Holiday Travel: Where to go for the Holiday Season

The following post is written by Amanda from the Boscov’s Travel marketing department.
Before you know it, the holidays will be here (I know some of my colleagues have started decorating for Christmas already!). If you are like me and like to plan ahead to avoid the rush, stress and are not quite your house can fit one.more.toy., consider giving the gift of travel. Besides, statistics show 53.1% of people report receiving unwanted gifts during Christmas. Give your family, friend or loved one a dream vacation, tour, cruise because we can guarantee that gift will not end up in the trash (like the 4% that are immediately thrown there!). Below are tips and recommendations on where to go on 1) an extended vacation 2) a weekend getaway as well as 3) day trips to experience this holiday season.
Extended vacation

WALT DISNEY WORLD
Most people typically associate the most magical place on earth with summer vacations, but visiting the magic during the holiday season can be the best time to go. The Christmas lights, decorations, shows, weather, WAIT times… yes you heard me right – there are typically less crowds! Just travel before December 23rd as this starts the peak week for Disney crowds and lasts until New Years. My family typically travels to Disney the second week of December and it’s about 70-75 degrees during the day and high 60’s in the evening. It’s so perfect considering Pennsylvania is about 30 degrees at that time.
Let us help you plan your Disney holiday. We still have 2019 packages available through our exclusive non-stop flights from select local airports. Call or visit your local Boscov’s Travel to plan your magical vacation!

CRUISING
If you’ve ever been on a cruise during a holiday, you know the staff goes all out! Whether it be Halloween or Christmas, on cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line or Disney Cruise Line, you’ll be charmed by the activities and creativity of the crew. Plus you can even take cruises into the New Year… talk about the ultimate party at sea. Bonus perk: no time spent laboring over the holiday meal.





Weekend getaway
HERSHEY, PA
Yes, this sounds bizarre but this recommendation is for the people who want that theme park experience, but might be on a budget, have time constraints or you’re looking for something a little closer to home. Hershey is a great destination for winter activities. No, you won’t get that warm weather, but you will get great park deals as well as fewer crowds. Hershey Park remains open during this time with select rides available to ride and entrance is historically anywhere from $20-23. Santa visits and brings his reindeer in for the season for you to visit and feed. How cool is that? Hershey is also known for their Christmas light displays where you experience the dancing lights in the comfort of your warm car. Turn on their radio station and travel through Hershey’s very own Candy Cane Lane! It’s super cute for the young ones and well worth it.
NEW YORK CITY, NY
What a place to visit during the holidays! The city is just gorgeous once the holiday hits the town. The Rockettes, Christmas Village, The Nutcracker, Christmas markets, Rockefeller Center, and beyond… New York really shows up for the holiday. You know when you see movies of people ice skating in NYC? You can do that too! Just visit Bryant Park Winter Village. This 17,000 square foot ice skating rink features lots of activities nearby with vendors and businesses in the area. Be sure to check out Santaland at Macy’s, the New York tradition since 1902.
Day Trips
PEDDLER’S VILLAGE IN DOYLESTOWN, PA
Peddler’s Village is a cute town-like setting with quaint shops and fine dining. They feature grand illumination lighting with one million lights and an annual Gingerbread House competition and display. This place feels like a fairytale when you visit it at Christmas time. With over 60 specialty shops, from bakeries, restaurants, clothing, jewelry stores, unique food stores, this is a day trip I would tell everyone to visit at least once.
PHILADELPHIA, PA
Ohh Philadelphia. Macy parade? Check! City Hall festivities, ice skating, Philly’s own nutcracker, and Love Park village make this a Christmas-y day trip. Holiday pop-ups during the holidays are a draw for the City of Brotherly Love. If you decide to spend a weekend, I would head over to the Macy’s Christmas Light show on the first night. Every two hours there is a free performance and it is AMAZING! Macy’s has the whole second floor transformed into a village so you can relax and enjoy (and stay warm). Once you hit the city for a day two make sure to head over to City Hall. This is where the Deck the Hall Light show plays and you can skate on the ice rink. Then head over to Philadelphia Christmas Village in Love Park. With 80 wooden booths of merchants of all different varieties, there is something for everyone in this village. End your night over at the Comcast Center where you will see a super high-res LED holiday show.
Ready to start planning? Contact your Boscov’s Travel Specialist to get away for the holidays.
Visit Boscov’s Travel located within select Boscov’s including Pennsylvania (Camp Hill, Colonial Park/Harrisburg, Easton, Lancaster, Lebanon, Neshaminy/Bensalem, Wyomissing, Reading, Pottstown, Pottsville, Scranton, Selinsgrove, Wilkes-Barre), New York (Binghamton), New Jersey (Atlantic City and Moorestown), Delaware (Wilmington), and Maryland (Salisbury). View our locations here. If you live a little further away, book over the phone by calling us at 800-755-8020. Learn more at boscovstravel.com

Travel Cheaper by Knowing When to Book: How to Get the Best Prices on Your Vacation


_0024_Melissa-Wentzel-SeamanThe following post features advice from Melissa at Boscov’s Travel within Boscov’s at Reading Mall. Melissa has been giving expert travel advice for the past 9 years with Boscov’s Travel and has almost three decades of experience in the industry (she was previously a flight attendant). She has the scoop on the best time to buy air tickets, when to book a cruise and how you can make the most of a European vacation. 

