It's that time of year again!! Christmastime and the holidays seem to sneak up every year and we know that amidst busy schedules and shopping sprees, some of us would love nothing more than to soak up a new city with our loved ones, experiencing the charm of a beloved destination. What could be better than combining the beauty and wonder of Christmastime and traveling with loved ones!? We want to share with you five different European Christmas Markets and a beautiful way to see multiple destinations in one trip!

First mentioned in the year 1628, the Nuremberg Christmas Market is considered one of the oldest markets to visit. The market takes place in the main city square with over 180 stalls filled with beautiful toys, trinkets and traditional Christmastime decor. What makes this market even more beautiful is that it is called the "little town of wood and cloth" as nothing is made cheaply or of plastic here! If you would like to experience the fullness of the opening of the Nuremberg Christmas Market, we suggest visiting the Friday before the first Sunday of Advent as a local girl always performs the Christkind, a beautiful prologue that begins the festivity at this charming and historical market.

Opening the Thursday before the first Sunday of Advent, this Christmas Market offers over 100 stalls of gifts and daily activities until January 1! Also known as one of the world's oldest Christmas Markets, this market was originally called the “Nikolaimarkt” -- a celebration of St. Nicholas Day and offered stalls full of shopping for the two weeks preceding St. Nicholas Day (Dec 6) and continued for two weeks after. In the centuries that followed, it quickly became the spot for not just Christmas Shopping, but also a host of other activities for children and adults alike! Every day Christmas Stories are read to children, Christmas tours are offered and people can be mesmerized by their Krampus parades! If you're visiting near the New Year, this Christmas Market also hosts a delightful New Years Eve celebration full of music, fireworks and dancing! We know you and your loved ones will find something to love at this festive market!

Budapest has not one, not two, but three delightful Christmas markets for whatever you and your loved ones are looking for. Looking for the historical site? Check out Völrösmarty Square where you will find over 100 stalls dedicated to crafts and Hungarian food specialities. If you're looking for a more unique spin on a Christmas market, complete with a skating rink, be sure to visit the Advent Feast at St. Stephen's Basilica. This market was recently voted as the best European Christmas Market in 2019 with its blend of tradition and technology as they showcase colorful short movies on the face of the Basilica. Lastly, if you're searching for a smaller, less touristy Christmas Market be sure to go to Fo Square for their Obuda Advent Fair. This one will be cozier and have more local traffic with an ice skating rink and stalls for shopping.

In any given year, there are at least 15-20 Christmas Markets, or Marché de Nöel, in Paris alone, with other pop ups that happen closer to the Christmas holiday. If you are looking for the biggest and brightest market, be sure to visit the La Magie de Noël in the Tuileries Garden, next the Louvre. We have personally visited this one and it is massive. A mix between a Christmas Carnival and craft fair, there are stalls full of delicious food and mulled wine next to amusement park like rides and a ferris wheel. You'll find plenty of opportunity for shopping as well, as local artisans and vendors set up stalls to sell their beautiful and homemade goods. There are many other beautiful markets to partake of as well, namely near any of the breathtaking landmarks of the city--Notre Dame, Sacré- Coeur,  the Hôtel de Ville, and more. The Hôtel de Ville boasts of beautiful light shows projected on the side of the neo-Renaissance building with even a luge like tubing lane for children to slide down. So wherever you are in Paris this holiday season, there is sure to be a magical Marché de Nöel nearby!

Lastly, we wanted to share an Italian destination with you and knew it had to be Milan! Milan has a handful of delightful Christmas Markets with the most famous one being at the iconic Piazza Duomo. While it may be smaller than it's other European counterparts, these 60 wooden chalets offer homemade treats and gifts. While the Duomo offers the most picturesque of Christmas Markets the most famous is surprisingly hosted at the Sforza Castle for just three to four days beginning on the feast of Saint Ambrose (December 7) and continuing until the following Sunday. This market attracts thousands of visitors every year and sells handcrafted items, food and delicacies--an event you won't want to miss!

