Tag: hotels etc

Best Caribbean Cruise Ships in 2017

by hotelsetc, posted in cruise discounts

There’s really no such thing as a terrible cruise in the Caribbean, but there are definitely a few who stand out from the rest. Whether it’s unique activities that are offered onboard or just a vibe that’s not like the others, these cruise ships might have just the thing you’re looking for. So, sit back, relax and grab one of those tasty pineapple drinks with neon straws and ridiculously big umbrellas as we check out five Caribbean cruise ships that are anything but boring.

Here are the best Caribbean cruise ships in 2017:

Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas

Honestly, what makes this cruise ship so amazing are the many fresh options when it comes to activities that there’s really no other experience like it. Royal Caribbean really outdid itself with the robot bartenders, skydiving simulation, trapeze lessons, and glass enclosed ride that takes you up 300ft above sea level so you can see the world from an entirely new vantage point.

This ship also has all of the other regular stuff like delicious food options and shows, but its rooms are also unique given that some have HD screens that cover an entire wall and give guests the feeling of a virtual balcony. Some of the rooms also are interconnected and two stories, which is good for larger families or someone who just really likes to spend more money.

Cruise restaurant

Carnival Sunshine

Formerly known as the Carnival Destiny, a pretty, little makeover of over $150 million bucks upgraded the 17 year-old ship into something a little more, you know, cool. There are a ton of bars and restaurants on this bad boy, including a delish burger bar that was created by your favorite blond-haired chef, Guy Fieri.

One of the favorites on this ship though is the huge adult-only sections that span across three separate decks. Not that we don’t all love having kids around while drinking our cocktails, but you know.

Norwegian Escape

This cruise ship is a party machine and with twenty-one bars onboard, you almost have each one of your drinks at a different place. Two of them are Jimmy Buffett franchises, which always helps out with creating the chilled out Caribbean vibe.

Another thing that makes this ship unique is that it supposedly has some of the fastest waterslides you can find while sailing the seas. But, there’s really only one way to find out — plug your nose!

Disney Fantasy

Kids, kids, and more kids – that’s what Disney has always been about and this 2,500 passenger Disneyland on water is going to get anyone’s vote who’s under the age of twelve. It’s not all about the kids though and good ol’ Walt and company still keep the adults in mind with bars and other areas that are 18+ only after 9pm.

Disney

Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas

Saving the best, and most impressive for last as there’s no other cruise ship that competes with the 5,400 passengers that this thing can hold. But, it’s not only size that matters, right? There’s also an entire park that has over 12,000 plants (the first of its kind on a cruise ship), two climbing walls, a surfing simulator, and an entire mall that offers pretty much anything you would ever need to buy, including your daily dose of Starbucks.

You can check out our endless run of cruise discounts for 2017 on Hotels Etc here.

Is Punta Cana worthy of the award for Top Caribbean Destination?

by hotelsetc, posted in vacation

Punta Cana was recently named the top Caribbean destination in Trip Advisor’s “Travelers choice awards”. This award was based on a number of factors but ultimately, it relied on visitor reviews of the period of one year. But how did this happen and why is Punta Cana supposedly the best destination in the Caribbean for a vacation?

Is Punta Cana worthy of the award for Top Caribbean Destination?

Caribbean

Located in the very east of the Dominican Republic, Punta Cana finds itself on white powder sands right next to a pristine ocean. Stretching for more than a hundred miles along the coast, the resort is hugely popular and has enough options to cater toward every budget, big and small. Whether you want a luxury hotel, a quiet guesthouse or a villa complete with infinity pool, you can find it here next to a plethora of attractions.

I guess there must also be a reason why so many people decide to get married here or choose it as a honeymoon destination? And yes there is, for it is here you will find many spa treatment center, enjoyable adventure activities, incredible restaurants and lively nightlife to top it all off. Indeed, Punta Cana is a Caribbean destination which does not seem to be lacking in any area and even the convenience of taking a trip here is inviting.

