Frequently
Asked Questions
Why should I buy my cruise through
you versus my local travel agent?
Two reasons: 1) We'll get you a better price, and 2) We know
cruises. That's our specialty. We can guide you in making
the best decisions and answer any questions you have about
cruises.
How can you sell cruises for less
than other travel agencies and less than the cruise lines
themselves as you claim?
As top producers for the major cruise lines, we qualify for
special discounts that other travel agencies don't get. Most
people would be surprised to know that the cruise lines themselves
don't discount their prices when you buy direct. You'll actually
pay top dollar for your cruise by going direct.
When was your travel agency established?
We opened our doors in 1985. Each of the owners, Vince, Donna
and Grace, have been in the travel business for over 25 years
and are true cruise aficionados. Most of our employees have
been with the agency for at least 10 years.
What makes your travel agency unique?
We specialize in cruises. We truly are cruise experts. We
know the cruise lines, the individual ships, the ports of
call, the excursions and more. Together we represent a huge
wealth of knowledge which we are delighted to share with our
customers.
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Where is Buy Your Cruise for Less located?
We are located in South Florida in Port St. Lucie where we
were recently voted the area's #1 travel agency. We're about
two hours south of Orlando and two hours north of Miami. That
means we're close enough to the two biggest ports--Miami and
Port Canaveral--to scoot over for personal tours any time
a new ship comes to town.
What cruise lines do you represent?
All of them. We are authorized to sell cruises on all the
major cruise lines-Princess, Celebrity, Carnival, Disney,
Royal Caribbean, Holland America, and much more.
Can I book my cruise with you even though I don't live in
Florida?
Yes you can, and you'll probably get a better rate than if
you book your cruise with a local travel agent. You can use
our online reservation system or call us toll-free for assistance
at (800) 340-1600.
How can I found out about cruise specials?
There are two ways. One is to visit our site regularly. We
are constantly updating our Cruise Specials page. The other
way is to subscribe to
our newsletter. It includes announcements of
all the latest cruise information--new ships, new ports of
call, cruise sales and last-minute cruise specials.
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Can you help me book transportation to the port where my cruise
will begin?
Yes, we can. If you're in Florida, we often charter buses
to bring our cruise customers directly to the port. In other
situations, we can certainly help you book flights and any
other transportation you may need.
Do you sell travel insurance?
We do sell travel insurance. You can purchase it online when
you make your cruise reservation or speak to any one of our
representatives for details.
If I book my cruise online, will I get a written confirmation?
Yes, you'll immediately receive via e-mail a confirmation
of all your cruise and travel details. If you have any questions,
you are welcome to contact us directly.
Do you book discount cruises for groups?
Absolutely. We book cruises for many companies, civic organizations
and even large families. We even do cruise fundraisers. Besides
taking care of every detail in terms of customizing the cruise
to your group's desires, we can get your excellent group discounts.
You only need eight double-occupancy staterooms to qualify
as a group. See our Discount
Cruises for Groups to learn more.
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Questions About Cruising,
in General
Info Desk: Below is a list of Frequently
Asked Questions by future cruise travelers.
Are there activities
for children on a cruise?
Most cruise lines offer programs for children. Many offer
special teen and pre-teen scheduled activities. The larger
ships almost always include a video arcade, kids disco or
other designated "kids area".
Cruises are a great way for families to travel and see a
variety of countries and ports.
Some ships also offer babysitting services and daycare centers.
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Will I get
seasick?
It is unlikely that you will notice any motion on a large
cruise ship, even if you are sensitive to motion in automobiles
or airplanes. All ships today have stabilizers to smooth the
ride. Some cruises sail calmer waters than others. Caribbean
and Alaska cruises enjoy smoother sailings than say Bermuda.
If seas do get rough, there are many preventative medications
available on board.
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Do I have to participate
in scheduled activities
or can I just relax?
There are dozens of activities going on all over the ship
every day. One the best ones can be "doing nothing at all".
Relaxation is what attracts many people to cruise travel.
Every ship has one or more pools that you can lay around with
a good book, most have a library and several lounges where
you can sit and relax by yourself or with friends.
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Do I have to tip?
If so, how much?
Tipping is up to you. Generally speaking, $7.00 to $9.00 per
day/per person should take care of your waiter, bus boy and
cabin steward. Other ship personnel can be tipped at your
discretion. There are a few cruise lines that have a "no tipping"
policy.
