The Cruise Addicts Talk Show is broadcasting pier-side for the christening of Carnival Sunshine, formerly Carnival Destiny. Hear what all the excitement is all about.
Carnival Sunshine Christening Ceremony
Begin Your Cruise Buy Here And Save A Bundle
If it seems that there are always cruise sales, bonus bargains, special offers and past-guest only programs available when booking a cruise vacation, there is a good reason. There are. Cruise lines constantly bombard us with discounts and reduced price offers ranging from 25 to 50% or more off regular pricing. Knowing how to weave our way through the complex matrix of pricing options requires a little work but can reap huge rewards and ultimately the very best cruise value.
The first trick to making it all work is to get our heads in the right place. Thinking about just the lowest price, like we might when looking for the best rate from point A to point B for an airfare purchase can be dangerous business. Unlike airfares where we have a pretty good idea what the experience will be like, cruise vacations can differ greatly depending on how they are booked. Booking airfare we go into the search thinking “I need the least expensive flight from New York to Los Angeles on October 12″. If we belong to a frequent-flyer club on certain airlines, prefer a certain seating location or flight times, we weigh those variables as well but there are few other factors to consider.
Booking a cruise vacation we really can’t say “I need the least expensive ride around the Caribbean around October 12.” Well, we could but cruise lines have ongoing offers, discounts, promotions and deals that we may not know about. Going directly to the cruise line website may or may not reveal the best value. And value is the key, not low price. Often, value trumps low price with a cruise vacation and by paying slightly more, huge gains can be had. That said, the best place for serious travelers to find the best value for a cruise vacation is with a travel agent specializing in cruise vacations.
But where to find one? That is often the big question
“A competent travel adviser can be your greatest asset when you’re planning a trip” says consumer advocate Chris Elliott. “Good travel agents have an edge over almost any other seller of travel. They know what you want. They speak your language.”
But how to go about finding one of these good agents is the trick. Consider these suggestions to help with the hunt:
Attitude check
Start by getting your head in the right place. To get the most out of a travel agent, you and that agent need to be working on a long-term business relationship that will benefit you far into the future. If you think along those critical lines, you already eliminate a whole lot of travel agents who are just in it for the commission.
Make a list and check it twice
Asking friends and family, maybe business associates, who they use is a great way to find a potential candidate. If you work for a large company that has a travel desk or uses one exclusive agency, that might be a good place to start also.
Engage
Start by asking questions of potential agents. “Are you certified?”, “How long have you been selling cruises? and other revealing questions are a must.
Test the waters
One of the big advantages of using a travel agent is saving time but a spending a little time up front locating that good agent is worth it.
At some point, you have to take the leap to using a travel agent. Try it on a simple booking you might have done online by yourself in the past. See first-hand if that agent comes through with a better value and overall better travel experience.
If they do, you have found your agent. If not, keep looking. The benefits of finding an agent right for you that produces good results is worth the investment of your time.
Royal Princess Listener Review and Cruise Industry News
Kristin Ladewig from St. Louis gives us her review of Princess Cruises brand new Royal Princess, sailing a five-night Caribbean sailing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Plus, Cruise Guy returns with cruise news.
The Cruise Industry: How Far We’ve Come
Looking back on how far the cruise industry has come since 1900.
Essential Items To Pack For Your Cruise
When it comes time to pack for your cruise, there is no doubt that you won’t forget to pack your clothes, toiletries, electronics, and your cruise documents. However, there a few items that cruisers tend to overlook that are a true must have once you are at sea. Here is my short list of necessary items that you shouldn’t forget to set sail with.
Wrinkle Removing Spray
This new spray is pretty “fresh” on the market and has received generally positive reviews across the boards. Basically, it’s a spray that once applied to a piece of clothing, allows you to smooth out the wrinkles in your suitcase wrinkled clothes. Many cruise ships do not offer complimentary ironing rooms, but unless you plan on paying for your clothes to be pressed, this new spray will help you look your finest for formal evenings.
