Planning a Cruise Vacation

 
Cruising...

Today's 

Vacation of

Choice 

You've heard friends talk about their cruise vacations and how great a time they had, and you wonder what's it all about. More and more people are discovering the all-inclusive pleasures of a cruise vacation.   This month, in conjunction with CLIA's National Cruise Vacation Month, we are writing a series of articles to help you become more familiar with cruise vacations.

Planning Your First / Next Cruise

The diagram above shows some of the decision points that factor into your final selection of a particular cruise sailing.   At first glance, it may seem to be a bit daunting, and perhaps that is what has kept you away from taking a cruise up to now.  We can work with you to demystify the process.

We highly recommend that you work with a professional travel agent, that specializes in cruises, to plan your vacation.   As a CLIA certified Master Cruise Counselor (MCC), we've taken the time to learn about the industry, the cruise lines, the destinations, all the changes that occur year after year, and through our personal experiences, can ask the right questions to find the cruise that best meets your desires.  The MCC certification isn't a one-time event, it is an ongoing commitment, of our expertise, which we need to renew year after year, much like your family doctor.  

Asking the Right Questions

Think about other travel that you have done ...  When planning those trips, you had certain criteria in mind that ultimately factored into what became your vacation or business trip.  

Who's Going, What are their Ages, When Can you Go
 
In many cases, you are locked into a specific date or period of time (such as when the other travelers can get off of work, or when the kids are out of school).  Once a date is selected, the pool of possible cruise destinations may shrink.   For example, if you wanted to cruise in December, you won't be going to Alaska, as that season goes from May - September.

Are Certain Ports a Must, Are you Driving or Flying to Port

We'll look at destinations in more detail in another post, but that is one of the key determining factors in planning the actual sailing.   Let's assume that you want to meet a long lost relative in a foreign country...   that would become a must-see port of call and could become your primary deciding factor.

If you are fortunate enough to be within driving distance to a cruise port, departing from that port may dictate the length of cruise and destination(s) possible.  Even if you are flying, each port has certain destinations that are within sailing distance for a given length of a cruise.

Do you Have any Preferences

You may have some cruise lines, that you are familiar with, and want to sail on.   This may be a trip with the family who loves Disney characters or Dreamworks characters and the cruise line becomes the most important factor in your planning.

Finding the Right Cruise at the Right Price

After discussing all the options within the framework of your wants, the final decision will most likely involve what's available within my budget.   Our goal as your agent is to find you the best value for your vacation dollar.  Note that doesn't necessarily equate to the lowest price.   If the lowest priced cruise doesn't have any of your top requirements, then that cruise isn't for you.  You wouldn't buy a car that you didn't like, and you shouldn't purchase a cruise vacation that you won't like either.

Starting the Planning

We have many tools for you to begin your cruise research.   We are highlighting them throughout the month as we look at cruising, which we fell in love with personally some 30+ years ago.  This blog, our Facebook page, and our website are your building blocks.   We have a cruise finder on all these sites which can give you an idea about the destinations that are possible within the desired time frame.  The best tool that you have at  your disposal is the phone.  An interactive conversation is the best way to uncover your wants and desires and funnel them down to possible candidate cruise sailings.

Atlantic Season Not Over TS Oscar Forms

Click (here) for Interactive Map

Tropical Storm Oscar

Forms in Atlantic

1100 AM AST THU OCT 04 2012

...OSCAR STRENGTHENS A LITTLE AND TURNS NORTH-NORTHEASTWARD...

Atlantic Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

There are still two months left in the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane season and the Atlantic hasn't given any signs that storms are over.   Tropical Storm Oscar formed between Cape Verde and the Leeward Islands in the Atlantic basin.  The storm isn't expected to last as long, contrasting that with Nadine which lasted from September 11th until October 3rd.

