Not Cruising Through a Decision

"Ask Alina", Family Travel Concierge Advice Column. 

Dear Alina, Our family wants to go on vacation that doesn’t involve flying. We want to leave from NYC on the cruise that suits our needs and budget, in the most affordable for us cabin – we just want a getaway. We got an offer from our travel agent, Family Travel Concierge, and his offer sounds like what we asked for. The problem is that we just can’t seem to make a decision…  Family Travel Concierge says that if we wait, availability might become limited. I’m afraid that if we stay indecisive, we’ll get to the point where the trip will become either unavailable or too expensive. Why can't we make a decision?! 

Not Cruising Through a Decision

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Dear Not Cruising,

I would love to hear more about your ideal trip within your budget! From what you’ve said in your letter, it sounds like your heart is not in the travel plan that you asked your travel agent to look up, and that’s why you are not so eager to take the offer that he found for you. A good offer on something that you don’t really want never truly feels like a good offer, right? What I would suggest is to go back to the drawing board with your family and brainstorm ideas for your ideal vacation - the kind of vacation you would take if there are no restrictions. Dream big! If, after all the brainstorming, your ideal vacation is out of your budget, try to figure out what elements of that vacation make it ideal. Is it the destination? Or maybe, the fact that it is a cruise (or a car trip)? Perhaps, it offers the right variety of activities for the kids? Rank each element of your ideal vacation based on your level of joy and excitement. Then, take your top 3 items on the list, and ask Family Travel Concierge: “What types of vacations can capture the feeling or our top 3 experiences within our budget?” Alternatively, if you are willing to allocate the time and the budget to just go, go ahead - take that cruise on the budget. And start planning your next vacation, the one that will steal your heart and won’t damage your budget. Bon Voyage! 

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Alina Bas, M.A., is an Executive Coach and Certified Life Coach who helps leaders connect to fulfilling work and live an engaging life. She has over 10 years of corporate experience in Organizational Effectiveness and Leadership Development, and is a co-author of the book “Changes of the Heart”, offering the best coaching strategies for life’s toughest moments. Connect with Alina at www.MindTerrainCoaching.com