The Early Bird Gets the Bargains!

Holiday companies have accustomed savvy buyers to wait for the best deals in recent years, offering various last-minute and late-discounted offers for those who are happy to hold out for a bargain.

But the cruise world is changing tack, quite literally, with a whole raft of new ideas, offers and incentives that make sure the early-booker gets the best deals.

And 2010 is now the perfect opportunity to put this to the test, with a combination of mouth-watering packages and even, in some instances, a cut-price guarantee that promises any future savings will be passed on. Here’s what to look for.

Great Deals

Luxury line Silversea Cruises offers up to 60% savings and FREE flights and transfers on select 2010 sailings.

The boutique style of Oceania Cruises is offering up to $1,000 off per person if booked by 31 December.

Book with any of Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises or Azamara Cruises for 2010 and save up to £400 per suite, with free car parking AND up to $150 per person onboard credit if booked by 30 November.

More luxury? Crystal Cruises have re-priced select 2010 fares, as well as featuring 20th Anniversary Savings and discounts on Mediterranean and Northern Europe voyages, PLUS up to $2,000 per couple onboard credit.

Cruise with sumptuous Regent Seven Seas and enjoy FREE shore excursions and flights on select 2010 dates if booked by 31 December.

Or try Holland America, and receive their Early Advantage benefits of lower rates, first choice of staterooms, savings on hotels and reduced deposits.

How about a river cruise? APT River Cruises are offering 2010 voyages at 2009 prices on their 15-day Magnificent Europe cruise from March-October or FREE flights on selected cruises if booked by 31 October.

The more adventurous may want to try Swan Hellenic’s Best Price Promise, with many published fares for 2010 lower than corresponding fares in 2009, while Voyages of Discovery insist there will be NO fuel or current surcharges after you book.

Big-ship European line Costa Cruises have PRONTO pricing, which is the lowest possible price available and Fred Olsen feature early saver advance booking prices, giving the widest choice of cabins and preferred sitting for dining and table size. Ocean Members who book at least 6 months in advance will also receive a 5% discount.

Pay early for the sail-cruise style of Windstar and receive a Gratuity Package on all 2010 & 2011 sailings, PLUS $500 per couple shipboard credit if booked by 31 October.

There are even incentives for the deluxe Yachts of Seabourn, with early bookers receiving savings ranging from 10-50% off brochure fares. As the sailing date draws closer, these savings typically decrease or are withdrawn altogether.

Price Guarantees

Six-star Crystal Cruises have the Crystal Assurance Plan, which means if you book a 2009 or 2010 cruise and the fare is reduced later, you will be protected at the reduced fare (policy may not apply to special promotions).

Silversea will honour lower prices, provided it is their Silver Savings discount system that has changed. Silversea also have a Reassurance Programme, whereby if you cancel for any reason, you receive a 100% Reassurance Cruise Credit (subject to terms and conditions). The fee for this Programme is 3% of the guest’s holiday when purchased with a travel insurance that contains trip cancellation benefit.
Oceania Cruises will also match new rates where main brochure prices are reduced at a later date, as will Regent Seven Seas and the Yachts of Seabourn.

And Swan Hellenic's new Price Promise means if their prices reduce in future, they will automatically refund the difference, plus there are NO fuel or currency surcharges.

It all adds up to the BEST holiday style, at the BEST price and with the BEST discount guarantee. So it HAS to be a cruise in 2010!

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

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The Luxury Gap

Despite the continued onslaught of the megaships, the luxury end of the cruise business continues to develop very nicely, with many of the main players bringing in new vessels, new services and a variety of upgrades and enhancements for their six-star style.

Seabourn set new standards with the launch of their Seabourn Odyssey in the summer and the debut of Silversea's Silver Spirit is eagerly anticipating in December. Add in more details of the Oceania Cruises new-build Marina - due in late 2010 - and a second ship in the Odyssey-class, also in 2010, and the deluxe choice continues to get better and better (love the new-look Oceania website by the way - extremely eye-catching).

Regent Seven Seas have been one of the few upscale lines not to have a new ship on the horizon. Instead, they have gone for an extensive fleet refurbishment, and the latest details of what is planned for their Seven Seas Navigator only goes to underline how luxury cruising continues to raise the bar, especially when it comes to dining.

Just consider some of these headline improvements and additions being planned for the 490-passenger Navigator's dry-dock period in the next two months:

"A glamorous and contemporary grill, Prime 7 will feature a stylish décor and an innovative menu of the finest prime-aged steaks and fresh seafood. Rivaling elegant restaurants ashore, a rich palette of green and golden hues will create an ambiance of glamour and intimacy. Supple leather, polished granite and burnished woods will set an impressive stage accented by custom-designed china, flatware and crystal."

