Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
can be purchased in the U.S. fr om companies such as Carbonfund.
org and TerraPass (www .terrapass.org), and fr om Climate C are
(www.climatecare.org) in the U.K.
Although one could argue that any v acation that includes an air-
plane flight can 't be tr uly “green,” y ou can go on holiday and still
contribute positively to the environment. You can offset carbon emis-
sions from your flight in other ways. Choose forward-looking compa-
nies that embrace responsible development practices, helping preserve
destinations for the futur e b y wor king alongside local people. An
increasing number of sustainable tourism initiatives can help you plan
a family trip and leave as small a “footprint” as possible on the places
you visit.
49
10 PACKAGES FOR THE
INDEPENDENT TRAVELER
Before you start your search for the lo west airfare, you may want to
consider booking your flight as part of a travel package. Package tours
are not the same thing as escor ted tours. Package tours ar e simply a
way to buy the air fare, accommodations, and other elements of y our
trip (such as car r entals, airport transfers, and sometimes ev en activi-
ties) at the same time and often at discounted prices—kind of like
one-stop shopping. I n most cases, a package to the Cayman I slands
will include air fare, hotel, and transpor tation to and fr om the air-
port—and it'll cost you less than just the hotel alone if you booked it
yourself. Packages are sold in bulk to tour operators—who resell them
to the public at a cost that usually undecuts standard rates. A package
deal might not be for y ou if you want to stay in a mor e intimate inn
or guesthouse, but if you like resorts, read on.
Many land-and-sea packages include meals, and y ou might find
yourself locked into eating in y our hotel dining r oom every night if
your meals are prepaid. If you're seeking a more varied dining experi-
ence, avoid AP (American Plan), which means full board, and opt for
MAP (Modified American Plan), meaning breakfast and either lunch
or dinner at your hotel.
One good source of package deals is the airlines themselv es. Most
major airlines offer air/land packages, including American Airlines
Vacations ( & 800/321-2121; www.aavacations.com), Delta Vaca-
tions ( & 800/654-6559; www.deltavacations.com), and Continen-
tal Airlines Vacations ( & 800/301-3800; www.covacations.com).
Several big online travel agencies —Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, and
lastminute.com—also do a brisk business in packages. I
2
f y ou're
 
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