Waterways, Azamara, Celebrity Cruises, Coral Expeditions, Crystal, Cunard Line, Explora Journeys, French Country Waterways, Holland America Line, Hurtigruten, Lindblad Expeditions, The Mooring Yacht Charters, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Paul Gauguin Cruises, PONANT Yacht Cruises & Expeditions, Princess Cruises, Quark Expeditions, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn, SeaDream Yacht Club, Silversea, Star Clippers, Tauck River Cruising, UnCruise Adventures, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, Viking Cruises, Virgin Voyages, & Windstar Cruises

I’m not going to list all of the companies exclusive benefits here, but will provide a look at a few of them:

Celebrity Cruises

• Virtuoso Guests will enjoy (1) complimentary specialty dinner for two when booked in a Veranda, Concierge Class or AquaClass stateroom on most 2023 voyages.

• Virtuoso Guests will enjoy (1) complimentary specialty dinner for two PLUS (1) $75 USD shopping credit per-stateroom when booked in a Suite on most 2023 voyages.

  • Combinable with most Celebrity Cruises brand offers and Virtuoso HQ Groups

  • (Specialty Dinner Value: $45 USD per person; limit $90 USD per stateroom)

Norwegian Cruise Line

• Virtuoso Guests will enjoy up to $150 USD shipboard credit per person; limit $300 USD per stateroom on select 2023 & 2024 voyages. (Shipboard credit amount based on destination/length of sail and cabin catergory booked.)

Princess Cruises

• Virtuoso Guests will enjoy (1) complimentary specialty dinner for two when booked in a mini-suite or higher on all published 6+ day voyages. (Value: $39 USD per person; limit $78 USD per stateroom)

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection

• Virtuoso Guests will enjoy an exclusive cooking class and chef’s tasting per person on select 2023-2024 voyages.

Royal Caribbean

• Virtuoso Guests will enjoy (1) complimentary specialty dinner for two when booked in a Balcony stateroom on any 7-night or longer voyage in 2023.

• Virtuoso Guests will enjoy (1) complimentary specialty dinner for two PLUS (1) spa treatment for one guest per stateroom when booked in a Junior Suite or higer category on any 7-night or longer voyage in 2023.

• Combinable with most Royal Caribbean brand offers and Virtuoso HQ Groups

By utilizing this information for your next cruise, I hope you can optimize the value you receive the next time you set sail. And if you’re interested in learning more about cruise offers and exclusive benefits on any of the companies listed here, be sure to send me a message.

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• Money for Nothing? Why 5-Star Resorts Are Charging Guests Hundreds in Junk Fees

• Disneyland to limit early park entry for hotel guests beginning next year

FAMILY TRAVEL OFFERS & INSIGHTS

Featured Special Offers of the Week

• Context Travel Fall Flash Sale: 5% off all tours for travel dates Now through October 31

  • Tour prices are falling starting today! To sweeten the deal, there is an extra 5% off this already lowered price so you can experience Context private and small group tours for even less. Soak up the history and culture of your next destination this fall. Sale end September 5th and use code FALL5ALE at checkout

• Complimentary Night Promotion at Walt Disney World Swan, Walt Disney World Dolphin and Walt Disney World Swan Reserve

  • Stay and minimum of five nights and get one night complimentary.

  • Includes Marriott LUMINOUS Program Amenities

  • Offer is valid until July 3, 2024 (Blackout dates from October 15 to 19th and December 24 to December 31, 2023. Additional blackout dates may apply based on hotel occupancy levels)

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

Venice is famous for its canals, historic buildings, iconic landmarks, as well as being renowned for its unique architecture you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere else in the world.

Venice is not just a destination; it's an experience that will awaken your senses and transport you to a world like no other. This captivating city seems unreal, like a scene out of a fairytale where the streets are made of water and ancient palaces and churches arise from the Venetian Lagoon.

I’ll never forget the look of wonder and awe on my kids eyes as we exited the train station and took our first glimpse of Venice and boarded our private water taxi to get to our hotel.

Venice Overview

Geographically, Venice is a city located in northeastern Italy, situated on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by bridges. It is part of the Venetian Lagoon, which stretches along the Adriatic Sea.

Venice has a rich history that dates back to ancient times. It was originally founded by refugees fleeing barbarian invasions in the mainland of Italy around the 5th century, who built the city with pile foundations. Over time, the city-state of Venice grew into a major maritime and trading power during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. Its strategic location along trade routes contributed to its wealth and influence.

Know Before You Go

Here are a few things to know before you visit Venice.

Currency

• The currency used in Venice, as well as in the rest of Italy, is the Euro, abbreviated EUR.

  • The Euro comes in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 euro bills, as well as 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 cent coins, and 1 and 2 euro coins.

