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Carnival Cruises is holding a one-day sale today where cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska and more are being offered at amazingly low prices. In addition, the cruise line is guaranteeing that these sale prices will be the lowest offered on these particular sailings.

Amazing deals! Lowest price guarantees! If all this is starting to sound like a day at Wal-Mart, perhaps Carnival is on to something here.

In the good old days (remember those?), it seemed that cruise lines could hardly keep pace with the increase in people taking cruise vacations. The industry was growing at an impressive 4% a year, and new ships were coming out of dry dock at a dizzying pace.

But today things are a bit different. The new ships are still coming on stream and have to be filled, but travelers are being more frugal. They still want to take a vacation with their family and experience the world, but they want to do it for less, and in some cases, far less.

Enter Carnival with its Wal-Martesque approach to selling cruises.

Like Wal-Mart, Carnival prides itself in always offering very competitive pricing. And like any consumer goods retailer, Carnival understands that moving inventory in slow periods sometimes requires a compelling offer that is so good that it’s hard to resist.

That’s the kind of deal Carnival is offering for just one day – today! And we expect to see other great “sales” from its competitors as they remain in the fight for market share.

So has Carnival borrowed a page from the Wal-Mart marketing manual? I don’t know. But as long as they keep offering these kinds of great deals, their shipboard greeters are going to be very busy.

It’s been a busy 2009 when it comes to the media.

Since January 1, Tripharbour has launched a major advertising campaign, issued five news releases and participated in dozens of media interviews across North America. And whether it’s a question about cruising or insights into the latest travel trends, it seems that more and more reporters have discovered that Tripharbour is the place to go for the knowledgeable and trusted commentary they need.

For example, just this week I was interviewed about cruising on Radio Station 580 CFRA in Ottawa (You can listen to it at http://snurl.com/ckhmi). I’ve also begun writing a monthly column called “ports of call” for a local Toronto community newspaper, and will be putting pen to paper soon on two magazine articles about cruising.

In addition, Tripharbour CEO and founder Stuart MacDonald has appeared in dozens of print, radio and online stories about cruising and travel. These stories have appeared in major publications in the U.S. such as the Boston Globe and the Denver Post, as well as in prominent Canadian media such as the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and National Post.  And Tripharbour has been included in a large number of radio and online travel stories including with Radio Station 680 in Toronto, and online with MSNBC in New York.

But you don’t need to wait until our next media appearance to find the cruise you’ve always wanted. Just send in your questions or comments directly to us, and we’ll give you the same knowledgeable and insightful answers that media have come to expect from North America’s most innovative online cruise community, planning, and buying site.

After watching the Academy Awards Sunday night, I decided it was time we started a special version of the Oscars just for the cruise industry. So I quickly put together an online academy of “cruise experts” (unfortunately Katie Holmes, Nicole Kidman and Penelope Cruz were not available), sent out e-ballots, and hired the accounting firm of “Cheat, Fraud & Bamboozle” to tally the votes.  

The results are now in, so without further delay, I am proud to present the very first Society of Executive Accountants for Satisfactory International Cruise Knowledge Awards, otherwise known as the SEASICK Awards.

 Just like the Academy Awards, we are going to start with the lesser known and more inane categories and then finish with the biggies.

 Best Foreign Language Cruise Line

This award is given to a foreign-cruise line where English is not the primary language spoken aboard ships and where North American passengers have the opportunity to experience different cultures. The nominees are Norway’s Fred Olsen Cruise Line, Japan’s Mitsui OSK Passenger Line and Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

And the SEASICKie goes to Fred Olsen Cruise Line! According to the voters, this cruise line goes the extra nautical mile by providing North Americans with erudite cultural experiences like yodeling lessons, Lapland folk dancing classes, barbecued Reindeer recipes, Viking etiquette tips and ice-sculpting demonstrations, all provided over the PA system concurrently in 17 different languages.

Best Short Cruise itinerary

This award is given to a cruise ship that has an itinerary so short that it isn’t at sea long enough for anyone to get seasick, lose any money at the casino, do laundry, meet any friends or gain any weight. The nominees are NCL’s Dawn for a 1-night return cruise from New York, Cunard’s Queen Victoria for a two-night voyage from England to Denmark, Holland America’s Eurodam for a 2-night cruise from England to Denmark, and Carnival’s Triumph for a 2-night return voyage from Norfolk, Virginia.

