What's the Deal?
The week's best travel bargains around the globe, by land, sea and air.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

LAND

· The Homestead in Hot Springs, Va., has Fall Savings rates starting at $225 per night per room (plus $52 taxes and fees). The deal includes breakfast buffet for two ($60 value) and is valid Sunday-Thursday through Oct. 31. Room-only rate typically starts at $275 per night, plus taxes and fees. The historic resort, founded in 1766, is about 210 miles from Washington. Available activities include golf, fly-fishing, hiking, horseback riding and tennis. Info: 540-839-1766, http://www.thehomestead.com.

· Destination Resorts Hawaii is offering a Maui Mystery Vacation deal for stays through Dec. 18. Book a six-night vacation and receive discounts of at least $60 a night by agreeing to stay at a company-picked condominium or villa within any of the eight resorts in the Wailea or Makena areas. Package is $1,080 for six nights for two in a studio or one-bedroom unit; rates at the company's eight resorts normally start at $240 per night. Taxes and resort fees are about 16 percent extra. Info: 866-384-1366, http://www.drhmaui.com.

· LaSource, an all-inclusive resort on the Caribbean island of Grenada, is offering discounted rates through Dec. 18. Rate starts at $225 per person per night double occupancy, a savings of $180 per couple. Price includes airport transfers, food and beverages, watersports, golf, various classes, a daily spa treatment and a daily dive for certified divers. During fall, minimum age at the 100-room resort is 16. Book by Oct. 31. Info: 888-527-0044, http://www.theamazingholiday.com.

SEA

· Take a Caribbean cruise with Canadian Sailing Expeditions on the 76-passenger Caledonia and save up to $600 per person on select departures in November, December and April, or receive $300-per-person discounts on other departures December-March. For example, a six-night cruise departing Nov. 16 from Tortola to St. Maarten, with stops in Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands, starts at about $1,610 per person double based on current currency exchange rates (plus $155 port taxes) after discount. Further discounts available for back-to-back cruises. Book by Sept. 30. Info: 877-429-9463, http://www.canadiansailingexpeditions.com.

· Cruise West is waiving the single supplement fee and offering a $250 shipboard credit on its Nov. 24 Thanksgiving holiday departure of the 18-night Grand Asia itinerary. Price starts at $7,549 per person single or double; price for single would typically be $14,269. The trip includes two nights' hotel in Hanoi and the cruise aboard the 120-passenger Spirit of Oceanus from Haiphong, Vietnam, to Kobe, Japan. Port stops include Danang, Hue and Ha Long Bay in Vietnam; Hong Kong; Shanghai and Xiamen, China; and Nagasaki and Hiroshima in Japan. Info: 888-851-8133, http://www.cruisewest.com.

· Carnival has last-minute deals on several cruises to the Western Caribbean, the Bahamas and Baja California , Mexico, departing this month. For example, an ocean-view cabin on a four-night cruise from Port Canaveral, Fla., to Freeport and Nassau in the Bahamas departing Sept. 28 starts at $199 per person double, plus $82 fuel surcharge and taxes ($562 per couple). Brochure rate is $979 per person double. Info: 888-227-6482, http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/specials.

AIR

· Etihad Airways has sale fares on nonstop service from New York to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Round-trip fare is $999 (plus $63 taxes) for travel through Nov. 16. Fare on other airlines starts at $1,291 for connecting flights. Book online at http://www.etihadairways.com by Sept. 30.

· Fly British Airways in first class, business class, premium economy or full-fare economy and get a free companion ticket on your next trip in any class of service to any destination served by the airline. For example, buy a round-trip premium-economy ticket from Washington Dulles to London (priced for October travel at $1,271, including $577 taxes and fuel surcharge) and fly with a friend in the same class of service in February: You will pay $1,358, while your companion pays just taxes and fuel surcharges of $577. Register at http://www.ba.com/eccompanion, and complete qualifying travel by Dec. 31. Book companion travel Jan. 5-June 30 for flights Jan. 15-Dec. 31, 2009.

PACKAGES

· CheapTickets.com is offering discounted packages to beach destinations in Florida, California, the Caribbean and Mexico. Discounts vary by resort, but all packages of four nights or longer receive a discount of $100 by requesting promo code FALLBEACH100. For example, a four-night trip from Reagan National to Puerto Rico, with accommodations at the Gran Melia, starts at $472 per person double (including taxes) in October. Priced separately, the trip would cost $705 per person. Book at http://www.cheaptickets.com by Nov. 23; travel by March 31.

· Ritz Tours is offering an early booking discount of $100 to $400 per couple on its Asia packages departing March-December 2009. For example, save $200 per person on the 10-night escorted Silk Road tour. Price for March 24 departure starts at $3,374 per person double after discount, including taxes and fuel surcharge. Deal includes round-trip airfare from New York to Beijing; airfare from Beijing to Urumqi, China; air from Urumqi to Dunhuang, China; accommodations; daily sightseeing; 26 meals; guide; and motor coach transport. Priced separately, air and hotel alone would cost about $3,000 per couple. Deadline to book and place deposit is Dec. 15. Info: 888-345-7489, http://www.ritztours.com.

-- Carol Sottili

Prices were verified and available on Thursday afternoon when the Travel section went to press. However, deals sell out quickly and are not guaranteed to be available. Restrictions such as day of travel, blackout dates and advance-purchase requirements sometimes apply.