Thursday, April 29, 2010

Weekly Roundup - Apr 29

FREE -- Free Nt or $50 Credit/Nt @ Fairmont
Book by May 5, stay thru Oct 15 at participating Fairmont Hotels. Choose either a free night or a $50 dining credit for each night.

FREE -- Atlantis Free Nt/Air/Extras!
Stay 3 nts get the 4th free + free companion air from US airport + $650 in extras including golf and dolphin encounter. Book by May 31 for travel thru June 20.

$995 -- BC 4* Lodge 3-Nt All-Inclusive (Reg. $1600)
Off the coast of Ucluelet. Select dates in June, July and August.

$999 -- Ireland 6 Nt Ritz-Carlton Pkg w/Car & Air
Air from NY. +$135-180 tax. Upgrade to business class +$1000. Book by May 7, travel June-Sept. Spring/fall only $899.

$1449 -- Bali 12 Nt Pkg
May 15 & June 16, +$50 May 22, 29 & June 5. +$375 tax.

2-for-1 -- Luxury Cruises w/ $750 Credit pp!
Get $500 onboard credit/cabin + $500 air credit pp. Example cruise fare: 7 nt Mediterranean $1619pp. Book by June 30, sail thru March.

$3199 -- 14 Nt Spain/Portugal/Morocco w/ Air
Escorted tour w/ air from YVR. Includes sightseeing, transportation, and some meals.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Tuesday Teasers

HST Reminder: HST will be charged starting May 1st for travel that will occur on or after July 1st. Any pre-paid bookings for upcoming travel must be paid in full before Saturday in order to avoid the HST increase. I believe this applies to all bookings made through a BC agency or supplier.

US$29+ -- 1 Nt Vancouver-Seattle Cruise
6 cruises to choose from. $29 + $45 tax + $40 shuttle back to Vancouver = $114. Not bad for dinner, entertainment, hotel, breakfast.

US$499pp -- 5 Nt Ireland Drive & Stay Pkg
6 day car rental, 5 nts castle/B&B stays.

$695+ -- Kids Fly Free to Mexico
1st child pays $5, 2nd pays $495. +$290pp tax. Adult prices seem inflated so compare when you shop. Select June/Sept/Oct dates.

US$995 -- Costa Rica Rainforest Getaway, $500 Credit
7 nts all-inclusive w/ $1000 spa credit per couple. Apr 20 - Nov 15. Airfare + taxes extra.

$1099 -- Spanish Seaside 7 Nt Vacation
Air from YVR, 7 nts hotel, breakfast & dinner daily & transfers. Depart June 19.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Thursday Thrills

$399 -- Anaheim 5 Nt Air + Hotel Pkg
Air from YVR. May 24 - June 15. Kids $229.

US$599 -- Los Cabos 4 Nt Luxurious Villa, $1100 OFF, Incl Tax
Select dates thru June. Sleeps family of 4, book Apr 23 to get upgrade to 2 BR villa if available. Sale ends Apr 30.

US$1399 -- Taste of Fiji Vacation
Air from LA, 5 nts at two resorts, 1 tour. +$130 tax. Aug 1–Sept 15 or Oct 25-Dec 8, book by Apr 30.



Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Weekly Roundup - Apr 21

$135 -- Okanagan Wine Fest 2 Nt Stay
2 nts in room w/ jacuzzi + fireplace, plus bottle of wine. Apr 30 - May 9. Full 9 nt festival stay, studio suite, $490.

$149-$249 R/T -- UK Flights from YVR, $400 OFF
May 15, return May 21 or 22. $626-$722 w/ tax. Consider travel insurance that covers disruptions from the volcano.

US$249 -- 5 Nt 4.5* Pacific Coastal Cruise
Depart LA May 9 enroute to Vancouver on Princess. US$295 w/tax.

US$293 -- Anaheim Marriott 3 Nts w/ Credit
$100 dining credit, parking + tax incl. Stay thru Jan 14. Bid until 11am Apr 23. Or 5 nts in 2 rooms w/ $200 credit: $926 valid thru March.

