¿Sabes lo que esconde el bellos Mares de las costas de México? Imagina lo siguiente: Abordas un crucero, llegas a tu camarote, disfrutas de los atractivos que tiene para ofrecerte en su interior, te diviertes en las fiestas nocturnas que se realizan y a la mañana siguiente despiertas, subes a la cubierta y observas a lo lejos a los delfines, los cuales se acercan más conforme pasa la mañana y ahora van saltando a los lados de tu crucero.
If you love cruise ships as much as we do, you won’t be satisfied with only one cruise, one week a year. So here are a few tips for you to go on major cruises at really affordable prices. For the same amount of money that you may have used to spend on a single trip, now it’s possible for you to travel three to four times in a year. Talk about savings!
Unlike in the airline industry, on cruise ships, there are no low cost companies. However, due to the competition among cruise companies to attract passengers, and the fact that modern fleets now have newer and more modern ships, it is possible for you to find great, amazing offers if you know how to look for them.
In finding the best cruise that fits an affordable price, itinerary and dates, you can divide your search into three major areas: find out which companies have the most number of ships, check the duration of the cruises with the best prices, and find deals according to cruise seasons.
To help you find the best cruise deals, we’ll take a look at a method that’ll let you find great cruise deals that allows me to travel several times a year.
Cruise travel has become popular in recent years, therefore different cruise companies are committed to building new ships and open new routes. This means the number of vessels will grow and the ships that were the most modern ones of their fleet in their day will be surpassed by their new siblings. These ships continue to offer a high level of quality and most of them have undergone renovations and adaptations, but still they must compete with their new, spectacular brothers. That is why we are offered better prices to make them more attractive to us. These deals are easier to find in companies with a larger number of vessels in its fleet.
If you’re looking for the best cruise and the best prices, you should keep an eye on the days/price ratio. Short cruises and those that last longer but include several days without stopping are usually the best options.
Depending on the duration of the trip, you will see that there are five types of cruises:
Image courtesy of Royal Holiday at royal-holiday.com
Knowing where ships are at all times allows you to predict great prices if you look for a few weeks before or after the most popular seasons.
If you are looking for a specific destination and you want to find good prices, you should know which are the appropriate cruise seasons to find the best discounts. As a general rule, the best cruise deals are in the months before or after the high season. Although the weather can be a little worse, in exchange you’ll find ships with less passengers and amazing prices.
Cruises can be very luxurious and very expensive. They range from cheap cruises that are not listed in the top lists for impressive cruises to the ones that are the biggest and most amazing vessels you can find. It all depends on what you want, when you want it, who are you travelling with and what are you willing to do on board. Of course, you can get very expensive plans and activities, but you can also find cheap and enjoyable things to do while on the mini floating city you are travelling on.
First, be smart to book your room. Most boats don’t want to sail with half empty spaces and 50% accommodation rates. It is similar to booking a travel tour. The nearest the departure date, the cheapest the bookings are. Of course, you can book in advance, but since you are looking for the best prices, be patient and wait for last minute prices discounts. You will find yourself in a world where prices can go down as far as 60% on your room and your travel expenses.
Second, book your own air fare. Don’t do it through the cruise line since they charge you their fee and their commission, so it can be as high as 50% more for the flight. Do it yourself. DIY is a trend now so keep up with it and don’t be lazy to look for your own tickets. If you don’t know how to do it or never done it before. Use a trustworthy travel agent that can help you with your air tickets to the cruise destination. You will be saving a good amount of money just by doing this.
Third, sign up for alerts and try to book through an expert or a person that knows the cruise world and its business model like the back of his or her hand. Booking through an expert and waiting for alerts can save you up to 120 USD and can get you an extra 100 USD shipboard credit. Also, you can find refundable deposits and amazing deals on activities and on board sweepstakes. Children activities can also be cheap if you know what your children like to do and not pay for everything at the same time.
Fourth, look for a good cabin away from crowded places and far away from main attractions. This could sound a little bit strange but you can get big savings by just walking a little bit more on the ship. Of course, ask for a map of the ship so you don’t get lost and miss out on good things. All of the cruises have elevators and user friendly corridors and routes to get where you want to go in less than 20 minutes. Don’t be lazy and sign up for 15 minutes walks to get anywhere around the boat.
Image courtesy of Tom Jutte at Flickr.com
Fifth. Cruise in the off season. Depending on your country and where you are going, choose an off season to travel. When children are at school; in the hurricane season in the Caribbean, or in September in Alaska. These types of seasons attract less people, thus giving you the advantage of a late booking with amazing cabins and fees. Vacations like spring break or summer holidays are the most expensive. Why don’t you take a cruise in May or October ? Hurricane season in the Caribbean is always a season that everybody avoids. Try not being afraid of these seasons as the boats are totally safe and disaster is not very often in these types of vacations.
