deals

Black Friday is a great opportunity to snap up a discounted holiday, whether you’re looking for a European getaway or to finally book that long-haul flight, but there’s one blunder to stay clear of

Black Friday deals are now in full swing, and there are some fantastic holiday packages available at a discounted rate. However, amid the excitement of booking that next getaway, a travel expert has outlined the one mistake you need to avoid.

From today (Friday, 28 November) the internet is ablaze with tempting offers during the annual Black Friday event, with many discounts also available before and after this date. Some of the most appealing offers are those related to our next holiday, whether that’s booking a tropical getaway for early next year or a last-minute trip to explore a charming European Christmas market.

A vast number of airlines, travel booking websites, and hotels offer major deals and discounts during Black Friday, but there’s something we need to be aware of when planning that desirable trip. Travel expert and Managing Director at hoppa, Chris Harrington, warned that the cheapest deal isn’t always the best for value.

“Black Friday deals can be extremely tempting, with many companies offering as much as £100 off per person or 20% off overall flights. But these headline prices can often hide add-ons,” Chris shared. “So be sure to check what’s included in your deal, such as resort fees, airport transfers and cancellation policies, before comparing offers.”

To help us navigate the chaos of Black Friday deals, Chris outlined additional top tips, including how to make the most of the annual sale. A key point is to verify your flight times before confirming the booking.

He explained: “Sometimes, a deal can be too good to be true. Sure, it may look like you’re getting a steal, but the flight may be going cheap because it departs at 5am or there’s a 12-hour layover. If the deal is a long-distance flight, be sure to check both legs of the journey to ensure you’re not stuck with ridiculously long layovers or connection times that are too tight to make comfortably.”

Black Friday doesn’t just need to be for booking a new holiday, but you can also take advantage of the deals when it comes to upgrading your flights or hotel. The expert said: “In addition to bagging a cheaper deal than usual, there’s also the opportunity to secure an upgrade at a fraction of the usual cost. This can range from flight upgrades to all-inclusive resorts and hotels with more luxurious facilities. If you fancy a sweeter deal, now is the time to cash in.”

Furthermore, Chris pointed out that it’s a good idea to have a flexible booking policy, particularly for trips next year. “If you’re booking trips for this time of year, keep in mind the likelihood of weather disruptions like heavy snowfall and storms. I suggest prioritising Black Friday deals that include a flexible cancellation policy or allow you to exchange flights. A slightly higher upfront cost can save you hundreds if plans need to change,” Chris shared.

While it may seem like you need to rush to book the holiday before it’s sold out or before the end of November 28, you still need to be sensible with your decisions.

“Deals can move quickly, but keep a steady head and spend some time checking recent price trends by using price comparison websites or fare-tracking tools, as it may turn out to not be a decent deal at all. If the price has been inflated before the discount, it’s not a true saving. Something I’d suggest is to keep a budget in mind in terms of how much you wish to spend and stick to it to avoid overspending,” he continued.

If you follow these simple tips from Chris, you will help ensure a great bargain while enjoying the best possible holiday, without any hidden surprises. The expert added: “Black Friday is a brilliant opportunity to secure yourself a great deal or treat yourself to that extra bit of luxury, but take the time to do your research before booking. Compare what’s included, check the fine print, and make sure the deal supports the kind of holiday you actually want. A little diligence now can save you a lot of stress later.”

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BLACK Friday has arrived and the cruise deals are making waves.

From the Caribbean to the Norwegian Fjords, cruise lines are slashing prices, throwing in free drinks packages and cutting hundreds of pounds off cabin costs.

But don’t delay – most offers end in early December.

Jacob Lewis looks at the top deals.

PRINCESS CRUISES

THE cruise line is turning Black Friday ‘Blue’ with up to £1,000 off per stateroom across more than 1,500 voyages.

The sale runs until December 2, for cruises in 2026, 2027 and 2028.

AUSSIE RULES

Watch the Australian Open and take in a cruise of highlights of South Pacific

CRUISE SMART

Luxury cruise on ‘world’s smartest ship’ and top NFL game for just £1,929

Sail the Mediterranean on Enchanted Princess from Civitavecchia (Rome) on October 6, 2026.

This 14-night trip calls at Corfu, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Naples, Salerno, Santorini, Kusadasi and Katakolon.

Inside stateroom fares start from £1,318pp with £100pp savings, or £800 total savings if booking a suite for four.

Visit princess.com/en-uk or call 0344 338 8663.

HOLLAND AMERICA

SOME great savings can be had on Dover departures, valid on all cruises booked departing November 30 to September 30, 2027.

