Travel Adventures By Amanda

In  Part 1 , I covered how booking a vacation early can save a family thousands of dollars.  In this post, I’ll discuss when to book and how booking early can help you manage your cash flow.  The general rule of thumb is that the bigger the trip, the farther in advance you should book.   For the most savings, you should book as soon as the booking dates release.   So when does this happen?   It can vary by the type of trip and the supplier (tour operator, cruise line, etc…), but below I’ve outlined some general guidelines.   In a nutshell, if you are planning on cruising, going to Alaska, or taking a big bucket list trip in 2020, now is the time to book.   Here are a few pointers:               Almost all the ocean cruise lines have released schedules into 2020.    You can book most of them through fall 2020, but some have opened booking through the entire year.   Whether you want a 3-night Bahamian itinerary or an around the world cruise, you should book it as soon as

It’s time to start planning your summer vacation.   No, not this summer, next summer.   Yes, that’s right.    As a travel planner with a focus on family adventure travel, I get asked all the time how to save money on family vacations.   As any parent knows, kids are expensive.   Depending on how many you have, they can double easily double or triple the cost of your vacation.   So how can you afford to go amazing places as a family?   My answer: Book Early.   I booked our family’s July 2019 summer vacation in June of 2018.   Perhaps that seems a little over the top.   I’m a hyper planner and like having our calendar planned out far in advance, but even if this isn’t your personal style, planning early can save you thousands of dollars on your vacation.     But first, let me say a word about last minute travel.   This seems to be a popular strategy.   There are a lot of misconceptions out there about last-minute deals, especially when it comes to plane tickets and cruises.   I’ll