Situated a short twenty minute from the airport, the resorts require minimal travel time and with more than thirty countries flying to the region, it is always easy to get there in the first place. As mentioned above, another highlight of the resort is the food and it is common for each hotel to have its very own world class restaurant. If you decide to go all inclusive, this will obviously mean there are no excuses for sampling everything on offer but if you wish for a little more variety, it also means you can stop into any of the other resorts for something different.

Sunset

Options in Punta Cana

And then there are the resorts themselves; Dreams, Barcelo, Now, Iberostar, Excellence and more, there are so many accommodation choices and when you take advantage of hotel discounts, there is always amazing value to coincide. In fact, where else can you find rates this affordable in the Caribbean for luxury hotels? No wonder it was voted the best Caribbean destination in the awards for Trip Advisor.

That said, the decision is yours but as always we highly recommend checking out our hotel discounts to make sure you are getting the best price and to save you from needlessly spending more than you should be on your up coming vacation.

You can activate your free trial on Hotels Etc by clicking here and star finding out just how much you can save for a vacation in Punta Cana.

10 Travel hacks to help you choose the right vacation

by hotelsetc, posted in vacations

Vacations are fun but lets be honest, they are not always enjoyable to plan and often this can be for the fact that there are so many options. That said, maybe you just have no idea where to start? In that case you’ have come to the right places because we know exactly how to help you better decide on where to choose for that all important vacation.

Here are 10 travel hacks for your next vacation:

vacation

 

1.Ask the question why
What is it about a vacation that gets you excited, are you thinking about how nice it will be to sit on an isolated beach? Don’t choose Cancun, it’s too busy. Choosing a destination begins with questions about why you are going, do you want to chill, take outdoor adventures, explore cultures or get a tan?

2.Try lesser known places

Anytime you see somewhere nice, just remember there is always a place just down the road which is lesser know, just as beautiful and possibly even more interesting for the fact that there are less tourists.

3.Don’t be afraid to go alone
Says it all. There are times when your friends cannot go on vacation with you and it’s a terrible thing, but you deserve to be happy, you have the right and deserve a vacation. Yes, we give you permission to go alone.

travel hack
4.Popular vacation destinations are popular for a reason
Forget about number 2 on this list, popular places are popular for a reason. Cancun has stunning beaches, Costa Rica is great for outdoor activities and Aruba has many options for road tripping. Just because they are popular does not mean you wont have an amazing time too.

5. Think closer to home
We offer the best hotel discounts to our members and more than ever, we are seeing North Americans choosing to stay in the US instead of venturing down south. So get signed up and start looking closer to home.

6. Be open minded about the destination
Even if you never even heard of the place, that should not matter. The best vacations are sometimes the ones where you least expect it to happen and anyway, travel is supposed to be about new experiences. Step out of the bubble, experience somewhere new.

7. Think outside the box
Travel destinations are sometimes expensive but don’t be put off. Check out our hotel discounts and vacation offers but also consider alternative transport to where you are going other than flights. Train, bus, car…..

8. Make a decision
Now that you know where you want to go, stop procrastinating and get it booked. The longer you wait, the higher the price will go and before you know it, you can no longer afford the dream vacation.

vacation
9. Find a better deal elsewhere

Having checked out our website, we don’t mind you shopping around because we know that you will come back to us for the best deal. Don’t pay more than you should, join us and find the best vacation discounts online.

10. Ask for advice
After all, this is what we are here for; to help you. Ask us on Facebook, by email or phone, we want to help you and we want you to keep coming back to us for the best hotel discounts and more.

Are you actually getting the best prices for hotels?

by hotelsetc, posted in Home, hotel discounts

Nothing scream louder from the rooftops than a special offer and we should know this having amassed several million members in the past 25 years of providing the largest hotel discounts you can find anywhere in the online world. You might think that sounds a little too good to be true or a slight exaggeration of some kind but given that we offer a free trial to any prospective member, you should feel assured that we encourage you to come find out for yourself.

But why have you not heard of Hotels Etc until now?

