Best Cruise Deals Online

You might not think you could actually save money by cruising on your next vacation, but with some careful planning, you can do just that! Special packages can take you on a three-night cruise to some sunny locales for under $200 a person. (Of course airfare is separate and prices are based on adult double occupancy.)

Check out some of these specials:

A three-night cruise out of Miami, Fla., with stops at Cococay and Nassau, both in the Bahamas, for just $169 a person.
A four-night cruise out of Miami, stopping first in Key West, Fla., and then on to Cozumel, Mexico, for $179 per person.
Go a different direction with a seven-night cruise to the Southern Caribbean for $675 a person. It leaves from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and stops in Bridgetown, Castries, St. John’s, Philipsburg and St. Croix.
For still another direction, how about a seven-night cruise to the Mexican Riviera, starting at $499 a person? It leaves out of San Diego, Calif., and stops in the Mexican ports of Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.

These are just a few of the discounted cruise deals that can help you save money on your next vacation. Almost all of the major cruise lines offer some kind of discount package. And once you’re onboard, relax and enjoy all the amenities – from activities for the children to world-renowned dining to nightly entertainment. And don’t forget, once you drop anchor, get off the ship and explore the ports of call.

One word of advice – space on these discounted trips is often limited. You need to plan in advance and see what is available. And once you’re booked, try not to change the date as most cruise lines will charge a change fee.

Special packages are not the only way to cruise for less. There are other tricks for traveling in style and for less.

Book it now. If you’re on a cruise and you’ve had a great time, you can realize significant savings by booking your next cruise right there on the spot – or right there onboard. You won’t necessarily need to commit to the location, but the cruise line will be looking for a deposit to hold your place on your next cruise. If you’re not sure where on board to conduct this business, ask if there’s a cruise consultant or booking agent who can help you plan your next trip.
Repeat business. Some cruise lines reward their repeat customers with incentives or room upgrades. If not those perks, they may reduce the amount of your deposit or offer you onboard credits.
Transfer the booking. Even after you’ve booked a cruise, don’t think you’re locked into it. Often, you can transfer your booking to an online discount agent. These sites are able to help you monitor your booking, make changes and sometimes even find additional offers or savings. It’s nice to have someone on your side.
Cabin guarantee. When booking a cruise, you can sometimes get a cheaper price or a discount if you go with a cabin guarantee. This means you will be guaranteed to get a cabin in a certain category – inside, outside, with a verandah – for a cheaper price. In exchange, the company gets to select which particular cabin you’ll get – whether it’s midship, low deck, high deck, etc.
Get a consultant. If you’re new to cruising or you’re not sure what kind of cruise you want to take, where you want to go or what’s the best price available, contact a travel consultant. These are experienced travelers with an expertise in cruises. Let one of them help you arrange a floating family reunion, a quiet getaway for you and your spouse, or maybe a special group trip. Consultants can also help you make plans to fly into the port city and find you a hotel to stay in after you dock, if that’s what you want.

If you’ve not taken a cruise before, be good to yourself and make this the year you step out and step onboard!

The Cruise vacation you have been planning for a year is now a reality. You’ve packed your bags with the appropriate clothes for cruise travel. You have filled out all of the cruise documentation, do this at home, don’t wait to get to your cruise ship, and now you are ready for this highly anticipated cruise. There are a few cruises tips about embarkation day that you should know before you head for your cruise vacation.

Keep all of your documents with you, that includes tickets for the cruise, any vouchers, passport and any immigration forms that the cruise line has sent you. That includes bus vouchers from the cruise line that will deliver you to the ship from the airport. In is wise to pack a change of clothes in your carry on in case your baggage gets delayed. If you have purchased the vouchers from the cruise line, a cruise line representative will meet you at baggage claim and take you to the bus or van that will transport you to your cruise ship.

