Silversea Cuts Singles a Break

Silversea's Silver Spirit at sea.

Photo courtesy of Silversea.

If you've ever taken a cruise by yourself, chances are you are all too familiar with the dreaded "single supplement."  For the uninitiated, a single supplement is an additional fare charged to solo cruisers who want to occupy a cabin that would otherwise be meant for two passengers.  The additional fare can range from a few dollars to two hundred per-cent of the fare: the equivalent of paying for another passenger.

Which is why Silversea's announcement last week is such a boon for solo travelers looking for a luxury cruise that won't break the bank.  More than 20 sailings in 2011 have had their single supplement reduced to between ten and twenty five per cent - both of which can be combined with the line's Silver Savings, Free Air and $250 onboard credit offers.

So what's on offer?  Here's just a few of the voyages that are rolling out the red carpet to solo travelers.

Arabian Peninsula Voyage 2101 - Silver Wind, January 3, 2011.  Dubai to Dubai.  $5,058 including Free Air from select cities.

Caribbean Voyage 1109 - Silver Cloud, March 14, 2011.  Ft. Lauderdale to Ft. Lauderdale.  $4,422 including Free Air from select cities, and $250 Onboard Credit.

Far East Voyage 3109 - Silver Shadow, May 7, 2011.  Shanghai to Tokyo.  $7,398.  Our personal favorite. 

A typical Caribbean voyage on a mainstream cruise line can easily run double the price of the per person fare, particularly for balcony staterooms.  If you're going to pay more money to sail solo, you might as well have something to show for it.  Silversea's offer is a deal because it represents a considerable value: solo travelers get to enjoy the same fantastic service, ships, itineraries, and culinary delights at their attached counterparts without paying through the nose for it.

As someone who's cruised solo in the past, I know how difficult it can be to get a truly good deal on a voyage as a single passenger, which is why I applaud Silversea all the more for taking the initiative to offer these twenty voyages to solo travellers, and I can only hope other lines will follow suit and make a serious effort to court those who choose to travel on their own.

To learn more about the reduced single supplements on select 2011 sailings, visit Silversea's website for full details.

Update: Celebrity Century Rudder Issues

The saga of the Celebrity Century continues to play out on message boards like CruiseCritic. 

After being told their cruise was over just two days after departing due to (incredibly) - two broken rudders - it seems passengers have all gone separate ways.  Some have flown back home, while others have turned an aborted cruise into an unexpected land vacation.  Others still were able to secure replacement voyages on other ships, thereby salvaging their vacations. 

In all cases, it seems confusion was rampant, both about what to do and what Celebrity was prepared to offer.  Celebrity Century ended her voyage near the city of Nice, France - just about as expensive as European destinations get.  Complicating matters?  Strikes in France have shut down most modes of transportation, including the Eurostar.  Even Charles De Gaulle airport has stated it only has fuel to last a few more days - making connections through CDG a very unlikely possibility, and necessitating a ten-hour bus ride back to Barcelona for most passengers.

In short: a major headache for those with money to spend, and an absolute nightmare for those who hadn't imagined needing the kind of cash they'd need to shell out to get home.

However unfortunate for those passengers aboard the canceled sailing, this incident serves as a timely reminder for all cruisers.  While Celebrity seems to have provided phone and internet access for passengers to make arrangements, with two-thousand-plus people all vying for a crack at it, access was understandably scarce.

So what can you do to ensure you're ahead of the pack when something goes awry?  Below are a few helpful - and timely - tips.

Purchase Trip Interruption / Cancellation Insurance - While it's not a fail-safe by any means, having decent interruption and cancellation insurance will reimburse you for any expenses occurred when your trip hits the rocks.  But it's not immediate - in most cases, receipts have to be submitted in order to be reimbursed, meaning any expenses must be paid for up front - by you.  Which makes our next item all the more important.  Most of all, a good insurance company will work with you to make arrangements with the least financial impact.

Carry a Backup Credit Card - having a credit card with no balance on it (or at least one with some headroom) can save the day.  While hotels can be expensive, unexpected return flights - booked last minute - can be a nightmare.  Having a credit card for emergencies can remove that initial panic and allow you to get home, where you can deal with your insurance company for reimbursement.

Bring a Laptop or GSM-Enabled Phone - Sure, the cruise line made internet access free.  There's just one problem: the entire ship is jockeying for position on one of a dozen computer stations.  Chances are by the time you get your turn, the most affordable hotels and transportation options will be long gone.  So don't wait for that to happen: carrying a laptop with WiFi capabilities allows you to tap into any free access point, research flights, book hotels - all without queuing up.   Additionally, having a GSM-enabled phone allows you to make calls almost anywhere in the world - again without enduring long lineups.  Eliminating any unnecessary stress can be a huge lifesaver in situations like this, allowing you to get in touch with your travel agent or family and friends back home.

