There has been a lot of bragging from the
cruise lines that they have had some record-
breaking sales weeks during the traditional
Wave season which is over by the end of
March and is when they expect to sell out
about 40% of their capacity for the entire year.
That’s probably true given the discount prices
and major advertising programs that went
along with those prices. It also means that their
returns are lower and the question is will they
be able to sell the rest of the cabins at premier
prices. The answer is probably not.
That means prices will continue to be below
average and the traditional advance booking
period will be shorter and range from 30 to 90
days. Some cruise lines have guaranteed prices
in the hopes of generating business. You can
book now for the fall and if the prices are
lower then, you will either get an upgrade or
shipboard credit.
Year after year, one of the best values for
travelers are re-positioning cruises. These are
cruises that involve moving a ship from one
region to another for the summer season.
Some Caribbean ships are moving to Europe
while others in South America are heading
north as are those in Australia and New
Zealand.
By middle March those April sailings are
usually sold out or have limited capacity.
Not this year. A lot of the lines not only have
capacity, but they have it at prices that are as
low as $40 a day per person.
Below are some great examples. I’ll start by
prefacing that all the prices were available at
time of writing. Unless noted, all prices are per
person, are based on double occupancy and
do not include taxes and port charges. I have
noted U.S. and Canadian prices.
This one is so hot I am not sure it’s going to be
there when you read it. The cruise is on Royal
Caribbean’s Vision of the Seas out of Santa
Domingo in the Dominican Republic on April
19. Ocean view cabins are selling for a mere
$639 CAD.
Ports along the way include St. Maarten then
across the Atlantic to Funchal on Madeira
Island and Lisbon in Portugal then Vigo and
La Coruna in Spain and then into their British
home port of Harwich.
Also heading to Vancouver this spring from
Fort Lauderdale is Holland America’s
Zuiderdam. The 21-day cruise leaving on April
18 has a starting price of $1,700 CAD.
NCL is leaving for England out of Miami on
April 17. The price is attractive at $349 U.S.,
however you have to like being at sea because
there’s only one port stop before the cruise
ends in Dover.
Princess has the same idea on their departure
from Fort Lauderdale. The cruise has only one
stop in the Azores before finishing its trip in
Lisbon. The cruise
Back tomorrow
