Discount Travel

Did You Buy or Win a Resort Vacation Certificate?

Are you ready for a vacation?

A few months ago, through my real estate business, Jack Edwards Real Estate, I donated two vacation certificates to local Elk Grove nonprofit organizations for their annual fundraising dinner.  The question of course, is it worth your time and money to bid on one of these certificates at the live or silent auction at the fundraising dinner that you will be attending.

Of course the answer is always, “It Depends.”  The biggest “It Depends,” is on when and where you want to travel. These certificates are not for the peak season, but for shoulder season. The shoulder season is the few weeks before or after the time that everyone wants to visit. Personally, I prefer to travel during the shoulder season because the crowds are much smaller, so for me they are always a big win.

I have stayed at many of the locations that are available with these certifiates, and will return to stay there again on a future trip. Since I own a timeshare, I sometimes stay at those locations using the timeshare or using a trade through RCI. If I am low on points, using one of these certificates may be a better option for me. It is all about how and where you travel. You can always bid on it and give it to a friend or one of your kids so that they can travel the world. Other than airfare, assuming that you are flying somewhere, the cost of the lodging is usually your most expensive part of the trip. At $200-$500 per night for some locations, or more, that makes this certifiate easily worth $1400 to $3500 depending on the cost per night at the resort of choice. This certificate can cover that cost.

Let me tell you about the certificate and you can decide for yourself. It comes from Resort Vacation Certificates, which is affiliated with RCI, the worldwide resort destination company. The certificate will give you hundreds of options for an exciting vacation, locally or around the world.

In some locations, you can use the certificate to cover the cost of your room at the resort, but in some locations, especially during peak times, you may have to pay a small fee for the whole week, not each night, in addition to using the certificate. The key is to plan early and book your vacation as soon as possible to get the best choice. You will have to book your vacation before April 25, 2025 and you must start your travel within 365 days of the date booked.

What do you do if you have the winning bid?

If you have the winning bid for the vacation certificate, you will need to provide an email address so that we can send you the certificate.  Once you receive the email, you will be directed to create an account and log into the www.resortscerts.com website. You will be required to register your certificate before you can start to explore and ultimately redeem your certificate and complete your booking.

On the website, you will be able to view all of the available resorts as well as four videos with vacation ideas. I have included links to two of the videos here so that you can have a look before you even consider bidding for the vacation certificate.  Orlando Video.  Mazatlan Video.

Keep in mind that the certificate does not include any of your other expenditures such as air fare, transfers, activities or meals.  Additionally, there will possibly be a required deposit, a resort fee, a charge for housekeeping, as well as a tourist tax. I have seen resorts in Arizona that charge an air conditioning fee.  Some resorts require the visitor be over 21 years of age. If traveling to Africa, you may have to get vaccinations before you leave home. So, before booking, look at the bottom of the resort information page for any additional fees, local taxes or other restrictions. P.S. These fees are not just for certificate holders, they are mandatory for all guests including timeshare owners at the resort.

Here are some thoughts for international destinations. Three of my favorite places to visit would be Cabo San Lucas, Australia and Africa. I have included excerpts from the website showing where some of the resorts are located. You will have full access to all of the locations after you register your certificate.  Again, as a reminder, book as soon as possible for the greatest selections. Also, you will see below that some resorts show that they offer upgrades as well as options for no additional fees. Some resorts also offer to sell you an “All Inclusive” option to cover some of your food and drinks. I just checked on a couple of the resorts discussed in this blog post and some have increased a little since this blog post was first created in April 2024.

In the first image below showing Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo, I am showing some of the available resorts. We have stayed at a couple of these resorts. We have stayed several times at the one marked $470 on the right side of the map, which is the Worldmark Coral Baja and the one marked at $555 is the Pueblo Bonito Rose in Cabo San Lucas. The last time I checked, Pueblo Bonito Rose was getting a little run down, but next door is the sister resort of Pueblo Bonito Blanco. Coral Baja and Pueblo Bonito Blanco are great resorts. When the map shows “No charge,” that means that the resort certificate covers your room with out paying an upgrade fee. You may still be charged for other fees noted above.

Below is a graphic showing some options in the Melbourne area of Australia. We have stayed at Phillip Island and will be staying at Torquay this fall. As you can see, most of these resorts are available with an extra fee of between $200 & $302 dollars. Still not to bad for a week in a great resort.