Know Your Airline - Work With Them - Take a look at who you booked your flights with.  Chances are they're part of an airline "alliance" - a group of airlines who code-share flights.  Star Alliance and OneWorld are the two largest alliances.  If you find yourself stranded in an area not served by the airline you originally booked your flights with, call up one of their partners.  It's a long shot, but if anyone will be able to help you out or cut you some slack, it's an airline within the same alliance as your original booking.  You'll still have to pay change fees, and you might even get hit with a fare difference increase, but it could be cheaper than booking new flights outright.

Get All the Facts - In Writing - Once you leave your ship, the cruise line no longer has any responsibility for you.  So make sure you get as much in writing as possible, and gather all the facts before setting off on your own.  Make sure you exhaust every avenue of assistance offered by the cruise line before taking matters into your own hands. 

Port Profile: Tampa, Florida

Looking towards the Tampa Convention Centre in early morning.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

When most people think of taking a Caribbean cruise, the assumption is that they'll be sailing out of Fort Lauderdale or Miami, Florida's leading home ports.  But another city in the Sunshine State offers a wide array of departures without the congestion that plagues the two aforementioned ports: the beautiful city of Tampa.

First spotted by Spanish explorers in the early 1500's, Tampa has grown to be the 54th largest city in the United States and was called one of the best outdoor cities by Forbes magazine.  The town that was originally little more than a trading outpost upon incorporation in 1853 is now a bustling metropolitan area and a rapidly growing destination for cruisers looking for a warm getaway.

 Ease of Access: Grandeur of the Seas is visible

just beyond the Florida Aquarium, at right.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

From a cruiser's perspective, Tampa has a lot going for it: Tampa International Airport is a mere twenty minutes from the downtown area and the cruise terminals.  The downtown area itself boasts plenty of hotels, restaurants and attractions, such as the Florida Aquarium and historic Ybor City with its distinctively Cuban flair.  In the case of the Florida Aquarium, it is situated two minutes' walk from the cruise terminals and leads to the multitude of shops along Channelside Drive.

One of the many interesting - and bizarre - fish

on display at the Florida Aquarium.

Photo © Aaron Saunders 

We visited Tampa in January 2009 and were instantly impressed with the friendliness of this city.  Clean and relatively quiet compared to Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa possesses a more laid-back atmosphere.  Everything you could need seems to be within arm's reach.  In fact, other than to get from the airport to downtown, we never used a taxi at all, and even walked from our hotel to the cruise terminal.

All of this, coupled with an ever-increasing number of ships that call Tampa home during the winter, make this a Floridian port worth watching.

 Another Tampa attraction: the SS American Victory.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

Currency and Language: The United States Dollar ($) is used, and other currencies are not commonly accepted.  English is spoken throughout.

How to Get There: Tampa International Airport hosts direct flights from most major US carriers and cities.  Air Canada and WestJet provide direct service from Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax, while British Airways serves Europe via London Gatwick.  Taxis to the downtown area are readily available, and cost approximately $25.

 Metalwork sculptures line the waterfront.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

Where to Stay: If you want to be within walking distance to the cruise terminals and stay in an excellent area of town, choose a hotel in the Channelside district.  Two notable properties are the Embassy Suites Tampa Convention Centre, and the Tampa Marriott Waterside.  While we're big fans of the Marriott, the Embassy Suites gets our vote for their spacious rooms and included breakfast buffet - a great way to start off your cruise.

 The Embassy Suites Tampa - Convention Centre.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

The Cruise Terminals: The Port of Tampa utilizes two terminals for departures from the city: Terminal 2 and Terminal 3.  Both berths are adjacent to each other, so there's no need to tromp around the city if you're leaving from one or the other.  For a detailed cruise ship schedule and port/berth information, be sure to visit the Port of Tampa's highly informative website.

To learn more about the city of Tampa, visit the Tampa Bay website.  (Fair warning: it's a good site, but it has some rather loud music & sound that you might want to have your speakers off for if you're viewing this at the office.  Not that we here at From the Deck Chair ever do that.  No.  Certainly not...)

Last Chance Mexico aboard Mariner of the Seas

Mariner of the Seas at anchor in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Photo © 2010 Aaron Saunders

If you're looking to experience the Mexican Riviera aboard Mariner of the Seas - or any Royal Caribbean ship, for that matter - the clock is ticking.

As of January 2011, both ship and line are pulling out, headed for the warmth and higher revenues of the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

While the week-long cruises out of Los Angeles were undoubtedly popular, the problem was a question of revenue.  The ship may have been at-capacity, but with stiff competition on the route the result was such that the line felt it couldn't command the fares a ship the size of Mariner needed to operate.

