This Week’s Handpicked Cruise Deals

Last Minute Liberty of the Seas Deal

Take a last minute cruise aboard the Liberty of the Seas from only $56 a day!

Rates just recently dropped on this Western Caribbean cruise departing in February aboard the Liberty of the Seas- easily the best ship doing short Caribbean cruises. You just can’t beat these rates that start from only $56 a day! In fact, you can book an Inside, Ocean view or Balcony for less than $100 a day.

How does savings $1,300 Sound?

CruiseDeals.com currently has tons of exclusive rates offering incredible savings over booking with the cruise line. There are some especially good rates on summer cruises where we are beating the cruise line by $520 to $1,300 per cabin, just another reason why it doesn’t pay to book direct with the cruise line. Click here to read more about these offers and how we are using Google+ to display these price advantages.

On Deck: Price Drops on Last Minute Cruises

Price Drop Tuesday

Tuesday is the magic day to book your next cruise, especially if you’re looking for something a little bit more last minute. Why you ask? Both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity offer weekly cruise deals that feature last minute cruises where rates will drop for one day only on Tuesday. These promotions provide truly great savings that shouldn’t be missed. Lucky for you, I’ve done the research and picked out the best offers from each sale:

On Google+, at CruiseDeals.com we are using the platform to display side by side screenshots proving that we are beating the cruise lines prices by huge margins of $520 – $1300 on many Summer Cruises.

The issue is that we have so many sailings where we have price advantages that I don’t have to time post them all… the overall message is do not book your cruise directly with the cruise line.  There is a huge list of reasons of why to work with a travel agent, but the most apparent is that in most cases booking directly with cruise line = paying FULL PRICE.

Some recent Google+ Cruise Deal posts:

Click on the blue links below to view details on Google+

Freedom of the Seas, 7-night Caribbean Cruise departing Port Canaveral on June 3rd, 2012.  CruiseDeals.com has an $800 advantage on Category D3 Balcony Cabins.

Celebrity Millennium, 7-night Alaska Cruise departing Vancouver on June 15th, 2012.  CruiseDeals.com has a $1,300 price advantage on balcony cabins. 

Norwegian Epic, 7-night Mediterranean Cruise departing Barcelona on June 10th, 2012.  CruiseDeals.com has a $520 price advantage on balcony cabins.

CruiseDeals.com has price advantage because we reserved this space months ago.  Thanks to the huge savings, our limited space does sell out.

Today marks the 2 week mark since the tragic Costa Concordia accident.   The Costa Concordia images and video have been streamed live on the TV and Internet from the time that we began covering it on the night of the Concordia incident.

Some news programs shamelessly used this incident to sensationalize everything that could possibly go wrong on a cruise ship…. regardless of the facts.  ABCnews 20/20 did an hour long special and quickly slipped in the fact that cruising is the safest form of vacationing and that cruising is statistically safer than crossing the street.

During the ABCnews 20/20 cruise report, ABCnews 20/20 and I were tweeting back and forth.  During that program they shared this fact with me on Twitter:

Cruising is 8 times safer than crossing the street in New York City. ~ ABCnews 20/20 on Twitter

ABCnews 20/20 Tweet to @CruiseSource about Cruise Safety

The ABC2020 Twitter account only has 36,000 followers… it would’ve been nice if they would have shared this statistic on the air with millions of people watching.

Cruise Ship Safety:

It’s been frustrating watching the media skirt around the facts of cruising during the last 2 weeks.  The good news is that experienced cruisers desire to continue cruising has not been impacted by the incident.  Most share the sentiment of Barbara D. on CruiseDeals.com Facebook page:

“I think now would be the SAFEST time to cruise – no captain is going to deviate from the approved course at this moment!  Sign me up. ” ~ Barbara D.

I agree with Barbara, while cruising has displayed a remarkable safety record over the last 100 years, we are headed into a time of even more safety and security.

I can’t sit here and write that cruising is 100% safe.  But, I can say that it is statistically safer than driving, flying, or even crossing the road.  Driving is one of the most dangerous things that we do in life… we make it safer by wearing seatbelts, defensive driving, not texting, etc.