• The exchange rate, as of August 2023, for $1 USD is 0.93 EUR.

  • If you are exchanging money at an ATM, ensure you always use a debit card that offers fee free cash withdrawals and you never select the option for the ATM to the conversion for you. Always let your bank make that conversion as you will get a better exchange rate and won’t have to pay a huge markup.

Travel Adapters

• In Venice, the electrical sockets used are Type F sockets, which are also used in many other European countries.

• A standard universal travel adapter will allow you to plug a variety of plugs into a variety of sockets. It is also important to note that a travel adapter will not convert the voltage or frequency. If your device/appliance is not rated for 230 V, you will also need to bring a voltage converter.

Language

• The official language of Venice is Italian, but English was spoken widely as well during our time there.

Climate During the Year

• Venice experiences a humid subtropical climate, characterized by mild to cool winters and warm to hot summers. The city's location on the Adriatic Sea influences its climate, with moderate temperature variations throughout the year.

• When we were there earlier this year in April, it was colder at night, but not unbearable and warmed up quite nicely during the day, typical of a nice Spring day.

Transportation System in Venice

• Transportation in Venice is very unique and is primarily based on water travel through the use vaporettos, water taxis, and traditional gondolas, along with a lot of walking.

• These unique modes of transportation contribute to the charm and character of the city, creating an unforgettable experience for visitors.

When to Visit

The best time to visit Venice largely depends on your preferences and what you plan on visiting during your stay, but I would say the best time to visit is during the spring (late March to May) and autumn (September-October) for mild weather and fewer crowds. Even when we were there in April, the main tourist areas of Venice seemed crazy crowded, likely from day visitors from cruise ships, and I can’t imagine how busy it gets during Summer peak travel.

How to Get There

There are several ways to get to Venice, with the easiest options by air or by train.

• The main airport serving Venice is Marco Polo Airport (VCE) and it is located on the mainland, near the city. From the airport, you can take a water taxi, vaporetto (water bus), or bus to reach the city center.

• Venice is well-connected to the Italian rail network and is served by Venezia Santa Lucia, which is located on the western side of the city, along the Grand Canal. You can reach this station from various major cities in Italy and other European destinations.

Where to Stay

There are many great options to consider staying at when visiting Venice that depend on your particular preferences (travel style, hotel location, etc) and budget.

One of the things to consider when traveling to Venice (and Europe in general) with kids is being able to find hotels that accommodate up to 4 people in one room or suite. Most hotels have a maximum occupancy set at 2 or 3 people per room, even for larger suites sometimes, so it can become very challenging to find a hotel and room category that will work for you and not break the bank at the same time. If if you can't find a room for at least 4 people, then you may end up having to book two rooms (and not break the travel budget) and hope the hotel offers connecting rooms.

For our most recent trip to Venice, we stayed at the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa, which is located on its own private island 15 minutes to the main part of Venice by boat . We selected this hotel due to the family rooms that it offered for a family of four and since we have hotel status (Marriott Bonvoy Titanium) that unlocks extra benefits/amenities like daily breakfast that easily saved us ~$80-$100 a day.

Other great hotel options I would recommend include:

• Virtuoso Travel Hotels in Venice: Hotels where you can get extra value and benefits/amenities lie daily breakfast, hotel credits and more.

• Other hotels I would recommend include the St. Regis Venice, San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice, Hotel Danieli, Hotel Capriani, Hilton Molino Stucky Venice, as well as other hotels that can offer value-added benefits from Marriott STARS/LUMINOUS, Hyatt Prive, Hilton Impresario and more.

Things To Do

There are many things to do and see while visiting Venice, as the city is full of iconic landmarks, historic palaces, and a vibrant cultural scene with a rich history.

Here are some of the top attractions and activities to consider during your visit to Venice:

• St. Mark's Basilica (Basilica di San Marco): Marvel at the intricate Byzantine architecture, stunning mosaics, and gilded interiors of this iconic cathedral located in St. Mark's Square.

• Doge's Palace (Palazzo Ducale): Explore this historic palace that once served as the seat of Venetian government. Admire the opulent interiors, the Bridge of Sighs, and learn about Venice's intriguing history.

• Grand Canal: Take a vaporetto ride or private water taxi ride along the Grand Canal, Venice's main waterway. Admire the elegant palaces lining the banks and experience the unique charm of this bustling water thoroughfare.

• Rialto Bridge: Cross this famous bridge spanning the Grand Canal. The bridge is not only a functional crossing but also a picturesque landmark with stunning views.

• Gondola Ride: While it's a touristy activity, a gondola ride provides a unique perspective of the city. Opt for a quieter side canal to escape the crowds.

