When you plan a holiday, there is a lot to consider. However finances is the most important issue for most people. When you’ve made your choice, it’s then just a case of discovering how to get the most for your money. If you’re like the majority of today’s vacationers, you’ll begin your search online. The Internet certainly gives you the ability to shop from home. The drawback is there is an abundance of special offers available for every destination. In this article you will discover how to filter the range of options by discovering the travel special that’s right for you.
Air specials
If you haven’t travelled internationally before, you might think that the air fare will be the most costly part of the holiday. That’s not automatically so.
Aggressive competition on air routes to Europe, for example, has seen prices drop to the situation where a return trip, including taxes, can cost a lot less than a week’s accommodation in a 2-star hotel.
If you’re part of a particular frequent flyer scheme then there really isn’t an option. If that isn’t the situation, you have lots of options. Strong competition is seeing fares fall to unprecedented levels, and there are plenty of online travel agents pushing special air travel deals worldwide almost daily.
Of course the time of year you wish to fly will affect the pricing. Fly during low-peak periods and you’ll save a fortune off your fare.
Another way of obtaining great air deals is to purchase your ticket in conjunction with land arrangements. Tour firms, like European coach operators, negotiate considerable volume-buying discounts with airlines and can offer incredible fare levels in conjunction with their tours.
Car rental specials
Hiring a car for holiday travel at first glance seems like a fairly straightforward deal. Self-driving vacations provide you with the greatest independence and allow you to make changes to your plans.
Holidaying by rail or air is often more expensive than driving. Four people sharing a car (or campervan) will usually pay less for a trip than if they travelled the same distance by air, rail or on a bus.
Car hire deals available in many countries can also reduce costs. France is a great example. European carmakers including Citroen, Peugeot and Renault have a rental system that gets you a tax-free vehicle for as little as $30 a day. These specials also include up to a week’s free driving (more for previous customers) and discounted pick-up and drop-off charges.
Vehicle rental companies sometimes need to move a large number of vehicles from one end of the country to the other, particularly during peak times so look out for a good buy. A great example of this is the seasonal transfer in the US between Florida and the north-eastern regions.
However there are a number of things to consider, particularly if you’re a first time renter. If you have a lot of luggage or if you are large, you need a large car. There’s nothing worse than feeling cramped-up in a car when you’re driving for hours at a time just to save a few bucks.
Also, many countries have a right-hand drive traffic system, which can be stressful for older drivers used to driving on the left. Road signs in unfamiliar languages can add to the problem.
Further, though cars can be hired in most countries, not all countries offer a level of security which makes it safe for Westerners, in particular, to venture into rural areas.
Cruise offers
Cruising is often described as the only all-inclusive vacation, because one price covers the actual cruise, a room, activities and food.
That’s not always true as tipping is often mandatory and not always built-in to the fare.
Apart from the extraordinary range of special offers being offered year-round, cruising has at least one other thing going for it. Passengers have a permanent location, needing to unpack and re-pack their luggage only once throughout the entire trip. And in between, someone else makes their bed and cleans up after them every day.
Cruises are seen as a good deal also because of last-minute offers. Companies will slash fares by 50% or 60% to fill remaining rooms, knowing that travellers will still be spending on drinks, souvenirs and casino visits.
Travel outside busy periods, like summer peaks, and you could be cruising for an incredible $100 a day, particularly in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean, or on trans-Atlantic relocation voyages, when changes of season force cruise companies to move ships from Europe to the Americas, or vice versa.
Hotel and resort offers
There are two types of hotels. The first type is just used for a quick stay and these tend to be found in city areas and on major roads. Then there is more of a resort-style hotel that is intended purely for longer stay travellers.
It’s important that you pick the right type, otherwise your vacation will be spoilt. How would you feel if that special offer turned out to be a bargain because the hotel was full of cricketers at an end of season party? This is becoming more common as resorts are promoting midweek specials to businesses looking for seminar facilities.
It is now easy to find last minute offers online and sometimes the rates are even cheaper than buying direct from the hotel. More homework is needed though as these sites don’t often offer the big deals from large hotel chains.
So when you’re searching for a great deal online, it is a good idea to check out the major chains. You can also book hotel deals through tour operators who tend to have packages just before and just after a tour.
Package specials
Booking a package holiday doesn’t necessarily mean that it includes everything, as is the case with a cruise. A package will likely consist of transport, accommodation, some air travel and sightseeing. But you will almost certainly have to pay for some meals. Breakfasts are usually covered, but usually only half of all dinners (or fewer) and hardly ever lunches.
However there are a number of benefits with packages including the safety of touring with a group and local guides.
Another benefit is the time that is saved hunting down each piece of the vacation including accommodation and air fares. Also package tour firms buy in bulk and therefore the overall price is much better than individuals can obtain.
Comprehensive packages include everything from carrying luggage to and from your transport to appropriate visas and insurance.
Most will also include sightseeing excursions and admission to key tourist sites, another significant benefit. Large tour groups are sometimes given quick access to popular sites, avoiding sometimes unbelievably long queues at major attractions in Europe, in particular.
And although food and souvenirs aren’t usually included in the package price, a local guide’s suggestions can result in the best value decision.
Rail specials
It was assumed some time ago that an increase of air routes and the start of low cost airlines would spell the end of rail travel in many parts of the world. The opposite has occurred. Train travel has expanded, with faster trips and better-equipped facilities.
For example in Europe, rail travel is both quicker and less expensive than travelling by air. It’s claimed that a Eurostar journey from the centre of London to the centre of Paris via the Channel Tunnel takes less time than air travel from London Heathrow to Paris Charles de Gaulle airports, including time taken to get to and from the airports from the centre of each city, plus time needed for check-in and boarding.
Another example is that it is faster to travel by the high speed TGV train from Paris to Lyon than it is by air.
Rail travel doesn’t have the flexibility of car hire. But it’s seen as the perfect option for travellers flitting between various centres, particularly for fast overnight journeys where en route sightseeing isn’t essential.
Both commuter and tourist trains are found at most major tourist destinations and can include prestige operations such as South Africa’s Blue Train.
Affordable prices is another motivation to contemplate rail travel. Exclusive tourist tickets, like Eurail Pass, offer massive year-round discounts on commuter ticket prices, as well as extra seasonal savings.
Travel Monitor
This is where it is vital to know which website to believe. Travel Monitor was built to help Australians find all the current travel holiday deals. The site is not connected to any travel companies so the packages are unbiased, current and accurate.