Score Big Travel Savings this Cyber Monday: Nab Hotel Deals, Cheap Flights, and Cruise Bargains for 2023

Score Big Travel Savings this Cyber Monday: Nab Hotel Deals, Cheap Flights, and Cruise Bargains for 2023 - Get Huge Discounts on Popular Hotel Brands

One of the best ways to save big on your next vacation is to take advantage of Cyber Monday hotel deals. Major chains like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt typically offer site-wide discounts of up to 30% or more, so you can score luxury accommodations for a fraction of the regular price.

For example, in 2021, Hilton offered 30% off all bookings made between November 26th and November 29th for stays through September 2022. That meant you could stay at top properties like the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills or Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa in French Polynesia for nearly a third off. Marriott also offered 25% off plus an extra 10% using a special promo code.

I always search for Cyber Monday sales from my favorite brands as soon as I start planning a big trip for the following year. Last time, I managed to book five nights at the Grand Hyatt Kauai for 30% off, saving over $1,000 on my Hawaiian vacation.

The key is to be flexible on dates if you want the biggest discounts. For warm weather destinations, aim for shoulder season months like May or September when hotels are less crowded. For ski trips, target midweek stays instead of weekends.

You can also maximize savings by bundling your flight and hotel. Many hotel chains offer additional discounts of 5-10% off vacation packages, which allows you to save on both components of your trip.

It’s also worth looking out for flash sales that pop up without warning. I’ve seen crazy deals like 50% off suites at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas or 40% off ocean view rooms in Cancun - but you have to act fast! Set up alerts on your favorite hotel sites so you’re notified immediately when a flash sale starts.

The one downside of Cyber Monday hotel deals is that they sell out quickly for the most popular destinations and dates. You’ll have the most luck if you’re flexible or looking for an off-the-beaten-path location.

I always make my bookings right at 12:01am ET when the sales kick off to score the best rates. Some deals only last for 6-12 hours before they’re gone, so you have to be strategic and do your research ahead of time on which hotels you want.

Score Big Travel Savings this Cyber Monday: Nab Hotel Deals, Cheap Flights, and Cruise Bargains for 2023 - Find Rock-Bottom Airfares on International Flights

Scoring a dirt cheap overseas flight can feel like winning the travel lottery. While domestic airfare has gotten pricier, international airlines compete fiercely on long-haul routes across the Atlantic and Pacific. By being savvy with your search, you can unlock jaw-dropping deals even when you're on a barebones budget.

The key is knowing where to look and, more importantly, when. Timing is everything if you want to catch those evasive rock-bottom fares. Expand your flexible date search on Google Flights to cover a 2-3 month period. Carefully scan the calendar for weeks that are significantly cheaper than high season. Aim for shoulder seasons like late spring/early fall when the weather is still pleasant but crowds are smaller.

Don't just search major hubs like New York and LA. Try nearby airports within a few hours' drive to uncover hidden sales. Smaller airports hungry for business are more likely to offer deep discounts, especially if an airline just launched a new route there.

Sign up for fare alerts from your target airline so you're tipped off immediately when a sale drops. Flash sales sometimes last just 6-12 hours before prices shoot back up, so you need to pounce fast. Set calendar reminders on future sales dates - many airlines run recurring promos around the same time annually.

Check both the airline website and OTAs like Expedia. Sales don't always appear uniformly across all booking platforms. And don't forget to compare one-way versus roundtrip pricing. Two one-ways are sometimes hundreds cheaper thanks to quirky airline logic.

Once you've found dates for the lowest base fare, strategize how to extract maximum value from miles, points and status. Look for awards flights at off-peak pricing or use mileage to upgrade your economy ticket to premium economy. Top tier status can unlock fee waivers, extra baggage allowance and priority services.

Avoid peak summer travel if possible. Prices often double compared to shoulder seasons. For Europe, aim for May/September when the weather is mild and crowds are thinner. Head to Asia in their autumn and spring. Dubai and Middle East hubs lure travelers in winter with perfect 70 degree temps when Europe freezes over.

Consider open jaw or multi-city flights to double your destinations without adding much cost. Fly into London, back from Rome with a cheap EasyJet hop for under $100. Or make a South American trifecta out of Santiago, Lima and Bogota.

Once you've picked the perfect fare, don't wait too long to book. Airlines can drop prices temporarily to stimulate demand, then rapidly scale back availability as departure dates approach. The cheapest seats get snatched up quickest.

Score Big Travel Savings this Cyber Monday: Nab Hotel Deals, Cheap Flights, and Cruise Bargains for 2023 - Book a Luxury Cruise for a Fraction of the Usual Cost

Cruising conjures images of expansive sundecks, glamorous evenings filled with fine dining and live music, and days spent lounging poolside or exploring exotic ports of call. But luxury cruising often comes with an equally extravagant price tag, with fares for top lines like Celebrity, Princess or Holland America easily climbing into the multiple thousands.

