Photo by John Henderson
TRAVEL
CeleBRA tion
I HOPE, LIKE ME, YOU ENJOYED A WONDERFUL FESTIVE SEASON.
I sometimes try to explain to overseas hoteliers and tour companies what Christmas and the New Year is like for us, and how it compares to theirs. Our festive season is the culmination of so much. The school year finishes and there are concerts to attend and reports to write (and read). Everyone tries to finish projects so that the New Year is begun with a clean slate. And because it is also our summer holiday season, those who are going away have to deal with packing the suitcase as well as buying Christmas presents, entertaining the rellies and getting ready for the back to school effort. Who can blame those wanting to escape the stress in favour of time away? These days I spend my time planning others’ escapes. And if there is one tip I can give, it is to plan your away time early. There will always be space at the last minute, but there are good reasons to plan, if not book, as early as Feb/Mar/Apr for your year-end trip. If you’re looking to cruise locally over Christmas or New Year, the early booker definitely catches the best rooms. Cruise lines release their programmes 18 months in advance and the organised get the rooms they want. For example, those who created families per Peter Costello’s suggestion (one for Mum, one for Dad and another for the country) will find they need two rooms unless they get in early to book one of the few two-bedroom options, allowing a 5/6 member family to not only save money, but also enjoy the added benefit of extra space.
Some cruises are regularly booked out 18-24 months in advance. These are the special journeys, typically expedition, which happen only once or twice a year and on small ships e.g. the sub-Antarctic islands or Antarctica from New Zealand. Or the limited Broome to Darwin and reverse seasonal cruises. Or those offered by companies with a policy of discounting 3040% when a programme is released, and then steadily increasing prices as the ship fills e.g. the popular French line Ponant. Flights, unlike cruises, cannot be booked 12-18 months out, but those looking for the best prices for Christmas 2018 and New Year 2019 (scarey!) will find that there is often a second round of ‘earlybirds’ in Feb/Mar, designed primarily to fill the planes to Europe or America but advantageous when they extend to the end of the year. Register your plans with us and we’ll keep watch for you. Sydney has become synonymous with a great place to revel on New Year’s Eve and high demand definitely dictates a higher than normal price. We find similar in New York, London, Paris, Berlin and Hong Kong so it’s a relief to be able to offer our Virtuoso rates, all of which include a great value add. What’s not to like about complimentary lounge access when this will allow you a birds-eye view of NYE fireworks in Hong Kong? Or a room credit of USD100 for a few
flutes of fine champagne in London? And a restorative breakfast plus priority access to late checkout next day so you can sleep off your partying! Of course, some celebrations should be booked well in advance. Are you looking to charter a small ship for that special birthday or anniversary, or take up all of the rooms in a particular resort? Then you need to be planning 12-18 months out, even if bookings are not yet open. The extra time spent planning your celebration will be well worth it – and you’ll find we can add plentiful suggestions to make your event fabulous. Having someone you can turn it over to is not only a great relief, but will also minimise the politicking or grandstanding by certain family members. You’ve heard the phrase “the computer says no”? Well, we become the computer that says no, or yes, or maybe, thus relieving you of all of the organisation hassles. Celebrations – Christmas in London, New Year in Vienna, your 60th in New York, the family summer holiday onboard a cruise ship plying the Pacific - or whatever excuse you have for a party or holiday - are memory making events. Seize the opportunity to create your celebration now, have something to look forward to and then look back on. Let us use our expertise to help you... we do it all the time. Welcome to 2018 and we wish you a happy and healthy year ahead. TRAVEL Adrienne Witteman,
Managing Director, Trendsetter Travel & Cruise Centre.
* Conditions apply
LANE COVE MARKET SQUARE 9427 6666
LONGUEVILLE 9428 5900
www.trendsettertravel.com.au THE VILLAGE OBSERVER I NO. 270 I FEBRUARY 2018 I 19
