Scheduling a Guided Tour in Mexico

Each year, a large number of individuals, couples, and families make the decision to travel to Mexico. Most have visited Mexico before. If you are planning a Mexico vacation, and you have never been there before, you may have some concerns. You may be wondering what places are safe for you to visit.

Mexico is like all other countries. There are areas that are known as tourists attractions and then there are other areas that tourists are advised to stay away from. You can easily learn about these areas online. Researching every city and town in Mexico is a long and daunting process. To save time and a costly vacation mistake, you are encouraged to examine the benefits of taking a guided Mexico tour.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of booking a guided tour in Mexico is that you will be with a local who is familiar with the area. Guided tours are held in areas that are considered safe. In addition to showing you around certain areas of Mexico, your tour guide may be able to offer you additional travel tips and suggestions. These suggestions may help you with your vacation after your guide has ended.

If you are interested in taking a guided Mexican tour, you will have to find the tour company which you wish to do business with. There are a large nubmer of guided tour companies in the area. If you do not have a preference as to which company you’d like to tour with, you may want to first search for a destination. The destination you select will be important in determining what you will learn and see while on a guided tour.

Many guided tours take place in Cooper Canyon, the Oaxaca Mountains, the Yucatan Peninsula and Baja. In Mexico, Baja is most known for its water activities. Many popular guided tours include whale watching and kayaking. Whether you set out to watch the whales or you select a kayaking tour, you are sure to see Gray whales. Many times, they will come right up to your boat, making for great pictures or video footage.

Cooper Canyon and the Oaxaca Mountains are guided tours that are ideal for those that love to hike. To participate in these tours, it is advised that you receive the proper health clearance. You tour will likely follow trails, but much of the terrain can be rough. The Yucatan Peninsula is ideal for travelers who wish to learn more about the ancient history of Mexico.

The above mentioned destinations in Mexico are just a few of the many. Guided tours are found all across Mexico. If there is particular topic or activity that interests you, you are sure to find a guided tour that will offer you excitement. Hikers often select a hiking tour, boats often opt for boat tours, and history lovers often select tours that focus on the history of Mexico.

In addition to selecting where you’d like to go on a guided tour, you will also need to determine how long you’d like that tour to be. In Mexico, guided tours can last as long as one day or over one week. You should easily be able to determine how long a guided tour is by looking at the price. Weeklong guided tours can cost thousands of dollars, but most of your accommodations are taken care of. Some guided tours can be considered all-inclusive vacations.

Journey Mexico, Siesta Tours, and Ufly Mexico are three of the most well-known guided tour companies in Mexico. You can examine the tours found by these three companies by visiting their online websites or by requesting free travel brochures. If you are interested in finding additional tours, your local travel agent may be able to offer you assistance.

By selecting a guided tour of Mexico, you do not always have to be looking over your shoulder. Vacationing in a safe area with an experienced tour guide is about as carefree as your Mexico vacation can get.

Finding discount airfares

In this day and age, vacation destinations are readily available to nearly everyone. Air travel has given us the ability to travel thousands of miles in hours preferably of days. With the expenditure of modern engineering and advanced technology, large amounts of people are now eligible to travel to points all over the planet for their own personal enjoyment.

Many consumers are still confused about the perfect way to save money on air travel. Saved airfare is available in many forms, the question that desires to be asked is how to save the most money on airfare. It additional was through the applications of a travel agent, but this is no longer the case. By operating the internet, consumers have access to the deepest discounts airfare available every place.

Lets take a look for at how you can find the best discount airfares accessible on the internet.

The first thing you elect to do is book early, the biggest discount airfares are easily going to depend on how far in advance you can buy it. More airlines use excellent pricing to promote their airlines as well as fill seats in markets that they would like to compete in. The generous discounts on airfare will be when you pay your airfare 90 - 120 days in advance.

There are plenty of websites that provide discount airfares on the web web-osl4%]. This is an advantage to the consumer solely if they take the time and compare rates between a fairly decent choice of these websites. The answer for doing this is simple, some of the lower airfare websites are operated by airlines themselves, and others are operated by online agents. Since this data is not publicized, you will often find that while you are searching for discount airfare, different websites will have different prices for the exact equal flights. Try operating a website that gathers information from many common websites and shows you all of the information at the same time.

It is also possible to purchase discount airfares by an online auction. When you are flexible with your dates and times of travel, this will often be the way to get the lowest airfares. You will not always have guaranteed control of which airline you fly on when you use an online auction for your airfare, but, for most travelers, that is not as big an cause as saving money is.

Try booking your flight, hotel and car rental combined and most companies will offer you a large discount. They are entitled to do this because of partnerships that they have formed with other companies that provide closely related flight services. Package deals are reachable on and off the internet. The biggest discounts are going to be found on the internet, and you will often find that some websites provide itemized information about the hotels and other amenities of the bundles you are being offered.

Airfares will commonly be higher on holidays and weekend because airfare rates are attain on demand. The mass of adults in the world today are not available to travel during the week, so holidays and weekends are the busiest times for flying. You might be able to find discount airfares when you are able to travel during the week, and even more so when you are able to also travel in the morning or core of the workday. Being as promise as possible will allow you to find additional options for getting the low cost airfare that you are looking for.

Visit Get Discount Airfares for more helpful information and resources.

Staying on budget – package vs. independent travel

When traveling on a budget, one of the most often questions is whether it is best to travel independently, making your own airfare, hotel and sightseeing reservations, or choose a package tour where everything is set up for you in advance.

There is unfortunately no easy answer to this question, as it is largely dependent on the location and the specific deals that are available. For instance, travel to European destinations are often less costly to book on your own, especially when the airlines are running specials of European airfares in the off season.

