November 5, 2003 -- Most of the nation just fell back in time with the annual arrival of Day Light Savings, but Go-Today is already asking us to spring forward into Spring. They've just announced their 2004 schedule for Europe's shoulder season with most travel taking place between April 1 and June 15. These deals are doozies, and you must book by December 23 to snag these prices. In fact, these prices are so good (and our memory is still strong) we can safely predict them selling out well before the deadline.
Some of the cheapest packages are the Fly & Drive offers, with roundtrip airfare, a seven-day Hertz car rental, local tax, CDW and unlimited mileage. That's for a manual compact 4-door, and prices are based on two people booking and traveling together. Single supplements are about $100 per package. You can save more per person if you add a third or a fourth traveling companion.
Sample base-prices per person include:
- Britain and France from $389
- Switzerland from $429
- The Netherlands from $489
- Spain from $529
- Ireland from $539
- Belgium from $549
- Portugal from $609
- Germany from $629
- Italy from $709
In most cases, departures are out of Boston, New York, Newark and Philadelphia for these prices, but if you're a loyal reader of this Newsletter, you already know that Go-Today sports reasonable add-on fares for many US gateways. While room and board are not included, the Internet-based company has B&B voucher programs available in some countries, and they can assist you with other lodging options as well without breaking the bank.
In addition to the fly and drive packages, Go-Today has also posted some budget-conscious air and hotel combinations called "Spring Specials." Generally, these include roundtrip airfare, six nights' hotel stay, continental breakfasts in the morning and hotel taxes and surcharges. Prices again are based on double occupancy, and don't include airport fees and taxes, which hover around $120 per person (but these do vary slightly from destination to destination).
Sample package prices per person before taxes include:
- Brussels from $529
- London or Paris from $549
- Edinburgh from $629
- Nice from $639
- Barcelona, Dublin, or Lisbon from $649
- Madrid or Vienna from $699
- Amsterdam or Prague from $749
- Berlin, Budapest, Istanbul or Malta from $799
- Rome from $899
- Athens from $929
- Taste of Italy (combines Florence, Venice and Rome) from $999
For a complete listing of both these spring specials, shorter three- and four-day escapes and upcoming summer promotions, head over to www.gotoday.com/BestDeals.asp or phone 425/487-9632. Please note that phone reservations rack up an extra $20 per person.
