Couples Trips Tips - Mix & Match Mama

Well hello and happy TUESDAY!

I have two travel inspired posts for our day.

First up, I am sharing 10 “MUSTS” IN MY BEACH BAG as well as my COUPLES TRIPS TIPS 🙂 .

I get asked quite often in DMs/comments/emails about traveling with other couples, and as you can imagine, I get asked about this A LOT as a travel professional.

I have a few thoughts, opinions, and tips should you want to grab another couple and head off on a trip.

Here we go…

PICK THE RIGHT PEOPLE

I have been a travel agent now for fourteen years. Trust me, reallllly think about who you want to take with you. Occasionally, I’ll be talking to a client, and I can just tell that they’re planning a trip with someone who isn’t a good fit. Andrew and I don’t travel often with other couples, but when we do, we pick the people we can’t get enough of “in real life” which makes traveling with them extra special. If you “get your fill” after an evening out with them, you might not want to commit to that seven night cruise. There is a reason we almost exclusively travel with the Slaughters. We quickly, seamlessly, and easily realized they were “the right people” for us (and vice versa).

MAKE SURE YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO GO ON A COUPLES TRIP

Most people don’t get to go away on a trip very often, so when they do, they want to GO AWAY ON A TRIP. This is a very very special time. It costs money and time away from work and personal responsibilities. This is a big deal! Do you want to do that with other people (and thus their opinions, ideas, budget, etc factor in) or is this something that you really want more control over so that you are getting to do/see/go exactly where you want to go on this special trip? It’s not wrong to think “I only get one vacation this year, I want to do exactly what I want to do”. Before you commit your time and money on a couples trip, make sure you actually want to go on a “couples trip”.

PLAN FAR ENOUGH AHEAD

Okay, so you found your people and you’re sure you want to go, now make sure you try and plan ahead. Planning ahead gives everyone more time to pay for the trip, to buy what they need for the trip, to contribute their ideas and opinions to excursions/tours/restaurants/etc. Planning ahead is always ideal for a vacation, but when you’re adding another couple into the mix, it really can help eliminate some stress for everyone.

DISCUSS BUDGET OPENLY AND HONESTLY

Traveling with another couple is not the time to be discreet about budgeting and expectations. These are things that need to be discussed openly and honestly. You don’t want to overextend yourself (or have the other couple overextend themselves) just because it was too awkward discussing the budget. Vacations should take us away from stress, not add to it.

Also, as I’ve spoken to thousands of people on the phone about vacations, I’ve also realized that you can never quite guess what’s important to some people. I’ll be working on a very, very expensive vacation with only five star hotels and first class service and the very best of the best with a budget exceeding $50,000…and then they’ll tell me to put them on the last row in economy of the flight because they just don’t want to spend money on air. Or the reverse will happen, and they’ll want to go somewhere for next to nothing and continuously use words like “cheap and inexpensive” when describing their hotel and excursions…and then have me book $14,000 a piece first class tickets for the flight.

What’s important to people when they travel is very specific and unique to them…discuss budget and spending openly and honestly to make sure everyone is right where they need to be.

THIS IS NOT “YOUR” VACATION

Repeat this to yourself over and over again as you plan and travel. This is “our” vacation not “my” vacation.

On “my vacation”, I get to do what I want, wake up when I want, eat where I want, visit what I want, go back to the hotel when I want…it’s all about what I want (as it should be!).

On a couples trip though, this is about everyone. This is a group effort.

Compromise and good attitudes are the key! This is about the “we” and not the “me”.

BE OPEN, BE FLEXIBLE, BE FUN

Some of my most fun on a trip has been doing things outside of my comfort zone. When you travel with just your other half, you can easily get into a routine and thus miss out on doing some really fun things. Some of my favorite moments and best experiences have been doing something “out of my norm”. When you travel with another couple, be open to their ideas. You just might have the best time ever.

GIVE YOURSELF SPACE

When you travel with another couple, make sure you’re building in time and room for “space”. You don’t have to spend every single minute together. Build in slower mornings or early evenings or mid-day “let’s go back to the hotel for a bit” time to separate, unwind, relax and chill out in your own space. I’m a big fan of getting two hotel rooms or cruise cabins instead of sharing a house because this just naturally gives you a very firm break from each other. Absence makes the heart grow fonder…and that includes a couples trip too.

And those are just a few of my tips for traveling with another couple(s).

Be open. Be honest. Be fun. Be easy going. And make sure this is really the trip for you. It’s okay to say no to a couples trip. Better to say “no” than go and have a miserable time.

If you want info on some of our favorite couples trips, we’d love to help!

From cruising to all-inclusives, European destinations and more, we are the very best “middle men” for your couples vacation. We will handle all of those details (like payments!) and make sure everything is handled so that you don’t have to step in and be the “bad guy” or have that awkward convo with your friends. We do all the work, nail down all the details, and you just show up and enjoy. Contact us today!

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