For my Africa example, I am showing South Africa and the town of Hazyview which is just west of one of the main gates into Kruger National Park. We visited there in 2015 and stayed at the Sanbonani Lodge, shown in this example, and enjoyed visiting Kruger every day except for a spa day at the resort to rest and relax.  $362 dollars for a week in a great resort is a great price. Don’t hesitate to ask me about any of these vacation locations.

It seems that most of the resorts in this area of South Africa will charge an extra fee of $361.75 per week for a two bedroom unit that sleeps 6 people. I don’t think you can stay at a Motel 6 for a week for $361.75. I just checked and you can stay at the Motel 6 in Rancho Cordova for about $832 from the 12th to the 19th of July to visit the California State Fair but you won’t get a two bedroom unit because they don’t have any of those. For 6 people, you would need 3 units which would cost you $2496 for the week. If it is for mom and dad and a couple of kids, you may get by with cramming everyone into one room for $832 for the week.

According to The Reserve, a local hotel in Hazyview, which would charge you $179 per night for a room with a bed and a fold out couch, “One of the most enticing aspects of staying in Hazyview is its proximity to the world-famous Kruger National Park.”  The Phabeni Gate is less than 15 kilometers away. Keep in mind that if you want to visit Kruger National Park, they do charge an entry fee. When we were there in 2015, we purchased an annual pass for each of us before we left home and each morning we checked in at the gate and spent the day driving around and game watching. We fully enjoyed our first safari in Africa without breaking the bank. I just looked on May 31st for the Sanbonani and the price is now $365.19 for a week in August 2024. That is still pretty cheap for a week in a great resort. When is the prime time to visit Kruger? Check my guide on the best time to visit Africa and you will find that August is a prime time to visit.

So, are you ready to vacation? Start thinking about where you would like to go and how much less it would cost if you have a vacation certificate that covers most of the cost of lodging for your visit. Yes, there is still air fare or other transportation costs. And there is food; but I bet you were planning on eating if you stayed home for that week.

This is also the perfect vacation option if you want to visit resorts throughout the USA and Canada.  Places like Las Vegas, San Diego, Palm Springs, Sedona, Banff, Calgary, Canmoor  etc…  I have told you a lot about what this vacation certificate is great for, but what it is not great for?

For example, these certificates are for resorts in vacation locations throughout the world, but generally not hotels in big cities, so don’t bid on this item if you want to visit London, Paris, Berlin or Sydney.

Should I buy a drinks package on my cruise

Photo from The Office in Cabo San Lucas in 2012

If you are taking a cruise, one of the things you need to decide to do before you leave home is to buy or not to buy a drinks package.  It really depends on several things because every adult in the cabin has to buy one if you do. Also, how much you drink per day is a consideration and finally, what do you drink. Is it regular everyday stuff or do you only drink premium liquor.

The cost of most packages adds up to the cost of buying 8-10 beers or 5-7 cocktails per day, every day, even when you are in port. If you only have a glass of wine or two at dinner, you would be wasting money on a drinks package. If you drink and the other adults in your cabin don’t drink, you would probably be wasting your money. Also, if you have kids in your cabin, some cruise lines require you to purchase a non-alcoholic drink package for each child.

Also, the drinks package does not include the drinks in the mini bar in your cabin or drinks on your excursions.

Here is a link to a drinks calculator to look at: Cruzley Drinks Package Calculator.

One more thing to consider, most cruise lines add 18-20% to the cost of drinks or a drinks package as a gratuity. Keep this in mind so that you don’t waste money over-tipping at the bar since the tip is included in the price.

Finally, remember that most drinks packages don’t include specialty coffee drinks either.

How Early Can I Book My Flights or My Timeshare?

747 taking off

Planning Your Flights

The earliest that you can book your flights is generally 330 days before the day you fly home. So that means that you look at your proposed travel dates and subtract 330 days from the last day of your vacation, put that date on your calendar. When that date pops up, call your travel agent to book your flights. Yes, I realize that many people try to figure out when they can get the best prices, but I want to know that it is done and that I have the best pick of seats, etc…  Keep in mind that there is a challenge with such early bookings. The airlines are only estimating which flights will be available that far out. More often than not, when time gets close, the flight that you planned on is no longer available and they are switching you to another flight and they are often not very good about putting you in the seats that you already selected and paid for. Sometimes, they have changed planes but still have the same flight number. That also messes with you seat assignments.  Just know before hand that you may be dealing with changes.  I suppose this is another reason to use a travel agent who gets to take care of those problems for you.

