Category Archives: World on a Budget

Tips how to get the most out of a tight travel budget

Finnair: Unexpected deals for high season

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Recently we saw a very unexpected announcement from Finnair – they have lowered their high season prices to Helsinki and their other Scandinavian and European destinations. Depending on the date availability, you can find a high season seat to Helsinki for $1000 CAD + taxes and to Tallinn for $950 + taxes!

Prices for Tallinn are dropped quite dramatically – probably because of Finnair’s unpopular decision earlier this spring to cancel the mid-morning flights that used to provide a convenient connection for the people coming from Toronto and going to Tallinn and vv., stretching the wait times in Helsinki to 4-8 hours.

Contact us for the prices, as everything depends on the flight availability and flights that are sold out are of course excluded from the seatsale.

Big sun destination discounts: compare prices and taxes!

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The last weeks have brought out lots of sales in the vacation package department. As usual, the deals are there to be had for the pre-Christmas season, from November until mid-December. This year the discounted packages are starting really low – I have seen all-inclusives advertised from $178 + taxes.

But here’s a little catch: when looking through the price offers – keep in mind that every tour operator seems to make up their own taxes these days… It used to be so that for every destination the taxes were the same as they were really the airport taxes and the amount depended on the flight routing. Now the operators add fuel and other different surcharges into the tax amount. This year I have seen package taxes for one destination range from $199 to $368 CAD. So when looking at the prices printed out big-and-red, look at the tax amount behind them and do the comparison from there!

Also – once the prices are in an affordable range – choose a property that has at least a 4-star rating. The extra $100-or-so difference from 3* to 4* can make an enormous difference in the quality of your vacation!

Deals are offered by all major Canadian tour operators including Signature, Nolitours, Sunquest, etc.

Nolitours offers $6 flights to Florida

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Nolitours is offering roundtrip flights to Florida from Toronto for only $6. The rate is applicable on roundtrip flights to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando on the following departures only: Fort Lauderdale: Nov. 6, 13, 20 and 27 and Dec. 4 and return Nov. 13, 20 and 27 and Dec. 4 and 11; Orlando: Nov. 14, 21 and 28 and Dec. 5 and return Nov. 21 and 28 and Dec. 5 and 12. Taxes are an additional $223. All offers are subject to availability at the time of booking.

Week of “Fun & Games in Beijing”: Special from $1249 CAD

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Forbidden City, Beijing

Forbidden City, Beijing

A week in Beijing including a flight from Canada, 4* hotel, guided tours, some meals included… And all this from $1249 + taxes? Normally it costs more to just fly there! Sounds too good to be true… But this time it isn’t!

After the Big Games are over, the Chinese capital is left with an abundance of top notch hotel rooms – and now they are trying to find ways to fill them… for those who did not make it there for the time of the Olympics – this is your deal of the century!

 

The “Fun & Games in Beijing” package offer coveres 3 departures:

October 07 – 13, 2008
October 28 – November 03, 2008
November 27 – December 03, 2008

And here’s what you get:

Day 1 Canada – Toronto
Fly to Beijing, the political, economic and cultural center of People’s Republic of China.

Day 2 Arrive Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, where you will be escorted to your selected hotel for a five nights’ stay.

Day 3 Beijing (Breakfast/Lunch)

The Great Wall

The Great Wall

This morning visit the Ming Tombs, the beautifully decorated burial place of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty also known as the Underground Palace. After lunch experience the unforgettable! Visit the No. 1 World Wonder – the Great Wall of China (Ju Yong Guan Section), built over 2,000 years ago by Emperor Qin. The Great Wall stretches over 6,000 km across the top of China. Later, drive by the Olympic site and see some of the new structures including the National Aquatic Centre (the Water Cube) and the National Stadium (the Bird’s Nest).

Day 4 Beijing (Breakfast/Lunch)
Visit historic Tiananmen Square where Mao Tse Tung first raised the flag of the People’s Republic. Then tour the Imperial Palace, also called the Forbidden City and its gardens. After lunch, visit the Hutong by pedicab and take a leisurely stroll through the 700-year old narrow, winding streets that surround the Forbidden City. Watch the daily routines of the local people in their courtyard. This evening enjoy a spectacular “Legend of Kung Fu” show.

Day 5 Beijing (Breakfast/Lunch)
Today starts with a visit to the exquisite Summer Palace, a former retreat for the Imperial family. Then marvel at the splendid Temple of Heaven and the Hall of Prayer for Bountiful Harvest.