As for the last advice. Look for repositioning cruises. What does this mean? Well, it is when cruise lines move ships to very popular destinations just before the season start. As a complement for the previous point, you can sail on these type of ships and have the experience of a lifetime sailing across an ocean or down continental coasts just by hoping on ships that are being moved from one part to another. You can find these type of deals at any booking website and they come ever so cheap as the route is not designed as a touristic or seasonal trip.
These six tips can help you book a cheap vacation for you and your family and save you a lot of money in cruise deals. It is thought that cruise liners are for rich people , but now you have some advice and a starter to go and find the best vacation you can ever have and at very affordable prices. Don’t wait for people to tell you how cruises are. Go and book your cabin and plane ticket, ask your agency and use these tips. You will not regret it.
Cruising is growing more and more popular with each passing season. Earlier this year, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) projected that 23 million people in 2015 will choose to spend their vacation on a relaxing cruise with friends and family. And of all those passengers, 60 percent are return customers! Apparently, greater numbers of people are recognizing that the many engaging activities and comfortable amenities available on board today’s ships make cruising an incredibly affordable getaway option.
To accommodate all these fun-seeking ocean voyagers, cruise companies are spending billions of dollars to upgrade ships and expand their fleets. Nearly 20 new ocean cruise vessels have been launched in the last 5 years, in addition to many other ships catering to specialty markets like luxury yachting and river cruises. Much of this growth has been in major Royal Holiday-affiliated brands such as Carnival, MSC, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean.
While cruising is growing more popular, the expectations of passengers are also evolving—and cruise lines are adjusting to meet their customers’ desires. By offering amenities such as flexible dining hours, Wi-Fi, themed cruises, and so on, companies are constantly striving to add features that appeal to every passenger.
Destinations are changing, too. The Caribbean’s countless diverse ports still make the area the most-cruised part of the world, by far. However, passengers are also expanding their horizons and looking to explore itineraries farther afield: bookings in the Mediterranean, Asia, and Australia are all on the rise.
In addition to offering more sailings in other parts of the world, cruise lines are increasingly calling on new ports, even in well-established markets. There are currently over 1,000 ports of call around the world, many of which are located far off the beaten path or in pristine World Heritage sites.
Perhaps the most exciting development for today’s cruisers is how much control they have over their ocean vacations. In addition to relying on travel agents to provide helpful advice tailored to each vacationer’s needs, cruisers will find that it’s easier than ever simply to go online to book a cruise, make dining reservations, and arrange shore excursions—all with the click of a mouse.
Until the 1960s, the island of Cozumel was home to little more than a handful of sleepy fishing villages. A lot has changed in the decades since famed marine explorer Jacques Cousteau made a documentary that popularized the quaint Mexican island as one of the most gorgeous places in the world for scuba diving.
Today, Cozumel is the hottest tourist destination in the western Caribbean. Its busy port welcomes up to eight ships a day and over a million cruisers every year. Vacationers here enjoy some of the most comfortable resorts around, as well as delicious food, a thriving nightlife scene, and plenty of duty-free shopping.
Despite the touristy hubbub, though, the island has retained much of its idyllic original character. Two-thirds of Cozumel remains undeveloped, which means visitors can enjoy lounging on vast stretches of pristine beach, wandering through mysterious Mayan ruins, or exploring multicolored coral reefs.
Visitors to Cozumel will be stunned by the variety of things to do on such a small island. The major city, San Miguel, is almost entirely devoted to serving cruisers. Guests will find all the familiar American eateries and brands, as well as plenty of more traditional Mexican restaurants and crafts shops. Shoppers will enjoy the Villa Mar Complex, a modern mall located just off Plaza del Sol, as well as Los Cinco Soles, a sprawling store that offers a bewildering array of clothing, jewelry, hot sauces, and other crafts.
A number of small Mayan ruins dot the island of Cozumel, offering historically-minded cruisers a perfect way to take a step back in time. One of the most popular sites is San Gervasio, which served as a place of worship dedicated to the goddess Ixchel. Just a few miles away is tiny, serene El Cedral, the oldest Mayan ruins on the island.
