Wise Mile Spending

You scrimped and saved for years to take vacations to various destinations. Now, you’ve finally accumulated enough frequent flyer miles to redeem a cushy reward. So, do you blow those precious miles on a free ticket or do you use them to upgrade to first class? Travel experts say the key to using award travel miles is to research your options before settling on a prize. In other words, before you cash in your hard earned miles, consider where you’re going, how much a ticket there costs, and how challenging it will be to claim your reward. For example, if … Continue reading →

Travel Savings Strategies

Choosing to fly during the off-season is an easy way to save money; however, there are many other ways you can pad your wallet when your travel plans take you to the airport. The key to saving big is a little pre-flight strategizing. For example, if you only fly on commercial airlines a few times a year, you may have a hard time justifying the costs associated with an airport lounge membership. Still, it’s hard to resist the comforts and services provided at these luxurious airport hangouts. Some of the perks of lounge membership include: Peace and quiet: Most airport … Continue reading →

Sail Into Super Savings

The new week has generated a tidal wave of savings for cruise fans. If you are a veteran high seas voyager or you’re looking to take your first major sail, now is the time to act. Norwegian Cruise Line just announced a new promotion which issues free upgrades to passengers with new bookings. The “Upgrade and Go” sale allows travelers to book a balcony cabin for the price of an oceanview cabin, or an oceanview cabin for the price of a windowless interior cabin. The sale is applicable to Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida, Hawaii and Europe cruises. In addition, customers booking … Continue reading →

Consider a Cheap Cruise

Despite video of stranded ships and tales of irate passengers going viral, the cruise industry insists that it is not sinking. However, in an effort to entice travelers, many cruise companies are offering super sales on late summer sailings. If you are looking to take the plunge and book a voyage in the near future, consider the following to keep costs down: Travel Agents: If you are a first-time cruiser, opt to use an experienced travel agent. Many of these travel experts that specialize in cruises do not charge for their services because they are paid a commission by the … Continue reading →

Avoiding Delays

Airport delays can be a costly inconvenience. I once shelled out more than $250 to pay for meals, ground transportation, clothing and a hotel room during an 18-hour delay that eventually turned into a cancelled flight. Of course, that paled in comparison to the emotional and physical price I paid when the cancellation caused me to miss my beloved grandmother’s wake. Thanks, American Airlines. My sad story is just one of thousands that are logged each year with the promise from airline execs that they will work to improve on-time reliability. According to a recent report from the Department of … Continue reading →

Flying High Without High-Flying Prices

Everyone loves a sale, but when discounted prices are associated with air travel, frugal vacationers’ hopes begin to soar a bit higher. Unfortunately, not all sales equate to rock-bottom prices. The trick to getting the most bang for your buck is to examine the fine print. Just because you see an advertisement by a major airline regarding an airfare sale, it doesn’t mean you will saving a ton of cash. In most cases, airfare sales come with a long list of restrictions, including specific dates, times and destinations. Airline insiders are quick to point out that most commercial carriers offer … Continue reading →

Summer Sailing Sale

If sailing off into a stunning summer sunset without sinking your entire vacation budget seems too good to be true, think again. For a limited time, Princess Cruises is offering a summer clearance sale on voyages to Alaska and Europe. The promotion features savings of up to 50% off rack rates on more than 200 summer sailings. It also includes on-board credits of $25 to $100 depending on the type of accommodations you book. For example, if you book an interior or ocean-view cabin on sailings of up to nine days, you will receive $25 in credit. However, if you … Continue reading →

Make the Most of Theme Cruises

Theme cruises are more popular now than ever before. What started off as a way for like-minded travelers to bond at sea has turned into a multi-million dollar niche; however, cruise companies aren’t the only ones benefitting from these unique voyages. Passengers also gain in more ways than one when booking a theme cruise. Not only do guests enjoy all the services and amenities associated with a regular cruise, they also get the added bonus of partaking in a specific passion, be it music, cooking, writing or scrapbooking. Helping stretch passengers dollars at sea is Holland America. The cruise company … Continue reading →

How to Avoid Soaring Flight Costs

Penny-pinching travelers beware: those airlines that have been nickel-and-diming you to death are not changing their tune any time soon. In fact, two commercial carriers recently announced amendments to their current policies that may put a real dent in your wallet. Discount airline Southwest will no longer accommodate passengers who fail to show up on their given departure date. The carrier is launching a new “no show” policy that forces travelers to forfeit their fares if they fail to show up for a flight. Southwest officials say they instituted the change so that planes are not taking off with empty … Continue reading →

Getting More Bang for Your Cruise Buck

Passengers on Disney’s oldest cruise ship will soon get more bang for their buck thanks to a huge renovation project. The 15-year-old floating city is getting fitted with a series of phenomenal deck-top attractions, including a massive water slide called the AquaDunk. The Disney Magic’s newest attraction is being built to please passengers looking for thrills and chills at sea. The water slide will be situated on the ship’s forward funnel and features a translucent tube and trap door where passengers wait a near-vertical free fall. When the door opens, riders drop nearly 40 feet before being shot through a … Continue reading →