Tips from a Travel Agent

The Foodie’s Guide to Culinary Travel

August 1, 2022 Brittany Ferrara Custom Travel, Specialty Cruises, Tips from a Travel Agent No comments

Choosing a vacation destination has many factors depending on the people going, what they like, and what their priorities in a vacation are. Is the activity important? Adventure or sightseeing? Family trip or going solo? Cruise or land-locked? A fun type of vacation we’re seeing a lot of lately is a culinary travel adventure, where travelers visit some of the most culinary-focused destinations around the world. But since everywhere in the world has food, how do you know where to start and what to plan? We have put together a guide of the top 5 destinations for culinary travel.

Top 5 Destinations for Culinary Travel

Paris, France

Of course this is first on our list, right? Paris is what people think of when they think of fashion, class, sightseeing, and food. Paris has many specialty foods that can be tasted around the world, but never in the same way as eating the authentic version in the country itself. Some of these foods include croissants, Croque Monsieurs, escargot (seriously, if you’re open to trying new foods, this is a must in France!), and frog legs. Going on a food and wine tour in Paris will allow you to incorporate sightseeing and eating some of the local delicacies.

Tuscany, Italy

Italy is one of the most well-known locations for food in the entire world. Tuscany is at the top of that list. The cool part about Tuscany is that many of the tours include cooking lessons so you can not only taste some of the best local dishes, but you can have fun learning to make them from local Italian chefs that make them everyday. It’s a fun adventure and learning experience, and it always ends up delicious. The dream of many travelers is going to Italy and being able to make (or even just eat) some authentic homemade pasta, meaty pasta sauces, amazing wines, and antipasto salads. Tuscany is known for potato tortelli, chicken liver pâté, pappa al pomodoro, and of course, the wine.

New York City, New York

Yes, that’s right. Right here in our backyard, we have some culinary travel destinations that will be delicious, fun, and much closer than traveling all the way to Europe (if you’re not ready for that yet). New York has a rich cultural diversity, and with that comes rich food diversity. Take the tour of Italian delis, Mexican tacquerias, Polish bagel shops, Turkish shawarma trucks, and fresh local farmers’ markets. New York is a great place to visit for a culinary travel experience. Start in Brooklyn and work your way around New York City and try a bit of everything.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Another more local option for culinary travel, New Orleans has a large variety of sights, sounds, and experiences. The style there is a unique blend of Creole and French with some equally unique (and delicious) foods. The chefs there are some of the best in the country, and you’ll have the opportunity to really open your flavor profile here. Some must-tries in New Orleans are BBQ shrimp, muffuletta sandwiches, beignets, Po Boys, gumbo, and jambalaya. Seriously, if you just sit in restaurants the entire time you’re in New Orleans, we will not judge you.

Culinary Collection Cruise

Did you know entire cruise ships surrounding culinary travel exist and are ready to show you all kinds of awesome food experiences? We work with multiple travel partners that are part of the Culinary Collection cruise promotions to offer travelers a variety of culinary experiences. You’ll get all the benefits of a cruise while having the opportunity to attend dining events full of authentic and unique menus cooked by some of the world’s top chefs.

Pearl Travel: Sending You on the Perfect Culinary Travel Tours

At Pearl Travel, we have a few specialities: cruises, family vacations, and traveling abroad. Because of this, we really know our stuff. We know the best hotels to stay, the safest places to visit, and of course, the best places to visit when you want to try authentic cuisine. Working with a travel agent can help make sure you have all your bases covered for your cruise packing list, and it can save you a lot of money and time in the process.

Pearl Travel is pleased to offer unparalleled personal service via our dedicated team of travel advisors! We are able to share an amazing wealth of collective experience and expertise. The use of a personal travel advisor will be sure to enhance your travel experience – we specialize in all forms of travel from all inclusive resorts that are laid out for ease to custom travel that allows for the most unique of adventures. Contact Pearl Travel today or learn more.

Traveler’s Guide to the 5 Best Family Cruises

July 14, 2022 Brittany Ferrara Family, Ocean Cruises, River Cruises, Specialty Cruises, Tips from a Travel Agent No comments

Now that lockdowns are lifted and mask mandates are becoming more relaxed, more travelers are starting to get back to what they love- traveling. And what better way to relax than with your family on a cruise ship. Cruise ships are incredibly versatile, with plenty of activities for people of all ages. Family cruises are truly the perfect getaway. But you may be wondering, “with all the cruise ships out there, which are the most family friendly?” We’ve compiled a list of the 5 best family cruises to remove the question and get you on your way to a relaxing family cruise.

