Our editors here at Avoya Travel put together this travel tip guide for 2019 to inspire ideas and offer relevant deals to make your vacation dreams a reality.
The new year brings with it a fresh perspective on a world full of travel opportunities. Destinations that you’ve never thought to travel to are trending. Interesting vacation styles are emerging. Vacation companies are evolving their offerings to be more nuanced and exciting than ever before.
All of this means more choices and benefits for you! If you’re not looking to take a trip just yet, we’ve got some interesting vacation ideas to keep in your back pocket for later.
Embrace the world in 2019. Discover value destinations, popular, unique, and smart travel styles, and all the biggest new arrivals coming to the travel industry next year.
Best Value Destinations
Value in a destination can mean something different to every person, depending on who you ask. Some want to splurge, some want to save as much as possible, but most of us are all looking to get the most bang for our buck. Here’s some wonderful options that will give you a good return on your investment…
Check out this infographic with a closer look at our top 6 budget destinations!
Dominican Republic
This is not only one of the great travel destinations for golf on the globe, but a true tropical haven. A serene setting for a wedding and a nice place to enjoy affordable but delicious eats at local restaurants like Wacamole and Kat’s Corner.
We found that you can cruise to Punta Cana for around $400 from Florida on select Royal Caribbean Cruises and we also have suites onboard some of Royal’s cutting-edge cruise ships available for around $1,000 for 5-nights!
Punta Cana is a tourist hotspot so you can expect a lot of people to be around. This is not to say that the crowds would put a huge damper on your ability to relax. The popularity keeps the vibe buzzing through the city.
This is also a haven for beautiful all-inclusive resorts that are great rates when you factor in food and beverage expenses into the initial cost.
There are plenty of luxury hotel or boutique, off-the-beaten path options for you to embrace or escape the crowds in Punta Cana. This is why it is one of the best bang-for-your-buck spots to visit.
Cruise Tip! Fans of Regent Cruises and Oceania Cruises - now is the time to book a cruise to Punta Cana or another trending destination like Cuba or Portugal because their prices will increase in January 2019!
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is in the midst of a healthy recovery from the fallout of Hurricane Maria that devastated the island over a year ago. Now the island is starting to build up momentum again as resorts and local venues are fully recovered and reopened.
Now is a great time to help boost the tourism by visiting the white sand beaches of San Juan on a cruise or resort vacation. Avoya offers cruises to Puerto Rico on select Celebrity Cruise itineraries for around $600 (up to 60% off regular price!).
A lot of cruises depart roundtrip from San Juan so you will have to fly there, but that gives you the opportunity to extend your stay at one of the best beach vacation destinations on the planet.
Costa Rica
The local saying here is “pura vida,” meaning “life is good” or “pure life,” which is exactly what you’ll experience while in this beautiful destination. This small Central American country is comparable to the value Mexico offers - a consistently good vacation.
It’s rich with local flavor, amazing coffee, happy locals, and the breathtaking Arenal Volcano.
The most popular destination in Costa Rica is San Jose, but we offer many tour vacations that give you the full picture of this country and all it’s beautiful beaches. You can find select Globus packages for around $105 per night per person for 10-nights.
Remember, tour packages include boutique hotels and convenient lodging and generally include breakfast, lunch, and dinner on most days. They also provide expert guides to provide tips and guidance through the cities.
Discover more about Costa Rica tour vacations here: “5 Reasons Why You Need to Visit Costa Rica”.
Mexico
Mexico is full of best-value destinations like Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, Tulum, and Cozumel. These are some of the premier hotspots for all-inclusives. In Mexico, the experiences can range from quaint beach towns, to epic Mayan ruins, to vibrant nightlife, to stunning coral reefs. Then end your day relaxing at a world class resort.
Cheap and delicious restaurants delight travelers who want to get the local experience, but if you reserve an all-inclusive Mexican resort you won’t have to venture outside the comfort of your room to get the finest cuisine delivered to you - cost and tip already paid for.
Discover more about traveling to Mexico and other Latin American countries around the world here: "3 Reasons Why You Should Visit Latin America".
Canada
Canada is a very popular destination going into the new year. Trafalgar Tours’ highest-searched Canada itineraries are ones that feature Eastern Canada. Specifically Toronto, Quebec, plus New York’s Niagra Falls.
Guided vacation tours are also convenient and stress-free for these same reasons as they generally include your hotels, transportation, and most of your meals (See more popular vacation style details further down in this article).
Other popular Trafalagar Canada itineraries feature the Western side of the country like Vancouver and Victoria. Some West Canada itineraries feature the iconic and breathtaking Rocky Mountains.
You can find select itineraries through Avoya for prices on the lower end ranging from $1,500-$3,000.
