Friday, February 19, 2010

A Weekend Cruise Chuckle

I just couldn't resist.

Alan Wilson of Cruise News Daily reports that French economy minister Chrstine Lagarde has pledged the French government will supply funds to keep the STX Europe ship yard at Saint Nazaire from closing. Due to the lack of orders, especially for cruise ships, the yard is running out of work. Minister Legarde states the yard is too big of employer to let fail.

That makes me wonder: Can a "Cash for Clunkers" for cruise ships be far behind?

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Monday, January 11, 2010

It's Wave Season! FULL List of Special Offers!

Once again, cruise wave season is upon us, the time when most bookings for the year are made, and the cruise lines roll out attractive specials to entice you. Below is a FULL list of wave season offers by cruise line! Most of these offers are available through February 4, 2010, though other booking dates may be listed in the specific offers:

Azamara Club Cruises: Receive up to $400 in Onboard Credit (per stateroom) when you book an Ocean View stateroom or higher on select Azamara Club departures. Booking Window: January 7 - February 4, 2010

Applicable Sailings:
Azamara Journey, 5/2/10
Azamara Journey, 5/23/10
Azamara Journey, 6/18/10
Azamara Journey, 8/29/10
Azamara Quest, 7/12/10
Azamara Quest, 11/27/10

Carnival: Up to 2 Category Upgrade on select dates.

Celebrity: Up to $100/cabin onboard credit! Celebrity January Sale
Interested in an Alaska or Europe cruisetour? Up to $200/cabin onboard
credit on Alaska cruisetours if booked by January 31, or $300/cabin onboard
credit for Europe cruisetours if booked by March 31!

Crystal: In addition to the absolutely wonderful As You Wish onboard credits up to $2,000/cabin, 2-for-1 fares and free air on select sailings, an additional $200/cabin onboard credit and pre-paid gratuities.
Solo Travelers: Remember that Crystal has some of the
lowest single supplements in the industry, standard starting at only 25%.
Crystal can be a fabulous value for solo travelers.

Cunard: Up to $300/cabin onboard credit for all 2010/2011 sailings (except 2011 World Cruise) on QM2, Queen Victoria and the new Queen Elizabeth.

Solo traveler alert: I have found ZERO single supplement on some fall 2010 Transatlantic sailings on the Queen Mary 2! Most notably the 11/10/10 sailing. Zero. Nada. Zip! Current inside fares are less than $1,000 SINGLE OCCUPANCY! If you've dreamed of a classic Cunard Transatlantic and sail solo... DO NOT WAIT! These sailings are also eligible for the onboard credit and reduced deposit offers!


Disney: Onboard credit for selected 3- and 4-night spring sailings!

Holland America: Reduced deposit and coupon book for all bookings! Don't forget the ongoing View and Verandah sale with lowered fares for oceanview cabins and above, 50% reduced deposit, savings for 3rd and 4th passengers, and even savings on pre- and post-cruise hotels!
In addition, in an EXCLUSIVE for my clients, I have some Limited Edition The Art
of Cruising books from Holland America! This lovely coffee table book
highlights the fine art and antiques aboard Holland America ships. Book
with me on Holland America by February 5, and I'll enter you into a drawing for
these collectible books!

NCL: Year of Freestyle Vacation offers. Up to 6 category upgrades, certificate books, plus rotating offers every two weeks. Currently on sale: Norwegian Epic with upgrades and reduced deposits!
In addition, for solo travelers, Norwegian Epic is offering
150% single supplements for most 2010 and 2011 sailings! This is huge, as
NCL rarely reduces single supplements. A great opportunity to try not only
NCL, but their brand new Epic!

Princess: Through January 21, reduced deposits of $100/person and coupon books on all sailings 7 days or longer.

In addition, for select 2010 European, Caribbean and Alaska sailings, book a balcony at the price of an Oceanview!
Alaska Cruisetours including Denali are on sale! Up to 25% off Alaska
Cruisetour packages! Book by February 28. Prices start as low as
$1,274/person.

Royal Caribbean: Up to $200/cabin savings for select sailings throughout 2010! Book an oceanview cabin or above by February 28 on select sailings and receive up to $200/cabin savings!

River Cruising: River cruise lines continue to offer tremendous savings, with 2-for-1 pricing, free or reduced air and other special offers. These specials are frequently changing, but if you're considering a river cruise for 2010, don't wait. Unlike 2009, many special dates are already extremely limited.

This is the time to book your 2010 (or even 2011) cruise!

If you're thinking of Alaska this year, I can't emphasize enough to BOOK NOW! Because of the reduction in the number of ships and sailings, I expect Alaska cruises and cruisetours to be going up in price throughout the year. Booking now locks in your preferred cabin and pricing.

Remember that several lines will allow me to adjust your fare if they lower prices, EVEN AFTER FINAL PAYMENT! If you're concerned with getting the best fare, and who isn't, ask for information on these policies. I never charge a fee for changes to your booking, unless the cruise line imposes one directly. So you're protected when booking with me!

