The early bird definitely gets the worm when it comes to getting a good deal on a cruise around the holidays.
It's not too early to find good pricing and availability, and to lock in cruise line airfare if you're going to need it. Before long, rates will be much higher, availability much lower, and airfare out of sight.
With Christmas on a Tuesday this year, your 7-night cruise starting the previous Saturday or Sunday will put you on the ship for the big day, when the crew dresses up like elves and the ships are decorated to the max! It's a very festive, fun way to celebrate Christmas, and significantly less expensive than a New Year's cruise, which is the most expensive week of the entire year to cruise.
So check out my website or call me toll free to plan your holiday cruise today.
www.cruiseone.com/pdarnell
or call me at 888-979-0690. Open 7 days a week from 9 am to 6 pm EST.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Getting your feet wet with a Caribbean cruise
Most people start their cruising life with a short cruise to the Bahamas or the Caribbean. This is a great way to get your feet wet, learn the ropes and get the lingo down. But the fact is, a 3 or 4-day cruise is simply not enough time to really experience ship life and all the fun you can have. It will teach you the basics, but you really haven't cruised until you've done 7 nights or more.
With a 7-night cruise, you can select between the Eastern, Western or Southern Caribbean, and each itinerary has its high points. Typically, Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries sail from ports in Florida, New York, Galveston and New Orleans.
Southern Caribbean cruises that are only 7 nights always sail from San Juan, Puerto Rico. It's a bit more expensive to fly to San Juan than to one of the Southern US ports, but you'll get usually 5 or 6 islands instead of 3 or 4; and they are pretty exotic islands at that, like St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Martin. There are some Southern Caribbean itineraries that are 10 or 11 days that sail from Florida, so you don't have the expense of San Juan airfare. You will have more days at sea, usually about the same number of islands. So it's a trade-off.
Historically, the Western Caribbean is more popular than the Eastern, although it is a very personal decision. For the Westerns, you'll usually visit Grand Cayman, Cozumel and maybe Costa Maya or Progresso in Mexico. On the Eastern side, you'll almost always get St. Thomas, and then maybe Nassau, St. Martin and San Juan. Every ship is different, but generally these are the usual suspects.
Many cruise lines also add a day at one of their private islands, reserved exclusively for their guests. These are big fun, and they give you that day at the beach that you might have missed while sightseeing in the other ports of call.
Of course, like any port of call, you can stay on the ship if you like. If you do get off, you can come and go as you please--just be sure to be on board when they pull up the gangway, because they don't go back for anybody! And they are on a set schedule-- if they tell you to be back on board at 4:45 pm, they mean it, because at the stroke of 5 pm, they will pull out and be on their way.
The Caribbean has so many faces, each one different and well worth exploring.
We've been to the Eastern side any number of times, and we really love it, especially St. Thomas/St. John. But we like Cozumel and Grand Cayman, too, and have been there several times, too.
In cruising, there's hardly ever a bad day, even if the weather isn't cooperating, which is pretty rare. After all, you're on vacation!
Visit my website for lots of information and to obtqain a quote:
www.cruiseone.com/pdarnell
With a 7-night cruise, you can select between the Eastern, Western or Southern Caribbean, and each itinerary has its high points. Typically, Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries sail from ports in Florida, New York, Galveston and New Orleans.
Southern Caribbean cruises that are only 7 nights always sail from San Juan, Puerto Rico. It's a bit more expensive to fly to San Juan than to one of the Southern US ports, but you'll get usually 5 or 6 islands instead of 3 or 4; and they are pretty exotic islands at that, like St. Lucia, Barbados, St. Martin. There are some Southern Caribbean itineraries that are 10 or 11 days that sail from Florida, so you don't have the expense of San Juan airfare. You will have more days at sea, usually about the same number of islands. So it's a trade-off.
Historically, the Western Caribbean is more popular than the Eastern, although it is a very personal decision. For the Westerns, you'll usually visit Grand Cayman, Cozumel and maybe Costa Maya or Progresso in Mexico. On the Eastern side, you'll almost always get St. Thomas, and then maybe Nassau, St. Martin and San Juan. Every ship is different, but generally these are the usual suspects.
Many cruise lines also add a day at one of their private islands, reserved exclusively for their guests. These are big fun, and they give you that day at the beach that you might have missed while sightseeing in the other ports of call.