If you decided to handle the transfer on your own, check ahead of time to find out how much a taxi will cost from the airport to the pier. It is good to know how long it will take to make the transfer so you have timed your flights accordingly. Make sure you have attached your cruise line tags with ship name, cruising date, and stateroom number. When you arrive at the pier a porter will relieve of your bags. He will expect to be tipped. The going fare is one dollar per bag.

Cruise tips are always helpful so pay attention to this one. Let the cruise line make your airline reservations. The reason for this is that if your flight is delayed the cruise line will handle it. If there are several other passengers on the same flight the cruise line will delay the departure of the ship. If it’s just you and your traveling companion they will probably put you up in a hotel in the town of your embarkation and get you on the ship at the next port of call. If you opted to do it on your own, you will have to make all those arrangements. So, for safety and peace of mind let the cruise lines do it.

If you have decided to go to the town of embarkation a few days before the cruise, that will not be a problem, so make your own reservations. Some travel insurance companies will pick up these expenses but make sure you read the fine print on the policy BEFORE your cruise vacation.

When you get to your cruise ship, embarkation could be a little chaotic. There will be lines, especially early in the check in process. There will be a lot of stressed out people so just relax and take it in stride. After you have gone through the check in process you will be aboard and your cruise vacations begins. Here is where it pays to have all of your documentation completely filled out. Many of the cruise lines have loyalty programs so if you are a repeat cruiser many times they have preferred check in areas. Many of the cruise lines will have preferred check in for cruisers who have booked suites or mini suites. Check this out with your cruise travel agent.

This is a little off topic but it’s one of the best cruise tips you will hear. Use a cruise travel agent for all of your cruise travel. It is important to deal with an agent that has sailed on many different cruise lines so they can give you an honest opinion on the difference between cruise lines. Check and see if they are CLIA certified cruise lines organization. Be careful they don’t push you onto cruise ships where they have preferred status which means they get a higher commission. Scour the internet for cruise reviews on cruise travel to back up what your travel agent is telling you.

Now back to the pier. While you are checking in you will have to give the cruise line a credit card for any on board charges. Most times your room card is also your credit card and identification for getting on and off at ports while on the cruise ship. If you can get on the ship early in the process you get two benefits. One you get to have lunch and two you get the first shot at spa and beauty appointments. It will also give you time to peruse your cruise ship and then head for the pool. Having been a savvy cruise traveler you knew to bag a bathing suit into your carry on luggage.

Just before you get to the gangway you will be stopped by the ships photographer and a picture will be taken to commemorate your cruise vacation. It will be on display in the ships photo gallery but you are under no obligation to purchase it. Check in procedures will be different from ship to ship even within the same cruise lines. It depends on the experience of the staff and the cooperation of the passengers. Remember that these folks that are checking you in have been working since seven o’clock in the morning off loading the people from last weeks cruise vacation. Then they turn around and start putting on a whole new set of passengers for the next cruise.

The most important advice is to try to keep a cool head. You are headed for the best thing you can imagine, a cruise vacation.

Happy Cruising!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Mary Hanna has traveled the world by Air and Ship while writing eBooks, Software Reviews and Practical Articles on Internet Marketing, Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at: http://www.CruiseGold.com http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and http://www.CruisingTips.com

If you are planning a cruise vacation, you can be sure of having a splendid vacation. Sailing in the ocean could be the best thing that your body and soul might be demanding at this point. Then serve your body and your soul. Best service you can give to them is taking a voyage. Both your body and mind look for coming out of the narrowness of life. Cruise vacation provides ultimate sense of freedom to your tired body and restless soul.

Before you plan to go for cruise vacation, you can travel around on the Internet and take a tour to all the useful websites which contain all the relevant information on cruise vacation. The online cruises is very useful medium for you to get your cruise ticket done. The online cruise tells you about all the top deals, while highlighting the most popular cruise destinations, sailing dates and ships. There are thousands of discount cruises and cruise deals from all major cruise lines. In fact several cruise companies offer exclusive bonus extra amenities like onboard spending cash, free cabin upgrades, and more. The online cruises give you information about all this.

