Make or (spring) break your trip!
Planning ahead, flexibility, balancing affordability are key with vacations
Jacob McCormick
Issue date: 2/23/09 Section: Money/Health
One week in March allows students the opportunity to trade Water Street for a street right on the water - spring break. Even with the economy squeezing pockets dry, student spring break vacations are no less frequent.
The planning options for spring break trips are abundant, but the key element involves balancing affordability and enjoyment. And knowing where to look.
Atle Skalleberg, vice president of marketing for StudentUniverse.com, said the Web site mainly deals with flights for students and faculty. The site negotiates with airlines for discount tickets on behalf of students, Skalleberg said, adding that Student Universe also helps students find travel insurance, car rentals, hotels and rail tickets.
"The main reason students come to us is to find discounted airfare," Skalleberg said.
In order to be eligible for the discount, he said students are required to verify their student status before they book the flight.
Joel Higgins, president of Higgins Travel & Cruise Center, 2514 Golf Road, said planning ahead can make a huge difference in money spent on the flight, hotel and even passport. July and August are good times to start making plans for spring break, he added.
"The earlier you can do it, the better the chances at getting a resort price and date you want," Higgins said. "Allow enough time for a passport to arrive because they can get expensive at the last minute."
He added an easy way to save money on a trip would be to share rooms because more people end up splitting the same bill.
Senior Lindsay Koerner has been a regular spring break traveler since her freshman year, when she went to Playa del Carmen in Mexico. Koerner also drove to Canada sophomore year and plans on flying to Miami in a month.
Koerner said she went through a travel agent for her trip to Mexico and began planning for it four months in advance.
However, she decided to use Orbitz to plan her Miami trip.
Koerner admits she wasn't as money-conscious freshman year, but she decided a relatively inexpensive trip her senior year would be her best bet. She said she always looks for the cheapest flights, which can limit airport choices if someone prefers nonstop round trips.
The planning options for spring break trips are abundant, but the key element involves balancing affordability and enjoyment. And knowing where to look.
Atle Skalleberg, vice president of marketing for StudentUniverse.com, said the Web site mainly deals with flights for students and faculty. The site negotiates with airlines for discount tickets on behalf of students, Skalleberg said, adding that Student Universe also helps students find travel insurance, car rentals, hotels and rail tickets.
"The main reason students come to us is to find discounted airfare," Skalleberg said.
In order to be eligible for the discount, he said students are required to verify their student status before they book the flight.
Joel Higgins, president of Higgins Travel & Cruise Center, 2514 Golf Road, said planning ahead can make a huge difference in money spent on the flight, hotel and even passport. July and August are good times to start making plans for spring break, he added.
"The earlier you can do it, the better the chances at getting a resort price and date you want," Higgins said. "Allow enough time for a passport to arrive because they can get expensive at the last minute."
He added an easy way to save money on a trip would be to share rooms because more people end up splitting the same bill.
Senior Lindsay Koerner has been a regular spring break traveler since her freshman year, when she went to Playa del Carmen in Mexico. Koerner also drove to Canada sophomore year and plans on flying to Miami in a month.
Koerner said she went through a travel agent for her trip to Mexico and began planning for it four months in advance.
However, she decided to use Orbitz to plan her Miami trip.
Koerner admits she wasn't as money-conscious freshman year, but she decided a relatively inexpensive trip her senior year would be her best bet. She said she always looks for the cheapest flights, which can limit airport choices if someone prefers nonstop round trips.
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Tina Marshall
posted 2/24/09 @ 3:47 PM CST
Greetings! Peterman's Eye is hosting a travel photo contest and J. Peterman will be choosing the winners (there are cash prizes totaling $3500!) Hit 'em with your best shot. (Continued…)
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