Strong Wave Season Spurs Price Increases

March is Final Month of Wave Season

Last Chance for Special Deals

Traditionally, the early months of the year are when the majority of cruise travelers book their vacations at sea. The holidays are a faint memory.  The chilly weather gets the mind wandering to warm, sandy beaches, swaying palm trees, and relaxing in the sun.   Before you can say Jack Frost, your dream trip is all arranged and the countdown begins.


Between January and March, the major cruise lines offer incentives for passengers to complete their vacation plans.   This period is known as "Wave Season" in the cruise industry.  Many of the offers have been extended through mid-March and some offers end at the end of the month.   This is the final opportunity to take advantage of the free perks and special cruise fares.

Wave Season Results - Spur Price Increases

Bookings have been strong this Wave Season prompting the first price increase announcement.   Norwegian Cruise Line announced it plans to hike fares by as much as 10% on April 1.  Norwegian Cruise Lines Wave Season Promotion includes free cabin upgrades and on-board credits.

In announcing the fare increase, Norwegian said it would extend its current "Free Upgrades For All" sale through March 31. The offer provides up to a four-category upgrade on select sailings, along with e-coupons for on-board savings of up to $400.

"We've seen exceptional demand spurred by our Wave Season promotion, particularly for the popular summer destinations," CEO Kevin Sheehan says in a statement. "Based on this demand, we will increase our fares on April 1. We wanted to give consumers and travel agents the opportunity to take advantage of these offers before the price increase."

Demand for cruising continues to rise with the Cruise Lines posting strong fourth quarter earnings.  Cruise prices have remained low since the economic down turn in 2008.   The Norwegian Cruise Line increase is the first one announced this year.  We expect the other lines to make similar announcements.

What happens if I missed Wave Season?  Cruise lines will hold plenty of last-minute, three-day or extra-value sales throughout the year for you to find great deals. Unlike the Wave Season sales, you won't have advance notice of them.   To make sure you don't miss out on these deals,  sign up for our eSavers Newsletter and also Like our Facebook Fan Page.   We will notify our subscribers about these special deals as they become available.

NCL Entertainment News

Britney Spears, Michael Jackson and Rod Stewart

Appearing on Norwegian Epic

There have been reports this week of famous entertainment sightings on Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ship, Norwegian Epic.  Passengers started seeing Britney Spears, Rod Stewart, and Michael Jackson roaming the halls and in the Epic Theater.

Michael Jackson?   That's not possible.   OK, you got me - they aren't the actual performers but look alikes that are part of the Legends in Concert show that has been thrilling audiences for years in Las Vegas and other venues.  With the introduction of the show on Norwegian Epic, passengers have been able to see the "legends" without even paying any theater charges.

"The Legends in Concert shows in both the Manhattan Room and in the Epic Theater are extremely well received by our guests,” said Kevin Sheehan, Norwegian Cruise Line's chief executive officer. "With the arrival of these three new legendary entertainers, we are offering Norwegian Epic guests fresh and exciting performances from some very talented and well-known performers."

Legends in Concert is a live musical celebration featuring the world's greatest celebrity tribute artists. Legends in Concert on Norwegian Epic features three celebrity tribute performers taking the stage in the Epic Theater for six 45-minute shows over three days during a seven-day cruise. In addition, a Legends “Unplugged” show is performed on three additional nights in the Manhattan Room, the ship's New York-inspired supper club, providing an unprecedented dining and entertainment experience. The celebrity performers change every four months, keeping the show fresh and exciting. The initial performers were Madonna, Tina Turner and Elvis.


Read more in the Legends in Concert Press Release

 In other Entertainment news ....


Cirque Dreams & Dinner, the unusual new circus show on the Norwegian Epic, is a huge success.   So much so, that Norwegian Cruise Line announced price increases this week.

Prices for the best seats are increasing from $20 to $30 per person. Less expensive balcony seating prices are changing from $15 to $20 per person.

