Just found out that you do have some extra time and money for Christmas? Want to take the family on a memorable holiday retreat? We may have the answer for you! Although there are many options that are sold out, and have been for months, there is still availability for some nice warm destinations. Honolulu, Puerto Vallarta, Disney World, to name a few.

As you might imagine, air travel just before Christmas, and just after Christmas, is very limited. So flexibility is the key word!!

Disney World and Disneyland are a kid’s dream come true! Both resorts really know how to do the holidays. The parks are decorated elaborately and beautifully. From the grounds to the attractions and the characters, everyone is filled with the Christmas spirit. If you would like to join in the fun at Disney World, there’s still time! A 5 night package, traveling December 23th- December 28th, with airfare from Seattle, a Disney hotel, airport/resort transfers, and 5 day park hopper tickets, is less than $5300 for a family of 4! Can you imagine your children’s faces when they find out Disney World is their Christmas Vacation?

Maybe Disney World is a little further than you would like to travel over the holidays. Disneyland is another great option. A 5 night package, with park hopper tickets, a Good-Neighbor Hotel, roundtrip airfare, and roundtrip airport transfers would be about $3900, for a family of 4. If you would rather stay at the newly renovated, Disneyland Hotel, the same package would be about $4900 for a family of 4.

If a Hawaiian Christmas is what you are dreaming of, your dreams can come true! Honolulu, for 6 nights, in a Waikiki Hotel, for a family of four would run about $5400. The package would include roundtrip airfare from Seattle, December 25th-December 31st, roundtrip airport transfers, 6 night’s accommodations and breakfast each morning!!

Mexico is a wonderful destination just about any time of year, but just think what your kids would gain by enjoying another culture’s Christmas traditions. A learning experience and a vacation…..a win win situation! Traveling on December 25th – January 1st, with roundtrip airfare from Seattle to Puerto Vallarta, roundtrip airport transfers and 7 night’s accommodations would be about $5000 for your family of 4.

One of the best values for Christmas is a cruise. There are so many fun activities for everyone that no one will be bored. From Los Angeles on the Carnival Splendor, departing December 23rd, returning December 30th. Of course, the cruise would include all of your meals, entertainment, and Camp Carnival for the kids! The cost for this cruise would be about $5000 for a family of 4. This rate includes airfare.

As you can see, traveling on or near Christmas Day is the key to grabbing a last minute Christmas Vacation opportunity. You will need to act quickly…..do not hesitate. He who snoozes, loses! Don’t lose out!!

Please feel free to email me at sandi@totemtravel.com or call us at (425) 821-4100 to see what options are available to you and your family. I’m sure there are more destinations available, we will just have to search a bit. And be prepared to purchase immediately.

As I’m sure many of you have noticed, Totem Travel launched a major redesign of our website this past October. Since then we have been working tirelessly to make it more interactive, more beautiful and more fun to browse! Aside from moving menus and reorganizing the information that was already there, we added some new features like the Testimonial widget that features the raves and reviews that our wonderful customers have sent in.

Now, to help you keep up with our stories, we have launched a new Facebook page which will feature all the blogs and photos you love on our Award Winning Travel Blog, in a format that you love! Now you have the option of browsing our blog on this site, subscribing to our RSS feed or Liking our page on Facebook to stay in touch! Feel free to comment on posts or share them with your friends on our site or on Facebook. Either way, you can find the latest expert travel reviews from your favorite world travelers!

-Nick
Totem Travel
Web Design & IT

The Puget Sound Business Journal once again named Totem Travel one of the top travel agencies in Washington. Under the same ownership and management since 1984, Totem Travel specializes in tropical destinations, honeymoons and Europe. Two of our specialty niches – Sandals Resorts and Fiji vacations have also earned our Seattle travel agency international recognition.

It is our pleasure to provide the Seattle area numerous vacation travel services including free travel seminars at Savvy Traveler in Edmonds, Fiji honeymoon planning advice at the Seattle wedding show and a wide range of services six days a week Monday through Saturday in our Kirkland travel agency.  So travelers in the Seattle area have the opportunity to receive service from nationally recognized travel experts and a top rated travel agency in their own backyard at no extra cost.

We hope you’ll call or email before you plan a family vacation in Europe, select an all inclusive resort or plan a tropical honeymoon.  That’s what we do best!

Our Seattle based travel agency has always focused on the importance of truly knowing a destination, rather than simply looking for the cheapest deal. We’ve heard horror stories from travelers who bought “5 Star Hotel” packages only to arrive in the city’s outskirts, found excellent deals on tours in areas with more mosquitoes than culture and shown up in their destination only to be swept away by hurricane winds. Just a few days ago, SeattleMet.com recognized our agency for its dedication to planning with a mention in its popular travel section. The article highlighted the importance of climate in planning a trip and our owner, Linda, was quoted saying “September is a delightful month to be in Fiji but it’s the monsoon season in Thailand.”

Weather is important, and I’m in the process of adding more weather information to our site such as our new Australia Weather Information page, but really there are so many more variables that come into play when planning a trip. The problem for travelers is that not all of them are identifiable through research alone and if you don’t know the right questions to ask, not even the best search engine will provide the answers.