Call me at 303-690-8937, or toll-free at 888-SAIL-123 (888-724-5123), or email at amber@cruiseresource.com for more information on any sailing, offer, or to book your cruise! You deserve a great vacation in 2010!

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Friday, August 28, 2009

Kids Sail Free on Disney This Winter!

Starting Monday, August 31st at 8 AM!!!

Kids ages 17 and under can sail free on most 3-night cruises January 7 - April 15, 2010 and most 4-night cruises January 10 - April 11, 2010 with two full-fare Guests in the same stateroom. Government Taxes and Fees not included.

Onboard, discover something magical for every member of your crew with separate areas for kids, teens, adults and families. There's even a day at Castaway Cay, Disney's private island paradise.

Offer applies to new bookings only for stateroom categories 4-12. The number of staterooms allocated for this offer is limited. Other special offers, discounts or onboard credits do not apply.

If you're looking for a Disney cruise getaway with your family this winter, and you know no one does fun like Disney, then call or email me NOW so you will be in line for this offer when it becomes available on Monday. Capacity is extremely limited, so don't miss out.

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Saturday, August 8, 2009

Live from Azamara Quest: Business Class Makes a Difference

As anyone who has traveled in coach on a Transatlantic or Transpacific flight knows, it is with longing that you pass by the business class seats when you board. While many of us have plenty of frequent flyer points with which to upgrade, it seems the cost of those upgradeable fares just keeps rising.

I was determined on this trip to fly in Business, as I have way too many accumulated miles, and upgrades are one of the best ways to use them for the greatest return. So I set out to find the best source for upgradeable fares.

I discovered that one of my consolidators, whom I thought was only really useful for purchasing business class outright, also has excellent discounted fares on the coach fare classes which allow for upgrades. Hallelujah!

I ended up in Business for a lower cost than many purchased the non-refundable coach fares (though higher than the absolute rock bottom coach purchased well in advance), and paid several hundred dollars less than the airline was asking for the exact same upgradeable coach class ticket. I arrived this morning in Rome rested, decently fed and hydrated, and ready to hit the road.

So if you're in the same position, seeking to purchase coach but upgrade, realize it will cost you a bit more than the lowest coach fare, but there are avenues so you may not have to pay the full fare of an upgradeable class of service. It's worth the effort to do the checking! And of course, for international, I can check my sources for you for this type of ticket as well. Not much I can do for the standard coach fares - even I go through sites such as Orbitz and the individual airlines' sites for those, but when you want something "up front", I can help!

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Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Carnival Not Implementing Fuel Supplement At This Time

Don't know if you noticed, but crude oil prices (most specifically West Texas Light Sweet Crude) slipped over the infamous $70/barrel price yesterday, and is today trading around $71. Many observers in the cruise industry started mulling over whether or not that would mean the return of fuel supplements.

On all recent bookings, Princess and Holland America have had a disclaimer that if fuel exceeds $70/bbl, that they reserve the right to re-impose supplements. Other lines aren't so blatant about it, but if you go back to when they were first implemented, there were a number of "benchmark" dates where, if the price was over $70/bbl at the close of trading, the supplements would be implemented for the following quarter. We have one of those benchmarks coming up on June 17.

First out of the block to address this question is Carnival Corporation's Mickey Arison, who has stated that they have "no plans" to reinstate supplements on any of their brands at this time. It was noted that, while the price of fuel is increasing, they also have to take into consideration the overall economic climate in evaluating whether or not they should implement these fees. An official statement to this effect will be released later today.

Of course, they reserve the right to monitor the prices and review their position as factors change.

Royal Caribbean and Norwegian had actually set their benchmarks at $65/bbl, which we passed several days ago, and have not indicated any move toward re-instating supplements on their lines at this time.

So for right now, cruisers, looks like we're in the clear for the near term on fuel supplements. Stay tuned, as I'll always keep you updated.

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Monday, June 8, 2009

Tornadoes and Cruising

Tornadoes? What on earth does that have to do with cruises? Well, if you lived in the Denver Metro Area yesterday, it would make sense.

I live in the southeast Denver Metro Area, and yesterday afternoon, we had at least 5 tornadoes form and touch down in a very unusual storm. While tornadoes are a common occurrence in Colorado, because of the mountains and how they break up the weather systems as they come across the Continental Divide, most tornadoes form a more off to the east of Denver. Not this storm.

Starting with suddenly black and green skies seemingly from nowhere, followed by marble and larger sized hail at my office, I was at the leading edge of a serious weather system yesterday.

According to weather spotters, there was a funnel which formed and was sighted over my house. I only know that for sure because of their reports; I was down in the basement with all that was most important; my kitties (my own and some kittens I'm currently fostering for the local shelter), and my laptop. And that's how cruising comes into it. My house could have come apart at the seams (unlikely, as it is a metal framed house, but sure could have windows and roof blow out), but your cruising data would have been safe. While I have electronic backups as well, my laptop is my primary repository of all your booking data. And I wasn't going to let anything happen to it!

Thankfully, the damage which did occur, while serious, didn't result in any loss of life. Buildings can be replaced.

