Here’s what to consider when selecting your cruise.
By Anita Dunham-Potter
Travel columnist MSNBC News
updated 9:20 a.m. ET Oct. 20, 2008
It’s a blissful thought: sailing off into the sunset on a cruise vacation. Cruising can be an exciting and affordable vacation option. Of course, it’s important to find the right cruise at the right price for your getaway. After all, there are more than 160 ships in the fleets of the 24 major cruise lines and thousands of itineraries worldwide.
Style of ship and cruise line
Cruise lines have their own distinct personalities and ships that reflect them. The size of a ship really does matter. Large ship cruise lines Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International provide a party atmosphere with glitz and high energy. Small ship operators like Silversea Cruises and Seabourn focus on quiet luxury and a more refined experience.
Where to go
Cruise ships can take you almost anywhere on the planet, from the Caribbean or Europe to Asia or Antarctica, so explore a range of possibilities before settling on a preferred route. When you’ve found a trip you love, go over the schedule carefully. If traveling internationally make sure you have valid passports, visas, and any required immunizations.
When to go
The holidays, spring break and summer are high season and that usually means higher prices. The shoulder seasons of mid-fall and early spring offer great cruise deals, and may be even more appealing than high season. An Alaska, European or Caribbean cruise in May or September, when the kids are in school, translates into fewer people in port.
Pick a stateroom
Consider your itinerary when reserving a stateroom. If you can afford to splurge, a balcony stateroom provides you a private space to relax and get away from the crowded decks. Still, not all cruises are ideal for balconies. A trans-Atlantic crossing doesn’t make a lot of sense for a balcony since the ship is at sea for days and the weather is often cold or too windy to enjoy the space. On the other hand, the appeal of a balcony on an Alaska, Caribbean, European or South American cruise offers amazing scenery that should not be missed. Smaller inside staterooms are adequate for budget-minded cruisers who seem more likely to spend most of their time utilizing the ship’s public spaces.
Getting the best price
Cruise lines offer travelers a host of discounts, so consider every source when looking for a deal. Check out your credit card as many offer discounts or points towards cruises. Look at all the clubs you belong to, from AAA, airline frequent flier programs and college alumni associations, to union memberships — see if they offer any deals or special rates for members. Also, if you’ve previously cruised with a cruise line you may be in for a repeat cruiser discount.
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Saturday, December 20, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Searching for Cruising's Best Bargains
Smartertravel.comby Erica Silverstein, Cruise Critic - December 9, 2008
Predicting where—and when—the savvy cruise shopper is most likely to find that dirt-cheap seven-day Caribbean cruise, the usually elusive five-category upgrade or a truly generous onboard credit perk requires a crystal ball. And while travel agents can't see into the future of cruise deals, they do have a few tricks up their sleeves about where and when to look for the best prices. We pumped a couple of knowledgeable cruise sellers for their best tips on finding low cruise fares. So put down your tarot cards, step away from the Ouija board, and listen to some real-world advice on searching out cruising's best bargains.
If You Have the Means, Book Now
"Right now, we are seeing the cheapest deals we've seen since 9/11," says Anthony Hamawy, president of Cruise.com. As the economy has scared many travelers into cutting back their vacation plans, cruise lines are scrambling to fill empty cabins on late 2008 and early 2009 sailings, as well as hedging bets for spring and summer 2009 sailings.
The deals appearing now are incredible—seven-night cruises for $199, anyone?—but travel agents don't think they'll last. "Right now, there are good deals for summer and winter 2009," says Hamawy. "Will the inventory remain? I'd be very surprised if there was space left 30 days out." So if you've got your eye on a 2009 cruise, put a deposit down now to lock in the sale fares. You won't be taking too much of a risk, especially if you can take advantage of the reduced deposits or extended no-penalty cancelation periods currently on offer.
