Getting the Cruise Deal ... (part two ...)
CATEGORY “GUARANTEES”
If you are willing to gamble a bit you can possibly be upgraded
to a higher category by booking into what is called a “category
guarantee”. The difference is that with a “normal” reservation
you will receive an “assigned” stateroom and you
will know the exact number a location of the stateroom, however
under a “category guarantee” you leave it to the
cruiseline to assign you a cabin just prior to sailing (anywhere
from one week to three days prior). The advantage is you will
receive at a minimum, the category you are paying
for but you stand a good chance of being upgraded to a better
category for no extra charge. Sometimes and depending on the
ship’s yield, this upgrade may be several categories.
The only downside is if you want to avoid the bow or aft (very
front or very back) you may be assigned there so it might not
be worth the gamble to you.
There are several types of “category guarantees” to
be aware of.
ROS – (Run of Ship). This is generally
the lowest fare you can get on the ship. You will not know what
type of cabin or where it is located usually until the week of
sailing. But you will get the lowest rate available and could
end up with good upgrades. The cabin could be an inside or an
outside.
INSIDE ROS - Same as above only you have restricted
it to Inside Cabins only and you will get the lowest available
rate for an inside cabin with potential for upgrades. (Sometimes
referred to as category “Z” guarantee).
OUTSIDE ROS - Same as above only you have restricted
it to Outside Cabins only and you will get the lowest available
rate for an outside or ocean view cabin with potential for upgrades.
(Sometimes referred to as category “Y” guarantee).
SPECIFIC CATEGORY GUARANTEE - As discussed
in the accommodation section, ship cabins are laid out on decks
and are given category numbers or letters. You can select a specific
category to guarantee and will receive the lowest rate for that
category – you will get at least the category you guarantee
but leave the cruise line the option to upgrade you without charge.
For example, on Holland America, a category H stateroom is the
minimum view cabin.
If you select category H, you will receive at least an ocean
view cabin, but may receive upgrades to more expensive categories
without any upgrade charge. You won’t know your cabin up
front but if this doesn’t cause you anxiety, it may be
worth it to try for the upgrade. Talk to your booking agent about
how full a particular sailing is and look carefully at the deck
plans. Some categories have very few cabins and if you can book
a guarantee you will likely get an upgrade without having to
pay more money!
A NOTE ABOUT UPGRADES: An upgrade is basically
moving you from a lower category to a higher category without
charging you for the upgrade. Essentially you are getting a higher
priced (not necessarily different layout) cabin than you paid
for.
Some cruise lines (notably Princess) ask your booking agent
at the time of booking whether you would be will to receive an
upgrade if one becomes available. Not a stupid question. If you
are adamant that you want a specific cabin on a ship, ensure
you tell your booking agent “no upgrades”.
You generally have the right to approve the upgrade before they
move you. Under many “past passenger” programs, an
upgrade may be extended to thank you for your loyalty. This is
not automatic but upgrades are generally extended to past passengers
before “first time” passengers.
THIRD & FOURTH PASSENGERS IN A CABIN
If you don’t mind sharing your cabin with a third or fourth
person, you can achieve significant cruise discounts for these
passengers.
This is ideally suited for families, say, Mom and Dad, junior
and his sister. Remember that the space available is generally
the same as a double occupancy cabin and so may be constrained
- but it is often better than paying the same double occupancy
rate for another cabin.
You will receive one rate per person for the first two passengers
in the cabin and then a discounted rate for the third and/or
fourth passenger in the cabin. The discount will be on the cruise
fare only. Port charges, taxes and air fare will not normally
be discounted. In addition, if the third and fourth guests are
children there may be a “kid’s rate” available.
Generally, children under two will be free but you may have to
pay port charges and taxes.
BOOKING ON BOARD
Once you are on board you may want to consider booking your
next cruise with an on board cruise line representatives.
Cruise lines recognize the best time to sell you another cruise
is while you are enjoying a present cruise. Often they will make
available attractive offerings, cruise discounts or incentives
for you, such as reduced deposit requirements, additional amenities
or shipboard credits. The deposit is fully refundable and you
will have locked in the incentives.
