Newsletter Dated January 30, 2012
Dear Vacations To Go Customer,
Today, I'd like to start with three special deals we've negotiated
exclusively for Vacations To Go customers. Two of these offers feature
shipboard credits, which can be used to pay for almost anything not
included in the upfront cost of the cruise, including alcoholic
beverages, boutique items, spa treatments and shore excursions.
Six-star cruise line
Silversea is offering our customers
exclusive discounts, up to 85% off, on a variety of cruises around the
world, departing between February and early June. Click
here
for dates and prices.
Royal Caribbean is offering Vacations To Go customers exclusive
shipboard credits of $75 to $275 per cabin on select sailings to the
Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, Mexico and
Trans-Atlantic, including quite a few sailings departing in the next
couple of months. Click
here
for dates and prices.
Finally,
Cunard is offering Vacations To Go customers exclusive
shipboard credits of $100 to $600 per stateroom on select Trans-Atlantic
cruises.
Book by February 3, click
here
for dates and prices.
The cruise lines restrict these offers to new bookings only, they are
subject to availability, and restrictions may apply.
I regularly receive emails from customers asking when they should book
to ensure they get the very best price for their cruise. The truth is,
the best time to book can vary depending on your destination, the number
of people in your party and a few other factors.
Generally, though, I recommend waiting until about 60 to 90 days before
departure to book. Most ships will be marked down around this time, and
these prices usually prove to be the lowest ever offered for that
departure -- lower than early-bird discounts, and lower than prices
available within the last couple of weeks.
Most cruises departing between now and the end of March have been marked
down to the lowest rate that will be available, so if you are planning
to cruise during this period, it's time to shop and give us a call. For
a list of the very best deals still available during this time frame,
click
here.
If you're planning to cruise after the first quarter of the year, you
may want to wait to see if deeper discounts develop before booking.
There are, of course, a few notable exceptions. Here they are:
First, families hoping to travel during the peak June-August period and
needing one stateroom that accommodates more than 4 people (often called
a "family suite") or two staterooms with a private connecting
door should book now. Such staterooms are few in number and will book
far in advance of departure because of the soaring demand for cruises
among families. You can use our Find A Cruise Ship tool to identify
which ships offer such staterooms by clicking
here.
(Keep in mind that two staterooms may cost less than a family suite.)
Staterooms that accommodate 3 or 4 passengers are more plentiful but
still limited in number, and summer sailings for families needing these
staterooms should be booked no later than the end of March. Virtually
all cruise ships built in the past 20 years have at least a few cabins
that will accommodate 3 or 4 passengers.
Next, families hoping to take a 4- or 5-night Disney Bahamas cruise from
Florida this summer should book now. These itineraries, offered this
year on the year-old
Disney Dream, usually book earlier than any
other sailings from US ports. The best rates are typically available
5-12 months in advance and prices will increase as availability
tightens. Many summer departures are already sold out of inside
staterooms Click
here
for a list of discounted Disney Bahamas cruises throughout the year.
Next, families and other groups needing 8 or more cabins should book now
for all departures between now and the end of August. (You can book any
time in the next couple of months if you are sailing in the
traditionally slow fall season.) Group discounts are typically withdrawn
by cruise lines between 4 and 6 months in advance of departure, and
arranging cabins close to one another also becomes more problematic as
departure approaches. Click
here
for more information about group cruises.
Finally, those who must cruise on a specific ship on a specific
departure date may want to book now. Being flexible on ship and date and
watching our site regularly for price cuts (especially our 90-day
ticker) will net the lowest price, but any particular sailing could sell
out early, without resorting to deep discounting. Don't wait too long
holding out for an additional discount if only one sailing will suit
you.
I have scanned all the sailings in the next 90 days, and listed below are all the deepest discounts according to type of cabin.
Inside Cabins
Click
here to see all sailings offering
inside cabins for at least 65% off.
Oceanview Cabins
Click
here to see all sailings offering
oceanview cabins for at least 65% off.
Balcony Cabins
Click
here to see all sailings offering
balcony cabins for at least 60% off.
Suites
Click
here to see all sailings offering
suites for at least 55% off.
Here are today's
Top 10 Cruises,
brand new specials from the world's best cruise lines.
Click the FastDeal # for details.
1)
Caribbean,
7 nights on Carnival,
departs Miami Feb 18,
starting at $409,
save 77%,
FastDeal # 15391
2)
Bahamas,
7 nights on Norwegian,
departs New York Feb 25,
starting at $529,
save 62%,
FastDeal # 18208
3)
Caribbean,
7 nights on Royal Caribbean,
departs New Orleans Feb 18,
starting at $499,
FastDeal # 30674
(Royal Caribbean does not provide brochure rates for this cruise,
so we are unable to show a savings percentage.)
4)
Hawaii,
14 nights on Princess,
departs Los Angeles Mar 10,
starting at $1,102,
save 35%,
FastDeal # 26132
5)
Caribbean,
10 nights on Celebrity,
departs Fort Lauderdale Apr 6,
starting at $899,
save 51%,
FastDeal # 30220
6)
Mexico,
7 nights on Carnival,
departs Long Beach May 6,
starting at $459,
save 72%,
FastDeal # 20735
7)
Caribbean,
7 nights on Holland America,
departs Fort Lauderdale Mar 25,
starting at $499,
save 55%,
FastDeal # 13958
8)
Norway,
7 nights on Royal Caribbean,
departs Amsterdam May 12,
starting at $699,
FastDeal # 14452
(Royal Caribbean does not provide brochure rates for this cruise,
so we are unable to show a savings percentage.)
9)
Mediterranean,
7 nights on Crystal,
departs Barcelona Apr 8,
oceanview starting at $1,945,
save 76%,
FastDeal # 15357
10)
South America,
12 nights on Oceania Cruises,
departs Rio de Janeiro Feb 26,
oceanview starting at $3,074,
save 65%,
FastDeal # 12999
For the best last-minute cruise specials in the next 90 days,
click
here.
To search for discounts on cruises departing more than 90 days from now,
click
here.
For escorted tours worldwide, or air/hotel packages to London or Paris,
click
here.
For hotels in the Caribbean, Mexico, Hawaii, Bermuda or the Bahamas,
click
here.
Para visitar a nuestro sitio web de cruceros en español, haga
clic
aquí.
Once you've found a FASTDEAL, call us toll free at 800-338-4962 (US and
Canada) and a cruise counselor will attend to your needs. Customers
from the UK, please call toll free 0800 279 8084. All other
international customers, please e-mail or call us at +1-713-974-2121.
Please e-mail me your comments, suggestions and questions at
alanfox@vacationstogo.com
and I will respond the same day.
To send a copy of this newsletter to a friend or friends, click
here.
Sincerely,
Alan Fox
Chairman & CEO
Vacations To Go