If you don’t want to do the math, just click here for the calculator to do that work for you. Keep in mind that if it is a really big trip, you should have already booked the timeshare a couple of months ago. If it is a photo safari, I often book 16 to 18 months out to get the locations I want and generally I can get them at this year’s prices rather than picking up what is left over at next year’s prices.

Planning Your Timeshare Weeks

You face the same issue when you want to book your next vacation, especially if it is during Christmas Week, New Years, Holy Week or Easter Week. First of all you need to know what your timeshare rules are. For example, I can book my vacations 13 months before the first day of my vacation. If I am booking outside of my “club”, then the time is often reduced to 11 months or 10 months out. Here is another handy set of calculators to make it simple for you. Click here to go to my timeshare calculators.

Once you have done the calculations, just mark the date on your calendar and when that date arrives, make sure to get up early to book your special week. I know that my timeshare opens for booking at 6:00 am, so I put it on the day before with a note to set the alarm to get up to book the vacation.

For example, we always go to the same resort for Thanksgiving week for a mini family reunion. That means that I have to look up next November and figure out the dates that we want to stay at the resort, then mark down the date so that I am booking next year’s Thanksgiving vacation the month before this year’s Thanksgiving vacation. Plan ahead and you won’t be disappointed next year.

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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you.  Check out the important links below.

Don’t hesitate to email us when you return from your trip with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow travelers!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

Finding Cheap Flights

Sunset 747

I received a request to share some information about finding cheap flights from a fellow blogger in Budapest, one of our favorite cities to visit.  Take a look and say hi to Zoey Molnar, the webmaster at https://www.stagkissbudapest.com/blog/ and make sure to plan to visit Budapest, Hungary.

https://www.stagkissbudapest.com/blog/how-to-find-cheap-flights/

Have you ever watched a travel show and noticed the advertisements for Viking River Cruises? Well, many of the beautiful scenes in their advertisement are of downtown Budapest. We spent a few days in Budapest in 2016 before embarking on a Viking River Cruise from Budapest to Passau, Germany. Check out our blog post on our visit to Budapest.

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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you.  Check out the important links below.

Don’t hesitate to email us when you return from your trip with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow travelers!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

I Just Got a Free Cruise; The Follow-up Story

Cruise Ships

Is a “Free Cruise” really free???

In an earlier blog, I talked about the real value of a so-called “Free Cruise“. Recently, I received one and wanted to go through the whole process so that I could describe it fully to you so you could save yourself the wasted effort trying to get a free cruise that will turn out to NOT be free.

To start with, I received a “Free Baja Cruise” certificate after attending a timeshare presentation.  I did not buy the timeshare, but figured that I could use a free cruise, and the two hours spent listening to the presentation would be worth at least $360 in savings on a cruise.  Where else would I earn that kind of money?

I read the cruise certificate, front and back, noticing that they estimated that I would have to pay about $179 per person for port fees and taxes, otherwise the cruise was free… unless I wanted to upgrade to a better cabin or travel during a busy season, which is most of the year here in California for these Baja Cruises.

The process was different with this certificate, than others that I have seen, in that you are given the choice to either send in the certificate or to log into a website to “Register” your certificate.  You have to register this certificate within 60 days.  If you miss this step, or are late in doing it, the certificate is worthless. I could argue that it is worthless at any time, but, unless you do this first step on time, you have no recourse. Keep in mind that the certificate is only good for one year so every day that you delay in getting the certificate registered, means that you have fewer days to select for your vacation.

After you register, you receive a letter explaining that you need to send in a $100 reservation deposit. With this company, you will receive an email as soon as they get the check so that you can immediately log on and start picking the dates you want to cruise.  In this example, you had to pick your first choice 60 days after the date that they log in the deposit.  You need to pick two more dates, one of them at least 30 days after the first one and the last one at least another 30 days later.  Now you wait.

Generally, about 45 days before the first date you have selected, you will receive a letter telling you that it is time to log in and finalize your cruise date. They tell you that you will be responsible for the taxes and port fees as noted on the back of the certificate.  They also say that after you decide if you want to upgrade to a better cabin, then they will check your dates to see if there are any available cabins of the type you have selected.  If there are cabins on all three dates you selected, you can choose which one you want.  If only one of the dates have the cabin you selected, then you are stuck with that date.