Thank you all for your phone calls and emails of inquiry this morning. It touches me that you were concerned. All is fine here, and I learned my kitten is a very good weather kitty as she warned me that something was seriously wrong at least 5 minutes before the sirens sounded.

And back we return to normal cruising business. Did someone say exclusive 3-day sale tomorrow?

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Sunday, March 15, 2009

New Ships, Cruising and the Economy

In talking with clients recently, two questions are asked most frequently: Are things busy for you and how is the cruise industry? We're all reading about how hard the travel industry is being hit by the current economic conditions, but what isn't being widely reported is how well the cruise industry is positioned not just to ride it out, but to do well overall.

Recently, both Carnival and Princess announced record call volumes during the peak booking months of January and February. The cruise lines helped drive these calls with some pretty spectacular offers, but there are always offers during the "wave" season. Consumers responded to these offers this year in unprecedented numbers, reinforcing the strength in the industry.

One of the greatest assets the cruise industry has is the mobility of its product. No, not just that the ships go to multiple destinations, but that the industry can react fairly quickly to changing demand. We're about to see the release of the 2010/2011 schedules, and I'm predicting that "home port" cruising from ports such as Baltimore, New York and similar formerly "secondary" markets will see an increase in the number of ships along with larger, newer ships being ported in these locations. Why? Because it's increasingly harder for cruisers to fly to the more "traditional" ports in Florida and the like due to the airline cutbacks. So if the cruisers can't easily get to the ships, the ships will come to the cruisers.

Likewise, I also expect to see more ships sailing in Europe or other areas for longer periods of time. Both with itinerary changes to bring them into the Europe markets earlier in the season (which we're already seeing), more assigned year-round, and also ships being transferred to the European sister brands of the American lines. Just like in the US, Europeans are looking to cruise closer to home, and their market is expanding rapidly, both for the US brands, and also the brands which are based in and targeted toward Europeans. Because of low-cost intra-Europe air and easily-available charters to places such as Dubai, Europeans can more easily travel in that region than fly to the US or the Caribbean, and they're taking advantage of it.

Yes, cruise fares are a bit lower right now overall, but in traditional peak periods, like the spring break period we're going into, the fares and demand both are extremely strong. Summer Caribbean bookings for families are looking similarly positive for the industry.

But what about newbuilds? Can the industry absorb the new ships and berths which are already in the pipeline? I say absolutely, and point to a couple key indicators.

First, there was quite a bit of question until very recently of whether the Norwegian Cruise Line's F3 project was going to be cancelled. Even before the market changes, there were design cost overruns on the ship, and NCL was looking at their options to draw back. But negotiations continued, and the release of the first ship's name (Norwegian Epic) and newly-released design elements for the ship show that this project is going forward to continue the innovations for which NCL is so well known.

An even larger indication of the strength and power new ships have in the market is, quite literally, the Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas project. Set to launch in November, 2009 with inaugural sailing in December, this largest-ever ship is selling extremely well. With prices on her commanding a premium, and strong sales, this ground-breaking ship has and will continue to draw market attention from the press and educate and remind cruisers all the aspects a cruise vacation can cover, further shattering the myth of a "typical" cruise vacation. Knowing Royal Caribbean, there will be a huge media and industry campaign, with lots of paid and free press on all aspects of this launch, bringing even more new passengers into the cruising. Yes, there was a blurb in the SEC filing a couple weeks ago that Royal Caribbean was continuing to negotiate the terms of purchase financing, but that was a legally-required statement and shouldn't have surprised anyone in the markets or industry. Along with most in the industry, I look forward to seeing for myself what this industry-changing ship is like late this year.

Finally, you can see not just my optimism, but my company's (my family of companies is the largest retailer of cruises in the world) along with the largest trip insurer's confidence with our announcement two weeks ago of our partnership with TravelGuard to provide the industry's only "job assurance" protection in our standard trip insurance policy. We know that people want to cruise, and took the step to make it easier to book when you want by taking out the worry of a potential job loss. Do you think an insurer would open themselves to this risk if they didn't feel the industry was strong... and that the economy would support the position?

Cruising continues to increase in popularity, and I don't think we'll see a change in that trend any time soon. I just hope you all take advantage of the price advantages we have right now and schedule your own vacation soon. There's no better value in vacation than cruising, and no better way to get away.

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Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Cruisers are Readers

I'm back from Antarctica, and one of the things which most struck me about the cruisers on the ship, aside from their love of nature, was the books we all were reading. Everything from light romances to serious biographies. The one thing we all had in common, though, was most of us had to lug our books down there, enough for 16-days worth of cruising, and taking into account luggage weight restrictions. For us to do that, we had to be SERIOUS readers!

I've been intrigued by the Amazon Kindle since it was announced over a year ago, and it leaped into the popular culture when Oprah featured it in October (it's been sold out ever since). But with yesterday's announcement of the new Kindle 2.0, popularity is sure to skyrocket even further. Thinner, lighter, and with improved speed and memory, this is a traveling reader's dream! A bit expensive, but when I figured how much I pay in books each year, and the savings per book I'll have (with bestsellers, even new releases, generally at only $9.99 each), it won't take long for me to pay for the reader. Add in the convenience of not carrying 10 pounds of books when I travel, and as the commercial says - Priceless!

