Cyber Monday has come and gone, but you can still find great deals online. Cruise lines have just started to slash prices on trips that leave over Spring Break. When we say big savings, we mean sail dates between late February and early April are as low as $249 right now!
It’s not hard to find a great price on a cruise, but is it worth the deal? After all, Spring Break is notorious for college kids letting loose and causing chaos. Not to mention, there’ve been plenty of news stories about cruise disasters this past year.
Still — we say yes! Totally worth it…If you plan ahead and manage your expectations, your cruise will be a fantastic getaway as we officiate the Spring season. Use these tips to having your best Spring Break cruise trip.
Where to Cruise (and Not to Cruise) This Spring Break
Five Florida cities hold spots in the top 20 US cruise ports lists across the nation, and statistics show that most cruisers will travel to the Carribean. Carribean cruises include places like Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Bahamas.
Not All Carribean Cruises Are the Same — Check Your Itineraries
Of course, all cruises have unique itineraries so do your research to ensure you hit all your bucket list destinations (and excursions). For instance, Belize and Jamaica are usually specific to “Western Carribean” sails, while destinations like Turks & Caicos, the Dominican Republic, or St. Thomas are classified as ports-of-call for Eastern Caribbean cruises.
The Elephant on the Cruise — How to Avoid the College Cruise Chaos
Students are looking for cheap deals which means they will probably be booking shorter cruises that sail earlier in the Spring Break season. Most of the time deals that run less than $300 can guarantee a frat party. Shelling out just a little more to avoid wild party-goers could be well worth it.
Most Common Cruise Ship Mishaps Involve Plumbing and Electric
Cruise ship disasters are always big news when they happen. Let’s face it, not every issue is 100 percent unavoidable. Luckily, you probably won’t have to worry about big emergencies like sinking or evacuations.
The dramatic incidents that you hear about really only occur on 2-3 ships (vs. the tens of thousands of sail dates all over the world) each year.
Even if something does go wrong with the ship, you likely won’t be put in physical danger. You will just experience a minor inconvenience here and there. Power outages and backed-up plumbing are the most common mishaps, but even those issues don’t last for long.
Electrical problems can typically take a few hours to repair and the crew can fix most plumbing problems while you’re sitting by the pool. (Just be extra nice to the staff while you’re on board and you might be considered a higher priority!)
Other Tips for Making This Vacation Your Best Cruise Yet
Your cruise is more likely to be a relaxing and fun trip when you take the extra steps to ensure that everything goes smoothly.
Have a Travel Plan (Plan A and Plan B)
Once you’ve booked your cruise, book your travel. Don’t wait until the last minute to book any hotels or flights that will take you to your departure port. Also know, ships won’t wait just because your flight is late. Give yourself plenty of time to get to the port before departure.
Last, have a back-up plan, even if it’s just a list of hotels where you can stay for the night, in case anything goes wrong.
Pack Light, You’ll Thank Yourself
Cruise ships have limited space for you and your family to put your luggage. Pack lighter than you would for a road trip or luxury vacation. Most cruise ships offer laundry if you really need to wash your outfits after a day of use. In all likelihood, you’ll probably wind up wearing only about half of what you bring.
Read the Fine Print Before You Set Sail
Know what you are paying for and what your package includes. No one wants to get onboard only to figure out that they didn’t actually pay for the all-inclusive package. Talk to a representative if you need to before your cruise and go over what you might need to pay for when you set sail. In the meantime, happy planning this winter for your Spring Break Cruise!
About the Author:
Andrew Winston is a partner at the personal injury law firm of Winston Law. For over 20 years, he has successfully represented countless people in all kinds of personal injury cases, with a particular focus on child injury, legal malpractice, and premises liability. He has been recognized for excellence in the representation of injured clients by admission to the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, is AV Preeminent Rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, enjoys a 10.0 rating by AVVO as a Top Personal Injury Attorney, has been selected as a Florida “SuperLawyer” from 2011-2017 – an honor reserved for the top 5% of lawyers in the state – and was voted to Florida Trend’s ”Legal Elite” and as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Florida and one of the Top 100 Lawyers in the Miami area for 2015, 2016, and 2017.
