Travel Deals

It wasn’t long ago that you couldn’t pay people to vacation in the Dominican Republic. Some peaceful times, a few shots of half-clothed celebrities lounging on the beaches there and a plethora of new resorts that are out of this world have changed all of that. The DR is hot, hot, hot as they like to say in the travel industry.

Because it is hot, hot, hot, prices are going up, up, up. Sure you can still fly to the island and find a fleabag hotel that isn’t very expensive, but ... [read more]

With its location on Lake Michigan and nearly constant air movement you would think that Chicago deserves to be called the Windy City. But did you know that there are a number of cities in the United States that have a higher average wind speed than Chicago’s 10.4 miles per hours?

Casper, Wyo. (12.9 m.p.h.), Boston (12.5), Buffalo (12), Milwaukee (11.6), and Honolulu (11.4) are all windier. Incidentally, America’s windiest city is Blue Hill, Mass., with an average velocity of 15.4 m.p.h. Now you know why people in Blue Hill live in ... [read more]

We’re a little over a year away from the 2008 Summer Olympics and by all accounts things are full steam ahead in Beijing, China. You better start training if you have any hope to win the speed walking competition. The Summer Games, along with the booming Chinese economy, is helping to transform Beijing each and every day. Gone are the small little alleys and side streets that were unique to Beijing. In are new, modern buildings, an improved infrastructure and an increasing number of residents living a middle class ... [read more]

Some people are Francophiles and others are Anglophiles. What about people who are lovers of lovers? Are we philephiles?

Word musings aside, if you are an Anglophile or simply have a desire to visit the British Isles I have found the perfect cruise for you. Celebrity Cruises have sunk a lot of money into renovating the Century and they want to show it off in style. They are offering a nine-day cruise of the British Isles.

You might be thinking that the British Isles are small and that it would ... [read more]

It happens every year at this time. It starts out with me watching a cycling race from Europe. I watch the riders going through historic cities, climbing spectacular mountains and pedaling through quaint towns that look like they are straight off of a postcard. I start caring less and less for the race and more and more for the scenery. The next thing you know I am booking a flight to Europe. I need to kill my television.

This week’s race is from Paris to Nice, France. ... [read more]

Forget Mardi Gras. The best party in New Orleans is Jazz Fest. It offers all the thrills and wonders of the other big party without the debauchery and annoyingness. Plus it features the best jazz music in the world. What could be better than that?

Just looking at this year’s scheduled artists makes my mouth water. There are not only the finest jazz musicians in the world, but also some great rock, blues and country performers. All of this takes place with the city of New Orleans ... [read more]

If you have ever watched a football game in your life you know that Enterprise car rentals are the people who will come pick you up at your door. No matter how many brain cell destroying things I do over the course of a lifetime I will never forget those commercials. I guess that is what some call effective advertising. I call it cruel and unusual punishment.

The real question I have is whether the people who come and pick you up are as hot in real life as they are ... [read more]

I’ve always been a bit curious about the name of Norway’s capital. Oslo rolls off the tongue. It is short, sweet and simple. In other words, it is not like Burkina Faso’s capital. It is no Ouagadougou (try saying that ten times or at least correctly once).

According to Wikipedia, the name Oslo is the subject of much debate. There are some that believe it comes from the name of a large farm during the time of settlement. There are others that say it refers to the ... [read more]

I’ll admit to being a little more than skeptical before I went to Florence, Italy. Everyone I have ever talked to who has been there has said that it is a special city. A place that is loved by so many, I thought, must be teeming with tourists and therefore a city that I won’t enjoy in the least. I was wrong.

I wasn’t wrong about the tourist part. There are more fanny packs per capita in Florence than there are anywhere else in the world. Every third vehicle ... [read more]

Founded by Jesuit missionaries in 1697, Loreto was the first Spanish town on the Baja California Peninsula. With 10,000 residents, it is mainly a town centered around tourism these days. There is a reason why many visitors from the United States and elsewhere travel to Loreto. It is absolutely lovely.

Located on the Sea of Cortes and with the Sierra de la Giganta mountain range nearby, Loreto is an ideal setting for those looking to do some fishing, kayaking golfing, boating and good old fashioned lounging in the sun. ... [read more]

It is almost impossible to believe that at one time Sesame Street was viewed as being a terrible thing. Back when the show first started many parents and educators believed that it was the beginning of the end. They thought it would warp children’s minds and lead to a society full of walking zombies. How wrong they were. The show has helped to teach millions of children to read, count and to believe in a talking giant bird.

If your children are at an age where Sesame Street fills them with joy you might want ... [read more]

Elation [Noun] – an exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism; an absence of depression. A feeling of joy and pride.

If you were asked to close your eyes and to define the word “elation” chances are that you would have all kinds of images flash before you, but you still might have difficulty putting a definition into words. It is easy to remember times when you have felt elation but it is much more difficult to share what that elation feels like with others.