I'm finally taking the leap and ordering the new Kindle 2. If you're interested too, follow any of the links above, or go to my Kindle page at Kindle Mania. Full disclosure - I do get a referral fee if you purchase the Kindle (or any other Amazon.com item) through that link. But if you're purchasing through Amazon anyway, I'd sure appreciate you using my links (I've added an Amazon search box at the side of the blog to facilitate future purchases, too).

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Monday, December 1, 2008

How to Compare Prices?

This is the third in my series on how, when and with whom you should book your cruise in these economic conditions. Part 1, When to Book Your Cruise, examined the various mainstream cruise lines and their price reduction policies. Part 2, Choosing An Agent: Is Your Cruise Paid For?, looked at protecting your cruise investment based on the agency you choose. This final chapter, How to Compare Prices, will help educate you on comparing agencies, their services and policies, to allow you to evaluate their prices apples to apples.

It would be nice if advertised fares included everything necessary to be paid in advance, wouldn't it? But unfortunately that's not the case with cruises. We're lucky that at least there is a fairly standard way of advertising prices, but that's not enough to evaluate fares from one agency to another. It's not even just about what you pay in fare, but other factors as well, such as additional fees which might be assessed later on in your booking, as well as intangible costs.

First a little history. Thanks to a 1990s lawsuit by the Florida Attorney General's office, one of the most consumer-friendly AG's offices in the country, especially active toward cruisers rights, all advertised cruise fares must include the base fare (which is commissionable to agencies) and the "port charges" or Non-Commissionable Fares/NCFs (which have nothing to do with charges made by the ports, but which are actually arbitrary fees tacked on by the cruise lines and on which agents are not paid any commission . For more information on NCFs, read the excellent article in MSNBC by Anita Durham-Potter - Crazy Cruise Costs).

This combination base fare plus NCF is the fare you see online when you click for pricing on cruise line web sites, agent sites such as mine, in my newsletters or blog posts most of the time (unless I say it includes other fees), and in print such as newspapers. But this isn't your complete price. Not even close.

In addition to the advertised fare (base plus NCF), you will on most lines also have at the minimum a tax amount, which is the pass-through charge from the various governmental entities in the ports and authorities such as the Panama Canal. The taxes will vary by your itinerary, and are the actual per person charge assessed to the cruise line. If you're booking for 2008 or 2009 on most lines, there will also be a fuel supplement charge added, though that may eventually be refunded to you onboard based on a formula the cruise lines have set up.

Those charges are all pretty straight forward. Most lines prohibit advertising any rates other than their published rates or group rates a particular agency may have available. There may be special offers given to specific agencies which they send out in their promos, but in general, the advertised fares will be fairly similar (even if they don't appear to be at first glance).

But there are a lot of "tricks" agencies play in how they advertise pricing to you. For example, an ad may have several dates for a sailing on a particular ship, let's say the Jewel of the Seas, December 8, 15, 21, 28, and so on, with fares from $499/person (these are all hypotheticals just for use of illustration). Even though there may be several dates listed, usually only one specific sailing date in the ad will have that fare, and by the time you see it, that category may be sold out. The key to figuring out what's going on is to notice there are multiple dates and the word "from" in the pricing. That tells you that most of the dates will have higher prices, but that one sailing may have particularly low prices and that's what they select to advertise.

That's the most common device I see in advertising which frustrates consumers. My company does it too, as do most of the cruise line direct ads, and it is legitimate, but it's important for you to know about it so that you don't automatically presume that all dates in that ad have that pricing available. That way, when you call or email for a quote, you don't get confused when your prices are higher.

It's also important to realize just how much taxes and fuel supplement can add to a sailing. Let's take the example of a Panama Canal 10-night sailing. Because of the high fees assessed to ships for a Canal transit, even a partial, it's not uncommon to have taxes in the amount of $250 or higher per person. Fuel supplements right now average about $10/person per day, adding another $100/person to that fare. So a fare advertised at $999/person for the 10-night sailing might actually be around $1,350/person once the taxes and fuel supplement are added. A significant difference.

Whenever the fare is higher than you expect when you get to the bottom line, it's important to question the break-down. Because sometimes agencies will add in other charges and fees. You have a right to know what's what, and as budgets get a little tighter, to watch where your pennies are going.

