| whitehall |
May 31st, 2019 05:52 PM |
You might try to get quote from various travel agents. One way to do this is cruisecompete.com that will get you competing offers from various discounters. We have used this successfully a couple of times.
In the last two years, cruise lines have significantly hiked their prices, and many are throwing in perks like open bars, as their new method of discounting (since you can't just double rates and not expect a decline in customers). The cruise lines for some time have been trying to figure out a way to keep prices up, and not diminish the perceived value of a cruise vacation. But as more and larger ships were rolled out by all the cruise lines, competition kept prices low. Those, like us, who had cruised a lot, saw a decline in food quality as one of the results of the inevitable price cutting. In the 1990’s, cruise lines had massive kitchens that cooked a lot from scratch, with flour covered bakeries and the like; they often purchased such things as local fish from a visited port.
To avoid further reductions in quality, cruise lines have now opted for a strategy to raise prices, and, until the public accepts them, they are throwing in such perks as open bars (with former retail prices as high as $65 per day per person), free gratuities (worth more as the per day price for tips has also increased), and free internet (since they know that the expensive prices they now charge for internet have never been liked by the public and especially since most hotels have learned that you can no longer charge for this service.
At today’s prices, they still discount discreetly, but often through travel agencies that are given special pricing, sometimes they are not allowed to advertise. One time, we asked Princess to match or come close to a travel agent price (Princess could have saved the commission), and they wouldn’t budge one penny on a $1299 price. The online agency sold it for $631.
If you are getting the open bar, you need to be a big drinker because you are paying for it. We have traveled with five or six cruise lines. Norwegian’s food, for us, was among the worst. In addition, their up-selling on board was annoying. Constant loudspeakers from the social director yelling about such things as the next bingo. That was several years ago; maybe they have improved.
With regard to Cuba, we did it on our own under Obama rules. It was cheap, easy, and we walked all over Havana. Took two suitcases of stuff for an orphanage in the spirit of the Obama rules; had a private driver for three days with a 50/s Chevy. Under Trump rules, I think some places we enjoyed like the Hotel Nacional might now be off limits. Locals get more of your money if you go on your own than if you are on a cruise ship, since you will eat out and engage locals more (we did an airbnb). Either way, since Trump is also squeezing the people there, your visit will be appreciated.
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