No Need To Travel Alone!

By Jennifer Doncsecz

 

 

It is often times very pricey for single parents to travel with their kids. Even when kids promo’s are out there to travel for free or at a reduced rate, not having another adult going often times raises the child’s rates to another adult price.

Most cruise lines, Disney and all inclusives require 2 adults in their pricing of accommodations. But, there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

Beaches resorts understands that single parents need a break. They have certain dates in which they waive the $190 per night single supplement fee! Hot off the presses from Beaches Resort are their 2010 SINGLE Parents travel dates. For 2009, there is still time to travel through the end of October, but for next year, they are running these special single parent travel deals for Aug 17-Oct 31 ,2010. They are also making a point on having single parent welcome receptions, social cocktails, kids movie nights, and much more.

I can remember being a single mom and going on vacation with my kids only to feel a lack of conversation at night. On cruises, I often felt like a 3rd wheel to the couples at our dining table. I remember one time my kids ditched me for friends they made and I
was left alone under an umbrella watching all the other couples walking the beach.

Let’s just say a vacation should not be about how lonely you are on a beach! Sometimes it is very refreshing to get away from the grind and relax with others that are in the same “boat”.

I never had the time to join a single parent club or networking group, but now with these events at Beaches, it seems very appealing to hang out with others while my kids played in the waterpark or in their state of the art “xbox” game center.

It is refreshing to be able to travel to an exotic location and know that my kids will have a good time and I will too! It is my hope that other resorts adopt this same promotion as Beaches and single parents can discover many wonderful spots around the world with their children in tow!

If you want more information on single parents vacations, please feel free to email me at Jennifer@travelbyvip.com

Jennifer Doncsecz
President
VIP Vacations Inc
www.travelbyvip.com

 

 

 

#1 in the Nation for Group Sales to Sandals and Beaches Resorts!
Winner of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Romance in Travel Award in 2007!
Fox Philadelphia’s Travel Expert. Tune in each Friday to Good Day Philly and learn about the latest travel news!
Look for my new show on the Travel Channel every Sat. night at 10:30 pm-Cruises We Love!

What Every Single Parent Must Do Before Taking Their Child On Vacation

By Jennifer Doncsecz

 

 

Ever since January of 2007 when the government made it mandatory for every US citizen flying to the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada to now have a valid passport, single parents have felt much more at ease when taking their custodial or non custodial child out of the country.

However, just because you carry your child’s passport doesn’t mean you no longer have to get a notarized letter of permission to travel by your child’s other custodial or non custodial parent.

In most circumstances, airlines will ask where the other parent is. If you are traveling to a heavily used route for single parents to “disappear ” with their non custodial child (Mexico, Dominican Republic, Aruba) you will be asked to produce a letter that is signed by the other parent and notarized.

This letter should include the other parents name, the dates of travel, the locations you are traveling to, the other parents phone number and signature with a notarized seal. If you do not have this, the airlines could refuse you board the planes or even worse, you could get to your destination only to find that customs/immigration will make you turn around and not enter the country.

Many of my clients sometimes call the airlines ahead of time to check to see if this is necessary, however, the airlines do not operate customs/immigration and may tell you the wrong information.

Play it safe and always have the other parent sign this very important letter. Even if you have joint custody or full custody and the court awarded you ownership of your child’s passport, customs wants to know that both parents are aware of the child’s leaving the country.

In some cases where bad feelings are present between the parents, this can prove to be a bit tricky, but isn’t it better than spending thousands of dollars on a vacation on a beautiful island and being turned away from entering the country?

If your child’s other parent is deceased, it is also a good idea to bring a copy of the death certificate. I once had a client, who in a panic, had to call their in-laws for a copy of the obituary of their deceased spouse to be faxed to the airline’s counter because they were being denied boarding.

In the ever present world of parents abducting their children and taking flight, the airlines are being held under much more scrutiny. So, don’t get burned before you even arrive at your destination–be prepared and know what is required!

