I have tips to share with you about using the Vacations To Go website, but I strongly suggest you use it only to gather information and not to book a trip. (More on that is coming up later in this article.)
You’ll find that there are hundreds of cruises back in business now, so choosing the right one for your budget and vacation is key. And this website can help you do your research.
Vacations To Go: Finding Cruise Deals
When you land on the homepage of VacationsToGo.com, you'll need to sign up with an email to view the deals. You'll find Daily Deals (promotions) on the right of the page, but you can start searching for the perfect cruise on the left side.
Here’s where you’ll need to be specific with the following filters. Depending on what you chose you may have to fine-tune a second time to view the results:
- Choose your month to sail (narrow to no more than a three-month window)
- Choose a region of the world
- Choose a cruise line (or leave blank)
- Choose a cruise ship (or leave blank)
- Select the number of nights
- Choose a departure port
You can also narrow your search by discounts available to certain groups and professions including:
- Age 55+
- EMTs
- Firefighters
- Interline
- Military
- Past Guests
- Police
- Singles
- Teachers
It's important to note that these discounted rates may not always be the lowest price on the site, so compare rates with and without using this section to search.
Also on the homepage are additional filters including Theme Cruises, Family Friendly, Special Needs, Singles sailings that offer low single supplement rates (no roommate).
You’ll want to play with all combinations of available filters, and there are plenty of them.
See a departure and/or ship you want to see more about? Click on the # in the yellow FastDeals column corresponding with the date and ship.
On this same page, you may see that additional discounts and promotions may be available. It’s here that you’ll also find out about a specific voyage’s COVID-19 requirements.
At the bottom of the page you’ll see headers for more particulars of the ship you’re considering:
- Ship's Itinerary and Ports
- Ship Information and Amenities
- Ship Photos
- Cabin Selection Information
- Deck Plans
- Port Information and Highlights
- Dining Information
- Wi-Fi Rates
Next Step: Contact a Cruise or Travel Agent
While Vacations To Go is a great way to find bargains, the consumer reviews are very poor. We recommend compiling the information and sending it directly to a travel agent to better protect your money.
Email the pages of interest or print the results page to present to a travel or cruise agent. Your choice of ship(s) will be invaluable for your agent to learn what kind of cruise you’re looking for (all-day fun or restful luxury), destinations (Is the ship your destination, or do you want to see more of the world?) and, of course, your budget.
Be open to suggestions to ships that could get you even more amenities for your dollar. Agents will also help with other needs such as booking flights, pre-and post-cruise hotels, shore excursions (and good intel on what to skip in certain ports). In most cases, there is no charge for this help (commissions are paid by the cruise lines), but always ask ahead of time.
You may have friends or co-workers who are crazy about cruising and will encourage you to sail on their favorite cruise line or ship. Remember that their ideal cruise may not be yours! That’s why a certified agent can direct you to a ship that meets your goals and needs.
Bon voyage!
The post How To Use 'Vacations To Go' To Find Bargain Cruises appeared first on Clark Howard.