Most people use their hotel points for one big, luxury stay. And honestly? If that’s how you’re using your points… this might hurt a little. Because in real life? We almost never do that. Some of the best value we’ve ever gotten from points came from the exact opposite: And that’s where points can stretch…
Tripadvisor is one of the first tools we use when researching hotels, especially when we’re booking somewhere new. But we don’t use it as a simple “highest rating wins” tool. A hotel’s rating is helpful, but it is only one part of the decision. Over time, we’ve developed a simple framework that helps us quickly…
Planning a trip today is easier than ever. You can open a few tabs, compare prices, watch a few videos, read reviews, and book flights, hotels, cruises, and activities in a single afternoon. So where does getting help actually come in? And more importantly, what really changes when you do? The answer is not that…
Most people assume you need a ton of points—or a specific airline—to book a good flight. That’s not always true. In this example, we’re using Alaska Airlines miles to book an American Airlines flight… even though we don’t really fly Alaska at all. And the result? A simple, repeatable redemption that can work for a…
Most cruise “deals” look great at first glance. Big discounts. Flash sales. “Up to 70% off.” Free perks everywhere. But once you’ve booked a few cruises — and made a few mistakes — you realize something quickly: The advertised price is rarely the real price. And it’s definitely not the full value. A cruise can…
Travel Booking & Advising sounds like something in between “I’ll figure it out myself” and “just plan the whole thing for me.” And that’s exactly what it is. Most trips don’t fall neatly into one category. Sometimes you just need a second opinion. Sometimes you want help locking things in. Sometimes you want someone to…
Update: This trip is still on the books, and we would hate to miss it after it has become one of our favorite travel traditions. But with us looking at a potential cross-country move and gas prices being what they are, we are reconsidering whether this is the right trip to keep this year. Time…
Embarkation day isn’t just “getting on the ship.” For us, it’s the official start of the trip — and how we approach this day can shape the rest of the cruise. After multiple cruises and a few trial-and-error moments, we’ve settled into a routine that works really well for us. It’s not about rushing.It’s not…
Most people assume travel points have to be complicated before they become useful. Multiple credit cards.Transfer partners.Award charts.Perfect redemptions. But you do not need a complicated system to get real value from points. You need a simple strategy that helps you turn the points you already have, or the points you are working toward, into…
Booking a cruise months — or even a year — in advance is the “normal” way to plan a trip. But that is not always how we do it. Some of our best cruise deals, and some of our most fun trips, have come from booking much closer to sail date. That is where Norwegian…
