This has been a trying week for everyone who booked flights for their cruise trips on a low-cost / alternative airline. Aloha Airlines ceased operations on Sunday after 61 years in operation; ATA Airlines, based in Indiana, followed on Wednesday; and this morning, Skybus Airlines shut its doors.
Aloha and ATA served the Hawaiian market, with flights typically priced much less than the larger commercial carriers.
Skybus, which began flying on May 22, 2007, served more out-of-the-way destinations but offered “no-frills, low-cost” flights, starting at $10 each way. With bases in Columbus, Ohio and Greensboro, NC, the company modeled its operations after the European carrier, Ryan Air.
Risk management is the primary advantage of booking flights for cruise trips through the cruise lines. If a flight is late or canceled, the cruise line’s responsibility for flights it books is to ensure its passengers board the ship at the next port. Typically, and excluding any special offers for “free” air, the cruise lines assume this risk with an accompanying hefty price tag.
To save on costs, many cruisers book their own flights. A word of caution considering this week’s events in the air line industry, the abysmal performance of U.S. airlines in recent months and announcements by airlines of cut-backs in schedules – if you purchase airfare independently of your cruise fare, first purchase travel protection insurance.
Don’t purchase this coverage through the cruise lines – their policies will offer little, if any, protection for any travel purchased independently of the cruise line – and most of the best cruise lines self-fund their policies, so there is no coverage if the cruise line should cease operation!
Many companies offer travel protection plans to cover all pre-paid and non-refundable costs for your cruise trips – read the policies and the exclusions carefully before purchasing the policy, then book your fights. If an airline or other supplier doesn’t perform, your vacation will be protected.
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Saturday, April 5, 2008
Airlines’ impact on cruise trips
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Genies Best Cruise Lines Bottle
After too many years in the corporate world in positions that weren’t a good “fit” and a stint at college teaching (which didn’t really fit that much better), I decided to follow a life-long passion for travel and writing. My husband and I opened a 
professional travel agency in a very small town in New Hampshire, where we are able to “cruise” Lake Winnipesaukee in our small sailboat, and absorb every cruise and travel publication that finds its way to our mailbox.
As owners of a travel agency, we are usually too busy to take advantage of the many opportunities for “fams” and reduced-price trips to exotic destinations, so we choose our travel carefully and share a delight in experiencing the world. I have enjoyed most of our cruises (the ship that sunk is not in that category!) and am on the look-out for our next cruise experience.
In our business, we are not a high-volume internet cruise agency – in fact, I specialize in customized travel to Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific (so expect the odd inclusion on exotic cruising DownUnder!) – but I’ve inspected a lot of ships; been on a range of cruises, read the latest information on cruise ships, destinations and trends daily; completed many of the specialist programs for cruise lines and enjoy working with clients to plan a cruise vacation that meets – and often exceeds – expectations they have only dreamed of.
Join our Best Cruise Lines voyage of discovery to find the best for your cruise trips.
Welcome Onboard the sequel
Last time before I got my boarding call, I was about to tell about the hard lessons my husband and I learned on our first cruise together...
I’ll not delve into all the gory details of our first cruise experience, but do need to share:
● When we noticed at the Cozumel pier that there were several sleek, shiny and large vessels dwarfing the tired, rusted and narrow vessel we called “home” for the week, reality struck and we knew we had not chosen one of the best cruise lines for our maiden cruise vacation;
● My seasickness was unbearable as soon as the ship began to flail in a few medium waves -- our ship was so ancient, it really didn't have much of a stabilizer system;
● We are the only people I know who lost weight on a cruise;
● Our on-board bill exceeded the cruise fare by over 150% (and I tried to save money on the Internet??). While many of you are familiar with this experience, we were shocked at the final total and the price we paid for some of the worst shore excursions imaginable;
● On a voyage shortly after ours, the ship sank! Yes – and I doubt anyone misses her.
Our life directions have changed since our infamous experience with the Premier Cruise Line and we’ve been fortunate since then to have been able to enjoy several cruises that met and even exceeded our expectations.
We’re looking forward to more cruising in our future – the depth and wealth of destinations and ships available now far exceeds my first or even second cruise experience. But before we take our next cruise, we’ll have defined our expectations of cabin space, food, entertainment and features – and researched all the options to make sure we’ve found a good match.
In my Best Cruise Lines blog, I’ll share the up-to-date and latest insider information on the cruise lines, cruise ships, newest “hot” itineraries and special deals in the cruising world.
Whether you are one of the 10 million people in the US who took a cruise vacation last year; or one of the 78 million who hasn’t cruised yet; or your expectations of cruising didn’t equal the experience – or you’ve enjoyed the cruises you’ve taken but are looking for a different experience on your next vacation, please cruise on back to read our updates and leave your comments as our quest for the Best Cruise Lines unfolds.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Best Cruise Lines Welcome Onboard
My first experience on a cruise ship was definitely not an experience on one of the best cruise lines. I sailed from New York, over 30 years ago, on a transatlantic crossing of Holland America’s Staatendam to spend two months trekking across Europe and returned on a Norwegian Cruise Line vessel (the name has long since been forgotten) – in the midst of a major hurricane off the Canadian coast in the Atlantic Ocean.
That trip marked the beginning of my continued thirst for travel – but many years passed before I wanted to step aboard a cruise ship again. Time has totally changed the character of the cruise industry (and fortunately, good stabilizer systems have greatly improved a ship’s ability to resist rocking and rolling….).
About 7 years ago when our lives revolved around fast-paced, high-stress jobs in a major congested urban location, my husband and I decided we needed a relaxing vacation and chose a 7-night cruise to the Western Caribbean. The articles I read on the Internet about advanced stabilization systems aboard the new ships calmed my concerns about seasickness and hurricanes and we ventured into the world of cruising.
We chose an itinerary that had the fewest days at sea and stopped at several ports in Mexico and Central America. Off I went to the Internet to find the best deal for our cruise. Little did I know (at that time) that not all ships are created equal and purchasing a cruise vacation from an Internet-based call-center type operation may be a good way to find the lowest price if you are a really experienced cruiser, but it wasn’t a good move for a busy executive/novice cruiser type.
I called the 1-800 phone number on the web site and stated our choice to the order taker; several weeks later, we received our cruise documents in the mail and set off for Fort Lauderdale. The nameless person on the internet did not mention that my choice of ships would not ever make it on any “best cruise lines” list or that my husband, with a UK passport, might have a Visa problem. Let The Buyer Beware – we learned a hard lesson on our first cruise together.
Must fly, just heard my boarding call - it's a long haul from DownUnder back to Lake Winnipesaukee. Will complete my welcome when I get home on Sunday - all about the hard lessons on my second cruise...
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