family cruise vacation ideas

Rental Car Vs. Traveling by Bus in Costa Rica

One of the most often asked questions from travelers about Costa Rica besides “How much does it rain in the rainy season?” is: “Do we really need a rental car?”. The answer depends very much on you, but by describing a bit more the conditions I can make the decision easier for you!

Driving in Costa Rica is not as difficult as it seems in some frightening reports. Nevertheless it is true that the Costa Ricans that are known for a laid-back and calm attitude seem to get into a hurry as soon as they sit behind the wheel of a vehicle. They are not alone on the planet with this particularity, the only difference is that in many other places the people seem to be always in a hurry.

The roads in Costa Rica are famous for their potholes and some destinations can only be reached on a gravel road. If you plan only to visit San Jose and Jaco you may be fine with a sedan, but it is highly recommendable to rent a 4×4. In the rainy season you will even have to cross some rivers. Even some of the main attractions for tourists in Costa Rica are only accessible with an all-terrain vehicle. The road to Monteverde is not paved and there are no plans for doing so. The local community wants to protect this unique place and does not want that to make their place accessible for huge tourist buses.

The big advantage of renting a car in Costa Rica is, that you are independent and can make a stop whenever you want. Fruits and crafts are sold along the roads, this is always a good opportunity to have some small talk with the locals.

You better get up early in Costa Rica, because the sun goes down around 6 pm. Driving at night in Costa Rica can be dangerous and is not recommendable. Most of the roads don’t have lights and road marking mostly exists on the main roads.

The alternative to renting a car is to travel with the extensive bus system. This is a good way to see the country and meet the Ticos. There are buses going almost everywhere in Costa Rica, connections between outlying areas are limited. The capital San Jose is the major transportation hub of Costa Rica, sometimes it is necessary to return and switch the bus here. Before you buy a ticket for the bus ask precisely if this bus really goes to the destination where you plan to go. There are several towns in Costa Rica which share the same name! You can assure going to the right Playa Hermosa by mentioning the Province where you plan to travel. There is a Playa Hermosa in Guanacaste and a Playa Hermosa in Puntarenas. There are several other examples like Naranjo and San Isidro.

Traveling by bus is certainly cheaper than renting a car, but is most often slower. There are several hundred bus companies operating in Costa Rica and unfortunately they don’t always work together. This can result in an unplanned overnight stay at a place where you missed your connecting bus.

So the decision is still up to you, but it should be easier for you take it now

Serchenginenews

Beautiful Barcelona – Easy Travel Guide

Filed under: travel — Tags: accessories, Accident, action, advice, Afford, agra, air, airport, airports, allow, amazing, american, amp, ana, ancient, annual, apartment, architecture, around, art, aspects, attractions, Auto, Avoid, away, back, barcelona, bars, beach, beaches, beautiful, become, before, best, bog, Border, born, budget, Build, Building, built, bus, buses, but, call, camp, car, Cars, center, Century, Charge, cheap, Cheaper, chic, choice, choices, choose, christmas, cities, city, colorful, come, comfort, complete, Cost, costa, creation, cruise, cruises, cultural, culture, da, day, days, deal, Design, destination, die, dining, direct, discount, dive, does, drive, Drop, during, early, easy, Eating, eco, Egypt, end, europe, european, eve, event, Every, everyone, Everything, exciting, exclusive, Exotic, Extra, extraordinary, families, family, famous, fare, farm, features, february, festival, festivals, fill, final, find, fish, flight, Flow, fly, food, forms, fort, four, free, Freedom, friendly, friends, fun, galleries, gaudi, going, good, Grand, great, group, guide, Hall, harbour, has, head, here, high, historic, historical, history, home, hopping, hot, hotel, hotels, house, household, ice, idea, ideas, important, inc, Include, increase, information, inn, install, international, jewel, journey, Just, la, land, largest, las, last, le, lead, Leading, leads, Leisure, Less, life, light, line, lines, list, live, local, long, look, looking, lose, lottery, low, mad, magnificent, Major, mane, many, maps, markets, master, may, Mediterranean, men, million, mini, minute, modern, monument, mount, mountain, much, museum, museums, name, nation, new, night, not, ny, offer, offers, old, only, Option, Order, pa, pack, packed, palace, park, part, pass, passion, perfect, PERFORMER, person, plan, plane, popular, Port, ports, Price, progress, quality, quick, rain, rains, range, rate, red, rent, rental, rentals, resort, resorts, rica, ride, right, river, roman, rose, rover, safe, sale, san, sand, sea, seas, seaside, season, see, Sell, Selling, ship, Shop, shopping, Shore, sight, sights, sightseeing, site, sites, Size, sky, small, Source, south, Southwest, Souvenir, spa, space, Spain, spanish, special, spectacular, spring, Star, Start, Still, story, street, Streets, style, Stylish, success, summer, sun, sure, System, taking, target, Taxis, temple, ten, thai, than, thing, things, three, through, Ticket, tickets, time, tip, tips, top, tour, tourist, tours, town, Tradition, traditional, traditions, train, trains, transport, travel, traveling, travellers, trip, two, Under, unique, up, usa, Used, using, vacation, valid, villa, village, visit, visitor, visitors, waiting, war, way, ways, weather, weekend, weekends, welcome, Well, Western, where, will, win, winter, Wish, wonderland, Works, world, year, Years — libertees @ 5:00 pm June 17, 2010

