Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Weekly Roundup - Apr 30

A few more airfares to add to yesterday's list, plus some package deals...

US$68-$81 -- California from Seattle (each way) thru June
Taxes are a mere $11 each way on these sale flights!

$99 RT -- London, England
Depart on Saturday for a week in England!

$159 -- Honolulu, each way
Select dates thru June

US$2199 -- Borneo Adventure incl. Upscale Hotels, Tours, Air
For something really different, opt for this tour of Borneo and Kuala Lumpur. It leaves from LA, but includes flights, hotels, tours, and meals. Cheapest departures are Nov 22, Jan 31, Feb 14.

$695 -- Mexico 4.5-Star All-Inclusive Vacation
Depart May 26 and stay at the Palladium Vallarta.

$1179 -- Rio and Buenos Aires
Air (from Miami) and 6 nights hotel, plus flight between cities, transfers, and breakfasts. Cheapest dates are June, and August to December

30% off -- Expedia hotel sale
Worldwide discounts on hotels, cruises, cars, and activities

$29 to Alberta - Book Today!

Looking for a getaway to Alberta in May or June? Snag one of these great WestJet fares, which are surprisingly even cheaper from Abbotsford ($29) than they are from Vancouver ($49).

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Tuesday Teasers

It looks like some good airfare sales have started, at least for destinations around the US. If you're looking to go somewhere in the US, definitely take a look at what's on offer right now, and remember to check prices from Bellingham and Seattle. Here are some flights that caught my eye:

From Vancouver
$256 RT -- San Francisco, thru September
$299 RT -- Maui, May 21, June 7, 11, 14
$249+ RT -- Europe
London, Paris, Amsterdam, Belfast, etc... Specific dates, mostly in May and June, but even into October for some destinations.

From Bellingham
$116 RT -- San Francisco
$21 OW -- Las Vegas

From Seattle
$165 RT -- LA
$205 RT -- San Diego, thru October
$205 RT -- Portland, Maine, thru October - perfect for fall foliage
$213 RT -- Fort Myers, FL, thru October
$290 RT -- Long Island, NY
$305 RT -- New York

And some package deals from Vancouver:
Maui: $749 (7 nights)
Orlando: $739 (7 nights)
Bali: $1499 (10 nights)

Azamara Cruise Lines is celebrating their 1st anniversary with large on-board credits if you book select oceanview or higher cabins on most European sailings. For example, a 16-day sailing with oceanview cabins that start at $2299 offers $750 of credit per cabin. That's $325pp, bringing the "real" price down to $1974, or you could think of it as tax-free, or just bonus spending money. Anyway, that's a good deal for a somewhat pampered cruise experience that visits some non-typical ports.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Thursday Thrills

AirfareWatchdog.com just highlighted an Air Canada sale to Europe from the US. It looks flights from Seattle to Paris can be found for $440 + tax! Vancouver's twice that much, even though the Seattle trip routes through Vancouver. It might not be worth the extra travel, though...

$250 -- Seattle to Montreal, THIS WEEKEND

$260 -- Seattle to Ottawa, NEXT WEEKEND
Here's just one idea for this trip... call it the tulip trip: catch the end of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival on the way to Seattle and the beginning of the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Weekly Roundup - Apr 23

$1099 -- $1099 -- AMSTERDAM & PARIS
Air, 2 nights hotel in Amsterdam, 4 nights hotel in Paris, daily breakfast, 1-hr Seine river cruise & one-way 2nd class Thalys train
Vancouver Departs: June 13, 20 @ $1099

$853 -- The Netherlands: 7-Night Getaway w/Tours, $500 OFF
# 1-day Hop-on, Hop-off boat pass (Canal Bus)
# Half-day Windmills and Edam Tour, incl. entrance fee
# Full-day Grand Holland Tour, incl. entrance fee to the flower auction and Madurodam
# Hotel taxes and service charges
Departs May 30.

$529+ -- Alaska Inside Passage Cruise in late summer
July 13 ~ Inside $779
August 17 ~ Inside $579
August 31 ~ Inside $529 / Outside $679
(rates in USD; plus $353 port and tax)

$849 -- Alaska Inside Passage, Balcony Room
Add up to two additional guests for $149 each. This includes travel insurance and more.
Lowest prices on May 18 or 25. June 1 for $869.

$195 RT -- Fly to Puerto Vallarta from Vancouver, Roundtrip
June 2, 9, 16, or 23, returning 7 days later.
$488 incl. taxes

$109 OW -- Vancouver to San Francisco
Seems to be available even for summer travel.
$330 with taxes and fees.

