Destination-Europe

Vacation in Europe

This maybe the best time to plan that long awaited European vacation. With the U.S. economy in such turmoil, tourism worldwide is down. What this means to you is more value and competition for your travel dollar. A wise and frugal travel shopper will not have to look too hard to find plenty of travel incentives, so don’t put your passports away just yet.
Pick your destination and start looking for the discounts. Doing a little research beforehand can save you hundreds of your travel dollars.
Airlines are looking for every travel dollar they can find. Currently, they are heavily discounting their seats just to generate revenue which means great savings for you. So shopping can really pay off. Don’t leave out the idea of business or first class seats. For long flights it is well worth the extra leg room and the service. Use your travel miles to upgrade from coach. Some airlines even sell first class and business seats at a discount to their frequent flyer card holders and coach ticket holders at the gate or at check in.
Some of the best buys are organized land tours. The value comes when you pay for your vacation in U.S. Dollars and not Euro’s. Most of the European operators have offices in the United States or are on the internet. Always remember to ask for their special incentive deals. Most of the time tour operators will discount their vacations packages for those last minute shoppers. Don’t feel left out if you’re not a last minute type, booking and paying for your vacation in advance most of the times will rate you a substantial discounts.
Cruise lines that operated in Europe are also heavily discounting their staterooms. This year most of the major cruise lines introduced more new ships than in past fifteen years and their staterooms are going unfilled due to over capacity. Most cruise lines are offer a variety of incentives to beckon the wise traveler to their cruises like offing children under the age of 17 free travel, free airfare to European gateways from the United States plus lower deposits, when you make your reservation, to on board credits just to name a few.
Check with your travel agent to make sure you are getting the best price for your vacation dollars. Your travel agent can take the entire headache out of planning your European Vacation plus they will get you the best deals.
Have a great Vacation.
Capt Bob

China Vacation

Mysteries of the Far East

If the Far East is in your vacation plans you should consider an organized tour to China. Whether you choose a land package, a Yanchee River Cruise, or combination of both, you will find yourself steeped in a land of beauty, enchantment and history.

An organized tour will give you the most value for your vacation dollar plus they offer you a wide variety of must see points of interest while visiting China. Organized tours to China offer a wide variety of once in a life time opportunities to see China from the old to the new.

If your interest is history, China offers The Great Wall, The Terra Cotta Warriors of Xian, Chinese Art and Science to the Chinese Dynasties.

If your appeal is in culture, China offers a world of diverse religions, people to geopolitical ideas. Whatever your interest, China has something of interest for everyone.

When you take an organized tour or cruise you will find that your guides live and work in the area your visiting and all speak fluent English. Your guide is an expert in their part of China’s history. Most tours normally offer 4 or 5 diamond hotel accommodations plus all or most of your meals but this may vary by the tour operator. Please check with your Travel Agent for details, cost and length of tours.
The majority of U.S. air carriers offer non-stop flights from most major U.S. cities to Beijing or Shanghai. Most operate on daily to weekly schedules depending on the season.

Your travel agent will have schedules of dates and times that will match your time table.
A Chinese Visa with a valid Passport is required to enter China. Your travel agent or tour operator will have all this information available for you. Please visit my travel site for a list of China tour operators and schedules under Spring Tours International or Collette Vacations.
Capt Bob