The Truth about Vacation Deals

1. Savvy travelers quickly learn the best deals are available off-season. That means warm up to Phoenix, Los Cabos, Mexico, or the Virgin Islands in the summer, when temperatures are soaring and hotels need business. Or cool off in Europe during the winter.
2. Airfare deals are out there, but you have to do some homework. That means no one-stop shopping. Research your fare on several websites, then go to the site of the airline you think has the best deal. (Keep in mind that some fares may include taxes and other fees and some fare quotes may not. Be sure you are comparing apples to apples.) You'll usually find a less-expensive fare on the airline site, have an easier time choosing seats and save on booking charges. Also be flexible about your dates (midweek fares are the cheapest), the airport you fly from and into (airports on the outer reaches are often less expensive) and the time you fly (overnight flights are usually the least expensive).
3. Grab your beach towel and go on vacation when disaster strikes. Not only do such places need tourist dollars to recover, great deals are often available. Cancún, Mexico, hard hit by Hurricane Wilma, is a current favorite. Other good choices: late summer or fall (hurricane season) visits or cruises to Florida and the Caribbean, but stay alert for threatening weather once you're there.
4. Sign up for travel newsletters and price alerts from airlines such as Aloha (www.alohaairlines.com) and Southwest (www.southwest.com) –both of which pass along great deals to subscribers—and from suppliers like www.travelzoo.com and www.cheaptickets.com. You do have to act on the deals immediately (Travelzoo, for instance, has 9 million subscribers), but your promptness can mean big savings.
5. If you're planning to hop around Europe, comparison shop your flights on European websites. American travel sites have the lowest prices on travel from the U.S., but use a European site if you're departing from a European city. Try www.opodo.com and the European versions of www.travelocity.com and www.orbitz.com.
6. During peak seasons, there are ample enough passengers for every available cabin on a cruise liner and so the chances of booking cheap cruises are greatly diminished. Bargain hunters will generally concentrate on the low season such as the beginning of fall when interest wanes and cruise lines find it a little more difficult to fill cabins. For this reason, planning ahead is one sure way of being able to avail yourself of a cheap cruise because when you book early, better deals are available from the cruise lines and travel agents. Cruising has become so popular that many of the deals have dried up. But there are still ways to save. Check with your travel agent about booking into group space—rooms that are reserved in bulk—which can be a tremendous bargain. Another tip: Booking a category guarantee is usually a wise move versus confirming a specific cabin. By booking a guarantee you may be upgraded to a higher category without paying the higher fare.
7. The sad truth about stalking deals is that they're rarely available for the dates and places you'd like to go. Almost everybody wants to lie on the beach at Maui during the winter, when it's cold on the mainland or during the summer, when the kids are out of school. So airlines and hoteliers don't need to discount their prices then. But check websites and travel agents anyway. Sometimes a new hotel will need to get the word out and offer a great special. Availability may be limited on these deals.
8. If it seems too good to be true it probably is. Make sure you're doing business with someone reliable and that you have recourse if something goes wrong. A good idea: Check the company out with the local Better Business Bureau and chamber of commerce.