Travel Intelligence #8

There Is No Such Thing as the "Best" Vacation

Why Finding the Right Fit Matters More Than Finding the Highest Rating

One of the questions I hear most often is:

"What's the best cruise line?"

Or...

"What's the best ship?"

If someone is planning an all-inclusive vacation, the question becomes:

"What's the best resort?"

Golfers ask:

"Which course is the best to play?"

On the surface, those seem like completely different questions.

They're not.

What people are really asking is:

"How do I have the best vacation possible?"

That's a great question.

In fact, it's exactly the question they should be asking.

The challenge is that many travelers stop their research too soon.

Sometimes they see a high price and think:

"It must be amazing."

Sometimes they see a bargain and wonder:

"What's wrong with it?"

Or they find a great sale and decide:

"Let's book it before the price goes up."

The decision becomes almost entirely about price.

Or popularity.

Or the newest ship.

Or the highest-rated resort.

The research stops there.

Then they arrive...

...and the vacation isn't what they expected.

Not because the cruise line was bad.

Not because the resort was disappointing.

But because the experience never matched what they were actually looking for.

In many cases, the vacation was headed in the wrong direction before they ever packed a suitcase.

That's because people don't all travel the same way.

Some travelers love luxury.

They enjoy being pampered and appreciate exceptional service.

Others are happiest hiking through a national park or exploring a city they've never visited before.

Some people want a vacation packed with activities from morning until night.

Others want a quiet balcony, a comfortable chair, and absolutely nothing on the schedule.

Some enjoy discovering someplace new every year.

Others return to the same beach because it feels like home.

None of those approaches is better than another.

They're simply different.

That's why I don't believe there's one "best" cruise line.

Or one "best" resort.

Or one "best" golf destination.

There's only the experience that's the best fit for the person taking the trip.

Once you understand your own travel style, something interesting happens.

You stop choosing vacations simply because they're the newest.

Or the biggest.

Or the latest social media trend.

Price also starts to find its proper place.

It still matters.

Budget is always part of the conversation.

But it stops being the conversation.

Instead, it becomes one factor among many.

That's where a travel advisor can provide real value.

Not by telling you where to go.

But by helping you understand why one vacation is likely to fit you better than another.

That's the philosophy behind every recommendation I make.

I'm not looking for the vacation with the highest rating.

I'm looking for the vacation that gives you the best experience.

Because there isn't one style of vacation.

There's only yours.

And once you discover what that is, every trip that follows becomes easier—and far more rewarding.