.Beautiful city of Barcelona, capital of Catalonia (a Spain’s province), is situated on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea and bordered at either end by 2 river deltas. Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after its capital city Madrid. Barcelona has a population of 1.5 million, over 4 million including suburbs. The varied, eventful history of the city dates back 4,000 years to the first settlements by ancient farmers. Later it became a Roman colony, the Visigoth’s capital city, and then it came under Moorish rule. It went through sieges, destructions and occupations, finally to become an autonomous democracy 1975. The city has always played an important role in political and cultural life of Spain and it is well reflected in the variety and quality of historical buildings, museums, many other tourist attractions. Today Barcelona is one of the most diverse European cities with unique culture and rich traditions. You can find here a formidable balance of the traditional things and the avant-garde. A cosmopolitan metropolis, Barcelona affords visitors a warm and sincere welcome, being acknowledged worldwide as one of the best tourist-friendly cities in Europe. Barcelona’s organization of the 1992 Olympics provided regeneration of this dynamic city, gave a fresh start to its infrastructure development. WHAT TO SEE AND WHERE: POINTS OF INTEREST – La Ramble is a tree-lined pedestrian boulevard packed with buckers, living statues, mimes and itinerant salespeople selling everything from lottery tickets to jeweler. Pavement cafes and stands selling craftwork, street performers surrounded by curious onlookers, a noisy bird market, Palau de la Virreina, a grand 18th-century rococo mansion, the Gran Teeter del Liceu, the famous 19th-century opera house- these are all colorful parts of La Rambla’s mosaic. La Rambla ends at the lofty Monument a Colom (Monument to Columbus) and the harbour. Barri Gotic – also known as Gothic Quarter, it is the old part of the city. Picasso lived and worked in Barri Gotic from 1895 to 1904 and Joan Miro was born and lived here during his youth. Gothic Quarter is situated on the right hand side of the La Rambla, it contains a concentration of medieval tall Gothic buildings (14-15th century) on narrow cobbled streets and now is home to much of the city’s nightlife. La Sagrada Familia – La Sagrada Familia is one of the most famous and magnificent among Barcelona’s landmarks. The life’s work of Barcelona’s famous architect, Antoni Gaudi, the magnificent spires of the unfinished cathedral imprint themselves boldly against the sky with swelling outlines inspired by the holy mountain Montserrat. Above each facade there are four towers, 12 in total, which are dedicated to the Apostles. The tower in the center, the tallest of all at 170 m., is dedicated to Jesus Christ. Around these there are the towers of the four Evangelists, and the tower over the apse is dedicated to the Virgin. They are encrusted with a tangle of sculptures that seem to breathe life into the stone. Gaudi died in 1926 before his masterwork was completed, and since then, controversy has continually dogged the building program. Nevertheless, the southwestern (Passion) facade, is almost done, and the nave, begun in 1978, is progressing. La Pedrera – Casa Mila (Mila House) is an apartment building, the last example of Gaudi’s civil architecture.It is one of his finest and most ambitious creations, extraordinarily innovative in its functional, constructive, and ornamental aspects. Visitors can tour the building and go up to the roof, where they can see spectacular views of Barcelona. One floor below the roof is a modest museum dedicated to Gaudi’s work. Montjuic – the largest open space in the city, its main attractions are the Olympic installations, the Spanish Village and the hilltop fortress. Montjuic, the hill overlooking the city centre from the southwest, is home to some fine art galleries, leisure attractions, soothing parks and the main group of 1992 Olympic sites. Montjuic is covered in ornamental gardens with water features and is the most popular destination in Barcelona on Sundays. Tibidabo – is the highest hill in the wooded range that forms the backdrop to Barcelona. It has amazing views of the whole of Barcelona, a stunning cathedral, and a family fun park Parc d’Atraccions with old-style rides offering breathtaking views. A glass lift at the park goes 115m (383 ft) up to a visitors’ observation area at Torre de Collserola telecommunications tower. Modernisme – spectacular modernista architectural creations dotted around the city by famous Antoni Gaudi and his contemporaries. Camp Nou – home of F.C. Barcelona, one of Europe’s leading soccer teams, with capacity of almost 100,000 spectators. The Seu Cathedral – Built in medieval times on the site of a Roman temple, La Seu is one of the great Gothic buildings in Spain. Parc de la Ciutadella – Barcelona’s favorite park and a Sunday afternoon rendezvous for families, friends and ducks The Sardana – traditional Catalan dance, performed outside the cathedral and at national festivals, with everyone encouraged to join in.