Italy
Imagine cruising onboard a luxury cruise ship along the shores of Italy while taking in the views of the stunningly perfect and colorful Amalfi Coast. You are in sheer relaxation as you take advantage of the open bar and look forward to your onshore excursion that awaits at the port of Sorrento.
This can be your reality in Italy in 2019.
Onboard every Regent Cruises itinerary onshore excursions are included in the cost and offered at every port-of-call. Explore cities in more depth with Go Local, Gourmet Explorer (only available onboard Seven Seas Splendor and Explorer), Wellness, and art-centric onshore excursion programs.
If you are interested in getting in touch with off-the-beaten path Italy destinations while still getting that inclusive value, consider river cruising. Most river cruises are all-inclusive, partially-inclusive, or most-likely have discounts available on inclusive elements such as free airfare.
Cruise Tip! Ships are more innovative than ever. This is confirmed by executives at Avoya Travel who sailed onboard the bucket-list worthy Celebrity Edge. Celebrity's new ship will sail Italy, Spain, Monaco and France.
Unique Vacation Ideas 2019
Visit Outside the Popular Spots
More and more people are beginning to embrace the cultural treasures to be found in lesser-known destinations. Popular vacation spots are consistently great, but something about local charm seems to resonate just as strong with travelers.
Here's some recommendations to ask your travel agent about:
- Fes, Morocco - Exploring the Medina of Fes is one to add to the bucket-list. Delicious food, trade and fascinating surroundings make the Medina a delight to visit. You may want to ask your travel agent about getting a travel guide to show you around.
- Porto, Portugal - Great views of the charming and beautiful riverside city from the Dom Luis Bridge are worth the trip. Discover more about Portugal here: "Top 5 Reasons to Visit Portugal"
- Milos, Greece - Make sure to stop at the Sarakiniko Beach, also known as "Lunar Beach" because of the white volcanic rock shoreline. Truly one of the world's most unique beaches.
- Cartagena, Colombia - Despite what you may have seen in "Narcos" (see Pop Culture Travel below) or from stories about Pablo Escobar, Colombia is safe to visit and one of the top trending vacation spots in the world. Check out Plaza Bolivar, a beautiful square in Cartegena, or the stunning Rosario Islands!
- Valletta, Malta - The island of Malta is off the coast of Southern Italy. It will be tough to find a better mix of history and beautiful beach views.
Travel Expeditions
Nature will forever be awe-inspiring. This is why companies are offering more hands-on and active experiences.
Hiking, biking, kayaking, and visiting destinations with more heightened conditions like Alaska, Antarctica, the Galapagos Islands and the Australian outback are all under the category of “expedition travel”.
Responsible Travel
Eco-tourism and sustainable travel habits are becoming important to travelers. People are doing their best to leave little to no carbon footprint in destinations that they visit.
There’s no question that cruising leaves a heavy impact on our environment, but companies are making strides by implementing things like solar energy to power elevators and lights on ships, sourcing local ingredients for onboard dining and offering programs like Carnival Fathom where cruisers can plant trees, help teach English and work on clean drinking water projects in various destinations.
Now is the time to be more mindful of the efforts that cruise lines are making to help the environment. Here’s some eco-friendly cruise ships to support: Celebrity Solstice, Harmony of the Seas and Costa Smeralda.
Foodie Travel
From street food in LA to full course Italian dishes in Sicily, the world is full of flavor. Travel agents can give you the insights into what cities are best if good food is a priority for you. They can also help plan an itinerary around any dietary restrictions like vegan, vegetarian and pescatarian.
Check out great food destinations here: “5 Best Cities to Visit for Food Lovers”
Pop Culture Travel
Turn your binging habits into an opportunity to get out of the house and travel. Imagine walking the same streets as Walter White from AMC’s “Breaking Bad” in New Mexico, seeing the battlegrounds and castles up close from epic scenes of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” in Northern Ireland or the hobbit homes from “Lord of the Rings” in New Zealand.
Not sure where to travel? Maybe let your favorite show give you some ideas.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines for “Pirates of the Caribbean” fans, Colombia or Mexico for “Narcos” fans, Hawaii for “Jurassic Park" fans or Hong Kong for “Batman: The Dark Knight” fans.
New in Travel 2019:
New Ships: Costa Venezia, Celebrity Flora, Costa Smeralda, Norwegian Encore, Carnival Panorama, Sky Princess and AmaMagna
New Ports: Norwegian Sun to Cuba, Celebrity Cruises to Santa Margherita, Italy, Rijeka, Croatia and Nauplion, Greece. Also back by popular demand, Monaco and Cyprus.
New Innovations: More facial recognition in apps and registrations. Cruise terminals that will wow cruisers before they embark and balconies and suites more amazing than ever before!
Ready to explore the world like never before in 2019? If not, explore more vacation ideas here!
