Free Companion Airfare - and Where To Get Yours

Normally I like to keep my travel writings limited to $99 offers - but the theme of my services is to save people money when traveling, and I have not found a better resource for savings on Airline Tickets than www.FreeCompanionAirPass.com!

I ran across this hot little item in an email I signed up for to get the scoop on the latest & greatest travel items available - and this was at the top of my list to try out. The voucher retails for $299 currently, (I assume various sales will cause this price to change from time to time) - but if your flight is over $300 per person, this is a fantastic bet! 

LEGIT OR NOT:  Yes!  Over the years we've seen similar items around, but they have always been so restrictive - such as dictating when you can book, tons of blackout dates, how far in advance - they're nearly impossible to use! The intriguing thing about the Free Companion Airfare Pass is that they have no such restrictions, and all reservations come from their in-house department. 

These new passes have NO Blackout Dates - NO Advance Booking Required - and NO minimum cost for the first ticket! 

FINE PRINT: This voucher requires a one time reservation fee of $50, but if you buy from the site directly this fee is waived. This leads me to assume you can also get the vouchers from alternate sources or perhaps as promo items. So if you do receive this voucher from anywhere other than the original company, you may pay a $50 fee to register it. 

PRICE OF FIRST TICKET:  The other thing to note is that you must purchase a "full fare" round trip ticket. A full fare ticket is normally a bit higher than fares you may find online, but when the 2nd ticket is free, it generally more than compensates for this. 

These new terms sounded very appealing, so I ordered 1 of these, and a few friends & family did as well, to see how well they worked. Here's how it went for each of us! 

MY EXPERIENCE: After I bought the voucher online, I was emailed my reservation form. I filled it out online (no printing & mailing - another bonus!) and submitted it back with my dates and destinations.   I expected to hear back within about 3 days. I heard back within the first day, and was given flight options to choose from. 

I requested details for a flight I need to take to a friends wedding in London next month, and asked for a flight from San Francisco to London in mid July. The best price option I was given was a full fare round trip ticket for $2016, and second ticket was zero.  I found online tickets for around $1408 - so this was a price difference of $608, a bit higher than I expected for a full fare.  Still, if I bought 2 online tickets myself, I'd be paying $2816 for two flights, instead of $2016.

MY OVERALL SAVINGS:  My overall savings is $800.  If you include the retail cost of the voucher (which I paid less than $299 for as an agent), my savings would still be $500.


MY BROTHER's EXPERIENCE:  He bought his voucher and was planning out farther than me.  He went from San Francisco to Maui.  On his reservation form, he had requested a call back to complete reservations because his dates were flexible, but he wanted to travel in late October.  He received a call back within 3 days to go over flight options, and reported that the gal that helped him was very pleasant and professional.

She looked up about 6 different flight options & found one where they first full fare ticket was $1260, and 2nd flight was free.  Retail online price for tickets (at the lowest) $1749 for two travelers.

OVERALL SAVINGS:  His overall savings is $489.  If you include the retail cost of the voucher, his savings would still be $190.

Although the savings will certainly vary from person to person - this voucher seems like a winner so far!  

www.Cruise99.com - READ BEFORE YOU BOOK!

www.Cruise99.com - Read This Before You Book!

We know you want the facts about this Cruise99.com offer we keep hearing about.  After running an infomercial longer than the actual cruise - lots of curiosity has been aroused as people wonder - is this cruise real & legit?  Or is it just another too-good-to-be-true offer?  

Cruise99.com appears to be the real thing at first glance for sure!  After all - they're on TV, and they can't put anything on TV that isn't real...right?

Well I should be fair - the Cruise is real, in that, there is a real ship that sails with real people and serves what I can only assume is real food.  (Don't quote me on that one!)

But is the offer real?  This is what we're going to find out!

This company meets some “good” criteria at first glance.  The site looks decent, and has a highly visible phone number & slideshow of photos of people having fun.  Cool!  So far, so good!  800-479-0931, cheap bahamas cruise, 99 bahamas cruise, $99 cruise, cruise99, cruise99 scam, cruise 99 legit, cruise 99 real, cruise 99 reviews, www.Cruises99.com

In the spirit of thoroughness, we did our own online research, and called the 800 number on the site directly to get the real deal on this offer. Here’s what we found! 800-479-0931

Online Digging:  Our online research led us to the trusted ol' Better Business Bureau.  We looked & looked, but did not find any reference for them.  So, no BBB Rating. 

