LITTLE ROCK — When you receive a cruise promotion by mail or e-mail, you may have a tough time figuring out if it's a good deal. A couple I know recently received such a promotion: They were interested, but weren't sure whether to jump on it or wait for something else. I thought that answering their question would raise a broader interest in looking at cruises.
The promotion was for a 14-night cruise in January, to/from Sydney, Australia, calling on major cities on the North and South Islands of New Zealand, and including four days at sea plus visits to the famed Milford Sound and other coastal scenic attractions. The promotion featured an "ocean view" cabin, including round-trip airfare from Los Angeles, for $2,399 per person (plus a few minor taxes and fees). In such a situation, here are the questions I suggest you pose.
Is the itinerary attractive? Weather Down Under should be good; January is summer. But on this itinerary, you spend a lot of time at sea, looking at scenery, rather than exploring ports. And Australia is a long schlep, even from Los Angeles, obviously more if you have to connect from somewhere else. In the same general price range - or for less - you could find cruises a lot closer, in the Caribbean or Mexico or even Europe, with more port stops. This is a personal decision I can't make.
Is this a good cruise ship? Unless you already know a ship well, it's a good idea to check itout on the sites that post cruise reviews by travelers. The ship on this cruise is the Rhapsody of the Seas, and I turned to cruise critic (www.cruisecritic.com), where I found mostly positive reviews but a few complaints about vibration and poor meal service. The ship is relatively old and smaller than the current crop of megaships, so it doesn't have all the latest gimmicks. But I expect it would be fine.
Is the price right? First, in a cruise-air package, you have to isolate the value of the cruise. For January, the lowest roundtrip airfare I could find from Los Angeles to Sydney was about $1,300; subtract that from the $2,399 and the cruise value comes to about $1,100 per person. That's not bad for a 14-night cruise in an ocean view cabin; it's on a par with pricing in theCaribbean and other main markets. But also check on whether the cruise line offers cruise-only pricing, without air; here, the cruise-only price starts at $1,710 per person, so the package is definitely the better deal. That isn't always true, however; the "free" air on a cruise package isoften more expensive than the cheapest ticket you could buy separately.
Which airline will I fly? Cruise-air package promoters typically don't specify the airline they intend to use, and, this far in advance, they may not be sure. But find out if you can, because on those long flights to Sydney and back, choice of airline matters. In economy, 747s on Qantas and United are cattle cars, with ultra-narrow seats and no legroom; you'd be much better off on a Qantas A380 or a 777 on Delta or V Australia. Presumably, however, if you're on United, you could spend a hundred dollars or so extra for "Economy Plus" seats.
How good is my cabin? The promotion promises only "ocean view," with no detail on location or even whether the ocean view is a porthole or a full-size window, or if the view is full or partially obstructed. At this point, if you're seriously interested, you should get in touch with the agency directly and start negotiating about a possible cabin choice. Because you're booking so far in advance, you might want to bargain for a cabin upgrade to a balcony or junior suite.
Is this the time to buy? That's anybody's guess. My take would be that this cruise may see some further discounts before it sails, but that's no guarantee. If you like the deal, you might want to lock it in early. Your call.
Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at
Travel, Pages 51 on 08/23/2009