I just finished my first cruisetour in Alaska and we are headed for the ship.  You might ask what is a cruisetour?   It is basically a land and sea package where you get to go a bit more in depth somewhere that a cruise ship couldn't go added onto your cruise.  You can choose to do your tour portion either before or after your cruise but for Alaska I recommend doing it before.  The tour portion in Alaska is busy and has lots of early mornings so doing the cruise after allows you to relax and recover.  Most times you will have a few different package options for your Alaska cruisetour to include other things but all will include your cruise and land accommodations along with transportation to your cruisetour hotels.   The big difference between the cruise and the tour is that your land portion doesn't come with food included like the cruise so you would need to choose an add on package if you want meals included on land.   Here are 7 tips I learned from my Alaska cruisetour.

#1 Pack strategically.   This really is key since you need to pack a little bit of everything for a visit to Alaska.  It really is worth it to not have suitcases that are packed too tightly from the beginning since you will be having unpack and pack a few times.   We ended up with 3 checked suitcases for the 2 of us (2 large and one smaller one) even though I probably could have gotten it all into just 2.  I was very happy I chose to bring 3 as it made things easier for me.     Princess does offer an option to send any bag you won't need on land right to the port so it will meet you on the ship instead of having to go to each lodge with you.  That just didn't work for me but that was OK since having the 3 bags did help when we were juggling things from lodge to lodge.   You most likely will only spend 1 or 2 nights at each lodge so it means a lot of living out of suitcases.       
 
#2 Pre-plan your outfits for each day.    This comes  in handy when you have to have your bags out of your room at the crack of dawn.   I recommend using some packing cubes or something that will help you keep your suitcases organized and easy to pull out a day's set of clothes the night before.  In Alaska dressing in layers is key so make sure each day's clothes have you ready for any type weather no matter what the forecast might be predicting.  

#3 Have a day bag plan.   On the days you change lodges you might be on a long bus or train ride between lodges.   You might also be doing a tour or excursion on the way between lodges so you will want to have a day bag with you with a few essentials.   It is also good to keep anything with you that you really couldn't afford to lose or would need before getting to your next room, such as prescriptions or your travel documents.   Be sure to read over your travel documents beforehand as there might be restrictions on the day bag you can carry on with you, for example the train between Denali and Anchorage has pretty strict rule of no wheelie bags can be carried on the train with you.  There are specific size limits for the bag you can take on the train as it needs to fit in a tight space by your seat.   

#4 Be Organized.  Having packing cubes or some type of smaller bags or specific spots in your suitcase for things makes it easier to find things quickly.  This also helps to be sure everything gets packed again each time you change lodges.  The early morning bag pick ups can be hectic so being organized really helps.

#5 Read and reread the schedule for each day in advance.   There will be lots of important times to remember each day so you don't want to miss the bag pick up or worse your bus.   The morning we went into Denali park was a very early bus pick up and they stick to schedule so it would be a bummer to miss that bus.   

#6 There are no guarantees.   In Alaska this applies to a few things.   Remember this is wilderness so there are some things no one can control.   Number one is there are no guarantees that you will get to see a clear view of Mt Denali.   It is said that usually only 30% of visitors get a clear view of the whole mountain just because it is so high that is pretty much has it own weather and will usually be hidden behind clouds. We realized how lucky we were to get a clear view more than one day of our trip.  The second thing that people complain about is not getting to see all of the wildlife they wanted to see.  Again nature doesn't always cooperate so you just might not get that shot of a grizzly or moose or whatever animal you were hoping to see during your Alaska visit.   You should already be prepared for just about any weather as that is just a given with Alaska but weather can also affect other things like your mode of transportation.  This is a little more unusual but happened during our trip that weather caused the train tracks to be impassable in spots due to rock slides and trees down so our scenic train ride from one lodge to the next was cancelled and we had to take the bus.   I was really looking forward to the train experience and I know for most people that is a big part of what they want as part of their   Alaska land portion.   Hopefully you will get to see and do everything you really wanted to on your visit but if you don't there is always next time.  

#7 Get enough sleep and drink plenty of water.   There is a lot to do on your tour so getting a good amount of sleep and staying hydrated is important to being able to really enjoy everything.   Alaska is 4 hours behind our East Coast time zone and along with the longer hours of daylight this far north it was easy to stay up way later than you intended and that 6 am bags out time sneaks up on you real quick.  It is also very dry in parts of Alaska so be sure to drink enough water.

