WHEN THE SUN goes down, the lights go up on shipboard merrymaking. Sundresses, shorts and pina coladas make way for sequins, tails and champagne. Nights at sea transform oceanliners into traveling cocktail parties, with dinner, dancing and high-stake gambling taking the place of daytime shuffleboard and poolside lounging.
By day, you sit back in your deck chair, watch the translucent blue waves go by and soak up the sun-a Cuervo Gold margarita in one hand, a le Carre novel in the other. No worries, no hassles. Your luggage has arrived safely in your stateroom, and once unpacked, you won’t have to pack again until you’re back in your home port. And aside from the many activities onboard (the five-course meals three times a day, the happy hours and afternoon teas, Las Vegas-style entertainment and casinos), you’ll enjoy duty-free shopping, exotic ports of call and have plenty of time for basic R & R.
And landlocked Dallas is finding all this out: Texans are taking to the sea in surprisingly large numbers. Instead of flying to their favorite resort hangouts, many local vacationers are hopping cruise liners to travel the same distance-spending their vacations on floating hotels and taking day trips into selected ports for shopping and entertainment.
The big news about cruises is that they aren’t as expensive as you may think. Gone are the days when only the upper crust could afford first-class trans-Atlantic voyages. Today, with airfare included in the price of most cruises (air-sea travel packages), the cost of a seafaring vacation is no more expensive than the cost of flying to a resort and paying for room, meals and entertainment a la carte. In fact, a cruise may be more economical-and, according to cruise experts, is definitely less complicated.
But before visions of Love Boat start dancing in your head, remember that Captain Steubing and the rest of his crew are docked in the port of Hollywood. There’s a difference between the luxurious, spacious bedroom suites of TV’s favorite cruise ship and the 10-by-ll bedrooms with 5-by-5 baths that you’ll find on most cruise vessels (although many of the newer ships are installing larger, more decorous staterooms).
Although cruises can take you to exotic ports all over the world, the Caribbean is the number-one market for Texans, according to Marvin Jones of Just Cruises, a local cruise agency. “Texans love to travel. They’ve all been to Mexico and Hawaii, and they’re willing to go back. Now they’re going on cruises. It’s a new frontier.”
Cruises are priced for all economic levels -from trips for the budget-minded (one four-day Mexican cruise starts at $400) to globe-trotting extravaganzas that can set you back $50,000. One of the most expensive cruises is the Great World Cruise on the Sagafjord (Norwegian American), an 84-day cruise that departs from Fort Lauder-dale and stops at 25 ports in 19 countries. Ports of call include Rio de Janeiro; Cape Town, South Africa; Mombasa, Kenya; Madras, India; Hong Kong; Taiwan; Shanghai; Kagoshima, Japan; Honolulu and, finally, Los Angeles. If you stay on the Sagafjord for the entire trip, it could cost you as much as $58,460. Those of us who can’t spare the money or the time can select a portion of the Great World Cruise’s lengthy itinerary. Options here include Fort Lauderdale to Hong Kong (57 days) or to Mombasa (33 days), Hong Kong to Los Angeles (30 days) and Mombasa to Hong Kong (27 days).
The most exotic cruises may be on the Sea Goddess I (Sea Goddess Cruises Limited), which offers Mediterranean and Caribbean itineraries. This cruise ship is described in its brochure as “designed for the one in 10,000 people who can appreciate her and who can afford her.” Rates for the cruise range from $3,300 for a week-long Mediterranean voyage to $4,700 for an 11-night trans-Atlantic crossing. Only 60 suites are aboard the Sea Goddess I, and each is one-and-a-half times the size of most cabins. In addition, each cabin comes equipped with a stocked bar and a refrigerator filled with assorted cheeses and garnishes. Instead of docking at commercial ports, the Sea Goddess I anchors at yacht marinas and selected bays where passengers can participate in water sports from a platform astern. This winter, the Sea Goddess I was packaged as an ultimate Christmas gift: For $400,000, you and 100 of your closest friends could have embarked on an exotic Mediterranean cruise.
Cruises go to almost any port in the world-from the Mediterranean to the Mississippi, from Alaska to the Amazon. But perhaps the most coveted and expensive cruise is the trans-Atlantic crossing and British Isles tours of the Queen Elizabeth II, the famous British cruise liner that was commissioned for war duty during the Falkland Islands conflict last year. Cunard Cruise Lines has spruced it up, and the upper level suites reflect the old first-class traditions of trans-Atlantic travel. On a trans-Atlantic trip, you’ll sail in style from New York to Southampton, England. Once there, you may choose to dock and spend a few days in London, or a few weeks traveling around Britain and/or the continent. Cunard offers numerous cruise/land tour combinations, one of which includes a ride through France on the famed (and newly refurbished) Orient Express. Or, you can stay on the luxury liner and sail on to the Mediterranean.
If you’re thinking about taking a cruise vacation but haven’t yet made up your mind, you might consider taking a short cruise first to see if you’re ready for a week or more on the open seas. Western Cruise Lines offers weekend and four-night cruises to Mexico from Los Angeles ($350-$700); Carnival Cruise Lines and Norwegian Caribbean Lines offer three- and four-day cruises to the Bahamas from Miami ($290-$800). Even on these minicruises, all the amenities of a long voyage are provided to give you a taste of what you can expect during a longer trip.
Keep these things in mind when shopping around: First, make a list covering your budget (including the cost of travel, incidentals and shopping), what activities you like, the time of year you can go, how long you can be gone and, most importantly, where you want to go. Many people just walk into booking agencies and announce that they would like to go on a cruise without having any specific destination in mind.
When choosing a cruise, it’s important to properly arrange the booking. Many travel agencies have cruise departments but don’t offer comprehensive cruise information. Before booking, quiz your travel agent about the specifics of the cruise-embarkation points, available shopping in your destination, onboard entertainment.
It’s always a good idea to find out if your travel agent is bonded by the Pacific Cruise Conference or the International Passenger Ship Association. It wouldn’t hurt if the agent is listed with the Better Business Bureau, either. If a booking agent is bonded, he or she will display that fact. You can then book a cruise knowing that if there is any trouble, your money will be refunded (including your deposit if you cancel before the expiration date).
Most cruise lines have discounted airfare included in the price of the cruise (air-sea packages), but if you live close to the port of embarkation, some cruise lines offer up to a $100 discount on the price of the cruise.
Typically, the items and services not covered in the price of a cruise are drinks, tipping, incidentals, massages, photographs, some activities (such as skeet shooting) and various shore excursions. Usually, all food on board is included. A tab covering alcoholic beverages ordered during meals will be run for you and presented when you are ready to depart. Other drinks are purchased at the ship’s numerous bars on a cash basis. (A few cruise lines honor credit cards.) Carefully inspect what is and is not included in the total price of the cruise. Port taxes are often not included in the total cruise price.
Most cabin prices are based on double occupancy. A traveling single can expect to pay from 150 percent to 200 percent of the usual cabin rate. Singles can book through Single-world, a membership service that matches singles together in order to take advantage of double occupancy rates. Most Singleworld cruises and tours include members of all ages, although some are specifically designated for singles under 35. Anyone who is single or traveling alone is eligible for membership; the yearly fee is $18. Members receive the Singleworld newsletter, periodic up-to-date travel information and new cruise destinations. For information, call 1-800-223-6490.
If you take a cruise for business purposes, find out if the ship is an American-flag carrier (such as ships with the cruise lines American Hawaii, Delta Queen Steamboat and Delta Lines). Business meetings aboard such ships may be tax-deductible.
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