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Are You Looking for That Last Minute Labor Day Deal?
My family and I won’t be traveling this Labor Day. As you are reading this post, I’ll be welcoming my third child into the world. But for those of you who are itching to get away one last time before the school season starts,we’ve learned that Budget Travel can help you find some interesting deals.
Happy Trails!
Budget Travel, Thomas Berger
Made Labor Day travel plans yet? If not, these last-minute offers may be of interest.
Expedia has 174 deals for the holiday weekend; hotels are up to 50 percent off (most are 30 to 40 percent off). Note that the phrase used is “Hotel from”: The “from” is important, because the rooms at the best rate may sell out, and then you will see a higher rate. For example, the W New Orleans is listed as “from $62″ if you stay three nights, but the best rate as I’m posting this is $397 for three nights, not $186.
CheapTicketLinks has a page of Labor Day deal links, and their “Top Deals” of the day section (not limited to Labor Day) is searchable by category (cruises, hotels, car rentals, and packages).
Travelzoo has end-of-summer specials, most of which end right around Labor Day. For example, they have a Bahamas deal with the third night free at an all-inclusive in the Bahamas and rates for the two nights you pay for from $125 a night.
CruiseCompete has gathered together all of its cruises that include Labor Day; there’s a lot to wade through. They do have a five-night Caribbean cruise that sails from Fort Lauderdale and starts at $330.
Don’t forget to check lastminutedeals.com, and if you’re on Twitter consider signing up for the feeds of your favorite companies such as Priceline, and JetBlue. Or become a fan of your favorite companies on Facebook, finding their pages by searching on their names. Companies often use these social networking tools to get the word out about special offers.
Some Upscale Hotels Are Rolling Out the Red Carpet for the Smaller Traveler
Well, it’s about time!
I am pleased to report that more and more hotels are beginning to realize that children are people, too. Given that business travel is down, hotels are finding creative ways to satisfy guests with Very Important Kids (VIK) packages, child-size bathrobes and slippers and magicians performing in the lobby.
If we want more of this, we, the parents should only cater/book at the hotels who are going above and beyond to keep our little ones happy.
The Boston Globe, Katie Johnston Chase
Chefs are whipping up record numbers of chocolate chip pancakes at the Fairmont Copley Plaza. Recorded readings of “Make Way for Ducklings’’ are in demand around bedtime at the InterContinental Boston. At the Omni Parker House, the number of backpacks filled with canteens and mini flashlights being handed out by front desk clerks is through the roof.
Occupancy is down at hotels across the country, and business travel in particular has taken a beating, but hotels are finding a new group of customers to cater to: children. According to D.K. Shifflet & Associates, a travel and tourism research company, the percentage of hotel rooms with children has been slowly but steadily increasing nationwide, from 25 percent in 2006 to 27 percent in 2008. And some local hotels have been rolling out the red carpet to attract these young guests, putting magicians in the lobby on Saturday mornings and stocking child-size bathrobes and slippers. Gone are the days when hotel extras were limited to adult-oriented features such as whirlpool bathtubs and froufrou cocktail lounges.
“Hotels are trying to maximize their busi ness, and since they have been doing well with the family market, they’re trying to capture more of it,’’ said Joe McInerney, president of the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
Upscale operations in particular are attracting more families, according to the Massachusetts Lodging Association. If little Suzy wants a visit from the ice cream man and his make-your-own-sundae cart, she can get it at the five-star Four Seasons Hotel as part of the $500-a-night VIK (Very Important Kids) package. If Joey feels like taking a bubble bath before bed, an employee at the four-star InterContinental will draw one for him, complete with rubber ducky, confetti, and milk and cookies – as long as mother and father shell out $50 for it. And at the Liberty Hotel on Beacon Hill, every pint-size guest gets a stuffed animal and can have a Nintendo Wii game system hooked up to a 52-inch screen in their room. (READ MORE)
U.S. Issues Alert to Delay Unnecessary Travel to Michoacan and the Border State of Chihuahua
Don’t take that trip just yet. This just in…
The Associate Press
MEXICO CITY – The U.S. State Department is warning Americans to stay away from President Felipe Calderon’s home state of Michoacan, where drug-cartel members killed 18 federal agents last month.
