Incredible travel deals

Vacation time is precious, so you want to get the most from your travel dollar. But without professional advice, it's not so easy to spot a real bargain. The least-expensive hotel accom­modations, for example, may force a family of four into a cramped space meant for two – and ruin what might have been a splendid week at a resort. To save you such heartache, we've compiled a guide to some of the best travel buys around. These are real bargains, the kind that will provide terrific savings with­out sacrificing comfort or a good time.

Airfare bargains. If you don't mind having to cope with some restrictions, contact what the trade calls "air consolidators" – agencies that purchase tickets from airlines and sell them at discount prices. You'll save as much as 60 % off regular airline fares.

The main drawback of such tickets is that they are hard to change or cancel. But you can buy low-cost "travel interruption" insurance to cover your costs if your plans change.

Cruise discounters. More families have been opting for cruise vacations recently because a cruise is so carefree – ab­solutely everything is done for you – and there's one fixed price, no surprises. And a number of cruise lines are adding children's programs. Many lines, including Norwegian, Carnival and Pre­mier, offer special rates to families: The fare for children traveling with two adults is discounted 50 % or more. Norwe­gian and Carnival sail to Mexico and Caribbean ports; Premier sails to the Bahamas with free pre- and post-cruise tours of Disney World.

But you'll find the most dramatic savings on cruises if you can make last-minute plans. You can cut the regular fare by as much as half if you book 30 days or less before departure.

All-suite hotels. These relative newcomers to the travel in­dustry were originally designed to attract business travelers, but they offer just what every traveling family needs: extra space. Most feature a separate bedroom or even two, a living room, dining area and usually a fully equipped kitchen, all for the cost of a standard hotel room. Some all-suite hotels also provide free breakfast, do-it-yourself laundry facilities and assis­tance in finding babysitters.