Posts Tagged ‘deals’

Great Tips For Getting Freebies At Sea

Friday, April 16th, 2010

If you have been pinching the pennies to save for your dream cruise, you are going to want to get as much out of the experience as you possibly can. Of course, the cost of a cruise holiday doesn’t stop at the price of the ticket and it is very easy to eat away at your holiday budget after only a short time aboard.

If you know where to look onboard the liner, you’ll soon find many opportunities to save money and pick up the freebies that others will not look for or even consider.

To start with, don’t be tempted by the many cafes aboard the ship that will charge you for teas, coffees and soft drinks - even water!. Stick to the main dining areas where you know these will be free.

There will be lots of parties onboard thrown by the staff to give the passengers a chance to mingle. You can often pick up free alcoholic drinks like wine at these so it is well worth keeping your eyes open for them. Also, cash your traveller’s cheques on board rather than offshore where you will face a pretty steep service charge.

There are plenty of services onboard for the benefit of the passengers and may often find yourself a bargain with these. For example, if you are willing to act as a model or a guinea pig then you might be lucky enough to receive a free facial, haircut or other kind of beauty treatment.

The purser’s desk onboard is a great little place to get giveaways like decks of cards, aspirins and sewing kits. Again, make a detour here every day to see what can be picked up.

Definitely keep an eye out for any freebies you come across - not only will they be a great reminder of a fantastic holiday, you may also be able to recycle some of them as gifts for friends and family!

Learn more about cheap cruises and cruise offers from Virgin Holidays Cruises today. Book that perfect holiday for you and your family.

A Second Look at Discount Travel Sites

Monday, February 1st, 2010

There are so many discount travel sites but there are some places that deserve your money more than others. Check out what others have to say in these sites and see if you agree or not.

Priceline and its name your own price program is actually a great way to book a trip as long as you are patient. My advice is to start early and inch up your price until they agree to it.

Some sites are known as blind sites because the names of airlines, hotels and departure schedules are hidden until purchase is complete. Flight tickets are usually nonrefundable and there are no frequent-flyer miles available.

Auction packages from LuxuryLink.com can be gotten at a price 50 percent or more below standard. Although discounts are tremendous, there are limitations on availability and compromises may have to be made in regard to available dates. Auction packages do not offer refunds.

Two sites you should look into is LastMinute.com and LateRooms.com. The former works with many companies within the U.S. and the latter is better for overseas travel.

Foreign travelers are finding that they can greatly reduce costs if they deal with agencies or specific airlines or hotels in the foreign country they intend visiting.

Although there are any number of discount travel sites, brick and mortar agencies and other ways of keeping your travel expenses to a minimum, always remember to read the fine print for hidden fees and liabilities.

It has even gotten to the point where customer reviews are tipping the scale in regard to travel sites, airlines, hotels, etc. Reviews are driving customers to these places. Just be careful. Some sites are paying or rewarding people for good reviews.

No matter how good the deal may sound, be sure the airlines you are flying with have a good safety record. Make sure the hotel you will be staying at is in a safe area.

Nice time to grab a few Hotels.com coupon because the expiration date.

Basic Tips On Getting The Best Budget Car Rental

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Traveler’s use budget car rental places when they don’t have their own car and don’t want to be tied down to using taxis all the time. The market is tight right now so renting something budget could land you with a really rickety car.

You need to understand that the motivation of the people trying to get you to rent a budget rental car is both to help you as a traveler out but it is also to get the most money from you that they can without selling you a lemon. There are several simple tips, however, that will help you get through the process of renting a budget car without difficulty.

1. If you don’t mind which agency you’re using, choose sites that allow you to pick your price. You will definitely get the best price for the value and they might even choose to give you some upgrades and an unlimited mileage package. It won’t cost you extra and you’ll get a nice budget car out of the deal.

2. Make sure you look for deals that combine flights with hotels with budget rental cars. You’ll pay less for your vehicle and such packages will allow you to pay one fee for everything. It’s better to try these at online travel sites and avoid those that are combined with airlines. Airlines provide a convenient deal but not at budget prices and you’ll end up paying more than you expected to.

