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Saturday, February 16, 2013

Saturday Savers - Getting the Best Cruise Value


When planning your family's next big cruise vacation, finding the best values will make you a hero, especially if you have funds left over for some cool "extras" that you might not have thought possible when first putting your budget together.  The key is to finding the right money saving tricks.  Here are just a few to consider that can, when added together, provide some serious monetary value for your vacation:


  • Book early.  When I say early, I mean up to a year or more in advance.  Yes, those last-minute "deals" might seem tempting and the way to go, but do realize that last minute also equals slim pickings in choice of category or room location, if there is any availability at all in your desired room type.  When planning your vacation, know that the best deals and the best selection goes to those who plan ahead... 8, 12 or even 15 months or more in advance.  For the cruise lines, the months of January - March are considered "Wave Season", providing the most significant discounts, upgrades and freebies for those guests who plan ahead.  October is another key month when additional discounts and offers are available for those who plan ahead.  
  • Book a package.  More and more many cruise lines are offering package deals on specialty dining, wine and excursions with discounts of up to 25% over a la carte pricing, effectively creating more of an all-inclusive atmosphere onboard.  As an example, Norwegian Cruise Line offers packages of 3 specialty restaurant dinners for just $47 per person, which is a great savings vs. buying them individually onboard. 
  • Go all-inclusive.  The larger mass-appeal cruise lines, such as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Carnival, etc, will charge for beverages, shore excursions, specialty dining, gratuities and more all as add-on fees once on board.  Luxury lines such as Seabourn, Crystal, Silversea, etc, have become much more value-conscious in the past couple of years by offering an all-inclusive experience... one price gets it all included.  Regent Seven Seas goes even further, by bundling in guests' airfare and all shore excursions.  So even though the total price might be slightly higher when comparing the luxury lines to the mass lines, the overall experience and satisfaction is likely to be better thanks to a more rewarding experience with a higher staff-to-guest ratio, and more intimate ships.
  • Sail the off-season.  Many lines offer reduced fares for re-positioning cruises (i.e. moving ships from destination to destination, such as prior to or after the conclusion of the Alaska season, or moving through the Panama Canal from the Atlantic itineraries to Pacific itineraries, etc).  Another off-season time is early December, before the Christmas holidays and peak pricing.  
  • Use the services of an experienced cruise agent.  Choosing a cruise might seem simple - just look at the options and pick one, right?  Not necessarily, as even similar-looking itineraries can yield vastly different experiences. Cruise agents are experienced travelers and experts in their profession, helping to navigate the sometimes choppy waters of the vast array of options, lines, stateroom categories and so much more.  Experienced cruise agents work with each individual client to craft the best possible vacation experience for that client's needs and desires.  No one-size-fits-all website provider will do that!  Plus experienced cruise agents will be able to find the best value for their clients, even though the best value isn't always the lowest price.  Though they do often go hand in hand, remember that "value" and "price" are not one and the same.     What is a "great" value to you, might not be held in the same esteem to your friend or neighbor, even if you each paid the exact same amount of money.  While you might view the price paid as the most important aspect, your friend might view the intrinsic value of the overall experience(s) enjoyed as more important than the monetary value of the price paid.  Value and price are not one and the same, and experienced cruise agents work to match the client to the experience, whereas most websites simply offer cruises as products to be purchased for a set price, regardless of whether or not it is the best value for you, the individual.



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