Cruises

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Barefootgirl
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Cruises

Post by Barefootgirl »

Seems like the credit card and frequent traveler games are oriented toward air/hotel travel.

How do we find good deals and discounts on cruises?

Thanks, BFG
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The Wizard
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Re: Cruises

Post by The Wizard »

Probably first by learning up at cruisecritic.com.
I've done three cruises on 20 years and I'm not a huge fan of them.
But I am pondering something in Alaska and something in France, either barge or riverboat...
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LiveSimple
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Re: Cruises

Post by LiveSimple »

AAA
Costco
Invest when you have the money, sell when you need the money, for real life expenses...
The Wizard
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Re: Cruises

Post by The Wizard »

LiveSimple wrote:AAA
Costco
Thing with cruises is, there are different quality levels, between different brands.
You want consumer-based feedback on this first,to decide on one or two cruise lines.
Then comes the shopping for a good price...
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ResearchMed
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Re: Cruises

Post by ResearchMed »

Definitely start reading up on CruiseCritic.com

There are sub-forum topics for different cruise lines, ports of call, and many other topics (disability, luxury, families, senior, insurance, etc.).

Costco has a special discount for NCL (Norwegian).
We know this is true; whether it is also true that it's not as good for other lines, that we don't yet know.

The rates for the same cabin category and date of cruise (same ship, of course) can vary quite widely, with the dynamic pricing (like airlines).

One trick is to grab a good fare, and pay the deposit during the refundable period, and hope there is a lower fare later.
But NOTE: You'll usually lose the original perks if you cancel and re-book, so take into account the value of any new perks, or any perks lost, if you do this.

We love cruising.
DH balked for years, and fell in love with it shortly after the start of his first cruise.

Different ships and cruise lines can have very different feels (demographics, number of passengers, number of children, etc.).
It's worth reading about some of this on CruiseCritic, but it's so very personal, it's difficult to know what would apply to 'you'.

RM
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LiveSimple
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Re: Cruises

Post by LiveSimple »

ResearchMed wrote: Costco has a special discount for NCL (Norwegian).
We know this is true; whether it is also true that it's not as good for other lines, that we don't yet know.

Costco had a great deal with Celebrity for us, as well.
Invest when you have the money, sell when you need the money, for real life expenses...
tj
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Re: Cruises

Post by tj »

you can find rebating travel agents. I always used AmericanDiscountCruises.com. If there's any possibility of cancellation though, you'll most likely owe a cancel fee vs no charge with the cruise line
centrifuge41
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Re: Cruises

Post by centrifuge41 »

Correct, credit card rewards are heavily tilted in favor of air and hotel. Not even rental car!

Since the advertised price of a cruise, and the out-the-door price can differ markedly, you will want to be vigilant when browsing for cruises. The final price is often higher than the advertised price, because the advertised price does not include port fee and taxes, both mandatory. The final price is sometimes lower than the advertised price, because guaranteed statement (rather than specifically selected stateroom), discount for certain residency, past guest, and senior citizen, can bring the price down.

I recommend browsing Cruise & Vacation Desk because that site lets you see the taxes & port fees without needing to get to the checkout screen. As long as you are browsing far enough in each itinerary to have selected a room (or guaranteed stateroom), you'll pretty much know what the cruise should cost.

To save money over the known "final" amount (tax, port fee, base cruise), you can buy using a site like Shopdiscover (saves 5%, but only on the cruise base fare portion, so really, about 2.5%), or buy through agents that can give you kickbacks. You can have agents bid against each other on your particular itinerary by using Cruise Compete, or you can check Costco, etc.
AWH_CPA
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Re: Cruises

Post by AWH_CPA »

usually get $100 extra on board credit if you own some stock of the company. I know this is true at least for the carnival corp cruise lines, (carnival, princess etc)
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deanbrew
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Re: Cruises

Post by deanbrew »

LiveSimple wrote:
ResearchMed wrote: Costco has a special discount for NCL (Norwegian).
We know this is true; whether it is also true that it's not as good for other lines, that we don't yet know.