Day 6 Beijing (Breakfast/Special Dinner)
This morning, visit the 798 factory and shop at the silk market in the afternoon. This evening, enjoy a farewell Peking Duck dinner.

Day 7 Depart Beijing (Breakfast)
Today, head to the airport for your flight home. Bon Voyage!

Air-Inclusive Package Price Includes:

  • Return economy class airfare;
  • Return airport transfers by air-conditioned coach;
  • Hotel accommodations as chosen;
  • Meals as specified in the itinerary;
  • Sightseeing with admissions as specified;
  • Private air-conditioned coach with English-speaking guide;

There is a choice of two different hotels (4* and 5*) for each departure – and the prices vary accordingly. The best deal seems to be $1249 (from Vancouver) and $1399 (from Toronto / Ottawa / Montreal) for leaving on 27 Nov and staying at the Best Western Premier Hotel (4*). Taxes and Chinese visa are additional, coming to approx. $485 CAD. The most expensive option – and not bad at all for all this – is $1999 for a stay at the Ritz-Carlton (5*) on the 7 and 28 Oct Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal departures. 

Prices are subject to change due to availability. Contact us for further details!

Sunwing Sale: All-inclusive vacations for $495 CAD + taxes

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Toronto-based Sunwing Vacations has launched its biggest sale ever to the sun – offering a choice of 10,000 one-week all-inclusive vacations to Cuba, Mexico and Dominican Republic for as little as $495 p.p. + taxes, double occupancy, with departures from right across Canada. The sale applies to departures from Nov. 1 onwards. Holidays are available from Ontario for $495 (plus taxes); Atlantic and Western Canada from $695 (plus taxes) and from Quebec from $795 (taxes included). All featured hotels are all-inclusive. Taxes depend on the destination but they are generally between $200 and $300 CAD per person. The bookings have to be made by September 26th.

Take a look at the flyer that lists some of the properties – but keep in mind that there are more to choose from – and that for each property there are specific dates when the $495 sales price applies. Also -AVAILABILITY is always a big factor as there might be only a few seats available for each property with such an amazing price… and that of course at the time of printing! So finding the good price on the dates YOU want might not be that easy.

You can contact us for more info on the availability and other details. Please note that a booking fee of 36.75 incl. GST applies for bookings.

Shoulder season $avings

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Taking a trip in the shoulder season, the period of travel between low and high seasons, offers some serious advantages to holidaymakers with an eye on their wallet but who still want to enjoy the best a destination has to offer. Travelling in high season doesn’t only mean you’re paying the top bracket for your holiday. Beaches are fuller, lineups longer, tourist attractions more crowded. But tickets are at their cheapest in the low season for good reason. Monsoons, hurricanes and just inappropriate weather (it’s fairly obvious that there’s no point going skiing in the Alps in the middle of summer, even if it is cheaper than February) can make the bargains available seem less than appealing. But choose your holiday time with care and you can enjoy good weather, un-crowded resorts and still pay considerably less. Enter the shoulder season.The shoulder season is a little known term for a fairly straightforward concept. If you avoid visiting a destination at the same time as the rest of the world, prices are cheaper and your holiday is bound to be more enjoyable. The shoulder season falls at the start and finish of the high season, and many hotels, flights and holidays are reduced in price to tempt people to travel at slightly different times. The weather should still be good, something you can’t be sure of if travelling at low season, but you’ll pay less for avoiding the most popular times.

A general rule of thumb for picking a shoulder season is to avoid school holidays and the “obvious” times to travel, but to keep as close to high season as you can. Ski resorts, for example, open in late November, but see little traffic until the Christmas week. Head out in early or mid-December and not only will your package or flights and hotel be cheaper, but you’ll find the slopes less crowded, lift queues shorter and, usually, a substantial reduction on the cost of ski rentals and lift passes. Alternatively, consider later March or April (be sure to check when Easter falls to avoid the school holidays) when the resort is starting to wind down. An added bonus of travelling at the end of the season, particularly if skiing, is the prevalent sales in shops as they try and get rid of their stock before the end of the season.

For a Caribbean beach holiday, consider late November or early December. The weather is still beautiful (although it could be a bit windier) and you’ve far more chance of having a beach all to yourself as most people are busy at home before the Holidays.

Also be aware of festivals and local holidays – no matter where you’re thinking of going prices will rise over the Christmas week and New Year. If you’re travelling to America, prices will rise over Thanksgiving. March break in Florida could be scary for someone seeking peace and quiet. And remember events like Carnival and Easter. If you’re not going to join in the fun, then it’s not worth paying the extra money.