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[click here for
Part 1]
Experts
claim there are five categories of cruise ships: budget, moderate,
deluxe, ultra-deluxe and the niche cruise. Budget cruises include
Commodore, Premier and First European; moderate includes American
Hawaii, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Olympic and Costa; deluxe lines
include Princess, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Disney Cruise
Line and Celebrity. Carnival is considered to be in a class by
itself, as the largest cruise line. The ultra-deluxe cruises appeal
to the most discriminating cruise goers and are the most expensive
but offer the highest quality of service and amenities. Lines in
this class include Crystal, Cunard, Radisson Seven Seas, Seabourn
and Silversea. Niche cruises overlap the above categories and
include the sail/cruise ships of Windstar and Star Clipper and
destination-oriented lines like Orient Lines and Society
Expeditions. Ships range from under 200 feet long to over 1,000 feet
long and from holding fewer than 100 passengers to close to 3,000.
The
various price options are evident just from browsing through
brochures and cruise magazines. You feel special just by reading the
Silversea cruise line booklet — describing how it greets
passengers with a white-gloved ceremony, a flute of chilled Pommery
champagne and a European staff promising to pamper you with lavish,
personalized care. The elegant, private-yacht-like atmosphere offers
private teak verandas, marbled baths, cut crystal and some rooms
with as much square footage as the average house. Not to mention the
food — fragrant truffles from Rome, mangoes from Bangkok and
Russian caviar. But it will cost you — as much as $20,000 for a
16-day cruise to the Far East and South Pacific.
Cruise
ships offer the same basic amenities no matter which price range you
choose, however. Shipboard facilities include a casino, pool,
Jacuzzi, sauna, gym, lectures, card rooms, organized games,
contests, children’s activities, entertainment, nightclubs,
movies, dancing and visits to three ports of call. Where else can
you perfect your tan, take exercise classes, dance, practice tennis
or golf, shoot some hoops, go in-line skating, ice skating,
swimming, work out in the gym, watch a movie, attend a lecture, play
bridge or just watch the world go by — without touching land? Of
course, once you do arrive at one of the ports, you can pick and
choose what you want to do — from sightseeing or shopping to scuba
diving.
Cruise
prices vary from day to day, and costs are determined on the basis
of destination, cruise line, dates of travel and other factors, but
one person could take a week-long cruise to the Caribbean for
between $700 and $1,000. An important factor for people to remember
when deciding if they can afford to go on a cruise is that prices
include all meals, lodging, entertainment and other activities. On
average, a one-week cruise would run from $1,100 to $1,300 a person,
for this time of the year, which is high season. Prices are less
during off-seasons, such as the fall.
Extra
expenses not included in the cost of the cruise will be drinks,
optional shore excursions, and personal services such as haircuts
and laundry. Gratuities also are not included — $7 per day per
person or $50 per passenger per week for a seven-day cruise is
suggested. Port charges and government fees, which are approximately
$118 to $126 per passenger for a typical seven-day Caribbean cruise,
can also be expected. After deciding what you can afford and how
long you want to be gone, it may be difficult to choose among the
many tantalizing destinations.
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In
its early days, the cruise industry was known mostly for its
Caribbean voyages, but as cruise lines began enjoying an increasing
number of repeat passengers, they discovered that the best way to
keep passengers excited about cruising was to develop new
itineraries in destinations all over the world.
The
Caribbean is still travelers’ first choice. Washam said the
Caribbean and Alaskan cruises are always the favored destinations.
Statistics show that in the past 20 years Alaska, Europe, the Panama
Canal, Mexico and Canada/New England have been picking up speed.
More exotic destinations like Zanzibar, Morocco, Croatia, Costa
Rica, Antarctica, Brazil and Madagascar are also gaining ground.
Deciding
which time of year to go on a cruise depends on where you want to
go. Cruises to Alaska are offered only between May and September and
to Europe between April and November. Cruises to Bermuda are offered
between April and October and to the Panama Canal, between September
and April. Weather can also affect your decision. Officially, the
National Hurricane Service states that hurricane season starts June
1 and ends Nov. 31st — which is six months of the year. However,
history has shown the greatest concentration of hurricanes and
tropical storms occurs between late August and mid-October.
The
popularity of cruise vacations shows no signs of slowing down. The
cruise industry has committed over $24 billion to build more than 60
new ships by 2004 — providing more ship space for the 75 million
Americans who say they want to cruise during next five years. Not
only will more ships be carrying more passengers than ever before,
but the future outlook for the industry includes ships that carry as
many as 3,000 people, cruise at speeds of 27 knots, and feature
unusual entertainment options like rock-climbing walls, virtual
reality centers and theme restaurants.