Travel is often a stimulus that triggers ... [read more]

You know that Easter is right around the corner when you start seeing Cadbury Creme Eggs in all of the food stores. For 11 months out of the year these tiny little innocent sugar bombs are stored in the back aisles somewhere near the little candy hearts people eat on Valentine’s Day and the Christmas-tree shaped marshmallow candy. These are all foods that have been designed to have a shelf life somewhere in the neighborhood of 7,000 years.

The return of the Cadbury Creme Eggs is a sure sign that spring is ... [read more]

For as long as I have been in the business of finding cheap cruise deals — seemingly an eternity — this one might be the one that offers the most value for the dollar. It is a 13-day cruise aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norweigan Crown. The voyage goes from Valparaiso, Chile to Miami, Florida via the Panama Canal. The cost for an inside cabin? A mere $600. That is how much you might pay for a quick cruise through the Panama Canal, not one of this length ... [read more]

For a place that has been called paradise on more than one occasion, Hawaii sure goes to a lot of effort to attract tourists. You would think that the incredible beaches, warm waters, stunning mountains and world-class resorts would do enough to sell the state on its own, but apparently people need even more of an incentive to visit.

Every week I seemingly come across deals on Hawaiian vacations. I have come to the conclusion that the only excuse you should ever have for paying full price for a trip to Hawaii ... [read more]

NASCAR is hot. At least that is what everyone keeps telling me. I don’t see the appeal, but I would never bash another sport. I get that enough from people who hate the sport I love, soccer. If you watch a NASCAR race you can’t help but notice a few things. There is advertising everywhere and there are people packed to the gills in the stands. That tells me the sport of left-turn driving is doing something right and that is all I need to know ... [read more]

A free night is a free night even if it means staying in a dump. The Hotel Carlton is far from a dump.

The 163-room Hotel Carlton is a lovely, historic hotel located in downtown San Francisco. Originally built in 1927 and completely renovated in 2004, the hotel is a relaxing, intimate haven located five blocks from Union Square. Guestrooms feature exotic and enchanting photographs of sights from around the globe, inviting you to virtually tour the world. Take a short two-block walk to the California Street cable car line and hop ... [read more]

Meaningful travel and volunteering abroad continue to grow in popularity so it comes as no surprise that the largest charitable organization in the United States is teaming up with one of the largest online travel companies to promote volunteering and volunteer travel.

From the press release:

CHICAGO**, IL and ALEXANDRIA,VA March 7, 2007* Volunteer during your next vacation! Some recharge their inner spirit by lying on a beach for a week; however travelers are learning that volunteering for a worthy cause is the best way to revive a weary soul.

CheapTickets.com (www.cheaptickets.com ), a leading discount online ... [read more]

Sometimes economics can make no sense. If you add up the costs of gasoline, food, ferry fees and a night or two at a hotel during a road trip from San Diego, California to Victoria, British Columbia, you likely would be very pleased if you could do it for $180 in a car.

That is the amount that Holland America is charging for a 3-night cruise aboard the Oosterdam. Instead of sitting behind the wheel of a car listening to bad AM talk radio and occasionally stopping to eat Doritos at ... [read more]

Think back to that time in the distant past where big cars were all the rage. You had to get your hands on an SUV, Hummers were treated with rose petals thrown on the streets and those wimpy little hybrids were simply used by granola eating Hollywood actors.

And then gas prices kept on going up. $2.00/gallon became a bargain when prices reached $3.00/gallon. Suddenly those wimpy little cars started to look more and more appealing and the big cars collected dust on the dealership lots. Rose petal covered streets ... [read more]

A Disney cruise is certainly not for everyone. If you are the type of person who is scared on adult sized rodents, if you want to stab out your ears when you hear ‘It’s a Small World’, or if you can’t stand to be around families who have children, some of which who might be loud and/or not very well behaved, you should probably look into a different cruise line.

If you do have kids, and I know your children are perfect angels, then a Disney cruise is one option that might be ... [read more]

The spring season is usually an excellent time to travel to Europe and this year it is proving to be no exception. In addition to not having to deal with the summer crowds that can make even the nicest place not so nice, traveling in the spring offers travelers and opportunity to save money on flights and accommodations.

Case in point is a deal being offered by British Airways for flights before May 27, 2007. If you book one of their reasonably priced flights to London and other destinations around the ... [read more]

Some people are fascinated by globes and maps. I am one of those people. Every time I am in a room that has a map or a globe my eyes immediately wander towards it. There is something about reading the names of unknown places and then imagining what they are like that gets my juices going.

The Caribbean is a geographic area that is particularly interesting to me. The little dots on the map hold untold mysteries and histories that are rich once they are learned. The best way ... [read more]

Throw away the planning calendar, don’t even think about consulting your Outlook schedule, and whatever you do don’t worry about packing a new outfit for each day of your trip. All of our lives are way too predictable and instead of being slaves to a regular schedule we should throuw off the chains of predictability for once and do something spontaneous.

Is there anything more spontaneous than telling your co-workers that you are taking a lunch break and then walking out the door to go on a quick last-minute vacation? Sure ... [read more]

What does a city that is defined by its waterways have in common with a city in the desert where water is piped in from hundreds of miles away? Absolutely nothing, but that is the essence of Las Vegas where things are so absurd that no one would ever question why there is a Venice hotel in the city.

