Have you had visions of Caribbean beaches and cruise ships in your dreams? I'm sure that I'm not the only one that does... especially after the long pause from cruising due to the pandemic.
Are you are getting a tax refund? Help the economy grow - spend some of your tax refund on yourself - on a cruise vacation. If you've not been on a cruise before, now is the best time as ships are still not 100% full and the experience is the best ever.
How about Europe Instead?
Of course, you don't need to go to the Caribbean, and in fact, European cruise vacations are on the rebound. Why is that you ask? The cruise lines have record deployments in Europe in recent years but the demand hadn't kept pace with the increased capacity.
That's not to imply that people aren't booking European cruises - they are. However, there are larger ships and more of them, in Europe this summer than any other time before. Obviously, the cruise ships need to sail full for the companies to make a profit, so the consumer wins.
Comparing Cruise to Land-Based
Of course, you don't need to go to the Caribbean, and in fact, European cruise vacations are on the rebound. Why is that you ask? The cruise lines have record deployments in Europe in recent years but the demand hadn't kept pace with the increased capacity.
That's not to imply that people aren't booking European cruises - they are. However, there are larger ships and more of them, in Europe this summer than any other time before. Obviously, the cruise ships need to sail full for the companies to make a profit, so the consumer wins.
Comparing Cruise to Land-Based
I just did a quick search on my website for a short European cruise vacation in May. A 9 night Greek Isles cruise was available for less than $800 pp for an inside cabin. For those that aren't quick at math,
that's about $88 pp per day or less (excluding taxes and fees).
For comparison purposes, I did a hotel search for Santorini, Greece, one of the embarkation ports, during the
same period and prices for a popular hotel started from $282 Per Night. The hotel
didn't include meals or entertainment and was rated as a 4 star
accommodation. Contrasting the hotel stay and the cruise... On the
cruise it's like getting your room at less than 50%, all your meals, and
entertainment onboard the ship.
Besides Santorini, you'd visit Naples, Italy •
Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey •
Mykonos, Greece •
Rhodes, Greece •
Souda (Chania), Crete.
Greece is one of our favorite cruise destinations.
I've not discussed airfare, which is a large expense for a European vacation, especially in prime season. Since the cost of air would be the same for the cruise and land-based vacation stay, I've excluded that from the equation. Since this cruise is before the Summer Season this makes the selected cruise even more attractive. Cruise lines often have reduced air prices.
There are many deals to Europe this Summer. We'll feature some of the sales on our website and Facebook page. If you are seriously considering a Europe get-away this Summer, my suggestion would be to book now while the supply is larger than the demand so that you can maximize your investment.
The prices I've seen during my search in preparation for this article are on par with what you'd pay for a Caribbean vacation on the same or similar ships. For the most part, the ships are the larger, newer vessels in the respective fleets. Ships like Celebrity Beyond, Enchanted Princess, and Royal Caribbean Odyssey of the Seas are just a few of the choices you'll have.
Of course, if you want to stay closer to home in the Caribbean, Bermuda, or Disney World, we can help you sort through all the possible choices and find the best value for you and your family.
Put Your Tax Dollars to Work for You on a Cruise / Land Vacation to Remember for Years to Come. Cruise Europe in 2022 !!
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