Although we rarely like to be serious while we write this bloggish thing, if a terrific deal comes along, we'll take the time to tell you about it. A case in-point......
Book that three-night Disney cruise you've been thinking about, and book it now. Disney Cruise Line has an outstanding (if there's a stronger word, we'll use it - the best we can do right now is "outstanding") vacation product. It's not inexpensive, but we've never had someone come back and tell us it wasn't worth every penny.
Well, here goes.....for many of the upcoming winter and spring sailings, kids sail free when they travel with two full-fare adults. Yes, that's right, we (Mr. Makarma) are not making this up - kids sail free. We recently quoted a family of FOUR a price similar to one we quoted for only ONE person not that long ago.
This promotion represents one of the best values we've seen in our over ten years of being your favorite travel consultants. And this deal's not gonna last forever. Pick up that phone and give us a call, O.K.? (Are you heading to the phone yet?)
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: http://www.makarmatravel.com/
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Sunday, August 24, 2008
You say poTAto, and I say potaTO
Since millions and millions of people from around the world are contacting us (actually, sending us spam email), we hereby promise to help the many denizens with more frequent (and even sillier) blog entries. Today's not that day, however. Instead, we're going to discuss a very serious subject, our (Mr. Makarma's) favorite new potato chip - Kettle brand "Buffalo Bleu" Krinkle Cut Chips.
First of all, we think they're just some of the tastiest cuisine we've had all afternoon. Secondly, we think the package description also defines us (Mr. Makarma) to a "T":
"BRAZEN spice mellowed by bleu cheese"
Our only disappointment is in the Nutrition Facts statement. We (Mr. Makarma) cannot understand how a five-ounce package of this sheer wonderment can be labeled as anything other than a single-serving......
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: http://www.makarmatravel.com/
First of all, we think they're just some of the tastiest cuisine we've had all afternoon. Secondly, we think the package description also defines us (Mr. Makarma) to a "T":
"BRAZEN spice mellowed by bleu cheese"
Our only disappointment is in the Nutrition Facts statement. We (Mr. Makarma) cannot understand how a five-ounce package of this sheer wonderment can be labeled as anything other than a single-serving......
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: http://www.makarmatravel.com/
Sunday, July 20, 2008
What's in a name? We'll tell ya...
Cruise lines, like many other companies, know the importance of product "branding." They show this in a number of ways - some promote active vacations, some exclaim adventure, and still others stress elegance. The naming conventions used by the various companies help get this branding message across. Royal Caribbean ship names, for example, always end in "of the Seas." There's the Liberty of the Seas and next year will bring us the Oasis of the Seas. So far, though, there's no word of a "Chicken of the Seas." (Yes, we know, you can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish.)
Another favorite is the naming method of the ships of Holland America; they all end in "dam." There's the Noordam and the Westerdam. We're very partial to their newest ship, however, named the "Eurodam." We can't think of a better name to describe the current exchange rate between the Euro and the Dollar.
Not to worry though...we still think cruising is the best way to see spectacular Europe (along with it being a terrific value - now more than ever).
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Another favorite is the naming method of the ships of Holland America; they all end in "dam." There's the Noordam and the Westerdam. We're very partial to their newest ship, however, named the "Eurodam." We can't think of a better name to describe the current exchange rate between the Euro and the Dollar.
Not to worry though...we still think cruising is the best way to see spectacular Europe (along with it being a terrific value - now more than ever).
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Confused by the new "rules" of travel? We're happy, as always, to help.
If you're bewildered by all the new fuel-related fees, you're not alone. Some airlines are charging for every piece of checked luggage (though some aren't), and fuel supplements are being charged by many airlines (which normally include them in base fares) and cruise lines (which normally don't include them in base fares).
What to do? Ask us. We're on top of things, and are happy to assist you in every way possible as you plan your summer travel. The high price of fuel is creating (and will continue to create) a lot of confusion in the marketplace, but we'll still help get you to your airplane, cruise ship or resort on-time. Fuel can be expensive, but you still deserve that vacation (don't you?).
