Military discounts & travel help

[Trinity721]

Hello! My DH is going on deployment to Europe this summer, and he will be getting some R&R time in Paris or Barcelona for about a week. He wants me and DD to fly out there, to have a little vacation time with him (otherwise it'll be 6 months or more before we see him again) and I'd really like to make that happen.

Does anyone have any experience in this? Are there places military families can get discounted airfare, hotel stay, etc? I have never been to Europe either, so i don't even know where to begin... DH says that he heard somewhere that MWR or USO, or someone may help pay for airfare. But seeing as this is not a necessity and only leisure travel, I'm not so sure.

Any info would be of great help and appreciated!

 

[kadaten]

Never heard of anyone helping with airfare, and since your DH is not stationed overseas (he's deployed there) you aren't eligible for Space A travel unless he is with you.

Was going to suggest the Armed Forces Recreation Centers in Chiemsee and Garmisch, Germany, but I re-read that he'll be going to Barcelona or Paris, so that won't help.

Wish I could give you some ideas where to look, but every time we've gone, we've had to pay our own way. Maybe someone else will jump in with some ideas....

Good luck!
Katie

 

[katerkat]

You could check the Armed Forces Vacation Club - http://www.resortrip.com/RT_partners/CDA/RT_partners_index?ID=afv. It does week-long timeshare-like rentals for $249 a week. They have locations all over the place - I've done two in Orlando, once with DH and once without. Different ones are listed every day, so check often. And as with very Space-A thing, there's more listed the closer to your date. We booked our last Disney trip less than two weeks from our arrival.

 

[tiggerlover]

Originally posted by kadaten
Never heard of anyone helping with airfare, and since your DH is not stationed overseas (he's deployed there) you aren't eligible for Space A travel unless he is with you.

Was going to suggest the Armed Forces Recreation Centers in Chiemsee and Garmisch, Germany, but I re-read that he'll be going to Barcelona or Paris, so that won't help.

Wish I could give you some ideas where to look, but every time we've gone, we've had to pay our own way. Maybe someone else will jump in with some ideas....

Good luck!
Katie

Katie, just an FYI, Chiemsee closed last year and Garmisch (Patton and Von Stuebben) are closing this year to make way for the brand new (HUGE) resort in conference center in Garmisch in September.

Trinity, Katie is right, you alone are not eligible for Space-A (free) travel unless you are with your spouse or stationed overseas on and eligible for EML. Here are a couple of web sites that may offer you some information on hotel discounts etc. But if there is any way your DH can meet you in Germany, the above mentioned AFRC (Armed Forces Recreational Facility) resort is a great option and relatively affordable and the area is in southern Bavaria and is gorgeous.

http://www.military.com/Travel/SpaceATravel/0,11886,57,00.htm
http://www.military-travel.net/

 

[Dan Murphy]

Just saying hello, Jenny,

 

[jsmith]

Go to www.militaryliving.com or to the NEX and get Military livings guide to Lodging in Europe and the Middle east. It is a very comprehensive guide to to what is available in the way of lodging in Europe at all military installations. Some of it you will not be eligible for because you are not covered by the SOFA but it will give you a good idea. Also, US based hotel chains with hotels in Europe sometimes give discounts for US military-check websites for Bestwestern, Hilton, Sheraton, Choice Hotels and so on.

Have fun and good luck!

 

[kadaten]

Originally posted by tiggerlover
Katie, just an FYI, Chiemsee closed last year and Garmisch (Patton and Von Stuebben) are closing this year to make way for the brand new (HUGE) resort in conference center in Garmisch in September.

No! I LOVED Chiemsee! I met DH there on his way back from Saudi a few years ago and we just fell in love with the area and are hoping to make it back. When he left Saudi it was 102º but when he landed in Frankfurt it was 8º and snowing, and it didn't stop snowing for 2 days!! What can I say...it was Bavaria in February!! Needless to say, I had to bring clothes for both of us for that trip We had a room overlooking the lake and just loved touring all the tiny towns around there, and got to see Herrenchiemsee but not Neuschwanstein...one of the main reasons I want to go back. Will miss Chiemsee....Never made it to Garmisch, though.

