There’s a good chance that you’ll take a vacation next year. And if you’re like most people, there’s a good chance you haven’t started planning for it yet. But if you want to save money and have the perfect vacation fit for your needs (and who doesn’t want that?), then you’ll want to rethink your vacation planning strategy. In this article, we’re busting myths about planning and paying for your luxury trips, so that you can get your dream vacation at a dream price with the dream quality and experience you want.

Planning and Paying Your Vacation the Right Way

Myth #1: Last-Minute Vacation Planning Gets You the Best Deals.

Busted: Not true! Maybe you could get a good last-minute vacation deal, but it’s not going to be for the kind of vacation you truly want.
 

Here’s the Truth:

All inclusive resorts and luxury cruise lines have very sophisticated systems that allow them to accurately estimate how booked they’re going to be for a given season, month, and even week.

It’s not a guessing game for them; they know precisely how to price rooms so that there are never many rooms empty.

That means that the longer you wait to book your vacation, the more you’ll be paying, because there isn’t a bunch of unfilled inventory keeping prices down.
 

The Sooner You Start Planning, The Better the Pricing

So the sooner you start planning your vacation, the better pricing you’re going to get – and the more vacation options you’ll have, because not everything is filled up yet.

In our experience, it’s a good idea to put down that initial deposit for a trip about a year in advance.

Initial Deposits Don’t Break Your Bank

And don’t worry, that vacation deposit isn’t going to empty your pocketbook: initial deposits hover around a reasonable $200 per person.

You’re definitely not going to be paying for an entire vacation that’s still 12 months away!

Why Planning in Advance is a Sound Financial Decision

It gives you time to save up for the vacation, rather than waiting until the last minute and having to pay a big lump sum at once.

This is especially true for honeymoons; paying for all your wedding-related expenses is already a burden so make your honeymoon more affordable by saving up for it in between the time you make your first vacation deposit and when the rest is due.

And a final note about initial deposits

Sometimes a promotion for your chosen river cruise or destination wedding resort pops up after you’ve made your deposit.

That’s okay!

Almost all of the cruise lines and resorts will allow you to opt into a promotion even after you’ve deposited if it gets you a better deal, so no need to worry.
 

Myth #2: Planning a Vacation Far in Advance is Impossible!

Busted: Look, we get it – planning your vacation a year in advance sounds hard.

Often, you don’t know you or your spouse’s work schedules yet, and the kid’s school calendar for next year doesn’t even come out for a few more months!

But that doesn’t mean you can’t get started on your vacation planning now.
 

Here’s How:

You can always change your vacation dates after you’ve made your deposit.

When you’re booking that far out in advance, cancellation fees don’t apply (or are very minimal), so you can get your deposit back and work a new trip around any obligations that have popped up.

So if you find out that little Bobby’s graduation falls during the week you were planning your European river cruise, no problem – we’ll help you adjust your vacation plans so that you can see Europe’s breathtaking cathedrals AND Bobby walk across that stage.

For Some Vacations Planning a Year in Advance is a MUST

And, for some types of vacations, planning a year or more in advance is the only way to do it.

For incredibly unique vacations – like an African safari or around-the-world cruise – trips put on by the best suppliers fill up very quickly (and at Southern Travel Agency, we only work with the best suppliers).

Because if you’re spotting lions from an open Jeep or sailing around the world, it pays to do it – and plan it – right.

For these types of vacations, we recommend starting your planning and putting down your deposit 18 months in advance.
 

Are you Dreaming about Your Next Vacation?

Then it’s time to start planning it now.

Contact us today and our travel experts can walk you through the planning process step-by-step, from making that initial deposit to packing your bags.