How do I book my vacation?
We tried to make it as easy as possible for you to price
and book your vacations online with us. If you know where
you are going, the fast way to book is to go to our "Book
your own trip" page and use the booking engine
there. Enter your departure city, destination city, travel
dates, as well as the number of people traveling. Please
note that for each additional room you need to make a
separate reservation. If you are going to visit multiple
cities, select "yes" when prompted. The booking
engine will now display the cheapest flight first (although
you will not be able to see the air fare) and our default
hotel. Please feel free to customize your vacation by
selecting your most convenient flight and your hotel
of choice. The following screens will give you the option
to book a transfer to and from the airport (recommended),
book sightseeing tours (if available), and purchase travel
insurance. Once you are satisfied with your itinerary,
you will then enter your payment information. Then you
will be displayed the full itinerary and you will be
sent an email confirming your booking. You will then
be able to use our site to print electronic tickets receipts
and your vouchers.
How early should I book my vacation
to Latin America?
Latin America is becoming a hot destination. Please book
early to avoid being disappointed. We realize that your
time is very valuable and we want to make your vacation
memorable. In order to help us make your dream vacation
a reality we recommend that you book 6 months to a year
ahead of time. If you think this is outrageous, please
consider the following:
- Some of our most unique lodges
have at the most 30 rooms
- Not enough availability for cruise ships to the Galapagos due to the high demand and the many restrictions to protect the environment
Do I need travel insurance?
You don’t have to purchase travel insurance, yet
we highly recommend it. For example, if an unforeseen event
occurs before your departure and you have to cancel the
trip, you will be reimbursed for all or some of the costs.
Otherwise, chances are you will pay cancellation fees and
lose money. Please read our insurance information before
deciding either way.
Do I need to confirm my flight?
It is always a good idea to call the airline 72 hours in
advance to confirm your reservation, especially if you
booked your vacation months in advance. Once you book
a vacation package on our site, you will receive a booking
number and you will be able to check the status of your
booking on our web site.
Why
don’t you issue paper
tickets anymore?
To reduce costs and save time most airlines prefer to issue
e-tickets. It is as safe to purchase e-tickets, as it is
to purchase paper ones. Most airlines will charge you extra
if you prefer paper tickets. Some airlines or some combinations
of airlines require us to issue you paper tickets. In this
case, you will not be charged an extra fee.
What kind of documents do I need
for traveling to Latin America?
We are not responsible for providing documentation information
for your trip. For up-to-date information regarding travel
and foreign-entry requirements, please consult the
Department of State website. Please ensure that you
understand fully those requirements. Our agents are not
responsible for information regarding visa and passport
requirements. It is the responsibility of the passenger.
We also recommend checking with the destination country's
consulate in advance before embarking on your trip. Please
pay special attention to children traveling with only one
parent. For example, Mexico requires a written power of
attorney from the absent spouse. If you are a non-US citizen or a legal alien
resident, you might have additional restrictions, to include
re-entry to the United States. **IMPORTANT CHANGE** U.S. CITIZENS RETURNING FROM ANY INTERNATIONAL DESTINATION DECEMBER 31, 2006 AND AFTER: Effective December 31, 2006, a valid passport will be required for persons of all ages returning by air or sea from any international destination. State issued birth certificates with government issued I.D. will no longer be an acceptable form of proof of citizenship.
I am traveling with my children.
I know children usually benefit from special rates. What
is the maximum age for children to enjoy all the benefits
of travel?
For children to enjoy reduced travel, they must be 11 years
of age or younger. Please make sure that your children
do not turn 12 while traveling, as they will not qualify
for discounted fares.
I want to go to Mexico with my children,
but my wife cannot go. Is there a problem?
Parents of minor children (under 18 years old) should carefully
document legal custody prior to traveling to Mexico. If
a minor child is traveling with only one parent, the absent
parent should provide notarized consent. If only one parent
has legal custody, that parent should be prepared to provide
such evidence to airlines and Mexican authorities. In cases
in which a minor child is traveling to Mexico alone or
in someone else's company, both parents (or the sole, documented
custodial parent) should provide notarized consent. Please
note that non-US citizens might face different requirements
when departing/entering the United States. Please check
with INS before committing to any travel plans. Also, you
can check State Department’s web site
for the latest visa requirements.
I
don’t understand the
rankings of your hotels. Can you explain?
There are many ways to categorize hotels, but the most
popular ones are either the categories we use or the stars.