• Peggy Guggenheim Collection: Immerse yourself in modern art at this museum housed in Peggy Guggenheim's former residence. The collection includes works by Picasso, Pollock, and more.

• La Scala Contarini del Bovolo: Scale the spiral staircase and take in another unique view of Venice

• Murano and Burano Islands: Take a vaporetto to these nearby islands. Murano is renowned for its glassmaking, while Burano is famous for its colorful houses and intricate lacework.

• Rialto Market: Visit the vibrant Rialto Market to experience the sights and sounds of local produce, fish, and artisanal products.

• Campanile di San Marco: Climb the bell tower in St. Mark's Square for breathtaking panoramic views of Venice's rooftops and canals.

• Accademia Gallery: Admire an impressive collection of Venetian art from the 14th to 18th centuries, featuring works by Bellini, Titian, and Tintoretto.

• Venetian Islands Exploration: Beyond Murano and Burano, explore other islands like Lido (known for its beaches), Giudecca, and San Giorgio Maggiore.

• Take a cooking class: There may be many options to choose from, but the kids cooking class at the JW Marriott Venice was an experience our kids will never forget

• Explore the narrow streets and canals: One of the best ways to experience Venice is to simply wander around the narrow streets and canals. There are many hidden gems to discover, such as small churches, bridges, and shops.

Where to Eat

The city center of Venice is very walkable and no matter where you are in the city, it seems like there is a cafe or restaurant around every corner.

The places we ate at largely depended on which part of Venice we were in around lunch or dinner time and location mainly dictated the available restaurant options for us.

For example, I always like to plan ahead and research food options closest to where we would be in the city, so we don't have to hunt around too long to get a bite to eat. Knowing what options we have near us and where they are located comes in handy when traveling with younger children, but for this trip I didn't make a list of places to eat at and figured there would always be something close by where we were that would work for everyone.

For breakfast each morning, we ate at the hotel (Marriott Bonvoy Titanium breakfast benefit) at the JW Marriott Venice at Cucina, which easily helped us save over $80-$100 a day on breakfast alone.

While exploring Venice, other sit-down restaurants we enjoyed on this trip included:

• Gio's Restaurant (St Regis Venice)

• Sagra Rooftop Restaurant

• Rose Bar Lounge

• Riva Rialto

Venice is known for its fresh seafood, risotto, cicchetti, and traditional Venetian dishes, which are heavily influenced by its maritime seaside location. While you’ll still find pizza here, just know that it is not a speciality in Venice and won’t be as good as you’ll find elsewhere in Italy.

Overall Impression

Venice is a beautiful and unique city that is worth visiting at least once in your lifetime. It is a city of canals, bridges, and palaces, and it is a feast for the senses. Soak up the atmosphere, take a gondola ride, and enjoy the beauty of this one-of-a-kind city.

If you're considering a trip to Venice, I hope some of the information here can help you plan out your next trip. There is so much to see and do, so be sure to plan ahead and add some of the city's top attractions to your itinerary. Or better yet, consider a private or semi-private guided tour so you don’t miss out on anything and learn all about history along the way. I highly recommend Context Travel for this, as well as Family Twist.

I hope this destination spotlight guide helps you plan out your next trip to Venice and gives you a glimpse into highlights of the city, as well as a look the best places to stay and things to do and see in this unique destination.

The Family Travel Guy

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: About Me | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile

This week, I’ll discuss the Rosewood Elite Program in greater detail and how it can add tremendous value for your next Rosewood hotel stay.

What is the Rosewood Elite Program?

The luxury hotel brand Rosewood manages one-of-a-kind luxury properties in the world’s most desired destinations. Rosewood properties embrace the company’s A Sense of Place philosophy, reflecting the history, architecture, scale and sensibilities of the destination.

TheRosewood Elite Program is an exclusive benefits program for travel advisors to offer extra amenities and perks on stays at luxury Rosewood hotels to their clients.

This program operates similarly to other invitation-only programs such as Hilton Impresario, Belmond Bellini Club, Marriott STARS/LUMINOUS, IHG Lifestyle & Luxury, Hyatt Prive and more.

Many people aren't aware of these types of programs, but this hotel benefit program is reserved for a select few travel agencies/advisors that offers travelers great value-added benefits and amenities that can't be secured on your own. Member travel agencies within these programs have the privilege of offering their clients exceptional perks and amenities akin to those enjoyed by travelers with hotel elite status.

The Family Travel Guy is a Virtuoso affiliated Travel Advisor and is able to offer Rosewood Elite Program benefits to clients staying at eligible properties.

What are Rosewood Elite Program Benefits?

Rosewood Elite benefits include room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, hotel credits and special Rosewood Elite only promotions (non-public offers).