Now, before we move on, I did a little homework on my own to figure out how much I would pay if I bought this cruise through the cruise line or a travel agent.  This cruise was a 4 night, 5 day Baja cruise out of Long Beach. I also looked up the cost for upgrades because I knew that they would be trying to up-sell me to a better cabin.  I also checked the taxes and port charges listed on the cruise line website.  I also knew that this free cruise would be for the cheapest fare available, an inside cabin with the bunk beds. (They call it 1A-Upper/Lower online because that does not sound as bad as bunk beds.  Also, you should know that they don’t have very many of these cabins on the ship, so your chances of going the cheap route is very limited. You will very likely have to upgrade to use the certificate.)

Online, I found that this cruise was advertised at $279 + $41.36 in taxes, per person, for a 1A-Upper/Lower cabin. Further research showed that of the $279, there is $99 in port fees.  So the real cost is $180 + $99 + 41.36 which is important because that means that my free cruise only covers the $180 per person for the cruise.  Therefore, I would expect to have to pay $140.36 in port fees and taxes per person, plus any upgrade that I wanted.  I did not want to sleep on bunk beds and would have been willing to pay the advertised rate for an upgrade to an ocean view cabin. Online, the advertised fee for an ocean view was $319 per person, plus taxes, instead of the $279 per person, plus taxes, which is an additional $40 per person.

So, now I think that I will have to pay $140.36 in port fees and taxes, plus $40 for the upgrade, per person, for a total of $180.36 per person or $360.72 for my free cruise.  Not free, but I am saving about $360 over buying it myself.

To my surprise, that is not what happened.  I was talking on the phone to person about what I want to do and was I ever surprised that they are charging $125 per person for the upgrade that is advertised at $40 per person online. Also, they will be charging the full $179 estimated fee for taxes and port charges.  That means that they want $304 per person or a total of $608 for the free cruise.  That is almost $250 more than the $360 that I was expecting.

The craziest part is that I could buy a senior citizen rate, because I am an old guy, that would give me the ocean view for $279 plus $41.36 in taxes.  The whole package would cost $640.72 for the two of us.  Best of all, I pick my dates, I do it all online, and I don’t have to deal with someone from some sort of call center that cannot really provide the full service that I deserve.

Keep that in mind when you are ready to take a cruise. Talk with a travel agent like me who can look at all of the options and will give you the service you deserve.  Best of all, you won’t have to sit through a timeshare presentation to get a certificate for a “Free Cruise” that isn’t really free.

One last thought.  I did not listen to the call long enough to get into the discussion about travel insurance but I am sure that it would have been twice as expensive as what I could get directly through the cruise line or from a good company as Travel Guard.  Don’t forget to make sure you get travel insurance to protect your investment in a carefree vacation. If you don’t know why, look at my earlier blog about travel insurance and medical emergencies.

I guess it was true; there is no free lunch, nor a free cruise either.

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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you.  Check out the important links below.

Don’t hesitate to email us when you return from your trip with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow travelers!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

Do Cruise Lines Offer Special Rates to Military, Law Enforcement, Etc…?

Cruise Ships

Special Rates?

Do Cruise Lines Offer Special Rates to Military, Law Enforcement, etc…?  Yes, they do.  Sometimes in the form of a reduction in price, other times in the form of a gift of onboard credit.  Some cruise lines extend these offers to law enforcement, fire fighters, etc.  Almost every cruise line offers special rates for various categories of travelers.  In addition to the ones noted above, there are also special rates for returning cruisers too.  Just ask us when you call to book your next cruise!

What Should You Ask Your Travel Agent at Team Edwards Travel?

Whenever you talk with your travel agent about a cruise, you need to ask a couple of questions.  First of all, always ask about special rates for any special group that you are a part of; Seniors, AAA members, AARP members, Military, Law Enforcement, etc…  Secondly, always ask the agent if they or their agency already have group rates available for the cruise you want to take.  In fact, if you check out Team Edwards Travel right now, and click on the Specials button on the main page, you will see several cruise specials.

Group Rates???  Do I have to be a part of a special group to qualify for group rates?