$318 R/T -- Toronto from YVR
Book by Apr 21, travel thru Oct 31. Same price on WestJet.

$338 R/T -- Honolulu from YVR
Thru Oct 31.

$398 R/T -- Maui from YVR
Thru Oct 31.

US$416 R/T -- Curacao from SEA
Part of the Caribbean and Latin America sale. Travel Apr 28 - June 10. Book by Apr 28.

US$475 -- 4 Nt Anaheim Family Stay
Two Room Suite, includes breakfast, tax, and parking. June thru Aug, Jan thru March.

US$499 -- Disney World Vacation, Kids FREE
Kids 3-9 stay & play free. Price includes 4 nts Disney Value resort + 5 day park passes for 2 adults. May 2 - June 3.

$677 -- Los Cabos 1 Week 5* All Inclusive Vacation
$859 w/tax. May 29th.

$739 -- Mazatlan 7 Nt 5* All Inclusive Vacation
May 29-Jun 19, book by Apr 30. Oceanview room.

$1299 -- Egypt 10 Nt Vacation w/Nile Cruise & Air
Air from NY, +$100 San Francisco. 4 + 5* hotels, newly renovated ship. Includes most meals. Aug 14 or 28.



Cheaper Alaska Cruise Tours

Want a cheaper cruisetour option in Alaska than what the cruise lines are offering? This works best in May, but there's a trick for other dates as well. I just put one together for my sister, so I'll share the tricks for everyone's benefit.

In this case she found a cruise in May (southbound w/ balcony cabin) that cost $1650 for 2 people including all taxes and fees. The cruisetour price was $3605 and included:

-1 nt Fairbanks
-Riverboat tour
-coach to Denali
-2 nts Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge
-Natural History tour in Denali
-Rail direct to the ship in dome rail car
-the same 7 nt southbound cruise

For $2878, we've got almost the same pkg with one big exception - you can't get the train directly to the ship on your own, so you have to spend 1 nt in Anchorage. On the other hand, our do-it-yourself pkg uses rail instead of a bus from Fairbanks to Denali.

Here's what you do:

1. Book a Fairbanks hotel for ~$120 on Expedia.
2. Book the Riverboat tour thru Princess or another tour desk.
3. Book the rail & Denali hotel pkg with Princess Rail Tours. The D3 tour is 25% off for May departures, making it $299pp.
4. Book the Natural History tour directly thru the park, Princess, or another tour desk. $93pp.
5. Book an Anchorage hotel for ~$90 on Expedia.
6. Book a shuttle to the cruise ship. A mid-priced option to Whittier is $55pp.

Make sure you get your dates right in all the bookings! You'll save over $700 just by doing a bit of the legwork yourself. During the trip you won't be told what to do every step of the way, but almost everyone can find the hotel shuttle from the airport and other such details. Sometimes it is worth it to pay someone to do the details for you, but $700 is a pretty steep price to pay.

If you don't want to travel in May you'll need to buy yourself the TourSaver 2-for-1 coupon book, which will give you 2-for-1 Princess Rail Tours that start and end in Anchorage, so it's slightly different again but still gets you the same amount of time in Denali. Plus, you'll have access to all the other coupons in Toursaver for shore excursions and restaurants, and also if you want to stay 2 nts in some hotels.



Canada Rail Sale

60% Off -- All Canada Rail Tickets
All classes of services, across the country. Travel Apr 22 - Jul 31, book by Apr 25. Space is limited. For example: Vancouver-Toronto (economy) $260, (sleeper) $822. Via Rail allows 1 stopover en route for free, others for additional fee.



Thursday, April 15, 2010

Weekly Roundup - Apr 15 #2

$729 -- Maui 1 Week 4* Oceanfront Escape
Air from YVR. $878 w/tax. Apr 21.

