Tips for Flying to Your Cruise Ship

 If you’re ready to cruise in 2023 and have your eye on a fantastic itinerary, how will you get to the ship? 

 Unless you live within easy driving distance of the cruise port, chances are you’ll take a flight to meet your ship and get back home after your wonderful cruise. Did you know that the cruise line can make your air travel reservations for you? 

 

In fact, you can receive some excellent benefits when you let the cruise line book your flights. The biggest may be that when the cruise line books your flights, they’ll help you rebook any flights delayed by weather or mechanical issues. And if an air travel delay means you’ll miss your ship’s departure, the cruise line will help you catch up with the ship in the next port of call. 

 

Many cruise-plus-air packages provide significant savings, as well. But be sure to work with your professional travel advisor to make sure that a cruise-plus-air package is a good financial decision for you. 

 

The cruise line may let you pay for your airfare over time (along with your cruise), which is another advantage. Many cruise lines require just a small deposit at the time of booking, with final payment due about 90 days before the cruise begins. Several cruise lines offer monthly payment programs, so you can spread out payments for your cruise and airfare instead of coming up with full payment right away. 

 

What you might give up when you select a cruise-plus-air deal is some flexibility in your air travel arrangements. Cruise-plus-air packages may have limited flight options, or you may be required to accept the flights the cruise line selects for you. Some cruise-plus-air packages provide greater flexibility in the air travel portion for a higher price. 

 

Be aware that some high-end cruise lines include air travel to and from the ship in the price of their cruises. When you book this type of cruise, having flight arrangements made for you is part of the luxury. 

 

Finally, if you don’t like to fly, there are other ways to get to a cruise ship. These include driving your own car, riding a bus, or hopping on a train: Amtrak offers passenger rail service to quite a few cities with major cruise ports, such as New York, Miami, New Orleans, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Ask Anita, your professional travel advisor,r for more information. 

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Repositioning Cruises Feature Days at Sea

For some, the days a ship spends entirely at sea are their favorite days on a cruise. There are no port calls on sea days, so there’s lots of time to sleep in, work out, enjoy a spa treatment, stroll the promenade deck, have a leisurely lunch, read a book, relax in the pool and more.

If you enjoy sea days (or like the sound of them), consider signing up for a repositioning cruise.

Repositioning cruises happen when a cruise line moves a ship from one cruise region to another. For example, some ships that sail in Northern Europe or along the coast of Alaska during the summer move to the Caribbean or the Mexican Riviera for the winter. Rather than sail without passengers, cruise lines make these sailings available to passengers who love a leisurely voyage on the water.

Some repositioning cruises are quite short; for example, a cruise that repositions a ship from Seattle to Los Angeles can be just a few days. But repositioning cruises that cross an ocean can be 14 nights or more. That provides plenty of time to experience all the activities, entertainment, and dining options on board.

The per-night rate for a repositioning cruise is often much less than for a regular sailing, although if the cruise is a long one, the total fare might stretch your budget. Also, repositioning cruises are always one-way: starting in one region and ending in another could mean higher airfare costs.

Most repositioning cruises don’t have many port calls, but the few they have are often in beautiful places that are off the usual cruise path. For example, a repositioning cruise from Barcelona, Spain, to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, might call on Madeira and the Canary Islands.

Many repositioning cruises cross the Atlantic, but there are other options. Some pass through the Panama Canal, so you’ll sail in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. Others venture across the Pacific: for example, you could set sail in Vancouver, British Columbia, and end in Yokohama, Japan.

If you’ll embark from a chilly climate and end in a tropical one (or the other way around), plan and pack accordingly. And, because they venture so far from land, repositioning cruises might go through some choppy water; you’ll want to be prepared with your favorite remedy for motion sickness.

There’s more to know about repositioning cruises; for answers to your questions, talk with Anita, your professional travel advisor.