If you can't decide which Christmas Market to visit this year, we may have a solution! Every year, different cruise companies will offer a few different itineraries allowing you and your loved ones to visit a few different markets at once! Below you can see a few of our partners' cruise itineraries throughout Europe. While many of them open in November for cruising, we suggest waiting until near the start of the Advent Season, four Sundays before Christmas, as many more Christmas markets open at this time of year. This year, that falls on November 27 with some of the Christmas markets opening as early as Thanksgiving day! 

Recently, I have been fortunate enough to go on two group vacations which brought up the age-old question of who pays for what and how do we keep track of the expenses.  Fortunately, someone else has thought of this too and developed an app for phones, iOS and Android.  If you haven’t tried one of these apps before, I recommend you give one a try for your next trip.

Splid and Splitwise are apps both designed to split up group expenses and track who paid and for what.  Both have their advantages and are easy to set up for a group and use.  Knowing who you are traveling with and how you want to split your expenses is an important decision to make before deciding which of the two apps we tried.  Both can split expenses equally and by share, only one can do it by dollar amount.
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My first experience using an app was tracking a 3-week trip in Italy with three travelers.  Each of us downloaded the app, joined the group, and set up our account in the Splid app.  Here is a image of the app with the group defines and a running total of  balances.

We decided to share all our expenses equally.  Meaning if we all ate a meal, or a taxi we shared it by the number of people eating or riding, and only one person paid.  We added each expense to the app and indicated who paid and for how many and the app kept track each expense.  We may have even been a little competitive about paying for it to see who could get ahead.  See the image to the left after we’ve entered a few expenses. 

Splid, makes it easy to see each expense, who paid and what your share of the expense was.  It works offline, when you have no cellphone/Wi-Fi service and when you connect it updates the group account.  Each person in the defined group can add and review expenses as you go.  Lastly, at the end of your trip it even suggests who everyone can pay to settle. 

It features the ability to download a file that shows the groups running total to review your expenditures as you go or at the end.  In our opinion it works best if you split items equally.  It has a feature that allows you to split the expense by share, but to us it was confusing.  For us, we were happy with splitting evenly, but that might not always work for every group. Which is why for my next trip, we tried a different app. 

Splitwise, for my second trip was a breeze to use.  Simply download it, invite users to a group and you are ready to start adding expenses.  It allows each user to enter expenses, to track them, and updates as each user enters an expense.  Splitwise has many of the same features, suggesting repayment, downloading, or texting them and reviewing who paid for what.  The big benefit to using this app is it allows you to split items by dollar amount. 

​​For some groups or trips, this feature alone would lend the group to using Splitwise.  Life doesn’t always lend itself to splitting evenly and Splitwise takes this into account. 
We hope during your next trip you get a chance to try one of the cost tracking/splitting apps.​

If you're like us, you may be seeing a lot more of your friends traveling this summer or fall--or maybe you are taking that much anticipated trip that was put off or delayed due to the pandemic. You may have also heard, or experienced, some of the unfortunate interruptions or delays in the travel industry like lost baggage, flight delays or even cancellations. We know the moment a flight goes from 'on time' to 'delayed' to 'canceled' is one we never want to experience, however, like most things in life and travel, we can't always foresee these changes. At Shared Travel, we strive to help our clients feel as prepared and resourced as possible before your upcoming travel plans and we wanted to share a few of our favorite tips as it pertains to flight interruptions or cancellations. 

There are a lot of reasons flights can become delayed or canceled and it is important to know what your options are. For flights using American companies, the Department of Transportation has just launched an interactive dashboard to help aid in understanding what airlines are responsible for and what to do when compensation has not been provided in a circumstance where it is deserved.

CONTROLLABLE DELAYS OR CANCELLATIONS
When airlines are experiencing strikes or understaffing, you may find that your flights are becoming delayed simply due to a limited amount of workers, pilots and attendants. If this causes you significant delay or a cancellation to your flight, you may be entitled to vouchers, compensation or refunds.
According to the Department of Transportation, 
​"A controllable flight cancellation or delay is essentially a delay or cancellation caused by the airline. Examples include: maintenance or crew problems; cabin cleaning; baggage loading; and fueling.Airlines are required to adhere to the promises that they make in their customer service plan, including commitments to care for customers in the event of controllable delays or cancellations. The Department will hold airlines accountable if they fail to do so."