As you likely know, The Venetian hotel has a reputation as being one of Las Vegas’ more upscale sleeping quarters. It hosts no less than 19 restaurants, it has the Guggenheim ... [read more]

Not that I would ever suggest that you should break the law (please people, stop jaywalking already!), but if hypothetically you were to break the law you should at least do so to benefit your travel plans. For example, you could again this is just hypothetical secure a fake ID for your children. No, I am not talking about one of those ones that will allow your 18-year-old to shotgun cheap beer in a college bar. Let him do this on his own. It is ... [read more]

We have Christopher Columbus to thank for the name Virgin Islands. The great explorer gave the Caribbean Islands their name on his second voyage to the New World in 1493, naming them for Saint Ursula and her virgin followers. It is a good thing she had those virgin followers. Calling a country the Slut Islands probably wouldn’t go over too well these days. Virginity is all the rage so the Virgin Islands are nicely positioned in the name department.

The Virgin Islands also happen to be nicely positioned if you ... [read more]

With a name like Conquest you can probably guess that this Carnival Cruise ship is slightly bigger and more intimidating than a puttering tugboat. The Conquest does indeed live up to its name. Weighing in at a cool 110,000 tons, the ship is one of the many Carnival mega cruise ships that are churning in seas throughout the world. Like its brethren, the Conquest offers affordable fun and can accommodate roughly the population of a small city 2,974 passengers and more than 1,500 crew members. ... [read more]

Are there two more disparate places that are always linked together than Reno and Tahoe? Reno is all about city life. More precisely, it is more about gambling and enjoying the wonderfully wacky world of casinos. You could literally spend an entire weekend in Reno without ever breathing anything other than smoke-filled hotel air.

Tahoe is the exact opposite. It is all about nature and about being outdoors. Lake Tahoe is one of the country’s true treasures, its blue waters unlike any other. The mountains in Tahoe are ... [read more]

Sometimes I wish I could have been born in a different era. I wish that I could have been one of the early explorers in North America. Imagine the thrill it must have been for Lewis and Clark to turn the corner of a river and to come across a piece of scenery or an animal previously unknown to the rest of the world. Imagine the feeling that Davey Edward Jackson must have felt when he first settled in the valley that bares his name, Jackson Hole.

To have first ... [read more]

If you are looking for a quick little getaway to a destination that offers great history, food and nightlife, than look no further than Boston. Beantown is one of America’s great cities and it is ideal for a four-day weekend escape. Take a tour of where the country’s founders once walked, sit back and enjoy the eclectic scene in Harvard Square, and visit some of the best restaurants on this planet.

If culture is your thing, the city has several ornate theatres, including the Cutler Majestic Theatre, Boston Opera House, The Wang ... [read more]

Here is an adventure for you. BootsnAll has designed an awesome 12-day summer trip to Turkey. Limited to just 12 people, this adventure tour has it all: horseback riding, rafting, trekking, cycling, and a 4-day cruise on an old world sailboat in the Mediterranean Sea, complete with swimming, snorkeling and seafood.

Beginning and ending in the one-of-a-kind city of Istanbul, the tour features a stop at the Goreme Open Air Museum, a UNESCO World Heritage site which has 1000-year-old cave churches decorated with frescoes. If you have never been ... [read more]

The one thing I have learned while captaining this travel deal blog is that the best deals are often the ones that are more unavailable. For example, you could probably fly from your home to Timbuktu right now for $100 if you could leave this very instant, your name begins and ends in the letter “p” and you don’t mind stopping in 27 places along the way. Is that you? Go ahead and pack your bags.

Good deals exist, they all too often just happen to be inconvenient and implausible, especially ... [read more]

Did you know that Miami is a Spring Break hot spot this year? Neither did I until I received no less than four emails from various travel companies proclaiming it as the place to be during those crazy weeks of beer funnels, bikinis, and debauchery. Sounds thrilling, right?

Even if the college party scene isn’t your cup of tea, Miami is still a killer place to visit. It has easy access to some wonderful beaches, it is the epicenter of Latin culture in the United States, the Cuban restaurants are simply ... [read more]

As Europe continues to come closer and closer together through the evolution of the European Union it is becoming more and more obvious that there are many unique cultures on the continent. The borders might be blurred but the traditions and the history is not. Holland is different than Germany and Germany is different than Poland and on and on.

These differences are one of the great things about traveling through Europe. There is certainly a European way of life on the continent but that way of life changes from country ... [read more]

Here’s a great deal if you are looking for an affordable Spring Break getaway or to add another stamp to your child’s passport. Alaskan Airlines is offering up a deal where kids ages 2-11 can fly for free to Vancouver, B.C. when you purchase a flight and hotel stay package. A free vacation for the kids! Sign me up!

The offer is only valid on flights from Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego and it requires a minimum 3-night stay at one of the hotels in Vancouver. ... [read more]

Contrary to popular belief you need more than a surfboard to get around when you visit Hawaii. Those sharks can be nasty and sometimes you want to get away from the beach and head inland a bit to explore the mountains and to see how hot those volcanoes can really get.