SUMMARY OF 1100 AM AST...1500 UTC...INFORMATION
-----------------------------------------------
LOCATION...20.6N 41.7W
ABOUT 1205 MI...1935 KM WNW OF THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...45 MPH...75 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 20 DEGREES AT 9 MPH...15 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1001 MB...29.56 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS
--------------------
THERE ARE NO COASTAL WATCHES OR WARNINGS IN EFFECT.


SATELLITE DATA INDICATE THAT MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAVE INCREASED
TO NEAR 45 MPH...75 KM/H...WITH HIGHER GUSTS.  LITTLE CHANGE IN
STRENGTH IS FORECAST BEFORE OSCAR DISSIPATES IN A DAY OR TWO.


HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
----------------------
NONE. 

Historical Data:         Storm Archive      Graphics Archive

TROPICAL DEPRESSION FIFTEEN ADVISORY NUMBER   1

1100 AM AST WED OCT 03 2012
 
...LOW PRESSURE OVER THE CENTRAL TROPICAL ATLANTIC BECOMES TROPICAL
DEPRESSION FIFTEEN...
...NOT EXPECTED TO LAST VERY LONG...

                                 

Not All Cabins Are Alike

Interior Stateroom with Two Twin Beds

Cruise Ship Accommodations

You've decided to go to your local hotel for a weekend getaway and you call reservations to book your room.   What are some of the questions the clerk asks?

How many people? Do you want a king bed or two double beds?  Do you want high floor or low floor?  Is anyone in your party handicapped?   Do you want to be near or away from the elevator?   Would you like the parking lot view or the pool view?

Just as hotel rooms aren't alike, neither are cruise ship cabins. You'll need to decide on the types of accommodations that will best meet you and your traveling companions' needs.

Main Cabin Accommodation Types:   
Interior, Outside, Balcony, Deluxe

Outside Cabin with Obstructed View

Pictured above is your typical Interior (inside) cabin.   As you might expect, it has no windows of any type. Imagine walking into a bedroom or walk-in closet that doesn't have any windows.   That's exactly what you should expect in an inside cabin.

These will be the lowest priced cabins on the ship.  If you like dark when you sleep, then this is definitely for you.  On the other hand, if you are claustrophobic,   then you definitely won't want this type of cabin.


Location, Location, Location

Just like in a hotel, not only does the type of cabin factor into the cost, but also the location.  Cabin types are further divided into categories.   Each cruise line has a different labeling scheme for categories, but what they have in common is grouping by deck and location on the deck.  The least expensive inside cabins will be found on the lowest decks, either all the way forward or all the way aft.   Cabins located in the center of the deck command a premium price as do cabins located on higher decks.

Rooms With a View

The next category of cabins is the Outside accommodations.   As the name suggests, these cabins aren't hidden away in some dark interior part of the ship, but rather have some sort of window that allows you to look out at the sea.    On the majority of the ships, the cabin may have a port hole or picture window.   These cabins tend to be on lower decks and could be across the hallway from an interior accommodation.   For families traveling with children, you may want to book an inside for the kids and an outside for parents.   We'll leave cabin size to another blog post by the way.

Location is still a price-determining  factor as was the case with the inside cabins.   Another sub-category is outside cabins that have an obstructed or partially obstructed view.    The picture above shows a cabin that is partially obstructed.   You can look out at the sea, but you'll also see a life-boat or other obstruction due to the location of the cabin.   You have a view with any of these cabins, but you won't get any fresh air since the windows do not open.

Balcony Stateroom

Balcony accommodations, like the cabin pictured here, are the next major level up from Outside cabins.  As the name implies, you have a private veranda (balcony) which is accessed via a sliding door in your cabin.   Most balconies have a small table and one or more chairs so that you can lounge outside your cabin and watch the sea go by or view the port as the ship arrives or sails away.

These cabins are primarily on the higher decks, although on some modern ships, there is a high percentage of balconies, which implies they could be found on lower decks.

