Start with research. We’re assuming you don’t have a particular cruise line in mind, but if you do, start with their web site. If you don’t care whether you cruise on Carnival or Ambassador, do a quick web search for cruise deals and you’ll find tons of places that will give you information on what they have to offer. There are three web sites we have found that might help guide you: cruise-addicts.com, cruisestateroom.com, cruisecritic.com
You will have a lot of options to consider when deciding on your cruise, which we will outline in this chapter.
One such option is taking a theme cruise. What exactly is a theme cruise, you ask? It is a cruise booked around a certain theme that could focus on a particular interest such as murder mystery, sports, music styles, etc. The cruise line may provide special events and lectures for you to attend revolving around the theme. Some theme cruises have celebrities along for the ride giving you the chance to rub elbows with the rich and famous. If you can think of a theme that interests people, they probably have a cruise to match it.
A theme cruise can be great fun if you pick the right theme for you. Check to see if a cruise line offers a theme cruise that matches your interest. You’ll also want to see if the cruise you are going to book has a theme or possibly a large group joining your cruise. You might not want to spend your vacation being the odd man out because you don’t like the theme or because you’re not part of the large group.
You may want to check out a group cruise. This isn’t necessarily you getting together a bunch of people and planning a cruise with them. There are some groups out there that have secured special, low rates for large groups of people. You don’t even have to know the people you’re cruising with.
You can find these group cruises in various places. Try looking at an Internet chat board for cruisers. They often have postings on there for groups who have secured such rates, and you can save a lot of money by booking with them instead of on your own.
Check out the ports of call your ship will be docking at. Since these will also be a major part of your cruise, you want to know where you’ll be going and what you can do there. You’ll want to ask about the types of the shore excursions available. What do you enjoy: shopping, nature, sports, historical sites or exotic culture? You’ll want to pick ports of call that have activities that interest you.
You can easily get tourist information about the ports of call at www.towd.com The Tourism Offices Worldwide Directory web site. This site provides a collection of addresses, phone numbers, and web links to many foreign governments’ official tourism offices. It also contains a search feature that lists contact information and web links for official U.S. State Tourism Offices, regional, city, and convention and visitor bureau sites.
Next, check out air/sea packages available. An air/sea cruise is when your cruise has been booked with airline tickets to get you to the ship’s port and back home again. The cruise line buys its tickets in bulk from the airlines. They find out where you are coming from and book you passage from a nearby airport to one close to the ship’s home port. Each cruise line has its own policy on how they deal with the sale of airline tickets, so you’ll want to ask some important questions.
There are many advantages to booking an air/sea package. The cruise line takes care of the airline reservation. Since cruise lines buy in bulk and usually provide a discount package rate, the ticket price is generally lower than what can be found in the general market. The transfer of luggage is easier, and a free shuttle will take you from the airport to the docks.
The cruise line will have your flight information and will be able to track your flight in case of a delay. Others on the cruise might be on the same flight and they might just hold the ship waiting for you to board. The biggest advantage is that if anything goes wrong to delay you, the cruise line will generally become more involved to help you make it on board the ship.
There, of course, are disadvantages as well to booking an air/sea package. You might be able to find a better deal on your own, but you may have to fly an airline you don’t like. You will probably not get credit for frequent flyer miles by going through the cruise line, and you might not be able to fly non-stop. Finally, you might end up flying a longer route than you’d pick for yourself.
Youcould book your own airline tickets, but only do so if you can get a better deal. The strongest consideration should be how confident you are in being able to make it to the ship on your own. If you are already flying in a few days early, know you’ll be there on time and you can save over the air/sea on plane tickets and shuttle costs, then you might just consider going it alone. But, remember you are going it alone.
The cruise lines will be more likely to make accommodations and work with the airline if their booking didn’t get you to the ship on time. They will be better able to track your late flight and might even delay the ship if they know you’ll only be slightly late. They might pay for you to stay in a hotel or pay for flights so you can catch up with the ship at the first port.
Depending on the circumstances, they might even rebate some of your cruise or give you a discount toward your next cruise with them. However, the airlines are independent contractors. Most cruise conditions of carriage state that since the airlines are independent contractors the cruise line makes no warranty and assumes no responsibility for any failure or delay in their contractor’s services. This is another reason to purchase a strong trip insurance package. We’ll get to the topic of trip insurance a little later.
When you book your own airline tickets, if the route you picked to make it to the ship fails, you are on your own. Don’t risk missing the whole cruise over a few frequent flyer miles. Sure you can probably get on if you can catch the ship, but will you be able to find a flight and transportation to the ship. Will it be worth it, considering how much you’ll have to pay in last minute travel arrangements? No matter how you get there, try to avoid this situation by booking a flight that leaves you plenty of time to get you to and from the port to the airport.