Since nothing in life is 100% safe, here are some cruise safety tips [most of which apply to all travel]

Cruise Safety Tips

#1:  Drink alcohol in moderation.  No matter if you are on a resort, a local bar, or on a cruise ship; the more intoxicated you get the more likely you will do something that causes bodily injury.  Also, in case of an emergency on land or at sea drinking too much alcohol will make you unable to respond in a necessary manner to save yourself or others.

#2 Pay attention during the Muster [lifeboat] drill.  I’m as guilty as anyone for taking the muster drills lightly.  I have taken pictures and tweeted them at numerous muster drills.  After 20 cruises, I’ve done just about everything except pay really close attention to the drill.  From now on, I will make sure I know multiple routes to my muster station.

#3 Buy Travel Insurance.  We have been recommending travel insurance for years because you never know when an unforeseen medical condition, injury, or weather event can disrupt your vacation.  Travel Insurance can save you $1000s in a medical emergency while on a cruise ship or in a foreign country.

#4 Stay connected with Walkie-Talkies.  Everytime I cruise, I see families and couples with walkie-talkies so they can stay in contact on the ship.  I always say, next cruise I’m getting walkie-talkies because it can be tough to stay connected with your group while at sea.  For my upcoming family spring break cruise, we will have walkie-talkies.

#5 Carry Photocopies of your Passport or travel documents.  We recommend cruising with a Passport even if it is not required by the cruise line for your itinerary.  Photocopy the passport and keep the photocopy on you while leaving the original in the safe.

#6  In port, use common sense.  Don’t flash cash.  Be aware of surroundings, have a map, and if just venturing out on your own plan out your route ahead of time.

#7 Don’t let your kids or early teens run all over the ship without you.  Make sure your older teen stays with groups or friends.  After dinner teens need to be in teen club or in the room.

No matter if you’re in the local grocery store parking lot, at a resort, or even on a cruise ship we can run into the occasional person who has bad intentions.  Cruise ships are safer than other vacation options because it is a controlled environment.  Random people cannot just come and go from the ship.  There are cameras all over most cruise ships.  In the rare case that another passenger or crew member causes harm to you or your possessions on a cruise ship, report it immediately to the pursers desk.

Cruise Ships Sinking

The Costa Concordia accident was caused by a Captain going off the planned route to do a “drive-by” of an island.   Prior to this accident, I’m confident that Captains going of route was extremely rare.   After this accident, it is a guaranty that Captains will not make even the slightest change in the route without proper approvals.   The Costa accident was a once in 100 years event… use the tips I offered above and cruise confidently.

Author note: Rich Tucker is founder/editor of CruiseSource.us and has cruised 20+ times in the last 5 years. Winner of the 2008 Shorty Award for providing the best travel content on Twitter.  Follow @CruiseSource on Twitter

Families have been saving vacation memories in photo albums for generations… so it makes sense that Picaboo, a premier provider of photo products and CruiseDeals.com have teamed up to give away a FREE Cruise!

How to win the 3 or 4 night Carnival Cruise?

2 weeks of love cruise giveaway

Use Picaboo’s easy to use software to create a photo book about something you love or are passionate about it

Fill out the entry form and share your photo album

14 top albums will be choosen – each of the top 14 will be shared and will win a prize

the owner of 1 of the top 14 albums will win the GRAND PRIZE, a 3 – 4 night Carnival Cruise for 2 departing from Miami or Port Canaveral Florida Sept 2012 – April 2013.

You must enter by January 31st, 2012 so Click here to get started. 

If you haven’t taken a trip to Alaska, a cruise vacation package can be the best and most affordable way to explore this mighty state.  A Signature Alaskan cruise package can include your airfare, extra hotel nights, train ride, cruise, ground transportation and some tours for one affordable price.

All Aboard Travel Alaska Cruise Package

The package describe below is only offered on 3 dates in 2012. 

Starting with a flight to Anchorage, you will have two days to experience all the beauty of this city located in the heart of great Alaskan wilderness.  Many travelers opt to take a “26 Glacier Cruise” which is a day cruise that travels over 135 miles into the Prince William Sound where you will see 26 named glaciers.  In addition to glaciers and mountains, the Anchorage area offers plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities such as on a float plane where you may see birds, orca whales, moose, sheep, black bears, brown bears, grizzlies, and more.