 And the award goes to NCL’s 1-night dinner and dance cruise aboard the Norwegian Dawn from New York! I mean, if the cruise was any shorter you wouldn’t even need a cabin. This mini-voyage departs the Big Apple on April 30 with fares starting at just CDN$167. Just try getting a room with meals and entertainment in Manhattan for that kind of money!

Best Cruise Director

This award is given to a Cruise Director who gets the most from his cast and makes every voyage feel like a masterpiece of sea-nematography. The nominees are John Heald from Carnival, Neil Chandler from Princess and Anthony Richards from Royal Caribbean International.

And the SEASICKie goes to Neil Chandler from Princess! Neil has all the assets of a great director including a British accent, a great sense of humour, a digital camera, free internet service, and access to the ship’s public address system. Need we say more? 

Best Supporting Cruise Line

This award is given to a small cruise company that plays second fiddle to the major cruise lines but nevertheless delivers a compelling performance. The nominees are Peter Deilmann Cruises, Windstar Cruises and Star Clippers.

And the award goes to Star Clippers! Founded by Swedish millionaire and yachtsman Mikhail Krafft, Star Clipper Cruises offer laid-back fun on a fleet of tall ships that travel to Asia, Europe and the Mediterranean. These small sail ships don’t have amenities like rock climbing walls and ice skating rinks, but they do have plenty of rum, a few barrels of Aquavit, and a talking parrot who helps the Captain with the navigation.

Best Cruise Line

And now the biggie you’ve read all through this rubbish to get to. This award goes to the luxury line that provides the best value for money in terms of the total cruise experience. In other words, they can quickly make you forget how lousy your flight was before you boarded the ship! The nominees are Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Crystal Cruises and Seabourn. 

And the SEASICKie goes to Regent Seven Seas Cruises! Regent has beautiful ships and they do everything well, but our voters selected them because they serve free booze. One SEASICK Academy member estimated that he can save up to $4,000 per week simply by sailing with Regent versus staying at home and drinking at his local bar in downtown Toronto. Now Brian, that’s what I call smart budgeting! 

So that’s it for this year’s SEASICK Awards. If you’d like to become a member of the SEASICK Academy and participate in next year’s balloting, please contact your local mental health care provider.

On Wednesday of this week I accomplished something that seemed improbable just 10 months ago – I posted my 100^th entry on this blog.

It’s not that I didn’t think I could come up with something to say about cruising every few days. After all, you can’t take nearly 50 cruises without coming across a few interesting things to say about vacationing at sea. It’s just that I never thought anyone else would be interested in reading it.

Well, thankfully a few of you have taken the time to read my posts – in fact, we are now averaging well over 5,000 visitors per month from all over the world on the main blog site (the one with photos). And we’ve had some interesting topics, comments and dialogue about it.

It all began in April 23 when I introduced myself in my first blog post entitled “Welcome Aboard.”  That was back in the early days before we activated the main blog site with photos, and before we had many community members or blog followers.

A little over a month later, we activated the main blog site and my first post with photos appeared on June 2. The timing was perfect because I had just embarked on a 12-day Mediterranean cruise with Gail and our two daughters Lindsay and Samantha, so for the next two weeks we posted on our experiences aboard the Pacific Princess. Lindsay posted some of her own observations during the cruise and developed a strong following. (She’ll be posting again when we cruise to the Greek Islands and Turkey in May of this year.).

Since then, I’ve reported on cruises across the Atlantic and around the Horn of South America, and I’ve commented on a wide range of cruising issues. There have been posts about art auctions at sea, single sailors, repositioning cruises, cruise ship awards, etiquette at sea, new ships, cruise deals, shore excursions, short cruises, choosing a cabin, cruising regions and more. And I’ve had some interesting comments and dialogue with readers.

For example, Abe commented about art auctions at sea based on his own bad experience:

“What u say makes sense, but sometimes we leave our common sense on land. I fought long and hard with park west. I was set to go on INSIDE EDITION ,and just made a pain in the neck to park west till they stopped sending me law suit “letters”. Fineartsregistry helped 8 of us get our money back. Park west was so happy to get rid of us, but they wanted signed non disclosure forms signed, which I refused to sign. I could spent hours telling you of the false bids,bait and switch tactics, etc.”

