Amy Hill

Release Date: 9/30/2006

10 Steps to Enjoying the Perfect Cruise

Although these steps are meant for honeymooners, most of the information is relevant to any cruise:

1. Finding your dream cruise vacation. The biggest mistake booking the wrong ship. Most people focus on the destination (Caribbean, Mexico, etccruising newbies make is .) and don??™t pay enough attention to the ship itself. Cruise lines??”and even individual ships within a line??”vary greatly in terms of atmosphere and facilities. Some have a party-all-the-time ambience and/or a great gym and spa; others are ideal for curling up on deck with a good book. So work with a travel agent who specializes in cruising. Discuss your budget and what you are looking for, or better yet, arrive at the agency with your personal wish list in hand.

2. Book early. There are two ways to get the best price on a cruise: book early or book at the very last minute. Both will save you money, but early bookers get the best choice of cabins for roughly the same ???sale??? price as late bookers??”and avoid being disappointed because their ship is sold out. “Early” usually means three to six months before the cruise; the savings generally are 25 to 50 percent off the published brochure price per person.

3. Get the best cabin you can afford. Some people say that it doesn??™t matter what your cabin is like, since you??™ll only dress and sleep there. Not so! If this is your honeymoon, you??™ll want every detail to be perfect. Don??™t assume anything: queen-size and even double beds and bathtubs are not givens on a ship. While some cabins do have oversized beds, in others single beds are pushed together for couples. In some cases (mostly on older ships), the beds are nailed to the floor, not exactly a honeymoon dream come true. Most cabins have small (single-occupancy) showers, not bathtubs, so if you like to soak ask for a room with a tub. Most important, a nice cabin makes you more inclined to enjoy things like room service and sipping morning coffee in your PJs. The ultimate luxury: a private veranda so you can leave your sliding-glass doors open and fall asleep to the sounds of the sea.

4. Take care of business. A bit of preparation pays off in a carefree trip. In the pre-wedding whirlwind, it??™s easy to forget that life will go on while you??™re away. Such as the mail (stop it.) And bills (pay them.) And your pets (kennel them.) Tape a “To Do” list to your fridge, and check things off as you go. Don??™t forget to shop for film, extra batteries, sunscreen and travel-size toiletries. These are more expensive to buy on the ship, and you may not find your favorite products. Consider filling small plastic containers with conditioner and shampoo from the big bottles, which you can leave at home.

5. Pack light, pack right. Be prepared for the off chance your luggage will get misplaced. Even if your bag isn??™t lost, it often takes hours before it gets to your cabin. So pack for survival: Put a little of everything you??™ll want and need in a carry-on bag. This includes undies, shirts, socks, a bathing suit and something to wear to dinner. As added protection, buy travel insurance that covers you for lost, stolen, damaged or delayed luggage.

6. Beat the rush. On most cruises, you??™ll want to schedule all kinds of things. So will everyone else usually at the same time. Shore excursions are described in a brochure that comes with your cruise tickets; book any excursions you can??™t bear to miss early on (Increasingly, lines allow you to book them before you leave home.) It??™s also a good idea to make your spa appointments and specialty restaurant reservations on the first day of the cruise so you don??™t lose out.

7. Be shore-savvy. Some shore excursions are worth taking. Others are not. How do you know the difference? Take shore excursions when they offer a chance to do something really spectacular??”like helicopter flightseeing. A car and driver can be a more personal (and less costly) way to sightsee. To make it more fun (and affordable), put your own group together and share the ride with newfound friends you??™ve met on board. But note: if you go solo and miss the boat, you??™re on your own.

8. Get the royal treatment. Ask your agent about cruise lines that pamper their passengers with in-room extras like terry cloth robes, fruit baskets and the like. Let the cruise director know you??™re newlyweds. Ask about honeymoon and anniversary parties, dinner at the captain??™s table and other special recognition. You can also buy packages that include things like a formal portrait in an engraved frame and a champagne breakfast in bed. Most lines also tailor packages for couples who want to kick off their honeymoon with a wedding.

9. Stuffing the envelope. The last night of the cruise is a bittersweet time. You??™ve had fun. You??™re going home. And then there??™s that little business of tipping to take care of. Remember that tipping is always entirely up to you. Most cruise lines will recommend just how much to tip. (About $3.50 per passenger for the waiter and cabin steward and $2 a day for the busboy.) These are only guidelines; tip what you want. You should never feel pressured. The maitre d??™, for example, need not be tipped just for asking, “How was your dinner?” On the other hand, if he made your cruise extra special by finding that table for two, let him know with a monetary gesture that says, “Thank you.”

