www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday August 25, 2007 - 75 The risks of hurricane season Dear Sam: My husband and I planned for a year to have an over-the-top honeymoon in the Mayan Riviera in Mexico. We spent hours poring over the brochures, and choosing just which resort suited us both. We could hardly wait until our wedding to climb on the plane. Everything went fine, until we were told we had to leave early because a hurricane might come through the area. So, we had to pack up and come home a day early. This meant we had to phone our relatives for a ride home from the airport and stay with our parents, as our apartment wasn't ready. I feel the travel company should give us back our money, because they insisted we leave when the hurricane didn't hit at all. They are only willing to pay a credit for the day that we missed. Is this common or did we choose the wrong company to buy our trip from? Angry and disappointed. Dear Angry and Disappointed: I'm sorry your honeymoon had an early ending, but you did choose to have a honeymoon in hurricane season. When you looked at the brochures did you notice that the prices in September were about 30 per cent or more less than they are in February? The reason is that it is the hurricane season, and there is a small chance you'll run into one. If the airline had not picked you up, and if the storm had hit, you would have been in an unpleasant, un air-conditioned shelter, and then you'd have stories to tell. It costs the wholesalers $1 million for each rescue plane. Planes don't sit around, so they have to rent them. Then there is the enormous difficulty of making all the arrangements to bring you home. For instance, getting the ground handlers organized to bus you to the airport, makfinding the people who booked air only on the Internet and letting them know that the return flight is leaving early. It is truly a nightmare for the people organizing this. Air Transat holidays told me yesterday that they compensate people by the star system of the hotel. You're compensated for your hotel stay only, as you used the air to come home. If you stayed in a three to four star resort you would each receive a credit of $50, $40 for kids if they paid. A five-star resort -- $75. In my humble opinion our Canadian Wholesalers did a fabulous job last weekend. VISIT USA WITH INSIGHT Those looking to stay close to home yet still enjoy a fun and relaxing vacation can opt for a U.S.-based tour with Insight Vacations while our Canadian dollar is so high! Insight's eight-day New England's Spectacular Fall Foliage tour takes in the beautiful colours of fall. Beginning and ending in historic Boston, this journey travels through Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. 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Tour highlights may include dining onboard the Napa Valley Wine Train, a trip to the spectacular waterfalls of Yosemite National Park, a Chinese banquet in San Francisco or a lecture and private dinner at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. For more details on these and other Insight tours, give us a call! ing sure there are enough airport staff to get you on the plane and the list goes on. The biggest problem is Visit McTavish At: www.mctavishtravel.com The Best Vacations Begin at Hurry, offer ends October 3 rd! Here are 3 exciting travel offers for CAA Members, valued up to $684 per couple! THANK YOU OAKVILLE Thank you for your vote. I greatly appreciate the special recognition you have given me and staff at Total Travel. I like to think of my job as helping people's dreams come true and even after thirty plus years of working in the Gina Cheng travel business I still enjoy it immensely. Traveling is learning and I want our clients to have the best experience possible. We at Total Travel we take pride in what we do. We've established ourselves as one of the leading agencies in Oakville and surrounding areas, providing outstanding travel services since 1988. We're extensively trained in all aspects of travel related products and being seasoned travelers ourselves, we look forward to working with you to make your dreams come true. Oakville Town Centre I 300 North Service Road, W. Oakville 905.849.0333 www.totaltravel-oakville.com SAVE $150 off your dream holiday* Cancun, MX FREE Heys xcase® with travel accessories Plus, $ 200 Sunquest Future Travel Voucher value of $460** FREE CAA Vacations VIP Package value of $74 per couple*** For Hamilton Departures Oasis Cancun HHHH All-Inclusive · 7 nights Punta Cana, DR Colony Bay Resort HHHHH All-Inclusive · 7 nights $1,289+ $271 tax Hotel Room, Sat. Jan. 5 $1,539 + $314 tax Hotel Room, Mon. 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Savings of $150 per booking in Canadian dollars are applied at time of full payment to bookings made 21days in advance between Aug. 15 and Nov. 15/07 for departures Nov.01/07 and Apr.30/08. **The Heys xcase® is available on Sunquest bookings made by Oct. 3/07, for departures between Dec.20/07 and Oct. 31/08. Shipping to begin after Aug. 15/07 based on departure dates, once minimum deposit and shipping fees are received. Shipping and handling fees of $34.99 plus tax apply. This offer is limited to one Heys xcase® and one $200 Sunquest Future Travel Voucher per Sunquest booking. The offer ends Oct. 3/07 or while supplies last. ***Maximum 2 coupon books per room. Valid on Sunquest bookings only. All prices shown are per person, based on double occupancy in Canadian dollars, available at press time, subject to change and apply to new bookings only. Some restrictions apply, ask your CAA Travel Consultant for full details. ®CAA and CAA logo trademarks owned by and use is granted by the Canadian Automobile Association. Ont. Reg. #50014517. CAA South Central Ontario, 60 Commerce Ont Reg No 2766538 Valley Dr. E., Thornhill ON L3T 7P9. Voted Best Travel Agency Best Cruise Company Best Travel Agent Thanks Oakville! Hopedale Shopping Centre 1515 Rebecca Street, Oakville Ont Reg No 2766538 Relax... you're with us (905) 827-1100 fax: (905) 827-4982 e-mail: travel@mctavish.com Oakville Town Centre I 300 North Service Road, W. Oakville 905.849.0333 www.totaltravel-oakville.com 221 Lakeshore Road E. 905-337-2228 www.hookedoncruising.com oakville@selloffvacations.com 146 Lakeshore Road, East Oakville, On L6J 1H4 905-842-4999