Cruise vacation is like spending holidays on a floating hotel, with a complete hospitality staff in addition to the usual ship’s crew. Most modern cruise ships feature the facilities like casino, spa, fitness centre, shops, library, theatre with Broadway style shows, cinema, indoor outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, buffet restaurant, lounges and gym. Everything inclusive in your cruise vacation package! Hence cruise vacation turns out to be much cheaper than other kinds of vacations where you pay separately for travelling, accommodation, food and entertainment.

Take advantage of the best deals being offered by different cruise companies and get your ticket booked today for a much awaited cruise vacation.

Stewart Chiron, The Cruise Guy®, shares the best cruise deals and tips for NBC Washington DC’s viewers. Highlighted 1st year ’round departures from Baltimore aboard Carnival Pride.

Cruising is fun, convenient, a good value … and easy. Right? Well, cruising is meant to be relaxing, but there are certain things passengers can do to get the very most out of their cruise vacation experience. Here are seven proven tips to maximize your cruise experience (and they don’t cost a thing!)

First – Travel with a like-minded partner or friends. Most cruise ships are like Noah’s Ark: people get on in pairs or in groups. While cruise lines will gladly allow you to cruise solo, it is not the best way to enjoy a cruise. Not only will you sometimes feel awkward during dining or cruise ship activities, you also get slapped with a surcharge since all cruising is based on double (or more) occupancy rates.

Furthermore, travel with compatible people. If you like to party, don’t decide to go on a cruise with a tee-totaler or a recovering drinker. Whether you are a sun bather or a casino denizen, you are going to have your best time if you travel with people who share your interests and values.

Second – Board your ship as early as you can and take any tours of the vessel or facilities that are offered. Most ships allow you to board many hours before the ship sets sail and during that time you may be offered free tours of the ship, the spa, and so on. Although they aren’t going to be the highlight of your vacation, these tours help you get oriented and can give you a glimpse of facilities on-board that you may have not known about.

If you can’t get an official tour, try to walk through the ship systematically. This will help you get your bearings plus you may find out about lounges, snack bars, clubs, meeting rooms, or other areas that you might not have known about.

On a recent cruise, I found out on the tour that the cruise ship had a guarantee program for purchases made in port. If you bought merchandise from certain recognized stores, the cruise line would guarantee them providing you filled out certain paperwork and turned it in to the onboard shopper. It was a great tip, and I never would have known about it had I not taken the pre-sailing tour of the ship.

Third – Do everything. This may sound counterintuitive to most cruise fanatics, who seek unstructured time and the opportunity to just lounge around and do nothing. Actually, most cruise directors will tell you the best cruises are those in which you really attempt to try and do everything offered.

This means you should extend yourself a bit. Sample the dancing, casinos, the pools, on-board games, art auctions, spa services, bingo, shows, and fine dining. Even if you don’t normally do those things, the more you try to take advantage of all that is offered, the more fun you’ll have.

Fourth – Don’t overeat. While some people do take cruises to gorge themselves, this is usually a rookie mistake. It may sound counter-intuitive to avoid overindulging on a cruise ship, since most cruises really emphasize the wonderful food they offer. But here’s how to handle it.

Do enjoy yourself. Order what you love. Chances are that cruise ships will offer it, whether it’s steak or lobster, ice cream or pizza, eggs benedict at sunrise, or chocolate decadence at midnight. Do, by all means, eat the foods you love.

But don’t stuff yourself. You’ll wind up feeling miserable during the cruise and fat after you get off the boat.

When in doubt, pass on food. Why? Because on a cruise ship, you’re never more than a few minutes away from the next opportunity to eat. Do try to sample what strikes your fancy, but don’t overeat and don’t be afraid to say no to many of the things that are offered to you to eat or drink. You really won’t be able to eat and drink everything on board, so don’t even try.

You’ll wind up feeling fitter and stronger and you’ll really enjoy what you do eat.

