My husband and I recently got back from an 11-night Southern Caribbean cruise on Holland America, and I want to share my overall impressions in this post. But first, here are some of the obstacles we had to overcome before we could even set foot on the ship. It started...

You have just a handful of days to make an award booking at a number of Hyatt Hotels that are due to increase in price for award rooms on Tuesday, March 25th. Hyatt recently announced award category changes, something they do on an annual... The post Book These Hyatt Properties Now...

Note: I’m traveling this week with limited access to internet. Responses to comments and emails will be delayed. Between my husband and me, we have almost 800,000 miles and points in various currencies (bank points, airline miles and hotel points). How did we get these miles, and what trips are...

My one visit to Scotland was all the way back in 2008. We covered 70+ miles of hiking in just three days, followed by a day in Inverness before finishing off the trip in Edinburgh. It was a great experience for an almost-19-year-old. And now I want to go back....

Note: I’m traveling this week with limited access to internet. Responses to comments and emails will be delayed. By using miles and points from credit card bonuses, my family has flown on long-haul flights in Business, Premium Economy and Economy. While it’s hard to beat the luxury of business class,...

Amex Marriott Bonvoy Cards Match Best Ever Bonuses: The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card and the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card are back to their highest level welcome bonuses of 185k and 155k respectively. If you’re looking to gather Marriott Bonvoy points, now is a good time. See this link for more...

The past few years, my family has purchased an annual trip insurance policy. This is a policy that covers all of our trips for an entire year. We’re about to go on a cruise, and I just renewed my annual travel insurance policy. Why get trip insurance? The biggest reason...

No seatback screen for kids? No problem. My best advice for keeping children occupied on a flight without screens is to keep them busy eating and drinking. Small snacks made a big difference on our two-hour flight on a very old aircraft. Keeping Young Children Occupied On A Flight Without...

I woke up to some shocking news: Southwest Airlines will now start charging for baggage. No more free baggage! I know the rumors have been swirling about this for a while, but Southwest has always been adamant that it won’t charge for baggage. Well, things change. Changes at Southwest Airlines...

Between my husband and me, we have almost 800,000 miles and points in various currencies (bank points, airline miles and hotel points). How did we get these miles, and what trips are we booking with them? Last week, I wrote about my stash of British Airways and Iberia Avios. This...

My family relies on miles and points earned through credit card rewards to drastically reduce the price of our vacations. If you’re new to this hobby, read Beginner’s Guide: 7 Steps to Free Travel with Miles and Points. Currently, several credit cards have elevated sign-up bonuses. Before you apply for...