This adds to a dining line-up that is already considered by many to be the finest at sea. Then there is this:

"Compass Rose – the ship’s main dining room – will appear dramatically different. New and sumptuous armchairs in rich jewel tones of cranberry and opal atop plush carpets of russet and cocoa will create a regal setting for gourmet dining. New draperies, china, silver and glassware will complete the redesign."

Sound good? There's more:

"La Veranda, offering indoor and outdoor seating, will replace the current Portofino’s restaurant. New furniture, carpeting and window treatments will be complemented by signature table settings. The new restaurant will serve breakfast and lunch in a casually elegant atmosphere and, in the evening, feature regionally themed specialty dinners."

As if all that updating isn't enough, Regent will also be adding yet another new option:

"High atop the ship on Deck 10, a new Pool Grill featuring a barbeque grill, hot and cold buffet, panini sandwich station and coffee and dessert area creates a casual, al fresco dining option that is open throughout the day. The ship’s bars and lounges will also receive masterful transformations. A mix of traditional and contemporary furnishings with complementary upholstery, carpeting and curtains will give Stars Lounge an eclectic ambiance reminiscent of a chic designer estate home."

The refurb doesn't stop there, however. Oh no, there is still more in store:

"Galileo’s will sport bold new interiors of burgundy and gold offset with accents of soft lavender, sky and moss while a sleek new bar area is awash with rich, tufted textiles and polished stone flooring. A new al fresco lounge has been created on the terrace and features comfortable seating areas with plump sofas and chaises overlooking the sea. The Navigator Lounge will also feature a new décor with rich hues of cappuccino, camel and navy accented by bold apple-green and lemon to create a vibrant, urbane feel. The ship’s card room and library will be redecorated as well and all public spaces throughout the ship are being refreshed."

Finally, almost as an afterthought, Regent announce that Canyon Ranch will be creating a whole new area aboard the ship, in keeping with their luxury tie-up on the other two vessels:

"The Canyon Ranch SpaClub will feature a state-of-the-art spa, wellness and fitness facility, plus a luxurious full-service beauty salon. SpaClub will offer the most desirable spa amenities available: massage, body and skin-care treatment rooms, a gym and weight room with cardio and weight training equipment, a juice bar, men's and women's locker rooms, thalassotherapy, sauna and steam rooms. The facility will offer array of rejuvenating spa treatments, some created specifically for RSSC guests, include massages and therapeutic bodywork, mud, aromatherapy, ayuvedic and seaweed treatments, facials and masks featuring Canyon Ranch’s award winning Your Transformation skincare products, conditioning body scrubs and therapeutic body cocoons."

And they also add that the ship will feature a range of new itineraries as well, making her appeal absolutely full of possibilities:

"Seven Seas Navigator will operate 7 to 11 night cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America this winter, followed by a summer season of seven-night Alaska cruises between Vancouver and Anchorage. Following her Alaska season, Seven Seas Navigator embarks on her lengthiest and most exotic voyage to date with a 96-night Grand Asia Pacific cruise sailing from Anchorage, Alaska to San Francisco, California."

All in all, it is the stuff of luxury dreams, but it comes at an ever-more-affordable price in 2010. The big watchword of the luxury end of the cruise market is 'Book Early' (OK, that's more than one word, but you get my drift!), and you will find this mantra repeated at every opportunity as the six-star lines look to make themselves more attractive, especially for those who can book well in advance.

OK, now what's stopping you........?!

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Even More Oasis

It seems you can't go 24 hours at the moment without some kind or reminder, update or new snippet of information concerning the imminent debut of Royal Caribbean's mammoth Oasis of the Seas.

The steady drip-feed of info has been approaching torrent level in the last month or so, and there is still a month to go before her maiden voyage.

However, the big media previews are now set (all three of them!) from November 20-27, which means that several thousand worldwide journalists will get the chance to put this sea-going leviathan under the microscope.

At World of Cruising, we have been providing a regular news service, detailing the developments and counting down to the launch, including a full 4-page preview in the new Autumn edition. This amazing technological marvel (all 220,000 tons of it) has SO many different elements and facets, it is practically impossible to detail them all (without using up a full month's worth of blogs!).

Yet Royal Caribbean have skilfully and carefully put together a truly amazing publicity campaign from all these elements, providing a fairly comprehensive overview of what Oasis is all about without actually providing TOO much detail.

We have a pretty reasonable idea of the main features and attractions that this city of a ship will offer, but it's still only educated guesswork as to what the finished article will actually be like. It's hard to get an idea of the overall dimensions, but we can be sure they will be impressive (if not overwhelming!).

And now, in just a month's time (in fact, from Nov 22-24), I will be getting my first look and initial impression of Oasis of the Seas.

