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Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel
Old 02-17-2007, 04:42 PM   #1
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Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel

I've done quite a bit of travel in my life ... but since having retired 4 years ago (at age 41), I have "only" traveled to Mexico (4 times!). The last 2 times, by cheap flights (Spirit Air from FLL to CUN). The recent thread on Mexico caught my eye. I've seen a few of those places. Nice to hear others' takes on exotic locales. Anyway, not meaning to be a shill for Spirit, but I am definitely a low budget traveler. No resorts for me. More like: backpack & youth hostel (if available.) But I can travel for like $500/week, and that includes everything.

Perhaps not new, but is to me: since I can travel almost anytime, I picked up some dirt cheap airfares. These are from Spirit, because they are relatively convenient to me (I live in FL, although a long bus trip from FLL).
These were Spirit's "red light specials" at only $8 or $12 e/w (respectively); the rest is the taxes, fees and such:

Dominican Repulic, Punta Cana: (Aprl, May): $135.10 r/t.
Puerto Rico, Aguadilla: (Sep, Oct): $68.20

The only downside is the Greyhound trip to FLL: about $84 r/t (!). I've gotten to know Ft. La-de-dah pretty well, at least around the bus station and the bus connection to FLL (easy, just a few blocks away). The only downside of this is the several hour layover, sometimes overnight, but there is some entertainment available around bus station or airport. Bringing a couple books helps, but buying them at the airport doesn't help my budget!

Anyway, I guess the point here is that if you are single (or in a crappy relationship where you really don't care what the woman things -- as I am, sadly), and you are retired, there are excellent deals available.

For $371 (approx) (OK, add local bus fare, junk food, perhaps a couple taxis and it might add $50), I am getting door-to-door transit to two separate Island trips, for about 8 weeks' vacation, for little more than my monthly car payment used to be. Nice. 8)

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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel
Old 02-17-2007, 07:06 PM   #2
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel

Instead of using greyhound couldn't you use Cruise connection?It would pick you up in Fort Lauderdale's port and take you pretty much anywhere in the state for a reasonable fee .
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel
Old 02-18-2007, 05:32 PM   #3
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel

For $378 I recently bought a roundtrip airline ticket on Delta from Denver to Oahu. Then I found a vacation rental in Kailua for $125/night. That's a pretty cheap ticket to paradise!
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel
Old 02-19-2007, 08:20 AM   #4
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel

Before my son was in school the only time we took vacations was during the off season. Our favorite haunt was Hilton Head, SC. We would go between spring break and summer. The prices were about half of full fare if I remember correctly.
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel
Old 02-19-2007, 09:46 AM   #5
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel

Thanks for the tips--we are always looking for cheap fares--do you look on Spirit's website or do you use an aggregator to look for fares/hotels/etc.

You'll know you're in a great relationship when the girl is as enthusiastic as you are about saving money on the vacation!

Sarah
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel
Old 02-19-2007, 10:03 AM   #6
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel

I just read that Spirit is adding Costa Rica to their destinations .I'm packed and ready !
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel
Old 02-21-2007, 07:21 AM   #7
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel

A co-worker just told me about a resource she has used in the past to book cheap travel. I checked it out yesterday and it looks promising. Here's the site: http://www.travelzoo.com/

If anyone has experience with it, please let the rest of us know.
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel
Old 02-21-2007, 09:32 AM   #8
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel

I've never used a trip aggregator (just toyed with). I use Spirit's website and am alerted to their deals by being registered to receive emails.

I would love to try Costa Rica. It is supposed to be a really nice country, although prices went up over the years because of all those darn rich people who moved there

Oh well, there's always Honduras or El Salvador.

I really have to dump the girlfriend, sell the house, and do more traveling.
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel
Old 02-21-2007, 09:44 AM   #9
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel

Quote:
Originally Posted by ScaredtoQuit
A co-worker just told me about a resource she has used in the past to book cheap travel. I checked it out yesterday and it looks promising. Here's the site: http://www.travelzoo.com/

If anyone has experience with it, please let the rest of us know.
Yea, Yea... use travelzoo!!!! I got a whole 6 shares given to me when they first started... just checked and I now am worth $210...
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel
Old 02-21-2007, 03:08 PM   #10
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Re: Gloat mode -- off season cheap travel

I use Travelzoo .I also use Kayak ,Priceline,Expedia ,Travelocity,Smarter Travel ,Legendary Journeys ,airline web sites and anything else that will allow me to save money on travel .
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