Vacations To Go

Dear Mr. Sterling,

For today's newsletter, I'll show you how to find the best deals for cruises by port. Vacations To Go offers sailings from hundreds of ports around the world, including many in Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe, North America and South America. I have prepared a tantalizing list of cruises worldwide offering great bargains, organized by port of departure.

Click any link below to see the best cruise deals departing US and Canada ports:

Anchorage, AK
Baltimore, MD
Bayonne, NJ
Boston, MA
Chicago (Navy Pier), IL
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Galveston, TX
Honolulu, Oahu, HI
Jacksonville, FL
Juneau, AK
Miami, FL
Montreal, QC, Canada
New Orleans, LA
Norfolk, VA
Port Canaveral, FL
Providence, RI
Quebec City, QC, Canada
San Diego, CA
San Francisco, CA
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Seattle, WA
Tampa, FL
Toronto, ON, Canada
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Click any link below to see the best cruise deals departing major ports worldwide:

Amsterdam, Holland
Athens (Piraeus), Greece
Barcelona, Spain
Bergen, Norway
Cannes, France
Cape Town, South Africa
Copenhagen, Denmark
Darwin, Australia
Dublin, Ireland
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Ephesus / Kusadasi, Turkey
Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy
Genoa, Italy
Hamburg, Germany
Istanbul, Turkey
Lima (Callao), Peru
Lisbon, Portugal
London, England
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Naples, Italy
Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Papeete, Tahiti
Paris (Le Havre), France
Reykjavik, Iceland
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
Shanghai, China
Southampton, England
Stockholm, Sweden
Sydney, Australia
Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan
Trieste, Italy
Valencia, Spain
Valletta, Malta
Venice, Italy

We also offer our world-famous 90-Day Ticker. Here you'll find terrific deals discounted by up to 87%.

Next, I'm happy to present the following terrific offers from 14 of the world's top cruise lines. Along with deep discounts, these offers may include free amenities or shipboard credits, which are as good as cash on the ship and can be used toward onboard purchases, like shore excursions and spa treatments.

Carnival is offering our customers discounts of up to 78%. Plus, get newly reduced rates, an onboard credit of up to $100 per cabin and pay a 50% reduced deposit on select sailings. See dates and prices.

Holland America is offering our customers huge discounts of up to 60% along with a 50% reduced deposit, shipboard credits of up to $550 per cabin, and free gratuities for oceanview cabins and higher on select sailings. Pay only port fees and taxes for the third and fourth guests in the stateroom on certain voyages, and receive all of the following perks on cabins booked at eligible rates: 1) a signature beverage package, including alcoholic drinks, for all guests in the stateroom, 2) a specialty dining package that includes up to three meals at select venues, 3) a free Wi-Fi package for two guests and 4) a shore excursion credit of up to $600 per cabin. Book by April 24. See dates and prices.

Princess is offering Vacations To Go customers big discounts -- save up to 72%. Plus, pay a reduced deposit starting at $99 per person and receive shipboard credits of up to $85 per cabin on select sailings. Also, the third and fourth guests pay only port fees and taxes when sharing the same cabin with two adults on some departures. Get free drinks, Wi-Fi and pre-paid gratuities on certain voyages booked at eligible rates. Book by April 30. See dates and prices.

Silversea has reduced rates on a variety of cruises by up to 85%, with specially reduced pricing on select sailings exclusively for Vacations To Go customers. Plus, receive shipboard credits of up to $700 per cabin on select departures. Your Silversea fare includes gratuities, all alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and unlimited internet. Book by April 30. See dates and prices.

Seabourn has reduced rates by up to 51%, plus get new exclusive pricing on last-minute cruises and shipboard credits of up to $800 per cabin on select departures. The upfront fare of a six-star Seabourn vacation includes gratuities, open bars and fine wines at lunch and dinner. Book by April 30. See dates and prices.

Crystal is offering discounts of up to 80%. Book now to get exclusive pricing on select voyages, plus onboard credit of up to $500 per cabin. Pricing includes gratuities, unlimited Wi-Fi, butler service in all suites and guest rooms, two complimentary specialty dining reservations, and all alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Book by April 30. See dates and prices.

Celebrity has reduced rates by up to 82%. Plus, get shipboard credits of up to $250 per cabin, a free Classic beverage package and unlimited internet access on select sailings booked at eligible rates. In addition, the third and fourth guests pay only port fees and taxes when sharing the same cabin with two adults on some departures. Get exclusive pricing on select Galapagos sailings for a limited time. See dates and prices.