And, as Royal Caribbean probably hope and imagine, I can't wait!

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

The Best Read At Sea!

Calling all cruise fans! And yes, that means YOU!

The new (Autumn) edition of World of Cruising magazine is now out, and is also available for viewing online.

So be sure to check it out for a fabulous in-depth look at the Panama Canal, River Cruising on the Douro River in Portugal and Spain, a preview of the mighty Oasis of the Seas of Royal Caribbean, a farewell to Fred. Olsen's old faithful Black Prince and much, much more besides.

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

TOO Good for Kids?

Royal Caribbean have gone to a lot of trouble and effort (not to mention money) in putting some of the most elaborate kids facilities ever seen into their forthcoming Oasis of the Seas.

Carnival have made a signature feature of their water-slides and Camp Carnival programmes. P&O seemingly have kids' clubs coming out of their ears, and NCL's new Norwegian Epic will also boast some of the most extensive children's facilities at sea.

With the exception of the truly deluxe, six-star operators, virtually everyone figures that the family market is key, and that therefore they have to have the biggest, brightest and downright fanciest gadgets and gizmos to keep the youngest cruisers happy.

It is an old adage in holiday circles that happy children equals happy parents, and that is certainly true in cruise terms.

But are the cruise lines doing TOO MUCH for kids?

Part of the attraction of cruising is in the places you visit, the different experiences on offer and the variety of cultures you can appreciate along the way. There is not much of that to be found in the kids clubs, where the junior landlubbers remain locked into their Wiis, Playstations and Nintendos.

While ships get smarters and more high-tech, the level of sophistication devoted to children is practically off the charts. Gone are the days when a couple of counsellors and a good game of football on the sports deck was about as organised as it got.

At the risk of sounding like the crustiest of curmudgeons, back in my day, we had just as much fun playing shuffleboard and doing scavenger hunts as all the clever, themed environments provide for today's kiddie cruisers.

And we also took an active interest in our ports of call, marvelling at each new harbour and the downright 'foreign' nature of the immediate vista. I can vividly remember my first visit to Gran Canaria and Madeira (back in 1969!), when the islands loomed out of the sea like some lunar landscape, full of mysterious possibilities and unimaginable delights.

Nowadays, if the average 9-year-old gives a new port even a passing glance, it is probably only because they are wondering if their Gameboy will work if they have to go ashore.

There seems to be no sense of awe and wonder, perhaps because children are fortunate to travel more often, but most likely because they don't have to use their imagination when it comes to cruising. The kids club provides that all for them.

So, perhaps the next big, mass-market cruise line that is considering the next generation of children's facilities might like to stop and ponder that, rather than build in another amazing, all-singing, all-dancing high-tech wonderland, they should perhaps realise that less can be more, simple can be good, and challenging can be rewarding.

And then some children might at least disembark at the end of the cruise knowing that Lisbon was the place that launched a generation of explorers and adventurers, and not just "some place in Portugal."

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Mickey in Alaska?

It seemed to be the worst-kept secret in cruising, but Disney Cruise Line has finally announced they will be taking one of their ships to Alaska for the first time in 2011.

The House of Mouse has dabbled with the US West Coast a couple of times (in summer 2005 and '08) but a move to an Alaskan programme had been conspicuous by its absence, despite persistent rumours DCL was considering the idea.

Now Mickey and Co have finally charted a course for America's 49th state, with a summer series on Disney Wonder out of Vancouver from May 3 to Sept 6, 2011.

The 7-night cruises will visit the Tracy Arm, Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, with stops at the latter trio and fares starting at $939/person

The Wonder will sail a total of 18 seven-night cruises in Alaska, and also be equipped with a brand new venue called Outlook Café during a dry dock in October. Located high atop deck 10, the 2,500sq ft, 65-seat Café is a stylish retreat for a beverage or cocktail, with curved glass windows and panoramic views. The design uses contemporary Art Deco inspiration and an elegant spiral staircase will connect it with the existing Cove Café one deck below.

The Alaska programme will be sandwiched by two separate series based in Los Angeles, from Jan 23 to April 27 and Sept 25 to Dec 18, to the Mexican Riviera, starting at $639/person (substantially different to Alaska!).

Disney Magic returns to the Mediterranean for the summer 2011, sailing 10 and 11-night itineraries out of Barcelona, which means the new Disney Dream will be left to run their typical Caribbean and Bahamas cruises that summer.

It is great news for the region of Alaska, which will see a slight downturn in business in 2010 but it will be interesting to see how well positioned Disney can make their cruises in the first season in an area that is notoriously difficult to predict for weather and shore excursions.

With almost two years to prepare, they should provide a neat alternative to the traditional Alaska cruise, as offered by the likes of Princess, Holland America and others, but I remember NCL having a number of teething problems when they started in 1994. Watch this space, as they say!

