Budget travel: Best bargain Black Friday holiday deals to book right now

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The Australian travel industry has embraced the Black Friday sales frenzy in a big way for 2024, leading to an increase in the number of cut-price flights, accommodation, holidays and products.

Two of the year's biggest sale days - Black Friday (November 29) and Cyber Monday (December 2) - are approaching, but many businesses have launched their bargain deals early.

In addition to clothing, electronics, home appliances and furniture, you can expect aggressive travel deals, with airlines, cruise lines, hotels and even rail operators around the world joining the Black Friday frenzy.

Take, for instance, Norwegian Cruise Line, which is offering discounts of up to 50 per cent on all voyages as part of its 2024 Black Friday Sale.

Or Outrigger Resorts & Hotels, which is also offering savings of up to 50 per cent on accommodation in epic locations such as Hawaii and the Maldives.

Iconic rail-journey operator Rocky Mountaineer is at it, too, with discounts of up to $1575 per person on select journeys in Canada and the US, while TFE Hotels has dropped the prices across several of its hotels in Australia and New Zealand by 20 per cent for the sale season.

Thanks to the unprecedented windfall, travel enthusiasts across Australia are eagerly diving into the deals bucket to find the best holidays.

"We have seen a clear increase in demand for TFE Hotels to participate in the Black Friday sales," said Amanda Hoolihan, TFE Hotels' global revenue officer.

The group recorded a 14 per cent increase in revenue and a 23 per cent increase in web traffic in 2023, compared to 2022, during the Black Friday period. And it's expecting the spike in 2024 to be even stronger.

"Online audiences are using the Black Friday sale period as an opportunity to get a jump start on their Christmas shopping," says Hoolihan.

"Last year, 31 per cent of TFE Hotels' Black Friday sales attributed to accommodation bookings over the Christmas period."

Book before December 6 and you can save 50 per cent on Heritage Expeditions' 25-day Grand Pacific Odyssey from Auckland to Osaka, departing on March 13. Your home for the best part of the month will be the boutique cruise line's 140-guest flagship vessel, Heritage Adventurer, which will visit locations such as Norfolk Island, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Spend the days exploring reef-fringed beaches and historic sites, and while away balmy evenings by the ship's pool or enjoying gourmet meals at the restaurant. heritage-expeditions.com

Silversea has launched its "most generous offer ever". As part of the Black Friday promo called Sail Away, the luxury cruise line is offering savings of up to $10,000 per suite on more than 550 voyages departing between 2024 and 2026. Extraordinary itineraries range from the 14-day voyage from Hong Kong to Tokyo departing March 9, 2025, to the eight-day journey from Athens to Rome departing November 1, 2025. As part of the promo - which ends on December 2 - guests can also benefit from a reduced deposit of just 15 per cent.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises is offering discounts of up to 45 per cent on select sailings and suite categories across Africa, Alaska, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, South America and the South Pacific. A generous Black Friday Bonus shipboard credit of up to $US500 ($770) per suite is also part of the deal, which expires on December 1.

Viking Cruises is offering savings of $1600 per couple on its eight-day Rhine Getaway journey from Basel to Amsterdam or vice versa, along with a complimentary Silver Spirits Beverage Package. In fact, if you've cruised with Viking before the discount margin goes up to $2000 per couple. The deal expires on December 18.

Oceania Cruises is offering a complimentary upgrade of up to four categories on staterooms as part of its Best-Ever Black Friday Sale. If that's not enough, guests can also choose from one of the following two incentives as part of this promo: a premium drink package (with unlimited wines, beers and spirits) or shipboard credit up to $US1000 ($1527). The offer is available on more than 90 voyages in 2025 and 2026 - from the nine-day Vancouver to Seattle journey departing June 17, 2025, to the 14-day Reykjavik to Edinburgh cruise departing August 11, 2025.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruises is offering discounts of 30 per cent on select 2025 cruises as part of its Flash Sale. On-sale itineraries range from the eight-day Enchanting Danube cruise from Budapest to Passau (from $3709 per person) to the 12-day Splendours of Egypt and the Nile (from $9099 per person). The offer ends on November 22.