On the other hand, travel to many exotic locations, like Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand and India, are often much less costly when booked through a package company or travel agent. That is because these tour operators often have special deals with the national airlines of these companies, and with very nice resort hotels, to provide considerable discounts in exchange for a steady flow of business.

For instance, last year I traveled solo to Egypt from New York for a grand total of $1,100, including airfare, an excellent hotel, daily breakfast, airport transfers, and daily sightseeing tours, including guided tours of the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. This is far less than I could have booked on my own, since airfare alone would have run me over $700. The key to this great deal was the relationship of the tour operator with Egyptair and the hotel at which we stayed.

Similar deals exist for other locations, notably India, China and Taiwan. So be sure to check on the availability of these package deals when shopping for a budget travel deal.

Of course, some great deals can be had on your own as well, and this is often a great way to go, especially if you are a solo traveler. Solo travelers often have difficulty getting those great deals on package deals, since the required single supplement can often ruin the deal.

It is also important to find out exactly what is, and what is not included, in any package you are considering. Many package deals have optional excursions built in, and these extras can add considerable cost. Be sure to ask for a detailed daily itinerary to determine if you will be left on your own if you fail to take these optionals. Also ask for a detailed list of these optional excursions, including full descriptions and prices, then carefully compare the total price to what you could find on your own.

If you are traveling on your own, be sure to start shopping early, especially if you are traveling by air. The important thing to remember is that airlines allocate only so many seats for those advertised low fares, and if you fail to act quickly you may be out of luck. It is important to book the airfare, and the hotel, as early as possible to ensure the lowest possible prices.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to choose a package deal or independent travel is up to each individual travelers. It is important to carefully compare package prices with those for independent travel to the same location. It is also important to take your own personal travel style into account. Some people are more comfortable with a packaged tour, particularly to an unfamiliar location, while others relish the freedom from schedules that independent travel provides.

Getting the best deal on airfare

There is no doubt that airfare is one of the biggest expenses of any vacation. Airfare costs can easily represent at leas half of the total cost of a vacation, and if you do not get the best possible deal on airfare it is easy to go over budget. There are some important strategies for getting the best deal on airfares, and this article discusses some of our favorites.

One of the things I have learned over the years is that it is almost always less expensive to fly out of the larger airports than the smaller regional ones. While this is not always the case, and it is not true of every small airport, most larger airports have far more airlines competing for passengers. As we know, more competition generally equals lower prices for passengers.

Many of the larger airports are also home to the low cost carriers that have been such a phenomenon in the industry. While Southwest, Jet Blue and some of the other low cost carriers serve smaller airports, many are left out. The great thing about the incursion of these low cost carriers is that they drive down the prices of the major airlines as well. So, even if you don’t like the open seating, peanuts only policy of a low cost carrier like Southwest, chances are you can still score a good deal at an airport they serve, even on one of the old line air carriers.

Of course the problem with flying out of major airports is getting there. Many people are in the same situation I am. That is, they have a small, regional airport nearby, with a couple of major airports a few hours drive away. What I do every time I need to fly is compare the cost of flying out of my close regional airport to the price I can get if I fly out of a major city. While I have been able to score some excellent deals from my regional airport, in most cases the difference in fare has been at least $200.

I then must weigh the costs of that cheaper ticket against the convenience of local flying. Usually it makes sense to head to the large airport, particularly if I am buying more than one ticket. At a $200 price differential, it is easy to see how much money can be saved for a family traveling together.

One great trick that too few people take advantage of is booking an airport hotel for the night before your flight. This is especially valuable for those early morning flights and saves you having to get up in the middle of the night and hit the highway. Instead, head down the night before, get a good night’s sleep and take the airport’s shuttle right to the airport door.

The extra added bonus of this approach is that in most cases these airport hotels allow their guests to leave their cars at the hotel for the duration of the vacation. In many cases this service is free with the hotel stay, and even in cases where there is a few involved it is usually much lower than comparable parking at the airport. So instead of paying $10, $15 or even $20 a day to park at the airport, you have a safe, well lighted place for your car during the trip, plus a comfortable place to spend the night. I honestly don’t know why more people don’t take advantage of this great way to save big bucks on both airfare and parking costs.

Introduction to budget travel

The world of budget travel is one of the most exciting and interesting, and in today’s world traveling on a budget is becoming more and more of a necessity. Keeping costs low while traveling is important, whether you are a solo traveler seeing the world for the first time or a family with a carload full of kids heading for the beach or the theme park.

When it comes to coming up with a travel budget, the first step should be to decide what is important to you and where you can cut back a bit. For instance, some travelers are comfortable spending a bit more for a better class of hotel, while others prefer to save money by using budget accommodations and spend the money they saved on sightseeing or a special meal for the family.

As with other aspects of finance, it is a good idea to create a travel budget. Determine a budget for the various aspects of your vacation, such as hotel, airfare, rental cars, sightseeing, gasoline, etc. Once you have a good idea of what each element of the vacation should cost, it is time to start shopping around for the best deals.

Once you have determined what is most important to you, it is time to start determining how to get the best deals. Often, admission deals on area attractions are the easiest to come by, since many theme parks, museums and other destinations run specials to attract out of town guests.

To score big discounts on area attractions, the best place to start is the web site of the attraction itself. Be sure to check the web site for any specials, such as two for one deals, free admission for children, special reduced admission days, etc.