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When you think of summer vacations do you picture sitting on a beach or by a pool somewhere?  I know those of you that live somewhere that gets cold in winter look forward to summer vacation and think about laying in the sun but then summer comes and some of you might be complaining it is too hot.  Sure you could cool off a little with a dip in the ocean or pool but why not go somewhere really cool like Alaska or Norway?  Would I go to these places in winter - NO WAY!   However summer is a great time to head North to escape the heat and enjoy a literally cool vacation.   Another bonus is the longer hours of daylight make you feel like you get so much more vacation time.   There is just something really memorable about looking outside at midnight and the sun is still out.

There are 4 cool places to cruise that are only available in summer.

#1 Alaska
   If you had asked me about 5 years ago what I thought about traveling anywhere that is considered a colder climate I would have said no way.   That was before I actually sucked it up and went to Alaska for the first time.  I admit I was worried that I was going to be too cold to enjoy it.   I did prepare by buying a cold weather wardrobe but was happily surprised to find that Alaska really wasn't that cold in summer.  I actually found it a nice break from the Florida heat.  After that I started thinking where else can we cruise in summer that will offer a refreshing break from summer sizzle.
Alaska really is huge with so many breathtaking things to see and explore.  Most cruise lines offer the typical 7 night round trip cruise out of either Seattle or Vancouver.   Some cruise lines have been in Alaska longer and they offer some stops that the others cannot.   Princess and Holland America have both been in Alaska for 50 years so they really are the experts and offer the best options.   If you are just doing a 7 night cruise your really want to be sure it includes one of the big glaciers - Glacier Bay really is the BIG one but the other is Hubbard Glacier.  Doing just a cruise only lets you see the very edge of Alaska.  If you really want to get more in depth into Alaska you would want to book a cruise along with a cruisetour.   The cruisetour portion will be either before or after your cruise and you can choose the number of nights.   Holland America and Princess have their own lodges but the other cruise lines will offer some type of cruisetour.   I am actually headed up to Alaska next week to do a cruise tour before my cruise so stay tuned for my trip report and  hopefully some live updates.  

#2 Norwegian Fjords
   After cruising Alaska and realizing that cooler locations make a nice summer break we started looking at other options.  The Norwegian Fjords always looked so picture perfect with all the waterfalls and cute villages.    It did not disappoint!  I loved every stop and even though weather conditions caused the ship to cancel our 2 stops above the Arctic circle it was still very cool to be able to say I have been above the Arctic Circle.   We went in May and even though that isn't Peak season we had wonderful weather with even a bit of a heat wave where it was in the 80s.  For those of us on the East Coast we are kind of in the middle of either Alaska or Norway so it would a tough call as to which to pick as they are similar but also different.  If you really want wildlife I think Alaska offers more options but Norway seemed to have more waterfalls. 

#3 British Isles  
  You might think the British Isles are too small to warrant their own cruises but trust me they are not!   The typical British Isles cruise is 10 - 14 days.   You might think that means you are only visiting British ports but you will usually have some that are not as well.    Some cruises might even include Iceland.   Our British Isles cruise mostly focused on Ireland but we also had a few UK stops and we started and ended in Amsterdam.    Generally smaller ships do these cruises which is what I love since that means you never really feel overcrowded even when visiting some of the big cities.  Our cruise stopped at the big ones like Dublin, Cork, Belfast, and Liverpool but we also had some smaller stops too.   I really enjoyed the smaller ports where you could walk to the local pub from the ship and really feel like you were part of this small town even if only for the day.  The North Atlantic can be a little rough on the West Coast of Ireland though and on our cruise it was so rough we had to turn around and go back around the other way.   I guess they don't call it the Wild Atlantic Way for nothing. 

#4 The Baltics
  A Baltic cruise is also sometimes called Northern Europe and will typically include Scandinavia and Russia.   You might stop in places like Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallinn, and St Petersburg.   If you have always wanted to visit Russia a Baltic cruise is one of the easiest ways to do it.   The Visa requirements for Russia can be tricky but booking a cruise shore excursion will usually take care of all of that for you.   You really get to see a wide range of cultures and histories on these cruises since you are visiting so many countries.   A Baltic cruise can be pretty port intensive for that reason so that is important to take into consideration.  

