How's The Economy Affecting Your 2009 Vacation?

[CindaBee]

We had originally planned to spend a week in St. Lucia, but the airfare from Cleveland was prohibitive. Then looked at Belize, but got talked out of it by former residents there. So, this year it's back "home" to Key West. Our B&B friends made sure we will have our favorite room and rum will be ready for us when we arrive. So, even though we're not spending as big as we planned, we still have a great vacation planned for early April.

I'm also thinking about a trip to the California wine country to meet my half-brother and his family that I just connected with last week, for the first time ever. We're taking baby-steps in developing a relationship right now, but what a place for a family get-together!

[Dr.Corona]

interesting topic to me...... I have been a travel agent for over 8 years, and my company recently consolidated our stores from 3 down to 1 "super store" and I have been SO busy that I could work 80 hours a week and not get caught up. You would never know that the economy was bad from my desk. People arent spending as much, so that is where I DO see the difference. So I am working 10 times as hard for the same sales I was getting 3 or so years ago......... be careful with on line bookings though.......... I have been hearing stories of people having nightmare things happen, as well as most online booking engines are the equivelant of outsourcing US jobs.... someone is getting paid, making commissions... but not in the US. And most travel agencies will match or beat online prices..........

Did not know that....thanks for the info! My belief is this country NEEDS to get back to supporting the local/domestic products & business. I understand we like to get a bargain but a little social responsibility can go a long way to sustaining our economy and making the future better for our children & our children's children!


Having said that....travel plans are a mystery. I DO know we wanted to redo our kitchen this winter but have put that on hold until later to see if our economy continues to tank or what. Can't validate spending big $$ on vacation if we're not able to redo the kitchen.

[PetalMel]

interesting topic to me...... I have been a travel agent for over 8 years, and my company recently consolidated our stores from 3 down to 1 "super store" and I have been SO busy that I could work 80 hours a week and not get caught up. You would never know that the economy was bad from my desk. People arent spending as much, so that is where I DO see the difference. So I am working 10 times as hard for the same sales I was getting 3 or so years ago......... be careful with on line bookings though.......... I have been hearing stories of people having nightmare things happen, as well as most online booking engines are the equivelant of outsourcing US jobs.... someone is getting paid, making commissions... but not in the US. And most travel agencies will match or beat online prices..........

Did not know that....thanks for the info! My belief is this country NEEDS to get back to supporting the local/domestic products & business. I understand we like to get a bargain but a little social responsibility can go a long way to sustaining our economy and making the future better for our children & our children's children!


Having said that....travel plans are a mystery. I DO know we wanted to redo our kitchen this winter but have put that on hold until later to see if our economy continues to tank or what. Can't validate spending big $$ on vacation if we're not able to redo the kitchen.

quick hijack--not sure what you are planning to do kitchen-wise, but we had New Design reface our kitchen cabinets and put in a new counter---did a FANTASTIC job, are great with follow up as we had a few minor issues afterwards, and they were great on pricing. If you want, PM me for more info or to come over and enjoy a cold beverage if you wanna see their work.....

[Conolulu]

It hasn't...

My 2009 plans are the same as my 2008 plans.








stay home.

[green1]

It's not, we are still planning on flying up to Maine for the family reunion. Other than that vacation will be taken when the baby arrives.

[Snowparrot]

First vacation of the year: Jamaica last week.
Second: a business trip to Toronto, with a half-day of me-time int he big city.
Third: Maybe back to Jamaica in April?
Fourth: Where's Jimmy really going to play this spring and summer?
Fifth: a couple of weeks at the cottage, by the lake

I have a wonderful job, with amazing amounts of paid holidays. And No Parrot is almost retired. So this is the best of times for us. (Also, with one kid in Whistler and another in Montego Bay , we have interesting places to visit.)

[lilsalty]

Disney in Feb., KW in April, but it looks like we're not going away for our 5 yr. anniversary...perhaps a trip back to the BVI will be in the cards for '10. Instead we'll just hang out on Long Island and do a lot of trips to the beach, some short trips out to Montauk, and it looks like an Atlantic City weekend on July 4th (hopefully!!)

[LIPH]

I never make plans too far in advance. At my age you never know ...

