14 Night Panama Canal Cruise from $799

Once again, we’re looking at a cruise that’s above our $40 per night arbitrary threshold but, once again, this one is worth mentioning. Transiting the Panama Canal on a ship is not only a common bucket list item for cruisers but for travellers in general. Typically, a Panama Canal cruise starts at around $100 per night per person and goes nowhere but up, regardless of the cruise line. With Norwegian Cruise Lines at the start of January, 2014, this cruise can be had for as low as $57 per person per night.

The Cruise

Some Panama Canal cruises just go halfway, turning around at Gatun Lake and heading back home. This 14 night cruise on board the Norwegian Star does the whole deal from Panama City at the Pacific Ocean to Colon at the Caribbean/Atlantic side.

The ship embarks from Los Angeles, California at 4pm on Sunday, January 5, 2014 and reaches Miami, by way of the Canal, at 8am on Sunday, January 19, 2014. Along the way, she makes six port calls other than the Panama Canal, five on the Pacific coast and one in the Caribbean. Included are: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Huatulco, Mexico; Puerto Chiapas, Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica and Cartagena, Colombia. All are full days on shore, ranging from 7 to 9 hours.

The Pricing

An interior stateroom on board the Norwegian Star can be had for as low as $799 per person. This equals around $57 per person per night. Unfortunately, any Panama Canal cruise, no matter the length or cruise line, costs dearly in government taxes and fees, in this case to the tune of $362 per person. Right now, with a $25 on board credit included, a couple can do this cruise for an all-in $2,322.

For other categories, the pricing goes as low as $1,249 per person for an Ocean View stateroom, $2,399 per person for a balcony and $2,499 per person for a suite.

If money is not an issue, you might want to try out the Garden Villa Suite. 6,694 square feet of living space on the 14^th deck, at the back of the ship. Yes, I had to check that two or three times. 6,694 square feet of living space! This includes all inside and outside space. You have your own private garden, hot tub and room for eight people. There are three bedrooms with nothing less than a queen sized bed. Butler and concierge service comes included. The total price for two people? $27,722 or just under $14,000 per person!

 

 

The Ship

Norwegian Star is barely within Panamax sized limits when it comes to width. Meaning, it just squeaks into the locks of the Panama Canal. Back in 2000, this ship was intended to be dubbed SuperStar Libra in the Star Cruises fleet. Instead, she made her maiden voyage on November 19, 2001 as Norwegian Star.

She is a NCL Dawn Class ship with just one younger sister. Norwegian Dawn came into service in 2002. Star has a gross tonnage of 91,740 and is 294 metres or 965 feet in length. There are 15 decks on board, eleven accessible to passengers. Guest capacity is 2,348 with a staff of 1,083 crew members.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

Celebrity Constellation 5 Night Western Caribbean From Just $209

If you took a gander at the ‘About’ page for this website, you’d see that our target range for cruises to be featured here is in the $30 to $40 per night range. Today, we’re going a little outside that range but it’s worth it.

Normally, the same itinerary on the Celebrity Constellation goes from the $80 to $100 per person per night area. On Saturday, December 14, 2013, you can be on the Celebrity Constellation as she leaves Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on a five night Western Caribbean cruise for just $41.80 per person per night.

The Cruise

 

The five night Western Caribbean cruise leaves the Port Everglades cruise port at 4:30pm on Saturday, December 14, 2013. Constellation returns to Ft. Lauderdale on Thursday, December 19 at 7am. Along the way, she makes two port calls with a generous amount of time at each.

On Sunday, December 15, Constellation arrives at Key West, Florida at 7am. She remains docked for the day at the colourful destination and departs at 5pm. After a day at sea, the next stop is the tropical island of Cozumel, Mexico. Once again, there is a full day on shore with the vessel docking at 7am and heading back out at 5pm.

Earlier this week, we looked at a four night Princess Cruises Western Caribbean cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale onboard the Ruby Princess. The Ruby and Constellation start out on the same evening but the Princess ship does not stop at Key West, instead going directly to Cozumel, arriving on the Monday. At the time the article was published, that cruise went for as low as $149 per person and is currently still available at that price.

Pricing

An interior stateroom on the Celebrity Constellation can be had for as low as $209 per person per night. This equates to $41.80 per person per night. The same cruise on the same ship is typically in the $80 to $100 per night range, and beyond. With government taxes and fees of $109.03 added to each passenger, a couple can book this cruise for $628 with all taxes included. Considering the quality of Celebrity Cruises, this is a great value.