MUSEUMS – The Barbier-Mueller Museum of Pre-Columbian Art -the only museum in Europe devoted exclusively to Pre-Columbian cultures. Housed in a gothic palace, its collection is one of the finest of its kind and gives visitors an insight into the rich world of the earliest cultures on the American continent. This tiny museum contains one hundred pieces, including wood and stone sculptures, ceramics, tapestries, jade, often found in international exhibitions and prestige publications. The exhibits represented the Olmec, Maya, Aztec, Chavin, Mochica and Inca civilisations. Palau de la Musica Catalana – one of the world’s most extraordinary music halls, it is a Barcelona landmark. From its polychrome ceramic ticket windows on the Carrer de Sant Pere Mes Alt side to its overhead busts of Palestrina, Bach, Beethoven, and Wagner, the Palau is the flagship of Barcelona’s Moderniste architecture. Museu Picasso – is Barcelona’s most visited museum. 3,500 exhibits make up the permanent collection. Picasso spent several years (1901-06) in Barcelona, and this collection, is particularly strong on his early work. Displays include childhood sketches, pictures from the beautiful Rose and Blue periods, and the famous 1950s Cubist variations on Velazquez’s Las Meninas (Ladies-in-Waiting). Gaudi Casa-Museu – Gaudi lived in this pink, Alice-in-Wonderland house from 1906 to 1926, which now houses a museum of Gaudi-designed furniture, decorations, drawings, and portraits and busts of the architect. Fundacio Miro – it was a gift from the famous artist Joan Miro to his native city. The museum opened in 1975, and now it is one of Barcelona’s most exciting showcases of contemporary art.


BEACHES – One of Barcelona’s greatest draws is undeniably its beautiful beaches. Beside world-famous Costa Brava and Costa Dorada which are within 1-hr drive time from Barcelona, there are also several nice beaches over 4 km long within the city boundaries, we will list just several of them here: Nova Icaria- Closest to the Olympic marina, always crowded, this wide swathe of rough golden sand is great for food goers. There are three perfect beach bars and two very popular restaurants on the promenade (Mango and Chiringuito de Moncho) and countless bars and restaurants are just a short stroll away. Bogatell- This beach is twice the length of adjoining Nova Icaria and fringed by a stretch of stone walkway perfect for jogging, roller blading and cycling. Three large informal restaurants on the promenade. Mar Bella (Metro Ciutadella Vila Olimpica, plus 20-minute walk)- Barcelona’s only naturist beach close to a peaceful park – good for a picnic or siesta under the trees. Barceloneta- wide and long, a traditional and popular stretch with locals, crowded, noisy and very jolly.


WHEN TO GO, WEATHER: The best times to visit Barcelona are late spring and early autumn, when the weather is still comfortably warm, around 21-25°C. Summers are usually hot and humid, with temperatures averaging +30 (+ 86 Fahrenheit). Especially avoid the “dead” month of August, when many shops, bars and restaurants close for the month as many local inhabitants head out of the city. Winters are cool with average daytime temperatures around +12 C (+59 Fahrenheit), occasionally rainy.


GETTING THERE AND AROUND: By a direct flight to Barcelona, or through Madrid or via another large European city from almost any major airports in the world. The highest fares are from May to September, the lowest in March-April, October-November and December to February (excluding Christmas and New Year when prices are hiked up). Note also that flying on weekends may increase your ticket cost. If traveling to Barcelona from within Europe you can also chose train, bus or car, though these take much longer than a plane and often work out no cheaper. Many Mediterranean cruises include Barcelona as a port of call.


