Cruise Deals - Where to Begin to Book
Introduction - History - Cruises & Romance - Established Favorites - Where to Begin - What to Expect - Essential Tips - Hidden Costs - Choose a Cruise Liner - Destinations- Feedback and Notes
There are many joys to cruises. One of the biggest, if you're so inclined, is finding out who else is on board. Thanks to cruise deals and the democratic nature of modern travel there is a fairly mixed bag on cruise ships nowadays, but there will still be traces of the bright, the beautiful and the rigorously facelifted.
See - MQSEARCH for the latest advertised cruises if based in the UK and here if you are based in the USA.
On the more classic cruise ships a passenger list is displayed, but it will omit anyone stalkable out of politeness. And sadly, the construction of ü ber-cruiser The World has reduced the likelihood of seeing anyone really worth staring at by poaching all the super-rich and famous people with cabins which look a million dollars - and that, funnily enough, is somewhat less than their asking price. Most of us can't reach those rarefied heights, but all is far from lost. There is a multitude of cruise ships of different shapes and sizes and styles and prices. All you have to do is decide what you're looking for, and know how best to find it.
It's well worth bearing in mind, for example, that a cruise agent can often get you cruise deals that aren't in the brochure. They're also good at finding specialist cruises - if you want to take a barge down the waterways of south India, or an icebreaker to Antarctica, a good agent will help you find the ideal price and style of cruise. There are official trade associations in America and Britain to help you find an agent or make sure they are reputable. The Leading Cruise Agents of the UK - which in 2001 changed its name from the Guild of Professional Cruise Agents - was established in 1957 and has a member locator on its website (www.thelca.com). The US-based Cruise Line International Association, set up in 1975, also has details of affiliates as well as plenty of information on planning a cruise.
Browsing the sites of online cruises agents and brokers such as 1st4cruises.co.uk, www.bookmeacruise.co.uk, or www.cruise.com is often a way to find bargains. Cruise deals also appear on the sites of cruise lines themselves. Make sure that the site you choose bears safety marks (ATOL protection and ABTA membership in the UK, or equivalent affiliations in the US). If you can't see them, ask the company.
Cruise Directory
