Time 2 Cruise

We will try to post in the next week, but if we cannot find the time to post here, its because SURPRISE we will be on yet another cruise. Carnival Victory, here we come. A review of the ship and ports will follow when we return.

The answer is yes and no of course. In the time of Homeland Security, the days of showing up at the port, packed and hoping that a cabin is available are long gone. But that does not mean that you cant find last minute deals. People can still call and try to book a cruise with less than a week of notice. It helps to live close to the port that you want to cruise out of, because while the chance to snag a cabin on the cruise may be available, cutting it close on getting airfare probably would offset the price which defeats the purpose. As I noted in a previous post, (using 2006 numbers) ships have been traveling at 104% capacity on average, but with the number of families that travel and share 3 and 4 to a cabin, even at 104% there is the chance that a few cabins may be unoccupied. Now this will be more true in the off season than during peak season, but with off season cruising, the prices are already lower, so getting yet another price cut on a cabin that is already reduced is a...

This is true for the travel industry as a whole as well as in the cruise industry. A survey done by Hotelnewsresource .com shows the trends that the travel industry are following to increase not only off season, but overall customer return. The two biggest ways that they are doing this is by creating customer loyalty during "peak season" and email market campaigns. Email is becoming one of the biggest growing advertising streams for both big and small market travel companies because it has been shown to be effective, and reduces cost. According the the survey, 47% of companies asked said that email was their most effective method, with having 51-75% of their customer's email addresses. Looking at what I get in the line of advertisements from the major cruise line's I would put it at 80-90% of it is in the form of email. Personally, this is fine with me, but I know there are many out there that rather have the full color brochure delivered, and I guess that...

Most cruise passengers know all about how the cruise industry helps other economies because of the varying nationalities of the staff and crew on board. Today CLIA released a press release that shows how the cruise lines have contributed over $37.5 Billion into the U.S. economy. A few interesting facts on how the cruise industry actually impacts all 50 of the states, and not just the ones with a cruise terminal are shown. With new ships on the way, that number will continue to grow for the foreseeable future. The press release has some very interesting facts that give you an insight into the cruise industry that shows the and impact it has as an industry. The fact that would be the most interesting to cruise passengers would be that last year (2006) the ships were operating on a 104% capacity rate. Unlike the airline industry , capacity on a cruise ship is based on two passengers per cabin, so any extra passengers in the cabin (three to five more passengers can be in a cabin on many...

Any seasoned cruiser knows about the Art Auctions at sea and have formed their own opinions about them, but for the first time cruiser this can be an overwhelming experience. Many ships offer these auctions. Some are hosted by land based companies that contract with the cruise line, but it is becoming more common for many cruise lines to create their own department and cut out the middleman. The big draw for many passengers is that champagne is free during the duration of the auction, which can last a few hours. But the big questions are simple, but not simple to answer. What kind of Art? Is it worth it? Will I be happy with my purchase? What kind of Art? There will be lithographs, serigraphs, etchings, variations of the three, some sports memorabilia, and the occasional painting. The thing to keep in mind is that most often, you are bidding on a "print" ( I want to use this word loosely) of some sort that regardless of the process, is one of a number of copies produc...

Carnival, through the great turnout and participation in its pilot program on board the Carnival Valor and Fascination, is going to expand the "On Deck for the Cure" initiative to more ships within its fleet to help raise money for fighting breast cancer. The program involves a 1K walk on the jogging track deck by participants who donate $10. Participants get a Tshirt and wristband as well to commemorate taking part in the event. For more information on what ships this will be rolling out on, and how to get involved, check out the press release on Carnivals web page.

When it comes to bringing alcohol on board a cruise ship, the rules vary from line to line but the standard rule of thumb is that hard liquor and beer is not allowed but wine and champagne is (some lines do suggest a limit to quantity) with the condition that if you plan on taking it into the dining room that there will be a "corkage fee" of around $10 for the wait staff to serve it. Personally, I have seen many servers neglect to add the fee but it depends on them. Alcohol service is an area where cruise lines make a lot of their money, so they are very strict on the rules. There are many sites out there which have tips on how to smuggle your own alcohol on board the cruise ship for those wishing to try but be warned, if you do not succeed , your contraband will be confiscated or you will be asked to dispose of (take back to your car if you drove or toss) before you will be allowed to board the ship. There have been instances where confiscated alcohol came up missing by the...