Then there was my post on a travel agency that charges a cancellation fee that irritated Joe:

“It astounds me today that customers feel they can do what they want at the cost of businesses, then when they incur a charge they jump up and down saying it’s not right. Make up your mind next time! I have a small business, and I take deposits on parts orders before I will order the part for the customer. If they change their mind, they lose that deposit. There is a price for indecision. You may have only spent 5 mins on the phone booking your cruise, but you forget to understand that the majority of work is done when you hang up. When you cancel, the agent then has to file paperwork, accountants have to issue you a refund, and someone had to spend an hour hearing your childish rant about paying a cancellation fee. I think you owe them more. You say you’re insulted, I would hate to here the conversation you had with your travel agent. I’m sure you insulted them more then once because you feel it’s your right as a consumer. Well, it’s not! I would like you to think as a consumer on what your actions have had on that agent. Were you polite? I doubt it. You kicked and screamed at someone whom is just doing their job. Again, it was your indecision that cost you money. Would you like some cheese with that whine? No charge, I just hope you and I aren’t on the same cruise, you’ll probably be unhappy about everything.”

Ouch!!! And then there was the Sevillian called Mario who recently tore a strip off me for liking Seville. He wrote:

“I am sorry but I am half Spanish and I live in Seville. It is dirty, noisy and the people are unfriendly. Sevillanos are generally ignorant of their own history and quite unhelpful.

When I hear things like “One can’t help but fall in love with Sevilla! I need to plan a return trip.” it makes me laugh. People who think that way obviously haven’t traveled because there are far more beautiful places in this world that are cleaner, more beautiful and with kinder people. Seville is OK. People aren’t “bad” and it truly is historically significant. If you are fixated on Spain however go see Madrid or Barcelona. I wouldn’t even bother with Seville until people can elevate themselves above their ignorance, stop urinating in the streets, pick up the dog poop, the garbage and the filth and maybe learn to smile once in awhile when they serve you. To call this city “intoxicating” is a farce. The only intoxicating thing about it is all the cigarette smoke.”

Okay Mario, so how do you feel about New Jersey and Thunder Bay?!

There have also been lots of supportive comments, and many interesting tips. For example, Jax let everyone know during my South American posts that RCI had decided to cut back on this itinerary in 2009/10:

“Enjoy your travels on the Radiance! Sadly, RC has pulled back on the extended South American itineraries that were once a big part of her yearly schedule. I was looking at a 13-day trip next year that has since been taken off the calendar.”

But whatever readers have had to say, I’ve enjoyed reading every word of it, and I look forward to receiving many more comments in future. I just hope the feeling is mutual and that you will continue to look forward to reading my blog posts as much as I enjoy writing them.

It seems that most people now agree with what we avid cruisers have known for a long time: cruise vacations are not just for the old and wealthy. In fact, according to a new survey from Ipsos-Reid and Tripharbour.ca, the majority of Canadians believe that cruise vacations provide good value for money, provide lots of fun things to see and do, appeal to all age groups, and take people to exciting destinations.

The main reasons they give for rating a cruise vacation so highly are:

- Cruising is more exciting than staying in a hotel (64%);

- Cruising provides good value for money (68%);

- There is a lot to see and do on a cruise ship (80%);

- Cruising appeals to all age groups (81%);

- Cruise ships are a romantic place to take a vacation (81%); and,

- Cruise ships travel to exciting places all over the world (94%).

These findings show we’ve come a long way in debunking the old myths about cruise vacations. In fact, it’s pretty clear that most Canadians now see cruising as a fun and affordable vacation experience that appeals to people of all ages and interests.

Interestingly, while fear of seasickness once kept many people from taking a cruise, the advent of large, modern cruise ships with stabilizers and advanced radar seems to have steadied the course. In fact, 63% of Canadians say they’re not worried about getting seasick on a cruise ship.

While two in ten Canadians have taken a cruise vacation in the past, a full one third (33%) say they would consider taking a cruise for their next vacation. Albertans (44%) are more likely to take a cruise for their next vacation, followed by those in British Columbia (41%), Ontario (40%), Atlantic Canada (34%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (25%) and Quebec (17%).