3. Make use of internet resources in order to book a vehicle. There are, in fact, better deals to be had on the internet than you’ll find in person or over the phone. Upgrades are easier to get and there are some rental companies that provide seasonal deals for those who sign up on the internet. Besides, nothing is more convenient than booking a budget car in the comfort of your living room.

4. Ask for discounts that can be applicable to you, remember even when you’ve scored the best deal, there is still that one last ditch of a possibility that one of your credit cards support the company and provide discounts or that your frequent flyer program or military service can put that budget in budget car rental, its a long shot but it’s worth a try.

5. Many of the budget car agencies don’t spend a lot on maintenance so you’ll need to check for dents and scratches yourself during the auto pick up. That way you’ll not likely get charged for dents that you never did at all. The same is true for windshield wipers, air conditioning and other features a car has. Check them all out because you could get charged if they don’t work when you return the car, even if they hadn’t worked prior to that. Think about the brakes, the radio and any accessories the car has so that you know they work when you get them.

6. Check to see if your own insurance company covers for automobile rentals and if it does, you don’t need to buy extra insurance through the rental company. Even though auto rental insurance through the company doesn’t cost you much, it is an extra cost you don’t need to pay for if you don’t have to.

7. Another money saving tip is to pick up your car early in the morning, make it so that the firm is just opening, this is because at this time most of the budget car rentals haven’t been returned yet, and you may get an upgrade for a lower price.

Jonathan is a regular traveller in his role as consultant for an air travel website. He often is asked how to find the best value cheap travel tickets as well.

Get A Lot Out Of Your Budget Car Rental

Saturday, September 5th, 2009

Many a traveler has turned to budget auto rental as a way of getting around without having to use expensive taxi services. It’s best done before your trip is undertaken but you can just show up to a budget rental place and sign up for a car.

You need to understand that the motivation of the people trying to get you to rent a budget rental car is both to help you as a traveler out but it is also to get the most money from you that they can without selling you a lemon. There are several simple tips, however, that will help you get through the process of renting a budget car without difficulty.

1. If you don’t mind which agency you’re using, choose sites that allow you to pick your price. You will definitely get the best price for the value and they might even choose to give you some upgrades and an unlimited mileage package. It won’t cost you extra and you’ll get a nice budget car out of the deal.

2. Look for package deals, fly-drive-stay, or fly- drive, most of these packages give great discounts for rentals, but don’t do it with an airline, airlines although convenient aren’t really the more economic way to go, their budget car rental prices are hardly budget, and tend to be higher than those of outside firms.

3. Make use of internet resources in order to book a vehicle. There are, in fact, better deals to be had on the internet than you’ll find in person or over the phone. Upgrades are easier to get and there are some rental companies that provide seasonal deals for those who sign up on the internet. Besides, nothing is more convenient than booking a budget car in the comfort of your living room.

4. Ask for discounts that can be applicable to you, remember even when you’ve scored the best deal, there is still that one last ditch of a possibility that one of your credit cards support the company and provide discounts or that your frequent flyer program or military service can put that budget in budget car rental, its a long shot but it’s worth a try.

5. Many of the budget car agencies don’t spend a lot on maintenance so you’ll need to check for dents and scratches yourself during the auto pick up. That way you’ll not likely get charged for dents that you never did at all. The same is true for windshield wipers, air conditioning and other features a car has. Check them all out because you could get charged if they don’t work when you return the car, even if they hadn’t worked prior to that. Think about the brakes, the radio and any accessories the car has so that you know they work when you get them.

6. Now we pass the subject of insurance, sometimes your own car insurance covers car rentals, so have a look see before you buy insurance from the rental firm. Budget car rental insurance doesn’t cost much, but if you already have one why buy another? Car rental insurance is always required when you rent a car.

7. Another money saving tip is to pick up your car early in the morning, make it so that the firm is just opening, this is because at this time most of the budget car rentals haven’t been returned yet, and you may get an upgrade for a lower price.

Jonathan is a regular traveller in his role as consultant for an air travel website. He often is asked how to find the best value cheap travel tickets as well.