Best Family Cruises

Family cruises offer many amenities, such as water attractions, movies, magical dining experiences, and so much more! Many people refer to them as “floating cities” (and for good reason!) Cruise ships are jam-packed with activities for people of all ages. Read on to discover the 5 best family cruises.

Disney Cruise Line

There’s no denying that the fleet of Disney Cruise Ships tops the list of best family cruises. Disney strives to create magical experiences for the whole family. The Disney Cruise Line consists of 5 ships- Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy, and the newest ship, Disney Wish. From plays, to dining experiences, to the first-ever Disney attraction at sea, these ships offer unforgettable memories for all members of your family. To discover more about the magical differences between ships, visit the Disney Cruise Line Fleet.

Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

With Royal Caribbean, you’re sure to experience attractions unlike any other cruise ship. Royal Caribbean pushes the envelope with cutting-edge design and first of its kind attractions. The 3 largest and most innovative ships, Harmoney, Allure, and Oasis, have taken home awards every year for their exclusive attractions. By choosing Royal Caribbean, you’ll have 26 ships to choose from (with 2 more arriving soon!) To discover more about the differences between ships, explore the Royal Caribbean Ships page.

Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival is another well known cruise ship dedicated to creating memories for the whole family. With Carnival, there are 23 ships to choose from (with 2 more opening soon!) Carnival has created spaces for children of all ages. From day camps to teen only clubs, there’s sure to be an activity for everyone. Check out this article from Cruise Critic to discover more on the most kid friendly ships within Carnival.

Celebrity Cruise Line

The Celebrity Cruise Line is known for its luxury and elegance. From a movie night under the stars to Camp at Sea, and even exciting shore excursions, there’s something for the whole family aboard the Celebrity cruise ships. They also provide many accommodations for individuals with autism. The Celebrity cruise ship fleet consists of 16 different ships. To discover more about the individual ships and amenities, visit the Celebrity Cruise site to explore the luxury ships.

Norwegian Cruise Line

You can expect many different family activities on the Norwegian cruise ships. They offer youth programs, family dining and entertainment, and many family accommodations. Teens can take part in exclusive themed parties and gaming. They also have different zones available to kids of all ages. To check out what these ships have to offer, visit the Norwegian cruise ship page.

Family Cruises are the Perfect Getaway

Now that you know the 5 most family friendly ships, it’s time to pick a cruise line with the perfect amenities for you and your family. Take the time to explore different cruise ships and their array of activities before committing. For this step, we highly recommend consulting a travel agent. The expertise and experience that travel agents hold can take your family cruise to the next level. They know the ins and outs of cruise ships, which ones provide the best deals, and which cruise ships are tailored to your family’s needs. If you’re questioning what essentials to bring with you, visit our blog for an ultimate cruise packing list.

Family cruises are truly the perfect home away from home. From water parks to magical themed dining, you’re sure to create unforgettable memories with your family this season.

Pearl Travel: The Planning Experts for Family Cruises

At Pearl Travel, we have a few specialities: cruises, family vacations, and traveling abroad. Because of this, we really know our stuff. We know the best hotels to stay, the safest places to visit, and of course, the best family cruises. Working with a travel agent can help make sure you pick the perfect cruise ship for your family, and it can save you a lot of money and time in the process.

The Ultimate Cruise Packing List: 10 Things You’ll Need

July 14, 2022 Barb Mazzola Ocean Cruises, River Cruises, Tips from a Travel Agent No comments

Cruises are a popular vacation destination for many travelers. Once aboard a cruise ship, you’ll realize how big it truly is (many travelers call them floating cities!) From casinos to water parks, there’s sure to be something for everyone. But as your cruise ship vacation nears, you may start to wonder what you should be packing. We’ve removed the question out of it and consolidated the top 10 items for your cruise packing list.

The Essentials for Your Cruise Packing List

Cruise ship cabins are very small, so making the most of the space is key. You’ll want to be organized and prepared in order to avoid frustration and wasted money. We’ve compiled a list of our top 10 must-have items for your cruise packing list.