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
What to do? Ask us. We're on top of things, and are happy to assist you in every way possible as you plan your summer travel. The high price of fuel is creating (and will continue to create) a lot of confusion in the marketplace, but we'll still help get you to your airplane, cruise ship or resort on-time. Fuel can be expensive, but you still deserve that vacation (don't you?).
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Please fasten your seat belt, O.K. ?
We (Makarma Travel) encourage our friends to take every possible safety precaution while traveling. One of the ways we do this is by passing along important information provided by our travel partners. You'll possibly see the important in-flight safety video below the next time you travel on a Delta Air Lines B737-700, but here's a preview just the same.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: http://www.makarmatravel.com/
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: http://www.makarmatravel.com/
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The many pleasures of food, wine and theater
The 1969 movie, "If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium", comically portrayed what escorted touring used to be known for - visiting a maximum number of places, in a minimum amount of time.
Fast forward a few years, and you'll discover an amazing renaissance in the organized tour industry. We (Makarma Travel) are constantly asked about Theatre tours of London or New York. Imagine staying in a four or five-star property in the West End or on Broadway and enjoying your choice of hits such as Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago and Les Misérables (now in its 23rd year in London!)
Not so long ago, one of our clients was interested in a Theatre tour of London AND New York. (Yes, something like that is very easy for us to set-up.)
Speaking of dinner......
Recently, Globus Vacations announced their new Food & Wine Tours. These escorted vacations include a wide range of experiences from touring the Sonoma and Napa Valleys of California's Wine Country to discovering the Tastes of Italy by visiting Rome, the Tuscany Region and Venice.
Dessert, anyone ?
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Customer Service 101
The last time we spoke, we (Mr. Makarma) mentioned we'd provide some examples of both good and bad customer service.
Unfortunately, examples of bad customer service are all too plentiful......
The coffee shop waiter who we finally flag down, after he's spent 15 minutes in animated conversation with three fellow waiters. When we complain that we haven't even see a menu yet, he shrugs and says "There are four of us." Yes, thank you, but we're aware of how many people you were conversing with, while you should have been providing customer service.
The tire salesperson who, rather than look up the price of an item, states, "Uh, those are around $250 each, plus mount and balance." That would be fine, if everyone else we contacted didn't take the time to look up the item and quote a price of approximately $160 each.
The (fill in the blank) who states they'll call you just as soon as something is done, something is available, etc. (How many of those calls have you later received?)
Unfortunately, today's two examples of good customer service are provided by automated programs (we'll get into a discussion of CRM another time)......
The restaurant which, accounting to information from its frequent dining program, alerts us that it's been a long time since they've seen us, here's a gift certificate to welcome us back and please let them know if they've done anything to upset us. Well, they hadn't done anything at all to upset us - we've just been one very busy omnivore. Anyway, their approach worked...we went back recently, enjoyed a terrific meal, and we'll be visiting them again soon.
The cellular phone company (yes, you read that correctly) that sent a message to our phone stating that a rebate request had been received. Two to three weeks later, another message notified us that the rebate had been processed and a check was on its way. And get this, a week or so later, we actually received the check!
We're not ready to say that cellular phone companies provide the best customer service but, not bad......
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Unfortunately, examples of bad customer service are all too plentiful......
The coffee shop waiter who we finally flag down, after he's spent 15 minutes in animated conversation with three fellow waiters. When we complain that we haven't even see a menu yet, he shrugs and says "There are four of us." Yes, thank you, but we're aware of how many people you were conversing with, while you should have been providing customer service.
The tire salesperson who, rather than look up the price of an item, states, "Uh, those are around $250 each, plus mount and balance." That would be fine, if everyone else we contacted didn't take the time to look up the item and quote a price of approximately $160 each.
The (fill in the blank) who states they'll call you just as soon as something is done, something is available, etc. (How many of those calls have you later received?)
Unfortunately, today's two examples of good customer service are provided by automated programs (we'll get into a discussion of CRM another time)......
