Summer is almost here and if you haven’t made travel plans yet, you better hurry up! Today kicks off Memorial Day Weekend, the “unofficial” start to the season and while you may be running out of time you certainly aren’t running out ways to save.
Keep reading to find out HOW and WHEN to find the best travel deals.
1. Take a repositioning cruise
Cruise lines move their ships from region to region depending on the season: Summer in Alaska, winter in the Caribbean and so on. Rather than move those ships across the Atlantic, the Pacific or the Panama Canal empty, they offer discounted one-way repositioning cruises. These cruises cost significantly less than high-season cruises. “You have all the standard features of the ship—the food, entertainment, it all goes with the ship to the new place—but it’s much cheaper and less crowded,” says travel writer Wayne Dunlap, author of “Plan Your Escape, Secrets of Traveling the World for Less Than the Cost of Living at Home.” Dunlap recommends checking out VacationsToGo.com for lists of repositioning cruises. He also suggests that rather than fly to Europe, you could take a repositioning cruise there. Sure, it will take longer, but “it’s such a relaxing way to travel,” says Dunlap. “The cost of a repositioning two-week cruise on sale can be about the cost of flight to your destination and there is no jet lag.”
Be sure to plan an extra day or two at the beach to unwind from all the excitement if you port near one.
2. Travel at the cheapest times
The price of flights varies considerably depending on the month, day and even time of travel. Skyscanner lets you compare flight prices across a whole month or year meaning you’ll be able to see the cheapest days to fly, saving you a potential packet.
Avoiding the weekends can make a huge impact on the price of flights. Why not compare travel from a Wednesday to Wednesday rather than a Friday to Friday. Using Skyscanner’s handy search tool, you’ll be able to see a graph view of the cheapest days of the week to fly.
3. Try a private room instead of a hotel
Over the last few years there’s been an explosion in websites that allow locals to rent out their sofas, spare rooms, whole apartments and even gardens! Sites like AirBnB have transformed accommodation options, and for travelers, the experience can be far more rewarding than a stay in a chain hotel, as well as being cheaper.
4. Hit The Road
Plan a trip across the country or down a coast. Visit as many beaches as you can! For help figuring out whether it is cheaper to fly or drive, check out Costtodrive, which compares the cost of flying to the cost of driving to a given destination. Users can select the make and model of their car to get a more precise estimation. For example, it would cost $69.40 to drive a 1995 Buick Regal from Washington, D.C., to Chicago, according to the site. It would cost $40.47 for a Toyota Prius to make the same trip.
If you choose the open road, make it part of the destination. Consider looking at hotels and attractions along the route you’re traveling. Road trips are an amazing way to taste the local culture.
5. Vacation with Friends and Family — Split the Costs
Now is the best time to vacation with friends and family, because it makes traveling cheaper. For example, you can rent an apartment, condo or even a house and split the costs. By renting a condo or similar property you can also save money on meals, take turns cooking. It’s way cheaper than dining out every meal.
Safe travels, wherever they may take you. We hope to see some of you this season and as always please share your memories with by using #tuckaway and #tuckawayshores on social media.