My Christmas Gift to You: My Secret Tips for Your 2026 Travel Plans

Written By Krista Nannery

Dearest readers,

It’s that time of year when we tend to have some time off and start making travel plans for the next year with family and friends. As your conversations turn to travel, I thought I’d put together some travel tips for you! Consider this my Christmas gift to you. Between loyalty points, hidden programs, and behind-the-scenes partnerships, there’s a world of benefits that never show up online. Here’s what actually happens when you use a seasoned luxury advisor (that’s me!) who knows how to pull the right strings.

This is my last newsletter for 2025! I will still be doing travel consultations over the holidays, so if you’re ready to chat, book a complimentary vacation consultation here.

💎 Hotel & Resort Secrets

Hotel Loyalty Status Match
Status can matter! Check out the website Status Matcher to see if you can get a hotel or airline to match your status with another hotel or airline program.

Book Your Own Virtuoso Properties
For simple hotel bookings for just two people, you can book properties directly on my Virtuoso site, getting access to my amenities like breakfast for two and hotel credits where available! Plus priority for upgrade. I am always happy to help, but if you are in a rush, use my Virtuoso site! (However, I do not recommend booking Marriott or Four Seasons properties via Virtuoso. It’s much better for me to book those direct for you.)

Early Hotel Check-in Strategy
Even the best status won’t guarantee early check-in — unless you are staying at a Peninsula or Bvlgari and have notified them of your arrival time — so in peak summer travel months in places like London, Paris, and Rome, consider pre-booking the night before if arrival is before 9 or 10 a.m.

Marriott’s Secret Program: STARS & Luminous
Yes, the “secret Marriott program” is real. The Stars & Luminous program lets me book your Ritz-Carltons, Edition, Luxury Collection, and St. Regis stays with daily breakfast for two, $100 resort credit, upgrades, and early check-in/late checkout—and you still earn Bonvoy points. You can’t click this on Marriott.com. Book a complimentary vacation consultation here to talk more.

Four Seasons Super Secret Program — The Preferred Partner Program
There’s no loyalty program at Four Seasons—but there’s this. Booking through me gets you daily breakfast, a $100 credit, upgrades prioritized by the GM, and VIP recognition. Again, book a complimentary vacation consultation here to learn more.

Hilton Impresario & Double Points
For 5-star Hiltons like Conrad and LXR, I can get you double Hilton Honors points and luxury-level perks like breakfast and $100 credits. It’s like stacking elite status on top of elite status.

😴 Super BORING Secrets

Boring Travel Insurance Secret
One of the hardest parts of my job is convincing people to purchase travel insurance. But you know…who do people call first when something goes wrong? Me! And I can’t help you if you don’t have travel insurance. People are scared of the costs of travel insurance so let me tell you a secret — if you do not care about losing your non-refundable amounts and just want to be protected in case of sickness or injury, just tell the insurance company that your trip costs are $0. That’s it. That’s the secret. This way, you at least get medical and evacuation insurance and some basic other stuff. Try this out here and just put your travel costs as $0. These plans are so inexpensive they’re a no brainer…it depends on your age but generally, these plans cost less than $100 per person. Need travel protection for your next trip? Book a complimentary vacation consultation here.

Credit Card Insurance Blind Spots
Many travelers think they’re “covered” by their credit card insurance— but those policies often exclude pre-existing conditions or cancel-for-any-reason. They are also secondary policies, not primary. Which means you have to prove you’ve exhausted all other options before credit card insurance kicks in. Most importantly, credit card insurance does not provide medical coverage, and while credit cards often provide evacuation coverage, they do not provide repatriation coverage. “Evacuation” means getting sent to the nearest big hospital when you are abroad. “Repatriation” means being sent back to the US. In short, if you are relying on credit card insurance, I can layer in a supplemental policy that fills all the holes without doubling the cost.

Please note I am not a licensed travel insurance agent. If you have detailed insurance questions, they should be directed to the travel insurance company.

✈️ Flight & Airfare Secrets

Subscribe to Point.me to Help with Using your Points for Business Class Air and Free Flights!
I’m a preferred partner with Point.me, a service that will help you maximize your frequent flyer miles to get the best deals on flights, everything from Economy to First Class. I recommend paying for the Point.me concierge service. Scroll down to the bottom of this page and enter my email address as your referral — hello@antidotetravel.com — to make sure you get the promotional pricing.

