Late Cruise Deals

Question: Better to book a cruise early or late? I'm planning a cruise in December 08. Is it better (price/room) to book it soon or wait til November to get a "last minute" deal? Also, if I book now, is it better to choose my room or go with a "guaranteed" category?

Answer: Recent upward trends in the price of oil are probably going to continue.They have already spread to the price of food. For the cruise lines, that means profits are going to be squeezed. They'll have to choose between raising fares, adding more surcharges, or reducing service. If you book directly with the cruise line, most will give you the benefit of price reductions if you contact them prior to final payment date. Note that some TAs pocket this money as part of their terms and conditions. Many other TAs are less than enthusiastic about going after it for you because it reduces what they get paid. If you wait to book at the last minute, you should be prepared to stay home if a deal doesn't materialize. Early December is traditionally soft, meaning you are more likely to find last minute deals. An exception to this is Christmas week which is the highest period of the entire year. I prefer guarantees because many lines will upgrade you significantly, particularly when you book well in advance. Some of the cheaper categories may not offer room selection. An exception to this is Princess who encourages you to choose the room but will move you to a better category unless you specifically tell them otherwise.

Question: late deal greek cruises for the older single people? being a single female pensioner and a lover of greece and the greek people i wish to find out about any cruises or holidays that would be suitable for a elderly woman travelling alone.

Answer: I think that almost every cruise is suitable for traveling alone. Check on this site http://www.idealcruising.co.uk, they have offers for late deal cruises. Greece is a wonderful place for a cruise...

Question: Travel to the United States with a criminal conviction? My husband and I want to take a late deal on a cruise. We need to travel to the US but he has one conviction from over 30 years ago. It appears from reading the literature he needs to apply for a visa and this can take months. Do the US customs have access to the criminal conviction date held in the UK. It seems so silly - he was a teenage and had not been in trouble since - he is now a 52 year old grandfather!! Any advise would be good.

Answer: According to paragraph 2 A ii I-II http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/in... Exception.-Clause shall not apply to an alien who committed only one crime if- (I) the crime was committed when the alien was under 18 years of age, and the crime was committed (and the alien released from any confinement to a prison or correctional institution imposed for the crime) more than 5 years before the date of application for a visa or other documentation and the date of application for admission to the United States, or (II) the maximum penalty possible for the crime of which the alien was convicted (or which the alien admits having committed or of which the acts that the alien admits having committed constituted the essential elements) did not exceed imprisonment for one year and, if the alien was convicted of such crime, the alien was not sentenced to a term of imprisonment in excess of 6 months (regardless of the extent to which the sentence was ultimately executed). Basically, as long as he meets those exceptions, then he won't have any problem getting a visa into the US. P.S. In order to speed up the visa process, print out that page from the US governments own website and show it to them. They can't disobey our own laws! Hope you have a nice cruise!

Question: I heard that booking a cruise last minute can save you lots of money? I need to book a cruise in late June and they are pretty pricey around that time. Should I wait to book closer to the date to get the best possible deal?

Answer: For a June cruise, you should book now. It is high season and most ships are already sold out. Carnival has a 24 hour price guarantee. If you find a lower price on-line within 24 hours of booking with Carnival, they will refund the difference to you. Check out www.vacationstogo.com for a one-stop shop to compare cruise prices.

Question: Is August a good month to visit Cayman Islands or Jamaica? I was thinking of taking a cruise to Cayman Islands & Jamaica. I found a super deal for late August, however, before I book it, I wanted to know if anyone has taken a cruise during that time. And if so, was it too rainy, humid, etc, or was it an okay time to cruise during that month? Would May be a better month? Your info would be really appreciated.

Answer: August is probably the hottest month so if you like heat then thats ok, september would be my choice...........but everyday is a great day in jamaica.......May is also a great month cause its hot but not extremely hot and the hurricane season does not start till june

Question: Who was bigger at the height of their national SPOTLIGHT. Top Gun TOM CRUISE or Pretty Woman JULIA ROBERTS? Both stars have since sucessfully turned their NATIONAL CRAZE in to respectable acting careers. Both stars have gone on to win oscars BUT this question specifically deals with the early height of their FAME when they were both national obsessions From Top Gun in 1986 to his Born On the 4th of July oscar nomination in 1989 arguably no star was more of a national phenom than Tom Cruise His trademark smile was world famous.He was the ALL AMERICAN hero and possibly a bigger sensation of the time period than anyone. Male or Female From Pretty Woman in 1990 to her brief hiatis and storied return in 1993 no one was more beloved than Julia Roberts. She was looked at as a Hollywood throwback to Rita Hayworth with her princess image her long tusseld mane and her magic smile. She was during her reign like Cruise was before her. Arguably a bigger sensation than anyone. Male or Female So who was more of a SENSATION? Tom Cruise of the late 80's or Julia Roberts of the early 90's

Answer: i think tom was but i prefer julia.

Question: What would you do if you knew where Bin Laden was? If we had actionable intelligence about the location of Osama Bin Laden do you think we should ask Pakistan's permission to take action, tell them and see if they do anything, or do you think we should just launch every cruise missile we have in his vicinity, and deal with the consequences later? Killing Bin Laden might not destroy al Qaeda, but I think Americans would like to see it happen. We still have not had justice done for 9-11. I think destroying the leadership would be better than letting them run free. Oh, and let me know if you think it would be a good idea to capture him alive, let the CIA interrogate the living hell out of him, and then drop him off in downtown New York and see what happens.

Answer: I would go spend every peny I have on obtaining an illegal russian aircraft. Fly into pakistani airspace i meen common we all know he is there. then drop a carpet bomb all over the place like im laying your mother flat out on your daddys bed. Also i would go to pilot school.

Question: Cigarette prices in cruise ports? Has anybody recently cruised to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman or Cozumel that happens to know the price of cigarettes in each of those countries? I'd hate to pass up a great deal in one place because I'm holding out for a later port and then find the prices aren't as good.

Answer: try asking in cruisecritics.com that is a forum with people who go on all the cruises. you can even go to roll call room and hook up with folks on your cruise sailing . i do know that they are cheap in Puerto Rico. I would guess of the ports you list mexico would be best. things are expensive in grand cayman / and our money exchange is low there. ask your cruise director / you can walk up and ask them questions ... or try asking your table waiter / drink waiters / where the best places are . these folks are there every week and can tell you where to get. also find out how many you can bring back // ask in customs before you leave. you can bring back a few duty free. over that you have to declare or they can confiscate. they are a good deal. i think each person in your party can bring back limit so long as they are of age. have a great trip.