So let's talk about those extra charges. Most of the time, if you're pricing online, they're not disclosed up front. Sometimes not even until after you've put in all your information and get to the last page before purchasing. That's extremely frustrating as a consumer, I know. I hate that when I'm buying online, too. So what are those common fees? Most of the time, there's a service or delivery fee added on, ranging anywhere from $15-50 or higher. While I understand agents and agencies who charge those fees, as our commissions are decreasing not just with the lowering of the overall fares, but also the increased percentage of the total price that non-commissionable items represent. There literally are cruises out there where I've made less than the cost of a Starbucks coffee, even though the total fare was several hundred dollars. Just as you pay other professionals for their services, travel agents have begun to charge these service fees or consulting fees. My parent company has a standard $19.95 fee per booking, though I waive it for all my clients as I don't believe in charging it. No matter how you feel about the appropriateness of service fees in travel, you do need to be aware they're out there and figure them into the total when comparing agency to agency, and whether or not it's worth it to you to work with a particular agent.

Other fees may not be disclosed in the initial booking process unless you dig deep and follow all the obscure links, as they don't apply to the initial purchase price. These are the real killers in this time of frequent fare reductions and economic difficulties. They are the change or cancellation fees. What you need to know first is that most cruise lines don't charge a cancellation fee until a certain point prior to the sailing, typically 70 days (though it varies by line, and even by time of year, as holiday sailings have earlier penalties), and some luxury lines or specialty lines like expedition or river cruises may have earlier penalty deadlines. Why do you need to know that? Because many agencies will charge you an agency cancellation or change penalty from day one of your booking. That means that if you need to cancel your booking, even a year before your cruise, you may be charged a fee by your agency to do so, even if the cruise line has no penalties in effect for that cancellation. These fees typically run anywhere from $35-100. Again, they're understandable as the agent has made an investment of time in your booking for which they now won't be compensated from the cruise line if you cancel, but you need to know this when comparing prices. Are there two agencies you're looking at in which one charges a penalty while another doesn't? Factor that in.

Change fees are even more insidious. Most people think that they'll only apply if you change a sailing date or similar. But most agencies which charge a change fee will do so for any change, including cabin number change, fare reductions, or even to add a person to the booking or change a dining time! Where they get truly annoying is the fare reductions. On several recent bookings for my clients, I've had as many as 4 or 5 fare reductions over the course of the booking. If I were charging even a $35 change fee for each of those changes, it would have cost my clients $175 they otherwise would have saved on their cruise. Nasty! And believe me, those fare reductions are coming in fast and furiously, even after final payment (see Part 1 of this series, When To Book Your Cruise for more details). Aside from the fees to apply fare reductions, don't forget to ask the agent's policy about fare reductions, too. Some agencies won't do it at all, many won't without the change fees. That can make a big difference.

Finally, there's the intangible costs or benefits of doing business with a certain agent or company: the service you receive. Even experienced cruisers want advice or assistance on aspects to their sailing, such as shore excursions, private transfers, airlines or airports, even cabin location. Not to mention assistance if something should happen. A personal, full-time agent with experience can definitely bring value to your cruise as opposed to a call center agent who is essentially a human booking engine. Does your agent know the ship or itinerary? Have they actually been on the ship or to your destination? Will you reach the same person who actually knows YOU every time you call? Or are you just calling a rotation number where you'll reach someone different every time? Is the company you're working with a large company with the corresponding credibility with the cruise lines, or a smaller company without affiliations to assist you if you need it? Even when you're comparing the dollars and cents of the actual booking, you need to look at these factors to determine the actual COST of your cruise, and if you're receiving the best VALUE for your money.

As you can see, there's a lot more than just the initial price which goes into the true price for your cruise. Be an educated consumer, compare other factors, and get the best value for your cruise vacation!

Of course, if you have any questions about anything I've written here, want more information about me, my company, and my policies, or want to get a price quote and book through me, you simply have to email me at amber@cruiseresource.com, or call toll-free at 888-SAIL-123 (888-724-5123).

I hope you've found this series of articles beneficial. It pays to do your research!

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Sunday, November 23, 2008

Choosing an Agent: Is Your Cruise Paid For?

This is second in a series of how and when to book a cruise in our current economic climate. The first article, When to Book a Cruise, was originally published for my newsletter subscribers, but was republished earlier this week in this blog as well. The final anticipated series, How to Compare Prices, will be posted in the next week.

As people re-evaluate their travel priorities and budgets, making different spending decisions, there will be shakeups in their travel providers as well. Like in any industry, there will be companies which will close their doors and others which will adapt, provide the services being demanded, and remain strong into the future. It's an inevitable cycle in business, but it's more apparent in times when people are watching their spending more carefully.

When I mention travel companies going out of business, your mind probably goes first to the airlines. And yes, they're the most visible travel providers which we all know have their troubles and financial woes. But I'm actually talking about the travel agencies here. The ones who sell you your vacation and assist you in making your choices.

The first major sign of difficulties in cruise agencies came last week when a major discount agency, Cruise Value Center, closed its doors. It had long had a policy of deep discounts and rebates on cruises, a business model which works okay when times are good and commissions are high. But when fares are dropping, there's no room to discount at all, and the margins which remain don't allow for the continued strength of the business. One would think that discounters would be stronger in this economic environment, but it's actually just the opposite.

CVC actually broke Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and other lines' no discounting policies, which were set up not only to provide a level playing field for agencies, but also as a better way for consumers to evaluate the agents with whom they work. When prices are taken out of the equation, consumers will naturally choose who provides the better service, which benefits the cruise lines and consumers both, not to mention the better agents.