Do Your Preliminary Flight Screening in Google Flights
Google flights can help you search for flights to anywhere! Always book your flights directly with the airlines but Google Flights is a great place to start your search. I find that Google Flights shows most options but does seem to lack coverage of smaller regional airlines, along with more complex routing and connection options.

Join Priority Pass
Although pre-pandemic, I was United Platinum 1K and British Airways Gold, these days, I don’t have any status! That means no lounge access for me. So instead, I pay for Priority Pass. This has gotten me lounge access this year in Lima, Peru; Nassau, Bahamas; Athens, Greece; and Cancun, Mexico. Worth it!

Delta Vacations MQD boost
Booking your Delta flights and hotels together through me means you’ll earn Medallion Qualification Dollars faster than booking flight-only. Use me for those quick weekend trips or when you just want to stay at one resort for a week. Clients chasing Delta status should do this instead of separate flight/hotel bookings.

Fast-track Airport Services
In many countries, I can book VIP arrival and departure services that skip immigration lines entirely. Feel like the VIP I am sure you are! Let me know how I can help with this.

Lost Luggage Support
Book any trip through me and you’ll get complimentary lost luggage support. No one likes to lose their luggage on vacation. That’s why I pay for a service that will track down my clients’ luggage in case it goes missing! Peace of mind!

AA Vacations Loyalty Points
AA Vacations offers Loyalty Points on the entire package value — flights plus hotel — similar to Delta’s structure. Book through me for access. Clients chasing AAdvantage status should do this instead of separate flight/hotel bookings.

For every dollar spent on the total package value (excluding taxes and fees):

  • AAdvantage® members earn 1 mile and 1 Loyalty Point

  • AAdvantage® status members earn 5 miles and 5 Loyalty Points

AA Vacations will also offer bonus miles for some vacation packages booked through me. I just saw some South America trips that offered 20,000 bonus miles. There are some caveats to using AA Vacations that are too complex for me to explain briefly so read what The Points Guy says over here and make sure you understand this chart.

Airline Status Match
Similar to my hotel link above, check out the website Status Matcher to see if you can get a hotel or airline to match your status with another hotel or airline.

🌍 Experience & Itinerary Secrets

Always Do an Orientation Tour
I’m a big believer in the two to three hour orientation tour on your first day in destination. It will help everything else “click” in your journey. And usually, at the end of the tour, your guide will tell you the best places to eat!! (This is one of the most common questions they get so they are ready for you.) You can do private tours or small group tours but in general, do the orientation tour! I can help you with this.

Sports Packages
World Cup, Tour de France, the Super Bowl, the Masters, and more. I have ticket and hotel packages for all of these major events. (To be clear, I don’t do tickets only. I only do ticket/hotel packages.)

Private Guides at Public-Tour Prices
Through local partners, I can often swap a small-group tour for a private one for a modest supplement. Especially if you are four or more people, it’s always worth asking about private touring. Private touring gives you so much more flexibility.

Hidden VIP Access at Museums and Theme Parks
I can arrange private after-hours entry to the Vatican, the Louvre, or places like Universal Studios. You just have to know the right people to talk to. (I do.)

🚢 Cruise Secrets

Cruises are GREAT Multi-Gen Vacations
I try not to sell on price but if you are looking for a good value for a multi-gen vacation, cruising is where it’s at. You can enjoy meals together but everyone can still do their own thing during the day. Remember there are cruises all over the world! Not just the Caribbean. Think Norwegian fjords! The Croatian coast! Italy! Greece! Southeast Asia! There truly is a cruise and cruise line for everyone. Cruises come in all shapes and sizes.

Island Hopping Cruises in the Mediterranean
If you want to see a lot of Greece or Croatia or anywhere in the Mediterranean and don’t have the budget or the patience for a land tour, Azamara is where it’s at. This premium (but not luxury) cruise line spends more time in each port so it’s more of a floating hotel model. Personally, I like a tour but I found that on Azamara, most guests didn’t do tours and just got off in port and walked around. I am a preferred partner with Azamara and can add perks and amenities to your trip.

Cruise Within a Cruise for Non Cruisers
This is the ultimate loophole for people who “don’t do cruises.” Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Holland America all offer private ship-within-a-ship sanctuaries with their own pools, restaurants, sundecks, and butler service—so you can avoid the buffet lines and crowds entirely. Think of it as your own boutique hotel that just happens to move overnight while you sleep. You get all the perks of a luxury resort and less of the chaos of a megaship. Book a complimentary vacation consultation to talk more and also get access to the perks and amenities I can add for cruise bookings.

