In our enthusiasm for a vacation, we never think to prepare for Murphy’s Law that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Stuff happens and although we don’t want to think that issues can arise and accidents can happen on a vacation, we tend not to account for the possibility. A lot of time and resources went into the vacation planning so here are a few tips that might help to preserve the vacation just in case.
One item that becomes invaluable should a problem arise is time. That commodity can’t be created and if caught between a rock and a hard place, having given yourself a “time buffer” can be the best part of disaster planning. When you plan a vacation, include a “trouble shooting” first day in case you miss a connection or travel plans are impacted by inclement weather.
In the event you do have travel interruptions, immediately contact your travel agent and they will use their resources to help make the adjustments you need to make on your behalf. They can from their location find potential solutions as it is what they do.
Whether you or your travel agent book flights, plan on arriving at your destination a day ahead. With cruises, they habitually depart on a Sunday so your buffer day is a Saturday. Should there be flight issues, you have an extra day to find a resolution. Try to book direct flights if possible with early departure times. An evening on a red-eye flight might get you there if all goes as planned but if a problem arises, the amount of options late in the day or evening are limited, in other words most of the flights have happened and there are few opportunities and resources left to plan with. Airlines run on schedules and the more schedule available to you, the better your odds of taking advantage of them. You are able to react better to the new situation if you have the time to think about what you need to do and the resources that are available to solve the problems.
The extra day would include accommodations at your destination and although there is additional cost, its cheap insurance. Take advantage of making the day part of the vacation and see what’s available for entertainment or dining in an unfamiliar area. Have your travel agent book a hotel with shuttle service in the event you want to get out and around the hotel and also to your cruise port. There is usually a cost associated with the latter but more likely than not, most cruise lines will also offer shuttle services to the cruise port from the airport at an added cost. It’s usually at flat rate cost and they are prepared ahead of time to make sure you get where you need to go. 
Probably one of the most important things to do is to make sure you have travel insurance. Consider the time and cost you invest into your vacation. We can’t emphasize how important it is to include the insurance just in case the inevitable does happen and no matter what considerations you planned for, if it becomes impossible to salvage the vacation, all would not be lost.
There are always possibilities of having an accident or someone getting sick while you are on your adventure so along with being able to recover the cost of the vacation other costs could also be recovered depending on the insurance options that were available to you and what you selected. Discuss the insurance options with your travel agent and pick the plan tailored to your needs.
Protect your vacation. It is after all an investment in you and your family.
Remember your Travel Agent can be your biggest asset to overcoming the inevitable so remember they are part of your planning.
