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.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Saturday, June 7, 2014
Christmas Vacation Planning - In June?
The question of whether you should start planning for your Christmas/Holiday trip 6 to 7 months in advance depends on your destination, lodgings, and if you plan on flying or not. Travel during the Winter Holidays has historically been one of the busiest travel periods. According to AAA, based on travel trends so far for 2014, the Holiday travel season could set a record. A little planning now could save you some money and prevent some disappointment down the line.
The projected record number of people traveling during the Christmas season means higher rates and possible room shortages at hotels and resorts at the most popular destinations over the holiday period. According to Orbitz, the most popular destinations can be divided by cold and hot. By this I mean the opposites in the weather during the season. For the cold weather, the most popular destinations are:
* Colorado - for many people the Holiday season means snow and skiing. The ski resorts in the state are expected to be full earlier than normal this year.
* New York, NY - for thousands of people the sites and sounds of New York during the holidays are what the season is all about. Plus New Years eve in Time Square is something everyone should experience.
On the other side of the spectrum, for many people, the Holiday season give them the opportunity to leave the cold and travel to a warmer location. According to Obitz, the most popular warm weather locations are:
* Florida - the major tourist destinations of Fort Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Tampa, and the most popular Holiday destination in the US, Orlando, all offer what many people want: warm weather and major tourist attractions.
* Cancun - the most popular foreign Holiday travel destination offers the right combination of warmth, beach, and exotic locale are a perfect match for Christmas.
* Puerto Rico - other love the islands for the holidays, and San Juan is the ninth most popular destination for the season.
* Arizona and Southern California - for many people, a better option for getting warmer weather means traveling to the Los Angeles or Phoenix areas. Major regional attractions and activities like golf are reasons for the major holiday travel to the region.
In addition, the 2 week Holiday season, is the highest demand period for taking a Caribbean cruise, with packed ships and pricing that are 3 to 5 times more than any other time during the winter season.
Another reason to start planning early for your Holiday travel is the "sticker shock" at the cost of airline tickets. In general, the price for tickets has risen by nearly 10% over the last several years, as the airlines has reduced capacity, and the increase in demand. If you are planning on flying during the Holiday travel period, checking airline availability now may offer you a savings, in the price of the ticket, and being able to reserve before the flight you want is booked.
So as the saying goes, sometimes "the early bird gets the worm". If your traveling to a popular region, and you want the best rate at a resort, or special accommodations, now may be the best time to start planning and booking. If you take a cruise, booking now will give you more options on cabin locations and types, and will in general cost less than if you waited, or you may get free upgrades. If you plan to fly during the season, in general , the longer you wait the higher the costs and the less options you will have. Some planning and action now, will allow you to take that Holiday vacation you want, and will leave you more money in your wallet.
The projected record number of people traveling during the Christmas season means higher rates and possible room shortages at hotels and resorts at the most popular destinations over the holiday period. According to Orbitz, the most popular destinations can be divided by cold and hot. By this I mean the opposites in the weather during the season. For the cold weather, the most popular destinations are:
* Colorado - for many people the Holiday season means snow and skiing. The ski resorts in the state are expected to be full earlier than normal this year.
* New York, NY - for thousands of people the sites and sounds of New York during the holidays are what the season is all about. Plus New Years eve in Time Square is something everyone should experience.
On the other side of the spectrum, for many people, the Holiday season give them the opportunity to leave the cold and travel to a warmer location. According to Obitz, the most popular warm weather locations are:
* Florida - the major tourist destinations of Fort Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Tampa, and the most popular Holiday destination in the US, Orlando, all offer what many people want: warm weather and major tourist attractions.
* Cancun - the most popular foreign Holiday travel destination offers the right combination of warmth, beach, and exotic locale are a perfect match for Christmas.
* Puerto Rico - other love the islands for the holidays, and San Juan is the ninth most popular destination for the season.
* Arizona and Southern California - for many people, a better option for getting warmer weather means traveling to the Los Angeles or Phoenix areas. Major regional attractions and activities like golf are reasons for the major holiday travel to the region.
In addition, the 2 week Holiday season, is the highest demand period for taking a Caribbean cruise, with packed ships and pricing that are 3 to 5 times more than any other time during the winter season.
Another reason to start planning early for your Holiday travel is the "sticker shock" at the cost of airline tickets. In general, the price for tickets has risen by nearly 10% over the last several years, as the airlines has reduced capacity, and the increase in demand. If you are planning on flying during the Holiday travel period, checking airline availability now may offer you a savings, in the price of the ticket, and being able to reserve before the flight you want is booked.