UNCONTROLLABLE DELAYS OR CANCELLATIONS
We all know that weather is the most common reason for delays are cancellation and that while flights hope to be scheduled around major weather events, it can still be unpredictable and unavoidable.  

Regardless of the cause of delay or cancellation, it can be a good practice to simultaneously get in line with Customer Service as well as get online or on the phone with an airline representative to help aid in the flight changes. Take into consideration that if your flight is significantly delayed or canceled and you are trying to obtain vouchers for meals and/or hotels, these services can only be provided by the airport customer service representative.

Additionally, the Department of Transportation has created a helpful page for Refunds and whether you are entitled to one. Whether or not the cancellation of your flight is weather induced or controllable, airlines are required to issue you a refund if a cancellation or significant delay occurs and you wish to no longer travel. One important thing to note is that each airline has a different definition around 'significant delay' and the Department of Transportation has not issued a definition for airlines to adhere. Check with your airline to know for sure!

Reading through all of the above information can be a bit overwhelming, even for the avid traveler and that's why we always suggest:

Booking with a trusted travel advisor aids in the assurance of knowing somebody is there for you if issues arise. While we may not be able to keep things from going awry, we have experienced a lot of travel interruptions and may be able to offer you advice or acknowledge your rights are as a consumer. Instead of waiting on hold for hours with a mega-site booking engine, we are available by call or text while you travel!

Once you've booked your travel package, you can add an extra measure of peace and assurance by booking Trip Insurance. When airlines are not required to make amendments for interruptions or cancelations to your travel, that's when Trip Insurance can help! Whether you are looking for coverage to pay the cost of hotel reservations, missed flights, inclement weather or if you need medical attention before you leave or while you are away, a travel insurance policy can help protect your wallet. 

If you have ever booked a trip with multiple moving parts--hotels, flights, excursions, transfers, rental car etc.--especially with a variety of companies, you will recognize the desire for a place to put all of your booking information. Even as travel advisors, we love knowing that booking details, confirmation codes and important phone numbers are easily accessible, and that's why we love TripIt. TripIt can help be the document holder for your trip and be with you in an electronic form wherever you go with their easy-to-use app. When upgrade to the Pro Account ($49/year), you can upload documents, arrange for Alternate Flights, receive flight alerts and more!

We hope these tips and information help! If you have other tricks of the trade that have been useful to you, we invite you to share them with us. We love that the travel industry is full of a rich and diverse community of people who share ideas and resources with one another and we hope to continue sharing more in the future!

If you've been waiting for those cheaper airfare prices, you may soon be rewarded with the fall prices of travel. Our friends at Centrav and Wall Street Journal are tracking prices and finding that gap between summer travel and fall travel will be wider than usual.

According to the flight and travel tracker app Hopper, the average price for a round-trip domestic flight is around $298, compared the summer highs of over $400. How does this compare? Normally, the difference between summer and fall prices sits between 10%-15%, however this fall we could see price drops of up to 26%. Before we start thinking everything is going back to 'normal,' we also need to remember that these fall prices are still roughly 19% higher than they were back in Fall of 2019, before the COVID19 pandemic began.

If you're looking at International Travel this fall, you'll be please to hear that prices are also dropping at some major hubs like London and Amsterdam. Travel in September and October can be up to 25% price difference than it was earlier this summer, according to flight tracking websites like CheapAir.

Track your prices: While summer prices and price tracking were outliers, the fall should bring back some of our usual trends. This means that prices should drop steadily up until 20 days before travel, when prices will start to climb quickly. While waiting can save you money, make sure that you are tracking the prices so you know when to act quickly.
Keep flexibility in mind: If you are able to be flexible with your travel dates, you may be rewarded. Weekdays tend to be at lower cost that weekends, even during the fall. Also, booking flight times earlier in the day may provide a great buffer in the even of those pesky delays and flight cancellations. 

Are you preparing for an upcoming trip? Are you a notorious over or under packer? We know that traveling by airplane can be both exciting and a means to an end to get to that idyllic destination. We've done our fair share of accumulating sky miles and wanted to share some of our must-haves for our carry-on luggage. We hope they save you some headaches, and if you think we should add anything, share with us your best tips and essentials in the comments below.