Location is still important with balcony accommodations.   On some ships, there are balconies located on the "hump", or area of the ship that juts out further than the rest of the cabins on that deck.   These are typically in the center of the deck and command a premium price.   Royal Caribbean's newest ships, Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas have interior balconies that overlook Boardwalk and Central Park neighborhoods, but all other ships provide a view of the ocean from your balcony.

How Suite it Is

Deluxe accommodations come in various shapes and sizes and offer exclusive amenities to guests.  These cabins are also known as balcony suites on most cruise ships.   These deluxe accommodations are comparable to suites one would find in finer hotels on land.

Royal Loft Suite with Balcony

The cabins may have butler service depending on the cruise line.   They are larger than standard balcony cabins in most cases and may even have multiple bedrooms to accommodate families or groups traveling together.

Pictured here is one of the Royal Loft Suites with Balcony on the Oasis of the Seas.   This is a two-deck high stateroom with panoramic views.  Besides the multiple sleeping areas, the private balcony comes complete with whirlpool and dining area.   You may not want to leave your suite at all during the cruise.   We mentioned we'd talk about cabin size another time, but just to give you an idea, this is larger than some houses.

 Special Needs

Most ships have specially designed cabins for guests that have accessibility needs, such as wheelchair access.   These may be limited in quantity and cabin types, so you'll need to book early if this is a necessity for your cruise.

There are many types of bed configurations on ships.    The standard sleeping arrangement is two twin beds that can be together or apart.   Bunk beds, sleeper sofas, Pullmans, roll-a-ways, and even cribs can be found on most ships.    You'll want to be sure to discuss options with your cruise specialist.

Cabins are double occupancy for the basic configuration.  There are a limited number of cabins on most ships that can handle 3 or 4 guests.  If you have more than that in you party, you'll need multiple cabins or one of the deluxe accommodations.  Triple and quad-occupancy cabins are strictly controlled by the U.S. Coast Guard.   Once capacity is reached, the cruise line cannot sell any additional cabins of that type.   So, book early if you will have more than double occupancy in your party.

What Cabin is Right for You

Do you think you have this all figured out? You know exactly what cabin type and category you want for your cruise? Let me warn you. We've over-simplified things here. There are 37+ different categories of cabin accommodations on Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas. That is the most extreme case at the present, but the majority of the ships have more than 10 different types of accommodations with multiple categories within type.

Many times we've had prospective customers ask about a particular rate they saw on some advertisement. They can't understand why the price we're quoting is higher than what they found. Probably the funniest story was a conversation with a honeymoon couple that saw a cabin with a lower price than we were quoting. When asked if they really wanted to spend their honeymoon in bunk beds, they saw the error of their ways.

It is best to work with a cruise specialist who can properly advise you about the various pros and cons of each cabin category. The last thing you want is to be sea sick because you picked a cabin location where you felt every wave during your cruise. Or perhaps worse yet, you got no sleep the entire cruise because you were right next door to the main elevator. There are reasons why the cabin is priced lower than others.

We have deck plans for all the ships on our website. Just select the cruise line you are interested in and browse the ship's photos, 360 views, and layouts.  Here are some links to photo albums on our FB page.  All Cruise Lines

Families Need to Plan Early

You've seen several different types of accommodations here.  There are more options, specific to ship and cruise line, that cater to families which need more than 2 people in a cabin. There are a limited number of cabins that can accommodate 3 or 4 passengers.   This is strictly enforced by the Coast Guard, so the cruise line cannot make an exception and convert a double into a triple for example.  When the cabin category is filled, you need to get a higher cabin category which means more money.

Another issue for families is the need to have children or others in the party in neighboring cabins.  The cruise lines have specific rules, based on the age of the cabin occupants, on where those cabins must be located and who is allowed to be in the cabin together.

In order to have best selection and price, we highly recommend you book way in advance when planning a vacation with families and groups of cabins traveling together.  The time of year and destination factors into the equation as well.   Everyone wants to cruise over Spring Break for example - and most of them will be families with the same needs as yours.  