So as the saying goes, sometimes "the early bird gets the worm". If your traveling to a popular region, and you want the best rate at a resort, or special accommodations, now may be the best time to start planning and booking. If you take a cruise, booking now will give you more options on cabin locations and types, and will in general cost less than if you waited, or you may get free upgrades. If you plan to fly during the season, in general , the longer you wait the higher the costs and the less options you will have. Some planning and action now, will allow you to take that Holiday vacation you want, and will leave you more money in your wallet.
Monday, May 26, 2014
For Royal Caribbean: Bigger is Better X2
If you have any interest in the cruise industry, from the occasional cruiser to the most hard core fan of cruising; you have heard of Royal Caribbean Line's ships, the Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas. These two mega ships, each capable of carrying more than 5400 passengers, are the largest cruise ship ever built. Even though they are very popular with travelers and command a premium price, they also have many detractors because of their size and inward ship focus. Well, love em or hate em, Royal Caribbean is doubling down. It has ordered not one, but two new ships of the Oasis-class, each in fact will be larger than the existing vessels.
According to a report from Reuters, Royal Caribbean has just ordered a 4th ship of the Oasis-class to be built for delivery in 2018. The 3rd ship in the series was ordered last year and is scheduled to go into service in 2016. The two vessels will be built in France, and at 225,300 tonnes, will be larger than the existing ships, capable of carrying over 6000 passengers. Each ship is budgeted to cost $1.8 billion. Overall Royal Caribbean has increased its ship building budget from $5 billion to $6.8 billion thru 2018.
No matter what you think of the Oasis-class vessels, just based on their sheer size and capacity, they will have a huge impact on the cruise industry. Very few ports can handle ships of that size. But with a booming demand for cruises in Asia, the cruise industry is responding by adding more capacity in that region. Royal Caribbean has just reported it will send its newest ship, Quantum of the Seas, to China year round starting in 2015, after it was reported the Chinese are building a brand new port terminal for her. Other ports in Asia and the Caribbean are reported to be expanding their port capacities in order to handle the larger vessels. In the US, Port Canaveral in Florida is planning to build a brand new terminal and 1000 space parking garage for Royal Caribbean; for the rumoured new home port for one of the Oasis-class ships.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Summer Travel 2014: The Travelers Are Back!
Say the word summer, and for tens of millions of Americans the word is most associated with travel and vacation. Unfortunately for the travel industry, all segments; from airlines, to resorts, to cruise lines saw huge losses in demand from the recession as the American consumer cut back on both the quantity and amount spent on leisure travel. The good news is the travel industry has seen small steady growth over the last several years, as consumer confidence has slowly returned. The reports from several travel industry groups show that trend is accelerating, as more Americans not only want to travel more this summer, but are willing to spend more while they travel.
According to a AAA survey, a post-recession record 36.1 million people are expected to travel during the Memorial Day weekend. This is a 1.5 percent increase, for the traditional start of the summer travel season. The US airlines expect 210 million passengers to fly this summer, the highest in 6 years, including a record 29.9 million on international flights. In addition the AAA report stated that not only are more people planning on traveling over Memorial Day, they are willing to spend more. AAA also reports that hotels rates are going up 2% and airfares are up 6% from a year ago. This increased spending trend is supported by a spokesman from the travel website Priceline, who recently told CNBC that summer travel spending is up over 1% from last year.
Not only are Americans planning on travelling more this summer, they want to travel longer and are willing to upgrade. According to a recent American Express Travel survey, the average summer trip in 2014 will last 10 days, a huge jump from last years 7 days. Also people want more out of their trips, and want to upgrade their experiences. In an interview with NBC News, Laura Fink, vice president of marketing at American Express Travel, stated; " across the board...people are paying a little more for the extras, cabin upgrades on cruise ships, better rooms at hotels".
What this means, if you have procrastinated and haven't finished planning and booking that trip you want to do this summer, you may want to contact a travel professional. It will save you hours looking up airfare, researching resorts and your sanity.
What this means, if you have procrastinated and haven't finished planning and booking that trip you want to do this summer, you may want to contact a travel professional. It will save you hours looking up airfare, researching resorts and your sanity.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Not All (Air)Miles are Created Equal
For tens of millions of airline passengers, both the casual traveler and the professional road warrior, one of the major benefits of air travel is collecting those airline miles so we can get those upgrades or free seats. But according to a recent annual survey, the ability to use your miles varies greatly by airline. The survey, reported in the Wall Street Journal, was conducted by the the the firm Switchfly Inc., and has become the standard for the airline industry, measures frequent-flier award seat availability. In the survey, an online check is done for two seats at the lowest possible mileage level on both the 10 busiest medium and long distance routes for each airline. By using the busiest routes, the survey checks where airlines have the most available seats and where travelers fly most often.
