Dear Tidewatching, if I had any hols and money left this is what I would do for November.
On vacationstogo.com there is a 10 night caribbean cruise out of New York on 21 November on Holland America's Noordam, which is only 18 months old. We have been on the ship, inside cabin, and it is superb.
The cost of this cruise for inside cabin, cruise only, is quoted at about £425 and return flight to NYC at that time of year will be around £250.
The way to do it is get out there a couple of days pre-cruise and enjoy Christmas shopping in NYC. You should be able to get a decent hotel for about £100 per night. Only slight downside to the cruise is that for the first sea-day on way down and final sea-day on way back you will not be in warm waters, but there is plenty going on and organised indoors on the Noordam.
If interested go into the website and click on the brown "find a bargain" box (not the 90 day ticker box). At next screen select November as your month and then select the Noordam from cruiseship menu. Go down and click "show me the deals" and you will see 2 options for November, one on 10th and the 21st at $849. There will be a little Government tax to pay that will push it up to about $900 (£450).
We booked this ship with VTG last year and it was incredibly easy.
On vacationstogo.com there is a 10 night caribbean cruise out of New York on 21 November on Holland America's Noordam, which is only 18 months old. We have been on the ship, inside cabin, and it is superb.
The cost of this cruise for inside cabin, cruise only, is quoted at about £425 and return flight to NYC at that time of year will be around £250.
The way to do it is get out there a couple of days pre-cruise and enjoy Christmas shopping in NYC. You should be able to get a decent hotel for about £100 per night. Only slight downside to the cruise is that for the first sea-day on way down and final sea-day on way back you will not be in warm waters, but there is plenty going on and organised indoors on the Noordam.
If interested go into the website and click on the brown "find a bargain" box (not the 90 day ticker box). At next screen select November as your month and then select the Noordam from cruiseship menu. Go down and click "show me the deals" and you will see 2 options for November, one on 10th and the 21st at $849. There will be a little Government tax to pay that will push it up to about $900 (£450).
We booked this ship with VTG last year and it was incredibly easy.
Just go for it. Well done Graham and I have just gone through the process of trying the web site out.
Offers on QM2 Celebrity etc etc.
Also just had an email with 10 best offers from Check in Cruise line and all the offers are mostly for 2008 but they email me each week with their best deals.
All you need is a starting point and then if you want to you can try different TA who will often price match or offer you extra's etc like OBC or will better the price. The only thing to look out for is to check the status of the TA.
A lot of US customers book with Lori and I can't recall her web site but numerous people from the UK book with her and she takes group booking and holds things like premium aft balconies etc and then if she has someone who wishes to book she is already holding blocks on them. A bit unfair as they are booked as soon as the bookings are released and then there is no penalty for cancelling so that they do not lose their deposit. I know numerous people who book several cruises and then when they are due to make final payment they cancel the others and select the best.
Again an unfair advantage over us but this is how life is sometimes.
Carry on cruising is all I can say!
Sue
Offers on QM2 Celebrity etc etc.
Also just had an email with 10 best offers from Check in Cruise line and all the offers are mostly for 2008 but they email me each week with their best deals.
All you need is a starting point and then if you want to you can try different TA who will often price match or offer you extra's etc like OBC or will better the price. The only thing to look out for is to check the status of the TA.
A lot of US customers book with Lori and I can't recall her web site but numerous people from the UK book with her and she takes group booking and holds things like premium aft balconies etc and then if she has someone who wishes to book she is already holding blocks on them. A bit unfair as they are booked as soon as the bookings are released and then there is no penalty for cancelling so that they do not lose their deposit. I know numerous people who book several cruises and then when they are due to make final payment they cancel the others and select the best.
Again an unfair advantage over us but this is how life is sometimes.
Carry on cruising is all I can say!
Sue
With europe it is a lot easier these days with plenty of cheap one way flights, I chose BA to price up the Jade trip(they are available on the ba web site just not on the site I tried) because they are relativly safe(delays) so you can risk same day you can get cheaper if you go easyjet etc but then you get the complications of some pay for bags or have lower weight limits.
