Hyatt Gives Away Vacation Via Twitter

Twitter. You know you want to know what's going on with it. And now you have an excuse -- you want to win a free, paid vacation to the Hyatt Regency Tamaya.

That's right. It's "social media FTW" time; Twitter isn't just for nerds who like to engage with the world in bursts of 140-character, pedantic (and sometimes snarky) messages. It's for people who like to win vacations too!

What can you win? Excellent question. How about a 3-night stay for two persons in a luxury suite at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya, airport transportation, daily breakfast, one dinner, two spa visits and 18 holes of golf (or a trail ride; if you select the latter, just sell me your golf.)

Now, of course, there is kind of a catch. See, you have to have a Twitter account (duh) and you have to provide your Twitter name, Twitter password (boo), email address (quadruple boo) and your name.

The Twitter password isn't a huge deal because basically, the Twitter-Contest page will just automatically tweet the news that you entered the contest, which I believe is a requirement. What creeps me out is the email address ... because I have a hunch that you might suddenly be getting some Hyatt newsletters. Of course, I'm much too lazy to read the terms and conditions, but I bet if I did, there would be something about opting-in found within the small print.

However, if you like free stuff and you don't care about emails relating to Hyatt hotels, hit it up. What's the worst that can happen? (Answer: Spam! Upside: Free vacation!)

FareFinder: Tuesday, March 31

Spring is here, which means golf season is, too. Marriott Vacations and the Faldo Golf Institute are offering “Class Is In” packages starting at $955 for 3-Day Golf Schools and $635 for 2-Day Golf Schools, which includes villa accommodations, personalized instruction and three rounds of championship golf in Orlando or Palm Desert, CA.

In honor of its 50-year celebration, the four-star Caravelle Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is offering 50% off hotel rates through 2009 when you book your stay online in the month of May.

Your weekly, last-minute airfare specials from Continental.com and Delta.com for the week.

Carnival Cruise Lines' summer sales include $50-$120 in onboard credit for select Caribbean cruises.

Last-minute cruise deals on Royal Caribbean International ships include a five-night western Caribbean sailing for as little as $349.

FareFinder: Monday March 23

(Ed. Note: This was scheduled to run on Thursday, and we apologize for the delay. My bad.)

Golf.VisitNC.com offers a sweepstakes for golf lovers. Enter to win the dream golf getaway now through March 31.

Radisson Edwardian's 12 hotels in London and Manchester are offering an Advance Purchase promotion, which gives you 20% off the best available rate.

Divi Carina Bay Resort & Casino in beautiful St. Croix offering specials during the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience, which is April 14-18.

South African Airways once again offering its "Planes, Trains and Safarimobiles" special for September, which is basically a 10-day all-inclusive vacation in South Africa (airfare, most meals, accommodations, tours, etc.), for $2,999 plus tax.

FareFinder: Thursday, March 5

Sceptre Tours offering 6-night Ireland getaway at Blarney Golf Resort for as little as $599, including airfare.

Ridiculous Hawaii travel deals from Blue Sky Tours include four nights for two at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa for under $1,200.

Did you miss JetBlue's one-day sale? Here are some alternatives from Continental and Delta.

Speaking of JetBlue, they've just discounted some of their vacation packages with the new "Beachy Keen" promotion.

And while it's not a FareFinder, I pass along this contest: If you're looking for a vacation home on the cheap while helping the non-profit Veterans Retreat, check out this raffle for a 850-sq-ft Miami condo overlooking Star Island.

FareFinder: Thursday, January 8

Since the BCS is set to crown a college football "champion", FareFinder is offering up some sports packages that you should check out for 2009:

Green Jacket packages: Premier Sports Travel has plenty of packages, but their trips for The Masters in April are great. Starting at $2,725, you can get nearby accommodations, shuttle service to Augusta National and tickets. Just in time to see Tiger play again.

NCAA Tourney: Tickets for the first and second round games in places like Greensboro, NC, Minneapolis, MN and Miami, FL are still available for under $250 for six games. Sweet 16 and Elite Eight tickets for Glendale, AZ (West Regional) and Indianapolis, IN (Midwest Regional) can be had for as little as $90 for three games.

Scottish golf during The Open: FareFinder likes golf. But here's a truly great travel deal. PerryGolf, HQ'd in Scotland, offers an 8-night chartered cruise around the coastline of Scotland this July. During the cruise, you'll play some of the greatest courses in the world, all leading up to attending the final round of the 2009 British Open at Turnberry. Non-golfers get $1,100 off.

Run for the Roses: Mint Juleps, big hats and Millionaire's Row. The Kentucky Derby is big-time entertainment. Derby Experiences, the official travel package and hospitality provider to Churchill Downs, offers a variety of packages for the horse-racing fan -- from the basic to the absolutely luxurious.