Benefits for Rosewood Elite Guests Include:

• Daily breakfast for up to two people per bedroom

• Complimentary one-category upgrade at booking or upon arrival (varies by property)

• Elite Guests will receive a note and amenity from the property

• Personalized welcome

• Pre-registration prior to arrival

• No relocation policy for Elite clients

Other additional property-specific Elite enhanced amenities may include resort credits, guaranteed upgrades and more, as shown below.

What Destinations does Rosewood Hotels Include?

Rosewood hotels are well represented around the world in major cities and popular vacation destinations, with new hotels opening soon in Amsterdam, Rome, Milan, San Francisco, and Miami Beach just to name a few new exciting locations.

Many of the Rosewood hotels may also be a part of the Virtuoso hotel collection, so it is always good to compare benefits and special offers between the two programs.

Overall, if you’re planning a trip to any of Rosewood luxury hotels, you should absolutely book through a travel advisor affiliated with the Rosewood Elite Program to maximize your benefits and overall value.

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• How to Take a Good Passport Photo

• The Master List of Credit Card Transfer Partners

• Your ultimate guide to searching award availability for the major airlines

FAMILY TRAVEL OFFERS & INSIGHTS

Featured Special Offers of the Week

• Rosewood Baha Mar Offer

  • Stay 3 nights, receive 4th night complimentary, plus receive all Rosewood Elite benefits and $125 resort credit

• Rosewood Kona Village Offer

  • Rosewood's first property in the Hawaiian Islands sets the stage for an exceptional Rosewood Elite Partners experience.

  • Receive a complimentary upgrade upon booking when you book three or more nights. Offer is valid from July 01, 2023 - December 18, 2023

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

Like clockwork, it seems like every Summer travel season we constantly hear about Summer travel flight delays and cancellations due to various reasons including weather, plane trouble, over-scheduling or some other reason.

Over the past few years on our flights we have been able to avoid major delays and cancellations, but on our recent Summer flight from Miami, our Delta flight was delayed on the runway for 2.5 hours due to thunderstorms that seemed to appear out of nowhere, which caused us to miss our connection in Atlanta (we had a three hour layover too).

Since our flight was in the afternoon leaving out of Miami, we would have been on the last flight out of Atlanta to Sacramento, but since we missed that, we were stuck overnight in Atlanta.

While a lot of things went wrong and it was frustrating, I will say that the onboard wifi and Delta chat on our flight from Miami to Atlanta was pretty good and responsive, although it did take a while to get everything sorted out.

I was scrambling to see if I could find another flight that night or if we’d be stuck and have to book an airport hotel for the night. Looking back, I probably should have been better prepared and should have read up on Delta Airlines policies on flight delays and cancellations, hence the information and tips below from my recent experience.

What to do if your flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your flight has been canceled or delayed, remember that federal law entitles you to certain benefits and compensation.

If your flight is cancelled, here is what I would recommend doing

• Make sure you have the airlines app downloaded and ready to use

  • Most airline apps allow for flights to be rebooked easily for free, provided you can supply your six-character reservation code. They may also offer chat services through the app and have the numbers needed, in case you want to speak with someone over the phone. During times of mass travel disruptions, you should have all of these options ready to go and try all different avenues for getting help.

• Reference the Cancellation and Delay Dashboard for compensation

  • For cancelled flights, you may be entitled to meal vouchers, complimentary hotels and complimentary transportation to and from accommodations.

If your flight is delayed, here is what I would recommend doing

• Research other flights

  • Check other flights to your destination and request being put on the next flight out. If a flight isn’t available on your airline, an agent may be able to book you on a flight with a different carrier.

• Inquire about compensation

  • If you’ve been delayed or stranded for a few hours, inquire about compensation

How to avoid flight cancellations and delays in the future

• Keep track of your plane

  • On the day of your flight, keep track of the plane and its status through the airlines app or a third-party app like FlightAware or TripIt Pro.

  • I always use FlightAware, as it is an easy way to keep track of your flight and where your plane is coming from and going.

• Fly in the morning

  • Delays can be unpredictable, but there are historically fewer cancellations and delays in the morning.

• Fly direct / non-stop when possible

  • I always prefer flying non-stop to avoid potential delays, missed connections and probability of lost luggage.

• Opt for longer layovers

  • Booking a flight with a longer layover can sometimes help provide enough time to make your connecting flight if there is a delay.

More Flight Tips

• Avoid checking luggage (for shorter trips, if possible)

  • While we are “team check-in”, the recent delay and overnight stay without our checked luggage will make us consider packing a carryon bag with some of our travel toiletries and essentials, just in case we get delayed or have another overnight stay without our bags.