10. Cruising for romance. On most cruises, you??™ll be assigned a dinner table (usually with other passengers) and time (early or late) for the entire trip. See the maitre d??™ as soon as you board to specify which seating you prefer; also let him know if you prefer a table for two and be sure to advise him of your newlywed status. After dinner, remember that the hot tubs never close, and you??™ll probably find yourselves alone under the stars. For more alone time, stay on the ship when everyone else goes ashore it??™s like having your own private yacht.

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Cherie

Release Date: 9/28/2006

Lynyrd Skynyrd Cruise Sails Jan. 5 on Carnival Fascination

Sixthman, LLC, which specializes in musical lifestyle events, included chartered cruises, is offering a “Gimme Three Days” music vacation on board the Carnival Fascination, a luxury cruise liner. Departing Miami on January 5, 2007, Lynyrd Skynyrd fans will visit Nassau, in the Bahamas, before returning on January 8, 2007. Gimme Three Days will feature concerts by Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special, Drivin N Cryin, Tishamingo, Keni Thomas, American Minor, Blackberry Smoke, Corey Smith, the Blue Dogs and other bands from the Southern Rock and Country worlds. 38 Special is led by Donnie Van Zant, brother of Skynyrd’s leader, Johnny Van Zant. This cruise can be booked through Anchors Away Cruise Center at 1 888 516-6306 toll free.

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Cherie

Release Date: 9/28/2006

Carnival Returns to New Orleans with Fantasy

Carnival Cruise Lines is offering four- and five-day Mexico voyages from New Orleans on the Fantasy at fares start at $279 per person. The Fantasy’s new schedule from New Orleans begins Oct. 26, and encompasses four-day cruises to Cozumel departing Thursdays and five-day cruises to Cozumel and Costa Maya departing Mondays and Saturdays. Pre- and post-cruise land stays in New Orleans are available. The 2,056-passenger Fantasy offers three restaurants, three swimming pools, a jogging track, a cascading water slide, and a 12,000-square-foot spa. Also featured is an Internet caf?©, Wi-Fi access in a variety of public rooms and areas, and cellular phone service. Supervised activities and facilities for children and teens are available in Camp Carnival and Club O2. In addition to cruises by the Fantasy, Carnival will launch seven-day Caribbean cruises from New Orleans aboard the Carnival Triumph beginning Sept. 2, 2007. Prices for these week-long cruises begin at $429 per person. Carnival will be the only cruise line to operate two ships year-round from New Orleans. The two ships are expected to carry about 320,000 guests annually from New Orleans. Carnival is currently accepting reservations for all of its New Orleans departures. For additional information, call 800-327-9501 or visit the travel agent site at www.bookccl.com.

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Cherie

Release Date: 9/28/2006

Carnival Returns to New Orleans with Fantasy

Carnival Cruise Lines is offering four- and five-day Mexico voyages from New Orleans on the Fantasy at fares start at $279 per person. The Fantasy’s new schedule from New Orleans begins Oct. 26, and encompasses four-day cruises to Cozumel departing Thursdays and five-day cruises to Cozumel and Costa Maya departing Mondays and Saturdays. Pre- and post-cruise land stays in New Orleans are available. The 2,056-passenger Fantasy offers three restaurants, three swimming pools, a jogging track, a cascading water slide, and a 12,000-square-foot spa. Also featured is an Internet caf?©, Wi-Fi access in a variety of public rooms and areas, and cellular phone service. Supervised activities and facilities for children and teens are available in Camp Carnival and Club O2. In addition to cruises by the Fantasy, Carnival will launch seven-day Caribbean cruises from New Orleans aboard the Carnival Triumph beginning Sept. 2, 2007. Prices for these week-long cruises begin at $429 per person. Carnival will be the only cruise line to operate two ships year-round from New Orleans. The two ships are expected to carry about 320,000 guests annually from New Orleans. Carnival is currently accepting reservations for all of its New Orleans departures. For additional information, call 800-327-9501 or visit the travel agent site at www.bookccl.com.

