Author: emily (Page 18 of 20)

by Chris Owen

I wish I could sit here and tell you that the cruise lines give discounts because they love certain groups of people and want to be nice to them, but that would be a lie. You may not like what I have to say about the reality of specials and discounts, but let’s face it—you want answers to your cruise queries and I think you can handle the truth!

So here it is folks: Cruise lines discount for one reason and one reason only, and that is to fill up the ships. 

While safety will always be at the top of a cruise line’s agenda, occupancy is the second most important goal.  They must sail with full ships to make the money necessary to provide all of the activities and services that their cruisers expect and desire.  Empty berths simply don’t generate money. If you take off the rose-colored glasses for a moment and look at cruising from a business perspective, you’ll see that discounts and specials are strategically planned marketing ploys.

The big-name lines have done a great deal of research pertaining to cruise-demand patterns and have a pretty good idea of how any given cruise will sell.  They know that for the most part, these demand patterns depend on a ship’s itinerary and the season during which the ship will be sailing. Of course, economic events, world-news, and other unpredictable factors can influence booking patterns.   

Smart businesses are prepared for uncertain times, and cruise lines are no different. They understand that at the end of the day, everyone wants a good value. As your trusty cruise expert, it is my responsibility to remind you that “good value” and “cheap price” are not necessarily interchangeable terms. A cruise for $199 may sound like a steal, but a glance over the fine print will reveal that there are several hundred dollars in port charges, taxes and fees.

Many people (maybe even you) have fallen into the jaws of a menace to the cruise world: Discount internet cruise brokers. Lack of service, hidden costs and junk fees, bankruptcy, and unethical business practices were commonplace among these brokers who had truly become the shady used car salesman of the travel industry.  Luckily, the tide changed in favor of the honest, hardworking travel agents when Royal Caribbean, a leader among cruise lines, announced that they were going to refuse to sell packages to organizations that they viewed as “card mills.”

Suddenly, travel agents were busy and back in the game as saavy cruisers realized that there was more to planning a successful cruise than just finding the rock-bottom price.  A skilled travel professional has the ability and the resources to find and apply all discounts available to his or her clients without compromising their comfort or specific preferences. Still not impressed by the worth of a good travel agent?  Get this: the discount internet cruise brokers watched for prices and discounts too, but they often pocketed any savings for themselves.  Even customers who contacted the brokers requesting new, lower fares advertised on a cruise-line website were denied or ignored. How’s that for customer service?

In other words, smart travelers find and use a good travel agent, and one that specializes in cruises is preferable for those looking to jump ship.

The following discounts are the kind that a good travel agent will seek out to ensure that his or her client has the best experience possible:

Resident Discounts

Cruise lines do their homework and pin-point the states from which they are not drawing many passengers.  People love to talk about their experiences and a cruise-vacation is quite an experience. Whether it’s around the office water cooler or in line at the grocery store, cruise-lines depend on cruisers to give mini-testimonials to further their reach. This is why cruise lines will often offer discounts to residents of states where the popularity of cruise-travel is lacking. They figure that if they can get people talking about their great experiences, more people are likely to literally “get on board.”

Royal Caribbean is the king of Resident Discounts while Princess comes in second with “regional discounts”.  If you’re a Florida resident, who enjoys cruising, you’re in luck! The state that receives the most resident discounts is Florida. It really isn’t hard to see why: There are many ships, many people, and many opportunities for cruising.

Senior Discounts

The basic rule of thumb is that at least one guest in a cabin must be 55 or older to get a senior discount, but be aware that cruises are not like movie theatres; not every cruise line gives senior discounts. Even those that do, don’t give them all the time. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity are best known for giving senior discounts, but it’s often because they foresee problems with filling up the ship for a particular cruise. Don’t get me wrong though—senior discounts are not always last minute. These lines will sell senior-discounted packages in the beginning stages of booking as well.

Last Minute Deals

Don’t count on them.  They exist for those who can sail with as little as 30 days notice.  As recent as several years ago, you could rely on the existence of last minute deals to the point where you could book airfare for a particular cruise without actually buying the cruise until 30 days before sailing. Some risk-takers enjoyed this method of bargain vacationing, but these days, it’s likely that those risk-takers would be stuck with a suitcase full of Bermuda shorts and airfare to nowhere. Ships tend to sell-out early these days, but if you come across a last-minute deal—more power to you and enjoy your vacation!

