A cruise ship provides a great, one price, vacation, and one of the main attractions to booking a cruise ship is that just about everything is included in the price.
When many people think about a budget vacation, they picture an intrepid traveler in a roach infested hotel room eating stale sandwiches and riding around on the city bus. However, one of the best ways to save money on a vacation is also one of the most luxurious and most thrilling – the cruise vacation.
Cheap Accommodation
In addition to a cheap place to stay, a cruise also offers unlimited food, including many amazing buffets that are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, the food on cruise vacation ships are often better-quality to those in all but the best land locked restaurants, and once again, the food is included in the price.
Traveling Off-season
Of course, it is possible to save money by traveling in the off-season, and this can often be a great plan. For instance, even though it is the middle of the winter and most people are not thinking about vacations where you are, it may be warm and tempting in many tropical cruise ship destinations.
It is important, however to check out the local weather, and to avoid the rainy season in the destinations you are considering. Steering clear of hurricanes, tropical downpours and other weather problems can help you get the most out of your cruise ship.
Cabins
If you have never taken a cruise ship before, it is a good idea to get advice from those who have experienced cruising. These people can give valuable insight on the best balance of cost and comfort for your first cruise ship experience.
The location of the cabin is another important consideration when booking a cruise ship. The interior cabins on the lower parts of the ship are generally the least costly, while the higher, larger cabins with ocean views are the most expensive.
Discounts and Cheap Cruise ship Deals
It is not always necessary to shop early, of course. Cruise ship lines have been known to offer some fantastic discounts at the last minute in order to move unsold cabins or avoid leaving with a less than full passenger load.
There are many last minute travel newsletters that provide details on these types of cruise ship deals, and these last minute travel deals are a big hit with retirees and others with the time to see the world.
Food and Gym
After eating all that food, you will probably feel the need to work out, and the cost of the cruise vacation also typically includes unlimited use of the gym, the weight room and the sports locations. While many hotels tack on a surcharge for the use of the hotel gym, with a cruise vacation it is generally included.
Shipboard Entertainment
The cost of a cruise vacation also includes all shipboard entertainment and classes. The entertainment options of a cruise vacation are often one of the best parts of the experience, and many cruises offer such things as movie nights, theaters, spas, nightclubs, discos, and even casinos.
There are also some great classes offered by cruise lines, in everything from origami to bridge to ballroom dancing. And again, these classes and entertainment options are included in the price you pay for the cruise.
Among the only things that are not included in the typical cruise vacation are alcoholic beverages and shore excursions. Many of the higher priced cruises even include these extras. If the shore excursions and drinks are not included, be sure to get a price list for shore excursions and drinks.
It is often possible to save money on shore excursions while on a cruise vacation by booking the tours locally at portside instead of going with the cruise line. Just be sure, however that the book it yourself excursion will get you back to the ship on time.
For all these reasons, cruise vacation can be among the best, and most economical, of all vacation opportunities. The ability to enjoy a week or two week cruise vacation at one low price is one more reason to love cruising.
Filed under Blog, Cheap Travel Tips, Cruises by on Apr 28th, 2010. Comment. 
Traveling by plane requires great planning. One can minimize problems by planning well in advance and taking a few precautions before embarking on the journey.
This will alleviate problems and ensure that you have a safe and hassle free trip.
1. Always book tickets on a reliable airline. Check if they are offering any special fares or discounts. Check the tickets to ensure that what you have is a confirmed booking.
2. Find out details regarding size of baggage and weight allowed. Tag all bags with your name, address, phone number, date of travel, and flight number. Pack the bags yourself and ensure that they are all locked safely. Make two sets of keys.
3. As a precaution pack documents, passport, medicines, and other immediate essentials in the carry on case. In case your luggage gets lost or misplaced in transit you will still have bare essentials.
4. Follow to a “t” all security rules. Do not carry electronics, knives, batteries, or other banned items. All dangerous objects like razors, scissors, and so on must be put in your check in luggage.