[buffettbride]

interesting topic to me...... I have been a travel agent for over 8 years, and my company recently consolidated our stores from 3 down to 1 "super store" and I have been SO busy that I could work 80 hours a week and not get caught up. You would never know that the economy was bad from my desk. People arent spending as much, so that is where I DO see the difference. So I am working 10 times as hard for the same sales I was getting 3 or so years ago......... be careful with on line bookings though.......... I have been hearing stories of people having nightmare things happen, as well as most online booking engines are the equivelant of outsourcing US jobs.... someone is getting paid, making commissions... but not in the US. And most travel agencies will match or beat online prices..........

Did not know that....thanks for the info! My belief is this country NEEDS to get back to supporting the local/domestic products & business. I understand we like to get a bargain but a little social responsibility can go a long way to sustaining our economy and making the future better for our children & our children's children!


Having said that....travel plans are a mystery. I DO know we wanted to redo our kitchen this winter but have put that on hold until later to see if our economy continues to tank or what. Can't validate spending big $$ on vacation if we're not able to redo the kitchen.

quick hijack--not sure what you are planning to do kitchen-wise, but we had New Design reface our kitchen cabinets and put in a new counter---did a FANTASTIC job, are great with follow up as we had a few minor issues afterwards, and they were great on pricing. If you want, PM me for more info or to come over and enjoy a cold beverage if you wanna see their work.....

For important trips, I tend to book airfare through the airlines directly. I *love* using a travel agent to book trips to Mexico, though. Just has that personal touch and hasn't affected my bottom line when I've traveled.

[PetalMel]

I ended up booking our cruise, air, and hotel before the cruise directly with the vendors, etc. I usually use Travelocity, but found that air through airtran was oh so much cheaper directly. The cruise cost through Celebrity was the same as all the "cheap cruise sites" were quoting as well as some agents I had called. The room was about $10 cheaper as well.


At this point it is all about "rum and souvenir money" for my trips to Margaritaville at Ocho Rios and Grand Cayman....

[Missing B'dos]

Orlando (conferences) January and October.
Short trip to Tobago, March (birthday, it's only 20 minutes away)
Turks & Caicos (already paid last fall) in May
Family trip to Northern California and maybe Idaho in July
Wedding in Connecticut and trip to Martha's Vineyard, October
A cruise in June? (running club)
Daughters visiting in December
Carnival (here) is next month
What should we do for Thanksgiving?

[Missing B'dos]

PS In years to come, your children will not remember if you had an updated kitchen, or how many bathrooms you had, or what your lawn was like. They will remember where you travelled together and what you did. Fixtures are not as important as family. Take the trip. The bathroom or kitchen will still be there when you return. And (our family motto) 'you may never have the chance again, and you'll have to remember 'when'....'

[Skibo]

Two trips planned for this year so far...that's one more than last year. It could be 3 if it weren't for that darn economy.

[sonofabeach]

My economy is sound so my vacation will not be affected.

[flipflopgirl]

It hasn't...

My 2009 plans are the same as my 2008 plans.








stay home.

BUT................... you do have some friends coming to visit in April!!!! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

[blackjack]

We had been going to Jamaica every other year, but this year we will not make it.

I am going to Panama for a work-related thing, but hardly vacation.

Going back to Pittsburgh with the kids again this year, they loved it sooo much last year.

Other than that, we'll see.

[seminoledq]

We are still doing the usual but will probably have less fun money to play with while on our trips. We'll travel to a football game in the fall (Utah this year, bleh) and Vegas for Buffett, and something in the Caribbean for our anniversary/family vacation in August. Nothing until then but work trips to hopefully build up some miles and hotel points to use on said fun trips.

We need to get braces for one of the kids so we are waiting to see what the tax man says about a refund before we book anything just in case.

DQ

[popcornjack]

It hasn't...
My 2009 plans are the same as my 2008 plans.
stay home.

BUT................... you do have some friends coming to visit in April!!!! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

stooooopid work

[RinglingRingling]

vacation?

travelling?

huh?

[ScarletB]

My normal Nantucket in Sept is booked and some weekend stuff to the Berkshires.

The only thing screwing up MOTM (whether I go or not) and the rest of my vacation time is the tour schedule!!
I'm going to lose some Jet Blue miles if I don't make some reservations in a hurry!