 Cruise lines only sail these locations April - October.  Peak season for these really is June  and July.   Earlier or Later in the season can offer less crowds and lower prices but might also not have the best weather.  School vacations also mean more kids during those peak dates.
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Bermuda and Canada/New England are also places that have a limited summer window for cruising but may not offer the same cooling effect as the others.   Generally  Bermuda cruises are April - November with with June - August being peak season.   For Canada/New England cruises will run May - October with August - October being the time to leaf peep.  
If you are sweating right now and thinking how can I cool off why not start thinking about planning a cool cruise for next summer (there might still be some last minute deals for cool cruises this summer too - just contact me to find out).

you    I am writing this while sitting in the Philadelphia airport and an announcement just came on saying the airport is under a ground stop.   That is never a good thing and since it is weather related there isn't much you can do it about it.   You might think you have more of a chance of weather delay during winter when snow and ice are an issue but summer weather can be just as disruptive.
  I think it is pretty safe to say that everyone has encountered a flight delay at one time or another.  It could be weather related, mechanical issues, crew delays, or something you might never have thought of before.   Nobody likes to be delayed but being prepared can be make a big difference.   There are a few apps that can come in handy when  flying.

#1 - Airline's app.  I always make sure I have the app for the airline I am flying on that day.   The airline app comes in handy for things like checking in for your flight and watching the status of your flight.  One time we were already sitting in the plane out on the tarmac and were delayed.  We had a connecting flight that day so after an initial delay boarding the plane and then sitting out on the tarmac another hour we realized there was no way we were going to make that connection.  I was able to use the airline's app to make changes to our connecting flight and find another option to move us to.  We almost didn't make that connection but luckily we did.   Unfortunately our luggage did not but we were also able to sort of track our bags using the airline app as well.   

#2 Flight Aware - While the airline's app is good, flight aware offers a bit more information.   Flight aware offers real time tracking for all airlines and you can check the status of airports too so you get more information.  They even have something called the misery map (you can take a guess at what that will show you).  You can see where your plane is coming from and get notifications when it takes off from there and when it lands at your airport.  You can also check on the status of the airports you are headed to which can be good to know as well.  If your flight is connecting and that airport you are going to connect through is also having delays you might not have to worry as much about missing your connection.   

#3 Air Help - I haven't actually tried this one out yet but after reading about it I think it is good to have just in case you need it.   Have you ever wondered if you might be entitled to some type of compensation due to the flight delay?   You don't need to wonder anymore this app will tell you. They say they can even check on flights from up to 3 years ago so who knows you might have money to collect.

#4 Grab - If you get hungry or thirsty while waiting on your flight but have no idea what food options are in the airport this app can help.  This came in handy when I wanted Starbucks in the Philly airport and wasn't sure where I could find one.   

If you read my previous blog about what I pack in my carry on you know that I do have everything I need in my carry on in case of delays.   The lady sitting behind me today wasn't so prepared and I just heard her say her phone is almost dead and she didn't pack her charging cord in her carry on so now she has to go find one to buy.  Another tip is try to find a comfy spot to hang out but don't go too far from your gate because I have learned in the past that even though your flight says an hour delayed now it could actually go back to being on time again without much notice.   The airlines really do want to stay on time as much as possible so sometimes they will make some changes in order to avoid delays.  So if they are able to do something that keeps you pretty close to on time they will want to get that plane boarded and off the ground as soon as possible.  

Travel delays can be a bummer since they might also affect some of your vacation plans that you have already set up for your arrival.  That is when having a travel agent can really come in handy.  I can jump into action for you to start rearranging things as needed.    Worst case you might also need help finding a last minute hotel room if your flight delay turns into needing somewhere to sleep for the night unexpectedly.  
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Lucky for us I see flight aware is now showing that our plane has arrived so we should be on our way shortly, only about 45 minutes late.  

