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Shopping
When is Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024?
Get in early for our RACV Black Friday sales
Best resort deals
Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024 best deals
RACV Members save on resort stays, cruises, tours and more in the 2024 Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.
On Friday, 29 November 2024, you’d be forgiven for wondering why shoppers are suddenly fired up. After all, the term ‘Black Friday’ has only become synonymous with shopping sales in Australia during the internet age.
Traditionally, the big ‘sales surge’ offering everything from cheap electronic goods to big savings on travel and experiences, is expected at the end of the financial year and Boxing Day sales, not in November.
But in recent years, Australian retailers and consumers have embraced this shopping event both in store and online.
The RACV Travel & Experiences Black Friday Sale is on now and will continue until 2 December 2024.
When is Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024?
Black Friday always takes place on the Friday after the American Thanksgiving holiday, with Cyber Monday falling the following Monday.
This year, Black Friday is on 29 November 2024 and Cyber Monday follows on 2 December 2024.
Get in early for our RACV Black Friday sales
Children will get free entry to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Melbourne during Black Friday sales.
Best resort deals
RACV Members can save up to 30 per cent when booking their next RACV Resort stay during Black Friday 2024. Not a member? You can still save up to 20 per cent off your booking, with nine accomodation options across Australia.
There are RACV Resorts in Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania, so whether you crave a getaway with coastal panoramas in Torquay, or love the idea of being in a top wine region at the RACV Healesville Country Club & Resort, there's a holiday location to suit every traveller.
*Offer applies to bookings made from November 18 to December 2, for stays until June 30 2025. Terms and conditions apply.
Best deals for attractions and experiences
Climb aboard with Melbourne River Cruises and save. The company is offering RACV Members discounted tickets on its Melbourne Highlights, Port and Docklands, and River Gardens tours for Black Friday.
Relax with 40 per cent off Bathhouse Mineral Bathing and Sanctuary Mineral Bathing and Hepburn Bathhouse.
Planning a trip to Queensland? Adults travel at kids prices at Aquaduck Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, as well as at Paradise Jet Boating.
Still in the Sunshine State, save 10 per cent of selected Southern Cross Tours including Kangaroo and Mountain Views, Lamington National Park, Natural Bridge and Springbrook Falls, and Tastes of Tamborine Mountain.
Families can also take advantage of great Black Friday deals such as 5 per cent off interstate annual passes at Dreamworld and free entry for children at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre.
Treat yourself to a stay at an RACV Resort with savings of up to 30 per cent for RACV Members during Black Friday sales.
Best tour deals
There are many perks to exploring the world by rail – experience it for yourself this Black Friday with Railbooker’s $300 saving on their Complete Scotland by Rail tour. You can also save $1,125 on Rocky Mountaineer’s Journey Through the Clouds Discovery Banff or First Passage to the West Excursion Banff tour and rail packages.
Explore New Zealand and save up to $250 per person (plus receive a free jacket) with Grand Pacific Tours’ 14-day Ultimate Best of the South Island tour. If Europe is more your style, Bunnik is offering savings of up to $200 per person their Helsinki to Prague and Scandinavian Discovery tours. Or travel with Trafalgar to save up to 30 per cent on selected tours.
Intrepid tours is offering 20 per cent off its 13-day Morocco Uncovered tour, while Wendy Wu is running a "partner flies free" campaign, plus $100 off per person.
You can also explore more of Australia, with Outback Spirit offering guests to fly free, plus a $200 saving, on their Cape York and Arnhem Land tours.
Finally, travellers have the chance to experience one of the most iconic rail journeys in Australia with Journey Beyond offering 30 per cent off Gold single cabins during 2025.
Best cruise deals
Travellers are spoilt for choice when it comes to cruise deals this Black Friday.
Explore the Danube for seven days with a bonus $500 onboard credit per stateroom with Viking, or receive up to $400 onboard credit with MSC’s 15-day cruise of the Mediterranean.
You can save up to 50 per cent off all NCL cruises (such as their ten-day Greek Island adventure), while Ponant is offering a free solo supplement so intrepid single travellers can explore locations like Tahiti.
Regent is offering guests 30 per cent off and $200 USD onboard credit for their luxurious 16-day Bali to Sydney cruise, while Coral is offering a complementary upgrade to their Explorer Deck on their 12-night Kimberley Icons cruise, plus a bonus $500 discount, giving members a total saving of $4,790 per person.
And for those who’d like to explore the riverways closer to home, you can save ten per cent on a seven-day Murray River Paddle Steamers cruise, or save 25 per cent with a three-night or four-night Murray Princess cruise.
Experience one of Australia's top rail journeys with Black Friday savings on cabins for 2025 bookings.
Why is it called Black Friday?
There are multiple accounts of the origin of the phrase 'Black Friday'.
‘Black Friday’ is said to represent the chaos and congestion in traffic that would happen after Thanksgiving in the US.
Black Friday also refers to the ‘Panic of 1869’, an event sparked by two financiers who attempted to corner the gold market. Although their plan was foiled, many fortunes were lost, the stock market plummeted by 20 per cent, and foreign trade was completely halted.
By the 1970s and 1980s, the term was more widely used to refer to retailers operating at a loss before the Christmas period (or being ‘in the red’) before making a profit at the start of the Christmas holiday season (‘in the black’).
Because the day after Thanksgiving typically marks the start of the Christmas shopping season in the US, these days ‘Black Friday’ simply refers to a wide range of online and shop sales at retailers worldwide.
Why is it called Cyber Monday?
‘Cyber Monday’ is a term invented in 2005 that refers to people who search for bargains the Monday immediately following Black Friday.
The term ‘Cyber Monday’ became popularised in 2005 during the infancy of the internet-age. Many shoppers would use Black Friday simply to window shop and research what products they would purchase for Christmas.
As Black Friday sales began to extend beyond 24 hours and were offered online, the Monday became a boom day for the digital retail space.
How long do Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales go for?
While both shopping events are referred to as singular days, many retailers have offers and discounts in the lead-up to and aftermath of these events.
The RACV Travel & Experiences Travel Sale is on now until 2 December 2024.
*Terms and conditions apply. Subject to availability. Restrictions and blackout dates may apply. All discounts apply to new bookings. Members must quote offer at time of booking if booking by phone. Advertised price is per person twin share and includes all discounts. Single supplements may apply. Airfares and car hire not included unless otherwise stated. Prices correct as of 18 November 2024. Offers end 2 December 2024, unless stated otherwise. See website for full details.
