Sherman's Travel

For a last-minute July getaway, stay in New Mexico’s largest city for $130 per night. This rate from the Hotel Parq Central – ranked by TripAdvisor.com users as Albuquerque’s number one hotel – reduces current rates by 30 percent and is available throughout July, including weekends.

Nightly rates includes round-trip transportation from the airport, on-site parking, continental breakfast, and free WiFi (a total savings of $56).

Stay in either Traditional King Room or Traditional Single Room accommodations. Each room is furnished with either a king bed or a double bed, flat screen cable TV, a mini-fridge, and modern bath amenities. For $20 more per night and more square-footage, stay in either a Traditional Double Room or a Deluxe King Room. Pet-friendly rooms are also available.

The Hotel Parq Central is situated in a historic neighborhood on the edge of downtown Albuquerque, close to the city’s Rail Runner and train stations. The recently-restored Italiante structure was originally constructed by the Santa Fe Railroad in 1926. Today the hotel provides contemporary amenities such as an outdoor garden dining terrace, a complimentary coffee and tea bar on each floor, a jetted hot tub, a business center, a fitness center, and rooftop yoga with skyline and mountain views.  A nearby park offers jogging trails and dog walks. Read more

Going solo on a cruise has traditionally put a dent in the wallet, thanks to the hefty single supplement added by most cruise lines a that’s 75 percent (or more) off the standard double occupancy rates. With only a few ships offering a handful of single-occupancy cabins, many travelers have no choice but to foot the bill. Lately, a slew of deals have been cropping up on smaller vessels and river cruise lines that have drastically reduced, or – even better –  waived single supplements.

Boutique river cruise line, Uniworld is waiving the single supplement on 15 of its 2011 European itineraries, including the new Portugal, Spain, and Douro River Valley cruises on the Douro Spirit, and the classic “Castles along the Rhine” itinerary aboard the luxurious River Antoinette – the longest, and most innovative ship in the fleet that is sure to make heads turn. Rates are available on select dates, and are not valid on the holiday and Christmas market cruises.

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The Blue Man Group, an ice bar, a Cirque-style dinner show and an Independence Day celebration in the New York harbor; Norwegian is certainly making the Epic’s presence known. After sailing her slow-moving preview to Southampton (allegedly due to a minor issue with a propeller shaft), and a two-night inaugural, Epic will embark on a transatlantic crossing to New York City where she’ll host the 34th Annual Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks event. Reports are already trickling in from guests, and so far, the ship has been receiving high marks for its new studio staterooms and the Nickelodeon character breakfasts – among other amenities.

Once the ship is tested out by the final group of guinea pigs (the press), and all those little inaugural jitters are worked out, Epic will be ready to take passengers aboard her regularly scheduled 7-night Caribbean cruises from Miami. Although prices are higher (as expected) during the first few months (interior cabins are selling for around $1,000 through August), once September rolls around those prices drop to $659. If you absolutely can’t wait to try it out, book any balcony cabin this summer and Norwegian will tack on airfare for just $99 round-trip.