I don't know about you but I love reward programs!  These days you can pretty much sign up for some type of rewards program just about anywhere you do business.  Some of the bigger ones are credit card rewards, frequent flyer programs, and hotel loyalty.  Even your small business like your local nail shop probably offers some type of loyalty program though.   Sure I get it that the idea behind them is to build brand loyalty but it is also nice to feel valued by a company (and free stuff doesn't hurt).   Some of the key points for loyalty programs to me are - is it easy to join (free is key),  is it easy to understand the system for earning points/miles (or whatever they call it),  do you get rewarded often.
Here is my look at 3 of the main travel related rewards programs:

Frequent Flier
First let's look at one of most of thought of loyalty programs, frequent flyer.  We all want to get those miles to earn things like free flights or maybe a first class upgrade, however if you are just a regular person that usually only flies for vacation you can end up feeling pretty unimportant to an airline.  Personally I might travel on vacation a little more than most people because you know I have to do research (it is a tough job) but I certainly am not coming close to getting above the entry level for most airline programs.  Even though I have taken 3 international flights with Delta in the past 4 years I still have yet to even earn enough miles for a free domestic flight or any kind of upgrade deal mainly because I do not do a high volume within one year.    I am a big fan of Southwest and Jet Blue and while they are not taking me anywhere international I have actually earned free flights from them.   I earned free flights though both of them by just simply flying with them not anything else. You can try to boost your miles with some airlines by getting their credit card or booking hotels and other things through them but I rarely do that.   Now I did make one exception this year and I took advantage of the Southwest credit card offer that gave you a free companion pass for the year once you spent a certain amount.   I knew I had a big purchase coming up so the timing was perfect and I  hit that spending mark with just that one purchase in February so that meant 10 months of a companion pass which I am taking advantage of the best that I can.   In this case I kind of look at this one as a dual reward program - one I am getting stuff from Southwest but the card is through Chase so I think of it as their program too.  In the future I will mostly only use the card for purchasing Southwest flights since that is what I get the most bang for my buck with that card.  We cannot always go out and open new credit cards just to get rewards but that is also another type of reward program to consider when it makes sense.  

Hotel Rewards
To me signing up for a hotel member program is a no-brainer as they tend to always offer you something easy to obtain like maybe free wi-fi or member only rates even with your first booking.  Personally I sign up mostly for the extras you get with that first stay and I cannot think of any hotel program that really makes choose their hotel over another when I am shopping for a hotel.  I will almost always sign my clients up for a hotel's program when booking them too so that I know they are getting the freebies.   Hotel program are generally easy and straightforward and similar from brand to brand.  For the most part hotels are like the airlines and you are only ever going to get to the upper levels by staying a lot of hotel nights in one year.  Also many hotel points tend to expire after a year if you are not active.  I tend to look at these programs as an in the moment type of reward and I am not in these for the long haul.   
Here is a link to a US News comparison of airline and hotel rewards programs
   
Cruise Line Rewards
These days just about all the cruise lines offer some type of loyalty program and for the most part you will be enrolled just by going on your first cruise with that line.   Some are really easy like Disney, who calls theirs Castaway Club, your cruise counts as 1 point no matter the length of the cruise or price you paid.   Disney has 3 levels - Silver, Gold, and Platinum.  You are silver for 1 - 4 cruises, after your 5th you become Gold, and then Platinum after your 10th cruise.  The rewards are simple but do the trick.   You feel important getting to book things earlier based on your level and get a freebie onboard.  Other cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, NCL, mainly give you one point per day of your cruise and they have 5 - 6 levels that you can move up to earn more stuff.  Again pretty easy to follow and I like that you get rewarded based on the total number of nights you have sailed vs just how many cruises you take.  MSC has the most complicated where you earn points based on multiple things such as your room type and experience add on you choose.  So you end up needing 10,000 points to top out on their program vs the 10 needed on Disney.  One interesting thing about MSC is they offer to level match you based on the other loyalty programs you might be long to.   So if you are let's say Diamond level on Carnival, then MSC might make you automatically Gold with them on your first cruise.  Some of the other cruise companies have multiple cruise line in their family and might also offer reciprocity with their sister line's program.   For example if you have sailed on Royal Caribbean many times and are Emerald level but decide to try out Royal's other line Celebrity you could enjoy upper level program benefits on Celebrity even though it is your first cruise with them.   Even though they all offer something pretty different I think they are all great programs and to me more interesting then the airline or hotel ones, but that could just be because I really like cruising most!

OK so now I have to admit there was a little more motive behind this article than just talking about my feelings on reward programs.  If you have read this far you will be first to hear that  I am excited to announce that I am rolling out a reward program for my own business!  I am working on all the details now and I have put a good amount of research in to hopefully have a program that really makes my clients feel like a VIP!  I will post all the information on the website soon and don't worry if you have been booking with me for years you won't be starting from scratch.  If you have anything you would like to suggest for a reward please feel free to comment or send me an email (you might get bonus points too).

