Tag: hotels etc

Things you can do on a cruise that you did not know about

by hotelsetc, posted in cruises

Cruise vacation deals are becoming more and more popular but not just for the price itself. From five star restaurants to incredible entertainment and activities, there is much more to a cruise than meets the eye. Here are two incredible things to do on a cruise that just about anyone would enjoy:

Enjoy Broadway-styled productions on Cruise Lines

Cruise lines are adapting the changing entertainment scenarios which demands high-tech, dynamic productions, and providing the same high quality of entertainment on board for their travelers. These state-of-the-art ships have assorted features and entertainment choices. These include varieties like surf simulators, ropes courses and even snow rooms as well as ice skating rinks! Beyond these fascinating structures, cruise lines are also reinventing the cruising experience and producing Broadway-like shows on board. These have advanced features such as big lighting, elaborate costumes and contemporary choreography. In fact, Disney Wonder of Disney Cruise Line has already started producing theatrical version of its all-time highest earning animated movie “Frozen” during travels. The movie is presented as a musical show on board. This is just one example of how cruise lines are changing the face of entertainment at sea, and giving their travelers experiences of a life-time in special surroundings. After all, watching a musical in theater is ordinary, but watching “Frozen” come alive on a ship, surrounded by splashing waves is something unique.

cruise entertainment

Another Disney cruise liner, Disney Magic has already been presenting “Tangled: The Musical” on board. This hour-long show contains 7 musical numbers.  Alan Menken, an Academy-award winning music composer has composed 3 new songs for this musical. It is breathtaking to see Rapunzel in the cruise settings; with her 200 feet long golden hair adorning the stage.

Not only Disney cruise lines, but Carnival’s latest ship Carnival Vista also has excellent, on board entertainment varieties, including the first ever IMAX theater cruising at sea. The liner also produces special musical shows, featuring classic rock anthems.

How About Taking a Culinary Cruise?

Who says gourmet dining and celebrity chef-led restaurants cannot be experienced at sea?

You too can enjoy the feast-adventure by taking any of the culinary cruises that have become quite popular in last few years. While restaurants on earth are earning stars for their meals, spirit and excellent wines, now the same experience is also being offered on sea by the best cruise lines through their culinary-themed vacation sailings. Here you can have the same high levels of exclusive meals, wines and enjoy gourmet dining episodes that are created by world’s renowned chefs. Instead of booking a simple cruise vacation, now a high number of travelers are booking for trips based on famous chefs’ appearances on selected cruise lines. There are also events of opening trendy cocktail bars or restaurants aboard a ship which have been quite a hit with connoisseurs. Most of cruise lines used to offer a central restaurant along with breakfast, lunch buffets in their all-inclusive packages. But now, renowned chefs are creating exclusive menus for cruise lines inspired by their destinations as well as local cuisine of ports of call. Windstar Cruises offers such culinary cruises on its small luxury yachts. It has a sophisticated fleet that consists of six yachts, each with a capacity of 300 guests. That makes it a perfect cruise for select gatherings going to ports where big ships cannot dock. Such convenience gives travelers a chance to disembark and taste local cuisine too.

food on cruise

You can find cruise discounts for all the best destinations on Hotels Etc.

The truth about how to get travel discounts online

by hotelsetc, posted in travel discounts

For two decades there was never really any secret in terms of how to get travel discounts online, for it was once an easy task. Simply log on to Expedia, Orbitz or any of the other most prominent booking engines and take your pick. There was really no catch to any of this process either; you got the best products and services at the best possible price every, single time. Suppliers and operators were more than happy to avail of these extra avenues for filling their vacant hotel rooms, especially at the last minute, and the process itself was so convenient it left potential guests with no good reason not to utilize their services.

travel discounts

How to get travel discounts online

In fact, the presence of travel discounts online continued to increase for many years, as did the actual percentage of these offers. More and more, new travel booking engines found their way into the market and this did nothing other than make it easier for customers to find the best deals.

Old ways and new beginnings

However, it has long been known that history repeats itself within every industry or market, and the online travel industry is no different. Hugely popular and common place prior to the arrival of the internet, Travel Clubs were once the main and only source of travel discounts. In return for a small membership fee, these membership clubs negotiated special rates with suppliers and offered these amazing deals back to their members in what is called a “Closed User Group”. In many ways, these were no different to a traditional booking engine from a few years ago in that they offered large discounts with no catch.

