Cruise lines are offering more value for your money with new free Wi-Fi and deals that cut the cost of your on-board drinking and dining experience.
All-inclusive cruise deal
Norwegian Cruise Line is debuting a new all-inclusive package that includes shore excursions, beer and wine, internet and fine dining. Luxury cruise lines such as Crystal Cruises and Regent Seven Seas have offered all-inclusive packages that include wine at dinner and other perks, and Norwegian offers the freebies for its upscale Haven section of staterooms. Now, Norwegian is expanding the included perks to the rest of its staterooms, beginnnig with 2015 sailings, for new reservations. It’s a first for a major cruise line.
Norwegian tells me the packages are worth up to $2,400, depending on the length of the cruise. The add-on all-inclusive package costs $899 for a seven day cruise, and includes daily dining in specialty restaurants where there’s a supplemental $25 charge, more or less, such as Cagney’s steakhouse, 250-minute Internet access per guest, 20 photos, a $200 shore excursion credit per person, plus unlimited non-alcoholic beverages and a bottle of wine. Also, the daily service fee is included. Considering how quickly on-board costs add up, especially for drinks and dining in, the all-inclusive add-on could very well save you money.
All-inclusive packages are available for booking beginning August 4th, directly from Norwegian or from your travel agent.
Free WiFi aboard ship
CroisiEurope, Europe’s longest running river cruise company, is upping the ante of all-inclusive cruising with the introduction of free Wi-Fi for guests throughout their fleet of European river boats and barge hotels. The newest additions to the fleet, MS Gerard Schmitter, the MS Cyrano de Bergerac and the MS Lafayette, plus the fleet of four hotel barges, are now equipped with Wi-Fi throughout the boats, including guest cabins. The rest of the fleet in Europe offers free Wi-Fi in the reception area and lounge bar. CroisiEurope is also equipping every ship in the fleet (apart from those ships on the Mekong) with a Samsung Galaxy Tablet for guests’ use.
This is also an all-inclusive line, with accommodations in an outside-facing cabin with all onboard meals, complimentary beer and wine at lunch and dinner as well as open bar throughout the voyage, although that does not inlcude including Champagne, wines on the wine list or fine brandies, onboard entertainment and port taxes.
CroisiEurope has been a leader in affordable European river cruises for nearly 40 years. Based in Strasbourg, France, it’s a family owned company operating nearly almost 40 vessels that sail along Europe’s most famous rivers in France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Belgium, plus along the Mediterranean coast, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Crystal Cruises also is offering free Wi-Fi to passengers who are members of the line’s free “club” of repeat guests. The internet freebie is effective with Crystal Serenity’s September 19 New England/Canada sailing and Crystal Symphony’s October 15 Panama Canal cruise.
Each Crystal Society passenger gets one hour a day of free internet access, so on a 10-day cruise, that means 600 free minutes per person or 1,200 free minutes per couple, which can be used any time throughout the voyage.
And it includes use on your own portable device, or one of the onboard computers or on Crystal’s own Computer University@Sea 27” dual-compatible iMac computers.
Leave a Reply