If you are not familiar with our system, think of the following:
deluxe=5 stars; superior=4
stars plus, moderate=3 stars, tourist=2 stars. The description of each
hotel gives you a pretty good idea of the amenities offered
on site.
General
comments about properties in Central and South America
Please consider that properties in some areas of Central and
South America may not meet the standards you are accustomed to
in the USA. The places you will visit do not enjoy our same standards
of living. Although there are hotels throughout the region that
match the luxury and facilities of US counterparts, do not expect
to find a Las Vegas or Cancun type of resort in places like the
Monteverde Cloud Forest of Costa Rica, the Belize Cayes or Peru's
Sacred Valley. You will find very fine, unique and comfortable
properties, just don't expect the lavishness of some mass tourist
destinations. In many cases, properties are right next to beautiful
tropical surroundings teeming with life- do not be surprised
to meet the occasional ant or spider in your room or shower. We inspect the properties we feature and work hard to present
factual information that you can use to make an intelligent choice.
Please read the property information carefully. Hotels select
how to name their room types. Some names may confuse travelers.
A "seaside” room may not mean that the ocean is besides
the room. An "ocean view” room means that you can
see the ocean from your room, but not necessarily that the room
is in front of the beach.
Each beach property has its own "beach” characteristics
depending mainly on their specific location and the general coastline.
Some of the most beautiful properties in Costa Rica, for example,
are on the coast but not right on the beach. They are perched
on top of high ground that affords inspiring vistas but it will
take you some time and effort to reach the surf. Our property
descriptions attempt to convey these differences.
Why
can’t I get a confirmation
for the hotel right away? How are my requests handled?
Specific details on payment terms and deadlines are in
our "Terms and Conditions".
Because many of the properties in regions of interest in
Latin America are relatively small, space cannot be guaranteed.
Most of the time we have to request and then confirm the
rooms that you requested. We try our best to confirm exactly
what you wanted. If we cannot, we will offer alternative
properties that you will have to approve. We try to get
you an answer on your request as soon as possible. In some
countries we give you an answer within 48 hours, others
may take longer- we strive for the confirmation process
to take no longer than 72 hours. Sometimes this is not
possible due to circumstances in a specific properties
reservation procedure. In destinations such as the Mexico
Beaches, we can offer immediate confirmation. Our fixed
departure itineraries also found in "suggested itineraries" can
also de immediately confirmed. It is always wise to book
well in advance of your traveling date – especially
during winter peak season and other peak periods throughout
the year – to obtain faster confirmation for your
room or to find available rooms in the desired hotel.
We are going to need more than
one room for our hotel stays. I don't see a place to enter
multiple rooms. What should I do?
The way to book multiple rooms is to do a separate booking
for each additional room. If you do not have the time to
do it yourself, call us and we will be glad to assist you.
What are airport and departure taxes?
Most countries charge a departure fee in cash at the airport
and some charge a cash entry fee. Our site tries to keep
this information updated under "Travel Guide section" in
each country's page. Please plan on having extra cash to
cover your departure fee at the airport on the day you
are returning home. Since these are cash payments, our
packages do not cover these entry and departure fees.
Are the prices on your site in
US Dollars or Canadian Dollars?
All the prices on our site are in US dollars. We apologize
for any inconvenience.
Why is my price different than
the advertised price?
This could happen for a variety of reasons listed below:
• Travel Itinerary: rates quoted in the ad are valid
for the period when the lowest airfare price is available
- which is generally during weekdays. Different dates selected
may result in higher prices - especially when including
a weekend day as a travel date. The ad was selected to
price from a specific departure city. If you are departing
from a different city, your price will vary.
• Seats for lowest fare no longer available: By the
time your price your vacation, the flights for your itinerary
may no longer have any low-priced seats available.
• Air Taxes: Advertised prices do not include taxes
associated with flights such as:
| International
departure and arrival tax: |
$27.40 |
| Immigration
/ Customs fees: |
$15.10 |
| Federal excise
fee per leg (assuming 4 stops): |
$3.10X4=$12.40 |
| Security fee
every time you board a plane: |
$2.50X4=$10.00 |
| TOTAL so far
per person on the average trip: |
$64.90 |
This amount does not include taxes charged by each country,
which vary and can change without notice. Typically, they
will be collected at the airport upon your departure. For
example, Mexico charges a Foreign Departure Taxes and Tourism
Fee - up to $80.00 USD per passenger, depending on your
destination.
• Ads generally do not include transfers. If you select
transfers, the price will increase.
• Ad rates do not include insurance and shipping options. If you select these, your price will increase. |
