When Jane and Andrew Malecki were considering a second career they could enjoy together after retirement, they turned to their passion: travel. Partnering with the national organization Cruise Planners, they launched their franchise in 2021 with the goal of using their travel expertise to guide clients to creative trips that would inspire and enrich their lives—without breaking the bank.
Don’t let the name mislead you: Cruise Planners is a full-service travel business that creates exciting adventures from land to sea, traveling by rail, plane, boat and even the limits of space (we will get to that later). Jane, who has logged more than two million flight miles over 30 years as a global corporate executive relocation professional, discusses the benefits of using a travel advisor and what trips you should be considering for 2024 to make your friends envious.
Why use a travel advisor?
Properly researching trips and finding deals takes a lot of time and energy. Advisors get to know you, understand what you want, then provide a concierge service that does all the planning for you, whether you want budget or luxury or if you are looking to go on an adventure, play with your kids or relax with friends. Since we are part of a national company, we have buying power with top vendors, like hotels, airlines and cruise companies. We also keep tabs on deadlines, like final deposits, for clients, so nothing is missed.
Since Andrew and I are well-traveled, we also can give clients tips on where to stay and eat and interesting things to do from our personal experience.
Importantly, we keep abreast of ever-changing travel regulations. For example, most people don’t know that starting in 2024, U.S. passport holders traveling to Europe will no longer enjoy visa-free access to most European Union countries. They will need to apply for authorization through the European Travel Information and Authorization System prior to their visit.
The best part of working with a professional to create trips? Since travel advisors are paid by the vendors, our services are free for our clients.
When should people consider travel insurance?
Trip protection and travel insurance are important to consider, especially if you are traveling to places outside of your U.S. medical insurance coverage area. If you travel frequently you can buy a plan with coverage for a year or just for a specific trip. I’ve seen people get sick and have to be airlifted off of cruise ships, which could incur an expense of $100,000 without medical insurance. Non-U.S. hospitals want payment up front; good travel insurance would cover all that.
We recommend trip protection because things happen. What if you book a trip a year out, then learn you have a major deadline at work and cannot go. And of course, there’s hurricane season to consider.
What are the hot trips for 2024?
Since the bucket list locations—Hawaii, Alaska and Europe—are booking like mad and there’s not a lot of options left, consider traveling to Central and Latin America or Africa instead. You can go to Iceland in the summer to see the aurora borealis or to the South Pole in January—it’s their summer so it is still cold but not as frigid—to see penguins. Or you can go to space.
Wait. What? Space?
We have a relationship with Space Perspective, which will start sending people to 100,000 feet—above 99 percent of the Earth’s atmosphere—in a carbon-neutral spaceship starting in 2024.
What are the benefits of travel?
Mark Twain said, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
Travel helps you see the world through different eyes and broaden your mind. You become much more aware of the similarities in the human condition and respectful of our differences. People who travel once every six to nine months are more creative and better at problem solving. Travel can also help lower blood pressure and prevent burnout.
Indeed, the very act of planning and anticipating a trip boosts your serotonin levels and endorphins, which helps you stay focused, happier and calmer.
Get started booking your next adventure at JAndrewTravelServices.com.
“Travel helps you see the world through different eyes and broaden your mind. You become much more aware of the similarities in the human condition and respectful of our differences.”