They include $400 onboard credit per person on 21-day cruises, $300 for 10-20 day cruises and $200 for eight days.

Examples include the 13-night Canary Island Enchantment with Portugal itinerary sailing from Dover on April 17, 2026 and including calls in Rotterdam, Agadir, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Lisbon.

Prices start from £2,779pp for the ‘Have It All’ package including drinks, shore excursion credit, speciality dining, wifi and tips plus $300pp ship credit.

See HollandAmerica.com or call 0344 338 860.

P&O CRUISES

P&O is having its biggest Black Friday sale, with up to £300 off per cabin on more than 500 cruises.

The offer runs until December 2 on sailings from March 2026 to October 2027 in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and the Norwegian Fjords.

There’s a stunning 14-night Caribbean Islands cruise on Britannia, leaving Bridgetown, Barbados on March 6, 2026.

You’ll visit Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, St Vincent, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Saint Maarten.

Prices from £1,779pp based on two sharing an inside cabin. Call 0345 356 9999 or visit pocruises.com.

MSC CRUISES

MSC has up to 50 per cent off more than 5,900 cruises from Winter 2025 through Summer 2027.

Destinations include the Caribbean, Emirates, Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

Voyagers Club members get an extra five per cent off.

Grab a seven-night Northern Europe cruise on MSC Poesia departing Southampton on January 3, visiting Hamburg, Rotterdam and Le Havre.

It’s from only £379pp — perfect for a post-Christmas getaway. For more deals visit msccruises.co.uk.

AMBASSADOR CRUISE LINE

AMBASSADOR’S campaign brings back free drinks on selected UK no-fly departures from April 2026 to March 2028.

Running until December 1, the offer includes house-brand spirits, wines and soft drinks on sailings from London Tilbury, Portsmouth, Belfast, Liverpool and Newcastle.

Its ten-night France and Spain Explorer round-trip sailing from Portsmouth on Ambition, departs April 12, 2026.

Visit Bordeaux (with an overnight), La Coruna, Gijon and Santander.

Fares start from just £636pp with drinks included.

Book at ambassadorcruiseline.com or call 0808 102 8701.

VIRGIN VOYAGES

GET 80 per cent off the second sailor on Mediterranean cruises aboard Resilient Lady, plus free drinks worth up to $400.

The deal also comes with Virgin’s ‘Always Included’ package, covering soft drinks, juices, teas, coffees and essential drinks.

NO WEIGH

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WASHOUT

I’m A Celeb in chaos as stars are EVACUATED from camp and filming delayed

Sail the Med in style on a seven-night cruise from Barcelona, calling at Tuscany and Cinque Terre (La Spezia), Rome (Civitavecchia), Ajaccio in Corsica, Cannes and Marseille before returning to Barcelona.

Departures on September 26 and October 17, 2027 from £1,045pp. Book at virginvoyages.com.

President Donald Trump is set to welcome Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia at the White House, emphasizing the rehabilitation of the crown prince’s global standing after the controversial assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, and the strengthening of U.S.-Saudi relations. This visit marks bin Salman’s first return to the White House in over seven years, and he will experience a grand ceremonial reception orchestrated by Trump. The discussions are anticipated to enhance security cooperation, promote civil nuclear collaboration, and explore substantial business opportunities, including issues around a $600 billion investment commitment made during Trump’s earlier visit to Saudi Arabia.

However, despite these discussions, major advancements in Saudi Arabia’s normalization of relations with Israel are not expected. This meeting highlights the critical partnership between the U.S., the world’s largest economy, and Saudi Arabia, the leading oil producer, a relationship that has become a focal point for Trump during his presidency, particularly as the international outrage related to Khashoggi’s murder has diminished over time. While U.S. intelligence indicates that bin Salman sanctioned Khashoggi’s assassination, he has publicly distanced himself from the act, accepting accountability only in his capacity as leader.

The agenda includes strategic talks at the White House, a lunch in the Cabinet Room, and a formal black-tie dinner. Notably, Trump has indicated plans to approve the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, a significant policy adjustment that would be the first U.S. sale of these aircraft to the nation, potentially shifting the military dynamics in the region. Alongside military discussions, Saudi Arabia seeks new security guarantees, with expectations of an executive order from Trump forming a defense pact similar to that offered to Qatar, but less comprehensive than a NATO-style treaty.

Experts express that Trump is keen to forge a diversified partnership that secures Saudi Arabia’s alignment away from China’s influence, thereby deepening cooperation across security, finance, and technology sectors. Additionally, Trump is likely to push for Saudi involvement in the Abraham Accords to normalize relations with Israel, a notion the Saudis are hesitant to embrace without clear advancements towards Palestinian statehood amid current regional conflicts.

