.. a i + ,, ' t. 0 4 12B - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, February 3, 2005 ravel By Kathryn Rice For the Daily With spring break just around the corner, students are eager to final- ize their vacation plans and prepare for a week of rest and relaxation. For those who need a little help with this. STA Travel and Huron Valley Travel are two on-campus agencies you may want to explore. Conveniently located in the base- ment of the Michigan Union, STA Travel sends approximately 220 spring breakers each year to destina- tions ranging from Acapulco to Aus- tralia. The agency uses a deep pool of resources to help close the rift between client's budgets and their imagina- tions. Agents personally assess each client's travel options, and can help him or her design the perfect spring break vacation. For students in search of the typical MTV party extravagan- za, STA plans trips to Cancun, Aca- pulco and Negril, Jamaica. The agency also recommends Punta Cana of the Dominican Republic for those seek- s ing a more subdued side to paradise. STA also provides a number of excur- sions to more adventurous travelers. Agents have recently helped a flurry of active students fulfill their wan- igencies derlust with bookings in Costa Rica, South America and the South Pacific. Currently, one of STA's airline pack- ages offers travelers trips to Australia and New Zealand with a free stop in Fiji. The agency also arranges a vari- ety of trips for Europe to travelers seeking a more cultural experience. Travel agents especially recommend Turkey as an underrated gem for vaca- tioners. Additionally, STA provides a selection of cheap packages to spots nearby, including Las Vegas, New York, Toronto and Chicago. Enterprising students have been able to find better deals through online searches, but for those who don't want to spend the time seeking out a bar- gain, travel agencies offer a range of benefits that are hard to turn down. STA travel has contracts directly with airlines, enabling them to provide cli- ents with great bargains and a flexible scope of travel dates. "Wherever you're going, chances are someone in office has been there - they can give you all the extra little tips. And if something does mess up, you have a face to come back to, you're not just left dealing with a website," said Rachel Doyle, the senior travel advisor at STA. Agents at STA do the bulk of help students get away research for travelers, ultimately tai- loring the perfect itinerary around each customer's needs. Eager spring breakers may also want to head to Huron Valley Travel, locat- ed in Pierpont Commons on North Campus. This year, the travel agency has prepared a number of excursions, from Caribbean cruises to a ski trip in Switzerland for 95 students. The agen- cy estimates that 300 students annu- ally use their services to plan spring break trips each year. John Kosta, the president of Huron Valley Travel, rec- ommends that students begin booking as early as October. Although many packages are already taken, there are still some options left. However, "stu- dents who begin in October will get their best deal, they can go almost anyplace they want," Kosta said. Because the weather across the country tends to be unpredictable in February, the agency steers most of its clients toward Mexico, the Bahamas and cruises around the Caribbean. The agency has seen cruise vacations dramatically rise in popularity with students in the past year. The typi- cal cruise offers a variety of enticing advantages - including discos, casi- nos, 24-hour free room service and exercise programs - for around $600 ALEXANDER DZIADOSZ/E RC junior Helen Edwards gets help with her spring break plans from STA travel advisor Emily D'Andrea. or $700. Kosta added that cruises are a more sophisticated option to most spring break trips. The agency also sends customers to a number of more exotic destinations; agents often shape trips around a cli- ent's specific wishes. "We will actual- ly build a trip for people," Kosta said. For example, last year Huron Valley sent 14 students off the beaten path in an adventurous journey through Costa Rica. The agency also recommends Europe as a fun possibility. Because most European destinations are con- sidered off-season in February, travel- ers can easily find great deals. Huron Valley constantly seeks to improve its services by sending out questionnaires to returning vacation- ers. After years of experience, the agency is able to confidently match students with the perfect vacation. "Travel is such a great experience. Just go somewhere," Kosta said. -, h~as .2~i 2. ~ ~ .~ i~ y**~ ~ Can t pick one? Buy a bunch of Cupid Grams! inaas yurede tisyer, uymutileCup~ rms Chowlse between our six Ld { slit. It 3. 4 . qs~ h