Cruise Deals

Boutique line Azamara Club Cruises is to offer all-inclusive drinks, matching the packages available on upmarket competitors such as SeaDream and Crystal. The line will also introduce a complimentary shore excursion - or AzAmazing Evening - on each of its voyages. The new benefits will begin when the line's ships return to Europe next year - March in the case of Azamara Quest, and May for Azamara Journey. All Azamara's cruises feature late-night departures and overnight stays in port. It will be during these that the "destination events" will be laid on. Typical evenings will include outings to the ballet [...]

While P&O's sponsorship of Downton Abbey places the brand in front of a TV audience of millions each week, I fear the tactic will do little to change the widely-held - but totally inaccurate - perception of cruising as an expensive holiday. In fact, cruise ship holidays provide some of the best value around, and it's taken Thomson to prove it with a comparison of three different multi-centre breaks. A family of four on a Mediterranean tour from Palma, Majorca to Corsica, Rome, Florence, Toulon and Barcelona would spend an estimated £11,269 on flights, hotels, meals, drinks and entertainment. The [...]

When it comes to deals to help sell cruises there are two popular ways to avoid cutting fares to the bone - a price promise that means early bookers will always get the best value, and all-inclusive drinks. Fred Olsen is now embracing both in a concerted attempt to get customers to book early . Only last month, the cruise line announced it was going to trial the drinks deal on a handful of itineraries aboard Braemar next February and March. They did such good business as a result, with those cruises selling three times as quickly as others in [...]

Cunard and P&O Cruises have moved to try to break the habits of customers who are accustomed to picking up bargain fares with late deals. Under its new Price Promise, passengers are guaranteed they won't lose out if fares are reduced. The new Vantage Fares, launching next Monday, July 23, will include the choice of a range of benefits such as free car parking at the port or airport, or return coach transfers to Southampton. Vantage Fare passengers can choose a specific cabin and will have the flexibility to make changes to their booking up to 90 days before departure, [...]