ACCOMODATIONS: We can offer you a range of choices. You can choose vacation rentals in Barcelona starting from $ 125 USD for a double room in a 4-star apartment hotel. Or you can opt for hotels from $ 65 USD for a double room in a 3-star hotel. Accomodation prices do not change much throughout the year due to the steady all-season flow of visitors to this extremely popular tourist city and surrounding resorts.


DINING: Besides restaurants you can eat at bars where you would have a succession of tapas (small snacks- three or four chunks of fish, meat or vegetables, or salad, which traditionally used to be served up free with a drink) or raciones (larger ones). The bar option can be a lot more interesting, allowing you to do the rounds and sample local specialities. Generally, the average cost for a meal consisting of two dishes and dessert would come to about 25 Euros. Travellers on an extremely limited budget can do well for themselves by using the excellent markets, bakeries and delis and filling up on sandwiches and snacks. Decent restaurants and cafes are easily found all over the city, though you’ll probably do most of your eating where you do most of your sightseeing, in the old town, particularly around La Rambla and in the Barri Gotic. Look for the best and most authentic seafood restaurants in Barceloneta, a seaside neighbourhood. Gothic Quarter neighbourhood is home to some of the oldest and most traditional restaurants in the city. Gracia is a very popular area among young people during the weekend, it leads the way in terms of exotic restaurants (Lebanese, Egyptian, Thai etc.).


TRANSPORT: Barcelona has excellent transport system comprising the metro (subway), buses, trains and a network of funiculars and cable cars. You can find a link to transport maps at the end of our guide. On all the city’s public transport you can buy a single ticket every time you ride, but even over only a couple of days it’s cheaper to buy a targeta – a discount ticket strip. The T-10 targeta is valid for ten separate journeys on the metro, buses and trains. These tickets can be used by more than one person at a time. The metro is the quickest way of getting around Barcelona. For black-and-yellow taxis there is a minimum charge of $ 2 euro. You’ll obviously have a great deal more freedom if you rent a car . Major roads throughout the city are generally good, and traffic is generally well behaved, though Spain does have one of the highest incidences of traffic accidents in Europe. It also has some of the lowest fuel prices on the continent.


SHOPPING: Barcelona, one of the most stylish cities in Europe offers great shopping, from designer clothes and accessories to household items. You will find the city to be quite cheap for a lot of items, especially if you coincide with the annual sales ( rebaixes in Spanish) lasting from mid-January until the end of February, and throughout July and August. The best shopping areas in Barcelona are the old streets off the upper part of the Ramblas. Souvenirs include ceramics, which are widely sold in the streets around the cathedral; leather goods; city’s delicatessens, particularly cooked Catalan meats and sausages; a porron (the long-spouted glass drinking jar); CDs and tapes of Catalan rock and pop, sardana music, Spanish rock or flamenco. If you’re looking for original gift ideas, some of the best hunting can be found in the shops of any of the city’s museums, where you’ll find reasonably priced and unique examples of Catalan disseny (graphic), and other original items ranging from postcards to replica works of art. We wish you a nice and safe trip!


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Find Online Travel Deals

Online travel deals are surprisingly easy to find and easier to land. The trick is finding one that suits your purpose. There’s always a cheaper option available. Rather than focusing solely on the economics, it would serve you better to enquire why the deal is so cheap and what you would be foregoing in order to avail the fabulous low prices. Often you might prefer to pay a bit more and enjoy a modicum of comfort and arrive safe.

Travel arrangements from booking airline tickets to fixing an itinerary, hotel accommodation, tickets for various events and venues are done online these days. The more you surf, the more choices you’re faced with. Eleventh hour bookings have become the norm, and there is a whole genre of travel sites focused on this type of clients. This has indeed grown to be a substantial part of online travel arrangements for Canadians.

Most of the major online travel sites for Canadians and Americans, such as Expedia, Travelocity and others, have fantastic package deals that give you more bang for your buck. A Package deal does not mean a group tour, but rather a deal where airline tickets, accommodation, and sometimes even a car rental all are “packaged” together for usually a lower price than you would pay for separately.

The simple secret to getting a good travel deal online is to shop around. Often you can find price differences between sites. If you are willing to do your homework, a better rate can usually be found. Another well known secret is that if you choose to book during off season periods you will definitely get fabulous rates whether it’s airline fare or an amusement park ticket. The use of certain credit cards for online bookings also helps to get discounts, as those adding up those air mile points. If booking your trip last minute is an option, you will usually get a lower price. Be prepared however to be flexible in where you want to go, your first option may not be available.