Reputation: This Cruise is offered by Caribbean Cruise lines, which has a long standing good reputation as a cruise line.   Since this particular offer is being offered via a lengthy television infomercial, we can also safely assume they have some serious cash to throw at this promotion.

Media:  The site has a video that's kind of cool to watch, with springy caribbean drum music in the background (catchy!).   The online video is similar to the infomercial, just thankfully shorter.  

Uncovering the dirt:  We called the toll free number and a rep answered quickly.  I had a lot of questions since the site did not provide a lot of specifics.  For example there was no information on sail dates, itinerary or schedule times, cabin details, or on board activities.   This seemed like stuff that should definitely be available, but I presume this tactic is meant to make people call in. 

On their site it claims “The Cruise is $99 for 2 people. Really! All your gourmet meals, 24 hour room service, on-board entertainment and non-stop fun are included! And no blackout dates!” 

The TRUTH About FEES: This is untrue. This offer requires additional fees that are not clearly listed. 

It requires fees of $59 per person, and an additional $20 “processing fee.”  We have nothing against additional fees, in fact, we expect them. ("There's no such thing as a free lunch" I can hear my mother now...)  Companies should know that customers are realistic, and they should just list the required fees up front. Strike one for vagueness. 

The TRUTH About CRUISE DATES:  The most significant issue I saw with booking this Cruise is that along with “No blackout dates”, they do not mention anywhere on the site that guests are required to book 60 days in advance.  

This sucks the fun & spontaneity out of a weekend trip enormously, as many people call in expecting to book right away, or according to their needs or work schedule, only to find they must plan 2 months in advance. With additional research we discovered that once the cruise is finalized (2 months in advance), there are no refunds available and no changes can be made to the cruise, passenger name, or cruise date, unless you spend additional money for insurance. (None of this info is listed on their site either.) 

You Must Attend a Timeshare Presentation:  Yes. This Cruise offers an additional option to stay longer at Grand Bahamas Island for “just a few small fees”. (We pressed for info on exact figures and were not given an actual number). Unless you live in California or Illinois, you will be attending a soul sucking timeshare presentation for half the day (morning or afternoon) on this wonderful island paradise.   This is not mentioned anywhere on the site, except briefly, & very vaguely, on their Terms & Conditions page. (Who reads that page, really?)

Our Overall Opinion.  Eh.  Caribbean Cruise lines are reputable, so the Cruise is probably fun.  It is “basically” $99 plus a few fees.  

The biggest drawback is the requirement to book 60 days in advance.  Most people, myself included, can barely book for next weekend between work, children, school, and life in general.  

If you’re able to book 2 months in advance, remember that you won't be able to make any changes or get a refund for your cruise in case you need to change your date because of a schedule change at work, or a medical emergency. 

Also, if you’re in the market for a new timeshare property, this is top pick, since you'll be able to preview a good number of timeshare properties while you're there.  

Better Bet:  If you want a better Cruise option with no timeshare presentation, that you can book anytime - try a wholesale broker.  They have an "A" rating with the BBB, and no nonsense.  You can find them here.

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www.99DollarCruise.com SCAM

99DollarCruise.com SCAM! True Review!

I keep getting questions about this $99 Cruise to the Bahamas!  One company in particular people ask about is one called www.99DollarCruise.com

It's important to find out which $99 Cruise Offers are legit, and which ones are not.  This is one I am afraid to say is the ultimate scam.

When asking if a $99 Bahamas Cruise is a fake, scam, or a scheme – the answer is – it depends on who is offering it. There are a number of companies who do offer the Cruise for $99. Some offer it for $99 per person, and some for just $99 for TWO travelers. Before we start, let’s highlight just a few things to help separate a real deal from one you should be skeptical of.

1. Can you easily contact the company? Companies or websites that display a prominent phone number and email address (& respond to inquiries within 24 hours), are more likely to be authentic than those who only provide a contact form. Companies that invest in their phone numbers or email addresses can also be a tip off – perhaps the phone number is customized to match the company offer, which requires an investment likely to be made by someone running a legit offer. On the same note – be wary of sending anyone money with a regular joeschmo@gmail.com address. A real company should offer a professional email address.  (99DollarCruise.com does not offer an email.)

2. What’s the fine print?  Every offer has fine print. Not only for the company’s benefit, but the customer too! Fine print can include important details like expiration dates, additional fees, blackout dates, and other relevant information a customer would need to know before booking!  In regard to travel offers, companies with nothing to hide will let customers know up front that they will be expected to pay port fees, government taxes or other minor fees up front, whether there are black out dates, whether there are any timeshare presentations, or other things that can heavily impact the trip. (99DollarCruise.com does not offer any details.)

