Looking for reasons to book your 2013 cruise early? Anthony Nicholas is on hand to help…
With 2013 a reality and the cruise lines flooding the media with a bewildering array of offers and incentives, it is sometimes really easy to forget some of the simpler, more practical reasons for booking your cruise or fly cruise as early as is practical. Here’s just a few of them outlined below.
More availability:
Getting your exact choice of cabin. A ship will be your ‘home away from home’ for anything up to three weeks. Space is finite on even the biggest ships, and having the cabin that suits the needs of you and your travel companions can make-or indeed break- the experience of that well earned holiday. Even the closest families still need their individual space and privacy. Being cramped in that last minute, pygmy sized four berth cabin really is a false economy.
Better flight options:
Fly cruise, but booking your own flights? Most on line reservation systems allow you to book around a year ahead. This means that you get not only a better choice of routes, but often as not a far better fare to boot. And it’s always worth doing a comparison with the cruise line’s own flight package. Again, the further ahead of the curve you are, the chances are you’ll come out happier with your lot.
Great early-booker rewards:
Incentives are now a staple of many cruise lines. Whether it’s the free on board internet now being touted by Regent Seven Seas, or the on board credits currently on offer from Celebrity and Royal Caribbean, it’s a buyer’s market out there. For instance, Fred. Olsen also currently have a very attractive ‘2 for the price of 1’ on offer. Some lines are offering free upgrades to all inclusive packages on board. Again, the earlier you book, the better chance of securing a great deal off the overall cost of your total holiday package.
More choice for single cruisers:
Travelling alone? Some lines, such as Silversea and Crystal have reduced single supplements to around ten per cent on certain cruises, while MSC waives them completely for some itineraries. Again, the trick is to get in there early. Speak to an experienced operator that actually understands the subtleties and nuances of the different brands and products, and the chances are that you will emerge with a far more comprehensive, better value travel deal than just by waiting until the last possible moment.
These few simple steps hold true for all cruising tastes and styles. Whatever yours is, enjoy it to the maximum in 2013.
