Cruise Lines Compete for Your Money

Stretching Your Tax Refund

Pier pressure: Cruise lines boost ticket costs

Summary: Going on a cruise just got more expensive this week as 16 cruise lines announced new fees to be imposed upon passengers to cover rising fuel costs. Last week, Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise operator, announced a fuel surcharge of $5 per person, per day, for the following Carnival brands: Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and Seabourn Cruise Line. Earlier this year, Carnival added a fuel charge on its European brands, Costa Cruises and AIDA Cruises. Before Carnival announced its surcharges, luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises announced that it will implement a fuel surcharge of $7.50 per person, per day, for its 2008 sailings..

Crazy Cruise Costs

Summary: Veteran cruiser Elliott Manning booked his Hawaiian dream cruise aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines' (NCL) Pride of Aloha. Manning travels solo all around the globe and is quite familiar with the single supplement charged by most cruise lines. This supplement is an adjustment to the published cruise fare that compensates the cruise line for the loss of double occupancy in the cabin. It can be quite high, as much as double the regular per-person rate. Manning doesn't like it, but he considers it a necessary evil: Just pay it and be done with it, he figures..

Cruising on your tax refund

Summary: According to the Internal Revenue Service, the average tax refund for 2006 is $2,548 — about $100 more than last year. So, how far can you cruise on that tax refund? Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert who is nationally recognized as "The Cruise Guy," says you can go quite far, noting that this year's sluggish economy has caused the cruise industry to slash prices on cruises all over the world. That got me thinking. Where exactly could $2,548 take me? I asked Chiron to look around, and he turned up some great cruise deals that will definitely tempt you — even if you aren't getting a big tax refund...

Fall for these cruise deals

Summary: According to the Internal Revenue Service, the average tax refund for 2006 is $2,548 — about $100 more than last year. So, how far can you cruise on that tax refund? Stewart Chiron, a cruise industry expert who is nationally recognized as "The Cruise Guy," says you can go quite far, noting that this year's sluggish economy has caused the cruise industry to slash prices on cruises all over the world. That got me thinking. Where exactly could $2,548 take me? I asked Chiron to look around, and he turned up some great cruise deals that will definitely tempt you — even if you aren't getting a big tax refund...

The Cruise Guy's Top 5 Cruise Tips

Summary:

1. Be flexible with your dates. Cruise prices can vary by sailing date, so check a few dates before and after your desired sailing date to ensure maximum savings...

Sail & Save : Save big on that next family trip to Europe by cruisin'

Summary: The guide at St. Peter's in Rome thought we were crazy. He'd never given a shorter tour, he declared. I just nodded. Anyone who has ever toured Great Sites with kids - in this case my 13-year-old nephew and 10-year-old daughter - knows that there's just so much sightseeing they can take at one time before they start whining for a swimming pool, ice cream, a burger or other kids, preferably who speak English. That's why so many parents and grandparents are opting to introduce their kids to Europe via cruise ship - more this summer than ever before, believes nationally known cruise broker Stewart Chiron, president of www.thecruiseguy.com.

When to Reserve What

Summary: ANY SHOPPING ADDICT will tell you that it's advance planners and last-minute lollygaggers who typically find the best deals. The idea is that if you know exactly what you want — and won't settle for anything less — it's best to book well in advance. Not picky? With a little flexibility, you'll find last-minute booking deals for just about everything. But the best bargain hunters know to look for that sweet spot of good selection and low prices. We talked to the experts and found the best time to reserve everything from moving companies to summer camps...

Family First : Cruise With The Kids

Summary: If you're planning on taking a cruise with the kids, there's lots you should know before you book that vacation. Stewart Chiron, President of cruiseguy.com., explains...

Carnival to add fuel charge on cruises

Summary: Miami-based Carnival Corp. said beginning Feb. 1 it will charge cruise passengers on its North American brands a $5 a day fuel fee...