Of course, like any port of call, you can stay on the ship if you like. If you do get off, you can come and go as you please--just be sure to be on board when they pull up the gangway, because they don't go back for anybody! And they are on a set schedule-- if they tell you to be back on board at 4:45 pm, they mean it, because at the stroke of 5 pm, they will pull out and be on their way.
The Caribbean has so many faces, each one different and well worth exploring.
We've been to the Eastern side any number of times, and we really love it, especially St. Thomas/St. John. But we like Cozumel and Grand Cayman, too, and have been there several times, too.
In cruising, there's hardly ever a bad day, even if the weather isn't cooperating, which is pretty rare. After all, you're on vacation!
Visit my website for lots of information and to obtqain a quote:
www.cruiseone.com/pdarnell
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Finding the best deal
Despite all the attention that cruise websites get, the fact is that most people need and want to work with someone who knows the real deal about a cruise vacation.
From my perspective, I am usually glad when my clients have done some homework on the internet, looking at cruises, itineraries, ships and prices.
But even if they haven't done any homework, it's still a thrill for me to find them the best deal and offer service that cannot compare with buying off the internet.
It's apples and oranges, I always say.
After 9+ years selling cruises full time, seven days a week, I feel pretty confident that I can help people find the perfect cruise for them, at a great price.
As a CruiseOne franchisee, I'm part of a family of nearly 500 business owners and a corporate office staff second to none. We're part of the largest cruise-selling company in the country, and proud of it!
Visit my website for more information:
www.cruiseone.com/pdarnell
Talk to you soon, I hope!
From my perspective, I am usually glad when my clients have done some homework on the internet, looking at cruises, itineraries, ships and prices.
But even if they haven't done any homework, it's still a thrill for me to find them the best deal and offer service that cannot compare with buying off the internet.
It's apples and oranges, I always say.
After 9+ years selling cruises full time, seven days a week, I feel pretty confident that I can help people find the perfect cruise for them, at a great price.
As a CruiseOne franchisee, I'm part of a family of nearly 500 business owners and a corporate office staff second to none. We're part of the largest cruise-selling company in the country, and proud of it!
Visit my website for more information:
www.cruiseone.com/pdarnell
Talk to you soon, I hope!
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Alaska Again
We're about to take our second cruise to Alaska in July,
and I can hardly wait. This time it's a family reunion cruise,
with four of our five daughters, their spouses and assorted children
and other relatives. The girls wanted to take a cruise with Dad,
and none of them had been to Alaska, so it was a logical choice.
We're sailing on Celebrity Infinity.
There is something about Alaska that is bigger than life. I remember so well standing on the balcony of our cabin and looking at mountains that I thought were covered in greenery--grass or moss or something. But the closer we got to them, it became apparent that it wasn't moss covering those mountains, it was huge pine trees, thousands of them as far as the eye could see!
Suddenly several bald eagles swooped down for a pass at the ship, the first of thousands we would see during the week. No longer are they an endangered species, at least in the wilds of Alaska. Humpback whales cruised along side the ship, too, exciting everyone. In Juneau we took a whale watch excursion, and got so close to them you could almost touch them! Humpbacks and orcas were everywhere that day, a scene I think about almost daily, even five years later.
To plan your Alaska cruise, visit my website:
www.cruiseon.com/pdarnell
and I can hardly wait. This time it's a family reunion cruise,
with four of our five daughters, their spouses and assorted children
and other relatives. The girls wanted to take a cruise with Dad,
and none of them had been to Alaska, so it was a logical choice.
We're sailing on Celebrity Infinity.
There is something about Alaska that is bigger than life. I remember so well standing on the balcony of our cabin and looking at mountains that I thought were covered in greenery--grass or moss or something. But the closer we got to them, it became apparent that it wasn't moss covering those mountains, it was huge pine trees, thousands of them as far as the eye could see!
Suddenly several bald eagles swooped down for a pass at the ship, the first of thousands we would see during the week. No longer are they an endangered species, at least in the wilds of Alaska. Humpback whales cruised along side the ship, too, exciting everyone. In Juneau we took a whale watch excursion, and got so close to them you could almost touch them! Humpbacks and orcas were everywhere that day, a scene I think about almost daily, even five years later.
To plan your Alaska cruise, visit my website:
www.cruiseon.com/pdarnell
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