Show Me Your Trips

Trade the neighborhood costume party for Halloween on the high seas. Episode 4 explores how cruise lines celebrate with costume contests, themed parties, seasonal entertainment, family activities, special drinks, and decorated ships. Scott explains why every October sailing is different, how to choose between a family-focused celebration and an adults-oriented getaway, and what to consider when pa...

Salem in October delivers costumes, museums, walking tours, performances, historic streets, and enormous crowds. Episode 3 explains how to enjoy the Halloween atmosphere without letting high prices, sold-out attractions, transportation problems, or unrealistic schedules turn the trip into a nightmare. Scott covers when to reserve accommodations, how to prioritize must-do experiences, why comfortab...

Which American city deserves the title of most haunted? In Episode 2, Scott compares the history, atmosphere, and travel experiences of Savannah, St. Augustine, New Orleans, Charleston, and Salem. The episode looks beyond ghost stories to help you choose a destination based on food, architecture, nightlife, museums, coastal access, Halloween energy, and crowd levels. You will also hear why daytime...

Would you pay to spend the night in a hotel where some guests supposedly never checked out? Scott Showalter opens The 12 Trips of Halloween with a challenge to book a stay in a famously haunted hotel. Discover what makes these properties so compelling, how to separate genuine history from Halloween theater, and what to research before paying extra for the room with the biggest reputation. From com...

Twenty episodes. Balconies. Drink packages. Suites. Business class. Airport lounges. Private tours. Overwater bungalows. Alaska cruises. Travel insurance. Travel advisors. Now there’s one final question:So...was it worth it? In Episode 21, Scott Showalter wraps up the “Is It Worth It?” series by stepping away from individual products and focusing on the bigger lesson:How do you decide what is actu...

After 19 episodes of talking about travel value, we finally ask the question Scott intentionally saved until near the end:Is using a travel advisor worth it? In Episode 20 of “Is It Worth It?”, Scott Showalter looks beyond simply booking hotels and cruises. We’re talking about planning, destination knowledge, groups, complex itineraries, supplier relationships, time savings, advocacy, support, and...

Glaciers. Mountains. Wildlife. Scenic cruising. An Alaska cruise can feel completely different from almost any other cruise vacation. But it can also get expensive quickly. In Episode 19 of “Is It Worth It?”, Scott Showalter asks whether an Alaska cruise really delivers enough value to justify the cost. And then we take it one step further:Is the balcony upgrade worth it on an Alaska cruise? We’ll...

Turquoise water. Private deck. Direct ocean access. Breakfast delivered over the water. It may be one of the most recognizable travel experiences on the planet. It may also produce one of the biggest cases of sticker shock. In Episode 18 of “Is It Worth It?”, Scott Showalter tackles the ultimate Instagram-vs.-reality vacation upgrade:The overwater bungalow. We’ll talk about privacy, weather, ocean...

Sometimes it’s one of the easiest ways to understand a new city. Other times...You’ve paid good money to sit in traffic wearing headphones. In Episode 17 of “Is It Worth It?”, Scott Showalter puts the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus through the test. We’ll talk about first-day orientation, sightseeing convenience, stop locations, bus frequency, weather, families, mobility concerns, traffic, commentary, and why...

Four people with a private guide can have a very different day than 50 people following somebody holding a numbered paddle. In Episode 16 of “Is It Worth It?”, Scott Showalter looks at whether paying more for a private tour actually creates enough additional value to justify the cost. We’re talking about flexibility, local expertise, customized itineraries, time savings, multigenerational travel,...

Nobody gets excited about buying travel insurance. There's no ocean view. No cocktail. No room upgrade. And you're probably not posting a picture of your policy on Instagram. But when something goes wrong? It can suddenly become one of the most important purchases connected to your entire vacation. In Episode 15 of “Is It Worth It?”, Scott Showalter asks whether travel insurance is really worth th...

TSA PreCheck. Global Entry. CLEAR.At this point, getting through the airport is starting to sound like choosing a streaming service. In Episode 14 of “Is It Worth It?”, Scott Showalter tackles CLEAR and one of the most misunderstood questions in airport travel:Is CLEAR the same thing as TSA PreCheck? Spoiler alert: No. We’ll discuss biometric identity verification, participating airports, how CLEA...

You've just spent nine hours flying home from Europe. You're tired. Your phone is dying. Your body has absolutely no idea what time it is. And then...Welcome to the immigration line. In Episode 13 of “Is It Worth It?”, Scott Showalter explores Global Entry and whether international travelers should consider adding it to their travel toolkit. We’ll break down how Global Entry differs from TSA PreCh...

