Cruise Vacations Still Best Travel Bargain Around, AAA Says.

News & Travel Editors

ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 5, 2001

Cruise vacations continue to be one of the hottest and best travel bargains around, with discounting flourishing as cruise lines need to fill the increasing number of berths available, according to AAA.

"If there ever has been a right time to take a cruise, it is now as many cruise lines offer deep discounts to combat sagging bookings," said AAA Travel Vice President Sandra Hughes.

"This summer there have been two-for-one sales and thousands of dollars in savings on a vast range of sailings and cabins. Even luxury cruise lines, which normally are exempt from such discounting, have been offering incentives such as free business class airfares," Hughes said.

For example, a seven-day cruise to the eastern Caribbean for select October to December departures on Holland America Line begins at $579, a savings of 35 percent from the brochure rate. That same cruise increases to $899 next February and March, but it is still a respectable 35 percent savings.

Cruise Lines are offering similar fall and winter bargains to both the eastern and western Caribbean on select cruises in October and November.

"You can sail on the new Carnival Holiday to the southern Caribbean, dine on gourmet meals, watch high-quality entertainment and sample a different port nearly every day for about $71 nightly," Hughes said. "Or, you can sail seven days aboard the United States Line's ms Patriot in Hawaii at a two-for-one price that includes airfare."

Cruise lines also are promoting $99 upgrades to outside cabins, with an additional $99 to $149 to upgrade to a cabin with a private verandah on some ships.

There are currently more than 179,000 berths available for cruise passengers with another 70,000 scheduled to be added in the next five years, including 23,000 in 2002.

For travelers interested in finding the best cruise bargains, AAA suggests the following:

-- Use a travel agent that can access all the available promotions and find the
cruise best suited to your needs.

-- Be flexible in your travel dates to take advantage of the best bargains.

-- Check to determine if you qualify for specific savings, such as those often
available to repeat passengers.

-- Pay attention to newspaper and TV ads to discover what cruise lines are
offering specials.

"Cruise vacations are growing in popularity, especially with families and small groups seeking to take advantage of competitive rates and experience the advantages of a vacation at sea," Hughes said. "Combine this popularity with the wide array of available discounts and Americans may not find a better time to experience a cruise than this fall and winter."

As the nation's largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its 44 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.