We Can Simplify The Cabin Selection for You - Just Contact Us to Plan YOUR Cruise

Allure of the Seas Staterooms 
(Photo Albums on our FB fan page)

Royal Loft Suite with Balcony

Sky Loft Suites

More Allure Staterooms

Norwegian Epic Staterooms
(Photo Albums on our FB fan page)

Norwegian Epic Studio Cabins

National Cruise Vacation Month Coming Attractions

Cruise Line Specials

Some of the CLIA member cruise lines have already announced their specials for the NCVW "The World's Largest Cruise Sale".   Many have specials all month;  some have different offers for the dedicated week.

Our Facebook fans that "Like Us"  will get a special treat ... they'll get an early glimpse of the offers via a private link on our "Likers Only" page.   Of course, you can always give us a call and inquire about your favorite cruise line's specials - or destination offers.

 These Are a Few of Our Favorite Things

We Need YOUR Ideas Too 

For Our Article

October is National Cruise Vacation Month, for those that haven't been following the posts this month.  We are featuring several cruise articles to educate first-time cruisers,  our "Cruise Rookies" and also to perhaps enhance the cruise experience for those that are seasoned travelers that might be looking for something new to explore on their next cruise vacation.

We are Collecting Your Favorite Things on Facebook
 

(click Here and)  COMPLETE THIS SENTENCE:
                             My favorite thing about cruising is ....

While you are on our Facebook Fan page, be sure to check out all that we have to offer.  If you aren't familiar with our content, you can read are article, Welcome to our Updated Facebook Fan Page.

We know that not all of you are on Facebook, and we don't want to leave you out either.   So, you can also post a comment here on our blog.   Unfortunately, there is a delay doing it this way because the comments on the blog are moderated, so you won't see them appear right away, unlike Facebook.

Wanted:     YOUR Photos Enjoying a Cruise 

Destination Memories

Quotes & Stories from a Favorite Cruise

This is YOUR chance to be part of our Blog and Fan Page

Our GOAL ...  Simply Sharing One of the Most Enjoyable

Vacation Experiences with Our Readers

Having an AzAmazing Time Cruising

Experience the new Azamara Difference

Now there's more included than ever before.

Enriched 2013 Azamara Experience 

 

EUROPE 2013 - AzAmazing Evenings

Beginning with the 2013 Europe season, Azamara Club Cruises will be offering guests a complimentary AzAmazing Evenings^SM event to remember on every voyage—a chance to really see the advantages of longer and later stays in port! Be it a night at the ballet at the Mikhailovsky Theater in St. Petersburg or a polo match and reception in Saint Tropez, AzAmazing Evenings are perfect opportunities for you to experience the Azamara difference in some of the most incredible places on Earth.

The AzAmazing Evening event is complimentary, and is available on all sailings starting March 27, 2013 (Azamara Quest), and May 15, 2013 (Azamara Journey) except Azamara Quest’s November 13, 2013 sailing. A refund will not be offered if you do not attend or the event must be cancelled for any reason by Azamara Club Cruises. Cancellation fees will be applied should the quest not inform the line in advance that they won't be attending.  This is necessary  because there will  be costs to Azamara, associated with the event, based on number of passengers attending. 

Guests will be allowed to sign up for the evening events prior to departure and are encouraged to do so as space is limited.   Those failing to do so, will be given the opportunity to book onboard the morning of the event if space is available.

More Inclusive Amenities

In addition to the evening events, there's much more in store for passengers on the Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest starting with the Europe 2013 Season. Standard spirits, an international selection of beers, and red and white wines will now be available throughout your voyage.

• NEW AzAmazing Evenings^SM event on every voyage
• NEW Select standard spirits, international beers and wines at all ship bars
• NEW Selection of international beers plus wines at lunch and dinner
• Gratuities
• Bottled water, soft drinks, specialty coffees and teas throughout the ship
• English-trained butlers for suite guests
• Self-service laundry
• Shuttle service to and from ports, where available
• Concierge services for personal guidance and reservations

Related Blog Posts:

New Look for Azamara Club Cruises Ships
Azamara Club Cruises 2014 Deployment

Azamara couldn’t improve the destinations.
So they improved the journey.