Costco had a great deal with Celebrity for us, as well.
And Holland America. We took a Holland America cruise this year, and we got a better price with more onboard credit going through Costco. As mentioned, with some lines and travel agents, you can rebook if prices drop, but you lose whatever bonuses or perks you may have had when you originally booked. Our Costco agent said we could rebook to upgrade our cabin and save a little money, but we would have lost our drink package bonus, so we decided it wasn't worth rebooking.

Cruise.com makes it easy to find and compare cruises.
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mbres60
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Re: Cruises

Post by mbres60 »

tj wrote:you can find rebating travel agents. I always used AmericanDiscountCruises.com. If there's any possibility of cancellation though, you'll most likely owe a cancel fee vs no charge with the cruise line
ALWAYS check with the travel agent you use to see if they charge any fees if you cancel or even just get a price reduction if the fare goes down. The above mentioned company does charge fees . I have used Cruise.com a couple of times. No fees and nice to work with. They also discount the cruise for you. One of my cruises is on Carnival which does not allow discounting so Cruise.com gave me some on board credit. We have booked Princess too and got a nice discount along with some onboard credit.

We used Costco travel twice. both for Princess cruises. the first one they were able to give a nice discount. The second one they were only able to give onboard credit as their policy towards Princess cruises had changed. They were nice to work with. Their employees are Costco employees too.

I also agree… Cruise Critic is the best place to get info about cruising. Many sub forums including new cruiser, ask a cruise question , ports of call and then also the different cruise lines.

We love cruising!
DonM17
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Re: Cruises

Post by DonM17 »

We have been on 16 cruises over the last 8 years.....I suggest that you get on the vacationstogo.com mailing list - they usually have some great deals to offer (you would likely get an email about every 2 weeks from them). I used cruise.com once in the past and will never use them again due to a false advertising issue.
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ResearchMed
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Re: Cruises

Post by ResearchMed »

If you've never been on a cruise, then make sure you take a bit of time to study the deck plans of the ship you will be on, when selecting your cabin or suite.

You'd probably be happiest if there are other passenger cabins on each side of you and above and below you, rather than have things like nightclubs, casinos, or crew elevators.

The public areas will be clearly marked on the deck plans.
The best way to avoid unexpected noises from crew or equipment is to consider any unknown/unlabeled areas as something you don't want to be right next to/over/below.

If you don't have an inside cabin, make sure that any view is not "obstructed".

If you decide to save money by getting a "guarantee" category (allowing cruise line to select cabin for you), you might get a nice surprising upgrade OR you might end up in the noisiest or most obstructed view cabin that no one else selected.
Just be aware of the trade-offs.

Also, mid-ship and lower decks usually gets the least motion if sea/motion sickness is a concern.

We happen to enjoy the motion, and want to know we are actually on a ship. This will be great for us... until we hit a major storm someday. :shock:
(Note: Ships try to avoid major storms, and will re-route when necessary. But that doesn't guarantee "never" being in stormy seas.)

RM
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karpems
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Re: Cruises

Post by karpems »

We usually do a cruise or two a year. Always find the best deals on vacationstogo or Sam's club.
Exterous
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Re: Cruises

Post by Exterous »

Since you mention credit cards one option might be the Barclays arrival card with its 40,000 points after $3k in spending signup bonus. You can use these CC points as 2.2% cash back towards 'travel expenses' which include cruises and travel agents. Since these are Barclays points and not a specific cruise line or merchant you can buy whatever cruise you want with the card and then use your points as a statement credit against the qualified 'travel expense'. So after the initial spending requirement and signup bonus that would be about $500 off the cost of your cruise
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knpstr
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Re: Cruises

Post by knpstr »