Interestingly, these travel membership clubs were overshadowed by the emergence of the online world and in particular, booking engines. But as mentioned, history does repeat itself and in light of a new law introduced to the market called “Rate parity”, these travel clubs are now re-emerging as the best and only way to find travel discounts.

travel membership

Rate Parity and Travel membership clubs

Rate Parity is a new law which essentially disallows the traditional booking engines from advertising reduced prices across their channels of distribution or in simple English, they no longer offer discounts of any kind. This may sound very significant but that’s because it is and if you check any of these booking engines against each other, you will quickly find the prices are the same across the board.

Naturally this means the consumer is offered no real value from a traditional booking engine other than convenience and for this reason, Travel Membership Clubs are thriving once more. Exempt from the laws of “Rate Parity”, these membership clubs are now offering genuine travel discounts to their members which cannot be found anywhere else online.

Although maybe you need convincing and in such case, you should consider starting a free trial offer with Hotels Etc, the leading Travel Membership Club in North America. With more than 4 million members, 25 years of experience and a five star rating; Hotels Etc is now one of the best and only ways to get travel discounts online.

Are travel discounts a thing of the past?

by hotelsetc, posted in travel discounts

We expect to find the best travel discounts online and along with convenience, this is the reason we use booking engines as opposed to calling or booking direct with a service provider. Except, maybe you have noticed, the cost of hotel rooms and other travel related services seem to be increasingly expensive and there is a specific reason for this being the case.

las vegas discount

Travel discounts and Rate Parity

Introduced recently, a law called “Rate Parity” stipulates travel brands can only advertise one price across all channels of distribution. This effectively means a traditional booking engine simply cannot offer hotel discounts as they have done in the past. Held accountable by this new legislation, the cost of a hotel is the same on a traditional booking engine as they are on a website for the hotel in question.

The truth is out there

Take for example Kayak, one of the largest travel comparison websites in the world. If you perform a quick search for a hotel room on Kayak you will find the cost of a hotel room is the very same across all of the booking engines out there. Why? As mentioned previously, rate parity. This is the same if you check each individual booking engine and compare the price against the website of the actual hotel.

Providing this is the case, you really do need to ask yourself, what is the point of using these booking engines if they offer no genuine value anymore?

travel discounts

Travel membership: The only way to find genuine travel discounts

However, there is thankfully still a way to find the best travel discounts online and this is by searching within a “closed loop program” such as a travel membership club. Rate parity does not apply to membership clubs and for this reason, it is possible to sign up and start finding the travel discounts which were once available on the traditional booking engines.

Simple and effective, travel membership clubs also have a booking engine of their own on which you can search for the best vacation and avail of the best price.

Hotels Etc in North America

Leading the way in North America for more than 25 years, Hotels Etc is a travel membership club with a 5 star reputation and 4 million members. Essentially, this membership program negotiates the best possible rates with service providers in the travel industry and passes them on to their clients. Ranging from 50 – 80%, these are large discounts which far outweigh any decision to sign up for membership and there is also a trial option during which you can verify this value for yourself.

There really is no more to say other than if you want to find the best travel discounts online, you will need to look past the traditional booking engines and start utilizing the incredible advantages of being a member with a travel club such as Hotels Etc.

Still not sure? Come see for yourself, you can sign up for a free trial today.

Rate Parity and what you don’t know about booking travel online

by hotelsetc, posted in vacations

Finding the best hotel discounts is no longer an easy task and if the truth be known, it’s no longer possible to find any genuine discounts on a traditional booking engine. Yes, they are still popular and the most common means on which most travelers will reserve their accommodation, but make no mistake, Expedia, Orbitz and every other travel booking engine no longer offer the same value to customers as before.

Many online users are unaware this is the case and that standard booking engines are an outdated way to book travel without any genuine discount or value. But why has this happened and what is the alternative solution?

Rate parity

Great changes in the online travel industry

Although this is something you may not have heard about, a recent law called “Rate Parity” has greatly affected the market for booking engines as this new legislation stipulates every travel brand must keep the price of accommodation the same across all channels of distribution. What does this mean? It means Expedia and other large brands cannot offer an alternative cost to the price on any of their other websites. In a more specific sense, rate parity means the traditional booking engines can no longer offer hotel rooms or any other travel related service at a discounted price.

Why do online users still use these booking engines?

Good question. Booking engines are known to offer a user friendly and convenient experience but more to the point, it would seem online users are just simply in the habit of using what was once the only means of booking their travel online. Thing is, you really do need to ask yourself; why book with a travel booking engine when you can book direct with the hotel for the same price? Furthermore, why book with either of the above when you can book for less with a Travel membership club?

travel discounts

Travel Membership clubs

Once the most popular way to book discounted travel back in the early 1990’s, travel membership clubs have been finding their way back to the forefront of the travel industry in recent times. Rate parity is the reason for this, for membership clubs are the one exemption to the rules which have all but taken away the ability of a traditional booking engine to offer genuine value.