Home Craft Supplies
Pens, sharpies, tape, scissors – you name it! Home craft supplies can come in handy during your cruise for many purposes. With pens and sharpies, you can write your children’s names on their souvenir cups, you can use tape to post a note on the back of your cabin door for your cabin mate, and you might even need scissors to cut off an elusive price tag from your new formal evening wear. Home craft supplies can be very useful for in cabin use and can make your cruise more enjoyable when you’re not walking around the ship with a hole in your new shirt from the tag you had to pull off.
A Clock
While time isn’t a major concern for most cruisers, it is nice to be able to know what time the Lido party begins at. Most cruise lines do not provide clocks in the staterooms, so it would useful to either bring one from home or download a clock app for your smart phone. If an alarm function is available, you can use it to make sure you wake up when you would like to begin your day aboard or in port. Just make sure your clock stay’s in the time zone your ship has chosen to follow!
Everyday Medication
Do you have a headache? Well get ready to pay big bucks for the smallest bottle of Ibuprofen, which happens to be the 500 count bottle. While many ships carry basic medication in their shops, they usually only carry large quantities of the medication. So, while you may need only 1 or 2 tablets of Ibuprofen, you will end up paying for about 100 tablets. Bringing small quantities of everyday medication such as Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Tums, Pepto Bismol, and Dramamine will save you money in the event you may need medicinal aid while at sea. For cruisers who are on prescription medication, bring the necessary amount of medication you will need while onboard. Odds are that the onboard shops won’t sell Ibuaspirintumpeptolactate or any other (not made up) prescription drugs.
Wave Season Is Coming: Where To Buy
Wave Season, the time of year when many of us buy a cruise vacation, runs from January through March. In Wave Season Is Coming, Are You Ready? we started talking about actually booking your cruise and gave you some good reasons why notto buy from an Internet Cruise Broker. Today we’re going to talk a little more about those Internet Cruise Brokers and introduce you to Travel Agents who can be the key that will unlock the door to your best cruise value during wave season.
The job of almost all Internet Cruise Brokers stops once you pay.
They simply don’t have time for you. To get those low prices they commonly give up a large amount of their commission. They still have bills to pay so they rely on a huge volume of business to survive, sometimes bending the rules or taking your money but not turning it over to the cruise line. A classic case, www.CruiseValueCenter.com, formerly one of the big Internet Cruise Broker’s websites, shut down and were offering site visitors advice on how to recoup money they had paid. If that is not enough reason stay clear of an Internet Cruise Broker, I don’t know what is.
I feel bad for those who may have had their vacation plans disrupted by the shut down of sites like that. This is a really good reason to concentrate on “Value” rather than simply “Price”. Yes, that advertised price of $199 for a cruise sounds great initially. But in many cases the end price can be nearly double that once port charges, taxes and fees that everyone pays are added in, not to mention optional buried fees one might fall into.
Find a Travel Agent who offers the best value, not just the best price.
Commonly, when all the numbers are considered, the Travel Agent has the better value in the long run. That’s compared to Internet Cruise Brokers or even with buying direct from the cruise line. And isn’t that what really counts?
A professional, certified cruise Travel Agent can be your friend in the business that provides a really necessary service, much like you might use an accountant to help with your finances. The business relationship between you and a Travel Agent is one of trust that is built over time. “Your” agent will come to know and take a personal interest in what is best for you. He or she will be constantly on guard of your vacation plans, taking advantage of special offers, using their behind the scenes contacts and daily up-to-date knowledge of the industry on your behalf.
The best part? This costs you nothing. Travel Agents are paid a commission by the cruise line. You truly have nothing to lose and everything to gain. There are Travel Agents who are simply sales people and Travel Agents who offer a service that will offer you great value in the long run.
Top 10 Cruise News Stories From 2013
2013 was a high profile year for the cruise industry. From unfortunate fires, to the debut of new ships, and even Fiats escorting ships into port. Let’s review the top 10 headlines from the cruise industry in 2013.
Carnival Triumph Fire
Kicking off 2013, Carnival’s Carnival Triumph suffered an engine fire in her aft engine room on February 10, 2013. As a result of the fire, the ship lost most of its power and propulsion, setting the ship adrift. The Carnival Triumph was soon towed back to the United States, docking in Mobile, Alabama late at night on February 14th. The fire onboard the Carnival Triumph led Carnival to undertake a fleet wide review of their fleet’s safety systems and install additional generators onboard each ship.