Other staterooms on the ship are also reasonably priced for this date. An Ocean View stateroom goes for as low as $299 per person while a balcony room can be had for $419 per person. A suite is priced at $999 each.

The Ship

Celebrity Cruises is the premium line of Royal Caribbean International. Celebrity Constellation is the youngest of the four Millennium Class ships in Celebrity’s fleet. Millennium came in 2000, Infinity was put in service in 2001 while Summit and Constellation came last in 2002. All have identical gross tonnage of 91,000 and all are 965 feet or 294 metres long.

The Constellation has eleven decks accessible to passengers. It has a capacity for 2,170 guests and has around 1,000 crew members on board for a nearly 1 to 1 ratio.

The ship was built by Chantiers de L’Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France. Her sole job over the next year is alternating four and five night Western Caribbean cruises with Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale as a home port.

 

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

$179 for 5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise on Brilliance of the Seas

Port Canaveral, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Tampa. All are cruise ports within are relatively short drive via automobile at 70+ miles per hour. A different story when travelling at around 22 knots in a massive cruise ship. Each port of embarkation yields slightly different routes and itineraries under the shared name of ‘Western Caribbean’ cruise.

We’re just over a week away from a five night Western Caribbean cruise out of Tampa on board Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas. The last minute price for this cruise has dropped to as low as $179 per person for an interior stateroom or $35.80 per person per night.

The Cruise

This five night Western Caribbean itinerary embarks from Tampa, Florida at 4pm on Saturday, December 7, 2013. After spending Sunday at sea, rounding the western tip of Cuba, Brilliance of the Seas makes its first of two port calls at Georgetown, Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands.

The ship stays docked in Georgetown from 7am to 3:30 in the afternoon. Grand Cayman is all about the water surrounding the island and not so much the land the island is made of. The thing to do is visit Stingray City Sandbar. This is an opportunity to swim up close and personal with stingrays in their environment. Although you can use U.S. dollars in Georgetown, the official currency is the Caymanian Dollar (KYD). One Canadian dollar is currently valued at .77 KYD.

The following morning, Brilliance of the Seas moves a little further west and docks at Cozumel, Mexico. The ship will remain at the Mexican island resort area from 10am to 7pm.

Wednesday is another full day at sea as the ship makes its way back across the Gulf of Mexico. Brilliance returns to Tampa on the morning of Thursday, December 12, 2013 at 7am.

The Pricing

As mentioned, an interior stateroom, based on double occupancy, can be had for as low as $179 per person. This price does not include the $65.76 per person in government taxes and fees. With all the taxes included, a couple could pay as low as $486 total to take the cruise. For just $20 more per person, the cruise can be upgraded to an Ocean View room.

The Ship

Brilliance of the Seas is one of four Radiance Class ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet. She made her maiden voyage in July, 2002 and is a medium-large sized ship by today’s standards. Brilliance has a gross tonnage of 90,000 and is 962 feet or 292 metres long. There are 12 decks accessible to the capacity 2,501 passengers. 848 crew members are on board to make everything run smooth.

Brilliance is the second oldest of the Radiance Class of ships. All four are nearly identical and the first was Radiance of the Seas, put in service in 2001. Brilliance was followed by Serenade of the Seas in 2003 and Jewel of the Seas in 2004.

 The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

NCL 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise From $249

There are a few advantages to taking a Western Caribbean cruise out of New Orleans, Louisiana. First, you get to more ports of call than embarking out of Florida. Second, you get to spend time before and/or after your cruise in New Orleans!

The Norwegian Jewel is currently based out of New Orleans until April and is running seven night Western Caribbean itineraries. Right now, these cruises can be had for very little money. You can be on the Jewel when it embarks on December 8, 2013 for as low as $35.57 per person, per night.

The Cruise

 

This seven night Western Caribbean cruise embarks from New Orleans on Sunday, December 8, 2013 at 4pm. Norwegian Jewel arrives back in the historical U.S. city at 8am on Sunday, December 15, making four port calls along the way.

The ship spends two full days at seas, on the Monday at the start at Saturday at the end. First stop is at Cozumel, Mexico on Tuesday. On Wednesday, it’s down the coast to Belize City, Belize. Thursday marks the third country in three days with a stop at Coxen Hole, Honduras. On Friday, Jewel returns to Mexico but this time it’s on the mainland at Costa Maya.

