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Frequently Asked Questions

Priceline Cruises

1. I am 20 years old and want to be with young singles near my age. How can I tell if I will be comfortable with the people on the ship—and them with me?
2. Can I get a senior rate through Priceline?
3. What are the biggest bargains among Priceline cruises?
4. From what cities or ports do ships leave?
5. What about airfare?
6. Are cruises good values?
7. What about single rates?
8. What's not included?
9. Will I need a passport?
10. Will I need formal clothing, such as a tuxedo?
11. Does Priceline have a low price guarantee?
12. Are Priceline cruises refundable?

1. I am 20 years old and want to be with young singles near my age. How can I tell if I will be comfortable with the people on the ship—and them with me?

Generally, for Caribbean and Mexican cruises, the shorter the cruise, the more youthful the passengers, and the later most will want to stay up. During the spring break season—mid-February through Easter and Passover—expect especially young crowds on seven-day or less cruises.

Other factors relating to the age of the passengers are the “rating” and cost of a cruise. The more highly-rated and expensive cruises tend to have older passengers. Priceline shows you typical ratings for the ships it sells.

However, most people, regardless of age, plan to have fun on cruises, and they won’t care if you’re up all night dancing, as long as you don’t disturb them.

2. Can I get a senior rate through Priceline?

Yes, Priceline.com Cruises offers senior discounts on most ships.

Senior rates typically start at age 55, and as long as one person in the stateroom is 55, everyone gets that rate.

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3. What are the biggest bargains among Priceline cruises?

• When you click on Priceline.com Cruises, you will see all sorts of special deals. The best tend to be last-minute cruises that leave within 60 days, but not always.
  
  
• When searching for best values, look beyond the dollar amount.
  
  Discount cruise sites compete on the freebies offered. I like when Priceline offers free hotel nights.
  
  
• Also consider the price differential between inside (no view) and outside (view) staterooms, as well as staterooms with balconies. The extra you pay for a view or a balcony with an even better view can be minimal if the ship has a lot of these left to sell.
  
  
• Especially if traveling during the fall or spring, seriously consider repositioning cruises, when ships move from one region to another. These one-way trips may be the best bargains of all. You may have have to sort "Cruise destinations" by "All" to see every one. Also sort by "Transatlantic" if that's an interest.
  
  For example, at the end of the peak Mexican cruise season in late April and May, cruise ships move from Los Angeles or San Diego to Vancouver or Seattle for the start of the Alaskan cruise season. During September, they go back.
  
  Some even sail from the Caribbean via the Panama Canal for Alaska departures and vice versa.
  
  During the fall and spring, more cruise ships than usual cross the Atlantic traveling to and from their Caribbean or European voyages. These extra sailings, which tend to leave from or arrive in Florida or San Juan, can be simply fantastic bargains.
  
  For example, the last-minute rate for a s13-night Royal Caribbean San Juan to Malaga, Spain, May 1, 2011 cruise dropped to as low as $399 per person.
  
  
• But don't worry if you prefer a regular, roundtrip cruise. You'll also find plenty of bargains for these in the featured and last-minute cruises.

4. From what cities or ports do ships leave?

Currently, Priceline.com Cruises offers 25 U.S. ports, as well as ports in Europe, South America, Australia, and elsewhere.

Most ships still depart from Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Vancouver, San Juan, and the New York City area, although more and more ships leave from “non-traditional” ports.

These include Galveston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk, Port Canaveral (near Orlando), Charleston, Mobile, Boston, San Diego, and others.

Leaving from one of these may save you travel time and money getting to port.

Just keep in mind that if your Caribbean cruise in January leaves from New York City, you will not be able to relax by the outdoor pool during your first and last several days on your ship.

5. What about airfare?

In some cases, Priceline.com Cruises will show you the cost both with and without airfare.

If you are traveling on a one-way cruise, check airlines like Icelandair (for Europe), JetBlue, and Southwest, which often feature lower one-way fares.

IMPORTANT: If you book your own airfare, we urge you to arrive at the port at least the day before. This helps protect you in case of weather or other delays. Call this a cheap insurance policy. Also, allow at least 7 hours between your arrival back at the port and your flight departure.

If your cruise ship leaves without you, you're faced with buying an often expensive last-minute one-way ticket to the first port of call. Because this frequently comes on the third day, you will have missed two nights of your cruise by not allowing enough connecting time.

