Christine Turner's Travel Blog
Hot travel deals, tips & everything else you wanted to know before you go...
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Viva Las Vegas Part 4: Gourmet Dining Discounts


Learn how you can dine like a high roller at a frugal price! Save on everything from ice cream treats at Ben & Jerry's to gourmet steak dinners at Morton's.


View the movie here or if it's not visible, check it out on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yin6nrDeVOQ




Viva Las Vegas Part 3: Casino Comps

Part 3 of a 10-part series on the in's & out's of lucky Las Vegas. 

Today's video blog: Casino Comps

Find out how to take advantage of each casino's comp program (aka Player's Club) so that, even if you're not a high roller, you can still get perks like free stays and free slot play!



The video should display here, but can also be viewed on my YouTube site at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5x1_1coSOA

Viva Las Vegas Part 2: Top 10 Do's & Don'ts


Part 2 of a 10-part series on the in's & out's of lucky Las Vegas.
Today's video blog: Top 10 Do's & Don'ts for you to have a fantastic time in Sin City.

 

 

Viva Las Vegas, Part I: Why Las Vegas

Part I of a 10-part series on the in's & out's of lucky Las Vegas. We'll explore tips on getting free rooms (comps), how to save money on show tickets & gourmet dining, and all the great things there are to do in this fabulous city.



Olympic Event Tickets ON SALE

Have you caught Olympic fever? If you're interested in cheering on your nation without breaking the bank, check out these amazing offers on today's Winter Games events:

Figure Skating
Feb 23 at Pacific Coliseum - 4pm

Ladies Short Program

From only $299 each!

Men's Curling
Feb 23 at Vancouver Olympic Centre - 2pm

China vs Canada
Sweden vs Denmark
Great Britain vs Norway
Switzerland vs France

Cat A Tickets only $99 each!

Victory Ceremony
Feb 23 at BC Place - 6:30pm

Billy Talent
Only $69 each!

 Quantities extremely limited... Call now before they're all gone!
778.988.7283


GO CANADA GO!


 

Groundhog Day = 6 Weeks of Sales!


Happy Groundhog Day everyone!

Unfortunately, it was a near unanimous vote for 6 more weeks of winter.  From Ontario's Wiarton Willie to Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil, all manner of weather-predicting rodents have agreed that winter is here to stay. Only Alberta's Balzac Billy felt contradictory this morning, with a mind for an early spring.  

Are we looking forward to another 6 weeks of shoveling snow, rushing out to snag the last bag of road salt, and dreary weather?  Or will it be sunny skies? 

Whether these predictions fall true or not remains to be seen, but one thing we can count on is hot weather down south.  So, here are 6-weeks' worth of amazing deals to the sun.

Week/
Date
Cost Per
Person
DestinationPackageDurationDeparture
Date
1:
Feb 1-7
CAD
$643
Varadero,
Cuba
Roundtrip air Vancouver to Varadero
7nts all-inclusive Sunbeach Varadero 3*
Roundtrip transfers
All taxes
7-ntsFeb 7
2:
Feb 8-14
CAD
$1159
Punta Cana,
DR
Roundtrip air Vancouver to Punta Cana
7nts all-inclusive Grand Oasis Bavaro 4.5*
Roundtrip transfers
All taxes
7-ntsFeb 11
3:
Feb 15-21
USD
$484
Las Vegas,
NV
Roundtrip air Bellingham to Las Vegas
4nts Aria Casino Resort at City Center
All taxes
4-ntsFeb 15
4:
Feb 22-28
CAD
$1295
Varadero,
Cuba
Roundtrip air Vancouver to Varadero
7nts all-inclusive Iberostar Playa Alameda 4.5*
Roundtrip transfers
All taxes
7-ntsFeb 28
5:
Mar 1-7
CAD
$1213
San Jose del Cabo,
MX
Roundtrip air Vancouver to Cabo San Lucas
7nts all-inclusive Barcelo Los Cabos 5*
Roundtrip transfers
All taxes
7-ntsMar 7
6:
Mar 8-14
CAD
$895
Mazatlan,
MX
Roundtrip air Vancouver to Mazatlan
7nts all-inclusive El Cid Granada 3.5*
Roundtrip transfers
All taxes
7-ntsMar 12
 
 * Rates shown are per person based on double occupancy in the currency shown. Rates subject to change. Certain restrictions apply.

Call now to take advantage of these amazing offers!
To book, call Christine at 866.988.5283 or email christine@thefrugaltravelers.com 




New Free Waterslide Park at Sandos Caracol - Mayan Riviera, Mexico

Planning where to take your kids for your spring vacation just got easier.

Sandos Caracol (also marketed as Sandos Select Club to Canadians) in Cancun's Mayan Riviera just opened a new water slide park and it looks like a lot of fun.  There are 17 water slides and a bunch of other play areas to keep your kids occupied for hours.  Open daily from 10am to 5pm, families can kick back & relax poolside at the Aqua Park while children can enjoy splash-filled fun under lifeguard supervision.  The Aqua Park features a pool bar as well as the convenience of showers and bathrooms.  A veriety of water play areas include a "raining" palm tree, a large water bucket area and water spouts throughout the park. As a daily activity, all children that are enrolled in the complimentary Kids Club will enjoy a trip to the Aqua Park under the supervision of the Sandos Animation staff.