The Pricing

Using Norwegian Cruise Line’s BestFare rate, an interior stateroom can currently be had for as low as $249 per person. This equals $35.57 per person per night. This price does not include $99.38 in government taxes and fees. Everything included, a couple can have this cruise for the total price of $696.76 which is less than what one person usually pays for a seven night Caribbean cruise.

Rates are decent across the board for this cruise. An Ocean View can be had as low as $399. A balcony room is priced as low as $649. A suite can be had for under a $1,000 at $849. These are per person rates based on double occupancy and are subject to the same $99.38 in government taxes and fees.

The Ship

 

Norwegian Jewel has been in service since 2005 and is the oldest of four Jewel Class ships in the Norwegian fleet. A medium sized ship with a gross tonnage of 93,502, Jewel is 965 feet or 294 metres long. She has 15 decks, 12 that are accessible to passengers. Capacity is for 2,376 passengers and 1,100 crew members.

Other ships in NCL’s Jewel Class include the Norwegian Pearl, Norwegian Gem and Norwegian Jade. All four ships are nearly identical. The Pearl was put in service in 2006. The Gem came next in 2007 and the Jade joined the fleet in 2008. However, the Jade started life as the Pride of Hawaii and was put in service in 2006.

 The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

Carnival Imagation 4 Night Western Caribbean From $149

If you’re not picky about where you’ll be sleeping on a cruise and want to save a lot of money, the Carnival Cruise Lines Super Saver rates are for you. For example, a four night Western Caribbean cruise out of Miami, embarking December 9, 2013, can be had for as low as $149 per person. This equates to about $37.25 per night per person.

The Cruise

 

The Carnival Imagination leaves Miami at 4pm on Monday, December 9, 2013. The following morning, she makes her first of two port calls on this short Western Caribbean journey. From just 7:30 in the morning until 1:30 in the afternoon, Imagination will be docked at Key West.

On Wednesday, December 11, Carnival Imagination parks at Cozumel, Mexico at 1:30 in the afternoon and departs at 10pm. This allows for some sun, followed by a nice Mexican dinner and sunset before getting back on board the ship.

After a full day at sea on Thursday, skimming across the top of northwestern Cuba, Imagination arrives back at Miami Friday morning at 8am.

The Pricing

Using the Super Saver plan, an interior stateroom can be had for around $149 per night per person or around $37.25 per person per night. An ocean view room will cost around $200 per person and a suite can be had for $559 per person. This is an older ship without balcony rooms. With the additional $77.71 in government fees and taxes, the all-in price for an interior stateroom is about $225 per person.

What is the Super Saver rate? The Super Saver is a no frills rate that is non-refundable with not upgrades and no price drop protection. You have no choice in what room you choose and it will not be assigned until check-in time. This means, your stateroom could be on any deck at any section of the ship.

The Ship

Carnival Imagination is a Fantasy Class ship that has been in service since 1995. She was last refurbished in 2007. Imagination is the middle child of the eight ship Fantasy Class, being the fifth oldest in a group of identical ships put in service between 1990 and 1998.

Imagination is fairly small by today’s standards with a gross tonnage of 70,397. She is 855 feet or 261 metres long and has ten decks accessible to a capacity 2,056 passengers. 920 crew members make things run smooth at sea. Despite its size and age, Imagination has it all. The standard casino, wellness centre and programs, kids programs and nightlife are available on board.

Interestingly, after calling Miami home for most of her life, she is repositioning in January, 2014 to Long Beach, California. The Panamax ship will depart Miami on January 10 for a 16 night cruise to Long Beach via the Canal. Staterooms for this cruise are still available but fairly expensive at over $1,600 for an interior room. The vessel will make stops in the Cayman Islands, Colombia, Costa Rica and Mexico before reaching its California destination.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

Ruby Princess 4 Night Western Caribbean From Just $149

At the time this article is being published, the Ruby Princess is still located in the Mediterranean Sea. She will embark on a Transatlantic Repositioning Cruise on November 29, taking 15 nights to reach Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. After that, Ruby takes on four and five night cruises out of Ft. Lauderdale for the next little while. It’s Ruby’s first cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale that has great last minute pricing that really isn’t that last minute with more than two weeks from today to prepare.

The Cruise

The Ruby Princess takes a bit of a rest after crossing the Atlantic by embarking on a simple four night Western Caribbean cruise, leaving Saturday, December 14, 2013 at 4pm. This is an easy out and back journey from the Port Everglades cruise port in Ft. Lauderdale, stopping just once.

