3 December 2009
We had the opportunity to listen in to a webinar this morning about a new international air service program available through Cruise Holidays. Talk about a confusing maze! The airlines change fares an average of 6,000 times a day, how can anyone stay on top of their pricing structure?
A good example was over the recent Thanksgiving holiday. We looked at round trip air from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale to attend the Oasis of the Seas preview. We found that traveling on late Thursday evening on the redeye flight the cost would be $175, but the return on Sunday would be $400—a total price of about $600 with taxes. Usually we can find roundtrip fares on this route at prices below
$350. So, we chose not to pay the super-premium price for the airfare.
We always tell our cruise vacation customers that their air portion of their trip will be the least satisfactory part of their experience--because it always is. Gone are the days of civilized air travel, now we have transportation more like that of the Greyhound Corporation (no affront meant to the hound) than that of refined air travel. Still, air is a great convenience so we all just have to grin and bear and know that the flight will end soon
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Trains, Boats and Planes 2K10
2 December 2009
Yesterday we learned about the 2010 plans for the Rocky Mountaineer Private Train. From either Vancouver or Calgary, this super-luxury train is a fantastic way to experience Canada’s Rocky Mountains. It’s even possible to make the trip a trans-continental trip connecting with Canada’s VIA Rail all the way to Toronto or Montreal.
The Rocky Mountaineer people have recaptured the “golden age” of rail travel with white glove service, vista-domes and gourmet dining on wheels. While quite expensive, this is a special kind of product for the real rail fan who enjoys the best of rail travel.
Actually, very little is new with air, except that Cruise Holidays of Woodinville now has access to air prices and options on international air that could find that great price for a trip across any big pond.
And as far as boats are concerned, with the debut of the Oasis of the Seas from Royal Caribbean as the world’s largest cruise ship, and the pending arrival of Norwegian’s Epic, there’s lots of new excitement in cruising.
The year 2010 or 2K10 as it’s called on the Golf Channel looks to be a much improved year for vacation travel of any kind.
Yesterday we learned about the 2010 plans for the Rocky Mountaineer Private Train. From either Vancouver or Calgary, this super-luxury train is a fantastic way to experience Canada’s Rocky Mountains. It’s even possible to make the trip a trans-continental trip connecting with Canada’s VIA Rail all the way to Toronto or Montreal.
The Rocky Mountaineer people have recaptured the “golden age” of rail travel with white glove service, vista-domes and gourmet dining on wheels. While quite expensive, this is a special kind of product for the real rail fan who enjoys the best of rail travel.
Actually, very little is new with air, except that Cruise Holidays of Woodinville now has access to air prices and options on international air that could find that great price for a trip across any big pond.
And as far as boats are concerned, with the debut of the Oasis of the Seas from Royal Caribbean as the world’s largest cruise ship, and the pending arrival of Norwegian’s Epic, there’s lots of new excitement in cruising.
The year 2010 or 2K10 as it’s called on the Golf Channel looks to be a much improved year for vacation travel of any kind.
Post Thanksgiving Day Thoughts
28 November 2009
Yesterday the games store in our shopping complex was open bright and early to take advantage of “Black Friday” They had all of their Christmas decorations up and even had a few door-buster specials to lure in their customers. And, it looked to me like quite a few customers could be seen in the parking lot with new games under their arms.
It’s funny how the concept of pre-dawn sales has become so much of a magnet in our society. I guess the lure of a 50 inch plasma television, or a 2 karat diamond—or the latest computer game release has appeal to a certain group of consumers. In this economy, value shopping has become king.
In the cruise and vacation business we often find kind of the counter-culture consumer who is more interested in getting away from shopping madness and finding the perfect getaway. All of us need a little recharging from time to time and these folks relish the thought of a sanity break on a fabulous cruise ship or a wonderful beach resort. And, some like to combine shopping with their break, and they have lots of choices to accomplish their mission either onboard or in markets in places far from their local mall.
It’s great to have the Christmas season officially underway—everyone seems to have more twinkles in their attitude, and we like that.
Yesterday the games store in our shopping complex was open bright and early to take advantage of “Black Friday” They had all of their Christmas decorations up and even had a few door-buster specials to lure in their customers. And, it looked to me like quite a few customers could be seen in the parking lot with new games under their arms.
