Going on a cruise used to be as simple as booking a ticket and making a few choices about what to do

Going on a cruise airline ticket bidding used to be as simple as booking a ticket and making a few choices about what to do. Guests often waited until they boarded to book shore excursions and spa treatments. But the menu of cruise activities has expanded, as have the number of things that can be prearranged from shore. Today, cruise lines are trying to make it as easy as possible to plan and book onboard activities in advance of departure. The proliferation of options has grown hand-in-hand with the technological capabilities that make selecting cruise activities easy. The latest example comes from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (RCCL), airline ticket bidding which has retooled its planning function so guests can book everything from specialty dining reservations to beverage airline ticket bidding packages from the comfort of their couch.
“We been focused on letting airline ticket bidding our guests hit the ground running on day one, whereas in the past, sometimes day one was spent figuring airline ticket bidding out what you were going to do,” said Jeff DeKorte, vice president airline ticket bidding for Web and digital media at RCCL. RCCL’s new tool, Cruise airline ticket bidding Planner, replaces an 8-year-old airline ticket bidding pre-cruise planning module that was increasingly outdated. The old system had none of the new e-commerce functions, such as shopping carts and wish lists, things that consumers increasingly take for granted when buying things online. “Every time you bought a new product during the session, you had to enter your credit card again,” DeKorte said. “It was very difficult.” One of the big improvements in Cruise Planner is the ability to migrate between digital platforms without losing data. So, for example, someone might start researching shore excursions in the morning on their mobile phone, continue at lunch on their desktop PC, and finish after dinner on a tablet while watching TV. Tablet functionality, which barely existed on the old platform, is now robust, DeKorte airline ticket bidding said. He hopes that moms that typically do a lot of the cruise planning can now share the load. “Our vision was to create a product where … the family could lean back on the couch and literally she could hand the tablet airline ticket bidding to the kids and say, ‘You guys figure out what you want to do, watch the videos, look at the shore excursions, [select] swim with the dolphins and add it to the calendar or the wish list.’ “And then mom can come back later and she can organize,” DeKorte said. Travel agents can use the tool to the extent that they do pre-cruise planning airline ticket bidding for clients, airline ticket bidding either as a service or for a fee. “It really depends on the agency and the level of service they’re providing to their guests,” DeKorte said. “For those agents who choose airline ticket bidding not to provide that service to the guests, there’s a much easier tool for them to direct the guest to use.” As the list of things to prearrange before a cruise grows longer, it threatens to take some of the serendipity out of a cruise vacation. Simply showing up at the ship without a sheet of activities selected in advance seems like a throwback to a simpler time. But DeKorte said tools like Cruise Planner are meant to provide options, not become a burdensome requirement. “The beautiful thing is for guests who want to take their vacation one day at a time like that, they certainly can,” he said. At least one other line is also making moves to make pre-cruise planning easier. Norwegian Cruise Line recently opened its specialty airline ticket bidding restaurants to reservations 90 days before departure, up from 45 days previously. Guests can also book entertainment options such as Blue Man Group or Cirque Dreams on the Norwegian Epic, Breakaway and Getaway through their MyNCL accounts. Spa treatments on the Norwegian Epic can now also be booked in advance. Vanessa Picariello, a spokeswoman for Norwegian, said the spa preregistration may be extended airline ticket bidding to other ships, but that Norwegian still doesn’t have a timetable for when that might happen. ___ Follow Tom Stieghorst on Twitter @tstravelweekly .
Top Stories In New York, hoteliers striving for high style, average rates Carnival Corp.’s Q2 profit more than doubles Analysts: Cruise prices to grow modestly, led by Europe, Alaska Sam's Club partners with Tourico Holidays on travel service Delta to resume flying to St. Croix, Barbados
Click here to sign up for FREE subscription to Travel Weekly. You'll be kept up to date each week with timely industry news, stories airline ticket bidding on hotels, resorts, airlines, cruise lines, crar rentals, destination and tour packages. Travel Weekly is available in print or delivered to you via e-mail in digital format.