Shoes off. Laptop out. Jacket off. Liquids out. Then you look over and see another group of travelers seemingly breezing through security...How do I get in THAT line? In Episode 12 of “Is It Worth It?”, Scott Showalter takes on TSA PreCheck and whether paying for expedited airport screening is actually worthwhile. We’ll talk about what PreCheck does—and doesn't—provide, how frequently you need to...

Comfortable chairs. Food. Drinks. Wi-Fi. Charging outlets. Maybe even a shower. Airport lounges sound like the perfect escape from a crowded terminal. Until you discover that 147 other travelers apparently discovered the same “secret” lounge. In Episode 11 of “Is It Worth It?”, Scott Showalter asks whether airport lounge accessreally delivers enough value to justify the cost. We’ll talk about day...

Economy is cheaper. Business Class is incredible. But what about that cabin sitting right in the middle? In Episode 10 of “Is It Worth It?”, Scott Showalter takes a closer look at Premium Economy and asks whether a wider seat, extra legroom, more recline, upgraded meals, and additional perks are actually worth paying more for. We’ll talk about the important difference between true Premium Economy...

Lie-flat seat. Airport lounge. Priority boarding. Better meals. More space. Business class sounds fantastic. Then you see the price...And suddenly you’re wondering whether you should upgrade your airplane seat or use that money to stay another week in Italy. In Episode 9 of the “Is It Worth It?” series, Scott Showalter tackles one of travel’s ultimate splurges: business class airfare. We’ll look a...

No kids. For some travelers, those two words immediately sound like a vacation. 😂But adults-only doesn't automatically mean quiet, romantic, or luxurious. Depending on the resort, it could mean couples massages and candlelight dinners...or a DJ, foam party, and somebody handing you a shot before breakfast. In Episode 8 of the “Is It Worth It?” series, Scott Showalter looks at whether choosing an...

Unlimited food. Unlimited drinks. Beautiful pools. Beaches. Entertainment. Activities. You pay one price, show up, and everything is included...Right? Well...maybe. In Episode 7 of the “Is It Worth It?” series, Scott Showalter takes a closer look at all-inclusive resorts and whether they really deliver the value travelers expect. We’ll talk about what “all-inclusive” actually means, why two resort...

Perfect beaches. Crystal-clear water. Cabanas. Water parks. Beach clubs. Frozen drinks. Cruise lines make their private destinations look like paradise—but are they really worth the hype? In Episode 6 of the “Is It Worth It?” series, Scott Showalter breaks down the private-island experience and, more importantly, all those tempting upgrades waiting for you once you get there. Can you have an incre...

A bigger cabin. A bigger balcony. Priority boarding. Private lounges. Concierge service. Maybe even a butler. Sounds fantastic. Then you see the price. 😳 In Episode 5 of the “Is It Worth It?” series, Scott Showalter asks whether upgrading to a cruise suite is really worth the extra money. Because the suite life isn't always just about getting a bigger room. Depending on the cruise line and ship,...

You already paid for the cruise—and food is included. So why would you pay even more money just to eat dinner? In Episode 4 of the “Is It Worth It?” series, Scott Showalter takes on specialty dining and whether those steakhouses, Italian restaurants, sushi spots, chef’s tables, and dining packages are actually worth opening your wallet for. We’ll talk about the difference between included dining a...

“Is a Cruise Drink Package Worth It?” Unlimited drinks sound great—until you see the total price. In Episode 3 of the “Is It Worth It?” series, Scott Showalter tackles one of cruising’s most debated purchases: the drink package. We’re looking beyond cocktails and breaking down specialty coffee, bottled water, soda, wine, mocktails, port days, package restrictions, gratuities, and the all-important...

“Is a Balcony Cabin Worth It?” Is waking up to an ocean view worth paying more for your cruise cabin? In Episode 2 of the “Is It Worth It?” series, Scott Showalter breaks down one of the biggest cruise-booking debates: balcony cabin versus interior or oceanview. This episode explores how much you’ll actually use the balcony, why itinerary and cabin location matter, which travelers get the most val...

Introducing “Is It Worth It?” “The Price Is Easy to Find. The Value Is What We’re Here to Figure Out.” Welcome to the brand-new “Is It Worth It?” series from Show Me Your Trips. In this introductory episode, Scott Showalter explains the idea behind the series: travel is full of upgrades, extras, packages, perks, and experiences that all promise to make your vacation better—but are they actually wo...