Hello Reader
Happy Winter Solstice! It's the shortest day of the year and that means as of tomorrow we are heading towards Spring!! Yay for Spring.
I wanted to really quickly pop into your email to let you know of two new travel scams my travel colleagues have been reporting. It's clever and easy to be fooled.
The scammers are emailing about your cruise or hotel booking saying your reservation is about to be cancelled because some kind of fee hasn't been paid. They seem very legit and are causing a bit of panic for people who do have a cruise or hotel booking and worry it's going to be cancelled. Do NOT call back the phone number or connect to the website link the person on the phone or in the email provides.
The website they give in the email leads to a different landing page not affiliated to the cruise line or hotel, e.g. www.celebrity.com rather than the official one www.celebritycruises.com.
For hotels, this scam works in a slightly different way, they aren't always sending an email sometimes it's just on the internet. This scam works when you search for a hotel online and click what you think is the official website but it is actually a shadow copy of the hotel's website which is a completely different landing page not connected to the hotel. What happens is that you book a room with that pre-paid rate only to get to the hotel and discover you did not in fact book on the hotel's website so don't have a room and are out the money. There are also many third party sites that disguise themselves as the actual properties. Look at the very top of the page and then scroll to the bottom of the page to see if there is any small print language denoting it as not the hotel booking page.
With technology and AI so prevalent these days it can be tricky to know what's real and what's a scam. Please stay alert and if something seems too good to be true, ask questions. I really wouldn't like you to arrive in destination to discover you don't have a hotel room or a cabin on the cruise. .
If you run into this, or anything else that looks fishy, let's talk and get it sorted out so you can get away on that great vacation.
Have a wonderful rest of the weekend and start to your Christmas week.
Live beautifully and with intention!
👇 If you don't follow Opal and Finch on social media, come join our small but growing party! 👇
Complimentary Travel Tools
|
|
Need to book a quick Hotel
Use this link to book on your own and still get all those Virtuoso Amenities from Opal&Finch.
|
|
|
Booked your own trip? need travel insurance?
Use this link to purchase a travel insurance policy with Travel Insured.
|
Complimentary Checklists
~ ever wondered what your should pack? here's the lists we've put together to help get zippers shut.
|
|
Virtuoso, The Magazine
~ a past edition of this award winning travel magazine.
Get inspired for travel!
|
|
Complimentary Mini-Planner
~ use it for your next trip or just to figure out what your travel style really is -
|
|
|
Virtuoso, The Magazine
The new Virtuoso, The Magazine is out, and it’s full of useful tips from Virtuoso travel advisors who, like us, can’t stop fantasizing about the next exotic getaway.
In a travel landscape that's more crowded than ever, Virtuoso's Best of the Best endorsement is one of true quality, a shortcut to assurance that you're in good hands.
In this issue they've rounded up all the award winners, from Hotel of the Year to the tour operators making big differences through their sustainability efforts.
Think of the winners' circle as an elite club - and a menu for your next getaway.
My expertise and access to Virtuoso's network of the world's best travel brands, perks, and experiences mean vour most memorable trips are yet to come.
THE WORLD'S TOP TRAVEL AGENCIES AND ADVISORS ARE VIRTUOSO!
|
Opal&Finch is a luxury concierge travel company. Our consulting services include research and design, management of all booking, ticketing, destination services, tours, experiences, travel documents, and more.
Opal&Finch exists to inspire connections through travel. Whether you are looking for an exotic far-flung destination, a more chill hideaway on beautiful white sands, or to sail the high seas, we can design your trip.
We bring travel to life.
Opal&Finch continues its support of the following charities that are making an impact in different ways or their communities. Please join us in supporting efforts worldwide to make this earth we share a better place for everyone.
Bringing Travel to Life
Opal&Finch is an independent affiliate of Gifted Travel Network - a Virtuoso® Member Agency | Gifted Travel Network, Inc is registered with the following state licenses: California - Seller of Travel Registration No. 2113317-40, Washington - Seller of Travel Unified Business ID (UBI) # 603 308 394, Florida - Seller of Travel Registration No. ST39093.
