If you’re thinking about taking a cruise, you’re probably in for an exciting high-seas adventure. Or, depending on the decisions you make, you could experience an extremely relaxing voyage during which you’ll be pampered, well fed and thoroughly entertained.It’s important to understand that not all cruise lines or individual cruise ships are alike. Each offers a vastly different experience aboard the ship, plus its own itinerary, amenities and unique vacation experience. Thus, it’s important to choose the right ship that will cater to your vacation wants and needs. At the same time, you’ll want to select a sailing that offers an itinerary and destinations that interest you.
Some cruise lines cater to families, while others are geared more for adventure travelers, honeymooners, seniors, singles or people with special interests, for example. Even among individual ships within a cruise line’s fleet, you’ll find vast differences that will impact your vacation and the type of experience you’ll have.
Instead of booking a cruise based just on its sailing dates and price, focus on what you’re looking to experience during the cruise, and then research what types of vacationers the various cruise lines and each individual ship caters to. Next, focus on destinations and itineraries.
Performing online research and working with a travel agent that specializes in cruises will help you pinpoint the most suitable cruise line, individual ship and specific sailing that’s most appropriate for the type of vacation experience you’re looking for.
Some people book a cruise specifically for the onboard experience – the all-you-can-eat dining, the shows and entertainment, the casino, the activities, the spa and/or the cabin accommodations, for example. Others, however, utilize a cruise to get to specific destinations and find it much more convenient to settle into a cabin once at the start of a voyage, but have the opportunity to visit multiple ports-of-call (destinations) during their vacation.
If the sailing itinerary you choose includes several ports-of-call, plus multiple days at sea, make sure the places you’ll be visiting offer the activities you’re interested in experiencing. Plus, make sure what’s available aboard the ship itself is what you’re looking for.
Again, figure out what you’re looking to experience, keeping in mind that the newer and larger ships in a cruise line’s fleet are more apt to offer a broader range of activities and amenities.
Also, when shopping for cruise opportunities, don’t get tricked by extremely low price offerings. Often, while these low prices do exist, they’re for the smallest cabins located on the inside of the ship (with no windows or balconies), and airfare to the ship’s departure location is not included.
Regardless of how much you pay for your cruise package, expect to pay extra once aboard the ship for the following:
• Upgraded dining at certain onboard restaurants
• All drinks (including non-alcoholic beverages)
• Certain activities aboard the ship, including spa treatments, gambling in the casino and bingo
• All land-based excursions at the various ports-of-call
• Laundry/dry cleaning
• Telephone and Internet services
• Onboard shopping
• Tips for your cabin attendant, waiter, etc.
• All land-based excursions at the various ports-of-call
• Laundry/dry cleaning
• Telephone and Internet services
• Onboard shopping
• Tips for your cabin attendant, waiter, etc.
On a typical five to seven-day cruise, even the basic extras (drinks, limited activities, tips, etc.) can wind up costing each passenger an additional $200.00 to $400.00 (beyond the initial cruise price), or significantly more based on the land excursions and/or onboard activities you choose to participate in.
While you can often find lower prices by booking your own tours and activities at each port-of-call, it’s a good idea to book your tours and activities through the cruise line – and to do this as far in advance as possible. Popular tours often sell out and available spa appointments book up quickly.
Booking tours through the cruise line insures you’ll work with reputable tour operators and that the activities you book will adhere to the ship’s schedule. Also, all transportation to and from the ship will usually be provided, potentially saving you a fortune in taxi fares at each destination.
Another thing to consider is the size of the cabin you’re reserving and the people you’ll be traveling with. Keep in mind that cruise ship cabins are much smaller than traditional hotel rooms (and offer minimal storage space for luggage). Thus, a family of four will be very crowded within a basic cabin. (Plus, small cabins offer very limited privacy.)
Especially if you have specific wants or needs, consider booking a cruise that caters to your interests. You’ll find many of the popular cruise lines have special sailings throughout the year specifically for singles, families, seniors, the gay/lesbian community, or people with special interests.
Some of the most popular cruise lines to research include:
While you can book a cruise through a travel agent or directly with a cruise line, discounted pricing is available from online travel services, like Hotwire, Kayak and Travelocity. You can also learn about special discounts from TravelZoo.
Cruise lines offer their biggest discounts for advance bookings (30, 60, 90 or 120+ days in advance), while the online travel services typically offer their best discounts for last-minute bookings. Regardless of where you cruise to from the U.S., a valid passport is almost always required, so plan accordingly.
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