Hidden charges have taken residence at many hotels around the country, and aren’t expected to check-out any time soon. Some examples of these charges include mini-bar restocking fees (in addition to the less-than-economical price for the drinks themselves), room service delivery fees (over and above the cost of the delivered items and the tip), parking fees (which depending on where you stay, are based on both the duration of your stay and the number of times you enter and exit the facility).

Want a complementary cup of coffee? Not so fast. Some hotels offer free use of the coffee-maker and cup but charge you for the package of grounds. More often, the “free coffee” is billed to you in the form of a “resort fee” which also covers the cost of the “free” gym, pool and/or golf course, whether or not you use these amenities or not.

 Here’s some free advice to help you avoid the charges: when you book the room, ask the attendant if there are any charges in addition to the room rates. In some states, hotels are required to inform guests of any surcharges in advance of their stay.

You may also want to try some other tactics to avoid the hidden hotel charges:

• Join the hotel’s frequent visitor program. In addition to earning points for free or upgraded rooms, some hotels waive their “resort fees” for their club members. Even if it doesn’t automatically wave the fees, you may be able to use your preferred member status as leverage to persuade them to waive the fees.
• Upgrade and save. While it may seem counter-intuitive to spend more money to save some, many of these extra charges are truly free in many club-level rooms. You might get free-internet service, breakfast and an afternoon snack, even as you stay in a nicer room. When you add the extras these rooms provide and discount the resort fees that you’d be paying otherwise, the club room could end up being a better value than the basic room.
• Economize. Conversely, many mid-priced hotel chains offer free internet access and breakfasts, often without charging a hidden surcharge.

By following these tips, you could save yourself a lot of dough. That’s good news for the weary traveler.

By David Plowman

If you asked three different people (and none of them punched you in the face for being a “nosy Nelly”), you’d likely hear three different fares. How can this be?  If you’re all on the same plane at the same time going to the same place, shouldn’t all of the fares be the same? Not necessity, because in an effort to freight around as many passengers as possible while making the most money possible, airlines use a complex (and seemingly mystical) pricing structure Your task, as a savvy consumer is to always find the best airline deals that could save you a lot of money.

Here are some tips:

 
• Book online Most airlines now charge you a fee if you call a reservations agent to book over the phone however, booking online is free and gives you all the options you will need for your flight, including seat selection at time of booking, checking in online a day prior to departure, and even upgrading your ticket.

• Find the best deal The travel industry usually announces their “e-fares” on Tuesdays, so this is your best day to grab a deal. Unfortunately, this is not a closely guarded secret, so if you are planning a trip, try to hop onto your airlines or travel provider’s website as soon as possible on Tuesday morning. While the “e-fares” vary from week to week, they generally feature cheap tickets during a destination’s “off season.” For example, since most people flock to Las Vegas in the winter and eschew the overheated strip in the summer months, you will likely find the best “e-fares” June through August.

• Sign up for newsletters Sign up for the major airlines’ newsletters. Their e-fares will come to you rather than you having to go to their site. Subscribing to multiple air carriers’ newsletters will allow you to compare fares and get the best deal.

•   Be Flexible While most people’s hectic lives mean they can only travel on certain day, keeping a flexible schedule could save you big bucks. For example, departing on a Tuesday or Wednesday will usually get you a lower fare than departing on a Friday. Your fare generally gets even cheaper if you stay-over on a Saturday. Since most of us like to travel on weekends, airlines generally charge a premium for their Saturday and Sunday flights and reserve their best deals for the weekdays. 

Once you have your cheap ticket, don’t spoil the good feeling of having saved a lot of dough by having a stressful time once you get to the airport. Face it; about 30% of your valuable fun getaway time will be spent commuting to and from the airport, security screenings, baggage claim, airline check-ins, and the actual flight itself. Try to make this as easy and enjoyable on yourself and create the effect that this is an extension of the plans you have made in your destination.

To help with this, follow this tips to help make the journey as fun as the destination:

    
• Avoid the gate wait Sitting in that cattle call line at the check in gate can be very stressful, as the line seems to move slower than molasses. But you can avoid this line altogether by checking in on-line the night before, or by using one of the self-serve kiosks at the airport to check-in. The kiosks may also have lines, but they won’t be nearly as long as the service counters. Both services will allow you to check-in, change seats, upgrade your travel, and print your boarding passes.

• Allow extra time Don’t rush your journey thru the airport. Allow yourself the extra time you may need to get thru the security screening process so you won’t have to run to your gate. If you find you have some time before your flight, take in what the airport has to offer. Most major airports feature a combination of shopping malls and museums. Do a little shopping and take is some of the local art. Make the airport a fun extension of your journey to your final destination.

One final tip, don’t forget to take advantage of your frequent traveler cards. You will be surprised how quickly you can begin reaping the benefits of your travel. Who knows, you could get the best travel deal of them all: a free trip!

By Chuck Charles

For the admission price, a theme park can make a great vacation destination this summer at an affordable price, if you plan ahead and do a little creative budgeting.

