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 The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel: 1,000 Companies, Consolidators, Agencies and Resources
Whether you’re a single traveler looking for soft adventure in the U.S. or a family seeking an affordable European barge trip, The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel: 1,000 Companies, Consolidators, Agencies, and Resources will guide you to the cheapest fares possible.
Here are a few of the tips found throughout the reference:
1. Air Passes are hard to beat and all ages save $$$ (p.87).
2. Hotel Discounters guarantee best rates (p.110).
3. Cruise Consolidators offer rock bottom fares. Never pay brochure rate!(p.100).
4. ‘Untours’ are an independent traveler’s best friend. (p.57). 5. Travel Clubs offer savings up to 80%. Are they right for you? (p.151).
6. All-inclusive Resort Stays are true bargains (p.30).
7. Get together a few friends and Travel Free. It’s that easy! (p.24).
8. Utilize Free Campgrounds to save $$$. (p.157).
9. Last Minute Travel Web sites offer huge savings on unsold tours, cruise, and more. (p.155).
10. Volunteer Vacations are tax deductible and can be more engaging than sightseeing tours and there are so many exciting experiences to choose from. (p.130).
Traveler’s Q & A
Q. My husband and I are considering taking our children, ages 7 and 9, on a cruise but are not sure if that’s a good idea?
A. Cruises are ideal for families. You get to unpack and stay put throughout your vacation. Naps and favorite foods are always available. Today, ships offer everything from movie theaters to in-line skating, which means plenty of choices for everyone. Disney and Royal Caribbean have excellent kids’ programs with qualified hosts and supervisors. There are even game rooms and teen discos. Recently, shore excursions “just for kids” have been introduced. I don’t recommend taking children 4 or under, but your children are just the right ages to appreciate such an experience. If you’ve never cruise before, I suggest taking a short cruise to “test the waters” before embarking on a 7 - 21 day cruise.
Q. My fiancée and I would like to see more of Europe but don’t know where we want to go, or if we want to take a tour or be on our own. I was stationed in Germany for three years and she has been to Spain, so we don’t want to go to those places. Any suggestions?
A. Plenty! There are so many great places but if you have never seen London or Paris, you must remedy that! There are many companies that offer good packages to Europe, such as France Vacations (800-332-5332, www.francevacations.net) and Globus & Cosmos (800-338-7092, www.globusandcosmos.com). Both provide value-oriented escorted tours and independent travel packages. Another option is to purchase an airline package through British Airways or Virgin Atlantic, which includes airfare, accommodations, and breakfast daily. If you opt to go on your own, it’s best to take a city tour first to orient yourself with the layout of the city and all it offers. You may want to consider spending three days in London and then taking the Chunnel to Paris for three days. A few hours and approximately $100 (per person) later, you’re sipping French wine on the Champs Elysees! Both cities are safe and easy for independent travelers, and there’s so much to see and do. Don’t forget to ride the British Airways London Eye and buy half-price theater tickets at Leicester Square.
Here are just some of the reviews on The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel:
...I am overwhelmed with the variety of information. Obviously, if you could have one guide on your bookshelf, this should be it. The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel is an indispensable reference for any type of traveler. I recommend it highly for anyone seeking the most mileage for his or her travel dollar.
—Larry Patton, WLXI-TV Public Report Host
The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel" is aimed at bargain hounds who find sport in stretching any currency to the max; upwardly mobile vacationers who wish to travel first-class without having to take out a loan...The book is as handy as a phone book, with long lists of names, numbers and Web sites.
—Andrea Sachs, The Washington Post
...Zepke, drawing upon her years of expertise as a travel agent and freelance travel writer, shares with the reader the secrets of her success when it comes to making low cost trip arrangements and managing to thoroughly enjoy the journey in the process! "The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel" is definitely an excellent resource...
—Jennifer Wilson, IndependentTraveler.com
The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel explains how to get accommodations, car rentals, tours and vacation packages for less and even (sometimes) free.
—Publishers Weekly
...Zepke is tireless in compiling websites, 800 numbers, e-mail addresses and other info about the multi-faceted travel biz...
—John Flinn, San Francisco Chronicle
Subtitled “1,000 Companies, Consolidators, Agencies, and Resources,” this book tells the budget-conscious traveler how to try out all types of travel...Includes resource listings, an appendix, and useful FYIs and tips in highlighted boxes throughout the text. Bon voyage!
—National Motorist and National Automobile Club
Zepke, a travel writer who has lived on Oahu and has long booked her own travel arrangements with the idea of “gourmet travel on a fast-food budget,” tells how to get the best deals from tour operators, cruise lines and hotels and suggests 50 ways to travel free or get paid to travel.
—Wanda Adams, The Honolulu Advertiser
The Encyclopedia Of Cheap Travel by travel industry specialist and expert Terrance Zepke is a refreshingly practical vacationer's reference resource and guide. From getting the best deals on tours, airline tickets, cruises, and accommodations to 50 ways to travel free or even for payment, The Encyclopedia Of Cheap Travel is a wealth of useful, money-saving lore for the tourist on a budget. Highly recommended to thrift-minded travelers everywhere, The Encyclopedia Of Cheap Travel will also prove itself to be an invaluable resource for business travelers on increasingly restrictive corporate resources as well.
—Jim Cox, Midwest Book Review
Words to save money by...In addition to being a good source for agencies and Web sites offering low-cost trips or tickets, the book has plenty of tips...
—Richard Carpenter, The Boston Globe
The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel offers useful overviews of traveling cheaply with plenty of tips and recommendations...
—The Internet Public Library
Here’s a book that will make you a travel expert. For almost any trip, this guide will help you increase the odds of traveling inexpensively, as well as happily and safely...Look in this book for an inexpensive cruise, to get dollars off your hotel bill, fly on the cheap, go on an African safari for less and pay less for a river barge cruise.
—Gerry Volgenau, Detroit Free Press
This month, Zepke’s new book, The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel, hits the bookstores. I was privileged, as a travel writer, to receive an advance copy of the book and I was amazed at the work Zepke put into this definitive travel guide...The author covers every nuance of travel. It is a valuable resource that I wouldn’t leave home without.
—Ada Duncan, The News-Review, Senior Times
...The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel: 1,000 Companies, Consolidators, Agencies and Resources is the reference book you should get. Terrance Zepke teaches the budget conscious traveler how to save on all types of travel, including deluxe vacations and five-star cruises. She shows how to find the best deals and get the most for your money. If you want gourmet travel on a fast food budget, this is the book for you.
—Tim Boxer, 15MinutesMagazine.com
The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel has chapters on how to find the right travel agent or tour operator; how to get the best deals on tours, independent travel, airline tickets and lodging; and how to get free travel or get paid to travel. It also includes lists of travel resources. I looked for several companies through which I’ve booked cheap airline tickets and cruise packages and found all listed in the book. I also found money-saving tips that I have used as well as some that I will try in the future. The companies listed are not limited to small ones and the money-saving deals are not extremely restricted. Major hotel chains, almost every airline and cruise line and scores of car rental agencies are on the list, with discount programs and savings for certain days, markets or customers, such as seniors.
—Dennis Tanner, Booth Newspapers
Wealthy travelers have no problem; they can just call up a travel agency to work out trip details. The rest of the traveling public is usually on the lookout for fare bargains and other ways to make the dollar literally go farther. The Encyclopedia of Cheap Travel lists hundreds of resources for cheap travel, including consolidators, agencies, and other outfits that specialize in bargain travel and accommodations.
—Associated Press
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