I woke up this morning to less than 50 degrees outside! That’s dangerously close to 4o degrees, the temperature at which many thin-blooded Floridians (myself totally included) do not leave the house except for an emergency. It seemed only appropriate to write an article for Examiner.com that reminds Seniors, Floridians and pretty much anyone else who might be in the market for a “get away from the darn cold” cruise in a few months that now is the time to be looking for one. So here, some tips on all that….
Carnival Cruise Lines
As a cold snap descends upon Florida, a gentle reminder that even the Sunshine State is not immune to the approaching Winter, our population grows some as Snowbirds return from up North. The cruise vacation industry has some excellent values for them as well as Florida residents. Here are some tips that will be sure you get the best value
- Keep up on pricing- Ask your travel agent to always send you the “Happy Hour” specials every week, a sale that is run most Tuesdays on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. These are most often the best values of all but you have to be able to sail within 30 to 90 days. This is about as close to a “last minute bargain” as you can get.
- Everybody is doing it- Along the same lines. most major cruise lines publish sale information every week. Ask your travel agent to put you on the mailing list for those too. If you are concerned about getting too much email or that your email address will be sold to some joker who wants to sell you oceanfront timeshares in Topeka, set up a different email address at someplace like yahoo.com so it all goes there.
- Know the rules- Remember, it takes just one “senior” (person over 55) per cabin and one “Florida resident” in each cabin to get the special value you may see. Know too what the fine print says in offers you may see. They make it small as though it is not important but it often has a major impact on what your end decision will be.
- Your Travel Agent- “The Internet is for looking, your travel agent is for booking” is good advice that in the long run will put you in a better position. Not just for price but for the benefits having a travel agent on your side will afford. Look around on the Internet to research itineraries, special offers, etc so you have an idea of what you’re looking for then get with your travel agent to make it happen
- Processing Fees = Run!- You should never have to pay anyone to use their service to buy a cruise. While travel agents work for you, they are paid a commission on your booking at no additional cost to you. That’s the way it has been in the past and the way it should be now. Again, you might not see that “processing fee” or “cancellation fee other than that charged by the cruise line” unless you read the fine print. These are most often charged by Internet Cruise Brokers, not your best choice of booking sources.
Right now there are still a lot of very good values for Seniors and residents, not just Florida but other states as well. Your Cruise Lines International certified travel agent is the best source for cruise vacation information. Building a long-term business relationship with your travel agent will pay big dividends over the course of your cruise history
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