The restaurant which, accounting to information from its frequent dining program, alerts us that it's been a long time since they've seen us, here's a gift certificate to welcome us back and please let them know if they've done anything to upset us. Well, they hadn't done anything at all to upset us - we've just been one very busy omnivore. Anyway, their approach worked...we went back recently, enjoyed a terrific meal, and we'll be visiting them again soon.
The cellular phone company (yes, you read that correctly) that sent a message to our phone stating that a rebate request had been received. Two to three weeks later, another message notified us that the rebate had been processed and a check was on its way. And get this, a week or so later, we actually received the check!
We're not ready to say that cellular phone companies provide the best customer service but, not bad......
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, April 29, 2007
The answer is: Yes!
In this day of rapidly diminishing customer service, those companies which still practice this soon-to-be-lost art deserve our attention - and business.
Our company recognizes the difference between good and not-so-good customer service, and it's not hard to guess which type of organization we prefer to do business with.
Saying "Yes!"......
We (Mr. Makarma) recently read about a luxury hotel chain which empowers each of its employees (not just management - ALL employees) to spend up to $2000 per day to make things right for the guest. Think about that for a moment; $2000 per day, per employee, is a lot of money. We'll guess that, because of the company's philosophy (of never saying "no" to a guest), that very little of that money is ever spent. Why? It's simply because that company's employees are trained to make things happen for their guests. Oftentimes, it takes very little money to do this.
(In our next TravelBlog visit, we'll describe some examples of good and not-so-good customer service we've experienced.)
You might be thinking that it's impossible to always say "Yes!" to every possible customer request. Maybe so, but is it possible to offer a good alternative, or explain a situation to a customer's satisfaction?
Yes !
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Our company recognizes the difference between good and not-so-good customer service, and it's not hard to guess which type of organization we prefer to do business with.
Saying "Yes!"......
We (Mr. Makarma) recently read about a luxury hotel chain which empowers each of its employees (not just management - ALL employees) to spend up to $2000 per day to make things right for the guest. Think about that for a moment; $2000 per day, per employee, is a lot of money. We'll guess that, because of the company's philosophy (of never saying "no" to a guest), that very little of that money is ever spent. Why? It's simply because that company's employees are trained to make things happen for their guests. Oftentimes, it takes very little money to do this.
(In our next TravelBlog visit, we'll describe some examples of good and not-so-good customer service we've experienced.)
You might be thinking that it's impossible to always say "Yes!" to every possible customer request. Maybe so, but is it possible to offer a good alternative, or explain a situation to a customer's satisfaction?
Yes !
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, January 07, 2007
The new Makarma Travel CallBack Centre
Although our business hours are rather generous - 6 AM to 12 Midnight, seven days a week - we've taken yet another step to make it easy to communicate with us. It's the Makarma Travel CallBack Centre and it can be reached at:
Right about now, you might be asking, "But why, Mr. Makarma, would I ever ring-up the new Makarma Travel CallBack Centre?" Well, two reasons:
1) We don't have a toll-free number. The CallBack Centre allows you to leave us a quick message, with us then returning the call. (We'll go into more detail another time as to why we don't have a toll-free number. Briefly stated, however, it's to help save YOU, our customer, money.)
2) You may want to leave us a message during the few hours we're closed (12 Midnight to 6:00 AM). The CallBack Centre allows that.
Nothing else changes; you can still contact us via email or direct line. The CallBack Centre is just one more convenient way for you to contact us.
Makarma Travel CallBack Centre
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Right about now, you might be asking, "But why, Mr. Makarma, would I ever ring-up the new Makarma Travel CallBack Centre?" Well, two reasons:
1) We don't have a toll-free number. The CallBack Centre allows you to leave us a quick message, with us then returning the call. (We'll go into more detail another time as to why we don't have a toll-free number. Briefly stated, however, it's to help save YOU, our customer, money.)
2) You may want to leave us a message during the few hours we're closed (12 Midnight to 6:00 AM). The CallBack Centre allows that.
Nothing else changes; you can still contact us via email or direct line. The CallBack Centre is just one more convenient way for you to contact us.
Makarma Travel CallBack Centre
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Been around these parts (i.e., dining rooms, lounges, cabins) before?