If you are a member of the military, a senior citizen or a member of an organization such as AAA, there are often additional discounts available. Most AAA offices sell discount admission tickets to theme parks, museums and other popular attractions within driving distance, and most AAA offices sell discounted admissions to popular attractions like Walt Disney World as well. The key to making your travel budget stretch farther is to ask about, and take advantage of, all discounts that may be available.

If you are driving to your destination, one great way to make your travel budget go further is to make sure your car is in tip top shape before embarking on your trip. Small details, such as under-inflated tires or worn spark plugs can really eat into your gas mileage and end up costing you a bundle, especially on a long road trip.

A good map can also be a money saver, since it will keep you from driving around in circles and wasting gas. Finding your way easily to and from the hotel and the surrounding area will make your vacation more pleasant and less costly.

No matter how you save money on your next vacation, having a budget and sticking to it will help you enjoy your vacation more, and worry less about paying for it.

Buying a kauai condo

A good place to start when buying your kauai vacation rental condo is a visit to as many of the kauai condo rental agents as possible. You can simply drive or stroll through whispering palm groves rolling hills and quaint villages. It has everything you'll need for a comfortable stay. Keep in mind that the quality kauai activities often book in advance. When you feel ready an ancient path will take you on a short five-minute walk to the secluded beach. You may buy your underwater camera when you arrive at your destination as well as getting the film.

Renting a car in kauai is to always keep your seatbelt fastened no matter where you are seated in the car. There are no secrets to enjoying your stay on the island. You can simply relax under the shade of a palm tree and watch the catamarans sail by. Looking for paradise hale makai beach cottages. Looking for hawaii vacation rentals hawaii condos hawaii beach rentals and hawaii condo rentals. Stay in hawaii' - a private oasis adjacent to popular waialua bay.

Renting a car in kauai is extremely affordable especially when compared to the rest of the country. There are ways to limit risk and financial exposure. Buying your airfare and staying in a local inn, which would be my preference but not everyone's. When you switch from hotels to vacation rental homes condos or villas hawaii is more real. For such rentals and or signs the check-in form shall be fully responsible for any use of the facilities.

Consider this part of kauai's north shore to be the most magical part of the island. Its lush tropical rainforest desolate moonscapes and more than 40 spectacular beaches. Water activities and snorkeling is one of the most popular. They are very active in agriculture on kauai with a growing 4000-acre hardwood timber tree farm underway. With its soft golden sand and warm clear water has been called the perfect meeting of mountain and ocean.

You can enjoy a uniquely designed and decorated home along with the personal touches you expect. Resort in princeville one and two bedroom condos in spectacular princeville. Keep in mind when looking into vacation homes is how much room will be needed. They are very comfortable and feel just like sleeping on a mattress. You can simply sit on one of the warm beaches and let the tropical trade winds and ocean waves lull you to sleep.

Be sure to visit Kauai Vacation Rental Homes for more information and helpful resources.

Affordable car rentals in kauai

Kauai vacation rental cars are extremely affordable when compared to the rest of the country. If you are a vacation rental owner and are not satisfied with the snapshots of your proterty, panaviz can help. Renting a motorcycle or jeep can let you experience kauai up close and personal. Stay in touch with a full operation high-speed dell computer with wireless capability.

Staying in a hotel at the island of kauai allows you to rent a kauai vacation rental directly from the owner. After such an enjoyable and comfortable stay, you'll tell sotries for years. Know that it can be 80 degrees along the coast but 60 degrees in the mountains. This is an important factor to keep in mind for the future. When you are planning your kauai hawaii vacation it would do you good to consider everything.

You can simply walk to see the entire city highlights, monuments and museums. With its top ranking golf courses, tennis facilities, exquisite shopping, and large amount of beaches, kauai is a paradise. Multiple water activities including swimming, surfing, kayaking, deep-sea fishing, windsurfing, sailing, or just plain sunning will keep you busy. You can enjoy the peace and tranquility of kauai in a natural setting, as there is a wide variety of old trees, such as oak pines and cypress in the park. Kauai is a secret garden of tropical delight. Permits for camping can be applied before your trip to and kauai vacation rental.

Its lush tropical landscaping and beautiful ocean views will leave you breathless. Kauai is a garden island -- a place of enchanting beauty and tropical gardens. Kauai is renowed for its golf luaus and spirit of aloha. You can enjoy gorgeous sunrises and sunsets walking the un-crowded beach or just by sitting at the pool, since there are only two major resorts on this island. Sit on one of the warm beaches and let the tropical trade winds and ocean waves lull you to sleep. Take advantage of the high-speed dsl internet connection the office is equipped with.

There are no convenience stores to be found anywhere outside of the tiny lanai city. Renting a convertible is very popular, although you might not be able to get everywhere using it. As you move towards the beach, you won't be able to help but be taken in by the floral display. Kauai is the perfect place to escape the bustle of the more developed islands of hawaii.

Be sure to visit Kauai Vacation Rental Homes for more information and helpful resources.

Virtual Car Rental: Reservations Online

There are numerous car rental venues on the Internet. You can check out the individual car rental companies' websites one at a time, or you can use a clearing-house-type of website to find the cheapest car rental available. Whichever on-line car rental avenue you decide to take, you will undoubtedly end up finding a great deal on a cheap rental car.

Making on-line car rental reservations are easy. Normally, a renting reservation website will ask you for the city or airport from which you will be renting, the type of car rental you want (i.e. compact, mid-size, standard, full-size, minivan), the dates you'll be renting, and the time you will pick up the car rental. You also need to know the car rental drop off location, date and time. Make sure to keep in mind the time you will need to be at the airport to catch a flight, usually about two hours before the scheduled departure time.