Enter United Airlines vacations. They have a deal on free car rentals in Hawaii that is good for the entire year. All you have to do is book a holiday through them and they’ll give you to keys to ... [read more]

Going on a cruise alone is about as fun as watching paint dry. You need someone else to come along to help make fun of the other passengers, to be your partner for the funky chicken dance contest and to oooh and ahhh when there is a spectacular sunset. You need someone to tell you not to hit the buffet line for the third time at dinner and someone who you can share the sights with while you are having the vacation of a lifetime.

Yes, a cruise partner is in order ... [read more]

If all the trees that have been felled in order for people to write about the beauty of Paris were still around I am convinced that we wouldn’t have global climate change. I am also convinced that people would still know about the beauty of Paris. All you have to do is go there once and you will discover her charms for yourself.

Deciding what to see and what to do while you are in the City of Lights can be a challenge. Even with the best guidebooks and an understanding ... [read more]

You don’t need to take mind altering drugs, attend a rave and have random strangers hugging you all night long to experience ecstasy these days. Put away your pacifiers and pack your suntan lotion. Ecstasy awaits you aboard Carnival Cruise Lines’ Ecstasy.

Part of Caribbean’s “fun cruises” (as opposed to their “not so fun cruises”???), the Ecstasy features 3-, 4- and 5-night cruises through the Gulf of Mexico that depart from Galveston, Texas. The cruises visit tried and true ports like Cozumel, Mexico and Progreso on the Yucatan.

As is often the ... [read more]

It is amazing what a little break away from home and work can do for the soul. Just when you are starting to feel like you have been punched in the gut by Mike Tyson only to have a piano fall from a third story window onto your back, a quick vacation can help you breathe normally again and it can help lift the weight of the world off of your shoulders.

As far as short little junkets go, this is a pretty tasty one. Priceline has a nifty deal on three-night ... [read more]

As someone who doesn’t own a car and who doesn’t fancy driving, I am always excited to get the keys to a rental car. Driving a rental car forces me to remember the rules of the road, it allows me to catch up on all of the horrible talk radio that I can’t listen to as I ride my bicycle and it serves as a useful place to deposit trash while on a road trip. You can’t get away with denting a rental car and you sure as heck better leave ... [read more]

The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world with almost half of the basin consisting of shallow intertidal waters. You might want to keep this in mind while you are cruising in its warm, blue waters or if you are ever in a bar and someone bets you a beer that you can’t name the ninth largest body of water in the world. Stranger things have happened.

Because of its size, the Gulf of Mexico offers up a variety of treats for cruisers. ... [read more]

It never ceases to be the case that some people are hard to buy gifts for and some people are not. When a birthday or holiday comes around you either know right away what you want to give someone or you pull your hair out coming up with the perfect gift. It can make holiday and birthday shopping more of a burden than a blessing.

For those who love travel you wouldn’t be on this site if you don’t Site 59 offers up a quick and easy way ... [read more]

The beautiful thing about being an armchair traveler is that I have the opportunity to see and learn about various parts of the world on a daily basis. If my interest is in China one day, I will track down information about the country and travel deals. If my interest is in Manitoba the next day I will do the same. By the end of the week I will have spanned the globe without ever leaving my computer chair. That is pretty cool.

And it sucks. Boy, does it ... [read more]

Even if you live on the West Coast of the United States it is a long way to China, Japan and Vietnam. Modern airplanes have cut the travel time but you’re still looking at a ten-hour plus flight. That is great if you enjoy breathing stale air at 50,000 feet while you are forced to watch a Will Farrell movie (I swear, every plane I have been on for the past three years has shown one), but if you are adverse to flying or don’t have a ton of vacation days ... [read more]

The first sign of spring for many of us in the United States is when we heat the crack of a baseball bat hitting a ball. There is something optimistic about the start of baseball’s spring training. The teams train in the sunny weather of Florida and Arizona, winter snowbird fans flock to see the players hit, catch and tug at their crotches, and every team holds out hope that this will be their year for World Series glory.

The one thing that sets baseball apart from the other major sports in ... [read more]

Why do you suppose that seven is a lucky number? It doesn’t look sexier than any of the other numbers, it doesn’t smell better than the other numbers and it certainly can’t tap dance better than the other numbers. Sure it has a soft drink named after it, but seven is nothing special in my mind. I’ve always been partial to the number four myself, but apparently there are many, many reasons why seven has become a lucky number in our culture. You learn something new every day ... [read more]

One of the best things about travel is that it can be appreciated by people of all ages. If you are a child you can marvel at being in a new city or while experiencing a culture for the first time. If you are a young adult you can often travel for cheap and meet other young adults who are keen on discovering all that this world has to offer. If you are an adult you can escape the everyday grind of life through travel and continue a lifetime of ... [read more]

Much like Las Vegas and other popular destinations around the world, you should never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever pay full price for a flight to London unless you have to go at the last minute and you can expense account it to your company. If that is the case, invite me along as your “business client”. I promise to keep you entertained during the flight over the Atlantic.

