May 12, 2008
The world's hungriest cruise company would seem to be Norwegian Cruise Line: Their bargains are unbeatable
It's one of the world's few cruise lines to recently report several quarters of losses rather than large profits. For whatever reason (and many of its problems stem from an ill-fated positioning of three ships in the Hawaiian Islands), Norwegian Cruise Line hasn't done well in recent years. Now, with additional financing from a "private equity" group, it is frantically building new and giant ships and refurbishing old ones. But until the public becomes sensitive to its many comfortable improvements, it appears that NCL is doing more than its fair share of discounting.
Go to www.americasvacationcenter.com, click on "deals," and then go to the section listing discounted prices for Norwegian Cruise Line. Starting in late September and through most of November, 7-night sailings of the Caribbean from New York, Miami and Philadelphia, and 7 night-sailings of the Mexican Pacific coast, almost invariably start at $499 and $599 per person for inside cabins. Go to the Mediterranean during the same period of time (late September through most of November) and you'll find that seven-night sailings of the Mediterranean are available for $669 and $699 per person. Given all the recent fuel-related increases in the cruising world, the fact that one-week Caribbean sailings for as little as $499 per person (that's with five meals a day) and $599 are still available on Norwegian Cruise Line (up to $699 in the Mediterranean) is quite remarkable and shows that NCL is fighting hard for business.
Americas Vacation Center can also be reached by phone, tel. 888/420-1035.
Now perform the same exercise using www.vacationstogo.com. Go to any Norwegian Cruise Line ship sailing the tropics in October and November. The great majority of those departures are available at discounts of as much as 60%. Go to Norwegian Cruise Line sailings in the Mediterranean during the same period, and you'll find discounts of 50%, 56% and even 67% -- breathtaking reductions.
Here's a travel phenomenon that can result in low-priced vacations of high quality.
Write and read comments about this post.
Go to www.americasvacationcenter.com, click on "deals," and then go to the section listing discounted prices for Norwegian Cruise Line. Starting in late September and through most of November, 7-night sailings of the Caribbean from New York, Miami and Philadelphia, and 7 night-sailings of the Mexican Pacific coast, almost invariably start at $499 and $599 per person for inside cabins. Go to the Mediterranean during the same period of time (late September through most of November) and you'll find that seven-night sailings of the Mediterranean are available for $669 and $699 per person. Given all the recent fuel-related increases in the cruising world, the fact that one-week Caribbean sailings for as little as $499 per person (that's with five meals a day) and $599 are still available on Norwegian Cruise Line (up to $699 in the Mediterranean) is quite remarkable and shows that NCL is fighting hard for business.
Americas Vacation Center can also be reached by phone, tel. 888/420-1035.
Now perform the same exercise using www.vacationstogo.com. Go to any Norwegian Cruise Line ship sailing the tropics in October and November. The great majority of those departures are available at discounts of as much as 60%. Go to Norwegian Cruise Line sailings in the Mediterranean during the same period, and you'll find discounts of 50%, 56% and even 67% -- breathtaking reductions.
Here's a travel phenomenon that can result in low-priced vacations of high quality.
Write and read comments about this post.
Fifty years ago, 
Arthur Frommer is generally acknowledged to be the nation's foremost travel authority. He is the founder of the