$139-$159 -- Seattle to eastern US, OW
AirTran's current sale includes flights from Seattle to many places in the eastern US, from Boston to New York to Orlando.
These prices must be booked soon, but are good for travel until mid-November.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Fare Flash

$199 RT -- London (Gatwick), England
April 29 @ $199 (Rtn: May 7, 8)
May 7, 8 @ $249 (Rtn: May 24, 28, 31, June 7)
May 21 - June 6 @ $399(Rtn: May 31 - July 5)

Friday, April 18, 2008

Short Cruises from Vancouver

If you don't have time for a 1-week cruise, or you just want to see if you like cruising, take a look at these short cruises out of Vancouver and Seattle:

$249 -- 3 nts, Vancouver to Seattle, April 30
Add Seattle to Vancouver motorcoach transfers $55

$249 -- 2 nts, RT Vancouver, May 9

$169 -- 2 nts, RT Seattle, May 2

$199 -- 4 nts, RT Seattle, Sept 29
3rd & 4th guest sharing cabin $49

$229 -- 3 nts, RT Seattle, Oct 10 (Thanksgiving)
3rd & 4th guest sharing cabin $59

Thursday, April 17, 2008

New Allegiant Service to California

Allegiant Airlines has added seasonal service to San Francisco and San Diego with 3 flights a week to each. Travel on Tue/Thu/Sat.

$138 RT -- Bellingham to San Diego
Begin travel: June 12, 2008
End travel: August 31, 2008
Purchase by: May 10, 2008

$118 RT -- Bellingham to San Francisco
Begin travel: June 06, 2008
End travel: August 31, 2008
Purchase by: May 10, 2008

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Weekly Roundup - Apr 16

$99 RT -- Cross-Canada flights on Sunwing
Prices are applicable for departures May 11-June 21 and September 5-October 31. You must combine the $50 one-way price with Sunwing's other low fares. When doing this, it's possible to find flights for as little as $99 roundtrip! Only 5000 seats available at the $50 price, so book soon.

$129 -- Orlando 2-bdrm suites at family-friendly resorts
Both Nickelodeon Family Suites and Mike Ditka's Runaway Beach Club are offering great discounts for stays between now and late May.

20% off -- Hotels on sale with Orbitz
Hotels throughout North America, including Mexico and the Caribbean

$769 -- Maui, Air + 7nts
Departs May 14, 21, 28, June 11. $899 includes a car as well.

$1299 -- 8-day Affordable Egypt
Includes air from New York. I was just recently looking for flights to Egypt which would have been at least $1400 from Vancouver. So, if you can get to NY for $500, you're basically getting everything in this package within Egypt for about $400. That's a great deal!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Africa at 50% Off

Acacia Africa is offering their small-group and overland safaris at substantial savings if you book this month. For trips that depart before July, the second traveller goes for free. Trips after July 1 offer 50% off for the second traveller. Trips range from 3 to 54 days and take in any piece of sub-Saharan Africa that you wish to see.

Friday, April 11, 2008

Affordable London and Florida

Affordable London RT from Vancouver
May $369
Depart: May 7, 8 Return: May 21, 24, 28, Jun 4, 7
June $449
Depart: Jun 3, 6 Return: Jun 11, 14, 21, Jul 5
July $699
Depart: Jul 3, 4, 12 Return: Jul 13, 19, Aug 13, 16
August $819
Depart: Aug 2, 3, 15, 21, 22, 31 Return: Aug 20, 23, 31, Sept 18
September $449
Depart: Sept 5, 6, 9, 12, 16, 18, 19, 21, 27 Return: Sept 24, 27, 28, Oct 1, 2, 4
October $449
Depart: Oct 2, 3, 4 Return: Oct 16, 18, 19
(Found in UNIGLOBE email announcement. Call 1-800-3-UNIGLOBE, or 604-681-9192. Email: gmackie@uniglobewc.com)

$205 - Seattle to Tampa
Travel thru Aug 22.

$268 - Seattle to Fort Lauderdale
Travel thru May 8, purchase by Apr 14.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Alaska in May

I haven't posted an Alaska cruise deal in a bit, so here are a few great ones on Holland America. All are 7 nt. RT Vancouver (Vancouver, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, Vancouver).

5/17/08 - Inside: $ 549 pp, Oceanview: $ 599 pp
5/21/08 - Inside: $ 499 pp, Oceanview: $ 549 pp
5/24/08 - Oceanview: $ 599 pp
5/28/08 - Oceanview: $ 599 pp
5/31/08 - Inside: $ 599 pp, Oceanview: $ 649 pp
6/04/08 - Inside: $ 599 pp, Oceanview: $ 649 pp
6/07/08 - Inside: $ 649 pp, Oceanview: $ 699 pp

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Weekly Roundup - Apr 9

A few off-beat options this week, along with some more typical deals.

$97 -- Last Minute: Cancun from Vancouver, Roundtrip
April 13-20

50% off -- WestJet 1-day sale
Hawaii: $380
Las Vegas: $218
Toronto: $360
Tampa: $418
Travel thru June 24.

$340 -- Orlando 3-Night Getaways w/Air from Seattle, incl. Taxes
April 28, or similar deals for August and September

$49pp -- Oceanfront resort in Myrtle Beach with large water park
Valid now-May 7.