• Purchase travel insurance

  • Most credit cards provide some level of protection and benefits, but the only way to get more comprehensive coverage is with a travel insurance policy. I personally purchase a yearly family travel insurance plan that covers all of our trips.

• Consider a credit card with travel protections

  • Most premium credit cards provide coverage for delays and cancellations when used to book flights and may also cover delayed baggage, lost baggage and other flight related items.

• Research detailed information about airline customer service commitment plans for your airline

  • Alaska Airlines

  • Allegiant Air

  • American Airlines

  • Delta Air Lines

  • Frontier Airlines

  • Hawaiian Airlines

  • JetBlue Airways

  • Southwest Airlines

  • Spirit Airlines

  • United Airlines

Learn more about Aviation Consumer Protection from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office at their official website, linked above.

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FAMILY TRAVEL NEWS

Round-up of travel tips, insights and news

• Hawai‘i Asks Visitors to Postpone Maui Travel Amid Wildfires

• Why your hotel smells like that

• Why does flying seem so terrible right now?

• Airfare enters its cheaper era. But for how long?

• Hotels are returning fire in the 'junk fee' war. Don't be a casualty.

• The Hotel Service Everyone Forgets About — but Can Change the Way You Vacation

• Europe Is Launching New Entry Requirements. When Exactly Will Travelers Need to Apply?

FAMILY TRAVEL OFFERS & INSIGHTS

Featured Special Offer of the Week

• Celebrity Cruises Limited Time Offer

  • For a limited time, save 75% off your second guest’s cruise fare and enjoy additional savings of up to $200 per stateroom.

  • Exclusive Virtuoso Onboard Amenity may apply as well (if certain conditions are met)

  • Offer ends August 15th

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

This week, I’ll discuss the Belmond Bellini Club Program in greater detail and how it can add tremendous value for your next hotel stay.

What is the Belmond Bellini Club Program?

If you haven’t heard of the luxury brand Belmond before, it is owned by LVMH and is one of the most iconic luxury travel brands in the world. It is comprised of 46 iconic hotels, trains, safaris and river cruises across 24 countries bringing together some of the world's most sensational journeys and destinations.

Belmond has some amazing hotels, but it may be best well known for its famous trains like the Venice-Simplon Orient-Express, which operates between London and Venice.

The Belmond Bellini Club Program is an exclusive benefits program for travel advisors to offer extra amenities and perks on stays at luxury Belmond hotels to their clients.

This program operates similarly to other invitation-only programs such as Hilton Impresario, Rosewood Elite Partner, Marriott STARS/LUMINOUS, IHG Lifestlye & Luxury, Hyatt Prive and more.

Many people aren't aware of these types of programs, but this hotel benefit program is reserved for a select few travel agencies/advisors that offers travelers great value-added benefits and amenities that can't be secured on your own. Member travel agencies within these programs have the privilege of offering their clients exceptional perks and amenities akin to those enjoyed by travelers with hotel elite status.

The Family Travel Guy is a Virtuoso affiliated Travel Advisor and is able to offer Belmond Bellini Club Program benefits to clients staying at eligible properties.

What are Belmond Bellini Club Program Benefits?

Belmond Bellini Club benefits include room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, hotel credits and special Belmond Bellini Club only promotions (non-public offers).

Standard Amenities for Hotels, Trains & Cruises include:

• Breakfast for 2 daily (Hotels only)

• VIP welcome treats with a local taste

• Complimentary upgrade based on availability at time of check-in

• A $500 gift voucher when you book $5,000 or more trip with Belmond (applicable towards a future Belmond experience of $2,500+)

Premium Amenities include:

• Hotels & Safaris: Fully flexible hotel or resort credit

  • USD $100 (EUR 90) per room per stay

  • USD $220 (EUR 200) per suite per stay

• Trains & Cruise: Flexible on board credit

  • USD $100 (EUR 90) per person per journey

  • USD $50 (EUR 45) per person for day trips

What Destinations does Belmond Include?

If you’re planning a trip to any of the luxury Belmond destinations and not booking with an affiliated Travel Advisor, you are leaving lots of perks, benefits and huge value behind.

• Hotels

• Trains

• Boats

• Safaris

• Restaurants

Many of the Belmond hotels may also be a part of the Virtuoso hotel collection, so it is always good to compare benefits and special offers between the two programs.

Overall, if you’re planning a trip to any of Belmond’s hotels, train journeys, or river cruises, you should absolutely book through a travel advisor affiliated with Belmond Bellini Club to maximize your benefits and overall value.

