Seeking Discount Vacation and Travel Packages? Book Deep Online Travel Discounts Year-Round

Discount Travel and Vacation Packages are abounding in the recession and There are all sorts of deals offering deeply discounted travel packages, vacation packages, cheap airline tickets, and low-priced hotels. You can save a lot of money on your travel destinations worldwide if you know where to book.Online Travel Discounts are allowing people who were unable to fly before to actually take advantage of popular destinations worldwide using travel packages and vacation packages. These online companies are offering deep discounts and if you ever wanted to travel, this is an excellent time. You would think the prices would rise through the roof, but the effect has been completely opposite thanks to the recession. Prices must be slashed in order to get customers to take a trip using vacation packages, discount airfare, cheap hotel prices and cruises. The entire travel industry is fighting desperately for you to use their travel accommodations so that they do not go bankrupt. This is the best time to travel and the best deals are in the form of vacation packages. This is where you will get the most out of your money.What happens is that when not enough people book regularly priced tickets, the airlines, cruise lines and hotels make deals with online companies to offer the tickets at a discount. That is why you may have found that you can get excellent last minute travel deals sometimes. Usually, the closer to the date of travel you are booking your trip, the higher the price is. If you know which sites have these agreements with the companies, you will find the prices to be very affordable on vacation cruises, vacation packages, low airfare, and cheap hotels if you book it right away. One day can make a huge difference!So, save money on a Discount Travel Reservation Site so that you can have more fun spending what you have saved from discount travel arrangements. Take a trip to relax and revitalize yourself while the discount specials are hot!Enjoy your trip!

Online Travel Discounts Here

Merry R, Author

Travel Consultant

Virtually Work

Can Cruising Survive the Credit Crunch?

One of the most obvious changes in the international holiday market of late is the boom in the numbers of cruise passengers. An increasing aversion to flying; the growth in personal wealth from rising property values; a greying population; all are factors that have helped to fill newspapers' travel pages with adverts for cruises.Cruise lines now have about 40 new ships under construction and ready to come into service by 2012. Many of the new ships are bigger and better than anything that has ever floated before. But is the boom about to go bust with this extra capacity arriving just as the worldwide recession has hit travellers' finances and confidence?The biggest operator is Carnival Corporation. Their chairman says soaring fuel and steel costs, combined with a weak dollar, have made it virtually impossible to put together a new ship building project beyond 2012 for any of the corporation's North American cruise brands Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess, and Holland America Line. This gloomy prophecy was made, ironically, at a press conference for the launch of Carnival's latest ship, Carnival Splendor.Carnival's biggest competitor, Royal Caribbean International, appears more optimistic. The company, which includes Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises and Azamara, has placed orders for the largest, most expensive ships ever to be built. Yet it's hard to imagine that cruise bosses are as positive now as they were when they placed the orders.Judging by the cut-price offers now being made to entice passengers aboard, over-capacity may already be a big issue. It remains to be seen how long the current economic woes will continue and how deep the recession will become. How will cruise passengers react to all the economic bad news? Will those with money to spare stick with their newly acquired enthusiasm for cruising? Or has much of the recent growth been fuelled by credit that's running dry?In mid-2008, the body that represents the leading cruise companies in Britain, the Passenger Shipping Association, forecast around 1.5 million Britons would take a cruise that year. They expect over 2 million British passengers to be cruising by 2012 and point to an increasing number of affluent older people as the key reason for the growth. Those figures may well have to be revised.The sheer number of cruise passengers has been causing problems in some ports with large cruise ships arriving at the same time, swamping the facilities. Cruise visitors to Barcelona have virtually doubled in the past five years. Figures from MedCruise show a rise from 398,948 in 2002 to 789,409 in 2007. Fortunately, Barcelona, the second most popular Mediterranean port after Naples, is much better placed to deal with the growth, being a large city with good port facilities.In contrast, the Venice Port Authority has announced plans for a new cruise ship berth costing 75 million. It is needed to accommodate 1,000 foot monsters such as Genesis, operated by Royal Caribbean, which can carry 6,000 passengers.Ship numbers and sheer ship size, have brought other problems. Local businesses often do not benefit as passengers have less time to roam around thanks to the longer time spent disembarking and re-embarking. In addition many passengers now go on organised pre-booked tours which means less chance of local shopping and fewer meals taken at local restaurants.Over the next year or so these are the type of concerns that cruise operators would probably love to be dealing with. But filling these monster ships in a recession might be a much bigger problem. There could be some real bargains on the market very soon.