 Military Discounts

Like many major businesses, cruise-lines are sensitive to the importance of military service. If they can fill up ships while offering reduced rates to those who may have risked their lives for their country, they’re happy to do it.  Carnival is most generous with this discount, but other lines do as well. Again, none of the cruise lines offers this discount all the time, on all sailings, but it never hurts to ask your travel agent if you qualify.  Active or retired members can get this discount for their entire cabin and sometimes even an additional cabin with proper military ID.

Past Guest discounts

This is a very popular, common and appropriate discount.  The cruise lines want to keep you coming back and will often make it worth your while to sail again and again with them.  Perks, amenities and even different pricing are afforded to repeat guests.  After you’ve sailed a line, you become a “past guest.”  Record your past guest numbers and be sure they are entered into your bookings.  Your good travel agent will keep these on file and use them to your advantage. 

How to find out about the deals?

I know it can be a hassle, but sign up for everyone’s mailing list.  Get an email address other than the one you use for your regular daily email.  Go to every cruise line website and sign up for their mailing lists. You will be the first to know of specials, discounts and extra-value sailings being offered, but be aware that you will also receive a great deal of spam as cruise lines sell your email address to other companies.

About Chris Owen

Chris Owen is a travel writer, blogger and agent from Orlando Florida charged with sharing frank, inside information on cruise vacations with travelers.  A graduate of Washburn University in Topeka Kansas, Chris moved to Florida after successful careers in the restaurant and newspaper business to focus singly on travel with a concentration on cruise vacations.  Certified a Master Cruise Counselor by the Cruise Lines International Association, Chris can be found via his popular cruise vacations column on Examiner.com, through his blog, ChrisCruises.net and on his long-running cruise information website, YourCruiseDream.com. 

by Chris Owen

Even if you’ve never been on a cruise, chances are, you have heard stories about never-ending buffets, complimentary, 24-hour room-service and all kinds of gaudy bells and whistles. The common misconception among “non-cruisers” is that the culinary experience is reminiscent of an 80’s Vegas-buffet. The problem with this visual is that unless you happen to really love Elvis impersonators and scrambled eggs that are rapidly drying-out under heat-lamps, it doesn’t make onboard dining seem all that appealing. (Cue super-hero music) But that’s where I come in!

 In this series, I will give you frank, up-to-date information about what you will and won’t find on modern cruise vacations. I’ll start by addressing some general misconceptions about cruising, and of course, move on to discuss the “all-important” dining situation, which indeed has a significant influence on your level of satisfaction with your vacation.

The Rocking and Rolling of the Ship

One of the biggest worries I had before my first cruise had to do with the motion of the ship on the water.  I thought it would be rocking and rolling like the Mayflower, causing hoards of people to lose their lunch…and dinner…and breakfast…

Not so.

Cruise ships are like moving islands with giant stabilizer arms that are designed to minimize the “motion in the ocean” you are bound to feel. These arms extend from the hull of the ship, much like wings on an airplane.  If Christopher Columbus had a set of these babies, he’d have touched base in America and swung right on down to the Caribbean for sure.

Will I get sick?

Not likely. 

If you occasionally got car-sick as a child, the rocking and rolling of the ship will probably not have a serious effect on you. However, if you find that your sensitivity to motion is such that you have to close your eyes during some movie scenes because the action depicted makes you ill, this can be a deal-breaker. Fortunately, there are some precautions you can take.

The fact is, you will feel some movement—you are on a boat after all.  This feeling should pass as you become accustomed to it and get your “sea legs”. On the flip-side, don’t panic if your sea legs don’t disappear right away. The condition usually lasts for a short time after you return to dry-land as your body adjusts to its stagnant surroundings once more.  I personally think it might be a dirty trick the cruise lines play to get you to think about booking your next cruise as soon as you get home…

If you are prone to motion sickness, the best advice I can give you is to avoid it in the first place.  Once “sea-sickness” sets in, it’s too late.  You’ll have to take a trip to the ship’s medical center, get a shot, and spend the next 24 to 48 hours in misery getting over it.   An over-the-counter medication called “Bonine” does the trick for just about everyone.  If you have questions about it, give your doctor or pharmacist a call!  I have heard that if you begin taking it the day before sailing and then once a day throughout the course of your trip, it is highly successful in eliminating potential problems.