Sandos Aqua Park is included in the all-inclusive program within Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa and Sandos Select Club.  Note that only guests from these Sandos resorts are allowed at the Aqua Park. 

Sandos Caracol Eco Resort & Spa is located on a white sand beach in the Mayan Riviera, only 45 minutes from Cancun & 15 minutes from downtown Playa del Carmen. This unique all-inclusive resort features 62 3-storey villas with a total of 781 rooms and Junior Suites. It lies on an extensive natural area at the edge of an exotic jungle surrounded by cenotes, mangroves and natural lagoons in an ecological environment for those who like to live in harmony with nature.

Sandos Select Club has sixteen 3-storey buildings within the Sandos Caracol complex, offering an additional 218 Standard & Deluxe and Junior Suites. 



~~ Sandos Caracol Hot Special ~~
Feb 6-14, 2010
$1281 per person including tax*

To book contact Christine:
866.988.5283 /
christine@thefrugaltravelers.com

Check out this short video on their new water park & then give me a shout to book your spring vacation & take advantage of these great prices!

Sandos Aqua Park YouTube Video
Sandos Aqua Park













Sandos Aqua Park 



Olympic Accommodations - Almost Free!!!

Now is the time to sit up & pay attention if you've been thinking of coming to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games.  Trust me - this sale is so good, space will sell out quickly, so if you or someone you know needs accommodation in Vancouver, you have to send this deal to them!

YOUR PACKAGE:
2-nights Inside or Outside Cabin (Shipboard accommodation on the Norwegian Star)
ALL MEALS onboard the ship
24-hr COMPLIMENTARY ROOM SERVICE onboard the ship
- Nightly ENTERTAINMENT in the shipboard Stardust Theatre

All this for just $396 per person including tax*!

Upgrade to a Mountainview Balcony cabin for just $139pp more.
Upgrade to a Cityview Balcony cabin for just $278pp more.

 
Just for comparison's sake, the Happy Day Inn in Burnaby is charging roughly the same - $399 per night plus taxes. And no, that doesn't include meals.

Whether you're coming to town or are a Greater Vancouver resident who just wants to stay downtown & catch some Olympic fever, at this price, your stay will feel like it's almost free!

But wait...there's more! There's still limited space onboard the ship as it repositions from LA up to Vancouver for the big games. 

OPTIONAL ADD-ON CRUISE TO VANCOUVER's 2010 OLYMPICS PACKAGE (Feb 6-10, 2010):
- Cruise from LA (San Pedro, CA) to Vancouver, BC, with one day in port at Victoria, BC
- 4-nights Inside** Cabin (Shipboard accommodation on the Norwegian Star)
- All meals onboard the ship
- 24-hr complimentary room service onboard the ship
- Nightly entertainment in the Stardust Theatre
- Hot casino action while the ship is in International waters
All this for just $140 per person including tax*!

Upgrade to an Oceanview cabin for just $25pp more.
Upgrade to a Balcony cabin for just $65pp more.
 
*Rates shown USD, per person based on double occupancy. Cruise from LA to Vancouver excludes airfare & transfers.

GO TEAM CANADA GO!!

SPACE IS EXTREMELY LIMITED!!
DO NOT DELAY - CALL NOW TO BOOK!
866.988.5283 /
christine@thefrugaltravelers.com




The $20 Dollar Upgrade Revealed, Vegas Hot Deals & More!

If you're like me and have never been able to unlock the secret of the magical $20 upgrade, I'm going to share the secret with you in 3 easy steps.

1.  First - it doesn't matter how you book your reservation. Hopefully you've booked through me & are already getting an amazing deal, but if not, it just doesn't seem to matter, because checkin agents are often blind to the travel supplier in the face of a crisp new $20.
2.  The more expensive the hotel or type of room you're after, the more graft you'll need (ie. Bellagio upgrade to a fountain view room may require $50 or an upgrade from a Planet Hollywood, Hollywood Hip room to a Panorama Suite, may also require $50).
3.  Simply place the bill in between your driver's license & credit card (you always have to give a credit card against room charges, even if you pre-pay for the room) or in between the pages of your passport. You'll also want to be subtle in case management are watching, and mentioning a special occasion seems to help too.

Remember - this is a bit like tipping for your meal before you receive it - you may not always get what you want in terms of an upgrade. Sometimes you'll get your $20 back...other times, not so.

Find out how well others are doing with their $20 magic at www.FrontDeskTip.com

FOOD SAVINGS:
While you're in Vegas, you're going to need to eat, so why not take advantage of great discounts on that too? All you need to do is pre-book gift certificates from www.Restaurant.com, where you can get $100 gift certificates for as little as $40.  Sure, there are some restrictions & conditions, but by and large, these GC's will leave your pockets full of gambling money.

