5 Essential Tips for Your First Trip with EF Ultimate Break
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Whether you're a solo traveler dipping your toes into group adventures or traveling with friends, here are five key insights I wish I knew before embarking on my first EF Ultimate Break trip.
TIP #1 - BOOK YOUR OWN FLIGHTS
EF Ultimate Break offers the convenience of booking your flights for you, but I strongly recommend booking your flights on your own. Since I was already in Europe before my trip, I didn’t use this option, and many people on my trip who opted for EF's flight bookings encountered issues like excessive connections, flight delays, and overnight layovers. While EF excels in planning trips, their flight bookings always lead to unnecessarily long and potentially problematic travel days, so take the extra step and book your flights directly with the airline instead.
TIP #2 - FREE TIME ABOUNDS
Although the reason most of us book a trip with EF is to take the planning aspect out of the travel equation, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of free time we had during the trip. In addition to planned activities and meals, at least half of each day was unstructured, allowing you the freedom to explore at your own pace. If you want to take the stress of planning a whole trip without limiting the freedom of exploring a new place, then an EF trip is the perfect option for you.
TIP #3 - EMBRACE THE OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
EF trips almost always offer optional activities, such as day trips to other destinations or unique tours at an extra cost. In my experience on Cruise Croatia, almost everyone participated in these optional activities, which included additional day trips and excursions to places like Krka National Park & Waterfalls. So although they usually cost a little extra, I would highly encourage you to book the optional activities with your tour, especially because for us they ended up being some of the best parts of the whole trip.
TIP #4 - UNDERSTAND YOUR TRIP CATEGORY
EF offers two main tiers of trips: Essential and Plus. Essential trips typically involve hostel-style accommodations with two or more people per room, while Plus trips feature hotel-style accommodations, often with just one roommate. Knowing your trip type in advance will help you prepare for what to expect during your stay.
TIP #5 - YOU WILL MEET AMAZING PEOPLE
That being said, EF trips are a fantastic opportunity to explore solo travel, even if you're apprehensive about safety, planning, or being alone. I traveled with my sister, but we found ourselves spending more time with the people from the trip than with each other, and over half of the participants were solo travelers. I am not lying when I say that you will meet some of the coolest and friendliest people on EF trips, since everyone is there because they are eager to travel, see the world, and meet others who like to do the same. Whether you're new to travel or a seasoned explorer seeking a fresh experience, you'll undoubtedly meet incredible people on EF Ultimate Break trips. My trip was over a year ago, and I still think about it every day, and I'm excited to embark on another journey soon with friends I made on the first trip.
As a self-professed type A traveler, I initially had reservations about organized tours. However, I can now say with absolute certainty that I have no regrets. Out of the month I spent in Europe that summer, my two weeks in Croatia with EF Ultimate will always be a highlight - so if you are on the fence about taking your first EF trip, this is your sign to book!
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Welcome to Points to Point Travel, your ultimate guide to unlocking the world of travel using points and miles. I'm Stacy, and my mission is to empower you with destination guides, insider travel tips, and strategies to maximize your credit card points, showing you countless ways to travel smarter and better!
