Winter travel deals heating up for Northwest, cruises, Hawaii

The Seattle Times (MCT) - Ride free on a Washington ferry to the San Juan Islands or the Kitsap Peninsula.

Take an Amtrak train between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., or Portland and take a friend along for free.

Fly a family of four from Seattle to Hawaii and back for less than what the airlines are quoting for one round-trip ticket to London in July.

Those with time and money will find better-than-ever winter travel deals to favorite destinations as airlines, restaurants, hotels and ski resorts dig deep to lure customers in a faltering economy.

Expect to see some of the best bargains between now and mid-February, before the Presidents Day (Feb. 16) holiday period.

"It's the dead time," says Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel.com. "A lot of people have already spent their money on holiday gifts. They're tired and they don't want to go anywhere. So ... if you can get away, there are some great places to go and some great prices."

One caveat: Beware of promotional offers laden with hidden taxes and fees or extras you can do without.

"A lot of promotions are packages," says Banas, "so you really want to price everything out a la carte in advance.

"Really decide if those extras are worth it to you. ... A bottle of Champagne might be nice, but what you really want is to get that room rate down."

Here's a selection to get you started planning a last-minute getaway:

All aboard

The deals:

_ PCC Natural Markets in Seattle have teamed with Amtrak Cascades to give away 10,000 two-for-one coupons good for travel anywhere between Vancouver, B.C., and Eugene, Ore., through May 21. The coupons are at Seattle-area PCC stores through January or until they are gone; no purchase or membership required.

_ Travel Portland is offering companion fares for travel between Portland and Seattle and other Western Washington cities valid Mondays-Thursdays through May 22. Buy one adult fare and get the second for 50 percent off. Type in promotion code H779 when booking at the Amtrak site, www.amtrakcascades.com.

Keep in mind: The PCC coupon is the better of the two deals. Some travelers have had problems booking the special fare on Amtrak's Web site. If so, call 800-872-7245 to book by phone. Both offers are good only for Amtrak Cascades trains, not the long-distance Coast Starlight or Empire Builder trains. Up to two children ages 2-15 may accompany an adult at half the full adult fare on either offer.

Both the PCC and Travel Portland offers have some blackout dates.

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_Free ferry rides

The deal: Free rides on Washington State Ferries.

Book a room on the Kitsap Peninsula or in the San Juans and ride the ferry round-trip for free.

The San Juan offer is good through May 21 for two people and a car, a $35-$50 savings, depending on whether you're going to Lopez, Orcas or San Juan Island. See www.VisitSanJuans.com.

The Kitsap offer is good through March on ferry runs to Bremerton, Bainbridge Island, Edmonds/Kingston and Fauntleroy (West Seattle) to Southworth. See www.visitkitsap.com.

Keep in mind: Winter is the offseason in these areas. Some shops and restaurants may be closed or operating at reduced hours, especially early in the week. The offer applies only to participating inns, B&Bs and hotels.

_Rooms at the inns

The deal: Portland's "Big Deal" hotel packages.

Hotel rates include free parking, a continental breakfast, a booklet of discount coupons and 15 percent off tickets to the Portland Jazz Festival, which runs Feb. 13-22. See www.travelportland.com.

Keep in mind: If you don't need parking and don't plan to go to the jazz festival, you might get a better room rate by calling the hotel directly.

The "Big Deal" rate we checked on a double room with a city view at the Marriott Portland-Downtown Waterfront on a Saturday in January, for instance, was $201 with taxes, breakfast and parking (normally $28 a day) compared with a quote of $167 by calling the hotel.

The deal: "Dine Out Vancouver" hotel packages in Vancouver, B.C.

Book a hotel room Jan. 14-Feb. 1 when Vancouver chefs offer special three-course menus for Cdn. $18, $28 or $38, and get a three-course meal at a top hotel restaurant included in the rate. See www.tourismvancouver.com.

