Publication: Travel Tips
Tips For Your Next Cruise | |
Subscribe FREE to Travel Tips by clicking here.
============================================================
COOL TRAVEL MAIL'S
TRAVEL TIPS
Tips & Advice for the Seasoned and Armchair Traveler Alike!
============================================================
http://www.CoolTravelMail.com
Dec. 11, 2007
----- 13 tips to save money on your next cruise ------
Wave season is just around the corner, and there are deals
to be had
By Christopher Elliott
Travel columnist
MSNBC contributor
Thinking of taking a cruise? Then you picked the right time
— and you're reading the right story.
Wave season — the time of year when most cruises are booked
— is just ahead. It runs from January to about mid-March,
and because everyone's out there buying a floating
vacation, there are lots of deals to be had.
But the 2008 wave season promises to be a little different
than past ones. Coming off a year in which the industry
trade group Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
expected to welcome a record 12.62 million cruise
passengers, an increase of about a half-million guests
over 2006, there's trouble on the horizon.
The biggest, as far as passengers are concerned, are a
pesky and probably illegal fuel surcharge on cruises. It's
no secret that fuel prices have risen recently, but the
cruise industry appears to have taken the Gordon Gekko
approach to paying its energy bills. Many have retroactive-
ly charged customers who already paid for their cruises in
full, offering a piece of the action to travel agents who
helped them collect.
Forget, for a moment, that some cruise lines have hedged
their fuel costs, which means they aren’t really paying
more for energy. And forget that those same cruise lines
also agreed in 1997 to not charge any fees in addition to
the advertised initial ticket price, except those actually
passed on by the company to a government agency.
Apparently, greed is good.
============================================================
****** Let The Creativity Flow ******
Encouraging children to be creative is a crucial step in
developing inspiration. Filled with EVERYTHING needed (68
pieces!) to help develop the budding artist or an architect
in your child. Just look at all it includes:
** 12 markers ** 12 color pencils ** 12 oil pastels
** 12 crayons ** 12 paints ** paint brush
** palette ** pencil ** pencil sharpener
** eraser ** ruler ** glue
This art set comes complete with an easy to store carrying
case perfect for entertainment during long car rides or
rainy days! Valued at $9.99, for a limited time get it for
$4.99. Its a GREAT GIFT, so order 1 or 2 today:
Complete 68-Piece Creativity Art Set
============================================================
At a time like this, you have to be smarter about your
cruise purchase. First, find a competent travel agent.
Nearly 9 in 10 cruises are sold by professional travel
consultants, and there are many knowledgeable agents out
there who know their stuff. I always check to make sure
they're members of the American Society of Travel Agents
or CLIA — signs that they're on the up-and-up.
Next, you should know that there could be deals, and lots
of them. The major cruise lines were expected to add 12 new
ships totaling 22,039 beds, and if demand doesn't keep up
with supply, you could see some serious discounting come
wave season. So shop hard.
And beyond that? I asked a few good agents and veteran
cruisers for their money-saving secrets.
Here they are:
Buy now. When Jeff Cooper worked for a cruise line, the
best deals didn't come during wave season. They came
just before. In other words, now. "The sailings prior to
Christmas and New Years were rarely at capacity," says
Cooper, who now works as a hospital administrator. And
while the bargains during wave period were good, these
were better.
Skip the air-inclusive cruise. "Cruise air is usually the
worst possible deal," says Amber Blecker, an agent for
CruiseResource.com. "You get bad itineraries, multiple
connections and higher prices." And, she adds, don't think
for a moment the cruise line will wait if your plane is
late. "That's a wives tale," she says.
Find a preferred agent. There are travel agents, and then
there are travel agents. "Find one that specializes in
booking with your desired cruise line," advises Charles
McCool, a consultant who specializes in finding travel
deals. "Only a select few have preferred status. These
agents and agencies offer better discounts and amenities,
and the cruises cost between 10 percent and 20 percent less
than cruises bought from other agents."
============================================================
NIGHT WRITER - BLUE LIGHT PEN
Pen With a Night Light for Cool & Easy Writing...
Store Price: $4.99
DEAL PRICE: $1.99 or two for $3.98
Now you can write WHENEVER you want.... Day or Night! How
many times have you needed to jot something down but there
wasn't enough light? With the Night Writer pen this will
never be an issue again.
The powerful light is strong enough to light up your paper,
but discreet enough to not disturb others. And YES...
Batteries Are Included!
This is one of those pens that is ultra cool to use. And
with the special pricing you can pick up three for less
than you would pay for one in the store....
******** Order one (1) for just $1.99 ********
**** SAVE $1.00 and get two (2) for $2.98 ****
** SAVE $1.50 and get three (3) for $4.47 **
To see this pen or to order, head on over to:
NIGHT WRITER - BLUE LIGHT PEN
============================================================
Think small, think shoulder-season. Crystal Griffith, a
nurse from Baker, Fla., scored a deep discount on her
Alaska cruise by choosing a September itinerary and picking
a windowless inside cabin. "We rarely spent much time in
the cabin, and use it mainly for sleeping," she says. "It
saved us lots of money."