Booking hotel accommodation online can get you good discounts even at star hotels. Be careful however, some deeply discounted bookings may not be refundable in the event you decide to cancel. Hotwire.com and Priceline.com are both popular discount travel sites that offer attractive discounts on hotel rooms. Referring to itself as the king of online travel, the Priceline’s claim to fame is the “name your own price” where the buyers are free to fix their rates for hotel rooms.

With either company, you pick the price, quality, amenities, and neighborhood you want, but you are not able to choose a specific hotel. With Priceline, you bid on the hotel which meets your needs. You then find out if the price you choose was accepted and if it was, your hotel is booked. In contrast, when using Hotwire, you don’t bid on your hotel and the prices are displayed.

In any case, the deals are out there, more than ever. So get online, do your research and you will find the best deal for you.

Be sure to visit www.FlyFromCanada.com for more great tips on Canada Travel. Flying from Canada? Checkout which online Canada travel agency will take you there!

The Internet: Helping you Avoid the Loneliness of Travel

Most people would acknowledge that travelling is one of life’s most precious joys. While home is certainly where the heart is, being able to visit new places and see new sights is a crucial part of broadening your life experience and opening your eyes to unknown cultures. Thankfully, the last half of the twentieth century has seen technology advance to the stage where nearly everyone can travel with ease and in comfort.

Whether you’re simply taking a weekend away at a country cottage in New England, or planning to go on a long-haul trip to Thailand, your vacation is sure to excite you with wonders untold and joys anew. However, while taking a vacation can unlock some of the wonders of the world, travelling can also be a lonely experience – and not just if you’re travelling alone.

For instance, while many people long to get away from their everyday routine, you might be one of those people who find routines comforting. And if you have a fear of flying, travelling to your destination might turn out to be a heavily stressful experience rather than a peaceful break. What’s more, large hotel rooms can often seem impersonal and invite feelings of restlessness or homesickness in you.

However, if you’re looking for a way to prevent vacation anxiety, you might find your saviour in an unlikely place – the internet. The advent of many travel sites and social networking sites on the web in recent years has meant that more and more people can share their holiday experiences with each other. But travel blogs and holiday sites can do more than just offer you reviews of hotel resorts or ratings of local restaurants – they can offer you real, valuable advice on how best to overcome your fears and apprehensions when you’re on a holiday.

The solution to this can be simpler than you might think: many travellers rely on taking simple home comforts with them – for example, your favourite pair of slippers or your most comfortable pyjamas – no matter how badly they’re falling apart. It’s also a good idea to take some of your favourite hobbies or pastimes with you on holiday to beat any feelings of loneliness that might creep up on you; if you play an instrument, for instance, take it with you. String and woodwind instruments, like guitars, violins or flutes, are fairly convenient to transport – and unless you’re embarking on a backpacking tour of Europe and need to travel light – there’s no excuse not to take them along with you.

If you’re the sort of person who abhors soulless hotel rooms, then why not take some items from your home with you to help brighten up your room: simple things like family photographs or your bedside alarm clock can help make the atmosphere around you more familiar and welcoming, and can do wonders in curing any feeling of homesickness that might arise.

Since we now live in the internet age, many hotels let you share travel advice and tips online. Homewood Hotels, for example, provides a bulletin board, where past guests can share their experiences of their stay – from restaurants to places to visit or avoid – and pass on advice and tips to potential guests, helping them get the most out of their holiday. So, regardless of whether you’re spending Easter weekend in Houston or Hawaii, you’ll find the internet is your friend when it comes to beating travel anxiety.

Andrew Regan is an online, freelance journalist.

Practical Rental Car Tips For You

If you have need for a car in a place where you are a new visitor, you may want to avail of a unit from a car rental service in the locality. These rental car tips might be useful for you as you move around to pursue your business in the area. .

You should perhaps determine first where you intend to go during your stay. If you are not going too far away from the center of the city or town, it might be a more practical idea to use the taxicab service available in the locality. That way you will avoid the responsibility for the vehicle you are thinking of renting, plus the added advantage that you have a built-in guide for your trips around town in the person of the cab driver.

Using these cabs could be the more convenient way to move around town. You just go about doing your business in town without much hassle, and pay the cab driver as soon as the appropriate service for you is finished.

However, if you have added plans to go some distance away then you might want to bring your own vehicle, assuming of course that you know your way around. In case you are not so sure of your destination, see to it that you have at least a map of the place you intend to visit. Many car rental services have this information kits as part of their service to potential customers who would be renting their vehicles. The map will be your main guide as you move around, augmented maybe by information you can get by asking the people in the vicinity for the appropriate information and directions that you will need.

