Celestial Seas

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


Who are the people whom you refer to when you plan a pleasure trip with your loves ones on the ship? Whom do you contact to know and compare the prices of various voyage packages? Who are the people whom you contact when you need to make sure that your safety is ensured? Well, the answer to all these questions is “cruise lines”!

CRUISE LINE-WHO?

A corporation or an organization which operates cruise ships is popularly known as cruise line. They serve two purposes, namely, transportation and leisure pleasure trips. Apart from the headquartered employees and the administrative officers, the cruise line personnel also includes the captain of the ship, the cruise crew, hospitality staff members and a hotel manager or his equivalent.

Many cruise lines that are operating currently operating are straight from the family of conventional passenger shipping lines. The others originate from the original cruising organizations which were established early in the days of 1960’s.

WELL-LIKED AND FASHIONABLE CRUISE LINES:-

Presently, there are 52 major cruise lines that are operating in many parts of the world like Europe, United States, and Asia among others. And invariably, most of the headquarters of all these cruise lines are located in Europe and the United States. So, here is the list of the most popular and well known cruise lines:-

1. Birka line:

The starting point of this cruise line is Stockholm and its cruise activities mainly take place in and around the Baltic Sea. It is an Albanian cruiser ship and it mainly focuses on cruising activities. It was created post the acquirement of this ship named M/S Princessan was later rechristened as Prinsessan. The first cruise of this ship was between Stockholm and Mariehamn.

In the year 1972, this ship, took over the M/S Olav, after which it was renamed Baronessan. Many other ships were acquired with the passage of time and passenger ferries and cars have also been introduced in the Stockholm to Helsinki route. One other addition was the M/S Drottningen, a train ferry which provides service from Stockholm to Helsinki via the Leningrad route.

2. Carnival cruise line:

The carnival cruise line is one of the ancillaries of the carnival co. which is the largest cruise corporation in the world. They used to be the leader of shorter and cheaper cruises. They have also been the producers of large ships such as the Carnival Destiny which is the greatest passenger ship weighing 101,000 tons.

In the first quarter of April of 2006, the company has successfully incorporated two more cruise ships to their already existing fleet. The new ships have been named Carnival Freedom, which would be unveiled in the year 2007 and the other one is carnival Splendor, which would be getting a spring 2008 launch.

3. Crystal cruise lines:

The crystal cruise line made its debut in the year 1988 with three high-end medium sized ships. It is more popularly referred to as Crystal Cruises. The Japanese Shipping giant Nippon Yusen Kaisha owns it. These ships have been placed as one of the best cruises almost every year by the Conde Nast Traveler magazine. They have also been placed in the top twenty in almost all guidebooks.

4. Disney cruise line:

It is held by the world renowned Walt Disney company and has its headquarters in Celebration, Florida. Two ships are operated under this line namely, the Disney wonder and the Disney magic together with Castaway Cay, an island designed as a special port for all of Disney’s ships in the Bahamas.

There variation between the two ships lies in the entertainment sections and the restaurants. They have different areas designed as per the likings and preferences of different age groups right from toddlers to children to teenagers to adults.

5. Norwegian cruise lines:

This company has its base in Florida, Miami to be precise and was initially known to be the Norwegian Caribbean Lines when it was formed in 1966. It started off by providing voyages in the Caribbean region at lower costs.

The acquirement of the France cruise ship in the year 1979 which was later renamed and rebuilt as the Norway, laid the foundation stone for the beginning of the era of huge cruise ships that are available today..

There are a variety of other cruises which would suit every other pocket and would make their voyage one of the great memories in their life.

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


Is cruise vacation correct for you?

Where must you go?

Which cruise lines are correct for you?

All people have various questions regarding these cruises. Some people can’t decide if one cruise vacation might be right for all or for the family. Others don’t know what the cruise to take and many can’t decide where it may go.

You should know whether a cruise vacation would right for your family and you. To begin with, anyone might go for some cruise. All that is needed for thinking about is the cruise which is correct for you. Ask this question yourself, about what you are looking for in particular?