Grandeur of the Seas Fire
A few months later, Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas suffered a fire on one of her rear crew decks. As a result, guests were required to report to their muster stations. After the fire was extinguished, the ship proceeded to sail towards Freeport, Bahamas under her own propulsion. Guests were flown back to the United States following their arrival in Freeport.
Costa Concordia Raising
Roughly over a year after the tragic sinking of the Costa Concordia, the ship was finally righted on September 17, 2013. After a multiple hour operation, the Costa Concordia was finally lifted from her side and placed upright in the water. Now, crews are preparing the ship to be re floated and towed to an undisclosed scrapyard.
Smoking Bans
Cruise lines took a strong stance against smoking this year, many banning it altogether from balconies. Royal Caribbean, Disney, Cunard, P&O, and MSC North America banned smoking on all balconies. The group or cruise lines cited guest feedback, health concerns, and the obvious risk of fire as the primary reasons to extinguish the flame on balcony smoking.
Venice Restrictions
In a predictable move, local Venetian officials enacted legislation banning all cruise ships over 96,000 GRT from navigating the main Venetian lagoon and canal. In addition, the number of cruise ships sailing through the main canal will be cut by 20%. The decision came after months of large scale protests by local citizens. Venetian officials are researching a new route for cruise ships to navigate for sailing into Venice.
Carnival Sunshine Renovation
The Carnival Sunshine, formerly known as the Carnival Destiny, debuted this past summer after a roughly month long renovation at Fincantieri’s Trieste shipyard. The Carnival Sunshine underwent a major transformation, rebuilding and redesigning almost every area of the ship. The ship later debuted with a string of unfinished projects, which were soon resolved. The Carnival Sunshine’s renovation was the largest renovation project undertaken by Carnival in its history.
Disney Magic Renovation
The Disney Magic also underwent a major transformation across the Mediterranean in Cadiz, Spain. Undergoing a redesign of many public areas, the ship’s renovation was the largest undertaken for Disney Cruise Line.
MSC Divina Arrives In Miami
MSC’s first year round North American ship arrived in Miami with much fanfare on November 19, 2013, announcing the Italians had arrived. The MSC Divina was escorted into PortMiami by a small fleet of Fiat’s, quickly gliding over the water and jumping through the ship’s wake. The event quickly went viral on Twitter and YouTube.
New Ships
While 2013 was a small year for new ship debuts, two important ships made their debut early in the year. Norwegian’s Norwegian Breakaway and Princess’ Royal Princess both are new builds for their respective cruise lines and are launches to new classes of ships. Both debuted to much fanfare and celebrities such as the Rockettes and Gavin MacLeod. Both ships will be followed by a sister ship in 2014.
Drink Packages
2013 also saw an increase in the number of cruise lines offering all inclusive beverage packages. Royal Caribbean, Princess, and Holland America Line debuted new beverage packages, offering guests a new variety of options for onboard beverages.
Viking Star’s Keel Laid, Marking New Milestone for Viking Cruises
What started with the first Steel being cut in June 2013 has progressed fast. This week Viking Cruises announced the keel was laid for its first ocean cruise vessel, Viking Star. This marks the next phase of construction for the company’s first-ever ocean cruise product. A ceremony took place on Wednesday, December 18, at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard outside Venice, Italy.
The laying of the keel is a formal recognition of the start of construction. The 930-passenger Viking Star features state-of-the-art design from seasoned nautical architects and engineers. The company is not slowing down its amazing growth as it also plans to launch a record-breaking 14 new river vessels – Viking Longships® – in March 2014.
“Our new ocean itineraries are selling at an unprecedented rate, and the enthusiasm we have seen from guests is truly remarkable,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking Cruises. “There is undoubtedly interest in an ocean cruise experience that returns the focus to the destination, and Viking is actively planning to meet that demand.”
