Am I just a CHEAP traveler?

I had to stop and think this week, “why do travel agents not understand value vs price?”   

Am I just a CHEAP traveler to all the agents who contact ME to to book a trip or more often my transatlantic crossings?    Endlessly I explain how I view travel and particularly transportation costs.
OF COURSE I prefer to travel business class, OF COURSE I enjoy a balcony on my 2 or 3 week sailings but I have a yearly travel budget.

I travel to add stories to my blogs and to experience new locations.   I don’t want to find a perfect place 15 years from now and say, ‘wish I had been here sooner’!

Therefore I take the yearly budget and divide it between all the trips I want to take each year.   If the location is more expensive to travel to or in, then I must devote more funds to that trip.

If I am spending 6 or 8 weeks Home To Italy, I can budget more closely since I rent apartments there or have Monasterystays.com book me into great convent hotels along my travel route.     I can live in Italy for less than in Atlanta, GA!

As I plan an additional trip for 2013 there are endless choices where I can spend my money.    Planning a 30+ day trip to maximize where I can travel, who I can interview and what special events I can attend is a tedious job.   Idea lists, maps and finally a spread sheet summarizing the ‘opportunities’ consume my time and every flat surface in my home:
the spare room has the side trip to Turkey,  the dining room is the command center, the den is the sorting and posting room……   is there an easier way?

Of course if I went to one location and experienced one town in one country, this would be far simpler but I have a limited number of years to see it all and do it all.

So travel professionals, I am NOT JUST CHEAP,  I am careful and a planner.

Do you spend more than 10k a year on travel?

USA Today just posted this: No Solo Supplement on a Clipper Ship!

This item was written by Larry Bleiberg, former travel editor of The Dallas Morning News and Coastal Living magazine. Bleiberg is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is away.
 
Solo travelers won't have to pay an arm and a leg to sail on Star Clippers this November and December.
The small-vessel line, which visits many small ports on sailing ships, is eliminating the extra charge for single travelers on select Caribbean and Central America sailings, and offering price-breaks of up to 66% off brochure rates, along with a one-category cabin upgrade.
The eligible dates include Royal Clipper's Nov. 23 sailing from Barbados, and Star Clipper's Dec. 14 and 21 trips from St. Marteen. Travelers can also get the savings on Star Flyer's Nov. 24 sailing from Balboa, Panama, and its Dec. 15, 22 and 29 trips from Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica.
Fares start at $1,385 per person for a single in a double cabin, including the price savings. The offer is capacity controlled due to limited availability for singles.
For more information, visit starclippers.com.

Star Clipper's Star Flyer is a 170-passenger, four-masted barquentine that takes its inspiration from the famed clipper ships of the 19th Century. Clipper ships were built for speed, often achieving 20 knots or more and sailed to the far ends of the earth before the age of steam.   Peter Knego
 

• This item was written by Larry Bleiberg, former travel editor of The Dallas Morning News and Coastal Living magazine. Bleiberg is serving as Guest Editor of The Cruise Log while USA TODAY Cruise Editor Gene Sloan is away.

today an online post on no Solo Supplements on River Cruises!

River Cruises Solo???

Solo Traveler Savings on select Boutique River Cruises

Single travelers can choose river cruises with special offers

Reduced Single Supplement Savings is available on the following select river cruises and departure dates:

Portugal, Spain & the Douro River Valley | Porto to Porto | 8 Days
2013: Nov 17
2014: Mar 27, Apr 3, Apr 10
Splendors of Italy | Venice to Rome | 13 Days
2013: Nov 3, 10
Splendors of Northern Italy, Venice, Florence & Rome | Venice to Rome | 13 Days
2014: Apr 6

Subject to availability. Capacity controlled. Other restrictions may apply. Uniworld reserves the right to withdraw or change offers at any time. For complete details on all promotions, general information, and terms and conditions applicable to all Uniworld trips, please contact your local travel agent. Reduced Single Supplement applies to cruise/tour package.


