Planning a cruise
I'm planning a cruise. What are some resources that would be helpful to review? I'm not looking for discount cruise websites, more resources about which destinations offer unique land / adventure excursions.
Best Answer
As a travel professional, I thought Simon's answer provided some great guidance toward the cruise options available to you. My recommendation for a resource in planning your cruise is to consult with a travel agent that specializes in cruises. Any travel agent can book a cruise but you don't want someone to process your transaction...you want a cruise expert. You want someone to advise in the decision process as well as guide you through the planning leading up to your cruise whether it be with shore excursions and what to do at each port of call, pre or post-cruise experiences or simply documentation requirements and everything in between.
For planning purposes, any travel is a matching process and this is especially true with cruising. As Simon mentioned in his comments, the type of cruise, whether it be river or ocean, is a matching process. Cruise line, destination, stateroom type and location on the ship...these all depend on a matching of options with the clients' personalities. A full service travel agent will spend the time to speak with and get to know you in order to make the matching process accurate. Any travel is an investment. We work and save for that much needed vacation in order to make it through another year of work/school before our next vacation so the importance of doing it right is huge. Working with a travel agent that specializes in cruises will lead to the best return on your travel investment. We never want to come back from a vacation feeling like it was a let-down and not worth the investment. We want the best value for our travel budget and a travel agent that specializes in cruises is my advice as your best resource.
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What is the best way to plan a cruise?
Beginner's Guide to Planning a CruiseHow do I plan a cruise for the first time?
10 Things Every First-Time Cruiser Should KnowHow long does it take to plan a cruise?
Cruises traditionally have been booked far further in advance than other sorts of travel, with an average booking window of six months or more being common. But to have the average booking for a cruise be a full-year away is unprecedented, Scholes suggested.How much do you usually spend on a cruise?
All the major cruise lines are public companies that publish annual figures for their revenue and passenger statistics. From these public reports, we know that the average cost of cruise fare runs from about $150-220 per person, per day (depending on cruise line).10 Tips to PLAN and BOOK YOUR CRUISE - A Step by Step Guide
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Answer 2
If you want to enjoy the cruise for itself, you can check Cunard's Queen Mary 2 which offers transatlantic cruises from England to New York in a week among other voyages.
Answer 3
I usually like to begin my research via apps. There is also an excellent app called Cruise Finder on Iphone. That can give you an idea about the various kinds of cruises, durations and prices to begin with. LibertyTravel.com also has agents who can provide you with some initial directions.
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