When should I book my honeymoon?
Sandals-Whitehouse-European-beach-coupleHoneymoons should be planned 6 to 9 months in advance of your wedding date. We offer a honeymoon registry which allows your guests to contribute to your honeymoon. Because vacations typically need to be paid in full at least 45-days in advance, we recommend that you plan your honeymoon early, then distribute the complimentary “Registered with” announcement cards with your engagement party and/or bridal shower.

How far in advance should I plan my destination wedding? 
Sunscapes-WeddingYou should plan at least a year in advance to secure the space you want, determine the officiant, decide if it will be a symbolic ceremony or nuptial service, and give friends and family ample time to book their trip. Some resorts allow you to book a few years in advance, so the sooner you choose the resort, the better. If air schedules have not yet been released, you can book your resort now and purchase flights at a later date. Luckily we have Honeymoon & Destination Wedding Specialists to help you to navigate every last detail.

How far in advance can I book a European vacation?

Prices for flights to Europe have been historically low in 2017. Summer is the peak for visiting Europe, so you can typically save a few dollars by booking in the late spring or early fall. Typically we recommend you book 9-months out from your departure date.

How far in advance should I book a river cruise?
Rhine_Cologne_Sunset_Twilight_014Because inventory is lower than other categories due to the small sizes of the ships that need to navigate the canals and rivers of Europe and beyond, we recommend that you book a year in advance to get the cabin and dates that you want.

How far in advance is airfare available to purchase? 
The major airlines typically release pricing 330 days in advance, but the prices are incredibly volatile. If you’re not booking for a flight near a major holiday, we recommend that you book 6 to 9-months out from your departure date. Flight prices are relatively high when they are released, then drop around the 6 to 9-month range.
If you’re planning on traveling around a holiday, expect to pay 2 to 4 times the normal rate. Demand is high during these periods as students and families typically travel during national holidays. In this case, book your trip as soon as you can.

Southwest Airlines is the exception. They release their rates in increments. Right now in April 2017, they have dates available to book 7-months out, or the beginning of November.

How early can I plan a Walt Disney World vacation?
Disney-Mine-TrainTravelers typically book Walt Disney World 6 to 9-months in advance. As of the beginning of April 2017, rates for tickets and resorts at Walt Disney World for 2018 were not yet available. There are a few options for booking Walt Disney World vacations with with us due to our Boscov’s Travel Exclusive Charter to Walt Disney World package.  If you are just booking a Walt Disney Travel Company land package (meaning tickets and resorts), you can book in the 6 to 9-month time frame then call us to see if you can take advantage of a future sale or offer through Walt Disney Travel Company.

How early should I look into booking an all-inclusive resort?
Beaches-Turks-&-Caicos-poolWe recommend booking an all-inclusive resort 6 to 9-months from your departure date. It’s also the ideal time to book air, so we can help you purchase it as a package with transfers from the airport to the resort.

How far in advance should I book an ocean cruise like Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, or MSC Cruises? 

Booking opportunities typically become available more than a year in advance. The average lead time is 6 to 9-months for booking a cruise. You may be able to get a good last minute deal if you’re flexible with the accommodations, though you may diminish the difference if you need airfare as rates typically increase for last minute bookings. If you’re driving to a local port like Manhattan, Bayonne, NJ or Baltimore, MD, a last minute booking may help you save a few bucks. Luckily, the cruise industry has changed dramatically over the past few years and almost every cruise line offers exceptional values throughout the year.

When should I plan a Disney Cruise Line cruise?
Disney-Cruise-Line-ShipDisney Cruise Line cruises are a different animal as spaces fill up relatively quickly since there are only four ships (to give you a point of reference, Royal Caribbean International has 25!) in the fleet. Since the ships sell out in advance, we recommend you book at least a year in advance. As space sells, the prices increase. As of April 2017, the 2018 schedule is available and several 2019 itineraries can also be booked.

If you’re ready to start planning your getaway, email [email protected], call 800-755-8020 or direct message us.

Visit Boscov’s Travel located within select Boscov’s including Pennsylvania (Camp Hill, Colonial Park/Harrisburg, Easton, Lancaster, Lebanon, Neshaminy/Bensalem, Wyomissing, Reading, Pottstown, Pottsville, Scranton, Selinsgrove, Wilkes-Barre), New York (Binghamton), New Jersey (Atlantic City and Moorestown), Delaware (Wilmington), and Maryland (Salisbury).  View our locations here. If you live a little further away, book over the phone by calling us at 800-755-8020. Learn more at boscovstravel.com.