Is it that it’s relaxing and romantic, parties, fully of activities, or some of all? Choose which appeal to you very much. Once you decided about what you would want to do during a cruise holiday, it’s easy for finding one which is correct for you all.

Ask some local travel agent which specializes on some cruise vacations which tell the different packages given by cruise lines and ask the friends who went for a cruise vacation previously about this trip.

You may have to learn about the various types of cruises. Many kinds of cruise vacation offer every people’s needs and various interests. There’re luxury cruises in which they give high-class amenities as rival those like five-star hotels on land.

You may also take exploration cruises in which cruise lines give travel for places like the Amazon, Galapagos Islands, also many such unusual destinations. There’re cruises which offer travel for many ports of various countries.

Here, you may explore various cultures of various countries which your cruise is visiting. Family oriented cruise is also available. These types of cruises are recommended for family travellers, especially with kids.

These have various onboard and inland programs which will suit some adults and children too. They give special packages for children, so they would always have things to do for not getting bored or restless even.

These types of cruises are got in the market presently. You must choose one from where all may relax and rejoice. Choosing a cruise line where you might want to spend the vacation is also very important. There are some factors which you must keep in mind while choosing some cruise. Here are some:

• Price - You must know the amount you can afford over a cruise. Prices on cruises vary. If you want one first class cruising experience, you must prepare for spending a lot of cash. There are many cruises which offer economy class which might enable you for saving money while going in some cruise.

• Itineraries - You must also know where a cruise may take you. Going destinations you like may maximize the relaxation and enjoyment during one cruise vacation. They offer various destinations; you may choose for which destination appeals as the best.

• Passengers - Cruise lines which attract various kinds of passengers. Selecting the type of people whom you want to mix with is very important for enabling you to be better and have fun.

All these information are readily available in one travel agency. However, it may also available on the internet. Using the net for obtaining information about some particular cruise is very much convenient and you may compare almost every type of cruises quite easily.

The net also gives articles which are written by various people about the opinion about a cruise vacation. You may base the decision on some articles and sites alone, but it’s still your decision about your place of visit.

William Lund asked:


It started out as a simple week long cruise to Alaska.  My wife and I are avid cruisers…well my wife is and she drags me along. It may appear as though I am enjoying myself, but really I just want to get back to work.  My wife lets me work pretty much all the time, so I want her to enjoy the cruise.  For her to enjoy the cruise she has to think I am having fun too, so that’s why I pretend to enjoy myself.

 

Anyway, back to the Alaskan cruise…some people we met on a cruise were going to go, and so we were going to go along as well.  It’s always fun to cruise with people you’ve met before…assuming you like them of course. A couple of cruises back we went on a cruise to the Caribbean where a large number of people had been yakking at each other on the Cruise Critics message board for almost a year. People all going on the Caribbean cruise of course. It turned out to be a fantastic cruise.  We had so much fun with this huge group of people.  We referred to it as 62 best friends meeting for the first time.  We had some group party’s and a couple of blow-up dolls as mascots and we even had a Pirate theme.  It made the whole cruise far more fun.  Well for Kathy it was a lot of fun, I was just pretending of course.  There are a lot of pictures of the cruise, the group, and even the mascots at my cruisesrfun website.

 

But I digress…back to the Alaskan cruise.  Well, it turned out that a whole bunch of those folks that went on that Caribbean cruise decided to do another cruise together, this time to Acapulco Mexico.  The next thing I knew our Alaskan cruise had become our Acapulco cruise.  I much prefer hot weather to warm and warm to cold, so I had not been looking forward to the Alaskan cruise, but a cruise to sunny Mexico would be another story.  Er uh at least it would be easier to pretend to enjoy the cruise. 

 

One of the nifty things about this cruise is it stops at Zihuatanejo, which is where my step son and his wife got married on the beach. Actually, the beach was called La Playa Ropa, and the wedding was at a restaurant called La Perla.  Well…we thought why not invite our son and his wife and his sister and her husband to go along too.  They are great fun and our son’s wife is Mexican and speaks fluent Spanish…it makes her very handy when in Mexico. 

