EasyCruise Offers Discount Cruises
Get a Barebones Cruise For a Bargain Price
The discount cruise line offers rates as low as $20 a day for some of their itineraries. But are the deals really as good as they seem?
Yes...and no...depending on what you expect from your cruise.
Most of us have been conditioned to think of all-you-can-eat buffets and endless onboard entertainment as staples for cruises. But they're never free -- you pay for it in your cruise price.
European-based EasyCruise entered the fray last year with bright orange freighter-type ships and limited itineraries. They also offered jaw-dropping prices.
But before you rush to book that $20-a-day cruise, consider what you get for that.
There are no casinos, no buffets, no Vegas-style nightclubs. Your only onboard entertainment is the sundeck, the hot tubs (which only seat six each), a cocktail bar, a sports bar and whatever trouble you can get yourself into.
You also don't get much in the way of accommodations. The standard room is about the size of a walk-in closet, with a shower, toilet, sink and a logo bed frame that makes either two single beds or one double bed.
The room also doesn't come with many amenities - a mirror, a storage shelf/hanger configuration, liquid soap, sheets, and towels are about all you get. Anything else you may consider to be standard, such as alarm clocks and radios, must be provided by you. There are a few suites onboard, at a higher price, but they don't offer much more than extra space and a small couch.
You also may feel cut off from civilization - EasyCruise doesn't offer internet access and most cell phones won't work at sea. But they do offer a small gym.
Given all that, what is the benefit of buying a cruise with them, other than the low prices?
Well, to be honest, the price is the main thing, because the money you save is money you can use for other parts of your trip, like shore excursions. If you approach the cruise line as a mode of transportation rather than the whole vacation, as you might with some of the more expensive cruise providers, it's a great way to get some mileage from your vacation dollar.
You also aren't obligated to spend the full week on the cruise. You can opt for a 3 or 4 day section of the itinerary...and pay just for the days you cruise.
And that $20 starting price is per person/double occupancy, so if you travel solo, a standard room will only set you back $40 a day or $280 for an entire week. Compare that to a cruise line like Celebrity or Princess, which will charge you $1000 or more for the same week.
As of now, EasyCruise offers three itineraries. Through the summer and fall of 2006, they over sailings of the French & Italian Riviera, as well as the Holland and Belgium coasts. Starting this winter, they will add a Caribbean itinerary which will sail from St. Kitts to Antigua to St. Maarten.
The company also has plans in the near future to repaint their ships a more upscale grey with the bright orange used as an accent color.
For more information, or to book, visit www.EasyCruise.com.
