Score The Best Travel Deals

Savvy: adjective

1. 1. 

   shrewd and knowledgeable in the realities of life.

   
   

   
   

   Apply this when you are planning a trip and you can score some of the best travel deals out there.  You just have to know when and where to look and book.

   
   

   My favorite ways to book a vacation...

   
   

   1.  Wanna Cruise?

   Try a repositioning cruise.

   1. "A repositioning cruise (repo cruise) is a cruise in which the embarkation port and the disembarkation port are different. This is a less common type of cruise, in the majority of cruises the ship's final destination is the same as the starting point." source
      Cruise ships often times cruise 365 days of the year and try to always be at full capacity but they do have to "reposition" occasionally.  In order to keep some capacity they offer "one way" trips or a "repositioning" trip. Since you are just going one way they are much less than departing and returning from the same port and often less crowded.  
      Here is what a Royal Caribbean spokesperson said about their repo cruises:
      "Whether you're a cruising newbie or a seasoned sailor, our Repositioning cruise vacations are worthy of exploration. Since these cruises typically sail from one destination to another—departing from one port and ending in a different one—they offer a blend of exciting cities or ports you wouldn't see on our other itineraries. So why not enjoy the authentic Italian dining of Rome, dive among the coral reefs of Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, or let your jaw drop at the sight of Gaudí’s distinctive architecture in Barcelona?"
      On their website you can use their normal search method to find a cruise just change the drop down menu to "repositioning" and start your trip planning there.  
      2.  Bounce back deals
      This is an easy way to get deals sent directly to your email.  Simply go to any of the travel websites you would want to book through and complete your purchase process all the way up to payment.  But DO NOT check out!  Close out your browser and since your history is saved, as well as your cart, the company will recognize what you are looking for and since they want you to book with them they will send you lower quotes for what you want.  
      3.  Avoid large booking websites
      When you want to book a hotel room check out roomkey.com which is a site that was created by chains like Hyatt, Hilton, and Wyndham that offers discounted room rates. 
      Also try:
       hoteltonight.com
      getaroom.com
      But more importantly...
      Always try calling the hotel directly as they may offer you a better rate or perks that you cannot find online! Basically, look everywhere before you book. 
      4.  A home stay
      For those of you who follow me all know that I am a HUGE advocate of house rentals when vacationing.  They are great because they offer you more of a local feeling and privacy.
      homeaway.com
      airbnb.com
      vrbo.com
      5.  Think less main stream
      What I mean by this is instead of booking your trip to Paris why not try Lyon or Marseille.  Or head to countries that are either "third-world" or just getting out of economical trouble.  The businesses are going to offer you just about anything to get you to book with them.  And developing countries are always easy on the wallet.  Just be aware of what is going on in the world and plan a trip accordingly.  
      6.  When to book....
      There is a logistically way to online bookings and that is to understand which days are cheaper to book on and which ones offer the highest rates.  
      The simplest break down of when to book is this:
      Least expensive domestic travel: in order of best rates...
       Wednesday
      Tuesday 
      Saturday
      And purchase between the hours of midnight and 1am on Wednesday and after 3pm on Tuesdays.  
      Then if you need to travel for the holidays try to travel on the actual holiday because you can save up to 30% for domestic flights and 15% for international.  
      A trick that I always follow is to fly early and avoid the peak hours between 9 and 5.  
      7.  United Military Travel
      UMT is an award-winning, trustworthy American company that offers active duty, career retired Military and government personnel travel loans to anywhere in the world.  If you do not have the money saved up but enough income each month to afford a vacation you can use them and pay for your vacation each month until it is paid off.  It doesn't matter if your trip is while you are still paying on it - go whenever you want.  Also, not only do they finance flights but also car rentals, hotels, and travel accessories.