However, no visit is complete without exploring the beautiful waters that Jacques Cousteau made so famous. It’s easy enough to take a dunk in the azure waters right off one of the popular beaches near the docks. Experienced divers can arrange to visit spectacular spots like Palancar Reef, a sunken airplane at La Ceiba Reef, or Chankanaab Caves. Even those who don’t want to get their feet wet can still enjoy the beautiful underwater world here by taking a glass-bottom boat tour.
Of course, there is so much more to do on Cozumel than can be described here. The best advice is to do a little research before arriving, so you can make the most of your visit to this island paradise.
Exciting developments are in the works for one of Royal Holiday Cruises’ frequent cruise line affiliates. In the wake of its ship Divina’s maiden call to New York City earlier this spring, officials from MSC Cruises revealed some of the line’s upcoming plans to serve more North American cruisers in the near future.
In North America, MSC might be regarded as a particularly exotic choice compared to more familiar cruise lines like Carnival or Royal Caribbean. Based in Italy, the company has primarily served European vacationers, and has focused on itineraries in the Mediterranean and South America. Because of its European focus, MSC ships have sometimes seemed unfamiliar to North American travelers, due to the languages spoken onboard, menus, entertainment, and decor.
With the announcement that it will reposition Divina to a permanent homeport in Miami this November, MSC has indicated a new commitment to serving US passengers. In addition, the Divina has been retrofitted to suit North American tastes, and a handful of other MSC ships are already based here, sailing out of Florida.
MSC has made special efforts to address some of the misconceptions that American travelers might have about the company’s ships. Smoking, for example, is not allowed outside of the few designated areas on each MSC ship. Company officials have also stressed that, although menus are multilingual, the cuisine itself is created to suit an American palate, with popular offerings like Caesar salad or steak and potatoes. The company has also taken special care to book entertainers who can please any audience, no matter what language they speak. These acts include magicians and acrobats, as these performers offer visual spectacle and emotional impact.
The cruise line has also established partnerships with a range of popular businesses that are sure to appeal to North American passengers. Familiar quality brands like Italian restaurant Eataly, toy-maker LEGO, and confections company Nutella can be spotted on many MSC cruises. And, according to company officials, more such offerings are on the way.
As MSC orients its business toward American cruisers, the company is going out of its way to offer the most relaxing and enjoyable ocean vacations possible to all its guests.
On April 20, one week after German shipbuilder Meyer Werft delivered it, Anthem of the Seas was christened in Southampton, England. During her maiden season this summer, she will service a handful of itineraries, primarily in northern Europe and the Mediterranean, according to recent press releases. Around 80,000 passengers—mainly from the UK and Ireland—are expected to enjoy the new ship’s much-anticipated features in the next several months.
Anthem will later relocate to Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey. Starting in October this year, she will sail from her new homeport to destinations such as Bermuda, the Bahamas, New England and Canada, as well as destinations throughout the Caribbean.
The second of Royal Caribbean International’s (RCI’s) advanced new Quantum-class vessels, Anthem weighs in at a massive 167,800 tons, and can accommodate 4,180 passengers. Her sister ship, Quantum of the Seas, launched last year, and is being repositioned to Asia in advance of the summer sailing season. The two new vessels are among the largest cruise ships in the world.
Like her sister ship, Anthem offers a range of technological innovations and forward-looking features, including some that are being introduced for the time ever. Today’s tech-savvy cruisers will appreciate the quick digital check-in, as well as ultra-fast onboard internet.
Anthem also boasts North Star, an experience that hoists cruisers in glass-enclosed capsule to a height of 300 feet above the waves for spectacular panoramic views. The ship also has bumper cars (a first on the high seas!), the huge SeaPlex sports and entertainment complex, a skydiving simulator, and many other exciting entertainment options.
There is also a bar featuring robotic bartenders that serve up precision cocktails. Those looking for more traditional fare, needn’t worry, though: they can enjoy superb meals in one of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s signature restaurants.
Long regarded as a gem of the Eastern Caribbean, the picturesque island of St. Maarten/St. Martin is a great port of call for cruisers looking to get a taste of the famous laid-back Caribbean lifestyle with a little European panache—in two different flavors! The Netherlands and France share the island, which is the smallest island in the world managed by two different nations.
The main port is located in the town of Philipsburg in St. Maarten, the island’s Dutch side. As a result, this side sees the heaviest influx of tourists. To cater to visitors, there are several duty-free shops right at the pier. Cruise passengers wanting to wander a bit farther can easily stroll into pedestrian-friendly downtown Philipsburg, where they will find more duty-free shopping and excellent dining. Taxi queues are also conveniently located at the pier, and offer everything from simple one-way trips to all-day, whole-island tours.