After a full day at sea, passing just above the north shore of Cuba, Ruby makes her one port call at Cozumel, Mexico. She is docked on the Mexican Island from 8am to 6pm before beginning the journey back home to Florida. Ruby Princess will take another full day at sea, retracing her steps and arriving back at Port Everglades at 7am on Wednesday, December 18.

If the Transatlantic crossing interests you, Ruby leaves Barcelona, Spain on November 19 and staterooms are still available for as low as $699. Along the way, she will make port calls at Toulon, France; Livorno, Italy; Rome, Italy and Funchal on the Portuguese island of Madeira.

The Price

Interior staterooms for the 4 night Western Caribbean cruise can be had for as low as $149 per person. That equates to just $37 per day. This is ‘Flash Pricing’, meaning that full payment is due at the time of booking and is non-refundable. This deal expires November 28, 2013 at 6am.

Other flash deals include Ocean View staterooms for $229, Balcony rooms for $299 and Suites for $399. Not included in any of these prices is an additional $70 per person in government taxes and fees. Quite frankly, at $399 per person, this is a great opportunity to experience life at sea in a suite.

The Ship

Ruby Princess is the youngest of the Princess Cruises Grand Class ships. She made her maiden voyage in November of 2008. Like many Princess and Carnival cruise ships, Ruby was built by Fincantieri in Italy, on the northeast shore of the Adriatic Sea.

At a gross tonnage of 113,000, Ruby Princess is not a small ship but reasonable. She is 951 feet or 290 metres long and has 15 decks accessible to passengers. There is room for 3,080 passengers and 1,200 crew members on board.

Ruby is one of three Grand Class ships in the Princess Cruises fleet. Crown Princess is the oldest, put in service in June, 2006. Emerald Princess is the middle child, on the job as of April, 2007. All three are nearly identical.

 

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

9 Night Western Europe Cruise for Just $249!

It involves making travel plans to Europe in a bit of a hurry but this last mean cruise deal is well worth it. Nine nights on board the Norwegian Spirit on a Western Europe cruise out of Barcelona, Spain can now be had for as low as $28 per night. Spirit embarks from Barcelona at 7pm on Sunday, December 1, 2013. If that’s too rushed, the same itinerary embarking on December 10 starts from just $50 more.

The Cruise

This nine night Western Europe cruise embarks from Barcelona, Spain on December 1, 2013, leaving the Mediterranean and heading to the Atlantic Ocean to visit Morocco and the Canary Islands off the African coast.

The Norwegian Spirit stops on Tuesday, December 3 at Casablanca, Morocco. Visitors will get plenty of time to explore this historic African city with the boat docked from 8am to 11pm.

After a day at sea, the ship then visits Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Spanish Canary Islands. Tenerife is the largest of this group of islands. The following day, she moves to Lanzarote, the easternmost island of the Canaries.

On the return trip to Barcelona, Norwegian Spirit makes one Mediterranean port call at Malaga on the southern coast of Spain. After one more day at sea, Spirit arrives back at Barcelona at 5am on Tuesday, December 10, 2013.

Pricing

Pricing for this cruise currently starts at just $249 per person for an interior stateroom. An Ocean View stateroom is well worth the additional $20 per person at $269. A suite on board the Norwegian Spirit is still a little pricy at $1,249. An additional $116 per person is tagged on in the form of government fees and taxes.

The Ship

The Norwegian Spirit was launched as the SuperStar Leo of Star Cruises in 1998. NCL and Star are under the same parent company. The ship was then acquired by Norwegian in 2004 and has been in the fleet since.

This is a Leo Class ship and the only one with Norwegian Cruise Lines. The only other Leo Class vessel is the SuperStar Virgo in the Star Cruises fleet. The Virgin is identical to the Spirit and has been in service since 1999.

Spirit is medium sized ship at best with a gross tonnage of 75,388. She is 879 feet or 268 metres long. Passenger capacity is around 1,996 with 965 crew members needed to make the ship run smooth. There are ten decks accessible to passengers.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

Cruise on the World's 4th Largest Ship for $34 Per Night

This last minute cruise has it all. Great price at as low as $34 per night per person, a chance to sail on the world’s fourth largest cruise ship and an opportunity to spend a day in Haiti and help a country desperately in need of foreign tourist dollars. Don’t let Haiti scare you off. Labadee has a highly secure private beach in the north of the country that has been owned by Royal Caribbean since the 1980’s. This cruise leaves on December 2, 2013 so act fast if you want to take advantage of this deal!

