SAVE ON BOOKING A CRUISE

Getting the best deal on booking a cruise is a process very much like getting the best airfare. Like all businesses, cruise lines want to get the most for every cabin and, like the airlines at the moment of departure, anything unsold has no future value. Economists call these items non-fungible, meaning they cannot be sold or exchanged in the future. Over the course of twenty years we’ve discovered a few tricks in the cruise booking game.

Discover Repositioning Cruises

In the early days most ocean liners were luxury transportation getting people from one part of the world to another. Trans-Atlantic cruises were the most common but there were routes covering the entire globe. Now cruise ships are a whole lot more than just transportation and they have seasons where they run itineraries around the world’s popular regions.

Taking Advantage Of Cruise Loyalty Programs

Just like airlines and hotels, cruise companies want you to be a frequent customer and they have developed a number of plans to entice you to keep coming back. With names like The Captain’s Club, Mariner Society and Latitudes they generally structure their programs so the more you come back the more status you attain on cruises and rewards you get. Unlike hotel points and airline miles you don’t cash in your rewards, and the more you cruise with a cruise line or company the more benefits you get.

Weighing Ship Shore Excursions Against Going It Alone

A lot of people prefer the convenience of a ship sponsored tour, and there’s a lot to be said about what you get using professional guides and dedicated transportation. If you’re not a “guided tour” enthusiast we completely understand. First and foremost you can save a fair amount of money by touring on your own and you get to pick what you’re interested in seeing and for how long.

Some Advice On Selecting A Cabin

While it may seem obvious in deciding which room or category to book there are some points you may want to consider. For most people the decision comes down to what can you afford and should you consider an ocean view or a balcony stateroom. If the money is not an issue why not just book a suite? Consider first what you are expecting on your cruise. Is it a long cruise where some extra room might really matter or is it a three or five day cruise where you expect to spend little time in the cabin? Why book an expensive stateroom if you don’t see yourself using it much? We’ve also even discovered an advantage staying in an inside cabin.

Avoiding Getting Seasick

Maybe you would love to try cruising but have a big concern about getting seasick? If you are worried about taking a cruise because you are prone to seasickness, or motion sickness, you are not alone but you need not worry too much. There are thousands of people that have faced that fear and have gone on to become enthusiastic and frequent cruisers.