Prices on flights to London fluctuate throughout the year, but if you are a smart traveler, and I know for a ... [read more]

I’ll admit that I have always been a bit weirded out by the name Corpus Christi. Why a place in southern Texas would actively choose to call itself the Body of Christ in Latin is beyond me, but I guess the Spanish settlers who helped to found the place that it was appropriate at the time.

I’ll also admit that I have been surprised by how many deals I have seen recently on flights to and hotels in Corpus Christi, Texas. I am sure that it is a lovely place with ... [read more]

If you ask 100 people what they consider to be a travel adventure you’d probably get 100 different answers. For some it might mean scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro. For others it might mean rafting down a category five river. For others an adventure vacation would mean a trek through Nepal. And for others it might mean a trip to the beach with three screaming kids in the backseat and 22 cents in their pockets.

Adventure comes in all shapes and sizes and if you know where to look you can find ... [read more]

If you ever want to feel like an old curmudgeon, head to an amusement park. Between the $6 soft drinks, $30 stuffed animals and gazillion dollar admission prices amusement parks are a far cry from the affordable family fun that they used to be in the “good old days.”

The parks these days, however, can still be fun, you just need to learn how to play the system so that you only getting mildly fleeced instead of fully robbed. For example, if you spend a week in Orlando and you pay full ... [read more]

In my next lifetime I am going to be a seabird. I am going to spend my waking hours flying high above the warm ocean waters looking for food and enjoying the solitude. When I grow tired of one locale I will simply fly away to another. I will hop from one island to another, never growing bored and forever on the move. I will make up for all of the hours I spend in my current life sitting at a desk and interfacing with a computer. I ... [read more]

Here is a cool vacation idea for you. Fly to San Francisco and spend a couple of days exploring one of the United States’ most unique cities. After you tire of urban life, rent a car preferably a red convertible – and drive down the California coast along Highway 101. You’ll see some spectacular scenery, have the opportunity to feast on some excellent food, and enjoy the sunshine radiating off of the Pacific Ocean.

By the time you reach San Diego you’ll be ready for a change of pace. ... [read more]

Life would be much more enjoyable if we could all name our prices on items we buy. You could go down to your local Porsche dealer, for example, and buy that shiny red one for, oh, say, $3.00 paid out in 100 easy installments of three cents each. Or you could come to this Web site and decide that you would like to spend $1,000 to read each post. Or, well, I like that last idea a lot, but it isn’t going to happen. You have to pay at ... [read more]

When is Valentine’s Day again? Oh yeah, it was yesterday. Opps, looks like you screwed the pooch and forgot that it is mandatory to shower the one you love with caloric filled candies and flowers that will end up shriveled and in the garbage bin a week from now. How ever will you be able to keep the romance in your relationship alive now that February 14 has come and gone?

One way would be to give your significant other those little heart shaped candies with pithy sayings like “Be mine” ... [read more]

You might want to bring along some extra oxygen because Denali National Park in Alaska could very well take your breath away. The signature park of the Last Frontier, Denali is a sight to behold. It is a playground for animals like bears and caribou, while also serving as a playground for animals of a different sort, humans. It is the home of the tallest mountain in North America Mt. McKinley. It is 6.2 million acres of some of the most unspoiled and spectacular land on this ... [read more]

Perhaps you are like me and you have been in this position before. You are on an airplane that is hurtling through the sky at 50,000 feet. This plane ride is seemingly lasting forever. The woman next to you is drooling on your shoulder. The guy on the other side is intently punching numbers into a mind numbingly complex spreadsheet. The airplane is showing a lame movie that you have already seen a 1,000 times. You just finished your book and you don’t think you can read ... [read more]

Have you seen the movie Home Alone? Of course you have. It is mandatory viewing for anyone who has children. It teaches us all a very important lesson about what happens when you leave one of your kids at home while you go away on vacation. Nothing good can come out of it even if your child can make adorable faces while putting on aftershave lotion.

In fact, you will have a much better time if you take the rugrats along with you. They might not always be happy ... [read more]

Barbados has long been known for being a tropical paradise and the St. Peter parish is no exception. Located on the northern part of the island with easy access to the Platinum Coast, it is slowly growing into a vacation hotspot. With warm waters, beautiful beaches and world-class hotels, you can hardly blame folks for choosing to get a little rest and relaxation in St Peter.

Even with the influx of tourists, there are opportunities to experience nature as it should. The Barbados Wildlife Reserve is located in the parish. ... [read more]

Attention all aspiring musicians: If you want to make it big in this world you need to record a song about California, pronto. The Golden State has inspired many an artist in her day. Considering the state has close to 35 million residents and the largest population in the United States, it makes great financial sense to write up a few lyrics that at least include the word “California”.

So what is it about the state that has led so many people to sing about her? Besides being a place ... [read more]

If you are looking for a small, intimate cruise through the Mediterranean you probably aren’t the target audience for Carnival Cruise Lines’ newest ship, Carnival Freedom. Billed as a “mega” ship, the Freedom could comfortably fit the population of a small country 2,974 passengers in total. It features 1,487 cabins, a crew of 1,150 and weighs in at a cool 110,000 tons. Small it is not.