Many of you are probably aware that airlines have frequent flyer programs and hotels have frequent guest programs. These programs typically offer points/miles and other amenities to customers, with the amount of benefits increasing as your level of business with that company increases.
What some may not know is that many cruise lines offer mostly similar (and in one area, better) programs to their past passengers.
Past passenger programs are similar to other frequent traveler programs in that the benefits increase the more you sail with a particular cruise line. Benefits can include special parties, bon voyage gifts, discounts on future sailings and cabin upgrades.
These programs are better than other frequent traveler programs in that the status usually stays with you, rather than expiring at the end of the year. In other words, a cruise from a few years back will usually count toward your overall total.
One thing to remember when you cruise is that, while some cruise lines automatically tally your past cruises toward their benefit program, others require that you sign-up. We recommend you always sign-up (or ensure you're already signed-up) for any program which can lead to future cruise benefits. A great travel-related services company (that would be us, Makarma Travel) would ask if you're a past passenger of a particular cruise line, apply that status to your booking, and even sign you up for the program, if necessary.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
What some may not know is that many cruise lines offer mostly similar (and in one area, better) programs to their past passengers.
Past passenger programs are similar to other frequent traveler programs in that the benefits increase the more you sail with a particular cruise line. Benefits can include special parties, bon voyage gifts, discounts on future sailings and cabin upgrades.
These programs are better than other frequent traveler programs in that the status usually stays with you, rather than expiring at the end of the year. In other words, a cruise from a few years back will usually count toward your overall total.
One thing to remember when you cruise is that, while some cruise lines automatically tally your past cruises toward their benefit program, others require that you sign-up. We recommend you always sign-up (or ensure you're already signed-up) for any program which can lead to future cruise benefits. A great travel-related services company (that would be us, Makarma Travel) would ask if you're a past passenger of a particular cruise line, apply that status to your booking, and even sign you up for the program, if necessary.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, September 17, 2006
The latest on the changing U.S. passport requirements
As you may recall, U.S. passport requirements for travel to/from certain Caribbean countries were scheduled to change nearly a year ago. Although these changes were postponed, they're now set to be instituted in 2007. We don't know whether or not any additional delays will take place but, as before, we encourage our customers to get a U.S. passport at the earliest opportunity.
Here's the latest information we have regarding the upcoming changes in requirements related to U.S. Passports (MOST RECENT UPDATE: December 24, 2006):
As of January 23, 2007, United States Passports will be required for all U.S. citizens traveling via air from/to the United States.
As of January 1, 2008, United States Passports will be required for all U.S. citizens traveling from/to the United States via land or sea, as well as air, regardless of destination. (United States Passports are required currently for travel to many countries - please ask us for details.)
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Here's the latest information we have regarding the upcoming changes in requirements related to U.S. Passports (MOST RECENT UPDATE: December 24, 2006):
As of January 23, 2007, United States Passports will be required for all U.S. citizens traveling via air from/to the United States.
As of January 1, 2008, United States Passports will be required for all U.S. citizens traveling from/to the United States via land or sea, as well as air, regardless of destination. (United States Passports are required currently for travel to many countries - please ask us for details.)
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, August 27, 2006
You know you're a travel agent specializing in cruises when...
...Your meeting with the vendor is on the 3rd floor, but instead you go looking for "Deck 3."
...Instead of taking your car in for "routine maintenance", you take it in for "scheduled drydock."
...You go into a restaurant, pick up the menu, and proceed to order one appetizer, a salad, a soup, ask for the pasta entree as a side, order two additional entrees and three desserts. You think absolutely nothing of it - until the bill arrives.
...You start dancing the macarena and singing "Hot, Hot, Hot!" (at the same time, no less), while your fellow office team members stare in pained disbelief.
...Whenever you're asked to explain why you did something, your standard reply is that it's because "I'm the king of the world."
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
...Instead of taking your car in for "routine maintenance", you take it in for "scheduled drydock."