 Mariner of the Seas towers over Puerto Vallarta.

Photo © 2010 Aaron Saunders

Unlike the Caribbean - which offers numerous possible ports of call and itineraries from a vast array of turnaround ports, the Mexican Riviera consists of three major ports: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta.  Others, such as Acapulco, simply aren't reachable on a week-long cruise from Californian waters.

The end result is that each cruise line is forced to offer the same basic itinerary, leaving passengers to choose their cruise based purely on the ship operating it, or, in the case of many travellers, the cheapest voyage.

Nighttime aboard Mariner of the Seas in Puerto Vallarta.

Photo © 2010 Aaron Saunders 

With the Caribbean market heating up again, and the European cruise market positively exploding on a year-round basis, the decision was an easy one: pull Mariner of the Seas from the West Coast and redeploy her.  

So why should you get in on these last few months of Mexican Riviera sailings?  After January, it's anyone's guess as to when Royal Caribbean will even consider returning to the region, and when it does, it's highly unlikely it will deploy a Voyager-class ship on the run like Mariner of the Seas.  Therefore, it truly will be the end of an era for West Coast cruising, and one which will be remembered for its brevity: Mariner only arrived in these waters in February, 2009 - making her entire tenure in the region less than two years.  

To get in on these final sailings, visit Royal Caribbean's website and join Mariner on one of her November, December or early January sailings. 

Celebrity Century Rudder Damage Cancels Cruise

USA Today is reporting that Celebrity Century has suffered some sort of rudder damage that will necessitate a drydock.  As such, the current Mediterranean sailing - which only departed two days ago - is now cancelled.

Divers reportedly discovered the problem while the ship was docked in Villefranche, near Nice, France.  What led divers to inspect the ship in the first place is still unclear.  It is also unknown how and when the rudders became damaged.

Passengers are reportedly allowed to stay onboard the ship until Saturday, at which time they have to be off.  Complicating matters is the fact that hotel space in Villefranche and Nice is not only scarce, it's beyond the means of many passengers.  USA Today states Celebrity is only offering bus transportation back to the embarkation port of Barcelona - a ten hour trip - due to the recent French rail strike.

At this point, the line still expects to operate the October 25th Transatlantic to Miami as scheduled.

We will update this story as more details become available.

Photo of the Week - October 15

The sun rises over Los Arcos in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Photo © Aaron Saunders

While we're hard at work preparing articles for the weekend, we thought it would be timely to share one of our favorite shots of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  

Famous for its beautiful sunsets and laid-back atmosphere, the resort town of Cabo San Lucas lies on the Pacific coast of Mexico and is a popular port of call for Mexican Riviera cruises departing from Los Angeles and San Diego.

Essentially an unknown fishing village until the mid-1970's, Cabo San Lucas has undergone a rapid and remarkable transformation into one of the premier resort towns Mexico has to offer.  And as the weather in many parts of North America and Europe takes a cold, snowy turn, the warm sandy beaches of Baja California Sur become all the more appealing.

Sound like fun?  Carnival, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess are some of the regulars to call at Cabo San Lucas, and most are ramping up their Mexican Riviera seasons as we speak.

From the Deck Chair will return tomorrow with an all-new series of articles.  Be sure to stay tuned!

Auckland Cruise Calls Set to Increase

As travelers look to explore new horizons, destinations like Europe, South America, and Asia are seeing massive growth in terms of cruise ship deployment.  Cruise lines are looking to deploy their fleet in the most profitable regions, and those areas are increasingly in locations formerly thought of as "exotic", but quickly leading the new wave of mainstream cruising.

New Zealand is one of those destinations.  In the country's largest city, Auckland, Prime Minister John Key told a packed tourism conference he supports the development of a new cruise terminal which would be built at Queen's Wharf.

The reason for the announcement?  The revelation that the 2011/2012 cruise season is poised to see an increase in calls of 53% - an astonishing number of calls that many destinations in North America would scramble to get ahold of.

Recognizing that, Prime Minister Key pledged to have the terminal and corresponding convention centre built "as soon as possible" in order to take advantage of the burgeoning cruise market.  Both New Zealand and Australia have seen an explosion in cruise calls to their region, with almost every major cruise line operating a series - or even a full season - of voyages "down under."

Aiding the region's growth is the relative ease of arrival: many West Coast cities offer direct flights to Auckland, and while flight times range in the 13 to 14 hour range, few require a connection and many can be had for less than a comparable flight to Europe.  Being located in the Southern Hemisphere also helps, as they experience their winter when the Northern Hemisphere is desperate to escape theirs. 

So is a New Zealand adventure in your future?  Have a peek at your favorite cruise line to discover why this region is quickly becoming one of the hottest destinations in the world.