 While you’ll obviously need boarding passes and passports to make it through security for those international destinations, we suggest copies of your passports and travel documents as well. This is helpful not only as you travel to your destination, but can be very useful when you arrive. We suggest leaving your physical copies behind in the hotel safe (unless you'll need a legal copy for your outing) and taking your copies with you.​

Noise cancelling headphones are a must have on flights as you have so many other noises competing for your ears--babies, a snoring neighbor, or even the jet engines. If they are wireless, we suggest making sure they are fully charged before take-off. 

This comes in handy in so many ways! Of course we hope that travel will be easy and care-free, but we've been in situations where you spill something on yourself, or your luggage gets delayed and you don't have a change of clothes. We suggest a simple change of clothes in your carry-on in the unfortunate moments that we bump into.

Speaking of delayed (or even lost) luggage, we suggest packing valuables in your carry-on, like jewelry and expensive accessories. Having your carry-on with you at all times can help you feel more assured that your valuables are also being kept safe and sound.

With the possibility of unexpected delays, cancellations or luggage mishaps, we want to make sure you are staying healthy with any required medications. Additionally, if you have space, we like to pack a quick, mini first-aid like assortment of medicine like ibuprofen/tylenol, benedryl or allergy medicine, and even some eye drops if your eyes tend to dry out on long flights.

In addition to some of the mini-first aid medicine, some quick and accessible hygiene products can be very helpful. We tend to pack things like deodorant, chapstick, feminine products (as needed), and facial tissues. A small bag with these amenities can help you feel refreshed as you travel or arrive at your final destination.

Tablets and e-readers can be a great, space-saving way to bring along shows, movies or reading material. And it's not just for the younger travelers! We can all get a bit bored on the longer flights and having a show or movie to occupy your mind can be very useful. An added bonus--many streaming sites now allow you to pre-download those shows and movies so you don't have to buy the in-flight Wifi. Don't have a tablet? A paper copy of a book can be a great way to pass the time on a flight and doesn't take up that much space.

While flights are starting to come equipped with charging ports and electrical outlets on board, it's not always a guarantee. And while you could race to the charging stations with all of your fellow passengers, you can beat the crowds by bringing along your own external battery and charging cords. Then, you can charge your electronics from the convenience of anywhere in the airport or even on the plane.

As we have all been living through this pandemic, we know that hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes can be very helpful, especially in high traffic areas. While the airline staff clean the plane between flights, having an extra wipe for disinfecting your own areas can bring you some peace of mind.

We couldn't conclude a list of carry-on essentials without including a neck or body pillow. These can help create a bit of comfort as you share tight space with the people around you. There are so many different varieties out there, so find one that suits you! If you can still find it, the 1st Class Sleeper Pillow is a favorite of our team.

These are just some of the things we have decided are perfect for our carry-on luggage. Is there anything else you would add?
​When you're ready to pack your carry-on for your next adventure, allow us the privilege of putting together the perfect trip to create those memorable moments with the people you love!

We know that preparing for a trip abroad contains many questions about foreign currency and credit card usage. We have gathered some information from top financial companies like NerdWallet as well as some of our own thoughts to help give you  five tips for using your credit card abroad . While we may have some favorites that work for us, none of these tips are promotions for companies that we have partnerships with.

One thing you'll want to keep in mind is the type of credit card you bring abroad. While it may seem that all credit card companies are the same, you're going to have much more luck carrying your Visa or MasterCard abroad than you will a Discover or American Express card. Discover and American Express are working on amending this dilemma, but we advise taking a more widely accepted card and making sure you bring multiples. No one wants to be stranded at a shop with a card that gets declined and this can happen for a multitude of reasons. To put your mind at ease, diversify the types of cards you bring and embrace the unexpected.

