posted by Joyce on Jul 21
Tomorrow I’m off to Kenya. If you’ve read my “About Me” page, you know that I’m a missionary there. Preparation to return has taken a great deal of time so I haven’t written any blog entries for quite a while. And this will be my last for a while yet, until I find the right ISP and get back online over there.
In the meantime, check out this feature cruise deal:
posted by Joyce on Jul 10
Short luxury cruises are often more commonly referred to as mini cruises and will last for a period of four or five days. These cruises are the perfect solution for you to try a cruise for the first time in order to get a feel for what it is all about.
Certainly, there are many advantages to be had from booking such a cruise over the more traditional kind of weekend or short break.
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Take a Luxury Vacation Without the Luxury Price Tag —–posted by Joyce on Jul 7
The two key factors that can have a huge impact on the cost of your vacation are the destination and the time of year. In fact, the single biggest saver is likely to be when you travel, not how successfully you manage to haggle for that last minute hotel bargain!
Don’t overlook the importance of considering these two factors together. Some destinations will be extremely cheap at one time of year yet finding a bargain four months later may be impossible. Traveling to a popular destination at a peak time will never be cheap. For example staying at a luxury hotel in a party city on New Year’s Eve is not likely to be a budget holiday; however, traveling to a traditional summer resort over New Year’s may be a very different story.
One thing that is very important to realize is that low seasons are low for a reason. A classic example of this is hurricane season in the Caribbean and Florida. Other low seasons to be wary of are the extremely hot areas such as Egypt during the summer months, when the heat can be so oppressive that it makes the holiday less enjoyable. Summer resorts are often so quiet during low season that there is quite literally nowhere open. This can be great for a retreat, but when it comes to a raging nightlife you may be sadly disappointed!
Shoulder season is the perfect time to be trying to travel for those who want to find a happy medium between low and peak seasons. Identifying locations that are in shoulder season when you want to travel or when your favorite destination is in shoulder season can save you literally hundreds of dollars.
Take a look at the guide books. Whilst they will not tell you when the shoulder season is, they will tell you when peak and low seasons are. The time in between, is, by definition, the shoulder season.
With almost every resort there is a period where the prices become low, not because the location is now poor but because all of the hotels and flights are still servicing the area but the demand is simply not there. Examples of shoulder seasons are Europe in the fall and the Caribbean during late spring.
Winter is an interesting time of year to travel. Before Christmas, most individuals are trying to make last minute shopping trips. After Christmas, people are dealing with their credit card bills. As such, holidays on far off beaches are often incredibly cheap during the winter period.
A wonderful destination for the winter months is Asia. Flights are losing popularity, however, availability is still good, meaning that there are plenty of discounts on offer. Weather is variable in Asia during the winter which could mean that you are surrounded by snow one minute and then basking in glorious sunshine. This lack of dependability is something that puts a lot of visitors off and can mean that there are some excellent bargains for those prepared to take the risk!
If you are looking to travel to Europe, this is the time to do it! Flights are a lot cheaper during the spring months when temperatures are still relatively low.
Mexican beaches and the Caribbean islands start to see their prices drop from mid April as the weather becomes hotter. However, during the spring months, the water and air temperatures are still pleasant and the resorts less crowded.
During later spring, for example May, the traditionally hot and dry countries are not in their peak seasons but have not yet become intolerably hot. So if you want to visit Morocco, Jordan or Egypt, plan a spring vacation.
You should also check out delightful destinations close to home that offer lots of fun and excitement.
Finding a bargain in summer is tricky. Americans, Japanese and Europeans are all on the move and this is also the time of year that most weddings take place, so honeymoon destinations are in a great deal of demand.
During the early part of summer, through June and July, Caribbean destinations are still good to get a deal, provided you try to book before the Europeans start to flood in during their school holidays at the end of July.
Flights and hotels are still quite reasonable in Southeast Asia during the summer months, but temperatures can be quite hot, so if you can’t stand the heat, avoid this destination during the summer months.