Explora Journeys – The New Luxury Standard, Still Flying Under the Radar…
People still don’t know who Explora is—it’s a small-ship, ocean-yacht luxury with European polish. 2026 is probably the last year to take advantage of Explora’s lack of brand recognition. Pricing is still attractive!

Swan Hellenic – Martha Stewart’s Favorite
Swan Hellenic is still new to the game. I also think 2026 is the last year to take advantage of Swan Hellenic’s lack of brand name recognition. They have some really intriguing itineraries! For example, this Japan cruise is like no Japan itinerary I’ve ever seen before.

Viking DEFINITELY isn’t The Only River Cruise Game in Town
People know Viking because they spend $2.8 Billion on advertising a year. But they are not the only game in town. In fact, the other river cruise lines give you more cabin square footage, fewer passengers, nicer wines and beers, and more included excursions. Viking can feel pretty basic in comparison. Personally, I love AmaWaterways, Avalon, and Uniworld.

Virtuoso-Exclusive Group Sailings
I sometimes have access to Virtuoso group rates on cruises with lower pricing and extra perks: onboard credit, private cocktail parties, specialty dining, and shore-excursion credits—even if you’re traveling solo. Best when booked a year in advance. Remember deposits are low!

Booking Timeline Tips for Luxury Cruises

Remember cruise deposits are usually pretty low so it’s relatively inexpensive to lock down a future cruise date!

  • Alaskan Cruise: It’s best to book at least 18 months in advance for cruise lines like Holland America and Princess that have the best docking locations in Alaska. This timeframe secures premium cabins and desirable itineraries during the limited summer season.

  • European Christmas Market Cruise: These cruises are extremely popular due to the festive atmosphere and limited sailing window. Book at least 9 to 12 months in advance, ideally right after the previous season ends. This ensures access to top cabins and favored departure dates, especially on the Danube and Rhine rivers.

  • Mediterranean Summer Cruises: Given high demand from May to September, booking at least 9 months ahead is advisable. For cruises featuring special events (like festivals, regattas, or exclusive shore experiences), plan closer to a year in advance.

  • World Cruises and Expedition Cruises: These itineraries are highly sought after and usually limited in capacity. Booking 18 months in advance is recommended to secure your preferred suite and itinerary. Honestly, most World Cruisers will book as soon as they are announced.

  • New Ship Sailings and Maiden Voyages: When luxury lines launch new ships or inaugural voyages, it’s essential to book at least 12 months in advance, often sooner, due to intense early demand.

💰Money & Protection Secrets

Avoid Dynamic Currency Conversion
When a restaurant, shop, or hotel asks if you want to be charged in USD instead of the local currency, the answer is always no. Saying yes adds a hidden markup of 4–8 percent. Always choose to pay in the local currency. If a server “can’t change it,” that’s a red flag. Ask again.

Save Your Passport in Your Email or Google Drive
Just take a photo of your passport and email it to yourself. If your passport gets stolen, you won’t be stuck in bureaucratic hell. This is basic, but it’ll save someone’s trip at some point.

Always Carry a Backup Credit Card with No Foreign Transaction Fees
One card gets flagged, you're suddenly standing there like an amateur. Get a backup card that waives FX fees and use it only in emergencies.

Use Credit Cards, Not Debit Cards, When Traveling Abroad
A basic tip but an important one! Do not make large purchases with your debit card abroad. Credit cards offer so many more protections.

Air Tags, Air Tags, Air Tags
Your checked bags should always, always have Air Tags (or the android equivalent)in them.

Get More Travel Secrets on Instagram

On Instagram, I share a more unfiltered view of travel. Real life experiences. Plus interesting things that I find! Find me at @antidote.travel. Ready to make one of my secrets work for you? Book a complimentary vacation consultation here. That’s it for me for the rest of the year. See you in 2026!

About Krista

I’m a Virtuoso travel advisor based in West Palm Beach, Florida. I attended the University of Notre Dame for undergrad, and I have my MBA from the University of Chicago. Prior to moving to Florida to take care of my elderly mom with Parkinson’s Disease, I spent over 11 years living and working in London, England. My background and 20 year career in the investment management industry have taken me all over the world. To date, I’ve been to 78 countries. Now I bring the joy of travel to others as a Virtuoso travel advisor. I offer a 30 minute complimentary vacation consultation to anyone looking to plan their next trip.

Ways I Can Help You

Krista Nannery
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