Travel Tip: Family Airplane Seating
JetBlue recently introduced a formal Family Seating Guarantee to ensure that children aged 13 years and younger can sit next to an adult traveling with them on the same reservation. The guarantee incorporates a new process that proactively identifies reservations with children and adults traveling together without prior seating assignments. For no additional fee, the process will ensure a traveling child is assigned a seat next to at least one accompanying adult when seats are available. For bookings made within 24 hours of planned travel, seats may need to be assigned manually by a JetBlue airport crewmember. The airline is urging you to continue to proactively select your seats at the time of booking to ensure the smoothest travel experience possible.
Trip Review: A Tahitian Anniversary
We love planning celebratory trips for our families…including exotic and romantic getaways to commemorate a special wedding anniversary. The Silversteins from Parkland, FL recently returned from such a trip to Tahiti. Their first stop was Le Taha’a, a luxury resort located on the private islet of Motu Tautau just off the island of Taha’a. They flew from the US into Papeete, Tahiti, then flew onto the island of Raiatea where a private boat took them right to the resort. They said it was a perfect resort to start their trip and unwind as the resort had several restaurants for dinner (including a private romantic dinner they enjoyed), plenty of water activities and the islet was nice for walking & exploring. Special anniversary and Virtuoso added amenities included an upgrade to the Royal Suite, a 3-course dinner, a couples massage, and resort credits! Their spacious suite had a private pool, beachfront patio, and access to a private gym. The Silversteins love to hike; so we arranged for a private hiking guide. Lorenzo was very knowledgeable and informative. He explained that most Tahitians have low stress which is why they smile so much! After four nights, the couple then chartered a 52 ft. catamaran for three nights. The captain and one crew picked them up at the resort. The bedroom was small, as was expected. But the staff spoke and understood English very well, plus the food was the most delicious and freshest of their entire trip. Their days were spent relaxing, snorkeling, and enjoying the views. The boat charter ended at their second resort, the St. Regis Bora Bora. This was a larger resort that provided golf cart service and bicycles for getting around, but they preferred to walk. They stayed in an upgraded over-the-water bungalow, a highlight of any Tahitian travel experience. Their St. Regis experience also included a Canoe Breakfast…a huge meal delivered by water to their room. They also enjoyed a private snorkel trip. This special trip ended with a boat ride to the Bora Bora airport (the only way to reach it!) for their flight back to Tahiti. We arranged for a driver to take them to dinner on arrival before the long flight back home. The trip highlight was the plethora of marine life they saw which was ideal for these seasoned scuba divers. They went snorkeling and/or scuba diving once or twice every day! The coral reefs are thriving in Tahiti, unlike in Florida. They said it was amazing to see huge manta rays swim amongst so many fish and witness non-aggressive blacktip sharks. They were equally thrilled to see over 50 eagle rays moving in formation, truly resembling eagle birds!