Norwegian Cruise Line is offering discounts of up to 50 per cent plus a saving of $500 on all cruises as part of its 2024 Black Friday Sale. While most companies don't allow travellers to combine different deals, NCL is offering its guests the option of combining the above deal with its More at Sea promo, which offers add-on packages such as enhanced beverage and specialty dining at unbeatable prices. The cruise line's Black Friday sale ends on December 3.

Virgin Voyages is offering discounts of up to 40 per cent on all voyages including the cruise line's newest itineraries, plus up to $455 in free drinks. The deal ends on December 3 and is valid for all voyages through to 2026. Standout itineraries range from the 11-night Idyllic Isles of the Caribbean & Colombia to the seven-night Spanish & Italian Hot Spots.

Ponant is offering a discount of up to 10 per cent on more than 150 cruises in 2025 and 2026. Simply contact a Ponant consultant (1300 737 178) or your preferred travel agent and quote the offer code XMAS24 to make the most of this promo. It ends on January 3, but the best sailings are the first ones to go, so pick up that phone now.

Travelmarvel has kicked off its Black Friday Sale, with savings of $600 per couple on trips of seven days or more. The offer applies to a wide range of 2025 itineraries - from river and ocean cruises to rail journeys and guided land excursions. There's a broad range of destinations to pick from, too - explore Europe as part of a scenic river cruise, check out New Zealand's dramatic coastline or leave all your senses mesmerised in eclectic South Korea. Bookings are only available by phone on 1300 208 712 or through your local travel agent. Promo ends on December 3. travelmarvel.com.au

Helloworld's Travel Mega Sale is now on with some incredible deals on offer. Book the 11-day Treasures of Italy guided journey with Insight Vacations (from $6226 per person, after a discount of $1569). The itinerary kicks off in Rome; visits iconic Italian locations such as Florence, Cinque Terre and Lake Maggiore; and ends up in Venice. Or if you want an Asian adventure, sign up for the Vietnam and Cambodia Uncovered package with Trafalgar Tours. Priced from $7531 per person (after a discount of $1150), the itinerary starts in Hanoi, and visits Vietnamese hotspots such as Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City, before tackling Cambodian bucket-list locations such as Angkor Wat and Phnom Penh. helloworld.com.au

Rocky Mountaineer is offering discounts of up to $1575 per person on select rail journeys in Canada and the USA as part of its Black Friday sale. Discounted packages range from the eight-night Journey through the Clouds Discovery Lake Louise to the five-night Rockies to the Red Rocks Classic. The promo ends on December 5.

Intrepid Travel is offering savings of up to 20 per cent on select trips around the world as part of its Cyber Sale. Sign up for the 15-day Classic Costa Rica from $2584 per person or book the 21-day Best of Peru, Argentina & Brazil from $9508 per person. The deal ends on December 5.

Sister tour operators Globus and Cosmos have launched Black Friday deals on all of their 2025 tours, with savings of up to $800 per couple. Tours range from Globus's nine-day European Sampler (from $4149 per person), which visits classic haunts such as Amsterdam and Paris, to Cosmos's 10-day Sunny Shores of Southern Florida (from $3979 per person), which kicks off and ends in Miami. The deal ends on December 9.

IHG Hotels & Resorts is offering discounts of 17 per cent on global bookings. Want to dial up the discount factor? Sign up for free to become an IHG Rewards member and get discounts of 25 per cent on all global bookings. The promo ends on December 3 and applies to most stays before December 20, 2025.

TFE Hotels is offering discounts of up to 20 per cent on select hotels in Australia and New Zealand, from hospitality chains such as Adina Apartments and Vibe to properties such as Hotel Kurrajong in Canberra, as part of its Cyber Sale. The deal ends on December 3.

Tiny Away, Australia's largest tiny-house-accommodation company has announced an exclusive Black Friday sale: 22 per cent off all bookings until November 30. Use promo code "BLACKFRIDAY22" to secure the discount.

Outrigger Resorts & Hotels is offering a range of mega discounts on accommodation around the world - from Hawaii, Maldives and Fiji to Thailand and Mauritius. Book hotels in Hawaii, such as Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa, Outrigger K'anapali Beach Resort and Outrigger Kaua'i Beach Resort & Spa and save up to 50 per cent. Or book Outrigger Maldives Maafushivaru Resort to save up to 50 per cent on tariffs, Outrigger Fiji Beach Resort to save up to 25 per cent and Outrigger Mauritius Beach Resort to save up to 15 per cent. The promo ends on December 9.