Fifth – Drink water. That’s good advice anywhere, but most of us forget about it on vacation, particularly on a cruise. Furthermore, if you drink alcohol or spend a lot of time in a hot climate, your need for water increases so you need even more water to avoid dehydration.

Even mild dehydration can cause headaches, aches and pains, and digestive disturbances. Why ruin your vacation? Drink lots and lots of water. It’s available just about anywhere beverages are offered on a cruise ship and bottled water is typically brought every morning to your cabin.

Sixth – Protect your skin. Even if you cruise to Antarctica, you will still need sunscreen. The sun’s intensity is amplified by the water’s reflection, so ramp up your sunscreen protection for a cruise. Put on sunscreen when you go to the pool or beach or even if you’re just sitting on deck in the shade.

If you do get burned, use some of the after-burn products on the market. They should be available on board ship if you don’t bring your own. Whatever you do, protect any burned skin from further sun exposure. If you get a burn on top of an existing sunburn, you can do serious damage to your skin and may even require medical intervention.

Seventh – Don’t be cruise-stupid. That’s a term I made up for a behavior I frequently observe on cruise ships. For some reason, being on a cruise makes some people act foolishly or recklessly and do things they would never normally do. Maybe it’s the unreal experience of being on a cruise ship.

On a cruise ship, people wait on you. Everything is nice and clean. You don’t have to do any work at all. Everybody seems happy. You never have to worry about pulling out your wallet, cooking a meal, or even picking up after yourself. It doesn’t take long before the cruise experience literally becomes “another world.”

Some folks take that as a cue to start behaving irresponsibly and sometimes they get hurt. While I do not want to trivialize bad experiences or say that all bad events are deserved, we should also recognize the fact. People who start acting recklessly sometimes get hurt.

If you decide to pretend you’re a gymnast and balance on the guard rail, you just might fall off. If you leave your purse or wallet unattended in a public area, you can get robbed. If you decide to get roaring drunk in some foreign port of call and act like an idiot, you can wind up in a mess of trouble.

Observe the same good, common sense tactics you use on land or in your everyday life.

Vacation cruises have become one of the most popular of the “destination” vacations available. While some people are content to step on board a cruise ship and never leave it for the entire length of their vacation, others enjoy cruising to exotic locations where the cruise is only part of the appeal. The best cruises this year include discount cruises to a number of locations that you might not expect to see on a list of cruise destinations.

Cruise the Mediterranean

Mediterranean cruises have always been popular, but this year’s best discount cruises in the Mediterranean include even more surprises. Imagine a ten night cruise that visits seven cities and includes two beautiful days at sea for just over one thousand dollars per person. Eastern European cruises are priced to buy this year with visits to cities such Mykonos, Kusadesi and Rhodes on the itinerary. The Eastern Mediterranean has always been popular featuring ports of call from Italy to Turkey, and stops at ancient ruins and beautiful beaches. An Eastern Mediterranean cruise offers a wide variety of cruise experiences at discount prices.

European River Cruises

Not all cruises to exotic destinations are on the open sea. Europe is famous for its inland waterways, and river tours are among the most popular European cruises. A Rhine River cruise has long been a European rite of passage, but not all that well-known on the other side of the Atlantic. Cruises along the Rhine offer vacationers a one-stop tour of many European countries, with beautiful views, leisurely days and stops at cities such as Strasbourg, Copenhagen and Cologne.

Northern European Cruises

Cruising through the northern waters may not seem like the vacation of a lifetime, but a Northern European cruise is an extremely memorable trip. Visit Helsinki, Copenhagen, Oslo and other Northern European capitals as you take in the remarkable culture and history. One of the most beautiful sights on a Northern European tour is the northern lights and the stunning scenery. If you book your trip early online, you can get multiple discounts and special perks on Norwegian cruises, including free airfare from several regional cities and upgrades on your cabin or overall package.