Just a bunch of old-timers?

In a word—NO.

That may very well have been the case in the early 1970s, but Carnival, always at the top of its game, recognized the deterioration of the industry and responded with a fleet of “Fun Ships” that forever changed the nature of cruise vacations.  They turned a sleepy crawl across the Atlantic or around the Caribbean into an action-packed getaway that allowed travelers to leave all their cares behind and truly unwind. Other cruise lines got on board with Carnival’s new concept of cruising and revamped their own offerings.

Older people often do enjoy the variety of amenities that a cruise offers, but so do families, couples, singles, and groups. The point is, cruises offer such an impressive assortment of activities, that people of all ages, ethnicities, and lifestyles can spend their vacations doing (or not doing) whatever they please.

“A cruise is all-inclusive”

Nothing is “all-inclusive” these days. While your onboard activities, entertainment, and even standard-fare meals are generally covered on a cruise, there are plenty of opportunities to spend more.  Soft-drinks, and cocktails add-up quickly! Throw a spa treatment, shore excursion, some casino action, and a souvenir or five, into the mix and you can be well on your way to paying as much for the extras as you did for the whole cruise package. Consider yourself forewarned.

Nevertheless, it’s still a great value if you restrict your little splurges.  I recently compared an average cruise with an average stay in Vegas and the ship came out way ahead financially.  I might be a tad biased though.

How big is the pool?

You will NOT be swimming laps here. 

Though there are usually several pools and whirlpools onboard—maybe even a huge water slide or attraction, they are not “swimming” pools.  They are more like “gathering and games” pools.  They also tend to be centrally located so they get crowded. Another interesting quirk is that many of them contain filtered sea-water. This is good to know before you take a plunge with your mouth open. In short, I suggest that you save the real swimming for home or one of your excursions to the shore.

So what about the food then?

For those of you who were really looking forward to that 80s Vegas-style buffet, the likelihood of you being able to fulfill your “all-you-can-eat” dreams is very high. Most ships have at least one buffet. Depending on the cruise line though, you may find that your dining choices are much more extensive.

Most recently, I was on the Norwegian Epic, a new ship that features “Freestyle Dining.” In addition to a main dining room and buffet that are available during certain hours, Epic hosts a variety of trendy dining venues.  Cirque Dreams and Dinner is a night-time dining experience with a prix-fixe menu that revolves around a Cirque du Soleil-style show.  As I recall, a tapas bar, a steak house, and a home-style restaurant were just a few of the other restaurants present on the Epic.

Celebrity Cruises adds flavor to an already robust onboard experience with special interest cruises. Some of these cruises are geared to those with an appreciation for fine food and wine. Celebrity Cruises arranges for a renowned chef or wine-maker to design menus and lead participants through wonderful eating and drinking experiences. Can you think of a better way to unwind after a busy day of ship activities or excursions than with a truly great meal? Neither can I.

We have only just scratched the surface of the cruise-experience, but I can assure you that by the end of this series, you will have all the information you need to decide whether or not a cruise is in your future vacation plans.   Along the way when you have questions, please don’t hesitate to write me.   As a travel writer, blogger and agent, answering questions is what I do.  See my blog at ChrisCruises.net for more and email me with your specific questions about cruise vacations

About Chris Owen

Chris Owen is a travel writer, blogger and agent from Orlando Florida charged with sharing frank, inside information on cruise vacations with travelers.  A graduate of Washburn University in Topeka Kansas, Chris moved to Florida after successful careers in the restaurant and newspaper business to focus singly on travel with a concentration on cruise vacations.  Certified a Master Cruise Counselor by the Cruise Lines International Association, Chris can be found via his popular cruise vacations column on Examiner.com, through his blog, ChrisCruises.net and on his long-running cruise information website, YourCruiseDream.com.