Hello everybody.  I’m getting ready to go on a vacation to Lihue in September and wanted to be sure I got an article in before I left.  Then, in October -early November I am going to be celebrating my birthday on a cruise in the Mediterranean. I’ve been to Europe a number of times, have taken groups on land and sea trips but had never done the Med by sea.  Ron and I chose the trip on a Virgin Voyage.  We have been on their vessels several times and found them totally relaxing. No kids, excellent eateries (no specialty dining upcharges), and interesting entertainment.  Because we have traveled so many times on Virgin we’ve gotten to a level of perks, so our alcohol is included and bennies like early check-in and the like.  I mention this to encourage all travelers who are choosing cruising as your escape, to research each of the lines as you consider booking a trip, to evaluate what that company has to offer you.  Let me explain:

Competition is pretty tight for your vacation dollars and as a consequence, many of the cruise lines are trying desperately to expand their reach to people who have experience on a competitors line, and want you to try them next.  If you have been loyal to one brand, say Royal Caribbean or Seabourn or whatever, many or the other competing lines are offering you an equivalency in your level of loyalty to insure that you do try them.  Most of the cruise lines offer enticements to sign up for your next cruise/voyage while on the ship, can’t blame them since it truly is the best time to talk about a next trip.  The offers are very good, like, extra shipboard credits, priority pricing (the price goes up once you leave the vessel), etc. Something to think about.

Just because you had a good experience with one brand doesn’t mean that it is the only one you’d be happy with.  There are so many types of vessels and always new destinations, it is worth exploring and getting OUT OF THE BOX of any one company.  Mainly it is the loyalty programs they offer like free cocktail parties, free OBC (onboard credits), cabin upgrades and all, people will continue to go on the same company every time.  But there is sooooo much out there.  

I love my grandkids, traveling with multi-family groups too, but, sometimes you just want something different, maybe more relative to your lifestyle, or place in life. Many of the popular brands that are geared to multi-generations, have senior and grandparent activities too.  But,  If a couple wanted to go maybe with another couple, sans children, like an Anniversary or Honeymoon or just want to try something more adventurous or elegant, don’t get locked into any one brand. It doesn’t hurt to spoil yourselves sometimes. And visa versa.  I’ve heard many people going on the smaller vessels and swearing to never go on a mega ship, without really knowing what that experience is all about. Each of the cruise companies do have a range of cruise type within their own corporations.  An example: Carnival Corporation is not just Carnival.  That company operates Carnival, Holland American, Princess, Seabourn and Costa. Royal Caribbean operates Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Azamara and Silversea and Expedition. Each line has a distinct personality. 

When I first started writing in the Spectrum, I discussed some of the specific differences between cruise lines.  I explored a little about the Sail Boat companies like Windstar and Star Clipper.  Though both are sailing companies, they are very different.  Then there are the Yachts…Sea Cloud, Sea Dream etc. Generally speaking the smaller cruise vessels 200-600 people<> offer far different activities than the larger cruise ships, more to do and see for sure.  Being on a smaller ship though, does offer more services, more quiet, more pampering.  The client to staff ratio is a LOT different.  Consequently, so are the food offering.  If you are a foodie, you would expect the food to be elevated.  That isn’t to say that the larger vessels don’t have options in that regard. 

Since I wrote that first article about cruising and types of cruises, many more ships have entered the vastly competitive arena.  MSC now offer the Explora (a luxury brand) is one example.  Some of the best ‘deals’ out there, and if you are flexible with your dates, are the inaugural sailings.  So many times the ships aren’t completed in time and the dates get dragged out and those bookings being displaced are offered all kinds of perks to keep you interested in sailing with them, even through the inconvenience.  The lines are known to offer very good deals to keep word of mouth favorable for their brands.

Used to be that there were many many people who had never cruised before.  Those statistics have changed. However, those who have cruised are more likely to cruise again and bring other 1^st timer  Those who never want to cruise again after their 1^st experience were either on the wrong vessel for their personality and/or needs.  My guess is that they purchased on price only.  This is such a mistake.  Agents are supposed to be trained to match their clients to the right thing, whether it is a land resort, or a cruise or a tour or whatever.  So you should be judging any trip option for its true value.  A cheap trip is not always the best option.  Some tours, ships, destinations are suited to different experiences.  It is difficult to talk someone into a cruise who has had a bad first experience. My agent consultant experience I’ve learned that MOST vacations are planned by one partner and the other one will simply “go along for the ride” so to speak. With regards to cruising, women are generally the ones instigating the idea, the husband will go, sometimes reluctantly because they didn’t really understand what they were getting into.  The surprise has been that, once the couple returns, it is the guy who is promoting a next trip and on a cruise, with friends.  So, statistics are every changing, but the conclusion is, of those cruising, most have cruised before and several times.  There are still a ton of people who have never cruised before! 

There are new ships and itineraries all the time, but there is a downside.  The destination have been impacted. The result has been the establishment of associations that work to donate heavily to the destination impacted by so much visitor traffic.  New destinations are developed constantly.  Also, the different ports are restricting vessels more and more.  Unfortunately, this has impacted itineraries terribly, making for disappointment by surprise missed ports or changed itineraries….and still more ships are being built.

Traveling long distances has too changed a bit, especially with the issues with the unpredictable  airline travel. That alone has discouraged some travelers, actually many travelers to tell the truth. More and more destination departures are emerging or re-starting domestically since the COVID nightmare. I am seeing opportunities for experiencing cruising for those wishing to drive to a departure city/ports rather than fly. So all of this is good when you consider more people will maybe TRY cruising by taking short cruises like 2, 3,4,5 or 6 days to see what the experience is really like.  The problem sometimes is that the really short ones, say a 2-night cruise, like those out of LAX, SAN, MIA etc. are figured to be much more electric (a nice way to say booze cruises) for the most part.

Well, enough about cruising this time.  Just got to thinking that some of you reading this will consider cruising, but importantly, take advantage of the offers and opportunities out there.  Lots to explore, places to visit, foods to try, adventure or excitement or just escaping and being pampered, very pampered.  What’s not to like about someone else making your meals, cleaning your cabin, making your bed, providing entertainment, seeing places maybe you’ve never been Or extending a trip to visit family and friends and making a departure and doing a river cruise along the Mississippi or Snake River or Great Lakes..expand your horizons.  Gosh, I’m sounding like a salesman huh?  Well, I do need to get out more and this COVID FATIGUE is spreading.  For about 3 years I was not going much, but then things are nearly back to normal.  The ship experience has gotten safer, the experiences are much more adaptable….my only issue is, I’m not a millennial by a long shot (77/78 yrs) and the changes in processes and procedures is pretty much reliant on using a smart phones and other devices i.e. unlocking cabins, to checking in for a cruise, to ordering dinners, or scheduling excursions entertainment while on the ship.  Thank goodness there are techies on-board to assist HA.