New Brand Pays Tribute to Agency's Legacy of Travel

Many of our long-time clients know the story behind our family owned travel agency. In 1991 we began as Anderson Travel outside of Boston, Massachusetts. When we started the agency it was important that we put our family name behind our business. After all, it was my parents, Charles and Ruth Anderson, who introduced travel into my life as a young boy and inspired and encouraged me to begin this agency twenty years ago. Their love of travel continued throughout their lives and they passed along that passion for new and exciting adventures to their children and grandchildren. Today, even though my parents are no longer with us, their legacy lives on through this agency and its commitment to bringing the joy of travel to others.



Charles and Ruth Anderson

 As a recognition of our family's legacy of travel, today we are announcing that our agency will be undergoing a migration to a new name and brand, Anderson Vacations, a Five Star Travel Company, effective immediately. The new logo, which is displayed on this blog posting, will be introduced on our print and web media in the coming weeks. Our staff will also begin utilizing the Anderson Vacations name (so don't think you've dialed the wrong number) effective immediately. Phone numbers will of course remain the same and previous email addresses will still be effective, along with our new domain of AndersonVacations.com (you can reach me directly at Carl@AndersonVacations.com).
Our facebook page, Barefoot Escapes by Five Star Travel, will remain the same as well. We encourage you to become a fan of our page to keep up with our yearly hosted Barefoot Escapes, along with travel specials and useful travel tips. And, of course, Your Monday Morning Escape will continue to tantalize you with dream destinations every week in your email inbox.
We are both excited and proud to return our family name to our travel agency. We hope you will associate the Anderson Vacations brand with integrity in travel planning for many years to come. And, as always, thank you for being such an important part of our family's history.

Carl Anderson

The Evolution of the All-Inclusive Resort

The Excellence Riviera Cancun All-Inclusive Resort

If you are around 40 years old or older, your perception of an all-inclusive resort may be vastly different than that of someone much younger than you. Why is it that age matters when forming impressions about these resorts? Well, it has to do with the evolution of the all-inclusive over the years.
When the all-inclusive concept was first introduced in the 1970's its main focus was budget oriented travelers looking for a good bargain. As a result, the resorts were built to satisfy those tastes. The cuisine was average, the accommodations were spartan and the service levels were minimal. But, if you wanted a $499 package with all your meals and drinks included, then this vacation option was built for you.
It took a long time for the perception about all-inclusive resorts to change. That change started to occur when new all-inclusive brands such as Sandals, Superclubs and Couples debuted in Jamaica. Then, within the last couple of decades even more all-inclusive options emerged from companies like Iberostar, Barcelo and Riu. These companies spread the all-inclusive concept into Mexico and other Caribbean islands such as the Dominican Republic.
Today, the luxury all-inclusive resort is one of the most popular vacation options available. Companies dedicated to luxury such as Royal Hideaway, Karisma, Secrets and Excellence continue to grow their luxury brands of all-inclusives throughout the Caribbean and Mexico. Many of these resorts are restricted to adults only, while others cater exclusively to couples. Still other luxury resorts welcome the whole family with programs geared towards the little ones.
Each all-inclusive is designed differently. But, for most "luxury" brands, guests can expect high levels of service, premium drinks, gourmet cuisine, a pampering spa and larger suite accommodations. Much different from the all-inclusive of 30-40 years ago.
We at Anderson Vacations have twenty years of experience booking all-inclusive resorts. We have seen the evolution develop before our eyes. Whatever your travel budget, there is an all-inclusive resort for you. Even if that budget allows for the ultimate luxury resort experience.

When is a $3,000 Vacation Less Expensive Than a $2,000 Vacation?

