Best Autumn Cruise Destinations

With crisp air, cool temperatures and brilliant foliage on display, autumn is an ideal time for a cruise.  The stretch between summer and winter affords relatively crowd-free ports and fewer passengers on board (kids are back in school), translating to plenty of opportunities to commune with nature.  Best of all, many repositioning cruises - ships crossing from one region of the world to another - offer reduced rates and longer itineraries.  So, if you're one of the millions of passengers planning to cruise in the next year, fall is an ideal time to take in striking backdrops and score significant savings.  To help you decide which sailing is right for you, here are my recommendations for top autumn cruise destinations.

New England and Canada

Every fall, vibrant seasonal hues color coastal cities across new England and Canada.  And a number of cruise companies offer trips to foliage-rich locales like Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine, Quebec City and Montreal.  Apart from scenic drives in seaport towns, many large and small ships, including those within Holland America, Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruise fleets, also provide the chance to sample local New England cuisine (think fresh Maine lobster).  To help pinpoint the best coastal cruise for you, peruse itineraries that deliver a high off-season value and ample opportunities for fall leaf peeping.

Alaska

Alaska is known for its jaw=dropping scenery: Calving glaciers, snow-capped peaks and majestic fjords snake along quaint towns and villages.  And in September, the waters teem with humpback whales and sea lions.  Many large ships, such as those within Princess Cruises and Holland America fleets, offer travelers the chance to explore the inside Passage with stops in Juneau, Ketchikan, Sitka and Victoria, British Columbia.  Smaller cruise ships, such as those operated by Un-Cruise Adventures, also navigate the inside Passage of Southeast Alaska, with home ports in Katchikan, Juneau and Sitka.  Many cruise lines also offer voyages to the narrower Gulf of Alaska passage, taking passengers from Vancouver to Anchorage (or vice versa), making stops in hard-to-reach ports like Hubbard Glacier and Collage Fjord.  Though both routes offer ample nature-viewing opportunities, the latter tends to lure those in pursuit of more immersive offshore experiences and face-to-face wildlife encounters.

The Caribbean

Caribbean-bound cruises offer significant deals during the fall sailing season.  But there's one caveat: Your trip runs the risk of being impacted by weather-related interruptions until hurricane season ends in late November.  To protect yourself against unforeseen weather delays, purchase travel insurance and confirm that your insurance and confirm  that your insurance provider covers trip interruptions.  Should you decide to take your chances, last-minute sales; especially for journeys departing in October and November are aplenty.  Behemoth lines like Royal Caribbean International and Disney Cruise Line operate in the Caribbean year-round, often affording excellent savings in the off-season.  Shorter four or five day sailings aboard these lines can also yield steep discounts.

Transatlantic Repositioning Cruises

In the off-season. many ships depart from one part of the world and finish in another in what's known as "repositioning" sailings.  These trips, which typically take place in the spring or the fall, often provide deep discounts and more days at sea than regional cruises.  Popular journeys include transatlantic crossings from Europe, sailings across the pacific from Hawaii to California, Caribbean-bound voyages from California and departures from the Caribbean to the Panama Canal.  Many megaship and smaller cruise ship lines - including Norwegian, Celebrity and Oceania Cruises - offer fall repositioning cruises with varying departure and disembarkation ports that fit a wide range of budgets.

Amber Cove - The Next Great Caribbean Cruise Destination?

     
Amber Cove, the newest Caribbean cruise destination is set to welcome its first cruise ship, has signed an agreement with Carnival Cruise Line to allow Carnival to be the first major cruise line to utilized the exciting new facilities at this new destination port; when it opens in opens in October 2015.  This exciting new destination, located near the historic town of Puerto Plata, on the beautiful north coast of the Dominican Republic- will welcome it first cruise ship, the Carnival  Victory. with a day long call in October 6th, according to Reuters.

