Sadly for many, the planning doesn't take place on time.  Nothing is more upsetting to a travel counselor than to finally get the call from someone who has finally made a travel decision – too late, or to watch prices go up and have clients pay more than they could have for exactly the same vacation that they could have purchased months ago.  And there’s nothing we can do, but suggest alternatives and shop for the best remaining deals.

Our top vacation picks for families with younger kids are Beaches Turks and Caicos (Sandals) and Disney Cruises.  Both Sandals and Disney design their whole product around the family experience, and they both put a lot of research into perfecting their offerings and are continually improving their services.  They make things magical for the children and easy and relaxing for parents.  Whether you want some time alone without the kids, or family fun, they know how to do it best.

So when is the best time to book?  The answer is as early as you can.  The higher end vacation products don’t usually make it to last minute deals.  They sell our quickly, with the best suites and staterooms going first.  Prices often go up closer to departure.  That applies to air as well.

Disney releases their cruise schedules 18-24 months in advance and Sandals does it up to 18 months in advance.  If air is separate, air should be booked as soon as the schedule is out, and doesn’t need to be booked at the same time as the cruise or resort.  We try to catch the air deals the first day they are released for purchase, which is usually about 6 months prior to departure.  If booking a package with air, each vendor will have a different schedule.  For our personal travel, we book the cruise or resort component well before the air, if they aren’t bundled together.

Vacation costs are like the stock market.  They change daily depending on a whole bunch of factors.  It’s amazing how much money you can save and how much better your selection will be, with good planning.  So why not?  Deposits at time of booking are only roughly $250 per person for cruises and 25% for most resorts.  It pays to work with a travel professional that can get you the best deals on the type of vacation experience you want.

Call Carlos and Monica at Travelonly.  Let them help make next year’s dream come true.