5. All electronic items like cell phones and laptops must be fully charged and in accordance to rules turned on for checking if asked. Use of cell phones while flying is prohibited. So do not plan or making or receiving calls when in flight.
6. Take along a valid photo ID to the airport. Check whether you have your tickets.
7. Make prior booking for parking at the airport this will save you valuable time circling around to find suitable parking. If the airport lots are full or inconvenient try any of the private parking lots.
8. Always check the flight schedule before you leave the house. Make sure what the check-in-time is for your flight. Leave with plenty of time to spare. This way you won’t have to rush from one end of the airport to the other.
It is against regulations for passengers to carry inflammables, aerosols, or household cleaners. Other prohibited items are: firearms even if you have a license, hunting rifles, baseball bats, golf clubs, pool cues, ski equipment, hockey sticks, darts, as well as bows and arrows. Because of terrorist threats it is against the law to speak of hijackings, bomb threats, or other dangerous things. Be cautious about who you befriend. Never accept any letter or parcel to be delivered to persons known or unknown. Never leave your luggage unattended and if you do notice any abandoned parcel or luggage bring it to the notice of authorities. Be aware of what the weather conditions are like where you going and take clothes accordingly. Prepare well for your flight and enjoy it.
Before leaving check online whether there are any diversions to be made at the airport or whether any new rules have been made. Most airports have easy to use websites. Refer to the site and find out where your terminal is and where your car is to be parked. If using public transport only use transportation services from official pick up points. The vehicles must have official markings. Don’t get conned by people who make offers of special privileges or deals.
Filed under Blog, Travel Tips by on Apr 25th, 2010.
Awe Inspiring scenery, glistening glaciers, plentiful wildlife, and Native American culture are only some of the marvelous attractions that attract cruise vacationers to Alaska. With so much to see and do in Alaska, it’s no wonder the state’s official flower is the alpine forget-me-not!
Cruise Lines that sail to Alaska on a seven-day itinerary usually cruise along the Inside Passage and visit Glacier Bay National Park or Hubbard Glacier, stopping at four ports along the way. Most cruise lines also offer a arrange of extended cruise-tour package options which take passengers deeper into Alaska via train and include land stays at lodges and sightseeing in Denali National Park – making their trip to Alaska even more exciting.
For weather and sunlight purposes, cruises to Alaska cruise strictly during the summer months, from early May to mid-September. June, July and August can be known as peak season when average daily high temperatures can reach 75 degrees Fahrenheit, so those looking for the best rates should check sailing dates in May and September when temperatures settle around 50 degrees.
A variety of ships & cruise lines sail to Alaska, including luxury vessels and midsize ships – most of which offer expanded kids activity for family vacationers. While the majority of cruise ships sail from Vancouver, BC, Seattle is increasingly becoming a favorite summer homeport for many lines. Both embarkation/disembarkation points allow cruise ships to visit the most popular ports on an Alaska cruise, including Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.
Choose to cruise for YOU. You can have the vacation of a lifetime, see the world, completely unwind, take a walk on the wild side, dance the night away, feast on fabulous cuisine, learn something new, make friends, bond with your family, steal quiet moments with your spouse. Whatever your heart desires, is yours, when you choose to cruise.
Filed under Blog, Cruises by on Apr 25th, 2010.
If you have the nerve to wait until the last minute to make your travel plans or reservations, you can save a lot of money and get some unbelievable deals. If you start to search the Internet for last minute travel bargains you can find many deals and offers, but be sure that you are flexible and not afraid to make a quick decision. It can be quite overwhelming to organize a trip in the last minute, so make sure you are up for the challenge.
When you are looking for last minute bargains, the deals you might find depend on where you are planning to go. Some deals are easy to find because companies want to sell out empty hotel rooms, flight seats or rental cars. If you can wait to book your trip until a day or two before you are planning to leave, your chances for a great bargain are even better!
