Holiday Cruise Vacation For 2013? Wait To Buy, About A Week

by Chris Owen on

The holiday gifts have all been opened and some of Santa’s “nice” kids received exactly what they wanted. Others, leaning a bit towards the “naughty” side, not so much. If a cruise vacation was on that gift list for you, all hope is not lost. It is indeed possible to actually buy a cruise and get it for a price that adds up to a great travel value.

We are right around the corner from what travel agents call “wave season.” That’s the January through March flurry of sales that travel agencies see as many cruise travelers plan a cruise for 2013 or beyond.

Getting the best value depends on which cruise line, ship, sailing date, or itinerary you choose. Still, universal among most major cruise lines, some common-sense tips can bring home the best offer.

  • Holidays are popular- Christmas Eve/Day and New Year’s Eve/Day are the four most popular days to sail and command a premium price, year-round, with few exceptions.
  • Cruise lines commonly discount the third/fourth or more passengers in a cabin, making cramming kids a popular sport, subject to cruise line rules.
  • Cram as many kids as possible into a cabin- Most will hold up to four and while four large adults would be challenged, four average-size kids ages 10 to 21 will fit just fine. But in the same breath we say…
  • Be realistic about cabin size- A decade ago, I booked four large adults in a cabin for four people, and those four people called/screamed at me from the ship after boarding. Apparently, the discounted upper berths that looked so attractive when buying were only about half the width needed for our fluffy cruise traveler friends.
  • Be aware of the cruise line rules for traveling with kids- There is a minimum age. There are a limited number of cabins that will accommodate three, four or more people.
  • Book as far in advance as possible, especially if traveling with kids and/or your needs require cabins in a specific location (like next to each other), cabins that connect (like a door between them), or any cabins that have three or more guests in them, as these are in limited supply.
  • Book at the last minute- I had to force my fingers to type that. After decades of suggesting “buying far in advance is a good idea,” cruise lines may be changing their tune, awarding those who book at the last minute (30 days or so prior to sailing) some of the best values.

Frankly, the way cruise fare pricing is going right now, one of the best suggestions might very well be to book a flexible fare now and then lock in to a lower, restricted fare later. That action now would get travelers the cabin location they want with an opportunity for a better price down the road. Your travel agent can help with that. Not ready for a travel agent yet? Leave your questions here.


[Photo Credit- Flickr user peter.clark]

Gadling Gear Review: Adidas Choleah Laceup Boots for Women

by Pam Mandel on

I like traveling in cold weather but you’ve got to make the sacrifice of checking a bag and bulking up your gear. Good footwear is critical year round, but you’ll be downright miserable if you have cold feet while stomping around a twee alpine village or a dirty snow urban landscape.

Moon-boot styling is kind of back, isn’t it? But they’re a lot lighter than they were the first time around, and they’re made out of considerably better materials. Adidas Choleah Laceup is a surprisingly lightweight, warm and weatherproof boot.

I have one minor skepticism about the way the boot is pitched but that’s because I didn’t have icy conditions in which to give it a try. The sole on the shoe is supposed to offer great traction – I can’t confirm or deny that. The tread looks a little shallow – but I could be wrong. If you’re really going to be on the ice, you might want some ice cleats.

Unknown traction issues aside, these are darned cute boots and who doesn’t like a pair of cute winter boots that keep you warm and dry? They’re about mid-calf height and have a fluffy fake fur lining around the uppers. That makes them a little bulky up top; you’re not going to be able to pull your skinny jeans over the outside but you can tuck them in and lace them up.

They’re also very warm and dry. They have a light synthetic fill as insulation and the shoe is lined with fabric that holds heat. They’re made of all kinds of technically named stuff – PrimaLoft, ClimaProof, Adiprene – which may not mean much on a brand name basis, but it actually does make a boot that keeps your feet warm in cold, wet weather.My winter gear tests involve the slightly above freezing and raining conditions of the Pacific Northwest winter. When I put these boots on to go out into an unpleasant December day, I had cold feet. It took a while for me to warm up, but once I did, I was very happy with how toasty my feet were. And yeah, style is subjective, but I think they look swell. Yes, you could wear them with some tights and a skirt and you’d be quite the adorable urban snow bunny. They also offer exactly the kind of wear you’d expect from an athletic shoemaker; they’re very comfortable for a long day’s walk.

