In these tough times, do not be discouraged in planning a soothing holiday by sailing on a cruise. Don’t forget that other consumers are thinking the same while bigger and bigger cruise ships are built !. So what does it mean? It means you have the advantage since the cruise companies are really eager to get your business. Keep this in mind as you review the following cost saving tips.
Before You Get on Board:
Here’s how to find the lowest fare at the best time.
.Look for bulk buyers
Check out cruise consolidators. They buy large blocks of cabins from the cruise lines at a deep discount. Most of the offers don’t include airfare, but the savings are significant, and companies such as Cruiseone dot com, CruiseBrothers dot com, and Cruise dot com feature dozens of bargain basement priced cruises around the world every week.
.Don’t ignore the ‘shoulder season’
The ‘shoulder season’ is that period in between a destination’s high and low seasons. The rates are lower during these periods, since less people are escaping the winters. For example, try sailing to Alaska in mid-May or early September, to the Caribbean in late April or September-October, to Hawaii in late August or late November, or to the Mediterranean in March or November. The advantage does not stop at lower prices. Cruise lines also offer special packages to get you to sign up during these slow time periods.
.Check if school is out
This is straightforward, you stay away from those times when the kids are off. Think spring breaks or summer vacations. If the kids are all on vacation, cabin prices are at their peak. Cruises are wildly affordable right after Labor Day and during the week after Thanksgiving, for example.
.All set ? .. Book it!
If you don’t have a specific cruise date in mind, try waiting until the last minute to book online. Almost all cruise lines quietly unload any left over inventory as the departure date draws nearer. Note: ‘Last minute’ doesn’t mean what it used to. After 9/11, security regulations now require cruise lines to close the list of passengers as much as 96 hours before sailing.
Post Boarding Considerations:
Since cruise lines almost try to give away the cabins just to get you on board, they try to make it up later during the cruise. That means you have to keep in mind a few simple things to minimize the impact to your wallet.
Factor in Tipping
Make sure you know if the cruise lines have already factored in the gratuities or if they will leave it up to the passengers. To help you figure out how much to give or not to give, go to cruisetip dot tpkeller dot com, and you will get a very good breakdown on how much to give by services (i.e. waiters, head waiter, chambermaids and so on).
Maximize the Use of the Main Dining Room:
More and more cruise ships have specialty-restaurants to give passengers options beyond the cost-included main dining room and midnight buffet. On some cruise lines, for example, dinner at one of their designer restaurants can run you a minimum of $50 per guest!
Budget for Booze:
Remember that BYOB does not apply to cruise lines. Most cruise lines frown on this, and some actually employ a ‘liquor retention team’ to seize alcohol not purchased on board. The bottles are returned to you at the end of the cruise.
Abide by these simple guidelines and you are on your way to getting the best value for your money while enjoying that well deserved cruise vacation!
Erikka is a student who is also into web marketing, promoting a varied collection of web sites. If you are looking for a place with the best selection and pricing on transformers or barbie doll toys and barbie clothes for the kids, try visiting her sites.