Tag: vacation tips

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Ten of the World’s most Adventurous Cruises

Adventure & Expedition cruising is a travel niche that is growing each and every day. These floating adventures take the form of anything from five-star Champagne explorations to ambling along in a tramp steamer. Here are ten of the world’s best Adventure & Expedition cruises:

  • Island Safari, Hawaii (USA) – Extreme Rating: 6/10
  • Across the Northwest Passage (North America) – Extreme Rating: 6/10
  • Through Ancient Kimberley (Australia) – Extreme Rating: 7/10
  • Pacaya Samiria National Reserve (The Amazon) – Extreme Rating: 7/10
  • Jungle Book Tour (India) – Extreme Rating: 7/10
  • Into Wild West Africa – Extreme Rating: 8/10
  • Following Scott, Amundsen et al (Antarctica) – Extreme Rating: 8.5/10
  • Island Hopping in the Pacific Ocean – Extreme Rating: 8.5/10
  • Ice-Breaking to the North Pole – Extreme Rating: 9.5/10
  • Down to the Titanic Wreck (Atlantic Ocean) – Extreme Rating: 10/10

If Adventure & Expedition cruising is something that peaks your interest, please contact Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a cruise request quote so we can plan this adventure of a lifetime!!

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Blog Packages Travel Tips Vacation Destinations Wedding

Five Perfect Winter Honeymoon Destinations

Planning a winter wedding this year?
Here are five perfect destinations for that winter honeymoon.

  • Saint Kitts & Nevis (Caribbean)
  • Thailand
  • Turks & Caicos Islands (Caribbean)
  • Australia
  • Iceland

Please call Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a land request quote so we can plan that perfect winter honeymoon vacation today!!

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10 of the World’s Most Beautiful Ice Skating Rinks

With the 2014 winter season in full swing, what else could be better than putting on some ice skates and visiting one of these beautiful international rinks:

  • Baniff Lake Louise (Baniff, Canada)
  • Bondi Winter Festival Ice Rink (Sydney, Australia) [Late June – Mid July]
  • Eiffel Tower Ice Rink (Paris, France)
  • Evergreen Lake (Evergreen, Colorado)
  • Red Square Rink (Moscow, Russia)
  • Rideau Canal Skateway (Ottawa, Canada)
  • The Rink At Rockefeller Center (New York City)
  • Shichahai Lake (Beijing, China)
  • Somerset House (London, England)
  • Vienna Ice Dream (Vienna, Austria)

For more information about any of these special destinations, please contact Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a land request quote so that we can make this memorable vacation come true!!

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Blog Packages Travel Tips Vacation Destinations

10 Places To See Before They’re Gone

Places, much like animals can become endangered, and some of the world’s most amazing sights are gradually disappearing. Scientists say climate change has been affecting oceans, reefs, beaches and even cities. Development is another danger for once-pristene, off-the-beaten-path spots and their cultures. Here are 10 places on the brink of forever changing, and some threatening to disappear altogether:

  • Easter Island, Chile
  • Antarctica
  • Machu Picchu & Choquequirao, Peru
  • Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
  • Great Barrier Reef, Australia
  • Culebra & Vieques, Puerto Rico
  • Dead Sea, Israel & Jordan
  • Taj Mahal, India
  • Venice, Italy
  • Tibet

For a memorable vacation to any of these historic destinations, please contact Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a land request quote and allow us to plan what will be truly a getaway to remember.

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Blog Family Travel Money Saving Tips Packages Travel Tips Vacation Destinations Winter Cruises

Top Five Off-Peak Destinations For Winter 2013/2014

Before you grumble at the arrival of frigid winter weather, remember that the upcoming season heralds untold affordable off-peak travel opportunities. Here are five awesome destinations where the colder part of the year bears off-peak affordability:

  • Nashville, TN – With a packed schedule of swoon-worthy musical performances year around, Nashville doesn’t have the most distinct high and low seasons of all the destinations on this list. But overall, hotels and flights tend to get a little less expensive during the winter, making a trip to this vibrant American city a bit more affordable during the colder months.
  • Rome, Italy – Thanks to Pope Francis I, tourism is up in Rome. Rome can get pretty packed as it is, but you can beat the crowds in this already popular travel destination by going in the off-season.
  • United Kingdom – The U.K. is a burgeoning cruise market. And cruising is, for the most part, a very economical way to explore international lands, especially for American travelers visiting destinations with unfavorable exchange rates.
  • Russia – Admittedly, venturing to Russia in the winter may seem like a daunting endeavor. But for hardly, well-prepared travelers who appreciate a hot bowl of borscht on a blustery, dark evening or find the idea of domed cathedrals covered in snow appealing, a winter itinerary yields benefite aplenty, one of which is that prices for airfare are wonderfully low.
  • Kyoto, Japan – Unlike ultramodern Tokyo, Kyoto is an old soul, with abundant World Heritage sites (17 in total), an authentic geisha district, ancient temples, and peaceful Zen rock gardens. If the historical city’s are on your must-see list (as it well should be), you’ll want to head there soon.

Let Bargain Travel plan your next off-peak winter destination vacation. Please contact Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a land quote request  or cruise quote request so that we can begin planning you next affordable off-peak winter getaway.

