At AffordableTours.com, one of our goals is to bring our clients the best prices on cruises we possibly can. That means letting our readers know of sales and specials that are running, since these often involve great prices, unique itineraries, or both.
As the year comes to an end, vacationers and cruise providers alike may start thinking about 2016. The cruise industry is only growing; by the end of 2015, an estimated 12 million people will have taken a cruise this year. With this in mind, and to encourage vacationers and cruisegoers, new and experienced, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has announced that October will be National Plan a Cruise Month.
National Plan a Cruise Month is replacing CLIA Cruise Week, which you may have read about previously on our blog or participated in. The goal of National Plan a Cruise Month is to engage with and educate the public about the benefits and joys of cruise vacations; one of the ideas behind expanding the program to a month is provide a more comprehensive means of doing so.
Here are some of the differences between National Plan a Cruise Month and CLIA Cruise Week:
- Beyond featuring promotions and discounts for cruises, the new program will highlight and share positive stories of people’s experiences with cruise vacations.
- The new name gives the month a sense of purpose. It’s not just about cruises now; it’s a call for vacationers to start planning and booking their next voyage.
- By expanding from a week to a month, trip-goers will have more time to research and plan their cruise, and the professionals at AffordableTours.com and our partners in travel will have more time to work with and accommodate them.
- A month will allow the program to highlight many more varieties of cruises, such that everyone can find something that matches their budget and vacation preferences.
Now, of course, this doesn’t mean members of CLIA won’t still provide discounts and sales. Far from it– more than 20 cruise lines have committed to offering promotions during this period. These can range from standard discounts on travel costs, to special travel packages not available at other times of year, to free extras such as upgrades and shore excursions.
National Plan a Cruise Month is scheduled for October, and there’s no better time to book a cruise for 2016, as deals abound and many cruise lines offer special prices or unique incentives for travelers during the month. Beginning October 1st, we encourage you to visit our National Plan a Cruise Month page, here we will highlight participating cruise lines and showcase the deals that will be offered during this time period.
For additional information, please call our cruise experts at 1-800-627-3753 , we’ll gladly fill you in on the deals being offered, and our professionals will take you through the process of booking and find you the cruise package that’s best for you!