Land Vacations

Land Vacations
By Mike Miller

Since I am boarding the Carnival Elation today, this will be my last blog post for the next few days Normally I talk a lot about cruising but today I am changing it up and talking about Land Vacations. I personally love cruising but many people enjoy hanging out at one resort and exploring the area or maybe a guided tour through Europe. Today I am going to explore a little about the different types of land vacations.
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I break down land vacations into 4 different types. Fly & Stay, Fixed Itinerary Travel (FIT), Hosted Tours and Guided Tours. Each one has its benefits and depends on the individual. 

Fly & Stay Packages

Who is this for? The traveler looking for independence in their travel and is visiting one primary destination.

These are packages that usually include one or maybe two destinations. Destinations like Hawaii, Las Vegas or New York. They include flights, hotel and transfers or sometimes a car rental. If you want to just base somewhere and explore from that location, this might be the package for you. Most of the time we can bundle it together to save you money.

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Fixed Itinerary Travel (FIT)

​Who is this for? The independent traveler who is visiting multiple cities in a destination with a specific itinerary in mind.

​This kind of vacation will usually include multiple cities with car rental or train tickets along with hotel. Destinations like Europe are perfect for this type of vacation because you can make your own itinerary. Sometimes a package can be created for this type of travel but often the hotels being used may not be available. Typically there is a charge for this kind of planning depending on destination and package availability. 

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Hosted Tours

Who is this for? The traveler who wants some structure but the flexibility to get out and explore. 

Hosted Tours are a mixture between the FIT and Guided. These tours will offer hotel, a city tour, transportation and a tour host in each destination.
The best way to explain this is with an example like an offering from Alexander and Roberts (formally General Tours) called Italy by Rail. It includes hotel, rail tickets between cities, city tours entrance fees, breakfast daily and a host is available to answer questions and assist with your stay in each city. The base package starts in Rome onto Florence and then to Venice with 2 nights in each. This type of tour allows you to be flexible because you decide when your vacation starts.
Not all of the hosted tours will include breakfast, some will include more. This really depends on the tour and the company offering it. 

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Guided Tours

Who is this for? The traveler who wants structure in their vacation. They usually want to see a lot of places in one tour and don't want to worry about logistics, picking hotels or finding tours. 

​This is for the traveler who wants to leave all the planning and transportation to some one else. These tours include multiple destinations and you have a guide with you the entire trip. They can range from 6 or 7 days up to 20 days and inclusions can vary. They for the most part include hotel for one night in each destination, transportation, some meals and entrance fees along wit the tour. But, some tour operators like Tauck include all your meals and multi night stays.

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Each traveler is different and may enjoy a combination of two or more of these options. Don't hesitate to comment or send me any questions you have to mike@freedomtoroamtravel.com.

​For all your cruise needs
Mike Miller - Travel Adviser
​Call or text
(904) 534-4318