...You go into a restaurant, pick up the menu, and proceed to order one appetizer, a salad, a soup, ask for the pasta entree as a side, order two additional entrees and three desserts. You think absolutely nothing of it - until the bill arrives.
...You start dancing the macarena and singing "Hot, Hot, Hot!" (at the same time, no less), while your fellow office team members stare in pained disbelief.
...Whenever you're asked to explain why you did something, your standard reply is that it's because "I'm the king of the world."
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, July 09, 2006
We highly recommend......
......Fodor's "The Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises"
We've previously mentioned a good source to purchase travel books, and we've been a firm believer that anyone planning a trip should learn as much as they can about the itinerary. (That would be in addition, of course, to choosing a terrific travel-related services company!)
We (Makarma Travel) buy a lot of travel books. Oftentimes, we'll buy the same book each time a new edition is released. The guides serve as one source of many we use to ensure you have a terrific travel experience. A situation we find with many of the travel books, however, is that the information changes little with each "revision." Many times, it's no big deal because there's no big change. When out-of-date information keeps getting repeated, however, it could be a problem.
As you may already know, although we work with all major cruise lines, we tend to favor Carnival Cruise Lines. (Is this a surprise, or are you reading this and saying "DUH!"?) Anyway......Most of the guides that have been around a long time will acknowledge that Carnival's food has improved over time, but they just won't go the extra step and say what Fodor's "The Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises" states (and we agree):
"Carnival has the best food of the mainstream cruise lines."
We really like this book. It's a fresh read - and based on our experience - highly accurate. It covers the cruise lines and ships that ply the Caribbean, provides good information about the points of embarkation, and gives a good review of the various ports of call. It's even a good book if you're planning to cruise somewhere other than the Caribbean, as many of the ships described in the guide have sister ships sailing other waters.
You should be able to find Fodor's "The Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises" at any good bookstore, although you'll probably get a better deal online. (Our website has a link to Amazon.com, which is currently selling the guide at a 32% savings.) If you buy a five-night or longer cruise from Makarma Travel, ask us, and the guide will be our treat.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
We've previously mentioned a good source to purchase travel books, and we've been a firm believer that anyone planning a trip should learn as much as they can about the itinerary. (That would be in addition, of course, to choosing a terrific travel-related services company!)
We (Makarma Travel) buy a lot of travel books. Oftentimes, we'll buy the same book each time a new edition is released. The guides serve as one source of many we use to ensure you have a terrific travel experience. A situation we find with many of the travel books, however, is that the information changes little with each "revision." Many times, it's no big deal because there's no big change. When out-of-date information keeps getting repeated, however, it could be a problem.
As you may already know, although we work with all major cruise lines, we tend to favor Carnival Cruise Lines. (Is this a surprise, or are you reading this and saying "DUH!"?) Anyway......Most of the guides that have been around a long time will acknowledge that Carnival's food has improved over time, but they just won't go the extra step and say what Fodor's "The Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises" states (and we agree):
"Carnival has the best food of the mainstream cruise lines."
We really like this book. It's a fresh read - and based on our experience - highly accurate. It covers the cruise lines and ships that ply the Caribbean, provides good information about the points of embarkation, and gives a good review of the various ports of call. It's even a good book if you're planning to cruise somewhere other than the Caribbean, as many of the ships described in the guide have sister ships sailing other waters.
You should be able to find Fodor's "The Complete Guide to Caribbean Cruises" at any good bookstore, although you'll probably get a better deal online. (Our website has a link to Amazon.com, which is currently selling the guide at a 32% savings.) If you buy a five-night or longer cruise from Makarma Travel, ask us, and the guide will be our treat.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, June 11, 2006
ALL ABOARD......the cruise ship
Mr. Makarma recently had the pleasure of sailing with a group we arranged for a three-night cruise. The one thing which constantly thrills us is how cruising is truly becoming a vacation for all ages and all backgrounds. The folks on this group were both young, and not as young. Some were married with children, others were still in school. Some had cruised before, while others were first-timers. Yet, everyone immediately made themselves at home, and quickly decided on which of the many activities onboard they'd participate in. Whether enjoying the shows, hanging out at the piano bar, catching some sun, getting a workout - there was something for all.