Other
trends of the future will be more use of cruise ports along the
southern and Gulf coasts of the United States and the Mexican Gulf
Coast. Cruise lines will have to look to alternative departure ports
as fleets expand and spots like Miami and San Juan fill to capacity.
Other ports in Texas, Alabama and Georgia will give people in nearby
states a new incentive to try a cruise. Longer cruise seasons are
predicted, as are more overnight stays in popular capital cities
such as Rome and Buenos Aires, along with an increase in late-night
departures, giving passengers a chance to enjoy a port’s night
life before going back out to sea.
But
even though the urge to cruise shows no signs of slowing down, Washam
said it’s not for everybody. "A lot of people like
them, but a lot of people don’t like them," she said.
[Penny
Zimmerman-Wills]
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Now’s
the time to start planning how to beat the cold-weather blues. It’s
also the best time to book a cruise and get a good deal, according
to travel agents.
Close
your eyes and picture yourself lounging poolside in a
red-and-white-striped deck chair, slathered with suntan oil and
sipping a mango colada. Your foot is tapping to the rhythm of
calypso music beating in the background as you cruise along at 25
knots. You and a thousand other snowbirds are making your way to an
exotic port of call. You have nothing more pressing on your daily
agenda than eating lunch and deciding what to wear dancing that
night — making a note to yourself to close leave the disco in time
to hit the midnight buffet.
What
better way to escape the harsh reality of a Midwestern winter than
to treat yourself to a cruise? And now’s the time to begin
planning that winter vacation.
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Cruise
facts
*An
estimated six million people cruised in 1999, compared with
only half a million a year in the early 1970s.
*57
million Americans say they want to take a cruise.
*A
record 17,663 cruises were offered at the beginning of this
year — a 50 percent increase over previous years.
*The
top three cruise destinations are the Caribbean, Europe and
Alaska.
*There
are more than 1,800 ports of call worldwide.
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Regina
Washam, a travel agent with Astro Travel in Lincoln, said people of
all ages book cruises to a variety of locations.
"It’s
a mix, according to what I’ve been selling," she said.
"It’s a variety." She’s been booking local customers
from young couples to senior citizens.
Whether
you want to do nothing but sit in an deck chair and eat 14 times a
day or keep busy every minute of every hour of the day, a cruise can
suit everybody. No wonder February is National Cruise Vacation
Month. What better time to head for a tropical locale than in the
dead of winter?
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According
to statistics released by the Cruise Lines International
Association, more than half of today’s cruise takers are between
the ages of 25 and 60, with average household incomes under $60,000.
It may be a surprise to some, but cruising is not just a luxury
enjoyed by the wealthy but an affordable vacation for everyone.
Washam
said people are now booking cruises for next spring and summer, and
it’s hard to pinpoint the most popular length of trip. She said
people are making plans for cruises ranging from three and four days
to 10 and 11 days.
One
of the reasons travel agents like cruises is because the customer
knows what it’s going to cost — at least 90 percent of it. The
all-encompassing components of a cruise make it an especially good
fit for senior citizens, but Washam said young couples also like the
easy, relaxing way to see the world.
Cruises
offer nonstop activities, such as special lectures, programs, games
and dancing, and a wide variety of shore excursions. Most ships have
modern medical facilities and satellite communications equipment.
Once
your white Christmas is over and you’ve had several chances to
build a snowman with your grandkids and soak up the warmth of a fire
with your cat nestled on your lap, the weather starts to get on
everyone’s nerves.
So
if you decide to do something about it and go on a cruise, the first
thing you need to do is decide how long you want to be gone. Cruises
are offered from two days to more than 100 days, but the most
popular cruises last between three and 14 days.
Local
travel agents recommend examining cruise brochures and deciding
where you might want to go, keeping in mind that it is rarely
necessary to pay the price listed in a cruise brochure. Asking
friends and family where they’ve been is also helpful, but
consulting a qualified cruise expert and travel agent is one the
best ways to gather information.
You
also need to decide on how much you want to spend, and there are
cruise vacations to suit every budget, from the cost-conscious to
very expensive. Cruise fares include all meals, cabin, on-board
daytime activities, parties and entertainment.
(To
be continued)
[Penny
Zimmerman-Wills]
[click
here for Part 2]
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