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Industry Association Says Booking Early Is The Best Way To Save In 2006

Wave Season – that time of year from January through March when cruise lines’ reservations departments are at their busiest – is shaping up to once again to offer unrivalled vacation opportunities to travelers embarking on seagoing journeys. This year, cruisers can take advantage of Wave Season promotions offered by nine member companies of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the cruise industry’s premier marketing organization.

Cruise lines are celebrating Wave Season with attractive advance-purchase incentives that include stateroom upgrades, two-for-one fares, onboard credits, upgrades from economy to business class air and discounts of up to 60 percent.

"A recent poll of CLIA’s member agencies indicates that more consumers are booking their cruise vacations four to six months in advance," said Terry L. Dale, president and CEO of CLIA. "Now more than ever, consumers should book early to ensure they can spend their vacation enjoying the ship, stateroom and itinerary that best suits their vacation needs."

CLIA’s member cruise lines visit some 1,800 worldwide ports of call on nearly 150 ships that range from 3,000-passenger floating resorts to intimate luxury yachts carrying 150 guests.

Wave Season Promotions Offered By CLIA’s Member Cruise Lines Include

For all 2006 European cruises booked by March 31, luxury line Crystal Cruises is introducing reduced Business Class upgrade fares. Crystal’s program offers fares that are approximately 50 percent lower than unrestricted Business Class to Europe. Fares of $1,099 to $1,299 are one way and in addition to their published coach class air tariffs.

Holland America Line’s "View & Verandah" promotion rewards cruise guests with generous upgrades that range from one to seven categories – a value of up to $300. Travelers can book an ocean-view stateroom for the price of an inside stateroom or a Deluxe Verandah stateroom for the price of an ocean-view stateroom.

MSC Cruises is offering travelers special promotional rates for interior staterooms on its seven- and 11-night voyages that sail from Fort Lauderdale. Prices start at $545 for seven-night cruises and $945 for 11-night itineraries. These promotional rates reflect savings of up to 50 percent or more off the published brochure tariff.

Norwegian Coastal Voyage (NCV) is offering early-booking specials on their Norwegian Coastal Voyage Independent Vacations, the Special Interest programs on board the MS Lofoten, the Gota Canal as well as on their programs to Spitsbergen, Antarctica. Savings vary between $100-$515 depending on program.

Norwegian Cruise Line is offering discounted rates, stateroom upgrades and onboard credits on every 2006 ship and itinerary for all bookings made between now and February 28, as part of the line’s annual "Sale of All Sails" promotion. Savings include up to four-category upgrades and a $50 shipboard credit on select sailings.

Radisson Seven Seas Cruises is featuring two-for-one savings on three Seven Seas Mariner sailings, including a seven-night Caribbean itinerary from Fort Lauderdale on March 13; a nine-day cruise from Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean on March 20; and a 15-day Panama Canal itinerary from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco on April 3.

Seabourn Cruise Line is offering guests 60 percent savings on a 12-day Sunny Spain & Morocco cruise departing March 28, 2006, from Lisbon to Madeira on the all-suite Seabourn Pride. The line is also offering 50 percent savings on the ship’s 18-day Mediterranean Odyssey cruise departing Istanbul on May 2, 2006.

Silversea Cruises has rolled out its highly successful Silver Sailing program that features savings of up to 50 percent off the cruise-only fares on select luxury cruises throughout the year. Savings are available for some of the most sought-after itineraries in Alaska, the Caribbean, Mediterranean, South America, and the Far East.

Swan Hellenic is offering savings opportunities of up to 49 percent on its 65-day Faces of South America cruise scheduled for January 2007 aboard Minerva II. The roundtrip Barbados cruise includes stops at 34 ports in Ecuador, Peru, Argentina and Brazil. Guest lecturers will be onboard to enrich the destination experience.

For additional information on Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), please visit their website at Cruising.org

 

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Last Modified: 01/20/06