The holidays came and went without a single blog posting from me, I’m afraid. I last posted from New York City the weekend prior to Thanksgiving. Then came Thanksgiving; next, our military reunion in Nashville; and finally, the Christmas and New Year holidays. In the midst of it all, our clients kept us busy with new bookings that placed us well ahead of the traditional “wave” season—thank you! Now that I’ve finally updated our databases, it’s time to get busy and post again!
The January-March timeframe is traditionally the peak booking time for cruises, as people zero in on those summer and holiday plans. However, for Ben and me, the wave season varies each and every year. Most of our regular clients tend to buck the trend and book further in advance than the norm, preferring to take advantage of both best cabin location and best price, knowing that in most cases cruise lines will re-fare rates for booked clients if the price drops. That said, we also have clients who wait for those wave season offers. Now is YOUR time to book.
This is the summer of the great migration to Europe, with cruise lines pulling extra ships out of the Caribbean to capitalize on market growth in the Mediterranean and Baltic. Celebrity extended its season in Europe; Carnival is back in Europe with the new Magic, and Norwegian is sending the brand new Epic to Barcelona for summer sailings. Even Disney, a line not known for offering extra perks (their ships sell out quickly without them, thank you), put an onboard credit offers on the table for Verandah staterooms on select 7-11-night Med sailings and the transatlantic itineraries on May 14 and Sept. 10. Yes, airfare to Europe is not cheap, especially in summer months, but cruising is still an economical way to travel overseas. And from our 14 years experience, prices will not be cheaper in future years. This could be your best opportunity ever to take the Europe plunge!
Speaking of Disney, the line just christened her first new ship in some 15 years, the Disney Dream, in Port Canaveral. We couldn’t make the festivities, but our friend Gene Sloan of USA Today posted photos to his blog. Check them our HERE.
Ben and I head to Costa Rica January 27 for our first cruise on the Windstar Cruises Wind Star. Accommodating a mere 148 guests, this four-masted yacht features wide open teak decks and a watersports platform at the aft. We’ll visit ports in both Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Watch for the review in my next posts.
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