Itineraries & When to Go
Most cruise itineraries run between three to ten nights. A first-time cruiser who’s anxious about the experience might want to try a shorter cruise – and in fact, some lines offer occasional one- or two-night “cruises to nowhere” which provide a good introduction to the experience. Shorter cruises are good for long weekends or holiday weekends. Some itinerary lengths are dependent on the destination – for example, a cruise to Bermuda requires two days to get there, and two days to get back.
The Caribbean remains the core destination of most cruise lines. Its collection of small islands and interesting ports of call are best explored via cruise ship. In summer months, many ships are repositioned to other areas: Alaska or Europe in the summer, Canada and New England in the fall.
For a long time, the Port of Miami enjoyed its status as the “cruise capital” of the world, but that title is now eclipsed by Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale) about 30 miles to the north. But between the two ports, cruise options are plentiful. In the months following 9/11, cruise lines decided to relocate some of their ships to other embarkation cities, allowing people to take cruise vacations without needing to fly to south Florida or New York City. You can now find cruises operating out of Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Mobile, New Orleans, Galveston and several west coast cities. Options may be limited, but they offer greater access to more potential travelers.
Just like other travel industries, cruise pricing is directly affected by supply and demand. But unlike airlines, which can alter flight capacities by swapping aircrafts, cruise ships sail out for every cruise with the same number of cabins to fill. Therefore, cruises tend to be very expensive during Christmas/New Year’s holidays, but can be very affordable in late Spring (before schools let out) and Fall (before the winter holidays). Seasonal cruise seasons such as Alaska are more affordable towards the start and end of each season (“shoulder cruises”).
One variable that can affect any cruise itinerary is weather. In most cases, cruises can sail around inclement weather with very little change in itinerary, but it is always possible that a port of call may need to be canceled or substituted due to adverse weather conditions. Therefore, always understand that your itinerary is subject to change – in fact, a cruise line’s contract of carriage only requires them to get you back to your point of origin (or debarkation for a one-way cruise). Should a cruise miss a port, most lines will extend a gesture of goodwill through an onboard credit or other amenity. But remember, such changes are always done with your safety in mind. (Purchasing travel insurance is highly recommended to protect your investment in case weather affects your ability to travel to/from your cruise vacation!)
There are a lot of cruise deals during the peak of hurricane season, as some travelers are wary about sailing during this time. Cruises will always avoid tropical storms, so as long as you are flexible with potential itinerary changes (e.g., an Eastern Caribbean cruise becomes a Western Caribbean cruise at the last minute), this can be a very affordable time to sail.