Honeymoon Trends

Sunday, January 22, 2006

Copley News Service

Each year the list of top honeymoon destinations for U.S. travelers has remained fairly stable, but the biggest trend in 2006 will be couples planning their honeymoons around the hurricane season. This means that Atlantic and Caribbean destinations will be on the receiving end of more deliberate and cautious honeymoon planning. Couples insistent on honeymooning at a destination inside the hurricane belt may even alter their wedding dates to reduce or eliminate the possibility of getting caught by Mother Nature. According to Neal Kraemer, President of The Honeymoon (www.thehoneymoon.com) "couples are definitely more concerned about hurricanes than at any time in my 20 years in the travel business and I expect these recent storms to affect couples' destination choices the next couple of years."

For many couples, planning a honeymoon is just as important as planning the wedding itself. Regardless of where you plan to go on your honeymoon, there are some things you should do and some new ideas of which you need to be aware in order to make it the kind of experience you want it to be.

First, you must decide on a budget. If money is not an issue for you, bon voyage! However, if you're like most couples getting married, you're already paying for more than you anticipated. Establish a budget and use it as a guide. Things like shore excursions, parasailing, spa services, and tours all make great wedding gifts. These are becoming more popular as couples getting married these days often have many of the basic household necessities that comprise a traditional gift registry.

Once a budget has been established and you know where you want to go, you need to decide whether you want an all-inclusive package or whether you would prefer to be on your own a little more. For those with tight budgets, an all-inclusive honeymoon has the advantage of one all-inclusive package price. This includes food, drink, entertainment and most activities at both all-inclusive resorts and on cruises. However, there are usually things that are not included for which you will need to pay, such as motorized water sports and shore excursions. Again, these make great gift items for your honeymoon registry. If the idea of an all-inclusive honeymoon with multiple destinations excites you, then a cruise may be the dream honeymoon for you as the typical seven-day cruise will include four ports-of-call. Furthermore, cruise ships can steer around hurricanes, an added benefit for couples honeymooning during the June-September hurricane season.

Now you need to book and pay for this trip. Many honeymoon suppliers offer specials for early booking, which may or may not include airfare. Many packages that include a flight can offer significant savings because these suppliers buy airline seats in bulk, at a discount and then package hotel and sometimes car rental to give you significant value.