3. Customer experience matters! First impression – what does their website tell you? Does it have good content and information? Or it the information vague? Does the site look professional with real photos & graphics? Or does it seem dated?  When you call – you should be greeted by polite, enthusiastic people, who are happy and able to answer all your questions. If you end up speaking with someone who is able to answer your questions, send you additional information, and seems relatively happy to do so, they are likely well paid at a reputable company. If you hear the radio or tv blaring in the background of someone’s home “office”, or the rep on the line can’t answer your questions, deflects or dodges them, it’s not a good sign.  99dollarcruise, 99 dollar cruise, 99 dollar bahamas cruise, $99 dollar cruise, $99 cruise, $99 bahamas cruise reviews, 99 dollar cruise scam, 99dollarcruises, 99dollarcruises.com, www.99dollarcruise.com

99DollarCruise.com  

Our first impression of this company was not good. Although they come up a lot in the search engines, we do not believe it is because they are offering a great deal, but rather because of clever SEO marketing.
 

BBB Says "Don't Do It":  This company was listed, but not rated by the BBB, although there was an “Alert!” marking for the company.   Alerts are generally there to indicate numerous complaints about a company.  The alert also stated, "The phone numbers the BBB had for this company are disconnected, and directory assistance did not have a listing for this company's address."

The Scoop: Hey, sometimes the BBB is outdated – so ignoring the above statement, we gave them a call during regular business hours and were greeted with a message that led to a free voicemail account. With no message. There was no email address listed.

Any sane person at this point would close out the site now.  But let's say you've got a little streak of crazy... 

The site offers 3 different Cruises, including a Bahamas Cruise, but does not give any detail for any cruise, except to state that it is a Caribbean Cruise from Port Canaveral or Miami. There was no detail given for cabin styles, ship name, travel dates, on board activities, or anything else a customer would find useful. 

The phone number was only visible on the contact page, and apparently leads to nowhere.
 

Shocker! You Can Still BUY This!   The only sign of life this site seemed to offer is that their “BUY NOW” button is working just fine.  So, even though you don't know what you're buying, and can't get in touch with anyone after you buy it - you can, in fact, still buy it.  Amazing.

Our Recommendation:  We would sooner recommend you Cruise through shark infested waters on a giant steak.  

Overall Grade: F- This site & company have done everything to deflect sales from start to finish. The site is dated, contact info limited, with no details to offer customers. The fact that they will still take your money is not a good sign either. We confirm this is a full fledged rip off and no one should buy from this company.

If you want a real $99 Cruise Offer - check out this offer here.  

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Crosby, Stills & Nash Experience Coming to San Diego!

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - the voice of a generation!  Is there a better soundtrack to the political, emotional, and social changes that heaved their way through the world in the 70's?

Relive those amazing times with the Crosby, Stills & Nash Experience coming to San Diego this July!  Remember where you were the first time you heard "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes", "Southern Cross", and "Ohio"!  Bring the family and create new memories with Southern California's favorite CSN Tribute Band - Woodstock Mud!

WOODSTOCK MUD 

  (The photoshopping is mine)

Who Are Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young?!  Crosby, Stills & Nash is a folk rock supergroup made up of David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash, also known as Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young when joined by occasional fourth member Neil Young.

The musical partnership of David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash, with and without Neil Young, was not only one of the most successful touring and recording acts of the late '60s, '70s, and early '80s.   

Known for their incredible, intricate harmonies - CSN is a tough act to follow.  Many tribute groups exist for acts like Kiss, The Beatles, Cher  and other "look alike" bands that need only throw on a wig & some makeup in order to get gigs - but Crosby, Stills & Nash tributes have no such luck, which is why there are so few.

These guys were known for their veteran musicianship - amazing vocals, quirky personalities and socially relevant song writing.  Other than Graham Nash not wearing shoes on stage - there wasn't much of a costume involved in any of those.

So to be a real tribute band for CSN - you have to sound like them - not an easy thing!  But after playing together for 20 years, these guys have it down pat at the CSN Experience!

The boys in this band have been crooning CSN tunes since they grew up with it as kids in their garage band!  Today, they put together an incredible event called the CSN Experience, which you have GOT to see to believe!  Or, rather, hear to believe!  Rave reviews from all over state that today - they are better than the real thing!

Lucky for us - The CSN Experience is coming to Southern California's sandy beaches in Carlsbad this summer!  You will regret it if you miss this one night event in your area!