Trip Review: A Group Gathering in Italy
Seven couples from around the US recently returned from a gathering in Italy. This group of longtime college friends and friends of friends spent a week exploring Rome, Amalfi, and Tuscany. We curated this custom getaway based on their needs and interests (history, art, religion, food, and wine) that included three nights in Rome and four nights at a private Tuscan villa. While in Rome, most of the group stayed at the Hotel Stendhal close to the Piazza Barberini. Their rates included free airport pick-ups…a rare perk for Rome. They found the rooms on the small side but appreciated the wine gift. On arrival, the entire crew headed out on a golf cart tour, our favorite way to get oriented after an overnight flight. They said the tour was “spot on” and was “the best thing ever” as they zipped around the city to see all the highlights! They did comment on how crazy busy Rome still was with tourists. The following day they took the train round-trip to Naples where we arranged a privately guided bus tour for the day to Sorrento, Positano and Pompeii. They found our Amalfi guide Vincenzo to be energetic, informative, and professional and said his knowledge of Pompeii was wonderful. The following day we arranged private tours of the Vatican complex and the Colosseum. They loved our Vatican guide Patrizia and said she was amazing and found our archeologist Colosseum guide Valentia lovely and energetic albeit a bit redundant. To get to Tuscany, the group rented one minivan and hired a van service for the rest of the group. They said that their villa just outside of Monteriggioni was awesome! They stayed at the Borgo Gallinaio, a former hotel that is now rented out as a villa with up to 10 bedrooms. It was simple and rustic, but with all the necessities (although bring your own toiletries). They said that the manager was a gem. One night he cooked them a steak dinner that they enjoyed outdoors and also gave them a ride into town for dinner as taxi service can be spotty. We booked two full day tours for the group with our guide Tuscan guide, Giancarlo. The first tour was to Florence with a packed itinerary that included a slightly rushed guided tour of the Accademia and Michaelangelo’s David, visits to the Medici Mausoleum and the Basilica of Santa Croce as well as prebooked entries to climb the Duomo. They had lunch at the Central Market and finished off the day at a delicious restaurant full of locals, Alla Vecchia Bettola. The other guided Tuscan tour was their wine themed day. They began the day with a vineyard wine tasting and lunch, a visit to Pienza and the Val d’Orca, another wine Brunello tasting in Montalcino and ended with a nice dinner. They also traveled on their own to Siena one day with a prebooked city tour with our guide Sylvia. Unfortunately, she wasn’t feeling great, which affected the tour some. But she did use quiet streets to get around the city, found them great views and avoided the crowds. The group dispersed around Italy on their last day at the villa as some planned additional travel adventures while others headed home after an overnight at the Rome airport. Overall, they said that the trip was awesome. They said it was perfect for those who had visited previously and for those who have never been to Italy and provided lifetime memories! Such a trip can easily be created for families and multi-generational groups.
Travel Tip: Enroll in STEP
The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling and living abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. By signing up, you will:
- Receive important information from the Embassy about safety conditions in your destination country, helping you make informed decisions about your travel plans.
- Help the U.S. Embassy contact you in an emergency, whether natural disaster, civil unrest, or family emergency.
- Help family and friends get in touch with you in an emergency.
Go to https://step.state.gov/ to sign up and for more details.
Trip Review: A European Journey
Lauren and her young adult daughter Anna traveled to Krakow, Poland in August. They were both very impressed by Poland’s second-largest and most charming city. Our visit included a privately guided Jewish tour of Krakow that introduced us to the Kazimierz neighborhood which is south of Krakow’s Old Town. This is where the Jewish community has lived since the fifteenth century and where seven synagogues still stand (most are now used for other purposes such as a museum and bookstore). There is also a Jewish Community Center that was opened in 2008 and funded by King Charles of England! We then walked across the Vistula river to where the Jews were rounded up in the ghetto by the Nazis. This tour ended at the Schindler Factory, now a museum that showcases the wartime experiences of all the people living in Krakow during World War II and the story of how Schindler saved 1,100 Jews from perishing in the Holocaust. Our spirited and passionate guide created an interesting and engaging tour. We also went to Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps with a private driver/guide. Located an hour west of the city…this was a difficult, but paramount experience. We toured the grounds with an official small group tour. For another local experience, we donned miners’ gear and went underground at the Wieliczka Salt Mine to learn how salt was excavated from the thirteenth century up until 2007. With a labyrinth of passageways and a depth of up to 1,000 ft., the extensive mine includes an underground lake, several chapels, statues, and even a ballroom. Our hotel stays in Krakow included a few nights in Wieliczka at the charming Turowka Hotel & Spa. It has a lovely outdoor courtyard for dining and a full-service spa with an indoor pool. We particularly enjoyed the spa’s sauna and salt room. We also enjoyed our stay at the new Novotel Krakow Centrum with its modern vibe and tribute to Poland royalty. It’s located a short walk from the Old Town and across from the railway station where we took the train to Prague. This was Lauren’s third Prague visit and where her daughter resides. Lauren thoroughly enjoyed exploring this beautiful city on foot on both sides of the river visiting its castles, Old Town, and parks. Then Lauren flew to London for a few nights. Her itinerary for her 7th visit to London included the Tate Modern Museum, Borough Market, a long walk along the Southbank, seeing Six: The Musical, walks through Hyde Park, the fascinating Churchill War rooms and a visit to Kensington Palace. The special exhibit at the palace was a bit odd in an attempt to compare fashion from the seventeenth century to fashion created for the Met Gala in New York. Lauren stayed at a cute and zen-style boutique hotel in Paddington called Inhabit. The townhouse-style hotel had an awesome vegan restaurant, a small gym, yoga space, library/working spaces, a meditation pod, and a well-appreciated water station with still or sparkling water! And it was within a short walking distance of Paddington Station for ease in getting from and back to Heathrow Airport. Overall, three weeks in Europe made for some great mother/daughter time and a few solo days to reflect on it all.