Everyone's reaction at the end of the cruise? Mr. Makarma, start planning the next one.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Everyone's reaction at the end of the cruise? Mr. Makarma, start planning the next one.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, April 23, 2006
The one, the only, the word for Travel
The Makarma Travel team is extremely proud that it can assist you with all your travel needs. As a result, we're also very pleased to introduce our new promotional campaign. Simply stated:
" There's only one word for Travel.........MAKARMA !!! "
Sure that's a marketing tagline, but like everything else we do, there's some meaning there. We're not going to make you run all around town (or all around the Internet) in your efforts to plan your next vacation. Do you need an airline ticket to get to your vacation destination? We'll take car of that. Do you need a rental car once you get to that destination? We'll take care of that too. Would you like to purchase travel insurance? Easy. Wait, how do you get to the airport in the first place? Arranged.
So while much of the travel industry changes to the point where you need to go one place for something, and yet another place for something else, Makarma Travel will change too. For the better. Much better.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
" There's only one word for Travel.........MAKARMA !!! "
Sure that's a marketing tagline, but like everything else we do, there's some meaning there. We're not going to make you run all around town (or all around the Internet) in your efforts to plan your next vacation. Do you need an airline ticket to get to your vacation destination? We'll take car of that. Do you need a rental car once you get to that destination? We'll take care of that too. Would you like to purchase travel insurance? Easy. Wait, how do you get to the airport in the first place? Arranged.
So while much of the travel industry changes to the point where you need to go one place for something, and yet another place for something else, Makarma Travel will change too. For the better. Much better.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Didn't I see that place in......??????
People travel for all sorts of reasons. Some travel for cultural enrichment. Others travel to visit relatives. Some travel to "get away from it all." Others travel to finally see the places they've read about, or see in the movies or on television.
It's this latter reason to travel that can be both awe inspiring and a lot of fun. The famous cities of Europe are truly amazing. It's a lot of fun, though, to point out some of the locations from the movie "Sideways."
There'll always be those challenges, of course. While Mr. Makarma can show you exactly where the Montecito Hotel in Las Vegas would be located (if there was a Montecito Hotel in Las Vegas), he still can't explain why Big Ed's office has the view that it does.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
It's this latter reason to travel that can be both awe inspiring and a lot of fun. The famous cities of Europe are truly amazing. It's a lot of fun, though, to point out some of the locations from the movie "Sideways."
There'll always be those challenges, of course. While Mr. Makarma can show you exactly where the Montecito Hotel in Las Vegas would be located (if there was a Montecito Hotel in Las Vegas), he still can't explain why Big Ed's office has the view that it does.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Socks with Sandals ?
You'll remember that, in our last visit, we talked about how we view our suppliers as an important part of the Makarma Travel team. We mentioned we'd be featuring more and more of these good folks as time went on.
Sandals Resorts is one of those great companies. You may recall we had previously been focusing on another supplier for all-inclusive Caribbean vacations. They're still an excellent company but, in our opinion, they're not the overall best. And what does Mr. Makarma promise you our friend? That's right, the best. Overall, we feel Sandals Resorts is the best.
Sandals offers 12 spectacular resorts in the Caribbean, with meals, drinks, entertainment - just about everything - included.
Please check out Sandals Resorts next time you're visiting our website (uh, that should be right now...).
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sandals Resorts is one of those great companies. You may recall we had previously been focusing on another supplier for all-inclusive Caribbean vacations. They're still an excellent company but, in our opinion, they're not the overall best. And what does Mr. Makarma promise you our friend? That's right, the best. Overall, we feel Sandals Resorts is the best.
Sandals offers 12 spectacular resorts in the Caribbean, with meals, drinks, entertainment - just about everything - included.
Please check out Sandals Resorts next time you're visiting our website (uh, that should be right now...).
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Meet our team
You'll find the phrase "team member" used in a number of ways. In the past, it was most-commonly used to describe fellow players on a sports team. More recently, many companies have adopted it to describe their employees because, Mr. Makarma guesses, these organizations don't want to call their employees "employees", because their employees might not like being called "employees." (Or something like that......)