$96 -- Colorado 2-Night River Rafting Package
Thru June 1st, get 2 nights hotel plus a three-quarter-day whitewater rafting trip. Price is per person.

$259 -- Anaheim, air + 7 nights
Includes air from Vancouver and 3-star hotel just outside Disneyland Park. Upgrade to 4-star hotel from $10 per night.
Add 5-day Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Bonus Ticket from $184.
May 31- June 7, 2008.

$359 -- Honolulu from Vancouver
Leave May 7, return May 21.

$996 -- Hawaii Weeklong Packages, w/Tax
Select May and June dates.

$399 -- Paris from Vancouver
Leave May 29, return June 4.

$799 -- Paris or London for New Year's: 6-night package
Includes air from Dallas or NYC, other cities available for more. This isn't necessarily a huge bargain, but it's a neat idea at a peak travel time, so I thought I would include it this week.

US$899 -- Ecuador Vacation incl. Amazon Tour, Meals & Flight
Depart Sept. 15; plus $100-$200 select dates through May 2009
Includes air from Miami.

$999 -- 13-day Turkey package with air, hotel, food, and tours
A great price on a fully guided tour that stays at 4* hotels. Air is from NYC.
Offer valid on select dates in November/December 2008 and February 2009.

US$1849 -- Cruise S. America & Panama Canal: 14 Nights w/Air
Depart Dec. 7. Includes air from Vancouver.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Beaches and Detroit

Brave the beaches in hurricane season, or Detroit at any time of the year...

$799 -- Mayan Riviera, air + 7 nights all-inclusive
$799, 4*, April 16, 18
$999, 4.5*, May 31
$889, 5*, June 1 - 22
Book by April 9

$699 -- Punta Cana, air & 7 nights all-inclusive
April 14 @ 4* resort

$499 -- Puerto Vallarta, air & 7 nights all-inclusive
Various dates from April 16 to Oct 19
Prices from $499 to $759
*Book by April 15

$197 R/T -- Seattle to Detroit
I have no idea what's up with Detroit, but the extremely low fares are back under $200. Use this fare to access insanely cheap fares from Detroit to southern sun destinations, or if you don't mind the trek down to Seattle and then back up to Toronto, here's a way to save up to $400 per person on that trip. Or, use the savings and detour to do some outlet mall shopping along the way.
This crazy fare is available for travel for almost 365 days!

Monday, April 7, 2008

Plan ahead, or last-minute deal

Plan ahead...

$569+ -- Delta's Best of the Maritimes Package
If you're thinking of touring the Maritimes between June 1 and October 31, 2008, either for a nice summer vacation or for the fall foliage, consider this package. It's $569 per person, based on double occupancy, and include 6 nights total at 3 Delta hotels in the region. These are among the nicer hotels in these locations and you would likely have to use Priceline or Hotwire to get lower rates. But, price it out individually before you book just to make sure.

...or last-minute deal...

$549 -- Alaska Cruise, roundtrip Vancouver
A last-minute fare on Holland America for an Alaska cruise that departs on May 21. Grab an oceanview cabin for only $50 more.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Weekly Roundup - Apr 2

The first cruise ship of the Vancouver cruise season is pulling out of port as I write this post. It's in the middle of a round-trip cruise from San Francisco. If you haven't booked your Alaska cruise for this year yet, there are plenty of deals out there - start by searching vacationstogo.com.

$170 -- Cross-Canada Sale, and Kids Fly Free
Book 2 seats during the sale and get a free seat for a child ages 2-12.
Sample fare: Vancouver-Toronto from $170 O/W.
May 1 - June 21 and Sept. 5 - Oct. 31
Book by April 4

$99 -- Okanagan Valley 4-Star Resort, Grand Opening Special
Walnut Beach Resort, Osoyoos, BC.
Offer is valid for studio suites 7-days a week through April 30.

$199 -- Hawaii 5-Star Hotel on Waikiki Beach, 60% OFF
Stay at The Royal Hawaiian, a Conde Nast Traveler Gold List resort, through May 31. Includes weekends.

$553 -- Jamaica 5-Star Resort Package w/Air
Ritz-Carlton summer supersale. Deals to the Caribbean are good in the summer, but not usually THIS good! If you want to give the pampered life a try, this might be a good time to go for it.
Travel dates: June 23 - Aug. 31

US$898 -- Danube 'Christmas Market' Cruise, Save $750
7 nights on the Viking Europe from Passau, Germany, to Vienna, Austria
Travel dates: Select November-December dates

50% off second Intrepid Travel african adventure
Good for either a companion traveller, or a second trip for the same traveller.

$1299 -- Thailand: 11 Nights incl. Flights, Hotels & Tours
Flights are from LA, but add $300 to get there from Vancouver and $1600 is still a decent price for a guided tour.
October 2008; April 2009; +$50-$100 other dates