Courtney GI can’t believe that Thanksgiving is next week. Which means Black Friday is next week. Which means Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday are the following week. Everything is around the corner!
With that being said, I’d noticed a few deals started early in November instead of late November.
Travel Groups
For instance, EF Ultimate Break, a travel group company. They offered early access Black Friday deals that started on November 7th.
A trip I want to take with them was $3,429 before the sale. I couldn’t help but wonder, “Is there really going to be a deal?” Well, I planned to check on November 7th. I was on a cruise ship, Independence of the Seas, that day (blog posts will be coming soon for that trip). I’m glad I got the Wi-Fi package well beforehand so I could participate.
On November 7th, the date of the trip I was looking for didn’t get any discounts because it was a little over a year away but there actually were a lot of discounts for 2024 trips. Some had up to $1,000 off.
The only benefit I could use that day, however, was putting a deposit of $5 down for the trip instead of the usual $150 they require. Lucky for me, a week later, they had an additional sale for 2025 trips and because it was within 60 days, I was able to get the best price match and get $150 off. Now, I have one less payment to make for the trip!
They’re still doing the early access sale until November 21st. If you’re interest in taking a trip with them, definitely checkout their website before then.
Why a Travel Group?
I chose this group because I want to travel solo but not entirely solo if that makes sense. They were already going to the place I wanted to go for the dates I wanted and their price was slightly better than the one I had when I added all activities, hotel, and airfare together from my planning.
Under 30 Experiences, another travel group company, is also offering a Black Friday sale. It says “under 30” but their travel group ages range from 21-35 and 30-49 so go for it even if you’re over 30.
Holiday Deals: Are They Really Deals?
Before, it was just Black Friday. Then, Cyber Monday was added with the age of shopping online. Now, we have Travel Tuesday to look forward to. This where you can look out for deals with hotels, flights, vacation packages, and cruises.
The cruise part is where I’m really questioning if it’s a special deal. Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Virgin Voyages, and the like are always having sales throughout the entire year which to me doesn’t really make it sale at all; it’s their standard price at that point. So, will Black Friday/Travel Tuesday be any different?
Cruise Examples
Example: Royal Caribbean has a “7-night Eastern Caribbean and Perfect Day” cruise on 12/08/2024 on the Wonder of the Seas. Its $775 per person at the lowest and $1,068 for a balcony as of 10/31/2023. Will that price be lower on Black Friday or Travel Tuesday?
Example: Virgin Voyages sent a test Black Friday email by mistake. The actually trip content was blank but it said 30% off. Then on November 16th, they sent the correct Black Friday email which still said 30% off. ALL sales they’ve had throughout the year is 20%-30% and they have a sale every month dutifully. I got my cruise with them for 30% off with the $600 bar tab back in August and that’s the same offer they’re having for Black Friday. So, that’s not a deal to wait on to me.
Now, it could be that the cruise lines may have sales on excursions, drink packages, internet packages, etc. and that’s where the real deals are but they also have regular sales on those too!
Basically, I’m not sure if cruise holiday deals are really deals since they’re always offering sales.
Hotel, Flights, Vacation Packages
Travel Tuesday is said to have better deals when it comes to hotels and flights. I’d keep an eye on any airlines you want to travel with and any places you were thinking of staying in. I’d even look at vacation sites like Expedia, Delta Vacations, or others to find any bundle deals that day.
Use the Deals for Small Stuff Too
Aside from big purchases like flights, hotel stays, and cruises, you could also use these holiday sales for packing items. You could find deals on luggage sets, travel toiletry sets, packing cubes, water bottles, Tiles or Air Tags, cameras, and anything else you might use for travel.
My First Travel Tuesday
It’ll be my first time actively trying to participate in Travel Tuesday this year. Usually, by this time of year I’ve already booked all my flights and hotels for any vacations in the first half of the next year.
That’s still the case this year but I was going to try and look for short summer vacation deal. Hopefully I learn what to do and what not do and update this post for next year.
Do you normally participate in these sales when it comes travel? What are you favorite deals to look for? Let your fellow overthinkers know in the comments!