If you can move the Nov dates to either Oct or Dec I have two good deals or just look at what the NCL Gem is going in between(vacationstogo are guide prices you discount and then add tax) 2 12 night round trip barcelona . cruise only aprox £550.
Legend of the seas Rome(not so easy transport) to barcelona cruise only £450 13n Also Sun-sat so easy to add a night each end.
For Dec 3 we are doing a trans NCL Gen Barcelona to Boston 9 nights £200(out GTY) flights back are now going up but we went for a BA to LHR for £160(was £130 airlingus), still to book the flight/hotel to Barcelona, got our eye on a hotel for 20eur ok hotel not a good locaton but ok transport links and probably flight with BA at £50pp (easyjet £25 but not LHR)
So target is 2n barcelona 9 night cruise and 3n in boston(relatives) for £425pp
Both cruise and flight with US agents got NCL and BA confimation NO's on the systems of both same day so confimed bookings hopefully, used CC for backup. Both sites came recommended. Found a site that will do good one way price US->uk. http://www.bt-store.com/ so good for transatlantics.
Some trips just don't work last year we did the pearl trans and could not better Voyana pricing this year we can.
Only issue is insurance since this will be a problem if bits get cancelled/delays but for other issues like illness should be OK. No ABTA/ATOL but NCL and BA so should be OK.
If you can move the Nov dates to either Oct or Dec I have two good deals or just look at what the NCL Gem is going in between(vacationstogo are guide prices you discount and then add tax) 2 12 night round trip barcelona . cruise only aprox £550.
Legend of the seas Rome(not so easy transport) to barcelona cruise only £450 13n Also Sun-sat so easy to add a night each end.
For Dec 3 we are doing a trans NCL Gen Barcelona to Boston 9 nights £200(out GTY) flights back are now going up but we went for a BA to LHR for £160(was £130 airlingus), still to book the flight/hotel to Barcelona, got our eye on a hotel for 20eur ok hotel not a good locaton but ok transport links and probably flight with BA at £50pp (easyjet £25 but not LHR)
So target is 2n barcelona 9 night cruise and 3n in boston(relatives) for £425pp
Both cruise and flight with US agents got NCL and BA confimation NO's on the systems of both same day so confimed bookings hopefully, used CC for backup. Both sites came recommended. Found a site that will do good one way price US->uk. http://www.bt-store.com/ so good for transatlantics.
Some trips just don't work last year we did the pearl trans and could not better Voyana pricing this year we can.
Only issue is insurance since this will be a problem if bits get cancelled/delays but for other issues like illness should be OK. No ABTA/ATOL but NCL and BA so should be OK.
well don't get it right every time, booked the 20eur hotel fine but the favourate flight option jumped to over £80 today(from<£50).
(Note to self prices change on the month boundry)
A good rule of thumb when planning package DIY is be aware of the risk of not booing all together and if you have a component at a known low price (like a flight LHR-BCN with BA at <50) book it.
(Note to self prices change on the month boundry)
A good rule of thumb when planning package DIY is be aware of the risk of not booing all together and if you have a component at a known low price (like a flight LHR-BCN with BA at <50) book it.
Not a TA, work in IT currently with Mobile phones.
Spend a lot of time researching options and have kept TXT ads and all offer emails for some time to track UKprices and go back to look for trends.
Forgot to say the hotel in Barcelona is the Travelodge through http://www.travelodge.co.uk
Also since Barcelonais such a good Cruise hub use http://www.tmb.net/en_US/home.jsp to learn the transport system its dirt cheap with a T10 or day passes.
Spend a lot of time researching options and have kept TXT ads and all offer emails for some time to track UKprices and go back to look for trends.
Forgot to say the hotel in Barcelona is the Travelodge through http://www.travelodge.co.uk
Also since Barcelonais such a good Cruise hub use http://www.tmb.net/en_US/home.jsp to learn the transport system its dirt cheap with a T10 or day passes.
Very interesting to see Travelodge in Barcelona, learn something everyday. Thanks for that.