The alert issued yesterday does not recommend against traveling to Mexico but says violence has prompted the U.S. Embassy to urge Americans to delay unnecessary travel to Michoacan and the border state of Chihuahua, where two Americans were abducted and killed in July.
The department says Americans traveling in those areas should exercise extreme caution.
Michoacan is home to Monarch butterfly breeding grounds frequented by American tourists. The state erupted in violence last month when a drug cartel launched a series of attacks that killed 18 federal agents. Chihuahua is home to Mexico’s deadliest city, Ciudad Juarez, with more than 1,300 murders this year.
Oversees Company Launch Family Travel Insurance Package
This might be worth checking out if you’re planning to travel abroad with the family in the near future.
Insurance Business Review, TravelSmart is re-underwritten by Lloyds of London
Enaya Insurance has partnered with Kuwait-based Gulf Bank to launch TravelSmart, a new worldwide family travel insurance policy targeting Gulf bank customers – reported AME Info.
Reportedly, annual premium for worldwide family coverage is KD37 and covers the insured, spouse and their dependant children under the age of 21. The policy insures customers of age up to 75 without any additional premium payments.
It has also been reported that the latest TravelSmart comes with a medical emergency limit of KD2.5 million. The Gulf Bank travel insurance policy is valid for one year for its customers traveling abroad. Customers can avail the pre-approved travel insurance certificate at any one of the banks’ branches and get a personalized insurance card within a short span of time. It is accepted at all foreign embassies including the US and Australia, reported the newspaper.
To learn more about the agency, visit www.enayainsurance.com
Stranded Statistics
I thought this might be helpful. USA Today posted an analysis of Bureau of Transportation Statistics data that shows how many passengers have been stranded on planes. The data ranges from October 2008 through June 2009, and is broken out by airline, month and airport. Interesting.
Trapped Fliers Insulted By Continental’s Compensation
I saw this one coming a mile away. First, it’s very rare that airlines take full responsibility when ANYTHING goes wrong. They’ll blame the situation on whatever they can, weather, short crew, TSA, whatever. Now, passengers on the Continental Express flight 2816 feel that the airline is trying to skimp on making good with them.
Sad to say, with the airlines and most other service industries, you’re lucky to get an apology, let alone monetary compensation.
USA Today, Gary Stoller
An attempt by Continental Airlines to compensate passengers stuck overnight inside a regional jet on the tarmac of the Rochester, Minn., airport two weeks ago has angered some of them, who say they deserve more.”For what we went through, Continental’s attempt at compensation is wholly inadequate,” says Link Christin, who says he felt “imprisoned” for 5½ hours waiting for Continental Express Flight 2816 to take off.
Christin, 48 other passengers and two young children held in laps were on the flight that left Houston Aug. 7 bound for Minneapolis-St. Paul before a thunderstorm diverted the plane to Rochester. (READ MORE)
Slump Economy Makes This Time Better Than Ever to Cruise as a Family
Cruising has its rewards. Once you’re on the ship, you never have to leave if you wish not to, the food has already been paid for and there’s childcare for parents. Before now, many families shunned the idea of a cruise vacation when they would consider the cost of sometimes $399 or more per person, no matter the age. If you have a party of five, the cost can add up, fast. 
In today’s economy, cruise lines are barely scraping by to meet their overhead demands and stay in the red. This is to our advantage. Now, you can find four day, three night deals at $199. per person or less. Please note, not all cruise ships are family-friendly. Family Travel Suite highly recommends Carnival and Disney Cruise Lines.
ABC News Travel, Tom Dwyer and Susan Wagner
In this slumping economy, sailing off for exotic locales might seem outside most people’s budgets. But that’s just one myth that even many seasoned travelers believe about cruises. There has never been a better time for cruise deals and discounted travel packages. And you only have to unpack once.