RECENT BLOG POSTS

Recent posts from The Family Travel Guy

• Hotel Review: Rush Creek Lodge Resort & Spa at Yosemite

FAMILY TRAVEL NEWS

Round-up of travel tips, insights and news you can use for your next trip

• U.S. Air Travel Has Been a Disaster This Summer, but Help Is on the Way

• We Love to Hate the Travel Bucket List. Why?

• Credit Card Competition Act: What it is, and how it would affect consumers if passed

• 9 hotel room hacks you didn’t know you needed

• Bipartisan Senate bill aims to crack down on hotel 'resort fees'

• KLM and AirFrance Add a Stopover Perk

• 2023 Disneyland Resort Holiday Season Dates and Details Revealed

FAMILY TRAVEL OFFERS & INSIGHTS

Featured Special Offers of the Week

• Belmond Bellini Club Q3 2023 Special Offers

  • Complimentary 4th Night at participating properties

  

  • Complimentary 7th Night with Enhanced Hotel Credit at participating properties

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved

Destination Spotlight travel guides from The Family Travel Guy are delivered to your inbox on the last Friday of the month highlighting a new location each time that we have visited, as I previewed at the beginning of the year: Here's what you can expect in 2023 from The Family Travel Bulletin

Destination Spotlight: New York City Overview

New York City is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and for good reason. There is something for everyone in the Big Apple, from iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building, Central Park, Wall Street and the Statue of Liberty to world-class museums like The Met and The Natural History Museum, to Broadway shows, and world famous restaurants.

If you’re planning a visit to New York City, you’ll probably be visiting Manhattan, but New York City is actually made up of five boroughs connected by bridges, tunnels, the subway system and by ferry:

• Manhattan is home to the most famous skyline in the world and where you’ll find popular attractions to visit like the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Broadway and more.

• Brooklyn is the most populous borough of New York City, known for its diverse neighborhoods and world famous Brooklyn Bridge

• Queens: Queens is the largest borough of New York City and is home to a diverse mix of cultures. Queens is also home to two of the city's three major airports, JFK International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.

• The Bronx: The Bronx is the northernmost borough of New York City and where you’ll find Yankee Stadium, the Bronx Zoo, and the New York Botanical Garden.

• Staten Island is the southernmost borough of New York City and is known for its beautiful parks, such as the Staten Island Greenbelt, and is accessible by the Staten Island Ferry, which provides fantastic views of the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan.

Each of the five boroughs has its own unique personality, so it's worth exploring all of them if you have the time.

Know Before You Go

When to Visit

There is no bad time to visit New York City, as it largely depends on your preferences for weather, events and the crowd levels.

It will be hot and humid during Summer (with an occasional thunderstorm) and much more crowded. Winter can be a nice to visit with holiday decorations and events, but it will be cold and snowy.

Overall, I would recommend Spring and Fall as great times to visit New York City due to the pleasant weather, fewer crowds, and the array of events and activities happening during those seasons.

How to Get There

New York City is served by three major airports that include:

• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

• LaGuardia Airport (LGA)

• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)

All three airports are located in the New York metropolitan area and there are many transportation options available to get you into the city including taxi, Uber/Lyft, Airtrain/Subway or the JFK Express Bus.

For our trips to New York City, I like to fly non-stop into JFK and use a pre-booked car service, like Blacklane, for a transfer into the city. For most first-time visits to a new airport, I like to pre-book a car transfer service for ease of use, reliability and not having to wait around for an Uber or taxi.

Where to Stay

There are many great options to consider staying at when visiting New York City that depend on your particular preferences, travel style, hotel location and budget.

If you’re using points to cover the cost of your hotel, there are many hotels to choose from popular hotel brands from Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott and IHG. If you’re paying for your stay, I always recommend checking to see if you can extract extra value and benefits from Marriott STARS/LUMINOUS, Hyatt Prive, Hilton Impresario, Virtuoso and other programs.

For our most recent trip to New York City, we stayed at the Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel, which is located on one end of Times Square.  The boutique style hotel sits just outside the main hustle and bustle of Times Square and offers one of the best views of Times Square from the R Lounge.

We stayed for 5 nights at the Renaissance New York Times Square, which I think was perfect for exploring the city and still having enough time in the city to relax, instead of always feeling like we had to be on the go if we had less days in New York City. 

We selected this hotel since we have hotel status (Marriott Bonvoy Titanium) that unlocks extra benefits/amenities and since we had lots of Marriott Bonvoy points that could help cover our entire stay. 

Things To Do

There is so much to see and do in New York City and deciding on the best things to do can sometimes be overwhelming.  

