OmniPointe Travel

23/06/2024

In addition to the State Department reopening its online renewal portal, https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.htmlunveiling, the government is also adding six (6) new passport agencies across the nation.

More Americans can travel abroad today than at any time in our history, and the State Department is committed to providing better customer service.

Take advantage of these new developments, when they become available, to apply or renew your passport.

More Americans can travel abroad today than at any time in our history. In 1990, only five percent of Americans had a passport. Today, that number is 48 percent. In Fiscal Year 2023, the Department of State issued over 24 million passport books and cards – more than ever before. To better serve th...

01/05/2024

To all my colleagues -

“Travel agents do not sell travel. Clients can buy travel anywhere. The main product a travel agent sells is their knowledge,
experience & service.”

We are so worth being appreciated! 🥰

05/02/2024

There is always so much to learn to keep up-to-date with the Marriott brand!

My go-to for hotel stays!

14/12/2023

It was so enlightening and exciting to learn about Silversea Cruises, the leading ultra-luxury and expedition cruise line. The thorough certification courses are abound with enticing videos, and detailed information about the beautiful ships and amazing itineraries.

Hoping one day I will be able to experience a sailing on Silversea's all-Inclusive, ultra-luxury cruises! In the meantime, I'm ready to plan a very special vacation for you!

22/09/2023

Great article to share with clients.

This page provides strong reasons anyone taking a cruise absolutely needs to have both a valid passport and travel insurance and examples of what can happen.

19/07/2023

18/07/2023

The course is well-worth the time as it provided very detailed information on how to work the website. Great videos for actual demonstrations!

20/06/2023

Hilarious, but, unfortunately, so true!

COMPLAINTS RECEIVED BY "THOMAS COOK VACATIONS" FROM DISSATISFIED CUSTOMERS!!

Dumb & Dumber Travelers

1. "They should not allow topless sunbathing on the beach. It was very distracting for my husband who just wanted to relax."

2. "On my holiday to Goa in India, I was disgusted to find that almost every restaurant served curry. I don't like spicy food."

3. "We went on holiday to Spain and had a problem with the taxi drivers as they were all Spanish."

4. "We booked an excursion to a water park but no-one told us we had to bring our own swimsuits and towels. We assumed it would be included in the price."

5. "The beach was too sandy. We had to clean everything when we returned to our room."

6. "We found the sand was not like the sand in the brochure. Your brochure shows the sand as white but it was more yellow."

7. "It's lazy of the local shopkeepers in Puerto Vallartato close in the afternoons. I often needed to buy things during 'siesta' time -- this should be banned."

8. "No-one told us there would be fish in the water. The children were scared."

9. "Although the brochure said that there was a fully equipped kitchen, there was no egg-slicer in the drawers."

10. "I think it should be explained in the brochure that the local convenience store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts."

11. "The roads were uneven and bumpy, so we could not read the local guide book during the bus ride to the resort. Because of this, we were unaware of many things that would have made our holiday more fun."

12. "It took us nine hours to fly home from Jamaica to England. It took the Americans only three hours to get home. This seems unfair."

13. "I compared the size of our one-bedroom suite to our friends' three-bedroom and ours was significantly smaller."

14. "The brochure stated: 'No hairdressers at the resort.' We're trainee hairdressers and we think they knew and made us wait longer for service."

15. "When we were in Spain, there were too many Spanish people there. The receptionist spoke Spanish, the food was Spanish. No one told us that there would be so many foreigners."

16. "We had to line up outside to catch the boat and there was no air-conditioning."

17. "It is your duty as a tour operator to advise us of noisy or unruly guests before we travel."

18. "I was bitten by a mosquito. The brochure did not mention mosquitoes."

19. "My fiancée and I requested twin-beds when we booked, but instead we were placed in a room with a king bed. We now hold you responsible and want to be re-reimbursed for the fact that I became pregnant. This would not have happened if you had put us in the room that we booked."

17/06/2023

There's always continuing education and re-certifications for the travel industry. With up-to-date knowledge, the travel advisor passes this on to help clients make an informative decision. It's a win-win situation for all!

Windstar Cruises is a favorite of mine, so taking the course was very enjoyable with great videos to help "see" everything.

Take advantage of all the knowledge and information available!

08/06/2023

Finally received our passports! It took exactly 11 weeks from the time the agency received the applications (March 22) until delivery to my mailbox. This is with regular processing time and expedited return of passports.

Do not delay in applying; the processing times are getting longer!

Where in the world should we go next?!

03/05/2023

Happy Travel Advisor Day to all my colleagues and travel partners!

11/11/2022

Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection just published their list of the safest places to visit in 2023.

"BHTP determined the top fifteen safest countries and cities to visit for next year using data surrounding weather emergencies, terrorism, health measures and the safety of traditionally underrepresented groups, as well as data from September’s State of Travel Insurance survey.

The world’s safest countries, in descending ranked order, are the Netherlands, Denmark, Iceland, Australia, Norway, Canada, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, Spain, Ireland, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and Belgium.