The Wizard wrote:Probably first by learning up at cruisecritic.com.
I've done three cruises on 20 years and I'm not a huge fan of them.
But I am pondering something in Alaska and something in France, either barge or riverboat...
I've heard of people doing riverboat cruises in Europe and they love them. They said they'd never do another normal cruise. However, they said that there are community bathrooms, so that turns some people away. (I don't know if it was just that boat or all riverboats).
Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking. -Marcus Aurelius
ChrisC
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Re: Cruises

Post by ChrisC »

knpstr wrote:
The Wizard wrote:Probably first by learning up at cruisecritic.com.
I've done three cruises on 20 years and I'm not a huge fan of them.
But I am pondering something in Alaska and something in France, either barge or riverboat...
I've heard of people doing riverboat cruises in Europe and they love them. They said they'd never do another normal cruise. However, they said that there are community bathrooms, so that turns some people away. (I don't know if it was just that boat or all riverboats).
I wonder what cruise line they used that had community bathrooms. You sure they didn't take a river barge down the Danube? :P I went on a river cruise last year in the French Provence. It was a very expensive trip and very enjoyable. And there weren't any community bathrooms on the ship that took us down the Rhone and Saone Rivers from Lyon to Arles, France. We're planning on doing another river cruise in 2016 in either Europe or Southeast Asia.

Here are some links for the OP that provide discount or last minute cruise deals. Generally, I think the best deals are last minute cruise deals from the cruise lines. Bulk sellers like Vacations to Go might have some deals, but I think Costco will do better than the bulk sellers.

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Roya ... _event.pdf

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Exci ... l_tues.pdf

http://www.cruisefish.net
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Jazztonight
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Re: Cruises

Post by Jazztonight »

Whenever a thread involving cruises comes up, I share this:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... 5533,d.cGU

If you own 100 shares of CCL - Carnival Cruise Lines (disclosure: I do), you get additional onboard credits for Carnival, Princess, Holland, Cunard, etc.

It's the only individual stock I own.

DW and I have been on 4-5 cruises and my personal experience and advice is: You make of a cruise what you want.

My personal MO: I never take the elevator, only the stairs. I limit my dessert intake to fruit and sorbet, but am always visiting the buffet and having fruit, salad, or tea, and enjoying the magnificent view while I read, write in my journal, or do nothing (a rare treat).

I work out at the gym, visit the spa/steam room, and walk the promenade deck 3 miles every day. There is a LOT to do on cruises--lectures, great entertainment, fine dining, and the ocean to look at for hours.
"What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." Nietzsche
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steve roy
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Re: Cruises

Post by steve roy »

Cruisecritic (as mentioned above) and other sites display deals on various types of cruises. Look for repositioning cruises where the Big Boat is moving from, say, the Mediterranean to the Caribbean. Mrs. Steve Roy and I did a cruise like that from Spain to Florida two and a half years ago, and it was great. Plus we got a nice discount.

If you can pick up and GO when a deal hits, you can often get a deep discount. Mrs. S.R. is adept at finding fire sales.
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knpstr
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Re: Cruises

Post by knpstr »

ChrisC wrote:
knpstr wrote:
The Wizard wrote:Probably first by learning up at cruisecritic.com.
I've done three cruises on 20 years and I'm not a huge fan of them.
But I am pondering something in Alaska and something in France, either barge or riverboat...
I've heard of people doing riverboat cruises in Europe and they love them. They said they'd never do another normal cruise. However, they said that there are community bathrooms, so that turns some people away. (I don't know if it was just that boat or all riverboats).
I wonder what cruise line they used that had community bathrooms. You sure they didn't take a river barge down the Danube? :P I went on a river cruise last year in the French Provence. It was a very expensive trip and very enjoyable. And there weren't any community bathrooms on the ship that took us down the Rhone and Saone Rivers from Lyon to Arles, France. We're planning on doing another river cruise in 2016 in either Europe or Southeast Asia.

Here are some links for the OP that provide discount or last minute cruise deals. Generally, I think the best deals are last minute cruise deals from the cruise lines. Bulk sellers like Vacations to Go might have some deals, but I think Costco will do better than the bulk sellers.

