Imagine your departure from the ship in the late afternoon. The 18-mile scenic drive into the Namibia desert is mainly on gravel road, with the last half-mile stretch to the evening's event venue in 4x4 vehicles. Tents specially set up in a natural amphitheater present a striking contrast against the backdrop of golden-colored dunes. Your arrival is greeted by the rhythmic beat of African music. A welcome drink and appetizers are waiting to be savored. If you are up to it, climbing to the top of the dunes allows you to experience a spectacular sunset. The less agile ride on a camel. Others just enjoy the atmosphere of a captivating desert evening under an African sky while chefs tend the cooking fires in preparation for dinner. Wine, beer, soft drinks and mineral water are served with your meal. The lively beat of a local band and the songs of a youth choir further enhance your evening. The enchantment of these stunning surroundings make it difficult to break the spell as your evening comes to an end. Driving back to the port, you smile at the lingering thoughts of your evening outing in the desert of Namibia.

Now imagine that this incredible experience is free, simply because you chose the right travel agent and cruise line. Sounds remarkable? It's true.

Nowhere can you find more added value than in a cruise vacation. The key is knowing where to look and what to ask for. Cruising, inherently, provides excellent price/value. You unpack once, can travel to numerous ports in different countries, and sometimes wake up and explore a new place every single day of your vacation …all for one price.

If you're extremely price conscious, you can have a very good vacation experience without purchasing add-ons. Your food, many beverages, entertainment, swimming, and children's programs are typically all included in your cruise price. However, if you are willing to spend a little more to get a lot, there are very exciting options for enjoying the most unique vacations on earth when cruising.

 

Small ships, big experiences.

When many people think of cruises, they imagine the huge ships that are cities unto themselves with onboard sports complexes, shopping malls, giant clubs, casinos and more. This is one type of cruise experience enjoyed by thousands every year. However, there are many other, more intimate cruise ships that offer a personalized, relaxed, pampering experience filled with added value.

Cruise lines like Seabourn, Silversea, and Radisson Seven Seas are more expensive, but the exclusive add-ons provide an experience you'll never enjoy any other way. These lines offer many suites (some are all-suite ships), cabins with balconies, complimentary wine with dinner. Many offer complimentary cocktails, sodas and juices. An even more significant value is that several of these lines do not expect or accept gratuities, resulting in savings of hundreds of dollars, depending on the length of your cruise, not to mention the ease of vacationing without the pressure of constantly calculating tips for porters, waiters and bartenders.

Seabourn spoils you with free massage moments on deck, free movies under the stars, experts to introduce you to the ports before you arrive. Radisson stocks your cabin bar with your favorite cold drinks, wine and liquor. Silversea includes incredible shore excursions (like the Namibia desert evening described above) totally free of charge. This is an incredible benefit, when far less exotic shore excursions on other cruise lines can run into the hundreds of dollars. A knowledgeable travel agent can uncover exclusive values like Caribbean beach parties on private islands, private nights at a European or Russian opera or ballet, museum tours, culinary excursions…all within the price of your cruise.

If your travel agency is savvy enough to have strategic alliances with innovative wholesalers, you may also enjoy additional value-added perks. As an Ensemble Travel affiliate, Atlas Travel International offers a wide assortment of Select Experiences to travelers booking certain trips on certain dates. Your Select Experience is an exclusive, complimentary shore excursion (similar to those described above on Silversea). Through Atlas, on occasion it also includes free hotel nights before or after your cruise to extend your vacation, free shipboard credits, upgrades to business class on flights to the port, prepaid gratuities, bathrobes, cameras, garment bags, gift certificates and more.

 

Timing is everything.

When booking your cruise, timing is everything. If you are flexible on departure dates, your agent can often save you hundreds of dollars per person by offering you an alternative week, where a cruise line is promoting cabins at a lower rate. Booking far in advance (6 months or more out) typically saves you significant money, as cruise lines try to fill up their cabins in advance, not wanting to gamble with last-minute specials or sail with a half-empty ship.

Cruise lines also offer deeply discounted rates on repositioning cruises, which are unique itineraries sailed only when a ship is being sent from its winter home, say in the Caribbean, to its summer ports in Alaska or from an East Coast schedule to the West Coast . These seasonal operational changes provide vacationers with an opportunity to see an unusual set of ports – for instance, the Panama Canal during bi-coastal transfers – at a reduced rate.

The key on adding value to your cruise vacation is to ask. If you are clear on what your vacation priorities are, your travel agent is far better equipped to find the cruise value you would enjoy.

 

If you have questions about cruises or about other travel topics, or if you have a suggestion for a future travel article, please contact me at:

Atlas Travel International
1740 Massachusetts Avenue
Lexington , MA 02420
Phone: 781-862-8050
Website: www.atlasgetaways.com
Email: experts@atlastravel.com