 

This cruise to Acapulco is at the end of October.  We will be on the ship for Halloween. You know what that means. It means that there will be a mandatory costume party. At least it will be mandatory for anyone married to my wife. Jeeze.  UPS has been making stops at my house several times a week lately bringing things like big fancy ear rings and costumes, and dresses…lots of dresses.  My wife Kathy really likes to dress up on these cruises. I pretend I don’t mind donning my tuxedo a couple of times each cruise.  Apparently I will also be getting dressed up as a Mexican Bandito…with bandoliers holding shot glasses instead of bullets, and holsters that hold tequila bottles.  Kathy is going to go as “Miss Piggy” dressed as “Big Bird”. Doesn’t make sense to me either, but check out our website in early November to see for yourself.

 

This cruise is aboard the Carnival Spirit, and we have never cruised on Carnival.  The last cruise I was on was aboard the HAL Oosterdam, a ship we’ve traveled on twice.  On that cruise I had my iphone, and I could check my email and visit my favorite websites from almost anywhere on the ship. I hope that’s the case with the Spirit.  As usual I will do a cruise review and post it on cruisesrfun.

 

Kathy has been in near constant communication with one of that group of 64, Judy, who happens to be a Travel agent.  So now we’ve been moved around, up graded and God knows what else, but we apparently have the perfect state room…with a wrap-around balcony and plenty of room for that cocktail party.  On this cruise our group will be around 20 people, and I know Kathy and two of her friends are planning at least one cocktail party for the entire group.  A lot of the original group of 64 still chat on the boards, and of course this upcoming cruise has a message board at cruise critics site, and there is daily chatting.  I never get involved in that stuff; I leave it all to Kathy.

 

The cruise begins in San Diego, and we will be staying overnight in the same hotel as the last time we cruised.  Kathy has booked us a room where we can stand on the balcony and watch the ship dock early in the morning.  Last time it was at like 5:00 a.m. or something…I don’t really understand the attraction., but I am pretty sure that at some un-Godly hour I’ll be up watch the ship pull up to the dock.

 

We usually build web pages about our cruise as we go, and upload them to the CruisesRfun website from the ship.  This time we will be doing the same thing.  I have a new digital camera that takes nice movies, and I would really like to begin incorporating videos into my website.  If we can upload at a reasonable speed I’ll certainly have some cool videos posted on the site before the end of the cruise.  If I am really lucky I’ll be able to get some really embarrassing footage of my children for all of their friends to view.

 

On this trip at least, what happens in Mexico will definitely NOT stay in Mexico.  Vive la Internet!

Cindy Heller asked:


What are you waiting if you’ve never been on a Caribbean cruise vacation? Imagine being served on hand and foot only to find you in the most tropical of lands, spending time in true paradise. This is how it’s like on a Caribbean cruise vacation. There’s nothing else like it in the world. When it comes to taking a Caribbean cruise vacation, there are all kinds of special deal. Look around for the best deals and either travel by yourself, bring your family or just have that special someone. There’s so much to do on a Caribbean cruise vacation that you’ll likely find that you don’t have enough time to do it all no matter who you’re with.

1. Go Ahead And Bring The Kids

Don’t worry about bringing the children on a Caribbean cruise vacation. There are activities for them, too. Your never have to worry about then being bored. To keep their overactive minds busy they have all kinds of activities while the adults do whatever they wish. The staff of the Caribbean cruise vacation employees will take good care of the kids so that you can do what you wish and be rest assured that they are properly occupied.

2. Couples Cruises

You won’t be disappointed if you are taking a Caribbean cruise vacation as part of a romantic getaway. The sunsets and sunrises that you’ll see over the ocean will be enough to take your breath away. And there’s nothing better than a tropical paradise, such as the one you’ll experience on your Caribbean cruise vacation, to bring two people closer together. To make your bond one that will stand the test of time, a romantic getaway may be just what you need.

3. You Can Even Bring The Entire Family

Whoever you wish you can even bring the whole family, aunts, uncles, grandma and grandpa. There’s something to do for everyone. Nobody will ever be bored, with shows and music and entertainment, plenty of food and drink as well as other activities aimed at every taste. You know that everyone will be pleased as a Caribbean cruise vacation is the perfect vacation to bring the family.