Bob Cartwright writes for TravelSavvy Europe - independent city guide for tourists. For more information visit: short breaks in Europe.

The Travel Guide

Make your vacation the best one ever by checking out everything you need in the "Travel Guide." Here you will find hundreds of choices for the exact destination you need. Find out what is hot with reviews on your favorite attractions.Wondering which cruise would be best for you? Look no further you will find it all here at the "Travel Guide." Make use of our forum to find the best airline, car and hotels. Booking is fast and convenient. You can book airline travel, a cruise, your car rental, and even your hotel here at the "Travel Guide." Find out the best restaurants, hotels and cruises with our in depth reviews.Flight search: Find and book your flight here. Book your flights using our convenient "Flight Search." You can find your destination, see what flights are available at the time and day you want, and then book with just a click of your mouse. You can choose your airline, order any special meals you may need and be on your way within minutes.Before you go, don't forget to check your travel insurance! Part of the fun of a vacation is never knowing what to expect, but the unexpected is not always a good thing. Don't risk destroying your holiday by forgetting to get that vital insurance. There are a variety of insurance options available, so pick the one that best suites your particular case. Bear in mind everything you think might happen, and get an insurance that plans for every emergency. Remember, when you buy insurance, you are buying peace of mind, to save you worrying about anything going wrong.Apart from the insurance, you are also going to need transport when you get to your destination. And that means a car, unless you're going on a cruise! Car rental is one of the most annoying parts of vacationing, and you want an easy way to have a car ready and waiting for you when you arrive at your holiday. The best way to do this, of course, is to arrange it online. Just look up the travel guide, and check out the worldwide car rental options.After you have your car arranged, you still need somewhere to stay. guideoftravel.com offers you a large database of hotels in from many different countries, so have a look there and see if you can find one that's right for you. Just be sure you book everything before you leave, you don't want to be stuck with nowhere to stay!If you are looking for a cruise, you might try guideoftravel.com - they can link you to a number of different cruises to different places, ranging from the exotic to the peaceful. Great deals, tips on how to get the best from your cruise, as well as in depth reviews, makes it an excellent resource. Pick and exclusive cruise for yourself, or a more family-oriented one- the choice is yours.Vacations from guideoftravel.com, get the vacation you deserve: We offer vacation tips, great deals and insider reviews. It doesn't matter where you want to go, you can find your perfect vacation here. So let the "Travel Guide" help you make this holiday your best ever. You have saved up all year for your vacation, now is the time to relax and enjoy yourself.

Crystal Cruise Lines Receive Top Cruise Ship Vacations Award

Twelve years ago the Travel and Leisure Magazine created a 'World's Best Award for various categories of the travel industry. The winner of the awards is decided according to the votes by the readers of Travel and Leisure magazine. Every year there are several new winners in different travel categories with one exception - the 'World's Best Large-Cruise Line'Award. Crystal Cruises is the only cruise line, resort ,or hotel to have won this prestigious award each and every year since the award's inception.Thousands of world travelers and subscribers rated cruise lines on cabins, food, service, itineraries/destinations, activities and value. Not only did Crystal Cruise win the award for 2007, but also surpassed it's winning rating for 2006.Crystal Cruises' luxurious, award-winning fleet consists of the 940-guest, 50,000-ton Crystal Symphony and 1,080-guest, 68,000-ton Crystal Serenity, which cruise worldwide on itineraries of seven to 108 days. In the past year, the luxury line completed a stylish and sophisticated redesign of Crystal Symphony.What are the special features that have made Crystal Cruises so outstanding for a cruise ship vacation? Crystal Cruises' President Gregg Michel attributes their success to their extraordinary staff, and the companies attention to detail. Crystal Cruise line have also focused on providing personalized experiences for their travelers ashore with an increased collection of boutique Crystal Adventures(R) and thoroughly customized Crystal Private Adventures throughout the world. Earlier this year, Crystal's spas were singled out for their service, facilities and treatments, while its Creative Learning Institute was given special recognition for its inspirational programs. The line's glamorous casinos, array of evening entertainment and creative culinary venues and menus -- such as the cuisine of master chef, Nobu Matsuhisa -- rate high among those seeking quality choices on their floating luxury resort.Crystal Cruise lines offer superior service, choices, space and quality, for all their passengers. This has proved to be a winning combination for them to win the World's Best Large-Cruise Line' Award for the last twelve years. If you are looking for a dream vacation, then Crystal could be the right choice for you

