THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 23, 1996 TAG: 9606210077
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Travel-wise
SOURCE: Stephen Harriman
LENGTH: 88 lines
QUITE OFTEN I get phone calls, or occasionally letters, from readers with questions about travel. While I enjoy this communication, many of these readers really should be talking with local travel agents.
I go places and try to tell you what it's like there. Travel agents help you plan your own trip. Through special computer hookups, they have access to a lot more information than I have.
It makes sense to patronize a travel agent. Most charge nothing for their services (they are compensated through commissions by travel suppliers) and are either well-versed on a destination or know where to find the information you need. Unlike a specific airline, hotel, car-rental firm or cruise line, travel agencies can provide information - and prices - about many competing companies.
Travel agents are particularly important for those planning a cruise, because most major lines sell staterooms only through agencies. Don't hesitate to ask if an agent has sailed with a particular line or on a specific ship.
How do you find a good travel agency or agent?
Ask - friends, neighbors, relatives, co-workers, the boss - anyone who travels with some frequency. A referral from a knowledgeable traveler whose opinion you trust is always the best source.
Check credentials. Is the agent or the agency a member of either the American Society of Travel Agents or the Association of Retail Travel Agents? These organizations emphasize education, and members must adhere to a strict code of conduct. The society operates a consumer-affairs office to resolve client complaints.
Is the agent a certified travel counselor? The designation is awarded by the Institute of Certified Travel Agents to professionals who have successfully completed a five-part travel-management program and 16 hours of essay exams. A list of local certified travel counselors is available from the institute.
The size of an agency rarely, if ever, should make a difference to the leisure traveler. Big is not necessarily better, nor is smallness necessarily a drawback, particularly in this computer age when vast information resources are literally at an agent's fingertips.
Satisfy yourself that the agent is conscientious. A good agent will ask questions to find out what kind of trip interests you and how much you want to spend.
It helps to have an idea of the type of vacation you want. Even a great deal is no bargain if the vacation doesn't suit your personality.
Determine what you want from a travel agent. Do you want someone simply to book flights and reserve rental cars and hotel rooms? Do you want an agent who will sift doggedly through the myriad fares in an airline computer-reservation system to get you the absolute rock-bottom price, a fare that wouldn't be apparent to someone doing a cursory system inquiry? Or do you want someone who can offer vacation recommendations, everything from destinations to the right resorts or hotels or cruise lines?
On the air-fare question, for example, the agent should ask if you'd be willing to take a flight involving a connection rather than a nonstop flight (the former is often cheaper) or whether you'd be willing to leave a day earlier or return a day later to take advantage of (usually) lower midweek fares. Travel agents know about these options; good agents offer them.
From here to there
The Mariners' Museum of Newport News is sponsoring a trip to southern England Oct. 2-16 to explore Britain's maritime heritage. Principal destinations are London; the coastal cities of Portsmouth, Chatham and Bristol; the Cotswold Hills; and the cities of Bath and Oxford. Stops include a full day at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich. Cost is $3,300 for Museum members, $3,455 for non-members; price includes round-trip air from Newport News, 13 nights accommodations, ground transportation and travel insurance. Reservations due by July 15. Info: Carol Lynn (804) 596-2222 or 581-7245.
Off the shelf
Travel guides are springing up like mushrooms on a forest floor. Wish I had time to write one. Ah, but I see my idea has already been taken. They're called the ``Irreverent Guides'' ($12.95 each; a Frommer Book, Macmillan), subtitled ``A wickedly honest guide for sophisticated travelers and those who want to be.''
There's little fluff and lots of fun. They mince no words. And the guides are easy to carry. The 12 titles include Manhattan, Amsterdam, London, New Orleans, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Santa Fe, Washington, Paris, Miami and the Virgin Islands. Check 'em out. MEMO: Travel-wise is compiled from wire-service reports, news releases,
trade journals, books, magazines and the deepest recesses of the
writer's mind. Send comments and questions to Travel-wise, The
Virginian-Pilot, Norfolk, Va. 23501-0449; phone (804) 446-2904. by CNB