You might wonder why a cruise line cares if an agent rebates part of the commission. After all, they're still getting paid the same. The reason the cruise lines prefer no discounting is because when consumers choose based on service rather than price, resulting in a higher level of service, they usually receive more pre-cruise counseling from their agent, ensuring they're more likely to have a good fit with both the cruise line, ship and itinerary they've selected. Thus making for a better vacation and higher customer satisfaction. This is true not just for new cruisers, but experienced cruisers as well.

More than 90% of cruises are sold through agents of one type or another. Only 10% are direct through the cruise lines. And that's the way the lines want it. It costs them less to pay an agent commission than to have a salaried telephone representative. The agents answer the passengers' routine questions and take far less time on the phone with the cruise line per booking than does a direct consumer purchase. Consumers also fare better as they have an advocate on their behalf and someone whose only interest is in providing the best service so that not only will you come back, no matter what is the next cruise line you select, but also provide referrals for new clients as well. There's more of a vested interest in your satisfaction with an agent than with the cruise line.

But back to CVC and what's happening in the industry. Unfortunately, several of the customers of CVC are finding themselves uncertain of whether or not they will receive the cruises they paid for. Ironically, this is because of the discounts they received. Because the only way to discount lines such as Royal Caribbean or Celebrity is to take payment directly from the consumer, then forward the net amount (the fare minus commission) to the cruise line, generally by check, many customers of CVC had paid their final payments on the cruise, but CVC hadn't yet forwarded that amount to the lines, putting their cruises in jeopardy.

I am always sorry to see an agency go out of business, even a competitor, just as I don't like to hear stories of poor service. I am also sad for their hard-working agents who are now out of a job. It hurts the industry as a whole. I'm even more sad to hear that consumers may have been hurt, though I know they're working to get things taken care of for those passengers. You just never want that kind of uncertainty in your vacation, no matter how it ends.

So how do you choose an agency in tough times? How can you be sure that your agency is in good financial shape and your cruise will be paid for?

Most importantly, know who you are working with. Choose a company with a long history and solid reputation. You want an agency which is well-regarded both by consumers and the cruise lines. There are individual, truly independent agents who do a good job, but an agent who is part of a larger company or consortium is more likely to have access to training, support and even better fares. CVC was well-established, though some of the cruise lines weren't wild about them due to their disregard of their no-discounting policies. However, they weren't at risk of having their access to those lines cut off, so overall on this criteria, they met the necessary elements.

But just as important as the agency is how are your payments processed. Are you paying the cruise line or the agent? What does it show on your credit card statement? How can you be certain your cruise is paid in full?

When you read the stories about agent fraud or consumers who are left without the vacation for which they paid, most of the time it is because the agent never paid the vendor cruise line. The consumer made the payment, it showed up on their credit card statement, but the payment was to the agency, not the vendor. It makes a difference.

You want to make sure that the payments, whenever possible, are paid directly to the vendor, and show up as such on your credit card statement. This is for your protection. You can then check within a matter of a day or two with your credit card company and see the payment processed, and know you're good to go. If you're extremely cautious, you can also ask your agent to send you the guest copy of the invoice from the cruise line showing paid in full. But if the payment is made by the agency not the cruise line, you need to ask a few more questions to make sure you're taken care of.

There are legitimate reasons for payment to be made to the agency instead of the line. For example, in the event of a full-ship or partial ship charter, the agency has already paid the cruise line for the entire ship. This is different than a family or company group, because in that type of group the cabins aren't purchased from the cruise line by the agency and then resold. In the case of a charter, you are actually purchasing your cabin from the agency, so it's only proper you are paying them directly.

There are other instances where it's fine to pay the agency, such as with group cruises where there are additional amenities, like cocktail parties, meetings, tee shirts, group transportation or similar, which are added to the regular cruise fare. Your our agent should be able to explain this type of special circumstance if you fall into one, as well as explain how you're protected and assured your vacation is safe. The main thing is to understand that paying the agent, rather than the cruise line, should be the exception, not the rule.

I'm not going to tell you that getting a good price doesn't matter (and we'll discuss how to compare prices in the next article in this series), but know that the agency you work with, and the service provided matters too. You want to work with someone who provides the best combination for you of value, service and consumer protection. Interview your agent, about their experience, training, but also about their company and policies. It all matters.

Vacations are important, and you should keep traveling. But just as you are being more careful in what you spend, be more careful as well about with whom you spend it.

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Monday, October 20, 2008

Royal Caribbean Announces Dubai Sailings

Last week, Royal Caribbean announced that the Brilliance of the Seas will be based out of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for a series of 7-night sailings between January and April, 2010.

Dubai is an increasingly-popular vacation destination, with man-made attractions, from casinos to snow skiing in the desert, along with some of the most opulent hotels in the world. In fact, it's the future home of the Queen Elizabeth II. While it's just emerging as a destination for North Americans, it is a well-known playground for those in other parts of the world.