The ship makes its maiden voyage in 2007 so you have an opportunity to experience its girth before people start leaving their ... [read more]

This is an excellent time to be shopping for a cruise vacation. The winter holiday crunch is well behind us and the summer busy travel season is still far enough away that the cruise lines and dealers are more than eager to offer you a deal so that they can entice you to float on the ocean on their ships.

Priceline is one of those dealers that are bending over backwards to get you on board. Not literally, because bending the Internet is kind of impossible, but figuratively they sure are. ... [read more]

A trip to Quebec City, Canada will leave you feeling like you have left North America and have returned to a different continent and a different era. The city’s charming walled old town has narrow streets and stylish buildings that are a rarity in most of North America. This is a section of town that was not built with modern automobiles in mind and as a result it can be an absolute delight for pedestrians.

The European influence is felt throughout even the modern sections of the city as you are much ... [read more]

Dallas, Texas is a frequent destination for those who do business travel, but it also happens to be a place that some people choose to visit for pleasure. The “Big D”, as it is affectionately called by the residents who make it the ninth largest city in the United States, does things on a big scale. For example, the city has more restaurants per capita than New York City and Dallasites eat out about four times every week. That’s a whole lot of barbeque and Tex-Mex cuisine being consumed each ... [read more]

Compared to other types of vacations, cruises are usually very, very reasonable. It never ceases to amaze that you can travel on a cruise for as low as $50 per night and that price includes food you don’t have to cook and a bed that you don’t have to make. It makes you wonder if you could live cheaper permanently on a cruise than you do at home. Perhaps.

One of the hidden costs of a cruise is getting there. Unless you live near the port from which the ship ... [read more]

One of the hardest things about being a road warrior business traveler is leaving a loved one behind. Sometimes it feels like you’ve been on the road so many times that you can hardly even remember your significant other’s name. When in doubt just call him or her “sweetie”. It is universally accepted.

Another thing that is widely appreciated is taking your loved one with you on the road whether for business or for pleasure. Spending time on an airplane and in a hotel room can help you remember ... [read more]

Traveling as a family can bring a family closer together and forge lasting memories. Those memories can range from the awful spending 10 hours in a car while your brother kicks you in the backseat to the amazing, like spending time with your parents in another country.

Exposing children to the joys and challenges of travel at an early age will pave the path for a lifetime of travel enjoyment. The challenge is finding a vacation that is right for the whole family. A vacation where kids ... [read more]

Have you ever felt like you were dragging around an extra body on your back? Have you ever woken up in the morning and cursed your alarm clock for forcing you back into the conscious world? Have you ever spent a day sleepwalking through your job wishing you could be anywhere else in the world?

Of course you have. We all go through stretches where life takes us into the back alley and kicks us in the stomach. For some people this can be triggered by the seasons or the ... [read more]

Good gravy, Mexico City is a big place. The metropolitan area has a population of 19.2 million people. That is about 20 times the entire population of Montana being crammed into a 3,600 square mile valley. On top of all that, all those people are crammed into a valley with an average elevation that is 7,300 feet above sea level. Oxygen must really be in demand!

Even though it is one of the world’s great megacities, you can still get a bit of a small town feel if you know ... [read more]

There is a reason why San Diego continues to attract more and more residents each year. The city is lovely. Darned lovely.

Its year-round perfect weather, access to beautiful beaches, increasingly vibrant downtown life and proximity to Mexico also make it a wonderful place to visit for a few days or even longer.

What is a traveler to do in San Diego?

Glad you asked. The city is chockfull of attractions including the San Diego Zoo. I used to think that it was merely a prop in the introduction of ... [read more]

There is a lot of lip service paid towards those who serve our communities but rarely is it anything more than just talk. Holland America Line is putting their money where their mouth is by offering discount cruises to those who sacrifice to make all of our lives better teachers, firefighters, police officers, and active military personnel. Somehow I don’t think the men and women who spend their lives floating on Navy ships would be too eager to spend their time on a ship during vacation, but these prices ... [read more]

It won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has had to contend with the crowds during one of the city’s festivals to learn that Edinburgh is the second most visited city in the United Kingdom each year. Only London receives more funny speaking guests from around the world carrying maps like they are lost and snapping pictures left and right each year.

There is a reason why Edinburgh is so popular with tourists: the place rocks. It combines old world charm with modern hipness in a way that few other cities ... [read more]

Here is an excellent deal for anyone who have ever dreamed of visiting Australia or New Zealand or for those who have been to those countries and who want to go back. Air Tahiti Nui yes, it is a legitimate airline with planes that have two wings and all that is offering up round-trip flights to Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand this February, March, and April from New York JFK for less than $1,000.

If that doesn’t tempt you enough, the flights also allow for you to ... [read more]

Costa Rica is a unique country. It was the first country in the world to constitutionally abolish its army. It is also one of the most progressive nations when it comes to protecting its environment. Visitors to the small Central American country will experience firsthand how Costa Ricans live up to the country motto of: “Long live work and peace.”