Adidas originally listed the Choleah for $150, but I’ve seen them listed for half that online. They come in two colors, a very dark gray (almost black) with black laces and a burgundy with white laces. They’re cute, comfortable, great for bad weather and surprisingly lightweight. I’d say they make the cut for winter travel.

[Image courtesy of Adidas]

Friends Of The Earth Grades Cruise Lines, Some Flunk

by Chris Owen on


Friends of the Earth is a global network of activists from 76 different countries that strive for a more healthy and just world. To make that happen, Friends of the Earth believe reforms are needed and are out to prove their point.

Evaluating cruise lines based on three environmental factors – sewage treatment, air pollution reduction and water quality compliance – Friends of the Earth has some interesting results to share in its 2012 Cruise Ship Report Card.

Presented to give travelers one piece of the information they need to decide which cruise ship or cruise line to sail, Friends of the Earth‘s Cruise Ship Report Card highlights environmental and human health impacts.

Scoring high in the areas of sewage Treatment, air pollution reduction and water quality compliance, Disney Cruise Line came away with top honors, an A-.

Sewage Treatment
Cruise lines came under close scrutiny years ago, when caught dumping raw sewage into the ocean. To see how cruise lines are faring these days, Friends of the Earth asks, “Has the cruise line installed on its ships the most advanced sewage and waste water treatment systems available instead of dumping minimally treated sewage directly into the water?”

Friends of the Earth also compared the number of cruise ships in the cruise line that have installed advanced sewage treatment systems against the total number of ships in the cruise line.

Top three for sewage treatment:
Disney Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Lines
Celebrity Cruises

Bottom three for sewage treatment:
Carnival Cruise Lines
Silversea Cruises
Costa Cruises

Air Pollution Reduction
When it comes to air pollution reduction, Friends of the Earth is most concerned with if the cruise line has retrofitted its ships with “plug-in” technology giving the ships the ability to use cleaner shore-side power rather than running its diesel-burning engines.

This is such a big issue that in determining the air pollution Reduction grade, only ships that dock at ports with shore-side power hookups and could plug in were graded.

Top three for air pollution reduction:
Princess Cruises
Disney Cruise Line
Holland America Line

Bottom three for air pollution reduction:
Silversea Cruises
Costa Cruises
Crystal Cruises

Water Quality Compliance
Comparing to 2010 water pollution standards designed to protect the Alaskan coast, Friends of the Earth used the notices issued by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation for individual cruise ships.

Top three for water quality compliance:
Silversea Cruises
Norwegian Cruise Line
Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Bottom two for water quality compliance:
Carnival Cruise Lines
Holland America Line

Friends of the Earth continues its ongoing mission to compare the footprints of 15 major cruise lines and 148 individual ships. See complete details of the Cruise Ship Report Card here and more on the topic in this video:




[Photo Credit- Flickr user NOAA’s National Ocean Service]

Photo Of The Day: Sunny Isles

by Chris Owen on

This Photo of the Day is titled “Sunny Isles” and comes from Gadling Flickr pool member Bens640. The scene is of a typical beach in Florida’s North Miami and, looking around the weather map, some of you could use a warm-weather photo to focus on.

I lived in the Midwest for about half a century before relocating to Florida almost a decade ago and saw plenty of ice, snow, stupid people driving during that “first snow” and breath-robbing sub-zero winds.

Similar photos helped.

Upload your best shots to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. Several times a week we choose our favorite images from the pool as a Photo of the Day.

[Photo Credit: Gadling Flickr pool member Bens640]

Traveling Santa Caught On Camera

by Chris Owen on

As the story goes, Santa should be loading up his sleigh just about now, preparing to bring gifts to the good children of the world during the late evening and overnight hours of Christmas Eve, December 24. No, wait. It’s the elves that load the sleigh. So what does Santa do other than hang out in department stores to get an ear full of children’s wishes?

This photo gallery has Santa caught on camera all over the world.

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On Christmas Eve, follow Santa’s progress using Google’s Santa Tracker, a Chrome extension that will enable children to browse the web and keep an eye on Mr. Claus and his reindeer at the same time. Better yet, sign up for a customized phone call or send him an email through his Gmail account.

[Photo credit: Royal Caribbean International]