Not Usually. Generally, the best rates you will find are for group packages created by your travel agent or the travel agency.  Let me tell you how that works.

Your travel agent at Team Edwards Travel is always planning ahead at least a year.  When the new cruise itinerary comes out, the agents within the agency will set up groups that usually consists of setting aside 10 inside cabins, 10 outside cabins and 10 balcony cabins.  They can use other quantities and they can accommodate other types of cabins, but that is the basic setup.  Oh, and don’t let the “group” identifier worry you.  All that the agents are doing is locking in the rates for their customers.  Sometimes, the “group” is for a particular set of customers, but usually it is just an effort on the part of your travel agent to hold some cabins for their regular clients.

For example, one of the agents in our agency set up a “group” several months ago for an Alaska Inside Passage Cruise.  I asked him if he had the cabins sold yet because I had a client looking for such a cruise. He said that he had not yet sold any of the cabins and that I was welcome to book my clients into his “group”.

So, in conclusion, don’t forget to ask your travel agent about any “groups” they or their agency have that will save you money on your next cruise.  When you realize how much money you have saved, you will be happy you did. Also, don’t forget to ask your agent about tours and excursions as well as any special air fare rates that are available for the cruise you want to book.  Some excursions will be sold out if you wait until you get on ship.  Also, some sites will tell you that you can get a cheaper excursion if you wait till you get to port and talk with one of the locals looking for business.  Yes, it may be cheaper, but is that person licensed and bonded. Is their vehicle insured.  And most importantly, will they get you back to the ship on time.  If you are on an excursion arranged by Team Edwards Travel through the cruise line, the ship will not sail without you.  If you are booked with Fly By Night tours or someone you meet at the dock, and you are late returning, you have to arrange for your own transportation to the next port.  Hope you took $$ and your travel documents with you when you left the ship because you cannot travel without them. This may be a time where saving a few dollars is not really worth it.

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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you.  Check out the important links below.

Don’t hesitate to email us when you return from your trip with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow travelers!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

Can Team Edwards Travel Save me $$$ if I Am Using My Timeshare?

GoldRushGetawaysLogo

Can Team Edwards Travel save you money?

Maybe Yes, Maybe No

We all know that time is money, and that knowledge is king! And good travel agents, like Team Edwards Travel, can save the consumer time and with their knowledge, money. People in general associate the web with great deals, while in fact, great offers and amenities can be had by using an agent as well. But remember, pricing is not the only issue; the real issue is who will be there when things go wrong? Will you be able to get in touch with someone on that online site?  Wouldn’t you just rather call your agent, and let them take care of the issues?  Service is the hallmark of a good agent.

Now, let’s get on to the question at hand to see if your travel agent at Team Edwards Travel can save you some money. If your timeshare is within driving distance from your home, you probably won’t save any money if you use your travel agent to book your activities, but you can probably benefit from their knowledge of the area.  They may have some great ideas about things to see and do that you may not have experienced before. That is another reason for working with Team Edwards Travel because we love to travel and love to share our experiences with you.  You will have more fun and save money too.

For example, on our last trip to Seaside, Oregon, we took several side trips and visited some great sites enroute that I am sure you would love to do as well. Like, checking out the Spruce Goose at the Evergreen Museum in McMinnville, sampling cheese at the Tillimook Cheese Factory. We also took a great day trip up to Seattle for a visit to The Pike Place Market as well as to see a Cirque du Soleil show.  If you don’t know what is happening in the area, you might miss out.  Ask your agent what is happening.  We may have some great ideas for you.

If you are flying to your timeshare, I am sure that you can save money by having your travel agent book your airfare and rental car, excursions, shows, etc…

As noted in an earlier blog, your travel agent needs to book a package of products in order to save you money and to get paid a commission, otherwise they have to charge you a service fee for their time and effort. They are not in business to work for free.  They are service providers and expect to get paid for providing their services.

As an example, we travel regularly to Hawaii to make use of our timeshare.  In fact, we will be enjoying our timeshare again this fall.  This is a perfect example of where Team Edwards Travel can bundle the airfare, rental car and a couple of excursions, and save you some money.  We can also suggest some great things to do.  When we visit Kauai we really enjoy taking the time to see the Napali Coast either from the air or from a boat.  Both are great excursions!  It is a great hike too if you are in shape and ready for a workout. Booking all of these together saves money.  On this trip, we will try out the Smith Family Garden Luau on Kauai and let you know what we think.