We may think we're living entirely in the digital age, but we also know the value of having cash on hand. You get to that toll booth, or that restaurant doesn't take credit cards, or that bookstore's credit card machine just went down--but you don't have any cash. The rest of the world is a lot like here, where there isn't a guarantee that every place you go will have a credit card machine or form of contactless payment. We advise bringing some cash along and even pulling out some extra cash when you get to your destination. It's helpful to do a bit of research before as some big companies are starting to buy up the ATMs at airports, making the exchange rates worse with added transaction fees. Going straight to a bank or asking your hotel what their currency exchange rate can be a helpful tip when making a cash withdrawal--just make sure to check with your own credit cards limitations and fees.​

It's best to call your card company before leaving on a trip to let them know your date of travel. If your card issuer suddenly sees a few purchases across the globe from where you normally purchase your groceries, your card may be frozen. This has become a much easier process with automated options when calling in (look for the number on the back of your cards), or even alerting your card issuer within the applications on your phone.

While the United States were just starting to add contactless payment options and chip readers to their check outs during the pandemic, much of Europe and other parts of the world have been using chip readers and contactless payment for much longer. Double check that at least one or two of your cards are prepared with for the chip readers. Another easy way to make payment is adding your credit cards to your Apple Wallet or Google Pay can help you check out expediently and help you continue on in your adventures for the day. 

One thing you will definitely want to keep in mind are foreign transaction fees. There are a lot of cards on the market that wave these pesky fees and they can add up fast, so we like to make sure we carry those credit cards abroad. And don't mistake a 0% foreign transaction fee as only a high-end luxury card--a lot of companies with no annual fees are now offering this as a travel perk, so take a look around at the market and find something that works for you.
​Another thing that may be offered to you abroad is something called a 'dynamic currency conversion,' where the amount being charged will be done in US dollars as opposed to the local currency. This may seem helpful as it can tell you a more accurate representation of the cost, however these instantaneous conversions come with worse exchange rates than your card issuer. It's better to pay in local currency and we will often confirm with the seller before purchase to ensure that the right transaction occurs.

We often get asked what to pack or take when going on a first-time trip to Hawaii. Though you may have taken tropical trips before, there may be a few things added to your list you had not thought of before. (All of the links are simply for your benefit and we do not receive any commission from these products)
​Kauai combines the beauty of rolling green landscapes and tropical foliage on the Nāpali Coast with the majestic red rock and secluded waterfalls in the Waimea Canyon. Wherever you travel in Kauai, we know that the Garden Island of Hawaii will welcome you with rich and beautiful landscapes. 

It's probably pretty obvious that you will definitely want your sunglasses on a tropical trip like Kauai, but one thing we would add to your packing list are sunglass keepers like these so that you don't lose your sunglasses on boat trips or hikes around the many beautiful waterfalls Kauai has to offer--believe us, we've done it! Like many tropical places, the weather in Kauai can shift from day to day and is prone to having intermittent rainstorms. Because of this, we suggest packing a lightweight rain jacket that is breathable and waterproof for those afternoon showers.

One thing we all dread is the low battery signal or the realization that you have forgotten an important charging cord. While of course you can always pick something like this up at a local store, one thing we advise is packing extra charging cords for the rental car alongside a battery pack so that you are not without navigation or your camera while you're out for the day. We also suggest bringing a packable daypack like this one from our local ChicoBag for those great day hikes.

Spending all of your time on the beach or outside will warrant a purchase of sunscreen and we suggest buying and bringing reef safe sunscreen that is mineral based or without oxybenzone and octinoxate. With all the hiking and tropical foliage also come a fair amount of insects and we suggest these bug wipes that come in both long lasting deet and deet-free options. These are so helpful to have in your purse or bag when you're out for dinner or sitting on your lanai.

Do you have other things you would add or offer to fellow travelers? We'd love to hear from you! And if you're going on an upcoming trip, don't forget to share some photos with us so that we can celebrate the memories you made with the people you love.

One thing we can all agree on is that life is never dull! The good news is that the Omicron variant is abating and previously closed countries are opening their borders to international travelers. In celebration of that, we are highlighting the seasons in Australia as well as unique world festivals that are back in 2022! Plus, we are featuring private driver vacations in Ireland, Britain and Iceland; and igniting your curiosity transatlantic cruising, new ways to see the world, Go Local Tours by Oceania Cruises, and exclusive accommodations in The Haven by Norwegian® and Princess Sky Suites. All of which we hope ignites your passion to travel.

Contact us today so we can create an extraordinary vacation specifically for you.

