Tis the season for travel deals & discounts

With passenger load factors and occupancy rates dropping and advance bookings soft for 2009 I’ve seen a tremendous amount of deals on cruises, tour packages, hotel rooms and even airfares showing up in my inbox. These discounts and specials are approaching post 9/11/2001 levels.

Personally I like to check out each supplier’s web site for their current deals instead of working through an intermediary like the previous referenced web sites. Admittedly it’s time consuming but most of us consumers have some specific items that we’d like to track down and price. If I’m interested in a Mediterranean cruise then I search those cruise lines offering sailing in the Med. I don’t need information on other deals or destinations.

The major on-line travel bargain sites like www.travelzoo.com or www.hotwire.com provide great data but it’s all over the planet. However if you am open to suggestions and just interested in deals then yes by all means subscribe to newsletters that the discount travel sites offer. You should also subscribe to e-deals that many suppliers offer. You’ll receive a ton of emails but if you find the perfect deal then it’s worth wading through your inbox.

Happy travels! Got travel questions? Email thetravelprofessor@gmail.com.