Paying the brochure rate for a cruise is like paying the full sticker price for a car. You should be able to easily find a good discount off those rates, if you can’t, keep looking around.
It’s a good idea to book early. The booking rates become more expensive the closer to sailing. Although some people report that if you’re able to wait until the last minute, there are deals that can be had on under-booked ships. The objective of the cruise line is to have a full house before sailing. If they find themselves with some empty cabins, they may reduce the rate just to fill them. Just keep in mind that you will be limited on your choices as far as where your room is located, whether you have a balcony or not, etc.
Booking early on a cruise line generally refers to 120 days prior to sail date. If you book early you will have a better chance of getting exactly what you want and at a discounted price. However, if the ships have low occupancy rates close to sailing, you can still find great deals. With all the new large ships that are being launched, last minute deals are still a possibility. But, these deals can be limited and many people don’t have the flexibility to leave or at least book in an instant.
Shopping the Internet can be the quickest and easiest way to compare many different cruise rates. Be flexible about your travel plans. As with every other travel industry, cruising during the off season will also help you save money.
Apply any coupons or special discount programs for which you are eligible. Discounts may be available for associations, corporations, seniors, children or even large groups or family reunions. Memberships in loyalty clubs like the Elks or the Moose often include offers of discounts and upgrades. Some credit cards will have special discounts available to their cardholders.
Package deals often include a discounted cruise price along with pre or post-cruise activities. Most cruise lines will also give discounts to the military, so if you or someone in your party is or has been in the military, ask for their discount.
2 for 1 deals are popular sales incentives where two cruises are offered for the price of one. However, airfare is usually not included in the two for one rate. Cruise lines have also offered discounted or free airfares, free post or pre-cruise hotel stays, free cabin upgrades, extra days free or free shore excursions.
Some cruise lines will offer a first time cruiser discount to encourage you to give their cruise line a try. It probably won’t have to be your first cruise, just your first cruise with that particular line.
The bottom line with discounts is….ASK! They may not offer you the discounted rate up front, but if you ask, they will certainly tell you if any would apply. The goal of the cruise line is, after all, to gain your business.
The cruise line you choose is another important factor to consider when picking your cruise. The cruise ship is your hotel, restaurant and entertainment for your whole vacation. It is a package deal that is different from a traditional vacation.
You’ll want to spend some time and do your research to make sure you pick the right cruise for you. The perfect cruise for some might be a miserable one for others. Make sure you find the best match. You’ll want to find the best rate on the right cruise for you, not just the cheapest rate.
Cruise lines cater to certain groups and their whole ship is meant to entertain and please that crowd. Some cater to certain age groups, singles, or families. Some are calm, elegant and feature haute cuisine. Some have lots of loud, exciting activities to attract the active crowds. Others have lots of family activities planned, so the ship will be filled with kids. Some will have shore excursions that are right up your alley, while others might be a real snooze for you.
Like many other industries, cruise lines "target" their product or cruise ship experience to hit certain markets. There are basically five categories to cruise lines.
These are upscale ships (often much smaller than the mega-liners) that generally cater to wealthy people. Silverseas would be one example. Service and food is truly gourmet (the only real gourmet food you'll get at sea, by the way). Some of the ships and cruise lines are known to be more "snooty" while others are less pretentious
These do a wonderful job and provide a cruise experience on a larger ship and, of course, at a higher price than any category, except for the previous one. Crystal would be counted toward the top of this category and probably Celebrity toward the bottom.
All of the big lines would fall in this category, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Holland American, Princess, etc. These offer a great deal of value for the price.
THE BARGAIN/SMALLER LINES
This is the most varied category. In this category, Majesty Cruise Lines can give a great experience for short cruises, and it includes the ultra-budget Dolphin Lines, along with lesser-known cruise lines. You must be careful, however, when choosing a company in this category.
There is a projected over-capacity glut of cabins in the industry, already well underway. As in any other industry, be aware that the more financially strong lines will survive, and the smaller ones (with limited financial resources, older ships, etc.) will continue to fall by the wayside as the industry consolidates. You must make absolutely certain that you determine if you're sailing on a cruise line that is not in somewhat shaky condition, financially speaking.
These include a wide variety also, including barge cruises in Europe and smaller ships (maybe 150 passengers or so) that ply the inside passage to and from Alaska, as well as "adventure" cruising that lines like Renaissance targets.
We want to remain unbiased in this book, so we will not tell you one cruise line is better than another one is. We can make a few general comments, however, about specific cruise lines based on passenger feedback.
Many have an exceptionally strong preference for Royal Caribbean because it is the hands-down winner on value. Their newer ships are said to be spectacular, and their service is reportedly as good as it gets for the price. Their food vendors rival some of the ultra-luxury ships.