Free -- Extra Day of Travel w/ British Rail Pass
Book by Apr 29 for travel within 6 months.

$129pp -- Banff Active Holiday
Hotel + passes for hot springs, gondola & bike rental. Or $165pp for hotel + whitewater rafting.

US$159 -- Seattle Top Rated Hotel, 40% Off
This hotel even has ceiling-mounted water fillers for the two-person pedestal tubs! Valid thru June + some of July/Aug.

$189 -- Alberta Rockies Resort w/3rd Night FREE, 60% OFF
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. May 1 - Sept 6. Book by Apr 20.

$235 -- Hawaii Resorts on Sale w/ $500 Credit
Stay 5+ nts to get $500 resort credit. Cheapest resort (Sheraton Princess Kaiulani in Waikiki) will cost $1175 for 5 nts so this is a big bonus to cover meals and some activities. Travel thru Jan 7.

US$425 -- 1 Week Orlando 1 BR Condo, Sleeps 4
Select Apr/May dates. Next to Disney Animal Kingdom, resort has full kitchens, 3 pools + movie theatre.

US$479pp+ -- Sandals Resorts 3 Nt Indulgence, 65% Off
Now thru Dec 20, super-inclusive Sandals Resorts are heavily discounted, although still not cheap.

US$699 -- Christmas 7 Nt Caribbean Cruise
Departs Ft Lauderdale Dec 19 on MSC.

US$899 -- Christmas 7 Nt Caribbean Cruise
Departs Ft Lauderdale Dec 19 on Celebrity's new ship.

US$999 -- Christmas 7 Nt Mexico Cruise
Departs LA Dec 22 on Princess.

US$1445 -- Christmas 12 Nt Australia/NZ Cruise
Departs Sydney Dec 22 on Princess.

US$1799 -- 14 Nt S. America Cruise w/Air, $150 Credit
Air from SEA. Cruise departs Dec 5 on Celebrity. Sails thru Panama Canal to Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile.

US$1895 -- Christmas 10 Nt South Pacific Cruise, Oceanview
Departs Papeete Dec 19 on Princess.



Weekly Roundup - Apr 15

$395 -- Last-Minute Puerto Vallarta Vacation
Apr 18, air + 7 nts 4* all-inclusive. +$290 tax.

$20 -- Las Vegas Hotel w/$100 Slot Play
Right off the Strip, midweek thru mid-August, weekends +$29. Book by Apr 23.

$99 -- Ontario 4-Diamond Inn w/Breakfast, Save $100
Beyond Stratford, this relaxing retreat is on sale for stays thru May, including Victoria Day long weekend. Book by Apr 19.

$126 -- Buffalo Hotel w/$100 Daily Credit through June
Whether traveling to Toronto via Buffalo, visiting Niagara Falls and doing US shopping, or catching some playoff hockey, you can't beat this hotel for $26/nt! Thru June, book by Apr 20.

$139 -- Upscale Paris Hotel through Summer, 50% OFF
Amazing price! I noticed double rooms at Paris hostels run about €80 so this is a big upgrade for only €20 more! Thru Aug, book by Apr 28.

$177 -- Whistler Four Seasons Resort w/ 3 Nt Stay
Spring skiing or a luxury getaway, 3rd nt free. Thru June 16.

$349 -- 7 Nt Western Caribbean Cruise
Departs Miami on Carnival Apr 18 or Nov/Dec dates.

US$464 -- 7 Nt Caribbean Cruise on Top-Rated Ship
Departs Ft Lauderdale Sept 12 on Princess. Book by Apr 20.

US$489 -- Hawaii: 5 Nights Hotel & Car w/Air from SEA
May 5-27. Oahu or Maui. Book by Apr 20.

10% Off -- Voluntourism Vacations
Book by April 30th. Worldwide opportunities.

US$599 -- Florida Scuba Certification Vacation
2 nts hotel incl meals, 3 days of instruction and dives for PADI Open Water Certification. Ft Lauderdale. Thru Aug.

