If you're in panic mode right now because you forgot your honey's Valentine's Day present, you can go from zero to hero in a few clicks. Choose from one of these three terrific cruise lines depending on your personal predilections. I kept the descriptions tight and easy to contemplate, because I know you're in a hurry and don't have time for lengthy explanations right now.
For those who love adventure and want the most exciting, cutting-edge ships imaginable:
Pick any of those great cruise lines, the best in their categories in my humble opinion, and within a few clicks, you can have a cruise booked and print a receipt. Fold the receipt in half, and take out a tube of old lipstick and write on the front:
Happy Valentine's Day!
You've made my life paradise,
so I thought I'd return the favor!
Love,
(your name)
Oh, and be sure to draw a heart around your message! That's the slickest way to do it, choosing exactly the cruise you want, including romantic Mediterranean, enchanting Northern Europe and majestic Alaska.
If you have some flexibility and want a hot deal, check out Celebrity Exciting Deals or Royal Caribbean Happy Hour Deals. Just remember to come back to book on Tuesday, or you'll disappoint your sweetie pie, which could be very bad for you. Maybe you better send an e-mail to Wes@CruisePlanners1.com right now and get a reply that says you're in the queue for Tuesday. "Better service leads to better trips."
You probably know I'm happy to get you a cruise on any cruise line that suits you, but I must admit having some favorites. I sell a lot of Princess cruises, because they cover some amazing itineraries and frequently have terrific value. I also book many Carnival cruises due to their year-round presence in Southern California and the Gulf Coast coupled with their great pricing. I sell quite a few Norwegian, especially for Hawaii, and Holland America, which always delivers high quality cruises. Costa, Cunard, Oceania, Windstar...I sell them all. Of course I'm always excited to sell Crystal, Regent Seven Seas or any of the premium priced smaller cruise ships, which provide truly outstanding and unique voyages but definitely are priced quite a bit higher than mainstream ships.
I want to be sure you understand that I represent all cruise lines, but most do not lend themselves well to offering live pricing. Why not? Because they have complex systems of pricing based on the characteristics of the client. In addition, there are also value judgments that are not factored in by a live booking engine. Because I study cruises for a living, I understand how to navigate these nuanced waters to find the best rooms as well as overall deals for my clients. However, I also know that some people simply want to be able to check prices themselves, even in the middle of the night.
As an experiment, I have included three live booking engines on my blog in the right hand column. They happen to be three of my favorite lines, all of which are in the Royal Caribbean family of brands. The search engines on my site do a good job of filtering information, but I will also be happy to double check your booking after the fact to be sure you found the best room and value for your needs.
Royal Caribbean is the favorite of families and young adults who love adventure and lead active lifestyles. The largest ship in the world, Oasis of the Seas, is the new leader of the pack, and it is truly remarkable, but the other ships in its line, including Mariner of the Seas which embarks weekly from Los Angeles, are also terrific and only marginally less magnificent. Celebrity is Royal Caribbean's upscale sister line. With what most feel to be the finest dining room experience on the water, Celebrity feels like it should be very expensive, but in fact it frequently costs about the same as Royal Caribbean, and sometimes it costs less. It appeals primarily to adults over forty, but young families also love it.
Finally, Azamara Club Cruise's three smaller ships round out the family. With butler service for every room, and balconies on most rooms as well as suites, Azamara aims to be a cut above the rest in terms of quality in an intimate setting not unlike a boutique hotel. However, price wise Azamara remains considerably below the premium lines, making it a great value. Like those premium lines, Azamara's smaller size allows it to visit unique ports passed over by mainstream ships.
Anyway, try a quick search using one of the engines in the right hand column of this page, and hopefully you will find something that strikes you right now. I'll be happy to provide all of my usual follow-up assistance, just as on any other booking.