At first the title of this blog posting may be confusing. After all, how can $3,000 ever be less than $2,000? Actually the answer to this question has to do with vacation value. As most travelers know, the price you pay upfront is never the total price of your vacation. There are tips, meals, drinks, excursions, and shopping that are not included on many vacation packages. The question any traveler must ask themselves is "how much of these extra costs are indeed included in my upfront price"?
So, that $3,000 vacation that includes your flights, lodging, transportation, all your meals and drinks, some water sports and tips may indeed be much less than the $2,000 vacation that only includes the flights and hotel. Furthermore, with the more inclusive vacation you aren't constantly worrying about how much you are spending each time you eat or drink. It reduces the stress during your vacation, which by the way, supposed to be stress-free.
Cruise lines are also a good example of how this works. Most of the mass-market and premium brand cruises today charge extra onboard the ship for drinks (even soda and bottled water) tours, tips and even some meals. When added to the cost of your initial cruise fare, that can really add up. Some lines, however, are now including many of these features in the initial cost. Some lines even include shore tours with the initial purchase price. So, when you look at one cruise line that may be $2,000 more than another, you need to look at what is included. And, remember that point about stress-free. Nobody likes having a large bill waiting for them when they return home from their vacation, which included multiple swipes of the credit card.
At Anderson Vacations, we pride ourselves in finding vacation value for our clients. Not only do we distinguish between resorts, but we also make it clear which vacation will be providing better value for our clients' vacation dollars. So, next time you see an advertised price for a $2,000 vacation that sounds too good to be true, look behind the numbers and see what is (or isn't) included in the price. Then, let us recommend to you your best vacation option.

Do You Need Travel Insurance?

The subject of travel insurance is a critical one when planning any vacation. After all, vacation costs can be pretty significant and protecting those dollars should be a prime concern for any traveler. But the question that many individuals have is "when should I buy insurance and when should I consider declining the protection?"
The bottom line with travel insurance, like any other insurance, is risk. How much of your travel purchase is being put at risk. In other words, if you were to cancel your trip, how much, if any of your total trip cost, would you get back. For instance, most airline tickets, while non-refundable, are re-usable. So, for a fee, most passengers can re-use that ticket up to a certain point in the future. You may opt not to purchase insurance if you believe you will travel within that window. Also, hotels and resorts have varying cancellation policies. Some will allow you to cancel the same day as your arrival and receive a refund, while others charge a cancellation penalty for cancellations up to 21 days prior, or even longer. Again, you need to assess your risk before purchasing the protection. As for cruises, we always recommend our clients purchase the trip insurance. Cruise lines will penalize you 100% of your cruise cost for cancellations made within approximately 14 days prior to departure. And even for cancellations inside of 60-70 days, penalties are assessed.
The other major concern, especially when traveling outside the country, is protection while you are abroad. Emergencies happen and you want to make sure you are prepared for these occasions. A good trip insurance policy will cover you for medical expenses you may incur that aren't covered by your health insurance company. It will also cover you for medical evacuations in the case that you had to be flown back to the U.S. Such services can be extremely expensive. As a result of these risks, we recommend that all of our clients carry at least a policy that will cover them for these unexpected expenses when traveling outside the U.S.
Working with your travel agent is critical when deciding on what type of insurance to purchase. Five Star Travel uses only the most secure insurance agencies in the industry. Cancellations don't happen often, but when they do, most travelers are very thankful they purchased insurance. However, there are occasions where purchasing insurance may be futile and only serve to line the coffers of the insurance agency. This is where we as your travel counselors will guide you through the process so you can make the most educated decision in the end. After all, nobody wants to spend money they don't need to spend. But, even more important, nobody wants to stress on their vacation not knowing if they are covered for the unexpected.

An Exciting Year in Store for Travelers in 2011

Every year, as the new year is approaching, it is always hard to believe that another year has passed. While we are always grateful for our past, we eagerly await the new and exciting experiences that lie ahead of us. For the travel industry, 2011 promises to be a breakthrough year with several exciting new products being introduced. We thought we'd take a quick peek at what you can expect from the world of travel.

