Choosing Your Cruise For 2019

Today I wanted to finalize my travel plans for the upcoming year but with so many options I was feeling a bit overwhelmed! Did you know that when one of our Direct Line Cruises cruise consultants opens up our search engine tool to assist a prospective client in selecting a cruise vacation, the system shows 35,162 options available for booking! Wow!  So how does one decide?  For some it’s an easy decision but for others….

An answer to one of the following two questions will dramatically filter those seemingly infinite choices. Where do you want to leave from?  If you’re determined to embark from a port that’s driving distance from your home, that narrows things significantly.  Where do you want to go? Again, picking a destination will assist in determining cruise line, cruise ship and the time of year you will travel. For example, if you want to journey to Alaska the cruising season is only May through September.

So, when do you really want to travel? If your destination choice doesn’t narrow your travel window like in the above example then maybe you have more flexibility. Unless its school or work vacation policies you have to consider.  For years I trekked through Europe in the heat of the summer when my son was on school break. This year, for the first time, I cruised to Italy in the fall. The weather was lovely and I got a great price on the cruise and air. When you are able to travel in the shoulder seasons you may find less crowds and better pricing.

Once you’ve determined where and when to go it’s time to select a cruise line.  This may be your most crucial decision. Dress codes, kid friendliness, age groups, pricing, inclusiveness, entertainment venues; each and every cruise line differs in these areas.  Find your perfect match and it will be an amazing cruise experience.  Get it wrong and well… maybe you won’t be as happy.  An experienced cruise consultant, like those at Direct Line Cruises, can be of great assistance here.  Give us a call and tap into the wealth of knowledge our agents can provide you with.