A false alarm, but still passengers waiting to get off on their vacation were delayed for hours today as the ship had to be gone over by bomb sniffing dogs. Hopefully, the passengers understand that it was not the fault of the cruise line, and that the delay was done for the safety of all. We wish all on the Imaginations voyage this week a wonderful cruise!

The cruise port in Costa Maya took a beating by hurricane Dean. Capable of docking up to three cruise ships, the damage is going to force the cruise lines to make some adjustments until it can be repaired. These adjustments could range from tendering in (if available) to a different port of call. If you are booked on a cruise with a stop in Costa Maya, you may want to contact your travel agent or the cruise line to see if any adjustments are being made. With over a dozen different excursions that are offered, anyone that booked an excursion directly through a tour operator should be concerned.

Yesterday (August 22, 2007) two travel agents in a small Texas town were convicted of fraud. Accused of taking cruise passengers money for cruses that were never booked with any cruise lines, they were found guilty on multiple counts of fraud and face huge fines, restitution and up to 20 years in prison. More details at The Huston Chronicle This is probably the best proof that you need to research when picking a travel agent. There are plenty of good travel agents to choose from, whether online, local, or otherwise, and there are plenty of way to go about this. I touched on this last month in my Who to Book With Revisited post. There I have a few things to consider when searching out a good travel agent.

Reading a cruise review, whether it be of a specific date, or just part of the cruising experience is just like reading any other type of review. You have to "read between the lines". Yeah, that's what everyone SAYS but what does it mean. Well, it means look at the perspective of the review. Is everything in the review negative? Is the first line a statement vowing to never return? These types of things are clues that the writer of the review had a bad experience for sure, but it usually also means that one thing that did not go right probably snowballed, making them cause their own demise for the rest of the vacation and now is the chance for them to get back at those that ruined their vacation by telling the world! I was almost there once. Just on the ship, getting ready for muster drill (which is the least pleasant thing to do next to having to leave at the end of the cruise) and had a crew member treat me like a child. I stewed on it, and it made the rest ...

One thing to consider when booking a cruise is that there may be some groups on board. I mentioned groups in my post on themed cruises but only touched on what happens when you are on the same cruise with a large group. Depending on group size and type, they do have an impact on the rest of the passengers on the ship. Certain venues on board (lounges and even the theatre some times) can and will be reserved by the groups but again, it depends on the size of the group and if and what type of "closed" activities they have planed. The question is, what can you do? Well if you are booked already or have a certain cruise in mind and are curious to what groups if any may be on your cruise, you can look on both of the two links I have on the themed cruise post (8/10) to begin. The second thing you need to do is google the cruise. Search with combinations of cruise line name, ship name, and date of cruise (try different formats 8/19 or August 19 for example). These are the best way ...

This is what can happen during hurricane season. In order to maintain the safest and smoothest possible cruise, the captain will do everything possible to go around inclement weather. Unfortunately, with hurricane season this could mean going to a port different than the one originally intended, or even spending the day at sea. When this happens you just have to remember that it is in the best interest of the ship and its passengers. Currently, many ships that are cruising in the Caribbean are having to change their routes due to hurricane Dean. The cruise industry (contrary to popular belief) does not control the weather. If you plan on cruising during this season, you have to do so with an open mind otherwise plan a different time of year to cruise. If you do have a cruise planned during this season, The National Weather Service has a great site to keep up to date on all hurricane related activity.

If you do not have a preference of cabin location, many lines offer guaranty rooms. For a discounted rate, you will not get a room in a category lower than the minimum you booked. A added bonus is that when doing this there is a slim (better than none) chance of an upgrade fairy visiting your booking and you could end up with a higher category . If you book early, watch the price of the cruise, if it goes down you may be able to call and request the lower rate. (This works best if you are not within the cancellation penalty period). For big soda drinkers, get a soda card (or sticker on some lines). You will be entitled to all you can drink (served on glass at a time usually) for the rest of the cruise. Wine drinkers can bring their own wine on board (some cruise lines limit quantity). There may be a "corkage fee" if you want to bring it to the dining room (usually $10 but some servers "forget" to charge). This can be a big savings because some of the wines on bo...