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Blog Packages Vacation Destinations

World’s 12 Best Shopping Cities

From the Orient, to South America to right here in the United States, if shopping is your pleasure, then may we suggest one of these world’s 12 best cities to satify your shopping cravings (based on getting around, variety, value & experience):

  • #12 – Seoul, South Korea
  • #11 – Milan, Italy
  • #10 – Madrid, Spain
  • #9 – Dubai, United Arab Emirates
  • #8 – Vienna, Austria
  • #7 – Buenos Aires, Argentina
  • #6 – Hong Kong, China
  • #5 – Paris, France
  • #4 – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • #3 – London, United Kingdom
  • #2 – Tokyo, Japan
  • #1 – New York City, USA

If your dream is to travel to one of these wonderful shopping destinations, please contact Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a land request quote and we will be more than happy to fulfill your ultimate shopping vacation experience!!

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Blog Family Travel Holiday Travel Travel Tips

Tips For Stress-Free Holiday Travel

Along with seeing friends & family, the holidays mean crowded airports and packed roads. The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicts that 43.4 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from their homes to celebrate this Thanksgiving. Millions more will be flying and driving over the Christmas break. Lessen the aggrevation by maintaining your sense of humor, allowing extra time for everything, and by following these stress-busting strategies.

Strategic Planning:

  • Travel On Less Busy Days
  • Consider A Smaller (Regional) Airport
  • Lighten Your Load (Luggage)
  • Bring The Correct Travel Documents (Especially When Traveling Abroad)
  • Pack Insurance Cards & Insurance Forms
  • Battle Germs (Bring Sanitized Wipes)
  • Make “What If” Plans When Meeting Up With Family/Friends (Just In Case Your Cell Phone Battery Dies or When Cell Service Is Not Available)
  • Keep The Essentials Handy (Extra Battery Packs for Phones & Video Games, Diapers & Bottles for Babies)

At The Destination:

  • Do a Safety Check (Escpecially When Traveling With Children)
  • Know The House Rules
  • Bring Or Buy Special Needs Foods (Especially If Some Family Members Are On A Specific Diet or Only Eat Certain Foods)
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Packing Must-Haves: What To Bring On A Cruise

The key to packing for a cruise is bringing a variety of comfortable, casual clothes you can mix and match and a few items that you can dress up more at night. Shorts or even a bathing suit and cover-up will do during the day, but on most ships you’ll need to put on long pants for dinner. If you’re a gym rat, you’ll want to bring workout clothes. If you’re a nature lover, don’t forget your binoculars and/or a camera with a good lens. Readers will want to bring books or an e-reader (don’t count on the ship’s library having much of a selectiosn). Whether going tropical, arctic or somewhere in between, you won’t want to leave home without these other items:

  • A Lightweight Rain Jacket and/or Umbrella
  • Shampoo, Conditioner & Soap
  • A Power Strip
  • A Spare Pair Of Glasses/Contacts
  • Gallon-Size Sealable Plastic Bags
  • Dramamine, Acupunture Wristbands, Ginger Tablets and/or Meclizine
  • Hangers
  • Sun & Bug Protection
  • Comfortable Shoes

Be sure to to call Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a cruise quote request so we can begin planning your next well-deserved cruise vacation!!

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Blog Packages Vacation Destinations

10 Incredible World Landmarks You Haven’t Seen — Yet.

These instant classics — including record-breaking towers, 35-story-tall sculptures and external building climbs — are worth traveling to see.

  • SkyPoint Climb & Observatory Deck – Gold Coast, Australia
  • LeMay America’s Car Museum – Tacoma, WA
  • ArcelorMittal Orbit – London, United Kingdom
  • Sea Life Aquarium – Kansas City, MO
  • Kamppi Chapel Of Silence – Helsinki, Finland
  • National Museum Of Organized Crime & Law Enforcement – Las Vegas, NV
  • Tokyo Sky Tree – Tokyo, Japan
  • Brooklyn Bridge Park Pool – Brooklyn, NY
  • The Arch Cultural Center – Mandal, Norway
  • Aizhai Suspension Bridge – Hunan Province, China

For more information on visiting any of these incredible landmarks, please contact Bargain Travel at 1-800-820-4567 or send us a land quote request and we will be more than happy to help you plan your next adventurous vacation!!

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Blog Travel Tips

Seven Travel Rules To Live By

Apply these traveler’s mantras to the ordinary life beyond your trip, and watch every day become a freeing vacation of its own.

  • Pack Light – When traveling, you want your suitcase to be small so you’ll have freedom to be active and explore. Same with your house — clear it of all that excess clutter for a freer, more active mind.
  • Savor The Moment – Travel is about enjoying this instant and not worrying about the problems that lie beyond it. Imagine what would happen if you did the same in your workplace or home.
  • Try New Things – Trips are full of precious memories because they force you to do or see or try something you haven’t before. Make similar memories in your hometown every day by braving an art class or making an ethnic dinner you’ve never tried.
  • Focus On Those Around You – On an open beach or in an airplane seat, you’ve got no choice but to engage in quality conversation with your sidekick. Take time every day to drop distractions and talk like you’re the only two people in the world.
  • Don’t Stop Dreaming – During those blissful moments of your vacation, you can’t help but start planning the next one. Don’t lose the momentum at home — make a pin board, start saving, and get your next vacation on the calendar.
  • Stay Curious – At a foreign museum or an historic walking tour, you’re deeply interested in learning from other people…probably because you paid to be there with them. Bring that curious, open, willing nature to your relationships at home.
  • Smile Big – Life is beautiful on vacation. You’re on a break from the “real world” in a gorgeous place, and your amped-up attitude makes it feel like nothing on the planet could ruffle your happiness. Make that optimistic outlook part of your every-day demeanor.