This is a good deal but not hot.
I have worked in the cruise industry for almost five years now as a ground transportation coordinator. Pre 9/11 you were looking at roughly $100.00 per day for a cruise aboard CCL/RCL/Princess cruise lines.
Post 9/11 you had cruises at less than $50.00 a day.
Currently prices are about $80.00 per day.
Drinks & sodas are extra but food is free 24/7.
If your flying into LA for a cruise, you will pay anywhere from $50.00 to $100.00+ dollars on a taxi ride. Its 22 miles from LAX to the port. You can get ground transportation at the airport ranging from $19.00 to $30.00 per passenger one way depending on the cruise line. CCL and RCI is $19.00 per person one way via bus. This is your best bet when flying. I have had people come up to me demanding I refund their taxi rides of over $100.00 due to LA traffic and taxi drivers "taking them for a ride". SOL is what I tell them after explaining to them they paid a few dollars less for a "cruise only" package instead of an "air sea" package.
Cruise only is just that, you paid for a cruise only.
Air sea is the cruise and airfair and ground transportation.
Most travel agents will give you a great lowball deal on a cruise but leave you hanging when it comes to finding your way to the ship. Cruise only, if your flight is delayed and you miss the ship, your assed out, mind as well go home because the ship will not wait for you. Air sea, they will make arrangments for you to get to the ship whether it be at the next port or have the ship delayed a few minutes. I have yet to see a ship wait more than five or ten minutes past its schedualed sail time for passengers. Its costs a tidy sum to dock at the ports. If they wait too long, they get charged much more due to longshormen and the pilots (yes the ship has pilots to sail them out of the harbors).
NCL is geared towards retired and executive types. In other words, its boring. I have worked the NCL Star many times and almost every sailing someone has medical problems due to age including deaths. What you want is Carnival (CCL). Its the most bang for the buck. Next in line is Royal Carribean (RCI). Just the past few years they have made many changes to compete with CCL targeting the lower age groups.
You will get your best prices from CCL at any port they cruise out of. If they have an open cabin, they will sell it at whatever cost because they bank on the "guests" with: gambling, drinking, shore excursions, souveneers, photos... Its the same thing with $9.00 for a coke and popcorn at the movie theaters. They want to get you in the door and then make money from you.
About cabins,
you will only sleep in them. Windows and balconies are a novelty. Save your money and get a decent cabin towards the middle of the ship. That keeps you away from the engine/laundry rooms and is the point of less motion should you hit rough seas. Tip your bartender an extra buck for every drink and notice you will get drunk faster the second night off less drinks. Captains parties are a joke, nuff said bout that.
A hot deal is having a friend who works directly for a cruiseline. I scored a 7 day cruise for $34.00 out the door. Just port fees and taxes off the free friends and family plan. If anyone ever sails out of the Port of Los Angeles, look for the 6'3" blond guy supervising ground operations, thats me
and I am very hard to miss lol. I see everyone going on the ship because my work desk is right next to the escalator that takes you upstairs for check-in.
I have worked in the cruise industry for almost five years now as a ground transportation coordinator. Pre 9/11 you were looking at roughly $100.00 per day for a cruise aboard CCL/RCL/Princess cruise lines.
Post 9/11 you had cruises at less than $50.00 a day.
Currently prices are about $80.00 per day.
Drinks & sodas are extra but food is free 24/7.
If your flying into LA for a cruise, you will pay anywhere from $50.00 to $100.00+ dollars on a taxi ride. Its 22 miles from LAX to the port. You can get ground transportation at the airport ranging from $19.00 to $30.00 per passenger one way depending on the cruise line. CCL and RCI is $19.00 per person one way via bus. This is your best bet when flying. I have had people come up to me demanding I refund their taxi rides of over $100.00 due to LA traffic and taxi drivers "taking them for a ride". SOL is what I tell them after explaining to them they paid a few dollars less for a "cruise only" package instead of an "air sea" package.
Cruise only is just that, you paid for a cruise only.
Air sea is the cruise and airfair and ground transportation.
Most travel agents will give you a great lowball deal on a cruise but leave you hanging when it comes to finding your way to the ship. Cruise only, if your flight is delayed and you miss the ship, your assed out, mind as well go home because the ship will not wait for you. Air sea, they will make arrangments for you to get to the ship whether it be at the next port or have the ship delayed a few minutes. I have yet to see a ship wait more than five or ten minutes past its schedualed sail time for passengers. Its costs a tidy sum to dock at the ports. If they wait too long, they get charged much more due to longshormen and the pilots (yes the ship has pilots to sail them out of the harbors).
NCL is geared towards retired and executive types. In other words, its boring. I have worked the NCL Star many times and almost every sailing someone has medical problems due to age including deaths. What you want is Carnival (CCL). Its the most bang for the buck. Next in line is Royal Carribean (RCI). Just the past few years they have made many changes to compete with CCL targeting the lower age groups.
You will get your best prices from CCL at any port they cruise out of. If they have an open cabin, they will sell it at whatever cost because they bank on the "guests" with: gambling, drinking, shore excursions, souveneers, photos... Its the same thing with $9.00 for a coke and popcorn at the movie theaters. They want to get you in the door and then make money from you.
About cabins,
you will only sleep in them. Windows and balconies are a novelty. Save your money and get a decent cabin towards the middle of the ship. That keeps you away from the engine/laundry rooms and is the point of less motion should you hit rough seas. Tip your bartender an extra buck for every drink and notice you will get drunk faster the second night off less drinks. Captains parties are a joke, nuff said bout that.
A hot deal is having a friend who works directly for a cruiseline. I scored a 7 day cruise for $34.00 out the door. Just port fees and taxes off the free friends and family plan. If anyone ever sails out of the Port of Los Angeles, look for the 6'3" blond guy supervising ground operations, thats me
and I am very hard to miss lol. I see everyone going on the ship because my work desk is right next to the escalator that takes you upstairs for check-in.
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