Budget Travel Advice
• www.budgettravel.msnbc.com
After a brief hiatus, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel is back online. The site includes features from the print magazine, daily deal updates available via e-mail newsletter and Frommer's Encyclopedia of Travel, with savings tips and opinions from Frommer himself.
• www.smarterliving.com
A portal to deals on airline tickets, lodging and rental cars, Smarter Living is an online magazine featuring travel discounts. Though you can book some deals through here, the site is primarily for info, with most bookings routed elsewhere. Some of the featured specials are from "sponsors," a k a advertisers, but they're clearly labeled, and the deals can be good. Smarter Living will send a free weekly dispatch with deals and columns via e-mail.
• www.elliott.org
Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott tackles issues such as unreasonable hotel fees and, in Travel Tightwad, provides shrewd advice on deals. Not just a budget site, Elliott.org has columns about traveling with technology and commentary about the travel industry.
• www.studenttraveler.com
Student World Traveler is an essential site for young travelers interested in traveling, studying, working or volunterring abroad. Also: advice on studying a language overseas.
Cruises
• www.cruisecritic.com
Featuring commentary from guidebook author Anne Campbell, Cruise Critic provides frank advice on selecting a cruise. The site loads slowly on a dial-up connection, but it's worth checking for updated specials, reviews, news and advice for first-timers. Use "Find a Cruise" to explore by destination, departure city or port of call, but selections can be limited.
• www.cruise411.com
The handy quick search bar lets you find cruises by date, destination and cruise line. Use the advanced search to choose by price and trip length. Cruise411 include ship itineraries, deck plans, cabin photos and other advice.
• www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp
Ever wonder how clean a cruise ship's kitchen is? Then check the Vessel Sanitation Program from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Select a ship and find a numerical score and detailed review.
• www.cruisepage.com
Claiming more than 11,000 cruise itinerary listings and reviews of more than 300 ships by site editors, CruisePage is a useful resource. The handy search box on the home page lets you search for cruises by date and destination.
Dining Guides/Reservations
• www.zagat.com
Using the Web to expand its reach, the Zagat Survey -- which ranks eateries based on a multitude of reviews from readers -- gives the lowdown on restaurants in dozens of North American cities and regions, as well as in Paris and Tokyo. Search by locale, cuisine, best views, etc.
• www.opentable.com