These are the places we explored, things we did on each day of our trip (we had four full days to explore) and would recommend you to consider adding to your family trip itinerary as well:

• Statue of Liberty, One World Observatory, 9/11 Memorial, Brooklyn Bridge, NYSE

• Summit One Vanderbilt, Grand Central Station, Bryant Park and Lion King on Broadway

• Central Park, Natural History Museum and The Met

• Visit Times Square

• Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center 

• Edge, Vessel, Hudson Yards, Harry Potter New York and the Empire State Building

I broke up the different places to visit by proximity to each other to make it easier to plan out your day and visit to each location. This is especially helpful when traveling with kids, as you don't want to be running from one end of Manhattan to the other.

During our time in New York City, we walked a lot (~5-7 miles a day) and used Uber to get to places quicker that were further away or when we were tired from a long day of walking everywhere.

Where to Eat

New York City features many wonderful restaurants and various food options from all around the world to choose from.  There truly is something for everyone, including the pickiest of kids, in New York City. 

The places we ate at largely depended on which part of Manhattan we were in around lunch time or dinner time and location mainly dictated the available restaurant options for us.  For example,  I always like to plan ahead and research food options closest to where we would be in the city, so we don't have to hunt around too long to get a bite to eat.  

Knowing what options we have near us and where they are located comes in handy when traveling with younger children, but for this trip I didn't make a list of places to eat at and figured there would always be something close by where we were that would work for everyone.

For breakfast each morning, we enjoyed a breakfast buffet at the hotel at the R Lounge (Marriott Bonvoy Titanium breakfast benefit).  The R Lounge features amazing views of Times Square and in the mornings is only open for Marriott Platinum/Titanium members for breakfast.  In the evenings, the lounge opens up for drinks, appetizers and small bites like pizza and sandwiches.  We had light dinners here on a few nights since it was an easy option and were given R Lounge credit coupons from our hotel loyalty program status.   

While exploring New York City, some of the restaurants we enjoyed for either lunch or dinner included: 

• Bryant Park Cafe

• Eataly NYC Flatiron

• Broadstone Bar & Kitchen

• Mercado Little Spain & La Barra

• Dos Caminos

• Carmine's Italian Restaurant

• Loab Boathouse (inside Central Park) 

Since we had a hearty breakfast most mornings, we ended up having lunch and dinner at odd times throughout the day after visiting an attraction so didn't experience long waits for meals.  

Overall Impression

I hope this destination spotlight guide helps you plan out your next trip to New York City and gives you a glimpse into highlights of the city, as well as a look the best places to stay and things to do and see in the Big Apple.

New York City is a place I can visit many times without getting bored, as the hustle and bustle of the city makes it a new experience every time we visit. From all of the museums to visit, restaurants to try and just seeing the skyscrapers for the first time as you make your way into the city is an unforgettable moment for everyone, especially for kids. And then being able to see it all from a different perspective from all of the observation decks from newer buildings like the Edge, One World Observatory and Summit One Vanderbilt to classics like Rockefeller Center and the Empire State Building makes it all seem new again.

There is so much to see and do so be sure to leave yourself enough time to take it all in. No matter what you are interested in, New York City has something to offer for everyone, as there is so much to do and explore throughout the city that you'll leave wanting to come back soon and experience it again.

The Family Travel Guy

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: About Me | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile

In this series titled, "Just Got Back", I go over a quick trip itinerary report for our Summer trip that included a stay in Miami and a cruise to the Bahamas and CocoCay with Royal Caribbean that some of you may find interesting and useful, as I always try to optimize our family travel itineraries and maximize value in the form of cost savings, time savings or other value I can find.

The trip itinerary below gives you a quick glimpse on where we stayed, how we got to each city, some of the highlights of activities we did in each city, where we ate and some of our top recommendations on things to consider adding for your next trip to one of these amazing cities.

Miami

We took a red-eye flight , which is less than ideal, but there aren’t many options unless we fly out of a bigger airport like from San Francisco (SFO). We arrived a day before our cruise, just in case of any delays or mishaps getting into Miami. Anytime you’re taking a cruise, I highly recommend arriving to the destination at least one day before to account for anything that delay your arrival into the destination.

• Flight: SMF to FLL with a stop in ATL on Delta Airlines.

  • Since it was an overnight flight, I decided to book Delta Comfort+ to give us a little more space to try to get some sleep on the flight.

  • I booked a car service from FLL to our hotel with Blacklane, which is a chauffer service I typically use for airport pickups. I don’t want to have to hunt around for an Uber or wiat around in a taxi line, especially on little sleep at an airport I have not been to previously. With Blacklane, our driver is waiting for us at the baggage carousel and provies seamless service to our destination. We have used Blacklane in London, Paris, New York City, Rome, and other major cities on our travels.