These sailings will be the "immersion" sailings, similar to the ones Royal Caribbean operates in Asia, Latin America and England. While they'll be marketed in the US, their primary focus will be more locally-based and regional passengers, rather than those from North America. It's their effort at expanding the brand, without creating additional "brands" and gives them more flexibility in best utilizing their fleet as demand and preferences change.

There is one major caveat if you're considering this destination, and it's one which has not yet been addressed by Royal Caribbean or Dubai - passports. Currently, the UAE routinely doesn't permit entry if the passenger has previously been to Israel and has Israeli stamps in their passport. Whether or not the UAE will issue a waiver for cruise line passengers is an open question. However, if you are considering this destination, and also have or will travel to Israel, I suggest you go as many travelers to the Middle East have had to do for years - apply for a duplicate passport for use in Israel only. You can get a duplicate for that purpose, and you should state that reason on your application. It's a pain, but due to political concerns in the region, one I highly recommend to ease your travel across borders.

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Saturday, September 6, 2008

Hurricane Evacuation Cruise?

Most of the calls I've received recently about the hurricanes have to do with potential cancellations, whether or not one of the upcoming storms is going to affect cruise plans, or even to discuss what to do if power isn't restored from the effects of Gustav before they're scheduled to leave for their cruise. All fairly routine issues this time of year.

But a client tonight brought up an interesting concept - using a cruise as evacuation shelter. Here's the scenario: a client was concerned she might have to evacuate her vacation rental in Ft. Lauderdale next week due to Hurricane Ike. Rather than spend part of her annual vacation in a shelter, she decided she'd rather book a last minute cruise, even if Ike looked to be heading farther south and away from the area.

It's a good idea, actually. If you might have to evacuate anyway, the timing works right for catching a short cruise, and you can get your home prepared in advance, why not? While some might feel it's being irreverent in the face of potential devastation, it goes along with the long tradition of "hurricane parties," but moves the venue to a potentially much safer location onboard a ship.

Get on a ship, get away from the storm, come back shortly after it is all over and deal with it after a few days of not having to worry about things. Not necessarily a bad plan.

While availability can sometimes be difficult to find close in, and there are Homeland Security issues, a cruise can often be found in these circumstances. Tonight, we found a few good options for her, and she'll be sailing aboard the Norwegian Sky come Monday.

There are other issues to consider and discuss if you're thinking about something like this. Insurance won't cover storm-related pre-cruise cancellations or delays once a storm is named, but that's not really an issue for a client like this. There's always the risk that the ship might not be able to make it into port to turn around for the cruise, or might be delayed or even come in and depart early. This option works best for people who have a nearby port to which they can easily drive - you probably wouldn't want to deal with air in this situation. But if a client understands all that, and is willing to accept those conditions, why not?

My client is booked and happy and looking forward to her cruise starting on Monday. And while I'm hoping that Ike diminishes in strength, she may be the smart one here. Wonder if this will be a trend for the future?

I did forget to ask her one question, however. Wonder if she's going to be ordering a "hurricane" from the bar as she sails away?

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Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Criminal Records and Canada

Probably the most frequent question I get is what type of documentation is needed to take a cruise. Usually, this is about passport requirements, but for some individuals, it should also go further to their legal and criminal status. Did you know that you may be denied boarding for a cruise leaving from the US if you have delinquent court-ordered child support? Or if you have ever had a criminal conviction? It's difficult to bring up this type of personal information, I know, but it's important your agent has this information to best assist and guide you.

This is the time of year when people are thinking about cruises to Canada, either Alaskan cruises or fall Canada/New England sailings. Because of this, thought I'd briefly highlight a little-known Canadian immigration law which might affect you.

Over the past several years, Canada has been strengthening their border security, just as the United States has. However, one provision of Canadian immigration law which you might not be aware of could affect your next cruise: Canada may prohibit your entry if you have any type of criminal conviction. This includes such things as DUI or DWI convictions, simple assault and shoplifting.

The US has given Canada expanded access to their criminal databases since 9/11, presumably to ensure better cross-border controls, but the result has been increasing numbers of US citizens turned back at the border. Frequently asked questions about this policy can be found at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/faq-inadmissibility.asp

However, if you have a conviction in your background, all is not hopeless to cruise to Canada (which includes all Alaska cruises as well as Canada/New England cruises). Depending on the circumstances, you can apply to be deemed "rehabilitated." In general, if the conviction was at least 5-10 years ago and your sentence fully served at least 5 years in the past, you may be able to get a waiver from a Canadian embassy or consulate in advance of your visit. For more information on obtaining a waiver, go to http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/conviction.asp. Do know it can take up to a year for an application to be processed, so if you're planning a trip any time in 2008 or 2009, you need to start the process immediately.

If you have questions regarding this type of immigration question, I am always here to provide guidance on where you can go to get firm answers on your particular situation. Information such as this is always kept in strict confidence, but in order to serve you best, I need to know if there are any situations which might keep you from cruising.

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Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Being Right Isn't Always Good

Sometimes I don't want to be right.