You are taken care of by the staff, well fed, and entertained. What else could you ask for in a Caribbean cruise vacation?

Guide to Choosing the Right Caribbean Holiday Cruise For You

In order to accommodate the large amount of people wishing to take a cruise, the cruise industry has expanded over the years. However, we are different and have different likes and dislikes which we usually want to take into consideration when taking a vacation because vacations are meant to relax, have fun and rejuvenate.

With that in mind, different cruise companies along the years targeted different group of people in order to make cruising more enjoyable achieve what we all want from a vacation. Every day there are no less than half a dozen ships leaving for the Caribbean. They are from different cruise companies with a completely different sort of crowd on each one of them; here is how you can learn which cruise ship is right for your Caribbean holiday prior to you getting on board.

Know A Bit About The Cruise Industry

In order to be able to provide the desired activities, food and entertainment for instance, each cruise line targets a different type of crowd. Carnival cruises are recognized as the ‘fun ships’ for the reason that they target the younger generation, teenagers and young families and for that reason, you will find many parties, 24 hour fast food counters and many reasonably priced cocktails.

Chat with your travel agent and let him or her know what your preferences are in order for him or her to suggest the perfect cruise ship for you, the best way to choose the right cruise ship company for you, which offers what you want from a Caribbean holiday cruise.

Caribbean holiday cruises travel on the eastern and western and southern Caribbean and each journey will differ greatly in prices depending on the ports of call and the time spent at sea. Caribbean holiday cruises are for 3, 5, 7 and at times even 10 days; the most popular Caribbean holiday cruise is seven days because it is made of the right sum of days in port and at sea in order for you to travel around and have fun as well as unwind and revitalize before getting back at work.

Helpful Tips

In order to find out which one will suit you and your requirements best or on the particular cruise liner’s website, you can do some research online and read passengers reviews and comments before picking a Caribbean holiday cruise. The only way to get the best deals for any cruise at any time of the year is to book your Caribbean holiday cruise through your travel agent.

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


Are you tired of working eight hours a day, seven days a week? Are you getting bored of your everyday routine and want something new to satisfy your craving for adventure?

Then perhaps, all you need is a three-day or even a week worth of vacation in a Carnival Cruise. This trip is an ideal way to treat yourself, even for a few days. While on the trip, you do not need to worry too much about paying additional charges for your meals, amusement and other special activities. All you just have to do is to relax and charge everything to the ship.

While on the ship, you will also experience being pampered by the staff since they will give you soothing massage services, sauna baths in spas, hair treatment and other beauty care services. All of these are available in one location; you just have to walk to each shop to get the services.

Carnival cruise is regarded as one of the most famous cruise lines in the world. Most of the travelers waiting to reach their destinations simply eat, dream and dance the day and night away.

Carnival cruises are popular to first time travelers, from children to teenagers, from young singles to the older singles, from couples to adults. The best things to experience at the Carnival cruise includes informal dinner at the Sea View Bistro, a suitable 24-hour pizza restaurant, the Captain’s party, fine dining, and the room services which are available 24 hours a day.

Not only that, you will also get the chance watch movies everyday, play at the Las Vegas style casinos, swim at onboard pools, shop at the duty free shopping and join parties every now and then.

Carnival cruise is an entertainment oriented cruise ship for all traveling singles, couples and families, it brings many travelers from all ages, and lifestyles on the ship is comparable to any other cruise line available. You will also be given the chance to enjoy a sumptuous evening in cafes and restaurants onboard such as the Paris Lounge, Café des Artistes, and the casino of Monte Carlo.

Carnival cruise also offers complete comfort with large spaces and calming accommodations inside one of their staterooms. The cabins and rooms are fully carpeted with cabinets and amenities like sink, bathtubs, and showers. Each room also has a color television. You will find all the amenities you will find in the comforts of your own home in a Carnival cruise liner cabin.

The rooms of Carnival cruise are 50 percent bigger than other average cruise lines wherein you can have a hundred percent private space.

If there are instances that you are not contented with the services offered by Carnival cruises, you can inform the cruise liner about this. The cruise will be willing to compensate for the unused part of your cruise charges and will reimburse your return flight fare.