Travel Tip: Car Rental Documentation
We always recommend taking a good look at any vehicle you rent for dents, scratches, and other damage. Inside and out of the car. Taking a video of the car at the time of the rental and at the return is a great way to prove to the rental company who may later try to claim any damage. When documenting your car, you’re going to want to cover all angles inside and out. Start by walking in a complete circle around the outside of the car, ensuring that the entire vehicle is always within the frame. Then you’ll want to cover the top of the car and the undercarriage if possible. Finally, it’s time to head inside the car. Make sure you film the front seats, back seats, and the trunk. We recommend keeping this documentation, along with receipts from the rental company, for at least six months. It might sound like a lot of work, but if it can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars, it’s well worth the time.
Trip Trip: An Easy Way to Split the Bill
Many of our families and couples travel with other families and friends. We often use multiple credit cards to pay for various trip elements such as hotels, transfers, tours, entries, and more. A great way to sort out who has paid for what and who owes who what is with the Splitwise app. Organize all of your trip expenses (in a variety of currencies) and the app can figure out who owes what based on how you decide to divide up the total. This app is free although there’s a pro version for $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year that lets you track spending by category, scan receipts that can be itemized, and more. In the US, the app also allows you to pay an establishment via PayPal or Venmo. It is available for iPhone and Android and can be used offline as well.
Trip Review: Down Under Adventure
The Kaufman/Brand family from Nyack, NY traveled Down Under for a 3-week adventure through New Zealand and Australia. The mother/daughter duo visited nine different destinations to highlight each country’s unique wildlife, topography, and culture! The trip included Auckland, Rotorua, Christchurch, and Queenstown, New Zealand along with Melbourne, Cairns, Ayers Rock, Alice Springs, and Sydney in Australia. We used a tour operator due to the complexity of this tour which included flights (international and domestic), transfers, hotels, tours, experiences, and more. But the tour was customized to meet their needs, interest, and budget. Some of the unique experiences in New Zealand that were included in their package were the Waitomo Caves to see the glow worms and the Hobbiton movie set on the way from Auckland to Rotorua; an eco-thermal tour of Rotorua to see volcanoes, geysers, boiling mud pool, and hot springs; dinner in a Maori village and a cruise on gorgeous Milford Sound. The itinerary allowed plenty of free time to explore on their own as well. In Australia, their favorite highlights were day trips from Melbourne that included a drive along the Great Ocean Road and a Philip Island tour to watch the penguin parade. They also experienced Great Barrier Reef snorkeling, the Kurunda Railway, and separate sunset and sunrise experiences at Uluru. They added a tour at Uluru on their last morning to see Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). They also added a trip to Featherdale Wildlife Park in Sydney where they witnessed a baby koala come out of its mother’s pouch and fed kangaroos and wallabies. Other memorable experiences: getting wrapped up in the Women’s World Cup excitement by attending a match in Sydney and also watching the Aussies win at Fan Central. They enjoyed all of their deluxe hotels and stayed at hotels by Pullman, MSocial, Crowne Plaza, and a few smaller chains. All but the Queenstown hotel were in the city centers. They let us know that they both really loved the trip and had an excellent time!
