Things to know before buying that Groupon vacation deal

There are times in life that call for caution. But then, there are times Groupon comes along.

A few years back, a trip to Paris and Rome, including hotel and airfare, breakfasts and rides to the airport, appeared in my inbox. It was $1,500 for all. A stock photo of the Eiffel Tower danced off the screen. Buy it now, a voice said, a voice wearing a beret. Ask questions later. I enlisted a friend and we clicked oui, oui.

At the time, it was the biggest Groupon I had ever purchased, but I knew it would be fine. I had already come to embrace discount vouchers as my primary mode of travel. Yes, Groupon and LivingSocial, the websites where you get your discount hot stone massages and city Segway tours.

When I tell people I regularly travel using Groupon Getaways or LivingSocial Escapes, I get the same reaction. Wonderment, followed by skepticism, followed by questions.

I was nervous the first time. I bought a LivingSocial voucher for a rental vacation house in Sonoma, Calif., and it did not provide the address upfront. It turned out to be a gem, tucked into a modest, yet charming, neighborhood. It felt like a true escape.

Since then, I've been to an all-inclusive resort in Jamaica, to Niagara Falls and to plenty of Florida hotels using vouchers. I've also been on a less-than-impressive Bahamas cruise. For my upcoming honeymoon, we booked an island-hopping trip to Greece on LivingSocial.

So, when people flash that tentative stare, here are some of the things I share.

Typically, after you buy a deal voucher, Groupon or LivingSocial gets out of the way and hands things over to a travel agent, or an online tour operator like Go-today or Great Value Vacations. You call. You give your voucher code. A nice person on the other end books out the trip from start to finish.

Before buying the Groupon to Paris and Rome, I had never used a travel agency. They seemed out of reach, perhaps old-fashioned or haughty. I could go online and book my own plane tickets, thank you.

Mind changed! For a big, complicated trip with lots of stops, flights and changes, I'll never go back.

There's nothing like a human being with expertise. Even if you're not using a deal website, travel agents can help you work within a budget.

Do you like to know details about every hotel? Do you insist on picking your airline seat? Is it really important to be in the heart of the action versus being in a residential neighborhood?

When my friend and I went to Paris and Rome, we decided we were too old to share a room. For an extra fee ($500 each), we were able to get separate rooms. It was worth it.

Every hotel I've stayed at from a deal site has been clean and comfortable. There have been quirks, like the shower head that pointed directly out of the stall and onto the bathroom floor. But isn't that the charm of international travel?

If all this induces anxiety, it might not be your ticket.

See if it's really the best deal.

When booking my Greek honeymoon, I checked several online tour provider sites, including Go-today and Gate 1 Travel, to see packages outside of the deal sites. I noticed that when they had a good deal on their regular sites, they didn't have one on the deal sites, and vice versa.

Same goes when booking hotels. Check around to other booking services and directly with the hotel to make sure it's really a bargain.

Is the deal for two people traveling together? Do you have transportation between locations on your trip? These things can add up.

If it says eight days, it means six nights. And check the weather wherever you're going. Deals abound in the off seasons, but that could mean hitting a destination at the least desirable time of year.

Most deals will list a few flight departure cities including New York and Boston, but if you read the fine print, you often have more options.

I've changed flights from the listed cities to Tampa several times, for a moderate upcharge (less than $50 to Europe). Then again, don't take that for granted. Call the agency before you buy the voucher and have them price out your specifics.

Thankfully, Groupon has a pretty relaxed return policy and gave us a full refund, which leads to my next tip:

Make sure you understand the refund parameters before you buy.

So, that Bahamas-cruise Groupon. Let's discuss.

It was something in the neighborhood of $200 for a few days. Food was included. It was cheaper than getting a hotel for the weekend.

We didn't get food poisoning or lost at sea. The room was clean. The chow was serviceable.