MORE VEGAS TIPS & NEWS:

 RESTAURANT.COM SAVINGS EXAMPLE:

Mandalay Bay:
StripSteak $50GC  ~ You pay $20
Aureole $50GC  ~ You pay $20
Border Grill $25GC  ~ You pay $10

Rio Suites:
McFadden's $25GC  ~ You pay $10

Planet Hollywood:
Hawaiian Tropic Zone $50GC  ~ You pay $20
Tacone Flavor Grill $25GC  ~ You pay $10

Misc. Strip Locations:
Harley-Davison Cafe $50GC  ~ You pay $20
Envy Steakhouse $70GC  ~ You pay $30

Fremont Street:
Hennessey's Bar $25GC  ~ You pay $10

$345 in food gift certificates, all for just $140!
 
  • Planet Hollywood Takeover  Harrah's Entertainment group assumed management of PH on Jan 17, 2010, while negotiations continue for the overall purchase of the property.  This makes it the 7th casino operated by Harrah's Entertainment in the central Las Vegas Strip area.  It's a shame because PH used to have quite a good comp program, with cash back and a relatively generous comp program.  Since Harrah's expanded to purchase Caesar's, Flamingo, Bally's & Paris, I've found that MGM Mirage resorts are offering significantly better offers for future stays, and they still offer their own version of cash back with "Free Play"...
  • Bye Bye Monorail  After many years of struggle and just one month after an announced future $500 million expansion to McCarran International Airport, the famed Las Vegas Monorail Company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The filing isn't likely to have any immediate impact on Monorail services, but who knows what the future holds...
  • Another Thrill Ride To Avoid When You're Really Drunk  For those of you who thought that swinging off the edge of the Stratosphere tower - 1,000 feet above the surface of the earth - wasn't thrill enough, you will probably want to check out their newest ride - the "Skyjump". For just $100, you can hurl yourself to the ground (855 feet below) at a nausea-inducing speed of 40mph.   I'm sure the makers of The Hangover were disappointed that this new ride wasn't in action when they were filming, but you can check it out for yourself this April...
And if you do get lucky in Las Vegas and decide to settle down there, here's an example of what $200,000 will buy you...

Today's Hot Deal to Lucky Las Vegas:
Roundtrip Airfare (Bellingham - Las Vegas) & 4-night's Flamingo (March 1-5, 2010)
Just $234* per person including tax!
Call now to book -- 866.988.5283 or email christine@thefrugaltravelers.com 

* Prices shown USD, per person based on double occupancy, in a Deluxe room. Checked baggage, seat selection, and priority boarding are additional. Certain restrictions apply. Space limited. Prices subject to change.




Up to 20 Days of FREE Parking at YVR!

Translink recently increased the tax to park at Vancouver's International Airport (YVR) from 7% PST to a shocking 21%. To add insult to injury, GST is payable on top of that amount, so your overall tax rate is now 27.05%.

But, if you're planning a week-long getaway to the sun, it is still possible to park at the airport without breaking the bank.

There are three options for long term parking at YVR.
  1. Economy Lot - Closest to the actual terminal, $129.50/week (including tax) or just $80.36 with coupon.
  2. Long Term Lot - Located on the North side of the airport terminal, $95.25/week (including tax) or $66.96 with coupon.
  3. Park N Fly Lot - Located South of the main entry road, on Miller Road, $114.03/week (including tax) or $68.42 with coupon.
 

Of these, Park N Fly is my favorite & the one that we always use when we travel. Not that we haven't tried the others...when I worked in the corporate world, the Economy Lot was often most convenient and if a trip got extended from 2days to 5, no matter to me because the cost would be expensed. But your car is exposed to the elements and in the winter, you may find a pile of snow around it PLUS you have to remember where you parked.

We have also tried the Long Term Lot. Easy enough if you get dropped off at the terminal while your significant other parks the car. Problematic thing is helping your significant other remember where they parked (remember - you were in the terminal while they parked!) and walking around in the middle of the night in shorts because you couldn't bear to change into your West Coast winter clothes after leaving sunny gorgeous Barbados & 30-degree heat and pushing the little button on your car's remote control, listening ever so carefully for the beep of the alarm going off.
Yeah, not so nice.

Park N Fly easily rose to the top of the charts after this relationship testing experience. You drive up into a secure parking area, leave your keys in the car for them to move it, go into the office & tell them when you're returning. Oh and, "Would you like a "Lammscloth wash" or do you need an oil change while you're away?" - They'll take care of it all for a reasonable price.

Here's a little known tip for you:
Call Park N Fly as soon as you land. I mean before you even hit Customs. They'll have your car ready & waiting outside of the office by the time you arrive, even if they've just had a dump of snow (like last Christmas). They'll even keep it running so that it's nice & toasty when you get in to drive away. Now that's service!

So if you're flying out of YVR anytime soon, why not take advantage of the great rates & service that Park N Fly has to offer? (You even earn 250 Aeroplan miles for each stay)

Current Park N Fly Promotions:
  >
Stay for up to 7 days & pay for only 3*
  > Stay for up to 28 days & pay for only 8**
* Minimum 3 days required. Additional days at regular rates.
** Minimum 8 days required. Additional days at regular rates.
Further terms & conditions may apply.


Collect your FREE Park N Fly Coupons by clicking HERE.