Next, you will board and take the famous Alaskan Railroad to Denali National Park which is always considered a highlight of the Alaskan frontier.  The historic train ride takes you through alpine forests, coastal regions, mountain ranges, and national parks.   You will then spend two more nights in the Denali area where you will see brilliant scenery and more wildlife, and be able to check out Mt. McKinley (the tallest mountain in North America).  Many travelers choose to take an optional Natural History Tour to experience and learn about all this great national park has to offer.

The next part of the package includes a deluxe motor-coach ride from Denali to Seward where you will board the Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas.  You will enjoy a spectacular southbound 7-night cruise adventure through Alaska.  You will get to take in the breathtaking scenery from the ship, as well as explore the quaint coastal towns of Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan before reaching Vancouver where you will disembark the ship and fly home.

An Alaskan cruise package allows you to combine the best elements of a cruise vacation to Alaska into one virtually all inclusive price.

Multi-generational cruising

Vacationing with extended family has become more popular as today’s busy families have found a fun way to connect and spend quality time together.  According to Greg Nacco, vice president of Cruise Specialists, one of the latest and greatest trends in the industry is the enhancing of what can be offered and done for family reunions.  “Multi-generational travel is at an all-time high and more and more of our clients are coming to us with requests to bring three to four generations of family on a cruise,” explained Nacco.

Five reasons you should consider taking your extended family on a cruise vacation:

1. Appeals to Entire Family.  A cruise is often a great option for holding a small or large family gathering as it appeals to the young and old, and everyone in between.  “Cruises lend themselves beautifully to a varied audience.  With so many different levels of activity and programming, cruises can please every member of the family, whether it is childcare, teen adventures, bingo, wine and culinary interests or even playing blackjack,” added Nacco.
2. Stress-free Vacation.  Once you all arrive at the cruise terminal, you don’t have to worry about coordinating transportation, lodging, meals and entertainment for everyone in your family as you might on another type of vacation.  A cruise provides all of that for you so you can relax and enjoy spending time with your loved ones.
3. Quality Time with Relatives.  Cruises offer families a chance to bond over new experiences together both on and off the ship. Children will remember the exciting snorkeling excursion they took with their cousins, or simply hanging out at the pool with Grandma and Grandpa.  Many families choose to embark on their own adventures during the day and then meet up with the rest of their extended families each evening on the ship for dinner and evening festivities.     
4. Ample Reunion Space.  A cruise can accommodate your reunion whether your family consists of 25 people or over 100 relatives.  Your travel agent can help you secure cabins and dinner tables near each other, and even help you plan a private special celebration or gathering with the entire family onboard the ship. 
5. Built-in Babysitters.  Many parents with young kids will appreciate having Grandma and Grandpa (or other relatives) around to help babysit so they too can get away on their own for a spa treatment, special dinner or even an uninterrupted nap on deck. 

Cruise Specialists’ Founder Janet Lanterman recently received the Top Travel Specialist honor from Condé Nast Traveler magazine for the twelfth year in a row for her expertise in planning multi-generational cruises.  Let Cruise Specialists help plan your next cruise with your extended family in tow.

Since the tragedy a week ago on the Costa Concordia, we naturally have heard both from some of our existing customers as well as other people that are contemplating a cruise vacation. We thought we’d share a few of those questions along with our answers in the hope the information is helpful to all our subscribers in making their vacation plans.

What are the cruise lines doing to prevent something like this in the future?

The cruise line industry as whole does have a very strong record of safety, having carried roughly 19 million guests in 2011 alone–and while this does not diminish the terrible outcome of the Concordia, it hopefully provides some perspective on the rarity of such incidents.

We haven’t received definitive answers from every single line, however, all of the Carnival lines (which includes Costa among their nine brands) are undergoing a review of their safety measures. We expect all the cruise lines to follow suit even if they haven’t announced that publicly.

This Week’s Handpicked Deals

On Deck: What’s Coming up Next Week

Tuesday Price Drops

Tuesday, or as I like to call it “Dropsday”, will bring incredible limited time rates for both Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. Both cruise lines offer price drops on a handful of sailings departing in the next couple of months, for one day only on Tuesday! These weekly cruise deals provide huge savings that I always think are worth taking advantage of. Don’t miss out on booking these offers on Tuesday because rates go right back up once Wednesday comes around. Check out my picks from each cruise line: