Best credit card to use at NATAS

[Metalslug]

which one got more discount! i hate it when there is no upfront discount and only freebies!!!

[Wish1719]

Master card, check it out in today's Straits Times

[Metalslug]

i want half price air tix!!!

 

no need points. these few days i sift through the points i headache.

 

best is upright discount! but when give rebate also very kiam, worse than kiam he (salted fish)

[Ccssgm]

Travel deals

 

MasterCard holders

 

MASTERCARD returns as the official card of the Natas Holidays fair, offering cardholders the best in travel deals:

 

Win back what you spend

Charge to MasterCard and you stand a chance to win back the equivalent amount charged, up to $8,888. Spend

a minimum of $500 to qualify.

 

1st prize: Win back up to $8,888

2nd prize: Win back up to $3,333

3rd prize: Win back up to $2,222

Consolation prizes: Philips portable DVD players

MasterCard cardholders also get a double chance in the Natas Grand Draw.

 

Offset your purchases with Natas$

Use your loyalty rewards points to redeem a prepaid Natas$ MasterCard card.

 

The value stored on this card can be used to offset against your travel purchases from participating Natas travel agents.

 

Receive a free goodie bag worth more than $50 when you redeem your prepaid Natas$ MasterCard card. You also gain exclusive access to the Natas$ Lounge, where you can take a break during your Natas Holidays fair visit.

 

Spend and redeem fantastic prizes

For every $2,000 and above of travel purchases charged to MasterCard, you get a chance to win handy travel accessories such as a MasterCard trolley duffel bag, a foldable travel bag or sling/waist pouch.

 

Cardholders who spend $4,500 and above stand a chance to win any of the prizes ranging from dinner for two at Jalapeno's Restaurant at the Singapore Flyer or a JetQuay Voucher for three to Natas$100 loaded on the prepaid Natas$ MasterCard card.

 

Transactions of $6,000 can garner a Singapore Flyer Champagne ride for two, a Philips MP4 player or Natas$400 loaded on the prepaid Natas$ Master-Card card.

 

Chan Brothers Travel

 

10/12D Eastern Europe with Danube River Cruise

Price: From $3,599 (before discount)

Tour highlights include five nights onboard the MS Amadeus Classic cruise ship or similar and tours of Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Cesky Krumlov, Prague, Ljubljana, Maribor and Zagreb.

 

5D Relaxing Okinawa

Price: From $1,388 (before discount)

Tour highlights include visits to Shuri Castle, Gyokusendo Cave and Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium.

 

Dynasty Travel

 

7D6N or 8D7N Taiwan Mid Autumn Celebration

Price: From $998

Tour highlights include seasonal whale-and-dolphin-watching cruise, visits to Taroko Gorge and hot springs at Yilan, and exclusive dining and special activities at Westlake Resort.

 

Asa Holidays

 

8/11D North Korea Arirang Festival + Beijing Olympic Blossoms

Price: From $1,888

Tour highlights include visits to the Mysterious Fragrant Mountain and Diamond Mountains, fishing for lunch at the Trout Farm in Wonsan and tours of the world's deepest subway and Olympic sites like the National Stadium and the Water Cube.

 

Farmosa Holidays Tours

 

6D Gold Coast Warner Bros Special

Price: From $998 (two adults and two children)

Tour highlights include four nights' stay at Surf Regency Apartment (Surfers Paradise), visits to Movie World and Sea World and a farm tour.

 

Hong Thai Travel Services

 

5/7D Love of Okinawa/+Kobe

Price: From $1,299 per person (with savings of up to $600 per couple)

Tour highlights include accommodation at the Rizzan Sea Park Resort, the Miyako/Pacific Hotel or the Kansai

Washington Hotel, and visits to a tropical fruit farm, Okinawa World Theme Park and Nago Pineapple Park.

 

10/12D Amazing Jewels Of Egypt & Nile With Red Sea

Price: From $2,299 (with discounts up to $300 for two)

Tour highlights include three nights' stay onboard the five-star Nile Cruise, two nights at five-star Red Sea Marriott Hotel and one night on the train to Aswan (first-class cabin); visits to Cairo, Aswan, Luxor, Hurghada and Alexandria; tours of the great pyramids and sphinx, and a camel ride in the Sahara Desert.

 

Five Stars Tours

 

11D/9NThe Mummy Story/ Legends Of The Nile

Price: From $2,488

Tour highlights include visits to the pyramids and sphinx of Giza, the geometrically wrong Pyramids of Dahshour, the Royal Palace and Temple of Akhenaten in Tell El Amarna, the Great Temple of Rameses II and Temple of Hathor in Dendara, and three nights of luxurious cruising up the Nile.

 

11D/8N Turkiye Entree/Mergence of the Anatolia Empires

Price: From $1,838

Tour highlights include a ferry ride across the Straits of Dardanellus that connect the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara and visits to the legendary Trojan Horse, ancient city of Bergama, Ephesus Archeological Site and Pamukkale in Turkey, cave houses of local families and the labyrinthine underground city of Kaymakli.

 

Commonwealth Travel

 

3D/2N Phuket Special

Price: From $388

Includes return airfare on Silk Air, two-night stay at the four-star Thavorn Palm Beach Resort, daily breakfast, airport/hotel/airport transfers and Phuket city tour.

 

Bonus: Third night free.

Special deal: Second traveller pays only 50 per cent (based on twin-sharing).

 

7D Hokkaido Winter Special

Price: From $2,088

Tour highlights include visits to Lake Toya, Otaru, Noboribetsu and Sapporo, one night's stay at Rusutsu Resort with snow-rafting or snow-tubing activities, three nights at Onsen hot springs hotels and factory outlet shopping.

 

SingXpress Travel

 

8/9 Days Hokkaido Luxury Collections

Price: From $2,438

Tour highlights include visits to Hakodate, Lake Toya, Noboribetsu, Sapporo, Otaru, Asahikawa, Furano, Biei, Sounkyo, Abashiri, Shiretoko, Lake Akan and Kushiro; full-day farm activities and tours of the Boiling Hell Valley and the Mount Showa Shin-zan Bear Ranch.

 

JP International Travel

 

15D Unique Eastern Europe Plus Free Jiangnan Tour

Price: From $3,888 (before discount)

Tour highlights include visits to Romania, Croatia, South Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, a tour of the Dracula Castle and scenic views of the Dinaric Alps, Piltvice Lakes and Dalmatian coast.

 

[Ncss]

I got these sms from NATAS...

 

StanChart Manhattan - Spend $5000 can get a set of 19" and 23" Crossing hardcase luggage.

UOD Signature - Spend $1500 can redeem a Molton Brown Set at UOB booth on same day.

Edited July 31, 2008 by Ncss

[Typhoonz]

I think the discounts would come from the travel agencies while the freebies will depend on which card you use... They both will complement each other... You just have to study and see which one suits you best...

[Ccssgm]

Early birds swoop in on holiday bargains

 

MOVING the Natas travel fair a month earlier than usual has succeeded in getting more Singaporeans to book their trips in advance. It is one factor that has facilitated this year's early holiday bookings for 2009.

 

The fair, usually held in September, was moved to early August to encourage early bookings, as well as to boost off-peak travel, said Mr Robert Khoo, chief executive officer of the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (Natas).

 

Said Mr Khoo: "It's good that more Singaporeans realise that airplane seats are booked by the whole world, and not just the local market.

 

"They are competing with countries that book very early, so it's good that they have first choice and not get disappointed."

 

Even tour operators in the United States are seeing unusually early bookings this year, reported The New York Times last week. In June, a family of 18 reportedly booked a Costa Rica trip for a year-end vacation - in end-2009, said one US company.

 

Locally, at least one travel agent has received a booking for as far ahead as June next year. And as travel agents go all out to woo early birds, it will be bargains galore at this week's fair, which starts today at the Singapore Expo.

 

ASA Holidays and SA Tours, for instance, are offering up to $1,000 off per couple if they plan on going to Europe, while Commonwealth Travel is offering up to half off the prices of selected tours.

 

Logistics manager Silvester Siah, 33, bought a tour to Tokyo next March for himself and six of his family members, and another one to Seoul in November this year for himself and his wife.

 

He was pleased to get a free luggage case and five tickets to watch Taiwanese band F.I.R. from ASA Holidays when he signed up during its pre-Natas fair last weekend. Said Mr Siah: "They are planned holidays so we made it a point to book early. Generally, you get good prices and the freebies are an added bonus."

 

ASA Holidays' deputy general manager for marketing communications Eileen Oh noted that there had been a 15-per-cent increase in bookings for next year's holidays at its pre-Natas sale, compared to the same period last year.

 

Other travel agents have also started taking bookings earlier than usual.

 

Chan Brothers started selling next year's holiday packages last month instead of this month, as is usually the case. To date, more than 100 customers have made bookings for next year, mostly for the Chinese New Year weekend in end-January, to destinations such as Korea, Japan and the US.

 

Said spokesman Jane Chang: "Consumers can avoid subsequent rises in fuel surcharges prior to the date of travel if their air tickets are issued at the time of booking."

 

However, only those who buy air tickets or free-and-easy packages can do so, she added.

[Dwoon]

Errr.... freebies.... if you don't mind attending a 90 min presentation in Phuket, you can get 2 nights stay in a 5 star, 2 bedroom apartment worth ~ $700. They even pick you up from the airport.

 

PM me if you're interested.

[Lobangking88]

which one got more discount! i hate it when there is no upfront discount and only freebies!!!

 

No discount lar, free luggages and freebies if you do proper planning.

 

my boss bill was 21k so we split it to 3 days

 

1st day max 6k on mastercard - $4k per say citibank mastercard (get 1 luggage)

$2k -uob - free luggage

Than spin the wheel get the mp4 player, didnt get the $400 natas voucher

 

NExt day (today)

5k standard chartered - 2 luggages

2k uob - 1 luggage

2k - hsbc - 1 luggae

 

Mastercard : 6k spin - Won the Free x 2 spore flyer (champagne) and watch the fomula 1 from there (was a bit sad when i got it becos i tt the prize was lousy than the lady said u get to watch fomula 1 lei! i was soooo happy)

Next person won a $400 natas voucher.....so next trip minus 400 << this prorbably the one u want to aim for...

 

Tomorrow

He using his own cards to get freebies...

To clear off the 21k bill (he's family and extended relatives gg for tour and hes in charge with the payment)

[Lobangking88]

Yikes, u shold have told me...but need to fly to phuket...i went to the mariot vacation club spend abt 90mins - get a free nite at RITZ carlton....

[Lobangking88]

oh yah i took trafalgar tour to europe and got a 10% discount at ASA, no need for credit card...

its for honeymoon for year end.

 

Btw it excludes the air tixs

 

Like it becos paying USD but going to europe...last year n this year the price didnt change but the exchange rate is good for USD....

 

Hope this helps

 

BTW go early! i was there at 9am to q up becos i need to get those free luggages for boss and myself

[Liquidh]

It doesn't seem like there's discount... really.... and the best prices you see are ALL EXCLUSIVE OF AIRPORT TAXES (which varies and is substantial)....

 

The queue at expo to get into NATAS fair was horrendous... from hall 4 to hall 6 and I still couldn't see the start of the queue.

 

I really don't know if prospective travellers get value out of this whole NATAS thing.

 

[Lobangking88]

Yup thats right, i was there at 915am for the Q. I would say not bad lar, if i were to book the trafalgar online i wouldnt get 10% discount and those free fomula 1 passes, mp3 player etc.

 

Prices are competitive, i took this kinda tour is becos local tour mostly the tour guide speaks in mandarin and well decided to try something different

[Dwoon]

Yup, its the same club. Marriott vacation club... except that the presentation is in Phuket and not the local one.

 

2 nights won't be enough.... but good for those who has already planned for the trip and can extend 2 nights free there, or cut down on their hotel expenses.

 

Anyway, flying by budget airline (tiger) doesn't cost too much.....

[Lobangking88]

True u got a point. i was there at phuket after the tsunami incident, silk air had a promotion. $99 per pax 3D2N at phuket but i paid abt $138 for the burasari hotel stay.

Add tax per tick just cost ard 198....

 

Now i think more expensive and indeed 2N is definetly not enough, i extend 2 nights at Hilton (FOC becos i used my points when i was at my ex company)

[Lobangking88]

Btw r u from MVC ? i cannot attend any MVC presentation for 1 year since my last visit 1 mth ago.

[Metalslug]

in the end i never use any card as the agency wanted to charge me more for paying with card! so I paid by cash and then I got $40 off. heng also cos in the end no more free luggage for HSBC card. oh well!

 

only cheap for e packages, the airtix not so cheap...

[Lobangking88]

May i ask what Agency is that ? But $40 is good too, those luggages worth at least 80-120 lei...some are from samsonite/ashworth.....

 

I also heard other agency do not allow the client to split the bill up.Example if bill 4k, must use just one c.card....i found that out from a person standing behind me at mastercard when she asked me how come i got 3 luggages for one tour...and she can't do what i did...

she was

 

Oh yas as mine is under trafalgar, if the tour is being cancelled, i did get my $$ all back and i could keep the gifts that i took...heh....

Edited August 3, 2008 by Lobangking88