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The
Joy of Cruising
Everyone has their own
expectations of what a cruise should be like
for them. And they are all right! Different cruise
ships, itineraries, and destinations are as unique
as cars and hotel lines are from one another. A Volkswagen
appeals to a different clientele as does a Rolls Royce.
The Red Roof Inn will allow some families to vacation because
of the lowered costs, whereas they may not be able to go at
all if the Ritz Carlton is their only choice.
Ahhh,
Cruising. Just hearing the word invokes many mental images:
- Tranquil and relaxing
days at sea followed by high energy and dancing all night
- Beautiful calm seas
with the wind softly blowing; the cha-ching of the machines
in the casino
- Early morning walks
on the promenade deck; late night evening chocoholic buffets
- Food and service
fit for royalty
- The choice of a New
York Theatrical production at sea or a Karaoke club where
you can be the entertainment
- The opportunity to
meet other singles and that special someone; a yearly family
reunion where you share past memories and make new ones
 A
Panama Canal cruise with many days at sea
will be more relaxing than a cruise with a Scandinavian
ship that has a different port of call in a new country
to explore each day. A huge mega ship with rock climbing
walls, inline skating area, ice skating rink, etc.,
will look very different from a sailing adventure
cruise ship and that will be quite different too
from a small barge exploring the Rivers of Europe. Cruise
ships come in all shapes and sizes - from intimate yacht-like
sailing ships to 140,000 ton floating resorts.
For many, the cruise ship is THE destination,
giving them everything they want in a vacation.
So, how do you determine
what cruise options and amenities are right for you?
Ask yourself these
questions:
- Are you looking for
tranquility or excitement?
- Do you want an intimate
environment or a busy city at sea?
- Do you want to be
with singles or are you a senior looking for ships with
other seniors where you can play cards or take slower paced
shore excursions?
- Do you want a destination
where you can get lots of exercise and adventure?
- Do you want to heighten
your cultural awareness of ancient history or the current
arts?
- Do you want to be
entertained, educated or left in peace to commune with nature?
Find an experienced
travel agent to talk with who has been on numerous cruises.
Tell the agent about the activities and the memories
you want to create. Draw on your favorite past vacation experiences
and when you are the happiest in life. A
cruise is not only about dollars and cents...it's one or two
weeks a year that you deserve! It's a time to reward
yourself for your hard work and enjoy life!
It's the time to spend quality time with those you love and
to see new countries, enjoy new cultures
and experience new activities! It might even be the time you
need to reevaluate
your life and decide on a new path for the
future. If your job or homelife is hectic you might want a
quite place on deck to read those best sellers that you have
stockpiled for the past year.
Sure, you can explore
the Internet to find the best deal. What good is it if you
don't have the time of your life? An experienced cruise agent
can and should help you find the right ship for your
needs and expectations. An experienced agent should
be able to get the same deals that you can find on the Internet
but on the right ship for you...to a great destination...that
will create wonderful memories...enable you to make new friends...learn
new things…Be honest with your agent about your budget
and expectations.
 The
person you trust to plan that special trip should have your
interests in mind. If the cruise company is a part
of a National Consortium, the agent can probably
offer special prices and benefits that a small "Mom
and Pop" operation cannot provide. Ask questions
to determine the agent's knowledge about the services and
notice who is doing all the talking. Is the consultant interested
in what's important to you or only trying to push the cruise
line where he makes the most money or the only one that the
agent has personally experienced? What kind of “satisfaction
guarantee” can your agent provide? Is he knowledgeable
about shore excursions and can give you advice
about how to best use your time and money?
Make sure that the agent
can give you “value added services”,
i.e. insurance, cabin upgrades and offer additional cost savings
recommendations on other aspects of cruising. Find out the
hours that the agent's office is open and what you should
do in the event of emergency situations. Will the agent charge
you for additional advice, services after the sale
is made? Cruise packages purchased from Internet-based
providers often charge you each time you call for advice after
the initial deposit. Are you aware that many companies charge
a hefty cancellation penalty?
CLIA (Cruise
Line Industry of America) has conducted studies showing
that 94% of all passengers who have cruised
have the highest satisfaction with their
trip compared with any other type of vacation experience.
Do your homework well in advance so that you to fall in this
very high percentage category.
If you have questions
regarding about selecting a cruise ask
the captain.
Bon Voyage! |
As
the owner of CruiseOne, Kay Allred enjoys traveling the globe to learn
about destinations, cruise ships, itineraries and shore excursions to
share with her clients. She has found her life's calling in a business
where she can share her love of travel and her insistence on excellent
customer service. Kay has owned her own business for 8 years during which
time she has been on over 50 cruises and inspected over 100 ships.