Surprise travel is the latest frontier in the travel industry; traveling without knowing the destination and period . After some success in the United States.
Actually, the formula of traveling in the dark is not exactly new, in fact it is inspired by Roulette Travel, a formula born about 20 years ago, where the hotel communicates to the customer shortly before departure and not during the purchase of the vacation package.
The surprise trip is therefore a kind of revised roulette formula with many options to choose from; it concerns not only the hotel, but also the destination and the period of the trip. You will find out a few days before departure.
So let's see how this new way of traveling works and for whom it is indicated!
How Blind Travel works
Blind Travel offers several options depending on the site selling the package; they usually start from a minimum of £100 (per person) for direct return flights to a major European destination and a stay in centrally located hotels or apartments.
The beauty of these services is that they can be customized. By paying small extras, you can limit your choices in terms of destination, period or departure time. For example, you can eliminate destinations that do not interest you or that you have already visited.
Obviously we remind you that the beauty of this experience is precisely the surprise effect, so let the destination decide for you!
Once you have purchased the type of surprise trip you prefer, all you have to do is bide your time! A few days before departure you will receive an email or a letter at home and you will finally know the details of the trip.
Why choose a surprise trip
So we've seen what a surprise trip is and how it works. But why should we go blind?
The reasons can be many, let's look at them in detail:
- First of all there is the surprise effect and the adrenaline of discovering only at the last minute where to go and when to go. This is the real peculiarity of traveling in the dark.
- Then there is a second aspect to consider regarding organization. With a surprise trip everything will be planned, you won't have to spend hours and hours looking for flights or hotels. The basic idea is that of a trip without thoughts . In fact, you will also receive all the information to better visit your destination. The only thing you will have to take care of are the travel documents, any insurance and being met at the airport at the agreed time.
- Visit places you may have never considered and discover beautiful cities;
- Finally, we must consider that this is still low-cost travel. A kind of smart box, with the difference that an algorithm will choose the vacation destination for you.
Who they are suitable for
It would therefore seem that the surprise trip is a decidedly advantageous formula and suitable for everyone. In reality, this is not the case.
Surprise travel is a new way of experiencing travel, an unconventional experience.
It is not simply about saving money, far from it, although the packages have advantageous prices, the low-cost component is only a small part of it.
The need to travel in the dark is the thrill of going away by surprise. Therefore, they are suitable for those who are looking for something different, for those who love adventure and a little adrenaline and for those who, among so many destinations, never know which one to choose.
For those who are not suitable
If you think of surprise trips only as a low-cost experience, then they are not for you . This is not the best way to save. Simply organize the DIY trip, looking for the hotel on Booking or other portals and booking the flight on the various search engines.
This is definitely the best way to organize a trip at the lowest price. We have seen many in a previous article. tips to find cheap flights, following these tips you will surely be able to plan the trip according to your budget.
Also, if the surprise effect does not interest you and you want to choose the destination yourself, this is another reason to plan the trips on your own, without the need of intermediaries.
Necessary documents
Surprise travel destinations are usually in Europe. Therefore, an identity document will suffice. However, be aware that some countries are not part of the European Union and therefore a passport will be necessary. If you do not have one, you should eliminate these destinations.
Then there are some portals that offer trips to the United States in the dark, as is the case of Waynabox, which allows you to fly to America, starting from Spain, Portugal and France; others, on the other hand, organize surprise intercontinental trips at your request. In this case, a valid passport is required and you should inquire about the documents required to enter the country.
Currency
Generally the official currency of the main surprise destinations is the euro, but even in this case there are some countries that are exceptions. Therefore, before leaving, find out about the current currency of the country in question.
Voli
Obviously, the airline will also be a surprise. These are generally low-cost or scheduled airlines, depending on the destination, the departure airport and the period of travel.
Flight cancellation?
In case of flight cancellation or delay (outbound or return) the responsibility lies with the company itself. Therefore, it is good to know all the rights of the traveler in case of damages. Find more information in the previous article on i Cancelled flights and refunds.
How to buy a surprise trip
In Spain we learned about surprise trips thanks to Flykube a startup born in July 2017, founded by young entrepreneurs passionate about travel, with the dream of working in this sector.
Recently, new companies are emerging that offer this type of travel, such as Blindfolded Travel or Waynabox.
In this article we take a look at how Flykube works and what packages it offers.
Flykube: the surprise travel startup
Flykube' s site has a simple and intuitive interface. The first thing you will notice are the 4 packages offered by Flykube:
- Surprise destination
- Surprise days
- Summer Surprise
- All by surprise
Let's look at each package in detail:
Surprise Destination
With the Surprise Destination package you will only choose the travel dates of 3, 4, 5, 5, 6 or 7 days to a surprise European city among the 20 proposals of Flykube. You can discard 3 destinations for free and a maximum of 7 cities at a cost of 5 € for each one you eliminate.
Basically, the proposed hotels are 3 or 4 stars in the center or in neighboring areas. For apartments or high-end hotels with breakfast there is a surcharge to be paid.
All flights depart between 6.00 a.m. and midnight. For each change of time you have to pay an additional 10 €.
The destination of the trip will be communicated to you by e-mail only 2 days before departure. You will then receive your boarding passes and a guide with all the information to visit the city that the destination has booked for you.
Surprise days
In this case you will choose the month of the trip and the destination of your choice. The weekend will be a surprise and you will know the dates only 4 days before departure. You can discard one for 25 €.
All by surprise
This is the cheapest package, starting at 100 € and it is the one that produces the most adrenaline. The trip will be totally in the dark, destination and surprise weekend. You will only choose the month and you will know all the details 4 days before the trip.
Are you surprised?
Last option for trips to the sea. You can choose the travel dates, for 5 or 7 days, but you will not know where your vacation will be, until 2 days before departure.
The destination will be chosen by Flykube among the 12, all European, present on the website.
Conclusions
We have seen this new type of travel, in my opinion it is a nice idea and a fun experience. Let me know what you think and if you have ever tried something like this.