Living on the west coast, one of our favorite cruise destinations is the Mexican Riviera. On our last Riviera cruise, in February of this year, we were lucky enough to see whales even though it was not part of the tour we were on. We were on what is better known as a booze cruise. The catamaran we were on was taking us down the coast of Ixtapa to Ixtapa Island and one of the passengers saw something in the distance. The captain knew it was a whale and started to follow, while still keeping a good distance. It happened to be a mother and baby whale but we did not get close enough for my novice eyes to say what kind, but was told they were gray whales. It was an awesome site to see. The best time for whale watching is between the months of January and March on the Mexican Riviera. While its a little on the cool side when leaving out of San Diego or Long Beach, the weather is wonderful down near Cabo San Lucas and other ports south where the whales are spending their winter migration. ...

On board credit is when there is a positive balance amount added to your account. There are a few ways that this can happen. Some group cruises come with a OBC as the perk. Travel Agents may have a credit added to accounts as a gift or a way to "refund" on cruises when the price goes down. OBC may be part of a sale on certain cruises and or cabin selections. And owners of certain cruise line stock programs may qualify for OBC . For the stock owners, it usually requires ownership of 100 shares or more of stock and the program, while renewed every year, is not guaranteed to continue forever. The amount is usually based on the length of the cruise and also usually can not be combined with other on board credit offers. There are avid cruisers with lines such as Carnival (and its other brands) and Royal Caribbean that have had stock for years and received the price they payed a few times over in OBC . Unfortunately, at today's prices it would cost in the range of $4000-$5000...

This such a subjective question mainly because it depends on which cruise and who plans on going. Do you have kids? Do you even like kids? Are you a sun person? Are you a nighttime party person? Do you like it hot or prefer the temps on the cooler side? Does the threat of bad weather worry you? These are all good questions to ask yourself when deciding on time of year to cruise. Ofcourse , there is always price and when you can get off work as well. Here are my opinions on the main cruising spots (sailing out of the U.S.): Alaska: This is a no brainer here. These cruises are offered in the summer only. Don't expect it to be warm, and dry. While it can vary, Alaskan cruises tend to have less kids, and be more relaxing/ less party in atmosphere. Eastern Canada: Also offered in the summer, often cooler, tho not as cold as Alaska. Low to average on the number of children on board. Assuming a slightly laid back cruise due to the destinations but will have to get back to...

When you get back from vacation, you want to share your experiences right? Travelpod gives you a place to do just that for free. You can create your own blog, upload pictures, videos and even map out the places you have been and share it with anyone with an internet connection. Around since 1997, Travelpod has thousands of members already a part of its community. There is also a members forum where you can discuss with others, on a myriad of topics. For those who would like to keep there travelogue private there is an enhanced membership available which allows you to lock areas of your travelogue so that only the people you want access to can see, and removes the advertising (currently $39.95 a year). This is a great site for someone looking to display photos, talk about vacation destinations, and see where others have been.

Interline rates are discounts offered to people working or retired from the airline industry. Some times these offers are extended to courier companies such as UPS and FedEX (although I unofficially was told that they may not be getting the discount offers anymore). The discounts are not just for airline travel, but extend to resort stays, cruises and even tours. In many cases the discounts can be used by friends and family that are sharing accommodations. There is even an option for parents and in-laws to be able to receive discounts when traveling without the eligible employee. So if you work for an airline, or other possible eligible company you should ask your travel agent next time if they offer the discounts and if you qualify. If your travel agent does not work with interline discounts, you may want to find one that does.

I have started packing for our 5 day cruise on the Carnival Victory next month. Yes you read correctly, the cruise is not until next month, but I started to pack now. Packing early has become a tradition in our house (for me) ever sense our first cruise. It was our honeymoon. We spent a lot of time planing our wedding, and the honeymoon was the least of my worries or so I thought. It had been paid for many months in advance, so what could go wrong, right? Well, thankfully only one thing went wrong, but I would not find out until hours after we got on the ship and were well on our way. After spending much of the afternoon exploring the ship, we head back to our cabin to find that your luggage had been delivered. We decide to unpack so we could get the bags put away and get back to enjoying our vacation. I open my bag and start putting my stuff away when I realize that I seem to be short on shirts. To be exact, I had my dress shirt for formal night, and one other shirt, for a 4 ...

