ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, October 6, 1996 TAG: 9610080001
SECTION: TRAVEL PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO JEFF MILLER
SOURCE: JEFF MILLER SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES
ERICA and Vernon were approaching their 50th wedding anniversary and wanted to do something special with their six children, spouses and grandchildren. While they had never taken a cruise ship, they had heard that family gatherings held on board a ship could be fun.
Unfortunately, the travel agent they chose was uncommunicative, provided minimal service and the tickets only showed up a week before sailing. All of which led to pretrip stress, aggravation and concern for 16 people.
It could have been smooth sailing - with a little knowledge and preparation.
For those contemplating cruise ship family gatherings (anniversaries, reunions or weddings), the choices can seem overwhelming: How do you pick the best travel agent? Which cruise line should you take? What services and amenities are offered? Can you afford it?
Erica and Vernon were not alone in their lack of cruise ship knowledge. Cruise Lines International Association, an industry trade group, estimates 60 percent of adult Americans dream of taking a cruise, while only 8 percent have actually done so. According to CLIA, cruising is the fastest-growing vacation option in North America, having had a compound annual growth rate of 10 percent since 1970. An estimated 5 million people cruised in 1995.
An increasing segment of the industry is family gatherings. In an informal CLIA survey among its 32 member cruise lines, three of the top 10 cruise trends were: more honeymoons/anniversaries at sea, more families cruising together and more reunions held on board.
"In the last three years, our family reunions have grown by 50 percent," says Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Carnival Cruise Lines, which reportedly carries more passengers than any other line in the world.
Fran Sevcik, director of public relations for Norwegian Cruise Line, believes families like cruising because "it is a very easy trip to plan. You don't have people arguing over where we're going to go eat, or what we're going to do. It's all available on cruise ships."
Rich Steak, manager of media relations for Royal Caribbean Cruises, believes there are three reasons families like cruises: "It's easy - one call and its all done; it's relatively inexpensive for a resort-type gathering; and there's something for everyone on a cruise - from kids to adults to seniors."
On a candid note, Jill Biggins, manger of public relations for Princess Cruises says, "We all know that not every family member will be excited about spending time with the entire family. But that's the beauty of cruising. While you can come together at the end of the day over dinner, you don't have to be together during the day.
"There are so many options, from shore excursions to onboard activities to just sitting around the pool. Not everybody's got to be together all the time. That's why cruising is perfect for family gatherings."
Just as there's a tremendous variety of ships and cruises available, there is also a variety of prices to fit nearly every budget.
Normally, a cruise fare is nearly all-inclusive - covering airfare, all meals, cabin, onboard activities and entertainment. Usually not included are soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, shore excursions and tips to cabin and restaurant staff.
"Cruising is no longer for the wealthy or the retired," says Sevcik. "It's affordable to everybody now, and people are beginning to find that out."
Jill Biggins agrees: "There's great value on ships, and you know what you're in for up front. It's easier to target your budget. On land trips, there are so many miscellaneous costs that are hard to remember, from taxi fares to bell hop tipping."
With family gatherings, all the cruise lines queried said they offer various discounts for multiroom bookings - usually eight booked cabins earns a half-a-cabin discount; 16 cabins gets one free cabin.
Cruise prices can vary tremendously, depending upon the choice of ship, cabin and time of year. Hypothetically, a medium-priced, resort-type cruise - round-trip airfare from any one of most U.S. cities, moderate cabin with an outside window, during shoulder season (spring or autumn) - will range from $600-$800 (excluding port taxes) per person.
The future holds even greater promise of inexpensive cruising. According to CLIA, there are more than 130 ships and 5,500 cruises available worldwide, with 25 new ships projected to be launched in the next three years. This leads some industry watchers to suggest there will be a glut of cabins - making for greater cruise line discounts and bargains.
According to CLIA, 95 percent to 97 percent of all cruises are booked through travel agents. Most cruise lines don't even have the facilities to handle direct passenger booking, so people must work through a travel agent.
But which one?
When looking for a travel agency, check to see what associations it's affiliated with. The American Society of Travel Agents is the largest professional travel organization in the world with more than 25,000 members in 136 countries. An affiliation with ASTA should be one of the basic criteria in finding an agency. You can call ASTA (703-739-2782) for ASTA agencies in your area.
An important cruise industry affiliation is with Cruise Lines International Association. CLIA is the marketing organization for the North American cruise industry and has 31 member cruise lines and more than 22,000 travel agency affiliates throughout North America. CLIA offers its affiliated agents two designations which they earn through classroom training, ship inspections and personal cruising: Accredited Cruise Counsellor and Master Cruise Counsellor.
Association affiliation, however, is only the first step in finding a good travel agency. Don't be afraid to ask questions.
"Go ahead and ask the agent you're thinking of working with if he or she has taken a cruise before," advises Gloria George, owner of Bon Tour Travel in Beverly Hills. Her agency has been in business 32 years and is a member of ASTA and CLIA. "Check to make sure that the agent has had hands-on experience with cruising and even family gatherings in particular."
In return, look for a travel agent who asks you a lot of questions.
"Qualifying a client as to specific needs and desires is critical to guaranteeing the client ends up on the right ship for the best vacation experience," says Kelly Turnwall, owner/manger of Cruise Holidays of Littleton, Colo. His agency, which only books cruises, is a member of CLIA and is affiliated with Cruise Holidays, the largest cruise specialty network of agencies in North America with 190 stores.
"To qualify clients," Turnwall says, "an agent needs to know many things: The demographics of the family group, general budget, have they cruised before? What kind of vacations have they enjoyed before? How do they like to spend their time? The agent should be asking you those questions, and much more."
Both Turnwall and George believe cruise ship enjoyment is directly related to matching passenger needs and desires with the right type of vessel. Grandparents hosting preteen grandchildren will be looking for different services and amenities than parents taking adult children and spouses. Wedding parties will probably want something completely different than reunion groups.
Turnwall uses a client qualification system developed by his parent organization that he says, "allows us to match the client with the correct cruise product."
CLIA has its own "Cruise Quiz," which is a way for first-time cruisers to determine their vacation type even before visiting a travel agent. For a copy, send an SASE to CLIA, Dept. W. 500 Fifth Ave., Suite 1407, New York, NY 10110, or get one from a CLIA-affiliated travel agency.
After deciding on an agent, expect to pay a down payment, with the balance due approximately 60 days before sailing.
LENGTH: Long : 135 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. ROYAL CARIBBEAN CRUISES. Beach time, where snorkelingby CNBis always popular (above), is part of any cruise ship's itinerary,
2. as is sunning around the pool (right). 3. PREMIER CRUISE LINES.
Families are finding fun at sea. color.