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Cherie

Release Date: 9/28/2006

Lynyrd Skynyrd Cruise Sails Jan. 5 on Carnival Fascination

Sixthman, LLC, which specializes in musical lifestyle events, included chartered cruises, is offering a “Gimme Three Days” music vacation on board the Carnival Fascination, a luxury cruise liner. Departing Miami on January 5, 2007, Lynyrd Skynyrd fans will visit Nassau, in the Bahamas, before returning on January 8, 2007. Gimme Three Days will feature concerts by Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special, Drivin N Cryin, Tishamingo, Keni Thomas, American Minor, Blackberry Smoke, Corey Smith, the Blue Dogs and other bands from the Southern Rock and Country worlds. 38 Special is led by Donnie Van Zant, brother of Skynyrd’s leader, Johnny Van Zant. This cruise can be booked through Anchors Away Cruise Center at 1 888 516-6306 toll free.

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Travel consolidators are high-volume ticket brokers. They purchase large scale tickets and sell them to customers for a lower price than the published fares.
A travel consolidator buys a large amount of tickets directly from the carriers or the airline companies. This way they get discounted prices because of the volume they purchased. They […]

Travel consolidators are high-volume ticket brokers. They purchase large scale tickets and sell them to customers for a lower price than the published fares.

A travel consolidator buys a large amount of tickets directly from the carriers or the airline companies. This way they get discounted prices because of the volume they purchased. They negotiate with these carriers so they get big discounts. Some travel consolidators even have their own contracts with the airline companies.

However, they only negotiate for a specific region. Somewhere they know that is a popular destination, this way they could sell their tickets faster. Some consolidators are even owned by the carriers themselves. Big airline companies normally have several travel consolidators under their wing. These are done because there may be instances that a number of seats are not sold for a specific flight. What the carriers and the consolidators do is to sell these empty seats at a lower fare. Consolidators buy the extra tickets at a lower price and sell them to travelers on a lower fare than the published rates.

It is not publicly known how consolidating works for travel. Consolidators get their tickets in a much lower price than an ordinary person because of the volume of tickets they bought. This way they could resell the tickets at a much lower price to travelers. But they do make profits. Yes they sell tickets at a lower rate but that doesnt mean that they are sacrificing their profit. Everything is all about money. And they well know how to make money. They also sell the tickets with the same price as the published fares. This way they earn a bigger profit.

They have their own market. Some consolidators sell their tickets to travel agents alone and some sell them both to the travel agent and the public. Some also sell their tickets online.

Travel consolidators even come with different classifications. There may be those who only do wholesale, meaning they resell their tickets in volume. Other travel consolidators might be those specializing on the destinations. This means that they only buy tickets on specific regions. However there are also those that specialize on multi-stops or those tickets on fights that have several stops.

Like any other jobs travel consolidators have their own pluses and minuses. They have the privilege of buying tickets below the published fares and have the liberty of buying them until the departure date of the said flight. However, they also have their own setbacks. The ticket that they could buy only goes on a specific route which narrows their market. Another thing is they have to negotiate well because it means profit!

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Cherie

Release Date: 9/27/2006

Holland America Outlines 2007 Culinary Cruises

Holland America Line’s 2007 lineup of culinary cruises features more than 40 chefs, wine experts and cookbook authors. Chef headliners include Marcus Samuelsson, executive chef and owner of Aquavit in New York; Alex Guarnaschelli of Butter in New York; and Michael Bloise of WISH in Miami. Master mixologists to sail include Julie Reiner of New York’s Flatiron Lounge and Ryan Magarian of Seattle’s Liquid Kitchen. The guest culinary experts, lined up by Food & Wine magazine, will offer presentations in the line’s Culinary Arts Centers aboard each of its 13 ships. Food & Wine’s “Best New Chef” in 2000, Andrew Carmellini of New York’s hip Italian restaurant, A Voce, is scheduled to sail on the Rotterdam in June. Another rising star, sailing on the Oosterdam in January, is Jason Wilson, executive chef of Crush in Seattle, who was declared one of the magazine’s Top Ten New Chefs in North America this year. For more information, visit www.hollandamerica.com/signatureofexcellence/culinaryartscenter.do. For other information, call 877-SAIL-HAL or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