Waived Single Supplement Savings is available on the following select river cruise itineraries and departure dates:
Castles along the Rhine | Basel to Amsterdam | 8 Days
2014: May 10, 17
Classic Christmas Markets | Nuremberg to Frankfurt | 8 Days
2013: Dec 22
Enchanting Danube | Budapest to Passau | 8 Days
2014:  Mar 23 
European Jewels | Budapest to Amsterdam | 15 Days
2013: Oct 20

European Serenade | Vienna to Amsterdam | 13 Days
2013:  Nov 2
Imperial Capitals of Europe | Istanbul to Vienna | 16 Days
2014: Apr 7
Legendary Rhine & Moselle | Amsterdam to Basel | 13 Days
2013: Oct 15,  Nov 8
Paris & Normandy | Paris to Paris | 10 Days
2014: Mar 16, Mar 23
Paris & the Heart of Europe | Paris to Vienna | 18 Days
2013:  Aug 25
Parisian Winter Holiday | Paris to Paris | 8 Days
2013: Dec 13, 27
Portugal, Spain & the Douro River Valley | Porto to Porto | 8 Days (cruise only)2013: Nov 14
2014: Mar 30, Apr 6, Apr 13
Rhine Holiday Markets | Basel to Cologne | 8 Days
2013: Dec 22
Springtime Tulips & the Rhine | Amsterdam to Frankfurt | 8 Days
2014: Apr 2

Tulips & Windmills | Amsterdam to Antwerp | 10 Days
2014: Mar 28, Apr 3


Venice & the Po River | Venice to Venice | 8 Days
2013: Jul 28, Aug 4, 18, 25, Nov 10
2014: Apr 6, Jul 27, Aug 3

Subject to availability. Capacity controlled. Other restrictions may apply. Uniworld reserves the right to withdraw or change offers at any time. For complete details on all promotions, general information, and terms and conditions applicable to all Uniworld trips, please contact your local travel agent. Single Supplement Waiver applies to cruise only.

• FIND A CRUISE
• REQUEST A QUOTE
• FEATURED RIVER CRUISE
• NEW IN EUROPE 2013
• NEW IN ASIA 2013
• NEW IN 2014
• SPECIAL SAVINGS
• SOLO TRAVELER SAVINGS
• LOCATE A RIVER CRUISE SPECIALIST
• SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTER
• HOLIDAY SEASON RIVER CRUISES
• EPICUREAN ADVENTURER PROGRAM
• FAMILY FRIENDLY PROGRAM
• PERSONALIZE YOUR CRUISE

• REQUEST A BROCHURE
• E-BROCHURE
• BROCHURE PDF

• © 2013 UNIWORLD RIVER CRUISES, INC.
• ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. USE OF THIS WEBSITE
• CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF UNIWORLD'S
• PRIVACY POLICY. CST #2075415-20

UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER CRUISE COLLECTION IS PART OF THE TRAVEL CORPORATION F
Solo Travelers - Uniworld River Cruises
Reduced Single Supplement applies to cruise/tour package. Waived Single Supplement Savings is available on the following select river cruise itineraries and ...
uniworld.com/solo-travelers

REduced Solo Supplement on Luxury Cruise

Just saw the following on one of the many sites I troll daily to find affordable travel for Solo's

Although I have been told by another 'solo travel professional' that perhaps I am not suited for luxury travel "if I plan to wear my travel clothes on board".  She gets none of my yearly budget for travel.    See if this offering suites you......

London and Corsham, Wiltshire (PRWEB UK) 22 August 2013

Travelling solo? Regent Seven Seas Cruises offer reduced single supplements on selected sailings, making their cruises a perfect solution.

The number of people holidaying alone is increasing but it can still be difficult to find an arrangement that really works well and doesn't incur a hefty premium for single occupancy. Regent Seven Seas Cruises have reduced the single supplement on selected sailings, making their all-inclusive luxury cruise ships an option well worth considering for people travelling solo.