The more the merrier can be the theme for your next vacation but it is not as easy as it sounds.   There are some vacation options that work better for a group such as cruises and all inclusive resorts but you can plan a group vacation just about anywhere.   Here are some of the pros and cons to traveling as a group.

PROS
1. You get to enjoy a vacation and you get to hang out with a lot of friends or family that you might not see very often.  Being on vacation together means you can really spend some quality time catching up and making new memories.  
2. Save money.   Most times you can score some nice group discounts for traveling together.   I highly recommend working with a travel agent, not just because I am one, because an agent will know the ins and out of a group rate so that you don't end up paying more.  I have worked with many groups over the years and it can sometimes get tricky making sure the group qualifications get met.  
3. You might do something you never would have done if it wasn't for the group deciding to do it.  There are also some things that might only be available to a group that you couldn't do if you were traveling on your own.  


CONS
1. It takes a lot more planning.  It can be hard to get a large group to decide on when and where to travel.  Getting everyone to find dates they can agree on is one step then you have to agree on where to go too.   Even once you are on vacation there might be more issues getting everyone to agree one what to do each day, like where to eat.   As long as you plan far enough in advance you can avoid some of these headaches. Again this is where a good travel agent comes in.  If you have one main contact person, like a travel agent, for the group that can help make sure no one feels like one family member is making all the decisions  or having to do all the work.
2. You might have to do something you do not want to because you get out voted by the group.  Sometimes in a group the majority rules so might end up going with the group to do something you don't want or it might take twice as long to do something because not everyone moves at the same speed.  One way to deal with this is by picking a vacation that might offer multiple options to do each day so the group can split up if not everyone wants to do the same thing all the time.  
3. More drama.   With more people all spending time together there is bound to be more drama than your normal vacation.   Let's face it spending a lot of time all together is just bound to end up in a disagreement or two.  Planning for some downtime and having options for everyone so that you are not all together all the time can help diffuse the drama. 

Some ideas for group trip can be family reunions, school reunions, milestone birthday or anniversary celebration, bachelor/bachelorette party,  shared hobby or interest, or just a bunch of people that want to get together and vacation together.  You can have a big group or a small group but either way the key to a successful group trip is planning.   

Celebrate your independence!  Solo traveling is becoming more and more popular as people realize the freedom to do your own thing on vacation is really nice.   I have traveled solo a few times and I will admit the first time I was really nervous but then I realized you are never really alone when traveling.

  There are a lot of pros and cons to traveling alone and here are a few that I ran into and how I dealt with them:
Pros

• 1. You get to pick where and when you will travel without having to compromise with anyone else.  It was nice not having to work with around else's schedule.
• 2. While on vacation you can choose what you want to do.   It is just nice to be able to decide I want to walk over here and look at this right now and not have to drag anyone else or have to skip it because the others don't want to see it.  
• 3.  You only have to keep track of your own things.  As a mom I loved not having pack for someone else or be responsible for carrying anyone else's stuff while exploring.  
• 4. Sometimes there is only room for one more.    There can be advantages especially while visiting a theme park solo where you can get in a shorter line as a solo.   You might also be able to score last minute tickets to a show or on an excursion because there was only one seat left.  
• 5. Meet new people.  You are more likely to talk to strangers when traveling alone just because you don't have anyone else to talk to.  

Cons

• 1. It can get a little lonely.  Sometimes you might just wish you had a certain someone with you to share in this special moment.  I was usually most lonely when it is bedtime and you are in a strange room alone.  I would usually call someone or just keep TV or Music on so that it wasn't too quiet.
  
• 2. It can sometimes cost more.  Certain suppliers might charge a single supplement which means you end up paying almost as much as being 2 people when you are just 1.   You can shop around to look for deals or options that do not charge a single supplement.  Many cruise lines now even offer studio rooms where they are designed for just one person.  Some tour suppliers might even offer to match you up with a roommate if you want to save money that way (personally I cannot see myself ever going for that option but some people don't mind).  
• 3. Eating alone can be awkward.   I admit I never like eating out alone and will do whatever I can to make myself look busy while eating.  If you are part of a tour group or on a cruise you are usually seated with others for meals so that can help.
• 4. You have to remember everything because there is no one else to remind you if you forget.   I am very good at forgetting things like how to get back to the hotel or where I parked so without someone to ask it can be a little challenging.  
• 5.  May not always get the best photos with you in them.  I stink at taking selfies and also really don't like asking strangers to take my photo so my solo trips just don't have as many photos with me in them.