TICKETS:  You can find your tickets here at this link, and learn about the band here.

Either way, I will see you there at the CSN Experience!

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Save 75% off Retail Price for Cancun All Inclusive Resorts!

Up to 75% Off CANCUN All-Inclusive Resorts

with CheapAllInclusiveCancun.com!

 Want to vacation at a world-class hotelmand still get a terrific value for your money? Try an all-inclusive resort in Cancun, where lodging, activities, meals, drinks and more are rolled into one price that's lower than the total cost of the individual rate!

With all price ranges available -- from budget to luxury -- all-inclusive resorts are widely recognized as one of the best travel options for families, couples and singles. Lounge by the pool, check out the casino, sign up for exercise classes, sing in a karaoke contest, play a game of tennis or a round of golf, enter a talent show or get a massage. If a particular activity is very important to you, be sure to tell us about it so that we can confirm that it is available at the resort of your choice.

You can book all-inclusive resorts with or without airfare. Just select your local airport to look for the best airfare to get to your all-inclusive resort of choice. Or, you can price the resort without air, in case you want to use frequent flier miles or happen to be an airline employee. In some instances -- especially at the very last minute -- the resort-only price may be all that is available.

Some all-inclusive resorts are designed specifically for families, with kids-only facilities, youth counselors, daytime activities and nighttime baby-sitting. Some all-inclusive resorts cater specifically to couples, while others are very popular with single travelers, offering to help singles meet and mingle.

Tipping is generally not required at restaurants in all-inclusive resorts because it is included in the total cost of the vacation, and some properties even forbid it! Employees associated with activities, sports or excursions that are not included in your all-inclusive package, such as baggage personnel, tour guides, golf caddies, etc., are customarily tipped. If you have questions about when gratuities are or are not included, feel free to ask your the experts at Cheap All Inclusive Cancun.

Best Deals Guaranteed for All Inclusive Resorts in Cancun!  Secret deals from popular hotel wholesale broker gives 4 days all inclusive resorts cancun for just $99! $99 cancun all inclusive, cheap cancun resorts, cheap cancun hotels

Get 80% Off 3 Day Bahamas Cruise

How To Get a Luxury Bahamas Cruise 80% Off

A luxury cruise is one of life’s pure joys.  Today’s modern cruise liners are engineering marvels; floating 4-star hotels that offer the best service, accommodation, cuisine, and activities.  They visit exotic locales, with non-stop relaxation or stimulation, depending on your pleasure.

Over the past few years, cruise companies have spared no expense and literally invested millions in amazing cruise ships.  

But, the best news is that due to the slowdown in travel caused by the recession and significant overcapacity in the industry, savvy travelers can now book once-in-a-lifetime cruises at insanely low prices!

How does 80 percent off the brochure price sound?  Believe it or not, it's possible through a company called 99DollarCruises.com, one of America's Largest Cruise Wholesalers.

99DollarCruises.com realized that taking a cruise vacation was a new experience for many.  They set out to build an online service to help people book the best cruise vacation, at the best possible price.  They teamed up with one of the most popular cruise lines, Bahamas Celebration, for their famous 3 day 2 night Bahamas Cruise.

It sails from West Palm Beach, Florida to Grand Bahamas Island where guests can disembark to explore the island and it's many treasures!  Guests can have an adventure on horseback, enjoy a dolphin encounter, snorkel, shop, swim, or just relax on the island all day before returning back to Florida.

99DollarCruises.com has the best deal around, because not only is the Cruise $99 - it's $99 for TWO passengers!  Once customers purchase the $99 voucher, they can book their dates anytime.  The only fees required to finalize the reservation are port fees & taxes, which of course everyone has to pay, even if they pay retail price for the same cruise!  

How can this 3 Day Bahamas Cruise be just $99?

Because of the huge costs involved in building and operating today’s luxury ships, cruise lines want their ships to sail with as few empty cabins as possible.

So, they turn to trusted partners like 99DollarCruises.com to sell this “excess” inventory at deep discounts, allowing the cruise companies to still get full fare on the travel packages that they sell directly.

The discounts they authorize them to offer can be as much as 80 percent off the full price fare.  What it means for you: Simply put, it is the opportunity to take a once-in-a-lifetime luxury cruise for a price that makes it affordable on any budget!

If you are not ready to book your cruise immediately, you can purchase their $99 Bahamas Cruise voucher to guarantee your low rate - and book your dates later on when you're ready!   People are choosing cruises more often now than ever because of the extreme value they hold in including all meals, drinks, entertainment & much more, in one low price!