The Cruise

Five nights on board Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas, embarking from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. This Western Caribbean itinerary starts at Port Everglades on Monday, December 2, 2013 at 4:30pm. After a day at sea, Liberty reaches Labadee, Haiti on Wednesday for a day of fun and sun at the private beach.

The following day, you can your reggae on with a port call at Falmouth, Jamaica. After another day full day at sea to experience all this great ship has to offer, you’re back in Florida on Saturday, December 7 at 7:00 in the morning. Remember, as with all Royal Caribbean’s newer ships, the boat is just as much a destination as the ports it visits.

This cruise can be had for as little as $34 per night. Interior staterooms can be had for as low as $169 per person per night. An ocean view is just $20 more per person per night at $189. Regardless of which stateroom you choose, there is an additional $107.72 per person in government fees and taxes.

The Ship

Liberty of the Seas began service in May, 2007. She was renovated in 2011 with the DreamWorks Experience integrated. Liberty is one of three Freedom Class ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet with sisters Freedom of the Seas and Independence of the Seas being nearly identical.

At a gross tonnage of 154,407, all three Freedom Class ships tie as the fourth largest cruise ship currently on the high seas. Only Royal Caribbean’s twin Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas, along with the Norwegian Epic are larger. Liberty of the Seas is heavier but not quite as long as the Queen Mary 2 of the Cunard Line.

Liberty is 1,112 feet long or 339 metres in length. Using the old standard, she is the length of three NFL football fields. There are 15 decks accessible to the capacity 4,600 passengers. The crew numbers around 1,300.

As mentioned, the ship is a destination. Liberty of the Seas is fully integrated with the DreamWorks Experience, making it great for smaller children. Also included is FlowRider, a surf simulator. For added enjoyment, there are two hot tubs cantilevered over the edge of the boat, giving great views of the ocean around.

 The Small Print

· Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

· Prices are in Canadian dollars.

· Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

· Also not included are gratuities.

· Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

4 Night Bahamas Cruise From Just $111

The Cruise

Nearly two full weeks before this cruise embarks, this is not so last minute. A four night Bahamas cruise embarking from Miami, Florida on board Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas can be had for as little as $111 per person. That equates to $27.50 per night – much cheaper than your local bug infested motel.

The cruise takes off from Miami on Monday, December 2, 2013 at 4:30 pm. On Tuesday, the ship stops at Nassau, Bahamas. After gambling your money away in Nassau, Wednesday is spent at Coco Cay, a private island leased to Royal Caribbean International. Also known as Little Stirrup Cay, Coco Cay is one of the Berry Islands and is used exclusively by customers of Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises. You shouldn’t get lost and miss getting back on the ship as the island is just around a kilometre long by 200 metres wide.

Thursday brings an interesting twist as Majesty of the Seas stops at Key West in the Florida Keys. Don’t drink too many Margaritas and Mojitos in Key West as the ship arrives back in Miami at 7:00 am on Friday morning, December 6.

Pricing for this cruise is more than half price for this sailing date. Price and availability are subject to change quickly and without notice – especially at these rates. An interior stateroom can be had for $111 Canadian dollars per person. An Ocean View room is slightly more and worth the investment at just $127 per person. A suite is not so cheap at $649 per person.

Not included in those prices is $98 per person in government fees and taxes. This is pretty much a standard rate, regardless of the length of a cruise. For example, on a 15 night TransAtlantic Repositioning Cruise, you will pay around the same total in fees and taxes.

The Ship

 

Majesty of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s oldest active ships, making her maiden voyage in April, 1992. She was built by Chantiers de L’Atlantique in St. Nazaire, France, which is now owned by STX Europe. Back in 1992, Majesty was christened by Queen Sonja of Norway. She was last refurbed in 2007.

At a length of 880 feet or 268 metres and 13 decks accessible to passengers, Majesty of the Seas may not be the largest boat on the ocean but she’s of pretty decent size. The ship carries around 2,750 passengers and 833 crew members.

The last remaining ship of Royal Caribbean’s Sovereign Class, Majesty’s two sister ships are still around but sailing for RC’s Spanish subsidiary, Pullmantur Cruises. Sovereign of the Seas is the oldest, put in service in 1988. She switched to Pullmantur after 2008. Monarch of the Seas came into service in 1991 and just switched over in 2013.

The Small Print

·         Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·         Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·         Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·         Also not included are gratuities.

·         Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.