Trifter

From the cruise ship looking back at Cozumel

If you want to take a vacation and are watching costs, as most people are these   days, you might want to check out a cruise.  Those who are able to leave immediately, or anytime, are in the best position to get good deals.  It also pays to do some research to compare cruise ships and costs, and if you do that you’ll find you can save a lot of money.

Those in the best position to cut costs are folks who can leave anytime.  There are many cruise vacations available the Internet and through a local travel agent.  What you’ll find, when look into prices, is that there is considerable difference among the different cruise lines as well as seasons for cruising.  The best time to cruise is during off season, in the early to late fall before Thanksgiving, then during the beginning of the year after mid-January until early May.

Cost comparisons between typical vacations that include hotel stays, automobile rentals, food for a family and fun activities shows that you get a lot for your money on a cruise compared to a traditional trip.  A cruise has everything inclusive: a room, food for everyone and transportation.  There are usually many planned activities on board ship, with off-ship excursions at ports of call for reasonable rates, usually ranging from $20 on the low side per person to about $80 for one that includes meal and some fairly unique special treats, like scuba diving, or exotic evening dinners.  The cost for a young couple can be compared to the usual and customary vacation by comparing the individual costs vs those same costs on board ship.

The average price of a hotel room in a major city, even with discounts, averages $80 to $120 a night.  Minimum no-frill meals are likely $30 per person.   A round trip flight to Cozumel costs $781 at the lowest fare available as I write this.  A two-hour live show nightly would be $25-$35 in most towns.  This means a five day vacation for a couple would cost about $2660 for a traditional vacation, and that’s a low estimate.  A five-day trip to Cozumel including one other port of call costs about $1000 for a couple, and that includes taxes and port fees. That’s a savings of more than $1600.  It’s also why cruising has become popular for the middle class, and why something that used to be only for the wealthy is now accessible to many people, including children.

Those who live in the Gulf Coast States are fortunate to have a number of ports from which to take cruises within less than a day’s drive.  Cruise ships leave out of Mobile, Alabama, New Orleans, Louisiana and Galveston, Texas.  Those who use the New Orleans port can travel down the river to the ocean, along the city’s coastline to look at the lights from small towns as the boat makes its way in the early evening, eventually into the Atlantic.  The view from portside as night falls along the Mississippi makes one think of all the great moments in history that occurred in this area and the many people who have traveled over the route from New Orleans into the Atlantic and then into Mexico.

Most people who cruise the first time take too much luggage and therefore spend more time getting on and off the ship then the veterans among do.  The best type of wardrobe to take on a cruise is one that has a few versatile pieces in neutral colors that can be paired up.  Choose knits that can be folded.  A long skirt with a shirt sleeve blouse in warmer months works well in the evening with a simple piece of jewelry.  Evenings during cold weather will require that long skirt paired with sweater or long-sleeved blouse.  Women should take costume jewelry rather than expensive pieces.  Even though there are safes for jewelry at the purser’s office aboard ship or in rooms, it’s best to err on the side of caution.  A couple of scarves can also do wonders for neutral colors and make a few outfits look like many.  Take the kind of clothes that layer well and need little or no ironing.

One of the great benefits about cruising are the new friends that are made on boat.  Racial and religious divides disappear as people from a variety of places in the United States and the rest of the world find their way together to meals, shows and various activities aboard ship.  Those who haven’t experienced much intercultural mix in their hometown find that cruising allows them to learn about others in a friendly and open atmosphere.  The crew members of most cruise ships are usually from many different countries, and it isn’t uncommon onboard for that to be reinforced during evening entertainment.   Differences dissolve in the casual ambience of a cruise.  It’s a small world after all, and you can find that out on the cheap when you take a cruise.