Trip Review: Croatian Island Experience
The Dimry family from Southern California (7 adults and 2 teens) gathered in Croatia this summer for a private and custom charter boat experience. For a week, they explored the islands of the Central and Southern Dalmatia portion of the Adriatic Coast. They all met up in Split after some of them visited London and Barcelona on the way. They began the Croatia portion of their trip in the seaside town of Trogir, just outside of Split. They stayed for two nights at Brown Beach House, which they appreciated for its boutique style and service. The family enjoyed wandering around Trogir and had an outstanding guide in Split for a tour of the fascinating Diocletian Palace. Then they boarded the fully crewed Gulet Andjeo in Split. Their 88 ft. boat is a classic wooden yacht with 5 cabins and water toys on board. They opted for two meals per day to also experience local food on each island. Breakfast was prepared on the boat each morning and they were able to help plan the daily lunch or dinner menu depending on the day’s plans. The family’s first stop was Brac, the largest island in Dalmatia, and the third-largest island in the Adriatic Sea. Their guided jeep safari of the island included a memorable visit to an olive oil factory and the hidden monastery of Blaca. The tour ended with a private lunch at a local farm in Milna which they loved. This island is very hilly; so they said that jeep exploration was ideal. The next stop was in Hvar which is Croatia’s most popular island known for its lovely architecture, quaint town, beaches, and nightlife. They explored this port on their own later in the day to avoid the heat. The next day they meandered around the small island of Korcula which is only 20 miles long and 4-5 miles wide. The island is known for its dense forest and quaint town with medieval squares, churches, and palaces. A wine tasting here was a nice experience. On the thickly forested island of Mljet, the family took a guided bike tour which they noted was the easiest way to explore since one-third of it is a national park. The family also sailed through the Elaphiti Islands which is a gorgeous archipelago of 13 islands (only three are inhabited) with lush woodland, hidden caves, dramatic cliffs, and secluded beaches. The trip ended in Dubrovnik from where they flew home. All along the way, the ship also docked in some quiet coves where they were able to sunbathe, snorkel, paddleboard, kayak, and more. Swimming off the boat was great fun too. The boat’s plank made an excellent high dive! The ship had a tender boat to take them onto land whenever they wanted. They found many tasty places to eat and especially appreciated restaurants where you could select a freshly caught fish and have it prepared family style. They also loved finding local artwork at the myriad of small galleries and purchased some pieces to bring home. They found their crew to be outstanding. A few hiccups regarding what was prepaid and paid at the time of sailing dampened the experience somewhat along with no A/C in the bathrooms, but overall the trip was great fun for all.
Travel Tips: Sleep Suggestions
Wherever Family shared these helpful tips from the sleep experts at Bed Kingdom (a UK mattress store) on how to help your children better fall asleep on planes.
Block Out Light: Try to reduce as much light as possible in your area. This blocks any distractions and allows you to replicate a dark environment they might be used to at home. Some easy items to use include a blanket or car seat cover.
Feed Them in the First Hour of the Flight: Come prepared with plenty of snacks to feed your children. Avoid sugary treats, drinks, and juice. Instead, opt for water to keep them hydrated. When bellies are full, they can sleep easier.
Pack Favorite Sleep Items: Bringing familiar items along can provide kids with a sense of comfort and security. Pack their favorite cuddly toys, a blanket, and pillow to recreate their normal sleeping environment.
Burn Energy Before the Flight: Make sure your child gets all their energy out before boarding the plane. Whether it involves running around an uncrowded area of the airport or taking them for a long walk, burning some of their energy will allow them to fall asleep quicker on the plane.