The renting reservation web site will probably also ask you a few questions about the name of the person who will be driving the car, and possibly the age and gender of the driver. You may also have to choose whether or not you want to purchase insurance on the car, in case you are in an accident during the car rental period.

In addition to ease of making a car rental reservation on line, the Internet offers many easy-to-find rental discounts. Some web sites allow the person wishing to rent a car to compare prices of specific brand-name car rental companies. Some claim to offer the "best price guarantee." And some even let the renter "enter your own price!" They all claim to offer the best possible prices, so it can be assumed that no matter which Internet site you use, you will be happy with the price you are offered for your car rental.

Renting a car on-line is easy, fast and cheap. With a just few clicks of the mouse, you instantly know the price of the cheapest car rental available. You are also automatically made aware (on most web-sites) of renting discounts, specials, free days, and free upgrades. In other words, you won't have to spend a lot of time researching where to get the best deal, promotion, or coupon. In most cases specials will automatically pop up on your screen.

When you rent a car, they'll ask you to enter your credit card number in order to complete your reservation. Once the sale goes through, you will be sent, usually via e-mail, a car rental confirmation, which is what you will use to obtain your car on the day in which it was reserved.

Most, if not all, top car rental companies participate in car rental comparison sites. So using a well-known car rental/reservation site pretty much guarantees a hassle-free experience, both when making the reservation, and when picking up the car at your destination. Using well-known companies means fewer problems with car pick-up, drop-off, and condition of the car.

Be sure to visit Tips About Car Rental for more information and helpful resources.

Your Own Insurance and Loss Damage Waivers

You can save yourself a lot of hassle in your car rental experience by doing three things. First: check your own car insurance policy to see what coverage carries over to rental cars. Second: see if the credit card you are using offers any coverage for renting. And finally: check the options the car rental agency offers in its own policies.

The person you are renting your car from will only know their own car rental agency's policies. It's your responsibility to come to the counter already educated. Insurance studies show about 20% of people renting a car opt for the coverage every time. Another 19% buy on occasion. And the experts add that most of those people don't really need it.

If you own a car and have a premium credit card, you may already have enough coverage on your rental car long before you even think of renting.

Your personal policy generally includes coverage for accidents, called collision, and coverage against theft, vandalism, animal damages or fires, called comprehensive coverage.

If that's the case, your car rental should also be covered. Because each insurance policy is different, it's best to consult your agent just to clarify what you might expect in terms of car rental coverage.

Many credit cards also cover collision and comprehensive claims for any car rental charged through them. But these policies also vary greatly, and some limit rental car coverage to their premium customers.

Each card has its own exclusions, payment limits and other restrictions. So again, it's a matter of checking with the company to find out where car rentals fall in your contract. You can get that answer by dialing the 800-number on the back of your card.

Another point you should remember, however, is that both your personal policy and the card may have restrictions on deductibles. That's why it's important to also know the details of what's available through the car rental agency itself before renting.

Policy costs generally range between $7 to $25 a day, depending on the car rental company, the coverage and the type of car you're renting. The contracts typically offer four types of coverage:

* Supplemental Liability Insurance provides you with coverage for damage to property and injuries you may cause to others while in the rental car.

*Personal accident insurance covers the medical bills for passengers of your rental car and yourself in the event of an accident. That includes accidental death. Careful, car rental companies have firm caps on the coverage. Be sure to call your regular car insurance company, as your insurance policy may already provide coverage for you when driving a rental car.

*Personal effects coverage pays for items stolen from your car. (It's often combined with personal accident insurance.)

*Collision damage waivers. While not really insurance, it generally means you won't be held financially responsible is your rental car is stolen or damaged. The one advantage this has is that it may protect you if your regular insurance disputes a "loss of use" claim by the car rental company since they are unable rent your vehicle while it's being repaired. This is the one where a lack of coverage can really get you. Imagine having to cover the full retail cost of renting that car every day it is out of use. Yikes!

For each insurance option offered by the car rental agency, you will likely have coverage through either your own car insurance policy or credit card, or both. The key is to educate yourself to what your limits are well before the rental car attendant hands you the keys to your vehicle.

Be sure to visit Tips About Car Rental for more information and helpful resources.

Car Rental Options: Budget Car Rental Versus National Car Rental

Before you start your car rental company search, it is important to determine which type of vehicle you will need. The vehicle selection will likely depend on the rental company in question. The majority of all quality rental companies, including Budget Car Rental and National Car Rental, will have a number of different vehicle makes and models.

It is not uncommon for a car rental office to have many vehicle rentals available. They may include compact cars, midsize cars, full size cars, trucks, vans, minivans, SUVs, convertibles, and luxury vehicles made by different manufacturers.

If you are in need of a rental car for a business meeting, you may want to consider renting a luxury vehicle. For a family vacation with multiple kids, a full size car or minivan is often recommended. However, for that "my car is in the shop for two days" problem, the low budget compact car may do just fine.

Although most nationally known car rental locations are somewhat similar, there are a number of items that set one part from the other. National Car Rental is literally known all around the country and in other parts of the world.

National currently has over three thousand car rental locations in the United States and other vacation hot spots. Should you end up traveling out of the country to visit Canada, Australia, Africa, the Caribbean, or Europe, it is likely that you will come across a National Car Rental location.

National Car Rental knows how to handle both occasional travelers and frequent travelers. To offer rewards to returning customers, National Car Rental has what is called an Emerald Club. If you are a frequent traveler who rents vehicles, it may be a good idea to further research the Emerald Club or speak to a rental associate.

The Emerald Club works by allowing frequent vehicle renters to bypass much of the time-consuming wait lines and paperwork. At certain times throughout the year Emerald Club members may be offered a number of travel discounts.