On Ohau, we like to visit the Polynesian Cultural Center which is a great day trip, ending with a luau and a show.  Don’t forget the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. This is another area where combining the airfare, car rental and the excursions will save you money. On this trip to Ohau, we will check out the new Disney facility, The Aulani, and let you know what we think.  It’s Grand Opening will be on August 29th; so if you are a big Disney fan, you will want to vacation there the next time you go to Ohau.

Just make sure to contact us before your next vacation, so that Team Edwards Travel can show you how we can save you money and increase your enjoyment.

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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our travels as well as from other travelers. I hope it has been of value to you.  Check out the important links below.

Don’t hesitate to email us when you return from your trip with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow travelers!

You may also want to visit our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TeamEdwardsTravel

I Just Received a Free Cruise Certificate. Is it Really Free?

Cruise Ships
We have all been there. Go to a 90-minute presentation and get a free cruise as a gift for attending.  Of course, it always takes twice as long to get through the presentation, and sometimes the certificate is not worth the time, especially if you ended up buying a time share that you cannot really afford or won’t be able to use, and that will require you to pay a maintenance fee every year, even if you don’t use it. That is a different discussion though.  Back to the free cruise certificate for two.
cruise-ships

So, is the free cruise really free?

The best answer is “sort of” or “it depends” because it really does depend upon who issued the free cruise certificate, which certificate the sales rep gives you, and the terms of that certificate.  In fact, I have found that the value of a free cruise certificate can be anywhere from $175 to $1000.

I am not qualified to give you tax advise, but keep in mind that, in most cases, you will have to fill out an IRS W-9 form so that the give-away company can write off the value of the certificate and send you an IRS-1099-Misc.  You will have to claim the value of the cruise as income on your tax return.  Remember to look up, print out and save the information about the cruise you take to argue against whatever the marketing company puts on the IRS-1099 Misc. they send you next January.  You don’t want to pay taxes on a free $1500 cruise if its real value is only a couple hundred dollars.

To really answer the question, “Is it really free”, you first need to understand how cruise lines price their cruises. If you go online to www.Carnival.com or www.NCL.com or www.RoyalCaribbean.com, you can get the price for a 3-day, 4-day or a 7-day cruise.  When you look at the pricing, remember that the price is per person based upon double occupancy.  You also need to know that the advertised price includes the port fees but does not include the government taxes.

Please also remember that Carnival or the other cruise lines don’t have any connection with the “free cruise certificates” at all.  These certificates are sold to timeshare companies and auto dealers, and realtors, etc… as incentives to get buyers into their place of business or as gifts to their clients for making a purchase.  The incentive company manages the certificates and the booking of the cruises when the certificates are redeemed.  They will also sell you upgrades, travel insurance, etc…

VisionOfTheSeas

As an example, I will use Carnival Cruise Lines 4-day Mexico cruise.  It is the most often found cruise line that is used for free cruises on the west coast. Their 4-day Mexico cruise goes from Los Angeles to Catalina Island, to Ensenada, Mexico then back to Los Angeles.

If you check online you will see that this 4-day Mexico cruise is priced from $229 to $539 depending upon when you take the cruise.  In the travel industry the prices are based upon the peak seasons vs. the off-peak seasons.  The port fees and travel agent commission are included in the advertised rate.  To calculate the cost of the least expensive cruise to an online buyer, just add the taxes, which are $35.43 in this case, for a total cost of $264.43 per person, double occupancy.  The cost would be the same if this online buyer had used their personal travel agent.

Also, with either the free certificate or a regular purchase, you should also buy travel insurance so that you don’t lose anything if you cannot make the cruise.  And, don’t forget, that unless you live in Los Angeles or Miami, you will have to drive there and that means $$ for gas, or buying two round trip tickets plus the cost of a cab or transfer from the airport to the ship terminal.  That will run another $625 for the cheapest tickets I could find on Southwest, round trip from Sacramento to Los Angeles. They may be more or less from your hometown to the port.

Keep in mind that the higher-cost cruises will be during the summer months and Christmas break.  Generally, the certificates do not allow you to choose those times unless you pay a premium.  The fine print will say that the certificate is good for off-peak sailing dates. Remember, they really want to sell you an upgraded cruise.  Often if you check the cruise line directly, the cost for a peak week may only be a few dollars more than a non peak week. Through the incentive company, they will charge you about $199 for almost any week that they consider a peak week, even though it is not more expensive with the cruise line.