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Cherie

Release Date: 9/27/2006

Deilmann Offers Free Air, Excursions in Canaries

Peter Deilmann Cruises is featuring free air, free shore excursions and free hotel nights on March sailings of the Deutschland ocean liner in the Canary Islands. The six- and 11-night cruises feature the Spanish islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Lanzarote, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma, as well as the Portuguese islands of Madeira and the Azores and two cities in Morocco. The free air is from New York and 16 other U.S. gateways; air supplements are available from an additional 34 cities in the Midwest and West. Each sailing offers free shore excursions valued at up to $600 per person and free airport-to-ship transfers. Free air cities include Boston, Hartford, Buffalo, Philadelphia, Washington, Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Pittsburgh and seven others. Air supplements are $110 from gateways in Zone 2 and $150 in Zone 3. Zone 2 cities include Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Memphis, Minneapolis, Nashville, St. Louis, San Antonio and seven others. Zone 3 cities include Los Angeles, Palm Springs, San Diego, San Francisco, Denver, Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Honolulu and five others. The free transfers are provided with any Deilmann-arranged air transportation. Those who make their own flight arrangements can deduct $750 per person from the cruise rates. In addition, two cruises begin with a two-night complimentary stay at the four-star Reina Isabel hotel in Las Palmas. The land and cruise packages depart the U.S. on March 14 and March 20 with the six-night cruises departing March 16 and March 22. Cruise rates begin at $3,140 per person twin and $3,437 single. The 11-night cruise, which departs March 5, visits the Canary Islands, Madeira, the Azores and Casablanca. Cruise rates start at $4,215 per person twin and $4,759 single. Two of the cruises also offer golf programs and the third has a garden program. Deilmann also offers wellness programs, introduced this past year, and shore excursions feature hiking, biking, horseback riding, whale and dolphin watching. For more information, call 800-348-8287 or visit www.deilmann-cruises.com.

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Cherie

Release Date: 9/27/2006

Uniworld Offers Savings on Europe, Russia Cruises

Uniworld is offering enhanced early-booking and pay-in-full discounts of up to $700 per couple on all 2007 Europe and Russia Grand River Cruises when booked and paid in full by October 2006. Savings vary by itinerary and program length. In addition, guests who have traveled with Uniworld before will receive an added savings of $100 per person. Uniworld’s 2007 Europe and Russia cruise season runs from March through December with nine- to 30-day cruises and tours in 20 countries. Uniworld sails the Rhine, Moselle, Danube and Main rivers; the Seine, Rhone and Saone rivers in France; the Douro River in Spain and Portugal; and the Volga and Rostov-on-Don rivers in Russia. Ports include Amsterdam, Budapest, Lyon, Paris, Arles, Vienna, and Russia’s Moscow and St. Petersburg. New 2007 itineraries include nine-day cruises roundtrip from Paris to Normandy on the Seine; 16-day Grand France cruises combine the Paris/Normandy itinerary with the Burgundy/Provence program. The new 16-day “European Discovery” sails the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers through Switzerland, France, Germany and Austria. The 30-day “Grand European Explorer” combines the “Eastern Europe Explorer” and “European Discovery” for a journey from Basel to Bucharest. Uniworld’s Grand River Cruises include roundtrip airfare, all transfers, outside staterooms, all meals and entertainment onboard, the services of a Uniworld cruise manager, and select excursions ashore. Los Angeles-based Uniworld offers 500 departures on more than 30 itineraries sailing on 12 rivers across four continents. For more information, call 800-733-7820 or visit www.uniworld.com.

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Cherie

Release Date: 9/27/2006

Discovery World Offers 2-for-1 Fares in Polynesia

Discovery World Cruises unveiled 2-for-1 fares on its “In the Wake of the Bounty” voyage from Tahiti to Chile, departing March 18. The voyage includes overnight stays onboard in Papeete and Easter Island and a two-night hotel stay in Santiago. Fares are from $3,650 for the first person; the second person pays only the port charges of $295. The cruise visits places such as Bora Bora, Rangiroa Lagoon, Robinson Crusoe Island, Easter Island, Pitcairn Island and a two-night hotel stay in Santiago. For more information, call 866-623-2689 or visit www.discoveryworldcruises.com.

