2 More Reasons to Use a Travel Professional

Your honeymoon is the most important vacation that you will take as husband and wife. Why chance it to booking online without the assistance of a knowledgable travel professional?

These 2 articles were written by a travel writer/ombudsman and he has pointed out in both, that he does recommend using a travel professional, especially for booking honeymoons.

Help! My honeymoon went south
By Christopher Elliott, Tribune Media Services
(Tribune Media Services) -- Loyd Jobe's honeymoon doesn't get off to a good start when his flight is canceled. His airline sends the newlyweds on their vacation the next day, but they must pay for an extra night in their hotel. Is that fair?
Q: My wife and I recently booked a honeymoon in Costa Rica through Apple Vacations. On the morning we were supposed to leave, our flights on Delta Air Lines were canceled, and they didn't have any other flights until two days later.
I called Apple and they simply told me to call the airline. They refused to help. Delta's customer service was only a little more helpful. They ended up getting us to Costa Rica a day later on a different airline.
Because of this we missed one day at an all-inclusive resort and decided to stay an extra day. I again called Apple and asked them to refund our missed day and wanted to book an extra day on the end of our honeymoon. They would not refund any money for the missed day and charged us for the extra day.
I sent a letter to Apple's customer service like they suggested I do. I have not gotten any response from them after two letters. Any advice on this issue?

A: It sounds as if Apple could have done more to save your honeymoon. But let's take a closer look at the facts.
Delta canceled your flight, not Apple. So in a sense, Apple was right: You would have to talk with the airline about rescheduling your flight. At the same time, Apple advertises a "beginning-to-end" vacation experience, which includes employees greeting you at your departure airport and meeting you when you arrive.
Perhaps Apple raised the bar a little high when it promised "the ultimate in a quality vacation experience."
I contacted Apple, and a few other details emerged. First, the company says you were offered travel insurance, which would have protected your vacation investment. You declined, according to Apple.
So technically, the delay wasn't Apple's fault and you didn't buy its insurance. It owed you nothing, in a contractual sense.
But who cares about contracts? This is your honeymoon, and you booked a vacation with a company that you believed would take care of you rather than do just what's legally required of it.
I always recommend that for once-in-a-lifetime vacations like yours, travelers consider the services of a travel agent who specializes in honeymoons. I think an agent would be able to offer this kind of personalized attention you require for your Costa Rica getaway.
It turns out Apple asked your resort for a date swap, which would have allowed you to stay an extra day at your hotel, but it turned them down. I think you might have started a dialogue with your hotel, letting them know that this was your honeymoon and that you didn't really want to lose the last day of a special vacation.
Next time -- and I really hope there isn't a next time -- you might want to either send an e-mail to Apple Vacations or ask for a return receipt from the post office. The company had no record of either of your letters.
Apple contacted your resort again on your behalf and secured a $184 refund for the last night of your vacation. It also sent you two $100 travel certificates.

Help, my honeymoon flight's been canceled!
By Christopher Elliott, Tribune Media Services
(Tibune Media Services) -- Doug Miller's honeymoon flight to Costa Rica is canceled by US Airways, and he's left with only one option: a full refund. The airline later agrees to reschedule him on a flight the following day, but it won't cover his hotel bill. Is it allowed to do that? And is there anything he can do to make US Airways sweeten the offer?
Q: About a month ago, I took advantage of a Travelocity e-mail fare alert for a flight from Minneapolis to Costa Rica. The deal seemed too good to be true: $230 roundtrip on US Airways. I booked the flight for my September honeymoon and then went to a Web site and bid on our accommodations, which I also booked.
A few days ago, US Airways notified me that it had dropped a connecting flight to Costa Rica, and that our only option was a full refund.
I checked the ticket prices to Costa Rica and found that they had tripled. I felt like I was a victim of a bait-and-switch.
I called US Airways, which offered to fly us to Costa Rica a day after we were supposed to leave. But it would involve an overnight stay in Charlotte, which the airline was unwilling to pay for.
I understand that airlines have flight schedule changes, but I also feel that it is their choice and that if they choose to do so, they should be responsible for the consequences. Is there anything you can do?

A: US Airways shouldn't have canceled your flight. But if it did, it should have offered an alternative flight that suited your schedule, rather than leaving you high and dry for the most important vacation of your life.
Did the carrier and its online travel agent, Travelocity, engage in a bait-and-switch? I can see how you would think so. But flight schedules change constantly, and your rights are outlined under US Airways' contract of carriage, the legal agreement between you and the airline.
Section 8.2 of the contract describes your rights in the event US Airways is unable to accommodate you. Basically, you have the right to a refund, or a flight of the airline's choosing -- but nothing more.
While Travelocity and US Airways did all of this by the book, I can understand why you would be disappointed. I mean, it's your honeymoon.
About your reservations ... you booked a too-good-to-be-true special and bid on your accommodations for your honeymoon. Don't you think that's a little risky? I always recommend working with a qualified travel agent who specializes in honeymoons, because you don't want anything to go wrong on this vacation. This is no time to cut corners.
But let's take the honeymoon out of the equation, and just assume it was a late summer vacation. Between US Airways, with its "customer commitment" and Travelocity, with its "guarantee," I just think this could have been handled better.
A brief, politely written appeal to US Airways would have been my first choice to get this resolved. Phoning the airline probably wasn't the most effective way to fix this. I'm surprised Travelocity just passed along the airline's decision without trying to do more, but in the end I think this was a case for US Airways to resolve.
I contacted the airline on your behalf, and it offered you a $75 voucher to cover your hotel bill during your layover in Charlotte.

My Vacation Lady has been helping honeymooners and vacationers, just like you, plan your dream vacations since 1994. We only deal with travel suppliers that offer 24/7 customer service- in case there is a problem or issue. Why risk your vacation to just few clicks of the mouse when you can have the assistance and guidance of an experienced travel professional?