The agency handling the free cruise certificate and booking the reservation will charge you a service charge of at least $20 plus the $35.43 for taxes plus the $99 port charges, which means that you really did not get a free cruise.  In this example, the cruise, which would have cost you $264.43 per person to buy on the open market, will cost you a minimum of $154.43 per person.  In this example, you would only save about $110 per person.  So, you could expect a total savings of only $220 over buying the cruise online or from your local travel agent.  Remember to print out the online cost so that you can argue if the IRS 1099 you get shows a value of more than $220 for the free cruise.

Now, I can fully appreciate saving the $220, but what do you really pay in frustration and hassle for the $220.  Lets read the rest of the small print on the certificate.  You have to use the free certificate within 1 year, you have to return the initial document within 30 days, you have to pick a first choice date 60 days from the date your certificate is authenticated and your deposit has been paid, you have to select 3 dates, at least 30 days apart.  They will then choose your cruise date and let you know a few weeks before you cruise, and you cannot travel during the peak season or during any holidays without paying an additional fee.

You have to decide if the cruise is really free or not.  If I am only saving $220, I will shred the certificate, call my travel agent, and schedule a cruise that really fits my time frames without all the hassle.  Vacations should not be a hassle.

On the other hand, if you “won” a 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise, the costs and savings are often more complicated, but could be enough to make the hassle worthwhile.  If you book your 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise online or through a travel agent, or even with the free cruise certificate, you will pay about $160 for the port charges and about $56 in taxes, about $220 per person.  If you check online, you can find a good 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise for about $750 per person, taxes and port fees included.

Some of the incentive companies sell “free 7-day cruise certificates” to the travel companies or timeshare companies that have more costs hidden in the small print so that more money goes out of your pocket and into theirs.

For example, I have one “free 7-day cruise certificate” that charges the port fees and taxes like all of them do, but also charges an initial $20 processing fee plus a $50 per person agency processing fee to make the reservations plus an additional fee of $55 per person per day.  On this “free 7-day cruise certificate” I would have spent about $1330 for a $1500 cruise.  We would only save about $172 for two people on this 7-day cruise.

I saw a certificate from another company, which would only cost me about $440 in port charges and taxes for two people and a processing fee of about $20.  Since there were no additional per day charges, that certificate would save me over $1000 on that $1500 cruise.

Needless to say, I would shred the first one and consider using the second one if I could get dates that would work for me.

So, in conclusion free cruises are not free.  Some save you a little money but are not worth the trouble.  Most require you to jump through dozens of hoops, all in the hope that you give up.  That way, the incentive company wins because they sold the certificate to the timeshare company, and they don’t have to deliver.  The timeshare company probably won too.  They got you to come to the presentation and maybe even sold you a timeshare.  You are probably better off if you ignore the free offers. If they give you cash money, maybe it is worth spending an hour or two with them, but it is not worth it for a travel certificate that is more trouble than it is worth.

Finally, if you did buy that timeshare week, please use it.  Don’t let your travel budget go to waste.  You won’t be the only one to have bought the dream of glorious vacations in a timeshare condo resort.  We did.  We use our timeshare weeks every year or give it to one of our kids to use.  We never let it go to waste.

In fact, with the points-based timeshare week, we can book 2 days in the timeshare before we board a cruise out of Miami to enjoy the Caribbean, then book another 2 days upon return to really turn it into a relaxing vacation.  No hoping that the plane arrives on time so that we can get to the ship on time, or no booking an expensive hotel the night before the cruise.  We can spend a day at Disney World before the cruise and a day at Universal Studios when we return. That still leaves us 3 days for a weekend getaway later in the year.

In my humble opinion, if you really want to take a cruise, I recommend that you give one a try.  They are, dollar for dollar, the cheapest vacation you can buy, other than driving to mom’s house for vacation.  Call Team Edwards Travel and have us book you on a 3 or 4 day cruise to see how much fun it is, when you do it without all the hassle, with a travel professional covering your back.  You will be happy you did and you will be ready to book that 7-day cruise to the Caribbean next year.

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Turning Dreams into Memories,
One Vacation at a Time.
Bon Voyage!!!

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