Checked website, double or family room for 90 euros which is about £65
An increasing number of cruises leave from Barcelona, and with return flights on budget airlines at £70 or thereabouts it is possible to DIY on a cruise only and only add about £125 per person onto cost including overnight at Travelodge, and transfers. Taxi airport to Travelodge will be about £15, then £10 to cruise terminal, and £20 back to airport on return.
Windjammer, do you know any cost effective ways to fly to Lisbon on a DIY for cruise?
Checked website, double or family room for 90 euros which is about £65
An increasing number of cruises leave from Barcelona, and with return flights on budget airlines at £70 or thereabouts it is possible to DIY on a cruise only and only add about £125 per person onto cost including overnight at Travelodge, and transfers. Taxi airport to Travelodge will be about £15, then £10 to cruise terminal, and £20 back to airport on return.
Windjammer, do you know any cost effective ways to fly to Lisbon on a DIY for cruise?
Not sure about Lisbon, not seen a cruise yet that would make me look.
Hi everyone! Can you all help a poor befuddled mind here by saying if any of the prices you mention are single traveller prices - please!!!
Perhaps none of them are, since there seems to be an extreme shortage of them this year, even for very last minute cruises!!!
So pleased you enjoyed your cruise Sue and looking forward to a review!
Perhaps none of them are, since there seems to be an extreme shortage of them this year, even for very last minute cruises!!!
So pleased you enjoyed your cruise Sue and looking forward to a review!
Hi Magsy
Just got an email today from Cruise Kings and they are offering the Mercury from San Francisco to Alaska 16 night ending in Vancouver at a inside price for double occupancy £1335 but single for £1789 I think/ Alaska may not be what you would want but 16 nights for this is a great price and I think the single is a good price considering the number of nights.
Fred Olsen have some offers for single but I am not interested in them so can't remember the details. It is 00.38hours and I have had grandchildren here all week and the decorators in so am dead beat so need to get off to bed. My £1200 on the QM2 was I think also a great deal and I am paying £880 with a $100 OBC on Century in October this is a grade 9 inside. My friend is in a 2A balcony and it is £1975 but for me I am happy in this case to have the QM and Century for that price.
Sure you will find deals still out there as they keep trying to put bottoms on beds. Will post if I see anything'
Good to hear from you. Keep CRUISING nothing quite like it.
Sue
Just got an email today from Cruise Kings and they are offering the Mercury from San Francisco to Alaska 16 night ending in Vancouver at a inside price for double occupancy £1335 but single for £1789 I think/ Alaska may not be what you would want but 16 nights for this is a great price and I think the single is a good price considering the number of nights.
Fred Olsen have some offers for single but I am not interested in them so can't remember the details. It is 00.38hours and I have had grandchildren here all week and the decorators in so am dead beat so need to get off to bed. My £1200 on the QM2 was I think also a great deal and I am paying £880 with a $100 OBC on Century in October this is a grade 9 inside. My friend is in a 2A balcony and it is £1975 but for me I am happy in this case to have the QM and Century for that price.
Sure you will find deals still out there as they keep trying to put bottoms on beds. Will post if I see anything'
Good to hear from you. Keep CRUISING nothing quite like it.
Sue
Any price mentioned will be for a 2 share unless otherwise stated.
The two other types of promotion are singles and family/3,4 share.
Single deals are out there but generaly offseason, and itineries that are not so popular, last year RCI had a great deal on the canaries from Southamton for singles.
To catch the singles deals you need to be very flexable on dates and ships. Fred Olsen and also Marco Polo often have OK deals.
Allthough some ships are 100% supliment looking out for the deep discount cruise only deals means you can still get a good deal.
Take the Gen trans as an example, lowest price I have seen was about £185 so £370 if you double up then on top £200 air so £570 which is not bad for 9nights on a good ship.
This year there was a late deal on the Navigator for £500pp most people were paying £1k+ anyway so even with the 100% sup still ok price.
Deals available through US for caribbean from Miami, the UK pricing will include flights but you only need one of them.
The two other types of promotion are singles and family/3,4 share.
Single deals are out there but generaly offseason, and itineries that are not so popular, last year RCI had a great deal on the canaries from Southamton for singles.
To catch the singles deals you need to be very flexable on dates and ships. Fred Olsen and also Marco Polo often have OK deals.
