Good Values Available on Future Travels

Yes! the economy is a tad unstable...everything is up in the air because of the election...

But, people are still traveling, and more importantly - continuing to book travel for the future.

Look for some great values over the next few months...

Carnival Cruise Line - including Carnival, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, Princess and the Yachts of Seabourn, and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line - including Celebrity have recently rolled back or eliminated the fuel supplement. Now, it's not simple to explain - there is "small print" involved with several scenarios so contact me for details. However, it's a step in the right direction. Expect other lines to follow suit shortly.

Look for vacation packages which give you a "refund/credit" towards the high cost of fuel. Now that gas prices have dropped a bit, expect these to go away; however, there are some still in effect. I recall a Hawaiian package with a credit of about $200 or $250 - in the form of an American Express Giftcard - for specific stays of 5 nights (or more) at select properties. Similar promotions are available at other destinations also. Always ask your travel professional whether a complimentary upgrade is possible and if there are any other discounts available.

Hotels and suppliers are often crediting back the cost of a checked bag - expect to show proof of payment and this might be a refund coming to you after you return from your vacation, or, it might be a type of credit or gift card to be used at your destination.

Cruises should have some good pricing with the new builds that have already increased cruise inventory with still more coming later this year and in 2009. If you're flexible with dates and cabin categories, you'll be able to score some great prices.

For the rest of the year, your best travel dates for the best pricing should be -

the first couple weeks of November (up to Thanksgiving week)
the first couple weeks of December (up until the week before Christmas)

Please remember, the lowest priced cruise/package might not be the best value. Look at the extras being offered and include that when figuring out the bottom line cost to your vacation.

Finally, please consider purchasing travel insurance - not only will it cover the cost (or, most of it) of your vacation, it should cover emergency medical expenses if a traveler has to be flown off a ship or from a resort to a medical center-this can be very, very costly. And, it will usually cover a supplier going under - it's best to stay with very stable, well known cruise lines, tour companies, and shore excursion operators in this type of economy.

Happy travelin'