Now, how will you be able to get the lowest rate in the carnival Cruise?

Simply get a cruise expert.

With the help of a cruise expert, you will be able to remove or at least minimize all the doubts and hesitations when employing a travel agent. Since the expert knows on how cruise lines work, they will know the best date to have a vacation on a specific place. Cruise experts are also knowledgeable about the cruise promotions, cruise information and cruise destinations.

When looking for a cruise expert, meet them face to face if possible. This is one way to make sure that the expert you are employing has already been in a cruise and knows exactly what you want to know. In addition, when choosing the right cruise expert, be sure that the expert will guide you on the whole booking procedure.

To make sure that the expert will not deceive you, call the cruise line then make a comparison on how he or she hascharged you to the actual rate that the cruise line is giving. Just make sure that the rate is already covering all port charges and taxes.

For most cruise vacationers, it does not matter how much it will cost them to have the cruise vacation. However, for some, it really is important to save money. So, if you are one of those people, you now know what to do to lessen your expenses.

Genna Roberts asked:


Imagine the scenario; you have booked your cruise and since found out you are pregnant, you may well be wondering if it will be safe for you to travel. Alternatively, you may be expecting a baby and looking for a cruise to give you a relaxing break before all the hard work begins! Either way there are a few important factors to consider before making your decision.

Cruising can be a perfect holiday choice for mums to be as everything you need is all in one place, and easily accessible. Whether you fancy exploring the different ports, swimming or taking advantage of the spa, you can make your cruise as relaxing or as active as you choose, and with a wide variety of foods available 24 hours a day, cravings needn’t be a concern either.

However, particularly if you are in the later stages of pregnancy, you need to bear in mind that some of the cruise lines may not allow you to travel, and furthermore, although there will be medical staff onboard, they may not have the facilities to deal with your specific needs or any complications that may occur during your pregnancy.

Each of the cruise lines have their own guidelines for pregnant passengers. These vary from 24 weeks to a more relaxed 28 weeks, with some just requesting that pregnant guests have a medical certificate stating that they are fit to travel.

Listed below are current guidelines for each cruise line;

The following cruise lines insist that passengers must not have entered their 24th week of pregnancy by the time of disembarkation;

Carnival Cruise Lines, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Ocean Village Holidays, Orient Lines, P&O, Regent Seven Seas and Silversea.

Both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises will not accept any passengers onboard who have entered their 27th week of pregnancy before or during the cruise.

Fred Olsen and MSC will not permit any passenger who is more than 28 weeks pregnant by the end of the cruise to sail.

Island Cruises advise that pregnant passengers should check with their doctors to find out if it is safe for them to travel. If passengers are more than 28 weeks pregnant at the time of the return flight, medical certificates are required. If passengers are more than 34 weeks pregnant at the time of their return flight they will not be able to travel.

Finally Thomson recommend that pregnant passengers who are less than 12 weeks pregnant should seek medical advice prior to travel, and require a medical certificate to confirm fitness to travel for any guests who are more than 28 weeks pregnant.

The above information should be used as a guide, and it is advised that you contact the cruise lines prior to booking in case of any changes to their policies. The majority of the cruise lines will require a medical certificate to confirm you are in a fit state to travel, even if you are within their guideline dates.

So that is the cruise guidelines, but what about the flights? If you are considering a fly cruise, you will also need to double check the airlines policy.

As a general rule, pregnant women are allowed to fly up to and including their 36th week, providing the pregnancy has been straightforward. International air transport association (IATA) guidelines state that pregnant women are allowed to fly in weeks 36 to 38 if the flying time does not exceed four hours.

However, many airlines will not carry pregnant women after 36 weeks so it is important to check with each individual airline before travel.

So now you know whether or not you’re able to cruise, all that’s left to worry about is how to deal with the combination of morning and sea sickness!

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


sion is made on a cruise. All cruises provide useful facilities like rooms, airfare, meals, entertainment and boarding packages but the thing is which one suits you the best.