• Stay: JW Marriott Marquis Miami

  • We spent one night in Downtown Miami, close enough to the Miami Cruise Terminal and Brickell City Centre (shopping, restaurants)

Royal Caribbean Cruise with stops at CocoCay and Nassau, Bahamas

We embarked on a three-night cruise on Royal Caribbean out of Miami that included stops at their private island, CocoCay, and then a stop at Nassau, Bahamas.

We booked a Junior Suite on Freedom of the Seas, which offered lots of space for our family of four. We also purchased “The Key”, which gave us priortiy embarkation/departure, internet access, preferred seating areas at the shows, welcome lunch, departure breakfast and many other benefits.

Since we had a cruise credit from 2020 that we had to use, the overall cost of the cruise was relatively inexpensive, but when you start adding up all of the other things we purchased like drink packages and tours, the overall price increased quickly.

Perfect Day at CocoCay: We splurged a little here and booked an overwater bungalow at Coco Beach Club that was an amazing way to spend the day at CocoCay.

Nassau, Bahamas: We booked a tour through Royal Caribbean to Baha Mar, where we enjoyed a day at the Baha Mar Water Park and touring the hotels there. This area of Nassau is relatively new in terms of the hotels and development there, with the other popular option in Nassau is a visit to Atlantis Bahamas.

Miami Beach

After our cruise, we spent the next week in Miami Beach at two luxury hotels, one in South Beach and another in Bal Harbour. We enjoyed shopping and dining in South Beach Miami, as well as visiting Wynwood Walls, taking a boat tour, and a quick trip to Everglades National Park.

The Ritz Carlton South Beach: We spent three nights here and booked a Marriott STARS rate that gave us a daily $113 breakfast credit, $100 hotel credit and other benefits. Our Marriott Bonvoy Titanium status is almost meaningless at Ritz Carlton properties (no breakfast benefit, room upgrades, etc, based on our Marriott Bonvoy status). I booked this hotel due to its location on South Beach and benefits we would receive when booking a STARS rate.

The St Regis Bal Harbour: We spent the next three nights here and used Marriott Bonvoy points to book our stay. Our Marriott Bonvoy Titanium status helped unlock daily breakfast (amazing benefit here!) and we used Suite Night Upgrade Certificates to help us get an upgrade to a Deluxe Oceanfront Room. It is much more relaxed in Bal Harbour and the hotel had a nice family pool area with sports equipment and what felt like a private beach, as it was not crowded like South Beach.

On our way home, we experienced a major flight delay due to weather and were stuck on the runway for 2+ hours in FLL due to thunderstorms. We ended up missing our connection in Atlanta and had to book an overnight stay at a nearby airport hotel without our luggage, as the next flight out wasn’t until the next morning. The most annoying part of the whole experience was a lack of communication and understanding/caring from Delta (we weren’t the only ones experiencing delays and missed connections). I have submitted a claim for reimbursement, so we’ll see what happens with that.

In the coming weeks, as I get back up to speed from vacation mode and find some time, I plan on adding reviews of the hotels we stayed at, our experience on the cruise, as well as the best things to consider seeing and doing that you should consider adding to your next trip to Miami over on the blog at The Family Travel Guy.

In the mean time, you can find content in the form of Instagram Reels for each of the places we visited that include some of the highlights of our trip.

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• The Ultimate Guide to Overhead Bin Etiquette, According to Flight Attendants

• 2 More Countries Are Joining Europe's Visa-Free Schengen Zone in 2023

• As Airport Lounges Fill Up, New Private Terminals Offer a Crowd-Free Alternative

FAMILY TRAVEL OFFERS & INSIGHTS

Featured Special Offers of the Week

• The Ritz-Carlton Bal Harbour, Miami: Stay longer, Save more

  • Stay 3 nights and enjoy 10% off; Stay 4 nights and enjoy 20% off

  • This offer is combinable with STARS benefits.

• The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort: Stay Longer, Save More

  • Stay 3 nights, save 10%, Stay 4 nights, save 15%, Stay 5 nights or more, save 20%

  • This offer is combinable with STARS benefits.

THE FAMILY TRAVEL GUY

I hope this email helped spark some travel inspiration!

• Learn More Here: Randy | The Family Travel Guy

• Stay Connected: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Virtuoso Profile 

If you ever have a question or are looking to book a hotel where I can offer extra value and amenities, please reach out to me at Randy@thefamilytravelguy.com

The Family Travel Bulletin is a once weekly newsletter by Randy Singh featuring a curated summary of family travel news, special offers, travel advisor insights and recent blog posts from The Family Travel Guy to help you travel better, travel smarter and optimize value along the way.

The Family Travel Guy is an independent affiliate of 1000 Mile Travel Group, a Virtuoso Member, CST# California: 2129700-40

Copyright ©2023 The Family Travel Guy, All Rights Reserved