Keep in mind:The appeal is that after an evening of wining and dining, the farthest you have to go is upstairs to your room, but the value varies according to each hotel's offer.

The Cdn. $208 (about $173 based on an exchange rate of 83 cents to Cdn. $1) rate for two found for a Saturday night stay in January at the Delta Vancouver Suites, including taxes and dinner for two worth $Cdn. 28 ($23) each, was only a few dollars less than booking the lowest-priced room available at Cdn. $162, and paying for the dinners separately.

If you'd rather dine elsewhere and just want a deal on a room, note that Tourism Vancouver has a "stay two nights get a third night free" specials through March 31 at participating hotels. The regular Cdn. $89 ($74) rate at the Inn at False Creek, a boutique hotel near Granville Island, drops to Cdn. $59 ($49) if booked for three nights through Jan. 31.

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Other Vancouver, B.C., bargains:

_ It's sometimes cheaper to fly to Europe or Asia out of Vancouver than Seattle. If you find a good fare, spend the night before your flight at the Vancouver Airport Accent Inn for Cdn. $99 ($82) and get eight days free parking and free shuttle service to the airport. See www.accentinns.com.

_ BC Ferries "Winter Super Sail," offers 33 percent discounts on all sailings in January. Two passengers and a car going by ferry between Vancouver and Victoria round-trip pay about $100 Cdn. ($82). See www.bcferries.com

_Cruise control

The deal: Seven-night cruises to Alaska from Seattle. Book now and sail in May or early June for around $100 or less per person per night.

A check last week showed mid-May openings on Royal Caribbean's seven-night Seattle-to-Alaska Sawyer Glacier Cruise for $1,344 for two or $96 per person, including taxes and fees, for the least expensive inside stateroom. See www.royalcaribbean.com.

Celebrity Cruises showed similar prices for seven-night May and June sailings on the Alaska Hubbard Glacier itinerary. See www.celebritycruises.com.

Keep in mind: The prices could get even better as time goes on, depending on bookings. Remember though, drinks, shore excursions and onboard extras can ratchet up the cost. Know what's included before you book, and be aware that the weather can be cool and unpredictable in spring.

_Hitting the slopes

The deal: Whistler's Winter Ski Escape. Book a three-night stay now through Jan. 29 and get the third night free. Three nights lodging and a two-day lift ticket start at Cdn. $106 ($87) per person per night. See www.whistlerblackcomb.com.

Keep in mind: Packages starting at $106 are limited. A check on rooms available for a Thursday, Friday and Saturday stay in January turned up a total price of Cdn. $660 (for two people for three nights) as the lowest available. Taxes and fees added another Cdn. $106 for a total of Cdn. $766 ($636).

Whistler offers a variety of packages through the end of April. Depending on your dates, your preferred location in the village and the type of room you want, it might be better to book lodging and lift tickets separately.

Check out the resort's last-minute deals on unsold rooms if you're planning a spur-of-the-moment trip.

_Waikiki anyone?

The deal: Hawaiian Airlines' $300 Seattle-Honolulu round-trip flights for midweek travel in January and early February. Other airlines have fares in the $340 range to Honolulu and to Kona on the Big Island. See www.kayak.comto compare prices.

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Keep in mind: Even with discounts, rates at the major hotels in Waikiki may be higher than you want to pay. Shop carefully to find the best rates and take advantage of free-night offers for extended stays, AAA and AARP discounts. Think about staying within walking distance of the beach instead of in a waterfront hotel.

Consider a bid on Priceline.com for a high-end hotel. A colleague reports bidding $132 per night in mid-December, and got a week at Westin Maui Resort and Spa on Kaanapali Beach with an ocean view for that price. The room normally goes for at least triple that rate. Some hotels tack on a resort fee _ usually $25 a day _ on top of whatever bid price they accept.

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Carol Pucci: cpucci@seattletimes.com

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© 2009, The Seattle Times.