The overarching goal for Trump regards solidifying a broader Middle East peace arrangement through Saudi participation in the Accords, which represent a crucial geopolitical pivot. While pressure on bin Salman regarding normalization with Israel is expected, analysts believe that a U.S.-Saudi security agreement could still be established independently of significant progress on this front. Overall, the visit aims to reaffirm the longstanding U.S.-Saudi alliance while navigating the complex regional context.

With information from Reuters

EXCLUSIVE: With the Celebrity Traitors final just hours away, a PR expert has revealed which stars are coming out to TV opportunities – and which have been left worse off

The Celebrity Traitors airs its huge finale tonight on BBC One – and while fans are asking whether the Traitors or Faithful will win the game, others are wondering what’s next for its viral stars. Tonight’s episode will see finalists Alan Carr, Cat Burns, David Olusoga, Nick Mohammed and Joe Marler compete for the chance to win up to £100,000 for their chosen charities.

However, celebrity PR specialist Kayley Cornelius has revealed who the real winners from the BBC One series are – as well as who hasn’t come of as well as they had hoped. One of those coming out on top is ex rugby player Joe Marler, who is rumoured to be taking on a big presenting role with the BBC after the show.

Speaking on behalf of Online Casino provider Slingo, Kayley said that Joe has gained a whole new fanbase thanks to the Celebrity Traitors. “He has a lot to gain from this show – he’s recently retired from his sporting career and stepped into this new chapter of his life,” she said.

“Celebrity Traitors was his first bash at giving a reality career a try and he’s going to attract a lot of new listeners to his podcast. People have been so impressed with how clever he’s been throughout the process. He’s proven himself as being entertaining, clever, he comes across very well on screen.

“I can see him being lined up for every show under the sun – he’s probably going to be on Strictly next. He would be perfect for the glitz and glam. He’s such a good team player and he’s from sport so has discipline. He’s going to be a very booked and busy man.”

However, he’s not the only finalist who’ll be going on to bigger and better things – Kayley reveals that Cat Burns’ brand awareness has shot up thanks to the show. “She entered as this quiet underdog among line-up of really well known names. This show was a great opportunity for brand awareness for her,” she said.

“She’s just had to push back her tour but I have no doubt that it is going to sell out in no time. She’ll be able to headline bigger stages, do more arena-based shows. She might get a support slot on a stadium tour. It’s an exciting time where she’s going to be in demand.”

Kayley added that Cat could also go into fashion after showing off her style on Celebrity Traitors. “Some of her looks from the show, she came across as like quite cool, quite grungy and I think that aesthetic from an editorial sense, she’ll probably make thousands off the back of that.”

While there are rumours that the treacherous Alan Carr could become the next host of Strictly Come Dancing, Kayley doesn’t think it would be the right fit for the standout star. “When I think about what he will realistically do next, I can’t imagine it being Strictly,” she said.

“I think with the position that Strictly Come Dancing is in at the moment, as they’re recovering from these scandals, I think they want to keep two female presenters so I don’t know if I can quite see him taking Strictly on, even though it would be brilliant.

“I suppose for Alan, he’s just made a nation fall in love with him again and there’s chats of Chatty Man being revived – I can see it.”

As for the stars who haven’t found success from the show, YouTube star Niko Omilana is one of them thanks to his early banishment. The influencer was the first person to be accused of being a Traitor on the show and left in episode two.

“Niko unfortunately has lost out on quite a lot from doing this show,” Kayley said. “This is the kind of move that should have been a massive career break for Niko as he goes from online reality star into a mainstream celebrity. Like what we’re witnessing with George Clarke on Strictly at the moment.

“Unfortunately, with him being on the show for such a short amount of time, he wasn’t in there long enough to make much of an impact on this new audience.”

Another is Paloma Faith, who was the first to be killed by the Celebrity Traitors – and ‘threw a wobbly’ after being murdered by pal Alan, a source told The Mirror.

“I think Paloma might have some damage control to do,” Kayley says. “She’s quite angry with Alan Carr and how the game panned out. People might see her as a bit petty and a bit pathetic. Originally, the public said, ‘We need Paloma back – she was done so dirty.’ They’re now turning on her and saying she’s been a sore loser.

“From that perspective, she just needs to be a bit cautious and careful about how she speaks about her experience on the show and there might be more behind the scenes than we’re being let on to know at the minute, but I think if she is going to be a bad loser about this situation, it’s not going to go down well with viewers at home.”

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