$1029 -- Bali & Thailand from YVR
$1029 Phuket, $1059 Bali, + ~$200 tax. Travel Sept 13 thru Nov, book by Apr 30.



Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Tuesday Teasers

$59 -- Upscale Orlando Hotel Near Disney; 50% OFF
Thru July.

US$120 -- Elegant Manhattan Hotel
The Carleton has nightly rates starting at $180, plus 3rd nt free if you join I Prefer. Thru July.

US$409 -- 7 Nt Bahamas Cruise, Balcony Cabin!
Depart Baltimore Dec 12 on Carnival.

$770 -- 5* Nile Cruise Incl Air + 10 Excursions
Air from London on Apr 19, 7 nt cruise on the M.S Da Vinci with excursions, taxes. From £449.

US$699 -- 8 Nt Eastern Caribbean Cruise, Balcony
Departs NY Sept 28 on Carnival

US$705 -- 7 Nt Mexican Riviera Cruise, Balcony Cabin
Depart LA on Royal Caribbean on specific Nov/Dec/Jan sailings.

$1499 -- 11 Nt Orlando Cruise/Stay
Air from YVR, 4 nts Orlando, 7 nt Caribbean Cruise on world's largest cruise ship. Departs May 11 or 25. Quad share: $1279pp.




Friday, April 9, 2010

Friday Follow-Up

$299 R/T -- Frankfurt from YVR
May 25 (Rtn: June 2, 9), +$324 tax.

$389 -- 7 Nt Alaska Cruise R/T Vancouver
Sept 5 on Celebrity. +$400 tax.

US$499 -- 5 Nt Alaska Cruise BALCONY, R/T Vancouver
Inside Passage, no glaciers. May 10 on Princess.

$533 R/T -- Hong Kong from SEA, Inc Tax
Fall travel.

US$999 -- Australia, New Zealand 6 Nt Vacation w/Air
Apr 20 - Jun 8. Air from LAX, +$140 tax. Book by Apr 15.

US$1199 -- 10 Nt Tahiti Cruise
Dec 9 on Princess.

US$1349 -- 12 Day Alaska CruiseTour
June 5 on Princess. Cruise from Vancouver, 1 nt Anchorage, rail to Mt McKinley for 1 nt, coach to Denali for 1 nt, train to Fairbanks for 2 nts.



Thursday, April 8, 2010

Weekly Roundup - Apr 8

US$59 -- Orlando 2 BR Deluxe Villa near Disney
Apr 10 - Sept 30. +$10 3 BR! Reward card & no cleaning fee 3+ nts.

US$75 -- Orlando 1-BR Suite near Disney w/Breakfast
Apr 10 - Jun 10. Shuttle & parking included.

$86 -- Kauai Beachfront Resort at Half OFF
Part of Travelocity's Hawaii sale. Thru June.

FREE -- 2nd Nt at Olympic National Park Lodges
Visit during US National Park Week Apr 17-25, get 2 nts for US$157 at Kalaloch or Sol Duc Hot Springs + free park entry. Same deal for Lake Crescent Lodge in May.

FREE -- Atlantis 4th Nt Free & Free Companion Air
Kids stay and play free. Thru Sept 30, limited availability.

$789 -- Los Cabos 1 Week 4* All-Inclusive Vacation
$901 w/tax. May 27.

$1299 -- Europe Holidays w/ Tours, Meals, Air, Save $470
7 nt Paris & London w/ air from YVR in June. 7 nt Greece $1699. 7nt Barcelona culinary $2549. Taxes $300-500.

US$1499 -- 5 Nt Moorea Vacation
Air from LAX, ferry, 5 nts resorts, breakfasts. Thru May & Nov 1- Dec 10.

US$2199 -- 5 Nt Moorea Family Vacation
Kids free, price per adult. Air from LAX, ferry, 5 nts resorts, breakfasts. Thru May & Nov 1- Dec 10.