Definitely check out the theme parks’ websites. You will find a lot of discounts including on-line-only tickets offered at a great discount, discounted season passes, or multi-day / multi-park tickets at a reduced rate.

When getting your theme park tickets, be on the lookout for hotel discounts. Most of the parks have contracts with nearby hotels where guests can stay at a discount. If you decide to book your own hotel, check with the hotel staff to see if they offer a shuttle service to the theme park. Not only will this alleviate some of the stress of driving in an unfamiliar city, it will save you up to $20.00 in parking fees.

If you are a theme park enthusiast and have a few days to spend in Southern California, I would suggest the City Pass. The pass is a multi-park pass that includes admission into Universal Studios Hollywood, Sea World and a three-day park hopper pass to Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure. At $199 for adults and $159 for children, it is a definite value!

Of course, once you get you admission into the theme park, your expenditures are far from over. Once inside you’ll be tempted to spend your hard-earned green on food, drinks, and souvenirs. This is where the creative budgeting comes in.

Before entering the park, take your family to a nearby restaurant off the venue grounds. A simple meal of burgers and fries for a family of four could cost your up to $60.00 inside the park gates. So eating prior to entering the park will save you a nice chunk of change.

If possible, take a break outside of the park midday for lunch or dinner. Universal Studios Hollywood offers City Walk right outside its gates, which features a wide-variety of restaurants with affordable prices (at least, compared to the prices inside the park.) Similarly, Downtown Disney located near Disneyland has restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues, most of which are much less expensive than their counterparts inside the theme park.

Souvenirs can be tricky. Souvenirs can be a lot like those impulse items that are strategically placed next to the cash register at department stores, they seem tempting at the time, but chances are if you pass them up you won’t miss them later. Before you buy that $50.00 t-shirt with the theme park’s name embroidered on it, ask yourself if you or you kids will ever wear it again. Instead, the best souvenirs of your theme park trip are pictures from your camera. Sipper cups and t-shirts wear out and will be forgotten over time, but pictures are affordable and last a lifetime.

California offers several top-notch theme parks including The Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Universal Studios in Hollywood, SeaWorld in San Diego and Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, just to name a few. Knowing which theme park to choose depends on your families’ personal preference and how old they are.

To help you decide which one to choose, here’s a summary of some of California’s top parks:

Six Flags Thes parks are 90 pecent roller coasters and are geared toward the adventurous adults and teenagers over 48 inches tall. So if you have young children, this may not be the best option for you since attractions for the younger park-goers are limited.

General admission is $59.99 for adults; $29.99 for children. However, to illustrate the deals available on-line, at the time this article was being written, Six Flags was offering a 25 percent discount on all adult tickets purchased through its website.

Disneyland Resort and Disney’s California Adventure Of course, when you think of theme parks the name “Disney” automatically pops into our head. The Disneyland resort in Anaheim is a great choice for a fun-filled family theme park adventure. Between the two major theme parks and the nightlife of Downtown Disney, there is something for the entire family. The Disney Resort offers a wide-variety of ticketing options including multi-park tickets, multi-day tickets, as well as hotel/theme park combos. Visit their website see which ticket combo is best for you.

Knott’s Berry Farm Located in Buena Park, just a short drive from the Disneyland Resort, Knott’s Berry Farm is a themed venue taking you back to the old western days including cowboys and a real steam-powered train. This is a good choice for a family theme park vacation as the rides are diverse enough for the young and old. The park offers many wares reminiscent of the days of the wild-wild west such as pulled taffy and an outdoor BBQ.

SeaWorld SeaWorld, in the beautiful ocean city of San Diego, offers several eclectic attractions. Though well-known for its shows featuring whales performing choreographed tricks, SeaWorld also offers several rides including a water roller coaster and smaller rides and attractions for the youngsters. Combined with the San Diego Wild Animal Park, this is a great fun-filled trip for the entire family. Sea World offers one day tickets and combo tickets that include the theme park, the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park, check out their website for web-only discounts.

Universal Studios Hollywood As the park’s name implies, the attraction is still an active studio where TV shows and feature films are filmed and produced. But the studio also operates as a full-service theme park. This park definitely has something for the entire family. The attractions are entertainment themed, of course, including attractions such as Back to the Future, the Ride, Jurassic Park, and live-action stunt shows. Much like the Disney Resort, Universal Studios offers a wide variety of ticketing options to suit any sized families’ budget.
 

Several major hotel chains are actually the parent owner of other smaller venues that will all accept the same frequent stay card The Ramada Hotels are a good example. Not only can you earn points by staying at a property bearing the Ramada name but also at Days Inn, Knights Inn, and Travelodge just to name a few. The card also provides discounts at Budget and Avis for car rentals.

You don’t have to be a road-warrior to rack up the benefits from a frequent-flyer program. While you may not earn that free flight to Australia or a luxury suite at a five star resort if you only travel a couple of times a year, you can still use your points for discounted airfares, or even seat upgrades For example, I only flew Delta once last year; not enough points to get a first class ticket, but enough to earn a free one-year subscription to a major magazine.

