As regular readers of this blog know, I am very cautious about passing on “deals”. This is partly because every other travel agency is constantly pushing these things out, and I worry that I would just become part of the noise. The other reason is that the cruise lines constantly have promotions, which are usually just variations on a theme.
I’m looking for promotions that stand out, and offer true value.
The latest promotion from Azamara made me take some notice.
For those who are perhaps unfamiliar with Azamara, they are one of the luxury, small ship operators. They have only 3 ships, each of which is positioned as a floating boutique hotel. Unlike the mass-market brands, Azamara is intended to be all-inclusive, meaning that your drinks, gratuities, some shore excursions, and transfers are all included in your fare. Perhaps most importantly, with fewer than 700 guests, you never have to wait in any significant line ups.
For the month of November, Azamara has a “Double Upgrade” offer, giving you a Veranda Stateroom for the price of an Inside.
When you consider the inclusions, this promotion could get you on one of Azamara’s luxury ships for a lower overall price than you would pay on one of the mass-market ships.
Here are some examples:
- Spain, France & Tuscany: 7-nights, departing Barcelona June 16, 2018 for $2299
- Thailand & Viet Nam: 10-nights, departing Singapore November 26, 2018 for $2999
- Cuba & Grand Cayman: 10-nights, departing December 11, 2018 for $3299
- Denmark, Netherlands & UK: 11-nights, departing Copenhagen August 30, 2018 for $4399
- India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia: 19-nights, departing Dubai November 7, 2018 for $5789.
All of these are base prices, per person, and with the current promotion will get you into a Veranda Stateroom.
There are dozens of different voyages, but the list above will give you an idea of itineraries and costs. When you consider that on the mass-market cruise lines, your on board charges often equal or exceed your fare, these prices look particularly attractive.
If you’ve been thinking about a smaller ship cruise, then this might be worth looking at.
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I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