As with National Car Rental, Budget Car Rental works to connect their clients with a temporary vehicle when on a trip or even at home. With over one thousand nine hundred rental centers all around the world, Budget Car Rental is one of the most popular car rental locations currently operating. In addition to a wide selection of traditional vehicles, Budget Car Rental offers clients the ability to rent a moving van. They are one of the few rental locations in the business that takes this approach.

Budget Car Rental also offers additional rewards and benefits to their customers. If you are a frequent traveler you can learn more about and even enroll in multiple frequent traveler programs though Budget's company website.

Budget's RapidRez program allows members to skip the long wait lines and pick up their rental car faster. The Fastbreak program is an additional add-on to the RapidRez program. It allows travelers to store their preferences of vehicle and travel for easy reservations and vehicle pickups.

Be sure to visit Tips About Car Rental for more information.

Use discount airfares to see the world

People love to traveling around the world and would do it a lot more often if it was affordable. Actually the hotels are not the bad part of a trip across the ocean, the major expense is the airline tickets. Many people spend more time finding discount airfares than they do choosing all of the rest of the details of their holiday. The airline industry has always inflated their prices for some reason or other but the bottom line is that it is possible to get cheaper tickets than the website would publicize or the travel agent will tell you about. The airlines are able to proffer deals to you but you have to go through the correct steps to find them. The world wide web is the best place to find discount airfares and low mayhap airline tickets. In reality the guaranteed best place to go is to the places that will show you the cost of cheap last minute airline tickets. How might they cause this' well the idea is common. The flight that the airline is taking will cost them a sure amount of money whether it is full or empty so the more passengers they have the more they can reduce the cost. If the flight is upcoming and there are a lot of empty seats the airline will offer cheap airline ticket deals to last minute customers in an attempt to regain some of their potential loss. If they sell a discount or low cost airline ticket it is more desirable than no sale at all.

The key is to keep your eyes open and go on searching until you find what you are looking for on the last minute deal sites. One word of advice is that you should book your flight with the airline directly once you know what the last minute deals are and get them to give the price to you instead of going through one of these perhaps fly by night websites. Use the website for the info they can show you and nothing more as the airline can usually be trusted more than some other internet sites.

In my opinion, paying announced cost for an airline ticket is as bad as paying sticker price for a car, you should not do it. If you look you will find the inexpensive and low cost, and oft last minute discount airfares. Best of luck in your searches.

Be sure to visit Get Discount Airfares for more information and helpful resources.

Cheap Airfare at the Last Minute Works!

You may have heard this story: A young couple about to be wed awaits the arrival of all of their guests. A worried mother-in-law phones the groom's best man asking, "Where are you?!" The guest in question, three states away, confidently answers, "I'm waiting for a last minute cheap airfare, ma!"

Last minute deals for cheap airfare are offered literally at the last minute. They're made to fill empty seats, hotel rooms, car rentals (or entire travel packages). But finding them is a little tricky.

The guy above took a great risk by waiting until the day of his best friend's wedding. This certainly isn't the way to secure a cheap airfare when you need it. Instead, fish out what's being offered on the 'Net at more than one airline and be very flexible with your existing plans.

You may want to search the Internet for cheap airfare offered for your date and time of departure (and/or arrival) first. Then, see if you can readjust your schedule in order to come up with some even better deals scheduled at dates and times outside of your plans. The best cheap airfare available may be at the time that you need it. If so, it's not necessary to adjust your schedule to the flight.

By booking your airline tickets at an odd hour of the day or having to change planes, you should see a difference of hundreds of dollars in the cost of a single pair. Your cheap airfare reduces an original cost of $1,000 to a mere $200. That's a tremendous savings.

You may be able to find more just like it by perusing the websites of various airlines. To fill seats, an airline announces last-minute deals by email to those who've signed up for this information. If you're a member of a frequent flyer program, you could discover a cheap airfare deal right in your email inbox when you need it! Sign up for whatever alert services or newsletters are available at the websites of various airlines near you.

Another way to find cheap airfare at the last minute is to seek out the service of a discount airfare consolidator. Consolidators buy airline tickets in bulk at volume prices. You can easily get an ticket from one at a cost significantly lower than if you bought a ticket or attempted to get some kind of discounted airfare directly from an airline.

If you're in school, you can find options that cater to your status as a student. Many organizations offer last minute cheap airfare deals to students between the ages of 18 - 20. Organizations may differ in their age requirements or who they qualify as a students.

Sometimes, the order in which you accomplish things makes them easier to do. Smart planning means deciding how best to use your energy, time, and money. Using the Internet to plan early and make off with the best cheap airfare you can get at the last minute maximizes savings all around.

Be sure to visit Cheap Airfare Tips for more information and helpful resources.

Hunting For A Cheap Flight

For the beginner flyer, travel agencies may the best first step towards finding cheap airfare. However the experienced traveler may feel quite comfortable with finding a good deal independently through a travel search engine on the Internet.

There are several of these types of websites online. In essence, they attempt to consolidate all sorts of travel information (including cheap airfare, promotional deals, etc.). They combine content from national and international agencies and airlines into one easy searchable interface. With a travel search engine, you're presented with almost every conceivable travel opportunity in existence - including opportunities to find cheap airfare faster than ever before.

How do travel search engines consolidate this information?
Well, techno-babble aside, these websites essentially pull in data from other sites (and other travel search engines, too). Then, they store them into an easy to access database. That means that the experienced cheap airfare hunter can effortlessly find things like specific airlines, car rentals, or hotels.