The world’s safest cities to visit, in descending ranked order, are as follows: Reykjavik, Copenhagen, Montreal, Amsterdam, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo, Berlin, London, Sydney, Barcelona, Honolulu, Rome, Dubai, and Paris." ~ Travel Pulse, Destination & Tourism: Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection; Lacey Pflaz, November 10, 2022

Plan your 2023 vacation to the places listed!

Photo: Iceland, "Land of Fire & Ice"

10/06/2022

Thanks to the lobbying from the travel industry!

The Biden administration is expected to announce Friday that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will lift its requirement for travelers to test negative for Covid-19 before entering the US, according to a senior administration official.

23/05/2022

What a fun and interesting history!

In three decades from the 1970s, cruise passengers increased exponentially. According to industry insiders, that leap in numbers was mainly down to a certain TV show with a catchy theme tune. "Come aboard, we're expecting you."

19/04/2022

As travel professionals know all too well, the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in thousands of canceled cruise trips for clients. Most received "Future Cruise Credits" rather than refunds. The Federal Maritime Commission, the agency that regulates passenger sea travel, has responded by issuing …

06/04/2022

Windstar yachts...which would you prefer?

06/04/2022

Windstar has been voted the World's Best Small Ship Cruise Line.

"All cruise ships let you see the world. Only Windstar’s private yacht style cruises brings you close enough so you can truly experience it. Each of our Windstar Cruises yachts serves between 148 and 342 guests. This intimacy provides you with the luxuries of time, space and freedom to immerse yourself in both the journey and the destination — in ways you may never have imagined possible." ~ Windstar

With my own Windstar cruise coming up soon, it's the perfect time to keep up with all that is new and useful information for travel advisors. In turn, it enables me to help clients be aware of everything Windstar offers, and to plan an amazing vacation!

18/03/2022

Love learning the details about each cruise line! The knowledge helps me plan my clients' vacation with confidence.

26/02/2022

Educational courses for any sector of the travel industry is always a plus. It greatly increases your knowledge, which in turn, can be shared with your clients. It shows you care enough to learn as much as possible to help them plan their vacations.

Holland America Academy is a very thorough and interesting course. I learned many interesting facts, and was anxious to learn more after each module. It worth's the time!

** Did you know Holland America started exploring Alaska even before Alaska became the 49th and largest state?

22/02/2022

Travelers are anxiously waiting for Japan to open borders to tourism, especially for the upcoming Cherry Blossom season. While it seems this will highly be unlikely, did you know there are so many other destinations that one can experience the beautiful Cherry Blossom display in the United States?! One might be in your own backyard!

Washington, D.C. is famous for their magnificent (and, busy!) season, but Newark, N.J.'s Branch Brook Park actually has over 1,000 more cherry trees than D.C.!

It's the perfect time to plan an amazing springtime getaway!

Looking for cherry blossoms near you? These 12 cities around the U.S. have cherry blossom blooms each spring. Here’s where best to enjoy the flowers.

18/02/2022

Love Canada!

One of the best destinations to have an amazing vacation…so much to explore. With such diversity, there is something for everyone!

Let’s plan that long, overdue getaway now!

Starting February 28, Canada will no longer require PCR tests for fully vaccinated travelers and will accept rapid tests. Unvaccinated travelers will still be subjected to testing requirements and a 14-day quarantine.

20/12/2021

Wishing All a Very Special Holiday Season!

09/12/2021

Keeping up-to-date on destination courses is a necessity in the travel world. So, when one of my long-time clients decided to plan a Belize vacation, it was the perfect time to do a refresher course for this diversified Caribbean country.

With one foot in the Central American jungle and the other in the Caribbean, Belize is truly "a curious place."

Amazing hikes, waterfalls and rivers everywhere, simple & delicious cuisine, a diver's paradise, Mayan temples, approximately 450 islands dotting the coastline, abundant wildlife and nature...the list goes on for an adventure of a lifetime!

26/11/2021

The holiday season kicks off a busy and hectic time of year. Wouldn’t it feel good to just slow down? Pause, take a breath, and dream of the places you long to go, and the people you’d take with you. After all, when we look back on our favorite memories, we remember the moments we shared, and the special people we shared them with. 2022 is the time to make new travel memories.

There are amazing promotions for all types of vacation...land, cruises, domestic, international, beaches, nature-oriented. Take advantage of these offers to pay less and do more!

Contact me to plan your 2022 (and, beyond) vacation!

28/09/2021

Wanderlust lives on...even in these challenging times.

20/09/2021

Finally!

The United States will start allowing vaccinated, international visitors, starting in November!

The Biden administration will also require unvaccinated U.S. citizens to test a day before departure and after they return home.

03/09/2021

Traveling is back, although different.

There are many destinations that are fun and relaxing, and most important, "safer"...which equates to less stress.

Check out some the recommended places, and let me know if you're ready to plan a long, overdue vacation!

If you're considering traveling again this year, check out these great resorts that provide plenty of room for families to spread out so that everyone in your pod can claim their own space and perhaps even do their own thing from time to time.