You’ll find as many articles warning you away from vacation packages as saying it is the only way to travel. The truth is somewhere in between. There are a few cases where someone has ended up scammed with a vacation package and more than a few who didn’t enjoy the experience. Let’s learn how to avoid problems with vacation packages.
Do Your Research
One way to protect yourself is to do your research before booking a vacation package. Learn what would be considered a reasonable price for airfare and a hotel stay. If a vacation package price is insanely cheap compared to what you’d pay on your own, you know to avoid it. They might be trying to fill an empty slot on a full trip, but it is more likely to be a scammer trying to take advantage of tourists. Before you buy your tickets, research the hotels or resorts that are part of the vacation package. If the resort has bad reviews, consider other Bahamas vacation packages instead. Furthermore, you should read reviews and reports about the site and travel agency offering the vacation package to avoid being scammed. They may offer legitimate vacation packages but don’t refund tickets when events are rained out or overcharge people for activities. Conversely, you can’t afford to overlook how people rate the food, because once you’re at the resort, that’s about all you can eat unless you pay a fortune for snacks from the only shop on the place.
Read the Contracts Carefully
When you sign up for a vacation package, you’re getting a whole deal. Read the contract before you commit. What is their policy on refunds and cancellations? Some places will refund your money if the resort is hit by a hurricane but won’t refund your money if you cancel the trip within a few weeks of departure. Don’t assume they’ll offer trip insurance. That’s often an additional charge you have to agree to pay to get it, or you may have to sign up for it separately.
What are the rules regarding the resort itself? Do they allow smoking? Is it clothing optional? Are there age limits one way or the other? For example, you might not be allowed to take your 16-year-old to an adults’ only resort, and you may not want to book three generations of your family at a resort catering to newlyweds. Sometimes the travel package is a deal, but it doesn’t work quite the way people expect. For example, some travel packages don’t let you accrue frequent flyer points or miles. Most won’t let you save money by using your frequent flyer miles to pay for part or all of the airfare.
Compare Your Preferences to the Product Offered
Before you sign up, be honest about your wants and needs relative to what is being offered. If you hate being on a strict schedule, a vacation package that has a strict schedule so they can hit all the sights may not be for you. Conversely, a vacation package that gives you a morning or afternoon in the city might be right up your alley. If you don’t like crowds, you may not want to go on large group tours to the main attractions, but the resort may allow you to hire a tour guide and explore.