By Cynthia J. Drake | Published on October 27, 2022
The morning after Thanksgiving, many Americans will partake in the time-honored tradition of waking up early to stand in long lines for Black Friday retail sales. If you're looking to snag a break on your next trip, the best Black Friday vacation deals don't require a pre-dawn wake-up or much hassle at all. Scooping up excellent vacation sales online or with your travel advisor is a breeze when you choose to cruise.
Before the biggest vacation sale of the year, do a little planning in advance. Confirm your budget, where you want to go and your ideal getaway activities. Then, plan how to get Black Friday deals on vacations and surprise your family with the best gift this holiday season.
A few weeks before Thanksgiving, spend some time with your partner, family or friends brainstorming ideas for the best possible destinations. Consider including extended family, too — vacations can make great family reunions.
Black Friday vacation deals are typically offered on all-inclusive travel options including cruise getaways. While all-inclusive vacations such as resorts may seem appealing at first glance, be sure to evaluate the real savings. Sometimes hotels charge hidden costs on top of their advertised package rates. Cruise vacation deals, on the other hand, are more inclusive such as taking care of your travel, lodging, entertainment and dining all in one. Plus, cruises offer the best bang for your buck since they take you to multiple tourism destinations. For less than the price of one destination, you can visit four or five places on one vacation without all the stress of planning the itinerary yourself.
When you cruise, all you have to do is book how you'll get to your departure port. Savvy travelers will look into airfare and lodging a few days before and after your cruise. Sometimes rates are lower on certain days of the week, and you get to extend your vacation and explore your departure port city.
Then, take a realistic look at your budget. I like to evaluate vacations on a per-day, per-person cost. This really shows off a cruise's particularly attractive value. Cruises tend to come out on top once you add in the cost of hotels, meals, attraction tickets, souvenirs and drinks. You can save even more money by traveling out of peak season and selecting a departure port within driving distance, rather than paying for airline tickets.
Wondering where to find Black Friday vacation deals? Sign up now for Royal Caribbean's newsletter to receive an alert as soon as the biggest savings of the year are available. You can even start browsing Royal Caribbean's Cyber Monday and Black Friday deals now so you can be ready on the big day. If you're a loyal Royal Caribbean cruise goer, don't forget to add your Crown & Anchor member number to your reservation at booking for even more savings. You can stack Royal Caribbean loyalty discounts on top of the Black Friday vacation deals you're already enjoying — win-win!
And the best part? There are enough cyber travel deals to go around for everyone, so you don't have to wake up early or elbow your way to the front of the line to score some savings. You can enjoy a leisurely breakfast in your pajamas while locking in your Black Friday vacation deal on your next cruise. If you feel more comfortable booking through your preferred travel advisor, you won't miss out on Black Friday savings. Have them keep an eye out for deals on itineraries, discounted third and fourth passengers, reduced deposits, included gratuities, drink packages and more.
Once you book your destination, check out some other Black Friday sales on airfare, car rentals, hotels near your departure port, onshore excursions, onboard offerings and even travel gear. Though you may not want to wait in line for Black Friday retail sales, this could be the perfect opportunity to find that new suitcase or a pair of snow boots for your Alaska trip. Tip: If you're surprising people with the trip, wrapping some trip-related items could make great gifts to support your big reveal.
Black Friday always offers some great vacation deals, but if you happen to miss out (or you want to find even more deals), there are more opportunities to come. Many deals trickle into the following week for Cyber Monday and Travel Tuesday. Vacations tend to be even more enjoyable when you know how much you saved to make it happen.
Black Friday vacation deals just so happen to make for great holiday gifts, too. If you're planning a week-long family getaway or a romantic sojourn, you may wish to keep your plans under wraps for your intended recipients. There are so many fun ways to reveal an upcoming trip on Christmas morning. Have the kids partake in a scavenger hunt, collecting things like seashells, sunglasses and a map along the way. They'll get a kick out of putting the pieces together and trying to guess where you're going on your family vacation. Or, treat a loved one to some tropical vacation attire and watch their eyes light up when you reveal that you're whisking them away on a romantic trip to the Caribbean islands.
Or, forego the secrecy and involve the whole family in planning your getaway. Whatever your approach, spend some time thinking this through before the Cyber Monday and Black Friday shopping rush, and you'll be better prepared to find the best vacation deals.