Carnival Cruise Lines announces rate increase

Carnival Cruise Line tickets are in such high demand, the company is doing what any free-market-thinking enterprise would do: raising prices. The Carnival Cruise Lines web site says “rates increase on all summer sailings” on March 22. It appears as though wannabe cruise-goers will have to wait until then to make their travel plans.

I was excited when I went to the Carnival Cruise Lines web site and saw price tags smaller than most faxless payday loans. Did you know you can go on a cruise for just a few hundred dollars? Unfortunately, the cruises at the current listed prices are all sold out, so don’t get your hopes up. Still, if you want to go on a cruise this summer, be sure to book as soon as possible. Carnival Cruise Lines has an Early Saver Program.

Carnival Cruise Line pricing

I was pretty surprised when I saw how much it costs to go on a voyage on Carnival Cruise Lines. On the home page at Carnival Cruise Lines’ web site, it says 3-day cruises start at $169! In the past I’ve always written off cruises as being just for rich people. However, some of the cruises are cheaper than plane tickets, which brings me to my next point.

Airlines versus cruise lines

Airline ticket prices, terrorist threats and stressful airports have no doubt contributed to the record bookings at Carnival Cruise Lines. People are finding out that some cruises are cheaper than flights. Add the fact that cruise ships are not common targets of terrorist bombings and subtract the lengthy, annoying process of going through airport security, and you’ve got yourself a dream vacation. You probably won’t even need a small personal loan to pull it off.

Some people don’t fly because of fear, and some don’t want to pay ridiculous baggage fees. The fact that Carnival Cruise Lines has drawn a record number of customers despite the recession shows the price is right — and for many the time and travel method are right, too. If you want to avoid airports and save some money, mark March 22 on your calendar to take advantage of Carnival Cruise Lines’ lowest available prices.

Image from Flikr.

I’m not really a superstitious person. At least, I didn’t think I was until this morning when I read “Titanic memorial cruise to sail on 100th anniversary” in the Associated Press at http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5jeSxA8D3O6n1IG3oRGp8aI8miyQg. I just couldn’t help but think that it sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

Still, I am sure the Titanic memorial cruise will fill up quickly. Tickets cost more than some auto loans I’ve seen in my day. They’re $3,900 or more for the 12-day cruise. I don’t know much about cruise prices, is that expensive?

Details on Titanic memorial cruise

The 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking and killing a bunch of people is April 14 2012. The cruise leaves April 8, and the ship will visit the spot where the Titanic sank at the exact time of the crash. The Associated Press says:

A memorial service will be held onboard the cruise exactly 100 years after the Titanic hit the iceberg and sank, between 11:40 p.m., on April 14, 2012, and 2:20 a.m. on April 15.

So if your dream is to relive one of the most famous tragedies in the world, slap that $3,900 on a credit card and make sure you’re in Southampton, England, on April 8, 2012. The destination of the Titanic Memorial Cruise is New York, where the Titanic passengers would have gone 100 years ago if the ship hadn’t sunk.

Reliving the past

British firm Miles Morgan Travel is running the Titanic memorial cruise, which will take place on the Balmoral, a chartered vessel from Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. Fred Olsen’s parent company, Harland and Wolff, built the Titanic.

After The Balmoral visits the scene of the crash, where 1,517 people died, passengers will head to Halifax to visit three cemeteries where Titanic victims are buried.

Get tickets to Titanic memorial cruise

Jen Schak, a spokeswoman for Borton, says that tickets are getting snapped up quickly, so if reliving the Titanic disaster sounds like something you just can’t miss, you’d better act fast. You can get tickets by calling 800-843-0602 or visit Bortonoverseas.com.