пятница, 31 августа 2012 г.
The old saying watch what you wish for can also apply as watch what you book , as some cruise lines,
From mid-October through to late November the cruise lines will be repositioning airline flights cheap many of their ships, which have spent the summer airline flights cheap sailing European and Mediterranean itineraries, to get them to the Caribbean, readying for their winter season.
These transatlantic repositioning cruises generally vary from 14 -18 nights, and the vast majority of those will include several ports of call in Europe prior to heading across the Atlantic (5 or 6 sea days during the crossing). Such itineraries also sometimes include a stop at a Caribbean island, prior to arriving in the United States.
Perhaps due the extended lengths of these cruises, or perhaps because of the additional cost involved in flying to the European ports of disembarkation, historically, demand for these sailings is not all that high, and therefore there are some exceptional deals to be had.
With just a quick search I found 15 nights on Celebrity starting at 668, sailing airline flights cheap from Southampton, England; on the new Carnival Breeze starting at $1199 for a 15 night sailing from Barcelona, Spain; 13 nights on the Norwegian Epic from $548, sailing from Barcelona. . Some cruise lines are offering free upgrades or shipboard credits as additional amenities.
With some assistance from your travel agent I think it s relatively easy to find pricing in the $40 $100 per day range, depending on the type of cabin you prefer, plus receive some additional incentives.
For North Americans cruising in the Caribbean I would never recommend purchasing air from the cruise lines; you can almost always find cheaper airfare yourself. However, for transatlantic cruises, airline flights cheap open jaw flights are required. This means you are departing from one city, and your returning flight departs from a city other than the city you flew in to.
And, in the case of open jaw flights, in my experience, purchasing air from the cruise airline flights cheap lines is considerably less expensive than purchasing airline flights cheap it on your own, directly from the air lines. In fact, it s often surprising how inexpensive those flights are when purchased from the cruise line s air/sea departments.
Tip 2 Age Demographics - on transatlantic sailings are often skewed to the 60s and above. This is the rather standard typical view on cruises 10 days or longer, but to expect much deviation from that standard on cruises lasting 15 days or longer would be unrealistic.
The passengers on board may trend to an older generation, but they are often active, well travelled, and interesting. You can certainly meet many very interesting people on board, and given the length of the cruises, get to know your fellow passengers relatively easily, and well. And that includes pleasant, enjoyable, and social evening activities on the ship.
Tip 3 Chair Hogs - the phrase used to describe people rushing out in the morning to place personal belongings on sun-loungers by the pool to lay claim for the day (whether they intend to use them, or not), is not an issue on transatlantic sailings. The length of the cruise, and the age demographic are contributing factors.
Tip 4 25 Hour Days are the extra bonus of transatlantic airline flights cheap sailing that travel from east to west. Cruising, rather than flying, airline flights cheap naturally eases the transition through time zones anyway. But, doing so traveling from Europe, in an westerly direction, means you ll be passing through a minimum of 4, and as many as 6 time zones. Each time you pass through one of those time zones the clock moves back, essentially creating 25 hr. days.
Tip 5 Reading, Bridge Play, Card and Board Games - are some of the more popular day-time activities on transatlantic cruises. Ships sailing these types of itineraries will have libraries on board; some with a wider selection airline flights cheap than others. They will normally also set up a bin for a book exchange to augment their library selection as well.
These days E-readers have become an increasingly more popular means of cruisers carrying multiple airline flights cheap books with them. Decks of cards are commonly available on the ship, as are some board games, but if you have a favorite, bring it with you. You ll be surprised how much you play, and how easy it is to find fellow passengers to play with.
The evenings on board feature the same entertainment airline flights cheap as one expects airline flights cheap on a cruise; with plenty of dining options, shows in the main theaters, and regular scheduled entertainers in the lounges and bars.
Tip 6 Choosing the itinerary and ship for your transatlantic sailing might seem simple. Yet the variances in disembarkation ports, itineraries, and length of cruises available, do require some work on your part, and consultation with your travel agent. You ll then be ready to set sail on one of my favorite types of cruises extended transatlantic sailings taking advantages of some of the best prices airline flights cheap of the year.
yes, due book it with the cruise line, especially on transatlantic airline flights cheap sailings, and this can also be done through your travel agent airlines do not pay commissions to travel agents, however, when done by your TA in conjunction airline flights cheap with the cruise line, the cruise line includes the comission as part of the cruise.
The old saying watch what you wish for can also apply as watch what you book , as some cruise lines, tempting as they may be with low rates on any given itinerary, airline flights cheap may offer the worst cruise product, one not up to some passengers expectations, then again, a truly experienced cruiser knows the good from the bad and the ugly at sea, can make and is more able to book what is appealing to them.
I like to use frequent flyer miles for transatlantics. If you are fortunate to have miles with an airline that offers one way FF bookings, the amounts are reasonable and gets you around the cost of one way air. For instance, for economy class, airline flights cheap 20K for AA and 30K for UA. Granted I live in Florida and take a TA that begins or ends in Florida.
K, Just booked my 9th TA.on Celebrity.2 more important points; Balconies are a waste of $ cause all you see is black water of sea. Sales near date of final payment are short and sweet. Got $499 plus $250 SS. Now back to $599 or more a week later.Love the lecturers. Heard John Maxtone Grahams famous Titanic lectures, how to build a house and other great topics. Chef talks too. TAs are some of my favs. Complete getaways. Book on one of better lines for a fine experience.
If you absolutely love the sea and its varying moods, a balcony is the way to go. I never sail transatlantic without one, and I only sail Cunard on this run. Even off season, there can be nice days, and cuddled up on your own balcony reading is sublime.
I was interupted by arriving guests when I posted the above and neglected to ad that today ther are astoundingly diverse airline flights cheap ships sailing on repostioning crossings and at very attractive prices, and ASPEN GAL points out that a seasoned cruise line such as Celebrity offfers an excellent option for a crossing, along with other cruise lines.
Actually, Kuki, I have noticed that the rock bottom priced t/a s do get some younger vagabond types transiting from Europe back to North America, particularly if the disembarkation port is New York or Boston. I d say the NCL Epic will get that market this year Barcelona to Miami.
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