You can also try to book apartments or condos at the last minute. Houses can be cheap in price as well. You need to contact the owner or rental agency directly, preferably close to your arrival time, and ask if they are willing to reduce the rate.
You can also travel on standby. In this case, you need to wait at the airport to see if anyone cancels their flight. Keep in mind that there is usually a standby list, and if several people are on the list, you may not make the flight.
There are a few things you should keep in mind when you are booking a trip at the last minute. In many cases, last minute travel sites sell what is known in the industry as “distressed inventory”. For example, this can be left-over rooms no one else has booked and center seats on airplanes.
Beware that there can also be hidden costs on last minute deals. Always keep a good eye on what you are accepting and dealing with and don’t get lost in the excitement of purchasing a great travel deal. The first price you see on a travel site is usually quite affordable; this is usually a stay in the most inexpensive hotel available at the destination you choose. If you want to upgrade this, as many consumers often do, remember to keep an eye on the price because it can easily cost you a few hundred bucks to upgrade your room and make your stay a bit more comfortable.
Remember, last minute travel deals are usually non-refundable. So don’t purchase your trip before you are sure you can make it. Read the fine print before you book anything, whether it is far in advance or at the last minute. Because of the super-low prices, some websites do not allow changes and others charge a premium.
Check out these sites for last minute travel bargains.
LastMinuteTravel.com
Offers you a Top 20 deals feature, and most of these deals are packages. First choose your destination and then decide on your airfare and hotel accommodations.
Travelzoo.com
The “Last Minute Travel” link lets you look for deals to or from a particular city. They offer exciting bargains on sport and adventure packages, which can include skiing in Colorado and scuba diving in Costa Rica. You can also sign up for an e-mail newsletter that updates you on deals from major US airports.
Site59.com
This travel site offers you packages that can be purchased the same day as your trip or at the last minute. So pack your bags, visit this site and be ready to leave in as little as a few hours.
Go-Today.com
This is another literally last minute website. If you’re ready to leave tomorrow, take a look at this site and find the right deal for you. They have a list of “Top Ten Vacation Deals” you can choose from or you can search by destination or type of trip.
Filed under Blog by on Mar 8th, 2010.
Are you planning a vacation? Then you might wish you had some more money in you pocket to spend on airfare, hotels and activities. Now it is possible for you to enjoy your vacation without having to worry about spending over your budget. If you use travel coupons you may be able to spend half the money your were planning to spend on your accommodations. Using travel coupons are the best way to make your trip affordable and enjoyable without cutting into your budget.
Coupons are widely available through all sorts of media. The most common is through paper media, however latest trends show the Internet and especially Coupon and Voucher directories are showing their presence in the market.
One of the biggest providers of hotel discount coupons is Roomsaver.com. They provide a travel guide that is filled with deals throughout the US and Canada. To get your hands on this guide you can either pick it up at merchants located close to the major interstate exits or you can order the guide directly from Roomsaver.com and get it mailed to you.
You can also buy the Entertainment Book. This book offers you many ways to save on travel, including hotel coupons, car rental discounts, cheap airfare, restaurants coupons and more. With this book you can take the trip you’ve always wanted without going over you budget, thanks to travel savings from the Entertainment Book. This is a great idea for those who do not like to search the Internet for travel coupons.
Also check out Travelcoupons.com. They offer a wide variety of coupons and vouchers good at locations across the entire U.S. and you can find large selections of travel, holiday and accommodation coupons.
There are several good and reliable travel sites on the Internet where you can find great travel deals and save big bucks on your next vacation. But getting the best deal is not always easy. Even though there are hundreds of travel sites out there, getting a bargain is not as simple as it might seem. So just keep this in mind when searching for a coupon or deal.
Be sure to have the coupon with you when you arrive at the business for which you are going to use the coupon. Even if you were guaranteed a reservation based on the coupon rate, you will still need to show the coupon when you arrive at the place of business.