So, we set sail on Holland America Line’s Mediterranean Romance Cruise — Venice to Barcelona — to help bust the biggest myths about cruising, and to visit some of the world’s most beautiful ports.
Myth No. 1: Cruises Are Expensive (READ MORE)
Customers Take a Closer Look at JetBlue’s All-You Can-Jet Deal
Brilliant! Was my first thought when I heard that JetBlue was now offering a limited time offer to fly all-you-can for only $599. As the days lingered on, many consumers began reporting that the deal has several restrictions that just don’t fly.
I am a raving fan of all inclusive packages, it makes life easier. Whether the pass is ideal or not, it should cause other airlines to wake up and really think about how they can increase their bottom line in creative ways like JetBlue. In fact, the Washington Times is already reporting that American Airlines’ AAirpass allows passengers to fly 25,000 miles for $11,250 over one year. That’s news to me!
Washington Times “On the Fly”, Nicholas Kralev
Bargain airfares have been abundant this year and rarely make news anymore, but it was fairly easy for JetBlue Airways to grab headlines last week with its very generous “all-you-can-jet pass.” The question is: Does this prepaid pass make sense for you?
If you have no plans or desire to travel between Sept. 8 and Oct. 8, you are not likely to benefit from the low-cost carrier’s offer. On the other hand, if you have several trips in mind — even if you’ve already bought tickets for some of them — the new $599 airpass can be your best friend for a month.
Although it went on sale Wednesday, demand has already exceeded JetBlue’s expectations, said spokesman Sebastian White. It must be purchased by Friday, but the airline reserves the right to end sales earlier if too many passes are issued. He declined to be more specific. (READ MORE)
Travel Agencies Making a Comeback as Some Travel Sites Prove too Overwhelming for Customers
At first it seemed like the more convienent, more independent thing to do. Why spend time driving to a travel agent’s office perusing through brochures and forking over a fee, when you had everything you needed right at your fingertips on the internet?
Well, with the overstock of online travel sites and enhanced, hidden fees, more travelers are turning back to that good old one-on-one service of a travel agent. After reading this article, it is highly likely that I’ll be booking our winter family trip to Hawaii through an agent to ensure that we get the best deal.
How about you? Do you prefer online booking or going through an agent? Chime in.
CNN, Stephanie Chen
(CNN) — If you’ve booked travel online, you may have been there.
Online travel sites flooded with overwhelming options, all claiming the best deals. Extra fees nestled into the fine print amid blaring advertisements. Pounding 16 digits into the telephone after you’ve booked the wrong flight before finally getting a human voice.
A few weeks ago, Darin Kaplan, a tech-savvy 27-year-old California restaurant manager, clicked his mouse hundreds of times, surfing the vast choices offered by online travel booking Web sites like Expedia.com and Orbitz.com to plan his 28th birthday cruise to Mexico before he gave up in frustration.
“It’s a cut-and-paste experience when you’re booking online. None of these sites are going to tell me what I can do with different options,” said Kaplan, who uses the Internet for many purchases, including his basketball shorts and music tickets. “Travel agents know what they are talking about. It’s more comforting to hand my money to someone who has the knowledge and experience.” (FULL STORY)
Continental Express Jet Leaves Passengers Parked on Tarmac for Nine Hours
This is all too common.
My family and I experienced the same thing earlier this year. We sat on the runway for five hours waiting for the plane to be deiced, due to snowstorms. I was four months pregnant at the time, with two preschoolers and a husband on board. Finally, after four and a half hours of broken promises that we would take off in 15 minutes, I declared a medical emergency.
The Continental Airlines crew made a huge deal about it. They sent three attendants over to me to ask if I was sure. After sticking to my guns that I was newly pregnant, hungry and irritable, they had to turn the plane around and take us back to the gate. I’ve never felt more sure about a decision. It was for me and my family’s own good.
Makes me wonder just how long they would have kept us on that plane, just sitting there with no food and no air, had I not planned my own escape.
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