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Can I call home
from the ship?
Many of the newer or recently refurbished ships provide Ship
to Shore telephone service. On some ships you can call from
your stateroom. Ship to Shore rates apply so you may want
to limit your conversations.
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Are medical services
available?
Virtually every major cruise ship will have a staffed medical
facility to handle emergencies. If you suffer from a medical
condition, check with your travel agent before booking to
make sure the ship on which you are cruising can handle your
needs.
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Will I get bored?
That is very unlikely! However, if you are concerned about
having enough to do, choose one of the larger ships (40,000
tons and above), they will typically have more activities
due to the sheer numbers of people on board.
Most ships have dozens of planned and spontaneous activities
going from sunrise to way past midnight. Pool activities,
sports, bingo, casino, wine tastings, dance lessons, dancing,
karoake, live entertainment, movies, television, fitness centers,
shore excursions, talent contests, masquerade parties, Captain's
party, country western night, just to name a few!
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What should I pack?
Generally speaking, cruise travel is very casual during the
day and casual to formal in the evenings. This can vary depending
on the itinerary. Caribbean, Hawaiian, Alaskan cruises are
more informal while Transatlantic, Mediterranean and European
cruises tend to be a little more formal. This can also vary
from cruise line to cruise line and ship to ship.
Princess Cruise Line would probably lean toward formal whereas
Carnival will tend to be more informal and casual. There is
no real hard and fast rule, however, here's a try.
Men should always pack one dark suit which will usually suffice
even on "formal night." You can take a tuxedo, but we recommend
that you rent one on board the ship (most ships offer this
service) unless you own one and just want the extra baggage.
Tuxedos are generally not "required".
Ladies can take cocktail dresses or a full length formal.
There are usually 1 to 2 formal nights on a 7 night cruise,
only 1 on 3 & 4 night cruises. The rest of the time is
typically very casual. Even on "non-formal" nights, men should
wear a collared shirt to dinner and slacks or skirts for the
ladies.
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How much will
it cost?
One of the most attractive features of a cruise vacation
is the price. Even more expensive cruises are a good value
for the money. You can spend anywhere from $400 for a 3-night
Bahamas cruise to $30,000 for a suite on a 30-day cruise to
Africa!
No matter how much you spend, you pay one price that covers
virtually everything: meals, accommodations, taxes, on-board
entertainment and in some cases, airfare! The only extras
are shore excursions, liquor, tips and incidentals (photos,
etc.).
Undoubtedly, a cruise is the most affordable way to travel.
Compare a 7-night cruise to the Caribbean at around $1300
pp (including airfare) with a 7-night trip to Hawaii. In Hawaii,
a hotel comparable to your cabin on the ship will be at least
$150 per night (that's $1,000 right there!), your airfare
from most cities will be at least $600, and meals in Hawaii
to rival that of the cruise ship will easily be $100 per day
per person (another $700!). That is $2,300 per person compared
to $1,300 and we haven't even talked about entertainment!
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What is included
in the price of the cruise?
Just about everything! All your meals are included (and there
are usually about 7 or 8 per day from which to choose), all
accommodations, all shipboard entertainment, all taxes and
in some cases your airfare and ground transportation to and
from the port is included.
You must pay for extras such as liquor, shore excursions,
gratuities, photos, incidentals, gambling, etc.
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What about sightseeing
when in port?
Your ship will typically arrive in port early in the morning
at which time you are free to go ashore. In most cases, you
will be back on board the ship by 5:00pm to 7:00pm. This gives
you more than enough time to enjoy one of the cruise lines'
shore excursions, or, go off on your own to do some shopping,
sightseeing, swimming, scuba diving, etc.
We highly recommend the cruise ship sponsored tours and excursions.
In some ports, when you debark from the ship, local sightseeing
companies (in some cases a local with a van) will be waiting
to temp you with their own tour. Take our word for it, while
these tours may be safe and in some cases quite good, it is
always a safe bet to stick with your cruise ship's recommendation.
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Can I get/send e-mail
while onboard the ship?
Many of the newer ships do have a business center complete
with computers connected to the Internet. Some charge as little
at $16 an hour for computer time and you can get your e-mail
using Microsoft HotMail or Yahoo Mail. Check with your cruise
line for availability of these services.
If you have a laptop onboard, you can make a ship-to-shore
call to dial into your Internet provider, but at $8 to $10
per minute it can get very expensive.
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