Many people have cruising vacation only because it provides them entertainment, relaxation and comfort and make the vacation a pleasant experience. So these are essentials that must be provided by a cruise line to its clients.

Some important factors and things that must be kept in mind while planning a cruise vacation are given below

• First and foremost decide on the destination to which your cruise should be headed and with that choose a cruise line. This will help and ensure maximum enjoyment. Different locations across the world are offered by cruise liners in various packages. Some of the popular places like Alaska, Panama Island, Mexico channel and Caribbean sea are the ones that are most favoured by vacationers.

• The number of people who are going to accompany you on your vacation also plays a major role in the selection of cruise lines as well as destination. Different ships are offered by various cruise lines for various purposes like honeymoons or family getaways. For example, for the whole family, there are family oriented ships, where adults and kids alike can enjoy. There are also romantically themed cruise ships in which there are activities like dances and romantic dinners meant only for couples to participate.

• The choice of a cruise vacation must be made, based not only on your budget. While choosing a cruise line, go for the best. Look for the best that is affordable by you and go for it. There are cruise lines that offer maximum excitement and fun for every kind of people and within their budget at that.

• Another thing that must be determined before the vacation is the duration of the cruise. Being in an island, instead of being at work, and worrying about what await you when you return will spoil the whole vacation. Cruise lines offer various sailing schedules that are a variety of lengths. Choose the one that suits your schedule best. There are cruises that offer 4 month world tours as well as those that offer a few weeks’ local tours.

• While choosing a cruise ship, consider the activities in a particular ship. Basic facilities like good accommodation along with a proper bath should be present. There should be various recreational activities like ice skating, rock climbing, scuba diving, swimming pools, gambling facilities, spas and gyms and others. Choose the cruise line that satisfies your needs as activities differ in each company’s ships.

• Also particular ships of companies must be considered. Its inauguration dates must be checked and details as to age of the ship must be collected. Go on a tour of the ship if possible and note how staff work and check if the staff practices cleanliness.

• Try to obtain an early reservation in a cruise line. It means less difficulty getting a cruise, wider variety and cheaper packages. If the reservation is done well in advance, you can avail a load of discounts. Visit any cruising line’s website for schedules of cruises. Online booking is also offered by many cruise lines. Knowledge of cruise schedule can also be obtained from travel agents who specialize in cruise vacation.

• Make a reservation as early as possible if you wish to have a shore excursion to avoid disappointment and frustration. These are great opportunities to visit and know about the culture of other countries. Also, best bargain shopping is available there.

These are just a few tips for planning a cruise vacation. The best deal available can be obtained by hiring a travel agent who specializes in cruise vacations for you.

Ask about particular cruises and the amenities provided by them to the travel agents, for they can be very good advisors.

Genna Roberts asked:


Here at Inside Cruise we like to keep our members in the know with all the latest cruise advice. So here are some of our top insider tips to help you get the best deals when it comes to booking your next cruise.

1. Booking your Cruise

It may seem logical to book your cruise directly with the cruise line, but this isn’t always going to get you the best price. You may find a travel agent can offer a discounted price on the same cruise which means great savings for you. But don’t make the mistake of assuming you will get the best quote simply by walking into your high street agent, come on, you have to do a little work to save yourself some money! Which leads me to my next point…

2. Getting Quotes

Accepting the first price you are quoted wont always get you the best deal. The key is to get prices from a few different companies. Travel agents work hard to earn commission on each sale, and the more they have to discount for you, means less money for them. Again, this is where a little hard work now pays off later. It seems just about every travel agent promises to price beat, so, take advantage and hunt around for the lowest price. When you have it, why not go back to the most helpful agent, and see if they can beat it? It’s not always just the lowest price you’re looking for either, P&O, Princess, Cunard and Ocean Village for example will offer onboard credit to selected agents on different dates on many of their cruises.

3. Customer Loyalty

It’s sad but true; loyalty does not always pay off. You may have received a great deal on your last cruise and have gone back to your same agent expecting another. It is still important to be ringing around. As an existing customer, these travel agents know they already have your custom, they also know you are less likely to be ringing other companies for prices. Obviously, this isn’t always the case, some agents will genuinely reward their loyal customers, but it’s always worth checking.

4. Booking Onboard

We have all been there; 13 nights into your fortnight holiday, and it all feels like it’s over far too soon. And, if it’s been really good, all you can think about is when you can come back again. Well, good news - on many cruises you will be given the opportunity to rebook a cruise onboard with the purser or at the future cruise desk. They may be offering discounted prices, onboard spending money and lower deposits to secure your booking there and then. If you do rebook onboard, but feel discounts and onboard credit still isn’t enough, once you get home, why not check a few prices offered by travel agents? If they can offer a further discount, you may be able to get the booking transferred to them. The best part is, you still get to keep any benefits offered to you for booking onboard whilst taking advantage of the lower price.

5. Cruise Only

It is becoming increasingly popular to tailor make your own cruise holiday, this not only gives you the luxury of flexibility with your travel plans, but can be a more cost effective way to holiday.

It may be surprising to hear that when booking your cruise package (flights, hotel stays and transfers) with the cruise line, the flight can cost more than the cruise itself!

The idea is to get “cruise only”. This means you are just taking the cruise from the cruise line and will find alternative flights and hotels elsewhere. Your travel agent can then search around for you to find a suitable flight, transfer and hotel stay as required. This can save you a whole lot of money, and allow you to choose your preferred flight and hotel, too.

It isn’t always advisable to do this, particularly if it is your first cruise, or if you are going to a destination that you are unsure of, but for many popular cruise ports including Miami, New York, Barcelona and even Vancouver it is very easy to do yourself.

Importantly, by booking the flight through your travel agent, you will still be covered by their ATOL license which protects your travel plans, (something to check before booking) and, furthermore, they will be knowledgeable about transfer times and can book a flight that will get you to your destination in good time for your cruise.

6. Shore Excursions

My final tip is to do some research on the ports you will be visiting before you go. Yes, I’m afraid it involves a little work on your part, but its well worth doing.

It is easy to play it safe and go along with the sometimes pricy excursions offered by the cruise lines, and in many cases, an arranged excursion is a great, safe way to see places. However, often the destination is at the port, so you can explore yourself, or you may find it cheaper to hop in a taxi and head to places you really want to see and not the places the cruise lines want to take you. Also, be aware that if you pay for arranged excursions before you go, and they are cancelled, due to weather or a change in port of call on the itinerary, you may not be refunded.

Well there it is, enough inside information to make any travel agent squirm… So go out there, do a little work, and make sure you get the very best deal on your next cruise.

Abhishek Agarwal asked:


Many people are of the habit of making sudden decision. In spite of not being planned properly as it should have been, it still has got its own merits which is beneficial to many people. The ability to stop what worries them and escape from the additional expenses and other troubles last minute cruises will include is one of those.

So, the time you plan on taking a vacation next, sign up for the deals offerred by cruise lines with an open mind, even though your vacation is alarmingly close.

As the vacations approach, deals also get their advantages. These chances should not be let to take advantage of you.

In the beginning, it may look as if the cruise’s price is already reduced, but in the end, you will end up spending money for being on the cruise which will be more than what would have been spent if your reservations were done in advance. These are indeed true, but then already some last minute discounts are included in it and they make a huge bargain as they are all all-inclusive. These depend on the cruise deal that is made in the last minute by you. This implies that you will save money in everything, right from meals eaten to the entertainment in the cruise.

The cruise deal comprises of your trip, lodging or accommodation, meals ( right from break-fast down to lunch, dinner and even midnight snacks) and the other entertainment and amusements offerred.

The cruise is better when compared to any ordinary vacation. This is because:

• Fine and formal/casual dining

• Round the clock service

• Gym and spa

• Swimming pool

• Beauty care centers and day spa

• A variety of lounges and first class entertainment theatres

• Duty free gift house

• Casino

No other vacation deals offer all these services as a lot. All this is accessible in a cruise by walking around the cruise enjoying the scenic view of the moonlight, water, etc..

These facilities available in a cruise ship with cruise deals, last minute ones at that, it will surpass all other types of vacations known to you.