Some cruise lines will allow you to leave the ship and destination
open and you can discuss alternatives with your booking agent
once you return home.
The cruise line will advise the booking agent of your reservation
and your agent will oversee the entire booking until the time
of sailing. Your agent will also confirm to you whether the offer
is indeed the best or whether there are other options you may
wish to consider.
BACK TO BACK CRUISES
Many cruise lines offer alternating cruise between the Eastern
and Western Caribbean, and you can stay on the ship extending
your 7 or 10 day vacation to 14 or 20 days, visiting many different
ports. Often there will be an incentive or cruise discount to
do the back to back. It may not be much (anywhere from £50
to 10%) but it is a way to extend your vacation for less.
REPOSITIONING CRUISES
Cruise lines move their ships from and to different markets
at specific times of the year or when a new ship enters the market
and needs to be positioned to its home port. For example, April
will see a large number of ships move from the Caribbean to the
Alaska market. October will see the reverse. Often these sailings
are long, and you may get significant discounts for taking advantage
of the repositioning.
New launches may feature a unique itinerary as the ship positions
from its port of construction to its port of operation and cruise
discounts may apply to this type of sailing.
CRUISE FOR FREE
Cruise lines provide travel incentives for booking group travel.
Once of the incentives is called a "tour conductor",
commonly referred to as a TC!
A tour conductor is essentially a credit for the Group Leader
or Pied Piper, to cruise for free with a group of friends, relatives,
or colleagues that you have brought to the cruise line.
Keep in mind though, the group will have to pay for all port
charges, government taxes and fees and airfare to the port of
departure if needed.
Cruise lines base their rates on double occupancy that is two
persons to a cabin. Often they refer to occupancy as "berths".
One berth is one bed, or one passenger.
The group size needed to gain a free berth (bed) on a cruise
varies by cruise line and their promotions. A rule of thumb for
mass market lines (Carnival, Princess, Royal Caribbean etc) is
a minimum of 16 passengers occupying 8 cabins or staterooms (third
and fourth passengers in a cabin do not count toward the total).
The 16th passenger is awarded TC or Tour Conductor status and
sails for free. Some lines refer to their TC policy as "1
for 15" which essentially says the same as the 16th in the
group is free.
It gets a little more complicated because that 1 for 15 gets you only one
berth (bed) in one cabin. Your cabin mate will still have to pay for his/her
berth.
By now you are way ahead of me! Yes, get 32 passengers into your group and
get a FREE cabin (two berths)! Be careful to be clear on the group policy:
• 16 passengers in the group allows the 16th person to cruise for free.
• 16 cabins/staterooms means the 16th cabin is cruise for free!
One last point on free cabins or berths - many cruise lines
offer a free fare for less than 16 people. For example, ultra-luxury
line, The Yachts of Seabourn, offers one free berth for every
ten sold. You may also find cruise lines offering even more attractive
terms with off season sailings.
Cruise for Free Trading Your Talent for A Free Cabin
One last comment on getting a good deal, cruise lines are always
looking for a way to keep guests entertained and occupied on
days at sea. They want Enrichment Speakers or lecturers on any
number of subjects and often you can trade your expertise for
a free or substantially discounted cruise.
Cruise lines look for dance instructors, arts and crafts, bridge
experts (cards not roads), gentlemen hosts, history majors, port
lecturers, and computer instructors and so on.
This topic is beyond the scope of this volume, however if this lights your
fire, by all means investigate the opportunity.
If you are in a hurry to find out more about speaking on cruise
ships, this information comes from Daniel Hall, who has cruised
the world as an onboard speaker and is teaching others how to
cruise for free. You can download a free copy of Daniel's The
Top 5 Cruise Lines Enrichment Programs and How You Can Exploit
Them To Get Free Cruises here.
Leverage Your Currency
Most cruise lines have pricing available in US dollars. Always
check your currency exchange rate against the US currency. You
may be able to book in US dollars and pay less once the exchange
is done. At the time of writing, the US dollar is weak, making
payment for a cruise much less for European travelers.
You can check currency exchange rates here.