​My favorite travel options for going solo are a tour group, cruise, and theme parks.   In a tour group there will usually be a bunch of people and not everyone will know each other but you will all be going to the same locations throughout your vacation. Tour guides are usually very good at making the group all feel like they know each other really well after the first day and you will never feel alone.  On a cruise you won't get as personal with all your shipmates as on a tour group, but there is always plenty to do and others doing the same things that you feel like part of a group.   In theme parks there is just so much to do where you are always on the move so being solo is actually super easy.  

If you have ever thought about traveling solo go for it - you won't regret it!

  Last week I wrote about the idea of flying carry on only.   I have done carry on only for short visits to see family but never for an actual vacation.   No matter where or why I am flying I do always have a carry on and I have certain things I never fly without.  Some of these never get unpacked from my carry on so that no matter what I know they are already packed and I know exactly where to find them.  Depending on my trip I will always have my personal carry on bag which is always some type of Vera Bradley bag since I just love all the pockets they have to help keep me organized.   If I am also taking a bag to put in the overhead I opt for a rolling bag so that I am not having to carry it.   Here are the things that I just have to have with me when I fly:

#1 - At least one complete change of clothes.   My luggage has been lost in the past and I was so thankful that I had that change of clothes in my carry on.  Now I never travel without a complete change of clothes that I know will be with me when I get off the plane.
  
#2 - Lotion.   Planes are always dry so it is very important to me to keep my skin moisturized.  My current favorite choice is Avalon Organics Nourishing Lavender.  I was shopping for a few things for a trip and grabbed it because it was TSA approved size.  I loved the smell so much that I bought bigger bottles and now I just refill the little one so that I always have it when I travel.  The lavender scent is perfect to help relax on a flight so I take a deep breath as I rub it on my face.   On long flights I will reapply a few times.

#3 - Lip balm.   This one should be tied with #2 as they pretty much go together and are equally important to me as I cannot stand when my lips get dry.  I like the EOS balls because their shape makes them so much easier to find in my bag.  

#4 - Candy.  I have a crazy sweet tooth and never travel without some candy.   You never know if you will even get a snack on some shorter flights and many times I don't care for the snack they do give so I always have something sweet in my bag.   I also like cookies but I find they do not travel as well as candy.

#5 - Something to read.  I used to say a book as I am a big fan of real paper books but I recently gave in and agreed that for longer trips where packing space is more limited I don't really need to be lugging around a heavy book so I opted for a kindle.  I would still prefer a real book but I have realized that they do take up a good chunk of carry on real estate and also weigh my bag down more than I would like so I limit real books to shorter flights where I am not packing as much in my carry on.  

#6 - Fuzzy socks.   I always like to take my shoes off once the plane takes off.  Even though I only travel wearing shoes with socks with I always put on another pair to keep my feet warmer.  Plus I figure it is just nicer for the person next to me that I cover up my sweaty socks that just came out of my shoes.   Nothing is worse than being stuck next to someone that flies barefoot - trust me I was stuck next to a large fellow that took off his shoes and was barefoot for the whole 8 hour flight.

#7 - Earbuds/Headphones.   I almost always watch movies on long flights so headphones are important.  On shorter flights I don't always use them but I always have them just in case.   I recently upgraded to the larger over the ear ones that offer noise cancellation and they have come in handy for sure (one of things living in Orlando means your fligths almost always have lots of kids).  

#8 - Laptop.   I admit that no matter where I am traveling or why I am always going to have my laptop with me.  I rarely use it on the plane but it just one of those things I do not leave home without and would never put it in a checked bag.  

#9 - Back up battery power/charger.  You never know how long your flight might really end up being so I always have back  up power in my carry on in case of delays or long connections.  