At Makarma Travel, our team includes many individuals that don't work for us, and many companies that we don't own. They're part of our team, because they help bring success to our mission of being the very best company we can be. Our team members assist us in doing everything they can to help make your next vacation the very best. The Makarma Travel team consists of the very finest airlines, cruise lines, hotels, resorts, car rental and vacation package companies in their respective industries. Right now, many of these companies are featured on our website. In the future, we'll be highlighting more and more of these good folks, the ones we trust to come through each and every time we call upon them.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
At Makarma Travel, our team includes many individuals that don't work for us, and many companies that we don't own. They're part of our team, because they help bring success to our mission of being the very best company we can be. Our team members assist us in doing everything they can to help make your next vacation the very best. The Makarma Travel team consists of the very finest airlines, cruise lines, hotels, resorts, car rental and vacation package companies in their respective industries. Right now, many of these companies are featured on our website. In the future, we'll be highlighting more and more of these good folks, the ones we trust to come through each and every time we call upon them.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Friday, August 26, 2005
Why you should have a Passport
There's been a lot of discussion recently on the impending need for U.S. Passports for American citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico and many parts of the Caribbean. Although the deadline has been extended (Passports were going to be required for travel to many Caribbean islands as of the end of this year), we still recommend applying for a U.S. Passport at the earliest opportunity.
As you're probably already aware, U.S. Passports have been required for travel to many parts of the world for some time. On the other hand, entry from the United States to some of its neighboring countries was traditionally accomplished with only a photo ID and, in some instances, proof of citizenship. Even with the delay in instituting the requirement, the day will probably come when a Passport is required for any foreign travel.
The U.S. Passport application process is straightforward. You'll need two Passport photos, proof of U. S. citizenship, government-issued photo identification, and the $97 payment. You can submit your application at approximately 7000 locations, including many post offices, courts and government offices.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
As you're probably already aware, U.S. Passports have been required for travel to many parts of the world for some time. On the other hand, entry from the United States to some of its neighboring countries was traditionally accomplished with only a photo ID and, in some instances, proof of citizenship. Even with the delay in instituting the requirement, the day will probably come when a Passport is required for any foreign travel.
The U.S. Passport application process is straightforward. You'll need two Passport photos, proof of U. S. citizenship, government-issued photo identification, and the $97 payment. You can submit your application at approximately 7000 locations, including many post offices, courts and government offices.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Have we got a deal for you......
Although the summer travel season is in full swing, there are still values available for cost-conscious travelers who are able to get away at the last-minute.
We (Mr. Makarma) always recommend booking any trip far in advance. Not only will you find the best selection, you'll also typically get the best prices. Travel suppliers, to encourage early bookings, in most cases guarantee that you'll receive a credit if a price is later reduced. Having said that, suppliers need to fill planes, trains and automobiles (along with ships and resorts), and last-minute bargains can be found. The key to success here, however, is flexibility.
Searching for an Alaska cruise in July? Fares for a week-long trip are currently running about $1200-1300 per person, double occupancy. We can, however, get you on a terrific ship from one of the best-known cruise lines from only $499 per person, double occupancy, on each of the next two weekends. That's an amazing price for an incredible trip of a lifetime.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
We (Mr. Makarma) always recommend booking any trip far in advance. Not only will you find the best selection, you'll also typically get the best prices. Travel suppliers, to encourage early bookings, in most cases guarantee that you'll receive a credit if a price is later reduced. Having said that, suppliers need to fill planes, trains and automobiles (along with ships and resorts), and last-minute bargains can be found. The key to success here, however, is flexibility.
Searching for an Alaska cruise in July? Fares for a week-long trip are currently running about $1200-1300 per person, double occupancy. We can, however, get you on a terrific ship from one of the best-known cruise lines from only $499 per person, double occupancy, on each of the next two weekends. That's an amazing price for an incredible trip of a lifetime.
Return to Makarma Travel Home Page: www.makarmatravel.com
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