It’s funny how the concept of pre-dawn sales has become so much of a magnet in our society. I guess the lure of a 50 inch plasma television, or a 2 karat diamond—or the latest computer game release has appeal to a certain group of consumers. In this economy, value shopping has become king.
In the cruise and vacation business we often find kind of the counter-culture consumer who is more interested in getting away from shopping madness and finding the perfect getaway. All of us need a little recharging from time to time and these folks relish the thought of a sanity break on a fabulous cruise ship or a wonderful beach resort. And, some like to combine shopping with their break, and they have lots of choices to accomplish their mission either onboard or in markets in places far from their local mall.
It’s great to have the Christmas season officially underway—everyone seems to have more twinkles in their attitude, and we like that.
Happy Thanksgiving
25 November 2009
There’s little doubt that 2009 has been a really tough year for nearly everybody. We felt helpless to do much to try and change the mindset of our customers who were intimidated by the avalanche of news that painted nothing but doom and gloom.
We noted a turning point last June when low prices and pent-up demand seemed to reach a tipping point. Instead of folks planning a cruise six to nine months in advance, we saw customers buying cruises six to nine weeks in advance and sometimes even closer in! We saw a rush which was heartening to our business survival. And even better news, for us, consumer booking patterns are looking more like the traditional model as cruise lines and land based-resorts are offering early booking deals to capture early commitment from vacation buyers!
This is a time of the year to dwell on giving thanks. Cruise Holidays of Woodinville was thrilled to be selected as part of the President’s Circle for 2009, giving us top 20 store status for the year. Both Steve and I give thanks that the folks who work at Cruise Holidays of Woodinville are dedicated travel professionals who are committed to delivering great customer service.
It’s our hope that our Thanksgiving thanks for 2009 will be dwarfed by the potential we see for a great 2010, and we wish that for everyone who comes in contact with us.
There’s little doubt that 2009 has been a really tough year for nearly everybody. We felt helpless to do much to try and change the mindset of our customers who were intimidated by the avalanche of news that painted nothing but doom and gloom.
We noted a turning point last June when low prices and pent-up demand seemed to reach a tipping point. Instead of folks planning a cruise six to nine months in advance, we saw customers buying cruises six to nine weeks in advance and sometimes even closer in! We saw a rush which was heartening to our business survival. And even better news, for us, consumer booking patterns are looking more like the traditional model as cruise lines and land based-resorts are offering early booking deals to capture early commitment from vacation buyers!
This is a time of the year to dwell on giving thanks. Cruise Holidays of Woodinville was thrilled to be selected as part of the President’s Circle for 2009, giving us top 20 store status for the year. Both Steve and I give thanks that the folks who work at Cruise Holidays of Woodinville are dedicated travel professionals who are committed to delivering great customer service.
It’s our hope that our Thanksgiving thanks for 2009 will be dwarfed by the potential we see for a great 2010, and we wish that for everyone who comes in contact with us.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Holiday Travel Rush Underway
20 November 2009
It’s official that the 2009 holiday rush season is now underway. But, for those procrastinators who wait until the last minute there is some good news—it’s not too late to book a Christmas or New Years cruise or land vacation, because space is still available on a limited basis.
Some of Cruise Holidays of Woodinville’s smarter customers take the guesswork out of their gift giving plans by purchasing a gift card with a pre-loaded dollar amount on it which can be redeemed for whatever date or cruise/vacation the recipients might wish. And, what’s nice about the custom gift card is that it never expires and can be used whenever it’s most convenient for the receiver.
The gift of a vacation is a great way to beat the holiday rush.
It’s official that the 2009 holiday rush season is now underway. But, for those procrastinators who wait until the last minute there is some good news—it’s not too late to book a Christmas or New Years cruise or land vacation, because space is still available on a limited basis.
Some of Cruise Holidays of Woodinville’s smarter customers take the guesswork out of their gift giving plans by purchasing a gift card with a pre-loaded dollar amount on it which can be redeemed for whatever date or cruise/vacation the recipients might wish. And, what’s nice about the custom gift card is that it never expires and can be used whenever it’s most convenient for the receiver.
