Like many Americans, my family skipped exchanging gifts this year, which is a good thing since I have a bit more money to buy a cruise vacation when prices are at all-time lows.
While stores make most of their income during the Christmas season, the first quarter of the year is a make-or-break time for cruise lines. Get ready for an onslaught of steeply discounted cruises to start popping up all over the Internet. And, if a 50 percent discount isn’t enough, you’ll find cruise fares slashed even more.
“Fear has a price,” noted Bob Dickinson, ex-president of Carnival Cruise Lines when cruisers gobbled up steep discounts after 9/11. And he was right: we were afraid to travel but hey, if the price is low enough, decided we can keep a lid on the fear and grab a steep bargain that may never be available again. And while none of the cruise lines made profits for a while, enough people cruised to pay for the crew’s wages.
There are other big incentive to book cruises such as the elimination of fuel surcharges which added as much as $15 per person, per day to the vacation tab. In addition, it’s much easier to take a cruise because so many vessels sail from U.S. ports. Today you can sail year-round from New York, Charleston and Baltimore to the Caribbean instead of adding the extra expense of air travel to Florida during the winter.
The economy leaves everyone fearful about the future and skittish about buying anything. However, if you’re worried about booking a cruise and then loosing your job, travel insurance such as Access America and Travel Guard protect your purchase should something happens to your job.
Tips On Getting The Best Deals
*** The easiest and fastest way to learn about discounts is to get them delivered to your mailbox. I recommend signing up for free email newsletters at agencies which offer outstanding service and low prices, such as America’s Vacation Center, Cruise 411, White Travel. If your friends are frequent cruisers, ask them for a travel agent referral if they have an agent who is particularly good.
*** When a terrific cruise discount arrives, don’t wait to make a deposit and book it quickly. There are plenty of experienced cruisers also looking for these deals and the best ones will go quickly.
*** Never, ever buy a cruise based on price alone. What is more valuable than your money is your time. It’s no bargain to end up on a ship you hate because the price was right. Because you’ve picked one of the travel agents above ask them to recommend the best ships you can afford.
** Always buy travel insurance (I recommend Access America and Travel Guard)to avoid loosing money if you don’t reach the ship on time for any reason. If you must fly to take a cruise, always plan on arriving a day early and spend a pre-cruise hotel stay in a local hotel.
*** The cheapest cruises are frequently offered on MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line. Unless you’re a huge fan of NCL’s Freestyle program, I suggest checking out Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess and Holland America, which also offer huge cruise bargains this year. You may be shocked to learn you can afford a much better cruise experience than you think.
Sample Discount Cruises
Cruise 411offers 73% savings on seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises from Miami of Carnival Valor with fares starting at $449 (inside) $559 (oceanview), $748 (balcony) and $999 (suite.) A ten-night Brilliance of the Seas cruise from Barcelona starts at $599 (inside); $699 (ocean view); $799 (balcony) and $1,499 (suite).
*** If your heart is set on a specific ship, such as a transatlantic crossing of Queen Mary 2, wait until prices come down (I promise you, they will). Ask your travel agent to advise you the moment fares are discounted.
*** Europe Riverboat cruises are especially good values since the cruise fare includes a nice stateroom, all food and shore excursions. I suggest visiting Viking River Cruises’ web site for discounts of up to 40%. Another top riverboat company, Peter Deilmann Cruises is offering $99 round-trip air and shore excursions plus additional discounts on cruises.
*** White Travel offers an eight-day repositioning cruise from New York to San Juan on Oct. 24, 2009 at fares beginning at $399 (plus $380 for port, fuel, taxes).
Take advantage of the steeply discounted cruise prices that are available now. After 9/11, experienced cruisers gobbled up the best cruise discounts which only lasted a half year or so.
(Journalist Anne Campbell has been covering the cruise industry since 1993. She is editor in chief of ShipCritic Blog and Cruising From New York.)