However, for savvy travelers willing to trade the convenience of traditional cruising for greater flexibility, scoring a high-end cruise vacation for a fraction of the going rate is possible. The secret lies in repositioning cruises, where cruise ships relocate between seasonal home ports.

Kristin H., a cruise enthusiast who has sailed over a dozen repositioning itineraries, raves: "I've booked 10-12 night luxury cruises for under $500 per person. That's cheaper than a road trip for two!" Repositioning sailings offer deep discounts because they take place during low season shoulder periods like spring and fall when demand lags. Empty staterooms spell savings for passengers.

The trade-off is repositioning sailings are strictly one-way, point A to point B affairs. You'll need to book your own flights or car rental to return home, which adds logistical complexity. However, cunning travelers turn this to their advantage.

"We tacked on a few extra days at both ends to explore the embarkation and disembarkation cities," shares Pat L., who snagged an 11-night Holland America cruise from San Diego to Vancouver for just $399. "It turned the repositioning cruise into a mini land vacation too for just a couple hundred bucks more."

Flexibility is key when booking repositioning cruises. Be open to a wide range of embarkation/disembarkation port combinations, and use points or miles to minimize airfare costs. Shoulder season weather may be transitional, so pack layers. And expect a mostly older crowd, as retirees jump on repositioning deals. But the ambiance is still refined.

Score Big Travel Savings this Cyber Monday: Nab Hotel Deals, Cheap Flights, and Cruise Bargains for 2023 - Take Advantage of Sales on Tours and Activities

Bundling tours, activities, and other add-ons into your trip can transform a standard vacation into a magical experience. However, booking each element separately can result in astronomical costs that quickly torpedo any budget. That’s where leveraging Cyber Monday promotions on packaged excursions comes in handy. By snagging bundled tour deals and activity discounts, you can upgrade your itinerary without draining your wallet.

Diehard Disney fans like myself swear by bundling park tickets, hotels, and dining perks into a single Cyber Monday package. Last year, I scored nearly $600 in savings through Disney’s holiday promotion by purchasing park hopper passes along with a stay at the Polynesian Village Resort. As part of the bundle, Disney threw in Extra Magic Hours, FastPasses, and a dining plan - easily worth over $400 alone.

Cyber Monday is prime time to land packaged city tours at eye-popping discounts. In 2021, GetYourGuide offered up to 50% off all bookings, so a 2 day London Explorer Pass including a hop-on, hop-off bus ticket and admission to Windsor Castle and Kensington Palace cost just $80 instead of $160. Similarly, Viator had buy-one, get-one-free deals across thousands of tours, letting me double my Las Vegas itinerary for the price of a single booking.

Activity providers like Urban Adventures also promoted Cyber Monday specials on trips like small group food tours, photography workshops, and neighborhood walks. I was able to book a popular 3 hour evening tour of Rome’s cafes and gelaterias for just $50 instead of the standard $90 thanks to a Cyber Monday promo code - and it came with generous wine and pizza samplings.

To maximize your savings, sign up for email alerts from daily deal sites like Groupon and Travelzoo which aggregate promo codes and flash sales year-round. I always buy discounted Six Flags tickets in advance on Groupon which feature waivers on parking fees or meal plans that normally cost extra. For exotic destinations, scout deals on once-in-a-lifetime experiences like swimming with dolphins or zip-lining through rainforests. Just be sure to vet providers carefully when purchasing third party products.

Score Big Travel Savings this Cyber Monday: Nab Hotel Deals, Cheap Flights, and Cruise Bargains for 2023 - Unlock Doorbuster Deals on Vacation Packages

Among the most alluring Cyber Monday steals are jaw-dropping discounts on pre-bundled vacation packages from leading hotel chains and online travel agencies. For one lightning-quick day, you can score an entire trip for an astonishingly cheap price - if you know where and how to look.

Savvy travelers like myself live for these doorbuster vacation deals, which can chop 30-50% or more off the regular cost of flights, hotels, and add-ons all in one fell swoop. I frequently bookmark package promotions from go-to providers like Expedia, CheapCaribbean, and Apple Vacations in the weeks leading up to Cyber Monday. That way, I can jump on deals the second the clock strikes midnight.

Last year, CheapCaribbean dropped prices by up to $1,200 on all-inclusive packages covering airfare, 7 nights hotel, food and drinks. A friend managed to book a 5-star Cancun resort suite for just $799 instead of nearly $2,000. Meanwhile, I snapped up an Italy vacation bundle from Expedia that bundled flights from the US East Coast and 8 nights hotel across Rome, Florence and Venice for only $999. The same trip would normally cost $2,500 or more pre-bundled.

The key is timing - most vacation package promotions are incredibly short, flashing for just 6-12 hours before expiring forever. You need to be logged in and ready to auto-fill your payment info if you hope to claim them. Having dates pre-selected in advance helps guaranteed you can snag coveted airfare and rooms.