Oceania Cruises Onboard with WillowCSN for Reservation Services

August, 2003 -- WillowCSN, the pioneer provider of virtual contact center staffing solutions, is expanding its Travel and Hospitality Services Division with the addition of Oceania Cruises to its client roster, the company announced today."Unparalleled customer service is paramount to the Oceania Cruises experience - from the first initial phone call with the travel agent to the final day of disembarkation, Oceania guests expect and receive stellar service, stated Bob Binder, senior vice president of Marketing and Passenger Services for Oceania Cruises. We partnered with WillowCSN because their commitment to exceptional quality and personalized service compliments the Oceania philosophy. Binder continued, The Cyber Agents handling our program are experienced travel industry professionals who will make the reservation and customer service experience enjoyable and memorable for our valued guests and travel agents."Beginning later this month, WillowCSN's CyberAgents will handle reservations as well as the overflow of other in-bound customer service and sales calls for Oceania. The newest of the luxury cruise lines, Oceania Cruises is geared to sophisticated travelers looking for a distinctly different approach to casually elegant vacationing. WillowCSN is the leading and pioneer provider of flexible, virtual staffing solutions for the contact center industry, utilizing proprietary technology to link clients with CyberAgent CSRs, highly-trained individuals who operate as customer service representatives from their home offices and are paid on a performance basis. Willow is thrilled to be working with Oceania Cruises, said Basil Bennett, president and chief executive officer of Willow CSN Incorporated. Like Oceania, we consider ourselves to be an innovator in the customer service industry. Our virtual agents are a natural match for companies such as Oceania, which hold themselves to the same high standards of quality and personal service.The addition of Oceania Cruises is significant for WillowCSN's expanding travel and hospitality services division. In addition to providing ongoing assistance to several AAA Motor Clubs across the country and Alamo Rent-A-Car, Willow's CyberAgents recently provided outbound calling services for the membership drive campaign of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, a 93-year-old federation of state lodging associations which provides its members with assistance in operations, education, and communications, and lobbies on Capitol Hill.About WillowCSNFounded in 1997 and based in Miramar Florida, WillowCSN is the pioneer of a flexible, virtual staffing solution for organizations seeking to address the staffing, cost and quality control issues associated with conventional contact centers. Companies route portions of their call volume to Willow's CyberAgent CSRs, who operate as customer service representatives from their home offices. Clients and CyberAgent CSRs rely on Willow's patented StarMatic technology for its scheduling, reporting, and communications functions. More information can be found at www.willowcsn.com.About Oceania Cruises Oceania Cruises features two intimate and luxurious 684 passenger ships, REGATTA and INSIGNIA, which sail to such intriguing destinations such as Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, Greek Isles, Black Sea, Central America and the Caribbean. Oceania Cruises is setting a new, worldwide standard for luxury cruising with the finest cuisine at sea, exceptional personalized service, grand style, and luxurious accommodations offered at an affordable price. For more information visit: www.oceaniacruises.com.