If You Can Be Totally Flexible Don't Plan Too Far Ahead
The concept of last-minute booking continues to evolve, but travel agents basically consider last-minute to be any date beyond a cruise's final payment deadline (60 to 90 days before departure). Because some people put down a deposit to hold space on a cruise and then cancel their sailing before ponying up the rest of the money, the cruise lines don't have an accurate picture of how many cabins have truly sold on a cruise until after final payment is due. At that time, the cruise lines can see how much space is left on a given sailing and how hard they need to work to sell it.
Read FULL ARTICLE
Predicting where—and when—the savvy cruise shopper is most likely to find that dirt-cheap seven-day Caribbean cruise, the usually elusive five-category upgrade or a truly generous onboard credit perk requires a crystal ball. And while travel agents can't see into the future of cruise deals, they do have a few tricks up their sleeves about where and when to look for the best prices. We pumped a couple of knowledgeable cruise sellers for their best tips on finding low cruise fares. So put down your tarot cards, step away from the Ouija board, and listen to some real-world advice on searching out cruising's best bargains.
If You Have the Means, Book Now
"Right now, we are seeing the cheapest deals we've seen since 9/11," says Anthony Hamawy, president of Cruise.com. As the economy has scared many travelers into cutting back their vacation plans, cruise lines are scrambling to fill empty cabins on late 2008 and early 2009 sailings, as well as hedging bets for spring and summer 2009 sailings.
The deals appearing now are incredible—seven-night cruises for $199, anyone?—but travel agents don't think they'll last. "Right now, there are good deals for summer and winter 2009," says Hamawy. "Will the inventory remain? I'd be very surprised if there was space left 30 days out." So if you've got your eye on a 2009 cruise, put a deposit down now to lock in the sale fares. You won't be taking too much of a risk, especially if you can take advantage of the reduced deposits or extended no-penalty cancelation periods currently on offer.
If You Can Be Totally Flexible Don't Plan Too Far Ahead
The concept of last-minute booking continues to evolve, but travel agents basically consider last-minute to be any date beyond a cruise's final payment deadline (60 to 90 days before departure). Because some people put down a deposit to hold space on a cruise and then cancel their sailing before ponying up the rest of the money, the cruise lines don't have an accurate picture of how many cabins have truly sold on a cruise until after final payment is due. At that time, the cruise lines can see how much space is left on a given sailing and how hard they need to work to sell it.
Read FULL ARTICLE
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Planning a Family Cruise
Planning a family cruise
By Arline and Sam Bleecker | Special to the Tribune
November 30, 2008
You might, like us, wonder if sailing over the blue horizon as a family group is a good idea, especially as the holidays near.
Earlier this year, we weighed the advantages of holding a family gathering at sea versus, say, a week at a land resort or mountain retreat. There was much to consider, including cost. We are an aging group of four couples—sisters, brothers and their spouses—all sixtysomethings or older, each with diverse interests and physical limitations to consider.
It had been years since all of us had spent that much time cheek by jowl. A friend had once tried to assemble a family reunion for as many couples and remarked that the effort nearly turned her hair gray trying to meet everyone's needs.
In our family, for instance, one member is an amateur singer, gregariously funny, with a 9-to-5 job from which she really needed a vacation. One member of the group loves to golf, while others love to read and relax. Yet another and her husband deal with disabilities that make getting around difficult.
FULL STORY
By Arline and Sam Bleecker | Special to the Tribune
November 30, 2008
You might, like us, wonder if sailing over the blue horizon as a family group is a good idea, especially as the holidays near.
Earlier this year, we weighed the advantages of holding a family gathering at sea versus, say, a week at a land resort or mountain retreat. There was much to consider, including cost. We are an aging group of four couples—sisters, brothers and their spouses—all sixtysomethings or older, each with diverse interests and physical limitations to consider.
It had been years since all of us had spent that much time cheek by jowl. A friend had once tried to assemble a family reunion for as many couples and remarked that the effort nearly turned her hair gray trying to meet everyone's needs.
In our family, for instance, one member is an amateur singer, gregariously funny, with a 9-to-5 job from which she really needed a vacation. One member of the group loves to golf, while others love to read and relax. Yet another and her husband deal with disabilities that make getting around difficult.
FULL STORY
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