Make an extra effort to check thoroughly the condition of the car you are renting, especially if your destinations are far from the center of town or city from which you intend to start your trips. Get the help of the car rental personnel to make things easier for you in this preparation. They will certainly extend this assistance as part of their service to you. This is just to ensure your smooth trip when you go out of town.

Before leaving for your destination, it will be helpful that you have the phone numbers of the car rental service in case you have to contact them for any problem that may arise during your stay. If you have a cell phone with you, be sure also to let the car rental firm know how to get in touch with you, if needed.

Try to get the phone numbers of police and other law enforcement authorities in the area in case you need to contact them for any kind of assistance. It will be also good to have the phone numbers of hospitals around. It will definitely be for your own good that detailed information like this is in your hands prior to leaving on your out of town trip.

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Travel Deals: “It’s a Garage Sale Out There!” Part II

Filed under: travel — Tags: activities, advantage, Afford, Affordable, air, airfare, Airline, airlines, airport, allow, amazing, american, Amount, amp, ana, around, art, ask, back, bars, beach, before, best, between, big, board, book, booking, Border, Bottom, break, budget, but, call, Cancun, car, caribbean, Charge, charges, charter, charters, cheap, Check, children, cities, compare, Cost, cruise, da, day, deal, deals, Design, die, different, dining, Dont, down, end, eve, Every, Extra, fall, families, family, fare, Fast, few, fill, five, fly, food, four, free, frequent, front, fun, going, Golf, good, growing, has, having, here, holiday, hot, hotel, ice, inc, Include, inclusive, increase, information, inn, Just, kids, kit, la, las, le, lead, life, like, line, lines, list, look, low, mad, made, Major, many, may, Mean, men, mini, modern, money, mount, must, my, need, needs, new, next, night, not, ny, offer, Option, options, Order, pa, palace, part, perfect, person, plan, plane, Port, Price, Profit, questions, rate, Rates, ready, real, really, red, rent, republic, resort, resorts, rica, right, rooms, Running, sale, saving, Savings, sea, seas, season, see, Seen, Sell, service, ship, Shop, site, sites, Size, spa, special, Specific, spend, spending, spring, Star, Start, stay, Still, style, Suit, suite, Suites, summer, sure, taking, target, than, thing, think, thinking, three, through, time, top, tour, tours, travel, traveling, Tremendous, Trend, trip, two, Under, up, Used, using, vacation, vacations, valid, Want, war, way, ways, Well, where, will, win, year, Years — libertees @ 5:00 pm

Just when I thought we had hit bottom (travel deals, I mean), the rates are getting lower!  I have outlined the best deals I have seen through out the Caribbean, airfare sale and a special Tahiti deal that will blow your mind!

This is a MUST READ if you are thinking of taking the family on vacation between now and next Fall.

There are more kids stay free deals than ever seen before. I also notice the additional costs for upgrading to suites or having connecting rooms are being cut up to 60%!

Another change I notice is the increase in resort and cruise credits.
Cruise ships always made their real profit by what they sell on the ship such as alcohol, clothes, tours, etc. Now more than ever before, the cruise lines are offering up to $300 on board ship credit.

The trend for resorts to also offer credits is growing tremendously. Resort credit used to be something I saw in the low season or an infrequent special. Resort credit can go towards spa, tours, golf, drinks and food if it is not an all inclusive, or simply fun nick knacks.

When you see these credits in the deal, always check what it is for and make sure it is valid on the dates you are going. Once verifies, just think of it like someone handed you cash towards spending money on your vacation.

Here are a few very new amazing deals for families this Spring, Summer & Fall!  Some of these deals have not even been published yet, so take advantage of them and happy traveling!

Caribbean Family Vacations:
I had to check this one a few times because it looked to good to be true, but it is correct:

CheapCaribbean’s 48 hour sale, all inclusive three star resorts for $48 per person, per night. Yes, all inclusive – meals, taxes, drinks, activities, kids activities, etc…many of these resorts allow children under 12 free, so all you have to pay is the airfare!  I would compare the resorts on sale to a nice Holiday Inn, this resort is midway between deluxe and moderate. The deal is for travel from May – June 30, a perfect family trip before summer activites begin.

Check out all of the $48 deals for families! This sale ends 11:59pm Friday, April 3.

Apple Vacations’ Spring Savings Sale! If you do not see your gateway, they may still have it, using the booking engine on the top of the page. It is really cool as you can specify your needs when you begin (airport, amount of people, budget, amount of nights, etc) and that will reflect every deal you click on. This eliminates the irritating task of having to fill out your information over and over to shop around. The lead pricing is $459+: 60% off: All-Inclusives w/Air.