With the introduction of so many new cruise ships, exciting destinations and attractive cruise fares over the past few years, the views of the travelling public towards a cruise vacation have become more positive than ever before.  The old myths about cruising seem to have sunk into Davey Jones’s locker. May they rest in peace!

Ever thought of taking the whole extended family on a sea cruise? Well, you’re not alone. In fact, multi-generational family cruise vacations have become one of the fastest growing trends in the cruise industry. 

Multi-generational cruises are when two or more generations of the same family take a sea voyage together. It used to be that the main form of multi-generational cruise was when parents took their own children with them on a voyage. But now it is not uncommon to see three generations of the same family board a cruise ship as in parents, children, and grandchildren. 

Most cruise lines have embraced this trend and have begun to introduce new innovations such as family-style cabins, more cabins with connecting doors, balcony cabins with removable partitions, and depending on the size of the group, even private receptions on the ship. In addition, a lot of cruise ships now have larger staterooms and suites that can easily accommodate families of four or more.

Royal Caribbean International offers a whole range of suites including two-level Sky Loft suites that can connect for larger groups, and a Family Suite that offers 4 bedrooms for larger groups. And Norwegian Cruise Line has a number of spacious villas with two bedrooms on its newer ships that are perfect for families travelling together. In fact, a friend of mine who recently booked one of NCL’s Villas for a Mediterranean cruise with her sister and mother said her accommodations were fantastic.

And the multi-generational vacation concept doesn’t have to be limited to just the immediate family. For example, many people are now organizing reunions on cruise ships that not only involve several generations, but extend to all the branches of the family (cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.).  And if the group is large enough (sometimes as few as 10 to 15 cabins), it may even qualify for special group rates or a free cabin for the organizer.

The most popular voyages for family reunion cruises tend to be destinations that are the easiest to reach from North America and carry the lowest tariff. For example, Caribbean cruises departing from Florida and Mexican Riviera leaving from California usually top the list for family reunion cruises. But Alaska and New England/Canada have become popular alternatives even if the cruise fare is a bit higher.

Europe is another good option, particularly for smaller family gatherings. In fact, the Mediterranean is a popular choice for grandparents who want to spend a summer vacation with the grandchildren while giving them an educational experience they can share in. I’ve met many families cruising in Europe, and will be taking my own daughters there again in May for the second time. Our first European cruise together was in the western Mediterranean, and our next will be to the Greek Islands and Turkey. Both children are already investigating our ports of call and studying up on the best things to see!

So if you’ve ever thought about getting the immediate or extended family together for a vacation or reunion, it may be time to consider a cruise. Not only will it take you to exciting destinations at a reasonable price, but you will enjoy the safety of travelling together on a modern cruise ship where there’s plenty to do in a comfortable environment. After all, when it comes to a family cruise, it’s all relative!

Cruise ships are one of the most romantic places in the world for weddings, honeymoons and renewal of wedding vows. And most cruise lines offer special packages that help ensure many special moments at sea. In fact, Princess Cruises even has a “department of romance” that’s dedicated to creating romantic packages, settings and celebrations for its passengers.

So whether you’ve just embarked on a new romance, or you’re celebrating many years together, there are a number of special ways that you can mark the occasion at sea.

Renewal of vows

Many cruise lines have special packages for couples seeking to renew their vows at sea. The ceremony usually takes place in a chapel if the ship has one, or in a specially decorated room. The ceremony is usually followed by a champagne reception, and couples are given certificates to mark the renewal of their vows. Most cruise lines charge for the renewal of vows package, but a few ships still conduct a basic ceremony for free. The ceremony is getting very popular: in fact, on Valentine’s Day in 1998 a record 5,000 couples renewed their vows aboard the ships of Princess Cruises!

Honeymoons

Cruising has become a popular choice for honeymooners because sea voyages are very romantic and the ships visit exciting destinations. In addition, cruise staff usually fuss over honeymooners and sometimes give them special treatment. Many ships also have convenient Saturday and Sunday departures (especially in the Caribbean), that suit the schedules of newlyweds.

