Royal Carribean Cruiselines

Cruising to fall savings: Try these savvy tips

"The same (weeklong) cruises that are $899 or $799 in summer are $599 or $499," says Terry Thornton, senior vice president of Carnival Cruise Lines.

And sometimes even less based on last-minute sales.

From an industry perspective, the off-peak fall cruise season begins when the popular summer family travel period ends in September and runs until mid-December when travelers, sick of chilly temperatures, start thinking about sun-seeking vacations.

Popular itineraries such as fall foliage cruises to New England and Canada fetch premiums, but other markets serve up discount prices.

In the Caribbean, cruise lines sweeten the pot with lower fares partly based on passenger concerns about fall hurricanes, though it's rare for storms to cause even re-routing.

"Hurricanes don't come as a surprise to cruise lines," Thornton says. "What has happened is we have had to change a port call. There never is a safety issue. The ships will never operate close to a storm. We have good notice. And the ships can definitely outrun the storms."

The lowest fall fares in most markets tend to be right after Thanksgiving, a traditional slow period when people are busy preparing for the holidays and may have other things on their mind then going on a vacation, Thornton says.

Passengers can use several strategies to spot opportunities for savings.

(Prices are per person, double occupancy, unless otherwise noted.)

Look for family deals 

Because there are fewer family travelers in the fall, cruise lines roll out deals that encourage bringing along the kids.

An example: Disney Cruise Line has a Kids Cruise Free offer for select fall cruises to Mexico on the 1,754-passenger Disney Wonder from Los Angeles , between Oct. 23 and Dec. 18. A family of four (including two kids age 17 or under), sharing an ocean-view cabin, can cruise for a week from $2,338 on the Nov. 27 sailing. That's a total savings of $1,278, according a Disney Cruise Line spokesman.

Try a repositioning cruise 

As cruise lines move their ships from one seasonal market to another in fall and spring they offer some of the best savings of the year, not to mention some of the most interesting longer itineraries - from Alaska through the Panama Canal or from Europe across the Atlantic, for instance.

Shore Excursions From Royal Carribean Cruises To Key West And ...

Cozumel And Key West are featured on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line `s 4- and 5-night Western Caribbean cruise tours on the Grandeur of the Seas. The 2.446-passenger cruise ship will provide Caribbean sailings from May through late September, with various activities included such as rock-climbing wall, full casino or day spa. Though, the cruise company does not disappoint passengers when in port. In 2010, the cruise provided sixty eight shore excursions in Cozumel and twenty seven in Key West. Various choices will include shopping and sightseeing cruise tours, kayaking, golf outing, museum tours as well as a wide variety of boat tours.

Key West: Hemingway House & Walking Tour

This 2-hour, narrated walking trip will cover around 1 mile in the center of Key West. Participants will be able to enjoy a professional guided tour of the Hemingway House, where in `20s, Ernest Hemingway has worked on “A farewell to Arms”, and where he lived from 1931 to 1939. Other various highlights of this tour will include the Straw Market, the Key West lighthouse and the Truman White House.

Key West: Parasailing

See Key West from an authentic perspective on this certain parasailing adventure experience. The 1-hour trip will include a tandem ride almost 400 feet above the city harbor. Participants will have to have more than 12 years old, and those under 16 years old will have to ride tandem with their parents.

Cozumel: ATV Jungle Adventure

This is a 3-hour adventure experience which will give passengers the real opportunity to explore the jungle of Cozumel on all-terrain vehicles. The tour will include a short visit to a Mayan temple. The undeveloped jungle will be hosting a wide variety of animals or plants, so sightseeing will also be another interesting activity which the guests will enjoy. A rest stop will be included after the tour of the jungle. Participants will have to be at least 16 years old and they will have to be able to present a valid driver`s license as well.

Cozumel: Three-Reef Snorkeling Tour

The island of Cozumel is pretty popular for its snorkeling, and the 3-reef tour will allow guests to sample some of the best spots of the area. The 3 1/5-hour tour will include transportation to the 3 reefs, tips by PADI-certified guide, equipment, snack as well as beverages after snorkeling. Participants must be at least 8 years old and in good health condition.

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