Apple Vacations charters their own planes, so the airfare is very reasonable. The add-ons for different gateways are reasonable as well.  $499 per adult for 3 nights all inclusive five-star resort including airfare, two kids under 12 stay and fly for $199 per child!  Not interested in the all inclusive, ok, there are resort deals for $599.99 including 7 night resort stay and airfare!

Future Vacations is running my favorite kind of deal – up to $300 in Spa and/or Golf Credit! Ahhh, I would have no problem using up that Spa Credit! The resort is Cancun Palace, a Four-Star beachfront, all inclusive. I stayed here years ago and it was ok, a bit run down and a little big for my taste. Now the resort has had a fuill make over, ready to impress.

The make over includes a redesigned pool, modern spa, five fine dining restaurants, six bars including two swim up bars and a Kid’s Club. All rooms have a double Jacuzzi, balcony, first class amenities and 24 hr room service. 24hr room service at an all inclusive is the coolest – you can feed the midnight munchy attack without having to worry about exhorbanent hotel bills!

BookIt.com, one of the best web sites I have found for extra amenities and all sorts of goodies is running a Dominic Republic All Inclusive Sale. All Inclusive start from $59 per person, per night with tons of kids free deals, room upgrades and more.

Airfare sale:

American Airlines has a major sale domestic right now with travel through August 14. Airfares are starting at $49 each way. What is extra special about this sale is tround trip is not required. So if you want to fly somewhere and go back rfom a different gateway, you dont have to deal with all of the extra charges. For a listing of all the gateways and prices, click here.

The top value of the week (drum roll…)

Tahiti – the trip of a life time, suddenly became more affordable. Air Tahiti Nui is also offering slashed rates and free air from Los Angeles for kids! Add-ons from other cities are reasonable.  The feature sale is $1698/per adult+: Air, Breakfast & 5nts Manava Suite Resort Tahiti- there are other options, more nights – this is the lead rate (best deal) and it is specifically designed for family vacations!

Happy traveling!

You can view all of these deals by clicking here
If you have any questions regarding travel, email me

Can You Drive a Rental Car All the Way Around Australia?

Filed under: travel — Tags: around, australia, drive, rental — libertees @ 3:59 pm May 7, 2010

Are you interested in taking a driving tour around Australia? If you are, then you are in luck because it is very possible. But if you’re taking a rental car, you need to take your distance into consideration. Keep in mind that Australia is a large country with plenty to see, so you need to set aside a lot of time and check with the rental car company about the mileage you will be placing on the car.

When you tell the rental car company where you are going, they may object to one of their cars being taken the distance. To drive around Australia, the distance is 20,000km. This means it would take 200 hours of continuous driving to make it all the way around. In other words, it would take 8 days for you to finish your quest, but you would not be able to stop and enjoy the sites if you did this. However, the concern of the rental car company is the distance being placed upon the car. That is a lot of wear and tear. For other car rental companies, they may not care if you’re willing to put up the cash for it. If they give you a quote based on factors that include age, whether or not you need insurance, and mileage; the further you go, the more expensive it is going to be.

Sightseeing

Rental car companies also base the amount of the rental off of the amount of time you will have the car. If you are going to sightsee while driving around Australia, it can take up to 40 days to see everything. Then again, it depends on where you’re stopping and how long you intend on staying there. It is probably ideal to give yourself about two months to do and see everything that there is to do and see, but you have to make sure that it is okay with the car rental company.

Since many car rental companies do have monthly plans and will allow you to rent for as long as you want without any restrictions, you may not have an issue. Just make sure you cover all of your bases before you drive away with the car. You don’t want to come back two months later with an extremely high amount of mileage on the car that the car rental company did not expect. Some of these companies will only rent a car beyond a certain travel distance, and then sell it through their own car lot or through another. So make sure they are not surprised.

The perfect car

When you find the perfect company, you have to find the perfect car. Since you’re going to be driving all the way around Australia, you need one that is spacious and comfortable. Many individuals will opt for a van because of the amount of room they consist of. You can store weeks of clothing and other supplies, everyone has enough legroom, and you can even lie down if you need to at some point on the trip. Make sure you talk to the rental car company about a van or another spacious vehicle that you can withstand spending hundreds of hours in for the next couple of months.

