How to Save Money when Booking Your Holiday
If you’re currently planning next year’s holiday and want to do something a little bit different, but aren’t sure you’ve got the money, then you’re going to need to be a bit clever in how you go about planning it. Whether you’re looking for a cruise ship that offers good value, or cheap holidays abroad from the UK from the UK or Europe, it is possible, using the internet and a bit of cunning, to grab some real bargains. This article will outline a few tips on how to do exactly that.
Firstly, you need to be flexible with your travel dates. There are two reasons for this. Number one is that if you are able to take your holiday in the off seasons as opposed to the peak season then you will avoid having to pay sky high prices. Number two is if you’re prepared to be flexible in your dates and flexible when you book it – either book the holiday over a year in advance or be willing to wait until days before you leave. Either option will help you get really low prices.
Secondly, be flexible with your destinations. Fancy an island holiday? If you’re determined to head to one of the travel hotspots like the Bahamas or Bora-Bora then be prepared to splash your cash. However, if you’re willing to try somewhere equally beautiful but a lot less pricey (like some of the islands in Thailand or Costa Rica) then you will get some great deals. Similarly if you’re determined to head to Disney World or go on a posh cruise then you’ll pay for it. Choose instead to go hiking in the Pyrenees or tour the Lakes of Cumbria then you will get a bargain.
Thirdly, search the Net for flights or cruise line prices and compare them. Being prepared to do your homework really does save you a load of money. With the help of the Internet, you can now check out everything from flights to cruise lines and you can their line up their packages and compare them. This way, you can check out which of the companies or airlines has the best rates. Once you’ve done that, list three of your preferred choices and then see which of them are open on the dates you wish to travel.
Fourthly, Check for discount rates or last minute deals. As mentioned above, if you’re prepared to wait until the very last minute then you can usually pick up some absolutely incredible deals. If your bags are packed and ready to go and the holiday company has a deal that hasn’t sold and they want to get at least a small return on it, then they will sometimes sell flights, cruises or hotel rooms at up to 70% off.
And finally, Book all your transactions online. Booking online is not only extremely convenient, it is also the cheapest way to do business. When you compare the prices of booking your holiday at a travel agency with doing it online you’ll see a massive difference in the rates. For this reason, it is now better to book for hotels, flights and cruise travel on the net. The only thing you need to do is make sure you are dealing with a secure site when doing credit card transactions.