When it comes to cruising for families with children, there a few things to consider. On a cruise, there will be plenty of activities that can be done as a family as well as activities that will be geared towards kids and adults separately. The thing to do is to look for a cruise line that fits the lifestyle of the family best. Here are my top 3 cruise lines that appeal to families: Disney: Normally offering cruises from 3 to 7 nights, Disney is great for families with small children and preteens. The ships have a nursery capable of caring for children from 12 weeks to 36 months. There are areas dedicated to teenagers as well as a place or two just for mom and dad to get away and relax. Many people have said that its the best of both worlds when it comes to getting a cruise and a Disney vacation. Carnival: With a motto of "the fun ships" Carnival offers a variety of activities for the young and young at heart. Camp Carnival is available for children ages two and older...

Theme cruises have been gaining popularity over the last decade. There are are theme cruises for just about anything you can think of. It can be a great way to combine to loves into one vacation. The most common theme is the Holiday theme. While I don't really classify these as theme cruises, the ships will be decorated accordingly and some of the entertainment and dining options will be holiday related. Popular themes recently are music and sports related. What if you could be on a cruise with your favorite band or sports figure? Rusty Wallace ( Nascar ) has been doing an annual cruise with his fans on Carnival for the last 7 years, with the latest being in December of this year and The Bare Naked Ladies (band) already have their Ships and Dips III cruise planed for February of 2008 just to name a couple of themed cruises going on. Other themes are hobby related such as scrap booking, sewing, and even murder mystery cruises. There really are to many themes to be listed he...

John Heald , the cruise director on board the Carnival Freedom has been running a blog about daily life on the ship since March. In just a few short months, his blog has reached 1/2 a million visitors. It has become so popular that people want to go on the ship just to meet the famous blogging cruise director himself. There are t-shirts available, and a cruise dedicated to the blog set for January 19 th 2008. CNN Money has an article about John, his blog and the popularity is has gained in just over 5 months. The blog is a must read for anyone who is interested in cruising. John has a wonderful way of pulling you into what is happening on the ship and in the ports with his descriptions and wonderful pictures and the way he answers letters he receives from the passengers on board. The Freedom is currently cruising the Mediterranean, but will begin cruises out of Miami come November of this year.

A little off topic but still vacation related: Where does the person that has everything (and has a lot of money to spend) go for vacation? How about Necker Island? http://www.necker.com/ Located in the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, the entire private 74 acre island own by Richard Branson can be rented out for $46,000 per night with a 5 night minimum stay. This price includes accommodations, meals (prepared by resident chefs), drinks (including alcohol), access to water sport equipment, pools, wireless internet service, and a video and music library and more for you and 27 other guests (28 total) to use. In addition to renting the entire island, there are “celebration weeks” (which are adults only) which range from $22,000 to $25,000 per week per couple, in which you would be sharing the island with up to 13 other couples. For the rest of us, maybe we will get a glimpse of the island on one of our future cruises.

A common question I get asked by a lot of people who have never been on a cruise before is "what kind of entertainment is there?" Here is a list of some things to expect to see on many of the cruise lines out there: Las Vegas "style" shows in the theater Comedy Shows Live bands by the pools Piano bar (some ships have dueling piano) Individual artists and small groups (i.e. string quartets) near lounges Game shows with passenger participation Karaoke (fun to watch even if you don't participate) Talent contest Food demonstrations Ice Carving demonstration While this list can give you an idea of what to expect, it is not everything. Each cruise line is different, and they all are constantly searching for new forms of entertainment to keep passengers happy and wanting to come back.

There are plenty of things to do when the ship is in port. On possibility is to go an a shore excursion or tour. People can book some excursions through the cruise line, either by phone, on the internet , or while on board the ship. If the tour you are interested in is a popular one, it is best to book it as early as possible because on most tours space is limited. Prices from the cruise lines can range from $25 up to $200 depending on the activities planed. Tours can be as simple as getting a few hours to relax at a private beach, to very active such as scuba diving. There is a tour for just about every activity level and or taste. Some people prefer to book their own tours through independent operators. This can be done over the internet , or even the day of port. Many tour guides are usually waiting right next to the ship to whisk people away. Booking through the cruise line: Pro: Cruise lines only use licenced tour operators. The time frame is set to "ship time...