Oceania is offering Vacations To Go customers discounts of up to 79%, plus newly reduced rates, pre-paid gratuities, shipboard credits of up to $550 per cabin, a free House Select beverage package, free specialty dining, unlimited internet and up to a four-category upgrade on select sailings. See dates and prices.

Norwegian is offering our customers huge discounts of up to 87% along with shipboard credits of up to $200 per cabin on some sailings. Plus, cabins booked at eligible rates come with up to 300 minutes of internet per person and a $50 per cabin shore excursion credit on each excursion booked through the cruise line. The following optional offers that involve additional fees are also available: 1) an unlimited open bar for two, 2) a specialty dining package that includes up to five meals for two guests at select dining venues and 3) friends and family pay only port fees and taxes when sharing the same cabin with two adults on select departures. See dates and prices.

Royal Caribbean is offering our customers huge new discounts -- save up to 73%. Also, receive shipboard credits of up to $50 per cabin on select sailings. Children ages 12 and under pay only port fees and taxes when sharing the same cabin with two adults on select departures. See dates and prices.

MSC Cruises is offering huge discounts to our customers -- save up to 71%. Also, receive free drinks, free Wi-Fi and shipboard credits of up to $100 per cabin, plus Kids Sail Free on select sailings booked at eligible rates. See dates and prices.

Explora Journeys has provided Vacations To Go with exclusive discounts and savings of up to 75% off. Plus, pay a reduced deposit and get a free onboard credit of up to $300 per suite on select sailings. Prices include gratuities, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, select specialty restaurant dining options, and unlimited internet. See dates and prices.

Celestyal is offering our customers discounts of up to 80% off their Mediterranean voyages departing from Athens, Greece. Prices include gratuities, unlimited non-alcoholic beverages during meals and 250 MB of basic internet. See dates and prices.

Costa has reduced rates by up to 65%, with exclusive pricing on a variety of upcoming cruises visiting the Caribbean, Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. See dates and prices.

As always, all offers in this newsletter are for new bookings only and subject to availability. Restrictions may apply, and some free amenities and shipboard credits may apply only to eligible rates. Past guests of some cruise lines may see better rates on select sailings.

I'll now cover a few key factors to keep in mind when choosing a cruise ship cabin. Selecting your oceangoing accommodations is largely a matter of personal preference and budget. Here are the main considerations.

Type of Stateroom

In the most general terms, there are two types of staterooms: inside cabins with no view, and outside cabins with views. Some higher-end ships, particularly six-star vessels, have only outside cabins.

If you're planning to spend most of your vacation exploring ports and hanging out in the ship's public areas, and regard the cabin as no more than a place to lay your head at night, then an inside cabin can be your most affordable option.

If you want to see the outdoor scenery from your room, choose an outside cabin. These include oceanview cabins with portholes or picture windows, and balcony cabins that provide a private veranda.

Suites are the best outside accommodations on a ship and provide more space and more amenities -- like butler service, priority spa or dinner reservations, exclusive dining venues and priority embarkation and disembarkation. The majority of them sport balconies as well. Balcony cabins and suites usually occupy the higher decks.

Families and others traveling in a group can consider adjoining cabins with a private connecting door and family suites that accommodate more than four people. These are in very high demand, and I usually recommend that clients book these types of accommodations at least four to six months in advance -- or even earlier for peak summer, spring break and holiday travel periods, or for regions with short cruising seasons like Alaska. Keep in mind that two staterooms, either next door or across the hall from each other, may cost less than a family suite.

Staterooms that accommodate three or four passengers (called triples or quads) are more plentiful but still limited in number. In addition to two twin beds that can be pushed together to make a king-size bed, triples and quads will have either a convertible sofa bed or upper berths that pull down from the wall or ceiling, or both.

Our Find A Cruise Ship tool lets you search for ships with adjoining cabins and suites that accommodate up to eight people. It also allows you to search for ships with single-occupancy cabins and wheelchair-accessible cabins.

Travelers with limited mobility also can click here to refine their search for ships with wheelchair-accessible cabins and additional features like roll-in showers, fold-down shower benches and additional grab bars. Travelers with limited mobility also can request a cabin near an elevator.

The earlier you book, the greater choice you have in cabins and the greater likelihood that you can choose a specific cabin.