Good question. Hotelsetc.com was first established in the mid 1990’s when, believe it or not, there was no such thing as a booking engine and travel clubs were the only real option for anyone looking for discounts on hotels or any other travel related services. Back then there was no real internet presence of course and so competition in every region was mostly confined to travel agents or hotlines but nevertheless, Hotels Etc was still established as a market leader and the number one place to find hotel discounts in particular.

hotel discounts

So what changed recently?

The online world changed everything of course but there is also a new law which has change things further again. Over the past 10 years any company or individual was enabled to advertise hotel rooms on a website in return for a commission from the hotel itself which in turn brought about the birth of Expedia, Orbitz and all the other major brands. Except until recently, there were a million other booking engines offering the best hotel discounts and inevitably, the initial lack of presence online for us (Hotels Etc) combined with mass saturation in this particular market would allow the big brands to take over. You may have noticed the words “Until recently” in italics above? You see, unknown to most consumers, a major shift in regulations has resulted in a in stark change with regard to online bookings in the travel industry which directly relate to pricing. The law of “rate parity” has effectively meant that these websites can no longer offer discounts to customers like they once did and thankfully for us, travel clubs were exempt from this new law.

In case that’s not clear enough, travel clubs are now the only way you can find genuine discounts online.

Come see why millions of customers have stayed with us for 25 years

We are only scratching the surface here of course because our service extends far beyond hotel rooms and when you add this to our customer service or incredible search engine, you will be a lot closer to understanding why millions of our customers are still with us today. Free trail or jump straight in, the choice is yours but either way, welcome to Hotels Etc.

hotels etc

You can get signed up right away by clicking here and starting uncovering all the amazing hotel discounts we offer our members.

What is the best value vacation in 2017?

by hotelsetc, posted in vacations

Stunning in every possible way, the Caribbean is always going to be a hot-spot for tourism and an automatic choice for many tourists. You can find incredible hotel discounts and vacation offers for this region through our search portal, but cruise ships over the past few years in particular are the stand out performers and with the incredible value that they offer, it’s not difficult to see why this is the case:

Here are 5 reasons cruises are thought to be the best value vacation in 2017:

1.Cruise ships now rival all-inclusive resorts

When you book a cruise you are not only guaranteed a lineup of exotic ports and entertainment but also a wide range of inclusions. Naturally your accommodation is part of the package but when you factor in the food (and sometimes drinks), nightly entertainment, sublime swimming pools and free activities during the day, the return on investment for a cruise is undeniable.

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2.It’s not just a cruise, there are also incredible destination

This one speaks for itself. You are promised some relaxing times on calm seas for most cruises and much of the attraction will in fact be in terms of spending on the sea. However, when you book a cruise you are also promised a number of incredible destinations to explore in between and while there is no obligation to jump off at any time, the fact that these can be part of the overall experience is priceless.

3.Cruise discounts and more

And just when you thought the price of a cruise couldn’t’t get any lower, you find a travel club such as ourselves to help you find the best cruise discounts. Don’t be fooled by the name, Hotels Etc offer a full range of travel service which extends from hotels and vacation packages to the above mentioned cruise discounts. You can sign up for a free trial but ultimately, this is the only place you will find legitimate cruise discounts online.

4.Day tours and shore excursions

As previously stated, you can jump off in every destination in which the cruise will stop and this allows you to take shore excursions. When you visit a city anywhere in the world, you want to see the sights, learn something about the destination or just have a day of exploring and these day tours are specially designed to help you see as much as possible while also getting you back to the ship in time. With prices starting from $25 per person, these day tours are incredible value.

Restaurant discounts

5.You pay for what you want and you go where you please

When you take a day tour the itinerary is sometimes set out in a particular way but otherwise, life on board a cruise is a very liberating experience. There are so many restaurants, bars, clubs and activities you can partake in and almost as many areas on the ship to relax. You don’t need to worry about over-spending on a cruise for the fact that you choose where to eat and then the freedom of organizing your own itinerary will leave you in no doubt that this was exactly how a vacation should be.

Click here to avail of the best cruise discounts and other offers on Hotels Etc.