To find the ship and sailing right for you, go through a cruise specialist. Here's why - and who - to call.
Goldilocks had a simple predicament: choosing the right bed and bowl. When booking a cruise you need to consider, in addition to ship size (Small? Medium? Large? And what’s the difference?), a slew of other factors that will affect your experience: the itinerary, the ship’s amenities and culinary cred, the excursions, the cabin types and locations. The advisers below focus on cruising. They know the cruise lines and all their ships. They know deck plans in detail. (Yes, every ship has bad cabins—you do not, for example, want to be over the stern thrusters.) They know the ships’ different vibes, and will also, importantly, make sure that they understand your likes, dislikes, and interests. Think of them as matchmakers who will also help with logistics: private drivers and guides in ports of call (who wants to be on a bus?), pre- and post-cruise hotels, and the thicket of travel regulations. I have known and worked with all three for years, and they are also on travel guru Wendy Perrin's WOW List of trusted travel experts, where you can read consumer reviews.
Ashton Palmer of Expedition Trips began as an expedition leaders, guide, and naturalists. He specializes in small ship expedition cruises - companies like Aqua Expeditions, Ponant, Lindblad, Scenic Aurora, and more. He has been to Antartica more than 50 times and spent three months in the Amazon. His email: Ashton@expeditiontrips.com
Tom Baker of Cruise Center specializes in large and medium-size ships from such lines as Celebrity, Oceania, Royal Caribbean, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn, and Silversea. He also has clout with river lines: AmaWaterways, Uniworld, Viking. But really there is nothing cruise-related he can’t help with; he has sailed on more than 250 ships over the course of 50 years. His email: tom.baker@cruisecenter.com.
Courtesy of Mary Jean Tully
Mary Jean Tully, Tully Luxury Travel
Mary Jean Tully of Tully Luxury Travel has for decades now sent a great many clients to all the luxury cruise lines. Her contacts enable her to secure the best cabins for her customers, as well as a wide range of onboard credits—i.e., she can be your ticket to special treatment at sea. Because she is intermittently in Africa—her other passion, in addition to life on the high seas, is wildlife conservation—her deputy, Cheri Ozimac, will take excellent care of you. Mary Jean's email: maryjean@tullyluxuryrtravel.com; Cheri Ozimac's email: cheri@tullyluxurytravel.com
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