Tips and gratuities are a part of life when taking a cruise that many first time passengers may not know about or understand. The main type of gratuity is the service gratuity. With the exception of "luxury cruise lines" such as Windstar , Regent, and Seabourn , most all mainstream cruise lines have a service gratuity policy. It goes to the dining staff, kitchen staff, and hotel staff. Passengers can expect the amount suggested to be between $8 and $15 per day per passenger depending on the cruise line. Tips are usually collected at the end of the cruise, either by envelopes that are supplied, or as many cruise lines have adopted, the tips will be added to the on board account to be paid however the account was set up. If the gratuity is added to an on board account, the amount can be adjusted by visiting the pursers desk. A third option a few cruise lines have been offering is the ability to prepay the tips in advance. Some passengers like this option when budgeting ...

When Carnival Cruise Line started out over 30 years ago, a seven day cruise started at around $600 per person. Today, not including specials, a seven day cruise starts at about $600 per person on the same cruise line. However, a car that costs around $20,000 today sold for around $5000 30 years ago. Given those inflation numbers, had cruising followed the same path, a 7 day cruise would currently start at around $2400 per person. Given this, no wonder the cruise industry has become more popular every year. With more cruise lines and ships to choose from than ever, and even more ships on the way, cruising is a great way to get a lot of bang for your buck come vacation time. Today, a good bargain hunter can find deals in the range of $50 a day per person, bringing a 7 day cruise to $450 each (for an inside cabin, before taxes) at a time when on a land based vacation it can be difficult to get three meals a day and spend less then that before adding in hotel room and entertainment.

I hear a lot of people say that they are afraid to go on a cruise because of their diet, a handicap, or because of medications. Let me just say that a cruise ship is well equipped to handle just about any type of special need. Give advanced notice of your need or request. Letting it be known at the time of booking will help ensure that anything needed will be ready when you board. If you require a handicap cabin, it is best to book a cruise early because there are limited cabins that may meet your need. Many cruise lines have a varied menu when it comes to meeting different diets. Low sodium, sugar free, and vegetarian options will be labeled accordingly, but letting the cruise line know ahead of time of your needs, may increase the options available for that cruise. When taking medications that need refrigeration (such as insulin), you may be given the option of storing your supplies in the infirmary on board, extra care in making sure you have ice in the cabin, and on som...

As the seasons change, so do the itineraries of a few cruise ships. These changes are called repositioning cruises, and they happen in the Spring and Autumn. This fall, more than 50 ships from cruise lines belonging to CLIA will be moving away from their summer destinations in Europe, Alaska and Canada, to Winter destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, and Hawaii. A brief list of Cruise Lines, ships, and dates can be found here on the CLIA website. Repositioning cruises are great for the avid cruiser that is looking for a unique route, or destination.

After the recent outbreak of Legionnaires disease on the Fred Olsen's Black Watch Ship, the question of cleanliness has come up again. While Legionnaires disease is rare (last outbreak on a ship was 10 years ago) this latest incident reminds people of the more common outbreak of norovirus which makes the news every time there is a outbreak on a cruise ship. It is not that these are not newsworthy, but that many times, the news leaves out vital information that can scare people away from cruising. What normally happens is someone, whether passenger or crew, boards the ship already contaminated and unintentionally causes it to spread. This could happen at a concert or a sporting event and still spread, but with the short period together, people would already be home before ill effects took place. Now given the right environment, like a ship, or hospital, or even a school campus, where large numbers of people are spending a lot of time together, it makes it easier to spread and ...

While docking this morning after a 4 day Canadian cruise, the Carnival Victory damaged the pier. No passengers or crew were hurt, but there was minor damage to both the pier and the Victory. The ship is not damaged enough to not make its next voyage according the Carnival Cruise Lines. More info can be found here.

What is it? Travel insurance is a policy that will protect you if your vacation is interrupted, and in some cases if you have to cancel your vacation. The insurance can be purchased from a variety of companies, including the cruise lines. What does it do for me? Depending on the policy purchased, travel insurance can cover many things including, emergency evacuation off the ship, airfare home, hospital bills, reimbursement of the cost of the vacation, and accidental death. The key is to make sure the policy has what you need, and you understand the policy. How much is it? Price depends on a few factors, including but not limited to, ages of insured, options of the package, overall cost of the vacation, and any predetermined health issues. Most base packages start at around 7 - 20% of the cost of the vacation (cruise, airfare, hotel etc.). How do I get it? When booking a cruise, many cruise lines will offer their insurance policy. Usually cruise line policies are only trip interruption ...