Having planned nearly all of my trips with Totem Travel before coming to work here, I can attest to the service that they provided. Through my travels, I’ve come to realize that the true value of working with an experienced travel agent is not the simplification of the planning process, but the wealth of knowledge and wisdom that they bring to the table. Someone who has been there before you knows so much more than can be found through diligent research alone. They know the best places for food, the best tour guides to follow, the activities to avoid, and the ones that will be truly memorable. While every hotel, tour company and restaurant will tell you why you should travel with them, a good travel agent will work with you to find what best fits your needs and personality. Whether you’re going to Europe, Tahiti, Fiji, the Caribbean, Hawaii or elsewhere, chances are that we’ve been there too!

In short, check out our website, get excited about all the possibilities there are for your next trip, and when you are ready to plan it, consider talking to a Destination Specialist at Totem Travel. We’ll make sure that you get personalized help from a travel expert at no extra cost!

-Nick
Totem Travel
Web Developer

Here is one of the hottest specials at the moment!

Tis the season of fairytale holiday markets, grand carnivals and blossoming meadows. It’s the time of storybook scenery and magical celebration. There are many reasons to visit Europe with Trafalgar in Autumn, Winter and Spring, but here are three of the best!

1.       Save up to 30% off peak summer airfare and land prices, up to $600 off per couple!*

2.       Enjoy Europe’s famous sights and attractions, but with fewer crowds.

3.       Discover Trafalgar’s authentic local experiences and special festive seasonal events.

Offers end June 24, 2011 – call today!  Buon Viaggio!

*Book your 2011/2012 Autumn, Winter & Spring Europe vacation by June 24, 2011 and save:
-          $600 per couple ($300 per person) on air-inclusive vacations or
-          $400 per couple ($200 per person) on land-only vacations

Hot off the press, Matangi Island Resort in Fiji has extended their stay 7 pay 5 special for high season travel dates including summer of 2011.  So you can enjoy a luxurious honeymoon or romantic getaway for two (no kids allowed at adult only Matangi Island Resort) including airfare from Los Angeles, seven nights in a lovely oceanview bure, three meals daily, non motorized watersports and more from under $7K total for two. Beachfront and treehouse bures also available.

And for an affordable Fiji vacation for adults or a family, you can’t beat Mana Island Resort from about $3K total for two with airfare, 6 nights in a newly renovated island bure and complimentary non motorized watersports. On Mana Island you’ll find 3 beautiful beaches, amazing snorkeling right off shore, two restaraunts with expanded menus, evening entertainment and theme nights.

So if you’re dreaming of a vacation or honeymoon in Fiji, contact Linda or Patty at Totem Travel and get personalized service from a Fiji travel expert and a fantastic deal on a fabulous Fiji island vacation package.

With the wedding and honeymoon planning season upon us Totem Travel is hosting free honeymoon and vacation planning events focusing on our travel agent specialities – Fiji, Tahiti, Sandals all inclusive resorts and Australia.

Jan 8 & 9            Seattle Wedding Show Fji honeymoons

Jan 27                Sandals all inclusive resorts
6p at Totem Travel in Kirkland

Jan 29                Tahiti and Fiji the South Pacfic islands
1p at Savvy Traveler in Edmonds

Feb 12               Australia the Land Down Under
1p at Savvy Traveler in Edmonds

Mar 3                 Sandals all inclusive resorts
6p at Totem Travel in Kirkland

Please call or email linda@totemtravel.com for details or to RSVP for an event.  Our honeymoon and travel specialists look forward to meeting you soon!

Hilton Waikoloa Village on The Big Island of Hawaii has welcomed a new dolphin calf.   This brings to 11 the total number of Atlantic Bottle Nose Dolphins residing at Hilton Waikoloa Village . Of course this little guy isn’t allowed to participate in the Swim with Dolphins program, yet, but there are lots of his friends to help you enjoy Swimming with the Dolphins!

The ball has dropped and Totem Travel is ready as the wedding and honeymoon planning season begins in earnest.  January will find us at three wedding shows plus we’ll be hosting a number of free honeymoon planning events.   So come meet us in Seattle, Lynnwood, Edmonds or Kirkland.  Our honeymoon specialists will be everywhere!

On January 9-10 we’ll be representing Sandals Luxury Included Resorts at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall and you can get one free admission to the show online.  We’ll have an enter to win prize at our booth plus special incentives for couples attending our Sandals Night January 27.  RSVP to linda@totemtravel.com.

On January 16-17 we’ll have a Fiji Honeymoon booth at the Seattle Convention Center. So come meet us, talk to Tourism Fiji’s top travel agent for 2009 and pick up a $50 gift card at the same time!  Show hours are 10a – 5:30 Saturday and 10:30a – 5p Sunday and coupons worth $2 off admission are available online.  We also have a limited supply of full color magazines showcasing many of the best wedding show vendors.  Just stop by Totem Travel at 12305 120^th Ave NE in Kirkland between 9a – 6p Monday through Friday or Saturday 10a – 3p to pick up your free copy.

On January 30-31 we’ll again represent Sandals all inclusive resorts at the Lynnwood Convention Center.  Discounted admission can be found online and we’ll have another enter to win prize at the booth.

In February Totem Travel is partnering with WARM 106.9 for a very special month of romance.  We’ll conduct a travel seminar at Savvy Traveler in Edmonds on February 20 featuring Tahiti and Fiji, the exotic and beautiful South Pacific islands.  Plus we’ll have another complimentary Sandals Honeymoon Night on February 24 with special incentives for attendees.

So if you are planning a honeymoon or destination wedding you’ll have lots of opportunities to meet the Honeymoon Experts at Totem Travel.   Call, email, visit our site, stop by our store, read resort reviews and see what our customers have to say about the services we provide.

We love travel so you’ll get Personalized service from a travel expert at no extra cost!