6. Are cruises good values?

A discounted Priceline.com Cruises vacation offers tremendous value.

Because you’ll know the cost of nearly everything in advance—transportation, stateroom, all-you-care-to-eat meals, a wide selection of entertainment, taxes, etc.—you'll face few surprises compared to a land-based vacation.

However, keep in mind that cruise companies work hard to entice you to spend more while on their ships by offering casinos, dining choices not included in the cruise price, bottled water and soft drinks by the pool, etc. These temptations are typically easy to avoid.

Value comes from your safety, too. Although you’ll hear of incidents periodically, cruise ships offer a much more secure vacation environment than most land-based resort areas.

7. What about single rates?

Single rates vary wildly from departure to departure depending on how anxious a cruise line is to fill a ship. Comparing different companies and dates can save you serious money.

Although a few cruise ships offer single staterooms, most put singles in cabins designed to occupy two or more people.

For these, you typically pay 125% to 200% of the per person already discounted double rate.

You are doing well if you pay 150% or less of the person already discounted double rate. You are doing fantastically if you pay 125% of the already discounted per per person double rate.

Beware of ships that have discounted per person double occupancy rates, but want to move you to the full per person retail rate if you want to book alone.

Two companies that tend to offer excellent single rates are Celebrity and Royal Caribbean. Nevertheless even with these, you are still nearly always much better off seeking departures that are not so heavily booked.

8. What’s not included?

• Optional sightseeing tours at some stops could turn out to be your biggest extra expense, unless you linger too long in the on-board casino.
  
  Opinions vary about whether you should book tours via the cruise line.
  
  You'll usually pay more doing this compared to arranging tours on your own, but the companies cruise lines work with may be more reliable.
  
  Note that you need not take sightseeing tours at some ports in order to enjoy a day. In Puerto Vallarta, for example, you can have a really fun time exploring the old town on foot and then relaxing at a nearby hotel beach.
  
  If you do venture out on your own, get an early start in order to come back early. A ship will wait for a late shore excursion it sold, but not otherwise.
  
  
• In most cases, tips are not included. Cruise ships offer guidelines for tipping, but you may tip more or less, depending on the service.
  
  And, even if you have prepaid tips, please consider giving extra if you received fine service. The people who serve you on ships work long hours usually far from their families and friends.
  
  
• In most cases, alcoholic beverages and sometimes soft drinks cost extra, but policies vary. Some ships include wine with meals; some do not.
  
  
• You'll pay extra for laundry services, hair salons, and spa treatments.
  
  
• Because per session Internet rates can be quite expensive, look into the discount plans ships offer. You'll still pay a lot, but the damage will be less.
  
  
• Included are counselors who organize events for your kids, but you'll surely want to tip them—and attempt to bring them home with you!

9. Will I need a passport?

Yes, if your cruise stops outside the United States.

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10. Will I need formal clothing, such as a tuxedo?

You will definitely not need formal wear for typical warm weather cruises (seven-nights or less) departing from the U.S. In fact, these nearly always offer a buffet or other informal dining option, where you are able to wear a t-shirt and board shorts to meals, if you wish.

On the other hand, except for the very shortest and least expensive (based on the normal retail price, not your discounted one) warm weather cruises out of U.S. ports, men may feel somewhat out of place if they do not wear at least a jacket and tie in indoor public areas on formal nights.

Moreover, getting to know your table companions in a main dining room, if you ask to share as most do, instead of dining alone or as a couple in an impersonal buffet, is one of my favorite aspects of cruising. You will meet such interesting people.

Even on the most expensive cruises, men can easily get by with a conservative suit in the dining room and public areas on formal nights, not a tuxedo.

Nevertheless, if you plan a long cruise or a cruise of any length on an expensive and deluxe ship, especially one that attracts an international crowd, such as a trip across the Atlantic on the Queen Mary, you will probably want to take a formal evening gown or tux to get more fully into the spirit of things. At the minimum, men should pack a very dark suit.

11. Does Priceline have a low price guarantee?

Yes, and it covers all cruise lines.

If you find a lower price for the same number of people in the same type of cabin on the same ship on the same dates on another website, Priceline.com Cruises will refund you 110% of the difference. See the Priceline website for time limitations, etc.

12. Are Priceline cruises refundable?

Cancellations result in a penalty. That’s the risk you take for these low prices. Which cruise line you use and how close to departure you cancel determine how much you lose.

Priceline offers cancellation insurance.

Priceline.com Cruises