Australia and the South Pacific

For a decidedly different cruise experience, nothing can beat a tour of the Australian and New Zealand coast lines. The prices for Australian cruises are purely amazing, starting as low as nine hundred dollars per person for a ten night Australian cruise on a Royal Caribbean line, with stops at Sydney, Hamilton Island, Cooktown and Brisbane, Australia. Prices do not include airfare to the departure destination, but when you book online you can often make all-inclusive deals that will cut your prices even further.

Alaskan Cruises

Take a cruise through the chilly northern waters and enjoy some of the most amazing scenery in you will ever see. Alaskan cruises on various cruise lines offer some of the best deals available this year. You can find Alaskan cruises as low as four hundred and fifty dollars per person, double occupancy, for a seven nights that include stops at Seward, Juneau, Ketchikan and other beautiful Alaskan cities.

Shopping for the best cruise deals online is the secret to finding an amazing cruise for a discounted price. There are a many websites that allow you to search across all the cruise lines and many of the larger discount travel sites to pull together the best package deals for cruise vacations. The tips below will help you find the best prices for discount tours to exotic cruise destinations all over the world.

Plan Ahead When Booking a Cruise Online

You can book your cruise several months in advance, and booking early can often get you great discounts. Most cruise lines will directly offer you an early booking discount. Even better, when you book early, you are most likely to get the cabin or suite that you want, on the cruise ship that you want, traveling at the time that you want to go.

Be Flexible

If you are willing to live with a little risk, you can hold out to the last minute to score big discounts on last minute bookings. This is the riskiest method for getting discounts on your cruise, but offers the best possible prices. The down side is that you may not be able to book on the cruise you want if it sells out, or you may have to settle for a less desirable cabin.

Book a Cruise During the Low Season

As with any other industry, prices are apt to be better if you book your vacation during the slow season, which varies for each area of the world. Prices for a Caribbean cruise, for example, will be lower during the hurricane season, while Alaskan cruises will have lower prices during the late fall.

Every year, there are about two million people boarding Caribbean cruises. Why? Simply  because Caribbean cruises offers unlimited benefits of luxury travel, spectacular destinations, preserved islands, harbors, historic places, local cultures and so much more. With no doubt, more and more people are looking for cruising nowadays and definitely will not left out Caribbean cruises in their main options.

When you search for Caribbean Cruises on the net, you will end up with hundreds of exciting choices. You can choose based on the destinations, prices, family or couples, the length of the stay or the type of cruises. For Caribbean cruises, the options are such as the Princess, Cunard, Ocean Village, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, P&O and Costa Cruises. The most common cruise that most people choose are either Eastern Caribbean or Western Caribbean cruises. Both offer seven days cruising. The Eastern Caribbean leave from Florida and you will spend more time on the land. This is suitable to those like shopping. There are also ports to be visited like the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, St. John, St. Thomas and St. Martin. Whereas the Western Caribbean leave either from Florida, Texas or New Orleans and you will spend more time at sea. This is suitable to those like natural beauty, beaches or water activities. Ports of call are such as Mexico, Costa Rico, Dominican Republic, Belize and Jamaica.

The Caribbean areas covers so many beautiful islands and each island is unique in so many ways. Furthermore, each port of calls offers unique culture and hospitality of the locals. Therefore you’ll have hard time to came out with the shortlisted Caribbean cruises list and of course, there are so many routes too to chose from. How long can you spend time with a Caribbean cruise? You can choose from one to two days to over two weeks.

Each specific cruise tailor to a particular needs. For example, if you are taking children along, you might consider Disney Caribbean, as the cruise package comes with so many entertainment activities on the board. If you go with couple, you might want to consider Princess Caribbean, as the cruise offers nice, quite, romantic cruise package and itinerary. If you are looking for luxurious vacation on cruise, you should list high class cruises like Silversea, Crystal or the new Queen Mary II.

The bottom line is, whatever Caribbean cruises that you want to choose, you are advised to do advance booking, as discounted tickets are sold early and do not forget to choose the trusted and authorized cruise agent. For more convenience, you can do your bookings online. If you are concern about the budget, you may want to consider last minutes deals where you might get a discount. Spending time searching the best cruise deals online may save you a few bucks. So good luck in looking the best Caribbean cruises for your holidays!