HOTEL DATA SYSTEMS EXPANDS INTO TRAVEL ASP RESERVATIONS SERVICES

WESTPORT, CT. October 23, 2003 " Hotel Data Systems, Inc (HDS) announced today the launch of its new services company, Magellan Reservation Services (Magellan). Using the far reaching networking abilities of the Internet, Magellan Reservation Services provides channel distribution services for Hotels, Car Rental Companies, Tour Operators and Cruise Lines worldwide.Magellan specializes in providing services that will incorporate leading edge business practices with a worldwide distribution network which includes the Global Distribution Systems, (GDSs), and travel booking engines consisting of major Web portals as well as specially marketed consumer travel sites. In addition to these reservation processing services, Magellan also offers value added services to it clients such as: Revenue Management Strategies, Yield Management Strategies, Customer Retention Management, Source of Business Strategies, Dynamic Packaging and all complimented with a full staff of experienced travel executives.Using the dynamic Magellan Source of Business practice combined with Magellan's Channel Distribution platform, Magellan clients are assured of obtaining the highest possible yield per reservation.Magellan offers companies extensive help in the transfer, acquisition and management of GDS codes. Companies can also be listed as affiliates under Magellan's proprietary chain code. Tour operators and cruise lines can benefit from Magellan's reservations booking engine and channel distribution services to grow their businesses.The introduction of our Magellan subsidiary was a natural transition for us, given our considerable experience in the development of CRS technologies. We have had many requests from travel companies around the world for these ASP reservation services, stated Paul Firos, President of Hotel Data Systems, Inc. Magellan Reservation Systems is in fact the world's first reservations circumnavigator!About Hotel Data Systems (HDS) and Magellan Reservation Services:HDS, headquartered in Westport, Connecticut, is a software firm dedicated to the development of enterprise level reservation solutions customized for hotel central reservation call centers worldwide. Hotel Data Systems, Inc. can be located on the Internet at www.hoteldata.com. Magellan Reservation Services, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hotel Data Systems, Inc., and was formed to provide a managed enterprise level CRS platform for hotels & resorts, time share, cruise and dinner boats, tour operators and car rental companies. This new service, offered by HDS, specializes in providing self-administered tactical reservation solutions for Voice, GDS, and Web including GDS representation and Alternative Distribution Systems (ADS), with emphasis on channel marketing based on leading edge technology.

Cruise Critic and NLG Sign Content Licensing Agreement

PENNINGTON, NJ May 19, 2004 -- Cruise Critic the Internet's leading consumer information-based online cruise travel site, and NLG, one of the nation's largest online and offline leisure travel companies, have signed a content licensing agreement. As a result, NLG will distribute select Cruise Critic content " including cruise reviews, port of call profiles and feature stories " across a host of travel sites. Specifically, Cruise Critic will furnish reviews of nearly 200 ships, cruise line profiles of more than 45 cruise lines, and destination-oriented features on 18 regions and 100 ports worldwide. NLG will supply the content to its owned brand websites including CruisesOnly and Vacation Outlet, as well as to its licensed brand partner sites. Our new partnership with NLG further solidifies our position in the marketplace as the objective industry source for cruise features and reviews, says Sandy Haberman, Cruise Critic's Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Cruise Critic already has licensed content agreements with travel agency web sites such as Travelocity, Expedia and Cruise411.NLG is intent on extending our award-winning cruise shopping and booking experience. The depth of information Cruise Critic provides plays a significant role in that, said Tom Gerace, Senior Vice President - Marketing at NLG. A more convenient, informative online shopping experience breathes life into cruising and leads consumers to start dreaming about that perfect trip far in advance of their travel, helping our customers select the cruise vacation that is right for them. About Cruise CriticCruise Critic, launched in 1995, is an interactive community of seasoned and first-time cruisers who enjoy the fun of planning, researching and sharing their love of cruising.The site has been honored by the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) with its Lowell Thomas Award. Cruise Critic owns the most heavily trafficked cruise message boards on the Web, with over 110,000 registered members. Cruise Critic is part of an online travel network owned, operated and published by The Independent Traveler, Inc., a privately held New Jersey Corporation. Cruise Critic's sister site is The Independent Traveler. About NLGNLG is one of the nations largest online and offline leisure travel companies. The company enables consumers to plan and purchase their vacation or cruise online using industry-leading dynamic packaging technologies or offline with highly experienced travel consultants.The company interacts with millions of consumers through a portfolio of leading brands that it owns or licenses, including Vacation Outlet, CruisesOnly, Cruises.com, Orbitz (Nasdaq: ORBZ), SAM'S CLUB (NYSE: WMT), Yahoo!, Hotwire, priceline.com (Nasdaq: PCLN), AAdvantage Cruise, and many others. NLG is headquartered in Woburn, Mass. For outstanding vacation and cruise deals, visit Vacation Outlet, CruisesOnly, or one of many other partner sites.