So now you know that you can drive a rental car all the way around Australia. It can be quite a fun and rewarding trip. You just need to make sure you do ample planning, make the rental car company aware of your intentions, find the perfect vehicle, and have a lot of fun. You might be quite amazed at how incredible a trip around Australia really is.

Specializing in discount car rental Sydney & truck rental Sydney, Australia. In our commitment to customer service we provide a free express pickup service from our many locations.

Source Around for Good Cruise Deals

Filed under: cruise — Tags: around, cruise, deals, good, Source — libertees @ 3:59 pm April 30, 2010

Everyone wants to take a vacation at some point in their life. Most people, deserve some time off more than they realize. However, not everyone has the money to be able to do so. If you’re on a budget and want to take a much needed and nice vacation, you may be able to find some wonderful cruise deals if you’re willing to do some research. The best way to find cruise deals is to remain flexible. For some people, their schedules don’t always allow that. They may not be able to escape work with incredibly short notice. But, if you’re able to get a scheduled week off ahead of time and wait to the last moment to find cruise deals, you may end up saving a great deal of money.


There are lots of different vacation options. I recommend cruises simply because they may not always be filled to capacity and if the cruise line can get people to fill the vacancies, they obviously make more money. So, they offer some amazing last moment cruise deals. These cruise deals usually do have specific times and days that they are leaving, meaning that your schedule does need to be flexible. I’ve known people who have gotten cruise deals for half price and come home raving about their luxury vacation. I personally do not have the flexible schedule that allows me to travel at the last moment, so I utilize my own creative research skills. If I’m looking for cruise deals, which happens once a year, I am not content to settle for and purchase the first price quote that I receive. I get at least 5 different quotes and schedules to choose from. That way, I know that the best cruise deals are and feel like I am in control. It amazes me at how much more some cruise lines charge for the exact same vacation

as another competitor. Had I settled for the first cruise deal I had found in my research, I would have paid almost $1,200 more than what I ended up paying.


Finding cruise deals isn’t as difficult as you would think. It does require some time on the internet or on the phone. If you don’t enjoy researching vacation or cruise deals, you may want to utilize a travel agent. You can tell them what your schedule and budget is and let them do the work for you. Sure, you may end up paying a small fee but still end up paying less than what you would have if you’d settled for the first deal you came across. Travel agents can find you cruise deals and get everything organized for you.


No matter what method you choose for finding your dream vacation or last minute getaway, make sure you have a wonderful time.

Travellers Magazine provides our readers the latest on vacations & travel related information.

Take the best distillery tours in and around Dublin

Filed under: cruise — Tags: around, best, distillery, dublin, tours — libertees @ 12:54 am January 6, 2010

Ireland is famous for many things and one of the most notable and tasty is its sublime blended and malt whiskies.

Distilling Irish whiskey is a lengthy complicated process that cannot to be rushed if you want to produce the best. In fact the Irish are so proud of their distilling methods that they love showing the world how it’s done. So, if you are planning to visit Dublin make sure you put a trip to at least one of the many distilleries in the region on your itinerary.

The best distillery to visit is the Old Jameson, where the tour costs offer an amazing insight into the whiskey maker’s art. Here you will witness all the stages of distilling from mashing to bottling, and get a total appreciation of what is involved in the centuries-old distiller’s art. Make no mistake, this is not just a visit, this is a condensed seminar at the end of which you will have acquired a new-found knowledge of how to tell the difference between whiskies. You will also find out all about John Jameson – the man who started it all. Tours are offered seven days a week, from 9.00 a.m. until 5.30 p.m. all year, including bank holidays with the exception of a few days at Christmas.

The next best place to visit is the home of Bushmills, the stunning aged single malt that you will find served in all luxury hotels in Dublin. However, you will need to leave the city and head three and a half hours north to Old Jameson’s sister distillery at Old Bushmills. Since 1608 this top Northern Ireland distillery has been responsible for producing not only the Bushmills single blends that carry the distillery’s name, but also contributing whiskey to the marvelous Jameson brand. A trip to the distillery also provides the perfect excuse for an overnight stay at the nearby Antrim coast and a look at the Giant’s Causeway.

However, if you do take the tour at Old Bushmills make sure you volunteer for the taste test at the end; the highlight of the tour. In order to demonstrate the differences between Irish and Scotch whiskies, participants sample young scotches right through to aged, single Irish malts, detailing the transition from the peaty Scotch taste to the smooth triple-distilled Irish alternative. It is a superb condensed education for the palate and for real whiskey lovers – not to be missed!

Paul Buchanan writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/take-the-best-distillery-tours-in-and-around-dublin-1671269.html

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