The following chart shows the shows the results of the 2014 survey for the major U.S. airlines, and the point change from the 2013:
AIRLINE / % OF SEAT SEAT AVAILABILITY / POINT CHANGE FROM 2013
Southwest / 100% / No change
JetBlue / 92.9% / +4.3
United Airlines / 71.4% / -8.6
Alaska Airlines / 58.6% / +2.2
American Airlines / 55.0% / +6.4
Delta Air Lines / 55.0% / +18.6
US Airways / 35.0% / -1.4
The reasons and the response to the survey by each airline is very insightful. Southwest has some structural advantages in its high-frequency, short-haul route system which ensures plenty of available seats. In addition, its points-based rewards system is shown for every reservation with a cash price and a point-based price. US Airways has always been at the bottom of the survey, and has a management rule of being very conservative with frequent-flyer rewards. Interestingly, after the merger with American Airlines, the US Airways management team will run the combined company. Does anyone think American Airlines performance in the survey will improve next year. Delta Air Lines saw a tremendous improvement last year in its survey performance. The airline started increasing award seats available on domestic flights on January 1. But Delta is making some major structural changes to its reward program that could effect its performance next year. Starting in 2015, Delta is awarding miles based on fare paid, and not miles traveled, and is reducing the miles required for consumers to redeem their miles.
In its 5 years of existence, the reward seat availability survey has had a major impact on the airline industry. It is is the tool that has allowed consumers a method to quantify seat availability and compare airlines head-to-head. Hopefully the airlines will respond to increased consumer demand. I say any information that allows to make better decisions is always welcome.
The following chart shows the shows the results of the 2014 survey for the major U.S. airlines, and the point change from the 2013:
AIRLINE / % OF SEAT SEAT AVAILABILITY / POINT CHANGE FROM 2013
Southwest / 100% / No change
JetBlue / 92.9% / +4.3
United Airlines / 71.4% / -8.6
Alaska Airlines / 58.6% / +2.2
American Airlines / 55.0% / +6.4
Delta Air Lines / 55.0% / +18.6
US Airways / 35.0% / -1.4
The reasons and the response to the survey by each airline is very insightful. Southwest has some structural advantages in its high-frequency, short-haul route system which ensures plenty of available seats. In addition, its points-based rewards system is shown for every reservation with a cash price and a point-based price. US Airways has always been at the bottom of the survey, and has a management rule of being very conservative with frequent-flyer rewards. Interestingly, after the merger with American Airlines, the US Airways management team will run the combined company. Does anyone think American Airlines performance in the survey will improve next year. Delta Air Lines saw a tremendous improvement last year in its survey performance. The airline started increasing award seats available on domestic flights on January 1. But Delta is making some major structural changes to its reward program that could effect its performance next year. Starting in 2015, Delta is awarding miles based on fare paid, and not miles traveled, and is reducing the miles required for consumers to redeem their miles.
In its 5 years of existence, the reward seat availability survey has had a major impact on the airline industry. It is is the tool that has allowed consumers a method to quantify seat availability and compare airlines head-to-head. Hopefully the airlines will respond to increased consumer demand. I say any information that allows to make better decisions is always welcome.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Our Special Destination
I was just reading the latest issue of Conde Nast Traveler when they mentioned our favorite special destination. Everyone who likes to travel has a favorite destination; someplace that is special to them, or maybe it just felt right. It maybe a country,city, hotel, a resort, or a cabin on the lake: whatever it is we all enjoy and look forward to returning to our special destination. For my family, that destination is a small four season resort in the heart of northern Michigan called Boyne Mountain.
Boyne Mountain resort, located in the town of Boyne Falls Michigan, is not well known outside of the Midwest. It was built as a ski resort, and we enjoy our ski weekends there as much as our "real" ski trip each year to Utah or Colorado. During our spring breaks or summer vacations, each member of my family has an opinion of where they would like to go: on a cruise, or to the beach, or on a trip to London. But if you ask them if they want to go to Boyne, each of them will respond with a YES!! For each of us the reason we love it is different. For my boys, they love the variety of year round activities; from snow boarding to zip lines, water sports on Deer Lake, and an excellent indoor water park when the weather gets bad. For my wife, the Foodie, its all the great and varied restaurants in Boyne City and around the region. As for me, I love the vibe and scenery of an area that has something for my entire family, and is within a few hours drive from our home.
I think that a major benefit of traveling to different locations with your family is that it allows you the leisure to explore and discover your family's special destination. Wherever it may be, I hope your family enjoys the journey to discover your special destination as much as my family has. So get out; and EXPLORE!!
