Most cruise lines offer a selection of pre- or post-cruise vacation packages which can be booked at the same time you book your cruise. Even if the cruise line doesn’t specifically offer such selections, your travel agent can make these arrangements for you. When traveling to another area several times zones away, we always recommend you arrive at your departure city at least one day to re-set your biological clock. Also when departing from a new and exotic location why not spend some time visiting and exploring just for fun? Don’t forget; your cruise is a vacation. Why not enjoy it to the fullest.
It sounds too good to
be true! Is it?
The one major complaint we hear is that cruises end far too soon! Beyond that, it's hard to find any negatives. After all, you don't have to run to make plane connections to get from one exciting city to the next. You don't have the hassles of making dinner or nightclub reservations. You don't have the bother of packing and unpacking as you move from place to place. You don't get unexpected, expensive surprises that you might receive at a restaurant or nightclub. You have a wealth of options for shopping, adventure, sightseeing, exploring, entertaining and sports activities. All you have to do is relax and enjoy your vacation. Most importantly, every crew and staff member onboard is dedicated to making your cruise vacation the best vacation of your life.
Do You
really get More for the Money on a Cruise?
As vacation packages, cruises are virtually
all-inclusive. But that's not the same as referring to ships as floating
hotels. No hotel (no matter how lavish) is able to offer what a cruise
ship can. When you buy a cruise, for a single price you get accommodations
and all of your onboard meals.
On a cruise, that can mean up to seven or eight
designated mealtimes daily, from early morning breakfast on the Promenade
Deck to a lavish midnight buffet. You needn't eat at every meal, of
course, but you're not charged for meals during the entire voyage, either.
There are lectures by naturalists, noted authors or
celebrities included in the price. On-board sports and fitness centers are
yours to use and part of the experience. So is entertainment, from lavish
Vegas-style revues to intimate cabaret acts.
And there's one element that distinguishes a cruise from
all other vacations. That's the voyage itself. That may sound obvious, but
think about it. You're being transported from port to port in the most
civilized fashion possible. You're not paying for an airline ticket, or
taking a car, bus or train. You do what you like, eat what you like, sleep
as long as you like and then you're someplace new. It's an experience no
hotel can offer.
Early-booking incentives from most major cruise lines can make a cruise
seem like an even sweeter deal. By signing on six months or so before a
cruise, you not only get the best choice of cabins, but you also receive a
substantial discount on the price. Not only do you get a lot of vacation
for your money on a cruise, but you're also able to anticipate costs and
plan your budget in a way no other vacation allows, from transportation
and accommodation to meals and entertainment.
Extra expenses, such as drinks, ship-organized sightseeing trips, tips and
laundry, or maybe a massage, are at your discretion. Which means that all
of your costs are under your control.
In short, cruises represent the best all-around vacation going and give
you more vacation for the money.