The gift of a vacation is a great way to beat the holiday rush.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Cruise Lines Make Big Europe Push
13 November 2009
This morning I attended the 2010 Europe webinar for Holland America Line. That venerable cruise line is betting heavily that Europe will be a hot destination for next year. In fact, they are dedicating their two newest ships the Eurodam (debuting this year) and the Nieuw Amsterdam (coming in July 2010) to full seasons in Europe.
The Mediterranean seems to be the big winner. The major cruise lines have extended their Med seasons into October of November in some cases (even year-round for a few). The Northern Europe season which usually involves the Baltic is much shorter because by October the weather starts to be chilly and less inviting for cruise guests. St. Petersburg, Russia is a major port with every visiting ship overnighting and some spending two nights in that port. In fact, a major trend is for many ships to overnight in places like Venice, Barcelona, Istanbul and elsewhere.
With the Euro heading higher against the dollar, the value of a European cruise has grown. Equivalent European hotels and resorts are usually far more expensive than most ship costs. Cruise Holidays is looking forward to having a new arsenal of tools for 2010 including better air choices, concierge services and hotel packages to top off a great cruise vacation.
Lots of choices for Europe in 2010, but it looks like the cruise lines are offering their best deals for those who book earlier. It’s a destination which most Americans find to be a magnetic draw. Plus, new river cruise ships and itineraries now add extra pizzazz for those who want to experience Europe.
This morning I attended the 2010 Europe webinar for Holland America Line. That venerable cruise line is betting heavily that Europe will be a hot destination for next year. In fact, they are dedicating their two newest ships the Eurodam (debuting this year) and the Nieuw Amsterdam (coming in July 2010) to full seasons in Europe.
The Mediterranean seems to be the big winner. The major cruise lines have extended their Med seasons into October of November in some cases (even year-round for a few). The Northern Europe season which usually involves the Baltic is much shorter because by October the weather starts to be chilly and less inviting for cruise guests. St. Petersburg, Russia is a major port with every visiting ship overnighting and some spending two nights in that port. In fact, a major trend is for many ships to overnight in places like Venice, Barcelona, Istanbul and elsewhere.
With the Euro heading higher against the dollar, the value of a European cruise has grown. Equivalent European hotels and resorts are usually far more expensive than most ship costs. Cruise Holidays is looking forward to having a new arsenal of tools for 2010 including better air choices, concierge services and hotel packages to top off a great cruise vacation.
Lots of choices for Europe in 2010, but it looks like the cruise lines are offering their best deals for those who book earlier. It’s a destination which most Americans find to be a magnetic draw. Plus, new river cruise ships and itineraries now add extra pizzazz for those who want to experience Europe.
Wine Jail and Other Silliness
12 November 2009
Some cruise lines have adopted “penny wise and pound foolish” policies when it comes to carrying onboard your own personal wine for use in your own stateroom. On a recent Royal Caribbean cruise we were asked to come and pick up one of our suitcases from security because it contained contraband material. As far as I could tell, the only contraband we had was a bottle of alcohol free wine I purchased for my wife to take on our cruise.
After arriving at a lower deck covered with dozens of bags, I was asked by ship security officers to open the bag. They pulled out the bottle and advised me that I would have to pay a charge to bring my wine onboard. It was then the dance began as I advised the security guy that it wasn’t wine, it was grape juice! He had to check with two other officials before they found a bar expert who confirmed it was a bottle of grape juice. With a minimal “sorry,” the security guard allowed both my bag and the grape juice to be claimed by me without any charges.
Enlightened cruise lines like Holland America Line allow passenger to bring a “reasonable” amount of wine onboard for stateroom use. Because the cruise lines are so driven by onboard revenue, the bean counters have taken over parts of customer service. Those travelers who bring a bottle of personal wine onboard are still most likely to buy wine and other drinks from the ship. It’s time for the shortsighted cruise lines to wise up and change their silly policies, or customer will move to more enlightened brands—at least that’s my opinion.