If you can afford to go on Silverseas and pay $1,000/day per diem or more, the experience will be out of the stratosphere for luxury. You will get a 1:1 crew/passenger ratio for the ultimate in service and pampering. Their food is said to be gourmet and the amenities you will enjoy will definitely provide you with a trip you won’t forget.
Princess is also a very popular choice. Celebrity can be pricier but with outstanding food. Carnival still has the get-down & party/younger (once in a while, drink & drown) market where the food is pretty ordinary and the ship decor is super neon glitz. Many previous passengers say that what they do, they do VERY well if you’re interested in a party-type atmosphere with the glitz of Las Vegas.
Pride of America cruise lines offers an excellent cruise around Hawaii with exceptional food and terrific service. The middle-of-the road cabins are actually quite spacious. The entertainment and amenities make for a wonderful experience.
Another factor should be the cruise line’s reputation for the quality of its cuisine, its menu, and its reputation for customer service. What is the ship’s previous safety and cleanliness record? How are the facilities on board the ship? What do the cabins look like? A lot of this information can be found online, but if you ask, most cruise lines will send you brochures free of charge for you to look at.
When considering what type of cabin you want, generally, the more desirable cabins (i.e., more expensive) are on the top decks of a ship. They almost always sell out first.
The old adage used to be, don't worry about your cabin; you won't spend much time there to begin with. Actually, that's not true. Since cruise lines have shifted to the concept of thinking of a ship as a self-contained resort, more emphasis has been placed on making your cabin as comfortable (and larger) as possible.
For example, some people wonder about getting an outside cabin with a balcony. This, of course, is almost entirely dependent on the cruise and the weather. If you’re cruising the Caribbean with wonderfully warm weather, you’ll want that balcony! If the weather is somewhat temperate, you can sit outside and enjoy splendid scenery. On the other hand, if it is blustery weather as sometimes happens to and from Alaska, you probably won't think that a balcony is such a good deal.
You may want to seriously consider having a cabin with a balcony. Springing for a balcony gives you your own piece of paradise when the decks get crowded.
Selection of your cabin may also affect whether you feel the ship "rock & roll”. If you’re prone to seasickness (which we will address later), your best bet is to book a cabin near the middle of the ship to minimize the wavy feeling as the ship moves across the water.
You might want to study the ship's diagram in the brochure or online, and book space in a category that has fewer cabins than others on a guarantee basis. The upside to this little trick is that with fewer cabins in the category booked, your chances of being upgraded to a nicer cabin/higher deck is better. With an actual cabin number assignment, the chance of an upgrade lessens (unless one is a repeat customer, but that's another story). The downside, of course, is that with a full ship, the guaranteed category could result in a cabin assignment in that category, so one must be prepared to be satisfied with it.
Another great bargain opportunity for cruises involves repositioning. Twice a year, you might clean out the garage. Maybe you visit relatives in the winter and summer. Some of these things, no matter how mundane, fall into consistent schedules all their own. If you run a cruise line, you must reposition many of your ships twice a year, too.
Because there isn't big demand for cruising the fjords in January, your ship that spent the summer in Scandinavia might find more profitable waters in the eastern Caribbean during the colder months. Alaskan cruise liners might winter in San Diego, a base from which to explore the Mexican Riviera as Sitka shivers. Come spring, the process reverses. They're known as repositioning or "repo" cruises in the travel industry.
Trivia, you say? Perhaps. But you can bet the people who move those ships want as many paying travelers aboard as possible. Savvy travelers book those cabins and take trips they otherwise could not afford. Maybe it's time for you to "reposition" your thoughts on cruising.
Consider a typical repositioning cruise that took passengers from Genoa, Italy, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 16 days. During the first week, ports-of-call included Genoa, Marseilles, France, and St. Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands. Not bad! But four of the first seven days on that cruise, there were no stops. This is not standard fare for most traditional itineraries. Bring reading material and an appreciation for the open sea. Make sure you REALLY like your cruise partner too!
The ports you do visit might not see cruise ships at any other time of year. You'll find rare opportunities to visit African or South American cities off the usual tourist paths.
Because the trips are longer in duration, the total price might equal or exceed what you'd expect to pay for a standard cruise. But when you begin to divide money into days, the per diem costs are attractive. The repositioning trip just described started at $2500 USD/per person. That's about $156/night, including airfare from New York to Genoa and Fort Lauderdale to New York. A three-night cruise to the Bahamas can cost that much per night without airfare.
Once you’ve considered all these factors, you’ll be ready to book your trip. Take a deep breath and enjoy. You won’t be dreaming of a cruise vacation anymore. You’ll be doing it!
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