With the events of the Costa Concordia tarnishing the reputation of cruise liners, the Olympics driving cruise numbers down and the general economic climate meaning fewer people are choosing luxurious holiday, cruise companies are slashing prices to try and boost their numbers, and it’s never been such a good time to book.
Many of the cruise companies, regardless of how well they serve tourists, have seen a decline in numbers since the mistake made off the coast of Italy by Capt Francesco Schettino that ran aground a Concordia-class cruise ship and resulted in the tragic deaths of 32 people. It’s such an isolated incident and thousands of successful cruises run for every horror story that it’s a wonder why the numbers of people booking holidays-by-sea have been slowly going down.
Many cruise lines offer price guarantees, so that should the price drop after you book you will get that adjusted price. They can offer great deals too, with some offering tickets up to half-price for a second passenger after you book. It’s a great time to consider booking a cruise and with all the destinations and sights that it can offer, it’s sometimes preferable to a holiday in one city.
Cruises through the Baltic can take you through some of the best Eastern European and Russian tourists spots and show you history that most people will not encounter in their everyday travels. If you choose the Mediterranean as your locale, you can pick up a lovely tan while cruising and see the beautiful architecture offered by the area. Caribbean tours are probably the most popular and can showcase many different and gorgeous islands, which means you aren’t left with just trying to choose one for your stay.
Cruises have always been seen as a proper luxury holiday and now that the prices are low the time has never been better to book a last minute sun-soaked week before the cold sets in or a date to mark in your calendar for next summer that gets you through the dreary winter months.