Picture yourself riding a gentle Icelandic horse amid the magnificence of the island’s rugged landscapes. Or discovering Scottish history by traveling into the Highlands and visiting its finest castles. Or speaking with artisanal and traditional food producers as you sample the cheese, chocolate, and bread at a centuries-old Irish market. And perhaps at the end of an exciting day, relaxing by the fire in a pub, listening to traditional music and chatting with locals.

National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures is a collection of unique tours designed to take you deeper into the cultures and habitats of the places we explore. These aren’t just trips; National Geographic Journeys tours are designed to foster human connections through immersive experiences. Enjoy access to people and projects supported by National Geographic or G Adventures. With upgraded accommodations, private transport, and more inclusions than our other tours, you won’t sacrifice comfort when you’re roaming the planet.
 
You've waited your whole life to discover the world — just like explorers you've read about in National Geographic magazine. Now's your chance.

Oceania Cruises’ groundbreaking new Go Local excursions are immersive destination tours that invite you to embed yourself in the fabric of the local communities for engaging, one-of-a-kind experiences. On more than 120 tours across Europe, Alaska and South America, you will be welcomed into homes and businesses and immersed in the local way of life. You’ll have the chance to engage with local artisans, craftspeople, religious figures and other individuals. You’ll learn generations-old traditions and become part of a local family. You’ll experience the destination on an entirely new level and leave feeling connected to the place – and changed by it.

From the moment you step on board, you breathe in the sea air, disconnect from the outside world, and fully immerse yourself in a week of self-indulgence. Each day, calm washes over you as you settle into a new state of mind. The only decisions required are what activities to partake in, where/when to savor each meal, and which entertainers will delight you that evening. There is nothing more freeing than knowing there is nowhere else you need to be. Not only is Cunard® a unique experience, Queen Mary 2® is a unique ship: today’s only true ocean liner. Disconnect and indulge yourself with Cunard®.

Join us as we explore unique world festivals scheduled for 2022 in Brazil, France, Hungary, India, Japan, and Spain.

Since Australia has opened its borders to fully-vaccinated international travelers, now is the perfect time to remind you about their seasons:

As you have been doing your own travel dreaming or research, you may have come across this word: all-inclusive, and it sounds too good to be true! In a world that seems set on nickel-and-diming its consumers, the idea of an all-inclusive sounds completely made-up. Well today, we wanted to share with you what you can expect from an all-inclusive destination.

All-inclusive destinations can deliver surprising luxuries, service and cuisine at an affordable and pre-determined price. In most cases there are no additional fees to participate in activities or entertainment. Once you've booked your vacation, you are able to indulge in delicious meals, unlimited drinks and many activities, all without the worry of running up a huge tab.

While deciding on your next vacation, you might be wondering how much to budget when considering hotel, flights, food and the extras. With an all-inclusive destination, you'll be delighted not just by the reality that food is already included in the cost of your trip, but that there are a variety of restaurants and cafes to choose from. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and that late night snack? All included! Do your kids ask for pizza incessantly? Your resort might have a pizza oven going on all day while you're lounging by the pool! When comparing your all-inclusive options, be sure to ask how many dining choices there are and what styles of food are available.
Also included in your all-inclusive pricing, all of your beverages--yes, even adult beverages! All alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages are included in the all-inclusive package, making it a great time to try new drinks and food, it's all included! One thing that can set different hotels and resorts apart is whether or not premium or top-shelf liquors are included, if that's important to you, another great thing to ask your trusted travel advisor.

Depending on your style of vacationing, having extras like water sports or activities planned by the hotel might be something worth asking about--especially when traveling as a family! Many of our all-inclusive options have options for water sports, like kayaking, stand up paddle boarding (SUP), snorkeling, of even scuba diving. Looking for other types of inclusions? Many of our resort choices also host a myriad of activities for adults and kids like friendly beach or water volleyball competitions, dance lessons, or water aerobics classes--ensuring there is something for everyone. One thing that can set apart your resort choices? Ask your trusted travel advisor if a round of golf or a trip to the spa is included or offer any discounts to its guests! 

We hope that by better understanding what an all-inclusive is, you'll know what to expect at your next all-inclusive destination! Now all you have to do is choose your next all-inclusive destination and allow us the privilege of putting together your next travel itinerary.