Cruise Specialists
Why should you use a Cruise Specialist to book your cruise holiday?
Cruising is becoming increasingly popular with over 1.65 million British passengers predicted to take a cruise in 2010 according to the Passenger Shipping Association (PSA). But what makes a cruise so appealing ? Probably the most important point is that it is extremely good value for money, as not only does it include your accommodation it also includes all meals, entertainment, flights and transfers on fly cruises, and most on board activities such as children’s clubs, classes, talks and lectures. Some cruise lines are all inclusive of drinks and excursions too.
Using a Cruise Specialist can save you money and time when booking a cruise. As a Cruise Specialist we have very good relationships with the cruise lines and access to special prices, exclusive prices and group allocations we can book for you making your cruise much more cost effective.
We can also provide our clients with a more personal service, as we believe the best way for an agent to sell any cruise ship is to be able to speak from experience. All of our staff have had firsthand experience onboard many of the cruise lines on the market today and can therefore give expert advice on what cruise will best suit your individual needs.
It’s not only our job but also our passion; we all truly believe there is no better way to travel.
At Cruise Ahead we are extremely proud to have been awarded ‘Cruise Agent of the Year 2009’ which was presented to us by ACE (The association of Cruise Experts) and we are now recognized as one of the top 30 agents in the UK, voted by Cruise International. We are also one of the first agencies in Europe to have all our staff qualified ‘ACE Ambassadors’. ACE Ambassador status is the ultimate accolade from the Cruise Industry only achieved by the highest level of learning.
Cruise Ahead are also members of ‘The Leading Cruise Agents’. (LCA)
The LCA provide an overview of the cruise industry and claim you can be confident in the knowledge that you will be looked after if you use a cruise specialist, you will receive expert advice on what cruise will best suit your individual needs.
Deciding to take a cruise is the easy bit, actually choosing a cruise to book can be quite daunting . You have to decide what type of cruise appeals i.e.: ocean or river cruise, large or small ship, formal or casual, destination, type of cabin, flexible or formal dining etc….
As a cruise agent it is important for us to understand what type of cruise holiday a client is after such as, a family with young children who want 24 hour entertainment and activity programmes or
a couple wanting a quieter more cultural holiday, for example to St Petersburg, Alaska or to see the Northern Lights.
Important considerations are the size of ships, the departure port, the weather and time of year, the holiday duration and the on board experience /activities on offer.
Cabins
Choosing the cruise line, ship and itinerary are a good step forward but then there are other elements to consider such as your cabin type and dining options. There are essentially four types of accommodation on ships – inside cabins with no window, ocean view rooms which have port hole or picture window, rooms with a balcony and suites.
Inside cabins are the cheapest and suites the most expensive, often having extra luxuries such as butler service. Prices can also differ a lot depending on the location – mid-ship rooms on higher decks are more desirable and will therefore be more expensive than cabins on lower decks, forward and aft. (lower deck cabins mid-ship however, are the most stable)
If you are planning a river cruise the cabins on lower decks tend to have port holes which could limit your view. Most river cruise vessels today have balcony cabins with floor to ceiling windows which open but they are known as Juliette balconies which tend to be too small to actually sit out on.
Dining
Regarding the dining on cruise ships, there are a number of different types ranging from ‘fixed two sitting dining’ to ‘flexible’ dining.
You will need to decide at the time of booking which dining option you would like. The fixed dining means that you would eat at the same time every night with the same people on the same table. (this is not totally inflexible – if you don’t get on with the people on your table you can ask to be moved) There are usually two sittings around 6.30pm or 8.30pm. The flexible option allows you to eat pretty much when, where and with whom you like. Some cruise lines charge gratuities at the time of booking if you opt for the latter option.
Dress Codes
Most cruise lines will have 1 -2 formal nights per 7 night cruise with the rest being smart casual.
Formal attire consists of dinner jackets or lounge suit and tie for gentlemen and cocktail dress or evening gown for ladies.
There are a few cruise lines that allow ‘smart casual’ all the time.
Over the years we have developed close working relationships with all the cruise companies, and in turn we receive great benefits which we can pass onto our clients including complimentary upgrades, that wouldn’t necessarily be given to any high street travel agent selling lots of other different types of holidays.
At Cruise Ahead our philosophy is to provide a high standard of quality and personal service to our clients. There is a cruise to suit every type of client and with our specialist knowledge, personal experience and professional unbiased, impartial advice it is our job to match the right cruise holiday with the right client.