Welcome to our Updated Facebook Fan Page

Explore the World of Cruise Vacationing

If you've ever thought about going on your first cruise, October is the time to begin that journey.  Our Facebook Fan Page is a great resource to help you get started on your cruise planning. If you "like" us, you won't miss any special announcements or new material postings. 

Timeline


This is the default landing page when you first connect to our Facebook Fan page. We feature an image from one of our cruises - currently we are featuring Venice, Italy as our cover photo.

With the introduction of Facebook's Timeline page, it is necessary for you to manually visit our custom pages.   You can easily view our current and past posts as well.   We typically feature industry news, photos, and special offers here.

Click On The Following Images & Bookmark the Pages

Welcome Page

On this page you can learn more about us and how we got started cruising and later turned our love for cruising into a business.

We have links to this blog and also to our website. Be sure to "Like Us"...

Includes Fan Only Content 

 

You can click on the images or links to sign up for our weekly eNewletter, watch our featured video, explore the Cruise Help, or learn about our featured deals and destinations. The popular "Where is Chris" link is your key to those destinations.

Featured Deals

On our Welcome page, we feature one special cruise or land vacation deal, and link to our Featured Deals page which has additional offers.

That's right folks, we specialize in cruises, but for those trips where you want to do something different, like an all inclusive, we can offer our advice on that also.


In most cases, you'll be directed to our main website for complete details about the offers.  From time to time, we'll have exclusive offers that you won't find anywhere else.


  Virtual Tour of Cruise Destinations
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so we have plenty of photos on our fan page. In addition to the photo albums, we have two in-depth tabs featuring destinations.

One tab covers Alaska and the other is the WhereIsChris tab, which has short descriptions about some of our favorite destinations.

Where Would You Like to Go We Can Help You Plan

Cruise Help

Whether you are a first-time cruiser or a well-seasoned traveler, there is something for you on our Cruise Help page. Here you will find links to various resources to help you plan and also answer all those burning questions about cruise vacations.

This is just the tip of the iceberg so to speak. On our website, you'll find even more information including 360 views of cabins, ships, and public areas on the ship. There's deck layouts, facts about each ship, and itineraries to get you started with your investigation.

We highly recommend that you give us a call because all this information can be overwhelming. As CLIA Master Cruise Counselors, we are certified to bring you the advice you need to plan the perfect cruise vacation. Please visit often during National Cruise Vacation Month - we will be posting much more information, sharing our knowledge about   Cruising ... Today’s Vacation of Choice

October 2012 - National Cruise Vacation Month

October is National Cruise Vacation Month

Explore the World of Cruise Vacationing
October 1 - 31, 2012 
 

If you've ever thought about going on your first cruise, October is the time to begin that journey.

We're joining with member travel agencies from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) across the US and Canada to host the Virtual National Cruise Vacation Week (NCVW) which is an opportunity for travelers like you to learn more about one of the most popular vacations: cruising!

Cruising is all about you. You can find adventure, culture and education or, relax the day away. Dine on fine cuisine. Indulge at the spa. Reconnect with family. Share romantic moments. All this, in the destination of your choice, for a few days, a week or more, on a cruise that's right for you.

We have a special page with Cruise Line Videos for you to explore.   Just click the cruise line logo of your choice and watch their video.  Each day we will add another link to our Virtual National Cruise Vacation Week Calendar 2012 featuring articles of interest about cruising.

There are special offers throughout the month. The highlight will be October 21-27, 2012 which is designated the National Cruise Vacation Week (NCVW). We have a special page (click here) which lists the offers and other information.

Simply click on the cruise line of your choice 

and see what special deals they have to offer! 

Checkout our Facebook Page

for more Cruising Tips and Offers