The Cost of Cruising
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Compare what it would cost on land to have all your meals and entertainment provided, as well as transportation, fitness and sports facilities, social activities, educational talks, parties, and other functions, and you can see the remarkable value of a cruise.
Also, a ship is a destination in itself, which moves to other destinations. No land-based resort can provide that variety. The choice ranges from basic to luxury, so give yourself a vacation budget, and go to your professional travel supplier with it. The rest, as they say, will be taken care of.
What are port charges?
These are levied by the various ports visited by cruise ships (rather like city taxes imposed on hotel guests) and help pay for the infrastructure required to provide facilities including docks, linesmen, security and operations personnel, and porters for embarkation/ disembarkation ports.
How inclusive is ‘all-inclusive’?
That’s like asking how much sand is on the beach! It typically means that transportation (often including flights), accommodation, food, and entertainment are wrapped up in one neat package. Today on land, however, ‘super clubs’ offer everything ‘all-in’ including drinks, although mostly low-quality brands are provided, with a much smaller selection than aboard most cruise ships. While that concept works better aboard small ships (those carrying fewer than 500 passengers), large cruise ships (those carrying more than 1,200 passengers) provide more facilities and more reasons for you to spend money on board, so ‘mostly inclusive’ might be a better term to use.
How does a cruise compare with an all-inclusive land vacation?
When compared realistically, a cruise is a much better bargain. In general, aboard any cruise ship, service levels are higher, staff are friendlier and better trained, there is more variety of food and drinks, and a cruise can take you to several destinations (a land-based resort can’t do that).
Do ships have different classes?
Yes and no. Gone are the class distinctions and the pretensions of formality of the past. Differences are now found mainly in the type of accommodation chosen, in the price you pay for a larger cabin (or suite), the location of your cabin (or suite), and whether or not you have butler service.
Some cruise lines, including Holland America Line and Royal Caribbean International (Freedom-class ships only), provide a ‘concierge lounge’ which can be used only by occupants of accommodation designated as suites (thus, in effect, re-creating a two-class system). Celebrity Cruises goes further, in essence creating three classes:
1) Suites;
2) Concierge Class (middle-level) mini-suites/cabins;
3) Standard (exterior view and interior – no view) cabins. I prefer to differentiate it simply as ‘Balcony Class’ and ‘Non-Balcony Class.’
What is a category guarantee?
It means you have purchased a specific grade of accommodation (just as in a hotel), although the actual cabin may not have been assigned to your booking yet. Your cabin may be assigned before you go, or when you arrive for embarkation. |