Viking’s ocean itineraries will include Viking Star’s maiden voyages in Scandinavia and the Baltic; and the Western and Eastern Mediterranean. Classified by some as a “small ship,” the all-veranda custom-designed vessel allows travelers to get closer than ever to their destinations with maximum time in ports, while highlighting history, art and local culture through privileged-access excursions and onboard experiences that are truly designed for the experienced traveler.
For additional details, contact Viking Cruises toll-free at 1-855-8-VIKING (1-855-884-5464) or visit www.vikingcruises.com.
Yet Another Reason To Consider Using A Travel Agent
On board Viking River Cruises longship Viking Skadi recently, I thought a lot about undeniable value of using a travel agent. Not so much for their ability to make the booking; cruise travelers can do that by calling cruise line to get the job done. They can also book most cruise vacations on line. But on that river cruise sailing, a great option for some and a bad choice for others, having a travel professional on their side still reaps huge rewards.
The click-to-book Internet reservation option might be easy but denies us the representation offered by a travel agent. Calling the cruise line we may talk to someone who knows what they offer but other options are not mentioned. A travel professional with our best interests in mind will match us with appropriate travel options then be our advocate down the road, when other packages, discounts or deals come up that may be to our advantage.
Cruise vacations represent an undeniable value. That we unpack once and visit multiple locations, so much is included in the price and other common elements of the experience that are huge selling points for those agents. Still, these are things that savvy travelers can figure out for themselves. The mechanics of going on a cruise are well documented on web sites like this one too.
It is the one-on-one personal element provided by a travel agent, one interested in a lifelong relationship with their clients, that is probably the single most important reason to use one, and a very viable reason as well. Not because they will get a ‘better deal’ through an agent. The initial price, if one chooses to take the required time to do the research necessary to get it, will probably be the same with or without an agent. That traveler can even keep up on future promotions offered by the cruise line that may reduce the price or add value if they keep up on that research. But the initial recommendation, made by someone who has been there and done that, is pure gold.
By the way, it was a travel agent who recommended we take our first cruise a dozen years ago on Carnival Fascination, then sailing from Miami to Key West and Cozumel. Without that recommendation back then, I would probably not have seen these Christmas Markets in Europe via a river cruise today. Here is some of what I might have missed-
3 Reasons That Make Specialty Restaurants A Great Choice
Specialty dining has become all the rage in the modern cruise industry. Gone are the days of traditional set time dining in the main dining room. Cruisers tastes and views of dining have substantially changed over the years, leading to the redevelopment of dining onboard cruise ships. The most notable change – the addition of specialty restaurants. Here are the main three reasons for why specialty restaurants have become such a great choice for onboard dining:
Quality is greater than quantity
The main dining room onboard is serving meals to the majority of the ship each night. Depending on your ship, that could mean that a few hundred guests will be dining with you around the same time. While the galley works as hard as it can to serve quality food, they also have a schedule to keep. Dining in a smaller, specialty restaurant, the dedicated galley is able to spend more time preparing each dish due to the lower number of guests in the restaurant. In these smaller galleys, there isn’t as much demand from the restaurant, allowing the chefs to take their time and grill your steak to perfection. Specialty restaurants have become a primary choice for cruisers who are looking for a high quality dining experience.
Quiet time
In addition to quality meals, a specialty restaurant is also able to provide a quiet, relaxing atmosphere. These restaurants are free of hundreds of guests conversing, dancing waiters, and announcements from the maitre d’. Guests will be able to enjoy their meal in this serene, intimate atmosphere.
Sometimes it pays to pay
While these specialty restaurants will usually cost a small cover charge, the ability to charge allows the cruise lines to provide higher quality, gourmet meals for these restaurants. While meals in the main dining room are almost always excellent, specialty restaurants tend to go the extra mile when it comes to the meals they serve. Guests will be able to find larger, more exquisite steaks, pasta dishes, seafood, and chicken entrees. Guests craving a true gourmet meal have found specialty restaurants to do the trick.
While you most likely won’t be disappointed by any meal onboard a cruise ship, specialty restaurants do provide a higher end dining experience and can satisfy some guests who prefer a better quality, more serene, gourmet meal.