If you are going to visit such a unique and special place you might as well do so in unique and special style. In the cruise industry that means embarking ... [read more]

If George Washington were alive today he would likely want you to visit the city has sprouted out of the marshes and that bears his name. If he were alive today he would tell you to pay a visit to the Smithsonian Museum to further your understanding of the history of the country which he helped to found. If George were alive today he would point out Washington DC’s cherry blossoms in bloom and remind you to never chop down an apple tree without telling a lie. If he were ... [read more]

If you are reading this site there is a pretty good likelihood that you will go to great lengths to find a travel bargain. After all, you have to endure my dodgy grammar on a regular basis and for that you deserve a medal, or at least a killer deal on a flight.

Since you have proven your street cred by being here, today I would like to present a crazy and/or fun deal from Funjet Vacations. For those bold enough to play along, they have a Fun for Less Mystery ... [read more]

The glaciers are melting. That is the sad truth that scientists around the world are observing. It is terrible to think that in the next generation’s lifetime there may not be places like College Fjord in Alaska left.

Tucked into the corner of Prince William Sound, College Fjord is surrounded by over a dozen glaciers and is easily the equal of the more famous Glacier Bay. Some of these glaciers have spruce forests growing right up to the edge of the ice, giving a sense of scale not seen in ... [read more]

Sometimes it really sucks to be an armchair traveler. I sit around all day long looking at great travel deals while also knowing that the chain and ball that connects my legs to my desk is not going away anytime soon.

If I did have the time, money and freedom to jaunt around the world, one cruise I would certainly want to join is the 12-night Mediterranean and Greek Isles voyage aboard Carnival Cruise Lines’ Carnival Freedom. The pure experience of freedom is the essence of travel and it is the ... [read more]

Who says romance is dead? February is always a month where the concept of romance bubbles to the surface thanks to the greetings card holiday that some call Valentine’s Day. Sure the holiday is pressure inducing, commercially driven and sometimes about as much fun as a root canal, but it can also serve as a reminder that a little bit of romance can go a long ways in a relationship.

By its very nature travel can be a romantic endeavor. The opportunity to spend time with the one you love while ... [read more]

Type the words “Hawaii” and “Paradise” into Google and you’ll see tens of thousands of entries. There is no disputing that Hawaii is viewed by many people as being paradise. You might be one of them too after you pay the islands a visit for your next holiday vacation.

The good news for those who want to spend a slice of time in paradise is that flights to Hawaii are about as cheap as you will ever find them. ATA will fly you round-trip to Hawaii from parts of the ... [read more]

If the thought of strapping an oxygen tank on to your back and diving deep into the ocean until your ears feel like they are going to explode in the name of seeing all of the creatures that live below the sea sounds like a good one to you, then you’ll love this 5-night cruise aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Norwegian Pearl.

The main attractions of this round-trip cruise from Miami are Cozumel, Mexico and Belize City, Belize. Cozumel is world renowned for its scuba diving. Surrounded by more than 25 reef ... [read more]

Water has played a huge role in the Netherlands for centuries. A country that is below sea level in parts, the densely populated nation is in a perpetual battle to make land out of water and to keep water out of land. Dikes, canals and clever engineering have contributed to a unique Dutch way of life that is an absolute treasure for a visitor to experience.

Uniworld Grand River Cruises offers a 7-night Dutch Dreams cruise aboard the River Ambassador that is perfect for those who want to experience Holland from ... [read more]

It rains every single day of the year in Seattle, Washington or at least that is what the people who live there would like you to believe. The facts say otherwise. Seattle does get its fair share of rainy days, but the vast majority happens in the winter months. During the summer, the skies are sunny and blue and there are few nicer cities to be than in Seattle.

One of the reasons why people in the Pacific Northwest talk to outsiders so much about the rain is that they know ... [read more]

There is something about Europe that just feels different. The minute you step off a cross-Atlantic air trip and step foot on the continent you feel like you are in another part of the world. At the same time, Europe is also familiar. It has its lovely towns, bustling cities and historic cultures, but none of this leaves you feel like you are visiting Mars. Europe is both different and familiar.

Europe is also wonderful, especially if you can take the time to explore some of its southern areas. Celebrity Cruises has ... [read more]

When most people think of cruises they likely envision a trip to a location where the sun shines and warmth fills the air. The exception might be an Alaska cruise in the summer, but even that can be a sun filled affair. The odds aren’t great that you’ll see much sun during a cruise of the Pacific Northwest in late April, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have an opportunity to enjoy a beautiful part of North America.

Celebrity Cruises offers up a 7-night Pacific Northwest cruise that begins in San ... [read more]

Could there be a cooler opportunity? A dedicated blogger is needed this Spring Break to cover all the angles from Mexico’s Spring Break hot spots. This easy difficult job will require the blogger to spend three weeks in March in Mexico. Sure you have to do 4 written posts and 4 videos per day, but how hard can it be to come up with material at 3 am after a night of drinking shots at Senior Frogs?