Allthough some ships are 100% supliment looking out for the deep discount cruise only deals means you can still get a good deal.
Take the Gen trans as an example, lowest price I have seen was about £185 so £370 if you double up then on top £200 air so £570 which is not bad for 9nights on a good ship.
This year there was a late deal on the Navigator for £500pp most people were paying £1k+ anyway so even with the 100% sup still ok price.
Deals available through US for caribbean from Miami, the UK pricing will include flights but you only need one of them.
Hi Sue,
Thanks for that information. The slight problem is I don't know how long each cruise was for but any length on QM2 was good for that!
Yes, you can generally get good prices from Olsen, I did getting an outside twin to my self last November for £895 for 3 weeks!!! Naturally, that was a booking made within a few short weeks of leaving. Now that was a bargain! I personally was not impressed by the brand (see my review) but I have no doubt it would suit many people.
Marco Polo was another ship which frequently offered low or no supplements but I expect we will have to wait and see what her new owners (Transocean) come up with.
In the meantime, I will search on! Happy cruising everyone!
Thanks for that information. The slight problem is I don't know how long each cruise was for but any length on QM2 was good for that!
Yes, you can generally get good prices from Olsen, I did getting an outside twin to my self last November for £895 for 3 weeks!!! Naturally, that was a booking made within a few short weeks of leaving. Now that was a bargain! I personally was not impressed by the brand (see my review) but I have no doubt it would suit many people.
Marco Polo was another ship which frequently offered low or no supplements but I expect we will have to wait and see what her new owners (Transocean) come up with.
In the meantime, I will search on! Happy cruising everyone!
Think I'm catching on... found 7 days on RCI Spendour 10th November £367 starting and ending in Venice. Could fly BA 2 days earlier for just under £80 return. Not bad....mmm
Yes, an excellent deal. Depends how important weather is for you...it could be anything at that time of year. Having said that we have friends who went on a land-based touring holiday in the Andalucian area of Costa Del Sol early last November and they had wall to wall sunshine for the week, with 20C (70F) temperature. Certainly you would be in East Med, maybe less chance of good weather.
Splendour used to be what I called MY ship. Have sailed on her many times although not for the past about 5 years. Since she has been sailing in the Med her cruises have been typically 7 nights. I made the move to Celebrity and I am sorry to say have never gone back.
It is a good deal. I have been in their D grade balcony room and they were great. Ocean view grade F is a little larger but their standard and standard inside grade are smaller Smaller than RCI is building now.
You would not find any land based holiday at this price for this sort of deal. If you can then just go for it.
Sue
It is a good deal. I have been in their D grade balcony room and they were great. Ocean view grade F is a little larger but their standard and standard inside grade are smaller Smaller than RCI is building now.
You would not find any land based holiday at this price for this sort of deal. If you can then just go for it.
Sue
found 7 days on RCI Spendour 10th November £367 starting and ending in Venice. Could fly BA 2 days earlier for just under £80 return
That looks a good deal, given UK places(savensail) want around £480(C/O) £660(GTW).
Try http://www.cruisecompete.com to see what other agents will come up with I did this for Oct Gem and got some better prices than V2G, then booked the Dec with one of those agents http://www.bestpricecruises.com
For the 10th Nov trip comes up with for the inside GTY
$749.00+$49.55=$798.55 USD which is the same as V2G.
If you are going to start booking in $ then you also need a CC that does not load the exchange rate(2%-3%), so that is Nationwide or the Post Office. it took me about three weeks to get my Nationwide up and running.
Can you please tell me what GTY and V2G are 
GTY guaranty where you will get a cabin of the grade or better.
v2g http://www.vacationstogo.co.uk a good US website for tracking down deals they also have a UK 0800 number and are happy to deal with UK customers.
NOTE: if you register as US you get to see more deals but some will not be available to UK customers, I register as UK and US we have a US address we can use if needed.
v2g http://www.vacationstogo.co.uk a good US website for tracking down deals they also have a UK 0800 number and are happy to deal with UK customers.
NOTE: if you register as US you get to see more deals but some will not be available to UK customers, I register as UK and US we have a US address we can use if needed.
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