Executive Vice President Andy Stuart announced that the price increases were due to the strong demand for the show.   He also announced menu changes in response to feedback from passengers.   The new menu will include a salad with foie gras and fig chutney and a main course of grilled jumbo shrimp and beef tenderloin. A vegetarian option also will be available.

Norwegian Cruise Line is well known for their entertainment.   Norwegian Epic takes center stage with the unique shows introduced in this inaugural year.   See our other blog posts on Norwegian Epic.

New Passport Fees Begin July 13th

U.S. State Department 

Announced the New

Passport & Visa Fees

New passport fees for the U.S. Passport Book, the U.S. Passport Card, and other passport services will be in effect on Tuesday, July 13, 2010. There is still time to get a passport or renew your existing one before the new prices take effect.

We strongly advise all cruise line passengers carry a valid passport on all cruises, even if the destination ports allow for other forms of identification.    There is always the possibility of unexpected air travel which has higher requirements than for a closed-loop cruise for example.    See our International Travel tab for passport and visa information as well as Tips for Traveling Abroad and Travel Warnings, Country Specific Information & Travel Alerts.

New Passport Fees

Adults: First-Time (Age 16 and older) increase to $110 (from $75) plus a $25 processing fee
Adults: Renewal (Applying with DS-82) increase to $110 (from $75) with no processing fee
Minors (Under age 16)  increase to $80  (from $60) plus a $25 processing fee
Passport cards also increase by $10 for both Adults and Minors


For a complete list of fees, including extra services (such as additional pages) see the following:
New Passport Fees - Effective July 13           Current Passport Fees

There are two components that you must consider when determining the proper documentation required for an upcoming trip:    the requirements to re-enter the United States and the entry requirements of the countries being visited on your cruise or other vacation.

Important Note:    Passports must be valid for 6 months from the end of your trip, so be sure to check expiration dates and allow sufficient time for processing renewals.

Carnival Announces Price Increases

Photo courtesy Carnival Cruise Line

Wave Season Ending Soon
Prices to Increase

Do you remember my post, Now is the Time, from last December? In that post, I told you that in a meeting that I had with cruise line executives, they foretold of increasing prices. Ladies and Gentlemen ... That Day Is HERE.

For those not familiar with the term "Wave Season", this is the most important time for the cruise line industry during the year. It runs from mid-January through early Spring and besides being the most important time, it is also the busiest time.

Carnival Cruise Line announced yesterday that they have seen record bookings for the current Wave Season and as a result of the strong reservation activity for 2010 departures, have announced a general price increase that will become effective March 22nd.

Carnival President and CEO Gerry Cahill said, "We're seeing significantly increased volume as consumers are taking advantage of the incredible value that a Carnival cruise provides. And while pricing hasn't fully recovered to 2008 levels, we are increasing prices and will implement an across-the-board increase effective March 22."

He said that the price increases will vary by departure date but will be up to 5 percent.

Cahill attributed the record booking activity to a wide range of factors, including strong travel agent partner support, targeted marketing initiatives, itinerary enhancements and the wide variety of close-to-home departure points.

Carnival Cruise Lines is the largest and most popular cruise line in the world, with 22 "Fun Ships" operating voyages ranging from three to 15 days in length to The Bahamas, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera, Alaska, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Canada, New England and Europe.

Carnival also has two new ships on order -- the 130,000-ton Carnival Magic, which is scheduled for delivery in 2011, and a sister ship set to debut in 2012.

So, just as I predicted last December, this is only the first of many such announcements which I've been expecting. If you have plans to take a summer vacation with your family this year, I strongly encourage you to book now. We are here to help you. As Cruise Specialists, we are experts in finding the right cruise to meet your requirements. Even with price increases, a cruise is still the best travel value out there.

Currently we are featuring Up to a 2-Category Upgrade on Carnival. Find More Carnival Cruises Here.