Unlike travel agencies, these travel search engines don't cost anything to use. They're absolutely free because you're not buying anything from them. You're only *looking* for things. You won't be able to buy airline tickets or reserve car rental or hotel rooms from a website like this. But you will be able to make purchases from the resources presented, and that includes cheap airfare.

For example, you may search for cheap airfare deals from hundreds upon hundreds of travel sites and, perhaps more important, the actual costs and flight schedules of airplanes worldwide. You can also locate thousands of hotel accommodations and car rental from a single search effort. You essentially have at your hands a set of tools to completely plan your entire trip!

What makes these websites truly valuable is their unbiased perspective. Travel agencies, of course, tend to promote a specific plan or deal based on a relationship that they have with whoever is offering that plan or deal. Travel search engines, on the other hand, have no relationship with anyone, so what you're presented with comes with no strings attached whatsoever.

The cheap airfare deals that you find through these kinds of websites are completely objective and extremely convenient to the experienced traveler. There's nothing more aggravating than learning about a better cheap airfare deal after you've already made a financial commitment to a previous arrangement.

Using a travel search engine - you no longer need to worry about that because you're literally presented with every cheap airfare deal out there. And these are deals that are instantly updated the moment that they change. It your ultimate comparison shopping tool!

Now, depending upon the travel search engine that you use, you can further tailor your cheap airfare hunt by doing simple things like learning how to filter your search results to your specific needs. You could sign up for a newsletter, review customer comments (such as testimonials or service reviews), and more. Most of the time you can find the essential information that you're looking for, and that's cheap airfare!

Be sure to visit Cheap Airfare Tips for more information and helpful resources.

Major Cruise Lines Sail the High Seas

If you want to take your vacation on a really large ship, you have the option of sailing with any of the four major cruise lines. The biggest players are Princess Alaska Cruises, Carnival's Holland America Line, the Norwegian Cruise Line, and Celebrity Cruises by Royal Caribbean. 85% of all cruises worldwide are taken with the parent companies of these lines.

Advantages of the Major Cruise Lines
Not Johnny-come-latelies, the majors have been the leaders in the cruise industry for many years. They have vast experience in creating fun vacations for travelers and the resources provide the highest level of entertainment. All of them have the financial backing to partner with the best off-ship tours and excursions. Their casinos, full gyms, shows and activities guarantee that you'll never be bored while on this vacation.

Furthermore, these companies place the enormous ships at your disposal. With thousands of other people on board, you are sure to meet new friends who share your interests. On the other hand, bringing along friends to share the experience always makes something new more fun.

Differences between Cruise Lines
Each has subtle differences that set it apart from its competitors. One line might specialize in exciting entertainment, while another would be a great cruise for couples or for kids. Selecting a cruise line that focuses the aspects of a cruise that interest you the most can help you to get the most out of your vacation. Here are some examples.

Princess Cruises: Princess Cruises became famous when one of their ships was used as the setting for the hit TV show, The Love Boat. Today, Princess Cruise ships are known for their gala champagne waterfalls on the first night under sail, the intimate feeling they create despite the ships' enormous size, their well-ventilated public areas, and the abundance of balcony rooms at affordable prices on board. Princess Cruises are also an excellent choice for disabled travelers, because of their dedication to accessibility.

Carnival's Holland America Line: Holland America is one of the oldest cruise lines in the world, and has maintained its excellent reputation since its inception in 1873. It is now a part of Carnival Cruises, and is famous for its modern ships, free on-board movies, activities for children, and elegant touches.

Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian Cruises are known for their family-friendly atmosphere, offering connected cabins to groups traveling together. Norwegian also offers a more relaxed and laid-back vacation than many other cruise lines. Surprisingly, it is a good choice if you crave high-energy onboard entertainment, with a variety of competitive sports and fitness centers available.

Celebrity Cruises: Celebrity Cruises made a name for themselves by providing the highest quality of service at reasonable rates. Their ships cater to an older, more sedate crowd. Instead of Las Vegas-style entertainment, Celebrity Cruises offers education and enrichment courses. Their fitness centers tend to be tranquil rather than competitive. The food is some of the best on the seas, and fresh pizza can be delivered hot to your cabin even late at night.

Peruse the offering by all of these major cruise lines to find what will become the perfect vacation. Carefree and relaxed, exciting and challenging or just "a piece of quiet," any these can characterize your trip when you heed the call of "All Aboard."

Be sure to visit Perfect Vacation Cruise for more information and helpful resources.

Using Ratings to Pick your Ideal Cruise

Nothing is worse than shelling out good money for a cruise of a lifetime, and then finding out that the trip doesn't meet your expectations. Perhaps the food isn't up to par, on-board activities are lacking, or the service is slow and sloppy. By checking out the cruise ratings of your ship before you made your reservations, you could have avoided any trouble.

What are Cruise Ratings?
Ratings are generally compiled by professional cruise critics or by tourists who have completed their trip and want to share their experiences. While anyone can have a bad experience for reasons that are out of the control of the cruise line, compiling a large number of ratings can give potential travelers a good idea of the average enjoyment level that other people have had. It helps them anticipate the kind of experience that they will have on board the ship.

Many websites and guidebooks that offer ratings also include in-depth reports so that readers can get an idea of why the cruise received the score that it did. This also helps to determine whether a negative experience was a one-time event (for example, if stormy weather caused a vacationer to have a bad time on their trip) or more endemic of that particular cruise line.

What do Cruise Ratings Cover?
While some cruise ratings give you only a general score for the ship, others break down the experiences into specific categories. Some examples of categories include dining, entertainment, cleanliness, service, value, and stateroom quality.