A cruise is one of the best holidays around for single travellers, providing a safe environment with like-minded people and allowing them to travel to places they might not be comfortable visiting on their own.
London and Corsham, Wiltshire (PRWEB UK) 22 August 2013
Travelling alone can be a daunting prospect, especially if it’s for the first time, but it can also be an enriching and rewarding experience. It offers the rarest components of true luxury travel - the chance to be selfish, to follow one’s own wishes and interests without having to compromise or negotiate. However, it can also be rather expensive, with the guest often being expected to pay as much as a couple occupying the same accommodation. Luxury cruise line Regent Seven Seas are offering reduced single supplements on selected sailings, thereby making these cruises an attractive and cost-effective option for the solo traveller.
A cruise is one of the best holidays around for single travellers, providing a safe environment with like-minded people and allowing them to travel to places they might not be comfortable visiting on their own.
Kit Williams, cruise expert at luxury travel specialistSilver Compass, says “For many, travelling alone is not a choice, but for those that do, it can be a very rewarding and enjoyable experience. It’s very different from travelling with one’s partner or friends but I love to travel solo at times too. Cruising is an ideal option from so many angles, but it’s important to seek the advice of an expert to ensure that the selected cruise is a good match for the traveller.”
It’s crucially important to choose the right ship and sailing; costs for single travellers can be high and not all sailings will have enough guests travelling alone to ensure that those who are don’t feel out of place.
Most cruise ships offer a variety of top quality restaurants and bars, entertainment and activities, as well as excursions to help make the most of the destinations. Many cruise lines include most or all of these in the fare, making a cruise holiday exceptional good value for money. In this environment, learning new hobbies and skills, discovering new places and making new friends couldn’t be easier, especially on some of the smaller ships.
It pays to look out for special promotions and to look closely at the single supplements. This is not just to take advantage of the cost savings but also because those are the sailings more likely to attract other like-minded solo travellers.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is the most inclusive of the luxury cruise lines, with specially reduced single supplements currently available on selected 2013/2014 sailings. With these preferential fares, Regent is a particularly good option for single travellers. An unlimited number of excursions is included in the fare and the luxuriously appointed suites, most with balconies, are particularly spacious (at least 301 sq ft.).
With the option of in-suite dining at no extra cost, guests have total freedom to choose between mixing with new friends or having a quiet restful evening after a busy day. Many Regent cruises also offer single traveller get-togethers, facilitate those travelling alone to enjoy shore excursions together if they choose and also to make sure they have someone to join them at dinner, again if that’s what they want.
Examples of Regent’s special singles offers are:
23rd October 2013 | 10 nights | Rome to Venice| from £4951 (Cat F)
7th January 2014 | 10 nights |Sydney to Auckland | from £6451 (Cat E)
22nd March 2014 |10 nights Eastern Caribbean from Miami | from £6121 (Cat F)
21st May 2014 | 7 nights | Alaska and the Inside Passage from Vancouver | from £5341 (Cat F)
The above fares are based on single occupancy of a Balcony suite and include: a reduced single supplement of 50% (available for F to D grades only); flights in economy class, transfers and 1 night pre-cruise hotel stay (B&B). Fares are subject to availability and capacity controlled so they may be withdrawn at any time, so don't miss the boat. Call us at Silver Compass for more information or to book.
About Silver Compass:
Silver Compass is an award-winning tailor-made travel agency based in London and Wiltshire with a passion for exceptional service. Members of the Association of Cruise Experts, their cruise specialists look after every detail and thrive on matching the right cruise line to the customer.

Solo travel circ 2000!

 

Stories about solo travel have been published for years.  I just saw the following from 2000 in Time magazine.   Only part of the story is available but writers were talking about solo travel over 12 years ago.

 

Travel: Going Solo

By Megan Rutherford Monday, Oct. 30, 2000

The yearning to see faraway places and the fear of visiting them alone seem to be universal human traits. Whenever travel writer Arthur Frommer gives a lecture and opens the floor to questions, a woman inevitably raises her hand and asks whether a female can safely travel by herself. "I always notice that all the men are leaning forward to catch the answer too," says Frommer. His verdict, for all concerned: an emphatic Yes!

