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Show H4 The Salt Lake Tribune TRAVEL Sunday, December3, 2000 Glut of Ships Helps Drive Down Cruise Costs BYARLINE BLEECKER the press that today’s prices are at par with 1980 levels. KNIGHT RIDDER NEWS SERVICE And the inventory just keeps Also, because short cruises tend to be less profitable for lines than a seven-day cruise Jan. 5 from San Juan to Santo Domingo, Barbados, Martinique, St. Maarten, and St. John/St. Thomas; prices start at The question ofwhetherthere is a glut of cruise ships probably will growing. More than 50 new ships will ply the high seas by 2005 —18of longer ones, look for deals turning up onsailings offive daysorless. Recently, I asked a batch of occupy industry wags for the next them in the coming year. Princess’ fleet alone will burgegn like Won- cruise lines for their lowest fares for Caribbean cruises this winter millennium. derland’s Alice when she chomped on the cake labeled “Eat Me.” The Love Boatline recently announced Pundits perorateall sides of the issue, Some say cruise lines have miscalculated big time, citing too many megaships chasing too few passengers. Nonsense, say others, the industry can handle it. Besides, say the optimists, low fares stem- plans to add five megavessels to its fleet by 2004, which will doubleits passenger capacity. In the same period, Carnival expects to bring out seven new vessels. ming from a surfeit of ships lure first-timers that are thelifeblood of Whilelines stand poised to battle it out for your cruise dollar, you can expect to nab someterrific deals, particularly on ships in the mainstream cruising. Andeven if discounts abound, as they already do, some industry analysts think the windfall won't last long; others expectit will be at least a year before pricesstabilize. $599. And a five-day Westerdam cruise from Fort Lauderdale Jan. 14to Key West, Half Moon Cay, and Nassaustarts at Celebrity Cruises’ Horizon is and spring. Here are some you may wantto checkout. Prices are based on double occupancy, in effect on select sailings, and subject to availability. Some prices include offering a seven-night cruise round-trip from Aruba. for from $499. Its seven-night eastern Caribbeanitineraries on Century and port charges and taxes. For more inforr ‘ion, contact a travel Mercury from Fort Lauderdale agent. In the mainstream category, start at $699. Andfaresfor a 12-day sailing on Carnival has seven-day cruises to the eastern, western and southern Caribbean from $549; some threeday cruises begin at $249, andfivedaycruises at $349. Cunard Line's Caronia from Fort Lauderdale Dec. 9 start at $1,620, including economy-class air fare. Princess’ seven-day Southern Even luxury lines are getting into the discount act. Seabourn’s rates usually hover around $700 I mayhavegotten a low gradein cause cruiseline execs are sure to Caribbean cruises on Dawn Prin- per personperday, butits four-day economicsin college, but I do understand supply and demand. And figure out some way to market their cruises more aggressively. For example, you'll probably start seeing more discounts aimed at inducing passengers to bookearly. Expect more regional deals to. pop up aroundthe country too. And as cess and Ocean Princess, roundtrip from San Juan, can be had for Seabourn GoddessI sailing on Dec. 9 starts at $1,149. Theship will sail Caribbean. If you're looking for bargains, though, you'd better hurry, be- no matter how’ factorit, it seems to me that passenger demand hasn't kept up with the cruise lines’ supply. Indeed, stiff competition has dropped the average cruise fare about 10 percent in the past year. cruise lines draw more noncruisers to the’sea, thoseliving in cities close to cruise ports will particularly be in the, cruise lines’ Carnival president Bob Dickinson, generally known for his no-holdsbarred candor, frequently notes in from $449. and Mayreau. Crystal Cruiseshas cut fares by as much as 50 percent on eight land America’s Veendam will sail 2001. Bearing the fancy appellation crosshairs. Dy Oyecurs, ry: CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED NEW TRAX 2100 SO. 320 W. Avie Pom Rose Parade 6 days + pee a et a Nolorcoach Tur La Vegas, San Dap,Sea Wattos Argues, Lag Mazatlan Sed anaes bet ST) RED LIONELKO OVERNIGHT FRI., SAT. & SUN. NIGHTS tot [erperperrrn 4 ENEWS ae $10) tex. $7 Cash Back $12 00 $4. 