We won't be too far into the new year when the first of the exciting events of the year takes place. Disney Cruise Line's new Disney Dream will arrive in Port Canaveral, Florida on January 4th and begin sailing three, four and five night Bahamas cruises. The 128,000 Dream, Disney's largest cruise ship, will introduce some innovative firsts for the cruise industry. Among them is the AquaDuck water roller coaster. This attraction, which uses water blaster technology, starts near the ship's rear stack and takes guests above the pool area, through the front stack and back over the pool deck to the rear stack again. Guests ride on two-person rafts through a clear tube that takes them out over the ocean. Then there are the virtual portholes in the interior cabins. Disney will actually project actual live HD footage of the ship's exterior view on virtual portholes, giving guests the illusion that they have an ocean view.
The Disney Dream is one of several new cruise ships debuting in 2011. Another highly anticipated arrival is the 130,000 ton Carnival Magic. The Magic is set to debut in Europe on May 1st. After a summer and early fall season in Europe she will cross the Atlantic and reposition to Galveston, Texas where she'll become the largest year round ship to be home-ported in that state.
Other cruise lines such at Celebrity, Oceania, Costa and Seabourn will also introduce new vessels, offering veteran and first-time cruisers even more choices. In addition to these new ocean-going vessels, several river cruise companies, including AMA Waterways and Avalon Waterways will have new ships in 2011.
The big news isn't only reserved for the cruise industry of course. Several new resorts are opening their doors in the coming new year. These include Disney's Aulani Resort on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. A new Park Hyatt will open in Bermuda on the old site of the Club Med and The Four Seasons Nevis will re-open after two years of renovations.
If you're flying to your destination in 2011 expect some changes in the air as well. Southwest Airlines will be completing its merger with Air Tran and the big United/Continental marriage begins to take shape as well. Other carriers, such as JetBlue, will expand its service to cover even more destinations in the Continental U.S. and the Caribbean.
All in all, there's a lot to look forward to in 2011 when it comes to travel. We've only touched upon but a very few of the exciting new developments coming our way in the new year. Whether you enjoy a luxury ocean cruise, a relaxing beach vacation or an exotic adventure experience, we hope your travel dreams come true in 2011. And, be sure to let us know if you need any help in the planning process.

Happy New Year !

Royal Caribbean Takes Delivery of Brand New Mega Ship Allure of the Seas

Approximately one year after introducing the world's largest cruise ship, the Oasis of the Seas, industry giant Royal Caribbean last week took possession of the Oasis' sister ship Allure of the Seas, from the STX Europe shipyard in Turku, Finland.Like its sister, the 225,282-ton vessel is nearly 50% larger than any other cruise ship afloat and has room for nearly 6,300 passengers -- an industry record.

Construction of the vessel began nearly two years ago.

Royal Caribbean says Allure set sail Friday from the Finnish shipyard for Fort Lauderdale, Fla., where it will join Oasis in sailing seven-night voyages to the Caribbean. The ship is scheduled to arrive in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 11. It's maiden voyage is set for Dec. 1.

Like Oasis, Allure of the Seas boasts the most elaborate top-deck at sea, with four distinct pool areas, two rock climbing walls, two surfing simulators, a basketball court and even a zip line. Also like Oasis, the ship is home to tree-lined, open-air "Central Park;" a family-focused outdoor amusement area called the Boardwalk; an outdoor "AquaTheater" that will be home to diving shows; a sprawling spa; and dozens  of lounges, bars and restaurants.

Among new offerings on Allure is the first Starbucks at sea, the first GUESS store at sea, a Brazilian churrascaria restaurant, a Mexican cantina and a hot dog stand. The ship also will be the first to feature DreamWorks Animation characters such as Shrek, part of a new partnership between DreamWorks and Royal Caribbean. And, in one of the more exciting additions, the ship will play host to the Broadway musical Chicago.

With the delivery of Allure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean now operates 22 cruise ships. The line has no other vessels on order.

Be a Part of the Exciting Travel Industry with Five Star Travel's Independent Affiliate Program

We're excited this week to announce the debut of our Five Star Travel Independent Affiliate Program. This program is aimed at stay at home Mom's and Dad's who are looking to earn a healthy part-time income in the exciting travel industry. Through the strength of our partnerships with some of the best travel suppliers, such as top cruise lines and tour operators, Five Star Travel earns top level commissions. As a result, we are able to offer our affiliates in the program a great opportunity to earn a significant share of these commissions by planning fantastic vacations for their friends and family.
When you become an Independent Affiliate of Five Star Travel you are in your own business, but you are by no means on your own. We offer initial training and continuing support to all of our affiliates to insure they reach whatever goal they set for themselves in business. If you've always had a passion for travel and would like to turn that passion into an income opportunity, give us a call at 512-716-0900 or email us at sales@five-startravel.com. We'd love to have you join our team.