Reserve a Repositioning Cruise and Get a Bargain Fare
May 19th, 2009 by Henry, under Travel Agents, Vacations, World Travel. No Comments
One of the top ways to book an inexpensive cruise is to take a trip on one of the repositioning routes. A repositioning cruise typically sets sail in the autumn or in the late spring, during which seasons the cruise lines are sailing their ships from the Alaska waters to the routes in the Caribbean or the other way around. These just happen to be, in my opinion, the best time to cruise Alaska anyway.
Instead of moving these cruise ships empty between the two regions, destinations, the cruise companies carry passengers on these repositioning voyages at what often amounts to a huge savings over regular in-season Alaskan cruise pricing.
When you take a repositioning cruise, your journey can last anywhere from three days (along the route from Vancouver to San Francisco) to much longer voyages across the Pacific Ocean.
On the longer cruises that include ocean crossings, there are few port stops, so passengers have plenty of time to take full advantage of the many activities, shows, and other forms of entertainment aboard the cruise ships.
Of course, it is easy to spend a lot of money in the ship’s bars and casino during a long cruise, so you might want to keep track of your tab along the way to avoid any unexpected and aggravating surprises when you get your final bill after the cruise ends.
One other factor to weigh when considering a repositioning cruise is the cost of the airfare getting you to the starting point and home from the ending point of the cruise.
Since repositioning cruises by definition start and finish in different ports, you will most likely need to purchase a split fare ticket, which can often add a bit to the overall cost of your vacation.
But if the airfare is reasonably priced, a repositioning cruise can be a great way to cruise to new places while having the time to thoroughly enjoy the facilities and amenities of a modern cruise ship – all at a great bargain. That’s about as good a price as you’ll find. The cost alone make these routes among the best Alaskan cruises of all.