The rating categories can be helpful if there are some areas that are particularly important to you. Perhaps you are willing to accept low-level entertainment if the value is right. Or maybe on-board activities are something that really interest you, and you are not willing to settle on that point. Think about what you want, see what your options are and then check the ratings.

What are the Characteristics of Good Cruise Ratings?
If you want to find good, unbiased ratings to help you plan your next vacation, here are a few things to look for:
* A large number of ratings - The more ratings that are offered, the more likely it is that the reviews will accurately reflect the quality of the cruise ships. If only a few ratings are available, the score might be influenced by someone with an axe to grind with that cruise line, or by someone who had an unusually good experience on an otherwise average ship.
* Unbiased reporting - Some ratings edit reviews or cut out bad scores altogether. The best way to get a real idea of what your potential cruise will be like is if people are allowed to state their objective opinions without censorship.
* Good Breakdown of Reviews - You need to consider many factors when planning a cruise, including the cruise line, the ship, and the route you want to take. Cruise reviews that cover each of these sections help you to find the information you need more easily.

Be sure to visit Perfect Vacation Cruise for more information and helpful resources.

Getting the Most Out of Your Alaska Cruise With an Added-on Tour

Adding an Alaska land tour to the beginning or end of your cruise not only extends your vacation time, but it can also be a pleasant way to travel to your departure point. For example, many people fly into Anchorage or Fairbanks for their Alaska cruise, but the port of departure may actually be in Seward or Whittier. Taking a land tour to cover the distance between the port of departure and the airport allows you to drink in the sights and the culture, instead of simply traveling there as quickly as possible.

What Can I Experience on an Added On Tour?
If you are already booked for an Alaska cruise, you might be wondering what you'd gain from extending your stay with a land tour. Some ideas include:

--Regional Cuisine - Alaska is famous for its local Pacific Northwest Cuisine, which is known for using only the freshest ingredients. Salmon, cod, and halibut, scallops and lobster, wild mushrooms, berries of all sorts, and farmer's cheese are just a few of the local delicacies that you can experience. Fine restaurants vie with more humble waterside eateries for the best in seafood cuisine.

--Alaskan Living - No trip to Alaska would be complete without a taste of what it is like to live in the North. On a add-on cruise excursion, you can experience the cities of Alaska, enjoy cultural museums and gold mine tours, and take historic city tours. You may have the opportunity at fairs or festivals to meet those who have made their family home there for generations. Others are hardy entrepreneurs just starting out in the north.

--Parks and Wildlife - Alaska is the home of some of the most ruggedly beautiful landscape in the United States. Impossible from the cruise ship, you visit America's highest mountain, Mount McKinley. Enjoy the breathtaking fjords in Kenai Fjords National Park. You can also experience a wide range of wildlife, from moose to wolves, and from mountain goats to bear sightings, on your tour before or after your Alaska cruise.

--A Taste of Adventure - From fishing to whitewater rafting, Alaska offers a huge variety of outdoor activities and adventures. 300-pound halibut can be fished from Alaska's rushing rivers, or you can enjoy the water from a kayak or raft. Hiking across a glacier, camping in the near 24 hour sun, panning for gold, or "flightseeing" in a helicopter are all possibilities.

How to Set Up Your Alaska Cruise Extension Tours
If you have decided to extend your Alaska cruise with a land tour, most cruise lines will be able to help you set up your vacation. Simply call the 800-number for the cruise line, or fill out an online form, to get your tour planned and in the works.

On the other hand, your travel agent will be happy to work with you to extend your Alaska cruise vacation with land tours. In fact, a knowledgable agent can help you ferret out the unusual and little traveled to enhance your memory of this trip of a lifetime.

Be sure to visit Perfect Vacation Cruise for more information and helpful resources.

Booking Your Hotel Room Online

Making hotel reservations over the Internet is fast and easy. A quick web search will turn up all sorts of options in virtually any city in the world. You can learn about reward programs offered by hotels, motels and resorts. You can also find out about special vacation packages and scheduled entertainment. The complete gamut of amenities can be planned ahead by seeking information from the hotel website before you ever make that first call.

Even though hotel reservations made over the Internet seem like the logical modern way to book rooms, there are some cautions. Like any other business that can be done over the world wide web, hotels, motels and other similar businesses have their share of scam artists advertising right alongside the reputable spots.

Another caution when booking travel arrangements is that often the technology used turns up options that sound good, but really don't exist. Yikes! you get there and no hotel (or no room)! Sometimes these hotel rates or services are deals that are outdated, or maybe they never existed. Maybe the booking company no longer serves the facility but still happily takes your money.

Some websites that offer information about online bookings, or through which you can actually book the hotel room, are Travelbyus.com, Travelocity.com, Orbitz.com and Hotels.com. A company that has been reported for ripping people off when making hotel bookings is Hotwire.com. Another, Hotel Discounts, has been reported to quote customers a good price, but then add a booking fee that raises the total to more than if the customer just went directly to the hotel.

Sometimes the agent that handles your online hotel room booking mistakes your wishes. For instance, they may quote you a rate based on double occupancy, and lead you to believe you can have up to four people in the room for the same rate. When you try to correct it, they have to cancel and rebook. If things are misunderstood and you don't get what you thought you were getting when making the reservations, there may be a huge cancellation fee. For instance, one report states that Travelocity charges 100% of the cost in the case of a cancellation.

A common scam when booking lodging online is to charge your credit card with a monthly "service" payment, sometimes even without you knowing it. These charges can be very hard to remove and have nothing to do with your hotel reservations. Be extremely cautious about any checked or unchecked boxes there may be on the online form you are filling out. An inadvertent check mark can cost you big time.

