In the high fashion world of vacationing, travel agents are so last season. Flipping through guides from Fodors and Frommers are just as convenient and informative as driving to the local travel bureau. But now, the true inner geeks of our society are clinging to the ever-powerful travel Web sites like http://www.Expedia.com and http://www.Orbitz.com. With trips that used to require months, sometimes years, of planning, a deluxe getaway is booked in a matter of minutes. Even with reduced fares and bargain deals, what's the real price of booking packages online?
Every year, college students pay homage to the glorified search engines of http://www.Travelocity.com and http://www.priceline.com, just to name a few.
If you have a destination and time period in mind, booking trips for spring break takes as much planning as finding a designated driver for a night at the bars, but the glorious side of online booking doesn't come without problems.
Web sites like Expedia and Orbitz allow you to search for packages with multiple people and show an overall price along with the breakdown for each traveler. Each airline ticket is designated to a specific passenger, but one person must be labeled as the contact for hotel accommodations.
Another important problem to check before booking is whether or not the Web site allows each person to pay separately. To book with Expedia, for example, the trip must be charged on one credit card and can quickly turn a fun vacation into a money-collecting nightmare.
You also can arrange the search results based on price and location. One of the biggest advantages to package deals are reduced fares, and each company has special deals with specific airlines and hotels. Before you get too excited about a really cheap package deal, check the airfare.
Most search engines automatically pair up the best rates, which usually means flying early in the morning. Flights in the late morning, afternoon or evening could affect the overall price by $100 or more.
Hotels and room rates also require more than the once-over. Expedia and Orbitz usually offer a description of the hotel and list reviews by previous vacationers. Places are rated on a five-star scale. Be careful when checking out the room descriptions for each package deal.
The search engines often offer great deals on restoration rooms or rooms in an area being renovated. While some list them as renovation rooms, others don't, so be sure to compare results from each Web site.
Room layout (like single, double or suite) also should be specified if the search engine allows it. For a vacation with four people, a room with one king-size bed or one with two double beds makes a big difference, and might challenge the meaning of a close friendship.
Each Web site has its own perks and problems, so you have to check all of them to find the best deal for you. Before booking, make sure the Web site doesn't add on an additional surcharge for use of their online services. Also, be aware of what you're agreeing to before you agree to it.
When Expedia or Orbitz gives you one price when you search and a higher price when you book, go through the charges item by item to catch what was added.
In most cases, it's just tax, but some Web sites do arbitrarily sign you up for cancellation insurance (for an additional fee, of course). They give you the option of unchecking the box, but you have to look for it, or you might sign off on something you didn't want.
Priceline is a site for the experienced user and a traveler willing to make big sacrifices for the lowest rates. When booking package deals, Priceline is similar to Travelocity and Expedia, but if you plan on booking hotel and airfare separately, the process gets a little tricky.
You tell them what day you want to fly and to what destination, and they'll make sure you have a flight -- but you have to pay for it without knowing what time of day it leaves and what airline it's on. Often times, you'll get a call a couple of hours before it leaves to let you know. Hotels offer the same deal -- dirt-cheap prices, but you have to pay before knowing where you'll stay.
The most important part of Internet booking is the last screen you'll see -- the confirmation screen. Print one for your records, then print another for your desk and another for who knows where. Although you're assigned that all-important confirmation number that reserves your package, don't hesitate to check whether or not your hard-earned money was invested in a legitimate deal.
Request that hard copies of the airline tickets be sent to your home. When dealing with Expedia, flight tickets can be mailed, but no confirmation for the hotel is sent, so call the hotel directly and use your package confirmation number to make sure the room is reserved.
In today's spring break fever, hot spots change as often as the length of Paris Hilton's skirts. To navigate the waves cheaply, you've got to navigate the Internet and use the up-to-date resources. Just make sure you know what to look out for, and your vacation will be your most sensible and enjoyable online purchase yet.
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