We've been taught that if you want something, all you have to do is ask.
But that doesn't always work out when you're traveling. After all, if a hotel, airline or restaurant gave everyone who asked what they wanted, they'd be upgrading everything and handing out freebies until they went out of business.
Travel agents, on the other hand, have the connections and abilities to ask for upgrades when possible.
"We know we can ask for anything and sometimes get it," said Margie Lenau of Wonderland Family Vacations in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
"Things like free Wi-Fi in the room or free parking can be included at higher-end hotels and resorts. If the hotel isn't busy at times, my clients' room will be upgraded because I let the hotel know they are a special client of mine."
For one client, Lenau let the hotel know that he was going to a job interview during his stay.
"The hotel brought him champagne and a note for good luck the night before his interview," she said.
Sometimes, the affiliation that the travel agent works for is all it takes to score upgrades.
"Through our affiliation with Virtuoso, we at DMC Travel Tailor are able to offer our clients exclusive excursions, perks and benefits they cannot find elsewhere," said Stefany DiManno Ceccato, Travel Advisor, largay travel, a branch of tzell travel group.
"They will experience room upgrades upon availability: Shipboard and/or hotel credits, amenities and/or shore excursions to name a few. The perks vary with different Virtuoso suppliers."
Clint Bertucci believes the best travel agents are those who develop a strong foundation with a customer and understand how to make a particular trip truly special and unforgettable. He recently worked with a California family and, after learning the children were intrigued by marine life, contacted his friends in Puerto Madryn to make sure the destination was added to his client's itinerary (which was not originally part of the plan).
"The entire family had the opportunity to go whale watching, take photos of the sea lions and visit South America's largest Magellanic penguin colony, and we quickly heard that this was the highlight of their adventure," he said.
"Providing upgrades above and beyond is something we take very seriously and provide at every opportunity."
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After a welcome dinner on an Italy trip, Bertucci had the owner of the restaurant take the guests on a private tour of the Borghese Palace in Florence, Italy.
"We always make sure to bring out a birthday cake during our welcome dinner for any guests with birthdays within a few weeks," he said. "We also provide a special Tumi travel bag with our logo embroidered on the side for those who are taking a return trip. It's the little things that matter and, when they're done above and beyond, that's when they're really appreciated."
Tom Karnes said that an experienced travel agent has firsthand knowledge on specific resorts and unique amenities: Like which restaurants have a chef's table requiring special reservations made by your agents; honeymoon/wedding promotions that allow free upgrades and resort credits; two-for-one beach massages, romantic private dinners on the beach and VIP access to a variety of clubs or events.
His favorite perk offered by his agents is a private nonstop transfer between the airport and resort.
"It really makes you feel important and gets the trip off to a great start," said Karnes, president of LovinAway in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
At many resorts, James Berglie of Be All Inclusive can secure a romantic private dinner on the beach for his clients.
"At many other properties that I book often, I'm able to offer my clients free upgrades into higher room categories as well," he said. "Additionally, one upgrade I like to secure is a rental of a cabana in the pool area or on the beach. Some properties even include a foot massage to go along with the cabana rental."
Trish Mercer said that it's relatively impossible to communicate to a hotel that you are a VIP unless you have a famous name.
"However, as an advisor with a very large black book of contacts-where our agency does millions of dollars each year with a property-we can routinely make our guests a VIP and have simple things like their favorite kind of flower or their favorite colors of room decor, or the corner view they would love to have, or a really nice snack of their choice ready and waiting," said Mercer, Georgia Travel Experts, an affiliate of Travel Experts.
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"At airports, we have access to plane-side meet and greet in hundreds of places, so a tight connection, a foreign language or getting through customs and immigration can be a breeze," she said.
"It gets you to the front of a long line, often in a cart, and with someone who speaks the language handling everything. Why struggle when you are most likely tired, have a language barrier and are completely unfamiliar with how things go?"
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