Once fear is conquered, many older adults find they actually prefer traveling solo. Mature Americans, 55 and older, stay away from home the longest, according to...  Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,998332,00.html#ixzz2bgIi8DZN


Now there are hundreds of articles each month sharing solo adventures, men and women traveling to countries that are often remote and possible considered dangerous by the average traveler.      All solo travelers approach the travel experience differently.

Most writers think solo travel is only for gap years, for 20 somtthings or  for those who don't want a REAL job.   

Fewer articles are written about solo travelers who don't fit these categories.

Food Trucks part 2: Solo Travelers meet more vendors

Food in a Hurry does not have to be tasteless, precooked and dry.   FIAH is here.
 
While researching Food Trucks as the perfect alternative to a restaurant for Solo Travelers, I met Georgia Brown.

A friendly, enthusiastic vendor who was willing to share her story with this blogger.

I learned I could find great comfort food as well as healthy choices that are packed with flavor.
I am planning my next visit for Mac and Three Cheeses!

                          Meet Georgia Brown and her story on how this          food truck originated.

  
                          sweetgeorgiabrownscaterng@yahoo.com
                                   fiahtruck@yahoo.com

 On the FIAH FB page they list some other treats that will go on my list:
Jamaican patties
Macaroni Hot Dogs

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just down the row from FIAH,  I met Jason Powell

 and my diet went out the window. 


From a candy background, Jason's sister Chay, brought the taste of New Orleans sweets to Atlanta with Chayj’s

Using her fathers recipes, Chay creates top selling pretzels covered with praline, classic pralines, popcorn/praline and other sweet treats.   

My policy is, if you don’t buy it you cant eat it and gain weight.   But how can I tell you about Chay J’s pretzels without having tried them?

The bag of pretzels covered in praline coating, almost did not make it all the way home!    Now I will return to try the popcorn and perhaps another bag of pretzels, all as part of the story of course.


sweetst@chayjs.com

Fall cruise to New England Affordable

 The  Solo Travelers Club by Online Vacation Center found a trip RT from NYC to Halifax and St John!
Solo Prices starting at $718 inside *

  

Solo Travelers Club by Online Vacation Center 

  "Experience the warm colors of fall on a Canada/New England Cruise. Roundtrip New York City on Carnival Glory. Make your way through Boston, Portland, Saint John and Halifax. 7 nights from $718 (taxes not included, price subject to change, terms and conditions apply).http://bit.ly/13Arz69 * "

 Contact
  Linda Carella   Solo Specialist

• 1801 NW 66th Avenue, Suite 102
• Plantation, Florida 33313

Today 8:00 am - 8:00 pm Phone
(800) 787-1871 Emaillindac@onlinevacationcenter.com Website http://www.onlinevacationcenter.com/solo...

Nana G's Waffles and Chicken at Atlanta Food Truck park

Visit the Atlanta Food Truck Park 
and try something NEW

My first visit to the Atlanta Food Truck Park reminded me of a summer carnival with brightly colored vendors selling an assortment of food that makes your mouth smile.

Food Trucks have taken the idea of street food to a new level.

And a re a perfect solution for solo travelers in any city you visit.

The Atlanta Food Truck ParkThe variety of food offered was wide with brightly painted truck graphics attempting to describe everything offered:  

Mighty Meatballs, Food in a Hurry, Nana G’s Chicken and Waffles, Mexican, Indian and more.The overpowering impact of so much variety requires a second and third visit to sample more of what is offered.

On this visit I wanted to meet the owners and sample Nana G’s Chicken and Waffles.    Nana G’s is already a well know favorite in the Atlanta market so it is time I found out why.

Nana G's grandsons, Guy and Drew share her recipes with  many hungry followers

http://www.nanagchik-n-waffles.com/

Waffles are my favorite.  I stop at diners on the route from Atlanta to New Jersey and the older the diner the better!