Some cruise lines have adopted “penny wise and pound foolish” policies when it comes to carrying onboard your own personal wine for use in your own stateroom. On a recent Royal Caribbean cruise we were asked to come and pick up one of our suitcases from security because it contained contraband material. As far as I could tell, the only contraband we had was a bottle of alcohol free wine I purchased for my wife to take on our cruise.
After arriving at a lower deck covered with dozens of bags, I was asked by ship security officers to open the bag. They pulled out the bottle and advised me that I would have to pay a charge to bring my wine onboard. It was then the dance began as I advised the security guy that it wasn’t wine, it was grape juice! He had to check with two other officials before they found a bar expert who confirmed it was a bottle of grape juice. With a minimal “sorry,” the security guard allowed both my bag and the grape juice to be claimed by me without any charges.
Enlightened cruise lines like Holland America Line allow passenger to bring a “reasonable” amount of wine onboard for stateroom use. Because the cruise lines are so driven by onboard revenue, the bean counters have taken over parts of customer service. Those travelers who bring a bottle of personal wine onboard are still most likely to buy wine and other drinks from the ship. It’s time for the shortsighted cruise lines to wise up and change their silly policies, or customer will move to more enlightened brands—at least that’s my opinion.
Out of the Malaise and Into the Sunshine
11 November 2009
We just returned from the 25th national Cruise Holidays Conference onboard Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas (see our story about our President’s Circle Award) in Baja. It was clear that Cruise Holidays stores throughout North America were optimistic about the future of our business in delivering great value vacations like never before. Being part of a wide ranging group of travel companies will arm Cruise Holidays with new tools and products exclusively dedicated to us and our customers. Needless to say, we’ll be announcing new products in short order, and we think our customers will like them a lot.
While certain dates during the winter and early spring months feature some extraordinary prices, even later dates for next summer and fall have enticing incentives. New cruise itineraries, new cruise ships, new land tour options have been added to make 2010 a year of opportunity for both of us..
It’s always fun for us to pass along anecdotal examples of things we’re seeing in our business. A couple of weeks ago we sent two nice ladies on a 7-day Mexico cruise on Holland America Line in an oceanview stateroom for less than $500 each including taxes! This is a price more suited to a road trip using modest hotels and fast food meals--not like a five star resort stay on a luxury cruise ship. The two ladies planned to just stay on the ship and never get off at any of the ports so they could maximize their pampering while onboard. In fact, they saved so much on their cruise, they’re now considering doing Europe next summer on the same cruise line.
Maybe you would like to follow the example of our two lucky cruises, just give us a call or drop an e-mail (rich@luxurient.com). And, if you haven’t visited our new location in downtown Woodinville (just behind the movie theatres) we invite you to stop by any time we’re open Monday-Saturday.
Rich Skinner
Co-Owner
We just returned from the 25th national Cruise Holidays Conference onboard Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas (see our story about our President’s Circle Award) in Baja. It was clear that Cruise Holidays stores throughout North America were optimistic about the future of our business in delivering great value vacations like never before. Being part of a wide ranging group of travel companies will arm Cruise Holidays with new tools and products exclusively dedicated to us and our customers. Needless to say, we’ll be announcing new products in short order, and we think our customers will like them a lot.
While certain dates during the winter and early spring months feature some extraordinary prices, even later dates for next summer and fall have enticing incentives. New cruise itineraries, new cruise ships, new land tour options have been added to make 2010 a year of opportunity for both of us..
It’s always fun for us to pass along anecdotal examples of things we’re seeing in our business. A couple of weeks ago we sent two nice ladies on a 7-day Mexico cruise on Holland America Line in an oceanview stateroom for less than $500 each including taxes! This is a price more suited to a road trip using modest hotels and fast food meals--not like a five star resort stay on a luxury cruise ship. The two ladies planned to just stay on the ship and never get off at any of the ports so they could maximize their pampering while onboard. In fact, they saved so much on their cruise, they’re now considering doing Europe next summer on the same cruise line.
Maybe you would like to follow the example of our two lucky cruises, just give us a call or drop an e-mail (rich@luxurient.com). And, if you haven’t visited our new location in downtown Woodinville (just behind the movie theatres) we invite you to stop by any time we’re open Monday-Saturday.
Rich Skinner
Co-Owner
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