Beginning at the beginning...
BEFORE YOU LEAVE ON YOUR CRUSIE VACATION GRAB A PREPAID PHONE CARD TO CALL
HOME FROM ABROAD. WHY WORRY ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE GOING AT HOME WHEN YOU
CAN BUY A PREPAID CALLING CARD TO PHONE HOME FROM YOUR FIRST PORT OF CALL.
THAT BEING SAID, YOUR CRUISE WILL ONLY BECOME YOUR DREAM VACATION IF YOU
MAKE A SMART PURCHASE DECISION
THAT
MATCHES
A SPECIFIC
SHIP AND/OR
CRUISE
LINE
TO YOUR
INDIVIDUAL
TRAVEL NEEDS.More information for travelers
Things The Cruise Line Brochures or Travel Agents Won't Tell You...
1. The ship Itself. Actually, the short answer to this sub-title is, sadly,
quite a lot.ÊWhen you book your cruise, there is no more important information than knowing the safety and reliability of the ship you're on. Check the New York Times and various cruise magazines for the latest sanitation ratings of the actual ship you'll be on. It is almost a certainty that your cruise agent omitted information about the new Safety at Sea Act that is going into effect. On this count, if you're going on one of the newer ships, not to worry. Ask when your ship was built. If it is older, chances are it does not meet the new requirements for sprinkler systems, fire inhibiting materials, and other safety measures. Many of these older ships are due to be phased out for this reason. Since the cabins are often smaller, and since they lack more modern amenities (e.g., a modern spa/exercise area), cruise lines may sell cabins at a lower rate on these ships. In my judgment, you should make a smart purchase decision not only about the cruise line itself, but about the specific ship you're considering. To use a dated, but nonetheless valid analogy, it's like buying a GM car: you could get a plain vanilla Chevvy or a "Cadillac" (or
maybe now it should be Lexus or Mercedes!).
More information for travelers
Picking A Specific Cruise Line...
Like many other industries, cruise lines "target" their product or cruise ship experience to hit certain markets. As a non-industry person, I believe that there are five basic categories:Ê1--The ultra-luxury market. These are upscale ships (often much smaller than the mega-liners) that generally cater to wealthy people. Silverseas would be one example. Service and food is truly gourmet (the only real gourmet food you'll get at sea, by the way). Some of the ships and cruise lines are known to be more "snooty" while others are less pretentious (Once again, see the Fielding book). 2--The upscale mass market. These do a wonderful job and provide a cruise experience on a larger ship and, of course, at a higher price than any category, except for the previous one. I would count Crystal toward the top of this category and probably Celebrity toward the bottom. 3--The Middle of the Road Mass Market. I would count all of the big lines in this category, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Holland American, Princess, etc. These offer a great deal of value (more about that later). 4--The Bargain/Smaller Lines. This is the most varied category. We've been on the one-ship Majesty Cruise Lines (great experience for short cruises), and it includes the ultra-budget Dolphin Lines, ranging to Lesser known cruise lines. Warning!!!!!!!!!! : There is a projected over-capacity glut of cabins in the industry, already well underway. As in any other industry, be aware that the more financially strong lines will survive, and the smaller ones (with limited financial resources, older ships, etc.) will continue to fall by the wayside as the industry consolidates. MAKEÊABSOLUTELYÊCERTAIN that you determine if you're sailing on a cruise line that is not in somewhat shaky condition, financially speaking. 5--Specialized Lines. These include a wide variety also, including barge cruises in Europe and smaller shipsÊ(maybe 150 passengers or so) that ply the inside passage to and from Alaska, as well as "adventure" cruising
that lines like Renaissance targets.
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