Of course, any time you do business online, make sure you are on a safe site when giving your credit card number. Look for the lock icon in the lower right hand corner of the web browser. A safer way to use these discount sites is to use them to get information about the facility. Then call directly. Chances are, they will honor the discount rate and not charge an extra fee.

Be sure to visit Information About Hotels for more infomation and helpful resources.

Las Vegas Hotels: Posh Comfort

Las Vegas hotels are some of the cushiest you'll find anywhere! For instance, the Four Seasons hotel features down pillows, cotton sheets, luxurious robes, and high quality furniture. One thing that makes this famous hotel different, however, is that the noise of the nightlife is kept out. Your stay can be as quiet as you desire, with forays into the fast-paced entertainment scene as infrequent or frequent as wanted.

The Four Seasons makes children welcome with toys and goodies, and offers the best service available anywhere. Included in your room rates are gym and spa facilities, pool cabanas, and much more. A fully equipped business center is available 24 hours a day. Babysitting, in-room massages, and dry-cleaning services are also options. Like other Las Vegas hotels, the hotel features two restaurants.

The Bellagio is another of the famous Las Vegas hotels. This luxurious spot is known for its gardens and shopping options. The restaurants offer gourmet food and the entertainment is unique and dramatic. Spa facilities offer a complete array of health treatments. Guest suites include his and her bathrooms. His has a steam shower and hers has a soaking whirlpool tub. Robes, slippers, and stocked bars are also included. Hotel room rates start at around $299 per night for two occupants.

The Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Another is yet another of the posh Las Vegas hotels. This is THE hotel according to their ads. Spa treatments are available in various packages. The 11-acre beach area includes cabanas and an outdoor island stage that has featured numerous stars. Wedding chapel packages are also an option at this resort.

The Ritz-Carlton may be the one of the Las Vegas hotels you don't want to miss. This five diamond hotel features a 36 hole champion golf course, world-class dining in a wide choice of indoor and outdoor spots, and a large spa and fitness center. For families, the Ritz-Carlton hotel offers a program called the "Ritz Kids." This program allows kids to be kept supervised and occupied by trained counselors while mom and dad rest, play or hang out at the spa.

A special option from this fine hotel is the Grand Canyon View Package. This experience starts at $935 a day, but includes a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon, along with a champagne picnic. Other packages are less expensive, such as the Vegas Family Vacation Package, which starts at $249 per room per night. With this package, the parents can enjoy the spa at half price, and the fourth night is free. Kids get breakfast and lunch free, too.

Finally, Guests at Las Vegas hotels who are not interested in the casinos might enjoy a stay at the Renaissance hotel. The spa and fitness centers are reported to be superb here at the largest non-gaming hotel in the city. This hotel is a Marriott facility, and earns Marriott rewards. Guest rooms are equipped with CD radios, high speed Internet, and refrigerator. The business center is fully equipped and opened 24 hours a day.

Las Vegas hotels pride themselves on the diversity of their entertainment as well as the gambling opportunities. Try to fly in at night to see their famous strip on hotels and casinos from the air and then closer up by cab. It will prepare you for the time of your life.

Be sure to visit Information About Hotels for more information.

Destination Hotels Provide Turnkey Vacations

Destination Hotels make it possible to plan the vacations you desire. For instance, you may want to stay near a championship golf course, or near the ski slopes. Or perhaps you long for a visit to a health spa when you dream of vacations. Any of these experiences and more can be found by booking a room at a Destination hotel.

It's easy to make reservations for vacations. Simply visit their website, which explains all sorts of locations and package details. First choose the experience you are mainly looking for, whether a place for a business conference, family fun, hanging out on the beach or a big city outing. You will be shown choices around the U.S. where you can find that particular experience.

Hotel and resort spots are not available everywhere in the U.S. though. If you have your heart set on, for instance, spa vacations in the Midwest, you'll have to go elsewhere. The same is true for hotels and vacations abroad. If the choice you desire is available, however, the planning and packaging has largely been done for you in advance.

Specific details, such as parking fees and whether or not breakfast is included in the room rates, can be found by contacting the individual hotel or resort. Phone numbers for each of the properties may be found at their websites. While you have someone on the line, you may want to get specific driving instructions.

Far from being a cookie cutter motel or hotel, Destination Hotels are most likely to be a one-of-a-kind spot for getting away from it all. Some were already in operation when acquired by Destination, but all were chosen or built specifically to offer a high quality travel experience.

There are other companies in the hospitality industry that manage multiple hotel and resort sites. One such company is ClubCorp., Inc., which is geared towards golf vacations, and operates over 170 hotels, country clubs, and golf courses. This company has its headquarters in Texas.

Of course, vacations at destination-style hotels are not for people on tight budgets. These hotel and resort choices are four-star sites, offering the best in amenities and features. However, by choosing a package deal, you can minimize the impact. For instance, a family vacation package at the Resort at Squaw Creek in Lake Tahoe, CA, provides a fireplace hotel suite for two adults and two children for $199 per night. Activities include skiing, snow shoeing, and dog sledding on spring break.

Other discounts on vacations at Destination Hotels include 10% off at the Nine Zero Hotel in Boston if you stay two nights. Another special deal offered is in the summer at Vail, CO. If you stay six or more nights, you can save 25% on your room rates.

The Pointe South Mountain Resort in Phoenix offers packages called "Girls' Night Out" and "Guys' Night Out." The Girls' includes spa treatments, margaritas with chips and salsa, and a chick flick. With four ladies per suite, the rates start at $619 per night. Guys get poker and golf at a similar rate.

Be sure to visit Information About Hotels for more information.