Power Strip with USB Ports

A power strip with additional USB ports tops our cruise packing list every time. With today’s advanced technologies, everything from your phone to your camera takes a charge. Cruise cabins are notorious for not having enough plugs, so bringing your own is a must. Please note: not all cruise lines allow power strips, so check with them before packing one!

Mini Fan

Any avid cruiser will tell you to add a portable mini fan to your cruise packing list. The air in a cruise cabin can often become stale. You can remedy this by circulating the air with a mini fan. It will also provide nice white noise to help with sleeping and blocking outside noise.

Magnetic Hooks

Did you know that the cruise cabins have magnetic walls? Take advantage of this feature by bringing magnetic hooks with you to stick on to the wall. This can be used to hang purses, hats, bags, etc. and will keep your cabin tidy and organized.

Over-the-Door Hanging Bathroom Organizer

This cruise hack is one of the biggest space savers within your small cabin. Organizing your toiletries into a convenient hanging organizer (or even a shoe caddy) is a must. You’ll then have an organized spot for hair products, tooth brushes, medications, etc.

Medications

Speaking of medications, you’ll want to make sure you pack all the essentials, especially prescriptions. Over the counter medications such as Advil, Benadryl, etc. will become significantly more expensive once you board the ship, and will likely be hard to obtain in any foreign docks. Save money and frustration by packing these medications ahead of time. Please note: all medications should be packed in your carry-on bags and not in your checked luggage!

Motion Sickness Patch

If you’ve never traveled on a cruise ship before, we highly recommend bringing a motion sickness patch. You can purchase bands or oral medication as well. In the event that your body doesn’t agree with the motion of the ship, having this readily available to you will be a life saver. Just like other over the counter medications, you’ll be paying significantly more if you buy it on the ship.

Sunscreen

You’ll want to make sure you bring plenty of sunscreen for your extended stay on the cruise ship. Not only will you be soaking up the sunshine on the ship, you’ll also need it when the ship docks and you explore different areas of the island. Reapplying sunscreen is very important, as getting severely burnt will put a damper on your vacation. You can avoid this by making sure sunscreen is on your cruise packing list.

Beach Towel Clips

Another overlooked item are beach towel clips. These will come in handy when laying a towel over your deck chair. It’s well known that towels are impossible to nicely drape over the cruise deck chairs. Bringing these handy clips will keep your towel up all day long.

Lanyard with Waterproof Phone Case

A lanyard with (or without) a waterproof phone case is an absolute essential on a cruise packing list. Once aboard the ship, you’ll receive a ship card that you’ll need every time you leave your cabin. Placing this on a lanyard is much easier than attempting to carry a wallet around. The waterproof phone case will also give a convenient spot for your phone to be placed. A lot of island excursions are water based, so having your phone in a waterproof case is a no-brainer. We recommend something similar to this waterproof phone pouch. Even a lanyard without a phone case is great because it can help carry your room key!

Collapsible Travel Tote Bag

You never know what you’ll need a travel tote bag for. From carrying wet towels to transporting souvenirs and food leftovers back to your cabin, you’ll be surprised at how often a tote bag comes in handy. We recommend purchasing an extremely lightweight tote bag that can fold up to fit in your back pocket. That way, it isn’t cumbersome but it’s available when you need it.

Pack Smart When Traveling

And there you have it- the top 10 items on our cruise packing list! We do recommend packing as light as possible and only taking the essentials due to the very limited space within your cabin. We also recommend checking out the features on your cruise ship prior to traveling. If you haven’t picked a cruise line yet, check out these popular ocean cruise lines to see what kind of amenities they offer. By being well prepared and checking off the essentials on your packing list, you’re sure to have a comfortable cruise ship experience.

Pearl Travel: The Experts at Constructing Your Cruise Packing List

At Pearl Travel, we have a few specialities: cruises, family vacations, and traveling abroad. Because of this, we really know our stuff. We know the best hotels to stay, the safest places to visit, and of course, the ultimate cruise packing list must-haves. Working with a travel agent can help make sure you have all your bases covered for your cruise packing list, and it can save you a lot of money and time in the process.

10 Carry-on Luggage Essentials

June 2, 2022 Barb Mazzola Tips from a Travel Agent No comments

Planning for a trip has many, many steps, starting with deciding where to go, how you’ll get there, and where you’ll stay. But an important part of planning any good trip is making sure you have all the essentials you need when you’re packing—and that they are able to be brought on carry-on luggage. Knowing what to bring in your carry-on will help make the trip into the airport more efficient and much more comfortable for you.

