A travel agent or travel professional is someone who specializes in helping people book vacations to specific destinations or locations that they have either been to themselves or which they know detailed information about. For example, a travel agent would and should be able to you what hotels are the best to stay at in a particular area, what restaurants and parts of town to avoid, as well as other noteworthy items that might pertain to customs or traditions or religious affiliations that someone who is not familiar with that area would want to be informed about.
When looking to book a vacation for your family, always make sure that you let at least one person back home (i.e. someone who is not going on vacation with you but who you know and trust) where you are going. Information that you might leave with this person would include: the name of the hotel where you and your family will be staying, the address and phone number of the hotel and an itinerary of your trip to include other information such as flight departures, flight numbers, etc. Depending on how long you are planning on being away, you may want to leave more or less information with this person.
If you are traveling with small children, it is never too early to teach your kids about travel safety. The rule of never talking to strangers and always holding Mommy or Daddy's hand would be applicable here. If you have older children and younger children, you can let the older child assume some of the responsibility for watching younger siblings. Examples of this might be if you are on a cruise ship, for example. If you and your wife decide to go to an adult-themed cocktail hour in one part of the ship, then you could let your older child (above the age of 17) watch over younger ones in a designated area until you get back. However, you should still exercise caution and use your better judgment in all situations like these that involve your child.
Overall, planning and executing a vacation, no matter if you book it on an all-inclusive Carnival Cruise Line or on a whim, should be fun. If you need help, are unsure or just want someone else to make the plans happen, hire a travel specialist; that's what they're there for!
