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Which cruise line should I choose? |
| Choosing a cruise line is a personal choice that will depend on your lifestyle, tastes and budget. Take time to understand your options. Browse our website and do some research. Ask your friends and family. If you?re still unsure, one of our expert Vacation Consultants would be happy to narrow down the options for you. |
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What's the best time to take a cruise? |
| It depends on where you'd like to go. The Caribbean is awesome year round. Some of the more exotic destinations are seasonal. For example, you can only cruise to Alaska between May and September, to Europe between April and November, to Bermuda between April and October, and the Panama Canal, between September and April. |
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When is the most affordable time to take a cruise? |
| Cruises are like any other product, prices depend on supply and demand. The more popular dates, ships and cabins are priced higher and sell out faster. The less flexible you are, the farther ahead you should book. If price is your main priority then sail between September and December (excluding holiday weeks). Typically during school vacations when families travel it?s a bit more expensive. |
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When is hurricane season? |
| The U.S. National Hurricane Service officially designates June 1 to November 30 as hurricane season. The greatest concentration of hurricanes and tropical storms generally tend to be between late August and mid-October. Cruise ships have one great advantage over resorts and tropical islands- they can steer around the weather! A cruise is your best option if you?re concerned about weather. |
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Are cruise itineraries subject to change? |
| Cruise lines attempt to follow published schedules as closely as possible, yet this is not always feasible. Cruise line reserve the right to change a scheduled itinerary without prior notice- it?s all part of putting safety first. Situations which may call for an itinerary change are weather, mechanical difficulties and political tensions to name a few. Cruise lines are not legally liable for any loss to guests by cancellation, advancement, deviation, substitution, or postponement. If an itinerary change is necessary, cruise lines may substitute another ship or port of call, and they will always attempt to keep passengers informed of changes.
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Does Spring Break impact cruises? |
| For those travelers who would prefer not to be among the young revelers, but who do want to cruise during the Spring Break time period (usually late winter through mid-spring) we suggest discussing this at length with your Vacation Consultant or one of our Customer Service representatives. |
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If I'm on the bottom deck, am I below water? |
| All passenger staterooms are located well above sea level. |
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What's included in my cruise fare? |
| In most cases, your cruise will include your stateroom, meals in the buffet restaurants and main dining room, entertainment, 24-hour room service, and drinks such as milk, juice, non-specialty coffee, and tea.
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What's NOT included in my cruise fare? |
| Discretionary items, such as specialty restaurants, shore excursions, alcoholic beverages, carbonated soft drinks, photographs, gratuities, medical treatment, casino expenditures, spa treatments, shop purchases. |
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Do all passengers staying in the same stateroom pay the same rate? |
| No. Generally, cruise lines will charge a set rate for the first and second person in a stateroom, with a discounted amount for the third, fourth, and/or fifth person in a stateroom. This applies to the cruise fare only, as all passengers are charged the same rate for port taxes and government fees. |
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Will my infant be charged the full cruise fare? |
| Usually, yes.
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Why is it so expensive for one person to travel alone? |
| Cruise lines (and resorts) base their rates on double occupancy. When traveling alone, you will be charged a supplemental fee since you?re not sharing the cost of the cabin with someone else. This only applies to the room rate, not to taxes and airfare. |
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What forms of payment do you accept? |
| We accept all major credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, and in most cases, American Express and Discover.
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What are the deposit and final payment requirements? |
| Deposit requirements will vary by cruise you?ve selected. Deposits are usually at least $250 per person. In some cases, greater amounts may be required at time of purchase. Final payment requirements also vary depending on the package selected. Due dates range anywhere from 70 days prior to departure to 150 days prior with 70-75 days being the most common. |
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Will my credit card be charged immediately for my reservation? |
| When confirming a vacation, we will charge your credit card, for the $24.99 Processing Fee and, should you choose to purchase it, for your Travel Protection Insurance. The remaining deposit or full payment is charged by the cruise line. It may take several days for them to receive approval before they apply the charges to your credit card. |
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Can additional passengers be added to a reservation after payment has been applied? |
| All rates are based on the present occupancy and availability. It may be possible to add an extra person, providing the room permits this. If so your present rate will not be protected and could possibly change. The person you are adding could pay a different rate as well, and there may be change fees involved. In addition, in some cases, changes will not be permitted particularly in the case of cruises where they sometimes reach their maximum passenger capacity. |
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What if I have to cancel? |
| Cancellation policies vary between cruise lines and they do increase as the travel date approaches. During the reservation process you will be made aware of the cancellation policy for your specific cruise. It?s your responsibility to be familiar with the penalties. In addition to any fees assessed by the cruise line, we do charge an administrative fee for all cancellations. To protect yourself from penalties for canceling due to medical reasons, we strongly encourage you to purchase a Travel Protection plan.
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Should I consider purchasing travel insurance? |
| We strongly recommend protecting your cruise investment by purchasing travel insurance. Cancellations happen. Travel protection provides coverage if you have to cancel due to injury, sickness, or death to you, a traveling companion or family member. However, it does not cover unstable, pre-existing conditions. It will also cover you if you have a medical emergency during your trip, or if your baggage is lost or damaged, among other things. If you have not yet booked your cruise, specific insurance information will be made available during the booking process, or if you have already secured your cruise with us, log into your booking to view a copy of the available policy coverage. |
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Is it better to purchase shore excursions in advance? |
| Yes! Shore excursions, particularly popular ones, tend to fill up quickly. Get to know the planned activities each port of call has to offer prior to your departure. Pre-reserving your excursions will ensure that you are able to take part in the activities you have your heart set on, and it'll also relieve you of having to fuss with reservations for tours during your cruise. |
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How will I know when my final payment is due? |
| Your emailed invoice confirmation will advise when your final payment is due. In addition, you will receive a final payment reminder approximately 10 days before the final payment date. Please keep in mind that, while we make every effort to provide payment reminders as a courtesy, it is ultimately the passenger's responsibility to ensure that their reservation is paid in full by the due date. In all cases, the cruise lines reserve the right to cancel any reservation that has not been paid in full by the specified date.
To insure accuracy, privacy and security final payments should be made on our website by clicking on the ?Cruise Customer Service? button at the bottom of the cruise homepage.
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What is the next step after I have completed a reservation? |
| Immediately after your reservation has been purchased, you will receive a confirmation which outlines your reservation details as long as you?ve provided your email address. If we have not been provided with an email address, the confirmation will be sent via regular mail within 7-10 days after the reservation is purchased. Please look it over and become familiar with the information provided.
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When can I board the ship? |
| This will vary but usually around 1pm. Please look for the embarkation time on your documents provided by the cruise line for boarding.
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