Cabin Location

Cruise lines tend to price staterooms according to their location, much like real estate. Midship cabins are desirable because they offer the most central location for accessing restaurants, bars and entertainment options, and you'll typically pay more for this.

If there are shipboard facilities that you know you'll use often -- the spa, children's club, kids-free deck, aqua park, sports court or pool -- focus on cabins near those places (again, you may pay a bit more to be near these popular spots). Otherwise, be prepared for a long walk, particularly on today's megaliners.

To ensure a quiet cabin, avoid locations near elevator banks and stairwells or directly below high-traffic areas like restaurants and nightclubs. Forward cabins on lower decks may be susceptible to noise from the raising and lowering of the anchor, while those at the back, or aft, may get some engine noise and vibrations. Passengers in cabins directly under the pool deck may be treated to the sounds of the ship's crew arranging lounge chairs in the very early morning hours.

If you are prone to seasickness, a midship stateroom on a lower deck will minimize the amount of motion you feel while the ship is sailing.

To see deck plans that display the location of cabins and public spaces on more than 300 ships, click here.

The Cabin Guarantee

So far, I've covered the options for those who book their cruise far enough in advance so that they can choose a particular cabin to meet their specific needs and desires.

If getting the lowest rate is more important than securing a certain cabin, consider a cabin guarantee. This is an option available from the cruise line that guarantees you a specific type of stateroom -- inside, ocean view, balcony or suite -- but does not allow you to choose a specific cabin or even a specific deck. Your cabin will be assigned by the cruise line just before sailing, and no changes are allowed. You will receive at least the minimum category in the type of room you paid for.

When offered, guarantees generally are the least expensive type of reservation you can make, and they are popular because of the attractive pricing and the possibility that you could be upgraded to a higher category. However, it's important to understand that an upgrade is never guaranteed, and it is not possible to know the odds of an upgrade at the time of booking, so be sure to book a category that you will be comfortable in for the duration of your cruise.

Vacations To Go has access to every available cabin on every sailing, and our cruise counselors will be happy to quote the lowest available price for whatever you seek.

Here are today's Top 10 Cruises, brand-new specials from the world's best cruise lines. Click the FastDeal # for details.

1) Caribbean, 7 nights on MSC Cruises, departs Miami Jun 15, starting at $686, save 63%, FastDeal # 37548

2) Alaska, 7 nights on Celebrity, departs Vancouver Jun 6, starting at $605, save 63%, FastDeal # 27841

3) Caribbean, 8 nights on Royal Caribbean, departs Port Canaveral May 2, starting at $795, save 62%, FastDeal # 16326

4) Eastern Canada & New England, 7 nights on Holland America, departs Boston Jun 21, starting at $619, save 64%, FastDeal # 18545

5) Caribbean, 7 nights on Princess, departs Fort Lauderdale Jul 19, starting at $998, save 43%, FastDeal # 11843

6) British Isles, 10 nights on Norwegian, departs Southampton Jul 8, starting at $1,352, save 87%, FastDeal # 19759

7) Alaska, 7 nights on Seabourn, departs Juneau Jun 6, suite starting at $2,124, save 41%, FastDeal # 25171

8) Greek Islands, 12 nights on Oceania Cruises, departs Istanbul Jul 27, starting at $2,405, save 76%, FastDeal # 17117

9) Mediterranean, 7 nights on Star Clippers, departs Cannes May 3, starting at $2,300, save 62%, FastDeal # 17281

10) Norway, 7 nights on Silversea, departs Bergen Jul 5, suite starting at $3,450, save 83%, FastDeal # 29046

For the best last-minute cruise specials in the next 90 days, please visit our world-famous 90-Day Ticker.
To search for discounts of up to 85% on cruises departing more than 90 days, use our Find a Bargain tool.

To save up to 40% with escorted tours, click here.
For river cruises up to 50% off, click here.
For discounts of up to 50% at hotels and all-inclusive resorts, click here.
For the lowest rates on Africa safaris from budget to luxury in quality, click here.

Once you've found a FASTDEAL, call us at 800-338-4962 (US and Canada) and a cruise counselor will attend to your needs. International customers, please email or call us at +1-713-974-2121.

Please email me your comments, suggestions and questions at alanfox@vacationstogo.com and I will respond the same day.

If you enjoy our newsletter, please forward this email to family and friends.

Sincerely,

Alan Fox
Executive Chairman
Vacations To Go
5851 San Felipe Street, Suite 500
Houston, TX 77057

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