A lot of these frequent traveler programs allow you to “double dip” your points; meaning if you stay, let’s say at a Hilton hotel, you can also designate an airline partner. Not only are getting points for the Hilton program but you are also earning points towards that free flight or first class upgrade. Several credit cards also allow you to double-dip. Purchase an American Airlines ticket with an American Airlines credit card, and you’ll earn twice the miles.

Most airline frequent traveler programs will allow you to purchase points to add to the points you already earned or to transfer your points to another program member.

If you love a weekend getaway to Las Vegas, like I do; definitely sign up for all of the “slot club cards” as you can. All of the casinos participate in some type of frequent gambling program.

In Vegas, these cards are the only sure bet. Before you start gaming, place your card in the slot machine, or hand to the dealer if you are a card player. You earn points for every dollar you spend within a certain timeframe. Win or lose, you’ll rack up points before you know it, especially since there are no clocks in the casinos and it is easy to lose track of time.

As you accrue points, you become eligible for “members only” promotions such as free rooms, buffets, and even cold hard cash. Simply call the number on the back of your card to redeem points and to take advantage of the casino’s promotions.

The next time you book a hotel or airline, sign up for their frequent traveler program. It only takes a few minutes and your earn benefits before you know it.

By Chuck Charles

Travel insurance protects against a number of unexpected emergencies that can arise while you are away from home. Such emergencies can be minor or serious enough to wreak havoc on your trip or even your life.
 

Here are some of the basic components of most a travel insurance policy:

• Unexpected Sickness: If you get sick just before or at the beginning of your travels, a Travel Insurance policy may allow you to cancel your trip and recover expenses that would otherwise be non-refundable. The protection may also act as health coverage if you should be hospitalized. Some policies also offer protection in the event of a family member’s illness emergencies.

• Problems With Travel Company(ies): If one or more of the companies providing your travel needs goes out of business or otherwise can not provide for your needs, you can be protected. Your policy can also protect you in the event of an airline strike, which delays or interrupts your trip. Check the policy for monetary limits.
  
• Lost Luggage: If your luggage is lost, destroyed or delayed, you can get reimbursed for clothing and other items.
  
• ID/Credit Cards: Emergency assistance services can help you to report the theft of your credit cards and identification (including passport) and assist with emergency cash. Coverage may also protect you against expenses from usage of your cards after they are lost or stolen.
  
• Weather: Your vacation expenses are protected if severe weather or a natural disaster renders your vacation unsalvageable. 

Travel Insurance can also cover dental emergencies, traveler assistance, collision/damage protection for rental cars and flight insurance. Some policies even cover children with no added fee.
 

By Darryl James
 

By Christopher Stout

By Christopher Stout

If you’re looking for a more private and intimate setting, a Southern Caribbean cruise might be for you. Southern Caribbean ports tend to have fewer crowds. St. Lucia, for example, has a quaint mellow vibe and is a great spot for relaxing.
If you just can’t wait to hit the shores and have a good time, here’s a short list of locations and activities that you should consider when you’re planning your Caribbean shore excursions.
 
Dominica is a nature lover’s dream. The green island is covered in thick rainforests and littered with sprawling waterfalls. If you like scuba diving, there are plenty of reefs to see in Dominica. Champagne is a great spot to snorkel, if you enjoy tropical sea life and bubbles spewing forth from the ocean’s volcanic floor.

Barbados lets travelers experience a bit of British colonial history in arguably more scenic setting. Enjoy afternoon tea or check out the island’s historic cannons. If you like geological wonders, or just have a thing for stalagmites, be sure to visit Harrison’s Cave.
Grand Cayman Island is the spot for shoppers. Haggling with vendors is a must! When you need a shopping break, you’ll discover the island also has gorgeous beaches and interesting turtle farms. If you want to go snorkeling, then Stingray City should be high on your list of stops.

St. Croix is for rum-lovers and anyone who’s got a sweet-tooth. St. Croix was once entirely covered by sugar plantations. Sugar mills and plantation ruins can be found everywhere. The Cruzcan Rum Factory offers tours with free samples. After you’ve whetted you’re thirst, don’t forget to stock-up on this affordable libation.
If you like sailing, go to St. Maarten. Even if you have no understanding of how to operate a sailboat, the America’s Cup Regatta will give you the opportunity to experience what it’s like to race in the America’s Cup. You can get instruction and participate in a race on yachts that once sailed in the famous America’s Cup competition.

Jamaica is the perfect place for young people to have a good time. The music’s great, the culture is festive, and the beer’s pretty tasty too.
Other quick hits in the Caribbean include Aruba, where your can see a wrecked piriate ship, Puerto where there are plenty of great spots to hike, and the Bahamas, where swimming with the dolphins is a “can’t miss” activity.

No matter where you’re cruising to in the Caribbean, include as many shore excursions as possible. They will make your trip unforgettable.

By Christopher Stout