Guests visiting St. Maarten can partake in a variety of activities. Many people flock to the popular casinos and resorts, while outdoor enthusiasts can take in exciting excursions like helmet diving and horseback riding. For a unique experience, some cruisers might stop by the Yoda Guy Movie Exhibit, where Nick Maley—a designer who has worked on a number of Hollywood animatronics projects, including Yoda—displays his movie memorabilia.
Easily accessible to cruisers who dock in St. Maarten, the French side, called St. Martin, hosts a number of fascinating attractions to draw cruisers of all interests. The Butterfly Farm offers countless of colorful photo opportunities. History buffs will enjoy the ruins of Fort Louis, while avid hikers will love walking through the tropical forest on the Pic Paradis, the island’s highest point. In the quaint capital city of Marigot, foodies can gather to enjoy an amazing array of cuisines. Shoppers looking for upscale French goods can often find them here duty-free, as well.
The island of St. Maarten/St. Martin has earned acclaim for its beautiful sprawling beaches, especially Orient Bay, part of which is renowned as a clothing-optional hot spot. There are 36 other beaches, though, where more modest visitors and families can kick back and enjoy the sun and surf.
A few weeks ago, Royal Holiday Cruises looked at some of the health benefits that cruisers enjoy when they take to the high seas: sunshine and wind, relaxation, stimulating experiences, and new friends. Well, it turns out that the positive effects of traveling don’t end with building a healthier body and making friends. In fact, scientific research in recent years has shown that travel can actually improve the mind, as well.
Practically all cruises offer a variety of fascinating personal enrichment activities such as informative seminars and shore excursions. However, the mental benefits of cruising go far beyond a few Q & A sessions with a guide or instructor.
Vacations, in fact, offer some crucial positives that can actually boost creativity. Everyone knows that, aside from its healthy effects on the heart and body, a little rest and relaxation is a great way to clear the mind. Travel takes this idea a step further by putting a person in a new environment, where his or her mind can take advantage of its relaxed state and thrive.
A travel experience such as a cruise exposes a person to a huge array of unfamiliar sensations, personalities, languages, cuisines, and other “mini-adventures.” According to scientists, these kinds of experiences physically stimulate the brain. Even short vacations away from home, visiting new environments and cultures, open up cruisers to exciting new perspectives and opportunities for problem solving.
Consider all the ordinary experiences that become interesting puzzles when exploring an exotic new port of call. How do I get to that attraction? What style is this amazing music? How do I say “thank you” in the local language? What exactly is this item on the menu?
Dealing with small challenges like these makes the mind more flexible. Importantly, it also mentally separates the cruiser from work and the rest of home life. Getting away from old habits and familiar surroundings provides a new, more distant perspective—and this is what boosts creativity and problem-solving skills, according to experts.
So, next time you find yourself enjoying the sea breeze from the deck of a ship, don’t let yourself fret about work or other worries. Remember that the mental exercise of a relaxing cruise vacation could make you make you more creative and more productive when you get back home!
About a year ago, Italian cruise line, MSC Cruises, announced its “Seaside” project, in which it would build two advanced new ships, with an option to build a third.
This past month, MSC stated that the first new ship, MSC Seaside, would be delivered in December 2017. In an exciting first for the European company, the new vessel will cater specifically to North American vacationers.
MSC Seaside promises to bring a variety of innovations to the cruise line’s fleet. Currently under construction in Italy, she will be the largest vessel ever built at the Fincantieri shipyard. Designed for the North American market, she will emphasize amenities suitable for cruising the balmy Caribbean. According to company officials, she will be “the ship that follows the sun.”
In an age of increasingly elaborate ship design, MSC Seaside aims to redefine the look and feel of cruising. The ship will resemble a seaside condominium community, complete with sidewalks and outdoor cafes.
An exterior promenade will wrap around MSC Seaside’s lower decks, allowing cruisers to take open-air strolls around the ship and enjoy al fresco dining in several eating establishments. The on-board aqua park will boast five waterslides with a range of features for kids young and old.
MSC Seaside’s more than 460,000 square feet of public space will invite cruisers to explore the countless pubs, boutiques, restaurants, spas, theaters, and other entertainment venues. Inside, the thoughtfully appointed accommodations will provide the perfect place to rest up between all the fun activities. For passengers who want their own personal spa, select suites have private hot tubs.
MSC Seaside will homeport in Miami, Florida, and sail the Caribbean. When she arrives, she will exchange places with her sister-ship, MSC Divina, which will reposition to Rome. MSC’s second Seaside-class vessel will launch in early summer 2018.