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Cherie

Release Date: 9/27/2006

Crystal Sets Air, Cruise Savings on Europe Cruises

Crystal Cruises is offering savings on cruise fares and business-class air for European vacations in 2007. When booked by Oct. 31, guests can save 5 percent off Penthouse accommodations or 10 percent off all other stateroom categories on four European cruises. Eligible for the discounts are the May 1 cruise from London to Rome, a May 25 cruise from Istanbul to Venice, a May 31 cruise from Rome to London, and an Aug. 9 voyage from Copenhagen to London. Fares start at $3,505 per person, double occupancy, for a 10-day cruise. Average savings translate to $800-$1200 per couple. Crystal is also introducing reduced business-class air upgrade fares with all 2007 European and transatlantic cruises booked by March 31. Passengers can upgrade from Crystal’s air-sea fares to business class for $999 one way, which represents a discount of about 50 percent from unrestricted business-class airfares to Europe. The air upgrade is available from 20 Western, Central and Eastern gateways in the U.S. and Canada in conjunction with more than two dozen European cruises. In 2007, Crystal’s seven-, 10-, 11-, 12- and 14-day European cruises depart from Rome, London, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Istanbul, Venice, Athens, Lisbon and Toulon in the south of France. For additional information, call 800-820-6663 or visit www.crystalcruises.com.

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Cherie

Release Date: 9/27/2006

Homeland Security to Distribute Port Grants

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will distribute more than $168 million in port security grants to help finance protection against terrorist attacks, major disasters and other emergencies. Fifty of 100 ports on the U.S Coast Guard’s most critical seaport list will receive funding for projects to enhance security measures. Since 2002, the department has provided more than $876 million to enhance security at ports and maritime facilities. For more information, visit www.dhs.gov.

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Cherie

Release Date: 9/27/2006

Carnival Changes Homeports for Legend, Miracle

Carnival Cruise Lines will switch the homeport deployments of the 2,124-passenger Carnival Legend and Carnival Miracle beginning in the spring. The Carnival Legend, which currently sails from New York and Fort Lauderdale, will be deployed to Tampa to operate year-round seven-day Western Caribbean voyages departing Sundays beginning April 15. Currently based in Tampa, the Carnival Miracle will be relocated to New York and Fort Lauderdale to operate eight-day Caribbean cruises beginning April 25. Since the Carnival Miracle and Carnival Legend are sister ships, guests’ reservations will be automatically shifted to the new vessel with booking and stateroom numbers remaining the same. The Carnival Legend’s new Tampa itinerary includes extended calls at Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize and Costa Maya. Prior to the start-up of its new seven-day itinerary, the Legend will operate one four-day Eastern Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale departing April 9 and visiting Grand Turk and Nassau. The Miracle’s New York cruises will visit San Juan, St. Thomas/St. John, and Tortola/Virgin Gorda. Prior to the start-up of this program, the ship will operate a six-day cruise departing New York April 19 to King’s Wharf, Bermuda, and Newport, R.I. It also offers a two-day cruise departing Oct. 18, 2007. The Carnival Miracle will undergo an 11-day dry-dock before redeploying to New York. Following its New York program, the Miracle will reposition to Fort Lauderdale for alternating eight-day Southern and Western Caribbean cruises starting Oct. 22, 2007. The Southern Caribbean cruises include St. Maarten, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts while the Western route will visit Colon, Panama; Limon, Costa Rica; and Belize City. Carnival is currently accepting reservations for the new programs. Prices for the Carnival Legend’s seven-day cruises from Tampa start at $549 per person while eight-day Carnival Miracle cruises begin at $619. For additional information, call 800-327-9501 or visit the travel agent portal at www.bookccl.com.

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Cherie

Release Date: 9/27/2006

CLIA Urges Consumers to Book in October

The Cruise Lines International Association is promoting the National Cruise Vacation Month (NCVM), a month-long awareness campaign in October designed to provide consumers with everything they ever wanted to learn about leisure cruising. NCVM’s centerpiece is the World’s Largest Cruise Night (WLCN), a 24-hour promotion to be held on Thursday, Oct. 19. WLCN will feature a variety of consumer events hosted by CLIA-member travel agencies throughout North America. WLCN celebrations include cocktail parties, salmon-bake dinners, and live television remotes from ships docked at local homeports. Consumers who attend will find information on the wide variety of vacations available on the 150 ships of CLIA’s 19 member lines. In many cases, cruise line officials will be on hand to provide briefings as well as special offers and value-added incentives for guests who book cruises. Consumers can locate travel agencies that are hosting WLCN events by entering their state’s two-letter abbreviation at CLIA’s WLCN Event Locator at www.cruising.org. Agents can also find information on hosting a WLCN event on the Travel Agent Center at www.cruising.org.

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