More Articles Analysts - Cruise prices to grow modestly led by Europe and Alaska Senate committee plans hearing for Cruise airline ticket bidding Passenger Protection Act Carnival Corp Q2 profit more than doubles Galveston poised to become second-largest Carnival homeport
Digital Magazines TW Events Industry Events Please upgrade your Flash Player. Please upgrade your Flash Player. airline ticket bidding 7/9/2014 Travel Weekly s Global Travel Marketplace Westin Diplomat Resort Spa, Hollywood/Fort Lauderdale 7/16/2014 Travel Weekly Chats on Twitter Online, #twchats 8/20/2014 Travel Weekly Chats on Twitter Online, #twchats 9/10/2014 CCRA Power Solutions Show Denver airline ticket bidding 9/10/2014 airline ticket bidding Global Spa Wellness Summit Marrakech, Morocco 9/16/2014 Seatrade Med Cruise Convention Fira de Barcelona Gran Via Conference Centre 10/6/2014 Adventure Travel World Summit airline ticket bidding Killarney, Ireland 10/15/2014 Travel Weekly Chats on Twitter Online, airline ticket bidding #twchats 10/19/2014 ACTE Fall Global Corporate Travel Conference airline ticket bidding Bella Skye Comwell airline ticket bidding Hotel Copenhagen 11/5/2014 Travel Weekly CruiseWorld Fort Lauderdale 11/12/2014 CCRA Power Solutions Show Raleigh, N.C. 11/19/2014 Travel Weekly Chats on Twitter Online, #twchats
Service Travels With You." More Jobs 6/16/2014 Travel Sales Specialist - Audley Travel - North End, MA... 6/17/2014 Outside Agent - Cassis Travel Services - LA/NY/London, NY... 6/10/2014 President/CEO - Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau... 6/16/2014 District Sales Manager - Trafalgar - Minneapolis/Chicago... TW Index: Most Active Stocks
Here in the country's most lucrative hotel market, $300 is the new $200. And 200 square feet is, well,... More Featured Stories Craft, commerce on street in Quito Round Hill opts for traditional touches Dispatch, Alaska: The cannery, a manufacturing airline ticket bidding marvel Dispatch, Alaska: airline ticket bidding Entering the world of the Tlingits Activities to help keep cool in Las Vegas Dispatch, Jamaica: The excitement of discovery Destinations
Travel Jonze blog Cayman Islands serves up ice cream in NYC State tourism slogans Spirit guide Editorials What's up with airlines? Those pesky codes Off the dime Kudos On the agenda Sharing Hit and miss Columns From the Window Seat Ask not what you can do for your client ... by Arnie Weissmann Legal Briefs 'Exclusive forum' clauses help shield suppliers from litigation by Mark Pestronk Reality Check Boycotting beds: Sleeping with a clear conscience by Richard Turen
As VP of operations, Tyler Hickman is in charge of day-to-day management at Icy Strait Point. Last year, the port had 73 ship calls. Hickman, who lives in a cottage at the now-closed salmon cannery, explains what makes it stand out from the rest. Read Tom Stieghorst's dispatches from Alaska here.
Videos Travel Video PostCard: Norway Viking christens 18 ships Travel Video PostCard: Jackson Hole, Wyo. Travel Video PostCard: SUPing in Florida Kevin Sheehan on the Getaway's Illusionarium Travel Video PostCard: Turks and Caicos Slideshows High style at the St. Regis Mexico City Shopping with the chefs of the Star Pride Beaches Turks Caicos welcomes Key West Village What s New, What s Hot: May 2014 The real deal Time travel on a train
Safari Spots' seven-night Tanzania trip visits Arusha, Lake Ndutu, the Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, and includes game drives. More Travel airline ticket bidding Product News 'Celebrate in Paradise' at Fiji's Nanuku Resort
Located on Fiji's main island of Viti Levu, the Nanuku Resort airline ticket bidding Spa Fiji recently opened on 55 acres and offers two styles of accommodations: the Vunikau Residences, which overlook the lagoon and Beachfront... More Cooperstown, airline ticket bidding N.Y.'s Otesaga Resort Hotel offers 'Grand Slam' package
Even though Father's Day has passed, it isn't too late to take dad out of town, and the Otesaga Resort Hotel in Cooperstown, N.Y., on the shores of Lake Otsego, can be the perfect place for that trip. More Racetrack seats part of 'A Day at the Races' package at Grand Del Mar
With the 2014 thoroughbred racing season airline ticket bidding set to open July 17 at nearby Del Mar Racetrack, the Grand Del Mar in San Diego is offering a summer racetrack package, available July 18 to Sept. 3. More Chateau on the Lake Resort and Spa offers Day on the Lake package
Chateau on the Lake Resort Spa in Branson, Mo., is offering a summer package designed to take advantage of the resort's location on Table Rock Lake. More Universal Orlando four-night airline ticket bidding deal promotes Diagon Alley theme park
Beginning June 28, Universal airline ticket bidding Orlando Resort is offering a four-night package complete with accommodations at the new Cabana Bay Beach Resort and the chance to experience Universal's new attraction, the... More Educational Programs Guides & Brochures 2014 USTOA Business Resource
Find United States & Canada Cruises Find Latin America, Mexico, & Panama Canal Cruises Find Caribbean Cruises Find Europe airline ticket bidding Cruises Find Asia Cruises Find Africa, airline ticket bidding Middle East & Nile River Cruises Find Australia & South Pacific Cruises Find Far Off Places Cruises
Top Cruise Destinations Bahamas Caribbean Western Caribbean Eastern Mediterranean European Inland Waterways Caribbean Mediterranean Western Scandinavia/Northern Europe Caribbean Southern Eastern Seaboard
Featuring airline ticket bidding continually updated details on approximately 18,000 cruise sailings, 361 ships and 93 cruise lines, Travel Weekly's Cruise Search is the essential online tool for travel airline ticket bidding agents seeking information on a wide range of ships and cruises, including amenities, deck plans, rates and availability and more.
Find Hotels in United States Find Hotels in Canada Find Hotels in Latin America Mexico Find H