A call from the travel agent
by Torsten Daerr
The next day, Sandra receives a call from the travel agent. She wonders if there are more problems. However, the agent is only calling to give her some information and to ask a few questions.
Travel agent: Hi, this is your travel agent, Jan. Sandra: Hi, Jan. Is there another problem? Jan: No, everything looks great; I just need some information from you. Sandra: That’s a relief; I thought sure something had to be cancelled! What information do you need? Jan: I need your passport numbers, emergency telephone contacts, what type of stateroom you prefer, and what hour seating you want. Sandra: I don’t know Donita’s passport number, but I can give you mine when I come to the office to get our documents. Write us down for the late dinner seating. Then we won’t have to rush back to the ship if we are in port. My emergency contact number will be my daughter, Jenny. Her number is 530-1862. Jan: What about the stateroom? I can reserve one in the middle of the ship on the 3rd or 5th deck. There is a price difference. Sandra: Let us have the least expensive one. I know we won’t be in our room very much, as there is so much to do onboard. Jan: You’re right, and most of the rooms are about the same size. When I travel, I like to get a room as far below deck as possible because you don’t feel the ship moving quite as much. Sandra: That’s a good idea. I don’t get sea-sick, but I think Donita does. She plans on taking motion sickness medication with her. Jan: That reminds me. Any medicine you take with you needs to be in the original container. Don’t pack it in your suitcase, just in case it is delayed or lost. Sandra: Thanks for telling me that; I’ll pass on that information to Donita. Is there anything else we should know? Jan: Well, I thought you might like to know a little about the dress code on the ship. During the day, you can wear comfortable clothes, but you need to dress-up for dinner. There are 3 formal nights, 3 semi-formal nights and the rest are dressy-casual. Sandra: Hmm. I might have to go shopping for another formal dress. What is meant by dressy-casual? Jan: It just means to dress in good taste, no bathing suits or short shorts in the dining room. Skirts or pant suits for the woman. The men need to wear slacks and shirts. I’ll give you more details when you stop for the tickets. Sandra: What if there are people who don’t want to dress-up? What do they do? Jan: There is another dining room where food is served cafeteria style. It is close to the swimming pool, so guests have to wear a cover-up over their suits to eat inside. There is also a self-service kiosk next to the pool with tacos, pizza, and salad. It’s a very popular place for families. Kids don’t like dressing-up for dinner and sometimes parents don’t want to either. Sandra: It sounds like the staff has thought of something to please everyone. Jan: I agree. There’s even a suggestion box onboard to improve or add services. I like the idea that kids have their own club and planned activities. Sandra: I’m really looking forward to this trip. It’s like taking all of the conveniences of home with you while exploring different countries. Jan: I couldn’t agree more. There’s a library, jewelry store, gift shop, tobacco and liquor store, beauty salon, physical fitness center, nightclubs with dancing, laundry rooms, and so many planned activities. Sandra: Planned activities? Jan: Yes, there’s a cruise director who will announce the activities for the day or week. There is everything from golf, to tennis, and shuffleboard to lots of inside games, too. Sandra: I wish we were leaving tomorrow instead of in two weeks! We’ll be in the office in the afternoon for our appointment at 2 for more information.
Related Articles
Where should we go on holiday?
Sandra Marttinen
Sandra has decided to take a vacation. But where should she go? The question is best answered by making an appointment with a travel agent. She invites her friend, Donita to go with her. At the agency
travel agent a professional trip planner tropical a hot, humid climate cruise ship passenger ship for leisure vacation
Comprehension questions 1. Why does Sandra want to go on a vacation? 2. Does she want to go to Alaska? 3. Why doesn’t Donita want to go to Hawaii?