When online coupons are used, travelers are able to see the discounts they get before they finish the booking. Travelers are able to calculate savings and the cost of travel. Some travelers will see such a significant difference in the pricing, they might just plan to travel further because they can afford to.
Remember to always read the fine print on the discount coupons, you should also directly contact the business you are planning to use the coupon with and ask them about the discount in order to be sure you are able to use your coupon.
Be sure to watch out for expiration dates too. Some coupons are only valid for a specific period of time and come with special restrictions. Also, you might not be able to book your accommodation online with some coupons, so be sure to check the terms of your coupon. If you are going to use a travel coupon, do not book your reservation before you have sorted this out.
Peter Pendleton
GuruTravel.com
Filed under Blog by on Mar 8th, 2010. 2 Comments.
You’ve finally decided you and your family on going to take that long awaited dream vacation in Hawaii. You’ve decided that you want to go the vacation rental route for numerous reasons: privacy, comfort, location and cost effectiveness.
Next, you probably Googled Oahu Vacation Rentals and are faced with the daunting task of choosing among some 175,000 web sites.
Where to begin?
Here’s two secrets that will help you make the right choice so you can enjoy your stay in Hawaii to its fullest.
Secret One:
Use a reservation service. There are several reasons for this. First, a single property vacation rental listing by owner will severely limit you to the dates that you can take your vacation. Vacation rental properties in Hawaii run nearly 90% occupancy, so unless you know your travel dates six months to a year out the odds are high that their property won’t be available for the travel dates you had in mind. Second, the owner is only concerned with booking their own property so they will extol the virtues of their vacation rental and not mention any of the faults.
Secret Two:
Make the right choice of reservation service. Make sure it is locally owned and operated. Websites like vrbo and findrentals (for instance) don’t have a clue about geography, weather, attractions, events and the other necessary information required to give you the property that best fills your needs. For instance, let’s say you want to whale watch but also want to vacation on Oahu. Your reservation service should be able to tell you that you need to stay on the windward side of the island if you want to see the whales. Another tip-off of services to avoid are those that do automated, credit card bookings. Steer clear of these services as this implies they aren’t interested in talking to you, they just want your money. Be wary of sites that have more than 100 properties….there aren’t that many decent selections on Oahu, or any of the other Hawaiian islands, on the market. The more a service exceeds 100 properties, the greater the odds you’ll end up in an overpriced, undesirable vacation rental.
Here’s another great hint. If a reservation service states that they have hotels or condos available in Kailua, or will have them soon, choose another service. Since, by zoning law, Kailua does not allow hotels or condos, you should realize that once again, this is a service that wants your money, not your piece of mind. Always ask the reservation service person you are talking to where they are located. Someone based in Las Vegas or Los Angeles won’t have a clue about how to give you the best property for the vacation experience you have in mind.
With the standard vacation rental property terms being no refunds after you’ve paid your deposit, you absolutely want to make sure you make the right choice. A good reservation service will ask you questions about what you want to do and see on your vacation and will actually try and talk you out of a property you had in mind if they don’t think it appropriate to what you had in mind.
This is not an attempt to upsell you, it’s more a matter of matching your vacation desires and needs with the perfect choice of vacation rental venue. One vacation rental reservation service that meets all these requirements is Pacific Islands Reservations. They are owned and operated by Ingrid Carvalho, who was born and raised in the islands, as were her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. She has been serving visitors to Hawaii vacation rental needs since 1996. She currently represents ninety vacation rentals on Oahu and another 90 vacation rentals on Maui, Kauai and the Big Island.
She has actually been to each and every property she represents–she even took most of the photographs of the vacation rentals you see on her web sites. She doesn’t take credit cards but she’s happy to spend time talking with you to make sure you get the right property to maximize the value and enjoyment of your vacation.
Filed under Blog by on Mar 8th, 2010.
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