If you think you have what it takes, and I think you ... [read more]

On the surface you would be hard pressed to find similarities between Miami, Florida and London, England. One is modern sleek, the other is old Europe sheik. One is filled with sunny day after sunny day, the other sees more than enough of its gloomy gray days. One is located on the ocean, the other is located on a river. One is a city of cars, the other is a city of double deck buses and the tube.

On the surface Miami and London might not share a ... [read more]

There comes time in everyone’s life when you are forced to decide whether or not you are a theme park type of person. That time usually is when you are sitting on a rickety roller coaster that is pointed straight up. As it makes its way out the neverending hill, you are either giddy with anticipation of the drop or you are wetting your pants like a little baby. If you are on the giddy end of the spectrum, you are a theme park person. If you need new ... [read more]

With its splendid bay, famous bridge, island prison, cable cars, and unreal steep hills, San Francisco is truly a unique American city. On a sunny day it is one of the prettiest cities in the United States. On a foggy day it is still one of the prettiest cities in the United States. On any day it is a great place to visit.

You can stroll along Fisherman’s Wharf, take a drive out to wine country, dine in Chinatown, take in the sights in the Haight Ashbury district and do some ... [read more]

Surrounded by nothing but blue water, the wind whipping through your air, the ship rocking with each wave, the birds hanging above hoping you’ll leave something behind for them to feast on, whales jumping next to you. Some people just like being on the open sea and it is hard to blame them. Getting away from the daily grind is one reason for travel and there is no easier way to escape from your land-based life for a few days than to be on the open sea.

There are a fair number ... [read more]

When you think of sea explorers the first and only name that probably comes to mind is Jacques Cousteau. The French researcher changed the way we think of oceans and changed our understanding of the animals that inhabit the sea. His pioneering work is continued on by his first son Jean-Michel Cousteau and his Ocean Futures Society, a marine conservation and education organization that is fostering a conservation ethic, conducting research, and developing marine education programs.

Cousteau is truly a leader in his field and his knowledge is something that audiences worldwide ... [read more]

The mere name Aruba sounds exotic. Go ahead and say it out loud. Aruba. It rolls off the tongue even if you are stuffing your face with potato chips while surfing the Internet.

Its name is not the only thing Aruba has going for itself. The place is both exotic and erotic. It is a paradise that will delight the single traveler and kindle passion in couples. The nearly perfect weather offers up year-round sun and a warmth that will make a dip in the crystal ... [read more]

We’re all going to be hearing quite a bit about Miami, Florida this week as the inevitable hype that surrounds the Super Bowl reaches epic proportions. Sporting event or no sporting event, Miami is a fascinating city that blends a wide variety of cultures to create its own look and its own feel.

Miami also happens to be a fairly popular port of call for cruise ships and it is especially useful when sailing the eastern Caribbean. Carnival Cruise Lines has a winner of a deal on a 7-night cruise aboard ... [read more]

Buying a vacation package is not for everyone. Some people prefer to spend a few nights in one place, a few nights at another, etc. Other people are very selective about where they lay their bed at night and the fact is that vacation packages often involve hotels that fall well short of being five-star. All of that being said, sometimes vacation packages are worth the inconvenience and worth the step down in accommodations, especially if they can help you save money on a vacation.

Priceline currently has some tasty offerings ... [read more]

It is the Swedish language that contributed the word “smorgasbord” to our lexicon, which is only fitting for this 10-night Scandinavia and Russia cruise aboard Princess Cruises’ Star Princess. The itinerary includes a veritable smorgasbord of sights and it will do its part to satiate your travel hungers. For a 10-night cruise this one offers up a variety of treats.

The voyage begins in the charming Danish capital, Copenhagen, a city steeped in maritime tradition and a place that is as lovely as you will find anywhere in the world. ... [read more]

Venice is dripping with romance. Even with the summer crowds and high prices, your heart won’t be able to avoid going pitter and patter while you are exploring one of the finest cities in Italy.

If the romance of Venice isn’t enough to rekindle old flames or ignite new ones, how about combing a trip there with a cruise of the Mediterranean? Royal Caribbean International offers up an excellent seven-day voyage aboard the Splendour of the Seas. Starting and ending in Venice, the ship takes you to some of the ... [read more]

There was a time when thousands of people each day would take to the high seas to leave Europe for the hope and promise of the United States. Theirs was a dangerous passage filled with uncertainty and fear. You can recreate their voyage, in reverse and without the uncertainty and fear, on a 16-day cruise aboard Holland America’s Westerdam. The Trans-Atlantic trip departs from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and stops in the Bahamas and on Grand Turk Island before spending 6 full days and nights on the open sea.

Sitting on ... [read more]

If you want to earn brownie points for life from your children, tell them you are taking them to Disney World in Orlando, Florida. After the screaming subsides and the hugs come to an end, you’ll want to start looking around for ways that the whole family can enjoy a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.

One popular option for both kids and adults alike is to combine a trip to the Mouse Trap with a cruise. Orlando is about an hour away from Cape Canaveral, a popular departing port for ... [read more]