If you want more information on single parents vacations, please feel free to email me at Jennifer@travelbyvip.com

Jennifer Doncsecz
President
VIP Vacations Inc
www.travelbyvip.com

#1 in the Nation for Group Sales to Sandals and Beaches Resorts!
Winner of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Romance in Travel Award in 2007!
Fox Philadelphia’s Travel Expert. Tune in each Friday to Good Day Philly and learn about the latest travel news!
Look for my new show on the Travel Channel every Sat. night at 10:30 pm-Cruises We Love!

Picture courtesy of Alex

10 Simple Ways Single Parents Can Travel On A Budget

By Jennifer Doncsecz

 
 
 
It takes a little more planning when there is only one adult in the family, but it is possible to have nice family vacations!

The kind both parent and children will remember for a lifetime and the kind that will not destroy a single family’s budget.

There are several things single parents can do to enjoy vacations and make them memorable for children, too.

1. Take short day trips together. There are many neat places to go or interesting activities available near any metropolitan city. When you only go for the day, it requires less planning and costs less, too.
2. Travel very light. Mail ahead or buy when you arrive whenever possible. You will be the only person carrying everything unless you have older children.
3. Visit relatives for a reasonably priced vacation. You don’t have to mooch entirely. Take the host family out to dinner one night and be very helpful around their home.
4. You probably have a favorite baby-sitter you use at home. Bring him/her with you. They can share a room with your kids and be immensely useful to a single parent family.
5. If you go to your parents’ house or visit a sibling, someone who is very close and totally in love with your children, take a short trip alone. Leave your kids for at least one night while you either take a relaxing or exhilarating side trip.
6. Travel with another single or a relative. Some expenses are shared and each of you take a day as the primary caregiver of the children.
7. When your kids are small, travel off-season. Everything is cheaper and less crowded.
8. While driving to your destination, pack food ahead, then eat in roadside parks or metropolitan parks to save money. Being outdoors lets kids run off some energy while you take a driving break.
9. After you arrive, eat your big meal at lunch each day, then have sandwiches in the hotel room or outdoors (weather permitting, of course) for dinner. Luncheon prices are always lower.
10. Let your child bring a friend. With careful planning, your child can bring a friend for very little more money. Often the other family will footthe bill for their child anyway. This will give you some relief from the chief entertainer role. It is particularly important when your child has no siblings.

If you want more information on single parents vacations, please feel free to email me at Jennifer@travelbyvip.com

Jennifer Doncsecz
President
VIP Vacations Inc
www.travelbyvip.com

#1 in the Nation for Group Sales to Sandals and Beaches Resorts!
Winner of the Caribbean Tourism Organization’s Romance in Travel Award in 2007!
Fox Philadelphia’s Travel Expert. Tune in each Friday to Good Day Philly and learn about the latest travel news!
Look for my new show on the Travel Channel every Sat. night at 10:30 pm-Cruises We Love!

Why Single Parents Pay More to Travel

By Jennifer Doncsecz

Solo parents face special issues when traveling, such as: how will a vacation be priced, given that rates are usually based on two paying adults? And how comfortable will a parent feel, if most other vacationers are two-parent families?

The good news is that with many holidays, single status hardly matters: car trips, camping, Disney theme parks, even European odysseys (with hotel rooms priced by number of beds) — there are many situations where neither price nor social ease is affected much by being solo with kids.

Many families, however, dream of a Caribbean resort, or a cruise… and on these holidays, being a solo parent c

an mean a whallop to the wallet.

My 10-year-old Child is an Adult???

Single parents may get a big shock when a child gets charged an adult rate. Read more

Air Travel with Kids

by: Jennifer Doncsecz, President

Air travel is challenging under the best of circumstances, but when you add children and/or pets, things can get downright hairy. Not to mention smelly, messy, and noisy! While I do not make a habit of traveling with my dog or cat, I have, but I have a lot of experience with my kids-who can be equally as smelly, messy and noisy. So how do I do it? Actually it is pretty simple Read more