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Roya ... _event.pdf

http://www.creative.rccl.com/Sales/Exci ... l_tues.pdf

http://www.cruisefish.net
I could be wrong, be if I recall correctly it was Viking
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steve roy
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Re: Cruises

Post by steve roy »

A night like this on the SS Smooth Sailing ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jup-5Xu1OOU

... and you might rethink your love of cruises.
Drew777
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Re: Cruises

Post by Drew777 »

Get the Barclay arrival plus with the 40k signup bonus. MS as much as you need to to cover the cost of the cruise. Booking at the last minute will save you a lot of you can go with little notice. I have seen last minute deals around 90% off. I have cruises with royal Caribbean and carnival. I prefer royal Caribbean of the two, but I think the differences are exaggerated. Stick with 7+ night cruises as the shorter cruises use their older ships and have fewer activities going on.
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Barefootgirl
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Re: Cruises

Post by Barefootgirl »

Yes, interesting possibilities. I think Barclays cardholders have 120 days to use those points as a statement credit, so possibly, you'd have to pay for the cruise in installments that match spending patterns?

I smell a potential blog post.

BFG
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Drew777
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Re: Cruises

Post by Drew777 »

Barefootgirl wrote:Yes, interesting possibilities. I think Barclays cardholders have 120 days to use those points as a statement credit, so possibly, you'd have to pay for the cruise in installments that match spending patterns?

I smell a potential blog post.

BFG
:mrgreen: Good idea. I'm also planning one on unlimited free MS possibly either today or tomorrow.

I believe you should just be able to pay for the cruise up front and then have Barclays reimburse you after the fact. It could be before the statement closes so you never have to actually pay. If you're going to pay in installments you could also look into the Wells Fargo Propel World and/or Capital One Venture Rewards cards. Each will get you another $400 in signup bonuses which can be redeemed against travel expenses.

Here is a link to the best current last minute cruise deals as well: http://www.vacationstogo.com/ticker.cfm?t=y&sp=y
I think you have to register, but it's no big deal. I just checked and saw cruises up to 89% off. After you signup just go to the "90 day ticker". Assuming you can plan a vacation with less than 90 days notice.
canderson
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Re: Cruises

Post by canderson »

We have used bestpricecruises.com, Vacations2Go and AAA, along with our membership club travel agent.

bestpricecruises.com IMO is easiest and cheapest to deal with, has no cancellation fees and gives often a boatload of on-vp board spending credit.
shelanman
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Re: Cruises

Post by shelanman »

Most every place I looked as the standard prices.

Costco had better prices, and better inclusions. Also, use their website but also call the phone number that gets presented. The folks on the phone don't necessarily have the same prices. (Costco saved me about 5%, and offered an extra $100 of onboard credit beyond the "everybody else price")

Cruise prices keep getting lower the closer you get to departure if the boat isn't almost full. If you book in advance, check in at least once every two weeks to see if prices have changed -- up until the date at which your deposit becomes nonrefundable, you can get the lower price applied. If they give you a hard time or try to charge you the $25 "price matching" or "rebooking" fee, tell them "never mind. I'd like to cancel my cruise. Then, once you've done that, I'd like to book a cruise." They'll eventually see reason.

I booked a nice suite on a Norwegian vessel last year. My price declined by about $2200 (about 18%) between the price I paid at first and the price that I eventually secured a few months later. I did, however, burn somewhere around 15-20 hours between internet searches and phone calls to secure that discount. Still, $100-150/hr is a good rate for light weekend work.
FredL
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Re: Cruises

Post by FredL »

If your schedule is flexible, the last minute booking will get some discount.
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tludwig23
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Re: Cruises

Post by tludwig23 »

Before any cruise, you should read this classic piece: http://harpers.org/wp-content/uploads/2 ... 007859.pdf
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Dantes
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Re: Cruises