       The port is situated in a spectacular cove between lush tropical landscapes and souring mountains.  Amber Cove will feature extensive recreational activities, and feature some of the most extensive shore excursions programs available in the Caribbean.   From beautiful beaches, to exciting water sports and snorkeling in crystal clear waters, to eco-adventures on land and water, Amber Cove promises something  to satisfy your Caribbean dream adventures.  Other exciting excursions will include crossing the rugged country side on Terracross vehicles, horseback riding along miles of open beaches, or even the luxury of renting your own beachside bungalow with your own personnel chief.   The port will feature historic architectural elements that echo the area's colonial past.  Its cobblestone plazas will feature themed restaurants and bars, a locally sourced marketplace, recreational amenities, and be the transportation hub for access to land and sea adventures.  The nearby town of Puerto Plata, discovered by Columbus in 1492, offers you limitless opportunities to shop, eat, drink and explore.  The port will offer 2 births that are able to accommodate the largest ships.

       Carnival Cruise Line is planning to make 37 calls to Amber Cove, in the first 6 months after it opens in October of 2015, for 7 night and longer cruises departing from Florida.  According to Terry Thomton, senior VP of itinerary planning for Carnival, "Amber Cove is destine to become a cornerstone...and provide an unmatched combination of fun in the sun activities and eco-tourism opportunities".  Over 100,000 guests will experience this new jewel of the Caribbean in its first 6 months.

What A Great Time For A Caribbean Cruise

       If you have been thinking of doing a Caribbean cruise this Fall or winter, this may be the best opportunity over the next several years; if you want variety and value.  The reason for this opportunity is simple old fashioned supply and demand. The cruise lines have significantly increased their capacity in the number of ships and cruises they are sailing to the Caribbean.  At the same time, the  demand has been flat cruises to the region; at the same time the overall cruise demand globally has increased.  What this means for you and I are more options at a lower price.

       The reason for this imbalance in supply is a combination of the cruise line looking for more stable markets for their ships, after a disastrous drop in demand for European cruises between 2010-12; and an increase in new ships and and new cruise lines entering the Caribbean market year round.  The Caribbean Princess, which would spend the summer in Europe is now based year round in Florida.  In addition, the cruise lines are adding new ships, with more features and larger capacities, such as the Norwegian Getaway, the Regal Princess and Royal Princess.  The Norwegian Getaway is based year round out of Miami, while the Princess ships are cruising the seasonally in the Caribbean.  Throw in the popular European line, MSC, which based its new 4000 passenger ship, the Divina, which they based this year in Miami for year round Caribbean cruises.  The result is a 20% increase in passenger capacity this Fall, compared to 2013.  Norweigian Cruise Line CEO Kevin Sheehan described this in Travel Weekly, as " the lemming theory... at the same time, and it's like you show your hand and everybody's in the Caribbean, with the capacity being up 20%."

       The demand has been flat for Caribbean cruises over the last several years.  The cruise lines think a major reason for this is is a perception in the public that the cruises are on the same old ships to the same old destinations.  In response, the cruise lines have increased their marketing to show the new features on their new ship; and and changing their cruises.  They are adding new ports of call, varying the port schedules, and adding both longer and shorter cruise lengths; to meet the changing demands of the American travelers.

       But this valuable opportunity for us; of more cruises and cruise options, will not last forever.  Already the cruise line have a reduction in both the number of ships to sail year round out of Florida and the number of ship cruising seasonally in the Caribbean for 2015/16.  Both MSC and Princess will discontinue year round sailing out of Miami. In addition, ships that had been scheduled to sail in the Caribbean such as the Norweigian Epic, and Royal Caribbean's newest ship, Quantum of the Sea, will be moved to other faster growing cruise regions, in this case Europe and China respectively.   What this means for us will be a large reduction in options for us next year.  So while the ships are all here this season, go have some fun on that cruise you want to do, try a new ship, enjoy the new cruise lengths and ports of call.  The value is hard to beat.