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Considerations for Solo Cruisers

While many people cruise with a partner, friends or family members, there are passengers who choose to cruise on their own. Some simply enjoy traveling alone, while others can’t wait to meet their fellow passengers and create a new group of acquaintances.

If you would like to take a cruise on your own, here are some things to consider.

Single supplements. Most cruise ship cabins are designed for at least two people. If you want one for yourself, you may have to pay a single supplement: a fee that offsets what the cruise line loses by not selling a second fare for the cabin. While the single supplement is often discounted, it can be as much as you pay for your own fare.

If you want to avoid paying the supplement, you may have other options. If you don’t mind sharing a cabin, many cruise lines offer a roommate-matching service. And, an increasing number of ships have cabins designed for solo cruisers, including some ships in the fleets of Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and other ocean and river cruise lines.

Ship size. Solo cruisers sail on ships of all types and sizes, so think about what type of ship appeals to you most. Smaller ships with fewer passengers make it likely you’ll see the same people each day, which can make socializing easier.

Bigger ships with more passengers make it likely you’ll see different people each day, which can be an advantage if you want some uninterrupted time to relax as you cruise. However, if you want to sail on a big ship and meet some of your fellow passengers, just ask a member of the cruise director’s staff to introduce you around. Or, at dinner, ask the head waiter to seat you with other solo cruisers or with a friendly group you met at the pool or on an excursion.

Singles cruises. There’s a difference between cruising solo and taking a singles cruise, which is designed to help passengers meet potential romantic partners. It’s easy to mingle on a singles cruise because everyone is interested in meeting new people. But non-singles cruises often hold special receptions and other events for solo travelers so they can meet each other, if they choose.

To learn more about lots of wonderful options for cruising on your own, talk with Anita, your professional travel advisor.

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Amazing New Ships Set to Launch this Year

While the building of new cruise ships temporarily slowed during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are quite a few incredible new ships set to debut during 2023.

Viking Ocean Cruises’ new ship, Viking Saturn, will launch early this year with the sleek Scandinavian design the fleet is known for. All of Saturn’s cabins and suites will have their own balconies.

Oceania Cruises will introduce its first new-build ship in more than ten years, Oceania Vista, in April. Highlights include a new category of balcony cabins for solo travelers and a dozen dining spots, including a new restaurant called Ember.

Resilient Lady, the third ship in the Virgin Voyages fleet, will begin sailing in May. It’s expected to have the same relaxed-yet-trendy vibe as its sister ships, with fun features like tattoo parlors and dodgeball games.

MSC Cruises’ Euribia will be powered by liquified natural gas for reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Scheduled to launch in June, it’s expected to be one of the largest cruise ships on the seas.

Luxury line Silversea will unveil the Silver Nova this summer. With room for 728 guests, it will be Silversea’s largest ship, and the first designed to be completely emissions-free while in port.

The second ship in Norwegian Cruise Line’s Prima Class, Norwegian Viva, will arrive in August with lots of open spaces to enjoy, as well as infinity pools, several restaurants and a multi-story go-kart racetrack.

Seabourn Cruises will welcome a new expedition ship, Seabourn Pursuit, in September. It will be well-equipped for adventure, with two custom-built submarines, kayaks and Zodiac craft onboard.

Extreme luxury is standard on Regent Seven Seas’ ships, including the new Grandeur, set to debut in November. It will have its own version of the jaw-dropping Regent Suite, as well as four restaurants.

Celebrity Ascent, the final ship in Celebrity Cruises’ Edge Class, will launch in December. It will include the innovative “infinite balcony” feature, as well as some cabins designed for solo travelers.

While its ships are not brand-new, Crystal Cruises is emerging from bankruptcy with a new owner and plans to relaunch the Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony during 2023.

Finally, we must mention Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, scheduled to debut in early 2024 as the first ship in the line’s new Icon Class.

To find out where these new ships will sail and to make your reservations, talk with Anita, your professional travel advisor.

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