#10 - Blanket.   I am always cold and even though I dress in layers for my flights I cannot get really comfy without a blanket.   On our recent flight to Europe I took along a "big one" blanket I picked up at Kohls and it turned out to be the best one I have taken with me yet!   It wasn't heavy but it was super soft and the perfect size for getting all wrapped up to take a nap.  Normally I would have ranked this higher up but I realize that if it is short flight and packing space it limited I might not bring it (but I will wish that I had).  

Do you have anything that you always take with you on a plane?

   For those that know me you would agree that I am pretty low maintenance.  I don't use much make up, or other devices for my hair, so that saves a lot of space.  I am not a shoe person so rarely travel with more than one pair.   I also tend to put on my rose colored glasses when it comes to the weather forecast for where I am traveling and I just want to believe that it will be perfect weather and I won't need any rain gear or stuff like that.   So why is it that I do not travel carry on  only?

Are you up for the challenge of traveling carry on only?   There are certainly some advantages but of course also some disadvantages as well.   
First up the PROS:
#1 - Less waiting.  You do not have to get in line to check your bag or have to wait for your bag to show up on the carousel.  
#2 - No lost luggage.  You know where your bag is so you are the only one that can lose it.
#3 - Save money on bag fees (although that might not be true on all airlines)
#4 - Easy access.  Everything you are traveling with will be just above you so you can get it at anytime during your flight.
#5 - Less weight to lug around from one place to the next.

Now the CONS:
#1 - Limited space.   You will have to narrow down what you take along with you.  
#2 - Prohibited items.  Some things cannot be carried on so you will have to really think about those liquids and other items that cannot be carried onto a plane.
#3 - Extra work.  You might have to do laundry while on vacation since you cannot pack as many clothes.
#4 - No Overhead Left - Sometimes it seems like everyone is doing carry on only and that overhead bin space fills up for your get on and then you end up having to check in anyway.  
#5 - Lifting - you have to be able to lift that bag up into the overhead and get it out.  

Before taking the leap to carry only traveling it is smart to do some pre-planning.  You will want to be sure you choose the right bag.   Since you are going to squeeze everything you need into this bag be sure it is something that makes it a little easier.   While some people might prefer a backpack for their carry on I definitely prefer the rolling bag.   I have heard some amazing things about Away   I think it will be my next purchase to try out.  (if you use that link to buy one we both save $20).   

Dad's love gadgets and with Father's Day this Sunday I thought this would be a good time to list some of my favorite travel tech.  I am a huge Amazon fan and thanks to prime shipping if you forgot to get dad something or you see something on this list you know dad would love there might still be enough time to get it before Father's Day.  These gadgets are not just for dad though so you might find something that you just have to have for your next vacation too!

My don't leave home without it travel technology is my Skyroam.   It does only work internationally but I also take on cruises and as long as we are close enough to land we will usually get wi-fi.   

For the traveler that wants to be well prepared but not carry a bulky tool this gadget it pretty cool!   Victorinox Swisscard Lite Pocket Tool - but it is important to remember that even though it is very compact it cannot be carried onto the plane with you.  My husband has already either paid to ship his  Swiss army knife home from the airport or at least once he just donated it to TSA.  I can see that this one is even easier to forget that you have it in your wallet or carry on so be sure to double check before going through security.​​

​What good is a gadget on the go if you run out of power?  Having a back-up power source is always a good idea.  There are lots of great options for portable power banks - Here is Amazon's Top 50  but who has more gadets than Tony Stark?   Dads are super hero why not get him the power supply with super style!

Noise cancelling headphones are a must have on any flight!   Besides helping deal with all the noise on a plane, they come in handy for watching an in flight movie or just listening to some music or audio book.   I used to just use my ear buds until I learned how much more comfortable the bigger over the ear styles are.

There never seems to be enough outlets when you travel, especially on cruises, so bringing a charging station helps make sure all our gadgets are ready to go all vacation long.   My husband always makes sure our charging station is packed in the carry on because he likes to be prepared for anything.  

If you are traveling with all these gadgets you need a way to keep all these cords and small things organized.   I like this travel organizer since it rolls up nice and compact.   I also like the mesh pockets so you can see what is in there easily.

Getting a good night's sleep on vacation is important but sometimes can be hard with all the strange noises that come along with sleeping somewhere other than your own bedroom.   My husband picked up this little sound machine a couple years ago and we take it everywhere we go.  It also doubles as a nice Bluetooth speaker so we can listen to our favorite tunes while in our hotel room or out on our cruise ship balcony.