When you book your honeymoon cruise, ask your travel agent to advise the cruise line that you are newlyweds. In addition, make sure your agent books a king- or queen-sized bed, reserves a romantic table for two in the dining room (do it early because small tables are at a premium), and books an evening in one of the cozy alternative restaurants.

If you really want a special honeymoon, most cruise lines also have a variety of romantic extras that you can purchase for fees that range from $50 to $500. For example, the Celebrity Cruises Signature honeymoon package includes a bottle of champagne, two engraved glasses, flowers, plush cotton bathrobes and special candy. Holland America has a Honeymoon at Sea party for all guests registered as newlyweds, and several special packages for purchase including a “Just for Us” deal that includes a dozen roses, champagne, two terrycloth bathrobes, a couples’ massage, a framed photo, dinner at the Pinnacle Grill and a guaranteed table for two in the dining room.

Weddings

Most people getting married on a cruise ship do so when the ship is tied up in a port of call, or on land in one of the ports. That way they can have a locally licensed minister perform the ceremony and avoid the complications of getting married at sea. 

Ship captains can perform marriages at sea if properly certified, and if the ship’s country of registry will recognize the marriage. However, most cruise lines won’t perform marriages at sea, and if they do, the onus is on passengers to inquire in their own countries to see if the shipboard marriage will be legal, and to find out what paperwork is required for the captain (birth certificates, divorce decrees if previously married, etc.).

Even if you don’t get married at sea, you can still have your wedding reception aboard the ship. And most major cruise lines can help organize your shipboard or landside wedding – for a fee! Do get an idea of the various possibilities, ask your travel agent or contact the cruise line’s special services department. Whatever romantic option you choose, it’s likely your cruise agent and cruise line can help. So make sure you check out what’s available, determine the cost upfront, make your booking early, and then just let your romance blossom at sea.

Incredibly low fares have been and continue to be offered on selected cruises in the Caribbean, across the Atlantic, to Alaska, in Australia and throughout Europe as cruise lines compete to fill ships. In fact, cruise lines have been offering so many discounted fares and new incentives to get people up the gangplank that travel agents can barely keep up with the latest deal.

On some voyages, cruise fares have sunk below $50 per diem, while some cruise lines have been lowering cruise fares several times before the ship sails. Long-time industry observers like Tripharbour’s CEO Stuart MacDonald and legendary travel guru Arthur Frommer have referred to these pricing phenomena as “the most aggressive I’ve seen in 15 years” and “everything is on sale at unprecedented low rates.”

So how much lower can cruise fares plummet, and how much longer should smart consumers wait before jumping into the fray and booking a voyage?

Let’s start with cruise fares.

The listed brochure price for just about any cruise in the world is now a stale joke.  Even the luxury lines like Silversea, Seabourn, Regent and Crystal are offering incentives and price breaks on many voyages. And discounted prices have become a fact of life for most cruises on premium lines like Princess, Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian Caribbean Line and Royal Caribbean International.

But the reality is that prices cannot get much lower – just witness the measly $1 million profit for RCI last quarter as compared to the more than $70 million they made the same quarter a year ago. And cruise lines are starting to realize that they may actually be better off sailing with a ship that’s only three-quarters full at a reasonable fare rather than filling the ship at such a low price that they lose money.

So when’s the best time to book? Is it better to wait until the last minute to see if cruise fares sink further, or is it smarter to book several months or more in advance?

My view is that if you see a good deal at an attractive fare, book it as far in advance as you can. The reason is that if the cruise line subsequently reduces fares for that voyage in your cabin category, they will almost always pass along the savings to you as well. As a result, by booking early you get the best choice of cabin category, cabin location, dinner seating, table size, and air fares, as well as a guarantee you will usually benefit from any price reductions.

Let me give a personal example. Last November I booked two cabins on the Celebrity Solstice for a Mediterranean cruise in May of 2009. Since I booked, Celebrity has twice reduced prices on this cruise, and both times they have passed along the savings to me, as well as giving us a cabin category upgrade. So I’m still getting last-minute cruise fares, but I’ve also had the advantage of better cabin selection, etc.

The bottom line is that by waiting too long to book your cruise, you may actually be getting less than what you bargained for. So the next time you come across a great deal, just say “Book it, Danno!”

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