Booking Your Next Trip Online (Cliffs Notes)

CliffsNotes ® Booking Your Next Trip Online......Page 1
About the Author......Page 4
Table of Contents......Page 5
How to Use This Book......Page 9
Don't Miss Our Web Site......Page 10
CHAPTER 1: PLANNING YOUR ITINERARY ONLINE......Page 11
Finding the site that's right for you......Page 12
Building your itinerary......Page 13
Saving and printing your itinerary......Page 15
Local information: Cities and towns have Web sites, too......Page 16
Need a passport? Government sites to check......Page 17
Seasonal travel: Choosing the best time to go......Page 18
Researching weather online......Page 20
Checking currency and exchange rates at your destination......Page 21
Ouch! Vaccination information......Page 23
When Things Go Wrong: How and Where to Complain......Page 24
Popular Travel Web Sites......Page 27
Finding hotel Web sites......Page 31
Booking lodging online......Page 33
Evaluating a Travel Services Site......Page 35
CHAPTER 3: GOING, GOING, GONE: ONLINE AUCTIONS AND PRICE SITES......Page 38
Using Auction Sites to Bid for Travel......Page 39
Evaluating an Auction Site......Page 40
Getting Registered......Page 41
Bidding for Travel Services......Page 43
Avoiding bidding shock......Page 44
Using auto-bidding services......Page 45
Cutting a Deal with a Pricing Site......Page 46
Finding the Best Airfares......Page 48
Going Directly to Airline Web Sites......Page 50
Working with Travel Sites......Page 51
Schedule carved in stone? Finding the
cheapest fares for your dates......Page 53
It’s not who you know, it’s from where
you go: Airport codes and options......Page 54
Booking Your Flight Online......Page 56
Deciding on e-tickets......Page 58
Paying for tickets with your credit card......Page 59
Getting to the Airport: Limo and Car Service Arrangements......Page 61
Booking Train Reservations Online......Page 63
Sleeping and eating on the train......Page 65
Cheap and Easy: Taking the Bus......Page 67
Selecting a rental car company......Page 68
Getting the best price......Page 69
Risky business: Insurance......Page 70
Changing or Canceling Ground Transportation......Page 71
CHAPTER 6: BOOKING YOUR ACCOMMODATIONS......Page 72
Hotels......Page 73
Suites......Page 74
Bed-and-breakfasts......Page 75
Hostels......Page 78
Booking Your Accommodations Online......Page 80
Making Special Arrangements......Page 81
Altering Hotel Reservations......Page 82
CHAPTER 7: GETTING AROUND AT YOUR DESTINATION......Page 83
Traveler’s Aid: Directions and Support
After You Get There......Page 84
Finding out about trips and tours......Page 85
Going as a group: The guided tour......Page 86
Do you need a rail pass?......Page 89
Entertainment and Cultural Options......Page 91
Locating Great Restaurants......Page 92
Accommodating Special Dietary Needs......Page 94
Booking Concert and Show Tickets Prior to Your Trip......Page 95
Traveler’s Aid: Directions and Support
After You Get There......Page 96
CHAPTER 8: FINDING AND BOOKING PACKAGE VACATIONS......Page 98
Lower prices — extras included......Page 99
Restrictions? What kind of restrictions?......Page 100
Finding Great Package Deals Online......Page 101
Traveling to Resorts and Clubs......Page 102
Getting Senior Citizen Savings......Page 106
CHAPTER 9: TWO IF BY SEA: BOOKING A CRUISE ONLINE......Page 107
Choosing the Cruise Line and Destination for You......Page 108
Locating and Learning about Cruise Vacations......Page 109
Getting to the Ship......Page 111
Researching the Perfect Cruise Vacation......Page 112
Using Expedia to Reserve a Cruise......Page 113
Q&A......Page 116
Practice Project......Page 117
Books......Page 118
Internet......Page 119
Send Us Your Favorite Tips......Page 121
INDEX......Page 122
NOTES......Page 126