Experts share how to save money on luxury holidays - cheaper than living in UK
Travel experts have shared their best tips that could help you bag a bargain luxury break.
Post-lockdowns the demand for trips away remains enormous, with travel agents having reported their busiest start to the year ever. One in six Brits say they're planning to get on three holidays over the next 12 months.
While many of us may be keener than ever for a slice of sunshine, sea and sand - particularly after the long, wet winter the UK has been squelching through - the rising cost of living means jetting off is not easy. Holidays: Get Away for Less airs on ITV at 8.30pm tonight and is packed full of top tips for keeping the cost of holidays down.
Jenni Fielding, who runs the blog Cruise Mummy, has become an expert in helping people looking to book a cheap cruise. Depending on what kind of sailing you're after, you should book at very different times, she explains in the programme.
"It's always good to book last minute if you can, because the cruise companies will reduce the prices to fill the cabins. As long as you can be flexible about where you're going and which dates, book last minute if you're a couple," Jenni tells presenter Helen Skelton.
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When you book your cruise holiday is important (AFP via Getty Images)When it comes to families, Jenni suggests booking way in advance - as far as two years before the ship sets sail. "Sometimes the deals will be like, kids sail free, or kids sail for £99, which really, kind of makes your cruise half price," she continues.
According to Jenni, managing to find the right all-inclusive cruise deal could end up saving you money, compared to staying at home during the school holidays.
"Say if you want to take the kids out and you just go to the zoo, you've spent £100 before you know it, just on your tickets, and you're buying food while you're there. It all adds up. Even putting them in a holiday club. It might be £30, per day, per child. So if you can get yourself a cruise instead it can actually work out a little bit cheaper than being at home," the savvy holiday hunter said.
Another top cruise tip requires a little more research, but could lead to massive savings and help you get the jump on the cruise companies. In the show Jenni explains that cruise firms all keep lists of when kids in different parts of the world break up for school holidays, and adjust their prices accordingly.
"All the cruise lines, they'll have a list of when they think the school holidays are, so I'll take that, then I'll take the list of the summer holidays of where my kids go and they never quite match. And so you can get the cheaper prices without taking them out of school," Jenni explained.
Rory Boland suggests getting away during the shoulder season (ITV)One of the biggest hurdles standing between families and a cheap holiday is the increased price of getting away outside of term-time. ITV's researchers found that the cost of plane tickets and package holidays can almost double during school holidays.
A trip from Manchester to Benidorm for a family of four cost £537 before May half term, while a week later flights were £1,647, a price increase of more than 200%. They found it was £1,023 cheaper in term time for a package holiday for four than in the summer holidays - a 70% price increase.
Rory Boland, travel editor at Which?, recommends being savvy about when you head away to get the best deals. For him, booking a holiday just outside high season, in the shoulder season, is the way forward.
He advises booking in "the weeks, the month or two after the peak period" as you will likely get "better weather, better prices and fewer crowds as well. So really what you're getting is a better holiday at a better price."
The travel expert also warned holiday hunters against going for the cheapest possible all-inclusive package, arguing that this is often a false economy which may come back to bite you.
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"There is a huge difference between different all inclusive providers. Often the cheapest providers, the ones that have the cheapest headline price for your holiday, the problem is when you get to the all inclusive resort it is not really all inclusive. My top tip is look at somewhere in the mid range, maybe even a little bit higher, and have a better holiday and pay less as well," Rory said.
Chelsea Dickenson says it can be cheaper overall to pay more for flights (ITV)Chelsea Dickenson, who offers advice online as the Cheap Holiday Expert, makes a similar argument - sometimes saving money upfront can cost you more down the line. She argues that spending a little more on transport can help you save far more on accommodation.
"Transport is a one off cost. We get obsessed by these cheap flights. You could end up paying £50 more on your flight, but you could be booking at a period when the accommodation is £1,000 cheaper. So sometimes it can be better to look at accommodation first. Take five minutes to check your next holiday and you could end up saving hundreds if not thousands of pounds," Chelsea advises.
The travel expert also underlines how important it is to be flexible - if you can - when it comes to choosing when and where you travel.
"The most important thing to find a cheap holiday is to have a level of flexibility. That doesn't mean just the day, that could be the duration. We tend to think about holidays in like seven, 10 days and 14 day blocks. By searching by 8 or 9 days you can find cheaper holidays that way," she said.
When searching for places to stay, Chelsea advises keeping it as broad as possible. "Put in 'Continent'. I have found myself absolutely beautiful five star hotels for under £100 a night by doing this," she said.
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