Looking for a good cruise deal:

Be flexible. There are loads of reasons why last minute deals still exists in many cruise lines. Usually cruises allot some rooms for discounts and last minute clients. The facilities are similar as that offerred to the clients who paid full price.

Always, trip cancellations by a client are an unavoidable event. Thus vacancies will occur in the cruise and these vacant rooms will be allotted for clients who wish to join the cruise in the last minute.

Obtaining the best cruise deal available in the last minute:

Your savings made in the cruise deal can be multiplied by reserving boarding during the off-peak seasons. At these times, the prices of cruise reservations are lowered. You can also save money by Cruising to a place that does not have a regular departure date but you think it is a fascinating place.

A few tips for searching for good cruise deals are given below:

• Start enquiring about cruise deals well before your vacations and regularly monitor it for special price reduction and promos so that they can be grabbed as soon as they are announced.

• Be flexible – To save more money, change your vacation dates. Postpone or pre pone it by a few days.

• Be adventurous – If great deals are offerred by a cruise to a new place, make a grab for it. You will not only save money in doing this, but will also give your own self a chance to visit a place that is new to you. Usually introductory prices are offerred for them and these are relatively cheap.

• Keep yourself updated with latest details of cruises by looking them up on the net, which always updates cruise deals information itself and advertises for possible openings.

• Be determined. Identify the cruise that you want really. There are many cruises which are of different types and can offer you a number of themes. To ensure complete satisfaction, you need to be certain about your needs while choosing the cruise that tailors your satisfaction.

So when you wish to go on a vacation but have your vacation dates approaching, don’t hesitate. Follow the given tips so that the pleasure is there for you in the next cruise awaiting you.

Joe Collinsworth asked:


What type of cruise are you taking? Are you planning a week long voyage on the open seas upon one of the major cruise lines?

Who wouldn’t want to be sailing on a pleasure boat enjoying many of your favorite items all in one spot?

There is shopping, gambling, relaxing, sports and activities, great food, and different ports to venture off on. However, did you know there are other types of cruises you can enjoy on any vacation?

We are here to open your eyes to the various pleasure cruises you and your loved ones can sail off on. Are you curious? Well pack your bags, untie the ropes, and let’s venture off on the open water to see what fun we can have!!

Our favorite vacation cruises:

1. Luxury/Pleasure Cruise. A week or more on a giant cruise ship, enjoying luxury at its best. Caribbean, European, Hawaiian, Alaskan, or whichever cruise you take, you will embark on a journey that will take you places you’ve never been before.

Visit different ports of call, take in the sightseeing, shopping, food and more at any of the islands, relax or participate in as many activities as you can, or drink/eat your vacation away. It is all there and more when you splurge on a major cruise line and really treat yourselves to a life of luxury.

2. Theme Cruise. What about a Disney Cruise or company cruise? Your itinerary may be a bit different on a theme-type cruise. Great for family vacations, romantic vacations, honeymoons, or celebrations, a theme cruise can provide that little extra you may not find on a traditional cruise.

3. Gambling or Riverboat Cruises. If you are an avid gambler or love to take a weekend and hit up Vegas or any casino area, then a gambling cruise will whisk you away to do exactly what you love- play cards, take in entertainment, and enjoy great food on the open ocean. Why not add that extra enjoyment of a cruise?

4. Day Cruises. No matter what vacation destination you venture to, most tourist towns offer exciting day/night cruises. Fun for everyone to enjoy take your pick from dinner cruises usually with live entertainment, sightseeing tours, singles cruises, family cruises, and overall fun. You will see the sights, enjoy an array of activities, mouthwatering food, entertainment, and most importantly good company and miraculous views.

5. Barefoot Cruises. Instead of sailing off a huge liner, why not do a barefoot cruise on a sailboat. This type of cruise will offer an experience you’ll never forget. Gather with other sea lovers to lounge, sunbathe, read, socialize, dance and party from sun-up to sundown.

This is just the tip of the iceberg to give you an idea of how much fun you can have and what types of cruises you can enjoy. Whether you want to live in the life of luxury for a few days, hit the casinos to gamble, or spend a few days on land and a few days on the sea there is a cruise for singles to families alike.