Type of Carry-On Luggage

Getting a carry-on-sized suitcase is a great idea (sizes vary by airline, so check into that or consult your travel agent before purchasing a bag), but an even better option for you might be to put all your carry-on essentials into a backpack. It’s great to just throw it on your back in the airport and while traveling, so it’s multi-purpose, and it’s less to have to carry.

Packing light and using a solid list will help you fit everything in one backpack to avoid checking more luggage (or any luggage if possible) to make you more comfortable and waste much less time. Most planes will allow a backpack or carry-on bag plus a personal item like a purse, computer bag, diaper bag, or smaller backpack, so once you check details on your specific airline, you can determine if you have a little extra space.

What is Not Allowed in Carry-On Bags?

Before you can consider what you should pack, you should know what you can’t pack in a carry-on bag. Certain items are not allowed in carry-on bags because of safety. These unallowed carry-on items include:

Liquids, gels, and pastes over 3.4 ounces
Guns and ammunition (this includes BB guns and cap guns)
Stun guns
Tasers
Sharp objects like knives, axes, and razor blades
Alcoholic beverages over 140 proof
Self-defense items like pepper spray
Butane, propane, and fuel
Baseball bats, skis, and bowling pins
Tools over 7 inches long
Bleach, spray paint, other chemicals that are similar

Other items may also not be allowed that are more specific to your type of trip. If you’re wondering if a specific item is allowed in your carry-on luggage, the TSA provides a full list for your review.

Essential Carry-On Items

Once you have checked to ensure that you aren’t bringing any forbidden items onto the plane in a carry-on bag, which will end up being a real security nightmare and costing you more time than you would like to spend at the airport, you can start packing your carry-on luggage with allowed items.

If you can pack light and include all your packing into a carry-on bag, that’s ideal for saving time (and sanity). However, that isn’t always possible depending on how long your trip is and where you’re going. This advice will be for packing light and including everything into a carry-on bag, but your luggage may overflow into a checked bag as well, and these are still essentials.

What items are essential for carry-on luggage?

1. Personal Necessities

The absolute must-haves are your passport, ID, wallet, and any medications you need to take. Pack these first, because if you forget them, it’s not a quick trip to the drug store to replace them. Remember allergy medications and other daily over-the-counter medication as well that will affect your comfort level on the trip because in many places you can just run out and grab some at the store, but not everywhere. Prioritize these above all other packing. This may also include your travel itinerary and hotel and flight confirmations. Do not forget these. You’ll be in a bad position if you do.

2. Choose the Right Type of Bags

Your main bag will obviously be the biggest of them all to make sure all the others fit inside, so it should be durable and spacious enough that you can dig in and find what you’re looking for easily. Some of them even come with built-in batteries to charge your devices. Make sure you also have a laundry bag for dirty clothes, a laptop or camera bag, a daypack or fanny pack for taking around on your adventures with you, and smaller bags for toiletries. Make sure your priority items are most accessible, and everything else can be underneath those.

3. Packing Cubes

This is one not everyone considers, but they are absolutely wonderful. They help you fit even more into your luggage and organize everything cleanly and efficiently. Make sure you get ones that are light and various sizes for separating clothes and undergarments. They should also compress well and may even have a separate dirty clothes compartment.

4. Electronics, Batteries, and Adapters

Make sure even if you are checking luggage that you aren’t putting anything in there that you can’t afford to lose. Any electronics, such as tablets, laptops, cell phones, e-readers, etc., that are expensive should absolutely be carried with you at all times. This includes external batteries for charging and adapters that you may need to make sure your electronics can function properly. Having everything with you will make the flight easier too if you get bored.

5. Airplane Comfort Items

Anything that you need to be comfortable on the airplane, like a neck pillow, travel blanket, eye mask, reading materials, glasses, medical kit, and anything else that will make you more comfortable on a long flight. This might include anti-nausea medication or sleep supplements, depending on how long the flight is.

Pearl Travel Knows About Airline Carry-On Luggage Rules

When it comes to determining what your guidelines are for your specific airline, Pearl Travel will know exactly what you can and can’t bring, how big your carry-on luggage needs to be, and we even have additional tips on how to make the flight more comfortable and efficient for you and your family, no matter where you’re going.