Will the new resort be open before the old one closes? (Not that we can go any time soon....but just wondering.)

 

[tiggerlover]

Originally posted by kadaten
No! I LOVED Chiemsee! I met DH there on his way back from Saudi a few years ago and we just fell in love with the area and are hoping to make it back. When he left Saudi it was 102º but when he landed in Frankfurt it was 8º and snowing, and it didn't stop snowing for 2 days!! What can I say...it was Bavaria in February!! Needless to say, I had to bring clothes for both of us for that trip We had a room overlooking the lake and just loved touring all the tiny towns around there, and got to see Herrenchiemsee but not Neuschwanstein...one of the main reasons I want to go back. Will miss Chiemsee....Never made it to Garmisch, though.

Will the new resort be open before the old one closes? (Not that we can go any time soon....but just wondering.)

Chiemsee was a beautiful hotel and a beautiful location, it was such a shame they closed. But it was in need of renovations that were very extensive and then the war started and they said because of the two factors (less people coming due to the war and the repairs needed) that they needed to close. The two Garmisch hotels will stay open until the new resort opens in September. If you are interested in looking, here is the link to the new resort, it looks very nice. http://www.afrceurope.com/edelweisslodgeandresort/splash_edelweiss1.htm I only wish we were still going to be stationed here so we can go again.

 

[Sleepy]

http://www.pepperd.com/discus/messages/438/438.shtml?1080199099

Maybe this link will help you. It is a message board where people post about places they stay when they go on vacation.

I have looked into airfare for my son and me. We need to go to Italy before we are actually transfered there. As someone else said, we do not qualify for Space A ...hubby is deployed. I looked into SATO, but their fares are just as expensive as places like Orbitz and often times Orbitz is just as expensive as the actual direct airline. For hotel, we will stay in the Navy Lodge. Good luck.

I just wanted to add that if your hubby is being deployed with a large group, maybe you can get together with the other spouses and plan a trip together. You might get a group discount that way for airline. I know many spouses who do that during 6 month deployments when they meet the ship in port. (you probably already know that)

 

[Trinity721]

Hey thanks everyone for your suggestions, it will help me out a lot since I really had no idea where to even start looking. I really don't know any other Navy wives that I could plan this with. I only have one close friend/Navy wife that I talk to. This is our first deployment so i have a lot things to think about. Is there a Navy Lodge in Paris? Just wondering...

Well I'll keep researching this, and keep everyone posted. Thank you all so much.

ps: hi dan!

 

[bubbleprincessmom]

Hello
I'm in Germany right now visiting friends. Its been a great trip, expensive but great (we get a terrible exchange rate to the $$). My hubby is military so I've had access to the bases, but no luck with discounts outside of that.
We DID go to Barcelona last weekend and if you have a chance thats the place to go!! Take the tourist bus (get a two day ticket for $20 E) and it will show you all the major sites, you can get off and on the bus as often as you like. Dont miss the Park Guli, it is one of Gaudis most impressive designs. The church that was started by Gaudi is a not to miss place to visit as well as the church in the Gothic region. We stayed outside of town and took the metro into the city everyday and didn't have any problems at all. Have a great time visiting your hubby!!

 

[jsmith]

also just FYI the help with airfare applies only to personnel whos deployment orders specify that they are deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom for 12 months or more and who have a DA 31 authorizing leave from the theater of operations-and is for the service members airfare.

 

[Sleepy]

http://www.pepperd.com/discus/messages/438/2212.shtml?1073186338

This will give suggestions of places some other military have used in Paris. Sorry, no Navy Lodge in France. Spain and Italy are the closest.

 

[Otto's Doll]

A bit off topic, but kinda not... (not making much sense, huh? ). I just wanted to say that we have stayed in a number of Navy Lodges, and we LOVE them. They are clean, friendly and a great deal. Definetely the way to go if you are traveling in an area where they are available.

Have a great time with your dh.