To get on board with this amazing offer - click here!

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How to Score a Cheap Hotel Room in Las Vegas

This has got to be the #1 thing that myself & my fellow travelers get asked about.   

CHEAPVEGASHOTELROOMS.COM

"How can we get a cheaper room in Vegas?"  

During the hottest days of the year, if you're willing to fry like an egg on the sidewalk, you can find a nice room at the Venetian for $12 - ok maybe not that cheap, but still, how can you find a legit deal during normal travel times?  For those who don't want to travel during melting season in Vegas just to save a few bucks - this article is for you!  

After much research, and personal experience, I have found 3 things that work consistently, and well.  The first one is to become a travel agent.  This will only take a few months and several thousand dollars.  The second is to become a travel writer, like me, who gets paid to do this (teehee.)  I frequently get comped and discounted rooms because hotels know they'll get reviewed.  So that's nice.  :)

 

If you are too busy with your real job, kids, and life, to become a travel agent (or travel writer :), you should consider the 3rd & best option - booking through a wholesale broker.

What's a wholesale broker?  Back in the day, a wholesale broker for hotels would only book large numbers of rooms called "blocks" for conventions, companies, events, etc.   They had to be booked way in advance and guests were forced to stay on the dates they were given in order to receive the discounted rate.

Nowadays, technology has improved the lives of the masses, and hotels have new options they never had before. Rather than limit the wholesalers to booking only large blocks of rooms - hotels now understand the value of the individual customer. 

Craziness:  This is evidenced by the Daily Deal craze of Groupon & other sites that offer limited time deals for hotels trying to make a quick buck off of their excess rooms. But wholesale brokers are even a step above a daily deal offer.  Here's why.  

Daily deals are generally only good for a week or 2, meaning you HAVE to travel within a tight time frame, or lose your voucher.   This can still be pretty limiting for many, and what if you want to book right away? 

Ta-Da!  A wholesaler can get a cheap room nearly every day of the year, regardless of when you book (pending your level of common sense that is. Trying to book New Years eve at the last minute won't happen.) 

Generally, when you contact a wholesaler, you just need to tell them WHEN you want to travel.  They may have vouchers or tickets available to buy where you can request your dates first, and choose your hotel second.

 Buy First, Book Later:  It seems a little counter intuitive at first - but this method allows you to travel when YOU need to, and the broker will give you a myriad of hotels to choose from, that have available rooms at a discounted rate on the dates you want. 

This way of booking is growing in popularity partly because of the way these daily deal sites have taken off, with the same model of buy now - book later - but also because it is so consumer friendly!  cheap las vegas hotel rooms, how to get a cheap hotel room in las vegas, discount hotel rooms, las vegas timeshare hotel rooms, wholesale las vegas hotel rooms, CHEAPVEGASHOTELROOMS.COM, cheap las vegas hotel rooms 

Think about it:  If you go to a hotels website, or Expedia, or any of them - you are at their mercy for pricing.  You spend all day changing your dates this way and that, trying to find out how much cheaper it would be if you checked in Wednesday instead of Friday.

This new method of booking turns all the advantages to the customer! 

First, you get to choose your IDEAL travel dates, no compromises needed!  Next, you get presented with a bunch of hotel options to choose from.  I understand most brokers offer 5-15 hotels to begin.  Next, you confirm the hotel you want with the broker, and pay the fees the hotel is asking for.

How much will you save?
Normally, a wholesale broker can save you between 40-70% off retail rates.  Because they have access to hundreds of rooms within hundreds of hotels, you have your pick!
 

Wholesale brokers are hard to find - even though the daily deal craze is still going strong, only a few companies out there offer real legit wholesale bookings.

RECOMMENDATIONS:  The first one that comes to mind is BHP Room Acquisitions.  They still primarily do bulk rooms in "blocks" but can assist the individual as well I am told.
CHEAPVEGASHOTELROOMS.COM

The one I recommend most for the individual consumer is TravelTickers.com.  They are a popular travel daily deal type site with the buy now-book later model, and offer deep discounts for Las Vegas Hotels in particular.   

Even better, they recently acquired another wholesale broker, CorporateTravelGifts.com.  CTG was a wholesale broker for hotels worldwide for about 10 years before recently being acquired by Travel Tickers.  Now that they've joined forces, the offers are probably twice as good.

I hope this has been helpful and that many of you now become travel writers!  


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