Post by Dantes »

tludwig23 wrote:Before any cruise, you should read this classic piece: http://harpers.org/wp-content/uploads/2 ... 007859.pdf
Thank you for posting this link- its wonderful.
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midareff
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Re: Cruises

Post by midareff »

Try http://www.vacationstogo.com/?source=ms ... ain&ag=vtg If you don't see anything you like they have specialists that will find what you want and most likely can give you a better than advertised price.
negreenfield
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Re: Cruises

Post by negreenfield »

For cards I always use Chase AARP card for cruises. I originally got it for the 5% cash back everything back in the day, but it still has 3% on all travel.
Jim85
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Re: Cruises

Post by Jim85 »

Really enjoyed that Harpers piece, thanks.

I've used cruisecompete.com for finding a good deal on cruises. It sends your request to multiple online agencies that will send you a quote. Anymore mostly every source, including the cruise lines themselves offer, the same price. The differentiator being how much onboard credit is provided.
cherijoh
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Re: Cruises

Post by cherijoh »

The Wizard wrote:Probably first by learning up at cruisecritic.com.
I've done three cruises on 20 years and I'm not a huge fan of them.
But I am pondering something in Alaska and something in France, either barge or riverboat...
I loved my Alaska cruise even though the weather was not what I would have hoped. I'm not really a "big cruise" (i.e., floating hotel) person, but this is one I would recommend for anyone who wants to visit Alaska.

I did a barge cruise in France about 10 years ago. We cruised the Alsace-Lorraine region. The accommodations were pretty Spartan, but everything else was first class. The barge had 11 cabins with a maximum capacity of 22 passengers. However, I feel compelled to warn you that I was able to touch the ceiling of my cabin without getting on my tiptoes and I'm only 5'1" :shock: There were 7 employees on board - the captain and first mate (French), our tour guide (British), 3 combination chambermaids/waitresses (British and French) and, most important, the chef (French). The man was a genius!

I have also done two Viking River Cruises (although neither in France). Both were a totally different experience than ocean cruising - I would highly recommend them IF you don't constantly need to be entertained.
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1210sda
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Re: Cruises

Post by 1210sda »

My suggestions:

1. Stick to one cruise line (For us it's Royal Caribbean)

2. Join their frequent cruiser societies (Crown and Anchor)
This way you earn points and discounts. (up to $250.00 for Diamond Plus members)

3. Use a Visa/RCCL credit card and get dollar credits ($150.00 for 15,000 points)

4. Use a rebating travel agent. (The rebate is negotiable)

5.Book a future cruise while on your current one. (Low deposits, on board credits)

6. Book as early as possible. We usually book at least a year in advance if we can, We watch the RCCL website to see when future cruises first become available. All it "costs" you is it keeps your deposit from earning interest in a MMF or other interest bearing account. No big loss currently.
If you are the type who likes to monitor the website, then if prices go down you can get re-ticketed by your travel agent. And the nice thing, is that you don't have to fully commit until 70 days before sail date. Cancel before that and you get all your money back.

BTW, I compared the price for a comparable accomodation on Costco and Vacations to Go, and the they are the same as what's on RCCL's website.
I've compared our booking to what's available when it's very close to sail date.....occasionally, you can get a lower price, but the better locations for staterooms are usually gone by then.

Hope this helps.

1210
rockylou
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Re: Cruises

Post by rockylou »

We just returned from a Viking River cruise through Germany to Switzerland. It was wonderful, very different from the Norwegian cruise we took. Viking staff were wonderful and we loved the daily included excursions. They have local tour guides who really know the history of the area, made it very interesting. Since the cruise ships are small you really get to know other passengers and staff. We booked through Viking and I think got the best deal that way, free airfare and buy one get one free. There were no additional fees like the big cruise lines do so you know up front what you will pay.
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JupiterJones
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Re: Cruises

Post by JupiterJones »

rockylou wrote:We just returned from a Viking River cruise through Germany to Switzerland.
That sounds awesome!
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