Cruise vacations are one of the most exciting and fun vacations you and your family will ever have. Planning your cruise vacation is the key to making the most of the cruise experience.

Cruise ships are floating hotels that sail through ocean while you enjoy all the hotel’s amenities provided. They have casinos, swimming pools, theaters, restaurants, shopping centers or boutiques, spas, gyms and more.

As great as taking a vacation on cruise ships may seem, you still need to know how to plan a cruise ship vacation properly so you have the perfect cruise experience. You need to know about the different types of packages the cruise lines offer.

When planning a cruise ship vacation you need to know how to choose one that will meet your expectation or tailor to your needs. Here are some guidelines that you can follow to plan your cruise travel and enjoy the perfect cruise experience:

Think of who you want to take with you on your cruise vacation. There are many different packages offered by cruise lines. There are packages for the whole family and there are packages for single travelers.

Will you be taking the cruise vacation with children? Maybe you will take your significant other for a romantic getaway. There are cruise ships that are tailored for children and there are cruise lines that cater to single cruisers and honeymooners. There are even some ships that offer wedding services. What could be better than to get married on the ship and have your honeymoon built in?

Decide how long you want to cruise. If you just want to try it out, opt for a three day cruise. Normally, cruises start at three nights and can go anywhere from seven to fourteen days. But there are also world cruises that can last as long as three months. My advice is if you are going to cruise in Europe you should pick a fourteen day cruise because of the expense and long plane rides to get to your port of embarkation. If you live near a port and you just want to take a long weekend choose of three or four day cruise. Decide what cruise travel is best for you.

Choose the perfect destination for you and your family. Alaska is beautiful but can only be cruised in the summer months. If you live in the colder climes you may want to take a mid winter cruise to the Caribbean or even South America. If you want your cruise travel to be in the Caribbean and you want to spend two weeks on your cruise vacation, choose a line that alternates between the Eastern and Western Caribbean. This cruise vacation takes you to many different islands.

The cruise lines have a variety of destinations to choose from. Visit your cruise travel agent to go over the different itineraries or check out the individual websites of the cruise lines.

Consider the port of departure. Since 9/11 cruises have been emphasizing home port cruising. Now there are many cruises that depart from Bayonne, New Jersey, Galveston, Texas, or Seattle, Washington, not just Miami and Fort Lauderdale.. Depart from the one closest to you and you will save money on expensive airfare.

Speak to a knowledgeable cruise travel agent. Make sure they have personally sailed on many different cruise ships so they can give you an honest opinion on what each cruise line has to offer and which would give you the perfect cruise experience.
A cruise travel agent will also be able to supply you with cruise tips. Scour the cruise reviews for additional cruise tips.

Large cruise lines have a variety of activities and facilities that you can use on the ship. If you like to gamble then choosing a cruise ship with casinos is probably right for you. Or if you are taking your kids with you, a cruise ship that offers activities and facilities for children would be the best choice for your cruise travel. For instance, Disney is, of course, geared toward children but they do not have casinos. So if you are taking the family but you want to gamble steer away from Disney and choose one of the other major cruise lines. Almost all of them have children’s programs. If you don’t want to be on a ship with children sail on one of the fancier lines that don’t cater to children. Here, again, it pays to read as many cruise reviews as you can to pick up additional cruise tips.

Cruise vacations do not necessarily mean that you have to spend all your vacation time onboard. All the cruise ships offer land and shore excursions. The cruise lines offer pre and post cruise land vacations usually for two or three days.

Land excursions are a great way to explore different cultures and destinations when taking a cruise vacation. You can choose from many activities once you reach a port of call. You can go kayaking, scuba diving or go shopping in the markets of the ports of call.

Following these guidelines will give you some ideas on planning your cruise vacation properly. Proper planning will give you a more exciting cruise experience.

Happy Cruising!

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

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.

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