Hotels Etc – 25 years of exceptional service

Hotels Etc is the leading travel membership club in North America with a five star reputation spanning 25 years. User friendly and highly convenient, this is a booking engine but with a stark contrast; every listing represents a discount on the usual price. Ranging anywhere from 40 – 70%, these discounts are incredible value and are testament to the fact Travel Membership clubs are the one best way to find travel discounts online.

Why pay more, when you can pay less? Check out Hotels Etc now and start saving on your next overnight stay or long anticipated vacation.

How to choose the right cruise vacation in 2017

by hotelsetc, posted in vacations

According to recent studies in the industry, these days more travelers are choosing a cruise vacation over an all-inclusive resort. As per estimates, nearly 24 million people had taken cruise vacations around the world in 2016 and these numbers are expected to rise in year 2017. As demands for a cruise vacation grow, so do choices for travelers. Among a wealth of cruise vacation offers, how do you choose which one is suitable for you? Well, here we are to help you sort through various options and select the best cruise line for both your budget and vacation needs.

casino

Best Value for Money Cruise Lines

If you are looking for a cruise line which returns best value for your money in 2017, then consider taking Celebrity Cruises. Although it has smaller fleet compared to its rivals, Celebrity’s many ships provide personalized service as it has an average ship-capacity of less than 2,700 passengers. This helps in catering to passengers personally. That does not mean it has any less amenities than big ships. The cruise line also offers all those amenities you would look for in big ships such as open-air movie screens and also kids’ programming. Big amenities, but at lower rates of $100 per traveller, per night. Second option can be Royal Caribbean International or Norwegian Cruise Line which also provides best amenities and value for your money while choosing a cruise vacation

Best Cruise Vacations for Families

When it comes to family cruise vacations, Disney Cruise Line wins hands down against its competitors. It has topped the list of family cruise lines for four successive years. The cruise line is famous for its deck parties based on Disney characters and has a specialized kids’ club, which is sure to keep the younger crowd happy. On the other hand, there are also exclusive areas for adults which provide an excellent place to parents for unwinding after a day of fun-filled activities. Another favorite for family cruises is Royal Caribbean International, which is ranked number 2 and Carnival Cruise Lines with a rank of number 3.

Couples? Here are Best Cruise Lines for You

Whether it is Valentine’s Day or your sweetheart’s birthday; if  you are looking to celebrate by sailing away with your partner, then you can get an enchanting experience on Crystal Cruises. This cruise line has been selected as the top ranking for couples this year. Here, the lovebirds can enjoy all-inclusive, special amenities such as terry cloth robes, feather beds and complimentary spirits and romantic wines. If you want to give a romantic gift to that special person with you, then instead of going for some regular gift, choose couple’s spa treatments or/ and specialty private dining. For those wanting to spend romantic vacations on sea, other recommended cruise lines include Azamara Club Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises that provide best romantic cruise for couples.

Best Cruise Lines for Caribbean Destinations

Nothing compares to emerald waters of Caribbean seas and if you are searching for the best cruises line to Caribbean, then Disney Cruise Line should be your first choice. Two reasons set apart Disney from other cruise liners; first it owns a private island called Castaway Cay (Bahamas) from where its ships set sail. Secondly, it sends ships to not one or two, but more than a dozen Caribbean destinations. These include popular destinations such as Jamaica, Cozumel, Puerto Rico, Mexico and also to lesser-known islands like Curaçao and Grenada. Second rank for Best Caribbean cruise lines goes to Celebrity Cruises and Crystal Cruises is at number 3 if you wish to go on ocean-vacation in 2017 in the Caribbean.

cocktails on a cruise vacation

Best Mediterranean Cruise Lines

If you are looking for warmer climate and heavenly food, then Mediterranean shores would appeal to you. For 2017, Celebrity Cruises tops the list of the best Mediterranean cruise lines. The line’s ships are mostly mid-size that travel to popular European ports such as Greece, Santorini and Naples (Italy). These ships will take you to famed Mediterranean destinations where you can explore the waters as well as dine at in-house swank restaurants, which will offer you a wide range of delicacies from French desserts to juicy, tasty steaks. After satisfying your taste buds, you can enjoy the restful hospitality of their comfortable accommodations. The number 2 spot in the list of the best Mediterranean liners in 2017 is occupied by Regent Seven Seas Cruises while Oceania Cruises holds the number 3 rank in this list.

If you would like to know more about these cruise vacations or find the best available cruise discounts, you can avail of a free trial perios with Travel membership experts Hotels Etc.