For example, a few weeks ago when United announced their second checked bag fee, I predicted that other major US airlines would soon follow. Unfortunately, that has now proven to be true, as US Air yesterday announced they will be adding a $25 fee for the second checked bag for all economy class fares, with the exception of those purchased by their upper-tier frequent flyers (or for military and unaccompanied minors).

The fee will be effective starting with May 5, 2008 flights.

Whenever you have a second airline following suit on a policy like this, it means the policy is likely to stick, so expect NW, American, Delta and Continental to follow suit soon. One may be a maverick and hold out as a marketing advantage, but luggage fees look to be here to stay.

For most cruisers, this means either just figuring the extra fee into the cost of their vacation, re-thinking driving to the port, or packing lighter and planning on doing more laundry/dry cleaning on the cruise and being more like the Europeans when it comes to brilliance in mixing/matching and accessorizing outfits.

Next prediction I don't want to come true in this regard? Further limitation on weight for bags and enforcement of carry-on weight limits as well. Look to the major European carriers for clues of what to expect.

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Friday, February 15, 2008

Australia... Now Easier to Get To!

Yesterday the US and Australia finalized a landmark Open Skies Agreement which will allow for more routes, airlines and frequency of flights between US and Australian cities.

In the past, Qantas and United Airlines have had a virtual lock on routes between the US and Australia, being the only carriers permitted non-stop flights between Australia and the lower-48 states. With this agreement, when it is fully implemented, you can expect not only more choices in airlines, times, frequency and availability, but the increased competition should bring down these traditionally expensive fares.

Expected to jump into the arena quickly are at least one of the Virgin brands, most likely Virgin Blue. Other carriers should also join this lucrative market soon.

This is great news for cruisers, as it will make the increasingly popular Australia/New Zealand cruises more easily accessible. Won't do anything about the flight time, but will make it easier on your pocketbook.

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Friday, December 21, 2007

Do I Need a Passport?

The question of whether or not you'll need a passport to cruise today got a little more complicated. Actually that's not quite correct. More like the current complication and confusion is now going to continue at least until June, 2009.

As it stands now, most Caribbean and Mexican cruises leaving from the United States don't require a passport - only a government-issued picture ID and certified birth certificate. You may cruise or drive out of the country and return via road or sea and be just fine. However, the complication comes with air travel. If you must fly out of the US, or return via air from any foreign country (and Mexico and Canada are foreign countries), you must have a passport.

Why is this complicated for cruisers? Let's say something happens and you have to disembark from your cruise in Cozumel to perhaps seek medical treatment or fly home to take care of an emergency back home. You boarded your cruise with your birth certificate and driver's license. Oops. You need a passport to fly back. Suddenly it's very complicated.

I highly recommend anyone who plans to travel outside the country get a passport. Period. They're good for 10 years, right now the hassle isn't too bad or the delays too long to get yours processed. Yes, there's a cost, but amortized over 10 years it's cheap - about $10/year. And it gives you options - you may decide to take a wonderful deal that departs from Europe or South America at the last minute - no need to worry about getting a last-minute passport.

It's also the gold standard for ID. I no longer travel, even domestically, using any other form of ID. It speeds everything up. You have the protection that little blue book affords you with regard to embassies and consulates in other countries.

No matter what the government says is the deadline to get a passport for cruise travel from the US, I say your deadline should be NOW.

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Wednesday, December 19, 2007

How Late IS My Flight?

In an era where, despite the fact there are more domestic home ports, the majority of cruisers still fly to their domestic or international port of embarkation, flight connections become ever more important. Especially as our airports are more congested and some flights are routinely delayed by up to an hour or more. So how do you know if your connection is giving you enough time, or will your flight arrive before your ship leaves?

Of course, I always recommend flying in the day before your cruise. Not only does it mean your first day onboard the ship is more relaxed, you also dramatically increase your odds that you'll be onboard when your ship sails serenely out of port. I also recommend either making your own air arrangements or paying for custom air (deviation) if you purchase cruise line air. But it may not always be possible to add another day to your vacation. So you have to protect yourself.

FlightStats.com to the rescue! This amazing site is a wealth of information. For example, you can check flights you're considering for their overall on-time record, average amount of time they've been late, and most concerning, the latest they've ever been in arriving and frequency of cancellations. When you're trying to figure out flight connections, and whether or not you should choose an earlier first leg or later second leg, this tool is absolutely invaluable. I've changed my mind on flight combinations several times because of the data found here.

You can also track flights in real time - great when you're waiting to pick someone up at the airport. There's a weather overlay showing where there might be trouble elsewhere in the country which could affect your flight. There's even a mobile link so you can access the site from your web-enabled mobile phone or receive text alerts on your phone about your upcoming flights.

I'm not alone in my praise for this site. It's the darling of many travel columnists who use it for the definitive data on delays (regardless of what the FAA or the airlines are saying about flight tardiness improving). I like this tool so much, and feel it's so valuable, I've added their "widget" to the right sidebar on this blog page so you can come use it any time you want!

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