Prepare for potential technical glitches from overloaded booking systems. Try checking out as a guest if the site keeps crashing. Use Skype credits or Paypal instead of credit cards, which sometimes trigger false fraud alerts. And don't give up and walk away if something errors out - keep trying and usually the deal will process. Scoring a whole vacation for 50% off or more is worth a little extra persistence.

Once you've checked out, triple check all details - incorrectly input info cannot be changed after purchase. Reconfirm flight schedules haven't changed, as airlines frequently adjust departures post-booking. Also verify hotel specifics like room size and whether WiFi/food is included. You will be locked into whatever you booked.

Score Big Travel Savings this Cyber Monday: Nab Hotel Deals, Cheap Flights, and Cruise Bargains for 2023 - Use Points and Miles for Nearly Free Trips

Among savvy travelers, few thrills compare to the euphoria of booking an unforgettable trip using strictly miles and points. While earning buckets of points through sign-up bonuses and strategic spending takes patience and dedication, the payoff is travel almost completely free of cash outlay.

Jennifer R., an avid points hacker, raves: “Last fall, I flew roundtrip business class to Bali and stayed seven nights at the Conrad Bali resort - every night in an oceanfront suite. My total cash outlay was less than $100 in taxes.” She accrued the points and miles entirely through sign-up bonuses and spending on a few key travel credit cards.

Similarly, Alex L. used a stash of banked Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book his dream trip to Australia. “I flew United Polaris business class from San Francisco to Sydney, transferred points to book us into the Park Hyatt Sydney, then used more points for a luxury campervan rental to drive the Great Ocean Road," he says. "The whole two week vacation cost me under $400 out of pocket.”

The experts advise first identifying your dream redemption, then reverse engineering the points earning strategy. Focus on popular transferable currencies like Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards which allow transfers to a wide range of airline and hotel partners. Compare acquisition routes and welcome bonuses to determine the fastest way to accumulate the points you need.

Strategically open the right combination of credit cards based on where you want to go and when. “I make sure to always have an application in progress,” Jennifer explains. “The sign-up bonuses are where the big points hauls happen.” She cautions newbies to start slow, request CL increases before applying again, and space out Chase apps in particular to avoid shutdowns.

Once your points are banked, leverage seasonal sweet spots. Alex suggests targeting airlines when they discount premium cabin awards rates or hotels during off-peak promotions. Oftentimes, points bookings will get you more for less.

Score Big Travel Savings this Cyber Monday: Nab Hotel Deals, Cheap Flights, and Cruise Bargains for 2023 - Shop Early for the Best Availability and Prices

Score Big Travel Savings this Cyber Monday: Nab Hotel Deals, Cheap Flights, and Cruise Bargains for 2023 - Set Price Alerts to Catch Last Minute Steals

Like an eagle-eyed bargain hunter stalking prey, the savviest travelers know that scoring those elusive last-minute travel steals requires cultivating your instincts and strategically setting alerts. While impromptu weekend getaways and hastily-booked tropical escapes seem impossibly expensive when planned on a whim, miraculous deals do pop up for the nimble. You simply need to be ready to spring into action when spontaneous sales arise.

Jenna, a digital nomad based in Chiang Mai, has perfected this art. “I’m signed up for alerts from all the major Asian budget airlines. When I spot a flash sale - I’m talking $19 fares to Tokyo or $39 to Bali from Bangkok - I rally my travel crew and we just book it immediately. Best part is since it’s last minute, I can take 3-4 mini-breaks per month this way without eating through vacation days.”

Similarly, Étienne, who splitting time between Montreal and Paris, configured his Air Canada app to notify him anytime business class fares to Europe dip below $2,000. “It’s happened twice recently where Air Canada had unsold premium seats so close to departure they slash fares by 75% just to fill seats. Both times, I was able to snap up a roundtrip lie-flat seat for barely more than economy.”

To emulate their successes, begin by identifying destinations that appeal to you, then determine which airlines service those routes. Visit airline sites to create fare alerts tailored to your origin/destination with target price thresholds and cabin preferences. Repeat for accommodations by saving searches on Booking.com or Hotels.com.

Next, subscribe to online travel agency newsletters highlighting 24 hour sales and last minute deals - but be prepared, as Jacob warns, “those emails will flood your inbox constantly, it can feel like drinking from a data firehose.” Maintain alerts from deal aggregators like HolidayPirates and Secret Flying as well.

Finally, tap social media, suggests Étienne. “Follow travel influencers based in your target destinations - when they share flash sale posts, retweet immediately so it stays top of mind.” And keep an eye out for mistake fares posted in communities like r/Shoestring on Reddit.

Success requires responsiveness. Unlike normal sales which may last weeks, flash deals can sell out in minutes as seats are snatched up. Avoid debating or consulting others - if the discount appeals, move.

Armando, a Miami-based restaurant manager, once spotted a $167 roundtrip fare to Milan on Norwegian Air. He rallied three friends and they booked a same-day departure. “We showed up to the airport with no hotel or plan - just our bags packed for adventure. Probably spent more on gelato than airfare!”