42 - Sunday, September 26 1993 -- North Shore News Cruise ships vary in destination THE STRATEGY of booking a cruise at the last minute in order to get the lowest price recently has been sunk. By Anna Marie D’Angelo News Reporter ‘ Travel agent Tina .Wignall, of North Vancouver’s Cruiseshipcenter, says cruise ship travellers. are booking: their trips early these. days and_ still benefitting from any subsequent deals. “We now have a guaranteed protection so that clients can get refunded the difference if there are specials,’’ said Wignail.- She ‘said the lowest-price guar- antee was instituted on Jan. 1. As far as popular cruising spots, Wignall said: it depends on the time of year for travel. From -June to October, Alaska is the most popular destination for .North Shore: residents: and from _ September to\: February, Mexico and the Caribbean are the popular - cruising spots. °° - : ‘From February until June, some ‘North Shore - residents . take: ad- vantage of seeing spots .in. be- tween, as cruise — lines conduct _ repositioning cruises to the next season’s popular destinatious.: ’. These: repositioning cruises in- _volve:.travels .to. the warmer climates in the winter and cooler. . climates in the summer.: | 7 - A cruise between peak cruise- ship’ seasons .can’ involve ‘a ‘trip from Fort Lauderdale through the Panama- Canal, ending” in. Los Angeies with stops in Mexico, *"’ +-Wignall, said. the popularity, of - Discover | | Tae Beat brauy | ' ‘This is the best time to visit .. Raly — the bargain months When prices reflect what focals expect to pay. so AA days ‘con’ 519 seo | "Inclusive of: 1 @ Airfare from Vancouver via Canadian Airlines ° Touring by luxury coach with reclining seats VISIT 7 ROME * FLORENCE * VENICE Assist * SORRENTO Hl ° First Class/4 Star Hotels * Daily Continental Breakfast (with cereal) and 4 Dinners * All service charges, local taxes, baggage handling and hotel tips. 2 Professional Tour European cruises in the springtime has picked up recently. “The Mediterranean have just taken off,’’ Wignall. Wignall said Christmas cruises to the Caribbean -are sold out now, adding that people should book Christmas cruises by April or May. _ Cruises range from three-day excursions from Los Angeles that include stops in Mexico to 54-day (three-month) world cruises which leave from either Los Angeles or Fort Lauderdale. The cost per person for a cruise can range from $650 to $53,000. Wignall said $53,000 will. cover a person’s 71-day world cruise on the Royal Viking Queen with tips included. ‘ Wignall said cabin location is cruises said Quay Market 1 North Shore News - Shaw Cable - ~~ Royal Bank | Cates Tugs | Shoppers Drug Mart AGENCIES: _ North Shore Crisis Services North Shore Family Services North Shore Community Services CMHA Big Brothers North Shore Disability Resource North Shore | Family YMCA not important to most people, but travellers on their first cruise tend to be more concerned about cabins. “A lot of people on their first sail want to have a mid-ship cabin, But it doesn’t make any difference because people are not in their cabins much,’’ said Wignall. She said cruise ships: are like hotels in the service levels they provide ranging from ultra deluxe (and more expensive) to standard. Wignall said new cruise ship lines are popping up all the time as the activity becomes more pop- ular, : The travel agent warns travellers to make sure the cruise ship line they choose has been approved by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Stay in touc eae h while at. sea on a criuse ship MOST PEOPLE consider a cruise the ultimate gel-away- from-it-all vacation. But a few worry about keeping in touch while at sea. For those, modern cruise ships offer ready solutions. Through the wizardry. of modern technology, cruise. vacationers can always phone home and receive calls. Ships can communicate via high seas. operator, two-way radio, satellite and cellular ser- vices while at sea. : Some vessels offer combined cellular and satellite capability, a new maritime communica- tions service. And for businesspeople who with need to receive or send printed materials, today’s ships also have fax machines. .. . Most cruise vessels have’ tele- phones in every room; many Iet | you phone directly from: your. cabin. . Co ds Some even have pay, phones in the lobby that’ are accessed ..- with credit cards, oT, And for those who can’t part their portable cellular phones, it will be good news to know that much of the Carib-. | bean basin as well as the zast and west coasts of the U.S. are . celular areas. Also, most ships have a daily newsletter with news headlines, selected stock quotes and sports - scores. to North Vancouver’s United Way Awareness Day. oh SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3 FROM 1 - 3. “LONSDALE QUAY MARKET SEASIDE PLAZA. EVENTS Dancing tug ooats Face painting Cookie decorating ‘Delta Police Pipe Band performing a concert from the water on Cates tug boats Summer Pops Youth Orchestra Mascots Celebrities Street entertainment Toy boat building FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY!