the family travel source

Air Canada Vacations - Kids Fly, Stay & Eat Free

This one was advertised in the Toronto Star today.

Book by April 15, 2008 for travel between May 1 and Oct 31, 2008.

It should be called Kid stay free as the deal is only applicable to the first kid age 2 to 12 years sharing with 2 adult.

I hate when they advertise Kids when the deal is only for 1!

Anyway, they list resorts in Turks & Caicos, Jamaica, Costa Rica, St Lucia Mexico Cuba.

I couldn't find anything on their website, which is typical of them. I would contact your travel specialist to get you details or call direct at 1-866-529-2079.

Click here to go to the website!

Palace Resorts - Kids Stay Free

This one was in the Toronto Star this morning.

Mexico's Palace resorts has launched a summer promo, children under 12 eat, play and stay free when sharing a room with an adult.

Offer valid from June 1 to Aug 31, 2008 for Moon Palace, Cancun Palace, Beach Palace, Xpu-Ha Palace, Playacar Palace, Cozumel Palace and the new Isla Mujeres Palace. Limit of 2 children per room.

I checked the website and there was no further information.

Click here to go to the website, I recommend contacting your travel specialist on this one!

Costa Air-inclusive Mediterranean Cruises from $1,088

Some more European deals from Costa, this time they are including airfare.

Click here to view their online brochure with all the details or contact your trusted travel specialist!

Travel Tip #2

When booking discount airfare, prices tend to get cheaper as you get closer to the travel dates....so be patient! The only time this doesn't work is peak travel times, Christmas, Spring Break etc....

Travel Tip #1

Go to your favorite airline, cruiseline, resort etc... websites and sign up for their newsletter to get up to date and last minute travel deals.

Bargain Airfare

Have you ever found a great vacation deal and haven't been able to afford the airfare to get there? If you live in the Greater Toronto Area or in any US border town, I highly recommend crossing the border and flying through a US airport. Canadian airports charge airlines ridiculous taxes and fees to land. You can save a bundle is you fly out of a US hub.

Example, when I went to Florida last May it was just under $695US to fly out of Buffalo for my family of 4. If we flew out of Toronto it was over $2400 Cdn. With the exchange rate as it is, it was well work the 1.5 hour drive and the $40 parking/week. I highly recommend Southwest and JetBlue, both friendly no frills airlines.

Costa Summer Mediterranean Cruises from $799

Costa has a number of European cruise sales for this summer and fall. I have yet to see any Kids Sail Free promos from them which is a disappointment. Also, they are not running any ships in the Caribbean until December 2008.

Here are some of the links to their online brochures which list dates, itineraries and pricing.

Click here for more information or contact your travel agent.

KIDS 17 & under Sail Free on MSC Cruises - All Ships|All Itineraries|All Sailing Dates!

This is an amazing deal!

Kids Sail Free* on every MSC cruise - making MSC Cruises the ideal choice for a family vacation. Traveling with friends or extended family? We also offer family suites and interconnecting staterooms to accommodate every kind of family. And there are plenty of activities on board for children including a club just for them. There are parties, shows and games, treasure hunts, mini-Olympics, video games and playrooms - even a special pool area for kids! So that when parents out doing their favorite things, kids and teens can enjoy their very own cruise adventure.

Go to the MSC website or contact your travel agent!

New 2008|2009 Transatlantic Cruises-16nt from $1099 & Kids Sail Free!

Set sail on a Transatlantic Ocean Voyage aboard MSC Orchestra or MSC Lirica and you'll embark on a blue-water adventure that will take you from some of the Caribbean's most heavenly islands to the sophistication world's capitals including New York, London and Copenhagen-even to the remote Azores Islands or mysteriously alluring Morocco. WESTBOUND TRANSATLANTIC 17 NIGHTS MSC ORCHESTRAFROM $1,199* December 16, 2008