Become a shareholder. "If you buy 100 shares of Carnival or
Royal Caribbean shares, you'll get between $50 and $200 of
free cabin credit on every cruise," says George Smart, a
consultant in Research Triangle Park, NC. Note: Carnival
and Royal Caribbean own most of the cruise lines out there,
so this is a pretty decent deal.'
Ask about discounts. One of the most popular is the
military discount. Some cruise lines insist on either
active-duty status or evidence of a long career. But not
all. "Carnival Cruise line will sell their military rate
to anyone who has served for two years," says Liz Lamagese,
a Tampa, Fla.-based travel agent. "As long as you have your
separation papers to fax them, you can get very low rates
on most of their cruises."
Private tours can save you big money. That's what Jerry
Rothstein, a New York investment consultant, discovered
on a recent cruise to the Greek islands. "We quickly
figured out that for six people, we'd be better off having
a private arrangement for shore excursions," he says. Now
he regularly runs Internet searches to find less costly
tours for groups that are "more intimate" and cost less
than those offered by the cruise line.
Become a frequent cruiser. Evelyn Fine, a market researcher
based in Daytona Beach, Fla., has found that loyalty pays.
Cruise lines offer her everything from discounts to special
on-board perks, like VIP receptions and priority dinner
reservations. "Becoming a loyal customer is worth it,"
she says.
For a free upgrade, tell them you're a VIP. Actually, get
your travel agent to tell them you're a VIP, says Royce
Jones, a Jackson, Miss., furniture manufacturers
representative. "My agent tells the cruise line I'm one
of her best customers, and that if I like the trip, I'll
return again in the future," he says. "And then she asks
for an upgrade. It works most of the time."
Don't get on the bus. "One of the best ways to save money
on a cruise is to not take the provided transportation that
meets you at the dock," says Michael Berger, an information
systems consultant in Chilliwack, Canada. "They usually
cost more or end up taking you to their uncle's store to
get a discount." Instead, he recommends walking a block or
two away from the dock and finding a local transportation
option. It's cheaper, and you're less likely to fall for a
tourist trap.
============================================================
SMART ESSENTIALS 3 in 1 SHAVER KIT
Retail Price: $19.99
Deal Price: $9.99 or get two for $15.98
The Smart Shave by Smart Essentials is 3 in 1 shaver set that
includes a shaver, trimmer and groomer and can go everywhere
because it's portable. The three individual pressure-adjusting
floating heads flex to facial contours. This also has sharp,
stainless steel blades that lift and cut whiskers with a micro
groove cutting system. Plus, this personal groomer has inter-
changeable heads with a ear/nose hair trimmer & mustache/side-
burn groomer.
The Smart Shave holds 12 hours of charge time and up to 30
minutes of continuous cordless shaving.
***** Save more when you buy two or more ****
***** Order one (1) for just $9.99 ****
**** SAVE $4.00 and get two (2) for $15.98 ****
**** SAVE $6.00 and get three (3) for $23.97 ****
**** SAVE $8.00 and get four (4) for $31.96 ****
SMART ESSENTIALS 3 in 1 SHAVER KIT
============================================================
Get a soda sticker. If you like bubbly drinks, buy the soda
sticker for the cruise if your cruise line sells one. On
Princess, for example, $29.50 gives you unlimited soda —
something Tom Kinsella Woodbridge, Va., software manager,
discovered on his last cruise. "And bring your own large
soda mug. Ours is 64 ounces, and they'll fill it any time
you need it filled. That way, you're not stuck with their
small glasses."
Or try these two booze tricks. Tip #1: Bring your own wine
and pay a corking fee at dinner. "It's still cheaper than
the roughly $30 low-end wines offered by the cruise line,"
says Kirsten Taylor, an information technology manager in
Feeding Hills, Mass. Tip #2: If you prefer hard liquor, try
emptying a water bottle and replacing it with your favorite
vodka or gin. "No one will notice," says David Tuder, a
banker from New York.
Buy your next cruise... on your cruise. "The cruise line
will offer special deals available only onboard, with much
lower base prices than you’d find off the ship," says Kevin
Harris, a hotel owner from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "And when
you book with the onboard person, you usually receive
higher onboard credits to spend anywhere on the ship."
This wave season, you don't have to be swamped with higher
cruise prices and unexpected surcharges. Just take a few
tips from people who are in the know, and you'll save a
few bucks and have better cruise.
Well, that's it for this week, group. Thanks again for
reading, and please keep those comments, complaints and
questions coming in.
You can send me an e-mail message at: Email Pierce
Until next week, thanks for reading.
Your Tipmeister,
Pierce
P.S. If you're interested you can now post comments on this
and recent issues on our forum at... Travel Tips Forum
************************************************************
ARCHIVES: Travel Tips Archives
See hundreds of free Travel Video Clips online at:
Great Free Travel Videos
------------------------------------------------------------
End of Travel Tips - Another free ezine from GopherCentral
(c)2007 NextEra Media. All rights reserved.
 E-Mail this issue
Subscribe FREE to Travel Tips by clicking here.
|