This is the time to head to Europe. Flights to most major European destinations will be cheaper from October onwards, mainly because the schools are no longer on holiday and families are not traveling as much. Temperatures are normally perfectly pleasant until mid November, so grab yourself a fall bargain in Europe.
posted by Joyce on Jul 4
Just want to wish my American friends and family a very happy, relaxing 4th of July weekend! Be safe and be blessed.
posted by Joyce on Jul 2
We enjoyed ourselves and made some memories at Grand Lake, New Brunswick, on Canada Day. We also enjoyed the fireworks in Moncton later in the evening.
Oh, and by the way - I did go in the water, but only up to my knees. It was cold!
posted by Joyce on Jul 1
posted by Joyce on Jun 30
4th of July is around the corner!! Hotels.com is offering great deals in so many places, you will be sure to find top destinations and cheap hotels within a short distance from wherever you are!
Discover the deal near you by checking out the destinations below:
* Book by 7/4/08 for travel from 7/3/08 to 7/7/08.
Albuquerque
Celebrate the 4th of July and Save up to 30% in Albuquerque!
Anaheim
Celebrate the 4th of July in Anaheim!
Atlanta
Save up to 30% in Atlanta!
Austin
4th of July Sale! Save up to 30% in Austin!
Cancun
Celebrate the 4th of July in Cancun!
Dallas
Celebrate the 4th of July with savings of up to 30% in Dallas!
Destin
Celebrate the 4th of July in Destin!
Florida Keys
Celebrate the 4th of July and Save up to 30% in the Florida Keys!
Fort Worth
4th of July Sale! Save up to 30% in Fort Worth!
Big Island
Celebrate the 4th of July on Big Island!
Jackson Hole
Save up to 30% in Jackson Hole!
Kansas City
Celebrate the 4th of July and Save up to 30% in Kansas City!
Las Vegas
Find cheap 4th of July hotels in Las Vegas!
Monterey
Save on hotels in Monterey the 4th of July weekend!
New York
Celebrate the 4th of July and Save up to 30% in New York!
Park City
Celebrate the 4th of July and Save up to 30% in Park City!
Washington DC
Celebrate the 4th of July Save in Washington DC!
Williamsburg
Save up to 30% on hotel accommodations in Williamsburg the 4th of July weekend!
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posted by Joyce on Jun 27
Let this be a warning to all cruisers to keep checking the cruise line’s policies right up until the time of departure. Policies change, and it’s up to you to stay current.
Take a look at this CNN video.
posted by Joyce on Jun 26
Celebrate Canada Day by taking advantage of great savings with WestJet, one of the most customer-friendly airlines in the skies.
Book online at westjet.com, enter promo code “canada”, and save an extra 10% off the lowest available fare. Save on all fares and all travel destinations until September 30, 2008.
But hurry, this offer is only available till July 2.
Details:
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posted by Joyce on Jun 24
Cruise Direct’s featured deal this week is a 7-Night NCL Bermuda Cruise from $649, round trip from Philadelphia calling on St. George’s.
They are also offering Free Onboard Credit when you book today!
And just imagine if you could save even more money by saving on onboard incidentals and shore excursions.
Before you go on your cruise, you’ll need to decide how much money you need, or can, bring along.
You’ll probably find this easier on a cruise than for other vacations because of the all-inclusive cruise programs. The cabin, onboard entertainment and food are generally always included. A short list of some things not included would be:
• Beverages
• Specialty Ice Cream & Coffee
• Gratuities
• Medical Treatment
• Shopping
• Shore Excursions
• Spa
Other necessities of a personal nature can add up as well.
For more specific information on extra on-board costs and how you can cut those costs, get a copy of Luxury Cruising:How to Save Money Without Sacrificing Fun!
You can also save a bundle on your next cruise with hidden, insider techniques to save up to 50% on quality shore excursions.