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.

Going Exotic with Princess

There are plenty of options for voyages that get away from the main cruise areas and offer that 'something different' factor these days. The choice for wonderful, exotic itineraries has literally never been greater.

But few lines offer as wide a variety under one roof, so to speak as Princess Cruises. Their 18-ship fleet now covers just about every corner of the globe, and their latest range of 'Exotic Cruises' is quite mind-boggling.

It features 12 of their fleet on 50 different itineraries, from a grand 108-night World Cruise (on Pacific Princess) to a 12-night Panama Canal transit on Coral Princess (which reminds me to give another plug to the forthcoming Autumn issue of World of Cruising magazine, as it features a major destination overview of the Canal).

Once again, it serves to highlight the absolutely amazing variety and quality of cruise experience on offer in the mainstream cruise world these days, something which was usually only in the preserve of a handful 10 or 15 years ago.

They have already highlighted their array of voyages around the South Pacific and Hawaii in 2010-11. So, let me put the Princess story in full, with their full 'exotic' press release:

1 September – Princess Cruises has today launched its new Exotic Cruises Worldwide programme for 2010 with new itineraries, enhanced sailings andnew ports of call.

With an impressive selection of 12 ships ranging in size from 670 to 3,110 passengers, the cruise line will offer 150 cruises across 50 itineraries. Passengers can enjoy holidays from 12 nights up to the full 108-night World Cruise, across all seven continents, proving Princess is the leader in destination cruising with itineraries designed to please first-time cruisers and experienced travellers alike.

The ships deployed on the itineraries will be equally impressive, with nine that offer ‘Movies under the Stars’, the line's trademark enormous poolside movie screen, and the adult-only oasis of ‘The Sanctuary.' All ships offer a choice of dining venues, such as Sabatini’s Trattoria, the Sterling Steakhouse and Crown Grill.

Princess Cruises also has the highest percentage of balcony cabins compared to any other cruise line sailing the far-flung corners of the globe, providing the ultimate view from which to experience these worldwide destinations.

Highlights of the new Exotic Cruises Worldwide programme are as follows:

Pacific Princess will offer a 108-night world cruise with shorter World Sectors ranging from 22-84 nights in duration and Dawn Princess will feature 12-56 night World Escapes between Sydney and Southampton. Fares start from £12,299 per person on Pacific Princess while a 51-night World Escape cruise on Dawn starts from £4,699 per person.

Increased capacity in the Far East – Ocean Princess and Diamond Princess return to sail these magical destinations, with holidays ranging from 14-26 nights between Singapore and Bangkok, Bangkok and Shanghai and Shanghai to Osaka, with the opportunity to extend the holiday by combining cruises. Fares start from £2,699 per person. Diamond Princess will also sail a NEW 26-night itinerary from Sydney to Beijing, with fares starting from £3,349 per person.

NEW! Panama Marvel – Sea Princess sails a new 25-night holiday from San Francisco to Barbados with fares from £2,149 per person. There’s also the option to enjoy further time in San Francisco with a 2 or 3-night pre-cruise hotel stay from just £99 per person.

Panama Passion – leading the way in Panama, Coral Princess, Island Princess and Sea Princess will offer five exceptional itineraries taking in 18 ports of call and nine different countries as well as a 2-day Panama Canal Experience on cruises of 15-nights or longer. Fares start from £1,829 per person for a full-transit 12-nights on Coral Princess.

South American Sizzle – Star Princess returns for another series of cruises around South America, the Andes and Cape Horn, ranging from 16-22 nights. Fares for a 16-night Cape Horn route to Rio start from £2,299 per person.

‘Fall’ in love with Canada – Crown Princess sails the 11-night Classic Canada and New England itinerary and the 14-night Canada and Colonial America itinerary from Quebec to Fort Lauderdale, with the option to extend the holiday with a 5-day Maple Explorer deluxe pre or post-cruise land tour. Fares for an 11-night fly-cruise start from £1,399 per person.

My good friend Pieter van der Schee, head of Brand Marketing for Princess, puts the case for their Exotic programme, insisting: “Princess Cruises offer many incredible ways to escape the winter months and enjoy the warmth and relaxation of a tropical getaway. These exotic itineraries offer romance, insight into diverse cultures, active pursuits, stunning beaches and even the opportunity to witness a historic marvel ofengineering.”

Oh, and don't forget you can get some pretty good deals on all Princess cruises from The Cruise Line!

Time Spent at Sea has moved and can now be found at World of Cruising. You can follow World of Cruising on Twitter and Facebook for the very latest in cruise news.

If you haven't already, subscribe to the World of Cruising magazine today.