Picking the so-called “right ship” for a cruise vacation is daunting. When you consider that more than 70 ships regularly sail from U.S. ports, the selection process can be bewildering for first-timers.
Since 95 percent of cruises are booked through travel agents-many cruise lines won’t take direct bookings from the public-it’s a must to deal with a travel agent or agencies that specialize only in cruises. It’s important to find someone familiar with the cruise lines and their ships, and one that has your interests at heart. You wouldn’t settle for less from a doctor or lawyer, would you?
It also behooves first-time cruise couples to give their vacation some thought. While travel agents or cruise counselors can advise you, they can’t read your mind. It’s kind of like shopping for a car. There’s no use dwelling on station wagons when you really want a two-door coupe. And you wouldn’t waste your time pricing a Lexus when your budget is in the Chevrolet Cavalier category.
And, if you think airline fares are a muddle, you’re wrong. Air fares are crystal clear compared to cruise pricing, which can vary by season, week-to-week, and definitely by category of cabin. Discounts abound, but only a travel agent or counselor can verify when and how much.
“I think first-timers really need to deal with someone they feel very comfortable with,” advised Nancy Kelly, president of Kelly Cruises in suburban Oak Brook. “They need to be up front with the agent or counselor and tell the person when they want to go, if there’s flexibility in the dates they can go, whether they think they want to visit a lot of ports or have more time to relax at sea.
“A good counselor is going to digest all of their wants and needs and suggest ships to them based on the time of year they want to cruise and their budget. Sometimes people aren’t up front and want to know how much a cruise will cost before imparting any information,” Kelly continued.
“First-time cruisers should have a minimal idea of how much they can afford to spend and how long a cruise they want to take.”
In Fielding’s “Worldwide Cruises 1994,” author Anne Campbell observed:
“The most important factors in choosing a cruise: your interests and lifestyle. These will help determine the right cruise experience, destination and price. There are literally hundreds to choose from, and you will find one you love and can afford.”
Larry Fishkin, president of Miami-based Cruise Line, a cruise-only company, also stressed the need for identifying the lifestyle choices of first-time cruisers. “We try to find out the kind of hotels they use, what they are accustomed to-Hyatts or Holiday Inns,” he said. “We try to determine what their needs are and try to match them with space on the right ship. You can do someone a disservice by booking them on an older ship or less expensive cruise when they are used to something better.”
First-timers should know that they don’t have to commit themselves to a seven-day cruise to try a vacation at sea and be miserable if they don’t like it. Cruise lines do offer three-and four-day cruises to meet the growing demand of vacationers who want shorter vacations.
The best ship for three- and four-day cruises is Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s Nordic Empress, built in 1990 specifically to serve the short-cruise market, Kelly said. “It sails from Miami, it’s very deluxe.” On three-day cruises, the ship spends a day in Nassau and one at Coco Cay, a private island owned by RCCL, where passengers can picnic, relax and enjoy water sports or snoozing in a hammock. A four-day cruise adds a stop at Freeport. Cost of a three-day cruise is $659 per person, based on double occupancy, including air fare from Chicago. The four-day cruise starts at $829.
Among the other top-notch ships offering three- and four-day cruises, according to Kelly, are Carnival Cruise Lines’ Ecstasy (from Miami) and Fantasy (from Port Canaveral). Rates for a three-day cruise start at $569 per person on the Ecstasy and $559 on the Fantasy. Other lines in the short-cruise market include Dolphin, Norwegian Caribbean and Premier, with each pursuing its own niche.
Fishkin said that for people restricted in time or money, the three- or four-day cruise is fine, but the seven-day cruise gives the real flavor of cruising. “By the time you’re oriented to the ship on a short cruise, it’s over,” he noted. “Also, on a per diem basis, the seven-day cruise is a better value.”
For the seven-day cruises, Kelly said the Windstar, a 150-passenger, motorized, four-masted computerized sailing vessel, provided the most unusual experience of the top-of-the-line ships. The Windstar does seven-night cruises out of Barbados. The ship, she said, is the epitome of casual elegance, but that does not mean formal dress. Rates for a cruise, which calls at small islands such as Bequia, Tobago Cay, Grenada, Martinique and St. Lucia, start at $2,173 per person (plus air fare).
Another upscale ship Kelly mentioned for seven-day cruise is the Radisson Diamond, an all-suite ship with a catamaranlike design.
First-timers in search of upscale vessels should consider RCCL’s mega-ships-Monarch of the Seas, Majesty of the Seas and Sovereign of the Seas, Kelly said. Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess, Crown Princess and Star Princess fall into the same category as RCCL’s ships, offering seven-day voyages in the $1,200-$1,500 range. Carnival Cruise Lines’ Ecstasy, Fantasy, Fascination and Sensation also fall into that breed of sleek, new modern mega-ships that cater to every taste and moderate price category.
Carnival, noted Fishkin, describes itself as the Chevrolet of the industry-a value leader.
Lines such as Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line, Costa Line, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Line and Dolphin Cruise Line all provide additional variety to the mix of ships.
For the first-timer, the choices often can boil down to whether you want the high end of a budget ship or the low end of a deluxe ship. Often the cost balances out.
So what’s the novice consumer to do?
1. Find a travel agent that can help you make your choice as hassle-free as possible. You might find a CLIA-certified cruise counselor, an agent who has completed cruise line courses, has evaluated ships and fulfilled other requirements stipulated by the Cruise Lines International Association, a trade group representing 32 cruise lines. CLIA, however, has not yet published a list of these agents.
2. If you can, be flexible in your departure date. There can be a difference of a $300-$400 per person savings by taking an identical cruise on the same ship a week later. Also, the best discounts normally go to those who book early rather than late. And by all means, opt for an air-sea package so you don’t have to hassle with flight arrangements.
3. Boost your own knowledge by reading a current cruise guidebook that describes lines and ships and ports. Fielding’s, Fodor’s and Frommer’s books can provide a lot of insight. Fielding’s, for example, gives ships star ratings. It also provides ballpark figures on how much you can expect to pay per day on all the ships.
4. Pay no attention to the prices listed in cruise brochures. Nobody pays those rates except on ultra-deluxe boutique cruise lines.
5. Remember that when you plan your budget, there are other charges you should anticipate-port charges, tipping, drinks, shore excursions and shopping among them. Also consider purchasing some sort of trip and cancellation insurance for health or other unforeseen circumstances.
6. A Caribbean cruise in the summer is not necessarily cheaper than one in the winter. During the summer, cruise lines divert many of their ships to Alaska and Europe cruises, leaving the Caribbean capacity greatly reduced. So, if there’s more demand for fewer cabins, you’re going to pay more.
7. If you possibly can avoid it, don’t skimp too much on your first cruise. You want to have a memorable time and you might not achieve that by saving a few hundred dollars for a less desirable cabin, even though you won’t spend all that much time in it. The better cabins are amidships, rather than forward or aft.
8. Cruise ships offer more activities, entertainment and food than anyone possibly can handle. Don’t feel compelled to indulge yourself to the max.
9. It’s easy to meet people aboard ship, so don’t be shy. Plan on having fun.
10. Bon voyage!