Boyne Mountain resort, located in the town of Boyne Falls Michigan, is not well known outside of the Midwest. It was built as a ski resort, and we enjoy our ski weekends there as much as our "real" ski trip each year to Utah or Colorado. During our spring breaks or summer vacations, each member of my family has an opinion of where they would like to go: on a cruise, or to the beach, or on a trip to London. But if you ask them if they want to go to Boyne, each of them will respond with a YES!! For each of us the reason we love it is different. For my boys, they love the variety of year round activities; from snow boarding to zip lines, water sports on Deer Lake, and an excellent indoor water park when the weather gets bad. For my wife, the Foodie, its all the great and varied restaurants in Boyne City and around the region. As for me, I love the vibe and scenery of an area that has something for my entire family, and is within a few hours drive from our home.
I think that a major benefit of traveling to different locations with your family is that it allows you the leisure to explore and discover your family's special destination. Wherever it may be, I hope your family enjoys the journey to discover your special destination as much as my family has. So get out; and EXPLORE!!
Monday, April 28, 2014
All Star Indoor Water Parks
My family, especially my 2 boys, love indoor water parks. During the brutal winter we just experienced here in the Midwest, their was nothing more fun than escaping for a day or two to a nearby indoor water world filled with fun pools, and water slides for the kids; and a chance for mom and dad to relax, get out of the cold and enjoy to quality time with the family. I thought about how much I enjoy going with my family to a good water park after I read a recent article on-line at cntraveler.com titled "The World's Coolest Indoor Water Parks".
In the article, Conde Nast profiled 8 of the best indoor water parks in the world, including parks in Canada, China, and Germany. Of the 5 that are located in the USA, I was thrilled to see that 2 of them were ones my family loves to go to every year and within driving distance of our home in Northwest Ohio. The U.S. indoor water parks that Conde Nast mentioned includes:
Kalahari Waterpark Resort (Sandusky, Oh.). The worlds largest indoor water park is designed in a African theme and has a roof system that allows for year-round sunbathing.
Avalanche Bay (Boyne Falls, Mi.). The water park is located at Boyne Mountain, one of the Midwest's most popular ski resort. Open year-round, its really great after a fun day on the slopes.
Massanutten Resort (McGayheysville, Va.). Located in the Shenandoah Valley at on of the largest family resorts on the East Coast, this water park provides year-round enjoyment for the entire family, no matter what the weather.
Great Wolf Lodge (Grand Mound, Wa.). This western Washington park is famous for wild water slides and its kiddie-pool areas.
Sahara Sam's (West Berlin, NJ.). Offers something for all age groups; from splash pools for the toddlers, to a surf simulator for the teens, to a swim up bar for the 21+ crowd. This is a park that just does everything well.
So if you can go to one of these great water parks, or there is another near your area of the country: go take your family any time of the year for a day or two for some watery excitement that everyone in your family will enjoy.
My family, especially my 2 boys, love indoor water parks. During the brutal winter we just experienced here in the Midwest, their was nothing more fun than escaping for a day or two to a nearby indoor water world filled with fun pools, and water slides for the kids; and a chance for mom and dad to relax, get out of the cold and enjoy to quality time with the family. I thought about how much I enjoy going with my family to a good water park after I read a recent article on-line at cntraveler.com titled "The World's Coolest Indoor Water Parks".
In the article, Conde Nast profiled 8 of the best indoor water parks in the world, including parks in Canada, China, and Germany. Of the 5 that are located in the USA, I was thrilled to see that 2 of them were ones my family loves to go to every year and within driving distance of our home in Northwest Ohio. The U.S. indoor water parks that Conde Nast mentioned includes:
Kalahari Waterpark Resort (Sandusky, Oh.). The worlds largest indoor water park is designed in a African theme and has a roof system that allows for year-round sunbathing.
Avalanche Bay (Boyne Falls, Mi.). The water park is located at Boyne Mountain, one of the Midwest's most popular ski resort. Open year-round, its really great after a fun day on the slopes.
Massanutten Resort (McGayheysville, Va.). Located in the Shenandoah Valley at on of the largest family resorts on the East Coast, this water park provides year-round enjoyment for the entire family, no matter what the weather.
Great Wolf Lodge (Grand Mound, Wa.). This western Washington park is famous for wild water slides and its kiddie-pool areas.
Sahara Sam's (West Berlin, NJ.). Offers something for all age groups; from splash pools for the toddlers, to a surf simulator for the teens, to a swim up bar for the 21+ crowd. This is a park that just does everything well.
So if you can go to one of these great water parks, or there is another near your area of the country: go take your family any time of the year for a day or two for some watery excitement that everyone in your family will enjoy.
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