00. ‘CASH BACK a Uotedlnierimads Athos dolar une15-2320018a extolby Dand lochs pp quad. “The Lion Kings tour, Personally esco! fed by os aoaF Package Srarboaessien New "Zekeayoy faa lt FREE Airil booked byJan. 17th, i Ratels15 mesis ain ride thr the Copper Canyon,Tarahurtreindlon cave dwelings Spring Break on Broadway since 1981. She 10 seats left | Travel Zone Cruise Zone Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Costa delSol, Fez, Marrakech oyeSeville, Lisbon. RT air, first class hotels, meals, complete sightsof 8 seats Norway's spectacular 1,250-mile, fjord-indented coast between Ber- Rememberto slather lots of sun- gen and Kirkenes. Nowtheline is wooing intrepid block on your back and shoulders, which will be toasting in the sun Americans, and the fleet’s newest ships — six vessels that entered service between 1993 and 1997 — while you're face-down in the water. 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Jennifer has cruised on $1279 Jan 21-8 Incl RT air-from SLC; 6 nights at Shangri La Traders Hotel, 3 Lunches, 3 dinners, daly breakfast. i forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Great Wall, reat winter break. and older, as well as AARP membership discounts of$70 to $150 per cabin. For moreinformation,call Vessels in Norwegian Coastal’s fleet (formerly Bergen Lines) carry mostly Norwegian passengers and cargo.In thepast, these ships have relied primarily on Mother Nature to entertain passengers as they ply Me specializes in 6 esawey Plays, dinners, sights & much, much mi May25-14 days. Personally escorted RT Air, first class hotels, 20 meals, complete sightseeing & admissions. Limerick, Killarney, Bantry, Cork, Blarney, Waterford, Glendalough, Dublin, Belfast,Ballygally, Giants Causeway, ‘Donegal Bay, Clifden, Galway, Cliffs of Moher Spain, Portugal + MOTOEOS $19 in effect from Dec. 25 to Feb. 28. Additional discounts of up to $220 are available for passengers age 67 day Norwegian Coastal Voyage cruise for $737. a {0 Day Hil Cumorat Pageant indutng NauvooStev & WierPag Quarters travel industry 1660 air, pp quad. March 11= 8 days, Escorted by Bob Guymon. 7 hightaat deluxe Marriatt Marquis Hotel. 17 day: frApaciel uly 44-20, 2001 Jennifer Jury- Castillo has beenin the Scenic Ireland Bergen andat$737for six-day voy- % per person cruise only, including port charges includes: air, superior first class hotel, sights and show,dint Be naichine $880 for seven-day sailings from ages from Kirkenes. The rates are have gone. And you can naba six- 31 YEARS OF THE eee ESCORTED TOURS a7. Mar 16-11 Most affordable MUNICH, PRAGUE, BUDAPEST, VIENNA, ee Incl RT air oeLe First Class Hotels, 12 Meals, sightseeing. ts left Mexico’'s Copper Canyon jin ride in the sky! March 24-9 days. Visit Chihuahua,Creel, Divisadero, Copper one Cerocahui, El Fuerte, San‘Gas and Phoenix, Packageincludes: try instead of warm. How does the Arctic Circle between December and February sound? Calling this an off-season is putting it mildly, but it's when cruise and airline rates are lower and tourist crowds Sarees 200 1} Gulf of Alaska $137 Urique Canyon & Sparkling Arareco Lake. RT aie Bookearly to avoid being disappointed! k ; American Queen River rules Tee Mee seta) ‘PRINCESS CRUISES 7. vit: ma February 8 cursions include a snowmobile safari with refreshments at a Sami tent. Rates for outside cabins start at 2001 ChurchHistory Tours 42-49,Pageant 2001 inciting Day ttil sy Conorsh ageant ‘Subject avaabity, [Philadelphia + Escorted by Alan McKay. aa peaaae a oN cca Seesmy Los Angeles Theatre Tour Lion Ki= season bargains, maybe you'd ratherset your sights on a low-cost winter getaway to someplace win- IRTED TOURS FOR 22 YEARS 717-5771. __ 296-8930»*800-1 )-777-5 S771 ree, ‘STATEUE seam Real Euroy e northern lights and the midnight living in Norway. New shore ex- BEACON TOURS winnok artyaro ECR verages Orfeansto Memphis PantabonsSpring Garden, Fiberpypee ll NEW YEARS EVE STOCKMANS $11 Cash Back $25 Red ELign11301 Norwegian coastal voyage, the sun, the Sami (Lapp) culture, and EXCITING DEEP SOUTH TOUR ; : ee New Year's Holiday a waltetaee 79 a Topics include the history of the MORRIS ‘GPEN2EHOURS, Pocheon ae DEC. 28 Ue ae SoU LaoARaL iti sselisie MESQUITE Soper tet a A Necid are between-season sailings that typically are slower to book up. 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